|FOUR|
SUCKER

When she woke up in the morning, Eric was gone. But she smiled at the space he left behind before she got up for the day. She came down the stairs in a bright mood as she sat down for breakfast.

Her mother inspected her as things floated around and she smirked a bit, "So I take it the date went rather well?"

"Oh. No, he wasn't very nice," Eira blinked.

"What did the boy do?" Meredith said protectively.

"Uh," Eira said nervously. "Well, he kissed me when I didn't want him to."

"Eira, are you alright?" her mother gasped as a knife that was chopping things on its own went flying through the air and imbedded itself into the wall. "Did he hurt you?"

"No," she answered honestly before she smiled. "Eric took care of it."

Meredith sighed knowingly, "Eric?"

"Yes," Eira continued to smile brightly.

"Eira," her mother said carefully. "Eric has come to your rescue quite a bit but it doesn't mean he's your knight in shining armor."

"No," Eira said with a soft smile. "But he doesn't have to be."

Meredith sighed, "Just be careful."

Meredith loved her daughter more than life itself. It was why she worried over her close relationship with a vampire. The vampire certainly had his eyes set on her daughter but it didn't mean he wouldn't grow bored. And that was what worried her.

"I will be."

____

There had been another murder in Bon Temps. Dawn was killed and Jason was arrested once again; but he was released once Tara gave him an alibi.

Eira was working another night shift at Merlotte's. The murders seemed to be all people could talk about as she waited on them. Then Bill walked in.

People quieted but then started talking again. Bill sat down in the section Arlene was handling and she held a wary look. She gave a small smile to the woman, "I got it."

"Oh, thank God," Arlene said gratefully. "He gives me the creeps."

Eira shook her head as she went over to Bill. She liked Arlene but she could be a very judgmental when she wanted to be.

          "Hi, Bill," she smiled politely. "What can I get you?"

        "Hello, Eira," he smiled a bit. "Your reputation precedes you."

       "Because I belong to Eric?"

       "Precisely."

        "Well, I'd appreciate it if you don't tell anyone. People don't exactly...like vampires," Eira said before she started to ramble. "Which I don't know why because all the vampires I've met have been quite sweet."

         "Eric...sweet?"

        Eira blushed a bit as she thought of his softer side although she got a bit defensive at the tone Bill used like somehow Eric was just a monster, "He can be, Bill Compton."

        "I meant no offense; he's just not known for it."

       "Well, are you?" she pointed out.

        "I suppose not."

       "Exactly," she stated. "Now, what bottle of Tru-Blood do you want?"

_____

Later, when her shift ended, she went to Fangtasia. She didn't know that Sookie had come there with Bill. They watched as Eira walked through the crowd that parted like the Red Sea, knowing to treat her like a princess, and as Eric gained a soft smile on his face once he saw her.

Sookie felt her jaw drop in shock, "Am I imagining things or is that Eira in a vampire bar?"

"She belongs to Eric," Bill informed.

"You know?" Sookie asked in surprise.

"Everyone that knows Eric does," Bill explained. "She's been his for two years."

"How I have not seen it in her head?" Sookie said before she furrowed her eyebrows. "Wait, does that mean he feeds on her?"

Bill nodded.

Bill saw the protectiveness in her eyes and cautioned her against doing anything, "Sookie, she belongs to Eric, you should not trifle with it. Eric won't like it."

         Sookie didn't listen and confronted the two of them as Eric was bringing Eira to his office. "Eira, what are you doing here?"

        Eira's eyes widened before she answered, "I came to see Eric."

         "You shouldn't even know him," Sookie cautioned.

       "But she does. Now we have business we need to attend to," Eric pulled Eira along with him again but Sookie grabbed her.

      "She is not going anywhere alone with you."

           Eric bared his fangs at Sookie, "Bill, your human is annoyingly commanding. I suggest you tell her to stop before I eat her."

        "Eric!" Eira chastised before pulling Sookie to the side.

       "Sookie, I'm okay. You don't need to protect me. I know him."

       "Do you see how he looks at you? Like he wants to eat you?"

        "And Bill doesn't?"

          "I do not see Sookie as a meal," Bill tried to intervene but Eira looked at him in anger.

        "This is our conversation. Stop eavesdropping."

            Bill stepped back besides Eric and stated, "Your human is annoyingly commanding."

           Eric looked at her with a smirk, "Isn't she beautiful when she's angry?"

          Bill looked at Eric and how the older vampire gazed at the girl like she was the sun in the sky. It was obvious he thought of her as more than just a blood bag.

         "Sookie, I am his."

       "Oh hell no," Sookie grabbed her wrist and started to tug her. "You are leaving with me."

        Eric moved faster than the wind and removed Sookie's hand. He bared his fangs at the blonde as he stood behind Eira with his arms hung loosely around her neck, "Yes, she is mine and no one will tell her what to do. And you will not grab her like that again."

         Eira could see Sookie was quite terrified of Eric and Eira nudged Eric with her elbow. He retracted his fangs before Sookie spoke in exasperation, "None of this matters because this place is about to be raided to by the police."

          "You're not an undercover cop, are..." Eric started to question.

         "I'm not, but that man in the hat is."

       "Even if you're right, we do nothing illegal here."

        "There's a vampire named Taryn in the ladies' room with that man you kicked earlier. She's feeding on him."

          Eira frowned up at Eric, "You kicked someone?"

       "He was fine," Eric said before smirking as he whispered. "But I'd do much worse for you."

       She got a shiver and she felt a thrill at that delightfully smooth voice of his promising to protect her with wicked ways. She felt a bit guilty about it. Before she could respond, the police started to raid the place. He quickly vamp sped away with her in his arms.

_____

Eric brought her home and she turned to him with a little giddy smile, "You'd do worse for me? And what does that include?"

             His eyes raked over her as he stepped towards her. She became frozen at that darkened gaze as he smirked suggestively, "I could show you."

        "Show me what?" she was a bit clueless as to what he was thinking.

              He reached out and caressed her cheek softly as he uttered, "I could kiss you."

             Her heart beat sped up as she blushed immensely before she asked quietly, "How is a kiss bad?"

           "Because I'd ruin you," he revealed as he stared at her so delicately. "And I couldn't bear it if I was the reason you weren't so full of light."

          "Eric, you couldn't ruin me," she promised as she placed a gentle hand on his cheek. "I like you too much."

           "Don't say that," he warned as he leaned his forehead against hers. "I'll disappoint you."

                "Impossible," she said softly as she stared into his haunting blue eyes that captured her like nothing else could. She was a sucker for Eric Northman and she wanted to know what it would be like to really be his. "Kiss me."

He moved ever so slowly, giving her more than enough time to back out if she wanted to. Then she felt his lips against hers ever so softly as her eyes fluttered close.

She felt butterflies and the blood in her veins felt like it was buzzing as their lips molded together. Eric felt like he was being kissed by sunlight and the feeling of her lips created a warmth in his chest despite always being cold.

          They shared short, sweet kisses while Eric tangled his hands in her hair. Then Eric lifted her up off the ground. He wrapped his arms around her to hold her to him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Short and sweet turned to passionate and primal as they kissed longer and more deeply.

      His lips devoured hers and she forgot how to breathe. Although, he did not need to breathe, she most certainly did. She felt dizzy and she had to pull away which caused him to growl slightly at the removal.

         She took deep breaths as she pouted at him, "Don't kiss me like that. It's not fair."

         He chucked, "Like what?"

         "Where I forget how to breathe."

           "But I quite like it," he smirked and his grin made her excited as he brought his lips back to hers. He kissed her again and again and made her breathless all night long.