Ch 20

We decided Eric would just drop me off at my place, I would change and go to Fangtasia. He wanted to come in, but I gently tried to explain why he shouldn't. "You know, if you do that, we probably will get distracted and not make it in for another two hours. And, it would be best if I gave my cousins notice of your presence." I felt bad saying that, so hurriedly went on, "It's just that they like to pop in whenever and I know you've built up a really good tolerance to me, but I'm only half and they-"

He held his hands up, "Sookie, it's alright. You don't have to explain." He went around to open my door. Leaning me up against the car, he kissed me, at first gently, then deepened it. His hand cradled my head, and he teased me with his tongue, making stroking gestures I very fondly remembered elsewhere, not too long ago. I moaned a little and felt my thighs rub together of their own accord. He reluctantly broke the kiss and I immediately felt the absence. Squeezing my hips, he gave me a light peck on the nose, "Hurry" and scooted me in the direction of my door. He stayed where he was to watch me walk up and ensure I got into my door okay. Once inside, I went to the window to watch him leave. Before he got in the car, he sniffed the air and looked around the perimeter of the building and up in the sky. He had a serious look on his face. He looked up at me watching him and pulled out his phone. I heard mine ring in my purse.

"Missed me so soon?" I answered.

"There is an off smell around this place. I don't like it. I'll talk to you about it later. Are your doors and windows locked?"

I went back to the window to look down at him. He was in his car. "Yes."

"Okay. Don't let anyone other than your cousins in. When you're ready can you teleport to your car?"

I was about to mention popping straight to Fangtasia, then remembered the smell that came along with it. Not the best idea to waft that into a vampire bar. I did a mental scan, and other than the human brains I found the the complex, there were no others, supernatural or otherwise in the vicinity. I told him that. "But, yes, I'll just go right to the car."

"Call me when you get to the parking lot at the bar and I'll walk you in."

Jeez, what had him so spooked? But, he didn't seem the type to overreact so better to follow instruction and be fine, then get careless and regret it. "Okay, will do."

"And call me before if anything seems amiss."

We hung up and I watched him drive away, now I was a little nervous for his safety. I wonder what smelled "off". I didn't notice anything. But I had also floated here from the effects of his kiss. I placed a quick call to my cousins' place.

Claude picked up on the fourth ring. "Hey, Claude it's Sookie."

"Oh, hello, bitch tits. Calling to regale me with stories of your vampire's dead, delicious dick?"

"Claude!" I blushed beet red, which was his exact intent, the fuck.

"What? I know you put some fairy stank on it, don't act coy with me."

I hissed out, "We are not having this conversation! Listen, be serious for a second! Was there anyone from the family here today, other than one of us? Or any other Supe? Eric noticed an off smell when he dropped me home."

"It was probably the smell of your dirty-"

"Claude! Really? How old are you? This is serious. And if you recall, there is some shit going down, back home" I emphasized, "that means we should be on our guard." That shut him up.

"No, Sookie, no one has been here that I know of." His voice had the slightest hitch in it but I dismissed it as my imagination.

"You're sure? What about Grey or Diantha?" Both demons who were friends and could have paid a visit and maybe had a different smell to them.

"No. No one. I was at work all day and Claudine left when I got here. She didn't have any visitors or she would have said something."

"Okay. Well, just keep an eye out. Let me know if you think of anything or see someone." I fully expected him to sass me about being paranoid or tease me more about Eric, but he just agreed and we disconnected. I shook it off and headed for my bedroom. I slipped off last night's clothing and slipped on some new underthings and a different outfit. Gray pants, dressy casual, but tight enough to showcase my butt nicely. And a navy and white, vintage-y polka dot blouse that emphasized my waist. With red heels, just for Pam. Satisfied with my outfit, I went in and tried to make something of my hair that looked wrecked. The half ass shower, followed by no product or blow dryer, then a round of hair pulling sex had me calling uncle and just brushing it back into a high ponytail. I straightened it with an iron to at least look a little polished. I only needed some mascara since my cheeks and lips were rosy as could be, thank you, vintage vampire blood. Which reminded me-how many times had I had his blood now? I needed to remember to ask him. I thought about spritzing my favorite perfume on, then decided against it. I wanted to smell like Eric and sex. I laughed at myself. Was I being territorial and gloating? Nah. I knew he would love that and have to tease me about it. I found myself getting giddy and excited to see him again. Like an infatuated tweeny, I chided myself. Okay, ready to go. As an afterthought, I packed an overnight bag, telling myself it was just in case, but not an assumed thing that we would be spending the night together again.

I popped to my car and sent him a quick text. "I'm omw, but need to make quick stop."

In less than a minute, he shot back "Should I meet you?"

I stalled, waiting a few minutes before replying. "No I'll only be few seconds."

My phone rang. Surprise, it was Eric. "Lover" chills "Is your stop necessary?"

"Yes." I lied as I pulled into the parking lot of a large pet store that was right around the corner from the bar.

"Why do I not believe you?" My answer to his question was a laugh.

"Where are you? I will be right there." I was inside now.

"Eric, I am literally right around the corner." There was no harm in telling him where I was. "I stopped at Pet Smart."

"Are you getting a pet?" If we kept this up, I could be in and out before we finished our conversation. I arrived at the proper aisle. My eyes quickly scanned and found what I needed. "No. I just need some supplies."

"Do you have a pet?" Headed toward the cashier.

"No. Unless you count yourself."

His voice got low and husky, "As long as you caress, fondle and feed me, lover, I will be your pet" he purred. I marveled at the reaction his words had on my body. They had cute gift bags at the register which I added to my things.

"That sounds like an interesting proposition."

"You are in front of others and talking neutrally." I could hear him scheming.

"Yes."

"Shall I tell you how I can't wait till you get here so I can lay you on my desk and have my way with you."

"Oh? Okay." Jerk. It was getting warm.

"I have been having fantasies of taking you on my desk, since I met you, Sookie. I want to bend you over my desk and fuck you until you scream."

My heart was beating faster and I could hear my own harsh breaths resonate in the phone. I let out some kind of strangled sound in acknowledgment to him, while smiling awkwardly at the cashier. I couldn't pay and get out of there fast enough. I think I was almost running to my car. "But right before I let you orgasm, Sookie, I will flip you over and devour your sweet, delicious..." he stopped.

I stopped mid-stride, only a few feet from the car. Shit, now what? "Eric? Hello? Are you-?"

I was grabbed from behind and pulled up against a huge, hard frame. With a raging hard on. My fight or flight didn't even have time to kick in, when I heard in my ear, "...fairy pussy until you beg me for mercy." His erotic, naughty words instantly triggered intense heat and wetness between my legs, but I was also mad as hell he scared me.

I gave him an elbow to the gut for good measure, but not hard. "Shit, Eric! I about had a heart attack!"

He walked us the rest of the way to the car and lightly pushed me up against it, still behind me. His hands ran down to cup between my legs and I heard him give a huge sniff. "Mmmm, Sookie, your body tells me differently." I let him molest me for a bit, then dragged myself out of the sex induced haze.

"Ah, Eric. Let's get back to Fangtasia." He was nuzzling into my neck. "As much as I love your hair, I like it up like this, too. You have a very elegant neck."

I laughed and untangled myself. "Elegant, huh?" He looked like a puppy that had it's toy taken away.

"I'll drive, you fly?" He sighed, adjusted himself and nodded. I waited till I was inside the car to look very obviously down at his crotch and, with a pout "Aww, that looks uncomfortable. Looks like you need some help with that. I think I might know someone..." And I took off. I saw his smile in my rearview mirror as he rocketed upward. I felt like we were racing, but I knew he would win. I had two traffic lights yet and he had wide open sky. I pulled into the parking lot, tires squealing and threw it into park. He was already leaning against the back door, looking at his watch, feigning boredom. I laughed while I stuffed my items deep into my bag, and the Pet Smart bag under my seat.

Zipping up to assist me out of my car like a gentleman, "I win. I expect my prize and your" panty drenching eye fuck "help, regarding our previous conversation, post haste."

"I had better check with my boss first."

He opened the door, "You let me worry about your boss."

Pam was in the hallway. "Finally! Your highness has arrived." She curtsied, then snickered as I gave her a look I hoped melted stone. As I walked passed her, she sniffed the air and followed behind me dreamily. I headed to Eric's office first, in case we had time to talk before opening. "Sookie, I love the shoes. And you smell like heaven. And Eric. My, my, you two have been busy. I want details. Or a re-enactment. Whichever."

I set my stuff down, trying to hide my blush. I mentally sighed. This was going to go on all night unless I let her get it out of her system so we could move on. But I kind of wanted to stick it to her a little. I stuck my chin out and sat down, taking a very ladylike pose. "Yes Pam, we have been busy. We've fucked like rabbits all night and tonight and probably will do so, here in the office a few times tonight, if you don't interrupt us a thousand times."

The "O" face they were both making, made any embarrassment instantly worth it. And then some. "Oh, and also, I didn't wash the scent of our fucking off me before I came here, so everyone could smell it and know I am his and vice versa." I tried to look bored. Both their mouths still agape, they looked back and forth at each other, then at me.

"Master, you've corrupted her." Pam did her best to dead pan, but her tell was the crinkle in her eyes. She was trying hard not to laugh. Eric burst out laughing. "That's it then- you've taken all my fun away." She huffed and did her best to look put out.

I couldn't hold out anymore, especially with Eric laughing. "Lover, it does things to me when you talk dirty."

"Me too," Pam quipped.

"Foof, you two! The apple doesn't fall far, does it?"

We bantered a bit more, then got down to business. First up was Fangtasia business, since it was all straight forward. I made a mental note I needed to get some things done before we left tonight. They talked about Longshadow's maker while I listened to my stomach rumble. I tried to remember when I last ate. Earlier in the day when I ate the prepared breakfast food. And it was now close to nine. Yeah, I need to eat to keep up my strength for sex, I sniggered to my self. Suddenly, I realized the room had fallen silent. They were both staring at me. I stared back, unsure what I missed.

Eric picked up the desk phone, dialed without even looking, barked out something in what I was pretty sure was Greek and hung up. "Sookie, you need to eat. Food will be here shortly."

Ah. "Thank you."

"You are welcome. I have been remiss in feeding you, despite how well you have been feeding me." We ogled each other across the desk.

"Ugh. If you two are quite done eyefucking, I would like to continue."

"Jealous." Eric said at the same time I said, "Party pooper."

Back to business, "Oh, so what of this odd scent you smelled near my place tonight? What did it smell like?"

"It smelled like the absence of a scent." I looked at him sideways, so he elaborated. "Everything has some kind of smell, but when there is a distinct lack of smell, especially outdoors, that is not normal. That was what I noticed at your flat tonight. When you were near, of course, I was entranced with your smell. But once you left, there was definitely no smell-no trees or vegetation, no night air, no garbage from nearby dumpsters, no exhaust from the cars, etcetera. A block from your place, everything returned back to normal, which made me believe someone specifically wiped all traces of smell from your area."

I absorbed that for a moment, as did Pam. She was the first to speak, "Witches."

That got our attention. "My friend Amelia is a witch. Truthfully, you probably know her better than I do." She fanged at me. "But still, she wouldn't need to sneak around anywhere near me or my cousins. If she wanted to be shady, she could just come visit, snoop or whatever and not have to hide her scent, since we wouldn't be alarmed by it."

He nodded in agreement. "Do you know how strong she is in her powers? What little I know of witches, it seems that a range that broad would take a lot of magic."

"I don't know too much about her that way." I looked to Pam, who shrugged. Guess they didn't talk about the small stuff when they hung out. "I know she dabbles a little, has placed wards for my cousins, but I think even those, she used another person to help. She's a really loud broadcaster-her thoughts, I mean. I think I would have heard if she meant me any harm."

"There's one way to settle this." Pam pulled out her phone and dialed. When Amelia answered, she gave no greeting in reply, just "Amelia. Would you be able to erase my presence, as in my scent from a large area, say a city block? Rid the area of any evidence I was there? It is Pam." I snorted.

She was a loud talker, so I could hear her response. "Uhh, no, I highly doubt it. That is too big an area for me. I might be able to pull off a small room, but that's about it. My powers aren't strong with that kind of stuff, Pam. I do better with protection wards and bindings-kind of like my specialty. I would really have to read up on that and probably get a few friends to help if you need that. Do you need me to-"

"Thank you. That is all." She hung up. Wow, phone skills abound. "She is ruled out."

"I will make a phone call or two to see if there is anything the local covens know-if anyone is new to the area or some rogues, practicing less than honorably. Sookie, we will have to be vigilant, until we can learn more. Be careful, when coming and going. In fact, maybe you should be staying with me, until we figure this out." Did he look hopeful?

"Uhm, we can talk that over later, maybe?" I didn't think that was a good idea, but I couldn't really say why right then. He nodded, his look unreadable.

Pam broke the brief, yet awkward silence. "So, any news on finding Alberik?"

Eric ran a frustrated hand through his hair, "No. We are waiting to hear from Niall. I need to speak to him and let him know that I am in no way in league with Breandan."

I didn't want to announce anything about the Fae portal just yet, especially in front of Pam, but I did want to know their thoughts on if I were to expose Eric to the Fae realm. "I really, really need to talk to Claudine. I want to find out what things are possible. I was thinking earlier today, I remember several years ago, a boy got lost deep in the forests near my family's home. His mother and aunt worked some magic, so that they could see him. They weren't able to pinpoint him exactly, but they could see around him enough to get an idea of landmarks and his father was able to find him with their description of the area. The women also could communicate with him, very briefly. I was wondering if we could do anything like that for Alberik." Eric's eyes lit up and I immediately felt bad for mentioning it, before talking to her, in case we couldn't do it. "I am not sure, Eric. It just crossed my mind today but I will find out. Do you have anything of his, any belongings?"

He thought for a minute, then shook his head. "Would my blood work? We share a maker."

I tapped my chin, "Actually, it may just. Let me call Claudine tonight and see what she thinks. Along a different vein, have you two heard any stories of vampires going to Fairy? Any old legends or myths?" Their eyes immediately got wide and they looked intrigued and a little scared.

"Our kind cannot go there, Sookie. We would immediately burn up. It is always daylight there. Not to mention, even if that did not happen, we would drain the first fairy we came across, leaving us drunk and helpless. We would be killed shortly after."

Hmm. I didn't want to say that there was a brief period of darkness there, again, not in front of Pam. It wasn't that I didn't trust her, per se, it was just a survival instinct not to discuss my kin's vulnerabilities. That and the fewer vampires that knew things about Fairy, the better. What if another vamp captured her and tortured her, wanting details about me or my kind? So, better left unsaid until absolutely necessary.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, I was thinking about where Breandan would take Alberik. Somewhere you definitely couldn't get to him. You can't feel him, correct?" Curt nod. "The only way I have ever heard for species that share blood to lose that connection is when the other crosses to another realm."

His eyes registered understanding-he was following my line of thought. A brief look of suspicion crossed his face, but he neutralized it. I did not like that. "How do you know of blood connections in vampires?" I felt relieved. He was only suspicious because he didn't understand why I would know anything of their closely guarded secret.

I smiled gently, "For starters, I read a lot, A LOT of books. But also, as you probably already know, vampires are not the only ones that drink and share blood. Demons, dwarves, incubi/succubi and fairies-there are many. All species try to hide the fact that the blood so often ties them together, varying in strength and meaning. But at the very least, the two will usually always have a sense of awareness of each other, even just to sense their life force." He had his hands steepled together, pressed into his chin. He nodded his agreement and relaxed a little. "My point is, you don't feel your brother. But, you would have felt him, if he had finally died, right?" I gave him an apologetic look for my bluntness; he gave another curt nod. "A fairy has him and wants to hide him where you won't go. Sounds like they could be in Fairy, but if the legends are true, how is Alberik still alive?"