Sookie sunk into the bathtub, the warm water enveloping her body, soothing her tired self and aching feet. Arlene had called in sick again; as a result, Sookie had to work overtime. Normally this would not be a problem as she needed the money and any excuse not to spend time alone, but after two double shifts this week she was exhausted.

She closed her eyes and forced herself to relax. The image of a devastated Bill, her last memory of him when she'd turned down his proposal, flashed across her mind. Feelings of guilt washed over her again, something she'd become accustomed to these days.

A short while later, still idling in the bubble bath, Sookie realized someone was knocking on the door. At two in the morning.

Stepping out of the tub, she grabbed the nearest bathrobe. Wrapping it around her, she quickly made her way downstairs. All kinds of horrible scenarios popped into her head as to why someone would be at her door this late at night. Was the Sheriff here to give her bad news about Jason? Was Tara okay?

Reaching the door, Sookie swung it open. And found Eric waiting for her on the other side.

Fuck.

He was dressed in a black wife-beater, leather jacket, and jeans. And he had a shorter hair-cut since she last saw him.

Her stomach clenched just thinking about their last encounter.

Over the past few weeks, she'd almost convinced herself it didn't happen; she hadn't gone to Fangtasia and bartered herself for Eric's help; she hadn't ikissed/i him. But as much as she tried, she couldn't forget. Not when her mind was consumed with thoughts of him, and her dreams were even more vivid and haunting now that she knew what it actually felt like to touch him and practically devour him. And the realization that he probably knew all about her predicament only made things worse.

His eyes were sparkling in the dark, bluer than she'd ever seen them, as they slowly slid down her body. When she crossed her arms to cover herself, it only served to focus his interest on her breasts more. That feeling, the one that surfaced whenever Eric was around, that left her flustered and anxious, grew in the pit of her stomach. Sookie hated how nervous she felt around him, but she would kill herself before she ever admitted it out loud. "What are you doing here, Eric?"

In no hurry to speak, he leaned against the doorway and simply continued to study her. His attention shifted back and forth between her face and breasts. Finally, a lazy smile appeared. "You're soaking wet."

"I was taking a bath."

"And you rushed out to greet me? How sweet."

"Don't flatter yourself. If I knew it was you, I wouldn't have bothered getting out of the tub."

"Why don't you invite me in?"

"Why would I be stupid enough to do that?"

"I could scrub your back."

"Only if you let me wring your neck with silver first."

"I'll take that as a 'no'," he drawled, looking past her. "You prefer maenads in your home over vampires?"

"As far as I'm concerned, you're as bad as she was."

"Actually, I'm worse," he says matter-of-factly.

"I'm not surprised."

"But I could be convinced not to cut your heart out and eat it."

"No, you'll bleed me dry instead."

"You would find it pleasurable."

"I doubt that."

"You haven't enjoyed Bill feeding on you?"

"That's none of your business."

"He must not have been doing it right."

"You don't know anything about my relationship with Bill."

"Sounds like there isn't much to know."

Sookie resisted the urge to smack him across the face. "Tell me why you're here."

"Invite me in."

"No." She gave him a smug smile. "You can't bully yourself into my home, Eric."

A wicked smile curved across his face.

Suddenly, with lightning speed, he gripped her shoulders and pulled her towards him. One second she was standing inside; next she was on the porch, trapped between the wall and Eric. He had her arms in a tight hold over her head, his fingers wrapped around her wrists. She struggled but it was futile; he was stronger.

"You're right," he smirked. "I can't."

She glared at him. "I hate you!"

"I know."

"I wish you were dead!"

"I already am."

He released his grip on her arms, and leaned in even closer. Instinctively, her body reacted to every inch of him pressed against her. With his gaze following the movement of his hand, he traced his index finger along her left cheek, stroked the shape of her lips, caressed his way down her neck and chest until pausing just above her exposed cleavage.

Sookie didn't want to want him, but she was fighting a losing battle.

The sensation of his hand penetrated through her skin and right to her core, leaving her quivering and aching for more.

Eric was dead, a vampire; his body was a corpse and his skin, ice-cold... but it was heat and desire and longing that emanated from him. It was as if he wanted to consume her, possess her, and at this moment she would have let him.

His hand sneaked past her robe and before she could protest – she didn't even think she would - he cupped her left breast. Her heart jumped in her chest, her throat went dry and the nervous coil in the pit of her stomach unfolded and intensified into a mad rush of desire that surged through her veins and left her feeling completely out-of-control and breathless. Her knees were suddenly weak, and she found herself leaning towards him for support, her nails digging into the side of his arms as she held onto him. As his thumb expertly stroked her nipple, playing with her, teasing her, her head lolled back and a guttural moan escaped her lips.

She didn't know how long they stood there, or when he switched his attention from one breast to the other. She couldn't think, couldn't breathe; she only felt the tips of his fingers sweeping across her body, driving her mad with desire.

Sookie realized he was untying her robe when a balmy breeze brushed against her wet skin, cooling her down, something she desperately needed.

Sookie opened her eyes and glanced at him hesitantly. He was standing in front of her, a blank expression on his face. He hadn't disrobed her completely, merely separated the fabric, and now he was studying her, his gaze focused somewhere halfway down her body.

She waited for Eric to say something, ianything/i, but he didn't.

She'd never felt as self-conscious as she did at this very moment. Until he finally made eye contact with her, and then she just felt worse.

There was a cold, angry glint in his gaze, and she wondered if it was even disappointment she spotted. Almost as if she wasn't worth all the valuable time he'd wasted on her.

Humiliated, she pushed him away, and quickly tied her robe together. She didn't want to ilook/i at him, let alone be alone with him. "What the fuck do you want from me?"

Eric leaned back against the porch railing, and hooked his fingers into his pockets. He gave her a calculated smile. "I'm here to remind you we have a deal."

The lump in her throat almost made it impossible for her to speak without breaking into tears but she refused to let him see her like that. Through absolute sheer force of will, she kept her emotions under control. "Only if you help me find Bill first."

"I have."

Her heart started beating erratically. "What?"

"Bill Compton will be returning to Bon Temps tomorrow night."

"Is he okay?"

Eric cocked his eyebrow. "No. He loathes being a vampire and detests his own kind," he said. "But you mistakenly find that quality noble."

"He's twice the man you'll ever be," she spit out.

"And yet you can't stop thinking about me," he sneered. "How do you think Bill feels about that?"

"Fuck you!"

"Soon," he replied cockily before standing up straight.

For a second she worried he was going to come closer again; instead, Eric turned his back on her and walked off the porch.

Relief washed over Sookie, but it dissolved as soon as he glanced back.

The malicious smile on his face made her blood run cold.

"I've fulfilled my part of the deal. And when the time is right, I intend to collect on what you owe me."

And with that, he was gone.

It took Sookie more than hour to calm herself down after Eric left. She kept picturing Bill's face, wondering if he was alright, if things would be the same between them after being apart for months. Images of Eric threatened to unnerve her but she willed herself not to think about him. She would cross that bridge when she came to it, but, for now, she would focus on Bill and that he was coming home to her.