Pre Edit Count – 2,649 Words

Beta’d by: Black Rose Magick

The song I listened to for this chapter: Beautiful by Ben Rector

Previously:

But then a question comes across to her, “Why did you come to me tonight?”

Now:

Eric looks up from his hands at her question, remembering what had brought him out to her earlier.    “I went to Bill Compton and asked for your assistance, as you had agreed already to do, to find someone significant to me in Dallas.”  The end of the sentence comes out a little softer.

She blinks and then asks, “Why not ask me directly?”  Why go through Bill instead of coming directly to her?

He smiles, “Because that is against the etiquette. Remember how I said we go to extremes?”  When Sookie nods, Eric continues his eyes, watching her blue ones. “To temper that, we have extravagant protocols.  Which was one of the reasons I have been…unhappy with Compton.” ‘Unhappy’ is the least offensive word he can say.  Compton has been lording it over him, knowing that Eric wouldn’t do anything since he wants Sookie. The fact that Eric hasn’t taken her directly from him is giving him a false sense of security from Eric’s retribution.  Or maybe there is another reason?

Thinking over what he has told her, along with information Sookie had gleaned from reading books, “Sheriff.  It is not like Bud’s job, is it?  It means something else.” She is thinking more like the Sheriff of Nottingham than what is now believed to be a sheriff’s job.

This time the smile exposes an overbite she had been unaware of, but the beauty of his face takes her breath away.  His answer barely takes away from the shock she is feeling, “I knew you were smart, my Sookie.  Yes, it would be the same as a Baron.  Think of the Sheriff of Nottingham, and you will have an idea.  The only authority that supersedes my own is that of the Queen or the Authority.” He had noticed her smirk when he mentioned the specific example and wondered what that was about.

Sookie sits up straight, “And age also has something to do with it as well?” Pieces are starting to fall together, with things that she has observed and picking through what Eric tells her.

The look of pride in Eric’s eyes overwhelms Sookie momentarily, who has never seen that reflected in anyone’s eyes. Not even her Gran.

“The only thing that age is not a big deal is with the positions. Technically I would overrule a vampire older than me.  However, I would not take the chance since they could kill me with a flick of their hand depending on their age.  Luckily there are not that many older than I.” Shrugging, Eric gives her another piece of the pie since she is doing very good with what she has been given.

A flash of fire echoes in her eyes as Sookie spits out, “Basically, he disrespected you in every way? So why didn’t you teach him a lesson?” She had not really thought much about the age thing, but it is the same in the human world.

In front of her in seconds, Eric looks down at her with pride in his eyes, “Because he had something I could not walk away from.  Something that pulled at the very inner part of me. If I punished him for what he did, would you have allowed me to become close?  I needed to find out why a 150-year-old vampire dared to stand against his Sheriff, his elder.  How he dared to claim you and then somehow had you agreeing.  Which, by the way, was the first red flag that made me sit upright.  The others had me searching out information why he was here, but for you, an untouched female claiming to be his?  How did he train you to say that, Sookie?  What did he do to you that had you claiming to be his so desperately?”  This, this question Eric has asked has kept him wondering the most.  For all he had found on his Sookie, she was independent to almost a fault.

She looks down, “I went over one night to give him a list of numbers of contractors for his house.  He had mentioned that he was having issues.”  Her voice is soft, but the pain of that rough introduction to the world of Vampires had been rough for her.  Sookie cannot seem to put it behind her, especially when Bill would bring it up as a reason she needed to be his all the time.

Kneeling before her, Eric nods. “Being neighborly.” He tries to encourage her, his fiery telepath.  He does not like how he could hear the trouble this story has held for her.

She nods, still not looking at him, “I knocked, and a woman opened the door.  She mocked me for being there, asking if I was Bill’s. Of course, I denied that, but things digressed from there.   Basically, they were all over me and eventually had me on the coffee table, getting ready to bite me when Bill told them I was his.  This comment from him having them back off from me hissing.” Now telling this, Sookie had a flashback of the fear she felt of being drained at that moment, knowing that no one knew she was there.

Eric’s fangs run out, and he growls out, “Where was Compton during this time?” He had no doubt that this was staged and could even guess who it was that met Sookie.  He is beginning to think the fire was more than it seemed.

Her eyes look up briefly, then back down, “He was sitting in the corner.” Sookie cannot find why she feels ashamed.  She had no choice, didn’t she?

Growling, Eric is up and pacing within seconds; the details she says run through his mind.   Finally, he mutters, “There is just something not sounding right.  And they were dead later? Conveniently…” He is muttering, not aware he is talking aloud, intent on trying to match up the pieces in his head.

Her eyes jump to his as his words make sense to her, “Oh my stars!” Sookie’s eyes are wide as she realizes something and adds her pieces hoping that Eric will figure out what happened that night.

He stops and looks at her, “What is it, Sookie?” Though Eric will deny, he had a moment of amusement at her cussing since he had heard her cuss earlier that night and knew that she could.

Sookie informs him excitedly, “I accidentally said something about Jerry, a human with them, having Hep D.  I had also mentioned that glamour didn’t work on me when they tried it at the door.” She swallows as her mind is telling her that this is why they died.

He growls and runs his hand through his hair.  “I should have investigated better.  I bet Compton glamoured the humans to burn the house.” Instead, Eric had been trying to figure out what was going on with Compton and how to get Sookie for his own.

Sookie starts shaking as more pieces fall into place around her.  Bill has been making it where she feels that she could only trust him, only turn to him.  Moreover, by the time she had her run-in with Rene, she was there.  In fact, she has no doubt that he would have continued to maneuver her around and get her to the point that she would have fought Eric on being in Dallas.

Eric is pacing in vamp speed as things are slowly making sense in his head, and he looks to the woman in front of him.  He needs her out of this area… in fact, “Sookie?”

When she looks up, he asks her, “Did Compton do anything when he was close to you earlier?” It would only make sense that he would do something since it seems that Compton is obsessed with her.  Having her renounce him would bring out the traits he has observed the idiot having in the past with his Maker.

She looks away, but before she can complete the movement, Eric is there. “What did he do?” He asks softly, lifting her head to look into her blue eyes that remind him of someone, but this is in the back of his mind as he tries to see what the Civil War reject did to his.

Unable to look away from those eyes that have fascinated her since the beginning, Sookie admits to him, “Hurt me somehow.  It hurt so badly, I have no idea what he was doing, but it hurt.”

Eric’s eyes flash dark, and he growls out as he thinks aloud to her.  “You should be safe if he tries to find you tonight.  But if you feel him, no matter how close to daylight, you tell me immediately.  If I need to, I will break his neck to give you a rest. Then, once we are in Dallas, I should be able to keep you safer.” He will not kill the idiot until he has more information about what is going on.  Bill will admit to what is going on under some…persuasion.  Pam will be more than willing to provide that boost if needed.

Thinking of what all Eric has said to her, Sookie just looks up at him, asking, “Would having your blood help?”

He looks down at her and then reaches to caress her face with one of his hands, “I will do this if you wish.  It would be my honor.  However, I do not wish to have you doubt any feelings for me as being manufactured by my blood inside of you.  I wish you to think of this today.  You will know I won’t be awake for the day.  In fact, I will be dead until an hour before sundown.  This should give you the time you requested of me.” Eric informs her softly, needing her to want his blood, not for wanting to rid herself of pain.  Eric wants her to want him to be a part of her because she really wants him to know her in every way.

Though, with how much a trouble magnet Sookie seems to be, maybe waiting for her to want his blood is not the wise course of action.  Though that reminds Eric of something. He turns and crouches before her, “I would like to heal your face, though. If you wouldn’t mind.  I do not like seeing the bruising marring the skin that I desire to stare at.” The last is said teasingly.

She swallows, “What do I need to do?” Wary of what it would take since surely Bill would have healed her if it was something easy, right?

When Eric holds his hand out to her, Sookie gives her hand to have him help her up, only to find herself lying on her back on the sofa and him coming back in the room with a couple of towels.

Eric smiles as he takes a knee beside her and tells her,   “Lift your head.  I want to make sure no blood gets on the couch.”  When she does this, he soon has the towel placed just to allow him to heal her and allow her to be relaxed at the same time. Next, Eric imparts to her, “Close your eyes.  I am going to puncture my finger with my fang and spread the blood around the bruising.  Once you are healed, I will clean your skin of my blood.” His voice is a matter of fact, but he cannot help the singing of his blood, knowing she is allowing him to take care of her for something minor in the scheme of things.

She frowns, “That is it?” Surely there is more to it.

He nods, smoothing away Sookie’s hair from her forehead.  “Now you understand when I say Compton didn’t deserve you, min kära (my dear)?  Now close your eyes so I can get this taken care of.” Eric smiles at her.

When Sookie closes her eyes, Eric quickly pricks his finger and sets to erase the damage on her face.  It ended up taking a few applications, but soon he has her face cleared up even to his sharp eyes. Next, he carefully cleans the blood off, having been very careful to not get any but where she needed it.

When done, Sookie opens her eyes and sees Eric smiling as he looks down at her. “Better?”  He knows from the past that black eyes still hurt, though not as much as her other pains; it still makes him feel better that he can heal something on her.

Sookie nods and Eric kisses her forehead, then helps her sit up, asking, “Do you need anything else to drink?”  When her head shakes a no, he settles her on the couch, leaving only to grab the blanket and spread it on her lap again.  Then sits to the side of her, thinking.

Sitting there, staring at the flames, he decides to educate her some more. “You can always uninvite a vampire from your residence by speaking his full name.  By claiming to be mine, you are claiming that I am yours and that you have my protection.  This also extends to your family, unless you tell me otherwise.  No one can spill a drop of your blood, cause you physical pain as well as try to glamour you.  In fact, even as a pet, this would be fined.  As my Companion, it will entail punishment.  If you are my Bonded, then the punishment will be the True Death to them.  We have to have at least one blood exchange, starting the process to be able to claim for you to be my Bonded.”

He glances at her out of his eye, and seeing her paying attention, Eric continues, “As a pet, anyone above me, in age or in the hierarchy, could take you from me.  As my Companion, only my Maker could interfere, and even then, he would be held accountable for it. He just would never have the maximum punishment.  The lightest punishments and fines would be applied.  However, even he cannot stop a real Pull from being enacted on.” This is what he thinks is between them, a natural, True Pull, but the reason he needs to ask Godric about it is the level he has the Pull to her.  It is more than anything but the Pull he feels to Godric himself.  Which he knows is not the same as a Maker to the progeny.   Thus, the reason he wants to go to Dallas.  Alexi will be able to help him until he can talk with Godric.

Sookie is shocked at all this information he is giving her. Still, she also understands what he means by her knowing will protect her. Information is power; this is why everyone is scared of her, knowing that she can take the information from them without them knowing or wanting her to.  She has known this her entire life.

Eric’s voice startles Sookie into paying more attention to him instead of painful memories.

“You are to be my Companion, and I will be filing this tonight before I go to my rest.  As such, there are certain things you need to be aware of. First, I will gift you with items for you to wear around others.  This is no different than any man wanting to give his woman items.  These are mostly to prove that I do hold you as my true Companion.  Since I am interested in more than a Maker/Child relationship with you, my gifts will show this.  The gifting tradition is old, older than the humans who tried to mimic it over the ages.  There is a rumor that it came from when the world was young, and we were first made.  To deny this is to basically throw an engagement ring at a man when he proposes.” Eric’s voice is a matter of fact, but a quick glance at his face tells Sookie this is more important than he is telling.

Though his mention of it being like throwing an engagement ring at her suitor is terrible enough in her book!

Trying to counter any arguments he is sure to receive, Eric then looks at Sookie directly, asking, “I understand what you may think, but I ask you, would you deny tokens, flowers from any beau?” He lifts an eyebrow at her, waiting on her to answer to know where to go next in his argument.

Trying to get a grip on her anger that flares up as Sookie can just imagine what she would ‘hear’ what others will think.  Her usual response to it is, ‘she is not a gold digger!’. Finally, however, she listens and has to admit that he is right and gives a slight shake of her head in agreement that it was not proper.

With a slight smile to his face, amused, Eric tells her softly, “I have been alive for over a thousand years.  If I gifted you flowers only, then the others would rightly think I don’t honor you even to give you gifts from my own vaults that I have collected over the millennium I have lived.  And if nothing else newer was given, they wouldn’t think that you honor the older ways. Instead, they will rightfully think that I don’t care enough to have something made for you, to spend my own money on you.” He has been amused in the past over situations that he has described to her being brought to him in disputes over pets.  However, he does not want the same arguments to be applied to someone he thinks is finally worthy of gifting items to.

He furrows his forehead as Eric muses aloud, “Think of it as courting gifts.  Instead of showing your family that I can take care of you, we show my world that I can take care of you.  And if I do not do it, it would not be a refusal of my suit that your world would have. Instead, it will entail with you being taken from me.” This is what he has done in the past; awarding those who showed their care of the pet is better.

She looks away and finally growls out, “I am not a golddigger!” Sookie remembers what Gran used to lecture when she was younger and asked about things she had ‘heard’ in others’ minds.  It was intense and only made Sookie more determined to earn her way.

Unable to help himself, Eric laughs. “Sookie, you are the farthest thing from a Gold digger.  I have known many through my long life, and you match none of them in any way except you are a human being.  And that they are human is still up for grabs on some of the things I have had the unfortunate circumstance of meeting.  Why would this be a consideration?”  Eric asks since he is sure with her how she was raised, courting gifts would surely be known to her.

She fists her hands, “My gran raised me better than that.” But, unfortunately, Sookie remembers all too clearly just what her Gran thought of those she called golddiggers.

His head cocked to the side, thinking about what she was saying and not saying.  Then Eric gently asks, “She taught you that, or did she think it?  Sookie, I can tell you now that the standards of how she was raised are not the same as today.  And even if she was here now, your Gran would see my intentions as being honorable.  I am courting you.  Think of what that entails. Think of what she would truly think if you tell her that you are being courted by a wealthy male.  Would she tell you to deny me?  On the basis that I have wealth?  Or would she understand that there was pomp and circumstances that would have me gift you things that would cost money?” He tries to get her to understand instead of trying to force her to agree.  Everything will be easier for them if Sookie agrees to what he wants to do with her.

Sookie tries hard to think about what he says, but she can’t let go of what others would call her.  It has been ingrained in her to make sure she makes no waves and be a non-entity as much as possible to have others not really think about her too much.

Eric reaches out and takes her hands in his as he moves to make sure she is comfortable aware that this is not easy as he tries another route, “Let me ask you.  Did you dress in your Sunday best when you went to church?” His mind is furiously thinking, trying to make this work since this will make everything come to be easier on the two of them.

When Sookie nods, he smiles, “I bet you are beautiful.  But did all the people dress above their means when they went to church?  Trying to fit in with the rest?” Eric watches her face, her eyes as he is talking.

She nods, thinking of how many of the ladies were there to watch what others were wearing.  And to comment about their dresses and so forth.  It was one of the things she disliked about her Gran since her ‘voice’ was just as judging as others.  Though it has amused her at times as well.

“And are they gold-diggers?”

The question from left field is like a slap to her, and she narrows her eyes at him, but she follows what he is saying.  They lived beyond their means, playing a game.  Just as he is asking her to do to be his.

Seeing he has her attention, Eric advises her softly, “You will need to let go of your roots, eventually, Sookie.  There is nothing bad about them, but if they hold you back or cause pain to you, why would you want this?  I am not ashamed of my roots, and I came from what people would term barbarians now.”  He smiles, “I am proud, in fact, of my beginnings, knowing that they gave me the strength that others in this time and age are too soft to know.  The same strength your roots have given to you.  But you need to grow beyond them.”

Eric’s smile falls from his face as he advises, “But I am not asking this of you now.  Right now, I am telling you what is expected, so you have the knowledge to understand what I am doing because of what is expected and know when I do things for us. Of course, a lot of the gifts and such will combine these, but I want you to see that the money that I spend on these gifts that I give you there is nothing, it is something that has to happen, so don’t count it.   Instead, look at what I give you.  The time I took to gift it.  The thought I put into it.  I know you don’t need trinkets to show you I care, but the world we will be living in will need them, and we will play the game together to outwit them all and keep us safe.” The last is said with feeling, in hopes she will understand.

Closing her eyes, Sookie sighs as she acknowledges what he is saying.  Then when she catches on to part of it, she asks to clarify, “You say you want to court me, is it because of my blood or telepathy?” Her eyebrow is raised in an unknown copy of what he usually does to her.

Eric can’t help the laugh, “Nothing is easy with you, is it?  No, Sookie.  I felt the Pull when you got close to Fangtasia.  I was sitting out there in that hated chair, waiting to see what the Pull would show me, and put Pam on the door as I felt you coming closer.  I needed as much information she could get for me before I met you.  I had nothing to prepare me; I had no idea who you were. So then, as you got out of your car, I could feel you so close and told my child.” Remembering that moment, and knowing at the time that his life would change, he wanted to know what he could to protect the being that was going to upend everything he was to the vermin.

His eyes warm with the memory of that moment, Eric continues. “Luckily, I have a smart child who took everything I was giving her, and only one person matched all the cues I was receiving.  She watched you come closer and checked with me on the Pull.  When she confirmed it was you, she checked out your ID to give me at least the name and address of the woman who affected me. However, it was not until you entered the bar I realized the sweet, pure scent I smelled outside the bar was you.  And you, if you remember correctly, told me who you were as well what you could do.  To my mind, it meant more guarding of you.  But you were already mine in my head. I just had to figure out Compton’s game and see if he treated you to the level I could.” Seeing Sookie’s surprised look on her face, something relaxes in him, knowing it may all work out in the end.

With this in mind, Eric takes her hand, raises her hand to his mouth, and kisses her fingers, keeping his eyes on hers.  “I am thankful you came into my bar that evening, and every chance we had to talk since then, but I will admit, this is the best so far.  To claim you as mine, and know that I await the time you claim me as yours.”

Final count: 4,361 Words

Fairfarren~