My breath was coming out in sharp panting bursts as Eric's lips traveled softly across my jaw. Nibbling at my lobe, the licking the shell of my ear before he blew lightly over the wetness his tongue left behind. I shivered and giggled from his attention. Questions from Bill's deception lingered in my mind and I needed some answers. Or at least some peace of mind.
"Who is the Magister?" I asked.
Eric continued his sensual assault. "He is an authority that handles disputes."
"Oh, well. Isn't that what a Queen is supposed to do?" I was confused. It seemed reasonable that the Queen would handle this, or maybe Eric. He said he was a Sherriff, after all.
"Or why wouldn't you just handle it?"
Eric leaned back from my neck with a gentle smile. "Aren't you a curious thing. Yes, normally I would handle it, as you say." His face turned serious with a slight frown marring his soft sculpted lips.
"However with Compton sighting his connection to the Queen, I will allow an outside authority to wear a target on his back."
"Wear a target? Why would you say that?" More question swam through my mind.
"Because I plan to make mine what the Queen covets. I want you to be mine, Sookie." Eric purred, his hands squeezed my ass as he rolled his hips into me.
Moaning, I briefly closed my eyes as the glorious feeling surged through me. "We have only just met Eric." I shook my head, in an attempt to clear it.
"We need to slow things down. I don't know how you vampires do it, but this mere mortal need a moment."
Eric growled and I swear it vibrated throughout my entire body. If I was not already very aware of every nerve ending, this sensation hit new limits.
Wow!
"How I do things, my lover." Eric's voice was husky and hitting all the right buttons on my libido.
Kiss.
"Is that I see what I want and take it."
Lick.
His breath blew across my throat. "I have never been compelled like this before."
Suck.
"With you."
Kiss.
"Besides if I do not act fast, you will be gone. And I will not allow that."
Eric's fangs now scraped across my jugular as he made his way to the opposite ear.
"Gone?" I pushed back against his chest. I tried again for a clear head free of his demanding lips for a moment. "What do you mean gone? I am not goin' anywhere. Let's just see each other, ya know. Date. I admit this feeling I have for you, I have never had for anyone else. But let's not be dramatic, we just met."
"Lover, Compton was merely the first to be sent for you. If you do not belong to a vampire, you are fair game." Eric spoke with a heavy foreboding.
Was that really true? No, I am a person. Not something some grubby old queen can just steal away. I have rights. My inner feminist had woken up with outrage at the very idea.
On the other hand, I had to admit I knew very little of vampires. Bill had told me some, but his information was guarded, now I knew why. Under the new light of information of my deceitful neighbor, I knew I needed to ask questions. A lot of questions.
Remembering back to when he asked to meet me after I had saved his life from the Rats, I felt sick. It was all a set up. Had to be. Bill wanted me in a position to get hurt, badly. He was looking to show up on his white horse in the nick of time and save me.
V''V
I waited at my old, reliable yellow civic for a moment when I heard the Rats in my mind. "Bitch, lost us our money. We worked hard to get that vamp. She is gonna pay tonight…"
Bolting at a dead run back towards Merlotte's, I headed for Sam's office. He was finishing up some paperwork when I burst in, slightly out of breath.
"Sam, the Rats are waiting to hurt me in the parking lot."
"What? Sookie, Why?" He stood up making his wooden chair slam backwards on the floor.
"Because I stopped them from draining Bill Compton, that vampire from the other night. Ya know, the one I told you about." I was babbling.
He ran his hand through his unruly reddish grey hair. "Cher, damnit! I told you not to go out there. Vamps, well, they can take care of themselves. Besides, things are not always what they seem with their kind."
"I couldn't allow someone to get hurt! It's not very Christian-like to stand by and do nothing."
"And that right there is why you were supposed to talk to me. Your boss! We have this little thing called the police. Maybe you've heard of it. They love handling problems like this, you might even say it's their job!" Sam yelled right back taking a step toward me. He was full of exasperation and sarcasm. Perhaps I had earned some of it.
"Alright, alright. I might've acted impulsively last night. But I am asking for help now. Please. What should we do? Bill said he would meet me, but he hasn't showed. I'm ready to go home but I can't very well do that and have those two lookin' to stir up trouble for me or Gran." I was rambling again, my fear ramping up.
"Shh, shh. Cher." Sam hugged me to his small, muscled frame. I felt safe, like when your dad rescues you from almost falling off a cliff. That's what Sam felt like, my friend with father qualities I had forgotten about. Since my father had passed I had not known what it was like to have an older man genuinely care for you.
"It'll be okay, give me a moment."
Sam had called the Bud. Told him the whole situation and sent Andy and Kendra to the bar to investigate. The Rats were still outside, still waiting in the woods for me to appear. Which was odd, wouldn't most people have just left? Seeing as how I took off like a shot and then the police came by?
When I pointed out their hiding place to Andy, they tried to attack me. Almost like they were zombies with a one track mind. It was the most peculiar thing.
Bill came out a short while later, saying something about car trouble. I had believed him and said good night. But not before the Rats sang out that they were looking to kill me. Kill me, for stopping them from draining a vamp. I was so shaken that Sam drove me home. I had no business behind the wheel of my car that night.
I declined Bill's offer as an escort. I didn't really know this vampire and right now I needed the safety of those I did trust.
The Rats went to jail for a laundry list of charges, including draining and attempt to harm. Or something like that. Later I found out that they were wanted in a handful of states for many other similar crimes against vampires. These two wouldn't see the light of day again for a long time.
It bothered me that Bill was absolutely insistent on sharing his blood with me. I had declined each time, however he was constantly looking for another opportunity. Like when I stubbed my toe on my front porch. Hardly a case for nine, one, one emergency. Let alone an infusion of his blood.
V''V
Returning from my thoughts, I asked Eric, "Do vampires give their blood to everyone?"
"No, the blood is sacred. It is rare for a vampire to want to share their essence with a human. However. It is not unheard of. Why?"
"Bill offered his blood to me, a lot. I thought maybe it was something ya'll did. Like giving a cup of sugar to a neighbor or something." I laughed at the absurdity.
He features hardened. "Giving our blood to anyone is serious. A vampire does not do this lightly, Bill must have been trying to connect you to him. Either making his claim over you valid in the eyes of other vampires or possibly controlling you with feelings and dreams. I'd say both are true, considering his duplicity." Eric stroked his lower lip with his finger in concentration.
I didn't know what to say to that. I knew there was something truly wrong with Bill, but this was another level. To hear that vampire blood could control me from the inside out, made me weary. Exhaustion flooded my body as I slumped on the edge of the desk.
My goal in coming here, to Fangtasia was to learn anything to help clear Jason's name. Instead, I was flirting, dancing and petting a sex God as if he were a harmless kitten. The image of Eric purring made me smile for a moment. Feeling slightly ashamed at not putting my family first, I changed gears.
"Eric, it's late. I need to be getting on home." Eric straightened up and was about to argue when I held up a hand to stop his inquiry. "The reason I came here tonight was to find out who these two girls hung around. They've been murdered, ya see. My brother was with both of 'em, but I know he didn't do it. I'm trying to clear his name."
Pulling out the pictures of Maudette and Dawn, I handed them to Eric. He looked at me for a moment with, well I'm not sure what and then glanced at the pictures.
Eric frowned, "This one offered herself to me, but I found her too pathetic for my attentions. The other I have tasted." If we had been out on his dais, I would have thought he was trying to taunt me. But here in the privacy of his office, Eric was matter of fact. Neither Maudette nor Dawn meant anything to him other than a meal or possibly sex.
Damn it, he had been with Dawn. I reminded myself that I had no right to be upset, this was well before I met him. Even now, he had no obligation to me. But I hoped he was serious about wanting us to work out. I shook myself again, who was I kidding. No way I could offer more than a passing fancy to this magnificent creature.
"Well great, that's just great." I said with a heaping spoonful of sass. "That is all the time I need to take from you tonight." I slid off the desk and placed the pictures back in my purse.
Time to call a cab.
"I'm not finished with you yet." Eric's voice was pleading, not commanding.
"Please, sit." He held his hand to me, which I took a bit too quickly. Way to stay cool, Stackhouse. Eric led me to the leather sofa, where not thirty minutes before I was ready to hand over my virginity on a silver platter. How many other girls had done that very thing here, with him. I shuttered.
"Alrighty then, Eric it was nice meeting you, but I need to be on my way home." My embarrassment at my obscene candidness with him was coming back in spades. My fear that this experienced creature was laughing at my more than likely juvenile antics sent me into a defensive mode.
What could he want from the crazy girl in a small hick town.
Nothing.
Sitting right next to me he searched my face. "Have I scared you?"
"Uh, no." I lied. I needed to leave. "I run into men all the time who want to dance and make out with me." I spoke sarcastically.
Eric growled. "I am sure they do, what I want to know is why you are leaving me now."
I was stunned, did he really think I did this all the time. I had only ever kissed two men before him, including Bill. Eric was in another league of men. A category I thought I would never ever see.
The man I wanted to belong to.
I straightened my shoulders in an attempt to seem firm. "Because it's late and my Gran will worry if I don't return tonight." There, that was good enough reason.
His eyes brightened at my half-truth, gold flecks speckled throughout his bright blue eyes causing a delighted smile to spread across his face. "Well, let us not keep this Gran of yours any longer." Eric stood, still gripping my hand in his.
"What?" I asked. Very intelligent.
"I will take you home and meet your families Matriarch. You did say Compton was your escort this evening. Since he has been permanently detained from carrying out his duties, I shall avail myself to you." He kissed my hand gently as I stood up next to him.
Um, oh. He was a sight indeed.
What would Gran say about Eric?
Who was I kidding, she would say I traded up. My Gran always did appreciate a handsome man. Add manors, an imagination and a business owner, the want ad wrote itself.
Eric sent a text on his phone as we strode through the packed club. "Don't you need to stay and work? I don't want to be a bother. I can easily call a cab-." He pulled us up short, still gripping my hand in his, Eric pulled my flush to him.
"My woman is never a bother, you are a beauty who will be treated with the upmost affection and respect." Eric whispered in my ear, crushing my resolve to stay self-conscious about how I acted toward him.
"Oh, Eric. I-I don't know what to say." I felt my blush reach my toes. "I don't have any experience with this."
"This?" I noticed we were back on the dance floor, another rock beat was pumping through the sound system. The patrons around us, danced and moved with the rhythm.
"You know, men. I, uh. I don't date. Ever." I was now sure I resembled a tomato in color. Please God, open the Earth to swallow me whole.
"I can smell that you are pure, my Sookie. But if the pitiful males have ignored you, they are imbeciles. Fools that have handed me a great treasure indeed." He kissed my lips. "I will endeavor to be worthy of such a gift."
Wow. I mean, wow!
I was grinning like an idiot watching her first firework show on the fourth of July. This was incredible. Before I could respond, a voice filtered through the throng of patrons.
"…they should be here any minute. I need back up now, if we are going catch this place red handed…"
"Eric, there is going to be a raid." I whispered urgently in his ear. He stilled from his considerable dance skills to, I assume absorb what I said.
"Tell me you are not an undercover cop."
"I'm not, but that man in the hat is." I bobbed my head to the direction of the very obvious cop in the see through black muscle shirt.
Eric looked over at the interloper with a calmer demeanor. "Even if there is, we are doing nothing wrong here." He spoke with certainty.
"And what about Bill in the basement. I bet cops might have a few questions about that." Eric stilled, his face blank.
A rush of air and Pam stood next to us. I gasped at her sudden appearance, which both vampires ignored.
"Master." Pam said.
"Cover the tracks below and get out. We are leaving." Eric still clutching my hand spun toward the hallway and to a back exit. Where upon hitting the cool night air, he picked me up bridal style and led me to a gorgeous cherry red Corvette. Once we were seated inside and he headed down the road I saw the police lights heading to Fangtasia.
"What about Pam? Your club?" I was flabbergasted on his abrupt exit.
"Do not worry Sookie. My partners know the drill and Compton will not make his appearance known to our friendly enforcement officers." He looked so relaxed behind the wheel. The open window blowing his long hair back, I couldn't help but stare at him.
He was sex on a stick. Eric Northman was Satan in a Sunday hat, as Lafayette would have said. I thought that Eric may as well have been covered in chocolate and whipped cream. Never in my life have I wanted to lick another person so much.
All over.
And then start again.
Eric smiled, his fangs glistening in the light of the dashboard. "See something you like Lover?" His eyes grazed over my face and down my body like a cool caress. "I know I do." His voice was raw and husky.
Licking my lips, I considered all the things he meant with his tone. My belly clenched below and I felt hotter than normal, even with the cool summer breeze blowing through the car.
The Corvette turned off onto a country road, away from the main highway. Eric put the car in park, switched off the headlights and turned off the engine. Leaning back across the seat he stared at me with hunger I've only read about in romance novels.
Eric's lust mirrored my own. I wanted him so badly. I un-graciously scrambled over the console and straddled Eric, fusing my lips with his. He moaned as I pressed down on his rock hard erection.
His hands cupped my ass a moment before moving under my dress, lightly rubbing against my red thong panties. "So wet, Sookie." Eric groaned into my mouth as I continued kissing him.
All thoughts of moving too fast disappeared as he circled my clit slowly with his thumb. He drummed his fingers against my slick slit like he was playing an instrument. I bucked forward again and again. Trying to get closer.
Right before I hit my release, Eric sank his fangs into my throat and I came with a surreal pleasure I never knew existed.
(A/N): Poor Sookie. She can't seem to keep her hands off of Eric. And who can blame her? Answer time: See, Sookie never had Bill's blood. EVER. I guess you could call her a virgin in every way. Never been bitten, never drank ancient blood. Never, well you know. Enter the Viking. Love it? Hate it?