| TWENTY-ONE |
FUCKING SOOKIE

Two weeks passed since the maenad had been killed. Her house had been a wreck but Eric had it cleaned up within one night. She had asked where he was the night Maryann was dealt with.

"Were you with the Queen?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Why did she keep you?" Eira asked.

"It doesn't concern you."

She studied him for a moment before she spoke, "You're not in trouble, are you?"

"No," he sighed before he pulled her into his arms while they stood in her bedroom; she didn't need to know that the Queen was having him sell vampire blood and that he was supposed to deal with Bill who knew about his side of the deal. "I'll be fine. Don't worry."

He kissed the top of her head to get her to relax and she did. She snuggled her head against his chest as she breathed out, "Okay. As long as you're sure."

He grinned slightly at her worry as he said softly, "I'm sure."

And she hadn't asked again about it. She trusted Eric to deal with whatever vampire business that it was. She had her own problems to deal with like cleaning out her mother's room.

She no longer felt sad being in the house anymore. Eric was with her most of the time so it wasn't like she was alone but she had happy memories at this house and she no longer thought of the one bad one. Her mother's dead body no longer haunted her mind. She was finally moving on from it.

Only days after the maenad died did she clean out her mother's room. She kept the things she wanted but got rid of everything else. Although, as she cleaned out the room, she found a box under the bed that she'd never seen before.

It was a black box that had strange markings on it. She opened it to find many weathered books. As she opened them, she realized that they were spell books full of dark magic.

She should've expected her mother would know such dark magic since she said she came from a dangerous coven. But these spells were just awful and torturous.

Eric had arrived in the night when she had been going through them. He looked surprised.

"What are you holding?" he had froze as he saw the cover of the book in her hands.

"They're the spell-books that my mother had," Eira said as she frowned at what she read. "They're so awful, Eric."

"Get rid of that one," Eric spoke in a hard tone.

"Why?" she furrowed her eyebrows.

"It's necromancy," Eric said cautiously.

Her lips parted as she realized what that meant. Necromancy was magic to control the dead and vampires were dead things.

She immediately just made a simple thought and the book turned to ash in her hands. She gave a reassuring smile, "There."

Eric sat down beside her on the floor as he wrapped an arm around her waist. He stared at the books with a leery look in his eyes, "You're not going to turn into some sort of dark witch trying to kill me, are you?"

She giggled as she leaned into his side, "Never."

Eira actually ended up burning all of them in her backyard. She got a metal trashcan and put all of the books inside before setting it aflame. She wanted to watch them burn; that kind of magic shouldn't exist in the world.

Eira stood in front of the fire she had. Eric stood beside her with his hands in his pockets, "You didn't want to keep them?"

"No," Eira said. "That was the magic my mother and I guess her coven used...but it's not me."

"I barely even wanted to be a witch growing up," Eira continued as she explained. "My hair already made me different so I didn't want to learn spells. I had an affinity for the natural elements and I didn't have to chant spells to use them. I was content with that and...I still am."

"Plus," she started to smile at Eric. "I won't need any of this when I'm a vampire."

"Are you asking me to turn you? Now?" he gazed at her with a soft smile.

"No. Not yet," she said as she got on the tips of her toes before she kissed him by the heat of the fire that burned dark words because magic that harmed dark creatures had no place in a heart that was so in love with one.

____

After going through her mother's things and burning the books, the rest of the two weeks went by quite quickly. Sometimes, she'd be with Eric at Fangtasia and other times he would be with her at her house. Tonight, she was at Fangtasia.

Eric was busy with paperwork so she mostly danced in the bar, twirling around. But then she started to get tired so she went to see Eric in his office. She leaned against his desk beside him where he sat in a chair. He was going through some paperwork.

"I'm going to go home," she informed him as she kissed his cheek to leave.

"Alright. I'll come see you tomorrow...in the daylight," he replied but he was intently focused on whatever he was reading. She assumed it was business-related or vampire-related but she didn't care to find out.

She remained there leaning against his desk even though it was clear they said their parting words. She still breathed a bit heavily from twirling around all night. She stared at him and her eyes danced across his face. He was so pretty. The exhilaration she felt from dancing still pumped through her veins and gave her courage to do what she had always been too nervous to.

She never really understood why Eric felt the desire to kiss her anywhere but her lips. But she understood that now. It was a desire that came from wanting him to remember her lips on his skin. She wondered what Eric would think if she kissed his neck like he did hers. So she did so.

She pressed her lips to the side of his neck ever so hesitantly. She pressed a light kiss to his skin before she moved downwards and pressed a deeper kiss.

"Eira," he grunted. "I really do have to do this."

"Okay. Then do that. I'll do this," she said as she continued to cover his neck in kisses. Then she started to suck on his skin after each kiss and the pen he was holding snapped in half.

He quickly turned his chair before pulling her into his lap. She was now straddling him and she immediately started her work on the other side of his neck. He tangled his hands in her hair and his eyes were closed in ecstasy which made her smile that she could affect him so.

                "Eira," he had a husky voice as he muttered her name in a guttural moan.

             She leaned back as she smiled proudly. He stared at her with half-lidded eyes. She looked like an angel that came to deliver him into temptation. Fuck.

           Then she bit her lip as she commanded hesitantly, "Take off your shirt."

            He removed it quickly and then her hands were exploring his torso. She moved her hands slowly like she didn't know quite what to do with before she moved them down his chest, his pecs, and then finally to his abs. Then she smiled mischievously at him before she pressed her lips to his collar bone. She started her journey down his torso with her lips as Eric muttered, "Fuck."

          Just like with his neck, she would suck on the skin but this time, she would swirl her tongue around his skin as well. His fangs came out uncontrollably from the pure pleasure of just watching her mouth attach itself to his skin not to mention the feeling. He couldn't believe how unbelievably lucky he was getting tonight and wondered what the fuck he did right.

When she had decided she had kissed nearly every inch of his torso, she lifted her head up with a bright smile. She smiled wider as she noticed he stared at her in a haze like she was so happy to drive him absolutely crazy. But now it was his turn.

"The things I want to do to you right now," he muttered which caused her to blush before he flicked his fangs up and captured her lips with his.

He dominated her mouth as he kissed her hungrily. His tongue explored her mouth as she ran her fingers through his hair. Then his mouth moved down her jaw to her neck where he sucked on the skin making her let out little breathless moans. Then he nipped at the soft, supple skin causing her to fist his hair in her hand as his actions would no doubt leave hickeys behind and more marks for people to know that she was his.

His hands caressed her thighs as they moved upwards and over her hips before his fingers played with the end of her shirt. She felt like her whole body was alight with feeling as it felt like sparks each time he touched her and butterflies danced in her stomach. So when his hands tugged on her shirt and lifted it up, she let him take it off.

Once he did so, he quickly lifted her up as he stood. He cleared his desk by swiping everything to the floor before setting her down on top of it. He had her lay back before he smoothed his hand down the middle of her chest between her breasts and down her stomach. She still had on a simple cotton beige bra that covered her breasts and it wasn't anything particularly sexy but Eric stared at her body like he was seeing Heaven.

         It made her heart skip a beat before Eric leaned down and trailed kisses down her stomach while she tangled her hands in his hair. He stopped at the skin just above the button to her jeans. He kissed the skin there again as he muttered in a strained plea, "I want you."

           He lifted his head and brought it to hover over hers. His voice practically begged as he commanded, "Let me have you."

           His beautiful blue eyes pierced hers and she felt like nothing else in the world existed besides her and Eric. And she was ever so curious to know what it would be like to be completely his.

           "I want you," she placed her hands on his cheeks and guided his face down to hers before she kissed him softly. "I want you to have me."

He smiled partly in disbelief and partly like he'd won the greatest prize. He felt like he was dreaming as he pressed his lips back to hers. He kissed her delicately before he moved his head down to leave another trail of kisses down her stomach. When he got back to the same spot, he stopped and unbuttoned her jeans. He started to pull them down and she lifted her hips to help him until they were off completely.

Then Eric smirked in amusement as he stared down at her pink underwear that had a kitten on them as spoke in that deep voice of his, "Well, Hello Kitty."

She blushed. She had her Hello Kitty underwear since freshman year of high school and she had never been embarrassed until now.

"Don't you dare say anything more," she ordered.

  He chuckled. He didn't see why she was so bothered. He thought they were cute, anyways. It was different from the lacy thongs he'd gotten used to ripping off of women. And her flushed skin looked good in pink.

She clenched her legs together like somehow that would hide the panties she wore. He stared disapprovingly at that action as he shook his head. His little kitten was so sensitive.

He immediately pulled one leg apart as he started to kiss down the inside of her thigh. He could feel her relax and he saw her eyes were glazed over with content.

Then he moved and captured his lips with hers. He kissed her for a long moment before his lips to moved to her neck where he sucked on her skin and put her mind into a fog. Tiny, little moans came out of her mouth and then he did what he did.

She felt his fingers glide over her panties down her sex. Her breath caught in her throat at the feeling of fingers down there. It was so foreign but a heat crept up her skin at the feeling.

         He had only just touched her there when the door to his office slammed open. He released his fangs as he lifted his head and growled at the intrusion.

            It was Sookie.

            The telepath felt her jaw drop as she quickly averted her eyes, "Oh my god."

            "Leave," Eric commanded dangerously.

             "No," Sookie crossed her arms. "You and I need to talk."

            Eira was still in a haze. Her eyes went from Sookie to Eric who was hovering over her so protectively, so ready to commit violence in her name. She felt a bit giddy about it and couldn't help but smile slightly before her mind started to come back to her.

          It was no longer her and Eric in their own little world, especially, as Pam came in following Sookie. She pushed against his chest for him to move so she could get up. He did so with a groan.

              Eira hopped off the desk and grabbed the shirt that Eric discarded on the floor. She figured that his shirt was big enough and she wouldn't have to put all her clothes back on.

           As she put the shirt on, Pam smirked at her underwear, "Aren't those cute?"

          Eira blushed.

           Eric hummed in agreement as he stared down at them with an intense gaze. Her underwear were a bit tight from the years of wear and they accentuated her ass very, very well in his opinion.

           "Eric!" she smacked his chest after she put his shirt on that fell to her knees.

             He rolled his eyes before redirecting his gaze towards the human that interrupted what was going to be the most extraordinary moment in his thousand-year life, "This better be good."

           "Bill is missing and I believe you took him," Sookie stated.

             "I didn't," Eric said. "Now get out."

         "I'm still on this one thank you very much," Sookie said. "Where were you around eleven tonight?"

         "Here," Eric became bored with the conversation and moved his gaze to Eira as he started to twirl the ends of her hair.

          Sookie looked to Eira for confirmation and she nodded, "He was and he hasn't left here."

          "Fine. Then tell me where I can find Lorena. If you don't have him, she does."

        "Solid theory, but given the tenor of your last run-in with Miss Krasiki, I think it's better if I dealt with her instead," Eric said still without looking at Sookie.

       "How do I know you will?"

       "Because if Bill was, in fact, kidnapped, by human or vampire, I am duty-bound as sheriff of the area in which he resides to find him," Eric explained.

         "Then do it," Sookie stated before leaving and Pam left them alone as well.

         "So I guess you're really busy now," she said nervously as she stepped back to leave. "So maybe I should just..."

           But Eric grabbed her and pulled her flush against him before kissing her deeply. He muttered against her lips, "I can do that tomorrow."

            She shook her head and stepped out of his arms, "Eric, I want to go home."

          "Oh," he smirked, thinking she merely wanted to be on a bed instead of a desk, and she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion at what he thought that meant. But she didn't get to ask before he scooped her up in his arms and vamp sped out of Fangtasia and into the sky.

          They arrived at her house in record time. As soon as she stepped foot into her bedroom, she hardly had a moment to collect herself before Eric was kissing her again.

          She pushed away from him again, "Eric, stop kissing me."

            He picked up on her desperate tone and now it was turn to be confused as he furrowed his eyebrows, "What's wrong?"

           "I know I said I wanted to before," she said nervously as she failed to meet his eyes. "But I don't want to now."

           The bubble she was in with Eric had popped once Sookie came through the door. She had all these nerves and doubts now.

           Eric stepped forward before he tilted her chin up so she would look at him, "Why? There's nothing different now than from ten minutes ago."

             "I'm nervous now," Eira revealed quietly.

             "About what?"

            "Like...what if I'm bad at it?" Eira questioned with a look of panic on her face.

           Eric could only chuckle and she smacked his shoulder, "It's not funny."

            "Yes, it is," Eric argued before he caressed her cheek. "Because that's impossible."

             "Well, I have a whole bunch of nervous thoughts like what if you don't want me anymore after or what if some other girl was better than me at it?" she started to ramble out all her worries as her eyes turned glossy. "Or what if I take off all my clothes and I'm not beautiful enough? What if..."

              "Shh. Shh," he silenced her as he pulled her into a hug and he kissed the top of her head. "Your heart is racing."

               He held her and stroked her hair as she calmed down. He could feel her fear so acutely like she was in mortal danger but she was just that afraid of losing Eric.

             "All of those are impossible," he promised quietly.

           "Nothing is impossible, Eric," she frowned as she snapped sadly.

           "Ooh, so feisty. And where did my little optimistic kitten go?" Eric teased.

           She couldn't help but smile, "That's never going away, is it?"

"Never," he smirked.

She sighed before she lifted her head from his chest to look at him, "Okay so maybe some things are impossible but I'm just...I'm not ready, Eric."

"I know," he said quietly and he had a tortured look in his eyes as he clenched his jaw. He wanted to murder Sookie Stackhouse in his mind. Fucking Sookie.

Eric placed his hands on her cheeks before leaning down and kissing her softly. Then he stepped away from her as he said, "I guess I will be looking for Bill."

She nodded but then his eyes raked over her in his t-shirt and he bit his lip, "That looks so fucking good on you."

"I'm glad you think so," she blushed. "Now go."

He moved his gaze back to her eyes as he nodded. But he quickly kissed her again before he disappeared. She couldn't help but smile before she let herself fall back onto her bed with a happy sigh.