P.S. The note she leaves on his bed is for him (sorry) but the cd is a burned copy of "I Wanna Be With You" by Mandy Moore. You can put that on if you wanna know what it sounds like. It's her little "I'll be back soon" gift. Sigh/swoon.

Chapter Ten: Replenishing the Stockpile

Well, last night was interesting. If I learned one important thing last night, it's this: Eric badass Northman has a garter fetish. I don't think the affair extends to my dresser drawer, but I may have to set up surveillance equipment to be sure. Oh my God, did those little La Perla black thigh highs drive that vampire insane!! As soon as Pam gets up, I'm going to request a little stop on the way to the bridal shop for some more, well, supplies. Seems like someone couldn't help themselves, and now I no longer own a pair, the trash can does. They were pretty, too. Who knew?

Today wasn't fun so far. I set my alarm to wake up early, hoping to get a bit of a nap in before later. Looks like that isn't going to happen. It's almost four now, and I just got off the phone with Sam and Tara. My effin ear hurts from all the yelling I was subjected to. Good gracious, you'd think I was a child or something. When I filled them in on where I was and that I was not coming back, I had to officially tell them both off before they'd calm down. After that, I had the floor.

Then I made their day even further and dropped the W bomb on them. Yep, that was one for one, at least. Tara was happy for me and pretty damn excited, but was pretty sad about not having anyone she could leave the store with for a few days. She doesn't trust the other girls to run the store for that long, so I was really bummed out to hear she couldn't make it. I could hear it in her voice that she really did want to come. I even offered to get her ticket in case money might have been an issue, which it was not. She did cheer up considerably when I asked about how things were going with her new interest. That is going extremely well. So well, in fact, that I suspect I won't be the only one doing some planning eventually. They're almost as disgustingly smitten as we are.

Sam on the other hand has Terry to watch the bar for a few days. Sam, bless his heart, said he'll be here if he has to swim here. I was excited he could make it, and glad he was still talking to me. We both knew it might be the last time we see each other, as I wasn't coming back, and soon things would be very different. I left that little part out. That is my own business. Besides, the yelling in my ear today was nothing compared to what I might get from them about my decision. It's not something I'll just surprise them with over Facebook one night. I'm not sure how or when I'll tell them, but I have other things to busy myself with right now, so it'll have to wait.

Today is my big day, or the first big day, I guess. I finally get to see the dress that Alessandra sent over for me. It was the most exquisite thing I have ever seen in my life, aside from Eric's ass, of course. I've showered and dressed in a nice dress, and am feeling about as nervous as a whore in church. I'm not sure if it's because I get to put it on, or because I'm nervous it won't look good on me. What kind of woman buys a wedding dress without even trying it on? Eric's crazy for doing it, but in my heart of hearts, I know it'll be just fine.

I have paced the floor long enough. I head downstairs to wait for Pam, heading into the kitchen to get something to drink while I wait. I rummage through the cabinets as Viktoria insisted, and helped myself. I remembered her showing me her wine cellar downstairs, but I needed something short and not so sweet. After a few doors, I hit jackpot. Sweet. Staring back at me was a nice big black bottle of Jack Daniels. I am a southern girl, after all. Thank God for vampire hospitality. She has all sorts of things for her human guests, and has even had several things shipped over from the States. I had no idea our whiskey was even known here, let alone favored. I promised myself to try the local liquor another time, but right now I just wanted something to take the edge off.

After having a couple of drinks of liquid courage, I sauntered out onto the back patio, enjoying the fading sunset's hues. It was cold out, but not as cold as the first night I arrived. I didn't even put on my coat, and yet I notice it's tolerable. Soon it won't be an issue, I smile to myself. I'm glad we got that out of the way. He was so sweet. I could tell he was being sincere when he questioned me, so I couldn't be angry with him for asking me. He was right to ask, and it made me feel very good that he even cared about how I might feel about that. Surely I'm not the only woman in the world who chooses one path over the family way. I've met many old women at church who'd never had children, by fate or by choice. I wouldn't be the first or the last. I had what I wanted, and I wasn't giving that up for anything. Besides, I'd take multiple orgasms over getting old and dying any old day. Although, technically, I will have to die when it happens, I supposed. I had a million questions about how it was going to feel that I wanted to ask before the night we go for it.

Noticing the sun was finally down, I realized Pam would be up. I went back in and ran up to leave the cd and note next to Eric before we left. I wanted to leave him a little something since I'd be gone for a few hours. It felt like an eternity until I could see him again, but I really wanted to get my ass down to that shop. I peeked in, and he was already up. I heard the shower running, so I ran over to the bed real quick, put them where he'd see them, and scampered out real quick, closing the door behind me. Coming down the steps, I almost run smack into Pam.

"Running from a wet, naked Viking I assume?" she leered at me.

"No, I'm sooo ready to get going, are you ready?" I ask, breathless and past excited.

"Have you been hitting the bottle Sookie?" she sniffs, grinning appreciatively.

"Yes, and let's go!" I pull her by the hand down the stairs, and she lets me. She's always been a good sport with me for some reason. We grab our things and head outside. The driver opens our doors and we hop in. Okay, Pam slides in, and I practically dive in. Not pretty, but I got an A for enthusiasm.

All the way into town we gossip like the girls we are. I'd told Pam we absolutely HAD to go back to La Perla for some more supplies. Of course, she wasn't going to let that go. I'd refused to give specific details, much to her dismay, but I had told her that I'd found "the thing" - you know, that "thing" that drives your guy absolutely crazy. Oh yeah, I'd found it, and what my vampire likes, he gets. I'm sure we looked absolutely silly with our heads together, talking quietly about other things that she thought I might also try. Nothing from her own past experience with Eric, she assured me, just some things she's seen him fancy. I was all ears. Then she had me confessing to my fantasies, about being tied up. Oh, that was my dirty little secret. I'd only thought about it many times, never ever being "that kind of girl". But I was definitely a woman now, and about to be a married woman at that. So I wasn't about to feel bad about it. Matter of fact, I was going to explore what else I may want to try.

We pulled up at the dress shop first, since Pam had already made an appointment. But, after this we were grabbing some dinner and hitting up the store for some serious shopping. Besides, I would need some lingerie for my wedding night anyways, so it would take care of two trips with one.

There was one other party inside being attended to, so we browsed through the bridesmaid dresses while we waited.

"Pam, you gotta see this" I whispered urgently at her, three racks over. As soon as she saw what I was holding up, she flipped out.

"Absolutely not. No teal. Teal is tacky." She crossed her arms over her chest and looked peeved.

"Aw, come on Pam. I've always wanted teal to be my wedding color" I teased her. I absolutely did not, but I knew she'd hate it as much as I did. I was wrong, though. She hated it more.

"You are so full of shit, Sookie. I have a bullshit detector too, you know, and you hate that hideous thing approximately half as much as I do. Nice try, but you wouldn't be caught dead standing next to me in that, and you know it."

She had a point. "Fine, you know me too well." I put the awful dress back on the rack, and looked around at the rest of the dresses. They weren't exactly getting any better. They all looked, well, like a dress you would never wear again. This just won't do. Pam was feeling me on the dress issue. We made a mutual agreement we'd just pick up my dress, and look for her a dress at the upscale boutiques all around the store we're going to directly after this place. Alessandra's had been way classier than this. She must have sent it here to be picked up because it was convenient for me, not because of the quality of shop it was. It was so busy, I just decided to pay and try it on later tonight back home. It was so heavy, Pam insisted on carrying it. The balance was paid in full already (surprise, surprise), so we got out of there pretty quickly.

We did some shopping and found "the dress" for Pam. It was stunning on her, and the minute I saw it on her, I knew. She bought it without a moment's deliberation after I gave it the thumbs up. The most time of the evening would be spent inside my new favorite store. We went stark raving mad in there, I'm ashamed to say. I bought thigh highs in every color they had, and almost every style. I got a few other things too. I couldn't bear to hear the total, so Pam shooed me outside to wait for her. I sat on a very cold stone bench and watched and listened as people strolled by. I could hear thoughts of so many different things, and not one of them involved anything unpleasant. It was such a breath of fresh air here.

When Pam was finished, we headed back to the car for a trip to catch some dinner. Suddenly, as hungry as I was, I felt a pang of wistfulness. I wondered what Eric was doing, and felt bad that he was stuck with True Blood for dinner until later. I didn't have my cell phone with me tonight, so I borrowed Pam's.

"Hello lover, up to no good?" he leered into the phone.

Now how the hell did he know it was me? And how did he know we'd been up to no good?

"Hey, I'm calling you from Pam's phone, how did you know it was me?"

"Surely you jest" he laughed, "I could feel every impish feeling you've been having from the time I was in the shower and you came in until just a minute ago."

"Well, you're just going to have to wait until I get back to find out what all we've been up to."

"I can be patient, and I will be. I am in town with Viktoria, but we shall be back very soon. I'll beat you home, I believe."

Viktoria? I wondered what they would be doing together in town tonight, but didn't ask. I felt pretty jealous for some reason. Damn if he wasn't rubbing off on me. That just wasn't very flattering. But still, what the hell?

"Oh, well, have fun and enjoy yourselves. We're going to have something to eat and then we'll be back shortly after, I think."

"You have nothing to worry about, my love. You are very sexy when you're jealous, you know."

"Hey, I remember a certain someone who was just as bad last night" I reminded him proudly.

"True, true. But Viktoria isn't touching my arm" he teased.

"Bite my ass, Viking."

"Ooh, done."

Shit, wrong thing to say. He always took that literally. Oh well, I'd enjoy it, I'm sure.

"So, did you get your dress?"

"Yes, but I didn't try it on until later. They were busy, and we wanted to do some other shopping before the stores closed. Don't you dare peek either. I'm keeping it in Pam's room."

"I promise I won't peek, though I might try to coerce Pam into accidentally showing it to me."

"You wouldn't." My tone was dripping with acid.

"I'm just screwing with you, lover. I will do as you ask. Promise."

"You promise? It's important."

"I promise" he swore. I was satisfied that he was sincere, so I let it go.

"So you'll show me the spoils of your successful plundering later?"

"Promise. I'll even give you a demonstration."

Silence. Ha, that got his attention.

He smirked into the phone and thought before answering.

"I will see you soon, lover. I can't wait."

"Try not to think too hard about that demonstration, dear" I teased as I hit the button, getting the last word. I'd pay for that too, but oh well.

Disclaimer: You all are too kind, seriously, but she might just sue me if she reads my reviews. :) Charlaine owns the characters, books, etc, but we own the pitchforks. If Eric and Sookie don't end up together, we're ditching the books and writing our own stuff after that!!! Well, I may read them, but I'll check them out from the library instead of buying anymore of them, heheh.

I still got love for you so far girl, just throw us a bone already! Sookie is not that big of an indecisive selfish bitch! She's so much better than that, so can she just grow out of that already?

Alright, alright, I'm getting off my soap box.

Shit, I fell.