/ I always come back in the end guys lol sorry for the disgustingly long delay I procrastinate every day of my life

She had agreed, he didn't think she would, he thought he was going to have a lengthy battle on his hands to get her to do the ritual. In their human lives he had hounded her for months before she finally caved. Russel had managed to rob them of that small joy of course before they ever had the chance to be linked, the following night he stirred before her. He always did, she was easily one of the laziest people he had ever met in his life, if no one was around to wake her she would sleep for days without question... He didn't mind though, why would he mind? It meant he had an extra hour after he woke, uninterrupted of just having her in the safety of his embrace. Erik was never good with his feelings, he was never good at conveying them but with his Ingrid, she knew, he didn't need words, he just needed to be there.

Eventually she began to squirm in his arms "your mind is always so busy in the morning it comes off you in waves..." She grumbled groggily as she looked up at him her chin resting on his chest "well, my mind is always filled with you so consider it working overtime." She winked. Leaning upwards she pressed her lips to his for not nearly as long as Erik would have liked before she climbed off him and out of the coffin. "In a big rush are we?" He said climbing out after her. "Well, if you want to do this ritual I think you can keep your dick in your pants for one evening, love." She teased her eyes going to the already sizeable bulge forming in his pants. "What can I say, you just have that effect on me." He retorted. "Flattery will get you no where Erik." She bit back with an amused grin.

She quickly changed into fresh clothing and turned to him "I am not familiar with this shit hole part of the world can you think of anywhere secluded? I will need to be near trees if we want a hope of this going our way..." She chewed her bottom lip anxiously, one thing about Ingrid was that she was always confident, always sure that every step she was making was the right one. When she looked anxious it was a cause of concern. "Erik, are you sure you want this, binding ourselves together... It can have a lot of effects, some very negative... This is not something you should be doing on a whim..." She trailed off. He went to her, his arms encircling her immediately "Ingrid, this is all I have ever wanted. Fuck anyone and everything else out there, I want to be yours and I want you to be mine on every level. I would sell my soul to you right now. So, stop second guessing yourself and make me even more obsessed with you than I already am you insane bitch."

She laughed at this "you always know just what to say to me... Lead the way..." She said standing to the side she took his hand, lacing her long slender fingers with his they climbed the stairs into the open air of the bar. It was already starting to take in customers, Pam was at the helm seated in Erik's chair.

"Where are you two skulking off to during business hours?" Pam asked a brow arched at them both as they headed for the door.

"We are off to do something incredibly reckless, selfish and stupid Pamela, we should only be about an hour though." Ingrid responded.

Pam gave a wily grin at this response "well have fun you crazy kids, don't do anything I wouldn't do. Which doesn't leave much."

As they left the bar Erik scooped Ingrid up and once again moved as fast as his legs could carry him back to the exact same spot he had taken her the night prior when he asked her to bind them together.

"Erik I can go as fast as you stop carrying me places!"

"I like carrying you places."

"Well I do not, how about I start carrying you places and see how you enjoy it."

"I am too tall for you to carry me anywhere."

"Oh, do shut up."

She nodded taking in the surroundings "this should be sufficient..." She mused. He didn't utter a word as she paced the small woodland area not wanting to break her concentration.

"Ok, take off your shirt and kneel down for me, love."

He did so without hesitation, falling to his knees his shirt was discarded instantly, she removed her own before pulling a small blade from her back pocket. She dragged it along her palm, the scent of her blood filled Erik's nostrils and clouded his senses, he felt his fangs immediately release themselves as she walked to him, going on her knees before him she dipped her fingers in the blood that had gathered in her pal. Across his chest she began painting runes. "Erik Northman of Sweden, do you give yourself to me? Your body, your heart, you soul? Do you pledge your fealty to me in this life and the next before the earth and the gods?" As she spoke she continued to draw intricate symbols on him with her blood, finally she drew two lines of blood across his lips and down his chin.

"I pledge my body, my heart, my soul and anything else of mine I have to give, before the earth and the gods." He meant every word, he would give her whatever she wanted, if she asked him to rip his heart out and hand it to her he would have.

She turned the knife over and handed it to him "your turn." He dragged the blade along his hand and repeated the process, writing words of adoration and dedication in runic on her skin. Ingrid Renouf of Sweden, do you give yourself to me? Your body, your heart, you soul? Do you pledge your fealty to me in this life and the next before the earth and the gods?" He asked dragging his blood over her parted lips.

"I pledge my body, my heart, my soul and anything else of mine I have to give, before the earth and the gods." She responded instantly, there was no hesitation, this is what they wanted, this felt right, it felt like fate.

She looked him in his eyes "do you trust me Erik?"

"With my life."

"Would you live for me? And die for me?"

"Without question..."

"The gods need to know we are serious, to truly live for each other, we need to die for each other first."

She pulled out a second blade and pointed it at his chest, she grabbed his hand and placed his blade pointing at her chest.

"If you trust me, like I trust you, stab me, right through the heart."

He should have been nervous, he should have been saying no, but he did trust her, and he wasn't scared. He was putting their lives in her hands and he trusted her to protect them.

"I love you, my Volva."

"I love you more, my king."

Without another word passing between them they pushed the knives into each others chests directly through their hearts, it hurt, it hurt like a motherfucker. They should have turned into a pile of vampire soup in that moment but instead... They were whole, still breathing, in significant pain but alive. A raven appeared next to them, its cold black eyes taking in the scene before it. After several stunned seconds the bird flew away and Ingrid ripped the knife from Erik's chest Erik doing the same with her. The gasp that exuded from both of them was like breathing in for the first time. The wound immediately healed but it left a scar, the mark of the knife.

Erik looked into Ingrid's eyes and nearly fell backwards he was so overwhelmed. He could feel her, he could feel how she felt, he could see into her very being. It was like he was her and she was him, they were one in the same. Hyper aware of the others emotions. She looked like his past, like the old Ingrid, he felt like he was going to die if he did not touch her, if he did not have her in his embrace, his skin was itching to be pressed against hers.

"It worked."

"It 100% worked, I can feel... Everything..." Ingrid whispered her fingertips trailing along the small scar on his chest "I can feel you, its like you're all around me." She said somewhat mystified. "Did you see the bird? The All Father has blessed our union, the gods smile upon us." She said taking his face in her hands. He could feel her euphoria, it was matching his own. He pressed his lips to hers hard, she tasted like fire and death and memories and sin, he could drown in how she tasted, how could he ever stop kissing her? How could he ever stop drinking her in now... They clung to each other, fingers tangled in hair, the only sound to be heard being their lips desperately pressing to each other.

That was until another sound broke up the euphoria of the moment.

"Oh Jesus Christ really? In the middle of the woods?!" The shrill southern accent could only belong to one little annoyance. A growl rumbled in Eriks throat as he turned to look at her, there she stood, arm linked with her own little undead southern gentleman Mr Compton.

Bill took in the sight, both of them covered in symbols painted in blood, bloody daggers in the grass... He could sense something was off. Erik moved quickly to immediately cover Ingrids modesty and put her shirt back on.

"I apologise Ms Stackhouse but you are interupting something quite important so feel free to go back to dead grandmas house anytime." Erik said cooly.

He could feel Ingrid now more than ever, her irritation at Sookie being in their presence, her disgust at Bill for settling for a human... It mirrored his own feelings with one difference. Bills concerned gaze kept finding Ingrid, it was concerned and suspicious but something spiked in Erik at the sight... Protectiveness... Jealousy...

Ingrid appeared by his side, her hand slipping into his immediately redirected his attention back to her, she was the most sublime distraction, he instantly forgot about Bill, about Sookie, all he saw was her. Until that shrill noise started again.

"What are y'all doing out here?! Because the last thing this place needs is more supernatural bullshit!"

Ingrid's eyes narrowed "I have been patient with you, you insignificant little primate. I have not killed you or anyone you know, I even tolerate that pathetic excuse of a vampire you are courting. But, this has been one interruption too many when I am with Erik. So I am giving you a 10 second head start, you have 10 seconds to run before I follow you, and when I catch you I am going to drain every drop of blood right out of that little body of yours. So, you better start running, you only have 7 seconds and counting now."