Chapter 2

"Why tonight Pam, what's the hurry?" I whispered.

What my brother and human friends didn't know was that Eric and I were already technically married under vampire law due to the blood bond Eric had entered into with me at Rhodes, but as the only witnesses to it were finally dead or vanished off the face of the earth, we were finding it difficult to prove. I knew that Felipe del Castro was keen to acquire the Louisiana telepath to work for him, but had been put off by the fact that we were a couple and Eric was far too valuable in his role as Sheriff of area 5. Now it looked as though the velvet gloves were coming off and we were going to have to formalise the arrangement.

"The king wants you in Nevada for some task, and Eric wants to be sure that they will have to let him accompany you and indeed to ensure that you are allowed to return" said Pam.

"But Pam" I wailed, I can't get married looking like this waving at my skimpy waitress uniform of black shorts, white T shirt and trainers. "Don't worry Sookie, I have taken the liberty of getting hold of suitable attire for you, and Eric has sent Bill to get your brother and Tara and some friends to be with you. He has told the people from Nevada that you will be arriving at 2 am for the ceremony so we have time to get you looking good. Everything is waiting for us at my house." she added. "I hope you don't mind, but I have appointed myself and Tara your bridesmaids for the evening. Bill will drop Tara off here so we can all travel together to the club for the ceremony"

I sat back in stunned silence. I loved Eric with all my heart and soul, but I wasn't really sure if I was prepared to give up my ordinary human lifestyle, freedom and independence for him just yet. I knew that he felt the same, and for him to have decided that the situation needed to be formalised urgently despite my misgivings, things were indeed serious. Of course we had talked often about getting married now that it was legal for vampires to marry humans, but we hadn't ever gotten round to setting a date. Now it seemed that events were overtaking us.

With a crunch of gravel we pulled up outside the house Pam shared with Felicia the Fangtasia bartender, a few blocks away from the mansion Eric lived in. "Come on cher, we haven't got much time to do this" said Pam cutting the ignition and getting out of the car, "I hope you like the dress I have chosen for you."

Running to keep up with Pam, I breathlessly asked her how Eric had managed to arrange a convincing ceremony so quickly. She told me that the plans had been made some time ago, just in case, and they were lucky that E(E)E were in town this weekend for another client so it had been easy to get them to come in and arrange things for tonight. Eric had thought of everything.

Pam pulled me into her bedroom and switched on the light. There hanging up on the wardrobe was the most beautiful dress I had ever seen. It was strapless with a ruched boned bodice which would show off my bosom to perfection, and it was figure hugging to the knee before flaring out into a fishtail train. Modesty would be preserved by long separate sleeves, and there was a short veil with a jewelled tiara and a pair of skyscraper heels. All in Eric's favourite shade of red. I went up and touched it gently, knowing that it would fit me perfectly. It was the dress I had described to Eric one night after we had been together, he had obviously remembered and had passed the information on to Pam. I felt the burn of tears as I gazed on it.

"I had Tara send your measurements over so it was made just for you" Pam said "Now go and jump in the shower and don't hang around!"

I stood under the jets of hot water, rinsing away the bar room smells and the dust and grime of my day. I had never imagined when I woke up that morning that it was my wedding day.

I came out and Pam worked me over with vampiric speed, pausing only to let Tara come in. Before I knew it my hair and make up were done, and it was time to put on the dress. The bridesmaids were already in their black dresses, (similar to mine but without the train), and together they slipped the red folds over my head and buttoned me up. I smiled as imagined Eric's long slim fingers undoing them later one by one. I slid a red and black garter up my left leg and slipped into my shoes. Pam went to a safe in the wardrobe and withdrew several boxes.

"Eric asked me to ensure you had this for the evening" she said handing me a small velvet box. I opened it to discover an enormous pear shaped diamond mounted in platinum. It was the engagement ring he had offered me a year before, but which I asked him to keep for me as I could never have worn it to work, and I told him that I didn't need a physical symbol of our love, we both knew it was there for me any time I wanted to wear it anyway. "The king will expect Eric's bride to be suitably adorned for the occasion" she added as she opened the other boxes and fastened a matching pendant round my neck and slipped earrings into my ears.

My two best friends stood back and looked at me and I could feel the tears welling up. "Have a look at yourself honey said Tara stepping forward and gently turning me round to look in the mirror. I couldn't believe the reflection looking back at me, barely recognising the beautiful bride I could see there. "We must go" said Pam "we will pick up the flowers at the club" As they helped me arrange the folds and flounces of my dress in the back seat of the limousine I thought about the gorgeous man I was about to marry and then the driver let out the clutch and we were moving smoothly towards my destiny.