Beautiful Stranger

Chapter Thirty-Four

I saw the pain in his face. He didn't say it to hurt me, it's just how it was. So why did I feel rejected all of a sudden? Eric put his strong arm over my chest, hand on my shoulder.

"Sookie, I love you, but when I have a queen, or a king, they will have to be vampire. Do you want to be vampire?"

"No. Wait a minute, a king? You would have a king?" I asked not believing. He smiled at me.

"It's a convenience, a formal alliance, nothing more. Each retains their consorts and identity, but the pairing allows for pooled resources and usually common approach. There is supposed to be a formal mating every year, but most often it would be a formality not observed once behind closed doors. So it's irrelevant whether I take a queen or a king, I'll still share myself only with you."

I felt better at that, I knew he wasn't lying to me. Besides I'd never dreamed of being anybody's queen, and had accepted long ago that I would never be the girl in the pretty white dress.

"So how will it work, with us, then?" I asked him, turning to rest my head on his arm.

"Just as it is now, I'd like you to come work with me, even come live with me when I figure out where. But I know you have your own life and loyalties, so I'll apply no pressure. I'm still a usurper until I can get another king or queen to back my ascension, although they'll know me well enough to know I won't give up the throne now that I have it. This could be a dangerous time to be around me Sookie, someone might decide I need to be got rid of. If they do they'll not worry about who else they hurt."

Leaning on his arm, my hand on his chest, I already felt sure I knew where I wanted to be. Of course Eric was right about me having my own life, but Sam would understand, my Grandmother would be happy for me, my brother might even be jealous. As for the danger in being near Eric, better to be near him than far away when danger found me. How quickly my life had changed, and I was prepared to embrace the change.

"What would I do, working for you I mean?"

"Warm the odd blood mostly," he joked. When I didn't laugh he carried on. "Screen the humans I have to deal with, and cover my back I suppose. Organise my household, run the day staff? I'm not sure yet Sookie, it depends how much of a role you want, and how comfortable you are in it?"

"You mean how competent?" I challenged him, smiling and gazing into his baby blue eyes.

"Of course, consort or not I can't give you a job you can't do," he laughed.

"I'll speak to Sam, but it would be easier on both of us if I was at your side, if you really want me there?"

"Of course I do, I did all this for you," he assured me.

"And that Eric, is a lie! It's a sweet romantic lie, but still a lie. You were planning this all along, the only thing for me was the timing!"

"Okay, I did this today for you," he laughed. "I just don't have to tell anyone I'd been planning it anyway!"

"Eric?"

"Yes Lover?"

"What will become of us when I am old and wrinkled and saggy and you don't want me any more?"

"I can't imagine you like that. Live for the now," he said.

"But I have to know, will you discard me when my looks fade?"

"You really worry about this? It's so far away?" he tried to evade answering.

"I really worry about this. Will you leave me alone at the end after I have loved a king? Or will you keep me at one of your other houses while you chase another pretty waitress when I no longer interest you. Pitied and forgotten, but well looked after to salve your conscience?"

He turned then, to look me straight in the eye so I could see how serious he was.

"I hope you'll have joined us by then, to be my queen and my lover for eternity."

I could have cried because I could feel he meant it.

"But what if I don't want to be one of you, which I don't?"

"You'll change your mind, Sookie. How could you pass up the chance to spend eternity with me?" he was grinning, the self assurance was a little exaggerated.

"But what if I don't?" He put his finger on my lips to shush me, then followed it with his mouth when I went to speak again. The sun was coming, but Eric took one last chance to show me what I'd be missing if I wasn't with him. He was gentle with me, our love making was beautiful. When he left he saw my tears but passed no comment.

For a long time after he left I lay there, trying to imagine how life would be without Eric. I couldn't, but I didn't know if I was ready to let him turn me. I didn't know if I would ever be ready for that. Perhaps one day I would be an old lady, rattling around one of his houses forgotten and bitter while he played with the pretty young fangbangers and declared his love for another.

But when that day came I would always be able to look back on my life with Eric and smile, because he loved me, he said so.

Most of the morning was gone when I woke again. Robert was there, sitting in a chair by the door, reading a Sopranos novel. He was dressed in a black suit with a sharp pin stripe, and had a hat sitting on the table beside him.

"Ever read any of these, or watch the show?" he asked me when he saw that I was awake.

"No." It wasn't really my thing, gangster shows and books. I preferred a good romance or a family story.

"I love Tony in these books, and in the show. You've gotta love the way he thinks."

I could only smile dumbly at him, I had no idea what he was talking about. He saw my blank look and closed the book, folding down the page to mark his place.

"So what are we doing today, Sookie?"

"I don't know, but I'd be glad if you stuck around." I liked Robert for his company, his intuition and his humour. I remembered how he'd dispatched Bill too. Robert was definitely good to have around, although I had no idea why he'd given up his own life to hang out with me.

"I'm in no hurry back, so why don't you get ready and we'll go see what today throws at us?" he said. "I'll go organise breakfast while you're getting ready. You'll need to go shopping again anyway."

"Why?"

"Eric's going to have his first royal visitor tonight, I overheard Pam take the call while you and Eric were..."

My cheeks flushed, but I wanted to know more.

"Who's coming?" I asked.

"Peter Threadgill, king of Arkansas. He was engaged to Sophie-Anne."

"How come he's the first?"

"I suppose he'll want to know if the alliance is going ahead between Arkansas and Louisiana. Or he might really be annoyed at Eric for killing Sophie-Anne," he shrugged. "Either way it'll be an interesting night, and much better if you look like a queen. Doesn't hurt to dress to impress."

My mind was reeling. Would Peter Threadgill be here for revenge, or to marry Eric? The idea of Eric married to a male vampire made me laugh until I thought about how serious Eric had been. I laughed out loud, another interesting night with the vampire.