Okay, I know, I suck big time. Let me explain: I've been super dooper extra doopra busy the past month with university and I'm right now putting my readings aside to publish this chapter because you guys are awesome for still reading this and I love you all :) so yeah, this is my mea culpa, it sucks and I should be staked but then you wouldn't know what happens next MUHAHAH! Oh and what a cliffy at the end of this one, some of you might hate me hahaha for the cliffy, not for it's purpose which I (really hope!) think you'll like :) so for those of you (like me) who read so many fanfics you can't remember every detail for each and every single one, here's a little reminder of this story (because I doubt any of you have the courage to go through 37 chapters of my True Blood delirium just for the sake of this chappie!)

Sookie has trusted Eric instead of Bill and all sorts of things have been happening to her ever since she's been with Eric. Most recently, she was captured by the Queen of Louisiana, Sophie-Anne with the help of Hadley who's been turned (and therefore must obey her Mama Vamp - I must mention here that I nicknamed Mrs Fortenberry Mama Hoyt for the purpose of adoring the woman because she dances on Party Lights and yells NORMAN BATES! at Hoyt during season 2, two reasons for which I absolutely adore the character hahahaha so Mama Hoyt, Mama Vamp, cute little pie names :D!). Andre is a psychopath and Sophie-Anne is just as insane with Sookie but ta-ra-ta-ta, Eric comes to the rescue with the Magister and about half of Louisiana (during Andre's birthday party might I add) and to sum things up, Sookie meets Quinn, McAlister really likes Sookie and condemns both Andre and Sophie-Anne to twenty years in silver-bound coffins and everything goes to normal once again (for about ten milliseconds) because once back home, Sookie gets asked by Alcide to attend a pack meeting where the Jackson pack will pick a new Packmaster seeing as Colonel Flood has been... disposed of... :P Ta-ra-ta-ta, hell hath no fury like a scorned Pam and when things go downhill, Pam and Alcide to their best to save Sookie's ass from sharp werewolf teeth whilst Quinn goes all purry kitten as he rips yapping-wolf throats in a very BENGAL fashion. Sookie gets all messed up from colliding with glass shards and Eric takes care of her. All. Night. Long. (and the night is not the only thing that is long in this case :D yummy yummy funny bunny!) I am a tad bit tired hence the crazy-vocabulary galore! And so here we are, Sookie wakes up after tons of sexy times with her Viking and she prepares mentally for an evening of fun Brigant-style as Niall wants to put his fairy nose in his great grand daughter's business regarding the fast approaching meeting in Rhodes (which is going to be one hell of a party and y'all are invited of course).

Blood, suck and fuck-n'-roll to come in the following chapters :) I'm thinking that in a chapter or two, we will be embarking on Part 3 of Fresh Blood. Gazillion kisses and lots of love to all of you who are still sailing my boat with me :) I cannot thank you enough for the great support you've all provided so far and I will try very hard to update in less than like a decade so that we still all have teeth when we finally get our own bite of that Viking (unlikely but uh well...)

Here's a bit of music to inspire y'all :D!

Houses - Great Northern

Empathy - Crystal Castles

Snake Tongued Beast - Saybia

Give Up On Ghosts - Computer VS. Banjo (yeah hahaha BANJO :)!)

Sinister Kid - The Black Keys

Distance - Parov Stelar Feat Lylith

Furr - Blitzen Trapper

Her Morning Elegance - Oren Lavie

PLEASE REVIEW ! I'D SOOOO LOVE TO GET TO 1K with this chapter! But please don't let numerals stop you :) I'd love to get to 2K too or 3K :D hahahhaahah

I LOVE YOU GUYS YOU ROCK MY SOCKS OFF :)

xoxoxo

Enjoy! (I really really hope you do lolll! I'm a little quivering puppy here hahah! It's a rather short chapter but it's kind of sweet ;)!)

When I woke up in the morning, I was alone in bed and I knew he wasn't in the house with me anymore. The last thing he'd told me before I'd fallen asleep was that we'd see each other tonight a little before midnight when he joined me for our meeting with Niall and then we'd have to part for the few days left before we left for Rhodes. I checked my alarm clock to see what time it was and almost jumped out of bed. It was nearly 11am and I was supposed to do the lunch shift at Merlotte's at 11: 30am. I ran into the shower and got dressed in record time and applied a coat of mascara before skipping to the door, my keys jingling in my hand as I tried to slip on my Nikes.

Sam was busy receiving a shipment when I arrived to I set to help him before the bar would officially open and start receiving hordes and hordes of the Bon Temps folks who would no doubt gossip as they so loved to do.

'How are you doing, chere?' he asked me, eyeing my arm which still had faint pink lines from my cuts. Eric's blood could only do so much and the scars would take a little longer to fade.

'Peachy.' I replied, out of breath after dragging a particularly heavy crate to the back door.

'What happened to your arm if you don't mind me asking?' He asked me with a serious look. I sighed. As much as I loved Sam, I couldn't help but find it sometimes annoying how he patronized me and thought I was some fragile doll he had to protect.

'Slipped on broken glass.' I swiftly replied, giving him a wide smile. There really was no need to worry him and tell him all about how I'd really gotten the cuts. Anyhow, I was feeling quite… sated to say the least after the night I'd spent in Eric's arms. Physically sated at least. My moral wasn't exactly doing as good.

'You ought to be careful Sook…' Sam said but I could see in his eyes that he did not buy my story… at all. At least he was kind enough to drop it and changed the subject.

'So, I suppose you're going to that big meeting in Rhodes?' He asked. Somehow, I could tell that my answer wasn't going to please him.

'Yes, I kind of have to.' I replied, hoping he wouldn't ask for details. Which was underestimating Sam of course.

'Have to? He's forcing you to go?' Sam replied, dropping his crate, frowning. I could tell he was getting angry and for all the wrong reasons.

'If he refers to the Magister than yes, he is forcing me to go. He ordered Eric to bring me to Rhodes.' I replied.

'Shit. That freaky guy from New Orleans right?' Sam asked, frowning deeply. He didn't look one bit pleased by the fact the Magister had taken a sort of bizarre liking in me. And I couldn't help but agree with him. As friendly as McAlister had acted towards me, I couldn't help but feel just how much it resembled the friendliness a cat would have to a mouse he was about to eat. I was the dinner for McAlister and his requesting my presence in Rhodes was nagging at my mind. Of course I hadn't had loads of time to ponder about it in the last few days, but I'd be sure to ask Niall about it when we met with Eric tonight. There was something about McAlister and how he fit in Eric and I's equation that nagged at my brain, like a little voice trying to tell me something just didn't seem right.

'Yeah, him exactly. I'm not too sure what he wants me in Rhodes for, though. Anyhow, I still have two weeks before I go, Sam.' I said with my best reassuring smile.

Sam dropped the subject and we continued with small talk. When the first patrons arrived for lunch, we were so busy that he didn't have any more time to question me further and I made sure to keep so busy he wouldn't have an occasion to corner me. The day was pretty quiet overall and I ate my own snack in the kitchen where Lafayette was busy spicing up his new chilli recipe.

'So baby doll, how's you doing?' He drawled, batting his heavily made up lids at me in a mock flirtatious move. I gave him my best fake smile but of course that did not work with Lafayette. He raised an eyebrow at me and placed his hand on his hip waiting for my honest answer.

'Tired. Mentally. So much has happened in the past few weeks I feel like going away to a secret island with Eric and just hiding there until the trouble passes…' I said, tucking a loose strand of my hair behind my ear.

'But darlin' you knew you were getting in trouble the moment you got involved with him. That big hunk of a boyfriend of yours – tasty as he might look – has trouble written all over his face… And he's dangerous and all…trust me, I know first hand. But I'll spare you the Sam possessive bullshit. I'm not jealous of your boyfriend, sassy gal' even if you're one tasty cinnamon bun.' Lafayette added, wiggling his eyebrows playfully at me. I couldn't help but giggle. It wasn't until now I realized how true my words were. I was tired. Deadly tired of being in danger, of fearing for my life, of running around like a headless chicken going from one death-trap to another in the hopes of making it to the next. I just wanted peace and quiet with Eric, at least for a little while and I sighed with desperation when I realized I wasn't going to get a minute's worth of peace with him until we got back from Rhodes. If we did get back from Rhodes in one piece.

'Tell me what's troublin' you suga.' Lafayette said, sitting down next to me on the counter wipping his hands on his apron before curling a strand of my hair around his finger softly.

'I have to go on this trip for business with Eric. And I'm having a bad feeling about the whole thing. And Eric won't be able to see me much in the next few days cause of the preparations and all and I just so needed to spend time with him. I know he hurt you and all, Lafayette, but he's… He's like my personal sunshine. He loves me and…'

'How's the sex, pumpkin'?' Lafayette drawled, his lips twitching into an amused grin. I slapped his bicep playfully.

'None of your darn business…' I said, faking a pout. But then again no one gave a crap about my love life regarding my happiness except him so why not? 'Alright, he's fantastic. I mean I don't think I could ever tire of him. He's… everywhere at the same time and… well you know… he's old and all so he's done pretty much everything. At first I found it intimidating but now… I just thank the Lord he knows what to do with those hands of his… and he looks absolutely glorious naked…' I finished, blushing all shades of red as Lafayette chuckled.

'You are one lucky bitch, Miss Peachy Puss.' He said, standing in front of me and lifting my chin to look me in the eye. 'Here's my advice. Destroy his clothes so he must remain naked at all times. Should cheer you up. Scissors should do the trick.' He added before strolling towards his burners where some stuff was cooking. Looking over his shoulder, he winked at me before adding: 'Oh and please take pictures. They'd do wonder on my website!' I threw my tablecloth at him and stormed out of the kitchen giggling like crazy. Somehow, my mood which had been somewhat dampened with by my talk with Sam got better and the rest of my shift went by smoothly even though the people in the bar were still annoying as hell, thinking nasty thoughts whenever I let my guard down.

Pam came to get me a little after sunset, as Eric didn't want me wandering alone at night. She stayed with me, making small talk as the evening sped by. I did some laundry and some cleaning under Pam's dubious eye, sighing every time she made a comment about how I wouldn't have to do any of this if only I'd let Eric take care of me. At some point I simply gave up trying to explain to her I actually liked being able to care for myself and decided to ignore her comments. The night was dragging by so slowly and I was checking my watch every two minutes. At a quarter to ten, I went for a long shower and allowed Pam to do my hair and makeup. I hadn't seen Niall since my (forced) escapade in New Orleans and I was hoping to make a good impression, especially since I had no idea what he wanted with Eric and I other than to tell us to be careful in Rhodes – as if we didn't know that yet… I was fidgeting in the living room for the last hour until finally Eric arrived. I nearly crushed him by jumping in his arms for a long, searing kiss, which he gladly returned before putting me down to look at me.

'Have you missed me by any chance, love?' He asked, amused.

'Have you?' I asked him, squinting my eyes at him playfully. He passed a lazy tongue on his bottom lip.

Of course I have. Especially the way your…

'Do not finish that thought Mister Northman or I might be tempted to put you up to the test again.' I murmured wantonly as his arms circled my waist and his hands grabbed at my butt possessively pressing me to his hips. I giggled as he nuzzled my neck, smelling my skin and sighing.

'You smell like vanilla and honeysuckle.' He breathed near my ear, causing a wave of warmth to spread down my spine and straight to the apex of my thighs. I pressed my hips closer to his and moaned softly when his tongue found that favourite spot of mine right below my ear. We were still making out, oblivious to the fact we weren't alone until Pam barged in the room, tapping her foot on the ground as she tsked at us.

'It's almost twelve, Casanova. You might want to head to the cemetery whilst I… protect the house or whatever it is you want me to be doing tonight other than enjoying myself with a cute European brunette…' Pam drawled. Eric's hands stopped gropping my ass obscenely – much to my dismay, I must admit – and he chuckled.

'You are right, Pamela. We should go.' He grabbed my hand and we headed out, leaving Pam to do whatever she pleased. I trusted her enough to know she would not disturb my home and she would most probably watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer as she'd taken a weird attachment for the blonde slayer and her Captain Peroxide whom she both found absolutely hilarious and eatable – or so she said.

'What do you think he wants to talk to us about?' I asked Eric as we walked between the headstones under the pale moonlight. Had the circumstances been different, the evening could have almost seemed like a romantic stroll under the starry night. Of course, we both knew better and we were sure to watch our steps and mind our surroundings – surprise attacks had become part of the routine so I had set a mind to always being prepared to be jumped on by witches, werewolves, vampires and/or other supernatural creatures that might want my blood, Eric's, our skins for rugs or just to kill us randomly. Life was so much fun in sweet Bon Temps…

'Security measures of sorts. Rhodes is going to be a headache, lover.' Eric retorted, his tone serious, punctuating his sentence with a slight squeeze of my hand on the last word. Somehow, however many times he said it, the word still sent shudders of bliss right down to my toes and back up. 'We should not forget to ask him about your… visions.' Eric added, eying me out the corner of his eye with a frown creasing his aristocratic forehead.

I was about to press him with more questions, especially regarding that nagging detail about the Magister but there was suddenly a soft and warm golden glow in the cemetery, like soft tendrils of sunrays caressing our skin. Eric closed his eyes and his nostrils twitched. Through the bond, I was flooded with his intense appreciation of the smell that we were now basked in. Faeries. He was however very in control and as the tendrils grew in number, the smell became fainter and fainter.

'What does it smell like for you?' I asked him, a small smile on my lips as I watched the portal grow bigger and bigger.

'Ambrosia. It's absolutely decadent. But not nearly as decadent as your blood.' He added, opening his eyes to stare at the man who had just appeared before us. My great grandfather was as elegant and lean as I remembered him and I couldn't help but smile at him. Somehow, I felt a sense of recognition when I saw him and I would have hugged him but Eric's next actions left me speechless and utterly surprised. Bowing, Eric kneeled and lifted his gaze up to Niall before speaking words in a language I couldn't understand.

Greetings in the language of the Faes. – Niall's thoughts supplied me. I glanced up at him and then at Eric who was now standing back up after kissing Niall's ring.

'Northman. My darling child.' Niall said as he kissed my forehead.

'Niall Brigant. It has been… too long.' Eric replied. 'To what do we owe the pleasure of this visit?'

That was very Eric: straight to the point, no beating around the bush. But then again, I was starting to get a bit like that myself, especially in the last few weeks. So I did not complain and listened as Niall explained the reason to his visit.

'Northman, you know that the gathering in Rhodes will be one we haven't seen since the Vampire-Fae Wars. And you know that Fairies will reside in their realm and cross over only for the important ceremonies.' Niall started. Eric nodded solemly. So far, nothing surprising.

'You also are aware that most fairies do not approve of the coupling of our race with humans. We are currently at war and t is getting messier and messier in the Fae realm. We have however signed a truce for the duration of the gathering in Rhodes between all Faes so that the different delegations may attend the gatherings to represent all fairies. The Council will be there and it would not look too good if the Faes couldn't behave themselves in public. However, that thruce only covers the grounds of the gathering. If Sookie should by any chance cross the portal between our realms, I couldn't stop anything from happening to her.'

'Why on earth would I want to cross the portal?' I asked, nervous.

'I'm not saying you would be foolish enough to do it, but some charms and magic could be persuasive enough to push you to cross even though you do not wish it. You must understand Sookie' he said, turning to me 'Most Fairies are dangerous creatures and the ones that disapprove of the mere existence of human-fairy hybrids are savage and bloodthirsty. They do not know of you specifically, at least I've done my best to keep it that way, but that does not mean your secret might not be exposed during the gathering.' Niall said. Eric's grip had tightened around my hand to the point where it was almost painful. Feeling my discomfort, he released his grip and brushed the pad of his thumb on the inside of my palm.

'Northman, that is where you come in play. If anything happens to my great-grand daughter at the gathering I will hold you personally responsible.' Niall said, his last words icy. Eric straightened next to me and I could feel the anger coursing his veins like a dangerous poison.

'I would never do anything to put her in danger.' Eric retorted, reigning in his temper.

'I know you wouldn't, but others around you might.' Niall said, his eyes narrowing as he studied Eric's face. 'And I also know you do your best to protect her but you should give her more credit Northman and trust her more. I know you to be a fierce warrior but she is part Fae and a telepath. She's not your average human cattle.' Niall added, raising his chin proudly. I couldn't help but notice the double-entendres that filled his every word and I bit my bottom lip, frustrated.

They then started speaking in a language I couldn't understand and I puffed air out of my mouth, annoyed. What was the point of requesting my presence here if it was to speak about stuff I was not privy on or using dead languages even the best scholars of the world didn't even know about? Their discussion stretched on and on and a myriad of emotions passed through the bond. Niall chuckled a few times whilst Eric seemed to fume but they finally came to an understanding when Niall handed Eric a silvery pouch no bigger than one square inch. The fabric looked delicate and I was afraid for a second it might be made of silver threads by the way the pouch glimmered in the moonlight. Had I been more attentive I might have understood what the hell was in that pouch, but I was at the moment more worried about what they might have been talking about.

'I will do everything in my power to keep her safe.' Eric finally said, in English this time (thank you very much). I rolled my eyes and sighed.

'Start by trusting her, Northman.' Niall said, raising an eyebrow.

'What does he mean?' I all but murmured, turning to look at Eric. Eric's face was impassive but his emotions gave him away. 'What are you hiding from me, Eric?' I asked, my brows furrowed, suddenly afraid he'd lied to me. Eric gazed at me and then at Niall who gestured for him to go ahead and get the huge ass tiger out of the bag so to speak. Eric closed his eyes and sighed, swearing in Swedish this time – I'd heard him use that curse many, many times and had come to recognize it as one of his native language.

'Oh come on, Northman, make a man out of yourself.' Niall laughed, loudly. I was so nervous I did not immediately understand what was happening. And when it did happen, I might as well have been struck by lightning. Eric kneeled in front of me, a serene smile on his face. Slipping the object Niall had given him out of a silvery pouch, Eric gazed up at me. Taking my hand gently, he locked his gaze with mine.

'Sookie Stackhouse, grand daughter of Fintan Brigant and great grand daughter of Niall Brigant, Prince of the Sky Faes, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?' Eric spoke, his eyes filled with an emotion I couldn't decipher.

'Sweet baby Jesus.' I breathed before everything went black and I dropped to the ground.

HAHAH! You weren't expecting that were you? And no, she was not suddenly attacked by flying goblins or evil trolls :) she simply fainted hahaha poor Sookie ;)!