Warning: My fic is rating R for a reason. This chapter is part of it. If you don't like lemon meringue pie, stop reading bhahaha It was important for me to write it even though I have never done one before so please be nice :)

Chapter 23- When My Heartstrings Come Undone

Eric snapped his eyes open and felt the sun calling him to his death instantly. It wasn't customary for a vampire to be awake during the day but Eric had a good reason. He felt her fear which made him clench his fists. He got up from his coffin and headed towards the trap door awaiting the sun to set. He knew it would only be half an hour or so but as soon as the sun was set, he would be right there by Sookie's side. Eric hated waiting but what he despised the most, was feeling powerless. Just the thought that something might happen to Sookie not only saddened him but made him angry and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. He punched the wall out of frustration and immediately composed himself as if nothing was happening. He was pacing in silence growing more impatient by the minute. He wanted to go out and help her but he was just useless when the sun was up. After a couple minutes, he was able to calm himself and let reason take over as he couldn't risk the rays of sunshine on his skin. Since his awakening, Sookie's fear, although still lingering, wasn't prominent anymore. He trusted that she could take care of herself and he would feel if she needed him as she didn't know how to stop the bond like he had already done.

He had chosen to do so partly because he did not want to overwhelm Sookie with his own feelings but also because he wasn't ready to share them with her. Feelings were the most heavily guarded secrets for a vampire who prided their privacy more than anything else. Eric never really had a problem with feelings, but he always thought of these new ones as a weakness, a way other vampires could exploit him. As most vampires, he learned to channel his emotions and to feel them only when needed. Otherwise, Eric favoured judgement and logic over them and since he was very old, he became a master at it.

He thought about Sookie's last words which angered him. At the mansion, he had taken the time to remind her about the bond their exchange would make and took the time that they truly didn't really have to ask her again if that was what she wanted. Sookie had chosen life over death but now seemed to blame Eric for it. He wasn't sure if it was just out of rage she had spoken or if she really thought what she said but one thing was for sure, they needed to talk. As easy as it would be for Eric to make Sookie his ''pet'', it is not what he wanted. He had grown to love Sookie for who she is, and what she stands for. Making her a pet would only mean to break her spirit, the very thing he loved the most. He feared Sookie did not share his feelings especially with the bond, he had felt very little positive feelings when it came to him but he tried not to let him affect him too much until they would have the talk.

Eric felt a presence behind him and turned right away. Pam was standing behind him with a concern look on her face. Her fangs were out.

"How long have you been there'' he asked.

"Enough to see you are not well" she answered like a mother would do for their child. ''She is making you weak'' she risked knowing very well he could rip her head off at that very second.

"This is none of your concern" he growled staring at the trap. They could both feel the sun was a couple minutes away from being fully down. ''I felt her fear, she needs my help"

"It is my concern when my maker wants to walk in daylight to go help a human" she snickered.

Eric did not answer her and instead, kept growling. Pam could tell he was trying to control his emotions; the very thing she thought made him weak. She had always admired her maker and had tried her best to learn the art of logic over emotions. It troubled her that since he had met Sookie, he had seemed less capable in general but of course would never dare to say so. For an instance she herself felt the impatience, the frustration and the powerless feelings her maker was feeling which made her nauseous.

As soon as the sun was down, Eric opened the trap but was immediately stopped by a sharp pain which put him to his knees. Pam knew very well that pain as she had felt it every time Eric had called her. When the pain stopped, Eric got back up and looked even more despaired. He turned to his child and simply instructed her to go check on Sookie until his return. He then added it was an order as if Pam would dare not to obey his instructions.

He left her at the trap door and ran at vampire speed to his maker who wasn't that far off their hide out. He was called to an old cabin in the woods and didn't hesitate to enter without any kind of invitation. His maker's call was all he needed. Once inside, he took place beside the fireplace in order to face his maker who was sitting on an old forest green suede couch.

The whole cabin had an old feel to it. It was made out of logs and the inside was mainly wood as well. The floors had a few rugs which were all forest green or burgundy while the curtains where green plaid. Definitely not to Eric's taste. What surprised him was how little the cabin seemed touched by the craziness that was happening outside. It had seemed to be suspended in time as if whatever was happening outside couldn't reach the inside.

"Eric, thank you for coming" Godric said peacefully. He was always one to be polite even if Eric had very little choice in the matter. ''This is going to be where I stay for now. The queen is well and is in Oklahoma. I do not think she will be back here anytime soon. She did however; leave me with instructions for you, Pam and Bill. I hate having to be the messenger but for the sake of playing her little game, I think you should at least humour her"

Godric placed his hand on the seat beside him in an invitation for Eric to sit. He did so and nodded in agreement with his maker.

"She wants you to continue the investigation of her vampires' disappearance. She said the only information they have is what Sookie was able to extract from Simon's thoughts. She wants you to find the vampire responsible in killing her retinue but whom she is also blaming for the mansion's destruction"

He paused and looked at the fire.

"We both know who's responsible for the mansion so we will have to find a way to throw her off our tracks."

"Agreed"

Eric was staying quiet. He was never one to have big conversation especially with his maker. They shared a bond that made it unnecessary.

"The queen also mentioned some kind of witch? She got wind that the witch might be of help in finding a cure"

Eric knew exactly which witch he was referring to and immediately proceeded in telling Godric that she had requested to see Sookie while they were at the mansion. He also explained that Sookie most likely went by herself to see her as she is also looking for a grandmother and is convinced the witch could help her.

Godric nodded and stayed silence for a couple of minutes. He seemed lost in thoughts and Eric felt him tugging their bond.

"I know you wonder why I am staying here instead of with you. I promise you that I have my own very good reason. For the time being, it is better for me to stay here and take care of things"

Eric hated how his maker was being elusive. He had also blocked most of his emotions from the bond receiving Eric's but not transmitting his own. Eric knew there was nothing much he could do in convincing his maker otherwise especially not knowing his actual reasons for staying away from him.

He nodded in silence feeling the probe again.

"You are worried about Sookie?" Godric questioned probably picking up on Eric's emotions. "Please my child, don't let me hold you up if you have something to do. Just know that I am here and I may call you again if I need you and I hope you do the same if needed."

"Godric, I wish you would join us. We would be so much stronger with you"

"I know what you mean but for the time being trust that I belong here and not there"

Eric was growing impatient with his maker and his riddles. For once in his life, he had wished his maker to be upfront with him yet Godric had chosen a lonely life away from his child. Eric never understood and still wondered what was more important here than the community of humans who not only would keep them alive but where Sookie lived. He knew his maker could feel how he felt about her but he also felt as if his maker was hiding the truth from him but as his child, it wasn't his place to question him.

"Very well" he stated while getting up. He was eager to go back to the community. He nodded to his maker as a sign of goodbyes and exited the cabin before taking flight. It didn't take him too long to reach the community.

He could feel Sookie was asleep so he deducted she was in his apartment which he entered without knocking. He sat in the chair beside her bed in silence and watched her sleep. He found it intriguing that Sookie didn't look peaceful when she slept. On the contrary, she seemed agitated and scared. Every time she turned or tossed, she would not make sound as if she trained herself to sleep in perfect silence.

Hours went by and Eric did not leave her side and when the moonlight reached Sookie's face, Eric decided it was time to wake her up. He gently brought his hand to her face and placed her hair behind her ear. He then placed his hand to her cheek and gently stroked it with his thumb until she opened her eyes. At first she seemed panicked but her look quickly changed when she realized it was Eric.

"Eric" she gasped. "What are you doing here?"

Eric quietly sat on the chair again without looking away from Sookie. He knew his expression was not betraying his intentions to her and judging by her inquisitive look, she was anxious to know.

"You are so beautiful when you sleep" Eric said admiring her beauty which made her blush. She wasn't used to Eric being gentle and kind nor was she used to get compliments in this day and age. He let her blush for a couple of minutes enjoying the effect his words had on her.

"We need to talk about what happened last night" he declared still watching her. She had sat up in her bed and was now staring at him.

"I didn't mean what I said, Eric. I was angry. I do not like to be treated as an object"

Eric nodded in silence.

"I don't know what's up with you and Bill but I do not belong to you or him. I am my own person"

She waited for Eric to say something which never came. Eric knew when it came to humans, the more silent you were, the more they talked.

"I know you didn't force me into the bond but I am still angry I didn't really have the choice. I guess my anger shouldn't be directed at you but when I heard you say I was yours, it just pissed me off."

"But you are"

Sookie looked at him in disbelief. After all she just had said he still called her ''his''. As she was starting to boil over Eric continued.

"In the vampire world you are Sookie. You may not agree with how we do things, but when I address a vampire, I must use our ways and customs. By exchanging blood for a third time, you became my wife"

He was still staring at her and he knew she was getting angrier by the minute.

"I do realize you might not wish to be so, but it doesn't change the fact that in our world, you belong to me. This means, no other vampire may touch you or feed from you. It also means I will protect you with everything I have." He had added the last part knowing not all vampires would do so but for his world, to bond to a human was already a big deal it only made sense to protect her. After all, he did love her. After all these years he promised he would never ever love again, he had.

Sookie was silent and wasn't looking at him anymore. He could feel she was angry and confused. He decided to get up and sit beside her. He needed to feel her and wanted to take her anger and pain away. He placed his hand on her lap gaging her reaction which was absent. He gently stroked it in an effort to calm her down.

"Sookie, immortality can be a gift but also a curse as you may die many times over. I once lost someone and the pain of living without her was greater than death itself."

He paused, trying to figure out her feelings but her body had gotten closer to his and she had placed her hand on his. She was watching him, hanging to every word from his lips.

"But you, you changed everything. Since I woke in this harsh reality, I realize I have never felt so alive in my thousand years. You made me understand Godric's words of living in a world without love isn't really living. Sookie, I love you and I would rather live a couple minutes with you than an eternity without you."

Sookie was crying in silence. She wasn't expecting that kind of talk, when he said they needed to talk and somehow she had managed to believe the others when they had warned her against Eric, that he was using her to his own means, yet, here he was, sharing his past and confessing his love for her. Something she wasn't sure he was capable of.

"I understand if you do not feel the same" he added as he couldn't really get any feelings from her through the bond. "I am willing to wait Sookie, but please accept, that I will protect you with my"

He was cut off by Sookie who had placed her lips onto his. At first, her kiss was desperate as if she had waited a long time for it. She then open her mouth to breathe, lips still on his which he took as an invitation to insert his tongue gently. She didn't stop him.

As their tongues danced together, Sookie enlaced his neck with her arms and brought her body closer to his. Their torsos were touching but since they were sitting, their legs were in the way of them being closer. Without breaking the kiss, Eric got up on his knees and gently guided Sookie to lie on the bed which she did without hesitation. His hand trailed down her cheek to her arm as his mouth moved to her neck. He gently kissed her soft skin making her arch her back and moan in desire. She wanted him.

She wrapped her legs around his waist pressing on the bulge that was already forming in his pants. He growled in excitement right beside her ear where he began tugging softly. He took a short pause in order to let Sookie take his shirt off for him which she threw on the floor. Before returning to her neck, he wasn't as gentle with her clothes and ripped them off her chest. He unsnapped her bra quietly thanking the designer for putting the buttons on the front. Her breasts came out of it in a majestic fall while her nipples were pointing out crying for his attention. She took the initiative to take offher pants and Eric followed her lead removing his own. She threw her pants off as he admired her breasts for a moment and decided he would not go back to her neck. He instead grabbed her nipple between his lips which made her lament for more.

He gently nibbled feeling her desire through the bond which made him even harder. He felt on her panties her excitement soak through as he slit a finger and gently teased her little ball of nerves. Her breathing had accelerated and Eric sensed her heart pumping even more blood through her body.

She had placed her heels on the bed making it easier for her to push her body closer to his, inviting him inside of her. He looked up at her as he entered her with one finger, breathing out in contentment and in anticipation for the pleasure she was feeling. He entered a second one as she grabbed his forearm in a moan. The back and forth of his finger were punctuated by the movement of her own hips.

He watched her closed her eyes sighing every time he brushed her insides. His fangs had come down as he ached to be inside her. He watched her body moving and contorting at the flicker of his fingers. He growled in anticipation of feeling her wrapped around him and took out his fingers to rip his briefs off of his own body.

She gasped her disapproval when his fingers had left her and bit her bottom lip as he penetrated her right away.

''oh… Eric'' she moaned her fingernails entered his back as he pushed deeper.

Eric had to stop in order to compose himself. She was tighter than he could have imagined, her warmth electrifying his own body as he fully emerged himself into her. His lips reached hers as he slowly started going back and forth Sookie whimpering for more.

Her hands trailed down his back and reached his rear. She grabbed his perfectly round ass towards herself as if he could go any deeper and raised her butt off the bed to take him at an angle that both made them cry out in pleasure. He pushed harder into her over and over again as he kissed her neck.

He wanted more of her, he wanted her completely. His fangs were scraping her skin demanding a perfect union between them, asking to draw blood. She could sense them on her skin and as he jerked his hips hard against her she pressed his head onto her neck.

''Bite me Eric'' she weeped in bliss.

His fangs entered her skin the slight pain augmenting her pleasure. He drank her blood speeding up his hip movement. She sank her teeth into his shoulder and started drinking his blood as her own hips started moving back and forth in a perfect rhythm. Eric felt her inside swell as she was approaching an orgasmic state which made him accelerate his movements.

She felt his stronger thrust and his panting had turned into long growls.

''Sookie'' he groaned.

Her body had jerked up as she screamed his name which through him over the edge. Shaken by their orgasm, they both had stopped drinking and were panting in approval. He had stayed inside her several minutes kissing her gently on the cheek to move on to her mouth. As he pulled out slowly, she whimpered still feeling the bliss of her orgasm.

He lay beside her as she placed her head on his chest and softly stroked her back. He could feel her love through the bond although she had not spoken the words. He didn't need her to, their new blood exchange had made her feelings even stronger and in order to share his, he consciously opened his side of the bond so she could feel how he felt.

She raised her body just enough that she could look at him in the eyes and asked if he was going to stay with her tonight. He smiled and nodded in silence as she sighed in relieve placing her head back on his torso.

He doesn't know when she felt asleep again, but he didn't care, she was perfect and he was happy. He smiled and closed his eyes as he savoured the moment with her by his side.

TBC.

I would love to have your thoughts 3

xox

Z