I would like to thank everyone who's been reading, reviewing, favoriting and following this story! You are all so amazing!

A special thank you goes to Weewoman1 for being so kind as to catch my typos for me!

Meanwhile, back at Sookie's:

"Are you going to tell me why you don't want me at Fangtasia?" Sookie asked curiously. She'd been wondering ever since she'd found him waiting in the parking lot when she'd arrived earlier. It was especially noteworthy after his response to the very idea last night.

Deciding she'd likely sniff out anything less than the truth, Eric went for it. "There are more than just my vampires at the bar," he began to explain. "They've all sworn allegiance to me and Area Five but that really means nothing. Only a fool would believe all the oaths given are genuine; swearing allegiance is a residency requirement. Even amongst those loyal to me, there are few that I trust, and only one with my complete trust. Until we have this hammered out between us, I'd rather they not know of you."

"Why not?" she wondered aloud.

"My world can be treacherous," he said with a shrug. "Vampires are always looking for that one piece of news, that one golden nugget of luck to propel themselves further in the power structure. You, my beautiful telepathic fairy princess, are one hell of a tempting golden nugget; something far too precious to leave exposed or unattended."

Sookie nodded. She had figured as much, but was relieved to find Eric so forthcoming with his train of thought. Truth be told, she wasn't exactly anxious to get involved with any other vampires; every interaction could spell disaster, not only for herself, but for Eric, too. The telepath was cognizant of the risks he was taking by agreeing to protect her.

The vampire's reputation for honesty, bravery and loyalty was not for naught; she saw ample evidence every extra moment she spent with him. His mind was as sharp as his face was beautiful; a devastating combination of sex appeal and intelligence emanated from his very pores. He was nothing like what one might assume a thousand year old being to be; Eric had an undeniable joie de vivre about him; an unmistakable zest for life. Sookie found him more intriguing by the very moment.

"And what is it we are going to hammer out?" What the hell are we doing, she really wanted to ask. She was determined to know what was happening between them before the night ended. They'd just had an incredible evening and the inexperienced girl really wanted to know if she'd just had her second date, or if this was all business to the vampire.

"Our relationship, I hope," he replied, his eyes smoldering hot as he looked at her. Eric yearned for some sense of control, too; a deep seated desire to possess the delectable young woman flowed freely through his veins. He needed to know what she wanted from him.

"I see," she swallowed hard, trying to summon the resolve to finish her line of questioning. This was all so new to her; it was hard to summon the bravado to be as nonchalant as he. "What type of relationship do you foresee us having?"

Eric received his coveted invitation inside her home when they arrived at the farmhouse, but only after the telepath had made it clear he wouldn't be getting any farther this evening. With a laughing grin, Eric told her that while getting farther might be high on his wish list, she could trust him to be a proper gentleman. The living room, with its multitude of small, dim lamps, became their meeting place, with each party taking opposing ends of the couch. He shifted his tall frame on the old couch until he was facing her better.

"Business first?" he asked, wanting to keep a clear head through at least that portion of the conversation.

"Okay," she nodded her head, locks of golden blonde hair sliding against her shoulder. "Let me guess. You want me to work for you."

"I would like you to work for me," he agreed bluntly. "I'm willing to give you a contract, but it's up to you. You can work without one."

"I'll consider the contract," she replied thoughtfully. "I know I shot down the idea before, but it was the situation dictating my response. I may have over-reacted just a bit. I can see the benefits of a properly worded contract."

"We can discuss it more later, but you are right; a properly worded contract does hold some weight," he nodded.

"What would you require of me?" A slow smile spread across Eric's handsome face. Sookie's face turned pink, but she rolled her eyes at him anyway and continued. "If I agree to work for you, what would my responsibilities be?"

"I would need you for several hours once a week in the daytime to interview my human staff and business associates. Probably two evenings a week, for a couple of hours each night, at Fangtasia. Anything above that is negotiable, but I could arrange enough work for you so it could be full time hours, should you desire. Telepathy could be a lucrative career."

"I'm willing to help you out when you need it, and a few hours a week would be fine, but anything more than that would be difficult," she told him. "To deliberately listen requires me to lower my shields, exposing me to all the thoughts around me, not just the person I'm trying to listen to. It's not something I would be interested in doing as a career, and I have more money than I need."

"I'm sure we can find an agreeable schedule," he told her seriously. "I don't want this to be hard for you."

"I'm sure we can," she agreed easily. "Like I said, I'm willing to help you out when you need it. I just don't want to be permanently tied to reading minds all the time."

"Very well," the vampire paused as he looked at his companion seriously. "In return for your services, you will receive an hourly rate, and my protection. I will have to claim you publicly in some fashion, either personal or as an asset."

"I would prefer your personal protection," she replied quietly, her cheeks flushing just a little as she spoke. "Claudine has explained how assets are viewed, and I do not want there to be any misunderstanding. I know it's common to lend or share assets, and that's something I'm not interested in."

"There will be a few ruffled feathers, but nothing I can't handle," Eric said, wondering how his Queen would receive the news.

"I'm not saying I won't do any favors, Eric," she hastily clarified. Her fairy tutors had impressed upon her the value of supernatural favors. "I understand how this world works, but I want to be free to decide for myself how and when I will use my telepathy. I won't be forced into anything."

A jolt of relief went through him as he realized just how reasonable she was being about their situation. Even with his formal protection, there would only be so much he could do in the face of a determined monarch.

"I'm relieved to hear it," he told her honestly, "but I will make sure you are not needlessly bothered with trivial matters."

"Then for now I will say I'm open to hearing offers, but I will decide each on a case by case basis," she told him firmly, serious in her desire to remain as un-entangled as possible.

"How do you plan on dealing with the Queen?" Eric asked casually, but with a burning curiosity. "She won't be deterred by my protection. It would take a whole lot more than that for her to back down."

"How much more?" she asked with her own curiosity raging.

"Probably nothing short of bonding or pledging," he replied simply. "Even that probably wouldn't stop her, just slow her down as she plotted alternate plans. It really depends on how determined she is to have you in her retinue."

"Bonding is sharing blood, right?" she asked, her eyes slightly averted.

"Yes. A complete bond is achieved through three mutual exchanges of blood." He waited until she looked at him again before continuing. "It is an unbreakable, permanent attachment to one another. Pledging is almost the vampire equivalent of marriage, dissolvable, just not as easily as human marriage."

"It's premature to even think such things," Sookie shook her head, trying not to think of what it would be like to taste his blood. "And I don't think it's necessary. A trip to New Orleans is what's necessary now."

Eric laughed. "You surprise me, Sookie. You really do. A surprise visit to take her off guard? Brilliant plan, but then what?"

"You leave that to me," she gave him grin in return. "I think it's best to circumvent whatever plans she has cooked up for me and put a stop to whatever mission it is Bill Compton is supposed to accomplish. I'd rather he didn't move to Bon Temps. I'm willing to be reasonable and play nice with her. I expect the same from her."

"And you think she's just going to agree?" he asked, impressed with her steely self-confidence. In truth, there was little about the self-possessed young woman Eric didn't find admirable, or worthy of his respect. The Southern belle façade was just that; beneath the genteel surface lay a warrior spirit. She was no shrinking violet.

"I'm not expecting her to be happy about it," Sookie laughed. "But really, what choice does she have? I'm offering her a good compromise; she will still have a telepath at her disposal."

"I'm not sure she will see it that way," Eric replied dryly, picturing the rage Sophie-Ann was capable of flying into when denied.

"Then she'll have to be made to see reason," Sookie uttered solemnly.

Eric looked at her carefully, wondering just how deep-set her need for independence was. How far was she willing to go to protect it? There was no doubting her abilities to instantly flash fry the Queen should she choose to, but would the fairy go so far?

"I learned a very important lesson while I was in the Realm," Sookie spoke, breaking Eric's thought pattern. "In order to properly care for those around me, I must always take care of myself first. In this case, that means not letting your Queen think she has the upper hand. I cannot let her believe she has any power over me."

"You will have an uphill battle," he warned. "Sophie-Ann LeClerq is unused to being denied."

"If you were in her situation, what would you do?" she asked him bluntly. "I'm willing to work for her, but if she pushes me too far, she will have not only an unwilling telepath on her hands, she will also have a pissed-off fairy to contend with. Wouldn't you take the path of least resistance and take what's offered?"

Eric fangs itched to drop at the slightest hint of fairy Sookie coming out to play. His blonde head shook unconsciously, recalling the incredible show she put on for him in his office. As arousing as it was, the vampire wondered if a repeat performance in New Orleans was the best idea.

"You're willing to expose your Fae heritage?" he asked doubtfully.

"Yes, I am," she replied resolutely. "I understand your concerns, but a lot of thought has gone into this decision. I'm not deciding my plan spur of the moment. Claudine's visions did give me some clues how to operate in this world, including the best way to circumvent any monarchs who might come calling."

"You think they will be wary of involving Niall," he surmised.

"I do," she replied. "Between my royal heritage and your protection – not to mention my willingness to work for her on my own terms - it should be enough to deter anyone with a brain."

"It should be enough," Eric agreed, "but you run the risk of word getting out into the population at large. There are those crazy or stupid enough to try to capture you for the hell of it."

"And I will have to deal with them as they come," she replied evenly, impressing him with her steely resolve.

"So, we have a deal in principle?" Eric asked, putting aside the question of New Orleans for now.

"I guess so," she smiled at him, sticking out her hand. "Wanna shake on it?"

Eric's hand was reaching for her extended one even before the words were out of her mouth, his long fingers wrapping around her small, warm hand.

"I know you vampires don't do a lot of handshaking, but that's really not how you do it," she told him while her wide blue eyes studied their entwined hands, watching as his strong thumb swept gently across the soft skin.

He laughed, the corners of his eyes crinkling in amusement. "I think it will do, don't you?"

"I do have stipulations," she told him, ignoring their hands and her erratic pulse.

"I'm not surprised," he acknowledged with a grin. "What are they?"

"I know supernaturals have their own code of justice, but I will not be party to any humans being sentenced by that court. Any humans found engaging in anything criminal will be turned over to human authorities."

The request didn't surprise him, but he had stipulations of his own. "There are times when that will not be possible. In the case of drainers, for example, I will not be able to abide by your wishes."

"Understood and agreed. Supernatural crime, supernatural time," she nodded. "I also won't travel outside of Area Five without adequate protection. I can look after myself, but for appearances, I'll require an escort at all times."

"I will accompany you any time you need to travel," he said, surprising both of them.

"Thank you," she said sincerely. "If you're sure it won't interfere with your life too much."

"What could be more important than keeping my future lover safe?" Eric asked huskily, no trace of a teasing smile on his devastatingly good-looking face.

What indeed? Lol

What do you think so far? I know there's a ton of details for them to work out, but I will leave those to your imagination.