Chapter 4
Blaze's POV
I don't own True Blood. I do own Blaze.
I sped home in an angry haze. Eric was a completely insufferable jerk. It made me even more pissed that Sookie and Bill would have to suffer through any sort of time period with Eric while he went on a wild goose chase for some big wig vampire. Honestly, what business did he have with this vampire anyway? What did he even need Sookie for? I'm sure he could find another telepath if he really wanted to. Of course a different telepath probably wouldn't satisfy his need for some good eye candy to stare at the entire time. I growled in frustration and pushed my foot down harder on the pedal. When I finally got to my small apartment complex, I shut off my car and slammed the door angrily before stomping inside.
I had first moved into the place when I was eighteen with an old boyfriend of mine. I wanted to feel more independent, but Gran still worried about me so she offered to pay my rent. A few months later, I broke up with my boyfriend when I found out from Sookie that he was more interested in men than women. Though I still frequented Gran's and Jason's house, (I don't know if you've mentioned this previously, or even know but Jason's house is his and Sookie's childhood home, before their parents died. Maybe mention that here?) I kept the apartment and have been living there even since. It's a nice place, a little small maybe but besides that, and a nosey landlord, I liked living in it.
I jammed my finger into the up button for the elevator and tapped my foot, impatiently waiting for the machine. It finally came and I pushed the button for the 4th floor, my anger receding at the sound of the peaceful elevator music. At my floor, I quickly and quietly ran down the hallway as to not to alert my landlord that I was coming in at such a late hour. My landlord was an elderly lady named Mrs. Winkman, who seemed to think that I was going to be the next southern debutante and made sure that I was doing everything in a proper ladylike manner. Hell, I couldn't even bring men back to my apartment because she would chase them off saying that they were 'impure.'
Successfully making it to my room, I slipped the key into the lock and hurried in before she could catch me. I blew out a sigh of relief as a slumped up against the door, happy that I had at least done one thing right tonight. Now that I was home alone with only the quiet, I began to think. More specifically, I began to think about Eric. He said that he wanted me to call once I got in. Should I? Of course not, I wasn't some little servant girl that he could tell what to do. If I didn't want to call him, then I wasn't going to call him. End of story. But maybe.... I shook my head. I needed to clear my head and the only way to do that was a good hot shower.
I gathered all of my favorite shower items. I hung my favorite light blue rope on the hook on the bathroom door, excited to slip it on after my shower and eat ice cream while watching reruns of 'Roseanne.' I got my got my grey wore Louisiana State sweatshirt that I stole from Jason years ago and a pair of cute Spiderman boxer that I bought on impulse one day at Wal-Mart. I undress quickly, eager to get out of my two day old clothes and into the water. Just as I stepped into the comfort of hot water pulsing through the shower head my phone rang. I huffed in frustration, wrapping a towel around myself quickly and answering the device.
"Hello?" I sighed, thinking it was Sookie telling me that she had just arrived in Texas and preparing for her to gush about the scenery.
"Scarlet," Eric's voice seeped through the receiver like toxic waste, instantly making my knees go weak.
"What do you want?" I growled in irritation.
"You are home, I assume," Eric said, ignoring my tone of voice.
"Yes," I answered.
"You didn't call," he stated.
"I told you I wouldn't," I snapped back smugly.
"Naughty naughty Scarlet," Eric tutted. "I'll have to punish you for that later," he purred, making my mouth go dry and my body heat up. Jesus Christ, I needed a shower. A very cold shower.
"You're gross," I spat into the phone, covering up my desire. He chuckled in responds and I bit my lip. I really needed to just hang up on him.
"What are you doing?" he asked casually.
"About to take a shower. I gotta go. Bye," I said quickly, slamming my phone shut and jumping into the shower.
After a long and extremely cold shower I was finally able to function with Eric plaguing my thoughts every five seconds. I slipped into my sweatshirt and boxers that acted as shorts for me, heading for the kitchen to make a bowl of soup, having enough of anything cold at the moment. I cooked my meal and happily slurped the soup down, enjoying the warm that went through my body. I placed my bowl in the dishwasher and walked to the living room to watch a little television only to take a detour to the front door when I heard a loud knock. It must be Mrs. Winkman. She probably heard me slurping my soup and has come over to teach me proper eating etiquette. I thought with a sigh. I opened the door with a fake smile plastered on my face only to see the last person I ever wanted to see on my doorstep.
"What the hell are you doing here?" I half whispered half screamed, looking down the hallway to see if Mrs. Winkman was looking.
"You said you were in the shower. I thought I'd catch you before you were finish but, it seems I'm a little late. Maybe next time." Eric grinned, showing a little fang in the process.
"I don't think so," I retorted, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Invite me in and we'll find out." Eric grinned devilishly.
"Again. I don't think so." I smirked, liking that I had some power over him. He shrugged casually and leaned up against the doorframe.
"I've got time. I can wait," he answered.
"I'd like to see waiting when the sun comes up," I shot back with a casual shrug of my own.
"I really don't think I'll be waiting that long," Eric replied cockily.
"Really? Because I do." I smirked, slamming the door in his face.
I grinned at my slight victory over, swaggering my way over to the couch.
"Blaze, is that you?" sounded from the hallway.
Shit. I thought. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. I thought repeatedly. In my victory over the cocky Eric Northman I had accidently alerted Mrs. Winkman that I was home. God damn you Eric! I cursed mentally as I wretched the door open to see Eric still leaning against the doorway like he didn't care that there was a very nosy and possibly deranged woman coming for me.
"Couldn't resist me?" he purred, winking at me.
"Okay, yeah sure, whatever but, you need to leave, like right now. I can't have my landlord see you," I said hastily, trying to turn him around and push him down the hall. Unfortunately, it extremely difficult to get a vampire to do something that they don't want to.
"Should I be insulted?" Eric chuckled at my feeble attempts to move him.
"Not really. She's just not a big fan of vampires, or guys that want to get in my pants or people talking to me for that matter. Hell, she barely tolerates Sookie and Jason coming around here. In fact one time – wait! That's not the point, the point is you need to leave before—" I stopped my sentence when I heard the door down the hall open.
"Shit!" I cursed under my breath, making Eric chuckle.
"Blaze, honey, are you there?" Mrs. Winkman's voice croaked again.
"Uh, yeah." I responded hesitantly.
"Please just leave." I pleaded to Eric. His grin widened and shook his head.
I heard Mrs. Winkman's footsteps come closer to the doorway and I knew that any minute she would come out and see Eric. A very fanged out Eric. I was dead. I'd get kicked out of my apartment for sure and it would be the talk of the town that I was a fang banger.
"Get the fuck in here." I growled at Eric, grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him through the door with more strength than I thought I had processed. Eric stumbled slightly through the threshold, surprised by the amount of force I had used.
Mrs. Winkman scuttled out of her apartment, wearing her usual house shoes and a bright yellow robe. She squinted at me and I waved awkwardly back at her.
"Why are you home so late?" she asked shuffling forward a little, still squinting suspiciously at me.
"Oh, I'm not. I actually got home early this morning and have been in bed all day," I lied.
Mrs. Winkman sniffed and shook her head at me. "Ladies should never stay in bed past eight," she chastised.
"Sorry. I, uh, forgot," I said, rubbing the back of my neck, awkwardly.
"Do you have a boy in your room?" she asked suddenly, scooting her way even closer to me. "I heard a man's voice out here."
I looked back into the apartment to see Eric laying on my couch and he blew me a kiss. I scowled and turned to see Mrs. Winkman right in front of me, trying to see inside my apartment. I quickly pulled the door close to me and shielded her view with my body as best as I could.
"Oh, yeah, that. It was, uh, Jason! Yeah. Jason came over because he, uh, lost his house key and needed mine," I lied horribly, blocking her view into my apartment.
"Mmhmm. Then you wouldn't mind if I just came in and took a look," she said, trying to push past me.
"NO! The place. It's, uh, it's really dirty. I don't want you see it until it's all clean," I said, placing a big fake smile on my face.
"Well, that's what you should have been doing all day then," Mrs. Winkman sniffed, turning back to her apartment.
"I know. I'll do it tonight. Good night Mrs. Winkman!" I called with a wave and slipped back into my apartment.
"Your landlord is extremely annoying," Eric stated as I slumped against the door.
"No shit." I sighed.
"I do enjoy this look on you though." Eric smirked, suddenly in front of me fingering the hem of my shorts.
"You always seemed to get me in my PJ's. Bravo," I said sarcastically, swatting his hand away.
"You could do without the sweatshirt. It looks three sizes too big for you." Eric grinned, tugging the bottom of my shirt.
"Shut up. It's comfy and it's Jason's. Get over it," I said crossly.
"If I brought you one of my shirts would you wear it then?" Eric asked.
"No. I'd burn it and pretend you were in it," I retorted.
"Hmm. You're vicious this evening. I don't remember you being quite this disagreeable at the club." Eric smirked, walking his fingers along my shoulder.
"I had to be nice to you at the club. Now I don't have to," I answered, plopping down on the couch. He raised an eyebrow skeptically and gracefully sat down beside me.
"Now, Scarlet, I think we both know that that isn't true," he purred, kissing along the side of my neck.
"Get off of me," I spat, pushing a laughing Eric away and standing up. "If you came here to sexual harass me then please get out. I'm tired and I don't want to deal with your bullshit." I sighed, rubbing my temples.
"I came here to talk to. You seemed...upset—" Eric started.
"More like pissed," I interjected.
Eric waved off my comment and continued, "—when you left the club. I wanted to make sure you were alright."
"Well, I'm perfectly fine, thank you," I muttered stubbornly, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Scarlet," Eric breathed, suddenly in my ear, wrapping his arms around my body and pulling me tight against his chest. I struggled in vain until I gave up tiredly, slumming against him. "You're not still angry at me for my...overzealous actions at the club, are you?" Eric chuckled, his breath tickling my neck, making me shiver.
"No. I'm angry because you are a complete asshole," I retorted, trying to break Eric's hold on my body with no avail.
"Would it help if I said I was sorry?" Eric questioned.
"For being an asshole?" I asked skeptically.
"Of course. I'll even throw in that I will never be an asshole again. Now will that do?" Eric soothed, brushing a kissing onto my shoulder.
"....Maybe," I mumbled, feeling slightly embarrassed that all I wanted was an apology. Eric laughed quietly and turned me around so that we were face to face.
"Scarlet, I am deeply sorry that I had upset you earlier tonight. You are just so intoxicating that I cannot resist myself. I also, hereby promise that I will never cause you a reason to be angry with me again." Eric said earnestly, his eyes fixated on mine. I gulped at the sudden sincerity, staring back into his eyes.
"I-I don't think that second part is very realistic," I stammered.
"Do you accept my apology, Miss Stackhouse?" Eric murmured, ignoring my response in favor to press his forehead against mine. I nodded wordlessly none the less, unable to speak. Eric grinned happily. "Now," he hummed. "To seal the deal with a kiss." Eric breathed, leaning forward.
"Um. No. Not gonna happen," I grinned smugly, slapping both hands over his lips.
"Well, that wasn't exactly what I expected to happen," Eric mumbled against my hands, pulling away from me.
I shrugged nonchalantly going back to my comfy couch. Eric sidled over to me and draped his arm over the back of my seat, sitting extremely close to me. I glanced at him and then at his arm. Then at Eric and then at his arm. My glaze finally settled on a grinning Eric.
"You're invading my personal space and my personal couch," I said.
"Scarlet, if you want to play this little game of cat and mouse, I might as well learn about my little mouse," Eric answered.
"So you want to get to know me?" I asked.
"Exactly. Now tell me about you." Eric smirked, leaning back against the couch.
"Fine, I talk, but only if you tell me a thing or two about yourself," I bargained. Eric sighed and didn't say anything for several seconds.
"Alright. I have the right to veto any question I want," Eric answered.
"You can only veto three questions," I said, after a beat, thinking of the consequences.
"Fine, but every question can only be asked once. Also, no rephrasing the questions." Eric smirked.
I huffed and agreed to the rules of the game. Eric smiled triumphantly. The game began slow with the basic questions and then started to progress when the questions started to get more in depth with both of our lives. I started to loosen up around Eric and I was actually starting to have a good time. The things Eric would say or some of the questions that he would ask were so absurd that I would have to laugh aloud. I learned that he didn't want to talk about his old life seeing as he vetoed most of my question about it. I learned about his relationship with Pam and his maker, which made me feel special because he said he didn't talk much about either. I learned about his first kiss (an awkward story that made me blush), his favorite memory (spending time with his father was all he would say) and his favorite color: black (big surprise). By the end of the night, I felt really comfortable around Eric. I even ended up leaning against his chest at the end.
The sunrise was coming sooner than I thought it would, surprisingly.
"I should leave." Eric sighed, lightly moving me from where I was leaning against him.
"Yeah, I need to get to bed anyway," I said, standing and leading Eric out.
"I enjoyed tonight." Eric grinned, standing in the doorway of my apartment.
"I did, too. When you're not being a butthead, you're actually tolerable to be around." I laughed. Eric chuckled and shook his head at me.
Then he was just standing there in the hallway, looking at me like I was everything he ever needed. For once I wasn't scared that Mrs. Winkman could scuttle out of her apartment at any moment and evict me for being seen with a vampire. All I was worried about is if my lips were chapped. Thank God for Chap Stick. Eric leaned in close and pressed his forehead to mine. He looked in my eyes and smiled the tiniest bit. Then he pressed his lips, barely there, to mine.
"Rest well, Scarlet," Eric whispered against my mouth.
Then he was gone and I was felt standing in my doorway. Stupid, great kissing vampire. I grouched mentally, slamming the door and going to bed.