Author Note: Thanks to Vic Vega for the lemon tart. Puss, puss!

Thirty-Six

Taken

Part Seven

Sookie thought Claudine was only joking when she introduced her grandfather. The man, whom she called grandfather, was a tall and slim man. He was possibly as high as Eric's ears and had long pale gold hair, almost as pale as pumpkin. He plaited some of his hair and some he let loosed. He was very handsome; there was a way he carried himself that reminded her to George Clooney, as a matter of fact, he was around George Clooney's age. However, when Sookie looked into his eyes, there was a light of mixed wisdom and age shining through those beautiful green eyes. A light that would make anybody who stared at those eyes bow their heads with respect. As she was doing it, right now.

Claudine's grandfather smiled. "I am called Niall Brigant." he said.

"Prince Niall Brigant," Claudine whispered. "But he never likes to be addressed that way by...."

"Claudine," Niall, or Prince Niall, smiled. His tone, however, was an order for Claudine to shut up. "You may leave now."

Claudine bowed a little then she walked away.

"Wait," said Sookie. "How will find a way to return to Eric?"

"Oh, you will." Claudine said without turning away. "Or Grandfather will take you there."

Faes are strange creatures!

Sookie watched Claudine's figure walking away. Soon that tall, slim figure disappeared among the trees.

"Sookie...Stackhouse, correct?"

"Yes."

"I rarely meet human," he said. "But the ones I meet, mostly I like."

Jeez, you're lucky!

"But no one's like you. You spread some kind of strong aura, something that rarely owns by human. Possibly other human will not catch that aura as strong as other beings, who I believe you have encountered several of them."

"Yes, I have." Sookie said. Was it some kind of explanation why she was surrounded by many supes, these days?

"But that's not the reason why I talk to you."

"So I've heard. Claudine said you want to see the dagger."

"Not only that. This is a pledge." His voice sounded very serious. "I want you to keep our meeting as a secret between us – you, Claudine and I. I don't want anybody to find out about it."

"I can promise you that."

"Let's just say, it's better that way. Because many of our kinds – my kind especially, still think that some races better don't mix, to stay pure. Some of us – faeries, thought that we are much superior compared to other beings, especially human. They also consider that pairing between human and faeries is a crime, which should be punished with death. I am very sad to tell you that voice is getting stronger and stronger among us."

It seemed that stupid belief of race purity was not only among human. Maybe the faeries should visit human world and read some history of a far away country which managed to wipe off more than six millions people because of that stupid belief, and how that stupid and dangerous belief brought nothing but misery and disaster to the world.

"Therefore, Sookie." he took her hand. "I hope you understand my fear."

Sookie felt some kind of warm energy flowing into her body. His hands were strong but soft, and his touch was gentle. Like a touch of a grandfather to his grand daughter. At least it reminded her of Granddad Stackhouse when he held her hand.

Sookie nodded.

Niall smiled. There's a strange eerie on his face that was very familiar to her. His eyes suddenly had this sparkling and warm feeling. The way Jason's eyes looked when he was spreading his charm. And the lines around his lips...they definitely reminded her to Jason.

"Why do you look confused, Sookie?"

"It's silly, really." she said. "But you remind me of my brother, who looked a lot like our father. Well, I am not really sure about it, because my father died when I was still little. Gran said, that he did looked like our father, who according to Gran, looked like our grandfather. But it's difficult to say, because I never saw Granddad Stackhouse when he was young. And older Granddad looked nothing like either my father or Jason."

Niall smiled. "Then it is silly."

"Yeah, you're right. We cannot be relative, or?"

Niall turned away. Sookie didn't hear what he said, or maybe he didn't answer at all. When he turned around to face her, Sookie swore that those green eyes looked sad. "Now, let me see the dagger." he said.

Sookie opened her bag and gave it to him.

Niall looked at that dagger. Something clearly troubled his handsome face. "From where did you get this dagger?"

Sookie told him what happened. How Eric had become desperate to be a human again, even only for a while to be able to say goodbye to his dying wife, and how it went out of control last night (or as she thought, it had been).

Niall looked thoughtful. "This dagger belonged to a powerful witch from a long time ago. It was made by my father as a present to this witch. As far as I know, this witch died in the fire two hundreds years ago."

"A witch? From Bon Temps?"

"Yes."

"But Davydov family comes from Russia."

"I believe you are mistaken. This dagger wears the signature of my father. I can see the craving on the dagger. Of course, you don't have Fae's eyes therefore you can't see it. But I can. And I can assure you, this dagger once belonged to my father's beloved witch."

Sookie couldn't believe what she had heard. What was going on? Why were there so many people who wanted to harm Eric? What had he done?

Niall returned the dagger. "It was a very wise decision of yours to call Claudine." he said. "And Godric's son was lucky to have a woman like you. Because if were you late, Godric's son would have died tonight."

Sookie put the dagger inside her bag. "You seem to know Godric very well."

Niall smiled. "Oh, we've met. I respect him, as he respects me."

Sookie remembered Godric mentioned Niall's name once, when he heard her singing the lullaby song. "You are not Old Bugger Niall, are you?"

Niall laughed. His laugh sounded like a chime of a bell. "He still called me 'old bugger'? Good to know that something doesn't change. The last time I saw him, he was chasing a peasant girl with auburn hair. Is he still doing that?"

Honestly, Sookie didn't know that. But yeah, Dušana-Aurora had auburn hair. Maybe she fitted to his 'prey' pictures.

"It looks like that he still is." He smiled. "But why did he tell you about me?"

"He didn't tell me about you, actually. I was humming a song, and he asked me from where I learned that song because an old bugger named Niall used to sing it. I said that Gran taught me that song."

His eyes twinkled. "Now you meet the old bugger. Give him my love when you see him."

"I'll do."

"Let's go to Godric's son. He must be worried waiting for so long."

Slowly they walked on.

"Niall, what will happen to Eric? I mean, do you think he will stay as human forever?"

"You know, Sookie. Every magic has its own good and bad sides. We can't and shan't use them without thinking the consequences. Sometimes the effect can be seen right away, and sometimes it takes years for the effect to work on them. The magic that Godrics's son used is a very strong one. It will bind him and the shaman that uses the magic as long as the shaman lives, for he gives his blood to maintain the bond. However, Godric's son is also bond to you. I can smell and see your blood in his. He's also bond to another person, but this bond is quite fragile since the bond is kept in a solid object."

"But his wife and I gave and received blood to and from him. We would be also bond with him forever, wouldn't we?"

"Your blood is different, Sookie."

"How?"

Niall smiled. "Don't you concern more about Godric's son than about yourself, at least for the moment being, Sookie?"

Sookie felt embarrassed by the question. "But he is cured, isn't he? I mean, he looks all right. He doesn't even remember what happened to him last night."

"We managed to clean the poison that came from the dagger, but not the poison which is running in his blood. He has to change his blood completely if he wants to be clean from the present poison. And if he doesn't remember anything, it's because he is under our spell. We make him forget about the pain in change that he will forget that he's been ever here in our place. He is welcomed here but only because he is the son of Fae-friend, Godric the Pict."

"What do you mean that he has to change his blood?"

"He has to drain himself dry."

Sookie felt her heart stop beating. Drain himself dry? How would he be able to do that without putting his life in danger? Before Sookie could ask Niall, about it, she heard Eric calling her. "Sookie..."

Niall stopped. "He must not see me." he said. "But before I go, I must ask you not to call Claudine too often. I don't want that your relationship with her is known among us. It won't be very convenient for her if the other part of us get to know about it." He smiled then moved away. His slim figure was gliding among the trees. Gliding would be an exaggerating term, but in Sookie's eyes, Niall didn't seem to walk. He moved so smoothly that she believed he's riding the wind.

"Soooooookieeeeeeee!" Eric's voice was louder. "Where are you?"

Sookie giggled. The way Eric said it, it reminded her of Shaggy character from the Scoobi-doo cartoon series. Shaggy always stretched the 'you' part, just like what Eric was doing now.

Eric was still under the tree. Maybe it's only her eyes, but it seemed Eric couldn't move away from that spot. He walked around the tree, as if he walked in circle. But thank God, he had put his jeans on, and covered his torso with a thin green tunic (Claudine must have given him that tunic.). Otherwise she was not sure if she could see him with a straight face, had he been naked and walking around the tree like a member of ancient tribe.

"Ah, there you are!" he said as soon as he saw her. "And why are grinning so stupidly like that?"

"I am not grinning. And if I am, I never grin stupidly!"

"Come here, you've been away too long!"

Sookie came near and let herself being hugged tightly and kissed long and passionately by Eric. He even lifted her and when he lost his balance and they fell to the ground, she laughed.

"I hate being human!" Eric said. "I can't even lift you!" then his eyes twinkled. "Or you are simply too heavy!"

"I am not!" Sookie protested. She was a proud 38 size wearer. Once she had to wear 40 size clothes, but that was a long time ago. And once, she had been able to wear 36 size clothes too, but that was also a long time ago.

Sookie wanted to get up, but Eric was faster. He pulled her and with one roll, she was under him. He touched her face, removed the hair that was covering her face and kissed her. His tongue touched the inside part of her lips before it wrapped her tongue and slowly sucked it. His hand was patiently following the shape of her stomach and crawling to her back. When his hand opened her bra, Sookie knew what he wanted. She wanted it too. Now she didn't care if the faes were watching her. And if Claudine was watching her, she just wished that Claudine would stay put wherever she was, and let her have Eric for just this moment, when he was happy and seemed to enjoy himself very much.

Impatiently Eric opened her blouse. "You should stop wearing this kind of cloth," he said. "It's annoying!"

"I am a lawyer. I cannot run around wearing t-shirt all the time." Sookie said. She helped him removing his tunic. "Besides, if you get what you want fast, what is the joy in it?"

"You tricky, manipulative..." before Eric could finish his sentence Sookie kissed him. Tricky, manipulative...? Those words should be applied on you, and not on me.

"...I've ever had..." Eric continued when she let him go.

Eric and Sookie removed each other's clothes slowly, as if they had all the time in the world. Their hands touched, caressed and explored each other's body. There were no words spoken, but soft gasps of delight and moue of pleasure. Sookie felt like a treasure when Eric carefully kissed, caressed and touched every part of her body.

"You are mine," he whispered as he laid her down, claiming her like a vampire would claim his woman. "And I'll be yours."

His mouth patiently kissed every inch of her skin, arousing her sense, making her aware the existence of feeling on some places that she never thought she had. Eric seemed able to find new spots of lust on her thighs and on the back part of her knee. Because when he kissed her there she felt her blood rush to her head, made her moan and gasp with pleasure.

"Kiss me," he said and he didn't mean his mouth.

"Eric, I am new to this..."

Eric looked at her tenderly. "Everything you do will please me. Nothing can ever be wrong."

For a while, nothing existed anymore, not even Eric, only her and her own senses, as they pleased each other with their mouths by exploring, caressing and kissing their garden of joy. And when Eric kissed her on her mouth, she could taste her own scent on his tongue. She was more than ready when Eric slowly entered her. She grabbed his back and bore her fingernail into it when she felt a sudden rush of feeling overwhelmed her. She gasped.

Eric smiled at her. His eyes were flickering with lust. "My lover," he said like a mantra. "My lover..." and he started moaning.

Sookie answered him with the same moan, which was getting louder and louder. Then they exploded at the same time. She felt how strong Eric was in her as she bored her finger nail deeper and together they let out a wail.

After a while, Eric rolled off and let himself fall to the ground. "Oh...my knees..." he said. "I think I don't have bones anymore..."

Sookie laughed. She knew it's inappropriate, but in her ears it sounded like a huge compliment.

"Do you always feel like this after?" he looked at her. "Like you don't have bones anymore..."

"Sometimes."

"With me?"

"You're dying to know, heh?"

Eric sighed. "Argh...I swear...if somebody say being a vampire is always better, I will disagree with them now..."

Sookie lay on her side, and looked at him. He looked exhausted – or at least she thought he was; since she had never seen Eric had a slightest look of exhausting or tired after they had sex, but satisfied.

For a while they laid there and looked at each other. No word was spoken and they didn't need to. Their eyes and touches had said it all how much they enjoyed each other company. Sookie was sure that they would have started it all over again if only Claudine hadn't made loud noises from behind the tree asking them to be ready to leave.

They put their clothes on in a hurry and then went to Claudine.

"Green colour looks good on you," Claudine said when she saw Eric. "You should wear it more often."

Eric smirked only.

"I think I'd better call Lafayette to pick us up." Sookie said, taking her cell phone out of her bag.

"No, not here." Claudine said.

"Why?"

"You're still in my world. As soon as we leave my world, you can do it. Otherwise, you will be confused with the time or days, and so will they."

Hmh, it makes sense.

Claudine put the blindfold on Sookie as soon as they reached the tree where she and Claudine had been.

"Put the blindfold on me, instead of her." Eric protested.

"You will never remember the place." Claudine said. "Putting the blindfold on you is useless."

"I will never forget this place." Eric insisted. "Not after what we have just done."

Claudine smiled. "Godric's son, you are more than one thousand years old, but you still have a lot to learn."

"To whom you say that?"

Sookie couldn't see Eric's face, but she believed he was smirking now. She knew he meant something else. That man had nothing else but sex in his head. Somehow, Sookie didn't complain.

Sookie didn't know how long they walked, but with Eric's holding her hand she felt it was much shorter to compare with the walk she had made last night. Sookie heard Claudine talked about her desire to visit the town. Eric invited her to visit him in Fangtasia, and promised her full protection if she came.

"Oh, thank you." Claudine said, sweetly. "But I can take care of myself." Then she stopped. "You are free to see now." she said, opening the blindfold. "You can also call your friend if you want."

Sookie had to adjust her eyes first before she could see the surrounding. They weren't so far from the road to Northman Mansion. She could hear the sound of the car that passing by in front of the cemetery.

"I can't thank you enough, Claudine." Sookie said.

Claudine hugged her. "Be careful," she said. "And remember what Grandfather said."

Sookie nodded.

"See you!" then she moved swiftly away.

"Faes are strange folks." Eric said.

Sookie thought exactly the same. "I think I'd better call Lafayette now." She said.

Eric took her waist and pulled her closer. Softly he kissed her.

"What's that for?" Sookie asked with her eyes half closed.

"To make sure that what we had in the woods wasn't a fae's trick."

"Are you convinced now?"

"No. We have to do it again, you know, just in case…"

Sookie laughed. Dear me, he really has a big 'appetite'! "Come, let me call Laffy, and then I am yours." She took out her cell phone out

Eric didn't let her go easily, he even tickled her, which made it even more difficult for her to concentrate.

"Hello?" Lafayette's voice was heard on the other line.

"Laffy? It's me…oh, Eric stop that!" Sookie giggled and tried to get rid of Eric's hand off her stomach.

"Great!" Lafayette's voice sounded annoyed. "I am here worried like an old hag and you and your ho…"

But Sookie couldn't hear Lafayette's sentence anymore. Out of nowhere jumped four men in ski masks and grabbed her and Eric, separated them and then dragged Eric away from her.

"Sookie!!!" Eric kicked around and tried to set himself free, but he could do it only for a short time. One of the men hit him on the head with his gun and he didn't make any movement anymore.

"Eric!!!" Sookie kicked around to set her self free.

"You're a whore of satan!" the man, who held her, pushed her to the ground. From under his black leather jacket, he pulled a gun. "You don't deserve to live!"

Then bang!

Sookie felt something hot penetrate her chest. The ground felt soft now, everything started turning around.

"Sookie…" vaguely she heard Lafayette's voice from her cell phone.

Bang!

As the second sound was breaking the air, Sookie couldn't see anything anymore. Darkness fell upon her as a familiar voice called her name. "Sookie…"