A quick and dirty summary of what's happened in the first 15 chapters and the prequel to this story: After Sookie watched Godric on the rooftop, she goes down to Eric's room and they shyly end up grieving together for their respective losses. Eric asks, and Sookie agrees, to stay with Eric until he falls dead-but Sookie also falls asleep, and they lie next to each other in bed holding hands. Days later, Eric goes to the Queen's to kiss up in order to secure his position since Nan Flanagan had threatened him in Dallas when he defended Godric. While at court, Eric sees Bill reporting to the Queen on how his seduction of Sookie is going. Eric forces Bill to confess his motives to Sookie and before leaving her house, he tells her, "You deserve much better." Eric continues to be torn up about the loss of Godric and he struggles to understand the new perspective Godric had on the world and humans. Disgusted with the patrons at Fangtasia, Eric seeks out the human Godric praised, Sookie Stackhouse. He visits her house and they talk. Talking leads to kissing, but Sookie pulls away saying she won't give away her heart again so easily. Eric finds his feelings for Sookie go much deeper than he's willing to admit to himself.

Queen Sophie-Anne orders Sookie to help her with a summit she has with the royalty of New York. In New Orleans, Eric courts Sookie with roses and cranberry red luggage. At the Queen's, Sookie sees firsthand how cruelly other vampires punish V dealers and realizes that Eric's treatment of Lafayette wasn't nearly so bad. The New York party never shows up and Sookie and Eric are attacked by some Weres as they are returning to their hotel close to dawn. One of them gets away because Eric doesn't want to leave a badly injured Sookie unattended. Eric gives her some of his blood so she won't be left alone, vulnerable to attack, during the daytime in the hospital. Lemony goodness (chapter 11-for your reference). Eric calls Pam and asks her for advice on Sookie. More lemony goodness (chapter 12).

The Queen reveals that New York never arrived in New Orleans. She sends Sookie and Eric to check their last known location which was a layover in Chicago. Sookie is overwhelmed by the large city, but Eric helps her. Eric meets up with an old friend who is also the sheriff of Chicago. After some investigating, they learn New York's party hasn't been taken in Chicago and they return to their hotel, only to have a bomb go off in their room-triggered by them unlocking the door. Eric protects Sookie, gets them fresh clothes and they surreptitiously sneak around Chicago to a new hotel. Sookie wakes up in the middle of the day to find someone trying to kidnap her after setting fire to the room. She knocks him unconscious and drags Eric to safety. Sookie decides they should just ask Anubis Air if the Queen told the truth about New York not arriving in New Orleans. When they learn Sophie-Anne had lied, Sookie suggests they ask for Nan Flanagan's intervention in the multi-state debacle which was likely to end in a lot of high-profile vampires being murdered. With Nan's help, New York's party is found in the Queen's dungeon and Sophie-Anne loses her crown. Eric and Sookie enjoy a moment together and during the post-coital pillow talk Eric tells Sookie, "I could worship this body for a thousand years." Sookie takes his comment in the worst way possible and remains closed off during the drive from New Orleans back to Bon Temps. She leaves Eric and enters her house alone, only to find someone in her home.

End of chapter 15, Sookie's POV...

Watching the view out my window, I was silent during the entire ride in Eric's corvette. When he pulled up to my house, I didn't say a word. I just got out of his car, walked to my house, grabbed the spare key I kept hidden by the front door and went inside, slamming the door shut.

I leaned with my back against the door, shut my eyes and began bawling. The last few days had been so stressful. Maybe I was being irrational, maybe I had overreacted.

The roar of the corvette's engine as Eric sped off made me sob even harder.

Crumbling to the floor, I curled into a fetal position on my side and had a little pity party all by myself. Because I was on the floor, I saw the black boots silently walk into my living room before I saw who was wearing them.

I looked up and screamed.

Eric's POV

The sound of the roaring engine helped soothe my anger a little bit. Once the tires left Sookie's gravel driveway and hit the pavement, my back slammed against the seat of my Corvette.

I do not understand women.

Sookie was so magnificent this night. I had gone to her while still in full bloodlust from having just finished a minor skirmish; most humans would have been frightened by my passion, but she wasn't. She was hungry for me and met my vigor stroke for stroke, thrust for thrust. I had never met a human like her before in all my years. Overwhelmed by her perfection, I had searched my brain for the most romantic words I could think of.

Vampires rarely mate for much time. When one is immortal, long-term relationships take on a whole different meaning, and few are willing to give up variety freedom for more than a few years. For me to tell Sookie I would be joyful to be with her for a millennia, and mean it with every fiber of my being, was one of the greatest gifts I could ever give. Unfortunately, she hadn't seen it that way.

I hadn't meant I would turn her that very moment, of course I'd want her to prepare and be fully ready for that transformation, but for some reason, she seemed to interpret my words in the worst way possible. Trying to think of a gentle way to explain what I meant to her, I felt at a loss. She had gone through quite a lot of stress in the past few days, had barely eaten anything, and was absolutely exhausted. Now was not the time to pursue the subject; I was afraid if I did she would end up stubbornly taking a stance she would never rescind.

So I silently drove her home, going well over 100 miles per hour most of the time so I would have time to drop her off and make it home before sunrise. My plan of showing her my home was clearly not going to happen tonight. Racing the sun was not something I did often, but it was still exhilarating and it helped distract me from my frustration over Sookie's reaction.

Then I felt sheer panic rise up from Sookie.

I swerved my car in a U-turn quite gracefully and sped back to her home. I didn't have much time before sunrise, so I hoped I could resolve this quickly and find a place to stay for the day.

When I raced into her home I found a Were pinning her down, trying to unbuckle his belt. Sookie was fighting him off, and he was having trouble holding her down with one arm. Outrage bubbled over in me as I saw this Were attempt to defile my Sookie. I lifted him off of her by the nape of his neck and flung him into the wall of Sookie's living room. Kneeling by her side, I asked her if she was alright.

"Now I am," she said in a raspy voice, "He's the same guy who attacked us in New Orleans and got away."

Her words hit me like a pile of sliver bricks. I had let him get away and he'd come after Sookie again. I wanted nothing more than to tear him limb from limb, but some part of my brain registered that we needed to know who was sending him to attack Sookie. Appearing in front of the Were with vampire speed, with one hand I clasped his neck just below his jaw and lifted him into the air with ease. This would have to go quickly, I didn't want to leave him alive when I was dead for the day.

"Who sent you?" my voice was cool and calm.

He spit in my face.

I broke his right pinkie finger with my free hand and asked again, with a little more fervor this time.

"I'll never tell you!"

Slamming him onto the floor, face down, I pulled one arm backwards and brought it dangerously close to snapping it in two.

"Sookie," I called out, meeting her eyes to convey my hidden meaning, "Come, and help me hold him down."

Of course, I didn't need help holding him down, I wanted Sookie to read him, and I remember from her time at Fangtasia, that touching someone's skin had made their thoughts clearer to her. Her eyes brightening with recognition, Sookie came to the other side of the Were, put one hand on his neck and another in the palm of the hand I was holding up. She closed her eyes and I asked the Were again.

"Now then, who did you say sent you?" this time my voice was deadly cold.

Sookie's face filled with horror.

"Bill did. Bill was with the King of Mississippi when this man and some of his friends were hired to kidnap me," Sookie's voice rang out with disgust.

I resisted the urge to drain the fucker right then and there.

"Where were you supposed to take her?" I seethed.

Sookie closed her eyes and then shook her head. The Were was whimpering.

"It's some old abandoned warehouse; I can see the route they took from the Mississippi palace so Bill could show them where to take me."

"How many others are there?"

Sookie gasped.

"There were five more, but one was killed in New Orleans and another was badly injured in the fire at our second Chicago hotel room."

It had been just over 15 hours since that fire, that Were might not be down for much longer. I had to count on there being four of them. Sunrise was coming and I was running out of options on where to keep Sookie and myself. The shifter wouldn't be able to fend off four werewolves, and Bill would know to send them there. Actually, anywhere Sookie would normally seek shelter would be bad.

I snapped the Were's neck quicker than a heartbeat; I didn't have time to drain him. Sookie's hand was still on his neck and she looked like she was about to vomit as I swept her off of her feet.

Let her vomit on me, just let us get to my home before sunrise, I prayed silently.

I flew faster than I'd ever flown before, burying Sookie's face in my chest and sheltering her body as best as I could from the high winds. We got to my home with just a minute to spare. I opened and closed the house, resetting the alarm system. I could have swept us both to my bedroom but Sookie looked so fragile that I didn't want to move her so suddenly when it wasn't imperative and I certainly didn't want to fly away from her abruptly.

"Don't leave this house," my voice rumbled to Sookie before falling into my daytime slumber. Since my house was completely light-proof, I didn't burn up when I collapsed into the chair adjacent to my foyer.

Sookie's POV

I looked around nervously as I watched Eric drop to the recliner. There were windows all around the living room, but they didn't seem to let light in like a normal window would. When I didn't smell the telltale scent of burning flesh, I breathed out a sigh of relief. I didn't think I would be able to drag Eric somewhere quickly.

My mind was whirling in overdrive as I slumped towards a comfy looking couch. So much had happened in the past few days, I didn't know if my wired mind would let me rest. I slipped off my shoes, curled up onto the sofa and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the couch.

I woke with puffy and a blotchy face. As I looked at the sad sight in the mirror by Eric's front door, I noticed that I had indentations on the left side of my face from where my skin had been pressed into the sofa cushion, and my hair looked like something from a bad 80's glam band due to the rapid flight to Eric's home. I looked down and realized that my clothes were still ripped from the man who had tried to rape me last night. Wrapping my arms around myself, I held myself tightly.

I wandered around Eric's first floor, hoping to find a bathtub-maybe I'd feel slightly more human and less vanquished (word of the day) if I could wash up. Finding two bathrooms, but no tubs, I continued my search on the second floor. There I found a bathroom that was as large as my kitchen, with a claw-footed tub in the center that was very deep and large enough to easily hold two Erics. I didn't want to think too hard on how many women Eric had entertained in this tub.

Plugging the drain, I adjusted the water until it was slightly hot, but still bearable, and let the water run to fill it. I looked through Eric's collection of bath products and picked a bottle of bath salts labeled "Dead Sea Salts – Sandalwood." I poured a sizable amount in-I didn't think Eric would care-and gently lowered myself into the tub. Once the water was high enough, I turned the faucet off. The scent of the bath salts and steam filled the room; I felt the tension slowly begin to drain from my muscles.

Eric's POV

I rose to the smell of sandalwood and I followed it upstairs to my master bathroom. There I found Sookie sleeping in, what was now, a lukewarm tub of water. She had only used half a bottle of salts, instead of the full bottle and I frowned a little that she hadn't used the full amount. I'm sure the extra salt in the water would have done her muscles good.

Picking up an oversized, soft, white, bamboo towel, I lifted her gently from the tub and into my arms. I was successful in not waking her as I carried her into my bedroom and laid her softly onto the bed. I dried her, folded back the comforter and sheets on the other side of the bed, and slipped her into the bed, tucking her in.

I wanted to ravage her, but there were, sadly, more pressing matters to attend to. By now, the other Weres would know that their companion was dead, and they surely would seek vengeance for their fallen pack member. I had been so relieved that we'd made it to my home in time last night that I hadn't thought to fight my daytime slumber in order to arrange for my day man to pick up my car. By now the weres would undoubtedly figure out I was the one who killed their companion. Fortunately, only Pam knew the location of my home. I lay down in bed, next to Sookie but on top of the covers, and began to think through all I knew.

If the Weres had met Bill at Mississippi's, Bill must have told Russell about Sookie's powers and had worked out some arrangement to have her work for Mississippi. Otherwise I doubt Russell would help Bill in his scheming to capture a woman. Whether or not Bill had planned to keep his word, I didn't know. I'd always thought of Bill as a stupid, but honorable, vampire. These last few weeks have proved him to be otherwise. Clearly, the end result was to win Sookie for himself yet again. Once I thought about it, I had no doubt he was trying to prove himself as the knight in shining armor yet again by rescuing Sookie from her kidnappers. The kidnappers he had hired to capture her. Anger boiled my blood as I meditated on how his plan had almost gotten Sookie raped.

Once I unraveled Bill's plan I was surprised at how much risk he was taking for her. I gazed over at Sookie's sleeping figure and wondered just how much power she wielded over me.

I showered and dressed, going over my plan the whole time. I would finally take a page out of Sookie's book and I came up with a simple plan. Russell was famously old-fashioned and followed tradition quite closely, there was no doubt in my mind he didn't know Sookie had been claimed by me. It would just take a simple visit to explain the situation to him. I suppose we could just call him, but I wanted to see Russell, and Bill, in person. When I stepped out of the shower, I noticed that Sookie's clothes from last night had been ruined. I made a quick call to Pam and ordered her to bring a new outfit to my house for Sookie and leave it downstairs on the table just inside the front door.

It was about an hour after sunset when I woke Sookie. I briefly explained my plan to her and she nodded sleepily and got dressed. I could tell she still had some reservations about being around me, but she was able to put them aside so we could deal with the immediate threat at hand. I hoped I could make her realize the meaning behind my words the other night before we returned to Louisiana.

Sookie's POV

I spent the flight staring out the window. It was amazing to me how many flights I'd been on in less than a week, and how quickly I'd gotten over my fear of flying.

I guess I have too many other things to be afraid of, I shuddered as I remembered the face of that man peering down at me while he pinned my arms.

"I will need to tell them you are mine."

I nodded blankly, not even turning my head from the window to face Eric. Bone-weary was the only way I could think to describe how I felt at that moment. Tired of being considered property to be touted about, exhausted from all the attempts on my life, and just plain sick of having to constantly be on the run. I wanted to lie in my own bed, under my own quilt that Gran had made, sleep at night like normal people do and eat three square meals a day.

Is that really so much to ask for?

"Last night, I did not mean I wanted to turn you just then-I was only trying to compliment you."

I didn't reply, but I let Eric's words sink in.

Once it was clear that I wasn't in a chatty mood, Eric turned to make some phone calls. While being driven to meet the king, I forlornly watched the landscape pass through the window. My head was leaned against the glass and I couldn't even summon the energy to frown.

The palace was far less ornate than Sophie-Anne's. In fact, it looked just like any other restored old Southern mansion. We were taken inside; there was no security checkpoint to pass through once we entered the guarded gates, and we were standing in front of the King and Bill less than five minutes after our taxi had pulled up to the house.

I couldn't raise my eyes because I didn't want to risk meeting Bill's. I wondered if he realized just how horribly awry his plan had gone. Would he even care what had almost happened to me? Finally, my curiosity got the better of me and I looked up to see a seething Bill Compton.

Bill's POV

I could smell Eric all over Sookie. I felt her become aroused many times since she rescinded my invitation, but I just assumed she was pleasuring herself after having lost my companionship in bed. The possibility that Sookie had become involved with Eric Northman seemed too far fetched to even imagine. The Weres had reported they were together in New Orleans, but it would make sense for Eric to accompany Sookie-he wouldn't want to lose a valuable resource to the very unstable Sophie-Anne.

But when I saw Eric's smug face enter Russell's receiving area, I knew I was doomed. Russell's adherence to the old ways was strong, and with good reason. The Magistrate still punished infringements on other vampires' humans very heavily as I'd seen so recently. Still, the smell of Sookie was so familiar and so intoxicating; it took every last drop of my willpower to keep myself from rushing to her. Eric must have known how much I was struggling because after a quick, cursory bow to Mississippi, he looked right at me with an arrogant smirk.

"So, is it true, Eric? Have you claimed Sookie Stackhouse as your own?" Mississippi inquired.

I closed my eyes; I couldn't bear to look at Eric's glinting eyes anymore.

"Yes, you're Majesty. Sookie is mine."

Eric's voice rolled the phrase off his tongue with the authority I had once held. An echo of my voice rang in my head as I remembered a day not too long ago.

She will never be yours, Eric.

Then the memory of Eric's apathetic response in Dallas after he tricked Sookie into drinking some of his blood and I had punched him rang out in response.

It's done. I'm part of her now. Get out of the way.

I wish I knew then he had meant more than just clearing his path to the door. Maybe things could have been different. My heart filled with anguish and my mind relived what it felt like to be inside of Sookie and taste her sweet blood.

"Mr. Compton. Were you aware of this development?"

"No, you're Majesty, I was not," I examined the toes of my boots closely; I couldn't bear to meet the eyes of anyone in the room at that moment.

"It's interesting to me that so much fuss would be made over a simple girl, telepathic or not."

I heard heavy footsteps fall as someone approached Russell.

"Arlington, taste the girl. I wonder if there's not something more to her than meets the eye."

I met Eric's eyes and for a moment our faces mirrored a mix of horror, fear and curiosity. Since I first met Sookie, I had thought she was something more than human. No doubt, Eric had too. Telepathy is rare and it has never been linked to any one cause. To have knowledge of Sookie's otherness known to the supernatural world could put her in grave danger and make her an even more sought after target.

The vampire, whose special ability must have been discerning races, approached Sookie, pricked her finger and brought a drop to his mouth.

"Mostly human, but a touch of Fairy…. And something else I can't quite put my finger on."

I felt my eyes widen as large as they could and everything suddenly clicked. Eric looked taken aback for just a moment, but he quickly regained his arrogant composure, and this time his smirk was even bigger than usual.

Fairy. Sookie is part Fairy.

"My dear," Russell began gently speaking to Sookie, "Being part-Fae is quite valuable to our kind. It gives one's blood an addictive quality. I have no doubt that's at least partially why these two vampires have gone to such great lengths to win over your affections."

Sookie's POV

When that vampire had pricked my finger, I flinched a little. Being tasted like a vintage wine is not my idea of a good time. But when he had started saying that I was, 'mostly human' I visibly recoiled. By the time the king of Mississippi had finished explaining what that all meant, I'd had more than enough and I felt my world fade to black.

I woke in a pool of sunshine in my very own bed. For a moment, nothing else in the world mattered. Then a rush of memories flooded into my mind and my innocent joy was ruined. I clutched my bed's extra pillow to my chest and let my tears roll freely for a minute before lifting up my chin and forcing the tears back.

I am a Stackhouse. Stackhouses don't just give up. We don't just break.

With firm resolve, I wiped the tears off of my cheeks and threw off the covers. Swinging my legs off the side of the bed, I noticed a note propped up on my bedside table. I gingerly lifted the note, the paper was thick, cream-colored and and had a slightly dimpled texture to it. The front of it was blank but inside there was a short note written in elegant handwriting.

Sookie,

Before my fangs ever grazed your perfect skin, I craved you. Just as I do now.

E

A wave of contentment overtook me as Eric's words shattered the wall I'd built around my heart after learning about my true heritage. I read the words over and over again, committing them to memory. I knew with every part of my being that his words were true. Eric had shown me time and time again since I'd met him that wanted me. We made each other laugh, we had wonderful conversations, we had mind-shattering sex-boy did we have great sex.

Spots of the black ink bubbled up as my tears fell on the note, unbidden. Once I had read every word of the note five times, I forced myself to stop. I carefully laid the note open, so it could dry, and fetched myself a glass of water.

Gulping down the tall glass of water, I considered Eric's actions and words since I'd met him. I knew, without a doubt, that he wanted me from the moment his intense gaze fixed on me the first time I saw him in Fangtasia. The pessimistic part of my brain immediately began listing the reasons he couldn't have possibly wanted me for me.

Maybe I smell different to vampires. Bill, Pam and even Diana seemed fascinated with me when they got close to me. Bill seemed to be able to tell what Sam was from across the room. Maybe I emit vamp-attracting pheromones. When I put it that way to myself I couldn't help but feel like the addictive quality of my blood was really irrelevant to this decision. I'd read all about pheromones years ago after Jason spent a ridiculous sum of money on some sort of special cologne and I knew enough to know that that sort of thing can never really be taken out of the equation-so why worry about it?

But even without putting that aside, as I analyzed every detail of my interaction with Eric, I knew he was after me for far more than my blood. He seemed to relish my company, he laughed at my jokes, he enjoyed talking with me late into the night. It occurred to me that as much as Eric liked me, the real question I have to ask myself is: do I want to be with him?

I lust after him (who wouldn't after those hot dreams and the even hotter nights?), he riles me up in a way that no man ever had before and lightening bolt size sparks fly between us. So clearly, attraction, chemistry, and sex aren't a problem. He makes me laugh… The reasons kept pouring in one after another and I knew in my heart of hearts that I knew the answer all along-it was just scary as hell to admit it to myself: I was in love with Eric Northman.

I looked at a clock on the wall, there were couple hours left until sunset, I had just enough time.

Eric's POV

My eyes flew open as the sun set and I peered to my side and saw the most beautiful sight I'd seen in my existence. My Sookie was lying on her side, propped up on one arm, one leg seductively crossed over the other, her perfectly tanned skin entirely bare. I was a bit surprised that I trusted Sookie so implicitly that it didn't bother me that she had memorized the route to my home and the security codes. Of course, it wouldn't have been hard for her to remember the security code, it was simple SookieStackhouse.

Our eyes met and she held my gaze intently. Through my blood connection with her I could sense her strong conviction and I swear my undead heart nearly burst with joy as her love washed over me. I turned to face her, my naked body moving smoothly on the satin sheets, and I reached over to tuck a stray tendril of her hair behind her ear. My fingertips slowly grazed the side of her face and words escaped me entirely.

Continuing to hold her gaze, I raised her free hand to my lips and began slowly and purposefully kissing each of her fingertips. I went on, lavishing her skin with kisses as my lips moved down her fingers to her palm and then down to her very sensitive wrist. I darted my tongue out and lightly stroked her pulse with it. I felt a shiver go through her entire body and her eyelids slid closed for a moment before reopening and meeting my eyes once again. This time, they were full of lust, but the night was young and I knew I would have her many times this evening. For now, though, I wanted to draw out her anticipation. I wanted to make her so full of longing that when her first petit mort hit she would think she was coming undone. And so I resumed my meticulous caressing of her entire body with my lips, tongue, and fingertips. I could feel the heat radiating off of her body, warming my cool skin and it made me crave her even more.

When I could no longer bear to hear her quiet whimpers asking for release I stopped my teasing and plunged my tongue directly into her core. I kissed her for all I was worth, expressing the depth and expanse of my love through my care for her lower lips. Moving to her nub next, I circled, swirled, and suckled it, expertly making her come again and again after her anticipation had built up for so long. When she was left panting, her legs quivering, I moved up to her breasts, grazing her nipples with my fangs, squeezing her curves roughly and laving my tongue across her nipples over and over, making them erect with desire and anticipation. I kissed my way up her neck, following the tempting artery that was pumping blood to her flushed face. When my lips reached hers, I kissed her with such passion and fervor that I felt her body reverberate with moans beneath me and she clasped her body onto mine, clamping her limbs as tightly to me as she could. Guiding my length to her dripping entrance, I continued my assault on her lips as I entered her. We both gasped in pleasure and I pulled out slightly and pushed in again. Her body was arching against mine with desire and rocking back and forth, hungry for even more of my length. I hovered us into the air while continuing my thrusting and gracefully flipped us over so that Sookie's legs were straddling my hips. I gently dropped us the short distance back onto the bed before she could notice what had happened-though I needn't have been so sly, she was so delighted by our new position that she hadn't noticed at all. Grasping her hips, I merely followed her lead, using my strength to help her move with more ease.

It felt so right to have Sookie like this. I felt the weight of my undead heart lighten as we became one and I felt Godric smiling down on me.

Fin.

A/N: Thank you for the reviews, favorites and alerts-each one encouraged me and brightened my days. I'm so, so sorry about the wait. I had most of this written shortly after chapter 15 posted, but I just didn't like it and I kept rewriting and changing it. I'm still not completely satisfied, but I kicked my inner perfectionist to the curb and posted it anyways, because, well, I don't know if I'll ever be satisfied. The good news is that I have been dreaming up a couple of other stories and I will probably start posting those once I have quite a few chapters done-and I'll do my best to not let my inner-perfectionist delay me like this again!