Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters involved in this story. I am simply playing. Blue Eyed Beast is set in Victorian England. I will do my best keep the personalities as close to original as possible, this is only an AU. Eric is very much a vampire and Sookie still has her gifts. Also, special thanks my awesome Beta HopeStreet! Thank You!

AN: I am so happy all of you like my story; your reviews make my day. I wanted to wait a few days before posting my next chapter, but come on, it's Eric!

Jason Stackhouse was not the brightest man Eric Northman had met, but he had a drive that Eric had not seen in nearly a century. They had met at a club one evening. Eric had wanted a change from his usual dinner selection and found Jason. They become almost immediate business partners, realizing how many investment interests they shared. Jason never found out how close he had come to being Eric's meal that night.

Eric was in desperate need of a human to carry on business during the day. Jason would be the perfect human. Though he was hard working, he equally enjoyed taking in everything London nightlife had to offer. Fortunately, for Eric, Jason's nocturnal habits worked to his benefit. Jason often slept in until noon but still managed to work six to seven hours before the sun fell. When he met Eric in the evening, he was still alert and often did not tire until the early morning. The fact that Jason could work during the day was all the convincing Eric needed. Jason was also self-absorbed and spent little time remembering any detail surrounding Eric's life away from their business. He never took notice of Eric's constant evening schedule, and if the time came where he finally caught on, Eric could simply glamour him, and he wouldn't remember a thing.

Eric was also aware of the fear Jason felt when he was near him. He did not sense his fear often, but it was enough to make him confident in the fact that Jason would never cross him and always do as he asked.

Over the past year, the two worked well together. Jason knew very little personal information about Eric but constantly shared his life with Eric. For the sake of their business ventures, Eric tolerated Jason's stories of conquests and late night brawls, his wins and losses from gambling halls. He also spoke about his family. Jason was alone with the exception for one sister − a girl that he obviously felt affection for, even though he said at times she could be a bit odd in nature. He had confided in Eric one night about his sister's 'condition'. Everything he explained in his drunken stupor pointed to one conclusion. The other Stackhouse was a telepath. After that night, Eric was completely, but secretly, engrossed with whatever Jason had to say about his sister. He was waiting for a final tidbit that would confirm his speculation. So when the day came for Eric to accept an offer to marry the girl, he did not hesitate.

Eric sat his desk, while Jason rattled off every possible benefit to having his sister as his wife.

"In our line of work, it looks good to be married. No one trusts a man who cannot keep a woman."

Eric didn't look up from his desk as Jason paced around the eclectically decorated office. Jason eyes were drawn to an ancient looking knife sheathed in animal hide. He traced his fingers over the handle and soft weather skin.

"Don't touch that."

Jason retracted his hand from the artifact, a boyish grin curled across his face. He set his eyes on Eric's down-turned head, waiting to hear a reply. Eric did not care if the girl was beautiful and clever, the only benefit to taking Ms. Stackhouse as his wife was her telepathy. The girl would be his, and she would be an amazing tool for business. Why had Jason never thought of that? Then again, as the simpleton he was, he thought she was crazy.

"I will marry your sister." Eric looked up with a brief smile and Jason beamed back a look of surprise and victory.

"Do you mean that? Oh thank you, sir. You are a good man, Eric Northman!"

No, he was not, but Jason didn't need to know that.

"Shall we announce the engagement at the Winter Ball? Susanna will be there. She will be so pleased."

***

Eric stood in front of the fire. His eyes were fixed on the dancing flames as he revisited the events of the evening in his head.

Sookie, introduced as Susanna Stackhouse, was not only breathtakingly beautiful, but had a scent that was more enticing than any human he had ever met. The fact that she was a virgin had little to do with the attraction. There was something else, but he could not pinpoint what it was. Regardless of what it was, he knew one thing for sure, he would not be able to wait long to have her. He wanted to peel the blue velvet from the soft curves of her body and devour her, right there on her brother's oriental rug. It took most of his strength to tame his inner hunger and greet the young girl. After a few minutes of mundane chatter, Eric left the room. Carelessly, he had caught it on something while in transit to the estate. To humans it was considered extremely uncouth to wear anything less than perfect attire to the dinner table. The button seemed to be the acceptable excuse that would allow him to escape the scent of Ms. Stackhouse, as well as the mull over the frustration he felt for failing to pull her under his influence.

Can she not be glamoured?

When human meals could not be avoided, Eric glamoured people into being so involved in table conversation they hardly noticed his untouched plates. However, there was some difficulty in drawing Susanna into a hypnotized state. It had been his second attempt at drawing her in. A second failed attempt was all he needed to confirm that she truly was different. Her constant glances at him also indicated that her dear brother had informed her of the marriage agreement. It was obvious to him that while Sookie was attracted to him, she was also unhappy with the recent news.

Through the laughter and conversation, he forced a few bites of food down. Being as old as he was, he would be able to keep the food down for a while. Jason had conveniently seated Eric next to Sookie, which would have been wonderful if it were not for the fact that he had not fed all night. He needed to go into town and feed from someone soon. Feeling himself grow colder, he excused himself when dessert was served.

Disregarding any reaction to him leaving, he quickly left the dinner party. He coughed up the small amount of human food on his way to the stable.

When he rode into town, he spotted a tavern. Most taverns housed a few loose women. He preferred his meals so come from the young, fresh girls of London society. But tonight he would make do with a town wench.

It did not take long to Eric to attract a girl of his liking. She was no older than twenty, but her blond hair and big blue eyes reminded him of the one he truly desired. Eric let the young girl lead him upstairs to a tiny room that held little more than a bed and night table.

"Now then, sir, what shall I do for you tonight?"

He pulled the girl closer to him and realized this creature was nothing like the one he wanted. This girl reeked of cheap brandy and ale. Her body carried the heavy scent of masculine sweat and sex. Eric was obviously not her first customer of the evening. If it were not for the fact that his need for blood was dire, he would have gone elsewhere. However, that was not possible tonight; losing all lust for the girl's body and quickly glamouring her, he sunk his fangs into her neck. She did not scream or move or even whimper as Eric drank heavy pulls from her neck. After a few minutes, her knees began to buckle. He released her flesh and licked the wounds. When the girl woke in a few hours, she would not know what happened, and there would be no mark of evidence either. Eric placed her in the small bed and left a few coins on the table.

As Eric walked out to his horse, he cringed inwardly at what he had just settled for. Alcohol tainted blood from some country whore, it did nothing but strengthen a pre-existing hunger. At 800 years of age, he could last nearly a week without feeding. However, with Sookie in the same house as he, it might grow to be more of a challenge than that. From now on, if he had to feed again during his stay, it would be a chambermaid or the stable boy. He could feed at the estate, but discretion was important.

As Eric made his way back into the large home, he could hear papers being rustled down one hall, and a much softer set of noises coming from the other end. Jason's sister was still awake. Driven with curiosity and lust for the girl, he made his way to the drawing room. There he found the delicious little creature curled up in an overstuffed chair by the fire. She was busy, threading colored thread through a piece of linen.

He watched her for another minute before approaching the girl. Her vibrant blue eyes shot up to his when he got close enough for her to realize there was someone else in the room. As he reached the fireplace, he turned to study the intriguing young girl before him. Eric found it difficult to believe that no man wanted her. She was the perfect combination of women and innocent girl. Every lovely curve, every soft plane of skin had been left untouched. It was as if god himself had saved this woman just for him.

Eric stood at the fireplace, purposefully keeping a distance from her. It was obvious that she was nervous around him. She had reason to be. If she had any idea what he was capable of, she probably would run away in terror. He did not want that. He did not want her to fear him ever. Besides her telepathy and the desire for her body and blood, there was another need he felt? He pushed the thought away. He was not ready nor did he want to explore anything else with her.

It amused him when she advised that he leave the room for fear of being ruined. He was fully aware that she knew he had agreed to marry her. That was all right, he could play, too. Eric walked over and sat on the arm of her chair. Sookie did not do a very good job of hiding both her outrage and arousal. He loved it. Her heart hammered under her exquisite breasts as he moved in closer to whisper a few teasing words. The scent of her skin was intoxicating; the temptation to lick, kiss, and bite her sweet flesh was almost too much to bear.

Sookie cheeks blushed a tantalizing shade of pink, and it only made his hunger for her even stronger. When spoke again, it betrayed every sign she had been showing him. Rejection − no woman had ever turned him away. Perhaps there was a first for everything. He should have been angry, but instead he pulled himself back not wanting to cause a second more of discomfort. He did not want her to fear him; it would make everything else more troublesome if she were afraid of him.

She quickly shook her head and tried to smile. She was lying. Sookie quickly grabbed the items in her lap with shaky hands. He would let her go, for this night. As she began to excuse herself, she took in a sharp breath. Then she pulled her finger from the cloth to reveal what Eric was already aware of. The moment her skin broke, it became instantly apparent what has just happened. She had carelessly pricked her finger with the needle she had been was using. The scent of her sweet, pure blood teased at Eric. Every muscle in his body tensed. If it were not for his age, the primal urge to take everything he wanted would have been difficult to control. It only took a second for Eric to regain control. Sookie clumsily looked for an item to aid the blood from dripping.

One little taste wouldn't end the world.

Eric was hovering over her before he had time to change his mind. Taking her hand, Eric pretended to be a gentleman for only a moment before he took her finger into his mouth. She was exquisite, he thought, as he pulled the few drops from the warm digit. A quiet moan escaped her throat, which was all it took to strain the fabric of his trousers. He wanted her now. As she pulled her hand away, he reined himself in again. If he could not glamour her, he would not take her by force. Charming as he may be, he had a feeling she would not be easily persuaded to bed him.

A faint flush pinked her cheeks as he politely thanked him, grabbed her things and left. He stood in front of the fire thinking to himself. All he needed was time, and for his sake, he had all the time in the world.