Eric n' Sooks - Summer of '69 One-shot Contest
Title: Purple Haze
Your Pen name: LollirotXoX
Characters: Eric, Sookie, Amelia, Jason, Lafayette and Tara.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters you recognize. I also don't own any songs you recognize, or the ones that you don't. "Buy and Sell Out", the song Sookie sings, belongs to a dear friend of mine, and I only hope the way it is used does her beautiful lyrics justice. 'Sugar Sugar' is the property of The Archies; the insanely genius "Purple Haze" is all Jimi Hendrix's, and "One Love" belongs to God. I mean, Bob Marley.
Oh, and drugs are bad. Bad bad bad.
My love;; Goes out, hardcore, to my lovely bestie Kristina for dealing with my shit all the while I was writing this, and to BIGlust4Eric for doing the same and being an amazing beta! I'd give her pounds of yummy Swiss chocolate if I could! Also, all the ladies at the Sookieverse forum! Heart you all.
Purple haze all in my brain,
Lately things just don't seem the same,
Acting funny and I don't know why,
'Scuse me while I kiss the sky.
Purple haze all around
Don't know if I'm coming up or down
Am I happy or in misery?
What ever it is, that girl put a spell on me
Bon Temps, Louisiana. June 7thth 1969
"You are not afraid of me?" I asked, head tilted ever so slightly to the side. This girl was a mystery to me. I couldn't figure out the way her mind worked, and it irritated me a bit more than it probably should have. I found myself gazing at her, taking in the way her golden skin shone in the thin moonlight. The way the chilled night breeze blew her soft, blond waves gently across her almost bare shoulders. The way her blue eyes held so much depth, it was astounding to me that she was only a human of twenty-five years.
I was admiring her, when I should be draining her dry for delaying my meal, even if it had been a mistake. After all, she was but a human. Disposable. Insignificant.
But something, I am not sure what, whispered for me to hold back. Maybe an internal instinct, and I did not survive on this earth for a thousand years by ignoring my instincts.
"No." She replied simply, those shining cerulean orbs staring at me so deeply it was as if she was peering into my… well, I didn't really believe I had a soul. So, whatever was left in my ancient body after wandering this earth so long. Her tone was so confident, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world that she was not terrified, and why it was that she wasn't. She was standing strong and gazing right at me, instead of cowering in fear from me, even whilst I towered over her with my fangs fully extended. "Why would I be?"
An arch of an eyebrow was my only response. It was quite evident why she should be afraid of me. Why any normal human would be.
A serene spark swirled in her eyes, and she smiled beatifically at me. Her hand, unwavering I noticed, rose to brush across my cheekbone. Using just the pads of her fingers, she traced the slope of my face until the digits met my lips, one finger almost absently stroking a protracted fang. Her eyes were sparkling, as if silently laughing at me, and scolding me for not understanding what she knew.
"All creatures are beautiful, in their own way. Your…" Sookie paused for only the briefest moment, as if considering how to word this just right, before continuing fluidly. "Your intimidating demeanor is just a part of your nature. Who am I to judge it? I appreciate what I see in you, as a living being on this earth. I appreciate the beauty you behold simply for existing."
If I had ever come close to being absolutely, unquestionably floored, this was without a doubt that time. My stare bore holes into her, but she just stood there, smiling at me with those wise eyes. She was absolutely fascinating.
I decided maybe, I wouldn't drain her dry tonight as I had originally planned.
Earlier that night…
It was that voice.
That mesmerizing, velvety voice that seemed to bear the very soul within, that ensnared my attention. It was quite late, since it was the middle of summer and the sun set very late. Countless numbers of stars dotted the sky, and I determined by the color that it was around midnight. I had been wandering aimlessly through a small patch of woods near a backwater town in Louisiana, grazing for strays to feed on. I'd tasted almost every desirable woman in town, multiple times; it was time for something innovative, something…different.
Whilst effortlessly trudging through the colossal trees, that beautiful voice had floated into my range of hearing. Immediately, I followed the sound. Anything that could produce a sound like that must be worth investigating. And with a voice like that, I could only begin to imagine the variety of noises it could produce while the owner writhed underneath me.
A predatory grin arose, and as I grew closer the distinct smell of burning wood wafted into my nostrils. I hesitated only briefly, before continuing forward. Fire was a major hazard to my kind, yes, but it was avoidable.
The sound of soft strumming accompanied that voice, and I saw the flames flickering in the near distance. I was not close enough to discern the words that the voice was singing, and I experimentally sniffed the air. Five humans, and the smell of marijuana and cigarette smoke. Nothing new, in this day and age.
"Buy and sell out,
Become, and be replaced
Switch places to become one in the end,
Left out in rainy weather to survive in dry land,"
The lyrics didn't shock me as much as they would have a few years ago. They were surprisingly profound coming from a human, but that wasn't so uncommon these days with all the drug abusing peace lovers roaming as they wished. They seemed to understand things a bit deeper than the rest of the world, the rest of the mundane beings that only ghosted through day to day in a repetitive, meaningless ritual. Granted, these hippies also used many mind-altering drugs.
I broke the clearing, moving very silently so as not to alarm the humans. They were gathered in a makeshift circle around a burning fire pit, perched precariously on logs and their attention raptly glued to the girl who'd even managed to catch mine.
The bright, full moon illuminated her features, allowing my already enhanced vision to get a clearer look at her. She was no wilting flower of a woman, but she had a peculiar delicacy about her. Small waist and wrists, with wide hips and a full bust. Her voluptuous legs were half visible, peeking out from under the bohemian skirt fluttering in the gentle breeze, waving tones of beige and indigo that bled and mended together in a gradual pattern. The faint outline of her collarbone was visible as the sun kissed skin rippled with her movements; the only article covering her torso being a honey colored shirt with flimsy straps, just loose enough it also blew lightly with the wind. And her azure eyes raptly watched the soft strokes of her hand across the strings.
Although she was clearly Caucasian, her skin reminded me of diluted copper, the way it appeared so smooth and bronzed. The waves cascading down to her waist were the exact blonde of my own hair, and it fell loose on her shoulders, with only what appeared to be a thin, brown faux leather cord tied over the locks and around her forehead.
I watched, considerably entranced as this magnificent creature continued to serenade; my fangs ran out ever so slightly.
"And I wish I could feel your pain,
But the flowers only bloom with the sun and the rain,
And if you balance out your emotions,
In the end you will come out
Whole again."
While the soft notes left her lips, her eyes lifted. She spotted me, such an intense look in those cyan orbs that had I not noticed the shade of her skin and the flush on her cheeks, I would have been sure she was a vampire and sensed me there. Her gaze locked on me, and her fingers slowly stilled, voice quieted.
I made a conscious effort to retract my fangs, which had been obscured by my lips anyway, and stepped forward. "Do not stop on my account."
The humans around her finally seemed to notice she was staring at something a moment before I spoke, and at my voice they all jumped. Turning their eyes to me, a blonde man looked suspicious but bemused; a pale woman with flowing brunette hair looked intrigued, as did the other woman, with fairly tanned skin and a shorter, light chestnut colored cut. The last man, closest to the woman with the guitar that had snagged my attention, was African American, a flamboyant scarf tied around his head and rogue on his lips; he barely reacted, accepting my presence as if he was accustomed to strangers just showing up in the middle of a forest at this time of night.
The one with the guitar simply looked pleased, and a bit curious herself.
All five stared at me.
When no one responded to my words I took another step forward, keeping my tone as docile as possible. "I didn't mean to disturb you. Please, continue."
A twitch of her lips was my answer as she lowered her guitar to the ground beside her, and her eyes sparkled with a vivaciousness that only piqued my interest further. "I would, but it's not finished anyway. I have to write the next verse yet. Come, join us!" She invited warmly, motioning to the logs on either side of her.
I glided over, and the atmosphere seemed to descend from intense to welcoming. Since I was a rather large being, and the log she perched upon offered the most space, I lowered myself gingerly beside her.
"I'm Sookie. And you are?" She questioned, offering her hand in greeting. Despite the nature of my kind, I reached out and clasped her small fingers in mine. It was just easier if I used the ruse to lull my prey into a false sense of security. And she was my chosen prey. The others that surrounded me now were all attractive, but something about this one made me want her. Her scent was simply delicious, completely untainted. I was going to drain every drop of that undoubtedly delectable blood by the end of this night.
"Eric."
"Nice to meet you, Eric." She grinned, and the others around us mumbled a few words of greeting as well. The smell of ganja permeated my nostrils, and out of my peripheral vision I noticed the African American light a joint.
"I'm Amelia!" The lighter brunette informed me, and I nodded politely in her direction.
"Tara." The other brunette said, while exhaling the smoke of a cigarette.
"Lafayette." The African American said, and by the leisure drawl in his voice, coupled with his appearance, I was sure he was homosexual. That didn't bother me at all, however. Over a millennia, one learns to accept things.
"Jason." The suspicious looking one told me, and I noticed his hair was a shade darker of blonde than the woman's and mine.
"Pleasure." I responded, giving another nod.
As if it were the most natural thing in the world, the woman named Tara and man named Jason rose and moved to a blanket spread on the grass a few feet away, and began kissing and grinding into each other. The other three barely twitched an eyelid.
The blonde woman tugged a pipe out from somewhere in her skirt, absently flicking open a Zippo and bringing the flame to the head of the piece. Her stare was focused on me. As the smoke curled from her lips in hazy wisps, that slight smiled remained. "What brings you our way?"
"Wandering." I immediately answered. When she offered the piece to me, I considered her. It was nothing out of the ordinary in these times for humans to gather in groups like this, and if any strays wandered in they were welcomed with open arms. Peace, man. I chuckled under my breath, before plucking it from her hands and closing my lips around the mouthpiece. She passed me the lighter, her warm skin brushing briefly against mine and I lit it, careful of how much I inhaled. Not that the marijuana would alter me significantly, but since I had no need to breathe I could fill up my lungs much more than these humans.
The other two humans seemed to be in their own little worlds, obviously high. The one who'd identified herself as Amelia had her head resting comfortably on Lafayette's lap, her eyes intent as her fingers seemed to mindlessly twist hemp strands around each other; it formed a sort of spiral pattern, and it was quite noteworthy. Hemp jewelry was nothing new, but hers seemed elegant and effortless. Lafayette was running his hands through her short hair, braiding small strands individually.
Deciding to turn the charm on, I chatted tediously with the blonde human I was set on feeding upon tonight as we passed and refilled the pipe as necessary. She was more than delighted to reciprocate my friendly conversation, and within minutes she was chattering amicably about anything that crossed her mind.
It continued this way for quite some time, all the beings around me simply enjoying the presence of the other. Soft moans were drifting over from where Jason and Tara lay, and Sookie affectionately rolled her eyes in their direction. "This doesn't bother you, does it?"
I very nearly scoffed. "Of course not."
Her scent was taunting me, and there was something uniquely different about it that I couldn't quite place. It was unusually sweet and enticing, but I just couldn't correctly identify it. Whatever it was, it was simply mouth watering. I couldn't wait to taste her.
When the moans got decidedly louder, Sookie popped to her feet. Her mass of blonde waves fell over her shoulder, the tips brushing against the curve of her waist as she slung the strap to her hanging bag over her shoulder. "Let's go for a walk."
That suited my intentions perfectly, so I rose to my feet and followed the direction she headed in.
"Bye, Sook! Have fun!" Amelia called dryly, and Sookie flashed her the peace sign with her index and middle finger without looking back. I was only a foot or two behind her. She seemed to know her way through the woods, and we walked in a comfortable silence until she stepped through a few rather massive trees, revealing a wide expanse of ground lacking grass, that lead out to a cliff.
Having obviously been here before, Sookie sashayed over to a fallen tree and perched upon it. There were only four trees across the entire edge, and this one seemed to have fallen long ago by the way the moss molded around it. Taking a seat beside her, I looked down. The tree was close enough to the edge we could see what laid beneath it, but distanced enough that there was no threat of falling unintentionally. The sea was visible, the night tide rolling in.
"It's so nice, being out here." She mused; her soft voice sounding louder than it would have in another area because this place was so silent. The only sound to be heard was the waves crashing upon the rocks below.
"Indeed." I agreed, resting my open palms on my knees and gazing out into the water. It truly was a beautiful sight, but I had more pressing matters to attend to. Sookie glanced down into her lap, digging around in her purse for a few moments before emerging with a small bag of tortilla chips and a cigarette pack. She tapped the unopened pack harshly against the inner part of her wrist a few times, before opening it and popping one into her mouth. I politely declined when she waved her hand across the bag and the pack in offering, and she shrugged.
After lighting the cigarette and releasing her first drag, she nibbled on the chip for a few moments. "You breathe loudly."
Of all of the things she could have said, this I did not expect. I arched an eyebrow, turning to look at her quizzically. "Is that so?"
Although I didn't physically need to breathe, it was fundamentally pleasing to humans that I do so. If I didn't, they tended to notice and ask questions I didn't want to be bothered with. Since I was rarely around humans for extended amounts of time, I made a conscious effort to do all the normal things humans do when around them. Seeing as we were in a highly secluded place and my breaths were certainly unnatural, I suppose it shouldn't have shocked me so much that she noticed something like that. But then, the fact that she noticed it at all was curious.
"I know what you are."
That was even more curious.
I blinked, for lack of a better reaction. Very few humans knew of my kind, and those that did never spoke of it. I was very cautious with how to proceed; knowing that if she did not actually know it would be bad to expose her. "Do you now?"
"Yes. I don't think the others noticed, and if they did they probably wouldn't mind." She answered, taking another puff of her cigarette to allow this information to sink in.
I remained quiet, unsure what to say. Could it be bad that she knew? Would it cause problems?
"Don't worry, man. I won't send an angry mob on you or anything. Peace all the way." She laughed, taking my tense silence as a sign of nervousness for my well being. I chuckled, and was about to ask how she'd figured it out, when a soft gasp escaped her lips.
Her bloody lips.
While taking a bite out of her tortilla chip and bringing the chip down, she'd managed to accidentally slice her bottom lip. The sensitive skin had already welled up, a thin trail of blood leaking down to her chin.
Immediately, bloodlust slammed me. My nostrils flared, tongue sneaking out to lick my fangs as they ran out. Sookie seemed frozen, unsure of what to do with a hungry vampire before her and a bleeding lip. The light from the moon sparkled in her wide eyes, and I leaned forward, inhaling her sweet scent deeply as I inched closer. Her eyes closed, just before my tongue flicked out to lap up the blood. The second the saccharine liquid made contact with my tongue, my senses went into overload. I had never tasted anything so glorious. It was pure as I had anticipated, and I was almost sure I tasted a hint of fae. I wanted more.
A low growl tore from my throat as I pressed my body to her side, wrapping an arm about her waist and drawing her closer. Her cigarette and bag of chips dropped to the ground, forgotten, and her arms encircled my neck. After suckling the last remnants of her blood off, I instead traced the outline of her lips. She shivered, her grip tightening on my neck and pressing her chest closer to mine. I felt myself react to her warm body being in such close proximity, and although my foremost hunger hadn't fully been satiated, the sexual hunger began to grow. My free hand roamed over her side, rubbing the flesh slowly and lightly tracing my nails over her ribs. Her lips parted to grant me entrance, and our tongues met, twining and clashing against each other in the fight for dominance. I won out, of course, and kissed her senseless. Her breaths were coming faster, chest heaving against mine as one hand slipped to cup my jaw.
A sting against the line of my jaw shocked me out of my passion-induced haze, and I hissed. Recoiling sharply from her lips, my eyes searched for the offending object that had interrupted.
Sookie looked sheepish, and ducked her head a bit to allow a strand of gold to hide her eyes. "Sorry. Forgot about that." She said, tugging a silver bracelet off her wrist. It must have brushed my skin. She dropped it unceremoniously into her bag, picking up the previously discarded bag of chips and stomping out the still burning cigarette with her sandal.
Apparently wanting to pick up where we'd left off, she turned to me again and leaned in. This intrigued me even more. Before, she'd been caught in the moment and could have had a lapse of sanity. But I'd just sucked the blood off her lip, and she'd revealed that she'd known what I was. Was she not afraid? Did she not know her very life was on the line in the presence of a creature such as I?
I reached out, holding her at bay with a hand mere inches from her chest. She paused, staring at me questioningly.
Present…
Rather than respond to that, I simply leaned in and captured her lips again. She responded eagerly, arms going around my neck without a moment of hesitation. Our mouths danced in tune, and one of my hands snuck inside her shirt to press into the small of her back. My thumb caressed the smooth skin there, drawing tiny circles there as my mouth drew away, trailing down her jaw. Showering her skin with little nips and licks, I paused over the juncture of her neck and shoulder.
Sookie sucked in a breath sharply, knowing what I desired. Her head tilted back, back arching, and her fingers tangled in my hair. "Do it."
I didn't need to be told twice. My fangs sunk into her tender flesh, and sunbursts ruptured behind my lids when they closed in ecstasy. I greedily sucked her blood down, idly wondering why I had considered killing her. I was going to keep her alive and at my side for as long as possible, if it meant I could feed on this blood when I wished. It was like fine wine, aged slowly and preserved perfectly.
A breathy moan spilled from her lips, and her fingers tightened in my hair, clutching me as close as possible. I sinuously changed our positions. She was almost a foot shorter than me, so the angle I had to bend at was uncomfortable for us both. I instead moved to my knees, with her still perched upon the fallen tree and me between her knees. The more primitive side of me took over, and I ground my hips and growing bulge into her. The restrictive fabric of my blue jeans was becoming increasingly uncomfortable, and I only grew harder with every wondrous gulp. One hand slipped beneath her skirt, sensuously grazing her thighs as it moved farther up, aiming for the heat at the apex of those thighs.
Had I expected it, she never would have been able to dislodge me. But as it was, she caught me off guard by suddenly shoving at my chest and arching her back in the opposite direction of me, her knees slamming together. I looked at her in something akin to astonishment, dazed from my delicious meal being so abruptly interrupted and the heat that had been flowing into my body suddenly ripped away.
"Whoa, man." She said in a bit of a scolding tone, holding one hand on my chest as if that would hold me back should I truly desire more. She seemed to be trying to pull her wits together, and even though her actions told me to back off, I could distinctly smell her arousal. "Free love all the way, but have some respect!"
Incredulous, I stared again. Amusement washed over me unexpectedly, and I began to chuckle. She'd let me feed off her and kiss her, but no further than that? Well, alright. "If you insist."
"Is there any way to get this to stop bleeding?" She asked, wincing slightly as she pressed her palm over the still freely bleeding bite marks. After another chuckle, I gently grasped her wrist and lowered it out of my way, lapping up the excess crimson nectar and sealing the wound with my coagulant saliva. "Thanks."
I nodded, resuming my previous spot on the tree by her side. We sat in a comfortable silence yet again, and I was a bit taken aback when I felt warm little fingers slide into mine.
"So…Do you want to stick around for a while, or…" Sookie asked after a few moments of silence. "Because, you know. We're camping out here for a few weeks. We're going to make our way to San Francisco eventually, but for now we're going to stay around here. And you're welcome to stay."
I smirked at her awkward words, pondering that for a moment. A human whose presence I didn't mind, with the richest blood I'd ever encountered?
Of course I was going to stick around, at least for a little while.
Unexpectedly, she rose to her feet, eyes glinting mischief as she turned to face me. "Wanna cliff dive with me?"
I glanced down, mentally measuring the distance between the head of the cliff to the water beneath. It had to be a good fifty feet. "You are human. This could kill you."
Peels of laughter rang out, like chiming bells, and she held her hand out, stepping to the edge fearlessly. "So?"
Having no desire to jump from a cliff into the undoubtedly freezing sea water, I shook my head, nodding in the direction of the edge. "Do as you wish, but I'm content here for the moment."
She shrugged, flashing me one last grin before she stepped off the edge.
Bon Temps, Louisiana. July 11th 1969
"Sookie, what exactly are you doing?" I leaned down a bit to see the paper better. She was scribbling away in a notebook I had quickly associated with her writing music, a lit joint dangling from her lips. She was sitting cross-legged on a spread out blanket, with a basket of fresh fruit(I'd also quickly learned that part of the reason her blood was so delectable was that she'd scorned meat years ago, and taken it a step further by only eating raw foods) beside her. This was nothing abnormal, but she was writing, quite messily, with her left hand.
The light from the fire flickered across her features, bathing her in a warm glow. Having spent the past month with this human, I'd naturally grown affectionate towards her. She just fascinated me on so many different levels. I would tire of her eventually, I was sure. But her delectable blood and the radical way her mind worked, was keeping me content.
For now.
"I'm writing! I'm finally finishing that song I was playing when we first met!" She answered, favoring me with a brilliant smile and arching her neck to signal she wanted a kiss. I plucked the joint from her lips, and lowered my torso to brush my lips against hers before sitting beside her.
Absently taking a hit from the joint, I questioned her again. "I see that, lover. But why with your left hand?" Sookie was right handed.
She rolled her eyes, taking the joint from my mouth and hitting it herself. "I'm teaching myself to write with my left hand!"
"Why?"
"In case something happens to my right hand, duh?" The sound of her laughter caused warmth to spread through my chest, and I caught the scowl that wanted to contort my features moments before she saw it. I wasn't completely comfortable with the feelings this one evoked in me, but I comforted myself with the fact that she truly was unlike any other human, or any other breed, I'd ever come across.
I smirked, and shook my head. I truly did not understand the way her mind worked, and every time she gave me an answer like that, I was sucked a little bit deeper into her web.
I'd just risen, having slept in the ground of a near-by cemetery, and I noticed that Amelia and Lafayette were missing, as was their Volkswagen van, so I assumed they'd gone into town. Jason and Tara were on the other end of the clearing, curled around each other while listening to the radio and sucking down liquor.
When Sookie and I had informed them as to what I was, Amelia took it in stride and was actually a bit ecstatic about it, since the girl was practicing magic and my existence only confirmed that there were supernatural forces out there. The others, however, had remained completely stationary, immobile stares boring into me. Jason seemed a bit suspicious, which was only to be expected since he was Sookie's brother. I had begun to doubt that we'd made the right decision in telling them, but it only took them a day to thaw out and accept me, which was remarkable for humans. Upon asking her, Sookie had told me she'd come upon another vampire earlier in her life, but they'd only crossed paths briefly.
Not that it would have made a difference if they hadn't accepted me, but I was quite comfortable with the way my undead life was unraveling with this little blonde human in it.
I shifted, so her back was pressed to my chest. My hands curled around her hips, thumbs rubbing small circles into the bones beneath the skin and nibbling the soft spot beneath her ear. She purred, arching into me and dropping her pencil.
"Play it for me?" I murmured into her skin, nuzzling her jaw with my nose. I'd come to appreciate her music immensely, and her beautiful voice perfectly matched with her thoughtful lyrics.
She giggled again. "It's only fair, seeing as it's about you."
My brow shot up. "Oh?"
With another laugh, she tugged her guitar into her lap, and I kept my arms about her since she made no move to dislodge me. Her fingers began strumming to cords, and I noticed she used no pick, opting rather to use her fingers to get a more precise sound. She recited the lyrics I remembered perfectly, her body vibrating within my arms all the while. I waited for the new lyrics, and my patience was rewarded as she smoothly moved into the end of the chorus, and began to sing the newest verse.
"Breathe softer, I can't let them hear your voice
Cigarette after cigarette,
Blank stare with white noise,
Frozen faces, a big disgrace to your choice
You were left out in the rain and you turned into ice,"
Her melodic voice swept over me, entrancing me all over again in the familiar rapture I entered whenever she sang. I wasn't sure what to say, what she wanted me to say, but the lyrics were very clearly about the night we'd met, as well as the night we'd told the others about my being vampire. I turned my lips into her temple, placing a kiss there, and remaining silent as she effortlessly headed into the chorus and finished the song.
"Beautiful as usual, my lover." I muttered, nipping the thin layer of skin over the top of her collarbone, overlapping healed bite marks.
She set the guitar aside, turning and flashing me that ever-bright smile as she pulled herself into my lap, wrapping her legs around my waist and arms around my neck. In this position, she was a few inches above my head, so I had to look up at her for once.
"I have a surprise for you." She informed me in a sweet, husky whisper.
"When do I get it?" I asked, hands moving back to swirl circles on her hips. She moaned a little, wriggling in my lap deliciously, before leaning back on her elbows to search through her purse. After a few moments, she rose back up and dangled a bag in my face.
"Now." She chirped, grinning in anticipation of my reaction.
A devilish grin lit up my face as I surveyed the contents of the bag. She'd been searching for these for the better part of a month. I'd never tried them before, myself, but I'd try anything once. And who better to experience it with than Sookie? I didn't understand the full appeal of these psychedelic drugs myself, but I was anxious to see her on them.
Tonight, she was clad only in a summer dress, the torso dipping into a sweetheart cut to expose her bountiful breasts, and two thin straps holding it to her body almost falling off her shoulders. It was a cream base color, with a pattern closely resembling that of the pattern on a bandana, in hunter green and navy blue. It fell to just above her knees, exposing the smooth expanse of her tanned legs. Her hair spilled down her shoulders, the soft waves I'd grown accustomed to tickling my face. She had a fresh band of flowers, woven together to create an intricate band that she'd tied straight across her forehead and over her hair, knotting behind her head. Unable to resist, I nodded my head in the direction of the bag of 'magic' mushrooms, my fingers stroking across the small of her back. "Why do you ingest these substances?"
She considered me briefly, as if trying to assess my seriousness and how to answer. Something flashed in her eyes, and that knowledgeable sparkle that I'd come to know made its presence known. The accompanying flare of irritation rose. She always looked at me that way, as if she knew something I didn't. Like she was wiser than me, a millennia old vampire. It was irksome.
"They open your eyes." She answered simply.
"No, they manipulate your brain into thinking it is seeing something it is not." I countered.
She smiled, her gaze falling to the bag she still clutched. "It's all about opinion, man. If you believe that, then that's all you. But what I believe is these substances," She paused momentarily, to dig into the bag and pluck out a mushroom cap. "Are a medium, a door way that shows us the world around us in its true form. All we have to do is step through it. Not all of us naturally see the world how it is. We're all too blind, too involved in our petty little lives, trying to acquire money and causing useless violence, to see it."
She stopped again, but I knew she wasn't done. She leaned back again, with my arms still encircling her waist and supporting her, and snatched a flower out of the patch of bushes next to us, using the pads of her thumb and index finger to twirl it. "Like this flower. To you, it's just a flower. Nothing special, or significant."
The irony that this could very closely describe my opinion on most humans did not escape me.
"Yet to me, it's a life force, so delicate that I could crush it between my fingers. But this simple flower lives off only water and sunlight. It doesn't harm anything, and it coexists peacefully with the other flowers. How many of us supposedly intelligent beings, human and supernatural alike, can you say the same about?"
She was without a doubt either the maddest human I'd ever known, or the wisest spirit I'd ever had to good fortune to cross paths with.
Seeing nothing I could respond with, I simply opened my mouth and allowed her to pop the mushroom in.
This was going to be a remarkable experience, indeed.
I licked the tips of her fingers when she pushed a few more mushrooms into my mouth, and although I'd tasted some rather rank things in my existence, these were absolutely foul. I couldn't accurately compare them to anything in particular, since it had been centuries since I'd ingested human food. Even the texture was disgusting, crunchy and dry. She fed me about half the bag, and was about to begin eating them herself when I snagged the bag, reciprocating the treatment she'd given me and feeding them to her. Her warm, moist tongue wrapped around my fingers, enticing me.
But I had another plan.
After devouring all the mushrooms, she popped a few black cherries into her mouth to rid herself of the bitter taste. When she'd finished, she tilted her head in a motion I'd come to know as an invite. Rather than puncture her skin, I allowed my fangs to run out completely and instead dragged just the tip of one across her collarbone, creating just a shallow cut. When her sweet blood welled up, I lapped it up greedily. The cut provided me with maybe a mouthful, as I wanted to save actually biting her for later.
Drinking her blood with the mushrooms in her system would also increase the affect the hallucinogens had on me, I hoped.
I had no sooner sealed the cut, then a sunny smile lit up her face, and she popped to her feet. A deep, jubilant laugh poured out, and she held both hands out in front of her as if to offer me up. The gesture was more to show me what she desired, rather than to actually help me up. I placed both hands in hers, rising to my feet with ease as her hips began to sway back and forth.
"Tara, turn that up!" Sookie called, lifting her hands and moving them with her swinging hips. Her eyes shone with pure glee, and she tugged me close enough so I was barely brushing her when she moved. I heard the volume on the radio increase, spurning out one of the newest pop hits. "Dance with me!"
"Sugar, ah honey honey
You are my candy girl,
And you got me wanting you
Honey, ah sugar sugar
You are my candy girl,
And you got me wanting you,"
After the initial minute of staring in the usual amazement of her, I managed to smirk as I allowed her to move her body on mine. Though my movements were nowhere near as free as hers, I ground my hips against her in time with the music. Her head fell back, the sway of her hips never ceasing, and jovial laughter spilled out. She radiated happiness in this moment, the product of the mushrooms, the joint we'd smoked before that, and the music; and the joy was infectious. I found myself smiling back at her, instead of my usual arrogant smirk.
"When I kissed you girl
I knew how sweet a kiss could be(I know how sweet a kiss could be),
Like the summer sunshine pour you sweetness over me(Pour your sweetness over me)
Pour a little sugar on it honey
Pour a little sugar on it, baby
I'm gonna make your life so sweet, yeah yeah yeah,"
She continued to dance on me, until the end of the song came about. She threw her arms about my neck, leaning up on the very tip of her toes to press her lips to mine.
A dull monologue sounded over the radio, and as it transitioned into the next song, Sookie dropped back to her heels. Her body seemed to suck in the music, shoulders moving back and forth in perfect tune to the familiar rhythm. Her head nodded in time with the slick chords, and she looked to me with hooded eyes.
"Purple haze all in my brain,
Lately things just don't seem the same,
Acting funny and I don't know why,
'Scuse me while I kiss the sky,"
My first warning that the mushrooms were kicking in was her skin. As she writhed to the music, the moonlight began to glisten on her skin. Literally, glisten. Her skin seemed to soak up the light, churn it inside of her and reflect it back out. Tiny sunbursts colored every inch of her exposed skin, giving her a bit of a glow combined with myriad of colors that assaulted my vision, and I blinked to make sure I was seeing correctly.
Her intense cyan eyes locked on mine, and her fingers curled in the collar of my soft black tee shirt. We tumbled onto the grass, falling on her previously outspread blanket, and I fell onto my back beside her. She laughed, clasping her hand in mine, and tilting her head back to gaze at the stars in amazement. I followed suit, and was greeted by the millions of burning stars pulsating rainbow colors. I was speechless. Nothing could describe the beauty of what I was seeing.
"Purple haze all around
Don't know if I'm coming up or down
Am I happy or in misery?
What ever it is, that girl put a spell on me."
With her laughter floating around me, the warmth of her skin seeping into me, and the stunning visions I was seeing, everything just seemed right in this moment. My thumb found the pulse just beneath her palm, and it seemed to reverberate through my very being, fusing with me and becoming my pulse as well. She brought me out of my reverie by lazily raising her free hand, curling her index finger and thumb into an arch, as if she was going to pinch something. She was closing her fingers an inch, staring intently at the sky, and moving her hand sideways and vertically in what appeared to be strategic moves.
"What are you doing, lover?" I whispered, trying to see whatever it was she was seeing in the sky, but I couldn't manage to see a thing other than the sunbursts,
"The sky is a puzzle. I'm putting it together!" She giggled, earning herself a chuckle. I rolled onto my side, splaying my fingers comfortably across her flat stomach and caressing the soft fabric shielding it with the pads of my thumbs.
My tongue snaked out to lap at the hollow of her neck, the sensation of her skin under my tongue making the muscle twitch slightly. It felt like every single nerve ending in my body was shooting sparks, and when it contacted hers sent tingles through every inch of me. Her hands rose to lightly scratch down my spine, and I purred in response, arcing my back gracefully into her touch. Too much fabric was between us, and my hands ran up her thighs to her hips, bunching the dress around her waist. I slid over her, holding myself off her with a hand on either side of her head. My hips ground lazy circles into hers, causing friction in just the right places. The overwhelming heat radiating from her core was scorching me, heating my dead body up so thoroughly I almost felt like my heart should beat in tune with hers.
"Are you feeling it, baby?" She asked, slipping under my shirt and scratching lightly over the dip in my hipbones. In result, I ground harder into her and nodded, because my mouth had latched onto her neck. I peppered the smooth column with nips and licks, pressing as much of myself into her as I possibly could. An unexplainable desire for bodily contact was slowly building, and I just wanted to fuck her and bite her and rub myself all over her.
Her scent surrounded me, her heat enveloped me; she overloaded every sense I had. The silk of her skin, the satin of her hair and the softness of her body caressed my palms as I ran them over her, and although the touch was meant for her it affected me the same. Her golden skin was begging to be tasted, glistening and burning me like my own personal sun. Her wrists twisted, gripping the hem of my shirt and tugging it over my head. I allowed it, rising to my knees to aid her and her nimble little fingers immediately went to my belt, while my hands ran over the creamy flesh of her thighs. She bent up at the waist to place hot, open mouthed kisses across my chest, and my fingers tangled in her hair with a contented sigh.
A shock shot through me when her teeth grazed my nipple, before gently biting down while her blunt nails raked over it's companion. I groaned, fangs running fully out as another tidal wave of desire swept over me and my hands curled around her hips tightly enough to leave bruises. Every sensation seemed magnified, and every lave of her moist, wet tongue seemed to burn through my skin. My fingers twitched, longing to touch her. Her tongue traced the contours of my stomach, following the dips and bumps. Very deliberately, she touched the tip of her tongue to the sensitive skin just below my belly button, causing waves of pleasure to ripple through me, and I could literally see the ripples. It was an affect not unlike that of a drop of water, falling into a larger body and creating rippling circles that slowly grew and expanded.
When she'd successfully undone my pants, I kicked them off and silently chuckled, glad I'd gone commando. I lowered my body onto hers again, now completely bare. She, however, still had her dress on, and that was unacceptable.
My thumbs traced every bit of skin they could as I slid her dress up over her head, leaving her bare to my hungry gaze except for her cotton briefs, just barely exposing the protruding bones of her hips. Her entire body was a mural, covered in twisting and swirling shapes, but the color was diluted. Pale, pastel colors instead of vibrant. The grass behind her head swayed in the breeze, whistling along with the music. I dipped my head to capture a hardening nipple, swirling my tongue in circles before nicking it with a fang. Her gasp shot right through me and down to my groin, and I felt myself harden almost painfully. A tiny drop of blood welled, and my tongue flicked out to capture it. Her fingers curled over my shoulder blades, and her hips arched, grinding her heat against my erection. I hissed, losing my strict grasp on my patience and ripping the cotton panties from her body.
Rather than scold me, as she had so many times before, she whimpered her approval, wriggling beneath me and locking her legs around my hips and bucking in an attempt to impale herself.
Growling lowly, I shifted my hips away, not wanting to move so fast. She caught her full lower lip between her teeth, worrying it and trying to keep herself silent so as not to plead with me. I nipped the hypersensitive skin below her breasts, kissing a cool path down her stomach. My tongue dipped into her belly button, tracing a solid line straight down to her core. Sookie squirmed, her chest rising and falling in increased succession. Shaking fingers curled in the blanket beneath us as I parted her, blowing a bit of cool air over her quivering flesh. A small whine left her at my ministrations, in the form of my name.
"Eric…" The tightness of her voice told me exactly how worked up she was, and my gaze remained locked on her face as my tongue made teasing circles around the hardened bundle of nerves she desperately needed me to touch, not quite placing pressure where she desired it. Another frustrated whine, and I smirked as two fingers slipped inside of her, swirling and caressing her from the inside. I truly enjoyed using my mouth on her, the reactions it drew from her were delicious.
After a few moments of sweet torture, I gave in and sucked the bundle of nerves into my mouth. Her thighs trembled, and she tossed her head back in abandon, cherry red lips slick and parted as she gasped for air. It was truly a sight to behold, this glorious creature naked and spread out before me, writhing from my attentions. The pull urging me to bite her became too strong, and I pressed my thumb into her when I removed my mouth to clasp it on her thigh, biting into the soft flesh and gulping down the unbelievably rich fluid.
A wild, keening sound tore from her lips and her hips jerked up, her inner muscles clenching and releasing around my fingers as her release swept over her. The second her blood touched my tongue, the trip hit me full force again, and when I opened my eyes the thin sheen of sweat covering her body had the same translucent, rainbow colored effect that spilled oil over hardened tar has. Her heartbeat pounded in my ears, her very own constant melody, and I fluidly slid back up her body, fully prepared to enter her.
Her thighs locked together, and she attempted to shove me to the side. I allowed it, finding myself pushed onto my back. She quickly straddled me, guiding my throbbing, figuratively, member to her slick entrance. My hands clasped her hips instantly, preparing to guide her movements, but she only slid down an inch, allowing the very tip inside. My jaw snapped closed, calling on every ounce of control I possessed so as not to slam in to the hilt. She lifted herself, carefully allowing only the same amount of my length inside her each time she lowered.
"Sookie…" I warned, letting her know she was testing my patience. She laughed, her eyes wide and excited. I had a thousand years of learning to pace myself, but at this moment I wanted nothing more than to feel her tight and hot around me.
And as usual, her next action took me by complete surprise.
Her long hair was a waterfall of gold as it tumbled past her shoulders to tickle my sides, and she lifted her hips, rocking back on her heels and placing a knee on either side of my own hips. Her eyes were passionate and fiery as her head ducked, her soft lips closing around the head of my length. I hissed through clenched teeth, dropping my head onto the ground and gazing up at the sky. The stars melded into faces, laughing and crying and contorting in pleasure akin to what I was feeling, as the throbbing heat of her mouth surrounded me.
The tip of her tongue spun circles, causing little trickles of pleasure to leak to my hips and make their way through my thighs, as if the sensations were spreading out steadily through my body. I tugged very gently on her hair, wordlessly telling her to stop. Her cheeks hollowed as she gave a harsh suckle, ripping a growl from my throat and before she could realize what was happening, I had her flipped over onto her back, one hand curled around her knee and holding it over my hip as I thrust as deep inside of her as her body allowed.
She spasmed, slamming her hips up in an attempt to draw me in further. Slim fingers slid over my biceps as I pulled almost out, savoring the fierce pounding of her heart against her chest. I slowly slid back in, encasing myself in the warm wetness that I had grown accustomed to, but have yet to tire of. Hot little sounds were bursting from her with every languid thrust, encouraging my movements.
A drop of what can only be classified as rainbow liquid fell onto her cheek, sliding down the bone and slipping onto her lips. I halted my movements, flicking my tongue out to taste the vibrant liquid. Water.
I raised my head, glancing up at the sky, seeing infinite drops falling down, each individual one like a little shimmering prism. It was a sight to behold. Looking back down at my lover, I noticed her processing the same sight, her eyes wide with wonder and a small, awestruck smile on her lips.
Watching every slight shift of her features, and the bright specks of colors reflecting on them, I pulled back inch by inch only to ram back in so hard she slid up a few inches on the blanket. She mewled in pleasure, legs locking around my hips and arching so I hit her at just the right angle.
"Yes!" She cried, her eyes rolling back, and I grinned wickedly as I continued driving in at that pace, ignoring the rain that was now soaking both of us. Her hands clutched desperately onto the blades of my shoulders, having a harder time than ever now that our skin was slick. The water seeped between us, sliding down her body, causing my skin to glide over hers. It was an extremely pleasant feeling, and every pore in my body seemed to open up. Her very essence flowed into me, and our beings seemed to connect. I'd never felt so close to another being in my entire existence, and it seemed like I couldn't get deep enough inside of her.
A low, breathy moan followed every plunge, her hips matching mine thrust for thrust. My free hand gripped her hip again, tilting it at the perfect angle to allow access to her sweet spot.
"Eric, Eric, Eric…" She panted over and over, her passion crazed pleas hitting home. The sounds she was emitting were driving me wild, and I rode her harder than I should for a human her size. She took every thrust with reverence; her eyes squeezed shut in abandon, abdominal muscles tightening as the anticipation drove her further towards bliss with every drive. The taut coil within my stomach was pulled firm, and I knew a few more thrusts would push me over the edge.
"Look at me." I growled; her cyan eyes flew open so fast they almost bugged, and I felt her inner muscles begin to convulse around me. The white, black and cerulean of her eyes bled together, melting into a sparkling sea of lust as she stopped breathing altogether.
The absolute heat of her body nearly suffocated me, spreading everywhere as the coil sprung loose, releasing electric shocks of pleasure over every inch of my slick body. Those sunbursts returned, blocking out everything else in sight and replacing it with explosive colors, mirroring fireworks. I vaguely felt the nails of her toes scratch my calves, as her toes curled in and her back arched in a perfect half circle, brushing her breasts against my chest. The quiver started in her thighs, spreading like wild fire up to her hips and stomach, making her body jerk against mine. Riding one of the biggest waves of pleasure I'd ever known, I slammed in to the hilt one last time, tearing a crazed, strangled gasp from my little hippie. The last waves of my orgasm still licking my flesh, I shuddered and collapsed on her, head falling to her breast, shivering in the aftershocks. My fangs jumped down eagerly, and I grazed the soft side of her breast just hard enough to create a fine line, happily lapping up the tiny droplets that pooled there.
A deep, satisfied moan reverberated through her, jarring me back to reality. I blinked, clearing my vision of the sparks of color and I gazed down at her, allowing a soft smile to grace my lips.
She stared at me in post coitus wonder, one hand rising to caress my cheek. "Holy fuck, I've never come that hard in my entire life."
I was immobile for a moment, before roaring in laughter and rolling to my side, allowing her to cuddle up next to me, both of us chuckling and basking in the satiation. I pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, feeling the warm affection that had been growing rapidly over the summer swell up in me. The rain was gradually slowing, the full moon now peeking out from the rain clouds.
I glanced at it, and did a double take. The moon was grinning at me, one of its two wide eyes winking at me. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts because I was clearly imagining things, but when I looked back it was still smiling toothily at me.
I lowered my gaze, instead drinking in the sight of my panting, glorious lover. One of her bare legs was thrown across my thighs, her back curved around my side and head resting on my unmoving chest. Shallow breaths were escaping her, and her heart thrummed madly in my ears.
"That was fun." She gasped, tracing various patterns over my pectorals with her tiny fingers, curling them in the soft hair there. It was soothing. "We should trip more often."
"Mmmm." I mumbled in agreement, turning my face into the crown of her head and breathing in her scent. She smelled like earth, vanilla, fresh rain and sex. It was enough to bring my fangs down all over again, but I resisted the temptation.
We had all night, after all.
Bon Temps, Louisiana. August 1st, 1969
"So you're not coming with me?" She asked, her voice wavering with suppressed anger. Her jaw was clenched and she stared up at me defiantly, refusing to back down. Her arms were on her ribs, and she looked so damn cute I just wanted to eat her up. The radio sitting on the ground beside us was cooing one of her favorite reggae songs, telling everyone to be together as one and create peace across the world.
"Let them all pass all their dirty remarks
There is one question I'd really like to ask
Is there a place for the hopeless sinner
Who has hurt all mankind just to save his own?
Believe me,"
"What would be the purpose of me joining you?" I sighed. She'd been vigorously trying to convince me to travel to Bethel, New York with her for the better part of the night. Something about a huge, revolutionary music festival going on that she wouldn't miss for the world. I took that as a sign that the parting of our ways was among us.
"To be with me!"
"I have been with you for almost the entirety of this summer, Sookie. It's time we go our separate ways."
"Bull shit!" She growled, stomping her foot stubbornly. Her eyes were raging, so ablaze with life they reminded me of the clear daytime sky I hadn't seen in a millennium. The corner of my mouth twitched, fighting to curl into a smirk. She huffed, spinning on her bare heel and stiffly sitting down on the fallen tree I'd bitten her for the first time on, only months before. With another sigh, I perched next to her, and we both gazed out into the crashing waves, until her terse voice lashed out again. "You know damn well there's no reason you can't come with me. We can put your coffin in the back of the van, or you can sleep in the ground when you have to rest [A/N] and we'll set up meeting points for when you rise. You're making excuses."
She wasn't far from the truth, I knew deep down that I did want to join her, but I wasn't about to admit that. "Our relationship must end, Sookie. It is just inappropriate to allow it to continue farther than it has."
"Why? Why is it so wrong?" She hissed, hands clenching into fists by her hips. It was a bit unsettling, seeing her this riled up. It was a sharp contrast to the mellow, peaceful spirit I'd grown accustomed to, but she had a spitfire personality that switched like a light flip.
"It is not the natural order of things." I answered simply, wishing she would just drop the matter and accept my decision.
"One love,
One heart,
Let's get together and feel alright
As it was in the beginning,
So shall it be in the end,"
Her eyes grew wide, and sparks shot from them. I was surprised she wasn't spitting at me, from the waves of anger that rolled off her. "What is the natural order of things? What is natural, Eric? You're certainly not. Who the hell are we to decide what should or shouldn't be? You think that because you're a vampire, you're somehow superior? Well, fuck you then! We don't choose who's better or who's lesser, who wins or who loses! We take what fate throws our way, and we make the best of it!" She fumed, turning so her entire body faced me now. "And if you think that because you're a vampire, you're somehow excluded from that, then you are a fool!"
My eyes flashed indignantly, as I didn't take well to being called a fool by anyone. But her words stirred something within me, forcing me to see the truth. She was right. I'd been perfectly content to accept her as a companion over the past two months, and I'd felt the promise of deep affection for the first time in centuries. What was stopping me from staying by her side?
Her mortality.
She seemed to sense the shift in me, and jumped to use it to her advantage. Warm, gentle palms cupped my face, thumbs stroking the bone of my cheeks. "Eric. Come with me."
And I couldn't deny, every part of me was humming in agreement with her. So, naturally, I threw out the last defense I had, trying to make her see it from my point of view. "It doesn't bother you that I can't be with you during the day?"
My question startled her, as she had clearly been expecting another rebuke. Her features melted into a smile, and she shook her head. "Not at all. I mean, of course I would love to share my days with you. But, if it comes down to seeing you only at night or never at all, I gladly choose the stars."
Her words rang true, and I couldn't argue with that. The start of an idea flashed through my mind, and I spoke the words before second guessing them. "Would you like me to turn you?"
She considered that for a moment, before shaking her head. She lessened the blow of refusal with a brush of her warm lips on mine. "Not just yet. My soul hasn't completed it's human cycle yet."
"Is that so?" I smirked, running a finger up and down her spine. "I thought your human life is only complete with your indefinite demise."
That all knowing sparkle was present again in her gaze, and she shook her head. "Silly vampire. So much to learn."
"Let's get together to fight this Holy Armageddon
So when the Man comes there will be no no doom
Have pity on those whose chances grove thinner
There ain't no hiding place from the Father of Creation,"
I pondered that, chewing it over in my mind for a few moments. She allowed this, keeping silent to leave me to my thoughts.
Inevitably, she got impatient, much like she had the first night we'd met and she'd recklessly told me she knew what I was. She hopped to her feet, tugging her skirt off to leave her clad in only her cotton briefs, and the shirt she'd worn that first, fateful night. Her entire body welcomed me to follow, enticing me with her bare skin and outstretched hand. But I knew, should I place my hand within hers, it would hold much more significance than simply holding her hand.
"Eric?"
I remained silent, still undecided. Trust and hope, along with something akin to love, shone in her big blue eyes, urging me to take the path that had her in it. Would this compromise my existence, my well being? It hadn't, so far. We'd had this beautiful summer, and all the insane experiences that had come with it. Was there harm in extending it?
Though the words of the song were completely unrelated, they were oddly fitting in a parallel sort of way.
"Saying,
One love,
One heart,
Let's get together and feel alright."
"Come on, Eric. Jump."
And finally, it clicked. What did I have to lose?
And so I curled my strong fingers around hers, and allowed her to pull me over the edge of the cliff with her, plunging into the deep waters of oblivion.
So far out my mind,
Something's happening, something's happening
Purple haze, all in my eyes
Don't know if it's day or night,
You got me blowing, blowing my mind
Is it tomorrow, or just the end of time?
Authors Note;; Ta da! I tried to incorporate a few of the great songs that had a big impact on that time period! Did y'all like hippie Sookie? I sure did =] There was so much to shove into a single oneshot, I had no idea how I was going to pull it off! But I did! I hope you all enjoyed it, because I sure enjoyed writing it! Go Eric n' Sooks Summer of 69! Feedback of any kind greatly appreciated, I worked my ass off on this! Oh, and if anyone wants to hear "Buy and Sell Out", youtube it! It's worth it.
1] This is referring to when vampires sleep, literally, in the ground, when they lack a better place.
Remember, reading a story and not reviewing it is like raping it!
Peace, man.
-Lolli