I just want to say that I do not own any of the characters from the Sookie Stackhouse series, they all belong to Charlaine Harris. As one of my favorite fanfiction authors says 'I am poor so please don't sue'. I know that there are probably still a lot of mistakes but I am working on them as I try to find a beta reader; though I know each chapter is better then the last. Oh yes, I think I may have loaded the version without the corrections. Please forgive me, I am still trying to get a hang on loading things to this site. With that being said please enjoy.
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Chapter 4
Sookie sighed, this was the type of day that she loved. The sun was shining brightly overhead, and it was perfectly warm. Beautiful clouds filled the sky making abstract pictures; Sookie loved trying to figure out what they were. There was even a comfortable breeze that lightly blew the hair in her ponytail. She was laid out in her beach lounger, taking in the suns good rays. As she laid out, she noticed that her skin was still tingling from Eric's touch last night. Just thinking about it sent shivers down her spine. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, she wanted to enjoy the feeling.
"You look good enough to eat. May I join you Lover?" Eric asked very gently next to her. 'Ah, Eric's near' she smiled to herself. ERIC?!
Sookie's eyes flew open. "Holy shit Eric!" she shouted as she jumped up from her chair. "What the hell are you doing? Your going to burn!"
Eric smiled at her shocked display but he didn't make a move to leave or even cover himself. He just stood there looking dazzling in the sunlight. At least he didn't burst into flames like he should have.
"Calm down lover, your going to ruin my dream." He took her hand and gently pulled her back down on the lounger. He sat at her feet.
"Dream?" she asked. He nodded. "Who's dream?"
"I'm not sure; I want to think that its mine, but in all fairness it could be yours too. Does it really matter?"
As Sookie's heart slowly came back down from her throat, she took in Eric's appearance. He was wearing a pair of red swim trunks that matched the red in her bikini. His skin was just as golden as hers, he even had a slight flush in his cheeks. His skin positively shined in the sunlight. His hair cascaded freely down to his shoulders thick, wild, and untamed. It rippled slightly in the light wind.
Eric's eyes danced as he took her whole body in. He seemed to be trying to memorize her body in the sunlight, and she was doing the same.
Unable to stop herself, Sookie brushed her fingers across his forehead, then ran her fingers through his thick locks, before letting them come to rest cupping his cheek in her palm. Was warm, though the texture of his skin was the same. He placed his hand over hers and leaned his head into her touch. His chest rumbled a sound of contentment that made Sookie sigh.
"Your skin." she murmured.
"I know." he said.
"But does that mean..." she couldn't bring herself to finish her question. Instead she let her hand fall from his cheek, graze his neck, and then let it rest on his bare chest where his heart should be. She jolted when she felt the steady beat pound beneath her hand.
Sookie closed her eyes and let the solid rhythm was over her. It felt like home. It was strong and familiar and safe. Tears began to fall when she realized that this was the same rhythm that now plays in her mind; this is the rhythm of Eric. She realized that this was the most significant sound in her world.
He brushed his hand across her cheek. "No Sookie, there's no room for tears here. Only happiness."
She smiled and opened her eyes again. She almost had to squint because his sheer magnificence was overwhelming.
"Your right" she agreed, and she pulled him into a hug. She had to make sure that this was real. "This is our first day together, what do you want to do?"
Eric's smile almost blinded her. "We could go flying, or sailing, or we can swim in the ocean. Oh, we could even play in the snow!" He sounded positively gleeful at the prospect. Sookie couldn't help but giggle. She lived moments like this, where Eric's innocence seeped through, he seemed so child-like.
"Snow?" she said looking around. I don't see any snow, and I don't live on the beach." She reminded him, looking pointedly around at her house and yard.
"Sookie, this is a dream, I'm pretty sure that we could have whatever we want." He pulled her to her feet before she could respond with an excited "Come one!"
"Okay, okay. I think we should try the snow first." Sookie suggested. She knew how much he loved the snow and knew it would make him happy.
"Great!" he crowed, his eyes were positively sparkling with excitement.
"What do we do?" she asked. They were standing in her front yard facing each other holding hands.
"It'll be easy, just give me your other hand and close your eyes." She did as she was told. "Now, lets just think about what it is that we want. When we open our eyes we should see whatever we imagined."
Sookie squeezed his hands to show that she understood. Then with all her might she thought about keeping the sun out shining but being surrounded by snow.
"Open your eyes Lover," Eric said. "I think it worked." He smiled at her triumphantly.
Sure enough, they were surrounded by a winter wonderland. The sun was still blazing overhead, but the house and grounds and surrounding woods were blanketed with snow. It was about three feet on the ground. The snow was cool but not freezing cold like it should have been. It felt really good against her because it was still as warm as it was before the snow appeared.
'Now this is what I would call winter done right' Sookie thought. As she reached down to inspect the snow that was close to her waist, she froze.
"Eric?" she said calmly.
"Yes Lover?" he responded in a voice that sounded pure and innocent. She didn't trust it for a moment.
"Why are we naked?" she asked. She kept her voice level so that it sounded as if she was asking about something as insignificant as the time of day.
She could feel his amusement rolling off him as he fought to keep his voice steady. "How else do you play in the snow?" He asked in mock innocence, as if he'd never heard of dressing for the snow. As he spoke he trailed his fingers down her cheek, across her neck, over her breasts, down her stomach to her her thigh, and then grabbed her ass. Sookie shivered at his light touch, and then scowled at him.
She scooped up a handful of snow and threw it in Eric's face. Then she took off full speed into the trees. Her body easily cut through the snow like a hot knife on butter.
She'd expected him to throw snowballs after her but he didn't. Eric opted to give her a head start so tat he could hunt her down. Predator and prey, his favorite game.
"You know Lover, this means war." He taunted as he followed after her trail into the thick trees.
He heard her giggle, and when he turned his head he had to quickly duck behind a tree. Three snowballs zoomed through the air, and they were perfectly aimed at his head. He crouched low to the ground and began to move faster. He saw her duck behind a tree, so he made an arch so that he could sneak up behind her. Before he could get into position he sensed her moving somewhere behind him.
'Hmm, she's quite fast' he noted
'You better believe it' she answered his thought.
'Cheater.' he smiled.
'Hey, I don't have a thousand years of hunting experience. I have to use whatever I can'
He chuckled softly. 'You may have a point, but you will still loose.' he informed her.
'Nice ass Eric.'
He spun around just in time to see her jump back out of sight. He crouched back down and began stalking his prey again. He came to a small clearing where she had laid a trap. She had ran in many different directions so that he wouldn't know which way she had actually gone. 'Very clever dear one.' he complimented her. He moved into the clearing smelling her different trails, trying to figure out which was the newest one. He kept going, even after he registered that she was close by, out of sight, to his...right. He pretended as if he didn't noticed.
Sookie was crouched behind a tree watching Eric try to separate her trails. She mentally patted herself on the back for her cleverness as she moved to his right so that she could attack. She lunged for him but right before she could wrap her arms around him, he jumped up and flew into the thick cover of the tree tops. They were dense with leafs and snow (which fell on her as he passed through the branches out of site). She huffed and glared at the spot where Eric disappeared.
'Aw Lover' he patronized. 'Were you hunting me? That's so sweet'
As soon as Eric spoke Sookie launched herself through the trees. 'Your going to pay for that Northman' she threatened.
'I'm counting on it Lover.'
Sookie ducked down in a snow bank to gather herself. 'Shoot Sookie. Come on, you can do this' she told herself as she tried to block Eric out. 'You have to figure out a way to get him to come down from his cover.' She closed her eyes and opened her mind to get a feel for where Eric was while still trying to block her own position from him.
'That's cheating Lover.' he chided, but he didn't sound mad. He sounded amused.
'All is fair viking.' She could see in his head that he was flying right below the thicket of leafs and snow tracking her. He was close. She closed her eyes and thought hard.
'Don't hurt yourself Lover.' Eric teased.
'You said that this is a dream right?' she asked.
'Yes Lover.'
'Then all really is fair here.' she replied.
As she heard his mental laughter, she was struck by a crazy idea. She could see that he was closing in on her, if he kept on his present track, he would fly right over her. So she got to her knees and kept her eyes closed. Concentrating on what she wanted to happen, she raised her clenched fists in the air and brought them down harshly on the ground. She opened her eyes to see all the snow fly off the ground and into the air obstructing her view. The air was so thick that she couldn't see two feet in front of her. She smiled as she figured that Eric would have to land because he wouldn't be able to see either.
His laughter ripped through the air from all sides. She couldn't tell where he was, but at least he was enjoying himself.
'My my Lover, you're very inventive.' he complimented, his mental laughter still ringing out even though it no longer came through the air.
'Come out, come out where ever you are.' she sang back.
'Ladies first, my Lover'
'Well aren't you the viking gentleman. Why don't you come out and show me that beautiful face.' she crouched down at the base of a large tree.
'You know I would, but I'm rather enjoying my view.' His voice was smooth as silk and very dangerous. She knew that voice, her heart started to race. That voice meant victory was in his grasps.
Right on cue, Eric projected a mental picture of Sookie crouched at the base of a tree scanning the area. Her legs were tensed and ready to spring. Her finger tips were on the ground in front of her so that she could feel the vibration of his approach. She looked spectacular to him. He sent a burst of lust through their bond along with his mental picture because she never covered herself. 'She's a glorious creature' he thought to himself.
Sookie gasped, he could see her but she couldn't see him (damn vampire vision). She sprang from her position to get away but it was too late. Eric caught her just as she was about to land.
'Gotcha' He grinned and pulled her close.
'I never had a chance did I?' she asked, sliding her arms around his neck and pouting slightly.
Eric smiled. "About as much of a chance as my heart had when you first walked through the door at Fangtasia. None at all." he answered her out loud, his voice was as sweet as honey. "You lasted longer then I thought you would. I am very proud."
Sookie could feel the rush of love, pride, and lust come through their bond. She quickly closed the distance between their lips and kissed him with all the passion she possessed. Eric shifted her around so that she straddled his waist. He pushed her back up against a tree and pressed against her. She moaned into his mouth causing a shiver to ripple through him. She finally had to pull away so that she could breathe.
"Eric..." she moaned as he pulled her a little further up and took her left nipple into his mouth. She bucked against him when he grazed his teeth over her hard nipple. Sookie threw her head back and yelled in ecstasy. Her body was on fire, calling to his. She grind her hips against him making him growl in response.
Then the atmosphere changed. The snow disappeared and it was sunset. Sookie could see that they were no longer deep in the woods but just a few trees in. She could see her house clearly from where she was. There was someone-a redhead woman-pacing on the porch. Fear washed through Sookie and Eric stiffened in response. He slowly put her back on her feet and turned to see the source of Sookie's fear.
'What is it?' He thought at her.
'I don't know. This is different, this doesn't feel like the dream anymore.' she answered.
'But we are still here, so we can't be awake yet. Though I feel that the time is close for me.'
'Who is she?' Sookie asked as she pointed to the woman pacing at her front door. 'I can't tell from here.'
Eric growled severely. 'It's the whore that works with you. Arlene." He spat her name like an explicative.
Sookie whimpered. 'We've got to wake up.' She started to panic. Arlene was in deep with the Fellowship; any reason she would be here was a bad reason. Sookie stepped from behind Eric but he twirled her around so that they were facing the opposite direction; right in the face of the hugest bear Sookie has ever seen in her life.
She shrieked, and Eric jumped them fifteen feet away and crouched protectively in front of her. Eric tensed for battle, but the attack never came. The bear never even looked in their direction. His eyes were on the house and on Arlene who was still pacing on the porch. It was like they were invisible to him.
'I think I know what's going on Eric.' Sookie stammered. She dared not speak out loud in case she was wrong.
"Then please enlighten me." he said, not bothering to try and keep quiet. His voice was steel and he was still crouched in front of sookie. He couldn't have her in danger...not even in a dream.
"I think that maybe my mind is reaching." she spoke, taking the cue from him. I think that we are in this were's mind. We are seeing what he's seeing. That's why all the snow is gone, and why the sun is setting."
That certainly got Eric's attention, he straitened up from is crouch and looked at her thoughtfully. "You are right my Lover. We need to wake up, now." He closed his eyes for a moment. "I am waking now." he stated. Sure enough Eric's skin became translucent and then began to fade. " I will protect you Sookie." was the last thing he said before he completely disappeared.
Sookie looked back at the scene before her. Apparently Arlene got a call, it was short, and a moment later she ran to her car and gunned it like a bat out of hell.
A moment later the were-bear stepped into the clearing and laid down. Sookie instantly recognized the cloudy haze that surrounded him, and the glopping sound. She watched his transformation holding her breath. She was frozen in place by fear. He didn't turn his face her way so she couldn't see what he looked like. She just watched in horror as this massive and naked man walked onto her porch and up to the door.
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This is so addictive though that it shouldn't be very long until my next post. Thanks everyone for all the great feed back, please keep it coming. This is my first attempt at fanfiction and I would love to hear all comments, good or bad