A/N: Reviews were amazing as always, encouraging me to get this up fast. As pointed out by Missy789 who noticed some errors I sheepishly own up to, the fact this story is un-beta'd does shine through when mistakes I haven't noticed make an appearance. So, sorry for that! I am interested in finding a Beta so if anyone is interested and wants to give it a go then PM me!

Disclaimer: I do not own True blood; I just borrowed the characters for a bit of fun!

Chapter Twenty-Four
A Meet & Greet

Sookie couldn't have been more relieved even if she tried when Godric swiftly told Tara that if she did not make a quick exit as ordered than Eric, as the owner of the property, was in every right to escort her off his property. She hadn't back Tara up when her so-called friend had protested before her face had gone a pale white as the implication Godric had subtly made clicked into place. If Tara didn't leave as ordered the result would not be pretty.

It was as if Tara had forgotten who exactly she was talking back to.

Tara may be used to getting away with this kind of attitude at Merlotte's, Sam not one to harshly scold his staff, but she was in a vampire club. Eric wasn't the type of vampire who would allow himself to be disrespected, let along in front of his maker, childe, patrons and the vampires of his area. Tara was lucky she was just being asked to leave.

Leaning her head back against the booth Sookie closed her eyes in frustration.

"You need to keep better company, älskling" Godric's soft voice murmured against her ear. Reflexively she found herself turning towards him.

"I know," she admitted. "But in case you haven't noticed making friends isn't exactly my strong suit."

"You underestimate yourself."

Sookie shrugged off the comment, knowing his attempts at flattering her were in order to try and cheer her up. It worked to some extent, but it was hard to take it seriously.

"I should get going."

"I will drive you home," Godric offered before she could make a move to leave the booth. The night was still young but she wasn't in the mood to stick around any longer, not when her bed was calling. The night as far as she was concerned had been a disaster.

"You don't have to."

"You are tired," Godric helped her from the booth. "It isn't safe for you to drive."

That night she invited Godric inside her home.

Waking up late Sookie wasn't surprised that she hadn't slept well, her eyes aching with the remains of sleep as she pulled aside her sheets. She couldn't help but wonder whether her sleeping habits were becoming affected by all of the nights she spent awake.

If she kept this up she would be running on the same timeline as Eric, Pam and Godric.

The next few days were drama free much to Sookies relief. The only altercation she had been forced to deal with was the first shift she had back in Merlotte's, both Tara and Arlene glaring at her until they seemed to grasp the fact that for once she wasn't going to be the one to apologise. For once in her life she wasn't going to cave in an say sorry for something that wasn't her fault.

She had done nothing wrong as far as she was concerned.

It hadn't taken them more than an hour into the afternoon shift to realise that if they wanted to remain on good terms then they would need to be the ones who needed to suck it up. Sookie may value their friendship, but if she was being honest with herself she couldn't find it in her to act all happy and smiley when Tara had practically insulted her and those she cared about, and Arlene had for some reason believed it to be ok to ask a her to tell one of her friends who happened to be a vampire to have sex with her just for the sake of saying she had experienced a vampire lover.

Talk about breaking someone's trust.

It also didn't help that Arlene genuinely didn't seem to feel that she had overstepped her mark, but her apology of "I'm sorry I made it feel as if I was in the wrong" was probably going to be the best she got from the other waitress.

Tara, however, was still holding a grudge.

Sighing audibly, Sookie gently brushed down any creases she had missed in her ironing while she stared at her reflection with a critical eye. Godric had been the one to call on her at Merlotte's a few days after the disaster that was the other day, requesting her presence at Fangtasia as to scan the club to see if she could pick up on anything they needed to be made aware of.

At least Eric was taking her up on her offer.

She had yet to speak to Jason after the whole situation with Eric, but from what she could tell he was attempting to keep a low profile. It was still humiliating when she thought about how her own flesh and blood and acted when it came to asking Eric for leniency for murder for heaven's sake, and yet all he could manage was a sheepish shrug as if he wasn't dealing with a verdict that could end in either pain or death.

Idiot boy.

In the end Eric had informed her that he had indeed spoken to Jason about how he was going to be punished. She may have saved him from being kept in that horrific basement but there were still consequences for his actions, and she had told Eric that as long as it both legal and it didn't harm her brother or anyone else, as far as she was concerned Jason was in his debt.

He needed to work his way towards redemption and forgiveness.

Shaking her head, by the time Sookie reached Fangtasia after her shift she was more than a little keyed up. She had already told herself that she wasn't going to drink tonight, needing a clear head considering she was on a job.

If she was being honest with herself she didn't want to disappoint Godric or Eric. After scanning the drainers who had been keeping Felicia prisoner in order to drain her dry for the purpose of making money it had really hit her just how much she could get out of scanning certain people. She had saved a woman's life; she hated to think what would have happened had she not pulled it from his thoughts when she had.

Felicia could have died.

"Hey Chow," Sookie greeted, cringing at the comments she was on the receiving end of as she skipped the line. "Busy?"

"Yes, we have already reached full capacity" he snapped his fangs at a nearby woman in line who'd overhead. Everyone ooh'd and ah'd except the female on the receiving end of it.

"I thought you didn't do door duty," she frowned. The majority of her visitors saw to Chow being behind the bar.

"Pamela is training a new bartender," he grunted.

"Oh."

Chow stared at her before stepping aside, "Eric is waiting for you in his office. He wishes to introduce you to the new member of staff."

Smiling, Sookie thanked him before heading inside after taking a few seconds to mentally prepare herself. Once she was positive her mental shields were indeed in place she made her way around the dance floor, trying to avoid the sweaty dancers and already intoxicated patrons.

Knock Knock

"Come in, Sookie."

Opening the door, Sookie froze when she caught sight of a beautiful golden skinned vampire sitting opposite Eric's rather intimidating desk, her dark hair elegantly twisted and pinned into a bun which looked as if it belonged in a wedding magazine featuring celebrities.

Gorgeous didn't even begin to describe it.

Appearance wise she looked quite youthful for a vampire, older than Godric but younger than Eric at the age they were turned. It was the way in which she was dressed that made it clear that she was many years older than her physical looks. She gave elegant a whole new definition.

Not to mention at six feet tall she had legs that would put a model to shame.

"Hi," she smiled nervously. "I'm Sookie."

Dark eyes widened briefly before her flawless features smoothed out in an expression of polite greeting. It settled Sookie's nerves somewhat, the fact it was clear there wasn't going to be any unnecessary tension a relief. "It is nice to meet you, Sookie. My name is Felicia."

Ah!

Knowing how prideful vampires were Sookie didn't risk insulting the woman by pointing out how she had found herself in a situation where she needed saving. Instead she simply asked "How are you feelin'?" in the hopes it wouldn't come across as her being too personal.

Felicia nodded, "I am very well thank you."

"She is the new bartender," Eric cut in smoothly, taking in his little telepaths bright yellow dress with an amused expression. It looked pretty on her, Godric will be pleased. "I have decided to put Pam in charge of showing her the ropes."

"Oh," Sookie winced, mumbling a "good luck with that" which had Eric smirking widely.

"Pamela knows to behave nicely, don't you childe?"

Clearly having been eavesdropping, Pam breezed into the office, dressed in a blood red cat suit that had her eyes widening and cheeks flushing. She had to give Pam credit for having the confidence to wear such a tight fitting outfit, then again Pam wasn't anything other than bold and brass.

"I'm always nice," Pam flashed fangs. It was then she took in what her maker's telepath was wearing. "We need to get you some heels, I'm sick of seeing you wearing flats."

Sookie frowned, staring down at her shoes. "There's nothing wrong-"

"They make you look short," Pam cut her off.

"I can't exactly help my height, Pam."

Pam laughed, "why do you think heels were invented, darling? You have delicious legs, why you seem so adamant in not flaunting them I do not know. I shall take you shopping; clearly you are in need of a new wardrobe."

"Pam-"

"You won't have to spend a penny of course, Eric has plenty of money and adores spoiling his women," she shot her maker a grin, "not to mention he owes me a new pair of shoes, it's a win win situation for the both of us."

"I'm not going to take Eric's money, Pam."

Pam rolled her eyes, "fine" she sighed, "I'll pay and settle it with Eric when I get back."

Sookie opened her mouth to say that wasn't really what she was trying to get at when Pam cut her off once again, "we'll get you some more suitable club wear, yellow is not on the dress code" Pam continued, eying her soft yellow dress with obvious disapproval.

"There is nothing wrong is Sookie's choice of outfit, Pamela" Eric drawled. "In fact she looks rather edible."

Sookie rolled her eyes, "thank you, Eric."

Pam's irritation flared. "As part owner of this club it is my responsibility to make sure all staff look presentable. You have been coming here more often-"

"Because I have no choice-"

"-and the last thing our patrons expect to see is you dressing like a nun. You are completely ruining the atmosphere of the place which is unacceptable. Just because you practically reek of-"

Eric cut her off before his snarky childe went too far, a hissed "Pamela!" all it taking to warn Pam that she was extremely close to overstepping her boundaries and should tread carefully. While Eric did indeed find it delicious how his lovers cheeks flushed with a soft pink, the fact it was out of humiliation rather than flattery did not appeal to him in the slightest.

Sookie's virgin status was a common thought which filtered across his mind, his makers as well if he knew Godric like he did. He was also aware that it was a sore spot for her, a common insult when it came to the dreadful vermin she seemed to deem her friends.

Pam got the hint, backing down with a scowl only for her lips to quirk a few seconds later. "So Felicia, I see you've met our Sookie Stackhouse" she exaggerated the last name.

Sookie frowned when she saw Felicia flinch.

"Stackhouse?"

Sookie nodded slowly, "Yeah."

"You killed the last bartender," Felicia spoke flatly, though Sookie could see the unease the thought created within the tall vampire goddess. She frowned in response, turning to face Pam with a raised brow the blonde vampire simply grinned at. It wasn't hard to see why it had Felicia so nervous, the fact she hadn't been the one to actually kill Longshaw wouldn't matter. She was a human, involved in the murder of a vampire right under the Sheriffs nose, and yet here she was fearless and unpunished.

Eric wasn't known for his leniency among his kind. Returning her attention to Felicia, "I didn't kill Longshaw."

"But Pam-"

Sookie rolled her eyes. "Pam is teasing, another vampire killed Longshaw. I was there, but it wasn't me who staked him through the heart."

Felicia didn't look convinced.

Moving to take a seat on the leather couch, trying not to think about all the women Eric had probably taken on the piece of furniture, Sookie scanned the room before Eric caught her attention, dark eyes staring directly into hers like they always seemed to.

"Felicia has relocated from Peter's area; she will be working closely with Chow for now."

Sookie nodded, not understanding but appreciating the fact Eric seemed to want to keep her in the loop. She certainly hadn't expected him to seemingly take a leaf out of Godric's book and begin to open up to her.

To be honest it threw her for a loop.

Just what was he after?

Reviews = sexy Eric and adorable Godric

xxx