Sookie has experienced a second betrayal as the attraction that began to develop between her and the Fae Preston was revealed to be orchestrated by Queen Mab as part of her plan to breed new children for the fairy race. She has managed to escape and return home, only to find the most unexpected person in her bathroom.

"Eric Northman, what are you doing in my shower?" Sookie asked incredulously.

Eric's eyes were closed. He opened them slowly, a lascivious smile spreading across his face. "I was dirty," he said, as if his presence was the most natural thing in the world.

Sookie shook her head in disgust. "I mean why my shower, in my house? I rescinded your invitation, remember."

"It's a long story, and I'd rather tell it when I've dried off. Hand me a towel will you?"

Sookie complied with his request, trying unsuccessfully to avert her eyes from his perfect six-pack. Her time in the land of the Fae had left her feeling extremely horny and having a naked Eric in her house was the last thing she needed right now. She turned sharply and stomped back down the stairs.

Eric followed her down wearing a pair of sweat pants that hung low on his body, revealing his hip-bones and a trail of golden hair disappearing under the waistband. He could hear her banging plates and cutlery in the kitchen, putting on a show of anger. It didn't convince him one bit. The connection between them was strong enough for him to know that she wasn't really mad with him. He could sense relief in her feelings, and even a hint of pleasure.

Hiding out for a few days at Sookie's place had been Pam's idea. News of her mysterious disappearance had spread quickly in both the human and vampire communities, and her old house was empty and closed up. It hadn't been hard to lure Jason with an anonymous phone call promising news of his sister. He'd invited them in without a second thought. Eric smiled at the memory of the confusion on his face after Pam had glamoured him and sent him on his way.

"Would you like a True Blood?" Sookie asked, remembering her manners as Eric followed her into the kitchen. "I've still got some in the fridge, it should be in date." There was just the slightest hesitation as she remembered the vampire for whom she had originally bought the synthetic blood drink. "Or at least I think it should be," she said pulling the bottle out to inspect the label. She realised that she had no idea how long she had been away.

Eric shook his head in response to her offer. At his age he didn't need to feed very often. The last blood he had tasted had been hers and now he determined to hold out until he could feed on her again.

"Do you know how long I've been gone, it seems like weeks?"

"It was four nights ago that I last saw you. I searched for you but there was no trace. It was as if you had disappeared from the face of the earth." He tried to keep his voice neutral, but it was impossible not to reveal just a little of the concern that he'd felt. He thought he saw a hint of smile on her face, but she supressed it firmly. "Where have you been?" he asked.

Sookie didn't answer, but set off in the direction of her sitting room giving him a look that made it clear she expected him to follow. She took the old armchair, leaving him to stretch out on the couch. He made the most of the opportunity, ensuring that she had the full benefit of his magnificent physique.

"You first," he said, smiling.

"No, first of all I want to know what you are doing in my house. It has to mean you're in some kind of trouble and I want to know what to prepare myself for." Sookie pursed her lips, determined to look as stern as she possibly could.

"Someone is threatening me and I needed to lie low for a while." Eric explained; his voice matter of fact.

"Russell?" Sookie asked, looking concerned.

"No. There has been no word of the King of Mississippi. He has not met the final death, but we have severely incapacitated him. I don't expect to see him for at least a hundred years."

Sookie wanted to know more, but Eric had no intention of pursuing that subject. eHHHhhh eee He continued instead with his tale.

"I'm not sure who the threat really comes from, but whoever it is they clearly have some powers." He briefly debated whether to mention the involvement of Sookie's cousin Hadley, but decided against it for now. "They have sent me warnings. Ginger is dead on their account."

"Oh my God!" Sookie exclaimed, clapping a hand to her mouth. "Poor Ginger." She couldn't say she'd ever particularly liked the Fangtasia waitress, but she certainly didn't want to see her dead. Her face screwed up in revulsion as Eric told of her grisly demise.

"When that happened, Pam and I decided that it would make sense for me to disappear for a while. Everyone knows that you hate me, so no-one would think of looking for me here." He thought for a moment she was going to challenge his statement, but she said nothing. "I'm afraid Pam and I glamoured your brother Jason to let us in. I know that was wrong of us and I'm sorry."

"I don't suppose that was very hard to do," Sookie said sarcastically. She'd never heard Eric admit he was in the wrong before and the confession threw her.

"Where are you spending the day? I never got round to having a light-tight space created." Damn him, she thought as she ended the sentence abruptly. Why did everything have to remind her of Bill Compton?

Eric sensed her distress. He was tempted to cross the room and offer her consolation, but he knew she wouldn't readily accept it. Instead he tried to comfort her with words. "Don't think about him, he's not worth it."

"Have you seen him?" Some perverse instinct forced the question out of her.

"I last saw him on the night you disappeared. He lured Sophie-Anne into a fight to the death." He stopped briefly as Sookie gasped with shock. "Luckily for him, Jessica and her human arrived just in time to put a stop to it."

"Are they alright?"

"Yes. Sophie-Anne wasn't happy, but I persuaded her that killing two vampire and one human would get her into too much trouble with the authorities. She has found an amusing way to take her revenge on Bill though." Even he had to admire the queen for her ingenuity, not to mention her insatiable appetite for money. All of Russell's assets and the whole of his kingdom had not been sufficient to satisfy her greed. "She is suing him in your human courts alleging assault and battery."

Sookie was stunned into silence. She knew enough about vampire royalty now to realise that they could be perverse, but that had to be the strangest thing she'd heard for a long time.

"Apparently he has a human lawyer to represent him, or so people are saying."

She made a gesture to silence him, not wanting to hear any more. She had thought that she had conquered the pain during her time in the land of the Fae, but now it threatened to take her over once again, seeping into her body like poison. She willed herself not to cry. It didn't really matter, Eric was sure to be able to sense how upset she was, but she was determined to maintain a semblance of self-control.

"So how long are you planning on staying here?"

"Pam is trying to find out more about where the threat comes from. When we know what it is, we can come up with a plan. I'm confident she won't take long. In the meantime, if you really want me to leave, you only have to say so. I'm really no trouble though." He gave her his most winning smile.

Sookie shook her head. Eric was always trouble, whatever he might say. It just didn't feel right to throw him out, especially when he was facing an unknown threat. "You can stay," she said, trying to ignore the smile that she was sure made most women go weak at the knees. "Just as long as you don't draw attention to yourself. I don't think it's a good idea for people to know you are here."

A wave of exhaustion hit her quite suddenly. "I need to get some sleep. I'll have to see Sam tomorrow, to apologise for missing so much work. I'll be lucky if he hasn't already hired someone to replace me. I guess you've worked out where everything is by now."

Eric nodded. He didn't admit that he had spent the last few nights exploring her house, checking out her books and DVD collection. He had felt just a twinge of guilt as he'd gone through her private papers, recognising that his behaviour was a bit too much like Bill Compton for comfort. It hadn't stopped him though. He wanted to know everything about her: what her childhood had been like; what her likes and dislikes were; what gave her pleasure.

"Where's Tara?" Sookie asked, feeling guilty that she had forgotten all about her best friend until that moment. "If you've hurt her, I really will never forgive you."

Eric looked genuinely surprised. "I haven't seen her. No-one has been here while I've been in the house."

Sookie shook her head as she ascended the stairs. Why couldn't her life just be simple and uncomplicated? It was only as she snuggled down in the comfort of her own bed that she considered the wisdom of allowing a vampire as powerful and ruthless as Eric free reign in her house. Strangely, she didn't feel uneasy. She knew exactly what he was capable of, but she instinctively felt safe with him.

Downstairs Eric hadn't moved his position. He was also considering the peculiarity of the situation; how odd it felt to be sharing a house with a human who he wasn't exploiting in some way. He had felt comfortable since setting foot in the place, but he couldn't deny the pleasure he was feeling at her unexpected return. Even the thought of spending the day in the grimy dark space under the porch no longer dismayed him. He was of course still curious to find out how she had managed to disappear so completely, but that could wait until tomorrow evening. He was a patient creature.

Sookie woke early the next morning, feeling full of energy. She was determined not to dwell on recent events, and the thought of the long 'to-do' list left her surprisingly undaunted. She still had Eric's cheque for her work in Dallas to bank. She planned to put some in her savings account, and she was determined to get her drive re-gravelled. Her house still hadn't recovered from Maryanne's attempts at interior decoration. She could hire someone to come in and finish cleaning up for her. While they were at it, they could make a safe place for Eric to sleep. There should be enough room under the stairs, even for him.

Alcide Hervaux was the obvious person. She could trust him not to rip her off, and not to blab about the work she was having done all over town.

Fairy ambrosia was all very well, she thought as she headed down to the kitchen, but nothing could beat a really good cup of coffee. There was barely a sign that Eric had ever been in the house, unless you counted the towel that he had carelessly discarded on the bathroom floor. The image of his gorgeous body was vivid in her mind as she picked it up and put it in the laundry basket. Perhaps it would be best if Sam gave her plenty of night shifts. She had a feeling that spending too much time alone with the Viking was not going to be easy.

As it turned out, Sam didn't need her at all for a couple of days. He had Jessica covering nights, and the new girl Holly had taken on all Sookie's shifts. She had the feeling that he was pissed off with her. She couldn't blame him really. She'd taken off to Dallas and then to Jackson with barely any warning.

Errands complete, she returned home. Alcide had returned her call and sounded only too eager to come over and do the work for her. Perhaps a little too eager, she thought, wondering if she had done the right thing. The mutual attraction between them had been obvious almost as soon as they had first met. Debbie Pelt, his skanky ex-lover had disappeared so now they were both technically free agents. Perhaps he could be the one to make it third time lucky for her.

Summer would soon give way to Fall, but the afternoon sun was still warm enough to allow her to lie out and top up her tan. She made herself up a jug of lemonade, took a new romance novel and settled down on her sun-lounger. The hero of the novel was tall and muscular with dark wavy hair. Naturally that got her thoughts back onto the subject of Alcide. He was a good guy, she was sure of that. He was brave, and she could trust him. The only problem was that she could hear his thoughts. Maybe not as clear as if her were human, but still enough to be a passion-killer. It was a shame, there was so much good in him. There were times when she looked into those beautiful dark brown eyes of his and just knew that she could be happy with him.

Eric emerged from under the porch as soon as the last rays of sun disappeared over the horizon. It was many years since he had been forced to go to ground in the dirt and he didn't like it one bit. His mood improved when he noticed that Sookie was lying out on her sun-lounger. She was completely still and he realised that she must have fallen asleep.

He moved quickly to her side and knelt down, watching the slow rise and fall of her breathing. He couldn't resist running a cool finger down her spine. Slowly she opened her eyes. She'd untied the straps of her bikini top to avoid tan lines, and as she sat up to face him it fell away. Before she could react his hands were in her hair, pulling her face up to meet his.

"Eric, will you quit that, you're covered in dirt…" Her voice trailed off, a blush spreading across her cheeks as she realised that not only was he completely naked, but she was also nude from the waist up.

A slow, lazy smile spread across Eric's face. The last time he had seen her like this she had been half dead from the Maenad's poison. Then she had been pale and delirious. Now she was looking tanned and relaxed.

"Your time in the land of the Fae seems to have suited you," he said as he lowered a hand to stroke her cheek.

Sookie said nothing. All she could think of was how much she wanted him to kiss her. She could blame it on the sensuality of the Fae world and the feelings it had aroused in her, but she knew that was only part of the truth. She closed her eyes, letting the pressure of his fingers sooth her. She sensed his face gently lowering towards hers, but at the last moment he pulled away.

"It's getting cold, we should go inside," he announced brusquely, and set off without another word.

Sookie watched as Eric sauntered across the lawn back to the house. He was so comfortable in his own skin. More than that, he was totally at ease with what and who he was. With Eric what you saw was what you got: no lies, no anguish. She knew that he was capable of cruelty and brutality, but equally she knew that whatever happened he would never hurt her intentionally.

Gathering up her belongings she trotted after him. She caught a glimpse of her face in the hall mirror. Black streaks of dirt clung to the sun-cream where Eric's hand had stroked her face. She would need to shower as well, she realised. The image of Eric, naked in the shower as he had been the previous night, took hold. She didn't make a conscious decision, but her feet just seemed to take her up the stairs and in the direction of the bathroom.

He'd left the door open and now stood facing her. His eyes were closed and his hands covered his face as trails of water and shower gel ran down his perfectly sculpted chest. She should be used to the sight by now, but still it made her breath catch in her chest.

"Care to join me?" he asked not moving his hands or opening his eyes.

Lust mingled with need and flooded her senses. She craved the physical sensation, but more than that she wanted someone to hold her, to want her, to need her.

Her body seemed to have a will of its own as she stepped tentatively into the room. She took a slow breath, closing her eyes and opening them again. He had finished washing the shampoo out of his hair, and was holding out a hand towards her. It felt as if the pull of an invisible force field was closing the distance between them as she took the final steps towards an inevitable outcome.

"Let me wash your hair," he said, sitting her down on the edge of the bath. Bending her head forward he ran the shower head carefully over her golden mane, then poured a little shampoo into his hands. Kneeling down in front of her, he began to massage her head. Sookie couldn't help a little moan at the feel of his powerful fingers manipulating her scalp.

Eric moved in a little closer, savouring the feeling of her warm breath against his chest. He slipped his hands down to her shoulders and from there to her waist, lifting her gently to stand under the shower. Turning her in his arms so her back pressed against his chest, he angled the shower head to rinse her hair clean.

Sookie sighed with pleasure as she felt his cool body against hers. There was no mistaking his arousal pressed hard into her back. Eric had massaged conditioner into her hair, and was now turning his attention to the rest of her body. Squeezing some shower gel onto a sponge he ran it gently up and down her arms, lifting them to reach the underside.

Dropping the sponge, he massaged her breasts with his hands, then slipped one hand down her stomach and between her legs, stroking her softly.

"Are you sure you want this, you know I will never force you," he said, his voice dark and low.

"Can I trust you, Eric? How do I know you won't betray me?"

My rationale for not giving Eric amnesia is taken from the TBRantsandRavesblog on Wordpress. Her theory is that in the book CH needed to make Eric amnesiac so that Sookie could see the gentler, more human side of him. However in the TV show she has already seen this, particularly in his relationship with Godric, and we know that she has feelings for him as a result, so I think it is credible that she would let him stay in her house in these circumstances, and naturally he would use the opportunity to have his way with her!