"Where are we going?" Eva inquired somewhat breathlessly as she clung on to Eric Northman desperately.
"Here," he answered bluntly, descending at a rapid pace. Eva squealed and closed her eyes as her stomach turned and the wind whistled in her ears. Then a few seconds later they were on the pavement. The street was ordinary, glistening slightly from the rain earlier in the day and lit only my street lamps. Eva stood on the sidewalk, alert and awake from her little booster drink. She took in the reassuring ordinariness of the street.
Eric stood over her, smiling serenely, which was a rare sight to behold. When Eva turned and looked up into his passionate eyes her stomach took an involuntary swoop. She knew it was his blood having this sudden effect on her, and she immediately disliked it, but she couldn't deny the butterflies his presence was suddenly giving her. She experienced these feelings in his company before of course, any woman would be mad (or a lesbian) not to. Most memorably when he had her pinned against her hotel room wall. Oh. The memory made her swoon – and Eva wasn't a swooning type of girl.
"Stop that," she chided suddenly, talking more to herself.
"Stop what?" Eric inquired in a seductive voice.
"I've had your blood and now it's in my system overrunning my loyalties, you think you can seduce me with your wily ways."
"I'm not doing anything, but thanks for being honest about your feelings," he teased, "Anyway, your loyalties? I saved your life, we almost had sex, I pulled you out an elevator shaft, saved you from an emotionally hell-bent young vampire, you drank my blood and need I remind you we almost had sex. Do I not get some loyalty?"
Eva was quiet for a moment as she replayed all her memories with Eric over the past week. Then sighed, and looked at him sincerely.
"Yes, I was being harsh. You deserve some loyalty."
"Good, some day I shall have all your loyalty," he declared, grinning sexily.
"Now stop that," Eva chirped again, as his smile made her stomach swoop.
"Sorry, thought I'd actually give it a go that time. I was being serious when I said that though."
Eva ignored the last comment.
"Hey, you said Glamouring me would be cheating, this is cheating too you realise."
"Fair point."
A wind picked up, and if not for the millennium old blood coursing through her veins like liquid gold, Eva would be shivering.
"There is a hotel at the end of the street, you should stay there for the night," Eric instructed as they ambled down the road.
"Right, with what money?"
"Another fair point…"
"Yeah I'm full of them tonight, if only you listened to the one where I didn't want to be hurled out a window,"
"It worked for us," Eric retorted.
"Yes well, am I blonde, toothy and stupidly tall?" Eva wasn't sure why she was so talkative, let alone so sarcastic tonight. "No, I am not a century old vampire, therefore am more fragile."
"A century is a vast understatement, and I liked you better moaning in pain in the dust," Eric hissed. Out of nowhere, Eva burst out laughing.
"This is what my life's come to!"
Eric couldn't suppress a smile then, on a blood dosage, Eva was as spirited as the first day he met her. Smiling smoulderingly, he nonchalantly reached into his pocket, drew out a substantial pile of notes, and handed it to Eva.
"Are you sure?"
"Like you can stay anywhere better than this street corner without it," he reminded her, pressing it into her palm.
Eva looked at the money, more than she earned in a week. In her life amongst just humans, she'd never been looked after since leaving home. She had friends but they wouldn't risk their lives for her the way the vamps had. In her week with the vampires, she'd been shown more consideration than ever. Some may have been simply to gain her as a pawn but she couldn't deny Lucio caring for her, or Eric finding her numerous times, or even Victor coming to her and Lucio's rescue at one of her most bleak moments. Clutching the money, she lit down on her lip.
"Don't you start crying. I do not appreciate being burdened with an emotional woman."
Eva laughed slowly, and looked him in the eye.
"Unless their emotion can lead them into your bed, ey?"
"Not if they're crying through that as well. But otherwise, yes. Are you offering?"
"No, just sussing you out in the scale of things Eric Northman."
He smiled his now familiar fang-filled smile.
"Shame, the way your dress is most revealing now is adding to your usual temptation."
"Oh," Eva huffed, remembering her dress in ripped disarray. "I'll have to wait till morning to buy some new clothes. So far garments haven't lasted very long around me…" She remembered her brand new wardrobe of clothes now in smoky ruins amidst the wreckage now south of town.
"I must leave you now, take care of yourself."
"Wait! What do I do now? Go home, wait for another vamp to find me, try and find you?"
Eric was quiet for a moment.
"I suppose your employers will collect you if they value at all. You know, there was a time you'd shy away from being collected by a vamp."
"Live and adapt ey?"
"Yes, adapt. Well, I'll see if you're here tomorrow, if not…" he was quiet some more, as if hesitating sharing information. "If you ever need me again, I run a bar by the name of 'Fangtasia' in Shreveport, Louisiana. Our number wouldn't be hard to find, neither would directions once you reached Shreveport if you we're really desperate."
"You talk like this is a goodbye."
"It is," he said bluntly, staring over her head into the dark distance.
"I'll be here tomorrow."
"Eva, if your employers come and collect you, you cannot deny them your submissions without getting into trouble."
Thinking about it, if Lucio and Victor showed up at her door, she wouldn't hesitate in following them away. Not anymore. However, the thought of not seeing Eric Northman, her many times savoir and somewhat friend was painful.
"Though…" Eric continued. "I will come tomorrow and see if you are here." With that he nodded and turned to walk away.
"You expect some sort of blood or sexual favour in gratitude for all this I suppose," she joked flippantly.
"Maybe in due time," he said, turning to wink at Eva in an ominous way that gave her a jolt. She regretted the joke, but watched him disappear into the night with a heavy heart nonetheless.