I'm not going to say much here because I don't want ruin the surprise of the first chapter. Enjoy and thanks a ton to my beta RubySun03 for all her help!
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to the lovely Charlaine Harris. I just borrow her characters to play with for a bit.
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I sat out on my porch, enjoying the warmth of a Louisiana summer night. I had just gotten off work a little while ago. After grabbing a shower and a bite to eat, I settled myself down on one of the rockers. Eric wasn't home yet, as indicated by the empty parking area. It was around one, so he'd be home in about an hour or so.
We'd been together now for nearly a year and a half. I had finally separated the influence of the bond I shared with Eric from my true feelings for him. I'd come to realize that the bond only enhanced what I felt for him. And that was love, with other feelings thrown in the mix of course. But I truly loved him and he loved me. So four months ago we made it official. Eric proposed on our one year anniversary, and not even a week later he had whisked me away to New Hampshire for a long weekend. There were still only a handful of states that recognized vamp-human marriage. Louisiana wasn't one of them.
It was the first time I had ever visited the Northeast. The landscape was beautiful. Our hotel, which was more like a bed and breakfast, sat right by a crystal clear lake. I had dipped my toes in the chilly water while sitting on one of the docks. We were surrounded by tall pine and evergreen trees. The air was crisp and clean. We held the wedding at a small, white chapel that sat at the base of a ginormous mountain. An old brass bell hung in the steeple. The interior was just as beautiful as the landscape outside. Cream colored walls with golden trim and wondrous stained glass decorated the inside. It was a small ceremony, but with all of the traditional trimmings. It was a twilight wedding, of course. I had a snowy white dress, with intricate embroidering and eyelet design. A gorgeous bouquet of white and red roses accented my dress.
Our guest list was pretty short. The only human who was invited was Tara, but she couldn't make it. JB's mother was ill and they didn't have anyone to watch over their little one, who had been less than a year old at the time. But Jason was there for me as my only family and he walked me down the aisle. Pam and Amelia were our witnesses. Other guests included Sam and even Eric's sire, Appius Livius Ocella, who popped in for an hour or two to congratulate us as well. It was the first time I'd ever met him. He was quite intimidating, but I suppose he was somewhat like Eric, once you got to know him, he wasn't too bad. Or he could be that formidable, who's to say. I know I can't.
I had wondered if my great-grandfather knew I had gotten married. I'd like to believe he did, but I will never know for sure. Claude, my fae cousin who I'd assumed elected to stay in our world when my Great-grandfather closed the portals, didn't show up. Not that I expected him to. We had never really been that close and I hadn't seen him since that one day on my porch.
After our ceremony we had a small reception in the dining room of the hotel. Afterward, Eric and I retreated to the honeymoon suite. No sooner was the door closed, then my lovely wedding dress was in a pile on the ground. Eric's tuxedo didn't last very long either. All I can say is, married hanky-panky is even better than I ever thought it would be.
The long night was wearing on me, so I finished reminiscing and headed back inside. Eric wasn't home yet, but I recalled him saying he was going to have a late night at work. I went into the spare bedroom and again moved all of the things out of the closet. Bending down, I pulled the trap door up so it would be ready for Eric in the early morning.
Eric had insisted that we move into his house in Shreveport, but I wouldn't have it. I couldn't leave my house. I knew Jason wouldn't want to move back here, so if we did move the house would have to be sold. Gran would have turned in her grave if I had let the family home be sold. I think she'd haunt me forever if I were to let it happen. It's been in our family for more than a hundred and fifty years now and it was going to stay that way. I drilled that fact into Eric's sometimes thick head. Anyhow, I had to make some compromises in order to stay in my house. Eric wanted to add another addition to it as well as make the master bedroom lightproof and a bit bigger. He had no interest in resting in the little hidey hole that Bill had built. And so a week after we came back from New Hampshire, there were contractors out to the house. For the duration of the construction, we'd had to sleep upstairs. Thankfully, I still had the box air conditioner Amelia had bought up there. With the help of Jason, I moved all the furniture to the upstairs bedroom.
For weeks now, there had been six or seven men working on the master bedroom at any given time. Eric wanted to redo the bathroom and put in central air as well, but I had to draw the line somewhere. I don't mind change, but I prefer gradual change. I was altering a house that hadn't been remodeled in at least fifty years. The house that had always looked the same my entire life. I told Eric that project would have to wait until the following summer. The whole process had been a bit overwhelming. But, I kept telling myself that it was a stepping stone for our new life together. That little notion didn't help when I found out that the project would take longer than expected. Thankfully though, they'd now moved on to the addition. It was going to be Eric's office. But, it would be another month or so until everything was completely finished. That meant, the walls needed to be painted and wallpapered, the wood floors re-paneled, and all the debris cleaned up. It was going to be a long month.
I left the spare bedroom and headed into my bathroom. I went in, washed my face,and brushed my teeth and hair. When I'd finished my nightly bathroom rituals, I went upstairs and changed into a comfy but cute nightie and slid under the cool crisp sheets. Snuggling in, I got comfortable and sent a goodnight text to Eric, 'Going to bed. See you tomorrow.'
Eric called back within a few seconds, "Goodnight lover. I have a surprise for you in the morning."
"Oh, well I can't wait to find out what it is," I said excitedly.
"Sleep well." Eric replied, his voice serene, "Love you."
"Love you too," I hung up and set my phone on the nightstand.
Sometime much later, I felt Eric slip into bed. I mumbled a "hello" before falling back into my deep sleep.
The following morning I awoke with the feeling that something was slightly off. My mind was still groggy, but I knew Eric's kiss when I felt it. Hmm, it must be earlier than I thought. Eric deepened the kiss as he rolled over on top of me. He pulled my unwanted garment over my head and tossed it away. Eric knew me well, and knew what my body liked even more. Sex was most definitely one of them. He kissed his way down my neck and stopped at my breasts. Nipping and sucking, Eric was painstakingly deliberate in his attentions. His lips left my breasts and were soon kissing and teasing my inner thighs on their way to even more pleasurable endeavors. Soon his silky tongue was wrapped around my nub, tugging at it slightly. I jerked as the first waves of pleasure rippled through my body. His tongue slipped inside of me and I was soon seeing stars.
Eric kissed his way back up my torso and reached my lips. I wrapped my fingers around the edge of his silky boxers, and in one quick motion they were gone. Slowly I glided my hand over his manhood which Eric enjoyed, as indicated by his long moan. I continued to reciprocate the intense pleasure he had given me. However, Eric stopped me as he positioned himself in front of me. He crashed his lips onto mine and claimed me. Even though I knew to expect his size by now, I still gave a gasp whenever I felt him first inside me. We locked eyes, as he pulled out, only to immediately thrust back in again. I moaned a little louder and dug my nails deep into his back every time Eric reentered. He slowed his pace, drawing out each movement. I was teetering on the edge of pure ecstasy. Eric was too. And with one more thrust, I was screaming Eric's name as I reached the peak of bliss. Eric's climax came not a minute after, all the while grunting something in his archaic tongue. I waited for him to bite me, but his fangs never pierced my skin.
We disentangled ourselves and I rolled over on my stomach. Eric propped his head up with his arm as he lay on his side. He gave me sly smile.
"Why didn't you bite me?" I asked, still surprised.
"Are you upset I didn't?" he replied.
I shook my head, "No, it's just weird that you didn't. That's all."
Eric merely shrugged. I looked over to the little digital alarm clock that sat on the nightstand. Much to my distress, it read 9:24 AM. I couldn't believe I didn't realize how late it was. I sat up quickly, my heart racing. Eric watched my jostling with puzzlement. It was mid-morning already and the sun was fully up. Thankfully, my curtains were drawn, but it was still dangerous for Eric to be out. Even the smallest ray could cause long-lasting injuries.
"It's morning! Get up so I can get you in the hidey hole!" I shouted frantically, images of Rhodes replaying in my mind.
"Not today," he replied, looking quite calm.
"What do you mean, 'not today'?" I asked, lost.
Eric stretched with a big ol' smirk on his face, "Today the sun won't harm me, because for today, I am human."
He said it like he was telling me his address. I sat there with my mouth agape. He grinned, quite pleased with himself, "Surprise."
"How?" I asked, unable to form a more complex question.
"I appealed to several witch allies and they were able to cast a spell. I didn't think it was entirely possible. I severely underestimated them," Eric explained.
Amelia would not like to hear of that. I'd have to call her and ask her about this, but that was for a different time and place. My focus back on what was going on right now.
"Why? I mean, I'm sure the...ah procedure was dangerous to some extent," I said.
"It was," Eric said frankly, "But, I remembered that you said you would never be able to wake up with me in the morning," he paused and kissed me softly, "I knew it would make you happy and I want to make you happy."
I started to get choked up and the tears began to fall. I was so overwhelmed with happiness and touched that Eric would do this for me. I continued to sob my tears of joy. Eric looked concerned upon seeing me weeping. Being human meant we didn't have a blood bond, and without it, he was unsure of what I felt.
"Have I don't something wrong?"
"No, no...far from wrong," I sniffled, "You've given me a lot of wonderful gifts over the years, but this is by far the best."
"I'm honored I could bring such joy to you," Eric said softly as he caressed my cheek.
"So how long will you be human for exactly?" I asked, wiping my eyes.
Eric pulled me into his arms, "Until dusk."
"And then one minute you're human and the next you're not?"
"No, it takes longer than that. This type of spell is kind of vague, but the witches said I won't change back prematurely," Eric assured me, "But, around dusk I'll have to go to sleep because the transition takes a full day."
"That's good," I replied.
I laid my head on his bare chest, listening contently to his heart beat and watching his chest rise and fall with each breath. Eric kept me close in a warm embrace, as he mindlessly drew little designs on my back with his fingers. Every now and again, Eric would place a light kiss on my forehead. He then let go of me and got out of bed. With some caution in his step, he approached the window. Eric drew the curtains open, baring it all to my back yard. I'm glad I don't have any neighbors that live close by. He squinted his eyes in the morning sun, but still basked in the warm light. He sighed contently.
"I forgot how brilliant the colors are," he murmured, "So vivid."
"Well yeah, as a vampire the sun is like your mortal enemy," I replied.
"As a mortal right now, the sun is far from my enemy," Eric grinned.
He came back over to the bed and kissed me lightly on the lips.
"I want to go outside," he said, excitement in his voice.
"Let's go then," I replied.
Eric sprinted out of the room still in the buff. I quickly grabbed a tank top and as I ran down the steps I pulled my shorts up. While I passed through the kitchen I noticed on the calendar that it was the first day of summer. I wondered momentarily if Eric had planned it so we'd have the longest day of the year together. I didn't doubt that he did. We ran out through the back porch, the door slamming behind us. Eric held my hand in his as we trotted barefoot over the warm ground. He inhaled deeply before giving me a brilliant smile. The sweet aroma of dahlia, roses, calla lilies danced through the air. The familiar scent of lavender mixed in the fragrant breeze. It was a beautiful, but typically hot and humid day. I could feel the sweat beading on my nose and the back of my neck. Eric's body glistened in the balmy sun. He didn't seem to mind though. He looked around as if he'd never been in my backyard before. And it was true, it looked completely different at night.
We walked around the property. Eric admired all of the flowers around the house. He periodically stopped and inspected a flower bed. They were Gran's pride and joy and I was very diligent with their upkeep. Bright red roses and huge hummingbird plants were scattered throughout the garden. We crossed through the woods that connected my house to the cemetery and Bill's house. It was significantly cooler here, which was a nice break from the hot sun. Our feet dragged along in the dark, soft dirt causing it to get stuck between our toes. Eric's head turned left and right, absorbing the raw nature around him. I noticed that he had gotten a bit of sun on the tops of his shoulders. It wasn't much, but it was just odd to see Eric with a sunburn.
Tired from walking, we ended up under a particularly shady patch in the woods. Eric's arm was loosely slung around me.
"I'm sure you've thought about this," Eric began, "So, what have you wanted to do with me during the day that you couldn't before?"
"Well, we can't go out and about, since you're well known around here," I said, "But, I didn't want us to go out to a movie or something like that anyway. We can do that whenever. I don't know, I just wanted to do silly things like wake up with you next to me and sit on the couch and watch tv. I really wanted to see what you looked like in the daylight. I never expected to do any of it, but I would dream I could. I didn't think even in my wildest imagination that you'd become human."
"I can assure you Sookie, you're not dreaming," he said as he kissed me.
I deepened our kiss as Eric's hands worked on the button of my shorts. He worked them off, as he kissed me harder. My tank top soon joined my shorts somewhere off in the woods. Eric kissed his way down the middle of my chest. He took my hard nipple into his mouth and bit it slightly. I let out a little moan. His lips didn't linger long, they were soon on top of mine again. I gasped into the kiss when I felt his long fingers slide into me. They glided faster and faster, in and out with ease. His fingers were soon replaced by his manhood in one fluid motion. I was already close when Eric entered me. A few torturously drawn out thrusts later and I was seeing flying colors.
He kept going, his speed picking up. I moaned louder and louder with each reentry. I could feel Eric was close. I was too. He whispered sweet nothings in a twist of English and old Swedish. I'd come to know what some of them meant. We kissed feverishly. With another thrust, I was riding an intense wave of pleasure. Eric came to his climax while I was still feeling the aftershocks.
"You're beautiful, Sookie," Eric said softly.
"You're not too bad yourself," I said with a grin.
Eric laughed, "I love you."
"I love you too," I replied.
I sat up, dirt covered. Outside, middle-of-the-day sex was one of our more interesting escapades. Eric kissed me, trying to pull me back down. I laughed, but I pulled him up instead and we both stood up. I looked around for my clothes. They were a couple yards away. I dressed, sort of. My clothes were on, but that was about it. Nothing buttoned or zipped. We made our way, hand-in-hand, back to the house. I was careful to not track dirt in. Eric was too.
And into the shower we went. Letting the warm water run over us, I ran a soapy hand over Eric's chest and down his torso. He worked his fingers through my hair with the sweet smelling shampoo. We took longer in the shower than I thought we would, but I came out thoroughly clean, as did Eric. After drying each other off with big fluffy towels, we stood in the bathroom kissing, the towels wrapped around our bodies.
Eric's stomach growled. He looked surprised to hear the noise. But, he hadn't forgotten it, "I must be hungry."
"Well, I have a thousand years of culinary innovation to catch you up on," I grinned.
I threw on a floral printed sundress. Eric decided to just go with jeans. After dressing, we headed downstairs. I sat Eric down at the kitchen table and headed over to the fridge. I poured us some iced tea. I set the glass in front of Eric and explained that he might want to add sugar to it. He nodded and took a sip. I then gave him a taste from my glass, since I like my tea sweet. After a moment of deliberation, Eric determined he liked his tea unsweetened.
"That is too sweet," Eric said, a little disgusted.
"That's how we make it in the South," I shrugged, "Why don't you try a Coke. They're in the fridge."
He gazed into the fridge and soon pulled out a can of Coke. Eric's inner foodie was coming out. I heard the familiar gush of carbonated air escaping the can. I watched from the stove as Eric took his first sip of soda. I couldn't help but laugh at the face he made. He grimaced slightly with distaste. It must've been the carbonation and the acidity of the soda. Eric set the can down with a loud clunk.
"I take it you're not a fan," I commented.
"No...," Eric said, smacking his lips, "There are bubbles and they're exploding. It's very weird."
"It's the carbonation," I said.
"I'll stick with the unsweetened tea," Eric said decisively.
"I'll give you coffee to try later," I said.
Eric nodded, "I've heard it's good."
"Well, like everything else that depends on who you hear it from," I replied.
I pulled Gran's cookbook out of the little shelf unit she had in the corner of the kitchen. It was part of a wedding present from her sister. In the margins were Gran's additions and alterations to the recipes. And stuck between the pages were slips of paper of additional recipes. It was well used and stained and I cherished it. I flipped through the pages, trying to figure out what to make Eric. Normally, for lunch I'd just make a sandwich. But, PB and J wouldn't cut it today. Eric needed to experience Southern cooking at its finest. Of course, at its finest would have been if Gran made the dish. My kitchen magic is pretty darn good though. It helps that I follow directions well too, but, I'm no Paula Deen that's for sure.
I picked out some of my favorite dishes that Gran would make. Her biscuits were legendary and were just to die for. I would always try to sneak one, but Gran always knew. I double checked to make sure I had all the ingredients on hand for what I wanted to prepare. Thankfully, I did. I slung an apron over my neck and got down to business. Pulling out all of the ingredients, I got to mixing, stirring, and chopping. I had all of the burners going and the oven on. The chicken sizzled in the oil, while the greens boiled in the pot next to it. I ran from the counter to the stove to the sink and then back to the stove. Eric's eyes followed me around the kitchen. A grin played across his face as he watched me with amusement.
"Are you like this often when you cook?" he asked, sipping his tea.
"No, not at all," I chuckled, "I don't usually take so much time for the little details. But today I want it to be perfect."
"I wouldn't know the difference," Eric pointed out.
"True, but I would," I replied.
Eric got up from his seat and peered over my shoulder, "What are you making?"
"Gran's own fried chicken, greens, and biscuits. They're some of my favorites," I said, as I flipped the crispy golden chicken.
"It smells delicious," he said after a deep breath.
"I'm almost done," I told him.
"Take your time," he replied.
Eric continued to poke around the kitchen while I finished up. Plating the food, he came back over to the table. I topped off our glasses, before settling down to eat. Eric picked up the fork and knife, looking a little confused.
"You don't need to use a fork and knife for this," I said.
"Oh, good because I never used them before," Eric replied, relieved.
He picked the chicken and took a bite. Eric chewed it carefully and as he did his eyes lit up. He grabbed the fork and stabbed some of the savory greens. I offered him some honey and molasses to put on the biscuit. Eric dipped his finger in both and decided he liked the honey more. Spreading it onto biscuit, he took a bite out of the flaky dough.
He was halfway done by the time I started eating. I had spent most of my time watching Eric eat, appreciating his hunger. And when I was finished, Eric had already helped himself to another plateful. We sat pleasantly full and content. He stood up and collected the plates. I got up and prepared the coffee pot for later. I could heard Eric washing the dishes while I filled the coffee filter. Setting the coffee pot to start in a few hours, I turned around and was greeted by a kiss.
"Thank you for lunch," he said, breaking the kiss.
"You're very welcome," I said happily.
"What do you do when you're home during the day?" Eric asked as we went into the living room.
I sat down on the couch, "Usually housework and laundry. That kind of stuff. But I'm not wasting this day on paying bills and cleaning the bathroom. When I'm not doing that, I like to sit outside and tan. Do a bit of reading and watch some tv. My life isn't that exciting during the day when I'm home. Well, for the most part. Sometimes Jason stops by for lunch or I go see Tara and the baby."
"Well, you could be sleeping all day like I am," Eric chuckled.
"True," I agreed.
"Can we go back outside?" Eric asked.
"Sure."
We left through the front door and headed around back again. I took Eric to the very end of the property line and through a bit of woods. We walked down a narrow path between the dense brush. We were completely shadowed by tall, deep green trees. Jason and I had found this place years ago when we were young. The dirt path led to a clearing and then to a large lake. Jason and Hoyt had built a small dock that they used to fish off of. The dock was attached to an outstretched arm of land into the lake. A dilapidated bench sat under the shaded part of the opening. Jason and Hoyt brought that out here too. Across the crystal lake was the actual dock and picnic area.
Eric walked up to the dock. I followed behind him. He was looking down at the still water and his reflection.
"I don't feel different," he said.
"What?"
"When you become a vampire, your personality undergoes a radical change," Eric continued, "Maybe I just don't remember my human self.
I thought for a moment, "Eric, you've been human for a day after being a vampire for over a thousand years. I wouldn't expect you to feel different. If you were human longer, then you'd notice a difference."
"Sookie you are quite prolific," Eric grinned.
We sat down on the weather worn dock, our feet sloshing in the cool water. The movements rippled across the placid lake.
"Would you care to go for a swim?" Eric asked after awhile.
"I'd love to," I replied.
Eric and I stood up. He unbuttoned his pants and pushed them down, revealing his dark blue boxers. I pulled my dress over my head. We walked to the very edge and with a big splash, Eric and I were submerged in the refreshing water. We soon resurfaced.
Most of the late afternoon was spent swimming. Our joyous laughter carried across the lake. I suspected it was around five when we climbed back onto the dock. We laid out on the warm planks, holding hands like teenagers in love for the first time, the sun drying up every bit of moisture left on our skin. Eric hummed with contentment, I felt the same. As the giant orange orb in the sky was slowly starting down, we dressed. Our walk back toward the house was a little bittersweet. The day was fleeting and Eric would soon be on his way to become a vampire again.
We were in the shower again, but we took far less time. I could tell Eric was a bit dejected as our day was coming to a close. But at the same time we were both very content and calm. Nevertheless, I was beyond happy.
"This has been a wonderful day," I sighed.
"It has," Eric agreed.
"I still can't believe you did this," I smiled.
Eric grinned, "Only for you."
It was around six when we got back into the kitchen. Dusk was coming soon. I didn't have enough time or ingredients to make a dinner anywhere as good as lunch was. So, I decided I would show Eric the other side of meal time, take out. I called in a pizza.
By the time the pizza arrived I had the table set out on the porch. We would eat and watch the sunset. I got Eric to try a sip of coffee. He enjoyed it immensely. I hoped the spell would counteract the effects of the caffeine since he had finished two cups already. I paid the delivery boy and took the pizza to the kitchen. Flipping open the box, I pulled two slices out. Eric took a bite and smiled as he chewed. He had three more slices after that. I had two. I collected the dishes and left them in the sink. I'd clean them after Eric went to sleep. We relocated to the living room.
Eric and I laid on the couch, I was resting partially on top of him. My head was on his chest. I would be able to listen to his heart beat for only a little while longer. I wasn't sad. No, not in the least. Just, selfish. It's not like Eric was leaving. I just wanted to be able to see him during the whole day. But I knew that wasn't going to happen, and so I enjoyed what was left of our day together.
"I must rest now," Eric said.
"I know."
We sat up and headed for the spare bedroom. I cleared out the closet and opened the trap door. Eric placed his warm lips on mine before sliding into the hidey hole.
"I love you," he said softly.
"Thank you for this amazing gift," I smiled, "I'll see you tomorrow night."
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I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Drop me a review if you'd like. I love hearing from you guys.
Some of you know this is a prequel to Love Child. But, it's not necessary to read it. Not that I would mind if you do. ;) It is the prequel after all.
Forever Is Never Forever.