4 days after it happened.

Sookie had become used to the change of her body clock. She was well and fully nocturnal. By day, she slept in one of Eric's spare coffins. Not exactly human friendly, as Sookie had a slight case of claustrophobia. However, it was Eric she was dealing with so she had to make do with it. By night, she would work behind the bar or go out to places with Eric and occasionally Pam. She wasn't exactly enjoying the company with Eric, it's not what you would call paradise. But thinking about it, it was possibly the best abduction anyone could hope for.

She hadn't head a word from Zachary, or his pack. She hadn't seen him since he told her about Alcide. Sookie questioned herself daily if it would ever really happen, how could a few werewolves take on a thousand year old vampire? They simply couldn't, Eric was the most intelligent person she had ever met, almost everything he predicted did happen. Did he predict Sookie would kill Bill? But the question that always raced through her mind was, why did Eric change his mind about killing her?

Eric was unpacking boxes of Tru Blood, every box that he emptied he flattened and then chucked at Sookie. Although, every time he was doing this, it was at vampire-speed.

"I can't keep up with this," Sookie complained, stumbling over cardboard.

"Well, try harder," he said in an expressionless tone. Sookie scowled before picking up more cardboard and attempting to stack it into a pile.

"Can you at least slow down a bit," she demanded.

"No," Eric bluntly said. Sookie huffed in anger.

"You would get the job done quicker if you just did it yourself"

"That's not the point". Sookie had enough.

"Then what is the point, Eric?! What's the point keeping me prisoner here, sleeping during the day like a vampire, piling up boxes, getting hit on by filthy perverts at the bar? What is the sole purpose in doing this?"

"I simply enjoy your company," Eric smiled softly. He was being truthful.

"What about what I enjoy? Why can't i do anything i want to do?"

"Well you should've thought about that before you killed a fellow vampire of mine, Sookie. Oh, and might I say you are exceptionally lucky that I have not sucked your delicious blood right out your veins, or that you're not downstairs handcuffed and chained and sitting in your own muck for weeks upon end," Eric growled. He stopped what he was doing and swooshed over to Sookie. He overshadowed her entirely, dominating her presence. Sookie could feel his cold breath on her forehead, it had lacked life and warmth for over a thousand years. "Do what I say, understand?". Sookie nodded before stepping backwards, almost tripping over cardboard boxes. Eric never left her eyes, he pierced through them. "I am going to have to punish you, Sookie". Oh Jesus, Sookie thought. "As I know how much you despise my presence, you are going to sleep with me"

"What!?" Sookie almost screamed. Eric laughed.

"No, no. I mean, like sleep, as in closing your eyes? But instead of in your own coffin, you would share a double one with me," he said, raising his eyebrows. Sookie didn't think it was that bad, at least they weren't going to have sex. Coming to think of it, she couldn't ask for a better punishment. Of course, she wasn't fond of Eric, and he was definitely a creep, but she was grateful to him for sparing her life.

"I'll need a blanket. Sleeping next to you would be like sleeping next to ice cubes," she faintly smiled.

"Of course," he said. Eric was strangely satisfied that Sookie accepted his request so willingly. He thought she would've put up a fight, or refused.

"How many hours left till dawn?" Sookie asked.

"Three," Eric replied. Eric quickly stacked the boxes in his high-speed. Sookie folded her arms, smiled and shook her head.

"I thought that was my job!" she laughed.

"You're wasting my time," he coldly said. Sookie's smile faded from her face, and her folded arms went limp.

"What do you want me to do then?"

"Just..come out to the bar and clean tables. Don't waste my, or your time," Eric said gruffly. Sookie didn't understand his sudden change of tone in his voice, or change of attitude. Eric swiftly strode out of the store room, the door banging loudly behind him. He walked into the bar. Tonight it was closed. He went behind the bar and fished out a True Blood, O-Negative. He warmed it up in the microwave and leaned his lower back against the counter as he sipped on the Tru Blood. He immediately spat it out. It was disgusting! Eric had tried Tru Blood many times, all of which he never enjoyed it. However, he thought maybe he would like it today. He had done this many times, resulting in lots of spitting out and wasted Tru Blood.

"You'll never learn," Pam said in her long accent. She liked to dwell on words, her voice had a likeable quality in it.

"Well, I'm paying for it," Eric said, wiping his mouth with a cloth. Pam smirked.

"How is this, girl? What do you call her, Sookie?"

"Stubborn, like normal". Pam had never heard of Sookie before Eric had basically kidnapped her. She hasn't taken liking to her, yet. Pam nodded. Sookie emerged from the office with cleaning equipment. Pam looked at her, and turned round to Eric in disgust.

"She has worn those pyjamas for the past four days, Eric. I don't want her borrowing any of my clothes at night anymore, she looks like a hooker. And, she smells," Pam hissed. Sookie innocently shuffled over to a table where she started cleaning it. She looked over to Pam and Eric worryingly.

"I haven't had a chance to get her clothes from the house. I can't leave her out of my site," Eric whispered.

"God damn it the girl needs a shower as well Eric! When is the last time she had a proper meal?"

"She had a packet of chips when she woke up, but she hasn't had a cooked meal since she's come here," Eric said quietly. He had almost become ashamed of his actions, he had treated Sookie as a guest badly. Pam exhaled sharply, rolling her eyes.

"Eric, you can be unbelievable. I'll watch over her while you get her clothes from Bon Temps," she said. Pam was treating Eric as if he was her progeny. He nodded and kissed her on the forehead, before walking out from behind the bar towards the exit.

"And, don't leave me here with her too long," she said in Norwegian. She sat on a stool and twirled her hair through her fingers whilst inspecting her nails.


It was dawn, and Sookie was lying in Eric's coffin. She was in fresh pyjamas which Eric had brought for her earlier from her home. She thought about his attitude change, maybe he wasn't mad at her, maybe he just wanted her to get stuff down. After all, it's hard work owning a bar. Her thoughts were interrupted before Eric clambered in, he took up more than half of the coffin. Sookie shuffled to the side more, her back facing Eric. The coffin was lined with a duvet type of material. It was unusually comfy along with the woollen blanket from home that Eric brought. He laughed quietly.

"You really do hate me," he said, fidgeting to get himself comfortable.

"No, I don't, you're just taking up so much room I have to squeeze on the edge," she replied. He stretched his legs wider, pushing up against Sookie's body. She laughed.

"Give me more room!" she demanded, smiling to herself.

"Okay, okay," Eric murmured, before stretching out his entire body, squashing Sookie's frame against the wall of the coffin. It hurt her.

"Oh my Lord, stop it, Eric! I'm being serious, I just want to go to sleep," Sookie moaned. Despite getting used to the change of sleeping times, Sookie still got cranky. Eric released the pressure on her body and retracted. Sookie rolled onto her back and relaxed. "Thank you" she said, before yawning and dozing off.

"No problem," Eric said under his breath, before closing the coffin and falling asleep himself.


Eric was shaken awake by Sookie. "Eric," she hissed, "Eric!". He groaned before opening his eyes, looking at Sookie. Her face was panic-stricken and her eyes were welling up with tears. "I'm claustrophobic Eric, and I don't like this. At first, I thought I was going to be okay, but I woke up and I was just so sca-". Sookie was interrupted by Eric putting his icy cold finger to her lips, shushing her. He didn't take her eyes off her.

"You're safe, Sookie," he assured her. Sookie shook her head.

"Please, let me sleep in a coffin on my own with the casket open, like I normally do," she pleaded.

"Then were's the punishment in that?"

"I'll do anything you want, I promise," she pleaded.

"Kiss me," Eric said candidly. Sookie raised her eyebrows.

"Anything but that," she said.

"Either that, or sleep with me. With the casket closed," he said in a husky tone. Sookie looked at Eric wide eyed before looking up at the top of the coffin.

"Fine," she murmured. Eric's eyes lit up.

"For one night only," she said sternly. Eric pulled his bitter cold hand to her cheek. He rubbed it with his thumb slightly, staring at her lips. He moistened his with his tongue, before leaning in and planting them on her lips. At first, her lips were tense and uneasy, but after a few small moments they relaxed. He pulled away softly, opening his eyes. He smiled to himself.

"Good night, Eric," she said softly, before getting out of the double coffin and into her separate one. Eric chuckled to himself, pulling the casket down. He knew there was attraction there for him, he knew she wanted something from him. Why? Because her eyes were closed and her blood pumped twice the speed of any normal person. He closed his eyes and fell back to sleep again.