A New Deal
Set in a mix of the books and the TV series. Sookie and Bill come back from Dallas quarreling and break up. But Lafayette is still alive and had gone through his ordeal in Eric's dungeon.
Of course I don't own these characters, I am just very thankful that Charlaine Harris created them.
Rated M for sexual content in later chapters. This is my first fanfic, let me know what you think.
Chapter 1
Sookie sped down the highway, her car protesting the effort. She was fuming. She had just seen Bill and another woman riding in his car, chatting and cuddling. How could he have moved on already? Yes, she had broken up with him, but if he loved her as much as he had professed shouldn't he still be in mourning for their relationship like she was? She was right to have called it quits with vampires. She just had one item of business to take care of and then they could all crawl back into the ground for all she cared.
Unfortunately that one item of business necessitated seeing that big weasel Eric. She was still appalled that she had been tricked into drinking his blood in Dallas. Of all the low-down, conniving, underhanded things to do. And now he wouldn't stay out of her dreams. Her skin flushed as she thought of them, and she thought of them a lot. In her limited experience she had thought Bill was an excellent lover, but dream Eric was more than she had ever imagined while awake.
She shook herself as she realized she was losing herself remembering a particularly vivid dream. She pressed down on the gas pedal again, the car had slowed during her daydream. Cursing her lack of self-control she started working up her anger again. She wanted to be seething when she encountered Eric. If he could sense her emotions anger was the only one she wanted him to detect. She was going to get the money that he stilled owed her from Dallas and cut off all ties to the vampire world. They had brought her nothing but heartache and trouble and she would be better off without them.
Part of her brain protested that that wasn't entirely true. She had had some wonderful times with Bill and because of him she had finally been able to have sex, but she silenced that part of her. She didn't want to think about that right now. She wanted to maintain her anger long enough to get through this meeting with Eric. Any softening of her feelings and her resolve might waver. If Eric could read her emotions and she hoped he couldn't from this far, she wanted him to read her fury and determination, and definitely not the feelings his dreams lit inside of her. She couldn't let him know he was getting into her head and under her skin.
Finally she reached Fangtasia's parking lot and found a space far on the periphery. Business was good tonight, in fact a line of fangbangers stood along the outer wall of the club. Quickly running through all the reasons she wanted to leave the vampire world behind her, she steeled herself and approached the club.
Pam was working the door, all vamped out in one of the ridiculous, black, sexy dresses the fangbangers expected. As usual she looked bored, at least until she saw Sookie, then she took on an air of bemusement. "Why Sookie, what a surprise." She didn't sound surprised. Had Eric known she was coming? "And where is Bill tonight? Is there trouble in paradise?" The last came out as a disdainful sneer.
Choosing not to rise to the bait, or provide any information about her personal life, Sookie replied stiffly, "I'm here to see Eric on business. Is he in?"
"Of course, however you must wait here."
"I want to see him now." Sookie pressed. Good, she thought something else to keep her anger up.
Pam raised a hand and snapped. One of the bouncers from the door came over immediately. Sookie feared she was about to be forcibly removed, but Pam whispered something in his ear and he entered the bar.
Pam turned back to her and smiled, "As I was saying, your fire marshall, I believe it is called, has placed a ridiculously low limit on the number of beings allowed inside at once, we are at it."
"Oh." Sookie slumped, disappointment taking away some of her steam. She looked at the line of fangbangers waiting their turn to enter and knew she wouldn't be able to keep her anger focused for that long of a wait. She was just about to tell Pam that she would be back tomorrow night, when the bouncer emerged from the club shoving an anorexic-looking fangbanger ahead of him.
"I said out!" he growled at her.
Whatever the waifish girl was about to say died on her lips when Pam flashed her fangs and glared at her, the girl slunk away.
Pam turned back calmly, fangs retracted as if someone had just asked her the time. "Ah, I think we have an opening." Pam said without blinking and gestured for Sookie to enter. As she headed for the door the crowd in line began to complain, but Pam silenced them with a glare as well.
Sookie was relieved that she wouldn't have to come back tomorrow, but felt bad for the girl. She added the generally callous treatment of humans to her list of things to be angry about and went to find Eric.
One glance told her that he was not on his throne, so she headed directly to his office. She knocked, heard a mumbled voice and opened the door. She froze, there was Eric feeding on an ecstatic fangbanger. Sookie's neck tingled remembering the erotic pleasure/pain sensation and felt a warmth growing within. With a great effort she pulled the shield of anger back into place and loudly cleared her throat.
Eric slowly pulled his fangs from the woman and licked the wound closed, causing her to tremble and moan. His fangs were still out when he turned to her and said "Sookie, I am surprised to see you." But his expression very much said he knew she was coming. He gave his still dazed dinner (breakfast?) a little push towards the door and she stumbled by Sookie as she left the room, her fingers tracing the fangmarks at her throat.
To strengthen her resolve and position Sookie slammed the door and refocused on the tall viking. "For a vampire you are a terrible liar." Finding his fangs too distracting she added, "If you are done with dinner would you please put those away?" crossing her arms in front of her, trying to look in control and severe.
"Perhaps I am looking forward to dessert." Fangs still down the look on his face left no doubt that she was the featured dish.
"Eric, there will be no dessert. I'm here on business."
"So if you weren't here on business, dessert would be on the menu?" He strolled over to her seductively.
Sookie's mouth moved silently as she tried to compose a coherent thought. She had not meant to leave that so open-ended, but as any predator would, Eric pounced when he saw an opportunity. "No." she said firmly, holding up a hand to signal him to stop.
He continued walking, hands in his pockets, hips slightly forward – fangs still extended – until his chest collided with her hand. She could feel her resolve slipping as she felt the hard muscles beneath her fingers and she snatched her hand back, hoping he would remain where he stood. His eyes smoldered at her and she had to close hers to keep them from igniting a fire within her. She sighed in what she hoped sounded like exasperation. "Eric, I came here to discuss business, not trade innuendo."
"Of course." he replied with a devilish grin and his fangs snapped back to wherever they go. He straightened his back, turned from her and rounded his desk, sitting in his chair with his hands clasped on his blotter. Sookie hoped he didn't sense her fleeting disappointment. "What service might I perform for you Miss Stackhouse?" Despite the double meaning of his words his tone was completely business-like.
Taking a deep breath, Sookie raised her chin and tried to match his tone. "I've come for the money you owe me for the work I did in Dallas."
Eric looked surprised, "I have already settled that debt. I sent a check to Bill. Surely he delivered it to you. Put it on your pillow perhaps?"
This news caught her completely off guard. "No, he has not given it to me. Were we to do business in the future I would prefer if you made all payments directly to me." She reached for the doorknob, "I'm sorry I bothered you."
"Just a moment," he pulled a checkbook out of the desk and started writing a new check. "I would hate for you to think I do not honor my obligations. It was truly a pleasure doing business with you. I look forward to doing so again." He tore the check from the book and walked around the desk.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you but I will not be working for you or any other vampire again." She held out her hand for the check, wary of his reaction.
"Are you not going to honor our arrangement?" he asked, his eyebrows raised.
"What arrangement?" She was confused, she had completed the mission in Dallas.
"The first time I summoned you to Fangtasia, to discover who was stealing from me, you agreed that as long as I do not kill the humans you question and find guilty you will work for me whenever I want." he paused, "I still want."
Sookie's mouth hung open for a second before she snapped it closed and set her jaw. "That hardly constitutes a binding contract."
"Oh, I consider it quite binding." He smirked and her heart sank. Eric knew she would honor her word now that he had thrown it back in her face. "Unless..." a small hope glimmered that he would give her an acceptable way out, "your purpose in severing our business relationship was so we can move on to other things." His fangs snapped down and he started moving closer, forcing her to back up until she ran into his desk.
His proximity threatened to crumble her resolve, but she tried to build up her anger again. "No! Good lord! Is that all you ever think about? Blood and sex? Alive for a thousand years and you still can't control your hormones!"
"Oh, I think you should be very thankful that I can." he whispered, his tongue tracing the tip of one fang.
She involuntarily shuddered, but stood her ground. "Augh! You are all so insufferable! Eric I am severing all ties with vampires! Since I met you lot I have been almost strangled, raped, burned alive, blown-up and drained. If I never see another vampire it would be fine with me!"
He raised one eyebrow. "Doesn't that make your relationship with Bill rather difficult?"
Holding her head proudly and looking at him defiantly, she stated. "I no longer have a relationship with Bill."
He leaned closer, almost forcing her to bend backward over his desk. "So you are no longer his?" Panic and arousal fought for control within her. She had not thought of Eric's interpretation of that information. While he never tried to hide his attempts at seduction she was sure Bill's claim on her had toned down his advances and now she was here alone with one of the most powerful vampires in the state. But as she stood so near to him, the desire obvious on his face she could not fight the images flooding her head from one of her recent dreams in which the desk had played a supporting role, literally.
"Eric," she began, then angrily cleared her throat as her voice betrayed her, coming out in a husky whisper. "Just because I have broken up with Bill does not mean I'm going to fall into your arms. I have no interest in starting a relationship with you." She set her jaw to prove she was serious.
"For a human, you lie well." He smirked, bringing their conversation to a complete circle.
"I am not lying!" She stated emphatically.
"You have had my blood Sookie. I know how aroused you are right now." His hand came up to her cheek in that blur of speed vampires do, and she gasped at his touch. She caught herself melting into him and stiffened. "I know you want me Sookie." He continued in a throaty whisper.
"But why do I want you?" She managed to keep her voice level. "Wanting you just because I drank your blood is a pretty sorry basis for a relationship."
"But you still want me." He persisted, his hand stroking her cheek and tracing her ear.
She pushed at his hand and he let it fall. "I want a gallon of mint chocolate chip ice cream every day but I don't eat it, because it would be bad for me. And you, Eric, you would be bad for me."
"Are we back to dessert now?" he asked suggestively.
"Dammit, No! Now you can't glamor me and I would hope you wouldn't take me by force. Please let's end our arrangement so I can get on with my life?"
His fangs snapped out of sight and he took two steps back, allowing her space to step away from the desk, causing her to almost lose her balance. "Very well, let us discuss terms."
"Terms?" Sookie was confused, first from his sudden change of demeanor that left her reeling and she was ashamed to admit disappointed, but also from the proposed discussion. What terms could there be in ending this arrangement?
"Of course," he strolled back around his desk and sat down, "this arrangement is of great value to me. I did not get where I am today by carelessly disregarding assets."
She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off.
"Now I realize that the arrangement was quite unfair to you, but you are the one that suggested it. I propose that from here forward we operate with you on a freelance basis. I'll call you if I have need of your services and you can decide on a case-by-case basis if you're willing to assist me." He paused expectantly.
"What if I refuse all the cases?"
"That would be your prerogative, although I'm sure you realize that your talents might be able to save human lives. Unless that's not a concern for you?" He knew full well that if she knew she could help someone she would. "We can discuss compensation on a case-by-case basis as well."
"Compensation? You didn't offer to pay me when I found out Longshadow was stealing from you."
"I didn't have to, you were Bill's and I just had to command him and he had to obey. He could have offered to pay you, but that is for you two to discuss."
"Alright, I agree." she said with a sigh. "You can call me and I'll consider it." She started to turn.
"Term two." She stopped in midstep. "You sleep with me, once, no strings attached."
"I will do no such thing! Haven't you been listening to anything I said?"
"Of course, you said you didn't want a relationship. I'm not proposing a relationship, this is simply sex."
"I don't have 'simply sex'. I have to feel something, other than loathing, to sleep with someone."
"You have a counterproposal?" He raised his eyebrows innocently. She could tell he was enjoying this.
"You could jump off a cliff." She suggested venomously.
He chuckled, "That would be possible, but since I can fly I doubt it would be entirely satisfactory to you, though I am sure my first proposal would prove to be." When she didn't reply he leaned forward. "Let me give you my final offer, one kiss."
"Eric..." Sookie began, fatigued by all this banter.
"As I said, that is my final offer. One kiss and you are a free agent, otherwise you remain at my beck and call." His face was smug, either way he had her and he knew it.
She sighed, if it would get her out of this office and give her some control in her life it seemed like a small price to pay. "A few stipulations. No hands and no biting. And it goes no further than a kiss." She crossed her arms to try to appear more in control.
He was up from his desk and in front of her in a blur. "May I negotiate one hand here," his hand returned to the side of her face, "and just a small taste?" His fangs were back out.
Sookie tried to keep her tone business-like fighting the feelings his touch was arousing. "Alright, my final offer, hand yes, taste definitely no. And when I say it is done it is done."
"Agreed." His lips were on hers before she could even nod her agreement. Immediately the passion flamed within her. His mouth expertly played with hers and her lips responded of their own volition, parting and letting his tongue slip in where it worked some magic that made her weak in the knees so that her body collapsed against his. She had to grab his waist to support herself.
She lost herself in the kiss as it went on, there was a heat building in her core, her mind was shutting down letting her passion take over. Her body started to move against his as her erogenous zones begged for the same attention as her mouth. Her breasts rubbed against the bottom of his ribs, and she could feel the obvious sign on his arousal against her stomach. A small alarm went off in her head but the overwhelming need of her body muffled it.
Then suddenly his mouth was gone and his hands gripped her shoulders holding her up and away.
"Well Miss Stackhouse, I do appreciate the enthusiasm with which you uphold a bargain, but I am afraid we are in danger of breaking the terms you laid forth." His voice was husky and the hunger and passion in his eyes scared her. The fear doused the fire within and her disgust at her wantonness flooded her cheeks with color. "Unless you wanted to go back to my initial offer."
She knew he was testing her resolve and she was determined not to fail herself again. She got her feet fully under her and worked to slow her breathing. "No." her voice just a shaky whisper, she cleared her throat and continued. "I think we should stick to our agreed upon terms." She picked up the check from the desk and her purse, fumbling with the latch on it.
She was aware that he hadn't moved other than to drop his arms to his sides. She was trying to think of something to say, to thank him for stopping it when she could not, but she was at a loss.
"Sookie," his voice was taut and when she turned to face him she saw that the hunger and passion were still there and his whole body was rigid.
"Eric?" Her own voice was tinged with panic.
"You must leave now." She realized he was not making eye contact, but was staring at her neck.
She gulped and started toward the door, keeping him in sight the whole while. As she reached for the doorknob she mumbled, "Thank you Eric." She slipped through the door and pulled it shut behind her. She didn't pause in the hall but high-tailed it straight out of the club.
Pam was still at the door. "Business concluded?" she asked in her sarcastic drawl.
"Yes, yes it is, thank you Pam." Sookie rattled out nervously. "Well, goodnight." she turned to go, only to find Pam in front of her again.
"Your lipstick's smudged, right here." The vampire raised a finger to the side of Sookie's mouth and traced its outline. Then she was back at her post once again, a knowing gleam in her eyes.