Author's note: This is my first SVM story. I'm a die hard Eric/Sookie shipper though. This can be read as a one shot, but I do have more if people like this chapter. So please review! :)

Disclaimer: They're not mine. It's very sad. I'd like to borrow Alexander Skarsgard though, is that ok?

Chapter One

I closed the door quietly, leaning against it in near exhaustion. These visits were draining. Only a month had passed since the Fairy War, but Bill was still reeling from the effects of severe silver poisoning. The lack of improvement – despite the many blood transfusions – was very frustrating. But I kept crossing the graveyard a couple of times a week to nurse my ex. It was the least I could do after he nearly died saving me from a place that was pretty much hell on earth. Being tortured by fairies was not exactly my idea of a good time.

For a second my brain flashed to that pain and I shivered. Then I felt a wave of comfort wash over me. Eric. He must be at the house. I tried to muster some irritation at the thought of my kinda/sorta husband using our link to make me feel better, but I just couldn't. There was only gratitude. He still hadn't properly explained why he hadn't rescued me himself, but he'd promised that he would. There simply hadn't been time for that conversation. Or any other conversation really. Between the search for Dermot, my own healing and Bill's convalesce, Eric and I had had hardly any alone time. Maybe that was changing?

Only one way to find out really. As quietly as I could, I made my way across the graveyard. I paused at my hand me down car, my breath seemingly stolen from my lungs. Eric sat on the steps of my back porch, his pale skin and hair practically glowing in the soft moonlight. He was gorgeous. I'd always known that of course, but he looked so ethereal and godlike in that moment. And for what seemed to be the billionth time I wondered what such a creature could ever see in a lowly barmaid like me.

Eric smiled softly as he caught me staring. "See something you like?" he asked playfully.

Right then I could think of about a dozen things I'd love to do to him – each dirtier than the last – but I quashed that line of thinking in its tracks. We needed to have a serious conversation before anything like that could happen. Instead I rolled my eyes and replied, "What brings you to Bon Temps, Eric?"

A hurt look flashed across his face, so quick I nearly missed it, but he recovered quickly. "Pam's watching Fangtasia tonight. I thought I'd update you on the search."

Business then. I tried hide my disappointment despite the fact that I knew it was impossible. Damn blood bond. Still I plastered on my nervous smile and showed Eric into the kitchen. On autopilot I warmed a bottle of True Blood for Eric while getting a glass of wine for me. Eric folded his large frame into one of the kitchen chairs, waiting quietly. A minute later I placed the warm bottle in front of him and sat in the chair to his right.

"OK, talk," I said.

He took a swig from the bottle and began to talk. He went on for a while, talking about quadrants and search patterns and contacts. Most of it went over my head; I was so exhausted. But I managed to get the gist: they'd had no luck finding Dermot and with the gate to Fairy closed they had no way of confirming that the bastard had crossed over. Great. I sighed.

"Do you really think Dermot's on this side of the gate?" I asked tiredly.

Eric nodded gravely. "Yes, Sookie, I do. Fairies are masters at holding grudges. He won't stop until you're dead."

"Well, he should get in line then because I'm pretty sure there are a whole lot of things that have first dibs."

Eric didn't laugh. "I will keep you safe. Those fairies won't touch you again."

I could tell he meant it. I know I never wanted to be Eric Northman's enemy. It just wasn't worth it. Still his determination to be responsible for my safety after everything that had happened – or rather didn't happen – rubbed me the wrong way. Rage and annoyance bubbled up and ran over before I could stop it.

"Just what is wrong with you vampires? I am a grown woman! I am capable of taking care of myself! If I've learned anything in the past few years, it's that the people claiming to be protecting me are notoriously unreliable!"

Eric flinched and jumped back as if I'd slapped him. There was nothing feigned about the pain in his eyes. The hurt he felt flowed freely through the bond. It was unlike anything I'd ever felt. I didn't know there was anything that could feel that bad. The pain and shame was overwhelming, whether it belonged to Eric or me I couldn't tell. It just hurt; suddenly the room was too small and I had to get out of there.

I ran down the hall and slammed my bedroom door. I said a silent prayer that Amelia was out. She didn't need to witness this. As I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, it dawned on me. I'd really hurt him. For some reason I didn't really think I could. I was a lowly human after all. I'd never considered that Eric's feelings for me – well, his in-his-right-mind feelings anyway – were real. I thought about the night of the Fairy War. I'd yelled at him then too. "You're killing me," he'd said. Could he love me? I mean really love me? I'd always known he'd desired me for my telepathy and body, but was there more to it than that? It seemed to be the only thing that made sense. As much as anything in my wacky life made sense anyway. I was about to continue my internal debate when there was a knock on my bedroom door. I knew without asking it was Eric.

"Sookie?" he called, voice muffled slightly though the wood, "Let me in, lover. Please."

He knew as well as I did he could just barge in any time he wanted, but I appreciated him asking permission. I left the bathroom and opened the door. Without a word, he brushed past me and sat on the bed. I closed the door and followed. I opened my mouth to speak when Eric placed a finger across my lips.

"Hush, love. I promised you an explanation. It's time I gave it to you."

I nodded and waited. Then Eric continued, "Do you remember the story of how I was turned?"

I nodded again. What did that have to do with anything? Then the light bulb went on in my head. "It was Appius," I breathed.

"He appeared at Fangtasia that night quite unexpectedly. I hadn't seen him in centuries."

"What did he want?"

"He claims that he simply wanted to catch up," Eric said in a low voice.

"Wait, I'm confused. Appius just wanted to talk? You're kidding, right?"

"Sookie, remember what I told you about vampires and their sires?"

"Are you saying that Appius forced you to talk to him? Why?"

Eric reached out and took my hand. "Yes, that is exactly what I'm saying. I felt it when you were taken. I immediately wanted to go but Appius wouldn't have it. He sees humans as nothing more than food. He doesn't understand my attachment to you."

I really wanted to ask about Eric's attachment to me but I managed to refrain. "Did you explain the blood bond? The pledging?" I asked, trying hard not to be annoyed.

"Of course, lover. He merely scoffed. He said that if you were as important as I claimed, I would have turned you long ago."

I was stunned. Before I could muster a response Eric concluded, "Believe me, nothing else would have kept me from you."

I looked up at his face. His eyes were practically pleading for trust. I'd never seen him like that. The air of confidence he usually wore was gone. I recognized what it cost him to bear this part of himself. Eric valued his independence above all else; to acknowledge his subservience to anyone was an anathema to him. To acknowledge it to me was even worse. My heart broke for him. I didn't need the bond to tell me that my reaction to this news was the most important thing in his world at this moment. Eric had never lied to me before and I didn't expect him to start now. I reached up and cupped his cheek.

"I believe you, Eric."

The relief that crashed through the bond could have leveled mountains. Eric's lips were on mine in the next second, kissing me as only he could. When I was finally forced to come up for air, I smiled genuinely for the first time in weeks. I hadn't realized how much that had been bothering me until now. It definitely felt like a weight had been lifted. Still something was nagging at me. I was about to say something when Eric covered my body with his. I thought no more that night.