Thank you so much for the reviews guys, it's so nice to receive the note in my email account and then read your nice words.

So I'm posting the update sooner than I planned with some sweet lemon and a little cliffy :)

She drove a while until the light stopped at a door that she quickly recognized. She stopped the car and helped Freyda out of it. Sookie opened the door and was received by Pam.

"Thank God there you are!" She said relieved.

Sookie looked up at her smiling, happy to see that Pam considered as a friend.

"Who's that old woman?"

"It's what's left of Freyda, the Witch of Waste."

Pam arched an eyebrow.

"The High Pythoness' punition." Sookie explained as she put the old Witch on the couch and helped her lie down.

"I don't like her" Cataliades informed as his sparkling eyes fixed her. "I don't trust her."

"And yet you let her in." Pam added.

"I didn't, Sookie did." He replied.

Sookie rolled her eyes. She was suddenly feeling tired and worried for Eric not coming back.

Pam went upstairs leaving Sookie alone with the sleeping Witch and Cataliades.

She tried to stay awake but soon enough she fell asleep still sitting on the chair in her white dress.

A few hours later, the door opened and Cataliades looked towards the shadow moving in.

"Have you seen how you look like?" He asked Eric. "You're outdoing yourself!"

Eric, whose arms and legs were partially burnt, just moved towards the stairs to his bedroom.

Sookie woke up when she heard the door of his bedroom close.

"Is it Eric? Is he back?" She asked Cataliades. She sat up as she noticed the blood on the floor. Her finger touched a strain of blood and she could feel it still warm. She stood up and lit a candle, then walked towards the staircase.

Sookie could tell by the blood she saw on the stairs that Eric was badly injured. She followed the trail of blood to his bedroom's door. She stopped and put her ear on the door trying to hear something.

"Eric?"

Since it was silent, she slowly opened the door and entered the room. It was plunged in darkness, only lightened by the candle she was holding. She moved her hand and found him sitting on his bed, his back towards her.

He had his cloak still on and his head bent down. She walked slowly around the bed until she stood in front of him. He was breathing hard and she could tell he was hurt.

"Eric" She said again worried. "What happened to you?"

"Don't stay here Sookie" He said with a raspy growling voice and distress in his eyes.

"No Eric, I want to help you, tell me what to do. I want to free you from this curse." She put the candlestick on the nightstand.

"You can't help me as you can't free yourself from your own curse."

"I would do anything for you Eric" she said, putting carefully her hand on his cheek.

He looked up at her and she gasped when she noticed his extended fangs and how the skin of his handsome face was burnt.

"Oh Eric" she said with sadness.

He lifted his hand to her face and his thumb caressed the soft skin of her face, smiling to her when he saw that her face was the one of the girl he'd met.

"You need to heal" she added. "Do you want me to get you blood?" she asked.

He shook his head.

She hesitated then asked "Do you want my blood?"

He stared at her with a mixture of shock and desire, then finally slowly nodded.

Sookie felt her cheek burn and she moved her right wrist to his. He took it in his hands and guided her to lie down next to him on the bed.

They looked at each other in silence and finally Eric brought her wrist to his mouth. Sookie's heart accelerated as she followed his moves until his fangs pierced her flesh. She gasped first with pain but it was soon replaced by a moan of pleasure rejoined by Eric's.

He pulled her against him as he drank and held her tight against his chest. Sookie saw his skin heal as he gulped her blood, moaning. After a few gulps, he licked the punctures and his mouth, still on her skin, moved up along her arm to her neck where he nuzzled. Sookie couldn't hold back the gasp of pleasure she felt. His arms were like snakes moving around her body to keep her in his strong hold and it felt good.

His lips caressed her skin under her ear and she could hear the low rumble from his chest. His tongue licking her ear send shivers down her spine right to her center. She was burning and yet she had never felt more alive. He finally brought his lips to hers and kissed her, slowly, his tongue seeking hers and taking it languorously.

She finally moved her hand to grip his hair and he growled, trapping her under him, flexing his hips. Her body responded by opening her legs. His hands moved to her thighs then up to her hips, bringing her dress up in the process.

Sookie shivered when his nails lightly scraped her skin. She sought for air and his mouth moved to her neck. He pulled the top of her dress down and licked her nipples as he flexed his hips against her, Sookie's hips responding back.

Eric sat suddenly up and took off his cloak before pulling Sookie's dress off. He took her naked body in his arms and kissed her passionately laying her back on the bed.

Sookie looked at him with the same glazed eyes as his. She couldn't mutter a word, she felt completely lost in his touch and when he leant down on her to kiss her, she fell even deeper under his control. He stopped kissing her and stared at her when he entered her. He waited for her to adjust then entered her completely. They moved together taken by the spiral of their desire, increasing their thrusts until they reached climax.

Sookie stared at him wondering how she could feel so wonderful when they were both terribly cursed. Eric caressed her cheek, looking at her with awe and kindness.

"Sleep my Sookie" He whispered to her, kissing her gently.

Just as she closed her eyes, she thought she heard him leave the bed and the room.

It was the sound of the entry door that awoke her.

She sat up in the bed and looked around her. She was all alone in Eric's bedroom and she couldn't help but feeling disappointed and the fear of losing him. She stood up and went to the bathroom. As she stood in front of the mirror, she noticed that her face was a bit less swollen.

When she was dressed, she went downstairs and saw that Freyda was still asleep. She went on to prepare breakfast and went to Cataliades with her kettle.

"Has Eric left?" she asked him.

"Sookie, you must hurry finding the curse that bonds me to Eric." His flames were jittery. "We don't have time, we must act fast"

"Or he will burn from the inside? So what the High Pythoness showed me wasn't a lie…"

"I can't tell you" he answered. "I'm not a medium, just a Demon." His flames moved around.

Sookie leant down and stared at Cataliades with gravity.

"The High Pythoness told me something. She said that Eric gave you something very precious. What is it? And where did you put it?"

The flames reduced as if Cataliades was trying to hide under his logs.

"It's a secret I can't share, it's part of the pact."

"No kidding!" Sookie said straightening up, her hands on her hips. "What if I throw a bucket of water on you?"

"You wouldn't dare!" Cataliades exclaimed with worry and added "Eric would die with me."

Sookie shrugged, went to the door and opened it to the woods. Outside, the morning fog was slowly rising and she could smell the familiar scent of dead leaves. Fall was coming.

She heard the bushes move behind her and turned around to see Sam the dog appear.

"Hi Sam" She leant down to scratch his head. "We'll have to be brave."

The dog barked at her and licked her arm. Sookie smiled at him and walked back to the Dead Castle.

She spent the day cleaning the castle, using her energy in something useful. The old Freyda had been deeply weakened by the High Pythoness and even Cataliades' magic couldn't protect her from daylight as it did with Eric and Pam. So Sookie had hidden her in one of the bedroom.

When night arrived, Pam showed up and looked around.

"I need to go to town Sookie. With the old bitch here we need more blood." She eyed Sookie up and down, an eyebrow up "Well I guess Eric has found his own deliverer."

Later that evening, Pam came back but Eric was still gone. Sookie spent the night with Freyda sitting and staring at the fire while Pam was reading some magazine. Cataliades was still very suspicious.

"Be careful Sookie, it's still Freyda, an old Vampire."

"There's no danger, she lost all her powers." Sookie answered back.

"Why is she staring at me then?" He asked her.

"What a pretty fire" Freyda mumbled with a raspy voice.

Just then the lock on the door turned and the door opened. Eric entered the castle wearing black trousers and the pink shirt, smiling.

"Eric" Sookie whispered gazing at him, her heart hammering in her chest.

He smiled at her and then looked around.

"So we have a new guest in the castle. Cataliades, you let her in?"

"I didn't!" he exclaimed back "Sookie did"

Suddenly Eric laughed warmly.

"This Dead Castle is getting too small. Cataliades, we need some changes."

The old Freyda was staring at Eric.

"What a handsome man" she said with her raspy voice.

Eric grabbed the shovel besides the fireplace and placed it in front of Cataliades who moved on the shovel. Eric went to the middle of the room and turned towards the three women.

"Don't move!" He instructed them.

He held the shovel right in front of him and closed his eyes. The crystal around his neck started to shine and his hair started to float. Suddenly the little flame in the shovel turned into a flamboyant fire. Cataliades' form became stronger and the energy of his flame moved around faster and faster until the Dead castle began to crack.

Sookie stared around her and she could see that the room became larger, doors appeared on the walls and new furniture appeared out of nowhere.

The energy finally fell down and the flame returned to its normal size.

"It's done" Eric said and place Cataliades carefully back in the fireplace.

Sookie gasped. The Dead Castle was no longer the desolated place Sookie had known. The walls were covered in a way that strangely reminded her of her Gran's house. The furniture were in the same fashion and for the first time, Sookie felt like being home.

Pam stood up "I hope you didn't redecorate my room, Eric. You know the risk of doing so." She menaced.

Eric giggled "Don't worry Pam, your bedroom is exactly the same."

Sookie walked to the window and gasped when she realized that she was staring at her old gravel yard.

"This is-" she said with wonder.

Eric went to her "Come Sookie, I have something to show you."

She followed him to a door "I added a room for you. Look"

She walked inside and gasped when she recognized her old bedroom. She could feel tears in her eyes. She turned to Eric

"This room? Why?"

"Because I thought it would make you happy." He said, leant against the door frame, smiling genuinely when he saw that her face had returned to her beautiful one. "Don't you like it?"

"No, I like it a lot." She looked around. "It's perfect for a cleaning lady" She added resigned and as she looked at him, her face was back to the swollen one.

"There is a wardrobe for you, but you can see it later. Come with me."

She followed him out of her bedroom to the entry door of the castle. Eric opened it and as Sookie approached, her heart was pounding in her chest. It was as if she was in her Gran's house.

"Look Sookie, I changed the colors on the lock."

He closed the door and turned the lock on the red one. "That's one of the new exits."

When he opened the door again, fresh air hit them. Sookie stepped outside and gasped. She was standing in the middle of mountains in the bright summer.

"It's a little gift for you" Eric told her holding her gaze. "After you" he said showing her the way.

Sookie was amazed. She was surrounded by fields of wild mountain flowers slowly dancing in the fresh blowing wind. Far away she could see high mountain tops still covered with snow, highlighted by the deep blue sky and reflected by the lakes a few meters away from them.

"So what do you think of my secret garden?" Eric asked her as he took her hand and walked her towards the lakes.

"It's breathtaking." Sookie whispered, completely amazed by the beauty of the landscape. "Where is it?" She asked him

"We are in Sweden." He told her smiling.

She stared at him chocked.

"Cataliades' powers are unlimited" he explained.

Sookie let go of Eric's hand as they reached the border of the lake, and she ran to it, twirling around.

"Oh thank you so much Eric! This is wonderful, I love it with all my heart. It's like being in a dream."

Eric came standing next to her, staring at her intently. Her face had returned to her pretty one.

She looked back at him "It's strange, I feel like I've been here before."

He took her hand "Come with me." He whispered.

They walked on the bright green grass and as they reached the top of the hill, Sookie smiled as she noticed a little wooden house in a very old structure, which reminded her of the Viking style.

"There, you see" he pointed her the house "It's the house where I used to spent time alone when I was a young Human."

"You came here alone?" She asked with sadness.

"My uncle showed me this place. It was our secret. I haven't been here since then." He looked down at her. "But now Sookie, you can come here whenever you want."

She stared back at him and saw him lean down. She closed her eyes just as his lips touched hers. It started gently and as Sookie was pulled closer against his body, she let herself fall over again in his embrace. She could feel her body react as strongly as it did the night before.

When Eric broke the kiss, he could see the desire burn in her eyes. He smiled at her and turned back towards the little house.

As he started to walk down the hill, Sookie stood back letting go off his hand.

He stopped just as he felt his hand emptied of hers and looked back at her.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked her worried.

"I'm afraid." She said and looked down. "I'm afraid to lose you and not seeing you ever again." Her eyes found his. Her stare was grave. "Eric, why don't you tell me the truth? You know that even if you're a monster, it doesn't change how I feel."

Eric walked back up to her smiling. He gently put his hand on her cheek.

"The only thing that counts for me is that you're all happy in the Dead Castle and that you don't need anything. Look at all these flowers, you could sell them in the new house? It would be wonderful for you Sookie."

"And do all that whilst you would be gone?" Sookie asked him trying to hide the disappointment she was feeling. "No, I want to stay with you Eric, I want to help you" She looked down at their feet. "I know I'm not pretty, but at least I would help you taking care of the Dead Castle."

"What are you saying? Of course you're pretty Sookie!"

Eric suddenly noticed how her face slowly became swollen again.

"With this face, I know I'm not and I don't care." She whispered her eyes closed.

Eric stared at her with pain, feeling her sadness course in her veins. He wanted to hold her in his arms, but then he felt something coming from the Castle.

"We have to go back to Cataliades" He finally said and took her hand. They almost ran to the door and just as they entered, Eric turned the lock on the black color and disappeared in the darkness.

Pam came to help Sookie inside.

"What happened?" She asked her.

"I don't know! Cataliades, what happened?" Sookie asked him.

"Rogues are attacking the city." He answered.