Charlaine Harris - Dead Until Dark

I D BEEN WAITING for the vampire for years when he walked into the bar.

Ever since vampires came out of the coffin (as they laughingly put it) four years ago, Id hoped one would come to Bon Temps. We had all the other minorities in our little townwhy not the newest, the legally recognized undead? But rural northern Louisiana wasnt too tempting to vampires, apparently; on the other hand, New Orleans was a real center for themthe whole Anne Rice thing, right?

Its not that long a drive from Bon Temps to New Orleans, and everyone who came into the bar said that if you threw a rock on a street corner youd hit one. Though you better not.

But I was waiting for my own vampire.

You can tell I dont get out much. And its not because Im not pretty. I am. Im blond and blue-eyed and twenty-five, and my legs are strong and my bosom is substantial, and I have a waspy waistline. I look good in the warm-weather waitress outfit Sam picked for us: black shorts, white T, white socks, black Nikes.

But I have a disability. Thats how I try to think of it.

The bar patrons just say Im crazy.

Either way, the result is that I almost never have a date. So little treats count a lot with me.

And he sat at one of my tablesthe vampire.

I knew immediately what he was. It amazed me when no one else turned around to stare. They couldnt tell! But to me, his skin had a little glow, and I just knew.

I could have danced with joy, and in fact I did do a little step right there by the bar. Sam Merlotte, my boss, looked up from the drink he was mixing and gave me a tiny smile. I grabbed my tray and pad and went over to the vampires table. I hoped that my lipstick was still even and my ponytail was still neat. Im kind of tense, and I could feel my smile yanking the corners of my mouth up.

He seemed lost in thought, and I had a chance to give him a good once-over before he looked up. He was a little under six feet, I estimated. He had thick brown hair, combed straight back and brushing his collar, and his long sideburns seemed curiously old-fashioned. He was pale, of course; hey, he was dead, if you believed the old tales. The politically correct theory, the one the vamps themselves publicly backed, had it that this guy was the victim of a virus that left him apparently dead for a couple of days and thereafter allergic to sunlight, silver, and garlic. The details depended on which newspaper you read. They were all full of vampire stuff these days.

Anyway, his lips were lovely, sharply sculpted, and he had arched dark brows. His nose swooped down right out of that arch, like a princes in a Byzantine mosaic. When he finally looked up, I saw his eyes were even darker than his hair, and the whites were incredibly white.

What can I get you? I asked, happy almost beyond words.

He raised his eyebrows. Do you have the bottled synthetic blood? he asked.

No, Im so sorry! Sams got some on order. Should be in next week.

Then red wine, please, he said, and his voice was cool and clear, like a stream over smooth stones. I laughed out loud. It was too perfect.

Dont mind, Sookie, mister, shes crazy, came a familiar voice from the booth against the wall. All my happiness deflated, though I could feel the smile still straining my lips. The vampire was staring at me, watching the life go out of my face.

Ill get your wine right away, I said, and strode off, not even looking at Mack Rattrays smug face. He was there almost every night, he and his wife Denise. I called them the Rat Couple. Theyd done their best to make me miserable since theyd moved into the rent trailer at Four Tracks Corner. I had hoped that theyd blow out of Bon Temps as suddenly as theyd blown in.

When theyd first come into Merlottes, Id very rudely listened in to their thoughtsI know, pretty low-class of me. But I get bored like everyone else, and though I spend most of my time blocking out the thoughts of other people that try to pass through my brain, sometimes I just give in. So I knew some things about the Rattrays that maybe no one else did. For one thing, I knew theyd been in jail, though I didnt know why. For another, Id read the nasty thoughts Mack Rattray had entertained about yours truly. And then Id heard in Denises thoughts that shed abandoned a baby shed had two years before, a baby that wasnt Macks.

And they didnt tip, either.

Sam poured a glass of the house red wine, looking over at the vampires table as he put it on my tray.

When Sam looked back at me, I could tell he too knew our new customer was undead. Sams eyes are Paul Newman blue, as opposed to my own hazy blue gray. Sam is blond, too, but his hair is wiry and his blond is almost a sort of hot red gold. He is always a little sunburned, and though he looks slight in his clothes, I have seen him unload trucks with his shirt off, and he has plenty of upper body strength. I never listen to Sams thoughts. Hes my boss. Ive had to quit jobs before because I found out things I didnt want to know about my boss.

But Sam didnt comment, he just gave me the wine. I checked the glass to make sure it was sparkly clean and made my way back to the vampires table.

Your wine, sir, I said ceremoniously and placed it carefully on the table exactly in front of him. He looked at me again, and I stared into his lovely eyes while I had the chance. Enjoy, I said proudly. Behind me, Mack Rattray yelled, Hey, Sookie! We need another pitcher of beer here! I sighed and turned to take the empty pitcher from the Rats table. Denise was in fine form tonight, I noticed, wearing a halter top and short shorts, her mess of brown hair floofing around her head in fashionable tangles. Denise wasnt truly pretty, but she was so flashy and confident that it took awhile to figure that out.

A little while later, to my dismay, I saw the Rattrays had moved over to the vampires table. They were talking at him. I couldnt see that he was responding a lot, but he wasnt leaving either.

Look at that! I said disgustedly to Arlene, my fellow waitress. Arlene is redheaded and freckled and ten years older than me, and shes been married four times. She has two kids, and from time to time, I think she considers me her third.

New guy, huh? she said with small interest. Arlene is currently dating Rene Lenier, and though I cant see the attraction, she seems pretty satisfied. I think Rene was her second husband.