3. After Hours

Estelle smiled in greeting as Eric came into the living room and kissed her cheek. "What have you been up to today, Bean?"

Her smile grew wider at the use of his special nickname for her. "Reading, planting, training."

Eric chuckled and gave her an indulgent smile. "The usual, then," he teased as he made his way into the kitchen. "You should expand your activities."

Closing her book, Estelle got to her feet and padded over to the kitchen bar. "I like books."

This was always her response when he would try to get her to do other things. Sometimes she would go on to explain that she could picture the worlds the words described in her mind as though she was there. He couldn't argue with that; he also felt that way about books, but he also wanted her to experience other activities.

He could feel her eyes on him as he poured himself a glass of blood and put it in the microwave. He hit "start" as he said, "What is on your mind, Sister?"

"What time are you leaving tonight?"

The microwave beeped.

Eric removed his breakfast and finally turned to face her as he took a long sip. He lowered his glass and licked his lips. "I'm not." At her confused expression, he continued. "I told Pam I would be taking the night off to spend time with you."

Estelle's face lit up. "Really?"

He nodded as he raised his glass and gulped down nearly half of the red liquid. He set the glass down and rested his forearms on the bar top. "I am all yours tonight, Bean, so what would you like to do?"

His blue-eyed charge beamed at him. She then bit her lip as she thought about what she'd like to do. "Need new books. Read them all."

Eric laughed as he finished his blood. "At the rate you acquire new books, we're going to run out of living space in six months," he teased as he took his glass to the sink and began to wash it.

Estelle stuck her tongue out at his back. "Will not!" she retorted.

After drying and putting his glass away, Eric faced her and leaned against the counter. "I think it's time for you to learn about an electronic device called a Kindle."

Her brow furrowed. She had seen Kindles on display at the bookstore whenever Eric would take her to buy more books. She had always preferred the smell of books, holding them in her hands, turning the pages… Those things brought her a sense of comfort when she felt overwhelmed or just needed solace. A Kindle couldn't do that, surely.

"Do not turn up your nose at the idea of a Kindle," Eric told her. "There are many advantages to having one. For instance; you wouldn't have to choose only a few books to bring with you to Fangtasia. You would have an entire library at your disposal."

There was some merit to that, Estelle had to admit, but she wasn't completely sold on the idea. She liked being able to curl up in their library with a pile of books and just escape into the worlds the authors had created. She informed Eric of this and added, "I like going to the bookstore."

The Barnes and Noble in Shreveport was the only place, apart from Fangtasia, that Eric would allow her to go. She wasn't allowed to go alone, of course, and she honestly didn't want to. If he couldn't take her, he would enlist Pam to accompany her. After everything he had learned Estelle had been through Eric was very careful about bringing her out in public. He didn't want to risk her being found by the people that had held her captive and experimented on her before she escaped and found Nora.

Eric sighed. "I know, Bean, but the books are piling up, and I don't just mean on the coffee table," he said. "I know we have plenty of money, but I am not going to expand the library again. I've done it twice already."

Estelle became contrite as she looked up into the blue eyes that were exactly like hers. "Okay, I will accept a Kindle," she told him with a slight tone of reluctance. "I will reorganize the library to make all the books fit."

"You doing house work was not the point of this conversation."

"Aware. Want to do it."

There was no point in arguing with her. When Estelle set her mind to something, there was no changing it. "So be it."

Estelle beamed and Eric's non-beating heart swelled. There was nothing he wouldn't do for her, barring letting her go out in public. Not that she wants to go out, he thought. In fact; the raven-haired teen was quite the recluse. When Eric had first brought her home, she had spent an entire week hiding in the unused attic space that she now called her room, or more accurately, her roost. Of course, he quickly found out that she wasn't exactly hiding, she was fixing the area to her liking, having claimed it as her own.

Eric cleared his throat. "So, what would you like to do? Have you eaten dinner yet? I could order in from that place you like. Or we could cook something together."

"Had blood oranges and grapes."

Eric leaned forward and rested his forearms on the bar top. "Then what will we be doing, Little Jumping Bean?"

"Show you."

She turned and started down the hallway. Eric followed her, easily catching up due to his long legs and his brief spurt of vamp speed. Estelle took his hand as he appeared by her side, leading him to the stairs, down another hallway, into their large entertainment room. She let go of his hand and walked over to the built in shelves that held Eric's video games. He watched as she ran her finger over the cases as she read the names, amused by the learned action.

When she found a game she thought might be interesting, she took it from the shelf and showed it to Eric. "Teach me?"

Eric chuckled. "You want to learn to play a video game?"

Estelle nodded. "Please?"

As he moved past her, he kissed her on the head quickly. "If this is what you want to do, then who am I to refuse? Get the controllers and get comfortable."


"Play again?"

Eric set his controller down and chuckled as he looked at Estelle, who was looking as pleased as punch. She had just beaten him for the sixth time in a row. "I think ten times is enough for me," he laughed. "I should have known better than to taunt you after the first game. You and your photographic memory are going to be the death of me, I think."

Estelle punched him in the side, hard enough to hurt but not cause any damage. At his astonished expression she commented, "Dislike you talking about dying."

He gently brushed her cheek with his fingers and tapped her nose. "Forgive me, Bean." He picked up his controller again. "To make it up to you, how about we play two more levels?"

Estelle pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes, thinking. She held up three fingers. "Or no deal."

Eric grinned and winked at her. "You're on."

"Will you be seeing Genevieve before you go to ground?" Estelle asked when they had finished one level.

She could tell that he really wanted to. His eyes, always sparkling with laughter, somehow got even brighter at the mention of the beautiful bartender. "I didn't think I should," he admitted. "From what I know of human women, it can be a turn off if a man seems too eager to see them."

This was something Estelle thought absolutely ridiculous! She wasn't an expert on love, by any means, but she had read plenty of books that showcased it and she wanted that for her brother. He was the most important person in her life and she wanted him to be happy. She turned to face him, sitting cross legged, and placed her hand on his arm. "Should go."

"Este…"

The teenager leaned forward and put her hand over his mouth to stop his protest. "Genevieve is special to you," she noted. "Do not let her slip away."

Once again, Estelle's powers of observation astounded him. "I don't know if she's working tonight."

"Call Bellefleurs," Estelle told him, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

Without another word, Eric took his cell phone from his pocket and found the number for Bellefleur's. Seconds later, he had the phone up to his ear waiting for someone to answer.

After four rings, and no answer, he was about to give up, but on the fifth ring, the line clicked.


"Arlene, your whiskey sours are up."

"Gen, I need a pitcher of Dixie Draft and three glasses for table six," Jessica called out as she walked past the bar to put a food order in at the kitchen window.

"Comin' up," Genevieve replied over the noisy chatter of the customers.

She had the glasses on a tray and the pitcher half filled by the time Jessica came back. Jessica smiled her thanks as Genevieve placed the pitcher on the tray before turning to answer the ringing phone. "Bellefleur's, how can I help you?"

"Hello, Miss Mason," greeted the voice on the other end. "Just the person I was hoping to find."

Genevieve's breath caught in her lungs. There was only one person, or vampire, that called her Miss Mason and had a voice as smooth as silk. "Eric?"

"Yes."

"Wha… Um… What can I do for you?" Was that really my voice?

"So many things, Miss Mason," Eric answered, the hint of a moan in his voice.

A warm feeling spread in her belly at the innuendo. Oh, God, she thought, swallowing and breathing slightly harder. She was really glad that he couldn't actually see her right now. The fact that he could probably pick up the subtlest changes in her voice and breathing was bad enough, she didn't need him seeing the heated flush creeping into her cheeks, too.

"But, in this instance," Eric continued, "you can tell me what time you get off work. I want to see you."

Her heart leapt in excitement. "Hey, Gen, can I get a rum and Coke and a vodka on the rocks?"

She gave Heather, the new waitress, a nod of acknowledgement and held up a finger. "I've gotta get back to work, but, I'm off at eleven," she said into the phone.

"I will be waiting."

Genevieve warmed at those words. "I'll see you later, then."

His soft chuckle practically vibrated through her. "Yes, you most certainly will."

Oh, God!

She placed the phone back on the cradle and turned to Heather, pulling her hair up into her usual messy bun. "Rum and Coke and vodka on the rocks, yeah?" she double checked.

Heather nodded, her short dark hair bouncing with the motion. "Yes, ma'am."

"You got it."

Leaning her forearms on the bar, Heather watched as Genevieve grabbed two glasses and filled one with ice. Their eyes met when Genevieve turned and put the glasses on the bar. "What?" she asked, suddenly self-conscious.

"I hear a certain tall, blonde vampire has piqued your interest."

"Who told you that?"

Heather smiled. "Oh, a little birdie."

Genevieve chuckled and shook her head. "Arlene," she deduced, pouring vodka into the ice filled glass. "So what if he has?"

"Girl, if I were you, I'd buy a ticket on that ride!"

With a sly smile, Genevieve placed the vodka rocks on Heather's tray and began making the rum and Coke. "I'm thinking about it."

"Well, don't take too long. There are thousands of women out there that would love for a man like Eric Northman to make them his."

Finishing the rum and Coke, Genevieve put it on the tray and chewed on her lip absently as she poured herself a Coke. Heather's words echoed through her mind. Thousands of women? That has to be an exaggeration… Right?

Her attention was diverted to the customers now sitting at the bar. "What can I get ya?"


True to his word, Eric was waiting for her when she came out of Bellefleur's after her shift. He watched her from the cover of the trees as she locked her purse in the trunk of her car. There seemed to be a problem with the latch because it wasn't shutting properly.

At the sudden appearance of a large, pale hand on her car's trunk, Genevieve drew in her breath and whirled around, ready to scream. Seeing Eric, she let out her breath in a sigh and relaxed against her car. "I'm getting a strange sense of déjà vu," she said with a slight grin.

Eric smirked in reply as he handed her keys to her. "Yes, it seems you have a habit of dropping your keys whenever I am around."

"And it seems you have a habit of appearing out of nowhere when I least expect it," Geneveive retorted, tilting her head up as he drew closer.

He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and shook his head. "Not out of nowhere," he said. "I was watching you from the trees."

"I have my own personal stalker," Genevieve joked. "That's not creepy at all."

She has no idea how easily I could stalk her if I wanted. And a part of him wanted, very badly. "You are a beautiful woman, Ms. Mason. Is it wrong that I want to watch you?"

Warmth spread through her cheeks as he brushed her cheek with the backs of his fingers. Genevieve looked down, but Eric gently lifted her chin with a finger. "Am I making you not want to talk?"

He would remember that, she thought. Well, no use in denying it. "Yes."

His eyes moved to her lips, newly wet and slightly parted. "Would you like to go for a walk?"

"That's… probably a good idea."

Eric took a step back and smiled as Genevieve took hold of his hand. "Come on," she said, turning to face him and walking backwards a few steps. "The lake isn't far from here. We can take our shoes off, sit with our legs hanging over the edge of the dock. Or lay in the grass and look up at the stars."

Hearing the soft lapping of the lake, Eric leaned down and swept her into his arms. "Do you get motion sickness?"

"No… Why?"

Confusion crossed her features when her feet touched the ground. She looked down. Wood? Looking around, she gasped. She looked around at the lake as she let her hair down and then up at Eric. "Did we just… fly?"

"I ran."

Genevieve's brilliant smile lit up her face as she pushed her fingers into her hair and twirled, giggling. When she faced him again, he took her hand. "Come on, Tiny Dancer."

He led her to the end of the dock and shrugged out of his jacket, laying it out on the dock for her to sit on. Genevieve toed off her shoes and sat on the jacket. "Thank you."

Eric sat with his back to the lake, stretching his long legs out in front of him as he leaned back on his hands. "What?"

Genevieve blushed at having been caught staring. She bit her lip as she tucked her hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry, it's just…" She looked up at him through her lashes. "Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?"

"Yes."

Confidence dripped from that one simple word like honey from the comb. Genevieve couldn't help laughing softly. "Why doesn't that surprise me?" she wondered aloud.

"Because you are an intelligent woman."

"And how could you possibly know that? You just met me a few nights ago."

"I have been around long enough to know an intelligent person when I see one." He cocked his head thoughtfully. "What was it you were admiring when you were looking at me?"

Genevieve looked down at her hands, one side of her mouth quirked up in a shy smile. "Your arms," she barely whispered.

Eric glanced at his arm, confirming her assumption that he would hear her. He regarded her curiously. "What about them?"

What about them, indeed. As someone that had danced practically her whole life, Genevieve often found herself observing the arms of men. She considered a sort of occupational hazard considering how often she had been held, lifted, and thrown by them.

Eric's arms were perfect. Long and hard with the muscle of someone that was used to a hard day's labor. Or someone that did a lot of running. Well defined, but not hulking. Arms capable of comforting and protecting, gentleness and destruction. They were the kind of arms she could be happy in for the rest of her life.

Shifting slightly, she coiled an arm around his and ran the fingers of her other hand along the length of his bicep. "They're… nice."

Eric's muscles flexed and contracted as he moved his arm so that his hand was on the other side of her. Carefully, he slipped his arm under her legs and whispered, "Don't let go."

Due to the shift in his position, she could feel his breath on her skin when he spoke. The feeling sent a desirous heat straight to her belly. She swallowed and let out a shaky breath as she nodded.

With ease and gentleness, Eric lifted her onto his lap. "Now that I have you, what will I do with you?" he teased, circling his other arm around her, effectively "trapping" her.

"Kiss m- Mmm."

Her hands tightened on his arm and her back straightened as he pulled her closer. She had wondered what kissing him would be like since meeting him two nights ago. She'd thought he'd be good, but nothing could have prepared her for this.

His lips commanded hers, nibbling and sucking with the expertise of a man who knew how a woman wanted to be kissed. His large hands gripped her hips. Genevieve unwrapped her arms from his and braced her hands on his strong shoulders as he lifted her. When she was set down on his lap again, she was straddling his thighs.

She inhaled deeply as Eric slid an arm around her waist, pulling her hips flush with his. A soft growl vibrated through his chest as Genevieve pushed her fingers into his hair. When she gripped his hair, a deeper, louder growl rose up causing her to pull away from him in alarm.

"I'm sorry, did you not like that?" Genevieve panted.

The corner of Eric's mouth turned up in a cocky smirk, enjoying her breathlessness. "No, I liked it very much." He brushed her hair away from her neck and dragged his nose up the length of her neck to her ear. "Do it again."

Genevieve whimpered as he kissed the sensitive spot just below her ear. Her fingers found his hair again and she tilted her head, as he trailed kisses down her neck. She fisted his hair tight and pulled his head back when he nipped at her pulse point. It didn't escape her knowledge that she was only able to do this because he was allowing her.

As a vampire, he was much stronger than her and would be more than capable of keeping his mouth on her neck no matter how hard she pulled at his hair. He could do anything to her and she would be utterly powerless to stop him. At least he has the courtesy to pretend I'm in control, she thought, shifting to raise up on her knees.

Eric grinned mischievously. "You can't deny that you liked that."

Or not. Genevieve relaxed her legs and loosened her grip on his hair. "Just… don't break the skin, okay?"

His face went serious as he smoothed her hair back when a gentle breeze blew it in her face. "Until you say otherwise, I will keep my fangs to myself," he told her sincerely. "You have my word."

Genevieve shook her head and put her small hands on his cheeks. She stared at his mouth, smiling a bit when he playfully caught her thumb between his teeth as she brushed it across his bottom lip. "Eric, I want you to be yourself. I'm just asking you to not break my skin."

Eric nodded once in agreement and slid his hand around to the back of her neck. "Can I go back to kissing you now?"

"Beast," Genevieve teased, smiling as he pulled her face to his.

"Beauty," he replied, capturing her lips.


*Author's Note- Hey, I hope you enjoyed the third installment of Crimson Tides! I want to thank y'all for being so patient. I've been working hard on this project and The Pureblood: Dark Heart. It's slow going, but I really hope y'all are happy with the results. Please, if you have anything you wish to say, let me know by leaving a comment in the box below... Or hop on over to my Facebook author page at JustAGirlThatLovesToWrite. I look forward to hearing from you! -Much Love, Sarah