NOTE: This chapter is rated M.
Art Imitates Life
Chapter 3: Graduation Day, Part 2
I sat back down on the sofa in a nightgown that Eric had pulled out of my closet. It was pale purple and shimmery silk. I'd bought it at Tara's boutique a month ago, on sale, 70% off. I hadn't even worn it yet, but Eric didn't seem to think that fact was too important. He wore a pair of Jason's jeans, which I'd found in a pile of laundry in my old bedroom closet. He refused Jason's accompanying flannel shirt, deciding to go half-naked instead. I sat on the sofa after I'd changed the DVD, and I was in a very grumpy, frustrated mood. I didn't snuggle in next to Eric, but sat in the very tightest corner of the sofa. I tucked my legs up under my nightie.
Worse than the fact that I'd been left high and very not dry was the fact that I'd had a healthy dose of vampire blood. Vampire blood, called V on the black market, gives humans a boost of strength, energy, and more importantly, sexual desire. So, not only was I already squirmy and tense, I was also hopped up on vampire blood. I wanted to jump Eric so badly I could hardly contain myself. But I did. I'd show him.
"So we're jumping way ahead again." I said through slightly clenched teeth. It was difficult to concentrate. Everything in the room seemed to glow and shiver. I wondered if I was shaking. "Basically, Angel went evil after they made love, and he killed a couple people, and then Buffy killed him. And then he went to Hell, and then he came back. And now there are two slayers, Buffy and this girl, Faith. Faith is evil. Oh, and Angel breaks up with Buffy. I forgot that part. And anyway, Faith shoots Angel with this poison arrow thing. And that's pretty much where we're at." My voice was definitely shaky. Good grief.
"Wow. We really missed a lot." Eric said.
"Yeah. Right. I'm hitting play now." I hunted for the button for far too long.
"I'm ready."
"Give me a second!" I snapped. Ah ha! Button. I pressed it.
"Are you alright, Sookie?" The DVD was loading. I gave him a sour look.
"Fine." I grunted. I was not fine.
"Oh right, she stabbed the evil girl." I said. I had forgotten that part too. I usually watched these last two episodes as a set. But I had to get to the part that would make Eric's knees buckle.
"Who is that?"
"That's the mayor. He's evil too."
"Snappy dresser." Eric cringed a little.
"Well you know, evil people have crappy wardrobes." Wow, I was in a bad mood.
"Ah. Is that how it works?" He was teasing me. His eyes were bright. "Who's Wesley?"
"He's a watcher, like Giles. He's a moron."
"Sookie, my lover, can I get you a cup of tea?" Still laughing. Viking laughing at me. I thought about smacking him.
"Like the man said," I grunted, referencing the television. "I want to be tense."
I noticed that sick and naked Angel looked less attractive than not sick and naked Angel. I felt slightly less tense, until I involuntarily glanced at not sick and half-naked Eric. Tense meter rising. I gritted my teeth together. My leg started shaking in that nervous way. Eric reached over and grabbed my arm. He yanked me rather hard against him. I yelped and tried to scramble away, to fume on my own. He held tightly. I was definitely not as strong as full strength vampire. Eric pulled me into his lap.
He was watching intently now. His hand slithered between my thighs. I shivered. I knew this would get him. I didn't realize he would get me. I didn't really care right now though. I heard his fangs extend, a slight clicking noise. He was watching Angel drink Buffy, and I was watching Angel drink Buffy. His cool fingers pressed between my labia and I squeaked. Eric's fangs grazed my throat, but he didn't bite down. I could feel him hard underneath his jeans. I'd never been so worked up in my life.
Blood dripped down Buffy's shoulder from Angel's mouth, and I'm not going to fib here and tell you it wasn't arousing. It was the hottest thing I'd ever seen. My whole body was shaking on Eric's thighs and I'd wrapped my hands around his wrist. I suddenly forgot that he'd already had an orgasm that night. I messed with the clasp on his pants. I was panting so hard that it was hard to think about anything as complicated as a button hole.
"Sookie," he growled against my skin. He wanted to bite me, badly. He was trying to hold back. I wasn't sure why, why he was trying to control himself. I pushed his pants down around his hips and shoved myself down over him with such force that I forgot how badly that would hurt later. He was looking over my shoulder at the television screen.
"It's okay," I growled against his neck. I buried my burning face against his shoulder. I was bouncing in his lap. My knees hurt.
"Lover," he whispered before biting down into my throat. I choked back a yelp and dug my fingernails into his arm. He licked the blood from my skin as it rolled down my clavicle. The wound was already closing. I felt myself let go, my orgasm wash over me like one of those tidal waves. I cried big crocodile tears and they stained my cheeks with big red streaks. The show was playing behind us. I sat slowly back down on the sofa. Eric pulled his pants back on and rebuttoned them. Then he yanked me back into his embrace.
"He's trying to kill her," Eric murmured.
"It's okay. Eric.. I mean, Angel is watching over her." Eric glanced at me. He kissed my temple through my wet hair.
"Would you do that for me, lover?" Eric asked softly. He was cradling me against his chest.
"Would I…let you feed from me?" I asked, looking for clarification.
"Yes."
"Probably," I'd never know that answer for sure, but I had already saved his life once, and he'd saved mine too.
"You're a strange and fascinating human, Sookie."
"Thanks, I think."
"I meant it as a compliment."
"Then I'll take it as one."
"So now, with the music, I assume there's going to be more action?"
"Yeah, they have to stop the apocalypse now."
"At their high school graduation?"
"Mmhmm. The mayor guy is going to become a big scary demon snake and try to eat them up."
"Oh. Oh I like the hummus plan. Have you ever had hummus?"
"Nope. Have you?"
"No. They didn't have hummus in the Arctic. Mostly I had a diet of fish."
"Oh. If you could eat, I'd make you some really good Southern food."
"I appreciate the thought."
"So he's a big demon snake? And he's afraid of germs?"
"Yeah. I wish they'd actually attacked him with dirty Kleenex, but they don't."
"Kleenex?"
"Tissues. You know, when a human has a cold, they wipe their nose with tissues."
"Oh. Right."
"It would've been really fun."
"Is this English man going with this high school girl?" Wes and Cordy were going to kiss now. This part always made me giggle.
"Hah! He wishes."
"Well they're…wait. What is he doing to her face?"
"Well, it's kind of like the worst kiss ever."
"He's slobbering on her like a dog." I giggled. Eric made a disgusted face.
"Tell me that vampires kiss better than humans."
"I haven't had a lot of comparison, but vampires tend to kiss better than anybody. I think it's because you get a lot of practice."
"I was good at it as a man."
"Well, all that raping and pillaging probably helped." It was Eric's turn to laugh. We looked back at the TV. Angel and Buffy were being all sadness and doom.
"He's leaving her?"
"Yeah. He doesn't want to be tempted. He'd be all evil again."
"Right. Because he has a soul."
"Yeah."
"You know, we don't need souls to love."
"I know." I curled into him a little more. I tried to stay focused on the program.
"Oh hey, it's that guy again." Eric said. We were changing the subject. I was kinda happy about that. "Is he going to do the snake thing now?"
"Yeah. See, it gets all dark."
"Even with an eclipse, most vampires are asleep in the afternoon."
"Just go with it. It's fictional."
"But if its gonna imitate real things…hey look, he's a snake."
"Yeah. He eats people now."
"Ooh, they're all organized like an army. That's different."
"I like how they do the flaming arrows and some of the vamps go all dusty."
"That's inaccurate as well, as you may recall."
"I like the dust more than what actually happens."
"It's certainly cleaner."
"So the snake thing still speaks English?"
"It's the magic of magic, I think."
"Television has gotten much better with the special effects since this program aired."
"This was on television when I was in high school."
"So the answer is yes, then?"
"Yes.
"And it's over now?"
"Well, Angel says goodbye first."
"Are they going to kiss again?"
"I wish they would, but no."
Eric's lips brushed my cheek. I smiled. Sure, I hadn't expected all the crazy that we'd been through that night, and I'd probably really regret it later, but wow. I could definitely put off toe nail painting for another night.
"It ends rather sadly, doesn't it?"
"Kinda. There's a quip at the end, but mostly it's a downer."
"I'm glad you invited me in tonight, Sookie. Although, I hope you hadn't planned to do this with Pam."
"Nope. We were just going to talk about you."
"About me?"
"Yeah. Girls usually gossip about the men in their lives."
"And what would you say about me, my lover?" I thought about tact. He'd just seen me cry like a little girl. Screw tact.
"That getting mixed up with you is a huge mistake, that I love being with you but I don't really know how much of it is you and how much of it is the blood bond thing, and that you're great in the sack but I don't know if you actually care about me at all."
Eric raised both eyebrows. I got down from his lap to shut off the television. It was getting late.
"You'd talk to Pam about these things?"
"She knows you better than anyone."
I stood over him and he got to his feet.
"We should talk more about this, Sookie."
"Yeah, but not now. I'm kicking you out. I have to work tomorrow."
"Sookie," he sighed. He pulled me against him. I shut my eyes when he kissed me. I struggled with my resolve.
"I really need to be in bed now, Eric." I frowned. Eric nodded and walked to the door. I followed him out.
"Sleep well, my lover." His voice was so smooth. Some part of me wanted him to refuse to leave. He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed my open palm and each finger. Then he drifted down the stairs to his car.
I shut the door and thought about calling Pam.
