Charlaine Harris owns all rights to these characters. I'm just taking them out to play.

Chapter 14

I held my breath as Eric opened the heavy door to the room Amun was being held. He was sitting on the concrete floor against the far wall of the room wearing only pants, his wrists and ankles held in iron chains, securing him to the wall. The skin around the chains was red and blistered. Amun's entire body was extremely pale, probably from the loss of blood.

Eric moved to the side to allow me to enter the room, and whispered in my ear, "I'll be right here if you need me. He will not harm you." I looked up into his blue eyes and saw his promise of protection in his eyes. I nodded and looked back to Amun.

Eric stayed in the doorway as I stepped past and into the room. My heart was pounding in my chest as I walked closer. I stopped a few feet from him and finally let out the breath I had been holding. Amun finally raised his head and opened his dark eyes. We watched each other for several minutes without saying a word. He looked at me with absolute hate and revulsion.

"Why?" I asked. I was proud that my voice was strong and clear.

Amun looked at me but kept silent.

"I asked you why!" I shouted. "Why did you do this to me? What did you want?"

"You stupid girl, you were just a pawn in a war. You were expendable," he finally responded.

"Why me?"

"I discovered that Niall was interested in you. When I visited your home, I knew he had been there. You were obviously of some importance to Niall for him to bother. You don't seem to know why, but there must be reason. We will discover why."

"How is Preston involved?"

Amun smirked at me, but did not respond.

"I asked you a question! How was Preston involved?" I yelled.

"Perhaps you should ask your Great Grandfather," he responded, avoiding my question.

"Answer me!"

"Stupid girl."

I didn't get any answers after that. He was amused by the fact that I didn't get the answers I was looking for. Finally, I lost control. I lunged for him, driving the heel of my hand upward against his chin. I heard a satisfying crack as the bone broke.

I got close to his face as his blood streamed down his chin. I whispered, "I told you that my friends would come for me. You will die. But not for a long time. It will not be a quick end for you. You will beg. You will break. You will suffer. You will die."

I got up, kicked him in the stomach and walked toward the door. I got within a foot of the door before my entire body was on fire. He was back in my head, causing my entire being to explode in excruciating pain. Faster than I could track with my eyes, Eric was in the room and kicked Amun in the face, knocking him out. My body sagged at the loss of sensation. Eric's body was practically humming with the effort to ignore the effect of the fairy blood, but he stayed in control. He held me for several minutes before I leapt out of his arms and rushed from the room.

Eric slammed the door to Amun's cell and followed behind as I swiftly walked down the halls back toward the main part of the King's estate. I could feel that Eric was still struggling to contain his blood lust. I was struggling to control myself as well. I couldn't decide on an emotion. That meeting was infuriatingly unhelpful and he got the upper hand on me again. I wanted to hurt someone. I wanted to run. I wanted to cry. I wanted to kill. I finally screamed at the top of my lungs. I just needed to get out my anger and pain. I crumbled to the floor, shaking with the rage that was coursing through my body. Eric seemed to know that I didn't want to be touched right then. He always seemed to know what I needed, even at times when I didn't know myself.

He stood behind me and waited for me to regain control of myself. Finally, when I felt the completely emotionally spent, I got back up and I turned to Eric. I knew he could see my pain through my eyes. I looked into the depths of his eyes and felt safe once again. He swept me into his arms and flew us back to our room. A very Scarlett and Rhett moment.

Eric set me down on the edge of the bed, kissed me softly on my forehead and ran his fingers down the side of my face before going into the bathroom. I could hear the sound of the tub filling with water and after a couple moments, I smelled freesia coming from the bathroom. I stood up and starting shedding my clothes as I walked into the bathroom. Eric had lit dozens of candles in the room. There were several bouquets of fresh flowers that had not been there earlier. His eyes lit up as he saw me. I smiled shyly, suddenly self conscious that I was completely nude. I know, it didn't make sense. He'd seen and touched all of me many, many, times in very satisfying ways.

As Eric closed the distance between us, his face softened into a true smile. It was just like that time he had stayed in my home the year before. My heart melted as I gazed into his eyes. Our kiss was slow, yet passionate, as I worked on the button of his jeans, with my clumsy fingers. Eric chuckled as he felt me getting frustrated, and finally took over the complicated task. I stroked my hand over his erection and moaned into his mouth. Eric growled as he hitched up my leg and entered me with his fingers. I gasped and pressed into his hand. Our mouths became desperate as we stroked and teased each other. When I was almost there, Eric took his fingers out. I cried out at the loss, but before I knew it I was backed up against a wall, and he lifted me up to place his member at my entrance. Our eyes met and a split second later, he impaled me on his erection. I wrapped my legs around his body as I rode him. It didn't take us long for us to both reach an earth-shattering climax. "Oh God, Eric!" I screamed as I came. Eric responded with a roar and he emptied into me. As soon as I caught my breath, I started giggling, which, by the way, did very interesting things to our joined bodies.

Eric smiled at me. "What is so funny, lover?"

"You are amazing Eric!" I knew it would be like pouring gasoline on a flame, but I couldn't help but stroke his ego…among other things.

"As are you, my lover. I don't know how you do it. You must have me under a spell, because I crave you every waking moment. When I look at you, I feel more alive than I have in hundreds of years. I feel true happiness, and it has been so long for me. I have been on this earth for more than a thousand years, but only you make me truly happy. I have wondered if the gods made me walk this desolate earth for so many unending years for the sole purpose of discovering you. Oh, Sookie, my lover." Eric nuzzled my neck as I held on, desperate for my Viking.

"Oh, Eric. You make me happy. I have missed you so much!" I stopped, unable to continue. I was completely and utterly overwhelmed with my need for this man…this vampire.

"Let me bathe you." I moaned as he pulled out of me, and he chuckled under his breath as he carried me to the bathtub. We both sighed as we sank into the warm, fragrant water. I sat on his lap and leaned back against him, letting my eyes close. It was heaven on earth.

We didn't speak for a long time. Eric washed me thoroughly, and messaged my arms, legs and shoulders as he did so. I feel so relaxed and content. I didn't want to break the mood, but I knew that I needed to. Before I said a word, I knew that Eric could feel my growing tension and fear.

"What is it, lover? You are safe here."

"I need to tell you about something that I don't want to talk about. I'm afraid of what it means. And I'm a little afraid of what you are going to think." Eric stayed silent as I took a deep breath. "You heard me talking to Amun, and you were probably wondering about the man I mentioned. Preston."

"Relax, Sookie. I can feel you trembling, but remember I will keep you safe." Eric watched my face carefully, and I wondered if he was having as hard a time figuring out my emotions as I was. I finally settled on guilty. I looked into his eyes as I brought up the memories.

"Okay, well, here it is. I had completely forgotten about this…incident. One of the men on the plane was thinking about a man with dark hair that I recognized, but I couldn't place him. It really bothered me that I couldn't figure out where I knew him from, because I really felt like I knew him…more than an acquaintance. Later, when I was alone for a long time, I started really concentrating my memory gaps. I was concentrating on that night I stopped my car, and on the man that I recognized. I started thinking about that night, going through step by step what I did. Then I suddenly remembered and it came flooding back to me. Some of the details are still fuzzy, and I don't know why I didn't remember. I mean, it's not like me to forget this kind of thing. Especially because I actually forgot two separate days."

Eric interrupted my rambling. "Shh. Take a deep breath. You're safe here."

I nodded and continued, "I'm not sure I'm making complete sense here. Anyway, Preston was there both nights. It was Christmas Eve that I first met him. I'd heard something in the woods early in the morning. Later I went for a walk in the woods, which really isn't like me, and after I'd walked for about an hour, I found an injured Were. His name was Preston. I brought him back to my house and got him cleaned up and made him something to eat. He said that his pack and the pack from Monroe were fighting, and they left him behind as payment for an insult or something. Later, a couple other Were's came looking for him, but I hid him until they left. He spent the night, and the next morning he was gone."

I felt Eric's body stiffen as I explained, but I kept going. "I remember that the next morning he'd left a note, but at some point since then I completely forgot the whole thing. On Christmas, Preston said he was a Were, and he even changed a paw right in front of me, but the night I stopped on the side of the road…well, I stopped the car because there was an injured dog in the road. He said he was a Werewolf, but he was actually a true shifter like Sam. So it doesn't make sense that he would be part of a werewolf pack. Anyway, after Preston changed back from the dog, he was talking to Amun and they were fighting over taking me right then. Preston finally convinced him that I wasn't important. They glamoured me, or whatever it is that fairies do, and left me sleeping in the road. That's why I couldn't remember. I need to find out who sent Preston, because Amun said Preston was the one that led him to me." I felt completely spent after dredging all that back up. I tried not to feel Eric's emotions, scared about what he was thinking. I felt mortified that I had just told him about a one-night stand, although I didn't really say it in so many words.

After a moment, Eric pulled me even closer and overwhelmed me with the calm and reassurance he sent to me.

"Sookie, lover, you have nothing to feel ashamed about. There was obviously something else going on there. You were taken advantage of, sweetheart. And I will ensure that whoever did this to you will get what is coming to them."

I released the breath I hadn't realized I was even holding. "I think that finding Preston may be the key to finding out who was after me, other than Amun himself. I think it's strange that a shifter would be so involved with Fae politics." I started shaking as I started rambling again.

"I agree. We can talk to Alcide and Sam tomorrow to see if they can find out more information," he suggested. I nodded my head against his chest. "Sookie, it's okay." I nodded again, but I couldn't control the tears that had started streaming from my eyes again. My entire body shook violently as I sobbed. Eric held me tight, trying to comfort me. I was glad that he understood I just needed to get it out.

When I finally started calming down, I whispered, "I'm sorry."

"There is nothing for you to be sorry about," Eric stated softly.

"Thank you, Eric. I'm sorry I'm always crying around you." I loved the feel of his chest vibrating as he laughed.

"You do cry around me a lot," he stated but I could hear the smile in his voice. "Now, dear one, you need your rest." Eric picked me up and sat me on the countertop. He slowly dried both our bodies and then carried me to bed. I wasn't used to being carried around, but he made me feel small and I enjoyed that. He was my protector.

Eric put his arm around me and I curled up against his body. "Rest now, dear one."

I nodded and closed my eyes. I whispered, "Thank you, Eric." I was almost instantly asleep.

I know that the meeting with Amun wasn't very satisfying. But the characters were not cooperating with me. Amun refused to let Sookie have the last word. But I've still got plans for him. Thanks for all the great reviews. Reviews make me feel loved. :-)