My Angel

Chapter Nine:

"So," Adele smirked as Sookie came bouncing down to the kitchen the next morning, "how was your date?" Sookie practically squealed as she gave a complete play-by-play of her date. She swooned over every little detail, and Adele could not help but laugh at her granddaughter. "Then you are going out with him again?" She poked fun at Sookie's earlier doubts.

"Oh my goodness, Gran! I can't wait to go out with him again! We're going to have our second date on Sunday!" She told her excitedly, "I want to pick what we do, though, and I want to make it fun for him, but he has such an advantage over me!" She moaned forlornly, "He's had years finding things out about me, and I've only had a few days. Most of those days consisted of us at each others' throats, too."

"Well, you have a few days to get some information out of him, so I suggest you take the opportunity seriously." Gran pointed out, causing Sookie to nod.

"He said he'd call me tonight." Sookie pondered what key topics she should push to get the right information from him.

During her shift at Merlotte's Sookie was skipping around with the brightest smile anyone had ever seen. Lafayette was laughing from the kitchen every time he caught a glimpse of her while Tara just stared at her best friend in complete bafflement.

"Jeez," Tara called to her shortly into the day, "was the apartment that nice?"

"What?" Sookie asked, confused, but was still smiling uncontrollably.

"You went to look at an apartment last night, right?" Tara frowned.

"Actually, I had a date, but I wasn't sure about how it would go," Sookie admitted nervously. "I kinda wanted to keep it to myself until after."

"So, you had a date?" Tara was thoughtful a moment before her mouth slung open. "Was it with that vampire?" She demanded.

"Yes, it was," Sookie nodded, "and I had the best time in the world!"

Tara rolled her eyes, "He probably just hypnotized it into your head."

"That doesn't work on me," Sookie said distractedly, musing over her time with Eric the previous night.

"Really?"

"Really," Sookie sung as she grabbed a pitcher of beer and danced her way back to her customer's table.

Tara left her spot at the bar and went to the kitchen window. "Did you know about Sookie dating a vampire last night?" She demanded haughtily.

"Sure did." Lafayette replied, flipping a line of burgers in quick succession.

"How come she told you and not me!?" Tara snapped.

The cook looked up from the grill and raised an eyebrow at his cousin, "Maybe 'cause you're a hot tempered bigot, and Sookie needed someone who wasn't gonna judge her the entire time."

Tara scowled at that before going back to the bar. When Sookie came back she asked, "So... You had a good time then with that vamp?"

"The best," Sookie assured her.

"Well, then... Tell me all about it," Tara requested begrudgingly, and listened patiently as Sookie gave a detailed accounting of her night in between serving customers. "Wow, sounds like he went through a lot of trouble." Tara was still frowning, although that was the woman's usual expression, and Sookie did not take it to heart. "He treated you good and all that?"

"Yup. After I saw everything all set up, even before the movie started, I tried to kiss him as a thank you, and he wouldn't let me 'cause he said he wanted it to be like a real first date and get his kiss at the end of the night." She glowed.

Tara let out a suffering sigh and said, "Well, as long as he's treatin' ya good and you're happy, I'll leave ya alone about it." She promised.

"Thank you, Tara." Sookie grinned happily, glad that she did not have to hide her relationship from her best friend. The telepath thought it would take a while before she could let her friends know about her and Eric, but after how wonderful the previous night was, she could not wait to let everyone know she was taken.

After another hour of work, Sookie found a moment to talk to Tara again, "So," she began, stepping behind the bar and helping clean glasses, "I was wondering if you might want to move in with Gran after I leave for Shreveport."

"What?" Tara looked at her girlfriend like she had grown a second head. "Why would I do that?"

"You can't afford to live on your own, and you're about one binge drinking weekend away from murdering your ma." Sookie looked at her knowingly.

Tara smirked, "Yeah, I guess you're right, but Gran don't need me keeping all hours of the night. And you know I ain't going to play the good girl like you always did."

"Gran doesn't care about that, I mean, you'll have to watch that mouth of yours around her, but other than that, it's not your ma's place." Sookie nudged.

"True... And Gran really should have someone keepin' an eye on her." She became thoughtful a moment, "Ah, what the hell, it's sounding better and better the more I think about it."

Sookie smiled widely, "Cool! That will take a big load off my mind knowing someone will be in that big house with her."

Tara nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I don't want Gran all by herself either."

"And I'm going to be over lots to help out. So you'll get to see more of me if you're living there than if you're at your ma's." Sookie added.

"That's true too." Tara nudged her friend with her shoulder. "So, you haven't been looking for a place in Shreveport? If you're movin' in two weeks, why are you stalling?"

Sookie shook her head, "Eric's got a place all set up for me."

"Is it his place?" Tara asked slyly.

"Nooo!" Sookie shoved her friend back with a giggle. "I guess he's got friends in the area or something. He said it was an apartment."

"You takin' Tina with you?"

Sookie had not thought about the house cat, but to be honest, Tina was actually Gran's and not hers. The girl pouted as she realized this, "No. Tina is Gran's."

"But you've always had a cat." Tara told her.

"Yeah, but I want a few months to get settled in. Plus, I don't know if my apartment will allow pets." She realized.

"Maybe you should ask tall, blond, and dead."

"I will when I see him," she assured.

"Then look up, Sooks."

Sookie's head snapped up at that and she saw Eric smiling at her from across the bar as he came towards where the girls were chatting.

"Well, I seem to have caught you slacking off at work, Sookie," Eric teased.

Sookie stuck her tongue out at him, "I'm cleaning glasses."

"You seem to be cleaning a glass from what I have noticed the last couple minutes," he jibed right back.

"Smart aleck," she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Sookie, ask him," Tara encouraged.

"Ask me what?"

"Oh," Sookie was flustered suddenly, and pulled her hands from the sudsy water to wipe on a nearby towel. "I was wondering if the apartment you found for me allows pets. Cats, to be more specific."

"I will have to ask the building owner."

"Oh, okay."

"Building owner says, 'yes'. Cats are allowed." Eric laughed at her and Tara's gaping jaws.

"Y-you own the apartment complex?" Sookie was surprised.

"I own several, as well as multiple businesses, and private properties. Of course, that is just in this state. If we count world wide... Well, that is a very long list." Eric told her. "Actually, I was wondering if you wanted to go see your future apartment tonight after your shift?"

"Sure!" Sookie felt a jolt of excitement at the prospect.

"I will pick you up in a couple of hours, then. I have some business to attend to tonight before then."

"Okay. I'll see you at eleven," Sookie said before he leaned over the bar and stole a brief kiss from her.

"See you at eleven," he agreed as he pulled away and walked out the door.

"Fine," Tara grumbled after Eric had left the bar.

"Fine, what?" Sookie frowned at her friend.

"I'm on board with you datin' this vamp. Can't say if it were any other I'd be cool with it, but he's hot, rich, and completely easy with you."

"Easy with me?" Sookie asked, even more confused, and now wondering if she should be offended.

"He teases you, but not in a patronizing way. If he was just trying to seduce you, he'd talk all romantic and shit. After the date you described, he doesn't try and buy your affection with jewelry and expensive food. He finds out what you like and enjoy doing." Tara rattled off, "If he's going to the trouble to do all that rather than throwin' money around, then I think he's real about the whole dating you thing," she concluded.

Sookie smiled to herself, "I think so too," she agreed. "We're planning on going out this Sunday, and I think I want to choose what we do this time."

"So, what you got in mind?" Tara asked.

Sookie shrugged with disappointment. "I want to do something fun for him, but I don't really know what he likes," she admitted. "There is this duality to him that I'm not sure how to interpret at all. He's like a cat, I guess. All intense and captivated with the hunt, but unless there's something to do, he'd rather lounge around like a bum rather than look for something to do." She thought a bit more about that, "I just can't tell which is more him: the hunter or the lazy cat?"

{†}

Sookie left Merlotte's at a quarter after eleven to find Eric leaning against her car, his arms crossed over his chest, "Ready to see your new place?" he asked.

"Oh, I was hoping to grab a shower and change," she admitted ruefully. "I smell like fried food, beer and smoke." She crinkled her nose in distaste.

"You could shower at the apartment," he suggested. "There are towels, and I would not object to you wearing one of those for the evening..." He placed his hands on her hips as she drew closer.

Sookie laughed at that. "I would feel a bit uncomfortable with that, Eric," she told him.

"Well, I suppose you could wear clothes." He sighed as if this were a difficult thing for him to agree to.

"And what clothes would I wear?" she asked.

"The ones I put in your closet?" he suggested.

Sookie frowned deeply at that. "Why did you put clothes in my closet?" she asked.

"You needed things to wear to Fangtasia. There should be clothing that would not be in complete conflict with the club, but still be something you would not be uncomfortable wearing," he told her.

"So you bought me work clothes? How did you know what size?"

"Pam is excellent at sizing girls up," Eric laughed. "She is actually the one who picked out the clothes and shoes."

"Shoes too?" Sookie wondered how she felt with him spending this sort of money on her.

"Like I said, I need you to draw as little attention as possible. I do not wish for you to lose the base of your style, but what you wore to my club the night you first found me will attract far too much attention."

"Oh, well, if there's clothes for me to change into, I guess we can go straight there. I'm just going to call Gran and let her know," Sookie said as she took out her cell phone and called her grandmother. Adele was quick to tell her to go ahead and spend the night at the apartment if there was a bed. The old woman would rather have Sookie spend the night there than drive home tired. "Hey, Eric," she said after hanging up with Gran, "is there a bed in the apartment?" Eric raised his eyebrows at that, and Sookie blushed before frantically explaining, "I just meant, if we're there late, I might as well spend the night in Shreveport!"

Eric laughed and nodded, "Yes, there is a bed. It was furnished today, and Pam stocked your closet earlier this evening after running up my credit card."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" She gasped, "You didn't have to buy me any-"

"I know, but I wanted to," he smiled. "Shall we head there now? I am interested in experiencing your driving first hand."

Sookie unlocked her car, and sidled into the driver's seat as she watched Eric lean in and push the passenger's seat all the way back, "I never thought I would be in this car," he chuckled as he had very little room to stretch his legs.

"Yeah, it's pretty tiny in comparison to your SUV," she agreed.

"My primary car is much smaller," he pointed out.

They spoke animatedly all the way to Shreveport until Eric had to give her directions to her future apartment complex. When she parked the car, she gave a low whistle at the unassuming building. It was not particularly large, but it was quite homely, and guaranteed a quiet experience with few neighbors.

"This is a cute building," she beamed. "It almost looks like a big house!"

"It was. I had it quartered off. It can house four tenants. Yours is the smaller quarter since you are on your own, and only needed one bedroom." He explained. "However, you get the top floor, which has the best view. The renovations allowed me the opportunity to install an elevator, so you will not need to climb stairs every time."

"That's a plus," she laughed.

"Agreed," he smiled as they both got out of the car and Eric took her up to her new apartment. When they arrived, he opened the door for her before handing Sookie the key, and watched curiously as she explored her future residence.

Sookie looked around the living room and kitchen. There were the necessary appliances as well as a nice coffee maker. No food resided in the pantries or refrigerator yet, but she was thankful that Eric had not done that for her too! Next, she wandered down the hall to the three doors. One was a linen closet, the second was a half bathroom, and the third was the bedroom with an attached bathroom. It was a relief to find that everything was rather standard, and nothing too luxurious. It was quaint, and rather sparse, but she figured that would give her the opportunity to give the apartment her own little touches without clashing with anything Eric had gotten her.

"This is perfect!" She told him, "It will be so much fun making it my own!"

"I thought it might be unsettling if I had it decorated for you. This will be your first time living away from family, and I thought you might want to break it in yourself." Sookie thought it was adorable how uncertain he appeared after his explanation.

"You thought right." Eric gave her a relieved smile. "I never thought I'd see you nervous about anything," Sookie laughed at that smile of his.

"I cannot recall a time when I courted a woman like this," he admitted. "It is a different experience. Seduction and courting are not entirely dissimilar, but enough that I am finding myself floundering."

"What are some of the differences?" Sookie asked.

"Well, courting is considered long-term, where seduction is not usually long lived. Lies are acceptable in seduction, but not in courting. I am a remarkable liar, even for a vampire," he explained. "Regardless of a successful romantic relationship, we are stuck with each other for a very long time, longer if the romantic relationship succeeds."

"How do you mean? What would make it longer?"

Eric paused before confessing, "If you and I were to Bond in the future, I would try and convince you to become a vampire."

Sookie froze at that and turned to look at him. "You'd want to turn me into a vampire? Wouldn't that make me your subordinate like Pam?" she asked.

"Not if we were Bonded. Pam would be subservient to you, but you would be my equal even before turning. A Bonded pair is not about a power struggle; it is about cooperation."

"How do you become Bonded?" Sookie asked, sitting on the couch and patting a cushion for him to join her.

"It requires three mutual blood exchanges. That is why your blood sings to me so strongly. With my blood in you, my body is compelled to claim you. The first exchange instills the claim, the second strengthens the connection, and the third initiates the Bond. Of course, when we are first Bonded, several things happen. Our emotions will be available to one another, meaning we will be able to project our feelings to one another, and influence one another's reactions to an extent. The human half of a Bonded couple sometimes succumbs to hysteria shortly after Bonding because he or she has a difficult time adjusting to the overwhelming nature of vampire emotions. We feel things very intensely, and it can affect the human quite deeply at first."

"And you've never had my blood?" Sookie checked.

"No. I had to be sure that I resisted whenever I possibly could, in the event that there became a time that I could no longer do so. I wanted you to know the possibilities, and the repercussions of a Bond before it could happen accidentally," Eric told her. "Had I been unable to resist after your car accident, and again the night the Rattrays attacked you, then we would be only one mutual exchange away from a Bond, and I could not put you in that position when you hardly knew me."

Sookie pondered all that he had told her before she asked, "Would your ability to resist be easier if you did take my blood? Or is that draw always there?"

"The compulsion to drink from your claimed human is always there, but it is less persistent once a claim has been forged," he admitted.

Sookie nibbled on her bottom lip before tentatively asking, "Well, if doing the claim makes you more level headed, then should we just do it..?" Her uncertainty had already made Eric's mind up for him.

Shaking his head, Eric took one of her hands in his own, "I would rather you give me such a privilege because you wish to, and not because you feel you should." He paused before admitting further, "However, if we were to have sex, I can almost certainly assure that I would be unable to resist the compulsion to bite you."

"You didn't seem to struggle the other night," she swatted at him playfully.

Eric smirked before replying, "Playing is an entirely different mentality. It is arousing for me, naturally, but not quite the same as sex. I can not imagine being able to resist your blood when your body is curled around me in every possible way. When you are making those sweet sounds of yours right in my ear." Eric reached to run his fingertips over her cheek, his eyes on fire.

Her cheeks flushed at his words and she nodded. "Okay, maybe that's third date talk," she teased, and Eric laughed a bit.

"Have you thought about what you want to do for our second date?" he asked with a brightness to his eyes that vanished away the earlier heat and took Sookie's breath away. How had this vampire gone from so cold and distant to so youthful and warm in just a few days?

"Not really, I mean, I have, but nothing really seems right," she admitted. "What are things you like to do?"

"Let me see," Eric pondered for a moment. "I enjoy reading a great deal, the occasional film, sparring-"

"What's sparring?" Sookie asked sweetly. That was new to her, and sounded like date potential.

"Practice fighting. It could be boxing, swordsmanship, martial arts, wrestling," he rattled off. "Any number or combination of self-defense or fighting."

"Oh, I wouldn't be able to do that," she said bemusedly. "The most I know about fighting is kick him really hard in the balls and run away."

Eric chuckled at that. "No, I do not think sparring is a dating activity," he agreed.

They talked for a long while, Eric telling her about a nice little cafe down the street, which she made a note of to grab breakfast at when she woke up the next morning. Eventually Eric had to leave and return to Fangtasia, and Sookie walked him to the door.

"I almost forgot," he snapped his fingers as he turned around at the door. Sookie gave him a curious look and giggled when he wrapped his arm about her waist, "You looked beautiful tonight."

Sookie let out an unladylike snort, "Yeah, sure. Short shorts, a t-shirt and smelling greasy. I'm sure I could be a contender for Miss Louisiana."

"You have always been beautiful to me. Even when I thought of you as the bane to my existence," he leaned in and captured her lips in a slow, languid kiss. Sookie melted into the connection of their lips until he pulled away gently, "I will come see you on Saturday," he promised.

"I can't wait," she grinned before pouting at his back when he left.

Turning into the empty apartment, Sookie let out a sigh. She was wired from talking with Eric, and could not decide what to do with the new energy. Therefore, she found a pad of paper and a pen and began listing all of the things she would need to buy in the next two weeks. By the time she was finished, Sookie was ready for bed, and she grabbed a shower before shaking her head at the toothbrush and toothpaste on the sink. If she did not know any better, Sookie would have thought Eric intended for her to spend the night in the apartment! Then again, she realized, he probably had.

There were no sleeping clothes amongst her new wardrobe, but Sookie found a black slip to wear to bed. As she slid between the covers, the woman melted into the mattress with an indulgent sigh. There could never be a cozier bed than this...

TBC

A/N: PLEASE REMEMBER TO REVIEW! I LOVE HEARING FROM YOU GUYS!

-ANDI