No individual thanks this chapter but THANKS VERY MUCH to all who support my story & artistic choices. My muses appreciate your continued presence very much and if I lose readers because of my vision, then so be it. I will no longer defend my views on marriage/monogamy & vampirism. If you don't like it, don't agree or are bothered by it, you are welcome to stop reading and find other fictions that are in line with your beliefs. I have to be true to my muses and where my characters take me. To those who would like to continue this journey with me, Eric, Sookie & the babies to see how this tale wraps up, I welcome you for the ride! I promise more drama & adventure, Eric knocking skulls, babies being born, wonderful new parent scenes & a sex scene or two to wrap up this epic trilogy. Buckle up!

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AN: This chapter isn't too excited- but we're getting ready for things. The next few are more setting up why all these things have been happening and who is responsible for them so that we're ready for Eric to kick a little ass! I know many have expressed excitement when he gets all protective and is ready to let it loose.

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Chapter 26

Sookie's been asleep for the last two hours and her tigers stayed in the room with her so I could get some work done in my den.

It's dusk and the vampires should be waking up soon, which means we could potentially be fighting tonight if we have information. I'm not certain of where Layla went with Sookie's mother, but hopefully we'll have information from her tonight. We have also not had a visit from Maurella or Jaya yet today so I'm hoping to get more information from them tonight as well.

I met with Max and Pete to coordinate tightened security. Max also informed me that there are quite a few packmasters who have been reporting weres being attacked by unknown assailants and they are ready to fight.

We decided to rent a hotel since people are coming here to join the cause. Pam will be coordinating the arrivals, though she doesn't know it yet. I'm sure the three of them can handle things from that angle. I just want something to tear apart, but after the wedding.

There's so much going on these days and I've noticed the kitchen has become a central part of the house. I hadn't intended it, but Morgan has been preparing lunch and dinner for the weres in addition to cooking for Sookie and the other humans in the house. I offered to hire a chef and kitchen staff so she could spend her energy elsewhere but she insists on cooking for Sookie. Morgan does, however, have a couple friends in need of employment so they'll be coming to help with food prep.

I also visited the birthing room with them because they wanted my senses to make sure it was clean. I couldn't smell a speck of dirt in the place, so it should be perfect. The bedding and blankets have all been cleaned and disinfected as well. There's also a fridge with blood in case she needs it and they took a couple pints from me to have on hand to help heal her afterward if there's any tearing or complications. I don't think we could be more prepared.

Prepared for the babies to arrive but not able to protect them completely. I want this finished. I'm sick of a constant threat against my family and the creatures in my kingdom. I just want something to kill. I want to tear something's head off and drink deep. I want to rip apart whatever has been hurting my family and laugh as I do.

I throw my glass at the brick wall and it shatters.

"Something troubling you, Brother?" I hear from behind me and turn to see Nora standing in the doorway. She's showered properly and wearing a beautiful dress, the way my sister should be.

"I want something to kill," I inform her.

"Then let's go," she grins as she walks toward me. "We'll find whoever you like, whoever is good for the slaughter. I'll even let you take the head."

I laugh and hug her tightly. "I'm glad to see you looking well. Pam should be bringing more donor blood and you'll be back to normal in no time."

"Yes, starved Ethiopian doesn't look right on me, does it?" she says and kisses my cheek. "Where is your mate?" she asks as she spins out of my embrace. "She said she'd tell me about meeting Godric."

Nora always needed him much more than I.

"Sleeping. She was having practice contractions all day long; she's exhausted. We're getting married tomorrow night and I want you there. I want you here in general, Sister."

"Married?" she asks as she spins around to face me incredulously. "Eric, it's not even been a year since I've seen you last and you're suddenly about to be married?"

"I told you- it's been building for a few years. I just didn't mention her while-"

"While you were fucking me like crazy? Typical male."

"I hadn't made those promises to her then and it was different. You'll see. Give her a chance. She will be your sister one day," I remind her as I text Pam to let her know we need to talk immediately.

"Sister-in-law and niece," she laughs softly. "But when? After the children go to college?"

"Fae live longer lives than humans do. She'll stay young for at least a century, maybe more. She gets the sun and I get a warm body in my bed for a while." Though I don't know how long, I'll savor it as long as I have it. "Please, Nora... I think you two could really get along."

"I promise, Eric," she assures me and I believe her. I catch her gaze as it focuses on my father's crown that Sookie has displayed nicely. It rests on a stand with a light shining on it, much like it did at Russell's but now it's with its rightful owner. Nora approaches it and touches it gently. "Hadn't seen this last night. How, Eric?"

She knows I'd been searching for the one who stole my father's crown since Godric created me. She often worried that my vendetta would get me killed and begged me to let it go.

"Took it from his house when I staked his mate," I inform her. "Took a thousand years but I found him in the unlikeliest of ways but- It was Russell Edgington, Nora."

"That's why you buried him as you did," she realizes. "To make him suffer." I nod. "He- I assume he's dead now?" She had already been taken for her punishment when his was decided.

"I was given the extreme pleasure of ripping his head off," I boast. "And I crushed it in my hand as it exploded." I can still smell his blood on my hands, feel how the bones crushed when I squeezed right before they turned to mush. The intense joy at finally having killed the bastard who murdered my family was indescribable.

"I'm proud of you, Eric," she smiles and turns to me. "Father would have been proud of you too, both your fathers," she adds as she touches my cheek and looks in my eyes. "Godric always said you were meant for greatness and you've proved him correct. You're King of half the continent. King Northman."

I pull her closer and kiss her forehead and whisper, "he's proud of you too."

"That I helped a genocide of innocent people? I'm not so sure," she sighs. "Stupid. I was so stupid, Eric. I can't believe I fell for her bullshit."

"Well now is the time to make it up. I need you here, Sister."

"You've got me, Brother. Always," she tells me. "I've got nowhere else to go and no place I'd rather be." She kisses me chastely on the cheek.

"Not that I'm a huge fan of your stroll into monogamy, but I'm fairly certain Sookie would throw a fae-ssy fit if she saw you sucking face with your sister," Pam chides as she enters and I roll my eyes. I turn and see Jessica and Tara carrying in stacks of boxes for the large fridge in the basement. "Your supply, though it might be easier to keep live donors around."

"A fae-ssy fit?" I question as I pull away from Nora.

"Like a hissy fit only with her fairy light," Pam laughs at her own cleverness. "Nora, looking well," Pam smirks with a lift of her eyebrow. I watch them checking each other out, as vampires always do. We constantly scan for threat or arousal, which we all sense as they stare at each other. Well I suppose that's one way to get Nora's libido pointed elsewhere.

"Pamela, I rented out a hotel a few miles from here. Weres are on their way and we have vampires coming too. I need you to run point for that to figure out who they all are, get contact information, keep them informed… that sort of thing. I want to be able to move and kill as soon as we have a target."

"Sir, yes, Sir," she grins. "We could leave Jessica at reception to-"

"You," I tell her. "They'll recognize you with more authority, as my progeny. Jessica's still too young to run things."

"I take offense to that," I hear Jessica complain before her and Tara come in. "I'm not a child, alright? Haven't been since I was thrown into the trunk of that car."

"I don't want someone overtaking you because you're not as fast as Pam," I explain and notice how Tara is also sizing up Nora. "This is Pam's progeny Tara; be nice."

"You can be as nice as you want," Tara suggests.

"And Jessica has been adopted too," I inform Nora. "She was Bill's progeny."

"So you three can run the show there. I rented the entire place out so you should be able to use the conference room to set up a laptop and keep up to date with more information."

Pam and I make a few other plans and I inform them all about the wedding so they'll come dressed nicely. Pam promises to get Nora clothes if she needs them, though from the looks they're giving each other, it seems like they'll be getting each other out of their clothes.

Nora decides to go with them since she knows many of the North American elite from being chancellor and that works out because that means I won't have to worry about her and Sookie for a while. Sookie doesn't need the stress when she's already dealing with the impending birth. I know she's worried about it hurting her or traumatizing the babies but I think it'll all work out.

Her consciousness starts waking and the babies are hungry and lonely and want their Pappa. I zip up in under two seconds and sit beside her. "I'm here," I tell them and rub them. They blink lazily at me; I think they're still sleepy. "Pappa is here for you."

"Mmm," Sookie sighs and covers my hand with hers.

Time is it?

"About seven. Pam brought blood and they headed to the hotel to start meeting people as they come in. We're expecting a bunch of vampires and weres who want to fight."

Where's Nora?

"She went with Pam. She knows a lot of the older vampires from her time with the Authority," I explain and lean over to kiss her softly. She's still exhausted and her stomach is still tight. I truly hope the babies wait because I sense it too. She said she felt like it would be sooner than a week, like she just knows. Their urgency to be out is strong and it's like they know they're ready.

I'm so tired, Eric. I don't want to get up but I know I have to pee and eat.

"So don't get up," I inform her before picking her up. "I'll carry you into the bathroom and the ladies can bring you food and blood." I bring her right to the toilet and her sleeping nude is handy for this reason.

"Thanks," she yawns and rubs her belly. I'm afraid she'll fall asleep and fall over so I wait with her while she goes and apparently the bashfulness is gone. "It's still there- the hurt, discomfort."

"Well you can take more from me and see if you can get back to sleep."

"It's like I'm experiencing the entire last month of a human pregnancy in two days and it's exhausting," she sighs as she wipes. "Sink please?"

I carry her there and hold her up while she washes her hands and brushes her teeth. Her appreciation for my willingness to help is unneeded, though it comes through the bond.

"If I rest all tonight and tomorrow, I should have enough strength to walk down the aisle; provided it's a short aisle."

"I'll make sure of it," I chuckle and kiss her minty mouth as I carry her back to bed. She pulls my wrist to her mouth and drinks for a couple minutes. It seems to quell the hurt a little, but she still has five babies inside her and she's ready to pop.

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AN: Many have been asking if the babies will interrupt the wedding or if they'll come before the wedding. I too have been struggling with this decision- I have three major events: their birth, the wedding & the big fight- I can't decide if I want the babies to interrupt the wedding or if their birth should happen during the fight, or if I want less drama! Let me know what you'd like to see! I really can't decide and I have up to chapter 28 written and it's about the time when I have to decide when the babies and wedding and fight should happen and in what order!