Friday seemed to drag on; the sun seemed to linger too long. Alex spent most of the day to rest but to no avail. She finally decided that running errands all day would fill her nervous mind. She returns home shortly before complete nightfall, a packet in her hand and on her phone.

"Big plans tonight Sook?"

"Now that you mention it, Bill and are going to the football game."

She laughs, "Really? Vamps like football?"

She sits her keys down and takes the packet into the kitchen and puts it in the refrigerator. Evelyn is just finishing making dinner for Alex.

"Well, I don't know if he likes it, but he said he would go with me."

"At least you know what to do with him."

"Alex, you'll be fine. Eric likes you. He's leaving his bar in his town to see you. That means something."

"Only if he loves money."

"He does, almost as much as he loves himself."

"Well then I guess I am special," Evelyn sits a plate in front of her and points to the clock, "Shit! I have to get off here…."

"Oh yeah, you've got a phone call to make."

They say their good byes. Alex pours herself a glass of water. She drinks it all down as she stares at the phone.

"It ain't gonna dial itself child," Evelyn teases.

Alex sighs, "I know," she takes a small bite of her dinner, "I'm just super nervous."

"What's he like baby girl?"

"Unbelievable, almost unreal, and a little scary."

"All things with love are scary sweetness," she pats Alex on the shoulder, "Call him."

Alex takes a deep breath. She takes the card out of her wallet and carefully puts in the numbers. She cursed the touch screen on her iPhone, like it was mocking her patterns.

She silently hoped for voicemail.

"Yes," his voice could chill her from a distance.

"Eric…this is Alex."

"Of course, I've been waiting. I've been restless."

She smiled, "You too? That's out there….I mean, where are you?"

"Half way between Shreveport and Bon Temps. Give me a way to get to you."

"Sure," she rattled off an address plus some landmarks, "Think you can find it?"

"I can always find a way to you, dear one. Plus, I have GPS."

"Who the hell doesn't anymore, so how long?"

"Within the half hour."

She felt a warm wave wash over her, "Okay then, I'll see you soon."

"Yes, you will."

After he hung up, she almost felt haunted. She ate her dinner in total silence. She had a glass of wine after just to steady herself. As she stared out the window, she laughed at her own childish fears.

"Don't you think you should get that liquor and dinner off your breath baby" Evelyn asked, with a tone of mama knows best in her voice.

"Oh yeah, of course, I'm just a little freaked out," Alex smiles over her shoulder, "Eve, he's almost too beautiful for words."

"Sweetie, no man is that beautiful. Now, up the stairs."

Alex laughed out loud as she marched up her stairs, "You'll see."

She knew Evelyn thought she was a silly child about this whole thing. Sending her up here was just a good way for her to check out the man in question. Evelyn also hoped that she and the dog in the house would scare him a little.

Alex couldn't wipe the smile off her face, even as she finished brushing her teeth. She checked her hair, totally fine, and her make-up. She thought she looked pretty natural.

She checked her outfit. An extremely flattering pair of jeans and a dark green shirt, just enough showing she thought. Sexy not skanky.

She looked across the room to see her bulldog giving her the most desperate and pathetic look.

"Alright, you can get out, but only if you promise to be good. I'm serious buddy."

The dog barked in agreement as she bent down to unlatch the door. She fights to keep him off her clothes.

"Thor, I'm having company. No messes and no kisses."

He seemed to understand and took a comfortable place at the foot of her bed. She sat next to him and sighed. She didn't have much time to worry much longer as Evelyn entered the room "Yeah?"

"Someone at the door for you sweetness; he says that you have to invite him in."

He heart skipped a beat, "Of course I do," she stood up, smoothed out her top and headed down the stairs toward the rest of her night.

"And you was right baby. He is delicious. Tall and mysterious. I wonder how he looks out of all that," Evelyn whispers.

Alex had to catch her breath when she saw Eric in her doorway. He was leaning his large body against her doorframe. He was wearing a black tank top, black leather jacket, and a very generous pair of jeans.

She wondered herself what he did look like without the clothes, "You know he heard you right?"

Both women stopped in the foyer. Eric shifted his gaze from Alex to Evelyn and smiled.

"They have amazing hearing," Alex whispered know that he was listening intently.

The heat rushed to Evelyn's cheeks, "Lord Jesus," she hurried to get her keys and heat out, "Well, I should leave you two alone then. It was nice to meet you Mr. Northman."

She made her way out the door; Eric barely making room for her to pass without her gently grazing him. She muttered a few more blessings under her breath as she took off across the road. He laughed, and Alex loved the sound.

"You look great," she smiled, her voice soft.

"As do you," Eric raised an eyebrow, "Well?"

"Oh shit! Sorry. Wouldn't you like to come in?"

"Very much so," he stepped across the threshold standing in front of her, closing the door behind him.

The dog barked at Alex's feet.

"What is that?"

"He is my dog. His name is Thor."

He raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "You named your pet Thor?"

"Well, what was I supposed to call him, Tiny?"

"Point taken," Eric tilted his head to examine the pooch, "He certainly looks fierce enough."

"He is extremely protective," she reached down to scratch behind Thor's ear, "he loves me, yes, he does." The bulldog seems satisfied with the attention.

"Are we going to stand in this foyer all evening," Eric steps even closer to her, "not that I mind…"

"Course not, please." She gestures for him to follow her.

She takes him into her living room. It has several bookshelves, a fireplace, and a large couch in front of a large television. There are two chairs flanking the couch with a coffee table filling the gap. There are several pictures around the room.

"Your home is lovely; at least what I can see of it," Eric stands in front of the fireplace and examines the pictures there, "I assume the child is the photo is you."

"Yeah, and that's my mom. Isn't….wasn't she beautiful?"

"Yes. Your resemblance to her is remarkable."

"Thanks," she leans against the wall, "and thank you for seeing me. Alone."

"Well, you had my attention. And Sookie seems to find you interesting enough."

"And that made you what, curious?"

"Yes."

"Honestly, that girl is sweet but so fucking naïve. She irritates me."

Eric sits down on the couch. Alex takes the cue and sits down beside him.

"Your pet is staring."

Alex laughs, "He doesn't know if he can trust you. He won't leave and stay quiet until he knows that I'm safe."

Eric sighs, reaches over and pets the dog, "Sufficient?"

"I suppose," Alex shoos her protector off to a small door and shuts it after he goes through it, "Sorry, I should have put him in the basement in the first place," she returns to her seat.

"We all have a tendency to let our pets control our behavior."

She is taken aback by the sentence, "Just when it felt normal. What the hell was I saying?"

"We were talking about Sookie and how you feel about her."

"Right. I don't know if she even has a logical thought in her head sometimes."

"Then why would you agree to meet me on just her word?"

Alex feels heat rushing to her face, "Well, when she was talking about you…she pictured you and I saw….I just didn't think you seemed real at all. I had to see for myself."

"Had they told me their friend was so beautiful, I would have come here first, perhaps spared you the pageantry of my bar."

"Me…on a good day, I'm all right."

"Trust me when I tell you this. I have been alive a long time. You, Alex, are near perfection. Too good for the living."

She laughs, "I'm just…It's hard for me to accept compliments."

"Get used to it."

She nods, "Can I get you something…you look more pale than yesterday?"

"You can tell the difference?"

"Of course I can. Can't everyone?"

"Not usually."

"Well, then. You need something."

Alex hurries off into her kitchen. Eric follows her with a look of mild disgust on his face.

"I do not enjoy that synthetic trite they call sustenance."

Alex pulls a small container from her refrigerator, "I assure you. This is anything but that."

She slides a small bag across the countertop. He looks at it and says nothing.

"It's mine, and don't act like that's the strangest thing you've ever seen. Since I have such a rare blood type and I live in the middle of nowhere its not a terrible idea to keep my own brand on chill, just in case. And that is fresh, I got it drawn today. For you. I thought you might be hungry."

Eric steps between her and the counter, "It's cold."

"Excuse me for trying to keep it from going bad, if there is such a thing. Here, I'll warm it up for you."

She reaches around him, pressing her body to his. She is electrified by the cool skin beneath hers.

"It's better directly from the source," he whispers, while running his fingers along her neck.

It sends a chill down her spine. She collects herself and puts the bag in the microwave.

"I'm sure that it is. But if I can't just let you have it from the source. Then you'll think I'm just one of those fang-banging whores who gets off on that," she shakes her head, "Plus I really didn't know how it works, so for now this will have to do."

Eric presses his hands into her hips pulling her close, "You are not one of those. I can spot them. They reek of desperations and self-loathing. You, however, smell amazing…"

The microwave shuts off and pulls Alex away. She takes it out and grabs a glass from the cabinet, "This is a compromise. Think of it as…"

"Foreplay?"

"Well….maybe. I guess for you. I was going to say…I totally forgot now. So, until then."

"No drinking from the vessel," Eric sighs in disapproval as she pours the blood into the glass. He takes it from her and drinks.

"How is it? Or should I ask how I taste?"

"Intoxicating; and it will do for now," she sees his fangs glisten in the low light. He smiles to reveal more, "Still not frightened?"

"Not really. They only come out if you're hungry, angry or otherwise stimulated."

He pushes against her, "And what am I exactly?"

"Not angry."

He laughs; the heat rushes to her face.

"You still can't read my thoughts?"

"No, just….well, it's hard to explain."

"Try me."

"Okay…if you were thinking something specifically directed towards me, then maybe I could hear it. Its not an exact science with supernatural beings. Especially you, but have no fear, all I hear from you is silence."

She takes the now empty glass and rinses it out. That would be a fun stain to get out she thinks as she prays it doesn't ruin her glassware. Eric watches her every move from across the room.

"You seem….out of sorts Alex."

She puts the bag into its storage container and then into the refrigerator. She walks towards her living room and he follows behind.

"Just nervous. Its been a long time since...well, since anyone else has been here."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Most people don't find my little gift to be that attractive of a quality. Plus, I'm rude, loud and have tattoos. If they can get past what I look like, then they find out what I am and it's all downhill from there. You probably understand that part right?"

"Explain."

"Don't play coy, Eric. It doesn't suit you. Don't most women approach you; want you, because of what you are? They don't care about the risks and if you find it worth entertaining you indulge them if only for a taste."

"Mostly true, however, every now and again someone clearly captures my attention."

She stands in front of a large window in the living room. He moves behind her and wraps his arms around her waist and rests his head against hers.

She sighs, "I should be scared out of my fucking mind but this, right here and now, I feel totally safe."

Eric smiles, "You are," he kisses her temple. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. She thinks to herself that she will never forget the sensation of his cool lips on her warm skin.

"I'm not really sure what we're supposed to do," she says barely above a whisper, "I don't have much experience."

"With vampires?"

"With anyone."

"We could go for a walk. The night is beautiful and the sky is clear."

"Sounds wonderful," she reluctantly moves away and heads towards the front door, "Shall we then?"

Eric follows. They stand in the narrow open doorway, hardly enough space between for light to pass through. She locks eyes with his, knowing he had no control over her. Although, he did try.

"It's not that easy with me," she said, wagging a finger.

"Never hurts to try."

He reaches for her hand but she pulls away.

"Sorry, it's…..the empath in me. Sometimes, I can make someone feel what I'm feeling or worse I can feel what they're feeling. But only if I'm in constant skin to skin contact. I don't want you to have to carry this mixed bag of emotion that I've got going on right now."

He smiles and takes her hand in his, "I'm willing to risk it."

Alex smiles and instantly relaxes, "If you insist."

They step off her porch and Alex shuts the door and locks it with a wave of her hand. Eric shakes his head and laughs.

"What? You would if you could."