Awakening

25

A few nights later, Morgan found herself hanging out in the armchair at home, her feet curled under her thighs as her eyes trailed along the words in the book. Sookie and Bill were cuddled up on the couch, watching a movie, and Morgan had offered to hang out in her bedroom, not wanting to intrude on their couple time. But Bill insisted that it was okay, he was a guest and didn't want to force her to her room when all she was doing was reading. He found it interesting that she could easily tune out everything around her, focusing on her book with no issue, but also amusing that she preferred books over the real world. Morgan reached to the side on the small table, picking up her favorite mug and bringing the rim to her lips, taking a drink of her jasmine tea, setting it back down on the table and turning the page. A small smirk formed on her lips, passing it off as something she had read, Bill's head shooting toward the front door as he caught a familiar scent.

Knocking emitted from the door, Morgan's head looking up from the book with her eyebrows slightly furrowed, placing her bookmark where she left off and closing it. She stood up from the armchair, setting the book down and walking over to the door, but she took a small step back when Bill beat her to the door with his vampire speed. He opened the door, throwing a small glare at the blond vampire that stood on the porch, but Eric simply replied with a smirk, his eyes landing on Morgan, she was dressed in casual clothes – leggings, tank top with her cardigan, feet bare, but toenails painted black. Sookie didn't know they were seeing each other, and they wanted to see how long it would be until she figured it out, much to Eric's amusement.

"I need your help" he said simply

∆

Morgan sat at a cocktail table, Pam leaned against the bar with her arms folded, Eric stood next to his woman, Bill and Sookie standing behind her. Sookie had insisted on going with her, not wanting her to help Eric in the first place, but not being able to stop her when she had agreed.

"Pam, Longshadow and I are partners in this club" Eric informed as Morgan looked up at him "and we recently noticed that sixty-thousand dollars has gone missing from our books. And Bruce . ." gesturing to a bespectacled older Caucasian male "is our accountant. Perhaps you can start by listening to him"

"He's not saying anything" Sookie spoke up

"It's humbling enough to turn to a human for assistance" briefly glancing at her, his eyes turning back to Morgan "we know what you can do"

"Why not just glamour him?" Morgan asked curiously

"Now, don't you think we might have tried everything before summoning you?" A small smirk forming on his lips "it would be a great favor to me if you help us"

"If she finds out who did it, then what?" Sookie asked

"We'll turn that person over to police and let the authorities handle it from there" Longshadow replied

"You're hundreds of years old and you're a terrible liar" Morgan said, looking at the bartender, then looking back at Eric "I'll make you a deal: If you promise to hand over the person who did this, to the police, I'll agree to help you any time you want"

"Morgan!" Sookie scolded

"All right" Eric smirked "why not?"

Morgan gave him a small nod, turning to face the man who sat in front of her, the small group watching as her head tilted slightly to the right, listening.

"Fuck, what's this crazy bitch doing? Why did I agree to work for vampires? Damn it, I knew it was a bad idea. I've been nothin' but straight with these fucks. Gotta be a idiot to steal from them. Jesus Christ, I was the one who reported it!"

"It's okay, Bruce" Morgan said "take a deep breath. Did you steal their money?"

"No, no" he replied "you gotta believe me. I didn't do it. I swear to . ."

"Do you know who did?" She questioned

"No" shaking his head slightly

"No, I wish. I would turn that fucker in. Who was it? Couldn't have been Ginger. She's too dumb. Although she's hot as shit. I'd fuck her if I could"

"He didn't do it" Morgan informed

"You trust the skinny human to clear the fat one?" Longshadow asked, looking at Eric

"Bring the next one in" Eric ordered, continuing to stand next to his woman

A look of relief falls over Bruce's face, and he cries, a wedding band is visible on his left ring finger, standing up from the chair and walking away.

•

Pam leads a blonde woman holding a lit cigarette to Morgan,

"This is the last of our humans" Pam informed

"Hmm" the woman hummed as she looked at Morgan "yummy"

Pam seats the woman, and also puts out her cigarette,

"Ginger" Eric said "this woman has some questions for you. Now, be a good girl and answer them, will you?"

"Aye, aye, master" she replied with a small nod

"Ginger. ." Morgan began "someone's been stealin' money from the bar"

"Really?" looking at her "huhn"

"Don't look at me you bitch. I didn't do nothing. I'll beat the shit out of you if you say I did. It wasn't me that took it. Fuck! It wasn't me"

"She didn't do it" looking up at Eric "but she knows who did"

"What?" Ginger asked "fuck you"

"Shit. How'd she know? I didn't tell anyone, I swear. Fuck! He's gonna kill me!"

"Who's gonna kill you?" looking back at the woman in front of her "Ginger, what's his name?" her eyebrows furrowing slightly ". . . It's blank, like her memory's . . been erased"

"I don't know anything, I swear" Ginger said, looking at Eric

"She's been glamored" Pam said

"It's a vampire" Morgan added

Longshadow suddenly jumped over the bar toward Morgan and exposes his fangs.