Chapter 21 – The dolphin and The Bird

A/N: I LOVE MY BETA's they ROCK! Sassyvampmama and kjwrit! I love you guys! To my beloved baby minions you all are wonderful. I am so happy that you are with me on this journey. HUGS

**Please Review** it makes mama minion smile.

LAST TIME: SPOV

"Well Mr. Northman, I have been told sex after marriage can get dull but that was sooooo not dull." I giggled.

"Well Mrs. Northman, I am glad that you approve of married sex, since that is the only kind you will be having from now on." He laughed.

"I love you Eric."

"I love you too my dearest precious one." I cuddled against him as he said those sweet words to me. I closed my eyes and realized I was married to my best friend. I could feel the bond flowing between us as I fell asleep content and happy. The last thing I heard was Eric say,

"Sleep well my wife. Sleep well, I love you." And with that I was dead to the world.

SPOV

I woke up in a glorious haze of happiness. I looked over at Eric and even though he was 'asleep' I could feel his happiness through the bond. I kissed his cheek and whispered I love you as I checked the clock. It was ten minutes after ten and although I have no idea why I was awake so early, I decided to get up and get some things done. After taking a luxurious shower and putting on my favorite track suit I headed for Eric's desk. I signed on to the Fangtasia accounts and checked on several vendor orders. It looked to me like everything was in order but decided I would get Belinda to go over everything with me once I was upstairs. Then it hit me that Belinda was not here; she was at Pam's. There was nothing more I could do online so I went upstairs to make brunch and while I ate, I decided that when I finished I would take a walk down to the guest houses to see if Lillianna was around.

The guest houses were more like little cottages that complimented the main estate. Each cottage had its own full kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms and resting places for vampires. Eric had obliviously spared no expense when he bought his place and then it dawned on me that 'this is mine' and that I am a married woman now. Maybe we weren't in my world, but we were married in Eric's world and to be honest his world seemed to mean more to me than my own. He was so happy last night. The look on his face when I removed the black velvet from the tray and he saw what I wanted to do was one of pure joy. I was lost in that thought when I heard my name being called.

"Sookie, is that you? Is everything alright?" Lillianna called.

"Yes, everything is wonderful" I said dreamily.

"Says the woman in love… So, how does it feel to be married?" she grinned.

"Strange. When Pam told me about pledging last night I didn't think it would feel like a real marriage to me. I thought I wouldn't feel married until we had a human wedding, but I was wrong. I felt like his wife the minute he said all of those sweet words to me." I paused for a moment before changing gears a little, "Lilli is it weird that I'm turned on by the fact that he's such a badass, but then when he's so gentle with me it still causes the same reaction? I love seeing him fight and growl and be all 'vampirey' but then he'll turn around and give me a gentle smile that is just for me and that turns me on too." I said not really knowing what I was asking her. She smiled and said,

"I remember when Alexander and I were first reunited. We had just made love and he was so sweet and loving when suddenly we found ourselves under attack. Eric had been teaching him to use a sword and he had become a strong warrior. He fought them off one by one slaughtering anyone who dared to come close to either of us. There was so much blood and I should have been terrified but there was something about him killing to protect me that filled me with desire. I wrapped myself around him, popped us both to safety and then promptly attacked him. Nothing would do but for him to be inside me…. Oh, that was probably a little too much information." She giggled. She reminded me of Claudine in some ways and was one of them.

"No, I needed to hear that. Last night something similar happened when I attacked Preston. I just had to have him. Lilli, when you were just Fae did you crave Alex's blood?"

"Oh God yes, he was all I craved and still I do crave him. His blood can still sate me." She said dreamily.

"Do your fangs ever just come down from…?" I was sooo embarrassed to ask her but she was my older cousin so I guessed that I could ask her sex questions, right?

"Oh Sookie, do you have sex questions now that you are Fae? Let me hit the highlights so you don't have to ask okay?" she laughed and I nodded blushing down to my toes.

"Your fangs will now come down during sex with him because he is a vampire and you will crave his blood. If you were with a human man that would not happen; it is a reaction due to the situation. He is your vampire bonded and pledged. Your body knows that your link is through blood therefore your body will crave his blood. Also, there is the fact that you are his fated as well so that just makes it a done deal." She paused for a moment before she asked, "Have you glowed during sex yet?"

"Yes, it seems I heal him when we make love. His guard is down and it's easier for me to get to all of his hurts and wounds."

"You are a healer? That has not happened since Laurell. I have a touch of it, but not like Laurell and now like you. Have you 'brought' him with your light?" She grinned a mischievous grin with that question.

"No, I don't think so." I said with some confusion.

"Sookie, you know your light will come from your WHOLE body and not just your hands right? Believe me, if you'd done it you'd know it." she giggled.

"Not really, that is where it always starts." I advised.

"Sookie you can wake him during the day with your light. I wake Alex all the time when I am lonely. I know it is needy, but sometimes I need to hear his voice during the day." She admitted.

"I have woken Eric during the day without my light. My fear had woken him."

"That is unusual Sookie but wonderful. Your bond with him truly is fated."

"You keep saying that. What does it mean?" I asked with some hesitation.

"I dreamed of you and Eric before I had ever met him. The first time I saw him I was shocked when I remembered him from my dreams. Then the day came that I saw into the future, I saw the night you walked into his bar 850 years before it happened. I knew then that you would be the light to his darkness. I knew it would be you who would save his soul and I knew it would be he who would mend your heart. I did not see what broke you, but I saw that he would mend you as you would heal him." She smiled and hugged me like a big sister. Like Hadley used to before she abandoned us all for drugs and boys.

I really did not want to talk about my past or all of the things that broke my heart so I shifted gears and went for another line of questioning.

"Lilli, how do you think Belinda's magic was bound?" I asked.

"To be honest a witch with very little power that has the right spell can bind powers. It is easier for a Faery to bind another Faery's power, like Fintan did with yours." She explained.

"How did my powers become unbound?"

"A Faery's magic dies with them, so when Fintan died so did the magic that held you." She said sadly.

"But he died right before Gran died and I only just got my powers." I said with some confusion.

"No Sookie, they were always there it is just that now you have learned to access them. Plus Eric's blood seems to help fuel them." She smiled.

"Lilli, did you know Fintan well? I mean he was your uncle right?"

"Yes, I knew him well. He was the exact opposite of my dad. Uncle Fintan was a gentle soul a nurturer. He had so much love and forgiveness in his heart truly only wanting the best for everyone. You remind me so much of him with your kind spirit and sense of justice. That is a trait passed down from him." Once again she smiled like she was thinking of some lost memory before continuing, "If not for him, Alexander would have been lost to me. I have missed him every day since he died."

"Who killed him?"

"We don't know for sure Sookie."

"How did he die?" I asked with hesitation.

"You don't want to know Sookie. It was bad. There was some speculation that it was Breandan's people due to the way he was killed. It had to be someone with Fae knowledge because they knew how to kill him without disintegrating him." She advised in a soft voice.

"If Niall thinks it was Breandan why is he still alive?"

"We have no proof and Niall is powerless to move against him without any evidence. If he were to go after him it would start a civil war."

"But I thought Niall was High Lord of all Fae, why does he need permission to go after Breandan?"

"Niall is the High Lord, but the sky and water Fae are always at odds. Only the Blessed One will be able to reunite them all."

"The Blessed One?" was all I could ask. I swear the mysteries were getting thicker and thicker.

"Yes, The Blessed One, the one who will be born of Earth, Sky and Water." She smiled with that wicked grin that said I know something you don't know.

"What does that mean Lilli? Come on, cut the crap! If you're trying to tell me something then just tell me."

"A Faery will be born of a human mother and her blood will run thick with all Fae blood. Did you know that Laurell's mother was of Earth and Water?"

"No and you're still being cryptic."

"Yes I am but you'll catch up in a minute. And you of course know that Niall and therefore Fintan's bloodline is of Sky Fae." She grinned at me as I caught on,

"So I have a little Earth and Water and a whole lot of Sky Fae in me, right? Is that the point you are trying to make? You think I could be this Blessed One?"

"Yes, we do. I also believe Breandan does as well or he would not have addressed you as he did when you interrupted the blood pledging." She advised.

"What do you mean WE and how do you know about that night?"

"We, as in all of your family now believe you could be the Blessed One. As far as that night, Sookie you stormed a Fae portal with the intent of taking out 30 Fae, news like that makes the rounds. Besides, I have my ways of finding out information, Mrs. Northman, I have my ways." She grinned that same shit eating grin again.

I decided not to think anymore about the Blessed One comments or the Fated stuff with Eric. I wanted to know where Lillianna was getting her information on me. I thought for a moment and then simply said one name.

"Claudine."

"Yes, my dear sweet baby cousin is the best spy in the world. When her mother died I stepped in to help her as much as I could. My father prevents me from doing some things and my being a vampire hinders others. I can no longer go into Fae Portals anymore. My control is good, but it is not that good."

"Do you ever see your dad?"

"No, not since he disavowed me."

"I'm sorry Lilli; that must really hurt you."

"It does, but I have Alexander and the best grandparents in the world in Marcus and Laurell." She smiled.

"You don't consider Niall your grandfather?"

"No – not really. He let his pride rule him when I needed him to rule with his heart. Don't get me wrong I would not take anything in this world or any other for my Christean, but being ordered to have a baby with someone I didn't love was difficult for me even though Preston was wonderful through it all." She said sadly.

After a few more sad moments, I shook my head clear and declared,

"Lilli, I have some work to do at Fangtasia. I want to talk to some of the distributors in person when they deliver the stock this afternoon. Do you wanna go with me? You can pass for human." I asked.

"I would love to, but I have to be back here before Alex rises for the evening; he worries." I knew what it was from too. It was from her being taken before and he was terrified of losing her again. So I just nodded in understanding and said,

"Sounds great! I would love to be back in time for when Eric rises too. That was kinda my plan. He loves for me to be in bed with him when he rises. Must be a vampire thing."

"Hey watch the 'vampire' comments missy." She laughed as she linked her arm through mine and we headed for the house to grab one of the cars.

Four hours and many invoices later we were on our way back home. Once there Lillianna kissed my cheek and I headed toward the bedroom to snuggle in with my pledged.

EPOV

I awoke to a familiar feeling and I will never grow tired of it, it was Sookie in bed with me. She had on my Louisiana Tech T-Shirt. I loved seeing her in it now remembering it was only last month when I would sit holding it to my face just to breathe in the faint scent of her. Now I was holding her in my arms as I kissed the top of her head. I saw the ring I gave her as it sparkled on her finger and I felt our bond stronger than it had ever been before, it seemed our hearts were now wrapped together somehow. My waking had stirred her from her slumber.

"MMMM baby, I was dreaming we were at the beach and you could walk in the sun with me. It was so pretty and we swam in the ocean. I saw a dolphin and it talked to me…" she was babbling but it was wonderful. I loved her so much and smiled as I laughed in delight,

"Well Lover, that sounds like quite a dream. Why don't you stay all cuddled up and go back to sleep. Maybe the dolphin will talk to you again." She was still sleepy as she replied back to me,

"No, he swam away. He said he had to go home. He lived in the stars…" and she was asleep again.

SPOV

I knew on some level that I was dreaming, but somehow it seemed like a memory even though it couldn't be. There was a tall dark man with a thick Spanish accent holding me by my parent's grave at night time. I remembered this, I thought. It was after they died I would sneak out of the house to see them just sit by their grave and talk to them. One night this man showed up, but I wasn't afraid of him. He felt like home and he smelled like momma, he smelled like home. He told me many stories, wonderful stories over many nights. One night he told me one was about a dolphin that saved a sailor because the sailor had a beautiful voice and he used to sing songs out on his boat to the dolphin. One night the dolphin flew up into the sky and became a star so he could always watch over the sailor and show him where to sail his boat. On another night he told me one about this little bird that lived in Australia called a Kookaburra. It was the little bird's job to laugh every morning as to wake everyone as the morning star fade so the people could see the fire light the sky. After many evenings I finally felt safe enough with him to tell the dark stranger about Uncle Bartlett and what he was doing to me. He took me home to Gran and told her what I'd said to him and that was when Gran told me she would protect me and I never had to see Uncle Bartlett again. As he was leaving he bent down, kissing my cheek and he promised he would see me again when I was all grown up. Then everything in the dream got smoky and just faded away.

I half way woke up and saw Eric looking at me with concern as I said,

"I think I met a vampire when I was little and I think he might have glamoured me into forgetting. Or maybe it was just a dream and I shouldn't have chocolate milkshakes for lunch anymore." I kinda laughed as I shook the cobwebs from my head and the memory or dream or whatever it was just faded away from me.

EPOV

Sookie's dream had her rattled so I held her close and whispered,

"Sookie I am sure you would have been outted long ago if a vampire had found you when you were a little girl."

"What are you talking about baby?" she asked sleepily.

"When you woke you said you thought you had been glamoured as a child, by a vampire."

"I did? That must have been some dream." She said as she stretched out beside me and ran her hand through my hair. I moaned at the sensation and she whispered,

"Does that feel good baby?" And just like that no one cared about her crazy, chocolate induced dream.

Many hours later I settled between her legs and laid my head on her chest.

"So Mrs. Northman, what did you do today? You smell of other vampires and beer." I smiled

"I worked in your office here for a bit, had a talk with Lilli, and I went into Fangtasia to talk to some of your distributors. You were being over charged by your food distributor. He almost peed in his pants when I told him I was your wife and knew how much to charge for chicken fingers and that I wanted to know why he was charging you double. I mean seriously Eric, I know you don't eat but you own a bar you should have researched that darling." 'Again with the darling' I thought as I said,

"Do you realize you call me darling when you are put out with me?"

"Really darling, I do? I never noticed." She smiled.

"You are a brat my beloved wife." I smiled.

"You love calling me your wife don't you?"

"Yes, I do. I love you so much. You made me so happy by pledging yourself to me last night. It surprised me and made me feel so full of joy. Thank you." I smiled at her and she cuddled against me.

"My lover, we need to get you up and get you fed."

"Do you think Pam and Belinda will be over tonight?"

"No they are running Fangtasia tonight." I smiled.

"Well, I guess Laurell and the gang will be upstairs waiting on us." She said with a knowing look.

"No they won't. They too will be at Fangtasia. They have paperwork to fill out as visiting dignitaries so that Sophie Anne will not get suspicious of them." I advised softly.

"We still have to deal with her don't we?" Sookie asked me with hesitation.

"Not tonight lover, not tonight." I smiled gently and pulled her to her feet.

"Tonight I have a simple plan." I grinned my smirk at her and felt her joy through our bond.

SPOV

"You have a plan eh? Well tell me of this elaborate plan of yours." I laughed at him.

"I did not say it was elaborate. It is very simple. I bathe you, I feed you, I fuck you." He growled at me in that low predatory voice that he gets sometimes and he kissed me hard before he added, "I might not keep to that order, but I assure you that those three things will be done, perhaps one more than the others."

He pulled me into the bathroom and undressed me. He wanted me that much was obvious, but it was the way he wanted me. At that moment he was all vampire and it reminded me of how he was when we first met; very alpha dog, very 'this is what I want and I am taking it'. He was all over me and in a very good way. He picked me up and put me against the wall. He thrust into me with a growl. It was hard and fast, just like the orgasm as he brought me hard with him coming right behind me. He washed me clean before gently pulling me from the shower and drying me off. Once he wrapped me in a towel he pulled clothes for me from the closet and he dressed me. I swear to God, I was wet again for him from that alone. He looked at me and smiled that cocky grin that he should have a patent on as he said,

"I can smell how much you want me again, but you have to wait until after you and I have fed." And then again with the grin, damn I love that grin.

"You are such a cocky bastard, you know that right?" I laughed.

"It's not being cocky when you can back it up Sookie." He smirked as he ran his hand between my legs to touch my wetness and then he brought his fingers to his mouth and licked my essence off them. I ran my hands through his hair and whispered,

"You are so bad, but I love you both because of and in spite of it. Alright, let me eat and then I'm going to have to punish you for being such a bad vampire. That is what you're after, isn't it? You want me to take control. You want to see my fangs don't you?" I knew through the bond that was what he wanted and he grinned at me as he nodded in confirmation.

"Alright, let me eat and get my strength up and I'll do things to you that will blow your mind, cowboy." I hadn't said that in a long time, but it seemed right and seemed to do the trick because his fangs ran out along with mine. I held my ground though and went upstairs to see what I could find to eat. Look out Pam's left-over's here I come!

We were upstairs and I was just finishing cleaning up the kitchen when the phone rang. It was Belinda and given the state she was in something told me our quiet night had just been postponed.

"Sookie, do I want my powers unbound? Will my blood taste different to Pam? Will my scent change? Can't I just stay like I am? But if I do that and we're ever attacked what if I can't protect Pam? I would never forgive myself…." There were several more questions before the sniffling started. Eric, with his 'superman' hearing came over to where I stood motioning for the phone and I handed it to him as he put it on speaker so we could both hear.

"My little angel, I could not help but overhear your conversation with Sookie. I think you should calm down and explain to me why this decision needs to be made tonight?" he said soothingly to her.

"Well daddy really wants me to go with him to Fae and have this whole ceremony 'thingy' done but I don't want to leave Pam tonight." She said sadly.

"Where is your father? Surely he is not at Fangtasia?" Eric asked with great concern.

"No. He has called me twice and I think he doesn't really want me to be a vampire even though his mom is one. I do want to go and visit Fae to see where I come from, but I just don't think I'm ready and I'm scared they'll try to keep me there. I think Pam is mad at me for wanting to go at all. She thinks I'll change my mind about being her bonded and her becoming my maker one day. I don't think daddy would hold me there against my will there, but the others might and they did hold grandma there for a year and I can't do that! I can't have a baby with someone I don't love and I can't live a year without Pam! I can't! I told daddy that I might not be able to see him for awhile because all this was scaring me." She sniffed and that was the moment I knew our nice quiet evening in was going to be cancelled. Neither of us could stand for our little angel to cry and then add to the fact that 'our' Pam was hurting too and there was no other option. I nodded to Eric and he said,

"Belinda, we will be there in an hour. Stay there and make no decisions until we reach you and for God sake don't go outside where your father can just pop you away. He has looked for you for 21 years angel. He might not be thinking clearly right now if he thinks you are about to cut and run. Did he say he wanted you to marry a Fae or bear a child?"

"No, he didn't come right out and say it but they made Lilli!"

"Yes, but times are different now and your father loves you. I know that you are used to being abused but I don't think that is his intent. I do think he would pop you to Fae tonight but I think it would be with the best of intentions just to unbind your powers and to show you off. He is very proud of you. I think once you talk to him in person all will be well, but it would be best if it was done with your family around you for support. Sookie and I are on our way and we will call Niall from the car. Are Laurell and Marcus there with Lilli and Alexander?"

"Yes, they are. We are in your office. Lilli just came in with Gammy and they're holding me. They say that Daddy won't make me leave and that everything will be fine." She said softly with relief before adding, "but you'll come, won't you? You and Sookie will come here?"

"Of course we will." we said in one voice. Twenty minutes later we were on the road and I was on the phone with Niall.

"Grandfather, have you or anyone you command told Christean that he needs to bring Belinda to Fae to bear a child for the clan? Because if you have, what I did at the portal will be NOTHING compared to what I'll do if you try and take Belinda from us!" I barked.

"I might have said it would be a good thing for her to do before she is turned, but no, I did not command it be done." he said cryptically.

"Call Christean, tell him he does not have to bring his daughter to Fae and that he can unbind her powers here. Mine were unbound here and so will Belinda's." I ordered.

"I never said he had to do any of that…"

"Yes, but you probably implied it, and I don't want Christean to think he has to choose between you and his daughter. He loves you, but just so you know Niall, he will choose Belinda. He will hide her from you if he has to and I will help him."

"I assure you that's not what is happening here, but I will call him now to let him know that I did not have any such intentions with our Belinda. Sookie you have to trust us, she needs to go to Fae at some point and it may need to be tonight, but I will do nothing without talking to you both first." And with that he hung up.

I looked at Eric and simply said,

"Drive faster!" I love that old man but I don't trust him any further than I can throw him!

A/N: Next chapter we will deal with the unbinding of Belinda's Powers. Don't worry baby minions. Sookie and Eric will not let anyone take Belinda from Pam. Everything will be fine! Trust momma minion! HUGS