Better Than Dead

A fanfic.

****** All characters from the SVM belong solely to the amazingly talented Charlaine Harris. Thank God for her, otherwise where would I be now? No copyright infringement intended. Hope you enjoy my spin on Sookie and the gang! Rated M!! Happy reading! ********

Chapter 1

Filling the last napkin dispenser and saltshaker, I was lost in thought. I am Sookie Stackhouse, waitress at Merlotte's Bar. I'd been employed here since Sam Merlotte had purchased the place. Sam, my boss, bartender, bouncer and nice guy, was behind the bar fidgeting and rearranging the stock on the shelves.

"Headed home Sook?" he asked, as he was counting bottles.

He appeared quite distracted, pen shoved behind his ear and a clipboard in his hand. Sam's red-gold hair looked like it'd had been raked through with his fingers more than once. It usually curled around his head like a halo but tonight it was mussed. Bartenders love inventory. Okay, maybe not.

"Yes." I replied with a soft sigh.

I was ready to go home and have a long, hot bath, read the last book I'd picked up from the library, then crash. I wanted sleep… blissful, dreamless sleep. I could hear my bed calling out to me. Dead on my feet, I was in a hurry to answer it!

The crowd tonight had been merciless. There was nothing like men and football season in the South. In Louisiana, sports reigned supreme. Slinging chicken tender baskets, burgers and pitchers of Dixie Draft to customers engrossed in the game was no simple task when you could to hear everybody's private thoughts. I have a small quirk. I can read minds. Upon finishing up all the closing tasks, I went into Sam's office to grab my purse out of his desk drawer. Whew! I was beat! I'd worked all night trying to ward off the barrage of thoughts that were floating around me like the static from a radio. It's never a great feeling to hear all the dirty things in a person's mind. I don't always mean to eavesdrop, but sometimes I just do. I can't help it.

I'm learning to control my "gift" day by day. It's an exhausting process. Not many people know of my ability, so most just think I'm crazy. Crazy Ol' Sookie Stackhouse. Life in a small town was never boring. Bon Temps was certainly not boring, well not if you knew that all those things that went bump in the night were real. Vampires, witches, shifters and werewolves, oh my! Yeah, I had recently discovered that all those things were right here, living with us. Sam was a shifter. He could shift to any animal at will. Something else I was still coping with.

The vampires had come out some years before, announcing that they had secretly been thriving along side us all the while. The Undead claimed that the population shouldn't fear them because the Japanese had developed synthetic blood that eliminated the need to feed on humans. Some vamps refused to touch the stuff, but that wasn't really an issue. Jesus knows that there were a steady amount of fang bangers about. A fang banger is a person who has sex with a vamp, then allows the vamp to feed on them. Moving on, I, in fact, met my first vampire right here at Merlotte's. Bill Compton. Bill was my first love and my first heartbreak. I was immediately drawn to him because I couldn't read his thoughts. He was still a sore spot in my life and I refused to go skipping down memory lane. Too much water under bridge as my Gran would say. I found myself thanking Bill, all in all, for many things, like life lessons, then for Pam, and even Eric. Eric was something all in himself.

Eric Northman is Bill's boss, the Sheriff of Area 5. The Viking had been my houseguest while under a witch's curse. He had amnesia and we had been, um, cozy, together. He's beautiful, with long blonde hair and a body to die for. What woman wouldn't have taken the chance with him? After the curse was broken, Eric had no recollection of anything that had happened. He remembered nothing; nothing that was said or done between us. Which was both a great and sad thing. It was great, because I had killed a woman (in self defense, might I add!) and Eric was the only witness. It was also saddening because Eric offered to leave everything for me. He said he would stay with me forever. The memories had recently returned and now he was demanding that we talk about us. Was there even an "us" to discuss?

Vampires, death threats, bombs, getting beat up, shot at and hospital stays seemed to go hand in hand in my experience. I should steer clear, just say no, but it wasn't that simple. We are bonded, Eric and I. Blood Bonded to be exact, a permanent state that had occurred from exchanging blood repeatedly. We always knew where the other was and how they were feeling. There was so much to sort out between us, but I chose to avoid the situation all the way around. I knew Eric wouldn't allow me to skirt the issue much longer. I just needed more time.

"You want me to walk you out?" Sam asked.

The sound of his voice shook me from my musings. Mr. Merlotte was up to his elbows in order slips, so I just shook my head no. Sam and I had some history. We had been on a few dates, shared a few kisses, but remained friends. I considered him more my friend than boss. He looked up from his paperwork and smiled.
I waved goodbye to Sam on my way out.

"Be careful!" I heard him say as I let myself out.

"Night Sam."

I climbed into my car and made my way toward Hummingbird Road, to the house where my Gran had raised me. I tried to clear my head while driving. I thought about Eric and I wondered where I stood with him. I wondered about my roommate Amelia and what she was doing. I thought about my brother Jason and his new life in Hot Shot. The more ideas I had rattling around in my head the more confused I became. I was bone tired and I refused to do anymore thinking tonight. What I really wanted was a nice massage, a bath and bed, not particularly in that order.

I pulled into my driveway and all the confusions ebbed away and were replaced by sheer contentment. Eric's red Corvette was parked in front of my house. He was propped against his car causally, ankles crossed over each other, patiently waiting, waiting for me. I smiled. I couldn't help myself. Since our blood bond was finalized in Rhodes, I find myself quite euphoric when he's near. I pulled up behind the Corvette and giggled to myself at the vanity plates on it. It read BLDSKR.
I was determined to make this encounter with Eric Northman, Sheriff of Area 5, as brief as possible. I was in no mood to deal with vampire politics, and the Sheriff was politics.

I approached him with my hands on my hips, wearing a frown. He looked positively wicked and yummy. Desire flared, I tried to tamp it down. Eric was wearing a tight black tee shirt, jeans that molded his perfect body, his hair loose on his shoulders. He made my mouth water and my fingers itch to be tangled in his hair. Looking at him, however, also made me aware of my own appearance. I knew I must resemble a wilted flower in my Merlotte's uniform shirt, black pants and ponytail. I felt like a wilted flower! He was simply gorgeous, but I was most surprised at his expression. It was nearly wistful. He smiled; I felt like an antelope being smiled upon by a huge jungle cat.

"Lover, you are beautiful with the wind in your hair and moonlight on your skin." he said as he strode closer to me. His eyes lighted on my lips and remained there.

He opened his arms and I stepped inside his embrace. I exhaled. I didn't even realize I'd been holding my breath.

"Eric, why are you here?" I asked as I snuggled closer to him. I didn't want to let go. I cherished the feeling of being close to him, gathering strength from him.
He placed a finger under my chin and drew my face up to meet his.

"I missed you." Simple. Honest. Direct. Eric.

I sighed as his lips settled on mine. His tongue did an erotic ballet with mine inside my mouth, as I pressed closer to him. He dragged me deeper and deeper with this kiss. I could feel his excitement pressing into my stomach as his hands roamed. I was drowning in a sea of desire and I clung to Eric like a victim of a tidal wave.

"I need you."

It had escaped from my lips before I had a chance to form the thought in my head. I gasped and looked into Eric's face. Had I really said that?? Judging from the look I saw I definitely said that. Out loud!?!
He was looking at me with an intent that made me shiver. In the good way.

"Is that so, my Lover?" he asked.

I just closed my eyes. I opened them again and focused my gaze on his. Consequences be damned.

"Yes."

In a blink, we were inside my room, on my bed and Eric had already taken off my shoes. I forgot to breathe as he caressed my body. He stood me up and finished removing my clothes. I felt so small beside him. He laid me facedown on the bed on began to work up and down my spine. His hands were heavenly as they stroked away all the tension that had been stored away inside my muscles. I moaned at the pleasure he was bringing. I felt the pressure building lower as his hands made their way over my skin.

"Eric?" I sighed.

"Hmm.' was the reply I got back.

In an instant he was beside me, naked, in all his glory. His beautiful blonde hair was flowing around his shoulders. His milky white skin glistened like marble within the light shining through the curtains. The gracious plenty was standing tall and proud, pulsing to it's own desires. I wanted this man more than I had ever wanted anything in my life. His fangs were down. He turned, covered me and began licking his way down my front. Eric had definitely learned a trick or two in his long life.

He took my nipple into his mouth. As he sucked away sweetly, his fang grazed across the hardened peak. I cried his name as I splintered into a million shining pieces.
He didn't stop. He kept going lower until he reached the center of all my pleasure and began to caress me with fingers and a mouth that knew no boundaries.

"Eric! Now!" I cried.

I needed him inside me. I needed to feel his weight atop as he filled me. He needed no further encouragement as he slid inside. Home. I reached another climax as he made his second stroke. He was relentless, driving me higher and higher. As I almost crested my third wave of desire I felt his fangs break through my skin. He sucked, prolonging my climax. He reached his own crisis moments later. He rolled me astride him, still fully lodged inside me. I could feel him stirring again, already. Eric drew me down to kiss his lips. I began to rock. Yum.

It was going to be a long night. I had forgotten I was even tired.

Later, much later, as I lay on Eric's chest, his fingers entwined in my hair, he asked why I was so quiet.
I couldn't answer, although I knew he felt the turmoil I was feeling through our bond. I was confused at the things he made me feel. For the first time I was saddened by not being able to read a vampire's mind. I wanted to know at that moment, while lying in my bed, holding me close, what this particular vampire was thinking.

"Just tired." I answered and yawned.

"Uh huh. We must talk about all that happened, Sookie."

"Eric, not tonight. I don't want to think anymore. Just hold me. Please?"

He wrapped his arms around me tighter and I began to doze.
Suddenly I felt him move. His cell phone was ringing. I felt him leave the bed to retrieve it from his pants pocket.

"Yes?" I heard him say.

"When? I'll be right there." He said as he snapped his phone closed.

He was sliding on his jeans as a rolled over to my side to see my favorite part of his anatomy being covered. I smiled and stretched.
He sat down beside me on the bed and I leaned into to stroke his broad shoulders. He flinched at my touch.

"Eric? What's wrong?"

"Pam is missing."