EPOV

The meeting goes on until the early hours of the morning, we spend the time hashing out plans and contingencies. In the beginning, even though Samuel promised me his sword he tried to take the leadership of the attack. It took me proving to him that I could kill him any time I wanted for him to back down. I think because it's been so long since we were in each other's lives he'd forgotten how much older and stronger I am than him. By the end of the meeting, we had the whole attack plan set, it's to happen the day after the council vote before DeCastro is able to force me to swear fealty to him again so that I'm not committing treason and cannot be charged by the council for the attack.

Now, we're sitting in my booth, Damon, Sookie, Pam, and I, the rest of the vampires have already found their meals and entertainment for the night. There is something wrong with Sookie though I'm not sure what. She's perfectly polite and kind to Damon and Pam though she's a little cold to me. Just as I expected, she pulled Damon under her spell as well, just as she's done with everyone else I've introduced her to and she did it within five minutes of meeting him. It leads me to believe whatever her problem is has to do with me though I'm not sure what I could have done. When we left the hotel this evening everything was well, it was even better earlier when she went with me in the sun for the first time since I'd been turned.

So what has happened from the hotel to now? The meeting, though I'm not sure what I could have done wrong there, she knew what my intentions were. I feel the upset and hurt through her blood, though we're only twice blood bonded I can feel her emotions as if they were my own. Perhaps it is because of the bond we once shared. No, because it was not her that I shared the bond with, it was a different version of her. Maybe even though it was not this body that I bonded with, it was still technically the same person and the different dimensions do not matter? I suppose it matters not, either way, I still feel her emotions much more strongly than I did the last time I completed two exchanges with her. Either way, she's very hurt and upset under the calm and happiness she's trying to convey to everyone.

"…And that was when Eric sped onto the field, grabbed the fairy by its long hair, and viciously bit into him before he had a chance to use his fairy magic to disappear." Damon ended with a flourish as if he was telling the greatest tale ever told.

Odin, what the fuck is he telling her? Have I really been so lost in my thoughts that I wasn't paying attention to the conversation? That never happens to me, I've learned better than that. If I had been paying attention I'd have stopped this story long ago, perhaps it's still salvageable. "Yes, the fairy wars were a different time. It was also how I met your grandfather."

Even though I see and feel that Sookie is still upset with me, she can't resist the carrot I've dangled, "Really?!"

I rest my hand on her knee and squeeze once while nodding, happy she doesn't pull away. I open my mouth to tell the story but Damon interrupts, "Grandfather, she's barely three decades old, and I smell no supernatural on her. The fairy war was nearly seven centuries ago, we were still fledglings." After a second Damon adds in his joking tone, "I much more so than you, you're ancient, I doubt you can even keep up with this beauty." He looks at Sookie, "You'd have much more fun if you left the old man and spent some time with me."

Sookie laughs but I feel her surprise when I don't react. She's used to my anger and aggression when someone tries to threaten my claim, she doesn't know that Damon would never do such a thing to me, he's just playing. Though that's not to say that Damon doesn't think there's a possibility I'll share Sookie, we've done that many times before. Hopefully, he understands that this is different though.

"Thanks, Damon, that's kind of you but I'm happy right where I'm at." In a lower almost whisper she says, "Most of the time anyway."

I quirk my eyebrow at her but don't ask, instead, I turn to Damon and explain, "Sookie here is mostly human, though she's an eighth fairy and her grandfather is no other than Niall Bridgant."

"Christ, you're telling me that you bonded to a fairy princess?"

"We'd bonded before I knew her familial relations." The first time I add mentally, "We didn't find out who she was until Niall came to me and asked me to set up a meeting between the two. She wasn't raised with them, she was raised with her human family so she didn't know either." I turn back to Sookie, "It was less than a moon cycle after that charming little anecdote Damon told you that I came across Niall. My maker had come to the battle as well and when we saw each other commanded me not to drink any more fairies since we cannot control ourselves on their blood,"

Your life and death are mine and mine alone, Eric. Do not do something so foolish as to put it in danger again he said to me before vamping away and enjoying the battle, that was the last time I saw him for over a century. "Niall was trapped, drugged, and beaten. He'd been captured with iron, it was unfair warfare and I'd never been one to abide by that. So I walked up to the vampires torturing him and claimed him as my own. They couldn't fight me because they were much younger and weaker than I, so they had no choice but to hand him over. Their young age proved to me that they did not fight fairly, I could tell the fairy was old because I could not scent him and only some older powerful fairies have that ability. I didn't know who it was that I was taking with me, nor did I know what to do with him. I just knew he hadn't been defeated fairly and I could not stand for it. I hid him away and let him gain his strength and during those days we got to know each other, by the time he was healed I decided to let him go, we weren't friends by any means but we had an understanding and before he teleported away he swore he'd pay me back. Over the centuries our truce grew, switching from him owing me to me owing him, I'm truthfully not sure who owes who now, though I do not think it matters considering his great-granddaughter is now my wife."

"Wow," Sookie says with her eyes wide after a few moments taking in my story.

Pam is surprised too, she wasn't a vampire yet, fuck, her great grandparents weren't even born yet and she'd never heard this tale either. Damon is the first to speak, "I'm still upset I left the field the week before, I can think of a few times having the prince of the sky fae owe me would have come in handy."

I smirk at him, "Yes, well, you're the one who let himself get injured and had to hide away. If you'd have just paid attention you would have been there."

He laughs and doesn't contest my words. One of the servers walks up to the booth with another round of drinks, this would be Sookie's third and I can feel the cloudiness in her mind. I decide it's time to leave. It seems Damon has the same idea because as the waitress is placing a TruBlood in front of him, he grabs her by the wrist to get her attention after about thirty seconds and a few words the two are leaving together. Damon nods his head at me as he leaves the bar with the waitress who I don't know. She wasn't here while I ran the bar.

I stand from the booth and hold my hand out to Sookie, which she takes after a moment though I'm not fond of the hesitation. "Come, lover, let's make our leave as well."

She nods her head and says her goodbyes to everyone before we leave the bar. I ignore the few humans bold enough to paw at me on our way out as well as the ones who are displaying and offering themselves to me. As soon as we're out of the bar I inhale deeply smelling the fresh air, happy to clear my nostrils of the desperation, lust, drunkenness, depression, and body odor that fill the bar. Though I do not need oxygen to survive, breathing is a necessity for speaking, so I had no choice but to inhale the distasteful mix of scents all night. That is most certainly the thing I miss the least when it comes to Fangtasia.

I open the door for Sookie before vamping around to the driver's side and getting in myself. I put the hood down as we're driving back to the hotel for more fresh air, it's a warm spring night so the weather is not too cold for Sookie. We drive in silence as I'm waiting for her to tell me whatever is upsetting her. Unfortunately, even though I've learned over the centuries how vital patience is, I've never been able to apply that to Sookie. So it is only a few minutes into the ride that I give up.

"What is wrong, dear one?"

"Nothing." She says shortly.

I manage to hold in the sigh that wants to come out. I slow down the car at the red light ahead of us and look at her, I don't do as well at hiding my annoyance at her avoidance as I had hoped to, "Sookie…"

"What?" She snaps with her fire and attitude.

"You're clearly upset, I am wondering why. I do not enjoy it when you're upset, the feelings make me want to grate my teeth."

"Well I'm sorry me being pissed annoys you!"

"Sookie, Gods, just tell me what's wrong."

"You totally blindsided me today!"

Now I'm just confused, "What?"

"I had no idea what I was walking into in that meeting today, I thought we were going to talk more before deciding what we were going to do going forward. But there you go, Eric Northman gets something in his head and railroads his way through everything to get it. You made a life decision without consulting me, I thought we were leaving but now, instead, we're going to war, apparently."

"Sookie, you don't want to leave, you've made that clear. You only said you were willing because you thought it was easier. So after our conversation last night when you admitted as much to me, I went ahead and prepared for us to stay. I also talked to the people who take care of my home in Sweden and told them to get it prepared as well. I've been moving forward with both options so that no matter what we decide, we're ready, though I know staying here is the one we'll decide on."

"Oh… but what if I'd rather leave?"

"You don't."

Her anger is back again, "Oh yeah? And what makes you so sure of that, Mr. Know-it-all?"

"Because I don't think you've really thought out the consequences of leaving. Are you prepared to only see your brother a handful of times before he dies? It's not as if we'd be able to come back and even with me paying for him to come visit, he'd still have to get off of work and leave his children and wife, or organize a time that all of them are available at the same time and can afford the loss of time and income. How often do you think that will happen in a human's small lifetime? That's not even bringing up your other friends who most certainly won't try as hard as your brother will to come to you." And even with Jason, I don't foresee him trying too hard. I add to myself mentally but realize when her face saddens even more that I sent that to her telepathically. It is not easy to get used to this new perk. I didn't mean to upset her further but she must be realistic about what life would be like if we were to leave. I can't have her resenting the move and more importantly, me when she realizes she's made a mistake.

I feel her thoughtfulness in the bond, she's still upset and a little angry but at least she's hearing what I'm telling her. Her predecessor had a habit of only hearing what she wanted to and blocking out the rest. I continue, "I did not make this decision without you, all of our options are still open, meager as they are. We can still fly away this coming Saturday if you want, a week from today. Though I do not think that is what you really want."

I'm focusing on the road again and waiting for her to speak, that is why it takes me a while to notice she is crying, I hear her quiet little sniffles and inhale to scent her tears. I pull over the car so that I may focus on Sookie. Once the car is parked I turn to her and wipe her tears away, though I put my finger in my mouth and taste them before I even realize it. Gods, every part of her tastes spectacular.

"Sookie?"

"I'm sorry for getting angry before talking to you."

I wave it away as it doesn't matter to me, "It is fine, what is wrong? Why the tears?"

"I know you're right, I'm not a priority for any of them, even Jason, and I'm still just a few miles away from them. That realization was what made me okay with leaving in the first place. But you're also right that even if I'm not Jason's priority, I can't stand the thought of only seeing him a few more times ever."

"Then we'll stay," I say immediately and shrug, it's where I knew we'd end up eventually. Gods, how many times have we had this same conversation already? It's an unnecessary waste of time because I know where it's going to end anyway.

"Eric, I'm not a baby, even though I don't want that to be my relationship with Jason, I'll accept it because I don't want you going to war, possibly dying, and taking a position in the vampire hierarchy that you don't even want just because I don't want to miss my brother."

"Sookie, it's fine, I'm not worried about the battle, the people we have on our side are some of the greatest warriors I've ever known and we will catch him completely off guard and unprepared. He'll be traveling to the council vote too because he wants me back under his command. That is where I'll take him down, he'll only have his children, his second, and a few personal guards with him, it'll be quick, simple, and have little to no risk." That last part might not be completely accurate but I wouldn't have set this attack up if I wasn't confident of my victory.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" She asks tentatively.

I shrug, " I'd have been fine with any of the limited options, so yes, this is what I want."

She sighs, still not feeling any better, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" I ask as I reach my hand out and cup her cheek, rubbing my thumb slowly.

"For putting you in this situation, DeCastro probably wouldn't care where you go after the council meeting if it weren't for the fact that he wants me close. Heck, from everything Pam and Niall told me while we were trying to get you from Freyda's, he probably wouldn't have even signed the contract allowing you out of your position as sheriff if he didn't want me alone and without your protection."

"Sookie, you don't know that, the only people to blame for my forced marriage is Ocella and Freyda. Though DeCastro could have worked a way for me to get out of it, he's a selfish bastard and decided it was a better deal to let me go. That isn't your fault."

"It sure feels like it's my fault."

"Yes, I know, you have a guilt complex. However, I assure you, this situation was in no part your fault."

"I do not…" She trails off at my incredulous look, "I don't mean to. I just know stuff always goes wrong when I'm around."

"Enough of that, as I've said, this isn't your fault." I lean in and kiss her, we're just talking in circles now.

When I pull back a few minutes later she looks properly distracted, so I turn my attention back to getting us to the hotel. I feel her lean over and rest her head on my shoulder and by the time we make it to our rooms, the sun is about to rise. I put her into bed as she's already dead to the world and go over to my laptop. As I dig in my laptop carrying case I feel something small there, I pull it out to find the cell phone I used while I was at Freyda's, the one that is most certainly bugged to hear and read everything outgoing and incoming. I haven't charged it since getting my new one from Pam. I put it on the charger curious to see what I've received on it in the two weeks I've been here. The only people who would contact me on this phone are Freyda and her underlings. I only spoke to Pam on it once with both of us knowing our conversations wouldn't be privileged.

It takes a few minutes but eventually, the phone lights up turning on. I'm surprised, there are 20 missed calls and twice as many texts. While I was still living in Oklahoma I could go weeks without getting one of either because I was always at the compound and available to her. I scroll through the call log and see half of them are from Freyda herself, while the rest are from people on her team that I managed to sway to my own in the short time I was there. Though it doesn't seem I'll need them now, it's good to know they're still in my corner should worst come to worst.

I look at the time and realize it's about an hour until I'd have to die for the day if Sookie hadn't given me her light and made me immune to the sun. Without thinking too much about it I hit the call button and put the phone up to my ear. It doesn't even get completely through the second ring when she answers with a purr, "Eric, I was wondering when you were going to see the error of your ways and reach out."

I roll my eyes, I'm unsure why I even called her. "Freyda."

"Did you call to see if you were still welcomed home? Of course, you are, though there will be punishments, certainly, you've been a very bad boy."

"Freyda, I'm twice your age, you know well that I am not a boy. No, I've called to offer you solutions to your problems."

"And what problems would that be?" She asks, voice much less flirtatious and more angry now that she knows I have no intention of coming back easily.

"We have the votes, Freyda, we're going to win. Your position on the throne is precarious enough already, losing a vote with the council will have your people and the people around you questioning your strength, your diplomacy, and your pull within the vampire community. With me gone, and your change in standing, it'll be open season on you and your people for the other monarchies to get your state and assets."

She stays quiet for a long time, I'm not sure if she's contemplating or seething, probably both. I might hate her but I can admit she's smart, and she's conniving, if she wasn't, she wouldn't have gained a state so young. She eventually replies carefully neutral, "And what solutions would that be?"

"I have a list of people who'd love to take my spot as your consort, people that are not far off from my strength and skill, let me set you up with one of them, you'd be much more secure with them than with someone who is known to not want to be there with you. If I came back people would doubt in my conviction to protect you, yet again making you seem like an easy mark for a takeover."

She stays quiet again, this time even longer. "I can't do that, Eric."

I don't bother to hold in the sigh, "And why not?"

"Because it's you that I want."

"Freyda, what the fuck did I do to make you so captivated? It's not as if I led you on."

"The heart wants what it wants, Eric, you should know that better than anyone. You should also know by now that I'm not one to lose."

"This wouldn't be a loss, you'd have a consort there that actually wants to help, who wants to see your lands safe, to see you safe."

"Not the consort I want."

"Gods, Freyda, don't be childish. Don't you get it? This is no longer about what you want, this is about you staying alive. You lost, Freyda, I've got the numbers for the vote and we've already spoke about what will happen to you in the eyes of others once you lose. The safest thing for you to do is to forfeit the vote and marry one of the people on my list. It'll not only keep you alive but it will put you and your state in a better, more stable position."

"Why do you care what happens to me? You've made it clear you do not want me."

"You're right, I don't. But you knew that since before we were even wed, since before you forced my hand and made me break my pledge with Sookie. You're the one who made the foolish decision to push it, I honored the debts and pledges my maker made before his end but to expect me to enjoy the prison I was forced into, or have any want to come back, is just insane. Take this lifeline I'm offering you and move past this. It'll be best for everyone, most of all you."

"Why would you want to help me? And you were not in a prison, don't be so dramatic, I made sure you had everything you could ever want."

"Like a bird in a gilded cage."

She stays quiet for a long while thinking over my words. I feel like she's seeing things clearly and is going to agree to my offer but I'm proved wrong when she says, "I don't think you're nearly as certain that the human will beat me as you're pretending to be. If you were as certain as you seem you wouldn't be offering me this olive branch."

"No, the only reason I offered it to you is because I think you have the potential to become a great queen but only if you survive long enough for it to happen. It's not as if I hate you, you did not treat me terribly, I just did not want to be there, nor did I want to be sold as nothing more than a pet. Now that I am home and most of my anger has passed, I do not find it necessary for this to end with your death, which it most certainly will if you keep going down the road you are currently traveling."

"You're wrong, Eric, on all counts. I and my reign are completely safe and secure. And more importantly, this time next week you and I will be safely on our way home to Oklahoma."

She's delusional. Either that or she doesn't know me nearly as well as she thinks she does. If she thinks that I'm the type to lie about such things she's been falling for someone who isn't real. "Whatever you say, Freyda. I tried, I'll see you at the council meeting,"

"You sure will. And make sure to wear red so that we'll match."

I don't bother to try to stop the scoff that comes out of me, she's ridiculous, ludicrous, just completely insane. Well I've tried to help her, get everyone what they want without the need to fight or take any type of vote but she's happy to ignore the truth in my words in order to keep up with her fantasies. Whatever, it matters not in the scheme of things. It's disappointing though, I was being truthful when I told her I think she has a chance of becoming a great queen. It seems she's willing to squash all that potential for a chance to make me her slave again. Since that's how it is, I'll feel no regret when she's taken out sometime over the next few months by either some young upstart or someone who is already a king who's looking to expand their territory, either way, it doesn't matter to me anymore. I don't reply to her as I hang up.

It's only then that I notice Sookie must have woken up because she's standing behind me. I turn to her with a sexy smirk that I feel soften when I see that she's all ruffled with her hair messed up from bed and she's still half asleep. "Did you have a good rest, lover?"

"Mhmm." She answered while rubbing her eyes, and sleep still in her voice, "Who were you talking to?"

"Freyda."

My answer wakes her up completely, her back straightens, and she's looking around as if to find the queen around the room. "What? Why? Where?"

"On the phone, in Oklahoma, I suspect, and because I was offering her an out to try to save us some time."

"What out?"

"The position I held on her court is a prestigious one, many people would love to have it, I know of a few people specifically that'd want it and those people would fill her specifications too. I was willing to give her the names of those people if she'd move on from me, then everyone would get what they want."

"Why would you do that for her? We already have the votes we need?" I feel a sniggle of jealousy coming from her in the bond.

"She's not a terrible person, she didn't abuse her power. Well, not much, anyway. Much less than others would have in her situation. And I think she has the possibility of becoming a good queen if she doesn't meet the true death before she has the chance. She just needs the right person with her, who is most certainly not me. I was giving her the opportunity to choose that companion."

Her jealousy rachets up a notch though she tries to push it down and doesn't show it on her face. "What did she say?"

"She turned down my offer, she said she doesn't think I'm as secure in the vote as I say I am and that she'd rather have me."

It bubbles over now, "Yeah well that bitch has another thing coming to her if she thinks that's how it's going to go. I'm not giving you up. Ever."

I smirk at her, "Why, lover, how I love it when you're jealous over me."

I take slow, calculated steps over to her and watch her eyes widen and smell the scent of arousal grow with every step I take. Her denial is weak, "I'm not jealous…"

"Don't forget, dear Sookie, I can feel you."

I wrap her in my arms and start to nuzzle and kiss her neck, not bothering to put my fangs back once they come out. I use them, putting just enough pressure on the skin of her neck to leave two red lines with little droplets of blood in my wake. I go back and lick up every little drop of blood that comes from her and make sounds of approval as I do.

Her voice is breathy when she speaks, showing me how affected she is by my simple ministrations. "I-I know, but you're n-not feeling jealousy."

"No?" I ask as I use my finger to pull down the strap of her night gown, exposing her left breast. I trail down from her neck, still using the same ammount of pressure with my fangs, to her breast. When I finally make it to her nipple, I wrap my tongue around it before taking it into my mouth and sucking it while letting my fangs puncture her breast causing her to moan loudly. I enjoy that she's taken to enjoying the pain of my fangs with her pleasure.

"Nuh-uh, just don't like you talking to her and offering her help."

"And why is that?" I ask as I use my hand to lay flat on her thigh and slowly inch its way up, taking the bottom of her dress with it, gripping her hip tightly before moving back down and rubbing my thumb roughly over her underwear, causing another moan.

"I just don't." She mumbles as she thrusts herself forward, her body begging for more.

I chuckle as I bend down and lick her once over her underwear. "Because you are jealous."

She looks at me with her stubborn determination, though the face is a little lessened do to her darkened eyes with almost blown-out pupils and her arousal almost overwhelming the whole room. "Maybe I'm just worried about your safety when you're talking to her."

"Hmm, perhaps that'd be believable if I weren't here while she's states away and if it weren't for the fact that you know she wouldn't try anything so close to the council meeting." I push her underwear to the side and start lightly playing with her with my thumb while using my pointer finger to just barely enter her, teasing her.

She's still moaning but it's less of pleasure and more moans of torture, she needs more and I know it. "Eric…" She groans out pleadingly.

"What is it, lover?" The darkness in my voice gives away that I know exactly what she's pleading for.

"Stop playing with me, I need you." Her words make my already hard cock jump and almost make me give up my game, though thanks to my heard earned control I'm able to stop myself.

"Admit it," I demand, putting a little more pressure on her clit and using my other hand to flick her nipple, causing her to moan again.

"Admit what?"

"Admit that you're jealous and I'll give you what your body is literally begging me for." I lean forward and use my fang to pull down the other strap of her nightgown bearing her other breast to me. Something about her underwear being pushed to the side, bearing her pussy and her top half completely bare, with only her stomach covered by her scrunched-up nightgown is so sexy it's hard for me not to forget my plans and instead fuck her until we're both so sated that there's no other choice for us but to pass out for the day.

Thankfully her words bring me back to myself. "Okay, fine." She admits with a becoming pout.

"Okay, what?" I ask as I lean down to give her other breast the same attention I gave her left.

"Okay, I was jealous…" Her words trail off into a stream of moans as I quicken and deepen the pace of my fingers fucking her and the thumb playing with her clit.

It only takes a few seconds to feel her tighten and quiver around me as she comes, she's been on the edge for a while now. As she comes I bite down my fangs hard enough over her breast to puncture her hard enough to get enough blood to sustain me. Her moans quiet and her breath evens before I open my mouth after swallowing one last mouthful of her sweet sweet fairy laced blood. I lick her wounds but don't cut my tongue, I don't want her wounds to stay open but I also don't want those marks to go away. I stare at my fang mark over her breast and again my cock jumps, Gods she's so sexy and I enjoy greatly seeing my marks on her.

I eventually look away from the mark and to her face when she adjusts herself slightly to get more comfortable. Her hand reaches down and runs down my body from my pecks to my chest and then over my cock which is still confined painfully in my jeans. She makes quick work of unbuttoning and unzipping my jeans making room for my member to spring out, I make a sound of relief and start thrusting my finger inside her again, enjoying the new gush of wetness. Her hand dantily wraps around me and starts to pump in sync with my fingers. I lean down and start kissing and nibbling her neck again.

"Eric."

"Hmm?" I ask absently, not bothering to take my mouth away from her sweet sweat covered skin.

"Can we do the third blood exchange?"

All of my motions freeze and I pull back enough to look her in the eyes, "Sookie…"

She cuts me off and starts to speak very quickly, "I mean, didn't we decide it was fine, that it wouldn't have to change anything because we're already tied together permanently because of the fairy bond? I want to be with you Eric, in all ways." It seems she sees the reluctance in my eyes, or maybe feels it in whatever way fairies can feel their mate after they bond because she continues before I have a chance to respond, "I'm not going to do what Lucky Sookie did, Eric. I'm in, all in, forever. I want to be tied to you in the fairy, vampire, and human ways. I lov—well I know I haven't said it in a while because I knew it made you uncomfortable before but I love you and I want to be with you and close to you any way I can."

I stare at her for a few long moments, partly because I'm shocked at her words, partly because I'm thinking over my response, and partly because she chose a horrible time to talk about this, my brain is clouded by lust and how badly I want her. She loves me? Well, I suppose I already knew that, I just didn't let myself think about it. Do I love her? I loved the other Sookie and saw how horrible that turned out, I know they're not the same, I know she isn't planning on leaving me and isn't looking for an excuse to run at every turn but it's still hard to accept. Fuck, I don't want to deal with this right now. But it's not as if I can just ignore her, she wants to finish the bond now.

I realize my fingers are still idly pumping inside her while I've been lost in thought, I slowly take them out and roll over so that I'm lying next to her. She turns and rests her head on her hand so that she can look at me as she worriedly asks, "Eric?"

"I don't know, Sookie. I don't know if I want that yet, or ever. I've told you that already."

I feel her complete sadness, disappointment, and anger in the bond, I think the last one is pointed at herself. "Sorry Eric, you're right, I shouldn't be trying to rush you. You have been upfront about your wants and expectations."

I don't like it when she feels those emotions, I never want her to feel so down, especially because of me. She means too much to me. I'm not sure when it changed when being with her stopped being something I had to do to stay away from Freyda and became something I wanted, no need to keep going. I can't contemplate how it'd feel losing her, whether it be from her getting hurt or her deciding this life is too much for her and leaving. It might even break me. I survived the first time a Sookie did that but that was different, it took a lot to let myself give this Sookie a chance and now that I have, I can't lose her. Fuck, I guess that means I do love her. It's different than how I felt for the other Sookie, that love was desperate and needy. This is different, softer but still all-consuming, I feel safer than I ever did with the other Sookie and I don't want to lose that. I also don't want to hurt her or be the reason for her sadness. She's right too, we're already irrevocably tied together because of her light inside me and I wouldn't want that to change either. Plus, I was the one to initiate the last exchange, it's not as if I wasn't already contemplating the final exchange, in the back of my mind I think that might have been what I was working towards all along.

I move from my back to my side so I'm facing her and looking into her eyes, "Okay."

"Okay," she nods misunderstanding me, "Thanks for forgiving me so fast, I promise I won't bring it up again. If it's ever something you'd want, just let me know."

"No, Sookie, I mean 'okay, let's do it'."

"What? Why? What changed in the last two minutes?"

"I've had some realization in that short time and I don't see the point in waiting anymore."

"Yeah, but, I don't want you to regret it later, I know—well I know you don't feel the same way about me as I feel about you."

"Sookie…" I might have realized I love her but I'm not sure how I feel about saying it out loud.

"No!" She interrupts loudly, "I'm not trying to pressure you into something you don't want, I don't want to put you in an uncomfortable position. You've already made it clear that you might never feel the same way as me and that's okay. Really, I mean it, I'm fine I didn't mean to push you. So just forget I ever as—"

I cut off her rambling by leaning in and kissing her roughly. She should know by now I do not say things I do not mean, and that I wouldn't agree to complete a blood bond with her if I wasn't sure. I pull back after a while, I'm not sure how long as I too got lost in the kiss but I can tell it's been a while by the pants Sookie is letting out and the lust showing clearly in her eyes again.

"I want to finish the bond, Sookie, I wouldn't tell you so if it wasn't true."

She looks at me for a few long moments, perhaps trying to read my emotions, or hell, my mind, she is a telepath after all. She smiles slowly after she finds whatever she's looking for, "Yeah?"

"Yes."

I'm still surprised that she can blush so vividly after all the things I've done to her in bed, after all the things we've done together, but she does. Her cheeks are bright red when she nods her head and leans back in to softly press her lips against mine. I use my vamp speed to get back on top of her and work her body up again. I make my way down her body making sure to use my fangs along the way hard enough to leave little droplets of blood in my wake but make sure to lick every last bit up. When I make it down to her center, instead of pushing her underwear to the side like I did before, I pull them down her legs, slowly, all the way off, keeping eye contact with her the whole time. When they're off I crawl back up her body, leaving licks and bites up her legs before grabbing each of her thighs and spreading them as wide as I'm able. I slowly bend forward and lick her from the bottom of her slit to her clit and proceed to eat her out, stopping every time she looks away or closes her eyes in pleasure. It doesn't take long before I feel her squeezing my fingers in her orgasm. I stop myself from the urge I have to bite her again, I don't want to take too much blood from her if I'm going to bite her again to finish the bond.

I crawl up her body, taking her leg with me over my shoulder, and enter her before she comes down from her natural high. Her scent is intoxicating and I've been holding off on my pleasure for too long so I enter her hard and fast causing moans to come from both of us. I've slept with thousands of women over my long lifetime but no one has ever felt as right as when I'm with Sookie. I kiss her as my hand travels down, over her breasts, down her flat stomach, her wide hip bones, down to her clit, and move my thumb on it slowly, counter to how fast I'm fucking her. Her hands are around me, one around my neck and one resting on my chest. I ignore the heat emanating from them at first, she's always hotter than me, especially when her heart is racing and her blood is pumping so hard I can see it in her veins. It's not until they're almost burning me but in a pleasurable way, that I look at the one on my chest and see it glowing. Sookie is lost in her pleasure, eyes closed, head thrown back. I open my mouth to warn her but before I have the chance her hands emanate light that leaves her and shoots into me. I feel the back of my neck and my chest heat up and this warm tingling sensation enters me and spreads through my entire body, making me moan loudly and cum immediately.

I'd normally be embarrassed but thankfully whatever light she sent through me made my already quick refractory period almost nonexistent. Plus after the light goes through me I can barely think straight, all I can think of is Sookie, wanting more of her, needing more, her scent, her taste, how tight she is around me, where her hands are touching my skin, giving myself over to her. I know somewhere deep down that this is because of the light and normally I wouldn't be so quick to give myself over to someone, even if it is Sookie, but I don't care right now.

I pull out of her and quickly flip her over so that she's on her hands and knees and enter her again, thrusting into her quicker and harder than I was before, almost moving at vamp speed. I pay special attention to her reactions making sure I don't hurt her but her moans are even louder than they were before and she's reaching behind her blindly to grab at me, sometimes leaving scratches on me which only spirs me on more. I feel myself quickly coming to my end after she quivers around me again so I bite into my wrist and wrap my arm around her, it only takes a moment before I feel her lips latch onto my wound and start sucking, the sensation makes me moan and brings me even closer to my orgasm. Just as I fall over the edge I move her hair away from her neck, and bite, her supple skin, and drink, feeling the bond complete itself.

I slow down my thrusts, making Sookie's orgasm last as long as possible and her come down easy before stopping and pulling out of her, both of us groaning at the sensation. I kiss down her spine before grabbing her hips and rolling her over so that she's on her side. Her breath is still evening out and her eyes are dazed, the sight gives me a moment of male pride before I lay down next to her and take a moment to enjoy our bond. Even though I haven't let myself think about it or admit it, I've missed it since the moment it disappeared and I flew to her house as fast as I possibly could terrified that she'd died and I wasn't there to protect her.

I feel how sated she is, content, relaxed, happy, and an overwhelming sense of love. It's not like I didn't feel those things from her before but it's different now that the bond is complete, it's almost all-consuming, I feel it as if it were my own emotions, and now I can accept those emotions from her and make them my own if I so wish. She's finally calmed down, she turns so I'm no longer holding her from behind but now she's cuddling up to me, I move my hand so that it's wrapped around her and idly run my hand through her hair.

"Mhmm," she sounds happily.

"Did you mean to do that?"

"Do what?" She asks, sounding much more aware now.

"Use your fairy light on me."

She lifts her head so that she can look at me, I can tell from her face and the bond that she's surprised, "What are you talking about?"

"You shot me with your light."

"Did I hurt you?" She looks over me while patting random parts of my body looking for damage.

I chuckle, "No, I'm fine, it was quite… pleasant."

"Oh good… but also bad."

"Bad?"

"No! Not that I wanted to hurt you! It's just, isn't my light supposed to hurt? What if I use it when we fight DeCastro and I just make everyone I shoot feel 'pleasant'?"

I pass over the fact that she's planning to go to battle with me, I know Sookie well enough by now to know there's no keeping her away, I'll just have to do everything in my power to make sure she's properly protected. "I think it's about intentions. You did not want to hurt me, so you didn't. You've used your light to hurt people before, correct? Even if it was in the other dimension." It's taken some time but I've finally become more comfortable speaking about and accepting the different dimensions.

"Yeah, I have, that's true. It was always by accident though, when I was in danger."

"That is why you practiced with Niall when you got here."

"Okay, true. But maybe I should take another trip to the fairy and drink some more from that fountain so I can become stronger before the fight just in case. Plus, I have to keep drinking it if I want the changes to become permanent and for my lifespan to grow."

I smile, I'm always unsure whether to think of her as the same woman I've loved for what feels like so long or a new woman who just happens to look like her. Most of the time I consider her the same person but when she says something like that, it's hard. Perhaps it's best to just think of her as the same woman who's just grown a lot in the time we've been apart. Yes, I believe that is the best and most accurate option.

"I think that's a great idea."