Really wished I owned these guys, but sadly I do not.
Guess who had a three hour block between classes? Instead of getting ahead with reading I wrote this. I do not see any problem with that.
Thank you all for the reviews and alerts. It's what keeps me writing, besides the insomnia.
Chapter title from Andrew Belle's In My Veins.
Baby lemons! Swear to God that there will be a bigger one next chapter.
…
Sookie slept much later than the previous day, waking up intermittently. She had only one nightmare about René that was blurry and quickly pushed away. The rest of her dreams had her waking up gasping for quite another reason. Her shower would definitely be a cold one.
Being a good Christian girl she always felt guilty about touching herself. And she never did so in the light of day. But the chill of the shower was not helping. That last dream had been way too intense.
She could hear running water not far off. A stream or a river? She was outside but still in bed. Not her bed. Softer and bigger. The sheets were the same midnight blue as the sky. They felt unbelievable against her bare skin. She could see the stars through the trees. They had never looked brighter or closer. She felt that if she reached out she could capture one of the bright jewels in her palm.
"So beautiful," she breathed, taking in the sky.
"Just what I was thinking."
She turned around to see Eric, close and just as naked as she.
"You're not even looking at the stars, silly."
He reached out one of his large hands and ran it down her neck and over her chest. Her heart rate immediately picked up and her inner walls clenched.
"Oh, the stars. Is that what we're talking about?"
He tweaked her nipple before palming her tan breast. His lips and tongue scored over her neck. She moaned his name and tried to cinch her legs together but he wouldn't let her. He rolled further onto her and placed one of his thighs between hers.
"Eric…we were…talking about something weren't we?"
His blunt human teeth nipped at her chin.
"Does it matter?"
His hand left her breast and traveled the landscape of her body coming to rest at her mound. He rubbed two fingers along her slit and growled in pleasure at the wetness he found. His fingers moved higher to the small bundle of nerves above.
"…No…Oh God!"
He applied the slightest pressure on her clit and it sent a shudder through her whole body. She grabbed at his shoulders.
"You're still able to talk coherently. I must be doing something wrong."
The pressure and movement of his fingers increased. Her gasps and groans were swallowed by his mouth. She sucked at his tongue. His fingers fell away but were quickly replaced by his thumb. The missing fingers found their rightful place along her slit. He ran them over her folds, coating them in her juices, before promptly pushing them inside her.
She broke the kiss, finding it hard to breathe even though it was a dream. His fingers started pumping a jagged tempo. The stars overhead shimmered and seemed to glow brighter. She could feel the burn of her gathering orgasm. Sookie raised herself to meet his thrusts but he used his legs to keep her against the bed. His other hand went to her hair. He pulled it gently to greater expose her neck.
"Be patient, lover."
He licked her pulse point then sucked it. His fingers were still moving too slow for her taste.
"Eric! Please. Please."
It must be a dream if she actually damned her pride in such a way by begging.
"So impatient."
She heard the click of his fangs coming down as his fingers and thumb moved with inhuman speed against and in her.
"Yes."
His fangs pierced the skin of her throat, the stars started falling from the sky, and Sookie came undone.
There was a loud banging on the door followed by a calling of her name.
"Cheese and rice! Jason, I'm in the shower!"
"Sorry, Sook," her brother said from behind the door. "We all heard the water in the pipes. Just wanted to make sure you're okay. Lafayette's made some of his chili for lunch. Though I guess for you it's breakfast."
"Fine. Yes. Whatever. I'll be down in a few minutes."
"Kay. Just thought I'd warn you Arlene's here too. Gran and Tara got her to calm down but she looks about ready to start tearing up again any second."
Great. Talk about a mood killer.
. . .
Before Sookie could even make it off the last step of the stairs Arlene was on her.
"Oh sweet Jesus! Please forgive me. I had no idea, Sookie. I swear!"
"I know, Arlene. None of us did."
Arlene's mascara and foundation had run and dried making her look like a clown. Sookie guided herself and Arlene toward the living area, where Tara and Jason were. Sam must have arrived sometime in the last few minutes because he came out of the kitchen where Gran and Lafayette were. He was relieved to see her and gave her a reassuring smile. She smiled back. Even after all he had said to her in the last few days she was hesitant to just let go of the friendship she believed she had with him.
Sookie sat down on the couch and Arlene quickly followed, taking Sookie's hand in a death grip.
"I mean you think you know somebody, but you never do! Everything was a lie. His name, his accent."
"His real name was Drew Marshall," Tara supplied.
Eric's information had been right.
"He killed his sister," Sookie said.
Everyone else had already learned this but she could hear their surprised thoughts at her knowing.
"I saw it. When he was trying…" It was true she had seen his sister's death. It would take too long to explain how she really knew who René was.
"Oh God!" Arlene hugged her hard again. "I swear, Sookie. Next time I meet a man I want you to dig deep into his mind and tell me every little thing!"
"Um…Arlene, I'm not really comfortable with that."
Gran called from above them.
"Dear," she spoke to Arlene. "You can see she's fine. Everyone's emotions are still running high. Why don't you take some tea in the kitchen before you have to get back to your children."
Sookie mouthed a thank you to Gran. Sam looked like he was about to take Arlene's spot on the couch when Lafayette beat him to it, swooping in with a bowl of chili.
"The girl got brutalized and just took a marathon nap. She needs something in her stomach, so back off bossman."
Sam conceded and took a seat across from them.
Sookie hadn't realized how hungry she was until she took her first bite. Everyone was eyeing her. She was probably eating like a pig but she didn't car.
"If you all got queasy stomachs don't watch me eat."
"It's not that," Jason said. "Your face."
Tara slugged him in the arm.
"Ow." Sookie put her spoon back in the bowl. Her face? It felt fine. Her bruises. They had healed. Shoot. "Last night you looked like you were auditioning for a horror movie, Sook."
"Now it looks like you shooting a Maybelline commercial," Lafayette said.
Sam balked at this new information. He inhaled loudly through his nose. Was he sniffing?
"Sookie," he said, looking much less friendly than a moment ago. "Can I talk to you? Alone?"
"Anything you got to say to her we can all hear, Sam," Tara said. Sam was about to retort back but Sookie cut him off.
"Sam, anything you want to tell me can wait until I come in for work tomorrow right? I really just want to relax now."
"What? Work? Sook you don't—."
"You closed the bar today right? I mean you had to. One waitress dead, the other attacked, the other's boyfriend a murderer. More than one day though is kinda bad business sense."
"Yeah…Well I kind of have a new applicant. But Sookie you shouldn't–."
She held up her hand to cut him off.
"I want to work, Sam. Lord knows I can't lose the hours." She looked around the room and made contact with the other concerned faces. "I will not let the horrible things that have happened to me define how I live."
Sam looked like he wanted to argue with her but Gran, Wonder Woman herself, stepped in.
"Samuel, I'm sure you'll agree that Sookie has been through a trail and needs all the rest and relaxation she can get today before work tomorrow. I'm sure you understand."
The older woman led Sam and Arlene right out the door with the finesse only a Southern woman could. Whatever Sam wanted to talk about Sookie was sure she would be less than enthused to hear.
…
Gran had chased Jason off soon after this. He had already called into work for the day and he should be allowed to enjoy it. He threatened to come back for dinner so Sookie had to admit that she had plans for the evening anyway. Gran seemed pleased that Sookie would be spending time with Eric again. Jason tensed but didn't say anything. Lafayette grinned and Tara had a look in her eyes that Sookie didn't know how to interpret.
Now Tara was upstairs napping and Lafayette had to run home to take care of some business. Sookie was sure it was the less than legal kind. She really would have to talk to him soon about the V dealing.
Gran sat at the kitchen table reading a book. Sookie hovered, finally deciding to get herself a glass of lemonade to busy herself.
She had told Eric that she did not want to think about her fairy problem anytime soon but their conversation from the previous night nagged at her. And she was keeping so much from Gran. Not really lying exactly because she didn't even know anything. Still she felt that if the older woman knew all that Sookie was keeping inside she would be hurt that Sookie had not trusted her with it.
Sookie set her glass on the kitchen table and sat down across from her grandmother.
"Hey Gran."
"Are you feeling alright, Sookie? Would you like some more chili? Or I could make you something else?"
"No, I'm good. I actually wanted to talk to you about something." Gran set her book down and waited with the her normal patience that rivaled that of all the saints. Sookie bit her lip. "You know…my disability..."
Adele sat up straighter and her posture became tense.
"What about it, dear?"
"Well…Do you think…I mean…Did anybody else in our family have anything like it?"
Adele stared at her for a long time and Sookie was positive that she should have kept her mouth shut. Finally Adele spoke.
"Your grandfather. He knew things."
"Grandpa Earl?" Adele nodded. "What kind of things? You mean he was like me?"
"I believe so. We never really discussed it. He saved his brother's life once. He said that was the only time he was grateful for whatever it was that God had given to him. He called it a curse." Sookie sat back, shocked. "I know you might want to get mad at me from not telling you any of this before, but we didn't talk about it. Corbett didn't even really know about what his daddy could do. And then Earl…" Her eyes became misty and Sookie reached out her hand. "Earl disappeared before I even knew you were exactly like him. He had told me how horrible his childhood was. I just wanted you to try and live a normal life."
"But I'm not normal, Gran." Five days ago Sookie would have disagreed with this statement. Yes she had a disability and yes she was still a virgin at twenty-five, but her life was still very mundane.
"I'm not mad, Gran. At least not at you. It would of just really helped to know that I wasn't the only one who had this." She waved her hand around her head. Gran squeezed Sookie's hand. "What about anybody else? Grandpa Earl's brother or his parents?"
"His brother… No not Francis. I only met your great grandmother a handful of times before she died. I never met your great grandfather."
"Well, what do you know about him?"
"Not much, Sookie. He left or died before your father was even born."
"Well which was it? Did he die or leave?"
"I don't know, Sookie. Your grandfather didn't like to talk about it. It pained his mother too much." Adele stopped and stared hard at her granddaughter. "Why all these questions all of a sudden?"
"Um…"
"You're afraid that Mr. Northman only likes you for your mind?"
Sookie had to stifle a laugh at this. Eric definitely didn't want her just for her mind. Now that Gran was bringing it up though her self esteem issues were kicking to the service. Yes he was sexually attracted to her. Or was it her blood? Could he just be romancing her to make it easier to use her for her telepathy?
"Sookie." Adele knew her granddaughter's way of thinking better than anybody. She knew from the look on the younger woman's face that she would have to talk her down off of whatever ledge she was building up in her mind. "Whatever your…abilities it is not worth putting up with your brother, elderly grandmother, and less than agreeable friend for an evening." Now Sookie did laugh. "Tara told me about you working for him. You're old enough to make your own decisions about that and I trust your judgment. Now I don't know much about vampires but I don't think he would make such a fuss over you simply to secure your services. If you can't see that than you're not as smart as I think you are."
…
It was a half hour before dark and Sookie stood in front of the full length mirror in her room. Tara and Lafayette lay sprawled on her bed, a stack of old Reader's Digests between them. There were already several items of clothing strewn around Sookie's feet.
"Sookie, just pick something," Tara ordered.
"Leave the girl alone," Lafayette said. "You want help, Vampire Bait?"
"Why the hell you calling her that?"
"Well she is."
Tara had to agree with this. Sookie ignored them. She really needed to pick something. Why did Eric have to say it was a date? That put too much pressure on it. Who was she kidding? She'd be doing the same thing if he said he wanted to see her for an interview.
"You gonna sleep with him?" Tara asked.
"Tara!" Sookie immediately dropped the black floral print top she'd been holding.
"Course she is," Lafayette answer. "Question is how long she's gonna make him wait."
Sookie immediately started to blush.
"You too can leave now."
"Jason said he read in a Hustler that everyone should sleep with a vampire at least once," Tara said.
"It ain't all that it's cracked up to be," Lafayette said.
Both girls stared wide eyed at him.
"What vampire you been sleeping with?" His cousin asked.
"Ain't my sex life we're talking bout. Sookie chose a damn outfit. We need time to do your hair."
"Lafayette, you can't just say something like that—."
"Oh yes I cans. Now scoot and pick something or Lala will do it for you. Something your vampire can really sink his teeth into."
…
Eric had texted that he had to take care of some business real quick at Fangtasia but that he should be there no later than 8 pm. Sookie smiled at the fact that a vampire texted. The message was not heartening.
"Oh great, the pacing again," Tara groaned from her spot on the couch.
Gran had already left for her book club but made sure that Sookie understood the importance of giving her regards to Eric. Lafayette was gone as well, citing that he had his own life unlike some people (Tara). Jason had not made good on his promise to reappear.
Sookie had finally chosen a (surprise, surprise) sundress to wear. It was mustard yellow and strapless with a sweetheart neckline. The bodice had a row of decorative buttons on it and the skirt stopped inches above her knees. She had decided to wear her hair up in a butterfly clip.
"You are gonna sleep with him arentcha?"
Sookie stopped her pacing.
"I don't know." She really didn't. She wanted to. God did she want to. "I've only known him a week. Not even. Five days. A work week!"
"I've slept with guys I didn't know five hours."
"Well I'm not you!" Sookie covered her mouth. "I didn't mean it like that, Tara."
Tara waved her off.
"Bitch, I know that. I ain't gonna try to talk you out of anything. You seem to do that enough yourself." She paused before she spoke again. "You gonna let him bite you?"
Sookie thought back to her dream. She had been scared that second night when he had almost bit her, but in her dream it had seemed so…pleasurable.
"I don't know." She continued pacing.
…
"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Pam asked. "Hot date?"
Eric ignored her as he shut his computer down.
"Oh my God."
"Pam," he warned.
"You are going on a date!" She actually threw back her head to laugh. "And she still hasn't slept with you? If she doesn't give it up to you tonight I am sending her a diamond bracelet from Tiffany's."
"Watch the bar," he growled. Pam blurred in front of him before he could leave.
"So do I get to meet her yet?"
"You already met her."
"Yes, back when I thought she was just some chit that had bad taste in men and fashion. She's traded up in one area at least." She pouted. She actually fucking pouted. "You already met her family. Did you say hi to the brother from me by the way?"
"Himlen sparar jag svär jag kommer döda dig."
"Okay, okay. Seriously though. When is the last time a human, mostly-human anyway, has held your attention this long." She quickly added, "Without sex."
He glared at her. She was making it an annoying habit to be right all the time.
"Come on. This is the closest you will ever see me begging you for something."
"What about the time you asked permission to make Coco Chanel into a vampire?"
"That was over fifty years ago and I'm still not over it by the way. This is you though. You have feelings for this girl! It's not fair that I'm out of the fucking loop here. I won't even give you a list of things I want you to get for me while you're in New Orleans."
She was two seconds away from stomping her foot he was sure.
"Fine. You can become better acquainted with Sookie... and her Grandmother. I want you to watch over them while I'm at court."
Pam's smirk immediately fell.
"I said that I wanted to meet the girl again not be her fucking bodyguard."
"Du kommer att göra detta." He shoved her to the side. "And you will be on your best behavior."
She knew from his tone of voice that she had used up her allotted time for bitching. She bowed her head.
"Yes, Master."
…
Thanks to the vampire blood in her system Sookie heard the car before it even hit the gravel driveway. She grabbed her clutch purse and turned to Tara.
"Did you want to say hi at all?"
"Uh, that'd be a no. Go on. Just come back before morning. I do not want to have that conversation with Gran."
Sookie still had no idea whether she would still be a virgin at the end of this night. Not until she saw him step out of his car.
She was on him in an instant. Sookie was glad she had decided to wear heels. It made it that much easier to reach up and bring his mouth down to hers. He was surprised but would have been insane to stop her. Her body fit snug and warm against him. His hand massaged her ass through the thin fabric of her dress. She made a mewling sound, opening her mouth wider for him. She eventually pulled back, her chest heaving. The smile she gave him was like sunlight.
"Gran wanted me to give her apologies for not being here to see you again." He smirked.
"That was from your grandmother?"
"No." Her laugh. By the gods if she didn't yield to him soon… "She'd just kill me if I forgot to give you her regards."
She pulled him back down for another round. He rolled them so that she was between his body and the car. His one hand held tight to her waist while the other trailed under her skirt to stroke her thigh. She pulled back again, which he really didn't like if his growl indicated anything.
"Eric…" He kissed along her jaw and cheek until he reached her ear. He sucked on the lobe. "I changed my mind."
That stopped him.
"You don't want to go out?"
"No. I meant about the blood exchange."
…
"You have a pool!"
They were at the house he spent most of his downtime in. It was actually the closest one between Bon Temps and Shreveport. He liked it because the nearest neighbor was miles off. Sookie had known that Eric was no pauper. The fact that his house had a gate and that it looked like it could double for a hotel clued her into how much he was not a pauper. The entryway was almost double the size of the entire downstairs of Gran's house.
Eric watched her skirt around the downstairs, feeling her emotions. She was awed but also intimidated. She didn't speak until she looked out the glass sliding doors into the backyard.
"You can go for a swim if you like."
Sookie, her hair down, body wet…
"Maybe next time." His chest felt heavy at her words and his fangs ached to drop. She turned away from the door. "Does Pam live here with you?"
"Like me she has several of her own residences. She does have a room here for those occasions that she decides to grace me with her presence."
"So you live here all alone?" She spread her arms out wide. "That's crazy. You must have a lot of people over." She hoped she didn't sound as jealous as she thought. Except he would know because he could feel her emotions. Darn it!
"Sookie, the only people I have over at any of my houses are Pam and my day man. And now you." This confession made her warm low in her stomach.
He couldn't offer her anything to eat since the only thing in the refrigerator were bags of donor blood. He would have to leave a note for his day man, Bobby, to stock this house and a few others with an assortment of foods from now on. Eric would have to find out what foods she liked. Pam would have laughed at him if she was here. Honestly what was happening to him? Not only was he having feelings for a human he was actively going out of his way to see to her comfort.
"I'm fine. I ate before we left." Their bond, which would only be made stronger by the end of the night, was flooded with Sookie's jitters. "So how do we do this thing?"
"Wait here." He blurred out of the room and back before she could say anything. He was holding a familiar looking packet envelope in his hands. He handed it to her. "The new contract. You said you wanted to look it over and sign it before we did the blood exchange."
She hadn't thought he had time to get it revised but apparently his people worked fast. He no doubt paid them well. She opened the envelope and took the packet of papers out.
"Do you have a pen?" She furrowed her brow at a thought. "I don't have to sign it in blood do I?"
He smiled.
"No. But don't you want to look it over before you sign it?"
"No. I trust you."
He got that heavy feeling in his chest again. He blurred back out and came back with a pen. She took it and flipped the contract to the last page. She bent over the dark wood and glass coffee table and signed the allotted spaces. She handed the contract and the pen back to him with a smile.
"There you go. You're stuck with me for at least a year. And I have to say, as of right now, you're my favorite boss."
"What a coincidence. You're my favorite employee." He threw the contract and the pen on the coffee table. He took her hand and led her to the couch.
He sat back near the very end of the couch against the arm. He spread his legs apart and explained that the easiest way to do the exchange was for her to lay back against him. She didn't question him. She kicked off her shoes and climbed between his legs, scooting until her back was plastered to his front. He was already hard and he thought this would probably be his permanent state whenever he was this close to her. He believed he could get drunk off her scent. A few strands of her luminous hair had escaped her clip and he stroked them. He listened to her pulse, an angry tattoo just beneath her skin.
"Sookie, if you don't want to do this—."
"I do want. I just…Will it hurt?"
"No. The vampire decides whether or not the bite will inflict pain." He caressed the side of her neck. "I will never hurt you, Sookie."
"I know." She did know. She believed it more than anything else. She took a couple of deep breaths. "I'm ready."
She heard the click of his fangs and a crunching sound. A second later she found his wrist, open and weeping crimson in front of her. Wrapping both hands around his arm she brought his wrist to her lips and began to suck slowly at the wound. His blood tasted sweeter than her memory of it.
Eric's other arm went around Sookie's waist. He nuzzled and licked along the side of her neck. His fangs pierced her skin and she started at the strangeness of it. He sealed his lips tight over the wound, not willing to spill a drop, and gently pulled her blood into his mouth. Sookie relaxed and groaned as she continued to pull at his wrist. Eric gave his own grunt of appreciation. Her blood tasted of sunlight and life itself. Her growing arousal just made it that much sweeter.
His erection rubbed against her back. Her panties were soaked and with each sip they took from each other she could feel her orgasm building. It threatened to be a big one and he wasn't even touching her anywhere below the waist.
She knew the wound in his wrist would close soon and she didn't want it too. She wanted as much of him inside her as possible. She bit down, but her teeth were too rounded and her bite too soft. This seemed to spur Eric on however. The hand at her waist tightened and the cadence of his hips increased. This sent Sookie's climax crashing through her. She went rigid in his arms and bit down harder on his wrist as it hit. Her vision blurred and she might have even gone blind for a few seconds. As her body relaxed and shuddered with the afterglow she was dimly aware of Eric crying out his own release with his fangs still buried in her neck.
He released his grip on her neck and even though his blood in her system would heal the wounds, he licked around the punctures securing every last spilled drop. He leaned further back down the couch and pulled Sookie with him.
When she finally came back to herself she realized she was leaning with her side to Eric's front and that he had released her hair from the clip. He was stroking her hair and whispering to her in what she assumed was Swedish.
"Min lilla älskling. Min lilla undra. Det kommer att bli bra."
She reached out her hand and tangled her fingers in his own golden locks.
"Eric, that was…" She stopped and concentrated. "You said the Blood Bond wouldn't happen until the third time."
"Yes."
"But I can feel you in my head. Not a lot. It's like you're a shadow."
"That happens with any blood exchange. It will fade in time if we do not repeat the process the two more times." He could feel her curiosity and that she was alarmed. "I am sorry if it upsets you."
Amazement and lightheartedness crashed through his end of the bond a second before she shimmed herself to straddle his lap. Her hands cupped his face.
"It doesn't. Fair play and all."
She bent down and kissed him. He was instantly hard again and the fact that she smelled like sunlight and her own cum was not going to help him keep calm. His hands instantly went to her hips and his fingers dug into the fabric and soft flesh. She whimpered and nibbled at his lips as he pressed her down harder against his erection. She locked her knees down tighter and wiggled in response. It was his turn to break a kiss.
"Sookie, you have to stop or I won't be able to." She arched away from him and let the fingers of both hands dance down his chest. Her smile was blinding. Like a warm summer's day long ago when his heart had still beaten and the sun shining off the wheat was almost unbearable to see.
"Then don't."
…
So are y'all disappointed they didn't go on a real date?
Eric spoke a lot of Swedish this time around.
Himlen sparar jag svär jag kommer döda dig.= Heavens save you I swear I will kill you.
Du kommer att göra detta. = You will do this.
Min lilla älskling. Min lilla undra. Det kommer att bli bra= My little love. My little wonder. It will be alright.
