Author's Note:

I visited a mass grave during my research for this story. Three hundreds people were buried at that cemetery, killed during the air and ground attacks by the Allies or killed by the Nazis with accusation of desertion or treason in the last days of the World War II. One of the victims was Heidi-Marie, and she was only three years old. Since then, I couldn't stop imagining what she could have or might have become. This chapter is for her.

On a lighter subject, a wolf lowers its upper body to the ground with its hind end upward. Or at least that's what the experts say. Nope, I never play with any wolf, so I can't confirm it.

Vladimír Jindřich Bufka (16 July 1887 - 23 May 1916, born in Praque) was a Ceko Photographer. He died of Leukimia in the age of 28.


Chapter Nine

Eric's Daughters

Sookie couldn't wait for the day to go by. She wanted to see that vampire Eric again. He must know something about those red-eyed werewolves; otherwise he wouldn't have come to her.

Sam left the house early. He insisted on going to Wikingerufer Street, and asked her to stay put. Debbie needed her help, he said. Besides, it would make him feel much better if she stayed at home. If what Debbie said was true, that a Mackenzie was in Berlin; there would be no chance at all for Sookie to escape from them.

Sookie didn't argue this time. Sam was right. It was foolish to think that their presence in Berlin was undetected by others. If Alcide was involved with a dangerous pack like those vampires' slaves, certainly his friends or enemies would do everything to reach their goals: either to protect or to kill him.

As soon as the sun went down, Sookie went to the church, leaving Debbie asleep. She left a note, that she went to the church to say a pray for Gran and crossed her heart as she put the note on the table. She prayed that Gran would understand her.

The church was empty. Nobody was there, except an old woman sitting on the front seat. She turned around as Sookie opened the door.

Dear old Eric, the old woman said in her mind. God loves him.

Dear old Eric? Sookie raised her eyebrows. That woman looked as old as Gran. Her hair, which was covered with a blue scarf, was white. Her skin was pale and wrinkled As she got up from her chair and walked toward Sookie, Sookie couldn't help but notice, the woman was limping.

"Miss Stackhouse?" she asked.

Sookie nodded.

"Would you like to have some hot chocolate with me? At this time of year, there's nothing better than a good hot chocolate and home-made cookies. My name's Heidi-Marie, by the way."

Heidi-Marie took her to a house a block away from the church. The house was a blue four-story house. White on blue KAFFEE LAGER SCHWARZ was written above the door. Through its window, Sookie could see some people sitting and having conversations through cups of coffee.

"We are not going to have our chocolate in the shop, dear," Heidi-Marie said. "Oh, no. My guest should receive nothing but the best."

Something told Sookie not to follow her. Wasn't it what the parents always said, not to go with people you don't know? She didn't know anything about this old woman. Heidi-Marie knew Eric, but it didn't mean anything. Sookie didn't want to know how many women there were, who knew Eric, but she could imagine, it might have been more than a few.

"What is it, my dear?" Heidi-Marie smiled. Nanu, this is something new. A woman, who doesn't jump at Eric's call? Dear Old Eric, what are you getting yourself into?

"Nothing," said Sookie. "How long have you known, Mr. Northman, Heidi-Marie?"

Heidi-Marie pushed the key through the keyhole. "I don't know...,"

"Look, Heidi-Marie or whoever you are," Sookie cut her. "I don't have time to play around. Either you are honest with me, or you can serve your chocolate to somebody else. Because for having a cup of hot chocolate, I really have no time."

Heidi-Marie opened the door. "Fair enough," she said. "I've known him as long as I live."

They entered the building. Sookie noticed that the key was nowhere to be found.

"It's a Berliner key, my dear. You have to push the key inside the keyhole to open the door, and then you have to close the door to get the key back," she pushed the door. "And I mean, really close, otherwise the door will be still open and you can't retrieve the key." The key popped up from the keyhole. She took it and showed it to her. "See, this key has two tips."

Sookie looked at it. Heidi-Marie was right. Not like any normal key she had ever seen, it had two tips.

"It's called Schließzwangschlüssel," she laughed.

The forced locking key... as if she needed to be forced to lock the house, especially in this time of uncertainty.

"Only in Berlin, my dear. Only in Berlin."

Her apartment was small, with a nice, warm fireplace in its living room. On the fireplace, there were many photos, standing beside and behind each other. Two of them were Eric with two different women. One was Eric with a young woman, long hair and as pale as him and the other was a photo of him with a woman, who was a little bit younger than Heidi-Marie.

"That's my mother and Eric, dear," Heidi-Marie's voice made her turn around. Heidi-Marie put the cups on the table. "And the other one is Eric and his daughter."

"Mr. Northman has a daughter?" Sookie looked at the photograph. The red brown-haired woman looked more like his sister than his daughter. They looked as if they were at the same age. Sookie sighed. And she looked cold and unfriendly, while Eric looked more or less expressionless. Sookie rolled her eyes. What a nice little family!

"Yes. I saw her once, when I was little. But they have been separated for a long time." Heidi-Marie gave her a sign to sit down. "You see, Eric is like a father to me. He saved us from hunger and my father. He stayed together with my mother for a long time," Heidi-Marie smiled. "At least until I got married, if I recall correctly. Then, I didn't see him again, at least not until Mother got sick and died."

"I am sorry."

"Don't be, my dear. My mother died happily, knowing I live well and that Eric will always be there, taking care of me."

"You really like him, don't you?"

Her eyes twinkled. "What's not to like?"

Oh, I don't know, thought Sookie. His arrogance, perhaps? Or his dirty mind?

A knock on the door made Heidi-Marie stood up.

Instinctively, Sookie touched her hair and felt herself ridiculous afterwards. Why would she do that? She hadn't done it for Eric, had she?

"Who might it be?" Heidi-Marie murmured. "Excuse me, Dear," she stood up. "I won't be long."

Sookie nodded. As soon as Heidi-Marie's figure disappeared, she put the cup on the table. She got up, went to the fireplace and took the photograph of Eric and his daughter. The paleness on her skin told her that 'his daughter' was also a vampire. She wondered who that poor woman had been. She also wondered whether or not that woman had been forced.

"Her name is Pam," a soft voice from right behind her made her shriek. She turned around and gasped. Eric Northman stood closely to her, so closely that her nose almost touched his bare chest. A sweet smell reached her nose, and without being unable to control herself, she sighed.

"I can't understand children," he continued. "But for her, I made an exception."

"You want me to believe she volunteered herself to be turned?"

He rolled his smile. "If you meet her, you'll know I tell you the truth. She loves being a vampire."

"Why don't I wonder?" Sookie walked away from him, and her cheeks were hot when she saw how Eric dressed up. He wore nothing, but a blood red bed robe and black shorts, made of silk.

"Can I have the photograph back, please? It's valuable to me."

Sookie gave him the photograph. His sentence made her feel somewhat comfortable. "It's good to know you love your daughter."

"It's not her that I have concerned about. It's the photograph itself."

Sookie couldn't find a word for that statement. He loved the photograph more than he loved his daughter?

"This is my friend's last photograph, taken only some weeks before he died," he touched the frame. "The frame was made by his wife."

"If he was your friend, why didn't you turn him?"

"He died of leukemia. It didn't matter how much blood I gave him, my blood would be eaten by the sick blood. Doctors said, he had a very rare kind of leukemia," his eyes looked blurred. "It happens to geniuses. They always have the rare kinds, whatever they are. Vladimír Jindřich Bufka...," he continued his sentence in a language she didn't understand and kissed the photograph before he put it back on the fireplace.

"I'm sorry," said Sookie regretfully. "I didn't know."

He rolled his smile. "So, Miss Stackhouse," he said. "Shall we get down to our business?"

"Don't you want to...," Sookie couldn't find the word to continue. How should she say it, without making herself look like she was attracted or cared about how he dressed up? She moved her hand up and down, "...that...don't you want to change...that?"

Eric sat down, crossed his legs and spread his arms on the back of the couch. His robe opened wider and showed his chest. The bronze medallion at the middle of his chest reflected the lights and touched his blond chest hair. "Why? Are you bothered by it?"

Sookie cleared her throat. "No, but a gentleman would make himself more presentable in front of a lady."

He flashed a smile. "Am I not presentable enough?"

"In more appropriate... conditions, of course."

"Of course. But did I ever tell you I am a gentleman?"

Their eyes met. Those icy blue eyes looked straight into hers; then, went down slowly, as if he didn't want to miss any part of her body. Her heart beat irregularly again. The way he looked at her made her nervous, but at the same time, she kinda...liked it.

"Mr. Northman, I beg you, Sir," she said, betraying her own heart. "I thought you wanted to see me to speak about our mutual knowledge. However, if you have any other matter in your...," dirty,... "...mind, I apologize, Sir, but I indeed have had the wrong idea." She turned around. "Now if you excuse me...,"

"You can't find your werewolf by yourself, Miss Stackhouse," he said, stopping her from walking.

"I'll manage, thank you."

"Don't overestimate your power over your king," he said. "It won't work here, not with me, at least."

She turned around. She took it as a chance to bluff. She raised her eyebrow. "Will you take a risk?"

The smile disappeared from his face. And before she knew it, he was already standing in front of her and bowing. His face was some inches away from hers. When he opened his mouth, she could see his fangs were out. "I don't like being threatened," he hissed.

Sookie felt her knees weaken, but she forced herself to look into those icy blue eyes. "Neither do I."

For a moment, they looked at each other. Sookie took that chance to look at him closely. His face was smooth; his lips were red. There were not so many lines upon his face. He must have been quite young when he was turned. And from the smoothness of his skin, Sookie guessed, he must have come from a wealthy family. What made him choose to become a vampire? She wondered. Had he wanted to continue his life? Had he been sick? Jesus...what a beautiful mouth he had. And those fangs... she'd never really paid attention to them, but somehow when they were half exposed like that, they didn't look bad at all...

His face was getting closer. If he was a human, she would feel his breath right now. And if he was a human, she would be able to read his mind. But he isn't. He's a vampire. Still, she was able to guess what was in his mind right now. Those twinkling eyes, the half-open mouth, which was only one or two inches away from hers...if she tiptoed or he lowered his face, their lips would meet... and she would finally know how it felt to be kissed.

A smile broke. "Then, we have something in common," he said, straightening his body.

Sookie bit her lower lip. Jesus, what had come over her? She should've been angry or offended, and not thinking about being kissed or kissing him. That was what had been in his mind, wasn't it? Or was it only in hers?

"Do you sleep here during the day?" she tried to change the subject.

"If I answer that question, I have to kill you."

The first rule any human should avoid when they ever meet vampires - never ask them where they sleep during the day.

"However," those eyes twinkled again. "If you answer my question, I'll forget you just asked me my day whereabouts."

"Which is?"

Eric sat down and asked her to sit down, too. "You put yourself in danger by coming to Berlin. What is he to you?"

"A friend."

"Werewolves never befriend humans, especially not a female human."

"In that case, you know neither the Herveauxes nor me."

Those eyes narrowed. "I know enough werewolves to draw that conclusion. Trust me when I tell you this, werewolves never put their behinds up in the air without wanting something from you."

Whatever he meant, Sookie didn't like it. She knew Mr. Herveaux well enough to be certain his son would not take any advantage of her.

He smirked. "You don't even know what it means," he got up. "And you came here."

"I owe my life to his family." And Sookie cursed herself. Why had she told him that?

"Not every vampire is like your king, whom you can wrap around your fingers and dance to your tune," he turned around. His eyes went from her head down to her toe, sending a clear message what he wanted. Sookie raised her head. "On second thought," he smirked. "I'd like to know what it means."

Sookie felt her blood rush to her head. Her heart jolted. She had never felt this way in front of any man; human or supernatural. God, how she wished she knew how to deal with men. If she were Debbie, she would definitely have done something and not stood around, confused and uncertain.

He chuckled. "It's going to be interesting indeed," he said, as if he had been confirming something. Then, he walked away. His blood robe floated behind him; for a moment, he looked like some kind of angel.

Sookie sat down; she let herself fall onto the chair, to be precise. Somehow she was glad Eric had decided to leave; otherwise, she wasn't sure if she could keep on standing. Taking Gran's medallion in her hand, she closed her eyes. This was not right. She shouldn't have come here. She should've told Heidi-Marie, she'd wait for Eric at the church. This was not a good idea. Debbie could have been looking for her now, and Sam would certainly be enraged at the idea that she went out for a meeting with a vampire, without telling anybody.

She looked at the hall way that led to the door. Where the heck was Heidi-Marie? Where had she gone? Had she intentionally left her alone so Eric could talk to her? Like father, like daughter! She sighed. She looked at the direction where Eric had gone. What was he doing anyway?

She got up. "Eric...," she called out to him.

No answer.

"Eric...,"

Still no answer.

Sookie decided to go after him. He had said he knew the reason she came to Berlin. She knew now it was because he, and his friend, had met Debbie. But was it the only reason? Did he know something she didn't? After all, he was a vampire; and it seemed he had a rank in vampire society. What was he? Did vampires in Germany have the same ranks like in States? A king or queen of an area, an earl, then a sheriff, an inquisitor and the lowest, a chief.

To think about it, it wasn't a bad idea if Eric was willing to help her. He was a vampire, after all. From Debbie's story, it's obvious, that what Mr. Herveaux' son was afraid of became a reality. If Eric and his friend had nothing to do with it, their help would mean a lot to her.

A reflection of a white image stopped her from walking. Eric was standing beside the bed, naked. The brown yellowish light from the gas lamp made his skin look somehow golden. The muscles under that skin moved, following the movement. She knew Eric was a tall man, and yet, she was astonished to see how tall he really was. His torso was long and square; and there was a line across it. It seemed it was an old wound from his human life. His behind was like a pair of two small hills, which was supported by two toned and muscled legs. Touched by the light, the blond hair that covered those two legs was shimmering.

She had never seen a naked man before. Now that she saw it, she didn't know what to do or say; she didn't even know what to think. It was different from her body or Debbie's, which were like a Greek statue, curvy and soft. Eric's body seemed hard and square. She wondered, was his skin as smooth as hers, or was it rough?

Suddenly, Eric turned around. His face was as expressionless as before, but the lights in his blue eyes were hard, looking at hers with a certainty that made her tremble. That look...that look was like Talbot's when he looked at some items on a fashion magazine, saying, 'Sookie, Darling. They're definitely mine.'

Then, Eric began to walk toward her...

"Eric! Eric!"

A loud yell pulled Sookie out of her numbness. Her heart, which seemed to have been gone, started beating again and made her feel each part of her body. It was a nice feeling...but why did she feel warm and wet between her legs?

"Eric...are you...,"

Sookie turned to the voice. A man stood some at the door to the hall way. His hair and his brown jacket were covered with snow.

Women! Thought that man. Even in these hours, he's still able to have women!

Sookie felt her cheek hot. Women? Obviously, she wasn't the only woman Eric had brought here. And why did this man speak English?

"Yes, Bob?"

Sookie felt a sudden coldness behind her. Eric must have been standing close, but she didn't want to turn around. He might still be naked.

"Jake is here," the man said. "They are coming, Eric. You'd better leave. Now."