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Enjoy this chapter! Happy Reading!

Chapter 4

EPOV

I'm finding it hard to control my screaming, primal urges standing this close to the fey hybrid with the intoxicating scent of her arousal hanging thick in the air around us and have to back away, heading back to my desk as she watches me curiously. I can feel her emotions swirling through the minor bond we now share; a strange mix of puzzlement, annoyance, and…lust? Interesting.

"Wait, why am I dreaming about you?" she asks then, rising to stand before my desk as she raises a challenging brow. "You got your blood into me, didn't you?" she accuses and this time it's my turn to raise a brow in her direction.

"That is correct," I concede as a slight scowl forms on her face. "Lest you forget, you turned up at my bar knocking on death's door, Ms. Stackhouse," I remind her, watching as her face softens slightly. "Though I suppose I could have left your beautiful skin marred permanently," I add as she reaches back, rubbing her hand over the smooth, perfectly healed flesh of her back.

"I suppose I should thank you then," she says softly as I feel her mixed emotions swirling once more. I nod my acceptance of her somewhat hesitant thanks before she begins again. "So, did you figure out what that thing was that attacked me?"

"It was a maenad," I inform her, shaking my head. "She expects me to provide proper tribute to her god, Dionysus. Her attack on you was a warning of sorts to me," I explain as a deep scowl forms on her face.

"She could have just told me to carry on the stupid message," she grumbles as I find myself nodding my agreement, a small smirk playing at my lips. "Please tell me you're providing that bitch tribute, Eric," she pleads somewhat irritably. "I really don't want to go through that shit ever again."

"Pamela and Chow are taking care of that as we speak, Lover," I assure her. "You're supple flesh should be quite safe from here on out," I inform her with a grin as a slight blush stains her cheeks. "Well, from the likes of pesky maenads anyways," I add, waggling my brows at her as she frowns and crosses her arms over her chest, even as I feel slight amusement rising from her.

"So," she says, clearing her throat loudly. "Maenads aside, I originally was coming as you called inquiring about my services for, well, something, you never actually told me what this was all about, actually," she muses aloud as I nod firmly, sitting up a bit straighter in my chair.

"Right," I say, clearing my own throat before pressing ahead. "A vampire has gone missing in Dallas, a very old and very important vampire and I had hoped to employ your unique services in aiding me with his rescue," I explain as she nods slightly, tilting her head at me as her emotions are bouncing around all over the place.

"And this important vampire," she says, lifting a brow at me. "He's someone important to you, right?" she questions as I freeze on the spot, wondering how on earth she's managed to come to such a conclusion.

"As a matter of fact, said vampire is rather important to me as he is the one who made me," I admit somewhat tersely, as Sookie's eyes widen in surprise before a small smile comes to her lips and she nods to me.

"Ah, so he's your Maker," she says, as if coming to some profound conclusion as a deep frown forms upon my face.

"Don't use words you couldn't possibly understand, Ms. Stackhouse," I answer tartly as another small smile perks at her lips.

"You hold a lot of love for him, don't you, Eric?" she questions softly as I hit her with a stern glare.

"And please don't use words that I couldn't possibly understand," I retort as she snorts, rolling her eyes at me.

"Fine, be that way," she says with a shrug. "I'll help you find 'the vampire that made you' that you don't actually 'love'," she concedes rather sarcastically as I find myself rolling my eyes at her, whilst feeling immensely grateful to hear her consenting to provide her services in finding Godric.

"I will readily provide means needed for transport and lodging in addition to your normal service fees," I assure her as she nods her agreement.

"Alright," she concedes. "When do we leave?" she questions as I stiffen once more, knowing she likely won't like my answer.

"Tonight," I inform her as her brows shoot to her hairline. "We are actually behind schedule in light of the maenad's unfortunate interference," I admit cautiously as she sighs loudly.

"I don't have anything packed," she starts as Pam enters the room, dropping a duffle bag to the couch with a sly smirk.

"Already taken care of, sweetness," she tells Sookie with a wink as the telepath looks to her in shock. "It's good to see you up and about again, by the way," she adds as Sookie grins to her, nodding her golden head.

"Thanks, Pam," she says with a genuine smile. "For everything," she adds as Pam smiles back to her, nodding her head as I feel the mutual feelings of comradery flowing from the both of them both. Interesting.

"And the tribute?" I question, standing from the desk as Pam hits me with an annoyed scowl.

"The flea infested bovine has been transported successfully," she growls out before looking down to her mud covered heels in disgust. "And you owe me a new pair of pumps," she adds irritably, bringing a small smirk to my face.

"Of course, my child," I concede. "Those were great pumps, by the way," I add as she smirks up at me, rolling her eyes, even as the bond between us is filled with the love she has for me.

"No matter, now I can upgrade," she quips as Sookie snickers lightly, bringing a wide grin from my child. "But I suppose you two should be off now," she adds, handing Sookie's duffle bag to her, hitting her with a meaningful look, meaningful of what, I can't be sure, but Sookie nods her understanding to my child before the two of us are exiting the office together.

"You and Pam are quite close," I muse aloud, ushering Sookie through the back door as she looks up to me with a small smirk.

"She has been dating my best friend for a while now," she replies matter of factly as I nod, not really sure I understand the convoluted relationships of women. We proceed to my red corvette and Sookie smirks at me once more, shaking her head as we enter the car together.

"You have a problem with my car?" I question as I speed from the parking lot, launching us through the night as I feel Sookie's anxieties steadily rising. I glance over to see her white knuckling the door handle and can't help the smirk that pulls at my lips as she shakes her head at me once more.

"It's just very you," she informs me, gripping the handle tighter as I speed around a sharp curve in the road.

"And you have a problem with this?" I question as she rolls her eyes at me, sighing lightly.

"Not really," she answers dismissively. "God, you vampires and you're insane driving," she grumbles as I chuckle lightly.

"I'll have you know, I'm an excellent driver," I insist as she raises a disbelieving brow at me. "We made it here just fine, didn't we?" I throw out, parking the car in the airport parking lot as Sookie looks around in amazement, nodding her head absently. "Come, Lover," I tell her, exiting the car.

"Lover," I hear her grumble behind me, making me hide a smirk. She joins me at the front of the car then and the two of us proceed towards the private plane I have waiting to transport us to Dallas. I can feel Sookie's anxieties steadily rising, much higher even than they were on the car ride over, and I look down to her curiously, seeing her gawking up at the plane before she gulps loudly.

"Afraid of flying, Ms. Stackhouse?" I question as she nods absently.

"Afraid of heights, actually," she says softly, pausing before the steps of the plane as I hear her heart racing rapidly. "I've never flown before," she adds nervously, hovering her foot over the first step as her pulse skyrockets.

"I've heard it said flying is the safest means of travel, Sookie," I say softly, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder as she nods a bit too quickly.

"Yeah, okay," she mutters before beginning a shaky ascend up the steps. She makes it to the cab and I place a hand at the small of her back, having to lead her further ahead as I feel a slight tremor run through her. We take our seats and Sookie fastens her belt, tightening the strap hard enough, I fear she may leave bruises upon her gracious hips.

"Are you alright?" I question softly. She nods vehemently, white knuckling the armrests as I feel her fears rising higher still. I place my hand over hers, running my thumb soothingly over her whitened knuckles before even recognizing what I'm doing, but as she gives me a weak smile, I realize the light touch must be helping ease her somewhat, so I keep up the comforting gesture for reasons I really don't want to look at too closely.

Sookie is finally calmed somewhat before the engines of the plane start and it's at this point she starts taking heaving breaths, her eyes widening in utter panic as her overwhelming fear is suddenly crashing through the small bond we share. Fuck, she's going to hyperventilate if I can't calm her down and she won't be any good to me or Godric if she's rendered unconscious.

"Shh, breathe, Lover, just breathe," I whisper against her ear, wrapping my arm around her tightly as she tucks her head against my chest, nodding against me. "I've got you, you'll be just fine," I say softly, running my hand over her hair gently as the plane begins racing down the runway.

I hold Sookie's trembling form close and can't help but take in her sweet, intoxicating scent as I continue to run my fingers soothingly through her golden tresses whilst basking in her radiating heat. Soon enough, I can feel her anxieties quelling marginally and before long her breathing is evened out as well, as she finally begins returning to her normal self once more.

I look down to her then and have to admit I rather like the sight of her held tightly in my arms, and just can't seem to quiet the small voice at the back of my mind that's telling me she belongs here, with me like this. Just how is she affecting me this strongly as of late? Could it be her fey heritage or possibly the small bond we now share? Or is it something more?

"Thanks, Eric," she whispers then, looking up to me with a small smile. "Sorry about that," she adds, sitting up straight once more. A small frown forms as my arms suddenly feel much too empty now as if they're missing the warm presence of her already. Dear Odin, where the fuck did that just come from?

"You're quite welcome, Ms. Stackhouse," I say then, having to clear my throat loudly as I try to shake off these disturbing thoughts this woman seems to be able to instill within me upon our every meeting as of late. "I take it you're feeling better?"

"Much," she says sweetly, a wide grin stretching over her face, managing to enhance her natural beauty. "You know, you can be kind of sweet when you want to be," she adds with a smirk as I look to her in surprise. Sookie giggles sweetly then, shaking her head at me. "Don't worry, I won't let anyone know the Viking Sheriff actually has a heart buried within that broad chest somewhere," she teases, poking my chest playfully as a smirk pulls at my lips despite myself.

"Good, I wouldn't want you marring my perfect reputation as a stern hard ass with such flowery nonsense," I tease back, bringing bubbling laughter from the highly amused telepath.

"Oh, heaven's no, we couldn't have that," she says through her tinkling laugher that I must admit is quite a delightful sound to have falling upon my ears.

"I do have a heart, you know," I find myself saying, even as I'm not exactly sure why I feel the need to defend myself. "It may beat within my chest no longer, but that does not mean it has been rendered completely inoperable."

"I know that, Eric," she says softly, patting the back of my hand softly as I raise an incredulous brow at her. "I'm not blind, you know," she states with a small smile. "I see the way you are with Pam. It's clear you love your child very much," she explains.

"I do," I admit, earning me a firm nod from the much too perceptive telepath. "And you weren't wrong about what you said earlier in my office either," I admit softly as she looks to me in puzzlement. "I do hold much love for my Maker," I admit, a deep frown forming on my face as the overwhelming worry I have for Godric is welling up within me.

"We'll get him back, Eric," she says gently, looking to me with clear sympathy shining in her bright, blue orbs.

"Thank you," I tell her then, letting out a small sigh. "For everything, I mean; Godric's rescue means everything to me and your willingness to offer your services is something I appreciate greatly," I admit to her. Her brows are raised in surprise and I can feel her shock at hearing my earnest words before she gives me a warm smile.

"Of course," she says, squeezing my hand gently. "And you're very welcome. I'm happy to be able to do this for you," she insists as a grateful smile pulls at my lips. I squeeze her hand back, giving her a nod before settling back in my seat once more, feeling immensely grateful for the kind and forgiving nature of the fey telepath. I just hope between the two of us, we can manage to come out of this rescue mission successful, that we can manage to ensure my Maker's place at my side once more.

AN: Next chapter, Godric enters the scene! :)