The sun was setting over the small town of Bon Temps, Louisiana,
Jesse Stackhouse stood behind the bar at Merlotte's, wiping down the counter as he prepared for another busy night. As the youngest of the Stackhouse family, Jesse had always felt a sense of responsibility to take care of his family since his parents passed in that flash flood.
☆☆☆☆☆☆▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
"Hey Jesse, you ready for another night of serving drinks to the good people of Bon Temps?" called out My good friend and co-worker, Dawn.
I smiled and nodded, "You know it, Dawn. Gotta keep the drinks flowing and the customers happy."
As the night went on, the bar filled up with the usual locals looking for a good time and a cold drink.
I moved behind the bar with ease, mixing drinks and chatting with the regulars. But as the night wore on, a strange feeling began to settle over him, a sense of unease that he couldn't quite shake.
"Hey Jesse, you okay?" Sam asked, noticing the furrow in his brow.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a weird feeling, like something's not right," Jesse replied, glancing around the bar nervously.
Before Sam could respond, the door swung open, and Jesse's older Twin Sister rushed in
"Sorry, I'm late" Sookie as she tied her apron around her waist, her eyes fixed on Sam who was helping out behind the bar.
"Don't make a habit of it," Sam replied, with a chuckle.
I glanced around the bar, taking in the familiar faces of the regulars. Lafayette, the flamboyant cook, was preparing for the dinner rush. The atmosphere was lively, but I could sense an undercurrent of tension that seemed to hang in the air.
Before she could the door swung open, and a gust of cool air swept through the bar. A figure stepped inside and took a seat in Sookie's section., drawing the attention of several patrons.
"is that?" I asked, noticing her gaze.
"A vampire..yeah," Sookie admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "the first to visit since they came out of the coffin two years ago."
I leaned against the counter, as my sister got the order of the vampire, my eyes drifting over them in Curiosity.
Sookie was practically glowing when she walked back, her excitement palpable as she chatted animatedly with Arlene. Sookie's voice rising above the din. "Can you believe it? A vampire! Right here in our bar!" Her eyes sparkled with a mix of curiosity and thrill, the kind of energy that could light up the whole room.
Arlene, on the other hand, was less than thrilled. I could see her fidgeting, her fingers tapping nervously against the bar. "I don't know, Sookie. I mean, it's one thing to read about them in the papers, but having one sit right here? What if it's dangerous?" Her voice was low, laced with a hint of fear that made my stomach twist.
I couldn't blame her. The whole vampire thing was still new to most folks around here, and the stories that circulated were enough to make anyone uneasy. But Sookie, with her unwavering belief in the good in everyone, was determined to see the best in this situation.
"Come on, Arlene! It's just a guy. He's probably just like us, only with a little more... flair." Sookie laughed, her laughter infectious, and I couldn't help but smile. She had a way of making everything seem less daunting, even when it was anything but.
As I wiped down the bar, I caught a glimpse of the vampire sitting in Sookie's section. He was pale, with dark hair that fell just above his eyebrows and eyes that were pale blue and had almost a dead look behind them. I could see the way the other patrons stole glances at him, a mix of intrigue and apprehension.
I had heard the stories-how vampires had come out of the coffin, so to speak, after the invention of synthetic blood. But seeing one in the flesh was a different experience altogether. There was an aura about him, a coldness and dark feeling.
"Jesse, can you get him some red wine?" Sookie's voice broke through my thoughts, and I looked up to see her beaming at me, her eyes wide with excitement.
"Uh, sure," I replied, trying to mask my unease. I grabbed a glass and filled it with the red wine.
As I approached the table, I could feel the weight of the vampire's gaze on me. It was unnerving, like he could see right through me. "Here you go," I said, setting the glass down in front of him. "One glass of red wine."
He looked up at me, a small smile playing on his lips. "Thank you, Jesse. I appreciate it." I felt a shiver run down my spine. 'How does he know my name?' , 'Weird Vampire powers' my sister's voice sounded in my head.
"Uh, no problem," I stammered, backing away slowly. I could feel Arlene's eyes on me, her worry palpable. I returned to the bar, trying to shake off the feeling of being watched.
"See? He's not so bad," Sookie said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "He's just a guy, right?"
"Yeah, a guy who drinks blood," Arlene muttered under her breath, her eyes darting toward the vampire.
I couldn't help but feel a mix of fascination and fear. This was Bon Temps, a small town where everyone knew everyone, and now we had a vampire in our midst.
I glanced back at the vampire, who was now engaged in a one-sided conversation with The RatTrays.
Sookie paused as she was wiping down one of her tables. I knew she had heard someone's thoughts; I watched out of the corner of my eye as she sped to me while I gave someone their beer. "The Rattrays are going to drain that vampire of his blood," she said frantically, her voice barely above a whisper, but the urgency in her tone was unmistakable.
I felt a chill run down my spine. The Rattrays were trouble, and I had seen enough of their antics to know they were not the kind of people you wanted to mess with. I glanced over at the bar, where the vampire sat, looking as calm as ever, despite the chaos brewing around him.
"Sookie, are you sure?" I asked, my voice low. I didn't want to draw attention to us, but I could see the worry etched on her face. She nodded, her blue eyes wide with concern.
"I can hear their thoughts, Jesse. They're planning to drain him. We have to help him!" Her determination was fierce, and I admired her for it. Sookie Stackhouse was a force of nature, and I had always known she had a gift, but this was different. This was dangerous.