Over the next few weeks, I thought over and over how to go about taking care of Victor and de Castro. It was certainly risky in going after them, and would most certainly mean my final death if caught.

There was a lot more I figured going on with those two than just the affairs of my area. That was just a ploy, an excuse to come after me.

This much was obvious, as they had eliminated all other sheriffs in the state when they took over. As the only remaining sheriff from the rule of the Queen, Sophie-Anne, they were forced to deal with me, or bide their time to set me up.

My relationship ending with Sookie and all the events that followed seemed to give them the perfect opportunity to make their move. I let myself finally think of Sookie, and I am certain Victor and de Castro do not know where she is, and that she is safe. For that I am glad. Wherever she is, I hope she is happy, and that she finds what she needs and who she needs to be with to have a happy and complete life. I am beginning to realize, if it hadn't been for Sookie, Melanie never would be in my life now and I cannot imagine her not being in my life. Sookie restored a side of me I thought was long gone, she showed me I was capable of love, and for that, it was worth every bit of the hell I went through. I still remember those dreams, and of how I would find the woman who was meant for me. When all of this is settled, that is something I am going to have to further explore.

For now though, I will do whatever it takes to protect my own position of power, and Melanie. If it means killing Victor and de Castro, than I will do it gladly.

I snap out of my deep thoughts when I hear my office door open, I look up and see Mel, she was working tonight, and so I was pleasantly surprised to see her.

She walks up and comes behind me, as she leans over to place a warm bottle of True Blood on my desk, I catch a smell of her. She smells like peaches. I feel her lightly kiss the top of my head and wrap her arms around me.

"Anything new?"

"No, not yet but something is going on and I will figure it out. When I do, Victor and de Castro are finished."

I grab my bottle and take a drink, damn this stuff is awful I think, but for now it will have to do. I have work to do right now, and unfortunately biting Mel and her biting me isn't on the list of things to do at the moment. That is something for later though I think happily to myself.

I go through my emails, and I notice on from Sandy in Nevada. She is probably one of the few Nevada vampires that is ok and that I trust.

I open it up to read it.

Eric, I may have certain information I believe you might find useful. I do not wish to disclose such valuable information over email, but I would like to arrange a meeting at your convenience to further discuss. Please email or call to set up a time that we can get together. I would prefer to meet in your area. Sandy

"Interesting." "What's interesting?"

"Sandy has some information she thinks I might find useful." "She wants to meet and discuss."

"Do you trust her?" "Actually, yes. She's never given me any indication otherwise."

With that, I quickly send off an email to her.

Sandy, I'm very interested in what you have to share. I agree, discussing over email not a good idea. I can arrange to be available next week, on the 15th. It is a Sunday; Fangtasia will be closed for the evening, no interruptions. I request that Pam be present as well during this meeting. Lets arrange to meet at sundown. Eric

"Alright, we have a meeting scheduled," I said with a sly grin on my face.

With that done, I turn around in my chair and grab Mel by the waist and pull her close to me. I've done pretty much all I can do tonight in regards to area business. It is not my night to enthrall the vermin; otherwise Mel would wait at home. She knows the vermin mean nothing to me, it's just part of the job, and she actually thinks it is probably better for business nights I must sit out on my throne, that she stays home. She told me, "Let the vermin have their fantasies, I know who you are coming home to."

Once again, I wonder how I have gotten so lucky.

I look at the clock, it's only a little after midnight and I get an idea. I get up, and grab Mel's hand. As we walk out of my office and down the hallway towards the bar to see Pam before leaving, I smirk at Mel and tell her we are leaving and going on a drive.

After speaking to Pam, and making sure everything in the bar is going well, we take off.

I helped Mel up into the jeep and then get into the driver's side, as Mel asks, "Where are we going?"

"I'm not telling," I said.

We drive out of the city, and onto a rural parish road. The tops down and it is a perfect night for this. The sky is clear and the stars are all out and shining brightly.

We are still a ways from our destination, and no one is on the little road tonight. I figured it would be so, that is why I chose to come out here. It's quiet and private.

I feel Mel's hand on my thigh, rubbing it slowly and working her way up higher. She brushes her hand across my black jeans, and teases slightly. She is definitely getting a reaction out of me. She smirks at me and removes her hand. "There will be none of that," I say to her jokingly. "It's not nice to tease," as I grab her hand and place it on my bulging hardness.

I should never have challenged her I think as I laugh quietly to myself. I see Mel climbing over the gear shifter, and for a moment I curse the stupidity of having a vehicle that requires shifting. Once in place, straddling me as I'm driving down this dark and winding road, she begins her sweet torture. She leans in and starts kissing, and licking and nipping at my neck making her way to the front of my neck settling on my Adam's apple. I thankfully think to myself how glad I am that I am vampire, because otherwise if I was human, I'm sure this damn jeep would be in a ditch right about now.

I growl as I feel her hands make their way up the tank top I am wearing, and I can feel her rubbing herself on my hardness, and the moistness that is seeping through the small pair of panties she has on.

With one hand on the wheel, I take my other hand and wrap it under her leg and brush my fingers along the side of her panties. I hear her gasp and take in a sharp breath as she lifts a little bit to grant me better access. I quickly slide two of my fingers into her wet center and begin rubbing her with my thumb.

"Oh Christ, Eric," moans Mel as she begins to ride my fingers harder and faster, and latches herself onto my neck, lavishing it with rough kisses and bites.

I am gripping the steering wheel so tightly, I am afraid I'm going to break it. I am so hard and want her so much. I look down and see just how fast I am driving down this dark road.

We are nearing the lake and Mel is quickly nearing her release. I can feel the contractions of her pleasure slowly begin around my fingers. Suddenly I feel Mel sharply bite my neck and begin sucking my blood, and I moan loudly for I wasn't expecting that. I slam on the breaks, as I feel Mel coming around my fingers, while I am having my own release.

Once the jeep has stopped, I turn off the engine, and lift Mel slightly off of me. I quickly unbutton my wet jeans, and pull them down enough so I am freed from them.

Once situated, I pull Mel back towards me and hitch her skirt up a bit and push her panties to the side, and she quickly wraps her warm hand around me, and guides me to her warm, wet entrance.

"So tight and warm," I murmur to her as I grab her hips and help move her up and down on me. Each thrust getting harder and faster.

We are both nearing our releases once again, and I return the favor as I sink my fangs into her shoulder and bite. Her reaction almost identical to my own as I drink her blood, I feel her clenching and tightening around me. As she contracts around me, my release comes as well.

We sit joined together for several minutes following. I can feel Mel shaking in my arms.

Quickly I ask, "Are you alright?" "I'm absolutely wonderful," says Mel with a huge grin on her face.

She carefully climbs off of me and back to her seat. She realizes we are near the lake and just smiles and takes my hand.

The jeep is just to confine, and I want to snuggle next to Mel now, just be physically close to her. I let go of her hand and get out, and look in the back of the jeep, I know I have a blanket back there, and I'm hoping I have my duffle bag too with a spare change of clothes in it. I quickly find both.

Quickly I discard my jeans, which is a total mess now, and for the moment I just change into a pair of boxers. I have my track pants in there, but I'll put those on later.

Mel has made her way over to me, and I grab her hand and we walk down to the shore of the lake. Quickly I lie the blanket down and Mel lies down on her side facing me. Slowly, I unbutton her shirt, and pull the material aside. She has the most perfect breasts I think, and I lean my head towards them and place gentle sweet kisses on the tops of them.

Mel is running her fingers through my hair and kissing the top of my head.

"Tell me Mel, how did someone as beautiful and sweet as you stay so innocent for so long," I ask her?

Mel just sighs and speaks, "I can't explain it really, sure I dated but I've just never felt much connection to other men, and those relationships always ended pretty quickly."

"Why with me was it different," I ask her.

"Eric, all I can say was I just felt incredibly drawn to you, like I had to be with you, have all of you. I needed it in order to feel complete, like something about you completed me."

I pull Mel close to me and kiss her. I understand what she means by feeling complete. Mel really does feel like my other half, and I just feel she was the woman in my dreams.

We talk a bit more getting to know more about each other's pasts. I tell her stories of my days as a Viking, when I was still human. I tell her about my human wife, and the children we had. How I had been injured during a raid, and how Godric had found me and turned me. I shared with her how I lost Godric a few years ago, how he had enough, and met the sun. How Sookie was there for me, and that was when we really started connecting.

Mel asks me if I still have feelings for Sookie or if I miss her. I've thought about it a lot recently, and I tell Mel that I will be grateful for Sookie, because she found the humanity in me, showed me I could love again, and for that I am grateful. I also tell Mel that I am glad I went through what I did with Sookie because it brought Mel to me and how I feel she completes me too.

Mel opens up about her past as well. She always said she felt different, like there was some plan for her life. She mentioned that she grew up with her parents, had no brothers or sisters, but never really felt part of her family either.

She also told me how she always felt drawn to psychology, but not so much people who had serious mental problems. She laughs and says she always liked those who were sane, but troubled. That she always seemed to be able to figure people out.

With that, I look at her skeptically. "No, not able to read minds, just able to figure people out. Why they are the way they are, if they are lying or not. The type of person they really are. That sort of thing," says Melanie.

I notice Mel is getting chilled and it is getting late as well. I help Mel up off the ground and gather up the blanket.

Once at the jeep, I finally finish getting dressed. I say to Mel as I get in, that I'm looking forward to a nice hot bath when we get home and just smirk at her.

Authors note: Sorry for delay in updating. I've been going back and forth in how I want to handle this situation with Eric, Victor, and de Castro, and I think I have finally came up with a solution that I can work with. LOL, vampire politics are a bit overwhelming and not an area I really want to get that much into, so I think I have found a happy medium with that. A bit of filler here, but I'm hoping to get the next chappie up and going, and get this situation resolved. Eventually, I am going to elaborate more on the Eric/Melanie connection. Thanks for reading and all the great reviews, everyone's input is much appreciated and very helpful.