PART FIVE

"Get the hell off me!" Sam shrieked in a gurgling manner.

"Eric!" I shouted.

Eric narrowed his gaze. "Sam Merlotte," he said almost growling. "You seem like an intelligent being for your species. I presumed you would no better than to attempt to harm a vampire." He tightened his grip on the collar of Sam's plaid shirt.

"Eric Northman, you let go of him right now!"

To my surprise, Eric reluctantly let go of Sam, though his blue eyes were set dead center on Sam as I slid back into my clothes.

"I can't believe this! You come into my place of business, make a scene and disturb my customers, then fornicate with one of my waitresses in the employee's room. And you!" Sam pointed to me, "God damn Sook, I just never anticipated this from you!"

"Sam, I'm sorry! I..." I didn't even know what to say, how to go about explaining that Eric and I just had the sort of sexual chemistry that didn't know an appropriate time or place. "It won't happen again, I swear."

"You're damn right it won't happen again because your vampire boyfriend...excuse me, your new vampire boyfriend, ain't welcome at my establishment!" Sam shouted.

Eric rolled his eyes. "Agreed. If I were to come here again and you were to behave as you're behaving now, I can't promise to be as civil as I am now."

Sam shook his head and put his hand at the side of his tight-fitting jeans. "I'm not afraid of any threats you make toward me. Don't forget that. Now, leave."

It was like watching a puppy stand up to a lion. Damn, I wish Sam Merlotte had a mute button.

"Sookie, let's go," Eric said taking my hand.

"Huh uh!" Sam said wagging a finger. "You got customers that need tended to, Sookie Stackhouse. You get off at 1:30, like every other damn day."

Eric stepped toward Sam. "There's no need to bark at her, canine. Plus, you now as well as I do that the real source of your frustrations has something to do with me giving Sookie sexual pleasures."

Sam shook his head like he knew what he wanted to say but was hesitant to say it. "I got better shit to do that sit around and argue with the likes of you, bloodsucker," said Sam as he walked out, slamming the door behind him.

"Oh, God.....Eric, I need to get back out there before Sam fires me."

"Ah, Sookie-" Eric started to say before I interrupted him.

"No, Eric, please don't argue with me right now. I've got a lot on my plate and all I wanna do is finish my shift, go home, take a nice bubble bath, and go to sleep," I said.

Eric grinned. "Oh, bubble bath. Shall I join you...once more?"

I couldn't help but smile. "Well...maybe. If you keep up the good behavior."

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Eric and I agreed that I would meet him after work at Fangtasia, and we'd go back to my place after he was finished for the night. I strolled out of the employee's room, snatched a notepad for orders, and walked past the kitchen.

"Mmmm-mmm! Sookie Stackhouse! Helen Keller coulda heard all that moanin' and groanin' at a god damn motorcycle ralley!" Lafayette said sauteing a pan of green peppers and onions.

Immediately my face went crimson and I'm sure my brown eyes looked about the size of chocolate truffles. "Oh...my...GOD."

"Ha! Baby girl, I'm just jockin' ya. I heard Mista Sam Merlotte goin' crazy on your big Viking vampire," Lafayette winked.

"Lafayette Reynolds!" I smacked his chest which was adorned by a few gold chains and necklaces. "Do not tease me like that! That is embarrassin'!"

"Chill, sweetness. Ain't nobody heard nothin' cause your crazy ass brother turned that jukebox up so loud I thought my pretty little ears was gon' fall off."

"Why'd he go and do that?" I asked.

"Sookie I don't even try to understand that bitch no more. But I would assume he's a lil upset you sleepin' with Eric Northman."

"Ugh! That's my business!"

"Baby, he jus' worried, that's all...." Lafayette trailed off like he was worried too.

"I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF!" I said and stormed off.

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Thankfully, the rest of the night went by quickly and I walked out to my car, exhausted, but dragging my feet to go home, take a shower, and head to Fangtasia. I thought nothing could stress me out more, then I saw Sheriff Deerborn and Andy Bellefleur outside, leaning against their squad car.

"Evenin' Sookie," Bud said and Andy nodded toward my direction. "Have you seen that boyfriend of yours lately?"

"I done told you twice, Bud, she ain't seein' Bill Compton no more. She's with that asshole vampire that runs Fangtasia," Andy said.

"Not that it's your business, but no, we broke up. And why would yall be askin' questions about him anyways?" I asked.

"A girl went missin' from Shreveport a couple days ago. Her parents got worried so they called in a MPR," explained Bud.

"That's a Missing Person's Report," Andy added.

"I know what the hell an MPR is, Andy! What's all this god to do with Bill?"

Sheriff Deerborn reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a picture of a young girl, maybe 20 or 22, with long chocolate brown hair and huge green eyes.

"Name's Caroline Bourg. She's some kind of amateur artist or somethin'. Anyways, her parents said she packed a suitcase and some valuables and ran off. They haven't been able to reach her, she's either ignoring their calls..." Bud trailed off.

"Or she's dead," Andy nodded.

"Right. You two are about the dumbest officers of law enforcement I've seen in my entire life. I know Bill Compton, and he wouldn't hurt a fly, let alone some girl he doesn't even know," I said getting into my car and slamming the door.

"Sookie...the last number to call her phone was Bill Compton's," Bud said solemly.

I shook my head, put the car in reverse, and sped off.

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What the hell did Bill have to do with this Caroline Bourg girl? Did he seriously already have a new girlfriend? A human one at that. It was all too much to think about, so I tried my hardest to keep my mind clear as I took a quick shower, slipped into a breezy black dress, dried my hair and applied a little make-up to hide my exhausted face. The drive to Shreveport was luckily shorter than anticipated.

Pam was at the door of Fangtasia and a little devlish smile came to her full lips when she saw me approaching.

"Sookie Stackhouse. I heard you're being a busy little bee."

"Hi Pam. Where's Eric?" I said, ignoring her comment.

She put a hand on the hip of her silver, metallic dress and cocked her head to the side. "In his office."'

I nodded and strolled through the bar, where techno music blasted and vampires and their followers danced or drank (or both). I stopped before I knocked on Eric's office door because, to my surprise, I heard a woman's voice from within. Though muffled, I could make out some of the conversation.

"Eric....bound to happen, darling....Can sense your desire...." said the woman's voice.

"...Inappropriate at this time.....Sookie would be very upset..." said Eric.

Wow, I really should have fucking known. Eric Northman was already making plans to cheat on me and we hadn't been together a week. I pounded loud on the door.

"Come in," Eric said.

I stormed in, hands on my hips and raised my eyebrow at him. There was a woman sitting on the edge of his desk, wearing a white sparkling dress reminicent of the 1940's, with her legs crossed and her hand on Eric's shoulder as he sat behind the desk.

"Hello Sookie," Eric said nonchalantly.

"What's this?" I demanded.

"Sookie, this is Queen Sophie-Ann. We're old friends of sorts."

"So you're the little human that's been stirring up all this trouble," Sophie-Ann said with a smirk. "I'd love to stay and chit chat but I must run. And Eric....think about what I said," she said with a wink. She snapped her fingers at the Latvian man she was with stood and followed her out the door.

"You wanna tell me what that's all about?" I asked.

"Actually, that's a private business matter. Really, you wouldn't be interested," he said.

"Well excuse me Eric Northman, but I am interested in who's trying to sleep with my boyfrie-" I cut myself off.

A smirk came to Eric's face. "Ah, Sookie. No one's trying to sleep with anyone," he said, feeling a strand of my hair between his thumb and index finger. "Well, that's a lie. Because I'm definitely interested in sleeping with you right now..."

Eric placed a sweet kiss on my lips and began running his hands up the back of my dress.

"Wait! Eric, we...we need to talk."

"Mmm, Sookie. I can't help it," he said sexily. "You're make me feel like a diabetic at the dessert buffet. I know I shouldn't have more but damn is it good."

I was flattered but I had to be serious. "I'm serious..."

He eyed me quizically.

"Well, it seems like everytime we, ya know, do it, that's all that happens. There's nothin' really...romantic about it or...I...don't know what I'm trying to say...Do...Do you like me, Eric?"

"To tell you the truth, no."

"What!?" I exclaimed.

He chuckled. "Sookie, of course....I adore you." He planted a sweet kiss on my lips that made me melt like ice cream left out in the hot sun.

I grinned widely. "Then let's do this right. No more havings sex in hotels...or in your office...or at Merlotte's. Especially at Merlotte's. I just want the two of us to have a nice, romantic evening. Ya know, like a couple."

"Whatever you'd like," he said, kissing my cheek.

I noticed that Eric looked quite pale and even more tired than I was.

"Sweetie, you look real pale," I said.

"I skipped dinner," he shrugged, going through some papers on his desk.

"Well, you could...ya know, have some of me..." I said cocking my neck to the side.

"Oh, honey. You made dinner," Eric said as his fangs exposed themselves. He pierced my the skin of my neck and I whimpered a little at first, but as he continuted to feed it became pretty enjoyable, though it doesn't seem like it would be. To tell you the truth, him feeding off me got me all hot and bothered because when he did so, his hands were all over me, caressing my thighs, hips, breasts....other areas.

When he finished, he looked at me, only a little blood on his lips. He wasn't a messy eater. He licked his lips and I brushed a stand of his pretty blonde hair out of the way of those oceanic blue eyes. "Sweetie....how about you take off early tonight?" I asked.

"I think I like that idea," he said. He stood up after he had been leaning against the desk the whole time he was feeding, and offered a hand to me. I accepted, and hopped up. He reached for a tissue and began to blot the bleeding wound from my neck. We were then interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Yes?" Eric asked.

"Oh, excuse me, Eric. Pam didn't tell me you were on your lunchbreak," said the southern drawl.

I gasped a little when I saw that it was Bill, and he had his hand on the small of a woman's back. And that woman was Charlotte Bourg.

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HEY READERS! I know this chapter didn't move very fast, but trust me, it will in the next one, I'm just setting things up a bit here! And yes, there will definitely be a steamy scene between Sookie and her Viking in Chapter 6. Keep reading and reviewing! I really appreciate it!

xoxo- JACLINA :)