If you have not readThe Sheriff's Plan, please read that first as this is a continuation of that story.

Caution: Do not read this if you have any problems with graphic sexual situations or incredibly sexy manipulative 1000 year old Viking vampires who always get their way! You have been warned.

Disclaimer: Charlaine Harris is still the Queen of the Southern Vampire Mysteries chess board, but I couldn't help messing with a few of her pawns.

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Eric POV

For the first time since I became a vampire, I find myself in an unprecedented situation; I am awake and the sun has not yet set. I can feel that there are only seconds before it finally dips below the horizon, but I should not have awakened until the sun has fully set. I can only assume that it is due to the excitement that I will be seeing Sookie in just a few short hours, and that I will finally be able to start the rest of my life. Never in all of my time on this earth have I been so excited by anyone the way that she excites me. I feel like I am alive for the first time in over 1000 years.

I swear I can hear my heart beating, feel the warmth of blood once again being pumped throughout my body, and I decide to breathe in for the first time in centuries. I feel my chest expand, but the feeling is so unnatural to me that I quickly push the air back out. I am instantly hit by a wave of regret. I will never know how it would feel to be human with Sookie. I will never be able to give her a normal life, but I will spend eternity making that up to her if she will let me.

The last four months have shown me what it is like to have had the sun and lost it all over again. I never want to be without her again, and I won't be if I have anything to say about it. Sookie is my sun, everything about her screams out that she is alive, even her colors mimic the sunshine. Her golden hair reminds me of wind whispering through the wheat fields of my homeland, her eyes are the clear blue of a beautiful Swedish morning, and her lips; ah, her lips are the red of the ripest summer berries and just as luscious. I can remember so much of the life I once had when I am around her. My only regret concerning Sookie is that I will never have the chance to walk along side her in the sunlight, holding hands, while our children frolic beside us.

Finally, I can feel the sun has set, and I walk to the panel beside the locked door and punch in the code that will release me from my resting place. I walk up a short flight of stairs and enter my closet through a secret door in the back wall, hidden behind a movable clothing rack. I push the door back into place, effectively protecting my daytime spot from even my closest household staff. Only Pam knows where I sleep each day, but I hope to share my secret with Sookie soon.

During the time we were apart, I hired a small construction crew to expand it for me, putting in an air circulation system and a bathroom; all so that Sookie will be able to sleep beside me during the day should she choose to do so. Hiring outsiders is always a risk for a vampire, though I glamoured each of the workers after they were finished, along with removing all traces of permits and receipts for payments. I know it will all be worth it the first time I wake with her in my arms.

I find myself fidgeting, something I have not done in many years. I am excited, and I can hardly wait for our date tonight. I haven't had to woo and win a woman for so long; I am unsure exactly what is expected of any man in this day and age. I have a feeling that I will need to talk to Pam about it. She reads Dear Abby every evening faithfully, not to mention all the dates she goes on, so hopefully she can give me some advice. I just hate how smug she'll be when I ask her help. She will definitely get a kick out of my predicament.

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I open my office door, making up my mind to ask Pam for some sage advice.

"Pam, would you step in here for a moment?" I call out to her.

"Give me a second to rid myself of the vermin hanging on me." She responds immediately.

I walk back to the chair behind my desk, but I am too nervous to sit for any amount of time. Before I can decide whether or not to attempt to sit down, Pam enters my office.

"Please shut the door, I don't want others to hear this conversation." I know that I do not need to add that I will expect her to keep her mouth closed.

"As you command, Master," she says sarcastically as she pulls the door shut behind her.

I decide to jump right in and tell her what I need from her, instead of dodging around, trying to avoid any embarrassment on my part. Better to go all in and get it over with now.

"Pam, I need some dating advice. I have a date with Sookie tonight, and I haven't dated a woman in centuries. Something tells me that what worked on Esmeralda back in Spain in the 1300's won't exactly impress Sookie, so… What is it that a modern woman expects on a first date?" Pam's eyes light up and a smile makes its way to her lips. I am happy that she seems excited at the prospect of helping me. I was sure that I would have to deal with her smug attitude, and I didn't want anything to bring me down from the high I am currently enjoying.

"Well, according to Dear Abby, today's women need to know that they are appreciated for more than just their looks. She says that they will appreciate a man who is willing to take the time to woo them. A man should be willing to let the woman set the pace in a relationship. Flowers are always nice when you arrive to pick her up," she says to me, following her Dear Abby advice up with a question of her own, "You are picking her up, aren't you Eric?"

"We had planned on her meeting me here and spending the evening together," I state, starting to worry that I had already made my first mistake.

"What time is she supposed to be here?"

"Sometime around 9:00."

"Good, then you still have time to get to her before she leaves. If you hurry, you can stop by the florist and get her a pretty bouquet." She starts to push me out the door, but stops as she looks at my clothing.

"Is that what you're planning to wear?" She sneers, curling her lip up at me.

"Yeah, what's wrong with it? It's what I always wear to work." I'm wearing a pair of tight fitting, dark washed, ripped jeans and a somewhat tight black

Fangtasia T-shirt, and black leather motorcycle boots.

"Exactly Eric, it's what you wear to work, not on the first date with your future mate."

Before I can say anything else, she darts into the light tight room I keep here and returns with another set of clothes. She propels them into my hands and tells me to change, then roughly shoves me into the bathroom. I shut the door and begin to change, frowning at the pair of boxers she handed me. I hate wearing underwear, but just as I'm thinking this, Pam yells at me to hurry up. I toss the boxers on the floor, and quickly change.

The outfit she had me change into consists of a pair of faded boot leg jeans that hug my ass just enough to tempt someone to touch it – hopefully Sookie - and a crisp, white, long sleeve, button down shirt. I leave the top three buttons undone, adding my own touch to the outfit. I quickly brush my hair and slide my belt through the belt loops, then sit down to pull my boots back on.

When I walk out of the bathroom, Pam holds up her hand, silently demanding that I stop. As I stand still in the middle of my office, she walks around me once, checking to make sure that I dressed myself correctly.

"You know Pam; I have done this a time or two. I do dress each night to highlight my attributes for the vermin, and I manage to do so without your help," I state.

"Yes, Eric, I know that. However, this will be the first time Sookie sees you in a 'romantic' role, so you want to look your very best," she answers me, still looking at me like she is mentally checking things off a list in her head. "Now all you need to do is stop by the florist and pick her up a bouquet. Oh! And you should get her a box of chocolate too! I see that in movies all the time. I even had one guy bring me some once. Stupid humans."

"Okay, so I need flowers and chocolates. Any special kind? If I need to get these things and get to Sookie's house before she leaves, I need to leave now. Anything else you can think of?" I ask her.

"Roses are totally overdone, but a nice mixed bouquet will work just fine. Or if you absolutely have to do roses, get her some that are yellow with red tips. They signify friendship that is turning into love. Other than that, just be nice to her, but not too nice, you don't want to creep her out!" She laughs, obviously thinking herself hilarious. "Seriously though, just be a slightly nicer version of yourself, you know normal or as normal as can be expected of you. She loves you, I am sure of it, so she knows what to expect with you, but you might want to lay off the sexual comments. Dear Abby says that if a woman feels like you are trying to pressure her into having sex before she feels ready, that she will lose interest in any form of relationship. So just follow her lead."

"Do you really think that she does? Love me, I mean." I ask her, hoping that it is true.

I sigh as she nods her head, "Yes, Eric, I do. She hasn't said anything about it to me, but I believe it to be true."

"Alright Pam. I got this. See you back here in a few hours. Don't forget that the liquor license inspector is due to drop in sometime this week, so please make sure our 'friends' are on their best behavior tonight. I don't want to lose our license just because Thalia can't keep her temper in check." I give her some final instructions.

I decide to make a quick circuit of the bar, giving everyone and everything a quick once over to make sure that there is nothing that needs my immediate attention before I leave for the night. I decide that everything looks good, so I make my way out the back door.

My 'Vette is waiting for me like a candy-apple red mistress in the night, her curves calling to me, begging for my touch, so I glide my fingers up her hood and over to the door. I trace the outline of the door frame to the handle, and slowly lift it. I open the door and slide into the leather seat, feeling the fit of it contour to my body. I moan as slip the key into the ignition and turn my mistress on. She growls her appreciation as I gently put her in gear, holding the clutch in as I give her some gas. I back out of my parking spot then caress the gear shift again, this time coaxing her into first, and giving her enough gas to get us on our way. Driving her is almost orgasmic, the way she responds to my slightest touch, more so than any car I have ever driven. I have had other cars, but none that give me the rush she does.

I have only allowed two women in this car. Pam and Sookie, and even then, Pam has only been in it a handful of times. She just doesn't understand my baby, choosing to drive a modest sedan over the lust-filled power house that is my 'Vette. Sookie on the other hand, she seems to get it. I saw her eyes dilate the very first time I opened the door for her. We were on our way to the orgy she invited me to, so she could find out who had killed her homosexual friend. It was everything I could do not to take her that night on the hood of my car. The idea of how hot that would have been is enough to start my cock twitching already. I am definitely going to have to do it; hopefully it'll be sometime soon.

I stop by the florist and buy a dozen red-tipped yellow roses, liking the significance they impart. I decide to ask the florist about candy, and she suggests a box of Belgian chocolate that they carry. I figure that they should be fine, so I add them to my purchase. I am half way to Sookie's house before I realize that it is almost 8:00 and that Sookie will be leaving soon. I don't want to get all the way to Bon Temps just to have missed her. I decide to call her and give her some kind of excuse to make her wait a little longer. I pick up my cell phone and hit the number '2' button on my speed dial – a number I've wanted to dial for so long now – and press send.

"Hello?" She answers.

"Hello, Sookie, how are you tonight?"

"I'm a little flustered right now, Eric. I'm running a bit late. Sam called me in to cover the dinner rush because Arlene's daughter has the flu, so she couldn't come in. I just got home about twenty minutes ago. I was just about to call you, but I didn't want you to think that I was canceling, or getting cold feet about our date. I really want to see you, but there's no way I'm going to be there on time. I'm so sorry, Eric, I hope you didn't have anything planned for us right away!" She is babbling, and though I often find it annoying when humans do this, I realize that I find it incredibly endearing coming from her tonight.

She sounds like there is something else on her mind as well, but I don't want to put her on the defensive tonight. I want her to enjoy our date, and she can't do that if she is angry with me. I decide to play the nice guy and let her off the hook.

"Actually, I was calling to let you know that I needed a little extra time myself tonight. I have to pick something up that I had forgotten about. It should take around an hour and a half, maybe two if I have to wait. Would that be alright with you? It would give you some extra time to calm down after your shift and allow you to take your time getting ready for our evening together." This is working out better than I thought.

"Are you sure it's okay, I mean, will you still have time to spend with me? I'll understand if you want to take care of your business tonight instead."

"Sweet Sookie, there is nothing that I would rather do than spend every night for the rest of my life with you. I plan on tonight being just the beginning of our forever together. Please, take your time, and I will see you soon," I say to her, knowing that it will be sooner than she thinks.

"Well, alright then, what time should I leave here? I don't want to be there too early if you won't be there."

"Give me about an hour or so. I'll call you when I'm headed back to the bar."

I tell her.

"That sounds perfect." I can hear her sigh, "I'll see you soon."

"Yes, you will, Sookie. Soon. Until then, goodbye." I smile as I hang up.

Once the phone is shut, I whisper "I love you" into the night time air, only wishing that I could say it to her. I know it is too soon for her to hear it now, but one day soon I will tell her. When I do, I will make sure that every supernatural being in my Area knows that she is my chosen mate. However, I will wait for her to say it to me first. I know she feels it, I can sense it in the way she looks at me, or how she speaks to me. I will not force the words from her lips. I want her to be ready, just as I am now, to express her feelings for me. I want to know that she is saying it because she wants me to know how she feels, not because she thinks I expect her to say it. It will mean so much more to me that way, and let's face the truth here, I'm a selfish Viking. I know she will be mine; she just needs some time to reach the same conclusion.

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a/n: Also, a great big thank you is needed for my Betas; Misticbutterfly and teamedward86, and for my idea girl, Jeri, as well.

While this is a completed story, please remember that reviews are always appreciated.