Beautiful Stranger

Chapter Thirty-Five

Robert sat with me on the wall outside Potter and Reeves dress shop, in central New Orleans. It was a hot sunny day, so we'd bought ice cream after my fitting, and now we were racing to finish it before the sun made the rest of it run over our hands. I'd decided that Robert was the best shopping buddy I could have had. He was quick to tell me if something suited or not, and had a good eye for colour. We'd found a classic blue ball gown with plunging neckline and open back, which the seamstress was now turning into something a little less formal for me. Robert had told the woman to charge the cost to a credit card Pam had given him for my use. Then he led me into the small, lace , silk and not very practical section, and left me alone to fill two bags with things I thought Eric might like. As an afterthought I added a few pairs of "No Viking sex god tonight" pants for good measure. I browsed the rest of the shop, adding everything I would need to keep a wardrobe up here. Robert kept encouraging me to buy more, because I hadn't reached anywhere near the spend that Pam had suggested, but I felt wrong spending so much of Eric's money already.

"Are you happy with the choices you're making, Sookie?" Robert asked me out of the blue.

"Choices? I don't know Robert," I'd been deliberately avoiding this.

"You know life with Eric won't be easy. You know he can't marry you unless he turns you," he was studying me. Robert's intense gaze made me squirm a bit inside.

"I'm not going to be a vampire," I told him. That bit I was quite sure about. As for the rest, I didn't think I could accept being a consort, and I really didn't like the idea of Eric being married to someone else. Even if it was Peter Threadgill, in fact that idea annoyed me too.

Robert had helped me open the little door I'd been avoiding all day. I thought over the things Eric had said last night, while he had done the things to me that he had done. He'd played me. The realization hurt, but he really had. He'd worked me into such a fuss, our most intense night together ever, so he could drop bombs on me and get away with it. I thought about his sad eyes, his hurt expression when he'd told me I could not be queen. He'd never intended it to be any other way.

When the tears started to gather in my eyes Robert leaned in close, his huge presence giving me some comfort.

"I wondered when that would hit," he said gently. "I know what he told you, what you thought you believed. Don't judge him too harshly Sookie, he really does love you. But he'll always be a vampire, and one with ambition at that. He'll see nothing wrong with that cosy little scenario, as long as you don't."

"I can't accept it," I told him. "I won't be his little secret, his plaything. I'm better than that. I told him once before he had to love me right or not at all!"

"Time you told him again, I think."

Robert made a play punch at me, his idea of cheering me up. Now I did feel bad about spending so much of Eric's money, but the dress had been altered and the rest had already been charged. We went back to the former monastery, Robert helping me get the bags to the room.

"I have to leave Sookie," Robert said as I hung the new dress on a hanger over the bathroom door.

"Why?" I didn't want him to go.

"Sookie I have other things to do, but I'll check in on you in a day or two. Just be careful around the vampires, none of them mean you any harm, but they see harm in a different way to others. I can't stay around here much longer in case one of them forgets themselves around me!"

After he'd gone I showered, then fixed my hair and make up. With a bit of a struggle I managed to get the newly altered dress on, and made sure everything was secure inside it. I found Eric towelling himself off in Sophie-Anne's old room.

Just for a moment the sight of Eric, wet from the shower, muscles pumped and hair soaked back, made me forget why I was here. I made half a step towards him before I caught myself.

"I need to talk to you Eric," I looked straight at his handsome face, not at any other part of him that was shamelessly on show.

"Will it wait? Peter will be here soon and I need to see Pam before he gets here."

"No it will not! It's important we talk right now, before you agree to anything," he looked a lot less amused, but nodded for me to go on.

"What's on your mind Sookie?"

"You, all the time. From I wake until I sleep there you are. When I dream, there you are. Eric I love you, I want to spend my life with you, but I will not be second to anyone. I know you have ambitions, but if one of them is to be with me, it has to be only me!"

"But Sookie, you know what might be involved in my becoming a king, and you know our rules on marriage. I can't marry you unless you are one of us, and I might need that alliance."

"Eric you have your kingdom. Why would you hurt me this way? I won't be second to anyone, not even a king! Do you remember what I told you in the forest the night the renegades attacked me?"

Eric's eyes softened as he smiled, remembering. He nodded.

"Well I damn well meant it. I've accepted a lot of change in the way I see the world since I met you, but I won't accept this. I want to be with you, but in the open and honest and where everyone can see. I am not consort material."

He closed the gap between us, putting his arms about my shoulders. It was no accident that the towel fell away completely as he did.

"Then it shall be as you say, Sookie. I will not lose you," he told me.

Eric's perfect naked body was pressed against me, his hands were everywhere, his mouth found mine. He pulled away for a moment to look in my eyes.

"Maybe we should just write our own rules. Would you marry me if it were possible?"

"In a heartbeat," I told him.

"Don't have one of those," he smiled.

"Are you proposing or not?" I asked him, aware that our relationship might be about to leap forward, or fall flat.

"I suppose I am, Sookie. Will you be my queen?"

"What about your rules?" I countered.

"I am king, I'll make my own rules," he assured me.

"That sounds more like my Eric, of course I'll be your queen. But I want a big day and a big dress. I want to do this right."

"Big dress we can do, big day might be tricky," he laughed.

With one good pull Eric undid all the careful sewing the seamstress had done on my dress. As the remnant fell to the floor he lifted me in his strong arms, carried me to Sophie-Anne's bed. For a while we lost ourselves in each other.

We were still lying, wrapped up in each other, when Pam came in looking for Eric.

"Threadgill's here," she told Eric. "Will I let him in?"

"Do, and summon the rifles, this might not go well!"

Pam stopped long enough to look Eric and I over, "I'll see to it."

A/N This was tricky to write, I hope it works...