I am completely and utterly amazed at the outstanding support you've all given this story. I'm trying to keep up with all the reviews, but if I've missed you, I'm truly sorry and I want you to know how much your words have meant to me.

Thanks to Weewoman1 for taking the time to look over these chapters for me. You rock, girl!

As always, I do not own these characters. They are the property of Charlaine Harris.

"We're having dinner, of course," Eric replied, raising his glass in the air. Sookie noticed he was actually drinking it and wondered at its contents. He'd already made it clear he didn't consider True Blood to be a suitable meal replacement.

"And a lovely dinner it was," Sookie replied, scraping the last of the brownie from her plate and licking the fork clean. "But what I meant to ask was why did you want to see me at all?"

"We left many things unsaid, don't you think?" he challenged, trying to ignore the small pink tongue wrapping around the tines of the fork.

"Fair enough," she said, dropping her napkin onto the table and pushing her plate to the side. "I suppose we do have things to talk about."

"I also wanted to see you again," he offered unexpectedly.

Sookie's head lifted and she met his blue eyes with a smile. "You did?" she asked.

"I enjoyed meeting you. You possess ... unexpected depths. It's intriguing. You are intriguing," he admitted, his blue eyes staring intently at hers.

"Come on and admit it, vampire," she teased. "You were just hoping to see another light show, weren't you?"

"I hadn't thought about it, but I wouldn't say no. That was truly impressive," he praised her, a thrill of excitement racing down his spine as he remembered her in all her fairy glory. "What else are you able to do?"

"My light is my strongest weapon, like the shield I showed you last night is my strongest defense. Together, they make me pretty strong," she told him proudly. "I'm also showing strength in healing with my light, although it's not easy finding test subjects. I can teleport and although I still have lots to learn, I can perform some Fae magic, as well as a few other odds and ends."

"You are quite young for such skills," he murmured, wondering how powerful she might become.

"It was only possible because of my trip to the Realm. If I'd stayed here, I might eventually have shown some abilities, but they never would have been strong enough, or developed soon enough to matter," she told him bluntly. "My human DNA wouldn't allow the conversion in this realm."

"How long were you there?"

"The concept of time is different there, so it's hard to be accurate. I was gone from here for about three and a half years, but if I had to estimate the length of time there, I would say about a year and a half."

"How did you explain your absence to your family and friends?"

"There's not much family to speak of other than my brother Jason. He's a good guy, but we haven't spent much time together in years. My Gran had just died and I told everyone I'd heard from a distant relative who'd offered me a job and a fresh start," she shrugged. "No one questioned me much, to be honest. Lafayette is the only one who knows anything about that part of me."

"You trust him," Eric commented mildly. "You must be close."

Sookie laughed as she thought of her friendship with Lala. He was the best friend a girl could ever ask for. "We've been friends since we were just kids; we used to call ourselves the Three Musketeers, myself and Lala, along with his cousin Tara. We were pretty much inseparable," she explained. "There weren't a string of kids knocking on my door asking to play. It was the same for Lafayette. We were the outcasts, he and I. Tara got tarred with the same brush as us, although she was accepted better by the time we were in high school."

"Why were you outcasts?" Eric asked with a frown marring his handsome face.

"Nobody knew what to make of me, Eric. I was a strange kid. I had no control over the telepathy at all and frequently answered people's thoughts instead of their words. It freaked people out. As for Lafayette, he was poor, black and born flamboyantly gay. He never had to come out, because he was never in the closet. It made folks uncomfortable. The two of us were never invited to the birthday parties or asked to join any teams or clubs."

"It's fucking barbaric to isolate children like that," Eric replied with disgust. "Even vampires understand the need for socialization in our young."

Sookie shrugged, her fingers toying with the stem of her wine glass. "Jason stood up for me a lot when we were kids. He and Hoyt – his best friend – used to play with us, too. We made out okay."

"How much do you trust your friend?" Eric questioned casually.

"Why do you ask?"

"He knows all your secrets," the vampire pointed out.

"And?" Sookie asked with a raised brow.

"Is it safe for him to know so much?"

Sookie's eyes narrowed as she contemplated the vampire's words. "Safe for him, or for me?" she finally asked.

"For you."

"Absolutely."

"Very well," Eric conceded, recognizing the ire rising in her eyes. He took the last sip of blood in his glass before placing it to the side.

"Do you want to tell me what you know about your cousin's visions?" he asked. He was curious how he could be painted as a knight in shining armor, so to speak, in a fairy's vision.

"I know very little, in reality. What she is able to tell me varies constantly, depending on what she is trying to reveal, do you understand?" Eric nodded his head, his expression sharp. "I knew my abilities would be revealed to the vampires, but it was never clear how it would happen. Claudine was able to tell me I would be in constant danger; marking the passage of time by one bloody war after another. Her early visions – which started long before she actually met me – had me seduced by Bill Compton, with huge quantities of his blood inside me." Sookie's golden head shook back and forth, as if unable to believe the words she'd spoken.

"She tells me you appeared in many of those early visions, as well, but any and all intervention from you came too late. My blood and my mind were poisoned and any chance for a good life was lost. It wasn't until she experienced a shift in her visions, allowing her to see the existence I would have without Bill Compton's interference, did she realize the importance of your role."

"As your protector," he murmured, resisting the urge to reach for her hand.

Sookie's color rose faintly, barely noticeable in the softly lit room, but Eric was captivated as he watched the tiny capillaries under her skin swell and fill with blood.

"You could say that," she replied.

"What would you say?" he asked, curious about her turn of phrase. "What did the visions show?"

"As I've said, there's much she cannot reveal, and what she sees are not necessarily events which will come to pass," she sidestepped adroitly.

"But what she has revealed?" Eric prompted, recognizing her prevarication for what is was.

"She has seen various paths, some where you are in fact my protector. But there are other paths where we are more to one another," she finished matter-of-factly.

"More? In what way?" he asked with a smile flirting with his lips.

"She's had visions showing us as a couple," Sookie stated plainly, maintaining a brave face and making eye contact with the vampire studying her from across the table.

"Interesting," he replied softly. "A couple, you say?"

"Like I said, it's only some of her visions," she spoke just as softly. Her heart was picking up pace as her mind reviewed what Claudine had actually told her. 'Madly in love and fucking like bunnies,' she reported gleefully. She didn't think that tidbit was necessary to share at the moment. She had to listen to her own words; Claudine had in fact had other visions, ones where she and Eric were not involved romantically.

Eric was quiet for a few moments, his eyes still studying the captivating telepathic fairy princess. Without a word, he pushed his seat back and stood before walking to Sookie's side. She gave him a sideways look, with a raised eyebrow for good measure.

"Shall we continue with our evening?" he asked, holding her chair. "Enough with the serious talk for now. Would you like to go dancing?"

"Dancing?" Her eyes lit up. He pulled out her seat for her, and quickly moved to help her to her feet.

"I thought it might be fun. It will give you a chance to work off all that food you ate," he told her with a grin.

"Hey, watch it, buster!" she warned him playfully, tapping him on the arm. "You try keeping up with a Fae metabolism inside a human body. I'm starving all the time."

"I hadn't considered that," Eric replied thoughtfully. "Does using your magic drain you?"

"I have to eat well and keep my body properly nourished, but so far I've held up fine, no matter how much power I've used. I'm sure I must have a limit, everyone does, but I haven't found it yet." Sookie picked up her bag and glanced around. "Is there a washroom I can use before we go?"

Eric gestured to the far wall and walked ahead of her to sweep the heavy curtains to the side, revealing a hidden doorway. He pulled out his cell phone when she left the room, quickly texting Pam. Despite Sookie's assurances, he would still feel better having her friend investigated. The vampire knew well how often friends turned into foes and felt better for having taken the precautionary step.

"Shall we blow this popsicle stand, vampire?" Sookie asked as she entered the room once more. Eric looked at her quizzically and she laughed. "Let's get out of here," she clarified.

"After you, princess," Eric gave a slight bow from the waist, the courtly effect ruined by the smirk on his face.

"Don't call me princess," Sookie told him haughtily as she swept past him, her head held high in the air. Eric's smirk turned into laughter as he watched her impressively regal exit. "I'm warning you, vampire. Don't make me start the light show early!" she called over her shoulder in response to his laughter.

"What shall I call you, then?" he asked, catching up to walk by her side.

"What's wrong with Sookie?" she asked, trying not to smile at his antics.

"An unusually beautiful name for an unusually beautiful woman, no doubt," he gallantly replied. "But since you've managed to find so many pet names for me, I think it's only fair to return the favor."

She laughed, recalling the names she'd thrown at him during their short acquaintance. He was going to have to be creative just to keep up.

"You'll have to figure that out for yourself," she told him.

"I'll have to think about it," he declared, leading her through the front door into the balmy Louisiana night.

She laughed as they strolled toward the car, wondering what he might come up with. He opened the car door with a flourish and she stepped in before settling her skirt around her legs. Eric was in the car startlingly fast and Sookie shook her head at him.

"It freaks me out when you move so fast," she told him. "I'm not used to folks moving like that, I suppose."

Eric laughed. "I really don't think about it," he confessed. "We had to be so careful for so long, it's liberating to finally be able to move naturally."

"It must have been challenging hiding your existence for so long," she replied thoughtfully. "I've only known a speck of the isolation you must have endured."

Eric looked at her for a long moment before inserting the key in the ignition and starting the motor. The powerful engine roared to life and the vampire put the car in gear and exited the parking lot before he replied. She surprised him with her insight and he realized how similar they were, even though her existence was indeed a speck in comparison to his long life.

"It's different now," he said. "There are people everywhere, but it has not always been so. Many centuries ago, it was common to go long periods without encountering people, especially if you were traveling any distances. The population was extremely sparse in those days."

"How did you manage?" she asked quietly. "Without blood, I mean."

A slight grimace passed over his face before he answered. "There were times when we had travelling companions, and times when I existed on little more than small sips of my maker's blood." He shook his head to dispel the unpleasant memories bubbling to the surface. The compulsion to confide in her was overwhelming his senses. He hadn't spoken of these matters to any but his progeny.

"Y'all can exist on vampire blood?" she asked with surprise. Her fairy connections had never told her this.

"Blood from a maker or child can sustain you for some time, but for only so long. Human blood is necessary for ultimate survival."

She digested the information silently, watching the foliage as they sped down the highway. Eric was driving well above the speed limit, but she wasn't nervous like she would have been with a human driver. His reflexes and response time would be impeccable in any situation.

"Are we going to Fangtasia?" she questioned as they got closer to Shreveport.

"Christ, no," he muttered. Her eyes widened as her eyebrows rose in question.

"What's wrong with Fangtasia?" she asked, wondering if he didn't want to be seen with her, or if he didn't want her to be seen at all.

"Nothing," he answered, giving her a reassuring smile. "But if it's okay with you, I thought we'd go somewhere else. We wouldn't get much peace there and I'm not really big on sharing," he explained, giving her a sideways glance and a wolfish smile.

"What a coincidence," she replied smartly. "Neither am I."

It was his turn to fall silent, pondering the meaning of her words. He wasn't being completely honest when he'd told her he wasn't into sharing; he and Pam had shared many partners in the past. With Sookie however, he felt repulsed by the very idea of her being touched by another. He was very much opposed to sharing her with anyone, for any reason.

Her self-assured reply surprised him, even shocking him in uncomfortable ways. She was unlike any he'd ever encountered; bolder than the females of his acquaintance, showing more confidence and self-awareness than every one of the fangbangers he'd fucked combined. But if assumptions were correct, her statement was a not so veiled demand for monogamy. The very fact he found himself even thinking about it was confounding, but he wasn't sure it was a condition he could meet. He'd never tried before.

The idea stayed in his mind, though, as they arrived at their destination. He tried to put it aside as best he could, but the niggling thought remained. The silence was broken by Sookie, her face doubtful as she took in the club.

"Are you sure I'm not a little casual for this place?" she asked, indicating her cotton sundress.

"You look perfect to me," he replied honestly.

"Then let's go boogie away some of those calories," she teased. "And you should know that most women would take great offense to a man commenting on their appetite."

"Yet another reason to appreciate the fact you're not like most women," he replied easily.

The unlikely pair did indeed boogie away a ton of calories, along with an hour of their evening. It was Sookie who finally called a halt, saying she needed a drink before they could dance another step. Eric surprised her by leading her to a private, reserved booth in the raised VIP section.

"You can really move, Mr. Northman," she said as they waited for a server to arrive.

"Thank you. You aren't easy to keep up with," he complimented with a smile. They moved beautifully together, their bodies a perfect fit as they melded together in time with the music. It had been a very long time since Eric had danced with anyone and Sookie was the perfect partner; her rhythm and timing immaculate as she twisted and writhed her body against him. Eric had spent the entire hour in a state of semi-arousal; her gyrating hips rubbing against his thickening cock made him wonder what she'd really be like in bed.

"I love to dance," she replied, white teeth flashing against her rosy red lips. "I hate to exercise, so I dance as often as I can."

A young, attractive waitress appeared at the table, her heavily mascaraed eyelashes batting as she took in the glory that was Eric Northman. A smile lit her face as she introduced herself.

"Hi, I'm Mandy," she spoke to Eric, tossing her long dark hair over her shoulder. "What can I get for you?" she all but purred out.

"Nothing for me, but my future lover here would like a drink," he said coldly, pointedly looking at Sookie as he spoke, and not the perky Mandy.

Sookie started at his words, but ignored them for a moment as she looked at the now flustered Mandy. "I'll take a vodka and cranberry and a bottle of water," she told her, looking her straight in the eye. "That will be all."

Sookie watched as the girl hurried away before looking at Eric again. He was lounging back, his eyes hooded as he waited for the onslaught to begin.

"Your future lover?" she asked with one brow ached high. "That's what you came up with?"

"No, I'd decided on lover, but I thought you might find it presumptuous."

"And future lover is what if not presumptuous?" she asked, her heart beating furiously at the very thought.

"Optimistic. Hopeful," he replied, a dangerously sexy look on his face. Sookie's breath caught in her throat as his words hit home.

"Hope is a dangerous thing. It can drive a man insane," she replied with a sweet smile.

"Ah, but hope springs eternal, doesn't it?" he challenged.

"Darn it! You know that one?" she said, her lips twisting into a huge grin.

Eric laughed, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Stephen King, Sookie? That's the best you can do?"

"Hey! At least it's one of his better stories," she defended. "It was the best I could come up with in the moment."

A new server, this one male and obviously fearful, brought Sookie's drinks and placed them in front of her with a frozen smile on his face. She smiled warmly at him, understanding his fear.

"Thank you," she told him once he looked at her. "I appreciate it."

"It was my pleasure, ma'am. My name is Jimmy and I'll be just over there if you need anything," he replied before looking at Eric nervously and bobbing his head. "Sir."

"I guess we lost Mandy," Sookie said, taking a swig of water from the bottle before recapping it and reaching for her drink.

"Good riddance," Eric snorted. "I don't tolerate disrespect."

"So, we've had a marvelous dinner, talked for a bit, danced our asses off and now drinks," she commented, drawing his attention. "What now?"

Sorry to leave it there, but I gotta stop somewhere! What do you think of date night so far?