Chapter 10

Chapter 10- Double Edge Swords Can’t Cut Sunshine

William Compton was all that I had been expecting, but somehow less for his association with Lorena.  The woman was a fire engine on stilts, all red spiked shoes and flaming lipstick.  Her hair was carefully coifed behind her head to make her look like a movie ingénue of the 1950s.  It was a good look for her, and spoiled by the nastiness coming out of her mouth.

“So you’re the barmaid turned gopher, eh?  Servant to servant.  At least Godric pays better.”

I bit my tongue just shy of blood and gave her my kookiest smile.  Maybe it would be best to play Southern doll in this instance.

“Well he sure does, Ms. Krasiki.  But we’re here to talk about the script today.  Mr. Compton?”

Bill Compton took a gentle step forward, a bored expression on his face.

“I have some suggestions for your script, if you don’t mind.”

“Oh, he’ll mind, won’t you dahling?” Lorena said, running her fingers like a claw down the front of Bill’s chest.  I smiled and nodded cheerfully.

“Well it’s in your contract with Godric to go over the script with any experts that Godric appoints, and I’m the expert.”

“Really?” she drawled evilly, giving my Wal-Mart suit a once over.  “And just what are you an expert of?”

“Bon Temps, Ms. Krasiki, seeing as I was born and raised there.”

That got Bill’s attention.

“Stackhouse.  Any kin to Adele Stackhouse?”

“She’s my grandmother.”

He was looking decidedly more animated now, and grabbed Lorena’s hand to force it into a fist against his hip.

“I met your grandmother just last week while I was doing research.  She’s delightful, and spoke very highly of you.”

I brightened at that.

“Well thank you, Mr. Compton.  I think the world of her as well.”

“She did make mention that you were working as an executive assistant, but I failed to realize the connection with Coffin Bait Productions.”

“It’s a relatively new development, as Ms. Krasiki has told you.”

I smiled at her with enough warmth to flame a fire in a blizzard, and she seemed unsure what to do.

“Now, the character development was my biggest issue, if you’d like to sit?”  I gestured to the conference table before us.  Bill took a chair eagerly, and Lorena followed on a pout.

“True Bloods before we start?” I asked for the hovering junior staff.  Lorena declined, but Bill requested an O negative.

“Ok, so your vampire is suitably distressed by his life of vice and violence, and equally enthralled with the female lead.  But why would Sarah, an innocent, be so easily persuaded to enter a romantic relationship with a vampire?”

“Thrall,” Lorena said with a lazy, red-tipped finger wave.

“Too easy.”  I leaned across the table.  “There has to be something about her that makes her desirable to the vampire community but unattractive to ordinary humans.  Something that complicates the plot in the lead’s desire to protect her.”

“But unsusceptible to the vampire influence.”

“Right.  She’s an innocent, but she’s also a wild card.”

Godric and I had talked about this at length, and he had finally convinced me to let Bill use a pseudo history of my life for his story.  It was perfect, and only a select few would ever suspect I was the inspiration.

“So what is she then, Miss Stackhouse?” Bill asked softly.

“She’s a telepath,” I announced, “Who cannot hear vampire thoughts.”

“A librarian telepath who’s stayed virgin because she can’t sleep men whose thoughts she could hear would feel an attraction to a race whose thoughts she can’t,” he said thoughtfully.

“It would also allow for a heavy sexual content being as she’s been so long suppressed.”  Lorena was smirking, but I could see she was considering the idea as well.

My cheeks were flushing.  I quickly took a sip of water to cool myself down, just as Bill nodded his consent.

“An innocent woman who sees herself as magickally handicapped is invited into a world of dark magick and dangerous suitors.  I love it.”

“Excellent,” I beamed at him.

“I can have the rewrites to you by the weekend.  Are you working?” he asked innocently.

I paused at that and beamed at them both.

“I’m off but I can come in if you’d like.  Godric keeps me busy anyhow.  I’m sure I can find a thing or two to occupy me if you’ll be in.”

“Count on it,” he said so smoothly I nearly gaped.  Lorena was bearing her teeth at me, and I shifted uncomfortably.  I was wishing rather desperately that Eric had stayed.

“I’m sure that’ll be just fine.”

The couple rose as one, and I followed seconds after.  I scurried over to the conference room door and opened it on a smile.

“Thank you for your time.  I’m sure that the changes will be in everyone’s best interest.”

“I’m sure that’s so,” Bill wholeheartedly agreed.  I gave him a neutral smile in return.  I could practically see the fires of attraction blazing in his dark eyes.  I didn’t know what kind of relationship these two had, but I was keeping my fairy tail good and out of it.

Lorena paused in the doorway and gave me an eye rape from my face down to my feet.

“You know dahling, you really ought to ask Godric for a raise for the sake of your feet.”

“What’s wrong with my feet?” I asked confusedly.

“Why my dear, they positively scream cheap blood bag.”

Ok, I would not punch this old ass bitch right in her perfectly pale nose.  Godric would simply not approve, and I had a set of nasty memories of what happened when a little ol’ mortal went head to toe with a vampire.

“I’ll keep it in mind,” I gritted from between my clenched teeth.

“You do that.”

She sailed past me with a cruel smile and slutty strut.

I think maybe steam was coming out my ears.

Compton paused behind her and gave me an apologetic smile that did nothing to assuage my fury.

“She’s a handful,” he said on lifting my clenched fist and kissing my knuckles.

“Uh huh,” I managed.  I still had visions of bloody-faced Lorena’s dancing in my head.  And as handsome as Compton was with his wounded soul eyes and full lips, I was like a kettle about to blow.

“But I think you and I will work rather well together.  You’re ideas are sound, and it would help my writing to spend time with an actual human.”

“You mean other than the ones you chomp down on?” I asked with more curt than courtesy.

His lips quirked at that.

“I’m well aware of your arrangement with Godric and Eric.  I doubt there’s a soul in this company that isn’t.”

“I am Godric’s,” I insisted on a firm nod.

“And Eric?” he asked softly.

“We’re negotiating the terms.”  I was so not comfortable with this conversation.

“Should you decide that the terms… fail, I am always available to lend an ear.”

“I’m sure Lorena would just eat me right up for that,” I muttered sullenly.

“We have an understanding,” he assured me with earnest eyes.

“Mmm hmm,” I murmured in absolute doubt.  “Well understandings with her aside, I don’t think they’d extend so far as me.”

“You might be surprised, Miss Stackhouse.”

I’d had enough vampire surprises for the month, thank you very much.

Out loud I said, “That’s what concerns me, Mr. Compton.”

But Compton only lifted my hand again and kissed my knuckles gently.

“Until this weekend, Miss Stackhouse.”

“Sure enough,” I managed on a weak smile.

When he left, I stood leaning against the conference room door in a mild state of shock.

Maybe there was like some anti-fairy scent I could spray on myself before coming to work.  I’d have to ask Godric about that.

Dear lord, I certainly hoped so.