Author's Note 1: First I want to say sorry for it taking me a little longer to get this chapter out. Things have been a little crazy (health wise and my sons first couple of weeks of school.) I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Ryanrene97, Guest (wish I knew your name) fallunder and Missblackvelvot for all of your amazing reviews! Each and everyone made my day when I received them.

With that said, in reply to Nyssa The Anime Queen, I want to say thank you for your flaming review. I have to admit you did put a hitch in my step for about two seconds until you misspelled in your review telling me how I constantly misspelled your, and you're. With that said, I'm sorry you didn't like my story but there are thousands of other stories on this site for you to read that I'm sure are better than mine, and it would be greatly appreciated if you never review my story again.

Now that the messy stuff is out of the way I want to stress for any future flamers that this story is completely written by me without a beta. So any misspellings or improper grammar I take full responsibility for and though I try to catch all of them, some do slip through the cracks, but I like to believe that a few misspelled words or grammar mistakes don't in any way take away from the story I'm trying to tell.

At the end of this chapter there will be another Author's Note with a competition of sorts that I would love for all of my readers to participate in. Now onto Chapter Fifteen. As Always, Read/Enjoy/Review!

XO~Amber

Chapter 15: Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don't

"And I'm damned if I do, and I'm damned if I don't, So here's to drinks in the dark and a shot at my throat, and I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope, it's a shot in the dark and straight at my throat."-Florence and the Machine-Shake It Out.

XXX

It's unsettling to know a vampire sleeps just down the stairs in my basement. Even more so that I've transitioned so smoothly to sharing space with him that True Blood now sits in my fridge for him, not that he has or plans on drinking it, in fact he laughed hysterically when he saw it taking up residence on the top shelf. I've grown accustomed to the undeniable and frustrating realization that at sundown he comes up the stairs looking as if he's just stepped off the cover a magazine instead of from a death like state of sleep.

I don't even want to know what all he moved down there as I made myself scarce for 'moving day,' and refused every invitation to have a look for myself. Instead I have found great pleasure in treating him as an unwelcome but necessary guest in my home kind of like a distant relative you don't really like but have to tolerate.

It's easy really, to compartmentalize him in that way. It's safe to think of him as an aggravation then to think of him in the way I've been finding myself drifting towards to almost seamlessly as of late, especially when he insists on hovering around me. It's easy to get lost in him and the enormity of his persona. Watching the way his clothes seem to hug him just right, and controlling myself from saying 'to hell with being sensible jump the thousand year old vampire,' when he finds any excuse to lean over me brush against me as he sits next to me on the couch is getting harder and harder every damn night.

I sigh as I roll over in bed trying to get myself into a comfortable position and immediately shriek when I see Eric laying behind me, eyes amused and glittering.

"Did I scare you?" Eric's voice drifts through the air and I sit up slapping him on the chest and before I can pull away he snags my wrist, easily circling his fingers around me, "I need to feed."

"There is perfectly good True Blood downstairs, all you have to do is warm it up," I say trying to pull myself from his grip but he doesn't let go, instead he strokes at the sensitive skin over my veins and I know he can feel the way my pulse quickens because of the motion.

"I'm in the mood for something a little more…organic," he murmurs and I jump despite myself when his fangs become unsheathed, and a part of me wonders if I will ever get used to seeing and hearing him do that.

"Then go to Fangtasia. I'm sure you'll find a plethora of willing meals on heel's there," I say giving once final tug to my arm freeing it from his grasp.

"I won't leave you here alone," he says looking put out and if I didn't know any better I'd swear that Eric Northman was pouting, though I'm almost certain 'pouting' is something a man of his station would never, ever do.

"Then I guess you're out of options, Eric. I don't need, or want a babysitter. I take care of myself just fine during daylight hours, I'm sure I can handle a night alone, besides you need to feed, I'm not cleaning up after another bleeding session," I tell him seriously, and he just stares at me, as if he's studying me, trying to decide how best to approach pressing the issue.

"The last time I let you out of my sight you ended up being served up as an all you can eat buffet for a baby vamp, so you're coming with me to Fangtasia, or you'll let me feed from you, your choice." I contemplate it for a few minutes looking at him, then at my wrist that has been firmly wrapped in my favorite leather bracelet since the one and only time he's ever laid his fangs on me, and decide to go with the lesser of two evils.

"Fine, I'll go to Fangtasia."

"Excellent," he says and before I can say anything else he's up and rooting around in my closet, and to my horror he pulls out the lacy black dress I had worn the night Payton came into town and lays it on the bed for me.

"I'm not wearing that."

"Yes you are."

"No. I'm not."

"You have to blend. I don't need you wearing anything that would have my kind slinking from the dark corners for a quick bite…"

"You know, living with you is becoming more and more of an inconvenience," I grumble and he laughs a quick dark sound before leaving me to get ready on my own. I let out a sigh before letting myself fall back on the bed.

At least I'll be getting out of the house.

XXX

I sit in a dark corner of Fangtasia nursing the one lonely glass of Merlot that I'm allowed to drink wondering why in the hell I thought, for even a second, that trying to lay guidelines down for my agreeing to attend Fangtasia with Eric would in any way benefit me. After all, it is his bar, so it's his rules. I drew the line firmly though when he told me I would stay all but glued to his side while he sits on his throne scanning the room for his dinner.

Under no circumstances will I now, or ever, agree to that.

I may be his, but damn it, it doesn't mean I have to like it, and I certainly will not be his 'wing man,' (not that he needs one) in finding the most willing and undeniably skankiest girl in the club to sink his fangs into.

It's in the midst of my inner thoughts that I see him approaching. A tall, masculine figure, broad shoulders tapered waist, all wrapped up in in a tidy bow of tight jeans and a black polo. He smiles at me as he pulls the chair out across from me, taking a seat without bothering to ask if I was waiting for someone to join me.

"You look a little out of place here sugar," his voice is a slow southern drawl that I find oddly appealing and yet unsettling as I a chill rushes up my spine. I sit up a little bit straighter, trying desperately to emit 'shoo-fly don't bother me,' vibes. It doesn't work. Instead he just smiles, a slow gorgeous smile as his eyes lock onto mine, "You are by far, the most….delicious smelling woman in here…" I feel it then, the niggling at the back of my head, like curious fingers trying to break in and play puppet master to my brain.

"Tha...thank you," I murmur, "I think." I shake my head resisting the fog that seems to be slowly ebbing in.

"Why don't we…" his voice is gone and in its place nothing but white noise, and a lifetime (or a dozen for that matter) flash before my eyes, all seemingly blending together. Screaming women and the futile choking fight against the inevitable fill my head as I watch one after another picture flit by, all the same and yet different, it's like watching a flip book on death and dying by vampires.

"She's. Mine," Fangtasia comes back into focus, all the dark colors and crowds of people and maybe most importantly Eric, all territorial and cocky.

"Sorry Sherriff, no disrespect intended," the nameless man says and he quickly retreats while I'm still trying to shake the buzzing noise out of my head.

"You are becoming a bigger annoyance than I ever imagined. Come with me," Eric says his words almost brutal and I don't bother trying to fight it when he grips my arm firmly in his hand and leads me to the throne. He snaps a finger and out of nowhere a chair appears and he sits me in it before taking his seat. In his throne, because apparently, that's just what vampires do. At least the ancient Viking kinds do.

It becomes monotonous after a time. Watching the people, living and non-living, filter in and out. Sweating bodies pressed tight against cold ones, and before I know it I find myself drifting off. Eyes fluttering closed as the loud music serves as a good buffer between me and the unsavory sounds of the eaters and those being eaten. I kick my heels off, curling my legs up, head pillowed on my arms and fall into my dreams.

XXX

I blink my eyes open and all I see is black leather. Really nice black leather and I sit up slowly my body aching just slightly from the position I was asleep in, and I notice a few things. One, I'm no longer in the club part of Fangtasia, two I'm in what I can only hope is Eric's office, and three I am no longer in my black lace dress but instead a Fangtasia shirt three sizes too big hangs on me, sliding off one shoulder.

Fucking Eric.

It seems to me that he has managed to get me out of my clothes more times than I care to think about and all without my knowledge. I swing my legs off the couch and search the wall for a clock and groan when I see that it's barely three a.m. I take a minute to study my surroundings. I have to give it to him, for a vampire he is incredibly neat. So much so in fact that I'm afraid to touch anything for fear of putting it out of its place and not being able to get it just right, and in turn I would have the full force of Eric's fury raining down on my head and that is just not something I want. Or need.

Ignoring the desire to snoop on Eric and his bitch of a progeny Pam, I cross to the door and find that there is no noise on the other side, and I hazard a peak finding the club completely empty. I let out a deep breath and slip through the door closing it gently behind me. Time to find the giant blonde pain in my ass and go home. I did my part. I came to Fangtasia, he surely found a meal or two by now, and now he can return me home where I can shower off the residual fang banger desperation and fall blissfully back to sleep in my own bed.

"Eric," I call out tentatively, circling the wide open dance floor and when my own voice echoes back at me I cringe. Do I always sound so, apprehensive? "Eric, I want to go home…" Again there's nothing but me, myself, and I answering back.

Fantastic.

I cross my arms nervously over my chest and continue the search. I walk down the long hallway, checking every door, even the restrooms, though I know he surely wouldn't be in one of them, he has no need, but I am nothing if not thorough. Most of the doors I come across are locked, and with frustration building to a boiling point I stand in front of the last door and I try the handle, pleasantly surprised that this one at least is unlocked.

"Thank God," I murmur pulling it open only to find myself met by stairs and darkness. I pause for a minute, debating with myself. A girl, alone as far as she knows, in an empty vampire club finds herself facing a darkened stair case. There's a warning in this. After all, it's in almost every good horror movie. I steal myself, trying desperately to convince the little voice in my head that is shrieking like a banshee to 'turn the fuck around and get the hell out,' that I'm being ridiculous, after all, I'm Eric's, so surely nothing bad can happen to me in his own club right?

The stairs are cold, so cold in fact that I feel my skin prickling as the first few cautious steps are taken, and to guide myself I clamp an unsteady hand on the iron railing. Somehow I feel like a child sneaking into her parent's bedroom in the middle of the night. The steps seem endless and I'm half tempted to turn back and stick it out in the seemingly deserted Fangtasia until night fall, when I see the faint glow of dingy lighting. A surge of reassurance fills me until I hear it.

The undeniable sound of carnal activity. I freeze, one foot hovering over the last step as I take in Eric, in all his naked glory, giving it to a dazed and beautiful red head. Out of nowhere flaring inside of me is a sick kind of jealousy mixed with wonderment. How is it possible for one man (vampire or not) to be so damn alluring? He's like sex on legs, and the real fucked up part is he knows it. Uses it to manipulate any hot and I'm sure cold blooded female around him.

It raises then, the bile as I realize where I am. The dungeon. As in chains and implements and tools of torture dungeon. First indicator? The chains the nameless red headed floozy grips so hard her knuckles are white. I gulp, a distressing and loud sound and Eric stops, slowly turning his head so that I can just make out his profile in the dim light, and before he can do anything I high tail it away from one of the most disturbing thing I've seen to date and as I flee I realize something.

I'm hurt.

Not physically, though he might as well have slapped me around a little bit, since that's how it feels. My chest aches like a two ton truck has made it a designated parking space and I groan trying to convince myself not to fall apart.

Not here, not like this, not in front of or because of him.

I shouldn't care, that's the only thought that comes to mind when I slip back into the office in search of my clothes and purse.

"I don't care," I say out loud, but it does absolutely nothing to quiet the voice in my head from telling me that I so do care, and it's my own damn fault for getting caught up with Eric and all his damn supernatural drama. Of course I'm not convinced. Of course I care. I have no choice but to care, but I'll be damned if I let Eric know that I care. I finally find my purse and shoes but still my dress is nowhere to be seen, and I decide I'll just have to go without it.

I step into the night air, dragging in a deep breath before crossing the desolate parking lot and sliding into my car, shutting the door. It's so quiet. So still, and in the few moments before I finally manage to turn the key I allow a few tears before continuing to repeat I don't care to myself on the whole drive home.

XXX

The steam from the shower billows around me, and I scrub my body raw. Not entirely sure why, but I do it anyways, methodically scrubbing away with my hot pink shower poof as the scent of honeysuckle and jasmine swirls around me. I ignore the tears that mix with water, I ignore the burning in my chest, I ignore the idea that I am going to step out of the shower and find Eric waiting to berate me for leaving without him.

So it surprises me when at least the water runs cold and I snap it off and peak around the shower curtain that I find no angry Eric, just steam curling in the air.

"Thank God," I murmur as I wrap a towel around myself before wiping a hand over the mirror. I look terrible. Residual eyeliner streaks my cheeks and my eyes are red and swollen, telltale signs of my shower long sob fest. I groan a sound that comes out as a garbled mess thanks to my stuffed up nose, "Great, just great."

I let out a shaky breath before snapping the light off and heading into my bedroom. My cell phone beeps from the nightstand and I consider ignoring it, almost certain it's Eric, but I can't do that, because it very well could be Payton, or Sookie. I lift my phone and squeeze them shut once when they burn from the brightness of the screen.

'Madi where the hell are you, I've been trying to get a hold of you all night. Call me.'

'I'm really starting to freak out here Madilyn, did Eric finally kill you? Don't think you're fooling me with the bracelet, I know he's been feeding on you. Call me!"

'That's it, if you don't call me, text me, or send up a smoke signal soon I'm coming over there…"

I can't help but smile over the frantic texts from Payton as I hold the phone up to my ear listening to it ring.

"What the hell Madilyn! It's nearly dawn and I'm just now hearing from you! Do you have any idea how worried I was about you?" Payton's voice is loud and shrill as I hold the phone away from my ear as she carries on her tirade.

"I'm sorry. Eric dragged me to Fangtasia, I just got in a while ago, and I was in the shower…" I say cutting myself off because I hear my voice beginning to hitch.

"What was there no cell service there?" she demands and I shake my head rolling my eyes as I pull on my most comfortable pair of pajama pants rolling them a few times before setting my phone on the bed, Payton still continuing her almost maternal in nature lecture about taking my phone and actually checking it at all times, as I slide my arms into a black tank top.

"Are you done yet? Maybe you can tell me why you needed to talk to me, aside from the lecture," I say lightly as I cradle my phone between my ear and shoulder pulling a brush through my hair.

"I'm going home Madi," Payton's words are sudden as is the flash of pain and panic that courses through me and I go numb, the hairbrush tumbling out of my fingers, bouncing off the dresser.

"What? Why? Is Jared okay? P, did something happen?" I ask sinking to the corner of my bed.

"No, Jared's fine Madi, I've been gone for a month and a half, I miss him, he misses me. Skype dates just aren't cutting it anymore if you know what I mean…but I'm going to come back soon, actually we both will when we can manage," she says and I nod my head trying to find my voice, but I can't because it's blocked by the lump in my throat constricting me, "Madi?"

"I…I'm going to miss you P," I say at last and I hear her very poorly covered sniffle on the other end of the line.

XXX

I hover in front of the door to the basement. I don't know why I'm here, of all places, standing in front of Eric's (temporary) bedroom door. Do I knock? Do vampires require such normal human niceties? I groan turning the handle stepping through the door and find that the basement has been completely transformed. The little box windows that had served as lighting into the rather large space are covered with locked tight steel shutters, a very large bed sitting in the center of the bed, along with other furniture. A large polished to a shine dresser and armoire, a few smooth bookshelves, a night stand with an opened book lying on top. It looks like a completely different basement. Not the once terrifying, cobweb filled room that I wouldn't dare step foot into it, and if it weren't for the fact that Eric is using this space, I would dare to say that it felt warm, welcoming even.

There is no sign of Eric, and suddenly the weight of being completely alone is so overwhelming I can do nothing more than curl up in the center of his bed and close my eyes to wish away the pain.

XXX

Eric's POV

All anger towards Madilyn blatantly ignoring a direct order of not going anywhere without me simply disappears when I see her curled in the center of my bed sound asleep. She looks, different. I know I hurt her, and I meant to. As callous as it sounds and may be, she needs to understand that I am, at the end of the day, in control.

I am a cold hearted, masochistic bastard.

I am Vampire.

I have no heart to speak of, and I can see her starting to confuse my protectiveness and propriety over her as actually having any real and meaningful feelings towards her. I can't let her think this way about me since I had let myself feel that way about one other person and she about me and it very nearly cost us both our lives, and with Madi that just isn't a risk I am willing to take. Yet I would be lying if I said that I gained any form of pleasure or happiness from the look on her face when she caught me in the act with Olivia. Or was her name Mary Sue? I shake my head as I move closer to the bed studying Madi's sleeping form.

I should move her. Cradle her in my arms and carry her to her own bed, and as I lift her to do just that she curls against me, her cheek hot against my skin and her hand comes up, covering the spot in my chest where my heart lies un-beating.

"Don't make me go Eric, don't send me away," the sound of Madi calling out to me, speaking my name and begging me to let her stay is so broken that I lay with her pulling her closer to me and resolve that tomorrow night I'll make it up to her.

Damned if I know why.

Author's Note 2: Yay look at that you finished Chapter Fifteen...okay. So this might be a totally stupid idea (although I really like it) I'm calling it the Name That Pet Contest!

Challenge: I want to know what in your opinions would be the perfect song that Eric would use to "woo" or "court" Madilyn. It can be from any time period, any genre, any music that you think would perfectly speak the words Eric would want to use on Madilyn.

Rules: All submissions can be made through review or by pming me. It will be open until Midnight of the 22nd of this month (September) I will choose my top 5, and then put it in a poll on my profile where it will be open for voting by all of you until the 24th, at which time a winner will be found!

Prize: The winner with the most votes will get to pick Madilyn's mystery pets name and also be written into the chapter.

I will announce in the next chapter or update my profile to let you all know what I decide the animal will be, I hope that anyone following this story will choose to participate. If I don't get enough participation I will just close the contest and find a name another way. So with that said, there is a lovely review box down there waiting for all of your lovely words and thoughts.

I will LOVE you FOREVER if you use it!

No Really, I WILL (:

XO~Amber