When I woke up, it took more than a moment to get my bearings. It was pitch black. Where the hell was I? I turned to the side, my head feeling heavy.

What the hell was James doing beside me?

The memories of the previous day slowly came back to me.

Well, better to be kidnapped than to have had sex with my dead boyfriend's brother...

At least that's how I felt. I stood up quietly, hoping not to wake James, but he seemed completely out of it. Even when I nearly knocked the bedside lamp to the floor with my foot—thankfully catching it just in time thanks to my quick reflexes, no doubt enhanced by Eric's blood—he didn't stir.

I breathed a sigh of relief—that is, until I reached the door and found it wouldn't open despite my tugging and pulling. I took a step back.

"What the—?"

"It only opens from the outside!"

I squealed and jumped back, the air knocked out of my lungs, unable to breathe in. Eric stood smugly in the open doorway, one eyebrow raised as he looked me over.

Was I dreaming again?

My loathed favorite vampire stood there in typical Fangtasia fashion: black muscle shirt, dark jeans, slicked-back hair. And me? I was still in my now sticky, filthy Merlotte's uniform. How long had it been? Two days? Three? Unshowered and far from home, my hair was a tangled mess sticking up in several directions.

So, not a dream. Whether I liked it or not, in my dreams, Eric usually wore less... But what in the world was he doing in the doorway of my room in Dallas? 

Just to be sure, I pinched my upper arm. "Ouch."

"Looks like you need a knight in shining armor to rescue you from sticky situations," Eric said dryly, grabbing me by the elbow and pulling me out of the room.

James, as far as I could tell, hadn't even moved. I hesitated. A Rock and a hard place. Should I stay or go with Eric?

We were already at the elevator before I even had the chance to think, much less speak or act.

"Hi!" I finally managed to say, completely on autopilot, smiling weakly and feeling utterly foolish the moment the word left my mouth. I still wasn't quite awake or something.

Eric turned his head to me, amusement dancing in his eyes, before responding with the same "Hi!" that threw me even more off balance. What was I doing here? I needed to wake up, damn it. Where was my coffee? I needed coffee! And breakfast. When was the last time I ate something decent?

As if on cue, my stomach growled at the thought. I pursed my lips, trying to remember. Last night, I'd fallen into bed fully dressed (thankfully, considering I'd been yanked out of my room without warning). So, no food then. Nothing in the car either. Maybe some fries at Merlotte's to soak up the alcohol...

My blood pulsed loudly in my veins, a side effect of Eric's presence, I sourly realized. As if his blood in me knew he was standing just a few inches away. With each heartbeat, tiny flashes danced behind my eyelids. I pressed my fingers to my temples, massaging them and closing my eyes.

"Headache?"

Eric's voice, deep and throaty, was right at my right ear, sending a shiver down my spine. Of course, it was only because a dangerous vampire was so close to my neck and carotid artery. Not because his cool breath brushed my neck and ear and his voice alone could make my body hum like some hookups from the bars couldn't manage all night long. No, not because of that.

"Hungry," I murmured, turning around so I could look him in the eye, trying to create some distance between us. But Eric and distance were two words that just didn't go together. In one smooth motion, he was standing just inches infront of me. I had backed into the elevator wall, feeling trapped.

Eric rumbled deep in his chest. I stifled a sigh as his rumble and his intensely glowing gaze did strange things to me. What a beautiful man... "I know the feeling."

"What? Which feeling?" My voice squeaked three octaves higher, and I cleared my throat. Which feeling? I had no feelings. Generally, I had no feelings. Certainly not for him.

Eric, who clearly knew exactly the effect he had on me, grinned with satisfaction and licked his right fang, which he had let protrude for dramatic effect. 

"Hunger."

The double entendre was unmistakable. And the saddest part was how much it affected me. Against my better judgment, I leaned forward like a magnet drawn to the confident, arrogant Viking. I could smell his expensive aftershave—something that shouldn't even be possible since vampires didn't shave—and felt the vibrating cold emanating from him. I placed my fingers on the deep V of his shirt, on his chest, breathing heavily and—

DING.

The elevator doors slid open beside us, and an unruffled Eric exited in one fluid motion while I struggled to keep my shaky legs moving without collapsing. On autopilot, I followed him out. I could barely say why; my brain wasn't working right as we suddenly found ourselves outside the hotel in the dark, with Eric holding out a banana to me.

A banana?

Maybe I was dreaming after all. I looked down to double check if my body had turned into that of a minion, but all there was to see where my lean legs still stuck in this god forsaken uniform. When I looked back up, Eric was still holding out that banana. What would Freud say about this? I looked from Eric to the banana and back again, while he, following my thoughts quicker than I could think them, had a dirty grin on his lips and raised an eyebrow.

"Hunger."

I frowned. He rolled his eyes and began peeling the banana before offering it to me again.

"You said you were hungry. I don't want your growling stomach to give away our position."

Once more, he held the banana under my nose. This time, I took it, still looking at him with more than a little suspicion. What?

"Eat!"

And so, I ate the banana, and almost instantly, my thoughts became more coherent, though the absurdity of my situation didn't exactly diminish.

Then, before I knew what was happening, Eric suddenly pulled me indecently close, pressing me against him. I looked up at him, scowling, trying to push away, but he held me tight.

"Careful, mister, people have lost fingers for less!" I warned, still trying to wriggle free. But Eric just snorted.

"There she is. While robot-Ash is pleasantly compliant, I think I like you much better this way," Eric looked down at me, amusement dancing in his eyes."Sassy."I tried not to let his words get to me.

"Just because you flatter me," I tried again to wriggle out of his grasp, but he held me like a vice, which, unfortunately, wasn't entirely unpleasant. Despite his steely muscles, I could feel his soft skin through the thin fabric of his shirt and smell his incredibly enticing scent. And every movement I made just rubbed me further against him, something he seemed to enjoy. He rumbled contentedly, finally making me stop. I slapped his chest with my free hand, a demand for decency.

"ERIC." I began again."Just because you flatter me—"

"And regularly rescue you from various predicaments," he interrupted. I shot him a dirty look but decided to ignore his comment.

"—doesn't mean you can do whatever you want with me. Let. Me. Go."

Eric grinned again, this time almost genuinely amused. That made me suspicious.

"What?" I snapped at him, nearly making him laugh.

"Look down."

Out of principle, I wanted to defy his order. I had a terribly stubborn streak, but the longer I resisted, the broader Eric's grin grew and the more mischief sparkled in his eyes. And those damn sparkling eyes were far more dangerous than following whatever he wanted from me. So, I looked down. And then I saw it.

"Damn!"

Suddenly, I couldn't get close enough to Eric, wanting to eliminate every small space between us.

We were flying.

Or rather, HE seemed to be flying. At dizzying heights, we soared over the city of Dallas, with cars, people, and even buildings beneath our feet. Consequently, the only things standing between me and certain death from an unbroken fall from thousands of feet high were the bastard who was thoroughly enjoying my reaction and his now very appreciated vise-like grip that pressed me against his steel-like body.

I would have loved to scream at him, but I was too petrified to do so. I closed my eyes tightly, burying my head in his chest as I silently prayed for the well-loved ground beneath my feet.

"You better not drop me!" I threatened, my voice thin and pathetic.

Please don't let me fall, please don't let me fall, please don't let me fall.

"You're far too entertaining for that," Eric whispered in my ear, chuckling again as I pressed myself even closer to him. Maybe my praying hadn't been so silent after all... 

"If I had known that flying put you in such a touchy mood, I'd have done this sooner!" he whispered huskily in my ear, not without letting his teeth graze my earlobe. He knew all too well that despite his behavior, I wouldn't let go of him in this situation and took his chance. He nibbled at my earlobe, sending a shiver down my spine, let his hands roam over my waist, my hips, my butt, pulling me closer, inhaling the scent of my hair deeply and exhaling the cold air over my scalp. My body, my damned treacherous, overstimulated body, reacted more than blatantly obvious to his actions, and to my horror, I felt my muscles go weak and my nipples harden.

"I hate you," I mumbled into his chest, clutching his shirt with my free hand after a gust of wind threatened to loosen my grip. The contradiction between my words and actions was absurd. Eric laughed, and I could feel the vibration of his bones transfer to my body. He was in a genuinely good mood. Too good. He was enjoying this. As close as I was pressed against him, I could feel every inch of Eric. And I mean truly every fucking inch. Especially the ones that had started poking me half-way through his ministrations of groping me, letting me know just how much Eric had enjoyed my clinging to him like a lifeline. Seemingly, his touches had not only affected me, but him equally. Despite the icy cold of the high-altitude air, I suddenly felt all too hot after this realization. Especially when some of the aforementioned inches began to move in suggestive motions against me. As I gasped, Eric rumbled deeply.

"Open your eyes!"

Like hell, I would.

The pressure around my waist lessened, making me cling to him with the every last bit of my strength. A normal person would probably be gasping for air by now at how hard I was holding on.

I wouldn't dream of it. The pressure around my waist lessened, which only made me cling to him even more with my remaining strength. A normal human would probably be gasping for air by now. 

Eric's cool fingers gently stroked my cheek, with only one arm still wrapped around my waist, holding me in place. Both hands on the merchandise, mister, or it would be a grim end for me. 

I could practically see the newspaper headline.

"Death in Dallas. Woman falls inexplicably from the sky. Are angels real now too?"

"Open your eyes," Eric whispered in my ear again, but I shook my head vehemently. At least until I felt his cold soft lips brush against mine. My heart skipped a beat before an electric shock zipped through my nobody with a force that had me gasping for air – a gasp Eric knew to use for his advantage, as he gave me the slip of his tongue a wicked smile on his lips. Yearning hit me with the force of a bulldozer, awakening something that had been dormant for month on end. My eyes widened in shock as I whipped my head back, but not before I felt Erics tongue take a last detour grazing my swollen lips, his teeth nippling on the sensitive flesh. The accompanied grin was downright dirty. 

Instinct had me shove his chest hard. Realisation hit while doing so as my body fell backwards, away from the safety that was Eric Northman, then tumbled awkwardly. I could literally feel the  color drained from my face as I fell... and then landed unceremoniously on my butt.

Not even a 5 feet below.

Panting, I sat on a lawn.

Eric had been hovering over the ground, playing with me. 

"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?" I shouted at him, clumsily getting up, one hand on my chest to ensure my heart hadn't jumped out. But Eric didn't seem to hear me. Just a moment ago, amused and almost playful, his expression was now serious as he whipped his head around and disappeared into the night.

"Really?!" I was fuming. Fear and adrenaline were still keeping my body in fight or flight mode, may limbs shaking, frozen in place as I realized when  I tried to run after him in the direction I thought he had vanished too. Only after a good minute did my shaky legs carry me up the hill and stopped, thunderstruck, at the top of a hill.

I had not expected this.