"Tara I royally fucked up here." Sookie sighed as she placed her head in her hands. Tara looked at her with mock sympathy as she wiped down the bar.
"You sure as hell did." Tara commented. "Now I know that Eric certainly is no saint by any stretch of the imagination but he loves you and even you have to admit that is a miracle in itself. He took care of you after that whole thing with Bill and let's face it he gave up feeding on humans for you. If that doesn't spell out vampire love then what does."
"I know you bitches ain't talkin about that mutha fucker Eric right." Lafayette added his two cents. Both girls eyed the cook warily as he stepped out of the kitchen in a pair of tight black leather pants and a red lace corset. "Sook, what you need to be doin is kickin his chalky white ass out of your house."
"Bitch get back to doing what you are supposed to be doing and stay out of people's business." Tara yelled at her cousin.
"Yea that's right Tara May just let your best friend get emotionally attached to a psychotic vampire who will bite first and ask questions second."
"He has been living with Sookie for some time now and she is still alive with no bite marks other than the ones she already has." Tara pointed out.
"Stop this both of you." Sookie scolded both of her friends. "I love that you both want what is best for me but I gotta figure this out on my own." She sighed. "I'm gonna head out. Hopefully on the way home I can try to find something to say to him."
She walked through her front door and could instantly hear singing. She cocked an eyebrow, there was no possible way she could be hearing what she was hearing. She quietly began to climb the stairs to the second floor of her home. She tiptoed against the hardwood floor of the hallway trying so carefully not to make noise.
Eric was sitting in the rocking chair that took up the east corner of the nursery. Carys was resting in his arms. Sookie could hear her inner mind laughing. Eric had his eyes closed as he belted out a tune that Sookie wasn't familiar with but really liked. As if sensing someone watching him he opened his eyes to meet hers. His face turned sour at having been caught singing.
"Don't stop on my account Carys likes it." Sookie said. "What were you singing anyways?"
"Uh … Springsteen." He admitted running a hand through his hair. He placed the baby in her crib. Then his face became stone-like. "If you tell anyone about this I will be forced to kill you."
"No you won't." She smiled up at him. "You told me so the other night. I remember the words perfectly. You said not all of us are monsters. I knew what you were getting at by the pain I could hear in your voice." She crossed the threshold and placed her palm against his cheek. "You don't want to known as a monster anymore. But what you don't understand Eric is that people fear what they cannot understand and you provide them with no assistance. What you need to do is show humans this side of you. The side that sings the baby to sleep. The side of you that took care of me when I needed to be taken care of." Her thumb softly caressed his cheek. He moved his face so that his lips were able to meet her palm.
"I don't know how." He admitted in a whisper.
"You'll learn to relate." She promised him. Then she looked up into his sapphire eyes. "Please hold still I want to try something." She placed both hands on either side of his face and stood on her tip toes to reach his lips. Her kiss started out softly but it soon ignited when he stopped being still. He wrapped his arms around her. Locking her into place against him. His tongue raced across her bottom lip just waiting for entrance. She allowed it in.
It was like something in his brain turned on an almost animalistic need within him. He had never wanted anyone the way he wanted her right then and there. He could feel the goose bumps that had risen on her soft skin as he allowed his hands to roam her body. Just by pure instinct he let his strong hands slip underneath her shirt.
"Eric ... we need to stop." Sookie broke away from him. She stood there breathless staring up at him with clouded eyes.
"Why?" He asked.
"The baby is watching us." True to her words Carys was staring up at them with curious blue eyes.
"Can she understand?" Eric asked.
"Not really. She doesn't get strong displays of affection that aren't directed to her yet." Sookie explained. "Sorry Sweetheart I did not mean to make you sound conceited."
Eric took her hand and they walked out of the room. "I acted horribly last night when you told me you loved me. The truth is I'm not sure how I feel about you. On one hand I enjoy living here with you and I think you are amazing with Carys. You were there when I needed you after the whole Bill fiasco and you were so sweet to me then. I never knew that you had this side to you. But I don't know what to do anymore. Part of me is just like screw it and wants to jump you right where you are standing but the other part of me is just so afraid. The only guy I have ever been with it Bill."
Eric smiled as he kissed her nose. "I'll be gentle." He took her hand and pulled her into her bedroom.
--
Once again it seemed that Eric was bored out of his mind. Business was light and Eric wondered why he even bothered coming to work. He looked at the picture of Carys that he had taped to the wall behind the bar. She was getting so big now. Sitting up on the own and if you held her lower stomach she would stand if you had her in your lap.
A woman walked into the bar. Eric's alarm went up straight away. Her scent, he knew it all too well. In a flash he was standing next to the woman. She seemed fearful of him and looked as if she wanted nothing more than to turn around and run away.
"May I help you?" Eric asked acidly. He did not like that this woman was in his club. Not one bit.
"I'm looking for a baby. I don't know why but something pulled me to this place. Please if you have seen her I need to know. She was stolen from me." Eric looked deep into the woman's eyes.
"You are not looking for a baby. You came in here because you needed directions. You are heading out of this area and will never return again." He knew it was dirty but what else could he do.
"I am not looking ..."
"Eric stop!" Sookie shouted at him. Eric blinked and lost his concentration. He sent Sookie a glare. "She's Carys' mother."
"I know ... her scent." Eric growled.
"So you have seen my baby. Where is she? All this time I thought she was dead."
Sookie stepped forward. Cautiously she placed both of her hands near the woman's head. "This isn't going to hurt. I am a telepath. I just want to make sure you are telling me the truth. You understand." The woman nodded and Sookie placed both her hands on either side of the young woman's temple. She closed her eyes and concentrated on what she was seeing.
She saw Carys being born and then the mother taking her and running. But whatever she was running from caught up with her and she dropped the basket. Whatever had her dragged her back to somewhere dark and told her that her child had been killed. It had taken her this long but she had escaped and she had been following some sort of sense.
Sookie removed her hands and stared at the woman before her. "What happened to you?" She led the young woman to a table and instructed Eric to bring her a glass of water.
"My name is Cassiee. Thank you." She took the offered glass of water. Eric had a seat next to Sookie.
"Does he need to be here ... it's his kind that got me into this mess in the first place." Cassiee spat.
"Eric will not hurt you. I promise you that."
"Are either you familiar with a vampire that goes by the name Mortimer Goth." Sookie let out a loud snort.
"Like from The Sims?" She asked. Eric gave her a disapproving gaze and she quieted down.
"Anyways apparently he has a thing for babies blood and well he would kidnap people and forced them for lack of a better term to breed. After the babies are born he feeds on them. But I escaped, I managed to get my baby out but everything after that is fuzzy. I remember thinking that she was dead and I just couldn't take it anymore so I shoved something sharp through his neck and just kept running. Eventually I ended up here. It was like I was being drawn here."
"So this dude breeds babies and then eats them." Sookie looked appalled. "Have you ever heard of something like this Eric?"
He shrugged. "Some vampires do not play by human rules. So they do appalling things. Neither of you know how bad the thirst can be. But killing innocent babies is deplorable."
"So where is she? I heard you mention the name Carys. Is that what someone named her?"
"Yes." Sookie stood up and went behind the bar and grabbed the picture. She brought it back over to the table to show Cassiee. "Eric is the one who found her right here in this very parking lot. He took and instant liking to her and she has been with us ever since."
"So let me get this straight a vampire is raising my baby." She looked at the picture. Her daughter was beautiful and she looked so happy. "What are you just fattening her up so you can feed on her yourself?" Eric hissed and his fangs came out.
"I would never hurt her. I love that child." He defended himself.
"It's true Cassiee. Eric does love Carys, a few months ago I wouldn't think it was possible but now she has him wrapped around her little finger."
"She looks so beautiful and happy." Cassiee let a few tears spill from her eyes. "Look at those rosy little cheeks and that smile."
"She's been well cared for and she will continue to be well cared for."
"It that some kind of threat Count Chocula?" Cassiee seemed unafraid of Eric. He scowled at the name she had called him.
"Of course not." He backed down. "But you cannot honestly think that you can care for her at the moment." Eric reasoned. "Do you even have a home or a job?"
"Well ... no. But I am her biological mother. I certainly have more claim to her than you do."
"Come back and see us when you have a job." Eric taunted her.
"Eric, why don't you give her a job here." Sookie suggested. Eric looked at her in a flabbergasted fashion. He was caught off guard. Which was part of Sookie's plan. "You are looking for a new book keeper."
"I accept." Cassiee squealed with delight.
Eric just stared wide-eyed at both women. He was slowly trying to figure out what had just happened. Sookie just looked at him and smiled.
"I think my brother Jason might need a roommate. I can give him a call if you'd like."
"Why are you being so nice to me?"
"Because sometimes we all need a little help." Cassiee looked into Sookie's eyes and saw nothing but sincerity.
"Ok then call him."
