Disclaimer: All characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO. I am simply writing this fanfic to help pass the time while I wait for book 9 in May.

Chapter 6

Eric walked over to the bed and sat down. He looked too stunned to say anything else and I couldn't think of any words of comfort to offer him that wouldn't sound entirely phony. This trip was getting off to a great start. First I get into an argument with Eric and Sam, and then I get drunk and unsuccessfully attempt to seduce Eric. After that I spend three hundred dollars on breakfast, get into another argument and throw up that breakfast, and now there's about to be a vamp war in Hawaii. And it's all because we had to have this damn talk. I'm never talking again I thought stupidly to myself. If this is what vacationing feels like, give me the split shift at Merlotte's. Plopping down on the bed next to Eric, I suddenly understood what he had meant when he said that there would forever be someone who sought to hurt us. Whenever Eric and I were together, there was almost always imminent danger. Scratch the almost.

"Eric, I know what you're thinking" I started to say, but Eric cut me off with a wave of his hand.

After a moment or two, he looked at me and said: "I suspected as much, lover. It's another side effect of our particularly strong bond. Since you are already telepathic, I figured that my blood would grant you access to my mind. It was just a matter of time. Don't you see what I'm trying to tell you Sookie? We will never be safe if you give yourself to me." Eric said, grabbing his hair in frustration.

"That's not what I meant, Eric, not at all. I was going to say that you're probably thinking about how this new development is evidence that we shouldn't be together. Maybe it is… but do you want to know what I think? I think we'll both be in danger whether we are together or not. If you have feelings for me, then don't be a coward and ignore me for a month just because you think I'll get hurt! For God's sake Eric, be a man! Be a Viking fucking vampire!" I yelled at him with as much conviction as I could muster. Eric was looking at me in awe, and I could feel his passion and bloodlust begin to vibrate through the bond. So I continued. "And since this may be our day of judgment, I think you need to know that yes, I can read your mind. It comes and goes; I have no control over it. You are the only vampire that I can read, though. After drinking your blood in Rhodes I saw snippets of another vamp's mind, but it only happened that one time." With this, Eric actually leapt off the bed and started smiling like an idiot.

"But Sookie, don't you know what this means?!" He asked, excitedly.

"No, I don't. Please do enlighten me." I said with a hint of sarcasm.

"After we go speak with Preston and alert him of De Castro's arrival, we will come back here to the room and then you will take a considerable amount of my blood." Eric was talking while wandering around in a blur. Whatever he was planning, it looked as though ideas were coming at him non-stop.

"De Castro is going to want to be cautious with Preston, as he is also a King and one who is well guarded in his own hotel. Therefore, when he arrives, he will want to speak with Preston, you, and me together to determine if we all have a common goal before making a move. This is when you will read his mind to discover his plan. If there is anything to worry about, I will feel it through the bond right away and catch him by surprise, before he is able to mount an attack." Eric looked extremely pleased and more than a little fired up. This couldn't be good.

"Okay, Eric, but you're leaving out two very important details." I said.

"And they would be?" Eric asked, unconcerned.

"Well for one, I can't be certain I'll be able to read De Castro's mind. For two, how do you know Preston didn't sell you out to Filipe in the first place? We could be walking into a trap."

Eric pondered this for a moment and said: "Perhaps, but it is very unlikely. I already work for De Castro, so there would be nothing for him or Preston to gain. I think it's much more likely that De Castro fears a revolt from the Kings and Queens in other states with regard to his hostile takeover of Louisiana, and believes that I am here for revenge."

Eric was a politician through and through.

"Well what about the other thing? What if I can't read his thoughts?" I asked impatiently.

"I believe you will be able to." Eric stated simply. You just couldn't argue with him once he's made up his mind. Suddenly, the mood in the room changed completely and Eric was next to me on the bed again, his eyes flaming blue with lust and his fangs fully extended.

"Welcome back, Mr. Northman." I said wryly. Eric roared with laughter and I felt his excitement and his hunger for me surge through the bond.

"Lover, I think we've done enough talking for today, don't you?" He whispered into my neck seductively, pushing me gently so that I was lying down.

"I thought you weren't going to have sex with me until I said I was yours!" I exclaimed in exasperation. And what happened to finding Preston? Don't we have a big scheme to set up?" I asked sternly, though my body was in definite disagreement with my words.

"Oh but Sookie, I'm only doing what you told me to do." Eric said with a wicked grin, biting my neck gently but with clear need.

"What would that be?" I asked, knowing full well that I was playing right into his hand.

"A few minutes ago you told me to be a man. To be a fucking Viking vampire, I think you said. So I'm about to show you just manly I am and how much fucking this Viking vampire can do. " With that, Eric ripped my white cotton dress in half.

"Tell me you're mine, lover." Eric commanded me, while pulling off his t-shirt and jeans. In a second, he was naked and his mouth was hovering just above my lips. "Tell me you're mine." He repeated, moaning passionately and pulling off my lingerie.

"I am yours, I am yours, oh Eric I am yours." I screamed at him, while digging my nails into his back and thrusting my hips to his.

"I am yours." Eric said, while moving into a sitting position. Picking me up, he placed me on his lap with my legs wrapped around his back. "Let's try it like this" he said "lean back a little." He slid me onto him with ease, and kept his hands on my waist so as to move me up and down. Letting my head dip back and my hair spill on to the bed, Eric thrust in and out of me with abandon.

"Look at me Sookie" he said, as we were getting close. "Sookie, I love you" he continued "I love you." Flipping me over so that I was laying on my back, Eric bit my breast and thrust one more time as he drank from me.

"I love you too Eric." I replied, and meant it. We came at the exact same second.

* * * * *

The best thing about this situation was everything. Eric and I had reconciled and admitted our feelings for each other, the big talk seemed to be over for the time being, we had made love in our palatial suite, twice, and it was only 9:00pm. The only thing standing in the way of this feeling like a bona fide vacation was the impending doom of an irate vampire King who was flying from Vegas to kill us. And did I mention we made love?

I knew it was time to get out of bed and get ready again. Eric was already up; he has calling his colleague Preston, whom I would probably have to refer to as Your Majesty, to set up a time for the three of us to have dinner in his VIP restaurant and discuss De Castro. It was such an enticing prospect that I had to suppress a second wave of nausea. Eric had told me that dinner would be a formal event, so at least I could look forward to ruining another dress if things went ill with Filipe. Doing some mental math, Eric had anticipated that Bill and Pam would arrive around 1:00am. He wasn't sure when De Castro was arriving, as no one knew when he left Nevada, but I could hear Eric repeat that dinner was set for 10:30pm. Closing his phone with a click, Eric came over to the bed and held out his hand for me to stand up.

"Preston assures me we have nothing to worry about, and that he is just beside himself with excitement over getting to meet the infamous telepath." Eric said, rolling his eyes. I could feel his pride emanating from the bond just the same. "You will quickly notice that this King is not like most vampires. Particularly not like those who have risen to positions of high power as Preston has. For lack of a better way to put it, King Mandrel possesses a certain je ne sais quoi. You will also notice that his personality is an endless source of amusement to my child Pam." He looked at me and laughed.

I loved talking to Eric about things that weren't life threatening, it was nice to laugh with him. However, I still had to get ready for dinner and drink Eric's blood so we had to get a move on. I told him as much and he agreed.

"Dear one" he said, looking at me for a moment and holding my hands "it has already been a difficult evening for us both and is about to become even more so. Just know that I meant what I said; I love you. I will protect you tonight no matter what the outcome, as will Pam and undoubtedly Bill as well. You have friends here, lover. You have me, from now on." He kissed my hands gently and then walked towards a large set of closet doors. "I have something for you. It was supposed to be a present for the night you finally agreed to be mine. If you finally agreed, that is. Since you made that promise tonight, after a fashion, I would like you to wear it to dinner." Opening the closet, I saw a long black garment bag with Versace stamped on the front. I gasped.

"Eric, you know how I feel about being treated like a kept woman." I said.

"Please do me the honor of accepting this gift." He pleaded, unzipping the bag slowly. It was a floor-length charcoal satin dress with a plunging v neckline and diamond shaped cuts in the sides. It was breathtaking. Behind the dress was Eric's tux, also Versace, with a charcoal tie.

"It is beautiful, thank-you. I've never seen anything like it. Thank you so much." I said, and kissed him.

"You're welcome lover. Now, before we have a shower and get dressed, I think you should take my blood. That way, I can have a few sips of the house blend to replenish myself while you finish getting ready." Before I could protest, Eric had enveloped me from behind and placed his bleeding wrist at my mouth. As soon as I started to suck, Eric became newly aroused and so did I. Much to my surprise, tasting his blood this time was proving to be a total turn on. I sucked at his wrist as hard as I could, then released so I could lick him. I sucked again, and then licked him again. Before long, wetness spread across my back and I heard Eric sigh with contentment.

"Join me in the shower, Eric? I could use a hand." I said mischievously as I walked to the bathroom.

"I wouldn't miss it." Eric said with a small smile.

TBC – Please review, comments and critiques welcomed!! Thanks to everyone who has shown interest in the fic.