"Drink Adri."

The world reeled as my head lulled to one side against the soft plush surface I was on. The vertigo causing my stomach to churn, my eyes spun behind my eyelids. Oh God, I need to focus on something or else I was gonna be sick. I forced myself to open my eyes, to find I wasn't in a bed; I woke up on a couch. Despite my nausea, I pushed up off the cushion. I threw my legs over the ledge of the couch so I was sitting fully upright, another wave of vertigo happened. I looked down at the ground, taking in deep breaths. Doing my best to rid myself of this spinning, I needed to focus on something else. My face was itchy, something was caked on my lips, and my mouth was dry. I brought a hand up to my lips and scratched whatever was caked there away. When I took my hand away and inspected my fingers I found dried blood under my nails and bits on my fingertips.

So, then I guess I didn't dream being stabbed? Was I dead? Was I a ghost? Why was I on a couch? Shouldn't I be on some soft cloudy surface or burning alive in some fiery hell dimension? Or was this the welcome area to the next realm?

"You're awake," My head shot over to where the voice originated.

It was Eric. Eric was in some sort of kitchen area, the area was raised by one step from where I was. He was leaning against a salt and peppered granite topped, dark wood island. One elbow was resting against the surface while his other hand held a mug in it. He looked at ease, but then again, he always looked that way. Where ever he went, whatever room he was in…his presence drew all attention to him. He owned the room.

Wait…I don't know this room. Where am I? I looked around the room. The world swirled around me again. Ugh…this needed to stop. I paused a second before taking in the rest of the room I was in.

I was sitting in some sort of lowered den area. The area was huge. The den had a fireplace that sat on the opposite side of the couch and kitchen. There was like an 80-inch TV on top of the fireplace that had muted news on. That vampire, Nan Flanagan was on the TV, talking wordlessly. Subtitles ran across the bottom of the screen, but I couldn't focus on them at this time, the words moved to quickly across the bottom. I never liked that woman. Something was so fake about her, from her smile to her pant suits. She reminded me of a politician, say one thing and do another. I bet she was the worst vampire and all vampires hated her. Wait…"worst vampire"? What's wrong with me? Focus, Adriane.

Besides the wall where the TV was, the rest of the den was surrounded by window the size walls like you would see in a LA millionaire house. Glass houses, I think they are called. It was still pit black outside, or was it? The longer I stared at the windows the more I could see out them. It looked dark, but I could see maybe 20 feet beyond the windows. How late was it? Dawn must be coming soon.

"Where am I?" I voiced breathlessly.

"Safe," Eric's voice resonated again.

That's right Eric was here. My head snapped back to him. Safe? What's "safe"? I had no idea where I was. He didn't even tell me. Eric had taken me some place. Some place that I have no idea how I got here. How did I get here? He brought me from Sookie's, obviously. Sookie's…How did he even get in the house? I don't remember inviting him in when he came to the house the other night.

"Where's safe?" The question burned in my mind. Where could he have taken me? I couldn't have been out that long.

"Not important," Eric stated.

"Bullshit, you kidnapped me!" I lashed out before thinking and my hands smacked over my mouth. What was wrong with me? Something felt so wrong.

I heard Eric chuckle and bring the mug up to his lips and take a sip of whatever was in the mug. I felt something in the base of my spine tell me to run, while something in the back of my mind told me I was okay. I'd be okay. The panic still strained against my stomach. I looked out the window again, off the glare I could see myself. I looked down and I was still covered in blood. Dried blood, but still blood. God…

"What happened?" I asked as I rubbed my forehead again.

"You were attacked, I saved you," Eric summarized.

"How di-"

"How did I save you?" Eric took another sip from his mug, this time he set down his mug. I saw a red line just above his upper lip. Blood. I don't know what else I suspected would be in the mug. I watched as he realized that there was some on his face. He lifted a hand up and brushed the red film away with his thumb. He looked at the liquid on his thumb, then noticed I was still watching. Slowly he licked the blood off his thumb, smirked, and purred, "I gave you my blood."

I suppressed a shudder at his attempt to over sexualize the substance. So, that's why there was caked blood on my lips…wait…Isn't that how they change people into vampires? Was I a vampire? Oh God, I didn't want to be a vampire.

"God, Adri, you're going to give yourself a heart attack if you don't calm down," Eric sounded annoyed as he spoke.

Could he hear my heart beat from there? If he could hear my heartrate, then I was still alive. I placed two fingers to my throat to assess my heartrate for myself. Just to make sure I was still alive. I felt a slight pulsating sensation against my first two fingers.

"Yes, your still alive," Eric sounded exasperated as he crossed his arms in front of himself.

Could he hear my thoughts? I looked at him as he pushed off the counter to head towards me. You're a fucking asshole dick-faced scum of a human being.

"I only gave you enough blood to heal your wounds, not enough to turn you."

I guess he couldn't hear my thoughts, thank goodness. He would have corrected me for calling him a human, and I guess I would have been reprimanded for calling him names, "Why didn't you change me?"

"Have you ever been around a baby vampire before?" Eric paused when I didn't reply he continued, "They are insufferable. It was enough when Pam went through it. I do not want to make another any time soon."

"Why did you save me?"

"I still need your assistance. You just got lucky I was coming to grab you. When I smelt your blood."

"You smelt my blood?"

"As I said our first meeting, you smell delectable. If I hadn't gotten here first, some other vampire in the area would have."

So, he was coming to grab me. Why didn't he get me the night before? Wait…the blood.

"Why am I still bloody?" I asked.

Eric smirked at my question, "I like you covered in it."

I guess I should be glad he didn't take it upon himself to change me. Wait covered in-? Like a cold bucket of water being tossed on me, the grogginess wore off in an instant. I couldn't suppress the shudder that ran thorugh out my body as I got a sudden mental image. I felt a compulsion to go take a shower like I had never had before.

Someone had tried to kill me. The thought sunk to the pit of my stomach like a lead weight. Why was that? Was I to close to finding the truth about Beth? I sure didn't feel like it. I couldn't be, I just got here and the only lead we had was right in front of me. Eric knew something about Beth.

A sudden need for answers gave me the backbone I lacked at our earlier encounters, "Where's Beth?"

"Back on Bethany? Can't it wait? I just saved you. I thought you'd be a little more grateful than that."

"What do you mean?"

"Most humans experience a…special reaction when given vampire blood-"

I interjected, "I know it's used as a drug to get high."

Oh…that's what's wrong with me. Fuck, I can't remember if that's traceable on a drug test.

"Yes it can be used like that. But some humans experience a different kind of reaction. One that makes them feel…a little more enthusiastic in a different area of their lives that tends to not be used as often. If you get my meaning. And I thought since you just had your near-death crises that you'd be more appreciative towards your savior."

Oh…oh…OH! Another wave of mental images cascaded into my brain. Ones that were a bit more detailed then the previous images. God! I needed that shower!

"I would never do something like that with you!" I blurted out as a heat began creeping up my face.

"As I've said before Adri, I will change your mind."

"Never," I scoffed, "And don't call me that."

"I'll call you whatever I like, Adri. I just saved your life. You owe me a major favor."

"Like the one you need help with?"

"No, bigger than that. Something that will take a lot of effort to pay off."

Effort to pay off...that didn't feel like an innuendo. He wasn't trying to make any advances. He meant it.

"What if I leave? Once you tell me where Beth is."

"What if I don't tell you where Beth is? And even if I did, I can still find you, Adri. I gave you my blood. There's another unique incentive that comes along with healing when a vampire shares their blood with a human. A little known, fact that the media doesn't know about just yet. When a vampire shares blood with a human, a vampire can sense where that human is."

I felt the color drain from my face and the air knocked out of me. That's why he saved me. He could have easily just said "oh well, one less physic" and gone to Sookie. No, he saved me because he wants to know where I am…always. Even if I ran right now. Eric would be able to find me. He would drag me around like he did when we first met. Kicking and screaming back here. Where ever here was.

He wanted that power over me. He always wanted that power over me. I felt that familiar burn behind my eyes. I'd only known him for a few nights now and I had him completely figured out. He would manipulate and use every moment to his advantage. He wanted to be top dog, alpha male, the king of his domain. I gave him some of that control when I agreed to help him with his problem. But now…now he had everything. If he could find me where ever I was. I was trapped.

My head shot up as I watched Eric head towards me, He stopped at the back of the couch. I expected him to walk around a face me full on, instead he leaned over it and placed his hands on the backing, "Well I suppose I should show you to your room. You have a big day tomorrow. You'll probably want to get some rest before we start."

I carefully stood as I watched him warily. Big day? What did he have planned?

"I'm not going to do anything, Adri. If I wanted to do something you wouldn't be able to stop me," He huffed.

I only nodded as I stood. Grasped my left elbow and made my way around the couch. Eric leaned away and stood upright at his full height. I felt so tiny in front of him. I stopped just short of him. Eric closed the space.

He leaned towards me, I found myself leaning away. He didn't make a move until I looked up at him. Once we locked eyes, I watched as he eyed me up and down with a smile that made my skin crawl, "Oh and Adri."

Eric's eyes left mine, focusing on a stray lock of hair that escaped from my disheveled ponytail and fell in my face. He reached forward, he lifted it and twirled it around his finger. Eric's eyes landed on my own, suddenly I felt like I couldn't move. Like I had been glamoured but I know he couldn't have. I didn't say anything, I just stared at him. My eyes fell to his lips that were stretched into that smirk. They began to move to form a sentence. I was entranced by their slow motion. It wasn't until he finished the sentence that it sank in. Each word that left his mouth was punctuated, each word was sentence as he stared at me with those spellbinding blue eyes, "You. Are. Mine."


Sorry this chapter is so short! Next chapter will be longer! I promise! Thank you again to all those who have favorited and followed for the previous chapter! I appreciate you taking the time! Love you all! Things are starting to pick up in my life, so I apologize if my updates are a bit more sporadic. I'll do my best to keep to my every other week update, please forgive me if I am late on an update. (It's 60 days till my wedding and I've got a ton of stuff going on beyond planning. So please forgive me!)

Special thank to tadah2, mmelody6, permisable, Saskia D. Fox, and unknown Guest for your reviews! Also! Thank you to Momo for you review! I understand your frustration and I'll to my best to keep your comments in mind. I appreciate you taking the time to be keeping up with the story despite your frustrations, I hope I can make it up to you in the upcoming chapters.