A/N: Hi guys. I have uploaded all the chapters, now I just need to edit and post. Yeah me! As always I don't own any of the originals. Thanks to all that have reviewed.
Chapter 26:
Eric and Sookie open their door and walk into their room. He pulls her into the bedroom. "I know that you got placed smack dab in the middle of Sophie-Anne's group.
I woke in Oklahoma's room. Lucky for me, I am over twice her age, so I wake earlier than she does. They got my coffin out before she even woke." Eric tells Sookie, stroking her hair and nuzzling at her throat.
His phone rings, it the Queen of OK. "Where are you? I was told that you would be my roomie."
"Nice try, I am in my room with my wife. I don't want to speak to you ever again." Eric ends the call and blocks the number from her phone and her room.
"I am sorry about her. I told Noir, that she would see this as a challenge." Eric sighs. He rests his head on Sookie's shoulder.
She runs her fingers through his hair. "Don't worry about her, it is us, and Pam that matter here. Noir will keep her at bay. As long as we are together, then I don't care about what others will say." She tells him as she snuggles into his arms.
"Sookie, we need to get ready to go with Noir. She needs to meet with John Quinn. He is in charge of the arrangements as far as the trial and events go. It is all done through the company that he works for. He is the go to for all supernatural events in the South." Eric pulls her up and lightly pushes her to the closet.
"Well that fills a bit of his character in for me, but he still is a creep to me." Sookie says as she puts on a navy poka dotted dress and heels to match. She slips into a blazer and pulls her hair up. Eric dresses in a pair a navy dress slacks and a white snug sweater, with some loafers.
He leads her to Noir's door. The door is answered by a tall, broad shouldered, blonde man. He looks like he could be Eric's father. Even Eric takes a step back, the man throws off such a powerful aura.
Sookie; who never backs down, steps to the man and offers her hand. "We are here to see Noir. She is expecting us. Please tell her that Eric and Sookie Northman are here." Eric is still struck silent. The man raises his eyebrows and turns to examine Eric again. The man nods and motions for them to enter.
"Noir, why did you not tell me that you have a part-fairy and a Viking as subjects?" The man asks in a rough voice that sounds like it is used to command.
"I am sure Eric will happily help any time. He was turned before he fought on the losing side of a war. So I have claim before you, my dear cousin. Sookie is his bonded and they married with me witnessing." Noir strides in and laughs at Eric's wide eyes. It pure and simple hero worship.
"Let me see, you didn't introduce yourself. Eric, Sookie, this is Ares." Noir has finally found a person that Eric has heard of. "The God of War." Eric says in an awed voice.
"Yes, son. I just finished up fighting a bunch of insurgents in Iraq. I have come with my cousin and our brothers here to help you." Ares holds out his hand, Eric drops to his knees. "My Lord, I pledge myself to you and Noir." Sookie smiles. It's like Eric has met his hero.
"I do want to collect someone from the Queen's entourage. And he was turned after he lost." Ares turns to Noir. She nods, "You can have him. Consider it a belated birthday gift."
"I now want to discuss what needs to be done. Sookie, I want you and Eric to walk around the hall and basically eavesdrop." They nod and leave the gods alone. In the hall, they meet up with Pam.
"Sophie-Anne strikes again. She has "volunteered" my time in Bill's booth. Since when would I do that?" Pam sneers.
"Oh, the best part is that Quinn could not find someone to perform the Mississippi/ Indiana wedding, so Eric is the one. The online course comes in handy again."
The two of them walk around the convention hall. There are booths from every part of the country and for every aspect of vampire life. Eric and Sookie stop at a coffin dealer's booth. "You will need one for a few things. I would suggest getting one for the house and a travel one." Eric whispers in her ear.
The salesman looks to Eric in deference. He shakes his head and motions to Sookie. The dealer then turns to her. "What are you looking for Miss?"
Sookie looks through the flyer and catalog. "I will need a travel coffin and one to keep in my place of rest." She haggles a while. When they walk away, two new coffins have been ordered. They will be delivered in a month to Sookie's door.
While they walk, Sookie listens to the minds of the other humans. Many are wondering who she is. Apparently, the Queen of Oklahoma has spread that Eric and her were to be married soon. She relates this to Eric and Pam, when they reach Bill's booth.
Pam has sold five copies. It is quite a coup because they are priced high enough to warrant use of a credit card machine. It might have to do with Pam's harem girl getup.
Eric growls at the idea of the bitch spreading the lie. "Wait until Noir hears that." Pam chuckles.
Eric tells her to buy a copy of Bill's database, mentally. Pam nods and runs her card through. She bags it up, and signs the slip. She hands the bag to Sookie, with a smirk.
Like Moses parting the Red Sea, the crowd parts for Russell Edgington as he and his betrothed walk into the hall, hand and hand. Immediately, Russell walks up to Sookie and Eric. "It's is so good to see that you are in good health my dear. Bart, this young lady was actually staked by some nut in my bar during a stay in Jackson." Sookie nods. "Mr. Edgington kindly had me treated and then let me rest up before I went back to my home."
"You did leave with something though, didn't you?" Russell shakes his finger at her.
"I left you something in return, though." Sookie beams at the vampire. Russell laughs and concedes that there was something goopy in the bottom of the pool that spring.
The four split company when Quinn appears to say that the ceremony is ready. Eric tells Sookie to attend the wedding and he'll be back with her before she knows it. Sookie nods and jumps when Ares and Apollo show up beside her. "Noir said that we were to be your escorts when Eric can't be around. No one will get you past us." Ares tucks Sookie's hand in his elbow.
When they are seated, Sookie turns to Ares. "When I was staked for the second time, Apollo called me "Sun Maiden" what's that all about?" Ares laughs. It's a booming kind that shakes the rafters. "He's always called you that, ever since you were tiny. It made more sense when you started laying out under the sun so much. He's always looked on you as a special niece or something."
She turns to Apollo, hearing him chuckle. "It's because I was always there to help you. Your powers are closely associated with many of mine, so I took you under my wing. You enjoy being in the light, be it tanning, gardening or just being outside."
Sookie is amazed; the great sun god looked out for her. Okay it was a little funny thinking about all the times that she would lay out nude, but she was happy that he thought well of her, and all the scenes that he showed her, she was clothed.