Making Heroes Ch. 02

Chapter Two: Adjustment

“Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap!” Sookie chanted while Lukas wailed in her ear. She balanced him on her hip as she attempted to fix a bottle of formula one-handed. “Shh, shhh,” She tried to shush him, but the boy clutched at her blouse with his tiny fists, and his cries only grew more insistent.

“Sookie,” Eric came into the kitchen, perplexed by his Bonded’s flustered state, “what in the world is wrong?” He could feel that she was becoming upset, and could not understand why.

“I don’t know how to make formula, and he won’t stop crying, and I can’t do it one-handed, but if I put him down, he gets even more upset and he won’t stop crying!” She whined as tears began streaming down her own face.

Eric chuckled at her distress once he realized what made her upset. “Babies cry, Sookie. It does not mean that you are doing a bad job,” he assured, coming to her side and taking Lukas from her arms. “Now, calm down and make the formula. There is no reason to cry yourself.” He patted the boy’s back firmly while he spoke with Sookie.

All the while, Lukas continued screeching like a banshee, and Eric stood beside her with an encouraging look once she calmed enough to read the directions on the container, mix it, and then heat the baby’s bottle. The vampire handed the child over to her, and once the bottle was in his mouth, Lukas settled quickly.

“See? Not a crisis,” Eric laughed at Sookie’s mussed up hair and patted it down, amused at the tiny puff of formula powder that erupted from her scalp when he did so. “While I finish feeding him, go take your shower, so you may meet up with Angie on time.”

“You’ll watch him while I shower?” she asked worriedly.

“Yes, I will keep an eye on him,” Eric chuckled again. “Go!” He swatted her bottom playfully after she hesitated, and Sookie ran off to the bathroom at his urging. “Well, little Lukas, now it is just us men,” he told the boy while he grabbed a dishtowel and threw it over his shoulder before bringing the baby to his chest. “You will forgive me if I am very out of practice with this. My human children were a long ago experience for me,” he told him. “Now I am only able to recollect what to do with infants from what I have seen in movies and television.” The baby gurgled, a bit of formula coming up with a tiny burp. Eric wiped his lips with the towel and patted his back carefully. “Be easy on… your mother,” It took him a moment to call Sookie that, but if they were going to do this, he would have to get used to it now. “She takes the responsibility of raising you just as earnestly as any honorable woman would with their own child.” Lukas nuzzled into Eric’s shoulder while he let the man’s deep baritone and silent mind sooth him. “She wishes for you to have not just a good life, but an exceptional one, a life filled with all of the experiences and advantages she never had.”

The vampire stood in the kitchen, holding the small boy until Sookie returned, hair still damp and clinging to her face. “Thank you!” She reached for Lukas, but Eric held the boy with no sign of relinquishing him. “What?”

“Sookie, your dress is on backward, and you are not wearing shoes,” Eric pointed out. Sookie looked down her front to see he was completely on point with his observation. “Put yourself to rights, and then let us sit down in the living room.” Eric, still holding Lukas, walked past the room divider in the kitchen to the living room and sat on the black sofa while he waited for Sookie to join them. She tucked her arms into her dress, then spun it around before pushing her arms back out and went to hunt down her shoes. When she found them, she hurried to the living room, sitting down with a grunt, and crossing her arms over her chest as she looked at Lukas and Eric expectantly.

“I already know it is pointless to urge you to relax. You will always be high strung in regard to the child,” He looked down to the boy a moment before looking back to Sookie, “but I will tell you this. You are not doing any of this alone. You need not be shocked when I take care of him, or feel so ashamed when I do. He is not just your responsibility.” Sookie nodded slowly in acceptance. “Though I accepted responsibility for him because I knew it was what you wanted, that does not mean I am not committed to taking this course with the same complete devotion as you.” With another solemn nod, Sookie waited for him to continue, “Now that you are assured raising him does not fall entirely on your shoulders, let us discuss some of your worries.” He waited for her to start, but Sookie remained silent. “Sookie?” he pressed.

“I’m scared I’ll do a bad job,” she whispered.

Eric smiled, “That is a reasonable fear. I know it is not the same thing, but I was scared that I would not train Pamela well after I brought her over. I was even scared that I was not doing the best for you when I took you in. We can only do what we know, and try and learn as we go. I admit that in my human years I had a few children, but had little interaction with them.” Sookie’s eyes widened at his admission. Eric had told her very little of his human life, but only because it never came up and Sookie had never pressed the topic. “More than many things have changed since I was a father, but I know that we will raise a fine child, and Lukas is much better off with us than a heroin-addicted mother and loathsome grandmother.” Sookie nodded. “You are already caring for him better than his biological mother. Never doubt that.”

“I’m scared that my job as Gatekeeper will… Warp him,” she continued.

“It is your duty, Sookie, and as a supernatural child raised by supernatural parents, he will understand the differences between dealing with Supes versus dealing with humans. We will be sure to explain it all to him as he grows,” Eric imparted to her patiently.

“But how healthy will it be for a kid to be raised in a family surrounded by so much death?” She asked sadly, “What if I just make his life as miserable as mine was, in a completely different but, equally fucked-up way?” She pressed her fists against her mouth as she thought of this.

“He will understand our lives, Sookie. He will know the differences between what we do and being a murderer. We are not psychopaths.” Sookie glanced at him, “The killing spree in Elfyria, not-withstanding.”

“It should be withstanding,” She frowned. “After all, what if something happens to one of us and the other goes on another rampage? What if Lukas gets caught up in the mix, and we hurt him or get him hurt?” Sookie shook her head. “Maybe I’m just bein’ selfish wanting to raise him. The right thing to do would be finding him a real home, not pretending that I’m good for him.”

“He will need you in his life, Sookie,” Eric told her earnestly. “You have thought your entire life that you were a freak. Do you not believe he may think the same thing of himself? Knowing you will assure him that he is not alone in the world.” He smiled at her now. “As for being selfish, well… If you do the right thing, and it just so happens that you wanted to do it in the first place, that does not make it any less of a gift. It is when you turn away from the wrong thing, even though you wish to do it, that you learn if you are selfish or not.”

Sookie snorted, “Then I’m one selfish lady!”

“I will wait to finalize his documents. He is young, and will only be tended to by Dr. Ludwig. We will see how he fits in our circumstances as well as how they may affect him,” Eric conveyed, “Now, I am going to secure the carseat in your car, and then you will be on your way to meet Angie.” He rose and deposited Lukas in Sookie’s lap as he passed her.

“Thanks, Eric,” Sookie called after him as he walked to the garage to install the carseat. Looking down at Lukas, Sookie tilted her head to gaze at him, “I’m goin’ to do my best, Kiddo. I hope it’s enough.” She rose and grabbed the diaper bag while she hurried to follow Eric to the garage. She was surprised to find that he had the carseat secured already, and he took his time in showing her how to strap in Lukas.

“How did you figure this out so fast?” Sookie asked him, maybe with a little bit of attitude.

“I looked up the model number last night and read the directions. It was not difficult.” Eric laughed once the baby was secured where he needed to be. “Now, have a good time out, and be careful with any information you give Angie,” he reminded.

“Well, Jason’s goin’ to hear the partial truth, anyway, and we both know how good he is at keepin’ secrets from Angie,” She grimaced, making Eric laugh.

“Yes, I suppose that is true,” He kissed the top of her head one last time, “I will see you later. Have a good time.”

Grinning at him, Sookie flung the diaper bag into the car and drove off. Her fingertips tapped the wheel nervously as she drove. Thinking about what needed to be explained was putting her on edge, nearly as much as becoming a mother overnight and without warning.

Lukas was gurgling in his carseat, his little hands holding a teething ring while he looked out the window with curiosity. His little mind was all a mass of pictures and indistinguishable sounds, but the general tone let Sookie know that he was uneasy about being in the car. The telepath wondered if he was worried she would leave him behind just as his mother had.

Opening her mind to him, Sookie projected her thoughts to the baby boy, allowing him to see her envisioning watching him grow up. She thought about seeing him off on his first day of school, helping him pick out clothes for a dance, and taking pictures of him with a beautiful date for prom. Of course, all of these Hallmark moments were just speculation on Sookie’s part. She had never had any of these for herself, and was uncertain of how all of it was supposed to happen, but she could piece together a world of youthful expectations from what she had seen in movies and television.

Pulling up into the shopping center’s parking lot, Sookie exited the car and then took Lukas out of his carseat in the back. The baby clung to her tightly when he was once more in her arms, and it made Sookie’s heart ache. He still believed she intended to leave him somewhere. A sudden tightness filled her chest that he would be so afraid she could do something her head could not possibly condone, let alone her heart.

“I got you, Baby,” Sookie crooned, bouncing gently with him while she walked toward the building to wait for Angie by the entrance. “You’re goin’ to meet Mamma’s friend, but you’re stayin’ with Mamma, not gettin’ passed off, okay? So don’t get nervous when you see her.”

The pair stood for about ten minutes before an abnormal turquoise head bobbed in their direction. Angie came to a sudden stop once she saw the baby in Sookie’s arms, and her head tilted curiously as strands of bright blue hair flit across her face.

“Who’s this?” Angie asked in a baby voice, waving her index finger at the baby boy.

“This is Lukas!” Sookie turned the boy, so that his back rested against her chest, and Angie could get a better view, “He’s an orphaned Supe, and Eric and I will be raising him.”

“Wow!” Angie gawked, “He’s got a strong presence. What is he?”

“I think he’s a hybrid like me. He has gifts, but since he’s a baby, I’m the only one who knows for sure that they’re there,” Sookie explained.

“Do you know what all he’s able to do?” Angie asked, playing with his little fingers and cooing at him.

“I really can’t say,” Sookie answered apologetically. “For his safety, it is best that we keep his abilities under wraps until he’s old enough for Eric and me to be able to train him in order for him to protect himself.”

“I can’t believe it!” Angie was still mesmerized. “How did you two get ahold of him?”

“Again, I can’t say,” Sookie grimaced, “but…does he have the same aura as me? Like a fairy-witch hybrid?”

Angie shook her head, “No… His is much more distributed. I don’t know if he’s part-witch and something else, or part-fairy and something else, but there’s a weird variant between your aura and his. His seems all-encompassing, where yours is concentrated on your third eye chakra.”

Sookie loved how in-touch Angie was with auras. The telepath could manipulate hers with energy techniques, but she had never been good at “seeing” what she did not project with intent.

“So, he’s like me, but not all the way.” Sookie nodded. “Maybe Ludwig will have some ideas. Eric and I were goin’ to give her a call tonight, but we just got the little guy last night. It was a madhouse gettin’ him settled in for the night,” she admitted.

“Understandable,” Angie nodded as they went into the mall, “So, are we shopping for him?”

“Yeah, I need all kinds of baby stuff! I have no idea what I’ll need,” She was feeling more than a little flustered at the prospect.

“Don’t worry, Sugar, we’ll get you squared away,” Angie grinned at her.

They plopped the baby in a stroller/cart at the entrance of the mall and began their wandering. Angie was as helpful as ever, letting Sookie stow away the larger items in her Scion with it’s convenient hatchback and plentiful storage space. The witch even said she would happily follow Sookie home and help set up.

“You’re the best, Ang,” Sookie sighed in relief once they had stowed the last of the big boxes in the vehicle and went to put the smaller packages in her BMW.

“No prob!” Angie shrugged before asking, “So, how are you guys workin’ out adopting Lukas? I mean, the human laws haven’t exactly worked in the favor of vamps adopting…”

“Eric is gettin’ documents forged stating Lukas is my biological child. Artificial insemination and stuff. Y’know?” Sookie explained, though Angie could tell that her friend was not happy about the farce. “I don’t interact with humans much, so it’ll be pretty easy to say I was pregnant before Fangtasia opened, and we just didn’t bring him with us up until now because we were waitin’ for him to get a bit bigger.” Once the last of the boxes were loaded into her car, she slammed the trunk down, and lifted Lukas out of his stroller, “He said Supes raise one another a lot, so we won’t get any problems just sayin’ we’re raisin’ an orphaned Supe when it comes to Weres, witches, and vamps.”

Angie was nodding in understanding, “Well, you’re definitely falling into the role with grace.” She laughed, “I’ve never seen a new mommy so put together!”

Sookie snorted, “You should have seen me earlier. I was a wreck while I was tryin’ to fix him a bottle. Eric had to take him from me and help me to calm down, but we talked after Lukas was fed, and I’m a lot more relaxed about bein’ a mom now. I’m not goin’ to lie, though. I feel like I could have a panic attack at the drop of a hat over him!”

Angie laughed, “Sounds about right. Well, let’s get you and Lukas home. It’s almost five, and you’ll want to have everything set up before Eric rises. Maybe you can get him to clean up all the assembly mess later!” she teased.

Sookie had not thought about the fact that Eric would be awake when Angie came over, and she quickly sent to him mentally, “Eric, you might want to shut yourself away in a bit. Angie is helpin’ me bring some stuff over in a couple minutes.”

“I will stay in our room until she leaves, or until dark, whichever comes first,” he assured.

“Okay, let’s get movin’!” Sookie grinned.

After arriving at Sookie’s home, the women went to work unloading their purchases. Angie kept an eye on Lukas while he crawled around the floor, and Sookie went about required assembling on various pieces of furniture. It was nice to have someone watch the little guy while Sookie worked; therefore, keeping the new mother from having to worry that he might swallow one of the hundreds of pieces of hardware that were part of the assembly process. Angie offered to help, but Sookie could hear in her head just how horrible she knew she was at putting things together.

“You two have been busy.” Angie jumped at Eric’s sudden appearance in the guest room on the opposite side of the house of the master bedroom. “Is this all for Lukas?” he asked, crouching down where Sookie sat cross-legged on the floor, working part J into part A, with dozens of little screws and washers littering the area around her. There were several pieces of baby furniture already constructed, and it appeared Sookie was finishing up the last one.

“Yes, I didn’t realize how much stuff a baby needs,” Sookie grunted as she put the last pin into place, then stood to admire her handiwork. “What do you think?” she asked, wiping her sweaty hands onto her skirt and then crossing her arms over her chest.

“I think you did a wonderful job,” Eric kissed the side of her head, regretting that he could not assist her with her friend around. “Angie, would you like to stay for dinner? If you call him now, I believe you might catch Jason before he leaves the city to head back to Bon Temps,” he suggested.

“Ooh, that would be nice!” Angie grinned, grabbing her phone from her pocket and dialing her boyfriend. “Hey, Jason! Come to your sister’s house, I’m gonna make us all dinner here, and we’ve got a surprise for you!”

“A surprise… Well, I’m already on the highway, so I’ll have to exit off and circle back. See you in awhile… Why are you makin’ dinner at my sister’s house?” he asked.

“It’s a long story, but Sookie’s worked real hard all day, so I decided to make the dinner and let her relax,” Angie explained.

“Oh, well, that’s real nice of you, Baby. You’re the best girlfriend ever, goin’ as far as to watch out for my little sis,” Jason’s voice was a contented one.

“Well, don’t forget, I was friends with your sister long before I knew you!” Angie laughed, “Love you. Talk to you in a bit!” She hung up and spun on her heel. “I’m goin’ to go raid your kitchen!” she announced.

Eric watched the woman bounce out of the room before turning to Sookie and smiling down at her. “Did you have a good day?” he asked, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“Yes!” Her arms reached up to encircle his neck, and he had to lift her slightly up off the ground to accomplish. “Why did you invite Angie to stay?” she asked.

Eric braced her against his body with one hand while he freed the other to reach up to her face and push away a stray strand of hair, “Because you have felt so assured around her today. Since we brought Lukas home, you have not been so… Grounded…and you are enjoying it. I only wish to prolong that feeling for you.”

“I do… I feel normal,” Sookie whispered, not even noticing that her eyes darted from his face to glance at Lukas every couple of seconds. Yet, Eric noticed, and he loved how quickly she had taken to being Lukas’ protector. “I feel as though I have a great big family, one that’s carin’ and lovin’… I want that for him. I don’t want him relyin’ on just me. I want him to have an Uncle Jas and Aunt Ang, too. I know how quickly loved ones can be ripped from your life, and I need to be sure that if anything happens to me-”

“Sookie, shhh.” Eric leaned in and kissed her lips comfortingly. “Nothing will happen to you. You and Lukas will always be safe,” he assured.

With a relieved sigh, Sookie rested her forehead against Eric’s chest. The past twenty-four hours had been a blur, and Sookie felt uncharacteristically exhausted. She knew it was just the stress, and that she was not in need of sleep, but the idea of a long nap sounded very enticing.

“Yes, a nap sounds like a good idea for you,” Eric kissed her forehead gently. “Get some sleep, Lover, and I will take care of Lukas.”

“Eric…?” she asked hesitantly, her body turning toward the bedroom.

“It will be awhile before your brother arrives. I will awaken you when he does,” he assured.

With a gentle smile, Sookie tilted her head back for a kiss, “I love you.”

Eric’s own lips tilted upward to return her smile while his mouth brushed against her own, “And I love you.” He gave her bottom a swat as he pulled away from the kiss. “Now, go take a nap,” he teased.

Sookie rolled her eyes and went to their bedroom to rest. After she left the room, Eric scooped down to pick up Lukas. “Well, Young One,” he rumbled. “How did you enjoy your day with Aunt Angela?” He asked, raising the small child above his head and giving him a gentle shake. Lukas gurgled and waved his little arms around happily before Eric brought him back to his chest. “You will meet your Uncle Jason tonight as well,” he told the boy when he walked out of the room and into the kitchen where Angela was raiding the refrigerator. “Good evening, Angela,” He nodded to her as she peeked out from around the refrigerator door.

“Hi, Eric,” She smiled at him easily.

It had taken a little over a year after his attack for Angela to lose her nervousness around him. As hard as she had fought the urge to jump every time she saw or heard him, she could not shake the anxiety.

After twelve months of the panic, Angie finally became frustrated enough to ask Eric to glamour it out of her. The vampire had been hesitant, but when Sookie explained the reason why, he relented. He did not remove the memory of his attack upon her, but attached a feeling of serenity to his voice and appearance. Usually such glamours would not hold for long, but when they were requested, they were much easier to maintain.

Angela’s request that he glamour her to no longer be afraid of him had been surprising. Eric had nearly murdered her, yet, only months later, she was trying to be around him and Sookie. Regret had plagued him, and he knew that Angela remained wary of him. It would have made more sense if the witch had refused to be anywhere near him, but Angela was strong and loyal. Eric admired that greatly and went out of his way to carry on genuine conversation with her in an attempt to show repentance.

“How was your shopping?” he asked, sitting at the kitchen’s island counter, watching the witch work.

“We had a great time,” Angie beamed at him. “Lukas was a doll the whole time, too. Plus, you know it doesn’t take any prodding to get me to help Sookie spend your money.”

Eric chuckled, “Yes, whether it is clothes, jewels, food, or baby things, you certainly do not let her spare any expense. I am glad for that. I enjoy her having quality things.”

“She’d be perfectly happy with nothing,” Angie replied while putting a pot of water on the stove to boil. “As long as she had you… Of course, today…”

“Today?” Eric pressed.

Angie shrugged, “She seems really attached to that little guy already… I mean, you guys just took him in last night, and Sookie is already extremely intense about him. I’d expect it of a traditional mother, or a mother who had been trying to adopt a child, but it was surprising to see in something so spontaneous. My little empath power was tingling like crazy around those two, she already loves him so much!”

“Their likenesses made the bonding very quick and strong,” Eric agreed. “Sookie sees much of herself in the child.”

“They kinda look alike,” Angie nodded. “Same eyes and nose…” Eric could see a spark of dawning on the witch’s face, “And… Jason’s chin… Eric,” she cried, “whose child is that!?”

“Angela,” Eric’s voice was a careful warning, “drop it now, or I will be forced to glamour you.”

The witch was stiff for a moment, then she calmed enough to nod in understanding, “All right, Eric,” she whispered. “I doubt Jason will let it drop, though,” she pointed out.

“I will tell him as I am telling you now. Conjecture all you like in your own mind, but you will have no confirmations from neither me nor Sookie,” He stroked the boy’s back while Angie seemed to accept the circumstances, and she returned to her meal preparations.

Jason arrived a little over thirty-minutes later, grinning up at Eric as he opened the door, “Hey,” the man greeted as his brother-in-law stepped to the side, allowing him entry, “smells good in here!” he commented as he could practically taste the aroma emanating from the kitchen. “Where’s my sister?” he asked, putting his hands in his pockets.

“Taking a nap. She has had a very long day,” Eric told him while they walked to the kitchen. “I told her I would wake her once you arrived,” he assured.

“Oh, okay,” Jason’s grin widened when he saw his girlfriend standing in front of the stove. After he had made sure she was not holding anything in her hands, he ran up behind her and hugged her tightly, “There’s my sweetheart!” He bear hugged her tightly, bringing Angie’s feet off the ground before kissing the side of her head, “What are you cookin’ that smells so good?” He looked over her shoulder once Angie was back on her own two feet.

“Just some Chicken Alfredo,” She tilted her face to kiss the side of his chin. “It’s just about done.”

Eric cleared his throat to get Jason’s attention after the pair greeted each other. “Sookie and I have something to share with you. I will go wake her,” he said before leaving the room.

When the vampire arrived in the bedroom where Sookie was resting, he raised her with a sweet kiss to her forehead. The young woman mumbled in her sleep, and Eric chuckled before raining kisses all over her face until she awoke, giggling.

“Hey, is my brother here?” she asked with a wide stretch.

“Yes, and Lukas is sleeping in the crib you assembled. He took a bottle shortly before Jason arrived, and promptly passed out,” he informed.

“Oh,” Sookie frowned, having wanted to let Jason interact with the boy, “well, I guess he’ll just have to be quiet when he meets him.”

Eric nodded and rose from the bed, extending a hand to Sookie while she clambered up as well. The couple went to the kitchen where Angie was putting the finishing touches on their dinner.

“Hey, Sis,” Jason came over to hug his sister. “Eric said you have something to tell me.”

“We do,” Sookie nodded. “Last night we were given a very beautiful opportunity, and we took it,” she beamed, making Jason tilt his head curiously. “A supernatural child was orphaned, and we were given the chance to raise him. His name is Lukas, and he’s a fairy hybrid like us.” Jason’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Did Claudine give him to you?” he asked excitedly.

“Well-”

“Yes. She did,” Eric nodded. “That has to be kept secret; however, his parentage must never be revealed.”

“Oh, cool. So, you’re a mommy now!” Jason hugged her tightly. “Congratulations, Sookie!” He squeezed her a little harder. “When do I meet the little guy?” he asked with no wane in his exuberance.

“He’s sleeping right now, but if you’re really quiet, you could go and take a peek at him,” she said. “We’ll all get together, and you can play with him during the day soon, though. Maybe you, me, and Angie could all go out some time with him,” she suggested.

“That’s awesome!” Jason was practically jumping out of his skin with anticipation, “I’ll be super quiet. Where is he?”

Sookie lead her brother out of the kitchen, down the hall, to the spare bedroom. She opened the door quietly. The soft glow of a nightlight scarcely illuminated the baby boy, but Jason looked and grinned at the baby. “I can’t believe it! This is amazing! I’m an uncle!” he said in a hurried whisper.
They left the room after that and reconvened in the kitchen to eat dinner. Jason spent the night bubbling over his new duties as an uncle, and Angie just shook her head at her boyfriend’s antics. Jason loved kids, and spoke enthusiastically about having at least four of them. Angie felt similarly, but looking at Sookie, she became apprehensive.

After all, Jason was part-fairy, and Angie was a witch. What if they had a baby like Sookie, and it meant their baby would either have a very short life, or would need to Bond with a vampire to keep them alive? Angie shuddered at the thought. She was well aware that there were not many vampires like Eric, and that Sookie had been extremely lucky to find one who loved her and to Bond with her.

Sookie frowned at Angie throughout dinner, having heard several of her thoughts about babies. When the telepath had introduced Angie to her brother, the last thing she had thought about was the two of them having children, and what that might possibly mean.

After Jason left, and Angie was packing up to go, Sookie took her friend’s hand and said, “Angie, there’s a Supe doctor I know, and I think you should talk with her.”

“Huh?” Angie was surprised at Sookie’s suggestion. Eric glanced at the women, then quickly left, feeling as if this was not a moment to intrude upon.

“I’m sorry, but I heard some of what you were thinking at dinner. Your worries aren’t unwarranted, and this doctor might be a good idea for what you two should do.”

Angie removed her hand from Sookie’s, and she could see her friend trying to calm herself, “Sookie, I appreciate your concern, but Jason hasn’t even asked me to marry him. I want to do the marriage thing, then the baby thing,” she explained.

“I’m sorry,” Sookie expressed regretfully. “I’m really sorry for listening to your thoughts like that. It was rude, and-”

Angie shook her head. “It’s okay. I know you catch stray thoughts when you’re relaxed, and hearing me thinking that stuff probably made it difficult for you to tune me out. I know you’re worried for me and your brother,” She smiled comfortingly.

“I have better discipline than that though,” Sookie admitted. “I should have blocked you the second I-”

“Sookie!” Angie laughed, “If you can’t let your guard down in your own home, then when will you?”

Sookie laughed as well, nodding, “Okay, well, if you do ever need to talk to the doc, you let me know, okay?”

“Okay. I’ll see you later!” Angie hugged her friend before calling, “Bye, Eric!” just loud enough for him to hear, but not too loud to awaken the sleeping child.

“Good night,” Eric’s voice was barely audible as he tried to keep his volume down as well.

Sookie saw her friend to the door before going to find her Bonded. He was in the den across from the foyer, and she came to find him reading on one of the comfortable sofas in the corner.

“That was really nice tonight. It’s funny that Jason ended up giving us the perfect explanation for how we came about having Lukas,” Sookie curled up against Eric’s side while she spoke with him.

“Yes, I am glad that Jason came by before we started announcing our responsibilities to Lukas,” Eric closed the book he had been perusing. “Your role as Gatekeeper would put you in prime position for taking in a hybrid at the Queen’s command.”

“Have you told Godric about Lukas yet?” Sookie asked.

“I called him while you were out with Angie this afternoon,” he replied.

“What does he think?” she asked.

“Much what I thought. That this will be good for you, and that it is a wonderful opportunity for all of us. Godric is enthusiastic about meeting Lukas and he requested we visit New Orleans when we have time.”

“Oh, I wonder if I could teleport with a baby? I should call Ludwig,” Sookie realized. “I’ve been meaning to call her all day, and I just kept getting distracted!”

“I think it could wait a while longer,” Eric purred, leaning into her.

“What? Eric!” she giggled as his hand came up to one of her breasts, squeezing it as a request. “Really? You can’t wait for a couple more hours? I managed to work a nap in, I’m not sleeping for at least another few days!”

Eric shook his head, “No, I cannot wait. Watching my woman with a baby has been doing all sorts of interesting things to my body. Could you be angry at a man who is aroused by his maternal wife?”

Sookie giggled once more while she turned smoothly onto the couch, trapping Eric between her legs as he came to loom over her. His mouth found hers, kissing her slowly, deeply, as he pressed his body against her smaller one. Her arms and legs twisted around his frame, holding Eric close while their lips and tongues caressed one another’s.

“Eric,” she sighed after she felt a familiar hardness rubbing against her intimate area. Her hips undulated firmly to increase the pressure between their sexes, but she did not do anything more than that. After hearing him speak about how turned on seeing her as Lukas’s mother had made him, Sookie wanted to discover how long he could keep his restraint.

It was not long at all.

Before Sookie could get a rhythm between their hips started, Eric was pulling her clothes off in a flurry. She laughed and wriggled while he yanked and tugged each article away as if they offended him on a personal level. Soon, she lay naked on the couch, her tan skin contrasting nicely with the crimson of the upholstery.

Eric wasted no time tearing away his own clothing, but before returning to her on the sofa, he moved her to sit on the cushion’s very edge, tucking his shirt under her bottom.

“What are you doing?” she laughed once he had seated her on his shirt.

“I am about to make you cum over and over again, and you, my beautiful Bonded, make quite a mess when I do so.”

Sookie raised her eyebrows, “I make the mess? Maybe you shouldn’t be such a messy eater!”

Eric’s reply was to drape her knees over his shoulders and cover the entirety of her sex with his mouth. The telepath bucked and wiggled against his enthusiastic mouth, whining with pleasure as his tongue began plunging into her eager hole.
“Ah!” she keened sharply when his blunt teeth scraped against her clit briefly, causing a little pain that he quickly soothed away. “Eric, oh, not fair! Eric!” she cried, reaching between her legs to hold his head more firmly to her core. “OH! Please, suck on it!” She tried dragging his lips to her swollen, begging clit.

The vampire growled hungrily at her pleas, but then chose to ignore her demand, opting to torment her awhile longer. When frustrated tears began to build in her eyes, Eric finally complied with her need, and attacked her throbbing bundle of nerves. A single tap of his tongue against the pink pearl made Sookie’s back arc impressively, and she covered her mouth with her hand while she screamed into it. Eric frowned only momentarily when she did this before remembering they had a sleeping baby in the house. Already Eric wanted to plan an evening for Lukas to spend with his Uncle Jas and Aunt Ang, so that he would not need to be deprived of hearing his Bonded’s beautiful, pleasured cries.

By the time Eric had brought her to orgasm for the third time, Sookie was holding a decorative pillow to her chest, and crying into it. She was a gasping, sobbing ball of pleasure, and Eric determined it was his turn to experience the same joy of release.

Standing up sharply, Eric curled Sookie’s spine, so that she was balanced on her shoulder blades for support. One of his legs stepped between hers to settle his foot on the couch while he scissored her trembling thighs and thrust his cock down into her clenching channel in one, swift drive.

Sookie clutched at the back of the couch as she went frantic beneath him. He was jackknifing into her pussy at such a speed, she was near a state of delirium. Her body was shaking all over, her womanhood throbbing as though she were experiencing a single, ceaseless climax. While one of Eric’s strong hands held her by an ankle, keeping her bottom half lifted high in the air, his other hand was rubbing her clit with such vigorous attention that her thighs were shaking uncontrollably. Her hips were twitching to and fro in sharp spasms, evidence of her orgasm’s intensity.

“Eric, Eric, Eric-”
Her hips shuddered with a sharp jerk, and Eric froze when he heard her let out a cry that he knew all too well as pain. Her features froze along with her whole body as she jolted from extreme pleasure to defensive stillness.

“Shh, shh,” Eric soothed, withdrawing his cock from her as gently as he could. Noting the amount of blood on his member, Eric quickly went to work, repairing the damage. He lowered her hips just as carefully before tearing open his wrist and offering the wound to her. As she nursed the injury, Eric sliced open a finger on his unoccupied hand, and carefully slid it inside of her injured orifice.

“Sorry,” she mumbled against his wound when it began to close.

Eric chuckled to himself while he withdrew his finger and pressed tentatively upon her lower abdomen. She showed no signs of discomfort, thankfully. “I consider it a compliment when I work you into such a frenzy you injure yourself.”

“That hasn’t happened in awhile,” she realized.

“No, but I have never fucked you like that before,” he pointed out.

“That’s surprising,” she laughed. “I thought we’d done it every way known to man!”

“Oh, no, my Bonded. I have not even begun to show you anything yet. We have an eternity together; did you really think I would give out all of the surprises in a mere six years?” He wore an expression as though he was greatly insulted by her presumption.

Sookie pressed on her lower abdomen firmly, “I think I’m all healed up.” She tried to pull him atop her once more, but Eric resisted, “What?”

“Give it some more time,” he encouraged.

“Hmm,” she looked at him contemplatively.

“Hmm?” Eric repeated amusedly after Sookie took his wrist, pulling him onto the couch. Eric smiled as she sat him down, and then crawled between his knees. “My Sookie,” he purred when she took his length into her hand and began stroking him. His fingers wove into her golden hair, twirling several locks between his digits as her mouth enveloped his shaft. “Look up at me,” he told her, reveling in her big, blue eyes. They stared at him adoringly as her cheeks hollowed and lips dragged against the thick column of his flesh. “Good girl.”

As her mouth continued pleasuring him, her hands ran up and down the inside of his thighs, alternating between the gentleness of her fingertips, and the toe-curling scrape of her nails. “Oh, yes, Lover,” Eric growled when her nails dug into the firm muscle of his thigh. The hand in her hair pressed firmly against the back of her head, shoving his length deeper down her throat. He could feel the tube of her trachea fluttering against his head, and only pulled back when her nails dug a touch deeper into his leg. Sookie panted for air a moment before allowing him to perform the action again, and again.

Sookie pulled back to the head of his cock, suckling greedily while her hand began to pump the exposed base. Her eyes remained trained on his. She knew how much he liked when she maintained eye contact, but she enjoyed it more when he told her to do so on occasion. The praise that followed when she obeyed his instructions always made her heart race.

Before Sookie could pleasure him to completion, Eric tugged at her hair, pulling her mouth from his cock. “Come up here and fuck me, Lover,” he requested, and Sookie crawled into his lap, turning her back to him. “Backward?” He was surprised. Normally Sookie liked to watch his face when she rode him.

“Then I can do this,” She brought her legs together between his, and pushed her gash against his cock. The closed stance tightened her pussy around him, and Eric grunted approvingly, “That feels perfect, My Sookie.” Eric took an ass cheek in each of his hands as she rocked back and forth against him. The vampire did not propel her movements at all, but kept her from pushing too far back and re-injuring herself. At one point, her knees began to bend slightly, and her hips swiveled in a figure-eight pattern.

Losing his control, Eric’s fingertips dug into Sookie’s backside while he thrust his hips upward and held her steady as his cock pumped its spending’s deep inside of her.

Pulling the woman back against his chest, Eric nibbled on her shoulder as he drew her legs up and onto either side of his own. One of his hands began palming a breast while the other went between her thighs just above where they were joined. “I need to feel you come around my cock, Sookie,” he mumbled against her back, kissing from her shoulder to her throat. His fingers were working her over slowly at first, but then they quickly began to pick up speed.

Sookie twisted in his lap, her body twitching after coming so near to completion before his orgasm had hit. As his hand continued pleasuring her, Sookie clutched at his arms, feeling her body coiling with another release. Finally, for the last time this round, Sookie came undone with a loud cry she forgot to smother.

Her body was shaking in his lap when they both heard the distinct wail of a fussy baby. Sookie, gasping for breath, rose off of Eric to try and find her clothes. Her wobbly legs made Eric laugh, and he patted Sookie’s rear once he stood and grabbed his pants, “Collect yourself, Lover. I will check on Lukas.”

“Wash your hands first!” she called after him, sprawling boneless onto the floor.

Her reasonable command was acknowledged by a booming laugh.

On to Chapter Three