Author's note

The most frequent question in reviews and PMs is whether or not Eric can control Sookie. Maybe I didn't emphasise that properly in my fic. Since it's the question that makes a difference, then I thought that rather than giving piecemeal private answers, I'd write a little note on it so everyone can read it.

Yes, I would say that Eric could control Sookie if he wishes.

At the Rhodes bombing Bill was the only vampire she was drawn to, and the only vampire she had a blood tie to in the wreckage. She couldn't find any other vampires, and didn't unless she ran across their physical bodies. Note that she didn't know where Andre was until he groaned.

Eric isn't any different and the only reason he doesn't control her is a matter of Eric's will and control – it's his decision – as Gjers-1 said in the reviews – Eric allows her the illusion of choice.

The fact that he doesn't control her is something I think shows that he cares about her. The scene where he gets jealous in the ballroom at Rhodes is his first self imposed test as to whether he will be a tyrant. He wasn't - and that says something good about Eric.

We also have the advantage of having access to the owner of Sookie – the real owner – Charlaine Harris. She tells us all on her forum that:

On the bombing at Rhodes: She was drawn to Bill. He needed her desperately.

The FAQ on the blood bond has been changed – Sookie is dead wrong about three times being significant: I'm going to ask all of you to PLEASE read Frequently Asked Questions -- ignoring the "three times" in the blood bond Q & A until I can get Dawn to change it. (I had a brain fart when I wrote that answer, and it was certainly not what I meant to say.) If you'll read the FAQ section, some of you will have your questions answered.

How is a blood bond formed?

A blood bond may be formed when a vampire and a human exchange blood, though often it takes more than once. It also may depend on the emotional bond existing between them.

It's not about her fairy blood – CH says that the fairy blood is what makes her see vampires glow, and the reason she can't be glamoured is because she's a telepath and on a 'different frequency' from regular humans. So Barry can't be glamoured either.

**It's also worth noting that Bill and Sookie declared love for each other before they shared blood - I don't have enough information either way about the bond to come to a definitive answer, but if it's based on emotions, then something wasn't quite right with that relationship, or maybe Bill wasn't old enough. For those of you who don't remember, Bill gave her his blood after the Rattrays beat her and the night before they went to Fangtasia.

Since this there are significant amount of reviews mentioning that the Rattrays blood, but not the other one, let me make it clear. Page 195, DUD. The night before they go to Fangtasia, Bill and Sookie are lying in bed. Bill tells her that Eric wants her at Fangtasia, and says that taking his blood will make her stronger and more able to deal with Eric. She does take his blood at this time, right after Bill tells her he loves her on page 194, and she reciprocates.

Further questions raised in reviews, again, for sharing purposes, or rather to save me re-answering purposes :P :

The idea that Eric doesn't share the information about the bond because it makes him vulnerable. I doubt Andre would hand that sort of vulnerability to a human woman, and I don't see how it makes a vampire vulnerable. Being able to be tracked isn't reason enough - CH says that Eric's house can be found if you look for it, but that he doesn't hand out his address. Otherwise he wouldn't have bothered to abandon his house during the Vegas takeover.

Sookie's been adverse to taking Bill's blood, but not Eric's. He asked her to bite him in bed in DTTW and she did according to CH. It happened off page. That information can be found on her forum: http://charlaineharris . master .com/texis/master/search/showmsg . html?id=49b55a0144
"Sookie has taken vampire blood for a specific purpose, and once because Eric just asked her to."

Hate and contempt are emotions as well. Not all emotions are positive. Just because she didn't like Andre doesn't mean that she was free not to bond with him. The only reason she might have skated with him is because he felt complete indifference towards her, but Eric says Andre is persistent. That doesn't make their connection inherently good just because it's boosted by good emotions. The connection might be based on affection, but the connection itself doesn't change. If I marry for affection, or to get a work permit, that doesn't change the nature of marriage itself, just how I dwell in marriage.

Eric hasn't yet said that she's the love of his life at all - he's said heart's desire, but that's not the same wording for a reason. CH said herself she was still deciding about whether or not Eric loved Sookie in DITF - so if the author isn't sure, I don't see how readers can infer it in their opinion. http://charlaineharris . master . com/texis/master/search/showmsg . html?id=4a1d33eb10&q=%2B%22duckpond100%22+%2B%22I+think+the+verdict%27s+still+out+on+that+one%2C+sookie1fan . %22&Catid=4061d6053#msg3922 Regardless of what happened that he can't remember, at the time of the bond-making, Eric felt affection for Sookie, as he stated in DAAD.

Why wouldn't he have controlled her? Would you argue the same that Appius has a right to do whatever he wants to Eric if he loves him? To me, this is not an appropriate reason to take away someone's control, particularly since Eric knows what it's like to lose all control over yourself. Under the guise of being her dad, he could control her permanently.

Eric's not a fool - he's glamoured her once - when she allowed him to. Using glamour on Sookie when she's holding the bomb in Rhodes gives her a choice as to whether she wants him to take control.