Chapter 9 – Tickles

<

 

“Pam thinks we should kiss,” she blurted out not sure where it had come from.

 

He cocked his brow at her in confusion as she blushed profusely for her unintended slip.

 

“Pam thinks everyone should kiss,” Eric remarked dryly alleviating some of her embarrassment. “Especially her ass.”

 

“She thinks it will alleviate the tension.” ‘Or intensify it’ she thought.

 

“Sookie I want your body, your blood,” he said. But not my heart, she sighed to herself. “A kiss isn’t going to alleviate that it’s only going to make it worse. Now I will gladly kiss you, we’ve already established I’m a masochist,” he smirked. “But it’s hardly going to change anything. At least not on my part.”

 

“You’re right,” she agreed deciding it was high time to get off this accidental conversation. “What’s on the lesson plan tonight?”

 

“Incidentally, vampire marriage among the royals and other such power relations amongst the supernatural.”

 

 

---

 

 

“Hi Godric,” Sookie said as she waved enthusiastically at the little red dot by the webcam.

 

“Hello Sookie,” he returned with a wary tone. Never one to move along with the modern age he was still decidedly weary with the machine his assistant had set up. “Can you see me? I can see you.”

 

“No move the camera up. I can only see your chest,” she instructed and told him to stop when it was positioned properly. She stifled a giggle when she caught a full close up of his nostrils as he sat himself down again.

 

“This is very interesting I have never spoken to someone over the computer before,” he replied before he wistfully continued, “It would have been nice to speak with your grandmother like this when she was alive.”

 

“Well we never owned any of this fancy equipment,” Sookie said gesturing at the expensive set up that Godric couldn’t see from his end. “I’m sure she would have enjoyed it too. She liked your presence.”

 

“My blood still mourns for her,” Godric offered.

 

“Eh, thanks,” Sookie replied not sure if that was the correct response. “I have some questions.”

 

“Yes you mentioned this in the letter. What can I help you with?” Sookie thought it sweet that the ancient vampire still referred to emails as letters. Her grandmother had always reminded her change didn’t happen in a day and Godric was the physical embodiment of that particular lesson.

 

“Well Eric and Pam know a lot but certain things they are not so good with,” Sookie started to explain in her nervous ramble. “I was hoping you would be helping with the more spiritual and philosophical aspects of things.”

 

“What things? Why are you talking to Eric and his child? They are not suitable company for a lady such as yourself,” Godric spoke with worry in his tone.

 

“They seem fine to me Godric,” Sookie said coming to her new employer’s immediate defence. “Well Eric is a bit of a horn dog but aside from that they’re perfectly respectable.”

 

“You have yet to explain why you seek their company,” he admonished as his worries remained unalleviated. She knew there was no use to it but pitifully Sookie tried to smooth the frown that had appeared on Godric’s young face smudging the computer screen in the process.

 

“I’m helping Eric out,” she replied. When Sookie finished regaling how their venture had come about Godric’s face was carrying the same stoic expression as when they started. Knowing the vampire for a full month when he resided in her home she knew it meant he was troubled and displeased.

 

“I do not like this at all,” he stated coldly. “I promised your grandmother I would look out for you when she no longer could. I think you should leave.”

 

“Godric I’m not leaving,” she stated with a warning fire dancing in her eyes. “You have no say over it whatsoever.”

 

“Sookie you are under my protection,” Godric returned restlessly. The technology that had fascinated him mere moments before now frustrating him to no end in its limitations. “It is not safe for you to be with Eric. He will use you without any regard for what happens after.”

 

“Seriously?” she fumed at the screen wishing she could throw something at him. Sookie gasped when the heavy metal stapler she was attempting to crush in her hand suddenly disappeared smacking Godric square in the face.

 

“Sookie something strange happened,” he said in complete bewilderment. “I will need to speak with you about this later. I will call Eric to release you.”

 

“Godric wait, no…” Sookie yelled after him but it was too late, he had already ended the connection.

 

“You were talking to Godric?” a sleepy voice asked by the door. Sookie was in the basement level office as it was the only computer with a webcam. She had asked Eric for access the night before and he had given her a password without issue not knowing she was contacting his maker. As a result of their weird bed sharing encounters a mutual trust had emerged when it came to each other’s safety so he had thought little of it.

 

“Yes, expect a call later tonight,” she replied with a huff that had a few tendrils of her hair airborne. “Oh, I owe you a new stapler. What are you doing up so early?” Sookie asked looking up at the clock reading it was just 4:38 in the afternoon.

 

“Side effect of old age. Godric is up before me, how else were you able to speak to him.”

 

“Makes sense I guess,” she mused while scratching her head. “Figured it was the time zone difference. Must be nice to have those extra few hours.”

 

“It just pisses me off most of the time,” he said while rubbing his eyes like a tired young child. “I wake and can’t get back to my day rest and I’m not really fully attentive.”

 

“So you’re grumpy,” she concluded with a teasing smile.

 

“I am vampire. I am not grumpy.”

 

His denial only made the sight more adorable. “You are so a grumpy old man,” she taunted.

 

“Hmph, I am not man I am vampire.”

 

“Keep telling yourself that buddy. You’re just as much a man as I am a woman,” she quipped a little too self-satisfied.

 

“Pray, do tell little Sookie. What is it that a man and woman do together,” he leered suggestively his tone sinister.

 

She looked at the clock noting it was 4:40. “Seriously Eric,” she fired back rolling her eyes. “Two minutes is as long as it takes for your mind to be back in the gutter.”

 

“Who says it ever left,” he winked at her.

 

“Good god, don’t you ever tire of yourself?” she retorted with a note of exasperation.

 

“Never,” he beamed with immodest pride. “My stamina is legendary.”

 

“Except before sunset when you’re a big ol’ grump,” she laughed at him.

 

“I’ll show you what this grump is capable of before sunset,” he mocked suggestively before he sped to her. Well slowly walked it wasn’t very impressive at all. Sookie squealed running away up the stairs to the ground level easily evading his slow form’s pursuit.

 

“Hide behind your precious little sun why don’t you!” he bellowed up the stairs. “Just wait till it’s gone.”

 

“I’ll have my perfectly bottled version of the sun waiting for you right here!” she yelled back down activating her sparkly fingers in demonstration while standing triumphantly at the top of the steps.

 

He shook his head at her antics before collapsing on the sofa pouting a little and hiding an amused smile. Eric was usually more productive in his afternoon hours, seeing to the administrative duties as Sheriff from the comfort of his bed. His semi-conscious mind was sharp enough to work the repetitive tasks on autopilot. However, upon rising today the scent wafting into his nostrils had him wide awake and out of the bed without a thought.

 

To Eric’s surprise Sookie returned not much later with a warmed bag of blood and a cup of hot cocoa for herself. Their usual ritual had reversed as she settled beside him on the couch with the blanket that seemed inexplicably attached to her ever since arriving in his home. She snorted with a poorly concealed smile as she eyed him sucking away at the blood bag like a petulant child with a sippy cup.

 

“Tell me what happened with Godric,” he asked breaking their silent standoff.

 

“I assumed he knew why I was here, but apparently he didn’t,” she said pointedly. “He told me I shouldn’t hang around you and I was under his protection or something like that.”

 

“We don’t inform each other much of our comings and goings,” Eric shrugged. “Continue.”

 

“Then he started telling me what to do and I was so mad I wanted to throw something at him and then all of a sudden the stapler in my hand disappeared and smacked him in the face. He probably thought he was being attacked by some mystical thing and hung up before I could tell him,” she ranted on but before Eric could make sense of it all Godric was calling on his phone.

 

“Master,” Eric replied and was soon berated for referring to him as such when he was considered his equal and no longer his keeper. He swallowed the sigh and apologised for his misspoken word.

 

“Godric, what can I help you with,” he tried again before Godric started admonishing him in Old Norse over Sookie’s supposed involuntary imprisonment.

 

Eric looked utterly dejected as his maker went to town on him and his inept plans. He thought it reeked of Pam and it should stop this instant. Sookie caught the gist of it despite not understanding the ancient language they spoke. She pulled the phone from Eric not really willing to wait out this dreadfully long speech.

 

“Godric,” she said with a clipped tone while Eric stared at her wide eyed with her sudden intervention.

 

“Sookie,” Godric replied with surprise in his voice. “Do not worry I will have you out of there soon.”

 

“Listen Godric,” she started again. “First let me apologise for the stapler. In case you were wondering, that came from me. Apparently I’m part fairy and I discovered a new power.”

 

“Sookie that is exactly why you have to get away from Eric. He will drain you dry for your blood,” Godric’s worried voice carried down the cracked reception of the telephone line. “He should not use your powers for his own gain. Eric will not care for what happens to you tomorrow.”

 

“I think you underestimate him,” she said sternly. “I’ve been here for over a month and he has been a perfect gentleman.”

 

Well mostly.

 

“He’s glamouring you Sookie. He has taken your free will.”

 

“That doesn’t work on me Godric many have tried and failed,” she returned. “We have a contract. This is a job nothing more.”

 

Eric’s attention quirked with the new piece of information that Sookie was not susceptive to their glamour. It was an ability that had lost its novelty to him ages ago, granted he was a high connoisseur of the craft but Eric liked his triumphs to come from skill rather than thrall.

 

“This is why I felt him yearning the past month,” he supposed in quiet contemplation. “Eric cares for you.” The last sentence was spoken almost as if Godric himself was surprised the words fell from his mouth. Like the words tasted wrong in his mouth.

 

“Wrong child Godric, I’ve been more of a hindrance to him,” Sookie said correcting his assumptions. “I was a bit of a pitiful pearl without my familiar surroundings.”

 

“What happened two nights ago”? Godric questioned with wonder before continuing, “He was conflicted then in pain and then I felt this wave of relief. It pulled me from my vow of silence. I had to cry out it was beautiful.”

 

“Sorry that was me again,” Sookie apologised while biting the corner of her bottom lip. “I accidentally hit him with a light ball and then I healed him.”

 

“You healed him with your light?” Godric asked in marvel. “I never felt anything like it.”

 

“Yeah,” she replied with a hint of embarrassment fidgeting with the soft fabric of the blanket. “Will you all stop making such a big deal out of it? I feel bad enough that it was necessary at all.”

 

“I still do not like you staying with him,” Godric stated as he reverted back to his initial disapproval of the whole scheme.

 

“You’re not my keeper Godric, I’ll do what I damn well like,” she all but yelled out, the threat evident in her voice. “I warn you, next time I’ll find something heavier than a stapler.”

 

Eric warmed at her defence of him and Godric felt it clearly across the bond. A rare occurrence of mutual amusement carried across their faint tie with the intimidating words of the tiny spitfire bouncing on the couch with her induced temper.

 

He sighed reluctantly, “Sookie, I worry for you but I feel you are at least a good influence on Eric. I wish to speak to you over the camera every day at the same time we spoke today. So I am assured you continue to be safe.”

 

“Yes, dad,” she spoke, the sarcasm dripping from her tone. “Hey do me a favour can you hold the stapler in your hand. I want to see if I can conjure it back.”

 

“I am holding the offending item,” he informed as soon as he held it in the open palm of his hand.

 

Sookie concentrated on Godric and the stapler and suddenly it materialised back in her hands. She squealed in delight showing it to Eric who merely gave an approving nod and contained the wide smile that was threatening to reveal itself with her excitement.

 

“Thank you Godric, I’ll see you tomorrow at 4:15.”

 

“It was good hearing from you again Sookie,” he returned before hanging up the phone.

 

“Guess I don’t owe you a stapler after all,” she winked while placing the stapler in Eric’s hand. He sniffed at it a little suspiciously. “What? It’s exactly as it was, maybe down a few staples.”

 

“It smells of fairy,” Eric said accusingly.

 

“I thought you liked fairy smell,” she returned unimpressed by his continuing grouchy attitude.

 

“Yes, that’s the problem,” he grumbled with a pout. “I don’t like feeling like this.”

 

“Feeling what?”

 

“Like it’s a really good idea to lick a stapler.”

 

“Good god,” Sookie snapped as she attempted to grasp the stapler from his hand. Instead he caught hers and flipped her onto the sofa. She shrieked in shock.

 

“This is your punishment for taunting a grumpy old man,” he said with mock menace as he hovered over her, pinning her down without the effect of his considerable weight.

 

“I can’t believe I fell for that,” she said shaking her head with a poorly hidden smirk. “It’s not even sundown yet.”

 

“Pam dragged me to acting classes in the 80’s. You like?” he asked jumping his brows up and down his forehead at superhuman speed.

 

“Yes,” she mocked. “You’re a real natural. Now let me go.”

 

“I’m not finished with you yet,” he said suggestively which made her huff. Before she could register him moving, his hands were on her tummy tickling her and pulling loud shrieks from her lungs. She tried to wiggle away from his grasp and tickled right back where she could. Much to her surprise Eric was extremely ticklish himself.

 

Sookie quickly gained the upper hand, growing up with Jason Stackhouse had its benefits after all. Soon she was straddling his body, her fingers flying away at his abundant funny bones. She looked down on his carefree face and in that moment all her objections flew out the window. She leaned down and pressed her lips on his and kissed in earnest. The coolness of his skin tantalised hers, all her nerve endings standing to attention. His wet tongue darted out painting the bottom of her lips with his saliva seeking entrance as the edges of their mouths met in a tentative touch.

 

She lowered her chest onto his as she granted him access and their tongues sought their new companion gripping on to another in a soft embrace. His hands roamed over her back and behind pushing her down on him closer while her fingers explored the grooves of his scalp as they meandered through his hair. Her thundering heartbeat filled Eric’s own empty chest with vibrations as he groaned, low in his throat, at the taste of her. In over a thousand years nothing had ever tasted this good. Not even the finest blood could compare. He peered into the darkness of her eyes, the flames that ignited so easily at her ire now flickered with desire. His cool body warmed with that sight alone, knowing it was reserved to him. She pulled her lips from his as she regarded his brilliant blues with equal appreciation.

 

He brushed the bottom of her lip with his thumb with the precision of a fine artist. “Beautiful,” he murmured in admiration before he took her lips as his own again. She clung to him desperately sinking into his grasp seeking that connection where all that would remain standing was just the two of them. The world around them completely forgotten. His unrelenting lips send shivers up and down her shaken nerve endings engulfing them both in a sea of warmth.

 

Tremors were wracking his body at her touch and he desperately sought to intensify what bound them together. He nicked his tongue with his descending fangs and at the taste of the sweet metallic liquid flooding her mouth she sucked his tongue down greedily. She moaned at the taste of it, the vibrations setting of a chain reaction of electric currents running between them.

 

When his wounds inevitably closed upon themselves her tongue sought out his fangs. She tenderly moved the tip along one, then the other before she scraped the soft tissue of her sensitised muscle along the sharpened ends and gave herself in an offering of blood.

 

It was in that moment where the insanity of their bodies took over from their minds. Nothing but the joining of their uniquely crafted life forces met and meandered from ancient to fresh vein and back again. Humming to life in recognition of one another. The abundance of his saliva soon salved her wound and he released his hold so she could fill her lungs once again.

 

Sookie panted in her daze as the locked looks between their eyes remained unyielding. Eric thought this is what it must be like to be glamoured, for in this moment he would do anything she asked of him including ending his own life. If she demanded it of him then it was hers to take.

 

“You’re everything I never saw, never knew I wanted,” he whispered to her as his fingers danced over her cheek to reassure himself she was really here with him.

 

She kissed the corner of his mouth tenderly before staring him down intently again. “I never knew it could be like this,” she said throatily while witnessing the twinkle in his eyes transform into a brilliant smile of equal gleam.

 

“You should be kissed more often,” he replied cockily.

 

“By you, no doubt,” she smirked with equal tease, the Gone with the Wind reference not lost on her.

 

“Who else kisses you like this?” Eric asked as he softly pulled her down cupping her face with his all-encompassing hands. She melted into his touch and any thought she still had perished in loss.

 

“What the FUCK!” Pam gasped, a convulsion previously lost in her altered vampiric state.

 

At her distress her maker responded immediately and her phone rang incessantly.

 

“Pamela what is wrong?” he demanded instantly.

 

“I dreamed of you and Sookie,” she answered with a shock ridden voice seeking a breath she did not need. “And it didn’t even include me!” she said outraged at the most disturbing part of all.

 

A/N: Please don’t kill me… You all asked for kisses last week and well you sort of had one 😉 Now that I have your attention I have a little announcement…

 

 

I’ll be off on holiday for the next couple of weeks to a place where Wi-Fi will be shoddy at best. I’ll see what I can do but it may happen that a week passes without an update or that it happens on a different day. It’s Already Gone is the only story that will continue as scheduled seeing that it coincides with the show. For those impatient ones among you I suggest to read/catch up with another one of my stories while I’m gone or make sacrifices to the Wi-Fi gods and pray for good reception. I’ll be back at work September 1^st so unless I catch Hep-V regular scheduling will commence from that point onwards.

 

 

 

>