Set in a mix of the books and the TV series. Sookie and Bill come back from Dallas quarreling and break up. But Lafayette is still alive and had gone through his ordeal in Eric's dungeon. Also like in the books Sookie has been able to catch thoughts from Eric from time to time.

Of course I don't own these characters, I am just very thankful that Charlaine Harris did.

Rated M for sexual content. This is my first fanfic, let me know what you think.

Chapter 6

When she opened her eyes he was leaning over her, he kissed her gently and whispered "You are delicious." against her lips. It was all she could do to smile groggily up at him and stroke his cheek.

"I am yours." she whispered, knowing that meant more to him than any profession of emotion. His eyes flared and he whisked her off the table and carried her up the stairs. As he went to lay her on the bed she shook her head. "Bathroom?" she asked hopefully.

He looked to the door she was pointing at and swerved towards it. He gently lowered her, but kept an arm around her for support. She swayed against him for a moment, testing her legs. When she was sure she could stand on her own she nodded at him and opened the door. She turned to him and promised, "I'll only be a minute or two." She looked at him. "You have too many clothes on." she chided and closed the door behind her.

After taking care of her primary need, she splashed water on her face, brushed her teeth and drank a glass of water as she was parched.

She went back out and saw that Eric had shed the last of his clothes. A fact that was very hard to miss as he was lying on his side, uncovered, on her bed. The passion and hunger in his eyes had not diminished and it wasn't just his fangs that showed his arousal. Her mouth watered at the sight of him. Eric had the body of a warrior from when your survival depended on the strength of your arm and your speed in battle. He was chiseled and lithe and her fingers ached to touch him.

He pushed himself up on one arm and held the other hand out to her. She approached, reaching out to him but blushing under his intense gaze. "I want to devour you when you do that." He smiled as she took his hand and joined him on the bed.

"Do what?" she asked as she settled next to him, her hand leaving his to trail up his arm.

"Blush like that," he licked his lips, "to see your hot, sweet blood flooding your skin."

"See, you would miss that if you turned me." Her fingers were trailing down his chest now and stopped to circle a nipple.

"A point in your favor." he conceded as his hand traced a path down her side to her hip, reaching behind her he suddenly pulled her to him. He caught her mouth in playful kisses, nipping and pulling back, making her strain to reach his lips until she grabbed the back of his head and pulled him in so she could keep contact. She held him in the kiss and wrapped her tongue around one of his fangs, slowly withdrawing, allowing the tip to run down the center of her tongue. Eric moaned, his hand squeezing her butt almost painfully then moving down her thigh to pull her leg over his hip.

She could feel his arousal against her stomach and moved both hands to it. She stroked him, and he moaned into their kiss. His fingers came under her leg and softly brushed through her light curls causing her to shiver in anticipation. She continued stroking him, then lowered one hand to his balls, fondling and squeezing them. Her other hand she brought to the tip, where her fingers traced the opening of its sheath before pulling it back, revealing the swollen head. A light growl, almost a purr was building in Eric's throat while his fingers parted her so he could circle and tease her bud. She broke off their kiss to start kissing down his chest, pausing to kiss and bite, hard, a nipple. His fingers thrust into her and curled to find the sweet spot, her head jerked back in pleasure, she bent back to him, curling down so her mouth could reach the tip of his manhood. She planted a soft kiss on it, then parted her lips, covering the head while her tongue caressed it, teasing the slit and licking the salty drop there.

With a growl he shifted them faster than Sookie could see. He was kneeling and holding her up by the waist so the head of his erection just brushed her nub. "Slow this time? He asked with mischief in his eyes. All she could do was nod.

He shifted her so he could enter her and lowered her slowly. She gasped as the tip stretched and entered her. Eric leaned forward and began kissing her breasts, sucking in a nipple and gently biting it, but not lowering her further. When she realized he had stopped her progress she tried to force herself lower, but her strength was no match for his and he seemed to be enjoying this sweet torment. She moaned, she tried to pull him in with her inner muscles but he wasn't far enough. She whimpered and he lowered her just a little more, just as she started to sigh he moved her up again, then repeated this short stroke that took in only the first inch or so. It was delectable, but maddening, and in frustration she dug her nails into his back, he chuckled and bit her nipple a little harder while his tongue flicked against it. As he lowered her a fraction more he growled against her breast and she knew this was torment for him as well. She tried flexing her inner muscles again and was rewarded by his moan as he brought his face up to lock eyes with hers, his were filled with lust while hers had picked up his look of mischief. She flexed again and he swallowed hard.

"I'm not completely powerless." she smirked "Now lower." she ordered stopping the rhythmic squeezing that had him starting to tremble.

"Don't stop." he insisted, but did not move her.

"Lower!" she demanded again, but she gave him another squeeze and looked down on him imperiously.

He looked at her with a mix of lust and...was it awe? She had a sudden vision of herself in viking regalia, riding on a huge wolf. She blinked the vision away and tried not to change her expression. She hated when she read vampires.

All thoughts of what she had just seen were banished from her mind as Eric obeyed and settled her lower around him, but still not all the way. She gasped as he filled her and slowly began moving her up and down. His eyes never left hers. Her thigh muscles were trembling and she knew she was close to release, her breath was coming in random gasps.

He sensed her approaching orgasm and pulled her all the way down, his hips thrusting up to meet her. The impact sent waves of pleasure through her nub, she shivered and her eyes began to close. "No," he gasped urgently, "look at me, I want to see you." Trying to concentrate on his face while the sensations threatened to overwhelm her, she saw that he was drinking in every reaction, every detail of her face, every nuance of expression and she flushed again. She leaned forward to put her forehead against his and that shift in position drove her over the golden edge. He turned his head and bit her neck, her blood and spasms sent him over the edge as well, his final thrusts shaking her. She collapsed against him and he licked closed the wound while gently lowering them both down.

She whimpered slightly as he pulled out of her. "Did I hurt you?" he looked down at her tenderly.

She shook her head. "No," her voice a throaty whisper. "I just didn't want it to end." He settled beside her and she curled against him. She shivered slightly as the air hit her sweaty skin and he threw the sheet over them. Her mind drifted back to the glimpse she had of his thoughts, her brow furrowed with worry. Why could she sometimes get snippets of vampire thoughts, and why has it happened more than once with Eric?

"You're troubled." he turned so he could see her face. "What's wrong?" he asked as he gently brushed her hair back with his fingers.

Not about to let him know what was really troubling her, she relaxed her face and tried to lie. "Nothing." she smiled up at him.

"I can feel your anxiety, you can't lie to me."

"Well that sucks." She grinned at him and came up with something she could confess. She shifted so she was sitting up, her back against the headboard.

"Eric, what if Bill was right? What if I'm only with you because I drank your blood?"

"Would that really be so bad?" He looked confused, obviously he did not care what the cause was.

"Yes! It would almost be like you drugged me." Her voice grew small and choked. "Especially after what I learned about Bill tonight." Her eyes pleaded with him to understand, "Do I have any free will in this?"

His hand closed over hers. "Sookie, I won't lie, I have wanted this since I first saw you. And yes, at first it was just lust. But you fascinate me, you are brave and principled and caring. I have been around for a very long time and I have never met anyone like you." He took her chin between his finger and thumb and turned her face to look at him. "What did you think when you first saw me?"

She didn't meet his eyes. "Well, of course I thought you were handsome, but I played that down because Bill was obviously jealous. I could tell you were powerful..." she trailed off.

"And when you first met me?" he prodded.

She finally met his eyes and he could see hers were filled with despair. "Eric, I thought you were arrogant, conceited and annoying. Can't you see why I'm afraid I have no control over this?" She held her chin up daring him to prove her wrong.

"Arrogant, conceited and annoying," he recounted, he nodded sagely, then a smirk played at the corner of his mouth. "Well if the few romantic comedies I have seen are right that is the basis for true love."

A smile tugged at her lips in spite of herself. "The collected works of Sandra Bullock aside, I'm serious. I hated you at the beginning. You were so bossy and manipulative. How can I go from that to this?"

"Do you hate me now?" He looked hurt at the prospect.

"I still hate what you represent, vampire politics and their cruel sense of justice, but no, I don't hate you." she conceded. "But how do I know that is not just your blood?"

"Sookie, my blood can only increase the sexual attraction you feel for me." His hand cupped her cheek. "When did you start to feel different about me?"

"In Dallas, when I saw you with Godric and I could tell you loved him. When you were willing to sacrifice yourself to save me. I started seeing more than just the Sheriff of Area Five." Her hand went to his cheek. "And when I saw you on the roof with Godric and I saw your pain, I just wanted to hold you and help you. I cried as much for you that morning as I did for him. But by then I had had your blood and the dreams had started so I couldn't trust what I was feeling." She looked him straight in the eye. "Eric, tell me everything your blood will do. Don't leave anything out.

He rolled over onto his back and put one hand behind his head as he thought. "Well for me, I can sense your emotions, although I have trouble interpreting them all. I also know where you are, which given your proclivity to get in trouble is a good thing." He smiled at her and she gave him a wain smile back. "Now I have never been on your side of it, but from observations and common knowledge, it will make you healthier, prettier, stronger. Your senses will be enhanced."

"Yeah, Bill said that..." she mumbled absently.

"Is that important?" He seemed to think that was an odd thing to comment on. But Sookie refocused and shook her head, so he continued. "All right, it will probably enhance your sex drive, one of my favorite effects. And of course you become more attracted to me."

"Is that all?"

"Isn't that enough?"

"I won't become some sort of V addict will I?" she looked worried.

He shook his head, "That doesn't seem to be the case when you drink directly from the vampire. Also when our blood is taken and ingested later the vampire can not sense the addict."

"That doesn't make any sense. How could it work that way?" she asked dubiously.

Eric shrugged, "It is part of the magic." Sookie shot him a skeptical look and he continued. "I do not come from a scientific time, I accept the mystical of it. But I am sure there are scientists studying it. If they come up with a logical reason then I will accept it." He turned back on his side to face her. "May I ask you a question?"

"I guess it's your turn." she conceded with a nod.

"I'm sure you could find humans who would pay you to use your telepathy. Why are you with vampires? I mean other than Bill and I each tricking you into drinking our blood. You are not the typical fangbanger."

"Because of the quiet." This was getting too close to territory she wanted to avoid.

He arched an eyebrow. "I would say your life has been far from quiet the last several months."

"Lord, not my life, my head. I was never able to date human guys. I could always tell what they were thinking."

"But surely that would give you an upper hand in the relationship." He obviously could not see the downside to that.

"I don't want a relationship being about having the upper hand. I want a relationship based on attraction and feelings, with a little give and take on both sides. Plus when you're out on a date with someone and all they can think about is whether or not your boobs are real, or if you're really blonde, or your butt's too big it kind of brings the glow off."

"And it's not like that with us?"

"No, it's quiet, so quiet it can block out the buzz of all other minds around." She looked back wistfully at a memory. "The first time I took Bill's hand in Merlotte's all the noise died away. I was in a roomful of people and it was quiet. I was in heaven."

"So you cannot read vampires? Not at all?"

She turned to the nightstand and poured herself some water to keep from making eye contact with him. She shrugged, "I tried for a while with Bill." She looked at him as if for advice. "That's probably a good thing right? I can't imagine I'd live very long if I could read vampires and word got out."

She took a drink of water ad pretended to concentrate on that while watching his reaction.

He seemed to mull it over for a while then nodded. "It would make you a powerful ally, but also a powerful threat. With all the scheming and powerplays that go on in vampire politics, if anyone knew, they would want to control or eliminate you."

"See, I'm learning. I didn't even have to ask Bill that." She stretched out beside him again.

He cleared a stray hair from her cheek, his hand remaining there, his thumb lightly tracing her mouth.

"Have you ever tried to read me?" he asked curiously.

She fought to keep from shaking her head to emphatically. "No, I've never tried." Well that much was true.

"Why not?" he looked a little hurt.

"Well, at first you scared me and I was pretty sure I wouldn't like what I saw..."

"Such as?"

"I saw the lust in your eyes, I knew it would be in your head and it's really creepy to know a complete stranger's fantasies about you. Plus you seemed so cruel that first night and I really didn't want to see any snippets of past cruelty."

"And now?" he pressed

She gave an exasperated sigh, "I just told you why, it's too dangerous a skill to have." She sounded like she was talking to a slow child.

"It could be our secret."

"Eric, if I try, and I am able to read your thoughts, what then? What if a year from now, I've learned to read your thoughts really well and we break-up? What will happen? Will you choose to control me or eliminate me?"

"Sookie.." he started to scoff at the idea, but she cut him off.

"I don't need to be a mind reader to know that a 1000-year-old vampire has better survival instincts than to let a human who potentially knows all of his secrets be left to wander free. Especially one who might be mad at them." He looked pouty. "Why would you want me too?"

He tried to shrug it off but the earnestness of his tone betrayed him. "To be closer to you, so you would trust me more. If you looked into my mind, into my heart you would see that in 1000 years I have ever felt like this." He looked directly in her eyes, locking her gaze. "I know you think that I think of you as a conquest or a prize. That I'll tire of you and move on, but I won't." He found her hand and held it between his. "And I know a part of you hates being my lover because you don't do flings and you think that is what this is. It hurts me that this is hurting you." Beads of blood were forming in the corner of his eyes. "And I hate myself for pursuing you knowing that, but I have driven myself to the brink of insanity trying not to be with you." A tear rolled down his cheek and he moved to turn away.

She stopped him, bringing her hand to his cheek and brushing away the tear with her thumb. She had tears streaming down her own cheeks. "Eric," she began softly, then muttered more to herself, "This is probably the dumbest thing I have ever done." She looked at him tenderly and took a deep breath. "I can read you sometimes." He looked at her confused, like the words did not all reach him.

"What.. when?"

"Once at Fangtasia, it scared the life out of me cause I had never read a vampire before, and I wasn't trying to and never told anyone." She quickly assured him. He nodded and wiped at his tears with the back of his hand and shifted to a half sitting position in rapt attention.

"When else?"

"Just a little while ago, when you were beneath me and I was telling you to lower me and you looked up at me. I think I saw myself through your eyes."

"What did you see?" he was hopeful but skeptical.

"I think I was dressed in viking clothes and I was riding a huge wolf...?" She looked at him for confirmation.

His eyes grew wide and he swallowed hard. "My valkyrie." he whispered gazing at her with the same look of awe.

She shook her head. "I've heard the term, but I'm not sure what it is."

"When a viking dies, if he has been a great warrior, then when he dies he is taken to our version of heaven, Valhalla, by a valkyrie. I had long ago decided that having become a vampire kept me from reaching paradise but I saw you as my valkyrie finally leading me there." His face suddenly got intense almost frightened. "Sookie, we must tell no one about this. I won't even tell Pam and I can count on one hand the things I have kept secret from her in the last 150 years."

She nodded, "Yeah, I figured that out on my own, remember?"

"No, you don't understand the full force of it. If my enemies knew, you would be a target." She could see from his eyes that he was trying to think of a way to keep her safe.

"Honey, relax. I'm not going to tell anyone. I didn't even want to tell you. It scares me." Her voice got small. "And I'll start trying to block around you so I won't pick up anything else." She forced a yawn and started to turn over. "Do you mind if I take a little nap?" She rolled onto her side so she could face away from him and closed her eyes. She could feel the tears soaking her lashes. That was the dumbest thing I have ever done. She thought to herself with despair. Now I won't be able to relax around him or him me. Plus now I have to watch my back if we ever break up.

Eric moved up behind her, his front pressed against her back. He slid an arm under her to gather her to him, his other hand gently brushed the hair back from her face.

"Don't worry my lover." He soothed her, stroking her hair lightly. "All will be fine." She pressed her eyes tightly shut and wished that either of them could believe that.

She really did not think she would fall asleep, her heart heavy and mind racing. But days of sleeplessness and the physical and emotional toll of the day overtook her. That and Eric continued to stroke her hair and hummed a tune she had never heard before, but it was simple and soothing and soon she drifted off.

Her dreams were anything but soothing. Over and over she found herself running from faceless pursuers to be saved at the last moment by Eric, though he never appeared the same twice. The first time he was sheriff Eric, ensconced on his throne able to stop the pursuers with a shout and a gesture. Then he was almost feral with exaggerated claws and fangs, ferocious and terrifying. The third time he appeared how she had pictured him in his viking days, with sword and spear and a bloodthirsty battle cry. But finally he did not arrive and time and her dark attacker caught her and threw her into a deep, black pit, so deep that no light reached the bottom. It felt as if she were abandoned there for ages when Eric swept down, his golden hair shining around his head like a halo and he brought her to a castle in the clouds. But the castle had no doors and she was a prisoner there no less than in the pit.

She woke slowly, afraid to open her eyes and find out it wasn't a dream. Then she was overcome by a wave of sorrow that was not her own and she knew she had entered Eric's mind again. She tried to back out but his sorrow, his pain, pulled at her like a tide. She had to look for it's source before it overwhelmed them both. Concentrating on his pain she found him back on the roof in Dallas begging. But this time it was not Godric he was begging, but her. He was on his knees, tears staining his cheeks. He was begging her to forgive him, enumerating all the reasons he did not deserve her, but he needed her. His thoughts were so fast and his emotions so raw that it wasn't really coherent thought, just snippets as his mind raced, panicked that he was losing her. She was drowning in his emotions, the sorrow, the anguish flooding her until she could barely breath.

She tried to turn in his arms to face him, only to have him tighten his grip automatically so she could not leave him. "Eric!" she gasped as she struggled to turn to him. He became even more desperate in his mind and his mental sobs became physical and she felt his body begin to shake. She could not escape him physically or mentally. She fought down a bubble of panic and tried to think of a way out.

In desperation she went deeper into his mind to try to make her mental presence known. She pictured herself as the Sookie on that rooftop and her angle of vision shifted so that now she was looking down on the sobbing vampire. She lowered herself to her knees in front of him and put her fingertips under her chin to raise his face so he could see her. His face and shirt were covered in blood-red tears. He wouldn't meet her eyes, but kept his averted as though he were not worthy to look at her.

She whispered, "Eric," and waited for him to look up, but he did not. She kissed each cheek, tasting the musky sweetness of his blood, but still he would not lift his gaze, but kept mumbling.

His physical body had gone limp and she was able to physically copy her mental actions and turn to hold his face. "Eric," she repeated, his eyes were closed. She kissed him tenderly, both in his dream and in the flesh. "Eric, I am yours." She kissed him lightly again. "I understand now."

His eyes opened and the mindscape faded. He struggled to focus on her through the tears. "Sookie? Were you really there?"

She gave him a tender smile and wiped away some of the tears. "I'm sorry, your sorrow dragged me in. But I see now."

"See?"

"That you love me. That you meant what you said. That you are..."

"Yours." He completed for her and kissed her deeply.

Fin (for now)

Author's note: I hope you all liked that. I'm going to leave the happy couple here. I may pick this up later, but I am working on another story now.