A/N: Holy crap! Two chapters in a day? Man, I love you guys!

I forgot to mention in my last note, this story was added to the Best All-Human SVM Stories community! Thanks so much, that meant so much to me! Wow, I'm using my exclamation point a lot today! Lol... see what happens when I get excited?

Once again, thanks to my wicked awesome beta, Northwoman. She puts up with my constant emails, and never complains! Mouah!

You guys are great. That goes without saying, but I thought I would anyway. Please keep the reviews coming, they're great!

Disclaimer: Charlaine Harris has made my life more interesting with her amazing characters. I lead a boring life, so every little bit helps. ;)

Chapter 11

SPOV

I vaguely heard what Amelia was telling Eric, but I knew she was telling him details about Bill. I wasn't mad. I knew how much she cared about me, and how much Eric did, too. I knew he'd want to know, but maybe it was easier to hear coming from someone else.

Eric sat back down at the table next to me, and put his arm around my shoulders, putting a sweet kiss on my temple. He didn't need to say anything for me to understand what he was thinking. From what happened with Bill earlier in the afternoon, I already knew how fiercely protective of me he was going to be. I could protect myself, yes, but it was also nice to have someone defending you. He already meant the world to me, and I was looking forward to showing him how I felt.

Amelia came back with the pie and began passing pieces out to everyone, when Bill seemed to slime his way back into the conversation.

"Sook, what the hell was the douche doing in Bon Temps, anyway? He's got no friends here, the only one he knew here was you," Tara asked, suspiciously.

"I know, that's what I thought. When I asked him, all he said was he was visiting the town. It didn't feel right, you know? He always hated it here," I shook my head and sighed. But the thought stayed with me, and I wondered if I had reason to worry. I asked everyone what they thought.

"Sook, I'd keep an eye out if I were you. He has no reason to be here except for you. Just be cautious, that's all," Sam warned me.

Eric's embrace tightened a little, and he rubbed my arm.

I didn't want to think any further on it, though. That asshole had enough of my thoughts to last a lifetime. Too many.

Tara got the hint and quickly changed the subject. "So, you guys have anything new for us tonight?" She asked both Laf and I.

Eric had no idea what she was talking about, so I explained. "Laf and I like to break out the guitars and play a little around the fire. It's hokey, I know, but it's tradition. We try to have something new every time, and then we also play a few favorites of ours."

"Really? Well what are we waiting for?" Eric said enthusiastically. I laughed at his eagerness.

I nodded to Laf. "Wanna try the Nick Cave song we were working on?"

He dipped his shoulder and snapped his fingers. "You know it, girl. Lemme grab my strings. I'll meet you in the family room."

As Tara and Jason cleared the remaining dishes, I pulled Eric toward the stairs with me. He followed closely behind me, as we went into my office on the second floor. Technically, it was the third bedroom, but since I worked from home, I transformed it into a functional space for work. It was spacious, and had a clean design, with white furniture and green walls. It was also where I kept my guitars. I was just going to pick one up to bring downstairs, but I thought I would take advantage of the moment alone with Eric.

Apparently he had the same idea, as his arms snaked around my waist, pulling me back into his chest. I shivered as his lips brushed my ear. He whispered, "You, my lover, are magnificent. I adore you."

I turned in his arms and looked up into his eyes. "What could I have done to deserve much a wonderful man?" I traced his lips with the tips of my fingers.

"You, dear one, are just yourself, and that is more than enough. I plan to show you just how happy you have made me every day. If you'll let me." He added the last part afterwords, almost unsure of what my response might be to such an open admission of emotion.

"As long as I can do the same for you... you're on, baby." He beamed at me, and gave me a toe-curling kiss.

I grabbed my acoustic guitar and pulled the giant, somewhat pouty Swede out of the office and down the stairs. I knew he wanted more contact, so did I, but we had already been gone long enough, and the gang would never let me hear the end of it if we didn't join them.

The family room was my favorite room in the house, because I really did make it as cozy and inviting as possible. There was a fireplace in the center of the room, set up to be the focal point. There was a flat-screen LCD TV hanging above the mantle. There were windows all around the room, with cushioned window seats at each one, making it a comfortable place, no matter where you sat. I had arranged the L shaped couch and overstuffed chairs around the fireplace, which made it the perfect space to congregate when I had company.

Sam, Jason, Tara, and Amelia took their usual places together on the couch. Sam, Amelia, and Jason were on one side, and Tara was in the corner with her feet tucked under her. Laf was waiting opposite them on one of the chairs on the other side of the fire. My seat was next to his, and Eric grabbed a pillow and took a seat on the floor, at the foot of the couch, closest to me. It was funny as he spread his large frame out, but he seemed comfy.

The other lights in the house were off, so there was now an eerie glow cast by the crackling fire. I looked around at each of the faces in front of me, and silently said a prayer of thanks for bringing each and every one of these people into my life. They really were family.

When I looked at Eric, I felt a jolt going up my spine, and a wonderful, giddy feeling took over. When I looked at him, I saw everything I had ever wanted. He was kind and loving and attentive. I could see us doing all the things couples were meant to do. Hell, I could see us getting old together. I never knew what people talked about, until now. Eric Northman was the love of my life.

I smiled to myself, and looked to Laf, who began to tune up his guitar. We had rearranged the song from its original, purely because the original contained violins and piano. But we achieved a nice effect, nonetheless. Laf voice did sound quite different from Nick Cave's gravelly one, but he brought something really beautiful to the piece. I just tried to hold a candle to Kylie Minogue's haunting vocals. Say what you will, that woman can sing.

Laf nodded to me, and we began to play. The chorus was a duet, followed by our own verses.

"They call me The Wild Rose
But my name was Elisa Day
Why they call me it I do not know
For my name was Elisa Day"

Laf followed on his own, eyes closed and deep in concentration.

"From the first day I saw her I knew she was the one
She stared in my eyes and smiled
For her lips were the color of the roses
That grew down the river, all bloody and wild"

I closed my eyes, and went for it.

"When he knocked on my door and entered the room
My trembling subsided in his sure embrace
He would be my first man, and with a careful hand
He wiped at the tears that ran down my face"

When the chorus started again, we were even more in sync. We had done duets before, Laf and I, but this was my new favorite, despite the darkness of the song itself.

"They call me The Wild Rose
But my name was Elisa Day
Why they call me it I do not know
For my name was Elisa Day"

We went on, back and forth, all the way to the end. It was absolutely haunting to me, and I just let it flow through. Laf and I continued, back and forth.

"On the second day I brought her a flower
She was more beautiful than any woman I'd seen
I said, "Do you know where the wild roses grow
So sweet and scarlet and free?""

"On the second day he came with a single red rose
Said: "Will you give me your loss and your sorrow"
I nodded my head, as I lay on the bed
He said, "If I show you the roses, will you follow?""

"They call me The Wild Rose
But my name was Elisa Day
Why they call me it I do not know
For my name was Elisa Day"

"On the third day he took me to the river
He showed me the roses and we kissed
And the last thing I heard was a muttered word
As he knelt above me with a rock in his fist"

"On the last day I took her where the wild roses grow
And she lay on the bank, the wind light as a thief
And I kissed her goodbye, said, "All beauty must die"
And leaned down and planted a rose between her teeth"

"They call me The Wild Rose
But my name was Elisa Day
Why they call me it I do not know
For my name was Elisa Day...

my name was Elisa Day...

For my name was Elisa Day"

We strummed the last chords of the song, and both seemed to open our eyes at the same time. I was astounded to see Amelia and Tara dabbing their eyes, and the guys staring at us in wonder. They all burst into applause, hooping and hollering.

Laf and I grinned to each other. "I guess that worked, huh?" He winked at me.

Eric seemed to be lost, smiling to himself staring into the fire. I felt a small pang, wondering what he was thinking. I wished, for the first time, that I was telepathic, and I could see into his head.

Despite how much everyone loved it, we decided to play something slightly more upbeat for the next song. It was another one we had rearranged for two acoustic guitars, to make up for our lack of piano. It wasn't exactly a dance number, but I always felt incredibly sexy when I sang it. Especially since I could really belt this one out.

The usual crowd knew what we were about to play as soon as we started, but Eric looked a little confused. I decided to sing directly to him, putting every ounce of sensuality I had into the lyrics.

"I've been a bad bad girl
I've been careless with a delicate man
And it's a sad sad world
When a girl will break a boy
Just because she can
Don't you tell me to deny it
I've done wrong and I want to
Suffer for my sins
I've come to you 'cause I need
Guidance to be true
And I just don't know where I can begin"

Tara and Amelia got up and started dancing together, to the great happiness of Sam and Jason. But Eric only had eyes for me. They were hooded with lust. I let him have it.

"What I need is a good defense
'Cause I'm feelin' like a criminal
And I need to redeemed
To the one I've sinned against
Because he's all I ever knew of love"

I can honestly say I barely remember getting through the entire song. I knew it well, it was like second nature for me to sing. But all I could see was the way Eric was looking at me. That man could melt the panties off a woman with one single look.

When the song ended, everyone had a case of the giggles, and Laf decided to continue with a song of his own. Smart man, Lafayette. He saw the way Eric and I were looking at each other, and just laughed, waving us off. I was pulling him into the kitchen when Laf started the familiar chords of "Blister in the Sun".

We barely made it into the room when Eric's lips crashed hungrily into mine. I ate it up, feeling like I couldn't get enough of him.

Sweet Jesus, this beautiful man is going to be my undoing.

EPOV

As soon as I settled on the floor close to Sookie, I knew she was going to make me fall for her even further. Watching her play made me feel like she was opening a window into her soul, just for me to see.

I wasn't prepared for what she started to sing. I wasn't familiar with it, but it haunted me in such a powerful way. God forbid, if anything should happen between us, and we couldn't be together, I'd be forever ruined for other women.

I leaned back and let the music take over. I looked at my girlfriend, singing and playing with her eyes closed. She was almost ethereal, in the dancing firelight. I closed my eyes for just a moment, and I suddenly had a flash, a vision of Sookie in a white dress, walking towards me up the aisle. Another flash and I saw her holding a baby, while I kissed her forehead proudly. I felt so much love wash over me, and I knew beyond a doubt that we were meant to be. I had to tell her, I knew I couldn't sit on these feelings when I knew in my heart how I felt. Somehow, I knew she felt it, too.

When I opened my eyes to look at her, the song was just finishing. The others applauded loudly, and I smiled to myself, happy at my resolve. I told her earlier how much I adored her, but it didn't mean as much. Fuck, I am such a goner.

I must have zoned out for a moment or two after that, because they were starting up again. I vaguely recognized the opening chords, but I wasn't entirely sure what song it was. Before I knew it, my little vixen reemerged, and was apparently trying to seduce me through song. Ungh.

"I've been a bad bad girl"

Oh Jesus, she's going to kill me.

"I've been careless with a delicate man"

Does she know what she does to me? She has to...

"And it's a sad sad world
When a girl will break a boy
Just because she can"

Oh God, she is EVIL.

"Don't you tell me to deny it
I've done wrong and I want to
Suffer for my sins"

Oh, now she's gonna get it.

"I've come to you 'cause I need
Guidance to be true
And I just don't know where I can begin"

How about I show you, you little minx.

Holy shit, I don't know how I made it through that song. I knew she saw what she did to me. I couldn't hide my absolute lust for her. When the song was over, she pulled me up, and guided me into the kitchen. I followed her very willing. Do with me what you will, my love, I'm already yours forever.

A/N: No infringement intended with song lyrics.

"Criminal" is written and performed by Fiona Apple.

"Where The Wild Roses Grow" is written by Nick Cave, and performed by Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue. Check out the video on youtube, take out the spaces, natch.

http:/www. youtube .com /watch?v=AjTY8ildtFU&feature=related