Disclaimer: I don't own True Blood, Southern Vampire series, or any part thereof, etc etc. Enjoy!
What does a girl got to do for a little romance? A little sweetness and affection? Heck, I'd take a nice dinner and a snuggle on the couch, Sookie thought. She was no stranger to the loneliness of a Friday night when you're single and a telepathic social outcast, but her taste of romance and a relationship with Bill had been like a drug. She had gotten hooked on that feeling when your body fits perfectly into the curve of someone else's, the shiver-inducing feel of hot flesh on cold (in her case at least, as she had only ever dated a vampire).
Now she was single again, by her own choice she might add, and though she knew it was the best thing for her, she couldn't help feel more than a little lonely as she settled down on her sofa with a pint of Cherry Garcia and turned on the television. By the time she settled on an old black and white musical, she was feeling much better about everything. The ice cream was creamy and delicious and she wasn't the least worried about it traveling to her thighs, her soft but ratty, too short robe and flannel pajamas felt so warm and comfortable, and the movie was one of her favorites that she hadn't seen in awhile. A girl could get used to this, she thought.
After the movie, Sookie decided to continue to pamper herself. She fished out an old bottle of wine she kept in case of guests and opened the cork. She let the red wine aerate the way she had read about in a magazine to bring out the flavors while she padded into the bathroom and began to fill the tub with hot water. She added in some liquid bubbles from a bath set Tara had bought her for Christmas a few years back, which she had never gotten around to actually enjoying. While she waited for the tub to fill up, she shed her robe and the soft flannel pajamas beneath and looked into medicine cabinet mirror and examined the reflection that looked back at her. Her soft blonde waves cascaded down past her tan shoulders (barely tan, she thought, immediately deciding to take advantage of having more sunlight time now that she didn't have Bill anymore). She pulled her hair back into a ponytail to get a better look. Eyes look a little tired…skin could use some perking up, she thought with the harshness of all women allowing themselves too much time in front of a brightly lit mirror. She opened the medicine cabinet and took out a jar containing a seaweed mask (also a gift from Tara), and smeared the thick cream over her face.
She had just turned off the rushing water, the tub full of thick, foamy bubbles, when she heard a knock on the door that made her gasp. She froze for a moment trying to decide if she wanted to open it and reminding herself that she was naked. The knock repeated itself a bit more urgently and she shrugged her old robe onto her shoulders, tying it as she ran-walked to the front door, grimacing at how short the robe was when there was nothing underneath.
"Who is it," she asked as a matter of course, she had already begun unlatching the locks.
She didn't wait for an answer, which she regretted immediately when she saw Eric waiting on the porch, a smile she couldn't decode, but was sure it fell somewhere between smug, excited, and amused.
"What do you want, Eric?" Sookie asked, tugging at the hem of the robe, but only succeeding in pulling down the neckline as the length fell barely to mid-thigh.
"Don't you look delicious, Sookie," Eric purred. "But what on Earth is all over your face?"
"Oh, my gosh," Sookie cried, realizing she still had the mask on and berating herself for coming to the door at all in such a state.
"Geez, Eric, just come in," she said as she ran back towards the bathroom. "And stay in the living room, please."
She came back a few minutes later with fresh skin (she may have added a brush of mascara), and a t-shirt and Bon Temps High School sweat pants she had taken from her brother once. It wasn't exactly high fashion but it was a marked improvement from a few minutes earlier. Still, she could swear she saw a flicker of disappointment cross Eric's face when she returned to the living room.
"You could try calling sometime, you know. It's not exactly good manners to just show up on someone's doorstep. I had plans you know."
"Clearly," he added amused, remembering the creamy mask and short robe he knew she had been naked beneath.
Sookie rolled her eyes and, remembering her own manners, offered Eric a True Blood, immediately wondering if she even had any left.
"No, thank you," Eric answered, frowning at the thought of the metallic bottled substitute.
Relieved, Sookie got down to business. "Why exactly are you here, Eric? I was kind of hoping for a hiatus from your world, if you don't mind."
"I came to offer myself for your entertainment." He added a moment later, almost as an afterthought, which it certainly was not, "And your pleasure."
"Eric, this really isn't—"
"This is exactly the time. You could use a fun night out, and I'm just the man to provide it. Now, as mouthwatering as you looked a few minutes ago, why don't you go put on something a little less comfortable? We have reservations at 10:30."
"Reservations? Eric, I don't want to go anywhere, in case you haven't noticed, this was supposed to be a relaxing night for me. A sweat pants and bubble bath kind of night."
Eric inhaled slightly at her last words. "You're bath is ready, Lover. I'd be happy to help you enjoy it."
"Eric! I don't want you here; I just want to relax. You vampires literally have no idea how to read social clues, do you?"
Eric retained his cocky smile and walked towards Sookie, not stopping until he was a mere inch away, completely invading her personal space. Sookie felt her breath catch and her hips rolled forward involuntarily and imperceptibly (to anyone other than a vampire completely tuned in to her every movement).
"Relax, Lover, I'm fine staying here instead. Dinner is obviously rather unimportant to me," he said, his voice husky and sounding like pure sex.
Snapping out of her reverie, Sookie gave a sigh of defeat and gave in to the whims of the 1,000 year old Viking vampire.
"Fine, I'll go get changed."
Eric looked truly disappointed as she stepped away from him and walked back towards her bedroom to change.
She dabbed on some light makeup while she drained the tub, then went to her closet to find a dress. She settled on a simple (classic) little black dress with a deep v-neck. She didn't have a bra that would work with that neckline so she decided to forego it and slipped on a pair of simple white silk panties. She brushed a pretty clip Gran had given her through her hair, clipping back hair from one side of her face and letting the rest of her waves hang loose. She slipped on a pair of black heels and gave herself one last look.
Big difference from a half hour ago. Not bad, Stackhouse, not bad at all, she thought. She knew she looked good and was rather pleased with herself. She dabbed a little perfume on her wrists and her cleavage, avoiding her neck because she knew vampires hated the taste of perfume on the neck. Not that she planned on letting anyone, especially Northman, near her neck, but still. She knew already never to underestimate Eric. He had already wheedled his way into her home and her evening's plans.
She stepped out of her bedroom and walked back towards the living room where Eric was sitting perfectly still, his eyes closed. He inhaled softly as she walked towards him. When he opened his eyes they were instantly full of lust.
"Sookie," he said. "You look phenomenal."
"Not delicious? Mouth watering? I'm not used to you complimenting me in a way that doesn't make me feel uncomfortable, Northman. Wouldn't want me to think you were softening on me, would you?"
"Believe me I am far from soft right now," He countered, teasing her right back.
Sookie smiled at their easy exchange and at his slightly vulgar humor. It was hard to admit to herself, but she knew that Eric had been right. A night out with a tall, hunky man, having a good time and stepping away from all the dangers, the violence, and the hurt of the past few weeks was going to be ten times better than some wine and a bubble bath.
"Ready to go?" She asked, reaching for a light coat.
"Are you sure you want to go out? I still maintain that a night in could work just as well," he said, running his eyes over her body. She hated and loved how he could make her feel hot and aroused with just a look.
Sookie roller her eyes, snapping out of her reverie. "Let's go, Eric. I could use a little fun."
"And a little romance?" he asked, opening the door for her. She glanced over her shoulder at him, as seductively as she could, as she walked past him onto the porch.
Eric's red sports car was parked in her drive, sticking out like a sore thumb. Eric opened the door for her and she gave him a mock-impressed smile, glad for his good manners.
"So where are we going," she asked when he settled himself into the driver's seat and revved the engine.
"You'll see."
They drove in a comfortable silence that surprised both of them. Banter normally came so naturally to the two of them, for one thing, and for another a comfortable silence implied just that—comfort. Sookie smiled slightly trying to remember when the shift from dislike and anxiety to pleasant comfort had occurred. Surely this was a recent development.
They arrived at a small, relatively secluded restaurant Sookie guessed to be just outside of Shreveport. The landscape was draped with small white lights and the dim lighting from the frosted windows complimented the path of moonlight perfectly. She snapped out of her trance as the door was pulled open by Eric, who she hadn't realized had even left the car.
"Lover," he said, placing her arm through his.
When they reached the heavy oak doors with their intricate stained glass windows she noticed that there wasn't a single other car in the parking lot besides Eric's.
"There's no one else here," she stated sheepishly. She waited for his reply though she was pretty sure she already knew what he was going to say.
"The restaurant is entirely ours tonight," he confirmed.
Another small smile played across her lips as she let that thought sink in. He had reserved an entire restaurant for them to dine in private. He guided her through the doors and led her to a table in the center of the empty restaurant. Is this really the same Eric I've despised for the past year? Where on God's green earth were these sweet gestures coming from? Sookie's thoughts were a jumble of confusion and absolute delight. Whatever the reason for Eric's exceptional behavior, she wasn't going to question it, she decided. She was simply going to let him do what he sought to do, that is, distract her from everything that had happened since Bill Compton first walked into Merlotte's.
The night passed like a dream for Sookie and she reveled in the peace. Eric had employed only vampires to work at the restaurant that evening so that she would not be distracted by the thoughts of others. Sookie was grateful for the small portions of fancy food, being still full from the ice cream she had ingested earlier, and being mildly uncomfortable with Eric sitting across from her sipping on a glass of blood, an eating situation she still hadn't gotten used to.
As they left the restaurant and headed into the crisp night air, Eric surprised her more than anyone else ever had, which is obviously saying a lot for a telepath with access to the innermost thoughts of everyone around her. Once out the door, Eric reached for Sookie's hand and held it securely in his own. He looked slightly shy of his own actions and didn't meet her eyes when she stopped and looked from his downcast face to their entwined fingers.
"Let's take a walk," he said, and led her past the car along a path leading to a hidden lake.
The night was dark and full of dangers, Sookie was sure, but she knew she would never be safer than she was with Eric, and she trusted him to guide her along the moonlit path. When the reached the still and silent lake, Eric surprised her again by pulling her close to him and wrapping both arms around her.
Once the surprise wore off, Sookie allowed herself to settle into his embrace, and, like Eric, said nothing as they stood holding each other, feeling their bodies relax perfectly into each other's. They swayed slightly to a silent song they both seemed to know by heart. It was a storybook moment and when Eric pulled back Sookie hardly had a moment to feel disappointed before he had leaned in and placed his lips lightly on hers.
It was hard to follow the sequence of events that led them there, Sookie tried to remember when the shift had occurred, but couldn't form an answer to her own question as she became more and more wrapped up in the kiss, which grew in passion with each passing second. She was absolutely sure that the path that led to where she was at that moment, kissing the most beautiful man she had ever laid eyes on, began long before that night. She knew that somehow this had always been what her life was leading her towards.
When they broke apart so she could catch her breath, Eric sighed into her ear, "Oh, Sookie," like it was a prayer. He worshipped her and he wanted to be sure she knew it. This time she initiated a long, passionate kiss.
By the time they made their way back to the car, hand in hand, Sookie was pretty sure she knew where this night was going to end and she was quietly pleased that she had remembered to shave her legs that morning.
The comfortable silence of the drive to the restaurant was a faint memory on the ride back. The interior of the car buzzed with energy and anticipation. The car had gone little more than a couple hundred yards before Eric slammed on the break and reversed it's direction.
Sookie looked at him slightly puzzled. "Shreveport is closer," he said simply, barely looking in her direction and knowing full well that if he did it would be the end of him. He would have to take her right there in the small sports car, which was much too small for a man of his proportions. He wanted her so badly he could hardly stand it; he had never desired anything more in his 1,000 years.
When they came to a long driveway leading to a beautiful suburban home Sookie giggled. This was the home of her big, bad Viking vampire? This simple two story blue house with the white shutters?
"Not quite what you imagined, Lover," he asked grinning.
"No, not quite," she said, her laughter just barely under control and threatening to break her every word.
"Don't worry," he said, leaning in to run his tongue softly along her neck before placing a delicate kiss on her shoulder, "you're in for a few more pleasant surprises tonight."
Her laughter was gone, replaced by the glazed look of hooded, lustful eyes.
"Sookie," he whispered. This time there was nothing reverential or even human in the way he said her name. The conqueror inside of him had taken over and all he could concentrate on was making her his.
Before she knew what was happening, Eric had her out of her seat and pressed down on the hood of the car. His body was settled firmly on hers as he explored her mouth with his tongue. She could barely keep up with him, never mind breathe at regular intervals. She moaned against his lips as he rubbed his hands up and down her sides, grabbing her hips and pulling her dress up around her waist to allow his cock access to her moist heat through the fabrics of his jeans and her panties. What little breath she had left caught in her throat when Eric began grinding his denim clad erection against her, putting so much pressure and friction on her clit she thought she'd explode.
"Oh, god Eric," Sookie groaned. "In. House. Now." She was gasping for air and words.
Eric lifted her from the car, her legs wrapped around his body, and without breaking their kiss, carried her into the house and down into the underground room that was his sleeping chambers. As he backed her up against the wall he unzipped her dress and pulled it up over her head. Her amazing breasts fell freely against his chest and this time Eric was the one to groan.
"Perfect, Sookie," he moaned, breaking contact just long enough to hoist her up on the wall and capture a hardened nipple in his mouth. Unsure of how long they remained against the wall, locked together and making love with their mouths, Eric eventually walked Sookie over to the enormous bed against the far wall on the opposite side of the enormous room, and deposited her on the center of it.
Sookie gave herself a moment to catch her breath. Her heart raced and she was gasping for air, her eyes closed tight as she tried to calm herself. Eric slid her silky panties off her butt and down her smooth legs, licking and nipping her skin along the way, and again as he moved back up her body. He stopped to taste her when he reached the hot, wet folds between her legs. He lapped at her juices, running his tongue in circles around her clit for a few minutes before pulling away.
When she whimpered because he had pulled back, he told her, in a husky voice he couldn't control, "I'll take my time later, my love, but I can't wait any longer. I need to have you."
Moments earlier Sookie did not believe that anything could have felt quite as good as the electricity created by his smooth tongue on her pussy, but the sound of his words, full of passion and insatiable desire changed her mind instantly. She urged him along, tugging at his shoulders, his back, his arms, pulling him up her body with a strength she didn't know she possessed. Finally, he was nestled between her legs, completely naked, though Sookie could hardly remember when that had happened. She could feel the heft of his enormous erection pressing against her mound, felt it's smooth, bulbous head as Eric ran it along her folds, teasing her and getting it ready to claim her.
Finally, with a deep, guttural moan, Eric sank deep inside her for the first time, reveling in the feel of her hot body surrounding him. She was so warm, so alive her body buzzed beneath his. He could feel the blood rushing through her flushed body, could see the beads of sweat that dotted her forehead and her chest. Her fingers dug into his cold hard skin, and the contrasts between them, between their temperatures, their size, made him shiver as he began to move.
Adjusting to his considerable size, Sookie began to move with him, slowly at first, and then working with his rhythm. She arched her back and raised her hips in time with his, thrusting to meet him each time, no matter how fast he moved or how frenzied his movements. He loved how she could keep up with him as he pounded into her; he loved that this woman, this human, could match him thrust for thrust and still want more.
Sookie felt her orgasm approaching within minutes. She didn't hold back, simply let go of everything and felt her muscles clench tightly around his cock as her body stopped thrusting and stiffened against his. She knew that the next round would be much longer, that this was going to be a night full of love making, but she loved that this first coupling was so full of frenzied passion, was fast and raw and full of every bit of pent up frustration the two of them had experienced since the night she walked into Fangtasia for the first time.
The feeling was mutual and several minutes later Eric began thrusting out of control. Sookie turned her head to the side, offering her neck. He leaned forward and sank his fangs into her flesh, not bothering to be gentle with her. He took several deep swallows as he came deep inside of her. Her blood was so incredible he feared he wouldn't be able to stop; he prayed that he'd be able to pull away without draining her.
When he heard her moan, he pulled away slightly, keeping himself buried inside of her. He was so relieved he hadn't killed her, he placed his forehead on her chest and wouldn't look up at her until he was certain he could do so without breaking down into tears of happiness. When he overcame the powerful emotions that flooded his heart for the first time in his memory, he pulled out of her and moved to her side, wrapping his body around hers tightly. He held her like that for a long time before either of them could speak.
"Thank you," she said finally, breaking the silence.
Eric chuckled softly before answering her, "You're quite welcome, Lover."
Sookie rolled her eyes though he couldn't see her face. Typical Eric, she thought, before correcting herself. There was nothing typical about the Eric whose entire body was curled around her own in the most protective and possessive and loving way she could imagine holding another person. It was as if he was trying melt their bodies together.
"No really. Thank you for tonight. It was exactly what I needed. I really appreciate it."
"Sookie you never need to thank me. I've wanted you for so long, my only regret is that I didn't try this sooner," he said, his voice still light and humorous.
Sookie knew better, though. She knew that if he had done any of the amazing things he had done that night at any other time she would have scoffed at best and attempted to attack him at worst. She had needed time to come around to her feelings for Eric, and she was sure that he had known that. Eric wouldn't have been able to hold back for so long if he hadn't been aware of what she needed.
She smiled to herself, happy that she had found the romance she had been craving and barely daring to hope for. Eric stroked her sides and hips, in a soothing gesture, still craving the feel of her skin on his, despite how tightly their bodies were pressed together. In that moment, though neither had spoken a word, Sookie felt more loved by this man than she had ever felt before, and the love she felt for him matched it perfectly. She had never felt so safe and loved in her life. In that moment, everything was as perfect as she could ever hope for.
With a devilish grin, Sookie felt all that love fan the flame that she feared would never be satiated. She rocked her hips back against his body, letting him know that she was ready for more, ready for anything.