DEAD IN THE WATER

CREDITS

The prose parts in italics are quotes from Dead Ever After. This alternate ending begins in Chapter 22 of Dead Ever After, when Sookie finds out Barry has been abducted. The magic circle ritual draws on information from the website "Everything from under the Moon" () and Christopher Penczak's books.

"So Newlin and Glassport grabbed you. What did they think they could beat out of you?"

He tried to smile, but the attempt was pretty ghastly. "They wanted me to tell them where Hunter was."

I froze. Claude had betrayed my cousin's child? I tried not to think of Hunter's eyes, hurtful, accusing, because I had entered his life unbidden and brought with me all those dangers. I had to sit down so the nausea would not knock me off my feet.

"Are you alright, Sookie?" Barry asked with concern. I nodded absently. It was almost funny that he asked me that question when he was so bruised and battered because he had kept my secret. A chilling, terrifying thought entered my mind. It would have been my responsibility to protect my friends, not that of Diantha and Mr Cataliades. My very own responsibility, and I had failed. If I was the only thing that stood between my friends and the darkness, they would all be doomed.

I did not sleep at night. I thought of the events of the recent past. I had tried so hard to be the kind of woman my grandmother would have been proud to raise – the perfect hostess, with clean sheets and a full fridge for a house full of guests, tending to her flourishing garden, going to church every Sunday, dating a handsome man who ran a stable middle class business, reliable, faithful, who would eventually marry me and give me four or five strawberry blond children to care for. There were worse things than marrying your best friend. I had longed to be both the good Christian and the Southern lady my gran had been. Yet there was one thing I had overlooked. My grandmother had been very proud of me when I had walked out into the night, swinging a heavy chain, to save a vampire from two greedy drainers. She had been proud of me when I had welcomed an outsider into my life, a vampire the other citizens of Bon Temps had been looking at with suspicion. She had been proud of me because I had looked at Bill as a person, and stood by him as my lover without giving up my own life for him. My gran had loved me and been proud of me just the way that I am. That was so long ago. By now, I had wielded heavy fairy magic and learned to master my dis… I shook my head. How often had that 'disability' saved my life or the lives of others in the past few years? Mr Cataliades' voice came back to me. He thought of my telepathy as a gift.

My hurtful conversation with Eric echoed in my head.

"At first I thought, 'She loves the sun – but she loves me, too'. But I began to wonder if in your heart you really despised what I am."

"No, I do not despise what you are. I just want to live my human life."

A normal human life. Who had I been kidding? I could go line-dancing and play happy normal couple with Sam all I wanted, but that would never, ever change what I was. I was part fairy, and I was part telepath. I was a fighter, a survivor, a passionate, independent woman. I still thought of my telepathy as a disability, as something 'not quite right' in my head. And my little nephew Hunter would grow up with the same sad and self-devaluating misconceptions about what he was, as would my future children. That is, if they even grew up to be adults and were not abducted by some supe trying to make use of their talent because I had decided to turn from who I really was and eventually failed to protect the ones I loved. I had not lied to Eric when I told him I wanted to live my human life. I had lied to myself. I would never have an entirely human life, no matter how hard I tried, and in my heart of hearts, I knew it perfectly well. This was what had made me so angry at him. That he was not only so sure of himself, but rejoiced in what he was. There is nothing better than being a vampire, his voice echoed in my head. Eric had sounded so utterly convinced, but what he really was saying was: There is nothing better than being Eric Northman. He was at peace with himself, and so he could brave everything that lay in front of him, even two hundred years as Freyda's boy toy.

I switched on the lights and walked over to my vanity. I looked at my face in the mirror. I had the slightly disheveled, just out of bed look, but the woman staring back at me was definitely familiar. I don't know what I had expected – seeing a stranger?

As I was so intent on scrutinizing my face, as if it would help me see into my own heart, I never heard Bill approach until he was standing right behind me.

When he touched my shoulder, he startled me and I gave a small scream.

"Shepherd of Judea, you scared me!" I exclaimed in an accusatory tone. "What are you doing here at three in the morning?"

"I had a feeling you needed me."

He sat down on my bed and waited.

After a while, the silence became uncomfortable.

"Bill?" I asked reluctantly.

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"The answer is no, no, and yes," Bill said softly.

The look on my face must have been priceless. I was totally puzzled. "I haven't even asked my question yet."

"You don't need to," the vampire replied. "No, most people do not learn to love themselves until they have been through a lot of hardship and troubles, and, no, it is never too late, but yes, first you have to find out who you truly are and what you want. It is a long process that will leave you shaken and scarred, but it is all worthwhile."

"How long did it take you to find out who you truly are and what you want?" I asked curiously.

"About a hundred and seventy years," he replied.

I shook my head. "I got two weeks."

Ten days later, I was standing in front of the huge red rose bush by the garage. The moon had just reached its apex. Although summers in Bon Temps are usually very hot, I was shivering in the night air, not from cold, but from anticipation.

I felt a bit silly staring at a rose bush in my yard in the dead of night.

Mr Cataliades pointed at the full moon above us. "It is time, Miss Stackhouse."

Amelia lit the circle of candles around me and the rosebush, one by one, slowly, solemnly. Then she squeezed my hand. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

I nodded grimly.

"We'll be right here," Bill's rich, dark voice rang through the darkness. I turned around and kissed his cheek. We both knew that this was good-bye, that things would never be the same when I got back. "You do know I love you, right?"

Again, Bill gave me the sad smile I knew so well. "If you expect me to say 'no, you don't, but thanks for saying it', you're going to wait until hell freezes over!"

I giggled. "Hey, it's not my fault that you've been watching all my Buffy tapes!"

Bill kissed my forehead. Then he took a few steps away from me and out of the circle. "Go now, Sookie."

I turned around and faced the music.

It felt awkward to step out of my nightie, in front of my closest friends and my demon godfather, but Amelia had informed me that it was a good idea to wield strong magical powers 'skyclad', as she called it. 'You'll be more in tune with the elements, and you're less likely to catch fire,' she had said pragmatically.

So I stepped into the circle, facing north.

"To the north!" I called out into the night. My own voice was strange and distant, but its sound pierced my heart and chilled me to the bone. "I call upon the element of earth, so I will set my steps on firm ground always. I call upon the North Wind, the Warrior! Guard and protect me. Hail, and welcome!"

The brown candle in the north of the circle seemed to burn a little more brightly.

"To the east!" I call upon the element of air, so I will breathe easy and lift my mind above the clouds to see the truth. I call upon the East Wind, the Teacher. Guide and enlighten me. Hail, and welcome!"

The yellow candle in the west flickered briefly, then started to glow eerily.

"To the south!" I exclaimed, getting more determined with each element I summoned to my aid. " I call upon the element of fire, so I will burn with passion and love every step of my way. I call upon the South Wind, the Healer. Mend my broken heart and help me love myself. Hail and welcome!"

The red candle burst into a flame almost as tall as myself. I forced myself to stay in place, although my heartbeat was racing.

"To the west," I whispered into the darkness. "I call upon the element of water, so the waves of compassion and empathy will carry me to my destination. I call upon the West Wind, the Visionary. Open my eyes to the plight of others and lead me safely into the future. Hail, and welcome."

I felt the magic vibrate in the air around me. The circle was ready now. I knelt on the ground and picked up the athame Amelia had given me. I pricked my palm and let a few drops of blood fall on the roses.

"I call upon the spirits of my ancestors. Bless my purpose here tonight."

The roses began to glow in a deep, blood red light.

I took a deep breath. "I am Sookie Stackhouse, daughter of Corbett, granddaughter of Fintan, great-granddaughter of Niall. I have come here to demand my birth right. I request entrance into the realm of the Fae."

My rose bush exploded into a maelstrom of all colors of the spectrum. Within the center, a beautiful, blinding light was glowing. I was irresistibly drawn to that light.

I heard the gasps of my friends. To their eyes, I was simply disappearing as I entered the gateway.

Niall was waiting for me on the other side. He had not aged a day since I had last seen him. I was wondering briefly what would have happened if I had actually married Sam. He was a shifter, but his life expectancy was normal. How much fae blood did I have? How young would I still look when Sam would retire? How long would I outlive him, five, six, or fifty, sixty years?

"Much longer than that, great-granddaughter," Niall said softly. "But let us not worry about that now. You have come here to demand your birthright."

I nodded.

"I am curious," Niall said. "What changed your mind? The last time we spoke, you seemed very determined never to explore the fae side of your existence."

I took his hand to let him see into my mind. I pictured myself as a small girl. My elementary school teacher grabbed my wrist, hard and merciless, after I had accidentally let slip that she was seeing another woman. 'You are an abomination!' she hissed.

I pictured myself as I was freeing the little child from the angry teacher's grip. 'Don't you dare talk to me like that!' I retorted. Then I took the frightened child into my arms. 'You are perfect the way you are. You are gifted and very bright. I love you.' My younger self slowly turned into Hunter, my cousin Hadley's son.

Niall nodded. "I see. Come with me now. We have a ceremony waiting for us."

I blushed at the thought of having to walk through faerie and participate in a ceremony skyclad. "I'm sorry I couldn't dress appropriately," I apologized. "Amelia said…"

"But you are exceptionally well-dressed," Niall said with a smile.

I looked down my body – Niall was right. I was no longer skyclad. I was bathed in light that engulfed my body like an exquisite gown. The light was white, with the edges broken into a spectrum of beautiful colors, as if I were wearing a diamond.

"Faerie light," Niall explained. "Your skin creates the light from sunlight and the magic within you, child. From this moment, it will always be at your disposal. Think loving, bright thoughts, and the lights will come to you. Now let us go. The others are waiting."

I looked at him in frightened anticipation. "But will the other fae accept me, being a half-blood and everything?"

Niall smiled. "You have still so much to learn. You used the cluviel dor to raise the dead, you summoned faerie light without anyone having to teach you, and you opened the gateway to faerie all by yourself. Do you really doubt you are one of us?"

When I called Quinn, he declared me officially mad. I had had four days left until Eric's wedding when I entered the gateway, but when I emerged, the ceremony was less than twelve hours away, although I felt I had spent less than an hour in faerie. Time has its own rules on the other side. Mr Cataliades had agreed to fly out to Oklahoma with me to take care of the legal side of my plan. I had begged Quinn to help me gain entrance to the building. At first, he had flatly refused to get me in. He was convinced I would be killed instantly. But after I gave him a small demonstration of what had changed in my life after my visit to my great-grandfather, he reluctantly agreed.

I had been smuggled to the venue in the flower van and was now hiding behind the huge flower decorations, hidden from view by a marble column. Quinn had thought the flowers would mask my unmistakable faerie scent. With my floor-length burgundy cape, I hoped I would be mistaken for a guest if someone noticed me. My face was half hidden by the hood. From my hiding place, I had a good view of everything.

The Black Rose Center was an exclusive club which specialized in organizing vampire weddings. Security was high end, and so was luxury. The hall was resplendent with flowers, candelabras, arched windows, and stately white marble columns. There was, of course, no altar at a vampire wedding, but a richly decorated table with flowers, candles, and the required ceremonial knife. Between the table and the aisle, there was a wooden bridge over an artificial koi pond. Freyda would cross the bridge to step in front of the table, where Eric would be expecting her. The candlelight was mirrored in the water. I could only grudgingly admit that Freyda had proved an excellent taste in the choice of her wedding location (and, unfortunately, her groom).

The long rows of chairs were filled with vampire royalty from all over the States, as well as some vampire celebrities from international show business. It was like Kate and William's wedding – only with undead Americans instead of blue-blooded Europeans.

My heart sank as I spotted Eric. He was gorgeous, dressed all in black, setting off his blond hair in a sharp contrast. The buttonière pinned to the lapel of his tuxedo was a blue cornflower – as I had learned from my grandmother, it symbolized unrequited love.

He carried himself with an air of indifference. But his eyes looked haunted, as if he were not waiting for his wedding, but his funeral.

The chattering and background noise came to an abrupt halt when the vampire singer, a handsome man with dark curls and fascinating, deep eyes, came to the front and seized the microphone. I knew from Quinn that it was Eric who had invited the singer and picked the song. I half expected a traditional wedding song and raised an eyebrow to discover what Eric had opted for. It was somewhere in between a classical and a pop voice when the melancholy tune filled the air.

I was holding my breath in my hiding place when the bride came into view. Freyda looked stunning in a scarlet Vera Wang gown with tulle panel skirt and embellished flange applique, detailed with floating Chantilly lace. She was not walking, but floating down the aisle, several yards of scarlet tulle hovering behind her.

She was more beautiful than I could ever hope to be, but Eric did not seem to have eyes for his bride. His eyes were fixated on the ceremonial knife on the table in front of them. He looked at it with an expression of loathing, as if it were an executioner's blade. I saw his sorrow and despair even behind the marble column where I stood.

The wonderful, sad tune ended. Quinn, who was acting as master of ceremonies, stepped to the front, uneasiness flowing off him in waves.

"We have gathered here to unite…" Most of his speech was lost on me. But I did catch my cue, the sentence that ended in "speak now, or forever hold your peace."

I stepped from behind the marble column. "Um… actually, I do have an objection."

I heard the gasps from the audience – given that vampires do not actually need to breathe, that was quite an indication that I knew how to make an entrance.

Eric stood frozen, his face expressionless. I could not meet his eyes now, but I felt his gaze on me. The hood still covered my hair, but I had enough of a reputation in the vampire community to ensure that at least the guests from the south knew precisely who I was.

I looked at Freyda challengingly. "Sorry, I know how expensive those flowers must have been, I really hate to cause you any inconvenience by crashing your wedding… but look on the bright side, at least the catering isn't as expensive as for a human reception."

Freyda stared at me in cold rage. Then she nodded at her bodyguards. "She has no right to be in Oklahoma. She has been banished. Kill her."

I held up my hand, ignoring my racing heartbeat. "Just a sec." I turned to Quinn. "About that objection. Fact is, Eric can't marry Chucky's bride."

Quinn raised an eyebrow at me. "Would you tell us on which grounds you object to the wedding?"

I looked at him triumphantly. "On the grounds of section 125 of the marriage contract."

Freyda looked at Eric. "What?" she spat.

Eric shrugged. "My lawyers negotiated this. I have no idea what's in section 125."

Freyda looked out for her lawyers who had negotiated the contract, but they just shrugged and looked at each other for support.

Mr Cataliades stepped out from behind another column and handed me the manuscript, which had more pages than the Bible. Bless Diantha's heart for stealing a copy from Freyda's lawyer. "Geez," I exclaimed, "this contract weighs a ton. Let me just read it out for you to refresh your memory." I took my time to skim the pages. "Ah, here… no, sorry, that's something different. This is worse than the rules in Shades of Grey. But that's not what I was looking for. What the heck is 'paddling'?"

Although Eric had maintained an enviable poker face throughout my little chat with his intended, the ghost of a vicious smile crossed his face now. I decided it probably was not to do with water sports, and read on. "Maybe in this section… The consort agrees to be fully responsible to the queen for the consequence of any misbehavior, including reparations of five million US dollars, a written apology and public flogging, in case of infidelity a public beheading.Not quite what I meant, but… ah, here. This marriage contract is in effect for a term of two hundred years, starting from the conclusion of the official wedding ceremony, provided the consort is not claimed by another, higher-ranking queen. Such a claim, should it be brought forward, shall render this contract void with immediate effect." I tossed it to Freyda. "Clause 28a. Read up on it." I smiled brightly. "Too bad. I hereby claim Eric Northman as my consort."

Freyda handed the contract to her lawyer as if it were a particularly nasty insect.

"This is an absolute standard clause in royal wedding contracts," Freyda's lawyer hurried to say, "A higher-ranking queen always has the prerogative on…"

"A higher-ranking queen? Her?" Freyda scoffed. "Queen of what, French fries and iced tea? She's not a queen – she is food." She bared her fangs. Did she really think that after I had dated two vampires, a shifter and a weretiger, a couple of lengthy canines could scare me into submission?

"There you are mistaken." I took down my hood.

The crown of everlasting vines, goldenrod, sea lavender, many lush flowers, peacock feathers and never-melting ice sparkled in my blond hair. Live butterflies were circling my head. The crown weighed almost nothing, but looked very impressive, even to a vampire.

"May I introduce Sookie Stackhouse, newly ascended as Queen Tianna the twenty-third of the Sidhe," Mr Cataliades said as casually as if he was at a dinner party.

Freyda looked as if she was ready to jump me and tear the crown from my head. "What kind of trick is this?" she spat.

Eric shook his head. "Let me know when you figure out how to make butterflies follow you and stop ice-crystals melting, Freyda. Only a fairy queen can do that. She claimed her birthright," he added quietly.

I nodded happily.

"A fairy queen! We EAT fairies!" Freyda insisted, not very politely. "I do not accept this ridiculous objection. Unless a higher-ranking vampire queen makes her claim to Eric, would our Master of Ceremony please have the kindness to tell this woman to leave so we can proceed with my wedding?"

Quinn's face was serious. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I can't. The way I see it, this contract says simply 'higher-ranking queen', not 'higher-ranking vampire queen'. The realm of fairies has been in existence for thousands of years. Oklahoma, I believe, was founded in 1890?"

Freyda admitted Quinn's observation grudgingly.

One could almost think Quinn was beginning to enjoy this. "Then, the fairy realm consists of at least 12 subdivisions, each of them a hundred times the size of the territory you can call your own, Your Majesty. Correct?"

I beamed while Freyda was sulking. "Dead on."

"This is not about history or territory," Freyda disagreed, "It is power that makes a queen, and I can rip that… WAITRESS apart in a heartbeat!"

Eric touched his bride's arm. "No," he said decisively.

Freyda shook off his hand. "You look pretty and be quiet," she commanded, giving him an exclusive preview of what his next two hundred years were going to be if I failed.

"Eric, please," I said, "This is my fight."

I moved my hands to the belt that held my cape. For the first time, I met Eric's eyes and found a spark of hope there. I began to unfasten the belt, focusing on the future I wished for Eric, a future with someone who loved him the way he was. I silently blessed him with loving thoughts. After all, I had come here for love, not hatred. Which did not imply that I would not defend myself.

"I'll tear your body to shreds and feast on your blood," Freyda announced with a wide and not very attractive grin.

I met Freyda's eyes without fear. "I would love to see you try."

She did not need more of an invitation.

My cape fell to the floor without a sound.

When Freyda lunged at me to rip me apart with her bare hands, those hands caught fire. She broke into a piercing scream and tried instinctively to sink her fangs into my neck. A huge spark of sunlight hit her, marring her perfect face with what would be an ugly scar for a long time.

My whole body was glowing with fairy light emanating from my skin. I heard the screams of panic as the vampires realized I was clothed in light. The first vampire guests were up and running by now, knocking over chairs and blocking the exits. Those vampires who had decided not to run were watching in awestruck, perverse fascination, the way humans were watching car wrecks on the highway, unable to tear their gazes away from us.

Freyda reached out for my head with her burning hands. The pain must have been excruciating, but she was not ready to give up yet. She wanted to break my neck, if it was the last thing she would ever do. I was suddenly scared to death. If my fire could not prevent her, how was I supposed to defeat a vampire queen that was centuries old?

The butterflies that had been circling my crown suddenly settled on Freyda's head. Her hair burst into flame. The ice-crystals from my crown went loose and flew to her eyes like arrows. She escaped the piercing shards of ice at hair's breadth. Her distorted features pure horror, Freyda screamed and saved her skin only by jumping into the pond to quench the fire.

Eric shielded his eyes from the blinding light as I quietly picked up my cape, revoked the fairy light, and got dressed. I did not want the vampires to flee in mass panic because they thought I might harm them. I wished it had not been necessary to use my newly acquired power. Freyda would eventually heal, I knew. The scar would give her lovely face character and make her look more fearsome until it eventually faded. But I had made an enemy who would never forget the public humiliation. Freyda's lawyer eventually succeeded in pulling her from the water. She left a wet trail after her, and a small koi had got caught in the folds of her ruined wedding dress.

Quinn cleared his voice, trying to stifle a laugh at the very wet queen of Oklahoma. "Thank you for this demonstration, Sook… Your Majesty. The matter is settled. I formally declare Queen Tianna of the Sidhe the higher-ranking queen in this contest."

I felt nauseous as all the tension suddenly fell away. I felt strangely exhilarated (my word of the day on my calendar). The adrenaline blocked out any thoughts of how narrowly I had escaped a gruesome death.

Quinn looked at me expectantly. "You still have to claim your consort, Your Majesty," he suggested gently.

I blushed as I turned to Eric, side-glancing at the soaking form of Freyda. "Looks like your marriage to Freyda was dead in the water," I joked.

Eric did not smile. He looked at me expectantly, and once again, I wished I could read his mind. "Sookie… not to sound ungrateful, but… what were you THINKING?"

I met his eyes. "I was thinking about our row. About what you said after our… divorce. You were wrong, Eric. I do not despise what you are, I never have. I simply could not deal with what I was, and I took it out on you. You saw I was unhappy with myself, so you thought I might be happier as a vampire. I don't blame you – it's your kind of logic." A smile crossed my face. "I wish I could tell you how wonderful it is to be a fairy queen. How the light and the joy is running through me. How I am suddenly one with nature, with my beautiful garden, with the dark greens of the forest. Everything has changed, and to some extent, it was you who made the difference."

The banquet hall was so silent you could hear a pin fall.

Obviously, the wedding singer was planning to do the work he was hired for. Behind us, the sound of a lone guitar began to resume a song in the background.

I took the ceremonial knife from the table. "I will not make the same mistake as Freyda and force myself on someone who does not want me." My hands were shaking. I had no way to prevent my voice from sounding hoarse and breathy. "I love the sun, and now the sun is always with me in my heart and soul. But I love you, too." I cut my palm with the knife. "This is yours – if you still want it."

Eric sank to his knees in front of me. He looked up at my face with those steel-blue eyes that had haunted my dreams since our separation. "My lady and my queen," he replied. He took the knife from my hands and kissed the small wound.

I took that as a yes.

And thus I was married to Eric Northman for the second time – only this time, both of us knew what we were getting ourselves into.

I took Eric home to Bon Temps with me.

He kissed me hard the moment the door fell closed behind us. I let him divest me of my crown and cape, and with skilled fingers, I made short work of his tuxedo.

"You really don't know what paddling is?" he asked as he laid me down on the soft sheets. "I would so love to give you a demonstration one of these nights."

I bit his lip playfully. "You shut up and look pretty," I teased.

"For a queen, you are awfully bad-mannered," he complained, his hand moving up my thigh. He stopped in mid-movement. I thought I was going insane with unfulfilled desire. Eric inhaled deeply and looked at me with a confused expression.

I frowned. "Are you alright?"

Eric shook his head. "Excuse me, Sookie, but… did you bring a wet dog in here while I was away?"

I was glad he could not see me blush in the dark. I did change the sheets and open all windows, but I still sometimes underestimate vampiric senses. I was not in the mood for another painful conversation about past mistakes, so I settled for distraction. Slowly, I turned my head and bared my neck. "How about a wet kitten?" I whispered seductively. Naturally, Eric fell for it – or at least he decided to play along. We consummated our marriage until the dawn came. I rested in his arms as he drifted off into his vampiric stasis, knowing he would be dead until dark once again.

My gran always used to say, if you love something, set it free. If it does not return, it was never yours in the first place. But if it comes back to you, it will be yours forever.

I am Sookie Stackhouse Northman. I am Queen Tianna of the Fae. I belong here.