The characters are not mine, they belong to Charlaine Harris.

Thanks for the reviews. I hope you enjoy my versions of the characters.

Eric's POV

I am sitting in my bar on my new throne. I want my old throne back. I purchased this monstrosity after my memories of my time with her returned, I had hoped beyond reason that she would be mine that she would sit here with me. I was stupid to hope she does not love me she does not want to be mine. Even if she were to come to me I would turn her away, I am no good for her. I do not care what the King thinks, Akakios was right bonding with a human weakens you.

I check my phone, two texts from Alcide. The first text is about my purchase of the Hair of the Dog, the former owner, Amanda, used to be Alcide's second before she was killed in the Shreveport Were War. The war shut the bar down for a few weeks before the battle and when she was killed her son, Keith, was not able to get bar back up and running quickly enough to prevent the foreclosure. I bought the building off the block for less than a third of its value and then I negotiated with the other creditors and was able to get everything else for a steal. I gave, yes gave, Keith a 25% ownership interest, he will operate the bar. What no one but Alcide knows is that Amanda used to guard her for me when I could not find a vampire. Amanda's guard duty started out as pay back for a loan I had given her for Keith's college tuition, but when the debt was paid she told me that I could call on her anytime. I never called but the offer had been made.

The second text is about the trial Alcide and I will be presiding over. A were insulted a vampire, the vampire insulted the were and the two idiots proceeded to fight, in front of humans at a human bar. This will be the second trial we have judged together since the Area 5 Alliance was formed. It seems to be working well. If a vampire has a problem with a were, shifter, or witch they bring it to me and I call Alcide or Octavia, she is the head witch in charge. You should have seen the look on her face the night Alcide called her that she was not happy. Alcide still calls her the HWIC. I am not going to piss her off like that. I still remember what happened the last time I pissed a witch off. Just thinking about witches brings back memories of her and the time I spent at her house. This alliance would not have happened if it had not been for her.

The closer we get to her celebration the more I miss her. I push all thoughts of her away. I am a vampire not a sniveling, whining, little bitch. I will not allow myself to go back down that road. I am done with that shit. I think that I may leave soon and start over somewhere new. I have been in Louisiana too long anyway. It is time for a change of scenery. I think I may go to Sweden. I have not been there in a few hundred years and I miss the cold and the snow. She can stay here for the remainder of her short, mortal life. I feel the anger building in my chest, she was willing to forgive Compton for his betrayal and she wants to be his friend. I have never betrayed her, not once, and she cannot even pick up the fucking phone and call me? Fuck her, I am done with her. I will not put any more energy in to a human.

The last few months I have devoted all of my time to discovering who allowed Sigebert to live. I have always know that it was not a vampire from Sophie Anne's regime, the traitor came from inside Felipe's regime. The breakthrough in that arena came when Rasul, the sole survivor from Area 1, came to Fangtasia, prior to opening as required, and requested formal permission to transfer to my Area.

I was cautious, was he a plant? How and why did he survive?

Rasul tells me that he survived by hiding in a stone coffin. Harold's crew did not find him until after I had accepted Felipe De Castro as my King. Harold's crew was ordered to inform any survivors and give them a chance to verify and surrender. Instead they covered the stone coffin in silver chains and left Rasul to starve for well over a month. When they let him out they told him that if he went to the King or to me they would find him and stake him. I am quite sure that he would have been staked the night of the takeover if Victor had not let it slip that he was the only survivor. Unfortunately for Victor and Harold is what they do not know is before Rasul hid in the coffin he had been hiding in the false ceiling in the Queen's room, he saw and heard everything.

Rasul heard Harold tell Sigebert that he would be released and allowed to live on one condition and one condition only, he was to track down Felipe and send him to his maker. Harold also told that stupid fuck of a vampire that I was involved in setting up the coupe and the reason he provided was very probable. Harold told Sigebert that Felipe's maker Decimus and my maker Akakios had the same maker, Sophos. The bastard made it sound like both Felipe and I knew each other and of the connection our makers had. The fuck went on to tell Sigebert how Sophie Anne's death was payback for the death of my maker at the hands of Andre. Sigebert agrees only on the condition that he could kill me too. Harold agreed right away.

When Sigebert was taken away Harold whipped out his cell phone, called Victor and recounted everything that had happened. Rasul's vampire hearing made it possible for him to hear some of what Victor said, enough to know that he was the leader of the traitors. Harold also asked Victor if they should let me know Sigebert would be coming. Victor's reply was that if I got killed it would be easier for him to acquire the telepath and he would need to break the bond anyway.

What Rasul does not know is that while the information of our makers' connection could be discovered through the data base there are only four vampires that Felipe told about Andre's hand in the death of my maker, Victor, Sandy, Pam and I. Felipe was told by a very unlikely source, her great-grandfather the Fae Prince, Nail. Nail would not say why he chose to share this information. He would only say that he had gained the information from speaking with Hadley. Hadley was also Nail's great-granddaughter and she became Sophie Anne's favorite pet, and was eventually turned. Why she would have told him about the affairs of vampires and why he would tell a vampire King is beyond me. I am sure that it had something to do with her.

When I asked Rasul why he had not come to me sooner, he looked as ashamed as a vampire can and said "Eric, you are the only surviving Sheriff in all of Louisiana and Arkansas, I was not sure if you were aligned with the King, or Harold, or neither one. I value my own life, so I kept my mouth shut and I watched and I waited. I have been moving from Area to Area, I have been sleeping in the ground, crypts, motels, you name it. I have no nest and I do not belong to a crew, I was left a rouge. I needed to know where you stood before I stuck my neck out, for all I knew you were thinking about pulling the same stupid shit as Victor and Harold." I can understand his position. It is what I would have done.

I continue, glaring at him and rising to my full height towering above his kneeling form "Why did you not go to the King?"

Rasul continued to kneel but raised his head so that he was looking me in the eyes and said "Now how the fuck was I suppose to do that Eric? It's not like I have his cell number. What should I have done? Gone to Victor, Sheriff of Area 1, or to you, Sheriff of Area 5? I'm sure that Victor would have been happy to schedule me a personal appointment with the King. If I would have asked the bastard he would have staked me and at the time I was not so sure that you wouldn't do the same thing. I thought about Sandy, but fuck, could I trust her? You have to understand Eric, I was not trying to be disloyal, I had no way to get to the King without ending my life, before I could tell him that there are traitors trying to send him to final death. I did what I had to do, what any vampire would do, I watched and waited. When I heard Victor telling Harold that you were the 'Kings new pet' I knew you were loyal to the King so I made my way here. You know me, Eric. I am loyal to my liege lord."

I told him to rise "Rasul, you have done your King a great service." I could see him visibly relax, I am glad that he survived. I always liked Rasul. I motioned for him to sit in the chair next to my throne. What he said next made my blood freeze "Eric they have someone on the inside of Area 5 working for them. I have heard them call him Thomas, but I am sure that is not his real name." I hate traitors! I was loyal to Sophie Anne until she was dead. Then I was free to offer my loyalty to another, there will never be a time that I am willing to give my life and the lives of my subjects for a dead Liege. I am not going to be martyr for anyone.

I focus, the King is supposed to be here later and I have to tell him that Victor is a traitor that gave the order to allow Sigebert to live. I am not looking forward to that conversation. Victor and Sandy share the position of second, or close to, in Felipe's power structure. There is always the possibility that the King will believe that I am the traitor and that Rasul, the vampire that brought the plotters to my attention, was involved in Sigebert's escape.

It is conceivable, Rasul is the sole survivor of Area 1, the former Queen's Area. That coupled with the fact that we knew each other and worked to together under Sophie Anne's regime casts a shadow on his testimony. I am confident that if the King sides against me I will be staked. If that is his decision I hope he gives me a quick death and I hope he leaves my subjects, especially my child, out of, but you can never be sure.

I just hope I have been able to prove my loyalty over last few months. Felipe has given me no indication that I am not trusted but I am still on edge, I have never known a vampire to trust as quickly and completely as he lets on. More importantly if he has any doubts about my loyalty the resolve of the Sigebert issue should put those doubts to rest.

The King has arrived. I rise to greet him formally, and as usual he motions me to sit. "Eric, I do not have much time, why is it so important that you see me is person?" I rise and gesture for the King to follow me to my office.

When the door is shut I begin "Felipe, what I have to tell you is of a very sensitive nature. I did not believe that matters such as theses should be discussed over the phone. I felt that I owed it to you to present myself in person, when I told you. Since you were not going to be in a position for me to come to you until after the celebration, I felt that I had no choice but to ask you to come here, what I have to tell you could not wait. Felipe, before we begin I want you to know that I have Fangtasia swept for listening devices and cameras daily, you can never be too careful."

This seems to amuse him "Found any?"

"Three in the last week. That was when I decided that only Pam or I should conduct the sweeps."

I can tell that he is surprised that Fangtasia has been bugged. "Eric, do you know why someone is trying to listen to you?'

"Based upon the information I received the night I called you, I suspect that they are trying to listen to you not me." I steady myself and relay everything that Rasul told me. I watch as his fangs come out, I can see the bloodlust in his eyes. When I am finished he has me on edge, he looks like he wants to reach out and kill someone.

"Eric, are you sure you can trust Rasul? Is he a plant?'

"I thought the same thing when he appeared. If he is Victor is still involved. The information about our makers' connection and Akakios's final death are not well known facts. It is possible that Rasul discovered the information about our makers from the data base, but unlikely. What I find more troubling is that Rasul knew about Akakios's death. He is not old enough to witness it and I really doubt Andre would have told him."

"Well, well, well, it looks like the position of Assistant to the King will be opening sooner that I had thought. Did you know that I had planned to give Victor governorship of Arkansas? It would have been a gift for his years of service. The same way I had planned to give you governorship of Louisiana. Sandy would have remained my assistant. I have reconsidered and I think that I will give Victor the sharp end of a stake instead. You my boy are going to have to take the position of Second to the King much sooner that I had wanted."

"What about Sandy? Why are you passing her over?" I am not so sure I want the position of Second to the King. I have enough to deal with governing my Area, let alone ruling an entire state, or assisting in the administration of an entire Kingdom. I am sure there will be tons of paperwork and I hate paperwork.

"Eric, Sandy does not want a governorship position, let alone the position of second. I already tried to get her to agree to govern Arkansas, before I even came here, and she refused. Sandy likes to assist, not rule, she loves paperwork. Now you say that you have a traitor in your Area too? Any ideas on who it is?'

"No I have no idea who it is. There are no vampires in my area named Thomas. I have my ear to the ground and I informed Alcide that I have a traitor. He has informed the other were packs across the state and they have their ears to the ground as well. I did not tell Alcide that the plot is directed at you, I thought it best to speak with you first."

"Tell the pack master, he has proven that he is loyal to your bonded and through her, to you. The pack master is also a business man who understands that you only truly make money in times of peace. In the wake of Katrina the last thing anyone needs is to get sucked in to the endless cycle of war. You and I are going to have to move very carefully. We cannot move against Victor, Harold, and their crews until we have found your traitor. Once that has happened we will hold a trial and stake them all. Hell I might let the pack master bite them first." He is laughing now, but his eyes do not match the sound coming from his lips.

"I have increased the protection at my bonded's home. Thalia is there at night and Alcide has weres there day and night. In fact that is where ...." I cannot feel the bond, for a terrible instant I think she is gone. I close my eyes and search, I am able to relax ever so slightly, the bond is still there but she has completely closed it off. How the hell did she know how to do that? I yank my cell phone from my pocket and try Pam, she was going to her house for movie night. The line is busy. Fuck! I try Alcide he has guard duty tonight.

"What's up Eric, you coming over for Monday night football next week?"

"Alcide what is happening there, she has closed off the bond."

"I don't know Eric. Pam showed up and they got a little loud, then Thalia went up to the house and after a few minutes she went in too." Thalia never goes in to her house. She was invited in for safety reasons but feels that spending time alone with another vampires bonded is inappropriate.

Alcide continues "Then Sookie really started crying hard. The asshole, Compton, heard her and came to the door but was ran off by Thalia in no time flat. The crying stopped and I am not shitting you ten minutes later they all walk out, got in Pam's car and left. Sookie looked like she just stepped off a Hollywood runway." I growl, I cannot help it, I do not want him admiring her. "Calm down, you would have to be dead not to have noticed how ... well I guess you are dead, but you know what I mean she looked beautiful. I am sure they are just going out so Sookie can let off some steam, she has been really sad recently. Speaking of Sookie being sad, I take it that the two of you are still not talking?"

"Why do you try my patience? I have told you time and time again …" I start to say relationship but settle for "… things between my bonded and I is my business not yours."

"Whatever, by the way Quinn is back in town and was asking about Sookie, so you better get a move on. I'm telling you man, she ends up with Quinn, and I am going to stake your dumb ass." I growl lower in my chest this time, which makes Alcide laugh. The stupid fucking were better stop testing me, just because we watched a football game together does not make me his buddy. I cannot stand the idea of her being with any other men, but the idea of her being with Quinn disgusts me even more, I hate that tiger.

"Hell, Eric, I'm just kidding with you, calm down, but all kidding aside that traitorous prick is back and he was asking about her."

"Thanks for the warning. I will talk to you later in the week." I want off the phone, I need to call Pam. I want to know where she and Thalia are taking her.

"Wait, wait .... Eric … Eric, are you there?"

"Yes" I am really irritated now, what does he want now? I have to call Pam.

"Okay you're going to be pissed. Is this a secure line on your end?"

"Yes, and yours?" I know his line is secure, I have it checked every hour, just like I do with the other phones on my special list. I ask any way just to piss him off. What a stupid, fucking, waste of time question, I would never talk on a line that has not been secured.

"Hell yes, I'm a pack master for God sakes, I can't take chances. Margaret went to Compton's house the other day."

Pissed does not begin to describe how I feel. The Area 5 Alliance agreement specifically provides that only I am to deal with vampires and any contact with a vampire or vampire property must be cleared through me first. My voice is as cold as ice when I say "I thought I told you to stay the fuck away from Compton! Vampires are under my jurisdiction! This alliance is not going to work if you insist ..."

"Eric, shut up and listen before you go off. I told Margaret that you were going to be pissed and that I was going to get my ass chewed. It is done, being pissed off about it won't change things. Consider this a report of my packs transgression if you have to, but know that Margaret felt justified. According to her she was protecting the friend of the pack. Anyway, it was last night, Margaret was on guard duty, Thalia had left, she was waiting for Sam to relieve her. She was sitting in between Sookie's property and Compton's property, she doesn't trust him. She believes that watching his movements protect Sookie, she sees him as a threat."

"I told her that she needs to keep her attention on Sookie, but this time I am glad she ignored me. Moments after Thalia left two strange male vamps went into Compton's house. Margaret believes that they were watching and waiting for Thalia to leave. They were in the house for five, maybe ten minutes and left. She waited until the sun had been up for a while and went up to the house to get their scent, it was not familiar, they are not Area 5."

The vampires and weres of Area 5 know each other's scents. Alcide and I agreed to that after the Alliance was formed, it should make it much easier in a fight for the vampires and the weres to recognize each other. Now the dumb bitch has tipped Compton off. "Is she stupid, Alcide? Bill's gift is smell, he can smell anything. He is going to know that Margaret was at his house, even if it rains, he will know that a were was sniffing around his house."

"No worries there, Margaret does not leave a scent. Eric weres are not gifted the way vampires are. Margaret is were with a touch of something else, no one is sure what. Anyway, once she changes the only way to smell her is to stick your nose into her fur. Bill won't be able to smell her, I can promise you that."

I am relieved "Thanks for the information on Compton, Alcide, I will inform the King and be in touch." I am finally able to get the talkative fuck off the phone.

I relay the information to the King and ask "I wonder if we should cancel the celebration?"

"No I don't think that will be necessary, there will be too many Kings and Queens here, no one in their right mind would try to take the kingdom of any vampire King or Queen in front of others, it would be suicide. Your weres are going to be doing perimeter control, I doubt we will have any problems, but anything is possible. If I had to guess I would say shortly after the celebration."

I try Pam's phone again, straight to voicemail. I cannot tell if she pressed the FU button or if her battery is dead. I am not happy. She should not be going out on the town when there is a traitor in our midst. I am going to have it out with Pam when she returns, it was foolish of her to take my bonded from her home without my permission. I will also have to reprimand Thalia, she should have stopped Pam or at the least called to let me know what is going on. Thalia is getting a phone with a number from the secure list as soon as I see her.

Where could they be? I push against the bond again, still closed. I push harder, I cannot get in. She is stronger than I had thought. I wonder again at her control of the bond, it is amazing that she learned to do this on her own.

I hear a disturbance near the front doors. I look up to see a phalanx of vampires moving forward toward my throne, their arms are across their chests, in the place of the shields that humans would carry. The humans are being parted like water. I am surprised to see that they are my subjects, are they betraying me? I do not see weapons, but that does not mean that they do not have them. I place my hand on Felipe's and move his hand to the hidden pocket in his chair that holds a Spanish rapier as fast as I can. The moment his hand touches the sword he nods to me. I now have one vampire that I can trust out of the ten or so that are steadily moving towards me. I place my hand on the hilt of my sword, I am glad now that I purchased this monstrosity of a throne or Felipe and I would be sitting here unarmed.

The phalanx is directly in front of my throne. I appear impassive, my face is expressionless, but inside I am in turmoil. I am not sure what I should do. Should I wait? Should I attack? Is this is it? Will the traitor show his face and fight me like a man? Will tonight be the night I go to meet my maker? I am a born warrior, I killed more men in battle before I was turned than most vampires will face in battle over their undead life. This thought gives me comfort, because before I go I am going to take as many of them with me as possible. Before I can decide whether or not to attack or wait, the phalanx begins to part.

Pam, Clancy, and Thalia step forward, I trust these three vampires more than any others, even more than Felipe. Have they betrayed me? Not Pam! I will never believe that my child would betray me, not even if she stakes me herself. I grip my sword tighter, I am ready for anything.

Pam steps aside and SHE is standing before me. I have wanted this moment for so long, but now that it has come I do not know what to do. I just sit there and stare at her. If I were alive she would have taken my breath away. Alcide was right she is beautiful.

Her hair has been swept away from her face and piled loose on top of her head and then allowed to spill in ringlet curls down her back and across her shoulders. Her dress is a heavy silk that drapes across her curves in a manner that accentuates the perfect symmetry of her body. The top of the dress is corseted in the same color blue as the lightest flecks of her eyes. Her breasts peak from the top in such an inviting manner. The dress ever so slowly and subtly darkens until it is the darkest of indigo at the hem of the skirt, the color of the band that circles her irises. The skirt is full, but still hugs her hips in a manner that allows me to see every curve. The skirt is short enough to show off her gorgeous legs. She is wearing matching shoes that are dark indigo at the toe and fade to the lightest of blues at the heel. I wonder if she is wearing matching underwear, a thong would be nice.

Why is she here? What does she want? What does this mean? Am I finally dead? Has she finally come to me? It does not matter, I will not allow her to give herself to me. Nevertheless, I continue to sit there, like the village idiot and stare at her. I do not dare move, I do not want to break the spell. She is here, she has come to me! I allow myself a brief second of happiness, happiness like I felt when I stayed with her. I push those feelings away, I concentrate on my feelings of angry and rejection. Why did she wait so long? What game is she playing?

She locks her eyes with mine and I feel her open the bond as she steps forward and kneels in front of my throne, dropping her eyes to the ground at the last possible second. My subjects drop to their knees alongside her. I am astonished, Sookie does not kneel is the last thought I have before before her emotions hit me in waves and I lose all conscious thought.

I feel her anxiety, I feel her nervousness, I feel her vulnerability, but more than anything else I feel her love. Wave after wave of pure unconditional love. Is this really happening. I need to do something, Sookie and every vampire in the bar are on their knees. I step forward and extend my hand "Lover, please sit with me." She rises so gracefully, it is as if she was born to be a queen. The vampires are still kneeling, realization dawns on me, they were acting as her honor guard. Pride swells in my chest, they have bestowed an honor on my bonded tonight, and in turn upon me. I gesture and say "Rise and enjoy your evening." I know they will protect her when I am gone, I have no intention on becoming the governor of Louisiana or the King's second.

I catch Pam's eyes, she is nervous as well she should be. I will punish her for her interference, there is no doubt about that. The severity of her punishment remains to be seen.

"Lover why have you come?" The second the words have left my lips I regret them, I know why she has come and I forced her to admit it in front of my subjects knowing full well that I plan to send her away. It is for her own good, but it will still be painful. I love her, I miss her, and I want her, but I cannot be with her. She does not want to be turned, she has made that very clear, time after time. I will not cheat her out of her human life, it would be selfish. This is what I try to tell myself, but more than that I know that I do not have the strength to stand by while she ages and dies. Eventually, I would turn her and she would hate me forever. I could binder her to me then, as her maker she would have no choice but to obey. Do not think for an instant that I have not explored this path in my mind, but I do not want her to hate me for all eternity. Once I leave she can find someone new, once she loves him I can tell her why I left and I know that she will understand. Leaving her is the best thing for her, Alcide was right, sometimes the best thing you can do is to leave the one you love, for that persons own good. I am stronger than the were, this hurts me more, because I love her more.

"Eric, I ... I ... I was scared to come before ... I was afraid that ... that ... you didn't want me ... I though you loved someone else. I couldn't come and be rejected by you, it would have killed me."

I can feel everything through the bond. She really does want me. She really does love me. She really is afraid that I will reject her. She is very jealous at thoughts of another. I suppress a chuckle, she is feeling possessive, after all her complaints about vampire possessive "she is mine shit" as she would call it.

"Lover, why would you think I was with another? I am more than just a little pissed off now, I will kill the bastard that caused her to think that I wanted to be with anyone else and caused her unnecessary pain.

"Eric, can we discuss this in private? Everyone in the bar is watching us and I quite sure all the vampires are listening too."

I lead her to my office, close the door, and sit behind my desk. I need to keep space between us. I still have the bond closed on my end. I do not want her to feel my pain when I tell her that I do not want her. I cannot take the chance that she will know that I am lying. I wait for her to begin.

"Eric, I thought you were with someone else because I could feel you through the bond. The bond would open sometimes, right before dawn, and wake me up. I would feel love. The purest love I have ever felt and then wave after wave of lust." I am embarrassed now, I should have had better control of myself. I should not have indulged if I could not keep the bond closed at the same time. "I was so sad and angry and jealous, I just couldn't face you."

"Sookie" I force myself to say her name. "I am sorry that you had to feel that, I will be more careful in the future." I try to allude to the fact that there is another, this will be the easiest way for her to move on. I know she will hate me but that cannot be helped now. In fact it might help her move on faster.

"So let me get this straight you are telling me that you are with someone else?" I do not answer her. "Answer me Eric, you are telling me that you told me that we would talk and then left me hanging. You are telling me that you have pensioned me off, just like Bill. Tell me, Eric are the guards part of that pension?" Comparing me to Compton pisses me off, but I refused to allow myself to show any emotion, I continue to sit there silently, I will let her rage at me some more before I cut her off, she is entitled. In a very really way I am pensioning her off, just not for the same reasons as Bill did. He did for himself. I am doing it for her.

Her emotions are stronger now, damn she is pissed. "Eric, I can tell you are lying even with the bond closed. I can still read your emotions if I want to." What the fuck! No one can do that, most humans cannot even shut off their side of the bond. Her eyes have darkened to a deeper blue, her checks are flushed, she is the most beautiful, proud, tenacious creature I have ever met. Flipping her blond curls back of her perfect, tan shoulder she continues "When you close the bond all you do is slow me down, the bond still pulses, and I can read those pulses. It is kinda like reading the mind of a were, it is red and tangled and no where near as clear as a human, but still readable. I have to concentrate and you know what, Eric? I don't want to have to concentrate that hard tonight. So you are going to open the bond or I am going to do it for you. I am sick and tiered of this stupid little game you and I have been playing. You and I are not going to hide or run from each other any longer, we are going to sit and talk with the bond open so that we don't get all tangled up and pissed off at the words."

I know she is really, really pissed off now. I have no clue what she is talking about, she has already opened her end of the bond. I cross my arms across my chest, I am tempted to tell her to go fuck herself, I am sure that will set her off so we can get this over with. I have left enough woman in my time on this Earth to understand that there is a certain amount of emotion a woman must get out before she will leave. I change my mind, I will wait her out, she has not even gotten a full head of steam behind her yet. This is going to get much worse before this gets any better. I feel a very odd sensation, I can feel her, she is inside my head forcing my side of the bond open. What the hell, I have never even heard of bonded vampires being able to open the other side of a bond. I cannot believe that she is this strong, no one is.

When she has finally succeeded in fully opening both sides of the bond, against my resistance, she takes a deep breath and steadies herself. I can feel her relax, the side affect is that her control of the bond solidifies. She is in control of the bond completely, I am in awe are she continues "Eric, now that the bond is open I want you to look in to my eyes and tell me that you do not want me and that you have someone new in your life."

I refuse to answer. I close off all emotions, I am not going to give her what she wants. She asks again, when I do not answer she steps over to my desk.

"Eric, I may be able to force the bond open but I cannot make you feel, only you can allow yourself to do that. Before we continue I want you to know that this is my world now, just as much as it is yours. I may be human but that is only part of me, and the longer I live the more I think that it has always been the smallest part of me to begin with. If we are not together I will end up with another supe, maybe I'll try out a Fairy next time." She is purposefully trying to piss me off and get a reaction. I refuse to indulge her, and it takes all of my strength, I remember when she left me in the hallway after our bonding and went with the fucking tiger. When I think of Quinn, I have to stifle a growl.

"Eric, I am not going to leave until you answer my first question and you explain to me what this is." I watch as she reaches in to her bag and pulls out my journal and hands it to me. It is covered in her scent, wildflowers, suntan lotion, Herbal Essence lilac shampoo, and tears. Blend together in a manner that is so uniquely and perfectly her. I I am going to kill...

She cuts me off "Before you kill Pam, you need to know that she was only trying to help. In fact it was Pam that told me to open the bond if you tried to lie to me. She knows you better than you think and she cares for you more than you know. Eric after looking at those pictures I knew you had feelings for me too. Once I started to feel hope my feelings became seperate and different than yours. In that instant I understood the bond so much better than I had before."

"Pam knows that you can control both sides of the bond?" If she knew Sookie could control both sides of the bond and did not tell me I will stake her before the sun rises.

"I don't know what you are talking about, she just said to open the bond. When you looked me in the eyes I opened my side, hoping that you woudl open your side too. But then you had to go and get stupid on me and try to hide behind your side, I opened it too." She has no clue what she can do. She is so naive and it only makes her more beautiful.

She has moved closer to me and is looking into my eyes again, I cannot bring myself to look away, even though I know that I should. "Eric, I am sick of hiding from my feelings and I am sick of allowing you to hide from yours. We are in this mess, together, because we are the most pigheaded, obstinate, egotistical, narcissistic, masochists on the face of the earth."

I can't help but smile "You have been talking to Pam I take it. Did she pray to Mickey Mouse when she told you off too?"

"God, Freya, Odin, and Mickey Mouse."

"You must have pissed her off worse that I did when she told me the same thing. I didn't think that was possible." I am relaxing, I can't help it. It is so good to see her.

"So are you ready?"

"Ready for what?"

"Are you ready to look me in the eyes, with the bond open, and tell me that you do not want me and you have someone else? You know what Eric, you say those words and I will walk out the door and never look back. If you need my help you can have Pam come see me. I will even promise not to hate you." She is relentless.

I try to close the bond and I cannot do it. My emotions break through the barrier erected, I am filled with sadness, when I think of the look in her face when I send her away. Loneliness is what I feel when I think of my life without her. I am overcome with rage, why would fate place her into my life when a life with her is unattainable? I feel pain, I do not want to be with out her another night. I am overwhelmed by my love for her. I am paralyzed by my fear of her rejection. I am disappointed that she did not come to me sooner. I have contempt for myself for not going to her in the first place. My emotions do battle, wave after wave struggling for dominance of the last. My face is no longer the stoic mask I have so carefully created over the last millennium, I have lost all control. There is nothing that I can do but feel. Finally when the emotional battle has finally finished raging the emotions that are left behind are excitement, happiness, relief, and overwhelming, unconditional love. I have never felt anything so pure in all of my undead life.

I cannot deny myself or her any longer. I love her and I cannot live without her. I answer her truthfully "No, I am not." I cannot trust my voice to say any more, I am still coming to terms with my revelation.

"Then where does that leave us Eric?" Like I said she is relentless. "I came here tonight and yielded to you. I got down on my knees in front of vampires, tourist, and fangbangers just to prove to you that I can do what it takes to be with you! I want you Eric, vampire politics and all. You see I used to think that I only loved my Eric, not Eric Sheriff of Area 5 but ... when I remembered the time you spent with me, I remember feeling like something was missing." What was missing? I remember every second of it, it was the most perfect time that I have ever spent in my entire life. She presses forward "When you first came to me you were an empty book, I cared for you and you were very sweet, but it wasn't until you laughed, your deep Sheriff Eric, I am the King of the World laugh, that I felt fully comfortable with you. Eric, I don't just love my Eric or Sheriff Eric I finally realized that I love both of them, because they are the two sides of you." Tears are running down her face, I want to got to her take her in my arms and kiss her tears away, but I wait, I can tell that she is not done speaking yet. I do not dare interrupt her.

"Eric when I cam here tonight I had hoped you would say …" She is struggling to get it out. I can feel her fear of rejection and her vulnerability, come flooding back to the surface. Then I feel her love overpower her fears, it was almost as if she had spoke the word out loud I feel "mine". She does not need to tell me I know, I can feel it.

I can't stop myself any longer. I'm by her side in less than one of her heartbeats. I am looking in to her eyes as I lean over to kiss her perfect lips. She winds her perfect hand into the hair at the back of my neck and pulls me closer. I rain kiss all over her perfect face, kissing her tears away. She continues to look in to my eyes as I place my hands on her perfect hips and lift her to my waist and she immediately locks her legs behinds my back and rains kisses all over my face, kissing away tears that I did not even know where there.

Our lips have found each other again. I feel her part her lips ever so slightly, I flick my tongue between her perfect lips, ever so lightly, she moans and meets my tongue with her own. I deepen the kiss, I cannot get close enough to her in this moment, our tongues continue to dance together, circling and flicking back and forth. I can feel her need to breathe through the bond and her desire to continue. God, Freya, Odin, and Mickey Mouse I love this woman. I break the kiss pulling back ever so slightly to look her directly in the eyes and I say it. The words that I have wanted to say since the day she walked into my bar on the arm of another. The words that she came here needing to hear. The words that will set us both free from the tormented existence that we have endured during our separation. "Sookie you are mine."

My words push us both over the edge, her hands are in my hair, on my back, on my chest, running over my neck. Her lips and tongue are fighting mine for dominance in the most passionate struggle I have ever experienced, and I have experienced a lot. She has wrapped her legs to tightly around my waist that my hands are free to roam. I find her breast with my right hand and begin to massage the voluptuous softness, pausing only to roll her firm nipple between my fingers. My left hand is roaming her body touching everything. Her hair, her legs, her arms, her back, her perfect ass. When she begins to unbutton my shirt I pull back. I don't wan to fuck her in my office,not tonight anyway.

"Lover, not here."

"Eric, I want you so badly." Her beautiful face is flush, I can smell her desire. I steady myself.

"Lover,I don't want to ..." Do I tell her? How will she react? "... fuck you in my office, I have done things in here that I .... Sookie, I want to lie with you in my bed and make love to you. Please not here." I don't tell her everything. I do not want to be with her where I have fucked so many others. I am not ashamed of what I have done here and will do so here again, with her. I simply don't want to deal with any baggage. I want our reunion to be special, a beginning of something new, different and special. I know that she has taken more from my words than I have said, much more. I can feel it.

I gently set her down and kiss her on the top of the head and she begins to attempt to fix her hair and make up. The make up was fixed quickly but without calling Pam in to fix her hair, which she would not hear of, there was nothing she could do but let it down. I borrow her brush and comb out my own tangled hair. I can't believe that this is really happening. Sookie came to my bar, knelt before me, yielded to me, and told me that she wants to be mine. I am fixated, I replay those words over and over and over in my mind.

"Love, the King is here, I had thought that we would spend a little time in the bar visiting and then you and I can leave and go back to my house."

"Eric, why didn't you tell me the King was here. I am so embarrassed, it is one thing to be back here fooling around when it is just your ... your .. people sitting out there, but to leave the King waiting? Okay, what is done is done, if he is upset we will just have to deal with it. How should I act? What should I do? Should I kneel before him too? If I need to kneel or bow or whatever you're gonna have to show me how."

I can't help myself I begin laughing deeply from my chest. Sookie looks indignant, rolls her eyes at me "What?" I laugh harder.

When I finally get myself under control I tell her "Lover, you have never wanted to follow along with vampire political formalities before. You have been in the presence of vampire Kings and Queens before and never once have I seen you do more than dip and nod your head, with a sour look on your face. Why the sudden change of heart?"

"Because, I love you and I want to be with you, which means that I will have to learn to play stupid vampire political formality games so that I make you look good. Remember what you told Andre, I heel nicely." I am unhappy at her reference to Andre, he is baggage and I don't want to deal with baggage tonight.

"Don't be unhappy Eric." Damn she is good at reading the bond, my unhappiness was only fleeting. "I believe in fate, Andre did what he did because he had to, it is possible that he existed entirely just to do that one thing." When did she become so deep? I cannot wait to discuss her idea of fate with her further but not tonight.

"Lover when we approach the King I will bow from the waist and you will curtsy."

"Show me how."

"Lover, I can't show you how, I am a man. I have never curtsied in my life, shall I call Pam?"

"Oh come on Eric just show me, we both know that you have seen thousands of woman do it. Come on." She pleads and I cannot tell her no. I curtsy for her. She copies my actions and has it perfectly on the third try.

"Ready lover?"

"Not really but we need to get this over with."

I take her arm as we emerge from my office and move toward my throne, where the King is lounging. Moving as one we worked through the crowd, my subjects nod to us as we go, many of them greeting us as Master and Mistress. I wonder when they started calling her the Mistress? I wonder if she knows that they have given her fealty? If she does, does she understand that they have pledged themselves to honor and obey her? My lover has always caused the strangest reactions in supes.

When we finally reach the dais I bow and she curtsies at the exact moment, it could not have looked better if we had practiced our timing. The King rises and walks to greet us, extending his hand and escorting her to my monstrosity of a throne, motioning to me to join, and sit with her. When I purchased the monstrosity I had envisioned her sitting here with me, the high black leather rising above her head and providing her beautiful wheat blond hair with the perfect back drop, the results are even better than I have envisioned.

"Ms. Stackhouse, I am so happy that you choose tonight to visit your bonded. I want to take this chance to thank you again for saving my undead life the night of Sigeberts attack." Chuckling, he continues, "I am quite sure that it was not me that you were coming back to save." Sookie blushes at his reference to me. "You and Eric have a very strong bond, I have never heard of a human bonded being able to feel the emotions of vampire bonded from such a distance. You are truly amazing."

I can tell that he has made her nervous, she does not like to be different. "Sookie, Felipe's maker believed that bonding with humans helped to strengthen a vampire, while my maker believed the opposite. Felipe has been teaching me things about the bond that I did not know or understand before. I would like to discuss with him your opening of the bond earlier, if you don't mind."

She is relaxing, calling the King by his first name, coupled with my emotions flowing through the bond has helped "Why would I mind? Pam told me to open the bond if you ... became difficult, so I did."

"I don't understand Eric. Is she saying that she can open and close her own end of the bond?"

"Yes, she has full control of her end of the bond, but more so than that. When I was being ... difficult, I closed my side of the bond and she forced it open. I tried to stop her but I couldn't. Plus she can read my emotions even when the bond is closed."

"I told you your emotions are not clear when the bond is closed, I have to concentrate."

"Eric, Sookie, I have only heard of one instance of a human having this much control over the bond itself. I want to do a little research and talk to an old friend before I say more than that and I must be leaving soon. This is too deep of a subject to squeeze in to such a short time. Let us enjoy the time we have."

"Eric will you dance with me?"

I would love to dance with her. She doesn't know it, but I have a picture of us dancing together in Rhodes. The film had already been sent to the developer so it was safe from the explosion. I rise, taking her hand and lead her to the dance floor, the music has begun. I am not listening to the words, my eyes are closed, I am reveling in the feel of her body in my arms. I open my eyes and look at her beautiful face, she is mouthing the words to the song, my lover cannot sing, but she can sure dance. This song has meaning to her, so I listen to the words as I spin her across the dance floor.

Well, now it's etched in stone
That I can't survive alone
You have the missing piece
That I need so desperately
Yes, I slip away to a day that'll never come

It's like a splash of water to my face
When I suddenly realize
That you could never find a place
For me in your eyes, and I don't know why I keep thinking

One day I'll turn around, I'll see your hand reach out
I'm only fooling myself, yea yea yea
But maybe when you smile
It means you'd stay awhile
Just maybe you'd save me now
I'm only foolin myself, yea yea yea
I'm only foolin myself.

It's love in disguise
I'm lost in your eyes
Lost in your eyes

I don't want for the song to finish, I scoop her up into my arms and I fly out the employee entrance. I open the door to my Corvette, place her gently in the seat and buckle her seat belt. I am in my seat before she can even turn her head towards me. The sound of the engine roaring to life mixes with her laughter.

"What took you so long Eric? I thought you were never going to get us out of there."

I laugh with her as we speed through the streets to my house, I have one hand on the steering wheel while the other is stroking her thigh, slowly inching her dress further up her leg. She moans "God Eric, I need you, drive faster." as she begins to stroke my hardness through my jeans. She doesn't have to ask twice, her touch has only heightened my desire for her. I am so tempted to pull the car over and take her right by the side of the road.

I steady myself as I pull up to the security gates and wave to the guards. Three more turns and I pull into the driveway. My bonded has come to me and yielded, she is mine and I will have her.