Eric's POV:

"You are telling me that there is nothing that can be done about this spell involving my woman? Not even to find out where she is?" I ask this so-called consultant that Marten sent me irately. It was after dark and so far, the search for my lover or the coven was going nowhere.

"Sir, this spell can only be undone by the ones who cast it," the dark-haired witch says.

I was standing in front of Sookie's home with the witch, Tia Andreas and her assistant. They had been working all day. So far, the only thing they had found out was that Sookie vanished into thin air in a hallway in the shifter's bar. They had no clue where she might have ended up. They also were not able to track Hallow and Mark Stonebrook.

"Keep looking for those two low-lifes, I will look for my woman," I said sternly.

I had glamoured Sookie's grandmother to believe that Sookie was staying with me for the week. Currently, Adele Stackhouse was out visiting.

I flew back to Shreveport and to Fangtasia. I had chartered a plane to be on standby, to take me where ever I needed to go tonight, in case I found Sookie.

I sat back in my chair in my office and held the framed picture of us. We had gotten our picture taken at an outdoor carnival during one of our first dates. I had asked for two copies. The other one was in her bedroom in Bon Temps.

"I will find you my lover," I say to her in the picture. I ached to hold her in my arms. I should have insisted that she spend the night with me. But then again, if she were with me last night, the witches would have done more harm to her. I needed to keep ahead of all the images that Sookie showed me, instead of ignoring them. I should have killed Hallow and Mark Stonebrook before they made contact with me.

There was nothing to be done about it now except to find Sookie and put an end to the curse and Hallow. I put the picture back on my desk.

I spend the next hour looking for possible locations at where the coven might be hiding.

After becoming more frustrated, my cell phone rings. I look at the caller ID.

"Northman," I answer.

"Eric," Marten says. "How's the search going? I hope the witches I sent you have been helpful."

I stare at Sookie's picture again. "Not so far. I do not think these witches know what they are doing."

"Really? They have always been useful to me when I needed their help," he says nonchalantly. "You didn't tell me who you were trying to find."

I pause for a moment. "An associate of mine."

"Oh? Would this associate happen to be about 5 feet, 6 inches with blonde hair and blue eyes?"

I pause again. "Do you know where she is?"

"I do."

"Is she there with you?" I ask in a clipped tone. I hated when Marten tried to play mind games.

"No, she's not here, at least not yet," he responds. "But do not worry Eric. As far as I know, she is safe."

I close my eyes. Finally, some good news. I had never felt as relieved as I did at this moment.

"She will be landing here in New York soon," Marten responded.

"I'm on my way," I said and hung up the phone.

I did not ask him how he found her, but I did not care at this point. I just needed to get to Sookie. I called the airport to prepare the flight plan to New York City. I told Pam that Sookie was found and that I was going to retrieve her.

The flight from Louisiana to New York was the longest flight I had ever taken.

As soon as the plane landed, I dashed out and flew to Marten's building in Manhattan. His security granted me access to his penthouse apartment where Marten greeted me.

I looked around the living area for Sookie, but she was nowhere in sight.

"Where is she?" I asked Marten in a hurried tone.

"She is getting ready," he responded. "She is downstairs in a guestroom."

I walked briskly back to the elevator pressing the button to take me to that floor.

"Eric, I don't think you fully understand the situation with Sookie," he says to me.

I look back at him. "What do you mean?"

"She is not herself," he says. "I mean age-wise she is not the same woman I met back in 1978. But, she is also suffering from some kind of amnesiac spell."

I walked towards him. "She has no idea who she is?"

"Nope," he responds, with a popping sound on the letter p. "She's obviously scared and confused. I wouldn't go rushing downstairs to see her, especially when she has no idea who you are."

"How did you find her?" I finally ask him.

He pauses. I knew it was something that I was not going to like. "Now don't get upset because we are just as confused as you are."

"Tell me!" I yell out somewhat irately.

"She appeared at my maker's home," he said.

I could feel anger and jealousy rising in my chest. My mind took me back to 1978 when Sookie told me that Marius had been her husband. He had died during their marriage in her time period.

Sensing my anger, Marten said, "My maker doesn't know why she came to him, but I have a hunch that you do. What is it that you haven't told me about Sookie and Marius?"

Before I could reply, the elevator door rings and begins to open.

It was Sookie and she looked even more radiant than ever. She lifts up her face and sees me. Instead of the look of adoration that she usually greeted me with, her face changed from confusion to horror.

She starts screaming in terror and demands that the vampire next to her get rid of me.

I had no words for how I felt at this moment. "Sookie!" I call out to her.

But she cries out in dismay to the vampire and holds onto him like a life-preserver.

The whole scene brings my level of anger to the max. He has done something to her! I should have killed him when I had the chance!

I approach them and place my hand on Sookie's shoulder, but then she starts convulsing. I step away from them in fear that I had hurt her more.

She continues to shake in the vampire's arms.

"She is having some sort of seizure," he says. He holds her up and brings her to one of the sofas.

I watch as Sookie's eyes roll back and continues to shake. Foam starts coming out from her mouth. He puts his hand over her forehead.

"She is dying," he replies. "Marten, call for the doctor."

"What did you do to her?!" I roar out.

"My Fadir has done nothing but help her," Marten responds. He starts talking on his cell, ordering for the doctor to come quickly.

"I will give her my blood," I say as I bite into my wrist. I try to place it over her mouth but as soon as the blood touches her lips, she begins convulsing even more erratically.

Marten tosses a towel at Marius and he wipes my blood away from her lips.

"You need to back away. I have no doubt that it is your presence that is causing her distress at the moment," the vampire replies calmly. He continues to hold his palm against her forehead and murmuring words in a language I had never heard before.

"Eric, if you care for her, I suggest you do as my master asks," Marten says.

Reluctantly, I take about eight or nine steps away from her. Her convulsions begin to slow down somewhat.

A minute later the elevator opens again and in comes a hobbit-sized male wearing a gray jumpsuit. This must be the doctor.

"I ask that all the vampires leave the room right now," he says.

"Eric, we must go. This is Dr. Aldin. He is one of the best supe doctors along the east coast," Marten says as he places a hand on my upper arm.

We all leave and walk down a hallway to another room, leaving Sookie alone with the doctor.

As soon as we enter I walk up to the ancient vampire seething, "What did you do to her?!"

I was angry and distressed. I wanted nothing more than to kill him at this very moment, but my concern for Sookie's well-being was stopping me.

"I have done nothing to her," he responds in Old Norse.

"What do you know about the witches that cursed Sookie?" Marten asks me.

"There is not much information about them, except they have a small following which continues to grow at every town they visit. New members add to their power," I respond. "The woman wanted me in her bed, but I refused."

"Oh, please Eric," Marten scoffs. "You're good looking, I give you that, but I doubt any woman would use powerful magic that's tied to dire consequences just to get into your pants."

"She wanted money from me. She wanted a substantial amount of money from me in order for her to not ruin my business and personal affairs."

"Ahhhh so she decided to aim where it would hurt you the most," Marten replies. "Sookie."

"So, you found her again? I mean, you found the one that was born about a decade after the original version left?" Marten asks.

I paused. I could not keep the truth from him. "Yes, I sought her out a few years ago. I knew where she would be."

"Damn! Why didn't I think of that? I should've beat you to her then she could've been mine first," Marten says exasperatingly.

I snarl and bare my fangs at him.

"I'm joking, Eric," he says. It did not sound like he was 'joking' to me.

"So, if this the new Sookie, then what happened to the old one?" he asks.

"I have no idea. I have thought about her everyday since she left," I tell him.

"She is mine," I growl to both vampires. I did not care that they were both strong enough to kill me, but if they touched my Sookie, I would do my best to end them both.

"Relax, Eric," Marten says. "I may be a player, but I would never stoop so low and take another man's woman. Besides, you are my friend and I would not do that to you."

"Forgive me," I respond. "I have not been myself since she vanished."

Marten's maker says something to him in a foreign dialect. He looks at me and then walks out of the room.

"Where is he going?" I ask after his abrupt departure. I did not want him anywhere near Sookie.

"He is going to his resting place. It's not here if that's what you're thinking. He knows that Sookie is in good hands with the doctor."

We sit down in silence for about ten minutes as Marten looks at his phone. I take the moment to meditate. Sookie referred to this as my 'downtime'.

The doctor walks into the room a short time later.

"Your majesty," the little doctor says. "The patient is stable and resting comfortably. I gave her a sedative to let her sleep for the rest of the night. The encounter with the source of her turmoil really did a number on her mind."

"The source?" I ask the doctor. "What do you mean?"

"This young lady has been put under a powerful spell. I believe it's caused her to lose all the memories of her life."

"Is it permanent?" I ask worriedly.

"No, once the spell is broken, her memories should return. Although I am not sure she will remember all that has happened during the curse."

"Why did she have a seizure?" I question. "She had a seizure when she saw me. I have known her for a few years and prior to tonight, she has never suffered one before."

"So it started when she saw you? Well, if you are the cause of it, I think you are part of the curse that has been placed on her."

"What? You mean every time that I am near her, I will cause her harm?!" I ask loudly.

The doctor nods.

"What can be done about it? Is there any medicine or herbs she can take to be relieved of it? She is my woman! My bonded!" I retort.

"Have you felt the bond with her recently?"

"No, but she is my bonded and I have exchanged blood with her…." I reply.

"Well your bond with her appears to have been negatively affected by the enchantment that's been placed upon her. Meaning, that every time you go near her or touch her or exchange blood or bodily fluids with her, may just end up killing her. If you want the girl to live, I suggest you stay away from her indefinitely."

I stare at the little man shocked.

"I emailed you my bill, your majesty. I must go, I have other patients to see," the doctor says as he hobbles away.

"Thank you doctor," Marten says.

"Wow Eric, that's tough luck," Marten says to me.

I clench my fists in frustration. I wanted to roar out and destroy everything that was in this room.

"I need to find Hallow Stonebrook," I say evenly. I was trying to calm myself. I had to be calm and to figure out a solution to the problem. I was going to force Hallow or Mark to break the curse, then take my time killing them slowly.

"You need someone to look for them during the day," Marten says. "I bet that they are out and about actively looking for Sookie. They must not know still that she's not in Louisiana. You need more help. You need the service of weres."

I hated weres. If the coven was still in Shreveport, I needed to ask the Shreveport pack for their assistance. I would have to call Jackson Herveaux. I was hoping that he would not involve his idiot son Alcide in this.

I also had to make sure Sookie was safe, but I did not want her to be near Marten's maker. Though it seemed like he was the only one she trusted at this point. If I took her away from him, it would cause her even more distress. I did not trust him or his intentions, but I had to put Sookie's safety first.

The sooner I found the witches, the quicker that she would gain her memories back and remember the love and life we shared.

"I need to ask something of you Marten," I said despondently. "Will you take care of Sookie for me?"

"I will protect her with my life. I know that you have concerns about her honour, but I swear to you, no one will touch her in my care," he said in a sincere tone.

I have known Marten for over 800 years and during this time, he had never betrayed me. I had to trust that he would not start today. Though I trusted him, his maker owed me no allegiance.

"My Fadir has only the most honorable intentions. He would not do anything to Sookie that would hurt her."

His words did not help the turmoil I felt at the thought of leaving her here while I sought the witches in Louisiana.

"I will send you word once we have destroyed the coven," I tell Marten without looking at him. I go to the elevation and press the button. I was leaving behind the most important and most precious being to me, my Sookie. With great reluctance, I step into the elevator and begin making my plans.