Chapter 5

(Ok a couple of notes Arnóra is an old Viking name meaning Eagle in the feminine and Hrafn is the masculine for Raven. Sokki and Eiríkr are both Warrior names).

Eric's corvette looked as though it had just been cleaned, it was sparkling perfection. He loved it like it was his first born child.

"No flying tonight?" I asked grinning at Eric.

"No my dear, I thought we would be far less conspicuous if we went in the car" I glanced at the car

"This is inconspicuous?" I asked a smirk playing at the corner of my mouth.

"It's also probably safer, than flying"

"That way you drive, I think I'd rather fly". He looked as though he was going to respond when he caught my smile, I stuck my tongue out a little.

"Would you like to drive?" He asked sweetly. That shut me up.

"It's your pride and joy!" I cried, utterly shocked.

"No" he said softly "You are my joy, you are the one I am proud of, I trust you".

"Eric" I breathed, I looked down towards the car, when I looked up there was a wicked grin on my face "how fast does this thing go?" He tossed the keys towards me and I caught them in my right hand. He shouldn't have let me drive. We set off in a flurry of burning rubber and I swear I caught him wincing at least twice.

Outside the Shreveport Bowl-O-Rama I braked suddenly.

"Oh my Lord!" I panted. That was so fast. I was exhilarated. No wonder Eric drove like a force of nature, then again he made love that way too, maybe it was just Eric.

"Sookie, at this moment in time I am very glad I am nearly indestructible, because truly, your driving is worse than mine. You can never again complain about my driving." His face was set in a serious pose but his eyes were laughing and I could feel his amusement through the bond.

"I'm not used to that kind of power under me!" I complained lamely.

"Oh really?" Eric raised one of his lovely blonde eyebrows "as I recall you did very well with me under you" he was turning on all his charm tonight.

"The car's more powerful" I teased. As I was getting out of the car, I blinked and he was standing in front of my sly smile on his handsome face. "Hmmm" he said. Then he grabbed me in an earth moving, knee quaking kiss that had me gasping for breath.

"Ok I was wrong, I admit it". He beamed at me and set me down; he took my hand and led me inside.

A quick glance around the Bowl-O-Rama, told me this was a definite date venue for teenage couples, and that it was definitely more for the living than the undead. Eric was getting our bowling shoes so I was free to take a better look around. I had wondered if this place had been a Vampire owned all night bowling alley, but how popular could it be with Vamps? They were super enhanced, surely they'd get strikes the entire time, where was the fun in that?

"Eric?"

"Yes Sookie?"

"I like your choice of first date venue" I said "and you look great in those jeans" I added as he bent to tie his rented shoes. He wriggled his butt obligingly. Oh mama. I thought to myself. He chuckled obviously sensing my arousal through the bond.

"Well, Sookie my dear, I would like to tell you how beautiful you look, you smell phenomenal, and if this weren't a first date I would love to take you back home and fuck you in every room of the house" he enthused passionately as an older woman walked past, clucking her tongue at the youth of today, she had no idea. Eric and I shared a look "then I would hold you and watch you sleep" he added more softly. I was all for Eric's suggestion and my libido was doing cartwheels at the memory of Eric in bed.

"Eric, what makes you think you can't on a first date?" I had a good idea but I wanted the confirmation.

"Pam informs me of something called the third date rule" he admitted hesitantly. Eric frowned slightly "is this not so?"

"Well some girls have a third date rule, but given that we've had sex lots of times, I think it's safe to say that rule doesn't apply".

"I think I should like to have a talk with Pam" Eric stated calmly enough, but I could tell Pam wouldn't like this talk so much.

"Where did she get that from anyway?" I asked curious about Pam's insight into human beings.

"Some women's magazines and I believe it was mentioned in a sitcom she was watching, Frasier I think it was called". Of course I thought to myself, why wouldn't Pam watch a sitcom about a psychiatrist? She read Dear Abbey. I laughed at the idea of Pam sat taking notes on her sofa with a bottle of true blood by her side, wondering why Frasier didn't just kill Eddie the dog.

"So do you think she was having a little fun messing with you, or do you think she believed it?" I pondered aloud.

"I do not think my child would deliberately deceive me" he seemed to have mellowed slightly and I think he saw the funny side now. "She does like to mess with me as you put it, but she was turned in an age where women needed chaperons".

"Yeah I guess you're right, although she is a pretty liberal modern woman now." I added thinking of Pam's few dates with Amelia. I hadn't really asked about the two of them, there were some things I didn't want to know, and if I asked Amelia I was likely to get full visuals, and audio.

"Ah but when you were with Bill" he said the name as though it left a bad taste in his mouth. "The two of you came to Fangtasia and you will clearly still untouched" he said the last part in a way that did funny things to my lower abdomen. "Perhaps my child thought a nice southern girl, would enjoy being courted in a more traditional way".

"I see your point, and I do like the going out and being taken to fun places like this" I smiled "remind me to thank Pam when I see her". Eric's eyes lit up.

"Should I take this to mean that you would be, ah, open to a more physical end to the evening?"

"Maybe" I replied "I wanted to try something with you back at my place anyway" Eric looked delighted. "After we've finished my little experiment, I might let you persuade me" I ran my tongue over my front teeth suggestively.

"Sookie, dear Sookie, what have you got planned?" he asked curiously.

"You'll see" I replied, it was fun to tease Eric; I understood why Pam enjoyed it so much.

We found an empty lane at the far end a few lanes between us and the nearest set of bowlers.

"What was it like dating when you were human" I admit I was fascinated by the big Viking in front of me.

He selected one of the larger balls a deep purple one testing to see if it would accommodate his long fingers. "We did not, date as such. It was more a case of, our parents and clan chief's decided who we would marry, we did as we were told, and so our lands would have truces and better trading."

"So, no one ever married for love?" I asked saddened that someone as beautiful as Eric could be used as a pawn.

"Oh I never said that, my brother Hrafn, took a fancy to a clan chief's daughter when we were exploring the neighbouring territory, we had only been looking for ale when my brother found his other half, she was brave and beautiful, with fiery red hair and a temper to match, she was called , Arnóra we had no problems with our neighbours, but my brother convinced our father the clan chief to allow the union, they had three sons, one daughter , and argued constantly, they were very happy together." He smiled at the memory.

"We're you always called Eric?" I asked, wondering about the names of his family members.

"More or less, although it was spelt like this" he picked up a score sheet and wrote "Eiríkr". "It means warrior"

"Oh very fitting" I grinned, if anyone deserved the name, he did.

"What was your father's name?"

"Sokki"

"Sookie?" I laughed surprised. Eric laughed, shaking his head slowly.

"No Sokki, it's another warrior name."

"What was he like?" I asked, as I picked a small neon pink ball and added my name to the score board and the sheet we could keep.

"He was... well thought of, a tough but fair leader; he taught me how to lead". Eric seemed to have trouble talking about his family, I wondered if it was because they were dead and gone. I changed the subject.

"Are we going to bowl tonight or what" I asked "because you know I'm pretty good".

"Oh, really? Perhaps we should have a little wager"

"What did you have in mind?" I asked.

"Winners choice" he answered looking at me like I was a delicious meal, which to him I guess I was.

"Ok, deal" I grinned. I spun on my heel and threw the ball with all my might at the pins. STRIKE!!!! I jumped up and down twice and put my hands on my hips and wiggled about shaking my hair as I danced about. Eric looked as surprised as a Vampire could look, then he let out a roar of laughter.

"Sookie, you must explain..."

"It's my victory dance" I smiled; it felt good to hear him laugh like that. He walked up to the edge line and tried to line up his shot.

"What does your name mean?" he asked as he flung the ball straight into the centre of the pins unfortunately it went straight through the centre pin and took out five more, but it continued through the metal back plate and hit a wall with a deafening thud.

"You're not supposed to throw so hard" I laughed. It was good to see that Eric wasn't perfect at everything. "Sookie apparently is supposed to be a nickname for Susan or Suzanna's, but it says Sookie on my birth certificate, so obviously my mom thought it was a good idea. I once searched a book of baby names for Susan and Suzanna name meanings. Apparently they mean Lily".

"I love your victory dance by the way" he whispered in my ear as he moved past me to choose a different ball "perhaps the green ball shall be more fortunate".

"Or you could throw gently?" I suggested smirking at him.

"Are we doing it right?" Eric asked suddenly. Colour me confused.

"Doing... what right?" I was definitely confused.

"This" he said waving his arm around indicating the room. "Our date, I've never had a first date, not really". I moved closer to him and put my free arm around his waist. He smelled good, all clean and manly, with a hint of something else I couldn't put my finger on.

"I think so" I replied quietly resting my head on his broad chest. "On a first date you're supposed to have fun, which we are" I smiled up at him "and you're supposed to talk about family and friends and all the other everyday things, likes, dislikes, and books, TV, movies, work, that kinda stuff".

"Well, we have talked about family, and we are having fun" he paused to kiss the top of my head. I picked up my lucky pink ball again. "Yes, I like first dates" he announced. I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Prepare to lose Viking". I was momentarily distracted when he stretched upwards allowing his shirt to ride up, giving me a look at his gorgeous abs. I was still gawking as I released the ball. I hit one pin. He stuck his tongue out at me.

"Not a chance telepath". He replied a huge Eric grin on his face. His turn and he threw a perfect strike. "I believe I am winning" Eric raised his hands above his head and roared his triumph.

"Hey the game's not over yet buddy!" I cried enjoying myself enormously.

"Buddy? Oh Sookie it's been so long since you called me that" he looked delighted.

"Anyway, I think you should get points knocked off for damaging the bowling alley, and do you call that a victory dance?" I asked a note of challenge in my voice.

"How was work?" Eric asked unexpectedly.

"Oh it was good actually, my friend Holly asked me to be maid of honour at her wedding. Oh and I think Sam has a lady friend, a shifter lady friend" I added. "I'm so glad he has someone he can be himself with".

"This is very good" Eric noted. He was really pleased; I could feel it through the bond, less competition maybe? Interesting, I never thought Eric would see Sam as a real threat. Hell Sam was the one who threw Eric at me when I was feeling down.

"Oh that reminds me" I exclaimed "your peach pie".

"Sam getting some action reminds you of peach pie?" he asked amused confusion in his voice. "You are a wonderful and unusual woman Sookie". I made sure not to look at Eric this time as I bowled. Yes I thought to myself, another strike. This time my victory dance was slower, sexier, I pouted a little as I looked into Eric's baby blue eyes. I knew he was getting excited because his fangs were out and he bit his lip a little.

"Anyway I gave Amelia a slice of your pie and she said it was the best she'd ever had"

"I get that a lot from women" Eric replied, trying to fix me with a come hither stare.

"And we thought" I carried on ignoring him. "That maybe you could sell them at Fangtasia, you know for the uh fangaphiles" I tried to use their preferred name, fangbanger sounded so gross. "Or just for any humans, like a souvenir, you know, see some vamps, eat some cooking, plus you'd look less threatening. If the fellowship goons ever attacked, you could say; us scary? No way, we bake. The fellowship would look like jerks, more good Vampire press. Eric was speechless for a moment. I blushed thinking I sounded like a blabbering idiot.

"Sookie, that is a fantastic idea, has anyone ever told you, that you have a marvellous head for business." He was looking at me like I held the answers to the universe, so I reminded him it was his turn to bowl by handing him his more fortunate bowling ball.

"What's your favourite book?" I asked, I'd always wondered about what Eric did in his free time, if he had any, he always seemed so busy.

"The art of War by Sun Tzu, it is nice to read something that has been around longer than I have" He winked at me, "the bible's fairly good for a comedy" he added flippantly.

"You have a problem with people who have faith?" I asked a little annoyed, he knew I was a Christian (lapsed but that's beside the point).

"No I have a problem with Religious people, not with people who have faith, religions are made by man, faith is something older and deeper than that, and I think you feel that Sookie" his gaze was strong, he needed me to understand this. "People take a good concept and corrupt it, you have seen what happens when hypocrisy and prejudice infiltrate religious orders, look at the Catholic Church, they think it's wrong to love someone just because they are the same gender, yet their God teaches peace and tolerance. Faith is good and healthy. Religion is poisonous, and leads to people like the fellowship of the Sun." He saw my pensive expression but explained "I don't think you are anything like these people of course, you are good, and try to do what you think is right. I like that you are, lapsed. He said the last part with a smile as he got another strike.

His victory dance this time involved a couple of back flips that had to be seen to be believed. Yum.

"Now dear Sookie, what have you been reading?" He asked all smiles, Eric enjoyed winning.

"Agatha Christie's Murder at the Vicarage, it's a great read, full of murder and intrigue; I love her work she had such a brilliant mind." I sighed, why were all the great people dead?

"I know I read it when it was first published I have read all her work, and you know, I could introduce you..." Eric began as I was releasing the ball, I hit all but two of the pins. Damn Vampire.

"What to Agatha Christie?" I asked as I turned to see him looking quite smug.

"Well she is a Vampire, and the last I heard she was visiting the states this year, I could arrange it? If you would like?" I gaped at him, no way, no way.

"No way" I said aloud "you're kidding me? Right?"

"I assure you I am not". He pulled us down to the curved plastic bench so he could tell me her story.

"You remember the story of how she disappeared for eleven days back in 1926?" I nodded, although I wasn't sure of the exact date.

"It was after her husband had left her for another. At the time people thought she had run away to kill herself, that was not the case." He glanced down at me to make sure he had my full attention, he did. "There was one, such as myself, who was captivated by her stories at the time she had only published six books, but it was obvious that she was a great talent. The Vampire went to her house in the country, to ask her to sign his copies of her books. He heard her crying from out side, she was sat in the conservatory a manuscript in her hands. Of course he knew the gossip about her husband and decided she was too lovely to cry over such an unworthy man, he knocked at the door and she saw him, he was beautiful, at first he was going to glamour her to make her forget about her husband, but he didn't have to. She was a well read woman, and she knew exactly what he was. She looked him in the eyes bold as brass and said: If death has come for me, it has come in a most appealing package. The Vampire laughed and the two of them became friends." I was sceptical but at my expression Eric told me. "Even in the days before the great revelation, there were those of us who wanted to try mainstreaming, Dominic, that was his name, Dominic James, was one of them, he was young he had been a Vampire only seven years. Anyway he decided to ask her to come away with him, that was the night she disappeared, he knew she needed and escape, and she said if she was going to be left alone by the press she would have to disappear in style. Eleven days passed and she came back happy and refreshed, they had shared blood, they were bonded" Eric looked at me again, "just like you and I. After a few years Agatha began to tire of her human life, and so Dominic turned her, she still began to write until they faked her death in 1976. Actually she has written under a few pen names over the years, I believe she writes supernatural fiction now."

Eric, strong, handsome, well read, well hung, and an excellent story teller. I reached up and kissed him passionately out tongues dancing like they were doing a samba, I chuckled into the kiss remembering our dance in his hall way. What a man!

He seemed surprised but kissed me back with equal vigour, eventually we broke the kiss.

"Perhaps we should finish the game" He looked like he would be panting if he was capable of it. "I believe there was something you wanted to try with me?"

"Yeah, I do, ok, let's play!" The last few frames were a lot of fun, we still competed to have the best victory dance, and in the end Eric won the game by three lousy points. He disagreed when I suggested he should have points knocked off for having superpowers.

He decided I shouldn't be allowed to drive the corvette back to mine...

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"So... Um, what are you doing?" Tray asked Amelia as she rooted through her spell ingredient chest on the kitchen table.

"Helping Sookie out with some communication issues she has with her Vamp" Amelia replied sneezing as she brought her head out of the chest, she really should made sure her powders were sealed properly before putting them in there, Octavia always warned her about contaminating her ingredients. Tray was stood near the counter with his cocked to one side, when he did things like that, he looked cute, like a puppy, Amelia thought to herself. He was a great guy.

"Sounds good, there gonna be any special effects this time?" He asked, the last spell Amelia had cast in front of him brought past events to life in a ghostly overlapping image, it was cooler than any 3D movie he had ever seen, she never ceased to amaze him.

"It's more of a mental, spiritual kinda magic, all feelings, and maybe a nice smell, that's about it. There shouldn't be any major impact, it's supposed to be subtle" Amelia said, amused that a guy who could transform himself into a huge black wolf at will, could be impressed by her.

"So, um, what's with the rocks?" He asked curiously, indicating the five crystals she had placed on the table, with a cock of his head.

Amelia had already said the spell in its original Latin; she just needed to put the channelling crystals somewhere near Sookie and Eric.

"Crystals" she began to explain to her werewolf lover "all have different purposes" she pointed at each crystal as she spoke "The Abalone shell, the multi coloured one with the pearly layers, that is for making the flow of feelings and emotions easier, the purple one is Amethyst, for spiritual awakenings, Azurite the deep blue is used to expand consciousness, then we have Calcite the clearish white one, that is meant to balance the male, female polarities and has been used for astral projection"

"Astral what?" Tray asked confused.

"You know, where your mind feels like it's somewhere else, there's this spell that makes you feel like you're flying."

"Wow that sounds intense, could we, uh, maybe take that one home with us?" Tray asked, he loved her magic, it was so much more interesting than being a werewolf, not that he didn't love what he was, it was just, this woman could manipulate other things, bend them to her will, all he could do was bend his own body to his will.

"Hey what's the last one do?" he asked noticing a milky white crystal.

"Oh that's candle quartz, it's for helping people dealing with issues, I think they're gonna need it."

Amelia turned around to make a fresh pot of tea, like Sookie, since Amelia had come into his life, tea had started to grow on him, he'd even switched from coffee to tea in a morning.

"Hey wolf man, could you grab all the crystals except the Calcite one." Amelia asked as she made some toast.

"Sure thing Hummingbird". He called her that because of the way her inquiring mind flitted about from one thing to the next, all excited and at the same time fragile, because, for all her power, she was still human. She was so cute, he thought, and powerful, he loved that about her. He even loved the way she teased him. She was a good cook too, quite a woman.

"The whitish one right?" he glanced down, trying to remember.

"Yuhuh, could you put them under Sookie's bed?" She asked as she buttered the toast.

"You think they'll come back here tonight and hop straight in the sack? On a first date?" he called from Sookie's room.

"As I recall we didn't exactly wait a long time before hopping into bed" she reminded him smiling, as he walked back into the kitchen, Amelia put the toast in front of Tray and he began chewing his supper. "Anyway Sookie and Eric have a seriously complicated history".

"Maybe you could fill me in on the way back to mine" he said as he polished off his toast. Wow he ate fast. He picked up the remaining crystal and put it in his jeans pocket. This looked set to be an interesting evening for everyone.

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(Well I'm sorry this isn't longer, but it's once again getting late, next chapter Sookie and Eric sex scene, the first I have ever written so please tell me what you think when I put it up, also some accidental body swapping fun, oh and of course Pam, how could there be a fan fiction without her?)