THANKS TO: Spygrrl, Millarca666, DPrincess, violetsdream, MSR82, LavenderLady3, My Universe, marilyn59, nordiclover, racecz5, VAlady
Please note: italicized words would be the thoughts from another's mind they hear. So when it's Sookie's POV, the italics represent things of Eric's she hears. And if it's Eric's POV, the italics are things of Sookie's he hears.
Chapter 21
I pull off the tattered dress and leave it on a chair as I pull on a robe and head to my bathroom. While that was an enlightening conversation, it also brought up more questions as well. Not to mention the fact that I was, yet again, almost raped. Must be Sunday.
I light a few candles and turn the lights off so I can relax. While the tub fills, I take the time to stand under the hot spray, letting it cascade down my back for a few minutes before sinking into the hot water. I pour some bath salts into the water and rest my head back against a towel.
I truly hope the announcement and new laws can calm vampire-human relations because there needs to be some kind of rebuild to the trust. I hope for humanity that it started tonight.
"How is that you look so breathtaking all the time?" I hear his voice as the door opens.
I smile and open my eyes to look at him. "How would you know if I'm breathtaking or not since you don't have a breath?" I wonder and watch as he kneels beside the tub and I reach out to take his hand in mine.
"Are you all right? I got away as soon as I could but it wasn't soon enough for my tastes."
"I'm okay, Eric," I reassure him, as if he can't tell that I wasn't injured.
"Sookie, you cannot be okay. I saw your dress and while I know he wasn't able to hurt you, it still is not- I swore I'd protect you and-"
"Stop," I say as I place a finger over his lips. "There's no way that you can protect me twenty-four seven. Shit just happens and not even Eric Northman can stop it."
"But I can," he says and I see flashes of him and I being buried in the ground together.
"And how many vampires have I seen die? Eric, mortal death or true death, when it's my time, it'll be my time."
"STOP," he says angrily and his despair at that thought washes over me and it is overwhelming how much he loves me. "Stop," he repeats softer as he leans forward to press his lips to mine for reassurance.
After he pulls away, his lips are still so close to mine. I rest my forehead against his and have to wonder, "how on earth did you go a thousand years being such a hopeless romantic and not letting on to anyone?"
"I never had a Sookie before," he replies and kisses me again. "And I can't be without her ever again. Please tell me you've considered my request." He interlocks our fingers as we hold hands.
"It's practically all I think about, Eric. But I need time. Please don't be that way," I request, feeling his despair and sadness at my indecision. "Just let me have time. For having an eternity to wait, you're not very patient."
"You'll find Vikings are not a patient people."
"Well you're the only one I'll ever know," I laugh quietly and tug on his arm to pull him closer so I can kiss him deeply. I love how his tongue slides against mine and how he doesn't make it more than a loving and devoted kiss. For now.
"You could have redone my bathroom when you had the siding done," I scold as he stands. "Then your tree of a body could have fit in my tub."
"We could go to my house. I fit in my tub there."
"If your house is anything like that office at Fangtasia or the basement, then I'd rather stay here, thank you very much," I state as I grab my body scrubbie. "I enjoy my girlie bathroom and scented shampoo."
~*~*~*~*~*~
I'm so relieved to see her smiling. I'd been afraid she'd be scared of this world, my world, after tonight. I want nothing more than to make this creature mine forever. It's the only way I can see that she'd really be protected but I must bide my time.
"My home is nothing like the basement of Fangtasia," I inform her as she starts washing her arms and neck. "Want me to heal that?" I ask as I prick my finger to rub on the marks there from earlier.
She shrugs. "You'll just give me more later," she grins, "so just heal them all at the same time. But I'll take that drop if you're offering."
"Vampire junkie," I accuse.
"Fairy addict," she says and sticks her tongue out at me.
"Don't do that if you don't want it bit," I warn her and she does it again. I zip over and capture her tongue between my teeth and taste the blood that seeps from where my fangs have penetrated it. Tasting her blood in our kiss is divine and I notice her soapy hands pulling at my shirt but instead of worrying about it, I drop half my body into the water in her lap and it splashes all over out of the tub.
"ERIC!" she laughs and splashes me in the face. "Do you know how much I don't want to clean water?" But she doesn't seem to care much because she wraps her arms around my torso and pulls me closer. I just want this forever. Fuck everything else. Fuck Sanguinistas and kingdoms and chancellors and prisoners awaiting tribunal.
I want an eternity of this with you, Sookie Stackhouse.
Impatient Viking.
I smile and bite her lower lip softly before the kiss winds down and I'm simply laying across her tub, sitting in her lap with my legs hanging out. She rests her head against my arm as she wraps her arms around me.
"Eric, given your penchant for twisting the truth to your liking, I want to be really really clear with you."
"Twisting the truth to my liking?" I question as I kiss her temple. "That sounds pretty deceitful."
"Yes, it is and it certainly matches your personality."
"I've never lied to you," I tell her and she looks up at me. "I may have withheld the truth, but I never lied to you. I made my intentions to have you very clear."
"You most certainly did lie when you got me to suck silver from your chest and don't you dare say you didn't lie, Eric some-old-Norse-middle-name Northman."
I can't help but laugh at her and think. I've known the joy of the kill and joy of drinking until I couldn't drink anymore. But I've never known this type of happy human joy. I wonder if she will still be joyful like this in a hundred years. I think she will be. I think we could be if she would just say yes.
"What are you thinking?" she asks as she slips a hand in between the buttons of my shirt to touch my chest. "I know you're feeling happy, but why?"
"Because of you, maybe for the first time since I was a teenager."
She starts giggling. "I can't picture that. You as a kid. I mean… god, that was so fucking long ago, but… I bet you were a really cute little kid too, though I can imagine you gave your parents a run for their money."
"We didn't have money; we traded livestock or things of that sort," I inform her and take her hand in mine to kiss her palm. "Now what did you have to be clear about? Now that you've enjoying making fun of me and my youth?"
"Oh right. Sorry. You're very distracting but you know that."
"I take pleasure in it."
"Mmm… I'm sure you do," she grins and she pulls her hand from mine and slides it down to grab my cock through my pants. "And I want to be clear that the only one you take pleasure in, is me." She squeezes tightly for a human and I growl. "Am I understood? Your body is for me and me alone, Eric."
I groan at the contact and I see her hand start to glow. "I GOT IT. Yes. Yes," I say quickly and with vampire speed, I've got her between my legs in the tub and her eyes are sparkling with lust. "You were saying…" I whisper as I trail a finger down her body under the water. "That these" my fangs pop out and she licks her lips "were for you?"
"Yesss," she nods and tries to pull my head down toward hers but I refuse. "Yes. All of you is mine. Only for me."
"And what of these?" I wonder as I slide my mouth down her neck to scrape her breasts. "Are they only for me?"
"Yes! Eric," she whines and tugs on my shirt trying to pull my back to her.
"And what of this?" I wonder and drag my tongue down her body under the water, scraping a little as I make my way between her legs. I feel how excited she is and I can smell her blood now tainting the water. Her hands in my hair do nothing to encourage or stop me from teasing her with my fangs and tongue.
Eric, please, fuck, please… eat me out.
Well that was quite nasty and not so becoming of a proper southern lady.
I don't fucking care! Fuck me with your tongue!
I chuckle before surfacing and she whimpers and kicks me in frustration.
"Tell me it's mine. Tell me it's all mine and only for me." I slide a couple fingers into her and I feel her purr of contentment in my bones. "Your little whines of pleasure are for my ears only." She nods and I lean forward and scrape her neck a little deeper this time. "And every single drop is mine."
"Completely yours," she whispers into my ear. "Now… be naked with me, min viking," she coos and starts trying to pull at my wet clothes.