I knew that it was stupid to go and see Eric, but I had to know if I could really trust Bill. I loved him, but I was having some serious doubts. He had cheated on me with that bitch Lorena. How was I suppose to get over that? I knew that I shouldn't get over it, but Bill was my first love. You can forgive anything with your first love, can't you?

Seeing Eric just made me even more confused. Then when he kissed me I was in utter bliss. Bill had never kissed me like that before and the fact that Eric was saying goodbye to me caused this ache deep down inside of me. I didn't know what he was going to do whether he was going to leave or meet his final death, but I had a feeling it was the latter and not the former.

I let that thought wash over me and I realized that I didn't want anything to happen to Eric. He had tricked me into drinking his blood, he locked my friend Lafayette in a basement to torture for weeks, then he locks me in the same basement. I should be angry and welcome the fact that he was probably going to meet his final death, but I just couldn't. The thought of this world without Eric in it broke my heart.

When Eric and Russell Edgington had flown down in front of my car I knew that things were going to get a whole lot worse before they got better. Russell was pulling me into Fangtasia while spouting about anarchy and him taking over the world. I wasn't really listening. I was focusing on what Eric and Bill were doing. Thanks to my recent infusion of vampire blood I was able to hear Eric tell Bill to hit him. Luckily Russell was too busy spouting nonsense to notice. Maybe he really didn't do any of this to hurt me. Maybe he was trying to help me. I just wish I knew what he had planned.

I watched them chain Bill to a chair and Eric, Pam and Russell were surrounding us. Even with mostly vampire blood flowing through me there was no way that I could make an escape. I listened to them inform me that my blood with allow them to walk in the sunlight. That was something that I really found hard to believe. I was just a telepathic barmaid with a touch of fairy. There was no way that it was possible.

When Russell said that the only way that he would do it was if Eric did it first, I noticed that his smile really didn't mean that he was happy about it. That face made me more frightened than anything else that had happened lately.

I bitched Bill out and said that I hated all the vampires, but as I looked up at Eric I knew I was telling a lie. Bill had betrayed me time and again and so had Eric. There was just something different about Eric.

As Eric looked down at me and brushed his finger against my cheek I caught my first glimpse into his head. Oh Sookie, I am so sorry. If there was any other way I would do that in a heartbeat. I would rather give up my life than have Russell kill her. I'm doing this just as much for myself as much as her. If I make it through this I will never bother her again no matter how much I care about her. She will never go back to Compton when she finds out what he's done, but I only want her if she comes to me willingly. I will always care for her no matter what.

I didn't have time to react to hearing those thoughts that made my heart soar. I was left with so many questions. Did Eric really care about me? Would he really let me be after this was over? What had Bill done that would make me never forgive him? Was he really going to give up his life for me? Could I really let him? Before I could say or do anything Russell grab my arm, pulled it to him and bit hard into my arm. I couldn't stop the scream that escaped my lips. I knew it was pointless to fight, but I wanted to get away from him.

I was about to start fighting back when Eric sank his fangs into my neck. For some reason there was no pain then. If hadn't been for Russell drinking from my arm it would have been almost pleasant. He was stroking my hair and trying to comfort me. I wanted to turn and look into his eyes, but I couldn't.

When they finished drinking I was light-headed and fighting to stay conscious. They laid me down on the table and I watched as Eric headed for the door. I wanted to scream and tell him not to do it, but oblivion took me over before I could utter a syllable.

When I came to the world was slightly fuzzy all around me. I looked over at Bill and he was fighting to get up and begging Pam to untie him. She had her back to us and was watching the video surveillance of the parking lot. I squinted my eyes to make them focus. I saw two fingers kneeling outside with smoke rising up around them. I knew that one of them was Eric and he was burning the bright sunlight. "Eric." It was barely more than a whisper, but the both turned to look at me.

I forced my legs to move to get off the table. I had to go out there and save Eric. He was willing to save me by risking his life, so I had to save him. I managed to get my feet on the floor, but they weren't willing to hold up my weight. I would have crumpled onto the floor, but Pam came over and grabbed me. "Sookie, what are you doing?"

I looked up into her eyes and saw the bloody tears streaming down her face. She and I had never been friends, but seeing the sadness there I knew that I was doing the right thing. "I have to go help Eric. I can't let him die because of me."

I watched a new stream of bloody tears flow down her face. "You want to save Eric, even after what he's done to you?"

"He was doing it to save me." I was fighting to stay conscious. "Do you have any blankets or anything I can use to cover Eric with?"

"We have some Fangtasia blankets. I'll go get them." She took off at vampire speed and was back in seconds. The speed of her movements made me dizzy and I felt the world fading away again. Pam caught me again and before I could refuse I heard a crunching sound and I felt something cold and metallic pressed to my mouth. Pam was giving me her blood! I tried to push it away, but she wouldn't let me. "Sookie, you need blood. You are going to pass out if you don't. You are going to save my master, this is the least I can do."

I couldn't argue with her logic. I latched on to her wrist and with each mouthful I could feel my head clearing and my strength returning. After about half a dozen mouthfuls Pam pulled her wrist away. I knew I had to hurry. I looked out into the parking lot and I could tell that Russell wasn't burning as fast as Eric and we couldn't let him live.

I grabbed the closest chair and with my new infusion of vamp blood I easily snapped off one of the legs into a makeshift stake. I picked up the blankets and made my way outside.

As I opened the door I was overwhelmed with the pain that Eric was suffering. If felt like my face, neck and hands were on fire. I pushed those feelings down and ran over to him. I could see that Russell was writhing in pain, so I quietly covered Eric from the scorching sun. I held my hand up to make sure he stayed quiet. He tried to smile up at me through the pain, but it didn't work too well. I couldn't help but smile back at him.

I tiptoed over to Russell and knelt beside me. With a speed that I didn't know I possessed, I slammed the make shift stake into his chest. His face contorted in even more pain as he turned into a big pile of bloody goop.

I felt relief wash over me, but it was short lived as I heard Eric moaning under his blanket. I went over and knelt beside him. I lifted his blanket so that I could look at his face, but still hide him from the sun. "Do you think that you can walk?"

"Yes." I watched as he tried to stand and he winced in pain. I slid my arm around him and was able to get him to his feet. "Why did you do it? Why did you come to save me after what I did to you?"

I wanted to tell him that I had heard his thoughts, but I knew that if I did I would pretty much be forfeiting my life. Vampires are extremely private and even a glimpse inside their minds would be a danger to them. I wanted to believe that Eric would be different, that his thoughts were true and he did care about me enough to not want to kill me, but I still had this nagging doubt in the pit of my stomach. "You were willing to risk your life to save me. It was the least that I could do."

It looked like he wanted to say more, but he was in too much pain. We hustled inside and when the door closed behind us Pam was in front of us in an instant. "Oh Master, I am so glad that you are all right. You are all right, aren't you?"

"After a few bloods and my daytime rest I should be good as new."

I looked up at Eric with his arm around my shoulder. He was looking between Bill and Pam and I got another glimpse inside of his mind. Human blood would help me heal faster, but I won't feed in front of or on Sookie. She has been through enough in the past few days. Maybe there is something I can do to make it up to her.

I didn't know what to think of the thoughts going through Eric's mind. These were not the thoughts of the Eric Northman that I know. There was something almost human about his thoughts. That was what caused me to help him sit down and put my wrist to his mouth. "Drink."

He looked up at me like I had just lost my mind. "No Sookie. You've been practically drained twice in the past few days. You need time to heel. I will not take anymore of your blood."

"Eric, you won't heal as fast without human blood. Please let me do this for you."

I looked in his eyes and I saw the suspicion there. I could feel my panic building, but I kept my face neutral. The disappeared as quickly as it appeared, but I knew that the suspicion was still there below the surface. "Pam, can you bring me half a dozen O positive True Bloods?"

"Of course Master."

We watched Pam go to work heating up the True Bloods. I tried to offer him my wrist again and this was when Bill decided to speak up. "Sookie, do you have a death wish? And why am I still tied up?"

I didn't want to leave Eric's side for some strange reason, but I forced myself to go and untie Bill. I knew that I should have asked him if he was okay, but I just couldn't make myself say it. Instead I went over and helped Pam to carry over the True Bloods to Eric. He looked up at me like I'd grown a second head. "Sookie, you should be resting not waiting on me."

Bill decided to chime in again. "Don't pretend like you care Eric. The only person you care about is yourself."

I knew that Eric was more than capable of and prepared to take Bill down a few notches, but I couldn't stop myself from doing it for him. "Bill, whatever you think of Eric, just keep it to yourself. He has been nothing but honest with me since we met. He almost died trying to save my life. Everything he has done as been to protect me."

Bill walked towards me trying to put his arms around me. I didn't want him to touch me, so I put my hand on his chest to halt him and I was let inside his mind. I've risked my life just as much as him. My original reasons for coming here were not what she thinks, but that was before. I hope Eric keeps his mouth shut about the Queen's orders sending me to procure Sookie for her retinue. If she ever were to ever find out the truth, she would never trust me again.

I pulled my hand away from him as if touching him was burning me. I couldn't stand being here any longer. I turned and ran out of Fangtasia as fast as I could. I got in my car and thankfully Eric had left the keys inside from the night before. I closed the door and drove as fast as I could back to Bon Temps.