Addicted To Love

by BonTempsBaby

Sequel to "Pour Some Sugar On Me". Sookie and Eric come to terms with their new relationship. Very romantic, with more action in second half. Told from multiple POV's. Rated M for mature situations. Eric/Sookie/Bill/Pam

26. Chapter 26

Author's Notes: After the last chapter, I was astonished at the outpouring of support and encouragement. It made me realize that I have many readers who are willing to go along for the ride and trust me to get us safely back to a happy place. For everyone who left such positive, well-appreciated words, I thank you very, very much. I am going to grow some thicker skin, and trudge forward with the original plan (but not take too long to do it!).

**** Thanks to Daisy1965 for her help with Sylvan (Welsh in disguise!)

Chapter 26

Sookie in the Portal

When I finally woke the next day, I lay in bed for a long time reliving the wonderful, highly erotic dream I just had. In my half-awake state I was calm enough to think about its meaning. Many times in the past, I had wondered what it would have been like if I had chanced to meet Eric first, before Bill, and if he had been my one and only lover... and I guessed the dream had been a way of fulfilling that fantasy. I had always wondered what it would be like to be glamoured, and the dream had supplied the answer to that, too. The thought floated into my brain that maybe I could lift the veil just a tad and see if I could feel what Eric was feeling. Was it possible that he was missing me, even a little? For just a moment, I let myself imagine that I could feel the amazing strength of his life-force inside me, filling me with his love and confidence.

Suddenly fully awake, I sat straight up in bed, disgusted with myself for having dreams filled with such romantic nonsense and allowing myself to care for one instant what that bad vampire was thinking or feeling. Of course, he wasn't missing me! How dumb. He was probably off gallivanting with his new/old girlfriend, doing God knows what. Unfortunately, my mind could think of several possibilities, and the vision of them together floated through my head... again. That horrible sight would probably be burned into the back of my eyelids for the rest of my life. It took every ounce of will power I possessed to make it disappear again. I fervently wished that something would come along to keep my mind off of Eric, even for a little while.

Instantly,Aderyn's daughterMorwenna appeared next to my bed. In her hands was a box tied with a pink satin ribbon and with a small card attached. She held it out shyly, and I took it from her hands and said, "Thank you." I slid the card out of the envelope, and it was stationery that I recognized. It had the royal family crest on the front, and inside was written:

To my lovely great granddaughter,

These remind me of your beautiful hair. They are just a small token to show you how glad I am that you have come to stay with me.

Niall

I opened the box, and inside was a beautiful hairbrush and comb set. Instead of silver, they seemed to be made of gold, with small diamonds forming an intricate S on the back of the brush. My goodness! They must be worth a fortune! I felt a little funny about receiving such an extravagant gift, however well-intentioned. However, it was obvious that Niall was extremely wealthy, and could well afford to hand out as many expensive gifts as he wanted. I just didn't want him to think I needed or wanted material things from him. Still, just now having someone show me that I was cared for was a balm on my tattered ego. Morwenna was smiling to beat the band, and asked, "My Lady, may I be the first to use them?"

I hesitated slightly, but then nodded; and so she took the brush and stood behind me, rhythmically smoothing out my long locks. With each stroke, it seemed that she was untangling the knots in my soul as well as my hair, and soon I felt and looked much better. In the mysterious way of their family, the little Elf seemed to realize that I needed a little extra care that day, and she spent a great deal of time fussing over me as she helped me dress. She even brought me an especially becoming dress in a cheerful buttercup yellow to wear.

At breakfast that morning, I sat down at my place and looked across the table at my great grandfather, who was placidly sipping a cup of tea. Immediately I said, "Thank you so much for the beautiful present... but really, you shouldn't have gone to all that trouble and expense for me. Just allowing me to stay here is plenty." Smiling, he patted my arm, and said, "Nonsense, child. you have no idea how much pleasure you've given me in these last few days. You are a complete delight. Let me have the satisfaction of spoiling my great granddaughter a little."

After our meal, Niall showed me his library. It was an enormous room, with a vast amount of books on shelves going all the way up to the high ceiling. He had more books than the Bon Temps public library! There was a spiral staircase leading up to the second level, which I explored with delight. There, I discovered a little alcove near a window that contained a comfortable pair of chairs just right for snuggling up with a book; and after lunch that day, that is exactly what I did.

The only disturbing incident came right after dinner that same day. Niall and I had just finished a lovely meal, when Ieuan appeared in the dining room. In one hand he was carrying a cell phone. Now, this was the only telephone of any sort I had ever seen the entire time I was in the palace, and I wondered exactly how it worked. After all, it seemed a bit unlikely that AT & T had any cell towers hanging around in the Portal. A quick mental picture floated through my head of Ieuan darting around the palace yelling into the phone, "Can you hear me now?" and for the first time in days, I had to suppress a smile. Addressing Niall, the secretary said, "I am sorry to interrupt your meal, your Grace, but there is a call for Queen Sookie."

A call for me? No one but Claudine and Niall knew I was here; and besides that, who did I know that had Niall's phone number...? Oh. Eric, of course. He must have finally figured out where I was. Immediately, I felt dizzy and sick to my stomach, and I seriously wished that I hadn't eaten a thing. Almost instantly, two things happened. Aderyn appeared with a cold compress to put on my head, and Niall took the phone from Ieuan's hand and placed it next to his ear. He said curtly, "Niall Brigant speaking."

He listened for a moment, and then said, "Clearly she has no wish to speak to you at this time."

Another, longer pause; and then he said quite frostily, "...she may very well be your Bonded, vampire, but she is also Fairy and my great granddaughter, and as such she is entitled to stay in the Portal as long as she wishes. Frankly, there is very little you can do about it. She will contact you if and when she is ready, and not a minute before." With that, Niall snapped the phone shut and slipped it into his pocket. He sat back in his chair and contemplated me. I'm sure I was an attractive picture: sickly pale, with a dripping cold compress being held to my forehead by an Elf. He shook his head slightly, gave me a faint smile and said, "You are a brave girl, Sookie, and I know that soon you will be strong enough to face your problems. In the meantime, I am very selfishly going to enjoy having you with me. Whatever you decide to do, it is good to remind your vampire of exactly who you are."

As I sat there and tried my best to keep my meal in my stomach where it belonged, and to get the room to stop spinning, I realized that I had no idea exactly who I was anymore. I wasn't still the lonely misfit waitress from Bon Temps, but right now I wasn't the wife of the great Eric Northman, either. I was a human girl staying with magical creatures I hardly knew, in a land totally unlike anything I had ever known; and obviously I really didn't belong here, in spite of what Niall just told Eric. I felt like I was in free-fall, and I had no idea how far the ground was under me.

Niall reached one elegant hand across the table and stroked my arm, and almost instantly I began to calm down and feel better. He gave me a minute and then waved Aderyn away. "Come, my dear," he said firmly, "Let us go to the library. I think it is time for me to teach you to play chess. It is an excellent way to occupy your mind."

As usual, it turned out that he was right.

******

For the next couple of days (well, I wasn't really sure how long it was, because with no nights and no watch or cell phone, I had no way of knowing how much time had passed), I did nothing but eat, sleep, and spend time with Niall. If anything good could be said to come from such a huge mess, it was that I finally got to know my great grandfather a little. Every day, we would eat together, and take long walks, and play chess. During our long walks, he would always hold onto my arm, and I could feel some of his healing magic passing into me. My appetite had come back, and little Celyn always seemed to know exactly what I was hungry for even before I did. I slept a great deal, and sometimes I slept peacefully and dreamlessly. At other times, though, it seemed that I almost always dreamed of Eric. The emotional numbness that I had experienced during my first couple of days in the Portal was gradually starting to wear off, but as a result, thinking about my vampire was excruciatingly painful. My solution was to do my level best not to think about him at all. However, it seemed that although I had been pretty successful at blocking out thoughts of Eric in my waking hours, I could not stop my unconscious mind from conjuring him up.

Besides that, the hardest thing for me to get used to was having absolutely everything done for me, but eventually I was becoming accustomed to it. In the Portal, having servants constantly underfoot was just how things worked, and since I was a visitor I had no business trying to upset the apple cart. It turned out that Aderyn's daughter Morwenna was almost a carbon copy of her mother, except that she was something of a chatterbox. She took great delight in brushing my hair every night and every morning with my new brushes. She said my hair matched the gold of the brushes exactly... and apparently Elves were just as fond of gold and treasure as Fairies. I once asked her if she had ever thought about working somewhere else, and she looked scandalized. She said, "I love it here! It is a great honor to care for the Royal family. Why would I want to leave?"

The other thing that took a little getting used to was that all of the servants referred to me as Queen Sookie, or Your Grace, or occasionally My Lady. I tried to get them to call me just plain Sookie, but they just smiled and went right on using my proper title. I asked Niall to relent on his edict, but for some reason he stood firm on that issue.

I was learning how to get around in the palace. The Prince had shown me most of it himself. One morning, I had forgotten to bring the book I was reading with me, and excused myself to go back to my room to get it. Niall looked at me very curiously, and asked, "Sookie, child, why do you insist on walking everywhere? Wouldn't it be much easier to just pop to your room and get it? In fact, I have not seen you use your magic once since you arrived."

For just a moment, I stood frozen, not knowing what to say. When I first arrived, I had been too heartsick and stunned to even think about using my magic, and as I slowly regained my senses, I came to realize how silly it was for me to even try to use it. In the back of my mind, I had never really felt like a Fairy at all, and now I was here among all the real Fairies I felt more human than ever. I wanted to fit in, but I figured it might embarrass Niall to see how little magic I had compared to the rest of his family. What if I tried to pop to my room, and ended up in the middle of the reflecting pool or somewhere else unsuitable? I just couldn't bear to be viewed as any more of a loser than I already was, by him or by myself. After it was clear I was having trouble coming up with an answer, Niall sat back in his chair and regarded me for a long moment. He rubbed his chin and said slowly, "Hmm. I think perhaps I see what the trouble is. My dear child, let us take our walk."

My great grandfather took me by the arm, and led me out away from the palace to a place I had not seen before. It was a small orchard, full of small trees only about eight feet tall. They were covered in small fruits that looked very much like lemons, except that the skin was alternating green and yellow stripes. We slowly promenaded up and down the neat rows between the trees, and Niall would occasionally stop and examine a particular fruit. After awhile, he said, "Sookie, I have been breeding these trees for years. They are the only ones of their kind in existence. As you know, the juice of the lemons grown in your world are deadly to full Fairies. The fruit from these trees taste exactly like lemons, but are perfectly safe for my people to eat. I was able to hybridize these by patiently crossing real lemon trees with limes, and then the resulting trees with some other fruits from the portal, and so on; and after many centuries, these trees are the result. They are quite unique, and of all my accomplishments, I am proudest of this one. Are they real lemons? No... but to me, they are infinitely more valuable. You are like this fruit. You are a hybrid, it is true, but I believe someday you will turn out to be as important to my people as you are to me right now. You are a very special girl, Sookie, and I am proud that you are a member of my family. You need to accept who you are, and be proud of it. See yourself as I see you. You are widely known as a gifted telepath. You are clever, brave, and loyal to a fault. You can see the good in people, no matter what their race. You are a Queen in your own right..."

At that statement, I opened my mouth to argue, but the Prince stopped, and turned me to face him."You can argue all you want, but you are a Queen, whether you like it or not," he said sternly, "I know you think of yourself as human, but you are so much more than that. You are my great granddaughter, with the royal bloodline of the Fairies in your veins. You have already shown magical abilities far beyond what anyone could have anticipated. You are so young, no one here expects for your magic to be perfect... what matters is that you are trying. If I am not very much mistaken, the more magical you wish to be, the more magical you will be. You have the power within you to make your life be what you want it to be... but you first have to decide what that is."

With that, we resumed our walk. The Prince had given me a great deal to think about, and his words had struck a cord deep in my heart. Obviously, Niall did care about me, very much, and apparently he held me in much higher esteem than I did myself. Could I really ever overcome a lifetime of believing myself to be one thing, and then actually accept the fact that I had the potential to become something else entirely? Did I want to be a Fairy, or a just an ordinary human? What did I really want to be? I guess I just didn't quite know the answer to that, and until I did I was just going to hold off on the practice of my magic for awhile. Niall seemed to sense my confusion, and he patted my arm and said, "You have many choices to make in the coming days. I want you to know whatever you decide, I will still love you."

*****

After lunch that same afternoon, Niall sat back in his seat, and said, "Sookie, my dear, I am going away for a day or two on business. I am sorry to leave you here alone, especially now, but it is unavoidable. You will be in good hands and quite safe. I will return as soon as I can."

I was a little disconcerted to find that I was going to be there all alone (well, except for Iuean, and a whole bevy of servants), but of course I told Niall I understood. I knew that he was probably a pretty busy guy, and I appreciated all the time he had already taken off on my account. Not long after that, he rose from his seat and said goodbye, since he would be leaving very shortly. Before he popped out, I asked, "Is it all right for me to go walking by myself?"

"Of course. Remember, though, do not go beyond the Palace grounds." He kissed my forehead, and patted my arm for good measure, and then he poofed away. I sighed. I was really going to miss his company.

*****

After Niall left, I decided that I wasn't really up for a walk by myself, so the rest of my time that day was spent in my room reading. I would have felt ridiculous sitting at that perfectly huge dining room table all by myself, so I had a solitary dinner out on the terrace.

By lunchtime the next day, however, I was feeling very lonely and was having trouble keeping bad thoughts of certain vampires out of my head. I decided then and there that it was just because I was bored. My life had always been so active, I certainly wasn't accustomed to so much leisure time. The problem with having absolutely nothing urgent to do was that it left plenty of time for thinking... which was the last thing I wanted to do. I tried to sit down and write Amelia a letter to explain what was going on, but I just couldn't bring myself to put it down on paper... it somehow made the whole thing more real. Besides, I wasn't even sure they had mail here! Good Lord, if it cost 44¢ to mail a letter across town, how much would a stamp cost from the Portal to Bon Temps, anyway? Not long after that, I caught myself idly doodling out plans for Fangtasia's expansion... arrg! I tore the page up immediately.

Without Niall's healing magic, I wasn't as hungry as usual, so I ate a very light lunch (much to Celyn's dismay). Afterwards, I sat on the terrace for a while, and then decided I wanted to go ahead with my daily walk just to have something to do. I wandered past the formal gardens, out to the east meadow, and then kept walking until I eventually came to the edge of the misty blue-green woods on the other side. This was the farthest I had come in the time since I'd been here, and I hesitated to go into the forest alone. However, Niall had assured me that I would be safe anywhere on the Palace grounds, and I hadn't come to a fence or marker of any kind; so, I figured the woods must be safe, too. Just as I was standing around having an internal debate with myself, I saw a little movement out of the corner of my eye. I looked very closely, and sitting on a the top of a leaf of a low-lying branch was a tiny little creature with iridescent wings. In the shadow of the trees, it looked all the world like a tiny naked human female! ...or at least, that's what I thought I saw, because the minute I really looked, it darted off.

It only seemed to go a few feet though, and this time it settled on a tall blooming plant. I just had to see what it was! As carefully as I could, I inched forward. However, just as I got close enough to really get a good look, it flew off again. Once again I crept forward, and again it flew away. I had managed to get a little closer that time, so then I was more determined than ever. I continued to follow the little creature deeper and deeper into the forest. I was so intent on my pursuit, that I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going. Finally, the small creature came to rest on an outcropping of reddish-colored fairy-stone, and it allowed me to get close enough to actually see it. I bent down and looked closely, and sure enough, it was an exquisitely formed little female creature about six inches tall. She had shaggy pale blond hair and tiny bright green eyes. She eyed me carefully as I approached, and allowed me to get close enough to touch her... then she gave me a saucy wink and a tiny high-pitched giggle, and flew away again. Arrgg!

From behind me, a masculine voice said in Sylvan, "Don't you know better than to chase them? You will become quite lost. They have a wicked since of humor, you know."

I was so startled, I let out a yelp, and whirled around. Standing in the gloom of the forest was a tall man with dark blond hair and startling green eyes. The minute he got a good look at my face, he said uncertainly, "Sookie?"

I had no idea who this man was, but if he was here on Niall's estate and knew my name, he was probably not a threat; nonetheless, in English I asked cautiously, "Who are you, and how do you know my name?"

The minute he stepped forward, I drew in my breath sharply. Immediately, I could tell that he was a full-Fairy male. He was absolutely, undeniably stunning. He seemed to radiate with an inner glow which my family members also had; but they all kept theirs to a minimum while I was around, since they seemed to think I preferred them to appear more human. This Fairy was clearly not trying to appear very human. Somehow he managed to appear intensely masculine and yet completely ethereal at the same time... and his smell! He smelled like a pan full of freshly baked snicker-doodles; and my mouth began to water almost immediately. I tried to hear his thoughts, but all I got was waves of pure color, like light through a prism. I could not decipher his brain waves at all. The Fairy seemed to have recovered from his surprise, and in English he answered evenly, "My name is Rhys, and I am a good friend of Niall's. I know that he has a great granddaughter that is part human, and since I seemed to have found one lost and wandering around his forest here in the Portal, who else could you be?"

A little indignantly, I said, "I am not lost! I..." Taking a look around me, I suddenly realized that I had absolutely no idea where I was. I wasn't even sure which direction the Palace was from here.

"You see? Never chase a wood-sprite," Rhys cautioned, "They like nothing better than to get folks lost. Now, if you like, I can lead you back to the Palace."

Coming closer, he offered me his arm. Hesitantly, I stepped forward and took it; and the minute I did, I felt a shock of energy running between us. He smiled down at me with his brilliant Fairy-smile, and said in surprise, "You are more Fae than I remem... than I realized."

With that curious statement, he guided me back through the forest; and as we walked I asked, "What were you doing in the woods? Do you live around here?"

The handsome Fairy laughed, and to my ears it sounded as musical as wind-chimes on a summer's evening. "Yes, when I am here in the Portal I do. I believe that you live in Bon Temps, Louisiana."

Wow, if he knew that, he must be a very close friend of Niall's. However, his mention of Bon Temps made me remember the fact that I actually didn't live there anymore, but in a lovely old mansion given to me by my lying, cheating husband... No! I just couldn't think about that right now! I slammed the lid on that thought, and said to Rhys, "You sound like you have been there."

He hesitated a split-second before replying smoothly, "Well, there is an entrance to the Portal there... although that particular one is not much in use. Now, tell me, why on earth were you chasing that wood-sprite? Hasn't Niall taught you any better?"

"Well, no," I admitted, "That was the first one I've ever seen. Tell me about them."

"These woods are thick with them. They are very mischievous, and love to lead people astray... as you have seen. The Elven children chase them because they believe if they catch one, they will be given a gold coin by the sprite to be released. It looked to me as if you just narrowly missed getting a gold coin." His eyes twinkled when he said it.

I could tell perfectly well when my leg was being pulled. I replied, "The one I saw was naked as a jaybird. Where would she have carried anything, gold or otherwise?"

Rhys laughed again, and said, "Indeed! Why that never occurs to the children is beyond me! Now, have you run into any dragons while you were ambling about? I hear there is a rather nasty blue one who lives around the creek..."

Before I knew it, he had led me back to the edge of the meadow. He had spent the whole time teasing me (at least, I think he was kidding) about the creatures that I might run across while in Niall's woods. Once we were out in the open, Rhys said, "You should be able to find your way from here. I have enjoyed meeting you, and I hope to see you again during your visit."

"As soon as Niall gets back, I'll be sure and tell him you rescued me," I told him, "I sure appreciate your help."

The blond Fairy gave me the strangest look, and then said, "Sometimes, it feels quite good to help a stranger in need. Now as for Niall, it would never do for him to know you were lost... it will be our little secret. When is he due back?"

"He didn't say exactly, but it sounded to me like he would only be gone a couple of days. Why?"

"I just hate for you to be here with no one to entertain you. The Portal can be... a bit dull, which is one of the reasons we Fairies are so attracted to your world. It's so brightly colored, and full of life!"

I shook my head, and said firmly, "The Portal is very restful, which is exactly what I need right now. Niall has a library full of books, and I love to walk around and explore."

"I see. Well, perhaps I will run into you again. Goodbye for now." He gave me a brilliant, devastatingly beautiful smile, and then vanished back into the trees.

I just stood and stared at the spot where he disappeared for a long time. Even though I had obviously never met him before, I had the strangest feeling that I already knew him. There was something about those eyes that seemed so familiar... Finally, I sighed and headed back to the palace.

****

The next day was a quiet one, and I waited until after lunch to take my walk. This time, I decided I had better confine myself to the formal gardens, since I didn't want to get lost. I had just started to make my way around the edge of the reflecting pool, when Rhys materialized at my elbow and nearly gave me a heart attack. Covering my thumping heart with my hand, I said rather crossly, "Oh! You scared me! I wish you wouldn't do that!" These fairies were even worse than vampires about sneaking up on people.

The gorgeous Fairy bowed deeply, and said seriously, "I beg your pardon, madam," but then ruined the apology by breaking into musical laughter. At my sour expression, he just gave me a broad grin, and said, "Really, Sookie, everyone here travels this way. Next time, I will not get so close, so you can see me coming."

"What are you doing here?" I asked curiously, "Did you come to see Niall? If so, he's not back yet."

Rhys said carelessly, "No, I was just about to have another walk through the forest... my last one was interrupted by rescuing a damsel in distress. I thought perhaps I might persuade the damsel to join me today."

His words instantly brought Luke rushing to my mind, but to get him and any stray thoughts about any other vampires out of my head (say, a 6'5" Viking), I looked at Rhys and said, "Sure, why not?"

So off we went. That day, we headed in another direction, and entered the woods on a little path that seemed to wind through the trees. Rhys kept up a constant stream of amusing chatter, pointing out different plants and trees, and telling me their names in Sylvan. At one point, I tried to repeat one, and to my surprise it rolled off my tongue with no problem. The handsome Fairy also looked a little surprised, and he said, "You said that very well, Sookie. By any chance, do these words seem... familiar to you, like you've heard them before?"

I think he was trying to get around to asking me in a polite way if I had the ability to understand Sylvan. Since that first sentence he had spoken to me in the forest, Rhys had always spoken to me in English. "Actually, yes," I told him, "I think of all the unusual things that have ever happened to me, that was by far the strangest. To wake up one morning and be able to understand a whole new language was just beyond weird... It seems I only know the words once I hear them spoken, though, and I still can't speak the language myself at all."

He looked at me thoughtfully, and asked, "Have you tried? Perhaps we should have a few lessons..." So, for the rest of our walk, he prompted me to speak in the beautiful language of the Fairies; and much to my surprise, it came almost easily from my Northern Louisiana, very American lips. During our long walk, we saw a number of wood-sprites, who would come flirtatiously close and then dart off, obviously trying to attract our attention. Rhys would just laugh at them, and shoo them away. Trying out my new words, I asked, "Oes llawer o nhw? Are there many of them?

"Oh, yes, these woods are full of them. They reproduce quite rapidly. Let me see if I can show you why..." Rhys had a mischievous look on his beautiful face. He held out his hand, and on it appeared a piece of what looked like... sticky bun. He saw my questioning look and explained, "They all have sweet-tooths, and a great passion for baked goods of any kind. Now stand very still, and watch..."

He stood as still as a statue, and stretched out his long arm with the bit of bun in his upturned palm. In less than a minute, a wood-sprite zoomed up, took a look at the bun, and then quickly zoomed back out of reach. After coming closer and closer, it finally perched on the edge of Rhys' large hand, grabbed the bread, and began stuffing it greedily into its tiny mouth. Cheeks bulging, it eyed the big fairy suspiciously as it ate. Rhys whispered to me, "Come closer, and have a look at our little friend."

Slowly, so as not to startle the sprite, I sidled closer and got a good look. This one had lovely irridescent wings, shaggy black hair, and... oh... my! As all wood-sprites, this one was naked, and totally, unquestionably male; and with that rather impressive equipment, undoubtedly made some little female sprite extremely happy. I couldn't help but let out a half-gasp, half-chuckle; and I swear the little fellow knew exactly what I was staring at, because he stretched out on his back so he was fully exposed and began to noticeably preen. Males! All the same! However, he soon stuffed the last bite of bun into his mouth, and immediately took flight without as much as a backward glance. Rhys dusted the crumbs from his hands, and said sourly, "Rude little things, they never once say thank you."

In spite of myself, I found myself laughing. I asked incredulously, "My goodness, are all the males that... "gifted"?

"Oh, yes, and they like having sex even more than eating sticky buns. Like all fairies, they are not monogamous by nature, and that little fellow probably has a whole bevy of females that he visits regularly."

Hmph. Sounded just like vampires to me. In spite of myself, a sudden vision of my vampire with his lover crashed through my mind... and all the enjoyment of the last few moments leaked right out of me. I felt sick, and immediately Rhys said in concern, "Sookie, what is it? You are pale... are you ill?"

I just stood there and struggled to get control of myself. I had been doing so well keeping a tight reign on my emotions, that I hadn't expected them to creep up on me like that. My throat had closed up, and I was trying my best not to cry. He took my arm, and even though he couldn't feel my emotions (thank God) he could obviously tell that something was wrong. He took my hand, and began to lightly stroke my palm with his long, elegant fingers. Instantly, I felt a little of his magic flow into me. Oddly enough, it felt completely different than my own family's energy. It was not really healing like Niall's magic and not nearly as strong, but nonetheless after a while I did feel much calmer; and so, in a low voice, I said, "Thanks."

Rhys stared at me intently for a moment longer, and then took my arm and said lightly, "Come, let's continue our walk."

We walked in silence for awhile, and I knew that this Fairy was just being too much of a gentleman to pry. Although I didn't want to go into it, I felt like I owed him something of an explanation, so I said, "I am here visiting Niall because I was having some personal problems back home. I guess they just caught up with me there for a minute."

"Niall once told me that you were involved with a vampire," Rhys said with a slight frown, "If that is the case, it is no wonder you are having problems."

At first, I felt a surge of indignation at his words, and then realized that he was one hundred percent right. Even though I normally wasn't given to blurting out my problems to strangers, there was something very comforting and familiar about Rhys. Surprising myself, I opened my mouth and said, "Involved doesn't quite cover it. I am Twice-Bonded and married to a vampire King... but things haven't been working out exactly the way I thought."

Thankfully, he asked me no details, but replied, "Although I am not too familiar with vampire customs, I do of course know what a Second Bond is. I am astonished that Niall allowed such a thing between a daughter of his blood and a vampire. Of course, the vampire in question is a King, and that is something..."

I was silent. After a moment, Rhys continued, "Well, you would clearly not be away from your Bonded unless things were dire indeed. As I understand it, that particular Bond is unbreakable. What do you intend to do?"

Slowly, I said, "I guess that's why I'm really here, to decide what to do. Niall has offered to let me stay in the Portal, but I don't know anyone here, and Niall says I can't even leave the grounds... what kind of a life would that be?"

"I know it sounds like a lonely existence, but it really wouldn't be," Rhys said soothingly, "Niall has many friends that he must trust enough to tell of your existence, and you have your family... and now me, of course! Now, I want you to stop thinking of sad things. I promise I will not bring it up again, unless you speak of it first."

After that, we continued on our walk, and before long his lighthearted banter made me laugh again. The handsome Fairy would point out trolls, and gnomes, and other creatures that were purportedly within sight; but naturally, I was always just a split-second too slow to see them. Eventually, we emerged from the forest, and he walked me all the way to the bottom of the stairs leading up to the east terrace. Before saying goodbye, Rhys took my hand and said, "Sookie, I know just the thing to cheer you up. Will you come on a picnic with me tomorrow? There is a unicorn that lives by a pool not far from here. And besides, we still have to work on your vocabulary."

Oh brother. A unicorn! He just loved to tease the newcomer. "Well..." I hesitated for a minute, and then realized how lonely I had been since Niall's departure. "All right," I agreed, "If Niall isn't back, I'll go... but there aren't any clocks here. How will I know when it's time?"

"Watch for me out by the reflecting pool around lunchtime. For now, I will say goodbye..." With that, he poofed away, leaving only a very faint smell of freshly baked cookies in his wake. Well! He certainly didn't believe in long goodbyes, I'd give him that much. Sighing, I made my way back inside the palace. Just as I was opening the tall door, Ieuan stepped out and greeted me warmly. He gave me one of his stunning, full-Fairy male smiles, which just about took my breath away. Those guys were just too sexy for color TV! There ought to be a law! Sheesh! In English, he said, "Your Grace, Prince Niall sends his love, and his regrets that his business is taking longer than he anticipated. He should be back in another day or two."

Strangely, although I should have been sad that Niall wasn't coming home for awhile, a little piece of me was really looking forward to my picnic with Rhys. I wanted to try out my newly acquired Sylvan, so in that language, I slowly replied, "Diolch, Ieuan, dwi'n deall." Thank you, Ieuan, I understand.

For a moment, Ieuan looked completely bowled over, and then he gave me a broad smile. "Well done, Queen Sookie! I am quite impressed! You are most definitely a Brigant, there is no doubt about it. Now, is there anything else I may do for you?"

"No thanks. I was just about to head to the library. Is that okay?"

The secretary answered, "Of course! The Prince himself told me that you are welcome there any time you wish."

So I headed for Niall's library. The doors were closed as always. They looked massive and extremely heavy, like it would take two big men to open them... but fortunately, I knew they were also enchanted. Any member of the Prince's family could just lightly touch them, and they would open on their own. Since there were no knobs visible, I wondered how anyone else would manage to get in, and then realized that maybe that was the point. Maybe only those with permission could enter without Niall being present. In any event, I merely brushed one with my fingertips, and voilà! It slowly swung open to admit me.

Taking my time, I meandered up and down the rows, marveling as always at the vast array of languages and titles contained here. The first thought through my head was that as much as he liked to read, Eric would no doubt be in hog-heaven in this library... but of course he could never come here. In spite of myself, that thought made me very sad. Some of these books and documents were even older than he was. Niall had shown me a special section of ancient texts written on papyri, some in scroll form and some folded into early book form, which Niall had told me were called codices. Rather proudly, he explained that some of these were actually rescued from the burning library of Alexandria by one of our family members. I asked him why they had not been returned afterwards, and he patiently explained that they had only been on loan from the Fairies in the first place. At that point, the Fairies had decided that humans were really not ready for all that knowledge, anyway, and so just kept them. Documents critical to mankind's store of knowledge, that had been missing for centuries... and here they were. Wow! I thought about asking the Prince if he had the missing documents from the JFK assassination, or maybe the Roswell incident... but decided I'd better not. Not everybody in the world always "got" my humor the way Eric always did.

In any event, I finally found a beautiful book that was written in a language I didn't have a clue how to read, but it was obviously a beautifully illustrated book of children's stories. I toted the large old volume up the winding stairs, and found my way to the little niche by the window. I snuggled down into the cushiony chair, and before I could stop myself, I wished that I had a blanket to cover me. Of course, in the blink of an eye, Morwenna had popped in, handed me the softest little coverlet anyone could imagine, and then popped right back out before I could even thank her.

Since I couldn't read it anyhow, I started flipping the pages slowly from back to front, which was a habit that I had developed in childhood. It used to drive poor Gran simply crazy, but I could never quite get what was so awful about it. I smiled to myself when one of the first things I came to was a drawing of a unicorn, which was of course why I had picked this book in the first place. The artist had used some irridescent sort of ink, and the picture was really beautiful. I flipped again, and the story featured a mermaid. This illustration was so pretty that I spent a long time studying all the intricate details. Stifling a big yawn, I turned another page, and found what was clearly the story of Cinderella. She was in a fabulous white ball gown, just about to step into her carriage. I stared at the picture, mesmerized... The look on Cinderella's face was one I recognized, because lots of times in the last few months I had felt exactly like that... stunned, thrilled, excited, and completely, head-over-heals in love. Yep, everything considered, we were sisters under the skin, alright. Sadly, I wondered if her Price Charming was keeping a girl stashed on the side, and had another Queen waiting in the wings. For her sake, I hoped her story had a much happier ending than mine did. That pitiful thought brought me up short. It suddenly dawned on me that in spite of this disaster, my story was still very much a work in progress. Niall's words floated back into my head... he said I had the power to make my life be anything I wanted... so in a perfect world, what would I want?... I lay my head back and closed my eyes, and tried to imagine my life as I would love for it to be....

In no time at all, I was asleep, and dreaming.

Somehow, I knew several years had passed. I was kneeling in my rose garden at Valhalla, planing some annuals around the base of a statue. Amelia was sitting on a garden bench, keeping me company....

Eric's POV: Valhalla, First Dark

The next evening, I wake from my slumber to Sookie's sweet scent, and it takes me a second to realize it is only coming from her gown which is tucked firmly under my cheek. The night has not even started yet, and already I am longing for her. I miss everything about her... her sweet face, and her humor, and the way she makes me feel so alive... and her sexy little body that keeps me completely enthralled. Also, tonight I am hungry... but only for my Bonded's blood. Sookie would no doubt say that I am a grumpy vampire, and this time, she would be correct. I can feel my mood darkening already. I suppose that the Bonding Sickness is beginning to take its toll, but there is nothing I can do about it, except to do my best to recover my wife as quickly as possible.

Before I get up, I test the Bond to see if there is even the slightest hint of her... but there is not. Sighing, I roll out of bed, replace Sookie's garments to their place in my drawer and slip the notebook in on top, and then go dress. Tonight, I take care in selecting my clothes in the event I do manage to talk to Sookie. I know her preferences as far as my wardrobe is concerned, so I pull on a pair of black leather pants, boots, her favorite black t-shirt, and a leather jacket. Before slipping both cell phones in my pocket, I check my messages. Most of them are not very important, so I delete them. It occurs to me that I should check Sookie's messages, as well, so I do. It turns out there are a couple from the decorator, Daniel, wanting to know when he should come install more furnishings for the bedrooms upstairs.

The only other message is from Merlotte, and it came in this afternoon. It says, "Sook? This is Sam. Listen, I'm sorry I didn't get to see you last night... I guess Eric probably told you about what happened at the bar, and I just wanted to let you know that I'm not mad at you. I know you can't control what Eric does. Some guys came and fixed everything, first thing this morning. The new jukebox is coming tomorrow. I know that Eric and I have never seen eye to eye on everything, but he's never gone ballistic like that before and ... uh... I just wanted to make sure that everything is okay. Are you okay? Please let me hear from you." Instead of sounding angry, he sounded worried. Since I want Sookie to hear about the incident from me first, I delete the message.

Shoving both phones into my pocket, I head upstairs. As soon as I am through the door, I can hear the housekeeper humming to herself in the kitchen. I suppose I should at least try to get some blood down, even if I really do not want anything but Sookie's, so I go into the kitchen to ask Juanita to heat some for the road. She is polishing the stove, and the minute I say, "Good evening, Juanita," she shrieks and whirls around. Putting her hand over her heart, she says in Spanish, "Oh! I am sorry! I didn't hear you!" and then repeats it in English.

In Spanish, I reply, "I want a bottle of TrueBlood to take with me."

She smiles broadly and says, "Ah! Patrón, you speak Spanish very well, but more like they do in Spain, yes? I will get your blood right away." She goes to the refrigerator and pulls out a bottle, then pops it in the microwave. She seems to hesitate a moment, and then asks, "Patrón? I haven't seen Miss Sookie for the last couple of days... is she still in Las Vegas?"

The downside of having domestic staff is that they inevitably know too much about your personal business, which is one reason I have always avoided getting to know any of them before now. However, Sookie needs servants for our home and she seems to like this one woman in particular, so I make an effort to be polite. "My wife is away for a few days," I explain, "I expect her home soon."

Juanita gives me a rather piercing look, but merely nods and hands me the warmed bottle. She says, "A crate was delivered this afternoon. It is out front."

Taking the blood, I head outside to see what is in this mysterious crate. I walk out through the front door and cross the porch. Off to one side of the broad drive is a large crate, and I decide to at least see who it is from before leaving for Ruston. Upon closer inspection, I see the crate is stamped "Knight Shipping & Transportation" in several places, which answers the question of the crate's origins. That is the name of Robert's shipping company, in which I am a very silent partner. I am quite curious what he has sent to me, but I do not want to take the time to open it now. I want to be in Ruston as soon as possible to talk to Sookie's cousin Claude.

Getting in the Corvette, I start the engine, and as I pull down the drive I take a swallow from the bottle. As expected, the synthetic blood tastes slightly off. I am hungry, and yet... I just do not want anything but my Bonded's blood. As I pass through the gates, I motion one of the guards over and hand him the bottle without saying a word. It is Joseph, and his dark eyes gaze at me curiously but he asks no questions. He just takes the nearly full bottle from me, bows, and backs away from the car.

******

The evening is a fine one, calm and clear. I open the car up on the winding roads, and once I hit the interstate I really let loose. I am in Ruston in no time and drive straight to Claude's strip club, Hooligan's. It shares a large parking lot with the seafood restaurant next door. Attached to the roof of the eatery is an enormous plastic shrimp wearing a bandanna and clutching a pair of six-guns in its appendages, the symbolism of which escapes me entirely. No doubt due to local code, the strip club has no such plastic devices depicting the nature of its business, but instead has only a discreet sign reading "Hooligans, Adult Entertainment For Women" above the entrance. Immediately, I spy a parking space not far from the door, so I pull in to it and park.

Once I turn off the car, I sit for a minute and gather my thoughts. I am in no mood to be trifled with, but I know I must handle this meeting with diplomacy... not my strongest suit, by far. I am wondering if I should have brought Bill with me, after all. I resolve that no matter how irritated I get, I simply must remain calm and in control. With a heavy sigh, I get out of the car and head for the entrance. There is a large Were bouncer watching the door and when he sees me his eyes widen in surprise, or perhaps alarm. I imagine he is wondering what business the vampire King of this territory could possibly have here. I can tell by his expression he is wondering if perhaps he should attempt to deny me entrance, since it is a well known fact that vampires and fairies do not mix well in most circumstances. He is obviously calculating his odds of being able to stop me, which I would be happy to tell him are slim to none. However, I think he can see by my expression that I am not here for a snack, but on business, so without even hesitating, he opens the door for me and I step inside.

Never having been here before, I look around with interest. It appears to be a rather run-of-the-mill strip club, except for the dancers (who are of course all male) and the smell. This particular bar does not have the underlying smell of stale beer and testosterone that is par for the course in the traditional establishments. Instead, it smells vaguely like fairy and a somewhat overwhelming blend of women's perfumes. I will have to be very careful to mind myself in here. The last thing I want is to make matters any worse by losing control and draining Sookie's cousin. I am in enough trouble without adding that offense to the mix.

For fairly early on a Tuesday evening, there is a decent crowd present and obviously this one is already whipped up into a frenzy. Apparently women do not frequent these type of clubs alone, but in packs. Almost every table is overflowing with cheering and hooting females, avidly watching the performer spotlighted on the stage. To my surprise, it seems that women are not the only patrons of this establishment. Amusingly enough, there are a couple of tables of gay men in full drag seated along one wall, but they seemed to be much less boisterous than the real females. Several of the women are clustered around the edges of the stage waving cash at the performer. This particular human male is not a bad specimen, only of average height but well proportioned and very muscular... what Sookie would refer to as "cut."

Originally dressed in a policeman's uniform, he is presently down to just the hat, a pair of handcuffs, and a g-string which leaves practically nothing to the imagination. He is clearly sporting a very large... nightstick. As he gets close enough to the edge of the stage to receive his tips, he does a few slow sensuous bumps and grinds, and then wiggles the barely concealed bulge not more than an inch from the tip of a young woman's nose. On her head sits a tiny bridal veil, partially askew; and her glazed eyes are glued to the generous portion in front of her, exactly like a cobra mesmerized by a snake charmer. Her friends are egging her on, and quick as a flash, she lunges forward and actually swipes her tongue along the tiny scrap of fabric before her. The dancer backs away just a bit, and gives her a "no-no-no" wave of his finger, but then he gives her a sexy smile and winks. The crowd goes absolutely wild, and now practically every woman in the place is scrambling in their purses for more tip money. Fleetingly, I wonder how much more intense the reaction would be if the dancer were vampire. My second thought is to wonder just how many times Sookie has been here for a visit, and stayed to enjoy the show. Grrr.

As interesting as this spectacle is, I am certainly not here to be entertained. In the far corner of the club, I catch a glimpse of Claude sitting in a large raised booth with an excellent view of the stage. He is accompanied by several extremely handsome men, all of which appear to be human. I start out across the packed room, making my way slowly through a sea of jumping and gyrating females. Unfortunately, many of them mistake me for the coming attraction, and start tugging at my clothes, tucking bills into every available spot, and shouting out statements such as "Hey! Are you next? I definitely want to see what you're packing! Rwwwrr!", "Wooo-weee! How much is a lap dance from you? Do you accept private clients?", "Are you supposed to be a vampire? Show me your fangs, big boy!"

This last statement is said by an obviously inebriated young woman who is tugging on my belt and stuffing greenbacks into it. Ordinarily all this would be fairly amusing, but not tonight. I am on a very important mission, and these women are literally standing between me and my goal. I am starting to get irritated, and if this female does not get out of my way, I will show her my fangs, and not in a good way. One of her friends who seems to be slightly more rational must have caught the dangerous glint in my eye, because she grabs the back of the girl's blouse, and jerks her sharply out of my path.

At last, I am nearly through the crowd. Someone wearing a very elegant black cocktail dress is now standing at the Claude's booth and carrying on a conversation with some of the occupants. This person is facing away from me, but there is absolutely no doubt from the broad shoulders and large neck it is one of the cross-dressers. In fact, there is something about that rather blocky figure that rings a bell... and that ginger colored hair... I am mentally running through possibilities, when he turns around. I am somewhat startled to behold the bearded face of the plumber we use at Fangtasia, Bruce. Ye Gods! Of course, I really could care less what anyone else's sartorial or sexual predilections are... but he really does make an extraordinarily ugly woman. I would at least recommend a serious trim of his overgrown beard... it would go much better with the elegant lines of that dress. In any event, he catches sight of me as he is turning away from the table, and I can tell from his somewhat startled reaction that I am the very last vampire he expected to see here tonight. He scuttles away as fast as his size twelve high-heel pumps can carry him. Hmm. I shove that thought away for later. Right now I have a serious discussion with a Fairy to conduct.

Taking the last couple of strides, I reach Claude's table, and come to a stop a safe distance away. Instead of being startled, the handsome black-haired Fairy merely gives me a smirk, and says sarcastically, "Well, well, well. I figured you might turn up here sooner or later. Looking for someone, fangboy?"

To date, I have had very little contact with Sookie's male cousin, and it is now overwhelmingly evident that his twin got all the charm. Fangboy! I am the King of this territory, and normally that is a position that even Fairies respect. Clearly what this particularFairy needs is an attitude adjustment... however, I remind myself sternly that I must be calm. "Claude, I wish to speak to you in private... about Sookie," I state firmly but politely.

In response, he rolls his eyes, and answers, "Oh, I bet you would! Do you think I was born yesterday? I'm not stupid enough to be alone with any vampire... and especially not one as untrustworthy as you."

My irritation level ratchets up another notch. I can tell this is not going to be easy. Looking pointedly at the other men sitting with him in the booth, I respond, "Are you certain? I imagine there are many things that are best left unsaid in such a public forum." This is a not so subtle reminder that although vampires are "out", Fairies are not. A grimace passes over his face, and he looks at two of the men and says, "Jerry... Bert... could you two be sweethearts and skedaddle for a few minutes? I have a little family business to attend to."

The two men give us both curious looks, but then do as he asks. The other two stay where they are. Claude gives me a sly grin. "Let me introduce my very close, personal companions, James and Wade," he says, "They know almost everything there is to know about me, so you can speak freely."

These two men are nothing short of spectacular, and idly I wonder if they are also performers here. They say nothing, but I can tell they are enjoying this whole encounter immensely. Getting straight to the point, I state reasonably, "There has been a serious misunderstanding, and I wish to speak to Sookie to clear up this situation. I want to know where she is."

"Oh, I'm sure you do, vampire," the Fairy replies smugly, "Of course, I know where she is, but what makes you think I'm going to tell you?"

Damn Fairies! They are all so high-handed... In spite of all my best intentions, my temper really begins to flare. Narrowing my eyes, I say coldly, "You must. She is my Twice-Bonded, as well as my legal wife. You have no cause to withhold her whereabouts. Tell me now."

"Oh, so the mighty King has issued an edict!" Claude exclaims gleefully "Well, for your information, your majesty, she's perfectly safe... she's staying with Niall. I can't wait to see you try to push him around!"

Oh... no. This is truly awful news. I had briefly considered that Sookie had gone to her great grandfather, but since I have not gotten an angry call from a completely irate Fairy Prince, I had convinced myself that Sookie had decided not to advise him of this unfortunate situation. Honestly, I had already decided that if this trip proved unfruitful, my next move would be to call Niall... no matter how embarrassing or distasteful. Now that I know who she is with, but I still need to know where. I know that Niall has several houses all over the world, and he could have my Bonded comfortably stashed away in any one of them. "Where?" I demand, "I must know! Niall will have to produce her, and soon. If she does not return to me she will become quite ill... Claude, if you truly care about Sookie, you will tell me where to find them, before the Bonding Sickness gets any worse."

"They are in a place that you can never go, vampire," he says triumphantly, "She is staying with Niall... in the Portal. And by the way, don't be too sure about that Bonding Sickness thing... Claudine told me it doesn't work there."

Stunned, I just stare at Sookie's cousin. Sookie is in the Portal? Of all places, I had never even considered that! Since Sookie has such a small amount of Fairy blood, I truly thought it would not be possible for her to go there. My Bonded has gone to the one place that I can never, ever follow her! How... could... she? A horrible, searing pain shoots through me, followed rapidly by a burst of anger. Fairies! They are all devious, and untrustworthy! Surely Sookie would never have willingly gone to a place where I could not reach her... the damned fairies have stolen her! I turn a furious eye on the one closest to hand, and almost on their own my fangs pop down. Forcefully, I say, "Sookie is MINE! You will return her, or face the consequences!"

Suddenly, Claude seems to realize that perhaps he has pushed me too far. I am not some obscure vampire with no power and no resources, and he would do well to remember it. Seriously angering me could have ramifications for all of us. Somewhat nervously, he responds, "Listen, Eric, I figured you might be a little pissed... just so you'll know, I am prepared. Boys?"

He gives a little signal to his two companions, and they each pull a wooden stake out from under the edge of the table where they have been concealing them. So much for good family relations. Before I do anything that I might regret, I turn on my heel to leave. Behind me, Claude cannot resist one parting barb, "...and Eric, you can keep your tips!" Looking down, I realize that I have totally forgotten the money the women had tucked into various locations all over my body, and probably look completely ridiculous. Growling, I storm towards the front door, and this time there is no mistaking me for a stripper in costume. It must be obvious to everyone that there is a very real, very enraged vampire in their midst, because a wide path opens up for me. Not one of the women even attempts to touch me as I pass through the crowd, ripping up the offending bills and leaving them fluttering in my wake.

Once I am through the double doors, I find myself so angry I cannot seem to think straight. Knowing that I need to try and calm down before I proceed, I let off some steam by pacing around the parking lot. The Were at the door watches me until I give him a serious glare and bare my fangs in his direction, and he obviously decides that now would be a splendid time for a break. He casts his eyes downward and slinks off around the opposite side of the building, leaving the door unguarded. I try and absorb the information that Claude has just given me. At least I know where Sookie is and who she is with... but the Portal! Fairies are all so secretive, very little is known about this mysterious place; but I do know that even if I did possess the kind of magic required to get there, it is lethal for vampires. The very idea of my Twice-Bonded being in a such an awful place is enough to drive me completely wild. What is best to do now? Actually, the only thing I can do is try to reach Sookie by phone. I have Niall's number stored in my own cell phone, and on the few occasions when I have contacted him, he never answers the call himself. It always goes through a sort of secretary first. Perhaps if I call the number and ask for Sookie instead, I might actually have a chance at speaking to her directly. Given my present state of mind, it would definitely be best if I did not have to talk to to my "Fairy-in-Law" just now.

I pull my phone from my pocket, and place the call. After a couple of rings, a calm masculine voice with a faint accent answers, and immediately I ask to speak to Sookie Northman. The voice displays no hint of surprise, but merely asks me politely to hold the line. A few minutes later, I hear a couple of clicks, and then, instead of the honeyed Southern tones of my Bonded, I hear a deep voice say, "Niall Brigant speaking."

Grrr. In as calm and polite tone as I can muster, I say, "This is Eric Northman. I wish to speak to Sookie."

"Clearly she has no wish to speak to you," is his imperious reply. The mere tone of his voice is enough to cause my anger to increase another several levels.

Struggling to remain civil, I state, "You know quite well that Sookie is my Twice-Bonded and Queen of the vampires of Louisiana, and as such she has absolutely no business being in the Fairy Portal. It was a serious breech of trust between you and me for you to have taken her there in the first place. You must let me speak to her and get this matter between us resolved before it goes any further."

"She may very well be your Bonded, vampire, but she is also Fairy and my great granddaughter, and as such she is entitled to stay in the Portal as long as she wishes," he reminds me coldly, "Frankly, there is very little you can do about it. She will contact you if and when she is ready, and not a minute before."

I am in the process of saying, "But if she would just listen..." when I realize that sharp click I just heard was him ending the call. For a second, I just stand and stare at my phone... and then I hurl it as hard as I can across the parking lot. It shatters into a thousand tiny pieces as it hits the pavement. Something about it seems to let loose the rage that has been building all evening, and I glance around for some other way to vent some of this intense anger. A pair of dumpsters nestled in between the two buildings catch my eye, and in no time I cross the lot, hoist one and pitch it clear across the parking lot. I am really very angry, so I put a lot of force behind it. The large metal container rolls over twice before coming to a stop, barely missing an entire line of parked cars. That felt good! I pick up the other, and look for a suitable target... and there, practically in front of me, sits a little silver BMW convertible with the top down, in a space cleverly marked "THE BOSS." Without stopping to think, I take aim, and toss the second dumpster in that direction. I watch in fascination as it takes one half-turn in the air, partially spilling its contents into the open sports car before settling almost directly on top of it. The resulting crunch of metal is very satisfying, indeed. Ha! A hole in one, so to speak! Dusting off my hands, I head back to my car, jump in, peel out of the parking lot and head back to Shreveport.

******

About 30 minutes later, I arrive at my own club, and by the looks of things, it is as packed as always. I park and go inside, heading straight for my office. As I go past Pam's door, I glance inside and see her sitting at her desk. She sees me passing, stabs a finger at the receiver in her hand and silently mouths the word Claude.Rolling her eyes, she continues in a bored tone, "... so no one actually saw this incident? Then how do you know it was Eric? Who else have you pissed off lately, Fairy?"

Knowing quite well that it is best to let Pam handle the situation, lest I lose my temper again, I continue down the hallway to my own office. Going straight to my desk, I slump into my seat, lean back and close my eyes. How on earth have things gone from the best days of my long existence to this disaster in such a short time? I swear I do not know. Just a few days ago, I was the happiest, most satisfied vampire on the planet... and now surely I am the most depressed. Before I can even begin to get my mind around this evening's events, the door opens and Pam comes into my office, closely followed by Bill. They come in and sit down, and then stare at me expectantly across my desk.

"The news is not good," I report, "Sookie is in the Fairy Portal with Niall. I have already phoned, and he is not inclined to return her."

If I were not so out of sorts, I would find their mutual reaction funny. Both of my Lieutenants are well known for their cool, dispassionate manner, but right now they are anything but that... Anger is clearly burning in two pairs of eyes, and two sets of sharp white fangs have made an appearance. "The Fairies have her!" Pam exclaims, obviously furious, "How dare they take our Queen there?"

Almost simultaneously, Bill says indignantly, "The Portal! Damned Fairies! She is ours!"

In our lore, the Portal is reputed to be a fearful place where captive vampires are taken to burn, somewhat akin to the Christian idea of hell. I am old enough to realize that this is mainly a myth propagated by the Fairies themselves... I think. However, the very idea that my Queen has been transported there is unsettling, to say the least. I am not even irritated by Bill's choice of pronoun, since I know he means ours in the sense that she belongs to the vampires, not the Fairies. Pam and Bill look at each other, and then back at me, obviously waiting to see what I am going to do. The problem is, I have absolutely no idea how to proceed. As much as I hate to admit it, the Fairy Prince is correct. Sookie is in a place where I cannot reach her, and there is very little I can do about it, short of starting an all-out war between the races. In a way, Niall is paying me a compliment in assuming that I am too rational to allow that to happen over a personal issue.

After a moment, it is clear to both of them that for once, I do not have a plan. I am totally unaccustomed to feeling this... helpless. I do not care for it in the slightest, and in fact, I am very close to having another melt down. I am doing my best to keep it in check, but I feel as if one more tiny thing happens, I will explode. The three of us sit in silence, seething. Pam speaks up first, "Master, won't they have to return her soon anyway, because of the Bonding Sickness?Surely they would not subject her to becoming ill."

"No. Claude took great delight in informing me that apparently the Bonding Sickness does not work in the Portal."

For a moment, Pam looks confused and then unthinkingly blurts out, "...but you're getting worse!" Then, it seems she realizes that perhaps that was not the most diplomatic to say to her Maker, so she amends it to, "I meant... I can't believe Sookie would allow you to suffer, even if she is angry. It is not in her nature to be cruel."

Bill shakes his head sadly, and says, "... but she may not realize that Eric is subject to the Sickness. After hearing what the Were-Tiger told her, and from her last words before leaving, I think she may believe that the Bond is very much one-sided. I think Eric's only hope of resolving this quickly is to have a chance to communicate with her directly. Perhaps if approached in the right manner, one of her cousins could be persuaded to get her to listen to his explanation."

"I doubt it," I reply tersely, "From the looks of things, Claudine has vanished to avoid that possibility, and Claude... well, let us say that after our meeting tonight, he might be disinclined to help."

Pam snorts, and says dryly, "Oh, I think that is a safe assumption. Apparently, the Fairy was really fond of that car... not that I blame you." To Bill, she explained, "Our King dropped a dumpster filled with rotting shrimp heads and other olfactory delights on Claude's BMW. Besides the obvious damage, Claude claims that the smell will never come out."

"Eric!" Bill exclaims, "What on earth possessed you to do such a thing? Right now, Claude is your only link to Sookie!"

The fact that he is right does not stop me from giving him a serious glare. If he had been addressed by a Fairy in such a demeaning fashion, I am certain he would not have shown as much restraint as I did. I could have done much, much worse. Rather frostily, I state, "I was provoked."

My male Lieutenant just looks at me skeptically and shakes his head, but says nothing further. It is quiet in the room except for the normal background noise coming from the bar. We are all trying to figure out a way around this thorny problem. Finally, Bill suggests, "Look, Eric, why don't you give Niall another call? Surely he has Sookie's best interests at heart. Perhaps if you can persuade him to listen to your side of things..."

Before he can even finish the sentence, Pam pipes up and says heatedly, "Is our King going to kow-tow to the Fairy, just to get him to listen? No! It will make him look weak!"

"What is more important, recovering Sookie or posturing?" Bill fires back.

"It isn't posturing! It is maintaining the dignity and strength of his position!" is her fierce answer.

"You have obviously never been in love or had a Bond!" Bill exclaims passionately, "Some things are vastly more important than pride. Unfortunately, that was a lesson I learned too late."

I cannot stand this bickering on top of everything else, so I shout, "Enough!" Two pairs of angry eyes whip back around and look at me. "In a way, you both are correct," I admit. "Although at this point this issue is entirely personal, I cannot forget that my words and actions can potentially have an impact on many. However, because of my position, I do have some leverage. Niall has taken great care to conceal his true relationship with Sookie. The relations between the vampires and Fairies are extremely fragile just now, and if I tell the other vampires that the Fairy Prince has taken my Queen and is holding her in the Portal for no good reason, it would no doubt be the spark needed to set off another war... but at this juncture, I am not willing to take that step. To get my Bonded back without such extreme measures, perhaps I am willing to be a supplicant for the Prince's good will."

"Master, in all the years I have known you, you have never turned away from a good fight," Pam says passionately, "Let the Fairy know you are dealing from a position of strength, and that you will do whatever is necessary to recover our Queen." My child has always been fond of a good skirmish, and I am sure visions of loping off a few Fairy heads are dancing in her head.

Bill shakes his head, and says coolly, "Our King is being wise, Pam. A pitched battle here and there is one thing... a full-out war is another. You have never been through a prolonged war, and I can tell you first hand, it is ugly. Fairies are tricky, fierce fighters, and it is inevitable that huge losses will occur on both sides. Now that we vampires are living so openly, it will be much easier for them to track us down than in the past. We will all have to go to ground again to avoid being staked in our homes during the day. Have you ever actually rested in the dirt, Pam? I imagine that your Maker has always kept that from being necessary. I doubt you would care for it much. Beyond that, Sookie would be forced to choose a side... and with the way things stand now, which side is she likely to pick? If Eric starts a war over this, everyone loses."

For such a young vampire, Bill is wise beyond his years. Like Pam, most vampires his age would be spoiling for a fight without seeing the long-term ramifications. Looking closely, I can see a bleakness in his eyes, and I know exactly what is causing it. He is remembering the devastating misery of the war in which he fought in his human years; and also, he is missing Sookie, and is afraid that he will never see her again. As much as I do not like to think about it, he does share a kind of Bond with her, too, and is probably as almost as anxious as I am to recover her; and yet, he still cautions against war. Once again, he is showing himself to be a worthy Lieutenant by giving well thought-out advice, in spite of his personal feelings. Unknowingly, these two vampires of mine balance each other perfectly. I tell my child, "Pamela, in this case, Bill is correct. Such a war would no doubt be prolonged and deadly to both sides. This situation requires more thought before I take action one way or another."

After a few minutes of thinking that over, Pam finally sighs heavily and states, "Obviously there is nothing any of us can do just now. It is past time for me to take floor duty. Master, why don't you join me? Maybe the change in scenery will do us all some good."

Although I do not really feel like it, I obligingly rise and follow her outside. I gesture for Bill to accompany us. We make our way to our customary places, and in the background I hear the excited murmuring of the crowd as we pass. Once seated, I glance around, and once again am rather surprised to see several vampires in attendance who are not obligated to be here. I mention this fact to Pam, and she replies, "Yes, if this trend continues, it will no longer be necessary to make attendance compulsory. That is one less schedule for me to have to keep, which suits me just fine. Without Sookie here to help..." her voice trails off. She shakes her head, and then says, "Sorry. What I meant to say is, I think that now that you are King, it seems that we are attracting more vampires who just want to be seen in your establishment. This should be very good for business. The profit margins on bottled blood are excellent, and of course the more vampires, the more thirsty fangbangers."

I have been so wrapped up in my personal tragedy, I have not even asked about Kingdom business yet this evening. My Lieutenants fill me in, and Pam finishes by saying, "Also, I want to remind you that you have already set the date for your first Court, which is supposed to be held Friday. Do you want me to postpone it?"

Sighing heavily, I reply, "No. I am not Felipe de Castro, putting off things that are necessary. I am determined to conduct Kingdom business in a timely manner. Court will be held on Friday."

"Do you still want to hold it here?" Bill inquires, "Due to the volume of cases, we might need to start before the bar normally closes."

When I was Sheriff, I always held my disciplining sessions here at Fangtasia after hours. There are already a few special holding cells below, and the rest can be dealt with at the warehouse if necessary. Now that I am King, the cases before me will require more thought, creativity, and ruthlessness than ever before, and belatedly I realize that I should have held it in New Orleans where there would be no such time conflicts and much better facilities. I had mainly decided on Shreveport because I did not want to make Sookie travel again so soon. After thinking it over, I declare, "Just this once, close the bar at midnight."

Uneasily, I realize that this is one more thing I have been keeping from Sookie. Since our engagement, I have had to discipline only a few vampires, and being in such a good mood at the time, I showed most of them clemency. The space under Fangtasia has been remarkably empty for the last several months. As far as I know, Sookie has no idea that such facilities even exist, and I had planned on keeping it that way. I knew when I set this up that I was going to have to face the issue of what to do with my Bonded during Court. Quite obviously it was out of the question for her to attend. She is nowhere near ready to hear or see some of the things that will take place. Originally I had been planning on being evasive, and just making up an excuse for her to stay home. If by some miracle she does come home before then, I realize that plan is no longer viable. If nothing else, this whole disaster has made it crystal clear that my Bonded does not appreciate being shielded from the truth... at least, she thinks she does not. The reality may prove somewhat harder to accept than she imagines. However, in the future, I am going to overcome my desire to protect her from unpleasantness and simply tell her the truth. I can only hope that she gives me the opportunity to attempt to be more open with her. After all these centuries, being secretive is a deeply ingrained habit and one that will be difficult to break, but I am determined to try.

Since Pam already has her hands full, Bill has taken over the job of lining up the cases, and he and his counterpart begin a discussion of which ones should be heard first. Pam gestures at the passing waitress to bring us all bloods. I am trying to keep my mind on the topic at hand, but my mind seems to keep wandering off, wondering what my Bonded is doing now. Is she still furious? Is she thinking about me at all, or is she shoving the thought of me completely out of her mind? Is she missing me, even a little? Unconsciously, I twist my wedding ring around and around my finger, and pine for the woman who placed it there. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of long golden hair. In spite of myself, I eagerly whip my head around, only to see a young woman with long blond hair in almost the exact same shade as Sookie's making her way through the crowd. I have never seen her before tonight, but in my disappointment I take a sudden dislike to this female. She slowly circulates around the room, but keeps glancing in my direction. I give her nothing but a cold stare in return.

The waitress delivers our bloods, and as she hands me the bottle her hand brushes mine. I glance up, and see that it is the same waitress that served us last night, Valerie. She gives me a sultry smile, and asks, "Anything else I can get for you, Master?" It is clear that she is asking me if I am interested in some real blood, fresh from the vessel.

"No," is my rather terse reply. I shoo her way with an abrupt flick of my fingers. She looks a little disappointed, but turns and heads back to the bar. I suppose the staff has noticed that Sookie has been absent several times in the last few weeks, and of course they have no way of knowing that I intend to be a faithful vampire. I take a swallow of the bottled blood only because I know I should, but then merely stare at the warm bottle in my hands and roll it thoughtfully between my palms. Unfortunately, the small amount I just drank has done nothing but fire up an intense hunger for my Bonded's sweet blood, which leads to another bout of longing... which leads to unbridled anger at my own helplessness. Rationally, I know it is only the Bonding Sickness at work, but I seem powerless to control it. Breaking into my reverie, I hear Pam's voice saying in a bored tone, "Master, I think you have a visitor."

Looking up, I see the blond woman standing before me. She is clearly a cut above the run-of-the-mill fangbanger in looks, and is attractively dressed in a short dark blue dress with very sexy high heels. Her dress is cut low in the front, revealing the enticing swell of her ample breasts. Confidently, she gives me a bold look, and says, "I noticed you watching me, and I thought I'd come over and introduce myself. My name is Callie, and I'm new to town. I'm looking for a new... friend." She brushes her fingertips across her throat and smiles knowingly, subtly informing me that I would not be her first vampire. There are no unattractive scars showing, so I presume that she is either very careful at tending to the wounds, or her last vampire took enough care to heal her. She looks at me with her big blue eyes and gives me a rather challenging look, as if to say, "Are you man enough to handle me?" In the old days, I would have had this female back in my office and bent over my desk in about ten minutes flat... but now, her boldness and her blond hair offends me. Unexpectedly, my temper flares out of control, and in a flash, I stand. Even before the nearly full bottle of blood that was in my hand hits the floor, I have grabbed the female by her throat. In a deadly whisper, I inform her, "I am married. I do not need any more friends."

In my dark mood, I will enjoy giving this creature pain. She deserves it, for making me think for one instant that my Bonded had returned, and then for having the temerity to try and tempt me. Gently I begin to squeeze, and the complete terror that leaps into her annoyingly lovely blue eyes is quite satisfying. I can feel every muscle and sinew and fragile bone in her unworthy neck, and also the frantic beating of her frightened heart. The scent of her fear is quite intoxicating. All I have to do is close my hand just a tiny bit tighter, and I will crush her windpipe. That idea pleases me immensely, and I give my victim a cold, cold smile. A hush has fallen around us as the crowd waits to see what will happen. As if from a distance, I hear my child's voice saying urgently, "Master, no! You must not do this here!"

I feel Pam tugging on my arm, and although she is nowhere near as strong as me, it is enough to get my attention. Bill comes up behind the female I am holding, looks me in the eye, and says calmly, "Let me have her, Eric. I will make sure she leaves." When I do not immediately release her, he reminds me, "Sookie will be very disappointed in you if you kill this woman for no reason."

With his words, sanity comes flooding back, and even though I still do not want to let this irritating woman go, I do. Immediately, she begins coughing and crying. Bill takes her by the arm, says roughly, "Come with me," and drags her towards the hallway leading to the offices. I presume he intends to glamour her into forgetting the entire incident, but of course she will wonder where the dreadful bruises on her neck came from tomorrow. Now that the crisis has passed, Pam just shakes her head, and gives me a look."Master, it is obvious that you are a little out-of-sorts this evening," she says dryly, "Perhaps floor duty was not such a good idea. Even with the extra vampires present, it would take all night for us to glamour this crowd if you actually had killed her."

Even though I have regained most of my composure, I still feel my dark emotions swirling close to the surface. My child is right... it is probably not safe for me to be around these irritating humans just now. Without another word, I stride rapidly to my office, and this time the bar patrons literally fall all over themselves getting out of my way. I head back to my office, and attempt to regain some sense of normalcy by checking my emails. It occurs to me that I need a new cell phone, so I go online and pick out a new one. I email Bobby with the model number and instructions to purchase two, because although there is nothing wrong with the one in my pocket, I still like the idea of Sookie having a matching phone. I also include instructions for him to purchase items for an office for Valhalla, and then hit the "send" command. I call up last night's email from the gown designer in New York, and print off several copies of his design, so I can modify it with my own ideas.

After that, I glance over the list of incoming mail, but answer very few. I seem unable to muster the interest to care what any of them say. I keep going back to the spectacular picture that Rasul sent me of Sookie in her Bonding gown. It would make a wonderful painting, and I make a mental note to track down a suitable portrait painter very soon. The Bonding gown brings to mind my resolution to find out more about the Bond. Sitting back in my chair, I stare at Sookie's picture and try to decide what to do. My first thought is naturally to call Robert, and I very nearly do... but I am still reluctant to admit to my brother that mainly due to my own stupidity, I have lost my fairy. The Queen of Oklahoma seemed to know a great deal about the Bond, as well, but... I do not know her very well, certainly not enough to trust her to any extent, and certainly do not wish to advertise the fact that my Queen and I are separated. Unable to reach a decision, I postpone calling either one for another evening.

By this time, I notice that silence has descended over the bar, and I realize that it is long past closing time. I am not getting any work done anyway, and decide to just go home. Perhaps as Pam suggested, a change of scenery would help clear my foggy brain; and so I determine that instead of going to Valhalla, I will head to one of my other homes, one which Sookie has never even been inside. Maybe it will be easier to get her out of my head if there is nothing around to remind me of her. This sounds like a good plan, so I head down the hallway. The exterior door opens and Bill come through it. He has been gone much longer than I would have expected to complete his task. His normally perfect hair is mussed, his complexion is rosy, and he is still straightening his clothes. Somewhat sarcastically, I observe, "I see you decided to do more than glamour her."

The corner of his mouth twitches up, and in his Southern drawl he admits, "It seemed like a complete waste not to get something for my troubles. Besides, I gave her exactly what she came here to find. In the morning, it will be obvious that she was with a vampire, she will just not remember which one."

I imagine he enjoyed it very much, since she was exactly his type... a Sookie substitute, unfortunately without the fairy filling. In spite of myself, I smile. Vampires will be vampires, even the quiet ones. I give him orders to finish checking my email, and finish by saying, "Oh, and by the way, I dropped my phone tonight and broke it, so if you need me, call me on Sookie's. Tell Pam."

My Lieutenant snorts, and says, "Oh, yes, I'm certain that is exactly what happened to your phone. However, I will pass that information on to Pam. See you tomorrow night."

******

A short time later, I pull in to the garage of the house I have chosen. I have not stayed here in months, and the minute I step inside I realize how void it is of life... a funny thing for a vampire to notice, but true nonetheless. This is the last house I have that still contains any of my books and things, and also a complete wardrobe as well. At first, I wander from room to room, reacquainting myself with the space. This particular house is decorated in a very modern fashion, with clean, somewhat severe lines in all the furnishings, and extremely expensive abstract art on the walls. The lack of clutter is supposed to be restful and soothing, which is one reason I picked this place to stay this evening. Tonight, however, it merely strikes me as sterile. Sookie prefers comfortable, homey warmth in her surroundings, and I imagine she would take one look at this place and say, "Jeez, Eric! What are you going to do, operate in here? What this place needs is some pillows, or soft rugs, or plants, or something!"

Grrr. I have been here less than fifteen minutes, and already my absent wife is invading my thoughts. Looking over the selection of books in the living room, I chose a title sure to engross me, and try to get comfortable in one of the chairs... except that soon I find myself reading the same paragraph over and over, as I wonder for about the hundredth time tonight just what my Bonded is doing. Throwing the book aside, I get up and pace around the room, trying to think about anything but Sookie... with absolutely no success. Striding down the hall, I viciously stab the proper code into the electronic lock to my resting chamber, let myself inside, and then throw myself on the bed. I shove a couple of pillows under my head, and stare blankly up at the ceiling. Sometimes when I have other weighty issues on my mind, I distract myself by mentally replaying old battles, but tonight that technique is a total failure. Instead of sword strokes, I seem to be remembering warm fairy kisses, and the way my Lover's soft but firm breasts feel cupped in my hands... Giving up trying to keep Sookie out of my head, I deliberately conjure her image up in my mind's eye, but find that it is not enough. I heartily wish now that I had put her snapshot in my pocket before leaving Valhalla. There is no computer here, so I cannot look at her photos online. There is nothing here that has the slightest thing to do with her. Nothing carries her scent, her hand has not touched a single thing in this house... so what in the hell am I doing here? I should be at our home! Every tiny thing at Valhalla bears her stamp, and I want... no, I need to be there.

Without wasting another minute, I run through the house and out to the car. It is quite a drive to Valhalla and it will be dangerously close to dawn before I get arrive, but I do not care. I want to go to rest in our home, surrounded by our things. I want to see the picture of my wife with the sun on her face. I need to hold her soft nightgown, and breathe in her scent. Once I am in the car, and speeding towards home, somehow I feel much, much better.

*****

Fortunately, the streets are nearly deserted, and I make it back to Valhalla in record time. The Were guards are already on duty, and I wave at them as I drive through the gates. The large crate is still sitting in the driveway unopened, but I do not want to stop and open it now. It can wait until tomorrow night. I park the car, and rapidly enter the house. There is not much time left until dawn, so I head straight down to our chamber. After setting the locks, I take a quick shower, and in less than five minutes I am sliding between the sheets of our bed. I slide open the drawer to my nightstand, pull out the notebook along with Sookie's nightie and panties. After satisfying my craving for my woman's scent, I pick up her picture and stare at it for a long time. Finally, I lay it carefully aside, and then once again flip through the notebook. In my eagerness to read all her thoughts, I had skipped over most of the lists and drawings, and tonight I take my time and study them. The ideas for the gardens particularly catch my eye, and I can tell that Sookie is becoming very interested in the way they will look when finished. I allow myself to go into downtime, and begin to imagine what this place will eventually be like if Sookie comes home... just as I am slipping into a dream, the strangest feeling comes over me, as if someone else has taken over and is directing my dream... and yet, it is still very much my dream....

There are two things that make me realize that I am definitely dreaming. First, although I can see a scene before me, and it feels extremely real, I am not physically present. Second, it is daylight. From a bird's eye view, I look down and see a compound in the middle of a vast tract of mostly wooded land. There is a large building in the middle, with several smaller buildings set at various angles around it. A large fence surrounds the perimeter of the property, and I see heavily armed men standing at the gates. I seem to be getting ever closer and suddenly zoom in to ground level. Before me stands a beautiful old mansion, and after just a moment I recognize it to be Valhalla... but something about it is vastly different. Ah! I know! Sookie's landscaping plans have become a reality, and everything seems to be mature and lush. There is a huge fountain in the center of the front drive surrounded by a riot of colorful flowers. Handsome vines crawl up trellises, and planters everywhere are dripping with blooms. Three cars are parked in front: a shiny new red Escalade, a silver Lexus, and a very sleek red sports car whose make I do not recognize immediately. On closer inspection, I see the rectangular emblem of a prancing black horse on a yellow field on the hood... so it is a Ferrari. The license plate on that one reads "Fang 1," so I presume it must be mine.

As if I am strolling casually along in the sunlight, my field of vision pans around the side of the house and then past it to the back yard. It is obviously very late afternoon, and the sun is low in the sky. It is giving everything the most beautiful golden glow, and the delicate pinks, purples, and golds in the clouds are so spectacular that a bubble of joy rises within me at the miraculous sight... even if I am presently nothing but air. A sudden movement catches my eye, and I see the figure of woman kneeling in the dirt at the base of a statue. It stands in the very middle of a magnificent rose garden in full bloom. The woman is taking small plants from a flat on the ground next to her, and shoving them into the tiny holes she has already dug with a trowel. Her long golden hair is tied back with a blue bandanna, and she is wearing a pair of disreputable cut-offs and a rather dirty pink halter top. Still, this female is nothing short of spectacularly beautiful. The sun is hitting the side of her lovely face giving it a gorgeous golden cast. She looks up at another woman who is sitting on a nearby garden bench, who has just said something I could not hear clearly. The first girl brushes away a smudge of dirt from her face with the back of her gloved hand, opens her mouth, and out pours the most musical laughter I have ever heard... and only then do I realize that this woman working in the soil is my friend, my lover, my wife... it is Sookie.

I want to run to her, to hold her and tell her how glad I am to see her, and how much I have missed her; but of course, without a body I can do none of those things. I can only watch, and listen. Sookie says to the other woman, "Can you stay for dinner? Juanita's making arroz con pollo."

My eyes drift to her companion, and I barely recognize Sookie's friend Amelia. She is very different in appearance from the last time I saw her. Her hair is cut quite short, her belly is extremely swollen, and she looks very, very uncomfortable... oh! She must be with child. In answer to Sookie's question, she says, "No, I have to get home. Trey gets all nervous if I'm not home by supper time."

From behind me, I hear the crunch of footsteps, and an unfamiliar man steps into the dream. He bows and in a well-bred British accent says to Sookie, "Excuse me, madam. Your publisher called, and the proof will be ready to be viewed early next week. Also, the Master's secretary phoned, and wanted to know what to tell the caterers for this weekend's party. They can't seem to get it straight how many you are expecting."

Sookie sighs, and replies, "Holy cats! How many times do I have to tell them! I have a good head count on everybody but the vampires... they are horrible about R.S.V.. Two hundred is the closest I can guess... That's about what it was last year. And listen... make sure they have that private label blood that we served in New Orleans last month, okay? None of that crummy stuff for this group. Monarchs are very picky when it comes to blood. Oh, and Truman? Will you stick a bottle of the Dom into the fridge? I want to have some on hand for later." She gives the man a broad wink.

He merely chuckles and responds, "Yes, Your Grace. I will see to it."

As soon as he leaves, Amelia asks curiously, "Hey, Sook, what's the champagne for? Your birthday isn't until Friday."

"Huh. It's just in case I get busted for working in the dirt. You know, even after all this time, the big guy just hates to see me dirty... if he gets pissed, I just haul out the Dom, give him a lick or two, and we're off to the races... end of problem."

Amelia snorts, and replies, "You two! Still fucking like bunnies, even after all this time! If you want to get cleaned up, you'd better get a move on, because it's just about dark."

At that, Sookie just smiles to herself, and says gently, "I know." She shoves the last plant into its little hole, piles a little dirt around the roots, and pats it in. Getting gracefully to her feet, she brushes off her knees, and inspects her work. A satisfied grin appears on her lovely (if slightly dirty) face. "I'm done anyhow," she says to her friend, "Let me get rid of the evidence, and then I'll walk you to your car." She gives a little wave of her hand, and miraculously the trowel, gloves, empty flat, and watering can disappear. Neither one of the women seem to find this startling bit of magic strange in the slightest.

Sookie helps haul her unwieldy friend to her feet, and then they walk arm and arm towards the back of the house. I float along behind them, listening. By now, the sun is just about to dip below the horizon, and the lights inside the house are shining out of the windows in a welcoming way. Amelia asks, "Is your family coming to the party?"

"Of course," Sookie replies, "They never miss a chance to see Alexander." Even in my dream state, I feel a jolt of fear. Who is this "Alexander"? Perhaps I am not present because I am finally dead, and I really am a ghost. Perhaps that was his car in the drive. Perhaps Sookie has married my successor. Is that to whom she is referring as "the big guy"? Is that who she fucks constantly, and with abandon? Does she allow him to lick the essence of champagne from her lips, as I used to do? Even in my dream state, the thought of that is enough to drive me insane, but I am powerless to shout out to Sookie and have her end my agony. All I can do is float along, and watch.

Amelia continues, "So, is the rest of your nest here yet, or are they still out of town?"

Sookie laughs and says, "Robert will be here in time for the party. Pam is still in New Orleans, finishing up the new club. It will be opening soon. Bill is here, though. He dragged home the blond du jour... I doubt this one lasts more than a week. I wish he could settle down..."

"Sookie, you know very well that he will never find anyone to replace you, and I doubt he's even really trying. He seems content enough."

"I suppose so," Sookie replies, and then rather cryptically adds,"He makes a great uncle, though, doesn't he?"

So this vampire Alexander has stolen not only my wife, but my entire nest, too! This must be one incredible vampire, obviously extremely old and devious or he would never have been able to best me. At least it was not Luke! Now I am anxious to get a good look at this amazing vampire. By this time, the two women are back to the house, and they step up onto the cool-decking surrounding the pool. It now has a type of trellis over one end, obviously to provide shade on a sunny afternoon. From my current angle, I can see very little but the two women's backs. Sookie puts her hands on her hips and says sternly, "Alexander, you are going to turn into a pickle! You've been in that pool for hours! Morwenna, you shouldn't let him con you into letting him stay in so long... I hope you've put on another layer of that sunblock Niall sent... you know how badly he burns."

What! This Alexander can walk in the sun... he cannot be vampire! I cannot see past Sookie to catch a glimpse of this man. Why is she speaking to him in that fashion? Who is he? What is he? Oh no... he must be Fairy. But then why would my vampires be working for him, and living in his home? None of this makes any sense at all! My head is swimming, and I am frantic for answers, but I can only observe.

A feminine voice just out of my field of vision replies to Sookie in a strange language. Sookie says something back to her in the same language, and then laughs."In English, please, Morwenna," she says. "We are being rude to our guest."

A heavily accented voice says, "I am sorry, Your Grace. Miss Amelia, what I said was, 'the wee one is as persuasive as his father, the young rascal.'" And then, the voice addresses someone else that I cannot see, "Now there, young man, remember our deal. You agreed to get out at sunset... and it just set. Out of the pool with you."

The wee one? I am just wondering who else is present, when a small, thin voice says, "Please, Mommy! Just five more minutes?"

Ah! It must be another child of Amelia's. I am expecting her to answer him, when, to my astonishment, my viewpoint shifts instantly to the opposite side of the pool. Suddenly, I am physically present in this amazing dream. Sure enough, I look down and can see my body. I am bare-chested, clad in nothing but a pair of low-slung sleep pants, and I am standing just inside the French doors that open onto the patio. Through the panes, I see Sookie gazing fondly at a small boy who is facing away from me. He is standing on the top step of our pool, his tiny hand resting on the head of a large, dripping wet golden retriever who is nearly as big as the boy. Ignoring them both, my eyes frantically search the rest of the area for a glimpse of my rival, this Alexander; but to my surprise and confusion, there is no one else present but what appears to be a female Elf. To my further amazement, my wife opens her mouth and says firmly, "No, Alexander. Baby, you need to get out before your father gets up."

My eyes are instantly drawn back to the small figure in the pool. So this is the dreaded Alexander? Relief pours through me as I realize that he is not my replacement at all, but a child. Then, the other shoe drops... Sookie called him... baby. This is Sookie's child? How is this possible? Who is the father? How did she ever get me to agree to it? I am completely overwhelmed with confusion and conflicting emotions. I jerk open the door and step outside, wanting to get to the bottom of this mystery as soon as possible. Apparently, the boy hears the door, because immediately he twirls around and looks at me.

For just a second, we stare at each other without moving, but in that brief flash of time, I take in the fact that this is surely the most radiantly beautiful child ever born. He is perfectly proportioned with thick blond hair the same shade as his mother's. His eyes are an incredible, intense shade of sapphire blue... exactly... like... mine. Stunned, I seem rooted to the spot, but the tiny boy has apparently has no such restriction of movement. A huge smile crosses his handsome little face, and he shouts, "Daddy!" He runs to me, and quite literally flies in my arms...and in the strange way of dreams, as I hold his fragile little body to mine, I know that he really is my son, my very own flesh and blood... and that he can walk in the daylight. There are no words to describe my tumbling emotions at this moment of realization. Shock... joy... and an overwhelming love for this tiny creature slam through my body and my mind. As I clutch this miracle to my chest, I draw in his scent. He smells heavenly... like sunlight and saltwater... like Fairy and yet... like me. What is this child? Before I can ask his mother one of a thousand questions, Alexander... my son starts to wriggle, and demands, "Down, Daddy! You're mashing me!" Reluctantly, I set him down, and he and the dog bolt away towards the kitchen, his laughter ringing out behind him like wind chimes in the breeze.

Sookie merely laughs, shakes her head, and walks towards me. She calls after him, "Alex, if you are getting some blood, take some up your Uncle Bill on the way up to your room, will you? He should be up by now." I cannot believe the changes in my Bonded. She looks much the same, but seems so happy... so self-confident in her station as wife, mother, Queen. My lovely Bonded slides into my arms, and turns her face up for a kiss. As much as I want to ask her those thousand questions, I want to feel her warm lips under mine even more. I practically crush her to me, eagerly kissing her lips, her face, her neck... lingering there, I can smell her delectable blood racing under that firm, silky skin. I run my hands up and down her body, just to be certain she is really there, and immediately I develop a raging erection. My woman chuckles deep in her throat, and says, "Well! You sure are in a mood tonight!"

I have missed her so much! I am never going to let her out of my sight again! Suddenly, I realize that I can feel her emotions... our Bond is open. Relief floods through me, and Sookie breaks away from my passionate embrace and asks uncertainly, "Eric? Are you all right?"

"Yes," I answer with feeling, "Yes, I am. Say goodbye to Amelia. You are coming with me."

With that, I scoop her up in my arms, and head to the bedroom. Over my shoulder, she calls out, "Bye, Amelia! Call me if you go into labor!"

Wasting no time, I rush through the house to the entrance to our chamber. On the way, I barely take in the changes to the house. Now it is completely furnished, warm and elegant,and very much a comfortable home. I carry my wife down the stairs, and deposit her on our bed. In no time, I have her peeled out of her shorts and top, and then I remove my sleep pants. My beautiful wife lies naked on the bed, looking up at me with love and passion in her eyes. She spreads her legs willingly, holds out her arms in welcome, and says, "Come on, baby. I can tell you are ready... and so am I."

Needing no other encouragement, I crawl between her legs and position myself at her entrance. I can feel the heat coming off her center in waves, and I simply cannot wait another instant. I plunge myself into her in a single stroke. She is wet and hot and tight, and I fill her perfectly. We both let out identical groans of sheer pleasure. My Lover hooks her ankles around my calves, and tilts her pelvis up, her signal that she wants me to go as deeply as I can... and I am more than happy to oblige her. Before long, I am thrusting into her with abandon, almost out of my head with pleasure. Tonight, there is no holding back, no finessing the situation. This is as raw and primitive as it gets... but also, the love that is flowing back and forth through the Bond is amazing in its intensity. Never before has it been as strong and pure as it is right now. After a few more minutes of intense, pounding bliss, I can tell when my Lover is nearing her peak; and without hesitation I bite into her sweet flesh. Her fantastic fairy-laced blood shoots into my hungry mouth, and I draw deeply as she cums for me. As soon as I feel her contractions gripping my cock, I cannot hold back another second. I explode inside her, and my own orgasm seems to go on and on. Sookie clings to me as the shock waves subside, holding me in place, and I do not want to move, either. I prop myself up on my elbows, and stare deeply into her eyes. I want her to see the truth in mine as I tell her, "Sookie, I love you so much. Promise me you will never leave me."

My Twice-Bonded gives me a heartbreakingly beautiful smile, and says, "I love you, too, Eric. How could I ever leave you? We are one." She draws my head down to hers for another kiss...

… and as unexpectedly as I had drifted into the vivid, bizarre dream, I drift back out of it. Just as I did upon waking from the dream last night, I can still feel the faint stirrings of Sookie's life force still inside me. Almost instinctively, I call out to her through the Bond: Beloved, come back! I love you!"...but then, I know the fragile connection is once again closed. Euphoric from that brief connection, I lie quite still and savor the memory of it. Before I can puzzle out the meaning of the strange dream, or why I am able to feel my Bonded directly afterward, the sun comes up and sends me to my slumber.