A/N So here is Eric's point of view, We start off from Aeneas requesting their leave of the party so there is a little repeat at the start but not much, you are privy to Eric's feelings in this either way.

There is a large lemon at eh end of this chapter. The entire lemon is not beta'd, I had this written out whilst The rest of the chapter had its work over with Team Jane, so any mistakes grammar or spelling are my own.

This is the longest chapter in BOTR so far. Eric just seems to keep talking when I'm writing him.

How much pain has cracked your soul

How much love would make you whole

You're my guiding lightning strike

I can't find the words to say

They're overdue

I've traveled half the world to say

I belong to you

I belong To You – Muse

"Eric, could I have a word please; bring Ms. Brigant with you."

Aeneas left as quickly as he came in. Sookie seemed a little lost in her thoughts so I pulled on her hand to shake her out of her reverie. I led her outside with me to the central gardens where Aeneas stood proud with his Royal Guards. This did not bode well, Rasul had already mentioned there had been activity in the palace this evening; calling on myself and Sookie signified something much more serious than I had envisioned.

"Eric, I have some unsettling news for you and Sookie," He took a step forward and took Sookie's hand in his; I suppressed my slight irritation at the gesture. He knew the boundaries and I immediately presumed the situation directly affected Sookie. Aeneas was offering her comfort before even delivering the news. I could feel Sookie's emotions stirring, and her heart rate picked up considerably. Taking her hand and placing it in my other hand, I wrapped my free hand around her waist and pulled her into my side.

"I know of the Vampire that you both found at your property not long after you returned from Faery Sookie. After arranging for your trip here, I took it upon myself to send guards to your home to keep it under watch while you were gone. I know you have yet to have a witch put any wards up around your home. I had not put any Were guards on daytime rotation, only two Vampires for the evening…" he stopped, giving her time to adjust to his information, his eyes briefly flickered up to mine, I nodded for him to continue, "…when my guards arrived there tonight there were already two vampires in your house." I registered the shock in Sookie at the same time I felt my own. If Vampires had been in her property, somebody had to have let them in; these hostile Vampires would have taken someone close to her to get the invitation.

"What? In my house? How could they get in my house?"

"They took someone there who could give them the invitation so they could search your home."

I knew this information was coming. It could only be someone close to her, someone who had an intimate tie with the property. That itself could only mean two people; Tara or Jason. I could feel her panic building. Fleetingly I worried about her shields, the control of her scent, and her Fae glamour. This was going to be a hard shock for her, and I wondered how her Fae gifts would hold up if she lost her focus on them.

"Your brother Jason was half drained and under their influence when my guards got to the house."

I squeezed her hand a little to give her reassurance; her shock and panic spiked through the blood tie and I felt her body slacken in my grip on her waist. I leaned forward, threading my arm behind her knees and swept her up in my arms before she could fall to the ground.

"No, oh god Jason…where is he? Oh god…" her voice trailed off. I could smell her tears and watched her beautiful face as they built up in the corner of her eyes. She looked up to Aeneas.

"I instructed my guards to bring him here; he is resting. He is very weak and will require a lot of rest, food, and fluids or so our doctor on site tells me. But he will be fine Sookie. The guards got there in time to stop anything further from happening. I'll take you to see him now."

Her emotions were like a freight train plowing through me and I fought with the blood tie to suppress them. It felt unusually strong. I have not had a full blood bond before so I could not make comparisons to the strength of just a blood tie. Neither had I, in my entire Vampire lifetime, exchanged blood with a human or Fairy for that matter more than once; definitely not with a Fairy ever. I pondered whether I was able to feel her strong emotions in the same way she had felt my anger over the Vampire we had apprehended at her home earlier in the week.

I only hoped that Aeneas guards had taken the Vampires in hand and not ended their existence. I wanted the chance to question them, make them suffer. Their scent would be all over her home; everywhere I would smell another, on all her things. Her space and home had been invaded and violated. I would tear them limb from limb to get what I needed and make their miserable end one of pain and suffering.

The smell of her falling tears brought me out of my thoughts.

"Mitt hjärta, do not cry. You are safe here. Your kin is safe here. Nothing will happen to you; I will forever make sure of that." I drew her into me, trying to comfort her the best way I could. Not having a full blood bond with her made this difficult. I would be able to actually offer her calming and comforting emotions that truly would help her. I was rewarded for my efforts when the blood tie showed her calming, only ever so slightly, but it was working at least.

"T-take me to Jase…p-please." She whispered into my shirt. I put her feet down on the floor, and we followed Aeneas with her hand in mine.

We went past the door that led to the underground chambers and came to a stop three doors down. This I knew was a guest suit, which had a sitting room and two bedrooms with their own bathrooms. Aeneas opened up the door for her and stepped to the side to allow her over the threshold.

I walked into the room with her and I could feel her emotions spiking again. It was frustrating for me that I could do nothing but watch this scene unfold and only provide her with physical comfort when I could do so much more if we had more than this damn blood tie; being able to send her calming emotions would have helped.

Sookie brought her hand up to her face as her sobbing began to take over, so I pulled her into me a little tighter, trying to give her reassurance. Her feelings were playing havoc with the control I had on my anger. All I wanted to do was demand answers from Aeneas, hoping that he had the Vampires in question in holding; I wanted retribution.

Sookie's brother woke upon hearing her crying and she went to his side, chocking out an apology. I could feel the remorse and guilt in the bond, but I could not entirely grasp the reason for it. This was not her fault; she did not inflict his injuries, and there was no need for her guilt. Sookie was mentally blaming herself for this situation, and her own Fae nature.

I could feel her energy lagging in the blood tie and if she exerted herself any longer I feared that her Fae glamour would drop, or she would lose control of her scent. This would be a problem. I had not spoken with Aeneas or Thalia about her gifts and I had no intention of doing so. Although we were very close as Vampire 'families' went, this was something that both Sookie and myself needed to discuss together. I did not want for her gifts to be discovered in this manner.

I turned to Aeneas, while keeping some focus on the blood tie for any sudden changes.

"What happened?"

"I sent Thalia over to the Stackhouse property this evening and when she arrived with another guard, Alvarez, they found two Vampires searching through Sookie's home for something, I do not know what yet. Thalia and Alvarez captured them and did what they could for Jason at the house. They called me to request further instruction. I ordered them both to bring in the Vampires for questioning and to do what was necessary to save Mr. Stackhouse."

"This lady here gave me her blood to heal me sis." Jason's voice distracted me from my conversation with Aeneas.

"You gave him your blood Thalia?" my eyes flittered from Thalia to the King. Of course she did, he told her to do whatever was necessary.

Sookie's breathing started to become erratic, and her heart rate picked up even more than before. She was panicking unnecessarily because she was overly tired, and her emotions were all over the place. Her energy was about to hit rock bottom.

"Yes, Aeneas instructed me to do what was necessary to save Mr. Stackhouse. So I did what was necessary." I watched her looked down at Sookie with something akin to concern on her face.

You are safe here. Your kin is safe here. Nothing will happen to you; I will forever make sure of that.

I tried to send her something through the blood tie. I knew it would not work, but I tried nonetheless. Her hand came up to her chest as though she was trying to calm her own breathing, and I saw her eyes darting around the room as though she were looking for something. I noticed her body going limp and moved with speed to gather her to me before she could collapse.

I could smell the subtlest change in her scent and I knew that I had to get her out of there as soon as possible.

"I will remove her to my chambers Aeneas. I will call you when she is settled; she needs rest." The words came out so fast I wasn't sure I had spoken them myself.

"Go Eric, I will await your call because I have more information you need to be aware of." He looked at me with a quirked eyebrow. He was going to inform me of more information regarding the Vampires he found at Sookie's home tonight. He would undoubtedly have smelt the chance in Sookie's scent, although only subtle, he would have caught it.

I had us back to our chamber in the next moment. Sookie had since fallen unconscious and I had no idea what had happened. Her emotions were zigzagging all over the place and I almost felt as if something else was there, something new in the tie, reaching out from her.

Closing my eyes I focused hard on the tie, reaching out with my mind across the connections I had. Sookie's tie to me was shielded by brilliant white sparks, tendrils of light which wrapped around the strands of our tie. I had no idea what this meant and I had no time to find out either. Things needed to be done tonight, this new revelation could wait.

I placed her in our bed, and quickly got her changed out of her dress and into a camisole and shorts set she had brought with her. I had to discuss the vampires with Aeneas, and I didn't want her waking uncomfortable. I left her a note on the side table in case she did wake up. Her body need to catch up, and regain her energy. She had not lost her glamour in the room, but she had been close, right on the edge of losing control.

I changed out of the suit I had been wearing. If I was going to meet with these vampires downstairs I needed something that wouldn't show up a lot of blood because I wouldn't want Sookie privy to the sight of me covered in blood. Carefully I picked out the ideal ensemble for torturing; a black T-shirt, black jeans which I tucked into the tops of my black shitkicker boots, and my black leather jacket.

I left Sookie with a kiss to her forehead and went to find Aeneas. He was in his office dismissing the guards he had with him tonight.

"They are going to guard the doors at Mr. Stackhouse's room and also Sookie's room. If she wakes up we will be the first to know." Not even looking up from his papers. He finished up signing the last of his documents and looked up while I took a seat in front of his desk.

"So tell me more about these fucks who invaded her home." I could not disguise the anger in my voice from Aeneas.

"I have no idea where they came from or what their intentions were, Eric. They remain silent to my charms," he gave me a wicked smirk, "I know you have more expertise in this area than myself; I've never been one for torture and violence. I will allow you some time with them."

"I am grateful Aeneas."

"There is one thing; we have an idea of who they are working for, or rather we have narrowed it down to a specific group."

"If they are not talking, how have you discovered this information?"

"Because of their smell; they stink to high heaven of Fairies Eric."

Fucking Faeries.

I had no idea what they wanted with Sookie, or why. I had no idea of the politics in Faery nor did I have a way of contacting Niall and asking him. The only thing I could do to get that information was to ask Sookie, and that would have to wait until she had rested.

Aeneas led me down to the cells where he had the vampires kept under guard. The stench as I entered almost burned at my nostrils; it was foul. The stink of vampire skin burning from silver was not pleasant to say the least.

"There are limits Eric. I do not want them to meet their death yet. Although she may deny she wants it, your Fairy may want that task for herself. I am not saying she will, I would just like for you to give her the choice." I couldn't quite believe what Aeneas was suggesting but even I could not deny she was more Fairy now than she had ever been. She may very well want her own vengeance.

I gave him a nod, and he directed us to the end of the hall. Each door along the way undoubtedly held a prisoner for one reason or another. Any dispute in the kingdom that could not be resolved by the area Sheriffs ended up in the Kings Court and these prisoners were brought under his authority.

At the very end of the white painted hall he stopped us at the last two doors; one on either side of the wide hallway.

"They are currently staked to a St. Andrews cross in their respective rooms. Silver stakes of course."

As he informed me I removed a pair of black leather gloves from my breast pocket and pulled them on to protect my hands from what I was about to do to both vampires.

"You have an hour Eric. I do not want you getting distracted and leaving Sookie for too long…"

I interrupted before he could continue, "I will not Aeneas. Sookie is...important to me. I will see to her when I am done here. It will not take me long I can assure you that."

I wanted a name. Just a name; whoever it was they were working for had no idea of the fate that lie in front of him if he wanted to take Sookie away from me. That was not going to happen. I had promised her, safety, forever with me. You are safe here. Your kin is safe here. Nothing will happen to you; I will forever make sure of that. The meaning of what I had said to her at that moment lost in a haze of panic, fear and confusion.

I reached out to open the first door on my left and entered the room. It was a large spacious room with shelves for tools and cupboards of instruments; all there for my use to get a name from this vile excuse of a vampire life.

On the far side of the wall, was a blonde hair Vampire. Chained at the waist to the centre of the St. Andrews cross, and staked via each limb to each corresponding prong of the cross. His head hung limply from his shoulders. Aeneas had given him a work over, but not enough for my liking. He had healed and now he would be on the receiving end of my charms.

"Well well well. I did not think I would be seeing you again. I thought you had been sent off to Europe. Or did you returned for a conjugal visit with your Maker?" I sneered at the pathetic creature. I recognised him the moment I entered the room.

"Fuck you Eric."

"Aw Andre as much as I love the invitation the only person I'll be fucking tonight is Sookie." I replied as I walked over to one of the cupboards and pulled out the tools I needed.

"It's all her fucking fault in the first place. This whole situation is just a fucking disaster all for a goddamn gash in a sun dress. What the fuck is so fantastic about Sookie fucking Stackhouse."

"If Sophie Anne had not been such a frivolous, wasteful, and desperate little bitch, none of this would have happened. She was so desperate to fulfil her fairy tale, her demented idea of walking in the sun that she would have stopped at nothing to get it."

Beside the cupboard I was standing in front of was a tall table on wheels. Blue tissue paper lined the chrome top, and I could see blood splatters where it had not been properly cleaned. I placed my tools on top of the table and wheeled it over to the cross.

"Now just so we are clear Andre, I want a name. The one you work for. Just a name and this can all be over."

"Go fuck yourself Northman." He was confident I'd give him that. But there was an edge to his voice, one that hinted at just a little fear.

I picked up the surgical knife and a strap with a buckle and walked up to Andre so that I was in his line of vision. Grabbing a handful of his hair I wrenched his head up and back and used the strap to secure his head to the cross. I wanted to see him, and I wanted him to see what was coming. Leaning forward I whispered in his ear, "Once I start I won't stop until you give me a name, just a name. That's all I want from you."

Using the knife I began to cut patterns through his skin, on his arms, joining up the lines and removing the skin that came loose. Once I removed the skin I picked up a tub of salve that I'd put on the table. This salve had silver particles and was apparently the new revolutionary skin cream for women. Also perfect for my needs.

I applied the cream onto the exposed muscle, making sure that new skin would not grow where I had removed it from. I continued my assault on Andre's body through his screams and whimpers. I had already told him I would not stop until I heard a name.

Once that task was complete, I went ahead and removed his nails.

He cried out over and over. I would not show mercy to this mockery of a Vampire. He was once Sophie Anne's child, but nothing more than a pet, pushed aside in favour of Hadley.

"How did it feel Andre? When Sophie practically threw you to the curb in favour of Sookie's cousin? When she sent you away, out of the country just to get you out of her sight? How did it feel to experience that rejection? Sent away by your own Maker of all people?" I sneered into his ear.

It looked like the fucking moron had been trying to take revenge on Sophie Anne's capture and sentencing even after the betrayal and rejection of his Maker.

"If Sookie had not been around this wouldn't have happened…" his screams reached record pitch as I inserted silver needles into each knuckle on his hands, "…Fuuuck…If only she'd sent me…fucking Bill Compton…stop ppleeasse…"

"I need a name Andre, and it will all be over. The best is yet to come. I haven't had this much fun, Andre, since the inquisition. I feel like I need to thank you." I smirked at the animosity and hatred that showed on his face.

I went back to the table. Looking back at Andre he looked like my own masterpiece, my own Picasso. Delicate strips of skin in various shapes and swirls lined his body, red muscle in other shapes and swirls in contrast to the alabaster flesh that I'd left on his body.

I picked up the pliers; It usually was the first thing that came to mind, but I wanted to play with that piece of shit a little first.

"Open wide my dear Andre." I pulled open his jaw by his chin and tapped on the roof of his mouth with my finger to get his fangs to drop. Without a second thought I ripped them both out and placed them in my pocket. Earrings for Pam maybe; she never did like Andre.

I picked up the syringe from the table and again pulled open his jaw with my hand keeping it in place as I injected the spaces where his fangs had once been with liquid silver.

"There that should take care of any regrowth. I don't know about you Andre, but if I had my fangs removed, and knew they wouldn't grow back, I'd feel almost as if my identity had been stripped from me. How does it feel? A Vampire with no fangs…" I trailed off with a dark chuckle.

I turned back to my portable table, dropping the needle back onto the tissue, lining the surface. I picked up the tools I would need next. I had hoped he would crack by now, although I'm sure he'd been through similar with Aeneas. Removing his fangs didn't seem to me like any hardship, if you are caught or captured by someone wanting information, much like our subject in question, fangs are usually the first thing to go.

I turned back to Andre; his chest was bare of any fabric. Moving over to the shelves I took a large curved knife and returned to Andre, making sure he could see what I was using. Sticking the point into his shoulder where the skin began to sizzle instantly; the knife was silver after all. I drew the knife down and across his abdomen, I continued with straight lines across, up and down his upper body creating what humans would call a heptagram. This particular shape was commonly known in the supernatural world as the Faery Star. Quite apt I thought considering the subject matter at hand and it did look quite beautiful when I'd finished; a Faery Star drawn in flesh, dripping with Vampire blood. While I completed my task, Andre screamed, whimpered and sobbed as large bloody tears stained his nauseating face.

I dropped the knife back onto the table and took something else that looked interesting. A silver ring; a silver cock ring, fucking perfect. I picked the knife back up and took them both over to Andre. Watching as he watched me, looking for any sign he might crack. I would create my own eunuch; I chuckled to myself at the thought. I held up the knife in front of him continuing to look him right in the eye. Without preamble I grasped hole of the snakes' testicles, brought my hand down with the knife and sliced them off. Harrowing screams filled the room, as Andre's head tipped up as if preying to the Gods and sobbed his undead heart out. While my hands were in the vicinity I seized his pathetic excuse for manhood and pushed the silver cock ring onto him. More screaming and sobbing filled the room.

The sounds of his pain pleasing to my ears; I might not be the one to end him but I certainly would let this time go to waste.

I took the knife back to the table and picked up my next tool. I moved towards him with confidence, sure that with this next move he would scream out the name he so desperately tried to keep to himself until now. At least if I could get the name out of Andre, I could bypass the blood and gore with the other Vampire. Although seeing who I had in this room, I had a feeling I knew who was in the other room.

I raised my hand up to his face; pulling apart the eyelids on one eye with my leather bound fingers, and slipped the eye speculum I had picked up in place. I grinned at Andre as I removed my hand, his eye staying wide open with the metal contraption I had used.

"Now Andre, I'm going to tell you exactly what I'm going to do with this eye of yours. I have a large supply here of that liquid silver I used in your mouth. My next move is going to be filling your eye socket with that very same liquid silver. It will slowly, but surely burn away your eye, leaving your socket bare and you will be blind. As you know because I'm using liquid silver the regrowth will take almost a year, depending on your feeding regime but given that you no longer have any fangs, I would guess it may take longer." I smiled at him. His eyes were darting all over the place.

"Eric ppleease, I beg of you…d-don't…" he said as I turned to the table.

"You know what I want Andre…Just say the word and it will stop."

I picked up a small glass I had filled with liquid silver. Momentarily I grimaced at the stuff, it almost felt wrong to even be in the same room as this stuff, but it served its purpose for me tonight.

I held up the glass in my hand, making sure he could clearly see what I had before I started.

"Bottoms up Andre."

Slowly I tipped the glass, giving him time to give me a name before I burnt his eye to high heaven. I could smell his fear, and anxiety; he wanted and needed to give me the name, but his anger for Sookie and loyalty to whomever it was he worked for was holding him back.

I leant down and whispered in his ear.

"I'm not going to kill you Andre; I'm just going to put you through as much pain as possible until Sookie finds it in herself to use her power on you. She is magnificent. Her light will burn you like a thousand suns from the inside out. You will get your final death; it's up to you how you get it. Give me a name and I will make it easy for you."

I tipped the glass further and watched as a single tear drop of liquid silver fell from the glass. It made a straight free fall down to his pupil, creating a tiny splash as it hit, particles settling into his iris. The moment it made contact smoke rose from the surface and a faint sizzling noise filled the room, along with Andre's screams of pain.

I tipped the glass further allowing several more drops to fall into the socket, coating his pupil once more, complete engulfing the iris and spreading out further to the whitened areas , it almost looked alien, silver eyes; I let out a sigh of satisfaction at the effect.

Screaming and begging continued to fill the room, as Andre was starting to become incoherent, his eye almost completely burnt through and the smoke would make me gag if I were not Vampire I was sure.

"Please...me…I'll give you….shouldn't have…wait wait…." I stopped my hand from tipping any further as I waited for him to say it, to give me a name.

"Breandan…its Breandan. H-he wants Sookie. He has his assassins Neave and Lochlan looking for her as we speak. T-they've had…my blood…they can track me."

Fuck.

I filled out my phone at his words and called Aeneas I didn't even wait for him to speak, "I need your best guards in Sookie's room now!" and snapped the phone shut.

"You're a sorry fucking excuse of a Vampire you know that Andre? Tell me who Aeneas has in the other room?"

"Judith. Lorena's other child."

Well that was not what I expected. I had thought one of the Bert's, Sophie Anne's other children, would be in that room. I couldn't quite believe that Bill's ghost was hovering over Sookie yet again. My anger was at an extraordinary level, and I had to taper it down and calm myself before I woke Sookie again with my spiralling emotions.

I sped out of the room without cleaning up the mess and got to my chamber in only a brief moment. Aeneas was there waiting with several guards; the door to the room open. Only the silence of the Vampires was keeping Sookie asleep.

"Aeneas." I inclined my head in greeting.

"Eric. I take it you got a name?"

"Breandan; the Faery Prince of the Water Fae. That's all I know of him. He wants Sookie, I know of no reason why, but he wants her. He has sent Neave and Lochlan out to hunt her."

Aeneas eyes widen slightly at the news, the meaning of the assassins not lost on him or any of the Vampires that could hear our conversation.

"Andre had given them both his blood; they are tracking him. We need a witch here to ward the palace as soon as possible, I want this place on lock down, no one gets in or out until I know Sookie is secure." My anger at the situation rising again as I spoke. I almost spat out the last words.

"It is done. I have wards on the palace already, but I have a witch on her way here as we speak to strengthen the wards, and add more protection if she can. I will not let anything happen to her Eric, she is important."

He spoke as if he knew something I did not.

"What do you mean Aeneas? Tell me." I spoke as I looked into my chamber watching Sookie on our bed, her chest rising and falling with her slumber. Mine.

Aeneas let out an unnecessary breath as he resigned himself to tell me what was on his mind.

"Six months ago I was called to a meeting in Norway. As you know I was traveling with Thalia living a carefree, political free undead life. I did not welcome the request, but I was told that it was imperative that I go to discuss members of my blood line." Aeneas hated politics; I had silently wondered why he had taken the throne for Louisiana when he'd had such a simple life traveling with Thalia. I gestured for him to continue, still keeping my eyes on Sookie.

"When I arrived at the grounds where the meeting was being held, I knew then something bigger than I thought was going on. There were High Guards everywhere," I knew exactly who he had seen; no one else had High Guards except her, "and I could feel the magic in the air from the wards protecting the mansion I was directed to. I knew then who I was being called to visit with. One of her handmaiden's approached as I came through the entrance and I was taken straight to the main hall where she took her visitors. And there she was; sitting on her throne, stooped over, wrinkled and blind as a bat. I have no idea why she didn't just call me, she has my cell." He chuckled to himself at the familiarity he has with the Ancient Pythoness.

"What wisdom did she impart on you this time Aeneas?" I was trying desperately to withhold the irritation and impatience from my voice.

"What she told me…she told me Godric had been destined to go. Nothing could have prevented it; it was his time. She informed me I was to take a Throne; when she told me that…well you can imagine my response, but I let her continue, no use shutting her up, she sees all, knows all. She said my reason for taking the Throne would be to protect Godric's son," He looked at me his eyes softening slightly, "That his Mate would need the protection of all in my bloodline." He paused to let me acclimate to the information.

She had seen this coming. Why did she not request to visit with me? If my bloodline was to protect my mate why would she not inform me? My mate…Sookie…that old woman had known all this time.

I looked at Aeneas in confusion, and voiced my concerns.

"Why did she not inform me? If this concerned me, surely she should have requested to see me?"

"No Eric. When she told me everything she also said that I could not tell you anything, not until you had begun the bonding process. That it all had to fall in place without any interference."

That was the truth. Both Sookie and I felt this incredible pull towards each other, the need to bond, to take each other's blood. I had never felt as I do now, with her life running through my veins.

Aeneas watched my face as the realisation dawned on me. If he had informed me of any of this, I would have taken her from Compton long before she had gone off to Faery. And she would have despised me for it. In my need to protect her, I may have prevented any bonding from taking place.

"We need to complete the bond." I said it out loud more to myself than anyone else. I couldn't have this danger over her head and not have a full blood bond, at full raging force. I needed to know she was safe. I would not let her out of my sight, but if something were to happen, with a full Bond I would know where to find her. I would be able to calm her, help her in ways I couldn't right now.

"Yes Eric, you do. I would suggest if Sookie is up to it that you complete the Bond when she wakes. How does the blood tie feel to you? Is she anywhere near rising?" He asked; concern laced in his voice.

I reached out to the blood tie, and gently with my mind touched at the strands of the blood tie I had with Sookie. They were no longer completely wrapped up in light, but there was an additional strand to the tie, a strand of light, pulsing as if it were her heartbeat. The very moment I stroked at the strands, I felt her beginning to stir from her sleep. I had woken her up. Shocked at the revelation, my eyes snapped to Aeneas.

"She is about to wake up. I'd like for the guards to stay put in the hallway here, and I want two in the room with us. If the wards do not hold up and the Assassin's break through, she needs to be protected."

Aeneas nodded his head, the guards already taking position eight in the hall, four on either side of the door; two in the room with us. Dressed head to toe in black with stakes strapped to their thighs and automatic gun's in holsters at their chests. I had no doubt these guards were deadly in action.

I was by Sookie's side instantly; I sat by her side on the bed, stroking her hair, coaxing her out of slumber. I kept my mind on the blood tie, noticing the changes in her as she woke, seeing that she had recovered from her panic earlier in the evening.

"Eric…" She mumbled with her eyes still closed.

I bent down to her ear, "Min lilla älva, I am here. You are safe; wake up for me." I stroked my thumb across her cheek, as her eyes fluttered open. She opened her mouth to speak, but I placed a finger over her lips.

"Shhh, its ok. You are in our room. There are two guards in here with us," her eyes went wide as she looked around the room, and a small amount of worry flittered into the blood tie, "its ok Sookie, they are here for your protection; to keep you safe." I brushed her hair away from her face, and pressed my lips against hers firmly, but innocently, breathing her scent in as I did and released her. She pulled herself up towards the headboard and sat up so we could speak.

She was a mess. A beautiful mess; her hair was knotted from sleep, her skin blotchy and red in places from crying and her fierce blue eyes held unknown depths of fire and ice.

"Are you ok Sookie? I can make assumptions as to why you passed out based on the emotions you felt through the blood tie, but can you tell me what happened?" I asked her quietly while I brushed my fingers across her cheek.

"I'm ok now. I'm not really sure what happened. I could tell I was becoming overwhelmed; Jason, his injuries, my house being broken into. That's my personal space Eric! I feel violated…I don't know…someone I don't know had their dirty hands all over my things! I've been back not even a full week from Faery and already I have to contend with this shit! I feel weak…I should be stronger than this…I want to be strong than this!" her voice was rising with her indignation; anger clearly written on her face. She took a deep breath to calm herself to continue, "I wasn't prepared for it. The shock of knowing they'd taken Jason was one thing. Seeing his injuries was another, knowing that he'd had to take Vampire blood to live! I could have lost him. It just overwhelmed me too quickly, and then feeling my energy waning from crying too, I guess I just panicked that I wouldn't be able to," she looked around the room to the other Vampires, she wanted to tell me but couldn't, "I was afraid I would lose control of myself and panicked." She finished with a piercing look at me, trying to convey her true meaning.

She was afraid her panic would allow her to lose control of her shields, control of her glamour and of her scent. While she was sleeping it would seem, from what I'd grasped looking at the blood tie, that her Spark had taken control to help her heal. The only explanation for the light on our connection was her Spark. And now there was a strand of her Spark in our connection. I wasn't sure what to make of it.

I drew her into me, embracing her; giving her some comfort, "You are strong Sookie. It was the shock that took over. You are the strongest woman I know, mitt hjärta, and I am here with you. You do not have to go through this alone."

I felt her take a few deep breaths against my chest and then she straightened her spine and looked me directly in the eye. Through the blood tie I could sense something new in her. The shock was waning quickly, exhaustion was no longer present, but instead there was determination, anger, and a fierce need for vengeance.

"Who took my brother Eric? Who invaded my house and violated my space?" She asked her voice laced with something akin to cool steel.

She went to get out of the bed, and flitted around the room picking up a new set of clothes, a couple of towels, and her toiletries bag.

"We have them downstairs in holding cells, Sookie. Two vampires from the previous regime; Andre, who I don't think you ever met, was Sophie Anne's child. He believes he is avenging her in some way. The other Vampire, again I don't think you've met her, but Bill may have told you about her." She stopped in her tracks and turned to me.

"Who? Don't tell me there's another bitch whore Maker in his family tree somewhere."

"Judith; his Vampire sibling."

"Sweet Jesus, sometimes…most of the time…I wish I'd never fucking met Bill; all he did was bring shit into my life and now he's dead and he's still bring shit into my goddamn life!" She was getting extremely angry again, but I could feel in the connection we have that she was fighting it. Wanting to be calm and level headed. In less than a breath I was in front of her, my hands cupping her face.

"But then we wouldn't have this, we would not have us." My eyes locked with hers, glacial blue beautiful eyes that seemed to pierce through to my soul. If I had one; of that I wasn't too sure of.

I brought her face toward mine, our lips touching briefly, skin barely touching skin. My tongue darted out to her bottom lip tasting her for a moment; when she slowly parted her mouth I took advantage and slid my mouth over hers. Time seemed to slip away when she was near, one kiss that seemed to last for more time than possible. Her soft warm wet skin gliding over mine in a passionate embrace; as if we knew what was ahead; taking comfort from each other and giving it in return.

She dropped the things she had been carrying and brought her hands up to tangle in my hair. Everything else was forgotten as I ran my hands over her ass and squeezed slightly. A groan escaped my throat as our tongues continued their heated caress. I lowered my hands and gripped her thighs, spreading and lifting them so she now straddled my waist. I quickly took us into the bathroom, away from the guards closing the door with my foot.

I placed her on the counter, running my hands up her sides and down again resting my hands on her parted thighs, gripping her flesh in an effort to restrain myself from going further. I broke off our kiss; Gods it would be so easy to slip my fingers into those tiny shorts. We had no time for this; maybe later. Yes definitely later.

"Sookie…" I groaned out, "You have no idea how hard it is to control myself around you," I leaned into her, my lips barely touching her ear as I whispered, "When I can feel the heat between your thighs…when I can smell how much you want it," I released one thigh, bring up hand up across her stomach grazing her ribs, briefly cupping her breast; the round heavy flesh, warm but, yet so soft in my palm even through her flimsy top. I squeezed a little, eliciting a whimper from her swollen lips. I moved my hand higher smoothing my way up her skin, up her neck; my fingers in her nape and my thumb on her throat. I used my thumb to gently push her chin up so her face was aligned with mine, her eyes dark with need, wanting release, some kind of relief. I used my tongue to invade her mouth again her wet skin invading my senses. After a moment I broke it off, and again whispered in her ear, "Later min lilla älva, I will turn your ass pink with my hand, and I will make you scream my name until you can no longer speak." I chuckled inwardly to myself.

I heard her gasp a small Oh God. I kissed her temple then her forehead, and smoothed her hair from her face.

"For now you need to shower and change. I would like to speak with you and Aeneas. You have a decision to make and two traitor Vampires to meet if you so wish."

I left her to her shower keeping the blood tie in check. There was frustration within me, anger at the situation and a need to protect and avenge her kin flowing evenly from Sookie to me. At that moment she was content to follow my lead. I wasn't sure how long that would last. I could feel her need in our connection to do something, she wasn't yet sure what she was feeling, but I knew. Tonight she would have a break through; tonight I would see my Goddess emerge from her shell completely. I was sure of it.

"Ok I'm ready; tell me what's going on." She asked with a small smile.

She had showered and changed. Aeneas was in the room with us and has asked the two guards to fall into position outside with the others. Her hair now dry had been put in a high pony tail which she had deftly wrapped around itself creating a messy bun. I couldn't help but admire her form. She had black skinny jeans on with a black long sleeved sweater and black ankle boots. She was dressed for a fight she thought was coming for her.

"Andre and Judith are in holding cell's on this level. Eric has already been to see the lovely Andre to gather any information he can." Aeneas sat in a chair near the vanity unit across from the bed while Sookie was perch on the end of the bed. I stood leaning against the bathroom door frame, my legs crossed with my ankles. It was a large chamber, each of us comfortable in our own space.

"What did you find out Eric?" She asked me with a raised eyebrow. She knew how I'd been able to obtain the information. She surprised me by not commenting on it.

"Only names. Breandan, Prince of the Water Faeries," her eyebrows almost rose to her hairline, "and the twins Lochlan and Neave have been sent after you. Andre gave them both his blood, so they are most likely tracking him as we speak." I felt a little surprise through our blood tie, but nothing major, her anger and determination spiked for good measure.

She rubbed both her hands over her face as if wiping away the stress, leaving the slate clean readying herself for action, "Right so I have the fucking torture twins after me, and two twisted Vampires behind bars to deal with. God damn it, why in the hell didn't Niall see this coming!" and then shouting at no one in particular she said, "Niall where the fuck are you when I need you?" She stood up at the end of the bed fists by her sides clenching them in anger; the blood tie was going crazy with her fury.

"Sookie if I may make a suggestion?" he looked at her, waiting for her nod to continue, "We have two Vampires here that need…disposing of. As king I have already declared them under sentence of final death for their part in this mess. I am giving you this task if you want it; this is your opportunity to set yourself apart from the rest, your chance to assert your position as Princess Brigant. If they meet their end at your hands, the whole palace and eventually the whole state will know of it. We do not know yet where the twins are; they are not in the city…yet. They could be in Faery for all we know so let's not be hasty and rush into anything," he turned slightly to face me, "Eric, I expect you to discuss with Sookie what we spoke about regarding the Pythoness." He raised an eyebrow at me waiting for my agreement. I inclined my head in agreement. Sookie gave nothing away, her emotions staying level apart from her obvious anger and fury I could feel. Everything else was just simmering.

"Ok if that's all for now, I will go meet with our witch in the living room to update our wards, whilst you two…talk." He stated with a smirk and left the room.

I checked to make sure the guards were still placed outside our chamber and locked the door. When I turned to face Sookie her eyebrow raised at me in question eyeing the locked door.

"We have something to discuss privately, and I would rather not have any more…interruptions." I let my eyes travel from her legs, up her thighs, grazing up her torso, past her magnificent breasts, locking on her eyes when I reached them. A slight blush bloomed on her skin.

I did not think I would need to discuss the final blood exchange with Sookie. We both felt the need to finish it. I could tell. We both needed it. All I wanted right now was to rip of those clothes and bury myself in her slick heat. I made my way over to her slowly, not bothering with my enhanced speed.

My hand came up to her hair, and gently tugged out the hair tie's keeping her hair constricted. Her blonde hair came spilling out over her shoulders and back. She raised her face to me, looking at me with confusion.

"What's going on Eric? What did Aeneas want us to talk about?" Both her hands came up to rest on my chest, spanned out as if she were preventing me from going ahead.

"Shhh we only have a short time. We can talk after." My hands threaded into her hair and I drew her to me, her lips firm and impatient on mine. I dropped one hand to the small of her back pulling her to me, pressing myself into her; allowing her to feel my hardness pressing into her stomach. My mouth capturing her whimpers and moans.

She would want to save these clothes for later so I pulled her sweater up her body and over her head and removed the contraption keeping her breast from my view. I lowered my lips to her ear.

"Let go of your glamour min älva, I want to see you."

She let it go, giving my visual access to her in all her glory. I made quick work of her boots and jeans, ripping her panties off her body. So was utterly bare before me and I had yet to remove a stitch of clothing.

"Get on the bed Sookie. On your back." I gave her no other instruction just to see what she would do, and whether or not her modesty would continue to worry her. With a smirk she thought I had not seen she made her way to the bed and hopped on, scooting herself to the back and laying her head down on the pillows. I watched her move, her lithe body swaying to and fro as she had made her way to the bed. Her sweet ass was just teasing me as she had gotten up on the bed and the brief show of her pussy as she had lifted her leg to get where she now was. It took all my strength to stay put, to not take her in that position and pound her into the bed frame.

She placed her hands by her sides not knowing where to put them, her legs lay flat on the bed and crossed at the ankles. I stood at the end of the bed allowing my eyes to drift over the body that I had claimed as mine.

"Raise your knees and spread your legs." I registered a little shock in the blood connection but I could sense her excitement and arousal at what might happen. Her eyes went wide for a second before she complied with my request.

My cock was begging to be set free from its confines at the sight before me. Sookie spread and open for me, and only me. I made my way up the foot of the bed placing my hands on her ankles smoothing the skin up her legs. Kneeling between her legs my hands and fingers made their way up and over her knees turning inward slightly and following a trail downward her inner thighs towards what awaited me at her centre; never taking my eyes off hers. Her pink lips parted and she let out a breathy moan as my thumbs came to rest at her lower lips and spread them apart.

Without breaking eye contact my mouth came in contact with her pussy, and I groaned at the taste of it. I would never get enough of her. My tongue ran flat from her entrance to her clit where I sucked it in and ran small tight circles over it. She fisted the sheets in her hands and moaned out loud at the sensation, her body grinding into my mouth seeking more friction.

I ate her like she was my last meal, fast and furiously; thrusting two fingers into her and curling them forward, touching that inner spot I knew would make her fall apart for me. Her cries of passion filled the room. My fingers sped up their movement, and when I could feel the first signs of her climax approaching I bite down gently on her clit, and sucked it into my mouth as she screamed out her orgasm, trembling and convulsing in my hands.

I sat up on my heels, removing my hands from her and made quick work of my clothes. I thrust two fingers back into her and twisted them gathering the wetness that her climax has produced. I held eye contact with her, but she broke it to watch what I was doing. Her heart rate still fluttering from what I had done to her.

I slowly took my fingers from her and brought them to my cock, coating myself in her juices.

"Do you see what you do to me Sookie? Do you see how hard you make me?" I leaned forward moving over her body and settling so my lips were almost at her ear. Still with my cock in my fist, I rubbed the head of it around her folds, around her clit and down to her entrance making sure we were both slick enough, "I'm not going to make love to you but I am going to fuck you."

I rose off her slightly, and used both my hands on her waist to flip her over as she let out a squeal. Leaning over her back from behind, I took both her hands and placed them on the rails of the headboard, gripped her hips and pulled her up so she was on her knees before me. I put both my hands on her ass cheeks kneading them and spreading her open.

"Hold on tight Sookie." Keeping one hand on her ass I used the other to line myself up to her entrance. I could feel the heat, my cock resting at her soft pliant flesh.

"Wh…" Before she could finish her thought I thrust into her so hard she screamed out at the feeling. I didn't give her a chance to adjust and I didn't hold back from her as I pounded into her over and over again. Both of my hands were gripping her hips with enough force to leave marks.

Continuous grunting, moaning and my name falling from her lips only pushed me on as I ran one hand up her spine and wrapped her hair around my fist, her back arching further as I pulled her head back with her hair.

"Oh god…Eric…more…faster." Her pleas infiltrated the orgasmic haze of my mind, as I thrust into her faster, harder, and fast enough for my hips to become a blur.

"Fuck," I pulled her up from her knees, wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her back into me. My other arm reaching to grasp her breast, the soft flushed globe filling my palm. I pinched her nipple between my finger and thumb and twisted. Her head fell back on my shoulder as she screamed out, "Do you have any idea how it feels when my cock is buried inside you? I cannot get enough of it; I'll never get enough of that tight wet pussy wrapped around my cock Sookie." I murmured into her ear. My filthy words only served to increase the lust barrelling through the blood tie from her.

I released her breast, and taking a risk that she would do it, I bit into the inside of my wrist and brought it around to her mouth. As I continued my assault on her, thrusting in and out of her with force her lips settled over the wound on my wrist and she began to drink from me, taking my blood into her.

My fangs were throbbing with the need to feed from her, itching to sink into her skin. I grazed the curve of her neck with the tips, leaving red marks in their wake. And when I settled on a spot I pushed in, taking a long pull from her vein, filling my mouth with her blood, the taste of it hitting my like a tornado.

On the first swallow the world seemed to come to a stop, as if time had slowed and nothing else around mattered. Brilliant white light slowly seeped from the both of us, tendrils and wisps of light snaking out from Sookie's skin. I didn't move, not wanting to disturb what we had started. The light streamed out of Sookie's body and came around me, wrapping us both in white light. As I continue to draw blood from Sookie, my skin begins to feel heated, my climax builds to its peak and with one last draw of blood my orgasm takes hold. As my cock is still pulsing within Sookie she continues to ride out her own orgasm and I bury my face in her hair. Inhaling her scent, breathing in the scent of the woman I love. And I tell her, hoping she will feel the same. I pull out of her and turn her around and I can feel the bond pulsing and thriving. A wide smile spreads across her face.

"Sookie...I…I love you." She already knows I feel it in the bond, her acceptance, and approval. And most of all I feel the love she has for me.

"I know Eric," her hand comes up to cup my face, "I can feel it, and…I love you too."

A/N I hope you loved it. And I hope the lemon went down well. It was difficult for me to write the torture, only because I find writing smut and lemons much easier. But then Writing a lemon from Erics POV was a little tough too.

Next chapter we have Sookie dealing with Andre and Judith!

Please review and let me know what you thought!