Ma Cherie Amore

Part 11

Sookie screamed in her mind "NO!!!!!!!!!!!" As she watched them take Eric away. She didn't know where he was going or what they were even planning on doing to him, how they were…(she couldn't even bear to think it…) how they were going to kill him?

But her feet remained firmly planted. She somehow knew speaking out now would only make things worse, if that were even possible. She saw Eric turn his head back to look at her as they walked him back to the holding area, she was sure he would be furious with her, should be furious and mad as hell, but his expression was one of regret and remorse and it tore her heart in two.

"Eric.." She mouthed, not able to find the strength to speak in that moment, as the crowd of vampires chuckled in satisfaction. The Magister turned his attentions back on Sookie and he replied…

"Im having him sign over his resignation as Sheriff of Area 5 before he dies."

She creased her brows in anger and helplessness, feeling her heart break a little more with each passing moment. Thinking Vampires were cruel and monstrous creatures when they wanted to be. And the magister looked her up and down meeting Sookie's gaze intrigued and he replied…

"But I like you…And I think a little poetic justice is in order…After all, we don't want to lessen our numbers, always looking for new blood…" He added sizing her up like she was a delectable looking appetizer.

"What are you saying?" Sookie finally found her voice and she looked back at him asking nervously as the Magisters smile widened.

His lips curved into a silver grin and Sookie felt chills run down her back, not knowing if she had remembered to breath in that moment…Whatever he had intended for her, she knew it wasn't good. A tremor of cold blooded fear ran through her body.

Sookie saw Eric being escorted back out looking like he had just been stripped of all of his dignity and she didn't know if she could handle this, trying to remember her objective, Sookie hoped and prayed for a miracle to get them out of this.

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15 minutes earlier, Sookie had sped her car into the compound parking lot and she ran out, Bill had tried to stop her, but he refused to go any further insisting Sookie do the same, he couldn't afford to be compromised while working for the Queen, but she was stubborn as hell, running off until he couldn't make her out anymore. She was just about to go into the lion's den, when Sookie felt an am grab her and jerk her back into darkness. Trying to shriek, but the powerful hand smothered her mouth and pulled her back behind the bleachers. Turning around, Sookie caught a glint in this vampires eyes and she gasped in surprise…

"Pam!"

"Boo!" Pam replied with a smug smirk and Sookie looked back at her confused asking her…

"What are you doing here? Where's Eric?" Sookie tried to peer out from under the bleachers and Pam looked back at here with a confidant smile, she had no intention of mentioning that Eric was about to be let off with a slap on the hand because Pam had something up her sleeves finally replying…

"Eric is about to be sentenced…" Sookie's eyes widened and she tried to pull out of Pam's strong grip…

"I have to help him!" Sookie declared pulling again and Pam nodded just about to let her go loosening her grip when she commanded Sookie…

"Just stall them…Whatever you decide to tell him, stall for as long as you can."

Sookie looked back at Pam in confusion. She realized Pam had something planned and Sookie shook her head.

"Okay." She replied. And then she rushed back out into the arena.

Pam turned back to Chow and she replied to him coolly…

"Make sure things don't get too out of hand will you? I have to pay a visit to an old friend."

Chow nodded his head and he glared through the bleachers at the scene Sookie was now making. Smiling to him self thinking at least this was entertaining. But if anything went wrong with Eric, Pam was going to have his head. Sighing….

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Pam strode off to where a string of cars were parked, walking up to the last one she opened the door and got inside, meeting the gaze of a very bewildered Bill.

"Nice work letting her run in there like a lamb to the slaughter, guaranteeing Eric's death and your ex."

Bill looked back at her his eyes enraged. He had his elbow propped up on his window ledge hand in a fist as he thought about his next move and he finally replied visibly upset…

"I did not want her to come here."

"No but you told her how to get here..." Pam answered and Bill looked back out his window guiltily. Pam looked back at him knowing she had to get to her point and she finally got down to business…

"I think due to your recent actions, and given you have drummed up quite the tab in the favors department, you owe us right now."

"What do you want?" Bill looked back at Pam reluctantly and Pam told him. She had come up with a plan that would allow Eric to walk free tonight without punishment. Needless to say, if it worked, he would owe her Big. That was to say if Sookie Stackhouse didn't fuck it up before they could carry it out...

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She looked into his eyes, felling like both of them were on death row so to speak. Sookie didn't want to think about the future, she didn't want to think about the past or her conversation with Pam. She didn't want to see a future without Eric, or what would become of her if Eric was dead. Her feelings demolished all of the sudden and she felt like this was it, locked into this moment forever. Broken hearted and blood stained for eternity.

"Good your back." The Magister replied flatly as Eric approached. He paused for a moment meeting both of their gazes and then the audience they had, finally announcing…

"Because we vampires believe what is taken from the earth must be given back, I would like our Dear Mr. Northman to turn his human Sookie Stackhouse, before she performs his execution ceremony of death by staking."

Sookie gasped and she shook her head profusely.

"No…No I wont do it!"

"This is outrageous!" Eric spoke angrily glaring at the Magister, but he simply smiled and replied…

"That's too bad, because neither one of you have a choice."

Sookie looked back at Eric fearfully her heart dropping like 50 tons of lead, it actually physically hurt her and made her feel sick to even think of such a thing.

"You may begin." The Magister ordered as Eric approached, he nodded to Eloisa and she went over and held out a stake threatening Eric. Sookie met his gaze once more reaching out to him. She knew it was hopeless now she had come to expect it. Swallowing she turned to him not quite sure what to say. His expression was unreadable as he thought about how quickly things had crumbled.

Eric respected vampire law, even fought for it, and was a law abiding vampire for the most part, he had worked hard to get to this point, but right now, he wished he could slay every bystander in the arena, starting with this Bitch Eloisa, and he might have made the effort to if it hadn't been for Sookie standing here before him. He looked into her pleading eyes, his blue eyes bearing down into hers as he fought himself to maintain a level head. She was his true acquilles heal in all of this. But he could not hate her, or spite her, or even be angry with her. He just wanted her to be safe and happy. Realizing in that moment that he did indeed love her, no matter how much he denied it. Love would get a vampire killed, and that's exactly what was going to happen here.

"Eric…" Sookie whispered reaching out to him. The tears were running down her face now and forehead creased in anguish and she spoke quietly…

"Im so sorr…"

But before she could finish, his lips crushed hers in an end of the earth, last independence day, world series level ball of passion and fury, love and pain, tortured kind of kiss. Sookie clung to him and she kissed him back with her whole body leaning on his for support.

"I hate to interrupt your little make out session, but we do have a death sentence to carry out." The Magister replied snidely.

Eric pulled back and glared at him. Sookie shook her head grabbing Eric's hands in desperation and she asked him...

"Can we just have some privacy together, to say...to say goodbye?" Sookie looked back at Eric sadly grasping at straws to kill time, remembering what Pam had told her earlier. But she was a desperate woman. Eric looked back at her strangely wondering what more she could possibly have to say to him other than goodbye.

"Now that would be more like a favor than a sentence....And I don't think you're in a position to be negotiating favors Miss. Stackhouse."

She looked back at Eric finding comfort in his eyes....

He wasn't afraid. He would never fear death. Believing that becoming a vampire was the best thing that ever happened to him, he embraced his undead ness. Never predicting in hundreds of years that he would feel this way when the time came. That a woman could unravel him. Now he understood how someone like Helen of Troy was the face that could launch thousands of ships to war. But he did not regret it. He looked into her eyes concentrating on her face, memorizing her for whatever afterlife he may or may not have, he wanted to remember her.

Shaking her head, she could see the look in Eric's gaze, he was letting go, and she wasn't ready yet, so she just blurted out the first thing that came to her mind...

"Marry us?"

Sookie didn't dare look back at Eric in that moment; sure he would be stunned into shock. And she would be correct as Eric studied her face to see if this was indeed Sookie Stackhouse and not some possessed woman posing as his girlfriend. The Magister found her quite comical though and he repeated her request...

"Marry you? Like common law man and wife? Is that how our dear Mr. Northman wants to go out, married to his Pet?"

The crowd started laughing and Sookie looked back at Eric pleading with her eyes and she explained softly...

"I love him...and I...I want him to leave this world as my husband...."

Getting down off his chair, the magister hopped off the hatchback, intrigued now he stepped up to Sookie, very intimidating and he asked her with a sneer...

"And you would be willing to kill your husband after you've wed and he has turned you?"

Eric flinched for a quick second. It was barely recognizable, but when he realized how they were going to kill him...after...after Sookie was made Vampire, after she married him. It was enough to make him sick. He no longer believed in the Vampire code. He no longer believed in any of it. It was a farce. If they could do this to someone like him? They could do it to any vampire and they could do worse.

Sookie looked back at Eric now painfully. She didn't know what to say to that, how to answer, she needed more time dammit! Creasing her brows she finally nodded and replied refusing to back down..

"I would."

Eric felt a phantom sting pierce his dead heart. Although it was clear as day Sookie was going to fight this every step of the way, he didn't want it to end like this. No not this way. He didn't want her to be the one to kill him. And the Magister turned his attentions back on Eric asking him...

"What about you Mr. Northman? Would you agree to these terms?"

All eyes were on Eric now with interest. If he said yes, he would be scrutinized and left in memory as a disgrace to their kind, once staked, probably left to rot on the dusty field in a mound of goop....but if he said no...

He looked back at Sookie now, afraid for her, for the kind of person she would become after he turned her. Not believing in marriage or anything close to its kind, it meant nothing to him as a vampire...but...he could do it?...For love? Her eyes caught his glint in answer and he finally replied with a nod, looking back at the Magister...

"Yes...I will marry her!"

The sound of the crowd was inexplicably quiet for such a moment. If Vampires could gasp in surprise, they probably would have heard about 20 gasps right about then, but instead they just got a pair of raised brows cast at them by the Magister, and he stepped up closer announcing to the crowd...

"Well then I guess we will have a wedding!"

Looking back at Eric and Sookie he replied lowly with a smug grin...

"How very Romeo and Juliet of you both!" He smirked at them both standing there with bewildered expressions on their face.

The Vampires began to laugh at the humor in it and Eric kept his gaze low. He had mixed feelings about all of it, but he felt that this was the right thing to do. If he had a living heart, he would most likely feel it beat right now in anxiousness. And Sookie looked over at him and nodded, putting her hand around his arm as the Magister called them over to him...

"Come along children, we don't have all night!'

Sookie walked over hanging onto Eric's arm as if it was her last lifeline and they stood before the Magister as he smiled back at them...

"This has to be the first." He mused and looked back at the crowd knowing they wanted a show, and he was going to give them one, he cleared his throat and held the gold fist of his walking stick outward in a ceremonial way...

"Do you Sookie Stackhouse, take Eric Northman to be your vampire wed husband?"

Sookie looked back at Eric, a momentary look of love and longing in her eyes and she replied quietly...

"I do."

Turning to Eric, the Magister asked him..."And do you Eric Northman, take this human, your pet (he couldn't resist tossing that in) as your common law wife?"

Eric looked like he was ready to bite the Magisters head off, but when he turned to Sookie and met her gaze, he knew what his answer would be, not taking his eyes off her...

"Yes, I do..." Eric replied lowly.

The Magister smiled satisfied he upheld his part of the bargain and he replied..."Good, then by the power vested in me and the Vampire Council of America, I now pronounce you vampire and pet!"

Eric flipped his eyes back at the Magister, knowing he loved to rub salt in the wound but he couldn't do or say anything else because Sookie was pulling him down to kiss her. His lips collided with hers in a romantic tangle and then all bad blood was forgotten in that moment.

And what a moment it was, but unfortunately as romantic and beautiful as it was, it was short lived when the Magisters voice brought them back down to Earth….

"Enough! I have fulfilled my part of the bargain, Vampire its time to take your last meal!"

If looks could kill and vampires weren't already dead, the Magister would be squashed like a bug right now after the angry stare Eric cast him.

Sookie looked around fearfully, wondering where on earth Pam was. She was expecting her interruption by now, but maybe she wasn't coming? Her dark thoughts told her and her face fell crushed in hopelessness all over again.

"Don't be scared human, this wont take long, not with blood as old as he is…." The Magister replied and he added as Sookie glared back at him…

"Now let your husband make you his…"

She met Eric's gaze with hesitance, but she could never fear him and he took her hand. This had been his biggest fantasy, to turn Sookie…But not like this, not here or now…He didn't want to do this now, she wasn't ready, he wasn't ready to say goodbye…

Looking back at the Magister however, Eric knew he had no choice. If he didn't turn her, one of them would, or worse yet, they would kill her. Believing this was the way to save Sookie's life, he held his hand out to her slowly…

She looked into his eyes for guidance and her hand found his…

"I promise it wont hurt." He assured her quietly and she nodded stepping up to him. All of the vampires were watching on hungrily, fangs extended waiting for the blood exchange to take place. It was like a high for them. And, Eric leaned in to kiss Sookie softly one last time on the mouth before his own fangs extended…

He bent down and licked the spot on her neck that he had chosen and Sookie whispered to him…

"Go slow…I want this to last." Trying to signal him with her eyes to stall like she was. But Sookie wasn't sure if Eric had understood her, swallowing in nervousness.

His lips brushed her neck and Sookie closed her eyes, clenching them shut as she felt the familiar sting of his fangs break the skin on her neck, but Eric was right, it didn't hurt. It felt wonderful infact, like an elixer of their body chemistry, and they belonged to each other now, which made it even more beautiful.

Eric had gotten one taste of her sweet savory blood, when he knew instantly that this wasn't right. He licked her wound sensually, sucking her blood, when he looked back at the Magistrate who was watching with amusement.

His reflexes were lightning fast as he let go of Sookie, her weak knees caused her body to drop down to the ground and Eric's hands were on the other Vampires throat. It all happened so quickly, Sookie had just blinked once when Eric was standing next to her and then he was trying to kill the other Vampire.

"Eric!" She gasped trying to warn him of attack as the Magister lunged back at him sinking his teeth into Eric's shoulder. Eric howled pulled away ripping his skin from the Magisters teeth and then he came back with a fury gashing at his neck with hungry fangs.

The other vampires were all crowding in around them now just waiting for a piece of kill and Sookie watched them wearily her heart pounding in nervous suspense…

"Eloisa!" The Magister yelled, as Eric overpowered him and all of the sudden Sookie felt a sharp pair of nails dig into her throat…

"No! Get Off Me!" Sookie shouted trying to struggle and shrug her away, fight back, but it was pointless, and then Eric noticed. It gave the Magister just enough time to pull the dagger from his gold fisted walking stick. Taking the upper hand he held the knife to Eric's throat…And growled…

"Sounds like were going with plan B, I get to kill you and she gets to watch!" Eric tried to jerk away but his grip was too strong. And he ran the blade along Eric's throat….

"ERIC!!!!!!!" Sookie screamed

She knew it, this was it, and this was the end. She couldn't bear to watch, looking down squeezing her eyes shut as if it were a bad nightmare. Sookie couldn't believe after everything shed been through, it would end like this. Feeling tears sting her eyes, she expected to open them and find his decapitated body lying there. But she couldn't force herself to look. And then she heard a voice that she thought had come from her head, but it was earthshakingly loud.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?"

The vampires all cleared way making a path for this newcomer, the one who demanded such loyalty and respect and the Magister let go of Eric dropping the dagger in fear.

"Your Majesty! I am carrying out punishment for his betrayal!"

"BETRAYAL?" She asked angrily, her rich brown hair was glowing in the moonlight and she looked like a statue. Sookie gasped at the spectrum she made. It was enchanting and horrifying all at the same time. Looking back at Eric, she was just thankful he was all right.

The Magister nodded and bowed his hand, but the lady Vampire was having none of it as she strode up to him and grabbed him by his throat, looking him square in the eye with a lethal glare…

"Tell me dear Magister….why is this human here in your custody, when she should be in Baton Rouge right now with me?"

He looked back at her baffled and confused and then she walked over to Eric and she asked him after he bowed his head to her…

"Were you protecting this woman so that she may be brought to service me?"

Eric gazed at Sookie wearily knowing indeed he wasn't, but he had a strong instinct to humor her in this moment, an instinct that told him he might be able to get out of here alive if he lied. And then he looked back at the woman and he answered….

"Yes, your Majesty. I was."

"Your Majesty!" The Magister began trying to defend himself…"I was merely upholding our laws, I would have turned her back to you had I known who she was, that you wanted her."

She cut him off…

"Silence, I will speak with the human now!"

She turned to Sookie and Sookie felt her face grow pale. She looked back at Eric who signaled her with his eyes to just play it cool and the vampire addressed her…

"Hello Sookie, I am the Queen of Louisiana, Queen Sophie Anne…"

"Pleased to meet you." Sookie replied politely thinking well at least her grams would be proud of her for having manners at a time like this. She could barely hear her over the sound of her heart thumping so loudly, and the Queen asked her…

"Was Mr. Northman bringing you to see me?"

Sookie looked back from Eric to the Magister and then back to the Queen, not quite knowing what to say. She saw Pam come out of the shadows along with Chow and Bill and Sookie realized they must have had something to do with this. But how would she explain the gap in time between when Eric was taken in and when she got here, she didn't want to screw up again and Sookie finally found her reply...

"I had intended to find him and ask him to be my private escort so I could meet with you."

The Queen looked back at Bill once for confirmation and he nodded signaling that he had agreed with Sookie and Sookie looked back at him thankfully.

And then her hard cold eyes turned back to the Magisters and she asked him...

"So what is this human, and her body guard doing here with you???" The Queen demanded to know, her eyes challenging him.

The Magister for the first time in centuries was at a loss for words and he finally replied surrendering...

"They were just on their way to see you, your Majesty."

Smiling to herself, Queen Sophie Ann cast the crowd a satisfied look and she replied...

"Yes I thought so." She answered smugly as her eyes remained low as if in thought, she finally concluded...

"We will be on our way now, Mr. Northman, Miss. Stackhouse!"

The Queen summoned them and Sookie reluctantly followed. She wasn't normally as agreeable with Vampires but she knew the sooner she got out of here with Eric the better. Waiting for Eric to come over, he still had a strange look on his face. He didn't like to be out of the loop so to speak. But his intellect and instinct told him to go along with the facade.

"Bill have my assistant Andre handle our dear friend the Magister." The Queen ordered him and Bill nodded.

Sookie met Bills gaze for a brief moment realizing he had a hand in this. Thankful to him she creased her brows in empathy as Eric took her hand. She was afraid to show Eric or anyone just how thankful she was that he was alive, that they both were still alive, having the urge to throw her arms around him and kiss him, but this small single gesture of his hand taking hers meant more than he would ever know. She knew nothing about this Queen or if they could trust her, but Sookie felt like she was their golden ticket out of here, and it didn't take much convincing when she knew the alternative.

Eric found Pam's gaze in the crowd as they walked out. He somehow knew she had a hand in this. It had been an emotional night, even for a vampire. And she bowed her head as the queen strode by, lips curving into a smile when her master passed her.

He nodded his head to her hoping that once this was over he could get his bearings back. Being the strong willful in control vampire he prided himself on being. Not even sure what happened here. One minute he was getting married and the next he thought those minutes would be his last.

Looking back at Sookie she looked up at him and smiled squeezing his hand in affirmation of her commitment to him, but it meant much more than she would ever know, much much more.

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He slammed her against the hard wall with force crashing his lips down on hers as if he hadn't drunk in a thousand years. Sookie thrust her tongue in his mouth hungrily and Eric pulled her legs up in his strong arms. Both of them frantic and starving for each other as her hands and limbs wriggled in his arms…

"Eric…" Sookie gasped wanting him to devour her right now. He couldn't keep his hands off her, not even if the sun was blazing his body alive.

It was their first moment alone all evening, since everything had happened, since they were now staying on Queen Sophie Anne's expansive Baton Rouge estate.

She grabbed the pole of the king size dark stained oak four-poster bed to steady herself as his tongue dove into her mouth igniting a small fire between them.

Sookie began pulling at his tattered black shirt. From the looks of the fabric it appeared as if Eric had been through hell and back, but his body had healed beautifully and his physique was nothing short of extraordinary. He told her nothing of his time away from her and had no desire to. She ran her warm hands over his chest, but he thrusted her up higher. His manhood was ragingly hard…

"Not tonight." He commanded in whisper not wanting to deal with any foreplay and Sookie looked up at him, waiting and watching on the edge of her seat for his next move. This was after all their wedding night, Sookie recalled, wondering if Eric was thinking about that right now.

But Sookie didn't even register her next thought when she heard her panties rip, followed by her bra. Her tiny frame wrapped around his hard long strong body, he kissed her again when Sookie didn't think she could take anymore foreplay, she felt his hardness part her folds and shove her back against the oak poster of the bed. Sookie cried in pleasure, the sound of her voice ripping out of her as he spread her thighs and began to thrust hard. Seeing stars, Sookie knew Eric was definitely not thinking about sentiments of their wedding right now. This was pure carnal lust and need, and she couldn't help but surrender to him, her body was his through and through. It was a celebration of life and death. Seeing another haze of blinding white stars flash before her eyes as her head fell back in ecstasy.

Sookie figured they could talk about important things like being married and her working for the Queen of Louisiana tomorrow. Nothing, not even a hurricane, tsunami, forest fire, or any other force of nature could keep her from making love to her new husband