First comes the fall, followed by the drop, and finally, the impact with the ground.
But what happens during the fall?
During the fall? In free fall?
Just away. Just away from Bon Temps. Where to? The same place. All Mila wanted was to leave Bon Temps as soon as possible, which meant after her senior year.
And that's how it ended up. As soon as Mila had her diploma in her pocket, she was on her way out of this crappy little town. She had packed her bags long before graduation. Three weeks, to be exact. It was better to be safe than sorry, because you never knew what was going to happen.
But there was one exception. Mila would take the ball with her. It would have been strange after all this time, no matter how horrible the town and its people were, not to celebrate graduation. It was the end of her high school days. More than thirteen years of her life had been spent learning, and now that time, that period of her life, was over.
No college. Anything but college. Someday, when she was old and it was too late, she might regret not going to college, but it didn't feel right.
Mila didn't know what had become of her former classmates, and she didn't care.
But time flies, much faster than one can believe. Today a child and tomorrow an adult with a family.
Mila had not really wanted to go back, but the sudden death of her father had ensured that she "had" to go back. If she hadn't been an only child, she would have left it to her sister, brother or sisters, but as it was, it was her job.
Damn, how she hated this town, Mila thought as she parked on the street in front of the town sign and looked at the stupid sign.
A/N: Set in season 6, episodes 2-3 (I think at least it was those episodes xD) This piece is quite angst-filled one, so prepare yourself with tissues if you have to. If there is any mistakes to the few words/sentences of Swedish used in this, they are entirely my own as that isn't my strongest foreign language and I didn't use a translator. Also this was written about a year ago when I watched True Blood for the first time.
Fandom: True Blood
Summary: Emily and Pam have searched for Eric across the world. When they finally find the 1,000 years old viking vampire from France Emily's already shattered world seems to turn into dust: Eric, her rock, her best friend, the only father she's ever had, is sick.
Characters: Eric Northman, Pamela Swynford de Beaufort, Emily Northman (oc)
Words: 2736
•-•-•-•-•
•-•-•-•-•
"Pam, you have to eat."
You don't look like yourself, she wanted to add but stopped herself just in time. The vampire had been snappier for a few days now and Emily didn't want to make her mad at her. Not that she believed that Pam would really hurt her, even in anger. She had never done so after that one time and that had been when Emily was six and she hadn't known when to keep her mouth shut.
Well, maybe she still didn't know when to keep her mouth shut —but she was better than ten years ago!
Pam turned to look at the teenager—No. The young woman, that Emily had blossomed into in the last months despite that the world seemed to grow shittier every fucking day. Perhaps that was the reason why. Emily had lost that soft roundness on her face and her eyes were tired, dark bags under her eyes. Her clothes hung on her, and Pam, for a brief moment, wondered when was the last time the human herself had eaten.
"I'm not hungry."
Emily resisted the urge to roll her eyes, instead, she sat down on the only chair in the motel room they were in. "Snälla, Pam. You could at least stop lying to me about it - I'm not blind!"
Pam was about to snap something back, but instead, her hand reached the doorknob. But before she left the room she turned to face Emily again. "If I can't find anything tonight, I'll feed on you tomorrow, I promise. Stay here, don't open the door to anyone and don't invite anyone in."
Emily let Pam say those words the vampire had said every night although the girl is tired of hearing them night after night. But it seemed to help Pam, to get to remind her of those small yet so trivial rules. So Emily's "I know" echoed in the empty vampire-friendly motel room after Pam had left and closed the door behind her.
Her eyes spotted the room key left on the small cracked table near the door. In the first months of their search, Pam locked Emily in but lately, the vampire had not taken the keys with her at all.
And because of that Emily knew that Pam was starting to become suicidal in their search for Eric.
•-•-•-•-•
“I think I found him.”
Pam has never - as far as Emily’s memory goes back - sounded more… excited? Happy? No, that is not the right word and she knew that. Pam’s voice was flat, she tried to hide the hope that had filled her but Emily felt it. It radiated off Eric’s first progeny and she couldn’t help it; for the first time in months, Emily dared to let herself hope too.
But there was something else she sensed from Pam. She was sad too, and that made the girl swallow. “But?” When did my voice start to sound so weak? So small?
Pam’s next words killed something inside of her.
“Tara is dead. I felt it.”
What felt like minutes passed and Emily couldn’t say anything, couldn’t move from her spot. Pam was still but there was no denying the glint in her eyes. Emily and Pam had never been the type to coddle each other. Never.
Still, Emily raised up in her bed anyway, took the few short steps it took to reach the vampire, who had been her only family for six months now, and she wrapped her arms around her, swallowing and blinking back the tears she felt coming.
“I’m so sorry, Pam.”
And Pam - beautiful, bad-ass, smart Pam - returned the young woman’s embrace, letting bloody tears run freely, staining Emily’s shirt with red.
•-•-•-•-•
The plane landed in France the same evening - Pam in a coffin in the cargo hold.
They flew to the villa in France. Pam had told Emily that she and Eric used to live here before they were forced to go to Shreveport.
She could see why the two vampires had chosen this place to reside in — even in the night, the garden surrounding the sand-coloured walls of the large building was breathtakingly beautiful.
Emily had more pressing matters though than to watch the sights. She could feel him. First time in over six months, Emily felt Eric. That familiar flare that had so long been gone from inside her, burned again. No. Not completely familiar. There was no doubt that the vampire she felt was indeed Eric Northman. But his life force, which had always been so strong… it cracked. Like old dry cement.
Something is wrong, Emily thought as she followed Pam inside, to a spiral staircase going down, down, down.
Emily swallowed. She had a bad feeling. Very bad feeling - and god, she wished she was wrong. She begged to be wrong. That there was simply something wrong with her own powers, and not something wrong with her Eric.
Wishful thinking, foolish thinking, she knew. Knew because she had felt this same feeling before over the past months - recently more often than she would have wanted to.
Emily and Pam started to make their way down the stairs, and Emily - her chest tightened in pain.
Two youngish and beautiful women met the vampire and the empath on the stairs. One of them said something in French. Emily couldn't understand, she had never bothered learning French. Maybe sometime during 'forever' — she had used to think that. Not anymore, not for a long time now.
She didn't know what the French woman said but she did feel their emotions. Confusion. Betrayal. Hurt. Confusion.
The final round of the spiral and Pam and Emily saw the room.
As soon as Emily's eyes fell on him, she felt her heart tighten. She had thought she had felt pain last night when Tara died the true death. She had been wrong.
Nothing she had ever felt compared to the heart-wrenching, punch-in-the-gut pain that crashed over her like a hurricane when the dark veins creeping up her guardian's chest, the meaning of them, finally hit her.
And even though her legs felt like boiled spaghetti, Emily forced herself to step closer to Eric. Eric who was sick. He can't be! He's Eric for fuck's sake! But he could be, and he was. "No" pushed through her lips, past the lump in her throat, the word sounding broken.
And Eric.
Eric Northman's eyes switched from his first progeny to his human equivalent to a daughter. "You found me."
“How long?” Pam asked the question that burned on Emily’s mind too. It seemed that Eric was still in the first stage of the Hep-V virus but she knew that that didn’t mean anything. Not because she didn’t know how long Eric had been sick. He could have months left with proper blood sources but then again, if the disease got worse, he could only have days.
The tall blonde vampire didn’t answer, not right away. He almost looked like he was about to fall asleep. Hot tears began to blind the teenager’s vision as she grabbed his hand in hers. His hand had always been cold. Cooling touch relieving to Emily. Eric’s hand was warm now. This is wrong! Emily’s mind screamed at her.
“Eric?”
“Can you repeat the question?”
And those words that seemed so meaningless, so genuinely apologetic, were the words that sent Emily’s tears falling from her eyes.
“How long have you been sick?” And Emily heard in Pam’s voice that she was crying too.
“Saw the first signs last month”, Eric said and not once in the time Emily had known Eric had he sounded so weak. So tired.
“When you were in St. Petersburg”, Emily heard herself say. She and Pam had tracked Eric there - Pam cursing all of the time they were in Russia, how she hated the Russians with her gut.
Something flickered in Eric’s blue, tired eyes. And even though faint, Emily felt the emotion: surprise. And even if the situation they are in, is fucked beyond belief, the young woman of seventeen found herself smiling, just the tiniest bit. Because one didn’t sneak up on Eric Northman that easily.
“Don’t act all surprised”, Pam said behind Emily. “We searched the whole fucking planet for you - St. fucking Petersburg, Eric? You know how I hate the Russian people.”
“Well, I didn’t know you two were gonna come looking for me”, Eric said, eyes moving to Emily whose eyes squinted slightly.
“Then you were an idiot”, Emily said in Swedish. Another small wave of surprise from Eric. Emily continued. “Why did you keep moving then?”
“Yes, I want to know the answer to that as well”, Pam said crossing her arms.
Eric chuckled, although it awfully sounds like a mix of a chuckle and a cough. Too rough, Emily thought.
“Congratulations, Pam, Emmy-”, and Emily’s eyes were burning with unshed tears again because it had been so long that she had heard that nickname from Eric. “You have outwitted me.” His hand raised to touch Emily’s cheek. “But only because I’m not well.”
Pam told about Tara, but to Emily’s confusion, Eric didn’t offer words of comfort, didn’t say he was sorry to hear that. Instead, he asked about a stupid bucket game he played in Marocco - the same game Pam had played last night to get the information of Eric’s location.
“Oh… I liked the bucket game.”
And Pam was about to snap, she already took steps forward, but Emily beat the vampire to it.
“What is wrong with you?! You are Eric fucking Northman!” her hands balled to fists, the tears in her eyes no longer coming out of sadness, but anger. “You don’t give up. You fight!”
“Fight’s over, Emily.”
“This can’t all be about Sylvie.”
Emily didn’t know who Sylvie was. But she knew that Eric giving up like this couldn’t be just because of one person.
“Godric”, Eric stated. “Nora.” Emily felt a tug of pain in her chest, partly her own, partly the vampire’s whose hand she still held in hers. “And yes, Sylvie too.”
And Pam’s next question made Emily’s heart skip a beat, two beats. Because she had never, even in her wildest worst-case scenarios, thought about that. Not until Pam put that idea in her head when she asked: “Did you contract the virus on purpose?”
Eric wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t do something so… he wouldn’t! but despite her thoughts, Emily couldn’t have said why she was suddenly so afraid of his answer.
“On purpose? No-” Eric said, shaking his head a little, and Emily felt a relieved breath leave her. “But did I go about my dealings with a devil-may-care attitude? Absolutely.”
“Damn you!” Emily snapped, but then she burst into tears. She was exhausted - she hadn’t slept since Marocco and even there it was just a few hours -, and the only thing that had kept her from having a break-down had been hope. Hope that she would see Eric again soon. But this reunion had not been the relief she had waited for. She was glad to see him again, but a small part of her wished they never would have found him.
Because now, she was afraid. More afraid than she had ever been in her entire life - and that was saying something after the torture Edgington had put her through two years ago.
Eric tried to reach for the girl, but Emily turned away, scooting back in the chair so she sat by his legs. She pulled her knees up, hugged herself tightly and buried her face in her knees as sobs racked her whole body. She was barely aware that Pam had sat on Eric’s other side, trying to reason with him.
“Don’t do this to us”, Emily heard Pam start sobbing and she turned her head, just enough that she could see Eric and her again - and she didn’t want to. She really didn’t but she still reached out with her hand, and her fingers - still so small and slim in comparison - wrapped around Eric’s large hand the best they could. “Please, Eric…”, Emily sobbed, too.
“God damn you!” Pam cursed.
“For more than 1,000 years, the world has been my oyster”, Eric said.
“And it still can be”, Pam argued. “I’ll do anything.” Emily squeezed Eric’s hand. Me too. I would do anything for you. She wanted to say but the words refused to leave her.
“I’ve lost my taste for oysters, Pam.”
“Then find it again.” Emily’s voice came out harsher than she intended and she gained Eric and Pam’s attention. Wiping her face with the back of her hand, she uncurled herself from her position. “Du lovade mig”, Emily said in Swedish, desperately, and her voice was thick with emotion.
Something in Eric’s eyes shifted. Turned softer and sad. “I know I did, sweetheart, but the world has changed since then.” He grabbed Emily’s wrist and pulled her towards him - and even sick, Emily found out that Eric was still so much stronger than she was. She was only human after all - even if it was with a little something extra. Eric’s feelings were clear and honest at his next words as his hand rested on the side of Emily’s face, thumb lightly brushing away her tears.
“My sweet little Emily”, Eric whispered, his lips forming a quick smile, sad and warm at the same time. “You are gonna go out there. You are gonna grow up to be a beautiful, smart woman, go to some stupid fucking university and find yourself a good, loving human husband. You’re going to have kids and you will tell them stories about their 1,000 years old vampire grandfather… and you will be happy… Do you understand?”
Emily swallowed, her hand raising on top of Eric’s now-wrong-temperature hand. She only barely managed to croak out the tiniest of “yes”. Even though she knew she would not do any of that.
“You should go. Both of you.”
Pam was crying but she was the first to rise from beside Eric and start to walk towards the staircase.
This is wrong! Emily’s mind screamed as she rose. Virus or no virus Eric was not just any other vampire - he was Eric! 1,000 years old vampire and a viking! Vikings had not just sat down and waited for death to come collect them! At least Emily didn’t think so. No. Vikings, they avenged. Just like Eric had avenged his human family only seven or so months ago.
As his last act… Emily felt no guilt of thinking about this at that moment, no guilt about throwing someone else’s life to a path to death - as far as she was concerned the other person deserved it.
As his last act before true death, Eric Northman could take revenge against the person who did this to him.
“Sarah Newlin”, Emily said, turning back to face Eric again. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Pam turn on her heels a glint of surprise and (oh that traitorous) hope in her eyes.
“What about her?” Eric asked, his eyes closed.
“What if I told you that Jason Stackhouse let her live.”
Eric’s eyes opened, his voice hardened. “He didn’t.”
“He did”, Pam said, catching on to Emily’s plan. “And she’s out there.”
“Where?”
“No one’s seen her”, Emily said.
“I have to imagine she’s in hiding somewhere”, Pam offered.
Emily saw Eric’s jaw clench. Then… then, with what seemed like a heavy effort, Eric pushed himself up in the chair and slowly, slower than Emily was used to seeing the vampire’s motions - Eric Northman stood in front of her, grasping her shoulder, as his eyes once again roamed between his girls.
“Well, let’s go find her.”
Emily wasn’t naive. She knew that Eric was still dying, but at least now he wouldn’t just sit down here and wait for it. He would go down fighting.
Just like he had taught her was the right way to go.
Just like the viking he was supposed to be - just like Eric fucking Northman was supposed to fight.
So, yes, Eric was still dying but at least now - and maybe it was selfish to think that way, but Emily didn’t find it in herself to care - Emily had a few more days to spend with the man who had taken her in as if she was his progeny instead of some orphan human child with empath powers.
Liv is as human as they come – faults and all. After a dark experience in her past, she is determined to live life on her own terms, and never let anyone claim her as theirs again. This becomes an issue, when she meets a 1000-yearold vampire, who is dead-set on claiming her as his own.
CHAPTER 2
A little while later, I was wearing a magenta dress of some kind of expensive label. Pam had taken one look at me when I returned to the suite in my chosen outfit – a pair of tight-fitting pants and a low-cut top – and thrown the garment in my face, along with a pair of boots that went up over my knees. I’d forgotten how terrible I was at walking in high heels – having always danced barefoot – and nearly twisted my ankle walking back into the living-area from the vampire’s bathroom.
I’d put on the new outfit, trying to ignore the red-stained towels in the hamper.
“Just lipstick… just lipstick”, I muttered to myself, as I regained my footing.
“It’s blood”, Pam said.
“Thanks…”, I sneered.
Eric slammed open the door to his room, and came out wearing a black well-fitting suit, over a tank top – and I was having trouble controlling my heartrate from how good he looked. His facial expression didn’t exactly give off any desire to dance the night away at a party; but then he looked at me, and his eyes diverted for a second towards my chest. He’d heart my heart beat faster, and his lips drew up into a light smile.
“I see you’ve been playing dress-up with Pam”, he said. “You seem strangely comfortable in that outfit, actually”. I took a step forwards, and almost stumbled again. “Or not…”, Eric muttered.
He held out his arm, for me to hook my own through; and we left the room.
“Have him home by 4 am.”, Pam called after us.
When we entered the elevator, a female vampire was snacking on a young man. She looked up at Eric.
“Sheriff Northman”, she said.
“Sheriff Beauchamp”, Eric replied. The other vampire went back to her meal.
My breath hitched, and I parted my lips. Eric gave me a look letting me know to keep my mouth shut.
We got off on the top floor, and entered a large room, that seemed like the purple version of Fangtasia; though at least four times larger. I followed Eric around the room, as he nodded and greeted other vampires; without having a choice, really, as I could hardly stand around alone. This party was more like a buffet of willing humans; offering themselves up to the vampires around.
I never saw anything wrong with anyone doing what they want with their bodies, and was perfectly fine with anyone wanting to offer themselves to a vampire – I’d done it myself just days before, though Eric had changed his mind at the last possible moment. My issue was more in the manner of the feeding going on. The humans were moaning almost pornographically, and that was the part that made me uncomfortable.
A few dancers were grinding to the music on top of podiums, and Erics eyes scanned their moves.
“Browsing for new employees?”, I asked.
Eric seemed to ignore my words.
“Do you dance, Liv?”, he asked. I drew in a short breath.
“Why do you ask?”, I said.
“Well, if you need another job once we get back to Louisiana; maybe I’ll have one for you”, he sniggered.
We went up to the bar, and Eric raised his brows at the tender; who quickly got to mixing up something.
“You want me shaking my ass in Fangtasia? In front of everyone and anyone?”, I asked.
Eric looked down at me.
“I’ll be happy with a private show…”. A shiver ran down my spine.
“I’m working, Mr. Northman. I shouldn’t be flirting with my boss”, I said.
“You’re not. I’m flirting with you…”, he smiled, and handed me the drink the bartender had set on the counter.
I took a large gulp of the delicious drink, not really knowing how to respond.
“You should be working too, right?”, I croaked.
Erics expression turned serious.
“Right now, my job is to mingle and… schmooze”, he said. “Both things I am very good at, and simultaneously hate".
Eric seemed to suddenly realize that he was sharing more of himself than he was comfortable with; and relieved when another vampire came to greet us – well him. I was arm-candy. Literally.
The black-haired flamboyant vampire in front of us had his own snack in tow – a young man in a tight t-shirt, with fang-marks on the inside of his elbow.
“Eric…”, the vampire said, grinning from ear to ear. “It’s been a decade”.
“At least”, Eric smiled. The smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “How are things in Area 12, Carl?”.
“Boring, as usual”, the other vampire responded. “With my term ending; I’m considering not running for another”.
“Going back to Vermont?”, Eric asked.
“I like the winters there better”, Carl said.
Carl let his eyes run over my body.
“Have we met?”, he asked. Eric gave me a short look, and nodded slightly. You can speak.
“I don’t believe so”, I said.
“Are you sure? Have you ever been to Area 12?”.
Eric smiled nonchalantly.
“My human isn’t caught up with the area numbers yet, Carl”, he said. “Area 12 covers Los Angeles and all the way down to the Mexican border”.
“My current dwelling is San Diego”, Carl said. “I was actually the host of the sheriffs conference last year”.
I forced myself to smile.
“Oh…”, I said. “Well then, maybe. I came to Louisiana from San Diego”.
Eric tugged at my arm. Enough talk.
“Liv is new to the vampire world”, he said. “She won’t have been at the conference”.
“How would you know? You weren’t there either…”, Carl retorted. “Godric seemed to miss you”.
Eric looked down, and for a second, I thought I saw regret on his face.
Carl looked at the bartender.
“Vodka Cranberry for Javier; and another of whatever she’s having for my fellow sheriff’s human”, he said, before turning to Eric again. “Javi’s on a cranberry diet; makes the blood extra tangy. I’ll trade you for a taste…”. His eyes travelled to my neck.
“Liv’s had almonds…”, Eric said. “I know how you feel about marzipan”. Carl winced.
“Yuck”, he said. “Well, never mind. Maybe New York is up for a trade”.
I took my fresh drink from the bartender, and Eric and Carl nodded at each other, as if getting ready to say goodbye. Carl gave me a final look.
“I’m sure I’ve seen you before”, he said. “Wait a second… Sugar and Spice… Barefoot-girl!”. My face dropped. “I knew it! Northman, you have a twister and grinder here! Well, see you later…”.
The vampire and his companion walked away.
Eric turned his head slightly to look down at me. He raised his brow in amusement.
“Sugar and Spice”, he said. “Now this I have to hear…”.
“Not now…”, I said.
Eric grinned at me.
“Miss Sunday…”.
“I said not now!”, I hissed.
Within seconds, I found myself pushed against a wall at the far end of the room. Eric had my wrists pinned down on each side, and placed his knee between my legs. His face was twisted in rage.
“Don’t speak to me like that!”, he growled.
“Or what? You’ll kill me?”, I croaked.
Erics eyes flickered, and he let me go; taking a step back.
“Disrespecting me in the open will give away the fact that you are not mine”, he whispered. “Every vampire in this room will attack you the second they think you are on your own”.
I scanned the room quickly, and saw that we were being watched by quite a few vampires; and some humans. Eric was right; if I wasn’t under his protection, I was signing my own death sentence.
“You have to be more careful…”, Eric began.
“Bite me”, I said. His eyes hardened.
“I’m trying to keep you alive…”.
I looked seriously at him.
“Bite me!”.
Eric finally understood what I was trying to say, and nodded.
I tilted my head, and closed my eyes; and Eric pushed my hair out the way, before baring his fangs.
“I’ll be gentle…”, he whispered; and I felt his lips brush against my skin.
“Northman!”, a deep voice called out.
“Förbannade rövål!”, Eric hissed under his breath. I didn’t know what he was saying, but I was pretty sure I concurred. “Stan! I thought this was a private party. Who invited you?”, the Viking said, faking another smile.
“Fuck you. Dallas is hosting… Hope I didn’t interrupt your feeding”, Stan said. He was once again wearing a hat inside, and had the facial expression Jane Bodehouse usually had, when we decided to cut her off at Merlotte’s.
“I didn’t know vampires could get drunk…”, I whispered.
“Look at his human”, Eric responded.
The young woman draped on Stans arm looked wasted out of her mind; and probably had taken some kind of drug on top of that.
“Oh…”, I said.
Stan deposited his companion on a leather couch, and walked towards us.
“Looks like I came just in time for dessert”, he said, and smirked at me.
“I’m not trading tonight, Stan”, Eric said. “And it seems your own meal is a little worse for wear… wouldn’t be fair”.
Stan looked back at the almost sleeping woman on the couch.
“Your loss. Layla is… sweet as peach-pie”.
Eric turned back towards me.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to get back to my own meal”, he said.
“We never finished our conversation, earlier”, Stan said. Eric looked ready to commit murder.
“This isn’t the time”, he said.
“Oh, but it is”, Stan said. “It’s easier to have a real conversation, when Godric isn’t there to supervise”.
“You know I will never go behind his back”, Eric retorted.
“He is not…”, Stan began.
“He is your sheriff!”, Eric roared, baring his fangs in a snarl.
Stan smirked.
“Are you trying to start a fight in my area, Northman?”, he asked.
“This is a party, gentlemen”. Isabel stepped out of the crowd. “Behave”. Stan growled. “This isn’t the time for a power-struggle, Stan. Sheriff Northman has centuries on you, and his maker has millennia”.
Stan picked up his human, and threw her over his shoulder.
“Godric will step down, and when he does, Area 9 will finally have a real leader”, he said, and walked towards the elevators; the crowds parting for him. “By the way, Eric… Your human really does smell delicious. I will have a taste at some point”.
A terrifying sense of inevitability went through my body, and Eric reached behind him; grabbing my hand and squeezing it. He seemed to catch himself in the action, and let go quickly.
“Thank you for not ripping his head off in public”, Isabel said. “But Stan has already caused too much of a scene. We’ll have to glamour every human in the room, to avoid information about unrest in our ranks from spreading to those not present”.
“Which areas aren’t here?”, Eric asked, retracting his fangs.
“15 through 21… 7… 13”, Isabel said.
“Well, no one wants to party with 13 anyway. Rose is a stick in the mud”, Carl said, joining our little group. Javier was behind him, looking pale, but happy. “Someone say something about glamouring?”.
“Yes… I trust you can both handle your own humans?”, Isabel said.
“Now, Isabel; there’s no reason to break with custom”, Carl said. “I’ll take care of little miss dancer-girl, here”. He gave me a once over, and smiled.
Eric gave me a stern look, letting me know it was time for defying gravity, and whipping out my acting skills.
“Liv; let sheriff Rockford glamour you”, he said. I nodded, and faced the approaching vampire.
Carl put his hand on my cheek, and looked into my eyes.
“Liv… Sweet Liv”, Carl said, his voice soft and soothing. “You didn’t see any fighting here tonight, did you?”.
I let my eyes go blank; which was difficult, considering the fast that I had a strange vampire standing only inches from me. Every second, he might pounce on me.
“No…”, I said.
“Just a second ago, you were just dancing, weren’t you?”, Carl continued.
“I was dancing”, I croaked, focusing on keeping my eyes on his, while not letting any life shine through.
“In fact, you were just about to take off those boots, and give me one of your special dances”. Carl smiled broadly at me.
“Yes”, I whispered.
“That’s enough”, Eric said. He grabbed my shoulder, and turned me to face him. “Liv, it’s time to leave”.
“But I was just about to get myself a private dance! Stan is right, she smells…”, Carl grinned.
“She is mine!”, Eric growled.
Carl looked at me again.
“Tell me, are you truly his?”.
I didn’t know how to answer the question; I couldn’t say yes, and let Eric think I’d changed my mind. I drew in a short breath, and began stammering.
“I-I’m…”.
“Give it a rest, Carl”, Isabel said. “You brought your own human, let Eric have his… It’s like dealing with children”.
Eric took a firm hold of my arm.
“I think it’s time for us to turn in”, he said.
“But it’s only 2 am!”, Isabel said.
“Thank you for your kind invitation”, Eric said. “I will see you at the ceremony”.
He put his arm around my waist, and more or less carried me to the elevators; to get us away as soon as possible.
Once the doors closed on the elevator, Eric grabbed my shoulders, and looked hard into my eyes.
“Did he glamour you?”, he demanded.
“No… no he didn’t”, I said.
“What happened just now?”, he asked. “What did you witness?”.
“I don’t know what you want me to say…”. Eric clenched his jaw. “I saw Stan act like a dick. He wants Godric to step down… How much detail do you want?”.
Eric let go of me, and nodded.
“Good… Now, don’t repeat that to anyone save me or Pam. It never happened”.
---
I followed Eric to the suite, where Pam was having a party of her own, with another young woman.
“You already fed once, Pam”, Eric said chidingly.
“She was on the house!”, Pam said. She looked up from the woman’s wrist, and rolled her eyes. “Fine. Go”.
The woman left the room quietly.
Eric waited until the door was closed to speak again.
“You’re switching rooms with Liv”, he said. My jaw dropped.
“Why?”, Pam asked indignantly.
“Yeah, why?”, I agreed.
“Because I don’t want her alone down the hall. It’s not safe”.
Pam looked like a disgruntled teenager.
“But I already unpacked”, she said. “Let her have your room”.
Eric raised a brow at her.
“You want to share a suite with a human?”, he asked.
Pam froze for a moment.
“Fine”, she said; and suddenly disappeared from view.
“Is anyone gonna ask me…”, I began.
“No”, Eric said, cutting me off. “This is for your own good”.
I sat down on the couch, and crossed my arms in annoyance.
“Pam’s room doesn’t have a tub”, I muttered.
“Mine does”, Eric said. “Feel free to use it”. A smile ghosted his face, and I wanted to simultaneously punch him, and throw myself at him.
Pam reappeared.
“I moved your shit”, she said. “Didn’t use the bed yet. You’re welcome”.
“Thank you, Pam”, Eric said. “Now leave us”. He gave his progeny a look. “And leave some humans for everyone else”.
She rolled her eyes again, and left the room.
I got up from the couch, and went towards the door of my new room; finding my suitcase on the bed. This room was slightly smaller; which I guessed was due to the fact that it was in a suite.
At least the view was nicer, I realized; as I went to stand by the window.
“Feel free to the mini-bar”, Eric said, having appeared behind me in the doorway.
For the first time, I didn’t jump at his sudden presence
“Why am I here?”, I said.
“You’re safer in this suite with me”, he said.
“Bullshit”, I said. “You’ll be out cold by 5 am. I might as well be on my own then… Why am I here?”.
Eric went over to my suitcase, and opened it; taking out my new clothes, and looking them over. He pulled out a red knee-length dress, and ripped the stitches on the side, so it would have a slit up the thigh.
“Wear this for the ceremony tomorrow night. The color will look good on you”.
“Eric!”, I roared. “Answer my goddamn question!”.
He put the dress down, and walked towards me.
“With you in here, it will seem more likely that you do in fact belong to me”, he said. “Which makes you off limits… But this would all be so much easier, if you’d just say yes to being mine”. I pulled at the hem of the dress I was wearing, feeling it suddenly much too short for the conversation. “Stop fidgeting. I told you…”.
“Stop telling me what to do!”, I exclaimed.
I sat down on the edge of the bed, and pulled off the ridiculous boots Pam had forced upon me. Once they were off, I stomped past the tall vampire, and in to the living room. I grabbed a coke from the mini-fridge, and searched for an opener; coming up short.
Eric came up behind me, and took the bottle; taking off the lid with his bare hand, and handing me the drink.
“Thank you”, I muttered, and took a sip, before setting down the bottle on the counter. I wasn’t really thirsty, but I needed to do something to keep myself busy.
“I am trying to keep you alive”, Eric said, taking my hand; and merging his fingers with mine. I pulled myself free, and shook my head.
“I’m doing my best to pretend…”, I tried.
“Pretending isn’t enough!”, Eric roared. “I want you…”.
I took a deep breath, and made a decision.
“Then have me”, I said.
Erics jaw dropped; and a warm smile spread across his face.
“You’re saying yes…”, he breathed, and leaned in, as if to kiss me.
“No… I’m not saying I’m yours”, I said. He instantly pulled back, and looked at me confusedly.
“But you said I could have you…”.
“I want to be with you… But I have to be my own. Not someone else’s”. I didn’t know how else to put it.
He let go of my hand, and stepped back.
“So, you want to have sex with me”, he said, raising a brow. “This must be what it feels like, to be a piece of meat… Interesting”.
“I shouldn’t have said anything”, I whispered, feeling embarrassed for being so blunt. “I’m sorry”.
“Don’t apologize for being up front”, Eric said. “You’ve had my blood, it’s natural that you’d feel attraction towards me”.
“My attraction towards you haven’t changed since I met you. I always found you…”. I halted myself, once again feeling like I’d over spoke. I walked towards the nearest door, wanting nothing more than to hide under the bed in there, and pretend that this conversation never happened. “If you don’t need me anymore tonight, I’m gonna turn in. Goodnight”.
Eric followed me.
“Liv…”, he said.
“Eric please. Can we just forget it?”, I asked, and tried to close the door behind me. Eric held it open.
“Liv, this is my room you just walked in to”.
I looked behind me, and saw that I had indeed stepped in to the wrong room.
“Oh… Sorry”, I muttered, and went to walk back towards my own room.
“You can stay in here… with me”, Eric said. “If you want to… It’s your choice”.
His expression was earnest; warm, even.
“I do…”, I said.
He smiled softly.
“Do you really not feel any blood connection with me?”, he asked.
I shook my head.
“No…”, I said.
“But you want me…?”.
“Yes”.
There was a pregnant moment, before I suddenly found myself in Erics arms; one of his hands on the back of my head. His eyes searched mine for a final confirmation, and I gave it; by getting on my toes, and leaning towards him.
“Sunshine”, Eric said, and grasped my lips in a kiss.
It wasn’t tentative. Our tongues immediately met – not battling each other for dominance; but dancing perfectly together. Erics lips were soft against mine, and though he was cool to the touch, his temperature was perfect for the warm evening – and I was hot enough myself to stay warm; adrenalin and my quickly beating heart keeping me that way.
I put one hand on the back of Erics neck, and my other arm snaked around his torso; so that I could hold him closer to me. Eric shrugged of his jacket, and took a hold of my thigh; lifting me up to straddle him.
I tried to reach the zipper of the dress I was wearing, when I felt it getting ripped open on my back. Eric had been a bit too eager in getting me undressed, as he walked us towards the bed.
“Pam is gonna kill you”, I chuckled. Eric simply grunted, and began kissing my neck.
“I’ll buy her a new one”, he breathed, and set me down on the floor; ripping the rest of the dress all the way down in the back, and tugging it off me.
I was now stood in front of him in lace panties and my bra.
“Well, what do you know… You are wearing underwear”, he said with a wicked smile. “Though, a mismatched set… Interesting choice”. There was a hint of an accent to his voice now; one I hadn’t heard before – as his eyes scanned my body. He was right. I hadn’t chosen a matching set of underwear; as always, I wore what I liked. Usually, I even had trouble wearing matching socks.
“You’re starring”, I said.
“I’m admiring”, he replied. “You’re so… real". I looked down at myself, and saw all the bumps, spots and stretchmarks that I was used to seeing; suddenly very aware of every imperfection. Before I had a chance to cover myself with my arms, Eric pulled them away. “No, don’t… It’s just how it’s supposed to be”.
“Lumpy and underwhelming?”, I said.
Eric ran his fingertips down my arm, making me feel small sparks of electricity along every inch he touched.
“Human…”, he breathed.
Stepping forwards, I tugged at the hem of his tank top. Eric discarded it, and stood bare-chested in front of me; in no way self-conscious as I had been. I supposed having 1000 years to get used to your own body, made walking around half-naked easy; but on the other hand, Eric had nothing to be ashamed about. He was built like a Viking should be; strong, broad and proud.
“Feel free to touch”, he smirked, when he saw my expression.
“You’re so smug!”, I said.
Eric took my hands and placed them on his chest.
“You like that I am”, he said, and leaned down to kiss my neck again, running his teeth along my earlobe.
“I do?”, I croaked.
With an arm around my back so I wouldn’t fall, Eric led me to lie back on the large bed.
“Yes you do”, he smiled, now moving his lips to mine, while bracing himself, so he didn’t put his full weight on me. “It’s part of my… charisma. And part of what makes you want to throw your legs around my neck”.
I frowned in confusion, before remembering my conversation with Sookie and Bill the week before.
“You were listening in!”, I said. “You are such a creep!”. Eric laughed softly, and slid his index finger under the fabric of my bra.
“I was curious about you”, he said, and found my nipple erect to his touch. With a pleased smile, he pulled down the cup to free my breast; and dove to suckle at the nub. “You’re nothing like I’ve ever met before”.
“Fuck!”, I gasped, when he tugged slightly at it with his teeth.
“I intend to”, Eric replied; and his hand moved down my belly, sliding under the top of my panties.
His fingers played with my curls for a moment, before moving further down, and finding my wet folds. “You’re warm…”, he said against my collarbone, and let one finger enter me.
“You say that like you’re surprised”, I breathed, and pulled his head up to kiss him. “Am I different than what you’re used to?”.
“Yes. And no”, he said, and added another finger inside me. “I want to taste…”. I nodded, and tilted my head. “No. Not yet”.
“Then, what?”, I asked confusedly.
Eric smiled wickedly at me, and kissed his way down my torso; every peck and nibble a foreshadowing of what I had in wait.
Eric withdrew his fingers from me, and discarded of my panties in much the same way as he had the dress.
“Now you are buying me new underwear”, I chuckled; before gasping when he – without warning – put his open mouth to my folds.
Just as when we’d first kissed, there was no tentativeness to Erics treatment of my lower lips. He was immediately feasting on me; massaging me with his tongue, and sucking hard at my clit – all while forcing my thighs apart with his hands.
I put my hands on his head, and held on to his hair; pulling at it as the first signs of my forthcoming climax showed. My walls where already clenching; and Eric must have felt my muscles tensing up in my legs, because he started growling almost animalistically.
He grabbed the outside of my thighs, and put them around his neck – letting go of me from his mouth for a second, to look up at me and grin. See? Told you, his eyes were saying; as his fangs bared. He was enjoying himself immensely.
Eric locked my legs there, by putting his arms around them, and joining his hands.
My body was beginning to shake under him, and I was glad Eric was holding me down, as I was quite sure that if he hadn’t, I would fall off the bed. I struggled to keep my moans quiet, but Eric was having none of it.
“You like this?”, he asked. I nodded fervently. “I want to hear you say it…”.
“Yes... please down stop…”, I croaked.
Erics tongue lathed into me, before sliding up and flicking over my clit repeatedly.
“Louder… Let go", he breathed in to me.
I grabbed on to the duvet under me, and reminded myself to breathe – beginning to feel lightheaded. At an especially deep suckle of my clit, my climax took me over – jolts going through my body. Eric never let me go, just kept massaging my labia with his tongue.
“Eric!”, I yelped, and dug my nails into his arms; which only made him growl in response, and intensify his attack.
My back arched as I exploded into the peak of my orgasm; a sound like no other I’d ever made before, escaping my mouth – so loudly, I was sure we’d have noise-complaints.
Eric finally let me go from his mouth, and crawled up my body again; as I regained my breath.
“You’re beautiful when you come undone”, Eric smiled; his words reminding me that I was in bed with someone from a completely different time.
“You’ll have to make it happen again”, I breathed, and pulled him close for a kiss; tasting myself on his lips.
“I plan to”, he said.
Before I knew what had happened, my bra was torn from my body, and I was finally completely bare under the vampire. Erics shoes, pants and underwear were gone within seconds; leaving him gloriously naked for me to admire.
Erics cock was the right size for his build; proportionate to his body. If I was to describe it, I would say it went perfectly with the rest of him; long and well-built. Nothing in Mr. Northman’s un-life was mismatched.
Eric didn’t change his facial expression or his body language once he was naked. He was always a smug bastard, dressed or undressed. If anything, his clothes were just a barrier he needed to get out of the way, to feel my skin on his; and I was quite sure he was perfectly comfortable walking around naked, if it hadn’t been for social standards.
He laid down on top of me, and grabbed on to my head – tangling his fingers into my hair – before attacking my mouth with another passionate kiss. I snaked my leg around his hips, and before I knew it, he was inside me; thrusting continuously within my warmth.
I scratched my nails down his back in response; overwhelmed by the sensation of his hardness filling me. I pulled my head back to look into his eyes, and saw nothing but lust and want for me in them.
He pushed one leg up next to me, giving him a different angle; and he smiled once he hit his goal – my g-spot. My eyes rolled back in my head, when I once again felt my walls begin to quiver.
We rocked back and forth together, almost making me feel like we were waves in the ocean. I whimpered, and buried my face in the crook of Erics neck; holding on to him tight, and feeling his taut muscles move under his skin. He wrapped his arms around me, holding me equally as close; when suddenly, he sat up – pulling me with him.
Eric was kneeling on the bed; and with a hand on my butt, and the other on my shoulder, he helped me move on his lap. I swirled my hips, so I could feel friction against my clit; and moving his hand to my hip, Eric led my movements, making me reach the right rhythm for our joint enjoyment.
There was no sound in the room, save our moans and pants. Eric was loud in his groans, unabashed in his enjoyment of our love-making.
He was clambering on to me – couldn’t get me close enough – and only let our torsos part to look down at our joined sexes as they came together. The sight made him growl, and he grabbed on to the back of my head; pressing his lips hard to mine.
“Why do you feel so good around me?”, he rasped. “So warm and alive?”.
“I don’t… oh, fuck!”, I whimpered, when he once again hit my g-spot.
With an unusually soft kiss at the side of my neck, Eric let me know to brace myself – and suddenly a sharp pain stung where he had kissed me, as he bit into me, and drew blood from the wound.
I saw white, and instantly came around him, crying out in pleasure. Eric pulled back, and looked into my eyes in bewilderment.
“You taste… so pure!”, he said, and latched on to me again. He moved his hips to thrust hard in to me as he suckled. I felt my blood pumping into his mouth, and it was as if our bodies melded together; as my walls clenched hard around his hardness.
Pulling back from my neck, Eric cried out; and I felt him twitch inside me, as he joined me in orgasming.
My breathing was ragged, and Eric gently lowered me back onto the mattress; licking over the puncture wounds on my neck.
“Are you alright, sunshine?”, he asked.
I nodded slightly; a blissful smile on my lips.
“Are you?”, I asked.
He chuckled at my question.
“I don’t think I’ve been asked that after sex before”, he said. “Yes, I am”.
We kissed each other softly, and I sighed in contentment.
Before he withdrew his fangs, Eric pricked a hole in his finger, and put the trickle of blood to the wounds on my neck; gently stroking over them. I felt a tickling sensation, and when I put my hand to my skin, the marks were gone.
“I can heal you…”, he said. “That’s good to know”.
He slowly withdrew from my still throbbing core, and laid down next to me on his side. As I turned to face him, I found him almost caressing me with his eyes. For a long moment, we just laid there – not touching, simply looking at each other’s faces and bodies.
I reached for his hand, and Eric brushed his lips over my knuckles.
“Why do you call me sunshine?”, I asked.
He smiled softly, and there was a glint in his eyes, as he responded.
“I haven’t seen the sun in 1000 years… But when I look at you, it’s like I see it again”.
I’d never blushed more in my life, than I did at that moment; until I remembered something.
“Sunshine hurts you…”, I muttered.
“So do you”, Eric said.
I shook my head in confusion.
“How?”, I asked.
Eric shifted next to me, and suddenly looked very serious.
“Every time I ask you to be mine, and you say no”.
I covered my face in my hands, but Eric pushed them away.
“I want you to be mine!”. He got up to lay on top of me, and put both hands on either side of my face – burying his eyes in mine. “Please, be mine”.
I put my hands on his chest, wanting to say yes, but knowing that I couldn’t.
“I told you… The last time someone called me theirs… It didn’t end well”, I said; my voice shaking.
“Tell me who he is”, Eric growled. “I will rip out his ribcage and force it down his throat!”.
“He… No… You can’t”.
Eric narrowed his eyes.
“Do you love him?”, he asked.
“No!”, I exclaimed. “Never… Eric, it’s complicated…”.
“If you don’t belong to someone else, why won’t you give yourself to me?”.
I sighed exasperatedly.
“Why do I have to belong to you?”, I asked. “Why can’t we just… be?”.
Eric seemed to ponder my words, but came out looking bewildered, and laid back on his pillow.
“I don’t know how to do that”, he said. “I have had sex with humans that aren’t mine, but never more than once or twice".
“Why not?”.
“Because, like I said, they bore me… You don’t. It’s why I want to keep you, as mine. So that I can have you whenever I want”, he said.
I flinched at his question.
“If I was… yours… you’d expect me to have sex with you whenever you wanted?”.
“You ask a lot of questions”, Eric chuckled, and pulled at me, to make me lay in the crook of his arm.
“I’m just trying to understand you…”, I said. “You make it sound like you’ve been forcing people to have sex with you”.
“No, they usually want to. If they don’t… Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who said no to me, before you".
I was momentarily stunned at his words.
“So, you… glamour them?”, I asked.
“No. I’m just that charming”, he said matter-of-factly.
I laid for a moment, looking up at the ceiling. Eric sighed deeply, and unnecessarily.
“I don’t want to have sex with anyone who does not want it. But if you were mine, I wouldn’t have to share you with any other vampire… or, hopefully, man”. Darkness ghosted his face. “I don’t like sharing what’s mine”.
“I-I get that… I think. But the whole ‘have you whenever I want’ part…?”, I said, imitating his tone; and making him smile bemusedly.
“Well, if you said yes to me, it would be because you wanted to belong to me. That kind of relationship usually comes with frequent sex…”.
“Belong…”, I said with distaste. “What’s to keep us from just having sex when we want, without me belonging to you?”.
Eric lifted his head to look at me. It was as if I was speaking in some foreign language, he’d never heard before.
“That’s an option…”, he said, making it hard for me to make out whether it was a question or a statement.
His meaning was made clear to me, when suddenly he flipped me around, and made me lay on my stomach. Getting on top of me, his blunt tip pushed at my entrance.
“I’m going to fuck you again. I’m not going to be gentle, and I will bite you”, he said. “Tell me to stop, if I’m hurting you”.
I swallowed hard, and nodded.
Eric pushed into me – bottoming out – then grabbed both my wrists in one large hand; holding them together behind my back.
Pushing my thighs apart with his knee, he pushed my leg upwards next to me; so that he could reach deeper inside me.
“Djup… varm… fuktig…”, he growled as he rutted in to me.
“E-english…!”, I croaked.
“Perfect”, he said, and pushed hard in to me again.
Suddenly, Eric sped up his movements; slamming his hips against my cheeks. The sounds of our lovemaking were becoming animalistic in their nature; and being held down – unable to move – forced me to feel every delicious ripple of his cock moving in and out of me.
Wrapping his free hand around my throat, Eric leaned down over me, and tilted my head; so that he could kiss my neck. He moved his hand to hold on to my hair, pulling at it; and laughing softly at my squeaks of delight.
“Please…”, I said.
“What?”, he asked, sucking and kissing the skin on my neck.
“Harder…”.
Eric let go of my wrists, and in stead took a hold of my hips. With a roar, he pounded in to me hard; and I instantly unfurled around him; crying out in extasy. A fire spread from my core, as he excavated me – and suddenly Eric bit in to my neck again; growling, as he sucked at the wound.
I was seeing white as I came; and with a roar, Eric let go of my neck, and spilled himself inside me.
I felt small kisses on my shoulder-blades, and the sudden emptiness in my warmth, as Eric pulled out of me. He helped me turn around, so I could lay against his chest. He was warm now – warmer, anyway.
“Don’t you have to go to ground?”, I asked. “The sun will be out soon”.
Eric turned to press a button on the bedside table. Blinders soon covered the large windows.
“Why would I, when this bed is more comfortable than the travel coffin?”, he said. “And you are here…”.
I was already dozing off.
---
I woke up in complete confusion. Next to me – still as a rock – lay a large, blond and very naked man; with his arm draped over my torso. It took me a moment to remember where I was, and what had happened; when a dull pain from between my legs, reminded me of my nighttime adventure.
Managing to wrestle myself free from the grasp of the large Viking, I made my way to my own room; and in to the bathroom to clean up. In the mirror, I saw that the fang-marks from Erics last bite hadn’t healed. I told myself to yell at him for forgetting – right after I checked to see if he’d even acknowledge my presence. He had gotten what he wanted from me, after all. When I have sex with a human, I usually bore with them pretty quickly, he’d said.
I managed to get back to the fact that I was in Dallas for work – a job that paid 10.000 in fact – but that just made me feel like a prostitute.
After putting on a button up dress, and a pair of flats; I went back up to the top floor – where a maid had told me I’d find the restaurant, so I could have lunch. It was too late for breakfast.
The restaurant turned out to be the same room, that I’d been in with Eric the night before, at the party; but it looked completely different. The sun was high on the sky, lighting up the purple decorated room. I recognized a few humans from the party; among them, the woman who had been with Stan. She was more or less asleep over her coffee, and had several fang-marks all over her exposed skin.
Once I’d eaten my fill from the buffet, I went down to the reception, and asked for car-service; to take me to the artist Eric had patronized. His studio was in an old warehouse, and when he opened the door to greet me; I stumbled backwards in fear.
“Thomas…”, I rasped, when I looked upon the face of the man who had beat me, and almost raped me; before Godric stopped him.
“Guilty as charged”, Thomas smiled brightly. He ran a hand through his black hair; the same hand that had held me down by the neck, as he beat me with the other. “Can I help you, miss?”. There was no recognition in his voice.
My breath hitched, and I found it hard to speak.
“You don’t… remember…?”, I asked.
Thomas smiled apologetically, and shook his head.
“I’m sorry… I see a lot of faces in my work”, he said. “Is that why you’re here?”.
“I-I’m here for Eric Northman…”, I said, my voice shaking.
His eyes widened.
“Yeah, of course!”, he said. “Come in!”.
Thomas stepped aside, and I stepped in to a large combined studio and living space. The walls were covered in photographs; new and old.
Thomas was a photographer, and a restorer of old photographs. He’d made his money for years, from taking pictures all over the states; mostly portraits, but also action shots from concerts and other live performances.
That was how I had met him; as he was taking my picture while I danced at Sugar and Spice. What had started innocent, had ended terrifyingly.
Covertly, I reached in to my purse for my phone; ready to dial up Eric. The sun outside the large window reminded me he could do nothing for me, for at least another few hours. I was on my own.
A young woman stepped out of a door from what I figured was a bathroom combined with a dark-room for Thomas’ work. She was wearing panties and a tank top; and when she saw me, she hurried over to the nearby bed, to put on a robe.
“Sorry…”, she muttered. Thomas looked at her, and an expression I remembered all too well, ghosted his face. I noticed a purplish mark on the woman’s jaw, and as she tugged at the sleeves of the robe, I saw another around her wrist. I wanted to take her with me; save her somehow – and winced, when I saw her going through a drawer; finding a small glass vial, with red liquid inside. This woman was on V; and was probably looking for some pain relief.
Apparently, he didn’t find it necessary to introduce me to the woman, because Thomas headed straight over to a nearby table, and picked up a medium sized, flat package.
“This took some serious restoration”, he said. “But I managed to recreate it as best I could”.
He turned around to face me again, and I jumped a little at his swift movement.
“I’m sure it’s wonderful. You’re very talented…”, I said; catching myself. “Or so I’ve been told”.
“I do my best”, Thomas said, and walked over to hand me the package.
I took it from him, and backed towards the door; not wanting to turn my back to him for anything in the world.
“You know, I think I do know you from somewhere…”, he said. “Have you ever been in San Diego?”.
“I have to go”, I said, and went for the door.
Suddenly, Thomas’ strong hand was on my shoulder – so strong, that I knew the V the woman had been going for, was probably from his stash.
I froze in place, and readied myself for pain. Thomas’ eyes flickered in confusion.
“Miss?”. I swallowed hard, tensing up; and trying to hold back tears. “Could you tell Mr. Northman that I’d be happy to come to Shreveport, if he ever needs any promo-pictures for his bar?”.
“I will”, I said, almost inaudibly.
I forced myself to move away from his hold, and hurried out the door; almost running for the waiting car.
Once safely inside it, I pushed the button to raise the blinder between me and the driver; and I could finally let my tears fall.
Liv is as human as they come – faults and all. After a dark experience in her past, she is determined to live life on her own terms, and never let anyone claim her as theirs again. This becomes an issue, when she meets a 1000-yearold vampire, who is dead-set on claiming her as his own.
TW: Blood
It was a warm night, and I was wearing my favorite summer dress, seated on a velvet couch, in an old house.
“Well, miss Sunday. Thank you very much for coming all the way out here to speak to me. I’ll go over your resumé one more time, but I think I’ve heard all I need”.
The dark-haired, pale man gave me a friendly smile. I knew better than to reach out my hand for him to shake, and simply got up to stand, and nodded at him.
“Thank you, Mr. Compton”, I smiled. “Just let me know if there’s anything else you need… So, interview over?”.
“Interview’s over”, he said.
“Good! Calling you Mr. Compton was getting weird!”, I laughed.
“Well, you did insist”.
“It was a job-interview. It was only proper”, I shrugged.
Bill Compton walked me to his front door, and I was about to say goodbye, when he halted, just before going for the doorknob.
“There is one thing, I wanted to ask you; and seeing as you’ve been so forthcoming with me, on everything else…”. The vampire narrowed his eyes at me.
“What?”, I said.
“Why did you decide to apply for the position as my day-person?”, he asked.
I smiled embarrassedly.
“Honestly… I need the money”, I said. “I’ve been hoping to pay down my student loan, but taking up extra shifts down at Merlotte’s just isn’t cutting it”.
“That’s not what I meant”, he said. “You just don’t strike me as the type of person to take a job for a vampire”. He raised an intrigued brow at me.
“Not enough fang marks on me?”, I chuckled. The vampire chuckled, and it seemed that if he’d been able to blush, he would have. “You’re offering a good salary for what seems like an easy job; and one that I can do while still staying on with Sam. The fact that you’re a vampire doesn’t really matter to me”.
“Why not?”, he asked.
“Why should it?”, I retorted.
“Some might say it’s dangerous to work for one of us”, the vampire said.
“You’re no more likely to hurt me than any other vampire around – or human for that matter”, I said. “Besides; Sookie speaks highly of you, and I trust her”.
“Well, she speaks highly of you as well”, he said.
He seemed to think for a moment, before coming to a conclusion.
“If you want this job, it’s yours”, he said.
My jaw dropped.
“Really?”, I asked. The vampire confirmed it with a nod. “Thank you, Bill. You won’t regret it…! One thing, though… Day-person? Can’t we call it… secretary? Or assistant?”.
He chuckled warmly as he opened the door for me to leave.
“Please come by tomorrow. I’ll have a list for you with some things I need handled”, Bill said, as I went down the steps of the porch.
“8 pm?”, I asked.
“That sounds perfect”, Bill said. “See you then”. He handed me back the “resumé”, which I’d written on the back of a paper placemat from Merlotte’s. As I took it, I got a slight papercut on my finger.
“Shit”, I muttered. Bill smiled slightly.
“Would you like me to fetch you a band-aid?”.
“Nah…”, I said, and looked at the trickle of blood. “You hungry?”, I teased.
“I think Sookie might have a problem with me feeding from a friend”.
“Alright”, I shrugged.
I began fishing my car keys out of my bag, and cursed to myself, as they fell from my hand, and landed in the gravel on the ground. I was about to crouch to pick them up; when I felt a gush of wind, and suddenly stood nose to chest with a very tall man. I had to tilt my head back to look him in the eyes. They were bright blue, and had a sharpness to them.
“Hello”, he said, a cheery mischievous tone to his voice.
“Hi”, I said, and went to pick up my keys again. The man – vampire, I realized – held them out to me, before I even so much as bent over. “Fuck, you’re fast”, I gasped.
He put the keys in my outstretched hand, and grabbed my wrist, to look at my bleeding finger.
“When I want to be”, he smiled. “Bill, who is this? Introduce us”.
Bill stepped of his porch, and walked warily towards us.
“Eric Northman… This is Liv Sunday”. I found it hard to break eye contact with the tall vampire, mostly because he was one of the most handsome people I’d ever met.
“Liv”, Eric said. He dragged out the sound of my name, pronouncing it Leev. “Yours…? She smells… pure”.
I managed to look away, and turned my gaze to Bills face instead. His jaw was clenched.
“My assistant”, Bill repeated, put a hand on my arm, and went to stand half way in front of me. The tall vampire let go of my wrist. “Off limits”.
“I’m a big girl, Bill", I said. “I can speak for myself".
“Yes, she’s a big girl, Bill", Eric smiled. “Let her speak for herself".
I frowned at the tall vampire, and shook my head.
“That means you too, Vlad", I said. A grin ghosted his face.
Eric leaned his head forwards, and burrowed his eyes even deeper into mine.
“Liv… You’re interesting”, he said. “Please. Tell me more about you”.
“Eric!”, Bill growled. “Why have you come?”.
“To discuss matters surrounding the conference. It is election year, after all”, the other vampire replied, never taking his eyes off mine. “Now stop interrupting my conversation with… Liv”.
The vampire-testosterone was heavy in the air, and I swallowed hard.
“Maybe some other time”, I said.
“Oh come now…”, Eric smiled, his eyes digging even deeper. I frowned at him.
“I said no!”, I sneered. The tall vampire seemed taken aback, and Bills eyes widened. “Ok… I’m just gonna go”, I said.
Bill followed me all the way over to my car, and held the door for me as I climbed in. I opened the window to let some air into the cabin.
“Drive safely now”, Bill said. “See you at 8 tomorrow. I’ll give your regards to Sookie”.
Eric smiled at me.
“It was nice meeting you, Liv”, he said. “Until next time”.
His intense gaze made heat pool in my lower stomach, and I had to consciously tell myself to put the key in the ignition.
I drove home to my one-bedroom rental feeling happy that I’d nailed my job interview; and stirred from meeting Eric. I supposed he always had that influence on people; Bill probably just turned his mojo down, because he had Sookie, and didn’t need to impress people in the same way.
Bill was the second vampire I’d met that I’d actually spoken to, since they came out of the coffin. Eric was the third, so I didn’t have much to compare him too; but I read magazines as much as the next person.
When I got inside, I took a cold shower; trying to shake the meeting out of my system. Before I climbed into bed, I checked my messages, and saw that Sookie had sent me a text, congratulating me on my new side-gig with Bill. I sent her one back, thanking her for hooking me up with the interview.
Sookie had been a good friend every since I got to town. I’d been down on my luck since leaving San Diego; but Bon Temps had been good to me so far. I had a waitressing job at Merlotte’s, on top of the one I’d just gotten with Bill – taking care of the things he needed done during the daylight – and some good friends in Sookie and Bill; and even my other boss; Sam. I’d even go so far as calling Sookies brother, Jason, a friend – even if he did try getting me into bed with him, whenever he could. I think the fact that I was so fervent in my dismissal of him, made him have some weird kind of respect for me.
I was happy – settled, even. The last thing I needed was some blonde hottie trying to get in my pants; it didn’t matter if his name was Jason Stackhouse – or Eric Northman for that matter.
---
I slept in the next day, as my meeting with Bill had been quite late – or should I say, early, as I’d not been home until 3 am.
My shift at the bar was a slow one, which was good for Terry, who was having one of his bad days in the kitchen. All 6 hours dragged along in a manner so boring, it was a relief when 7 pm. came along, and Arlene came to take over from me.
Arriving back at the Compton house, I was met in the door by Sookie.
“Hey, Liv! Come on in!”, she grinned. “Bill’s in the living room”.
“Is it your night off, Sook’?”, I asked.
“Uh huh”, she said. “Bill’s taking me to dinner”.
We walked into the living room, where Bill was waiting, with a somber look on his face.
“Liv… I would like to apologize for Erics behavior last night”, he said.
“He didn’t do anything wrong”, I said. “It’s not the first time someone’s flirted with me”.
“Eric Northman flirted with you?”, Sookie chuckled. “And you didn’t end up with your legs around his waist?”.
I mock scoffed.
“I am a lady”, I said. “I tend to throw them around a man’s neck first”. Sookie punched my shoulder.
“Slut!”, she grinned.
Bill looked very seriously at the both of us.
“This is no laughing matter, ladies. Eric glamoured you!”, he said.
I shook my head in confusion.
“He didn’t…”, I said.
“I saw him… He was using his glamour on you”, Bill repeated fervently.
“I really don’t think he did. At least I didn’t feel anything happening”, I tried again. “Jeez… I worked for you for five minutes; and you’re already acting like my daddy”, I said.
The vampire looked confused, but Sookie broke the tension, by reminding him they had reservations.
“You’re right, of course; sweetheart”, Bill said, and took a piece of paper from the coffee-table. “I made this list for you. On the top here is making an appointment with an electrician. I’ve been having some flickering lights in the kitchen. Of course, I don’t use it much, but I do want it working… Then there’s this case of TruBlood O-neg. The all-night supermarket won’t be getting another shipment for at least a week, and I can’t…”.
“Honey? We’re late!”, Sookie sighed.
“Where are you going?”, I asked.
“A place in Shreveport. Ky-auntie”, Sookie smiled.
“Chianti”, Bill said. “And you’re right. Let’s go”.
We all left the house, and walked to our respective cars, when I remembered something.
“Hold up!”, I called out. I ripped some of the paper from the list, and quickly wrote down my phone number with an eyeliner from my purse. I ran over to Bill with it. “Here. You never got my number. Just in case anything else comes up”, I said.
“Thank you”, Bill smiled. “Any big plans for you tonight?”, he asked.
“I have a date with my neighbor’s cat. At least I think he belongs to my neighbor. He might be a stray… We eat tuna together on Thursdays”, I sighed.
“I thought you were allergic to cats”, Sookie said from inside the BMW.
“Our love is complex… and I take pills”, I said. “Go on now. Have fun”.
I waved them off, as they drove away; and got into my own car. It stalled a few times, before finally starting up, and I could drive home – just in time for my date with Mr. Whiskers. He was only mildly annoyed when I came out the back door 3 minutes late, with his bowl.
“Sorry I’m late, honey”, I said. “I had a vampire to tend to”.
The cat wailed at me, and attacked the tuna like it hadn’t eaten in weeks.
I lit a cigarette, and sat down on the steps, leaning against the screen door, reading a magazine. Some of my neighbors were having a party, and I enjoyed the music coming out of the window. It was a warm night, but not many mosquitos around. I was happy to be left alone from the little bloodsuckers, when my phone vibrated, and I found myself summoned by a large one.
- Need you in Shreveport asap. Bill
I frowned at the phone.
- I’m your day person. Nights are off limits.
- Fangtasia. Be there in an hour.
- Remind me to ask for a raise BOSS!, I replied; stomped out my smoke, and went back into the house to look up the address of whatever the hell Fangtasia was. Google let me know it was a vampire bar. Dinner must have been over quickly, and Bill had probably taken Sookie for a drink.
I looked down at the attire I was currently wearing, and decided that if Bill insisted on being a jerk-boss, I’d be a jerk employee; and show up in cut off shorts, and ABBA t-shirt – that was fifty sizes to big, and hung off my shoulder – hopefully embarrassing him in front of his friends.
I cursed at Bill all the way to Shreveport.
“Stupid vampire, ruining my date with Mr. Whiskers”, I muttered to myself, as I parked my rusty car next to a flashy convertible on the parking lot of the bar.
There was a line down to the door, going all the way around the corner of the building. A blonde woman with a bored expression on her face stood at the entrance, turning away anyone she didn’t see fit for entry.
I sent Bill a text, letting him know I was outside, and had no intention of waiting in line. He’d have to meet me in the lot.
I leaned against my car, kicking at a stray paper cup on the ground, when a cold finger poked my shoulder. I looked up into the face of the blonde woman. She was striking up close.
“Liv Sunday?”, she said, sounding as bored as she looked.
“Yeah?”, I said.
She gave me an insincere smile.
“Follow me…”.
She led me to the entrance of the bar, and a burly doorman lifted the red rope for us so we could walk inside. A song with heavy bass was leading some scantily clad dancers on podiums, and the air was heavy with cheap perfume and sexual frustration.
The blonde led me to a table, and waved over a black clad waitress.
“Order whatever you want on the house. Ginger will sort you out”, she said. The waitress smiled brightly at me.
I shook my head.
“No, I’m here to meet Bill”, I said confusedly.
The woman rolled her eyes, and walked away. I would have given her the finger, if I wasn’t worried, she’d bite it off.
“What can I get you?”, the waitress, Ginger, asked.
“The most expensive thing you have that isn’t blood”, I sighed.
“Long Island Ice Tea, coming right up!”, she grinned, and walked away; tugging at her tiny top as she did.
I took my phone out of my pocket, and saw I had a new text from a number I didn’t know.
- Hello Liv. This is Bill Compton. I would like to extend my gratitude to you for accepting the position as my assistant. I’m writing this as Sookie is powdering her nose; as to not interrupt our evening together. Could I please ask you to add to the list, that I need to get in touch with a florist who knows where to get some sunflowers? Sookie likes them. Thank you very much.
I was deeply confused at this point, and not a little worried. If Bill hadn’t been the one to summon me to Fangtasia, then I was currently in a strange bar, surrounded by vampires, without a companion; just sitting around like a delicious crab leg on a buffet table. Sure, there were humans around, but they all seemed more focused on getting the attention of vampires, than helping me out, if needed be.
I texted Sookie.
- What’s Bills number? I think someone texted me, pretending to be him.
She responded quickly.
- Who? Are you ok? Where are you?
I wrote back.
- No idea. I’m in some place called Fangtasia.
I was still holding my phone, when Ginger returned with my drink, and set it down. She seemed about to say something to me; when suddenly she bowed reverently.
“Master…”, she said, sounding like she was having a strange sort of orgasm.
I looked up, and saw that Eric Northman was standing by the table, with the blonde female vampire next to him. He gave me a slight smile, and sat down across from me; relaxing against the backrest of the chair.
“Jag är inte din budbärare, bare för at du vil knulla en liten människa!”. The blonde seemed annoyed, but I didn’t understand her words.
“Slapna av, Pam. Det här är annorlunda”, Eric said.
“Fika på hende, då. I don’t give a shit. Just don’t ask me again”, she snarled.
”Pamela!”, Eric said firmly. “Leave us”.
“What’s up her ass?”, I muttered.
“Pam doesn’t take it up the ass; she gives it”, Eric said matter-of-factly.
I narrowed my eyes at him.
“You texted me…”, I said.
“I did”, Eric said. “Go away, Ginger”.
The waitress backed away, her eyes still on the floor.
“Master. Yes, master”.
I raised my brows.
“Wow…”. I met Erics eyes hesitantly. “Why am I here?”.
“Because I wanted to see you…”, he said. He dipped a finger into my drink, and licked it. “Don’t drink this. Someone put drugs in it”.
I swallowed hard – a sudden flashback striking me, taking me to a place I didn’t want to go.
“Liv?”, Eric said.
“What?”, I snapped.
The vampire seemed taken aback.
“You’re very brave”, he said.
“I don’t know what you mean”, I muttered.
“Speaking to me like that… and the text you sent me back, when you thought I was Bill. You obviously don’t know a lot about vampires”.
I shrugged, trying my best to seem at ease with the conversation.
“How did you get my number?”, I asked; pushing the drink away gingerly. “I’m not listed”.
“I flew over Bills house, as you wrote it down”, Eric said. “I have very good eyesight. You used a .01 Ultra Black eyeliner”.
“That’s kind of creepy”, I said. “You’re a flying, creepy guy”.
Eric laughed heartily, the sound coming from deep within his chest.
“You’re funny”, he said. “It’s like you have no sense of self-preservation”.
“Well, I figure you didn’t go through all the trouble of flying over Bills house to get my number; just so you could kill me”, I said. “At least… I hope you didn’t”.
Eric looked towards the bar, at the tender behind it.
“Chow, get her a fresh one. Make sure it’s drug free”, he said, so quietly, I almost didn’t hear it. I realized the bartender must be a vampire as well; that was the only way he’d be able to hear him.
“You don’t have to… I’m fine, really”.
“It’s no trouble", Eric assured me. “This is my bar after all. It’s in my interest to keep the patrons happy".
“I’m not a patron…”, I said.
Eric ignored my words.
“Your t-shirt… I like it”, he said. “I’m related to the blonde, you know…”.
“You’re Swedish?”, I asked. A fresh drink appeared in front of me, and I looked at it hesitantly.
“It’s safe”, Eric said. “Yes, I’m originally from Sweden…”.
“So, you were speaking… Swedish, before?”. Eric nodded.
“You name, Liv; it’s actually the Swedish word for life”.
“Huh…”, I muttered. “I always thought it was kind of geriatric”.
Erics eyes lit up with a mischievous glint.
“Quite the opposite… It suits you. You seem full of life”.
I cleared my throat uncomfortably, and took a sip from the straw. The drink was delicious.
“And… when are you from? If you don’t mind me asking”.
“Are you asking how old I am?”, Eric smiled. I blushed, and took a second sip. “I am a little over 1000 years old”.
I choked on my drink, and suddenly, Eric was next to me; gently patting my back with one hand, and holding mine with the other.
“Are you alright?”, he said worriedly.
“Yeah, I’m fine”, I croaked. I looked up into his eyes, and saw true concern. “Really”, I smiled.
Eric sat back down on the chair opposite me; still holding on to my hand. His own was cool, but not cold. I guessed he’d recently fed.
I bit my lip.
“Are you really 1000 years old?”, I asked in a whisper.
“Yes”, Eric confirmed. “I was a Viking”.
My eyes widened.
“Like with the… pillaging, plundering and… raping?”, I said.
Eric smiled smugly.
“I didn’t need to rape to bed a woman; or a man for that matter”.
“Huh…”, I said; and took a deep sip from my drink. “Well, you do have that tall, blonde and handsome thing going for you”.
He ran his thumb over my knuckles.
“You find me handsome?”, he said.
“Every person in this room finds you handsome”, I retorted; rolling my eyes. I looked towards a nearby table, where a young woman with obviously dyed black hair was starring at us. When her eyes darted towards me, she looked like she wanted to scratch my eyes out.
“Tell me about you…”, Eric said.
“Why?”, I asked.
“Because it’s only fair”, the viking-vampire said. “In the last ten minutes, I’ve told you my age, occupation, sexual orientation; and I’ve saved you from getting drugged".
I was painfully aware that Eric probably had a million different ways of getting what he wanted from me, but for some strange reason, I didn’t think he’d use any of them. Not yet anyway.
None the less, I still didn’t see his reason for wanting to know.
“I meant, why are you asking?”, I said.
Eric played absentmindedly with my fingers – or maybe not so absentmindedly; as he seemed to know exactly where and how to stroke my fingers in a way, that sent signals straight to my core.
"You’re interesting“, he said. “And Bill interrupted me before I could finish my glamour on you, to get you to tell me".
I chuckled softly.
“You didn’t glamour me", I said.
“Of course I did", Eric retorted.
“Sorry, but I think you have little too much faith in your own abilities“.
He let go of my hand, and sat back straight in his chair. For a long time, he didn’t speak, just starred at me, before his pupils suddenly dilated, and a tranquil and yet almost flirtatious expression spread over his face.
“Liv…”, he said softly. “Tell me; what’s your favorite sexual position?”.
My jaw dropped.
“That’s absolutely none of your business!”, I growled.
Eric looked completely confused, and even paler than his usual pasty shade. He furrowed his brows, and moved his head forwards; almost crouching in his chair, as to reach my eye-level.
“You want to tell me, Liv", he said, his voice alluring.
Abso-fucking-lutely I wanted to tell him; but not under our current circumstances. As it was, Eric was being completely inappropriate, and I had no intention of continuing our conversation. I stood up.
“Thanks for the drink. Now, if you don’t mind, please go to hell".
I walked towards the door, and made it halfway through the crowd, when suddenly, Eric was standing in front of me. He looked almost enraged, and towered over me menacingly; starring into my eyes so hard, I could almost feel it physically.
“Liv. You want to tell me about yourself", he boomed.
“I want to go home!”, I hissed, trying to pass the imposing vampire. He moved slightly, making me have to brush against his chest with my shoulder.
Eric’s hand was suddenly on my upper arm. I froze in place, as he lifted my hair slightly, breathing in my scent.
“What are you?”, he asked in a low voice, his cool breath sending annoyingly pleasurable shivers down my spine. I looked up into his eyes again; and jumped a bit, when his fangs popped out. The deepest, darkest part of me wanted to put my finger to one of them, and see how sharp they were.
“Eric!”, Bills voice boomed over the music. Sookie came out from behind him, walked straight up to the 6’4 inches vampire, and hit him over the shoulder with her purse.
“Looks like that’s two dates you’ve ruined tonight”, I said.
Eric smiled.
“But ours was going so well”, he said; his fangs retracting again.
“This wasn’t a date…”, I said. “This was you tricking me into meeting you”, I hissed.
“You had another date tonight?”, he asked, darkness ghosting his face. I gave him a sarcastic smile, and pulled my arm out of his grasp, stomping out of the club, past Pam. She looked amused at the situation, and stepped back to let me get to the parking lot.
With shaking hands, I opened my car door. Bill and Sookie weren’t far behind me.
“I am very sorry, Liv”, Bill said. “Had I known there was a chance Eric would…”.
“Forget it, Bill”, I said. “I’ll take care of the things on your list tomorrow. Right now, I just want to go home… I’m sorry I ruined your date”.
“It’s not your fault”, Sookie said earnestly. “Do you want us to follow you home in Bills car?”.
“No, I’ll be fine… Just, go salvage whatever you can of your night”, I said.
I gave Sookie a half hug, and nodded at Bill.
Eric was staring at my car, as I drove away. I saw him exchanging a few words with Pam, before he went back inside Fangtasia.
---
I had the next day off from Merlotte’s, and after I – once again – slept in, I had plenty of time to take care of my errands for Bill. When I got back home from having dropped of a case of O-neg on his porch, I texted him the info of an electrician and a florist who could help him out with his other requirements.
My mail had arrived while I was gone, and as I got ready for a night of serving beer, I looked through the bills and catalogues; finding among them an envelope without sender.
Inside was a picture of a young woman in a seductive pose, wearing very little. I recognized myself immediately. It had been taken my last night at my old job at Sugar and Spice – a night I didn’t remember much from, due to a drink I should never have accepted.
I almost fell into a kitchen chair, and shuddered. I put my hand to my chest, remembering the wound I’d earned that night.
He’d found me. I wasn’t surprised. Though my number and address weren’t listed, if Thomas wanted something, he’d get it; he had a way of talking himself in to things. Either that, or he’d use brute force.
The thing that made me confused, was the fact that Thomas wasn’t even supposed to remember me. I was supposed to be just another dancer he’d taken pictures of, at the club.
I was startled when my phone suddenly rang. I picked it up, when I saw it was Sam.
“Hey…”, I croaked.
“Hey, Luce’… I’m really sorry to ask you this, but Coby has the mumps, and Arlene needs to…”.
“You need me tonight?”, I asked, almost hopefully. I didn’t want to be alone.
“You’d be doing me a big favor…”, Sam said.
“I’ll be there”.
“Thanks, cher’. I’ll give you tomorrow off instead”, he replied in a relieved voice.
“No problem what so ever”, I said. “I’ll be there in a few”.
I hung up, and hurried getting ready for work.
Merlotte’s was full of people; which was pretty typical for a Friday night. The tips would be pretty good, and I wouldn’t have to be alone with my thoughts.
Sookie handed me a clean apron, and I tied it around my waist, avoiding her gaze.
“You seem out of sorts”, she muttered, as I tied up my hair in a bun.
“Seem? Or are you listening in…?”, I said. She looked suddenly sad. “I’m sorry, Sookie… It’s been a hard day”.
She smiled a little.
“I can’t read you as well as I can some other people, you know”, she said. “Whatever comes through, is usually just colors and emotions. But they’re pretty intense, so I try to avoid them”.
“Why?”, I asked.
“I don’t know”, she shrugged. “It’s just like that with some folks… Makes it easier to be your friend, though”.
I squeezed her hand, and walked out to take some orders.
Hoyt and Jason were nursing beers in a corner, and I walked over to check on them.
“Everything good here?”.
“Much better, now you’re here”, Jason winked. “You know, I saw your car out back. It ain’t looking good. I’d be happy to give you a ride, when you clock out”.
“I’m sure you would, but I’m not in the mood for crabs tonight”. Hoyt laughed heartily, and Jason smiled and shook his head. “Any food for you gentlemen?”, I asked. “LaFayette has some gumbo cooking tonight”.
“Sounds good. Hoyt?”, Jason said.
“Two bowls, then”, Hoyt smiled.
“Coming right up”, I said, and took their order to the serving hatch; winking at LaFayette in the kitchen.
For the next few hours, I pushed away all thoughts of possessive men, and focused on earning my wages. Bill stopped by to give Sookie a kiss, and thanked me for my help so far; leaving me another list.
“Just some time next week, will be fine”, he said.
“You’re welcome to text me, Bill”, I said.
“I dislike using the keys to type”, the vampire grumbled. “I prefer the old-fashioned way of writing”.
“Did you use a quill?”, I asked, giving him a sly smile.
“Just a no. 2 pencil”, he retorted. “And once again; I’m sorry…”.
I groaned.
“Please, stop… Nothing happened. I’m perfectly fine”.
Sookie gave me a slight look, which Bill caught immediately.
“You’re not. What is wrong?”.
“Sookie!”, I sighed.
“Sorry! You’re pretty much radiating fear, honey”, she said.
Bill looked at me earnestly.
“I will do my best to keep you safe from Eric”, he said. “I don’t want you to worry about him”.
“I’m not scared of Eric… No more than the next person, anyway”, I assured him; and walked towards the bar, to grab a tray of beers. Sookie followed me there.
“What, then?”, she asked.
I clenched my jaw.
“Could you give this to Jane Bodehouse? I’m gonna go take my break”, I said.
I almost ran out the back door, and lit a cigarette. Sam was putting a bag of trash in the container, when I got there.
“Everything alright?”, he asked.
“Why is everyone asking me that?”, I almost snarled. Sam seemed taken aback. “Sorry… I’m just… It’s been a day”.
“We all have those”, Sam said. “You want to talk about it?”.
“Not really”, I said.
Sam scratched his head.
“How’s it going, working for Bill Compton?”, he asked.
“Fine, so far. It’s an easy gig”, I said. “Don’t worry, it won’t get in the way of my work here”.
“I know. I just worry about you, is all”, he said. “You’ve had a strange look on your face all night”.
I sighed deeply, not wanting to give away too much.
“I got word from an old… acquaintance”, I said. “I’d hoped to avoid it”.
“Ex?”, Sam muttered.
“Not really…”. I swallowed hard. “Sam… If I… If some day I don’t come in to work… It’s not because I’m playing hookie”.
“That sounds ominous…”, Sam said.
“Just… I like this job. Bon Temps”, I said. “I’m happy here. So, if suddenly, I’m not around… I didn’t just skip town, ok?”.
Sam walked up to me, and put a hand on my shoulder.
“Liv, talk to me. What’s going on?”.
Sookie stuck her head out.
“Sam, we need to call Jane’s son again. She’s passed out on the pool table…”.
Sam rolled his eyes, and went back inside, leaving me to smoke in peace.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. I had a text; from Eric, of all people.
- When can I see you again?
I rolled my eyes.
- How do I know you’re not watching me now?
The reply came within seconds.
- You don’t. But I’m not. Do you want me to?
I decided against replying, and went back inside – chiding myself for indeed wanting that.
When I got back home, I collapsed on my bed fully clothed – but not before having checked to see if all windows and doors were safely closed and locked. Even without A/C, I’d rather sweat than risk someone coming into the house while I slept.
My phone vibrated, and when I saw who was calling, I picked it up.
“What?”, I said.
“Why haven’t you replied to my messages?”, Eric said. Loud music was thundering in the background. I looked at the screen of my phone, and saw that I had multiple unread texts.
“Because I was working. And because I didn’t want to”, I said. That last part was a lie.
“What are you wearing?”, he asked.
“A leather garter belt, and a top hat”, I sneered.
“Really?”. I could hear his smile.
“No. Goodnight, Eric”.
“Read your messages”, he managed to say, before I hung up.
I more or less had to pry my eyes open to read the messages the vampire had sent me.
- I’m not used to have my messages ignored.
Well, get used to it, I thought.
- I could come by your job. Just say the word.
- I want to see you soon. When?
At least he was asking, and not telling me. That was a step up from what I was used to.
- Please.
That one must have hurt. I sent him a message back.
- I’ll let you know. And if you insist on texting more than a teenage girl, I’ll reply like one. Ttyl lol rofl xoxo
As soon as I’d dropped my phone on the bed, I smacked my forehead. I’d written xo. That thought kept me awake for hours, and I didn’t fall asleep until the sun was almost up again.
---
As soon as I woke a little after noon, I rushed out to handle Bills errands. He’d given me until the week after, but as I saw the picture sent to me laying on my kitchen table, I didn’t want to spend a moment longer in the house. I even called Sam to ask if he was absolutely sure he didn’t need me at the bar; but he all but told me that if he saw me anywhere near Merlotte’s, he’d throw me over his shoulder, and carry me home, so I could enjoy my day off.
A little after sunset, there was a knock on my door, and I was slightly startled to see Eric on my small porch.
I swallowed hard.
“What are you doing here?”, I asked.
“I was in the neighborhood; and thought I’d save you the trouble of texting me, when you’d be able to see me”, he said. “Besides, I don’t want you driving that rust bucket all the way to Shreveport again. It’s a death-trap”. He looked towards my car, in the driveway.
“You can see me now”, I said.
“Wonderful”, he said, and once again dug his eyes into mine. “Invite me in”.
“No…”, I said.
He once again looked confused.
“Why can’t I glamor you?”, he asked.
“I don’t know… Maybe you’re impotent”.
Eric barred his fangs; making me jump slightly. He looked dangerous.
“Not nearly”, he said. “You shouldn’t test me”.
Not wanting him to think he’d scared me too much, I took a hesitant step out of the door, putting less than a foot between us.
Eric smelled like nothing I’d ever encountered before. It was crisp, and yet warm; like expensive aftershave and salt water, with an undertone of something I couldn’t define – something musky.
“I don’t understand why you keep wanting to talk to me”, I said. “I get it, I’m human. Blood and sex, and all that… But you have a club full of willing participants to whatever it is you wanna do”.
Eric nodded.
“I know. It’s infuriating that I feel the need to be here”, he said. “But I think I found a fix for it”.
“Oh?”, I croaked, doing my best to ignore the fact that a man, that looked more or less like a GQ model, was currently reaching out his hand to stroke my cheek. As his fingertips touched my skin, my breath hitched.
“Yes. See, when I have sex with a human, I usually bore with them pretty quickly”, Eric said. “I thought we should just get it over with, so I can move on”.
I took a step back, and my back hit the screen door.
“I don’t want to have sex with you!”, I lied.
“Of course you do. I’m a very good lover”, Eric smiled. “Now, invite me in, and I’ll undress you”.
“Shove it up your ass!”, I said.
Eric raised a brow at me.
“Well, it’s been a while, but I’m up for it if you are”.
I scrambled to open the screen door, and get back inside the house. My body was screaming at me to give in to the sensation in my lower belly, but I told myself that I had to persist.
“You should… go now”, I said. Eric stepped closer to me, and I felt his firm chest against my back.
“Why?”, he asked, sounding genuinely confused again.
“You’re… imposing”, I croaked, and turned to meet his eyes. They were piercing mine, sending tingles down my spine. “Stop trying to glamour me”
“I’m not. It doesn’t seem to work on you”, he said; a hint of regret in his voice. “Though I wonder… would you let me test a theory?”.
“What theory?”.
Eric smiled.
“Just humor me. Pam?”.
I nearly jumped out of my skin, when the blonde female vampire suddenly stood next to Eric; and hurried over the threshold, so neither of them could reach me.
“What the hell?”, I said.
“Yeah, Eric. What the hell? I’ve been waiting behind that tree forever. In my new Jimmy Choo’s”, Pam said.
“Be nice, Pam”, Eric said.
Pam drew her lips back in an insincere smile.
“Hello, Liv. I am very glad to see you”, she said. “Happy?”. She looked out the corner of her eyes at Eric.
Eric gave her a look, and something unspoken passed between them. Pam seemed to shrink in front of me.
“Liv, I would like you to let Pam try to glamour you”, he said.
“What? No!”, I exclaimed.
“I want to know if it’s…”.
“Just you?”, I said. For the first time, Eric wouldn’t meet my eyes. I took a deep breath. “Fine. But I’m not coming outside”.
Eric nodded.
“Pam, try to glamour her. But don’t ask her to come outside where we can reach her”. He was trying to make me feel safe – it was almost endearing.
Pam took a step forward, and looked deep into my eyes. Her voice was soothing.
“Liv… You want to invite Eric inside. You want to have sex with him”.
I shook my head.
“No… Not happening”, I said. She narrowed her eyes in confusion.
“You… want to invite me inside… Have sex with me”.
“No thank you”, I snarled.
Pam stepped back, and began laughing.
“What the actual fuck?”, she guffawed. “What are you?”.
Eric stepped in between us, his back to me.
“Thank you, Pamela. You can leave now”, he said.
“Eric! She’s…”, Pam began.
“Now!”, Eric growled. She disappeared as fast as she’d come.
Eric stood there for a moment, not turning to face me. I was about to close the door, when he spoke again. “I’m making you mine… And getting you a better car”.
“The hell, you are", I sputtered. He spun around with wide eyes.
“You’re saying… no?”, he asked bemusedly.
“I’m not anyone’s; let alone yours”. Eric chuckled at me.
“I just claimed you”.
“Well you can shove that claim up your ass, as well”, I proclaimed. “You wanted me to tell you about myself”, I said. He didn’t respond, simply stood still and never diverted his eyes from mine. “I left San Diego to get away from a guy who couldn’t take no for an answer… I’m not about to throw myself into the arms of another one who does the same”, I said.
“This… guy”, Eric said. “Did he hurt you?”. There was an angry edge to his voice.
I looked down, and crossed my arms in front of me.
“He did… It’s over. But only because I ran away”, I said. “He… It doesn’t matter. I just don’t want that again”.
For a long moment, he just looked at me; making me swallow to wet my dry mouth.
“Alright”, he finally said calmly.
“Are we finished?”, I asked, almost in a whisper.
“We’re finished”, he said. “For now”. Eric lowered his head, looking earnestly at me. “As long as you say no to me, I won’t do anything”, he said. “I will not force myself on you, Liv”.
“Why?”, I asked, genuinely surprised.
“Do you want me to? I don’t mind playing games…”, Eric smiled.
I shook my head.
“Never mind. I thought we were having a moment here, but it’s gone”. I went to close the door in his face.
“Liv!”, Eric said; his voice imposing. I halted, and looked at him again. “I don’t know why… But I will not”.
He turned around, and walked down the steps from my small porch. I took a deep breath, before running after him. He heard me coming, and turned around.
“Thank you… For at least kind of taking no for an answer”, I said.
I tugged at his jacket, to get him to lower his head, and I got on my toes; placing a kiss on his cheek. Once again, I was surprised to find his skin not icy, but simply cool; and I let my lips linger for a moment.
I was about to turn back, when Eric put both his hands on my shoulders, and looked me square in the face. I could tell he wasn’t trying to glamour me.
“Be mine”, he said.
My breath hitched, and everything in me screamed say yes!.
“N-no, Eric… No, I can’t do that”. Eric looked as if I’d slapped him. My phone vibrated, and I took it from my pocket, looking at the screen. “It’s Bill… I have to take this".
Erics face dropped, and he let go of me.
“Goodnight, sunshine”, he said, and walked away into the darkness.
“Eric!”, I called after him.
“I regret picking up your keys for you”, Eric replied, his back still to me. “I would have loved to see you bend over”.
Liv is as human as they come – faults and all. After a dark experience in her past, she is determined to live life on her own terms, and never let anyone claim her as theirs again. This becomes an issue, when she meets a 1000-yearold vampire, who is dead-set on claiming her as his own.
TW: Blood and violence
CHAPTER 1
2
I didn’t hear from Eric for a week after that. I decided it was for the best; and whenever I checked in with Bill, he didn’t mention him either – making me think I was in the clear from the Viking-vampire. I was unsure how to feel about that fact.
Bill didn’t have a lot of jobs for me, but he still paid me the agreed amount; and thanked me every time I saw him, as if I was saving his life, whenever I went to a store for him, or put him in contact with someone he couldn’t usually reach during nighttime.
One night, after I’d done a day shift at Merlotte’s, and was fixing myself a microwaved meal for dinner; he knocked on my door.
“Come on in, Bill”, I said. He looked surprised.
“That’s… very kind of you”, he said. “Remember, you can rescind your invitation at any point”.
I nodded, smilingly.
“You mind if I eat? It was Terry’s clam chowder down at Merlotte’s today, and I hate that stuff”.
“Go right ahead”, Bill said.
I gestured at him to sit on the couch, and took the mac’n’cheese from the microwave; sitting down in the recliner opposite him.
“So, what’s up? That painter not work out?”, I asked.
Bill looked slightly uncomfortable.
“No, the painter is doing a fine job”, he said. “That is not why I am here”.
“Then why?”, I asked, mouth full.
“Eric has summoned us… you”, he said.
I almost choked on my food.
“He what?”, I said, and wiped my mouth. “He can’t summon us. Who does he think he is?”.
Bill sat up straight, and took a deep breath – a strange thing for a vampire to do, but I supposed he was practicing his human interactions.
“Eric is the sheriff of Area 5”, Bill said.
“You guys have sheriffs?”, I asked. He nodded.
“As it is, I must come when he summons me”, he said. “You are right in one thing. He cannot summon you…”.
“But…?”, I said, raising a brow at him.
“Eric wants to see you, not me. He is only making this summon through me, out of courtesy”, Bill said. “He thinks you are mine”.
“But I’m no one’s”, I said.
Bill smiled warmly at me.
“You are a rare creature, Liv”.
I shoved another spoonful of food into my mouth.
“Why does he want to see me?”, I said.
“He wouldn’t say anything other, than that he had a proposition for you”, Bill replied.
I scoffed, and put my plate down on the table; rolling my eyes.
“He’s already made me a proposition… A few actually”.
Bill chuckled a little at that.
“Yes, well; as he does think you’re mine, I don’t believe that is the kind of proposition he has in mind”.
I narrowed my eyes at him.
“You think he has an actual job for me”, I said.
Bill nodded.
“You mentioned that you were in need of money, and Eric… He has money”, he said. “But he is also an ancient and very dangerous vampire, who has a strange infatuation with you”.
“If you’re so worried about me taking whatever job this is, why are you even mentioning it?”, I asked.
Anger ghosted his face.
“I… have to. He’s my sheriff”, he said. “And he said that you should have the choice to say yes or no yourself. He was quite clear in this; wanted me to tell you that specifically. He also said we were to take my car, as he doesn’t think yours is safe…”.
I sat back, and thought for a moment. In his own very strange way, Eric was actually trying to be polite, and respect my choices. But he was also insulting my car.
“When does he want to see us?”, I asked.
“Tonight, if possible”, Bill said.
“He said if possible?”, I said, raising a brow at him.
“No”, Bill said. “He said it had to be tonight. I was trying to be…”.
“Never mind”, I sighed. “Just, let me go change. I can’t wear my waitressing uniform to Fangtasia. I’m guessing that’s where we’re going”.
Bill nodded, and I went into my bedroom; to change clothes.
---
An hour later, we pulled up at the vampire bar. I was wearing my favorite jeans – favorite, because they made my ass look good – and a red top. At the last moment, I’d put on a cardigan as well; to cover up some. There wasn’t any reason to let Eric think I was there for anything other than a job interview.
Bill led me past the line, and straight into the bar; where – just as it had been the last time I was there – the music was loud, and debauchery was rampant.
Eric was seated on the platform at the end of the room – wearing a black leather jacket, tank top and dark jeans, that fit his frame perfectly – and looking bored out of his mind. I drew in a short breath, and suddenly, he looked up; his eyes focused on me. They were hard, but not cold.
He gestured with his hand for me and Bill to step forward.
When we reached the podium, Bill and Eric nodded their heads at each other.
“Eric”, Bill said, an edge to his voice.
“Bill… Miss Sunday”, Eric said. “Have a seat”.
The only two chairs except for Eric’s, were on either side of him.
“Feel like I have an audience with a king, or something”, I muttered.
“Don’t let the queen hear that”, Pam said; stepping out of the crowd.
I looked at Bill.
“There are queens, now?”, I said exasperatedly.
Bill sat down on one of the free chairs, I took the other.
“I appreciate you taking the time to take this meeting”, Eric said. I was about to reply, when he turned his head to Bill. “If it is alright with you, I would like to speak to your human about a job I might have for her”.
Bill stifled a smile, and nodded.
“You… may”.
“I am not…”, I began.
“Thank you, Bill”, Eric said, and turned his face forwards again, still not looking at me. “Miss Sunday, I’m sure Bill has told you I have a proposition for you”.
I sat without saying anything for a long moment. Eric turned his face less than an inch towards me.
“Liv… Did you hear me?”, he said.
“Oh, you’re talking to me now?”, I said. “I thought I was just here as a decoration”.
Erics lip twitched for a second; while Bill shifted in his seat, seemingly worried about my safety.
“You should think before you speak”, Bill said.
“He’s right”, Eric said.
“Fuck off”, I snarled.
Eric looked forwards again, a smile ghosting his face.
“I’m in need of a secretary for a series of meetings”, he said. “Bill tells me you’re doing an excellent job for him, so this should be what you humans call a walk in the park for you”.
“So, you want me taking notes and stuff?”, I asked.
“And… stuff”, Eric said. His eyes scanned the room. “Actually, we should probably move this conversation to the office”.
I followed Eric and Pam through a doorway next to the bar. Bill walked behind me. It was as if they were flanking me, not letting anyone reach me.
Erics office was less dark than I’d imagined. It had a leather loveseat, and a few shelves filled with Fangtasia merchandise.
He gestured at me to take a seat in the chair in front of the desk. Pam closed the door, and stood in front of it, blocking anyone from entering – and, I supposed, me from exiting. Bill sat down in the couch, his eyes moving between Eric and me, as if he was worried the tall vampire would suddenly pounce on me.
“Ok, you’ve shown me the tunnels of Vampire-Disneyland”, I said. “Now, what?”.
Eric leaned against the desk, crossing one leg in front of the other. He was towering over me as I sat there; making me feel like the tiniest thing in the world.
“Now we talk terms”, Eric said.
“Terms? I haven’t even agreed yet”, I retorted.
“Bill has agreed for you…”.
I shook my head, and chuckled.
“Bill doesn’t make deals for me. I’m my own woman”. Bill shifted slightly in his seat.
“You are his”, Eric said. “Though, I still don’t know how he convinced Sookie to let him take a second human. She seems very… monogamous”. He snarled the word; and I could almost hear Pam’s eyes rolling in her head.
Bill cleared his throat.
“Eric, you seem to have misunderstood the arrangement I have with Liv”, he said. “She is my assistant, and my friend. Not my human”.
Erics lips parted, and he suddenly stood up straight; frozen in place.
“You’re free?”, he asked quietly. I swallowed hard, when Eric reached out a hand, to move the collar of my cardigan, checking to see for fang-marks – finding none. “Leave us”, he said.
“I am not going anywhere without Liv”, Bill said. “She is under my protection…”.
“She’s perfectly safe with me”, Eric said, removing his hand from my neck.
“For fucks sake, Eric”, Pam said.
“Jag säger det inte igen!”, Eric growled.
I looked tentatively at Bill.
”I’ll be fine”, I said. He clenched his jaw, and gave Eric a hard look.
“I will be close by”, he said; and he and Pam left the room quietly.
After the door closed, I stood up, and walked around the room, needing to create some distance between me and Eric. I felt his eyes following me, as I went about; picking up and setting down items.
“Stop fidgeting; it’s irritating”, he said.
“Stop standing so still; it’s creepy”, I retorted. Eric chuckled slightly, not relaxing his stance.
“Is that why your heartrate just went up? Because I’m… creepy?”, he asked. “Or is it because we’re alone together, and you’re hoping to…”.
“Let me stop you right there”, I said. “I’m here because Bill told me you had a job offer, and I need the money”.
“Bill…”, Eric muttered. “Why did you tell me you were his?”.
I shrugged.
“I didn’t tell you anything like that…”, I said.
“Then… be mine”, he commanded. “Yield to me!”.
I sighed exasperatedly.
“Is it so hard to believe I’m just not interested in you?”.
“Yes”. His response came swiftly; almost too swiftly – like he was actually a little insecure. Unable to keep up my pretense, because fuck yes, I was interested; I decided to get the conversation back on track.
“So, the job? I just go with you to a meeting?”, I asked.
Eric blinked, clearly trying to pull himself out of a thought.
“No. I need a human companion with me for a series of meetings”, he said.
“What are the meetings about?”, I asked.
“It’s a sheriffs conference”, he said. “We will be discussing matters of importance to the vampire society in America”.
“Well, what do you need me for?”, I said; pulling a pack of cigarettes from my purse. “Mind if I smoke?”.
“Yes”, Eric said. “It’s a filthy habit, and it makes the blood taste bitter”.
Had he not added that last part, I would have put my cigarettes away.
“Good thing you’re not gonna be drinking mine then”, I said, and lit one; taking a deep drag.
Eric waved the smoke away from his face. I knew he didn’t have to breathe if he didn’t want to, so I simply rolled my eyes.
“It’s customary to bring a human companion to the conference; for taking notes, handling daytime tasks, and the occasional snack…”, Eric said.
“That last part is off the table”, I said, blowing out another lungful of smoke.
“That’s… negotiable, of course”, Eric said.
“It’s really not”, I smiled sarcastically. “Why don’t you just get Ginger to come with you?”.
“Because Ginger can hardly write her own name… And she can be glamoured”, he replied.
“Sookie, then?”, I said. “She told me she can’t be glamoured either”.
I put out my cigarette in an open bottle, and turned to face Eric. He’d moved up behind me, and was now inches away from me. He moved a lock of hair out of my face.
“Sookie is not… you”, he said. My breath hitched, and I couldn’t help myself. I put my hand on his chest, and felt my knees about to buckle. “You have warm hands”, Eric said, and placed his own hand on top of mine. It was large, and completely covered my own.
I shook my head, and pushed him away.
“W-why do you even need someone like that?”, I croaked.
“Information. We switch secretaries for some meetings, to make sure information is fairly distributed among all of us… But sometimes, one of us will glamour one of the humans; to avoid something getting shared with their masters”.
“So much for fairly disturbed information. You guys seem kind of shady; you know that, right?” Eric smiled slyly.
After thinking for another moment, I realized something, and my jaw dropped.
“Woah… You’re telling me I’ll be alone in a room with strange vampires? That might want to feed on me?”.
“They won’t, unless I am there to give my permission… You’ll be under my protection”, Eric said.
“If they’d try to glamour me to make me forget a conversation, how do I know they won’t feed on me, and try to glamour me to forget that?”, I asked.
He put a hand on my shoulder, and hunched slightly to look deep into my eyes.
“I will not let that happen”, he said. “You can trust me”.
I closed my eyes, and took a deep breath – immediately regretting it, as I drew in a delicious nose-full of Eric.
“How much?”, I asked. He stepped back.
“10.000 for four nights”, he said.
10-fucking-thousand dollars!, I thought to myself. That would put a nice dent in my debt – and maybe I could even use some of it on down-payment of a newer car.
“That sounds… fair”, I rasped. “When?”.
“We leave in three days”, Eric said, moving back towards his desk; making me able to breathe properly again.
“Three days? Eric, I have a job already – two, in fact. I can’t just up and leave”, I said.
“Make it work, or miss out on the money”, he said. “It’s up to you”.
“I’ll have to talk to Bill…”, I began.
“I’ll handle Bill. You just take care of your shifter-boss”, Eric said.
“My what?”.
Eric smiled slightly.
“You didn’t know…”, he said. “Sam Merlotte. Ask him what that is”.
I thought fast, knowing I had to make a decision.
“Ok… Ok, I’ll do it”.
“Good”, Eric said, grabbing something from a drawer. “This card is set up for you to use; to buy whatever you need in preparation. You’ll need suitable luggage, and new clothes. That ABBA t-shirt won’t cut it where we’re going”.
He came over to me again, handing me a credit card and a new smart-phone.
“I’ll e-mail you whatever else info you’ll need. Keep it charged and with you at all times, in case I need to get in touch with you”.
“Sir, yes, sir”, I grunted.
A grin spread across Erics face.
“I like the sound of that”, he said; and stood very close to me, as I put the items in my purse.
I cleared my throat.
“Anything else?”, I asked.
“One thing…”, Eric said. “To be able to keep you safe, I need to make a connection to you. A blood-connection”.
“What does that mean?”, I asked hesitantly.
“When a human has a vampire’s blood, the vampire is able to sense the human’s emotions”, he explained.
“You want me to… drink from you”, I gulped.
“Is that a problem?”, Eric asked, looking amused.
“I don’t want you messing around in my head!”, I said.
“You’re worried about me knowing how you feel; but you’re fine with drinking my blood?”, he chuckled.
“I’m not exactly happy about that either…”, I said.
“No? People pay good money for V on the streets…”. Eric cocked a brow at me, almost challengingly.
“I don’t”, I assured him. “I know the stories about the drainers; taking advantage of weaker vampires. It’s wrong”.
“If it makes you happier, I’ll be glad to take some of your blood as well; even if you did just smoke… Fair trade”, Eric said; his fangs popping out.
I backed against the door, almost stumbling.
“Nope… No, that’s ok”, I said.
Eric smirked at me.
“Taking my blood, is part of the deal; and for you, this is a win-win situation. You get 10.000 dollars, a new wardrobe; and you get to enjoy the advantages of my 1000-year-old, very powerful blood”.
I took a deep breath.
“Ok… I’ll do it”.
Eric walked slowly towards me, as if trying to avoid scaring me. When he was less than a foot from me, he bit into his wrist, and held the bleeding wound to my mouth. I looked at the blood trickling from there.
“Before the wound closes”, Eric said; reaching for me to step forward.
I took a hold of his arm, and looked up into his eyes, as I put my lips to the two small holes.
You would think drinking Eric’s blood would be metallic – bitter, even – but it wasn’t. It was sweet, but not sickly so; and if I was to describe it, the closest word I could think of was full. The last time I’d had vampire blood, the situation had been quite different; and I hadn’t been very focused on the taste.
I closed my eyes, and suckled; feeling not cold, but warmth spreading through my body. My heart beat fiercely, and my core throbbed. With my free hand, I held on to Erics shirt; letting out a choked moan against his wrist. I heard him take a ragged breath, and he put his hand on my cheek.
“That’s enough, sunshine”, he said. I pulled back, and looked up at him. He wiped a stray droplet from my chin. “How do you feel?”. His voice was almost hopeful.
“I… don’t know”, I said. “Ok, I guess”.
Eric smiled as if I was the most endearing creature he’d ever seen. He stroked my temple, and for a second, I was convinced he was about to kiss me – and I wasn’t sure I wanted to stop him.
There was a pounding on the door.
“Eric! Your meeting is over. It’s already taken too long”, Bill barked from the other side.
“My vampire-daddy is here”, I said, stifling a smile.
“Too bad”, Eric said. “I was hoping I’d be your vampire-daddy”.
I laughed nervously.
I moved away from the door, and let Eric open it. In some strange way, I felt like I needed to correct my clothes, and was tugging at my skirt, as Bill and Pam entered the office again.
“Bill… Liv will be going with me to Dallas in three days”, Eric said. “She’ll be gone for four nights. If you need anything taken care of in the meanwhile, feel free to use my day-person. He’s at your disposal”.
Bill looked at me with wide eyes.
“For the conference?”, he said. “Are you sure you want this, Liv? It might get dangerous”.
“Do people usually die at these things?”, I asked.
“We haven’t had a human death at a conference since the 70’s”, Eric said.
“And that was only because the woman was out of her mind on acid; and practically begged to be eaten”, Pam added. “I saw neon colors for a week after that night”. Eric stifled a smile.
“We will see you in Dallas”, Eric said. “We’ll be travelling during the day, so you’ll be responsible for our transportation. I’m guessing that won’t be a problem”.
“No, I’ll make sure you get there safe”, I said.
“Us, and our luggage”, Pam said. “Do not let anyone mess with my clothes”.
“Your Gucci is safe with me”, I said. “See you in Dallas”.
As Bill and I turned to leave, Eric grabbed my hand. I looked down, and saw that his teeth marks were already healed.
“I’m looking forward to it…”, he said. “And do me a favor. No smoking for the duration of the job”. He winked at me
“That’s doable…”, I said.
“Very doable…”, Eric smirked.
I tugged my hand away from his, and left the room.
---
Sam wasn’t happy that I was leaving town, when I told him at the end of my shift the next day.
“You told me, that you wouldn’t just up and leave on purpose”, he said. “This is… You’re worrying me, cher’”.
“It’s just some well needed vacation”, I said. I hadn’t told him where I was going; or why.
“Kind of last minute”, Sam muttered.
I sighed deeply, and finished folding the last napkin around the silverware in front of me.
“Look, Sam… Ever since I got here, I’ve taken every shift and double shift you’ve asked me to”, I said. “I never asked for a day off, come in late, or left early… I’m asking you for a week; and I already got Sookie and Arlene to cover for me… Please”.
Sam clenched his jaw.
“I can’t pay you for the days you’re not here, Liv’”, he said.
“Not expecting you to”, I said. “Just… I’d like to know I have a job when I come back”.
Sam tilted his head, and smiled.
“Of course you do!”, he said. “Just… Call us, and let us know you’re alright, ok?”.
“I’ll be perfectly fine”, I smiled.
“After what you said, about that acquaintance of yours…”, Sam muttered.
“Don’t worry about me… In fact, after I go home today, and for a week forward… Just forget I exist”, I said with a smile.
“Now, that’s impossible”, Sam laughed. “Will you be back before next Thursday at least?”.
“Why?”, I asked. He cleared his throat.
“No reason…”.
I finished up, and drove home; already dreaming of my future second hand car, and the clothes I’d already bought for the trip. Eric had said I needed to be dressed suitably, and had even mailed me to let me know that I was free to buy lingerie on his card. I decided against that last part. I did not need him to know what I spent on underwear, or what I bought.
Eric was waiting on my porch, as I got out of my car. I grabbed the mail from the box, by the sidewalk.
“I thought you told me we’d see each other in Dallas”, I said, as I made my way up the steps. “Why didn’t you just call?”.
Eric looked coldly at me.
“Why can’t I feel you?”, he demanded.
I shook my head in confusion.
“You… what?”, I said.
“I can’t sense your emotions”, he growled, grabbing my shoulders, and placing himself in front of me. “What are you feeling?”.
“Annoyance”, I said, pushing his arms off me.
I unlocked my door, and stepped inside, creating a barrier between us.
“You had my blood… Have you had any dreams about me?”, Eric asked.
“No…”, I said.
“Any visions or reactions at all?”.
I rolled my eyes.
“What is this? No, Dr. Northman. The prescribed drug did not have any weird side effects”.
I began looking through my mail. Behind an electrical bill, I found another envelope without sender. I swallowed hard.
“If there’s nothing else…”, I said quietly.
“What’s wrong?”, Eric said.
“I thought you couldn’t feel my emotions”. My voice was shaking.
“Your face”, he said. “Why are you afraid?”. I didn’t know what to say. Eric met my eyes, and held my gaze. “Tell me. I swore I’d keep you safe”.
“We’re not in Dallas, yet”, I said. “Your responsibilities don’t start until then”.
“My responsibilities to you started the moment I asked you to be mine”.
“But I’m not yours”.
Eric clenched his jaw, and took a step back.
“Still… I have need for you in Dallas”, he said. “Anything that makes you this terrified, could mean you’re in danger. And I need you safe… Is this about that… guy in San Diego?”. It was clear Eric wasn’t used to using words like guy about someone.
I opened the envelope, and pulled out another picture of myself. On this one, I had my head on a man’s shoulder – Thomas’ shoulder. Thomas had been holding out the camera, to take the picture of the both of us, and the blissful expression on my face might come off as happy; but I knew better. I had been out of my mind on some kind of drug.
Eric looked at the picture as I held it.
“Not mine. Not Bills… His?”, he said.
I scrunched up the picture, and threw it at the vampires head.
“Stop asking who’s I am!”, I growled. “I’m my own. No one else’s!”.
“Why?”, he asked.
“I told you why…”. I nodded towards the crumbled-up paper on the porch. “That’s why. Because I don’t want someone to think they have the right to follow me around, and control me. Be they human, or vampire or… whatever!”.
Eric seemed unsure what to say; stumped, for the first time since I’d met him. I reminded myself I hadn’t known him very long – that I shouldn’t even be as open with him as I already was.
“I’m… sorry”, I said.
“Don’t be”, Eric said. “You’re having a perfectly human reaction. Which is good, as we need to convince everyone of that, when we go to the conference”.
“Convince everyone?”, I said. “I am human”.
“You’re not having normal reactions to my blood. You can’t be glamoured”, Eric said. “You are… something else”.
He seemed about to leave, apparently accepting that he wouldn’t be getting the answers he wanted tonight. I on the other hand, was not. I couldn’t spend four days with the man, if he was constantly questioning my humanity.
“Have some of my blood”, I said; making Eric stop in his tracks. He looked hard into my eyes, and was suddenly standing inches from me, the only thing keeping us apart being the invisible barrier keeping Eric out of my home.
“Why?”, he asked, almost inaudibly.
“You’d be able to taste it… That I’m human”, I said. “Wouldn’t you?”. He nodded. “Please come in”.
Eric drew in a short breath, and took a step forward; keeping his eyes on mine. As he walked forwards, I stepped backwards, almost stumbling. Eric caught me by the waist, and my breath hitched.
“How much would you need to… drink?”, I croaked.
“Not much”, he answered softly. “But the more, the better”.
“O-ok”, I said. “So, do I give you my wrist, or…?”.
“I prefer the femoral arteries…”, Eric smiled. I frowned at him. “But your wrist, or your neck will be fine. Your choice”.
“Which will hurt less?”, I asked.
Eric smiled slightly.
“You’ve never been bitten before”, he said.
“Not… bitten, no”, I said. He narrowed his eyes at me.
“But someone has tasted you? How?”.
I swallowed hard, and shook my head.
“Long story”, I muttered. “Just tell me which will be less painful”.
Erics eyes diverted to the exposed skin at the crook of my neck.
“I know how to keep my bite as painless as possible”, he said. “Some of the humans I drink from even enjoy it. They tend to prefer the neck”.
“Alright”, I said in a whisper. “Neck, then”.
I took a deep breath, and tilted my head slightly. Erics gaze softened; and to my surprise, he took my hand, leading me to sit down on my couch – taking a seat next to me himself.
“Put your legs over mine”, he said; pulling at my knees, so my legs were splayed over his. He put an arm behind my back, and pulled me closer. “This way it’s more comfortable. Unless you prefer lying down…”.
“This is fine”, I squeaked.
“Turn towards me. Relax”, Eric said. I did as I was told, and blew out a deep breath. He ran his fingertips down my neck, sending shivers down my spine.
I let my head rest against the vampire’s shoulder, and closed my eyes. I felt Erics cool breath against my neck, and he held a hand on the back of my head; tangling his fingers into my hair.
“Gör det. Sluta vara svag…”. Eric was muttering to himself.
”What’s wrong?”, I whispered.
”Nothing”, he replied shortly, and pulled me impossibly closer. “Don’t move”.
“Ok…”.
Eric pulled at the collar of my Merlotte’s t-shirt, and moved his lips closer to my neck. After a long moment, he let out a guttural groan, and I found myself alone on the couch; while Eric was standing at the other end of the room.
“Did I do something wrong?”, I asked; suddenly feeling tears betray me – and I didn’t even know why.
“Please don’t do that”, Eric said, looking almost afraid of the situation. I quickly wiped my eyes.
“I’m sorry”.
“And don’t apologize…”, he said. “I will see you in Dallas”. He was gone.
I locked all windows and doors, before going to bed – both happy, that soon I’d be far away from where Thomas could find me; and troubled by what had occurred between me and Eric.
---
My flight to Dallas was late in the afternoon. Eric and Pam’s travel coffins were already unloading when I got off the plane; and the sky was orange, letting me know sundown wasn’t far off. I made sure all luggage was accounted for; not wanting to risk the wrath of Eric’s underling.
All I wanted to do was have a smoke to calm my nerves, but I’d promised not to for the duration of the job.
Once the final bag was in the trunk of the large sedan taking us to the vampire hotel, it was fully dark outside the hangar, and the lids of both coffins sprang open. Eric was already on his phone as he rose.
“Yes, Isabel; I will see you there… That is not up for discussion… Is he coming…? Good”. He hung up his phone as he passed me; not looking at me.
“Everything is accounted for”, I said quietly.
“Of course it is”, he said, and entered the limo. Pam gave me a look out the corner of her eyes, and smirked – not meanly so, more as if she was amused.
I got in with the two vampires, and sat on the sideways seat. I’d never been in a limo before, and found it difficult to make myself comfortable, feeling very out of my element.
Eric sat back in his seat, spreading his arms on the top of the backrest. Pam was filing her nails next to him. They looked like the perfect power-couple, had it not been for the fact that they were not lovers; more like brother and sister – or father and daughter.
Theirs was an undefinable relationship; but it was clear who was the master, and who was the underling – though Eric seemed to have a great deal of respect, and maybe even love for Pam. I didn’t feel right asking, but I guessed he was her maker.
“Here’s the deal”, Eric said, finally looking at me. His tone was matter-of-factly, and hard. “Unless Pam or I tell you or gesture you to do otherwise, you stay behind us at all times. Most of the vampires at the conference are old, and have conservative views on how humans should behave in our presence. Remember that you are our inferior”. I didn’t respond. “Do you understand?”.
“I can talk now?”, I sneered.
Pam stifled a smile; whereas Eric almost snarled.
“If you value your life, you’ll keep that smart mouth shut!”, he said. “Speak when you are spoken to, and never unless I – or Pam – tell you that it is alright”.
“Ok”, I replied.
“The hotel will be full, so we booked rooms months ago”, Pam said, putting her file into her purse. “Eric and I will be in a suite. Your room is down the hall”.
I hadn’t even thought about where I would be staying.
“You’re on call from sunset until dawn”, Eric said. “Days are yours to do with as you want, unless we have errands for you… Speaking of which. Pam…”.
Pam handed me a note.
“What’s this?”, I asked.
“The address off a photographer I’ve been in contact with”, Eric said. “He’s prepared a piece for me, that needs to be picked up tomorrow, before sunset”.
“I’ll handle it”, I said.
“Use the hotel car-service. I don’t want you calling a taxi, or taking a… bus”. He sounded like the word was putrid in and of itself. “It would be embarrassing if anyone found out”.
“Appearance is everything”, Pam said.
“Pam is right. You’re representing me in everything you do, these upcoming days”, Eric said. “Don’t let me down”.
Apparently, Eric was done flirting, and in full business mode; and I decided I was better off for it.
At the hotel, a pair of bellboys brought in our luggage for us. Pam checked us in, while Eric went through messages on his phone. I stayed quiet, and focused on observing the people around me.
I had never seen so many vampires in one room at once; not even in Fangtasia. Other humans were standing as I was, behind their vampire bosses; and a few of them had fang marks on their exposed skin. Everyone was looking very solemn, though there was an undertone of excitement.
I’d tried to dress for the occasion; in a dark blue button up dress, a cardigan, and flats. I played nervously with the button of my purse.
“Stop fidgeting!”, Eric said, and looked down at my chest. “And don’t wear that cardigan again… You don’t look enough like dinner”.
I took a deep breath.
“Permission to speak?”, I muttered.
“Granted”, he replied; a slight smile on his lips, as he put his phone back into his pocket.
“You’re a dick, and I’ll wear whatever clothes I want to”, I said.
His smile broadened.
“I bought those clothes”, he said. “And when I checked the receipts, I didn’t see any lingerie on them… Going commando, sunshine?”.
I gulped, having clearly lost this battle. Eric was back at it.
Pam returned with three keycards.
“What did I miss?”, she asked.
“Miss Sunday isn’t wearing any underwear”, Eric replied, and walked towards the elevators. Pam inclined her head, to look at my bottom.
“I am too!”, I croaked, and followed the two of them into the small cabin.
My hotel room was larger than my living room at home, and there was a large tub in the bathroom; which I couldn’t wait to try out.
Eric and Pam had gone to their suite to do whatever it was vampires did when they were alone; so I yelped in surprise when I found the Viking reclining on the large bed, as I reentered the room from having daydreamed about bubble-baths.
“Don’t you need to be invited in?”, I asked.
“This room is in my name, so no”, he said. “The conference doesn’t start officially until tomorrow night, but our first meeting is in 30 minutes”.
“Alright, I’ll get my things”, I said.
“No”, Eric said, sitting up. He patted the spot next to him on the bed. “Sit with me”.
“I thought this was a business trip”, I said, trying – and failing – for confident.
“Stop being difficult”, Eric said. “We need to have a conversation”.
I walked over and sat on the edge of the bed; keeping my feet on the floor. Eric turned his body, to sit next to me.
“How is your acting?”, he asked.
“I did Wicked in high school”, I shrugged.
A smile ghosted Erics face.
“Vampires will try to glamour you, maybe even tonight”, he said. “You need to be able to convince them that they’ve succeeded”.
“I’ll handle it”, I said.
Eric put a large hand on my cheek, and turned my face towards his.
“There is too much life in your eyes”, he said. “A glamoured human does not look like you. Look into my eyes”. I focused on his light-blue orbs, and felt a rush of blood straight to my core. “That’s even worse”, Eric said.
I took a deep breath, and thought about anything but Eric; which was hard, as his hand was still on my cheek, and he was looking at me intently. I thought about the bath I was going to take later on; which turned in to thinking about Eric in the bathtub – bubbles strategically placed to cover his naked body. Then, I thought about my favorite flavors of ice-cream; which turned in to Eric feeding me the ice-cream – once again, naked.
“Think about nothing”, Eric said.
“That’s impossible”, I sneered.
“Nothingness”, he reiterated. “Think about the coldest darkest thing you can imagine, but don’t let it scare you. A glamoured human is not afraid, unless the vampire wants them to be”. I let my mind disappear into a cold, dark cave; saw only mist. “Good”, Eric whispered.
He stroked my temple, and I parted my lips; needing to remind myself to breathe. Leaning in close, Eric was soon brushing his nose against mine.
“Eric…”, I said.
“Say yes. Be mine”, he breathed.
I sighed, and pulled back.
“No…”. Eric put his forehead to mine, and closed his eyes, as if in pain.
“Liv…”. His voice was almost pleading.
“I can’t… Eric, I can’t”.
Eric stood up abruptly. I almost fell forwards from the lack of contact.
“We will have to pretend in front of everyone else”, he said; his tone brusque. “As I cannot feel you, we will have to use vampire law to keep you alive”.
“I can… pretend”, I said. “As long as you know…”.
“You’ve made yourself clear, sunshine”, he said. “Get your things, we have a meeting to attend. And put on some underwear”.
“I’m wearing underwear!”.
---
We went to a suite down the hall. Pam was flipping through a magazine in a recliner, and gave Eric a look when we entered.
“Jag kunde ha hämtat henne”, she muttered.
“You seemed busy”, Eric replied to whatever it was she’d said. A half-naked red-haired woman walked out from one of the doors; looking pale and blissful.
“She’s good for another sip”, Pam said. The woman stopped in front of Eric and smiled seductively at him. He waved her away with a flick of his fingers.
“I’m good”, he said; and the woman left the room with a disappointed look on her face – closing the door behind her.
Pam scanned my body.
“She seems whole”, she said. “Unless…”. Her eyes travelled down to the apex of my thighs; still covered by the dress.
“Behave”, Eric said. “We have company coming”.
He walked over to Pam, took the magazine, and quickly discarded it in a cabinet over the bar. Pam got up to stand, and brushed non-existing lint off her pink pantsuit.
Eric seemed tense. His jaw was clenched, and his posture was straighter than usual.
“Clean this place up!”, he grunted, and fluffed a throw-pillow from the chair Pam had been seated in.
“Who’s coming?”, I asked.
“Someone you will show every reverence!”, Eric said.
“Yes, sir”, I muttered, annoyance seeping through in my words. His lips twitched slightly, and he went to stand in front of me.
“You’re about to meet a vampire more powerful than you can imagine”, he said. “He is older than me; much older – and he is the host of this convention. The sheriff of Area 9”.
“Alright… So, what do I do?”, I asked.
“You keep quiet. For your own sake”, he responded; and looked me over. He pulled my cardigan down my shoulders, and off me, before I could protest. “There. Dinner”.
There was a knock on the door, and Eric quickly led me to stand by the window at the far wall from the entrance. Pam went to open for the guests, and a tall vampire, wearing a cowboy hat came into the room. I stifled a smile; finding him ridiculous to look at.
This is the ancient vampire I’m supposed to show reverence?, I thought to myself.
The vampire spoke with a Texas-twang, sounding unbelievably bored.
“All hail Godric. Sheriff of Area 9, leader of…”.
“That’s enough Stan. Everyone knows who I am”, a soft, young-sounding voice said from behind him.
Cowboy-Stan stepped aside, revealing a young-looking vampire; with dark hair and intense, ageless eyes. I knew him; and a flashback of both pain, fear and relief filled my whole being.
A darkhaired female vampire came in behind him. She was luxuriously dressed, sort of the Latina version of Pam; though less pink.
Eric went down on one knee in front of the vampire with the intense gaze; almost crumbling in his presence.
“Godric…”, he breathed almost inaudibly.
“Min son”, Godric replied with a slight smile. Eric got back up to stand; and though he towered at least a foot over the other sheriff, he seemed much smaller in stature due to his veneration of him.
Godric walked further into the room, and looked towards Pam.
“Pamela…”, he said.
“Grand-sire…”, she replied, and nodded her head. It was clear to me now, that Godric was Erics maker.
As Godric came into the middle of the room – Eric staying close behind him – he looked around, and locked eyes with me. I felt my cheeks redden, and looked down at the floor.
“This meeting was supposed to be unofficial”, Stan snarled. “Why is there a human here?”.
“Maybe she’s dinner”, the darkhaired female said.
“Isabel!”, Godric said. “If you are hungry, I am sure sheriff Northman can offer you a bottle of TruBlood”.
“She smells good…”, Stan muttered, and I felt a pang of fear go through my body.
“Miss Sunday is mine”, Eric said. Godrics eyes travelled between me and Eric, and he raised a brow slightly.
The vampires all sat down, and I stayed in my place by the window; not knowing what I was supposed to do other than stand still, and try not to get eaten.
A conversation commenced between all four, in what seemed to be at least 3 different languages. The only one I understood was Stan, who didn’t say much – save, “Fuck that”, and “We need to act now!” – and he kept looking at me, like he hadn’t fed in weeks. It was terrifying; and for all the safety Eric had promised me, I was feeling none at the moment.
Then there was Godric; a vampire I had many questions for. Like for instance, why I had a crazy stalker back on my trail, when he was supposed to have forgotten all about me.
After about 15 minutes of trying to keep from shaking, Godric looked up at me.
“Eric, ask your human to sit with us. She looks tired”.
“I’m fine”, I said quietly. Eric looked out the corner of his eyes at me.
“Sit down, Liv”, he said.
The only seat left was on the couch, between Eric and Godric; so, I sat down there – finally feeling a sense of security that I wouldn’t be eaten just yet.
“Let us continue in English”, Godric said.
“Godric, we should…”, Isabel began.
“I will glamour Miss Sunday if needed”, Eric said. A smile ghosted Godrics face.
“No, I will”, Stan said. Eric tensed up, and bared his fangs.
“Can we finish our meeting in a civil manner?”, Godric said, an edge to his voice. “Eric…”.
The Viking pulled his fangs back, and relaxed his body slightly.
“How long have you been with Eric, miss Sunday?”, Godric asked.
“We have known each other for…”, Eric began.
“I was asking Liv”, Godric said. He pronounced my name as Eric had, the first time we met. Leev.
I couldn’t help but smile slightly, but returned to a more solemn expression, when Pam raised a brow at me.
“Not long”, I said quietly.
“And he protects you well?”, Godric said.
“Hasn’t had a reason too… yet”, I said.
“Give it time… You strike me as someone with a low sense of self-preservation”, he replied. It was Eric’s turn to smile.
“Well, I do have a past with dangerous men”, I said.
For the first time since he entered the room, Godric met my eyes again. He looked confused.
“And you’ve been hurt since?”, he asked.
“Not…”, I began.
“Godric, with all due respect; we do have more important things to discuss, than this…”, Stan interrupted me.
“I think enough has been said on the topic for one night”, Godric said. “And I want to have a conversation with this human”.
Godric reached for my hand, and turned it; apparently checking for fang-marks. His grasp was gentle, and his hand looked very different around my wrist, than it had around the neck of Thomas, the year before. My breath hitched lightly, and Godric immediately let go of me.
“You’ve fed from Eric?”, he asked.
“I… Yes”, I said.
“Stan, Isabel; leave us”.
The two vampires left the room quicker than I could turn my head.
“Godric, jag…”, Eric began.
“Blodet är heligt”, Godric said.
“Jag ville skydda henne!”. Eric seemed to shrink in his seat.
“Du vet du inta kan ljuga för mig”.
“Det ville jag aldrig gjöra…”.
“Then maybe you are lying to yourself”. Godrics voice was even, but hard. “You have not fed from her”.
“Not yet”, Eric said; making me swallow hard.
Godric inclined his head towards me.
“Liv, you have nothing to fear from the Dallas vampires. But you will have to keep up your ruse of being Erics… And you will have to do a better job of pretending”.
Godric stood up, and the rest of us followed.
“I will see you at the opening ceremony tomorrow”, he said.
“I’ve had a host-gift prepared, that I am sure will be… suitable to your tastes”, Eric said.
“Two sticks and a bowl of mud?”, Godric asked, an overbearing smile on his face.
“Like the good old days”, Eric said. Something unspoken, that seemed to amuse the both of them, passed between the vampires; and Godric left the room.
Pam went to get her magazine out of the cabinet, seemingly ready to get back to browsing through the latest fashions from Paris.
“I think I need a drink”, I muttered.
“Go change. We’re invited to a private party at the hotel bar”, Eric said.
That date I had with the bathtub in my room, seemed further and further away.
“I am not going to that thing”, Pam said.
“I know you’re not. I remember what happened last time”, Eric retorted.
“That wasn’t my fault”, Pam said. “And his fangs grew back eventually”.
Eric rolled his eyes, before looking at me.
“Go!”, he said.
“What am I supposed to wear?”, I asked. “I’ve never been to a private vampire-party”.
“You look like dinner now”, Pam said snarkily. “Think dessert”.
Liv is as human as they come – faults and all. After a dark experience in her past, she is determined to live life on her own terms, and never let anyone claim her as theirs again. This becomes an issue, when she meets a 1000-yearold vampire, who is dead-set on claiming her as his own.
CHAPTER 5
When we returned to the suite, Carl was gone. Eric sat with his elbows on his knees; staring in front of him.
“Pam, give us some privacy”.
Pam lingered at the door for a moment, before speaking.
“I don’t want a little sister”, she sneered. “There. I said it”. For a second, Eric sent her a confused look.
She left the room, and closed the door behind her.
For a long moment, I just stood there; waiting. Eric sat still as a statue, making me more uncomfortable by the second.
“Is everything ok?”, I said.
“Sit”, he said. I walked over to the other side of the coffee table, and sat down on the couch there; worried.
“Did he find out I can’t be glamoured?”.
“No… Carl doesn’t know anything about you, or your past…”.
“What’s that supposed to mean”.
Eric met my eyes with a hard expression.
“Carl had information for me about Godric”, he said. “Apparently, he felt obligated to tell me – as his new business partner – that Rose and Stan are going behind my makers back… Trying to start a civil war”.
“So… you have a witness… proof”, I said.
“We do…”, Eric said. “But it won’t do Godric much good, because apparently, he’s broken vampire law”.
I looked down at my feet.
“What did he do?”.
“You know what he did. You were there”. He’d connected the dots.
I closed my eyes, and sighed deeply.
“Godric was trying to protect you… He didn’t want me to tell you, because…”.
“Because he knows I’ll die before letting the Authority execute him”, Eric said. “Doesn’t change the fact that you should have told me”.
“He made me swear… He saved my life, Eric. I was pretty much dead, beat to a pulp; and he saved me, by giving me his blood”.
“But first, he fed on you”, Eric said.
“It was part of our deal”.
“Yes, well… Try as he might, Godric is still a vampire. And your blood is… it’s hard to refuse, once you’ve had the scent; let alone, taste”.
We sat for a moment longer in silence.
“I’m not going to apologize for not telling you”, I said. “I swore to Godric I wouldn’t tell anyone about what had happened. At the time, I didn’t know why…”.
“That’s why he wanted to speak with you yesterday… To make you promise again”, Eric said.
“No… Last night, he told me why he didn’t want you to know… But he didn’t make me do anything”, I replied. “I made the promise of my own accord. To keep him and you safe… And Nora, I suppose. I didn’t think you’d want her hurt either”.
“That’s so very… human of you”, he muttered.
I didn’t know how to respond to that, but luckily Eric was in mood for a subject change.
“We have an event in a few hours”. He got up to stand, and I followed his lead, moving towards my room.
“Wardrobe preferences? Dinner or dessert…?”, I asked. His lips twitched into a sly smile. My slight attempt at getting him in a better mood, had apparently worked. Eric followed me to the door, and turned me around; wrapping an arm around me. He slipped a hand underneath my robe, to stroke the inside of my thigh.
“Candy. Arm-candy… That purple number I found in the bottom of your suitcase, should work”.
“Eric, that’s a slip!”, I said.
“So?”. His fingers travelled north, soon reaching my folds; which were already wet. It didn’t take much for Eric to get me going.
“I can’t just wear a slip in public… Oh, wow…”. Eric let his long finger between my labia and in to me, and used my slick to moisten his fingertip; before stroking at my clit. “I really need to… fuck, that feels amazing”.
“So warm and sweet…”. His words came out in a growl. “And wanting to be ravaged”. The last part came with a teasing smile.
“Not that sweet”, I whispered, and took a hold of his invading hand, to lift it to my mouth. I closed my lips around his finger, and tasted myself on it – sucking – all while keeping my eyes on Erics.
I backed away, letting the finger escape my mouth with a small pop. Eric gave me an anticipatory look, as I hooked my fingers into the waistband of his pants, and kneeled on the floor in front of him; pulling the fabric down over his erection.
As tall as he was, I had to stand on my knees to reach Eric with my mouth. He drew in a gasp, as I stuck out my tongue, and let the head the head of his dick rest on it for a few seconds, while I stroked him gently up and down.
“Solsken…”, Eric groaned, when I closed my mouth around him, and sucked him deeply in to my mouth.
Eric was tasty – sweet and salty at the same time – and the soft skin stroking against my lips, as I moved my head, was like brushing my lips against velvet. I hummed around him, and smiled up at him with my eyes. He placed his hand on the side of my head, playing with my hair between his fingers.
The sounds of grunts and moans from above me, egged me on; as I was bobbing my head back and forth – making swallowing movements and sucking in my cheeks. I cradled Erics balls in my palm, and massaged them; soon feeling them tense up.
Suddenly, Eric took a firm hold of my hair, and used his other hand, to raise me to my feet.
“You’re asking for it…”, he growled. “Bed’s too far away”.
“What do you mean? It’s right…”. Eric threw me against the wall; before lifting me up to straddle him, and thrusting into me – hard. “Eric!”, I croaked.
With wild abandon, Eric pounded in to me. He wasn’t trying to drag anything out this time, and the sheer force of his thrusts made me worried I’d be walking funny afterwards. He was in fact ravaging me.
With wanton grunts and groans, Eric had his way with me like this; while I whimpered from the delicious assault. He kissed and nibbled at the skin on my neck, without extracting his fangs. I would have gladly agreed to him feeding on me, but remembered what he had told me about having gone overboard earlier.
I held on hard to Eric as he fucked me, cursing breathily into his ear; while scratching my nails across his back. I would have left marks, maybe even very deep ones; had he not been healing so soon.
We came at the same time; me with a loud moan, and Eric with a guttural growl.
“So. You’ll wear the purple dress”, Eric smirked.
“Not happening”, I chuckled. He lifted me off him, and set me down on the floor again. Steadying myself against his tall frame, I got on my toes, and kissed his lips.
---
I was wearing the purple slip. After Eric literally having tried – in vain, of course – to glamour me into putting it on, I obliged. I’d put a black sequined mesh number over it, making me feel a little less exposed – but still sexy as hell. Heels were apparently required again, but I was getting in to the habit of wearing them.
The event Eric had mentioned, was another party. This time, all of the sheriffs were attending, apparently; as there was a line to get in to the large building – one of those large warehouses where rich people had their terrible art exhibitions.
“What is this thing?”, I muttered to Pam.
“Another mingling situation”, she said. “Everyone running for sheriff will be kissing each other’s asses, to get votes”.
“And my job is…?”.
“Looking edible, and not falling over… Oh, and try not to die”.
Eric clearly had zero patience for waiting in any lines, and walked straight up to the door with Pam and me in tow. The girl standing there gulped when she saw the tall Viking.
“Sheriff Northman, Area 5; with party”, Eric said.
“I am sorry, sheriff; but there is a line”. Eric hunched over, and looked the girl in the eyes.
“I don’t see a line”, he said with a soft voice.
“Are you trying to glamour the staff, Northman?”, Carl said; having appeared in the doorway.
“You know me, Carl”, Eric said. Carl let out a roaring laughter, and held out his arm, gesturing for us to step inside. We entered the building, which was already full of people; both vampires and humans. Most of the latter were dressed much like myself – meals on heels.
“I hear you’re paying for this shindig”, Eric said.
“It was a chance for me to clear my conscience”, Carl said. “After all, that unfortunate event involving someone we both know, did happen on my turf, last year”.
We headed towards a large buffet table, set up with human drinks, and what looked like carbonized blood. I hoped it was TruBlood. Both Eric and Pam took a glass; and I stood behind them, like a good little blood-bag. Eric sent me a discrete look over his shoulder, letting a sly smile break the mask of the cool debonair.
“Do you have a show set up for us?”, Eric asked. At the far end of the wall, staff was hanging up some frames and screens, for some sort of installation.
“Yes well, speaking of said event… The human in question just so happens to be a photographer. I thought I’d throw him a bone…”. Carl ran a hand through his well-coiffed hair.
“Wasn’t he glamoured, after what happened?”, Pam asked.
“Of course he was. That doesn’t stop me from wanting to clear my guilty conscience… Oh, here he is now! Thomas Porter!”.
I felt my knees give, and almost fell over; when a pair of hands caught my waist from behind.
“Whoa, there, miss!”, a cheery voice said. Eric spun around; his eyes aflame.
“Please let me go”, I whimpered. I stumbled forwards, and Eric caught my arm. I couldn’t meet his eyes, simply stood shivering in place.
“Looks like you drained a bit much from miss Sunday, here”, Carl smiled. “Thomas, do you mind?”.
I turned around, and looked at my former assailant.
“Of course!”, Thomas said, and grabbed a glass from the buffet table. “Here you go, a drink will freshen you up”. He held out the glass to me. Come on. It’s just one drink, as friends.
“I…”, I breathed. Eric pushed me to stand behind him.
“Stay away from her!”, he growled.
Carl held up his hands to calm down the situation.
“You’ll have to forgive sheriff Northman, Thomas. He’s a bit protective of his human”, he said.
“I know how it is”, Thomas said, and rolled his eyes smilingly. “Sheriff Northman, thank you so much for hiring me to restore that picture. It was like having a piece of history between my hands”
“That’s right!”, Carl said. “I heard you two had been in touch. You’ve never met before, though. Have you?”.
“I never had the pleasure, no”, Thomas said. “But I’ve met miss Sunday before. When she came to pick up sheriff Northman’s picture…”. He winked at me, and I felt bile rise in my throat. Erics stance was taut; he was ready to pounce on Thomas. Just as I noticed him about to bare his fangs, a voice interrupted him.
“Eric!”. Godric was standing next to his son, and Eric instantly froze in place. “Inte nu”.
“Du borde ha gjort det då…”.
Godric met my eyes with his own saddened ones. I parted my lips, but couldn’t speak; so simply shook my head.
”Gentlemen, I don’t speak Swedish, but this is a party… Not Thanksgiving dinner with the family”, Carl chuckled.
Thomas cleared his voice.
“Well, I need to go make sure the pictures are hung in the right order…”, he said, and gave me a final smile, before walking away.
“And I have to go make sure the ice-sculpture doesn’t melt!”, Carl said; disappearing just as quickly.
Eric was clearly trying his best to control himself.
“Pam, take Liv back to the hotel”, he said.
“No… I’ll be fine”, I muttered.
“I’m going to kill him”, Eric snarled.
Godric gave his son a hard look.
“You will not”.
“He is a monster, and him being here could get you executed!”.
“He doesn’t even remember what happened!”, I said. Erics jaw was clenched, and his eyes read bloody murder.
There was a long pregnant pause, before Pam decided to speak.
“With all due respect, even I feel fucking uncomfortable now”. A young, beautiful waitress walked past us, with a tray of drinks. “I you’ll excuse me…”. She pressed her glass into my hand, and followed her intended meal.
“Your child is as willful as mine are”, Godric said, a smile ghosting his face.
“She is as loyal as yours are as well”, Eric croaked, and looked at his maker meaningfully.
“Which is why I did not want you to know”. Godric looked at me with an almost hurt expression. “I wish you hadn’t told him”.
I stood there with Pam’s glass in hand, before finally snapping out of it, and putting it on the table.
“She didn’t. I had to find out from Carl… Not only are you throwing away your post as sheriff, you also fed from an insignificant hum in a dry state; before giving her your blood!”. I tried not to let my face show, what Eric’s words where making me feel. “Everything you’ve taught me, and now you are breaking your own rules!”.
“She is not insignificant, Eric… You know that; you’ve tasted her yourself. Her blood is precious”.
I clenched my jaw, and a choked groan escaped my throat, as I stood there, and let myself be spoken about.
Godric turned his eyes to me.
“I am sorry. You have done so much for me; and yet I still allow us to speak of you in this way”. I nodded, but did not immediately reply. “I hope I have not offended you”.
“No, sheriff Godric. You haven’t offended me at all”, I said quietly. The ancient vampire looked up at Eric, who had a sour and yet guilty expression on his face.
“Godric, you will get arrested… killed!”, Eric said, breaking the tension.
“If I do, it will be my end. I will not let you to go down with me”, Godric replied.
“I will not allow…”, Eric began.
“You will… or I will command you”. Godric put his hand on Erics shoulder. “It will hurt this human if you…”.
“I don’t give a fuck about that!”, Eric roared.
Godric smiled softly.
“Yes you do”.
“Varför ville du då inte låta mig bli av med honom?”. Hurt traced Erics voice. Godric shook his head.
”Eric, as your maker, I command you to not act on this matter”.
Eric nodded grudgingly.
Isabel appeared from the crowd.
“Show’s about to start”, she said. “You need to make an appearance”.
Godric nodded.
“We will speak later”, he said to Eric, and to me, it seemed; as he gave me a slight smile, before walking away.
We stood for a long moment, not saying anything. Around us, sheriffs from the different areas were conversing, most of them obviously looking for support to win another term. I wished another sheriff would come speak to Eric, to interrupt the silence between us. Finally, Eric looked at me.
“You need to remember your place…”.
“Don’t act all pissy with me, because your dad yelled at you!”, I sneered. Eric grabbed my arm, and seemed about to speak again, when that weird classical techno music began again, and Pam appeared; wiping her mouth, from a stray droplet of blood.
“Am I interrupting something?”, she asked, not even pretending to care if she did.
“No”, Eric said, and let go of me.
“You’re gonna want to see this… both of you”.
Quickly trying to regain my composure, I followed Eric and Pam towards the installation. Up close, I saw that the pictures in the frames were of exotic dancers – on, off and behind stage. The pictures were all hung up in threes. One of them as they prepared for their performances; one mid-performance, on stage; and one after – as the dancer was either catching their breaths behind stage, getting a drink, or having a smoke. I recognized a few faces of former co-workers from Sugar and Spice, on some of the pictures.
Thomas was talented. He’d managed to capture the rawness of my former profession beautifully and devastatingly.
“Everybody, gather round!”, Carl said, from the small stage set up below a large white screen. Godric stood to the side of the stage, with Isabel and Stan; representing the hosting Area. A waiter came over to Carl, and handed him a microphone. He took it, and chuckled. “I forget, not everyone in the room have as good hearing as some of us… It’s with great honor and privilege – and due to the fact that I paid for this thing – that I can welcome you to this event tonight. I hope you are all enjoying the drinks. You have probably noticed that willing donors are posted throughout the room, if the TruBlood-cocktails are not to your liking. I had a taste of a lovely female, by the name of Stacey, a few minutes ago – and I recommend her highly… Being from a dry state myself, I’m happy to take part in the local attractions”. He smiled leeringly. “Without further ado, I’d like to introduce you all to a very talented artist; that not so long ago moved to Dallas, to set up a new studio here. He is the man behind the pictures on the wall here; which are all for sale, by the way… Thomas Porter!”.
Thomas sprang onto the stage to applause from the humans, and nods from the vampires. Eric tensed up again. Thomas took the mic from Carl, and nodded nonchalantly at him.
“Thank you, sheriff Rockford”, he smiled, before turning to the audience. “For the last few years, I’ve been trying to capture humanity in its rawest state; and found that it was no more pungent than in the strip-clubs of America. The installation you’re about to see, is called Truth. Hit it…”.
Heavy rock-music began playing, and the lights went down. On the large screen, pictures began revealing themselves to the beat of the bass and drums. Close up portraits of dancers flashed, and then slowly, in series of three – as they were hung on the wall – were pictures of them before, during and after performing.
Pam looked amused as she gazed up at the screen; clearly enjoying the pictures of the women more than the men. Eric, on the other hand, showed no emotion.
I knew what was coming before it happened. A series of closeups of a familiar face flashed across the screen, before a picture came up of a woman holding a cigarette between her fingers, and looking at the camera through a mirror, as she was applying lipstick. I had been wearing my red sequined bra that night, and a pair of frilly black booty-shorts. No shoes.
The next picture was as I was on stage, with a seductive grin on my face and one leg in the air; snatching a 10-dollar bill from a patron, with my toes.
“Flexible…”, Pam muttered smilingly. Eric shrugged in agreement. “When was this?”.
I was finding it hard to breathe. Looking up at Godric, I could see that he also remembered exactly when these pictures were taken. Forgetting for a moment how angry I was at him, I grabbed on to Erics arm.
“Eric… Oh, fuck!”.
The final picture popped up. It had been taken from a distance; shortly after Godric was supposed to have glamoured Thomas. I thought he’d left the alley, but he must have stayed behind – hidden, somehow – and taken the photograph.
On it, Godric was kneeling on the ground, with his arm around my back; and his open mouth to a gash on the top of my breast. It wasn’t the only wound I had. My entire body was covered in bruises, and my cheeks were stained from my mascara running.
There was a murmur of voices, before Stan’s voice roared from the stage.
“Where was that picture taken?”. He knew very well, where it was taken. Carl held up his hand.
“Stan, is this really the time…?”, he began.
“This was on your turf, Rockford! Wasn’t it?”. Stan wasn’t letting up, and Isabel was looking more and more worried by the second. Godric kept his eyes on the floor.
“Stan…”, Isabel said.
“California is a dry state!”, Stan boomed. “Godric broke both human and vampire laws!”.
Fangs popped out everywhere, and Rose and the rest of the vampires who had gathered around Stan at the opening-ceremony, stormed the stage to surround Godric. Eric and Pam sped onto the stage, and stood in front of Godric; guarding him. There were flashes of vampires running to take a side.
In the midst of the chaos, humans were running scared for the doors; and I was frozen in place, terrified.
A pair of abnormally strong hands strong hands for a human clamped around my arm, and pulled me towards the exit.
“Come on!”, Thomas said.
“No!”, I croaked; having somewhat found my voice again.
“I’m trying to save your ass! It’s about to be a bloodbath in here…”. He yanked at my arm, forcing me to follow him.
“Everybody, calm down!”, Isabel yelled from the stage. “The Authority has been contacted, and this will be handled properly, by the right chain of command”.
“Bullshit!”, Stan growled.
“As deputy to Godric, I still outrank you”, Isabel said. “Stand down”.
“Fuck you! He’s going down…”.
“You won’t lay a hand on him”, Eric snarled; his body taut, and ready for a fight.
Godric stepped forward.
“It’s alright, Isabel… Eric”, he said. “I will hand myself over to the Authority, when they arrive. I will stand trial”.
“Godric, no!”, Eric said.
“Silver me”, Godric said. “I am sure Stan and Rose brought chains”.
Rose smirked, and waved over a pair of humans, who were carrying silver chains.
I went to run towards the stage, but stumbled in my heels; and Thomas pulled me up to stand again by the waist.
“Don’t touch me… You don’t even know me!”.
Thomas pulled me close, holding me flush against his body; and leaned in to whisper in my ear.
“You didn’t think I would ever forget you?”.
I pulled my head back, and met his eyes. They were deep, cold and penetrating.
I drew in a big breath, and screamed.
“Eric!”.
Every vampire on the stage turned to look, and Eric sped towards me. He grabbed Thomas, and threw him against the wall. With surprising gentleness, I was scooped into Erics arms; and he held me against his chest, as I fought to breathe calmly.
“I’m not going to let him touch you again”, he breathed. “I won’t let anything happen to you”.
Through my tears, I was confused by seeing Stan run to Thomas’ side, and help him back on his feet.
“Enough!”. A short, balding vampire in a suit, and carrying a silver tipped cane, had entered the room; with what looked like a SWAT-team at his heels.
“Fuck”, Eric said. He put me down on my feet, and tucked me in to his side.
“Who’s that?”.
“Someone you don’t want to know…”.
I nodded slightly.
“Sheriff Godric…”, the angry looking vampire said.
“Magister”, Godric replied, and stepped down to greet him.
He sighed heavily.
“What the fuck…? I was in the middle of dinner, and suddenly I’m called out for this shit?”. He looked up at the screen, which was still displaying the picture of Godric feeding from me.
“I have to get you out of here…”, Eric muttered. He looked towards Pam, who was at our side in the flash of an eye. “Hotel. She doesn’t leave the suite. If I’m not back before dawn, you leave Dallas as soon as you can”.
“Eric, I’m not leaving you”, Pam said. “If you try to stop them, they’ll kill you…”.
Eric looked at her with hard eyes.
“And you…”, he said. “I don’t want you here for this. Do as you’re told”. Pam looked down, and nodded.
“Eric, are they gonna hurt Godric?”. He didn’t respond. “I’ll tell them… I’ll tell them he was trying to help!”.
“No, you won’t. I’m not risking your life as well”. I grabbed on to his jacket, but he tore my hands free, and brushed his lips against my forehead. “Go”.
“No, Eric. I…”.
Pam’s arms were around my waist, and before I knew it, I was in the back seat of the limo we’d arrived in; dizzy, from having been whisked away at vamp speed.
“What’s happening?”, I croaked.
Pam looked worried for the first time since I’d met her.
“Stop talking…”.
“Is he coming back?”.
“I said, stop fucking talking!”.
She snapped her head in my direction, and I saw blood in the corner of her eye. She was crying.
---
Pam was pacing the floor of the suite, constantly picking up her phone, and then putting it down again. For once, she was the one fidgeting. I was seated on one of the couches, not moving; save for the shudders of fear streaming through my body. Fear for Godric, myself; and Eric.
“Stupid, stubborn… fucking Viking!”, Pam said. “He can’t leave me like this. If he dies, I’ll kill him!”.
“Yeah…”, I agreed in a whisper. “Well, get in line…”.
“And then he just sends me off to babysit his human”.
I frowned at her.
“I’m not his human”.
“He’s paying you a shitload of money”, she said, raising a disbelieving brow at me. “You’re his”.
“I’m my own; doesn’t matter how much he’s paying me. No one owns me”. I sighed. “Look; money or no money, I don’t want him dead any more than you do… Even if he is a dick on occasion”.
Pam looked at me in confused wonder for a moment, before grabbing a sandwich from the mini-fridge, and tossing it on the couch next to me.
“Eat…”, she said.
“I’m not hungry”, I said.
“Bullshit. Eat”.
I didn’t have the energy to fight her on it, so simply opened the plastic wrapping, and took a few bites from the sandwich; before getting up to go to my room and change.
“I’m really sorry about what happened to your dress the other night”, I said, as I passed her. “It probably cost more than I make in a year, but I’ll pay you back for it… somehow”.
“Liv…”, Pam called after me. I turned to face her. “For the record; I don’t hate you… Not that much anyway… And you have nice tits”.
I raised a brow at her.
“Thanks… I guess”. Pam gave me a slight smile; and I closed the door behind me.
I got into the fluffy robe, washed most of the makeup off my face, and brushed my hair; needing to keep busy. I was tired, but didn’t want to sleep. I knew I’d have nightmares both about the evening’s events, and what happened to me the year before. I already had to fight away the memory of seeing myself on that screen, beat to a pulp.
Hearing the main door to the suite open and close, I sprang for the bedroom door; opening it.
Eric was stood there, holding Pam in his arms; and gently stroking her hair.
“I was so worried”, she sobbed.
“Shh… I’m here now”, Eric said, and pulled back to smile down at her. “Inga tårar”.
“Fuck you. I’ll cry as much as I want. I could have lost you!”.
“Everyone is ok”.
I didn’t speak, simply took in the scene; smiling at the gentleness of it. Eric looked at me over Pam’s shoulder.
“Pam, go find someone to eat. You must be starving; those drinks back there were atrocious”. He kissed the top of her head, and she wiped her eyes, before leaving the room.
I timidly stepped in to the room.
“Is Godric ok?”, I asked.
“They’re setting up his trial and sentencing for tomorrow night”, Eric said somberly. “Before the sheriffs’ announcements”.
“That soon…? Doesn’t a trial take several days?”.
Eric shrugged off his jacket, and threw it over one of the recliners.
“Not for us…”.
He stood with his back to me; and I stepped over, and put a hand on it.
“I’m so sorry, Eric… I’ll testify… anything…”.
“No”. He turned around, and took my still outstretched hand.
“I can help. I was the one…”.
“No…! Liv, they won’t care what happened to you with that photographer; and if you let it slip that Godric couldn’t glamour you, they will kill you”.
“But maybe…”, I tried.
“Why do you care?”, Eric said. “You’re not mine… not Godric’s… You have no reason to help us”.
I met his eyes again.
“I don’t know. I suppose… I don’t want you to get hurt”, I said quietly. “You know how you tell me I have no sense of self-preservation?”. Eric narrowed his eyes at me. “I think we might have that in common”.
“And you want to protect me…”, he said. I nodded.
“I know you’re plenty capable of taking care of yourself; but…”.
Eric’s expression hardened, and he let go of my hand.
“I am. Implying anything else is insulting”. I swallowed hard. Warm and sensitive Eric was gone.
“Of course…”.
My old phone rang in my room.
“I should probably take that…”, I muttered. Eric gestured standoffishly for me to go ahead. I picked up the call.
“Liv! You promised to call me…”, Bills voice boomed through the receiver. “Are you alright? Do you need me to come to Dallas?”.
“No, Bill. Everything is ok”, I said. “I’ll be back in a few days. Fuck, why are you all on my case about this?”.
“Because we care about you. I care about you”.
“I’m fine!”, I sighed.
In the blink of an eye, Eric had snatched my phone from me, and put it on speaker.
“Yes, Bill. Liv is perfectly fine; in so many ways”.
“This conversation is between Miss Sunday, and myself”, Bill said.
“Eric, give me back my phone!”, I hissed. I jumped for the phone, but he held it up in the air; seemingly enjoying the sight of me jumping up and down. Looking down, I saw that the sash on my robe had opened, and Eric was looking at my breasts bouncing. I punched him in the chest. Eric simply smiled.
“Liv!”, Bill barked. “Eric, put her on, right now!”.
“Liv is currently unavailable, as she is still in my employ. Feel free to tell Sam Merlotte the same thing”, Eric said.
“And that job is letting you feed on her, and have sex with her?”, Bill said.
“Yes”, Eric said.
I felt like I’d been slugged in the gut by a sledgehammer. I should have known that was what this was all about; especially after hearing him speak the words he had earlier. An insignificant human. I clenched my jaw, and sent Eric a venomous look.
“Bill… Mr. Northman is right; I’m his for the time being”. Eric flinched slightly when I said the word his. “I’ll see you soon. Thank you for calling”.
Eric hung up the phone, and tossed it on the bed. “I have a meeting in 20 minutes”.
“Will you be needing my services, sheriff Northman?”, I asked, not meeting his eyes.
“No, not tonight”.
“Then, I realize I can’t rescind your invitation into this room, but please get out”. Erics face dropped, and he took a step forward. “Get the fuck out”.
The vampire recoiled from my words.
“This is about what Bill said”.
I couldn’t hide my anger and hurt anymore.
“This is about what you said… And the fact that I was stupid enough to think I was anything but another fangbanger to you”. He stood up straight, towering over me; looking anywhere but at my face. “I guess it’s my own fault. I just got confused about everything, because you seemed so upset about Sam and Bill…”.
“Bill Compton cares about you… Sam Merlotte cares about you…”, Eric sneered.
“And I care about them. They’re my friends”. Eric raised a brow at me. “Is this jealousy, Eric?”, I asked.
Suddenly, he had his hand around my throat; and stared angrily into my eyes – his fangs bared.
“I don’t get jealous about humans”, he hissed. “Especially those which aren’t mine”.
“No… I get that, now”, I hissed. “I’m just a well-paid bloodbag, right?”.
Eric seemed stricken by my words, and quickly removed his hand from my throat. After a short second of regaining his composure, he seemed to be back in business-mode.
“You will stay in the suite. You don’t leave, unless it’s with me or Pam. And get some sleep. You look tired and anemic”.
“Yes, sir”, I said. I walked over to the door, but before Eric could say anything else, I closed it in his face.
I sat on the bed for a long time, just letting myself feel. After a while, I heard the words I had heard that night, a year before.
This is all you’re good for, anyway. Lay back and take it. You’re mine…
Then the tears came – unrelenting and with deep heaving sobs. I was such an idiot to think I ever mattered. Even Godric had only saved me, because he wanted my blood in return. What I was, was nothing more than a stripper, a bloodbag; and a prostitute to a man, who didn’t give a shit about me.
I slapped my own face, to snap out of it. There was nothing wrong with that. I was doing a job, and it was paying well. What stung, was the fact that I’d lied to myself; letting myself think that I’d mattered to him.
“You’ve watched Pretty Woman too many fucking times”, I chided myself.
I crawled up under the duvet on the bed, and even though I’d only shared a bed with Eric for two nights – well, two days, if you were getting technical – it felt lonely to lie there. I fell into a restless sleep.
---
I woke a little before sundown, still rattled and sad from the happenings the night before. Eric was gone; but Pam had sent me a message letting me know to stay in the suite, unless she came to get me.
I picked at the stale sandwich I’d brought with me into my room, and then called up Sookie.
“Hello?”. I heard glass being moved around, and sounds of cooking in the background.
“Sookie? Shit, sorry, I forgot you were probably at work…”.
“Hey, sweetie! Don’t worry about it. It’s a slow shift… Sam says hi!”.
“Tell him hi back”, I said.
“How are you doing? Bill told me about that phone call, but he didn’t go in to detail”. Bill Compton, always the gentleman.
“He’s not coming out, is he? I can’t deal with any more vampire-bosses right now…”, I muttered.
“Things not going so well with Eric? He didn’t hurt you, did he?”. She sounded worried and angry.
“Not physically. He just…”. I sighed deeply. “Sookie, we had sex”. There was a long pause, where all I could hear was Lafayette yelling out orders, and chairs being moved around. “Sook’?”.
“You had sex… with Eric Northman… Was it good?”.
“Sookie!”, I yelped.
“I’m sorry… But… Well, was it?”. I could hear her smile in her voice.
“Yeah… It really was”, I said, my cheeks burning red, and Sookie sniggered. “But now he’s treating me like just another fangbanger… I didn’t come out here to be his on-call prostitute. I thought maybe…”. I couldn’t finish my sentence.
I heard Sookie sigh heavily.
“He is a big butthole of a vampire…”, she said. “Look, you’re absolutely not the first woman to fall for his tall, blond and mysterious thing… There ain’t nothing wrong with that”.
“Then why do I feel like shit?”, I asked.
“Because society has told us, that its wrong for women to enjoy sex…”.
“Sookie Stackhouse, the feminist… I like it!”, I said; finally feeling a smile trace my lips. “I wish… I wish I’d never come out here… That I never met that 6’4, incredibly good looking, charming and… fuck, Sookie! I was really beginning to like him…”.
“You’re only human… Liv, you have done nothing wrong, don’t let him get to you. You just chin up, and finish that job… maybe quit it with the sex-part, though. Get the money, and move on… Take me to a nice dinner when you get back, you’ll be able to afford it; and then you can tell me if…”.
“The carpet matches the drapes?”.
“Liv!”. Someone called for her in the background. “Sweetie, I gotta run. Call me or Bill if you need anything, ok?”.
“I will. And, Sookie…? Thanks”.
“See you soon”, she said, and hung up.
While in the shower, I made a decision. I was going to do what I had been hired to do, even if I hadn’t been completely aware of what that meant, when I said yes. But I was also going to do as Sookie had said. There wasn’t a chance in hell, I was going to let that big butthole of a vampire get to me anymore; he was going to get what he paid for, and nothing else.
While drying my hair, I called Pam on the phone Eric had given me.
“What?”, she replied, after the first ring.
“I need your help”, I said.
“In more ways than you know. I repeat… What?”
“I want to earn my money, and do the job I was hired for… I guess I’m asking WWGD…?”.
“I don’t speak church”, Pam replied.
“What Would Ginger Do?”.
I felt a gust of wind, and suddenly Pam was stood in front of me.
“Will it piss Eric off?”, she asked.
“Maybe… Is that a problem?”, I asked.
“He ruined my dress, took away my room; and then almost died on me. No problem at all”, she smirked, but then raised a brow at me “One thing, though… Take it back ”.
“Take what back?”.
“You know what…”, she sneered.
I sighed heavily.
“Fine… You’ve never, ever pooped".
---
A few hours later, I was in couture again; at least Pam had told me it was. My chest was bound as tightly and as high as humanly possible, by a black satin corset-top; but when Pam had seen me exit the room after having put it on, she spun me around, and bound it even tighter. I had on a short skirt in faux leather, and strappy high-heeled sandals, that I was sure to twist my ankle in, at some point.
I’d done my make-up and hair as I used to, during my dancing days; and I knew I looked both fuckable and eatable. Because of this very reason, I’d put a robe over my clothes. Pam looked hungry.
I was finishing painting my nails a dark color, when Eric entered the suite; wearing another suit – this time, with a shirt underneath. He looked every bit the powerful vampire-sheriff he was.
”What is that smell?”, Eric snarled.
“I’m doing my nails, sir”, I said. He took three long strides towards me, and looked down at my freshly painted nails. “You’re keeping me locked up here, I needed to do something to pass the time”.
“Doing as you’re told is part of the job, sunshine”, he retorted – letting whether this time, he meant sunshine as a term of endearment, or an insult, hang in the air.
“Sir, yes, sir”, I said quietly, and screwed the lid back on the polish, blowing on my nails. Eric took the bottle from the table.
“Where did you even get this?”, he asked. “I told you not to leave the suite”.
“Pam”, I answered.
Eric shook his head in annoyed defeat.
“The trial is in an hour; upstairs. The Authority figured out you’re the one on that picture; and they want you to testify, despite my insistence that you can’t remember anything”.
“You told them that?”, I asked.
He looked at me with warning eyes.
“Yes, and you’ll repeat those very words to the Magister”.
“I’m not going to lie! Are you crazy?”.
The Viking-vampire tensed his whole body, bared his fangs, and roared at me.
“You will do as you’re told, miss Sunday; because that’s what I hired you to do!”.
I wanted to scream, throw something, or even punch him in the face; but that last part would probably hurt me more than it would him. Instead, I stood my ground. If he wanted an obedient little fangbanger who did as she was told, and groveled at his feet; he’d get one. I got off the couch, and shrugged off the robe; exposing my outfit.
“Yes, master”, I said.
Erics eyes widened, and he turned to face his progeny.
“Vad fan håller hon på med? Vad har du gjort?”.
”She asked for The Ginger. I thought you’d want a bit of an upgrade from that”, Pam said, amusement in her voice. I raised a brow at her. “Hey… I wanted to piss him off, not get killed”.
Eric rolled his eyes.
“We don’t have time for this. We have a trial to attend”, he said, and grabbed my arm. “Let’s go”.
“I can walk myself”, I said, and pulled my arm out of his grasp, before grabbing my purse. He clenched his jaw, and opened the door for us to leave the room.
The first thing that happened after I stepped out into the hallway, was that I almost fell over. Pam caught me by the arm, and pulled me upright. Eric had the decency to keep his back to me, as he laughed.
---
The top floor restaurant had once again been rearranged for what seemed like a party. I don’t know what I’d expected form a vampire-trial, but this was not it. The vampires present were all dressed to the nines, some of them in fashions that seemed to stem from decades before.
There were very few humans in the room; probably to avoid having to do a mass glamour when the trial was over.
Eric strode confidently through the room, with people stepping aside as he went. I heard murmurs, and felt eyes on my back as I followed.
“… the human Godric fed from”, I heard someone mutter, as I passed a group of sheriffs and their entourages.
“Wasn’t she a stripper?”.
“Northman likes them flexible and half naked. Haven’t you ever been to Shreveport?”.
“… seems like the type”.
I looked back at the group, and had to stop myself from hissing at them. I wasn’t out to get killed after all. Pam grabbed my arm, and made me keep up.
Walking up to Isabel at the center of the room, Eric solemnly nodded at her.
“Is he in the building?”, he asked.
“He’s been silvered all day in the magisters quarters… I would have stayed with him, but they wouldn’t let me”, Isabel said, a pained look in her eyes.
“I know… You’ve been a good deputy to him”, Eric said. “But I should have been there”.
“What difference would that have made? They would have found out eventually”.
“No… Last conference, I should have been there. I could have stopped it”. Eric let out a frustrated growl.
“You can’t blame yourself”, Isabel said. “All we can do now, is give testimony to Godrics character. Maybe we can claim the picture was fabricated… Have your human say it was a misunderstanding”.
Eric gazed back at me.
“She doesn’t remember what happened…”, he said, giving me a meaningful and warning look.
Liv is as human as they come – faults and all. After a dark experience in her past, she is determined to live life on her own terms, and never let anyone claim her as theirs again. This becomes an issue, when she meets a 1000-yearold vampire, who is dead-set on claiming her as his own.
CHAPTER 7
I had my first shift back at Merlotte’s a few days later; having needed to wind down a bit. I hadn’t called or texted anyone to let them know exactly when I’d be back, so when I arrived at work, my friends rushed over to greet me. I noticed Sam examining my exposed skin for fang-marks , and was happy Eric had helped me rid of them. I couldn’t take a telling off from Sam right now; still too raw from my trip to Dallas.
When he was satisfied, I wasn’t hurt, he gave me a warm hug. Sookie was next, and gave me a secret empathetic smile.
“I just want to get back to work”, I said. “Back to normal”.
“Did something happen to you in Dallas, cher’?”, Sam asked. “You look like you’ve been through it”.
“No… nothing like that. Just jet-lagged from vamp-time”, I smiled. He nodded disbelievingly. “Any more… pictures show up here?”.
“No. Nothing”, he replied. I sighed in relief.
“Good. I’ll just go do, what you pay me to do, now”.
I walked off, feeling both his and Sookie’s eyes on my back as I went.
I was happy to be back in flats, as I didn’t have any vamp-blood to heal my blisters. The lack of heels didn’t stop Jason from checking out my ass, as I came over to serve him and his crew their food.
“Hey Liv! I hear you’ve been in Dallas. You running away from us permanently?”, he asked.
“Nope. I’m in Bon Temps for the long haul”, I smiled.
“Good, ‘cuz I’ve been thinking… You and I never did go on that date…”.
I patted his cheek.
“And we never will, Jason. You’re too much man to handle, big guy”.
He leaned back in his seat, and smirked at me flirtatiously.
“Nah, I think you can take it”.
“Never gonna happen, Stackhouse”, I called over my shoulder, as I walked away.
Just after sundown, Bill showed up. After having kissed Sookie, he took me by surprise, by leaning in to give me a half hug.
“I am glad to sae you unharmed”, he said.
“We’re you really that worried?”, I asked. “I’ve been fine”.
Bill lowered his voice for discretion.
“But that phone call. Eric said…”.
I felt tears forming in my eyes.
“Liv doesn’t want to talk about that, Bill”, Sookie said.
“But…”, Bill tried.
“Please…”, I croaked. “Sook’, can you take care of my tables for a minute? I need some air…”.
Sookie nodded, and patted my back, before I slipped out the back door.
The night was chilly for once; and I felt goosebumps form on my exposed arms and legs. I was feeling ridiculous for crying, but couldn’t help myself. Bill came out to join me.
“I am terribly sorry. I didn’t realize I’d cause such pain to you by speaking of…”.
“It’s fine, Bill. You couldn’t know”, I said, and accepted the handkerchief he handed me. I took a deep breath, and leaned my back against the wall next to the dumpster; grabbing a cigarette from my fanny pack, and lighting it. “Can I ask you a vampire question?”, I said.
“Of course!”, he responded. I chewed my lip nervously.
“What does it mean when a vampire wants to make a human theirs?”.
Bill thought for a moment.
“Well, when a vampire wants to lay claim to a human, so that no other vampire can; he or she will do so by simply proclaiming it”.
“You don’t ask the human?”, I said wonderingly.
“Not usually, no”.
“But what about what the human wants? What if they don’t want to belong to the vampire?”.
Bill shrugged.
“After the great reveal, consensual relationships between humans and vampires are much more common… obviously. In Sookie’s and my case, if she wanted to discontinue our relationship…”. He seemed pained at the thought. “Well, I would let her go. But she would still be mine, when it came to other vampires wanting to feed from her, or have… relations with her. I’ve claimed her…”.
“Huh…”, I muttered.
“I take it Eric has claimed you…”, Bill said, distaste clear in his voice.
“No”, I said. He frowned in confusion.
“Why?”.
I took a draw from my smoke, and looked at him earnestly.
“Because I said no”.
Bills jaw literally dropped, and I saw more of the white in his eyes than I ever had before.
“And he… accepted that?”. I nodded. “Are you sure we are talking about the same Eric Northman? He is the kind of vampire who takes what he wants”.
“Not me… I guess he didn’t want me that bad”, I muttered, and took another draw from my cigarette. I wasn’t sure about the truth of my own words. Eric had asked me, which was apparently out of character for him; but I didn’t dare let myself believe that there was a deeper meaning to his behavior.
Bill seemed unable to come up with a proper reply, and instead decided to pat my shoulder. Suddenly, he froze in place, looking towards the trees.
“What’s wrong?”, I asked.
“I don’t know…”, he said quietly. “I saw something”. I felt the hair at the back of my neck stand up straight.
“What kind of something?”.
“I am not sure… It’s probably nothing. No need to worry. Please tell Sookie I will be back to escort her home”.
He was gone within a second, only leaving a gush of wind that made the smell of the dumpster hit my nose. I cringed, and went back inside. After relaying Bills words to Sookie, I got back to work.
As late as it was, there were fewer orders for food; as people had turned to alcohol instead. I went back and forth between the bar for a few hours, serving gin & tonics, beers and whiskey sours to the good and less than good people of Bon Temps. After a while, I finally felt able to push my trip to Dallas to the back of my mind; and focus on just being present where I was.
Just before last call, Sam came up to me with a tray with two pink drinks.
“Watermelon margaritas…”, he shrugged. “Never made one before, but the guy in the corner insisted on it. Wanted you to bring them”.
I spun around, and looked towards the corner booth; where Thomas was seated, smiling at me. My hands began shaking.
“Liv? You ok?”, Sam asked. “You know him?”.
“He’s… someone I knew back in San Diego”, I breathed.
“Do you need me to take care of it?”.
I shook my head fervently. I didn’t know why Thomas was here, but whatever his reason was, I didn’t think he remember having attacked me; and I didn’t want to cause a scene.
“I got it…”, I said, and took the tray; walking over to the table.
I set down the drinks in front of Thomas.
“Nice to see you again”, he said.
“Will there be anything else?”, I asked coldly.
“Just some company, if you don’t mind…”, Thomas smiled.
“I’m sorry, sir, but I’m at work”, I replied.
“But I got your favorite drink, Liv… And I sent you those pictures, to remind you of the good times we had”. I met his eyes, which were cold and hard. I looked over my shoulder at Sam, who’d returned to serving the patrons at the bar. “Your vampire friend is gone. My vampire friend took care of that. Now sit down, before I have to do something rash”. He lifted his jacket slightly, letting me see the gun tucked into the waistband of his jeans.
My heart beat 1000 miles per second, and I slowly lowered myself to sit across from Thomas.
“What do you want?”, I whispered.
“I want to talk to you about what happened that night…”, he replied.
“You remember”, I said. Thomas nodded. “How?”.
“The vampire friend I mentioned… His blood makes me able to do things, you can’t even imagine”.
I shook my head, almost in pity of him.
“How much is he plying you with?”.
“Enough to make it close to impossible to glamour me”, Thomas grinned. “You know how it is. You can’t be glamoured either. That tall vampire saw to that”.
“No… that’s different. Thomas, you have an addiction… a sickness!”, I sighed. “You have to know this is crazy!”.
He jolted forwards, and grabbed both my hands over the table; making it look as if we were holding hands, when in reality, he was hurting me.
“What’s crazy is you throwing away a perfectly good guy, and letting some vamp feed on you instead”, he hissed.
“You were going to rape me”, I whimpered.
“You wanted it! You were practically throwing yourself at me for weeks!”.
“No, I wasn’t… I said yes to one date, that was it. I was just being friendly…”.
He let go of my hands, and sat back again.
“You’re such a fucking slut, you know that? You led me on…”. He grabbed the gun from his waistband, cocked the hammer, and moved it under the table. I felt the barrel press at the inside of my knees. “You probably put out to that vampire in Dallas, didn’t you…? How much did he pay you?”.
“Don’t do this, please…”, I whimpered.
Sam rang the bell.
“That’s it, folks. Drink up!”. Sookie walked towards Thomas and me.
“Don’t say anything. I swear I’ll shoot you, and everyone else in this shithole…”, Thomas hissed, and then suddenly smiled brightly at my approaching friend.
Once at the table, Sookie looked questioningly at me.
“Who’s your friend, Liv?”, she asked. I smiled as brightly as I could at her; willing her to hear my thoughts.
“This is Thomas”, I said. Sookie. He’s dangerous. Listen to his thoughts, please!. “We knew each other in San Diego, and reconnected in Dallas”.
Sookie’s eyes flickered, and she stuck out her hand to Thomas; who grabbed it with his free left hand.
“Hi there, Thomas!”, she smiled. I saw confusion ghost her face, before she looked back at me. “Liv, could you come help us close up? We’re kind of swamped…”. I hoped she was trying to get me away from Thomas.
“Actually… I was hoping to take Liv with me, now. You know, catch up…”, he smiled.
“I really need to…”, I began. I felt the barrel of his gun bore into my bare skin.
“Come on… We didn’t have a chance to really talk in Dallas”, he said, with an edge to his voice.
Sookie looked down towards the tabletop for a nanosecond.
“Do you mind doing us a solid here, Sook’?”, I said. Let us go, Sookie. Please let us go. He’ll kill everyone in here. “I’ll do your prep for you tomorrow”.
Sookie nodded.
“What should I tell Sam?”, she asked.
“Just tell him I’m catching up with a friend”, I smiled. I could see Thomas was getting agitated, and sighed deeply. “We should go…”, I said. Eric… I want Eric.
Sookie blinked.
“I’ll see you tomorrow”, she said.
“Uh huh…”, I croaked.
“I will!”, she said, and walked away.
After being satisfied Sookie was far enough away, Thomas slipped the gun into the back of his jeans.
“We’re going to walk out of here real calm. Don’t even think about trying anything. I got enough V in me to rip you apart in a second”, he hissed through a smile.
Once he got up to stand, I followed, and he put his arm around me; holding on to me tightly. I was too afraid to even look at Sookie or Sam, so simply followed where Thomas led me. I prayed that Sookie had understood my thoughts.
Once out of view of the bar Thomas pushed me towards a black chevy of a newer model, and just as I thought he was about to open the door for me to enter; he struck me over the back of my head, and I was out cold.
---
I don’t know how much time had passed when I woke, but it was still dark. I was lying on the backseat of Thomas’ car, which he’d parked down a gravel road somewhere I didn’t recognize immediately. He was leaning against the car, having one of my cigarettes.
I tried to crawl for the door on the opposite side of where he was standing, but he noticed me moving, and opened the door; dragging me by the ankle, out of it. I hit the ground outside; the gravel cutting in to my skin.
Thomas fell to his knees next to me.
“I’m so sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to hurt you just now!”, he smiled, and stroked my cheek. “That’s not how I want this to go”.
I raised my hand to the back of my head, and felt a bump there.
“You knocked me out”, I rasped.
“I just needed you to go with me, without causing trouble”, he said, and raised me into a seated position.
“What are you going to do to me?”, I asked.
“You know what I’m going to do… You and I are going to finish what we started a year ago”, he said.
I felt tears trickling down my cheeks, as I shook my head.
“No…”.
“Yes”, Thomas said. “You’re mine”. There was no mercy in his voice. I didn’t have anyone to save me this time. I didn’t have Eric. God, I wanted Eric there, to protect me – to hold me.
I shook myself from the thought. If I wanted free, I’d have to help myself.
Grabbing a handful of gravel, I flung it at Thomas’ face. He covered his eyes, and cried out; and I managed to get on my feet, and run down the road. With a roar, Thomas got on his feet, and ran after me.
“Get back here, you stupid cunt!”, he growled.
I turned, and ran away from the road, through the trees; in hopes that I could find somewhere to hide. I was dizzy and heaving for breath, and knew that sheer speed wouldn’t be what got me away from my attacker. Stumbling over some branches, I fell to my knees, and cried out in pain, as a sharp rock cut in to my palm.
“Don’t rouse them ‘gaters!”, Thomas yelled after me, with a mock Louisiana drawl. “Don’t want them getting to you before I do”.
I got on my feet again, and got back to running. Soon, I was recognizing the area. I knew I was near the cemetery between Sookies and Bills houses, and headed in the direction I thought might be right to get to the vampire’s house.
Once I saw the fence surrounding the cemetery, I almost cried in relief.
I heard a loud pop, and felt a sharp pain in my thigh; before falling to the ground, just at the entrance to the graveyard. Before long Thomas was stood over me, his gun in hand. He’d shot me.
“Why do you have to make this so difficult?”, he growled, and kicked me hard in the stomach. I curled up, heaving for breath.
“Stop. Please stop…”, I pleaded. Thomas grabbed a hold of my head, and I put my hands around his wrist, so he wouldn’t tear it at the roots. He dragged me into the cemetery, and threw me on the ground in front of an old gravestone. “No…”, I sobbed.
“You like fucking dead people so much, I’ll let you die next to them as well”. He pounded his fist into my chest, making all air leave my lungs. “You’re not even worth it, you bitch”.
Blow after blow hit my body, as I struggled to get oxygen into my lungs. Every time Thomas’ fist hit me, he followed it with angry slurs and insults. I tried screaming for help, but in the end, the pain was so extreme I couldn’t make a sound anymore. I was beginning to feel cold, and saw that the wound in my leg was bleeding profusely. I was losing a lot of blood, very fast.
I laid on my back, looking up at the stars, as Thomas continuously pounded at me; when I heard a roar, and Eric came out of the darkness – grabbing Thomas by the neck, and tearing him away from me. Thomas was knocked out when his back hit a nearby gravestone, and Eric ran over to me.
“Liv…”, he breathed, and put his hand on my bruised cheek. I coughed up some blood, and he turned me gently, to let me spit it out.
“Eric?”, I heard Bills voice call out.
“She’s here!”, Eric replied. “She’s hurt bad, but I can heal her… I should have come sooner. I’m sorry, Liv”. His eyes were pained, and I tried to reach for his face. “Don’t move. Just let me…”.
He was grabbed from behind, and thrown away from me. Rose had arrived out of nowhere, and was now doing her best to do some damage to Eric, by biting in to his neck. Eric roared in pain, and Bill came running to help Eric. The two male vampires soon had the upper hand in the fight; but apparently, the plan hadn’t been to win the fight – merely to distract them.
I felt myself get lifted from the ground, and was soon looking in to the eyes of Stan.
“Stand down, Northman!”, he growled. Eric immediately released the hold he’d had on Rose, and spun around to face Stan. His eyes were wide in rage and what seemed to be fear.
“Stan, let her go”, he said. Rose edged away, to go check on Thomas.
“I don’t think so”, Stan said. “This gash cost me my sheriff’s position”.
“Your human is alive”, Rose said, from where she was standing over Thomas.
“Fuck him. I don’t need him anymore”, Stan said.
“You sure? ‘Cuz I could eat”, Rose smirked.
“Knock yourself out”, Stan said.
Rose was about to lift Thomas, so that she could bite him, when her chest burst open. She turned in to goo within seconds, revealing Godric behind her; still holding on to her heart. Pam was a few paces behind him.
“Sorry we’re late”, she smiled. “Godrics plane just landed”.
Godric took a few slow steps towards Stan.
“Stay back!”, Stan said; spinning me around, so my back was to his chest. He grabbed my head, and tilted it to the side. I didn’t have the strength to fight him off. “I’ll snap her neck”.
“Not before I rip your head off!”, Eric hissed. Stan simply laughed coldly.
“Stan. This isn’t the way…”, Godric said. “You will not get back in the good graces of the authority by killing this woman”.
“Fuck the authority. Fuck all of you… Kneeling to lesser beings? You should be ashamed!”.
“No one is kneeling”, Godric said. Eric, Pam and Bill gave each other a look, and began flanking Stan and I. “We are simply coexisting”.
Stans grip around my chest was so tight, that I began sobbing in pain again.
“See that? They’re weak… below us!”, he said.
“She was important enough for the magister to want her to stay alive”, Godric said.
“And why is that?”, Stan asked. “What is she? She does smell interesting”. He lowered his nose to a cut over my brow. I heard Eric growl, and Stan chuckled in response. “I told you I would have a taste!”.
“I’m going to kill you”, Eric roared.
Stan knew his time was up. He was outnumbered; and at least two of the vampires present, had hundreds of years on him.
“Then I might as well go out a happy vampire”, he said. Stan sunk his fangs into me, and sucked.
“Nej!”, I heard Eric cry out in an agonized voice.
Stans bite wasn’t sensual as Erics had been. It was like being torn open, and literally eaten alive. My neck was burning from the bite, and my eyes rolled back in my head in agony. Then suddenly, he dropped my body to the ground.
Everything became foggy. I could just make out, as Pam, Bill and Eric attacked Stan. I thought I saw Pam and Bill hold Stan down, as Eric grabbed his head, and tore it clean from his body; before he became the same kind of goo that Rose’s had.
I was hardly breathing – couldn’t even feel any pain anymore – and I knew I was dying. A pair of strong arms cradled me, and I forced myself to focus on Erics face.
“I have to heal her”, he said.
“It’s too late, Eric… she lost too much blood”, Bill said with a pained voice. “I’m so sorry, Liv…”.
Eric met my eyes, looking like he’d never be happy again.
“Stay with me”, he breathed, and pressed his lips to mine. “Snälla Liv… mit solsken…”.
I wanted nothing but to embrace him. Make him smile again.
“Y-yours…”, I rasped. “Yours…”.
A bloody tear escaped Erics eye, and a pained smile forced itself to his lips.
“Mine…”, he whispered, and stroked my temple; when his expression became determined.
Pam came over, and put a hand on his shoulder.
“The sun will be up soon”, she said. “We have to go”.
Eric looked at her with hard eyes.
“Dig a hole”, he said.
“Eric…”, Bill said warily. “Are you sure…?”.
“I said, dig a fucking hole!”.
Bill and Pam disappeared from sight, and Godric put a hand on the top of Erics head. Their eyes locked for a second, before Godric disappeared in the direction the others had went.
My breathing had become a rattling, and Eric pulled me impossibly closer to him.
“No… not yet. You have to drink”. Extracting his fangs, he bit in to his wrist, and put it to my lips. I didn’t have the strength to suck; so simply looked into Erics eyes, as his blood flowed into my mouth, and down my throat. Before long, the wounds closed, and Eric bit into his skin again; repeating the process.
I used my last ounce of energy to lift the corners of my lips into a soft smile; losing myself in Erics blue eyes, before everything went black.
“Min Liv… mit liv”.
---
I couldn’t move. I was held down by some unknown force, and everything was blackness. My face was pressed against something both firm and soft, leaving very little room for me to breathe; which I realized was futile anyway, as there wasn’t any air to be had. Someone was holding on to me firmly but gently, and I knew the embrace. I’d been in it before.
With the tiny bit of air in my lungs still there, I tried to speak.
“Eric…”. It came out as a peep; but must have woken him, because I felt him move. Panic began to take me over, and I tried to move myself. I needed air, soon.
Eric used all his strength to break through what was holding us down – dirt, I realized. We’d been buried.
Just as I was about to pass out from the lack of oxygen, Eric grabbed my wrists and pulled me out of the ground after him.
I took a deep heaving breath, and then coughed. Eric was wiping the dirt out of my face, so I could meet his eyes.
“Liv…”, he breathed. He was dirty, just like me; but it didn’t take away from his beauty. The dim light of the moon, made him almost shimmer over me.
Eric held me against him, and stroked my cheek smilingly for a few seconds – kissing my forehead – before a confused expression took over. He began running his palm over my exposed skin, his cool hand in sharp contrast to my warmth, as he seemingly examined me.
“What happened?”, I croaked.
Suddenly Pam was next to us, almost looking happy to see me; before she also frowned – her eyes wary.
“Where’s Godric?”, Eric demanded.
“In the house”, Pam said.
Eric got on his feet, and picked me up in his arms. Without speaking, he carried me out of the graveyard, and towards Bills large house.
“Eric, what’s happening?”, I asked quietly. He didn’t respond, but simply carried me over the threshold as Pam opened the door; and in to the living room.
Sookie, Bill and Godric were seated there, and all got up to stand, when Eric entered the room with me.
Bill parted his lips and widened his eyes when he saw me; whereas Godric looked like he was looking at something completely normal.
“Liv!”, Sookie cried out, and ran towards Eric to greet me. Bill grabbed her arm and held her back.
“Careful…”, he said.
Eric set me down on the couch, and put a hand to my chest, seemingly feeling my heart beat.
“Why is she alive?”, he asked. Memories from the night before came back to me, and I drew a deep, ragged breath, when I realized what Eric had tried to do.
“Because she can’t be turned”, Godric said. “You cannot make her vampire”.
“But she was dead…”, Eric began.
“I’m here, you know. Please stop talking about me like I’m not!”, I said.
Godric smiled warmly at me.
“You most certainly are here”, he said. Pam stifled a grin, and I turned my face to look at Eric. He sat down next to me, and looked at me like I was the strangest creature he’d ever met.
“You tried to turn me…”, I said. “So, why am I still human?”. Eric looked bewildered.
“I… don’t know”, he admitted. “You were dead. I heard your heart stop”. I looked down at my chest, as if I could see the heart in question.
Eric turned to look at Godric.
“Vad är hon?”.
Godric sat back down, and looked across the faces of the room.
“Liv is something no one else in this room, maybe in the world is. Human”.
I opened and closed my mouth a few times, trying to find the words to respond to that.
“That makes no sense at all”, I finally said. “There are humans everywhere. Are you telling me I’m some kind of weird subspecies?”.
“Quite the opposite”, Godric smiled. “You are as human as it is possible to be. Your blood is like human blood was, before they dabbled in magic; and before they interbred with fae-folk and shifters. When they were purely human”.
“But vampire blood heals me, just like everyone else”, I said.
“The healing components of our blood is merely biology…”, Godric said. “Glamouring; bloodbonds; the visions, strength, and pleasures having our blood can give; and becoming one of us… That’s magic”.
“And I am completely magic-less. Magic-resistant, even”, I muttered. Godric nodded. “That’s kind of… sad”, I said.
“I think it’s remarkable”.
Bill cleared his throat.
“With all due respect, Godric. That does not explain why Liv is alive”. He was still holding Sookie back from coming over to greet me; seemingly worried I’d suddenly sprout fangs, and give in to bloodlust. “As Eric said, she was dead. I also heard her heart stop”.
“Erics blood is ancient; and he comes from a strong bloodline, both on his human and vampire side”, Godric said matter-of-factly. “He cannot turn Liv, but he was able to bring her back from death”.
Eric smirked smugly; feeling very happy about himself, obviously. I couldn’t help but smile a little at him.
“How?”, Bill asked.
“I cannot say for sure”, Godric said. “But I suspect that the humanity in Liv fought back against being turned vampire; and as the magic could not take hold in her, she simply rose as a human again”.
“That still sounds kind of magical”, Pam said.
“Maybe… Or maybe it was just the very strong curative properties in Erics blood that healed and jolted her back to life”.
“What if she died again? Could Eric just bring her back human?”, Sookie asked.
“Let’s not test that theory. Being buried alive was not fun”, I said, shuddering.
Eric smiled at me, and picked a stray clump of dirt out of my hair. When he saw Bills smirking reaction to his caring gesture, he drew his lips back in a sneer.
“Mine!”, he growled. I’d said that, before I died. I had given myself to Eric, and there wasn’t a chance in hell, he was letting go now. Godric smiled affectionately at his child.
My throat was dry, I was tired, and I wanted to wash myself off from dirt and grit.
“I want to go home…”, I breathed. Eric nodded.
“Pam, fetch the car, so we can go back to Shreveport”, he ordered.
“Thank fuck. I’m not spending another day in Bills smelly cubby", Pam said.
Grabbing a hold of Erics wrist, before he could whisk me away, I shook my head.
“No… I want to go home, to my house”, I said. Eric recoiled at my words.
“You said…”.
“I’m still my own, even if I did say yes”, I said quietly. “Please, take me home…”.
After a moment, he gave me a stoic nod; before looking at Godric, who had gotten on his feet again.
“I’ll not leave before we have a chance to say farewell”, Godric smiled. “Pamela can entertain me with tales of your debauchery, in the meanwhile”.
I got on my feet, and took three long strides towards the ancient vampire; wrapping my arms around him. He froze in place, completely taken of guard.
“Thank you for everything, Godric”, I said, and kissed his cheek. As I stepped back, he held his fingertips to where my lips had left their mark. Eric, Pam and Bill all stood mouths agape and wide-eyed at my gesture.
For a moment, Godric almost looked like a human, just a young man in his late teens; almost blushing. He must have had some of Bills TruBlood.
“I’ve not been embraced like that in more than 2000 years”, he smiled. “Thank you”. It was my turn to blush.
Eric put a gentle hand on my shoulder, and after a final smile towards Godric, I let him lead me towards the front door. Sookie ran after us, Bill not holding her back this time; and I let my friend hug me warmly.
“You heard me…”, I smiled.
“Not clearly”, she said, as she stepped back. “But I knew something was wrong, and when I took that guys hand, his mind was screaming about what he had planned”. She swallowed hard, and I saw her eyes well up. I squeezed her hand.
“Thank you, Sookie…”. She wiped her eyes, and smiled.
“I’ll see you tomorrow at work, right?”,
“I’ll consider letting her go”, Eric said. I rolled my eyes at him.
“See you then”, I smiled at Sookie, and walked out the door; Erics hand on my lower back.
We walked down the steps of the porch, when Sookie called after me again.
“Liv? I did hear one of your thoughts clearly…”. I looked back at her.
“What was that?”.
She smiled warmly, before looking at Eric, and back at me again.
“Why do you think I called him?”, she said. “You take care of her, Eric Northman!”. Eric gave her a curtly nod, and she went back into the house.
Once standing in the driveway, I sighed heavily.
“Shit. My car is still at Merlotte’s”, I frowned.
Eric brushed his thumb against my jaw.
“Come here”, he said quietly; and whisked me into his arms. Before I knew what had happened, we’d lifted off. Looking down at the disappearing ground, I let out a terrified squeal.
“Eric! We’re flying”, I said, and clamped my arms around his neck.
“I know”, he said.
“Why are we flying?”.
“Because it’s faster than walking”. He sounded amused at my frightened whimpers, but when he looked at my face, his eyes softened. “I’ve got you, Liv. I’m not letting go”. He brushed his lips to my forehead.
My eyes widened, as I saw we were heading towards a group of tall trees.
“Eyes on the road…! Or in the air… whatever”. Eric chuckled, and I hid my face in his chest, as we narrowly escaped hitting some branches.
I didn’t open my eyes for the rest of the flight.
---
I felt firm ground under my feet, as Eric set me down on the ground gently. Opening my eyes, I saw that we were stood in front of my small house.
“Thank you”, I whispered.
“You’re welcome”, Eric replied. “I still don’t understand why you insisted on coming here. You’ll be much more comfortable at my house”.
“You have a house?”, I asked, as I grabbed my hide-a-key from under a stone near the mailbox. My key-ring was still in my car, back at Merlotte’s.
“You thought I slept at Fangtasia every day?”. He sounded amused again. “I have a house… A few actually. The one in Shreveport isn’t the largest, but it has room for you”.
I unlocked my door, and shook my head smilingly.
“What…? You’ll make Pam give me one of her shoe-rooms?”, I joked, and turned to face him in the doorway.
“Not that she needs both of them; but that won’t be necessary. There’s a spare bedroom, if you want your own… for when you insist on sleeping”. There was a frisky tone to his voice.
Still trying to wrap my head around the need for a room specifically for shoes, I went into the house. Eric followed me inside, and brushed his hand over my bottom.
“Dirt”, he smirked, when I gave him a chiding look. “Pack whatever you need, and come with me”.
“I can’t do that”, I said.
“But I’ll take care of you. You won’t have to live in this… house”. It was clear to me, that Eric would have rather used a word like shack or even sewer. “You don’t have to work for Sam Merlotte and Bill Compton”.
“I’ll just be your live-in fangbanger?”, I said.
“Liv, no… I…”, Eric began.
“I like working, and making my own money. I like Bon Temps”.
I unfastened the dirty fannypack from my waist, and dropped it on the coffee-table, next to the check and note which were still laying there.
“If you like making your own money, why haven’t you cashed this?”, Eric asked, and picked up the check.
“It didn’t feel right”, I muttered. “I didn’t really do any of the work you hired me to do. Unless you count the sex and the blood; but that wasn’t part of the original deal. Even if you did say…”.
Eric looked down at the check, apparently not wanting to meet my eyes.
“That’s not what this was for. And you did do your job”. He reached out the check to me. “Please take it”.
I took the piece of paper, and put it in the drawer of the dresser my small tv was stood on.
I picked at some of the dirt under my fingernails, from our burial.
“You’re fidgeting”, Eric said quietly.
“I do that”, I said. “Does it still bug you?”.
“No… It never did”, he replied. He took my hand, and merged his fingers with mine. “I hurt you… But you have to know, I didn’t mean what I said. I didn’t bring you to Dallas to get you in bed… I hoped for it, but I didn’t expect it”.
“I know”, I muttered, and looked through my lashes at him. He seemed vulnerable; a strange contrast to his usual suave demeanor. I brushed my lips against his knuckles. “And it’s not like I didn’t want it to happen also. I wanted you… want you”.
“You have me… And you said you were mine”.
“I did. And I meant it. But I’m still…”.
“Your own as well”, he smiled softly. “I understand”.
“Do you?”, I smirked.
“No…”, he admitted. “But I know that if I want you as you are, with everything you are, I’ll have to accept it…”.
“When Thomas had me, all I wanted was to see you…”, I said. Anger ghosted Erics face.
“You will never have to see him again!”, he declared.
“What happened to him?”, I asked. He shook his head.
“You don’t have to worry about that”.
I frowned at him.
“What did you do to him?”. Eric gave me a reluctant look. “I can’t spend the rest of my life not knowing, whether he’ll pop up in my life again. I won’t feel safe…”.
“He won’t”, he said, and put his free hand on my cheek.
“Is he dead?”, I asked in a whisper.
Eric shook his head with a sour expression.
“Godric wouldn’t let me kill him… But when he hit that gravestone, he broke his back. He won’t be walking again”.
I gasped, and shuddered.
“He broke his back? Really?”.
His sour expression turned a bit more content.
“Well, Pam might have broken it in a few more places, before she dropped him off at the hospital… He can’t get you again; and he doesn’t have Stans protection anymore, so he won’t talk”.
I sighed, and leaned forwards; letting Eric embrace me. He buried his large hand in my hair, and held me tightly but gently with his other arm. After a while, he moved his hand from my hair to my chin, to tilt my head backwards; and in a fluid movement melded his lips with mine.
“You taste like… graveyard dirt”, I said against his lips. “Come on…”.
Taking his hand, I led Eric into my small bathroom. I began removing my clothes, and dirt and grime scattered over the floor from them. Eric pulled of his leather jacket and top, before unlatching my bra for me. I smiled over my shoulder at him, and pulled it down my arms.
While I pulled down my panties, Eric removed his pants and underwear; and followed me in to the small shower cubicle. I turned on the water as warm as I could handle, and began rubbing the dirt from my arms. I felt Erics hands stroking my back as he stood behind me, and smelled my apple scented bodywash, as he lathered it across my skin.
Tilting my head back, to get the dirt out of my hair, Eric leaned over my shoulder, and kissed my exposed throat.
“I’m happy you’re still human. I prefer you warm and alive”, he breathed. His hands travelled to cup my breasts, and my nipples perked at his fingers’ ministrations of them.
“Then why did you try to turn me?”, I asked.
“Because I would rather have the ghost of who you were, than losing you completely”. He spun me around to face him, and hunched down to meet my eyes. “Are you angry that I did?”.
I put some bodywash in my hands, and began washing his chest.
“No… If I was about to lose you, and there was a way to keep even part of you with me, I would”. I looked down to avoid his gaze.
Eric put a hand on my cheek.
“I’m not going anywhere”. His voice made me feel warm all over.
“You make it sound like you’re mine, like I’m yours”, I whispered. I got no response, and the warmth I’d felt a second ago, was switched out with fear. Fear of rejection; fear that Eric didn’t actually feel about me like I did about him. I hesitantly met his eyes, and saw that he was smiling warmly at me. “Are you?”. It came out almost as a peep.
“Yes”. There was no reluctance in Erics response; and before I had a chance to react to it, his lips were on mine.
The cascading water washed over us, as our mouths and tongues explored each other. Eric held on to me, as I rose to my toes, to wrap my arms around his shoulders. My feet were slipping, but I was never worried about falling. I was safe in Erics arms; and it seemed like he felt he was safe in mine.
When his hardness stroked against my belly, he let out a soft moan. I looked down, and wrapped my hand around him; gently stroking him up and down. One of Erics hands went down to my bottom, sliding between my cheeks; his long fingers finding my folds.
Tightening my grasp on his cock, Erics moans became louder, and turned in to grunts of pleasure. He was stroking his fingers back and forth between my folds, but soon had to focus his attention on remaining standing; and put his hands against the wall instead.
With one arm around his shoulders, I held myself standing on my toes, and plunged my tongue into Erics mouth; muffling his sounds as I pleasured him. I wanted to use both my hands on my lover, so got down on my soles again, and took a hold of his testicles. They immediately tightened in my cradling hand.
“Liv… I’ll…”, Eric groaned.
“I know. But I’m pretty sure you can go more than once”, I said, and dove in to rake my teeth over his nipple. Eric growled, and grabbed the back of my head, hungrily devouring my mouth in a kiss. While I massaged his balls, Eric began thrusting in to my hand.
“Come on…”, I breathed and tightened my hold on his cock.
“Min…”, he croaked, and thrusted harder. I stared deep into his eyes.
“Yours”, I said; and at my words, Eric came with a roar.
I gently washed both our bellies from Erics juices, while he looked on with bemused eyes. His hand stroked against my hip, as I stepped out of the shower after having turned off the water. Snaking an arm around my waist, he bent down to give me a slight kiss; before a wicked expression came across his face.
Before I knew it, I was across the hall, on my bed. Standing over me was a 6’4 blonde Viking-prince; who looked like he’d just stepped out of the ocean. I let out a noise, that sounded like something in between a giggle and a moan, as he stood there in all his glory.
“You’re kind of magnificent…”, I said.
“Yes”, Eric agreed, smug as ever. He knelt down on the bed, and crawled over me; kissing his way up my torso, until he reached my lips. “And you are… glänsande”.
“I don’t know what that means, but I’ll… Oh, fuck!”.
Eric had plunged two fingers into me, and was thrusting them upwards; pressing against my g-spot. With a suckle of my lower lip, Eric took his leave from my mouth, and ducked down, to suck my clit into his mouth. Flicking his tongue over my pebble, it only took him minutes to have me unfurl. My legs were shaking, and I was whimpering in extasy. I arched my back, and came.
It took me a few moments to come down to earth; moments which Eric used to kiss his way up my convulsing body, while tracing the curves of my hips, belly and breasts with his fingertips. He was sporting a self-satisfied smile.
“What are you so smug about, sheriff Northman?”, I chuckled. “You’ve had 1000 years to perfect that. Making me come is a walk in the park for you; not a battle you’ve won”.
“I’ve won many battles. Making you scream out in pleasure is the one I’m most proud of”, he smirked.
“I wasn’t screaming…”, I said, and stroked my fingers over his shoulders, and down his back.
Eric pushed my legs further apart, and placed himself between them.
“I’ll have to return to the battleground, then”, he said, and pushed into me.
We found our rhythm immediately, rolling our hips against each other. When I took a hold of Erics now beautifully tousled hair and pulled at it, he growled; and thrusted harder in to me. I sucked and nibbled at his neck, and when he threw his head back in pleasure, I kissed his adam’s apple; feeling it bob up and down under my lips, as he swallowed to wet his mouth.
“Bite me…”, I breathed.
“No… You lost too much blood last night”, he said. I frowned in disappointment. “Don’t worry, you’re still going to scream”, he smiled.
Leaning down to suck my nipple into his mouth, Eric then grabbed my thighs, and got up on his knees. As my butt was resting on his thighs, and my back was still on the mattress; my hips where tilted in just the right angle to feel every inch of his hardness moving in and out of me.
Eric began moving with ferocious thrusts, hitting my front wall perfectly. He held on firmly to my hips, and looked down at himself disappearing and reappearing from my warmth; clearly enjoying the view, from the look of his face.
I grabbed on to Erics wrists to ground myself, and not suddenly fly off the bed, both metaphorically and literally. Sounds of groans; moans; and skin slamming against skin, from Erics hips hitting my backside, filled the room – sounds that were almost hypnotizing to me, and drew me closer to my undoing.
I squeezed my eyes together to keep my composure from Erics delicious assault on me; trying to keep some kind of control of myself.
“No, look at me”, Eric demanded. “Let it happen. Just let go, sunshine”.
I opened my eyes, and looked up at him; and as he pulled almost all the way out, and slammed back in to me, Eric got exactly what he’d aimed for. I screamed out my orgasm.
Eric was laughing warmly, and moved backwards on his knees; pulling out of me as he did. He leaned down, and kissed me passionately.
“Another battle won”, he smiled.
“Uh huh…”, I croaked; still panting.
I was still laying with my legs spread. My thighs were quivering, and I grabbed on to the sheets below, feeling aftershocks go through my core. Eric looked down at my clenching warmth, and stroked a hand up the inside of my leg. His index finger went in between my folds, making me jolt from overstimulation; and then down over my taint, before stopping at the tight ring of muscle at the bottom of it.
“You know, I’d really like to…”, Eric began. I crawled backwards on the bed, and held up a finger to stop him.
“Nope... no. I don’t think I’m quite there yet”, I said.
“Believe me, it can be quite pleasurable”, he said matter-of-factly; and traced the puffy skin there.
“Yeah, I’m sure you love it… But I haven’t tried it before”.
Eric removed his finger, and took my hand to pull me up to sit; giving me an earnest look.
“I would never want hurt you. Not in any way that you wouldn’t want me to, at least. You seem to like it when I get a little rough”, he said smilingly, and stroked my cheek. “If you don’t want that, I won’t do it. I want you to trust me”.
“I do…”, I said quietly. “And I do want to… yield to you”. I bit my lip, and blushed.
Eric searched my eyes for something undefinable.
“Turn around. All fours”, he said. A shiver ran down my spine.
“Eric…”, I croaked. He raised his brows at me, and smiled calmingly.
“I haven’t finished yet. I want to do that inside you”, he said. “I won’t do anything you don’t want me to. You can ask me to stop at any time. Please trust me”.
I turned around, and got on all fours in front of Eric. He stroked my cheeks, before grabbing himself, to stroke against my folds for a few moments. When he entered me, I let out a pleased sigh. He felt so good from any angle; and I’d always enjoyed a good doggy-fuck.
Erics movements were softer than they’d been before, and he was careful not to thrust too hard. One of his hands travelled down in front of me, stroking circles on my clit, while the other massaged my butt.
As I was losing myself in sexual bliss, and fire began building inside me again, Eric moved his hand from my cheeks; and he let his thumb travel down between them. He found my ring again, and stroked it as he did my clit. The sensation was heaven. It wasn’t that no one had ever pleasured me by stroking that spot before; but the way Eric was doing it was simply masterful.
He began pushing at my hole, never entering me, but still making my muscle work. It spread a tingle across my lower back, to go with the one streaming from my clit. Topping that of, was his hardness excavating me deliciously.
It was so wrong that it was right.
“Fuck it… Do it!”, I rasped, earning a soft chuckle from Eric; before he pushed his thumb into my anus. I whimpered in pleasure, and fell down to my chest, unable to hold myself up.
Eric fucked me with both his cock and his finger, and stroked my bundle of nerves; and the sensation of fullness inside me, made me begin to clench around him. I had tears in my eyes, and moved my butt back and forth to meet his thrusts.
“So warm and tight. You feel so good”, Eric groaned. “Take me with you…”.
Heat exploded from my core, and I pulled Eric along with me into extasy. I heard him cry out behind me, and spill himself inside my clenching heat.
Gently pulling both his penis and his finger out of me, Eric lowered my hips to the bed. I was a whimpering mess, when he pulled me in to his arms.
“You did so good, my sunshine… so good”, he breathed against my lips, as he kissed me.
I laid cradled against his body, our legs tangled and arms holding on to each other.
“Eric…?”, I whispered.
“Uh hmm…?”, he said, his eyes closed, and a pleased smile on his handsome face.
“I’m hungry… I haven’t eaten since before I died”.
He turned his head and looked at me.
“I was going to let that photographer be your first meal”, he said.
“Thanks… I guess”, I chuckled. “But I need human food”.
He raised his brows and sighed.
“Well, there’s been a cat wailing at your back door for the last 30 minutes. I could throw it in the microwave for you”.
I sat up abruptly.
“Shit! It’s Thursday!”. I flew out of bed, and quickly put on a clean tank top, and a pair of pajama-shorts. Eric stared at me in confusion, as I ran out of the room.
I grabbed a bowl, and a can of tuna; and went out the back door, to greet Mr. Whiskers.
“I’m so sorry, honey! I completely forgot about you…”, I sighed, as the large tabby stroked himself against my legs.
I set down the bowl of tuna at the bottom of the steps, and scratched the cat behind its ears.
Eric came outside to join me, once again dressed in his dirty clothes. He looked on as Mr. Whiskers bumped his forehead against my hand.
“I don’t like that thing…”, he said, and stared at the cat with cold eyes.
“Are you jealous of the cat now?”, I laughed.
Eric sneered some Swedish curse word, and Mr. Whiskers hissed at him.
“Oh, really? I’ll tell her you said that…”, Eric growled.
“Eric, be nice to my honey!”.
The vampire took my hand, pulling it away from the cat, and raised me to my feet. He tucked me in to his side.
“Mine!”, he growled. “Don’t you have some beers to serve?”. I was completely confused, but decided to let it go.
Eric turned his face to me, and kissed me almost possessively.
“I have to go see Godric”, he said. “Come to Fangtasia tomorrow”.
“I have to go to work”, I said. Mr. Whiskers meowed.
“Shut up!”, Eric snarled at it. “After work… I want to see you”.
I tugged at his jacket.
“I’ll be there. But I’m not waiting in line”.
Eric pulled me in for another kiss.
“Mine…”, he breathed.
“Mine…”, I smiled.
Eric stepped away from me, and looked down at Mr. Whiskers with distaste again. The cat hissed one more time, and Eric hissed right back at it, before taking flight.
I scratched Mr. Whiskers behind the ears a final time, and picked up the empty bowl; before going back inside – my heart full, but stomach less so.
I fell asleep while eating mac’n’cheese, and reading dirty texts from my favorite Viking-prince-vampire.
