Thank you all for taking the time to read my ESN story. I hope you all enjoy it, and feedback is welcome!

Dive

Chapter One

"What am I doing?" I thought aloud as I lowered my head onto the steering wheel of my Malibu. I had a rough shift at Merlotte's tonight, and I would give anything to go home, shower and drift into a cumbersome sleep. I knew the chances of that happening were none. The parking lot of Merlotte's was fairly empty, with the exception of the few abandoned cars of the inebriated bar patrons left behind, with a little persuasion from Sam and myself. The security light flickered on and off every now and again and I would have to tell Sam to have it fixed. I've had some not so pleasant times in this very parking lot, so I considered it a favor to anyone else who would also. Not that their problems would even come close to mine.

I was rambling again, looking for anything to ease my nervousness, fear…and anticipation of what was to come. Anticipation? Is this really what I was feeling? Was I really looking forward to seeing him that much? My brain told me "No", but my heart and my body told me "Yes… Yes…YES!" There was no shrugging this incident off like I would any other. I felt a tinge of worry rush through my body, but I couldn't place it to a certain location. I knew it was him, feeding me emotions and feelings through the bond. It put me somewhat at ease knowing he was thinking of me, caring for me, but it didn't make everything dissipate.

"I'm a Stackhouse, damn it! I have to be strong!" But I didn't feel strong at all. What did being a Stackhouse really mean? Jason became known for all of his escapades all over town, and I became the local looney. Gran was the ideal Stackhouse. She was strong, yet caring. Stern, yet gracious. She was everything I ever hoped or wished I could be. The very thought of Gran made tears well up in the corner of my eyes as the flashbacks played beneath my eyelids like a film at the local cinema.

A possum scurried across the parking lot and I wished that I could scurry home, forgetting this whole night.

'Snap out of it, Sookie.'

I knew I had to be somewhere, and he would be expecting me within the next two hours before he would start to worry. I couldn't even imagine what he would do when he was worried. I tapped my fingers on the dash, mimicking the beating of my heart. For the life of me I couldn't figure out how it stayed in my chest. No matter how hard I fought with the idea, I knew this talk was inevitable. I needed my questions answered. I also knew that I would swoon at the sight of him, and he knew it, too.

I slid my hand into the right pocket of my black short-shorts I wore for work, and pulled out my cell phone. I still sometimes have trouble making it function correctly, but hey, it's not like I'm trying to translate a foreign language. I slowly dialed the number to my house, hoping that Amelia would be there.

I thought the phone would never stop ringing.

"Hel-lo?" a sleepy Amelia slowly slurred into the receiver.

"Hey Amelia, It's me. I just thought I'd let 'ya know that I'll be home late tonight. I…uh…have to go to…"

"-Shreveport?" she said in a cool, sly voice, cutting me off before I could even bring myself to say it- toying with the word as it came out of her mouth. I already knew what she was implying. One needn't be a telepath to know what Amelia was thinking at this moment.

" Ah-ha-ha! Just remember where you're living," I said, matching her tone.

"Business or pleasure? Or business full of pleasure?"

"Amelia!"

My cheeks began to blush. Thank goodness she couldn't see them, 'cause I was hoping for the same thing she was thinking. What has become of me?

"Oh silly, silly Sookie. You can't hide it from me! But due to our apparent closeness, I do expect a full report over coffee tomorrow!"

"I'll think about it, but I really have to go now. I'll never make it in time to please him if I sit here and talk to you."

"Please him, huh? Well, Miss Sex Kitten, give that dead hunk of meat a good lick down from you're good 'ol pal Amelia!" She howled into the phone.

Click. I hung up before she could let anything else out. I already had one vision in my head.

I took my keys off of my lap, took a deep breath and started my car. That wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I switched on the head lights and brought my head up to look in front of me. Eyes wide, mouth open, I was shocked to see what was in front of me.

He was standing there, in front of my car…grinning.

My shaking hand fumbled with the keys in the ignition, cranking it off. I sat there, staring at the unbelievable sight in front of me- well it wasn't that unbelievable, but certainly unexpected.

"The lights, lover," he said, sending shivers through out my body, all collecting in one central spot in my lower abdomen. His blue eyes peered into the Malibu, fixing themselves on mine. He was pleased and also amused to know what he was doing to me, and how he was effecting me.

'Oh! Right!' I had completely forgotten about the lights beaming on him. It might have been because I was enjoying what it was doing to him. When we were in Fangtasia, the lights were always dim so I had never seen him as I did now. It was like there was a light glow to him, but yet, he looked paler than I had ever seen him before. I was really liking it, and how his eyes seemed to glow in the streams of brightness. His radiance was flawless. I switched the lights back to the off position and it seemed to be his cue to approach the driver's side door, opening it.

"Lover, I have been expecting you. Why do you waste your time sitting here, thinking of how to avoid me?" he said while peering down onto me. I gave him the sweet and innocent look, hoping to help me out in this awkward situation.

"I wasn't trying to… avoid you, just preparing myself," I said, reassuring myself more than I was him.

He crouched down so his eyes could meet mine. He must have liked what he saw, for he gave a wicked smile. I stayed still, not quite sure what to say, do, or think.

"Do not be coy, lover. Come." He stuck his hand out for me to take it, but my eyes were still fixed on his, as if I were in a trance.

"Alright, I shall see to it myself." he said as he leaned into my car, his body across mine, his long blonde hair sweeping over my face. It smelled heavenly and I had to fight my urge to touch him. I resisted like a good telepath should, even though I did not want to. He unbuckled my seat belt and I felt him slide his hands beneath my bottom and my legs. He let out a little groan of excitement, but he also resisted, which utterly surprised me.

He lifted me out of the car with the utmost care he could possibly provide. I wrapped my arms around his neck and laid my head upon his shoulder, making my nose graze his neck slightly. He liked it. I never thought I would feel a thousand year old vampire shudder until now.

"You really shouldn't be here" I whispered into his ear. "I was coming. Don't you trust me?"

"My anticipation was growing to be unbearable, Miss Stackhouse. You can not tell me that you did not want to see me. I know you did, I could feel it" The way his nose twitched when he said "feel" made my legs go flimsy. His smooth voice danced in my head like ballerinas doing Swan Lake.

He set me on the hood of the car, and leaned in. His hands were on both sides of my bottom, but placed firmly on the hood. The few inches that separated our faces seemed like a mile. I lightly bit my lower lip and it only turned him on further. I could feel his desire, dancing like flames through the bon and I mirrored it to him. He brought his face forward to mine, almost touching. I could feel the cold coming off of his lips, and I parted my lips to let out a sigh of frustration. I wanted him on me, his perfectly toned muscles upon my stomach, his wandering hands rediscovering territory that he had not searched in so long. I was a cave full of hidden treasures, just waiting to be discovered by him.

"You left me waiting lover," he whispered into my mouth, "don't think it will come so easily."

It was just like him to be wicked to me like this, but it only made me want him more. I wrapped my legs around him, cradling him to me, making it harder for him to resist.

"Is it getting any easier?" I said in the sexiest voice I could produce at the time and licked his earlobe. He leaned back so I could see his face, his fangs down. He was fighting hard this time. I knew because it was evident in his pants how much this Viking wanted to pillage this town. He swooped back in to me and his tongue was instantly massaging mine. One of his hands caressed my inner thigh with long hard rubs, while the other found it's way to my breast as he flicked his finger over my nipple. I let out a faint moan and followed his lead, only with my hand on his hardness. I had just poured gasoline into an already blazing fire.

I was suddenly snapped back into reality. This was not what our meeting had been planned for. I removed myself from him and leaned back as he had done. I felt my insides being torn apart from the look he was giving me. It was a mix of shock, pain and wonder. I didn't want to reject him like this, but we both knew that we had more important things to take care of.

"You need to go back to Fangtasia. I will be there in a little while." I said, not wanting to see him go. I shot him the "it's okay" smile and I could tell it made him feel a little better.

"As you wish, lover. I shall count down the minutes until you arrive." And he was gone.

I sat there, aching from the loss of his presence. I knew we had business to discuss about this connection, this bond… and that needed to come first. Slowly, I slid off the top of the car and once again took my place in the driver's seat. I turned it over and turned on the headlights, hoping to catch a glimpse of him there but my mind deceived me.

I pulled out of the Merlotte's parking lot, and headed toward Shreveport. The miles seemed to roll by, but not quickly enough and the road continued to stretch on. My head was a mess of different thoughts, desires, fantasies and feelings. I needed to clear myself of everything, so I turned on the radio. I sang my lungs out along with Mariah and Whitney, knowing nobody could hear me…. Nobody, except him. He could hear me and he could also feel me. He was My bonded. He was Eric.

TBC...