A/N: Oh my, the weather can be so misleading. It was actually sunny today, no clouds, so I thought it would be warm enough for shorts and sandals. But as soon as I stepped outside I could feel the cold. I'm from Canada so we only get like maybe 2 months of hot or warm weather every year. I just wanted to add that I haven't read the books since last summer and right now they're sitting in storage, so forgive me if I get some facts wrong. I'm going by memory. I was going to add this chapter tomorrow but since I can't sleep I thought I would do it now. It's shorter than the first chapter, but the next one will be longer. Good night!

Marius' POV:

I sit in my child's private jet waiting to leave this small town. He has gone to meet and discuss certain matters with the Sheriff of this area. Throughout the years Marten has told me much about this vampire. He rarely discusses any other so I assume that he must be special. Eric Northman seems quite similar to me in terms of personality, but the need for power is where the comparison ends. During my human years all I wanted to do was lead a normal life and have a family, but I was cursed with certain abilities. Our village knew about these cursed gifts and no other families would offer their daughters to my family for me. We were treated as outcasts most of the time, but my skills as a hunter allowed me and my family to remain with them. Like Northman, I was turned while travelling to another village in hopes of obtaining a wife. My maker never told me her name, as I suspect she never had one. When I had first risen as a vampire, she told me what I was capable of. She had the gift to see the potentials in humans and said that she could not allow my talents to be wasted in my mortal life. She said that my gifts would continue to develop and that I was destined to do something great. We travelled together for hundreds of years drinking blood, having sex and soon I found out that she was right. My special talents increased over time as I drank the blood of humans and other supernaturals in the Old World. The numbers of our kind were also increasing and one day she decided that it was the right moment to end her existence. She said that her time in this land had ended and that I was ready to embark on my own journey. For the first time since I was a human child, I cried. I offered to perish alongside her but she ordered me to continue on. After her death I travelled throughout Asia for the next several hundred years. When I returned home, I found that the numbers of our kind had increased dramatically and that the vampire elders decided to form a Council in order to regulate the growing population. Certain vampires were chosen to govern over certain territories and new rules and laws were made by the elders. My maker had been a firm believer that a vampires` nature was to be nomadic and independent. We only had one silent rule amongst us, and that was not to drain humans unless we were turning them. I also shared this belief. When the Council offered me territory in my homeland I refused. I told them that I would obey their laws unless they interfered with my own needs and plans. A few hundred years later, while roaming the forests of my native soil, I came across a young man. He was also a hunter and for the next few weeks I saw how strong and agile he was. He reminded me of myself and thought that if I had fathered a son, he would be like this boy. I was lonely and the strong desire to have a family had not died. I fought with him during which time I asked him if he wanted an immortal life. He had first said no, but with the aid of one of my many gifts, I showed him the life that I had led and he quickly changed his mind.

I can sense that my child will be gone for awhile so I step out of the plane. I use my heightened senses to evaluate the land around me. It seems quiet in this town, but yet there is something alluring about it. I find myself mildly curious, an emotion which I rarely feel nowadays. I`m not hungry at all and at my age I can go for days, even weeks without feeding. But I decide to search for a meal this evening as this emotion will probably continue to nag me if I stay here. Over time I have become quite particular of who I drink from and my search for a blood donor will have to be found downtown. At the airport terminal, I glamour one of the ticket agents to give me information of a special place or event in town. She informs me of a new club opening and that there will be plenty of young people.

I shoot up into the sky and follow the lights and noises to my destination. There are only a handful of vampires who have the ability to fly and I am one of them. This rare talent was the last of my gifts that I developed and I have been flying for only three hundred years.

I reach my destination and slowly descend to the adjacent building. There is a crowd outside and I can feel the lustful stares of the women in line. The bouncer ushers me in right away and I walk up to the second level of the VIP area. So far I have not seen any possible donors. I sit down briefly until a few women come by to join me. They try to talk to me but I ignore them. The smell of their skin is repulsive. I get up to stand at the balcony area and watch the humans dancing below to tuneless dance music and see that there are even more women staring at me. I can also sense the jealousy of several men as well.

Many do not also realize that I am a vampire. Most vampires become pale after being turned, but I was fortunate enough to retain a slight shade of my former skin tone. It allows me to pass as human to a certain extent.

I continue to scan the dance floor area until I spot a curvy blonde woman dancing with another attractive female. I cannot see her face but I can tell she is a beauty and the sight of her body causes me to become aroused. I have tasted and met millions of women throughout my life and it is rare for one to cause an instant attraction in me. I focus solely on her and realise I am not the only male to notice her. There are several human men taking her in but yet they do not approach her. I notice that two vampires are watching her and realise that they must be guarding her. I am now curious.

I focus on her even more intently. She is not entirely human. I can also sense an invisible bond; she is bonded to another vampire.

I reflect briefly on this detail but I still feel drawn to her. As I make my way downstairs, I summon up my power of persuasion and will her two vampire guards to turn the other way and stand at the opposite side of the room.

She is still swaying her hips to the music and I approach her from behind and place my hands on her hips. Her scent is intoxicating.

"You are a wonderful dancer," I whisper into her ear.

She turns around with a startled look on her face. She is perhaps the most beautiful woman that I have seen in a very long time.

"You seem startled." I say with an amused smile on my face. "Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Marius."

She finally speaks and tells me her name. "My name's Sookie."

I stand closer to her in order for her to hear me speak. "Well Sookie, I was wondering if you would care to dance with me."

I glance at her friend still dancing behind her and silently glamour a nearby male to join her.

She thinks about my request and quickly looks behind her to see that her friend is now dancing with someone else. She continues her deliberation in her mind before she finally speaks. "I don't think it's a good idea. I don't usually dance with strangers but thank you for your kind offer."

I realize that now I must use my glamour. With other women, it was never needed; they always agreed to do whatever I said. "But we are not strangers anymore. We know one another's names. Dance with me, just for a moment."

She looks at me intently and smiles, "Ummm, I don't think so. I can tell that you are trying to glamour me. It doesn't work on me. I also don't think it is a very good idea because I am bonded." She also adds. "To a vampire."

Now my curiosity with this woman swells. "I apologise. I do not think I have met someone who is immune to glamour. That is quite interesting. I will not bother you any longer. Have a good evening Sookie."

"Wait!" She suddenly grabs my arm as I turn to leave and a strange sensation flows through my body. I can sense she feels the same thing.

"Ummm.... You're not from around here are you?", she asks me.

I stand close to her once again and smile. "No I am Scandinavian. I come from the land which you humans refer to as Denmark."

She breathes me in and closes her eyes briefly. I can feel that strange sensation once more as she exhales on my chest. "Are you an old vampire?"

"Very old. I have lived for centuries."

"What brings you to Shreveport?"

"I am passing through this area with my child. But now I think you are the main reason why I am in Shreveport."

She looks even more deeply into my eyes. I can feel this strange pull to her as though she is glamouring me. I lean forward towards her face and hope that she doesn't stop me.

As our faces and lips are only mere inches away from each other, her friend interrupts.

"Sookie! Let's go back to my room and party some more! My new friend Josh here is coming too!"

Sookie jumps back away from me. Her face is suddenly flushed and alarmed.

"Hey your new friend can come along too. We're at the Vanir Hotel, room 722." Sookie's friend adds.

"Tara!" Sookie sternly yells. I can tell she is disappointed in her friend's behaviour and in her own.

"Thank you for your offer. Ladies, I bid you goodnight." I walk out of the club, not completely satisfied, but more content than I have been in a very long time.

Sookie's POV:

I can only form three words in my brain as I watch that gorgeous vampire saunter off. Oh. My. God.

His ass is a beautiful piece of work like Eric's. He said he was from Scandinavia and that he was very old. I wonder if he was a Viking too. If so, then did all Viking men have such beautiful asses? His scent was so yummy and masculine! Oh my god, we were this close to kissing! What was wrong with me? It must be the alcohol, of course that's the only reason why.... Yeah Sookie delude yourself into believing that.

My thoughts are interrupted by Tara yelling and spitting into my ear that she wants to leave now. She drank way more than I did and she is barely able to stand still.

As we are leaving the club, me and Tara get into Clint's car. Savannah stops Tara's new friend Josh from jumping in and quickly we drive off.

"Sookie, tell him to go back! That was absolutely rude!" Tara is practically seething now in the back seat with me.

"Tara, honey, I think you would probably regret something tomorrow when you woke up if he came with us." I say soothingly.

"Sookie... you have no idea how difficult things are. I mean a baby and marriage and all these responsibilities.... I mean I've got no freedom and barely have any time for fun anymore." Suddenly she is crying now.

She continues to cry all the way up to her room. But as soon as we enter her room, her faces becomes paler.

"I think I'm gonna be sick!," she says running into the bathroom, closing it behind her.

I knock on the door and ask her if she is alright. I can hear her vomiting and tells me that she is ok.

I just notice that I am now sober. I guess Tara's crying and all the dancing at the club sobered me up. The guards are waiting for me outside the door.

Tara's room has a balcony so I step outside for some air and also to check messages on my phone.

Eric has sent me one text.

Lover, I'm almost done here. See you at home soon. E

I start typing in a response, but suddenly feel a wave of guilt. Should I tell him about the vamp I met tonight? I am lost in my thoughts until a voice speaks to me which causes me to jump.

"So this is where the after party is?"

It's the gorgeous vampire from earlier but he is on the other side of the railing and smiling at me.

I walk up to him and look over, "You can fly?"

He continues to hover, "Yes. You don't seem as shocked as I would have expected."

"Yeah, I've met a vampire who can fly as well." I say but for some reason I don't mention that it is my bonded who can fly.

"Really? There is only a few of us that can."

Suddenly he hovers higher and lands on the balcony. He looks into the room.

"Where are your friends?"

"Tara is in the bathroom and that guy she was with is not my friend. Just met him at the same moment when you did." This vampire is making me nervous, but in a good way. "Yeah I think the after party is cancelled. Not that I wanted to have one, I mean you still are welcome here if you wanted to stay. Not that you have to stay, you can leave anytime of course. Not that I want you to leave...." I can't seem to stop myself from rambling.

"Sookie," he finally interrupts me. "I only came here to see you." His smile is making me melt. I take a quick glance at his muscular chest. I can tell even through his polo shirt that he has lean muscles and no body fat. Part of me just wants to tear it off him. Ok wait, what was I doing before?

He stands even closer to me like he did at the club and looks at me attentively. And just like that my cell rings. He glances at the phone in my hand and leans in closer. At first I think that he is going to kiss me on the mouth, but suddenly he reaches for my hand and gives it a quick kiss. "I'll see you sometime again in the near future, goodnight Sookie."

"Goodnight Marius." I say breathlessly and just like that he is gone. I almost forget about the ringing phone in my hand.

I look at my phone and it's Eric.

"Hi" I try to say as normal as possible.

"Sookie what's wrong? There have been moments in the past 25 minutes where I have not felt you."

I can hear the worry and irritation in his voice. Wait, did I shut off the bond while I was with Marius? Eric doesn't give me time to think about it.

"I'm coming to get you now," he says.

"No! I mean you don't have to. I'm in Tara's room and the Clint and Savannah are standing outside the door. I'll go home now. I love you and miss you."

"I love and miss you as well, Sookie." We both hang up at the same time.

I quickly go back into the room just as Tara is coming out of the bathroom. She looks ill and I give her a quick hug goodbye and tell her to call me tomorrow.

I walk out the room to my waiting bodyguards who then take me home. On the drive home I form a string of questions in my head. Who was he? How did I shut off the bond without knowingly doing it? Why did I react so strongly to him? Should I tell Eric? I know for sure he would be jealous and angry. He might even take it out on Clint and Savannah. I would feel guilty about that, seeing as I was never in any danger. That leads me to another question, how did he get past my guards at the club?

I try to push all those questions aside for tonight and decide to think more about them during the day while Eric is resting.

I wonder where he went....

Marius' POV:

As I land in front of Marten's plane, my thoughts are only of Sookie. I can still taste her skin on my lips. She is definitely not just human. Faerie maybe?

I walk into the jet just as Marten is finishing up his conference call. He stands up and slightly bows to me. We speak in Old Norse. "Father."

I place my hand on his shoulder. "How was your meeting?"

"It went well. Northman just wanted to see how I was and assure that he still had my support."

"Why does he need your support?"

"He wants to be a king."

Another vampire with political ambitions. When Marten had first told me he desired to be a king, I was disappointed. I had hoped that he would want to lead the same life as me. I was at first stubborn to allow him, but like any other father, I eventually chose to support him with what he wanted to do.

"Did you find a good meal?", he asks me.

"Yes and she was perfect. Too perfect to devour." I amuse.

Marten smiles. "Do you want to me to go get her and bring her with us?"

"No," I say as I look out the airplane window, "She is bonded. I would assume her bonded vampire would come after us and then we would have to kill him. She probably would not like that." I smile back at him. "Tell your pilots we are ready to leave."

Marten goes to the cockpit and informs them to takeoff.

I take a seat and ponder what I should do in the immediate future.