"Nothing is with me now but a sound,
A heart's rhythm, a sense of stars"
- W. H. Auden, Compline
In which Charlotte Salvatore wakes after a 145 year slumber and is thrust into a supernatural world before she can cope with the modern one.
(THE VAM...
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The Southern Comfort was bigger than it looked from the outside. Charlotte was sitting at the bar, musing over a drink which she'd quickly downed as a man walked in. A few people greeted him by name telling Charlotte he was the man they were after.
She looked away, seem disinterested, Klaus had advised as she walked in alone.
"Hey, Red," Ray called out he walked in, making a beeline for Charlotte, "let me get a beer and a refill for," here he trailed off, waiting for her to introduce herself.
The bartender laughed as Ray waited for her response, moving to get the ordered drinks. Ray slid into the chair next to her, placing his elbow on the table and laying his chin on his hand to watch her.
"I'm Ray," he tried again, "What's your name gorgeous?"
Charlotte let out a soft laugh of disinterest, eyes still averted. "Charlotte," she replied with a smile that didn't meet her eyes, looking across the bar, waiting.
"Now Charlotte, what's a pretty little thing like you doing in a place like this all alone," as he spoke, his hand moved to snake around her and she fought the urge to push him away.
"I"m not alone, I'm waiting on a friend."
"Ray?" Klaus appeared, on his other side, "Ray Sutton?"
"Who wants to know?" Ray answered his focus on Charlotte before turning, "Sorry man, if she's your girl," he raised his hands in surrender.
"Charlies a resilient one," Klaus answered, pleased to see his hands off of Charlotte and in the air before moving on to the topic at hand, "I've been looking everywhere for you. We started in Florida, Pensacola. I met a young chap there who you worked with before you moved to Memphis. Now, he directed me to two lovely young women. And they led me here. To you."
"I think I'll be going," Ray set down his beer as he tried to leave realising Klaus had nefarious plans. Charlotte remembered when they'd ambushed the schoolteacher, he acted the same. They both had the same air, light interest and then a sudden drop, their faces stony cold as they realised, working to hide their terror as they did their best to escape.
"Not so fast, mate. You only just got here," Klaus not so softly pushed him back, "Now your type, are very hard to come by."
Ray turned the other way only to be met with Stefan, "I wouldn't do that," Stefan pushed him back towards the bar, cornering him in.
"Vampires," Ray concluded.
"You are swifty swift Ray," Klaus replied condescendingly, "Yes, my friend here is a vampire. He's compelled everyone in the bar. So don't look to them for anything else."
Charlotte laid her head down on her arms, she felt miserable right now. She was feeling guilty that she was part of this, her head was throbbing as she dwelled on and on. Gulping down the drink Ray bought her she shut her eyes and covered her ears with her hands. She could still hear Klaus' monologue faintly, but if she focused on something else she could pretend that she wasn't here about to let them torture this man to give up his family. She stayed that way, ignoring it all until she felt an arm grasp her elbow, guiding her somewhere new to sit.
