She was gone when he woke, so he took a hasty shower – smiling as he did so, remembering the night before – and dressed himself in the clothes Jason had brought from Wal-Mart. There was nothing to do then but wait for her. When he heard her car outside, he ran to meet her halfway on the steps. He caught her in his arms and turned them around at vampire speed. He was giddy, he realized with some surprise. What should he touch first? Her legs were already wrapped around him, which was an excellent start.

"Eric, you shouldn't be—"

He stopped her warning with a kiss, reveling in the desire and relaxation that began to replace the tension he had felt from her at first. It didn't last. She leaned her head back to break off their kiss, but he simply used the opportunity to trail his lips over her jaw line and down her neck.

"Listen, Eric," she breathed.

"Shhh." She was perfectly safe here with him; didn't she know that? The outside world couldn't touch them.

"No, you have to let me speak," she protested. "We have to hide."

Hide? However blank his former life seemed, he felt fairly certain that he was not one to hide. He kissed his way up from her throat to her ear. "From whom?" Her shiver made him smile against her skin.

"The bad witch, the one that's after you, she came into the bar with her brother, and they put up that poster."

"So?" He watched and listened to the rapid pulse in her neck. Perhaps he would bite there tonight.

"They asked what other vampires lived locally," she hurried on. "And of course we had to say Bill did. So they asked for directions to Bill's house, and I guess they're over there looking for you."

He failed to see the significance. "And?"

"That's right across the cemetery from here!" She sounded both frightened and exasperated. "What if they come over here?"

So she did expect him to run and cower like a little human child, instead of face the danger – protect her – like the powerful vampire he knew rather than remembered himself to be. "You advise me to hide?" he asked her, wounded. "To get back in that black hole below your house?"

"Oh, yes," she said, touching his cheek. "Just for a little while. You're my responsibility. I have to keep you safe."

She meant to keep him safe? It didn't do wonders for his dignity, but it was endearing. He knew he ought to be offended. Instead he felt touched by her earnest belief that she could protect him… and pleased that she wanted to protect him. He was excited now at the prospect of facing the danger head-on, as much to restore his pride as to ensure her faith in him.

"Come on, lover," he said easily. "Let's have a look."

He kissed her – a promise of more to come – tightened his arms around her waist, and leapt from the porch. With one quick movement, he shifted her around to his back and hooked his arms under her knees. Then he ran for the first time since she'd found him the other night. The air was sharp and cold on his skin. Delicious. Invigorating. Sookie's apprehension was fading into enjoyment, and he smiled.

He stopped beside an old, tall tree with a thick trunk and leaned back slightly so that his lover's feet could find the ground. Turning to face her, he pressed his body against hers to pin her flat against the bark. She held onto his wrists as if she could ever stop him from doing something he chose to do. There were voices from the direction of the house, which was only a tall, shadowy shape in the darkness.

The witch's voice pulled at something invisible inside him; he knew it immediately. I curse you, he heard just as clearly as if she stood next to him and whispered it in his ear.

Sookie flinched, jerking him back from his reverie, and he pressed her more tightly against the trunk. She had no reason to be afraid; he would protect her.

The witch was casting some sort of spell, but he couldn't understand the words. He could, however, feel Sookie's fear coursing through his veins. The weres had sensed their presence and were shifting into their filthy canine forms all around them, their bones snapping and realigning.

Sookie clung to him tightly and whispered an apology in his ear. What was she sorry for? He would have asked her if he could speak. He was the one who had brought her out here, ignoring all her pleas. If any harm came to her because of this, he would be sorry. But being here with her in the middle of such excitement? Learning more about the witch who had cursed him? He wasn't sorry at all.

The wolves and shifters were no danger to him or to Sookie. If he and his lover had been the targets, they would already have been attacked. The real danger – the witches – were escaping. He had heard their car doors shut. With vampire speed, he left Sookie to hide behind another tree, and then another. He couldn't let the witch escape, not when she had the power to return his life to him. Not that he wanted the old life, since Sookie hadn't been his. It was his memory he wanted. Sookie couldn't be expected to stay forever with a half-wit.

The witches started the car and peeled out of the gravel driveway, and he followed close behind, moving from the shelter of one tree to another. As the car sped down the narrow lane, it slammed into one of the shifters – a female, who yelped in pain. She did not interest him. He followed the car as far as he could, but to no avail.

He shot up into the air, flew back to the house, and landed in the middle of the now-illuminated yard. Wolves. They smelled of shifter and wet dog.

"I followed them to the road, but they went too fast for me there," he said to Sookie, smiling to reassure her. She stood on the steps leading up to the large, open porch, and her fear was tangible. There was no denying the excitement of a hunt, even if it led to nothing. He heard a growl and looked down to see a small dog snarling up at him. He waved the dog away. "Shoo."

The animal obeyed him and went to Sookie, who sat down, hugged the dog to herself, and praised it. Eric wrinkled his nose in disgust. One of the wolves approached her and led her to the spot where the broken, bleeding, and naked body of the female Were lay. Eric followed a little behind, not expecting any danger but ready to snatch her away from the first sign of it.

She turned and met his eyes. "Go get my car."

Something in him rebelled at obeying a command like any mindless lackey, but he sensed her worry and desperation. He lifted one hand to catch the car keys she threw over, then shot into the sky. The January air was cold even for him, and he was grateful when he landed beside her old car. He heard the Weres howling in the distance. Had their female died already?

He opened the car door and managed to fold all of his long limbs inside the small space. Then he stared at the levers and buttons before him. I know this. He felt to the right of the wheel and saw the hole for the key. When he turned it, the engine came to life. Now reverse… no, the lever didn't move. Why not? He frowned at it. Brakes first. He pressed his foot against one of the pedals, but that had no effect apart from making the engine growl. The other pedal, then… yes… and move the lever… The car began to inch backwards. There was no letter for "Forward." D for Drive. Within seconds, he was speeding down Sookie's gravel driveway and out onto the road.

The Weres – including a naked old man who had evidently shifted – surrounded Sookie and their fallen bitch in a protective arc as he steered the car as close as possible to the two women at the center of the circle. He slammed his foot down on the brake pedal and remembered to shift back into park. With some amusement he watched the Weres pace outside the car door, glaring and growling. If he wanted to, he could break all their necks in a matter of seconds.

"It's my car, it's okay," Sookie told them.

Surely the wolves could smell by now that he was the vampire who had just left them. Whether they could or not, he wasn't afraid of them. He flung open the car door, slightly disappointed when every one of them managed to avoid getting hit. "I'll put her in," he called to Sookie as he opened the back car door on his side.

His offer was greeted with unfriendly barking, and the naked one volunteered himself to lift the female. He doubted the old man would have the strength. Fucking Weres, preferring that a weakling lift their wounded friend instead of a strong vampire.

Just as the old one bent to lift the girl in Sookie's arms, he stopped. "Maybe we should call the ambulance."

Sookie immediately shook her head and motioned to the unusual tableau. "And explain this how? A bunch of wolves and a naked guy, and her being up here next to a private home where the owner's absent?" She shook her head again, more vehemently this time. "I don't think so!"

"Of course," the old man agreed. To Eric's surprise, he lifted the girl easily and carried her toward the open back seat of the car.

In a flash Eric was at the door on the other side, and he helped the Were situate the injured girl. She cried out in pain, stirring his pity. If she hadn't been surrounded by her stupidly aggressive comrades, he might have offered his blood to her. Sookie was in the driver's seat by this time, and Eric hurried to join her. He was about to close the door behind him when Sookie laid a hand on his arm.

"You can't go," she said firmly.

He stared at her in disbelief. "Why not?"

"I'll have twice the explaining to do if I have a vampire with me," she explained. But he didn't move. She needed help and protection, and he didn't care how much extra "explaining" it cost her. "And everyone's seeing your face on the damn posters," she went on, seeing that he had no intention of leaving her. "I live among pretty good people, but there's no one in this parish who couldn't use that much money."

It wasn't so much about explaining, then. It was about protecting him. Again. He was angry with himself, angry at the situation, angry at the bleeding girl on the back seat. Without another word, he climbed out of the car and slammed the door.

He heard the window unroll behind him, and Sookie called, "Turn off the lights and relock the house, okay?"

Sookie drove away, leaving him alone with the Weres, whom he ignored as he walked to the house. Before he switched off the lights, he looked around the house. It looked gloomy and smelled of age. He couldn't imagine Sookie having a lover who lived in such a place. He didn't have a key to lock the door with, but he saw quickly that it could be locked from inside. Bolting it was impossible.

The naked man approached him on the house steps. "Thank you for helping us," he said, offering one hand.

Eric stared at the extended hand for a moment, then accepted it. "I did it for Sookie," he said frankly.

"Whatever the reason," the Were replied with a slight smile, "we are grateful. I can see that you're Eric Northman."

Eric nodded. "Yes."

"Sam," he said, motioning to the collie that Sookie had hugged earlier, "has given us permission to hold a meeting at his bar if necessary. Considering tonight's events, it is necessary. Will you join us? I think we'll have to work together if we want to get rid of these witches."

"I agree," Eric replied, trying to look as authoritative as possible. This man, naked as he was, seemed to be a leader of the Weres and shifters. Eric knew that his own position must be similar. Greater, even, since he was a leader of vampires. "I will call some of my associates in Shreveport." He wondered if Pam would obey him in spite of the condition he was in. She had appeared to respect him the other night. "I will meet you at the bar."

"Sounds like a plan," the Were said.

The problem, he realized as he flew back to Sookie's house, was that he didn't know how to reach Pam. Nor did he know the location of the dog's bar. One thing at a time.

But when he landed in front of Sookie's porch, Pam and another male were already there. To his surprise, Pam ran to him and embraced him. Just as quickly, she stepped back and looked down.

"Sorry." She looked up at him again. "When we got here and found you and Sookie gone, I thought the worst. Where—"

"The witch was at Bill Compton's house. Sookie and I went to explore."

Pam's thin eyebrows knit together. "As much as we're paying her to look after you…"

Eric returned her frown with one of his own. "I am not a child to be looked after. I went because I wanted to." Properly chastened, Pam looked down again. "Why are you two here?" His gaze flickered to the male standing behind her.

"Clancy is missing."

He didn't know who Clancy was, and he assumed she knew that, but it made little difference. One of their own was missing, and that was all he needed to know. "The witch?" he asked.

"Yes, that seems certain," she nodded.

"Where is Chow?" It was the only other name he knew, so he thought it wasn't a stupid question.

"He's closing the bar, but he's on his way. Gerald here agreed to come with me right away."

He gave a stern nod, even though he wanted to smile at her. From all that he'd seen, Pam was the best and most trustworthy of followers. He liked the no-nonsense way she had about her. "Very well. Right now I need you to drive us to the shifter's bar." He saw the "Why?" forming on her lips and answered before she could voice it. "The Weres are joining us in this fight against the witch. We are meeting them there. Sookie had to take one of them to the hospital, but she will join us as well."

He heard the authority in his own voice, and he could see that Pam and Gerald would not presume to question him. Equally to his relief, she knew where to go. Fortunately, the animals had arrived at the bar in human form. And clothed. Their leader, the old man, nodded in Eric's direction but did not approach him. The three vampires were given TrueBloods by the man who had been the collie; Eric knew him immediately by his smell. While they waited, Pam called Chow and told him where to meet them.

Sookie arrived there only a few minutes after they did. He felt her presence before the door opened to reveal her. She was exhausted. Remembering the sweet taste of her, he touched his tongue to his lips. Later. But then something even sweeter twined itself through his consciousness, and his eyes fell on the tall woman who accompanied Sookie. She smelled like pleasure wrapped in bliss, tied with a bow of rapture. Beside him, Pam and Gerald both straightened on their stools and eyed the orange-clad dessert.

"Claudine, what brings you here?" the old Were leader asked.

It had a name. Claudine. He licked his lips again.

"My girl here fell asleep at the wheel," the dessert replied. "How come you aren't watching out for her better?"

"Ah… uh…"

Claudine frowned disapprovingly and shook her head at the Were. "Should have sent someone to the hospital with her."

Eric felt pride forcing itself up from the fog of hunger and lust. "I offered to go with her. She said it would be too suspicious if she went to the hospital with a vampire."

The creature – what was she? – eyed him with obvious appreciation. "Well, hello, tall, blond, and dead," she cooed. She gave him a coquettish smile. "You in the habit of doing what human women ask of you?"

He narrowed his eyes at her and would have replied, but his attention was diverted when one of the Weres folded Sookie in his arms. And who was this, holding Eric's lover as if she were his own? He swallowed an angry growl.

"Who are you?" the Were leader asked the mysterious female.

Claudine gathered her black hair in her hands and raised it to show off her pointed ears. "I'm Claudine the fairy. See?"

The Were holding Sookie was clearly surprised. "Fairy."

fairyfairyfairyfairyfairy

Eric set down his bottle of TrueBlood. He had to save room for every drop of blood in the orange fairy. He couldn't remember what a fairy was, exactly, but at the moment it seemed reasonably clear. Fairies were delicacies.

Another one of the Weres, a young one, grinned. "Sweet. For real?"

Claudine nodded. "For a while. Sooner or later, I'll go one way or another."

I know exactly which way you will go. A few minutes from now, behind this bar, with my teeth in your neck.

The young Were was still grinning. "You are one mouthwatering woman."

Eric narrowed his eyes at the oblivious animal. No Were would have the fairy when a vampire – the Sheriff vampire at that! – wanted her.

"Thanks!" said Claudine cheerfully. She cast some sort of spell on herself and reappeared in a long, white formal gown. The neckline accentuated her long neck with its sweet blood pulsing underneath.

"Sweet," the young Were repeated.

The old Were leader interrupted. "Claudine, now that you've shown off, could we please talk about something besides you?"

Eric had absolutely no interest in anything besides Claudine, so he returned to his TrueBlood, keeping his eyes fixed on the fairy and ignoring everything else.

Some time later, Sookie directed her attention to their table. "And why are you here?" she asked, looking curiously at Pam.

Pam finished her TrueBlood and set down the bottle. "We have something to report, too. Evidently, we have the same goals as the Weres. On this matter, anyway." Eric realized that both Pam and Gerald had turned to him, waiting for him to take over. But he didn't know what to say. Pam seemed to be searching for something in his eyes, and she sighed when she didn't find it. She turned back to Sookie. "Our nest mate Clancy didn't return to us last night."

"What do you think has happened?" asked the Were who had taken Sookie in his arms.

Gerald answered this time. "We got a note. The note said that the witches plan to drain one of our vampires for each day they have to search for Eric."

"But why?" Eric asked immediately. Why should any other vampire have to die for him? "I can't understand what makes me such a prize."

Silence hung in the air briefly; apparently no one else understood that, either. It wasn't a good feeling. He might have known that Sookie would be the one to realize what he was worth.

"How much blood can be got from one of you?" she asked.

"Let me see…" Pam did some mental calculations. "Six quarts."

Sookie nodded. "And how much blood do they sell in those little vials?"

"That's…" Again she trailed off to calculate. "Well, that would be less than a fourth of a cup. So Eric contains over ninety-six salable units of blood."

"How much you reckon they could charge for that?" Sookie pressed.

"Well, on the street, the price has reached $225 for regular vampire blood. For Eric's blood…" She glanced at him. "He is so old…"

"Maybe $425 a vial?"

Eric couldn't help but be chilled at the matter-of-fact way they discussed his value. Not even his value. His blood's value. To drug dealers.

"Conservatively," Pam said.

"So on the hoof," Sookie went on slowly, "Eric's worth…"

"Over forty thousand dollars."

No, he was worth more than that. Pam and Chow were willing to pay thirty-five thousand for Sookie to protect him, after all. But he said nothing.

When Pam named the price, it had elicited a small gasp from the fairy, and he redirected his attention to her. He was surprised to realize that at some point, he had slipped off his stool and taken a few steps closer to her. He wasn't the only one; Pam and Gerald stood right beside him.

"So do you think that's enough motivation?" Sookie was saying. "Eric spurned her. She wants him, she wants his stuff, and she wants to sell his blood."

"That's a lot of motivation," a female said from somewhere in the room. Eric had eyes only for the fairy.

Claudine laughed, clearly unaware that she was about to be drained. "Plus, Hallow's nuts."

"How do you know that, Claudine?" Sookie asked.

"I've been to her headquarters."

"Claudine, have you gone over?" The old Were leader's voice was stern, almost angry.

"James, shame on you!" the fairy replied. "She thought I was an area witch."

The old Were – James – did not sound pacified. "It would have saved us a lot of trouble if you'd told us that earlier than tonight, Claudine."

"A real fairy… I've only had one before," Gerald murmured to Pam and Eric.

Pam took a step forward. "They're hard to catch."

If either Pam or Gerald thought they would have the fairy instead of him, they were sorely mistaken. He pushed past them both.

"Now, now, anything with fangs, take a step back!" Claudine was still smiling, but there was an edge of worry in her voice.

Eric had no intention of taking a step back. He took another few steps towards her. In a flash, Sookie had placed herself between him and the fairy. She snapped her fingers, waving them in front of his face. "Eric, snap out of it!"

He licked his lips. The fairy's smell got sweeter with every step. He would have sex with her before he drained her. It would be a waste not to. "What?" he said absently in response to Sookie.

"She's off limits, Eric." His eyes fell to Sookie's frowning face. She laid a hand on his chest, and he felt her worry, her jealousy. "Hi, remember me? I don't know why you're in such a lather, fella, but you need to hold your horses."

He didn't know what most of that sentence meant, but he got the general idea. He kept his eyes on Sookie's. "I want her." How could he explain to this human what that fairy smelled like? The fierce hunger and desire she stirred?

Sookie bit her lower lip for a moment. She was hurt. Why? "Well, she's gorgeous, but she's not available. Right, Claudine?"

No, she had misunderstood entirely. The fairy could have been a warty, snaggle-toothed crone for all he cared. He wanted her blood, nothing more. He wanted to kill her, drink her, and never think of her again. With Sookie… he wanted all of her. All of her, every night. He wanted to make her eternal like himself.

"Not available to a vampire," Claudine told Sookie. "My blood is intoxicating to a vampire. You don't want to know what they'd be like after they had me."

Eric stepped closer. If Sookie would only let him have the fairy, they could move on much more quickly to the important matters at hand. It wouldn't take him long to drain her. Not long at all.

"Claudine," said Sookie over her shoulder, "I guess we need you to step outside now."

The fairy eyed the three vampires, nodded, and allowed James to escort her out. Everything became clear suddenly, and Eric blinked. What the fuck had that been about? He sought out Sookie's eyes again. Had he really…? Yes, he had. He would make it up to her later.

"Just like a big petit four," said Pam longingly. Eric didn't know what that was, but it must be something good.

"Vamps really like fairies, huh?" Sookie gave a slight smile, but he could feel her hurt and anxiety.

"Oh, yeah," Eric replied, echoed by Pam and Gerald.

Sookie frowned at them, lingering on Eric. "You know, she saved my life, and she's apparently helping us out on this witch thing."

She was still looking at him with disapproval when James returned. "Claudine was actually quite helpful," he told them.

Disinterested, Eric wrapped his arm around Sookie. She should have no doubts that she was the woman he wanted. Her displeasure with him was melting as she relaxed a little against him. He squeezed her shoulder, then trailed his hand down her back and over her round backside. Fairies, witches, Weres, all manner of things he cared nothing about. Perhaps he could convince her to leave all this, go home, and let him make love to her. He had several places in mind.

The conversation around him was completely lost until – much to his disappointment – Sookie took a step away from him and asked, "Claudine didn't say anything about prisoners who might have been there?"

"No, I'm sorry, Miss Stackhouse," James told her. "She didn't see anyone answering your brother's description, and she didn't see the vampire Clancy."

The others continued talking as Eric berated himself for being so flippant about this meeting. He may not remember anything about Clancy, but this was a man who worked for him, who was possibly even a friend. And Sookie's brother, too, was missing. Surely he hadn't become a Sheriff by brushing aside problems that got in the way of how he wanted to spend his time. He straightened his back and resolved to do his part to put an end to the witches.

It wasn't as if they had to reverse the spell on him before they died.

"It was the vampires that started it," came the ugly voice of a female Were.

Before any of the vampires could protest, Sookie came to their defense. "That is so untrue!"

"Vamp humper."

One second later, the Were bitch was flat on her back, and Eric was poised to bite. He snarled down at her, letting her get a good luck at the fangs that were about to end her life. But before he could rip out her throat, he felt two sets of strong arms pulling him away.

"Don't, Eric," Pam whispered. "Please."

Some of the Weres were already advancing on him, but he didn't care. He could kill them all with the help of Pam and Gerald.

"Silence!" the Were leader shouted. He was obeyed immediately. Eric respected this man, though it was a shame he was such a low breed. "Amanda, you will be polite to our allies, and you will keep your damn opinions to yourself. Your offense cancels out the blood he spilled." He nodded in Eric's direction. "No retaliation, Parnell!" he said angrily to a Were who was still curling his lip at Eric. The old man took one of Sookie's hands and patted it. "Miss Stackhouse, I apologize for the poor manners of the pack."

Eric still felt inclined to kill the sniveling bitch on the floor, but Pam hadn't stopped her whispered pleas for him to calm down. He realized that he was still straining against her and Gerald, and he relaxed his body.

"Y'all are having a party without me."

Another shifter sauntered into the bar, and her entrance prompted a tide of anger in Sookie.

Eric glanced swiftly at his lover, looking for any sign that he should kill the new arrival. She didn't look at him, which was slightly disappointing. His bloodlust was at fever pitch.

The woman joined the Were who had been embracing Sookie. "Hey, baby."

Eric heard Gerald's slightly accented voice behind him. "We'll call you if anything more happens in this meeting."

"Will you go with Sookie, Master?" Pam whispered. "I think she needs you, and there is nothing more she can do here."

He knew when he was being gotten rid of, but he didn't care. Sookie did need him, and he did want to take her home and forget everyone and everything in this room, if only for the night. He went along with Gerald and bared his fangs at the new Were when she called Sookie a bitch.

Chow had arrived and was waiting for them outside. He pushed Eric into the car like a bodyguard and shut the door behind him. Eric heard Chow tell Sookie to go home, and then she joined him in the car.

He felt weak and helpless, frustrated that he couldn't be the leader that Pam and the others seemed to expect. Their drive back to Sookie's house was quiet. He could feel her weariness and tension and anxiety.

"Why are vampires so hated by Weres?" he asked to break the silence.

She brought the car to a near stop as deer crossed the road in front of the car. There was a third behind the trees, but Sookie evidently couldn't see it, because she continued on her way after two had run by in graceful leaps.

"I don't know," she mused. "Vamps feel the same about Weres and shifters. The supernatural community seems to band together against humans, but other than that, you guys squabble a lot, at least as far as I can tell."

He let the subject drop and silence fell once again.

"Um… Eric?" Sookie said after a few minutes. He looked over at her. Her cheeks were flushed. "I appreciate your taking my part when that Amanda called me a name," she continued slowly. "But I'm pretty used to speaking up for myself when I think it's called for. If I were a vampire, you wouldn't feel you had to hit people on my behalf, right?"

But you aren't a vampire. You are fragile and mortal. Suggesting that he not defend her was like asking him not to feed. It was a compulsion as well as a pleasure. And he would not stand by while someone insulted her. "But you're not as strong as a vampire," he said at last. "Not even as strong as a Were."

"No argument there, honey," she said, laying one hand on his. The simple endearment made a warm pressure build inside his chest until it ached. "But I also wouldn't have even thought of hitting her, because that would give her a reason to hit me back."

He pondered this for a moment. "You're saying I made it come to blows when I didn't need to."

"That's exactly what I'm saying." She squeezed his hand.

He turned away and watched the dark trees scroll past him. "I embarrassed you."

"No!" Then she paused, and he felt her uncertainty. "No," she said again, firmly this time. "You didn't embarrass me. Actually, it made me feel good that you felt…uh… fond enough of me to be angry when Amanda acted like I was something stuck to her shoe. But I'm used to that treatment, and I can handle it." She sighed. "Though Debbie's taking it to a whole different level."

"Why are you used to that?"

She didn't answer, and her blood gave him no hint of what she felt. He watched her as she parked the car and turned it off. Her eyes darted around the yard, though he could have told her that they were completely alone. Together they walked up to the back door of her house. Eric inhaled her scent as she unlocked the door, and all memories of the fairy were lost.

She locked the dead bolt and remained still, facing the door. "Because I'm used to people not thinking much of barmaids," she said in a soft voice. After a moment's confusion, he realized that she was answering his question. "Uneducated barmaids. Uneducated telepathic barmaids. I'm used to people thinking I'm crazy, or at least off mentally. I'm not trying to sound like I think I'm Poor Pitiful Pearl, but I don't have a lot of fans, and I'm used to that."

He was ready to show her exactly what he thought of her. He had been thinking of little else since he rose for the night. "That confirms my bad opinion of humans in general," he said lightly as he removed her old, worn coat. She deserved much better. He draped it on a chair and turned around again to face her. As he smoothed her hair back behind one ear, he looked at her lips – he loved that bottom one, so soft and plump between his teeth – then into her eyes. "You are beautiful." Blood flooded her face, and it was intoxicating. She bowed her head and waved her hand in dismissal. "You are smart," he continued, sliding his hands down to rest on her hips. "And you are loyal." He took a step backwards to lean against the kitchen table, pulling her along with him. "You have a sense of fun and adventure."

She pushed half-heartedly against his chest with her palms, and he knew very well that she wanted to be right where she was. "Cut it out."

Smiling, he turned so that she was the one leaning against the table. "Make me." He toyed with the bottom edge of her shirt. "You have the most beautiful breasts I've ever seen." He saw the laugh in her eyes before he actually heard it. "You're brave." Still laughing, she laid her fingers over his lips. Never one to waste a good opportunity, he tasted them with his tongue, and he heard her breath catch in her throat. Her body was becoming more and more supple in his arms as her tension melted into arousal. "You're responsible…" he continued as she wrapped her arms around him. She grasped the material of his t-shirt with both hands, either for support or in passion. Perhaps both. "And hardworking."

With a short sound that was half-laugh, half-moan, she kissed him hungrily. All of her fatigue seemed to have melted away. Somehow her mouth tasted even better than he'd remembered; was it simply because he wanted her even more? She was breathless, cheeks flushed, eyes as dark as blue could be, when he drew back slightly.

He smiled. "There." He kissed the perfect bow of her upper lip. "You're creative, too."

After a flurry of arms, shed clothing, kisses, and sounds of impatience, she was on the kitchen table with her legs wrapped around his waist. "Eric, please," she said, reaching between them.

He caught her hand in his. "Patience, my lover. I don't often get to dine at a human's table. I want to enjoy every course." Though she tried to hold him up with her legs and, when that failed, her arms, he knelt down and looked up at her face, grinning. Then he lifted her foot to his mouth and worked his way up.

By the time he finished with her, they were on the living room floor, once again in front of her fireplace. All that remained were the ashes from before, but he knew that she was in no danger of being cold, even with his cool body pressed against hers. She was tracing her fingers over his skin, humming quietly to herself, while he lay there without a word. The tastes of her were still delicious in his mouth, and her body was warm and damp. The air was so thick with her scents – sweat, blood, sex – it made him heady.

She nuzzled against him. "Thank you," she murmured, her breath hot on his skin.

He lifted her chin with his finger so he could see her face. "No. You took me in off the road and kept me safe. You're ready to fight for me. I can tell this about you." He saw his reflection in her eyes: a man who looked happy. "I can't believe my luck. When this witch is defeated, I would bring you to my side. I will share everything I have with you." No more of this allowing people to look down on you when you are better than all of them. "Every vampire who owes me fealty will honor you."

She smiled, but she didn't believe him. Even if her blood hadn't told him, he would have seen it in her eyes. She lowered her head back to his chest, and he felt the brush of her eyelashes against his skin.

"You've made me very happy," she said, and her blood pulsed with it in her veins and in his.

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Sorry this chapter took so long, y'all! I've been working on it intermittently for weeks, but I've been busy, distracted, and stressed over a bunch of little things that all came in a row. And it didn't help that my muse took a vacation for a while. Anyway, thank you for all your sweet reviews and messages. I'll try not to keep you waiting so long next time.