She felt the side of the bed shift as Eric stood. She kept her eyes closed as she tried to rain in as much rest as she could grasp. Knowing the mood she and Eric were in earlier…..there was fighting to be done. She heard the bedroom door close before she opened her eyes, the clock next to her reading 11:30pm.

She pulled herself out of the bed and went to the closet. She threw some underwear and a bra on before stepping into some shorts and a t-shirt. She tied her hair up into a bun as she made her way downstairs. Her eyes glanced around the living area searching for Eric, but the shuffling of papers in the distance told her he was in his office.

She went into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of blood. She hadn't eaten anything since she had woken just after sunset, and the hunger that fled through her was rising to a dangerous level. The microwave sounded and she pulled the warm blood out, taking a rather large sip. She drummed her nails on the counter as she finished her glass, immediately pouring herself another one.

She felt a shiver run through her, knowing Eric was calling for her. She grabbed the now warm blood out of the microwave and made her way to his office, stopping just outside the door, leaning against the doorframe.

"You rang?" she asked dryly, taking a sip of her blood.

She saw Eric's eyebrow rise in amusement, but also in warning. She rolled her eyes and held her tongue as she continued to stand, taking small sips of her blood.

"We have some things we need to discuss." He said, leaning back in his chair.

"Yes we do." She said, her eyes hardening. "May I approach the bench?"

He watched her with amusement as she swept her arm in grandeur, her sarcastic question referring to entering his office. He nodded before gesturing to the chair in front of his desk.

"How kind of you, master." She muttered, her sarcasm getting the better of her.

She sat down in one of the chairs, kicking her legs up and resting her feet on top of his desk. He raised his eyebrows in warning once more but decided against saying anything. Choose your battles.

"I have concluded that you have some qualms with me." He said, looking at her, seeing her raised brow.

"How astute of you." She said, taking another sip of her blood before placing it on his desk. "Why did you have Lafayette locked up in the basement?"

He watched her lean forward in the chair, her eyes focused long and hard on his own, and her behavior switching from playful to aggressive. He could see the anger filtering within her eyes. She was beautiful…even when she wanted to rip his head off.

"He traded sexual favors with a vampire for the selling of V. Which as you know lover, is a grave offence." He said, leaning back in his chair.

"So that justifies you chaining him up like an animal in that filth of a basement?" she asked, her voice growing in tone. "How long has he been down there?"

"A few days." He replied, seeing her blistering gaze. He sighed before rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Since the night that you went to see him."

She noticed his own tone of iciness at the idea of her going to see Lafayette that horrible night. She swallowed as she felt her resolve faltering, but she gathered her courage and continued on.

"Why didn't you tell me about-"

"I believe you already know the answer to your own question, lover." He said, interrupting her question.

"You still could have told me." She said, looking down at her hands.

"And we would have had this same conversation then." He said.

"Yes, but I wouldn't have been blind-sided by it!" she yelled, her eyes flashing back to his. "You made me look like an idiot back there."

"You were acting ridiculously." He said, referring to the incident with Sookie.

"The bitch deserved it." She said, jumping as Eric's fist slammed into his desk.

"You have no respect for others and you treat them-"

"I have no respect for others?" she asked, disbelief etched on her face. "That's rich, really it is. My behavior is your fault after all."

"You need to learn your place." He said.

"I thought I had. Wasn't that the whole point of that over the top reception at Fangtasia? To introduce me to everyone? You said I was your second, so I'm sorry if my actions aren't up to par. As far I've seen, they've mirrored your own, so excuse me if I'm a little confused on how exactly you want me to act." She said, standing up from her chair. "And for the record, Sookie did deserve what she got. I'm tired of her self-righteous ass accusing me AND you for things she has no one else to blame for. I have stuck up for you, fought for you, and respected you in everything you have done, for everything that you've been accused of. So far it's gotten me nowhere…..so next time I shall keep my mouth shut for everything and anyone unless pre-disclosed by you. I'd hate to embarrass you anymore than I already have."

She grabbed her glass of blood and stood from the chair, her emotions getting the best of her. She was humiliated….by none other than the man who promised to protect her. She held back her tears as she stepped out of the office.

"Sitt ner!" exclaimed Eric.

Aurea felt herself stop walking at the command….a command she understood perfectly. She was still trying to figure out when exactly she began to understand Swedish. She was somewhat glad she did…..now all of those sneaky conversations Eric and Pam had wouldn't be so sneaky after all.

She rolled her eyes and set her jaw before turning back into the office. She locked eyes with him as she stepped back inside and regained her previous seat. She sat gracefully as she finished off the rest of her blood, sitting the glass on top of his desk.

"Was there something else?" she asked, her attitude recently showing similarities to Pam.

"Förutom huvudvärk?" mumbled Eric. (Besides the headache?)

"Yes, besides the headache." she said out loud, causing Eric to slowly lift his head, his eyes focusing intently on her. "And while you sit there gaping at me like a fish, I do understand Swedish."

"Since when?" he asked, his previous conclusion on the matter shedding new light.

"Who knows." she said, looking at her fingernails.

She heard Eric growl before his face was inches in front of her own. She flashed her own fangs when she saw him release his own, the both of them trying to prove something.

"Your fangs don't scare me anymore, lover." she said, mimicking Eric's own pet name.

"They should…..because I could rip your throat out before you even blink." he growled, clutching her neck within his hands.

"I wish you would." she whispered, her voice soft as her trachea was squeezed. "At least I wouldn't have to try and deal with you on a regular basis."

"You're no picnic either lover." he laughed, rubbing his nose against hers before releasing her neck.

He sheathed his fangs before leaning against his desk, directly in front of Aurea. He folded his arms as he watched her eyes return back to their normal colors, her fangs slowly sliding back into her mouth. He could still see the annoyance within her body language as she sighed and placed her legs back up on his desk, one leg on either side of Eric's hips.

She watched Eric's eyes float down her legs, from where her feet touched his hips to where her thighs ended at her waist.

"I can't possibly have a conversation with you if you're this distracted. "she said, rubbing her foot along his hips. "No wonder everything's gone to shit."

"Bruising my ego will get you nowhere." he smiled, grabbing her leg and dropping it to the floor. "No matter how beautiful you are, I'm not that easily distracted."

"That's not what I experienced roughly an hour ago." she smiled, seeing his face harden.

"When did you learn Swedish?" he asked, his annoyance suddenly getting the better of him.

"I told you." she sighed, dropping her head against the back of the chair. "I don't know. One minute you're speaking to me in gibberish and the next I understand every word."

"Can you speak it?" he asked.

"I wouldn't even begin to try." she laughed. "Too damn confusing."

"But you understand it?" he asked, his eyes calculating.

"I believe that's what I just said." she said.

"Inget behov av attityd." he replied. (No need for the attitude)

"When I repeat myself to you because you refuse to listen then yes, there is a need for the attitude." she said, tilting her head to the side. "Happy now?"

She knew he would test her….so she backlashed, and she was surprised when she saw his face break into a grin.

"I am very happy, yes." he replied.

"At least one of us is." she mumbled.

"Bill confided to me something last night…something I am most intrigued about." he said, leaning forward in his chair.

"This can't be good." she said, locking her gaze with his.

"The blood from your ears." he said, catching her curiosity.

She looked harder at him this time and noticed his own confusion and curiosity, but on top of that, she saw his concern. His concern with what had happened the night before.

"My hearing must be more sensitive than I thought." she chuckled, the mood turning immediately to a serious one within the office.

"Your hearing that had you running to Sookie all the way in Bon Temps." he stated.

"I'm just as confused as you are." she said, fiddling with her fingers.

"Has this happened before?" he asked.

"No." she said, before a distant memory popped into her head.

"What?" he asked, noticing her immediate response to a memory.

"Nothing really…well I didn't think anything of it at the time." she said, seeing his eyes urge her to continue. "I was at home, when I was human…..and, I heard Sookie screaming….at her brother. I just thought that she was projecting, ya know since she can read minds, because there was no way I could of heard her from my house. She lived 10 minutes away."

"And it hasn't happened since last night?" he asked.

"Not that I'm aware of." she said, seeing him look at her. "Please don't look at me like that."

"Like what?" he asked, leaning forward as his eyes delved into her soul.

"You know what." she said, looking away. "It makes me feel uncomfortable."

"Why?" he asked.

"Cause you make feel like I'm some sort of fucking science project!" she yelled. "I understand that you are trying to help me figure out everything…but it's hard when every time I turn around something new and exciting is there that you feel you have to investigate. And that's fine but….I'm scared as shit and you making me face these things head on is not helping. I can't handle this…..not right away at least. I still don't have control over my non-existent vampire emotions, so I need to deal with things the only way I know how, and I need you to give me that space that I need in order to do that."

"Is that why you ran away to Lafayette?" he asked, his voice soft as realization flushed across his eyes.

"I didn't exactly run, "she mumbled. "But yea. And it wasn't just to go see him….I need that distance, for myself, for my sanity. I know there are some things you don't understand about me..."

"I understand you perfectly." he interrupted. "Just because the century has changed doesn't mean you have. I know you better than you know yourself."

"Yea." she said, her mind drifting away.

It was unfair. He knew everything about her, yet she knew nothing about him, except from what she has seen in dreams. But even those don't tell you what you truly need to know. She had wanted to bring up the room incident with him, but at the moment she didn't know if that was a good idea. Their conversation so far had been all over the map, jumping from subject to subject, but this subject she was a little scared to bring up. Eric must have noticed her unease as he asked her what was on her mind.

"Will you promise me…" she swallowed. "Will you promise to answer me, truthfully?"

"I will try." he said.

"No, I want an honest answer. I deserve it don't you think?" she asked, her eyes holding his own.

"Fair enough." he said, gesturing for her to continue.

"Why wouldn't you let me see the room?" she asked, seeing his eyes immediately dance with flames.

"It doesn't concern you." he said.

"Bullshit it doesn't concern me!" she said, her voice immediately jumping a few octaves. "That room holds every ounce of history we had together, and while I'm sitting here in pain and confusion trying to figure out what the fuck all of these visions mean, you have the answers locked away. You are supposed to be helping me with these, helping me try and figure out what and why this is happening, yet you keep your mouth shut and force me to deal with this on my own!"

"That's because you have to!" he yelled, slamming his fists onto his desk, the wood splintering from the force.

"What do you mean I have to?" she asked, confusion once more popping up its ugly head.

"You can't run for the rest of your life from things you don't understand. Something is happening to you, and you need to face it whether you want to or not. It's never going to go away. I can only help you so much…..it's up to you to figure out and understand what and why these things are happening to you." he said, stepping in front of her and cupping her face in his hands. "I am sorry I have hurt you….but some things need to remain buried until the right time."

"So I still can't see the room?" she said, looking into his eyes.

"Not yet." he said, shaking his head. "It's not that I don't want to help you….it's that I can't. There are some things you have to do for yourself. It's the only way you'll grow."

"This blows." she said, gauging a laugh from Eric.

"Everything will happen in time lover." he said, placing a soft kiss onto her lips.

How the hell the evening had gone from wanting to rip his head off to a gentle kiss in his arms was beyond her. She still was pissed that she didn't get the answers she was looking for, but she understood that no one would find the answers except for her. This was her task, her fight. Not Eric's. Not Lafayette's, no ones. This was what she had to do on her own.

"Eric?" she asked, looking into his eyes. "Has something happened to Godric?"

She felt stupid for forgetting about the earlier conversation at Fangtasia, but other things had made priority. It wasn't until she had calmed down seconds ago that she remembered what Eric and Sookie were fighting about earlier.

"I have things to do." he said, stepping away from her and walking out of his office.

She stood there in shock as he walked past her. She had just once again, bared her soul to him. Told him all of her fears and insecurities…..even asked for his help. Now he had the audacity to blow her off as if the night had never happened. She deserved better.

He had kidnapped her best friend, locked him in a basement in his own filth, fucked her senseless without her consent, at least at first, and then ordered her to spill out her fucking soul. She set her jaw and turned, waltzing out of his office hot on his heels.

The boy had better watch his back.

Here's another! Trying to make sure the rest of my chapters are good before moving onto bigger and better things! Let me know what you think!