A/N: Hey guys! Wow, I can't believe I got to chapter 10 already. That's so cool! I hope you'll enjoy it.
My sincere thanks to all of you, who read this story, send me reviews, PM's, alerts, and put me on your favorites; I TRULY appreciate it. :)
Especial thanks to Laura from The Sookie Stackhouse Series Forum. She's a sweetheart and helped me with the title for this one. It's a song from the band My Morning Jacket. So thanks, Laura.
My eternal gratitude to my **awesome beta CassandraMello. She's The Best. And a big thanks to LindsayK, for her constant support and great input. This is for you, Linds! ;)
Chapter 10 – Touch Me I'm Going To Scream
"Who the hell do you think you are?" Alcide growls back.
"Northman, Eric Northman. And she is with me." Eric assesses him coldly; his face is rock hard and expressionless.
The testosterone in the room is rising to an alarming level. I shudder as a cold shiver runs down my spine. I'm keyed up in such a pitch of tension that I feel I'm gonna be sick any minute now. My mind races, trying to figure out a way to prevent the impending clash.
Alcide glares at me. "Is that true, Sookie?" His voice ignites with anger and I cringe aghast. I could smell beer on his breath; Alcide was never a good drinker. Shit. This can't be good.
"Oh, I'm not—well, yes, sort of," I confirm shifting my wide-eyed gaze between him and Eric.
"Did you leave me for this asshole?" Alcide barks irate, startling everyone in the room.
"Alcide, please. You're hurting me. There is no need for this. Let's talk like civilized people," I appeal tentatively. He twists my forearm in response, with so much force that it makes me flinch in pain. He doesn't seem to know what he's doing; he stares at me with a dazed gaze as if he'd been out of his head.
"Get your hands off of her. Now!" Eric commands, his tone fiery. I look back at him and my pulse quickens at once. Crap.
Alcide lets go of me with a rough movement, causing me to stumble a few steps backwards before I'm able to regain my balance again. He launches himself at Eric, raising a fist to slam into his face. But Eric deflects the blow with apparently ease and strikes him right back. Alcide sways on his feet as he tries to steady himself. He throws another punch at Eric, and this time he succeeds. He manages to cut Eric's eyebrow, probably with the big ring he always wore on his middle finger.
Some girls love moments like this, when two good-looking guys fight for them. But I hate it. I feel sick and somewhat responsible. I just want it to be over. "Stop!" I bellow, feeling frantic.
They don't pay the slightest attention to me. They keep hitting each other in every place they can reach, breaking the nearest objects as one struggles with the other's grip.
"You two stop that right now!" I try again when I see the blood flowing from Eric's eyebrow and Alcide's mouth. Everybody stops to watch the fight with expressions that twirl between shock, fear and excitement. Eric punches Alcide right in the jaw yet again, making him totter backwards.
"Somebody, please pull them apart?!" I cry out hopeless. I'm not crazy enough to do it myself. They're huge, heavy, and very well-built men; I would probably get killed and they wouldn't even notice.
Sam listens to my cries and tries to hold Alcide back, but he breaks free of his grasp, roaring inhumanly and attacks Eric again like a raging bull presented with a red cape. I scream, horrified. Eric dodges and hits Alcide's face and upper body. Alcide tries to kick Eric but misses. They wrestle for what seems like forever before Eric is able to knock Alcide's head with so much force he staggers across the room; his whole body thudding hard as he hits the opposite wall. He doesn't stand up this time. I stare at him wide-eyed, completely paralyzed.
"God dammit! Are you two crazy or something?" I shriek, freaking out.
"Calm down, Sookie. It's over now; Eric won," Pam offers, patting my shoulder, grinning proudly. I keep forgetting that she loves trouble and tonight was definitely a plate full for her.
"I'm sorry it came down to this, Sookie…" Eric says sincerely, his voice trailing off.
I glance back at him and notice for the first time just how bad off he is. He has a small cut above his eye and his face is covered in blood. "Oh my God, Eric. Are you all right?" I ask concerned, surveying him up and down.
"Yes, I'm fine." He diverts his eyes from my avid gaze and strides away, taking a seat on the sofa.
I'm perplexed by the turn of events. Everything was running so smoothly. Well, as smoothly as a party can be… and then a hunk fight goes off on my living room, because of me; I can't bring myself to swallow that one down.
Sam approaches me, looking pretty abashed, "I'm sorry about Alcide, Sook. He had a couple of drinks before we got here… He insisted that he needed a few drinks to have the guts to see you. And I think it may have been too much for him. Alcide isn't a good drinker. It's my fault; I should have stopped him." He looks downward, appearing really upset while talking to me; it is not exactly the Sam I am used to.
"This is not your fault, Sam. It's his fault. Oh, how is the poor girl he brought with him? I feel sorry for her. She had to witness it all… What a shame." I say sadly, shaking my head.
I take a quick look at Alcide and see he's being examined by Eric's colleague, Rasul; Alcide's girlfriend is looking very displeased by his side. He wakes up confused and tries to get to his feet, but can't. Sam goes to help him to stand, putting Alcide's arm over his shoulder and taking a good grip at his torso. But he's too big, so Terry helps him to carry Alcide out. Sam apologizes to me once more before they all leave as quietly as possible.
Pam ineffectively tries to keep the party going, but our guests seem rather weary and soon they start to disperse. My friends also leave and I apologize for the incident for a second time, making sure they're all fine. I glance back at Eric who is still sitting on the couch. He's applying pressure to the cut on his eyebrow to stop the bleeding. Amelia and I begin to clean up the mess from the party… and the one Eric and Alcide made, although my mind isn't in the slightest into the task at hand. I keep thinking how the hell did that happen and why did Eric defend me. No, really, why? He didn't have to, not at all.
Amelia complains that I'm doing everything wrong at least three times before telling me to do something else. I stare at her a little disorientated. I look around and notice that only she, Pam, Eric, and I remain at the apartment. "Some party, huh?"
"Quite entertaining thanks to you, Sookie," Pam says amused. I shoot her a puzzled look.
"I'm heading home… You can send me a bill for the damage. I'll pay for it," Eric speaks out of the blue.
"Over my dead body, Eric. You can't drive like this; you're bleeding. I'll give you a ride after you receive proper care," Pam replies blatantly. "That said… Go fix him up, Sookie. It's your fault he looks like a chagrined dog. Besides I utterly hate the sight of blood. Yuck!"
"Ah, but, um—he's your brother, and—" I start to say nervously.
Eric cuts me off by saying, "I'm perfectly capable of driving back home, Pam." His tone is bordering on irritation.
"I don't have time for this shit," she retorts, giving both of us her best death glare. How could someone ever say no to her? Geez…
I gape at her bluntness while squirming to find the right words, "Um… Pam is right Eric, you shouldn't drive like this. And this is really my fault, please. Let me at least take care of that for you."
He searches my face intently before answering, "That's not…" He begins, but changes his mind; an almost imperceptible smile playing at the corner of his lips. "Fine," he continues as his face neutralizes.
"Can you get up?" I ask, strolling toward him.
"Of course I can," he states in a manly, self-assured manner. He tries to stand up by himself, but he wobbles, losing his balance, crashing back on the sofa with a big bump.
"Here, let me give you a hand," I say, gently helping him stand on his feet while he grumbles something incomprehensible.
Eric is able to actually walk without my help, which I find to be a huge relief. He isn't that bad. Thank, God. I direct him to the bathroom and tell him to wash his face to clean up the dried blood. He silently obliges. I grab my first aid kit, inwardly questioning where I'm supposed to aid him. Pam and Amelia are cleaning the living room and kitchen, and given that Pam is a very private person with regards to her room, I don't feel comfortable taking him there. The bathroom is too small for both of us move easily, which only leaves us my room. My room? Am I sure? Why would my bedroom seem like the best idea? I don't know. I'm in such a state that I can't think clearly anymore, so I decide to listen in the little voice in my head for once and take him to my bedroom.
"Did you break something or have more serious injures?" I ask worried as he sits on the edge of the bed. I fumble with the first-aid kit, unsure of what to do next.
"No, nothing broken. He on the other hand…" he tells me, smirking.
"Eric! That's not very civil of you," I chide flustered, turning to look at him.
"Well, he deserved it," he retorts coolly.
"Yes, he probably did. But you shouldn't have gotten in the way."
"He was hurting you Sookie; I couldn't just watch," he says with a hint of anger in his voice.
"Ah, yes. I mean, no, he wasn't. Okay, maybe… But he would never harm me intentionally," I justify halfheartedly.
"What about this mark on your arm?" He points out. I look at my right forearm and notice for the first time there is an awful bruise taking shape on my wrist. I sigh, frustrated. Thanks, Alcide.
"Even so, Eric, you shouldn't have interfered, look where it got you," I say, indicating his injured figure with one hand. "All beaten up… And this is entirely my fault," I finish distraught.
"I'm fine. Don't worry about me," He insists, adamant. "So he is your ex-boyfriend or what?"
"What? Yes, sort of..." I feel an inexplicable need to explain myself to him, which I find quite disturbing. "I dated Alcide a couple months ago, but things didn't work out between us… He's usually a really nice guy. I don't know what happened tonight. I think he was drunk or something… "
Eric just nods in response, appearing somewhat relieved. "Why did you bring me here, Sookie?"
"Here?" I ask puzzled. I gesture for him to remove his hoodie. It had been stained with blood on the sleeve and near his collarbone, and would be permanently if it didn't get into the washing machine soon. Although he winces a little from the movement, he takes it off swiftly. My breath locks in my throat. He hadn't bothered with a T-shirt underneath his sweater, not even a tank top for Christ's sake. I let out a choked gasp at the sight of his bare chest. I turn my back to him, closing my eyes tight. Breathe, Sookie. Breathe.
"Your bedroom. Why did you bring me to your bedroom?" he asks again as he tosses the sweater on the floor and lies down on my bed, tucking his left arm under his head. Oh, come on.
"Because… because it was the only place available?" I answer through clenched teeth, my fingers mechanically groping the first aid bag.
"Sookie? Can you pass me a pad of clean gauze? This one is dumped."
"Don't you think you should go to a hospital, Eric? Is it normal for such a small cut to bleed this much?" I inquire concerned, turning my gaze back to him.
"There is no need for that. I'm sure you can take care of this for me. And yeah, it's normal because of the area the wound is in," he explains.
I trust his words and hand him the clean gauze as he passes the dirty one to me. He presses it on the cut and stays like that for awhile. When the cut stops bleeding, I bend over him to clean and dry the wound area. He guides me, telling me how I should do it and which bandage would be better. In this case, it is the butterfly one. I chuckle, finding it funny.
"Make sure you pull it fairly tight to close the blood vessels, but not so strong that the ends of the cut curl inward," he instructs. I do exactly as he says. As soon as I finish, he asks for a pack of ice wrapped in a thin cloth. I quickly prepare it and offer it to him. He holds it to his face and thanks me with a broad smile.
"You're a very good nurse, maybe you're in the wrong area? Architecture, right?" he asks. I'm surprised; he knows more about me than I would expect.
"Thanks, though you instructed me the whole time, I do have some abilities with my hands and very good taste, that's why I chose architecture," I tell him boldly, which stunned the hell out of me.
"I could never disagree with that logic," he replies, smirking.
I settle on keeping my mouth shut afraid that I will get even bolder, and resume examining his other bruises. They seem fairly superficial, but he's gonna have a nasty black eye pretty soon and his nose is bleeding a bit. Although, Alcide really got the worst on this one, Eric needs some care as well.
"You have a nosebleed," I inform him. I promptly tuck some pillows under his head to help him incline his head forward. I climb back on the bed and lean over him to dab his nose with a tissue. Then I use my index finger and thumb to pinch it as I take a place by his side. I always do just like that to my cousin's little boy, Hunter, when he has a nosebleed, which is pretty common at his age.
"I could do that myself," Eric protests, his voice sounding funny. The expression on his face was so comical I found myself chuckling.
Between chuckles, I say to him: "Shhh! Just hold your ice and stay still. It'll pass in a bit."
We remain like that for a while. I sit stock-still, more aware of Eric's statuesque frame than would be fitting. His warm breath is repeatedly brushing the soft skin at my wrist, sending goose bumps all over my body. I find myself struggling against a violent flow of lust; even beaten up, he looks incredible. The sight of Eric lying on my bed with his sculptural bare chest exposed makes my whole body aches with longing. Maybe this really wasn't such a good idea after all.
Though I'm terrified and embarrassed, I have needs. Needs I specifically chose not to address in a very long time. And this extremely attractive man has a very powerful effect on me. I want to touch him, to feel him on top of me so badly, that I think I may burst into flames any minute now, which is something one can't really ignore when trying to act like a normal person. The conflicting waves of emotion shock me to no end. I bite the inside of my lip. I would not succumb to my libido and his allure.
However, the proximity of our bodies only makes it harder for me to control the desire bowling underneath my skin. I shift a tad on the bed in a vain attempt to find a safer position, but I end up accidentally rubbing my upper body against him. He stirs slightly under my touch. I lift my gaze to search his face, afraid I may have caused him pain. His glittering blue eyes are aimed at mine and I shiver despite the ponderous amount of heat in them; our eyes lock in a sizzling gaze.
I unconsciously relax my fingers around his nose and slowly withdraw my hand from him, mesmerized by the pools of bright cerulean before me. Without removing his eyes from mine, he grabs my arm in midair, making me gasp at his unexpected touch. He pulls me towards him in a swift movement, closing the few inches that separate us. And then his mouth is on mine.
He kisses me with open eagerness, so intense and greedy that it astounds me at first. He slides his arm around my waist like it was made for him and him only. His other hand holds the base of my neck and his fingers enlace my hair in a tight seize. By then, my mind shuts down and my body takes over. I snatch his muscular body as if my life depended on it, my hands trailing down the muscles of his back in delightful eagerness when they find the ultimate mine of gold: his perfect ass. A deep sound reverberates through his chest as I squeeze it hard.
He presses himself against me and I feel the rising erection in his pants push against my inner thigh. He groans aloud when I rock my hips and rub his groin just the right way. My lower belly aches at the contact of his body, growing moist by the second. I moan as his tongue searches mine and sucks it lightly. When I finally pull away, we are both breathless. Eric lifts his head and the look on his face is almost predatory in its deep haze of arousal. His lips wet and redden from our passionate kiss. His breath is fast and uneven. I can feel his heart pounding against my chest, almost matching my own. I smile, relishing in the moment like it could be the last.
He smiles back at me, seizing my face in both hands and confesses, "I've wanted to do that for a long time now." His voice sounds so guttural, I could barely hear it. His face is only inches from mine. I find myself at a complete loss for words, assailed by a happy oblivion of complete exhilaration and total joy. I raise my hand and tenderly draw the beautiful line of his lips. Eric grins seductively and kisses my fingertips, his eyes holding mine in a heated gaze. He leans in and touches my lips with his own in a gentle, affectionate caress. I respond in kind, kissing him softly, allowing his tongue entrance when it searches for mine. He sets a slow pace as our tongues waltz, while his hands move slowly, firmly probing my every curve. He cautiously puts one hand on my breast and I moan, arching my back when his thumb rubs over and around my nipple. I cup his face with my hand, forgetting all about his bruises and I feel guilty as he cringes in pain under my touch.
I examine his countenance, noticing the swollen area under his left eye. I speak rather jittery, "Oh, Eric. I'm so sorry. I'm such a dumbass. I shouldn't have touched your cheek like that, I…"
He chuckles lightly, cupping my face with his hand. "Please, Sookie, you're not a dumbass. You are beautiful," he tells me earnestly. "I'm just in a little pain. Do you have some acetaminophen in here?"
"I think I do, let me go check." I carefully place the pack of ice back on his cheek and get out of the bed.
"I changed my mind. I can live with the pain. Come back here, woman," he utters resolute. I chuckle, shaking my head.
"I can't have my patient in pain. Hold tight, Doc. I'll back in a bit." I say playfully, winning a grin from him.
"Could you turn off the light, please?" he asks.
"You know you can't sleep, Eric. You got hit on the head… "
"I know, it's just that it's hurting my eyes now they're open. And you can keep me awake," he replies, leering. I blush instantly.
"Um… sure." I turn the light off, leaving only the soft illumination of my nightstand lamp on.
I retrieve his hoodie from the floor and close the door behind me. I lean against it, giggling like a 13-year-old with a crush. It really happened or I'm going permanently crazy? I'm having a little trouble believing I just made out with Pam's brother in my freaking bedroom. I take a big breathe and release it slowly a few times, before I notice Amelia and Pam on the other side of the living room. They're talking animatedly as they clean up the mess our guests made. Mostly about the Eric and Alcide mess, to be honest.
"How is he?" Pam asks, noticing me there.
"He's fine, just in a little pain. Do we have acetaminophen?" I ask a bit tense.
"Yes, there is some in the bathroom cabinet," she tells me blankly, while her eyes study my face with suspicious interest.
I avoid her piercing gaze and say, "T-thanks, I better get them in that case." My voice vaguely quavers as I speak. Geez… Could I sound more guilty? I inwardly reprimand myself as I march my way to the bathroom.
"Sookie?" Amelia calls out. I turn on my heel, my hand already on the door handle to find her knowing smirk directed at me.
"Oh, shut up," I say, giggling, unable to hold it back any longer. I hastily walk into the bathroom and shut the door. I splash cold water on my face and look at myself in the mirror. The face staring back does not look like mine. It is glowing, the cheekbones flushed as if I had being kissed by the sun, the lips full and tender, and the eyes sparkling with their vivid, blue light. I feel stunned, aroused, and my glittering eyes reflect this. I had never felt such a powerful desire before, and the lure of it is almost irresistible. He feels right. And though we hadn't even made love, made love? Really, Sookie? I'm already looking like this. Perhaps it is right. Perhaps I can have it all for once. Perhaps.
I stop over analyzing and search for the acetaminophen pills. When I finally find them, I brace myself and take a big breath, preparing for what may happen next. To my astonishment neither one of them are waiting by the door to ambush me with thousands of questions. I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding. I don't have words to describe what happened between me and Eric; it was way beyond my realm of experience and understanding. I go straight to the kitchen and put his sweater into the washing machine, setting it on the heavy cycle. I get a glass of water and head back to my room hurriedly, not wanting to impose upon my luck.
"I think you can take the ice off now," I say, coming back, leaving the door ajar, afraid that if I close it he'll assume I want to jump his bones, yet again. Which is the absolute truth, but I can't afford to be rejected if he doesn't want the same thing. I carefully sit next to him, though a safe distance away.
"Yeah, you're right. It has been more than 10 minutes… So what took you so long?" he asks, eyeing me curiously.
"I just couldn't find these," I say, showing him the pills. "Can you lift your head a little?" I gently ask, turning around on the mattress to hand him the pills and the water.
"Yes, thank you," he replies as he raises his torso just enough to be able to swallow the medicine. He holds out a hand using his other arm to support his weight. I give him the pills and the glass right after. He put it to his mouth and gulps it down, eyeing me through his half-open eyelids all the while.
He lays back on the bed. I put a blanket over him for my benefit or should I say loss? And take off his boots. "It's good this way?"
"It's fine, Sookie. You don't need to do all that. I'm fine."
"Docs are really crappy patients, huh?" I remark playfully. He laughs that light, careless laugh that makes my heart skip a beat every time I hear it. I could get used to hearing it. I bite my lip at that way of thinking. Not good.
"No, we usually don't. It's a treat we learn in med school, among other things…" he tells me, smirking as he pulls me on top of him. He swiftly rolls me under his huge body and I moaned as he flicks his tongue into my ear. I discover a particular liking to that sensation, my breathing speeding up under the trail of his wet kisses. I forego all my prior reservations. He does that to me, every time he touches me I feel this inner peace - calm beyond logic rationalization. And I forget everything. It's just he and I, nothing in between, well, except for clothes.
My hearts pounds heavily and I can't take it anymore, I capture his lips in a smoldering kiss, fuelled with passion and desire, moaning his name in euphoria as I melt in his arms. He kisses me back voraciously with one of his hands perusing the hem of my top, setting my skin on fire.
"Let's go, Eric." Pam's voice cuts through our make out session, making me jump out of bed startled as hell.
"Fuck, Pam. Don't you know how to knock?" Eric scolds pissed, getting up as well.
"Oh, I'm sorry, but the door was open," she says mockingly. "May I take you home now or do you intend to spend the night here?"
I stare at her wide-eyed and then at Eric. He looks fairly composed and his face is giving nothing away.
"No, that wouldn't be prudent. I'm going to accept your ride, Pam. Can I speak to Sookie for a moment before we go?" he says with certain authority. I like it. She leaves the room wearing that Mona Lisa smile of hers, without saying another word.
Eric sits on the edge of the bed and puts his boots back on. In the meantime, I search my wardrobe for something he could wear and find just the right thing. I hand him my favorite Mickey Mouse sleep T-shirt, which came almost to my knees. It is the only one that would fit him. He smells it, eyeing me in a very flattering way and then put it on.
He starts in a sultry voice, "Sookie, I really appreciate how you took such good care of me. You were so great…" He stops talking as he stands and come closer to me. I swallow hard, my eyes wide staring at his.
"But, I don't think I can release you from your services anytime soon. I may never find someone as good as you, my dear," he adds teasingly, making my legs tremble as if they are boneless.
He bends over to give my lips a sweet goodbye kiss and steps out the room. I hear them as they leave, the sound of the door slamming closed, making me hop onto my feet. A sense of loss takes hold of me, startling myself. I'm already missing him. I whisk the feelings away and quickly do my nightly ritual before going to bed. I give Amelia a pillow, some blankets, and say goodnight, since she would be sleeping on the couch. She doesn't ask anything, respecting my decision to tell her in my own time. And I couldn't possibly say how thankful I'm for that.
As I lie on my bed, I can't help but think about this evening. I couldn't believe the wild turn of events that led me straight into Eric's arms. And that we made out on this very bed; it was beyond a doubt breathtaking. God, the man could kiss, oh yeah. A hell of a kisser, that's for sure. I can only imagine the others skills he has under his sleeve. I giggle, getting all wound up again.
I pull the covers over me more securely and am overwhelmed by Eric's heavenly scent. It's ingrained in every single piece of my body and room, as if he never left. I thought I would never feel this away again, but for some reason I'm starting to consider otherwise. Maybe I'm not such a lost cause. I muse, finding myself actually wanting to believe in that.
I relieve myself from the tension he left me in, twice, before I drift off to sleep; a smile on my lips. For the first time since Bill's death, I feel the warm presence of hope lingering over me and I want to grab it never let it go again.
A/N: So… do you have any thoughts you'd like to share with me? I'd LOVE to hear you! :)