For all of you who are disappointed this one is ending, I have some good news. First of all, I will definitely be writing a sequel – as a matter of fact, I have it loosely drafted now. In order for it all to make sense, I've decided an epilogue will be necessary for this one. So, one more chapter left!
Hope you like this one!
As always, I do not own these characters. Charlaine Harris owns that privilege.
"If it's going to be later, I think we'd better move somewhere else," Eris said, rising from the bed to showcase all of his naked glory. Striding towards the armoire in the corner of the room for some pajama pants, he smirked over his shoulder at Sookie, catching her watching his ass as he walked away. "You look far too delectable, my lover, to stay in bed and talk. I'm assuming talking is what you have in mind?"
"Well, yes," Sookie replied, licking her lips unconsciously as Eric bent over to pull on the simple blue cotton pants he'd chosen. His carved, world-class ass looked spectacular in that position, she noted with pleasure. "How did you know that, though?"
"Because you're fully dressed – and looking especially beautiful, I might add." Eric's smile widened, white teeth flashing against the pale, muted color of his lips. "I was hoping I'd find you naked as you were when I went to rest."
"I thought about it," the young woman admitted. "I went to Claudine's for lunch, though. I popped back home afterwards for a while." Sookie hadn't been spending much time at the farmhouse lately, instead choosing to spend as much time with Eric as she could. For the last few weeks, ever since they'd returned from New Orleans and their relationship had turned physical, most of her nights had been spent in this chamber and her days spent slumbering by her vampire's side.
"I trust you had a good day?" The vampire questioned as he sauntered towards her with his pajama pants hanging maddeningly low on his hips. Sookie had to put effort into tearing her eyes from the distracting V cuts in his abdomen before she could answer his question.
"Lunch was great. Claudine is a great cook," she offered, trying to keep her gaze on his face and not his chiseled torso. "We talked for a while before I went back to Bon Temps."
Eric laughed softly at the glazed expression in her eyes before returning quickly to the armoire for a shirt to cover his bare - and apparently distracting - chest. Suitably covered, he returned to her side at a faster pace than before. "Better?" he quizzed with a smirk, waving his hand at his t-shirt.
"Not better," she answered with a pout that quickly turned into a saucy grin. "But a good idea, I think."
Wrapping an arm around her waist, Eric led them from the bedroom and out into the expansive living room. Settling the sexy fairy onto the couch, the vampire quickly attended to building a small fire, despite the relative warmth of the evening, knowing how much Sookie loved the flames and the heat. He didn't think their upcoming conversation was problematic by any means, but he did sense a seriousness in her demeanor which led him to believe she had something important to discuss.
The fire built to a roaring blaze before Eric returned to her side, settling close to her on the chocolate brown sofa. She offered a small hand and he took it, cradling it within his own, his thumb rubbing softly against the sensitive skin between her thumb and forefinger. A comfortable silence enveloped the couple for a few long minutes as they sat together and watched the flames dance. A great crackle came from one of the logs and Sookie broke the silence.
"Will you tell me what you know about bonding?"
Pure, unadulterated joy exploded within the vampire. Her query could mean only one thing and the very idea of a bond with the fairy princess was enough to make Eric's mind, body and soul rejoice. He wanted to fuck her; to bite her; to rub himself all over her as she drank his blood, if only so he could experience her pleasure with her as he tumbled her over the edge of ecstasy over and over again. Allowing himself only the briefest of seconds to revel in the moment, the vampire pushed his overwhelming need down so he could react to her need for information. The rest would come, as she so declared, later. He could wait.
"I have never bonded with anyone before, so much of what I know is based on what I've observed and hearsay; vampire gossip, if you will," he began, giving her information she already knew. "The mechanics of it are quite simple; three mutual blood exchanges are required to complete the magic of the bond. The exchanges must be made on separate occasions, with at least one night separating each exchange. Upon completion of the third, the tie is complete and irrevocable. Both parties would be privy to the location and emotional state of the other. Further blood exchanges would be necessary to keep the bond strong and allow it to come to it's full potential, but even if no further exchanges were made, the connection would always be there. The vampire would always be able to find his blood, but the connection would weaken on the other end."
"What level of control would you have over that blood?" Sookie asked bluntly.
"I don't know," Eric replied honestly. "Normally, a vampire would already have the human in his thrall by glamour. Glamour is a more effective way of controlling a human, even if the human holds the vampire's blood. If we're talking about us, obviously this doesn't apply. You cannot be glamoured and I have no wish to control you. There's no way to know in advance, of course, but I would suspect that I would hold very little ability to control you. Your spark and Fae blood would likely not allow it."
"I guess there's probably never been a vampire bonded to a fairy before, huh?" The fairy in question looked thoughtful as she considered his theory. It did hold sway; it was something she and Claudine had theorized ages ago. Vampires owed their existence and vampire gifts to magic, but yet, none could wield it, let alone master it as a Fae could – as Sookie did.
"Not to my knowledge," Eric agreed with an easy smile.
"So what else can you tell me?"
"After the third exchange, in addition to being able to feel each other's emotions, it is also possible to push feelings at one another. You would be able to sense if I was pushing a particular feeling towards you through the bond. It would be up to you to respond and embrace it, or push it away."
"You could make me feel something I don't?" A small frown formed between her eyebrows.
"A bond cannot make you feel something you don't; it cannot manufacture emotions within you. You would feel my emotions, and anything I am pushing at you, quite differently than you feel your own."
"That could be useful, I suppose." She looked at Eric for a moment before asking, "Would I be able to do the same to you?"
"Yes, or that's my understanding, anyway. The third exchange balances the scales, giving each equal power. From what I know, all additional benefits would apply mostly to you."
"What do you mean?"
"You would receive the benefits of vampire blood, without actually becoming vampire. Your skin, hair and nails would look and feel the best they've ever been. All of your senses would improve fairly dramatically; your eyesight would be nearly as sharp as a new vampire and hearing, scent and taste will all improve dramatically. A human lifespan can be considerably improved upon with regular ingestion of vampire blood, but I suspect your lifespan will likely be much longer than a normal human already." Eric paused and stroked her hand, still entwined with his. "I'm not sure how much of that will apply to you, in reality. Your senses are already much sharper than a humans and while I am sure you have always been beautiful, your supernatural blood shows in your hair and skin already."
"Aw, shucks, baby," Sookie drawled and batted her eyes. "Aren't you sweet."
"Yeah, yeah," Eric grumbled good-naturedly while rolling his eyes at her chosen endearment. He really hoped that one didn't stick.
"Anything else?"
"Yes," Eric murmured, picking up her hand and pressing a cool, yet scorching kiss to her palm. "A marked increase in libido is often noted."
Sookie laughed out loud. "Good Lord, Eric! If that happens, we may never get out of bed again!"
The vampire smiled at her, noting with pleasure how she still blushed slightly when talking about sex, even with him. Although still quite modest in many ways, Sookie had proven to be an adept student, mastering every lesson Eric provided. Her natural sensuality and incredible responsiveness pleased the vampire to no end. Many hours – too many hours, according to a grouchy Pam – had been spent in sensual exploration, with Sookie proving to be nearly as insatiable as the ancient, experienced vampire.
"You would get no complaints from me," Eric assured her with a sexy smile, accompanied by a devilish lift of a golden eyebrow.
"That's the problem, Eric! I wouldn't be complaining either; we'd never get anything else done." Sookie was only half joking; she knew she would be happy to spend every night making love with him. "Pam would eventually stage some kind of a coup, or intervention, or something."
"I can control her," Eric replied, causing Sookie's mind to flip back to their original conversation.
"So other than being able to send me feelings, is there anything else you can do through the bond?"
"Some vampires report being able to call their human to them, much as a maker can call a child," Eric revealed with a slight frown. "I've never been sure if it was really a call, or if the human was simply conditioned to respond through glamour. I would always be able to locate you; I would always know when you are in danger, or hurt. There's some suggestion we would both be most at ease when we are with one another, but that is already true for me."
"For me, too," Sookie answered his unspoken question with a small lump in her throat. "That's it, though?"
"I think so. I don't know what rules will apply to us."
"I can see what the appeal is for humans," Sookie mused aloud, "but what's in it for a vampire, if it doesn't offer more effective control than glamour already provides?"
"A bond offers twice the protection under normal circumstances; more than that, really. A blood tie would allow the vampire to sense any deceit on the part of the human, something glamour alone cannot ensure. I didn't mean to imply a vampire has so little control, either. Under normal circumstances, a vampire can exert quite a bit of control through a blood tie. I just don't believe it would be the case with you."
"Why do you want me to have your blood?" Sookie asked bluntly, her eyes locked with his.
"If I am going to continue to claim you as mine, it will be expected at some point," Eric replied. "I'd always be able to find you, or know if you needed me."
For a reason she couldn't explain, his answer disappointed her. Sharing a lifelong connection should be based upon more than that. "I see," she said, even though she really didn't. "So it's for keeping up appearances."
"No," the vampire corrected her. His eyes, so very blue, bored into hers with intensity hidden in their depths. "It would serve that purpose, but it is not the reason."
"Okay. Then tell me the reason," she demanded as her heart sped up just a touch. Something in those blue eyes held her soul captive; some part of her was forever lost in his magnetic gaze.
"It is because I wish to feel you."
His reply was simple, both in words and tone. A sharp inhalation was the only response the telepath made initially; she knew there was more to his statement that face value, but she couldn't find the words to convey her thoughts.
"Why?" she finally asked, even if it were merely a thought spoken aloud.
"Because I believe I love you," the vampire with a thousand years of life and experience stated gravely.
"You believe you love me?" Sookie asked with a small smile, even as her heart beat furiously inside her chest. "You aren't sure?"
"I know what I feel for you is more powerful than anything I've ever felt, but I don't know if I can call it love. I have never loved that way before so I cannot be sure." His eyes never wavered from hers, but the emotion threatened to spill over this time. "I will know for sure when I feel you."
"A bond can tell you if you love me?" Sookie questioned, scrunching her nose as she thought about what he was saying.
"How you feel will tell me if it's love," he answered softly, a giant hand cupping the side of her face tenderly. "If I feel as you do, then I will know it's love, sweet Sookie."
"Why is that?" she breathed out. She didn't expect it to be easy for him to come to grips with his feelings for her, but he was complicating it on levels she hadn't considered.
"You love me."
Sookie found herself automatically nodding her head in agreement, even though she'd yet to speak the words aloud or understood how Eric came to his conclusion. His smile widened to show strong, white teeth and a new light entered his eyes as he gazed upon her. He waited patiently for her reply as the telepathic fairy princess took a moment to compose herself and gather her thoughts.
"I do love you, Eric," she finally replied, turning her head into that giant hand and placing a soft kiss against his cool flesh. She didn't trust herself to kiss his lips as she yearned to do; this conversation needed to happen and if they started making out while declaring their love, or whatever he was doing, they'd never finish talking. "I love you with all of my heart, but what made you so sure?"
"You told me so."
"I did?" Sookie asked skeptically. "Any reason why I don't remember this?"
"I really couldn't say," Eric replied with amused twinkle in his eye, completely belying the solemn expression gracing his handsome face. "You seemed quite sure of yourself at the time. You even called out to your God – or were you calling me your God? Either way, you did say you love me."
Sookie laughed and shook her head before poking the giant vampire in the ribs, letting out the tiniest little shock as she did so. Eric gave a satisfying jolt before his eyes widened just a bit.
"What's said during orgasm doesn't count, mister!" Sookie grinned as she watched him tenderly rub the spot she'd zapped.
"Au contraire, my sweet, sweet fairy," Eric rebutted, his index finger gently tracing the contours of her mouth. "What spills over these lips when you are in the throes of ecstasy is the truth."
"Yeah, yeah," Sookie came back good-naturedly "Whatever. Point is, I love you and you think you love me."
"Christ, Sookie!" Eric's eyebrows rose dramatically over his intense blue eyes. "It sounds really crappy when you put it like that. I do believe I love you in my heart and in my head, but I have no genuine point of reference for these emotions. I'm sure of what I feel, lover, I'm just not sure of the name for it."
"And what if I don't feel like you do? People feel things and love in different ways, Eric. Are you going to believe it's not love if my feelings don't mirror yours?"
"I'm not expecting a mirror image. Just some clarification, I suppose. This is more complicated than it needs to be, lover."
"Hey, you're the one who said it, not me," Sookie shrugged, unconcerned with his mounting frustration.
"Can we talk about something else?" Eric asked, clearly giving up the fight over what he considered to be nothing more than semantics.
"Depends on what you want to talk about, I suppose."
"You're asking questions about bonding for a reason. Is this an immediate consideration, or knowledge for the future?"
Sookie snuggled closer to her vampire, allowing them more contact than they'd had all evening. Her small hand stroked the strong, sharp contours of his face as her eyes met and held his. The moment stretched and held, the silence comfortable and unnoticed by either.
"Both," she finally said, continuing to hold his gaze. "I'm ready to exchange blood with you. I think I'm ready to bond completely, if you will have me, of course, but I want to hold off on making that final decision until the first two exchanges are done."
"You cannot know how happy you have made me, my sweet Sookie," Eric spoke huskily, picking her up and cradling her close to his chest. His head dropped until his face was buried in her silky mane of hair. Inhaling deeply, the vampire closed his eyes as her intoxicating scent surrounded him once more. "There's nothing I want more, other than you. My blood is yours. I am yours."
His words provided a heady rush and her eyes drifted closed as his mouth claimed hers, plundering her senses. Rational thought fled her mind as Eric's tongue swept past her lips, sliding against her own in carnal exploration. Sookie willingly gave up her remaining senses and surrendered to her Viking. The time for talking was past.
Minutes, or perhaps hours, ticked inevitably away as the pair lost themselves in each other, mouths and hands leisurely exploring, each trying to prolong the moment and not give in to the raging passions lurking beneath the surface. Soft moans accompanied the crackling of the fireplace as Eric's cool lips and tongue explored the smooth column of her throat. His fangs inevitably dropped at the feel of her pulse beating furiously beneath his lips; the sharp edges only increased the shivering pleasure coursing through her.
The mounting pile of clothing beside them grew larger as Sookie slithered out of her dress and tossed it onto the pile. Eric's tenuous control was tested by the scraps of silky fabric covering her modesty; the dangerous points of his fangs elongated even further as he stared at the vision of innocent seduction before him. No words were spoken as he stood, Sookie clinging to his naked chest. Without conscious thought, he carried her through the house and into what he considered their bedroom. The tiny clasps on her bra were no match for his nimble fingers and the barrier between them was gone. The vampire groaned as the stiff, heated peaks of her gloriously round breasts pressed into his chest.
Placing Sookie on her feet next to the bed, Eric dropped to his knees in front of her, placing soft kisses on the smooth skin right below her bellybutton. His eyes raised to meet hers as his fingers hooked into the scant threads of fabric holding her panties on her hips. With a devilish smile, he slipped them slowly, teasingly down her rounded hips, until they were a small, shimmering puddle between her feet.
"It would have been a shame to waste them," he said with a shrug to the question in her eyes. He was sometimes less than careful with her delicate underthings. "I look forward to seeing that set again," he finished huskily, all trace of humor leaving his eyes as his eyes drifted down and his head leaned ever closer to her.
"Thanks," Sookie replied breathily, her hands rising to allow her fingers to tangle in his golden hair. "I like them, too."
His hands came to her hips, applying gentle pressure to ease her back onto the bed. His head was swimming with the tantalizing aroma of her desire and he wanted nothing more right now than to fill himself with her taste; to immerse himself into her glorious scent. His fairy lover fell back onto the bed, spreading her legs obligingly. Despite his nearly all-encompassing need to taste her, Eric took a moment to appreciate the beauty before him. Simply put, she was magnificence personified. Every inch of her tanned, curvy flesh was perfection to his eyes; the acquisitive, possessive vampire could only marvel at the luck that had him crossing paths with such a rare treasure. Her lushly rounded hips and bountiful breasts called forth a raw, primal need in the virile, chest-beating Viking warrior within.
"You are beautiful, my love," he rasped out as his whole body leaned into her core, his strong hands coming to rest on her inner thighs, gently guiding her limbs into pace as his face dipped closer to her core. All of his senses were on overload as he focused on pleasuring his lover; the heavy scent of her arousal made his head swim with need; the warm, honeyed elixir on his tongue more tantalizing than any flavor the vampire had ever known. He would never tire of hearing the soft, breathy little moans she gave as she reveled in his attentions.
Her back arched off the bed, her supple body curving like a bow as she came apart in ecstasy. His name fell from her lips as if in prayer as she arched and twisted in wordless supplication, her body pleading for more and more of whatever he offered. A satisfied groan came as Eric's long, muscular frame came to cover her sprawled form. Silken limbs tangled around him as they moved together in harmony.
A shimmering cloak of perspiration clung to Sookie's skin as they lay quietly in the glorious aftermath of their lovemaking. Her chest rose and fell sharply as she struggled to catch her breath. Eric's large, cool hand stroked the length of her spine as her breath came under control.
"You didn't bite me," Sookie eventually said, a touch of hoarseness invading her voice.
"The night is young," Eric replied with a smile, his fingers still lazily stroking along the exposed flesh of her tanned back. "There was no rush."
A small, satisfied smile touched Sookie's pink lips. "So, you haven't changed your mind?"
"Never," the vampire stated seriously. As much as his fangs ached to press into her supple flesh, his very soul ached even more for the feeling of his blood spreading through her veins.
"It's probably a good thing we waited," Sookie said, choking off the sleepy yawn induced by the not one, but two bone-shaking orgasms he'd provided. "There was something I wanted to talk to you about first, anyway."
"Oh?" Eric replied, one brow raised in query.
"It's nothing, really, nothing too serious, anyway," Sookie assured him quickly. "When I was thinking about this earlier, something occurred to me. I don't have fangs." Her face twisted into a comical grimace as she bared her set of straight, well-formed white teeth in support of the obvious. "How can I draw blood if I can't penetrate your flesh?"
Eric tried his best first not to laugh at her concerns before shifting his focus to remaining calm as furious lust ratcheted through his system as his mind conjured up devastating images of all the many and varied ways he would welcome her penetrating his flesh.
"I can tear my flesh for you, lover," he assured her quietly, focusing on her wide blue eyes instead of imagining her with her lips covered with his blood.
"But I want to be the one to draw your blood," she replied earnestly, her innocent protest wreaking havoc on the fantasies playing out in his brain. Like a movie on fast forward, each lurid image was rapidly being replaced by another, equally lascivious thought. It took every single one of his many years of control; every trick he'd ever learned was employed to thwart his rampant desire to take her right this instant.
"Then we can get you a knife," he assured her quickly while there were still coherent function left in his brain.
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I already have a knife," she informed him, sitting up before crawling over his legs and balancing precariously on the edge of the bed as she reached for the purse she had left on the bedside table, now laying on its side on the floor. Eric's long arm reached around her thighs, making sure she stayed safely on the bed. His eyes, however, didn't stray from the tantalizing picture she presented with her rounded backside thrust upward and her heavy, full breasts swaying freely as she moved.
"There," she cried triumphantly as she wrapped her fingers around the strap and pulled upward with a wiggle. Eric reluctantly released his hold on her as she moved to reclaim her spot. Pulling the pillows up behind her, Sookie sat cross-legged on the bed beside her lover, uncaring of her nudity. Snapping open the clasp on the bag, she pulled out a slim bundle, one wrapped securely in a royal blue, velvety pouch. The fairy smiled brightly at the vampire as she pulled the silken cord on the bag and retrieved a slim object wrapped in a matching blue silk. Holding it in her hands, Sookie began to speak.
"At birth, every Fae baby is presented with a ceremonial dagger, usually at their first presentation, which I'm told is similar to what a christening might be here. The infants finger is pierced with the tip of the blade, just enough to spill a bead of blood. This is done to allow their magic to infuse into the knife, making it possible to magically ascertain the ownership of the dagger. This is the knife they will use throughout their lives for any ceremonial occasions requiring the spilling of blood."
"Even though it is rarely done for less than full-blooded Fae – on account of the idea most of those with lesser blood don't have the magic needed – my grandfather, Fintan, had a dagger created for me when he learned of my existence. Even though I was never 'presented' as a baby, Niall performed the ceremony with me when he gave me my dagger." She paused then, pulling her eyes from his long enough to unwrap the small bundle in her hands. A thin blade, obviously sharp, protruded from a beautifully engraved hilt, the intricate designs unlike anything Eric had seen before, even other Fae weaponry he'd had the opportunity to examine.
"It is as uniquely beautiful as you," he told her seriously, sitting up fully to better inspect the dagger she held. It had the dull gleam of silver, but the vampire's senses told him otherwise. "What do the markings represent?"
"Thank you," she murmured, sliding the tip of her finger down the flat of the blade before tracing along the fine etching on the hilt. "They are blessings, I suppose you would call them. I'm told they're usually common well-wishes for prosperity, or a long life, that kind of thing. I don't actually know what mine mean. I always meant to ask Niall about it, but there was never an opportunity."
"It is a knife worthy of a princess," he told her seriously, nodding his head for emphasis even as she glared at him. "I'm being serious, lover. See here?" He pointed to an area on center of the hilt. "I might not recognize any of these markings, but this one I am certain is the Royal Brigant crest. No one other than royalty has the right to carry this mark. The knife is indeed fashioned for a royal, Sookie."
"Well, I prefer to think of it as something my grand-daddy had made for me, Sookie, because he wanted something to mark my birth," she told him breezily, holding on to her complete denial of her royal status. It made him smile every single time. Was there another woman on earth who would fight so vehemently against being a princess? "This is the knife that would be used in a fairy bonding or marriage ceremony. I never wanted that life, ever before I met you, but I would like to observe some Fae traditions and use this blade when we start our bond. Do you mind?"
"I do not mind," Eric replied firmly as he met her gaze directly, finally raising his eyes from the weapon she handled so delicately. "I would be honored, Sookie."
"Then it's settled," she replied with a touch of shyness returning to her voice. She carefully placed the silk wrapped knife beside her pillow, close enough to be at arm's reach when she did need it. Turning back to her vampire, Sookie boldly moved to straddle his powerful thighs, settling against his carved chest. The vampire wasn't the only one affected by the talk of their impending blood exchange and the fairy princess made short work of announcing her intentions as she claimed his lips with a passion that took even the vampire by surprise.
Whatever tenuous hold he had on his control broke with a nearly audible snap as Sookie's tongue snaked past his lips to twist and turn against his as her core first brushed tantalizingly against him before engulfing him in slick heat as she impaled herself on his ever present erection without warning. Enchanted with her boldness, Eric groaned as her tight muscles worked him enthusiastically as she ground her hips against him. A deep, sensual moan came from her as she broke off their kiss to lean back, gaining leverage to thrust more effectively. Her small fingers found her engorged nipples and Eric's hips jerked as he watched her pull at the stiff peaks. His eyelids fluttered as she added a twist to her hips on the down stroke, but they never lost sight of the fairy princess as she worked her body on his, every movement of her hips making him shudder and moan.
The vampire watched with joy and lust as she fell to pieces above him, her head thrown back with abandon as she moaned through waves of bliss thundering through her slight frame. His eyes found the place where their bodies joined, nearly following her to orgasm as he watched the evidence of her pleasure slide down the pale, glistening skin of his throbbing erection. Flipping them over without breaking their contact, Eric quickly found a pounding rhythm that had the fairy beneath him keening and wailing for release in no time. His fingers found where she needed him most and a couple of quick, deft movements had Sookie milking him as she rode out the fast, furious orgasm that took hold low in her belly before spreading explosively outwards.
Not giving her any recuperation time, Eric wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her tight to his chest as the other hand reached for her small dagger. Ignoring the pulse of magic traveling through his hand and up his arm as he held the Fae blade in his hand, he pressed it into her hand, holding it there until she registered its presence and grasped it firmly. Chest to chest, they moved together, slower than before, but with more purpose and meaning to their movements. Neither lost sight of the pleasure they sought, even as moved to create an irrevocable bond between them.
"Are you ready, lover?" Eric asked with serious intent as they moved closer to their respective peaks. Sookie nodded as she raised the knife to chest level. "Here?" she asked breathlessly, touching the base of his neck. He nodded, his eyes glazed with lust and anticipation. Their lips met in a final kiss before Eric's lips trailed down her neck, licking and nipping at the vein there. Sookie moaned, her head falling back in pleasure as his roving lips caused shivers to run across her heated flesh.
"Now, Sookie," he instructed urgently. Her head snapped upright again, her wide eyes filled with passion and love as she met his gaze. A second later and he felt the tip of the knife slicing effortlessly through his flesh as her eyes left his to focus on the thick trail of blood starting to slither from the wound. Her small pink tongue emerged to drag purposely across the crimson trail, her eyes fluttering closed as she moaned in appreciation at her first taste of the rich, full flavor of his blood. Her tongue reached the still oozing wound and her full lips closed over the deep puncture, sucking a mouthful of his ancient blood within her.
His thrusts became more purposeful as she licked the blood from his skin and his eyes closed in complete ecstasy as she pulled on the wound, swallowing his blood, taking him within her in a new way. His swollen flesh throbbed within her trembling walls, threatening to spill forth as his fangs finally made contact with her skin, breaking through her tender flesh with ease. Retracting his fangs with care, the vampire closed his eyes and let her pumping heart do the work for him as he savored each small mouthful her open vein deposited onto his waiting tongue.
The first few mouthfuls were pure, unadulterated Sookie; her blood was imbued with a sweetness that was uniquely her. The favor became even headier, more intoxicating as she came apart in his arms; the rush of hormones through her body added a spicy note, but it wasn't until her frantically beating heart pumped the taste of him back into his mouth did Eric allow his own release. Shouting out with the force of the pleasure wracking him, Eric claimed her bloodied lips in a frenzied kiss, their lips and tongues moving against each other in a frantic effort to taste every last drop.
A comfortable silence surrounded the pair as they lay in hazy, post-coital bliss, each taking the moment to mentally absorb the changes between them as their bodies literally absorbed the other's blood. Sookie was surprised to feel the connection to Eric already forming within her; it was as pleasant as it was unexpected. The slight feel of him taking up residence inside her made the fairy yearn for the next taste of his blood to feel him more fully.
Eric pulled her even closer, holding her as tightly as he could without making her uncomfortable. Each thump of her heart could be felt against his ribs, but was also found within him as the tie between them hummed in unison. The vampire closed his eyes and reveled in the feeling of his blood coursing through her body, each unique cell of his blood finding a partner in her blood until he could feel her very spirit in his soul. A smile curved the corners of Eric's full lips upwards as her softly swirling essence moved through him, leaving contentment in its wake.
"Sookie?" Eric eventually spoke into the silence. "Hmm?" she murmured, raising her lips from his chest, where they'd been pressing soft kisses against his flesh for some minutes now.
"I thought you might like to know," he began, pausing to kiss the top of her tousled head, "it's definitely love."
A rush of joy and what Eric knew to be Sookie's love for him washed over him as she twisted in his embrace until they were face to face. A beautiful smile lit her gorgeous face, all traces of exhaustion disappearing as she met his gaze.
"I love you, Sookie Stackhouse," the ancient vampire told her.
"I love you, too, Eric Northman," the fairy princess told her vampire lover.
And there you have it. This section of the story is complete! Yay! As I said, there is an epilogue to come, set slightly into the future. You'll get a glimpse of how the relationship is progressing and what is to come for our favorite vampire and his fairy lover.
Tell me what you thought!