Disclaimer: Of course, I don't own anything. All characters are the property of Charlaine Harris, I just hope I am doing them justice.
Chapter 4 Present
"Pam!" Eric's voice came from her open window and Sookie almost cried with relief.
"Master." Pam acknowledged calmly.
Eric glided through the window and confronted his child, Sookie noticed he seemed to be avoiding looking directly at her. "What is the meaning of this?"
"Sookie and I were having a little girls' talk and..." she shrugged innocently "...hijinks ensued." the last was said with a smirk. Then she became serious. "She has something to tell you."
"Go, I will deal with you later." Sookie was glad not to be on the other side of his tone. It was absolutely lethal.
"Yes, Master." Pam bowed, then she winked at Sookie, "Have a good time."
Sookie growled at her and Eric said in a taut voice "That's enough."
Without another word Pam launched herself out of the window. Sookie relaxed a bit, which she thought was fairly ridiculous as soon as she did since she was completely helpless, alone with a vampire. Eric did not turn to her immediately but spoke facing away. "I must apologize for Pam, I assure you she will be punished." His voice was still taut as if he were trying to calm himself down. Sookie thought it might be wise to let him have a moment and so waited patiently, but as several minutes ticked by on her bedside clock she became impatient and finally cleared her throat.
Squaring his shoulders Eric turned, Sookie was initially relieved to see that his fangs were retracted, but as his eyes travelled up her body to her face they popped down once more and she tried to pull away in fear. Never had she seen such hunger in his eyes, desire yes, but this was more a raw hunger, like a predator scenting his prey. She remembered a nature documentary where a fox came across a rabbit in a trap, even though the fox knew something wasn't right it couldn't resist the struggling, trapped prey. She hadn't been able to watch what happened next, but now she was afraid she would find out for herself the rabbit's fate. At the fear in her eyes his nostrils flared as if the scent of it was intoxicating. She shook her head and her eyes turned pleading, which seemed to excite him more. This was so not good.
"Close your eyes." he commanded through clenched teeth and fearfully she obeyed. Did he not want her to see him coming at her? She was pretty sure she didn't want that either. She waited for him to attack, her nerves raw. Time stretched on, or was this the time slowing down people who had almost died talked about. At least she would see Gran again and her parents. Thinking of reuniting with those in her life who had been taken from her too soon actually was comforting and she found herself calming down. She forced herself to relax, maybe it would be quicker, less painful that way. As she awaited her impending demise she found herself growing a little restless. Okay time could pick back up now. She had come to terms with it, let's get it over with. She heard Eric chuckle.
"Good, anger is good. Can you stay angry?" Eric said with what sounded like relief. She actually opened her eyes to glare at him and he laughed harder. "That's better. Now hold still let me get this gag off." She turned her head so he could reach the buckle, his movements were jerky as he undid it.
As he removed the ball from her mouth she sighed with relief and moved her mouth to remove the stiffness that had set into her jaw. "Thank you." she breathed as she turned to him. He was standing at the side of the bed staring down at her, stiff and unmoving. His lips were a flat line so she couldn't see if his fangs were down, but she realized as she looked at him that the denim of his jeans was straining. This was such a dangerous situation and she grew fearful again. "Eric, untie me." her voice cracked as she spoke.
He sat on the bed, about level with her chest, and he closed his eyes. "Did she hurt you?" he asked stiffly.
"No, please, Eric, untie me." That he hadn't yet worried her. She could tell he was aroused, and her complete helplessness sent a shiver down her spine. She knew how closely the two hungers were linked in vampires.
"Stop!" he hissed and she froze. "Don't be afraid and do not beg, this is hard enough for me."
That got her dander up, "Hard for you? You're not the one trussed up!"
"You need to stay angry."
"Oh, that's not going to be a problem if you leave me like this. Now untie me!" This time it was an order not a plea and he seemed to relax a little.
"Not yet."
"Why the hell not?" Yeah, this anger thing was not going to be a problem.
"Because if I touch you now I am either going to drain you or ravish you, maybe both and I am sure neither of us would like the consequences." His voice was throaty with desire and the mental images it conjured in her head caused something deep within to flame up, her body wanted him again, and she had to admit she wasn't unwilling. But with the feral look in his eyes she wasn't sure she would survive it. She tried to fight her arousal down before he detected it, but he jerked and looked at her, his fangs were decidedly down.
Oh shit! she thought and tried to get the anger back. "Don't you dare Eric, I mean it. If you can't touch me than get some scissors and cut the ropes. No touching required."
He stood up and crossed the room to the window, inhaling the cool night air deeply.
"Don't even think of leaving me here like this." she commanded.
He chuckled, "Miss Stackhouse, you give a lot of orders for someone in your position."
"Well if it wasn't for Pam I wouldn't be in this position, so find someway to get me out of it."
Staring out the window he asked, "Why did she do it?"
That was not necessarily a question she wanted to answer while she was this vulnerable. "How should I know?" she bluffed.
Again a chuckle from Eric, he half turned from the window, sitting on the sill. "My child is many things, but coy she is not. If she did this to you she had a reason and she told you what it was."
"Okay, she did, just cut me loose and I'll tell you."
"No, I think that perhaps I will take some advantage of the situation and not release you until I am satisfied, by your answers, at least." he added with a suggestive smirk and again Sookie felt something other than fear stir within her.
"Fine, she tied me up like this to scare me enough for you to sense it and get you here."
"But why would she want to do that?" He persisted. He moved closer, but he seemed more relaxed, his curiosity winning out, for the moment, over his desires.
"To force me to tell you what happened while you were here with me." Sookie said softly.
"She knows?" he seemed surprised, obviously it hadn't occurred to him to ask her.
Sookie sighed, and looked at him sadly, "Yes, she knows," Sookie took a deep breath "she knows, Bill knows, Sam, most of the Weres in Shreveport, Claudine..."
In a blink he was leaning over her one hand on either side of her head, his look was pure fury and she recoiled from him. "So you thought it was fine that I was the only one who didn't know my own actions? That I walk around like a complete fool for the last two weeks while others smirk behind my back?"
She shook her head emphatically, "No! Eric, until Pam pointed it out I didn't even think about other people knowing, I swear."
"But she knew and she didn't tell me?"
"Don't be mad at her, she was giving me a chance to tell you myself, and I was going to, really, I was just working my nerve up. But she wouldn't let me stall any longer, if I didn't tell you tonight she was..."
"What do they know?" he interrupted, his voice again taut and dangerous.
"That we were lovers." she said in a small voice.
"She should not have kept this from me, if she knew that...we were lovers?" His anger broke as he realized what she had confessed. He looked into Sookie's eyes for confirmation that he had heard right.
She nodded and swallowed hard.
"Why did you not tell me that first night before Pam came?" His expression was hurt that she would keep this from him. He moved from hovering over her to sitting on the bed beside her. "Why pretend that we weren't?"
A lump formed in her throat at the look on his face, she never would have wanted him to hurt like that. "It was easier that way."
"I didn't hurt you did I? I didn't force myself on you?" He looked appalled at the thought.
"Oh no, Eric you didn't, I was willing." she assured him quickly.
"Did I not please you, was my lovemaking lacking?"
She felt herself blush, "Oh, no it wasn't lacking at all."
"Then why not continue, why send me away ignorant?"
"Because you're too complicated, your life, your politics, the power plays. I didn't want any part of that."
"What if I hadn't forgotten when I regained my memory, what would you have done then?"
"I don't know, I didn't let myself think that far. I was just enjoying our time and all the sweet things you said, knowing that once you became you again they wouldn't matter."
"What did I say?"
"It doesn't matter, I knew it wasn't the real you, I didn't believe they would last past your amnesia."
"Tell me." It was a command and she could tell by his expression he wasn't going to let it drop.
She sighed and lowered her eyes so she wouldn't see his reaction. "You told me I was the best lover you ever had and that when the witch thing was over you would give up your position and come live with me. You were even going to get a job."
He was silent for so long that she finally had to look at him. She expected to see a certain amount of self-loathing that he would have said such a thing to a mere human but she just saw shock.
"And now that I know?" he said finally, his expression cloaked.
She shifted awkwardly, "There's one other thing..."
"Really? Something you are even more reluctant to tell me?"
"I killed someone and you helped me hide the evidence." She watched his reaction carefully. That didn't seem to phase him, and Sookie had to remind herself that he probably killed thousands of people during his long life.
"Who was it?" He asked distractedly.
"Debbie Pelt, Alcide's ex." That at least got an eyebrow raise and Sookie explained the whole incident ending with "So now you have that."
"I have what?" He didn't seem to be following her train of thought.
"You know that I killed Debbie." She said.
"You think I care that she's dead?" He seemed surprised.
"No, but you know I killed someone, you can use that against me now." her voice broke.
Something lit in Eric's eyes, "That's what this is really all about isn't it?"
"What what's all about?"
"You didn't tell me that we were lovers because you didn't want me to know about Debbie and use it against you." he challenged.
"No, well that's part of it but..." she trailed off, was that it? Was that the real reason she hadn't continued?
"That's why I have been getting such mixed signals from you." he raised a finger to trace her lips and then her jawline, at his touch she felt the fire begin in her again and his eyes widened, and she knew he knew. He let his finger continue down to the side of her neck and lower. His eyes never left hers and she could see the passion in them. "You yearn for my touch again." He leaned in and covered her mouth with his. At first she tried to fight her reaction but she lost. He was right she did still want him and it was wearing her out fighting against it everyday. She knew every time she had gotten into her car since he left that night she had to fight the urge to drive to Shreveport. Now he knew everything and she saw no reason to fight it any longer. His lips were gently seeking a response, not forcing anything. With a sigh she let her lips part and his tongue sought out hers, stroking it and coaxing it to follow his back to his own mouth where she traced his fangs and made him shake with desire.
His mouth left hers and moved to her ear, sucking in her earlobe, causing her to breakout in goosebumps. "Untie me." she breathed yearning to touch him.
He chuckled in her ear and whispered, "Are you sure you want me too?"
"Eric!" she exclaimed as she pulled her head back to look at him. She had never considered this type of sex game but the thought did fan the fire in her core.
"I'm not sure I want to." He murmured as he ran his hand down her neck and covered her breast with a light squeeze that she reflexively arched into.
"Eric...?" she repeated, this time with a little fear in her voice. His earlier statement about him draining or ravishing her still scared her.
He began to trace her nipple through her shirt and she moaned. He looked into her eyes, "I assume the ravishing is ...agreeable?" She nodded slowly, blushing at what she was agreeing to. He rolled her nipple between his finger and thumb, the rough lace of her bra heightening the sensation. She gasped. He leaned in and breathed into her ear. "If you really want me to stop say 'Fangtasia' and I'll release you. Do you understand?"
She nodded and he captured her mouth again. There was no searching in this kiss, his mouth dominated hers and she gave all that it asked. He moved to straddle her and her hips thrust up to meet him, even though they were both still fully clothed. His hands moved under her shirt, each covering a breast and she arched into them. He undid the clasp that nestled between her bosom and kneaded her breasts, then pinched and pulled at her nipples causing her to gasp at the sharp pleasure/pain. He broke off the kiss, perhaps giving her a chance to stop it, but she didn't, maybe she couldn't. Her curiosity and desire were drowning out any fear or common sense that might protest. He pulled her shirt up and she arched her back so it would move up freely, he pulled it past her head and up to where the ropes bound her hands.
He gazed at her breasts and caressed them so lightly she shivered. "Were we really lovers?" he asked, she nodded unsure about his hesitation. "Then Hallow was a much stronger witch than I gave her credit for if her spell could make me forget such perfection." Sookie blushed at the praise and trembled with anticipation as his head lowered and he covered one rosy peak with his mouth. He sucked in the nipple and nibbled it with his blunt teeth, while Sookie moaned and writhed beneath him. A hand continued to caress the other breast, rubbing and pinching that nipple and she felt the wetness grow at her core.
She wanted to touch him, to grab his gorgeous ass and never let go, but she was helpless, unable to do anything but melt at his touch. She flexed her fingers in frustration. As his mouth released one breast and moved to the other, he let his fangs drag across the tender flesh and she almost begged him to bite her nipple as he had done before but cut herself off, biting her lip. She wanted to see how 'this' Eric made love. Her breath was ragged as his cold touch fanned the fire within her. She arched her back to push her breasts even harder to him and he moved a hand behind her to support her.
She felt his weight shift as he moved from straddling her to kneeling between her spread legs. Still supporting her with one hand, his other began to stroke her thigh through the long pants that were part of her winter uniform. She wanted the pants gone, hers and his, she wanted nothing separating them. But for that her legs needed to be free. She strained against the ropes at her ankles, trying to free her legs. "Eric..." she gasped unable to find breath to form a complete sentence. He lifted his head from her breast and covered her mouth with his. The hand supporting her back shifted to the mattress to support him, the hand on her thigh moved up to stroke her where her legs met and she gasped at the contact.
He broke off the kiss to again seek out her ear and whispered huskily. "Hmm, did you want to say something?" His cool breath sending goosebumps across her skin.
"Untie me." she managed to gasp. Her hips were tilting up to meet his hand.
He pulled his head up and looked at her. "Do you want me to stop?" His hand not ceasing its ministrations.
"No..." she swallowed hard. "I want you inside me." Her cheeks blushing at her boldness. He kissed her hard then and his hand deftly undid the button and zipper on her slacks. It slid under her panties and parted her, finding her nubbin and circling it. Her breath caught and she almost bit his tongue as she jumped at the sudden sensation.
He pulled back, hunger in his eyes. "You mentioned scissors..."
She turned her head and nodded towards the dresser. In a single lithe movement his fingers were gone from her and he was standing. He slowly pulled off his black beater and she drank in the sight of his bare chest. Watching her face, he undid his pants. She licked her lips in anticipation as he lowered his jeans and his erection was freed. Her fingers flexed, wanting to stroke it again and he grinned at her obvious desire. Looking towards the dresser he spied the scissors and crossed the distance leisurely. She watched his ass flexing with each step and groaned with desire. He chuckled as he turned back to her, holding the scissors, letting them reflect the light in the room. The hunger and desire in his eyes, and the way he was caressing the scissors sent a shiver of apprehension through her. She was so helpless and she had just provided him with another weapon. "Eric..." she began warily but he just grinned and shook his head.
He sauntered up to the side of the bed, running the still closed scissors along her side. She shivered at the coldness of the metal and the fear her helplessness was flaming. He inhaled deeply and the hunger in his eyes burned fiercer. "I can smell your fear," he murmured, "it is quite intoxicating."
"You're scaring me Eric, untie me." she twitched her foot to emphasize the command.
"I'm not going to hurt you, but I have another plan." he said cryptically and put one hand on her lower abdomen to still her. "Don't move." he cautioned and he placed the scissors at her waistband, then deftly split her pants along the seam. "I'll buy you a new pair." he said when he saw her gaping at him. He walked slowly around to the other side of the bed and repeated the process there. He then tossed the scissors a few feet across the room and repositioned himself between her legs before he ripped her pants from her. Her heart skipped a beat at the primal action and she squirmed before him. He then tore her now wet panties away as well and she gasped as the cool air hit her.
He locked eyes with her as his fingers moved lightly up her thighs to her entrance. His fingers played across her soft curls and she gasped and her pelvis thrust up to increase the contact. A wicked glint in his eyes, one hand moved to her stomach and pressed lightly down so that he was in complete control of the contact. She moaned in frustration and opened her mouth to say something but it was lost when she gasped deeply as two fingers entered her and curled up to stroke her within. Her eyes started to flutter closed and he said. "No, look at me."
She couldn't answer except to nod and swallow hard. She fought to keep her eyes open and small noises escaped her throat. She felt herself approaching the edge and groaned. He smiled and moved his thumb to her throbbing nub while his fingers continued to work inside her and she went over to ecstasy.
As the world came back into focus he was kissing along her neck, she moved her head to the side and whispered, "Do it." He pulled back and looked at her and she smiled dreamily up at him. He shifted and she felt him poised at her entrance and her eyes widened with desire. She pressed against him and he moaned softly.
"Are you sure?" He asked in a hoarse whisper and she could tell he was holding back with effort.
"I'm sure." raising her head to kiss him hungrily. He returned the kiss and thrust inside her. She cried out as he filled her and he brushed the hair from her face.
"Are you all right?" concern showing in his eyes. In answer she smiled and thrust against him, driving him deeper. Satisfied that he wasn't hurting her he began to thrust, slowly at first and then with increasing speed and force. As she again approached the edge she turned her head to the side, exposing her neck.
"Bite me Eric." she cried and he plunged his fangs into the pulsing vessel before him. It was enough to drive them both over the edge.
He was licking the bite closed as the final tremors moved through her. "I need to touch you." she whispered in his ear. Raising his head he shook it, smiling.
"I'm not done touching you." He shifted so he was again straddling her, his gracious plenty stretched out on her stomach, still shiny with her juices. "I want to touch every inch of you, I want to see the fire in your eyes as I touch you." He towered over her, his eyes locked with hers as his fingers ran lightly up her arms. His touch was so light it sent goosebumps running across her skin. "Are you cold?" he asked. She swallowed hard and shook her head, not breaking eye-contact. He moved his fingers along her sides, lightly brushing her ribs. She squirmed under him and tried to suppress a giggle, but failed. "Ah, ticklish, I can use that." he said with a smirk, and continued to tease her sensitive ribs until she was out of breath with laughter.
"Please..." she began before falling into fits of laughter again. "Oh please." Her writhing beneath him had caused him to begin to harden again. "Stop, please!" she begged.
His fangs had descended again, and his tongue traced one. "You're begging again." he chided. He leaned forward, his face inches from hers. "That makes me hungry." and he kissed her roughly, his fangs scraping her lips and drawing small beads of blood which he licked off ravenously. "You are so sweet." he murmured against her lips. Then he started kissing down her neck, shifting back between her legs so he could kiss down her body. He paused at her breasts, took a nipple into his mouth and pierced it with a fang. He sucked hard drawing blood, but pulling at her core. She was soon out of breath again, this time from the pleasure building within her.
She was making small inarticulate noises, her fingers were twitching with the need to touch him. She tried making fists to still her fingers but she ended up digging her nails into her palms painfully. She wanted to trace his muscles, subject him to sweet torment as he was her. The breast he was sucking started to tingle faintly as his tongue began licking around it. Then he moved to the other and pierced it too.
As she strained to touch him she realized for the first time that the ropes were cutting into her wrists. That and her need to touch him made her give in and gasp. "Fangtasia."
He immediately froze. Then released her breast and sat up. "Did I hurt you?" reaching for the ropes at her ankles and undoing them with an easy tug, she realized they must have been in some sort of slip knot.
She shook her head, "No, the ropes." Now that he was not overwhelming her senses with pleasure, the pain from the ropes was keen.
"Fuck." he said as he saw her wrists. He got up and sat next to her head so he could carefully untie her. "Where did Pam get this crappy rope. She has better."
Sookie twisted her head so she could see the ropes and saw that her wrists were raw and bleeding. "I think from my back porch, I bought that to tie a tarp down last year." As he slowly untied her wrists to minimize the pain, she stretched her legs and shifted her body up on the bed a little so her arms weren't so stretched.
"You should have said something sooner." he admonished as he got the last twist of rope off her broken skin.
"To tell you the truth, I didn't feel it until just now." She smiled coyly, "Something must have distracted me." Now free she was able to shift so she was on her knees beside him.
His smile was slight, he looked guiltily at her wrists, holding her forearms gently. He pressed his tongue against a fang, piercing it and then pulling back to make a bleeding furrow.
"Ow!" she said in sympathy, before wincing as he began licking the tattered skin at her wrists. The flesh tingled and she watched, fascinated, as the skin healed as quickly as his would. The tingle spread through her veins straight to her core, she realized it was the same as she felt on her breast moments before.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left you bound." He wouldn't meet her eyes. He released her arms and brought his finger up to his mouth and drew blood. "Let me just heal this and I'll go." His finger moved to her still bleeding nipple and he applied his blood to the wound lightly, almost as if he were afraid to touch her.
She realized he thought he had gone to far and she was, or should be, angry with him. To show him that was not the case her hand encircled his wrist and she pulled it up. He still wouldn't meet her eyes, his mouth a grim line. "It's the only way to heal it..." he began but stopped as she put his bloody finger in her mouth and licked off the blood, sucking slightly. He lifted his face, his eyes wide and searching.
Her eyes twinkled at him. She moved one hand behind his head as the other lowered his hand from her mouth placing it on her breast and she closed the distance between them to devour his mouth in a hungry kiss. His surprise lasted just a moment before he returned the kiss, and his hands started moving over her body again.
Both her hands went to his butt, caressing and squeezing, a low growl built in his throat and he rose on his knees which allowed her to fully reach his ass, but it made the angle of the kiss awkward and she broke it off to kiss down his neck, biting lightly along the side. His hands explored her back, squeezing her slightly each time she nipped at him. She could feel his gracious plenty growing between them and she rubbed her body against it, she was rewarded with a shudder of passion from him.
Putting a little space between them, she released his ass and brought her hands to his chest, where she traced the outline of his muscles. She kissed down to his chest, taking one of his hard nipples into her mouth she traced it with her tongue before she bit it hard, knowing how much he liked that. His hands, which had lowered to her butt, tightened almost painfully. Smiling against his chest she let her hands drift lower, finding his already hard cock, her hands stroked it, one moving along the shaft while the other stayed near the head, teasing the opening of the foreskin, and rubbing the most sensitive spot on the underside.
He groaned, then slipped a hand between her legs, his fingers circling her pleasure center. She thrust into his hand, her nubbin still engorged from her earlier orgasms. She was quickly on the edge, breathing raggedly against him. She made a small noise of protest when his hand left her, but then he was lifting her up slightly and she positioned him at her entrance, rubbing the head of his shaft across her swollen nub as she did.
Forcing her eyes open, she looked down at him as she lowered herself around him, letting out her breath in a long stuttering gasp. His eyes were drinking in her every expression and she blushed at the intensity of his gaze. Her hands tangled in the hair at the back of his head as he supported her with one hand, while the other caressed her breast. The first thrusts were slow, but the pace quickly sped up, she matched him thrust for thrust, and managed to keep her eyes opened until the blinding ecstasy overtook her. She vaguely heard him shout something in a strange language a moment later.
As the last tremors ran through them, he stood, bringing her with him since they were still joined, so he could turn down the bedding. Lowering them both down, he withdrew from her and covered them both with the covers.
"You looked cold." He murmured.
"Thank you." she whispered back as she snuggled against him.
They laid there in silence for several minutes, then he chuckled deeply.
She moved her head back to look at him. "What's so funny?"
"She did it again." he answered cryptically.
"Who did what again?" her curiosity was piqued.
"Pam." He smiled down at her. "Every year on her birthday she gets me a present, and every year it's better than the one before."
"I was your present?" Sookie wasn't sure how to feel about that.
"You were gift wrapped weren't you?" He smiled mischievously, "But I think she has outsmarted herself. There is nothing better she can get me next year."