EPOV

I'm not sure what drew me to kiss her, well, that's not exactly true. Sookie, not any version of Sookie, has ever been willing to offer anything like this Sookie just suggested. I've been getting little glimpses showing me that she's different, that it wouldn't end the same way it ended before but it's been hard to believe. One thing I've learned in my long life is to trust when people show you who they are because of that knowledge I'm not usually one to give second chances or trust people when they've said they changed. This is a unique situation though and I cannot force myself to change my emotions for her. I meant what I said to her at the Pyramid of Giza, I'm not fond of having feelings.

I've long since accepted that I do have them and a lot of those emotions surround Sookie, and for a while, I had no problems dealing with them being with Sookie, even if it did include things I'd never thought I'd willingly accept like fidelity to only one being. Things have changed much since then though. Though I'd never admit it to anyone out loud, fuck, I'm not fond of even admitting it to myself, but I've been confused ever since Niall came to my room when I was still stuck with Freyda and explained everything to me about the different Sookies to me. I feel that I'm finally ready to accept the change and give Sookie an actual chance.

As I said, this whole situation has shown how much she has changed, if this was before we'd never be staying in a hotel when we're only a half hour's drive away from the farmhouse, and not even Oden himself would have been able to convince her to run away with me if I asked her, now she's going so far as to suggest it herself.

I'm brought out of my introspection when the elevator dings signaling that I'm back on my floor, I'd just handed the vampire and Were off to Chow to be taken care of since they are no use to me anymore. When I left the hotel Pam was still in a room speaking to our contacts on the king's compound, hopefully, she's gotten some good information so that we know what we're up against. I did not gather much from my conversation at all with the king, it was mostly just platitudes about how happy he was that I'm back with Sookie and free from under Freyda's thumb. I scoff, as if he couldn't have stopped the whole marriage if he wanted to, no he chose to have me leave thinking it would free Sookie for his taking.

I just hope he doesn't have a leg to stand on with his claims that if my marriage contract with Freyda is ruled null and void, everything will revert to how it was beforehand, meaning I'd be his sheriff again and right back to being under his thumb. I must put a call into my lawyer tonight to start figuring a way around that mess. The problem keep adding up, fuck, I'm not even free from Freyda yet and I already have other people trying to own me, leaving the country and all the drama behind is sounding better and better.

I open the door to the suite and enjoy the sight of Sookie, Pam, and Karin all sitting on the couches talking to each other. It's not often that I get a chance to have everyone important to me around at the same time. Unfortunately it doesn't seem like they're speaking of anything enjoyable, more like they're trying to scheme a way out of this mess. I can't help but think Sookie doesn't deserve this and it might have been better to just stay with Freyda and wait out my time so that Sookie could do whatever she wanted with her life. Now she's stuck spending her short years being forced to constantly deal with bullshit like this.

I ignore the pain I get whenever I think about the fact that Sookie is human and won't be around for more than a handful of decades. It's better not to think about it, there's nothing I can do to change her mind and if she's serious about being with me I could give her a steady supply of blood, possibly doubling her human lifespan. There's no point in thinking about that now though, it's better to handle our current problems before taking on ones that aren't quite as urgent.

"What did you find out?" I ask without preamble.

"Nothing much about Sookie, I'm afraid. DeCastro is keeping tight-lipped on whatever he is planning. However, I did find out that he's looking for a new second since Victor is no longer around. He's been holding meetings, auditioning different vampires, the sheriffs of his states, even bringing in big names from other states, trying to make them loyal to him. He doesn't have anyone he really trusts right now so he's making all the decisions without anyone to temper him or tell him it's a bad idea. Once word got out that you were back in the state there've been whisperings of him bringing you on as his second and leaving me to be sheriff."

"Yes, I had a feeling he was thinking something along those lines, when I spoke to him he made it quite clear that he considered me his underling again."

"Well obviously that's not going to happen," Sookie says in a way that makes her sound so sure of herself and that fact.

"Speaking of, if you ladies will excuse me, I must call Mr Cataliades, it seems we have a few things to speak of."

Pam and Karin both nod at me, while Sookie smiles brightly, I can't help the fact that my lips quirk up in return. I walk to the room that Sookie and I will be staying in until we choose a place to live and take out my phone that Pam had delivered for me, I'm not surprised that his number is already programmed.

It rings twice before he answers. "Ahh, Mr. Northman, I was expecting to hear from you. How have you been? I must say I was quite pleased to hear that you were back in Shreveport and with our dear Sookie."

"As am I, though unfortunately the fight isn't over yet, as I'm sure you've heard. We're expecting word from the council anytime now about a petition Freyda will submit to get me back."

"Yes, I did hear talk of that, and it's not surprising, she doesn't seem the type to be a graceful loser, from what I've heard about her, she'll keep fighting till the bitter end."

"You've heard correctly. Though I don't think it will be much of an issue, the real problems start after the council meeting."

"Ah. Somehow I knew this wasn't just a friendly chat, what can I do for you, Mr. Northman? You must know by now I'd do anything for Sookie and you are still my client, I'll help how I can."

I spend the next few minutes explaining the calls with DeCastro and the calls Pam has had with our contacts, and how DeCastro thinks that he'll still have control over me if we win the vote with the council. He stays quiet for almost a full minute after I finish speaking, if my vampire hearing didn't pick up his quiet breathing on the other end of the line I'd think we'd gotten disconnected.

"Hmm, that's quite a situation you two have managed to get yourselves into. He's right, there is some truth to what he is saying. Legally he can try to force you to finish out your contract with him."

"Even though he signed contracts with Freyda saying my working as his sheriff was canceled? Sookie is not contesting all the contracts signed at that time, only the marriage one, I have no control over the dealings between the two monarchs."

"That's exactly it, you have no control over them, they've been made and both promised things, if Freyda isn't allowed to have what she was promised, you, she could fight to get back all she gave over to the king, money. That would undo their contracts putting you firmly back under the fealty of the king."

Fuck, that's pretty much what I figured but it doesn't feel great to have it confirmed. "So what are my options?"

"That depends, you can contest it, but it would end up with you right in front of the council again, that could go either way, as you know. You can swear loyalty to another monarch that's willing to fight to keep you in their territory, I'm sure you know a few that would, you're quite the hot commodity if you didn't know. And of course, we've spoken of other options in the past that I don't feel comfortable speaking of again."

He doesn't feel comfortable speaking of those options because it amounts to treason. I was firmly against them before, not for the treason of course, fuck DeCastro, but because of the consequences and dangers of completing the task, taking the throne for myself. All of the options he's laid out have their up sides and down sides, even though Sookie told me she's willing to run, and I believe she is because of the look in her eye when she offered, I also don't think that's what she wants to do. I've never wanted to be king, to deal with the headache of leading a territory, especially one this big, but it would be good to not have to deal with having a boss and being able to keep Sookie local. And going to the council again could quite possibly work but that would still mean I'd have to leave if I win because there was no way DeCastro would let me stay in his state without giving him my fealty, no monarch in their right mind would. Though I do know of some places in the world that would let me stay out of the politics altogether, like Sookie's shifter does, I've done it before for a few decades but found it was easier to be in the loop, though maybe it'd be best to do for Sookie's lifetime, a few short decades is manageable, maybe that'd be a way to keep her out of all the supernatural trouble and danger. On the other hand, I'm not sure how she'd like living in the places we'd have to in order to be able to have a situation like that.

"Thank you, you've given me much to think about. I'll be sure to be in touch soon."

"Of course, I quite enjoy having you as a client and you know I care about Sookie so make sure to keep her safe."

"Of course."

I hang up the phone and sit on the bed to think, all three options are doable, and as I said they all have their pluses and minuses, I'm just not sure which one is the best. I suppose it'd be best to figure out what I want, and what Sookie wants and choose the option that matches our wants best. I must have went into downtime while thinking without realizing how long because I come back to myself when Sookie comes into the room.

"Eric, are you okay? You've been in here for a while." I listen to the internal clock all vampires have and realize she's right, I must have been thinking in circles for a while because it's been almost two hours. She sits down next to me and puts her hand on my shoulder looking at me worriedly.

"All is well, dear one, I was just thinking over the conversation I just had." It takes me a second to catch my slip of using that endearment but she smiles brightly at it, I've clearly made her happy, so I let it go.

"What did he say?"

"Come, let's speak of this with Pam and Karin because no matter what we decide they'll be involved," I say as I stand and start making my way back to the living area. I can tell by their feelings in the bonds I share with them that they went down to feed in the time I was lost in my thoughts in my room. It reminds me that I have not fed tonight and am getting quite tired of rewarmed blood bags.

"Good news?" Pam asks before I'm even in the room.

"News. DeCastro's claims are correct, when the council votes to annul my marriage to Freyda, DeCastro will have the ability to force me back into my old contracts."

Pam stays quiet to think that over but Karin speaks up, "Is that a problem? It's not as if your life before the marriage was something you wanted to get out of, right?"

"While you're correct, things have changed, I only chose to give fealty to DeCastro in the first place to keep Sookie safe. I could have stayed hidden and systematically taken his people out one by one until he'd lost so many people that he had no one to help keep him alive, I'd have been able to end him and I'd have then been free. It would have taken time but Pam and I could have done it, he knew about Sookie though and of course, wanted her so I had no choice but to go to her farmhouse that night and in doing so, it gave me no other option but to surrender and pledge my loyalty to him. I'd rather not be put in that situation again."

While I'm sitting I feel Sookie sit next to me and put her hand on my knee, because of this I feel her whole body stiffen in surprise while I'm telling them the story from my point of view. I realize Sookie never took the time to think it through, the fact that there were many better options for me that night but options I couldn't take because that would mean sacrificing her. At least this Sookie seems to understand and care about all I did to keep her safe at great detriment to myself.

Pam nods her head, looks at Sookie, and matter-of-factly says, "Sookie dear, you know how fond I am of you but I have to admit, I worked hard to talk Eric out of going to your house that night."

Sookie looks sad but understanding and for the second time in as many days I wish I had my blood in her so that I could feel her emotions and even a blood bond so she could feel mine and I could comfort her when she's sad. I mentally shove that thought away, there's no way I'd want to do another blood bond with Sookie. I ignore that small voice inside me that tells me I'm lying to myself.

"So no, I have no want to go back to being an underling of DeCastro, he's not quite as bad as he was when Victor was around but still he's greedy and I don't trust him as far as Sookie could throw him."

Sookie nudges me in the side with a 'hey!' pretending to be offended so I turn to smirk at her.

"So then what are your options?" Pam asks though I know she has a decent idea of what they are already.

"There's three, pledge allegiance to another monarch now before he has the chance to take it to the council, fight for my freedom again when he takes it to the council which would probably end with us leaving anyway if I win, though it'd give me more time to find a proper place to go, or take the throne. Unless I want to work for DeCastro again and deal with constant attempts to take Sookie, which I don't." And Sookie doesn't deserve to live like that any longer I add to myself quietly.

Sookie looks startled and looks at me strangely, I open my mouth to ask her what's wrong but she shakes her head no, so I decide to ask her when we're alone.

"What do you want to do?" Pam asks.

"You should take the states for yourself," Karin suggests.

"It's an option but you know I've never wanted the title of king, plus with that big of a territory it would leave a big target on my back, there's always someone who wants more power and someone who isn't afraid to fight to get it."

"So you want to find someone else to pledge your loyalty to."

"That's also an option."

"I don't see any other's, you either take the power for yourself or serve someone else." Karin states like I'm being overly obtuse."

"That's not strictly true."

"What do you mean, Eric?" Sookie asks.

"Oh no, you're not going to go there again, I thought you said it was more trouble than it was worth." Pam cuts in.

I shrug, she's right, I did say that, and it's true. But that was when I was trying to live outside our hierarchy forever, it's fine for a few decades and an easy way to be unnoticed and unbothered. The biggest downside to living in a place outside of a set territory is that you have no backup if someone were to come after you and you won't know what's happening or what's being planned around you because you're not in the loop enough to hear about it. As I said, it's not sustainable long term but for Sookie's human life it's doable and by the time she's gone I'd find somewhere else to go and start over. Freyda would have moved on long before then and found another strong vampire to marry.

"It's manageable for a few decades."

"What are you talking about?" Sookie asks, becoming annoyed for not knowing what we're speaking of.

"There are places in the world that aren't under the rule of any kings. Not many and that's mostly because they're so scarcely populated so when a vampire moves there, they're more likely to be left alone, and there are other places that don't have a lot of vampires there because there are environmental factors that make it so that vampires aren't particularly welcome."

"Like where?" Sookie asks.

"Have you ever heard of the land of the midnight sun?"

"Oh yeah, they're places in the Arctic belt, right?"

"Yes, places where the sun can sometimes be up 20 out of 24 hours depending on the season, sometimes even full days where the sun doesn't set at all."

"Well you wouldn't want to live places like that, right? You'd spend more than half your life dead for the day."

I shrug, "I've done it before and they aren't like that all year long."

Pam speaks up "So you've decided, you're not going to take down DeCastro? What about Sookie? She's made it clear she doesn't want to leave and for at least the foreseeable future, you guys are married and have to stay that way. You can't just leave the state and leave her here, she'd have to come with you."

"Actually, I was talking about it with Eric already, I don't really have a problem with leaving."

I hold back a chuckle, it's not often Pam loses control of her face but Sookie's words surprised her, and she showed that by her eyes widening her her jaw-dropping. She must feel my amusement because she cuts her eyes to me quickly and blanks her face out again. Her only response to Sookie's words is, "Interesting."

"I haven't made any decisions yet, mostly because any choice I make will involve and affect everyone here."

"I am willing to fight with you, Eric, and I can gather some forces of my own for our cause."

Karin is still pushing for me to take over. It's not a terrible idea, I know that even though Sookie is willing to leave, she'd rather stay. But kings don't step down from thrones, not often anyway, that'd be sealing my fate here for the rest of my life, and I've gotten quite good at staying alive for a long time. Pam is not ready nor legally old enough for a throne herself or else I'd gladly work under her and I can't see Karin wanting to stay in the same spot for the rest of her life even if I feel that she'd be a wonderful, if ruthless leader. So I look at her and pose the question to her, hopefully making her realize what I'd be giving up.

"I'd fight for you to take the throne as well and happily serve under you if that's something you'd like."

Karin stays quiet for a few long moments, "I'd consider it if you'd do the same."

I hide my reaction but that answer surprises me, eventually, I nod my head. "We'll speak more on this later, I have some time before I have to make a decision." I know I must speak to Sookie alone to hear what she wants before I decide anything, I don't want her to resent me for the rest of her life because I made this decision without her. Huh, and they say old vampires can't learn new tricks.

I start to stand up taking Sookie with me when Pam speaks, "Whatever you decide you have my support and whatever else you need from me."

I nod at her and continue my walk back to our bedroom. I knew that Pam would fight for me if I told her I needed her to but it is nice hearing it from her. I also know she'll lie and protect my location at all costs if I decide to leave. When we make it to the room I close the door, let go of her hand, and hold my arms out directing her to the bed. It's only then that I realize I had been holding her hand through the whole conversation and walk to the room.

"So what would you rather do?" She asks me before I have a chance to speak.

"No, Sookie, you're the one being dragged into my trouble this time, what would you rather do? I can make all three options work and make sure you're safe for all of them. Do you want to stay here and be with me while I fight for, win, and run the territory? It'd be a lot of work, a lot of travel between the states and further, constant threats but you'd have more protection, people would be a lot less likely to go after a king's telepath and wife than a sheriff's or a vampire with no political standing at all. There'd also be more people loyal to me and to you by extension. Though I have a few friends in other countries who are monarchs and who'd love to have me back working for them again, I get offers every time my contracts run out. Or as I said, I know of a few places, some I already have a dwelling in that we wouldn't be bothered much at all, though they'd probably be too solitary for someone such as you, you'd get bored, you're someone who needs friends and people to talk to, to love."

She stays quiet for a long time seemingly thinking over her options but I know her well enough to know she's holding something back, when she finally speaks I know she's not being completely honest with me. "Well, I always have been interested in exploring new places."

"Sookie…"

"What?"

"We might not be bonded any longer but I know you well enough to know when you're lying, or at least when you're not telling the whole truth."

"Eric, I'm not lying, I do want to explore new places, and I mean it when I say I'll leave with you, it's just hard accepting that I won't be home anymore. If it weren't so dangerous for you, of course, I'd choose to stay here, but it is dangerous and I'm not letting you get in another position that could end up with you dead just because I'm scared of leaving. You've already done that for me too many times, or done it for the other Sookie, whatever, but I'm not putting you in that situation again."

As I'm leaning against the dresser looking at her while she's talking, it surprises her when I vamp over to her so that I'm standing right in front of her and bend down to kiss her deeply. She seems shocked for a moment but it doesn't take long for her tenseness to soften and for her to wrap her arms around my neck. Sookie turns me on, she always has but hearing her speak that way, to take my wants into consideration for her decisions does something to me.

I push her back so that she's lying flat on the bed and I'm on top of her, she uses her arms around me to pull me closer, I move my mouth from her lips down to her neck and spend special time and attention on her vein that's pumping fast, it's been much too long since I've fed on something other than a blood bag and she moves her head to the side to give me more access. She lets go of her arms around my neck and starts to move her hot hands over my body. It isn't long before I feel her lifting my shirt up trying to get it off me but by then my mouth has migrated to her perfect breasts and I don't want to move my mouth away even long enough to get the shirt off.

She lets out a grunt of annoyance but gives up on her task and moves her hands to my jeans. I get her dress and bra off of her and start slowly moving my way down her body, making sure to taste every inch, it's been far too long. It's not as if I'd have ever forgotten what my lover tastes like or how she pleases me in bed but remembering and living it are two very different things. Before I bend down to taste in between her legs I sit up and look her over, she's panting, looking at me, her eyes dark with lust, wearing nothing but a strip of pink fabric that barely passes for underwear, she's beautiful.

"Eric, please." She groans.

I smirk at her, I love it when she begs, if I didn't want her just as bad I'd take the time to tease her. Oh well, I'll just have to save that for next time. "What do you need, Sookie?"

Okay, maybe I can stand to tease her for a little while. "Eric, stop it."

"Whatever do you mean?" I ask as I take one finger and slip it in between her legs, using just enough pressure to push the fabric of her underwear between her folds, I circle her clit once before pulling away.

"No teasing!"

"Oh, I'm not, it's just you have yet to tell me what you want." I move my finger, not wet with her arousal up to her nipple and pinch it in a way I know she likes.

Her breath is much breathier when she speaks again, "You, I want you, inside me."

My smirk gets a little wider, I push her underwear to the side and enter her quickly with one finger, then two. I bend down and kiss her once hard before moving back down her body, in between licks and nibbles, I speak, "See, was that so hard?"

"That's, uh, not what I meant and you, mhmm, know it!" She whines. When I finally make it down to her center I waste no time in wrapping my lips around her clit and sucking while swirling my tongue. "O-okay, I changed my mind, you can keep going." She moans.

I chuckle as I continue eating her out, the vibration of my chuckle brings her more pleasure. I look up at her and see she's already staring at me and it isn't long before I feel her tighten around my fingers signaling she's close to a climax, her moans groaning louder and more urgent let me know as well. Just as she's about to fall over the edge, I move my mouth to her inner thigh, let my fangs come down, and bite her.

"Fuck, Eric!" I take a few slow long pulls and slow the thrusts my fingers are making as she comes down from her high.

When I take my fangs out of her I peirce my own tongue and use the blood to heal her marks. As her breathing starts to calm down I look at her and think she never looks as magnificent as she does right after I've made her cum, so contented and confident. I crawl back up her body and hook her leg over my shoulder as I do. We both moan when I finally enter her, it doesn't surprise me when her hands move right to my ass and pull me closer, though her obsession with my ass always makes me chuckle. I lean in and kiss her as I start quickening my pace and it's not long before she's moaning into my mouth.

I move my free hand down to her clit and start to move my fingers in the way I know brings her the most pleasure. Sookie is the one who breaks away from our kiss, she starts trailing her lips down my chin and onto my neck while she moves one hand through my hair. It isn't surprising when her kisses turn to nibbles and then bites, I'm a vampire, she's learned long ago I like some pain with my pleasure. It does surprise me when she bites me hard enough to draw blood right as I feel her squeeze my cock tightly as she cums.

I don't think about it when I bite her again, this time on her neck, and moan into her as the bites push me over the edge. After coming down, I pull back enough to look at her from where she's been resting her head in the crook of my neck, she smiles at me a little sheepishly with blood still on her lips. I feel her worry but there's no sign of regret. Fuck, we just exchanged blood for the first time and now I can feel her emotions again, I promised myself I'd never get into this situation again unless it was wanted on both sides. I pull out of her and roll over, I just stare at the ceiling of the room thinking things over.

"Eric?"

"Why did you bite me?"

"I'm sorry! That wasn't fair of me at all, I just got lost in the moment." She leans over so she's resting her arm on my chest and she's looking right at me. "I know you're still getting used to all the crazy stuff and I shouldn't have done that without talking to you. Do you hate me now?"

Fuck, why can't I just get passed this, past her. The only want I have when she looks sad and worried like this is to comfort her. Of course, I give in to the urge because apparently, I'm just weak, when it comes to her, anyway. I cup her cheek and lightly move my thumb up and down. "No Sookie, I don't hate you. Just don't do it again, I don't want to be in a situation like that again, it was terrifying when you—she broke the bond without giving me any warning, I'm not doing that again."

She leans over so she's almost fully on top of me and her face is less than an inch away from mine, whatever she's planning on saying she wants to make sure I know she means it. "Eric, I'd never do that to you, don't you get it? I'm here, I'm in this, this is it for me, you're it for me." The last part of her sentence came out quiet and a little sad.

I close the small distance between us and kiss her, there's no need for more words. When she pulls back she rests her head on my shoulder and closes her eyes, I feel her exhaustion, it has been a long night so I wrap my arms around her and let her sleep on top of me. When I hear her heartbeat and breath even out I relax too, I close my eyes and take a moment to feel and enjoy the fledgling bond we started tonight. I send up a silent prayer to Oden that this one doesn't end up the same way the last one did.