Sookie's POV:

I arose the next day with an overwhelming feeling of trepidation, but at the same time it felt like another day of this long god-awful bad dream that I was currently in. I still woke up every morning waiting and feeling hopeful to see Eric again as soon as the sun set. But it never happened. Today was another one of those days. I was hoping, beyond hope, that this was another nightmare and tonight I would be meeting Eric and not my potential new fiancé.

I thought all day long about Pam's proposal. I thought about my nieces and nephews. If there were people after me, then going after the people I loved most in this world, was a sure-fire way of hurting me even more. I couldn't let that happen. I thought about Marten. He had Marius on his side and I knew that for certain if I became 'his', then my family would be protected for as long as I lived.

I could never love anyone else the way that I loved Eric. Despite the fact that he was forever gone, my love for him would never die. He would live on in my heart for as long as I breathed.

I look down and play with the ring on my left finger that Eric had given me at our vampire wedding. Could I marry another? The answer to that was simple; no. I could never love and marry another man in the same way that I loved Eric. But I could marry for security and protection for my family. I also just wanted to be left alone. I didn't want to be a part of anymore vampire or faery turmoil in the world.

"What are you going to wear tonight Sook?" Amelia asks with excitement in her tone. She had never met Eric nor seen the connection we had, but she knew how much grief and despair I was in over the loss of him. I peek a bit into her mind and see that she just wanted to see me happy. She hoped that Marten could give that for me.

"Uhhhh…" I respond. "Just what I'm wearing, I guess."

I was currently in jeans and a t-shirt. I had lost my sense of fashion long time ago. T-shirts, jeans, sweatpants, and the occasional church dress were all that I wore nowadays.

"Oh come on Sook," Amelia says, "Just look at Pam's huge closet full of clothes. You need to look nice at least for your potential new husband."

"Haha," I respond nervously. "I'm just meeting him Ames. I don't even know yet if I will marry him or not."

"Well humour me," Ames says as she pulls out a dress from the closet. "This one looks nice. It's tasteful and elegant, but also sexy."

She holds up a yellow silk dress with straps with black patterns of butterflies and other shapes on it.

"Yeah fine," I say uninterested. I didn't really care what I wore.

Amelia blow-dries my hair into soft curls and puts light makeup on my face.

"You look so beautiful," she comments, as we look into the mirror.

I run my hands over the scars on my arms from the faery attack. They had faded considerably considering how badly damaged they were. Dr. Ludwig had commented that if I ended up in a human hospital, I probably would've lost one arm.

I sigh and try to make myself feel glad about where I was. I was glad for the doctors and nurses who treated me. I was glad for Pam, Amelia, Claude and the rest of my family who saved me from total despair. I needed to be happy. I needed to live my life just like how Eric would've wanted me to.

Marten's security team lead me out to the living room in Pam's home where he was waiting for me.

Marten was sitting on a sofa, looking through his phone, when he looks up and sees me. He stands up immediately and puts his phone in his pocket. He was wearing a black suit with no tie. Marten was very handsome, like in an Abercrombie and Fitch model type of way. I mean, I think he even did model for them a few times. He had a charismatic charm that came naturally to him. He was so well-liked and popular, not only in the vampire world, but also in the human world. I rarely ever went on social media, but I had heard from Amelia and Claude that he had a large number of followers in his social media accounts. Marius had turned him into a vampire when he was about 19 years old.

He gives me a little wave and smile as he looks nervously at me with his green-bluish eyes. He runs his hand through his tousled dark blonde wavy hair.

I was also feeling the same way so I give him a nervous smile as well.

"Hi," I say breathlessly as I walk closer to him.

"It's been a long time," he says.

I wasn't sure how to greet him and I don't think he knew as well. So, I go up to him and we hug awkwardly.

"You look beautiful," Marten says to me.

"Uhh thanks," I reply.

"Did you want to sit down?" he asks.

I nod and sit on the couch. He sits beside me, but not too close that would make me feel uncomfortable.

"How was your trip?" I ask, trying to make small talk and to maybe try and avoid the reason why he was here.

"It was fine," he replies as he clasps his hands. "Did you want anything to drink or something, maybe some food?"

"Uhhhh…" I answer. Yes, I needed to avoid the elephant in the room. "Yes, I would. I would like a gin and tonic and some finger foods?"

"Sure, I'll get someone to prepare that for you," he says as he gets up and goes to another room.

I think I could feel a panic attack coming on. I couldn't do this! I couldn't do any of this!

I take a few deep breaths while he was gone to try and steady myself.

He comes back a few minutes later, looking even more nervous than ever.

We sit in silence for a minute or so before he finally speaks. "So, I think…."

He doesn't get a chance to finish before someone comes in with our drinks. I take a big gulp of my gin and tonic. I hoped the maid would keep these drinks coming.

"Sookie, I am so sorry about Eric. I miss him very much as well. Not as much as you do obviously, but I considered Eric to be a brother and there aren't very many vamps in this world who are as great as he was," he says in a sincere tone.

"Ummmm," I choke out. "Thanks Marten. I know Eric felt the same way about you."

I take another swig of my drink and put the glass down.

"So, Pam told me about what the plan you guys came up with?" I ask nervously. God, I couldn't do this!

"Yes," he says. "I know it's a tad unorthodox, but I promised Eric that I would protect you."

"Yes, Pam said the same thing," I reply, still twirling the ring on the left finger.

I take a deep breath. "Marten, I know that you feel some sort of….obligation to do this, but you don't have to. I mean, I will figure something out. You don't need to go through with this."

"Sookie, no, I mean I don't feel any obligation or anything like that. I thought a lot about this for quite some time," he says. He takes my hands into his.

"Is this… okay, if I hold your hands?" he asks me.

I smile at him and chuckle nervously. "Sure."

"Okay, yeah I know this is what I want. I just want to make sure that we are on the same page," he says. "I don't want you to feel like you're being forced to do this."

I look down at our adjoined hands. Of course, I didn't want to do this. But I couldn't say that to him. It would be rude and he seemed sincere with his intentions.

"Well, this seems very fast I guess. I hadn't thought about remarrying anyone up until last night. You just said you had a lot of time to think about this. I just found out last night," I ramble. I could feel my cheeks burning up.

I take my hands back. "I definitely need time to think about this as well."

"I understand Sookie," he says in a somewhat deflated tone.

"It's just that…. I do want to do this the right way. I've never gotten married before. I mean I've had tons of marriage offers from other women and even some men, but none of them have ever really enticed me to consider it seriously. Well I did have one offer that intrigued me, but that was a couple centuries ago…. Wait, now I'm rambling on," he chuckles.

I look up at him and smile. "Thank you, Marten. You are a good man and I am honoured by your proposal. I am glad you don't take marriage lightly like I do."

"So, you will think about it?" he asks in a hopeful tone.

I nod with a half-smile.

"I guess that's the best I can hope for, for now that is," he says.

We stand up at the same time.

"I guess I should head back home," I say to him.

"Yes, we will keep in touch," he says.

"Wait, what did your Fadir say when you told him about me?" I ask nervously. Marius had been heavy on my mind ever since last night.

"He was surprised about what I wanted to do, but he seemed alright about it. Well, I don't really know, when he is stoic, he's trying to hide something from me, like he's trying to protect me," he responds. "But I do have his blessing."

"Oh," I reply.

"Safe travels back to Bon Temps," Marten says.

He leans closer to me. I knew what he was expecting from me, but I wasn't sure if I should. I think about it for a moment. It would be only one small kiss and he did travel all this way to see me and he was being respectful of my boundaries so far.

I lean up to let him know that I was willing to accept his embrace. We both close our eyelids a little as we move slowly towards each other. He quickly presses his cool lips against mine. He gives me a series of little pecks against my lips. I close my eyes trying to decide whether or not I was enjoying this closeness with a different man.

"I will see you again soon, Sookie," he says gently.

I open my eyes to see him looking down at me.

"Okay and safe travels to you too," I respond.

A week later, I walk to my car, heading home after another day of work, when suddenly I feel the strange tingle down my spine. It was the same feeling I got whenever I was in the presence of a faery.

I clutch the iron knuckle rings that I kept on me at all times and turn around quickly to see a man standing in front of me. He seemed familiar to me.

"Miss Sookie Stackhouse?" he says with an elegant tone to his voice.

I look at him suspiciously. He was definitely not human but some type of other worldly, like he was trying to hide something about himself.

"I am Preston Pardloe," he says.

I take a deep breath and remember one lonely night many, many years ago in another life when I was so lonely that I allowed a stranger into my bed. He had claimed to be a were, but was actually a faery. This time Preston Pardloe was disguising himself to be more human.

"Do I know you?" I reply. I wondered if Niall had sent him to me like the other time.

"No," he says. "But I do know your kin. And I know that the Earth faeries will be making an offer to you shortly. We want to make you a better offer."

"What? Excuse me?" I answer, a little flustered. What was with the marriage proposals this week? It sure was feeling like I was the only available woman on the planet.

"I am a sky faery as well. I know the predicament that you are in. Trust me, you don't want to get involved with Earth faeries," he says.

"You're right about that, but what you don't know is that I don't want to get involved with any faeries… period…" I say quickly. I could feel my anger quickly rising. "I just want to be left alone."

"You have the spark," the disguised faery says. "Every one knows that you possess it. They want to use that magick for their own purposes. They know that the children you will bear will possess a great power too."

"And the sky faery don't have the same intentions?" I retort back angrily. "I don't care what the faeries think or want. I am not available."

"I know about the vampire offering a vamp union with you. I do not think you would want to waste your younger years on something so undesirable," he says. Did he really think he was luring me in?

Fucking faeries. He reminded me of Claude. But at least, I had affections for Claude. If he wasn't my cousin and friend, I would not have anything to do with him at all.

"I'm not interested," I say, trying to hold back my anger, but it wasn't working. "And you can tell whoever else to stay the hell away from me or else they will get obliterated like what I did to Braedon."

I climb into my SUV, slam the door shut, and drive off.

"That's some fucking nerve!" I yell to myself as I drive home.

As I wash the supper dishes, I think about what occurred this afternoon. I had asked Claude if he knew anything about it, but he said no. He had begun to disassociate himself from faeries when Claudine died.

After I finish, I go to my room and look at photos. I look at the photos of me and Eric. My favourite ones were stained with tears after having spent so many lonely hours reminiscing of our time together.

I put the pictures back into my keepsake box and place it back on my dresser. I couldn't continue like this anymore. Preston Pardloe was just the beginning. There would be more of them coming to me, wanting something from me that I would not give to them. If was only a matter of time when they would quit asking me and eventually try and get what they wanted from me by force. Perhaps by threatening me with my family and close friends.

I couldn't allow that to happen.

I grab my purse and look through my cards. I dial the number into my phone and right away the line picks up.

"This is Marten," Marten says quickly.

"Uhhh hi Marten, how are you?" I ask.

"Sookie, I am glad it is you. I am doing well and you?" he asks.

"I am alright," I reply. "So, I've been thinking about what you asked me…"

Was I really going to do this?

"And?" he asks in anticipation.

"I've made a decision," I tell him.

"Wait, is it a good one or bad one?" he says quickly.

"Uhhhhh… a good one?" I respond hesitantly.

"Wait, I'll come to you right now. I will be there in few hours. Promise me you will stay up and not fall asleep?" he asks hopefully.

"Marten? You really don't need to come so far…" I respond before he interrupts me.

"No, I need to come to you. Like I said, I want to do this right," he says.

"Okay," I respond.

I tell him to be careful and hang up the phone.

I lie in my bed for the next few hours, wondering what my life will be like now. My mind keeps going back and forth about the whole thing. I hadn't even asked him what his expectations were for a potential marriage with me. Naturally, he would want the 'full experience' of a typical marriage like any other man. Could I or rather would I do that with him?

I get up from bed and pace back and forth in my room.

Time goes by quickly as I hear a knock on my window. I walk to my window and open it. It was Marten. I had kept my bedroom on the main floor.

"Hi," I respond.

He smiles back.

"Uhhhh you will have to invite me in," he says. I don't think he had ever been to my home before in this life or the previous one.

"Come in Marten," I say, as I move away from the window to let him in.

"This is your room?" he says as he takes a quick look around. He was wearing a black v-neck cashmere sweater and dark blue jeans. "It's very cozy."

"We should go to the living room. Amelia is out with her friends tonight. Claude is working at his club in Munroe," I say to him.

"Did you want a True Blood? I have some in my fridge for Pam, just in case she ever drops by," I tell him.

"Yes, thank you," he responds.

I put it in the microwave for a few minutes. "It's kind of you to come to Bon Temps so quickly. I hope I wasn't disturbing you."

"No, you were not disturbing me at all Sookie," he says nervously.

"Umm so I do have an answer for you," I say quickly. I needed to say this before I lost my nerves.

"That's great, but I still want to do this the right way," he says. He goes to the living room and turns on my tv. "Do you have a blue tooth stereo or something? I wanted to play some music?"

"Uhhh. I'm not sure. I'm not tech savvy or anything. But I think Claude has some music in the stereo near the bookcase," I tell Marten. I watch him as he flips through Claude's CD collection. I wasn't sure what Marten was doing.

The microwave beeps and I collect the bottle and hand it to him.

He takes a tiny sip as music begins playing. It was playing music that Claude usually played when he was entertaining a man.

I chuckle nervously as my cheeks redden.

"Sookie, I did a lot of research about courtships, engagements and marriages. I thought a romantic proposal was the way to do it," Marten says.

"Oh Marten, you don't need to…." I ramble, but I was too late. He gets down on his knee in front of me holding a black velvet box.

I gulp nervously as he pops the box open to reveal a rather large white princess-cut diamond ring.

"Sookie Stackhouse, I think you are the most beautiful, most kindest woman that I have ever met in my entire existence. I have only ever wanted you to be happy and safe because you deserve that and much more. I know that I could never replace what you lost, but I will try with every fiber of my being to be a worthy replacement. I promise to spend the rest of my, I mean your life, comforting you when you're sad, celebrating with you when you're happy, and working my hardest every day to give you the life that you deserve," he says to me. "Would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

I didn't know what to say as I stood there holding my breath. I spend what felt like hours looking at his blue-green eyes and the ring.

"Did I do the proposal right?" he finally says.

"Oh…" I respond a bit loudly. "No, I mean yes you did it right. The proposal was perfect."

"I… yes I will," I respond nervously. My heart was galloping like a horse.

"Yes!" he responds enthusiastically. He goes to put the ring on my left finger, but it was still occupied by the pink diamond Eric had given me.

"Oh, sorry," I say flustered. I look at the pink diamond one last time and put it on my right finger. Marten then slips the ring on.

"I do have some questions I've been meaning to ask…." I say still feeling flustered and dazed after what just happened.

He stands back up to give me a quick peck on my cheek.

"Oh, I suppose questions about the engagement party, the wedding arrangements, the bachelor and bachelorette parties, not the mention the honeymoon," he rambles.

"Wooah slow down Marten," I say, still feeling a bit breathless. "I mean I guess it would have something to do with us. I mean our relationship. I mean, I was under the impression that since I would be 'yours'," I gesture my fingers in quotation marks after saying yours, "that I could stay here in Bon Temps and live my life."

"Ahhh, yes you can," he says. "But you would also be the Queen Consort of New York. That would mean making appearances by my side at various events and such."

"I see," I respond.

"Sookie, do not worry about it," Marten says as he takes my hands in his. "We will figure this out together. I promise you that I will not do anything that would make you feel uncomfortable. Like I said to you before, I will not force you to do anything that would make you unhappy or uncomfortable."

"Yes, I think that was what I was getting to," I stammer. "I haven't…. I haven't been with anyone intimately, in a very long time. Eric was the only one. I guess what I'm saying is, I'm not sure when or if I will be ready."

He lifts my chin up with his fingers and looks me in the eyes. "I know. Pam's told me that you've been practicing abstinence since Eric left."

"Of course, she would tell you that," I say with a bit of sarcasm in my tone. "And listen, I know that you are still a man and you require the types of 'things' that men need, so I don't mind if you continue to lead the same lifestyle before your proposal. I won't hold it against you."

I was hoping he would be relieved and tell me that he would do just that. I was actually hoping that the pleasure he would receive from other women would be enough that he would not want sex and pleasure from me, but boy, I was wrong.

"From what I have gathered from books and articles about human marriages, is that monogamy is important in most cultures that is. And from what I know about you, is that you value monogamy completely. So, I would be willing to be monogamous with you, Sookie. I would not be a good husband if I was 'cheating' on you," he says with a smile.

"Uhhh okay," I respond with a fake smile.

"But we will have to bond before the marriage ceremony," he adds.

"Uhh what?" I respond. Feelings of anxiety creep up on me again. What was I getting myself into?

"Yes, to be mine completely, for everyone in the supe world to see how serious we are, we need to bond," he says. "Trust me I have felt a little bit weary about it as well. I have not shared my blood with anyone."

I run my fingers through my hair.

"Ohhhhh," I say as I begin to heave. I could feel the room spinning.

"Sookie, are you okay?" Marten asks me.

"Water," I say with a dry voice.

He helps me to the couch and goes to get me a glass of water. We sit there in silence as I drink the water. I close my eyes, trying to calm myself.

"What are you thinking?" he asks me finally.

"Uhhh, I know how serious a bond between a vampire and a human is," I say in a serious tone. "Eric and I didn't jump into with frivolity."

"Yes, I am a vampire and I know how serious it is," Marten responds in a serious tone as well. "But I am willing to take a chance, with you."

I put my cup down. "Okay."

I wasn't sure if or what I was thinking. I think my thoughts were that since we were going this far, we may as well cross the finish line.

"Did you want to do the first exchange now?" he asks.

"Just give me a few more seconds to calm down first," I respond.

I close my eyes and try my breathing techniques. I was sure my blood pressure was quite high right now. He wanted to exchange blood tonight, for the first time. I think back and remember the times I exchange blood with other vampires. The first one was with Bill and the second time was with Eric in Texas. Both times I was not in the right frame of mind. I wasn't sure if I was in the correct mind right now.

I nod and stand up and he does the same. He stands in front of me.

"So, how are we going to do this?" I ask breathlessly.

"You can drink from my wrist and I will bite into your neck," he says in a low tone.

Marten quickly bites into his wrists and puts it towards my mouth. I hesitate for a second but latch on when the blood begins dripping onto the floor. I close my eyes, intending to drink only a few drops from him, but I fall into a euphoric haze as I continue to drink from him.

It becomes even more profound after I feel a slight sharp pain as he sinks his vampire teeth into my neck.

I had almost forgotten how sensual it was when you exchanged blood with a vampire. I gasp as I feel his hands underneath my striped sweater. His one hand continues to caress my back while his other hand makes it way underneath my jeans. He tugs on my panty. Just as he inches closer to my private area, I begin to snap out of it.

"Umm Marten, I think it's too soon," I say breathlessly.

"I'm sorry Sookie. I can feel you, I mean I can sense your emotions," he says as his eyes widen in amazement.

"Yeah, that happens," I respond. "I think it's after the second exchange where I will be able to feel yours."

"Oh, then I guess I'd better be faithful to you," he smiles coyly.

"I'm tired and I have to work tomorrow," I say to him.

"Yes, I can sense that," he says still sounding surprised. "I have to head back to New York. I have some meetings, but I will come back soon."

"Marten, you don't need to put your life on hold for me," I respond. "If you have to work, you should."

"Sookie, this is all new to me. I want to do this properly," he says as he holds my hands.

I walk him to the door and we say goodnight. He gives me a quick kiss on the lips as he takes off on foot in vampire speed.

I lean against the door trying to comprehend everything that just happened.

I close my eyes. God, what am I getting myself into?