A/N: Hi. Sorry I suck at posting regularly, thanks for sticking with me anyway.

And, thanks as always to my So Cal wiki sister, FDM. You always have my six.

His eyes were closed, and he was looking down at his lap. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to control you like that. I just can't be here anymore. Not like this."

I looked at him, and considered for half a second that I had the power to help him. But why? Because it was the right thing to do?

I owed him nothing. And his profession of love to me, while shocking and bewildering, was very possibly, just a line to soften me up, so I might be easily coerced to free him from his silver binds. Then again, if Jasper could control me, like he had demonstrated just moments ago, why didn't he just make me release him? Why beg?

He looked up; his eyes peering back at me pleadingly. Honestly. "Because, I don't want to control you. I want you to be free to make your own decision. Because it's not right to control the ones you love."

He heard my thoughts, which made sense, considering the man knew how to enter my head to talk to me.

"You heard my thoughts."

"Yes, and again, I'm sorry. I didn't want to. But I need to know if you're going to help me or not."

"You're the most confusing person—er, vampire, I've ever met in my life! Not three days ago, you held me captive against my will. Not three days ago, you wanted to use me for your own gain…like some pet. Some thing you could keep at your own disposal for your convenience—"

"That was before I realized what you were. Who you really were," he interrupted.

"What I am? Who I am? You claim to know me at all?"

I stood there in front of him, my mind racing with thoughts of how and why I had come to this point in my life at all. What had I hoped to gain by seeing Jasper again? The more I thought about it, the more I suspected I hadn't made that decision one hundred percent on my own.

"I don't think I can help you out of this Jasper. I'm sorry." The words came easily, but the instant I said them, my heart dropped. And once again, I was feeling pity for him.

"I understand," he said, dropping his gaze from me again. He wore a look of defeat, I was sure I would feel guilty about for the rest of my life if I walked away. But I did anyway.

Exiting the room where Jasper was being held, I climbed the stairs with trepidation; my shoulders weighed down with guilt, and headed back to the door behind the bookshelf. Upon opening the door and seeing the bookshelf was not where I had left it last, I was instantly slapped with the reality that my plan to get in and out without Eric knowing had crumbled like ash.

He knew I was here, and I was now looking at him face to face.

I froze in my place, facing the Viking. I took a moment to catch my breath, which was lodged somewhere between my stomach and my throat.

I could barely see Eric sitting in a chair in the darkest corner of the room. His elbows resting on the chairs arms, his hands clasped together and resting just under his chin.

I was truly scared, but I didn't say a word. I was busted, and I had no idea what to do next. My plans, however unorganized they may have been, were now moot.

"You've forgotten," he began. "I can smell you, no matter how much you try to disguise yourself, my lover."

I stood stock still, frozen, about ten feet from him. He could kill me with his bare hands if he wanted to. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he could kill me with just a look. Though I knew he wouldn't hurt me. So what could I possibly say now to keep him from heading in a lethal direction? I was at a loss for words. So I stayed silent and still, as he rose from the chair and began walking toward me slowly.

"I'm not sure what to do with you Sookie. I, of course, would love to know the motive behind your charade here tonight," he said as he looked me up and down no doubt eyeing my ensemble. I tried to judge his expression in the soft, pale light seeping in from the open door at the top of the stairs, and the small desk lamp. Disgust? Anger? Amusement? Lust? Or perhaps, all of the above?

"What are you wearing woman?" he asked. "If you were coming here to seduce me, I am not sure you chose the right outfit. Though I do rather like the hair. Brunette is a good look on you."

I remained silent and motionless.

"But that is not it, is it?" He said.

He was standing directly in front of me now; his fangs began to run out. I could feel the perspiration seeping from my pores, and I couldn't remember the last time I was this nervous. I mean, surely this wasn't as scary as when I stood face to face with the maenad, or any number of the ridiculous situations I had found myself in, in recent months. But this was Eric. And I had tried to hide something from him. I don't know why, but at that moment, I'd gladly have faced ten maenad's in his place.

"I cannot imagine why you are here in this pathetic excuse for a disguise my lover." He paused and stared at me for a moment. "So why are you here? Why would you feel the need to hide from me at my own bar? And why would you be here with Jasper? How did you even know where he was?"

Eric's questions were numerous…and valid.

"Eric…I…" I couldn't tell him, because telling him the exact truth would more than likely lead to the final death of Jasper Price, then again, maybe it wouldn't. All I knew was that I had a very powerful, and probably, very angry, Viking vampire staring down at me, waiting for an explanation.

I was scared and embarrassed, and beginning to realize that I had backed myself into a towering brick wall, with no chance of escape.

"I know this looks…strange."

"Yes, from this angle…you have no idea," he said, once again taking in my outfit with peculiar bewilderment. "I do not think I like your outfit one bit Sookie."

"Well…you weren't supposed to like it. You weren't supposed to see it."

"Yes. Well, as I said, I would like to know exactly what your little plan was here tonight, and why you just spent the last 20 minutes in that room with Jasper Price," he placed his hand under my chin and tilted my head so I had nowhere else to look but into his searing blue eyes. "You cannot keep secrets from me my lover, and you have come here to my bar, dressed like, well, I have no idea what you are dressed as, you have dyed your hair, and I caught you sneaking around in the hidden chamber in my office. The look on your face when you saw that I caught you here tells me you meant very well to hide something from me. I would really like to know how you found that room."

We both stood quiet and still staring at each other for a long moment. I could feel the tears swelling in my eyes, but refused to let them out.

He knew I was here the entire time. He sat here and waited for me to come out of the chamber. For what? To add to my embarrassment? To let me know I wasn't the sleuth I thought I had been?

Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys would be so disappointed right now.

I knew he was right though, I couldn't keep a secret from him, and I was completely dumbfounded as to why I thought I could ever hide anything from Eric.

He still held my chin up with two fingers, and was looking at me in thought.

"Eric…" I paused. "Please don't be angry." I drew in the longest breath of my life. "I needed to see him…to ask him something." I knew I shouldn't, and probably couldn't lie, but I wondered just how much I needed to disclose to get back in his good graces.

And then the thought occurred, maybe Jasper might end up saving his own life. If Eric could gain something from this situation, I could turn it all around right now. For me and for Jasper.

"Eric, have you ever heard of a telepathic vampire?" I asked.

He arched an eyebrow. "I suppose it could be possible, but I have never met one," he said, eying me skeptically. "Why?"

"What would you do if you knew one?"

You are well aware by now that I do not own the rights to Charlaine Harris's brilliant world.