AN - Thankyou so much for the reviews, especially chesi66, some of your questions have definately fueled my creative juices!

Afraid there isn't much sugar in this chapter but I figured maybe a bit more plot was needed.

Much love Flamink x

Blood Delusions

I was waiting in Eric's office. I'd been waiting for at least half an hour and I was pacing the breadth up and down. The door finally opened and Eric strode in, leafing through some papers. He placed them on the table and sat down in his desk chair.

"Come here," he ordered and I moved obligingly over to him and perched on his desk in front of him. He shuffled his chair into the desk, forcing my legs to spread wider over him. His hands caressed my thighs and he pulled me from the desk onto his lap to straddle him. He leaned in to kiss me…

I awoke with a start. What the fuck was that? I was confused. Had I been dreaming? Again? I looked around; I was in my own bed, in my own house. The day was just dawning. I rubbed my neck and recalled my encounter with Eric a few nights ago. It had both scared and excited me but I had a niggling feeling that I was in over my head. I'd no idea why a thousand year old vampire would be interested in me, much less carried out a well timed unintentional 'accident'. What can I say, I'd had plenty of time to obsess over the situation, but this dreaming thing was beginning to bug me. Several times I had had…sexy…dreams of Eric. Not that I'm saying I didn't enjoy them, but it sure as hell wasn't my usual routine. I had to bite the bullet and go see Eric about this.

I'm not ashamed to say I spent most of the day lounging around the house in my pyjama bottoms and t shirt. I pottered around in the kitchen, wrote on the forums and called my mother who was hardly pleased I'd rung as I'd woken her up. She had few words to say to me, she'd not agreed with my decision to move halfway across the world. She told me that Mr Johnson from the Butchers Shop on the High Street had passed on and that his niece had become one of those vampire people she'd seen on TV and that my father was snoring his head off next to her. She'd finished by telling me to call her more often, but not when she was sleeping. I'd told her I was sorry and that I'd ring her in the week. She'd hung up on me.

I showered at tea time as it was growing dark and towel dried my hair and put some product in it. I dressed into some blue jeans and a white tee and sprawled out on the sofa. I was undecided. Should I go and see Eric, or was I asking for trouble?

I flicked on the television and watched the AVL's representative Nan Flannigan in a rather heated discussion with that guy from the Fellowship of the Sun. They argued on about the vampires having equal rights as humans. While the Newlin guy had a point about vampires just being able to glamour humans, the rest of the stuff he was saying was absolute bullshit. Going on and on about the vampires being the Devil's children and sent here to test all of God's followers and that all the vampires were ruthless killers. The newscaster refereeing the two told them there was no more time and ironically cut to a story about the killings in Bon Temps. A human serial killer. I turned off the TV.

I dozed off with a smile on my face thinking of how tongue in cheek the placing of those two news items had been. Eric would smirk when I told him about it. He'd cup my face and pull me close. He'd kiss me and pick me up and lay me on his desk. He'd bare his fangs at me and pull down my jeans. He'd bite my thigh and drink….

"Argh!" I woke from my daydream, infuriated. I marched out of the house, grabbing my jacket and keys on the way. I had to see Eric about this; this was beyond a joke now.

It didn't take me long to get there, intent drove me, to Fangtasia. I stood in line patiently and was let in by a vampire I didn't recognise, a man in a black suit, somewhat oriental. I heard a faint clicking sound as I entered, like something mechanical moving, but dismissed it. It was really busy and the bar was pretty crowded so I didn't bother ordering a drink and instead went through the door marked 'Employees Only'. I figured I wouldn't get told off too much. A voice in my head told me that, actually, I might. I shook my head and headed towards Eric's office door. As I reached for the handle I heard the noise again and curiosity got the better of me.

I followed it down the little hallway and to a door at the far end. On opening it I was met with darkness, I took a second for my eyes to adjust and ventured in. I left the door ajar and the light from the hallway showed me there were some steps to the left, I crept down them and peered down into what seemed to be the basement.

Sure enough there was the mechanical thing I'd heard. A big circular structure fixed to the ceiling with throngs and chains that hung down from it like stalactites. Perhaps what I should've noticed first, and maybe this said more about my character than I realised, were the people attached to the ends of those chains.

I took a sharp intake of breath as I took in the scene before me. People chained in a dungeon, forced to sit on a cold concrete floor, surrounded by filth I noticed aswell. What could I do? Nothing, until I confronted Eric about it. As I turned and began to creep back up the stairs; I was met by the feet of the oriental vampire. I looked up and he hissed at me and grabbed me by the arm tightly.

"Hey!" I protested, "What do you think you're doing?"

He remained silent and dragged me out of the door and along the corridor to Eric's office. He kicked the door open and it swung ajar with ease. Eric barely raised an eyebrow as the vampire threw me on the office floor.

"Well, well Evie," Eric said with a smirk, "What have you been up to?"

He knew damn well what I'd discovered, but I played along anyway, "I've found your dungeon that's what!" I replied, getting to my feet.

The other vampire was behind me in an instant, his hand pushing my head to one side revealing my neck to him. I heard his fangs click out and he moved in closer. I began panicking. I looked longingly at Eric. He didn't as much as glance back.

"Chow. Enough!" Eric commanded, literally a split second before fangs penetrated my skin. Chow released me, and left the office and I collapsed to the floor, fighting back the tears. Eric stood and came over to me.

"I told you to come see me," Eric said, crouching next to me, "Not come to snoop around."

He offered me his hand, I slapped it away.

"I didn't come because you told me to, but because of these bloody dreams I keep having."

Eric grinned, "Come sit with me in the bar."

"What?" I said, standing upright.

"I have to make my appearance. The fans will be expecting me," he rose and opened the door.

I eyed him suspiciously but walked by him.

As I passed, he said, "Besides, you cannot cause a scene out there."

I huffed at him and waited for him to lead the way. He went by me and led us out into the crowd. I heard whispers I wouldn't have normally been able to hear. They were wondering who I was. Some recognised me from the last time I was here. Some thought I was a vampire and some thought I was simply vampire bait.

Eric sat in his throne and gestured for me to sit by him.

"Why do you do this?" I asked, referring to his lauding himself in front of these people.

"It pays the bills," he replied, assuming a pose.

"And the people…downstairs?" I sat.

"They are helping me with my enquiries regarding a number of crimes against vampires," he answered.

"What kind of crimes?" I asked.

"A variety," he replied vaguely.

"Eric!" I said frustrated.

"Evie," he smiled, leaned over to me and flashed his fangs, which earned a fuss from a group of wannabe fang bangers all dressed in black leather in the centre of the bar.

I ignored his scare tactics, "Show me those again and I might have to break them off," I threatened boldly, though we both knew it was a completely empty threat.

"I've told you before," he replied, gazing at my neck, "It's not wise to tease a vampire. Remember what happened last time." He retracted his fangs and relaxed back into his seat.

Hmm, I did remember what happened last time. Last time he'd ripped my throat out after sex and given me his blood to heal me.

His blood. That was why I was dreaming of him.

"Your blood?" I stated, though it was more of a question, "The dreams?"

Eric glanced at me, "Yes?"

"That's why I'm dreaming of you. Your blood is doing this to me?"

"The blood merely emphasises the attraction you have to me, I can also feel your emotions," he answered, "I can tell when you're feeling playful, thinking about me."

So I was right, there had been an ulterior motive to our encounter. I cursed myself; I should've expected something like this.

"So you can tell when I'm pissed off with you?" I smirked, "Or is it purely a selective hearing type of thing?"

He ignored me. Definitely selective.

"Can I stop it?" I asked.

"No," Eric replied bluntly, "Why would you want to?"

It was a good job it was a rhetorical question, as I didn't have an answer.

"You know you should turn them in to the police," I said, returning to an earlier subject, "They are human. They should be tried with human rules."

"We vampires deal with our…issues, differently to the way humans handle them. Believe me there are vampires who would do a lot worse than I have."

I shuddered to think about that

"Remember Bill's punishment?" he continued.

I did, but chose to move the conversation along, "Will you kill them?"

Eric turned to look at me, "Some, maybe, if they are unresponsive."

I wasn't as surprised as I should've been at this statement, but I found myself wondering how long those people had been down there and what they'd actually done, and whether it was something worth getting involved in. my cowardice decided against it, I wouldn't be able to do anything anyway and I was in enough trouble with Eric as it was. He wouldn't kill them surely.

"You know," I pointed out, "You still haven't told me about the vampire who had the 'accident'" I picked my words carefully.

"Would you prefer me to tell you or lock you down in the basement with the others? Maybe you'd find that exciting, being chained up in my basement. Maybe I'd come down and make you scream in ways you can't imagine," he smiled sadistically at me and I knew what he was implying was sexual, my heart skipped a beat and I realised he knew it had. He grinned at me.

"If the police find out you're keeping captives, you won't be able to hide in vampire politics then."

Eric hissed quietly at me, in barely a whisper, "Evie, you won't last much longer if you keep pushing this."

"I'm aware of that," I replied, realising I was getting too comfortable around Eric and cast my gaze to my feet.

A middle aged American approached Eric. He had cropped light brown hair and green eyes, which he couldn't take off Eric.

"Siir," he stumbled, and knelt at Eric's feet compliantly, "I offer myself to you. Do with me as you wish."

Eric glanced quickly at me before leaning towards the man and catching his gaze.

"What is your name?" Eric asked. I watched in amazement as Eric glamoured the man in front of us. Nobody else in the bar realised this was happening, I noticed.

"Shane, Shane King," he replied.

"Well, Shane. I want you to go on home and fuck your wife like it was your first time together," Eric said gazing deep into Shane's eyes. I noticed the white mark of a missing wedding band on Shane's finger and was impressed with Eric's attention to detail, "Tell her you love her and you're grateful for everything she does for you," Eric finished. He leaned back in his chair and looked at me. Shane stood, turned and left the bar without another word or look at anyone.

"Was that for my benefit?" I asked, in disdain, "Want to prove you can still glamour people?"

"Evie, I'm not all bad. I was human once you know, though it was a long time ago," he replied, with a raise of an eyebrow, "You want a drink?"

"Sure," I said unappreciatively. I was actually a little parched.

Eric beckoned somebody towards the bar and a waitress tottered over in heels she couldn't balance on with an order pad and pen.

"A drink, Master?" she asked, obediently. She was clad in a red corset tied with jet black laces up its middle, it barely covered her assets. Her lower half was similarly clad, in a figure hugging skimpy black skirt. She had long slender legs, I was immediately jealous.

"The lady will have a whisky sour," he ordered, remembering what I drank, "Nothing for me, I shall eat later," he shot a glance at me as the waitress wobbled off.

Definitely in enough trouble already, I thought.

"Have you seen Bill recently?" Eric asked unexpectedly.

I was caught somewhat off guard, "No."

"Good," he replied. Hmm, what did that mean?

"I haven't even had a message from him. Why'd you ask?"

"I thought as much," Eric replied, "I returned his problem to him. I wondered if he'd introduced you to her."

"Nope, not met her."

"It is good you aren't seeing him as much," he stated.

I rolled my eyes, "And why would that be?"

"He is not a good influence," he answered cryptically.

"What? Why would I be influenced by him?"

"You're human, you can't help not being. You're being influenced by me now."

"Oh really?"

"You should be careful and watch yourself around him, that's all," he replied, noticing the tone in my voice.

Another warning about Bill, I wondered if I should take heed of it. Could the smooth, friendly, if a little withdrawn, vampire I knew be such a danger to me? Though, I reasoned, I hadn't seen him in a while, but he was working. Even if the ethics of said work were, shall we say, debatable. I shrugged, there was probably more to that than I knew.

"Have you heard anything on your forums about a missing vampire in Texas?" he asked directly. I hadn't realised Eric knew I used vampire based internet forums. I supposed he had to know everything being Sherriff and all.

I thought about his question for a second, "There was a post a few weeks ago from one of the people on there who don't like vampires. They were discussing something called 'Meeting the Sun', seemed pretty intense," I told him.

"Did you read it all?" Eric questioned intensely.

"No, it didn't interest me."

"Can you show it to me?"

"I don't have my computer," I replied, unsure of what I was jumping into feet first.

"You may use mine," he said as the waitress returned with my drink, "But for now drink. And then dance for me," he nodded towards the pole a few feet in front of him, where a scantily clad lady was gyrating and flinging herself about the pole.

I laughed, "I don't think so."

"Suit yourself," he replied with a smirk and moved to a more comfortable spot in his chair, "Would've been more entertaining to pass the night watching you dance for me."

"You'll never get me up there," I scoffed, "I'd do myself an injury."

"Lesser women have tried it to seduce me and failed. What makes you think you would embarrass yourself?"

I didn't have an answer, "You won't make me do it."

"What makes you think I won't?" he smiled at me, and I took a swig of my drink.

"Have you met Sookie Stackhouse yet?" he asked, though I wasn't sure why.

"Nope," I replied, "I guess Bill doesn't want to introduce me to his family."

Eric said, "He has confided in you in the past, I assumed he would have done the same on this occasion," he paused, "This waitress intrigues me."

"Intrigues you?" I questioned.

"Yes, she is different."

"So I've heard," I said and rolled my eyes, "You shouldn't be jealous of things you can't have."

Eric replied flatly, "In time, I have whatever and whomever I want."

Cocky bastard, I thought.