Updated: 8/1/11

PART ONE

Getting Cozy

What had started out as a quiet day was ending quite hectically. Feeling overloaded, without a word, Sookie walked past Preston and went into her room and into her private bathroom. Preston watched her disappear. He sensed that she needed some time to think.

Under the shower, Sookie relaxed her mind, trying not to think about Preston and what he was doing at that moment in her house. It didn't work. After her shower and drying off, she rummaged through her drawer looking for the nicest pajamas she owned. Discarding a few options, she finally pulled out the sleeping gown that went with the robe she had offered Preston. It was probably too chilly to wear, but it was the nicest thing she had. Glancing in the mirror one more time, she stepped out into the hallway, mentally kicking herself for bothering to look nice for Preston.

"So what are you exactly?" she asked Preston. He was starting a fire, which she was grateful for since she felt a bit chilly in the light weight fabric and spaghetti straps.

Preston glanced up from the fireplace. His eyes trailed down the length of her gown. Though it covered her down to her ankles, the way her breast pressed against the thin fabric wreaked havoc on his imagination. His grip around the pole tightened. It took all the strength he had not to stand up and press her into his arms. He wondered if she would let him, or would she resist him? He tried not to think about that or about how soft she would feel against him. "I know that you're at least a fairy." Sookie's voice saved them. "I saw you transform," she explained. "Is that because you're part Were?" she asked still unable to fully reconcile the conundrum of what she had witnessed in her kitchen.

"No. I'm a full fairy." He drew his attention to the fire. Sookie watched him closely. The flames from the fireplace flickered warm light across his handsome face. "My family, we're gifted." He sounded proud. "We have the ability to transform."

"No kidding," she replied. "What all can you shift into?"

"Almost any creature," he answered. "It's our special gift. All fairies have different gifts. This happens to me mine."

"That's pretty amazing," she admitted. Watching him trying to sit with only a towel, Sookie wished she had something more comfortable for him to wear instead of Amelia's blue towel. Then again, she mused over how good he looked in just the towel. It was hard not to admire him sitting there on the floor leaning up against the chair with his legs out and crossed at his ankles. She let out a wistfully sounding breath.

"What made you doubt that I was a Were?" Preston asked.

"I'm a telepath."

His eyes widened. "Did you read my thoughts?" he asked.

"No," she admitted freely. "Your mind." She pointed her index finger at her head.

"I don't understand."

"When I first saw you in the woods, your mind gave off a smooth pattern," she explained. "It wasn't until I asked you what you were that I saw your brain pattern change."

"I see." Preston was fascinated. Humans sometimes exhibited unique gifts, and some fairies speculated it was the result of supernatural genetics in their DNA.

"I didn't know fairies could heal," Sookie admitted.

"We can heal from anything except from iron and lemon."

"Yeah, my cousin Claudia died from putting her hand in a bag that was lined with lemon juice." Preston was mortified. "That's why I don't keep lemons in the house, just in case, because of Niall and Claudine. My roommate, she doesn't have problems with lemons, but she's good about it and doesn't bring them into the house."

Over the next few hours Preston and Sookie settled into a comfortable companionship; talking and laughing. She wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or Preston, but she couldn't stop sharing. Niall had the same effect on her. She wondered if it was because he always seemed to listen with a refreshing lack of judgment. It wasn't that Niall always approved of her choices, especially her association with vampires. He would give her his advice, but he was never appalled or horrified by what she shared with him. Sookie was finding out that it was similar with Preston.

"So do you really live in Baton Rouge?" she asked.

"Yes," he said. "I live above my shop."

"Oh." Her teeth chattered. The fire Preston had started when she got out of the shower, had burned out. "What kind…" her voice trailed off watching Preston stand up. "What are you doing?"

"You're cold," he answered. He'd noticed Sookie was shivering. He would have preferred to share his own warmth with her, but instead he disappeared into the kitchen. When Sookie brought him in, he had noticed she kept wood on the back porch. Moments later he came back with firewood. Sookie watched him as he worked to get the fire going again. When he was done, he went and stood in front of her. Sookie was taken back. He reached past her. She felt her insides tighten with anticipation. Her chest heaved with the sudden jolt of sensations that his nearness created in her. Closing her eyes she waited, but nothing happened. When she opened them, Preston was smiling at her. He pulled at the afghan draped across the back of the sofa. "Come," he said extending his free hand to her. "You should sit by the fire to warm up."

"Ok," she breathed; not daring to say any more for fear that her voice would betray her. She took his hand, letting Preston guide her. He sat her on the floor near the fire. Carefully, she tucked her feet under herself. Preston leaned over and draped the afghan around her. She held her breath and for a moment, she imagined digging her nails into his wonderful back. Slowly and as steadily as she could manage, she exhaled.

"Your roommate, is she a normal human?" Preston asked resuming his position on the floor opposite to her. His legs stretched out toward her. She liked that he was close.

"Yes," she answered him. "She practices witchcraft though." She said this with the same casualness she would have said, 'Yeah, but she snores at night.'

"Is she the one responsible for the wards on your home?"

"You noticed?" she asked.

"Yes." Preston smiled. He was thrilled to be spending time with her and happy that they got along well.

"I was having some problems with some vampires, so she warded the house."

"Ah," Preston said. His tone was contemplative.

"I only have one vampire neighbor: Vampire Bill, but he's harmless." Sookie noticed the surprise in Preston's expression at her assessment of Bill. "He has three vampire guests who aren't from around these parts," she explained. "I don't know them, and you were bleeding." Preston nodded his head. "Not just that but vampires seem to think I'm irresistible. Not a good combination. They always seem to want me for my blood, sex, or both."

Preston started laughing. It was a nice sound, which over the last several hours she was quickly becoming attached to. "You're exceptionally valuable and highly desired by them," he explained. "They can only feed off of a fairy, and typically can't satiate their sexual needs since they tend to drain us before they get to that part, but," he emphasized, "with you, they get to enjoy double the pleasure."

"I guess so." Sookie didn't like the imagery that Preston's observations had on her mind.

"So is that the vampire trouble that has led you to have your witch ward your house?"

It was a good thing Amelia wasn't home. Sookie knew that she would've rolled her eyes at being referred to as her witch. "Let me just say," Sookie warned him. "A vampire tried to burn me alive in my house, two vampires are always showing up to jockey for who gets to be my lover," she was enjoying Preston's expression, "and the vampire king of Nevada staged a takeover of Louisiana in my front yard."

"Then the wards are a good idea," he said. "You might want to consider warding your property from fairies," he suggested.

"I was thinking about that, but it's been quiet for the last few months, so I didn't think it was necessary." Sookie was beaming. Sitting so closely to the fire, her complexion was rosier. Preston's eyes were fixed on her mouth. "But seeing that you showed up with Huey and Dewey, I think I'll have Amelia do that when she gets back."

Preston smiled at her reference to Ralph and Curt. "The staging of Niall's ruse would have definitely been a challenge if your property had been warded."

"You know you're crazy for letting them beat you," she said.

"Well." Preston had been waiting all evening for her to bring the subject up again. "The injuries had to look convincing. Believe me I didn't enjoy it, but it was necessary," he explained.

"So you let yourself be beaten to a pulp, so you could have sex with me?" Sookie wasn't sure whether to be flattered or appalled. She decided to lean toward being flattered. Preston hadn't even known her, but he wanted her enough to let two huge Weres jump him.

"Well," Preston hesitated, "Niall didn't send me for that purpose."

"He didn't?"

"I was told to make you happy. The back-story of being hurt and hunted was Niall's idea. The rest was me," he confessed. Sookie didn't understand how he had known she hadn't had sex in a long time. "Niall had brought me to Bon Temps, so that I could see you," he continued. "He thought if I saw you, it would put me at ease. You were leaving your place of work after working all day. That is when he shared with me details about your life."

"Oh." She hadn't noticed Niall was nearby.

"Though the possibility of making love to you was a wonderful prospect," his admission made Sookie's heart sputter, "I would have to be honest, the consequences of not obeying Niall was a great motivator in allowing myself to be beaten."

"Well, you've never had sex with me before," she teased. Almost instantly she surprised herself. She'd never been so bold with a man before. Her cheeks reddened. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"Don't be." Preston's smooth voice was low. "I enjoyed it," he admitted.

Sookie averted her eyes. The intensity of his gaze startled her and excited her. She wanted him to reach over and take her in his arms. Though she told herself earlier that she would never, she wished he would. Wished he would kiss her; make love to her. No, she reprimanded herself. It was a good thing, she thought, that he couldn't read her mind. Avoiding his eyes for several moments, her control gradually returned and she raised her eyes to meet his. Even then, her heart gave a little jolt. She was in so much trouble. From her position opposite of him, she studied his handsome features.

He was the only fairy she knew who she wasn't related to. Preston was just as beautiful as her fairy cousin, Claude. Claude was on par with men like Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp. "On second thought," she mused, Brad and Johnny had nothing on Claude or Preston.

A sudden realization dampened her spirit. ~