I've always known my older twin sister, Sookie, was different. Hell, we were both—her mind reader and me with my... well, let's just say I had my supernatural quirks.
I watched as Sookie approached their table, all sunshine and sweet tea, while I positioned myself near the bar where I could intervene if needed. Sam caught my eye - he always seemed to sense when something was off, but I gave him a slight shake of my head.
The night air was thick with humidity when I followed them out into the parking lot, staying in the shadows. Sookie had gone out ahead of me, and I knew she was tracking the Rattrays' thoughts. We'd protected each other since we were kids, dealing with a gift that made us different from everyone else in Bon Temps. But this was different. This was dangerous.
I flexed my fingers, feeling the familiar tingle of energy that I kept hidden from everyone except Sookie. If those lowlifes tried anything, they'd learn that the Stackhouse twins were a lot more than just a couple of small-town waitresses and bartenders.
By the time we burst out of Merlotte's back door, my heart was pounding against my ribs. Sookie's panic had flooded through our twin bond moments earlier, and I put Tara in charge of serving drinks for the time being. Sam would understand - he always did when it came to Sookie and me.
The scene that greeted us made my blood run cold. The vampire was already down, silver wrapped around his neck while the Rattrays worked with practiced efficiency. They had tubes running from his arms, his blood flowing dark and thick into collection jars. My sister didn't hesitate - she never did when someone needed help. I watched as she grabbed a length of chain from the ground.
"Sookie, wait-" I started to say, but she was already swinging.
The chain made a satisfying crack as it connected with Mack Rattray's back. I felt a surge of pride mixed with fear - my twin sister, taking on two known drug dealers without a second thought. Mack went down with a howl of pain, but Denise was already moving toward Sookie, murder in her eyes.
That's when I let my power loose. The shadows around us deepened, and I used them to my advantage, making it harder for Denise to see clearly as she lunged at my sister. "You picked the wrong people to mess with," I growled, my voice carrying an edge that made Denise falter for just a second.
The vampire - Bill - lay there helplessly, his eyes wide as he watched us defend him. The silver had weakened him significantly, but there was something in his gaze that told me he wouldn't forget this.
Mack was getting back up, his face contorted with rage. "You fucking Stackhouse!" he spat, reaching for something in his back pocket. The glint of a knife caught the security lights.
"Behind you, Sook!" I shouted both aloud and through our connection. She spun just in time, but Mack was faster than we expected. The knife sliced through the air where she had been standing a split second before.
I didn't think - I just acted. The shadows responded to my call, wrapping around Mack's ankles. To anyone watching, it would look like he simply tripped, but I knew better. He went down hard, the knife skittering across the gravel.
Sookie had her hands full with Denise, who was pulling at her hair like a woman possessed. "You crazy bitch!" Denise screamed. "This ain't your business!"
"I'm making it my business," Sookie shot back, landing a solid punch that would have made Gran wash her mouth out with soap for being unladylike.
I moved to help Bill, my hands shaking as I reached for the silver chain around his neck and wrist. "This is gonna hurt," I warned him, then pulled it away as quickly as I could. The smell of burned flesh made my stomach turn.
Mack was scrambling back to his feet, but one look at the scene - his wife now sporting what would become a spectacular black eye, courtesy of my sister, and the vampire free from his chains - seemed to make him reconsider his options.
"Denise!" he called out. "Let's go!"
They ran to their beat-up car, tires spraying gravel as they peeled out of the parking lot. I noticed they'd left their blood-collecting equipment behind in their haste to escape.
"Are you alright?" I asked Bill, offering him a hand up. He took it, his skin cool to the touch.
"I am now, thanks to you both," he replied, his dark eyes moving between Sookie and me with intense curiosity. "I must admit, I've never seen anything quite like what happened here tonight."
I shared a quick look with Sookie, feeling her uncertainty match my own through our bond. We'd just exposed ourselves - both of us - to save him. Her telepathy might be an open secret in Bon Temps, but my abilities with shadows were something we'd kept hidden from everyone except Gran.
"Well," Sookie said, brushing dirt off her apron, "welcome to Bon Temps, Mr...?"
"Compton," he supplied. "Bill Compton."
"Welcome to Bon Temps, Mr. Compton," I echoed, feeling the weight of his gaze. "Though I suggest you be more careful about who you follow into parking lots in the future."
The night air felt heavy with more than just humidity. Standing there with my sister and a vampire we'd just saved, I could feel it in my bones - everything was about to change. And judging by the way Bill was looking at Sookie, some of those changes might be more complicated than others.