"Victor," Eric nodded casually at his unwelcome guest before he led Victor toward the VIP tables - and away from Sookie.

The changing of guards in Vegas was a sacred event among the 'kings' of Nevada. Because Russell was one of the prominent figures in real estate it was mandatory to send him an invite that came with a prayer that he wouldn't show. It was only for formality, though, a courtesy call.

After the Tabitha incident, Russell Edgington had kept his distance from all the Northman Enterprise events and the Viking reciprocated by being a constant no-show at any of Russell's functions.

That was why it was unnerving for the Viking to see Victor tonight. Russell would not do anything without a purpose, his every move was calculated. If Edgington took it upon himself to send his lapdog to sniff around and scale the enemy's turf, it meant Russell already had something undoubtedly devious and underhanded planned for Eric.

"Mr. Edgington wanted to send his best to you and Mr. Davis," Victor said. "He's still in Macau so he sent me instead." Victor's eyes roamed the surrounding and coincidentally landed on Marco who was trying to dip Sookie while the Southern Belle tried to repress a jejune giggle.

"Is that – Miss Stackhouse?" Victor asked in a low, conspiratorial tone.

Eric's jaw set as he made a show of following Victor's line of sight although he knew exactly where she was.

"Marco brought her," Eric replied curtly in his attempt at nonchalance.

Victor whistled like a boorish peasant instead of a somewhat decent hotel CFO. "She cleans up nicely. Maybe I should tell her to dress like that every day at the Mandalay."

Eric gritted his teeth discreetly while keeping his projected ennui intact. He wanted to burn that fucking dress and shove the ashes into Victor's fetid mouth to shut the fucker up.

"You haven't heard?" Eric asked flippantly as he ushered Victor to the table where Stan and his wife, Isabel, were perched. "Miss Stackhouse has been offered a permanent position in my restaurant."

"Oh?" Victor asked, genuinely surprised, as he turned to the Viking. "That's a shame. Mr. Edgington has been looking forward to meet her. Bill gave her such a stellar recommendation and Mr. Edgington thinks she can be a very good asset to us."

'Bill Compton will die slowly,' Eric thought grimly.

Eric kept silent as he gave Stan a slight nod, beckoning the former owner of the Luxor to take the maddening Madden from his hands before he completely lose it and strangulate Victor with his pretentious skinny tie.

Stan, who had been a trusted ally of the Viking for seven years and was one of the few people who could see past the obligatory nods and unemotional smiles, stood up and casually made his way toward Eric and Victor.

But before Eric could stroll away from Victor, Russell's lieutenant rushed behind him and clasped a hand on the Viking's wrist.

Eric looked sharply at Victor then down at the bastard's imposing hand. "Getting handsy now, are we?" he cooed.

Victor took his hand off the Viking in a flash as he straightened his jacket to project a more dignified look. "I almost forgot Mr. Northman, Mr. Edgington recently found out that you also managed to acquire Queen Regent. He wants to know if you're interested in selling it to him. He's willing to go over the amount you paid Mr. Davis, of course."

"Tell Russell that I appreciate the offer but I'm not selling my Queen," was Eric's quick reply. Russell knew how long Eric had lusted after the Regent. It must be another form of power play on Russell's part, Eric deduced.

Victor sighed audibly before the smarmy bastard turned his gaze toward the bar where Sookie and Marco were lounging and seemingly engaged in a lively conversation with the bartender. Eric instantly felt a sharp pang inside his gut.

"Mr. Edgington would really appreciate it if you'd think it over, Mr. Northman. It's like what we always say: In Vegas, everything has a price," Victor stressed the last phrase with thick malicious intent – making sure Eric Northman would catch his drift.

But Eric had already caught up to him the minute he saw him tonight. And it unsettled the Viking how a lowlife like Madden could make such an impudent remark without worrying about the consequence. Eric might need to remedy that sooner than he had planned.

Eric leered at Victor. "I'll think about it," he replied dismissively before he swaggered toward his chief of security, Roman, who had been keeping an eye on the Viking at a safe and inconspicuous distance, along with two other burly men in black suits.

"Keep an eye on Sookie. If anyone so much as ask her for the time I want that person escorted out without question," Eric ordered before he made his way to the opposite end of the ballroom away from her.

He knew he had to keep up with the night's stratagem as long as Victor was present and lurking in the shadows, ready to report to his master.

The head of security nodded wordlessly.

E/S

Time seemed to drag at a snail's pace as Eric made his round to entertain his vapid guests. After one long, tortuous hour later, he got the green light from Pam that Victor already made his exit. Eric couldn't walk fast enough as he went back to check on Sookie who, to Eric's utter relief, was still by the bar, where he saw her last. She was silently nursing a glass of white wine, her finger circling the rim of her stemmed glass distractedly.

He could almost feel her boredom from across the room. She never made an effort to hide her disgust for gatherings of the glitterati like these. And Eric liked her even more for it.

The Viking gave Roman, who was standing a few feet away from her, a subtle nod before he made his way toward his prize.

"Is this seat taken?" Eric husked behind her. Sookie bristled as she took a sharp breath.

She fought the deep-seated urge to turn around and look at the Viking as she sighed exasperatedly. "I don't know. Maybe you should ask my babysitter over there," she tilted her head in Roman's direction. "He's been scaring off anyone who dares to even look this way."

There was a slight tug at the corner of his lips before Eric took the barstool beside her. A glass of scotch was in front of him automatically.

"You don't look like you're enjoying yourself," Eric asked as he stared at her reflection through the mirror across them.

"Are you kidding?" she asked dryly. "I'm having a blast. My date had been called in to send the rest of the cooks off. Other guests are avoiding me like I have mono. And the person I actually want to spend time with has been ignoring me all night."

Eric couldn't quite hide his glee at her words. For her to admit she wanted to be with him was a step forward. A ghost of a smile crossed his features before he spoke again.

"What a dick!" Eric chimed in sarcastically before he took a sip of his scotch to conceal his smirk.

Sookie's lips pinched as though she was stifling a chuckle. "I know!" she agreed. "Big fat dick!"

The words were out of her mouth before she had realized what it must have sounded to Eric. And she could barely hold her laughter anymore when Eric stared at her with nothing but arrogance coloring his gaze. Sookie buried her face in her hands as she guffawed at her gaffe.

Her laughter was contagious as the Viking joined in, drawing peculiar looks from his nosy guests, who had enough decency not to gawk at the pair.

"If I were him, I wouldn't leave you for one second," Eric finally said when their laughter subsided, putting his glass closer to hers purposely, brushing the back of his hand with hers.

Goosebumps broke across Sookie's skin at the subtle contact and she bit her lip to stop a sigh from escaping. Her face flushed and he almost grunted when she darted her tongue out to moisten her lips.

Eric shifted in his seat as his manhood sprung to life. "Stop that," he grumbled.

"What?"

He leaned closer to her before he whispered. "Stop that or I'll fuck you right here on top of this table."

Her blush intensified a shade redder as she raised her drink to her lips. She was suddenly very thirsty and she wasted no time in downing the rest of her Pinot Grigio.

"You don't look so good, Miss Stackhouse. Maybe it's time you call it a night and head back to your room upstairs," Eric said before he flashed his lopsided smirk at her through the mirror.

Sookie gulped nervously, the alcohol was making her lightheaded and was beginning to cloud her judgement. For some reason she couldn't get herself to contradict him. But before she could express her assent, the perpetually-interrupting Pam emerged beside them and asked Eric to get ready for his parting toast.

It was close to midnight and there was nothing he wanted more but to leave this dreadful party and start the actual celebration with Sookie.

"Last," he hushed, dipping his head lower so only Sookie could hear.

Sookie couldn't stop the unladylike huff that came out of her nostril out of sheer annoyance. She was starting to realize the complications of dating a very busy tycoon. Maybe last night was only a fluke. Maybe she would never have Eric all to herself again. She almost slapped herself for her obsessive musings. All her life she had never let anyone dictate her happiness. She was her own island. She was self-sufficient. And now she was acting as though she was on life support and Eric was the only one keeping her afloat.

She ordered another glass of Pinot as she fixed her gaze at the mirror, revolted at what she had become. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw every guests turn their heads toward the podium as Eric commandeered the stage. She saw women prattle and mew as men laugh nervously in response to one of Eric's lame jokes about pyramids in the desert. She bit her tongue to stop herself from snorting derisively as she decided she had had enough of this ostentatious charade. She was not a trophy girlfriend. She gathered her small clutch that Pam had lent her off the table before she made her way toward the lift.

The elevator doors were sliding shut when an arm sliced the air between the metal trappings and the Viking, who was visibly catching his breath stepped in with a displeased grimace etched on his perfect face.

He pressed the close button and pressed the top floor. He swiped his gold key card and the car went up. He untied his bow and let it dangle from his collar. Sookie, who had already pressed her floor number, stepped forward when the door tore open at the 19th level. But she was stopped by the Viking who seized her elbow forcefully.

"You're coming with me," he said, unsmiling, before he pressed the close-door knob.

Sookie turned her cheek the other way to dodge the Viking's furious gaze as she kept the stern look on her face.

She didn't let Pam turn her into one of her dolls only to be relegated to different sitters while he was rubbing elbows with the snooty elites and deliberately snubbing her.

Eric didn't let go of her until they were inside his Luxor penthouse.

Sookie crossed her arms across her chest as she engaged him in one of their staring contests.

"What part of you're not getting away from me didn't you understand?" he gritted out.

"Get away from you?" Sookie spat skeptically. "Isn't it the other way around? You were the one who couldn't find time to spend more than ten minutes with me. You were the one who went gallivanting around with your Richie Rich friends while I stayed back and watched you like a freakin' groupie."

Sookie pulled one of her heels off and raised it to his face. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to walk with these damn shoes on?" She kicked the other one off. "I didn't get waxed and plucked like a freaking bird ready for roasting just so you could flirt with that tramp Debbie Pelt!"

There was a very fleeting pause before the Viking found himself beaming. "Are you jealous?"

His question sounded like a chirp and it made Sookie even more agitated. "Please. I don't get jealous," she quickly denied.

"Liar," he purred as he swaggered toward her.

Sookie was thrown off by the sudden shift of mood. How did it change from murderous to amorous in a matter of seconds? She was mad, wasn't she? Yes, she was definitely livid, she decided, as she took a step back. "I'm not jealous," she enunciated every word as though she was also trying to convince herself.

Eric kept stalking her like a prey as Sookie continued her retreat. He tilted his head to the side, mirth evident on his devilishly handsome face. "Your poker face is slipping, Sookie," he said in a sing-song voice.

She tried to keep her unaffected veneer as she balled her hands into fists to keep her resolve from crumbling. "I hate you," she spat after a while.

"No, you don't," he countered, his grin getting wider, more confident. "You miss me. That's why you're so mad. You want me to pin you to that wall and kiss you until you can hardly breathe. You want me to rip your clothes so I can feel how silky you skin is. You want me to fuck you until you scream."

Sookie swallowed thickly when her back hit the wall.

"Then what the hell are you waiting for?" she croaked when she found her voice back.

Neither of them knew who made the first move as they closed their gap and their lips clashed against each other.

Eric growled against her mouth as he carried her toward the next room where an enormous bed awaits them. Sookie unlatched her lips from his as she started planting chaste kisses under his jaw. She buried her hands in his ruffled hair, pulling him closer to her.

Eric had prided himself as a great lover - years of practice in the fuck department insured him of that title. But as he tried to get Sookie out of her invasive and loathsome apparel, he discovered how difficult it was to concentrate on one task when his heart was pounding like a fucking bass drum in his chest, making him quiver like an inexperienced pubescent boy.

"You need help with that, honey?" Sookie asked teasingly as she paused from trailing wet kisses down his throat.

Eric inhaled sharply as he halted with his battle against her intractable zipper upon hearing the usually cringe-inducing pet name from her lips. 'Damn fuck it, Sookie, stop it!' He wanted to yell. She was a shrewd, manipulative minx who had every intention of tormenting him into oblivion.

But he didn't want her to stop. Not at all.

After a few more attempts he finally gave up and decided to make good on his threat to rip her dress off. Pam would throw a hell of a hissy fit by the sacrilege of his action, but hell if he cared.

Everything became a hazy blur of vivid colors as he nipped and sucked every inch of skin his lips could find. He found his way between her thighs and nested there until her hips jerked and buckled uncontrollably. She pulled him up and tasted her cum in his mouth and Eric had never seen something so erotic and innocuous at the same time. Sookie tried to slither down but Eric could not wait a second longer as his erection throbbed impatiently.

The usually timid and prudent Southern Belle showed her aggressive side as she tried to regain control from the Viking. "Condoms?" she breathed.

Eric reached toward the bedside drawer and pulled a small square metallic-colored wrapper from his secret stash. He tackled her until she was on her back, defenseless against him. As soon as he was done with the bothersome nuisance of hooding John Thomas, he entered her slowly, watching her face twist in both pain and pleasure as she held her breath.

The Viking regained control once he was inside her. He pounded into her like he wanted to claim every part of her and brandish his name on it. Then as he felt her walls clenching around him, he slowed down, rolling his hips languidly until she couldn't take it anymore. She stifled a cry as she begged him to take her hard and fast.

Eric reveled in her helplessness - the sheer dominance over the seemingly unyielding woman, melting under him. He kept changing position, making Sookie squirm every time he struck that special chord connected to her peak. But once he felt her getting close, he would shift again and Sookie would strangle a whimper every time, refusing to give him the satisfaction that she was under his mercy.

"Do you want this, Sookie?" he rasped as he thrust lazily.

Sookie bit her lip to stop the words that he wanted to hear. Eric halted unceremoniously and Sookie fought a sob as she moved her hips up and down to make up for the lack of movement. The Viking growled as he grabbed her hips and pinned her to the bed.

"Eric, please," she whimpered.

"Tell me you want this," his voice was grating from suppressed lust. "You want me."

"You know I do," she cried.

Eric captured her lips and drove his tongue inside her mouth, penetrating and sucking all semblance of self-control in her.

Their kiss tapered off quickly as he pulled back. "Say it," he ordered gruffly.

"I want this," Sookie sobbed. "I want you."

"Again," he ordered punctuated by one hard thrust inside her earning him a strangled moan from Sookie.

"I want you, Eric," her voice almost pleading. She cradled the side of his jaw as her face turned softer, along with her voice as she whispered, "I'm yours."

Two words. It only took two fucking words in two fucking syllables to send Eric in a frenzy as he let out a guttural roar before his hips pounded frantically against her. He hated losing the upper hand. He loathed her for making him lose control. He despised how easily she could manipulate him. But not as much as he detested how much he loved her.

'Love?!'

"Eric!" she cried as her climax hit her, pulling him out of his unsettling revelation.

Despite his effort to prolong his own orgasm, he couldn't hold it in any longer as he came after her. Sookie's barely stifled cry drowned everything else for a few a seconds as they relished the paralyzing high brought by their shared climax.

E/S

"You should only wear my clothes from now on," Eric mumbled as his eyes feasted on her silhouette as the soft light from outside outlined her naked body inside his white dress shirt. She was leaning on the large picture window overlooking the Strip from thirty floors high.

She turned around abruptly, surprised to find him awake. They had both fallen asleep with the Viking spooning her from behind after their satisfying romp. Sookie woke up to rehydrate herself and couldn't help but stop by the window to admire the view from his suite.

"I have very sensitive skin. I don't wear anything that's not from Walmart or supplied by my Alma Mater. And your clothes give me hives," she kidded.

Eric swung his feet off the bed and grabbed his underwear that he found among the pieces of clothing strewn on the floor. He put it on as he made his way beside her. His arms snaked around her waist as he pulled her against his chest, burying his nose in her wavy hair.

"We should file a complaint to the owner. How dare he put us in this monstrous room with the most horrendous view?" she whined sardonically. She really admired his suite. It was opulent and lavish and the view was spectacular. It was a place suited for someone larger-than-life. Someone like Eric. But she wasn't about to spout horrible clichés that she was sure Eric had heard a million times already.

Eric chuckled in her hair. "I shouldn't be surprised. You hated everything about me," he said with a hint of bitterness as he recalled his alarming epiphany earlier.

"Not everything," she whisked her body around to hug him back. "I like how you always smell so good. Even when you were questioning me like a criminal that first time we met, I was disgusted with myself for finding your scent so… fetching."

Eric winced before he groaned exasperatedly, remembering the miserably pedestrian word he had used earlier. "Cut me some slack. I was bored out of my mind waiting for you."

"You didn't look so bored to me," she snapped, a little too whiny than she intended.

"Believe me I was this close (he gestured with his index finger and thumb barely an inch apart) to telling Debbie to shut the fuck up," he mumbled.

Sookie rolled her eyes, still refusing to let him off the hook.

"The only reason I was talking to her was because she told me she had met your ex in a convention here last year," he added.

Sookie furrowed her brows. "Ex?"

"Alcide." The bastard's name tasted like stale liquor in his mouth.

Sookie couldn't help but snicker while Eric knotted his brows. "I didn't get the punchline," he undertoned.

"We were never lovers, Eric," Sookie said almost patronizingly, as though trying to placate an irate child.

"And he asked you to marry him?" he asked dubiously.

"Alcide's a nice guy. We've been friends since we were kids," Sookie started. "I was at the lowest point of my life and I guess he thought it was the best way to help me and my brother. I really didn't understand him then. But we were never lovers. I bet he regretted it the second he asked me," Sookie finished, casually dismissing the topic.

"I'm a nice guy. But I don't go asking my friends who need my help to marry me," he muttered under his breath, despising the idea that if things went the other way, she would have been married to that fool.

Sookie laughed gustily. "You? A nice guy?" she mocked.

Eric narrowed his eyes at her before he tightened his grip on her waist.

"You're right. I'm not nice," he agreed before his features darkened menacingly, his voice dropping to a guttural whisper. "Because I'm going to do all sorts of bad things to you," he grumbled before he pressed her against the glass window and lifted the hem of her shirt. He kneeled in front of her and draped her leg over his shoulder.

Sookie was about to gripe again but her words got stuck at the back her of throat as she felt Eric's warm mouth latching on her lower lips and it didn't take long before Sookie was moaning his name over and over like a prayer.

E/S

"How's Panama?" Eric asked without preamble as soon as the person on the other line picked up. The Viking was leaning on the doorframe of the bedroom, trying to keep his voice low, as he watched her sleep soundly, sprawled under the blanket.

"Still hot as hell," the man on the opposite line groused. It was almost six in the morning in Panama but the man on the other side was more than willing to accept the Viking's early morning call.

"What would you say if I told you I could grant you a safe passage back here with a new identity?" Eric asked in his business tone.

There was a pregnant pause on the other line.

"Surely you jest," the man croaked desperately trying to sound upbeat, but failing pathetically.

Eric didn't reply as he waited for the gravity of his offer sink the ground beneath the man on the other line.

"What about Russell?" he finally asked. His voice laced with suspicion. "I thought you didn't want to get in between us? To honor the truce."

"Truce is off."

"What's the catch?"

"I hear you still have your connections in Venezuela?"

A brittle chuckle echoed from the other line. "Who's the lucky sonofabitch?"

"Victor Madden."

A heavily-charged silence followed, as though the man on the next line had forgotten to breathe.

"I'd deliver him to La Sabaneta myself," the man gritted out, his voice filled with venom. La Sabaneta, which ranked as the third worst prison in the world, was the place where men fight each other off for the chance to die a quick death.

"That's all I want to hear. You better pack your bags, Felipe, I'll see you soon." With that Eric hung up, deleted the number he had just called and threw his mobile phone at the chaise lounge at the adjacent living room.

He sprinted back to the bed with light steps. He peeled the duvet carefully and crept silently beside his quiescent lover. He wrapped her in his arms and pulled her body closer to his until there was no more space separating them. Sookie wriggled gently, eyes still shut and heavy, and molded her body with his. He closed his eyes and indulged in the feel of her warm skin against his own.

'Nobody threatens my Queen and gets away with it.' And this time he wasn't thinking of the Regent.

A/N: I don't own the characters.

Time for some shameless plugging: If you want to see what Eric and Sookie look like in the first ten chapters then check out rock star Lei's wordpress site [ leivasquez . wordpress . com ] she generously lent her precious time to make banners for DMH and they blow me away! I even made my own wp page just so I can post them there as well and stare at them all day. *sigh*

Off to shower you guys with gratitude for sticking with this story and sending me your thoughts. I really appreciate them all. Love, love, love!

Next: a little bit fluff then back to the plot. Thank you!