Disclaimer: The characters depicted herein are the sole property of Charlaine Harris and HBO.

A/N: I would sincerely like to thank everyone who has been reviewing. I've gotten some very kind comments and feedback, particularly for my last few chapters. You are the only thing keeping me interested in writing the story. So, thank you very much!!

Also, I know a lot of you were waiting patiently yesterday for Chapter 18, and a long one at that, but I've simply been too busy. The holidays and 'real life' are taking up all my time. I'm really very sorry…

Keep reading though and I'll keep writing. Anyway, thanks again and Happy Holidays!

Chapter 18

Victor's screams could have woken the dead. He started to smoke where I stabbed him, and then pieces of charred flesh were falling off his back and onto the floor in a heap of putrid ash. Victor literally crumbled from the wound and then disintegrated, leaving vamp gunk all over the wall, door and hardwood.

This is some dagger I thought to myself, shocked, as I looked at my hand and watched it vibrate gently from the excitement. It's as though the dagger drove me to stab Victor…no, it can't be.

Meanwhile, Eric took advantage of the distraction I caused and grabbed De Castro, ramming him into the wall with a violent crunch. Pam ran inside after Eric, and gaped for a moment at the scene. She then rushed over to me and picked me up, trying to take me away from the battle. Disgusted by the smell of Victor's remains and the terrible pounding in my head, I threw up all over her and she dropped me on the floor from the surprise.

By now, Eric had a semi-conscious Felipe pinned to the wall. Regaining her composure, Pam walked over to Felipe and bit him while he was subdued, drinking deep. Presumably they didn't want to kill him or they would have staked him; it seemed like they were trying to bring him to within an inch of final death. Pam was still drinking, and Felipe had gone limp on the wall.

I then got up from the floor and walked towards them with the dagger. Pam instantly withdrew from Felipe, and stared in amazement at the silver dagger in my hand. Eric was simply looking at me questioningly.

"We can't kill him, dear one." Eric said sadly.

"Unfortunately, your crime against Victor was far more severe than Felipe's against you. You are virtually unharmed, you are human, and a powerful vampire has been killed. Though, I am glad that the scum is dead." Pam said, indicating Victor's remains. "You never cease to amuseme, Sookie. Or is it amaze?" She finished with a toothy grin, still admiring the dagger from a safe distance.

"Pam, call Preston and tell him what has happened. This changes everything. The Nevada vamps have arrived and they will be waiting to present themselves to him within minutes. We have to act fast." Eric said, clearly analyzing the situation in his mind and trying to find a quick solution.

"Yes Master." Pam said obediently, and started punching numbers in her cell phone.

"Sookie, are you okay?" Eric then asked me, concerned. He had now slung an unconscious Felipe over his shoulder and was laying him on the couch where I had been.

"Yes, I'm fine. I just have a headache." I said, rubbing my right cheek gently and finding it swollen.

"I imagine you do. The entire right side of your face is bruising as we speak." Eric said gently, and came over to kiss my other cheek. "I will heal you shortly; first we must make arrangements with Preston regarding Felipe." Eric said, and hugged me before walking over to Pam.

She looked incredible wielding that blade, just like a young fairy... delicious. I heard Eric think as he walked away, and I blushed in spite of myself.

At that moment, Bill ran in through the door, his face the picture of cold terror. Eric growled when he saw him and flew across the room in a fit of rage.

"Compton, where the hell have you been?" Eric screamed at him "I asked you to look after Sookie, not leave her alone to be captured!" He said, his fangs extended and his hands in fists.

"If you would step back a little, Eric, I will tell you." Bill said flatly. Eric's face was menacing, but he retreated ever so slightly from Bill's face. Before he could continue, I interrupted.

"Eric, I made Bill leave. I wanted to be alone." I said, and looked at Bill pleading him to agree. He looked stunned for a moment, but then quickly recovered.

"I tried to argue with her" Bill said, which was only half a life. He did argue with me, after all.

"Bill, we both know how stubborn Sookie can be when it comes to being protected, but she could have been killed." Eric said, in a voice both deadly and desperate at once.

"I was going to wait outside her door, but De Castro called me and made me come speak with him." Bill said. I didn't know if it was true or a complete fabrication. Bill seemed to be full of deceit. At the same time, could it mean that he wasn't a traitor? Surely if he was telling Eric about speaking to Felipe, Eric must have asked him to do it… I was right!

"Even so" Eric started to say, though I could tell he wasn't quite as angry as before "you should have alerted me to the fact that you were leaving the room. A few minutes after she was left alone, Sookie was abducted by…" Eric paused and looked at me "who took you, lover?" He asked me gently.

"A hotel room service attendant" I said, and everyone looked puzzled "he was working for De Castro, and wasn't supposed to kidnap me until tomorrow night. I heard Felipe say that he drained him for disobeying." I said.

"Which is why you opened the door, I take it?" Eric said, a look of understanding coming over his features. "Well that's one person I don't get to kill." He very nearly pouted at that, but turned to Pam and started talking again instead. "Have you informed Preston of our situation?" Eric asked, and Pam nodded.

"He has asked that we stay here until he and his guards can get here in half an hour. The Nevada vampires have been told that the King of Hawaii requests and audience with De Castro and therefore their meetings will be put on hold until further notice. Apparently, Preston can be political when required to do so. He has sent them to Eventide and ordered a round of House Blend." Pam said.

If I didn't know better, I would have thought Pam blushed when she spoke of Preston's ingenuity. It was odd, to say the least.

"Okay, we wait." Eric said, and then looked at Bill again "Compton, we have not finished our conversation. Be assured that I will speak to you again, later." Eric said later in such a way that I got chills. "For the time being, you will wait at the door for Preston's arrival. Pam, you will very quickly go to your room and change before he arrives. You look terrible. Sookie will get cleaned up here, with me. Bring her some clothes." He said, and Pam was gone before I could see her open the door. Bill left as well, and suddenly I was alone in a room with Eric and an unconscious Felipe.

"Eric, will he be passed out for long?" I asked, motioning to De Castro.

"I can't say for sure. Pam took a lot of his blood." Eric said thoughtfully, and then continued "an hour at best." He said.

"What if it's sooner? We're alone with him and he's going to be really angry and hungry when he wakes up" I said, scared.

"I don't think he's going to try and fight. I am uninjured and he'll be weak. Besides, he hadn't counted on a young fae warrior princess killing his second in command." Eric positively beamed with joy at that last comment, and picked me up. "I am going to bathe you, and then we will drink from one another, my lover." He said, in a tone which left no room for argument.

I nodded, and felt a small thrill of excitement over the impending shower with Eric. I knew we didn't have much time, but I really needed him. All of him. As soon as he turned on the taps and we were in the shower, Eric bit his arm and put it to my mouth from behind me. When I latched on and started drinking from him, he leaned over and bit my neck. We were drinking from each other at the same time and it was the strangest and most erotic feeling I'd ever felt. After a few more sips, Eric licked the wounds on my neck and turned me around to face him. He was inside me before my lips reached his mouth.

"You taste of fae, lover" Eric said in complete ecstasy while he thrust deep inside me "more than you normally do." His body rocked into mine with hunger and happiness and total longing. "I need you my lover, oh I need you." He yelled, and his motions were becoming more and more desperate. My back was pressed up against the shower wall and I was digging my nails into his back. My wetness was filled with him and we were both screaming from the pressure of our insane arousal.

"Eric, oh God, Eric you feel amazing." I said, and licked him while he pounded me hungrily. Grabbing my hands and raising them over my head against the shower wall, he thrust into me one last time and we climaxed together in a primal scream.

After a few moments of washing up, Eric said: "I believe that accepting Niall as your kin and using his personal dagger has given you more of the fae magic. You taste and look and smell of fairy. With my blood's strength, and perhaps a little training, you will be a formidable woman indeed." Eric said, with renewed lust. "We have to get out now, lover, and you will need to conceal the weapon again under whatever Pam brings for you to wear." Eric said, and turned off the taps. Almost as an afterthought, he ran a finger over my ear, as though expecting it to be pointed. "Still a human" Eric smiled and said "for now." He finished cryptically, and I couldn't help but look at my ears in the mirror.

TBC