One Night – The Third Night – Part 2

**A/N:   THIS IS NOT (as much of a) A MEGA-READ (as most other Parts).  But, yeah, this part grew.  And grew.  Remember – Eric thinks a lot, and he thinks at vamp speed…  My Word doc and I had a chat and we decided that it would be simplest at this point to name this “Part 2” and be done with it rather than holding it hostage while I finish the drive to and what happens at Fangtasia…(*evil grin*)…which will now (eventually) magically appear as Part 3.  And yes, there will be a Part 4.
It has been suggested that perhaps you shouldn’t be drinking anything that might harm your preferred reading device while you read this…something about shock…?  Consider yourselves warned.  Send coffee.**

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Eric made the drive from Shreveport to Bon Temps in record time.  His SUV already packed and waiting for their return, the second the sun had fallen below the horizon he had slid into his ‘vette and taken off into the evening at faster than even his customary speeds.  As he drove, he reassured himself that he had done the right thing by speaking so candidly with Sookie about his impressions of Fangtasia.

The more she knows about how vampires think…easier it will be for me…and for her.  Can’t have her causing a scene if…when…she comes upon someone doing something that shocks her or scares her…or more likely disgusts her.  

Vampires are actually pretty disgusting creatures in some ways, aren’t we…  But at least we don’t have digestion difficulties…unless we attempt to ingest human food…damn cheese…and sweet baked goods…and that sausage… 

Need to find her a book on vampire etiquette…  Wait, is there even such a book or manual available?  There needs to be. Never offer to shake a vampire’s hand.   Never remain on a call any longer than you can possibly help. No vampire has night to burn on useless chit-chat.  Never sit on another vampire’s lap.  Never run your fingers through another vampire’s hair.  Never go flying into the night with another vampire.

He released a glorious “harrumph” as he rounded a curve far too fast for a mortal to try.

Never attempt to come between a Maker and their Child or slave/pet. Ohhh, Odin…she’s not going to like the well-known fact that, in the supe world, the vampire owns the progeny or slave/pet and they can do as they wish to their property, and yes, that includes all manner of rape and abuse, although neither is nearly as prevalent in these times.  That perverse mentality is finally changing but so very slowly…but it’s one of the benefits of “coming out” – most humans wouldn’t stand for such abuse…most…

He deftly swerved to avoid an unexpected deer without his foot ever nearing his brakes as he added to his mental list.

Unless you wish to serve them, never initiate any sort of touch with a vampire who doesn’t own you…  Hell I dread the “no matter how we present you, most vampires will see you as my servant, at best maybe my pet” talk…that should go over like a proverbial lead balloon…may just let dear ol’ dad handle that one…

Although he would be presenting Sookie as his partner, he knew most vampires would simply nod condescendingly and not believe a word of it.  In a way that would actually work to her advantage as far as safety from those very vampires was concerned, however…

Oh, yeah, definitely going to let Godric field that entire subject…wonder if I should warn…nah, he needs the mental workout…

Then Eric sobered.  The thought of treating her as a vampire would a pet caused a ripple of disgust to roll down his spine.

I couldn’t do that to her…wouldn’t be right… But she needs to understand not just the history of how things used to be for us before we came out but how especially the older vampires view and therefore treat humans.  They have their reasons – those reasons may be wrong or at the very least no longer relevant, but…  To most of them, humans truly are simply feed-and-fucks to be taken then tossed aside…and that’s if the human is lucky. 

The concept of “equal rights for all” is a nice one, a good one, but even among most humans it’s a shiny new ideal.  How can she expect otherwise from old vampires Turned during centuries past when the bare concepts of fairness and equality weren’t even a sun-dream yet even among the mortal set?

Hell, to this night younger vampires tend to see humans as a weak, disposable convenience.

Damn…if there was ever someone who shouldn’t be tossed into the supe pool…fucking Hadley and her fucking mouth…

Hadley…perfect example of the other side of vampire life…  Sookie will have to know that some humans for whatever reason get off on that kind of exploitation by vampires…some seem to truly enjoy being used and mistreated…just as another type of human wants to exploit vampires and the vampires play along for their own reasons…  Money, perceived power, some form of strange status among other such humans…who knows. 

Well, vampires are sex gods to mortals…that makes sense… Going all night versus an hour, tops?  We win…

As he switched lanes to pass a loaded pick-up carrying who-knows-what, he thought back to some of his own adventures at Fangtasia.

Damn…wish the human employees had been glamoured to forget…too late now…  Wait…she has already heard the humans at the bar the other night, didn’t she? …

She would have, wouldn’t she?  …can only imagine what all she heard…no wonder she’d been silent for so long…

Fuck.  Fuckfuckfuckityfuck…

And yet…she still spoke to me later, when I visited her…even allowed me entry into her home…held a true conversation with me…flew with me later…

What she overheard…it couldn’t have been all bad, then…

Far more quickly than legal and without his headlights on, he neared the turn-in for Sookie’s drive.  With a grimace for his undercarriage he slowed his speed dramatically and could almost count the pieces of gravel he crossed.   The front porch light wasn’t on so he eased around to park near the kitchen entrance…where the outside light shined brightly in welcome.

Thankfully.

Suddenly he dreaded seeing her reaction to his words face to face.  Sitting in the car with the engine running wasn’t helping the situation but…

Tina’s irate feline howl and the slamming of a metal door had him turning the car off and dashing in through the kitchen door.

The first thing he saw was the satisfied grin on Sookie’s face.  The ferociously pissed-off cat was, indeed, in her cage sitting atop the kitchen table and her owner stood nearby with the biggest, most relieved grin on her…

The second thing that caught his attention and caused his gaze to narrow was the series of long bloody scratches marring her cheek.  He instantly scanned the rest of her body and saw that both her arms and the back of one hand had similar wounds.

She spoke before he could demand to…to something.

“Well hey, you got here fast!  I just now got that dang pill down her throat and got her in her cage.”  Sookie’s proudly grinning pronouncement was distinctly at odds with the drops of precious blood beginning to pool and run.

He wasn’t so sure she had won.

And her blood…  He had made the instinctive mistake of inhaling deeply and her blood smelled positively…fucking…divine.

Sweet…so sweet…sunshine…honey…apple blossoms…honeysuckle?

Torn between healing her and stopping her precious blood from going to waste, Eric approached her almost in a daze.  He gently lifted her left arm, the one with the worst scratches, and shook his head.

“Ah, Tina…  If I had known she would be so difficult to medicate, I would have offered to do it for you.”

Sookie laughed.  In the face of such damage, she just laughed.

“Yeah, she hates when I have to pill her and she hates bein’ put in her cage, so she’s had a rough evenin’.  Most of this will wash off and it’ll all be healed in a couple of days, so it’s no big deal.”

WASH it off? NO, THE WASTE!

He shook his head.  Another inhale had his fangs throbbing.

“These wounds are deeper than they may appear, and even strictly indoor cats would have dirt under their claws.  I can only imagine…  I can clean and heal them in a matter of minutes and, if you will let me, I can see to it that they leave no scars.”

His eyes flicked to her cheek.

“How?”

He had no idea if Compton had used his weakling blood on her skin for healing or if he preferred shoving his bloody wrist into her face at every opportunity – to his sensitive nose, the soon-dead motherfucker’s blood still reeked in her veins – but the sudden suspicion in her eyes said “wrist”, not “dab”.

“My saliva will cleanse and seal the scratches and most will heal rapidly from only that, but if I coat them with my blood afterward, that blood will instantly heal them and the wounds will literally disappear before your eyes.  Think of it as Vampire Blood Magic 101.”

He wasn’t sure if she realized it or not, but as he spoke she had turned her hand in his so that their palms met, and the suspicion in her eyes turned to surprise and confusion.

Fucking Compton.  He isn’t fit to decay in my parking lot.

“So I don’t have to drink it?”

After studying her for a moment, he replied, “It would be to your benefit in more ways than one if you did, but no, it is not necessary to heal wounds of this type.   A vampire’s blood will heal most surface damage. Vampire blood is fast and easy, what can I say.”  He shrugged to help convey his point.

She looked down at her arms and wrinkled her nose.

“The thought of scars doesn’t bother me but it’s all starting to sting pretty bad.  Well,” she shrugged her shoulders then mock-glared at Tina after she emitted a particularly loud “pay attention to my epic anger” growl before looking back up at him, “if you want to, and I’d appreciate it if you did, go for it before the blood dries ’cause otherwise would be just gross.”

With a slight smile he urged her to take a seat before dragging a chair over to sit in front of her.

“Where is your grandmother?”  The situation could go carnal fast and he didn’t relish the thought of…

“She had Jason run her into town to the store.  They’ll be back in a little bit.  You don’t mind waiting for them, do ya?  You got here awful fast.”

He shook his head and replied magnanimously,  “Not at all.”

Sookie exhaled something that sounded like “good” as she settled into her seat.

Best get to it, then.  Yeah, there’s no way I’m not going to enjoy this…good thing I carry a change of clothing in the trunk…

“Well, then, shall we proceed?”

Without pausing for her answer, he raised her left arm as he lowered his head.  That first stroke…when her blood met his tongue, he groaned.

Ah, Tina…how dare you but thank you so, so…

Struggling manfully not to show how very much he enjoyed the task, he worked steadily, methodically laving each scratch, concentrating longer on the deeper places, following each trail left by each drop of blood…and could easily sense when his tongue’s work began affecting Sookie.

It seems the little telepath isn’t adverse to a bit of licking…

When he finished with the one arm, without pause he reached for and began attending to the other, his motions far more reminiscent of a cat bathing a kitten than he’d have liked knowing.

Heaven…pure heaven…not the sweetest blood I’ve ever tasted but by far the best…seems familiar?…could savor for hours…from dark till dawn…imagine what a mouth full of this nectar would be like…don’t groan…do not…

He groaned, the vibrations sounding low and deep, as he followed the trail of blood left by a drop as it had drifted toward her inner wrist.

The lure of those visibly active veins…maybe she’s part Siren?  Are land sirens a thing? Maybe the spider knows…

“Are you ok?”

He didn’t know the sounds he must have made to have her asking him that question, had thought he’d only groaned, but he could imagine.

The huskiness of her tone didn’t help his…condition.

“Almost done,” he replied in a tight voice.

Too soon in his estimation but with the return of the granny and the bro in mind, he quickly had both her forearms and that mauled hand cleansed and sealed…and then it was time for her poor cheek.

Somehow that area seemed more intimate than her hand and arms had been.

Flushed cheek at that…enjoying your tongue bath, my delicious little telepath?  I’ll have to keep this in mind…

He raised a hand and brushed her hair away from her face.  As he tucked it behind her ear, he asked, “How did she manage to get you here?”

Sookie huffed.

“She’s a ninja cat.”

The cat in question must have realized she was being discussed because she added another octave to her yodel.

Eric glanced over at the feline with new respect in his eyes.

“Indeed.  Ok, bend forward a bit…”

Yet again far more quickly than he’d have liked, he finished with her cheek.  Since she was leaning forward already, in a blur he nicked his thumb and smeared his blood over the now barely-visible scratches.

He then leaned back and, under her curious and closely watchful eye, repeated the process on the first arm.  The nick in his thumb sealed, and before he could prick his finger to finish the job, she halted him for a moment.

“Hang on a sec, let me see something.”

To his amusement she held her arms side by side to study the difference.

“That’s just cool,” she whispered as her eyes moved back and forth between her arms.  “The before-blood one looks fine, almost healed but you can still kind of see where the scratches were, but the after-blood one looks even better than it did before she tried to fillet me with her super-claws.  But wait…where did your blood go?”

She looked back up into his warm blue eyes.

“It seemed like it was disappearing while you were doing that but I’d thought maybe some of your blood would have stayed on the top of the skin or whatever, ya know?  But it looks like it all…disappeared?”

He nodded.  Determined to finish the job before her relatives returned, he pricked his finger so he would work while they spoke.

“A vampire’s blood, especially from an older vampire like myself, has some sort of magical properties that not even vampires completely understand.  If, say, one were to be stabbed nearby and his remains were to land on you, that blood would not disappear; there would be too much of it and the vampire who owned it would no longer exist.  But since I am using barely enough to coat only your wounds, it’s as though the blood “knows” its purpose, so to speak.  Once finished, it does seem to disappear without a trace.  Now,” he finished with her arm and aimed for her hand, “if another vampire were to see you before you had a chance to bathe my blood away, they would detect the previous presence of the blood by sight and scent, but that is all.”

The thought of Sookie wearing not just his scent but his blood into Fangtasia made his vampire side want to purr in satisfaction…as did the taste of her addictive sweetness still lingering on his tongue.

His focus was hard-won.

•~•0•~•

INTERMISSION

So, um, hi, uh, this here’s Hoyt an’ Jason just told me that I’m tonight’s “Innermission”?  I don’t know what an “Innermission” is, but, ah, ok.  It sounds like one’a them fancy thangs with all them holes in it that Mama puts on the coffee table if she thanks somebody important is gonna be comin’ over for them silly little sandwiches and all that weak tea, but…I don’t know.

Actually them little sandwiches is purdy good but they’re just so dang little that I gotta eat ’bout 15 of’em before I even know I ate anything.

So anyway it looks like Sookie done got herself mixed up with another vamp, huh?  Well…  I try to be nice to ever’body an’ all but I gotta tell ya, I didn’t really take too kindly to that Vampire Bill.  I’s nice to him an’ all but there was just somethin’ ’bout him that rubbed me the wrong way, but ‘er new one?  That’un seems alright, least he stuck up for her ‘n all, and she did seem to kinda take to’im better.

I dunno, but all’a that’s ‘tween them – it ain’t got nothin’ to do with me ‘nless he treats’er wrong, then I might hafta step in.  She’s a good’un, always been real nice to me.  I’d’a asked ‘er out a long time ago but she’s my best friend’s sister an’ you just don’t do that.

Mama don’t seem to like ‘er with that vamp none too well, though, but then, bless her heart, she don’t like much of nothin’ these ways, ‘cept her weird doll collection.   I hear’d her tryin’ to egg on Mr. Merlotte, tryin’ t’rile him up tight just so’s he’d go an’ I dunno, I guess she wanted him to go pokin’ his nose in where it don’t belong.  She’s real good at that, agitatin’ people to do thangs that they might not normally get themselves involved in, but she’s usually got a good-hearted reason behind it, I guess.  Still an’ all, I pretended like I got sick so she’d just leave’im be.

Enny-ways, I need t’be headin’ on t’bed, gotta get up good’n early in th’ mornin’ ta get started on fixin’ that road, you know, th’ one with all them holes in it that goes ’round by that ol’ barn what burnt down a couple years back?  Yep, gotta get an early start t’beat this heat.  So you fine folks, y’all have a good night, sleep tight, an’ don’t let them ol’ bedbugs bite!

INNERMISSION OUT, I guess

•~•0•~•

Once finished repairing Tina’s damage, the pad of his finger healed as he leaned away from the throbbing temptation of her throat and wrist.

Instead of jumping up or even backing away, Sookie thanked him sweetly then regarded him steadily for a long moment after a final, albeit contemplative, glance at the back of her hand.

What could she be thinking…surely haven’t crossed any lines…she did ask…  And where are all her questions about how vampires and humans deal with each other?  …under the impression things would not go well…women…so confusing…

His eyes flicked to that upper corner of the room.

Wonder if the spider knows…

“Eric, what exactly do you mean when you say that drinkin’ your blood would be to my benefit?  I know we’ve talked about humans takin’ vampire blood before an’ all, and about Bill and his crap, but I feel like I’m missin’ somethin’ here and I want specifics.  This seems like it’d be an important thing for us to do, like it’s a big deal somehow, so speak slowly and use small words.”

She glanced at the clock then back to Eric who was now more than glad he had broken so many speed limits to arrive earlier in the evening than he’d originally planned.

“It’s not like we’re in a hurry and we have to wait on Gran anyway.”

Completely ignoring the kitty still going nuclear in the hard plastic carrier cage, Sookie, rather bravely in his opinion, propped her arm on the table as she settled more comfortably in her chair.

As Eric proceeded to recline in his own chair with his long legs sprawled before him and his hands linked across his taut abs, he pondered the many ways he could explain the benefits of vampire blood to a human…a human he was determined to feed his blood sooner than later…

“As for how it would relate to us,” he said into the middle distance before starting again after a contemptuous snort.  “For one, I wouldn’t abuse the power of the blood the way Compton has.  My Maker raised me better than that.  Your feelings are your own, Sookie, and while I would be able to sense the strongest of them, I would not attempt to manipulate them or your affections toward me.”

He paused to think.

Had Compton truly been able to manipulate her opinions, likes, and dislikes…change her feelings toward others?  Given her telepathy it’s possible and I surely wouldn’t put it past him.  If he had bestirred himself, would he have been able to urge Sookie to caution or alert her to danger via their bond? Calm and reassure her if… She *is* a telepath…unknown mental set-up…potential…  Interesting…and extremely useful if I could…far older blood…

“I do not know if it would truly be possible but given your telepathy, I might be able to alert you through a one-sided bond of potential danger, or perhaps even be able to caution you to discretion in a tricky situation, but at this point there is no way to tell.  But even so I believe if we worked with it, you would be able to tell when I’m trying…but at this point this is pure speculation. I repeat – I am not Compton,” he stated strongly as he stared intently into her eyes.

He quietened to let her absorb the information and the nuances behind it, and she nodded to let him know that she was following along.

“So, by taking my blood into your body, you would be creating a one-way bond with me that, like I said, would not only break Compton’s hold on you, but would enable me to access the privileges such a bond would provide.  If you were injured or somehow became lost, I would not only sense it but I would be able to locate you via my blood in your veins.”

“Would I be able to sense if you were hurt or find you the same way?”

Good questions…and she sounds…maybe…wants it to go both ways?  Why would she want to sense me?  That…that’s almost…

“Fair questions, but no,” he answered with a shake of his head.  “It doesn’t normally work that way, not with a one-way bond.  In this type of bond between a vampire and a mortal, only the vampire has to deal with feeling the other’s emotional and physical states, and then only if the stimulus is great.   Most vampires can even mute or entire shut off that connection at will.  Now, I do not know how you felt after ingesting his far weaker blood,” he said with a slight sneer, “whether you only felt healed or if you somehow felt a bit better than normal, but I can assure you that since my blood is much older and therefore much more powerful than his, you would feel…a great deal more.”

He captured her curious gaze again and held it intently.

“You would feel noticeably stronger and healthier, and you would feel far more alive than you can likely imagine, at least at first.”

He let his hair fall to partially hide his eyes as his gaze then drifted toward her lips.

“You would also feel incredibly…horny.”

A beat later Sookie burst into shocked laughter, but her sharply indrawn breath just before set the blood under discussion on fire.

“Stop that,” she laughingly ordered, then added, “and get a haircut for goodness’ sake!”

Reeling from her lack of sensual cooperation, he watched in bemusement as she reached around Tina’s cage to grab her watery-looking tea and narrowly avoided an angry paw swipe.

Before she took a drink, she nodded in the direction of the refrigerator.  Although her expression said she already knew his answer, she asked anyway, “Fake blood?”

Resigned to his miserable situation in unlife for the moment, he briefly considered accepting the offering just so he could “go emo” for a little while, but even in his current mood he wasn’t that woebegone.  So…he shook his head and fought off the reluctant grin that was trying its best to curve his lips.

This…evening  has…  Well.  Nothing has gone as planned.  First I indulge in a bit of, as Pam would put it, word salad about that damn bar, then I worry my ass off about my reception when I finally get here.  Then, when I do finally arrive, instead of finding a too-thoughtful or, worse, pissed-off Sookie, I find the happily bloody little blonde telepath bearing evidence of the vicious attack of a barely five pound tabby.  Her blood…oh, by Odin…her blood…lets me heal her with mine…  

He watched as she sipped the last of her drink and spoke soothingly to the cat who wasn’t having any of it.

Then she asks me to review what would happen if she took my blood…my blood…in her body…in her veins…calling to me… 

Ah, fuck…focus… 

THEN…then I use a look long known to make women cum in their usually missing underwear…and she laughs – laughs! – and tells me to get a haircut. 

A haircut.

The grin almost won.

Is this where I’m also supposed to get a real job?

“How much blood would I have to take for it to work?  How often would I have to do that?  The thought of drinkin’ blood is gross, I gotta say.  You know – mortal here…but I like the idea of bein’ stronger and healthier, but most of all, I like the idea of Bill not bein’ able to feel or find me.   How long would it take for him to stop bein’ able to do all that?  How long before he would know?  Let’s review that info…I really don’t like that he can do that.  It’s just too creepy and disgusting.  At least if we do this, I’ll go into it knowing ahead of time that you could do that so there wouldn’t be any sneakin’ around.  And it sure wouldn’t hurt if you’d be able to tell if I got hurt, either.”

If he had been drinking a blood, he would have spewed it all over the unfortunate cat’s cage, but thankfully he recovered at vamp speed.

Wait…wha…??  

Could she really?

Think, Northman – here’s your chance…maybe… If you don’t fuck this up…pity won’t be a double-bond…enough time – barely, but enough – has passed since I cleaned her wounds to prevent it…her blood is, literally, no longer fresh on my lips…should be safe…but if not, good… The Compton rodent will be ended by this time next week…not an issue, but… it’s a question of relevance…right?

“Barely a mouthful would suffice,” he smoothly began answering her questions in order and was quite proud of how normal his voice sounded, “and not more than perhaps every three or so months, but you and I would both be able to tell when the time came for more.  The bastard’s hold on you and any ability to sense you would break the moment my blood enters your veins.”  Then, just for what Pam also called “shits and giggles” but more because he enjoyed a ripe blush on her cheeks, he simply had to add, “As would the desire for sex.”

The way she blushed and snickered in reply warmed him far more than he thought it should.  Oddly enough, her ensuing silence as she apparently considered their conversation, and hopefully her options, didn’t worry him.

That he would by far prefer her willing participation maybe…kind of…did.

How very unusual…seems strange wanting her complete, maybe even enthusiastic, cooperation…not reverting into a fair-minded human, am I, like I once was?  No, not possible…but…gaining her willingness…not so bad…

In centuries past, for survival and convenience a human’s consent had usually been the least of his worries when it came to feeding, protection, and some conveniences along the lines of clothing, tools, and books.   The ability to glamour had distinct survival benefits and he was particularly skillful at it.  Willing sex partners had always been easy, sometimes annoyingly easy, to come by, but even a hundred…even fifty years ago he couldn’t have seen himself being nearly this concerned about “doing the right thing” by ensuring someone – to all intents and purposes a mere asset – was duly informed about relevant matters and still giving them the choice.

He consoled himself by acknowledging that the definition of ‘relevance’ was still up to him.

After suddenly being leveled with a contemplative regard that somehow made him feel as though his mother were preparing to question him about the missing pudding, the erstwhile “asset” in question rose to pace the kitchen confines with an appropriately serious expression on her healed face.

While he waited, he pondered the benefits and complete lack thereof regarding “pins and needles” for a bit before eyeing her obviously-new set of luggage resting near the back door.  Pam had come through splendidly, as usual.  Theories soon abounded about the large oddly-stuffed trash bag placed near the luggage – perhaps it contained Tina’s accoutrements?

Strange angles showing in that bag’s sides…litter boxes maybe?  That’s it, Tina-wena…get your growls and hisses out now before we hit the road…  Why are we taking this ball of hissy scratchy fluff with us again?  Oh, yeah…she likes the thing and neither of us completely trusts anyone to competently see to her care…  Ninja-kitty has good aim, have to give her that.  Wonder if we can con the old man into trimming the cat’s nails…that should be…has the kitchen faucet developed a slow drip or…maybe she hadn’t shut it off completely after its last use…see you peeking at me from your little corner, spider…your nights are numbered…

“How would we do this?”

His whole body tensed when her voice suddenly interrupted his mental meanderings.

The spider blipped back into hiding.

“I would simply bite my wrist and you would simply drink until the tiny wounds closed.”

That he could will the “small” wounds to remain open for an extended time remained unsaid.

Relevance…it’s all about the relevance…

She stared at him in deep concentration for a moment, but when she ambled over to the counter and began making a small pot of coffee, his heart sank.

At least the drip stopped when she shut off the faucet.

His expression must have been far more revealing than he’d have liked because after she turned around, she asked as she approached, “What’s that look for?  Do you want to give me your blood that badly?  I mean, would doin’ that really have any benefits for you?”

Inwardly he squirmed before finally allowing himself to nod with what dignity he hoped he had left.

“It will allow me to be assured of your safety and well-being.  Bluntly, it will make my job of guarding you easier.  While what we call a double-bond would allow me to sense much more about you, even this singular first bond would be of considerable use given your current situation as well as the contracts you might be signing and the company you’d then be keeping.”

She grimaced slightly then ran a finger through the ring of water her glass had left on the table.

“The advantages definitely outweigh the disadvantages, but it’s a lot to think about.”

“And I am glad you’re giving it the thought it deserves,” he somewhat lied in approval.

Just agree already…we both know you will… Or, rather, hope you will… Damn…when is the rest of the family returning?  How much time do we have left?  It would be ideal for her to take my blood before going to the bar…

She regarded him steadily one more time then turned back to the counter.  After taking two steps, she stopped and glanced back at him over her shoulder.

“Oh, don’t pout, Northman.  I’m just starting the coffee pot,” she teased to his shock.  “I mean, I’ll need something to wash it down with, right?  It is blood, after all…”  Her following shiver made him snicker involuntarily.

That little brat…  Heh, humans and their aversion to blood…well, except for the damn V addicts…somehow, I simply cannot see her ever becoming one…

Eric just shook his head, then when she returned he gestured to her seat.  Dealing with this Stackhouse creature would never be boring.

Once she sat and regarded him expectantly, he rose and rolled his sleeve back to his elbow.

“I will bite my wrist and hold it to your lips so that you can form a seal around the marks.  All you have to do at that point is gently suck and swallow until the marks close themselves.  That’s it.”

After coming out to the world, never in my life would I have thought that I would have to work so hard to talk someone into taking my blood…far more likely to have to beat them off with those proverbial sticks…  If she only knew…chit has no idea of the honor I’m bestowing on her…pops would freak…may have some ‘splainin’ to do… well, until he came to know her…he’ll understand…then he’ll have a field night with this…

After giving him a comically suspicious look, she shook her head then shrugged.

“Well, ok then… It all makes sense, I guess…just don’t make me regret this, buddy.”  She reinforced her words with a fair imitation of a glint-eyed glare.

The brewing coffee pot gurgled ominously in the background and made them both chuckle.

Without further ado, Eric moved to stand behind her.  The urge to make this a mutual bond… It took effort, more than he had thought possible, but he did restrain himself from brushing her hair away from her neck as he dropped his fangs.

He bit more deeply into his wrist than necessary and in a blur placed it to her lips, which had parted in surprise at the speed of his actions.  Standing behind and above her as he was, he both saw and felt when her lips touched his wrist.  When they slid across his skin to form a seal, he grit his teeth, and when he felt her first deep pull, he closed his eyes to savor the experience.

Her second pull had him lifting his free hand to stroke her hair, and her third pull had his eyes rolling into the back of his head.

In a futile effort to keep his physical reactions under control, he concentrated on following the sensations of his blood as it crossed her tongue and eased down her throat.  Knowing that within moments his blood would begin mixing with hers, that it would begin seeking out any health problems to heal them…and that it would more than eradicate Compton’s filth in her system had him almost giddy, and as though somehow preordained, he felt his Maker’s inquisitive ping following immediately thereafter.

Eric knew Godric was reacting to the euphoria currently flooding his system and not the erotic sensations that were…also…flooding his system – the old man wouldn’t have cared less about that part of his child’s night-time activities.

That giddiness…that euphoria, though…

My blood…my blood resting on her tongue…sliding down her throat…  My blood easing into her body…into her veins…healing, merging…cleansing her of Compton’s filth…

As he willed his wounds to remain open far longer than natural, he considered the unimaginable incongruity of feeling a deeper sense satisfaction than of arousal, although his cock was definitely throbbing in disagreement.  No wonder his Maker had checked in…

An intensely deep sense of giddy satisfaction of that nature would have alerted any Maker that something was going on with their Child, and rightly so.  Had he received anything like this from Pam, he’d have appeared by her side as soon as possible.

But he also knew his Maker…and felt an instinctive need to keep the old guy engaged, to keep on his hypothetical toes…

Highly willing to ponder the incongruities in minute detail later, he sent his Maker a strong burst of that elated pride then, with a smirk anyone else would have called cheeky, he fully opened the bond with his old man and allowed a long surge of that strange satisfaction to flow through, too.

Catch that, old boy…can only imagine the look on his face now… Teach him to be nosy…  Breathe…concentrate…focus…

And then, as the wounds finally began closing, Sookie suckled a little stronger and he came in his pants anyway.

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**A/N:  Bye Hoyt!  Oh hey SmarterSookie!  Poor Eric…good thing he always keeps a change of clothing available in his ‘vette, right?  So…what did you think?  Like, review, send coffee…you know, the usual…**

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