Chapter 50: I Love Myself Today

The next few nights flew by and before Eric knew it was Friday night yet again. The club was busier than ever now that LSU students were back in town and feeling bold and student loan rich enough to go to strip clubs. Olivia was neck deep in papers all week, reviewing financial statements for the Casino, filling out tax estimates on profits, preparing for end-of-quarter Curia Regis, and she just finished laundering their first million. More and more vampires were at his steps each night, requesting permanent residence in Area 5, and pledging their allegiance to him. He also had to investigate a missing vampire, and found the poor fucker chained in a basement of some redneck in Bon Temps, getting drained by a couple of junkies.

Next common court night was going to be packed full, and he doubted his evenings would ever get less hectic for the next… Forever. But the most time-consuming task by far, was doing background checks on the prospective residents to weed out the troublemakers, the rogue vampires, and the straight-up insane. He didn't want to approve anyone to live here permanently if they were going to be a problem later. He had enough problems as it was.

And all the newcomers weren't a coincidence either. By now every corner of America had heard about Pamela's Casino. His progeny was probably busier than both of them combined, now being by far the most popular girl in school. Pam was getting phone calls every five minutes with investors throwing their money at her, his office's phone rang incessantly. Other than she couldn't quite look him in the eye yet, and neither were in speaking terms at the moment, Pamela had never shined brighter. He was sad about the circumstances, but proud of her nonetheless. She was going to reach the 45 million dollar mark by the end of the month, and one day she would become a powerhouse. The Queen of the South. Hopefully, that would make her happy.

But there was a silver lining in all of this. All the nights this week had all ended in the same place: her bed. No matter how much chaos and bullshit they both had to deal with, how busy their nights were, or how tired they've gotten, they somehow entered into this unspoken agreement of falling asleep together. Once he felt the sunlight creeping up, he either headed upstairs and passed out safely in her attic, or he went home, entering through his window to avoid crossing paths with Pamela. But just knowing she was his, and smelling her scent on his clothes seemed to be enough for him to lure him back asleep quickly.

Just before Eric was about to leave the mezzanine for the night and go run background checks on the long list of prospective residents, he caught him from the corner of his eye. The man looked strangely out of place, like a suburban divorced dad going out for the first time. Bill Compton wore black trousers and shirt, his hair was a dark shade of brown brushed to the side with sideburns framing his jaw. If he was going for the Elvis vibe, he didn't quite meet the mark. Bill sat at the bar and got Pamela's attention immediately. It was impossible to read Pamela's empty face to understand what they were talking about. But he got his answer when Bill turned around to look up at Eric, most displeased.

Which made Eric very, very happy. And he showed it, by smiling back.

Olivia was right. Waiting for Bill to strike first was not a prudent move. Hoping Olivia would obey his orders wasn't either. When has she ever listened? But he wasn't going to let her live out her Buffy dreams, or risk facing the dilemma of her punishment. She was far too valuable to risk herself, and he meant what he said about his rules; vampire lives must be avenged, especially in these times where they were being hunted down more than ever, unpunished by human law enforcement. Plus, if word got out she murdered a vampire and got off free, this whole house of cards would come crashing down.

Plus, it was a rule made out of principle. If he couldn't keep vampires safe, what kind of fucking Sherriff was he? Olivia was many things, but in the eyes of whoever God, she was still human. So her hands must remain clean, and he was to take care of it himself. He knew what had to be done, but in order to ensure doing away with him cleanly and justifiably, Bill Compton had to make the first move. Eric would also need specific and loyal witnesses, in case the Magister came looking.

"Gerald, bring Mr. Compton to me," Eric spoke, getting the attention of the bouncer. "He should also have a progeny hiding somewhere close by. Redhead, underage, dresses like she's ten. Get her one of Pamela's famous cocktails, on the house."

Pamela had told him all about Bill's creepy new daughter. She was far too young to be let into Fangtasia, being 16 or 17, but if Compton was worth half his salt he would not have come out here alone. Gerald knew what to do with her.

His employee obeyed, walking around the stage, moving through the crowd like a shark. All the vampires present knew Gerald's business was Eric's business, and he was not to be fucked with. Soon enough, Mr. Compton was in his VIP area, sitting on the booth next to his seat. Eric had his legs up on the center table, lazily sprawling out.

"What brings you here, dear old Bill," Eric played coy.

"Eric," Compton nodded. "Just enjoying a night on the town."

"May I interest you in something for the palate? We have brunettes and blondes, but we're fresh out of fairies I'm afraid," he grinned.

Bill Compton's nostrils flared and his jaw clicked. They both knew who he came for, but he had come five whole nights too late. He had come here to collect Olivia Carson, the last of the fairies, the brilliant accountant, the talented dancer, and his human.

"There seems to be an unfortunate misunderstanding between us, Eric," Bill scowled. "I was promised-"

"You were not promised a goddamn thing," Eric hissed, the smile vanishing from his face at once.

"I paid for her! Five million dollars," Bill retorted.

Five? God fucking dammit Pamela-

"You paid a finder's fee. You found her," Eric answered coolly. "It doesn't mean you can have her."

And almost as if on cue, Olivia walked on the club floor carrying her round black tray, picking up half drank beer bottles and glasses filled with ice. Her hair was wrapped up in a loose bun, wisps of amber hair framing her face. She was wearing one of his favourites, a black satin wrap dress with a plunging neckline, accentuating her collarbones. Both men watched her moving with the grace of Anna Pavlova between the clumsy bodies of drunk college kids, truck drivers, drug dealers, sleazy businessmen as aspiring rappers, and shady vampires. His white swan. They both gazed at her unblinkingly for a very long time. Eric turned his head, facing his entranced opponent. He did not like the way he was looking at her. It was cold, hungry, violent and perverse. This would be easy if Bill Compton had a death wish.

Eric threatened him, putting all the cards on the table. "You lay a single finger on her, and I will kill you."

Gerald was back at this post, and his bald head nodded. He had succeeded in his mission to acquire a witness. They exchanged another look, Eric indicated for Gerald to stand by and stand alert.

"You really think you can keep her?" Bill leered slightly, now looking at him.

"You really think you can take her?" He challenged. "Have you forgotten who you are speaking to?"

Compton shook his head in disbelief. "You either haven't got a clue what you have and you will end up killing her… Or-"

"There is no or, Bill," Eric cut him off. "I know precisely what I have."

Eric knew what she was. He knew what her blood was made of, the feel of her lips, the taste of her skin, the sweet smell of her hair. He knew what kind of woman she was, how strongly her heart beat in her chest. He knew her fearlessness, her bravery, her brilliance. He knew precisely how long it took for her to fall asleep. He knew her body like the back of his own palm. He knew how much she liked danger, how much she loved living on the edge of darkness, greed, power, and sin - all the things he was made of. Eric knew who she was.

So it deeply offended him when Bill Compton, who may have read all about fairies from old dusty books and tortured confessions, claimed to know he knew her better.

The collector sat back with a strange look of relief on his face. "You don't know, or else you wouldn't be here," he smiled. Then it grew into laughter. "Call me when she starts dying. Maybe you'll be interested in selling her to the one person who can save her then."

Bill stood up to leave. Eric felt pure rage take over every sense. He was seeing red, and it had nothing to do with the club's lighting. Godric's story was just being repeated yet again by someone he loathed, and he was getting sick of it. Sick of being told he was going to break her.

Do you know what happens when you trap a fairy?

She dies.

"I'll take you to her," Eric called out. He was done playing this man's games. It was time to end it. "You may not touch her, but you may speak to her if you like. I'm sure you have questions."

Eric knew how much Bill Compton wanted her. He recognized how he looked at her - the look of deep, unwavering thirst for her blood. The need to have her taste on his lips, to consume her wholly. To own every part of her. To become master of someone so rare and special. Although Eric did not quite feel like the master of her. Sometimes, in the silence of the night, it felt quite the opposite.

But the offer was too good to pass her by. Even being in the same room as her, to breathe the same air she scented was an attractive offer that no vampire in his position could decline. Let alone someone who wanted her so much. Bill agreed after a moment of pondering. The two men walked down from the mezzanine and headed behind the bar.

"Upstairs?" Compton asked, pointing out a dancer coming out in a metallic pink bikini from backstage.

"No," Eric nodded to the door next to it. "Downstairs."

Olivia's counting machine was firing a bill per .02 seconds, and there was no happier sound in the whole world. The stripper bins were full, the safe was overflowing, the ledgers were balanced, tax forms were filled, investment statements coming for the Casino were… Spotty, but some were actually acceptable. Her heart was just beaming with happiness. She just loved her job so fucking much. Nothing felt as good as being productive, making money, cleaning money, and kicking ass.

Her phone rang, and she dove right into her purse, expecting to be her mother calling her back. The two had been playing phone tag all day. But the caller ID displayed Eric Northman. Her brows creased, searching him on the office monitors. His throne was empty. She didn't even notice him leaving.

"Hello-"

"Come to the basement," his voice demanded, then hung up.

Never mind that vampires had zero phone manners, Olivia hated that basement. She hadn't been down there in a very, very long time for a reason. She had left with blood on her hair and guts on her dress the last time. The air in the room was suddenly not enough.

Already feeling ice forming in her stomach, Olivia locked up the cash and made her way downstairs slowly. The club was packed, the new dancers were all busy working but the mood in the locker room had changed. They had hired four more girls and apparently, they hadn't all gotten along with the senior ones. She tried to think what could possibly be down there, but she came up with a blank. Months ago, she would be secretly trembling in fear, having to put on a brave face to confront Mr. Northman because he would have caught her in some shady business move he did not approve. But that was back when they did not trust each other. Eric and Olivia were on good terms now. Odd, lustful and unlikely terms, but they were good. She had no reason to worry, other than being traumatized by whatever was down there.

Olivia slipped through the heavy metal door, turning on the light switch which was laughable. The single pendant light bulb hanging at the bottom of the steps had the same brightness as a single firefly. Olivia could hear faint grunts and voices as she made her way down and she could feel her heartbeat spike. She swore the air was somehow thinner down here.

The basement looked different from what she remembered. Someone had erected a wall five feet in front of the bottom of the stairs and created a faux storage room at the landing, concealing the rest of the lower level. On the shelves, there were cleaning supplies, maintenance tools, and dusty empty kegs. In the very corner, there was a partially open hidden door, disguised as part of the concrete wall behind a shelf that had been moved. It led to that same darkness that she remembered. The only thing that made this less scary was that Britney Spears was blaring upstairs this time.

"Eric?" She called into the dark. Or summoned it, she didn't know.

There were a couple of sconces installed behind the new wall, faintly illuminating that horrid metal gear hanging in the ceiling, but not much further than that. She saw the same Eric she remembered, prowling between the columns, preying on his target. The target with the same cold eyes that she remembered.

Except Bill Compton was not smiling now. He was battered and bruised, a small smear of blood on his right cheekbone. He had heavy silver chains wrapped around his body, his wrists bound to the spikes of the gear. The room smelled like mildew and burning flesh. Olivia didn't have to look at Eric's knuckles to know they had blood on them. The way Bill looked at her made her thankful that he was silver bound. Was it bad she thought Eric was taking it easy on him? She knew what he could really do. Some punches and chains were nothing.

"There you are," Eric said, somehow happy. "See? As promised," he told Bill.

Chills ran down Olivia's spine. What did he promise?

"Olivia," Bill said with a faint smile. His fangs were out. She did not know if it was due to the anger, the pain or the sight of her. "I am sorry we are not meeting again under better circumstances."

She had no idea what the fuck she had just walked into. "What circumstances are these?"

"Bill and I are trying to settle an argument," Eric told her.

"Of what kind?"

"He thinks I will kill you," Eric said calmly as if it were the punchline of a joke.

It was dark, but she could see Bill's eyes studying her carefully. His cold blue eyes stared at every inch of her, making her feel very, very cold. His jaw hung open, his chest rose and fell, breathing in her scent like a chained animal.

Her brows creased after a while, thinking of Dr. Ludwig's warning. What he has planned for you won't work. It will just kill you both.

"Why would Eric kill me?"

"He won't kill you on purpose," Bill said, trying to assure Olivia. "It's just in his nature. Fairies can very seldom be owned. Trapping them goes against their nature - it crushes their spirit and their magic. Being bound to Eric will eventually destroy you, you will fade little by little until one day you will just die. It takes a certain special kind of vampire, one who knows how to take care of what's his-"

There was a loud smack in the dark, Eric had punched Bill in the stomach, winding him.

So Bill Compton thought… Eric had taken her by force. That he had trapped her, bit her without her consent, taken her at will. She was sure most vampires did take their victims this way or were compelled by them to be theirs. But for better or worse, things had been different between Eric and Olivia. He had asked a million times until he was on his knees.

They had an understanding.

So here we had Bill Compton, who thought Olivia was a victim in need of a white knight. A little fairy who couldn't take care of herself, or handle her own clients. He thought she was helpless, weak, an exotic head of cattle, a tasty blood bag with annoying feelings. And the fact that he implied she needed to be saved from Eric? It was insulting.

There was a better way to tell him the truth than with just words. She would just have to show him. Olivia hiked up the skirt of her black dress exposing her legs fully, and even a bit of her lacy purple underwear. She extended her bare leg forward, toes pointed in the third ballet position as a reflex. Then, she looked straight into the darkness, where her bond told her Eric lurked. He slowly emerged from the shadows, his sapphire eyes watched her every breath, and his nostrils flared as the corners of his lips curled up.

In the blink of an eye, Eric pushed her body against the cold hard concrete wall and kneeled right between her legs, holding her right leg up and open at the hip, cold strong fingers digging into the flesh of her thighs. His eyes looked up briefly, thirsty and commanding. With not an ounce of hesitation, he sunk his teeth on her inner thigh with a growl, savouring her blood slowly. The pain was sharp, but again, only for a brief heartbeat. What followed was the liquid heat that emanated from his mouth, so close to a place that wanted him the most. A little moan escaped her body. Having him between her legs was a dark heaven that filled her with power and lust. She had complete control of him. Of everything.

She ran her fingers through Eric's hair, looking up at the other pair of eyes who watched ever so carefully. "How's this for crushing my spirit?"

Bill watched in trance, fangs out in a rumbling growl. He jerked on the chains, wanting to lurch forward, to come closer, to either stop Eric or join him - she wasn't sure. She didn't care. Every part of Bill despised what he saw, but yet he could not look away. He could watch, but not touch. Smell but not taste. Yearn, but not have. Bill Compton would never have her. She was Eric's. For whatever reason, her desire grew tenfold.

"The joining," the words fell out of his mouth. "It works."

She felt Eric's tongue lick the inside of her thigh over the area he bit, and he stood up, still pressing her against the wall with his whole towering body. He looked down at her, red smeared on his lips and chin, and he swallowed every drop of her in his mouth. Discreetly his hand caressed the very middle of her, finger curling over the lace of her panties, sending slow hot shivers everywhere.

"I'm not going to just let you fall asleep tonight," he whispered darkly in her ear. A delicious tremble went through her body.

"Are you feeling weak? Are your powers fading?" Bill asked, his pupils were so large his eyes looked almost black. His tone had changed entirely.

"Never felt better," Olivia assured him, feeling a bit dizzy and remaining against the wall.

She still had no clue what he wanted from her. What he has planned for you won't work. It will just kill you both - was the warning Dr. Ludwig gave her. Also - what the fuck was the joining? "What do you want Bill?"

He looked her straight into her eyes. "I want you."

She already knew he did, yet hearing him say it out loud both shocked and disgusted her. Eric stopped dead in his tracks, eyeing him with pure hatred. "You will never have her."

"Are you at least going to ascend her?" Bill then asked Eric, glaring at his Sherriff.

Olivia felt ice forming inside her at those words, even though she wasn't exactly sure what they meant. Dashing across the room in a blur, Eric grabbed Compton by the throat and lifted him one-handed off the floor, the sound of chains rattling echoed in the room. Whatever he was asking it had pissed him off greatly. "What is it to you?"

Bill's face changed as if he went completely numb. He let out a faint smile. "You really have no idea what you have. What a pity."

"You are not making a very good case for staying alive you know," Eric's voice was cold as a glacier.

"Oh, come on, Eric. You know you can't kill me," he said so surely. "Word gets out I'm dead and Sophie-Anne's debt will go to collections. The Authority will audit her Kingdom's books thoroughly, which includes you. What do you think they'll do when they find your… Dirty little side business?"

"Eric-" Olivia called out, feeling a coldness overtake her skin. She knew exactly what Bill Compton was going to threaten next. She wished she could lunge forward and stake Bill Compton right then and there, but she was unarmed. God. Fucking. Dammit. Respecting Eric's wishes wasn't particularly paying off now, was it?

He then said the cursed words. "Come to think of it, who's to say I don't tell them all about it anyway? Once they haul you away, I'll collect her."

"Eric!" Olivia pleaded again. Why was this guy still talking?! If she wasn't allowed to kill him, why didn't he?! What was he waiting for?!

"My dear Bill," Eric smiled coldly. "Who said anything about killing you?"

Compton let out an ugly roar, which was completely swallowed by the music above. That was the most horrible part about this dark place. Only you got to hear the echoes of your own desperation. No one was coming to save you.

He tried to claw and scratch Eric, but his leather jacket was thicker than Bill's fortitude. "What have you done with her?!" He screamed.

Jessica. The girl he had turned.

"Nothing yet," he smiled. "But I must say, it's quite fascinating that you kept her a virgin. To what end, exactly? Saving her for a special occasion, are you? Like humans keep a good red wine? Christ, is that why they call you the collector?"

Olivia felt sick to her stomach. She wanted out of here.

"I swear to God, Northman-" Bill threatened again, full of rage.

"You will what? Go to the Authority?" Eric asked mockingly. "Do you have any idea how little taxes I've been collecting from all my residents because of my so-called dirty little business? Has it ever crossed your fucking mind how much you of all people owe me?!"

Bill grunted again, showing his fangs like an angry cat. "This is not about fucking money! Let Jessica go!"

"Hmmm," Eric pouted. "No. Now, as promised, any last questions for my Olivia until I do away with you?"

"Fuck you, Eric. You have no idea what's coming for you-"

"Here's the thing," Eric leered, her blood still glistening on his pale face. "I do know. And it won't be you."

And the lights suddenly went out, swallowing all of them in that horrible darkness. Olivia heard Bill screaming and grunting over the sound of chains wrestling. There were pops of broken bones, and the sound of flesh tearing like she so vividly remembered. Then the tortured voices and sounds started moving towards the back of the room, further into oblivion, away from the only door.

"You coming?" Eric's calm voice from somewhere ahead.

Olivia quietly stumbled through the dark, her own fear and heartbeat ringing loudly into her ear. If there was another telepath within 20 blocks they could probably hear her internally screaming right now. But Eric seemed to have control of the situation. He, for whatever reason, wanted her to see what he was about to do so she followed. Although she had no idea how she was expected to actually see anything in pitch-black darkness.

Her shoulder brushed against the cold metal spikes of the gear torture device, and then against one of the structural columns a few feet ahead. Bill cursed amidst grunts of pain, and there were dry raspy noises, like something dragging across the floor. There was more strange rattling and cries in the dark followed by the sound of silver sizzling his flesh. The smell alone was going to make her throw up.

"Watch your head," Eric warned her.

Watch for what? She couldn't see a fucking thing. Her senses stretched out, finding Eric in the dark, about 6 feet ahead. It was a strange sensation feeling the invisible cord that connected them both. It was like she could see him without her eyes.

Olivia found out soon enough what he meant by the warning. There seemed to be a tunnel at the very end of the basement, with an iron gate that closed it. The top of the entrance couldn't be higher than 5 feet tall, making her walk in a semi-crouched position. She wondered how the hell could Eric fit through the short and narrow passage while carrying Bill. At least she assumed he wasn't walking, as the only steps she could hear were her own. As they walked deeper into the dark, the club music faded behind them. The walls beside her were rounded, and the floor seemed to be slanting lower and lower into the ground, or at least she felt like she was walking downhill. This better not be a fucking sewer-

Bill loudly squawked and squealed, trying to break free the entire time they walked deeper into the darkness. But judging by Eric's silence and calmness, he did not seem to be making any progress in his escape attempt.

"Eric, be reasonable. What do you want? I have things, I have things you want-"

"I want nothing from you."

"I can tell you how to keep her alive," Bill tried to bargain.

"Shut up," Eric hissed, and there was another loud groan of pain in the void.

There were suddenly sounds of water being splashed, and before she could stop, water soaked her toes and splashed at her ankles. She yelped, startled by the coldness of it. But the water didn't smell putrid like sewage. There was an earthy smell to it, but it was hard to separate it from the scent of Bill's flesh burning.

Before Olivia could protest, her eyes found light - moonlight, coming ahead. This tunnel led outside. Her eyes could now distinguish the figures ahead. Eric had been floating this entire time, his feet dangling a whole foot above the bottom of the tunnel. He dragged Bill Compton by the chains around his chest, and his deadweight body squirmed, being dragged on his ass. Bill Compton's clothes were torn away so as to make more contact with the chains. He now only wore black briefs, and his whole body was wrapped by silver chains like a stuffed pot roast. Legs together, arms by his side, and he had large cinder blocks chained to his ankles, which made the raspy dragging sound that was now being muffled by the water. From here she could see this tunnel lead to a body of water somewhere.

The brightness now revealed another horrible sight: Eric had ripped Bill's hands off at his wrists. The white bones protruding from his flesh would give her nightmares for sure. The very bottom of the tunnel was painted red, with new blood and old. Her stomach did a flip at the realization this was how Eric got rid of the bodies he tortured in the basement - he pushed their pieces out of this storm drainage tunnel and into the river. And if she were to guess, the alligators finished the rest.

The passage ended suddenly. There was another creaking noise, iron hinges being opened. Eric's body disappeared upwards carrying Bill, revealing the beautiful but terrifying river that this tunnel led to. The tunnel's exit was buried in the Red river's west side bank, and from here she could see its murky red water travelling calmly at night.

Standing at the edge of it, water hitting her mid-calf, and she could see the tree and grass covered river banks, and city lights in the distance, vaguely telling her where they were. Olivia held on at the iron gate tightly, feeling the current drag at her feet. If she ventured much further she would probably lose balance and join the gators.

Hovering 10 feet above the water, Eric floated out in the middle of the river, dangling Bill just above the water. Watching the cinder blocks hanging from his ankles, she knew exactly what Eric had planned for the collector. He wasn't going to kill him. Eric was going to sink him in the river.

"Any last words?" Eric laughed.

"You will live to regret this, Northman," Bill's voice was an octave higher. "Jessica will find me and I will end you-"

"Hmmm, I wouldn't hold my breath on that front. Or in this case, maybe I would," Eric said, his voice was much colder than the river water. "Say hi to Longshadow for me."

Longshadow?

Eric dropped the vampire who sank immediately, making a splash in the murky red brown water. Not a second after, all traces of Bill Compton were gone. He had faded into the silence of the night, sinking to the bottom of the Red River. Olivia watched Eric float towards her, like a dark angel descending from the sky.

"Longshadow is alive?"

"Technically we're all dead," he joked, hovering just above the water outside the tunnel. Unlike her, he managed to keep his feet dry.

Olivia shot him a look, not finding him particularly funny. Maybe someday tonight would be, but it currently reigned in the top 10 most terrifying moments of her life.

"When a vampire has a Maker or a progeny, they can feel each other's deaths," he explained. "Hell, it's half the reason most vampires even make children. It was my way of ensuring Hot Rain wouldn't immediately know Longshadow was… Indisposed. Same thing with Mr. Compton - if the Authority comes looking for him, they can have Jessica confirm he's alive."

A completely random question popped at the top of her head. "Is that why you made Pam? For insurance?"

"No," he said stiffly.

She had no idea what was going on between the two, but they had barely looked at each other all week. Eric had taken Pamela's little Bon Temps trip less than kindly and had financially punished her for it. But something told her it was not water under the bridge just yet.

Not wanting to kick the wasp's nest, she went back on topic quickly. "But won't Jessica know he's missing?"

"Depends on what I tell her. I can be very convincing," he said with a small smile on his lips, softening back up. He then looked at her feet, submerged in water, and the smile vanished. "Sorry about your shoes. I forgot it rained last night. The water isn't usually this high-"

"It's fine, they'll dry, " she assured him looking at the red murky water. She just realised something. "Is it the dirt in the water that keeps them protected from the sun?"

"Smart cookie," he nodded, pleased. "It took some trial and error, but I found three cement bricks and 25 pounds of silver is enough to anchor a vampire to the bottom. It will take about a month for their bodies to be completely embalmed in Louisiana's finest clay."

"And they won't… Die?"

"They'll eventually starve to death if I leave them there. But that will take decades."

She felt nausea wave through her for a moment, thinking of what it must be like to be trapped in mud for eternity, no air, no food, no talking or moving. Longshadow had stolen money from him, and Bill Compton threatened to expose his blood cartel and take Olivia, so she didn't blame Eric for getting rid of either of them. But his methods were mediaeval levels of cruelty. It made her stomach sick, yes, but she did not feel an ounce of pity for either of them. It was at these moments she questioned herself if she was a psychopath.

"We should go back," Eric flew a bit closer, hands holding onto the gates.

Olivia glanced back into the pitch black tunnel behind her, blood of his victims smeared on the walls, fading into the echoey dark oblivion. She could feel sweat on her palms, and every instinct in her body telling her not to go through this tunnel ever again. Or go down to the basement, for that matter.

She faced him again immediately. "Actually, can we fly back?"

"Wow," he laughed. "You really don't like the tunnel do you?"

"I don't," she confessed.

He dipped his chin with a smirk, and his hands wrapped her waist, enveloping her body and pulling her out of the red water. With one free hand he locked the iron gate shut and flew upwards. She held onto the tops of his shoulders and watched the sky fly by as they crossed -surprisingly- three whole blocks. She actually thought they walked for much longer than that. They landed softly at the back entrance, spooking Tara on her smoke break. She didn't know vampires could fly either.

"Do I wanna know what bet you lost this time?" She teased, nodding at her dirty legs.

"Uhm, no," she shook her head.

Eric gave Tara an icy look, and the two of them entered the club. The landing was much like in her own house, cluttered with a pile of jackets and shoes.

"Will she be a problem?" He asked quietly while they made their way up the stairs.

"Who? Tara?" She looked at him surprised. "No, she's good."

As alibis went, Tara did see the evidence of red mud on Olivia's legs. But she was a smart and loyal woman - she wasn't going to say anything to anyone who'd asked. Eric nodded, accepting her answer. Hmm, that was a first. She took a right turn into the storage room and took off her shoes. She was going to wash her legs off at the utility sink and rinse the dirt off her strappy black heels. Hopefully, they'd be dry-ish by the time they closed. This room now permanently smelled like her money laundering mix.

Eric hung by the door, hands behind his back leaning against the door frame. He watched her skirt fall back when she raised her right foot into the sink. He never missed an opportunity to gaze, did he? It was strange how quickly everything went back to normal once again. It was as if she didn't just see Eric sink a vampire in the river, and then discover he had a whole cemetery of them. Or maybe she did just see. And part of her liked it.

Downstairs, the DJ was playing some kind of remix of Pony by Ginuwine. Let me tell you, when you work at a strip club you get sick of that song real fast, no matter what you mix with it. Even Eric's head shook at the sound of it.

"I'm going to blacklist this song," Eric blurted out.

"I'm surprised you haven't already," she laughed.

Eric looked down the hallway distracted. "Pam likes it."

Wasp's nest in 3, 2, 1 - "What's going on with you two?"

The vampire sighed, distracted by nothing in particular. He actually sighed. Full chest, full exhale and all pain. "Olivia, there are some things we do need to talk about."

Letting the cold water run freely over her muddy shoes, she dried her legs off with a clean cleaning cloth. "About what Bill Compton said? And-"

"The casino, Fangtasia, Anthony Grey, Pam, finally picking a safe word," he just had to sprinkle that in there, didn't he? "And that, yes. But not tonight. I have to convince a vampire teenager her daddy is gone on a business trip, among a thousand other things."

"Well, you know where to find me," Olivia shrugged, picking up her clean but soaking wet heels out of the sink, and wiping the cloth over them.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow at 8 and I'll talk then, how's that?"

A tiny part of her was disappointed she wouldn't get answers until Saturday night. She then wondered if that meant she wouldn't see him at all until then and felt another kind of disappointment. She had grown used to his late night visits - especially when he had promised something so deliciously dark earlier.

At least she could sleep soundly tonight knowing there was one less monster out there in the world. But Olivia knew she would still lie there alone tonight, missing the monster in her bed.

She had somehow fallen asleep, drifting lightly into dreams but not too far from the shore. Cold fingers ran up her ankles, bringing her up to the surface immediately as if he had summoned her back to the night. When she opened her eyes, she found Eric, wholly naked, crawling into her bed over the footboard, pulling her sheets away like a hungry prey animal. His eyes were starving. And it wasn't a dream either.

He had come to deliver his promise.

And she never felt happier that he did. Heart beating a mile a minute, she let him come all the way up her lips. His hands held her close, trailing up her thighs, ribs and arms, warming up to her touch.

"You let me fall asleep," she whispered.

His lips brushed her collarbone. "Let me make it up to you."

He knelt between her open legs and there was a sudden and stark sound of fabric tearing. She felt a tug at her body as he ripped her nightgown in half, from her chest all the way down the hem. Before she could protest it, his mouth enveloped the tip of her right breast, sending lustful ripples everywhere.

Her hands travelled through his blond hair, holding him against her, as his tongue swirled and his sharp teeth dragged lightly against her skin. He pulled away, skinning down her stomach with his tongue. She felt a coil tighten low in her hips, wanting. Needing.

He paused at her navel, just at the top of her panties. His hands crept up and pulled them down her legs, and soon there were no barriers between them. His mouth hovered the bite in her inner thigh, kissing the tender skin softly. The coil tightened more.

"I almost took you earlier," he breathed in. "Right in front of him."

She knew. "Why didn't you?"

His fingers gently opened her up, and he was delighted to find out was already wet. She was almost trembling with desire.

"That would be too cruel of a punishment, even for me."

His tongue tasted her, sending her back to dreamy oblivion she so craved. His arms locked her hips in place tightly, as he suckled, licked and massaged her middle with the same hunger he had for her blood. The pressure building up inside her grew steadily with every stroke and soon it was far more than she thought she could take. No matter how much she writhed against his hold and moaned his name, begging for his mercy, he held her still, unrelenting.

She wanted him, all of him, right now. She begged for him, saying his name like a prayer, but he did not let go. He did not give her any more, or any less than pure maddening tension. He knew exactly how to suspend her lust and desire close to the edge, but refused to let her cum. Now that was cruel.

"Say you are mine," his low raspy voice cut through the room quietly, her nerves picking up the vibrations of his deep voice.

Her body no longer obeyed her. She tried to tell him she was, but she was too lost in the lustful path he took her down. Her fingers grabbed the sheets too tightly, she forgot to breathe for too long, she wanted him too much, the release was too close.

"Say it," he demanded, pausing for seconds that felt like long, stretched out minutes.

Olivia caught one breath, and then two, feeling her heart almost exploding in her chest. "I'm yours, Eric."

And then he gave her everything she needed. Everything she wanted, in that moment and perhaps every moment. He gave her all of himself.

AN:

Hello sweet angels!

Here's another spicy little number to hopefully soothe your hearts after a very hard week. And Bill is gone! (or is he?)

I usually really hate the part where the main character/love interest stop being enemies and just become lovers because I find it happens too fast to be satisfying (looking at YOU Discovery of Witches, wtf was that?). So I am taking my time with at least Olivia lmao

Also fasten your seatbelts and keep your hands inside the vehicle bc another one of my famous rollercoasters is about to take off

xoxoxo