Good evening!

So this will probably be the last post until Sunday. I will TRY to get something in before then, but I won't have much time to write between now and then.

Charlaine Harris owns the characters and whatnot.

Snoogans and Snoochie Boochies!


I woke up that night to the feeling of Sookie in my arms. She was sleeping. I stayed still for a moment, enjoying the warmth of her in my arms. I had fallen asleep on my back, left arm stretched out. Now, she was stretched out against my body, her head resting on my arm, face against my chest. I wrapped my left arm around her and hugged her to me.

"Mmmm, good morning." she said, eyes still shut. I could sense her drifting in and out of sleep for a few minutes before she opened her eyes.

"Good evening." I said, and kissed her forehead. "How did you sleep?"

"Great. You?"

"Like the dead." I replied, and we both laughed.

"So what are we doing tonight?" she asked, stretching and moving to get out of bed.

"Oh no you don't." I said, sitting up and grabbing her before she knew what happened. I pulled her not only back into the bed, but on top of me, so that she was straddling me. I had my hand at her hip and squeezed a little to move her right where I wanted her, but she suddenly squealed and crumpled over on top of me, her face against my chest.

"Don't Eric!" she cried in a fit of laughter. I had worried at first that I had hurt her, but realized now what I had done.

"Don't what? This?" I asked as I put my hand back on her hip, squeezing where I had a moment before. She erupted in a fit of laughter, moving her body over mine in just the right way. "Oh Lover, do that again." I said as I tickled her side.

"Eric please," she said, and giggled again, "I can't breathe."

"This is your punishment for wearing clothes in bed with me Lover." I said as I gave her hip one last squeeze, and then pulled off the tank top that she had put on at some point during the day.

"Eric!" she cried, moving her hands to cover her chest, although she was still smiling.

"Sookie." I said, pulling her down to me, kissing her for everything I was worth.


We didn't get to Fangtasia until almost nine that night. It was two hours later than I had planned on, but like I told Pam, she was lucky that I showed up at all. I had wanted nothing more than to spend my night in bed with Sookie.

"Why am I lucky you showed up at all?" Pam asked as I took my seat in the 'throne' on the small stage in the bar. Pam stood at my side. I knew she could smell the sex on Sookie and myself when we had walked in. I had left Sookie to read in my office.

"We both know that you know why." I told her, looking out over the crowd.

"So, you've had her blood then? And she has had yours. You know what it means if you share to much with this girl."

"I am aware. I am your maker, of course I am aware."

"And is that what you're looking to have happen? Bond yourself the girl?"

"Pam, I'm not bonding with her."

"Whatever you say. Now, what are we going to do about her anyway. I'm just dying to know what excuse you have tonight for putting off getting this matter with the witches settled so that she can go back home where she belongs."

"Pam, you should give her a chance. She's not like other humans. She's… different. You two would get along quite well I imagine."

"Well, she won't be around long enough for that to happen though, will she."

"Pam, do I detect some jealousy?" I asked, the corner of my mouth curving up slightly as I looked from the crowd in the bar up to my child.

"Please. Jealous of that blood bag. No. I am however worried about you. You may not see it, but you haven't been yourself since you found her. You've not only let her into your home, but you've given her your blood. The last time you gave a human your blood was me, and that was when you turned me." she said, now standing at my side, facing me. "Are you going to turn her?"

"If it's what she wants, yes."

"You would give her a choice? I don't remember you giving me a choice." she said.

"Bitter?"

"No, just another thing to add the growing list of strange shit you've done over the last four nights."

I could fight her all I wanted, but the fact was that she was right. I knew it. It had not escaped me that I had done quite a few things out of character over the last four nights. If Pam thought my actions had been strange over the last four nights, she might run screaming if she could see inside my head, be in my home with Sookie and myself. See the way I am with I am with her.

"I need you to call the shifter. Tell him to be here after closing, three a.m. Tell him to bring her brother, if he trusts him. We need to get a plan together to get these witches, this Hallow, taken care of, and get Sookie out of danger from her."

Pam crossed her arms across her chest , "Fine." she said, and left for my office.


A few of the human patrons came to me during the night, looking for attention, offering their blood, offering sex. As usual, Pam kicked them away from me. She took such pleasure in that. Although she seemed a little more aggressive that usual, but I figured it was due to the situation with Sookie and myself.

As soon as it was last call, I made my way back to my office and left Pam to close up for the night out in the bar. I came in to find Sookie sleeping on the couch. I went to my desk and let her sleep a little longer. I went through some business paperwork from my accountant, made a few appointments for myself and vampires requesting lodging in my area. It was amazing how far technology had come over my lifetime. It was also amazing at how nicely some vampires who had been around before it were adjusting.

When it was nearly two thirty, I put my work aside and went back over to the couch. I leaned down next to her and kissed her gently on the lips.

"You've got the best ways of waking me up." she smiled as she opened her eyes. She sat up on the couch and I sat next to her. She leaned her body against mine and relaxed against me. "What time is it?"

"About thirty minutes before the shifter gets here."

"Is this really necessary?" she asked, her voice full of annoyance.

"I think you know the answer to that."

"But what if it's not what I want?" she said as she turned her head to face mine.

"Hm, my little bull-shitter. I think we both know that deep down, you want it." I said, and she didn't know how right I was. I had had her blood, and she had had mine. I could feel her. I could feel the relief buried under the fear of regaining her memory. "It's going to be alright, you know. I wont let anything happen to you."

"I know." she said, almost defeated. "So what's going to happen?"

"We can talk about it when the shifter gets here. And he may be bringing your brother."

"Oh great." she said, and rolled her eyes. I laughed a little. "I know that I should be happy I guess, but really, all's I can think about is it's another person who's going to be disappointed that I don't know them."

"Another?"

"Yeah. Sam was pretty upset last night that I didn't remember him. He thought," she said, tapping her finger to her temple as she said it, "that seeing him last night might bring back my memory, or at least my memory of him. Or that I would be so happy to see someone who wasn't a vampire, and I'd go running into his arms or something. Well, he didn't think that until we went to your office anyways." she said, her anger rising slightly at recalling the events from the night before. I was a little surprised when it continued to rise even after she had stopped speaking.

"Sookie, what else did he say to you here in my office?"

"Just that I could trust him. That he was my friend." she said, averting her eyes.

"And?"

She hesitated a moment before she answered, still keeping her eyes from mine. "And that I needed to be careful around you. That I 'wasn't no fangbanger before, and he wasn't going to let me become one now'." she practically whispered.

I tore the leather right off the arm of the couch when she said that. "You are no fangbanger." I hissed through clenched teeth and fangs.

Sookie sat up then, and moved a little from me. I had frightened her. "I don't even know what one is." she said, staring at the torn leather.

"It's something you will never be. Not with me." I said, trying to soften my tone, half successfully. I pulled her back to me, and held her for a few more minutes before I heard a knock at the employee entrance. "They're here." I told her, and rose from the couch. "Come. Lets get this over with." I said as I pulled her up, and hugged her to me. "I want nothing more than to get you back home." I said, and winked at her. She blushed.

We walked out of the office as Pam was letting the shifter in the employee entrance. "Sookie, Pam, go to the bar. I'll be with you in a moment. Shifter, I need a word with you." I said, and Pam took Sookie by the shoulder and led her away. Pam could sense my mood, and I thought for a moment that Sookie could as well, but she let it go, and let Pam lead her down the hall. I turned to the shifter, and before his inferior senses could register, I had him by the neck, raising him just off the ground. "If I ever hear you refer to Sookie as a fangbanger in any capacity again, I will rip your fucking throat out. You're the reason she's in danger to begin with you stupid mutt. You call her your friend, yet you compare her to a lowly human when you and I both know she is much more than that. This is your only warning, and if it wasn't for Sookie, you wouldn't have gotten one." I growled at him, and then let go, letting his body fall to the ground. He simply nodded his head before rising and following me back out to the bar.

We found Sookie and Pam at the bar. Long Shadow, my business partner and bar tender, was pouring Sookie a drink.

"Hey Sam." Sookie greeted, looking to him and then to me.

"Hey Sook. Listen, your brother should be on his way." the shifter said, and then looked to me. "He can be trusted."

"What's his name again?" Sookie asked reluctantly.

"Jason. He's been worried sick about you. I let him in on what was going on. Let him know you were safe." the shifter replied.

No sooner had the shifter spoken than there was another knock at the employee door. Pam left to answer while Sookie and I had a seat at the bar. But I was back on my feet when I saw Pam walking back, with who I assumed was Sookie's brother, Jason, following.

And Bill fucking Compton right behind him.

"Look Master, Jason Stackhouse is here, and he brought a concerned neighbor with him!" Pam said as she rolled her eyes.

"Sheriff." Bill said as he nodded his head in my direction.

"Sookie, Jesus it's good to see you girl." Jason said, walking briskly to his sister, stopping right in front of her. He had seen her draw back at his approach, and was smart enough it seemed to know to give her a moment to adjust before he reached out to hug her. She hugged him back, but it was obvious to him, and everyone else in the room, that there was no feeling behind it. As far as she was concerned, she was hugging a perfect stranger.

"Hi Jason. So Sam told you what happened?" she asked as he released her.

"Yeah, sure did. You really don't remember me?" he asked, grasping her shoulders and staring her down.

For the first time, she seemed almost ashamed that she couldn't remember. Especially her own brother. "I'm sorry, I don't." she said.

"Well, that's alright Sook, don't you worry about it. We'll fix this. And if we can't, well, you're still my sister, and I'm still your brother, and that's all that matters." he said, smiling at her. Almost trying to cheer her up it seemed. But he was quite unsuccessful. Then he turned to me, extending his hand. I took it, reluctantly. "Hey there mister. I'm Jason, Jason Stackhouse. Just wanted to say thanks for helping Sook here out. Sam told me you found her, took her in."

"Yes." I said.

"Well," Jason said back, pulling his hand from mine, rubbing the back of his neck nervously, "just wanted to say I was real grateful."

"Well, now that we're all here, why don't we get started." Pam said.


"So it's settled. Tomorrow night we meet back here. We will head to the empty house on the corner of Mayfair and Arncliffe. From there we call the witches, tell them we found Sook, lead them over there, and capture Hallow." the shifter said.

"No, we can't capture her, she's to powerful. She lost a lot of her coven when she was down in New Orleans." Pam said, looking to me. "But she's still strong on her own. There are only a few of her clan left, and they are trying to rebuild her so-called empire back up. Her brother Mark is still with her. If she is the one who cast the spell, he would be able to remove it. We wont have to keep her alive."

"Good." I said, leaning forward. "Then it's settled. Tomorrow." Everyone rose from their seats after that. It was well past four in the morning now.

"Good night Sook." Jason said to his sister. He gave her another hug, and this time she seemed more open to it. She even smiled. Sam smiled and nodded to Sookie, and followed Jason out towards the employee door. "Hey Bill, you coming?" he asked as they got to the hallway.

"No, but thank you Jason. I need to speak with Eric first. I will see you tomorrow." Bill said, nodding for Jason to continue on his way. The brother and shifter left, and Bill turned to first look at Sookie, then Pam, and then back to me. "Eric, may I speak with you alone for a moment. It's regarding… business from New Orleans."

He meant the Queen. "Yes. Come." I said, turning towards my office. Bill followed, leaving Sookie, Pam, and Long Shadow in the bar. Bill shut the door to my office behind him.

"What do you want Bill?" I said as I took a seat at my desk.

"Eric, due to the current circumstances, there is some business that I need to make you aware of. An order from the Queen." he said. I nodded for him to continue. "I was sent here by her majesty to procure a human. Sookie, to be precise."

My eyebrow went up, for just a moment. Then I leaned forward, placing my elbows on my desk. "Can you elaborate?"

"The Queen has information, from a close source to Miss Stackhouse, that she may be telepathic. The Queen would like to bring her to New Orleans."

"You mean take her to New Orleans."

"Either way, does it matter?"

"Not really." I said, but it did. I wouldn't let him do it. Sookie was mine. I knew what going to New Orleans meant. She would be forced to work for the Queen, against her will. If I knew the Queen, or her second, Andre, Sookie would be forced to bond with one of them.

"I was hoping to find her before Hallow got to her. But this might actually be better. Get Hallow out of the way, and get Miss Stackhouse at the same time."

"You would take her away tomorrow night? Do you think that is wise?" I asked.

"Why not?"

"Her brother will be expecting her. The shifter will be there. People will notice she's missing again."

"And that matters? Eric, I am on orders from the Queen. I was not supposed to speak of this, but given the current circumstances, it was… necessary. This would have been known to no one had Hallow not gotten to her first."

"There are human laws that she falls under. Her family, the shifter, they would report her missing. There would be an investigation into her disappearance this time. There are human laws that we have to adhere by now, you understand. You are mainstreaming, surely you understand."

"They would never be able to link her back to the Queen."

"And if they could?" I asked.

"Unless someone who knows of the plan tipped them off, there is no evidence to lead her back." Bill said, raising an eyebrow to me. He was making it very clear that if this did come back to the Queen, that it would clearly be from me. And Bill would make sure the Queen knew that.

I wanted to kill him right then. I thought of five different ways to do it in a matter of seconds. I was older than Bill, much older. He would be no match for me.

But the Queen would notice him missing. He was in my area. I had to think of another way.

"Then tomorrow. I can get the shifter out of the way. Pam and Long Shadow will not be a problem. You can take her after that." I said. Not meaning a word of it.

"Tomorrow." he said, and rose from his seat. "Thank you for your cooperation in this matter." And with that, Bill bowed slightly, and exited my office. I heard him leave out the employee door, and went out to the bar.

"Sookie, it's time for us to leave. Sunrise will be upon us soon, and we have much to discuss." I said as I met her at the bar. "Pam, be at my home tomorrow evening as soon as you rise. We need to speak."

"Yes, Master." she replied.

I took Sookie by the arm, and led her out of the bar. We were silent the rest of the way back to my home. I was sure she could sense my tense mood.

Once we were inside, I took her to my bedroom. Still nothing spoken between us. She got into my bed, and I stood at the foot of it, just staring at her.

"Shouldn't we take a shower first? Don't I smell like 'the shifter'?" she said, smiling nervously.

I gave her a small smile back. "Yes, but there is something more important that I need to discuss with you first." I said, and she must have seen the look in my eye. I was seconds away from breaking every piece of furniture in my room out of pure rage from the situation we had just been forced in to.

"Eric, what's wrong?" she asked, curling her body up, bringing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.

"The other vampire there tonight, Bill, he was sent here to take you back to New Orleans with him."

"What? I don't wanna go to New Orleans. I thought he was there because he was a friend of Jason's."

"He latched on to Jason in hopes of finding you. Your brother is an idiot for trusting him. Did Jason tell you how he met Bill?"

"Yeah, he said that Bill moved into the house next to mine. Said that Bill came up to my house one night looking to meet the neighbors. Jason happened to be there locking up my place, and told Bill about how I was missing. Ever sense then, he said Bill's been offering his help in my search."

I made a mental note to punch the shifter in the face for trusting Sookie's brother. "There is a way we can prevent him from being able to take you from me." I told her.

"Can't I just say no? He can't just take me against my will."

"He can. It may be against human laws, but he could do it, and you wouldn't have a choice. As he pointed out to me earlier, he would be able to cover it up. No one would know where you went, who took you."

"Then how can we prevent it?" she asked in almost a whisper. She was nervous.

"If you are bonded to me, they cannot take you from me. From your home."

"Bonded?" she asked, looking at me quite puzzled.

"It would only be a blood bond, of course, not as strong as being pledged, but I believe that if we were bonded, it may hold the Queen off for some time. You may have to work for her, there is no choice in that matter if she wills it, but she would not be able to take you from… here."

"Queen? Eric, are you messing with me?" she said, half smiling.

"This is no joke Lover, I assure you. And yes, the Queen of Louisiana. There isn't time to get into that now however. What is important is that you understand what it is to bond, and if you chose to do so, we need to get started on it tonight. We don't have much of the night left, and we would need to complete it tomorrow evening before we left for Fangtasia. It would need to be in place before we see Bill."

"Okay, explain then."