One for the Road {Open}

[Bill Compton]

Ice blue eyes pierced the dark room, and the bottle in Bill's hand was warm against his cold, pallid skin. True Blood, 0-, served warm; just how he liked it. A small smile played on his white lips, tinted vaguely red by his beverage of choice, but such a stain only remained for a few moments before a pink tongue flicked out between his teeth and lapped up any remnants. Blood was too good and too nourishing to waste.

The dark corner he sat in was largely uninhabited, a few people scattered here and there, but free for the most part, most of the bodies in the room writhing on the dance floor in the center of the club, any not dancing standing ram rod straight at the bar, doing their best to catch the attention of a surly bar tender. Problem was, the bar tender had a knack for ignoring humans, and over recent months, their numbers had increased two fold, more of them in vampire bars than vampires.
Fangtasia, a joke of a place, inhabited by fangbangers and V addicts, but still one of the only places left to get a decent drink. So many local bars had stopped serving True Blood - something about customers feeling disturbed.

Bill watched them with amusement, those dancing humans, those who put themselves so readily in danger, so readily in harms way that they were like fluffy little rabbits, prey, cavorting before caged lions, predators. And it was always the same story...it was only so long before a caged lion took the bait and bit.

Bill Compton prayed that he was not that predator...

[Effie Bennet]

As soon as Effie stepped into the club, she knew this was not the place for her.

One of her coworkers had told her about Fangtasia, though what Effie pictured and what she was actually saw were quite different. Just being in line had started sending huge red flags to her mind, but she decided to ignore them and enter the nightclub anyways. Now she really wished she hadn’t.

Standing awkwardly next to the entrance, she felt horribly out of place. The majority of the humans seemed to be rather goth-y, making her very self-conscious of her simple, light blue club dress. The vampires all exuded sexuality, some dancing on poles wearing next to nothing, others in similar apparel to the humans dancing with them. Effie felt like a dove amidst a flock of ravens, and she found it very intimidating. For a moment she considered turning around and leaving, but her pride wouldn’t let her.

I waited in line for an hour, so I’ll stay here for at least an hour, she thought determinedly. I’ve just got to think of it as another foreign country, and try not to get anxious just ‘cause I don’t understand the locals.

Despite these uplifting thoughts, it only took one salacious wink from a tall, dark and handsome to send her scuttling away from the dance floor. Blushing, she nervously straightened out her dress (despite it being perfectly fine) and looked around the club helplessly.

Aha! Effie thought triumphantly, spotting the bar. I have a plan! Ok, I’ve just got to start small: I’ll get some booze. Nothing like liquid courage to help bridge social barriers.[/I]

Squeezing her way through the crowd, Effie sidled her way through the group of people at the bar until she was leaning against it. Luckily, the bartender attended to her fairly fast –though at his quick up-and-down of her, she had a good feeling why- and she was soon walking away from the bar with a large girly drink in hand, looking for a spot.

She didn’t even bother giving the dance floor a second glass –no amount of force was taking her into that- and she already knew the bar was full (not to mention she didn’t feel like getting jostled by customers even if there was a spot), so she instead looked towards the less populated part of the bar, until she found a spot that seemed nearly uninhabited. Fist-pumping triumphantly, Effie walked over to a booth in a dark corner, thankful of not having to make her way through a dense crowd with a drink in hand, and was about to slide her way in when she noticed that the dark corner wasn’t as unoccupied as it had appeared from a distance; there was a man sitting there.

“Oh, I’m sorry! I thought this spot was open!” Effie said, blushing slightly and giving him her best apologetic smile. “I guess I’ll find another spot…unless you want someone to sit with?”

The last part she couldn’t help but say a little hopefully, although she also said it because she felt bad leaving him alone right after saying she hadn’t even seen him there. Now that she was up-close, Effie could see his old-fashioned good looks (although he looked a very little bit too old for her tastes) through his slightly sombre expression and a bottle of…is that Tru Blood? Holy s*it, he’s a vampire! Wicked. No, not wicked! I’ve never spoken to a vampire before! Oh balls, is there a form of etiquette I’m supposed to have near one? Oh no, I hope not. Ok Effie, act normal, act normal…I guess I’ll just have to wing it and hope for the best.

[Bill Compton]

Bill was so lost to his thoughts that he had barely noticed the approaching female, and despite his finely attuned senses it was only when she spoke to him, told him that she'd not seen him, offered some kind of apology and asked a question that he had snapped back to some sort of reality. Turning to face her, his blue eyes flicked from her face to her legs, and he pursed his lips a little. How had he not seen her? She stood out like a dove among black witches cats, which in a place like Fangtasia wasn't always a good thing. He contemplated remaining silent, hoping that a stare alone would suffice, and that she'd move along and find another vampire to bother. Thats what all humans at bars like Fangtasia wanted; to bother vampires. And she was unmistakably human.
But then he was a little bored, and she had sounded more sincere than most...actually interested in company rather than crawling atop a vampire and letting it have its way.

Letting out a slight sigh, he decided to offer a seat. After all, he could leave should things become troublesome, and while she was a pretty faced thing, she held little on Sookie. She didn't have the same enticing scent...

'Please do sit down. I am not waiting on anybody, and I would be glad of the company.'

He gestured to the seat she was stood next to with his bottle, before then taking a long gulp from it. He sat back in his chair a little, and leaned back, draping an arm over the soft leather back, eyes now locked on his drinking companion, her odd choice of dress and even stranger choice of beverage. It was tall and blue...shockingly blue. Like radioactive bubble gum. Sniffing toward it, he grimaced. If she finished that monstrosity, she would be in the clear for the evening. No vampire would touch her neck with its teeth. The sugar in her blood would have raised far too high, and it would be like sucking honey from a beehive.

Realizing his impropriety, his staring at the poor girl who had been polite enough to ask before she joined him, he let in a harsh breath, and sat forward sharply. He prided himself on his manners, and to let such a mistake pass him by was, to him at any rate, cringe worthy. In an attempt to make up for it, he unlaced him arm from the back of his chair, and held out a porcelain hand to the girl across from him.

'I am so sorry. Where have my manners gone? My name is Bill. Bill Compton. It is a pleasure to make you're acquaintance Miss...'

His heavy southern accent tinged his words, dragging the 'i's and 'y's' out in a homely manner, not necessarily suiting his rough and chiseled appearance.

[Effie Bennet]

Effie was a little unnerved under his scrutinizing stare, but this feeling was vanished when he spoke, as she was pleasantly surprised by his accent –the very same accent she’d found herself surrounded by for the past few months. Something about the southern accent made her think of pleasant things and pleasant people, despite knowing that those things didn’t always go hand in hand. It also seemed kind of weird on a vampire, but she decided not to say anything about that opinion.

Thanking him, she took the proffered seat, neatly arranging the bottom of her dress once she was settled. Watching him take a swig of his drink, she subconsciously took a sip of her own, humming contentedly. Her friends had often made fun of her for her drink of choice, often jokingly telling her they knew she’d been drinking ‘cause they could see the bright-blue concoction all the way from their house, but Effie didn’t care; it tasted great, and got the job done. Though watching the vampire drink a blood replacement while she was drinking sugary booze made her feel a little feel a little silly. Not that it was going to stop her.

She jumped slightly when he huffed and moved forward, realizing that she had been staring and hoping she hadn’t offended him in any way.

After all, staring at anyone is rude, but staring at someone who is probably sick of having people stare at them? Like, rude x10.

However, she was once again pleasantly surprised when he held out his hand and apologized to her for having bad manners.

Pfft, I should be the one apologizing. Well if that’s his idea of bad manners who am I to correct him? After all, there’s no point ruining a good thing, Effie thought, holding back the chuckle that wanted to escape. Then she had to stop it again when his name actually registered in her mind. Oh wow, how very…normal.[/I]
Once more, she decided against voicing her opinion.

Placing her hand in his and shivering slightly at the cool skin now touching her own, she cheerfully replied, “Effie Bennet. And you don’t have to apologize, you’ve done nothing wrong. Quite the opposite actually –you let me sit with you after all. I should apologize for barging into your space like this, so thanks again for letting me sit with you.” She took a deep breath to continue, then realized she didn’t have anything more to say on the topic, and was left opening and closing her mouth for a second before realizing she looked like a fish. Trying to hide her moment of awkwardness, she took a large gulp of her drink.

As she drank, she tried to think of something to say; however, he thoughts were interrupted by a thought that just occurred to her.

Bill Compton…now why does that sound so familiar? I’m positive I know that name, but from where?