Chapter 6

In the three seconds it took for everyone to react, Eric wondered how on earth Bill fucking Compton had found them. Then he wanted to hit himself on the head. Compton had fed Sookie his blood. Of course he could track her. And because the house they were staying at wasn't Eric's main residence (it wasn't even his second or third preferred residence), he'd never bothered installing any kind of security system, besides the bolted door in the light-tight resting place in the basement.

"Sophie-Anne," Godric said into his phone, his gaze never leaving Compton. "I have no interest in marrying off my progeny. Good night." And with that, he clicked his phone shut.

"Sookie," Compton said as he rushed towards the kitchen. Eric zipped in front of Sookie, who sat frozen in her chair at the kitchen table. Compton glared at him. "Eric, she is mine. Get out of my way, now!"

Before Eric could react, there was a small explosion behind him. It was Sookie, who jumped up with such force, her chair fell to the ground with a loud clang.

"You lying a-hole!" Sookie pushed past Eric, and threw something at Bill. A ceramic mug, Eric saw when it bounced off Bill's head, coating his face in a brown substance. He thought it might have been coffee. "How dare you come in here and say I'm yours. I'm not yours, Bill Compton!"

"Sookie!" Bill said, aghast, blinking rapidly to clear his vision of the brown liquid.

"I know all about your little deal with that stupid queen!" Sookie grabbed something else, and with surprising accuracy, chucked it at Bill's crotch. It was another mug, and Bill grunted when it hit home. Eric almost winced in sympathy. Almost.

"Sookie, I don't know what lies Eric has been telling you - "

"Oh no, you don't get to make this about Eric," Sookie screeched, looking around wildly for something else to throw. "I heard it from your stupid queen herself! I know she sent you to seduce me and take me to her!"

Bill stood rigid as he realized the game was up. Eric narrowed his eyes as he considered how best to torture Compton for the next few centuries. "It is true," Bill said quietly, laying on his Southern accent as thick as Eric had ever heard it. "She sent me, but I fell in love with you, Sookie. You must believe me."

"Was that before or after you stole my virginity, Bill?" Sookie demanded, and picked up her fallen chair. She hurled it at Compton, who stepped aside just in time, much to Eric's disappointment. The chair crashed into the wall behind Compton, plaster raining down to the floor.

"Sookie - "

"Mr Compton," Godric said as his eyes narrowed. Eric grinned; his maker was getting tired of the situation, and that could only mean that bad things were about to happen to Bill. "Ms Stackhouse has made it clear she wishes to have no further contact with you."

Bill stared at Godric in confusion and was clearly trying to size him up. "I do not know who you are, but Sookie - "

"Is not yours," Godric said, his fangs snapping to attention. "Nor will she ever be again. And you, Mr Compton, have overstayed your welcome." And with that, Godric grabbed Bill by the scruff of his neck, and with a speed that even Eric had a hard time following, zipped him to the front door and bodily threw him from the house. It took a while before Eric heard a soft thud, followed by a grunt. Godric must have thrown him quite a distance.

Godric quietly closed the front door and strolled back to the kitchen as if he didn't have a care in the world.

Eric chuckled at his maker's antics, and looked around to survey the damage. One damaged kitchen chair, two broken mugs, and one distraught Sookie.

"I can't believe the nerve of that man!" Sookie fumed. "After everything he's done!"

"He will not bother you again," Godric said as he sat down. His phone rang again, but Godric ignored it. "It is probably Sophie-Anne. It's best if we do not speak to her again until we deal with this curse."

Eric couldn't help the rush of relief that swept through him, and because of their bond, Godric noticed it, too.

"Don't worry, my child," Godric said with a chuckle. "I will not marry you off. Though, perhaps as punishment for all the trouble you've caused, I should consider it."

"Master," Eric said, and couldn't help the panic from seeping into his voice.

Godric chuckled again. "Even I am not that cruel, Eric,"

"Wait, what?" Sookie asked in confusion. She sat down in the only available chair, so Eric remained standing at her side. "Marrying Eric off?'"

"Sophie-Anne, under the influence of the curse, now wants to marry Eric," Godric explained patiently. "As his maker, I have the power to order him into a marriage, whether he likes it or not."

Sookie swallowed, and looked up at Eric in obvious sympathy.

"But I would not condemn my child to a fate worse than the true death," Godric said with a shrug.

"Huh," Sookie said, looking between Eric and Godric with wide eyes. "She's that much of a bitch?"

"Yes," Eric said, with feeling.

Everyone remained silent for a while, all lost in their own thoughts. The only sound was Harley crunching down on another sandwich.

"I guess the easiest thing would be just to break the curse," Sookie said as she stared down at her folded hands.

"That would be for the best," Godric agreed quietly.

Hope bloomed in Eric's chest, soon followed by a surge of arousal that settled a little lower. He wanted Sookie in every possible way, but he remembered how difficult it had been for her to give herself to him over the past few days. If he didn't approach this carefully, they'd never be able to break the curse.

Sookie looked up at him with pursed lips and a frown, and Eric could practically feel the apprehension roll off her in waves.

"Come on," he said, gesturing for Sookie to follow him. As he walked through the living room, he picked up the Monopoly game and carried the box downstairs to the light-tight bedroom.

Sookie appeared a few moments later, and Eric held up the white box and offered her a reassuring smile. "First, we relax. And then, we'll see what happens."

He didn't think he'd ever seen Sookie smile as brightly as she did at that moment.

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They both sat cross-legged on the bed, the game splayed out between them. For the first hour, they didn't talk much, but just focused on rolling the dice and moving their little pawns across the board. There was a strained atmosphere, but it dissipated as the game moved along and Eric won more and more money from Sookie, who sighed in frustration time and again.

"So why Fangtasia?" Sookie asked out of the blue.

"Huh?" Eric looked up in confusion.

"Why do you own a vampire bar?" Sookie asked. "I'm just curious."

Eric shrugged. "I'm Sheriff, and having a public place to conduct my vampire business makes my life easier. And having my willing dinner delivered to me also helps." He grinned before he could stop himself, and chuckled when Sookie gave a loud snort.

"So why are you a waitress?" he asked with a hint of cheek.

Now Sookie shrugged. "Because of my handicap, I had trouble in school. I barely made it through high school, and I needed to find a job so I could help my gran with the bills. I tried a few other things, but I like being a waitress best."

Eric thought this over for a few moments, and then voiced a question he'd had for a long time now, ever since he'd met this delectable human. "But why don't you use your... handicap to make money?"

"How would I do that?" Sookie asked in obvious puzzlement.

"There are casinos in Bossier," Eric explained patiently. "In fact, I own one of them. I just for the life of me can't understand why you've never gone there and played some poker."

Sookie inhaled a sharp breath. "That would be cheating!"

Eric burst out in laughter. How this human amused him! "So?"

"That would be wrong, Eric!" Sookie said with an indignant huff. "I'm not going to use my handicap to cheat people out of their money."

"But someone has to win those games. Why not you?" Eric really didn't understand the problem.

Sookie shrugged and rolled the dice. "I promised myself a long time ago I would only use my handicap for doing good things."

Eric frowned. "So why haven't you?" he asked in genuine curiosity. "Why didn't you become a police officer then? You'd be able to catch criminals better than any other human."

Her mouth falling open, Sookie stared at him. "I don't know," she said softly.

Eric picked up the dice, rolled them, and moved his pawn a few places. When he realized he'd landed on a square that Sookie owned, he pulled a piece of fake money from this stack and handed it to Sookie, who still seemed confused.

"I guess I never thought I could do anything worth doing," Sookie finally said as she accepted the fake money. "People have always called me Crazy Sookie, and I think it was just easier to go along with that, than to try to be someone else."

Eric stared at her, unsure whether he wanted to smack some sense into her, or kiss her senseless. He also felt an instant dislike for any human Sookie had ever met. Didn't they realize how special this girl was? How could they be so fucking ignorant?

"You could work for me," he finally offered. "I'd pay you well, and you'd get great benefits like health insurance. We treat our human staff very well," he said, not without a hint of pride.

Sookie looked slightly uncomfortable. "So I'd have to listen to those fangbangers all night? No, thanks."

"Sookie, did you miss the part where I just told you I own a casino?" Eric said, slightly affronted. "I own many businesses. I'd make you head of security for all of them. You'd be doing much more than just listen to the patrons in my bar."

"Really?" Sookie looked at him with shimmering eyes.

"Yes, really," Eric said, and before he knew what was happening, the game board went flying through the air and he suddenly had an armful of Sookie. She pressed her lips to his in an almost desperate kiss, and Eric returned it with a passion.

"You'd really hire me as head of security?" she asked breathlessly in between kisses.

"Yes. You're hired," Eric said, and manoeuvred them on the bed so he could lay Sookie down against the sheets.

"Oh." Sookie looked up at him with a frown. "But then you'd be my boss, and this would be a very bad idea."

"I'll make Pam your boss," Eric said quickly. He did not want Sookie to start doubting anything right now, not when he was so close to getting what he really wanted.

"Ah. So this would be okay then," Sookie said.

"Yes." Eric kissed her before she could come up with more inane objections. He plunged his tongue into her willing mouth, and groaned when she kissed him back with just as much force. He weaved his fingers in her soft hair and moved his body on top of hers, pressing his obvious arousal against her thigh.

"Tell me you want this," he said against her moist lips. "That you want me."

"Yeah," Sookie sighed. "This. You. Now."

That was all the consent Eric needed, and he leaned up and pulled Sookie shirt off, finding a strange surge of pleasure in the fact that it was his own shirt she was wearing. The overly large sweatpants followed quickly, and Sookie lay naked against the sheets. Eric wasn't sure where to start pleasuring her, he was so excited that she was finally yielding to him, so he simply kissed her again while he roamed his large hands over her warm body.

He licked a teasing trail down her throat, groaning at the thought that before the night was through, he'd taste her delicious blood. He kissed his way down to her perfect breasts and teased her hard nipple between his teeth, careful not to slice her up with his fangs. Lower and lower he kissed, across her soft belly and past her bellybutton, until he felt her soft curls brush against his chin.

Gently, he spread her legs and stared at her while he lowered his face towards her wet folds. "Look at me, lover."

Sookie looked at him with hooded eyes and a smile playing around her lips. Eric buried his face against her folds, his tongue easily finding her hard clit while he inhaled her enticing fragrance. This girl was perfect. She smelled perfect, and she tasted even more perfect.

Eric licked a teasing pattern around the hard little nub, and Sookie groaned and bucked her hips to urge him on. Not needing much encouragement, Eric slowly slid one finger inside her hot body, speeding up the strokes of his tongue. He added a second finger, and thrust them inside her with a bit more force, making Sookie moan and arch her back in response.

Eric could feel her pleasure building and he worked his tongue faster and faster, driving inside her with his fingers a little harder each time, until Sookie grabbed his hair with one hand and pushed his face down against her dripping sex as her orgasm burst through her. Eric moaned in satisfaction and slowly licked across her throbbing little clit until Sookie bucked beneath him in protest.

He looked up, absently licking his own lips, but before he could say anything to her, pain rippled through him and he bent over, clutching his stomach.

Godric.

His maker was in pain, calling to him desperately.

"Eric, what's wrong?" Sookie asked in obvious concern as she sat up and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Godric. He's in pain."

Sookie frowned for a moment, and then gasped. "Vampires. At least ten of them. They're all around the house."

Fuck!

Eric stood up at once. "Stay here, Sookie!" And with only his maker on his mind, Eric rushed up the stairs.

Of course, Sookie being Sookie, a few moments later, he heard her footsteps behind him. He glanced over his shoulder, seeing Sookie dressed in his shirt, while she held up his sweatpants she'd hurriedly put on with one hand so they wouldn't sink down to her ankles.

Eric had no time to be angry with her for disobeying him once again. "Stay behind me."

They found the living room empty, and Eric hurried towards the front door, as he felt Godric's presence in the front yard. When he threw the door open, a loud growl escaped him at the sight that greeted him.

Godric, on his knees, a thick silver chain around his neck while he was being restrained by three vampires.

"Release him! Now!" Eric barked, uncaring who these vampires were or why they were there in the first place. His only concern was for his maker and the obvious pain he was in.

"Eric, my darling," Sophie-Anne crooned as she stepped away from a clutch of vampires to their right. "Godric was most unhelpful when I asked for your hand in marriage. I'm just trying to change his mind."

"Never," Godric growled, and then released a sharp hiss when the vampires around him tightened the silver chains.

Eric glared at Sophie-Anne, barely noticing Compton standing at her side. He did notice Sophie-Anne's psychotic child, Andre, staring at him with hungry eyes, and it took him a second to realize that Andre was staring at Sookie, who stood behind him, clutching his shirt as if her life depended on it.

"Your Majesty, I request you release my maker at once," Eric said, barely keeping his anger in check. There were too many of them for him to fight alone, without risking Sookie's life.

"Eric, my love, all you have to do is come to my side willingly, and I'll release your precious maker," Sophie-Anne said as she looked Eric up and down.

"Your Majesty," Compton said as he bowed his head to Sophie-Anne. "What of the girl?"

"Sookie is mine!" Eric barked at once, which earned him growls from both Compton and Andre.

"Who cares about that ridiculous human!" Sophie-Anne snarled and gestured to a few vampires to their left. "Kill her!" They immediately advanced on him with bared fangs. Some of them were holding silver chains in their gloved hands.

Ice settled in Eric's chest as he reached behind him with one arm, pressing a shaking Sookie against his back. He could not fight them all. He could not risk Godric's life. And he could most certainly not allow Sophie-Anne to kill his Sookie.

"Stop!" he yelled, his voice cracking with the desperation he felt. "If you release my maker and not harm the girl, but let her go, I offer myself to you willingly, your Majesty. I'll agree to a marriage."