Loud, annoying ringing filled Lucy's ears, forcing her into the waking world. She'd spent most of the week at Shreveport, bartending at Fangtasia. She didn't have anything better to do, as she hadn't been called into work. Renard Parish didn't have people dying too often, but that appeared to be changing, seeing as Maudette Pickens and Dawn Green had been found dead. However, they'd been found in the daytime, so Mike Spencer had the pleasure of performing their autopsies.

Lucy had thought it was a shame, Dawn Green being dead. Just yesterday, Dawn had been excitedly talking about how she'd seen Lucy bartending at Fangtasia the last time she was there. Dawn was such a nice person, and Lucy had vowed when Sookie called, that Dawn's murderer would not go unpunished.

As the ringing continued, Lucy's hand blindly fumbled along her bed, but found nothing but Eric's smooth, unmoving chest. He was still very much dead for the day, and wouldn't rise until at least 6:30. Groaning, Lucy pushed herself up, pillows and silk sheets falling from around her, and reached over the vampire to grab her phone. It was connected to the charger, so Lucy was forced to remain leaning to unhook it.

"Hello?" she grumbled, finally relaxing back into her pillows.

"Sorry to wake you up, Cher," Sam's voice came over the phone gently. "But I could really use a favor."

Lucy spoke through a yawn, "Sure, Sam, what's up?"

"I was wondering if you could stop in and help out for a little while. Sookie and Arlene are overwhelmed, now that Dawn-"

"I understand," Lucy sat up, sparing Sam from saying it. "I'll be there in half an hour, give or take. Be warned, Sam Merlotte, I'm not wearing that stupid uniform."

"You don't have to wear the uniform," Sam promised, "I owe you one, doll."

"What's one more favor, eh, Sam?"

Sam thanked her graciously, then after a few more pleasantries and some, 'be careful's,' he hung up to let her get ready. She sighed, sitting up and running a hand over her face. She quickly showered, going through her closet to find appropriate clothes for the evening, as well as a change of clothes for when she went off to Fangtasia after Merlotte's closed that night.

She scrawled a note out for Eric, planting a soft kiss on his neck before she walked out the door.

Lucy watched Sookie walk around, serving people with a disturbed look on her face. Lucy could only assume she was reading the minds of the patrons. For what reason, Lucy didn't know, but it probably had something to do with her brother Jason getting arrested for Dawn's murder. Sookie usually tried to stay out of people's heads if she could help it. Poor girl had to keep everyone's secrets, Lucy knew that wasn't easy to do.

Arlene, Lucy and Sookie all got to the bar at the same time.

"Two margaritas," Arlene requested, slightly out of breath from the rush. "That Dawn sure left us high and dry."

"It's not like she meant not to be here," Sookie scolded.

"No, but," Arlene fiddled with the apron around her waist, "if she didn't spend her nights off at that vamp bar in Shreveport, she still would be."

"Did I just hear you right, Arlene? You ought to be ashamed of yourself."

"Oh, please," Arlene's eyes rolled skyward, "Ain't there even a part of you that thinks she had it comin'?"

"No, not a single part," Sookie turned away, grabbing ranch dressing from Arlene's tray as she went, "and I'm taking your ranch!"

"Hey!" Arlene huffed and looked to Lucy, who had stayed silent for the argument. "She's probably going to be the next one. That vampire from the other night-"

Lucy slammed her serving tray onto the bar top, and cut Arlene a seething look.

"A vampire didn't kill Dawn or Maudette," she snapped, "Humans did. Vampires would have drained the bodies of blood, and they wouldn't have strangled them. The vampire bar in Shreveport has nothing to do with this. Sookie's right, you should be ashamed of yourself."

She turned around and went to serve the customers who were listening into the argument.

After another twenty minutes of forced, polite conversation with patrons, a shrill whistle split through the air, making Lucy turn around. Lafayette waved her over from the serving hatch.

"What's all this?" Lucy demanded, when she saw Jason standing in the kitchen, erection raging, and Lafayette grinning at her. "Got a problem, there, Jason, love?"

"He took V." Lafayette supplied, grin widening. Instantly, Lucy was in front of Jason, gripping his chin in her hands, turning his face from side to side.

"How much?" She asked, still inspecting his sweaty face. Jason cleared his throat and avoided eye-contact. Lucy's features hardened, and she gripped his chin harder, making him wince. "How much, Jason?"

"A whole vial," he answered, adding a whine into the answer. A sharp, disbelieving laugh left her mouth, and she released his chin.

"Poor baby," she teased, moving back and hoisting herself up onto the counter on which Lafayette was preparing salads and coleslaws. "Where did you get V from, baby-boy?"

"Come on, Lucy, cut it out with that 'baby-boy' shit," Jason whined, avoiding the question. Lucy raised an eyebrow, then turned her gaze to Lafayette.

"Where'd he get the V from?"

"Don't know," Lafayette shrugged, "The Rattrays were big on V distribution, from what I heard. Maybe it was them."

"Mmm-hmm. There's just one problem with that, Lafayette."

"What's that, Momma?"

"The Rattrays were killed by that wayward tornado two days ago."

"They did give it to me!" Jason jumped in, drawing Lucy's blue eyes to his pained figure again, "I just didn't take it til this morning."

Lucy shrugged, "Fine. The Rattrays gave it to you. What do you want me to do about this? I can't solve this issue, Jason. You're thoroughly screwed."

"I hate to move your luscious behind, Momma, but tables are for glasses, not asses." Lafayette pushed Lucy off the counter. She scoffed, then grabbed Jason by the shoulder, leading him towards the freezer.

"You should really go to the hospital," she warned, "but this is the best I can do if you don't want to go."

"What-" Jason's eyes bugged out of his head as Lucy ripped his pants to his ankles, and placed a freezing steak over his erection. "Jesus, Lucy, what the fuck!?"

"Like I said," she shrugged, smirk gracing her lips, "it's the best that I can do."

Lafayette was laughing as Lucy walked out of the kitchen. Arlene stood at the bar with Tara, arguing about blood types. A quick glance over the patrons showed Sookie's vampire, Bill Compton, sitting in a booth, ignoring everyone in the bar staring at him. From the argument between Tara and Arlene, the red headed waitress was refusing to give Bill the blood type he'd ordered.

"Arlene," Lucy murmured, coming up next to her, "if you refuse to serve your customers the items they've ordered, then by all means, allow me. Tara, O Neg, please, warmed."

Tara avoided Lucy's heated eyes as she warmed the blood in the microwave.

"Lucy," Arlene seethed, "he gives me the creeps."

"Agreed," Lucy shrugged, but her eyes were still irritated, "but he's a customer, vampire or not. Have the decency to treat him as such. He's done nothing to deserve your blind hate."

"Lucy-" A warm bottle of blood was pressed into Lucy's hand, so she turned around without hearing Arlene's rebuttal. "Lucy!"

Lucy put the blood down in front of Bill, placing a smile on her face, "As it turns out, we do have some O Neg left, sorry for the Mix-Up, Mr. Compton."

"Thank you, Lucy," Sookie came up to the table, smiling gratefully up at the older girl, "you didn't have to help."

"I don't take kindly to undue rudeness." Lucy shrugged. She glanced at the clock and groaned, moving over to Sam.

"I gotta go, Sam!" she announced, taking her apron off and handing it to him. Then she moved into the bathroom to get changed. She looked in the mirror, and ruffled her hair, smirking at herself, blowing a kiss with her lightly glossed, pink lips.

Bodies were moving quickly to the thumping music, some more quickly than others. Scantily clad vampires danced on raised platforms dotted around the room. The owner of the bar sat upon a throne, on a platform that was higher than all the rest, eyes drifting over the crowd, lingering on Lucy every time he saw her at the bar. She was the brightest thing in the bar, her periwinkle dress brightly clashing with the black clothing of the patrons around her.

Lucy was smiling brightly, her black curls swinging along her back as she handed Tru Blood to the human companion standing before her. His eyes were on her heels respectfully. His nervous ticking caught her attention, because it almost seemed like he knew her. When he reached out to take the bottle of Tru Blood, she pulled it away, making him look up in surprise. Lucy's eyes widened slightly, then she smirked widely. "Hello, Neil."

Neil Jones was the coroner's assistant, shared by both Mike Spencer and Lucy. The poor boy was always on call, and hardly got any downtime when Mike was on duty.

"Miss Lucy! This isn't what it looks like. I was just-"

"Relax, darling," Lucy smiled at the boy, tipping the bottle back in his direction with a wink, "what you do in your own time is your own business. Now take that to whichever fanger set his gaze upon you, before he decides to drink you instead."

Neil gave her a tiny smile and took the bottle, moving off to hand it to the tall, imposing looking vampire with black, neatly coiffed hair and intense green eyes. The seductive smile the vamp gave the boy in return made Lucy shake her head. Neil Jones was doomed to this vampire's bed tonight. She turned around, wiping shot glasses dry with a rag in her hand. She felt Eric's eyes burn into the back of her head, and smirked, lowering her head so that the back of her neck was revealed to him. She could feel the gaze intensify, but knew he wouldn't leave his post to come see her.

"Excuse me," A familiar voice spoke. Lucy rose an eyebrow, and turned around, seeing Sookie and Bill standing there at the bar. Sookie's dark eyes widened dramatically. "Lucy!"

"Hello, Sookie. Mr. Compton."

"Miss Daystar."

"What can I get you two?" Lucy put the rag down and leaned both her hands on the bartop, giving them a welcoming smile.

"Gin and Tonic," Sookie said numbly.

"I'll take a bottle of O Negative. And Sookie would like to ask some questions of Longshadow."

"Coming right up." Lucy turned back around to make Sookie's drink, placing Bill's Tru Blood in the microwave to heat up. "Longshadow," she called.

The Native American vampire walked over from the other side of the bar, fangs dropped to show off to the humans.

"You called?" he murmured, coming up to her. She nodded her head to Bill, who stood there next to Sookie protectively. "How's it going, Bill?"

"Very well," Bill responded, placing an arm behind Sookie.

"I'll say," Longshadow eyed Sookie appreciatively, flashing her his fangs, "this your meal for the night?"

Lucy pushed past Longshadow, giving him a glare out of the corner of her eye. She set the drinks in front of Sookie and Bill.

"Longshadow," Bill said, narrowing his eyes, "this is my friend, Sookie. Sookie, this is Longshadow."

"Nice to meet you!" Sookie said brightly, grinning at the male bartender.

"Longshadow, Sookie here would like to ask you a few questions, would that be acceptable?" Bill questioned. Longshadow looked back at Lucy, who crossed her arms and nodded to him. Someone down the bar, a regular, called her, and she bounced off with a smile. Longshadow looked back to Sookie, waiting for the questions.

"I just had a few pictures I wanted to show you?" Sookie handed over two pictures, one of Maudette, one of Dawn. "Have you seen either of these women?"

Longshadow glanced at the pictures for less than a second, pulling glasses from the dishwasher and drying them with Lucy's abandoned rag. "I've seen both of them around here before."

"Great! And did you happen to see who they hung around with?"

Longshadow glared, lowering his head to look Sookie in the eyes.

"That's something we don't notice here." he warned, "You won't either."

"Okay, then," Sookie nodded, fear shooting through her. She glanced around for Lucy, but she was still halfway down the bar, dealing with customers. "Thank you! I appreciate you taking the time."

"This one," Longshadow held up a picture of Maudette, "she wanted to die."

Sookie paused, eyebrows coming together, "How do you know?"

"Everyone who comes here does, in their own way." Longshadow smirked, "That's what we are. Death."

"Enough of that," Lucy suddenly appeared over Longshadow's shoulder, grabbing beer glasses. As she filled them, she looked up at Sookie and Bill. "Go sit down somewhere, and I'll come over and talk to you later, okay?"

Sookie nodded slowly, letting Bill lead her away. Lucy glared up at Longshadow, eyes fierce.

"You shouldn't have said that."

Longshadow smirked and sauntered away.

"Hey, baby." A vampire grabbed Lucy's hips as she made her way towards Sookie and Bill, who were seated out of the way at a small table. "You look like a star in that gorgeous dress. Why don't you come give me a little snack?"

"I'm sorry, sir," Lucy teased, reaching up and brushing her fingers through the dyed red hair of the vampire. He let out a purring sound at the soothing touches, tilting his head into her palm as he moved her hips to the beat of the music. "Live feeding is strictly prohibited here at Fangtasia. If you like, I'll be perfectly happy to get you a Tru Blood after my break."

"I'd like that," the vampire agreed, drifting his nose down her collarbone gently. Lucy's eyes drifted up towards Eric, whose fangs were down, eyes ablaze in fury. He looked away and signaled to someone Lucy couldn't see. "You smell so good," he whispered, the sound almost lost to the loud music. "Heavenly."

"Of course I do, love," Lucy snickered, "I'm still an angel, fallen or not."

The vampire pulled away slightly, confusion written on his face. Then he broke out into a laugh. "You're funny, beautiful."

Lucy smirked, "I wasn't aware I was telling a joke." She twirled out of the vampire's arms, just as Longshadow grabbed him and started hauling him towards the door, and moved swiftly through the crowd, coming to stop at Sookie and Bill's table.

"Lucy! What are you doing here?" Sookie demanded, before Lucy even sat down.

"I pick up hours here when it's slow at the office," Lucy explained. "The pay is good. Keeps me from being bored out of my skull. Benefits are great." Lucy smirked off towards Eric, whose eyes were scanning over the crowd again, boredom set into his handsome features.

Sookie followed Lucy's gaze, seeing the Viking sitting on his pedestal. Bill rolled his eyes.

"Noticed him, did you?"

Sookie's head shot to her companion, wide eyed.

"It's not like that! It's just-"

"Don't worry," Bill sighed, "that's Eric. He's the oldest thing in this bar."

"Please," Lucy snorted, reaching over and taking a sip of Sookie's drink, "I'm the oldest thing in this bar, Compton."

She watched in interest as a man crawled his way up to Eric, looking mystified. He placed a shaking hand on Eric's knee one instant, and in the next, he was flying through the air from the solid kick from the straight faced vampire. He crashed into a wall and fell onto a table, destroying it. Around him, several vampires snapped to attention, fangs dropping with soft clicks. A young looking vampire with short brown hair stepped over the poor man and helped him up, leading him away to the bathroom. Eric's face held the tiniest of smirks.

"That was unnecessary," she sighed. She looked to the blonde, who was watching the scene wide-eyed. "So, Sookie, were you able to pick up anything?"

Sookie's face turned sour and she shook her head. "All anyone is thinking about here is sex, sex, sex."

"One needn't be telepathic to pick up on that," Bill chuckled.

"You told him?" Lucy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It just kind of slipped out," Sookie explained, "when I realized I couldn't hear him, I just couldn't stop myself from saying it. What's the big deal? I told you."

"Yeah," Lucy chuckled, "because you felt obligated when you read my thoughts and discovered who I was."

"What do you mean 'discovered!'" Sookie protested. "You run around town everyday going on and on like 'I'm immortal, you can't kill me. I'm an archangel. I'm the favorite child. My father cast me out of heaven. Blah Blah Blah!' You can't discover something that was never hidden."

"I'm sorry," Bill cut in, "but what on earth are you two talking about?"

Lucy grinned crossed her arms.

"It appears we've never been properly introduced. Hello, Mr. Compton. My name is Lucy Daystar. Lucy is short for Lucifer. Daystar is a common translation of my title, Morning Star. But I went through last century with the name Morningstar, so I figured a change in pace was long overdue."

"You mean-"

"Yes, that's right," Lucy's grin turned into a smirk as she lowered her head, eyes glinting dangerously. "Tonight, you find yourself in the company of the Devil."

Bill recovered quickly from the shock he'd just received, swallowing thickly, then nodding. He glanced over at Eric. The much older vampire was looking right at their table.

"Uh-oh," he muttered, looking away.

"Don't say uh-oh!" Sookie replied, looking at Bill with worry. "Vampires are not supposed to say 'uh-oh.'"

"It's Eric," Lucy explained, "not only has he noticed me sitting over here, but Pam just informed him that you've been asking questions. In this world, questions are dangerous."

"He's going to summon us." Bill warned.

"He can do that?" Sookie looked between the two supernatural creatures.

Lucy nodded placing her chin in her hand and looking over at Eric expectantly. After a moment's pause, he met her eyes, raised his hand, and motioned towards himself with two fingers.

"Let's go." She helped Sookie to stand, and stood in front of her as she weaved through the crowd. Bill stood protectively behind her, face growing tighter as they approached Eric's pedestal.

"Bill," Eric greeted, eyes flicking over to Lucy quickly as she walked up the steps, sitting in one of the chairs by his throne. "It has been a while."

"Yes, well," Bill awkwardly shuffled his feet as he answered. "I've been-"

"Mainstreaming," Eric interrupted, "I heard." Behind him, Pam smirked. Eric's eyes drifted over Sookie, "I see that is going well for you."

"Yes, of course." Bill gestured to sookie reluctantly. "Eric, this is my friend-"

"Sookie Stackhouse."

"How did you know my name?!" Sookie demanded.

"I never forget a pretty face," Pam supplied. She tapped her temple, "you're in my vault."

"Great!" Sookie said, both too sarcastically, and too happily, "That's just great!" She looked to Eric, "It's nice to meet you."

"Well aren't you sweet?" Eric snarked.

"Not really."

Bill reached down and gripped her hand in warning. Eric's lips twitched, and he leaned his head back to speak to Pam without taking his eyes away from Sookie. He murmured to her in Swedish, something that made Lucy chuckle quietly. Pam responded with a tilt of her head. Eric turned his full attention back to Sookie.

"Miss Stackhouse, I understand you've been asking questions about some of my customers."

"Yes, I have."

"If you have something to ask, you should ask it of me."

"Alrighty," Sookie agreed instantly, pulling out the pictures, showing them to Eric, "Have you seen either of these two?"

Eric stared long and hard at the pictures. "Hmm," he murmured softly, then pointed at the picture of Maudette, "this one offered herself to me. I found her too pathetic for my tastes. Now this one, however," he pointed to the picture of Dawn, "I have tasted."

"I remember them both," Pam supplied.

"On account of the vault?" Sookie asked, raising an eyebrow. Lucy snorted out a laugh, hiding it with the back of her hand.

"Sookie!" Bill warned, softly.

"Never had either of them, though," Pam continued with a shrug, "they're not exactly my type."

"Well, thank you very much, that is all your time I need to take," Sookie took the pictures back, and started to put them back in her purse.

"I'm not finished with you yet," Eric's voice came out harsher than he'd probably intended.

"Please," He gestured to the chair on his other side, "Sit."

Sookie gulped nervously, but after seeing the soothing smile on Lucy's face, walked up the stairs and sat next to Eric stiffly. Bill held onto her hand until she was seated safely, reluctantly letting her go.

"Bill," Eric breathed, looking at Sookie intensely, "are you quite attached to your friend?"

"Eric," Lucy warned, laying her hand on the arm of his chair.

"She is mine," Bill hissed.

"Yes," Sookie agreed, an edge to her voice, "I am his."

"Well what a pity. For me." He looked over at Bill. "Sit with us. We have catching up to do, you and I."

"Yes," Bill agreed, with a complacent nod to his head.

All of a sudden, Sookie launched across Eric, grabbing Lucy's wrist.

"We have to get out of here," she hissed.

"Sookie!"

"Eric," Sookie turned her dark eyes onto the vampire, "the cops are coming, there's gonna be a raid."

"Tell me you're not an undercover cop," Eric's voice was hard.

"I'm not, but that man in the hat is!"

Everyone glanced in the direction of two nervous looking humans who were staying as far away from vampires as they could.

"Let them come. We do nothing illegal here."

Sookie paused, then looked at Lucy, "There's a vampire named Taryn in the ladies' room with that man he kicked. She's feeding off him."

In an instant, Lucy was up and moving through the crowd to the bathroom. Sookie hadn't expected that reaction, and went to go after her.

"Stop," Eric ordered, "this is her job, let her go, she will be fine. Now, how do you know of this raid?"

Behind Eric, Bill shook his head adamantly.

There was a sudden commotion from outside, and Eric stood as SWAT started filing into the building.

"Follow me!" He ordered, going off to the side. Pam followed, and Bill hoisted Sookie up into his arms before going after them. The door Eric led them to opened into a side alley, and the two pairs split up. "I enjoyed meeting you, Miss Stackhouse. You will come again." Eric and Pam sped away, leaving Bill to carry Sookie to the car.

"Did the man survive?" Eric asked, sitting on Lucy's off white, suede couch. Lucy had just walked in, right fist clenched tight, both hands covered in blood. Her dress remained spotless.

She rose an eyebrow and walked forward, opened her palm, and two perfect, white fangs clattered onto the glass coffee table, little drops of blood splattering the surface. "I will take that as a no."

Lucy walked to the kitchen sink, and began washing her hands slowly.

"The rules of Fangtasia are clear. If you feed on humans on-property, you lose your fangs. She fed. I took her fangs. She's lucky that was all I did. She killed him just before I got in there."

"We shall put the fangs on display as a warning to any who defy the rules."

Lucy smirked, facing Eric, hands now clean. "That sounds like an idea I can get behind."

Eric glanced at the clock on the stove and grinned.

"The night is young, milady. Shall we..occupy ourselves?"

"Hmm. Another idea I can get behind."

Eric dipped his head towards her neck, just as Lucy's phone rang. He growled angrily. She sighed, reached into her bra, and pulled out the offending object.

"Hello?"

"Oh, Lucy, dear!" Surprisingly, Adele Stackhouse's voice came from the other line. "I'm glad I reached you. Sorry it's so late. I was wondering if you'd want to come to this week's meeting of Descendants of the Glorious Dead? We'll be listening to that Mr. Bill Compton recounting his memories of the war! We will have it in the church-" Adele paused as Lucy sucked air in through her teeth.

"You know, Adele, I'd love to, really, but I'll have to be working that night, I'm sorry."

"Oh, yes, of course dear! Now, tell me, how was your night?"

Lucy grinned and jumped onto one of the off-white, suede armchairs, settling in for a long conversation. Eric watched with fascination as the centuries old being chatted amicably with the old woman on the phone, lounging like a human teenager. Her face lit up as she spoke happily about her night. Eric vowed, as he watched her bright smile, to always ask Lucy how her day went from that point onwards.