Chapter Four: What's Mine Is Mine

"Passion makes idiots of the cleverest men, and makes the biggest idiots clever."

Francois de La Rochefoucauld

A/N: Thank you once again everyone for reading and keeping with the story. I promise it is going places and I am not going to turn this into a depressing mess of slop. I hope that everyone is enjoying the progression so far and again thank you for those of you that have reviewed, I thrive on the feedback honestly. And to the silent readers, thank you as well, I appreciate your reading. Alright, on with the show!

Eric's POV:

The deep vibration of dance music gently shook the walls of my office as I sat at my desk reviewing the receipts from the night before and tapped one of my fingers against my aching head. Business had been more than favorable since I had opened the club after The Great Revelation, however profits had gone up even more so in the past few weeks and even though I would usually be very pleased, it now only served to piss me off. It pissed me off due to the fact that I knew exactly why business had picked up so greatly and it wasn't because of the new shipment of True Blood that had arrived shortly before. Business had been booming as a result of the newly enhanced atmosphere in the club, and that atmosphere just happened to have long blonde hair and a scent that could bring vampires even older than myself to their knees in seconds. The way they looked at Sookie with hunger in their eyes and lust in their stare infuriated me. It took most of the strength that I had, but I had been able to ignore the rage that boiled within me and instead spent my time trying to figure out exactly why this women in my employ was of such an interest to nearly every vampire that crossed her path. That in itself proved to be a full time job and I was a vampire with very limited time.

It had been just shy of two weeks since the night that Bill Compton had arrived at my club searching for me as if I were some sort of common criminal as opposed to the Sheriff of Area Five and his superior. Since that night I had devoted most of my free time to researching not only Sookie's past, but also the past of her family in an effort to learn more about Mr. Compton's insatiable interest in what was simply not his. It would seem that the Stackhouse family went back in history for quite some time, but there were missing pieces to the family tree that seemed unusual and very questionable in my eyes. Most of the family members that were on record seemed pretty usual and very ordinary especially as Southern families were concerned. Most of the family had graduated high school in Bon Temps and then directly began work of some kind in which they stayed at for most of their life as they raised a family and then died in the same place that they had been born…How incredibly depressing.

A few of the Stackhouse's on the other hand, stood out to me from the rest of the lot. Sookie's grandfather in particular seemed to raise some question as I read through the paperwork Pam had retrieved for me on him and I couldn't quite put my finger on why. Something did not add up as some of the missing pieces from the family tree seemed to revolve around him. Very interesting.

So that was how I had been spending my time ever since the procurer had visited me, and even I had to admit that I could have been obsessing just a slight bit. That night in the closet with Sookie had done something to me that I hadn't expected. I had been so close to her that I had nearly lost control of myself just a few feet from a vampire that I was supposed to be in hiding from. Her sweet scent that had seemed to exude from her every luscious pore had entranced me as if I were under some sort of magical spell. The taste of her flesh in my mouth had overloaded my senses and awakened a hunger in me that I hadn't felt since I was very young, and obviously very foolish.

It hadn't, however, been just the hunger for Sookie's blood that had nearly driven me over the edge that night in the closet. The hunger that I had felt as her soft body had been pressed against mine had gone much deeper than a simple lust to quench my insatiable thirst. My lust had been for her body as well and it had been incredibly strong.

Now I was no stranger to lust. Not only had I been a Viking warrior in my human life, but I happened to be Eric Fucking Northman as a vampire. I had been alive (in a sense) for over one thousand years and had more than enjoyed my share of women along the way. I enjoyed women very much, especially human women and I enjoyed them often. It excited me to feel their hearts pound against my cool skin as I fucked them hard enough that they often collapsed beneath me when I finally had finished. I reveled in each orgasm that assaulted their overheated bodies as my fingers bruised their skin and my dick ruined them for the husbands or boyfriends that awaited them at home. So, lust I understood, very thoroughly in fact. The lust that I had felt for Sookie on the other hand, well that had been slightly different.

I had wanted her and I had wanted her badly. I had wanted to taste her, touch her, drink her and please her in ways that no man ever had and ever would be able to again. I had wanted to feel her blood in my mouth and course through my system as if she were mine and no one else's. I had wanted her as a man would want a woman as well as how a predator would want his prey. My want and need for this unique woman had been completely intoxicating and that is why I had left as soon as Bill Compton had vanished from my sight. I couldn't risk either killing or becoming attached to the human that had recently been thrown into my life that could possibly become a great asset to me if I played my cards right. If I had retained more of my human feelings than I had, I would have felt a sense of guilt over the poor women that had suffered that night at my hands after I had left Sookie Stackhouse in my office. Four French Quarter dancers were nearly drained to their deaths in an alleyway just outside of a New Orleans burlesque club, but I had found the will to stop just before I had taken too much. I was too crazed with lust and hunger to glamour them before I left them, so instead I fucked them all senseless and suddenly they didn't seem notice their blood loss as much. Women were amusing to me in that way.

"Master, we have a problem." Pam said in an annoyed tone as she appeared beside my desk in a crimson dress and black pumps. I leaned back in my chair and looked at her uninterested.

"Something that you cannot handle on your own, Pamela? I am very busy right now." I replied in a sharp tone. Pam put her hand on her hip and rolled her eyes as she let out an annoyed sigh.

"Just follow me, Eric. It involves your pretty little princess and I think she just might need your assistance." She drawled as my eyes finally rose to meet hers. I was out of my office in a second and standing on the edge of the dance floor as I heard Pam's laughter follow behind me. She had been right, there was a problem.

"Come on, sweetheart. Just come outside with me for a little bit. I bet you've never been with a vampire before." A muscular man with dark tattoo's covering his body slurred in a disgusting tone as he moved closer to where Sookie stood.

"Sorry, but I'm working right now. I'm not allowed to leave the club and you have no idea who I have or have not been with, so please do not speak to me like you do." Sookie quipped back in a sarcastic tone as she whipped her blonde hair around and reached across the bar to pick up two bottles of True Blood that my bartender had just set down for her. I admired her fearless attitude, it was surprising coming from such a tender body.

"I can smell your sweet innocent blood from here, darlin'. That pussy's never been touched and I would be happy to fix that." The vampire said lustfully and in an instant my fangs were out. I must have growled quite loudly because everyone in the club stopped moving and turned around. Pam appeared at my side and was no longer laughing, so I knew that my progeny intended on protecting Sookie just as I did.

"It is time for you to leave, Liam." I said sternly as my eyes stared daggers into the vampire that had come about two steps too close to Sookie for my liking. He looked back at me with a confused and arrogant smile.

"Come on Sheriff, you can't hire a virgin that smells that fucking good and expect us to not want a taste. I'll take her out back, nobody has to know." Liam replied as he stepped closer to Sookie. I saw the fear in her eyes as she took a step backward and bit down on her bottom lip. Alright, I was done with these games, I moved across the room in a blur and was suddenly in front of Liam. He didn't step back, which was incredibly foolish of him.

"You do not tell me what I can and cannot do in my club, and you definitely do not tell me what you are going to do with my employee. She remains here and you and your friends are to leave immediately." I spoke through clenched teeth. Liam tilted his head toward me, but did not move.

"Alright, I will not touch her in your club, Sheriff. But, she does not work here every night and I happen to know that little tasty thing lives in Bon Temps all by herself. It would be a shame if something happened to her." He spoke in a challenging tone as he began to turn back toward his friends and that was when I lost control. I moved closer to him in a flash and snapped my hand around his throat as I lifted him off of the ground. He stared down at me with fear in his eyes, but he did not speak.

"She is MINE and you will not touch her, do you understand?" I hissed in a stern tone as my fingers tightened around his throat and my fangs pushed against my lips. I heard footsteps next to me which I figured were Pam's as I could sense both her presence and taste in shoes nearly anywhere.

"There isn't a mark on her Sheriff…" Liam choked. My fingers tightened as I seriously considered ripping out his heart and feeding it to one of the dogs that frequented my alleyway. It was too bad there were so many witnesses or I would have done it. But, since I didn't feel like being chained up in a coffin right now, I decided I should probably use more caution.

"You have not seen all of my body." I heard Sookie's soft voice say as she stepped closer to me. That surprised me.

"I would leave if I were you, Liam. Eric hasn't fed today and I think we all know how testy he gets when he's hungry." Pam said in an annoyed tone that I could tell was masking her concern. Liam turned his head toward Sookie. I didn't understand why he wanted her bad enough that he would risk displaying such behavior in front of the Sherriff of the area in which he lived as well as plenty of other vampires senior to him. It was more than arrogance, it was stupidity.

"You cannot hide behind him forever little girl. I know the truth about you and his lies cannot protect you forever." Liam said as a sick smile came over his face. I suddenly understood. Bill had sent him. Fuck.

"It is not lies and I am not afraid of you or your trashy friends. In case you did not hear my boss, I AM HIS. And, even if I wasn't, I would never be yours." Sookie said sternly with a hint of distain in her voice. Her words surprised me and sent a chill through my body. Hearing the last few words on her lips excited me and made me feel powerful in a way that I hadn't in quite some time. I threw Liam across the room and turned back to his low class friends that were staring at me in fear.

"Pick him up, leave, and never return. If I see you here again, I will give you all the final death and make it look like an accident." I snarled at them as my lip curled. The woman with them nodded and took a step back.

"We are sorry, Sheriff. We understand." She said quietly and then her and the tall thin man beside her that had been silent since I had walked in, picked up Liam and in a blur were out the door. I turned back to Pam and nodded for her close the club early. She nodded in agreement and then disappeared to the main entrance. Sookie looked at me in fear, but did not speak.

"My office, now!" I ordered. She jumped at the sound of my voice, but simply nodded and began to make her way toward the back hallway as fast as her legs would carry her. I was getting in too deep, but I had a feeling this was just the beginning.

Sookie's POV:

I wasn't exactly sure what had just happened, but I was pretty sure that it was bad. The second that low life and his vamp posse had left the club, Pam had began to usher the rest of Eric's colorful patrons out of the club as well. I had only been working at Fangtasia for a couple of weeks and it seemed that already I had caused a problem that seemed pretty big as my boss was following behind me at vampire speed with anger rushing off of his skin. This probably was not a good start to our working relationship.

"Look, I am really sorry if I caused any trouble out there Eric. I tried to avoid them all night because I could see the way they were watching me, but he cornered me and I couldn't get away." I said in my defense as I moved into Eric's office and felt him move past me in a rush toward his desk.

"Did he touch you?" Eric asked quickly ignoring my explanation with a tight jaw as I saw him pick up his cell phone and send a quick text message before throwing the phone back down on the desk. I shook my head even though he wasn't looking at me.

"No, Pam went to get you before he got his nasty hands on me." I replied as I shuttered at the thought of the disgusting vampire's anything on me.

"Pam should not have had to come to get me, Sookie. I should have known you were in danger." Eric said sternly as he looked up to find Pam standing behind me at the door.

"Everyone is gone, Eric. I can call the magister, if…" Pam started, but Eric raised his hand to silence her.

"You will call no one. Go feed and then return to rest. I will attend to this matter and inform you of what you need to know tomorrow evening." He ordered as he sat down in his desk chair. Pam stared at him for a moment and I could tell that she had something more to say to him, but I think even she was afraid of him when he was in this state. She nodded slowly and then disappeared out the door.

"I should probably go…I…" I began, but Eric quickly cut me off before I could say another word.

"You will not go anywhere tonight, Sookie. There are very dangerous vampires looking for you right now and the night is not safe for you. You will stay here with me until morning and then once the sun has risen you are free to return to Bon Temps. You must return here every night until I can assure that this matter has been dealt with. There is something else that I need you to do as well." He said as he leaned forward in his chair. I did not enjoy being told what I was and wasn't going to do, but something about the tone in Eric's voice told me that I should probably listen to him.

"What?" I asked as I smoothed out my purple dress and flipped my hair over my shoulder. Eric let out a breath.

"I need you bonded to me so that I can sense when you are in danger. I cannot be with you every moment of every day and if you are not safe, I need to know." He said as he stared at me across his desk. I shrugged my shoulders.

"Bonded? What exactly does that mean?" I asked as I felt an uneasy feeling move over me. I did not like the sound of that word one bit.

"It simply means that if you are in trouble I will be able to sense it. I will be able to sense your emotions and your location. If I can know those things, then I can keep you protected and out of harm's way." He explained as he looked down at his phone and typed another quick text message. Something about his tone told me that he was leaving out some very important information.

"What kind of harm am I in, exactly?" I asked as I narrowed my eyes at him and shifted my weight from one foot to another nervously. I did not like where this conversation was heading at all.

"The vampires that were here tonight are very dangerous, Sookie. I believe they were sent by someone that is very powerful and wants you very badly. If they take you they will harm you, I am certain of that." Eric said in a very serious tone. I nodded as I swallowed and looked down at the floor.

"Why would they want me? I am just a waitress from Bon Temps." I said softly as I tried to figure out why there was a sudden interest in me when up until the past month or so people had pretty much avoided me like the plague. There was a rush of air and then I felt Eric in front of me. He did not touch me, after the night in the closet he had never put his hands (or any other body parts) near me. That fact alone had only seemed to make me want him to touch me even more.

"Sookie, look at me." Eric commanded. I looked up slowly and met his aqua eyes as he swallowed thickly. God he was beautiful.

"You are far more than you realize and far more than I understand. What I do understand however, is that you need protection. I want to give you that protection, but I need to have you bonded to me in order to do that. Do you understand?" He asked in a slightly more gentle tone as he stared at me. I nodded my head in understanding and then I felt myself jump back as I saw Eric's fangs drop into place next to his human teeth.

"Umm…what are you doing?" I asked as fear washed over my body and I took a cautious step backward. There was nothing in my contract that had said anything about this. Eric smiled and laughed quietly to himself as he studied my frightened face.

"Relax, Sookie. In order to be able to sense if you are in danger, you need to drink some of my blood. You do not have to drink much, but that is the only way that I will be able to track you." He explained as he stepped closer to me. I stepped back once again.

"I told you, I was much more into wine." I replied nervously as I felt my body begin to shake slightly. Eric stepped forward matching me once again.

"Sookie, I cannot protect you if I cannot find you." He said sternly. I crossed my arms over my chest to try to hold my body still.

"Do you have to bite me?" I asked as I began to shake harder, I wasn't exactly ready for this level of commitment after working here for only a month. Eric shook his head and smiled.

"No, that is not necessary. That is a completely different level of bonding. I simply need to be able to sense you that is all." He said trying to reassure me, it wasn't really working, but I appreciated the thought.

"There are fucking levels?" I asked nervously as I let out an exhausted breath. I rarely cursed, but in this situation I figured that God would forgive me. Eric laughed and his fangs retracted. I breathed slightly easier at the sight of his softer appearance.

"Yes, there are levels per say. The more you that you bloodshare with the one that you are bonded to, the deeper the connection is." He said very matter of factly. I nodded and tried to focus so that I could understand exactly what I was getting in to.

"So, just like a drop?" I asked as I began to reason with myself that without Eric's help I wouldn't have a chance in hell against those devil's that were in there before. Eric nodded slowly.

"Just a drop." He confirmed as his voice darkened slightly. I nodded and took in a deep breath. I could do this. What was one drop of blood if it meant that I would be safe from meeting a gruesome death at the hands of some trailer park vampires? I knew that I couldn't fully trust Eric Northman because to be honest, I barely knew him and he hadn't lived as long as he had being one hundred percent truthful about everything he said. But, I knew I could trust him more than some of the other vampires I had encountered so far, and I figured that had to count for something.

"Okay, fine. Let's get this over with." I said defeated as I breathed out and put on a fake smile. Eric nodded and then his fangs popped into place quickly once again. He closed his eyes and then raised his wrist to his mouth. He bit down roughly and then lifted his head quickly once again. I jumped slightly at the sight of blood both on his arm and mouth, but tried to hold myself together as I looked at him so that he wouldn't know how scared I truly was.

"The wound will close soon." He said breathlessly as he held his wrist out to me. I nodded and moved forward slowly. I took in a long deep breath to steady myself and then leaned down toward his wrist. I was taking one drop and then I was done. I was neither a drug addict nor did I wish to be any more deeply bonded to Eric than I had to be to stay alive.

I leaned my head down and met my lips to the wound on Eric's wrist. At first I simply ran my tongue over the wound so that I didn't take too much, but then something happened. The taste of Eric's blood was much different than I had imagined. The taste was strong and sweet and rushed into my mouth like a thick delicious elixir that aroused my taste buds immediately on contact. He tasted so good…no he tasted better than good. He was delicious.

"Mmmm…" I moaned as I wrapped my fingers around Eric's wrist and held it tighter to me. I wanted more so badly that I shook as I held onto him with all of my strength.

"Sookie…" Eric groaned as I felt the muscles in his arm tighten and flex. The deep vibrations of my name on his lips only excited me more as I dug my nails into his skin.

The room spun around me and then quickly disappeared as I felt Eric pull me close into his body. He positioned me so my back was pressed against his chest and his arms were wrapped tightly around my body. His blood flowed into my mouth and down my throat faster the harder I sucked and even faster if I pressed my teeth against his cool flesh. I felt his essence move through my system as it coated my insides and made my skin feel hot and full of sensations that I had never felt before. I dug my nails deeper into his skin as I groaned and let my body fall slack against his. Eric leaned back against the desk and I heard him say words that I did not understand in what I now knew was Swedish. His body was so hard and strong against mine that I felt completely safe and protected in his arms. I pushed harder against him as he tightened his arms around my frame and I probably would have let him crush me if it would have meant I would have gotten closer to him. I did not understand what I was feeling and even though it terrified me, I couldn't stop.

"Slow down, Sookie." Eric whispered breathlessly as I continued to moan against his skin. It took a minute, but once his words finally broke through my drug induced haze, I slowly pulled myself back from his bloody wrist. I slowly licked his wound clean as he ran his fingers through my hair gently, but as I finally raised my head, I realized what I had just done and embarrassment moved over me in an overwhelming rush.

"Oh my God! I am so sorry, Eric. I don't know what happened…I just…" I stuttered as I began to back away from him, but I had to catch myself on his desk as my body seemed to flood with sensations that I had never felt before.

"Relax, Sookie. There is a reason vampire blood is illegal and I guess sometimes one must see for themself to truly understand. How do you feel?" Eric asked as he straightened up and smoothed out his clothing that I had been pressed against only seconds before. He rolled down his sleeve as his wrist healed before my eyes and I couldn't help but let my eyes move down his body to notice that he was incredibly aroused. I swallowed as desire settled deep in my core causing my flesh to ache with need. My head was dizzy and my vision was blurred as I tried to pull myself together.

"I feel fine…I just…Jesus…" I rambled breathlessly as I tried to stand up again, but felt my legs wobble beneath me in protest. I straightened my posture to hold myself up right, but just as my eye caught Eric's, I felt a strong sensation pulse through the slickness between my thighs trying to pull me to the ground.

"Why don't you sit down for a minute? My blood is strong and you drank quite a lot. This will pass, but you might feel strange for a little bit." Eric explained as he moved closer to me. My legs buckled as he moved closer to me and in an instant I felt myself fall toward the floor. Just before I hit the wood paneling beneath me, I felt a strong arm catch me and pull me up quickly. I opened my eyes and stared up at Eric. His body called to me and mine hummed with excitement.

"I need to go clean up the club before tomorrow." I said quickly as I twisted myself out of Eric's arms. Eric reluctantly released me, but kept his eyes on me as I stumbled out of his office. I just needed to put some space between me and Mr. Northman before I did something incredibly stupid that I would most likely regret. I understood and appreciated that he was trying to protect me from the vampires that had come into the club that night, but I also needed to protect myself right now and by leaving his office I was doing just that.

Alright so there is the next installment in this story. I hope you all liked this chapter as I enjoyed writing it. I appreciate all of you that are reading and reviewing this story, please leave me your comments and feedback as I thrive on your words. Thanks again for reading, I will update again ASAP.