THANKS TO: RomanticSoul, Renny777, VAlady, mindy781, isipare, classicoldmama, B-Rock525

Chapter 34

"Well my idea was that we meet in the middle but if you don't want that, then-"

I sigh and rub my belly as he listens to Isabel. He was hoping that instead of going all the way to Mexico, we could meet on neutral ground but he needs her support.

"Isabel, just be honest. Are you with me or against me?"

Pam comes in and hands me another two glasses of blood that I devour. It's almost like the babies know that a fight is coming or something. Or I'm just nervous and I'm eating to try and calm my nerves.

I don't feel dread coming off him, which means her answer is positive and that is a good thing. We need at least one friend though what if she's in on something as well? I pull out my phone and text Morgan to see if she has any way of getting us a glimpse of the future.

Tara walks in flanked by Jessica and Jessica sits beside me and immediately pats my belly to say hello to the babies. I smile at her and squeeze her hand gently.

"Cars are here," Tara tells Pam, who nods and smacks Tara's ass before pushing her back to the door. Pam doesn't show much affection in front of others but Tara says she's quite passionate at home. In many ways, Tara and Pam are very much alike.

Pam says something in Swedish to Eric and he nods and says something back before continuing in Spanish with Isabel. I can only pick a few words here and there but he's not angry.

"Pam, do you have some normal clothes here?" I wonder. I'm wearing a sundress but I'm thinking something more… fighty would be good. "Perhaps a track suit or something more suited for battle?"

"He's just being overly cautious, Princess," she says. "But clothes for you are packed. Your tigers brought a bag when they came."

"Meg and Dani are here? Where?"

"They're staying outside right now being briefed with the rest of the team."

I nod and sigh as I stand because even though I'm not huge, I think there are enough babies to press on my bladder. I head across the hallway to the ladies room. I'm grateful for the quiet in here. Eric has been chattering in multiple languages for the last forty-five minutes and it's stressful in there.

I sit and pee and I suppose it's the perfect time to check in with the babies. It's so easy to listen in on them now and call me crazy but I think they like when I'm peaking. They're chirping away happily and I rub my belly.

"You like when Mama is listening, huh? Because you know she pays attention to you. I'll always pay attention to you my little birdies. Mama will always take care of you too."

I close my eyes just a minute to really concentrate on their presence and send them my love. I glow purple to them when an image flashes before my eyes so quickly that it's hard to process. I close my eyes again and concentrate on them even harder. "Do it again, Loves," I whisper since I know it was them. "Mama's here. Show me again."

Again, an image flashes at me a little clearer and I catch a glimpse of one of my babies. I don't know how but I know it's a little boy, surrounded in warm goo, with his thumb in his mouth staring at me and a rush of love toward him flows through me with the image. "That's your brother," I whisper. "That's… show me another," I beg. "Whoever you are, show me another. Please…" I breathe deeply and struggle to concentrate through my excitement and another image appears to me of another little boy blinking at me, trying to splash me with goo and a sense of amusement strikes me. "That's another brother. You have two brothers, Sweetheart."

I wipe off and rush out to the mirrors and touch my stomach again. I stare at myself and concentrate as I think at my little sweetie. I'd like to think who I'm communicating with is a little girl. The energy feels feminine. "This is Mama," I tell her. "That's me, that's Mama, Sweetheart." Another wave of warmth and love come over me and I mirror it right back to her.

"Can you show me the other baby?" I ask her. "Do you have another brother? Or a sister? Show-"

"Sook, we're almost ready. You?" Tara says as she bursts in. "You- okay?"

"I- yeah," I nod. "The- one of the babies was talking to me, Tara! She was sending me images."

"Lover?" Eric asks as he comes in. "We're ready. Let's go."

"ERIC!" I grin happily and throw myself in his arms and flood him with the images I saw.

"What is that?"

"Your two sons," I inform him. "She's communicating. She sent me images, or I tapped into what she was seeing. I don't know, but- two boys and a girl. I didn't see the other baby yet."

~*~*~*~*~*~

I'm absolutely stunned as Sookie shows me the images again and the feelings of love and affection come through as well. I just can't believe amidst all this frustration and worry, that I have two sons and a daughter and another to be determined. The images of my sons are just incredible, not only because they come from inside the womb but because they are my sons.

I hug her tightly.

Thank you for such an incredible gift, my fairy goddess.

Right back at you, my vampire viking.

She shows me again and again and I'm completely head over heels for them, just like she is.

I pull her into the office. "I had wanted to do this tonight once we got home, somewhat romantically, but… this seems like the proper time."

"What?" she wonders and the excitement and happiness we're both feeling is a nice contradiction to the worry and fear of the last hour.

I've gone through this in my mind a hundred different ways and even went so far as to ask Jessica for advice because she's more of a romantic than Pam or Tara. I wanted this perfect for Sookie.

"Sit down," I say and lead her to the couch before zipping over and lifting my father's crown off its stand and joining her again. "Sookie, I plan to spend the rest of eternity by your side with our family. I am a vampire king and I've taken you as my chosen, my bonded human and one day my progeny, but above all, my mate. Vampirically, we are one forever. However I was also a Viking king and I would be honored to have you as my queen. There is no one who deserved this more." I hand her the crown.

"Eric!" I feel the shock coursing through her. "I- Eric… this crown-"

"Belongs with the mother of the heir to it, with the creature who brings my humanity out. It belongs to the woman who captured this viking's heart. As does this." I pull the box that arrived today by courier out of my pocket. I open it to show her.

"Oh my god, Eric, this is-"

"A symbol of my eternal commitment to you."

I take it out and slip it on her finger and it truly does look regal. The diamond is stunning and of the best clarity but it's offset by the two tear shaped rubies on either side of it.

"You- didn't have to do this. It's-"

"Only a symbol of the depth of my devotion to you and our children."

"I… love it, Eric. I love it. Thank you," she smiles and hugs me tightly. "It's… this crown… belongs in our home, not here on a shelf in a bar. We will display it somewhere so the children can be proud of their heritage."

"That sounds like a very nice idea," I tell her and kiss her softly. "I'd wanted to do this later, but-"

"It was perfect, Eric," she tells me and I know she feels that way. "Thank you. I know it's silly, and human, but… I want us to have every connection we can, and a human marriage is one of them."

"Human marriage, vampire marriage and fae marriage, we'll do all three, I promise, Lover," I say and kiss her cheek. "We just have to get through this week's disaster."

"Do you really think it's going to be bad? What did Isabel say?"

"She still swears fealty to me and thinks Enrique is being rash. But… time will tell. We're meeting them at Isabel's compound in Dallas. Hopefully it goes well and I can convince them that there's no problem."

"You will," she tells me and touches my face gently. "You have to."

"Eric," Pam says as she enters. "We're ready. Let's go. We need the night."

I lead Sookie out front and she goes in the middle seat of the SUV between Jessica and I, the two tigers in the back seat, with Pam and Tara in the front. In total, we have three full SUV's going as the official Northman contingent. Unofficially, a car with four additional loyals is already on its way to be close by and another car will be an hour behind.

The ride will take about three hours so we'll be there well before dawn, which will give us time to get to Isabel's and check it out. Enrique isn't supposed to arrive until tomorrow so if my people find any traces of him around, I'll know Isabel is not loyal.

In the meantime, there's nothing to do but talk or listen to the radio and Sookie falls asleep on my shoulder, which is good for her and the babies. My sons. I keep seeing their sweet faces over and over. Though some of their features have yet to develop, they look amazing. It's hard to concentrate when I know four little miracles are growing inside my Sookie.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Did you honestly think you'd get away with this, Viking?" he snarls and the blond. "I didn't think you were that stupid, but you've bred devils and they must be destroyed."

He growls as silver mesh is wrapped around his head. She struggles against the iron restraints that bind her arms and legs to the table but whatever he's injected her with is strong.

"These demons are a danger to us all," he growls as he raises a knife over her.

"NOOOOOOOO!" I shriek and energy blasts out of me forcefully.

"NOO!" I shriek as I jerk awake.

"Sookie?" Eric asks, worried.

"It's- someone wants the babies, Eric. They're going to take us, kidnap us to kill them. Please- we have to protect them. We have to turn around. We can't go. We-"

"We're here already, Sookie," he says and I look out the window to see a huge ranch coming in to view and I'm filled with dread.

.

.

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AN: If you want to see the ring, google the following term: Genuine Diamond & Natural Ruby Engagement Ring Solid Platinum. It is housed at a website called: eragem dot com. However when you search that term at the website, it doesn't show up. But it does in google.