This is my first attempt at a True Blood fanfiction. So please bear with me as I try to write this story. All reviews are welcome. Let me know how I am doing. WARNING- There is a fairly violent section in this first chapter.

Louisiana was hit by a summer heat wave and Bon Temps had been experiencing temperatures above 100 degrees for the last two weeks. Tonight was no different. Even with the sun having gone down it was still a balmy 90 degrees but there seemed to be relief in sight. Thunder had been rolling overhead for the last hour and Tara hopped raindrops were soon to follow.

Tara stepped out onto the Stackhouse porch wearing only a thin t-shirt that stopped at the tops of her thighs. She leaned against the railing of the porch and peered out at the night sky. She was staying at Sookie's house while Sookie and Bill were in Alabama chasing down Jason and Jessica. Apparently, the two fools that it a good idea to run off together.

Staying alone in the Stackhouse home could only be described as creepy. The home was filled to the brim with positions. Tara wasn't used to that feeling. She had grown up poor in a small home with sparse furnishings. But at the moment she didn't have a place to call her own. She had only been back in Bon Temps for a month. Tara was staying between Sookie's house and Lafayette's house. But she always felt like she was imposing when she stayed with either of them. They both had their own lives which didn't include her. Mostly she felt like a nuisance. Coming back to Bon Temps had been a hard decision but a relationship had turned sour. In the month that Tara had been back she had often wondered if she'd hear from him, but she hadn't. She wondered if that made her sad or relieved. Tara decided it was probably a mix of the two. Tara had moved to Houston, TX for 8 months.

As Tara stood on the porch she heard a strange noise coming from behind the house. "What the hell?" asked Tara confused by the sound. She walked into the house and ran up the stairs to her bedroom. Tara searched through her possessions for a gun and walked back down the stairs determinedly. If someone was trying to rob the Stackhouse home they'd soon regret that choice. Tara edged around the side of the house keeping her eyes and ears open for any new sound.

However, what tars saw as she rounded the corner made her knees weak. Two werewolves were now staring at her. "Shit..." muttered Tara. Her eyes darted behind her wondering if she could make it back to the front door before they pounced on her.

One of the werewolves licked his chops waiting on Tara to start running the kill would be more satisfying that way.

Tara shivered seeing that. So instead she raised the gun and shot at both of them. She didn't wait around to see if she hit either one of them. Although the tell-tale howl alerted her that she had. She raced toward the front of the house but in no time she felt the heavy body of the werewolf knock her down to the ground. She felt his claws rip into her back. Tara was too scared to scream and even if she had there was no one around to hear it. Tara tried to rock her body side to side doing anything she could to throw the beast from her back. She wasn't about to die without a fight.

Out of nowhere a breeze whipped around them as the werewolf was about to devour Tara. He was flung against the side of the house and howled in pain.

Suddenly with a crack of lightening a downpour began.

Tara had no idea what was going on. She only knew that the weight was off of her body. Despite bleeding profusely she pulled herself off of the ground and ran around the house as the rain pelted her bruised and battered body. The harder she ran the more blood she lost. Tara was threatening to lose consciousness as she crawled up the stairs to the Stackhouse porch. She tried to make it to the door but instead passed out on the porch from loss of blood.

Hours later Tara moaned in pain as she moved in the bed. She felt as if she had been run over by a truck. She struggled to remember anything at all but she kept coming up blank. Tara forced her heavy eyes open to survey her surroundings. Her eyes struggled to adjust to the candle lit room. Tara was in a large bedroom that she could not place. The room was furnished with tasteful antiques. This was definitely somewhere she had not been before. She could hear a storm whipping outside. The wind made the shutters bang furiously against the windows as if they were begging to come inside as well. "The storm." murmured Tara in quiet voice. She remembered trying to escape the clutches of a Werewolf as it began to rain. Tara sat up in the bed more and looked down seeing that she was wearing a men's button up pajama shirt. She threw the covers off of her body and gingerly swung her legs off the side of the bed. Tara went to stand up and immediately realized it was a mistake. In her weakened condition her knees started to buckle and she began to collapse. Just then she felt a breeze move by her and a pair of strong arms collected her before she could hit the floor. She was half startled and half delighted. Her eyes fluttered open so that she could take in the face of her rescuer.

Eric smiled a concerned yet mischievous smile at the young woman that he was cradling in his arms. "Do not be alarmed." cooed Eric as if he was trying to sooth a frightened mare. He gingerly deposited Tara back onto the bed and pulled the thick duvet over her. "You are in no shape to move about." admonished Eric in a cool voice.

"What's wrong with me...?" croaked Tara. Normally, she would be given Eric hell for patronizing her, but at the moment she felt very disoriented. "Did you glamour me, you son of a bitch?" accused Tara in her thick accent. Tara and Eric had history. A tattered and bad history that try as she might...was unforgettable. They had a brief affair before she left Bon Temps. He in fact he was the reason she'd left Bon Temps. When she was with him it was like she was under some type of spell.

Eric's concerned demeanor disappeared at her accusation. "I did no such thing." said Eric brusquely. "I found you outside of the Stackhouse home. You were being attacked by a werewolf. I saved your life and you ran. After I killed the werewolf I looked for you...you were lying in a pool of your own blood on the porch. For a moment I thought you were dead." He stood up from the bed. "I brought you here to recuperate."

She sucked her teeth derisively. "What were you doing there, Eric Northman? If this is some sort of trick...you will regret it. I have a silver dagger with your name on it." Tara lashed out more out of fear than anger. She could not understand what had happened to her.

"I was at Fangtasia when I felt your need for me. Luckily, I arrived before you were beyond help. You fed from me so that you would heal." said Eric. He turned toward the fireplace bracing for her wrath.

Tara laid there struggling to piece her memory back together. "Thank you, Eric. Thank you for saving me," said Tara quietly. "You felt my pain...?" asked Tara looking in his direction.

"I will always save you if I have the chance, Tara. I felt your fear first..." said Eric turning to look at her. He walked over to the bed and sat down. "My blood will help you heal quickly. But you won't be well enough to leave this place for a couple of days. I am afraid you are stuck with me."

Tara said, "It's not the worse place that I've ever been stuck...I was surprised that I had not seen you before now. I've been home for awhile."

Eric nodded and said, "I know...but I also knew that you didn't want to see me." The Viking went silent for a moment before saying. "You ran away from me."

Tara's eyes flashed with anger as she looked at his pale face intently. "You hurt me!" accused Tara. "And worse...you didn't care."

11 months earlier...
Tara walked into Fangtasia looking for Eric. She spotted Pam and walked over to her. "Uh...Pam? Is Eric here tonight?" asked Tara surprised that he was not perched at his normal spot.

Pam looked her up and down with a smirk. Tara was wearing a black leather mini skirt and red lace shirt that was see-through. Pam said, "He's in his office. You look like quite the tasty morsel by the way. If ever you get tired off Eric..." Pam smirked and ran the backs of her fingers across Tara's nipple.

Tara just laughed and said, "I will keep that in mind. You are one nasty bitch...thanks." Tara headed back to Eric's office and walked in without bothering to knock. She gasped seeing the scene before her.

Eric had one of the waitresses bent over his desk as he slammed his manhood into her powerfully. His long fingers were tangled in the blonde's hair as he fed from her. Eric looked up hearing the gasp. His mouth was covered with blood and his eyes looked wild. Eric tore himself from the waitress and growled at her. "Leave." Eric zipped and buttoned his pants.

The waitress hurriedly grabbed her clothing and made a mad dash from the office.

Tara stood there stunned. She uttered some strangled unintelligible words and tried to flee from his office. But before she could a strong arm yanked her roughly back into the office.

Eric slammed the door and locked it.

"I hate you!" screamed Tara slapping him across the face as hard as she could. "I thought..." She couldn't bring herself to say what she thought. She slapped him again.

Eric smirked when she slapped him and said, "She was a snack but I don't have to explain myself to you. You shouldn't have come here tonight. I told you to wait for me at home."

Tara's eyes went wild with anger. "Do you put your dick in all of your snacks? I...I let you bite me!" Tara was angry with herself. She had gotten attached. She had been seeing Eric for three months and now she was attached. But at this moment she realized she was just another blood bag to him. She scoffed when he said that she shouldn't have come there. "No one tells me what to do, Eric Northman, not even you!" screamed Tara. She hauled off and slapped him again this time harder. "Let me go!" said Tara since he still had her hemmed up against the door of his office. She slapped him again.

Eric's eyes grew darker. "You are provoking me...as if you want me to beat you into a bloody pulp..." Eric let go of her and walked back toward his desk to collect himself. His baser instincts were taking over.

"How dare you!" screamed Tara going to slap him again.

But this time Eric caught her arm in mid swing. He backhanded Tara across the face twice in rapid succession sending her body flying backwards into the door.

Tara's body hit the door with a loud thump and she slid to the floor. She stared at him with disbelieving eyes.

Eric strode toward her yanked her up from the floor by her shirt. Eric threw her into the door like she weighed nothing at all. He put his hand around her throat and started to squeeze tightly. "You knew what reaction you'd get by slapping me. Not once, not twice, not three, but four times. But you did it anyway. I can only think that you wanted me to retaliate." Eric tightened his grip on her throat watching her struggle to breathe.

A cold chill ran down Tara's spine when she realized that there may not be a way out of this. Tears slid down her cheeks and her eyes pleaded with Eric for mercy.

"I have never been so attracted to a human before. Not since I turned Pam. I hate that about you. I hate being so attracted to you. I hate wanting you..." said Eric staring into her eyes as he squeezed her throat. "You are always trying to pull away from me as if you don't want me as much as I want you. But we both know that is a lie. You love me."

Eric released her when he saw that all of the fight had left her.

Tara slid down the door struggling to catch her breath. Her hands instinctively went for her throat. She looked over at Eric seeing the glint in his eyes. She attempted to scramble to her feet.

Eric walked over to her and grabbed her.

Tara found herself pleading. "Please...don't hurt me. I'm sorry..." She hated the pathetic voice that came out of her body. She was a strong woman that knew how to take care of herself. She knew how to stand up for herself. That was part of the reason she had lashed out at Eric so. She felt humiliated. She was falling in love with this man and he was screwing every fang-banger that came his way. And worse yet he knew the depth of her feelings for him.

"That is better..." said Eric with a smile. He ripped her shirt from her body and said, "I am glad that you dressed up for me." Eric easily ripped her bra as well and dropped the tattered material to the floor. His hands mauled her chest roughly and his lips moved to her neck kissing the area that was already showing the tell-tale sign of bruising. "You should have waited for me at home like I told you to...and none of this would have happened." growled Eric

Tara panicked when he ripped off her shirt. "Please...let me go. I won't bother you anymore." Tears slipped down her cheeks.

Eric chuckled and said, "Silly girl. Do you really think that I am going to let you go? You belong with me and you know it. Even if I were to let you go...you would dream about me...crave me. Even though I hurt you...you still want me." He crushed his lips against hers as he forced her mini skirt up above her waist. He his hand traveled lower and he smirked. "No panties..." he tsked at that. "Someone had some naughty plans in mind for the evening." His long digits skillfully teased her. Eric lifted her up and set her on his desk. He had a seat in his chair and leaned forward devouring her.

Tara let a strangled moan escape from her lips. She closed her eyes not wanting to look at him. The frequency of her moans increased as Eric continued. She trembled under his touch hating herself for enjoying what he was doing.

Eric continued until Tara orgasmed. He stood up unzipping his pants. He was poised to join the two of them.

Tara waited for it but he didn't move. She opened her eyes to look at him.

Eric smirked looking down at her. "Would you like me to stop and let you go home?" asked Eric looking at her. He knew the answer but he didn't want there to be any confusion or accusations later. He wanted her to admit that she wanted him.

Tara stared up at Eric unable to find the words. She trembled with need but refused to say it.

Eric lowered her legs back onto the desk and said, "Then you are free to go." He pulled up his pants

"Wait..." said Tara looking at him. "I want you...just this last time." whispered Tara.

Eric chuckled and said, "This last time?" he dropped his pants again and joined them with a powerful thrust. Each thrust more powerful than the last.

After what seemed like an eternity but was actually a couple of hours Eric left Fangtasia with Tara and took her home. Their relationship continued for three months before Tara finally realized the only way to untangle herself from Eric was to leave Bon Temps. And so with the help of Sam Merlotte she took off for Texas and didn't look back.

Eric looked into her eyes and said, "Of course I cared. I never laid a hand on you after that night."

She looked at him incredulously and said, "You didn't have to, Eric. I knew what the hell you were capable of and I never wanted to feel that again."

"I would have never hurt you again, Tara. I lost control that night. Something I haven't done in a very long time. You wanted to leave me and I couldn't let you do that. I wanted you...I needed you. You tested my patience and my resolve many times after that. You hit me on numerous occasions...I never hit you..." said Eric looking at her.

"And I couldn't trust anymore. Our relationship was dysfunctional at best and dangerous at worse. You brought out the worst in me. I felt rage and anger and it made me lash out at you. It made me want to attack you. Even knowing in the back of my head that you could kill me at any moment. I had to leave before something terrible and permanent happened," said Tara. "I half expected you to follow me when I left."

"I didn't know where you'd gone at first but it wasn't hard to find you. I had a few vampires in the area report back to me about your movements. I came to see you once in Houston after you'd been there a couple of months. I figured maybe you had calmed down...but I realized that you were with someone...living with someone." said Eric. He hadn't wanted to admit it to himself but he had been hurt that she was with someone else.

"His name was Rey..." said Tara not looking at Eric. "He was a werewolf."

Eric looked at her shocked. He felt betrayed by her actions. "A Were?" yelled Eric.

Tara said, "I didn't know what he was to begin with. But I found out later. It was okay at first but then…"

"But then what?" asked Eric.

"He wasn't what I thought he was. I thought Rey was a good man even if he was a Werewolf. But…I learned the hard way that he wasn't. I decided it was time to come back home." said Tara.

"Did he hurt you?" asked Eric looking enraged.

Tara said, "I don't see what business that is of yours." The truth was too hard for her to express to Eric. And it just highlighted another of her bad choices. But this bad choice would have a long-term consequence. Before leaving Houston Tara realized that she was pregnant with Rey's baby.

Eric was quiet for a moment and said, "I assumed that the weres that attacked you tonight were there for Sookie. But it is just as likely that they were there for you. Until I know which…you are under my protection and I will not take no for an answer."

"I wasn't going to refuse. Something about nearly dying takes away your stubborn streak..." said Tara. She stared up at the ceiling. "I'm pregnant."