Moonlight Romance: Chapter 2
Title: Moonlight Romance
Author: Carmel1978 and Threeb_1973
Rating: PG-13 for language
Character/Pairings: Franklin/Tara
Summary: Franklin Mott goes on a reality show looking to make a love connection. Pure crack, inspired by this interview with James Frain.
Disclaimer: True Blood is the property of Alan Ball and Charlaine Harris. I make no money from this.
Authors Note: This chapter was written by the awesome Carmel1978. Her other Franklin/Tara stories can be found here.
I'd also like to thank BooksCatsEtc for her work as beta. Please check out her awesome Franklin/Tara fic here.
Chapter Two: Girls Gone Wild
Tara arrived at the airport and was greeted by a young, red haired, male production assistant. He was dressed in a white polo shirt and khakis; he wore thick black rimmed glasses and introduced himself as Garry Burger.
An extremely skinny woman, in her forties with bleached blond hair, sporting a bright pink tube top, started to scream when Garry held up the poster board with her name on it. He promptly escorted her, Tara and a handful of other women to a limo. The blond woman continued screaming at the top of her lungs all the way to the limo. Tara already felt like a celebrity and the cameras hadn't even started to roll.
In the limo the production assistant explained the rules and contracts over and over again and after the third time everyone stopped paying attention to him. Now, it was all about sizing up the competition.
Tara thought some of the women were pretty and well dressed. She began to appreciated what Sookie and Lafayette did for her in preparation for the show. If they had not convinced her to get a make-over, and a new wardrobe, she would have stuck out like a sore thumb.
She figured by the way they dressed that most of them were either high maintenance, slutty, or a combination of both. Except the one who introduced herself to everyone as Summer; she was certainly the sore thumb in the group.
The women were taken to a fancy hotel and told to get dressed to impress; because at nightfall the cameras would be rolling. Ginger, the lady who'd been screaming since she got off the plane screamed at the announcement, or perhaps it was the showy hotel room they were all in.
Summer did not bother to change from her frumpy sun dress; she opted to put on lip gloss and talk about dolls and cooking the whole time.
Tara was dressed in less than thirty minutes but some of the other women took the entire allotted two hours to put on their ensemble.
Finally, they were all conveyed to a, prestigious gated community. Tara and all the ladies were genuinely impressed with the area. All the houses were enormous, white and extravagant, each and every lawn was manicured to perfection and the mysterious bachelor's pad was no different. There were three limos parked outside a circular driveway with the water fountain center. A variety of women poured out: large, small, older, and young. They were certainly not what Tara expected to see. She figured this had to be a ploy to get ratings by adding such a diverse cast. Tara was convinced no man in his right mind would be interested in some of the women before her.
Promptly at night-fall the three production assistants gathered the ladies together, gave them all name tags and started the cameras rolling. Debbie and Crystal seemed to already be drunk off the free alcohol. Another contestant named Rosie tried to warn the women that they needed to sober up for the elimination ceremony, but her warning fell upon deaf ears. Both of the girls mocked her and Debbie even threaten to throw her drink at her as the camera men and bartenders egged them on and the producers did nothing to stop it, indicating to Tara what kind of show she was participating in. Tara adjusted her dress and tried to control the butterflies in her tummy by drinking some red wine.
A huge man walked out of the mansion. Well over six-feet five inches and weighing at least two hundred seventy pounds, he sported a military buzz-cut and spoke with an East Coast, perhaps New York or Boston, accent. He politely asked for the ladies' attention. Tara knew this had to be the bodyguard and her assumption was correct. Andrew O'Shaunessy, the very fearsome looking vampire, opened the large mansion door and out emerged a man that Tara was sure could not be the millionaire bachelor.
The tall man was dressed entirely in black: tight jeans and a fitted, black button-up shirt that left little to the imagination about his slender, yet well proportioned, and leanly muscled form. His milky pale skin brought out the darkness of his wild wavy hair and the bright blue of his eyes. The way he stood, his legs spread slightly apart with the tip of his large hands partially in his pocket, truly commanded attention. He calmly scanned the twenty-four ladies, his eyes lingering on a few of them, including Tara. Tara had to remember to thank Sookie for picking out the sexy red dress she was wearing.
However, the situation complicated things for her, and she did not expect to be attracted to him. She was hoping that he would look like one of those metro-sexual, Hollywood, overly man-scaped types. She wasn't prepared for the handsome, swagger-licious man that stood before her.
And then he spoke...
"Welcome ladies. My name is Franklin. Enjoy yourself at my mixer and I will make my way around to speak to each and everyone of you. However, there is only enough room in my mansion for twelve of you, so unfortunately I will have to send half of you home tonight. Once I've made my decision I will give the remaining dozen nicknames and invite you into my home where you will each have your own room."
Tara felt her knees slightly give. His accent was brooding and British. She found herself touching her chest and feeling her heart beat faster. A few women rushed over to talk to him and a few more rushed to the production assistants. Tara was surprised at what she heard: the young, pretty, vampire girl named Jessica complained that he was too old and a vampire; a cute blond human named Sarah began to rant and speak about Jesus and sinning; an elegant vampire named Pam said her plan was to steal the woman of a male human, and claimed to be no match for an older vampire. They all asked to leave.
Tara thought about doing the same thing. She hadn't thought the eligible bachelor would be a dead man. However, she found herself torn: in addition to the incredibly alluring Franklin (now politely talking to a still screaming Ginger, a shapely woman named Hadley and a tall, model-looking woman named Yvette). Besides, she had come this far and didn't want to let everyone who was watching in Bon Temps down. She took another sip of her red wine. Suddenly, she was approached by the handsome vampire. He even had a sexy strut, as his long, lean legs moved him closer to her. Tara had to admit that she normally didn't care for stubble on men, but on Franklin, it worked and made him even more appealing.
She held out her hand for Franklin to shake it, instead he kissed it slowly. He smiled slightly, his large blue eyes practically twinkling at her. When he realized she was speechless and staring, a devilish smirk crossed those soft looking lips.
"See something you like, Tara?"
Hell yes…she thought but cleared her throat and tried to appear uninterested, which was actually quite difficult.
He told her that he loved the color red, and that she looked incredible in it. He thought of chocolate covered cherries as he took her in. He even complimented her on her drink selection. The seductive vampire left the normally outspoken bartender speechless; nevertheless, Tara knew at that point she would be chosen and was truly pleased with herself.
Go Tara, Go Tara! Her mind shouted.
After their brief, flirtatious conversation Tara watched him as he talked to several more girls. She watch his body language and eye contact and figured even though he would be inviting a dozen women to stay, her biggest competition would be Hadley, Yvette and a beautiful vampire named Lorena.
Three glasses of wine later the remaining women where all lined up and Franklin began to eliminate each woman three by three. First group up was Jane, Maudette and Denise. He politely told Jane, an older full-figured woman, that she seemed like a fun woman who was full of life, but he felt no chemistry with her. He went on to tell Maudette and Denise the same thing.
He told the next three girls, Isabel, Daphne and Kenya, that he felt they were not interested in him and perhaps he was merely a much needed distraction. Isabel hugged him as she said goodbye and admitted that he spoke the truth.
The final three women to go was Diane (a mocha skinned vampire who looked like she was stuck in the 70's), Holly and Janette. He told them that he felt they were simply not a good match and would perhaps be better suited with someone else.
Holly and Janette left with their dignity in tact; Diane, however, caused a scene, going on about how he couldn't handle a dominate vampire such as herself. She tried to attack Garry, grabbing the skinny man by the neck,and claiming he had promised her that Franklin was going to pick her. Andrew stood in front of Franklin, waiting for his command to defuse the situation. Before he could, Lorena stepped in and forcefully removed Diane's hand from Garry's frail neck, and reminded the 70's vampire, that she was older and stronger. Diane knew she was no match for the two hundred old vampire vixen, so she went off into the night. Franklin complimented Lorena and thanked her for stepping in.
"I adore a woman who is not afraid to take action." He smiled at her and Tara found herself feeling a little jealous at the immediate attention Lorena was getting.
He gave her a nick- name first...
"I'll call you 'Styles', by the way you look and seem to have a lot of style and class, and I cannot wait to get to know you better." Lorena nodded silently with a smug look upon her face.
Tara was next. "I'll call you 'Strumpet'. I noticed you first with your sexy little red dress. I just know you are full of surprises."
Tara didn't care for her nickname, but was pleased she was given one before the remaining ten.
Next was Hadley " I adore your southern accent; it reminds me of the old west. I'll call you 'Cornbread'.
Hadley thought it was cute and kissed him on the cheek.
After her was Yvette, whom he named 'Ushanka'. At the time only, Franklin, Lorena and Yvette knew what it meant and Yvette was visibly upset. She felt her name should have been 'Pretty' or 'Beauty'. She pouted and asked him to reconsider.
"No, no, Ushanka suits you," he said, patting the pouting young woman on the shoulder.
"Ladies, remember to address each other with the names I have given you," he continued with that seductive accent and an impish smirk on his handsome face.
He went on to name Ginger 'Screech' for obvious reasons. She said she loved it and squealed for the umpteenth time. Franklin said she made him laugh and his friend Russell would have to see her in order to believe a woman like that really existed.
Summer was 'Baby Doll', of course she had told him about her collection of dolls. He did not quite know what to make of her and he was curious, thus the reason she was chosen.
The remaining girls had not gotten much one on one time with Franklin, but he still found them interesting enough to keep around so he had to think fast on his feet to come up with their names.
Dawn, a sultry brunette, was 'Hot-Wings', as she'd told him she was currently working at Hooter's.
He named Rosie 'Daffodil' because she had one in her hair and Franklin thought it was cute.
Amy, another waitress, got the name 'Weeds' because she smelled of it and looked high as a kite.
Finally, Debbie was named 'Coke',(not the drink), and Crystal was named 'Bones'. Franklin jokingly advised both of them never turn sideways or the cameras wouldn't see them. Both girls giggled and stumbled over to Franklin. Crystal hugged him while seemingly trying to climb him like a pole, at the same time Debbie shamelessly tried to grab his crotch. Andrew asked the ladies to go back and stand next to the others but they paid him no attention.
Before Andrew could physically remove the ladies, the bachelor bashfully grinned and politely walked them back over to the line and began handing out day-lilies one by one. Once the girl got her flower she was allowed into the house and escorted by Andrew directly to the room of her choice.
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