Seriously you guys, the feedback I am getting just knocks my socks off. You're all amazing! Thank you for all the reviews and alerts.

So I guess people liked the whole Godric and Jason meeting thing. Sorry to disappoint you all that thought they might be a couple. There will definitely be a bromance between the two but I don't think even the greatness of Godric could turn Jason Stackhouse gay.

Godric is one of those characters I'm a little wary about writing. For one thing we only got to see him for a couple of episodes and for another he's kind of perfect and I really don't want to f*ck up the character. I'm probably going to feel the same way when I get to the Russell Edgington stuff.

The next few chapters I am going to be playing fast and lose with the plot and timeframe. Hopefully y'all won't get confused by it or have sensory overload. The next chapters will probably make many of you happy or angry or sad. Hell maybe all three, which you know TB does to most of us on a consistent basis anyway.

Chapter title comes from Nichole Nordeman's I Will Believe. Yes it's a song for a Narnia movie. Can you guys guess which characters in this chapter I think corresponds to which Pevensie sibling, especially when taken in the context of this song?

Long a/n is long. I'll make up to you with the lemon in this chapter.

…

Sookie really couldn't be surprised on how not happy Sam was about her telling him she needed time off. She could tell that Sam was obviously going through something and even though her boss was a giant asshole right now, having been raised by a woman like Gran, it also couldn't be a surprise that Sookie tried to show him some compassion and concern.

Sookie was nagged with the idea that she didn't really know Sam at all, as he cemented himself as the King of the A-hole's, spouting about how he had his own problems to worry about, problems that weren't any of her business.

A part of her brain knew that it would be more than practical to quit her job at Merlotte's but with all the changes in her life recently she wanted something familiar to grasp onto. She also held out a tiny flicker of hope that maybe Sam would start changing his attitude. He had been one of her dearest friends for so long and she didn't want to give up on years of friendship (even if he was being a dick) so quickly.

Tara took the news of Sookie going out of town much better than the telepath had expected. Tara of course didn't buy the bullshit of this trip to Dallas just being a vacation for a second, but she didn't push. She promised to look after Tina and the house and joked about Sookie sending her a postcard. Sookie knew from her friend's thoughts that she might not mind some alone time in the house. Though she said it was nothing, Tara was definitely crushing on that guy Eggs.

Sookie apologized that she would be missing Tara's birthday but gave her the jewelry she had bought for her at the mall as well as a gift wrapped photo of the two of them with Gran. The second gift almost had the two of them in tears as they commiserated in how much they missed the older woman.

She spent the rest of late afternoon packing. She had all the toiletries and reading materials she would need stowed in her suitcase quickly, it was the clothes that were giving her trouble. She couldn't really decide what to pack and was probably over thinking it.

Eric had said to her on several occasions before that it didn't matter, she always looked beautiful to him. He even teased her that it didn't matter because anything she wore always looked better when she took it off anyway.

Even though he said it didn't matter what she wore, Sookie did notice certain things and dressed accordingly. It was easy to tell that he loved her in dresses. In white and red especially. He also had a healthy liking for those short shorts she wore all the time. She didn't have the signature 'little black dress', she barely had anything in black, but she thought maybe she should rectify that. Eric would probably get a kick of seeing her taking that off, since she was sure black was his favorite color.

This wasn't strictly a vacation she was packing for. She would be working, though the job was extremely personal for Eric and therefore for her. She wanted to be careful about what she wore because she would be representing Eric but she also wanted to do this for herself. If she went around in her Merlotte's uniform she was sure she would get no respect from these Dallas vamps. Even if she dressed professional and fancy she doubted she'd be seen as anything above a useful pet though.

Sookie was only half way finished packing by the time it hit full dark. She could feel Eric was in the vicinity of Bon Temps but was still startled when he tapped at her window.

"You know there are these things called doors," she said, letting him in.

"Yes, I've heard of them. I was born when they were nothing more than flaps of cloth over holes."

He stopped when he saw the state of her room. Almost every drawer in her dresser was open and there were clothes scattered on the floor by her open suitcase and piled up on the bed.

"Sookie, you know we're only going for a couple of days." At least they both hoped it wouldn't take more than that.

"Yes, I know that. This is how girl's pack, Eric. Haven't you ever gone on a trip with Pam?"

"Yes, but if I were to judge how Pam packs on how all females pack, you're missing about four more suitcases for such a short trip." Sookie laughed. "Do you need any help?"

Sookie moved a pile of dresses off the bed so he could lie down.

"Let me guess, you'd be more than happy to help me pick out what under things I needed?"

He grinned.

"Well if you really need help with that. Though if you decided to go without on this trip I could get behind that idea."

Sookie thought it was a good sign that he could still tease like this, though his emotions did not match his outside mood. Agitation, anger, and a deep sorrow were ever present. Sookie didn't know if it was better that she now knew exactly why he was feeling like this. It made her feel guilty about how keyed up she was for this trip.

Eric lounged on her bed and watched her sort through piles of clothing.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing."

"Why don't we try that again? I know something's wrong because I can feel it, so why don't you just tell me so I don't have to guess?"

She dropped a few things in her suitcase and turned around to look at him.

"I feel guilty, okay."

"Yes, I know that much. Why? None of this is your fault."

Well, none of it was his fault either but that didn't stop him from feeling massive amounts of guilt.

"I know that. That's not why I feel guilty." She turned back to hang some of the clothes on the floor back in the closet. "I've hardly ever been outside of Louisiana except on a class trip and that wasn't even overnight. I've never stayed in a hotel." She wondered if the hotel they were staying in was going to be nice. Knowing Eric, it was. "I've never been on an airplane, which I'm kind of freaked out about that." Especially since they were traveling during the day so Eric would be stowed away in a travel coffin. "It's our first trip together…" She sighed.

"And you're excited about it but you feel guilty about that because of the circumstances." She nodded. He motioned for her to come sit on the bed with him. "I don't want you to feel guilty, Sookie. You should allow yourself to feel happy about this trip if it is what you feel. It in fact makes me…better to see you so." Sookie felt a bit better herself at hearing him say this, but she still didn't think she could be that happy about this whole thing. He sensed this. "Sookie, you have a very compassionate nature…" Which was somewhat of a liability since others could take advantage of her for it. "…But you should not let that drag you down. I dare say all allure about this trip will vanish once we actually get there."

Sookie narrowed her eyes at him.

"Again, you vampires always know what to say to cheer a girl up," she said sarcastically.

"I am not used to having to 'cheer a girl up' as you put it. I shall try again if you wish."

Sookie stood up from the bed.

"I don't have time for that. I have to finish packing."

"I wasn't actually talking about sex, Sookie."

Oh. Was she just a little disappointed to hear that? Yeah and he knew it by the smirk he was giving her.

"I cannot actually stay for very long. There are several things I have to take care of before I go to rest for the day."

"Oh," she said. She continued in her quest to finish packing. "Well what were you talking about then?"

"Would it cheer you up to know you won't have to ride in the plane all alone?"

"Did you change the time of the flight?"

"No. Jessica's made a case that she should be allowed to bring a human companion. I believe you know a Hoyt Fortenberry."

Sookie's jaw almost hit the floor.

"Hoyt? You're going to let her bring Hoyt to Dallas? She's only known him like a week!"

"She seems…fond of him and he'll keep her entertained since I will hardly be letting her go outside the hotel." There was no way Jessica was getting anywhere near the vampires in Godric's nest. Gods knew how feral they had all become in the absence of their Sheriff.

"Yeah, okay but inviting him to go to Dallas? That's just…I don't know. Weird."

"Vampires don't date, Sookie. They feed and fuck." Quite the romantic she had there. "I was getting a bit worried about Jessica's not showing any interest for the latter. It's unnatural."

"She's only seventeen."

"But a vampire."

Well yeah but still.

"So you're letting her bring along a guy she hardly knows and you're more than okay if she starts sleeping with him? In fact you're hoping that she does? I don't know if that makes you the worst or the best parent ever, Eric."

"Sookie, I'm not her parent. I'm her Maker."

Sookie laughed.

"Still, you're probably like the best Maker ever right?"

She felt a shift in his mood. He had been playful but now his grief overtook everything else. She knew he was thinking about Godric.

"I'm sorry," she said, looking up from her suitcase.

"It's not your fault."

"That doesn't mean I can't feel for you. I'm compassionate remember?" She walked over to him and took his huge hand in her little one. "I know you don't want to talk about him, whether because it hurts too much or because of the whole 'vampires not sharing things' but sometimes talking about it can help. I was talking with Tara about Gran and I thought it would hurt too much but it felt good, to talk about her and all the things we missed." Sookie suddenly realized she was comparing their situations when they were of course still completely different. "Not that Godric's dead or going to die. I mean that's why we're going. To make sure nothing happens to him."

He pressed calm and reassurance into the bond.

"It's okay, Sookie." He lifted her onto the bed to lie against him. She nestled closer and wrapped her arms around him. She didn't care that they both had things they needed to be doing. Right now she just wanted to be there for him, close to him. She wasn't expecting him to actually say anything so she was rather startled when he said, "I think he would like you."

"Godric?" she asked. Eric nodded.

"He'd find it hilarious that I'd fallen for a human."

Fallen for a human.

Eric did not believe in the 'L' word and didn't even like to admit he had emotions at all. Therefore this was probably the closest thing she would ever get to hearing him say he loved her. Not that this bothered her. Actions spoke louder than words, right? Still hearing him say he'd fallen for her made her insides feel all warm and mushy.

Keep it together, Stackhouse. Don't make a big deal out of it otherwise he'll probably go all male on you and leave.

Though he obviously could feel how giddy she was.

"I'm not just a human though, Eric."

"Human or fae. Just the fact that I show preference toward you at all." Eric thought for a second in concern. "He might even be a bit angry with me for it."

"Why? Would he think…you're too good for me?"

Sookie often had this fear herself. Here she was this little uneducated waitress from Nowhere, LA. Sure she was a telepath but Eric was a 1,000-year-old vampire Viking sex god, who was probably worth millions and could have any woman he wanted, and probably had, and he chose to be with Sookie. Chose to care about Sookie. It was quiet an ego boost at times but it also made her rather paranoid.

"No. It would be nothing to do with you really. He's the one who taught me that a vampire must dominate their emotions."

Despite this fact, Eric couldn't really see Godric being disappointed in him for having feelings for Sookie. Even at his most bloodthirsty times, Godric had always had a weird sense of admiration for the human race. He was fascinated with how creatures so powerless could accomplish so much. How they could adapt.

"So it's his fault for all your posturing and emotional withholding crap, huh?" She laughed at the look he gave her. "I'm just kidding. I love you just the way you are." Again she couldn't help the fit of giggles as he glared at her for using that word. He could pretend all he liked that it bothered him, and even though it did, she could also feel his little bit of wonder, amazement, and something else she really couldn't put a finger on, when she used that word. "And I really can't wait to meet Godric."

…

"So what exactly do you do all day…er…I mean night, down here?"

Jason knew he wasn't very smart. Almost everybody told him so, even his own grandmother on occasion. But this had to be a whole new level of stupid. Sneaking into a church after midnight to talk to a vampire. Hell even said vampire had said not to do this. But again Jason couldn't sleep because his day had hit a whole new level of crap.

Okay, so he was living in a mansion with the Newlins now, who were pretty cool, but this seemed to open up a whole new set of problems for him. Like the fact that Luke and the others were still being dicks to him because Steve Newlin had singled him out like that. It really wasn't Jason's fault that he was so much better than all those other guys.

Then there was the other thing. The Newlins were both really friendly and treated Jason like he was special. He hadn't felt so appreciated since he was the Bon Temps High quarterback. Thing was they were kind of too friendly.

That was another reason Jason couldn't sleep.

He knew that sleeping with a married woman was a bad thing but sleeping with a preacher's wife would be a whole new level of sin. It wasn't like it was really his fault. She's the one who had come into the bathroom and everything. Was he just supposed to get up out of the tub? That probably would have made it worse. It wasn't technically even sex. Sarah had been the one doing all the touching. He'd just have to stay away from her from now on. Except for the fact that he was now living under the same roof as her and her husband.

So it wasn't unreasonable that Jason couldn't sleep and that he felt the need to go for a walk to clear his head. Clear his head. Something he never had to do before coming to the Light of Day Institute.

And Jason really did need somebody to talk to. Not about what had happened, because God knew he would not be telling anybody about the fact that Reverend Steve Newlin's wife had given him a hand job in the bath. He just wanted to talk to someone in general.

So when he found that he had walked the three miles from the Newlin's house to the church, he thought about that little vampire in the basement. About how his life could be worse. He could be in a cage. Even though Godric had told him not to come back, Jason figured the little guy had no one to talk to either and would probably not mind the company.

"I think," Godric answered.

He had not minded seeing Jason Stackhouse again in the slightest. Though Jason was simple, out of all the humans Godric had met since turning himself over to the Fellowship of the Sun, Jason Stackhouse was the most human. Much more reasonable to talk to than that Steve Newlin.

"Oh." Jason would probably go crazy if he was locked up with nothing to do but think. But Godric seemed pretty smart and smart people liked to think, Jason guessed. "Are you thinking about how you can escape?"

Godric shook his head.

"No. As I told you last night I believe this is where I belong."

From the tone in the vampire's voice Jason thought that Godric didn't really want to talk anymore about where he was, so Jason decided to change the subject.

"Um…so you're families all dead right?"

Shit.

Was that a bad question to ask? What if the little dude had killed his family?

"Many centuries ago. I did not see what happened to my parents but one of my brothers and my sister where taken into slavery as well as me."

"Slavery? But you're white."

Godric chuckled.

"The Romans were not particular about who they made serve them."

"Oh." Jason scratched his head mentally. "You mean like Ancient Rome? Is that where you're from?"

"Yes, Ancient Rome. That is where I was taken and where I became vampire." Godric did not like to think about this time in his history or really any of it as it was. "You said you lost your family?"

"Oh, just my parents. Flash flood. That happened a long time ago too but I think about them a lot. Not too much cause it hurts how much I miss them sometimes." Jason's posture slumped down. "My Gran took me and my sister in. She died a few weeks ago."

"I am sorry for your loss."

Jason had to avert his gaze to the floor in front of his crossed legs.

Jason wondered if Godric was like other vampires. Here he was giving comfort to a complete stranger about his dead grandmother. Then Jason remembered that big vamp of Sookie's. How the vampire had been nice to Gran and Sookie and even been pretty decent to Jason and Tara when they were acting like a-holes.

All this thinking made his head hurt, damn it.

Godric could see that Jason Stackhouse was upset and conflicted. Being who he was, Godric did not like to see suffering of any kind if he could prevent it.

"What about your sister? You talked about her while you were praying."

"Sookie…yeah. She's all I got left. She'd hate me if she knew where I really was."

"I'm sure she would not hate you. You are her kin. The only one she has left. She will perhaps be unhappy with you but I'm sure she would forgive you."

Jason shook his head.

"Sookie can be pretty forgiving sometimes but this… Plus she's dating a vampire." Godric's face didn't change but a piece of the puzzle that was Jason Stackhouse clicked into place. "I really don't want to talk about Sookie though, if that's alright."

Godric nodded.

"As you wish."

They lapsed into silence for several minutes. Finally Jason spoke.

"Uh, do you have any family? Like vampire family I mean?"

Godric smiled and again Jason thought it was so fucking sad because it was kind of beautiful.

"I have underlings." Who were probably losing their minds because he had not left any word to where he was going or what he planned to do. They would have of course tried to stop him. As it was Godric was sure that Stan would use the disappearance of his Sheriff as an excuse to start a war between the F.O.S and the vampires. "And…there is someone else as well."

Godric could feel that Eric was losing his renowned calm. It was hard for Godric to think about the pain he must be causing his child. But he knew that Eric would never understand Godric's reasoning. None of his own kind would.

Jason could tell that this was another subject that was bringing the vampire down.

"Hey, I bet you've never played or watched football, huh?"

…

As it was Hoyt wasn't much good company on the flight but than neither was Sookie. She was freaking out because she had never been on an airplane, even a small one like the Anubis Airlines plane. Sookie could tell from Hoyt's thoughts that he was excited about this whole thing because he really liked Jessica. He was also really nervous because this whole thing was little weird for him. Vampires tended to take over any situation. Plus his mother had not taken the news about him going on a trip with some girl she had never met well.

Eric had been right about this trip losing its shine real quick. Sookie knew she could be somewhat of a trouble magnet but this was really ridiculous. Barely in Dallas for five minutes and she almost gets kidnapped. Thank God they're take off had been delayed otherwise her and Hoyt would have been screwed since the kidnapper had a gun.

"What exactly is happening?" Hoyt asked Sookie.

What was happening was that they were in the back of the limo with the would-be kidnapper and Eric was letting Jessica practice her glamouring so they could ask the man some questions.

"It's a kind of hypnosis," Sookie explained to Hoyt.

"That's cool," Hoyt said. Though he also thought it was scary.

"It really is," Jessica said. She hoped after Eric was finished questioning the man he would let Jessica drink from him. She was getting kind of hungry. She was kind of shy about bringing up the whole feeding thing up with Hoyt.

The man's name was Leon and he had been hired by the Fellowship of the Sun, or at least someone who wanted to implicate the church. Leon did not know who exactly had hired him because it had all been done over the phone. He had not known if it was a man or woman he was expecting and of course had been surprised when two humans had stepped off the plane.

"You did very good, Leon," Eric said to the heavyset man. "Now you're going to drive us to the Hotel Carmilla. After that you are going to forget you ever saw us and call the person who hired you and tell them that the plane arrived but no one was on it."

The man looked relieved as he got out of the back and went up front to start the limo.

"We're letting him go? But I wanted to drain him," Jessica said. She suddenly realized what she had just said and in front of Hoyt no less. He looked just as embarrassed as she was. "Uh… I mean…He tried to kidnap Sookie."

"Yes," Eric said nonchalantly but Sookie could feel his boiling anger. She took his hand in hers and squeezed it gently. She pressed calm into their bond. She was fine and knew he wouldn't let anything happen to her. "He failed but if he disappears whoever hired him will know that and will try again."

Though the fact that Leon knew exactly where and when to be supported the theory that there was a traitor in Godric's nest.

"You're so smart," Sookie said smiling.

"You didn't already know that about me?"

"Well I never really noticed it much before, but now that that haircut makes you look so homely…" she teased.

"Homely?" He raised an eyebrow at her. "Kind of like how that color yellow of your skirt makes you look."

He put his hand on her knee. Jessica made a gagging sound.

"Could you two not do that in front of me? It's disgusting." Her appetite was giving her a bad attitude. Eric would make sure she'd have a True Blood before they even got to their room.

Jessica grumbled a bit more before the scenery outside the window distracted her. She had never been outside Louisiana before. She became miffed again when Eric would not let her stick her head out of the moon roof.

"You never let me have any fun," Jessica growled.

Sookie thought this was bit unfair of the baby vamp since Eric had let her bring along a boy. Said boy was looking out the windows in a bit of a daze.

Hoyt wasn't talking much because he was shy sure, but also because he didn't know what to make of all this. Sookie had looked like she was dying on the road about two nights ago but now she looked fine. They'd almost been kidnapped and here the other three people in the limo were acting like it was no big deal. Hoyt might just be in over his head here.

"This isn't a vacation, Jessica," Eric snapped. "You will not be permitted to leave the hotel room without me." Jessica made a scoffing noise. "That goes for all three of you."

Eric could feel Sookie's annoyance at being ordered around like this but she had almost been kidnapped so she'd follow his lead.

Sookie had guessed right in that the Hotel Carmilla would be fancy. The hotel catered almost exclusively to the vampire population. The décor was very modern and screamed money.

"Whoa, look at the T.V." Hoyt said, as Jessica bounced onto one of the couches in the sitting room, being careful not to spill her True Blood on the white leather of the couch.

"Eric has like three of those at all of his houses. Some of them bigger actually," the redhead said. "This place is pretty awesome though."

Sookie instructed the bellboy where to put each of the pieces of luggage. No doubt her and Eric would take the larger of the two rooms. Hoyt waited until the bellboy left after Eric tipped him before he spoke up.

"There's only two rooms." Jessica became very interested in her newly polished fingernails; Pam had painted them a pretty peach shade for her just the night before. "I mean…I guess I was a last minute guest…"

Seriously.

Eric could almost understand Jessica's bashfulness what with her Christian upbringing and being a virgin at the time of her turning, but this Fortenberry was a grown man. Sookie shot him a look before he could say anything.

"I'm sure we can get a cot sent up, Hoyt," Sookie said.

"I'm okay with sharing," Jessica suddenly said. Sookie was sure that if the vampire could, she would be blushing. "I mean you sleep at night mostly and I sleep during the day."

"Uh…" was all Hoyt could manage.

Jessica got up and grabbed his hand dragging him toward the smaller of the two rooms.

"We can check it out. If you're uncomfortable we can call for the cot."

She slammed the door shut behind them. Eric rolled his eyes.

"Seriously. Only a two-room suite, Eric? Again. Best or worst parent. No clue." She walked over to get a better look at the item that had been on the coffee table when they had come in. She tilted her head and Eric could feel her confusion and amusement. "Why would a vampire centric hotel have fruit baskets in the room?"

"It's not from the hotel," Eric said as he walked into the room he would be sharing with Sookie.

He already knew who the basket was from. He shrugged out of his jacket and put it on a nearby chair as Sookie came to stand at the door holding the white card that had come with the fruit basket.

"Who's Esme?"

Eric sat down on the edge of the bed.

"A nest mate of Godric's."

"She sent us a fruit basket?" That seemed weird for a vampire. "Or really me. Although it's addressed to 'Northman's Telepath'."

"She doesn't know your name."

"Still, that seems very thoughtful for a vampire. Wouldn't she just consider me a piece of your property?"

"Yes, well Esme's a bit…different. She enjoys the company of humans."

Pam had been right in calling her a little human lover. Not that Esme shunned her own kind. She was just fascinated by humanity, even more so than Godric. Unlike most others of her race, she did not see humans as insects. She believed that humans could be on equal footing with vampires, not in strength or experience of course, but that they could all coexist. Eric chalked this up to the little French maiden's age; Esme was barely three hundred years. Then there was the unusual circumstances of her hard life up until she met Godric and Eric.

"She also has a thing about food," Eric said. "She's French."

"Well it was nice of her. She'll be there tomorrow night?" He nodded. "I'll thank her then."

Speak of the devil. Eric's cell phone rang and Sookie got it for him from his jacket pocket. After she handed it to him she went to their luggage and started putting clothes in the drawers and in the closet. Sookie obviously didn't like living out of a suitcase, even for a small amount of time.

"Northman," Eric answered, though he knew who it was.

"Fils de pute." It was never a good sign when she was cussing in her native tongue.

"Good evening to you too, Esme."

Sookie straightened a bit at hearing Eric. She knew it couldn't be Pam on the phone because of the ring tone but now hearing who he was talking to, her curiosity peaked ten fold. Eric wasn't exactly happy, but he was mellow now.

"I know Godric had a hard time teaching you any manners but something must have stuck, Eric. You should have landed over three hours ago. What the fuck? You don't pick up a phone?"

Wherever she was she was pacing. Most likely somewhere in the nest. He couldn't be sure someone wasn't listening in on the call.

"Our flight was delayed a bit and then there was some trouble when we landed. It seems you were right."

"Well, seeing as I'm always right about everything you're going to have to narrow it down, darling."

"We'll talk about it when I see you tomorrow night." He could just picture Esme starring daggers at her phone.

"Fine," she huffed. "Did you get the fruit basket?"

Sookie had finished unpacking the clothes and moved to put away their things in the bathroom. Eric could feel her gushing over the little complimentary shampoos and soaps and the bathrobes and had to smile.

"Yes. Sookie says that was very thoughtful of you."

"Sookie? That's her name?" Esme paused for a moment and Eric could hear the vampire's human teeth clicking in thought. "I like it. And apparently she has better manners than you, hmm? What's she like?"

"She's telepathic and agreed to help us find Godric. You'll meet her tomorrow."

Esme groused.

"Oh come on, Northman! Throw me a bone. You're obviously sleeping with her right?" She paused. "Didn't you have a psychic one time too?"

"You'll meet her tomorrow, Esme."

"What? I know you're discreet about most of your conquests but this is me, Eric." Again she stopped in thought. "You don't actually like the little telepath do you?" Esme began laughing that annoying holier-than-thou laugh of hers.

Sookie came out of the bathroom and looked over at Eric. Something about the conversation he was having made him disgruntled. She walked over and climbed up onto the bed and rested on her knees beside Eric.

"Oh my God," Esme talked through her laughter. "The mighty Viking has a thing for a human doesn't he? You hypocrite! After all the shit you used to give me. Godric will have a field day with this."

Sookie could feel the shift in Eric's mood. He was back to brooding. She crawled on her knees and situated herself behind Eric. She began to rub at his shoulders and back through his tank top. There was no change in his posture, but Sookie could sense that her actions were welcome.

"How was he the last time you spoke with him?" Eric asked.

Esme sighed. They had already talked about this briefly once before.

"Happy really. Which is weird you know, seeing as how he's been all mopey for the last thirty years or so. Though you wouldn't really know since you haven't talked face to face with him in almost a century."

Sookie almost stopped the movement of her hands as she felt the guilt slamming through her bond with Eric. Fruit basket or no fruit basket, that Esme was going to have to do a lot to endure herself to Sookie for whatever the hell she must've just said to make Eric feel like this.

"Shit, Eric." Esme backpedaled, guessing how her statement must affect the Viking Sheriff. "You know I didn't mean it like that. I can't be held responsible for the things that come out of my mouth. Godric is always saying how you're his greatest accomplishment and he's so proud of you, being such a great Sheriff in your own right. He knows better than everyone how busy you must be and –."

"Esme, shut up." If he let her go, she would ramble until dawn. "It's fine."

Though Sookie knew it was anything but.

"Oh yes. Fine." Esme's voice dropped back down an octave. "I really wish you had agreed to stay here though. Isabel's ordered everybody else to go to ground. There's no humans around or anything. I'm bored out of my mind. Stan's been off wherever the hell he is for about a week, which is the only small mercy."

Eric was only half listening as Sookie's hands had traveled up to comb through his hair. Sookie smiled, sensing that he liked that. She pressed herself closer against his back and began to massage his scalp firmly. Eric closed his eyes in pleasure and he must have made a noise because Esme stopped her prattling.

"Eric are you even listening?"

"No."

He was not just being a smartass. Sookie was placing kisses on the back of his neck and her hands left his head to travel under his shirt to skim along the cool skin of his back and sides.

"Funny," Esme said. "But I'm stuck with nobody but Isabel and that stupid human of hers. You know I give most humans more than a chance but this guy is just so boring!"

Eric almost made a growl of protest when Sookie took her hands out from under his shirt and moved away. He stopped himself though when she crawled back into his line of sight.

Sookie quickly removed the sweater she had on over the white camisole and smirked at how Eric's eyes darkened at seeing the newly exposed flesh of her arms and cleavage. He made to grab her with his free hand but she slapped it away, instead pushing him onto his back and straddling his thighs between her own.

Esme really needed to shut the hell up.

"I swear he must have told me what he does for living half a dozen times but I cannot for the unlife of me remember. When he starts to talk it's like I can feel the pull of the sun and I need to die."

Sookie shoved his shirt up and began to kiss and lick from his navel up toward his chest. Eric groaned when she bit at his nipple.

Esme stopped mid rant and listened, finally picking up on what must have been happening at the other end of the call.

"Seriously, Northman? I know you're a giant manwhore with no decency, but really?"

Sookie sat up and flicked open the button on his jeans and pulled the zipper down. She reached in to palm his already hardened cock; like with pajamas, Eric did not see the need to own any underwear.

"Esme," he hissed into the phone. "We'll talk tomorrow."

"Viking don't you dare—!"

He hung up on her and threw the phone away and chucked his shirt after it. Sookie pumped her warm hand up and down his shaft a couple of times and chuckled as he grunted.

"Fffuck, Sookie!"

"That is the plan."

He growled low when she removed her hand and got off him, but calmed a bit when he saw she was doing so to pull off his jeans. He sat up and reached for her, wanting to pull her back up on the bed and help her discard of her own clothing. She slapped his hand away again.

"I happen to like this outfit," she stated as she unzipped her skirt. "The way you're wound up it probably won't survive any help from you."

She let the yellow cloth pool at her feet. Stepping out of it, she pulled her camisole off. Thank goodness for built in bras. She stood there in nothing but her lacy white boy shorts and was not a bit cold. Not with the way Eric was looking at her. Her nipples pebbled and she felt herself get even wetter from just his eyes grazing over her body.

"Sookie," he purred.

She quickly discarded the undergarment and climbed back onto the bed.

They devoured each other's mouths. Sookie clutched at his upper arms while his hands seemed to be everywhere on her. He moved them further up the bed and rolled them so she was lying on her back.

They eventually had to break off the kissing because she needed to breath, but Eric continued to trail his lips down her neck and over her collarbone. Sookie whimpered then groaned as his mouth latched onto one of her nipples and began to suck it raw. After he showed as much attention to her other one he continued to trail his lips and tongue down her body.

"Eric." She tugged at his hair. "I want you inside me."

"Patience, lover. I want to taste you."

She knew he didn't mean her blood.

Sookie bit her lip as he spread her legs wider apart and settled his head between them. He licked her from cleft to clit, his strokes strong and lazy. The sounds that came from Sookie were almost as delicious as the honey weeping from her cunt.

Sookie's hand returned to his head and her hips began to move in a slow rhythm. Eric moved to bring just the lightest pressure against her clit. Sookie tugged at his hair and he increased the pressure.

As he pushed two fingers inside her, Sookie's moans became deeper and louder. Thank God for double soundproofing. Eric pumped his fingers slowly while he increased the speed of his tongue on her clit. He could see she had her eyes clamped shut and her other hand was scraping at the bedclothes. When his fingers felt the tiniest contraction, he curled them and knew he had found the right spot when she muttered an "oh god". With his human teeth he gently bit her clit. Sookie's body quaked as her walls began to contract in earnest and stars burst from behind her eyes. The sound from her mouth was not in any known language.

Eric's fingers and tongue continued to move slowly as she came down from her high. Though she was more than satisfied he apparently was not and made her cum two more times before he detached himself from between her thighs.

Sookie was still basking and trembling that she didn't even really register Eric moving to lay beside her. Only when she felt him move her onto her side did she open her eyes. He was on his side as well and was smiling at her. He had hitched her leg high up on his hip.

Before he could say anything she reached her hand up to stroke his hair and over his neck and kissed him as hard as she could. Her breathing was still rapid so she could not hold the kiss for long. She kept her face close to his though and nuzzled her cheek and nose along his jaw.

"Stackarn."

He rubbed slow circles over her lower back. She could feel his hardness pressed against her but he made no move to enter her. She stroked her hand along his shoulder and down his back until it reached his ass. She squeezed the firm muscles.

"Eric," was all she could really manage to say.

"We'll go slow, hmm?"

She sighed as he hitched her leg up higher and leisurely entered her inch by inch. They ground against each other and Sookie kept her grip on that perfect ass. As their rocking picked up speed Eric rolled her back onto her backside and began to thrust into her and she met each one.

When his fangs ran down she arched her neck for him. As his fangs slid into the soft flesh of her neck she squeezed her eyes shut and saw bright spots of light once again as she reached completion. Eric sipped at her neck and thrust into her a couple more times before he met his own climax.

Afterward, when he healed and closed the wound and held her close for their usual post-coital cuddle, she asked, "Feel better?"

His laughter rumbled in his chest.

"A bit. But I think we may need to repeat the process a few more times before I'm back to top form."

…

Finally Eric decided he should answer one of the million calls and texts that Pam was sending to his phone and allowed Sookie time to catch her breath. Sookie slipped on a nightgown and robe and went in search of sustenance. She decided that it wouldn't do to waste a perfectly good fruit basket out of spite.

Jessica was sitting on one of the couches when Sookie opened the door. The young vampire was in a pink flannel p.j. set and one of the hotels robes, apparently channel surfing. Jessica smiled when she saw Sookie. Sookie shut the bedroom door behind her.

She joined the redhead on the couch and reached over to pluck an orange from the fruit basket.

"Hoyt's asleep. We were going to watch a movie but we stayed up talking. He's not really used to vampire hours," Jessica said. "He snores. Drools a little too."

"You were watching him sleep?" Sookie asked. She stabbed at the orange skin with her thumbnail and began to peel it.

"I was talking and I didn't realize he was asleep until he started to snore." Jessica crinkled her nose. "Is that bad that he fell asleep while I was talking?"

"I'm sure he was just exhausted. Like you said he's not used to vamp hours. It's close to 4 am ain't it?"

Sookie took a bite of the orange and sighed at the taste of it.

"I ordered something from the menu. You think Eric'll mind?"

"Oh no. I'm sure he won't mind." Sookie must have looked a bit confused because Jessica explained.

"I didn't really bring up the whole…drinking thing with Hoyt. I mean I kind of just met him."

Jessica bit her lip and glanced sideways at Sookie. Sookie was pretty sure what the two had talked about and really hoped Jessica would keep it to herself.

"Hey, Sookie…?"

Great.

"I really like Hoyt and everything. And I know he really likes me. But he's like the first boy I've ever kissed. At least with tongue."

Oh God please make her shut up, Sookie thought.

"Obviously I'm a virgin, which Hoyt is too—."

"Jessica!" Sookie knew as much from accidently reading Hoyt's thoughts every once in awhile but she didn't need to hear it out loud. "Maybe you should talk to Pam about this. You're a vampire so it's kind of different for you, you know?"

"It is? But I can't talk to Pam. She'll make fun of me until the end of time." This was a fact.

Jessica looked like she was going to continue on but there was a knock on the door and Sookie hopped up to answer it.

"Thank God," she said under her breath.

She opened the door to see a young dark haired man in a black bellboy's uniform. The bellboy gave Sookie the once over before he spoke.

"Female, O-."

A short, pale girl with white blond hair in a pixie cut stepped into the room. Though Jessica was straight she'd gotten used to drinking mostly from females, one because she often shared a meal with Pam, and two because the female fang bangers at the bar usually smelled less offensive than the males.

"That's for me!" Jessica said jumping up from the couch.

She grabbed the girl by the wrist and dragged her off down the hall to her hotel room. Sookie hoped Hoyt could sleep through anything. Or maybe he wouldn't really care.

That's what it means to order off the menu? How old was that girl? She looked like she was still in high school.

"She's 21," the bellboy said.

Sookie's head snapped to look at him.

That was weird. Like he could read my mind.

Cause I could read your mind. Shit, Barry. Just act like it's a coincidence.

Barry gave her his own version of the 'Crazy Sookie' grin.

Holy shit!

"But it's not a coincidence, Barry."

The guy's smile fell and his mouth opened as if he were about to say something. Instead he bolted off down the hall.

"Shoot!" Sookie looked over her shoulder at the door to the room she was sharing with Eric.

She knew Eric would not be happy if she left but well…

"Barry, wait!"

She took off after him.

…

Fils de pute= Son of a bitch

Stackarn= poor thing

Yep ended it here. Here's some stuff to look forward to though when I finally finish the next coupl of chapters.

. A visit to Godric's nest where we get to meet Isabel, Stan, and Esme.

. A discussion about blood bonds

. Many plans are made

. Possibly a little bit of Steve Newlin