I do not own any of these characters, they belong to Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball

This is just some random thoughts of mine about what might happen between Eric and Sookie after the end of season three. It combines aspects of both the show and the book with some twists to keep my mind occupied during the lull between seasons. Obviously I'm praying that AB sticks to book four with the new season, but just for fun I've been toying with it; that's the joy of fanfiction, yes?

Also I picked story lines to ignore from both places, mostly because I can't keep up with all that's going on, especially in Trueblood. So, Tara is gone but Sam is normal and Tommy never showed up (I love Tommy, but I just can't deal with psycho Sam) and I'm sure there are a ton of other changes. Review and let me know what you want to see!

Although his skin remained icy, Eric groaned in pleasure as the hot rain of his shower cascaded over him. He ran a hand experimentally over his hair and scowled as the frozen clumps refused to yield to the onslaught of water and shampoo. As he washed the dried patches of cement from his body, he wondered once again if he had done the right thing in letting Bill Compton live. The easiest path, of course, and the first one his mind had sprung to, was to destroy the bastard. Yet, there was so much that could go awry with that plan seeing as how Compton obviously had dealings with the Queen and how attached Sookie was to him.

Sookie. His hand paused mid-scrub as he let himself be overcome by the assault of emotions the human was struggling with at this very moment. He felt her confusion, anger, and heartache keenly and he considered them objectively. It was clear she was too upset now to be rational but he knew in time she would recognize the service he had given her. Better to find out now of Compton's betrayal rather than waste her precious time with his sniveling lies. Still, Bill wasn't out of the picture; Eric knew that simply by watching the younger vampire grovel on Sookie's doorstep with tears and promises that made Eric nauseous. Perhaps the true death was required for the vampire, Eric pondered. But no, he knew that the final end of Bill would break what little composure Sookie had left and, more importantly, she was clever enough to trace the hit back to him and that would get him nowhere with the woman.

Where exactly he wanted to go with Sookie was still a mystery even to him. Eric shut off the tap and began toweling off absently. He had lusted after her from the moment he first laid eyes on her and became intrigued by her soon after. After over one thousand years roaming this Earth, he was certain he had never met another like Sookie Stackhouse. What is was about her he could not quite get a handle on and that both frustrated and interested him intensely. When he had first discovered her true genealogy he had felt swept away by relief. If there existed any one clear reason why his mind was so captivated by the Southern belle here it was: fae blood.

Deep down, however, he perceived the stirring of something within himself that he didn't recognize, yet had to acknowledge. It's not just the blood. It wasn't Sookie's fairy lineage that intruded on his thoughts so frequently, it was the woman herself. That became abundantly clear when Russell's interest in her threatened to ruin Eric's plan. He could have used her so much earlier, so much more, and it would have advanced his quest for revenge. Yet he had always known that he would not, that he could not, do that to her and the idea of Russell getting hold of Sookie almost pushed Eric to the brink of revealing his true intentions to the king.

No, after everything that had happened, he knew now more than ever that there was something about Sookie Stackhouse for which he longed.

Eric began to feel the familiar pull that indicated the sun was approaching. He only had a few hours before he must bed. He had so much to which he must attend: the vampire movement had been dealt a serious blow with Russell's extreme acts, The Authority would want answers, Fangtasia was clearly a mess from vandalism and theft, Yvetta. He pressed his fingers against the bridge of his noise in frustration. That stupid woman. He considered sending someone after her, she wouldn't be hard to locate with his resources after all, but he quickly concluded that an effort like that would be a waste. Let her run. As long as she was smart enough never to show her face in his area again he would not seek revenge.

He silently took inventory of his latest retaliation. He had longed for so long to make good on his word to his father that he had assumed only peace could follow its fulfillment. Still somehow he felt restless. The image of Godric tugged on his mind painfully. His Maker's disappointment in him stung and Eric wondered briefly if he was going insane.

So much had happened in so short a time and he still had so many problems to settle. He felt very much his age in that moment. His body continued to warn him of the sun's imminent approach and he resolved to ponder his next moves carefully in the remainder of the night. That and Sookie. Always Sookie.