THANKS TO: mindy781, Renny777, LostInSpace33, Mistress-Cinder, nordiclover, B-Rock525, Kittyinaz, desireecarbenell, RomanticSoul, Londa1795, beth626, fondie0280, VAlady, Teampara55
OMG I KNOW you're all going to be mad with Eric, but... he really has no choice, does he?
Chapter 35
"Eric, it's not going to be safe. It's not," I insist. I just know something is going to happen and it's not going to be good at all and I'm afraid for my babies.
"How do you know that?" he asks and I show him my dream. "She saw it. My mother, she saw it, Eric."
"Well we don't know she's prophetic," Pam states.
"How would she know I was pregnant then? Huh?"
"Okay, calm down," Eric says and slips his hand in mine. "Listen, we're already here and that wasn't Enrique that you saw, which means we're probably okay right now."
"Probably okay, Eric? Probably? I really don't want to bank my life on the promise of probably. Who was it in my dream then? Do you know him?"
"I don't."
And that is not at all reassuring. If Eric doesn't know the threat, how can we stop it?
Is this going to be my life now? One threat after another? One huge battle after the next?
"Sookie, you're panicking and it's not good for the babies."
"Well you weren't the one who saw herself chained to a table about to get hacked to pieces," I snap.
"You think I wouldn't be destroyed watching you get hacked to pieces?" he growls.
"Bitches, please, tear each other's hair out later," Pam says. "Don't think it's not any less suspicious that you're still in the car talking when Her Majesty is at the door waiting for you?"
Oh. Right. Eric opens the door and helps me out while two servants come down to help us with our bags, but Meg and Dani make sure to grab mine.
"Isabel!" Eric greets her as he leads me up the few steps to her door.
"Eric," she smiles at him and they embrace and kiss on the cheeks. "I'm glad to have a visit so soon. And Sookie, how nice to see you again."
She hugs me as well and I exchange the kisses too because I don't want to be rude and Eric is obviously more affectionate with her than other vampires. If she truly is on our side, I'd like to keep her that way. I wonder if they were ever lovers.
A few times, long ago, when she was newly created and Godric and I ran into her maker. Not in the last few centuries, though I know she and Godric were very close.
I didn't think I'd asked him that but perhaps I did.
"This is so lovely," I mention as we walk further inside the foyer.
"Isabel, I don't believe you've met my progeny Pamela De Beaufort and her progeny Tara Thornton."
"No, we haven't met," Isabel smiles.
"Majesty," Pam greets her, as does Tara, with a kiss to the hand and then cheek.
"And this is Jessica Hamby, progeny of Bill Compton, who you met already." Isabel nods at Jessica. "And this is Megan and Daniella, part of Sookie's birth team and security." Another nod.
"May I?" she asks as she turns back to me and reaches for my stomach but it's glowing bright green and yellow and I step back. I certainly don't want it to go red and kill her.
"Perhaps tomorrow," Eric interrupts and steps in between her and I. I feel suspicion rising within him because the babies are only yellow when they sense danger. "She's exhausted from the trip."
"What is this, Eric?" she asks, accusingly.
Eric, maybe the babies are just leery with so many new vampires. It doesn't necessarily mean anything.
Sookie, please let me handle this.
"This is me protecting my family, Isabel, and I will do it at any cost."
"Do you honestly think I'd pledge my fealty and then backstab you?" she growls and Pam and Tara automatically move to flank him and surround me.
"It's what vampires often do," I remind her as I stare deeply into her eyes, grateful Tara instinctively knew what to do, as does my Pam.
"You know how good Godric was to me," she says softly. "He took me in when Carlos died and was a great friend to me. You are his progeny and it would spit on his memory to-"
"And I also know you and Enrique have been lovers, Isabel."
"That is but a drop in the bucket compared to Godric and you know it. I swear on my blood that my loyalty lies with you, Eric. Take it."
My eyes zero in as she tilts her head and offers her neck submissively. If I don't do this, it shows weakness and disrespect, but if I do it, Sookie will be hurt.
I'm sorry, Sookie. I'm so sorry, my lover, but I have to take her offer. I have to bite her. You can be mad at me later, but-
I can't wait. If I wait any longer, it's rejecting her and I need her fealty, so I step forward, yank her against me and bite, drinking what's offered.
Sookie, I'm so sorry.
I don't get a response from her but the jealousy through the bond says plenty. I gulp down several mouthfuls before stepping back.
"Thank you, Isabel," I tell her and kiss the top of her head. "Your loyalty means a lot."
"As does yours to me," she responds before introducing one of her servants. "This is María and she will show you to your rooms," she announces. "I have several donors on standby for your enjoyment. I'd be happy to send you one if you like."
"I'll take one or two," Pam smiles at her. "Tara and I are always willing to try the local cuisine."
"But of course," Isabel nods. "And for you, Eric?"
I didn't think it was wise to put out there that Sookie is drinking human blood because the babies require it, so we devised a plan before we left and Pam got the supplies for us.
"Yes, three should suffice. I'm ravenous tonight."
"As you wish," she nods and heads off and María and the other servants ask us to follow them upstairs. I place my hand on the small of Sookie's back to lead her up and feel the tension between us as I do.
"The fridge has water for your human and-"
"I'm his mate," Sookie interrupts angrily. "MATE. And I'm far from human." Then she blasts her with a little fairy light.
"My apologies," the girl says softly. "I meant no disrespect. The dining room will be serving breakfast from eight until ten for anyone interested and of course the phone in your room has the extensions should you need anything."
"Thank you," I nod.
"Majesties," she says and nods before leaving quickly, shutting the door behind her.
"I am intensely sorry," I state as I start to approach her when I'm blasted back onto the bed. "Sookie, I know you're pissed but you know I didn't get off on it." She knows there was no sexual arousal which helps, but I know it's still the principal of it.
"You are mine, Eric," she states and blasts me back again when I try to sit up and notice her stomach is glowing orange, which is new.
"Sookie, are you okay?" I ask and reach for her but my wrists fly back against the headboard and I struggle to move them but I can't. "Sookie? Please tell me it's you doing this and not a spell."
If it's her, fine, but if it's someone else, I can't protect her.
"Tell me, Eric," she demands as she grabs hold of my jeans and they disintegrate right off me. "TELL me you're mine."
"I am, Sookie. You know that, Lover."
"But do you?" she asks as she pulls off her dress and I like where this is going but I still can't get a feeling if she's really angry or if it's mild irritation.
"Sookie, why can't I feel you through the bond?" I wonder. Has something happened?
I must not want you to right now.
She can shield me? Is this something new?
"You're scaring me, Sookie. This is-"
"How mine you are," she interrupts and I try and move my hands to touch her as she climbs up the length of my body, but I can't.
"I couldn't refuse her, Sookie. Please know that I got no pleasure in-"
She grabs my cock roughly. "No pleasure?"
"You know it didn't arouse those feelings or-"
"Oh but you got pleasure," she snarls and her fangs pop out and make me even harder. I struggle more against whatever is holding me, which I feel has something to do with the orange. "You liked drinking her blood, Eric; I felt it."
"Yes." I have to admit that any time I drink blood, I enjoy it. "But not sexual pleasure. Not-" She squeezes me harder and it doesn't hurt yet but it might start to. "It wasn't intimate, Sookie. It was necessary."
"Necessary," she repeats and my shirt dissolves off of me. "So… it'll be necessary for me to feed from the humans. Right?"
I growl at the thought. Partly because it would be extremely sexy to watch her feeding live, if I thought she actually would. And partly because I don't want her fangs anywhere but on me.
"Sookie," I warn her with a slight snarl.
"But it's necessary, Eric. Just like it's necessary for me to remind you exactly where your fangs belong."
Lover, are you messing with me here or are you seriously angry? You know I would not have done it for whimsy or if I had other options.
I hate not being able to read her.
"Just like my fangs belongs here," she states and with near vampire speed, her fangs are buried in my thigh and my femoral artery is spurting blood into her mouth which she's gulping down. I'm groaning and struggling against the grip she has on my wrists and my orgasm shoots up my spine.
When I regain my senses, I'm still hard as a rock but my wrists remain immobile and she's kneeling on the floor, cleaning the blood off my leg. But her presence is back in my blood and I sense her amusement: she's pleased with herself. I do not feel anger or jealousy, but… understanding? She's not angry?
"You came in my hair," she accuses. "I do not come in your hair." Okay, correct. She is angry.
"Well you do not squirt or explode in the same fashion as the male and therefore should have foreseen it being a hazard of biting me there."
"It is still very rude."
"I will wash it out of your hair," I offer as my wrists are finally released. I sit up immediately and pull her up into my lap so I can wrap my arms around her. "So you're not angry?"
"I… was upset. I mean… I'm never going to be okay watching you put your fangs in someone else, but I understand why you had to do it."
"So this little… possessive declaration was a show?" I ask.
She turns and pushes me back against the bed and my wrists are held down again. "Not a show, Lover," she grins sexily. "You are very much mine, Eric Northman."
"I'm okay with that, Sookie," I whisper before she closes her mouth over mine and sinks down on to me. Yes. I am definitely okay with that. In a strange way? I think I was meant to be hers.
.
.
.
AN: Well... shall I duck? Or should Eric?