A/N SVM Characters are property of Charlaine Harris. Not infringement is intended.

CHAPTER TEN

Stars

EPOV

Sookie lay with her head in my lap leaking and hiccupping until she exhausted herself. I carried her to the guest bedroom and tucked her into the covers. I sat on the bed and watched her sleep for a few moments thinking of the information we had just received. A child. Never in my wildest dreams had I thought this possible. I was going to be a father again. Sookie's love had warmed me like the Sun I had not seen in centuries. She is the Sun to my Moon, and now there would be stars. My jubilation quickly diminished when I recalled her reaction. She had said that she is 'homeless, and unwed'. Why must she insult me so? Silly girl. My home is her home and we are wed by Vampire law, though I realize she does not fully accept this. A child changes everything. Smiling to himself, Eric thought he would easily convince her to quit working for the shifter and move in permanently. She was going to be a Mother she should be home caring for his young. He would not allow her to be away from him with his child. He smiled to himself.

Eric then began to think of the ramifications of having a child. The danger of having a child. He thought of how he could barely keep Sookie safe, what with the constant threat of someone trying to end her. A child would be even more of a liability. He needed to take measures to ensure the safety of his bonded and child. He began to strategize in his mind his next move had to be the right one there was no longer a margin for error.

Sookie sighed and he stroked her hair and laid his hand on her stomach. Her skin had a slight glow and felt like silk. 'My wife and child', he thought.

The child. Would it be a child really? What would it be exactly? Human? Fae? Vampire? A combination of the three? He hated unknowns and this was surely one. He would need to find out more about this.

He got up to go take a shower and dress. He went to his office and turned on his computer. He ordered a new bed and linens on the internet. He emailed Bobby his day man the details to have it done tomorrow. Then he called his child Pam.

"Fangtasia, we suck so you don't have too." She drawled.

"Pamela, come to my house immediately."

"Yes, Master. What has threatened our favorite telepath now?" I was in no mood for her teasing.

"Pamela. Enough. I will expect you promptly." I hung up. This was serious and I am in no mood for her humor.

Eric thought of his reaction to Sookie earlier and grimaced at his loss of control. Was it safe to feed from her anymore? He hardened and felt his fangs run down a bit at the thought of her delicious blood. He had lost control. He contemplated what transpired when he had risen earlier, it is not everyday a Vampire wakes up to a Fairy. He took some pride in the fact that he was able to stop himself before he drained her dry. The emotions he felt through the bond had been magnified and when he tasted her blood and she his, the bloodlust momentarily overtook him. He was sure that now that he knew to expect this he could control himself, and there was always the tincture from Dr. Ludwig. But how safe was she around other Vampires or Supes for that matter. Her smell and appearance were clearly something new. Perhaps he could explain it away as a reaction to his blood for now. He felt Pam drawing near. He went into the sitting room to await her.

Pam POV

I arrived and let myself in. Eric was in the sitting room and I sat on the sofa across from a very tightly wound Viking.

"Pamela," Eric began. 'Uh oh what on Earth has Sookie done now?'

I was trying to control my excitement. There had been more action and adventure in the last few years of knowing Sookie Stackhouse than I had experienced in hundreds of years.

"Have you heard of Animus Diamonds?" Shit. If he was about to put getting the telepath an Animus diamond on my 'to do' list I am going to be pissed, those things are rare at best.

"Eric, why do you not just go to Tiffany as I suggested?" maybe I could talk him out of this notion. I am all for him wooing my telepathic friend, but not at the expense of my social calendar.

"Have you or have you not Pam." Oh my, he is in a mood.

"Yes I have, they are of another realm and hard to acquire."

Eric seemed impressed. What can I say I love jewelry. He studied me closely and began again.

"Claude gave Sookie a bracelet with such stones. Apparently, under the right circumstances they cause fertility. Sookie is pregnant." He was beaming! Had he finally gone crackers over this human?

"Master," I began slowly as not to poke at his obvious lunacy to aggressively. "With who's child is she pregnant? Vampires are sterile." There, I had said it.

"Not this Vampire," he actually puffed up a bit and grinned his arrogant grin.

"How is this possible, are you sure?" I almost began to tell him how improbable this is, but thought better of it. This is Sookie we are talking about, anything is possible.

He proceeded to tell me about waking to her and losing control, and about the visit from Dr. Ludwig.

Just then Sookie came into the room. Her eyes were puffy and red no doubt from leaking as she was so prone to doing, but what I noticed most of all was her skin and her scent. Her skin had a very soft glow to it. She normally smelled quite good, but this was intoxicating. My nostrils flared and I could feel my fangs extend a little, she smelled floral and sweet with a hint of musk. I was reminded of the pastries I loved as a human. Eric let out a little growl in my direction. I quickly collected myself.

"Calm down, Eric. I happen to be a model of self-control." Sookie looked from me to Eric and went to sit next to him. He put his arm around her gingerly as if she might break.

"Well Sookie, you never cease to keep it interesting my telepathic little friend."

SPOV

I woke up in bed. My body felt heavy and tired from crying and I was hungry. I sat up and looked at the clock 11:30 p.m. I let myself fall back onto the pillow. Pregnant. Well shit.

I thought about the dream I'd had of Claudine that afternoon and suddenly wondered if it was really a dream at all. Then there was Claude, just wait until I got my hands on him. Who the Hell gives someone a fucking Elvin fertility bracelet and doesn't mention it? I knew that before Faeries go to the Summerlands they visit their kin from when Claudette died. That is how Claudine and Claude knew she had been murdered. Something tells me this had been a joint effort.

'I had always wanted a little family.' I thought to myself rubbing my hand over my abdomen. Of course a Viking Vampire baby daddy is not exactly what I had envisioned. We were not even married. What would people say? I know I shouldn't care, but I did. I know Eric considers me his wife, but I had always wanted a wedding with a white dress and flowers and bridesmaids. I sighed to myself thinking of what a pipe dream that was. I was far from virginal and I had no friends to speak of to stand as bridesmaids anyway. The only realistic part of that fantasy was the flowers.

My life has been a hot mess since the day I met a Vampire. At least when I was just 'Crazy Sookie' telepathic barmaid no one was trying to kill me. Now in addition to trying to keep myself alive I would have a baby to worry about too. A baby. Would it even be a regular baby? I could not even think like that.

'Pull it together Stackhouse.' I thought. Gran raised Jason and I after my parents died. She did it all alone on very little money, and I was far from normal. At least money would not be an issue with Eric as the father. Eric. Oh I hope he isn't too upset with my reaction. I have a right to flip out a little. Most men from what I picked from peoples' minds react very differently when they find out their wife or girlfriend is pregnant. Happiness, denial, disbelief, trying to eat her. That was a new one. Omigod! What if Eric couldn't control himself and wanted to eat the baby? This was all just too much.

I could feel his love, happiness, and pride coming through the bond this very minute. He was happy about this. I could hear voices coming from downstairs and decided I should get up. I went downstairs to find Pam and Eric talking. They stopped when I walked in to look at me. Eric was smiling and Pam was staring at me like I was a slice of her favorite pie. Her nostrils flared and I heard Eric growl at her. Uh oh.

"Calm down, Eric. I happen to be a model of self-control." Pam sneered at Eric. I got the impression he had told her about what happened earlier. I looked from Pam to Eric and went to sit next to him. He put his arm around me as if I was made of glass and he might break me.

"Well Sookie, you never cease to keep it interesting my telepathic little friend." Pam was smiling at me.

"I personally have much to do," Pam stated very matter of fact. "I have a Baby Shower to plan! I have always wanted to go to one. When is the child due?"

"Pam, I think it is a little soon to plan a baby shower. We are not even married." I felt Eric's grip tighten a little.

"Humph. According to Vampire law, you are wed. If you would like a wedding say the word and I will plan one. Did you know that Martha Stewart has an entire magazine dedicated to such things? It will be an evening wedding of course, and in your um condition we should do it as soon as possible if you truly desire the Human custom. What is your favorite color Sookie?" Pam was pulling a pen and note pad from her purse. I could feel that my face was beet red.

"Now just wait a minute there Pam." I sighed. "Eric and I have not discussed this." Did he even want to have a wedding? I felt him give me a squeeze. "I am really feeling overwhelmed right now, can we talk about this later?"

"Whatever, don't take too long. I don't think Vera Wang makes maternity wedding gowns. Well, I will leave you two to it." She stood up and nodded to Eric and then to me.

"Master. Mistress." She said that with a smirk, and left.

Eric and I sat in silence for a few moments and then my stomach growled loudly.

"You need sustenance," Eric stood up and went to the kitchen. "Sit there, I will prepare you something, unless you would like to go out?"

"I can make myself something."

"No, I will do it. You rest and tell me what you would like." He had his head in the refrigerator reciting its contents. "Lover," he said casually, "DeCastro has planned a Gala and insists that you come. He wants to publicly announce his protection of you." He busied himself rattling pots in an obvious attempt to avoid my reaction.

"When?" I asked.

"We leave in two days."

"Eric."

"Yes Lover?"

"I'll have a steak. Rare. Very rare."

A/N* Thanks so much for your kind reviews and encouragement. I will be posting Chapter 11 soon. Please forgive any mistakes I am Beta-less and lost in a sea of fiction.