Surprise by PersianFreak

Companion to Life Goes On

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Charlaine Harris; I'm just having a little fun with her belongings.

Rating: M

A/N: Ooooh, apparently you guys liked the first chapter, so here's the second one. As always, thank you for the reviews, and more are always welcome. Enjoy.

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"Mmmm, Eric," I moaned awake the next night to the feel of Eric's mouth on my breasts, his teeth teasing the now-hard nubs. He sucked on my nipples, eliciting another moan from me, and his hand drew swirls around my belly button. With a click, my fangs extended and Eric grinned, his mouth still otherwise occupied. He still loved ever reminder of my vampirism, and I found myself unable to be upset with him when I realized that my immortality had in many ways set his mind at ease, despite the less-than-ideal means through which it had been achieved. I cupped the side of his face in my hands and he leaned into it, abandoning my breasts to press his lips to mine and sending me deeper into blissful happiness. I gave his tongue entry and he explored my mouth slowly, his hands travelling up and down the length of my body to graze my skin with his fingernails and making me shiver. He moaned into my mouth as I pressed his nipples between my index and thumb they way I knew he loved. His legs tangled with mine, the blonde hair brushing against my legs, and I found myself smiling against his lips. His fingers glided down to me core to test my wetness. I gasped at his touch and he leered at me, his fingers moving inside of me and stretching me as I threw back my head. Eric's mouth moved to my next, sucking and nibbling on my skin, sending my thoughts scattering as my entire world shrunk until it was only him; only his skin against mine, his hair brushing my chest, his hands on me... I moaned his name as he added a third finger and my hips thrust upwards to meet his. He chuckled darkly, no doubt loving what he was doing to me. I groaned and squirmed, digging my fingernails harshly into his back and drawing out a low growl from him.

"Lover, look at me," he murmured softly, his fingers curling inside of me and making me cry out. "Look at me, sweetheart." With an effort, I brought my eyes to his, and watched him as he positioned himself at my entrance and, ensuring my eyes were still on him, pushed in and began moving against me steadily. I began to move my hips as well, when the stars in front of my eyes had sufficiently faded.

"Eric," I gasped against his lips as he began pushing me higher and higher, until I was on the golden edge of my climax, needing just one last push to go over. He pulled out, almost all the way and paused. I watched, momentarily transfixed, as he carefully angled himself before slamming into me, rubbing my clit and sending me toppling over the edge, taking him with me.

I clung to him in the aftermath, still shivering as he nuzzled my hair and murmured compliments that had once made me blush in my awkwardness.

"You are happy." he stated quietly, and I realized he wasn't just talking that exact moment.

"Yeah," I nodded. "I really am." It was the truth; telling Amelia had been the first step in removing a burden from my shoulders. I still had to tell my brother and Hadley's ex and son, I realized with a jolt. But that last could be put off until they contacted me, as I was sure they would. And then, of course, was the issue of Sam and Tara and Alcide, and even perhaps Quinn, whom I was bound to run into because of his work with the vampires.

"Eric?" I asked hesitantly, and, sensing this hesitation, Eric tensed.

"Yes?"

"Tell me about your wife." There was a long pause, and I began to wonder if he was ever going to actually respond.

"You caught that, huh." he was talking about the glimpses of his past I had caught when we had made love, not three weeks ago.

"Yes." I admitted quietly. "You loved her." Again, another pause, this time longer. I looked up at his face to find him gazing at me uncertainly. "It's okay," I touched his chest gently, "I'm not- I mean, I understand."

"What do you want to know?" he asked quietly, his voice rough with emotion.

I took a deep breath that was only meant to steady my nerves, "What was she like?" Eric scrutinized me, but apparently found what he was looking for, for he spoke.

"She was... beautiful," my lover began uncertainly, his brows furrowing as he tried to recall the events of a thousand years ago. "I can barely recall her face, but I know she was." He paused, lost in thought and his memories.

"Who was she?" I prodded gently.

"My father was the chieftain of my village, as you know," I nodded, having learned this three weeks ago as well. "His most trusted man, his... second-in-command, if you will, had a daughter, Runa. She was the jewel of the entire village; the men wanted her, the women envied her. She was beautiful and kind and soft-spoken... and she loved me long before I had the courage to love her." I smiled softly as I imagined a young Eric in a Viking village with a young girl with her flowing blonde hair in braids.

"Runa," I tested the name and found that I liked it, "What were you like?" I asked, my smile still present. Eric shot me a sidelong look, gauging my mood.

"Arrogant," I laughed and he smiled at me, "Reckless, stubborn..." He chuckled and kissed my hair.

"You still are," I pointed out, and he rolled his eyes. "You are! Stubborn and arrogant... but not reckless."

"Because I learned the price of recklessness." His tone was no longer light, and his age showed, his eyes ancient with all they had seen.

"Tell me." I commanded and he smiled again, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"We raided a village one night, a few months after my marriage. It was... dark, naturally, and we weren't expecting much resistance. We didn't receive much, either." He added, his eyes far away. A thousand years away, to be exact. "Once it seemed like everything was under control, I began to wander off into the forest. It was stupid and reckless, but I was young and stupid, and I could see a light ahead. We had yet to find the chieftain, and I thought that's where he must be, in the woods. I was hoping to be the one to apprehend him myself and make my father proud." I was tense, entranced by his words, matching them to the images I had seen in his mind. He looked down at me and smiled, the spell broken. "Needless to say, I didn't find the chieftain. Something else found me."

"Your sire."

"Yes."

"You didn't want to be turned."

"Oh no, I did." I stared at him, uncomprehending.

"He told me I would be powerful, supernatural, capable of destroying all my enemies, and I fell for it. It wasn't until after that he told me I could never return to my village, my family... I was a fool." He shook his head ruefully.

"I'm sorry." I whispered.

"Don't be. If I hadn't been turned, I would never have met you."

"But you lost your wife... your child."

"Is there anything you missed?" I shook my head; not even the fact that he had killed his sire in for revenge several decades later, but I didn't want to think about that yet, and he sighed, his eyes sad. "He wasn't born until after I was turned... my wife named him Eiríkr, after me." I smiled at that, the vision of Eric's child (Eiríkr, I repeated in my mind, committing the name to memory) learning to walk, talk. I knew he must have missed him, ached to hold him in his arms and raise him to be a warrior just like his father had done, but I abandoned that train of thought as Eric began speaking again, "and he died, too, not long after. As did my wife." I tightened my arms around him and he reciprocated, burying his face in my hair. "There was an epidemic about five years later. I watched it happen. I couldn't be there, but I watched it happen."

"I'm so sorry," I held him tight, leaving no space between us, and we stayed like that until we had both managed to get a firm grasp on our emotions.

"It's fine," he murmured in my hair, but he didn't let go. I wasn't convinced, but I chose to pretend I wasn't feeling his emotions through the bond; he could pretend to be a strong warrior all the time, but I knew better. "Shower time!" I smiled as he got up and pulled me after him with enough force to make me fall into his arms. He caught me, laughing, and planted a kiss on my lips before leading me to the shower. He paused, however, at the door and turned to me, his face sober and thoughtful.

"Sookie," he paused and looked into my eyes, his uncertainty clear, "I didn't love her more."

"Oh," I raised my eyebrows in surprise, "it's okay, Eric, you don't have to-"

"But I do," he interrupted stubbornly, "Because it's the truth. I loved her when I was human. I fell in love with you when I had long forgotten what it meant to love. You taught me how to love, Dear One." I bit my lip and looked away, trying to hide my pleasure at his words. He turned my face back towards him and kissed me, long enough to make my fangs half-extend. He pulled back then, kissing my forehead and mumbling "I love you" (a sentiment which I returned) before pulling me towards the shower.