AN: I think I may do a Sookie's point of view soon but I am not quite sure. Do you guys like the Eric side of things or do you want to mix things up? Let me know. Enjoy!

I woke up to an empty pot of coffee and an empty apartment. God only knows where Leif goes this early in the morning but I had to get to work. We had a couple of early appointments today and Sookie was going to come by. At least I hoped she would. Yesterday went better than expected; I hoped she felt the same.

When I walked through the doors of my shop I found Alcide and Jessica already there. I needed to give them a raise or something. They made owning two businesses so much easier on me.

"G'mornin'Sheriff!" Jessica yipped. She really needed to lay off the caffeine.

"Good morning Jessica," Her happy-go-lucky attitude was rubbing off on me.

"You seem to be in a good mood today," she commented, "who's the lucky girl?"

"What makes think that my mood has to do with a woman?" Jessica was too wise for her own good.

"Please," she raised her eyebrows, "I know that look. You love her."

"I just fucking met her!"

"Ha! Gottcha! And it doesn't matter, you still love her." I rolled my eyes.

"I'll be in my office," I called over my shoulder. Jessica pouted and Alcide laughed.

I did most of the paper work I had been putting off to get my mind off of Sookie. I felt like a drug addict needing a fix of whatever stimulant Sookie had to offer. Fuck, Jessica was right. I am in love with her. But I shouldn't be, it's too soon. What happened to the promise I made myself when my father died? I rubbed my hands across my face. Stop thinking about her, I scolded myself.

The morning went by slowly but I got a lot of my business paperwork out of the way. I got around to looking for a replacement artist. Sam Merlotte looked promising so I shot him an email. I also found Tara Thornton she had a checkered past but I thought she was worth a shot.

I was in the middle of sending her an email when the bell on the front door dinged. My heart rate sped and I was nervous all of a sudden.

"Hi, I'm Alcide can I help you with something?" I heard Alcide's booming voice through the wall of my office.

"I'm Sookie. I'm looking for Eric, is he here?" I practically ran out the door to see Sookie. She looked beautiful. She was wearing a pair of destroyed jeans and a black Ramones tee shirt.

"Hi," she breathed smiling brightly at me.

"Hi," I said lamely.

"So this is the place?" She smiled at me warmly. "I like it," she said as she looked around. Alcide averted his gaze pretending not to watch out interaction. Jessica was not so shy. She watched our calm but clearly intimate exchange. Giving me a, not-so-discreet, thumbs up behind Sookie's back.

"I'm glad you approve," I was speaking to both of them. I chuckled and kissed Sookie softly on the cheek. She blushed and looked at her feet. It seemed that every time I was the least bit forward she backed off and every time I was nervous, she was anything but. "How about I show you around?" I suggested.

"Sure," she nodded.

I brought her back into my office and she plopped down cutely on the gothic red velvet armchair I had placed in front of my desk. She looked around curiously, taking in the similarly gothic décor that was also present in Fangtasia.

"So how much would a tattoo from the owner cost me?" She smiled playfully.

"Nothing you aren't willing to give," I replied cockily. Before she could even blush I had her in my arms and pressed against the office door. I wanted to kiss her but I didn't just yet. I wanted to tease her a little first.

She panted heavily as the ghost of my lips moved down her neck. She moved her head to the side, welcoming my advances. Out of pure instinct my teeth grabbed her ear. I seemed to be doing something right because her breath hitched. I primal growl escaped my throat. "Where do you want it, lover?" I whispered in her ear. She shivered delightfully and I resisted the urge to kiss her.

She tried to speak, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water but no sound came out. "Lover?" I teased. She didn't respond. I chuckled, over the moon that I could make her speechless. I decided to take matters into my own hands, not that I minded… at all.

"How about here?" I asked kissing the side of her neck. She shook her head slowly. I smiled wider. "Here?" I asked taking her left hand and bringing it to my mouth. She shook her head. My smile was officially a smirk.

I slowly kissed my way down her body kissing every part of her skin. She shook her head every time. That is until I reached her right thigh. She grabbed my wrist stopping my movements across her tight jeans and placed my hand on the inside of her upper thigh.

"Here," she breathed. And that's when I took her face into both of my hands and kissed her with all I had.

I lifted her up and her legs wrapped around my waist. I carried her to my private tattoo station behind the black curtain in my office.

I placed her down on the black leather chair and broke our kiss. I had to break eye contact to prep but I could feel her gaze on my back when I turned around.

I unbuttoned and pulled off her jeans slowly. I could feel myself hardening but I tried my best to will it away. No matter how much I wanted her I could never take her here. She was better than that. She watched me as I cleaned the skin where the tattoo would be. It had to be the most intensely erotic experience of my life.

Her legs were strong and muscular but still feminine and soft. Her skin was tanned and almost simmering under the florescent lights. She was nothing sort of a goddess. I held in a moan as I took in the small scrap of lace between me and what I wanted. Later I told myself.

"Now, lover what do you want?" I don't know where this term of endearment came from but it seemed perfect for her and her alone. Sookie was and always would be my lover.

"Surprise me," she whispered.

I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy having control. Whether it was over my businesses or otherwise. But when she said this, she gave me more control than I could ever take. I explored the possibilities in my mind. She trusted me, I knew this much. She trusted me not to mar her body. I would not betray that trust. Though I, according to Pam, am "nothing if not opportunistic".

I debated on a simple "Property of Eric" in an elegant script (not unlike my own writing) but thought better of it. I did not want her to feel like branded cattle. I needed something simple but bold. Something that was slightly dangerous but not overly assuming, I needed something that would portray my feelings for her.

I had it.

It was a risk, but one I was willing to take. The tattoo didn't take long. I was a quick worker and Sookie did not show any signs of discomfort. She watched me intently as I worked and I found myself losing my focus every so often. She was captivating and erotic. And everything I could have asked for in a mate.

She didn't once glance at the tattoo, she just stared at me. I gave an involuntary shiver of my own. When I was done I wiped the mixture of blood and ink from the piece and sat up. Our eyes connected and before I could even catch my breath her mouth was pressed hotly against mine. My arms pulled her closer to me of their own accord so that she was seated on my lap.

"Thank you," she breathed into my ear and I shivered again.

"You haven't even seen it yet, how will I know you like it?" She rolled her eyes but smiled at my mock pouty face and stood in front of the full length mirror.

"It looks beautiful but what does it mean?" She asked.

"It is a Latin saying that reminds me of you, and my father used to say it reminded him of me. So I thought it was appropriate. But roughly translated it means under a sheep's skin often hides a wolfish mind. I was worried for a moment that she would be offended but she smiled widely.

"I don't know if I should be offended or flattered." She said as she wiggled back into her jeans. I was slightly disappointed but nothing could ruin the mood I was in. Once she was dressed she came and sat back down on my lap.

"Flattered, definitely," I kiss her and I can feel her smiling. I take her out into my office and sit down on the leather couch with Sookie still on my lap. She giggles as my finger tips tickle her sides. She is about to say something when there's a knock on the door.

"Enter," I say wrapping my arms tighter around Sookie when she tries to wiggle off of my lap.

Jessica enters and for once she does not look happy. "Bonnie and Clyde just decided to grace us with their presence and they insist on seeing you immediately," she rolled her eyes. I checked my watch and realized how late they actually were. I needed to fire them. Today.

Jessica turned to Sookie and gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry to crash your date with the big man but these guys need to be fired, they are driving us crazy!"

"That's alright," she smiles sweetly, "I knew what I was getting into when I got involved with him." Sookie laughed and patted my cheek. "It's tough being the boss." She joked.

Sookie kissed me quickly and wriggled free from my grasp. "Come on, Eric. Duty calls." She held out her hand for me to take. I did so without hesitation. "Anyway, I think I'd like to see you in action," the innuendo was thick in her voice.

"I'm Sookie by the way," my lover said to Jessica, holding out her hand. Jessica shook it with a friendly smile.

"Jessica."

We went into the shop to find Bill and Lorena together. Lorena was perched on the front desk while Compton stood with his arms crossed. I guess he was supposed to look intimidating. Needless to say it didn't work.

"Nice of you to show up today," I say coolly. Shooting ice daggers at both of them.

"Northman we have come to inform you that we are going to be taking over your business," Bill sneered. The laughter that bubbled in me could not be stopped. I barked out a roaring laugh and wiped a stray tear from my eye.

"This is no laughing matter Northman. You are to clean out your belongings by tomorrow."

I couldn't believe it. He was being serious. "And what makes you think that Billy boy?"

"Sophie is buying Valhalla out from under you." Sophie? Sophie-Anne? I laughed harder. Sophie-Anne Leclerq was a pretentious snob that I had the misfortune of bedding more than once in a row. She called it dating. I called it fucking.

After I ended it with her she swore vengeance on me. I guess this was it. Pathetic. "Well you can tell Sophie that she can try," I am the picture of calm both inside and out. I know this is an empty threat. Sophie was always stupid with her money and threw her "power" around like a flag, using it to get what she wanted.

"Who's the tramp?" Lorena spat. She still sat idly on the desk looking at her paint chipped finger nails. I wanted to punch her. Eric you cannot hit a girl. I told myself.

"You will not address my lover in such a disrespectful matter!" I hissed through my teeth taking a step closer to her. Eric you cannot hit a girl. "You and your boy toy are fired. Get out of my establishment before I escort you out."

They left in a huff slamming the door on the way out and I let out an exasperated breath, glad that that was finally over with. I rubbed my hands on my face and felt a pair of small hands massage my shoulders. "Let's go," she said softly.

Jessica and Alcide said not to worry about locking up. I thanked them and pulled Sookie quickly out the back door and into my corvette.

"Eric, where are we going?" She giggled as I practically broke the sound barrier on my way out of the parking lot.

"My place, of course."

AN: Sookie's tattoo says "Pelle sub agnina latitat mens saepe lupina." I hope you guys liked it! Review please!