Chapter 16 – Demon

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“So tell me again exactly what you want me to unfurl from the lawyer?”

 

“I want to know the contents of Halina’s trust, who acted as Halina’s introduction. I doubt he knows much else. Halina was tight lipped with him.” 

 

“What kind of information could the trust hold?” she asked stifling a yawn as she sipped her fruity drink.

 

“Properties, holdings… anything really. What’s of interest is why Halina would specifically hide certain assets while she’s still alive.”

 

She hummed her understanding while taking another sip. 

 

“Should we try our luck at the casino tonight?” Eric proposed.

 

She furled her brows a little at his suggestion. “That place was downright depressing, I don’t see what the attraction is.” 

 

“That was the slots hall for the tourists, the interiors are really quite beautiful in the original building. There’s a good Asian restaurant in there too.”

 

“I’ll think about it. I only just got my money back and I think I’ve already pushed all the luck I have,” she said before planting a fruity kiss on his lips. 

 

“This has nothing to do with luck,” Eric declared against her lips as he pulled her in by the small of her back. “This is all kismet.”

 

“Sap.”

 

 

 

They had eaten in an unassuming French bistro instead of visiting the casino and all its spoils. Sookie had wanted to eat the real deal away from the crowds. While the French had exerted a great influence on her native state she knew all too well that the cuisines were two different entities. It had all been sinfully delicious as were the accompanying wines which she had indulged in for the first time since the Amelia and Alcide incident, which had left her leery of anything alcoholic but she considered herself safe with Eric. Sort of. 

 

Without reason he seemed to be grinning through the entire meal. With every little moan that escaped her mouth or the slight reddening of her cheek with another sip of wine. She was desperately trying to pinpoint what had him so happy until she just decided to blame it on the fact he was actually drinking right alongside her. An equally rare sight.

 

“I’m absolutely stuffed,” she announced as they entered back into the hotel room. “It was really delicious Eric. Thank you for taking me there.” She pecked him on the cheek purposefully avoiding his lips wondering if it was possible to get rug burn from the sheer multitude of kisses he now assaulted her with. Chap Stick was her newest best friend.

 

He immediately pulled her body into his, moulding her by her back to his chest. One hand held steadily onto her waist while the other trailed the curve and swell of her hip. “I think you have something that belongs to me,” he murmured suggestively in her ear.

 

She froze in his embrace when it hit her. Damn panties. Damn Eric and his snooping skills. Sookie turned her body towards him loosening from his grasp determined to distract him. No way was she going to let this happen without putting up a fight.

 

She batted her eyes exaggeratedly putting on her most demure voice feigning all the innocence in the world, “Well according to Raven I own your balls.” Her lips pinched to a pout as if she were contemplating exceptionally hard before continuing with a tittering tone, “But I think I’ll let you keep them.”

 

“You and I both know that is not what I’m talking about,” Eric spoke lowly as he stalked towards her again. “I can assure my balls are quite firmly attached despite Pam’s notions.”

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she delivered with a saccharine smile that would make the tooth fairy weep with its delivery.

 

He caged her to the wall where he enunciated each word as he separated them with forceful kisses to her lips. “I. Get. To. Take. Your. Panties. Off.”

 

Yes, rug burn was definitely a thing on the lips.

 

“I’m not wearing those panties. These are a different pair,” she lied, teeth widely on display.

 

“Show me,” he growled.

 

“No.”

 

Show me yours would have been an inappropriate response, right?

 

“Prove it then.” He grinned widely, eyes sparkling with the knowledge there would be no way out of this for her.

 

“I have no such obligations.” Her fluster was staining her cheeks to an enticing pink and Eric revelled at the sight of it. “Besides I only agreed to those terms in post coital bliss. It doesn’t count I’m sure the demon lawyer will back me up on this.”

 

“I may be good, excellent even,” he spoke huskily to the shell of her ear before continuing with a cooler business tone, “but even with me post coital bliss does not last over eight hours into the next morning. You were of sound mind, a little hot headed at most.” He punctuated his sentence with his patented smirk that became more grating with each and every sighting.

 

She was quickly losing ground and for the life of her she couldn’t remember why she was so against it.

 

“Fine,” she huffed, annoyed at her own crumbling defences. “But my dress stays on, hemline stays in place, no peeking and the panties go back to me when they’re off. This is not some eternal leasing contract.”

 

“Pity,” he spoke in mock dejection barely masking his glee as he sank to his knees where his face aligned just above her mound. He placed a soft kiss on the swell of her stomach as his hands moved over the smooth fabric of the dress, down to her legs until he brushed against the hose that covered them.

 

“What the about these?” he asked throatily pulling at the stretchy material before letting it snap back to her rapidly heating skin.  Sookie had become so lost in the sensation of his touch that she barely registered his question. She steeled herself, looking down upon him unsure what she was consenting too.

 

“Pardon?”

 

“The tights älskling? Want to take them off yourself?”

 

She shook her head softly biting at her lips to hide the smile. “I guess it’s your lucky night. A two for one special,” Sookie answered begrudgingly although she felt anything but that.

 

The smile that wrapped around his face could probably light up the darkest side of the moon at that point. He traced his fingers on the sensitive skin behind her knees sending shivers up and down her spine. His hands fanned out, seeking more surface, as they moved along the sides of her thigh up to her waist. He found her eyes after he watched his hands disappear underneath her skirt. Eric couldn’t help but grin up at her in triumph as his fingers moved in between the elastic waist and the contested panties. The lace suddenly course against the smooth fabric of the hose. Thumbs moved over her front while his remaining fingers slipped in just over the swell of her behind.

 

“Beautiful butt,” he exclaimed giddy like a child when Sookie desperately tried to convey that she wasn’t enjoying a single bit of his attentions. She was failing miserably as she could hardly keep her legs steady while her back desperately dug into the wall for support.

 

He splayed his fingers releasing the tension of the stretchy material of the tights from her skin as the tips of his fingers dug into the smooth and generous flesh hiding beyond the lace of her panties. The pads swept down further, releasing the harshest pressure on the soft skin of her behind as he moaned with the feel of it and the scent of her arousal that came wafting up into his closely hovering nose. He trailed his hands further down the back of her thighs where the sheer black material started to gather loosely until he moved it down that sensitive spot just above her calves again. She jerked a little at his touch over the now bare and sensitised skin, a contented chuckle escaped him as he delighted with the apparent affect he was having on her.

 

Eric brought his attention from her left to her right calve as his large hands moved the hose down her skin. Upon reaching her ankle she would lift her foot one by one as her dainty foot was released from the hose and placed back into the corresponding pump.

 

He smiled contentedly at her now bare legs as he watched her chest heave, desperately trying to catch her breath. It was an enticing site to view from below, breasts moving back and fro. He trailed his hands up along her ankles lingering behind her knees. When she threatened to buckle under her own weight he replaced his departing fingers with a soft kiss, which earned Eric a strangled whimper. His lips left behind soft reminders till he reached the hemline of her dress midway on her thigh.

 

Hands moved up, his touch no longer considered tentative. His thumbs snaked over her turned out inner thighs as she sought stable ground, his fingers following behind. The cushions of his thumbs traipsed onto the delicate fold of skin between her sex and thigh, stumbling on the smoothest patch of skin, a few rough hairs in the distance. His thumbs crept up to the elastic waist of her panties, the heat she was radiating becoming almost unbearable to them both. He rested his head against her stomach for a moment, drinking in her scent with a strangled breath to steady them both.

 

He looked up at her, eyes darkened with lust as he hooked his thumbs into the constraining band his grasping fingers flexed out underneath the fabric on her behind, digging them into the buoyant flesh. He let out a satisfied grumble with a squeeze causing her to release a giggle at the sight of his suddenly youthful eyes.

 

Just as he was about to release his personal promised land from its constraining fabric cage the chime of the doorbell interrupted their impending communion.

 

“Shh,” he warned, as she seemed to pull away from him. “They’ll go away.”

 

When the sound rang through the room again she placed her hands over his, urging them down and out. He outright growled at her as if he were a dog protecting his favourite bone causing her to giggle again. At this point the noise was becoming more incessant accompanied by persistent knocks on the door. “Eric,” she whispered, not quite with the forceful urge she intended. He reluctantly moved his stilled hands out from under her and moved to the door, all the while releasing a choice string of curse words, “Fan jävlar helvetes jävla skit”

 

“Yes,” he bellowed out at the tiny woman at the door.

 

“Hi how are ya?” she smacked out between the chewing of her gum.

 

“I was doing great till you came to harass my door,” he spat out. “Who are you?”

 

“I’m Diantha, Mr C’s assistant. He asks if you will be able to meet with him tonight. We have to leave again in tha morning. We tried calling ya.”

 

“Fuck,” Eric growled out as he pulled out his phone and saw the list of missed calls. He cursed himself internally. If his head hadn’t been stuck in promises of Pantieland all night he would have remembered to unmute his phone after dinner. “What room number is he in?”

 

“I’ll take ya just follow me.”

 

“Fine. Give us a minute,” Eric returned as he threw the door into the interloper’s face.

 

“There goes my lucky night,” he grumbled with discontent as he walked towards Sookie.

 

“Kismet darling,” she whispered against his cheek as she planted a kiss and snaked a piece of cloth into the front pocket of his pants. “Let’s go.”

 

Eric looked down to see the prized panties peering out of his dark slacks. He fondled it contentedly as he all but grunted out, “Temptress.”

 

She glanced at him over her shoulder smirking in triumph with her newfound upper hand. Moments before he opened the door for her she swatted his behind playfully with an accompanying, “Beautiful butt,” before bolting out the room to join Diantha leaving him no room to retaliate.

 

 

 

 

 

They were waiting in the anteroom of the suite, as the lawyer was finishing up a phone call. The conversation couldn’t be overheard but Sookie couldn’t help feeling a little homesick with the distant intonation of his Southern drawl that she heard muffled through the double set of wooden doors.

 

 

Cataliades was still typing away at his phone when Diantha finally showed them in.

 

“Mr Northman, I do apologise for the scheduling urgent matters have been distorting our proceedings,” the demon spoke against the window before he turned towards them and lifted his eyes from his phone towards his latest appointment.

 

“I am just glad we could meet,” Eric spoke slightly irritated. “May I introduce Susa…”

 

“Little Sookie Stackhouse is that you?” Cataliades exclaimed, his demeanour changing instantly from formal to familiar.

 

“Uncle Des?” she replied in equal vigour to his grinning face before launching herself into his rotund form’s waiting arms, sighing contentedly as she found herself a familiar piece of home.

 

“I didn’t know you were Eric’s lawyer,” she said excitedly as they parted. “Or that you were a lawyer for that matter.”

 

He chuckled as she carried the same indignant look that had amused him so when she wore it as a child. “I think the last time we really spoke you were more concerned with saucers and teacups and I doubt your Barbies needed legal advice at the time.” They laughed together remembering their playtimes as he sat her down beside him on the sofa before his tone grew more serious.

 

“I was so sorry to hear of your grandmother’s passing. I apologise that I could not attend her funeral,” he spoke solemnly. She nodded at him with a watery smile.

 

“The flowers were very beautiful. She would have enjoyed them very much,” she spoke politely in return remembering the ornate wreath that had simply been signed with -Des.

 

“She was a magnificent women and I see she has raised an equally magnificent one,” Desmond Cataliades spoke as he doted on her.

 

“Now tell me,” he said conspiratorially with a twinkle in his eyes. “What has you hanging of the arm of Eric Northman?”

 

It was the first time since entering the room and discovering her late grandparents’ dear friend that her eyes landed back to Eric. Who for his part had stayed back, shocked at the sudden reveal of her identity and their apparent familiarity.

 

“Eric’s my,” she paused trying to find the right term as she found his questioning eyes. Friend, lover, boyfriend? None of them seemed to suit. “Eric’s my saviour,” she finally finished with a smile to her uncle Des.

 

“You are certain his intentions are honourable?” he sternly asked as Eric’s came to rest comfortably by the small of her back.

 

“Never been more certain of anything in my life,” she beamed at him. Though she had to disregard the whole panties incident Diantha had interrupted on the honourable scale.

 

Cataliades remained looking upon her sceptically. “Does he know of your… quirks?”

 

“You know about my ability?” she asked in shock.

 

“It was hard to miss when I confessed my unrequited love for my brother’s wife to you over imaginary tea. You were sweet in telling me that true love conquers all.” He smiled wistfully with the memory of the little girl that was now all grown. “Your grandmother and I had spoken of it often over the years. She worried for you and I see it is not misplaced,” he spoke as his gaze fell critically on Eric’s.

 

“He’s not using me for my ability,” she said quickly trying to rectify her uncle’s assumptions.

 

“It is why he has brought you along today, is it not?”

 

“It is,” she replied watching the storm brew over his face. “But I am here by my own choice, I am helping him uncover something that is worthy. Since you’re family I will give you a choice too. You can help us and give us what we ask for or I can take it from you against your will.”

 

Her face remained stoic and still, the silence in the room adding to the tension of the standoff as he continued to regard her with scrutiny until finally the lawyer released a chuckle. “You really are the spitting image of your grandmother.”

 

Relief washed over her face. Though Sookie had threatened him, she had been really uncomfortable with the prospect forcing her ability upon someone she regarded with such warmth.

 

“I consider you family little one, my loyalty to those is all encompassing. Is he your family?”

 

She smiled at Eric before answering a resounding yes.

 

“Then he shall have my loyalty too. What is it that you need from me?”

 

“A full copy of Halina Lindquist’s trust and any other documentation pertaining to it.”

 

“If my suspicions are correct there is no legal objection to Mr Northman having access to that,” the lawyer spoke carefully.

 

“Your are going to forget about those suspicions,” Sookie commanded lowly without the aid of her ability.

 

“Have you ever considered a career in the legal profession? I’d be quite happy to sponsor your tutelage,” Cataliades chuckled at her threat before reassuring her, “He is family now by extension. This information does not go beyond those present.”

 

Sookie nodded before continuing, “Who introduced Halina to you?”

 

“Incidentally your grandfather,” he offered with a warm smile.

 

“Granddaddy Earl?” she asked surprised. “He never left parish lines where would he know Halina from?”

 

“Ah. No your other grandfather,” he spoke knowingly. “Claudine would really like you to contact her again.”

 

She sighed, “I know but Jason wasn’t ready yet. I don’t want to force anything.”

 

The lawyer quirked his brow at her remembering the force of her threat she had just unleashed upon him mere minutes ago. At his facial expression she supplemented, “Not unless absolutely necessary.”

 

He chortled at her audacity again as he topped up his glass of scotch. “You and your grandmother really know how to put the steel in steel magnolias.”

 

They were interrupted by a soft knock on the door announcing the arrival of the lawyer’s next appointment.

 

“I apologise that this has to come to such an abrupt end. Perhaps you and your beau will join me for breakfast before I depart? I would quite like to know how you two met.”

 

Sookie looked over at Eric for any objection when he gave none she easily agreed that they would continue their conversation in the morning.

 

 

 

 

“What just happened in there?” Eric asked as soon as they stepped out into the plush carpeted hallway.

 

“You met my uncle Des,” she beamed at him. He raised his eyebrow to an arch to which she mumbled, “It must be raining eyebrow quirks tonight.”

 

“Sookie,” he spoke seriously as they entered back into their own room.

 

“He was a very close friend of my grandparents. I only ever knew him as uncle Des after stumbling over his last name when I was like three. I just remember it as impossible to pronounce. I’m sorry I didn’t make the connection before.”

 

“You are certain he is trustworthy?” Eric asked as he sat down on the armchair across from the bed.

 

“Yes. You heard him he’s known about my ability all my life and he hasn’t recruited me for his evil law practice when it would reason to be very beneficial to him.” She smiled at him, “Besides you’re family now.”

 

He returned her smile remembering the warmth those words had caused. “What is this business of your two grandfathers?” he asked as she seated herself at the edge of the bed kicking off her shoes. His investigation into her had been extensive but he remembered nothing of note about either of her grandparents.

 

“Pfff, can we save that conversation for another night? The summarised version is there were some happenings on the wrong side of the blanket,” she said as she collapsed her upper body onto the bed her feet dangling off the side. “We’re just Stackhouses by name.”

 

Even though Eric was confused by her euphemism his thoughts on the matter evaporated when he caught sight of a piece of black cloth resting between her legs that gave him a perfect view from his lowered position. He felt into the pocket of his pants to confirm her panties were still there. He stalked over to her hovering his form over hers.

 

“You have some explaining to do,” he threatened to her half lidded eyes.

 

“Seriously Eric, it’s a really long story and I’m tired. If I don’t move soon I’ll probably fall asleep as I am right now,” she said stifling a yawn.

 

“That is not what I’m referring to,” he informed as he moved one hand over her side and resting it on the edge of her hip where he could feel her underwear.

 

She opened one eye carefully whilst biting down on her bottom lip trying desperately to contain her laughter.

 

“I told you I was wearing a different pair,” she spoke with all seriousness.

 

“You and I both know these were the pair you were wearing today,” he responded dangling the offending panties in front of her.

 

“Perhaps I was demonstrating the meaning of bait and switch for you,” she responded while batting her eyelashes at him.

 

“You don’t play fair,” he pouted. She cackled at the sight of him while she squirmed away from under him and dashed towards the bathroom.

 

“Neither do you,” she yelled after him before closing the door.

 

“There better be a do over,” he grumbled to the empty room.

 

 

 

 

The following morning over breakfast Sookie relayed an abridged version of the events in her recently upturned life. Introducing Eric as the man who tried to kill you was too tough a sell. Instead he became the man who took over a job he refused to take on and came to warn her providing protection in exchange for her aid. She had hesitated about informing her uncle of Hadley and Sophie Anne’s involvement but Eric had encouraged her not to withhold it from the lawyer.

 

“I know this Ms Krasiki, she has been trying for years to become a client,” her uncle spoke with distaste. “I have never approved of her dealings. Rest assured I will be speaking with Sophie Anne about this. I entrusted Hadley’s care to her, which does not mean she can be so indifferent with yours.”

 

It was in this moment that Sookie understood his nickname ‘The Demon’. The hard look in his eyes was frightening. Despite the lawyer’s ire at his other goddaughter the rest of their breakfast was a pleasant affair. When it came time to leave he looked upon Eric sternly.

 

“I may have misjudged your intentions with my goddaughter but you have proven a valuable protector to her. I expect that will remain so,” he spoke with a threat in his voice.

 

“With my life,” Eric answered dutifully.

 

The lawyer handed him a card with a series of telephone numbers. “If any need arises I will always answer one of these.” Eric nodded at him before Sookie kissed and hugged her uncle goodbye.

 

“Sookie do you realise he referred to you as his goddaughter?” Eric asked when they were returning to their hotel room.

 

“Yeah, he always did when I was little. There was never any ceremony though, I asked my Gran once. It’s just a nickname I guess.”

 

“No it’s not. Being one of Cataliades’ goddaughters earns you a modicum of respect and protection in my world.”

 

“What does that mean?” Sookie asked wondering if she was now some sort of a Mob princess equivalent.

 

“It means; don’t be surprised if Lorena and Bill suddenly lose their power base. There will be many enemies waiting when they fall.”

 

 

 

A/N: Well that went a little different than Eric expected but it should definitely help them to have Desmond Cataliades on their side. Next chapter will see a bit of a wrench thrown into their chartered path so prepare yourselves and enjoy the brief levity of trailing fingers down thighs while you can…

 

Today’s Thanksgiving Fixin’ outtake is here.

 

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