Spellbound

The response to this story has been overwhelming and I absolutely love it! Thank you all so very much. I have received so many excellent new titles that I don't know what to choose from so I think that I'll stick with the one that I already have. I can't decide.

I also want to say that the main characters belong to Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball (Godric). I just own the story idea.

As Sookie put the last of her belongings in the spare bedroom, she thought of the first time she'd met him.

Her grandfather had set up the impending meeting. Sookie had known that she had always been promised to the Viking. Her family never kept that a secret but the thought of finally meeting him did nothing to calm her nerves. She'd heard of how strong and how handsome he was. She'd heard how the women loved him. She'd heard of his prowess and she was nervous. She didn't think that she would be beautiful enough for him. Eric Northman, the most handsome vampire some say that they've ever seen and she was promised to him.

"I'm nervous," she said to her grandmother.

"You'll do fine," Adele said. "He's lucky to have been given the chance to love you. Everything is going to work out just fine."

And it did. It was a beautiful night and it was night that she knew that her life was going to change forever. When she saw him standing at the bottom of the stairs waiting for her, she was gone. She was instantly and hopelessly in love.

He was handsome yes, but she saw something more in his eyes. He wasn't like the other vampires she'd met in passing. He was filled with life and passion. He wanted a life filled with adventure and fun and it was written on his face, in his smile. It didn't look out of place on his face. That smile was calling her to him and she answered it.

She was supposed to wait for Fintan to introduce them but she didn't. She walked right up to him and placed her small, warm hand to his face. That one simple touch told everyone in attendance, fae and vampire alike, that she was not going to fight this marriage arrangement. She wanted him and she thought that he wanted her just as much. She was led to believe that he wanted her just as much as she wanted him.

He knew how she felt about him the very moment they'd met. He could see it in her eyes. His blue eyes burned with desire when he saw her. She could see it. She could feel it. He told her how beautiful that she was. His eyes didn't travel over her body. They stayed trained on her eyes. She was quickly infatuated with him and just knew that he felt the same way about her.

He'd do things for her while they were dating that led her to believe that even though he is a vampire, he could love her. He'd say things that that made her believe that he loved her. He bought her tulips, Godiva chocolates, and would take moonlit walks with her in her grandmother's garden. He even shared with her. He shared extremely personal things with her.

He told her a little about how he came to be a vampire. He even once hinted around about his human life. He was so open and so free when they were together. She couldn't wait to be married to him. If dating him was that romantic, she couldn't wait to see what married life would be like but they still had to have the talk.

They'd had the talk about how vampires are around others of their kind when they are with their partners, their lovers. They couldn't be affectionate. They couldn't show their feelings. They would be viewed as being weak; unworthy of the blood. It would put them and their mates in danger. She understood it but she had no idea that Eric would take things to the extreme when it came to their marriage.

Sookie had always heard that people change after they were married but Eric's changes were beyond drastic. He wasn't the man that she believed him to be but she believed that it had to do with the politics that would forever be on their shoulders. It wasn't a problem for her though. She understood politics. Her grandfather was very political. He married a human but he loves her. There was no reason why Eric couldn't love Sookie just as Fintan loves Adele.

So, Sookie continued to fearlessly believe that if she loved him enough during their marriage, that Eric would be as he was when they'd first started dating; attentive, affectionate, and caring. Her cousin Claudine had warned her that it was part of the courting ritual.

"You can't read too much into it, Sookie. He's a vampire. Grandfather warned you that his so called sweetness wouldn't last." She sneered at Sookie. "He's a vampire. They're all alike."

Sookie didn't believe that. She may have been a romantic at heart but she believed that he loved her. She wanted to believe that he would always love her. He just couldn't show it because he's a vampire. She hated that it took her so long to see that Claudine was right. She finally realized that she had been living a fantasy.

"Mrs. Northman?"

Sookie turned to see Jane Bodehouse, one of their housekeepers, standing at her bedroom door watching Sookie put fresh linens on her bed.

"Yes, Jane."

"I've put all of your toiletries in the bathroom. You have clean towels as well. You don't have to do that. I can change the sheets for you. That's my job. That's why you pay me."

Sookie shook her head no. "Thank you for the offer but I can handle it from here. You can go home and be careful. Have a good night, Jane and I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Goodnight, Mrs. Northman," she said. "Oh, and Mrs. Northman?" she called out.

"Hmm," Sookie replied as she put the fitted sheet on her bed.

"I hope that things get better between you and the master. I hate seeing you so sad," she whispered.

Sookie didn't say that things would get better or that she'd hoped that they'd get better. She said the only thing that she could say. "Goodnight, Jane."

Pretty soon, Sookie was in the house alone. It wasn't like it was new to her; being alone. When Eric would be California updating vampires on the Fae/Vampire treaty, Sookie would be in New York doing the same thing. When they traveled together, she'd be with the other wives the entire trip. She very rarely saw Eric unless it was close to dawn and he wanted to fuck her. When it came to vacations, she went to her family's vacation home alone. Eric was always too busy when vacation time came or he didn't have time or something always seemed to come up.

"I'll be along later," he'd say.

Later never came.

Sookie almost laughed. She was a married woman and she was alone. She was tired of being alone.

She wanted to leave Eric a couple of months ago but her grandparents talked her out of it. They told her that she had an obligation to her family, to her people. Fintan told her that she needed to try and disentangle herself from the situation. He told her to detach herself. He freely gave her terrible advice but didn't tell her how to disentangle or detach herself from someone that she loves.

At the time, she said that it was impossible not to love Eric. She couldn't not love him. They didn't want to hear it. Her grandmother told her to not give up on him. She said that all newlyweds go through this. Adele kept telling her that she needed to give him a chance because she believed that Eric loves her.

What it all boils down to is that her grandparents didn't have her best interests at heart. So, she made her own decision. She went to the AP.

Well, the AP came to her.

The AP told Sookie that it would be best if she visited her suite. The AP knew that her guest was being followed and whatever she and Sookie discussed was no one's business but their own. So, she arrived at Sookie's hotel suite under wraps.

When she arrived, the AP told Sookie that she had to be sure of she wanted to do. "Everything that you've worked so hard for could be destroyed. The reconciliation of the races is at a civil and peaceful level now. It hadn't been like this in hundreds of years. In these last few years, we've made some wonderful accomplishments. The wars have stopped. The numbers of the fae have multiplied. The vampires and the fae have been working together. We have been able to live as one. You know that if you leave him, things may not be as peaceful as they are now. They may go back to the way they were."

Sookie looked sadly at the AP. "Andromeda, I don't want that anymore than anyone else does but I can't live like this anymore."

She reached for Sookie's hand. "Dear one, you have other options but I'm not sure if you are up to it."

"I'll do anything to save our people; fae and vampire alike. We've worked hard to get to this stage and I don't want to destroy it. I just don't know if I can stay with him anymore. What can I do to keep things as they are and keep the little bit of dignity that I have left?"

Andromeda looked deeply into Sookie's eyes and said, "You'll have to marry another vampire; a powerful vampire. The vampire that you choose will have to be just as powerful as your husband. There are two vampires that were lined up for you just in case something happened to the Viking before you came of age. Do you want to do this? Can you do this? Are you willing to go from one loveless marriage to another?"

Could she stand it? Could she stand being in another relationship with another vampire? Are her people worth saving? Are the vampires worth saving?

"I have a few questions, first."

Andromeda nodded at Sookie.

"If I do this, will any of the treaties that Eric and I put into practice remain the same or will they be null and void?"

"They will remain the same but any obligations that you two have made as a politically married couple will no longer be any of his responsibility. They will automatically transfer to your new mate. As far as the council is concerned, it'll be as if Eric was never a part of it."

Sookie's eyes were sad and sullen. "Will Eric have to know about this before I make a decision?"

"He will not. He will only be told after the marriage between you two has been dissolved."

"He may not love me but he's very possessive of anything that's supposed belong to him. He can be irrational at times. He has shown hostility when I've had to dance with a king or a council member at a function. He can be unreasonable when it comes to me and other males. If he does something, something unreasonable, what's going to happen to him?"

Eric wasn't in love with her but any and all vampires have been warned to stay away from his wife. He has promised any of them final death if they so much as brushed against her. If they are not a council member or a monarch, Eric has had some problems.

"He'll no longer have a position of power," Andromeda answered. "He will be punished."

Sookie winced. "I don't want anything to happen to him."

Andromeda touched Sookie's hand. "You don't have to tell him anything. You and I will be the only ones to know. We can keep it quiet."

"And if I don't choose a new mate?"

Andromeda sighed. "You and your people will be sent back to Faery. The portal will be forever closed and all treaties will be dissolved. Things will return to the way they were before. The fae will not be able to walk this world without being targeted. The treaties with the vampires have kept them safe. If the union ends, our fates are sealed; the wars, the destruction, and the death. Things will be as they were before."

That helped her make her decision.

"Yes. I can do this. I can marry another vampire. This time, I'll know what to expect. I won't be misled. I won't give the vampire my heart. I won't be going into this marriage blindly."

"At least one of us won't," Andromeda said.

Both women laughed at the pun.

"Good one, huh?" Sookie asked.

"Very."

Getting back on the subject, Sookie asked, "Who are the vampires that I get to choose from?"

"In the near future, your husband is having a gathering at his club. There are two vampires that will be there. They are very important vampires. When you meet them …"

Sookie's eyes fell to her hands.

"You knew nothing of this gathering?"

"I did not," Sookie said as she shook her head.

"He could be staked for this."

Sookie's eyes widened. "Please, don't!"

Andromeda's anger was strong. "You should always be at his side! He has not right to treat as if you are a minion; a servant. You are not beneath him. You are his equal. You are his wife!"

"Please, don't," Sookie whispered. Tears began to pool in her eyes. "Please don't hurt him. I couldn't bear it."

The AP looked angrily at Sookie. "Only because you are my friend, he lives."

"Thank you," Sookie said.

She squeezed Sookie's hand and exhaled unnecessarily. "You have a choice between a vampire called Stan Davis and another vampire simply called Godric. Of the two, Godric is your best choice. He's over 2,000 years old. He's friendly towards your people. He's interested in their well-being and he's open to leading a life with the fae; a life that will lead to a prosperous and diplomatic co-existence between the two races. There are none above him in this world when it comes to his physical power. With him at your side, nothing would be unattainable. You'd never travel without him. You'd never be without him. He would treat you as his equal."

Sookie noticed that Andromeda didn't mention love. Maybe it is true. Vampires can't love.

"So Godric is my best choice?"

"Yes. You won't have to make a decision that night. You can work the room as if you are making the rounds. Take your time. You have six months to decide. You're not obligated to anything. Once your decision has been made, you know where to find me."

"Okay," Sookie whispered. "I'll do it. I can do this."

Andromeda clapped her hands and said, "Well, let's get the contract drawn up and in six months, you'll no longer be Mrs. Eric Northman." She reached over and patted Sookie's leg when she winced at those words. "Now, let's go catch that new Celine Dion show. We can't be all business now can we?"

That was the night that Sookie's plan to leave Eric went into action.

Sookie walked across her bedroom and turned off her light. Once she was settled in bed, a flash of Eric's rarely seen smile came to mind. It was very nice smile. It made her happy to see him smile. She wanted to believe...

"No!" she said to the dark room. "I won't do this."

She squeezed her eyes closed and shook the thoughts from her mind. She didn't want to think about Eric. If things go as planned, the only things that she'll have left of Eric will be memories. And she knew that in time they would fade away as well. He wouldn't mind. He probably wouldn't even notice that she was gone.

She was nothing to him.

She's never even been his wife.