House of Cards

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that you recognize. It belongs to Charlaine Harris and Alan Ball. Barisan is mine, however.

Chapter 21: As Wings Blot Out the Sun

We go back to my place. There is a lot of catching up to do. Eric wants to know what Fintan's been doing with his life. I want to know more about my grandfather and Fintan wants to know about Gran and me and Jason and Hunter and Hadley and everyone else. He swells with pride as he takes in the sight of the building that Jason and I co-own. "Adele talked about buying this for a while," he tells me inside the elevator. "She discussed all her plans with me. I guess she finally went ahead and did it after her brother resigned."

"How do you know about Bartlett?" I ask.

"I may not be omnipresent, but I do keep an eye on things from afar," says Fintan. "And I wanted to kill Bartlett Hale ten times over for what he did, but Adele wouldn't have wanted me to do it. She always put me on a pedestal. I'm not half as good as she thought I was."

"You really loved her, didn't you?" I ask.

"Oh yes," he whispers. "I've never loved anyone the way I love your grandmother…loved…love…" He shakes his head. "I failed her in the end."

"Like you said, you're not omnipresent," I say. Conversation comes naturally. It's so easy to talk to Fintan. We arrive at my penthouse. Only Norma Jean is there, and she is wondering who the stranger is, but like all good help, she doesn't ask questions. She does give Eric a pointed look before scurrying away. My housekeeper isn't fond of vampires, but she's going to keep her dislike to herself. She thinks I should be with the 'handsome young man' downstairs because he's too good for Tara. Norma Jean is not a fan of interracial relationships.

Hmm…I might have to rethink having her as my housekeeper. How come I never caught onto her discriminatory sentiments?

Fintan examines the photographs of my family for a long time, lingering on the ones of my dad and Aunt Linda as children with Gran and Grandpa Stackhouse. It must be awkward for him, knowing that another man married the woman he loved and unknowingly raised his children. Wait…Aunt Linda was Fintan's daughter, which means the affair continued after my dad was born. When did it stop? Did Grandpa Stackhouse know?

"Earl knew that the children weren't his flesh and blood," says Fintan, as if he can read my mind. Hell, maybe he can. He's much more powerful than Barisan, according to both Eric and the warlock. "He couldn't have children, but he didn't care that they weren't his. He loved them anyway. Earl Stackhouse was your grandfather in every sense of the word. It is a pity he did not live long enough for you to meet him."

"Gran told me lots of stories about him, but I think she was always in love with you," I say.

"Yes, she was. It pained me to leave her and the children, but I had no choice. I couldn't let my kin find you." He turns to Eric and me. "And look how well my plan turned out."

"It might have turned out differently if you had let us in on it," says Eric. He puts his phone back in his pocket. "Barisan's on his way."

As if on cue, there's a clap and a flash of green light as a warlock appears in the middle of my living room. Do warlock houses even need doors? Or do they even have houses? "I don't know whether I should kill you or kiss you," says the warlock to my grandfather after he releases him from his embrace. "Or both."

With Fintan here, the dynamic changes. I am suddenly more hopeful and I don't feel as alone. All right, I was never alone in the first place, but sometimes it just feels that way. Every orphan gets a little bit lonely, and I was an orphan in every sense of the word. Now I have a grandfather. A very cool grandfather. I also have a great…um…boyfriend? Boyfriend doesn't seem to be the right word to use for a thousand year old vampire, and 'lover' is Eric's word. It just doesn't sound right on my tongue.

We're going to Illinois together, the four of us. Pam is going too, as is Chow. Eric needs a big entourage. The only vampire in his inner circle who is staying behind is Godric. I suppose we have very little to worry about. I'm sure Godric knows how to take care of a city state for a couple of days; a week, at the most.

Yes, it's only a week, but I've packed three suitcases. A girl needs a couple of options when travelling, and who knows how many items those vamps are going to ruin? I have a feeling it won't be all hunky dory. For one, Sophie Ann's going to be there, and Hadley's likely to be there too. Then there are all the other monarchs who probably all want their own personal telepath.

Tara advised me on what to pack, including three pairs of Jimmy Choos with wooden heels, in case I need to stake someone in an emergency. You never know. I don't take too many designer items, opting for high street clothing instead. That way, if it does get ruined, I won't feel so bad about it. Designer clothes are works of art and should not be mistreated. At any rate, wearing affordable clothing doesn't mean I have to look any less fabulous. In fact, I have to look as fabulous as possible because I cannot show a single weakness in front of my family or the vampires.

"You are always fabulous, Sookie," says Eric as he uses his immense mass to help me close my suitcase. I love a helpful man who is ready to aid a damsel in distress.

"Well, of course, but I have to be even more fabulous than usual," I pant as I zip my suitcase closed. Pam would approve of what I've chosen. And I think she would approve of the sheer volume of clothing too. What I can't get in quality, I'm getting in quantity. Besides, one can never have too many pairs of shoes. My Croc rain boots, as comfortable and practical as they are, are not formal wear and cannot compare to a pair of well-made Louboutins.

No matter how afraid or worried or stressed out I am, I would never ever wear cheap shoes. Wearing cheap shoes would only exacerbate the problem as that would give me sore feet. At least, that's my philosophy and I'm sticking with it. There's also a tactical reason for wearing Louboutins, especially the spiked ones. I had them customized so that the spikes are now silver-plated, for obvious reasons. I've started on self-defence training, but such skills take a long time to learn. Eric's fighting techniques, although brilliant, are not well-suited to me. For one, I don't have vampire speed and strength and secondly, the guy is six four. I'm five six on a good day.

Clearly, I did not inherit the height gene from the faerie side of the family. I guess I take after Gran.

We are flying by private jet to Illinois. There are perks when you are dating the Prince of New York City —not that I can't afford a private jet even if I weren't dating Eric, but I wouldn't have had my own plane because of all the carbon emissions. However, since there are a couple of people flying with Eric and me, I don't feel so guilty about it.

The location of the summit is a sleepy city called Rhodes, located about four hours drive from Chicago. It looks as if nothing ever happens here —so subsequently, it always hosts supernatural summits without the knowledge of the humans living here. There is a limo waiting for us on the tarmac. This time, no one tries to kidnap me. Is it sad that not being kidnapped is now like a novelty for me?

The house where the meeting is to take place is located near the outskirts of the city, where suburbs slowly melt away into farmland. Actually, it's more a mansion than a house. The building itself dates from the Civil War era, and looks as if it could be a filming location for Gone With the Wind. We drive up a long drive through the sprawling estate. It takes five minutes to get from the front gate to the house itself. Every single window is well-lit.

The limo stops before the steps leading up to the front door. Ten porters file out and methodically start taking the luggage out of the trunk before we even get out of the car. I feel like Scarlett O'Hara, except Scarlett never caused a war. All right, maybe I'm more like Helen of Sparta, except I doubt my face would launch a thousand ships. Perhaps I can launch one dinghy; that's about it. There is a woman waiting to greet us. Her olive skin retains traces of a tan from her human life, and her black hair is coiled tightly on the top of her head. She's a vampire, but she has an air of serenity that I haven't seen in anyone else save for Godric.

"Welcome to Sanctuary, Your Grace," she says. She dips a curtsey in deference to Eric.

"I thank you, Lady Settareh," says Eric as nods in acknowledgement. He must be higher in rank than she is, but she must also be very important if he calls her 'Lady'. Vampires, I deem, are extremely archaic creatures to cling to such titles. Then again, Eric is over one thousand years old. "Please pass on my thanks to the Ancient Pythoness for so graciously hosting us." It's very formal, and I think that's the standard thing to say.

"Of course," says Lady Settareh. She turns her attention to Fintan and Barisan and gives them both a curtsey just as deep as the one she gave Eric. "Milords."

My grandfather and the warlock bow back. "It has been a while, Lady Settareh," says Barisan. "I was afraid you might have forgotten me."

"How can I forget the Frank who saved me from a desert djinn?" she asks. Then she finally turns to me. "And you must be Lady Sookie."

"Just Sookie, thanks," I say awkwardly. "I'm not a lady."

"You are a princess, and you must be treated accordingly," she says, not unkindly. I feel I have much to learn. The world I once existed in didn't have royalty per se. At least, not official royalty, unless they're English. Since I'm not English, I've never worried about things such as titles. Now I am actually royalty in name as well as in truth. It changes everything. "Come, allow me to show you to your accommodations."

She leads us not upstairs, but down. The mansion itself is impressive, but the series of underground tunnels and chambers is even more so. It's like a cave network. Some of the great rooms I passed were actually natural caves, with stalactites hanging down from the ceiling. Minerals embedded in the rocks glittered like a thousand diamonds. It is an incredibly beautiful and magical place.

Our rooms are circular, with rock walls that are somehow warm to the touch. There are six bedrooms with ensuites, two sitting rooms, and a private study. The hot water comes from a heated underground spring and is filled with dissolved minerals. It's like a health spa retreat with supe politics involved. I don't know how relaxing it will be but hell, I'll make the most of my stay here. There is no hotel in the world that is this luxurious. I should know.

"I don't believe it!" I say once Settareh has left us. "This is like magic!" The rest of them, my grandfather included, looks at me with amusement. I guess it's not just like magic; it is magic.

—

The conferences take place in cavernous chamber —I use the word 'cavernous' very specifically because the conference chamber is a cave. A chandelier is suspended from the tall domed roof. Our voices echo in the vast space. Torches of blue fire are mounted in sconces at regular intervals along the wall. The floor of the cave is covered with fine white sand. All the different delegations are seated around the room. Directly opposite the entrance is a raised dais of flat slate upon which there is a golden throne. Metallic snakes are entwined around the arms and the back of the throne, and the footrest is in the form of a slumbering jackal. A white silken banner with red and gold trimmings hangs behind the throne. Upon it is a reptilian eye with a slit pupil drawn in black.

"The all-seeing eye of the Ancient Pythoness," Pam whispers.

I see the delegation of faeries sitting directly opposite from where we are sitting. Niall stares at me continuously, not even blinking. I try my best to ignore him, but it's difficult. His gaze is so piercing. It's as if he's trying to drill his own thoughts into my head. I wonder if he can read my mind. Is telepathy inherited, or is my 'gift' a mutation?

Fintan is staying hidden again. He doesn't want to alert his father to his presence. I have a hard time thinking of Niall as family. There's just something about him that I don't trust. I glance at Eric. He covers my hand with his own.

Suddenly, everyone stands. Well, except Niall, who remains seated. Settareh enters, and she is supporting a blind old woman who needs to navigate her way with a walking stick. This is the Ancient Pythoness? Never mind the all-seeing eye; I doubt her eyes can see anything at all. A rheumy film covers them. Her skin is so wrinkled that it looks like the bark of an ancient tree and her back is almost bent double.

Settareh helps her onto the golden throne; it is a strange juxtaposition. I am having difficulty understanding the fearful reverence and awe emanating from just about everyone in the room. The Ancient Pythoness murmurs something to Settareh. I suppose she is the Pythoness' spokeswoman, as the oracle herself looks as if she barely has the strength to breathe, let alone speak. "The Ancient Pythoness bids that you all be seated," she announces.

Then I'm surprised. "Now that you are all assembled," says the Pythoness in a surprisingly strong voice, "I suppose you want to know why. Prince Niall, enlighten us."

Finally, Niall stands. His presence takes up the entire room. It's difficult not to feel threatened by an ancient luminescent faerie who's over six feet tall. My hands tighten around the arms of my chair and my knuckles turn white as my great-grandfather begins to speak.

—

"There must be restitution!"

That is the end of Niall's speech. I find myself trying to concentrate on my breathing. My shoulders are shaking. My entire body is shaking. His words have chilled me to the bone. Felipe De Castro, Victor Madden and John Quinn might be dead, but Niall does not think it is enough. He wants to hold more people to account. From his perspective, this is an offence by the race of vampires against the Fae. He has some nerve, saying all of this at a vampire summit.

"However," Niall adds, "I am willing to compromise. I shall let the matter go if my heir is returned to me." His eyes bore into me. Either he wanted me to see what he's thinking about, or something has enhanced my powers, because I suddenly see a vision. He is imagining me 'mated' to a faerie and bringing forth lots of young faeries like a queen ant. Is that my purpose? To be some fucking supernatural baby machine? Fat chance of that ever happening.

"We could kill you now, faerie, and be done with it," says the King of Texas, an ancient vampire called Russell Edgington. Rumour has it that he was a druid in his human life.

"You of all people should know that you can't, Edgington," says Niall with a smile. "I am Fae, and I would be gone before you can touch me. I cannot guarantee that the portal filters will last much longer if we do not…reinforce them."

The portal refers to the door in the veil between the two worlds; the one in which we live and the one in which the fae live. None of us knows what lies beyond the veil. I've heard about goblins and the like, but it's entirely possible that there are also dragons and trolls. I don't think anyone is well-equipped enough to deal with a flock of dragons.

What is the collective noun for a great number of dragons anyway?

"Well?" says Niall.

"I think you might have forgotten something, Brigant," Eric says. "Sookie hasn't said that she is willing to go with you."

"If you are going to stop her from fulfilling her duties as my heir, vampire, I will end you."

"Not so quickly, Niall," says Fintan as he steps out of the shadows. He's wearing iron chainmail. I guess that's why Niall wasn't able to sense him. Iron blocks pure faerie magic.

"My prodigal son," says Niall. "So you finally show your face."

"Only to tell you to back off, Father," says Fintan. "You have no claim on Sookie. If anyone has claim on her, then it's me, her grandfather, and her mate, whoever that might be."

"She has no mate," says Niall. "It is high time that she was mated. She is old enough." Mated? I'm not some animal. Well, I am, but I am a sentient animal. Reproduction is not my sole purpose.

"It is her choice," says Fintan.

They are all staring at me, waiting for me to make a decision.

"I…I need to think," I say. I need to think of a way to get Niall to back off. I'm not actually considering his offer of becoming a reproductive machine.

"Two days, child," says Niall. "You have two days to think. On the third day, I will expect your answer." He and his faeries disappear in a flash of white light. The vampires are stunned, but not for long.

"Give up the human, Northman," says the Queen of Alaska. "She is not worth a war with the Fae."

"The Fae have no right to take a vampire's human if the human does not wish to go with them," argues another vampire. "I say we fight."

"Yes, and you will die," snaps the Queen. They squabble and argue and hiss as if I'm not there. I feel pressure growing. Whether war breaks out or not all falls to me. I can prevent the entire world from plunging into the largest conflict since the Second World War. But…let's face it. I'm human. I have selfish desires, and I don't want to sacrifice myself. My friends, of course, are not going to make me do anything I don't want to do.

Eric adamantly refuses to give me up and threatens to rip off the head of any vampire who mentions it ever again. About seventy of them wash their hands of our troubles after that and leave to go back to their own territories to prepare their defences.

The Ancient Pythoness dismisses the remaining vampires, telling them to reconvene in two days to discuss our plan of action. We all bow as she rises from her throne. As she passes our party, she looks directly at Eric and me. "When the day and the night come together, it is the end of the world as we know it," she says.

—

He wants to kill something. Someone. Preferably a faerie. Yes, his best friend's father. "Do you really need to consider it, Sookie?" he demands. "I thought…" He thought she loved him. Loves him.

"Of course I'm not considering the offer, Eric," she says. "But I am considering how we're going to deal with this." She cups his face with her soft hand. "I'm not leaving you," she whispers.

He holds her close, breathing in her scent deeply. If only she knew how much she meant to him, how much he feared losing her, how much he…

He wishes he could say it. Somehow, he can't manage it. The entire state of being in love was unnatural to him. He doesn't know what the word really means. He just knows that he's feeling something immensely powerful and that if anyone tried to take his Sookie from him, he would fight to the death to keep her. Unless she didn't want him anymore, that was, then he would let her go. It would kill him to do so.

Instead, he kisses her. Softly at first, and then more urgently. He needs her to be part of him and he needs to be part of her. Her body responds to his touch. She is still afraid. He breaks off the kiss. She gazes up at him with those wide blue eyes.

He suddenly has an idea. "Sookie," he says. "Will you be my blood-bonded?"

"Eric, I…" She begins to panic. "I don't think I'm ready for this. I mean, I…"

"It's not ideal, I know," he says, "but hear me out, I beg you, before you answer. Blood bonds are universally recognized in the supe world. It is illegal to take a bonded human away from the supe he or she has been bonded to."

"Other supes can bond as well?"

"It is less convenient for them, but yes, it is possible. If I bond with you, Niall cannot take you; not without killing me."

"Eric, he would do that. I don't want to put you in danger."

"I've survived worse than Niall Brigant, and it's a risk I'm willing to take."

—

"Are you sure it will work out the way you think it will?" I ask. As soon as the words leave my mouth, I realize how stupid the question is.

"There are no certainties in life, my Sookie," says Eric with a mischievous grin. "That's what makes it interesting."

I feel as if my heart is in my mouth. This is it. The time for pussyfooting is over. I don't know if I'm ready but I don't have the luxury of doubt. I have to choose, and I have to choose now. I nod. "Yes, Eric," I whisper. "Yes."

His expression is unreadable as he sweeps me into his arms and carries me to the bed. Gently, he lays me down on it as if I'm made out of spun marzipan. I will not deny that I feel nervous. The fears are still there, but I push them away and place all my trust in the man straddling me. He buries his face in my hair and inhales deeply, as if he is drawing me inside him. I feel his fangs lightly scrape my bare shoulders. His hands find their way under my dress. He pulls the garment over my head and tosses it onto the floor. My hands are fumbling with his buttons. He helps me by simply tearing off the shirt.

My bra and panties disappear…somehow. I swear, Eric is a sorcerer in his own right. I feel his hardness pressed against my thigh. An unwelcome thought comes unbidden to me. Another time, another man…

He must have known, because he bends down to kiss me deeply and passionately. There is nothing harsh about him tonight. His kiss reminds me that he is not that vampire, nor will he ever be. He still finds me beautiful, even after everything that has happened.

My tears flow as he enters me. The feelings that I've been keeping bottled up inside me all pour out, along with relief as I acknowledge what happened and more importantly, that I survived. I wrap my legs around his hips and arch my back so that my body is pressed up against him. We mould together perfectly, as if we were made for one another.

Our union is more than just physical. As his blood floods my mouth, his fangs sink into my neck. We are joined by an electrical current of passion running through the two of us. I feel him and he feels me. I see lights in my vision. The very ground itself seems to shiver with our passion and desire. White light surrounds us. Sounds become clearer to my ears. Eric's musky dry scent fills my nostrils. I become a bundle of primal instinct and emotion. Rational thought no longer occupies my mind. My tears are tears of pain and relief. I had forgotten how it felt to open myself up so completely to another person.

Eric feels what I am feeling. Our connection, at that moment, is so intense that I find myself falling into his mind again. It doesn't matter that his thoughts are in a foreign language. Some things are not expressed by words alone. He wants to give me safety, comfort, protection. He would do anything for me. 'I love you. I wish I knew how to say it.'

We both cry out at the same time as we reach our release. The ground shudders, and then all is still as Eric collapses on top of me. I swear, if he were human, he'd be sweating. I like the feel of his weight on top of me. I don't really know why; I guess it just makes me feel safe and content knowing that he is really there and that it's not just a dream.

He rests his head on my chest and traces the curve of one breast with a finger. I keep stroking his hair. "I heard you, you know," I murmur.

"What did you hear from me?" he asks as he lifts his head off me and gazes down at me. His hands continue their languid movements. Instead of answering, because words are not my forte at the moment, I kiss him. That will do well enough for an answer. At least, until I can come up with a better one. We simply lie there, our bodies entwined, enjoying the calm before the storm.

Well, we would have enjoyed it if a warlock who doesn't know the meaning of 'privacy' didn't suddenly barge into the room. "Did you feel the earthquake?" he asks.

"What earthquake?" Eric snaps as I scramble to cover myself. He might have seen many naked women, but I don't intend to let Barisan see more of me than he needs to.

"That—Oh, it was you. It measured five point eight on the Richter scale and the magic it released was incredible. Sexual energy is very powerful, but you already know that, Eric. The last time anything like this happened was when my father finally fucked my stepmother and the earthquake only measured three point one. That was after ten years of waiting for one another."

Barisan knows exactly how to say the wrong thing at the right time. In a split second, Eric throws him out of the room and slams the door in his face. "I don't know why he never learns," says the Viking. "It's not as if this is the first time I've had to throw him out."

An earthquake? That puts a whole new meaning to the term 'safe sex'.

—

He can't believe it. How can it be possible? He felt the raw primal power being released when the earth shook. The entire balance of magic was upset by the shockwaves that emanated from that epicentre. It was the girl and her pet vampire. How could a tainted creature and a human hybrid produce such powerful magic? It doesn't make any sense.

In that one instant, all of his plans have gone awry. So much energy can only mean one thing; that their bond is so strong that it is nigh unbreakable unless one of them is killed or unless they decide to mutually separate. The latter seems unlikely. He does not understand the girl's infatuation with the vampire, just as he does not understand Fintan's reluctance to become High Prince of the Fae and his insistence on keeping his family as far away from the Fae as possible.

There is nothing for it. There will be war. There must be war. He cannot take such an insult without retaliating. Besides, the girl is crucial and he will stop at nothing to get her. In her lies the key; he is certain. Her spark is strong. She just needs to learn how to develop it.

Niall stands. It is time to summon his court.

—

"It's too quiet," I say as I stand in the legendary garden of Sanctuary. We haven't heard back from Niall since that night. I doubt that he is oblivious to my decision. I mean, it was on CNN. Barisan explained to me that the earthquake occurred because I have not yet learned to control my 'spark'. Yes, I have magic in me, and apparently, I can use it if I want. I'm already using a little bit of it in the form of my telepathy.

"I thought you liked the quiet," says Eric as he comes up from behind to wrap his arms around me.

"Don't you think that more stuff should be happening now that we're bonded? I mean, what chance is there that Niall wouldn't know?"

"I think he knows," says Eric quietly. "He's just planning his next move."

"I don't want anything to happen to you." I lean back against him.

"Don't worry. The Three Hunters are together again. There is very little that is a match for us."

"The Three Hunters? Is that what you call yourselves?"

"It describes us better than the Three Musketeers, if that's what you mean." I twist around to look at him. The garden of Sanctuary is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. The pond, which is its centrepiece, is so clear that I can see all the way to the very deep rocky bottom without any problem at all. A few cobalt-blue fish swim lazily about. I think they're extinct in the rest of the world, and I'm also pretty sure I saw an Archaeopteryx here once.

However, the most amazing thing about this garden is not the clear pure water or the presence of prehistoric animals.

It's the sun.

It is always day time in the garden. More importantly, this sunlight does not burn vampires.

In the magic-induced sunlight, Eric is even more beautiful. The sun is behind him, so it looks as if he has a halo around his head. Now, I know Eric is no angel, but to me, he is my guardian angel. He bends down to kiss me. My knees buckle. He catches me as he always does and sets me down on the soft sun-warmed grass. I never thought I could have such a moment with him. Vampires and sunlight don't exactly go together. The Ancient Pythoness must really be somebody if she has a place like this.

I wish we could stay like this forever. The outside world does not matter. All that matters is that Eric and I are in each other's company.

Of course, we must be interrupted somehow. It's become the norm rather than the exception. This time, both Barisan and Fintan interrupt us. Having your friend walk in on you is one thing. Having your grandfather walk in on you is another thing entirely, and it's much much worse, at least from my perspective. Eric is just annoyed either way. However, what Fintan says next changes his mind.

"The portals have opened," says Fintan, "and New Orleans has been overrun by goblins."