A Bit of Warm Comfort (A True Blood - Sam/Tara Fic)

Chapter 6 - Puppet on a String

The woman gave her another thoughtful look. "Perhaps Eric will make an exception since you are a close personal friend of Sookie's and kin to our Lafayette. Follow me."

Tara sighed with relief as the female vamp turned away to enter the bar. She followed close behind, taking in the painted red walls and black décor. It looked like—well, exactly like what she'd imagined a vampire bar would be. Plenty of people dressed in leather and dark clothing, several vampires standing around, doing their best evil and mysterious Dracula impressions for the tourists. There was also an overpowering scent of sex in the air, probably from all the pheromones being released from desperate fangbangers.

There were two exotic dancers, one male of Latino descent and compactly muscled, and a female with long sandy brown hair and generous curves. They stood on two small stages, separated by a larger one in the center. The dancers gyrated and contorted their bodies in ways that told Tara they weren't human while a crowd of spectators threw money at their feet. One man even tried joining the woman on stage. A female bouncer with dreds, half the man's size, moved towards the stage faster than the eye could see, putting a quick halt to his overzealous behavior.

Tara's guide continued man euvering through the crowd with ease, only looking back once to see if she was still following. A waitress walked by, nearly bumping into Tara, carrying a tray of drinks and wearing a tight black t-shirt that said, "Fangtasia, the bar with a bite" across her chest. Tara watched the waitress approach a booth filled with young co-eds out for a night of debauchery. Tara wondered if those girls knew what they were getting themselves into, then she thought of Lafayette. He'd said as much to her about getting involved with Eric. For a brief moment, she had the urge to turn around and flee the bar, but told herself she'd come too far to turn back now. She had a mission and needed to see it through for Eggs. He deserved that much.

"Wait here," said the vamp, pulling Tara from her thoughts.

Tara nodded, her eyes trained on the man sitting only 20 yards away. Eric Northman was the most beautiful male she'd ever laid eyes on. Even while sitting, she could tell he was very tall, lean, and powerful. His blond hair was cut short and combed back from a broad forehead and startling blue eyes. His classic Nordic features seemed chiseled from granite, like the marble statues scattered among the gardens at Bon Temps Natural Preservatory. He was wearing a black silk shirt, unbuttoned at the collar, under a dark brown snakeskin jacket, with black jeans and matching snakeskin boots. He was like a king among his subjects, looking observant and unattached.

The female vamp bent down to whisper in his ear. His head turned to look in Tara's direction. Their eyes locked and she felt a chill run through her body. She fidgeted with her hair again. It felt like a hundred butterflies were doing jumping jacks in her stomach. The woman stood up and signaled for her to approach. Tara forced her feet to move forward.

Eric's intense gaze traveled down the length of her body and slowly up again. Gooseflesh rose on her skin as if he'd physically touched her.

The female vamp stood beside Eric's chair, giving her a devilish grin. "I just love that dress on you, Tara." She said. "It reminds me of chocolate covered cherries."

Her lascivious stare was making Tara self-conscious. It seemed her fangs had grown even longer. No female had ever looked at her that way before. Tara had the impulse to look down to make sure the dress she was wearing wasn't transparent.

"I used to love eating cherries dipped in chocolate. It was one my favorite human vices." The vamp's suggestive gaze traveled lower. "In a way, it still is?"

Working at a bar, Tara had heard a lot of come-ons, but that one actually made her blush. The woman licked her lips as if sensing the blood warming Tara's cheeks.