Hi everyone!

Sorry, I've been gone for bloody ages. TBH, I probably won't publish anything again for ages after this. University takes its toll.

I do hope people enjoy this though - I have decided to delve into something new (ie NOT anime/manga and NOT sex... Shocking, right?)

So yeah, enjoy, and please don't shoot me! *hides*

Disclaimer - I don't own Sookie, Erik, or any part of the Southern Vampire mysteries. Just re-using concepts.

"Why good evening Miss Stackhouse."

As ever, his intense gaze covered my entire body, making me want to squirm before I remembered that he would have to be a gentleman with me, so Lord help him. Just because we were in his office, where he presided over his little kingdom, did not mean he was king over me.

"Erik," I responded, knowing full well that my voice sounded a lot colder than my insides felt.

Just how did he do this to me?

Ever since the first time I saw him at Fangtasia with Bill beside me, I knew there was something about him. I felt him start staring and the atmosphere obtained such a tangible feel, it was all but thick enough to cut with a knife. Sure, Pam didn't exactly make a secret of the fact that I was one of the more "unusual" visitors to their bar, but really, what is it with vampires and, well, little old me?

It's not like my blood is so sweet it's a drug or anything, and human men certainly never seemed to think I was hot enough to deserve quite that amount of attention. Of course, I have what many call "a nice rack" and few men can truly resist blond hair, blue eyes and a sexy tan, but… Whatever it was with these vampires, I wanted in on it. And fast.

"Without Mr Compton I see. Is this an offering? Perhaps you and Compton had a fight?"

I watched his eyes and nose take in all of his surroundings, checking that his observation was true and I was, indeed, alone. Sure enough, he convinced himself and brought out the trademark grin of satisfaction, superiority, arrogance and general drop-dead (please-god-fuck-me) gorgeousness.

Although I was having a battle with my inner self to force my body to control itself, I could already feel myself getting rather aroused over the thought of him. And if I could feel it, well, then he could most certainly…

I didn't even get to finish my thought before I noticed his grin widen. Yup, he could definitely smell me and I most definitely didn't like it, no sir! How am I even allowing myself to feel attracted to this, well, hunky piece of Viking god…?

No. Stop! I forced my thoughts to a grinding halt. As my good southern upbringing and independent pride flared up inside me, I already heard my mouth moving on its own.

"Oh shut up you, I'm a lady and you know it! I'll hear none of this. My situation with Bill is none of your businessand with that arrogant attitude I won't even let you touch me with a ten foot barge pole!"

"So you admit to not being so unhappy about me touching you after all if I just change my… attitude, hm? Miss Stackhouse?"

God, I think my breath just got stuck in my throat and my heart jumped up to join. Not only had he used his vampire speed to come so close to me our noses were almost touching, but the way he had just said that…

It sounded soft, husky; very Erik-like, that's for sure, but there was none of his typical arrogance. Instead, there was only sweetness, caring. As I stared into his eyes, paralysed with surprise, it almost felt as if my very soul was screaming at me to just lose myself in those deep blue orbs… Almost like the North Sea, calm before a storm…

Wait a minute where did that just come from?

"What… uh… NO!" I all but shouted, pushing him off me and inhaling deeply to calm myself.

Please, God, let that be anger and not a blush I can feel creeping all over my body.

"Sookie, you look just delectable with that blush spreading over your bosom," he all but growled, a slight but rapidly growing bulge in his trousers doing nothing to hide his intentions.

When he realised that I was not going to respond and instead counting on my silent stare to do the talking, he sighed and retracted his – hold your horses, buster, when had his fangs dropped? Never mind…

"Miss Stackhouse, it is only a matter of time before you will yield to me. I can assure you that you would find no shortcomings with me," he stated, toothy grin back in place and using his more professional Sheriff-voice.

"You… Argh!" I groaned, knowing full well we were never going to get anywhere at this rate.

Steeling myself to ignore any future attempts at distraction by the infuriating vampire opposite me, I took a deep breath to speak.

"I am here on business. Strictly business. I already had a chat with Pam. She said you would be delighted by my proposal, though I must admit I don't like the way she said it." I huffed, trying very hard to forget how fuzzy Pam's statement had actually made me.

"Is that so?" he asked, leaning back in his chair, resting his elbows on the armrests and putting his hands together in front of his face with a very professional, thoughtful air. "I am listening."

"Well, after what happened here last time I know that there is no way for me to hide my, well, telepathy, and Bill explained enough about Vampire hierarchies and politics for me to understand that one way or another I'll end up having to help you with some human dealings so I figured..." I had to gulp and breathe after that outburst.

Was I really so nervous that I started babbling and forgetting to breathe?

"Well, I figured, before you can just summon me here under whatever pretences and force me to work for you, I'd offer you a deal."

There, I'd said it.

I always knew he wouldn't like the thought of a woman, human no less, trying to bargain with him, but the silence that followed was most certainly unsettling. I was praying he couldn't smell my nerves building up.

"Interesting Miss Stackhouse – you certainly don't fail to intrigue me," he stated calmly, a slight grin spreading over his face again. "So what exactly is this deal you had in mind, then?"

This was going better than I thought.

"I was going to offer you my services – not that kind, buster, don't even think about it!" Again the grin had turned fangy, so I decided to keep talking before he got carried away with his fantasies. "The telepathic kind, Mr Northman! You put those fangs away right now!"

He didn't, but at least he deigned to lick his lips one final time before returning to looking at me like a person, not dinner. A girl takes what she gets, right?

"Considering that this is a deal, Miss Stackhouse, I imagine you have… demands of your own as well?" he stated simply, the slight lisp most vampires acquire with their fangs almost unnoticeable after all those centuries.

"I do," I said tartly before thinking myself as big as possible to not seem like a pushover. "I expect at least 48 hours' notice before jobs. For certain emergencies I may accept less. I fully expect to be paid as I would for any job and I expect money I lose from my job at Merlotte's to be replaced should I be unable to rearrange a shift. If you expect to take me more than 2 hours away from Shreveport I expect a week's notice. And most importantly, I expect protection, in full, from any vampire who wishes to do anything but talk to me at any stage! I will not let anyone bite me or do other more uncouth (a recent word of the day) things to me without my explicit consent… and before you even try it, glamouring doesn't work on me either, buster, so snuff it!"

That had certainly hit a nerve. With the grin gone entirely and having been replaced by a rather thorough scowl instead, I felt like I was at the wrong end of an interrogation. All attempts at feeling big were squished under a great big Viking's boot-clad feet.

"You resist my glamour. You read minds. You are either fearless, or very stupid indeed. To top everything off, you smell delectable to the point that any vampire's feeble claims that you are "theirs" would be forgotten within instants by any vampire younger than a few decades. What exactly are you?" he growled, suddenly right in front of me again, pushing me up against the wall that I could have sworn I was a few metres away from.

Before I even had a chance to scream in fear, he buried his nose in my neck, using the hand that wasn't pinning my wrists to the wall above me to bring a bunch of my hair up to his face to inhale deeply. His fangs scraped across my neck lightly, making me hitch a breath although he didn't let them break my fragile skin. He was holding me in place with his entire body and I felt rather more than I thought I could handle of what I knew had to be his gracious plenty, grinding hard into my groin through our clothes.

Oh God, why did this have to feel so good? I couldn't even imagine myself feeling this way with Bill, Lord knows I was trying!

Think of Bill, think of Bill…

I was repeating those few words in my head like a mantra, but to no avail. Even with my eyes firmly shut, all I could see was Erik overpowering me, above me, in me…

Just as I thought I couldn't take any more of his urgent nips and kisses, he pulled away suddenly and his eyes widened in… shock? Surely the same vampire who had just been making me squirm like that couldn't now be looking at me with such an expression?

Trying desperately to stop myself from grinding into him to urge him on, I breathed deeply and exhaled a slow, laboured breath.

"Uh… Erik… What…?" I tried before being hushed by a finger on my lips.

And yes, the mischievous grin was back as well.

He motioned to his ear with his hand, indicating that he could speak no more in case others with rather better hearing than mine may overhear.

Damn Supes.

"Not now, Sookie," he chuckled before leaning back into me, bringing his lips to my ear and whispering conspirationally. "I can't believe that idiot Compton hasn't worked it out yet…"

"My house?" I asked before I could stop myself.

Insert cocky trademark smirk here.

Was I really that stupid? Of course, my body was indicating quite clearly that I wanted him just as much as he seemed to want me, but still I felt bad somehow. I know Bill and I weren't really together anymore, but our relationship wasn't all that long ago. Besides, there was still a chance we may find our ways back together again, right? Could I morally defend giving myself to Erik?

"Why, Miss Stackhouse, what an offer! I find myself unable to refuse," he smirked, whisking me up so fast I couldn't even so much as squeak with surprise before being dropped off in front of his Corvette.

"Wha… But, wait! What about my car?" I stammered before being helped into his car.

I don't think I could have been more stumped as to how gentleman-like his action seemed at that moment amidst the chaos of my thoughts.

It took me a moment to process and remember that he was a vampire when I whipped around to find him suddenly sitting in his seat and starting the engine. We had already started driving at breakneck speed by the time that he turned his head to me and frowned.

"Once I have had you, my dear Sookie, I will arrange for you to get a new car anyway. I will arrange for Pam to dispose of that tin can," he said with such an air of arrogance that I found myself blowing up in his face, sexy or not.

"Excuse me, Mr High-and-mighty, but that "tin can" is my car and I will keep it, thank you very much! Not only can you brush those thought s of "having me" right off your mind, but I refuse to be a kept woman for anyone, is that clear?" I all but shouted, crossing my arms in front of my chest and raising my chin in defiance.

Clearly, my words didn't have the desired effect – instead of backing down, or even arguing back, he started laughing.

"Oh, Sookie," he mumbled when the fit of laughter had almost subsided. "You are still so young, and with such body talk you really do not help your cause."

I huffed and turned away, arms still crossed.

How dare he?

"Well then, Miss Stackhouse, how about you look at it this way instead. I have been vampire for over 1000 years; I understand little of human women's emotions, wants and needs. I do, however, understand very clearly," he interrupted himself to leer at me, "that you want me very much more than you admit, perhaps even to yourself. So my saying that I will have you is a statement of fact – the question is not so much if, but rather when the act will occur. As for the new car; think of it as a gift. I understand that is custom if a man attempts to court a lady?"

Did he just say court?

Flustered, I felt a blush spreading up across my chest once more.

"That's different!" I tried, thinking desperately of a statement I could use to back up this claim. "You're proposing to buy me a car, that's far too expensive! I couldn't accept a brand-new car from anyone, not just you!"

"Later, lover; we're already here. Perhaps you can convince me of how inappropriate this gift would be in… other ways?" he leered, leaning so close to me I couldn't help but deeply inhale his scent and feel myself reaching a whole new level of aroused.

I hated what his voice did to me.

But God, did I love it.

And didn't he know it, too!

"Sookie," he groaned, snatching me up and bringing us to the top of my porch in a flash.

My resolve crumbled as he crushed my lips in a mind blowing kiss, grinding up against me as I dangled between him and the wall. I wrapped my legs tightly around his hips, my hands snaking around his neck to pull him into me. I couldn't help but muse about how soft his hair was as I reached to grab a fistful with one hand, those long, silky strands of blond so much like my own.

"If you don't want me to take you right here on the porch I suggest you invite me in," Erik chuckled, pushing a stray strand of hair behind my ear with an expression so gentle, the contrast to the unbound passion we had displayed until a moment ago strikingly obvious.

"Erik… Oh…" I moaned before regaining my wits slowly.

Just how did his touches do this to me?

Face flushed from kissing, I managed to push just a bit of distance between us with my hands on his shoulders. I was about to say the magic words when I remembered something.

"Wait a minute, you promised you would tell me what I am!" I said indignantly.

With a huff, he forced himself to pull away and set me down, retracting his fangs slowly in the process.

"I would quite happily have left that until later. Besides, I never promised," he stated smugly before laughing at my rather unhappy expression. "No worries, lover, I shall tell you. But perhaps we should sit."

With that he lead me to the two deck chairs I still had on the porch. I perched on mine, too excited to sit comfortably, and looked at him expectantly.

"Sookie, you are certain that you know all of your relatives? None of them mysteriously disappeared before you were born?" he asked, curiosity in his voice.

Just what was he getting at?

"I know of them all – most are dead, as you well realise by now," I said, taking a moment to digest the pang I still got at the memory of Gran's death. "But no, nothing strange from what I've gathered over the years. I'm the only one with… any extra."

"Then, my dear Sookie, I think I have to give you some news that may come as a – potentially – unhappy surprise for you. Perhaps not all of your relatives were as honest as you thought. There is something very supernatural about you, and such traits have to be hereditary. Even if they skip generations, they never skip more than one, maybe two, at a time. It would have had to be one of your grandparents I reckon," he began, speaking very matter-of-factly.

"Hold on!" I urged him, bringing my hands up to rub my temples. "You're saying that one of my grandmothers must have… done it with a Supe? But what kind? Is there a group of telepaths out there that I don't know about?"

I didn't know what I was more shocked at, knowing that one of my Grans had been unfaithful or that one of my ancestors was a Supe of some kind.

"No, lover," he shook his head before continuing. "Telepathy is an exquisitely rare trait that can pop up seemingly at random across all Supe communities. However, you are clearly not a Were or shifter of any kind – neither your blood, nor your demeanour have any of their traits. Vampires obviously have no offspring… Not of this kind anyway. Witches require spells to use telepathic traits, should they exist. Besides, none of those would explain the rather… delectable qualities of your blood."

Again he was smirking at me, and I felt myself squirming under his gaze. Was even just the smell of my blood truly that intoxicating?

"Sookie, I must say I am surprised Compton didn't work it out himself, especially considering he has actually tasted you," he started again, a hint of jealousy touching his features. "But perhaps his ignorance can be forgiven, considering the rarity of your kind and his young age. Besides, it is very faint in your blood. 1/8th, perhaps 1/4th – certainly no more. As I said – from a grandparent is most likely. But enough beating around the bush! I think what you are, my dear, is a fairy."

I just couldn't help myself – I burst out laughing. Apparently, it turns out that it doesn't even matter how grave someone's tone of voice is when they tell you that you are part fairy.

"A fairy? You're kidding, right? Like those tiny little winged creatures?" I giggled, suddenly feeling very drunk.

Apparently, kissing a handsome Viking does that to you, too.

"Make no mistake, Sookie," he continued, clearly not amused by my outburst. "The Fae are a very unpredictable species. They are very old and very dangerous. They are powerful. It would not surprise me if they chose to approach you sometime soon, or at the very least if you started discovering further supernatural powers of your own. It could even be that they are already watching over you, from a distance. They have become rather proficient at hiding themselves, particularly from vampires, over the years."

"Erik?" I questioned, my giggles subsiding slowly.

"Yes, lover?"

All this had been too much for me, for one night. It was time for my brain to shut up and off, I had decided. Standing up, I ensured that his gaze was following me as I made my way to the door and stepped into my house.

"Please come in, Erik," I called, finding myself standing opposite him before I had even managed to close my mouth.

He was towering over me, fangs dropped, staring at me intently. I noticed his nostrils flare as he took a deep breath filled with my scent. For once I found myself not even trying to resist as he closed the small distance between us in a single stride and gathered me to him raining wild, lustful kisses all over me.

"Ah… yes…" I moaned as his fanged scraped my neck for the second time tonight.

I found myself wanting this so I leant my head to the side to give him better access. He hesitated over my throbbing vein, tracing it lightly with the tip of his tongue and a few more kisses.

"That's it?" he mumbled into my neck, voice husky with desire. "No more arguments? You have finally come to terms with the inevitable?

It was my turn to smirk at his arrogance.

"We'll draw up a contract and finish discussing my heritage tomorrow, Sherriff Northman," I purred in his ear.

Faster than I could think "Viking Sex God" he had whisked me up and stormed to my bedroom.

And the rest, as they say, is history.