"Who's that alpha daddy?" Yvonne Lamont asked Arlene as I walked through the kitchen door carrying a tray full of salt and pepper shakers I had just refilled. My head felt a little light and the lower half of me felt a little hot so I knew without turning around exactly who had just entered Merlotte's. The quiet space next to Yvonne's alpha daddy told me that Pam had just walked in, too.
"That's no daddy, that's a damn vampire," Arlene spat out at Yvonne. "You better get good at recognizing them if you're going to keep working here, they're attracted to Sookie like bears to honey. They give me the creeps, they're-"
"Good Lord, Arlene," Yvonne said with a smile, interrupting Arlene's little bit of nonsense. "What's the matter with you, talking like that? I know! I bet you like you like your vampires all sweet and sparkly!" she said, flashing Arlene a bright smile as Arlene turned away in disgust, mumbling to herself about not liking them, with sparkles or regular.
Yvonne had just started at Merlotte's this past week. She was a couple of years younger than me and was beautiful. Yvonne's mother was white but her father was black and she had just moved to Bon Temps from a parish a couple of hours away, trying to make a life of her own. She said she had always had a rough time in school because she never fit in all the way with the white kids or the black kids. I had liked her the second I met her and couldn't help but giggle with her as I came back out of the kitchen.
"I know he's no virgin vampire," Yvonne said conspiratorially.
"He is a Viking vampire, though," I offered, still not ready to turn around and look over at the bar where I could feel him now standing, talking to Sam. "His name is Eric." I tried not to sigh too loudly as I felt the butterflies in my stomach compelling me to go to him.
It had been over two months since I had seen Eric, or Pam, too, for that matter. After the little fantasy I had been living came to an abrupt end with the restoration of his memory and our dispatch and disposal of Debbie Pelt, I had been lying low and hadn't been looking for a reason to be around any of the vamps or other supes. Well, besides Sam and my brother, Jason, who had already been through two full moons as a were-panther. I live a weird life.
The upside was that I hadn't been beaten up, punched, or nearly killed for quite some time. The downside was that I hadn't been bitten for quite some time either.
"Hello, lover," the vampire who had last bitten me, and frankly, had bitten me best, whispered in my ear, causing me to jump a little. Heat traveled down my legs as the blood surged and I was glad to be wearing my winter uniform of black pants because I thought my legs might actually be blushing.
I shivered as I turned around slowly, half (well, more than half) hoping that he would put his huge hands on my hips and pull me up against him. Oh no, my cheeks were blushing now, too.
"Hey, Eric," I said, my voice crackly, my nervous grin plastered to my face. Eric's impressive height loomed over me and standing there in the shadow of his broad shoulders, I nearly swooned. He was wearing black dress pants and a nice black shirt, the top three buttons left open, his strong, pale chest just calling out to be kissed. I swallowed as I looked up and saw that golden mane of hair, so striking against his black clothes. He raised his right arm and rubbed his thumb gently over the side of my neck, cocking a slow half-smile as he undoubtedly felt my pulse quicken. Those blue eyes of his just about undid me, right there in the middle of Merlotte's. He seemed to know it too, because that half-smile became a full fang production and I nearly lost what was left of my good sense by almost begging him to bite me quick.
"Uh, Sookie? You all girls just about ready to be done for the night?" Sam asked as he walked over to where Eric and I stood; Eric's fangs were gone before Sam reached us. "I was, um, thinking we should have a little staff meeting for a few minutes after everything's done."
"I need to speak with you about something. Should Pam and I wait for you here or meet you at your home?" Eric asked me, suddenly business-like.
"Home's fine," I said quickly, barely holding off the tidal wave of energy spilling out of the heads of the humans I worked with. Eric and Pam were out the door within a few seconds and Yvonne was on me with speed that almost rivaled the vampires.
"Girrrrl!!! It just got so hot in here; I nearly fainted from heat-stroke!" Yvonne exclaimed. She didn't seem to notice the surly looks she was getting from Arlene and Sam. I hadn't figured out how to actually speak again yet, but after a few minutes straight of Yvonne's excited declarations, Sam said we would have that meeting another night.
The only sound I heard as I got into my car was Yvonne laughing into her cell phone, telling one of her girlfriends that they definitely needed to visit the vampire bar in Shreveport after all.
***
I didn't have any idea why Eric and Pam would need to meet with me now after not so much as calling me in the past couple of months. Maybe Eric had remembered what had happened between us when he had been staying with me? He had called me his lover tonight, but on the other hand, Eric was as cocksure as a man could be and might have just been calling me that because he was so positive we would be making love eventually. Maybe it had to do with Bill? I hadn't seen him lately but for a couple of times when he had stopped into Merlotte's for a glass of TrueBlood, no doubt making sure that the people of Bon Temps still considered him to be properly neighborly. I thought about what Eric would say the whole way home and was feeling pretty curious and more than a little hot and bothered despite the cold February air. When I pulled up to my house, I saw the two vampires standing on my front porch.
"Hey, Pam. Hey, Eric," I said as I walked up the steps to unlock the front door.
"Hi, Sookie," Pam replied as they stepped inside behind me. I flipped on the light and quickly offered both of them a bottle of TrueBlood, knowing that I still had a few bottles left over from Eric's stay with me.
"No thanks, Sookie. I just fed before we went to Merlotte's," Pam said. She was wearing a pink cashmere twinset and chocolate brown pencil skirt with expensive-looking high heels and a delicate pearl necklace. It was hard to believe that it been a man and not a pot roast that she had made a meal out of.
I was surprised when Eric agreed to the TrueBlood and even more surprised as Pam watched me hand the warmed bottle to him without making any sarcastic remarks. What in the sam hill was going on with these two?
I decided to go ahead and make hay while the sun was shining. "What is it that you all need to talk to me about?"
Eric's cheeks had a slightly pink flush from the TrueBlood and I realized that he seemed to be struggling with something. He actually seemed a little unsure of himself.
"Well," he started, "I…we…the Queen of Louisiana would like to ask you to accompany me to Paris for a special assignment." You could have knocked me over with a feather. "She is prepared to compensate you for your assistance as well as pay for your lost wages while we're gone. She will also cover the cost of our stay and all of your meals and, of course, the flight to France." He fidgeted with the empty TrueBlood bottle for a second and then put it down on the coffee table with such force he surprised all three of us with the bang of the glass.
"Did you say Paris?" I was so stunned, that was all I could ask. I had never been out of the country before and had never even thought I would get the chance to see the part of Canada that's French, let alone actually set foot in France.
Eric glanced at Pam and she nodded slightly. "Sookie, you and Eric would be the Queen's special emissaries and make a personal appearance in the court of the Emperor of France on the Queen's behalf. The Emperor is holding a ball in honor of his human's birthday and the Queen feels that it would be a major coup-"
I stopped Pam right there because it had been less than two years that I had known and been involved with vampires but I was already filled to the gills with their politics.
"What is it that she wants me to do?" I asked as my heart sank because I realized that the one value I had to the vamps, the fact that I was a telepath, would be null and void in France. Aside from a few choice four-letter words, I don't speak a word of French. "I won't be able to understand their thoughts," I said sullenly, feeling a little like a spoiled child who hadn't gotten the gift they were hoping for on Christmas morning.
"That's not why you are being asked to go. If you would have let me finish," Pam scolded, "then you would understand that your job is simply to be by Eric's side as his companion and as a human representative of the Queen's territory."
"Why me? I'm a barmaid, surely there is someone a little bit more, I don't know, fancy who could accompany Eric?" I asked, feeling completely confused.
"You're the human I trust more than any other. I asked that it be you," Eric said quietly, slowly looking over at me. "I knew that you would worry about having your shifts covered at Merlotte's, the shifter agreed tonight to let me provide a waitress from Fangtasia to cover for you. I gave the Queen a generous estimate of what you would be losing in wages, how much it would cost you to be properly dressed for the entire trip including the ball, and Pam provided me with an appropriate daily amount you would need to enjoy yourself in Paris. It is important to the Queen that she is in the good favor of the Emperor and she agreed to all of the stipulations so that I could secure you."
Paris? Paris paid for? Paris paid for while being escorted by Eric to a royal ball? Did my name change to Cinderella and no one told me?
My shock seemed to give Eric some of his swagger back and he flashed me a devastatingly handsome smile. "She has heard of your astonishing beauty and thought we would make an impressive couple, sure to leave the Emperor with the feeling that hers is a kingdom that is powerful and not to be taken for granted or underestimated."
Pam laid out the plans before I could speak again. We would be leaving in six weeks, which would be long enough for my passport to arrive. A couple of days before we'd leave, Eric would send over the waitress-on-loan so I could train her. Pam would be in touch as directives came in from the Queen's office and Eric told me to call the office at Fangtasia if I have any questions or need some help getting everything in order.
He kissed me softly on the cheek as they left, and I was so excited about the trip I didn't spare a second worrying about what could go wrong. All I could think about was Paris in April for two weeks with Eric!
***
When the time finally came, I was too exhausted and nervous to be excited any more. I had assumed that we would fly Anubis Airlines but the Queen had arranged for a private jet to pick us up in New Orleans. We boarded the plane a couple hours after dark, Eric setting our bags next to the beautiful (if you can call it that) coffin that was all ready for him come sun-up. The flight attendant, a nice looking woman in her early 40s named Joanna, told me that the flight would take about nine hours and that we would get to see the sunrise over the Atlantic. Eric would be tucked away safely by then, of course, but I couldn't help telling him that I wished he could see it with me. He didn't say anything but gave me a kiss on the forehead as a reply.
I thought I would have felt safer flying on a plane that we had all to ourselves, but I did not. Eric felt my unease and put his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close to him. "You're good at flying, why didn't you just whoosh us there?" I couldn't help asking with a giggle.
"I couldn't have gotten us there before the sun came up," he answered, quite seriously. Did I mention that my life is weird?
After Joanna brought Eric a TrueBlood and me a champagne cocktail (to ease my nerves, of course); she told us that she would remain up front with the captain so we could have some privacy. We were supposed to hit the call button if we needed anything.
Eric finished his bottle in one swig and then looked down at me, his eyes all glowing. "What shall we do with all of this privacy, lover?" He cocked his eyebrow suggestively.
I started feeling my heartbeat a little south of the border but couldn't let that TrueBlood go by without questioning. I imagined that I would be feeling that womanly pull fairly constantly over the next couple of weeks so I might as well figure out how to work around it.
"Do you like TrueBlood more now?" I asked Eric. "It seems to me like you never used to drink it before you were put under that spell." I made sure to keep my eyes and hands occupied with the tie of my new velour pants. Pam had told me to get something comfortable for the flight and I thought these were perfect. The Queen had given me a large sum to buy new clothes for the whole trip so I splurged and even bought the matching hoodie.
"I still detest it, but I…" Eric shifted a little in his seat causing me to snuggle in deeper. "Sookie, I still don't remember what happened between you and I but for some reason I can't bring myself to taste another woman. I haven't since Pam came to get me from your house. The thirst is strong, it would be so easy, and I have gotten so close, but I can't. I only want to taste you."
My heart was pounding in response to this confession of his and I turned in my seat to face him. On the one hand, he could simply be putting me on, trying to trick me into letting him drink from me which would probably lead to me sleeping with him, too. On the other hand, this was Eric, Viking vampire Sheriff of area five, and I couldn't believe that he would have risked making himself seem vulnerable to be with any woman. I was out of hands, but thirdly, with the way he looked, sitting there in that black tank top, the skin on his massive shoulders so perfect that I almost had the desire to bite him, nothing much mattered more than the fact that he wanted me.
I saw relief and hunger spread across his face the second I decided to listen to my own urges. Even though he clearly didn't need to, he said, as he pulled me onto his lap so I was straddling him, "Sookie, I want to make love to you."
I didn't answer him in words but waved him on home loud and clear by kissing him on the lips and then pulling back just enough to run the tip of my tongue across his fangs.
His hands wrapped around my hips and he rubbed me against him, letting out a small moan as he kissed my neck. He was hard as can be, and somehow seemed even bigger than I had remembered, making a nervous shiver go down my spine as I wrapped my hands in that blond hair of his.
He moved quickly, sliding the hoodie off and pulling my own tank top over my head, kissing me roughly. I pulled his shirt off and my breath hitched in my throat at the sight of his body and the ripping of my bra as he simply tore it in two right between my breasts.
Oh Lord, this was going to be fast and furious.
The blood in my veins felt like it was burning me up from within and as Eric took my breasts in his mouth and slowly raked his fangs across my nipples it felt like he was lighting me on fire.
"Sookie. I need you now, I can't wait any longer." He said in a low growl and I snapped out of the moment just long enough to be worried about him tearing my new pants. I put my feet on the ground behind me and stepped back off of him, pulling my pants down in a hurry. My panties would at least survive the flight in better shape than my bra had.
Seeing him shudder with his desire for me made me feel even closer to exploding and he put one hand on my bottom and pulled me back on top of him. I reached down, undoing his pants while he slipped a finger inside of me. I was wet and ready and after a few strokes by Eric's very talented fingers, I came quicker than I ever had in my life, melting into Eric's hand.
Eric didn't skip a beat and he had somehow removed his pants with his free hand while I rode my first wave of pleasure. I nearly screamed out as I felt myself lowered onto his hardness. His tongue entered my mouth as my body below opened to take in all of him.
Eric pulled my head back by my hair, and I felt myself dissolving again as his fangs pierced my skin and my blood met his tongue. Seconds later, his body clenched with his release as his hands gripped my hips, claiming me just as much as the bite had.
My head collapsed on his shoulder as the aftershocks rippled through me, my skin feeling electrified by his gentle kisses to my neck.
"That was not our first time, was it, lover? My mind may not recall what happened between us but my body remembers. My hands know you, my tongue knows you, this knows you," he said, thrusting enough to make me gasp. "You yielded to me while I was at your home and because of what you have meant to me, I have been unable to be with another woman." I understood that this was more of a statement than a question. "Why did you not say anything? Why have you not claimed your right to all the protection I can offer you? Why not assert yourself, put yourself where you belong, by my side?"
I didn't know what to say or how to say it. Because he wasn't really Eric during that time? Because I knew I had deeper feelings for him than I was really comfortable with, let alone that he would welcome? Because I wanted to be sure he wanted me for me and not because of my disability/gift or as some sort of leverage over Bill? "I don't know," was all I whispered.
God love him, he didn't press it; he just held me.
I was exhausted from our lovemaking and from the blood loss, not to mention the month and a half of nervous excitement and preparation for this trip. I finally pushed myself up off of him, suddenly feeling lonely without having him inside of me. I gathered my clothes and went to the bathroom, stopping to get a new bra out of my bag, as Eric apologized insincerely. I couldn't help but laugh when he got that hungry look in his eye again as I commented that now I would definitely have a good excuse to buy some lacy French lingerie.
When I came out of the bathroom, he had reclined our seats and Joanna was giving him pillows and a blanket. I let out a little sigh of relief or was it regret to see that his pants and tank were back on. I felt a flush come across my cheeks as Joanna looked at me with a smile and placed two water bottles in the cup holders at the side of my seat. I was surprised she hadn't put out an iron pill and B-vitamin for me.
"You should get some sleep, lover. You have a busy day ahead and I won't be able to help you. Joanna, the pilot, and the security man that boarded with us will escort you to the hotel and make sure that my transportation there goes smoothly. It's a small hotel, but it's a vampire hotel, so you won't have to worry about giving them any instructions. Did Pam tell you about the human concierge they have to help you?"
I laid my head on his hard chest which felt more comfortable than I could have imagined and felt his arm wrap around me. "You know Pam, she not only told me everything a hundred times she made sure to write it down and laminate it all, just in case." Then, propping myself up on my elbow so I could look into his face, "I know it's a big deal that you are trusting me so far from your territory and from any of the vampires who are loyal to you. I know Pam's worried about you and that you're worried about me, but I promise you, this is already starting off to be the best two weeks of my life."
We looked into each other's eyes and I could see real emotion in his which sparked my own to brim with tears. We kissed deeply and I rested my head back on his chest as he ran his fingers through my hair. Warmth filled my whole body as I laid there with the man I knew I loved, and who I knew genuinely cared about me.
I slept like the dead as the sun rose over the Atlantic.