Disclaimer: All of the following is thoughtfully rearranged from the original works of Charlaine Harris. So I cannot scream MINE.


Because this is to be asserted in general of men, that they are ungrateful, fickle, false, cowardly, covetous,

and as long as you succeed they are yours entirely; they will offer you their blood, property, life, and children,

as is said above, when the need is far distant; but when it approaches they turn against you.

Machiavelli's The Prince.


It was thanks to Bill Compton that I met Sookie Stackhouse. He brought her to my club, and then announced her importance to him by pronouncing her "his". She didn't realise at the time that that underlined her importance.

Pronouncing a human a possession, one not to be shared, which does not happen to the fangbangers at the bar. That only happens when the talents of said human are enough to warrant a declaration of exclusivity by the vampire. Otherwise, my bar would be a bloodbath of jealous vampires every night fighting over humans. Jealousy and possessiveness really only occur when there is need and desire for that on the behalf of the vampire. Of course, it is to the vampire's benefit – there is no such provision made in the declaration of ownership for the human – no exclusivity required. Most humans are merely just a blood buffet – anyone can share at the dish.

Of course, it became clear by the end of the night what manner of talents they were. Telepathy. I believe it shaped a lot of our interactions, and ignited my desire for her. It gave her use in my world, use that couldn't be forced, but coerced. Without the ability to glamour her to get what I wanted, I needed to manipulate her into doing what I wanted. In doing so, it gave me the opportunity to bother to get to know the person underneath all that, at first for manipulation, and then for desire. Fangtasia is filled with silly girls who think if they say the right thing, wear the right clothes, adopt the right attitude; I would fall under their thrall. I am no wandering minstrel, desperate for romantic assignations and I see through these designs and play them to my own advantage.

In truth, there are many broken down and subservient women. If I wished to spend my time with one, I could. I did not need to pursue a telepath who had already agreed, under her own conditions, to work for me. I could have a different flavour of woman for each day of the week. None of them would naysay me and they would be interchangeable and replaceable. I've had that, yet I wish for Sookie Stackhouse.

Without her telepathy, a person striving to be good like Sookie wouldn't be around vampires, any more than she'd date a serial killer who'd found religion on death row. Most of the people who surrounded us were twisted, lesser, meaner. They hope to use us – for money, gifts, thrills and even to be made vampire. They flock to us for things, and we pay them back by using them straight back, for blood, for sex, for money. Women like Sookie do not walk into Fangtasia – they stay well away, or they look on us with horror. As well they should, as vampires have only had synthetic blood for a small portion of time – before that, humans were prey. Of course, they still are prey, but we feed mostly on willing prey, fascinated with the danger and death of vampires.

Without her telepathy, I would not have sought to understand her in order to find the appropriate levers to manipulate her. When surrounded by a myriad of users and human wastes of space, why bother to sift through to find a speck of gold? Without her being the possession of Bill's I never would have sought to manipulate her, never truly wanted her for my own. Sookie's attention was something I had to work for, not mine alone to command. In so interacting with her, I found myself with many things in common, and a great deal in common. In seeking her fealty, I found myself fascinated and trapped, and giving my own.

This is how I laid the trap for Sookie Stackhouse and was ensnared myself, I am sure of it. Sookie Stackhouse was good and kind, and I found myself wanting to be good and kind in turn. I would never by my nature be good and kind, but she awakened things I thought dead centuries ago. By playing to her principles, I found myself wanting to abide by them, wanting to feel her approval. Soon her approval meant all to me. It pleased me that she had trust in me – that she turned to me for help, assistance and soon affection. I found that it wasn't just about my own feelings of not wishing to force her, instead using my own art and skill, but also that I took comfort in actually being there for her, to be held special by her.

.*° o O 0 * 0 O o °*.

Sookie's otherness first caught my attention on the night I ordered Bill to bring her to Fangtasia. She intrigued me that night, and in so doing inadvertently saved her own life. It was her deal with me to work on good faith that did it. Not only is this sound management practice, but it also appealed to me to have a person with a sense of honour giving their word as bond. So many things in my human life, and so much in the supernatural world counts on giving your word and keeping it. Swearing fealty to those you serve, making arrangements with other supernatural races – all is built on giving your word and keeping it. Even dealing with fairies, whom we vampires had been at war with, they could be relied upon that when they gave their word, they kept it, despite our mutual animosity. Supernatural deals were built on the participants having honour and keeping to their word – and made for excellent deals, far better than leverage ever did.

If she had complied with me, or if she had wanted money, she may well have had to fend for herself a little more that night. Of course, a telepath is valuable and not easily replaced, but a scarred and scared telepath can be just as effective. Fear and not wanting to be injured are wonderful motivators. I find that they motivate many, and have used them to great advantage over the years. It was her deal based on honour that interested and intrigued me. In point of fact, it was not often that one runs across a principled human, at least for a vampire. Most of those who surround me are sycophantic or only do what is expedient. I found it captivating and appealing to deal with such a rare creature in my world. Certainly worth preserving, rather than trying to reduce her to the lowest common denominator.

That was further heightened by the intriguing smell of her blood. Of course, Bill Compton saw the way that she handled herself and armed himself with an official position under the hierarchy, trying to stave off that interest and make sure he was kept in the loop. That only gave me opportunities to observe her behaviour, observe his mistakes and modify my behaviour accordingly, and to find a crack in their relationship in which to insert myself. Easy.

I quickly learnt that unguarded, Sookie Stackhouse was a fierce and brave, with a true ability to gather her thoughts and make connections. The night of the maenad attack, she demanded an apology from me, told Bill to go to Hell and kept hanging onto thoughts long after she should be subsiding onto the couch in pain. It was a true delight to see that she had a strong character, and made me far more interested.

Of course, she wasn't foolish in her strength – she made sure to have Bill escort her to Dallas, and did not leave the vagaries of her protection up to me, but rather stood up to me. All too often, I find that there are those that are too brash and stupid to think they are in danger, rather than the feisty yet cautious type. The tourists and fangbangers who come to my bar have fallen prey to the idea that they cannot be harmed. They believe that vampires have to play nice because the rules say so.

Of course, not only did I get the ability to save my telepath that night, so that I could use her services for profit, but I tasted her blood. Not only the sheer sensual enjoyment of the night, but was there the enjoyment of having to perform this task to save her (making lie of Bill's claim of exclusivity). It also gave me a small but short-lived insight into her feelings – another tool in my arsenal to find out how she felt about things, to tailor my response to her.

I soon learnt that along with the scaffold of honour, there was also a whole range of other moral codes that she had for herself. Casual sexual assignations were not going to be what got this woman's attention. She turned down any implication that she be "shared" in Dallas. But it did serve to irritate Bill, and test his reaction to my advances. Modesty was important to her, as was politeness. Polite manners were no stretch to gain her favour, but they also allowed some of my more outrageous behaviours to pass by without much protest – her decency denied her too vehement protests.

Surprisingly, despite being lead into a trap, she did not renege on her deal to allow humans to be killed due to her telepathy. Stan bent the rules far enough that punishments could be creative and she would accept them, even if they went against her innate need to protect humans. I could work with that. There are plenty of punishments that don't need killing or pain, so I thought that Stan had provided me with a valuable loophole. I could break a man with words and manoeuvres without ever breaking his skin, and still be satisfied.

I think I can pinpoint the moment when her approval really started to matter to me for my own sake. The instant I started changing and the first time in centuries that I felt more human, rather than an inhuman monster. When she cried in Dallas and allowed me to care for her. I am not by nature one who comforts, or who needs comfort. But in holding her and calming her, I found that I did not want her to cry again. In my presence, in my care, she went from a woman almost defeated by what was done to her to a woman buoyed up by my succour. It was a heady feeling, a victory, from a woman who did not care for me at all. I felt that I had conquered some small part of her, soothed her so that she could find comfort in me. After a great deal of years as predator, it was an odd feeling that I could comfort my prey without anything in return. It awakened something in me – the desire not just to give her physical pleasure, but emotional pleasure as well.

That's where the first crack started to appear in their relationship, in Dallas. Bill pursued the Fellowship members and left Sookie behind with me. Without a thought, he ran off, and Sookie had made it clear earlier that night that she didn't think vengeance was appropriate. It was a valuable lesson for me, and I did not take it lightly. I knew then that I would need to stay with Sookie in the event of an attack, and that little piece of knowledge came to fruition over time. Vengeance was not appropriate on later attackers such as Bill, Mickey and some fool in my bar. I did not forget the valuable information that would gain her favour.

The night of the orgy provided further information for me. Sookie, like me, was driven by pride. Bill was a fool – she was thoughtful, but had a breaking point where her pride got the better of her thoughtfulness. Bill could shame her only so far, be jealous only so far, but if he pushed it further, she would have a fierce attack of pride, and tell him off. At first when Bill told her she smelled of me, she submitted to his words, but when he pushed the point, she lost her temper. It made me laugh. It was a valuable piece of information for my purposes – she could be controlled to a certain extent, but if one were to push a point, she wouldn't allow herself to be degraded.

I think it was her pride that first got me hooked on the drug that was Sookie Stackhouse. So many humans have no pride, at least the ones who throw themselves at me. They are willing to be debased and degraded, just like those at the orgy. Sookie valued herself higher than that – she did not look for empty carnal pleasures, for the meaningless. I saw that my efforts that night were a waste. I wore a Lycra outfit that hugged every inch of me, kissed her and aroused her, and it still wasn't enough. Despite my considerable charms, this meant little to her. Her principles would not allow her to take the advantage her body wanted.

It wasn't just pride that buttressed her actions, but other kinds of honour as well. From what she herself had told me, the night of the orgy, she did not care for the man whose name she was trying to clear. Bill did not care for Andy Bellefleur either, so I knew it wasn't him who suggested she clear his name. Sookie made clear that night to Portia Bellefleur that it was her sense of honour and duty that called for her actions. More surprisingly, it was for her friend, Lafayette, murdered by the denizens of the dreary orgy that she went ahead with her plan.

For this Lafayette, she was willing to risk much, her safety, sexuality and sanity; and he had no ability to thank her. No one would appreciate what she had done for what they saw as a minority outsider killed by his own sexual misadventure. It became clear that she was surrounded by those who weren't as good as she was, weren't as kind as she was, but she helped anyway. Sookie wasn't swayed by money or social status, but by loyalty, honour and duty. What a rare find indeed – one who does something because it is right, rather than because it is easy – and her framework for what was right included many things.

At heart, what drove Sookie Stackhouse, much to my surprise, was compassion. She could not resist feeling compassionate for others around her. It served me well. She would help me if I could appeal to her empathetic nature and her unwillingness to allow others to be hurt.

.*° o O 0 * 0 O o °*.

When Bill broke favour with Sookie and left, I became acquainted with iron hearted vengeful Sookie. It was a good test of her metal to see what she was like without support, and without Bill's influence. Her principles held true, and she was loyal to a fault, despite his obvious betrayal and the sting to her pride.

Sookie also let on that Bill didn't tell her very much about himself – from his past to vampire hierarchy. No matter what, Bill Compton firmly believed in 'Vampires First'. I thought at the time, watching her reaction to his pension scheme that Bill didn't know Sookie very well at all. There was no need to tell her of our deal – he had hurt her pride and self-possession deeply by pensioning her off as if she were a used up whore. He thought it would be a salve to her pride, and a replacement for him, but all it did was pain her deeply.

I also got my first taste of ruthless Sookie. She let me know in no uncertain terms that she had power over me in our little discussion in her kitchen. When she asked me what the Queen would do to me if I couldn't produce Bill on the date the project was due, she was letting me know that it was up to her if I would be subject to Queen's unpleasantness. I felt it only fair that I had threatened her with torture, and she threatened me right back. Sookie may not have had the power to exact her revenge, but she let me know that she had some power in the exchange. It reminded me that she was not a silly creature to be taken lightly, but one who could use the scenario to add her own menace. She let me know in no uncertain terms that I would be in her debt by doing this, rather than her being in my debt.

She also made it clear that she was not doing this for petty reasons, but because of that same honour system she valued so highly. For Sookie Stackhouse, it wasn't a petty lover's squabble, but rather a matter of betrayal and her own feelings and obligations. Sookie did not wish to avenge herself on Lorena because of the damage to her own feelings, but for the sake of betrayal to Bill. A powerful weapon for those who could earn her fealty – to have someone willing to risk themselves for their own reasons, without regard to what is in their own interests. I found myself wanting her more for my own purposes, and wanting to please her so that she would give me this loyalty.

Sookie further enamoured me with her ability to be a quick and clever thinker. She made good deductive leaps when planning to rescue Bill, surprising even me with the ways in which she made connections. Sookie pointed out quite rightly that serendipity had brought our visit on a full moon, and that the time for attack was perfect because the weres guarding Bill would be tired. She even retained her coherence while having a stake planted in her side. Sookie knew that she would not be able to go to a doctor, and that she relied on the mercies of the supernatural creatures there with her. Being used to the nonsensical ravings and rampant stupidity of humans under pressure or in pain, my admiration grew for this creature.

Of course, she already had my admiration for her steadfast loyalty to the bitter end. Not even affection and lulling her into a false sense of security could get her to release her secrets. Sookie would not tell me about Bill's database, even though I told her that our mission was impossible, and possibly for no good. Her will and her control was everything, and I was honoured that night when she gave it willingly to me and allowed me to glamour her.

.*° o O 0 * 0 O o °*.

I found myself wanting to please her not just for my own purposes, but so that she would be pleased. Outrageous – that I found myself wanting her to be happy. Despite being a rival to Bill, I found that I did not push for my own favour, and what I wished would happen, but what would make her happy. It started to creep in the night of the orgy, where I promised her that she would be happy and safe, not just for my own benefit of making her mine, but to preserve that feeling just for her.

Of course, this was the start of my discontent for how deeply I had entrenched myself in her happiness. Rather than push my own advantage, and satisfy my own needs, I found that I didn't like having feelings. What she had awakened in me now pained me. Her happiness was more important than my own, and I had a blood exchange with her that only furthered her own agenda, rather than my own. It wasn't enough to have me give up, but it was a serious setback that in this, my satisfaction would be thwarted in favour of hers.

Of course, she retrieved Bill, and paid for it greatly. I am not blind to the fact that Bill sexually assaulted her in the trunk of the Lincoln. The minute I opened the compartment, I knew. But having lost my own control over consensual sex with my maker, I knew that the worst thing I could do is further damage her pride and call attention to it, and let her know that I saw her as a victim. It would further that feeling of invasion and powerlessness if I announced what I knew and sought to control her reaction for my own benefit. I put aside my machinations for this, for her sake.

Sookie needed rather to feel less exposed, less controlled. She did not need me wallowing in her pain as if it was my own, and feeling like all eyes were between her legs. Instead, I took my cues from her, rather than enforcing my own wishes. It could not be undone or taken back by my exposing this to all and sundry, and certainly Bill seemed to feel deep shame over his own actions. Knowing that she always advocated the non-violent solution, I did not call Bill to account either. Both because it would only allow Sookie to know that I knew, and increase her shame, but also because Bill would punish his own actions, and that would be far better. If I beat him, he would consider that payback, and feel it had been remedied. After all he had put Sookie through, he did not deserve the comfort.

.*° o O 0 * 0 O o °*.

On my way to her home, I thought about a great many things, some of which she had told me directly. While Sookie refused to give me details about her relationship with Bill, she did tell me that he was her first relationship, as relationships with human men were impossible. I found it incredible that she had not had any other relationships, but it made her actions understandable. Sookie was obviously inexperienced in letting others get close to her, or others wanting to be close to her, and I pondered our similarities. It does not surprise me therefore, that she stuck to him until he had made it irreparable. Bill had apparently not made her so happy with him, and she declared herself better off alone. Loneliness is a heavy burden – one I have experienced myself, and what had brought me to turn my own children.

On our disastrous trip home, I realised that Sookie Stackhouse mimicked the values I had in life. She valued her honour and loyalty above all. She was brave and courageous. While she was decidedly against violence when the situation was not urgent, she was not above putting herself on the line and killing others to defend herself. A fierce warrior – she had killed a three hundred year old vampire – no small feat. While she did not relish vengeance, she did not shy away from violence, or threats of violence. Sookie would do what she needed to do in order to protect others, which to my chagrin meant me as well. She handled a shotgun and a stake with equal skill.

Sookie tended to be honest, but lied effortlessly to get Bubba out of trouble, so she did not hold her values so dear that she was broken by them, but used them judiciously. I remember well how important it was to be truthful, and after many years of lying and dissembling, I was learning the benefits of being truthful in short bursts again. Despite her own troubles with money, she never considered asking for help, or betraying that which she had promised. Sookie had put herself through a great ordeal for little more than a lot of pain, and no monetary gain at all. Her pride meant that she would not subject herself to feeling degraded in order to live more comfortably.

She dealt with those around her as if they had their own honour codes as well, which would inevitably be her downfall. I had seen it become a theme – she did not consider that I might abandon her at the gas station, and she would not abandon the clerk despite the stress and danger that she would be under. What had first drawn me to her seemed now to be a way for her to be hurt by others who did not have the same high standards for themselves.

Her self-determination was a marvel too. Rather than all else, it was the fact that decisions were made without her that riled her most. Her rejection of Bill (because of course I listened) focused not on the fact that he had harmed her, or hurt her, but that he had made decisions on her behalf, and then sought to pass her on. This was a great boon of information for me, as any time I made decisions for her, I would have to make sure she participated wherever possible, at least in part. Sookie wished to make her own choices, and I could have laughed all night when she made a rude gesture to Bill's declaration that she was still his.

.*° o O 0 * 0 O o °*.

Of course, I vowed to give her time to get over Bill and then make my move. I have no doubt that if I forced the issue, she would then feel pressured. But I determined that it wouldn't be too long – I did not wish to give Bill a chance to make amends. As it turned out, I made a fatal calculation, and I have only my own anger to blame. I neglected the fact that she did not take kindly to my competing with Alcide, and proceeded to fight with Bill in front of her. Sookie rescinded our invitations, and I knew that it would take longer to find a way to her bed, her heart and her life. Little did I know, it would be only a matter of weeks.


A/N: If you want to see the effect of how I see Eric falling for Sookie, then observe Vicomte de Valmont (played by the delicious John Malkovich) and Madame de Tourvel (played by Michelle Pfeiffer) in Dangerous Liaisons (1998).

A good manipulator must seem to empathise with his subject, and in doing so, they run the risk of being affected in turn. It's called the "Mirror Effect" (Social Imitation theory), which works against manipulators – while they attempt to convince their target that they are sincere; they tend to fall under the influence themselves, and instead end up mirroring their target instead. Of course, it only works when the intended target has a strong will and personality – it doesn't work that way for those who are vulnerable to manipulators. And it works on manipulators because while they have strong wills, they tend to be arrogant, and thus sure it can't really happen to them. More so in Eric's case because he and Sookie have similar values – bravery, duty, courage etc.

It cannot be adequately explained by having him just fall for a girl at random. Frankly that reduces what they have to her being no more than a pretty face at the right time - not anything profound or effecting. Eric would be infatuated with lots of women and men if this were the case, and his blood would be in a dozens all roaming around the state. As it isn't, then it must be assumed that Eric doesn't just get infatuated because it's a warm night, and she's blonde and sassy and can't be glamoured. Otherwise, he'd have a string of vampire girlfriends (because he says it's normal to have flings with vampires, rather than long term relationships) – no need to be with a human at all, who is going to die on him. Eric isn't a masochist. Since we know that the sharing of blood is inherent in vamp couplings, and he says doesn't think he has given his blood to a woman since Pam, it doesn't seem likely that he hasn't had a long string of vampire girlfriends.