Drawn.
A/N: In honor of the season premiere of Project Runway (which I still don't have a favorite designer yet), I've decided to post chapter seven, which I've dubbed the epic chapter. For this chapter, I took the chapter I had already written and adjusted some things (times, details, etc.) to reflect the changes in the last chapter. I also added a huge chunk of omniscient perspective because I thought it fit.
Enjoy, and auf wiedersehen until next time!
Chapter Seven- Changes
Around 8:00pm, I was back in my room, sitting on the bed. Eric was lounging on my bed and I wondered if he had left the room, seeing as I had gotten back home after sunset. I watched his face; his eyes were closed and I was sure he was resting. It was pretty much the same situation as earlier. The only difference between then and now was that I had showered. I kissed his cheek again before putting my head on his chest.
I was startled by a sudden hand on my back. I looked up and connected with a pair of blue eyes.
"Hey there," I greeted. He smiled at me.
"Your hair is wet," he observed.
I moved it off of him. "Yeah, sorry about that."
Eric gripped my shoulders softly and flipped me on my back. "Don't be," he growled, hovering over me, held up by one arm. I leaned up and pulled him down into a kiss, beating him to the punch. Eric intensified the kiss, slipping his tongue across my bottom lip. I parted my lips and Eric took the opening. He explored my mouth a minute longer before sliding his mouth down my neck, and then settling and gently sucking. Moaning softly, I ran my hands down Eric's back.
Eric then moved to the tie on my silk robe, opening it and leaving me in my bra and panties. I was inwardly happy that I had chosen a set that matched. I arched my back and let him unhook my bra, mostly because he did it so fast, I didn't realize it was happening. Equally as fast was the speed at which he took one of my nipples into his mouth, and I was dragged from my thoughts.
As he sucked my nipple, I could feel his fangs drag across it too, which caused me to shiver. "Babe, this is a lot of fun and all, but we have to get dressed for tonight." My words were met with what I swore sounded like a sigh of annoyance. I decided to write it off as just a sigh, as I was a little preoccupied.
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Omni POV
After releasing a long held in sigh of annoyance, Eric looked at her. "Tonight? What's happening tonight?" he asked, feigning ignorance as he trailed kisses from her breast to her lips.
"I was thinking we'd go out tonight. You know, Sookie and Bill, Amelia and Trey, and you and I."
"As much as I would rather stay in and continue this," he gestured, rolling her other nipple between his fingers, "I just cannot seem to say no to you." He then leaned in for another breathtaking kiss, rolling his eyes before closing them. He then let her up so they could get ready.
The group ended up at Fangtasia after Dahlia realized that Eric didn't have any extra clothes. They entered from the back, and the other four went out into the bar after Eric encouraged them to have a drink on him. Dahlia hung back in the office with Eric. She plopped in his desk chair while he went to change.
A few moments later he emerged, wearing black slacks that were quite low on his hips, Dahlia noticed. He also had a black sleeveless undershirt on, and a navy blue dress shirt slung over his shoulder.
"You know, if you keep walking around half-dressed, I won't be held responsible for my actions," said Dahlia, sliding her arms around his waist. She could feel the muscles of his abs through his shirt and had to resist the urge to rip his clothes off right there.
"And here I thought we were taking things slow," he said, spinning around in her arms and placing a soft kiss on her neck.
"Oh we are, hun. You're still dressed aren't you?" She grinned at him. He slid on the dress shirt and she turned for the door. The next thing she knew, Eric had her pinned against the wall with his body, and her hands pinned above her head with his.
"That can be changed," he said, voice silky. He was starting to be impressed with the amount of self-control he was displaying with this girl. "You know, you really should stop teasing me if you expect me to keep the pace." He brushed her lips with a finger from his free hand before replacing it with his own lips. He planted several individual kisses on her mouth. Each time, Dahlia attempted to capture his lips for a deeper kiss, leaning her head forward. But each time her captive state prevented her. Eric laughed at her attempts, the deepness of his laugh vibrating through her body. "Slow, remember?"
Dahlia sighed against him and ceased her squirming. Eric kissed along her jaw line and released his grip. "Would you mind if we hung around Fangtasia tonight?" he asked her. "I think Pam scheduled a band for this week."
Dahlia shook her head. She knew that if they stayed here, Bill and Eric wouldn't have to feel as awkward as they might if they went to a restaurant or something.
By the time Dahlia and Eric had strolled out of the office, Fangtasia was in full swing for the night. There was indeed a band, one that was playing a rockabilly tune currently. Eric took Dahlia's hand in his, and lead her to his "VIP" area. He released her hand as he sat on his throne-like chair. As Dahlia went to sit in the adjacent chair, Eric grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her into a sitting position on his lap. "You can ward my 'fan club' off better from here," he whispered in her ear, before playfully nibbling it. He could feel her heat from the position on his lap. Maybe this won't be a bust tonight after all, he pondered.
How she was going to keep her promise to herself and resist temptation, Dahlia did not know. She giggled at him before scanning the crowd for Sookie, Amelia, and their boyfriends.
From her station at the front doors, Pam could see the pretty redhead perched on Eric's lap. She had also seen the exchange between them and knew that Eric had put her there. What the hell is he doing? Pam had a feeling that this girl wasn't just some fangbanger who knew Sookie. She was confused as to why Eric would be jeopardizing his 'untouchable' appearance at Fangtasia. This one must be special or something, thought Pam as she stamped the hands of a charming-looking vampire and one of those aforementioned fangbangers, who was clutching to his arm as if for dear life.
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Our little group was talking and laughing, when I saw someone at the bar. Someone familiar. I kissed Eric before excusing myself to the bathroom. The two other women offered to go with me, but I declined. The sight of this particular person had caused my shield to falter, and I was sure that Sookie had picked something up.
I snaked through the throng of people, some of them acknowledging me as the bartender from the night before. I smiled outwardly at them before entering the bathroom. I moved quickly to the sink area, bracing myself above one with my arms. I splashed some water on my face and moved to the paper towels, resisting the urge to cry. This resistance resulted in me slumped on the floor against the bathroom wall, hugging my knees. This was how Sookie found me when she entered the bathroom.
"Oh God, D! What's wrong?" The blonde asked as she ran over.
"It's my ex. He's here. I just need a moment, kay?" I looked up at Sookie.
"Ok. But still, even though Eric is powerful and all, don't do anything rash." I nodded. Where the hell did that advice come from, Miss Always-does-something-rash, I heard Sookie wonder to herself as she left the bathroom.
I stood up and composed myself, looking in the mirror before exiting the bathroom. Exiting the bathroom and knocking clean into a mess of silk and sequins.
"Watch where your going, bitch," spat the wiry brunette.
"If you weren't wandering in your drug-induced stupor, maybe you would have seen the door opening," I shot back. The brunette was about to take a swing at me when a suit-clad figure stepped between us, facing the other woman. No, strike that…girl.
"What did I tell you about leaving my sight, Janine?" He questioned the brunette. I knew that voice. I turned and left as fast as humanly possible.
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Omni POV
"Cale," she whispered, barely audible, before walking away. If it hadn't been for his heightened hearing, he would have missed his name. He spun around quickly, but only in enough time to see a blur of red hair and grey fabric turn the corner. No matter, he would have recognized that ass and those legs anywhere. Cale smiled to himself before turning back to his…plaything.
Dahlia walked back across the club to Eric's section. Eric stood and met her halfway. He offered himself in a hug position, which she gladly accepted. He didn't have to be a telepath to know that something was up. "What's wrong?" he asked, slipping on a concerned face.
She brushed him off. She didn't know him that well. "Nothing. I was just feeling a little flushed is all."
His initially friendly hug turned more intimate as his hands slid to her lower back. "Now, I wouldn't have had anything to do with that, would I?"
"And what makes you think that you're the only one who lights my fire, Eric? There are a bunch of good-looking guys here," she said, smugly. Her smug nature was really starting to piss him off. He'd have to put her in her place later.
"But you just admitted that I light your fire," he replied, slipping back into character and sliding a playful hand over her butt.
"Oh just shut up and dance with me," she smirked. She grabbed his hand and pulled him out on the floor, much to the surprise of some of the regulars…and Pam. The regulars were wondering what this girl, this fangbanger, was thinking; Pam was wondering what Eric had gotten himself into.
The song playing was Enjoy the Silence by Lacuna Coil. It's beat was fast enough to dance to, but slow enough to be sensual. With Eric's hand still in hers, she spun around so her back was to him and his arm was around her waist. Eric looked over her head at Sookie, who was snuggled up to Bill. His eyes narrowed and he pushed away some of the feelings that Sookie clearly no longer reciprocated. As the intro to the song faded, Dahlia began to move her hips side to side.
As soon as Dahlia started to move, Eric came out of the Sookie-induced thought bubble he was in. He didn't think he had ever danced in his club, and he had no clue why he was doing it now. But he took Dahlia's movements as a cue and pulled her tighter to him. If I'm going to dance, I might as well enjoy it, he thought with a smirk. Impervious to the stares from the fellow dancers, Eric kept in time with Dahlia's motions. By the end of the song, the feeling of her body moving against his was almost too much for him to bear. It took a massive amount of will power for him to resist both his simple urge to bite her right there and his more extreme urge to lay her out on the dance floor and have his way with her. What the fuck? he thought.
The song had changed to a faster one, but the two of them were still pressed intimately together. It was Dahlia who broke their contact first. "I think I need a drink," she said to him. And a cold shower…scratch that, a hot one, she mused as she thought of his cold skin on her body. He followed her to the bar as she scanned for Cale, who was nowhere in sight. She sat on a stool with Eric standing behind her, one hand on her hip. She ordered a glass of red wine for herself and then the bartender turned his attention to his boss.
"What type of TruBlood for you tonight, sir?" the bartender asked Eric.
"B positive," Dahlia supplied as the bartender went to get their drinks. The synapses in Eric's brain connected and a smile spread across his mouth.
"You gave me TruBlood that was your type when we watched a movie at your house. Is this your way of brainwashing me?" he spoke, eyebrows raised. She shot him a look. "If it is, that would explain why I feel like I have no control when I'm around you," he confessed. That sounds remotely convincing, he thought. A little overwhelmed by his words, Dahlia leaned up to kiss him as their drinks arrived. Eric picked up the drinks. "Let's take these into my office. It's loud out here, and between the noise and you working your mind magic on me, I can't think straight." He smiled at her. She got up from the barstool and followed Eric.
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From where she and Bill were sitting, Sookie had full view of Eric and Dahlia. She had to admit that she did like Dahlia and was still kind of pissed that Eric had openly admitted to using her. But if he was just looking for a quick fuck, why on Earth was he out there dancing with her. She scanned the club, apparently everyone else was thinking the same thing. She also knew that Eric had witnessed her PDA with Bill and was hoping he was starting to get the idea. She honestly didn't know why he was trying to hold on to her and why he refused to see Dahlia as more than said 'quick fuck'. When she saw them leave the bar and head towards Eric's office, Sookie decided to intervene.
Outside the door to the office Dahlia and Eric were stopped by the other two couples. Immediately, Dahlia felt like a huge bitch for letting Cale's presence and her time with Eric cause her to neglect the people she had asked to come here. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry for leaving you guys hanging out there," she said sheepishly. The group simultaneously murmured their 'no problems' and Dahlia picked up an 'it's completely understandable…both distractions' from Sookie's mind. That thought was partnered with a look from the petite blonde, a look that was shot at the blonde Viking behind her.
"We were going to head home anyway, to…" Sookie searched for a less brash term.
"Continue this party," Amelia finished for her, clearly a little on the tipsy side. Both girls hugged Dahlia goodbye before they exited through the club's back door. Eric could feel Sookie's disappointment in him. Dahlia then turned to Eric, who was still holding their drinks. She gave him a gentle shove into the office.
Once inside the office, she closed the door and leaned against it. Eric perched himself at the corner of his desk and watched her. "Are you sure this isn't some clever ploy to get me alone with you?" she teased, walking over to him and picking up the glass of wine. "You know, to do unspeakable things while no ones watching," she said before sipping her wine and stepping in the space directly in front of where Eric was perched.
"Dahlia," he said, voice a little ragged, "I already resisted the urge to flat out fuck you while you were rubbing against me on the dance floor earlier. I'm a strong man, but I can't promise I will be able to do it a second time." That was the most truthful he had been with her from the get-go. He ran a finger across her cheek and brushed it across her lips. She studied his face for a moment, determining that he was serious.
She finished her glass of wine and placed it on Eric's desk. "I um…think I should head home then. I'm having a hard time fighting temptation too, and I still don't want to rush into anything yet." He looked at her as she spoke, trying to mask his feelings of frustration. He didn't want her to leave, but he also didn't want their tension to escalate to a point where he'd force her into something she didn't want yet. Where the hell did that come from? What is this girl doing to me? Eric questioned himself as she walked to the door.
Despite his conscious decision to stay where he was, something inside him moved him toward her. He caught up to her before she touched the handle. "Dahlia, I care about you deeply. I'm only letting you go now because I know it will benefit us in the long run." He deserved an freaking Oscar for this performance, but there was something inside him that was feeling bad. He kissed her goodbye and opened the door. As Dahlia was walking to her car, she turned back to look at Eric, and she swore she saw sadness in his eyes. Eric knew was his eyes were telling her, which caused him to wonder why they were saying anything other than anger at his sexually frustrated state.
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Cale watched Dahlia get into her car. He also noticed that Eric, the Area Sheriff, had walked her to her car. He knew Eric was a powerful man, but that did not matter much to him. Cale was used to getting what he desired. And at the present moment, that 'what' was Dahlia.
Congrats. You've completed the epic chapter. Hope the perspective shifts didn't throw anyone off. Let me know if anything needs clarification.
Next Chapter: Dahlia and Eric think a bunch, then meet up again. We'll see what happens.
-Sydney
