Hallo, my dear readers! I'm happy to announce that I'm back with the second part of this story. Thank you for all your kind words and encouragement! Knowing you like what I'm writing and wait for more is the main reason why I keep posting – and I'm sure this is true not only for me, but for many other writers here too.

No beta (yeah, sorry for that, I have a feeling there is some grammar-drama in this chapter going on, so I apologise in advance...)

No copyrights.

No regrets.

Enjoy!

...LONG LIVE THE KING!

After Eric left, I walked around exploring the apartment for a while, trying to distract myself from worrying. It was fully furnished and functional, but you could tell it wasn't lived in. Unfortunately for me, there wasn't really too much snooping to do. I tried to watch TV (oh yes, there was a TV and even a shiny new laptop in the other room!), but I was too much on edge to concentrate on anything. Finally I gave up. I forced myself to eat a light supper and then took a shower. That actually helped me to relax a bit. My mind wandered immediately to another shower, that I'd shared with Eric once upon a time. I just hoped there were still many other showers in his future, so to speak.

There was only one bedroom in the house, located in rather large, windowless (of course) room, so I didn't have much choice in the matter. I was secretly glad that I didn't have to decide whether I would crawl into Eric's bed or go to sleep somewhere else. There was no guest bedroom, so the issue didn't even arise.

The wardrobe was stuffed with clothes that looked Eric-ish, but there were still prize-tags on them, so you could tell that they were unused. I suspected Eric ordered them in case he'd have to rest here, but for some reason couldn't have packed beforehand. There were also some female clothes, all new too, I figured these were probably for Pam. Even so, I still chose to grab one of Eric's T-shirts and use it instead of a nightie. It was long enough and comfortable.

I tried to sleep, or at least get some rest, which was a lost battle, really, even though I was pretty tired after tonight's events, not to mention I'd been working earlier. I managed to nap a little, but I was too emotional to get any real sleep and I kept waking up and tossing around. I couldn't stop thinking about what was going on at Fangtasia.

Finally, after an hour or two, I drifted into a little deeper slumber. I don't know how long I slept, but I woke up with a start. At first I didn't know what alerted me, but then I realised it was the bond. Eric was near and he was bursting with a mix of very intense feelings. He was probably still hyped up after a fight. I propped myself on my elbows and turned on a bedside lamp, just as I heard the locks buzzing and clicking as the security system disarmed itself. Seconds later there was a loud shutting sound of the trap door being closed and I knew Eric was inside. My eyes adjusted to the light just in time to see him filling the bedroom's door-frame.

His eyes caught mine and held them. His raising lust hit me with unexpected force. I had to cross my legs under the cowers. He didn't say anything, he simply stood there and stared at me unblinking with those blazing blue eyes of his.

I looked at him from head to toe.

He was a mess.

He still had his sword in his right hand, only now it was crimson and I had to wonder if he wasn't leaving trail of red droplets on the floor behind him, all the way from Fangtasia. He was bloody and dirty and looked like he'd rolled on the ground at some point. His hair were messy and falling into his eyes. His clothes dishevelled and torn or maybe cut in few places. But underneath all of this was Eric – and he was pretty much perfect.

I felt a relief rushing through me. He was clearly still very much undead and in one piece. This, along with everything unsaid that transpired between us tonight, the feel of Eric's wild desire and my own deep buried longing, were the reasons for what I did next: I sat up and stretched both my arms in his direction, reaching for him.

He tossed the sword aside without looking.

Next thing I knew he was in bed and on me: fangs, boots, filth and all, kissing me hard. Not that his dirty clothes were much of a problem seeing as they didn't stay for long in place once he un-tucked me from my covers. He started to shred every piece of clothing almost immediately. My T-shirt went next. If someone had asked me the day before, I would have never guessed that I'd find myself in this situation at the end of the day: away from home and in bed with Eric - him finding his way between my legs and very ready for me.

"...need you," he said hoarsely, breaking away from my mouth.

"I need you too, Eric," I whispered back but it felt like we were talking about something else altogether.

There were no more words then, only urgent kisses, frantic touches and hungry noises. It wasn't exactly romantic. It wasn't slow or sweet either. But as Eric gripped my hips and finally drove home, I couldn't help but think that this was precisely were this night was supposed to lead. The bond was raw and everything seemed so intense. He was looking at me all the time – like he always had. My memories didn't do him justice. It felt so good. My breathing became laboured as he picked up the speed. I bared my neck for him. I wanted to feed and heal him. I wanted to be everything he needed. And at the moment, it felt like I was.

I don't know how long we went on like this. It felt both like a blink and like hours. I suspect I couldn't really take that much time seeing as worked up we both were. What I know, is that the end was nothing short of spectacular.

I felt light.

I felt free.

I felt finally – finally – whole.

Afterwards, I was catching my breath, but I wrapped Eric in my arms and legs, holding him in place. I needed to feel his weight for a little longer before I let him go. It was comforting to have him here, so undeniably real. He was still sipping my blood slowly. I stroked his hair. Finally, he rolled onto his back, taking me with him. He kissed my head.

"So...," I said, "I take it you were victorious."

Eric rumbled with quiet laughter beside me. He turned to me and tucked me closer into his side. Vampires don't sweat, but after the fight he needed a shower, badly. Honestly, so did I, although for different reasons. Right now I didn't care. I felt safe, warm and so unbelievably... right. I wanted it to last.

The one thing I liked better about this Eric as opposed to his amnesiac version, was that he was strong and confident. I could depend on him and didn't have to struggle to be strong myself all the time and decide what to do. I could take a break and trust that he would not let anything bad happen to me in the meantime.

"Yes, indeed," he said. "So I was."

His fingers were stroking the skin above my hip lightly. I had a feeling we were not done for the night.

"Is Victor dead?" I asked.

"Very," I felt a wave of deep satisfaction rolling off him along with the word, that should frankly bother me more.

His smile was fangy.

"Is Pam ok?" was my next question.

"She is. She'd be delighted you asked."

His hand wandered to my stomach and the beginning of my ribcage, where it started drawing soothing circles.

"She said you cannot give me crap about my driving technique anymore, now that you'd showed us all how to properly total a vampire," he teased.

I groaned hiding my face into his shoulder. He chuckled.

"Speaking of, you need a new car. Looks like yours is finally finally dead," he seemed awfully jolly about this. And then he quickly added: "Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

"Eric, no," I protested raising my head. "Don't, it's too much."

"Sookie," he said putting a finger on my lips. "You saved. My life. With this car. Let me do this."

I thought about it for a minute. He had a point. If it made him feel better...

"Okay," I caved eventually. "Just don't go over the top, please."

It wasn't like it was going to ruin him.

He smiled a beautiful smile at me and kissed me softly on the lips.

"As you wish, lover."

He was as close to sweet as he could possibly get.

"How about the others?" I asked, steering the conversation back toward the battle. '[How did it go?"

"We lost Clancy," he said, sobering slightly. "This is unfortunate. The good thing is, he was the only fatal casualty on our side. Thalia got injured quite badly, but nothing that wouldn't heel within few days. All in all, it went well. Oh, and Felicia decided to join us."

"Felicia?"

"She was Victor's spy at Fangtasia."

"Oh," I whispered. "I didn't know. What did you do with her?"

"Nothing. She fought with us against him. She said I was a better boss, so she chose to remain loyal to me rather than him. She took our side before it was clear who was going to win, so I believed her."

"I'm glad."

"I know."

We grew silent for a moment. He was still caressing my side softly.

"Is it over?" I asked after a while, both fearfully and hopefully.

Eric sighed. It was a very human thing to do.

"No," he answered crushing my hope, honest as he usually was. "It's not."

"What exactly does it mean?"

"We won a battle, but Felipe had three states under him," he explained. "No one in my area will challenge me, but there are four others only in Louisiana. There is simply no way this mess is going to resolve itself on its own without someone stepping in or some other monarch invading."

"What do you have in mind?"

He didn't answer immediately and suddenly it hit me.

"You want to be a king, don't you?" I asked a little shakily.

"Not want, no. I've never had a desire to rule a state. But it does seem to be the most logical thing to do to ensure I would be able to protect me and mine in these circumstances. I cannot be sure that the next candidate to the throne will share Felipe's views on sparing my life, especially seeing as Felipe is now dead and I am doing well. I am the only sheriff that managed to avoid the final death through the collapse of two regimes and excluding Thalia the oldest remaining vampire in Louisiana now that Sophie-Anne, Andre, the Berts, all the other old sheriffs and Victor himself are dead. Frankly, I'd be vary of myself if the tables turned. So, while I'm not particularly eager to take the position myself, it is the smart thing to do."

He was right, of course. I couldn't argue with it, not when this was about his survival. And I didn't want him to risk his life, naturally. Still, I felt emptiness crawling over me.

That was... it? Was I going to lose him again the moment I got him back?

It couldn't be. I refused it to be true.

"So... what happens now?" I asked.

"The new sheriffs were all appointed by Felipe and I don't know what they're going to do. Most of the Louisiana vampire residents, however, I expect to side with me. I called Rasul to inform him of the situation – he was my most trusted contact in New Orleans after the takeover. He called me back right before I got here and told me that they... resolved the issue between themselves there and the Area One is mine. I cannot be positive if we'll be able to work it out peacefully with the other areas or there will be more confrontations. The next few days should tell."

His free hand moved to my breast, but I was too concerned with what he was saying to fully appreciate it.

"Are you going to take all Felipe's territories, or only Louisiana?"

"Louisiana. I have already more than enough on my plate. Plus, having one unstable kingdom, it's better to have two other in equally precarious condition as the neighbours, than to make it a bigger, even more unsteady one surrounded by the strong ones."

I took a deep breath and asked the question I was afraid to hear the answer to.

"Are you going to New Orleans?"

"Probably, yes."

My eyes began to sting a bit. Eric suddenly shifted and moved on top of me. He took my face in his hands and looked me straight in the eye.

"Come with me," he said unexpectedly.

His voice was serious and there was fire in his eyes.

"W-what?" I laughed surprised and completely disbelievingly.

"Come with me," he repeated urgently. "I will not leave you behind."

I looked at him and realised he wasn't kidding. Me heart pounded. I both hated and loved that he proposed it.

"B-but, Eric... you're going to be a king."

"So what? Don't tell me you do don't want me if I am a king."

It wasn't exactly the truth. Yes, I didn't want him to be a king, but I still wanted him, even if he was one.

"It's not like that. I just... it's more complicated than this. My whole life is here. I don't know anything else. My brother, all my friends are here. This his who I am."

"It's not entirely true. I would be there. Pam would be there. The witch would probably come back to the city one day. As for the others... how often do you really see most of them now? You could always come to visit."

He started covering my face and upper torso with light, random kisses. It was really hard to keep resisting him. I felt my eyes stinging again. I smiled sadly at his words. I just couldn't see what he was seeing.

"What would I do there?" I asked weakly.

"Be my queen."

"Eric..." I whispered, my throat tight.

I wanted to say yes so badly, but I couldn't. I couldn't imagine myself in this life.

"Why not?" he said stubbornly against my lips.

"I am a barmaid from a backwater town. I don't belong to this world. I wouldn't know what to do with myself."

He kissed me then. A real kiss.

"You are a fairy princess. You are a telepath and a fighter. A shieldmaiden. You've killed enemies ten times stronger than you and saved beings more powerful than yourself. No one smart will look down on you, and those who do, are idiots. Every vampire who survived Rhodes owns you his or hers life. No one should underestimate you, not even you. You can be whoever you want to be."

I closed my eyes. My heart was ready to burst from too many emotions swirling in it.

Eric lifted my thigh and nestled himself between my legs again.

"Come with me, lover," he whispered kissing my ear.

I breathed shakily.

"I want you at my side. I will share everything I have with you. Every vampire who owes me fealty will honour you." I realised he was repeating words that I'd heard from him so long ago and that it couldn't be accidental. It all felt like a dream. "Go with me to New Orleans. Marry me. Stay with me always. Sleep with me every night. We could live however we want. We could do whatever we wish. I could love you. We could be happy."

I opened my eyes as my brain caught up to what he really said. He was rocking his hips against mine gently, so it took a while before I managed to fully process his speech.

"Did you just... kind of... propose to me?" I asked.

He smirked.

"I believe I kind of did."

I was speechless and he used it to his advantage by kissing me and sliding into me for the second time that night when I was distracted. I gasped.

But even this wasn't enough to make me forget what he'd just said. Sure, it was nowhere near the proposal I had dreamed as a little girl (this particular dream involved a pretty dress, a ring, flowers, perfect weather, sweet-talking, one knee and maybe even a restaurant, and I'm sure as hell there was nothing about my future fiancée spreading my legs or showing fang), but this was Eric. Never would I have guessed that he would ask me to marry him. Well, he didn't exactly ask – more like told me to do this – but still.

Call me old-fashioned, but it did make a difference.

"Do you mean it?"

His face turned into expression I couldn't quite identify.

"Sookie, I haven't been married since I was human. I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it."

My head was spinning. I didn't know anything for sure any more. And then he moved. I almost sobbed.

"So... what do you say, lover?" he asked, his voice turning deep and low, taking in this impossible mix of smoothness and roughness that sometimes could ring in it at the same moment.

But I couldn't think. So I just threw my arms around his neck and kissed him, pleading him silently to make love to me. He was smart enough not to say anything more for now and simply give in.

The second time was everything that the first was not. It was slow and tender, almost peaceful, not at all wild. I moved with Eric trembling inside, not only because of what we were doing, but also because it was then, during that time, when I was gradually climbing higher and higher, closer to the silent bliss that awaited me the the end of the way, that I was beginning to understand that I loved Eric. I wasn't sure what that meant for me yet, but I knew that I wanted to somehow keep him.

I've wasted so much time and he'd been really always there, waiting for me to make up my mind.

So I hugged him close and opened myself for him, both physically and through the bond, trying to give him everything I had. It got harder to stay calm (and silent), because he wasn't holding back either, and I mewled moving restlessly, wanting more. I called his name and couldn't stop repeating it, especially when he complied and picked up the speed.

He got me right back into this place where everything else except the two of us seized to exist. I quieted finally, not able to find my voice anymore, even though my mouth opened, shaped for a cry.

We spent long minutes lying in each others arms after that, neither of us trying to move.

This time it was Eric who broke the silence first.

"You said yes," he said smugly out of the blue.

"Wh- I did not!" I suddenly realised what he was talking about. "I didn't say anything!"

He only grinned at me.

"When?"

His grin grew wider. I blushed when I guessed what he meant and when did I say – or rather cry – it. Repeatedly. And many other unholy and rather incoherent things.

"It doesn't count! You know it does not! You tricked me!"

"You still said it."

I couldn't help it – I laughed. Only Eric...

"I hate to break it to you, but it doesn't work like that."

"Sure it does. You're just trying to unnecessary complicate it."

I shook my head amused. Did he really think he could literally fuck me into agreement?

There was a light in his eyes that I haven't seen in a long time.

"You're happy," I realised aloud.

"How could I not be?" he replied without missing a beat. "Everything is perfect in my world. Tonight, I escaped death. I won a battle. I protected what is mine. I killed my enemies. I came back to my house safely - to find my woman in my bed."

"Your woman, huh?"

"Yes. My beautiful... brave... clever... incredible... woman," he said dropping a kiss with every word.

"Stop it," I giggled embarrassed.

He looked up at me.

"Never," he said fiercely.

How did you like it? I admit, I feel better about how it turned out than I thought I would – I think it's because Eric's little trick at the end (he is sneaky, isn't he?). I'd love to hear your thoughts!