|PROLOGUE|
THE NIGHT WE MET

When vampires came 'out of the coffin,' everyone was either scared, bewildered, shocked or all three. No one knew quite how to act which is why her friends went completely silent once the video store owner appeared. His pale skin was a dead-giveaway.

While her friends had talked amongst each other, she had stayed silent. She wasn't a social butterfly by any means and that was mostly attributed to the fact that she had no friends growing up. Her abnormal pure white hair color labeling her a freak. She often thought the group she was with now only invited her to come along out of pity.

But since she wasn't talking, it was easy for her to notice when her friends went completely silent. Eira looked up, her eyes meeting the vampire that had captured their attention. His pale, blue eyes were staring straight at her and it caused a blush to rise to her cheeks.

When Eric saw her, he froze immediately. She was dressed in a oversized sweater and jeans which left everything to his imagination but it wasn't her looks that gave him pause (although her green eyes were quite striking). It was the scent of her blood; the sweetest he'd ever smelt in his lifetime.

She looked to her friends again, seeing some of them with terrified looks in their eyes. She shook her head before stepping forward with a smile, "Hi...can you help us?"

"I can help you," the long-haired blond retorted.

"O-Okay," she stuttered, his intense look making her nervous.

Eira went around finding the movies to rent with the blond while her friends stayed huddled together. She was disappointed in them and she apologized to the blond vampire, "I'm sorry about them. They shouldn't be afraid."

"And you're not?" he questioned.

"Should I be?" she looked up at him, realizing he was far closer than expected which made her nervous.

"Not of me. I wouldn't hurt someone as beautiful as you are," he answered which caused another blush to rise and he smirked. "But not everyone thinks like me."

"And you are?" Eira questioned as she looked away to reach for the movie on the shelf at the same time he did, their fingers brushing.

"Eric," his eyes were glued to the vein on her neck as she looked away. She smelt so very sweet. Heaven.

"Eira," she responded and she felt his breath on her neck as he spoke against her ear. "It is lovely to meet you, Eira."

         ________

            Her friends all thought she was so brave for talking to the vampire. All of them had decided that they weren't going back to the that video store. Their prejudices rubbed Eira the wrong way but Eira decided that they just didn't know any better.

           Since none of them were going back to the video store, that left Eira to return the rented movies. She arrived the following week and went to the counter to return them. A long-haired blonde greeted her with a smirk, "You must be Eira. Eric was right; you do smell sweet."

            "Oh," Eira responded in surprise. She didn't know her blood smelt any different.

             "Are these all of them?" Pam gestured to the movies.

             "Yes," Eira stated.

             "I'll believe you," Pam said and walked away, taking the movies to give to Ginger to be put back in their place.

             Eira went to leave but when she turned around, a person was blocking her path. She smiled, her eyes wide and innocent, "Hi, Eric."

              "Eira," he greeted her with his hands tucked into his pockets as his eyes danced with excitement.

               Eira hesitated before asking, "Is it true I smell sweet?"

               "The sweetest," Eric answered, his eyes drifting to her neck.

              Eira thought about that synthetic blood, Tru-Blood. She couldn't imagine it tasting very good considering it wasn't even real. If human food was synthetic, it probably wouldn't taste good.

"Is Tru-Blood sweet?"

"Not at all."

               "Well," Eira offered. "You can have my blood...if you want."

              Eric paused in surprise before his eyes met hers for a moment before he smirked, "And I assume you want something in return."

             "Why would I want anything?" Eira questioned as she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Humans donate blood for patients in hospitals; why does this have to be any different?"

                Eira held out her wrist to him innocently, not seeing the threat at all. His fingers caressed the skin over the vein on her arm causing goosebumps to form and a smirk formed on his face.

________

Eric took her to his office away from prying eyes. He brought his fangs out and her curiosity filled her with the urge to inspect them but she wasn't brave enough to ask. He brought her wrist to his mouth where he laid a gentle kiss before sinking his fangs into her skin. It pinched at first before it became slightly euphoric. 

Eric pulled away after a moment. He felt so alive after only a swallow. Her blood was so addicting he couldn't imagine any young vampires being able to control themselves. He wondered what made her taste and smell so sweet.

Her blood pooled to the surface of the two bite wounds and she watched as Eric stared hungrily before he brought a finger to one of his fangs, creating a small wound on it. He rubbed the blood on his finger onto her wounds and they slowly healed. She stared in shock as his clean hand caressed her neck, "Next time, I have a different vein in mind."

"How do you know there will be a next time?" Eira questioned as she brought her eyes to his.

"Because you're mine," Eric stared at her, glamouring her. "You will not offer yourself to any other vampire. You belong to me now."

"Belong to you?" Eira shook her head. "Does being a vampire make you territorial?"

Eric stared in shock, "How are you doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"What are you?" Eric questioned.

"I'm not anything."

"You're something," Eric disagreed. "Younger vampires will not be able to control themselves around you and every vampire that comes across you will want you. Be mine and I will protect you."

Eira thought for a moment, "Is my blood really that tempting?"

"Yes."

   Eira saw no reason as to why she should say no. She was being offered protection and in return Eric would only bite her from time to time. It felt like it was more than a fair trade. If anything, she felt grateful she met Eric and not one of the vampires that would drain her dry.

"Alright," Eira agreed. "I'll be yours."