Good To Know
I crawled into bed, but my sleep was disturbed. I couldn't settle. My head was filled with thoughts of what had just happened with Eric and of Bill's impending tribunal. He must have fallen for the blonde waitress from Bon Temps to kill another vampire for her, either that or he'd gone insane. At 4am, I'd had enough of trying to sleep. Throwing back the covers with frustration, I got out of bed and went with renewed intent to my computer. By noon I'd written twenty pages of new material and passed out at the desk.
I awoke hours later with a stiff back and a creaked neck. It had gone dark at some point, and my throat was dry. I moved from the chair and stretched, every bone cracked and it was solemnly obvious I was getting old. I padded through to the kitchen and got myself a glass of water. Gazing out of my kitchen window, I watched an older gentleman, who lived further down the road, totter down to the end of the driveway and check his mail in the box. He took a wad of papers from the box and slowly returned up his drive, he struggled slightly up the steps and entered his home. The outside light went off and gave me pause for thought. Life goes on.
I grabbed a bag of chips and parked myself on the sofa, resolved to watching television all night and trying not to think about vampires.
I actually made it to bed that night and I stirred at a respectable 9am the following day. I got myself a coffee and checked my email. My publisher was pleased again, another pay cheque was on the way. Things were looking up, I wouldn't need to get a temporary job after all. I took my coffee out onto the back porch and sat in a recliner, looking out onto the garden. It needed some work doing, the bushes wanted trimming, the grass required cutting and the flower beds needed tending. Today I would do that, I resolved.
I went inside and got changed into a pair of old jeans with more holes in than Swiss cheese and an old navy tee of Jacks', that I couldn't bear to part with. I smiled as I put it on, and wondered what my late husband would think of my life now. He'd be proud. I was happy. Relatively. I went outside and set to work.
By the time I'd finished, hours later, the garden looked immaculate. Pleased with myself, I went into the kitchen and stuck my head in the fridge. Grabbing a Coke, I noticed the Tru Blood bottles and reprimanded myself, I'd not thought of Bill all day. I wondered how he'd gone on.
I rummaged around in my coat pocket for my phone, I pressed a button and it lit up. One answer phone message. I keyed in the number and it put me through to my new message.
Evelyn. I may be unavailable for a while. Do not be concerned. I shall call on you when I return. Regards, Bill.
Was this something I needed to tell Eric about? I doubted it. Presumably, he'd know already the outcome of Bill's trial. I glanced out of the window, the sun was setting. I'd find out soon.
I showered and changed into clothes more apt for a visit to Fangtasia, a pair of skinny dark grey jeans, some chunky black biker boots and a blood red shirt. I blasted my hair with the dryer and let it fall in its natural wave around my shoulders. I slipped on my leather jacket as I left the house and locked the door behind me.
It didn't take me long to get to the club, where I was looked up and down by the vampire Pam and told I looked edible, before being let in.
The bar was buzzing, even though it had barely been dark for an hour or so, and though most of the patrons were humans, I could see a speckling of vampires already here. I spotted Eric move through the crowd to sit in his throne. Three middle aged human women approached him and when he showed fang to them, my pulse began racing. His head flicked up in my direction and I ducked behind a man covered head to toe in a black PVC gimp outfit, and sidled across to the bar. I pushed myself up onto a bar stool and ordered a whisky sour.
The bartender tended bar at vampire speed and a couple of the ladies who had approached Eric cooed at the other end of the bar at this display. He brought me my drink and I paid him. I glanced across at Eric and his throne, either he didn't know I was here or he was ignoring me. I doubted very much the first. I watched as a young, barely legal ebony haired girl approached Eric with another vampire whose appearance was easily forgettable, so much so I can't recall. After some strained conversation, Eric lurched forward from his chair, said something to the vampire and sat back, touching his fingertips together. The other vampire and his pet quickly scurried off.
I sighed and turned back to my drink, which I hadn't yet touched. Was this a good idea? Did I need to know what Bill's fate had been? He would tell me when he returned and besides Eric was working, he probably didn't have time to nurse my curiosity.
I made my decision to leave and was about to swallow back my whole glass, when a gush of air ruffled my hair and a hand appeared on top of the glass, preventing me from lifting it.
"I do not want a cocktail tonight," Eric whispered in my ear. There was a hush throughout the bar, though the music was still playing, as all the eyes that had been on Eric were now on me, the focus of his attention.
"Screw this," said one of the women at the end of the bar, and grabbed her purse and her friend and left. Obviously she was jealous of the attention I was receiving from Eric. The third friend, I noticed bizarrely, was looking deep into an older looking vampire's eyes. I smiled, I knew that look.
The bar resumed its chatter as the women left and Eric moved his hand from my glass. I looked up at him with a smile and knocked the contents of the glass back in one, "We don't always get what we want," I grinned at him, and he took my hand. I slid off the stool and dutifully followed him through to his office.
Once inside he let go of my hand and shut the door behind me. I perched myself on the edge of his desk.
"Well, here we are again Evie," Eric said, sitting in the chair opposite me, "Care for an encore?"
"I don't see any vampires in need of killing," I said, my eyebrow raised.
Eric smiled, "What brings you here tonight?"
"I want to know what's happened to Bill. The trial was last night and I got a message from him saying he may be away for a while."
"Unfortunately," Eric said, his gaze not leaving my face, "He is still around. The Magister was somewhat innovative with his punishments last night."
I said cautiously, "How do you mean?"
"Bill has become a maker. He has made another vampire."
"Oh," I replied, not sure how Eric expected me to react to that, "So he's fine?"
"Yes."
"Good," I said and stood from the desk. Eric was quickly on his feet to meet me, the minute distance between us irrelevant.
"Why do you care?" he asked, looking down on me, "You haven't been with him."
"He's my friend," I replied, a little confused, "People can be friends without fucking, Eric."
He stroked my cheek and gently leant forward, pressing into me, "But where's the fun in that?"
I smirked, "You're so sure of yourself aren't you?"
"I am."
"Those three women were handing themselves to you on a plate," I said, as his hands began to caress my back.
"Too easy," he smiled.
"So you want me to fight you?" I asked carefully. He didn't reply, I took that as a yes, "Good to know."
His head nestled down at my neck and he placed soft gentle kisses on my favourite spot. I gasped.
"I thought you didn't want a cocktail," I said. His tongue found my ear lobe and I softened against him.
"I've changed my mind," he said into my ear, and I quivered with anticipation.
He let me push his shoulders back, pulling him away from my neck, "What if I don't want you to?" I asked.
"Don't want me to what?" he said as he busied his fingers with the buttons of my shirt, his eyes never left my face. I let out a stifled moan and my eyes rolled back into my head as his cool hands touched my skin.
"To bite me," I breathed in answer. And he slipped my jacket and shirt from my shoulders, trapping my arms in the tangle of fabric. I was at his mercy, his hands groped my breasts through my bra and his thumbs brushed gently over my nipples, straining at the fabric. He caught my lips with his and teased me, not giving me the sweet release of his kiss.
"Do you?" he asked and I looked at him but I didn't answer, "Good to know," he grinned, assuming my silence spoke for me. It did.
He pushed me flat onto to the desk and stood between my legs. He paused and grinned at me, gripping my thighs. He clicked out his fangs and towered above me.
We were disturbed by a knock at the door. I inhaled quickly as Pam swung the door wide; Eric merely turned his head to her. His hands remained on me.
"Compton is here. He needs help with his…problem," she said and noticed I was there, with fewer clothes on than I had arrived in. She smiled approvingly.
"I'll, err…, go now," I stumbled as I struggled to do up the buttons on my shirt. Eric's grasp on my thighs tightened.
"Does he need help now?" Eric hissed, ignoring my words.
"The girl with him is beginning to try my patience," Pam replied, sardonically.
What girl? I wondered if this was Sookie, but why did Bill need help with her. I supposed it must be his new child, his baby vampire.
"He can wait. Tell him I am busy," Eric turned back to me, but Pam remained in the doorway.
"He's very insistent," she said, which seemed to have a double meaning, though I wasn't privy to its secret.
Eric met my eye, "We shall continue this another time, lover," he said, and released me from his grip.
I stood and straightened myself up. Eric caught my wrist as I went to leave and pulled me back to him.
"Maybe," I grinned at him confidently and did my best to stroll out of his office. I slipped out the back entrance, unsure if I wanted to meet Bill's offspring, and walked off on my way home.
I arrived home shortly after and plonked myself down at the kitchen table, with my mail which I'd picked up on the way in. My mind was racing as I opened my post. Eric had nearly fed from me. Rather than being a sensual experience like it was with Bill, it had been primitively sexual. I had wanted him to do it and, I admitted to myself, I wanted him to fuck me. I wanted to loose control with him and that scared me.
There was a soft rap at the door and my heart leapt from my chest, I expected it to be Eric. My face must've shown my dismay as I opened the door to find Mrs Wilson bearing this weeks pie.
"Hello my dear," she said and bustled through to the kitchen, "I saw you come home and I haven't had chance to see you lately. Have you been busy working away at that computer? Have you been getting out and meeting people? I told you it would do you good to see folk. It did me wonders when my Stanley passed. I've made you a Mississippi Mud Pie this week," she rattled on.
"Ooh," I said in appreciation, "My favourite. Thank you very much Mrs Wilson."
"You're quite welcome dear," she replied and opened the fridge door, "Oh," she said.
I was oblivious, "Something wrong?"
"I didn't realise this Tru Blood was for people," she said turning to me, a bottle in her hand.
I reeled, "Its not. It's for visitors," I said as she examined the bottle and placed it back in the fridge.
"Is it for those two folks that were here the other night, waiting on your porch, or for that nice Mr Compton?" she asked. She'd met Bill briefly a few weeks previous and he'd charmed her no end.
"Yes," I replied.
"They are pale these vampire folk," she began, tottering towards the front door, "Don't you be letting them keep you up till all hours of the morning. You'll fall behind on your work and we wouldn't be wanting that would we? Though I suppose if they're keeping you company, I don't see why you shouldn't…" she paused, "Enjoy their company."
I smiled at her, she meant well but she was just being nosey, "Well I shall be sure not to let them keep me from my work."
"Ok dear," Mrs Wilson replied and I helped her down the porch steps, "You enjoy your pie now."
"Oh I'm sure I will, thank you again Mrs Wilson." I watched her as she went down the path to the road and turned to go up her own garden path.
Eric appeared from the darkness at the side of the house. He came over to where I stood on the porch and I leant against the rail.
"I agree," he said, looking me up and down.
"Agree with what?"
"Enjoying my company," he replied.
"Really?" I smiled sarcastically and his hand touched my cheek, "I don't think Mrs Wilson would much approve of us out here on the deck."
"Invite me in," he said, looking deep into my eyes.
"Why would I do that?"
"So I can finish what you started," he answered, leaning into me. I could feel his excitement pushing against my belly.
Indignantly, "What I started?" I questioned.
"Yes. You didn't come to know about Bill tonight, you came for me."
I stared back at him, "Did you sort Bill's problem?" I asked, moving away from Eric and towards the door.
"Sort of, it's now my problem."
"I guess being Sheriff is not all it's cracked up to be."
"It has its advantages."
"I'll bet," I replied, "Though you can't have everything you want."
He zipped over to me, grabbed my shoulders and slammed me against the wall, "It is not in your best interest to tease a vampire," he hissed, looking down on me.
"Who said I'm teasing?"
Eric growled at me, but released his grip. I stepped over the threshold to the house.
"Invite me in," he repeated sternly.
"No, this is the only safety I have from you."
"Why do you need safety from me?" he jeered, moving to face me, as close to me as he could get.
"Because you're hungry, I can tell you've not fed, your cheeks are pale."
He remained silent but continued to stare me down.
"And you're mad at me for not giving in to you."
He raised an eyebrow.
"…And you're horny," I finished, which drew out his fangs.
"You have no idea," he almost snarled at me, his hands braced across the door way.
I stepped back into the house and shrugged off my jacket, I tossed it casually on the floor. Eric's eyes never left me.
"Why don't you just glamour me?" I said, undoing the top button of my shirt.
"You need to submit to me," he replied and my heart began dancing in my chest. I undid another button, which showed a glimpse of my bra underneath. I kicked off my boots and stepped back again, undoing another button.
"How do I know you won't just kill me?" I asked quietly.
He smiled showing all his teeth, "You'll just have to take that chance," he said. I undid the final two buttons and an earthy low growl emanated from inside him as my shirt fell open.
"Invite me in," he commanded.
I stepped back again, heart pounding and braced myself.
"Come in." The words barely left my mouth before I was pinned, arms above my head to the wall opposite the door.
I struggled to catch my breath, as Eric caught my mouth in a fierce kiss and I lifted my legs around him. His fang caught my lip and he lapped what little blood there was greedily, which only seemed to fuel his desire. I groaned against him, his hands gripping my wrists. His tongue found mine and fought for domination. I gave in; I would never win this game. He brought both my hands together and held them fast while his other hand found my ass. Unable to resist, his other hand joined its mate and squeezed, I dropped my arms around his neck, completely at his desire.
Eric lifted me from the wall, not breaking the kiss, and flung us on the floor. He quickly stripped me of my clothes and moments later I was lay in my underwear beneath him.
He kissed me on my lips briefly before trailing carefully placed kisses down my body, between my breasts and down to my stomach. He caught my leg and licked from calf to thigh up its length and settled in at my centre. Pulling my knickers to one side, he pushed a cool finger into me as his tongue found my clit. When he added another, I moaned and arched my body, and his fingers began their rhythmic stimulus. I was wet already and with the skills of a thousand year old vampire, I came within minutes. I rode out the crests of my orgasm with his fingers inside me and when it subsided, he released himself from his trousers. He crept over me where I lay, his weight resting on his arms either side of me.
Our eyes locked together and he pushed himself firmly into me. I gasped with the sensation as he filled me. He gave me a minute to adjust to him, I'd not been with anyone since…well, it had been long before Jack had become ill that we'd been intimate. Eric began to move and brought me back into the moment, he took long slow movements which unsettled me. He was taking care not to hurt me.
"Harder," I breathed.
He grinned and began to thrust with more force but kept the speed the same. He fell back to his knees and gripped my ass to lift me, changing the angle. I moaned as he began, for want of a better word, fucking me, hitting a part of me deep inside that I didn't know existed. He ploughed into me and I writhed beneath him, unable to escape his intent. Some of his thrusts hurt, but he knew that and a twisted part of me enjoyed those the most.
My eyes rolled back into my head as he gained speed, before I knew what was happening I was on my hands and knees with Eric pistoning into me from behind. He grabbed my hair and pulled me up on my knees to meet him, all the while never loosing momentum. A primal moan passed my lips and I craned my head to one side, offering my neck to him. He licked my neck teasingly, and paused from his thrusts.
"Do it," I begged.
"Why?" he hissed in my ear.
"I…want you…to," I managed to get out.
"Good to know," was his reply, but he didn't bite. Instead he resumed his movements behind me, and groaned into my neck. I came.
He let go of my hair and pushed me forward, pressing my shoulders to the floor submissively, I tried to return his thrusts with my hips.
"Remain still," he commanded, and he pounded at great speed and force into me. It hurt like hell but I liked it, I groaned and moaned with the mixture of the pleasure and the pain. He flipped me over on my back again and resumed his momentum, his head rested in the curve of my neck.
"Oh Eric," I moaned, he was getting harder and harder, if at all possible. The sound of his name must have sent him over the edge and with one final drive he exploded within me and bit down cruelly on my neck. I came again and my hand weaved through his hair. He fed from me as I lay there panting, with him still inside me.
The sensation was inexplicable as he drank and I felt my heart begin to slow down from its earlier rapid beat. He sucked and lapped up my blood with his tongue. I began to feel weak.
"Eric!" I breathed, "I don't feel…" He tore himself away from me, his mouth bloody.
My heart slowed some more and I moved a hand to my neck. Eric slipped out of me and tucked himself back into his trousers.
"Oh god!" I panicked as the wetness on my hand seeped through my fingers. I moved my hand away and heard a faint splash on the floor, my hand shot back to my neck. I wasn't stopping bleeding. I looked up at Eric who must have seen the terror in my eyes. He crouched by me and waited a second before pulling my hand away again, I felt the blood trickle round the back of my neck, and he pushed my hand firmly back to the bite wound.
He bit into his wrist and put it to my mouth, "Drink."
Meekly I looked up at him.
"Evie, I have fed from you and the wound is not closing. If you do not take my blood, you will die."
I reluctantly lapped up the blood trickling from his wrist. It tasted sweet. I'd discovered on the forums when looking for Jack that vampire blood was a great healer for humans, those with physical wounds at least. It wouldn't necessarily work as a cure against human illnesses. I'd discovered this too late.
The wound he'd made on his wrist closed and I immediately began to feel better. Eric loomed above me.
"Remove your hand," he requested and I gingerly moved my hand from my neck.
He inspected it, "That should not have happened," he said, and stroked my cheek, "I haven't caught that artery in decades."
I didn't say a word. He picked me up in his arms as if I were as light as a feather and placed me on the settee, no wait...couch. He covered me with a throw and sat by me.
"You must rest," he said looking down on me where I lay, "But you will be fine," he paused, "I apologise." It hadn't been intentional, or I would've been sprawled out on the floor in a pool of my own blood. Or was this what Eric had meant to do, a little voice in my head asked. I dismissed that thought.
I smiled up at him and noticed his eyes were glittery and the light from the lamp behind him frolicked on the ceiling.
"That's unusual," I said, he smiled back at me.
"What is?"
"An apology from a vampire," I replied, realising that my view of the dancing light was due to my ingestion of his blood.
Eric smirked, "Highly unusual," he agreed and leant in towards me, "Come see me sometime." He placed a lingering kiss on my lips which tingled with blue electricity bolts and took his leave.
Perhaps vampires were as dangerous as people said.