Don't: Season 4
By: sleepy lotus
Summary: In the same spirit of an earlier collection of oneshots written for the episodes of season 3. Rewrites of Eric/Sookie scenes that provide a bit more substance, even if they would be plot killers… Enjoy!
Episode 1, 2: Consider This
"Its so gratifying when reality matches a man's wildest imagination."
Sookie gasped, scrambling clumsily to cover herself with the pink nightgown, turning to find none other than Eric Northman in her bedroom, standing tall and handsome in a black t-shirt and dark jeans, her pastel terrycloth robe clutched as a captured animal in one large paw. He gazed upon her hungrily, and she fought the urge to dart as a rabbit in the presence of a wolf.
"Eric, how dare you?" she demanded hotly.
"You're the most beautiful thing this side of the Mississippi, Sookie. Why would you want to hide from me?"
Furious, Sookie narrowed her eyes at the vampire sheriff, incensed by his smirk and his brazen entry to her chambers, his complete and utter lack of regard for her privacy. Courage, Sook, she urged herself, and gathering her wits about her, she regained control of her limbs. The telepath turned slowly, and not without malice granted Eric an unhindered view of the backside that captivated a great many of his fantasies of her. The curves of her torso were of such a tempting hourglass, a tapered waist and swell of hips he longed to place hands upon. She knew this, and flaunted them perhaps dangerously.
Slowly she pulled on the nightgown, and stepped into a pair of lace panties, pulling them over her hips with an exaggerated delicacy.
"No need for those," remarked the Sheriff.
Sookie turned to regard him over her shoulder, eyes shifting from beneath long lashes. "Because I rescind my invitation?" she asked hopefully, praying to invoke that certain brand of magic that would force an unwelcome vampire from her dwelling.
But nothing happened, the Viking standing proud as ever, a little more amused than a few seconds before.
She had a feeling she knew why, and Eric only confirmed her fears, pulling a set of keys from his pocket. "Ah ah, Sookie. This is my property now."
"You bought my house."
"I couldn't resist the opportunity, as it were."
"That's a little desperate, don't you think?"
Suddenly Eric appeared not inches from her, causing Sookie to start. "I think you should thank me." He dangled the keys before her, and she couldn't help but reach for them, as a cat with a toy.
Naturally, he wouldn't let it go so easily, quickly holding them high above her head with a toothsome grin. The flash of teeth, so handsome, so near, sent Sookie's pulse to gallop. Sensing the sudden change in her, Eric's gaze rested upon the exquisitely throbbing pulse in her throat momentarily, before rising back to her eyes.
"I've lost a year of my life, and my house besides. Why should I be thanking you?"
"It was your good for nothing brother, strapped for cash as always, who was so determined to sell, Sookie. I purchased it for safekeeping, because as I said before, I never gave up on you. I knew you would return, to me." As a hand rose to caress the side of her face, it took everything she had not to lean into him, not to melt for his slightest suggestion.
She felt raw inside, all she'd known torn asunder, and the strong pillar that was Eric Northman looked a mighty fine thing to lean upon at that moment.
She also knew he was manipulating her to want just that, and thus she refused to give in.
"Then you will let me buy it back."
"With what?"
The fact that he simply knew she hadn't the money stung, just a little.
"Surely Jason has something left over from the sale. We could start with that, and work something out. You've obviously made some improvements that deserve compensation as well…"
"A few," snarked Eric. The list of critical repairs needing attention had run long as his arm, and Sookie gazed up the length of said appendage longingly, eyes fixed upon the golden keys glinting with promise in the low light.
"Please, Eric?" She extended a hand once more for the keys, but the vampire remained still as a statue, as only the undead can. Only the heat in his eyes upon her betrayed something quite alive animated the beautiful body before her.
"Let's discuss compensation," he suggested, leaning closer still. "I liked that part." The keys disappeared into his pocket once more, and suddenly Sookie found herself pressed into the wall, sculpted arms planted upon either side of her. Of their own accord her eyes roved over their shape, the perfect curves of his muscles, and an involuntary moment passed in which she imagined them around her, pulling her close, not letting go. Sookie bit her lip with the thought, and the gesture did not escape the vampire's all too observant stare.
"I won't be your whore, Eric Northman. Not even to regain ownership of my ancestral home, and I hope you know that about me by now."
The vampire's lips curled with distaste at the very word, whore, and Sookie watched him with a certain and sudden puzzlement.
Eric fingered a lock of Sookies' hair fallen over her shoulder, curling the flaxen tress about his pinkie. The expression upon his face shifted to something almost tender, and the telepath reeled for it. "My desires run to a bond far more sacred than sex for material wealth, with you, my lover."
Once more, the telepath's pulse skipped a beat, as a hand that could tear bone from ligament traced the veins across her chest with a feather light touch, coming to rest above her heart. "What are you talking about?"
"You're going to need protection, Sookie. You smell so sweet, and you taste of sunshine itself, such a wondrous medley. Vampires, and others, are going to find out what you are. I would do my best to protect you from them, but it would be made easier for both of us, if you would be mine."
Mine. Such a small word to inspire such mixed feelings of trepidation and titillation.
"You mean, if I would just let you feed from me and fuck me whenever you want," sighed Sookie, casting her eyes to the ceiling, desperate to look anywhere but the blue orbs looking upon her, into her, with such electrifying intensity.
Eric, however, would have none of it, fingers twining in her hair at the base of her neck, turning her gaze to meet his once more. "What I want is to share everything with you. The life in our blood and the love and pleasure in our bodies. Don't cheapen it because you're afraid."
"Sorry if I just find the thought really fucking terrifying."
"I can see how the thought could seem overwhelming, after only just returning. But you must act defensively, in your best interests. These are the lessons of a survivor. I have a little practice in the matter, if you haven't noticed."
She expected him to look upon her tauntingly, when finally she gathered the courage to meet his gaze.
Instead she found an alarming sincerity, and she knew not what to make of it, catching her completely off guard.
"It felt like I'd only been gone fifteen minutes, Eric. I went to the Faery realm, and they accused me of breaching their world with a vampire, but I escaped…they might be after me too now," Sookie confessed in a moment of weakness. A wave of fear rose in her - when would she ever know peace again? No longer fear for her life?
She doubted even Eric could truly grant this for her, and yet in that moment his offer of protection tempted as the serpent's whisper to Eve.
This new piece of news caused Eric's brow to furrow, a display of concern nearly human in its animation. "There's something else, Sookie. Bill is King now. He has a considerable increase in resources than before."
In his fascination with her mouth, Eric watched transfixed as it fell open into a surprised O for a moment, before returning to a grim line.
"So you're saying he has more resources to manipulate me with? Sounds familiar." She scrambled to throw back up her walls, double the guard, painfully aware that the vampire before her might have already slipped inside without her knowing.
The first signs of Eric's frustration surfaced, a low growl rumbling deep in his chest, and Sookie hated the way that sound simultaneously stimulated fear and desire within her, a confusing medley she could hardly make heads or tails of. "I'm offering you a choice, Sookie. They will just take you. Someone will, maybe someone you don't like so much."
"You're assuming I like you."
Eric smiled, an infuriating curl of well-formed lips. And she froze as he brushed her nose with his, a disarmingly gentle gesture. "You do like me," he whispered against her skin, lips pressing behind her ear. Knees weak, Sookie reached out for something, anything, to steady herself with, but only found Eric's solid torso before her.
"No." His lips traveled downwards, next caressing her pulse, the curve of her neck, the hollow of a collarbone. Her fists clenched in the fabric of his shirt, even as she protested, "Don't."
"You want this." A large hand skimmed down the curve of her waist, the swell of her hip, to gently squeeze the flesh of her thigh. As his fingertips breached the lace hem of her nightgown a cry escaped her, her hand flying down to cover his.
"Eric, wait."
Eric wait rang slightly different than Eric stop, and intrigued, the vampire went into stillness, watching Sookie with an intensity that set her blood to boil. The sound of her heart pounding frantically against her ribcage fired his hunter's instincts, and he could not remember the last time he wanted anything, human or otherwise, so very much.
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, she reasoned. If she'd learned anything from the vampires, if she were to skip down the road to perdition, at the very least it should be to her advantage? She'd said she wouldn't give her body for this house, but the betrayal of Gran and all those Stackhouses who had dwelt here before her, put their sweat and blood into this homestead weighed upon her as a load stones. She wanted to reach into Eric's pocket and snatch away those keys more than anything, but she knew the problem couldn't be solved so easily. There would be papers to sign, legalities and formalities.
Sookie clasped Eric's hand in hers, leading him to the bed, where gently she pushed him to sit. Now, they were eye to eye, and Eric sensed something changed in Sookie, as she stepped into the cradle of his long legs, tentative hands sliding over his shoulders.
A war raged inside her, unfamiliar calculation fighting against her sweet, truthful nature.
The next order of business in a seduction would seem to be a kiss, but as Sookie raised her hands to cradle Eric's face, she found all she could do was trace the lines of his features with fascination. A visage that had not changed in all its terrible beauty in a thousand years, eyes that had beheld so much of this vast world and yet for some reason, were now fixed hungrily upon her.
The pad of her index finger traced the noble line of his brow, his nose, and a thumb tested the softness of his lips. She had a small inkling of what it could be capable of, when not spouting innuendo meant to enrage, a pastime he excelled at far too well.
Yet a sudden weakness overcame her, a shudder, at the thought of what such a deal with the devil would entail. Sharing her blood, her body, as simply business. There would be a physical pleasure in it for them both, perhaps, but also emptiness.
And if she truly thought him to be a devil, it would have been easy to turn him away. A simple Get thee behind me would suffice, and life could go on without him. It was the fact that seeing Eric with Godric made her wonder if he could be capable of real love, that kept her coming back. Kept her wondering, kept her awake at night.
She realized at that moment that his love was what she truly wanted, and she could have wept in that moment for the certainty that he would never truly grant it. She wanted to be cherished, respected, valued. She wanted to return these things in full. Sookie realized this was her truest heart's desire, down to the marrow of her bones, and a single tear escaped her for the fatalistic certainty that it would forever remain fulfilled.
Eric's excitement died as such a wave of sorrow reached him through their faintly remaining bond. And this in itself surprised him. Usually he would pounce on the opportunity to have her in his arms, grab her up, take what he wanted. He realized then that a tearful, frightened Sookie was not something he would settle for. Eric desired her in a way that was nearly alien to him.
Both began to speak at the same time, quietly expressing, "I want-"
And both paused, regarding each other guardedly.
Finally, it was Eric that spoke once more. "Take my blood tonight, Sookie. I have a feeling the rest…will come." He had a feeling it would strike them with the force of a tsunami, and he feared it as much as he craved.
She wondered if he was the mind reader now.
"What if it doesn't?"
"Then at least you'll be safe. You have my word on that."
"And what if the blood makes it a lie? I don't think I can take anymore illusion, Eric," she proclaimed quietly, fists clenched. "I want something real. I want it so fiercely I could scream." Inside, she felt torn between the former action or weeping, the perils of her life and the loneliness of the universe hovering just outside her window, it seemed. Instead she clamped down upon her fear, and stood trembling before the vampire, eyes clamped shut so he could not see the wildness in them.
Soothing hands traveled over her bare arms, Eric calming her as one would a nervous filly ready to bolt. Sookie sighed as his hands slid into her hair once more, holding her head gently. "This isreal," he assured her, and at long last drew her lips to meet his in a gentle yet torrid kiss. Slowly his tongue entered her mouth, a languid exploration that sent a thrill to her core. When a groan escaped her, small hands sliding over his shoulders once more, Eric took it as a sign of her enjoyment. Suddenly she found herself upon the bed, Eric leaning over her, still kissing her maddeningly. A wandering mitt remained upon her waist, tracing small circles over her stomach. She'd always imagined that if things went this far with the vampire that he wouldn't be stopped, that finally he would have his way.
But strangely Eric seemed content to bide his time.
When he nicked his own tongue upon a fang, Sookie did not protest, the sweet taste of him a delicacy in her mouth. The magic of the blood filled her with strength, electricity, a shining power so different from the first time he'd tricked her into imbibing. For the first time in ages she felt capable of handling whatever may come her way, and she wondered if this intoxicating confidence could possibly last.
It was Eric who drew back with a gasp, not wanting to overcook his little fey. Blue eyes stared down in wonder as he noticed her skin began to glow, the faintest shimmer, almost a trick of the light…but no. It came from within, her essential spark flaring bright for all to see.
For him to see, he thought possessively, wondering how it could be his blood that brought this fey magic forth in her.
He looked forward to finding out.
Sookie lifted a hand, staring on in bewilderment as it appeared she'd been powdered with gold dust. Her fingernails shone lustrous as glass, glinting in the lamplight.
"Beautiful."
Sookie's attention turned back to the vampire, who regarded her with equal parts hunger and fascination.
She thought back on the quick oath she'd made to the fairy queen, promising she would have nothing more to do with the fanged ones. Didn't take her long to break that, she mused with a small chuckle.
Eric inclined his head interestedly, curious of her mirth. But she only answered, "You are entirely too persuasive, Eric Northman. I think you should go now."
The vampire pouted, but rose from his place upon the bed. "Does this mean you accept my offer, Sookie?"
The telepath closed her eyes once more, fearing that caught in the net of that intense blue stare, she would have no choice but to agree. "Not exactly," she answered. "This means… I will consider it."
A small, triumphant smile tugged at the corner of Eric's mouth. Soon, she would be his. He could nearly taste the certainty of it, and for that, he could be patient just a little longer. "Then I will see you soon, Ms. Stackhouse."
His lips found hers briefly once more, but as Sookie reached for him she grasped only air, the curtain rustling in the vampire's wake. The telepath stared at the place where he'd just been, touched her lips, slightly swollen from his kisses.
Already, she ached for him, and for the first time in a long time, she felt as though she'd finally made a good decision, just for her.
A/N: Ah, it feels so good to be writing again… hope you enjoyed it as much as me! Haha. Thanks everyone!