Disclaimer: Most characters belong to Charlaine Harris.

So here is the final chapter (with postscript included). Thank you for reading. xx

Chapter 56: This is How I Keep You.

Dating Do: Throw out the rules and do what you need to do for love.

I arranged the chairs so that the three of us could sit around Eric's desk then told them both to shut up and listen while I explained my plan. Luckily the process of clothing Eric had also notched the hostility down peg or two, both the fairy and the vampire had less aggressive postures, though they were still very alert to each other's movements.

I wanted to slip out and put my dress back on but I didn't dare leave them alone so I stayed in the button-less shirt of Eric's. I was working out how best to start when Niall spoke first.

"I cannot allow you to complete the bonding. Killing Northman is really more bother than it's worth." His voice was calm and rational but determined. Eric growled and I heard his fangs re-emerge.

"Again with the killing! Don't y'all know any other way of dealing with your issues?" I snapped frustrated. Eric smirked and placed an arm over my shoulder. I shot him a look to shut him up. Niall looked back and forth between us speculatively.

"It is not that we want to fight. I cannot deny the affection between you and you seem equally matched in many ways. The idealism and optimism of youth is enchanting but unrealistic; fairies and vampires are a bad mix."

Eric removed his hand, I knew from what I picked up from him before he did, it was because he didn't want me feeling his emotions. When I glanced at him that haunted look was back in his eyes. Now he also shifted away from me a little. I didn't need to be able to feel him to know his own qualms about our relationship were reasserting themselves. Niall looked approving and triumphant at Eric's movement.

"It is better all-round if you just come to Fae and make your life with us. Preston likes you a great deal you know." My Great Grandfather's face was kindly. He was trying to decide my life for me and there was no way I was putting up with that but I suspected he meant well so I decided a more diplomatic approach might be best.

"I'm sure Preston is very nice but I don't even know him, and I love Eric. Even if I didn't, I love my home here and my life here. I'm sorry but I'm not going to give all that up because of speciesism." I spoke as gently and matter-of-factly as he had done. My response stunned him. He wasn't someone that heard no very often.

"And since I've no intention of leaving my home, walking away from Eric isn't going to leave me vampire free. The first vampire I met was sent to procure me for the Queen of Louisiana. And the King of Texas wanted to buy me, though he wasn't King then. And the Queen's side-kick –"

"Andre," Eric mumbled distractedly, most of his attention still turned inwards.

"Yeah, him, he wanted me too. Eric has protected me from all that and because of that we need each other."

"Need each other how?" It was Niall that spoke the words but I could feel the question from Eric's sudden gaze too.

"Protecting me from those that would claim me has caused problems for him, his Queen is not happy, but together we can keep each other safe." I could feel the heat of Eric's gaze, he was keeping his face composed but I knew he was thrown. I don't think he had realised how much I understood about his position and the problems protecting me had caused for him. Niall just looked sceptical.

"If Eric's position in the vampire hierarchy becomes untenable he will not be able to protect you at all, quite the opposite in fact."

"I am aware that by putting his position at risk I have put both Eric and myself at risk too, but I think we can persuade the Queen that Eric is not only a loyal subject but a valuable one who deserves her full support and protection."

Under Claudine's tutelage I had worked hard at learning all the rules and laws that governed the Fae and anyone who came in contact with them. As with all supes one of the key factors was a 'blood debt'; the spilling or taking of fae blood was something that must be repaid in kind, it was the duty of all fae to ensure this happened.

So I went on to point out the blood debt owed for turning Hadley. They were sceptical at first, a part-fae with no spark like Hadley wouldn't usually be claimed against, but, I pointed out, as I am also part-fae, my claiming for her was reasonable.

"If you claim a blood debt for Hadley, the same may be said about you and Eric, he has taken your blood and contaminated yours with his." Eric growled at the 'contamination' comment I rested my hand on his, pushing my affection at him and rushed on not wanting to get side-tracked by insults.

"Not really, firstly Eric hasn't turned me and more importantly, he didn't know my heritage when he gave me his blood." I could feel him wanting to pull away from the contact because he wanted to hide his feelings from me, but also that he liked the contact and the affection that came with it. He was really struggling with the emotional maelstrom he was feeling but you wouldn't know it from the outside.

"The Queen probably didn't know either," he said calmly with a shrug. "And even if she knew, how would we prove it?" It was typical of Eric to assume that if he hadn't known no one else had either.

Sophie-Anne's knowledge was a key factor. If she knew, we could claim a blood debt which would be a life for a life, given that Hadley had been turned, but, especially as I was using the 'ignorance' defence for Eric, it would be tricky to prove she knew. Or it might have been.

"But she is not the only one liable. Anyone that knew of Hadley's blood, and knew of the Queen's intention to turn her, would have the responsibility of reporting it. If they didn't, they would owe the blood debt." Supe laws were very unforgiving to anyone seen as complicit in a 'blood crime'.

Both Niall and Eric were watching me intently as I laid it out. Niall was still waiting for the smoking gun, Eric had narrowed his eyes; he didn't like where this was going.

"Eric, why was your friend Nanna in town?" I asked innocently. Something flinched inside him but his face only showed caution.

"He wanted Andre to visit his King's palace." I gave him an understanding look, I knew he was uncomfortable and I didn't blame him. Even though I knew Eric wanted me not to continue, I had to, I just hoped that when I'd explained everything he'd understand and forgive me. It wasn't like he'd never done this sort of thing to me. I looked to Niall.

"It is known that Andre has a skill and Nanna's King wants to borrow it." Having also noted Eric's discomfort Niall was extremely interested in discovering the reason for it.

"What skill?" Niall asked. Eric tried to butt in and I gave him a sharp look.

"He has a nose for fairy blood," I explained. Niall's eyes narrowed and I was reminded again how dangerous he was. He could already see why Andre would be a danger to the fae but he didn't overlook the specifics either.

"Why does this King want …?" I held up my hand to interrupt.

"I'll get to that," I assured him. "But there can be no doubt that Andre knew that Hadley was part-fae and that he would have known, before the event, that the Queen planned to turn her. Given his position in Sophie-Anne's court, it is safe to assume he is well aware of the rules and the ramifications for not obeying them."

Personally I was certain the Queen knew too but we couldn't prove that. However it didn't matter as she would never let Andre pay the blood debt with his life.

"As Hadley's closest remaining relative, and a sparked fae, Hadley's blood-debt is mine to collect – or forbear. On top of that, as I am a sparked fae it is the duty of all other fae to support my claim. I think the Queen may be convinced to see Eric as a very loyal subject, under the circumstances."

Niall was smiling proudly.

"Claudine has been teaching you well."

"She has, but I don't think she can get all the credit for teaching me this stuff. Eric has mentioned more than once that any affection a vampire may feel for someone is considered a perfectly acceptable manipulation tool." Niall glanced at Eric, registering the vampire's qualms about 'us' with a little more understanding. "The Queen would happily use his affection for me against us. I therefore see no reason why we shouldn't use her affection for Andre the same way." I smiled at Eric but the frown he'd already been wearing deepened. Those familiar creases appeared on his forehead turning my smile affectionate as I resisted the urge to wipe them away.

"I don't like it," he said. I could feel he really didn't like it, he was worried but also sad.

"What? You don't think it will work?" I asked, suspecting this was not the problem.

"It will work, it will work well, but it will make you a player in the game." He didn't want to make me more of a target but this was not the only thing that bothered him. It went against my upbringing and the person I tried to be to use someone's affection this way and Eric knew that I would have to do other things that went against my nature if we were to survive once we started down this route.

"I don't like it much either Eric," I smiled gently at him, "but I'm already in. I have been in ever since Hadley told the Queen about my dis…" Smack "Hey!" Usually it was Pam that did that. Eric was unrepentant. Niall looked politely curious.

"She keeps referring to herself as disabled," Eric explained.

"Disabled?" Niall looked puzzled but also offended.

"Disabled, defective that sort of thing." Eric waved a hand.

"Why?"

"You try being a telepath," I jumped in not liking being talked over. "You can't keep friends or go to school, even your family struggle to be near you. Touching people is horrible and no one …" You'd think this knowledge would have stopped creating a lump in my throat by now.

"This is the problem with humans, they are so intolerant," Niall said disgustedly. Eric had placed his hand over mine to offer comfort. I turned my hand over to hold his as I snorted at Niall.

"Yeah 'cause you supes are all so tolerant." Niall looked shocked but went silent.

"You're one of us too, remember," teased Eric in my ear.

"You know," Niall was changing the subject. "None of this will be necessary if you move to Fae, you'd be safe, and no one there will call you disabled."

"Niall, I know you mean well, but as a part-fae I'll be just as much an outsider in Fae as here and besides, I love Eric, I want to be with him." I looked at Eric and his eyes softened for a moment. Then I turned back to Niall, my business face firmly in place.

"Furthermore I am needed here. Protecting Eric from the Queen is only part of what we need to do." Both Eric and Niall picked up on my mood change and straightened their spines.

I knew there was anger in my eyes as I explained how Nanna's King had been offered a shipment of blood which, it was claimed, was from part-fae, like me and how his supplier had promised plenty more if it was satisfactory. It was why he wanted Andre's nose. Eric had known about this, of course, but it only just registered with him how the news must have affected me. I felt the flare of anger as he reprocessed information, which had barely interested him previously, in light of subsequent revelations.

"I know those without the spark are of little interest to the fae in general but if someone is creating a market for fae blood sooner or later a sparked part-fae or a full fae will be caught up in it. Even just creating the demand is dangerous." Vampire draining had created specialists in getting the most blood possible from a single person but part-faes were not that common. My plan was that Eric and I could work together on stamping out the traders and convincing vampires it was a bad idea no matter how tempting. I could see Niall wasn't on board but I went on explaining my plan in full.

"Now I am being recognised as your blood in Fae, I need a position, a role in the royal family, and many will not like a part-fae, only one eighth, in power of any kind." Niall looked angry and I knew he'd stamp his authority as hard and lethally as he needed to in order to get his blood recognised, luckily I had an alternative suggestion. "But what if my role is to represent the part-fae?" That surprised my Great-Grandfather. I wasn't keen on the whole 'royalty' thing but I needed the protection and authority of accepting my place on the Fae Council so I would represent part-fae interests both in Fae and here.

"No one can complain at the idea of me representing a group I am part of, and with this part-fae blood deal there is a reason for it, and a reason for me to stay here and work in our interest. I will relinquish all other authority, have no voice in pure-fae matters in return for the council accepting my connection to Eric, something that is already in their favour as there will be no way for us to stop the blood trade without vampire support." I was perhaps a little smug as I carried on "Eric should be acceptable, bringing with him as he will his Queen's full support, since she will return his loyalty with hers, and, after all, her own child is part-fae."

Having laid out my plans I was trying to look confident but quickly became aware I was holding my breath. Eric squeezed my hand in reassurance as we waited for Niall's response. He was glowing with pride, literally, he was getting so bright I was thinking about getting my sun glasses.

"I think you have a knack for this, you are clearly of my line." He was on-board and very proud but I could also feel Eric was not so happy. We'd have to sort his qualms out in private though. Niall was also focused back on Eric. "But I still need guarantees from Rógaire ó Thuaidh. I can see he cares for you but I do not underestimate him."

"Of course," I agreed easily. I could feel Eric was disgruntled and I let him feel my amusement as I continued. "Eric's a tricky customer, we all know that, but if he gives his word he keeps it. We just need to get him to give it." I smiled at Eric who was looking a little nervous now that he was the focus of my plan. "I've been speaking with Mr C and he's helped me draw up a contract between the two of you."

Niall's face darkened and Eric hid the discomfort I could feel in him by asking me:

"Did you just call the demon lawyer 'Mr C'?" I ignored his question and pushed on with the matter at hand.

"I know you don't trust each other, and you both have good reason for that, but I think I can help you."

I had one more trick up my sleeve, one more thing I hadn't told anyone yet. I still had Eric's hand in mine and I reached over with my other hand to Niall. As far as I knew, my ability to do this was unique and due to the strange mix of telepath and part-fae. I didn't warn them, I just opened the connections. I tried to be more gentle than I had with Nahuel but still I felt them both flinch, then we all felt their shock, their suspicion and their marvel.

"How is this possible?" Niall asked staring at Eric in wonder. I wasn't sure if he meant the fact that he could feel Eric or what it was he felt Eric feeling. I lowered the shields I had put in place for myself and shared my love with them both. As each responded they looked at each other again, each feeling the genuine love the other had for me. I closed the connection.

"In order to sign the deal, you need to know that you are both on the up and up as far as this contract goes." I indicated the link I had formed. "I can do that at any time needed and we'll do it before anything is signed, once all the terms are agreed," I explained.

They both still looked unhappy so I opened the connection again and flooded it with my love; my love for Eric and my love for my family. Niall might still be a stranger to me mostly but I felt like I knew him through Claudine and my blood knew his blood, he was family and family was precious. I closed it again.

"A vampire and a fae have never shared before, not and been allowed to survive, and never have they been allowed to get as far as a full bonding." Niall still wasn't ready to accept Eric.

"The council cannot complain if you can confirm, beyond doubt, that Eric can be trusted with his connection to me. I propose that part of the contract you sign will cover Eric relinquishing any fae rights he would have through our connection except the protection of being my partner." Eric frowned at having to give up such a powerful position but there was no fight against the suggestion, he'd known he would never be allowed those powers whatever agreement we came to.

I added another reason. "With the changes in the world since the vamps came out and what will happen if the weres do too, both sides may need a few more allies in the years to come.

"I know you are both capable of hurting me, of using my affections to give you power over each other. But I also know you won't," I said with certainty. And I was certain, even though they weren't. Eric shook his head slightly in disbelief at my faith but I'd been right when I'd trusted him before.

I only knew Niall through Claudine but she knew him well and was clearly his favourite. He was ruthless and vicious but he'd had to be. He'd fought battle after battle, against vampires and against his own kind. He'd been betrayed by those closest to him more than once. But he still tried to be an honourable man. He respected bravery and loyalty, characteristics I knew I'd displayed to my own detriment more than once. I might have lost these aspects of myself – after Bill, but Oscar had helped me to find them again.

There was still a small part of me that was sad for Oscar, that would miss him. I really wanted him to be happy and to have the life he dreamed of. Eric was looking at me and I had the feeling he suspected where my thoughts had gone. I shook off my retrospection and got to work.

Despite some posturing on both sides I managed to get them to agree to the basic terms Mr C and I had come up with by the time the demon lawyer arrived. I'd even trusted them enough to nip out and dress myself and returned to find everyone intact. Once the contract was drawn up we only had to 'share' our way through each clause to make sure no one was being underhand. Eric did try calling the lawyer Mr C once and got a nasty burn for his teasing. The vibes that came off the lawyer at the time were scary enough for me to understand why Eric had found it so incredible that I referred to the lawyer the way I did.

Mr C was very interested in what I could do and indicated he would happily provide additional protection in return for my services when it came to some of his more contentious clients. I said I'd think about it. I wasn't keen but the extra protection could be useful – I'd have to find out more about what I was agreeing to first.

"Are you sure about this Northman?" Niall said as he handed Eric the contract to sign, his own blood still wet and glistening on the parchment. "You may have bitten more than you can swallow," he added proudly. They both looked at me as I reflected how supes always managed to tweak human sayings to suit them, or maybe we'd tweaked their sayings?

"Believe me, I had my doubts but I've been informed in no uncertain terms that I do not have a choice in the matter," Eric replied with equal pride. I gave him a look and he smiled at me with eyes full of fire.

As I was saying goodbye to Niall and Mr C, Eric came up behind me, nodding politely to them too. As he did he placed his hand in the small of my back and the wave of lust that washed through me almost made me blush. Something sure had gotten Eric's motor running.

The moment the door closed behind the demon and the fairy I found myself pinned against it by a very horny Viking who gave me a pretty thorough pillaging with his mouth and hands. After a few minutes in heaven Eric calmed down enough for me to free my lips and question him with my eyes.

"That was incredibly sexy," he said then moved in to carry on with the kissing. I held him off.

"What was sexy?"

"You. Handling Niall, handling Mr Cataliades –"

"Handling you." I finished for him, a smile pulling at my lips as I realised what had gotten him so worked up.

"You can always handle me," he grinned, his eyes bright as he placed my hands. I laughed and he kissed me again. This time he took it more slowly, pouring his passion into me like cream into coffee. I wasn't breathless when he finished, I was at peace, comforted and calm. I opened my eyes slowly.

"All of this, this was for you, you know," I said to him. He looked at me, I knew there were still aspects of my plan we needed to discuss, such as how we'd approach the Queen and my signing away his fae rights with almost no discussion with him. I was expecting a telling-off, such as I might have given him had our roles been reversed but instead he changed the subject.

"You were wistful earlier."

"It was nothing." I turned my face from him. Caring for Oscar made no difference to my love for Eric but I didn't think he'd see it that way. As he was still touching me I felt the wave of possessiveness run through him but he controlled it. His voice was gentle when he spoke.

"You were thinking about your policeman." There was something up Eric's sleeve, I just knew it, but I had no idea what.

"He's not my policeman, he never was, not really," I reassured him, meeting his eye.

"He's not a policeman, or he won't be for much longer." Eric was giving nothing away with his tone, the deliberate lack of inflection scared me.

"What? What happened? Is Oscar OK?" I felt a stab of panic, in all my plotting it had never occurred to me that Oscar would be in any danger. Eric gave me a chiding look and I bit my lip contritely but I saw the twinkle in his eye that indicated I'd given him the reaction he was after.

"I heard he's received a new job offer," he said overly casually. My eyes lit up and a grin sprang onto my face.

"A ranger?" Eric nodded and I threw my arms around his neck, squeezing him tight. Eric nuzzled his nose into my throat. I pulled back and looked at him. "You did that?" I was trying not to be suspicious but …

"I may have nudged things along a little." I continued to bore into him with my eyes until he told me the rest. "He saved your life so I owe him," he admitted then added pseudo-casually. "Unfortunately, Ranger Hope's posting is not nearby." No wonder he looked pleased with himself, Eric had cleared an unwanted debt and removed an unwanted ex in one smooth step.

"'Unfortunately' my round royal derrière." Eric flashed me some fang and grabbed two hands full.

He was clearly ready to get back to the agenda that Niall had interrupted earlier but his office no longer seemed like a good place to celebrate our new relationship.

"Not here Eric, please," I said, the room was littered with scattered desk items, broken glass and various smudges that were either blood or magic or both. Not to mention I was very aware by this point that we were only feet from a packed bar.

Eric frowned, then nodded, and the next thing I knew we were flying through the night sky. Once I recovered from the shock I pulled my head out of his chest to look at his face, he was watching me, his eyes full of happiness.

"Don't you need to look where you're going?" I asked. He was flying backwards to protect me from the wind. From the roar I'd guess we were moving pretty fast. He smiled and shook his head at me.

"What about planes? We might crash into one," I suggested, hiding my smile.

"Planes usually fly above 9000 meters, and although I can go that high, you cannot. Even for me it is dangerous, I cannot die from cold but I can freeze which, aside from being painful, would mean I'd no longer be able to fly."

"You can go as high as planes? Seriously?" I hadn't been serious when I'd suggested we might crash with one. "What's the highest you've been?"

"I really have no idea, I've pushed my limits of course but never with equipment to measure it by. And usually I fly lower because it is warmer. We may not need heat but we prefer it. That is why we like humans so much, you're like walking hot-water bottles." He tightened his arms around me and rubbed his cheek over my head. I squirmed and laughed.

"Yeah, we're just regular mini-Walmarts, all your needs catered for in one place; food, warmth, next you'll be wearing us as coats."

"It doesn't work very well. Human skin leather is neither durable nor warm, really not worth the bother of the tanning process," Eric said quite seriously

"Ew, please tell me you haven't …"

"Not me personally but it's been done, still is done I believe by human companies that take the skin from donors after they die." Eric looked at my face and laughed. "Perhaps I should get you a human skin wallet for your next birthday."

"Don't you dare."

"Well you need not worry about crashing, up here I'd hear anything coming before ARRGGGHH!" He'd glanced over his shoulder and his eyes and mouth sprung open in surprise. I winced and tucked myself into his torso, gripping him hard. I could feel his chest shaking and looked up. We were still flying along at the same speed and he was laughing.

"Ass!" I said, still not ready to ease my grip on him. "For that, I hope you get bird poop in your hair!" Eric frowned and then looked around, genuinely worried for a moment. I guessed he hadn't thought of that danger. I snuggled myself securely into his embrace and he squeezed gently then seemed to accelerate even more.

As Eric slowed to land at his house I glanced around the landscape trying to place myself. I spotted a familiar point not far away and realised that, as the vampire flies, this point was about halfway between Shreveport and Bon Temps.

"Have you lived here long?" I asked. It was not the same house I'd been to previously though from the yard it looked well settled. Eric smiled knowingly at me.

"It is not my only property in the area but I have been using this one recently. It has several advantages over my other home."

"Such as?" I asked, suspecting I knew the answer.

"I like the location," he said kissing me to silence my teasing questions. It did explain how he managed to get to my house so quickly sometimes, if he was leaving from here rather than Fangtasia.

Once inside and through the security, Eric took my hand and led me through the house reeling off room names as we passed them but without stopping. I was struggling to move at the speed he wanted me too. Very quickly we were in a narrow passageway with no windows and he was entering a code into another security pad.

"Er … Eric?" he looked at me. "In a hurry are we?" He looked shifty for a moment then relaxed a little.

"Yes, sorry."

"It's OK, I guess I can see the house later but I'm not going anywhere, we have plenty of time." I smiled up at him and put my hand to his face. He smiled back and came in to claim my lips with his. We were just getting into it when a loud beeping started.

"Fuck," said Eric typing a very long code into the keypad at vampire speed, eventually silencing it. "I had started to unlock the door but not finished, the security system picks up anything unusual."

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to distract you."

"Indeed, I intend to get you into my bedroom before you cause any more problems." A moment later we were inside and he was closing the door behind us.

"I hope you have some light in here," I commented in the pitch black.

"Oh, yes, hang on." Luckily he also had a dimmer switch so was able to provide enough light for me to see by, without blinding me. As the light came up, I stared in shock at the large canvas hanging on the wall over his bed. I blinked slowly. It was still there. Oh. My. God.

"What is that?" I almost shrieked

"It's my favourite piece." Eric looked at it fondly as his hand traced the contours of my butt. "I like it even more than the one you got for me."

"What one I got for you?" I asked confused, looking away from the disturbing visage to focus on his face.

"The picture you chose and arranged to have delivered to me at work," he explained with a grin. It took a second before I remembered the abstract nude in his office.

"Eric that was from Amber," I insisted. He looked at me and waited. "Well OK, I may have advised her a little," I admitted.

"You realise I glamoured her and made her recount the entire shopping trip you two took? And that I can feel everything you feel," he pointed out.

"You shouldn't have done that to her," I told him off, he ignored me.

"The picture is from you, you picked it because you thought I'd like it and because you wanted to make me happy," he pointed out. I opened my mouth, looked at his face and admitted defeat.

"Well OK, that much is true, but she still bought it for you and I really couldn't let her buy anymore bears, I was worried there would a massacre." A shadow darkened his face but there was still a light in his eye.

"There may well have been."

"Well you can't have that on your wall," I declared, waving at the picture in front of us while failing not to look at it again. "Take it down!"

"No." I argued often with Eric, even won on a few occasions, but I knew when a battle was lost before it began. Still, I couldn't just let it go.

"But it's … indecent," I blushed.

"Therein lies its appeal." I couldn't stop staring at it, even though I wished I'd never seen it. I knew the image would haunt me, even if I could convince Eric to get rid of it, which I doubted. "It is made even better because I know you must have absolutely reeked of fairy when that was taken, much like you do now," he added with a grin, wrapping his arms around me, sticking his nose into the crook of my neck and taking a deep breath. I tried to push him away but he wasn't budging, he just started to lick and nibble at my skin.

The picture was a large canvas print of a photo that must have been taken during the shoot with Claude, though he wasn't in it. Lying on my front on a chaise lounge, I was propped up on my elbows with my hair swept over my far shoulder and my head tipped aside, exposing my neck. The extravagant corseted gown they had dressed me in was unlaced and my assets barely contained. Even worse than that, the open back of the dress exposed not only a lot of tanned skin but also a flash of white butt cleavage. It must have been taken while Claude was having his make-up retouched – in the official photo he is standing over me with the corset laces in his hand, his body between the camera and most of me.

"Eric, where did you even get it?" I managed to wiggle out of his embrace and turned to look at him.

"The photographer is the same one that did the Fangtasia calendar," he shrugged a little too casually. I narrowed my eyes and looked at the canvas again.

"Why would he even take it? It was Claude's photo shoot, I was just a … a …"

"Wanton woman waiting to be ravished?" Eric was definitely running that scenario through his head, his hands and lips starting to wander again. I tried to pull away from him again but he didn't even seem to notice.

"I was a prop, an extra. There shouldn't have been a photo of me without Claude." I insisted pushing ineffectually at him, though he allowed me a little more success that I could manage in reality.

"I asked the photographer to take one," he said without the slightest abash. "He took several actually, but this one is my favourite."

"You did what? How did you even know about it?"

"I know everything about you, you're mine. I think we should dress you in more lace-up clothes. I like the idea of pulling a cord and watching you unwrap."

"Which is exactly why I'm not wearing any." I managed to twist out of his grip – that is, he let me – and I turned to face him, hands on my hips. His lips were moist and a slight glint of fang peeped down though they weren't descended. His eyes were bright and I tilted my head speculatively as I considered him.

I backed away, watching him. The predator in him awoke as he watched me retreat. I fed it more by glancing about as if looking for a way out, even though I knew there wasn't one. I let all my apprehension flow as I backed away a little more and bit my bottom lip. Eric's fangs came out and his stance changed to hunt. A low growl rumbled from his throat. I ran for the doorway suddenly with a squeal and Eric pounced, just as he was on me I let out the burst of lust that had been building and knocked him back a little.

I felt it hit him, saw his senses flare as he recognised what it was and then I was on the bed on my back and he was on top of me.

"I love the chase," he said, his energy was like heat flushing over me.

"Good job really," I pointed out. We'd certainly taken our time getting to this point. With most of him pressed again most of me our emotions flowed between us freely. Though there was the healthy dose of possessiveness and lust that you'd expect, there was real happiness underneath and it made me smile.

"Well I've caught you now," he pointed out, breathing in deeply.

"About damn time!"

Postscript

Eric was purring as he lay with his head, arm and leg across me. I was sprawled on my back with one arm flopped out while I stroked his hair with my other hand trying to get my breath back. That was the satiation I'd been missing. I glanced down at Eric who was resting his head on my breasts, rubbing his cheek against my skin. There was a slightly smug look on his face as if he knew I only felt this way after being with him.

Making love with him, the real him, for the first time had felt like coming home, and I knew it was the same for him. Between the many mumbled 'mine's, he told me how right it felt, how nothing had ever felt so right before. Despite his obvious enthusiasm, he took his time, he was gentle with me and stopped at moments to just look or give a soft kiss, like he had to relish every moment for as long as possible.

Now he seemed as exhausted as me, though for him that wasn't a physical thing. The soft vibrations hummed against me and I felt the smile stretch further on my face.

"Eric."

"Yes?"

"You're purring!"

"Yes."

"Do all vampires purr?" I didn't think I'd ever heard any of them do it before. I mean I'd heard them make a purr sound deliberately in their throats, as a way of expressing enjoyment or pleasure, but this was a constant prolonged audible vibration coming from deep inside his chest. It didn't seem to be a deliberate action but more instinctual or something, like an involuntary reaction to stimulus.

"Almost never," he mumbled still rubbing my breast with his cheek.

"Why?" Eric lifted his head and looked at me, his eyes were slightly hooded in his blissed out state.

"It requires unimpaired contentment, a vampire must always be sagacious and prepared for what might happen – it is not prudent to ever be unguarded," he explained before dropping his head again to nuzzle my breasts more.

"But Eric?"

"What?" his voice was muffled and he didn't lift his head again.

"You're purring," I pointed out. He stopped nuzzling and looked at me in consternation for a moment, pausing the soft vibrations. I stroked his hair off his face, he smiled and they returned. I giggled.

"What are you doing to me, perelesnytsia?" He accused returning to his nuzzling.

"Bless you," I said. Eric laughed. He rolled us over so I was on top and positioned me so my breasts hung over his face. He enjoyed their weight, movement and taste from this angle while he explained, his lips moving against my skin and nipples as he spoke between mouthfuls.

"A perelesnytsia was a spirit of seduction, like Lorelei or Wagner's Rhine maidens. Perelesnytsia were beguiling in their playfulness and innocence but they would cause the death of those who succumbed to their charms. Once ensnared, their victims would be tormented with the promise of the paradise they could bestow but never given fulfilment and hence driven mad, if the lust induced carelessness did not kill them sooner. It was said that if a man could convince a perelesnytsia to lie with him, he could tame her but the bliss provided by her would still leave him careless and therefore likely to die quickly. They were considered so dangerous that scribes would not write of them in case it tempted one to come to him. As such their myth has barely survived but there was a time when, if a woman was too beautiful she might be put to death as a perelesnytsia. They were the creatures most feared by men, more than any other God or demon."

Delicious tingles were running through me from Eric's attentions which perhaps made me more unguarded in speaking my thoughts than I would usually be. "Sounds like something Lafeyette used to say." I gasped as Eric sucked a nipple hard into his mouth.

"Your friend who was killed by orgyists?" He mumbled around his mouthful.

"Yes. He said when it came down to it, all men were terrified of what was between a woman's legs." I blushed slightly to be saying such things, I was glad Eric's face was buried between the girls so he couldn't see me. He sniggered against my flesh then freed his mouth for a moment.

"I don't think that is always true, but I still think you may be a perelesnytsia, the way you have tormented me," he accused before returning to his previous occupation.

"I have not." I pulled up, popping the nipple from his mouth. He frowned at its loss then looked up at me.

"But you have," he said completely seriously. He didn't look upset by it though. I decided to keep it playful.

"So does that mean you think I'm tamed now?" I asked as I slid slowly down, brushing my breasts down to his chest, and used my hand to help position myself over him.

"Hmmm," his eyes lit up. "I am beginning to think that part was not true," he seemed to take my comment as confirmation of my seductress nature. "Perhaps I should try again," he lifted his hips to push himself at my soft folds requesting entrance. I rubbed myself against his sensitive tip but didn't push down. His fangs came out in desire. "Siren," he accused.

"Actually I sing more like a Banshee," I pointed out. He laughed shaking us both. Since he was distracted I took advantage and pushed down hard, filling myself with him and catching him mid chuckle. His eyes closed and his hips pushed up to meet me, burying him as deep as possible. Even now his size made me gasp. I pushed myself up to a sitting position allowing him even further in and adjusted myself to take the reins.

Pushing up slowly on my knees I lifted until only the very tip of him was inside. I paused and he opened his eyes to look at me. I held his gaze as I slid back down, watching his pupils dilate in the dim light that mostly seemed to come from him. As I began my ride, his fingers dug into my hips directing me slightly but leaving the pace in my control. I rose and fell again and again never breaking the eye-contact.

After a while he moved his hand to apply pressure just there, my pace quickly increased. My excitement continued to build, freeing me of my inhibitions. I rode him hard and fast in search of the release that hovered so near. My breasts bounced with me, I grabbed them with my hands both controlling and squeezing them. Eric's thumb attentions intensified in response. Sighs and moans were coming from me. My movements were fast and erratic. I pounded myself onto him as hard as I could. I was so close.

As I slammed down again and again, rubbing myself against him with each landing, my insides were reaching out for that allusive edge. "Look at me Sookie," he said desperately, sounding out of breath. I wasn't sure when I'd stopped, I was so lost in the physical sensations I'd stopped paying attention to anything else. I focused on his eyes, seeing their rich colour and the love that flowed out of them, at that moment he pushed his thumb hard against me and I cried out.

I clenched round him as my body tried to suck an entire Viking up inside and every nerve went concave with the effort.

Then I was shaking with release and falling onto him, his arms catching me and pulling me into his embrace. It took several minutes for me to catch my breath. Consciousness started with the knowledge that Eric was still sliding very slowly and gently in and out of me causing little aftershocks here and there. On the one hand I wanted to join in but on the other I was so pleasantly relaxed and content I could have curled up and gone straight to sleep.

As if knowing about this inclination Eric suddenly rolled us over again and pulled my hands up over my head pinning them with his own. His eyes were looking into mine and there was a smile on his face. I smiled sleepily back trying to match his movements but only half-heartedly as every muscle I had was too blissed out to try. He continued to move slowly back and forth watching me, and slowly my body started to wake up again.

"My turn," he said as I started to respond properly. I smiled knowing that I would probably enjoy 'his turn' just as much as I had 'mine'. Eric still had my hands pinned over my head and now he moved them to the bars of the headboard. I took his hint and grabbed hold of the iron rail keeping my hands above me while leaving his free to wander.

Still moving at that slow steady pace, I could see his mind start to plot his plan of attack, I felt a tingle of anticipation in my stomach. Eric's smile was just starting to expand in response as, without warning, I sneezed. I just managed to get my hand free and turn my head to aim the sneeze away from Eric but could do nothing about the fact that the small explosion also expelled him with some force.

Having been taken completely by surprise, I looked at Eric to apologise and saw a look of shock on his face. I guessed he'd never been kicked out like that before. It was his expression that did it more than anything. I laughed. Eric looked down between us as if trying to understand what had happened making me laugh harder. He tried to fight it but after a moment he stared laughing too.

"I'm … Sss … sss … sss …" I kept trying to apologise but we were both laughing too much.

Eventually we calmed down enough for Eric to try again, though his cautious approach, as if worried it might happen again, kept making me giggle even though I knew he was playing it up. Eventually he found ways to turn my giggles to gasps and soon after that I had my hands gripping that perfect ass of his trying to pull him further into me than he could go. His lips, teeth and fangs were scraping against my shoulder and I pushed my neck at him in response. I felt his face rub against my skin in the negative. He'd already bitten me once tonight and he was being careful not to take too much.

"Bite me," he muttered desperately against my skin in a tight voice as his pace began to quicken. I didn't wait for another invite but pushed my face into his neck and bit. Almost as soon as his blood hit my tongue, or maybe even before that, I knew what I wanted. I pushed his head at my neck and dug my fingers into his scalp in command, there was a slight hesitation but as I sucked hard on the wound I'd made, he gave in and sank his fangs into me, completing the circle, completing the sharing, completing the bond.

There is no way to describe it, I knew the longer we drank the tighter the bond would be, I could feel it fixing us to each other, binding us in ways I could feel but couldn't understand. Each pull just made me want more. After the second one Eric had tensed above me and his bite became a little harder for a moment. I felt our bodies shudder together and pulled more of him into me in every way I could. As we rode the wave, we married our souls and surrendered completely to each other, it was terrifying and perfect.

Once he had healed, I lay there licking the place where the wound had been. His head was still buried in my neck and he wasn't moving. He was purring again and I could feel his contentment. Moving nothing but his lips, between kisses I heard him murmur in that ancient language that rolled off his tongue like poetry, though for all I knew he was reciting Pam's clothes shopping list.

Hefig minn vilja beðið,

fylgja skal kveðju koss;

forkunnar sýn

mun flestan glaða,

hvar er hefur við annan ást.

[*]

Lengi eg sat

ljúfu bergi á,

beið eg þín nótt og nótt;

nú það varð,

er eg vætt hefi,

að þú ert aftur kominn,

mögur, til minna sala.

[*]

Þrár hafðar

er eg hefi til þíns gamans,

en þú til míns munar;

nú er það satt,

að við slíta skulum

ævi og aldur saman.*

I didn't need to understand the words to feel the sentiment. Sharing his contentment I nuzzled my head into the hollow of his shoulder and fell asleep.

[***]

I awoke to find Eric had wrapped me around him as thoroughly as he could. Our arms and legs were entangled in a slightly awkward position so they were as intertwined as possible but with him still able to work on his laptop which was open on the bed beside us. One of his hands stroked my skin even as the other tapped away at the keys. As soon as he felt me waking he pushed the lid of the laptop closed and his typing hand joined the other one in exploring my skin.

"What are you doing?" I asked sleepily glancing from the laptop to his face, unable to suppress my smile at waking up in his arms.

"Waiting for you to wake up so I can ravish you again," he said quite seriously, already setting to work on the latter part of that sentence.

"Don't you think you've done enough of that?" I was still feeling like pleasant jelly from our earlier activity and hadn't woken up properly yet.

"Never. It is never enough. I want to be inside you," he was only half joking, there was an intensity behind his words. I kissed the nearest bit of him and ran my hands over his beautiful skin as both response and an attempt to cool his ardour.

"It seems you have already tried to get as close to that as you can," I pointed out wiggling my toes to indicate how enwrapped we were.

"Not close enough," he rolled us over so he was on top of me and pushed his hips into mine making me groan. It really didn't take any more than that for me to be as ready for him as he was for me.

A few hours later, after another snooze, Eric was just getting handsy again, despite my protests that I was worn out and really should at least eat something when we heard the banging on the door.

Blissed out I couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive at being reminded of the world outside, we still had a lot of hurdles to jump and even if everything went to plan our lives were never going to be simple.

Eric was frowning at the door too but neither of us spoke.

"I really don't see what is taking so long," Pam complained loudly through the door. Despite her grumble I felt relieved to hear her voice and her teasing; we could stay in our bubble for a little longer at least. "If you are having problems I'd be happy to help out." Though she was obviously joking Eric growled.

"Unlike that human I am perfectly capable of satisfying my Sookie completely," he insisted, being completely serious.

"What?" I pulled back from him and covered myself with the sheet. Outside the door I could hear Pam laughing.

"So that's why you kept tuned in every time," she delighted.

"You what?" I said again. I was mortified and building up to furious. Of course I'd always known Eric could feel my emotions, but it never occurred to me that he'd be able to feel when I … oh God. And Pam knew too because he was deliberately listening in, or feeling in, or whatever it was called.

"Why would you do that Eric? Why?" I demanded not far from getting up and leaving. Eric flooded our bond with his affection. He wasn't pushing an emotion at me, though I knew we could do that to each other now, he was simply making sure I could feel how he felt. He looked at me with his deep blue eyes and I held my breath waiting.

"I hated it," he said seriously and I felt jealousy rage through him. "I wanted to rip his hands from his body for touching you like that, or even touching you at all. But you needed my strength and I needed …" he faltered but it was all there in our connection.

"You needed the small comfort that at least I never felt with him what I'd felt with you, what I feel with you now."

"Yes." I appreciated the strength of this man, that he could admit such vulnerability to me (and by proxy to Pam) but lose nothing of the powerful figure he was. Whatever Niall had thought, Eric was not scared to admit this 'weakness', he was braver than that.

"When you say I needed your strength, you mean for the extra power in my shields?" He nodded, oddly it was him that looked abashed when I was sure it should be me. "I thought that was from having your blood in me, like being able to do stuff faster and hearing better and everything."

"No, when you draw on extra strength you draw it directly from me, though it is through the blood that it is possible,"

"Eric I had no idea!" Could this get any worse?

"No you didn't, and that is my fault because I didn't tell you." He was trying to pull the guilt from me and I frowned at him. Then he smiled wickedly and started to crawl up the bed in the manner of a hunter. I felt the urge to run and his smile got bigger. "It doesn't matter anymore. No one but me will ever touch you again," he decreed. I considered arguing, just from habit, but I was already about to get claimed in a pretty big way.

I shuffled back on the bed away from him and his hand shot out to grab my ankle so I couldn't get any further. He stopped moving and slowly pulled me to him instead, thoroughly enjoying taking his time as I wiggled trying to get free.

"Eric, Pam is still outside," I pointed out.

"Oh don't mind me," Pam said happily through the door. There was a pause as Eric looked in the direction of the door and I felt something run through him. "Spoilsport," Pam said and then left.

"Now where were we?" He looked back at me.

"My future lovers," I reminded him drawing a possessive growl from him as he resumed pulling me towards him.

"You might struggle there," he said.

"How so?"

"How will you find them when I have no intention of us ever leaving this bed?"

"We cannot stay in bed forever Eric," I pointed out with a mischievous smile of my own. Eric's blood screamed 'Mine' at me in response to my suggestion of finding someone eventually.

"Why not? I have everything I need right here." He'd pulled my foot down the side of him by this point and was able to run his nose up my inner thigh. He spoke calmly despite the possessive fire running through him, I wondered how many other times he'd been feeling something so strongly while talking like nothing was going on.

"What about me? I need to eat too." I couldn't help but continue to push him, it was exciting what I was feeling from him. There was the hungry and possessive vampire but also the man who loved me – the latter of these took the matter of my needs seriously and sought an answer.

"I'll have Pam bring food," he concluded after a moment's thought.

"Well I also need to shower," I pushed again, still playfully angling for an escape route to find my 'future lovers'. Eric's grip on my ankle tightened slightly.

"I'll help with that too," he said licking my leg.

"Ew." I wiggled again and Eric laughed but didn't let go. "What about work?" I tried, my lips quivering with the urge to laugh at our play.

"I have a laptop, I'll work while you sleep."

"What about my work?" I explained, though he'd known what I meant.

"I'll be making you do plenty of that." Though he was joking, mostly, there was a part of him that really wanted to go through with this plan.

"Eric be serious," I said as I felt that part of him growing. He smiled at me deviously.

"No!" And he pounced.

[***]

There really wouldn't be anything for Eric to worry about in terms of future lovers, I thought drowsily as I dozed later, a week of this and I'll be nothing more than a pleasant jelly. Eric was purring again.

[-]

So that's it. I'd like to thank you all for sticking with the story (especially given the long pause) and I really hope you enjoyed it.

*My wish has come true,

and I greet you with a kiss;

such a beautiful sight

is a source of delight

to one in love with another.

[*]

Long have I sat

on my loved hill,

waiting for you night and night;

now has come to pass

that which I hoped for:

you have returned,

lover, to my hall.

[*]

No longer need I wait

for the fulfilment of my desire for you,

nor you for my love;

now it is certain

that we shall be together

for the rest of our lives.

*From: FJÖLSVINNSMÁL from a website called Jörmungrund translations also found on that website: Notendur hi is (slash) eybjorn (dots on the spaces except where slash)