Thank you so much for your reviews. Eric is getting to the point where he must tell Sookie everything. But can he tell her how he feels about her when he is not really sure himself? He is acting a bit high handed but I think he needs to figure a few things out and that is just his way.

Chapter Eight

Sookie stirred as she felt the cool air on her skin. She felt weightless and knew that could only mean one thing.

Eric.

She opened her eyes to look at him. He was so beautiful, yet so deceitful. How could she have been fooled into thinking he cared for her? Her heart ached as much as her head.

Eric looked down and saw the sadness in her eyes. He also felt her lingering anger.

He dropped down from the sky and landed gracefully in front of her porch.

She struggled to get out of his arms and he let her go. He followed her up the stairs to the door.

"Sookie we need to talk "he said as he followed her in the house.

She turned on him then and the anger was back. He felt it as though it was his own. He had to take a step back from the force of it. She had fully opened the bond without even realizing it.

" You've made me into something I don't want to be! You tricked me and I thought you cared. Now I'm supposed to need you for the rest of my life? You've robbed me of everything I could have had!, she cried.

" Sookie what are you talking about?"

" I wanted a life with love and marriage and babies! A life that I chose. Not one that was chosen for me. Now my body needs you when I'm not even sure I want you! You lied to me Eric, you don't care for me. You just manipulated the situation I was in to suit your needs.

"I didn't want any of this, I didn't want to be a pawn in everyone's little game. I just want a normal life!

"Sookie can I please talk? My lover you have it wrong. It seems I have made a mess of things. Would you let me explain and after if you want me to leave I will."his blue eyes were sad and concerned. She saw something else there too. He looked wary of her, as though he was unsure what she was capable of. She felt almost powerful. She calmed a little at the thought that she did have some control.

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. " You can talk but I need to go upstairs and unwind."

" How about you take a bath? I'll run the water for you."

She wasn't sure if she wanted to be naked around him, things always had a way of getting out of control with him and unresolved.

" I promise I will just talk and you will just listen, nothing else."

" That's all?" she asked.

"Unless my lover would like more then I am always happy to oblige."he smiled.

She made a face at him and went upstairs to her room. She heard Eric follow and head to the bathroom. Did she want to hear him out? What if it was like Sam said. She didn't want to need Eric like this. She got undressed and put on her old cotton robe. She could easily be wearing the best lingerie, but she loved this old thing. Eric loved it as almost as much as her favorite blanket. It made her happy that she was able to control and keep certain things, they were hers and she didn't want to change everything about herself. It drove him crazy but he understood and accepted that about her.

"My lover your bath is ready," he called out. She shivered from the tone in his voice. He was pure sex and he knew the effect he had on her.

She knew she had to face him.

He watched her walk into the bathroom and followed her every subtle move. She undid the belt of the robe and let it fall to the floor and stood there. She knew what it would do to him so she took her sweet time. Daintily she got into the tub. The water was perfect.

She closed her eyes and felt the tension start to leave her body, she felt calm and opened her eyes and looked at him. " Eric stop it right now," she said. If I needed help I would ask for it. Stop trying to make everything better throught the damned bond!"

"Sookie it's my responsibility to make sure you are well," he replied.

She didn't answer him, instead she dunked her head under the water and stayed there. The silence in the water was the perfect getaway. When she was younger and needed things to be quiet, the water was the best place to be.

She knew he was waiting. She could feel his impatience.

She came out of the water and found him sitting on the edge of the tub. She waited for him to talk.

"My lover, we are bonded. That means so much to me, more than anything. I know I haven't told you everything but I had every intention to do so. It just never seemed to be the right time. I want to explain everything to you, and I will answer all your questions.

He was quiet for a moment, as if to choose he next words carefully.

"When Andre had you I knew I had to make a choice for you that one day you would regret and perhaps hate me for. I felt that either way you were going to be unhappy but I knew I would be the lesser of two evils. I know Andre well enough to know what he would have done to you for his pleasure...well let's just say I'm very content it was me."

"To be honest I also could not stand the thought of you being with anyone but me. I wanted you to be mine. From the minute I laid eyes on you I wanted you. So there was a ulterior motive behind my actions that day. While I don't regret my decision I do regret not finding the time to explain it all to you sooner.

She started to reply but he held up his hand to stop her. "Let me finish. When we exchanged blood the third time, we changed. You will now need my blood, my touch, and to never be apart for long periods of time. If we are your body will go through withdrawal. You will physically feel ill. You could even die."

"Eric you said "we changed"? What changed for you?"

Her question caught him off guard. He was prepared to tell her what would be different for her, but not for him.

"It seems that I no longer want blood from anyone but you. I no longer entertain the thought of other women either. You are the only woman I want." He said this reluctantly which made Sookie almost laugh. He looked like a child who lost their favorite candy.

"Eric you say that as if it's a bad thing."

"It is and it isn't. I do have an image to uphold and a reputation. Pam says it is bad for business. " Someone needs to pillage the human women at Fangtasia" he said imitating Pam to perfection.

"What else changed besides your physical desire for me?"she asked. She knew as hard as she fought it that she was totally in love with him.

"Nothing,"he said.

Sookie felt a ripple though the bond and knew he was holding something back.

She was getting cold. She stood up and he handed her a large towel to dry off. True to his word he was being a gentleman.

She dried off, put on her robe and went into her bedroom.

He was right behind her. She sat on the bed and stretched out. They were both quiet.

He sat down on the other side of the bed and just watched her.

"So what exactly does this mean Eric? Does this mean that I have to be with you for the rest of my life?

"If you want to be, I can arrange it," he joked. " And don't forget the fantastic sex."

"Don't joke Eric! I mean what if I don't want to be with you specifically? What if I want to fall in love with someone else? What if I want babies? Can you offer me that?

"I will take care of you always Sookie. I will make sure you have everything you need. A bond is as special to a vampire as marriage is to you."

"Eric that's not the same thing. I know you can provide for me, protect me, and care for me. But can you love me? Can you give me children?

"I cannot give you a child Sookie, and this world that we live in is not meant for children."

"And love? she asked.

"I can't give you something I know nothing about," he replied. "I was human a long time ago and marriage was not what it is now. It was necessary to marry and have children. There was caring there. That is what I know and that is what I can offer you Sookie."

"So I am bonded to you, but you will never love me? A loveless marriage without children. That is what you offer me?

"Yes,"he said.

"What if I choose to find someone who will love me?"

"My lover you are special and no human man could last with you. Why do you think you were alone for so long?

" I wasn't talking about human men,"she snapped.

He was filled with jealous rage at the thought of her with someone else. He thought of Bill and wanted to kill him.

"You will not be with Bill Sookie. I forbid it."

"I wasn't talking about Bill! I was talking about Sam!

She regretted the words the minute they came out of her mouth. But she couldn't stop herself, she was furious as well for the whole situation. She knew using Sam was wrong but she was hurting. She needed to see his reaction.

"Your angry? Well be good and angry. Sam would love me and cherish me. I could have babies with Sam and be happy! He could learn to shield his thoughts and we could have a nice life."

But she didn't want Sam, she wanted Eric. She wanted Eric to love her. She wanted him to offer her more. He watched her curiously.

"There is only one problem with that my lover," he said softly.

"Oh really and what would that be?"

He pulled her closer even though she resisted. He was inches from her face. He pulled her face toward him and kissed her ever so sweetly.

"You don't love Sam, Sookie. You love me". He said it so confidently. He knew and had known for a long time now that she was in love with him.

She pulled away from him and turned to the side.

"Please leave Eric."

"Sookie.."

"I told you I would listen. I have. You said you would leave if I wanted you to so I am asking you to please leave."

He was gone in a flash of vampiric speed but not before she felt a kiss on her forehead so soft that it could have been an angel.

She cried then, letting it all come out. Her heart was shattered into tiny pieces. She cried for all she wanted and wouldn't have, for all her lost hopes and dreams, All the feelings she had bottled up inside came pouring out like tidal wave. Just like before with her anger she unintentionally opened the bond and released it all.

Eric was at the end of the driveway when it happened. He felt all her emotions and pain. He clutched his chest and bent over in pain. The bond lashed out at him, whipping his senses and making him feel everything.

He knelt down on the ground and took her pain, realizing how much he had hurt her and himself at the same time. It seemed like hours before the pain subsided and he realized she must have fallen asleep.

What a fool he had been. He would make it up to her. He would learn to love her.

He flew off into the night air and headed home, not realizing that Sookie had laid claim to his undead heart and that the feeling would be returned when he least expected it.