"You dropped this."

Hearing the unexpected voice from behind, Sookie screamed and simultaneously whirled around.

Eric was standing only a few feet away, holding the robe she had just thrown aside. His piercing gaze was fixated on her, but instead of the detached glare he typically favoured, his blue eyes now bore into her with a heated intensity, growing darker as they languidly trailed down her form and back up again.

Suddenly remembering she was completely naked, she grabbed a towel from nearby and wrapped it around her. Her attempt at modesty only seemed to amuse him which pissed her off even more. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I've missed you too, Sookie Stackhouse."

He was still watching her like she was a throbbing vein he couldn't wait to sink his fangs into, and she gripped the edges of her towel tighter. Even though she felt the heat rise in her cheeks, she refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her blush. "How did you get in here?" she demanded, trying her best to focus on the anger instead of the slow burn of his gaze on her. "I rescinded your invitation, Eric. You're not welcome here!"

"Funny thing about invitations. You don't need one when you own the property."

Crap. It hadn't even occurred to her that this house, which had belonged to her family for decades, was no longer hers. Just another item on a long list of things that had changed while she was gone. "How?"

"Let's just say your brother wasn't very responsible when it came to making payments. I was more than happy to help."

"Out of the goodness of your heart?" she bit out.

"I can be very generous." He smiled, a deliberately effortless smile that reminded her of how charming he could be when he put his mind to it. "When I want to be."

"You mean when there's something in it for you."

"Yes."

At least he didn't bother to deny his true nature, which was more than what she could say for Bill. Not that she would ever admit that out loud.

"I'm not going to offer myself up to you, Eric. So if that's why you're here you can just leave now."

"I'm touched by your hospitality."

"Shut up."

He took a step towards her; instinctively, she backed away. She had forgotten how intimidating he could be, and not just because he was a powerful vampire. Eric had a way of looking at her - into her – that made it impossible for her to think and act coherently, which was dangerous when it came to dealing with him. "I want you to leave."

"In due time," he replied calmly. "You've been gone for months, Sookie. We need to catch up."

"Yeah well, I'm not interested in sharing."

"Good, because for now I just want you to listen. You're in danger."

She waited for him to explain; as always, he did things in his own time. Instead giving her the explanation she asked for he closed the distance between them – leaving her trapped against the wall and in close proximity to him. Swallowing an audible breath, she held his gaze, refusing to cower in front of him. Except it wasn't fear that coursed through her veins. No, it was something else entirely.

Eric was meant to be cold. Dead. A thousand year old corpse. But at this moment with him staring down at her with such penetrating intensity, he felt nothing like a vampire and entirely too human. Heat emanated from every inch of his skin, and the desire reflected in the deep blue of his eyes played havoc with her senses.

"Once word gets out about what you are, you're going to be hunted by every supernatural thing dead and alive," he said with absolute conviction, his gaze unwavering. "I can protect you."

"I don't want anything from you."

"Don't be foolish. You need me."

"Let me guess: you'll protect me as long as I'm yours. And you get to drink from me whenever you want."

Eric cocked his eyebrow, and a smirk flirted across his face. "Reading my mind now, Sookie?"

"No need to. Your intentions are pretty obvious. And we both know you don't grant favours for free."

"How very astute of you."

"Give it up, Eric. I'm never going to let you touch me."

He leaned forward suddenly. Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart pounded in her chest when his fingers gently tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

"A partnership between us would be mutually beneficial. I can promise you the most pleasurable experience of your life."

Her knees were almost ready to give way, but with sheer force of strength she levelled him with a hostile stare. "I'm not going to be your puppet, Eric. Not now, not ever."

"Only Bill Compton gets to enjoy pulling your strings?"

She slapped him across the face, hard and fast, but it didn't seem to faze him in the least. If anything, the wicked glint in his eyes grew wider as he rubbed the spot she had struck.

"Get out, Eric!"

The smile on his face transformed into a sneer, and she was once again reminded of how drastic the different facets of his personality were. One minute he was incredibly sweet, gentle and protective, and the next he was chaining her in his basement, holding her hostage and using her life as leverage. With Eric she never knew what to expect, and it was simultaneously exhilarating and frightening.

"You know where to find me when you change your mind," he said with such arrogance she had to stifle the urge to hit him again.

"I won't be."

"You won't have a choice when vampires start coming after your friends and family."

And before his words even had a chance to sink in, Eric was gone, leaving her alone to ponder the consequences of her choices.