Epilogue

Chapter 44: We Shout Through the Endless Doubt

"Why are we at Fangtasia?" I asked Eric. I had just gotten into the car without asking where we were going. I'd spent two weeks in New Orleans with him and we got back to Shreveport this afternoon. We didn't have time to have sex, so I was bit annoyed. He insisted that we had to be somewhere.

"Alina is here for a visit," Eric said, winking at me and stepping out of the limo. I shuffled out of the car right behind him followed by his two goons.

"Is she still mad?" I asked him, remembering the argument that broke out when we returned from California.

Eric smiled slightly. "Oh yes."

3 MONTHS AGO

I had to admit I was so glad to see Pam and Alina again. They arrived at Eric's new mansion not too long after he woke me up with sex. Eric's phone had ringed and we reluctantly left the comfort of his underground day room to reunite with his children. I didn't have much to change into, all my clothes were dirty, so Eric insisted I leave the room in one of his shirts. I refused at first but he easily seduced me into wearing it. I pulled on my underwear though, despite the fact that his t-shirt fell to just above my knee.

I sort of hid behind Eric as we entered up the secret stairs from his office and into the front foyer which was nearly as impressive as Caleb's. The only difference was my preference for the Gone with the Wind staircase.

Pam and Alina were standing around the sitting area that was surrounded in a wall of windows to one side that curved, the night sky glimmering into the house. Eric turned on a light for my benefit and they coolly stood waiting for us.

"Everything went well, I assume," Eric said. He waited for me to sit down before he took his place beside me. Alina and Pam settled down too.

"You mean how I did flawlessly while doing your job for you?" Alina scowled at her maker. Eric lifted a brow.

"I have an important issue to discuss with you. Although," Eric glanced at me, "you won't have a choice." I winced.

"No," Alina said immediately. She turned to Pam. "I told you he would do this."

"He gave me Area 5," Pam said in a drawl. "I don't want it."

"Eric, no," Alina stressed. "I want to go back to Greece." I felt guilty. This was my fault. Poor Alina, was summoned here mostly because of me and she was stuck here mostly because of me.

"Nevada is yours," Eric ignored her protest.

"No!" she shrieked jumping to her feet. I saw her rage, and I feared for Eric. She could glamour him easily and do who knows what. Eric regarded her bored; he was unfazed by Alina's outburst.

"I will punish you, my child, if you disobey me."

"You haven't declared it," she spit, her eyes blazing, her body shrinking into attack. I had a strong urge to run.

"Do I have to? I will," Eric's voice hardened, I could feel the tension and the thirst for a fight brewing inside of him. I was powerless to stop this and I was sure getting in the middle of it would be idiotic. I had never seen Eric glamoured. Boy did I really not want to. I opened my mouth and then closed it. I glanced at Pam who stared between her maker and her sister, her fangs down, eager for what was to come. Vampires!

"I'm not going to waste in that shithole for a couple centuries," she growled, her back arching. Eric stood suddenly, pushing the couch back a bit. I hung onto the arm of the couch tightly, startled. I squeaked in fear. "I'd go mad! I'd be nothing!" Wow. She was pulling quite the drama queen routine.

"Alina," Eric said firmly, his voice elevating, his tone deep and commanding. It sent a chill down my spine and also turned me on a bit. "If you plan on influencing me, do it now. I am itching for a fight and I'd love to put you, my child, in your place. Beneath me." That sounded sexual, I had to admit.

I glanced cautiously at Alina praying she wouldn't fight but, of course – Eric grabbed her by the scruff of the neck before she could do any damage to him. I watched him drag Alina out of the windows that were actually glass doors, out onto the lawn. Pam rushed over and turned on the light that illuminated the grass.

"Come look, Sookie," Pam said, gleefully.

"Ya'll are sick," I said, pulling my legs close to my chest not wanting to witness Eric and Alina fight. I heard a female roar and Pam cheering. If they weren't insane, than my name wasn't Crazy Sookie.

Finally I heard screaming and I knew Eric won. I could feel it inside. He was exhilarated and damn horny. I jumped up to make sure nothing was going on. Eric had straddled Alina, pinned her into the grass, a huge, fangy, bloody smile on his face. Alina was thrashing and spitting. Eric had her wrists firmly on the ground, with one of his large hands. She looked like a child underneath him.

"Okay," I found my voice saying, quavering slightly. Pam looked amused by my call. Eric glanced over at me beaming.

"I won."

"I see," I bit my lower lip. He looked pleased with himself. Should I give him a cookie?

With the way Alina was grinding into him (not in the way she intended, for she was trying to get free), I felt my face grow hot and I took a step onto the deck, to the lawn with Pam close behind me. I was feeling a bit possessive, I couldn't lie.

"Set me free," Alina hissed.

"Alina," Eric snapped his attention from me back to his first child. "You will go to Nevada. As your maker I command you." She froze, staring at him in disbelief.

I looked between the three vampires. Pam had one brow raised, her expression could have been her version of Alina's – it was hard to tell with Pam.

"Eric," I said cautiously. He stood to his full height, letting go of Alina and came over to me, planting a big kiss on my lips. He pulled back and smirked.

I was dazed. I glanced down at Alina who was staring up at the night sky, perplexed and hurt. Eric motioned for us to head back inside and I slowly followed him. I put a hand to his back and he glanced at me over his shoulder.

"She's really upset," I said softly.

Eric's gaze flickered behind me to Alina. "I haven't ordered her in almost seven hundred years."

My lips thinned. "I'm sorry."

He actually looked a bit disturbed by that fact. He shook his head, I noticed his fangs hadn't retracted and he brought me onto his lap as we reclaimed our spot on the couch. He immediately put his mouth to my neck and I felt his fangs drag along a vein. I shivered in his arms and he held me tight.

"You two," Pam shook her head re-entering the house. Alina was still outside. I wondered if Nathanial would come to the United States finally. "Do you think you could give us a bit more attention, Eric? You can fuck her all you want for the rest of the night once we're gone."

"I have to get back to work," Eric murmured, his lips humming against my skin.

"Of course, that meddlesome job, the one you've neglected for three months," Pam said.

"Pam," Eric's chest shook with this warning and my nails dug into his shoulder as his mouth began to place open mouthed kisses on any exposed flesh.

"I'm merely reminding you, Eric. Now that you have your human back, you can improve your kingdom to the way it should be with you as it's king."

"Thank you," Eric said absently – he was hardly paying attention to her. I gave her an apologetic look and she rolled her eyes.

"I'm wondering what the bigger distraction is, Sookie – your absence or your presence."

Eric scooped me off his lap suddenly, plopping me next to him. "I will prove to all that I am in my rightful position," he gaze smothered any doubt. "I will take one more night with my bonded and then it'll be business."

"What?" I felt myself say. Eric glanced at me before focusing back on Pam who looked victorious.

"This is one thing you may struggle with, master."

"However do you mean," Eric said mockingly, staring challengingly at Pam.

Pam smiled as pleasantly as she could. "Your human will not stand for being neglected."

I had to speak up, "Damn right."

"And neither will your kingdom."

"I'm well aware of this, Pam," Eric looked irritated.

She shrugged minutely. "I just thought I'd point it out."

"Which is why Sookie and I will get married."

"What?" Pam and I blurted out at the same time. "By human laws, Eric?" Pam continued with my thought.

"Yes," Eric said, looking completely at ease, as if he hadn't just sorta proposed to me. "It'll be soon."

"Um, hi. Apparent bride here," I said waving at him. He looked at me. "That was the worst proposal ever. I'm not marrying you."

"There's my answer," Pam relaxed significantly.

"I thought we already established this," his brows furrowed.

"I thought we did too. I never said I would."

"You never said you wouldn't."

"You assumed I would. Eric, you're a vampire, I'm a human. You're a king – that wouldn't work," I said.

"I agree," Pam said bluntly.

"We are together," Eric stated, his eyes flickering, our bond buzzing loudly.

"Yes."

"Do you think that'll work?"

I couldn't believe we were having this conversation in front of Pam. "Eric, it's working now." I felt my cheeks turn redden.

"Then we'll get married," he said it simply.

"I don't think you understand what that means," I said cautiously before he could get too carried away.

"We're already bound for a hundred years, which is unbreakable. Why would I misunderstand a human law that can be severed with a few pieces of paper?"

I huffed, crossing my arms. "Again, this is not a nice proposal."

"I'm being realistic, my Sookie," Eric said.

"No, you're not. Human marriage might not mean something to you, but it does to me. You're ruining our happy bubble. Its burst, it's popped. Now you're insisting that we deal with reality?" I balked at him.

"As soon as we left California, I'd have to return to my position. This is my reality and my love, you are a part of it."

Pam let out a noise of exasperation. I felt myself soften. "That sounded a bit better," I whispered. His face remained expressionless.

"You are mine and you always will be mine," he stated.

Possessive vampire crap. "And what are you to me?" I countered.

"Anything you want."

Pam stared at us bemused. "I do not understand this at all."

We ignored her. I put hand to the back of his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. Our mouth moved together softly, before he hooked his hand under my knee and leaned me back onto the couch, him half on top of me. His hand slid up the side of my body, massaging my breast through his shirt. I wasn't wearing a bra, and he growled, pressing his erection into my hip. I realized my underwear was probably showing to Pam, who I had completely forgotten was there for a moment. I broke free of his lips, gasping, and he made a noise of anticipation, kissing my neck. I looked over and saw Pam's lustful stare, her fangs down and I pushed at Eric's shoulder, remembering where we were.

Eric let me breathe and we settled back into his lap, more composed. I pulled down my shirt, to cover my bottom.

"Don't stop on my account," Pam teased.

I rolled my eyes and caught Eric staring out the window at Alina. I touched his face briefly. "Maybe you should talk to her." He gave me a sceptical look, as if I said the most outrageous thing. "Fine, stay mad at each other," I scowled.

I watched my vampire carefully as he slowly brought his undivided attention back to me. I thought about his proposal and wondered if I had just accepted it.

If I were to marry any vampire it would be Eric.

Who am I kidding?

I didn't want to be married to anyone but Eric.

PRESENT DAY

The bar had its line, but we went through the employee entrance. We slipped into Eric's old office where Pam and Alina sat waiting. Alina still looked pissed off. I couldn't blame her. I had nothing to say to Alina, although I wished I could say something comforting.

"Alina," Eric nodded curtly and promptly took Pam's spot behind the desk. I missed seeing him behind it. I stood by the door, unsure of where to sit. "Come to me, Sookie."

"I'm good," I said, accepting that I was already against the wall.

"I'd like a verbal update, Alina," Eric said. They were so cold and informal. I could tell Alina was still furious with her maker. She responded in clipped tones and Eric listened carefully. I had been to quite a few of his meetings over the past few months.

I was hardly working at Merlotte's anymore and I had practically set up camp at Eric's house – both things I never thought I'd do.

Eric certainly changed. He said he would to Pam that night three months ago. He was definitely a king now. I hadn't seen it before, but he had stepped up and was ruling. He was living up to his position just like everyone had expected he would from the very beginning. He had been making significant progress with cleaning up New Orleans and getting vampires to migrate to Arkansas which was hardly populated. Nevada was still in his regime but for all intents and purposes Alina was in charge. They were still negotiating how that would work and I wondered if Eric might have to marry her, or just get rid of the state all together.

"I have a request," Alina said. I wondered if she and Eric would ever reconcile. When I would ask Eric about it, he'd brush it off, but I could tell he was upset about their tension, I could feel his frustration through the bond.

Eric nodded for her to go ahead. I wondered why Nathanial had never come. If he really loved her and missed her why wasn't he there with her?

"I'd like to have a vacation. For two weeks," she said.

Eric inhaled sharply, briefly glancing at me. "Why won't Nathanial come to you, Alina?"

"He is," she said.

Eric raised his brows surprised.

"I'm going to help him integrate into the Las Vegas life style," her smile strained.

Her maker said nothing, he eyed her appraisingly. "Very well." She nodded briefly.

"Can I go?" she asked stiffly.

I saw his jaw twitch, I could feel his anger rising. He moved his head toward the door and she walked past me, not even acknowledging my presence and left the office. Oh. I hoped she wasn't mad at me, but apparently she was. I exhaled, and slowly walked over to the desk leaning toward Eric. He was lost in thought so I turned to Pam instead.

"How's Fangtasia?" I asked her.

"Boring," she said.

"Oh," I uttered. "How about sheriff duty?"

"It's worse than Fangtasia," she said.

"No, you love Fangtasia," I smiled.

She returned an upturn of her lips, all of us knowing full well that Fangtasia was Eric and Pam's baby. Eric called Pam nearly every night for an update on their bar. It was rather sweet actually.

"Do you have any beef with the boss here?" I asked her.

"'Beef'?" Pam made a face as if she smelled something awful. "We do not eat animals."

"I know," I sighed, stifling a giggle. "I only meant, are you angry at him like Alina?"

"Well," she said. "You and I both know that what he's done to his darling child is wrong." Oh she was gearing for a fight.

Eric snapped out of his trance. "Get out, Pam." She smiled wryly and left upon request.

I circled the desk and settled in Eric's lap. "Pam's right."

"Alina and I have been mad at each other far longer than three months," Eric said stubbornly. "It's lasted nearly one hundred years before."

My eyes widened. "Gosh," I thought about how long that was.

"We might have to go to Vegas during the time she allots," Eric's arms circled around me, and began rubbing my back.

"Oh," I breathed. "Maybe I should check to see if Sam needs my help while we're here."

"You still work there?"

"Yes," I gave him a humourless look.

"I didn't even know," Eric smirked. I pushed on his shoulder slightly. "You've only had three shifts in the past six weeks, Sookie. I think the jig is up," he looked pleased as punch for using a colloquialism.

I leaned my cheek against his head. "I know. It makes me a bit sad. I know it wasn't the best job in the world...But, Sam was there and – I met my first vampire there," I poked his chest.

"Oh and what an ideal vampire you met," he muttered.

"Hush, none of that," I said.

"I," he tilted me back and kissed me, "was the vampire you should have met first."

I shook my head. "I think that would have ended badly. You would have taken me before you knew I was a telepath and then what?"

Eric kissed me again. "I'd take your virginity."

"Ew, that's so not the point."

Eric shrugged, and kissed me again. I ran my fingers through his hair and the leather chair beneath us squeaked at our angle and movement. There was a knock on the door, Pam poked her head in.

"Care to enthral the vermin?"

Eric nodded and stood up with me in his arms. He set me down. "The guard up?" he asked. Pam nodded.

"You're going out there?" I asked, shocked.

Eric gave me a smile that showed off his fangs. "I haven't been here in over six months. They've been hanging around hoping to catch a glimpse, and tonight is that night."

"It's a Tuesday. No one will be here," I said as we left the office, immediately blocked up by his guard.

He didn't respond but put a hand to the small of my back as we entered the bar. There was a hushed gasp as Eric Northman made an entrance. I meant to walk away to join Pam at the booth, but Eric swivelled me toward his throne that had another chair for me beside him.

"I'm not enthralling the vermin," I whispered. He winked at me and sat in his throne. He held my hand gently and pulled me into the seat beside him. "This is embarrassing," I hid my face with my hair as best I could.

We sat up there for what felt like hours. I didn't talk to Eric much. People would bow and grovel and profess and declare. It was disturbing and aggravating. Eric would flick their presence away with his wrist and they would be so grateful that he acknowledged them that they would often burst into tears. He loved this. Apparently I wasn't doing a very good job stroking his ego enough. Too bad for him.

When it was gearing toward the final hour before last call, Eric leaned over to my ear and whispered, "You're going to fuck me on this throne as soon as everyone's gone." My face turned red, my lower region throbbed, my heart quickened and I glared at him.

"Oh really?" I said in my most doubtful tone.

"Don't deny it, my lover," he pulled away, his finger carefully tracing my neck. I shivered. "You're excited."

I turned away not wanting to respond, but I couldn't help the excitement I felt when I glanced at my phone to see that the bar would be closing in less than half hour.

Eric gave me a knowing smile. He looked bored, but through the bond I could feel him anticipating me straddling him on the throne.

We were doing it like bunnies. Seriously. I was almost appalled at my behaviour. We'd been more anxiously eager lately and were even having sex in several rather public settings, as subtle as we could be. His guards heard it all. I couldn't get enough of him, now that I had finally surrendered to our relationship. Our lust for one another would be overwhelming if he hadn't banged that thought out of my head at least five times a day.

We hadn't had sex yet tonight, and it was killing us.

I think I was becoming a sex addict. I shifted uncomfortably in my chair at the thought. No, I was only doing it with Eric, so that shouldn't be my official diagnosis.

It was nice to know that he wanted me just as much as I wanted him – perhaps more. There were times when my human side would rule out and I certainly couldn't go for another round, when he was always ready, it seemed. The perks of being with a vampire.

I think Eric wanted to announce last call right at that moment.

Pam was summoned over and Eric spoke lowly in her ear. When the last customer left, everyone seemed to clear out of the room. I went to ask Eric who was going to clean up the bar when I was swung out of my seat and brought onto his lap, my legs squished between his thighs and the arms of the throne. I smiled at him and we kissed.

I wore a dress just for easy access like this. But, he yanked it over my head before I could just unzip his pants.

"We're taking all our clothes off," he muttered against my lips. The image of our naked flesh tangled on his throne was enticing and sort of reminded me of something, but I brushed it off. "Never again."

"Never again, what?" I asked him as I whipped off his blazer, and untied his tie. I was getting to become expert at getting a man out of suit in record time.

"We're not holding off like this, ever again." His erection seemed painfully constrained and he reached between us to start undoing his belt buckle and shimmied his pants down to his ankles where he kicked off his shoes. His chest was bare and we were frantically grabbing at the others flesh. He discarded my bra and looked at me for a second before I nodded and he ripped off my panties. Oh well, this was much more important.

We ground together, while Eric put his mouth to my breasts. He hand dipping between my legs to see if I was ready. I was, the moment he suggested this and the image entered my head. I let my head fall back and a guttural moan was let out. I went down on his hand and he rewarded me with slipping a finger inside. I held onto his shoulders, his lips, fangs and tongue working my hardened nipples. I scooted closer to his body and he pulled back to give me a leisurely kiss, our chests touching, making me quiver. He let his hands go and grab my ass as I lowered onto his length, our groans equally desperate. Nothing would ever compare to feeling Eric fill me. I was already turned into goo.

He moved one hand to my thigh and we slowly began to move. My nails dug into his shoulder blades and his arm wrapped around my waist, his hands gripping my soft skin. I let out a breathy gasp and he grunted, his mouth searching for my lips. I felt so small when engulfed by his large frame. His inner strokes were almost too much to bear at times. When he'd be completely buried inside of me, I'd shudder at the amount of emotions through the bond and he'd pull out and then I'd want all those mind-blowing feelings back.

There was the building pressure at my lower abdomen, my legs were shaking and my body was tensing up. Eric brought his fangs to my collarbone and I gasped as he dragged them down lower to my breast, flicking my nipple with his sharp teeth. I was drawing blood on his back; I clawed into him so hard. He growled and thrust up wildly into me. I cried out and panted, trying to catch my breath.

Our mutual thrusts were becoming intensely fast and I kept up as if my life depended on it. I needed him. I pushed down on him hard, and he sunk his fangs into my breast. I let out a strangled scream and my orgasm crashed into me, and I shook in his arms as he held onto me tight. He sucked deeply on my wound, his thrusts nowhere near slowing it seemed. My orgasm dissipated as soon as he pulled away and I became mush in his arms. His mouth was bloody, and I just had to lick the blood from his chin. He closed his eyes, as I reached between us, him still inside me, I began to stroke his base and play with his balls. He grunted, and kissed me. I moved up and down on him, touching, urging him onward. I pulled roughly on his balls and he shouted in his language, coming undone. His fingers dragged along my back, causing painfully delightful welts, as I bit his shoulder and drew some blood onto my tongue. He spoke rapidly as his climax seemed to go on forever. I broke away from taking the mark my teeth just made, licking his wound. He finally relaxed his head against the back of the chair.

I was having trouble breathing.

"We can do that again," I said. He nodded, at a loss for words. I loved when I could do that to him. I kissed him briefly on the lips.

He slowly brought his hand to my back, gently caressing the marks he made. "They hurt?"

"It was worth it," I smiled at him, happy. I nuzzled my face at the crook of his neck, and he hugged me to him. "So," I said after a while of silence. "What's the plan for the rest of the night?"

"We're going to return to our house," he said huskily. He said 'our house'. My heart did a somersault. "And then I'm going to fuck you until the sun comes up. And even then, wake me up for some afternoon delight."

I laughed when he stood up, my legs wrapped instinctively around his waist. "Afternoon delight?" I chortled.

Eric smirked, his sapphire blue eyes glinted. "Isn't that what the kids say nowadays?" My feet touched the ground.

I couldn't not laugh. "Oh Lord, you're such an old man." He tossed me my bra and dress.

He pulled up his pants, and fiddled around with the buckle. "My wife," he sighed, coming closer and kissing my forehead. "I'm your old man. I wouldn't be so quick to scoff."

I brought his head down to mine for a kiss on the lips. "If we got too deep into logistics and realism than there would only be you as a pile of dust somewhere in Scandinavia and me, still a lonely barmaid," I said.

"If we were to continue in that direction," he helped pull my dress over my body, when just moments ago he couldn't get it off fast enough. "Then we would never have met – thankfully you're right here in my arms."

I smiled, feeling my heart swell at his words.

"Also, you're the best fuck I've ever had."

"Nice," I said. He threw his head back and laughed.

"Sookie, when I fuck you so hard, you can't even scream, and my massive cock is surrounded by your tight wet pussy..."

"Please stop," I said, trying to walk away and hide the smile from my face. When he talked dirty, my head was always close to exploding. I could feel his lust through the bond and it was easily toppling into my own feelings.

"When I thrust into you and your body convulses..."

"Eric," I said and he spun me around and dipped me, kissing me long, sweetly. His lips slow, and not at all vulgar like his words were, he took care, and held me gently. He took my breath away.

"Sookie Stackhouse," he started. "I will share everything I have with you. Every vampire who owes me fealty will honour you."

He'd said those lines to me before. I felt a tingle down to my toes, I closed my eyes. I responded the same way I had almost two years ago now:

"You've made me very happy."

AN: Well, this is the end of I Love You, But I've Chosen Darkness. Whoa. It's a weird feeling.

1. I want to thank all of you who read my story. Seriously, the response is nothing how I imagined it would be. I'm so proud of this story and all of your love and attention just made it a million times better. Endless thanks!!

2. I have the first chapter for my new story up Over the Hills and Far Away, it's Sookie/Eric of course, but AH. Check it out.

3. Join the fanfiction love on twitter!! Follow me at greenlemonsFF. There's a lot of great talks with some great fanfic writers and readers. It's pretty awesome! Cheers to them! I also post sneak peeks for upcoming chapters for my stories.

4. Part 2 here, was inspired by the song Bullets by Tunng. It's truly amazing and gave me all the titles for the chapters along with Skeleton by Bloc Party. Give them a listen!!

5. I hope you enjoyed my story! I won't rule out a sequel, but if there is one, it won't be for a while.

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greenlemons