Disclaimer:I own nothing, these characters belong to Ms. Harris and Mr. Ball.

Author's Note: So many of you have pointed out the scene in the last chapter where Sookie is cooking with an iron pan and I figured I would clarify it for you now as opposed to later. The direction I have taken with Sookie is basically that her time in Fae has manifested the powers within her that would otherwise probably never have happened. She discovered her light in Season two and used it a few times in Season Three but she probably would never learn how to use it without guidance from her Fae relatives. Yes she is 'more Fae' now than when she left, but she is still human as well. Her humanity allows her not to be crippled by iron or lemon like a full blooded Fae, just like in Ms. Harris' stories.

Also I want to remind everyone that my story is based mostly on True Blood, not as much on the novels. Most of you don't want to see Sookie as headstrong as she is in the show, but personally I don't think I'd have much of a story if Sookie just gave in to Eric right away. With that said, I hope that answers your questions and on with the story!

Chapter 4

Eric POV

I landed silently in the yard outside of Sookie's home. I took an unnecessary breath and immediately caught the scent of three vampires. I recognized one as the essence of my child, Pam; the other two were only vaguely familiar. As I straightened to my full height of six foot four inches, the two vampires in question stepped out of the woods in front of me. I recognized them immediately. Liam Gordon, an English vampire several centuries my junior, was accompanied by his Italian child Stefania De Luca.

"Sheriff," Liam bowed his head respectfully, his child mirroring the action.

"Liam, Stefania," I nodded at each in turn. I allowed my gaze to linger on Stefania. She was a beautiful woman, long dark brown hair, an olive complexion and shapely body. If she were human I might be interested. I haven't slept with another vampire since I turned Pam, it tended to make things entirely too complicated.

"Are you patrolling tonight, Sheriff?" Liam asked, his voice betraying a slight accent of the old world.

"Possibly," I responded, keeping my tone neutral, cool and even.

"Interesting," Liam mused. "I wouldn't think a vampire of your power would concern himself with such... lowly tasks."

I gave him a cool smile that did not reflect in my eyes and ignored his statement. "Find anything interesting tonight?"

Liam nodded. "There is a scent in the graveyard, it is different. I have smelled nothing like it."

I nodded. "Thank you, I will check it out."

Liam seemed to pick up the subtle hint in my voice; he straightened and nodded his head again. "We will be taking our leave then," he took a few steps backwards, reluctant to leave his back vulnerable. "Stefania, come," he ordered.

The woman bowed her head and followed her maker. I watched after them, waiting until they had disappeared deep into the forest and I could no longer pick up their scent before turning to the old farmhouse.

I stopped at a well worn patch of earth a few feet in front of the stairs. This was where the wards Lafayette and Jesus had placed around the home ended. Standing here in this spot I could see that the lights were on, I could hear the voices inside and the flutter of a heartbeat, I could smell whatever it was that was cooking. Anyone else would see a cold, dark house, they would hear nothing, they would smell nothing. They would feel no need to venture forward for a closer look.

I closed my eyes and continued to stand silently for a moment. I searched inside myself and found the bond I shared with Sookie. It was nothing but a tiny thread, a thread that had lain dormant, all but dead, for the last nineteen months. I thought back to the last night I had seen Sookie. I had left her in pain; I had felt her heart breaking with every word I spoke. She had told me to leave, not in so many words mind you, but I had; her pain had been too much for me to handle. I had barely made it back to Shreveport when suddenly it was gone; I felt nothing. She was gone. Now she was back and the thread had suddenly come alive again, it pulsed with emotion and something else: power.

I pulled myself away from my thoughts and called to my child through our bond. I heard her inside telling Sookie that I was here and felt a wave of anxiety from Sookie wash over me. I grinned and started up the steps just as my child opened the door.

"Oh great," Pam said with a sneer as she stood aside for me to enter. "You're like a child," she told me and I knew she could feel my excitement, though outwardly I maintained a mild look of disinterest. After all the things I'd done on this Earth in nearly a thousand years I took great pride in my ability to react to anything with a stone cold 'poker face', as the humans called it.

I ignored Pam and headed straight for the kitchen where I knew Sookie would be. She had her back to me and was working diligently on an iron cooking pan. I could practically see the tension rolling off her shoulders as she worked; she was avoiding me. I didn't say anything, but turned my head at an angle and studied her back for a moment. Her hair had grown and now gently brushed against her lower back, her skin had a deep tan and seemed to shimmer in the light as she moved. She was eerily graceful in her movements as she continued to work on the pan.

Pam sighed from beside me. She too was watching Sookie and I could feel her interest cross over into a whole other dimension. I shot her a warning glance and she stuck her tongue out at me in response, then sat down at the kitchen table in a huff.

"Who's the child now?" I mused.

Sookie turned at the sound of my voice and I was truly startled at what I saw. Her eyes were the most intense, deepest blue I had ever had the pleasure of seeing. "Your eyes are incredible," I didn't catch myself before the words slipped from my lips.

"Oh please," Pam groaned.

I tore my gaze from Sookie's. "Leave us," I hissed at Pam, immediately regaining my self-control.

"But…"

"Now," I barked. She pulled herself from the chair mumbling and swearing at me as she did and stalked past me. I caught her arm in a strong grip as she passed. "Handle my business for the rest of the night, I won't be returning before sunrise."

She opened her mouth to speak, but thought better of it and nodded. I released her arm and she strode out of the house with her head held high.

"I don't know where you think you're sleeping but it most certainly won't be here," Sookie pulled my attention back to her as she placed a stubborn hand on her hip to emphasize that she meant business.

I gave her a charming smile, "Sure I will." I sat down at the table and continued speaking before she could protest. "These are magnificent flowers Sookie, where did you get them?" I asked, indicating an arrangement of exotic blooms decorating her shabby old breakfast table.

She stammered slightly. "They were a gift."

"From whom?" I asked and leaned forward to inhale their scent. They smelled absolutely delicious, I almost wanted to eat one…. Almost.

She stared at me for a moment before answering. "My brother."

I shook my head. "Now we both know that isn't the truth," I could tell she was lying, I didn't need the bond to tell me that. I waved my hand, dismissing the flowers. "Never mind, please sit," I nodded to the chair across from me. She hesitated. "I promise I won't bite, unless you want me to?" I added with a crooked grin and flashed her a bit of fang.

She glared at me with those beautiful eyes but sat down anyway. "Put those away, I will not consent. Ever."

I chuckled. "Been doing some reading have we?"

She confirmed with a single bob of her head. "I've missed quite a bit it seems."

"Time moves quite a bit slower in Fae," I replied. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that that was where she had gone. It was the only logical explanation for her extended disappearance, not to mention that the flowers, her hair, eyes, skin and her heavenly scent all practically screamed fairy. I found myself exerting quite a bit of self control. I had hoped she wouldn't catch herself upon responding, but I was wrong.

She narrowed eyes at me and it almost felt as if they pierced through my soulless body. "I don't know what you're talking about," she replied evenly, though the bond was screaming at me.

"Of course you don't," I sighed unnecessarily. "Tell me Sookie, what do you know?"

"I know about the wards," she waved her hand around her home. "I know the Queen is still out to get me, and I know you and Pam are 'protecting' me from her."

I held up a finger to stop her, but it seemed she was done anyway. "Allow me to clarify something for you Sookie," I relaxed back into my chair, stretching my long legs out in front of me. My calf brushed against hers and she moved slightly so they were no longer touching. "Pam and I are not protecting you, such an act would be considered treason to our beloved Queen." I spoke of the Queen with distaste so she would know how I truly felt about Sophie-Anne.

"Then what are you doing Eric?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest and raising her eyebrows in challenge.

My nose twitched and I tore my gaze from hers for a moment to ponder the response. "The decision to have the wards placed was impulsive and foolish of me. Aside from a select few, no one is aware they exist. If someone were to find out I was behind them it would put all of us in a very dangerous position."

She cocked her head to the side. "So why risk it?"

"Think of it as my way of repaying my debt to you," I replied.

"For?" she prompted.

I turned back to her, meeting her gaze once again. "For pulling me inside that day with Russell in the sun, for giving me your blood so that I would heal," I paused, examining her carefully. "You didn't have to do it after what I did to you, but you did, out of the goodness of your heart."

She smirked sarcastically. "So you're saying you did this out of the goodness of your own heart?"

I returned her smirk with equal sarcasm. "We both know I don't have a heart Sookie."

She snorted, "Well that's the damned truth." She stood from the table and stretched her arms high above her head and sighed. I couldn't help but admire the view.

She crossed the kitchen to the refrigerator, pulling out a True Blood and showing it to me, silently asking if I wanted it. I inclined my head in response. I hadn't fed yet tonight and even though I despised the synthetic stuff I made an impulsive decision not to feed from a human again until Sookie offered herself to me. The one and only time I had drunk from her before had been against her will; I didn't want to do at the time, I'd tried to show her just how much I didn't want to violate her beforehand. I wasn't sure she had understood.

She handed me the bottle, after warming it, and returned to her seat across from me. I nodded my head in thanks and took a sip, hiding my disgust at the vile drink.

"So tell me," she said after a moment. "What is it the Queen wants from me now? Pam said you showed her the security tapes from that day; she knows the effects won't last. So what is it she's after?"

I took another sip of the blood, wincing inwardly. "It's more than just you that's caused this mess," I answered, twirling the bottle around in my hands as I spoke. "The night you left, Bill made a vow to you that he would bring the true death to all that knew of your Fae heritage." I felt a flare of anger through our bond and she nodded indicating that she remembered. "He tried to bury me in concrete alongside Russell, he impersonated me and told my assassin to kill Pam. Obviously we both live," I said with a smile. "After I told you of Bill's true intentions and you kicked us both out he contacted the Queen. He told her he had you ready for her and lured her to his home," I rolled my eyes at the memory.

"It was about that time that I felt you disappear, I was feeling all of your pain and anguish and then suddenly I wasn't. I came back here, thinking you were dead but I found no trace of you. I followed your scent to the graveyard, but the trail disappeared into thin air, there was nothing to indicate what had happened to you." I paused to make sure she was still listening; this had turned out to be much more complicated than I'd originally anticipated. She nodded for me to continue as she leaned forward as if to listen more intently.

"I heard noises coming from the old Compton house, it sounded like a struggle so I went over thinking maybe I'd find you there. I didn't of course. What I did find was Compton and Sophie-Anne fighting. The Queen was winning; she is much older than Bill, therefore much stronger. She was holding a stake to his heart when I got there," I flicked a glance in her direction when I didn't feel any emotion from her.

"I managed to stop her before she killed him, though she had already seriously injured him. I convinced her to let him live, to this day I'm still not sure why I did," a scowl creased my brow. Letting Compton live would surely come back to bite me in the ass, probably sooner rather than later now that Sookie was back, I mused to myself.

"The Queen banished him from her territory; I've heard he's recovered from his injuries and is living at the King of Nevada's court now, but I wouldn't know for certain. Once he was gone she started scouring Louisiana and Mississippi looking for you. She's found others like you in her search, but you're like the golden egg or something. She won't stop until she has you too." I paused again; this was the most I'd spoken in a long time. "She declared an edict, offering a reward for your capture, alive of course, and supes from all over the country have flooded Louisiana looking for you ever since."

She was silent as she processed all the information I'd just dumped on her. Finally she spoke. "You have an assassin?"

I was stunned, truly and utterly stunned. "After all I told you that is what you picked out as the most important?" She shrugged and smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. I smiled back, "I had an assassin. Pam killed him."

She chuckled and shook her head. "So what are we gonna do about this? What's your plan?"

I blinked. "Plan?" I repeated.

She nodded. "How are we gonna get her off my back? I can't stay locked up in my house forever. I have a life, I want to get back to work, I have some seriously overdue bills…"

"Your bills have been taken care of," I replied with a wave of my hand, ignoring the 'plan' talk for now. Truth was, I didn't have one. I'd have to think on it.

She narrowed her eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I shrugged. "I took care of everything while you were gone." She stared at me so I continued, "I made sure everything was up to date, I made sure the house was cleaned monthly, I had a contractor come in and fix or replace what needed to be."

"Why would you do that?" I could feel the shock and confusion coming through.

"If I'd let the bills pile up or the home fall into disrepair the government would have stepped in-"

"This house is over one hundred years old," she interrupted me, I could feel that she was starting to get angry, "It's more than paid for by now."

"Yes but if the Parish hadn't received property taxes they would have inspected the home and declared it abandoned," I explained. "You would have come back only to realize you had no home, and then what? You'd have been found before you could even think of where else to go."

She opened her mouth to protest again but closed it when she realized she had no argument. "Well then, thank you," she said so quietly that if I wasn't a vampire I wouldn't have heard her.

I nodded. "It was the least I could do."

"You've already done so much, between the wards and all of that," she looked perplexed. "I feel like I owe you now."

"You can't put a price on life Sookie," I replied, completely serious. I gave her my most charming smile after letting that sink in. "But if you still feel like doing something for me in return, I can certainly think of something in particular," I waggled my eyebrows at her in suggestion.

She snorted. "You haven't changed one bit have you?"

I grinned. "Not in a thousand years."

Author's note: I know this one was short, sorry! Leave me some love and chapter 5 will be up before you know it!