A/N: And things begin to shift in Eric and Sookie's relationship... Thank you all for your reviews! :-)


I was expecting to feel uncomfortable once we got to Eric's room, but the moment nerves took hold, he sent a wave of reassurance my way, and I calmed. He gave me a thoughtful look, taking in my jeans and blouse; and without saying anything else, went to the closet and pulled out one of his t-shirts, and shook it out, holding it up to me as if for size. He nodded. "Here; you can sleep in that."

I muttered an awkward "thank you," and scurried into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me, scolding myself for my nerves; we'd shared a bed before, and then we'd mostly both been naked (and having glorious sex). It all seemed so very different now, though. I took a few deep breaths and changed into the t-shirt; Eric was by no means a small man, and it came some way down my thighs. It smelt faintly of him, and the scent soothed my nerves even more.

Once I'd finished in the bathroom, I took a tentative step back into the room. Eric was standing by the desk, dressed just in sleep pants (for my benefit? Pam's? He didn't normally have a problem with nudity, after all), flipping idly through the room service brochure. I was surprised the vampire-friendly rooms had them, given that bottled blood could be kept in the minibar, until I realised it was most likely for people like me who were... visiting. I pushed that thought away; that wasn't why I was here tonight.

He didn't look up as I moved towards him, but asked, "What do you want for breakfast? I'll order it now."

I shook my head. "It's fine. I'll go down to breakfast as normal."

He looked up, then, and smiled. "What is it about seeing you in my clothes that makes me want to pick you up and cuddle and kiss you, you cute little thing?" I blinked in surprise. Whatever I'd thought his reaction might be to seeing me in his t-shirt, it wasn't that. Just so that I didn't think he'd gone completely soft on me, he added, "And fuck you senseless, of course, but that goes without saying. As for the breakfast… I don't want you to feel you have to go anywhere or do anything; if you want to stay here for the day, you're more than welcome. Order whatever you want from room service."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "I guess I'll see how I feel when I wake up," I said, not wanting to commit myself to anything.

It seemed to appease him, though; he shrugged. "So long as you're comfortable." He flipped the brochure closed again, and sprawled on the bed closer to the door.

"Did Pam get first pick of the beds?" I asked curiously, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"No, why?"

I shrugged. "Most people choose to be by the window."

He chuckled. "I choose to put myself between any potential danger and my child. Therefore, I take the bed nearer the door." I thought about that; clearly Eric was a good deal more protective by nature than I'd ever given him credit for – or a lot fonder of Pam. Maybe both. It didn't escape my notice that the space he'd left for me beside him was the side away from the door, too. He stretched his arm out to me, and made a beckoning movement with his head. "C'mere." It was gentle and reassuring, inviting rather than commanding, and I lay tentatively beside him on the big bed. He curled his arm round me, and ruffled my hair as I laid my head on his chest. He pulled the covers over us. "Better?"

I nodded, feeling all the tension seep out of my body, and moved closer to him, one arm slung across his waist. I love you, I found myself thinking, to my astonishment. Did I? Did I really, or was it the bond? Something ached inside me, and I gave a soft whimper.

"Sh, it's okay," he murmured, as if to a child. He stroked my hair gently. "Go to sleep, lover. You'll feel better tomorrow."

I closed my eyes, concentrating on the gentle rhythm of his fingers through my hair. The ache in my heart eased a little as he kissed the top of my head, and murmured something in what I assumed was his native language. Then, to my surprise, he started humming a tune; I could feel the vibrations of it in his chest, and found it faintly soothing. "What is that?" I asked.

"Lullaby," he answered softly. "I used to sing it to my children, when they were tiny."

"You had children? You were married?"

"Mm. A long, long time ago." I felt a deep sense of sorrow and loss, and realised it was his. I blinked back a few tears on his behalf.

"Are there words to it?" I asked.

"You won't understand them," he warned.

"Doesn't matter."

He sang softly, in that ancient language, and though I didn't understand the words, I felt myself being lifted and rocked by them, comfort curling through my mind and heart. I lay silently in his arms for a while when the song finished. "What does it mean?" I murmured.

"It's about being rocked to sleep in a boat on the sea, with the god of the moon and the stars watching over you."

And there was that ache again, the one I didn't understand. I nestled closer.

"What is it, lover?" he asked softly. "I can sense your sorrow. What's wrong?"

I snuffled a little. "I don't know." Except that... I gulped; except that, right then, the ache in my heart was telling me that I really wanted to kiss him. To be with him as we had been, when he stayed with me. To be lovers again. The feeling deepened to anguish, and I sobbed, burrowing closer to him.

He eased me on top of him, so I was lying along his body, and wrapped his arms fully round me. "I can feel you struggling inside," he said softly. "What are you fighting? The bond? Your sadness? Me? Yourself?"

"All of the above, I think," I said with a trembling laugh. I brushed my tears away. I felt the pressure of his hand on the back of my head, bringing it into the crook of his neck, and arranged my arms either side of his chest. It wasn't hugely comfortable, but it meant we were close. Close was good.

"Let the bond through," he coaxed. "Let me send you comfort. Let me do this for you." He pressed gentle kisses into my hair. "Stop fighting it, lover," he murmured. "Stop fighting it."

I broke down and cried; and immediately a wave of warmth and love washed over me, around me, through me. I gasped for air; his arms tightened round me. "I've got you, lover," he murmured. "I've got you." And all of a sudden, I was calm again, melting into him. I gave a sigh of relief, and snuggled closer. "See? Better when you don't fight it," he said soothingly. "Just let go... let go..." he started humming again.

I couldn't hold it in any longer. I kissed him.

He allowed it for a few moments, then pulled back. "That's what you were fighting?" he asked, astonished. "Of all the things you could have been fighting, it was that, you crazy woman?"

"Umm... yes?" I squeaked.

He laughed, clearly relieved that it wasn't anything so very terrible that was worrying me. "Normally, I'd tell you to have at it. But I made you a promise." He stroked my hair. "When I give my word, I keep it."

"You promised no sex," I said.

"I said I would do no more than hold you," he reminded me gently. "Something I'm now greatly regretting," he added, with a rueful smile.

"Would it be better if I went?" I asked hesitantly. I didn't really want to, but I didn't want to make this any harder for either of us than it already was.

"No," he said softly. "It would be easier, perhaps, but not better. No, stay with me, and I will show you that I keep my promises." He brushed his lips gently to my forehead, and held me close. "Besides, I think none of us share well," he said, as if to himself.

I felt a stab of guilt, thinking about Quinn. "No. True."

He was silent for a long while. "I'm no Svengali, Sookie. If you love the tiger, I won't stand in your way."

I gave him an uncertain look. His face was calm, but I could sense his tension through the bond. "I... appreciate you letting make my own choices," I told him.

He gave an abrupt nod. "Whatever your decision, I will uphold it." However little I like it, however I might wish it changed, however much I might wish to keep you by my side forever, hold you in my arms, love you as you deserve.

My eyes widened; it wasn't the first time I'd had a glimpse of the workings of a vampire's mind, though this was very different from anything I'd heard before. I realised that every time it had happened had been after ingesting vampire blood; I stored that away for future reference. "Quinn... earlier, he asked me if I'd dance with him or with you at the ball."

He looked surprised. "It's a ball, Sookie."

"So?"

"It's common to dance with different partners. I certainly hope you'll dance with me; I know how well you dance. But why shouldn't you dance with him as well?" He raised an eyebrow. "Unless he was talking about some other kind of dancing."

I giggled suddenly. "You wouldn't mind if I danced with him, then?"

"Dancing or dancing?" he teased, and I laughed; suddenly the remaining tension between us was gone, and I relaxed back onto the bed, barely touching him.

"I'll save a dance for you," I promised, trying not to let my laughter show in my voice, even though he could feel it through the bond.

He groaned. "Sookie, I never had you pegged for such a cruel tease."

I looked across at him with an innocent smile. "Do you want to... dance... with me?"

The intensity of his eyes, voice, and the feelings coming through the bond made me shiver. "I want to do a lot more than dance with you, my lover." At my gasp, he held my eyes. "You want more than that, too." I shivered; oh, yes, I really did.

Quinn. I should be thinking about Quinn, not lusting after Eric - hard to do when we were half-naked in bed together and flirting. To be fair, it would be pretty hard to do anything but lust after Eric when you were half-naked in bed and flirting with him. I reminded myself that it was probably a bad idea to tease a very horny vampire who had a thing for me - especially given that I was currently dating someone else. So, of course, I went ahead and did it. "Maybe more than one dance, then? Maybe... dinner and dancing?" Yes, I just teased a horny, half-naked vampire who has a thing for me by offering him blood and lots of sex. Crazy doesn't even begin to cover that one.

There was a low growl; I looked up to see that he'd angled his head away from me; his fangs were extended. Yup, teasing a horny vampire? Bad idea. He gave me a wild-eyed look, and sank his fangs into the pillow, his body jerking slightly. Eventually he calmed down; I could feel the tension releasing from his body. "Gods, things you do to me," he gasped. "Twice in one night, and this time barely even touching you and not tasting your blood."

I blushed, grasping his meaning; realising what the bond had just allowed me to feel. "Oh..."

"I suppose I'd better get changed again," he said, and his eyes twinkled with mischief. "Excuse me a moment."

No, of course he didn't grab a clean pair of sleep pants and head for the bathroom. This was Eric. He stood up, and with his back to me, simply dropped his sleep pants to the floor, giving me a ringside view of his spectacular ass. I whimpered, a wave of lust hitting me like a tsunami. He flexed, stretched, bent to pick the sleep pants off the floor. I whimpered some more, and he tossed me a grin over his shoulder, and very slowly, sensually, pulled a fresh pair of sleep pants on, leaving me a hormonal mess in the middle of his bed.

Payback's a bitch.