Chapter 31

I woke up the next day around noon and feeling great. I was glad to be home. I went down stairs and made coffee and made a list of things we needed from the store, ok, things I needed from the store and I would pick up some True Blood for Eric. I ate oatmeal and toast and went upstairs to take a shower, I still hadn't washed the ocean off me and I was starting to feel a little gross. I washed my hair twice and conditioned it and shaved. I felt great when I woke up but now that I had eaten and showered I felt fantastic. I slid on my fluffy pink robe and dried my hair. I stood looking at myself in the mirror examining my face. I had never felt old and the fact I was 28 had never bothered me. But looking in the mirror I looked at least 3 or 4 years younger. I opened my robe and stared at my naked body in the full length mirror, I took care of myself and I had been doing some serious work out in our home gym before our trip to Florida, but I think my boobs were riding just a little higher and my stomach was completely flat. I looked great, I felt fantastic, I am in love, I am engaged. My life was more than I could have ever hoped it would be. Just a few short years ago I was sure I was destined to be alone for the rest of my life. I suppose I had Bill to thank for introducing me to the world I found myself in now. Bill taught me how to love and be loved. He also taught me what it was like to be betrayed and to have my heart broken. I guess every girl has a fantasy of spending the rest of their lives with their first love. I still wonder if Bill loves me as deeply as he proclaims or if he wants to possess me for his own because he lost me. I didn't go back to him after all that had happened and his vampire pride is in the way. But he does tell me that he will always be there for me and that he would die for me and I do believe that. Eric and I needed to tell Bill our news in private and before everyone else knows.

I shook myself out of my deep thoughts pulled my hair up and put on some lip gloss and a little mascara. It was May 2nd in Louisiana and that was definitely early enough to start pulling out the Spring clothes. I put on a pair of black Capri leggings and a cute pink and black baby doll top and slid my feet into Mary Jane slides. I grabbed my purse and tucked my grocery list in locked up the house and jumped in the Corvette and headed out to Super Wal-Mart. I picked up the things I needed and a few things I didn't as is always the case when I make a trip to Wal-Mart. I went home and put up my purchases then went upstairs and unpacked mine and Eric's bags. Sorted out the dirty laundry and made a pile to go to the cleaners, wishing I would have thought about that before I ran to the store. It was a little after 5pm so I decided I would give Jason a call and let him know that I was home. "Hey Sookie," the miracle of caller ID, "you home?"
"We got back last night."
"You come back in one piece?" He actually sounded worried.
"Yes, not a single bruise or scratch," with a little pride in my voice.
"Good, it's about time you come back from one of those trips without having a near death experience."
"How are you? Everything ok big brother?"
"I have some bad news. I didn't want to call you while you were in Florida since there wasn't anything you could do, but that whore of an ex-wife of mine lost the baby. He lived for about 15 minutes and that was it. Sookie, he was beautiful. Calvin called me to tell me she was in labor and I met them at the hospital, I was thankful that I got to see him. We are going to have a little service for him this weekend and bury him out at the Hot Shot cemetery, please come and be with me, sis."
"Oh Jason, I am so sorry. I really am. Of course I will come with you."
"Thanks sis, they let me name him. I named him Corbit, after dad, Corbit Jason Stackhouse." He was crying on the other end of the phone.
"Jason, do you need me to come back to Bon Temps for a few days? I have a meeting with the King of Louisiana tonight, but I could come after the meeting is over or in the morning."
"No sis, it's ok. Just be at my house by 10am on Saturday morning, please. The service is going to be at 1pm out in Hot Shot but I want to get there early and make sure everything is taken care of."
"No problem, I will see you then. You call me if you need anything from me before then, you hear?" I was so sad for Jason, I actually think he would make a great father. If there was any good news to this at all it was that he wouldn't be tied to Crystal, she wouldn't have a hold over him. That is her third miscarriage that I know of. I really thought since she was at the end of her second trimester that she might actually be able to have this baby. Hot Shot really does need some new blood. I sure wish them good luck with that. But I also hope that my brother keeps his ties to them at a minimum. He runs with the pack on the full moon, but he has acres upon acres of woods right out his own back door, maybe when the time is right he and I can talk about all this. Here I was with the best news of my life and Jason with the worst. Jason and I have been through a lot in the last several months but I felt like we have both grown and we can concentrate on being family again.

It was still a while before dark so I decided to give Amelia a call and let her know that I was home. I got her voicemail so I just left a quick message letting her know I was safe and sound and to call me when she got a chance. Next I called Claudine, my cousin, my fairy godmother. She was very excited to hear from me. We chit chatted, I told her about Jason, I asked about Claude, her twin, I asked about our grandfather. I told her all about the events in Florida even about surfing. Ok, so I didn't tell her everything. I didn't tell her about my reactions to taking Eric's blood. She told me about a couple of dates she had been out on with some fae guy she had recently met. As we were talking I wondered if my grandfather, Niall, would be able to shed any light on what was happening to me. I wondered if the reactions I was having to the large and often consumption to Eric's blood had to do anything with my fae blood line. I needed to talk to him. I said my good-bye's to Claudine and called my grandfather. I left a message with his answering service asking them to have him call me as soon as he could. I had a feeling I wouldn't get around to eating dinner tonight so I decided to make myself a quick meal before I had to get ready for our meeting with the King.

I was just finishing cleaning up and the doorbell rang. I was shocked to see my grandfather when I opened the door. "You needed to speak to me. Is there anything I can do for you child?" I hugged him as he came in and received a pat on the back.
"Grandfather, you could have called me. It wasn't urgent."
"Child, I haven't seen you in some time, I wanted to see that you were well. Claudine told me that you had moved in with the Blonde Sheriff Vampire. Child I can also smell his blood in you. Is this by choice?"
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I hadn't told you this before but I need to tell you now along with ask you a question. Grandfather, I am blood bonded to Eric." He started to speak and I raised my hand to stop him, "I have much more to tell you please let me finish. I do love Eric and he loves me. I know this with all my heart. I have consumed more of his blood, recently I have consumed quite a bit and honestly it has been my choice. I have noticed some changes in me. I was hoping you could give me some insight on them. My aging process has seemed to reverse a little. I have ingested large amounts of vampire blood in the past for life saving measures and the results were intensified beauty, speed, strength, but the results lasted only a short time. But with Eric my aging lines have disappeared, I feel stronger and healthier, I have noticed changes in my body mass, my telepathy is easier to manage, my hearing has increased as well as my other senses. Does this have anything to do with my fae blood and Eric's blood mixing?" He stared at me for a long moment, "I was really hoping that you could meet and settle with a fae or at least half fae and produce a few off spring. Sookie, child, fae coupling with vampire is not something that has ever happened in the past. You know how the vampire react to fae being near. Only those of us that are very old and of royalty can mask our scent from the vampire. You are the first with fae blood that I know of to carry on a relationship with a vampire. Your blood line gives you extended life and healthiness. I do suppose that with your vampire being over 1000 years old his blood mixed with yours could slow or slightly reverse your aging process and even extend your life well beyond human years, even with what you might expect with your fae blood. I assumed that your human years would carry you to be over 100 before your fae blood would become to week and your human body would give up. If you are feeling such extreme effects upon ingesting the vampire's blood then only time will tell the results." "Am I interrupting?" Eric had walked into the room.
"Come join us, Sookie was just telling me about the two of you." Niall motioned Eric into the room.
"Was she," Eric looked at me and raised an eyebrow.
"I thought if anyone could shed any light on what is happening to me that it would be my grandfather. I had a thought earlier today that maybe my fae bloodline mixed with your strong blood is what had given me the effects. I have noticed a few more changes in my body today. Grandfather was confirming that this could be a definite possibility and that we would just have to wait and see what came of it since I am the first with fae blood to have a relationship with a vampire. Eric, this could slow my aging process considerably. My fae blood would have let me live a longer than normal life, but mixed with your blood the results could extend our years together considerably." I was near tears.
"Niall, thank you for coming and talking to Sookie about this, while you are hear there is something I would like to talk with you about."
Niall actually looked a little surprised, "continue" was all he said.
"Obviously Sookie has told you about our blood bond and filled you in on a few of our intimate details and as you obviously know she now lives here. A few nights ago I asked Sookie to be my wife. I know that it would mean a great deal to her as her oldest living relative if you would give us your blessings." Eric was being very humble and even gave a slight bow of his head when he asked for Niall's blessings.
"Has your King given his blessings?" Niall questioned.
"We speak to him tonight." Eric responded
"Child," Niall took my hand in his and noticed my ring at that time, "Is this what you want? Is this what will make you happy? Have you given this all the consideration it deserves and weighed the disadvantages to the advantages? You will never be a mother, you will never have a normal life in the sun with your chosen one, you will never be able to have a relationship with your fae family and your vampire at the same time."
"Yes Grandfather, I am sure this is what I want. I have never been as happy as I am with Eric. Many people do not have children, I am able to spend more time with Eric then many people do with their human spouses, I can enjoy time in the sun alone or with my friends just as I can my fae family, which as far as I know contains you, Claudine and Claude and we have managed fine to this point. Grandfather, Eric is right I would very much like your blessing it would mean a lot to me. However, this is a decision that is mine and only mine and I have made my decision."
"Child, if you are happy and this is what makes you happy I have no right not to approve. I know that the Viking will take good care of you and will not allow you to be harmed. You will be provided for and protected. You both have my blessing and my best wishes." He kissed me on the cheek and then shook Eric's hand and he left.
Eric looked at me and took my hands in his, "Lover, I must feed and it must be from you not True Blood." His eyes were a little glazed and his fangs fully extended. "Eric, what's wrong?"
"Niall was not covering his scent, actually he was doing quite the opposite, he was projecting his scent very strongly. It was a test for me to prove something to him."
"I had no idea, you didn't react the way you normally do to the presence of a fairy."
"It took all the strength I had, and since he gave us his blessing willingly I will assume he was satisfied with the results. Lover, I will do anything within my power for you. But now you must do this for me, I need to feed before we get ready to see de Castro." He picked me up and threw me over his shoulder and with lightening speed we were upstairs in the master bedroom. My t-shirt was ripped in half and he didn't even bother with my bra he sank his fangs into the exposed skin on my breast. My hands went into his hair and pulled him into me harder and he drew harder on the wound. He pulled away and with my hands still in his hair. I pulled his mouth to mine for a deep kiss tasting my blood in his mouth only seemed to make me kiss him more desperately. He pulled away, "Lover, we will have to continue this later, I promise we will continue this, but now we must get ready for our visit to see the King, we do not want to be late." He kissed me softly. My entire body ached with disappointment but he was right, we could not be late. Eric got into the shower while I began to get ready. I took my hair down and brushed it out and added a few curls, freshened up my mascara and lip gloss and went to the closet. Why hadn't I thought about this earlier? What am I going to wear? I opted for a black pleated skirt that hit just below the middle of my thigh along with a white sheer blouse with a white satin shell underneath and a pair of strappy black medium heeled shoes. I could hear Eric drying his hair as I finished getting ready with a squirt of his favorite perfume, Obsession. I slipped in a pair of white gold hooped ear rings and a white gold chain with a dangling double heart pendant. I had managed to purchase a few pieces of nice white gold jewelry over the last few years since I couldn't wear any of my silver jewelry any longer. Eric came out, still completely nude, I wanted to jump him right then and there, "Lover, you look beautiful. I will be ready in just a minute." He slipped into the walk in closet and came out just a couple of moments later, black slacks and dress shoes with a white button down long sleeved shirt and he was sliding his black suite jacket on." Ok, the clothes were just an obstacle to over come, I still wanted to jump him right then and there. "Lover, calm yourself, we can't be late, we will pick up where we left off but now we must go." We went downstairs and after assisting me into the car Eric reached down to slide his the driver's seat all the way back before attempting to fold himself into the Corvette."