I think this may be the last chapter for the night, if I write enough I will post one more much later. Thanks for all the positive feedback everyone! Keep it coming, I have quite a story plotted through my head. I don't plan on taking us down any roads that are too dangerous, but there will be enemies, plots, betrayals and most importantly world travel with a Viking!
I do not own the characters created by Charlaine Harris, she just inspires the heck out of me!
Please Review!
PS everyone wanted to read the next one so bad I didn't edit 100% so I hope its readable!
For a moment everything stopped, my breathing, his caresses and I swear even my heart froze for a second. Then the most intense feelings came crashing into me delightfully filling me with a lust I hadn't felt since I had walked in on a near naked amnesiac Eric, when I almost had literally been unable to keep my hands off of him, that memory was etched permanently into my brain.
There was something else roaring through the bond, something different, more intense and pure than the lust, which was slowly begin suffocated by this new sensation. Billowing up, surrounding and filling the bond, rocketing me into tranquility.
"Sookie, there is nothing in the world you could have said that would have pleased me more, well that is not entirely true but there is a time and place for everything." He pulled me close to his side, wrapping me in his embrace, "and in response to what you have said, I want you too. But its even more than that, I need you, I can think of nothing and no one else. My thirst's haven't been properly satisfied since Rhodes and do you know why that is my love?" He gently brushed my cheeks with his lips and looked deeply into my eyes. I just wanted to dive right into those magnificent lagoons and not come up for air till absolutely necessary.
He did not wait for my reply, I don't think I could have spoken coherently anyway, "I have not been able to feed properly since our last bonding, the smell of any others blood repulses me as your blood is the sweetest and most heavenly thing I have tasted in my existence and now I am spoiled. I want to taste only you," he put quite a bit of emphasis on taste so I knew he didn't mean just my blood, "and as for filling my other thirst, I tried once my darling to fulfill myself with a beautiful blonde that reminded me of you, do not be sad lover, let me finish," he had sensed my pain at the thought of him being with another woman, "but knowing that I chose her because of how she reminded me of you, angered me greatly and was I disgusted by her. Before I could even lay a finger on her, I knew I would be unable to touch anyone but you until you either yielded to me or I could forget you. And it seems my darling Sookie, I cannot."
I couldn't believe it. Did Eric just confess to me that he wanted only me for himself? That he couldn't be with another woman, how is that even possible, sex is almost as essential to him as blood, can he even survive without it? I knew that was silly as soon as I thought it. But I had been prepared for him to mock me and my silly human desires. I thought I was a passing infatuation for him. Since he recovered the memories of our time together I was sure he was angry at himself for being so weak that he was going to do everything in his power to fight any feelings he had for me that were more than purely sexual. Apparently I had been incorrect.
Thank god for that.
Without saying anything else, I turned my body inwards towards him and slid my hands across his stomach and around to his back, clasping them together tightly to ensure he wasn't going anywhere. I lowered my head to his chest, gently nuzzling my lips to his sternum and then I breathed in deeply. It was absolutely intoxicating. Eric was like all the wonderful things you have ever smelled wrapped into one. He smelled like clean laundry, sea breeze, the first spring rain and something so very manly and utterly primal that anytime I drew in his essence it was like a stroke to my senses.
We sat there for a few moments in silence, utterly soaking in each other's presence. Just when I began to think on how this was the longest we had ever spent time together inside Fangtasia without being interrupted I felt Eric stiffen next to me and his arms seemed to grip as tightly as they could without doing any damage.
I turned to see Sam coming towards us. Oh jeez, this better not be another display of male dominance, it was starting to get a little old. Detecting no animosity (thank you word of the day) coming from him I gently squeezed Eric's arm and sent him reassurance.
He stopped just short of the booth and shifted from one foot to the other, looking oddly uncomfortable, "Hey Sook, Eric, mind if I have a seat?"
Eric gestured toward the empty side of the booth and I reluctantly removed myself from his embrace and sat up straight while Sam slid opposite us, Eric kept his right arm around my shoulder possessively. I wasn't really sure what was going on but Sam didn't seem to be treating us with any displeasure, I knew this wasn't going to be another incident like Quinn and Bill and put me through already.
Looking nervously Sam said, " I was sitting over there with Alcide and I saw you come and sit down here Sook and I wanted to come over and see how you…..two were."
"What do you mean Shifter?" Oh that Eric, with all his politeness.
I gave him an elbow to his side and he merely gave me a sidelong look and pinched the bottom of my thigh. I jumped slightly and glared at him, but he was all mirth and merriment now. Turning my attention back to Sam I saw that he didn't seem to miffed about Eric's brusqueness, but when you have been around him enough you get used to it.
"Well Northman, I saw what Quinn and Bill pulled and then you all disappeared for awhile and now you two are sitting here, looking cozy and honestly I was sitting with Alcide when you walked back in Sookie and he wasn't saying the nicest things if you get my drift and wanted to give you a heads up just in case he thought it was his turn to be an ass." He snorted at the last, as if he thought this might be an inevitability.
"I appreciate your bringing this to my attention sh-Sam. I am sure if the wolf poses a problem I can take care of us." I noted how Eric had corrected himself at the last moment when saying Sam's name. They seemed to be making some sort of peace agreement between the two of them. Sam had feelings for me that had made Bill (not to mention Eric) untrusting towards him, he had trusted Sam to keep me safe when he wasn't around but he didn't necessarily trust Sam to be completely alone with me. Eric had been forced to tell me of some of Bill's betrayal but not all, that he would force Bill to tell me later when he himself had discovered it. After this Eric seemed to have become my protector staying in the background guarding me but never letting me know (consciously) that he was watching over me. While Bill stalked through my woods at night, I had no doubt that Eric knew he did this.
"I am sure you can Northman and that's why I came over. I have known Sookie for a long time and while I can admit there was a time I wanted her to be more than one of my waitresses I know that isn't gonna happen. Bill treated her like crap and now we all know how deeply that ran. But honestly, since that time you spent at her house, I knew I would be here one day."
Sam didn't sound nearly as sad as I thought he would at saying this, which was a relief to me. Eric seemed not so much surprised as pleased, ever the confident one. I was pleased as punch with Sam's statement after all the harassment coming from the other men in my life tonight I didn't think I could take Sam being cruel as well.
"Thank you so much Sam, you have no idea how much that means to me, especially after tonight. But I am very happy that I can finally say that Eric is the one I want to be with. I don't want to without him again. I am his" I had looked towards Eric when I spoke my final sentence. His eyes, which had been filled with faint amusement turned dark and smoldering. It was a look that always led to dark and delicious things. My statement was huge, the one thing he had wanted me to do since we had met, yield to him and I was finally fine with doing that.
"Well actually Sookie, there's actually another thing I wanted to talk to you about." He didn't quite seem like he wanted to continue but he barreled along, "with the coming out of the Weres, the Supe community is expecting a backlash in small towns, like the Bon Temps of the world." He looked towards Eric for a second, who nodded as if to tell him, he agreed. But something started creeping inside of me at the way I felt Sam's conversation was headed.
"Now that you and Sookie are an item, I felt like I should tell you both that I don't feel its in her best interest to work at the bar and be living in Bon Temps right now. You are a huge figure in the Louisiana Supe community, " I swear Eric's chest puffed up in pride a bit, "and too many people know about yours and Sookie's involvement, I think she will be a target first."
"For once Sam, you and I are in complete agreement."
I was pretty livid by this point. Here they were chatting about where I could work and live right in front of me like I didn't even exist. I was about to start laying into both of them like there was no tomorrow, but then I felt Eric through the bond. He was trying his best to calm and reassure me. I tried to get myself in check, knowing there was good intentions underneath all this damsel in distress crap.
"While I appreciate that you both want me to be safe. I am not entirely defenseless thank you very much. I don't see any reason why I can't still work at Merlotte's and live in Bon Temps while I am seeing Eric. I know I will be safe when he's there."
They both looked at me like I was acting like 'Crazy Sookie' then looked towards one another, trading a loaded look. Than Eric looked back at me and I felt his concern, fear and love. I admonished myself for being so selfish. Yeah sure, Eric could protect me at night, when he wasn't at Fangtasia, when he was in Bon Temps, when I wasn't working. But during daylight hours there was a whole slew of supernatural characters that could come after me and I would feel a lot better if I was with Eric, even if he was dead to the world (haha).
"Lover please, let me do what is in my power to do, protect you the best I can." I knew with all the danger we had faced together before and no doubt all the danger we would face in the future, I had to stop being so stubborn. It would bring Eric a small relief if he was assured that I was in his airtight secure home while he rested
"You're right Eric." Both of them seemed stunned by this latest revelation, but I continued, "there is no one who makes me feel safe like Eric does. I don't want to lose him and I sure hope he doesn't wanna lose me, so I think you two are right."
Eric gathered me back into his arms and gently kissed my temple then rested his cheek on the top of my head. I would gladly lay here in my Vikings embrace for the rest of the evening but I knew the wheels in Eric's mind were already turning. Sam started to look oddly uncomfortable again, I am sure that Eric's hand, which kept tracing from my neck down my spine and back again, was the cause of his discomfort.
"Well Sookie, I am real glad you decided this. As much as I hate losing you…at Merlotte's its really for the best." With that Sam rose, extended his hand to Eric, who surprisingly shook it and off he went, disappearing back into the crowd of Were's and Vamps weaving there way along the dance floor.
As soon as Sam was lost in the crowd Pam suddenly appeared next to the booth. Looking equal parts pleased and devious she slid into the booth and sat directly across from me.
"Sookie darling, I am truly disappointed, I was dearly hoping that some blood would be spilt tonight. But it looks like I must seek pleasure elsewhere. Do you think the shifter would enjoy my company?" I knew she was trying to push my buttons but she really couldn't hide her obvious delight at the fact that Eric and I had kissed and made up.
"Well Pam, you never know, Alcide could still saunter over and try to lift his leg on me, then you would have your show." The two of them laughed uproariously at this, vampires had a natural contempt for the two-natured.
"Lover you are truly too much," Eric said, nuzzling into my neck, gently grazing his lips against the artery. I swear if he did that one more time, I was just going to beg him to bite me right in front of everyone. He must have sensed my sudden almost uncontrollable flow of lust, he sent Pam off with a quick jerk of his head. Suddenly he gently pushed me out of the booth and I stood, making sure my dress was in correct order, then turned towards him. My Viking had stood up from the booth, he towered over me and leered down. 2 years ago that leer would have made shivers of fear shudder my body, but now the shivers were all pleasure.
"Will you give me the pleasure of a dance?" He hadn't even waited for my reply, just gently took my hand in his and started leading me to the dance floor. The band had started there set, I noticed there name 'The Night Terrors' was plastered across one of the drums. Rolling my eyes I thought how sometimes vamps seemed to enjoy the stereotypes that surround them.
All eyes were on us as the band started and Eric took me in his arms and we slowly rotated. I kept my shields up, knowing the fangbangers thoughts alone would make me cringe, laying my head against Eric's I let the words of the songs, flow into my brain:
'If I treated you bad
you bruise my face
couldn't love you more
you got a beautiful taste
don't let the days go by
could have been easier on you
I couldn't change
though I wanted to
could have been easier by three
our old friend Fear and you and me'
I heard this song before, It was originally done by one of Amelia's favorite bands. She said the lead singer was a 'total English hottie'. It had been a beautiful song when I had first heard it but listening to it now, with Eric and I pressed so closely together, it took on another quality and I listened to it tell me not to let the days go by. I looked up at Eric who was already gazing down at me, I was almost overcome by the emotion in his eyes and by everything pouring from my heart.
He started to lean down towards my face but stopped inches from my lips. I closed my eyes expecting him to lay one on me, but nothing happened, I opened one eye and he was looking highly amused, that smirk and that damn eyebrow.
"Lover, you must meet me halfway." Oh lord, he never stops. Whatever, I was done fighting anyways.
I stood on my tiptoes, closing the distance between us and gently pressed a kiss to his lips. I expected him to deepen the kiss, possibly even grope me in front of everyone. Instead, he stopped rotating and returned my kiss gently and with earnestness.
He had a hand on each side of my face and was gently brushing strands of my golden from my face and I returned the gesture, twirl a lock of his between two fingers. He smiled, kissed my forehead, whispering 'My Sookie' against it.
