Forever in a Night

Forever in a Night

Sookie blinked back the angry tears, refusing to let them fall as she made her way through the strange and scary city of New Orleans. She was beyond furious, beyond scared; there were no words to describe her emotions. She couldn’t believe Hadley and Tara had just taken off without her, leaving her in the unfamiliar city all alone. Well, that wasn’t exactly a surprise. She could believe it, it was typical behavior for them, after all, it wasn’t their first time abandoning her, but she had foolishly believed they might stick with her this time. They were in New Orleans celebrating her twenty-first birthday. The weekend was supposed to be for her. Sookie thought her cousin and best friend might have the decency to not dump her and then go off with a couple of complete strangers.

It hadn’t been Sookie’s idea nor had she even wanted to spend her twenty-first celebrating in New Orleans, but rather than putting her foot down and saying no, she had allowed Hadley and Tara to convince her to spend her savings on a hotel room and a trip to the city. It was supposed to have been a girls ‘weekend with the three of them seeing the sights and enjoying all the city had to offer, but Hadley and Tara decided they wanted to hit a few clubs and then hook-up with some strange men. They had tried to convince Sookie to join in the fun, attempting to bully her into giving up her virginity to the first guy who showed an interest. They cared little for how uncomfortable the young blonde was, or how the noise, both mental and loud, could have been hurting her. It was obvious that all they cared about was getting drunk and hooking up with as many men or women they had the chance to before leaving Monday morning.

They had openly mocked Sookie, letting many of the men at the bar know that she was a virgin, asking them if they wanted to pop her cherry. They laughed at her embarrassment, trying to convince her to disappear into one of the bathrooms just so one of the men could ‘take care of her little issue’. Sookie had been mortified, much to their amusement. The teary-eyed young woman excused herself in an attempt to compose herself and once she had returned to the bar, she discovered Tara and Hadley had ditched her to head to a private party with a group of the bar’s customers. In a move that left Sookie on the edge of committing violence, her two friends, a term she now used quite loosely, had given a pimple-faced frat boy fifty dollars to ‘show Sookie a good time.’ Sookie had fully understood what they meant by ‘good time’ straight from Leo’s head. They had paid him to take her virginity! It really was a good thing for Tara and Hadley that they hadn’t been near Sookie because she wouldn’t have been able to keep herself from slapping the taste out of both of their mouths. After informing Leo that, regardless of what Tara and Hadley had told him, he wouldn’t be getting lucky with her, Sookie left the club.

That was how Sookie found herself wandering now through the French Quarter totally lost and looking for her hotel. She just wanted to go home. She wanted to check out of her hotel, climb into her car, and drive back to Bon Temps. She didn’t care that it was late at night, or that Tara and Hadley were still in the city. They could find their own way back; she was done being their doormat and punching bag.

“Are you lost?”

Sookie jumped when the voice cut through her musings. She placed a hand to her chest, trying to stop her heart from beating through as she eyed the stranger who had spoken to her. He looked strangely familiar, she knew she hadn’t met him before, but there was something about him that told Sookie she knew him, or perhaps was supposed to know him. He had long blonde hair the same shade as hers tied at the nape with a thin leather cord, the bluest eyes she had ever seen, a handsome face, and a strong-looking body. In short, he was gorgeous, and Sookie found herself running her eyes over him a second time, making sure she hadn’t missed anything on her first pass. Gorgeous was an understatement, but it was the best word Sookie could think of at that moment.

“Geez, ya scared me,” she chided half-heartedly once the silence had stretched too long and become uncomfortable. She softened her words with a shy smile. “Yeah, I’m lost,” she added after she remembered she hadn’t answered his question. “Though the wanderin’ ‘round aimlessly probably gave that away.” She felt butterflies fluttering around in her stomach when she noticed his very kissable looking lips quirk slightly.

“It was a good clue,” he replied, his tone hinting at an accent she couldn’t quite place. He gave Sookie his most charming smile while trying to put her at ease. There was something about the young blonde that called to him and the last thing he wanted to do was scare her, something in direct opposition to his usual desires. He usually enjoyed scaring pretty little things, it got their blood pumping and made them taste all the more delicious. However, there was something about the curvaceous young woman that made him want to protect her; it was a reaction he hadn’t felt in a very long time. “So, now that we have discerned that you are indeed lost, allow me to offer my services as a guide,” he continued theatrically, delighting in the flicker of happiness that shined in her eyes. “I am very familiar with the city. I can show you everything your heart may desire.”

“D’ya live here?” Sookie asked, sidestepping his offer for the moment. She knew better than to go off with a stranger, no matter how attracted she was to him or tempted. Boy, was she tempted! She’d never before had such a reaction to a man.

“No, but I visit the city quite often for business so I know my way around,” he answered as he took a step toward her to try to give them a sense of privacy, despite being in the middle of a bustling street. “I would be more than happy to be your personal tour guide.”

Sookie fought to keep the smile off her face at his flirtatious behavior. Her body was screaming at her to accept his offer and suggest he show her around her hotel room first, still her traitorous mind kept telling her to refuse. He was a stranger after all, and it wouldn’t be wise to go off with him. He could be a serial killer for all she knew… A very charmin’ and sexy serial killer. Extremely sexy. It’d be just my luck to fall for a killer. Or maybe he’s married, a married serial killer… Sookie shook her head, banishing her thoughts before she let them get her into trouble. “I appreciate the offer,” she said politely, “but I don’t know ya. I mean, I don’t even know ya name. Ya could be a married serial killer for all I know…” Sookie’s eyes widened when she realized what she’d said and she prayed the ground would just open up and swallow her whole! Oh God, what the fuck’s wrong with me? I can’t believe I said that out loud. He probably thinks I’m an escaped mental patient now. Way to go, Sookie… 

“I assure you I am not married,” he said, his eyes sparkling with amusement. It had been a long time since he had last had so much fun just talking to someone and they had barely spoken to each other. He wanted to spend more time with her to see if she was as much fun as he believed. “As for not knowing my name, that is easily fixed. Allow me to introduce myself…” Taking her small hand into his larger one, he lifted it to his mouth, and brushed a soft kiss over the back. “I am Eric Northman…”

Eric was reluctant to release her hand, still he forced himself, not wanting to spook her. She had the softest skin he had ever felt and he wanted to know if she was as soft in other places. He wanted to know what it felt like to be cradled between her strong legs, to feel her heat wrapped around his hardness as he drove them both to completion multiple times. He wanted her!

From the second he had set eyes on her in the dimly-lit barroom where her so-called friends had humiliated her, Eric knew she was made to be his. He wanted to own her, possess her, to know how her kisses tasted, and, most of all, the way she looked while in the throes of passion. Eric had sat back and watched, his anger growing with each mocking word that spilled from her friends’ lips as she tolerated their cruel words while never once sinking to their petty and spiteful levels. He had been sorely tempted to step in, introduce himself to the young woman, and steal her away from the maliciousness of her friends. He knew it would have only encouraged her friends’ bitchy attitudes, especially considering how the trashy-looking one, Hadley, his mind supplied, had been eye-fucking him across the bar. As much as he wanted his blonde-haired goddess, he wouldn’t give her friends more ammunition to use against her. Eric also had to take into consideration that he was in the presence of some of the Queen’s faithful lapdogs. Eric knew the moment he showed interest in Sookie, that Compton, the cretin, would have made a play for her himself out of some ridiculous need to prove he was better than Eric. In his tiny little brain, Bill thought he was in competition with Eric, which was beyond stupid. Everyone who knew them knew that Bill was a weasel to Eric’s lion. The last thing Eric wanted was to place Sookie in the path of Compton, Andre, or, even worse, Queen Sophie-Anne. Those three were a thousand times more cruel or vicious than Tara and Hadley.

So he had hung back, just watching her, merely biding his time until he could go to her. He clenched his hands into fists, restraining himself from snapping Hadley and Tara’s necks when he saw them give a young ugly boy fifty dollars to ‘make Sookie less of a freak and pop her cherry,’ before making plans to go to a private party with some of the bar’s customers. He wondered briefly what the two bitter, twisted young women might think if they knew the private party they were attending was with vampires. Those thoughts left his mind the second he saw Sookie returning to the bar, seeing how upset she was at being left behind, and he was grateful Bill had been one of those who left to attend the private party. It finally gave him the opportunity to seek out his goddess.

“And, I am at your every service,” Eric continued, flashing her a sexy smile and delighting in the blush that spread across her tanned skin.

Sookie felt her cheeks heat at the implication of his words. She would be lying if she said she wasn’t tempted, the man was sex on two legs! She had no doubt he could have his pick of women, so she didn’t know why he was wasting his time on her. So used to being told she was nothing special, crazy, or a freak, Sookie didn’t understand just how attractive or appealing she was.

Would it be so bad to accept his offer? She asked herself. 

Yes, a harsh-sounding voice snapped back. You don’t know the first thing about him. He could be a murderer, or a human trafficker. He could want to sell you to some sleazy guy in another country… Or kill you. The voice morphed into Hadley’s and for several painful seconds all Sookie could hear were her cousin’s hateful comments and verbal abuse. Why else would he be interested in you? It’s not like you’re that pretty or experienced, Phantom Hadley scoffed. He probably feels sorry for you. He just pities you. He doesn’t really want you, no one does… 

SHUT UP! Sookie screamed silently, having heard enough. For years she’d had to put up with Hadley’s spiteful words, even when her cousin wasn’t with her the ghost of her behavior stayed with Sookie, weighing her down and making her feel less than. Sookie wasn’t sure where her newfound strength was coming from or if it would hold, but right at that moment, she was done listening to her cousin and the memory of her words. It was her night, her weekend. You only turned twenty-one once and she refused to let Hadley or Tara’s selfish ways ruin it. Why should she return to her hotel and cry herself to sleep just because Hadley and Tara didn’t know what friendship really meant?

There was a gorgeous man standing in front of her offering her to show her the sights of New Orleans. Granted, he was a total stranger who could have been a human trafficking serial killer, but sometimes you just had to take a chance! A leap of faith, Sookie thought with a tiny nod of her head. Life was for living, it was about taking chances, getting knocked down, and jumping back up. Besides, it’s not a complete leap, I can cheat and look into his mind, she reminded herself.

Taking a deep breath, Sookie braced herself for the onslaught of thoughts she knew she would get as soon as she dropped her shields. Not that they kept every voice out of her head, there were far too many people in the busy Quarter for that, but she had managed to shield herself from many of the unwelcome thoughts. Sookie grimaced as all the mental voices slammed into her and she stumbled back a step as she tried to sort through them so she could lock in on one Mr. Eric Northman.

Eric frowned when he saw a look of pain flash through Sookie’s eyes. He couldn’t see or sense anything that could have caused her the pain. Before he knew what he was doing, he reached for her, grasped her bare upper arms with his hands, and pulled her to him. “Are you okay?”

Sookie’s eyes fluttered shut as blessed silence washed over her and quieted the cacophony of voices. Never before had Sookie felt such peace in her own mind and she relished the feeling, giving herself over to it. “Hmm,” she moaned softly, a secret smile curling her lips. Sookie took a second to just feel, to experience the feeling of a man touching her without his thoughts overwhelming her, to know the pleasure of a silent mind…

A silent mind… A silent mind… A silent… Sookie’s eyes snapped open as the realization of what she was feeling slammed into her, and she peered up at Eric through her lashes. It wasn’t her mind that was silent… It was his!

“I can’t hear you…”

The words were out before Sookie could stop them and she hoped he hadn’t heard. The last thing she wanted was Eric thinking she was crazy just like everyone else thought. Her telepathy may not have been a secret in Bon Temps, but she wasn’t in her hometown tonight, and she really didn’t want to make up excuses as to why she was behaving so strangely. She might not have known anything about Eric beyond his name, but she liked him. He was the first person who had ever treated her as if she was normal, not like a mind-reading freak…

That’s because he doesn’t know you can read minds, you freak. If he did he’d run a mile just like everybody else. He’d see you for the lunatic you really are, Phantom Hadley whispered cruelly in Sookie’s mind. Everyone knows you’re really just crazy.  

“I didn’t say anything,” Eric replied in a low tone while he ran his hands up and down her arms, enjoying just holding her. He couldn’t remember the last time he just held a woman. Never, his mind supplied. He had never just held a woman, not even his vampire child or sister had ever been held by him. He didn’t do things that way, things that couples did. He was all about the chase, the thrill of the capture, and the pleasure of the consummation. He fucked hard and fast, and then moved on. He didn’t linger or offer false hope; he never allowed the women he bedded to believe there was more to it than there was. It was always about sex, even with Pam and Nora. Sure, he cared for them both, loved them in his own way, but it was never about tenderness or comfort. He had no need to ever hold them in the way he was holding his blonde-haired goddess. Eric wasn’t sure what it was about the delectable Sookie that made him not only want to protect her, but give her anything her heart desired as well. He suspected it wasn’t something he could fight against. She called to him in the most primitive of ways.

“Oh, I thought you did,” The lie rolled off Sookie’s tongue with ease and she winced internally with how comfortable she had become with the habit. She wasn’t proud of it, but she had learned the hard way that the truth was not always welcome nor wanted. Sookie took pleasure for several long seconds, enjoying the feel of Eric’s arms around her and the silence he provided her mind, before forcing herself to back up, leaving the comfort of his arms. She gave him a grateful smile when she peered up at him. He would never know of the amazing gift he had given her, a gift that had been denied to since birth… Silence.

As she stared up at him, a hundred different questions ran through her mind. She wanted to know why his mind was silent to her. How could he block out the thoughts of everyone around them? Was he a telepath like her or something completely different? Did it really matter? That question stuck in Sookie’s mind. Did it actually matter what Eric was? Knowing wouldn’t make her any less attracted to him; it sure wouldn’t make her want him any less. Whatever he was, he was right there in front of her offering to be her guide, and unless she was sorely mistaken, much more than simply her guide. He wanted her and she didn’t need to read his mind to know that. It was written all over his face.

I guess the real question is; should I accept his offer?

Sookie was sure there were a thousand reasons she should decline and they were probably good reasons. Still, for all the reasons telling her she should say no, she only had one telling her yes… She wanted to accept. She had spent twenty-one years living cautiously. She had always been the responsible one; she had never gotten drunk or slept around unlike her brother, Jason, or her cousin, Hadley. She had stuck close to home, worked a lousy job, and had tolerated everyone’s scorn along with their hate-filled words and thoughts. She had never done anything wild; she had always done what was accepted, never what she really wanted. Well, no more! It was her weekend, her life, and for just this once she was taking a chance for herself and doing something out of character.

“So, where ya gonna take me first?” Sookie asked, her tone calm, hiding the nervous tension she was truly feeling.

It took Eric a moment to realize what she was saying, but once he did, a huge smile spread across his face and he reached for her hand, linking their fingers together. “Ladies choice,” he replied. He knew where he would have preferred to have taken her first…his bed, her bed; any bed would do… Hell, they didn’t even need a bed, any flat surface or wall would do!

“How about we start with the Quarter?” Sookie suggested, smiling. “We’re already here, after all.” She had no idea where to go or what she wanted to see. She had been planning to just go back to her hotel room and soak in the bath for a while, but spending her time in the vibrant city with a handsome man sounded like a much better idea!

“Whatever the lady desires,” Eric replied, dropping her hand and bowing theatrically before her again. He grinned at the soft laugh that spilled out of her. He held out his arm and offered it to her, allowing the gentleman he was to rarely show.

Sookie smiled when she linked her arm through his. “Oh,” she said, pausing as a thought came to her. “I’m Sookie, by the way. Sookie Stackhouse.”

OoOoO

Eric was good for his word, showing all the sights New Orleans had to offer, including many that weren’t well known. The two of them spent hours walking around and enjoying all of the beauty that was the Crescent City. The sights were nothing new to Eric. He had spent many, many years in Louisiana and the Queen’s frequent need to see him had him traveling to New Orleans almost monthly. Yet, seeing those same sights through Sookie’s eyes was almost as if he was seeing them for the first time, and he found himself becoming even more enchanted with the young woman.

There was something different about Sookie, something she was hiding, and he was intrigued by it. She wasn’t anything like the women he was accustomed to, her innocence was not feigned, nor was her appreciation. She wanted nothing from him; declining his offer to buy her a souvenir or anything else that caught her eye. She didn’t seem to care that he had money, she was more interested in what he could teach her than what he could buy her. She was, as the humans say, ‘a breath of fresh air.’

Eric thought about glamouring her to uncover her secret but, for the first time since he had become a vampire, he wanted to learn something through trust, not deception. It was a foreign concept for him and one he felt was something he was willing to try. He was hiding something from her, after all. He hadn’t told Sookie he was a thousand-year-old vampire. Probably because she would run away screaming, he chuckled internally. It wasn’t the kind of thing one dropped randomly in a conversation. Hey, I’m Eric, I’m a vampire. Pass the blood… No, that conversation would have to come later. 

“So this is where the Voodoo Queen is buried,” Sookie said, pulling Eric from his musings and drawing his focus back to her. A smile tugged at her lips as she gazed at the sight, wondering if Marie Laveau was truly what she claimed was and what people believed. Was the woman different like her? Sookie hoped so; she had never wanted to be the only ‘different’ person in the world. Her tour guide was also different, he was silent. Maybe New Orleans is a home for people like me. Everyone might be different here. “I wonder what she was like.”

“It is,” Eric replied with a nod. He didn’t tell Sookie that he was familiar with what the Voodoo Queen was like, having met her when she was only a young woman just barely out of her teens. That was yet another conversation for another night. “It is quite a popular tourist trap. Everyone wants to see where she lies.”

Eric grinned as he watched Sookie take in everything. She was so inquisitive and it was a refreshing change. She was actually interested in what he was showing her, and not faking it. It made her all the more attractive to him, and cemented the thoughts running through his mind. She was supposed to be his. Acting on impulse, Eric closed the distance between them, wrapping an arm around her waist as he tilted up her chin with his other hand. He could see curiosity in her eyes as well as a little bit of fear, but more than that, he could see desire. It was that desire that spurred him on. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her. Lowering his head, Eric brushed his lips over hers in just a ghost of a kiss. The second their lips touched Eric felt a spark ignite inside him and, in that moment, he knew he was right. Sookie Stackhouse was supposed to be His. It was as if Fate had decreed it.

A small whimper escaped from between Sookie’s lips at the feel of Eric’s lips on hers. Pushing up on her tiptoes, Sookie wrapped her arms around his shoulders and returned the kiss, letting the heat that had been building since their introduction bubble over and sweep them away. Nothing had ever felt so right and Sookie was content to just let the feeling flow and go along for the ride.

Eric placed a series of butterfly kisses on her lips before pulling back and peering down at her. He groaned when his eyes landed on her swollen lips, and he couldn’t help but sweep down to plunder her mouth again. “Come home with me,” he said once he had broken their kiss. Eric dropped his hands to her hips, squeezing her gently as he waited for her reply. He knew she didn’t really understand the importance of what he was asking. She thought he was simply inviting her into his bed. She had no idea she was the only woman to whom he had ever issued that invitation. No other woman had ever stepped foot in his home.

Peering up at him through her lashes, Sookie bit her lip as she thought about his offer. She knew what he was asking, what he was offering, and if it would have been any other night or any other man, she would have said no. Yet, it wasn’t another night, it was that night, her night, her birthday, and it wasn’t another man, it was Eric. Steeling her nerves, Sookie smiled at Eric while she stared into his blue eyes. “OK… Yes.”

Eric couldn’t help but to steal her lips in another passion-fueled kiss when he heard her answer. It was the answer he wanted but wasn’t sure he would get. It delighted him that she said yes. Wrapping his arm around her shoulder, Eric held Sookie close to his side while he guided them out of the graveyard and toward his house.

OoOoO

Sookie laughed nervously while Eric unlocked his front door. Part of her couldn’t believe she had agreed to go back to his house! It was so out of character for her, but for some reason it felt right. He felt right. Sookie had never believed in soulmates or Fate. She had never believed some people were meant to be together and that Fate made it possible, but as she stared at Eric’s back, she couldn’t help but wonder if maybe there was something to the whole thing. There had been a spark between them from the moment they met and it had been more than just physical attraction, much more. The connection she had felt went way beyond anything she had ever experienced. It almost felt as if Eric was part of her, her other half. She only felt whole when he was with her, touching her, and just accepting her for who she was, not who he wanted her to be.

As soon as he opened the door, Eric turned to face Sookie and pulled her into his arms. He grinned as he felt her rest her head against his chest, and he brushed a kiss over her hair, breathing in her scent… Vanilla, sunlight, and home. Eric knew it would be easy for him to become addicted to her scent, he was already addicted to her kisses and they had only shared two. Everything about his blonde-haired goddess was addicting, and he was more than fine with that. If he had to develop an addiction then he honestly couldn’t think of a better one. Sookie Stackhouse was supposed to be His. He could feel it deep down inside. His blood was telling him so and he never ignored what his blood told him.

Lifting his hand, Eric cupped Sookie’s face and tilted it up as he lowered his own, pressing his lips to hers. It started off slowly and sweetly, but the tension that had been building between them since their first meeting shattered, and before she even knew what was happening Sookie found she was pressed up against the closed front door, the breath from her lungs stolen in the most passionate kiss she had ever experienced. Not that she’d had many kisses; still, it was a most indulgent kiss.

Breaking the kiss, Sookie gasped for breath as her head swam with passion. Her body felt as if it was on fire and she was desperate for Eric to fan the flames! She wanted to burn, to feel the heat of his kisses, his touches, his body against hers. Moans spilled from her lipstick-smudged lips when Eric trailed a series of biting kisses down her neck, sucking on her pulse point until it bruised, marking her as His. Inexperience made Sookie shy, hesitant, unsure of what she should do, or how she should touch him. She knew she wanted to and her mind showed her all the ways she could if she could just build the courage. Desire… Oh! Desire to please and be pleased gave her the resolve to try! Her hands shook slightly as she ran them down Eric’s back, mapping his body with her hands just as she had done with her eyes earlier in the night.

Eric smiled against her neck when he felt her hands exploring him. He knew from the two bitches she called ‘friends’ that Sookie was innocent when it came to pleasures of the flesh. He was sure she had touched herself, but had never had another touch her. That was more than fine with him. He wanted to be the only man to ever touch her, to know her sweet taste, and to feel her heat. He was a selfish man and he made no excuses or apologies for it. She was His and no other would ever touch her.

“Let’s take this somewhere more comfortable,” Eric said while he slid his hand down her back and grabbed her ass. He gave her firm butt a gentle squeeze before lifting her and silently instructing her to wrap her legs around his waist. He had nothing against having sex against a door, Lord knows he had done it enough time over his thousand years, but this was Sookie’s first time, their first time together. She deserved more than a hard and fast fuck against a door. She deserved to be worshipped.

Sookie nodded in reply, her mouth suddenly dry, and words deserting her. She locked her legs around Eric’s waist, kicking her shoes off as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Words may have deserted her, but her body suddenly seemed to know what to do naturally. She pressed her lips to Eric’s once more in a hungry kiss and let instinct guide her.

Eric groaned when he felt Sookie’s tongue tangle with his and his step faltered as he fought the urge to just press her against the nearest wall and fuck her into oblivion. Moving one of his hands to her head, Eric fisted his hand into her hair, tugging lightly on her blonde locks, and distracting her as he sped them through his hall to his bedroom. He couldn’t wait any longer; he needed to touch her, to feel the slide of her sweat-soaked skin against his cool flesh, and to feel her hot, wet sheath surrounding his hardness. He needed to know if she really was made for him and to see how well they fit.

Sookie wasn’t aware of anything but the feel, taste, sound, touch, and scent of Eric. He surrounded her, invading her every sense. All roads had led her there, to Eric, and for once in her life she was shutting her mind down to just feel. She would worry about tomorrow when it came, tonight was all about feeling. A giggle spilled from her kiss-bruised lips when Eric settled her on her feet and she smiled up at him, giddy on his kisses.

Lifting his hand, Eric rubbed a thumb over her lips and smirked at the hungry look in her eyes. He had seen women far more beautiful, more confident, and much sexier, but for the life of him he couldn’t remember where. In that moment, there was no other woman in the world. Sookie was it; his past, his present, his future. Everything began and ended with her. Dipping his head, Eric brushed his lips over hers again in the softest of kisses while he slowly began to undress her.

Sookie shivered under the intensity of Eric’s gaze, her body yearning for his touch even as he slid his hands over her shoulders and hooked his fingers in the thin straps of her dress. A flush darkened her flesh when Eric pushed her dress off her shoulders, down her arms, and over her hips. Self-consciousness rose up inside her when she stood before him in nothing but her simple cotton bra and panties. Sookie fidgeted while she attempted resisting the urge to cover herself with her arms.

“Beautiful,” Eric murmured, running his eyes over her and showing her his appreciation. Taking a step closer, Eric lifted his hand and trailed a single finger over her face, down her neck, and through the valley between her breasts. His eyes devoured her, memorizing her every reaction, and then swooping down and stealing her lips in a lust-filled kiss.

Backing her up until her legs hit the end of his bed, Eric laid her down on the king-sized duvet and followed her onto it, crawling up her body and covering her with his much larger one. Mine! It was the only word in Eric’s head as he trailed kisses down her body, sucking her hardened nipples through her bra, and then heading lower. As hard as he was, as much as he wanted to join with her and drive them both to completion, Eric wanted to make it gratifying for her more than anything. He wanted to give her pleasure before taking his own.

Sookie gasped when she felt Eric settle between her legs and tension once again bubbled to the surface, but before she had a chance to react Eric nudged her with his nose, sending a jolt of desire right through her. Her legs parted on instinct, her body knowing what to do even as her mind still questioned.

Eric smirked wolfishly when he noticed her juices soaking her simple cotton panties, and he took a deep breath in committing her scent to memory, not that he would ever forget or go without. Her scent, taste, and sounds would be with him forever as would she. That was something he would think on later. Then all he cared about was their time at that moment. Eric lowered his head again and placed a single kiss over her panty-covered sex, loving the way her legs tensed in preparation…

Sookie’s breathing came out in short, sharp pants when Eric hooked his fingers into the band of her panties and slowly pulled them down, removing them completely, leaving her in only her white bra. She tugged at the deep red comforter on the bed to keep her hands busy, to keep her from trying to cover up.

Eric groaned when her scent invaded his senses. He had never smelled anything so sweet and he was desperate to know if she tasted the same. There is only one way to find out… Eric flashed Sookie a smug smile before dropping his head between her parted thighs and getting his first taste of her. The best… He growled as the taste of her exploded on his tongue. If he wasn’t addicted to her before he definitely was now! Eric feasted on her sex, teasing her with his lips, tormenting her with his tongue, and driving her wild with his teeth.

Sookie couldn’t hold back the moans nor did she want to while Eric drove her out of her mind. She never knew anything could feel so good… She hooked her legs over Eric’s shoulders and grabbed fistfuls of his hair. “Oh!” She whimpered, her toes curling as delight she had only ever felt on her own, though with never near the same intensity continued to build inside her.

Eric smirked as he pulled one fervor-filled moan after another out of her. Pure male pride had him nearly preening while he slipped a hand between her trembling thighs and pressed a finger to her dripping sex. Eric wrapped his lips around her swollen bundle of nerves and pushed his finger inside her. He groaned once more when he felt how tight she was, and he knew he would have to be careful with her. He didn’t want to hurt her; that was the last thing he would ever want. Eric brought her to the edge of release, and then sent her flying over. He added a second finger as she thrashed around. Eric twisted and scissored his fingers, preparing her for his much larger cock.

Sookie cried out as her first climax of the night washed over her. She had no idea oral sex could feel so wonderful! She had seen it in other women’s minds, but seeing and feeling were two very different things! As quickly as her first release flittered away, her second built and slammed into her. Her body was alit with joy and she screamed in pleasure and satisfaction, her eyes fluttering shut as aftershocks flowed through her.

Eric watched as Sookie came, the sight of her in the throes of passion etched into his mind for all eternity. He waited for her eyes to close before he ripped off his clothes, destroying them in his need, and quickly climbed up her body. He crashed his lips to hers, capturing her plump bottom lip between his lips and biting down as to distract her with pain as he entered her swiftly, breaking her hymen and taking her virginity.

Sookie’s eyes snapped open when she felt a sharp pain between her legs. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she sucked in some deep, ragged breaths, trying to push the pain aside. Feeling Eric inside of her was a strange sensation, he was so hard, large, and cold…? The coldness threw Sookie. She had always heard that men were hot, but before she could think on it too much Eric pulled back a fraction of an inch and nudged forward again. Sookie’s eyes widened as the sharp pain she felt turned into a dull ache. She furrowed her brow while she moved her hips slowly, “Oh,” she moaned when pleasure began to override pain. She moved her hips again, silently telling Eric it was okay to move. The pain had almost disappeared completely and the pleasure was more than making up for any that remained.

Eric clenched his teeth, fighting the urge to just drive into her hard and fast. Her pussy felt like Valhalla, it was so warm, wet, and tight, like it was made for him. The scent of her virgin blood in the air was testing his restraint, and it took him several long seconds to push back the Beast. Eric smiled down at Sookie while he pulled out of her nearly all the way, and then slid back in at a soft, slow pace.

Sookie had dreamed about losing her virginity for years, but nothing she imagined had prepared her for the reality. Her body hurt, but it was a good hurt! She clutched at Eric’s shoulders, her nails digging into his flesh while she felt herself teetering on the edge one more time. She thought her first two orgasms were good, but they were nothing compared to the one building inside at that moment. Every single nerve was sparking while Eric moved inside her.

Eric grunted when he felt Sookie’s sheath tighten around his cock. She was so tight that it took all he had to stop himself from losing it and cumming before her. This was it, the moment he had been waiting for, the moment everything would change forever. He waited until her body tensed and exploded in release before striking. He dropped his fangs, buried his head in the crook of her neck, and sunk his fangs into her flesh.

Sookie screamed in rapture as the most exquisite ecstasy spread through her body. So lost in her delight, she never noticed the pain in her neck nor the lethargy creeping into her body. By the time she did notice, it was too late, her limbs were too heavy to move, and her eyes began to flutter shut. The last thing she saw before death claimed her was Eric leaning over her, his mouth bloody as he raised his wrist to his mouth and tore into it.

“This is just the beginning,” Eric growled while he pressed his bloody wrist to her mouth and forced his blood down her throat.

The beginning…