SPOV
His thigh was muscular and felt very tempting under my squeeze. For a short moment, I contemplated making my hand travel a little up his thigh, but I have a stick shift in my car, and needed my hand to shift gears.
We were finally at the destination. Sam`s old house was at the end of a blind road behind high hedges. It had the secluded feeling that was perfect for hiding a vampire. Sam used to rent out the house, but when the elderly couple who had rented it the last couple of years moved out, I hadn`t advertised for new tenants. I used to go up once a month and take care of the dust and mowe the lawn – and just sit and enjoy the feeling of Sam still left there.
It was a lovely red brick house from the 1920s. It was built in the days when people had a live-in maid and maybe even a cook, so it had a very small room next to the kitchen. It also had some large living rooms for entertaining, but just a few bedrooms, because in those days kids weren`t expected to have their own room.
Most importantly, the house had a small, windowless cellar. The entrance was through a hatch and down a ladder. It was meant for keeping potatoes, fruit on glass and canned food. There hadn`t been any fruit or potatoes there in ages, because climbing down ladders to get to the potatoes seemed unnecessary in this day and age, when the refrigerator was right there in the kitchen. I figured it could do as a “hidey hole” for Erik.
I took the keys that Eric had retrieved from under the car seat and opened the door.
EPOV
I had no idea who owned this house, but it was clearly empty. Sookie had the key and she invited me in, so she must have had some kind of ownership to it. She showed me around and finished her tour by opening a hatch in the kitchen floor.
“There are no windows down there and it`s below ground and out of reach from sun rays, so I figured this could be your hidey hole” she said. `Hidey hole`? She was too cute for her own good.
I appreciated that she had found a new place for me to stay. Standing right behind her, I let my arms sneak around her waist and drew her close to me. I kissed her hair and smelled it. I turned her around and looked her deep in the eyes.
“Thank you, lover.”
I deliberately used that term and felt my fangs come down as it made a faint blush spread from her neck and to her cheeks. I would pay good money to watch her blush on a regular basis. If calling her `lover` was the way to get her cheeks red, I would certainly call her that from now on. I hoped to find other ways to make her blush too, though.
I bent down and gave her a chaste kiss. I could feel her surprise before I kissed her again – this time not so chaste. My hands were all over her back and soon cupping her wonderful behind. Her hands were first in my hair; the woman definitely had a thing for my hair, before she tentatively moved them down my back and found my ass.
Just before I was going to lift her up and take her right there on the kitchen table, she said “I have to go. I`m expected at the queen`s palace and she is all about being on time and looking your best.”
I growled. How many times was I going to kiss this woman without being allowed to follow through?
“I`m coming back here after the meeting. Are you going to be here?” Her voice sounded a little insecure so I gave her a reassuring kiss. “I`ll buy you some more blood at the 7eleven on the way home.” She said and then she was out the door.
I definitely wanted blood when she came back, but not some stale crap from 7eleven. I wanted Sookie`s blood.
SPOV
Wouw – could he kiss? I was still floating on cloud nine when I entered my car. His kisses went right down in my lower regions and woke up parts of me that had been hibernating for years.
I felt absolutely good about the kiss, and the knowledge of him being in the house when I was returning – for about ten minutes. Then second thoughts started to take over. I quickly turned on the car radio and started singing the silly tunes the `oldies, but goodies`-channel was playing.
Before I knew it, I was in Copenhagen.
I`m not sure where the vampire queen had her residence before the big revelation, but now she stayed at Rosenborg Castle, which is close to Amalienborg Castle where my very human queen lived.
Rosenborg had been the royal castle up until 1710 and it still was an impressive place. Now it was the place where the royal family keep their crown jewels.
One might think it pretty strange to let vampires move into the castle that holds Denmark`s most precious jewels, but it made perfect sense. At least to the politicians who knew they would save a few kroner on night guards. The vampire queen would watch out and any burglar would be downright stupid to take on all her vampires.
I parked in the parking lot and went over to the guards and introduced myself. “I`m Sookie Stakhus, to see Rasmus.”
Rasmus was my contact at the vampire court. I felt comfortable with him, which wasn`t entirely the case with the queen herself. She was nice enough, but always gave you the feeling that she could take over and run your life at any minute.
She had after all run the lives of the Danish kings and queens for the last 1000 years – or at least that was the rumors. She had probably been the main reason for Denmark having the oldest royal family in the world. Every king and reigning queen had her blood in their veins as she was the first in the long line of kings and queens. She had been Queen Thyra Danebod the wife of Gorm the old – the first king of Denmark. Now she was Queen Thyra the vampire, looking out for her descendants.
Rasmus came down the impressive stairs and greeted me with a smile and a warm nod. And yes, a nod can be almost as warm as a hug. At least when Rasmus was doing the nodding. Rasmus looked like the boy next door – if the boy next door has fangs. He had red, curly hair and cute dimples. He was tall and very well built.
For a moment, I was chewing on the fact that all vampires looked great. What was the deal? Was it some kind of vampire rule only to turn the good-looking among humans or did humans become good-looking by being turned?
He showed me into his office and asked me to sit on the couch. All the furniture was 18th century so I sat down very carefully, which was silly because if the furniture had survived for almost 300 years, it would probably survive me sitting on it too.
Rasmus was smiling, but there was a very serious edge to his smile. I figured I would let him take the initiative so I waited for him to start talking.
“Sookie. I`m glad you came so fast. You know we wouldn`t have summoned you if it hadn`t been really important.” He came closer to me and looked me in the eyes.
“We have been told that you have a vampire staying with you, who is wanted for the murder of several humans and two vampires. He has singlehandedly destroyed the good relations between the American vampire government and the human government.”
I was glad I was in control of my face, but I realized that someone being told something like this would react, so I made myself look sufficiently shocked and said: “The American government?” I hoped that would be the most natural response. “Rasmus, you know I only have vampires from Eastern Europe and the Middle East living with me. I would certainly have noticed if I suddenly had an American knocking on my door.”
“You might not realize that he`s American. He was turned right here in Denmark and would look just like any Dane.” I laughed inside. Erik definitely didn`t look like just any Dane. Any Dane wouldn`t make my heart flip over just by being in the room.
I suddenly realized that I could make my not knowing anything more credible, by mentioning my ordeal with the German weres, so I said with a cautious voice: “Would his name be Eric Northman, by any chance?” I made sure to pronounce it in English because that`s how I heard it from the weres` brains.
Rasmus` eyes widened. “Yes, have you met him?”
“No, but I have met weres who were looking for him. German weres. They were pretty scary.” I couldn`t tell him about them beating me because I didn`t look beaten up, thanks to Erik. I just held my fingers crossed that he wouldn`t notice that I was a vampire-blood-enhanced version of myself. Maybe he thought that I just aged great. It was after all some years since he had seen me.
“I had no idea who or what they meant, but they didn`t seem to believe me. Now you also seem to think that I know him. Why? Who made you think that I would know him? Who started those rumors?”
I figured the best defense was offence.
“Did the weres say why they were looking for him?” He asked.
“No, they said nothing but `Where is he? Where is he?` I had no idea who they meant. At first I didn`t even catch the name. I mean, I usually deal with a lot of `Vladimir`, `Stanislav` and `Ljudmila` – not `Eric`. They were pretty aggressive and they actually scared me quite a bit.”
I was laying it on thick. I wasn`t sure if Rasmus would be moved by my supposedly fear, but I wanted to make sure that he got the picture of me being so scared of the weres, that I would have given up my own mother, let alone a foreign vampire.
Then I changed my tactic. I was infamous for my temper when I was younger and Rasmus probably remembered that.
“So I was bullied over a vampire?” I yelled. “What the hell is going on? I have weres in my home and you summoning me – both of you over this American. Why am I involved in this? I want some answers and I want them right now.”
I could see his fangs coming out and I knew I was walking a very fine line, but I figured if he got mad at me, he might forget to suspect me of hiding the person he wanted to find.
He seemed to evaluate my statement while I was giving him a stern look. “Sookie, you know I can`t tell you about vampire business. I was informed that you had Eric Northman staying with you and I apologize for your trouble if that is not the case.” He didn`t look very apologetic. “If he is staying with you, contrary to what you are telling me, I would advise you to tell me now. He is extremely dangerous, especially to humans. I like you, Sookie, and I wouldn`t want you to get hurt by a rogue.”
“But why do you all think he`s staying with me?” I tried to sound innocent. “And could you call off the weres? They are making me uncomfortable.”
“We have nothing to do with any weres coming to your place, Sookie. I can promise you that I`ll look into it if you promise me to call me if Eric Northman ever shows up at you place. He might use the name Leif, but you`ll know him from his looks. He is difficult to miss since he`s almost two meters tall and has long blond hair.
We looked at each other for a while. I was brought up polite so I tried to make conversation to smooth over our little argument. “So how is everything with the queen these days?”
Rasmus relaxed a bit and answered: “She has an upcoming election and it might be a tough one. All the new vampires might want to vote for one of their own. They don`t know everything the queen has done to secure the safety and prosperity for them.”
Rasmus loved his queen and he sounded bitter. Maybe he wanted the good old days back where a queen was a queen until someone staked her or chopped her head off?
We talked a little and after a while it was time for me to leave. Rasmus advised me once again to contact him if I saw Eric Northman and I promised I would. I was being a good girl.
When I was out on the highway again, I checked my rearview mirrors every minute to make sure I wasn`t followed. By the exit to Ishøj I was satisfied that the few cars behind me were going at a different speed than me and I relaxed.
I started to think about what Rasmus had told me. Was Erik a murderer? Well, I guess all vampires are murderers. Before True Blood and the other kinds of bottled blood, they would often have to kill to survive. Vampires were predators. But would he still kill? Probably; at least in self-defense or defending his child or his business. I couldn`t ask Rasmus more about the killings because too much curiosity would be suspicious, but I definitely needed to ask Erik.
My thoughts were drifting to other things I wanted to do with Erik. Alone in my car, just me and my imagination, and I blushed. Eric`s kiss and the views I had had of his magnificent body, were just too much for me right now. I turned on the radio to calm down. I even sang loudly to the songs – and I have absolutely no singing voice.
The drive from Copenhagen to Næstved is only around an hour, but by Rønnede I was so tired, I almost fell asleep at the wheel. I hadn`t slept well the night before and it had been a long day with way too much excitement. I pinched myself in my cheek to stay awake and when that didn`t help, I opened the window and let the cold air in.
In Næstved, I found an open 7eleven in the street of Ringstedgade. Very few of them close at eleven, strangely enough. I went in to get some blood for Erik and figured I would have to stay the night at Sam`s old house. I would not be able to drive all the way home to Nykøbing in my tired state.
I knew I had some sheets and old clothes packed away in a box somewhere at the house, but I had no food or toiletries. So I bought some oatmeal, fruit and milk for breakfast and some soap, toilet paper, toothbrush and toothpaste.
Pulling into the driveway to Sam`s house, I got a rush of insecurity. I was spending the night with a vampire I clearly lusted after. I could sleep standing up, but I was still turned on by the fact that I would see Erik again in a few minutes.
My disappointment meter was therefore in the red when I found out that Erik wasn`t in the house at all. I felt like a little kid thinking she`s getting a bike for Christmas and all she gets are socks and home knitted sweaters.
Instead of stumping my feet on the ground or kicking something, like I really wanted to do, I made up my bed, brushed my teeth and went to the bathroom, undressed myself and went to bed. I was almost fuming, but I still fell asleep pretty fast.
EPOV
When Sookie`s car turned up the road, I made my escape. I had to be sure she wasn`t bringing anybody with her. I wanted to trust her, but this was an extra precaution.
I waited close by for an hour to make sure no one came after her, then I made a silent entrance to the house. I was hoping Sookie would still be up, but she wasn`t. She was lying on her side in her bed with her beautiful hair spread over her pillow. She had sheets covering her, but I could see her shoulders were bare. Was she naked?
I undressed and went over to the bed.
Quietly, as not to wake her, I slipped under the covers, spooned her and snuck my arm around her waist and let my hand fondle the warm skin of her stomach. I didn`t want to wake her up from her deep sleep, but I couldn`t help myself from rubbing myself a little against her. I sniffed her hair and felt myself harden against her thigh.
Suddenly she took my hand and moved it from her stomach to her breast. My fangs went down with a `plop`.
A/N: