Eric had Bill in a choke hold up against the wall, Bill's feet inches off the floor as they snarled at each other. Pam, the female vampire was watching with an entertained expression on her face, all of their fangs down. At the sound of her gasp, the three vampires turned and stared at her.

"Well, well, well… what do we have here?" Eric asked staring at Sookie, a large smirk on his face.

"Master, focus! Dessert comes after," Pam reminded Eric. Eric gave Sookie one last long look before returning his attention to Bill.

"Billy, Billy, Billy. We have a problem here. What do you suppose we do about it?" Eric asked in an insincere friendly tone. Sookie could only watch silently. What was she supposed to do; get into the middle of a Vampire conflict? She didn't think so.

"Sherriff, I have been here for almost twenty years. As you remember, territory rules were different back then. It never occurred to me to check in back then," Bill explained as best he could with a choke hold against his jugular.

Eric chuckled low in this throat, while his hand tightened on Bills'. "Even if that were true, we both know it has never been like that as long as I have been running an area. And I have been running this area for a long time. And since then? In twenty years it never occurred to you to check in or pay me fealty!" Eric was shouting now. "How long did you think you could hide in this backwater shithole from me!"

Eric kicked out Bill's legs from under him and Bill landed on the floor in a heap. Bill stayed down, with Eric towering over him. "Pam." Eric stated, holding his hand out towards her. She quickly disappeared and reappeared before Sookie could even blink.

Suddenly in Eric's hand was a giant sized sword, which he raised above Bill.

"William Compton, I sentence you…" Eric began.

"NO!" Sookie screamed loudly, her heart beating out of her chest. Everyone looked up at her, almost having forgot she was listening.

"Sookie, be quiet!" Bill commanded. Bill got up on his knees slowly, very wary of the position he was in. "Sherriff, I can assure you the Queen would not approve."

"Not approve of the rules she, herself have commanded? And why is that Compton? Because you have a telepath in your possession?" Eric asked.

Bill actually lost his vampire cool, and Sookie watched as his eyes almost bugged out of his head. His head whipped towards her and he saw the guilt on her face.

"Why!" He snarled at her and tried to launch himself towards her. He barely moved an inch before Eric had him on his back with a foot on his chest. Sookie still screamed again and had started backing out of the room. She screamed for a third time when she bumped up against something and turned quickly to find Amelia's friend Pam smiling at her in a way that made her fear even more for her life.

Bill seemed to realize how dire the situation was getting and grew more anxious.

"Sherriff, if you'll allow me to explain…"

"Silence! I am not interested in listening to your lies. As far as I'm concerned your life was forfeit when you made your decision not to inform me of your residence in my area. I was going to allow you to convince me to spare your life until I found you have a telepath in your possession. Now, there is no downside to your death. I kill you, an annoyance, and receive a telepath in return. With that said; goodbye Compton." Eric once again raised his sword.

"Please, I'll do anything!" Sookie pleaded, trying to rush towards them but realized she was being held back. Eric stopped once again and shared a smile with Pam.

"Anything?" He repeated. Bill fought furiously against Eric's foot, but to no avail.

"Anything." Sookie repeated solemnly, swallowing deeply, resigning herself.

"Sookie is mine!" Bill yelled.

"And your life is mine, so your claim is immaterial." Eric reminded him, never taking his eyes off the blonde girl.

Pam suddenly let go of Sookie and flashed over to Eric's side, holding the sword Eric previously held to Bill's throat.

Eric slowly walked over to Sookie, who straightened herself and forced herself not to cower away and meet his gaze. Eric circled her, much like a shark does its pray before striking.

"You will come from me. You will work for me and will do anything I command." Eric demanded from behind her. She felt his cool breath on her neck. Sookie closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears that were escaping.

"You won't kill Bill if I do?" She whispered.

"You have my word."

"Done."

"Sookie, you cannot trust him!" Bill yelled before Pam hit him on the side of the head with the flat side of the blade.

"Pamela, take Sookie to the house on Echo Street. Arrange for around the clock guards. I will be along shortly after I finished with Compton. We have much more to discuss." Eric finished with a deadly grin at Bill.

Before Sookie could react she was being pulled out the door by the vampire Pam.

"Wait! You said you'd let him go!"

"Au Contraire, my telepath. I said I would not kill him. Bill has much more to answer for. He will be enjoying the splendor of my cell while we discuss how to proceed from here." Eric corrected her as Pam continued to drag her out of the house. Her last glance at the two male vampires was Bill's panicked look and Eric's smug one with fangs poking out. "I'll see you soon."

78

Sookie stared out the window of the car she shared with Pam, as the scenery flew by at an alarming speed. Normally she would be scared, but she was in a state of shock over what had just happened. Bill had been ready to die for her, so she would return the favor.

"Look on the bright side, Sweetheart. You no longer have live with that waste of undead life, Bill Compton." Pam drawled out.

"Bill Compton has raised me since I was a orphaned as a little girl! He's twice what you and that other vamp could ever hope to be!" Sookie yelled, showing emotion for the first time since leaving the house. Instead of being taken back, Pam threw her head back and started laughing boisterously.

"Oh that's a good one. You really know nothing about us do you?" Pam asked without expecting an answer, still giggling. Sookie fumed and crossed her arms and continued staring out the window.

Pam finally pulled up to a standard looking, but large home. It looked like a soccer mom's dream home. Complete with an outdoor pool. On the drive over Sookie had been imagining a Dracula-like tower where she would be held prisoner. The only thing she had gotten right was the fact that there seemed to be no one around for a few miles. They had turned onto a long street that had been completely empty, just woods on each side.

Sookie followed Pam silently into the house and they went into a large den, complete with a large flat screen TV. Pam gestured for Sookie to sit and she obeyed, unsure of what else to do in this situation. They sat silently for a period of time.

"I imagine you'll need your clothes sent over." Pam suddenly broke the silence, sighing unnecessarily.

"Unless you want me to walk around naked?" Sookie snapped back, how dare she feel inconvenienced? Sookie was the on who was just taken out of her own home!

"I have to admit, that sounds preferable." Eric answered as he entered the room. Sookie jumped up from the couch, startled.

"Please sit, I am sure you've had a trying night." Eric smiled warmly and walked into the room, leaning up against the wall facing her.

"No thanks to you! When did you get here? No car pulled up. Where's Bill?" Sookie fired questions at Eric. Behind Sookie's couch she was sitting on was a large window that looked out on the driveway. She would have seen headlights, in fact, she had been waiting for them.

"I flew." He answered simply, smirking.

"Flew? Like a bird?" Sookie asked skeptically, unsure of whether or not he was pulling her leg.

"You really know nothing, don't you?" Eric asked, almost amazed.

That was it. Sookie stood up once again, advancing towards his position on the wall. "Look Mister! I graduated at the top of my class and received a college degree! I try to learn and understand all different kinds of views and cultures. I'm not some dumb hick!" All through her rant, Eric never even moved a muscle from his relaxed position against the wall, the only thing that moved was his mouth as it widened into a smile.

"Which, by the way is more than I can say for the two of you! At least I know that killing is wrong, for what, some back taxes? Bill is a better man than you could ever wish to be!" Sookie barely finished her last word when suddenly a hand was around her throat.

She had never even seen him move. Gone was the polite and friendly face that greeted her when he entered the room. Inches from her face was the face of a cold blooded killer who wouldn't hesitate to squeeze a little tighter and put the end of a certain Sookie Compton.

"Let's get this out of the way now. If you ever disrespect me again, things can go very differently. Instead of living in the comforts of my home, you can instead join where your precious Compton is residing. And there, I promise you, you will not receive any amenities that you will enjoy here. It is your choice; choose to cooperate and you will sleep in a bed tonight. If not, you can experience trying to sleep chained to a wall." Eric said in a low growl.

Sookie's belated self-preservation skills kicked in and realized she needed to play nice if she ever wanted her and Bill to survive this. She was also glad she did not need to use the facilities before she arrived because she wasn't sure she would have been able to control her bladder after that experience. Sookie slowly nodded and looked down at the floor.

"Sit." Eric commanded, and Sookie obeyed without hesitation. "Now, how did you come to live with Compton?" Sookie relayed her life story and how she came to live with Bill, trying her hardest to keep the tears at bay.

"And you have no other family?" Eric asked when she was done. Sookie shook her head.

"What are you, besides a telepath?" Eric asked, repeating the question he had asked the night at Fangtasia.

"W-what do you mean? I'm not a vampire!" Sookie was genuinely confused.

Eric stared at her for a few moments before turning to Pam and exchanging a few words with her in that language she had never heard before. This time however, Sookie stayed quiet.

"There are vampires, shifters – beings who shift into any animal they want, werewolves, other weres, demons, and fairies. Just to start the supernatural list." Eric told her bluntly. Sookie's mouth opened in shock. She had no idea there were other supernaturals out there. Bill had never told her.

"He was trying to protect me." Sookie said aloud before she even realized she was saying it. Yes, he wanted to keep her safe.

"I'm sure." Eric responded, sharing a glance with Pam. "You will live here. There will guards and to ensure your safety and also serving to make sure you do not escape. So do not even bother trying. You will receive food in the morning, along with your clothing and other possessions. At night you will work for me, using your telepathy. If you lie to me about what you find, I will remove a body part from Bill Compton's body. And I will find out if you are lying. You will offer your blood to me whenever I need it and in return, tonight you will consume my blood."

"I'm human, I can't drink blood!" Sookie exclaimed. Eric smiled quickly before it disappeared and he stood, gesturing her to follow him. Sookie hoped that was the end of that and followed him upstairs and into a bedroom.

"You may sleep here." Sookie barely had a chance to examine the room when she saw Eric bring his wrist up to his mouth and bite into it, blood immediately spilling.

"You can't be serious!" She yelled, but quickly regretted it when Eric's face darkened. Without wanting to think about it, she took his extended wrist and sucked in. Instead of being ready to gag, she found her tastebuds exploding in ecstasy. Her body also began to respond in a curious way and took one last mouthful before backing away quickly from the vampire; her hand over her mouth as she stared at him.

Eric never looked more like a vampire than he did right now. His fangs were down and he was staring at her in a predator's way, but it was different from the one earlier in the room downstairs and did not scare her in the same way. He slowly closed his eyes and took an unnecessary breath before opening them, fangs once again hidden.

"My blood will allow me to feel your emotions and will allow me to locate you if need be. It will also help me to endear myself to you, as you will now find me more attractive because of it, not that I need it. You will have very…interesting dreams tonight." Eric told her. "I promise to match what you dream and very easily astound you even more when we are lovers." He said smirking once again, his eyes boring into hers.

Sookie's heart nearly jumped out of her throat. Was he going to….? "I have never forced myself on a woman and never will. I vow to you that when we join you will be begging for it." Eric promised before he disappeared out the door before she could even comprehend he had left.

"Sookie what are you going to do now?" She asked herself in her now empty bedroom.

78

Hello all, I apologize for the huge delay. I am a college student and am double majoring. One of my majors and intended career is Journalism. It is hard to come home and write in my leisure time when I have 3500 word news articles due every week. I would promise to write again soon, but I am going to Italy for a month but I will promise that as soon as I can, I will post. Thank you for reading and please let me know what you think. I'm kinda going off book on this and it has been a long time since I've written fiction.

Also, please be patient. If Sookie released Bill was scum and Eric was awesome in two chapters there would be no story! Sookie has a lot of learning to do!