Nine

The drive to Eric's house was silent. I had left my car in the lot at Fangtasia, knowing that it was probably the safest parking lot in all of Shreveport. Once a fool had decided they should try to rob someone in the parking lot, a mistake that the perpetrator would never repeat.

Eric pulled into the driveway of a beautiful looking Tudor style house. It was only about ten minutes from the bar, but in a strictly residential area.

"Is this your house?" I asked, peering out of the windshield.

"It is." Eric answered. "Do you like it?"

"Yeah," I said. "It's really nice. I just pictured something more, I don't know, grandiose?"

Eric chuckled at my statement. He opened his door, climbing out. Before I could reach for the handle to my own door, Eric was already there, opening it for me.

"My lady," he said, gesturing with his hand and bowing. I chuckled as Eric took my hand, helping me out of his car. I stood, staring up at the vamp.

"We need to talk," I spoke softly.

Eric put his finger over my lips, shushing me.

"Not yet, lover," He replied quietly. "For now, let it just be you and I. I have put in much effort for this night. Please let it unfold before we spoil it." Slowly, Eric ran his fingers from my lips, down my arm, and took my hand in his.

Silently, other than my breathing, (which had increased in speed, just as it always did when Eric touched me,) I followed Eric; hand in his, to his door.

Eric removed his keys from his front pocket and unlocked the door.

"Sookie," He whispered to me, "I want you to close your eyes. I have a surprise for you."

"I hate surprises."

"I know, but humor me lover."

With a sign, I followed Eric's request and closed my eyes. He brushed my cheek with the back of his hand.

"Good girl."

Eric took my hand again and carefully pulled me inside his house. I heard the door shut and lock behind us. With one swoop, Eric lifted me into his arms.

"Keep your eyes closed," Eric said.

"I am!" I laughed. I could feel his blond locks brushing against my face as he carried me. Even with my eyes closed, I could feel his fast paced yet graceful movements as he maneuvered through his home.

Eric came to a stop and set me down onto my feet.

"One more second," Eric said. "I worked hard on it, so I want it to be perfect."

"I'm sure it's,"

"Ok," Eric said, interrupting me. "Open your eyes."

I opened my eyes, taking a moment to let them focus. What I saw before me was shocking.

There stood a fully decorated Christmas tree. It was glowing with blue lights and adorned with silver ornaments. I walked toward it.

"Eric," I stammered. "It's magnificent!" I touched one of the ornaments, a silver bell that jingled when I grazed it. I walked around the tree, taking it all in. One of the ornaments, made of crystal, held a picture of Abirah and read "Baby's First Christmas". I picked it up in my hand and admired it.

"I had it made special," Eric said, coming to stand next to me. "Swarovski. I hoped you would like it."

"Oh Eric. I do! It's beautiful."

"No," Eric said, taking my face into his hands. "You are beautiful. This is a trinket. Sookie, you are a treasure."

Eric's lips met mine. Softly, he held me in place with his kiss. I wrapped my arms around him, pulling myself closer to him. I could feel his desire, it echoed mine. Our kiss deepened, and a moan escaped my body.

Pulling away, Eric stopped.

"Not yet, lover," He took my hands from around his middle and pulled me to sit in front of his fireplace. I hadn't even noticed the crackling that came from the hearth. A blanket was laid out for us to sit on.

"Eric," I whispered breathlessly.

"We need to talk, "Eric replied. "I want you, too, lover. I fear that this cannot wait."

Talk about your mood killers.

"Ok," I said. "Let's talk. Tell me about this Leonora."

"No, not about that," Eric spoke softly. "I said that tonight it was about us, only us. That conversation will keep."

"I will keep?" I asked, getting angry. "Eric, it won't keep. We need to figure this out! New York, this bitch vampire wanting our daughter."

"Sookie," Eric answered. "Please. I promise you, it will be alright. Could you just calm down?"

That did it.

"CALM DOWN? CALM DOWN? Some psychopathic vampire is summoning the man that I love two thousand miles away, potentially taking the two most important things in my life away from me and you are asking me to calm down? Are you mental?"

Eric laughed.

"What the hell do you think is so damn funny?"

"You called me 'the man that you love'. It sounded like something out of those movies you like."

I stood up. My temperature had hit as high as it could go.

"Eric Northman! You self serving son of a bitch! You want to crack jokes now?"

"No," Eric said. "I want to talk to you, just not about this right now." Eric reached up, grabbing my wrist, and pulled me back down into his lap. He kissed me deeply, even as I tried to continue my rant.

It was no use. That damn Viking new exactly what to do to make me melt.

My temper softened as his tongue explored my lips. I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him in place, making sure he could not escape me again.

"Sookie, let me say this," Eric asked, pulling back again.

I could feel my desire rising.

"This better be good, Northman." I replied through pants.

Eric reached for a remote that was on the shelf over the hearth. Pointing it at the biggest stereo system I had ever seen, he triggered the CD player to begin playing.

"I made this cd for you, lover." Eric said, looking back to me. "I think I spent fifty dollars at the iTunes store to find the music I wanted."

The first song began. It was "Answer" by Sarah McLachlan.

"I love this song."

"I know," Eric commented. "May I begin?"

"Of course," I replied, smiling. Eric asking my permission for something was laughable.

"I remember the first night you walked into Fangtasia with Bill. You were wearing that red and white sundress and you had your hair flowing over your shoulders. You shown in the club like a ray of sunlight piercing the dead of night.

"Then, you took me into your home when Willow cursed me. I did not know myself, let alone you. Something had drawn me to you. It was more than your beauty, or your kindness.

"We've spent night after night together. You know me better than I think I may know myself sometimes. Even more than through this bond we share.

"Sookie, you have given me a gift that I never thought I could or would want. You have given me your love. When you sleep, I watch you and wonder."

"What do you wonder, Eric?"

"I wonder, "Eric went on, "How did I earn this woman's heart? You fought for my when de Castro held me captive. You were willing to give your life up for mine. No one has ever done such a thing for me, unless I commanded it from them.

"I could hold you for a million nights, make love to you each and every one of those nights, and still, it would never be enough for me to show you how much you mean to me."

I realized I was holding my breath as I watched Eric reach behind himself and bring forth that little velvet black box that I had seen on two occasions now.

"Lover," Eric spoke softly. He looked at the box in his hand, as did I. He took my chin in his hand, bringing my eyes to meet his. I was finding it incredibly hard to breath.

"I would walk through the very fires of hell if it met I could spend just one moment with you in my arms. My mortality was taken from me a thousand years ago, but my heart was taken from me the first time I saw you. I would die if anything happened to you."

Tears were flowing freely as I listened to Eric's words. Using his thumb, he brushed them away.

"I never want to be the cause of any of your pain, of any sorrow. I want to be with you, Sookie Stackhouse. Always."

Looking down at the black velvet box in his hand, Eric slowly opened it. Inside was a diamond, shaped like a heart, in a setting of pure platinum.

"I will never be deserving of you," Eric said, looking up to me. He made no attempt at wiping away my tears this time.

"I have nothing left to hide from you, lover. All that I have and all that I am belongs to you. No one, human, vampire, or other, could ever make me feel the way I do."

Eric removed the ring from the box that had kept it safe. He took me hand in his.

"It won't always be easy," Eric said. "It won't always be safe. But I can promise you this. I will always love you.

"Sookie Stackhouse. Will you spend the rest of eternity with me?"

I cried. I could feel his love overwhelming both of us.

Eternity even seemed too brief.

"Will you marry me?"