A/N All SVM characters belong to Mrs. Harris, I am just playing. Such wonderful feed back and reviews, group hug! Here is the other half, another long chapter I think you will like this one :)
Chapter 10 - Lessons Learned
Scene 1 - SPOV - 'Teacher'
When I returned to the compound I threw myself back into training and studying. I wanted to forget Arlene's hateful words. I wanted to grasp at Tara's offer to renew our friendship.
Janice Phillips and her family moved to Gudrun when her salon was torched for being a supernatural sympathizer. Eric offered her the position of Image Consultant for the vampire. Alcide requested my talents to find the arsonists and together we rooted out a group of humans that were calling themselves the 'Naturals'. I can tell you that the way they died was not natural. I had the pleasure of meeting Alcide's mate, Maria-Star at the pack gathering afterward, they were gorgeous together.
Oh, and the evening news just announced that the daughter of wealthy industrial contractor Copely Carmichael had been found with her throat ripped out in a Baton Rouge industrial park. Her name? The victim was none other than our witchy acquaintance Amelia Broadway.
I am sitting in the waiting area of the compound infirmary, watching the TV while waiting for Doctor Ludwig to finish with Wanda when I caught the little tidbit about the witch. The news pulled me out of my fear for my wolverine friend for just a moment, before I started praying again.
Earlier Wanda and a few of the wolves had been practicing with me in my little gym. We were working on my ability to subdue multiple targets, Wanda would act as coach while the wolves would stalk me and I would try to keep them from shifting, by leashing them with my power, or throwing a pocket of air around them, then removing the air like a vacuum, causing them to collapse. Using both types of magic at one time was wearing on my concentration. I would get one target subdued and I'd lose one of the others.
Wanda used the distraction to throw several loops of chain over my chest and my throat from behind me, pulling tight and effectively binding my arms and cutting off my air. I panicked and a concussion of power exploded from me, tossing the wolves around and blasting Wanda away from me right into the balance beam behind us. Everyone heard her back snap like a twig. Now I waited to see whether or not she would make it, the two natured were tough, but not indestructible.
Eric and Doctor Ludwig entered the waiting room together, the doctor stopping in front of me while Eric sat down across from me. Seated, he was still taller than the Doctor.
"How is she Doctor, will she make it?" I asked.
She patted my shoulder, "she will heal child, it will be slow and it will be painful but it was a clean break and thankfully no spinal damage or paralysis. She will run under the moon again."
"Oh thank God," I said, crying now, "When can I see her?"
"Give her a couple of days Sookie, she will need her rest," she said, turning to Eric, "Viking, you will have my bill tomorrow," she ports away.
I look over at Eric brooding in the other chair; he is tapping his fingers against the armrest, studying me.
"Eric I am so sorry," I apologize.
"Not now Sookie, it is not the right time. I want you to go back to the main house, swim or read a book. I need you to be strong. We will talk tomorrow." he said.
"That witch is dead, it was on the news," I tell him, stalling.
"Yes, I know, leave now." he dismisses me.
I get up to leave, when I reach the outer door I turn back for a moment and see him slipping back down the hallway to Wanda's room.
I spent the rest of the evening swimming laps, and then hit the bed early; I had a feeling that tomorrow was going to be a long day.
I woke up at three pm and padded into the bathroom for a quick shower, when I was finished I examined my nude body in the steamy mirror. I ran my eyes over the scars, the bare areas on shoulder and neck where punctures used to be, breasts and thighs where punctures still remained, and finally the slightly rough skin on my wrists, neck and ankles. Taken individually, I could see an odd beauty, but as a whole, ugh. I remembered the oil that Eric had used once; I should talk to him about it.
I started putting together a dinner of stuffed pork chops and scalloped potatoes. While it was baking I grabbed my phone and started to go through emails and texts. I had a couple of emails from Tara and Janice, telling me about their day. Tara told me that Arlene had come in to the bar with a bunch of brochures from the Fellowship. Janice asked if I liked the new set of ebony hair picks that she had sent over for me. They must be in the box I had noticed on my counter. Two of the texts were from the infirmary updating me on Wanda's status, and the last was from Eric, asking me to meet at the gym at first dark. I was to dress ready to sweat.
I ate my dinner, read through one of my online assignments, and then threw on a pair of shorts and sports bra, hiding them under a pair of sweats for the moment. I walked out of the compound and jogged over to the gymnasium.
The lights were already on when I got there, I went through the security system, stepped into the gym and stopped cold. Eric was in front of the mirrored wall, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts, his hair braided, moving through a series of stances with his broadsword. He was absolutely breath taking. Every movement controlled, muscles sliding under undead skin, a deadly dance to his internal music.
He knew I was there, he was watching me in the mirror.
"Like what you see, Sookie?" he purred, still moving.
I rolled my eyes, moved over to the corner where I could see his sweats piled, and pulled off my own. It was his turn to watch me as I began a series of stretches on the bar.
I threw his words back at him,
"Like what you see, Viking." I asked
He flashed a smile with fang, "Oh yes."
He finished his warm up and wiped down his sword before sheathing it and laying the harness on his sweats, then continued to watch me. When I was done he pointed over to the mats for us to sit down.
"Ok Eric, why are we here tonight." I ask.
"I am taking over your training," he replied, his eyes still running over me, no longer sexual, measuring, "It is not in my best interest to have you placing all of my guards in the hospital."
"Eric..."
He stops me, "I know you are not deliberately damaging them, I cannot afford to be short staffed on the security front right now. I have more experience than they do, and you cannot injure me, logically I should be the one to train you. Of course the fact that it will give us a chance to get to know one another is a bonus, "there go his eyebrows again.
I mutter about high handed Vikings.
He ignores me, "tonight it will be just the two of us, tomorrow and occasionally ever after, Pam will be joining us to better illustrate some of the skills I will be teaching you. On those evenings there will be absolutely no magic involved, you will only use magic around me, do you understand?"
"Yes," I tell him.
"Now I want you to explain to me exactly what happens to you when you use your magic, how does it feel, how do you control it, everything," he demands, "I have some theories, from what I have observed as well as speaking with Wanda, but I need to hear it from your own lips."
"I can do the small tricks without much effort," I flick a finger and a wisp bounces around his head, "those can be for show, or I can make them sting a bit, nothing like what a fire fairy could do though. I can snuff out candles, blow things around," I say, another finger flick and there is a small dust devil spinning across the floor," and I can manipulate air currents to effect things around me."
A breeze tugs at the leather thong holding Eric's braid, pulling it loose so that the braid falls free, starting to unravel.
"Nothing heavy though," I continue, " little things like this I could do without causing the iron to burn me, anything more powerful and I would start to fry, which would start a vicious cycle and awaken the beast and I..."
Eric interrupts me, "What do you mean awaken the beast, explain."
I look through him a moment, trying to find words to explain something I didn't really understand myself.
"You know that I have a way of keeping other peoples thoughts out of my head, a way to filter them and shield from them, yes?" I ask.
He nods.
"When the abuse started, I found a way to separate myself from what was happening to me, I built another type of shield. I had to stay responsive I couldn't just ignore them, or they would hurt me more, so I learned to push away the pain, the hate, the anger and lock it way behind a wall inside of me. When I found out about my brother and I blasted Andre across the room something changed. All that emotion morphed into something else, a darker side of me, and it fed on my new power, it grew into something monstrous, and it scared the shit out of me. The way it moves through me, riding my emotions, reminds me of a predator on the prowl, so I call it my beast, and it takes everything I can do to keep it locked deep inside of me, but like a predator it has a mind of its own and when it breaks free I cannot control it. My power is so deeply tied to my emotions now that I cannot tap the stronger abilities without tickling the beast." I pause a moment.
"It is like I am two people inside now, one who is cold, strong and dispassionate and another that just wants to kill everything around her and feed on their pain while they die. I do not know what I am." I explain.
"I understand completely," Eric responds, "you are like a very young vampire, caught between your blood lust and the need to survive by hiding what you are. Everything you are describing is similar to what I myself went through when I was turned. I rose unable to control myself a slave to my bloodlust, so my Maker controlled me through pain, just as Andre did with you. I as vampire could not be at the mercy of my emotions, strong emotions would be the True Death of me. Over the centuries I learned that I did not need emotions to survive, I harnessed them, and without their interference I brought the blood lust to heel. I learned to survive."
I am shocked that he has revealed this much of himself to me.
"What happened to your maker Eric, are they still alive?" I ask.
"No, Ocella was killed a few years ago by his youngest child, who had gone insane. Pam and I killed the child."
He stands, "Come, time now for the sweating," he grins at me, "show me what you can do Sookie, as they say, bring it on."
For the next four hours Eric put me through my paces. I had to show him everything thing I had learned to do with my magic, he watched how I would ground the magic into me when it no longer had a use or a place to go. He pushed me hard, teasing me, taunting me to lose control, and when I did, he would talk me out of it, showing me how to leash my emotions and bring the beast back under control. Sometime it worked, other times the wards would expand to absorb the fury unleashed.
When he called enough for the evening, I was indeed sweating like a pig. Eric of course was cool as a cucumber. It was while I was toweling off that I remembered my decision about my scars earlier that evening, after my shower. I decided to ask him about the flask of oil, besides I was enjoying his company and really didn't want him to go.
Eric was pulling on his sweats when I surprised him.
"Eric, do you still have that flask of oil that Niall gave you, the one for my scars."
"Yes, I still have it," he watches me closely, "why."
"Would you remove them tonight, please, all of them," I stare right back at him, maintaining eye contact while I rebraid my hair.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes"
"Then meet me in the pool room in twenty minutes, I need to retrieve the flask," he turns, picks up his weapon harness and is gone.
I run back to my room for a quick shower, throwing my shorts in the hamper and pulling on one of my bikinis and a wrap, grabbed a couple of towels and jogged down to the pool.
Eric is waiting for me; he has already laid out towels on one of the lounges. He locks the door behind me, and flips a switch that raises shields over all of the windows, granting us privacy. The lighting is soft, and the birds rustle in the trees. He is still dressed in his sweats, but his hair is re-braided and he is rolling the flask between his hands.
"Make yourself comfortable Sookie," he motions to the lounge.
I drop my wrap and step out of the bikini then lay on my stomach, arms straight at my sides and head turned to the side. I watch him approach me; there is intensity about him. He kneels next to me and opens the flask, pouring a bit of oil onto his palm. The scent of honeysuckle rises into the air, he places the flask to the side and catches my eye, one eyebrow raised in question. I nod slightly.
I expect the oil to be cold when it touches my back, vampire have no body heat to warm the oil, instead it is hot, not enough to burn though.
Eric spreads the oil across my back, starting from the middle and working his way up my spine and sides, refreshing the oil as he goes. Rubbing with a steady soothing touch, I melt beneath him. He sweeps his hands up and over my neck and shoulders, down first one arm then the other. When he reaches my hands he is careful to make sure every finger is treated equally, stroking them, pulling on them, and rubbing between them. He returns to my back, this time stroking down ward, over my hips and ass, his hands firm, rolling the skin and muscle in his between. He continues down my thighs and legs, lightly stroking over the fang marks between them, but no further. I squirm at his touch.
The scent of my arousal mixes with the honeysuckle in the air and a soft growl thrums in his chest, almost a purr. He runs his hands down my knees, paying special attention to the soft skin on the back of them. I twitch, it tickles. He rubs the knots out of my calves and strokes down around my ankles, then gives my feet the same individual attention as my hands. I cannot help but giggle.
Eric cups the back of my neck in a soft caress, "turn over Sookie" his voice a deep rumble, a slight lisp from his fangs.
I open my eyes watching him as I flip over; my body is a pool of liquid, a part of which has gathered between my thighs.
Eric keeps eye contact while he dribbles oil over my belly, between my breasts and the top of my thighs. He his hands sweep over my hips and belly, a finger teasing around and in my belly button, stopping when he reaches the strip of curls between my thighs. He returns to my chest, rubbing up and under my breasts, lightly under my arms and back over the top of my shoulders and neck. His growl is getting louder; a quiver has started in my belly. My breasts are totally marred by punctures; he pours more oil across them, dropping it onto my nipples, which peak at the sensation. His hands rub and squeeze the mounds, fingers stroke, covering every inch. There is a purr coming from my own chest. He chuckles and flicks a nipple. He is still holding my eyes when he edges back over my thighs, rubbing the oil he has spilled over the places he missed before from the rear. His fingers dip between them, smoothing over more fang marks, still not touching me at the apex. Some of my moisture has flowed down ward; he catches a drop on a finger bringing it to his mouth, tasting with his tongue.
His eyes close and he groans. He caps the flask by touch alone; his eyes open again, blazing with passion. He leans over me and catches a nipple in his mouth for a quick moment, releasing it with a pop; his hands are everywhere, this time urgent instead of calming. He tucks his head into my neck and shoulder, scenting me, fangs scratching, another groan at the taste of my blood, tongue sweeping across to heal the small marks. He stops at my lips, I am panting, gripping the chair to keep myself from wrapping around him.
He holds my eyes, whispering, "I cannot get enough of you Sookie, you taste so sweet, you smell of me, Please Sookie."
He asks instead of taking, I hesitate, it is enough. His beautiful eyes sweep shut, he takes an unnecessary breath and pulls away, turning from me.
With vampire speed he sheds his clothes, diving into the pool in his shorts, slowing to swim laps across the bottom, never surfacing.
I gather myself together, covering myself with my wrap and gathering up the dirty towels and my bikini. I leave the clean towels behind. I hesitate at the door, watching him, then I release the lock and step through, letting it close behind me. I run back to my room and throw myself back into the shower, I am shaking with my own arousal, and I switch the water to cold until I calm down. While I am toweling off, I watch myself in the mirror. All of the punctures are gone the skin smooth and supple. The other scars have faded away, leaving a very faint pattern just under my skin, like an echo of pain, vanquished but not forgotten. He had been true to his word, they were gone, and I had hurt him. I cried myself to sleep that night.
The next day I feared his wrath from my rejection, he didn't say a word, his touch impersonal when he traced it over the faint pattern hiding just below the skin of my arm.
After that we did nothing but train over the next week, he pushed me hard. He was pleased with my offensive capabilities. I had chosen silver throwing daggers which I could hide in my boots or in wrist sheaths, and found I had an aptitude for fighting with a Bo staff. Eric had a staff custom made for me, it was oak with sharpened tips that were capped in silver, removing the caps turned it into a long two headed stake. The staff broke down into three pieces, which snapped together with a flick of my wrist. There was a leather harness to sheath it down my spine. I was able to hide it under any jacket or loose wrap.
I had figured out a way the wrap the staff with cocoon of air, adding to the force of its blow. I was extremely proud of that trick. Eric was swift with his praise when I earned it, sharp with his tongue when I disappointed him. He never touched me. Pam joined us as promised on some evenings, quick to tease when the tension grew thick between us. Eric would snap at her.
Compton came to Fangtasia with his child to ask Eric's leave to move to the Area; Pam told me about it, I was still at the compound, trying to finish midterm exams for my online classes.
It was now the beginning of February, Eric returned to my training, more determined to challenge my growing skills and control. I was no longer as divided. I was learning to manage the power. Pleased with my offensive capabilities, Eric felt my defense to be my greatest weakness. I learned to create a pocket of air around my body, a cushion that would absorb blows, redistributing the force back into my hands which I would then throw offensively. It took allot of power and concentration to hold the shield, to not let holes open leaving me vulnerable. I was becoming frustrated, this should be as easy as holding the shields in my mind. I was drained, the power starting to sputter, difficult to call. I was running on empty batteries.
"Ok Sookie, that is enough for today, you are making progress," praised Eric, "we will take a break for a few days, allow you to recharge. Do you still want to take a turn at Fangtasia tonight?" he asks.
"Yes, I'll change, stop in to see Wanda, and then meet you there. Bernard will drive me; he is meeting his girl friend at the strip mall there. I will probably be about thirty minutes behind you."
"Very well then, I will see you there."
We had discovered another little quirk of my power after the scars had been removed. When I used my magic, the power used to trace across my scars, something that had started the second time I had met Eric, while chained in Andre's bed. Apparently the faint shadows that mimicked the old body art under my skin were magic channels. They would begin to glimmer now, whenever I used my power, sometimes just a portion, a hint of a flower, the curl of a leaf. Or it would cover my body in a swirl of light.
The first time it happened, I was sitting next to Eric at Fangtasia, in my typical jeans and halter top. I was bored and started to juggle wisps for my own entertainment. Eric still wasn't speaking to me. A butterfly started to sparkle on my shoulder; the vermin were fascinated and crowded around the dais. Eric had to kick them away.
Pam was so amused by the spectacle that she asked me to take a turn on the throne once a week.
"Sookie, you sparkle," she had enthused, "I understand humans are obsessed with vampires that sparkle."
"She does not sparkle, she glows, and she is not a vampire," Eric growled, but there had been a small curl to his lips, the first I had seen since the pool incident.
"Master, I am sure that is something you could fix," Pam teased.
I started to laugh, and Eric actually rolled his eyes at her.
"Ok Pam, I will agree to enthrall the vermin for you." I said, caving in to her.
Eric had started to thaw a bit after that conversation. Tonight I hoped that we would have a chance to talk, I wanted to apologize, and I found myself missing the old Eric.
I leave the gym and walk back to my room to eat, shower and change. I pull on the outfit that Pam had chosen for me, Fangtasia style. I started with the stockings, making sure the seams were straight. I then pulled on lacey black panties. The skirt is crimson leather and a snug fit, slit high on the thigh, oriental style. The corset is watermarked silk, the color matching the skirt, boning that pushed the girls' way up and lacing in the front. There was black embroidery tracing around the seams. I brushed out my hair, gathering it into loose bun on the top of my head, holding it in place with a pair of ebony hair sticks that had little bells on the ends. They shimmered with sound when I moved.
With this outfit I had nowhere to hide any weapons, the ebony could be used as stakes in a pinch, but they weren't enough to make me feel comfortable. I pushed a length of silver chain into my purse with my id, phone, keys and a hundred dollars. I stepped into fuck me pumps, grabbed a wrap, tossed it over my shoulders and made my way to Wanda's room for a quick visit. She couldn't stop laughing when she saw my getup and snapped a picture with her phone.
"Blackmail," she told me.
She was still laughing when I headed out to meet Bernard out front with my car. I let him drive and settled back into my seat to relax, running one apology to Eric after another through my mind, testing them for sincerity. I was almost dozing from the sound of the tires on the pavement, when Bernard yelled at me to hang on. My eyes snapped open at the feel of the car swerving, just before the dump truck slammed into the driver's door. I felt the snap of my seat belt across me, the taste of blood on my lips. I heard someone screaming, then nothing at all, blackness swarming to pull me under.
Scene 2 - EPOV - 'Student'
When Sookie had requested permission to visit her old homestead, I hesitated. I was not comfortable yet having her that far from the safety of the compound. I knew she had a deep well of power at her disposal, but she was far from controlled, and extremely annoyed at me for the way I had tested her.
I capitulated though, called Niall and made arrangements with Pam to have her farmhouse opened and aired out, and habitable. I gave Pam the documents I had gathered together, ordered some flowers and groceries that I had delivered. I admit I was nervous, I did not know how Sookie was going to react to the changes I had made to her former home, all for her safety of course.
Before she left I told her that she could remain there if she wished, she could make it once again her home, as long as she let me add additional security measures. I did not like her so close to where Compton may be returning without an army around her.
She was surprised by my offer, even touched I think. I was not sure; I had such a hard time reading her. The bit of emotion I gather from the small amount of her blood I carry is more aggravating then definitive. I explain that I will not be able to go with her, I tell her about the meeting I must attend. She tells me she is willing to remain behind; she doesn't want to ignore her obligations. I explain that I can handle it without her.
She leaves and I find myself missing her company during the meeting, I glance at the chair she should be sitting in, I become annoyed. Her absence for one evening should not be distracting me this way.
When she returns from Bon Temps, she is over flowing with emotion. I observe as she throws herself back into her training. Her antics are amusing at first, but when Wanda is placed in the hospital with a broken back I am no longer amused. I call Rasul to my office when I learn that he was observing during the escapade.
I wave him to a chair in front of me, offering him a True blood, he declines.
"Tell me what happened Rasul," I demand
"They were double teaming Sookie," he explains, "since she had been concentrating on suffocating them and stopping their shift, she couldn't do both. Wanda decided to take advantage of Sookie's distraction and attack her from behind, wrapping her in chains. Sookie panicked then exploded, the wolves were scattered about and Wanda was thrown into the beam, breaking her back," his voice is soft when he speaks of Sookie.
"There is affection between you and Sookie?" I ask.
He looks me right in the eye, "We were bed-mates Eric, whenever I escorted her out from under the Queens thumb."
"Did you feed from her?"
"Yes"
"Did you give her your blood?"
"No Eric," he replied, sounding annoyed, "she belonged to Andre."
"...and now?" I ask, fangs bared.
"She belongs to you Eric, I have not fed from her, I have not bedded her," Rasul was growling now.
I relax, "Do you love her?"
"I respect her Eric, she has suffered through atrocities that would have had a vampire screaming for mercy without a sound, she is strong and beautiful, and I admire her." he answered.
"So do I"
"No Eric, even I can tell there is more too your feelings than that," he replied, "stop trying to fool yourself."
"She is an asset, her happiness is my happiness." I respond. I can hear the lie in my voice.
He shakes his head in disgust, "If you say so Eric, are we through here?"
I dismiss him.
The discussion haunts me. I am waiting at the infirmary when Ludwig arrives, she performs surgery on Wanda has me follow her back to the waiting room where Sookie is seated.
I catch the news blurb repeating itself about the dead witch. I ignore it; right now the fate of that particular female is of no concern. I sit and observe Sookie while the Doctor explains Wanda's situation. I can tell that she is exhausted. When the Doctor leaves after her usual spiel about her bill, Sookie tries to apologize to me. I interrupt her and tell her to go and relax, to get some rest. I would speak with her the next day.
I had already made my plans; I would take over her training, who else but a warrior with my skills, my thousand years of warfare and battle tactics, could teach my little warrior. I would even admit that the knowledge that she couldn't hurt me was a bonus.
I sent her a text outlining my plans for the next evening, then fell to the dawn.
I enjoyed her reaction when she entered the gym at first dark. I was proud of my body, and my strength. I loved teasing her. When she stripped off a layer of clothing, displaying such a tasty expanse of skin and muscle, started her own warm up and teased me back, I knew it was going to be a good night.
I asked her to explain her power. Her conversation verified my own theory; she was like a fledgling vampire. I could work with that, teach her to embrace her bloodlust instead of fearing it, show her how to harness and control her emotions.
I then had her show me what she had already learned, testing her reflexes, her reach and what it would take for her to lose control. When the sweat was running off of her in rivulets, and I could see her magic start to sputter I called an end to the evenings exercise.
To say that her next request floored me would be an understatement. I could not believe that I heard her request to use the oil and remove all of her scars. She had to know what would be involved for me to do so. I would have to go way beyond the casual affection she occasionally allowed me, and with the memory of our last kiss in my mind, I was not positive that I would be able to control myself.
She reassured me that this was what she wanted to do, I told her to meet me in the pool room while I retrieved the flask.
I was actually nervous as I set the stage, aiming to make the atmosphere as comfortable as possible for her. I did not want to scare her; she may not give me such a chance again.
She entered the pool room like a doe in the head lights; I could smell her nerves. I tried to make my movements quiet, subduing the predator in me that wanted to grab her and claim her before she changed her mind. I waved to the chair I had readied, and told her to make herself comfortable. I then slid the lock and the sun shields to grant us privacy.
When I returned to her, she had fully disrobed and placed herself on her stomach across the lounge. I was shaking when I kneeled beside her and poured the first bit of oil in my palm. She was everything I had dreamed of, flawless in form, I was sure she would fit me perfectly. The feel of her skin under my hands was exquisite, her body supple, becoming languorous at my touch. I could not help my soft growl when her arousal perfumed the air around us. I had to exert a herculean effort not to reach deep between her thighs, to tease her, to bring her to release so that I could hear my name on her lips.
I smoothed over every bit of her body that I could touch in her current position, marveling when the scars would swirl away under my finger tips, concentrating on the faint shadows they left behind to keep from ripping my clothes off and plunging into her. I could not delay any longer, she had to switch positions for me to finish. I have to keep touching her; I cup the back of her neck.
"Turn over Sookie," I growl through my fangs, when she complies it is almost my undoing. She is so beautiful.
I pour the oil over her body, teasing both of us. Her breasts are luscious, her nipples begging for my mouth, I give in to temptation and flick at one. I save the scars between her thighs for last; I want to savor the heat there, the scent. When I feel her moisture against my fingers, I have to taste.
I groan she is so sweet, so succulent. I have to have her, now. I can smell that she is ready for me. She is purring for me, her eyes are heavy lidded, and I can smell my blood mixed with her own scent, compliments of the oil. I am intoxicated. I put the cap on the flask while I catch her gaze. I hold onto that contact while I dip my body to hers. Her nipple is irresistible I have to taste her; her neck is a graceful arch begging for my bite. I control the urge and only scrape a fang, hoarding the small taste of blood and then healing her.
I reach her lips and I hesitate, I can see the passion in her eyes, I can feel her lust, I can smell her, yet there is still a hint of conflict. She has not touched me; her hands grip the sides of the chair instead of me.
"I cannot get enough of you Sookie, you taste so sweet, you smell of me, Please Sookie," I give her choice.
I can see the answer in her eyes; she is not yet ready to fully trust me with her body. If I take her, she will make me suffer for it later.
I rip myself away from her before my lust overpowers my control, the water in the pool is a chilly balm against my skin. I imagine every ripple is the brush of her fingers. I do not hear her leave; I only have my own frustration. I drive myself to exhaustion, when I finally leave the pool I see that she has left some towels behind. I stare at the chair that once held her sweet body. I reach for it and throw it across the room.
"I do not like these feelings"
We meet again on the floor of the gym the next night. Sookie is uncomfortable. I examine her arm, satisfied to see all the scarring is gone. The images of her in the arms of Compton, in the arms of Rasul, yet still refusing me are haunting. I push her hard, I push both of us. She must learn to control her power, her blood lust. If I can teach her to trust in herself, perhaps she can finally learn to trust me. Pam becomes annoying, a thorn in my side.
Our discovery of the reason for the shadows of the body art below Sookie's skin is interesting. Pam's reaction and then exploitation of 'Sookie's Sparkle' as she calls it, almost makes me smile. I can feel the tension break between Sookie and me, it is a start.
Days later I wait for her at Fangtasia, I know she is exhausted; we had pushed to the very limits tonight. I needed her to be strong defensively, it was her greatest weakness. I had hoped that she would turn down enthralling the vermin, at least for tonight. But she was stubborn and I could tell there was something weighing on her mind.
I am in the club office, trying to catch up on paperwork, when there is a feeling of dread. I look at the clock, it has been over an hour since Sookie and I had parted, she was late.
My phone rings, I answer, it is Wanda.
"Eric, please tell me Sookie is there with you, you have to tell me she is with you," she demands, hysterical, "her car is on the news Eric, there has been an accident, Bernard is dead. They say nothing about Sookie; please tell me she is with you."
My hand begins to crush the phone; I can feel the rage begin to over take me, the clutch of fear.
"She is not here Wanda," I drop the phone, smashing through the office door, ignoring her screams of denial.
"Pam, Chow, Felicia, Clancy come here now!" I roar.
"Longshadow, get the vermin out of here and close the bar, contact Indira and have her meet you at Gudrun."
Pam has the courage to interrupt me.
"What is it Master, what has happened," she asks quietly.
"Sookie's car has been in an accident, Bernard is dead, Sookie is missing," I am snarling, "we are going to find her and bring her home."
"... and ware anyone who gets in the King's way," whisper Felicia.