Chapter Fifty-Four

Eric brought Hermione to an extravagant bedroom, however after kissing her on the cheek and telling her to "Stay put", he left her alone.

She paced in front of the bedroom door, unsure what to do, what to think. She paused when she remembered Sookie telling her about being able to 'scan an area' with her mind, to feel other minds. She closed her eyes and felt five blank minds- Eric, Sophie-Ann, Russell, and the king's guards- then she heard Hadley's terrified thoughts.

{Oh God, oh God! I don't know what to fucking do- They're gonna kill me-}

Hermione closed the connection off and sighed with relief. Her cousin was indeed alive. She refused to worry because Hadley would not die. She would make sure Hadley would survive.

A few hours later Eric walked in, surprising Hermione, who had fallen asleep in the bed. She cast a Tempus spell to see that it was nine in the morning.

"You're still awake?" She asked, noticing a drop of fresh blood fall from his right ear.

"I've been tasked by the king to keep the queen awake," he said as he sat on the edge of the bed.

Hermione used her wand to clean off the old blood from his fight into the queen's home. Soon his neck, chin, and teal long-sleeved sweater was spotless.

"Why?" The witch asked.

"To figure out why she is so interested in you and your cousin, Sookie Stackhouse," he said as he rolled on top of her. "Why does Niall want you to protect Sookie?"

She put a hand on his chest, "I'll tell you my secrets and if you tell me yours."

His lips trailed from her shoulder to her neck as his hands traveled over her body, "It's safer for you to not know."

"So, you are planning something," Hermione bit back a moan when he slid a hand into her panties.

He breathed in deeply, "I've missed you in my bed. I've missed being inside you."

She arched her back when he began to rub her clit. She grabbed a hold onto his wrist, torn between holding it closer or pulling it away.

"E-Eric you need to t-tell me what y-you're-" her body felt more sensitized than ever before.

She let out a whimper when he released her, only to be dazed when she felt air on her skin and his naked body against hers. In true impatient-Eric fashion, in a blur of vampire speed, he had taken off their cloths and thrown them aside.

"Whatever I do," he purred as he sunk inside her to the hilt. "Just trust me."

She moaned, feeling incredibly full, "That sounds slightly ominous."

He pulled out, wrapping her legs around his waist and thrust back in with a groan, "Perhaps." He put his head between her neck and shoulder. "We would make offspring from something so perfect."

Her heart beat frantically as he tilted her hips to meet his when she arched her back. Oh God. Merlin. She wasn't so sure her heart was going to survive Eric Northman.

~HG/EN~

Before they left the room, Eric repeated to Hermione to trust him. When he pulled Hadley out of another bedroom, the witch frowned.

The muggle looked relieved to see her magical cousin until the Viking vampire told her, "If Sophie-Ann doesn't answer my questions, I will sink my fangs into you."

Hermione glared at him. But paused when he sent her a 'look', remembering her to trust him. She felt unsure. She knew she loved him... but trust... Normally trust and love went hand-in-hand... but with Eric...

They walked into a brightly lit sitting room to see Sophie-Ann was still awake as she sat in a large bird-like cage. The Incarcerous spell Hermione had cast had long since worn off, but from the looks of it, the bars of the cage were silver. When Hermione noticed the female vampire's nose bleed, she looked up to see more blood dripping from Eric's ears.

"Hadley," Sophie-Ann greeted with relief as the three drew near.

Eric put his arm around Hadley's shoulders when she answered, "Your Majesty."

The Louisiana queen actually looked sheepish, "I wish you didn't have to see me like this."

Eric's face was impassive, "The reason your human is trembling is because I already let her in on my plan."

Sophie glanced to Hermione and the witch was pleased to not give anything away, "Which is?"

"Which is to sink my fangs into her and drink until you tell me what it is about Miss Granger and Miss Stackhouse that has so obviously piqued your interest."

Sophie-Ann looked to Hermione, "You and Sookie Stackhouse?" She looked back to the blonde vampire, "I have no interest in them-"

"And if I drink too much..." he looked to Hadley before looking back to the queen. "...Well, so be it."

"Fine," Sophie glared daggers at him. "So be it."

Hermione paled. The queen was calling Eric's bluff. The witch was sure of it. Surely the vampiress held deep feeling for her cousin.

Eric seemed to think so, "Really? You've kept this one for a long time." Sophie-Ann looked away, revealing the blood dripping from her ears. "Must be some reason for that."

Hermione's heart sped up. Eric was calling Sophie's bluff too. It was just a matter of who was more stubborn and who would fold.

Sophie-Ann glared at both Hermione before glaring at Eric, "Why do you care about Sookie and Hermione?"

Eric glanced at Hermione, having already told her tha she was his Mate and essentially that made Sookie family.

Wait... Wouldn't that mean that Hadley was also family?

Eric narrowed his eyes at Sophie-Ann, "Because you do. And because my king does."

Sophie smirked, "Your king? Russell Edgington is the most duplicitous vampire in the Americas, maybe the world. You honestly think you can trust him?"

"Like I can trust you? The only vampire a vampire can trust is a vampire he made," Hermione froze in horror when Eric's fangs came out and he bit into Hadley, causing her to scream out in pain. He looked up to his previous queen. "Mmm. I give her three stars."

Hermione's heart beat like crazy. She wasn't sure what to. Did he mean for her to stop him as he bit into Hadley again? Tears stung her eyes, however his previous words of "Just trust me" rang in her ears.

Eric pulled away from Hadley again, glaring at the redhead vampire, "What do you know about Sookie Stackhouse and Hermione Granger!?"

"Nothing," Sophie-Ann bit out angrily.

Eric bit into Hadley and Hermione saw Sophie-Ann wince when the muggle cried out. The witch grew furious. The bitch was stubborn and her cousin was paying for it. The Gryffindor Princess stepped forward as Eric followed Hadley to the ground, growling into her neck. He was going to kill her cousin!

"Please, stop," Hadley said weakly, tears falling from her eyes. "I'll tell you."

"Hadley, don't," Sophie-Ann's voice boomed throughout the room.

Eric pulled away from his witch's cousin, a look of surprise on his face, "The queen's confided in you?"

"Some... But also..." she whimpered, her eyes closed. "You know... they are my- my cousins."

"Tell me," Eric implored.

"Hadley," Sophie-Ann reprimanded and Hermione sent a death glare in the redhead's general direction.

"Tell me, tell me," Eric said gently, pulling Hadley unnecessarily closer to his ear.

He was rewarded when Hadley whispered her reply. His eyes widened and he looked to Sophie-Ann.

"Well, I certainly wasn't expecting that," he looked to Hermione. "That's why you said Sookie couldn't know, yet. She's one too."

"Wait..." Hermione looked to Sophie-Ann to see the vampire's eye brimming with unshed blood tears. "You lied when I first met you. You already knew Sookie and I were cousins of Hadley's... meaning you knew we were part Fae before I said anything." Hermione felt anger ripple over her, magical energy coursing over her. "And when Eric confirmed Bill's love for Sookie..." The witch turned to Hadley, "Did Sophie-Ann send Bill after Sookie?"

Eric bit into his wrist and presented it for Hadley to drink, "Did she also want him to become close to Hermione?"

Hadley look a long swallow of Eric's blood before her eyes fluttered open, "Yes. And told Bill to seduce Sookie by any means necessary."

Hermione felt the blood drain away from her face, "I was supposed to protect her from Bill..." Her heart beat frantically as she looked between Eric and Sophie. She suddenly felt ill, and it wasn't from the little one inside her, "I was supposed to protect the both of us... from being used."