Dead and Dating

Disclaimer: I don't own the Southern Vampires. Sole copyright belongs to Charlaine Harris. I'm poor, please don't sue.

Rating: M

Thank you everyone who reviewed chapter 19. The response was amazing and I'm glad we were able to move past the discomfort of chapter 17. This next chapter is pretty much fluff too. I'll probably resume some action in Chapter 21. I'm not sure how much longer this story is going to be, but I'm definitely plotting a sequel.

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I rolled over and glanced at the clock on our nightstand. It was only 3am. I half expected that I had slept 24 hours again. I reached my hand out to find that my viking wasn't in bed with me. I pouted a little then decided to get up and find him.

Sometime after I fell asleep Eric must have put some clothes on me. I know he liked me to sleep nude, but he probably knew I'd be chilly without anything on. I was wearing pale blue sleep pants and a matching blue pajama top. I snuck out into the living room area of the suite. Eric was sitting on the sofa, staring at something in his hands. His head was hung like he was lost in thought.

"Eric?"

He turned to face me, trying to hide the fact that he was upset.

"What's that?" I pointed to the picture, walking over to the sofa to sit next to him. He reluctantly let go of the photo and handed it to me. It was a picture of me laying outside in a bikini. Amelia had taken it. I forgot that I had it in my purse. Amelia had given it to me when I ran home to grab a few things one day.

"I wasn't going through your purse, I swear. My cell phone died and I needed to make a call."

"It's fine, but that doesn't explain why you were crying."

He let out a long sigh. "The way the sun makes your hair shine and your body glow. I'll never be able to be there with you." He paused for a second. "And you love the sun. Are you really willing to sleep your days away, to spend your nights with me? And what kind of husband am I to ask you to do that?" He was being really hard on himself. I knew he felt guilty for all the things I've been through, but I never realized that he felt guilty for all the little things too.

"Eric, I would give up every day to be with you every night. Besides, I don't always sleep through the day. I'm balancing it quite well, I think."

"You don't sleep enough when we are home. You rise early to do things during the day, then you work, then you come home and spend all night with me. Sometimes not going to bed until 5am, just to turn around and wake back up at 9am. That isn't balanced."

He had a point. I knew I had been feeling pretty run down lately.

"I know things have been a little crazy lately. But they will settle down. I'll find the perfect balance. It won't always be this hard."

"I would give anything to spend just one day with you. In all of my years, I've never thought that being a vampire was a hindrance, until now." He looked into my eyes. His were filled with deep sadness and longing. I sat the picture down on the floor and wrapped myself around Eric.

"We may not have the sun, but we have the moon. We have nights together. I'm beginning to cherish my nights more than my days. Some days I find myself wishing night would fall sooner, just so that I could be with you."

Eric stretched out on the sofa, it was quite the sight to see. He was wearing only black briefs, I thought the temperature went up a few degrees. Once he was stretched out he pulled me down on top of him and cradled me to his chest like a baby.

"I don't ever want to leave Milan." I whimpered as I realized our time here would be ending soon.

"We don't have to, I would give it all up to live here, if that is what you would like." I wasn't sure if that last part was a statement or a question.

"Eric, I love Bon Temps, Merlotte's, Shreveport.." I laughed a little. "I am even growing to love Fangtasia. I could never leave."

"If you ever want to, you just need to say the word."

"Never, I'd miss the excitement too much. Not mention how much I'd miss Pam. I'm still surprised every day at how quickly we became friends."

"Pam didn't have a lot of friends during her life, that carried over when she was turned. She is a sweet person, but she has a biting sense of humor. Most people are put off by that."

"I like her, She's been there for me so much recently. We should really do something nice for her when we get back."

He nodded in response, absently tracing his fingers over my back and down my hips.

"Do you think we will have any peace at all when we get back?" I had been turning that thought over in my head for days now, and just finally got up the courage to ask.

"I don't know, we still have something going on with the FotS. We will have to see how that plays out. However, you will not be leaving my sight. During the day, I hope you will just stay in the house. I know you feel the need to go back to work, but until we get this straightened out, I don't think you should be out by yourself."

"Eric, I'm not quitting my job because of the FotS. You know I won't." I let out an sigh of aggravation.

"I know, I just want you safe, will you at least let me send someone to stay with you during your shifts at the bar?"

"I have day shifts too, who's going to watch me?"

"I called Claudine." So that must be why he needed my cell phone, I thought. "She will watch you during the days. Then Pam and I will take turns watching you at night. When you are not working nights for...for Sam then you will be at Fangtasia with me."

Well, at least he didn't refer to Sam as 'the shifter'. I hated when plans were made all around me without my consent, but after the past few weeks, I knew Eric was just looking after me.

"Okay. That sounds reasonable." I glanced up into Eric's eyes. He seemed a bit shocked, but looked pleased that I didn't argue with him.

Eric moved so he was sitting up. He swung his legs off of the sofa, and with me still cradled in his arms, he stood up. He walked slowly through the suite, never taking his eyes off of me. When he came to the bed, he pulled back the covers, and gently laid me down. He climbed in next to me and pulled me close to his chest.

"You should sleep, my wife."

I was too sleepy to even say anything I rested my head on his chest. Much to my surprise he started humming softly. It was no song I had ever heard, it sounded ancient.

With my head on his chest, his arms around me, listening to him hum softly, I was out like a light.

~*~

Today was another day that I slept over 12 hours. When I woke up it was 5:30pm and Eric was already stirring. I was never going to adjust to being awake during the day once I got back to Shreveport. I was stretching and preparing to climb out of bed when my phone started to ring. He didn't look like he was ready to get up so I went to go answer it. It was Pam.

"Hey Pam, Eric is still sleeping."

"I just woke up myself. I'm assuming you haven't been keeping up on Shreveport news."

"Not exactly, we've been, uh.. uhm.." Pam laughed. "We've been busy."

"I bet you have. The thing is, this isn't a pleasure call. I need to talk to Eric. I tried his cell but it went to voicemail."

"Yeah, it died, he forgot to charge it. Hold on and I'll get him."

I climbed back on the bed and shook Eric gently.

"Pam's on the phone, I know you don't want to get up, but I think it's serious."

He reached up and grabbed the phone from me. All I heard after that was one half of a conversation in another language. I don't know why it surprised me. I knew Eric spoke another language, but for some reason I couldn't see Pam speaking anything other than English. When Eric was done talking to Pam he turned to me, I could tell he was upset.

"All hell has broken loose in Shreveport. The FotS tried to attack Fangtasia late last night. No vamps died, a few fangbangers did. But I have to get back there. Pam booked us a flight back. We need to pack now."

"Why didn't Pam call last night?"

"The attack was late at night, by the time the mess was taken care of it was almost dawn. She barely made it home in time."

"Oh, okay."

I sighed and got up to go to our suit cases. I was upset that someone tried to hurt my friends, and I was upset that my honeymoon would be cut short, again. Eric knew better than to say anything to me. We silently packed all of our bags and made our way downstairs to check out.

"We never met the King of Milan."

"It's okay, Sookie, I promise we will come back. I'll contact him when I'm back in Shreveport and make arrangements."

"Why bother?" I whispered it softly, but of course Eric still heard me. I hadn't meant to be mean, I was just upset we were leaving. He seemed to understand what I meant. He wrapped his arms around me when we got outside.

"The limo will be here in a few minutes. It's another 13 hour flight back. We will arrive tomorrow evening at 9pm. I'll be awake when we land this time."

I sighed and climbed into the limo. I was miserable that we had to leave, and mad that my friends and I were constant targets for the FotS. They would really have to be dealt with...and soon.