I was driving on auto pilot, turning when Eric told me to. Other than that there was no other conversation. I didn't know what to say and my mind was trying to process my latest realization. I was in love with Eric Northman. I was trying to convince myself that it was a lie, but I couldn't.

The feelings that I was having for Eric since I'd heard his thoughts were a hundred times, no a thousand times different than what I felt for Bill. I think that I fell in love with Bill for the silence that his presence gave me and the attention that he paid me. After being single all your life, any type of attention that someone pays you makes you think that it is love.

I definitely didn't love Bill anymore. I don't even think that I liked Bill anymore. He had lied to me, cheated on me and had practically killed me and that was just in the few days. Someone who loves you doesn't do that to you.

The vampire next to me wasn't much better, but at least he was honest with me. The fact that he was a walking Adonis was just icing on the cake. Maybe if we were alone long enough away from vampire politics we could get to know each other and something good might come from all of this. But I definitely wasn't ready to reveal my feelings just yet. I'd burned that bridge once, I wasn't ready to do it again.

After driving for over an hour, most of which seemed like we were going around in circles, we pulled in an open garage door that started to close as soon as we stopped. I looked over at Eric and I could see that some of the tension had left his face. I pushed aside my muddled and confused thoughts and decided to break the silence. "Where are we?"

"This is one of my safe houses." He got out of the car and as I reached for the door, it was opened before I could even reach for the handle. He was standing there holding his hand out for me to take. I felt like I had stepped into the Twilight Zone. Since when had Eric Northman become chivalrous?

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with the real Eric Northman?" That comment got me a genuine smile that went up to his eyes and caused me to smile in return. My heart started to beat a little faster looking at that smile.

"I'm civilized enough to have manners, I just don't show it very much. It makes me look weak."

He helped me up and he was close enough that I was pressed against him while holding onto his hand. I could feel my heart rate increasing, yet it didn't feel like we were close enough. In that moment both of out guards were down and his mind was opened up to me once again. She is so beautiful. I wish that I could kiss her again, but now is not the time. I have to tell her that the Queen is coming with her entire retinue, plus all of Russell's wolves are heading this way too. Pam is out building an army instead of me because I don't trust Sookie's safety to anyone else. I wouldn't know how to go on if anything ever happened to her.

If I wasn't sure before that I was in love with Eric Northman, those thoughts cemented my feelings. They were so heartfelt and genuine. I knew that it was a major invasion for me to be in Eric's mind like this, but it was nice to be honest with me without even really realizing it.

I couldn't have stopped my next move if a stampede of elephants came storming in. I slid my hands up his chest and around his neck until my fingers locked together. Eric was looking at me, wondering what I was doing, but too curious to see where I was headed with this to stop me.

Before he had time to react I pulled him down and kissed him with all that I had in me. I put all my feelings that I wasn't ready to verbalize into that single kiss. I wanted so much more than just a kiss right now, but this was for the best right now. We were in a precarious position, not knowing what was going to be happening with the Queen and the wolves. I should have been scared or at least in self-preservation mode, but I wasn't in the mind frame yet. All I could focus on was Eric. The way that his body felt pressed against mine, the way his lips felt, the way his tongue tasted as he invaded my mouth. I wanted him to invade much more of me than just my mouth, but I realized that right now it was more important for the two of us to have a conversation that we were both involved in.

I forced myself to pull my lips away from him, but I couldn't force myself out of his arms that had magically wrapped themselves around my waist. "Eric, we need to talk." My voice was low and sultry still reeling from the passion that he had ignited inside of me.

"Oh Lover, I think that we have many more important things to do than talk right now." He started trailing kisses down my neck and was resolve was starting to waiver more and more with each passing second.

"Eric, I don't think that now is a good time to do this. If we've got trouble coming for us, then we should probably focus." There really was no conviction in my voice. I wanted to find the closest bed and be pillaged by this sexy Viking. This was not how I would normally act since I hadn't even really officially broken up with Bill, but I couldn't help myself.

"Well Lover, I find that if I have a clear head and am completely satisfied then I am much better able to focus."

He ran his fingers down my cheek and I really wanted him, but I made myself pull away from him. "Eric, we need to get settled and talk before we do anything else." I looked up at him and I knew that I had to tell him about the recent advancement in my telepathy. "There is something important that I need to tell you when we get settled." He could tell that I was serious for us to talk, so he took a step back. He got my bag out of the backseat and led me into the house.

He opened the door and as I walked inside I was speechless. This was the most beautiful home that I had ever seen. The kitchen was huge with granite counters and brand new stainless steel appliances. I could cook up a feast in this kind of kitchen. I was surprised how large the kitchen was since this was a vampire house.

He put his hand on the small of my back and led me into the living room. I never realized that the small of my back had a direct connection between my legs. I could see him sniff the air and I knew he could smell my obvious arousal. I just focused on my surroundings and not on the smirk on his face.

We stopped in the living room. "Why don't you have a seat Sookie. I'll take your bag upstairs, then we can talk." His voice was so smooth and sexy that all I could do was nod my head. I was afraid that I might do something that would distract us.

I watched as he disappeared up the stairs then sat down on the plush, overstuffed sofa. There were two matching overstuffed chairs and a beautiful fireplace. I could imagine being curled up in front of a roaring fire wrapped up in the arms of a sexy Viking. That thought was so clear in my mind that I could almost believe that it had truly happened.

I shook those thoughts from my mind. I had to tell Eric that I had heard his and Bill's thoughts tonight. It could be just a fluke since I've had both of their blood, but there was no guarantee that it was just a fluke. I wish that I could have a chance to test it out on another vampire, but that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I never noticed that Eric had come back into the room until he put his hand on my knee. "Sookie, I promise that I will do everything in my power to protect you."

I looked up into Eric's eyes and this was not the bad ass sheriff of area five. This was a vampire who looked almost human. He looked worried about whatever was coming after us. This was not what we needed. He needed the confidence to lead us through whatever we were walking into. "I know that Eric. Is there something wrong? You just don't seem like yourself right now." I knew part of what was going on, but there seemed to be something else bothering him. I was tempted to dip into his mind to see if I could find out more, but that felt wrong.

"Sookie, we are soon going to be ambushed by a small army and I have a very big decision to make. I have spoken to an old acquaintance of mine earlier this evening regarding what is going on." He stood up and started pacing the room. This could not be good at all. "The person I spoke to is even older than I am?"

"Was it another vampire?"

He stopped and just looked at me and I swear it looked at if there was sheer and utter panic in his eyes. "No, it wasn't another vampire." He sat back down next to me and took my hand in his. I could feel that his hand was trembling slightly. I wouldn't have noticed without all the vampire blood in me, but it was still very unnerving to me. "The man I spoke to was a full blooded fairy." I could feel the panic building up inside of me. I had a feeling that I knew where Eric might be going with this and it wasn't going to be good at all. "Sookie, the man I spoke to was your great grandfather." To say I was shocked was an understatement. Bill had said that fairies were extinct and had been for a long time. Obviously that was not true since Eric had met my great grandfather. I had a great grandfather. I could feel my head start to spin, but I reined myself in as best I could.

"What is his name?"

"Niall Brigant. His over fifteen hundred years old and he and I go way back." He clutched my hand a bit tighter. "Sookie, he is very powerful. How much do you want me to tell you? There is a lot and I don't want you to be overwhelmed."

Well it was a little late for that. I was already feeling pretty overwhelmed. "I guess I need to know everything. Just do it quick like a band aid."

"He's a fairy prince." I sat back on the sofa trying to still the spinning in my head. I knew that I was a fairy, but now I was some kind of fairy royalty. He was looking for my reaction. I didn't know what to say, so I just motioned for him to continue. "There is going to be some serious shit coming down on both of us. Sophie-Anne and her minions are coming for you for you Fae blood and Russell's wolves are coming after me to avenge him. There are a few ways to go about remedying this, but I have a feeling that you are not going to like most of them." He paused to gather his thoughts. "The easiest way to remedy this, but that is not going to go over well with the Authority is that we ambush them all and take them all out."

"I don't feel right about dozens of people getting slaughtered on my account, even if some of them might deserve it. Option 2."

"Niall wants to take you to the Fae realm for an undetermined amount of time."

That option got my attention. "What! He wants me to just leave my life behind to go to some strange place where I don't even know anyone? I don't think so. Option 3."

"The Authority is prepared to make me the new King of Louisiana and Mississippi."

A sick feeling started to build in my stomach. "Do you want to be King?" I kept my head down, I couldn't bare to look him in the eye.

"I have been content for a long time with running Area 5 and now Fangtasia. I never aspired to be King, but it would be worth it to keep you safe."

"Would you have to move to New Orleans or to Mississippi?"

"Well, that's were we step into tricky territory."

"What do you mean?"

"Well there is one option that I become King and you go on with you life any way that you want it. You would have an almost normal life with round the clock protection that you wouldn't even see."

That sounded really nice. A normal life, but there was something that he wasn't telling me and I had a feeling I wasn't going to like it. "Would I still get to see you Eric?"

"No." I felt like I was going to be sick. "Niall thinks that if we go that route it would be better for you to have little to no interaction with vampires."

The cockamamie options were really starting to piss me off. "Is there another option?"

"Yes." Eric actually looked nervous at this last option. This could not be good. I sat there waiting for him to go on. He took an unnecessary breath and let it out. "The option that seems to be the one accepted by the Authority and your great grandfather if for me to become King and you to become my Queen."

That final option was too much for my brain to comprehend and everything went black.

A/N: This chapter didn't want to come as quickly as the first two, but I have plans for chapter four. (i'm thinking lemons, but not who you think) These are not my babies, i'm just watching them for a little while.