A year after Bill's death

Sookie Stackhouse was standing on her porch.

Alone.

Alone as so often in these days. Everybody in Bon Temps was somewhere else - Jason was living with his girlfriend Bridget now. Hoyt and Jessica were married and still deeply in love. Sam had moved away a long time ago. And Bill - Bill was dead. Finally and truly dead. By her hand.

Sookie sighed.

She listened to the darkness around her house. She could hear the locusts in the grass and the wind in the trees.

But she would never hear Bill's voice again. That unique way he used to say her name.

Sookie smiled at her memories. She wasn't sad anymore - no, the grief was gone. Somehow she could understand Bill's decision much better now. He had lived long enough. He was tired of all. He wanted to go. He wanted to be with his loved ones once again.

So she had helped him. It hadn't been easy, but it was something that needed to be done, so she did it.

And she had been alone ever since.

Up until this peculiar evening.

She decided to go inside, so she turned around slowly. It was at that moment when she saw that someone else was standing on the porch too.

Eric.

He had arrived so silently that Sookie hadn't noticed anything.

She inhaled and blinked her eyes stunned, but it wasn't a vision nor a dream.

It really was him.

Sookie hadn't seen him in ages, and he was even taller and more beautiful than she had remembered.

Yes, beautiful was exactly the right word to describe Eric. His golden hair, his pale skin, his ice blue eyes - and that unique smirk that always both irritated and intrigued Sookie.

Tonight Eric looked exactly the way he really was - an ancient, high-ranking vampire lord.

He was dressed in black velvet - he even had a wide cloak, Sookie noticed and smiled. Eric saw her smile and bowed lightly.

- Sookie Stackhouse. Always a pleasure, he noted softly.

- Eric Northman. I thought that you are busy with your NewBlood -business and all. I have seen you on tv once or twice you know. What are you doing here? Sookie replied with a smile.

Eric didn't smile. No, he stared at her with serious face.

- I came to see you, Sookie. I have some unfinished business with you, he said with a low tone.

- Unfinished business? What do you mean? Sookie asked and frowned.

- I just wanted to ask something of you, Eric said determinedly and took a step closer.

He moved so quickly and so silently that Sookie took a step back instinctively. Her body language was clearly evasive.

Eric saw it and smiled a bit. It wasn't a happy smile.

- Always avoiding my closeness, aren't you, Sookie?

She swallowed.

- You came here… because? Sookie asked sharply, not looking at him in the eyes.

- Because I couldn't stay away. Not anymore, Sookie. Trust me I tried, Eric said frankly.

- I keep thinking about you. Again and again I try to remember our time together - the time when I was under a spell, remember? But I can't remember those days clearly. I would really like to know what was it like to be with you… and to have you, he explained with a hint of passion in his voice.

Sookie blushed.

- You are wasting your time here, Eric Northman! I'm done with you and all the other vampires, she snapped and turned around, ready to enter the house.

- Once again Bill managed to brainwash you I see, Eric noted sharply.

Sookie froze. Very slowly she turned to look at him again.

- Brainwash? What do you mean? she needed to know.

- All that bullshit … how you shouldn't be with vampires, how you should have babies soon, how you should be with an ordinary man blah blah blah, Eric said with sarcasm.

- Bill was right! I should live like that, I should do all those things, I know it, Sookie replied angrily.

- Really? Do you really think you could be satisfied with things like that after everything you went through with Bill… and me? I think you shouldn't choose an ordinary life because you're not an ordinary woman, Sookie. No, you're special, unique, Eric said harshly.

- Living a normal, dull life, having kids… that was Bill's dream, all he ever wanted to do. I came to ask you this, Sookie, one last time - is it your dream too, really?

Sookie stared at him speechless. What was it with this man that always made her feel so restless, so unbalanced, so… wild?

She shook her head.

- I… I… never thought it like that, she admitted reluctantly.

- Can you really say goodbye to love, to passion… and to magic, Sookie Stackhouse? Eric asked and took a step closer again.

Sookie inhaled. Somehow she knew that this was a decisive moment in her life. She looked at Eric in the eyes.

- No. No, I can't. I don't want to, she said in a low tone.

- I thought so. You see, I know you, I really do. Bill never really understood your uniqueness, but I do. Invite me in, Sookie, Eric commanded.

She did so. It felt like a dream somehow. This incredible, beautiful, ancient creature in her house again - such as once before, a long time ago.

At first they just stared at each other. Then Sookie took the initiative. She took a step closer, rose up on her toes and kissed him.

The magnetism between them was still there. They both felt it simultaneously - pure lust.

Afterwards Sookie couldn't remember how they got rid of their clothes.

All she could remember was lying on the bed under Eric, full of need.

She saw his face in the darkness and he was more beautiful than ever. He smiled at her and she could see how much this really meant for him.

Sookie spread her legs and welcomed him.

Eric entered her surprisingly gently. His thrusts were deep. He needed to feel her completely to convince himself that she was really there for him.

It was so intense that it didn't last long.

Sookie climaxed almost violently and soon Eric followed her with a growl.

It took a while before neither of them was able to speak again. Finally Eric turned to look at Sookie.

- Will you follow me to the darkness, Sookie Stackhouse? he asked softly.

- Always, she replied without any hesitation.

xxxx

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