She slept soundly for hours, only vaguely aware the rain had stopped. Without the noise of the rain she could hear the familiar noises of her old house settling. The porch cracked, the front door rattled against its sill, a floor board creaked and popped. She listened to these noises as sleep slowly fell away from her. She felt a weight on the of her bed. Sookie, still drowsy from sleep, mumbled to her cat Tina.

"Come here, come to momma", but Sookie suddenly remembered her cat was long dead. Her mind spasmed. She wanted to get away but her body was paralysed with fear.

"Here I come little momma" said a familiar voice.

Sookies' eyes shot open but all she saw was blackness. She was back in that deserted farmhouse again. She heard her flesh tear as Neave and Lochlan took bites out of her. She heard their laughter. She was in agony. The weight lifted off the bed and Sookie screamed out the first thing that came into her mind.

"Eric, where are you?"

Her bedside light was switched on and the weight returned to the edge of her bed. As her eyes adjusted she could see it was Eric sitting on her bed, closer to her now. She looked up and saw kindness in his eyes. A wave of comfort came barreling through the bond she shared with him. When he saw the fear in her eyes being replaced with recognition he reached out and held her sweaty hand in his soft cool palm. The tension left her shoulders, she took a deep breath and relaxed.

Eric peered into her eyes. "I'm sorry I....scared you. You're at home Dearest, in your own bed. Pam and I have come to visit you. The house was dark and you gave no answer when we knocked. I was....Pam and I were concerned"

Pam appeared at Sookies bedroom door. "Good evening Sookie, it sounded like you two were playing 'hide and seek' Pam-style and I didn't want to miss out on the fun". Pam wasn't one for 'right time, right place' comments.

Eric, never taking his eyes off Sookie, spoke. "Pam, may I have a moment alone with my....with Sookie, please?

"Yes Master" she obeyed. She went to the sitting room and perused Sookies' dvd collection. "Something to lighten the mood, I think." She popped the dvd into the player and pressed start on the remote.

Back in Sookies' bedroom, Eric was speaking to her softly. "Beloved, how are you this evening? Did you have a relaxing day?"

"Mmmm, I guess" she said evasively.

"Let me help you sit up", Eric stood up and leaned over her with vampiric speed. Sookie flinched and let out an involuntary whimper. He stood up and backed away from her, allowing Sookie to collect herself. Her fragility was maddening to him. She was like the petals of an orchid. Stunning but so easily destroyed.

"I'm alright". She looked up at Eric. His concerned was obvious. When she had propped herself up and was comfy again, Eric took off his black leather jacket and laid it across the foot of the bed. He kicked his shoes off too. Sookie took notice of his tight black singlet as he sat beside her and stretched his legs down the bed. He put his wrist to his mouth, about to bite, when he felt Sookie tense beside him.

"Sookie, I must. If not for your sake, then for mine."

He pierced his wrist and held it to her mouth without spilling a drop on the lace bedspread. Sookie began drinking his blood, cool and sweet, like the iced tea she loved so much. She could feel niggling aches dissapate and his blood flowed through her. Sookie thought drinking vampire blood wasn't much fun, especially when sex wasn't involved. But Eric didn't seem to think so. It was pretty apparent how much he enjoyed giving his blood the her. His enjoyment was nudging against her thigh as she drank. Eric let loose a moan of obvious pleasure, startling Sookie. She released his wrist and wiped her mouth on her pyjama top. Eric lay back and let his blond head rest on her pillow. Her scent enveloped him. His desire for her was fierce. He looked over at his blood bonded lover and he reached out to touch her. Sookie saw his purposeful movement from the corner of her eye so she moved to the other side of her bed. She threw back the bedspread and swung her legs over the edge. She sat there a moment, allowing her body to adjust. She chided herself silently for such a cowardly withdrawl. Eric mirrored her actions and sat up on the opposite side of the bed, elbows on his knees and hands hanging loose. He half turned to look at her. "Sookie....?" But she cut him off.

"The movie has started" she said as she wrapped her robe around her once more and walked out the bedroom door. Eric remained in place, involved in his own thoughts. He was resolute, he would do it tonight. He couldn't stand to see the fire in her eyes slowly going out. Through their bond he could feel her spirit wane. Tonight he was going to drive the apathy right out of her. He would bring her back.

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I hope y'all are enjoying this. It's coming all the way from New Zealand (yes we have the internet down here!). It's gunna get better, hotter, and madder real soon!