Chapter Two
Sookie looked up at him. He was mesmerizing.
"I didn't get to properly introduce myself yesterday. I'm Eric." He put his hand out to her and she swallowed hard.
"Sookie." She answered as she shook his hand and then she flushed. "But you know that already." She laughed nervously. His hand felt strong, and she couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like on her body. She flushed again at the thought. What if he was reading her mind right now? That thought was immediately replaced with another one because touching his hand seemed to block out everyone else around her. It was like a heavenly silence that she had never experienced before. Her eyes got wide.
He pulled his hand back and looked at her with confusion. He couldn't read her thoughts. Seeing her now verified that. He thought that last night it was because of the crowded bar but now, standing this close to her. Well, her thoughts were nonexistent. What was she?
"You know its rude to interrupt a wedding party that you weren't invited to." Tara interrupted their staring as Sookie looked back at her.
"Tara!" She had embarrassment wash over her.
"What, it's true. Why are you even here? Looking for a meal?" She raised an eyebrow.
"I'm sorry, you will have to excuse my friend here. I think she had too much to drink." Sookie interjected.
"You don't need to excuse me; I know what I said." Tara stared harshly at him.
"You know what cuz let's get something else to drink." Lafayette grabbed her arm and pulled her aside as she cursed at him.
"I'm sorry about that." Sookie smiled softly. "She isn't used to your um, kind."
"You don't need to apologize for her. I don't require everyone to like me, except you of course." He grinned and she flushed again. She felt like a giddy schoolgirl.
"Can I get you a drink? I don't think we have any True Blood. You are our first vampire here at Merlotte's."
"Then I should definitely make a good first impression." He put his hand out to her. "Dance with me, Sookie?"
"Oh um. I don't really dance." She fidgeted with her hands but then he took it into his.
"Good thing I am a good lead." He closed the distance in more and they began to sway. She felt so incredibly small in his arms and yet she felt safe as well which was odd considering she didn't know this man at all. She glanced around at everyone literally looking at them.
"Everyone is staring." She whispered. Normally she didn't get self-conscious but right now she couldn't help it. She felt like a spotlight was on them.
"They are just jealous that they can't dance with the most beautiful woman here." His words were so seductive she nearly turned into a puddle of mush. "Which reminds me, that is some dress."
She turned even redder as she continued to dance with him. "Why did you come here?"
"To see you." His tone was so certain and confident.
"You did?" Her mouth got dry. "Stalking me?" She smiled nervously.
"Would it make you think less of me if I said yes?" He raised an eyebrow.
"No." She smiled. "How did you know where to find me?" Normally under any other circumstance and with any other guy, she would be totally creeped out to know that this man literally stalked her, but this was Eric. She couldn't even bring herself to think that or maybe she just didn't care. She kept her neck craned up to look at him. They were so close that she could feel his muscles through his shirt, and it did things to her body. She almost forgot that everyone was still looking at them and whispering now.
"You will find that I am very resourceful when I want something."
"You want something from me?" Her voice was just above a whisper.
"Hey, Sook is this guy giving you trouble?" Jason walked over protectively and broke up the moment between them. Sookie stepped back and finally glanced around at everyone who was staring.
"Jason I'm fine." She smiled nervously.
"Thank you for the dance, Sookie," Eric said before walking away. She watched him.
"Earth to Sookie!" Jason got in front of her, and she flushed. "He didn't use his vampire hypnosis thing on you, did he?" He looked her over.
"Jason I'm fine and no he didn't. He was a complete gentleman." She huffed.
"He is anything but, he is not even alive." He rolled his eyes.
"Hey Sookie, is everything ok?" Her boss Sam walked over, and she sighed heavily.
"I am fine. I wish everyone would stop staring at me. It's so rude!" She stormed past them. She hated that those around her treated her like a child when she was anything but. They always looked at her like poor innocent Sookie. She walked over to the table that had the alcohol and she grabbed a beer.
"I don't mind that your friends don't like me." Eric walked up to her, and she couldn't get the smile off her face.
"Yeah, they are just rude." She sipped her beer.
"Don't let them ruin your night. I can leave if you want."
"No." She spoke quickly and then flushed at how needy she sounded. She didn't know what it was about this man. She felt so drawn to him. Maybe he was using some kind of hypnosis on her. "Are you hypnotizing me or something?"
"No, why would you think that?" He raised an eyebrow.
"I just know that your kind can do things like that or at least I heard."
"We can. We call it glamouring, but I am not doing that to you. I tried at the club but…" His words trailed.
"You tried?" Her eyes got wide.
"It didn't work." He looked disappointed but she didn't even care. The fact that he was standing there talking to her was enough for her. "What are you, Sookie?"
"I'm a waitress." She laughed nervously.
"No, you are much more than that." He reached out and brushed a piece of hair behind her ear. "I want to see you again without the crowd."
"You do? Why?"
"Your gorgeous and you intrigue me. You have a quality about you that interests me, and I don't usually find that in a human." He was so matter-of-fact, it was intimidating and refreshing. Most men beat around the bush, but he was not like other men.
"Ok." She smiled sweetly.
"Ok. How about after the party?"
"It will be after midnight then."
"What can I say I am a night owl." He smirked. God, she could get lost in his eyes.
"Oh right." She laughed nervously.
"I will come by and see you." He took her hand into his and then kissed the top of it. "Until then, Sookie." He walked away as Tara came back over.
"You have that look on your face, Sook."
"What look?" Sookie sipped her beer.
"You need to be careful. I've heard stories about them. We are just food to them." Tara said with concern.
Sookie rolled her eyes. "You know they are just trying to live just like we are."
"But they can't because they are not alive. He is dead and you will be too if you continue this."
"You're being dramatic. I love you, Tara I really do but I can take care of myself." She finished off her beer and then ran up to Eric as he was walking away. "We could go now if you like."
"You don't have to ask me twice." He licked his lips seductively and then they both walked off. He took her hand into his as everyone stared.
"So, what do you want to do?" She couldn't get the smile off her face.
"We could just walk. It's a perfect night for that."
"So how long have you been in Louisiana?" She finally asked as they walked hand in hand.
"Since the early eighties. What about you?"
"I thought you knew everything about me?" She smirked.
"Humor me. How long?"
"Born and raised. How old are you?"
"A thousand, give or take a few years."
She stopped walking now as she gasped. "You're a thousand years old?"
"I can't remember exactly when my birthday was but it's close enough. You didn't know that we can be this old?"
"No, that is wild."
"It doesn't freak you out?"
"Not at all. I mean it's amazing. A thousand years' worth of memories. I couldn't even imagine." She smiled.
"You're not like other humans Sookie. Most people are afraid of me."
"Why would I be afraid? You're not planning on hurting me, are you?"
"I wouldn't think of it."
"Well good cause I took kickboxing classes at the YMCA last year."
"Oh, did you now? So, you can totally kick my butt."
"Of course." She smiled. "What's it like being alive for so long."
"Boring and lonely for the most part."
"Really? That is so sad."
"Don't feel sorry for me. I have lived a very fortunate life and I have seen more than most ever will." They began to walk again.
"What do you do for fun?"
"Fun? As in?" He looked perplexed.
"Like as a hobby or whatnot. What do you like to do?"
"I run my club."
Sookie rolled her eyes playfully. "That's work, what do you do for fun?"
"I don't really know." He couldn't remember the last time he actually had fun. "This is fun."
She flushed and was grateful for the darkness to hide it. "So, you don't like to go bowling or skating?"
"No, Sookie I don't do any of those things." He chuckled now and she looked up at him. God this man was sexy as hell. "Is that what you do for fun?"
"Sometimes or I hang out with my friends. I tried to take up knitting with my gran, but I couldn't get the hang of it."
"Well, I can say that is one thing I have never tried." He smirked.
Sookie giggled at the thought of Eric trying to knit. "I think I would pay to see that."
"Oh, you think that is funny, huh?" He stopped walking again and looked at her.
She swallowed hard as he moved in front of her and then as if in slow motion he leaned down. His lips gently brushed against hers as if asking for permission and she granted it immediately. He snaked a hand around her head as the kiss deepened. Their tongues dueled passionately, and she saw stars. He pulled back as his fangs descended. She sucked in a deep breath as she looked at him.
"Sorry." He closed his mouth, and she reached up and touched his face.
"No, I wanna see." She ran her thumb over his bottom lip, and he opened his mouth. She sucked in another deep breath as she saw his fangs. She had never seen them up close like this. She moved her finger to the very tip, and he groaned deeply. The point pricked her finger, and she quickly pulled it back. He reached out and grabbed her wrist. Her eyes got wide as she watched him bring her finger into his mouth. He ran his tongue against it, and she shuddered as her breathing quickened. She had never seen a sexier sight. He sucked against her finger and then pulled it back. Her blood was unlike anything he had ever tasted. He suddenly had the urge to tear her throat open and drain her dry but instead, he dropped her hand.
"I'm sorry. I have to go." He turned from her and before she could say anything he was gone. She blinked in shock, not knowing what the heck had just happened.
Eric got back to Fangtasia in record time. When he went to see Sookie, he had every intention of fucking her and leaving but then he saw her. There was something about her that he just couldn't place his finger on. His normal instincts were being derailed quicker than he could understand. He never got hung up around a human but then again, she wasn't entirely human herself even if she didn't know it. Not only couldn't he read her thoughts or glamour her, but now he had tasted her blood and it was exquisite. It was unlike anything he had ever tasted in his life. The pull to it was overwhelming. What was she?
He made his way inside the club and was immediately met by Pam. "So, did you find her?"
"Not now." He walked past her, and she blinked in shock. He quickly made his way up to his loft above the club. He went to the library there and searched for the book he knew would have the answers. It was like the bible but for vampires. It had all sorts of secrets and stories in it. There was not one single author of the book but many. He began to think of something he had read about nearly a hundred years ago. It was about a set of humans with a rare blood type, one that tasted of liquid sunshine. He flipped through the book as his eyes quickly read the pages. He stopped at the seventy-fifth page and his eyes got wide.
And I saw upon me a creature with such beauty that it took my breath away. She would be my downfall and I would gladly die a hundred deaths to taste her blood again because she was Fae.
Eric sat back as his mind raced. He had never met a fairy before and honestly, he only thought it was a myth but after tonight he questioned that. Was Sookie a fairy? That would explain his attraction and then her blood. He needed to know more. He continued to read on.
Sookie got home and saw her gran was still up reading a romance novel at the kitchen table.
"Oh, you're home. It's still early. I wasn't expecting you for a few more hours. How was the wedding?"
"It was beautiful. Much nicer than the others."
"Well Rene seems like a nice young man, so I hope it works out."
"I'm sure it will. Six times the charm, right?" Sookie laughed.
"Ain't that the truth? Want me to make you something to eat?"
"Oh no, I ate there." Sookie poured herself a glass of sweet tea. "A vampire showed up."
"A vampire? How spectacular. How was that?"
"Well, it made things interesting." Sookie smirked. She hadn't told her gran that she went to a vampire club the night before. Even though she was sympathetic to the vampire cause, there was no need in having her worry. Those clubs could be racy and had quite the stigma around them. Sookie couldn't stop thinking abut him though and how he just left.
"I bet it did. Now I wish I would have gone. I would have loved to have a conversation."
"He is a thousand years old." She still couldn't believe it.
"My word. A thousand years old." Her gran said with astonishment.
"He was very nice. His name is Eric."
"You got to talk to him then?"
"For a little bit. He owns one of those vampire clubs that are popping up."
"I've heard about those. They are not meant for a girl such as you, Sookie."
"I know but it was cool talking to him and weird and awkward." Sookie laughed and then she thought of the kiss. There was nothing weird or awkward about that.
"Does he live here?"
"No, he is in Shreveport. He was just passing through." She lied. She didn't want to tell her gran that she had been stalked by a vampire.
"And how lucky you were to speak to him. I bet he had a lot of great stories. A thousand years, huh? That's a very long time. Do you think you will see him again?"
Sookie's heart raced at the idea. She wanted nothing more than to see him again. "I don't know."
"If you do, try and find out his earliest memory."
"Will do. Well, I am going to head to bed. I am exhausted."
"Ok, darling. I am going to finish reading my story." Gran gave her a kiss on the forehead and then Sookie was heading to her bedroom.
Sookie got ready for bed as her mind drifted back to Eric. She felt silly for obsessing over a man she just met, and he wasn't just any man but a vampire at that.
Eric spent most of his waking night researching all he could about the elusive fairy. His kind had been thought to of drained them all dry a century ago. There wasn't one record of a fairy being alive in this era but nothing else would explain what he had felt and tasted. To think he could have his very own fairy at his disposal at any time he wanted was exhilarating. He knew he had to keep this to himself, and he had to get more proof. Suddenly this was way more than just a sexual conquest of an intriguing girl. This could change his life as he knew it.
