| FIFTY-TWO |
TROUBLE ON MY MIND

They were at an airport. She had held his hand the whole car ride to the airport, playing with his fingers. She couldn't get enough of him. She'd gone six months without him but the thought of ever going without him again was unbearable.

Eric was sorting out there plane arrangements so she called Pam. She just blurted it out as soon as Pam answered.

"I found Eric."

"You what?" Pam screeched. "Where?"

"It doesn't matter," Eira said a bit nervously. "We'll be home shortly."

"Shortly?" Pam picked up on her tone.

"We have to make a few stops," Eira answered; she wasn't going to tell Pam that Eric had Hep V. Plus, Eira had an idea of where to start looking for a cure: the governor.

"What does that mean?" Pam questioned.

         Eira suddenly felt his hand on the small of her back as he spoke quietly against her free ear, "Our plane is ready."

         Just that gentle touch of his hand pressed against her back made her feel sparks and she felt a whoosh of butterflies at his mere presence. She felt like there was some type of electric bond between them that made everything else static noise.

             It was like her lifeline was his and his hers and there was no end; she didn't want it to end. She wanted to always be this consumed by him and no other.

        She wondered if this was how Eric felt as she entwined her hand with his free one. But he ended up grabbing it and laying a kiss against her fingertips which made her look at him adoringly.

         She couldn't help but be absorbed by him and his haunting blue eyes. He started to smirk. Why was he smirking? She couldn't help but smile stupidly before he tapped his ear and she realized she was still on the phone and Pam was calling her name. She blinked before she spoke again.

"I'll take care of him, Pam," Eira said in an hardened tone that left no room for Pam to worry.

             "Fine," Pam sighed. "But let him know he's getting an earful from me when he returns."

            "Alright," Eira replied a bit absentmindedly. "I'll see you soon."

        As soon as she hung up the phone, she pulled him in for a long, deep kiss. She wanted to kiss him again as his lips brushed hers, "Our plane is waiting."

         She hummed like she didn't care and she didn't, "Okay."

         She went to kiss him again but Eric pulled away as he scolded a bit, "Eira."

         It was odd for Eric to be the voice of reason. But all this tsunami of feelings were new to her. She didn't know how to not let herself be consumed by them.

           But Eric only stopped because if he didn't then, well, he wouldn't stop. He couldn't help it. It felt almost like the bond between a maker and a progeny but it was more; it was intense. His body longed to be near her like the force in his blood called for her.

       If she pushed, he wouldn't be able to help it. He would pull her to a dark stall and have his way with her even if he infected her with Hep V. And he could tell by the look on her face that she would let him.

        His scold of her name pulled her out of the haze and she followed him to the private jet they were taking. When they got on, Eric sat down in a seat and she hesitated before she decided to take the seat across from him. She felt like it was a good idea because the mere scent of him intoxicated her.

         "What are you doing?" Eric gave her a questioning look.

         "Sitting."

         "No," Eric pouted. "I want you over here."

         "Well, too bad," she crossed her arms.

           Eric couldn't but smirk. It was obvious she was just as affected as he was. He thought about how he should've turned her into a vampire so much sooner. They were a maker and progeny but they were also lovers; there was no rivalry for the intensity of their bond. There was no fighting this addiction, this love, this life force between each other.

_____

When they landed in New Orleans, it was daylight. She guided him to a place where there was less people.

"What? Are we going to run to the governor?" he asked.

"No," she smiled. "We're going to fly."

"You can fly? Already?" Eric said in disbelief. "That took Pam years to learn."

"Well, I just thought of how you flew and I suddenly did," she smirked proudly. "I'm an amazing newborn."

"So you gained an ego while I was gone?" Eric raised his eyebrows with a small grin.

"Maybe a small one," she admitted nervously.

He hummed in amusement as he stared at her with adoration before he leaned down and kissed her. It was a short kiss but she got lost in it completely.

He stared at her dazed expression with a smirk, "Aren't we supposed to be flying?"

She shook her head slowly before she realized. She quickly fixed her movements by nodding, "Oh. Right."

Then she glared a bit, "You can't kiss me like that."

"Like what?"

"Where I forget to think about anything but you," she admitted.

"Then I plan to kiss you forever like that," he grinned.

"Forever?" she questioned, thinking that he had lost hope but he just couldn't bare to make her lose hope.

"Forever."

_____

They flew to the mansion where the governor of Louisiana lived in the daylight. They landed behind some trees and Eric placed his hand against it to steady himself.

She looked at him in concern, "Eric?"

He righted himself immediately, "I'm fine."

She stared at him for a moment longer before she inspected the environment. The governor, Truman, was outside with what seemed like his daughter and only a couple of guards. He probably wasn't expecting vampires to show up in the daylight.

"I'll take the guards," Eric was now close beside her, standing protectively.

"No. I got it," she said before she looked at him carefully. "Just...follow me."

He was bit unsure but he nevertheless trusted her. After all, she'd told him she still had her power of the sun and she had killed a five-thousand year old vampire with it. He was very impressed with his lover as he nodded, "Anywhere."

She smiled a bit before she walked out from the cover of trees they were in with a small smirk, "Hello, Governor."

The guards immediately went on the defensive but with a simple thought, their guns turned to ash. Truman yelled, "Willa, get inside." But Willa seemed to be frozen as she stared at the two of them a bit in awe and fear.

"Now, you can stay and become dinner," she spoke to the guards. "Or run."

They immediately took off before Eric vamp sped and grabbed Willa. She let out a small scream as Eric had his fangs out hovering over her neck as a threat.

"No, not my daughter," Truman begged. "What do you want?"

"I want to know if there is a cure to Hep V," she said. "You're the one responsible for it so you must've made one."

Truman was silent for a moment and Eric brought his fangs closer to the girl's neck as he spoke, "Speak quickly, Governor."

"Wait, yes. We....we did," he admitted. "There's a cure. But I don't have it anymore. Sarah stole it. She has it."

"And where is Sarah?" Eira questioned.

Truman spoke quietly, "I don't know. I swear."

"Not good enough," Eira said and gave a look to Eric to bite the girl. He grinned but before he did, the girl spoke desperately.

"Sarah has a sister!" Willa exclaimed.

"Where?"

"Dallas."