Negotiations Pt 5: Handling Affairs

by Texanlady

The fifth part of the Negotiation series. You need to read the first four parts to understand what happens.

In this story Nora isn't a backstabbing bitch like she turned out to be in the show, and she will only briefly be mentioned in this story. Remember in my story there is an Authority and a Council. The difference is pointed out in the first date, and you should brush up on that problem if you don't remember it clearly since it will be addressed in this chapter. Nora is in the Council, not the Authority in my story. This interlude is going to tidy up the few plot points from the rest of last season that I decided to include.

Remember, I'm going to add some things from season 4, but change a whole lot more to fit my story. So be prepared for that. This chapter tidies up the other plot lines I've included in the story, and most of the rest of the chapters are pure Eric/Sookie goodness.

No beta or proofing. As is.

Handling Affairs

It was Wednesday night and Sookie was in her car with Lafayette and Jesus headed towards Shreveport. Tonight was 80's night at Fangtasia, and the three humans, two especially, were very excited to see one vampire in particular. The thought of Pam dressed up in 80's glam and performing Karaoke had Sookie and Lafayette laughing all week long as they looked forward to the specified date of humiliation. Jesus had asked them numerous questions about Fangtasia and Pam, but both Sookie and Lafayette maintained that he'd just have to see for himself.

Pulling into the parking lot Sookie reminded both Lafayette and Jesus that no pictures were allowed inside. Both men agreed and the three humans exited Sookie's BMW. They had all decided to dress in the spirit of the theme night so Sookie was wearing a replica of Madonna's "Like a Virgin" short white lace outfit with white leather platform boots. She had her hair teased and the same veil headpiece that Madonna had worn when she performed the song. Lafayette and Jesus were both dressed in 80's male glam, and per Eric's orders she led them to the front door where a vampire she'd never seen was checking ID's.

"Back of the line," the vampire said without looking up from the ID's he was checking when Sookie and her friends came right up to him, ignoring the line of humans wrapped around the building.

"Uh, I'm on the VIP list," Sookie offered hesitantly.

"Name?"

"Sookie Stackhouse."

Recognizing the name immediately, the vampire finally looked at Sookie and her friends and repeated, "Stackhouse?"

"Yes."

"Sorry to delay you. Go right in. A booth has been roped off for you and your friends, and the Master wishes you to know that all your drinks are on the house tonight."

"Oh—uh, ok."

Sookie and her friends made their way into the club after the vampire waved them through, the three of them ignoring the grumbles of the people in line wondering who they were to be given such special treatment. Once they were inside it wasn't hard to spot the booth Eric had reserved for them. It truly was sectioned off by tacky red velvet rope and a sign that read, "Sookie Stackhouse and friends".

Once they were seated Sookie smiled at Ginger who came up to their booth immediately. The waitress was wearing a different version of the Madonna's 80's look, but still fit in quite well with the bar's theme. "Hi Ginger! How are you?"

"I'm good, Sookie, and you?"

"Pretty eager to see Pam perform!"

Ginger grinned broadly and whispered conspiratorially, "So am I! The Master has been teasing her about it for weeks!"

"And where are the dynamic duo?" Sookie asked as she looked around. Eric's throne was noticeably absent from the stage and the only thing up there was a karaoke machine, speakers, and a microphone. She hadn't seen Eric or Pam anywhere.

"They're in his office. They should be out soon. So what can I get you and your friends to drink? You know everything is on the house, right?"

"Yes we know. I'll have a gin and tonic," Sookie said before looking at her friends on the other side of the booth and asking, "guys?"

"I'll have a Jack and coke," Lafayette told Ginger, trying not to glare at her. He could tell from her total lack of recognition of him that she'd been glamoured to forget him and what had happened in the basement.

"I'll take a Rum and coke," Jesus said.

Once Ginger had left to fill their orders Sookie asked Lafayette, "Are you going to be ok here? I know you must still be upset about everything that happened with Eric and Ginger. We can leave if you want."

Shaking his head, Lafayette replied, "No. I'm good. Nothing could stop me from seeing Pam perform tonight. Nothing at all."

Looking back and forth between Sookie and Lafayette who were laughing, Jesus asked, "Ok, what gives? You two keep getting these weird smiles on your faces and doing that laugh whenever you talk about this Pam woman, and her having to do karaoke tonight. Why are you two so excited?"

Sookie and Lafayette continued to laugh before he said, "Jesus, honey, you just have to see it. Pam is the hardest hearted bitch this side of the Mississippi, and getting to watch her tonight is going to tickle me pink!"

While Sookie and her friends continued to make small talk out in the bar, in Eric's office Pam was pacing back and forth as she argued, "You cannot mean to humiliate me this way, Eric! Isn't it enough your little fairy is back? Now you have to enforce that ridiculous bet we made?"

Eric sat in his chair watching his child pace and bitch after reading the message his doorman had sent him telling him that Sookie had arrived. While he'd been enjoying watching Pam a few moments before, the slight increase in strength from the bond he had with Sookie as she approached had him growing eager, and once his doorman alerted him that she was in fact in the bar he no longer had any patience for Pam's complaints.

Pam, not having noticed Eric wasn't really paying attention to her tirade continued on, "It's bad enough I have to walk around every night in this awful Goth clothing to maintain the image of this club, but this? THIS! Eric, this is intolerable! And making me sing? In front of humans no less? How can you torture me this way? Can't you just give me a beating or something and we can move past all this unpleasantness?"

"No."

Facing Eric as she crossed her arms over her chest, Pam hissed, "I won't do it."

Eric's eyes went hard as he growled, "I'm sorry. I thought I just heard you tell me you weren't going to do something I told you to do, but that can't be right. You would never be so foolish as to disobey me. Never disgrace your station as my child by failing to live up to a bet you made."

Pam lowered her eyes to the floor, realizing she'd spoken in haste, and mumbled, "I'm sorry, master. I didn't mean it."

"Good, now finish doing your hair and then go tell Sookie I'd like to speak to her. After that man the floor. When Sookie and I are finished with our discussion we will join you. I think perhaps as punishment for your outspokenness I will allow Sookie and her friends to take a picture with you."

"Eric! You can't let anyone take a picture of me looking like this!"

"Do you want me to allow every patron tonight to pose for a picture with you?"

"Eric, please!"

He had no tolerance for her petulance. He'd suffered almost a year of her telling him over and over that Sookie was never coming back, that she was dead, and he would have no mercy for her now. Pam was lucky he wasn't having a theme night once a week to get back at her for trying to make him believe Sookie was gone for good. Thinking back to the few moments he'd actually allowed Pam's dire outlook on life sway him to the belief that Sookie might really be dead, as brief and limited as those moments were before he banished them from his mind, Eric felt his mood turn black, and he barked, "Enough, Pamela! This is you paying off your debt, and I don't want to hear you bitch about it a moment longer! Finish your costume and get on the floor!"

Realizing that after an hour of begging and bitching Eric was at the end of his patience, Pam gave an indignant huff and went to the mirror in the office to finish feathering her hair. What people in the 80's were thinking when they came up with their fashion trend she didn't know. She'd hated it then, and she hated it now. When she was done with her hair she ignored Eric as she flung the office door open and stomped into the bar. She ignored everyone as she made her way to the booth Eric had reserved for his little obsession and hissed, "Eric wishes to speak to you in his office."

Sookie had seen Pam approaching and she'd done her best not to bust out laughing. The always poised vampiress was dressed exactly like an 80's version of Cindi Lauper. She was in a tutu, and sporting so many neon colors she could be the poster child for tacky fashion statements. Her hair was teased and feathered to high hell with bits crimped in the same fashion Cindi had done.

Sookie watched Pam stalk off before looking at Lafayette and giggling, "Easily one of the top ten funniest things I've ever seen!"

"Top five for me!" Lafayette laughed as he watched Pam take up position on the other side of the bar and glare daggers at anyone that so much as glanced her way.

"Well I better go see what Eric wants. I'll see you guys when we're done."

A moment later Sookie knocked on Eric's office door and waited for him to tell her to come in. After closing the door behind her she asked, "You wanted to see me?"

Looking up Eric grinned at Sookie's costume. He'd told her that he was going to wear his customary black apparel for the night, and that she and her friends didn't have to dress up if they didn't want to, but he was pleased to see that she had. He recognized her costume easily and complimented, "You look far more fetching in virgin white than Madonna ever did. Would you like me to touch you for the very first time?"

"Eric!"

Grinning, Eric looked pointedly at her breasts and added, "The outfit really is flattering to Lucy and Ethel. The three of you look wonderful."

"You are so bad."

"You have no idea."

Seeing Eric's fangs snap down as he flicked his tongue suggestively at her, Sookie giggled, "That's enough of that you. Pam said you wanted to see me?"

"Yes, have a seat. There are several things I wanted to discuss with you."

Eric waited for Sookie to take a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk before he replied, "Mr. Phillips called and told me you met with him yesterday afternoon. He gave me the impression that the meeting went quite well, and I was wondering if you have given any thought to my offer of working for me as an investigator?"

"Actually I have."

"And?"

"Well the job and its requirements that Mr. Phillips described to me actually sounds pretty nice," Sookie began, "but most of my concerns only you can alleviate."

"And these concerns are?"

"Do you want to discuss this now? You seem to be in a hurry to hire me. Is there something I should know?"

Reaching into his desk Eric pulled out a file and handed it to Sookie as he replied, "Several reasons. First, the second half of summer school at Louisiana State starts next week, and if we are going to get you into the computer class you'll need to attend in order to work the programs my companies use, we need to sign you up as soon as possible. The second reason is in that file."

Sookie opened up the file and scanned it quickly before remarking, "Who is Samuel Brooks?"

"He is one of the computer techs at my protection and security firm."

"And the problem with him is?"

"I have reason to believe he is working for someone else. He is a were, however, and I can't glamour him easily."

Looking over the file again, and seeing nothing that would indicate the werefox Eric had employed was anything other than loyal, Sookie questioned, "Why do you think he's working for someone else? I don't see anything here except a few reprimands for being late several times during the past six months. He's worked for you for seven years, and hasn't had any other write ups. I think that's pretty good."

"Three of the homes that employ my agency for security have been broken into over the past six months. All are vampire homes, all the burglaries happen during the day, and Mr. Brooks is my primary suspect."

"Why?"

"Because all of the late reprimands you mentioned happen a few days before the burglaries."

Sookie thought that wasn't much to go on and said as much. "That's pretty thin, Eric."

He thought so to, and said, "I know, but as of yet it's all I have. I've had my security firm for over 30 years, and this is the first series of burglaries we've ever had. Breaking into a vampire's home during the day is a serious crime. So far none of the vampire resting places have been disturbed, but all electronics and items of historical or significant value were taken. Some of the antiques are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. My firm catalogues these items for our records, and of course the systems were all bypassed with ease. It has to be an inside job, and my investigation thus far has yielded nothing other than Samuel's unusual tardiness. Most of the people that work in my security firm are supes or related to the supe world in some fashion since we handle their homes as well as human ones. I need this situation resolved."

Seeing Sookie hesitate, Eric offered, "I can assure your safety. You'd be going in as a simple auditor. No one will know you are a telepath unless that knowledge somehow leaks to the supernatural world at large, which as I've told you, is unlikely to happen anytime in the near future. Everyone there would think you were checking the finances, nothing to do with security. Also, if you'd like we could use this as a trial period. You could investigate this matter while taking the summer computer course at U of L, and once you finish both you can decide whether or not you wish to take up a more permanent position as an investigator in my HR department."

Closing the folder, Sookie said, "This matter aside, I need to ask some questions about the position."

"I will answer them all truthfully, and to the best of my ability."

"First, should I accept this temporary position, or any permanent position in the future, will my employment be affected when our dating comes to an end?"

He refused to entertain the notion that their relationship would come to an end. He was going to ensure that by the time his ten allotted dates were up she couldn't stand to part ways with him. In either case he assured, "If you sign on with me we will have an employment contract drawn up that will protect your job for five years. Your salary and benefits will be set. Even if the romantic attachment I am trying to form to you dissolves it will in no way affect your career. I am not that petty."

That was good to hear, but she had more questions. "I was hoping you weren't. Next, if I take this job I need to have the right to turn down assignments. Things like this are alright, but as you've said, some of your businesses, while legitimate, involve supes. So if you give me an assignment that I feel uncomfortable with I need to be assured I can turn it down. Or even if I accept it, if I feel it is getting dangerous or will expose me, my telepathy, or my ancestry, I'll be able to walk away. I also need to know that my refusal of those types of jobs won't get me fired."

"Agreed. Sookie, I don't want you in danger at all. The only reason I'm asking you to investigate this security matter is because I'm sure no one there knows who you are, and the cover I'm providing you will keep you safe."

"And what measures will be taken to ensure no one finds out about me? That no one finds out that I'm a telepath or fairy?"

Eric had actually given that a good deal of thought and explained, "I've decided to have you work for me under an alias. I'll glamour the memory of you from Mr. Phillip's mind, and we'll set you up with a professional name. Similar to how many authors work under a pen name. It will be entirely legal, but it will keep the name Sookie Stackhouse out of the corporate and supernatural world. I very much doubt anyone will make the connection from your investigations and the results you come up with to you being a telepath, but even if they do they won't have a name to trace."

"How can you be sure no one will figure it out?"

"Well for starters you won't actually be questioning anyone. You told me that you can hear people at a distance, right?"

"Yes."

"Alright then, when you perform your investigations you'll always go in as an auditor, and be in a separate room. Someone else will actually ask the questions, and from the other room you'll type up the truth you pick up from their heads. Then with the leads you draw from their heads, you should be able to find the evidence to support the truth with the resources your position will make available to you. With physical documentation people won't ever guess that you're drawing the answers right out of their minds while someone else was questioning them. No one should gossip about you being a telepath."

It actually sounded like a pretty good deal, and Sookie really did want a better future than slinging beers and burgers for the rest of her life. Eric was offering her a way to make that happen. He was offering her a job that would not only pay her enough to afford college, but pay her bills, and save for a rainy day. Not to mention the position had the flexible hours she'd need to complete college. As much as she wished it weren't so, she didn't really have much of a chance to move past the occupation of waitress without this opportunity.

After considering it for a few more moments, Sookie proposed, "Ok. I'll take this job as a trial. We'll see how it goes, and while I'm doing it let's get me signed up for the summer computer course so that if I decide to make this a permanent arrangement I can start work for your HR department."

Eric grinned broadly. "I'm glad you've accepted my proposal. Will you be free to meet with me tomorrow night so we can go over the details, and get online to enroll you in college?"

"Yeah. I'll tell Sam I'm coming in late or just switch shifts with Holly."

Taking back the file Sookie passed to him, Eric said, "Excellent."

"So what else did you wish to discuss with me?"

"Two things actually. The first directly involves you, and the second I want to speak to you about as a sign of respect, and in an effort to maintain the open line of communication we agreed upon."

Seeing that this was serious, Sookie asked, "What's wrong?"

"I'm handling the matter with the witches on Saturday."

Eric didn't elaborate, and Sookie didn't need him to. She picked up by those few words that his people had investigated the matter as thoroughly as they could, he'd come up with a plan from that information, and now he was acting. Saturday Marnie was going to die. There was nothing Sookie could do about it, but she couldn't help asking, "What about her followers?"

Pleased that Sookie hadn't tried to get him to change his mind about the possessed witch, Eric explained, "My sources tell me none of them have any significant powers. They are harmless without their leader. She will be dealt with, and they will be glamoured much as I glamoured your friends."

Sookie didn't know how she felt about what she'd just been told, and she decided she'd have to think about it later. Eric was the sheriff of this area, it was his duty to keep supernaturals under control, and if he acted with any more mercy than he already had in deference to her feelings then he would more than likely be punished by those who held authority over him. Forcing the unpleasant thoughts to the back of her mind, she asked, "And what matter that involves me did you need to talk about?"

"Bill is making a move."

"What kind of move?"

"The kind of move that could force our hand."

"Explain."

Sitting forward to cross his arms over the desk, Eric began, "When Bill was made King by Nan she asked him about you. Nan knew that Sophie-Ann had sent him to Bon Temps to investigate and procure you. When Bill killed Sophie-Ann and became king Nan wanted to know why the queen had been so fascinated by you. He lied and said you were inconsequential, that Sophie-Ann was just being as eccentric as usual. My sources tell me she sent her own people to investigate you, but you had disappeared. Which actually turned out to be a good thing with what is now in the works."

"Eric, you're scaring me." She was beginning to get a knot in her stomach from Eric's serious expression.

"Bill, in either an attempt to force you back to his side or protect his own ass, I'm not yet sure which, contacted Nan last night and told her of your sudden reappearance."

"Why would he do that!"

"Again, I am unsure. As I just said it is either an attempt to bring you back under his control, or to protect himself."

Sookie didn't understand how Bill could think telling Nan about her would protect him, and asked Eric, "And how would telling her I'm back keep him safe?"

"If Nan were to find out that you had returned on her own, as slight as the possibility is since she doesn't exactly concern herself with the humans in Bon Temps, and Bill hadn't told her first, he would become suspect. Even though Bill had told Nan after disposing of Sophie-Ann that you were simply a whim the former queen was indulging in, Nan still had her suspicions. She wanted you observed, but you disappeared. So while I'm sure this is a ploy on Bill's part to frighten you into becoming his again, I can understand why he would have contacted her if it isn't. Your reappearance is cause for speculation, and speculation by a member of the Authority is dangerous."

"So what happened when he told her?"

"My taps on his phone have revealed that he told her as he'd given you so much of his blood he'd thought you'd died when you suddenly disappeared. Now you've reappeared. Being a vampire herself, Nan understands how impossible this should be. The feeling of complete loss of a vampire bond through blood like that should only be able to happen when a human dies, and yet here you are. Bill has landed you back on Nan's radar. My spies tell me not only has she told Bill to begin investigating you before as Sophie-Ann had him doing, but that she is dispatching her own spies."

"Oh my God!"

Before Sookie could begin hyperventilating, Eric soothed, "Don't panic now. As I just told you, I'm certain that this is more than likely a ploy on Compton's part to make you his again. I very seriously doubt he intends to put you into a position where another vampire could lay claim to you. As twisted and selfish as he may be, he does care for you in his own way. At the very least he doesn't want you with anyone besides him."

That didn't comfort Sookie at all. She too believed that Bill cared for her as much as a vampire like him could, but his care had nearly killed her more than once, and had ended with her Gran dead. She didn't need that kind of affection. Avoiding the topic of her former boyfriend's feelings for her, Sookie asked, "Why are you so certain this is a ploy? Not him selling me out because I'm refusing him? I'd like to hope he wouldn't' do that, but I've learned he's capable of almost anything if it furthers his own goals."

"Bill ordered Jessica to make the rounds at Bon Temps before ever contacting Nan. She's spent the last several nights glamouring most of the people in your town to avoid talking about your otherness, so Nan's spies will not be able to pick up on your telepathy right away. The shifter is the only one that hasn't been glamoured yet, but he doesn't really need to be. He knows to keep his mouth shut all on his own, and he will not be easily glamoured if Nan sends vampires to investigate you. His efforts to hide what you are before contacting Flanagin lead me to believe he knows she will come to investigate you, which she is, but is trying to make sure she won't find anything. My guess is he's hoping that the mere fact she is taking an interest in you will frighten you enough that you'll forget his past transgressions, and resume a relationship with him in order to stay safe."

Sookie's heart was racing as she asked, "What do we do?"

"Bill seems to be trying to hide the full truth about you for the moment, and with my own efforts to keep you under wraps either Nan will turn up nothing, or if she keeps looking after her spies do their initial inspection it will take her some time. A few weeks to discover the full extent of your talent."

"And if she does keep looking?"

"That's why I'm speaking to you now. We need to have a plan in place."

Sookie's heart dropped as she whispered, "Am I going to need my get the hell out of dodge bag?"

"Not just yet. We need to discuss our options first."

"What other options are there? I refuse to be a pet fairy or telepath for a bitch like Nan! Or Bill! Especially not Bill!"

"I know." Eric kept his tone calm as he said, "Remember the night I gave you the bag?"

"Yes."

"Well remember how I said we could try to keep you here by registering you as my personal asset if others do find out about you?"

Sookie's eyes became suspicious, as she asked, "You want to register me as your asset?"

Shaking his head, Eric denied, "Not yet. If I actually register you than you will truly be known to my world, and I want to avoid that for as long as possible. I just want to get the paperwork done and have it ready should the situation develop to the point we need it. I have friends in the Council, in high places if you remember, and I've asked one of them to have this paperwork on hand. That way if Nan or Bill tries to come for you I can protect you by informing them that you are my Council recognized asset. My people on the inside will verify it, and support me when Nan or Bill calls. Nan and the rest of her Authority cronies cannot deny my ownership of you, or try to take you from my control without declaring war on the Council, and they are in no way ready to do that. They'd have to leave you alone, and before you get upset, I would only be declaring you as my asset to protect you. I know no one owns you, and that I could never control you. It would simply be for appearances."

"But if you log me as your telepathic asset won't that make me a target? Won't that put me at the mercy of the Council for them to use just as much as it would have if Bill or Nan took me for the Authority? I don't want anybody forcing me to do anything I don't want to do."

"Sookie, if supes find out about you the only choices you'll have will be to run for the rest of your life, or to become someone's asset. If you run you'll never be able to settle down, you will need to say goodbye to your friends and brother while they are forced to run as well, and none of you will ever be able to come back. If you become my asset, yes, you will need to perform the occasional job from time to time on the behalf of the Council, but for the most part my age, power, and connections will keep your life much the way it is now. That is the best I can offer you."

"What kind of jobs? What would I be expected to do? If we are forced to register me as your asset, what will my life be like?"

Eric explained, "Not so very different than it is now. Because of my age and connections I can assure that the Council would only call upon you for the most urgent matters, and it would only be to maintain peace with humans. All requests for your talent would go through me, and no other vampire would have the right to approach you without my permission. Any time you were needed to perform a job I would always be with you, and, of course, you would be well compensated. More than likely you'd make ten times what I paid you in Dallas."

She wasn't interested in the money. She just wanted her life to be her own. "So it's not like I'd be called up every week and expected to read people for them?"

"No. I would not allow such a thing. It would probably be three or four times a year. Naturally, if we are forced to reveal your presence to the supernatural world by registering you as my asset to prevent other vampires from taking you, it will cause supes to seek you out. I will receive dozens, if not hundreds, of requests a day from people wishing to employ you. I will deny them all if that is your wish, or forward them to you for you to decide whether or not you wish to use your talent."

"I don't even want to think about that right now."

"Then don't. Right now the priority is keeping you hidden for as long as we can."

"Do you think we can?"

Seeing Sookie's growing despair, Eric added, "Hopefully Bill doesn't sell you out more than he has. I'm hoping that he told Nan this so he can call you to him, and tell you she's learned of you again. That way he can spin the story that the only way he can protect you is if you return to him, and then he'll simply tell her you are nothing of consequence once he has bonded you to him again. Hopefully Nan's own investigation will yield nothing due to Jessica's glamouring. My plan to get this paperwork ready is a fall back. If Nan calls off her spies and stops pursuing you, the paperwork will be destroyed if it is your wish, and we can carry on as before."

"But if you give the paperwork to your people in the Council they at least will know about me."

"Yes, but they will not betray me."

"How do you know?"

Eric didn't begrudge Sookie her skepticism. Her safety, her freedom, was on the line here, and he admired her survival skills. "The woman I will be asking to hold onto the contract is my sister Nora. She is several centuries younger than I am, but we are very close. We traveled with Godric together for over two hundred years. She would never betray me. She will keep your secret, and destroy the contract if I notify her that the danger of Nan discovering you is found, though I hope you give me leave to tell her to keep the contract somewhere safe. That way if something unexpected happens, and someone else tries to claim you, you can tell them you're mine and we'll have the paperwork in place to back up the claim so no one can take you."

Sookie took a minute to contemplate what Eric had said before asking, "What are my chances that Nan does find out about me? Realistically?"

"I'd say 70/30 your favor. I've known her for 400 years, and she has only gotten worse with age. Her arrogance and belief no one is smarter than her is going to be her downfall one day, but in this instance it at least works in our favor. For all her talk on TV about equality with humans, she thinks they're all worthless except for blood and sex. If her spies don't uncover anything significant on their first go through, more than likely she'll call them back and put them to use in areas she considers more important. Especially if Bill says his investigation has yielded no results either. If we can get through this first period of scrutiny my guess is you'll be safe. If they stay more than two or three nights you'll definitely be discovered because she is determined to investigate everything there is to know about you, and not just the obvious. If the spies dig deeper than a preliminary questioning and glamouring of the humans in town to ask about you, which Jessica's glamouring should prevent them from finding anything, if these spies are truly investigating you to the best of their ability, then it is only a matter of time before Nan realizes what you can do. I am, however, almost entirely certain the secret of your fairy ancestry will not come to light even if she does realize you're a telepath."

Holding Eric's gaze, Sookie declared, "So what it really comes down to right now, is whether or not I trust you? I have to trust that Bill is actually doing what you say he's doing, especially since I can't exactly ask him without alerting him to the fact you have taps on his phone and spies in his network, which would get you killed for treason. And if I confront Bill and what you say is true I'll have cost myself my only ally in you, and given him all the opening he needs to take me. I have to trust that you won't immediately log the contract to bind me to you once I sign them if this is all a ploy on your part. I have to trust that this woman Nora, who I've never met, will not betray you, and me by extension. That she'll keep me and our contract a secret until we need it, or destroy it after this supposed Nan danger passes. I have to trust that my safety and happiness really are important to you and go with this plan B, or I have to run now?"

"Yes." Again, Eric wasn't upset by Sookie's words. He was pleased she'd evaluated the situation and its dangers so quickly. She truly was learning to play the game, and it was one of the things that would keep her safe and free.

Sookie sat back in her chair, crossed her arms over her chest, and stared hard at Eric. He was asking for a whole lot right now. If she signed that contract, if what he was telling her right now turned out to be a lie, then she'd signed her life away and would be his slave. If she didn't sign it and what he said was true, then she was making herself a sitting duck for Nan and Bill, and a 30% chance of Nan finding out about her wasn't an odd she liked. There were a whole lot of ifs, and a whole lot of consequences to those ifs. With this in mind Sookie considered everything she knew about Eric Northman, the good and the bad. The times he'd manipulated her, everything he'd ever said to her, and the things he'd done for her. After considering everything she came to the conclusion that he was either the world's greatest liar, or he genuinely wanted to help her.

In the end she had to trust someone if she was going to survive the supernatural world and remain free while doing so. She couldn't survive in the supernatural world alone, and at the very least Eric had proven he didn't want her dead or in chains. If he had he could have taken her that first night Bill had brought her to Fangtasia. With what she knew about the vampire power structure now she knew that as Bill's sheriff at the time Eric could have ordered she be given to him, but he hadn't. He might not always have been nice to her, but he'd never treated her like a pet. The only time he'd ever truly forced his will on her was when the whole thing with Russell went down. Not to mention his behavior since she'd come back made her think he really did care. If Bill had really told Nan about her, if she was really in the danger Eric said she was, he was her only hope. She didn't want to run unless it was her only alternative to keep from being a slave, and Eric was giving her a chance at better odds.

Eric knew the second she decided to trust him by the relaxing in her body and features. When her eyes lost their intensity and settled to a calm acceptance, he knew she'd decided to have faith he wasn't playing her, and he wasn't. Bill had truly landed her back on the Authority radar, and things were up in the air as far as Sookie anonymity was concerned. "Have you decided?"

"Yes. I'm going to trust you. I'll sign the paperwork and hope we don't need it. When do we do it?"

"Now."

Reaching into his desk Eric pulled out a roll of parchment paper and quill pen before moving to sit in the other chair in front of his desk beside Sookie. "Asset contracts are done in the old way, so I will need you to sign your name in blood. I will do the same and have it sent to my sister Nora. She will add her signature in blood to validate it, and will testify that she bore witness to our signing of this contract should anyone ask. It is binding, and no one has the right to contest it. You will be safe if we are forced to use it."

Sookie watched Eric prick his finger with his fang and then dip the tip of the quill pen into the drop of blood before signing his name with a flourish at the bottom of the contract written in what appeared to be Latin. When he finished and looked at her, she asked, "And she'll destroy it if I ask? If Nan calls her spies off and we don't need it anymore she'll burn it?"

"If that is your wish."

"Or she'll hold onto it, keep it in hiding, keep my existence a secret and only tell others if we call her to back us up if someone comes for me?"

"I swear it. I trust her with my life, or else I would not be trusting her with yours."

Sookie held Eric's hard gaze before reaching up and pricking her own finger on Eric's fangs. She then took the quill pen from his other hand, dipped it in her blood, and signed her name below Eric's on the contract. "I really hope you're not screwing me here, because if you are I just signed my life away."

Eric could feel Sookie's rising anxiety through their slight bond and responded by taking hold of her hand and sucking her pricked finger into his mouth to heal it with his saliva. His eyes never left hers as he released the digit and swore, "I am not Bill, Sookie, and I will prove myself to you time and again until you know this truth whole heartedly. I will protect you with everything I am. I want no puppet, no blood slave, and no asset. I want you. As wild, and free, and stubborn, and argumentative as you are, Sookie Stackhouse, I would have you no other way."

Sookie smiled as she leaned forward to kiss Eric's fang. "And when you say things like that I almost forget why I can't afford to get involved with you."

She didn't give him time to respond as she indicated the contract and asked, "What are you going to do with that?"

"I have a private supe courier ready to deliver it to my sister. He's a demon, and I've used him for centuries to relay important information and packages across the globe. He will have it to her by tomorrow night, and she will keep it safe. Hopefully we will have no need for it. Do I deliver a message to destroy it when the incident with Nan passes? Or should she hold onto it?"

"If I'm going to trust you, and by extension her, I might as well go all in. Tell her to hold onto it in case something else comes up."

"Very well."

"So what do we do now? Sit and wait to see if Bill or Nan come for me?"

Nodding his head, Eric agreed, "Unfortunately that is all we can do. I have people in place, as well as wire taps, that should alert us at least a few hours ahead of time if they do come for you, but until then we simply must wait. I will tell you that if Nan's spies haven't left by the end of next week then they are investigating you closely, and your telepathy will inevitably be discovered. So this problem shouldn't take long."

Wringing her hands in her lap, Sookie asked, "What do I do if they come for me? What if your sources and taps don't warn us in time?"

"Then you tell them that you belong to me, and are my Council registered asset. By law they will have to release you."

"If they don't?"

"I'll know they've taken you, and will come after you. They will not get far, but the chances of Nan or Bill taking you after you tell them you're my asset, a registered one at that, are so minimal they might as well be nonexistent. You don't need to worry about them taking you if they come. All you need to worry about is whether or not we can keep you hidden. If we can't? Then you will be a known telepath in the supernatural world, and entirely under my protection. Which is a very powerful thing."

She felt some of her anxiety ease. Knowing that Nan and Bill couldn't simply whisk her away now that she had signed the contract with Eric, if they were actually coming, that is, had her nerves relaxing a bit. "And if they leave what do you think Bill will do?"

"If his plan all along was not to alert them to you, if it is only a scare tactic to bring you to his side he'll come up with something else. We'll just have to try and be ready for his next attempt as well."

"And you think he'll be calling me soon to tell me Nan is having me investigated?"

"Oh yes. My spies tell me he has a modified version of his phone conversation with her recorded. My guess is he will call on you, play it for you, and make it seem like Nan has taken a personal interest in you in order to frighten you into going back to him. It is another reason I am sure this is a move on his part to reclaim you, but he could simply be taking advantage of the situation. If he felt he had no choice but to alert Nan to keep her from coming after him if she learned of you on his own, this could be him trying to bind you to him before she comes for you."

She hated how manipulative Eric's world was, and asked, "So when he does try to convince me to come back to him in order to stay safe, what should I do?"

"You tell him you have worked out a deal with me. If he presses you on the matter tell him you refuse to speak to him any more of it, and if he has questions to bring them to me."

"What will you tell him?"

"The same thing you told him. We have a deal, and you are under my protection. I will say no more."

"With him being your king, doesn't that put you at a disadvantage?"

Eric laughed derisively. "Hardly. Bill isn't even two centuries old, and despite being in Nan's pocket he doesn't have the political influence I do, or the powerful allies and connections that I have. He knows not to push me too far or suffer the consequences. He will come to speak with me, but when I am not forthcoming with any more information than what you gave him, he will be forced to retreat and re-strategize."

"Well I guess that is something."

"Indeed it is."

Sookie watched as Eric put the parchment in a leather case, and then sealed it with an old fashioned wax seal with some kind of symbol on top of it. He then locked it in a wall safe behind a painting he had. When he faced her she said, "Now there's a favor I need to ask."

"Done."

"You haven't even heard it yet."

"I don't need to. If there is something you need my help with, I will do my best to aid you."

"Stop trying to sweet talk me."

"But, Sookie," Eric purred, "you move me to sweetness."

She rolled her eyes at him before getting down to business. "I've talked to my brother about Hotshot, and he's not willing to abandon them. He wants to keep helping them, and I need to go out there and get a feel for them. You said it was dangerous, so I'd like you to go with us and extend your protection over me and Jason with them like you said you would. I know how dangerous weres can be after that crap in Jackson, and I want my brother as safe as can be."

"Of course. Why don't you bring Jason with you tomorrow night? He can wait in the bar with Pam while we get you signed up for classes, and handle your paperwork to come to work for me on a temporary basis. When that is done we'll go to Hotshot to speak to the werepanthers. Is that agreeable?"

"Yes, and thank you."

"None needed. Are you ready to head out into the bar?"

"Oh yes. Laf and I have been waiting for this all week!"

As if by unspoken agreement, Eric and Sookie both put the unpleasantness of their talk behind them and made their way out into the bar. There was nothing they could really do right now about Bill or Nan, so they might as well enjoy themselves. Eric tucked Sookie's hand into his arm and led her through the crowd that naturally parted for him, and as he did so Sookie tried to ignore the hateful looks of all the fangbangers that despised her for being on his arm. When they reached the booth, Eric directed Sookie to her seat before sliding in beside her as he asked Lafayette, "So what do you think of Pam's costume?"

"I think she looks fucking hilarious!" Lafayette sent Pam a victorious smirk and only laughed harder when she snapped her fangs at him. Now that he knew the kind of pull Sookie had with Eric, Pam's maker, he didn't feel quite as terrified of the vampiress as he had before. He intended to live up this experience to its full potential. Bitch deserved it.

Seeing Lafayette's glee, Eric offered, "Well Pam was especially bratty earlier, and I told her she must pose for a picture with you three. I have a camera in my office, and will make sure you each receive a copy."

Eyes snapping to Eric, Lafayette asked, "Are you serious?"

"Very."

Lafayette grinned and then turned to Pam and used his hands to imitate taking a picture as he mouthed, "It's going on my mantle!"

Across the room Pam barely contained her snarl as she whirled away from Sookie's table and made her way into the crowd. She couldn't believe Eric was punishing her like this, and allowing those humans to get their picture taken with her when she was dressed like a freak? Inexcusable! She had only been trying to help him get over his obsession with Sookie when the troublesome human disappeared. She hadn't known just how significant his attachment for the girl had been, or she wouldn't have made the bet, or pestered him about her. She deserved a little slack!

Eric watched the little display between his progeny and Lafayette and barely kept from laughing. Pam was his progeny, and she was dear to him, but she needed to be knocked down a peg or two from time to time. He doubted he'd force Pam to actually go through with these theme nights for the entire duration of her bet, but he intended to get a good four or five karaoke performances before he had mercy on her.

Wanting to make sure Sookie was comfortable, Eric asked, "Are you hungry?"

"You don't serve food here."

"I know but I can either have something delivered or have one of the waitresses go pick something up. I planned to get something ahead of time, but I wasn't sure if you would have eaten before coming or not, and I didn't get a chance to call you to ask earlier tonight."

Looking towards Lafayette and Jesus, Sookie asked, "Do you guys want anything?"

"I saw a Big Jonny's at the end of the block. We could get some fried pickles, fried mushrooms, and some sliders," Lafayette offered.

"That actually sounds kind of good," Jesus added.

Focusing back on Eric, Sookie asked, "Would that be alright?"

"Of course." When Eric saw Sookie reaching into her purse to grab money he said, "Stop that. You are here as my guests, and guests don't pay."

He snapped his fingers to call Ginger over and ordered, "Ginger, tell Melissa to go to Big Johnny's at the end of the block and pick up the largest orders they have of fried pickles, fried mushrooms and sliders."

Lafayette added, "Get three of the slider samplers. One for each of us, and make sure you get plenty of ranch and honey mustard for the mushrooms and pickles."

As Ginger left Sookie spotted someone in the crowd. "Isn't that Robert?"

Glancing in the direction Sookie was pointing, Eric confirmed, "It is. Do you want me to call him over?"

"Yes, I'd like to say hello. We did invite him here tonight after all."

Eric summoned another waitress and pointed at Robert, who was standing near the wall and looking totally out of place in his t-shirt and jeans, and looking very uncomfortable with his surroundings.

When the waitress was gone to collect the man Sookie and Eric had identified, Lafayette asked, "Who is Robert?"

"He's the guy that Eric hired to teach us how to yo-yo on our second date. He was really nice. We invited him to come tonight."

Lafayette just couldn't believe that Eric had taken Sookie on the dates he had. When she described them to him at work he had trouble reconciling what she was saying with his knowledge and experience with the ancient vampire. "Where do you come up with your ideas for your dates?"

Eric was doing his best to be as open and honest with Sookie as he could possibly be, but there was no way he was going to admit to Lafayette and his boyfriend he had been researching dating extensively. Instead, he gave the flamboyant man a smirk and replied, "I am a very creative man."

Giving Sookie a wink, Eric added sultrily, "Hopefully quite soon she'll get the full benefit of my creativity. In every way."

"Eric!"

The three men all shared a look as Sookie turned bright red, but she was luckily saved from further embarrassment when one of the waitresses arrived with Robert. Smiling brightly at the man, Sookie greeted, "Robert, I'm so glad you came!"

Robert gave Sookie a shaky smile, and said, "I wanted to check the place out, but I'm not quite sure I fit in here."

"This is a theme night, most of the time the apparel is Goth," Eric explained.

"Goth really isn't my style either," Robert added.

Wanting to put Robert at ease, Sookie offered, "I usually show up in sundresses myself, so don't worry too much about fitting in."

Spotting one of the regulars across the room, and knowing her to be one of Pam's favorites, a girl that worked in a florist shop, Eric nodded towards her and said, "That girl over there is Sarah. She's a florist, and she usually dresses very casually. Perhaps she can tell you more about the experience here for humans."

Eric didn't want to be rude in front of Sookie, but he really wasn't interested in Robert or speaking to him anymore. He already had to share Sookie's attention with Lafayette and Jesus, and he wanted to be able have as much of her focus on him as possible. While he was fairly certain the ten dates she'd allotted him was more than enough time to convince her to conquer fear and be with him despite the risks, that didn't mean he didn't want to improve on his odds.

Robert, getting the feeling he was getting the brushoff from the vampire at the table despite Sookie's invitation to come over and talk to them, decided to bow out gracefully. "I think I will go talk to her. Something tells me that Sookie's experience with vampires is much different than most people."

"You have no idea," Lafayette laugh, smiling at Sookie when she kicked him under the table.

When Robert was gone the four at the table continued to talk amongst themselves, the humans taking a break when the waitress returned with the food Eric had ordered for Sookie and her friends. Many of the humans and vampires had stared at Eric's table, wondering who Sookie and her friends were to receive such special attention from Eric, but no one said anything. Sookie kept her shields up, wanting to enjoy her night without paying any attention to the negative thoughts to the humans around her.

About two and a half hours passed before Eric leaned down in Sookie's ear and whispered, "It is time."

Sookie could only smile as Eric nodded at Pam, who leveled a horrific glare at him, before making her way towards the stage. Looking at her friends, she said, "Pam is about to sing!"

Looking at Eric, Lafayette begged, "Please let me take some video with my phone!"

"No. I will allow you a picture with Pam before you three leave tonight, but that is as far as I am willing to go. No video's of my child will make it onto YouTube," Eric denied.

"Shh! She's fixing to start," Sookie exclaimed as she turned around in the booth to get up on her knees and face the stage. She waved at Pam when the vampiress glared at her. "Good luck, Pam!" she called.

From the stage Pam fought the urge to drain the little fairy for taking such delight in her humiliation, but one look at Eric's warning expression, had her ignoring the troublesome girl and her friends. She took hold of the karaoke microphone and announced, "Just the fuck up, vermin!"

The bar quieted down, and Pam announced, "I lost a bet, and I'm paying a price tonight, but let me warn every last one of you that if any of you take any pictures or video, if you say a fucking word to me about this, ever, and I'll drain every last one of you dry. Is that understood?"

The crowd remained quiet, and after giving them all one last glare Pam nodded at the DJ. When the music started she stood holding the microphone in one hand, and the other settled on her hip. She began to sing in a droll voice, "I came home in the morning light, my mother says, 'When you gonna live your life right?', oh mother dear, we're not the fortunate ones, and girls? They wanna have fu-un, oh girls, just wanna have fu-un."

As Pam continued to sing Lafayette grabbed Jesus's hand and shouted, "Let's dance, baby!"

While the rest of the crowd stood in total shock listening to Pam's monotone voice singing the 80's classic, Lafayette dragged his boyfriend onto the dance floor. They started bumping and grinding, and singing along with the song.

Pam kept singing in her monotone voice, but wanted to leap of the stage and rip Lafayette and Jesus apart for mocking her this way. Other than her and the background music she was singing to, they were the only ones making any noise. The rest of the bar could only stand still and watch the mega bitch Pam make a fool of herself.

Taking Jesus's hand to do a twirl, Lafayette sang along with Pam and his boyfriend, "When the working day is done, oh girls, they wanna have fu-un, oh girls, just wanna have fu-un!"

Turning back to look at Sookie while Pam continued to sing, he called out, "Sook! Come dance with us!"

Sookie grinned and then climbed over a stunned Eric as she made her way out onto the dance floor. She grabbed both Lafayette's and Jesus's hands, and the three of them began to spin in a circle as they sang along with Pam, "Girls, they want, wanna have fun, Girls, wanna have, they just wanna, they just wanna, oh they just wanna, Girls just wanna have fu-un!"

Eric, along with the most of the rest of the bar, could only stare in wonder as Sookie and her friends continued to make an even bigger spectacle of themselves than Pam was on stage. They didn't seem to mind at all that they were in the middle of a vampire bar, spinning around like children, and singing off key while in tacky costumes. They simply seemed to be enjoying themselves.

All too soon, for Sookie and her friends at least, Pam finally finished her song. The music stopped abruptely and Pam dropped her microphone on the floor, her disgust at what she'd just had to do clear. Sookie, Lafayette, and Jesus finally stopped spinning around and singing, and instead began applauding and whistling up at Pam.

"Way to go, Pam!" Sookie shouted.

Lafeyette let out an ear piercing whistle, and taunted, "Sing it, sister! Encore! Encore!"

Eric, finally shaking himself out of his stupor, stood from the booth and began clapping as he shot his child a devilish smirk. This would teach her to try and come between him and his desire to have Sookie for his own. With Eric clapping the entire bar was soon in an uproar, with humans pounding on the tables and stomping on the floor. The vampires simply continued to clap as well, catching onto the fact Pam had done something to piss off her maker, and he was truly enjoying her discomfort.

Pam stood on the stage for a moment longer, wishing like hell she'd never even spoken Sookie's name to her master, and then, with her lips curled in distaste, made her way off the stage. She took up position near the bar and snarled at anyone that came near her. Eric grinned at his child before going over to Sookie and her friends. He looked down at Sookie and said, "I have to sit on stage now. People pay to come here and gawk at me. You can either join me or continue to dance with your friends."

"I'm so in the mood to dance! Pam's voice has thoroughly inspired me," Sookie answered as she leaned around Eric and gave a little wave towards Pam. She smiled even brighter when Pam flipped her off.

"Very well then. When you and your friends are ready to call it a night come get me and we'll go into the office so you three can get your picture with Pam."

"Alrighty then."

Eric headed towards the stage, his throne having been moved there by one of the other vampires while he was speaking to Sookie, and took up his seat while schooling his features so that he looked completely bored. He may be enjoying watching Sookie have fun, but he wasn't going to let other vampires or humans see that. He nodded at the DJ and suddenly the bar was filled with the sound of Michael Jackson's "Beat It", and Eric could hardly keep from grinning when Lafayette started doing the famed pelvic thrust and trying to teach Sookie and Jesus to do it as well.

For the next hour and a half Sookie and her friends continued to dance to the 80's music, not caring that most of the people in the bar thought they were deranged. Sookie completely ignored them, having far too much fun with her friends to car that the desperate and grave fangbangers thought she and her friends were disrespecting "the Master" and the other vampires with their behavior. It was only a little after 1am when Sookie and her friends decided it was time to call it a night and headed for Eric.

Eric, who hadn't taken his eyes off of Sookie from the moment he'd sat down, asked, "Are you ready?"

"Yep. We need to head home. Lafayette and I both have the lunch shift tomorrow," Sookie answered.

"Very well." Looking towards Pam standing at the bar, where she hadn't moved since finishing her performance, Eric gave a small nod of his head, and led everyone back to his office. He pulled the camera out of his desk and ordered, "Pam, get into a pose with the humans, and get ready for your picture."

Snapping her fangs down, Pam looked at each of the humans and hissed, "Whose neck do I get to bite into for the picture? Volunteers?"

"Put your fangs away, Pam, unless you want to do another number tonight," Eric reprimanded.

Pam cast her maker another hateful glare before rolling her eyes and moving to stand between Sookie and her friends. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked like she'd rather be anywhere in the world but there. Sookie sidled up next to Pam and looped her arm around the taller woman's waist while Lafayette wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Jesus just stood next to his boyfriend.

"Eric! They're touching me!" Pam complained.

"Don't you like me, Pam," Sookie asked with a pout.

"I'm gay, you big Amazon, don't need to worry about my hands going anywhere they shouldn't," Lafayette argued.

"I should drain you both for this!"

"Everybody say cheese!" Eric said as he snapped the photo.

FLASH

The photo showed Pam looking like she'd swallowed vinegar, Sookie grinning brightly as she hugged the vampiress with one arm and made a peace sign with her free hand, Lafayette leaning his head towards Pam's with the biggest smile on his face, and Jesus looking at the three of them like they were all crazy.

"That is definitely a keeper," Eric laughed as he showed the picture on his digital camera to the four in front of him.

"Oh!," Sookie cooed, "we look so cute! Don't we look cute, Lafayette!"

"Hookah, we is rocking that photo! I can't wait to get it framed! Jesus, what do you think?"

"I think Pam looks like she's swallowed glass and is seconds away from biting the two of you."

"Smart vermin," Pam commented as she jerked her way out of Sookie and Lafayette's hold. She stomped towards the door and when she opened it she said over her shoulder, "I fucking hate all of you!"

The door slammed behind her and everyone shared a laugh, before Eric assured, "I will get copies of this picture made for you and your friends, Sookie. They will be framed and delivered to you tomorrow."

"Thanks," Sookie replied.

Looking towards Lafayette and Jesus, Eric announced, "I'd like a moment alone with Sookie."

"Sure, Sook, give me the keys and I'll go get the car. We'll be waiting for you out front"

After giving Lafayette his keys, Sookie waited until the door closed behind him and Jesus before turning to Eric and asking, "So what did you—umph!"

Eric shot around his desk to wrap and arm around Sookie's waist and draw her up to his chest to claim her lips in a heated kiss. He had taken her by surprise, but he was glad when Sookie hesitated for only a moment before wrapping her arms around his neck and giving herself over to his embrace. His tongue stroked along hers, delving deep into the wet cavern of her mouth as he purred into the kiss.

Sookie felt Eric's arms tighten around her as he bent her back, curving her body into his larger form. She could feel his insistent erection pressing into her lower abdomen, feel his fangs that had run down pressing into her lips, feel his tongue teasing hers, sliding and stroking, driving her to lose her senses. She was expecting him to take it further, and truthfully she wouldn't stop him if he did, but when he slowed the kiss down, and ended it with a final nip to her lips, she whispered, "Was that it?"

"Yes. I didn't want you to leave without discussing that with you. It was very important to me." Eric would never do anything more than kiss Sookie at Fangtasia. She was not a fangbanger, and he would never demean her by doing anything beyond kissing with her here. Their intimacy would be for other places, places more befitting of the respect and consideration Sookie deserved. Of course if she ever did decide she wanted to get kinky he wouldn't mind shutting the club down so that they'd have it all to themselves, but he'd never allow her talk do the walk of shame out of his office. Not ever.

"Well I'm glad you told me."

"So am I."

"I'm even going to be nice enough and not count it as one of the kisses I owe you for losing the other night."

"I love your generosity." Tucking a strand of hair behind Sookie's ear, Eric asked, "What time will you be here tomorrow night to go over the paperwork for your classes and the security assignment, and then to go to Hotshot with your brother?"

"7:30? Is that good for you? Or is it too early."

"It's fine. I'll see you then."

Eric watched Sookie walk out of his office with a little wave over her shoulder. When she was gone he got online to deliver instructions to Bobby. He ordered his dayman to get copies of the photo he'd taken developed and put into frames and delivered to Sookie and Lafayette's house. He also ordered Bobby to procure a signed copy of Cindi Lauper's album containing the song "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", and deliver to Sookie's as well along with a candy bouquet. He hoped Sookie enjoyed them.

…

…

…

The next night Eric sat beside Sookie in her BMW and she headed them towards Hotshot. She and her brother had arrived at Fangtasia a few moments before 7:30. She'd immediately thanked him for the photo and gifts, and he'd told her he was happy to please. They'd left Jason out in the bar under Pam's watchful eye so he wouldn't get into trouble, though him hitting on Eric's child over and over probably wasn't the smartest idea on his part, and headed to his office to get their work done. Surprisingly it had only taken about an hour to handle all of the registration for school, and the forms she needed to fill out to go to work for him on a temporary basis. When they'd finished Eric had said they'd take her car so that once their visit to Hotshot was done Sookie and her brother could head home to Bon Temps and he could fly back to the bar to take care of some of his work. Jason, in true Jason form, was making his displeasure at this trip known.

Leaning up into the front from his spot in the backseat, he looked from Eric to Sookie as he said, "I don't know why we have to do this, Sook. I told you that the pack isn't going to hurt me. You're making a big fuss over nothing. I've been taking care of them for a year and nothing has happened."

"Jason, I told you that I'm not willing to wait for something to happen. When it comes to supes it is better to be prepared. I think it is great you want to help these people, but they are werepanthers and you aren't, they are always going to look to themselves first," Sookie explained.

Glancing at Eric, Jason countered, "You sure that's how you feel, and not just what Eric's telling you to feel?"

Before Sookie could go off on her brother, Eric let out a laugh and offered, "Jason, I think there can never be any doubt by anyone that Sookie has her own mind. She is one of the most stubborn and opinionated women I've ever met in over a thousand years. Sookie intended to come confront the weres here on her own to make sure they were not a threat to you, but I reminded her that due to my station in the supernatural world I would provide a far better deterrent to the pack if they do ever get it in their minds to start trouble."

"And you're just going to help us for free," Jason asked skeptically.

"I'm not helping you, boy, I'm here for Sookie," Eric replied without looking at Jason. "For some reason she values your life, and it would sadden her for anything to happen to you. Therefore I shall prevent you from succumbing to your own stupidity, or dragging Sookie into your trouble as you have in the past. She has enough of her own to deal with without having to worry about taking care of you as well."

"Hey! I'm not stupid! And I've never gotten Sookie in trouble." Jason wasn't going to put up with this vamp talking shit about him.

Finally looking over his shoulder at Jason, know was leaning up front between the two front seats, Eric arched his brow and countered, "Have you not? I seem to remember her coming to Fangtasia for the first time to find a killer so you wouldn't go to jail. I believe you also had a bit of trouble with V, and there was that whole debacle with the Fellowship of the Sun. I wouldn't exactly label you a brilliant strategist."

"Why you son of a—"

"That's enough you two!" Shaking her head at the foolishness of men, no matter what age or specie, Sookie admonished, "Eric, stop insulting my brother! You may not care for him, but I do. Respect that. And Jason? Stop your bitching when you know I'm just looking after you. Eric is doing us a favor here by extending his protection to you to this pack. I'm not saying they are going to hurt you, but you aren't a were, and that means they will always consider you an outsider. I admire the fact you want to help them, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be safe about it."

Glancing at the two out of the corner of her eye as she took the exit to head them towards Hotshot, Sookie finished, "Now if you two can't say anything nice to each other, then keep quiet."

Eric grinned at Sookie. "I love it when you take charge, Sookie, it is so very appealing. When we finish with the weres can we play Mistress Sookie? I volunteer to be the bad boy in need of some punishment."

"Eric!"

"Gross!," Jason complained as he sat back in his seat. "Don't ever say nothin' like that about my sister in my presence again!"

Turning in his seat to face Jason in the back, Eric teased, "Don't want to envision your sister in tight leather with a whip? How about topless with crotchless panties? Or maybe a corset with garters? I fantasize about her like that a lot. Of course I fantasize about having her in a slave costume too, dancing for my pleasure. Or in a French maid uniform with black heels prancing about my home with a little feather duster while I chase after her."

"Eric, you stop that," Sookie cried with flaming red cheeks.

Flicking his tongue at her, Eric continued, "Sookie, once you take me into your bed we will play many such games. I've already purchased dozens of costumes. Some for you, and some for me. I had a replica of my Viking clothing made, and I can't wait for us to play 'A Viking Claiming'. I also have a very fetching Bo Peep costume that will showcase that world class ass of yours."

Jason slapped his hands over his ears and began chanting, "La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la!"

Reaching over to pinch Eric's arm, Sookie hissed, "That's enough! Why are you always so determined to embarrass me?"

Jason was still saying his mantra with his hands over his ears, so Eric answered, "Because I love the way your heart speeds up while your skin flushes when I do. It makes me want to bite you."

"You always want to bite me."

"True." Leaning towards Sookie, Eric purred, "One night after you agree to be mine I'm going to tie you to my bed and then I'm going to kneel over you and tell you in vivid detail every delicious and sinful thing I've ever imagined doing to you. And when your body is flushed and hot with your anticipation despite your embarrassment, I'm going to proceed with carrying out each of those acts. You will scream yourself hoarse from all the orgasms I'll give you. You'll be covered in my cum, and still you will beg for more."

Sookie's breath hitched at Eric's seductive words, and it took everything she had to summon a glare as she warned, "No more dirty talk you, or on the way back I'll pull over and buy a bar of soap to make you suck on to help you clean up that mouth of yours."

"How about we soap you up and I get to suck you instead?"

"Eric!"

Eric just laughed and Jason's chanting suddenly stopped as he slowly removed his hands from his ears and asked cautiously, "Sook? Is he done being gross?"

"He'd better be," Sookie warned.

Eric knew Sookie wasn't as upset as she was making herself out to be. He knew that she was warming up to him, and beginning to really enjoy him hitting on her. With that in mind he announced casually, "Jason, did you know I named Sookie's breasts Lucy and Ethel?"

Jason cried, "Sookie! He's being gross again!"

"Her nipples are the perfect dusky shade, Jason. I doubt you're as appreciative of that fact as I am, but I thought you should know."

"Ew! Sookie! Make him stop!"

"Eric! You leave Jason alone! And no more talking about my breasts!" Sookie ordered.

"How about that perfect peach shaped ass?"

Jason had had enough, "Sook, I swear to God I'm about to jump out of this moving car!"

Eric just laughed and started, "Jason, did you know that Sookie's—"

"Eric," Sookie growled, "if you ever want to be able to touch Lucy or Ethel again you'll stop right now."

That wasn't helpful to Jason either. "Damn, Sook, that didn't exactly make me feel better. I don't want to hear either of you talking like that. You're my sister and as far as I'm concerned you are a virgin, you love being a virgin, and you'll die a virgin. So no more sex talk."

"Jason, you know Bill and I had sex, what is the big deal?" Sookie asked.

"Nasty! Sook, I don't want to hear that!," Jason wailed.

Eric's expression had turned grim, as he agreed, "I concur. Sookie, no talking of sex if Bill is mentioned in the same sentence. You should only talk about sex if you are referring to your many fantasies of me fucking you, or if you are regaling your friends with tales of all the ways I make you cum."

"That's it! I'm bailing out!"

"Jason! You shut that door right now! Eric! I'm deducting a kiss from my debt for that!"

"I'm going to tuck and roll if he keeps this up," Jason said as he shut the car door, which he'd really only opened an inch to scare Sookie since he wasn't serious about jumping out.

"Sookie, I won those kisses fair and square," Eric argued.

"Well you should have thought about that before you kept talking nasty. Jason, Eric isn't going to bring up sex again. Now can the two of you behave?"

"Fine."

"Indeed."

The rest of the trip passed in relative silence. When they pulled up to the Hotshot werepanther compound Sookie's mouth dropped open in shock. When Eric had told her it was a shantytown she thought he'd been exaggerating, that his rich standards were coloring his perception. She'd been expecting something like a mobile home community, but as she put her car in park she realized he hadn't been exaggerating at all. The werepanthers really and truly lived in squalor. And Sookie couldn't help but feel sorry for these people when she saw them emerge from their homes. Their clothes were dirty, torn, ill fitting, and mismatched. Not to mention the people were just as dirty and haggard looking. The sight of the children was especially disturbing to Sookie.

As they got out of the car, Jason immediately moved to the back to open up Sookie's trunk so he could begin unloading all the food they'd brought. Some of the children called out his name in happiness, and came running up to him.

"Hey, kids," Jason said as he handed several bags of organges to the kids before pulling out the boxes with dried and canned foods. He and Sookie had gone grocery shopping before coming to Fangtasia, but hadn't gotten anything frozen because it would have melted.

Eric, noticing the hostile glares of the older members of the pack moved to stand close to Sookie, as he told her brother, "Jason, you need to introduce Sookie."

Looking up from the kids he was handing of the food to, Jason finally noticed that the older members of the pack weren't too pleased with the sight of Sookie. He shut the back of her car, and moved to stand on the other side of Sookie, introducing, "Guys, this is my sister Sookie, and this is—"

"Eric Northman," one of the elder pack members finished. "Why did you bring them Jason?"

"They wanted to meet you. My sister has been gone a real long time. She just got back a few weeks ago, and when she found out I was helping y'all, she insisted I bring her by."

"You shouldn't have brought them by without asking us first," the elder said.

Jason didn't seem to notice it, but Eric did. The oldest members of the pack all seemed nervous suddenly, and kept glancing towards the largest shed. Something was wrong. Keeping his eyes on the oldest weres, the most dangerous ones, he shifted slightly in front of Sookie and ordered, "Do a scan. As far as you can."

Sookie, having noticed the shifty stares and behavior as well, expanded her shields so she could check the thoughts of the weres around her. What she found had her grabbing Jason's arm and pulling him behind Eric as she hissed, "Eric, there's a man and woman in that shed thinking about how they are going to kidnap Jason! They want to use him to introduce new genes into the pack!"

The oldest pack members suddenly shifted into their panther forms, fanning out around the trio, sending the children running. The shed door burst open as Crystal and Felton came out. Crystal had a disturbed smile on her face, and Felton had a shotgun pointed right at Eric's chest.

Jason, having heard Sookie, and alarmed by the sight of his "friends" becoming hostile, shouted, "What the fuck! Crystal! When did you get back?"

"A few days ago." Crystal eyed Sookie warily, before calling, "Jason, come on over here. I need to talk to you about something."

Jason, not quite understanding what was going on, and wanting to see Crystal after so long, tried to head her way, but Sookie jerked him back. "Sook, shit! You're hurting my arm. That's Crystal, the girl I was telling you about."

"Jason, she's a bad woman, and she wants to do very bad things to you. You stay away from her. Eric, we need to get out of here," Sookie insisted, pushing Jason further behind Eric.

"Agreed," Eric said as he snapped his fangs down.

"Jason ain't goin' anywhere," Felton denied. "You two can be on your way, but Jason is staying right here. He's going to help us fix our breeding problem."

"Like hell he is!" Sookie cried.

Jason, finally picking up on the fact something was very wrong, moved out from behind Eric, despite Sookie's hold on his arm, and he asked, "What the fuck are you guys talking about?"

Crystal smiled her creepy smile at Jason and explained, "Jason, we've chosen you to be a breeder. You're going to breed with all the women in the pack. Our men are sterile now, but your seed is good. I was going to surprise you!" Glaring at Sookie and Eric, she added, "But I wasn't expecting you to have anyone with you when you came tonight."

Shaking her head as she looked at her brother, Sookie said, "Jason, they were going to chain you up to a cot in that shack, stuff Viagra down your throat, and then the women, every girl 12 and older, would have raped you. They'd have kept you here the rest of your life raping you over and over until you were to old to breed their women anymore. Then they would have put you down like a dog. I saw it all in their heads."

Jason, knowing his sister wouldn't lie to him, turned to look at Crystal in horror. "You were going to do that to me?"

"It's an honor, Jason!" Crystal's eyes were glazed with her craziness. "It's an honor to become our pack breeder! Think of how you'll be helping my people!"

Looking around the area, and realizing how the werepack he'd been watching over for almost a year was going to betray him, Jason spat, "Fuck you all! I'm done with you guys! I can't believe you were going to do that to me after how I helped you!"

"Sookie, get in the car with Jason, and drive to Fangtasia. Wait for me there. I will handle this and make sure you are not followed," Eric ordered.

Felton sneered, "You see this shotgun, fanger? I'll blow a hole in you if you try to take Jason. We need him to breed, and we're taking him."

Eric growled, "You are a fool, boy. I am the sheriff of this area, and I'm over a thousand years old. I'll rip your fucking head off before you ever have the chance to pull the trigger. You will not touch Jason because he is the brother of my woman, and I will not have her upset. They are leaving, and when they do I will make it very clear why you don't fuck with anyone under my protection."

"Jason," Crystal cried, "you can't leave! We need you!"

"You were going to rape me! Come on, Sook, let's get the hell out of here and let your vamp handle this."

Sookie backed towards her car with Jason at her side, but before they could make it several of the weres sprang towards them. Eric rushed to shield her from the attack, throwing three of the weres into another building, and kicking a fourth into the trees. Felton used the opening to fire off a shot that hit Eric in the side, sending him spinning into the front of Sookie's car.

"Eric!" Sookie's hands lit up and she shot an energy ball straight at Felton that had him crashing back into the shack behind him, creating a huge hole in the wall.

"You bitch!" Crystal roared, shifting as well and crouching on the ground with her fangs bared.

"Fuck, Sook! Where the hell did you learn to do that?" Jason exclaimed.

Sookie paid Jason no mind, and simply stood at the ready with her hands glowing. Eric, who had recovered quickly didn't give Jason a chance to say anything else as the thousand year old vampire grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, and hurled him into the car, ordering, "Lock the fucking doors, and stay put!"

Eric didn't wait to see if Jason obeyed, and moved to stand back to back with Sookie. As much as he wanted to put her in the car with her brother, he knew he couldn't. Sookie needed to be able to fight her own battles. With her microwave hands she was a fair match for the weres around them, so he would not prevent her from defending her brother. Sookie needed him to have faith in her, and he would do so.

Sookie felt Eric move to stand at her back, and a wave of pride filled her. Bill had always tried to make her run away from a fight, tried to make her hide so he could handle everything, but Eric wasn't making her. She knew in a fight with vampires she would be far outgunned, but he trusted her to have his back with the weres. Holding her head a little higher, she told Crystal, "We're leaving. I'm taking my brother and he's never coming back here. You can either get the fuck out of our way, or we'll go through you."

Crystal's response was to launch herself at Sookie, but, just like Felton, an energy ball connected with her chest and sent her smashing through the wall of the shack as well creating a second hole. The fight was on. Weres began coming at Sookie and Eric in waves. Sookie blasted them back with her lighting hands, and Eric sent them flying with punches and kicks. Within minutes the ground was littered with fallen weres. None were dead, but all were significantly wounded because they'd attacked again and again, and been thrown back again and again.

When the fight was done, Eric, feeling the thrill of the fight, feeling proud of his Sookie for watching his back as well as he'd watched hers, spun around to grin down at her as he purred, "I want to bite you. I want to rub myself all over you and fuck you until dawn, my beautiful warrior woman."

Sookie, feeling a little giddy herself from the experience, laughed, "You are such a perv!"

"Only for you." He took her hand and kissed her glowing fingers, pleased at the tiny shock of warmth it sent spreading through him. "You amaze me."

"Yeah, well I amazed myself. I've never done it that many times in a row before. I got off a couple of shots in Faery, but nothing like this."

Eric wondered if Sookie realized she'd just slipped and told him where it was she'd gone when she'd disappeared, as well as divulged the fact she'd felt the need to defend herself while she was there, but he decided it was best not to bring it up now. He'd speak with her about it later. After this situation was handled.

Releasing her hand, he complimented, "Well you did well."

Sookie watched as Eric went to retrieve Crystal and Felton, both who had returned to their human forms because they were too wounded to maintain their panther forms. Both were bleeding, but Sookie knew they'd heal pretty quick. She smiled when Eric dragged them over to her by their necks and then dropped them at her feet. It was obvious he was going to let her do the talking.

"You two better listen closely, because I'm only going to say this once." Crouching down to stare into Crystal and Felton's pain filled eyes, Sookie warned, "You two had better stay the hell away from my brother, because if you ever come near him again I'll blast your asses straight to hell. Do you understand?"

When neither said anything Eric kicked Felton in the side and growled, "She asked you a question!"

"Yes! Yes, we understand! We'll leave him alone," Felton cried.

Hearing Crystal's thoughts, Sookie added, "Crystal, if you try to sneak up on me it won't work. You're not going to be able to kill me and take Jason regardless. I'd hear you coming long before you got close. And if you don't start to play nice and leave me and Jason alone I'll trade Eric a kiss for making you disappear permanent like. Understand?"

Sookie didn't actually mean that. She abhorred killing, but she would defend herself and her brother. Standing up and smiling at Eric, she asked, "You'd make them go away for a kiss, wouldn't you?"

Eric, smirking as well, and knowing Sookie would never hire him to kill anyone, replied, "A kiss plus five minutes with Lucy and Ethel. And I get to kiss them as much as I want."

"Deal."

Eric crouched down between Crystal and Felton as he threatened, "Jason means nothing to me, but he means much to Sookie, and she means everything to me. If you hurt her, I torture and kill every last member of your pack. If you hurt him, which will upset her, I will kill every last member of your pack. Be assured of that."

Everyone's attention was drawn towards the car when Jason rolled down the window and stuck his head out, calling, "Can we get the hell out of here? This shit is fucking crazy!"

Eric stood up and took Sookie's hand. He led her to the car and opened her door for her before zipping over to the passenger's side to get in. Within a few minutes they were back on the highway headed towards Bon Temps. Eric had told her to head home and he'd fly back to Shreveport. He wasn't worried that Sookie's light show would get around the supe community. Not only did the Hotshot pack keep to themselves, but they were practically ignored by the rest of the supe world. Their inbred statues was cause for disgust in many, and the past decade of meth cooking had made them even further disliked. No one would believe any of them if they started spreading rumors about a girl that shot light out of their hands.

When they were on the highway, Jason once again leaned into the front and asked, "Sookie, where the hell did you learn to do that? That was some real superhero shit! Like X-Men comic book stuff!"

"It's one of those fairy things I told you about, Jason."

Looking down at his hands, Jason lamented, "How come if I'm your brother I can't do cool shit like that?"

Sookie laughed, "Jason, from what I understand one of the fairy traits is the ability to draw lovers to your bed. I think that's the power you got."

"Oh, well that's fair. You can shoot light, and I can have lots of women. I'm good with that."

"Of course you are." Sookie glanced at Eric, and added, "Thanks for helping back there. I don't know if I could have handled it by myself if you hadn't come with me."

"You know I enjoy a good fight, Sookie, and I will always be here to help you, but if you'd really like to repay me you can flash me. I take breast payments."

"Hey! You two knock off the moony eyes and flirting!" Jason warned.

Sookie, still feeling pretty good about her prowess in the fight, winked at Eric and teased, "Oh Jason, considering all the things I've seen in the heads of the girls you've slept with over the years, I think you can stand to watch me flash Eric. It will only take a second. Let me just pull over real quick. Don't want to cause an accident or anything. Safety first."

"Let me get my phone out, Sookie," Eric said. "I need a picture of Lucy and Ethel to keep me company on the nights you deprive me of your presence."

Jason was not amused. "I sear to everything that is holy, Sook, if you pull this car over I'm arresting you! You had better keep your shirt on! And you! I don't care if you did just help my sister save my ass, you take a naked photo of my her and I'm arresting you too! You two better remember I'm the law! Indecent exposure is a crime!"

"Says the guy that got arrested junior year for running down Main Street in Bon Temps buck naked at 2:40 in the morning," Sookie laughed.

"Did he now," Eric asked.

"Yep. Gran had to go pick him up. She wasn't very happy with him."

"That doesn't count. We'd just won state. And it's not like I was alone. The rest of the football team was right there with me!"

"And that makes it all ok," Sookie said rolling her eyes.

Eric focused on Sookie and asked, "Did you ever engage in public nudity?"

"Tara and I went skinny dipping one time."

"Mmm. And did you experiment with illicit lesbian behavior as well? Have a taste of the forbidden fruit?"

Grinning at Eric, Sookie taunted, "Wouldn't you like to know."

Sitting back in his seat with a huff, Jason grumbled, "Sook, he's having a bad influence on you. I don't know if I can condone you spending any more time with him. And when the hell did you go skinny dipping? You were supposed to be a good girl!"

Eric leaned towards Sookie, and whispered conspiratorially, "If he grounds you I'll sneak in your window. Leave it unlocked for me!"

Sookie, whispered loudly back, "I'll just sneak out. I'll meet you at make out point."

Jason, knowing he was being made fun of, declared, "You two need to grow the fuck up!"

Sookie and Eric just laughed. The rest of the ride they pocked fun at Jason, who maintained the entire time that Eric was having a horrible affect on his sister, who was a very good girl until she started hanging out with him. By the time they'd dropped him off they'd managed to make Jason blush a nice shade of red. A few minutes later Eric and Sookie were at her place. She headed into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water while he got comfortable in the living room. A moment later she joined him on the couch and said, "I just want to thank you again for going with us tonight. You were right to convince me it was too dangerous for me to go on my own. So thanks for saving me and my brother."

"Sookie, from what I saw tonight, more than likely you would have been able to hold your own in that fight. You did amazingly, and I am very proud of you. I don't want you to go out and start confronting vampires or anything, but at least I'm now I know you are much better able to defend yourself than you were before. And be assured any time you are in danger or have a problem I will be there to help you."

"Thank you, that means a lot to me. Anyway, after we dropped Jason off you said you wanted to talk to me about something?"

"Yes. I don't know if you noticed or not but after the fight you told me that you'd only managed to get a couple of shots off while in fairy. This leads me to believe you were in fairy while you were gone, and that something happened there that made you defend yourself."

Sookie froze. She'd not only completely forgotten she'd said that, but at the time she hadn't even realized the importance of what she'd said. Her eyes turned wary as she stated, "So now you know."

"I had my suspicions before, but now you have confirmed them."

"What happens now?"

"Nothing. If you wish to say no more on the topic, fine. I'll leave it be, though if you are in danger I would like to be better prepared by knowing more of it. Should you choose to tell me anything I will keep your confidences, and share them with no one else. If you choose to remain silent I will just hope my own research prepares me enough to aid you should fairy trouble come your way."

"What research?"

Eric watched Sookie take another sip of her water as he explained, "After you disappeared I began researching fairies. I have texts as old as two thousand years on them, as well as numerous newer volumes. I've been trying to find out more about them. I know most of it is just myth and fairytales, but I do believe some of it is genuine. I believe that fairies are allergic to iron, and I think lemons are harmful to them as well. I think you've never suffered any horrible affects from either substance due to only being partial fae, but you should keep some around just in case Maub's followers come for you again."

Sookie was silent a moment, before asking, "Will you share your research with me? I don't know much about them."

"Will you tell me what happened while you were gone?"

"You want to trade?"

"No. I'll get you copies of everything I have regardless, including translations for the texts that aren't in English, but I'd like to hope you trust me enough to tell me what happened."

Sookie thought about it, and decided if she was going to trust him to keep her safe from Bill and the Authority, she could trust him with the truth of what had happened in Fairy. "Ok. I'll tell you what happened."

For the next half hour Sookie described her experience from the moment she'd left with Claudine from the cemetery, to the second she dropped back into this world with her grandfather Earl. What Eric heard has his fangs snapping down as he hissed, "They want to keep you there to breed you!"

"I guess. Apparently they're having some kind of breeding problem over there or something. Regardless, the second you eat that fruit you can never leave."

"I am thankful your instincts kept you from making such a mistake, and I'm sorry about your grandfather."

"Me too."

Eric thought about it for a moment before declaring, "The situation is a little more volatile than I anticipated, and so I would like to bring up a method of protection I have been considering."

"What method?"

"There is a coven of witches in New Orleans that is loyal to me. I did a significant favor for the coven leader Octavia about twenty years ago, and she has been in my debt since. She is one of the few human women I trust to be honorable. She and her apprentice are coming up here to help me handle Marnie and her group. I was hoping to convince you to allow them to make you a protection charm, and to ward your property."

"What does that mean?"

"The charm would be something that you would wear that would warn you if someone near you was intending to do you harm. Usually it is a necklace, bracelet, or ring. They tend to warm against the skin to alert the wearer that there is danger in the area. This would be especially helpful while in the presence of vampires since you can't hear our thoughts. The ward would prevent most creatures intending to hurt you from entering your property. Vampires, weres, shifters, or humans wanting to hurt you wouldn't be able to step foot on your property unless you invited them to do so. I'm not sure these precautions would work against the fairies, but I had intended them to be used against your other enemies. The only problem is that I cannot have the ward placed around your property until after Nan's spies leave. If they have orders to take you for any reason, the ward would most likely prevent them from entering, and that information would get back to Nan, which would definitely have her investigating you much more closely."

Sookie was surprisingly delighted at the precautions he was trying to put in place to help her stay safe in her home, but she could tell he expected her to deny him. "You hope to convince me, huh?"

Eric, believing Sookie thought he was trying to control her, or take care of her, defended, "Sookie, we need to be proactive when it comes to keeping you safe. I know you value your independence, but you need to—"

"Eric, stop!" Grinning, Sookie continued, "Eric, I think these are lovely ideas. I'd love to have the charm and ward. I'll take the charm as soon as you can get it, and hopefully Nan and her cronies will be gone soon so you can get the ward up around my property. We can only wait and see if they work against fairies, but if they don't we'll figure something else out. Still, something is better than nothing."

Eric was pleased that Sookie wasn't fighting him on this, but couldn't help but asking, "So it is alright for me to arrange protection for you from unseen threats, but if someone manhandles you right in front of me it is not appropriate for me to defend you?"

Knowing he was referencing the little altercation that had happened in Merlotte's the week before, Sookie replied, "It's kind of a case by case basis. Sometimes it's ok for you to defend me, and sometimes it's not. There isn't exactly a particular set of standards that defines it as ok or not."

"So basically I'll either act and have done right, in which case you'll be happy with me, or I'll act and have done wrong, in which case you'll get mad at me."

"Pretty much."

"And there isn't a better system than that?"

"Nope."

"Dating is hard."

Sookie laughed. "Tell me about it, and I really do appreciate you going to all this trouble to try and help me stay safe in my home."

Reaching across the couch to take Sookie's free hand, playing with her fingers, Eric replied, "Think nothing of it. It eases my mind to know you have as many safeguards as possible. I worry."

"I'm sorry to worry you. So what do you think about the Queen?"

"I think I want to drain her dry to send a message to the rest of her minions that I will not allow you to suffer a fate such as that!"

Sookie was actually somewhat comforted by the look of outrage on Eric's face, the disgust in his voice, but something about his reaction had her concerned. Even though she was still pretty certain that she didn't want to pursue a relationship with him when their dates were done, that it would just be too dangerous no matter how much she enjoyed being with him, the idea of it had been growing on her regardless, so she couldn't help but ask, "Do you dislike children?"

"It is not the child I object to, but the act of forcing you to breed that is disdainful to me."

"So you don't mind children?"

Realizing what she was getting at, Eric said gently, "Sookie, I am vampire. I will never be able to give you a child. Surely Bill told you this about us?"

"Bill did explain it to me."

Seeing the sadness in Sookie's eyes, Eric asked, "Do you want children?"

Sookie felt slightly uncomfortable about the topic, but it was one she and Bill had never gotten around to having, so she felt that she should bring it up with Eric if he was intent on pursuing her, and sincere about wanting to be a permanent part of her life. He needed to know where she stood on the subject. "When I was little I always thought of having them. Tara and I would dream about raising our children together, and Lafayette said he was going to be their favorite uncle."

"And now?"

Shrugging, Sookie answered, "As I got older I figured I'd never be able to have a child since I couldn't stand for a human man to touch me for very long. Their thoughts drive me crazy, but about a year before Bill showed up my Gran and I discussed how even if I couldn't be with a human man maybe I could do artificial insemination or adopt."

"And are these still things you would like to consider?"

"I don't know for sure. I think I'd enjoy being a mom. I love kids, but I'm starting to think my life and the dangers it entails aren't the right environment for a child. I don't think I could survive it if I had a child or adopted one, and they ended up dead because of all my enemies. And what if I did use artificial insemination and my child ended up a telepath like me? My life was hell growing up, and I don't think I could condemn my child to that. Not to mention I'd be afraid they'd become a target to the supe world like I have. I'd be afraid someone would kidnap them and they'd end up a slave. So there are some pretty serious reasons for me not to have a kid."

Reading between the lines, Eric commented, "But none of those reasons keep you from longing for one?"

Giving Eric a small smile filled with sadness, Sookie replied, "No, they don't. Every time I think of my future, despite the obstacles I face, I see myself with children."

"What did Bill say of this?"

"We never talked about it."

Briefly, Eric felt pleased that Sookie had spoken with him about such an important topic when she hadn't with Bill, but then he reminded himself what the subject was, and he sobered up. Leaning forward with his forearms resting on his knees, Eric began, "I—have never considered having a child in the manner you speak of since I was turned. There was no such thing as artificial insemination until recently, and adopting a child would have been impossible for me to do when I was a nomad vampire before settling down here."

Rolling her water bottle in her hands, Sookie asked, "Now that it is possible, do you think you ever would? I mean, if you were to get with a human woman, do you think you'd raise her child with her if she had one?"

Neither addressed the fact that Sookie hadn't directly named herself in that "hypothetical" scenario. Eric looked at Sookie and thought about what she was proposing. If she yielded to him, became his, could he help her to raise a child if she decided to use artificial insemination? Would he even be able to tolerate seeing her swell with a child not of his seed once she belonged to him? Could he care for it, nurture it, teach it, and protect it? Could he do any of those things with a child wholly unrelated to her if she adopted? Could he keep them safe from his world? She was right that a child in the supe world was a dangerous thing to have. For a telepathic part fairy and vampire couple to have a child they cared about was an invitation for all kinds of trouble, not to mention heartbreak.

Finally, Eric declared, "I don't know. As I said, I've never thought about it before. In a thousand years it was never a possibility, so it never entered my mind to consider how I would approach such a situation were it available to me."

"Will you think about it now?"

"Is it important to you that I do?"

The question fell between them, its implications clear. Eric needed to know if him being able to claim, raise, and care for a child not his own, one that Sookie either had through medical advancements or adoption, would be necessary for her to be with him. He was asking if this matter was a definite deal breaker for her in regard to them being together.

Sookie was silent as well, before finally saying, "First, let me say that at this point in time I'm still of the mind that despite how much I enjoy being with you, which I do, you're really fun, and you make me feel beautiful and special, but I still think being yours would cost me far too much. However, this is important to me. If I'm going to consider being with you, like seriously consider being with you, I need to know where you stand on the issue, and I need to know that you won't tell me one thing just to be with me, but in truth feel the opposite way. I'm not entirely certain I will try for a child one day considering how dangerous my life is, but if I do decide to have one, I need to know that whoever I'm with will support me. That the man I'm sharing my life with could love my child even though it wouldn't be his by blood. There's no way I could ever be with you if you would never be comfortable or accepting of the idea of raising my child with me should I decide to have one."

Eric chose not to be offended by her hinting he might lie just to have her. He knew how distrustful Sookie was of vampires since she couldn't hear them, and his kind had hurt her before. He also knew that the subject of a child was not one to be taken lightly, and because of that he simply assured, "I would not lie to you about such a thing. I have promised to be truthful with you from now on, and I will be. I will think on this matter, and tell you my decision as soon as I come to it. I ask only that you give me some time to consider it. I've never imagined raising a child in the traditional sense, so it will take me awhile to even get used to the idea, let alone discern my feelings about it."

"That's alright. It's a pretty serious thing to consider so I wouldn't want you to rush your decision anyway."

Eric stood from the couch, and replied, "Thank you. I promise I will give this matter much thought. I will have copies of all my fairy research couried over to you tomorrow, but I need to go now. I have area business to see to tonight, and I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but I will be unable to come visit you or take you on a date for the rest of the week. I need to make final preparations for the confrontation with the witch on Saturday night. I will do my best to call you each night, but my business and duties could keep me from doing so. I seem to have twice as much paperwork to do lately."

Sookie was pretty sure she knew why, and as she stood as well, she asked, "Bill giving you a hard time?"

"Nothing I cannot handle."

Sookie walked Eric to the door, and said, "I want to thank you again for tonight."

"You owe me no thanks. I have pledged my protection to you, and I mean it. I care for you, Sookie, and if you need me I will be there unless someone or something stronger than me prevents me from doing so. And as you know, that is a pretty short list."

Sookie laughed. "Yeah, I know that. So do you think I need to worry about Crystal or the other panthers coming after me?"

"No. I'm fairly certain we made it clear that we outmatch them, but in either case I will assign some people to keep watch over them just to be sure. If they are going to make a move it will be during the daytime over the next week. If nothing happens during that time than they won't be bothering you. They aren't exactly the patient strategists. They are the get really angry and lash out kind. Regardless, I will ensure you are safe. If you get a call from a Tray Dawson or Alcide telling you there is trouble and to hide, then do so. Use my cubby here. It will keep you safe during the day until I come for you, but again, I very seriously doubt they will come after you or your brother."

"That's good."

"I do want you to be wary about using any of your gifts in public until the situation with Nan is resolved. Make sure you're not answering people's questions or anything like that. We need to make sure any spies pick up nothing overt."

"I'm going to watch myself."

"Good, now I really must go."

"Good night, Eric."

"Good night, Sookie."

Sookie watched as Eric opened the door and stepped out onto the porch. He had barely taken a step when she called, "Hey, Eric?"

Eric turned to face her and asked, "Yes?"

Moving forward Sookie reached up to cup his cheeks him pull him down to her. Her lips moved softly against his, the faintest caress, and then she pulled back. "Thank you."

Her eyes showed the depth of her emotion. Sookie wasn't just thanking him for helping her fight the werepanthers tonight. She was thanking him for his help with Bill, Nan, and the fairies. She was thanking him for not laughing at her desire to have a child, and she was thanking him for stepping as far outside of his comfort zone as possible by considering raising a human child. He couldn't help but smile down at her as he brushed his fingers across her cheek, and replied, "Always."

And then he was gone.

Sookie smiled out into the darkness. Eric Northman was tearing down her defenses more and more by the night, and she was seriously beginning to think that he would be able to convince her to be with him regardless of the risks. Even more than that, she wasn't sure being with him wasn't worth it despite those risks.

…

…

…

She'd fucked up. Like really fucked up. She'd only meant to help, but instead she'd made things much worse. It was Saturday night, and a few hours before sunset Sookie had showed up at the Moon Goddess Emporium. She'd wanted to see if there was anything she could do to save Marnie from the death sentence Eric had handed down. Her thought was that if she could get inside Marnie's head, and dispel whatever spirit was controlling her, like she'd done with Tara when Maryann had her mind under control, maybe Eric would let Marnie live. Things hadn't happened that way. Needless to say she'd been taken hostage, the sun had fallen, and now things were about to get very bloody.

Eric, Pam, Alcide, another large were Sookie didn't know, and the two witches Eric had told her about had showed up at the Moon Goddess Emporium right after dark, and Sookie had barely been able to meet Eric's fearful gaze when Marnie had hauled her out of the building. Sookie had tried to fight Marnie with her lightning hands, but the possessed woman had muttered a Latin incantation, and chains had suddenly appeared around her body. Sookie was a hostage, and there was nothing she could do about it. She'd only been able to stand there as Eric demanded her release. Marnie had refused, but offered him a deal. He could surrender himself, offer himself up for the true death, and that would buy Sookie's freedom.

Sookie stood inside the barrier with Marnie not even two feet away, and watched helplessly as Eric dropped to his knees beside Pam on the other side of the barrier. He'd been trying to negotiate for her release with Marnie, but the possessed witch was not feeling particularly merciful. She'd demanded a life for a life. Sookie could only watch helplessly as Eric surrendered to Marnie's demand that he sacrifice his life in order to save her, and she swore if they both got out of this she'd never do something so stupid again! It was with growing horror that Sookie watched Eric sink to his knees outside of the barrier, directly in front of where Marnie stood on this side. Realizing he really was going to allow Marnie to kill him in order to free her Sookie screamed, "Eric, no! Get up!"

Eric looked over Marnie's shoulder and gave Sookie a resigned smile. "I promised I'd protect you. I meant it." Focusing back on Marnie he said, "My life for hers. You have a deal."

Pam's fangs snapped down as she cried, "No! Eric, you cannot do this!"

"Be silent, Pam. When Marnie releases Sookie you are to take her away from here." Eric didn't look away from Marnie. He'd come here tonight to destroy this woman, but soon after arriving Marnie had come out with a chained up Sookie. Octavia and Amelia, the witches from New Orleans he'd brought, weren't strong enough to bring the possessed witch's barrier down. He had no choice. The only way to save Sookie was to give himself up. It was Russell all over again, and just as before, he wasn't going to hesitate.

Marnie chuckled, and taunted, "A vampire willing to die for love, how very poetic." Raising her hand and readying herself to use her magic to kill the vampire before her Marnie screeched, "All your kind deserves to die! I will end you all! Staring with you!"

The wind picked up, the street lights flickered, and car horns around the deserted block began to go off. Sookie watched Marnie begin to chant and realized she was about to use her dark magic to kill Eric, and she just couldn't let that happen.

"NO!"

Eric's eyes widened as he watched Sookie's body light up so brightly it burned his eyes. She began to glow so brightly, hum with so much power, that Marnie took her focus off of Eric and turned around to look at Sookie in wonder as she gasped, "What are you?"

Light was bursting out of Sookie through every pore, her eyes lit with an unnatural glow, and Sookie gazed at Marnie with fury as she screamed, "Fuck off, bitch!"

Sookie's light exploded. It sent out a shock wave across the block. It shattered the chains holding her, destroyed the barrier Marnie had erected around the Emporium, threw Eric, Pam, the weres, and Eric's witches back several yards, and tore through Marnie, hurling Antonia's spirit right out of the woman.

When the light receded Eric, Pam, the weres, and his witches sat up to watch Sookie's still glowing form walk towards the detached spirit of Antonia. Eric stood as he witnessed Sookie step over Marnie's collapsed form to approach the ghost of Marnie, and he called, "Sookie?"

"Hold on, Eric, me and this bitch need to have a word," Sookie answered as she moved to stand in front of the furious Antonia. "You're leaving, and you're not coming back. Do I make myself clear?"

Antonia looked Sookie up and down, before asking, "What are you? What magic is this? How did you free yourself? How did you break my barrier? How do you cast me from Marnie?"

"It's not magic. It's power, and it's mine. That's all you need to know. Now are you going to leave on your own? Or do you need me to help you?"

"I will not leave until I have my revenge! I will kill all the vampires!" Marnie screeched.

"Fine. Have it your way." Sookie lifted her hand and let out another explosion of light. When it dimmed Antonia was gone. Whether Sookie had destroyed her or cast her into the afterlife there was no telling.

Seeing that Marnie was gone, Eric zipped over to stand in front of Sookie's glowing form. He took hold of her chin to bring her gaze to his. Her eyes were lit with an inner light, and he questioned, "Sookie? Are you alright?"

Sookie slowly started to stop glowing until she returned to normal. She gazed up at Eric with hazy eyes, her confusion clear, as she mumbled, "Eric?"

He caught her as she fell. Completely unconscious. Whatever she'd just done had taken all of her energy. He swung her up in his arms, her head resting against his chest and turned to face those he'd brought to fight with him, ordering, "See to this mess. Take care of the witch and glamour her companions. Make sure there is no evidence left behind."

Octavia, who had gone to kneel beside Marnie while Eric was talking, announced, "I don't think there is a need to harm this woman. Whatever that girl did, it has completely destroyed all power inside her. You told me she was a medium and that is why she was so easily possessed, but the pathways she had are gone now."

Standing and looking directly at Eric, Octavia maintained, "She is of no further danger to anyone. She cannot do even the simplest incantation now. She is utterly human and ordinary."

Eric saw Octavia's gaze fall to Sookie in speculation, and he pulled her closer as he said, "Fine. Wake her and glamour her with her friends."

His gaze swept over the weres and the two witches he'd brought with him as he threatened, "If any of you ever mention a word of what you've seen tonight, if you tell anyone about this girl or what she did, I will hunt down everyone you care about and torture them to death before I send you to a bloody death after them. She is under my protection and you will not tell anyone about her."

Pam, the weres, Octavia, and Amelia could only watch as Eric shot into the sky and left them behind to clean up everything else. When he was gone, Amelia, the small dark haired young apprentice of Octavia joked, "It seemed to me he's more under her protection than anything. Did you see that! I've never seen magic like that! That woman is so powerful!"

Pam, pretty impressed herself, but unwilling to admit it in the least, rolled her eyes at Amelia and said, "I didn't see anything remarkable tonight, and neither did you, little witch. We came here, you cast the spirit from Marnie, and we resolved the problem just as Eric planned for us to. That is what happened tonight, and that is all anyone will ever know. Eric meant what he said about killing all of you and those you care about if you breathe a word about that girl that none of us saw tonight. Understood?"

"Octavia moved to stand beside her apprentice, as she replied, "We understand. There was no blonde woman that glowed and exhibited more power than all the witches I know of combined. We never saw her."

"Good. Now lets get this mess cleaned up. I have a mani/pedi at midnight, and I don't intend to miss it." Pam spun around and headed into the building to get started on her glamouring. She wanted to get this taken care of quickly.

Further away Eric landed on Sookie's front yard in Bon Temps. He made his way quickly up the stairs of her porch and used the key he still had to open the front door. He moved to lay Sookie on the couch, and knelt beside her as he patted her cheek trying to rouse her. "Sookie? Sookie, you must wake up."

When she didn't respond he darted to the upstairs bathroom to wet a rag and then returned to her side. Setting the cloth on top of her forehead, he called again, "Sookie? Sookie, can you hear me?"

It took a few moments, but finally Sookie's eyes fluttered open. It took a second for her gaze to clear, but when she saw Eric hovering over her she asked, "What the hell happened?"

"That's what I'd like to know. Sookie, how did Marnie manage to capture you?" He was more concerned with learning how Marnie had managed to kidnap Sookie than he was about her light display.

The memory of everything that had happened suddenly returned to her, and Sookie let out a sigh, muttering, "Fuck you're going to be pissed."

Sitting up and putting the cloth Eric had gotten for her onto her coffee table, Sookie looked at Eric and confessed, "I might have kinda, sorta, maybe gone to the Moon Goddess Emporium earlier today to see if I could free Marnie like I did Tara from Maryann."

Eric froze for only a moment before standing up to glare down at Sookie as he growled, "You went there on your own today? You went there despite the fact you knew how dangerous it was? You went there after I told you I was carrying out my plans to handle the problem myself tonight?"

"Only in the most literally sense of the word yes."

"Don't get cute with me, Sookie! Do you have any idea how fucking stupid that was! How dangerous it was! You nearly got yourself killed! I nearly sacrificed myself tonight because you betrayed me!"

"Hold on now!" Sookie jumped up from the couch, and argued, "I admit that I fucked up today, and I admit it was really fucking stupid for me to go there, but I didn't betray you!"

"The fuck you didn't!" Moving closer to glare down at the now standing Sookie, forcing her to tilt her head all the way back to maintain eye contact, Eric hissed, "You demanded honesty from me. You demanded that I not keep things from you, that I not manipulate you. You demanded that I not partake in actions that directly affect you without discussing them with you first, and yet when I endeavor to do so, YOU go behind MY back, using the information I've told you in my effort to be open and honest with you, and jeopardize your life, mine, and everyone that came to fight with me tonight! That, Sookie Stackhouse, is what we call a fucking hypocrite!"

When Sookie's mouth fell open in shock, Eric continued, "What? Nothing to say? Tell me I'm wrong, explain to me why you didn't engage in the very actions you accuse me of doing time and again, the very actions you said made me untrustworthy. Prove to me you didn't betray my trust today!"

Tears filled Sookie's eyes as she realized she couldn't tell him those things, because she had betrayed his trust. He'd informed her of his plan to handle Marnie, something he technically wasn't supposed to do because it was part of the top secret supernatural business that she wasn't supposed to know about according to his higher ups, and what had she done with that information? Just as he'd said she'd gone behind his back to circumvent his plans and try to accomplish her own goals.

Head dropping down, unable to hold Eric's gaze any longer, Sookie began to cry softly. "I'm sorry. I—I didn't mean to do that. I just wanted to save her life. I didn't want her to die for being different, and I just wanted to see if I could help like I did with Tara, but you're right, I shouldn't have gone. You trusted me and I betrayed that trust."

Eric's fury evaporated in the wake of Sookie' sadness. Her tears demolished his anger, and he couldn't help reaching out to pull her into a hug. "Sookie, I admire the fact you want to help. Your willingness to jump into a fight if you think you can help, your courage in the face of danger, is one of the things I love most about you, but I can't do this alone. If you demand honesty and equality from me, if you demand I keep your confidences, then you must do the same for me. I cannot tell you something of such importance and then worry as to whether or not you are going to take that information and go off halfcocked like you did. You not only put yourself in danger, but me and the people I am responsible for. Do you understand?"

Sookie wrapped her arms around Eric's waist, and mumbled into his chest, "Yes. I understand. I'm sorry about today, and I know it was wrong to go. I didn't mean to make such a mess of things."

Letting out a sigh, Eric moved to sit on the couch and pulled Sookie into his lap. Her head was tucked under his chin, and he pushed his hand up under her t-shirt to stroke her back. "Sookie, you know I care about you, you know I value who you are as a person. I think you're smart, and creative, and brave, but you are also young and new to the supernatural world. While I am trying to create an equal relationship between us, you need to trust my judgment when it comes to matters like this. I have spent a thousand years navigating my way through the dangers my world holds, and I have always managed to land on top. I know you bring a lot to the table, but if I tell you something is dangerous, that you should stay out of it, you need to trust what I say. You going into a dangerous situation like you did today doesn't just endanger you, but me and those loyal to me as well. I would sacrifice anything to keep you safe, so you risking your life like that risks me and mine."

Knowing he spoke the truth because of how he'd been willing to sacrifice himself to Marnie previously, Sookie assured, "Trust me, Eric, I got that earlier. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make things worse, and I never meant to put you or anyone else in danger. I'm going to listen to you from now on when it comes to stuff like this."

Pulling Sookie back from his chest to gaze down into her tear filled eyes, Eric demanded, "Do you promise? Do you promise to never take the information I give you, the things I tell you in an effort to keep our relationship equal, and try to do something behind my back like this again? Do you promise, knowing my many centuries of experience in dangerous situations, to listen to my advice when it comes to such matters?"

"Yes. Yes, I promise."

Seeing the sincerity in her gaze, Eric said, "Good. Now stop crying. I can't stand it."

When Eric pulled her into his chest again, Sookie snuggled up to him and allowed him to comfort her. "I didn't mean to betray you, Eric. I really am sorry. I don't want you to think you can't trust me."

"I do trust you, Sookie. You made a mistake today, just as I made many mistakes early on in our acquaintance, and I forgive you just as you forgave me. I'm still upset, but mainly because I keep thinking of all the ways you could have been killed today when I was unable to get to you. You are safe now, and I will get over it. More importantly I trust that you won't do such a thing again, so we will move past this. Both having learned a valuable lesson."

Looking up at Eric, Sookie asked, "What lesson did you learn? I learned not to disregard your warnings, or go behind your back, but I don't see what you could have learned from this? Other than I sometimes lose all my sense and do really stupid shit."

Grinning at her, Eric replied, "I learned never, ever, to piss you off. Sookie, when you lit up? It was so very badass. I was truly impressed. You pack a hell of a punch."

Sookie laughed, and then snuggled back into Eric's chest. "I was pretty badass, wasn't I?"

"Indeed."

"Well I don't think I'll be doing it too often. I'm really feeling it now."

Tapping into the very slight bond he had with Sookie due to the one vial of blood she'd had of his several weeks ago when they'd made their deal, Eric felt her extreme exhaustion. "I did not know it had taken so much out of you. Perhaps we should get you to bed."

Sookie was about to agree, before she got an idea. She wanted to prove to Eric that she trusted him, and she wanted to do something really nice for him. Most of all she wanted to do something to bring them closer together. He had been willing to die for her tonight, just as he had with Russel a year ago, and it was finally sinking in to her just how much he cared about her. Because of this she suggested, "Well you could just give me some of your blood instead. That should perk me right up."

Looking at Sookie, Eric asked, "You would do this? You would take more of my blood tonight? You would take it and not worry that it will affect your feelings for me, you won't worry I'm trying to manipulate you?"

"No. You're doing a pretty good job of affecting my emotions all on your own. I know I acted stupid while I was with Bill, I know how his blood affected me, but I'm different now. I think I'm better able to discern what are my thoughts and feelings, and what your blood would cause. So if you're willing, I'd be honored to accept."

Eric said nothing else. He simply bit into his wrist and offered it to Sookie. He held her gaze as she took his wrist in her hands and brought it to her mouth. They both let out a groan when his blood first entered her, and as Sookie began to feed from him Eric could only feel intense satisfaction flood through him.

Tonight had been frightening. When he'd realized that Marnie had Sookie, when he'd realized he couldn't get to her to save her, he'd felt fear take hold of him. It was the Russell situation all over again, and he hadn't thought twice about sacrificing himself for her. But he couldn't help but be glad for it. Tonight had brought him and Sookie closer together, and that was definitely a good thing.

When Sookie finally pulled back she didn't even bother to lick the blood from her lips before she was on Eric. Her mouth was hot, hungry, and demanding as she kissed him while moving to sit directly over his lap with her knees on either side of his hips. Her hands dove into his hair to tilt his head back as she plunged her tongue into his mouth. All she could think about was getting closer to him.

Eric's response was to cup her ass and grind her down on his erection as he let her ravish his lips with her own. He could taste himself in her mouth, feel her rabid desire for him from his blood coursing through her body, and it was hard for him to control himself. It was only when he knew his control was in jeopardy of being lost did he push her back.

Sookie panted in Eric's lap and said, "Upstairs. Take me upstairs."

"No."

"No?! What do you mean no? In case you didn't get that, I just told you I want to have sex with you."

"I know, and believe me, I definitely want to say yes, but my answer is the same. No."

"Eric! Take me upstairs!"

Shaking his head, Eric ordered, "Sookie, take five deep breathes. Close your eyes and breathe deeply."

"Eric, why are—"

"Do it, Sookie. Trust me and do this for me."

Sookie let out an annoyed sigh and then shut her eyes. She took five deep breaths, jus as he'd told her, and then opened her eyes and demanded, "Now will you take me upstairs?"

"After you answer a question."

"What question?"

"Do you really want to have sex with me right now? Or is it just my blood making you horny?"

Sookie jerked at the blunt question, and she realized that she was high on his blood. Her face flushed with embarrassment and she tried to scramble off his lap. "Oh my God!"

When Sookie tried to pull away from him, Eric held her tighter, pulling her against his chest and burying his nose into her neck to inhale her scent as he purred, "Do not be ashamed, Sookie, lust is a natural emotion, and I am glad you feel it for me, but I will not be cheated. When you finally yield to me, and you will yield to me, it will be because you have made the decision to become mine. You will have made this decision all on your own, and without the influence of my blood. I am not Bill fucking Compton, and I will take nothing less than all of you. You will love me, Sookie, really and truly love me before you come to my bed. You will choose me of your own free will, and there will be no doubt on either of our parts that what is between us is right. Do you understand?"

Sookie sighed in pleasure when Eric kissed her neck. His words were beautiful, and considering what else had happened tonight, she practically melted against him. "I understand, and when you say things like that it makes me think I can love you."

"Not can. Will. You will love me. I have decided."

Pulling back to smile at Eric, Sookie laughed, "Oh you've decided have you?"

"Indeed. You're going to love me more than you've ever loved anyone else. I will not have it any other way, and I'm a Viking. I always get my way."

"I'll just bet you do." She stroked her fingers along his cheek, and asked, "Do you have to go yet?"

"I probably should, but I won't. If you will allow it, I will stay with you until dawn. If you think you can keep your hands off me that is."

Slapping his chest playfully, Sookie laughed, "You think you're so perfect!"

"Not think, know. I'm the whole package. You've made quite the catch. You better reel me in quick."

"I think I'll let you dangle on the line a bit longer. I like watching you fight me. It's all kinds of fun."

"Minx." Squeezing her hips, Eric asked, "So what shall we do with the rest of our evening?"

"Have you ever seen 'Gone With the Wind'?"

"I've read the book, but I've never seen the movie."

Sookie grinned, "Well I think now will be the perfect opportunity. Lafayette bought me a DVD edition to go with the new TV and entertainment system you bought me. You go grab my grandmother's afghan out of the hall closet, and I'll put it in. You are totally going to love this!"

Eric wasn't quite so sure. He was pretty sure the movie was going to be as mushy as the story, but if it made Sookie happy, he'd watch it with her. Besides, cuddling on the couch in the dark with her in his arms seemed like a perfectly wonderful way to spend the rest of the evening considering how the night had started. Especially since she'd just tried to have sex with him and he'd dug deep and found the strength to refuse her. He doubted she would have regretted it in the morning, as he knew she was coming to care for him, but it would have made her doubt what was developing between them, and he wouldn't allow that. Just as he'd said, he would settle for nothing less than everything Sookie had to offer.

Returning with the hideous afghan Sookie had told him to get, Eric watched Sookie move to sit on the couch after putting the DVD in and turning off the light, patting the space next to her to indicate where he should sit. He took up position next to her and they both spread the blanket out over their bodies. When Sookie tucked herself against his side he wrapped his arm around her and thought, 'She will give herself to me. Mind. Body. Soul. Everything she is will be mine … just as I am hers.'