Eric threw open the door again, and Alcide in wolf form bounded through it. The shock on Mike's face said it all, but he sprang in front of me. "Go to the kids Sookie." Mike shouted. I opened the closet door and pulled out the shot gun, and bolted up the stairs to Aidan's room. From his window I could see everything below. "I'm going down there, you know what to do." Pam said and flew out the door. I put Adele in the bouncy seat, and pulled Aidan to the floor. There are some very bad people outside. You need to stay down and play with your cars. Nothing will happen to you, we won't let it. "Mommy I'm scared." There is nothing to be scared of, Aunt Pam, Daddy, Uncle Eric, Uncle Alcide, they won't let anyone in the house. I looked out the window. The were packs had just arrived. Eric was ripping off the head of another vampire. It looked like the big black vampire, Diablo I think he was called was down. A were, that looked like Alcide and two others were on another vampire that had been with Felipe the night before. It was hard to follow since the vampires moved so quickly, but it looked like we were winning. But I couldn't see Mike, I didn't know if he was still in the house watching, or if he'd gone outside. I listened for him. Son of a bitch, they move to fucking fast, I can't hit one. I feel fucking useless. Eric said for me to stay inside, I see why now. Where the hell did that Felipe go? I heard more commotion under the porch. I listened for Mike again. Shit, where is a stake when you need one, there I'll use that chair leg. I heard the breaking of the rocking chair on the porch. UGH, what the hell, no one said they fucking exploded blood everywhere. Suddenly everyone stopped outside. "SOOKIE!" Felipe hollered. "SOOKIE, you need to come out here now. I have your friend, I'm guessing he's the father of the child you are probably protecting. I suggest you come out here now, or he'll get first hand knowledge of what a vampires bite feels like." He yelled.
"Pam, Alcide, come in here please, and I'll come out." I answered back. In a few short moments Alcide and Pam came through the door. "Sookie, he has Mike on the front porch. We're down two vampires and one were, the cats haven't arrived yet. You need to get Felipe in line to be taken down, or you need to get him to release Mike." Pam explained to me what I was walking in too. I came down the stairs shakily. I had no idea what I was going to say or do. I went out the open front door. Eric was standing on the porch and he stepped in line with me. I could feel his apology and guilt. Felipe was standing at the bottom of the stairs with Mike in a strangle hold. Mike's gun was lying on the ground. I read his mind. Don't do it Sookie, whatever he wants don't do it. "Ok Felipe, I'm here, what do you want?" I asked. "I came here to get the truth, I've got that now, but it is far more interesting than I originally thought." Felipe answered. "You have been a very bad vampire wife my dear. You have taken a human pet, and by doing so null your marriage, you've also had a child. Tell me Sookie, does that child show signs of your abilities too?" Felipe continued. "First of all, I did not take a human PET, I took a human husband, second of all I did not break my vow to Eric, we had a contractual agreement drawn up by Mr. Cataliades allowing me to take a human husband to give me a chance at normalcy. As far as my daughter is concerned, she shows no signs of telepathy or any other ability. She is as human as it gets." I spat. "Bring her to me." Felipe demanded.
I turned and went back into the house, I went up the stairs and picked up Adele. Please God, do not let him harm my child. Let him see that she is a baby, and he can not use her. Pam and Alcide, having changed back by then to ease Aidan's fears both stared at me in fear. I held Adele close to me, and headed back out of the house.
"Here is my daughter Felipe. As you can see she is just a harmless human baby." As I held her as tight as I could. Felipe crossed to me, never loosening his grip on Mike. I could feel Eric's frustration at being held back from killing Felipe. "There you see, human, now let Mike go." I said sternly. "Not so fast my dear. I have more that I need from you." Felipe said. "What could you possibly want from me." I answered. "Your blood, Sookie. I did not appreciate you and Eric going behind my back and sending you off to who knows where. You are one of my most valuable assets, I can't have your human whims putting that at jeopardy." He responded. "She can not be bonded to more than one, and she is mine." Eric said. "Well I don't think she wants to be bonded with you anymore, she left you, she took a human husband, and had a human child. Evidently you are not taking good care of her needs." Felipe insinuated. "I have given her everything she has ever asked for, I don't just see her as an asset, I made her my wife, I bonded with her, she has always been under my protection, and she trusts me." Eric stated. "Sookie, do you still want to be bonded to the Sheriff, or would you rather be bonded to a King. I'm sure even you can see the benefits of a kingdom versus an area?" Felipe asked.
"I'm back in your kingdom, I've returned to Eric, ready to take my position by his side as his wife. I have brought my human husband and child here so that I can still see my child. We remain loyal to you King Felipe. The only reason Eric kept my human existence and family from you is because I requested him too. I had kept Mike in the dark about this world, and I wanted to break it to him easy." I responded trying to make my voice sound more confident than I did.
"Sookie, Sookie, Sookie, you can't possibly expect me to believe that you and Eric who have betrayed my trust on more than one occasion will not do it again." Felipe said. "Felipe, you can not force a double bond. It could kill her, and then you would not only have me ready to kill you, but you would come under review by the counsel at the summit because I would bring you up on charges for killing my wife without cause. Then I would take your kingdom from you, and torture everyone in your camp. I am older than you, I have more allies than you do, I'm the biggest money maker you have other than Vegas. You do not want to make the political error." Eric said calmly. He always was good at keeping his cool in situation like this.
"I have a solution." Mike said quietly. "Shut up human." Eric told him. "No, I'd like to hear what this human thinks." Felipe said. "You can turn me. If you turn me wouldn't I be like your child or something and have to be loyal to you. Then you'd have me bonded to you. I'll want to stay near my children, and therefore can keep an eye on Sookie, and Eric for you." Mike said. "That would never work you foolish human, your blood thirst would be to great for years, I can't trust you near valuable humans that soon, especially defenceless little girls." Felipe responded. Mike hadn't succeeded at saving the day, but he had succeeded at distracting Felipe enough that he didn't notice Eric get within arms reach of Felipe. The next moment Eric had his hand around Felipe's neck and threw Mike to the ground. Mike was grabbing his neck staggering to stand up. Eric held Felipe above him. The were's and vampires on our side moved into striking position onto Felipe's remaining four vampires. "Listen to me, and listen good. If you disagree with how I have handled my wife, then you take it up in Hot Springs. If you don't trust me as your sheriff, then I suggest you find someone to try and over throw me. But you will never get your fangs on my WIFE. If you ever threaten my family again, I will take great pleasure in torturing you until you cry for your final death. I have a thousand years of experience in torture, and I would like nothing better than to test them on you. Now get the hell out of here before I change my mind" and he released Felipe. Felipe's look was shooting daggers into Eric. I knew this was far from over, but it looked like we would get a reprieve for tonight atleast. Eric had accomplished what was necessary. Felipe and his crew walked back to their cars and left.
I ran over to Mike and threw my arms around him thankful he was ok. I looked up into his eyes and touched his cheek. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." He looked down at me with sadness in his eyes. "I am too Sookie, I'm sorry I didn't trust your instincts. I can see now I underestimated my ability to protect my family. I don't know that knowing all of this five years ago would have prepared me anymore for what I saw tonight. This was worse than any battle I saw in the Army." He said. He looked up at Eric then, who was aching to take me in his arms. "We need to talk." Mike said. "Yes, we do." Eric responded, and we all headed into the house. Alcide came out the door then and sent the were's home, the panther pack never had shown up. I'd have to ask Jason what was up with that.
Once all of us were in the house I said "I'm going to go calm my children's fears and tuck them into bed. Make yourselves comfortable, help yourselves to drinks." I said as I headed up the stairs. Mike and Eric both moved to follow me. I shot Eric a look and he stepped back. Mike followed me up the stairs. We went to Aidan's room first where Pam was reading him a story. She stopped and got up, kissed Aidan on the head, and then left the room silently. "Hey buddy, are you ok." Mike asked. "Dad, you need to listen to Mom, we need to live here. There are some really scarry people who want to hurt us." Aidan said fearfully. "I know son, I know, your Mom and I will work it out, don't worry. I love you, and I'll always do what is best for you and Adele." Mike told him, and then kissed him goodnight. "You were very brave, and very good at being quiet." I said to him. "Mom, how long do you think it will be before Felipe realizes that you have two kids?" Aidan asked. "Not very long, but I'm sure Eric will already be doing what is necessary to protect you. There are a lot of people that love you an awful lot, and they won't let anything happen to you. Now you go to sleep, it will be ok." I said and then kissed him. Mike and I walked out of the room and into Adele's room. I sat in the rocking chair and he changed her diaper and put her pjs on. I took her to nurse her. Mike watched for awhile and then said "I've never been so scared as when you brought Adele out there to those monsters. Sookie, I had no idea what to do. I've never felt so helpless." Mike said his heart obviously breaking. "Do you love him?" he asked. "Yes, I love him, I love him in a different but more intense way than I love you, I didn't know I could love both of you so deeply." I answered honestly. "I can see how much he cares for you, but I'm not convinced vampires can love." He said confused. "If you could see how he interacts with Aidan and Adele, you would know that he is quite capable of love. I feel it pour out of them, he was just as scared as you were tonight." I responded to him. "Sookie, are you leaving me?" Mike asked sadly. "Do you want me to stay with you?" I asked back, just as upset. "I don't know, I don't know if I could ever be with you again, knowing you've been with him, or that you still love him. I don't know that I can trust you to be only my wife. I see that the bond you have with him needs to stay intact. And right now he's better equipped to deal with the immediate threat to our children. All I know is that I never want to feel that helpless again." He said.
We quietly walked back down the stairs. Bill and Pedro were drinking a True Blood standing behind the couch talking quietly. Pam was sitting in one of the chairs with Alcide and Eric on the couch. Mike walked over and took the chair opposite of Pam, and I sat down in between Eric and Alcide. Eric sat his hand upon my knee and looked at me, trying to reassure me that it was gong to be ok. Mike's eyes caught mine, and he then looked away.
"We have one this battle tonight, but Felipe will be back, he'll take time to regroup and strategize, but he does not want us to make it to Hot Springs as a couple. We will have to double security at the house every night. I can put four vampires outside, and Pam, Rasul, and I taking turns inside the house every night. Alcide can you give a couple of were's each night and during the day." Eric said taking command of the room. "I'll call a pack meeting tomorrow, I'll explain to them the situation. Sookie's status as pack shaman will make it a non issue." Alcide answered. "Good, now why in the hell didn't the cat pack show up tonight, I'll be calling all Calvin Norris first thing tomorrow night, we need to know if the panthers are going to be of help or hindrance in this." Eric continued. "Sookie, see if Claude or hell even Dermot can be around here during the day. Even Sam if necessary." Eric said. "I'll talk to Claude. I'm also going to call Amelia and see if she can't put some new wards on the house, and the property asap." I answered.
Mike sat quietly taking it all in. Then he spoke up, "What about me? I don't ever want to feel that helpless against protecting my family again." "Are you sure you want anything to do with this?" Eric asked. "I don't really have that choice now do I. You and Sookie made that choice for me. I'm in this one way or not, and I'd rather not just sit like a lump on a log." Mike said. "Well its obvious you can kill with enough time allowed, your quick on your feet, but you don't possess the speed or strength to fight a vampire or were for long. My suggestion would to practice your aim, and become better at hitting moving targets, and invest in either wood, or silver bullets." Eric answered. I spoke up then, "Mike you don't have to fight with us. I can have Amelia put a spell on you to make you forget, you would forget me and the kids, and go back to life as if we never existed, or you can go back to Indiana and start your life over. I could send pictures of the kids, and you can visit them anytime you want." I said pleadingly. "NO, absolutely not, I'm not running from this without my kids, and I don't want to forget the best five years of my life, I don't want to forget the joy the kids have brought me, or what you meant to me. I don't want some spell to erase my memories of making love to you, holding you, watching the birth of our children. You are not taking that from me." Mike said passionately. "Mike I don't want you to get hurt anymore than you already have. Have you really decided what you want?" I asked. "What I want is for you to pack up the kids and yourself and for the four of his to get the hell as far away from here as we can. Change our names, start over somewhere far far away. But I don't think that would last long. So I have to stay here and fight. I don't want to really be your husband anymore after all of this, and quiet frankly I'm not sure if I did want you it would make a difference. But I do want a relationship with my kids, and I intend to do whatever it takes to have that. Alcide what's it take to become a were?" Mike then asked.
Alcide was caught off guard. "Your born a full blooded were Mike. The first born of two full bloods, so that leaves you out." Alcide answered. "Then how did Jason become a panther?" Mike asked. "Jason was bitten over and over by a full blood, but he's only part were, he can't make a full change, he doesn't have the strength or ability to change at will like I do." Alcide answered him. "Then I guess that leaves turning me into a vampire." Mike said. "No, Mike, you can't be serious, you don't want that, you couldn't be near our children for several years, they would be grown by then, and you would have missed so much. "Not if someone here turns me, I'd live here, and they could keep me in check when I'm around the kids, I could fight for them." Mike said with conviction. "Why would you want that life, to watch all those you love grow old and die, never feeling the sunlight, losing your life in that way." I asked sadly. "I've lost my life already, you and the kids were my life, now you are no longer mine anymore, and I have to share the kids with all of you. I no longer need the life I have, but I'm not going to be dismissed. So who is going to volunteer to turn me. Bill, how about you, you lost Sookie too, I'm sure that would give us something in common." Mike said hatefully.
"No, I won't turn you Mike, I would not wish this existence on anyone, I would not hurt Sookie in that way. I'm sorry." Bill stated. "Pedro, how about you?" Mike asked clearly not being deterred. "I am sorry Mike, I just lost my child tonight, I am not ready to take another, it is much work and heart ache." Pedro responded. "Pam, you and I have always gotten along ok, I know you love my children, I've seen that you care for Sookie, wouldn't you like someone that answers to you, rather than you always doing his bidding." Mike asked. "Mike, I know you are desperate to find your way in our world, but I think you should reconsider, I don't really like babysitting other than Aidan and Adele, and that's because they don't talk much. Besides making a child is very sexual, and if you haven't noticed, you're not really my type." Pam quipped.
Mike was starting to get frustrated, he couldn't understand why no one wanted to help him. "Mike becoming a vampire is very serious, you can not make this choice under such duress, it is true that most vampires were not made with any previous knowledge, but those that are learn as much as they can before making that choice, it is very painful, and the blood lust afterwards is often hard to control, although I think your empath abilities will help you with that. It could still be years before you could be trusted near Adele and Aidan. Also think of what you would miss. You'd never get to see your kids at school, play ball, meet their dates, see your grandchildren. You would want to leave them, and the reason you wanted to change would not want you around." Eric told him only trying to help because he sinced my obvious distress.
"Please Mike don't make this a quick choice. Think about it. Spend the day with the kids tomorrow. Tomorrow night we can reconvene again, and you can have the time you need to think about all of this more, you've had a lot to contemplate tonight." I begged of him. With that Bill and Pedro and Alcide got up to leave. I walked them all to the door and thanked them for tonight, I told Pedro how sorry I was for his child Diablo. When I turned back to the living room Pam was standing. "I'm going back to Fangtasia to take care of some business, I'll see you tomorrow Sookie. Eric don't you think you should come with me" Eric shook his head no, and Pam turned on her heel and left too.
I stopped and looked at the two men I loved so much. I sighed then, and braced myself for whatever was next. "Mike I'm sure you are tired, I can show you where the bathroom is, and get a bed ready for you." "Where are you sleeping Sookie?" Mike asked. "I sleep in the room behind you." I answered. "Then that is where I'll sleep too." He stated, daring Eric to say something. "Ok, right through here." I said as I walked towards the bedroom door. Eric's hand shot out and grabbed my leg, I felt his temper rising, and his fear for me, but most of all jealousy. I laid my hand on Eric's shoulder and looked down at him, willing him to let go. He did. This exchange did not go unnoticed my Mike who had a slight grin on his face. I showed Mike the towels and shower, the bed was still messy from this morning, and it was obvious that two bodies had laid in the bed the night before. Mike went into the bathroom with a huff and I returned to Eric.
He pulled me down on the couch on his lap. I laid my head on his shoulder and he wrapped his long arms around me. We just laid on the couch in silence until we heard the shower turn on in the bathroom, and Eric turned to kiss me. His mouth was rough, demanding, I matched its urgency with my own. We pulled apart, and he smiled at me, and I smiled back. "Don't lie with him tonight." Eric said. "Eric, I'm not going to sleep with Mike, he no longer wants me, he just wants to irritate you." I said and kissed him again. I could feel his arousal under me, and I moved so that I sat straddling him, I put my arms around his neck and started to move my hips so that I rubbed against is arousal. "MMM, you little minx, careful or I'm going to take you right here for your husband to watch." He laughingly said. I moved in and kissed him some more, and then I heard the shower turn off. I gave Eric one long kiss and then moved to sit next to him. He was adjusting himself to release the tension in his pants when Mike walked out of the bedroom. It was obvious to him what Eric was doing, and he shot me a look of anger. Eric stood then, and put his hand out to me. "Walk me out won't you." He said. I took his hand and walked him out to the front porch. Eric pulled me against him right in front of the open door so Mike could still see him. "I'm going to go take care of some business, I will be back before sunrise and sleep in your hidey hole. I better find you in the guest bed tonight so that I can cuddle before I go to sleep." He whispered in my ear. Then a little louder. "I love you Sookie, I'll make this work, I promise, I'll see you tomorrow, and he winked, and was gone.
I turned back into the house, shut and locked the door and walked to the kitchen. I rinsed out and threw the true blood bottles into the recycling, and washed out the tea glasses and put them in the dishwasher. Then I went into my bedroom to retrieve my nightgown. Mike was sitting up in the bed. He patted my side of the bed, and said "Sit down." "Mike, I'm tired, we will have all day tomorrow to talk. How about we both get some rest, clear our heads, and start again in the morning." He grabbed my arm and pulled me to the bed then. "Mike don't, don't do something you'll regret later on." I stated trying to pull away. He tightened his grip, and then kissed me roughly pushing me to the bed. "Mike stop, you don't want to do this." I pleaded. "This is exactly what I want to do, I want you to feel pain, I want to hurt your vampire lover, tell me did you fuck him the night you arrived, have you been fucking him all along." Mike said angrily. "No, we made love last night for the first time in over five years. I was faithful to you until last night, I swear." I told him. "Mike if you do this, you'll never forgive yourself, you aren't they type of man who forces himself on a woman, you are better than this." I said to him, trying to be convincing. He let me go then and shoved me off the bed. "You're right, you've never been good enough for me, you are damaged goods, no man in his right mind will ever want you." He said as he shoved me out my bedroom door. I slipped into the guest bedroom, my old bedroom when gran was alive and started to cry. I was crying for my lost love, for the hatred he now felt, for the fear of what would happen to him now. But most of all I cried because today was exhausting. I took off my clothes, and threw back the covers and settled into the bed in just my bra and panties. I was almost asleep when I felt Eric slip in behind me. "Sookie, are you ok, I felt your fear, and sadness, and I turned around to come back to you." He said quietly. "Yes, I'm fine, I just need you to hold me, and he did until I fell asleep.