AN: It took me, what, five years to finally post this? Three years? I don't even know- so sorry! But this story is finally complete!
Chapter 50
I was utterly elated to rise and feel Addy and Aidan's presence here again. I realize they need to learn a lot about Faery if they are expected to one day rule but we've only had them ten years; it's far too soon to let them float away.
Addy teleports to me and hugs me tightly.
"I don't think you two should leave again anytime soon. That's an official King Northman declaration. Your mother and I are far too lonely without you."
"Lonely? I have half a dozen minds keeping me busy here," Sookie laughs as she rubs her stomach. "And they're very excited and anxious about coming out and meeting everyone."
She's been saying that for the past few weeks: they have been wanting to come out now but simply aren't big enough yet. I know their desperation to be held by their parents and siblings has been a stress on her, as are the other fourteen. Soon to be twenty. Twenty children. I still can't believe how incredibly magic has blessed us.
"We won't for a long time," Aidan states and crawls over to sit by me and slips under my arm. I realize he's nearly adult-grown but he's still only ten years on this planet and I love hugging my children. I have not participated in the nicknames Sookie invents but I do enjoy cuddling with my family. I love the nights Sookie and I spend alone in our bedroom but the nights when we stay in the sleeping room with them are incredible. Fourteen little glowing fairies produce a wonderful heat around me. With their hearts echoing in my ears, delicious heat and love coursing through my veins it's the closest to being alive I can be.
I wrap my arm around him and hug him. "Min son, missade vi dig," I whisper in his ear. (We missed you.)
"Men alltid mitt hjärta är här, Fader," he whispers back. (But always, my heart is here.)
I kiss his forehead and Addy's too as she slinks under my other arm. They smell of the sweet Faery flowers that grow in our garden mixed with sunshine and warmth. Luckily, they don't appeal to our clan of vampires. We can't explain why either but vampires related to us don't seem attracted to them as they are to other fairies. When non-related vampires are around, all the children mask their scent by accessing their green light but around family they can be who they are.
"Pappa," Astrid mumbles groggily as she stretches a bit. "Pappa?"
"I'm here, min dotter," I state and she's suddenly in my lap with her arms around my neck hugging me. "Hello."
"Pappa!" Bjorn and Even both nearly shout as they wake suddenly. "Pappa, you're awake! Momma wouldn't let us wake you."
"You know that I must rest or else I get sick," I tell them as they race across the room to jump on top of me. "But did you notice your brother and sister are home?"
"We were mauled early," Addy explains with a laugh. "We got here in time for the afternoon snooze."
"I'll sleep very well having all my babies under one roof tonight," Sookie smiles and glows at her swollen stomach. I have no idea how she finds the strength to do all she does. The only explanation I have is that she is magic. How else could she bring me twenty beautiful children in ten years? How else could breast feed for ten years straight without complaining once? How can she manage all their needs and leave them feeling loved and adored by their parents every day? My wife, my queen, is magic.
I want you, Sookie.
I allow my love and desire for her to flow through the bond so she feels how deeply I need to feel her under me.
You always want me, Eric.
That is true, but some times more than others.
And what makes this time any different than any other moment of the day or night?
Nothing in particular, Lover. But perhaps the older children can watch the others while I help you shower.
If you help me shower, Eric, I'll leave dirtier than when I went in.
I chuckle to myself at her because that is partially true.
But what a delicious dirty it will be, min älva.
She raises an eyebrow suggestively at me and Addy blasts my side with a bit of light. "You do remember that I can hear all this, right?"
"Stop being so nosy, Princess," Sookie laughs.
"There is some comfort in knowing that our parents are still madly in love with each other," she acknowledges. "Note I said some comfort."
"I think it's romantic," Erica comments as she stretches out groggily. Sookie's amusement comes through and it is amusing that Erica is quite blood thirsty and was ready to fight in the womb yet she has this incredibly romantic side to her. She loves watching romantic comedies with Sookie and they read love stories and discuss them at length. She is a very interesting daughter. All of them are.
"Or it's a Freudian nightmare," Cory chides and it amuses us all. It is an intense blood bond we all share but we also wouldn't be the family we are if we didn't have it.
"Can we fight?" Bjorn asks.
"Yeah, can we?" Both Astrid and Even ask in unison.
"After dinner, I'm sure Pappa will have time to play," Sookie responds. She has insisted that we sit for a meal together every evening. I know they eat throughout the day and that breakfast and lunch are somewhat haphazard but dinner is always served at six when I rise.
"Now we need babies fed and hands and faces washed as always," she smiles. "Dinner is in an hour."
"Dwink Pa?" Iona whimpers and she teleports herself into my arms that moved the second she woke. "Dwink?"
"Yes, Iona," I nod and put my wrist to her mouth. She latches on immediately. We do drink a lot of donor blood in this house. All the children drink blood to some degree. The older they are, the less of mine they seem to crave though they do drink donor blood as well. Luckily, Pam has an impeccable system for getting clean blood and paying well. Most of our employees that clean and maintain the properties donate blood once a month as do their family members. They receive bonuses for any donation they give.
Most humans, once they saw that the WVA wanted to keep everyone safe, accepted the supernatural creatures that came out. It's much better than it was, especially in my territory because I work with the local governments to create jobs and support businesses. Nora also facilitates a vampire work program wherein they provide night labor on construction and infrastructure projects, often in exchange for some cash and clean blood. The system is working very well and the other kings and queens have been learning from us how to integrate into the human society.
I believe this is the first time in this world's history when there has been peace amongst the supernatural beings. Our presence and promises of peace have also calmed many of the human wars as well. I almost think a lot of supernatural energy, or even beings themselves, were creating that chaos or perhaps it was the chaos worshippers themselves. But this world has had a beautiful ten years of kindness and I hope to keep that going. Granted there are humans who do not like the power we have but they are easily controlled.
"Pappa, can we come tonight?" Cory asks as he grabs Astrid before she tries to float up and she teleports them both above the mattress and slams him down, both laughing. They certainly have a different type of sibling play than others do.
"Sshh, there are a few still sleeping," Sookie reminds them. "And Kari didn't sleep well last night. And you were already told no, Cory. Do not try and play us against us each other. I said we need your help with the others while we go."
Iona pulls away from my wrist and I scoop her close to me to simply hold her. She rests her head on my shoulder and I feel her mind slip away gently back asleep.
"If your mother said no, then no," I state. Our boys do try and play us against each other which is something they learned when they weren't even developed enough to speak. "How do you feel, Sookie?"
She is radiant all the time and even more so when she is pregnant, even if she's uncomfortable. I also know the longing she would feel in the times she wasn't pregnant. She won't admit it but I know it was there.
"It's going to be soon, Pappa," Addy says. "That's why we had to come back."
"So soon, huh?" I smile as I watch Sookie's belly glow. "They're anxious to meet everyone."
"Pappa!" Willow happily shouts as she rouses from her nap and her excitement stirs the other sleeping minds. "We missed you today."
"You miss me every day," I laugh as she throws herself down next to me and I hug her tightly.
"Yes," she states. "Can you stay awake with us tomorrow?"
The resounding echoes of "yes" and "can you" from the others convince me and I nod. "I will. But that's tomorrow and right now I believe your mother wants us all to wash and change for dinner."
Right on schedule Rachel and Emma knock on the door and take Kari and Iona for a change while the older ones help the youngers to their rooms to change and clean up.
~*~*~*~*~*~
I take Eric's hand and teleport us to our bed so I can give him a proper good evening kiss followed by his hands checking my body properly for any changes.
"A little bigger," he grins and kisses my neck.
"All the better to feed you?" I giggle and push him away playfully. "But I slept for a couple hours which means I haven't eaten in said time and I'm starving."
"Shall I carry my lady into the shower and help her get washed?" he offers helpfully although more often than not, his "help" in the shower really hinders my ability to get clean and get to dinner on time. I nod my agreement and disintegrate our clothes as he whisks us into our bathroom.
He starts the water and holds me close to him under the stream for a while. I'm grateful to be held because I love his arms around me.
"Do you remember when you came flying out of your front door and lept into my arms?" he asks as he reaches for the soap.
Every so often he'll ask me something like this and I do very much remember that. "I was so grateful to feel your presence again, so close, and now I'll never miss it."
"You may feel differently after a hundred years. You may wish to send me off for a decade," he teases as he washes my belly with soapy hands.
"Perhaps but I can't imagine it," I laugh softly and glow purple at our babies. "They can't either."
"Well I'm not sure they get a vote."
"Well I'm not sure you do either, Mister," I warn and jolt him with a bit of energy.
"And you do that, I'll send you off for a decade," he threatens as he caresses my breasts with his slippery hands.
I take his face in my hands to make him look me in the eye as I say, "You wouldn't dare dream of a world without me, Eric Northman."
"I wouldn't indeed," he confirms and we kiss softly under the water, a warm glow filling the dark of the room. His hands slip around me and I hold him close as our mouths collide lazily.
I spent two years denying what I wanted, denying his claim to me, denying my feelings for him. I'm just so grateful fate allowed me to get out of my own way. I'm so grateful for everything that led me to this amazing life we've created and the lives still to come.
THE END of the TO BE Trilogy
