Author's Notes: First, I want to thank Charlaine Harris for creating the SVM universe. Book 12 just came out, and although I can't read it (to do so interferes with writing this story) a friend of mine always tells me what happens. Like many of you, I was a tad bit disappointed with the direction the "real" story has taken. All I can say is... thank goodness for fan fiction! I can write an HEA for my favorite pair.

****I want to thank everyone for such nice reviews for the last chapter. I know I promised to have this posted in two weeks, but I was waylaid by the dreaded summer cold. I kept trying to get the chapter right, but the proper words just wouldn't take shape. In fact, it still isn't quite right, but I decided to post anyway.

*****There is a fairly graphic lemon scene in this chapter. This isn't just gratuitous. The transfusion of vampire blood has made Sookie very uninhibited, and Eric has enjoyed this very much. This scene reassures him that even though her blood is nearly back to normal, she is just as adventurous. Although he is a dominant alpha male through and through, he finds her being so bold to be a huge-turn on. My husband wasn't sure I should leave this scene in as written, because some of you might not like it. However, I decided to leave it, sort of as a test case. As a new writer, I am still exploring boundaries. What do my readers like, and what do they consider too much? Please help me out by leaving some comments.

Recap of Chapter 51: Eric and Niall decide that Sookie should stay at Valhalla until she gains control of her appearance, so she and Eric spend several days at home. They both enjoy this time a great deal. Eric gives Juanita a new car to reward her for her loyal service. Bill and Sookie discuss the need for more servants at Valhalla. On Saturday, Robert arrives early, bringing Sookie a "gift": his butler, Wilson. Juanita and Wilson are less than thrilled with each other.

The day of the long-awaited family dinner party finally rolls around. Sookie spends the day preparing, and is confident everything is going to go well. Eric rises at first dark and is very pleased with everything. Shortly before her guests are to arrive, Sookie receives a flower arrangement exactly like the one she got in Las Vegas, along with a note. She suddenly realizes that her creepy caller is Quinn, who has clearly gone crazy. Completely furious, she dashes out into the pouring rain and tries to destroy the tiger lily plants that he sent her several months back.

Eric's POV: The Family Dinner Party, Sunday night, Valhalla

Sunday night I awaken imbued with a feeling of deep contentment. For a vampire, this particular emotion is so rare, so... exotic, that for a long moment, I lie very still and savor it. This warm, altogether unusual feeling grows stronger each night that my Bonded and I stay cocooned together at Valhalla. I can only speculate that by spending so much time together in such a relaxed atmosphere (not to mention the frequent feedings and constant sex), our Bond has not only healed, but grown stronger and more resilient than ever. Sookie is happy, therefore I am happy. To be perfectly honest with myself, though, it isn't only her happiness I feel. I have enjoyed every minute of the last few nights myself. I have owned many, many houses over the centuries; but until now, never one that I could truly call a home. This place and this woman make me happier than I have ever been; in truth, happier than I could have ever imagined myself being.

Lying with my eyes closed, I hear the cause of my contentment puttering around in our dressing room, humming to herself in that charmingly off-key way of hers. Knowing our guests will be arriving soon, I fully expected her to be upstairs fretting over last-minute details. Silently getting out of bed and gliding into the next room, I find my wife sitting in front of her mirror fiddling with her hair. Dressed in a chic new outfit, she has already applied her make-up, and is now twisting her golden locks into a sleek coiffure that exposes her neck. Her sweet Fairy scent perfumes the small room, and it is all I can do to keep from drooling.

After pushing the last hairpin into place, Sookie looks up and catches me admiring her. Although I did not intend to startle her, I certainly do not mind reaping the benefits. The tiny burst of frightened Fairy-scent wafting my way is delightful. We greet each other, and she asks my opinion of her new outfit. Even though I did not buy it for her myself, I like it a great deal. It is very elegant yet casual enough for a "family dinner." Robert asked me to make sure Sookie wears her canary diamond tonight, so he can give his new sister the matching bracelet and earrings he made for her. Not wanting to spoil his surprise, I casually suggest that the Sunrise Necklace would look better than the diamond solitaire she has selected. As I help her put it on, I simply cannot resist bending down to kiss the nape of her neck and taking in a deep lungful of her lovely scent. As always, it never fails to arouse both my lust and my hunger.

My Bonded is clearly too nervous and preoccupied to enjoy love-making just now, but I manage to bargain with her for a little sip to tide me over. Over the last several days, I have consumed far more of her blood than I actually require, but it seems the more I have, the more I crave. It is mixed blessing that the vampire blood from the transfusion is almost out of her system. Once it is gone, I will no longer have the excuse to be such a glutton. On the other hand, while the blend of vampire, human, and Fairy blood has been interesting, it is not as spectacular as the unadulterated version. In fact, the Fae component in Sookie's newly-manufactured blood is more pronounced than ever, probably due to her increased use of magic. Taking more than a mouthful or two gives me quite a buzz. Also, I seriously miss giving my Bonded my blood, an activity we can resume as soon as her blood-content is back to normal. With any luck, another couple of days should do it.

Once I am done with my little snack, my lovely fairy-wife slips on her new sandals and pops upstairs, leaving me alone to dress. While in the shower, I think about the evening ahead. Sookie has designed this party to be "a relaxed family dinner," but of course it is much more than that. Whether she realizes it or not, this is a momentous occasion in the Supernatural world, as it is the very first time a Vampire King has ever entertained a Fae Prince for purely social reasons. It may also turn out to be important for another, albeit much more personal reason: there is at least a small chance I will finally meet the Fairy that tried to seduce my wife.

Several times over the last few nights, I came close to confessing to Sookie that I asked Claudine to invite this Rhys, but in the end I did not. For one thing, I truly doubt he will have enough nerve to come, and for another... even though I believe Sookie when she says she did not have sex with this man, that does not mean she has no feelings for him. The vampire in me wants... no, needs to see (and feel) her unguarded reaction when she first lays eyes on him. That very first moment should tell me everything I need to know. Since I have vowed to my wife no Fairy will come to harm during this event, I sternly remind myself no matter how strongly I am tempted, I must not kill him tonight. Instead, I will play the perfect host, and sometime during the evening, either Robert or I will trick him into revealing where he can be found after the party.

After my shower, I take more care in selecting my clothes than I usually do, telling myself it has nothing whatsoever to do with Rhys, and everything to do with a Vampire King's need to appear equal to the Fae Prince in every respect. Since Sookie made it clear to everyone the dress for this event should be casual, I finally decide on a pair of Armani slacks, a silk shirt, and a pair of Italian loafers. It will be interesting to see if Niall follows his great-granddaughter's instructions. I have known him for many years but have never once seen him in anything less formal than a three-piece suit. Once I am dressed, I check my appearance in the mirror, debating with myself over how best to wear my hair- until I realize what I am doing. Irritated, I give it a quick brush and call it good.

Heading upstairs, I take extra care to make sure the entrance to our hidden chamber is completely invisible. I promised my Bonded I would get the music for the evening set up right away, so I stop at my desk and retrieve my iPod. When Sookie first gave it to me, I had no idea how much I would enjoy the little device. In the last few days, I have spent many pleasurable hours searching for my favorite music. Some of my true favorites are old and obscure and not digitized for the masses, but when I have time, I may dig some old recordings out of storage and do it myself; or more likely, get Bill to do it. It turns out he is something of an audiophile, and was more than happy to wire an iPod docking station into our existing sound system. I was glad for him to do it, too, because the "control room" that houses the wired-in sound system and many of the other electronic components of Valhalla is not much more than a glorified closet. Crowded from floor to ceiling with wires and equipment, the narrow space is a serious challenge for someone of my size. This was a design flaw on my part, and some further remodeling will have to be done soon to make everything more accessible.

The small control room is located towards the back of the house. On my way there, I take note of how nice Valhalla looks this evening. Fresh flowers and softly glowing candles have been strategically placed throughout the house, lending a great deal of warmth and charm to the big rooms. I make a quick detour so I can see what Sookie has done with the back terrace. I find my surprisingly calm mate outside watching the butler light a host of hurricane lamps and candles. Glancing around with approval, I finally see why my wife insisted on this venue. It is utterly charming, much more conducive to relaxation than the rather stiff formal dining room. The newly installed twinkle lights add a touch of magic to the atmosphere.

Sookie has done a wonderful job planning this event, and is clearly ready to start entertaining on a grander scale. I am very proud of her, and decide to take the time to tell her so. Slipping my arms around her, I whisper my little words of praise into her ear. She relaxes against me, and for a moment we stand together admiring her handiwork. As she listens to my compliments, she smiles and strokes my arm lovingly. Even though I am well aware she is surreptitiously slipping me some of her soothing magic, I say nothing about it. No doubt she is giving me a little as a precautionary measure. Considering how irritating her Fae relatives can be, it is probably not such a bad idea. Besides, it feels much too good to stop her.

Once she has given me a sufficient amount, she gives me a kiss and then dashes off towards the front of the house to take care of some last-minute details. Sighing happily, I practically float to the control room. Once there, I carefully insert myself into the crowded space, trying not to entangle myself or dislodge anything in the process. After snapping my iPod into the new docking station, I pick up the remote control that goes with it and try to figure out how to select the proper play list. Suddenly, I am both surprised and dismayed to hear an ominous rumble of thunder, almost instantly followed by a jolt of negative emotion coming from Sookie. My first thought is this unanticipated threat of rain has seriously upset my mate, but then, a searing blast of white-hot rage sweeps through our Bond. A second later, the sound of glass shattering reaches my ears. Dropping the remote, I hurriedly extract myself from the tiny closet and head for the front of the house at a dead run.

By the time I reach the foyer, Sookie is already gone. I pause just long enough to take in the scene. Fragments of a crystal vase lie amidst a jumble of broken flowers, and the front door is standing wide open. Outside, an unexpected spring cloudburst is pelting the ground with heavy drops. Robert suddenly appears at the top of the staircase, no doubt drawn by the sound of breaking glass. Not bothering to stop for explanations, I run out the door and down the front steps, allowing my instincts to guide me towards my Bonded. I sense that she is only a short distance from the house, and with my superior speed I should be able to catch her before she gets very far.

Once I hit the pavement, I turn left and blaze down the driveway. As I round the first bend, I catch sight of Sookie dashing across an expanse of lawn, headed straight towards a long, curved flower bed. The gardener Hector is trailing behind her, trying in vain to keep up. Chest heaving, he finally gives up and watches as his Mistress jerks to a halt just a few feet shy of the bed. She thrusts her hands out in that gesture that generally results in a conflagration of some sort, but apparently she changes her mind at the last second. Instead, she jumps over a row of short yellow flowers and plows into a huge drift of waist-high green plants towards the back of the bed. With raindrops and tears running down her face, she grabs a clump with both hands and attempts to tug it up by the roots.

The emotions swirling through our Bond are black enough to do any vampire proud. Without the slightest clue as to what could have possibly provoked such bizarre behavior, I rush forward, grab my hysterical spouse around the waist, and lift her bodily out of the flower bed. "Sookie! What on earth are you doing?"

She struggles to get loose, crying, "Let me go! I've got to get them out of here! He sent them!"

"Someone sent you these plants?"

"Yes! He sent me the flowers in Vegas, too, and the ones just now!"

"Sookie, love, you aren't making any sense. Calm down and tell me who sent them." I forcibly turn her around so I can see her face, wondering if I should use my influence as her Bonded to calm her down.

Blue eyes blazing with anger, she yells, "QUINN! FUCKING QUINN sent them to me! Don't you see? These are tiger lilies!"

Staring down at her, I rather stupidly repeat, "Quinn? Quinn sent you some plants? Is that all?"

"Of course that's not all!" Sookie shouts. "He's been here, at our house! He must have been the one that was prowling around the grounds the night we went swimming with Pam! He left the dead deer at the back gate!"

Of course, I already know the Were-Tiger was once here. I knew it the minute I smelled the white tigers at Sandy's Coronation. Now it occurs to me that I never shared that bit of information with Sookie, just as she has apparently forgotten to tell me anything about a dead deer. Before I can ask for details, she cries, "Eric... Quinn is the creep who's been calling me!"

An ice-cold chill starts at the base of my spine and crawls up to my skull. Squeezing my eyes tightly shut, I struggle to contain the dark vampire emotions rising inside me. "Sookie, are you certain?"

"I'm positive. That's why he always whispered, so I wouldn't recognize his voice." She briefly explains about the note that came with the flowers, adding, "He's gone crazy, just like his mother. He hates vampires. I think me rejecting him for you might have driven him over the edge. He's obsessed with getting me back, and he's never gonna stop. He's gonna keep after me until he gets me."

Leaning into me, she buries her head in my chest and begins to cry again. This time, they are not only tears of anger but of fear. When I first discovered the Tiger was actively trying to spirit Sookie away from me, I was furious... but that emotion pales in comparison to what I feel now. Knowing Quinn has actually managed to frighten my wife sends my temper soaring nearly out of control. Now I understand what sent my woman careening into a muddy flower bed, an overwhelming if irrational desire to do something... anything to gain some control over this maddening situation. My own anger and utter frustration at being unable to lay my hands on the Tiger this very minute is perilously close to driving me over the edge of reason. If not for the soothing Fairy magic still circulating in my system, I might well be knee-deep in mud pulling up the rest of those damned lilies, followed by a few full-grown trees for good measure.

Wrapping my arms around my sobbing wife, I hold her tightly as we both try to regain control of our stampeding emotions. As difficult as it is, I must think this through with some degree of rationality. Clearly Sookie is right: Quinn is unbalanced and therefore unpredictable and extremely dangerous. He must be destroyed as soon as possible, but I have to catch him first, and that is proving to be easier said than done. Since the Coronation, my minions have been beating the bushes for him, but no one has seen hide nor hair of him since that time. Having more important issues to deal with over the last few weeks, I relegated the issue to the back burner, confident that sooner or later he would surface. Now finding him has become not just a desire, but a necessity.

Robert, who naturally followed me in my mad dash to catch my Bonded, is standing a few feet away, silently listening to every word. One glance tells me he is very nearly as enraged by this news as I am. Still, he has always been better at keeping his temper in check. After a moment, he steps up behind Sookie and wraps his arms around her too, cocooning her between us. Sea-green eyes blazing with suppressed anger, he stares at me over Sookie's head and says in my language, "There is no question that Quinn must die in the most prolonged and painful way the pair of us can devise, but we can plan our tiger hunt later. Right now, you must calm yourself lest your emotions damage the little one."

Knowing he is right, I make a more serious effort to calm down. Meanwhile, Robert tries his best to soothe Sookie. Switching to French, he begins crooning to her, letting the flowing cadence of his words calm her by degrees. Once her tears begin to subside, he switches to English. "Be angry at Quinn all you want, ma sœur, but the last thing you need to do is fear him. Do you trust me?"

Still unable to speak, Sookie nods her head up and down. Robert says, "Good. Then believe me when I tell you that the Viking and I will keep you safe."

"You can't be with me during the daytime," she mutters.

"If you insist on going out during the day, you will be well guarded." Lowering his voice so that the human gardener cannot hear, Robert murmurs, "I also want to remind you that you are no longer as vulnerable as you once were. You are developing some formidable powers of your own, is that not true?"

"I guess so."

"I know so. If Quinn were to walk out of those woods right now, I suspect Hector there would soon be shoveling up a pile of Tiger ash."

With her forehead leaning against my chest, Sookie makes a sound half-way between a laugh and a hiccup. "All right then," the Knight continues, "We all agree that this lunatic must be caught at the first opportunity. Plans must be made, but if it is all the same to you, I would prefer to do it in a drier location." This earns him a shaky laugh. Giving her one last reassuring squeeze, he drops his arms and steps away.

Tilting her head back, Sookie looks up at me and says apologetically, "I'm sorry for acting like such an idiot, Eric. I swear, I don't know what came over me. I can't blame it on the vampire blood this time."

"You have been through a great deal in a very short amount of time, Dear One. Perhaps this was just one crisis too many. Now, let's get you back to the house before you catch a chill." Before she can protest, I swing her up in my arms and cradle her against my chest. Turning to the astonished gardener, I say, "Dig up every one of the tiger lilies first thing tomorrow. Pile them down by the lake."

Still looking utterly confused, he nevertheless agrees without question. "Yes, sir. Would you like for me to burn them?"

"No, I believe your Mistress wants that pleasure," I reply with a slight smile. Leaving our bewildered gardener standing on the wet lawn, I turn and set off for the house at a brisk pace. The rain has tapered off to nothing more than a light mist. Walking beside us, Robert studies the sky."I think this shower is nearly over. I imagine the servants have moved everything inside by now, but once the rain stops completely, perhaps they can—"

With a gasp of horror, Sookie shrieks, "Oh my God! The party! I was so upset I forgot all about it! How is that even possible?" One dirty hand flies up to her hair. The once elegant hairdo is a total loss, not only soaking wet but sticking out in all directions. Looking down at herself, she groans, "Oh, no! Look at me!"

She is a mess. One bejeweled sandal has come off, probably still stuck in the soft dirt of the flowerbed. The other is covered in muck. Her elegant new outfit is streaked with mud. Robert and I are not quite as dirty but still thoroughly soaked. The Knight laughs. "I am afraid we are all a sorry sight, but if we hurry, we still have time to get cleaned up before your guests arrive. Being Fae, they are almost certain to be fashionably late." Just then, we round the bend in the drive and a look of dismay flashes across his face. With a wince, he adds "...or not."

Catching sight of the tell-tale golden glimmer near the house, I utter a few pithy curses under my breath. Instead of being fashionably (and conveniently) late, it appears that Sookie's family has chosen to arrive several minutes early. Sure enough, a nanosecond later, four Fairies appear in our driveway. Not wanting to startle them too much, I cover the rest of the distance at normal speed, stopping a few yards shy of our guests. Sookie is already at enough of a disadvantage, so I immediately set her on her feet.

For a moment, no one says a word. The three of us stare mutely at the breathtaking creatures now standing in front of us. Niall, Claudine, and Rhiannon stand side-by-side, immaculately dressed in colorful, shimmering fairy-cloth garments. The Prince must be maintaining some sort of invisible canopy over them, because although it is still misting, they are perfect dry. The three of them are the very epitome of mouth-watering Fae perfection. Even with my immunity, it is all I can do to keep my fangs from making an untimely appearance.

I quickly glance at Robert to make certain he is under control. I am pleased not even a hint of fang is showing. Indeed, he is not even looking at the three full-Fairies. His eyes are transfixed by the figure standing directly behind them. By the way his eyes are glowing, I know Sookie was right: my brother is smitten with the little half-Fairy, Faeryn. At least, I assume it is Faeryn. Her head and arms are completely covered by a flowing scarf, and her face is tilted down so I cannot see it. Her floor-length gown is also made of fairy-cloth, but unlike her companion's colorful clothes, hers is a flat gray with no shimmer to it at all. Although she stands perfectly still, I nevertheless get the impression she is poised to pop away at the slightest provocation. The torture she endured must have been truly horrific to reduce the self-confident, vibrant woman I met in the islands to this timid, colorless creature.

Obviously shocked by this transformation, Robert cannot seem to tear his eyes away from the girl. As for me, I am busy counting Fairies. There are definitely only four. As I suspected, the Fairy Rhys is too much of a coward to face me. Given the current situation, though, I am actually quite relieved. Sookie has enough to deal with just now. Our Bond tells me she is already hanging on to her composure by a thread, and I suspect that having that particular guest turn up unexpectedly might prove to be one unpleasant surprise too many. She is still struggling to find something to say to cover this awkward and embarrassing situation, and finally manages to produce a rather lukewarm greeting. "Um. Hello, everybody."

Obviously expecting a much different reception, the three full-Fairies openly gape at their filthy, water-logged hosts. Even the Prince seems at a loss. A bit uncertainly, he asks, "Ah... Sookie, you did say the dinner was tonight?"

For a moment, I fear my poor wife is going to burst into tears again. Under the circumstances, I can hardly say I blame her. However, with a supreme act of will-power she pulls herself together. Taking a deep breath, she replies, "Yes, I did. We had a little emergency come up, but everything is fine now." To my everlasting surprise, she pauses, shakes her head, and then gives her family a rueful grin. "You know what? That's a big fat lie. Everything is pretty much a disaster, and I'm horribly embarrassed. But y'all are my family, and I know you love me, so I'm going to tell you what really happened. Everything really was fine until I got this delivery of flowers. I won't bore you with the details, but I suddenly figured out the identity of my anonymous caller, and it really threw me for a loop. Actually, that's putting it mildly. I went right off the deep end, and these boys had to chase me down and snap me out of it."

Niall regards his great-granddaughter thoughtfully. "To upset you to such a degree, it is almost certainly someone you once considered a friend," he guesses astutely. Shifting his eyes to mine, he demands, "Who is this man, and what do you intend to do about it?"

The name is bitter on my tongue. I spit out, "It is the Were-Tiger, Quinn."

Claudine barks out a laugh. "Quinn! Ha! Don't bother answering the second half of that question, Viking. I'd say the Tiger is toast. Whatever you've got planned, I'll bet it's going to be as gruesome and painful as possible."

At her words, Faeryn lets out a strangled gasp. She quickly glances up at me and then back at the ground. Her sudden motion causes her scarf to slip back. She scrambles to replace it, but not before we all catch a glimpse of what it concealed. Her once-perfect face and arms are covered with partially-healed cuts and multiple bruises. The deep wounds are symmetrically placed, obviously the result of deliberate and prolonged torture. A wave of horror and pity reverberates through our Bond, and I have to admit it is not only coming from Sookie. Unable to stop herself, my wife whispers sadly, "Oh, Faeryn."

Thoroughly incensed by the sight, Robert's fangs shoot down. Unthinking, he surges toward Faeryn, probably bent on trying to comfort her. Unfortunately, his sudden movement only serves to startle the poor girl. I fully expect her to poof away, but she just drops her head and stands there trembling. At the same time, all three full-Fairies step forward, aggressively blocking Robert's path. To avert disaster, I sharply order, "Brother, STOP NOW."

Heeding my command, Robert not only stops moving forward but retreats a few feet. Quickly retracting his fangs, he looks the Prince in the eye. "Please forgive me," he says quietly, "I truly mean Faeryn no harm. I am distressed beyond measure that such a beautiful woman was forced to endure such atrocities. I... I offer to heal her wounds, if she will allow it."

All three Fairies look astonished, as well they should. Coming from a vampire as old and powerful as the Knight, who has no real connection to this girl, it is an amazing and generous offer. Rhiannon peers at him for a long time, clearly trying to decide whether to trust him. After a moment, she looks back at her daughter. "Faeryn?" she asks gently, "What say you to the vampire's kind offer?"

A few seconds tick by. Finally, the little half-Fairy shakes her head "no."

Turning back to Robert, Rhiannon says sadly, "Thank you for your generous offer, Sir Robert, but I am afraid my daughter says no."

Seemingly not offended by this rejection, Robert replies, "I understand. Perhaps she will change her mind once we have become better acquainted. That is one of the purposes of this gathering, yes?"

Giving him one of her perfect smiles, Rhiannon says, "Of course it is, and we have all been looking forward to it." Clearly the beautiful Fairy knows how desperately Sookie wanted this evening to be a success and is doing her best to rescue the situation. Turning to her hostess, she says brightly, "Daughter, let us start again. I am so happy to see you! I am quite anxious to see your wonderful home."

"I am really happy to see you all, too," Sookie says in a much warmer tone. "Why don't we go inside and y'all can have cocktails while the three of us get cleaned up?"

Also wanting to put his great grand-daughter at ease, the Prince says jovially, "That sounds splendid. I would love a drink. A glass of Perianth would be just the thing."

"I'm sorry, but I didn't know how to get any Perianth outside of the Portal," Sookie says apologetically, "I know you like Scotch, though, and we have some very nice single-malts."

"Don't tell me that Rhys hasn't been here yet! He was supposed to drop off the gifts earlier today."

"Rhys?" Sookie says faintly, "Rhys is coming here?"

She quickly glances at me, but I try to look as innocent and unconcerned as possible. With any luck, she will think the Prince invited him. Unfortunately, Claudine cannot wait to chime in. "Well, you did invite him. At least, Eric told me you wanted to invite him."

As Sookie would say, fuck me.

When I first issued that damned invitation, I was well aware that there would be a price to pay, but I truly believed it would only be a momentary irritation that could be easily overcome with a little Viking charm. The flash of anger that just came through the Bond tells me that I was sadly mistaken on that count. Before my irate mate has a chance to light into me, though, Niall says with satisfaction, "Ah! Here he is now."

A few feet to the left of the other Fairies, a man shimmers into view. Dressed in a loose-fitting garment similar to Niall's, he is holding a beautifully wrapped package in one hand. On the ground behind him are a few boxes and several wooden crates, but I do not even spare them a glance. I am too busy staring at my would-be rival. I once "saw" this man in one of Sookie and my shared dreams, so I was prepared for him to be attractive; but the dream version was only a pale imitation of the reality. The Fairy before me is nothing short of spectacular. Tall and well-built, he has dark blond hair, startling emerald-green eyes, and a face that would make the angels weep. In fact, they probably do, while they are lined up outside his bedroom waiting for a turn. He absolutely oozes masculinity and sex appeal, and even without his "charm," no female in her right mind would refuse a chance to bed him. Even considering our Bond, how Sookie ever managed to do so is a total mystery.

Of course, I hate him on sight.

It is all I can do to keep my fangs from descending, but I will not give Claudine the satisfaction. I do not even have to look at her to know she is smirking. Ignoring her, I focus on my Bonded instead. Two red spots of embarrassment have appeared on her cheeks, but otherwise she is outwardly composed. On the inside, however, her emotions are in such turmoil, it is difficult to sort them out, especially since my own are so strong at the moment... But there is little doubt she is mortified for this magnificent male to see her looking so utterly bedraggled. I am not exactly thrilled to be caught at such a disadvantage myself.

As soon as the Fairy is fully materialized, he coolly assesses the scene. His sparkling emerald eyes do a slow sweep across Robert, then me, finally coming to rest on Sookie. Instantly, his gorgeous mouth twists upwards in a wry smile. "Good Lord, Princess," he says in a deep, melodious voice. "You seem to have a knack for getting caught out in the rain."

Unbelievably, instead of humiliating her further, this statement causes her to laugh! "Only when you're around," Sookie answers with a charming smile."It's good to see you, Rhys. Welcome to Valhalla."

Without so much as a sideways glance at me, she walks over to him and offers him her hand, but just before they touch, Sookie draws back. For a split-second, I think she has done so in deference to me... until she exclaims, "Oh! I'm sorry! My hands are filthy. As you can see, a problem came up at the last minute. I was just about to go in and change."

"Ah. I came just in time, then. Here, I brought you a little something."

He hands her the gaily wrapped gift, but before she has a chance to open it, he says, "Please, allow me."

With a wave of his hand, the package vanishes. Simultaneously, Sookie is transformed from a wet, muddy mess into a perfectly groomed goddess. Her dirty clothes have been replaced by a lovely fairy-cloth outfit in shimmering white and gold. Even her hair and makeup have been repaired. Grrr! My very first impulse is to rip the offending garment off my Bonded's body and tear it and the giver into tiny pieces. However, I am determined to honor my vow to leave the Fairies unmolested, so I manage to contain myself. Luckily for the Fairy, he left her jewelry right in place, or I doubt I could have stopped, vow or no vow. I find myself wishing I had left my fang marks on Sookie's neck in full view, and given her a few more for good measure.

Glancing down at herself, Sookie grins. "Wow! What a fabulous outfit! Thanks, Rhys!"

"You are most welcome, Princess." Taking her now-spotless hand, he brushes his infernally perfect lips across her fingers.

I can hardly believe my eyes! Not only did the Fairy have the temerity to give my Bonded a very personal gift, he actually touched her! It takes every bit of willpower I possess to keep from grabbing him and popping his gorgeous head right off his shoulders. Robert shifts uneasily at my side, every bit as revolted and aggravated by this brazen display as I am. Feeling my anger, Sookie turns her head and pins me with a glare that would reduce a lesser vampire to ashes on the spot. I know exactly what that very wifely look means: behave or else. In her best Southern Belle manner, she says ever-so-sweetly, "Rhys, I would like to introduce my husband, King Eric Northman of Louisiana and Arkansas. The vampire next to him is our nestmate, Sir Robert de Craon. Eric, Robert... this is my friend Rhys." Giving him a cute little smile, she adds, "I'm sorry, Rhys, but I don't believe I've ever heard your last name."

For the very first time, the Fairy's eyes meet mine. Oddly, I do not find even a hint of aggression in their green depths, only amusement... which I find even more irritating. "It's somewhat difficult for non-Sylvan speakers to pronounce," he explains easily, "The English equivalent is Llewellyn. I am very pleased to meet both of you."

Very politely, he gives me a half-bow and Robert a friendly nod before turning to his Prince. Giving his monarch a deep, formal bow, he says, "Good evening, Your Highness."

"Rhys, where in the devil have you been? You were supposed to deliver those boxes hours ago."

"I was unavoidably detained, Your Grace, but perhaps a detailed explanation should wait until later." He gives his Prince a very significant look, which Niall seems to understand.

"I see. Well, better late than never, I suppose. Sookie was just about to take us inside for a drink. Bring a case of Perianth, will you?" He points to one of the smaller crates. Offering his arm to Sookie, he smiles and says, "If you are ready, my dear?"

"What about the rest of this?" she asks, "It might start raining again."

"It will be fine where it is for now." He waves his hand carelessly in the direction of the boxes, and although I cannot see it, I suspect he has placed another invisible canopy over them.

Cheerfully, Sookie says, "Okay, then! This way, everybody!" Taking Niall's arm, she leads the way into the house. Having been prepped in advance on my duties as host, I know I should offer to escort Rhiannon, but I am much too wet and dirty to touch her. Realizing this, Rhiannon just gives me a friendly smile and follows behind Sookie and the Prince. As instructed, Rhys grabs one of the smaller wooden crates, tucks it under one arm, and then offers the other one to Faeryn. In a gentle tone, he asks, "May I?"

After a brief hesitation, Faeryn wraps her hand around his arm and allows him to lead her inside. Beside me, Robert growls deep in his chest, but so quietly I am probably the only one who hears it. Claudine trails behind the rest of the group. As she breezes past me, she gives me an evil grin and whispers, "Smooth move, Batman. I should have known Sookie wouldn't have asked Rhys here."

With a low growl of my own, I start to follow her, but Robert grabs my arm and holds me back. He hisses, "Is that the male that Sookie spent time with in the Portal?"

"Yes," I answer through clenched teeth, "He tried to seduce her but apparently without success."

"She was able to resist him?"

"She swears she did. I believe her, but..."

"Let me guess. You invited him here without her approval, in hopes of being able to track him down later."

"In a word, yes."

Running a hand over his beard, the Knight says, "Ah. A good plan, but do you really think you can make it through this entire evening without shredding him? If he touches my sister again, I just might do it myself."

"You cannot. I gave Sookie my solemn promise that no Fairy would come to harm tonight, from either myself or any other vampire."

Robert sighs heavily. "I suppose tearing one of her guests into tiny pieces would tend to put a damper on her party. All right, then. We owe it to our nestmate to put our best foot forward. No matter how difficult, we will both be as charming as possible."

"Agreed."

"Eric... you did limit that promise to tonight only?"

"Absolutely."

"Excellent."

By the time I step into the foyer, Sookie has already introduced Wilson to our guests and sent him off with the case of Perianth. Robert stops just short of the front door and takes a discreet sniff of the air inside, testing to see how concentrated the Fae smell is. The original plan was for the Knight to remain outside for the duration of the party, but now the rain has made that impractical. Catching sight of him, Sookie waves him in, explaining, "The Prince has offered to suppress everyone's scent as much as possible, just like he did at our wedding. Because of your age, he thinks it will be enough to keep us from having any problems."

Thoroughly surprised, Robert quickly steps inside and then gives Niall a half-bow in thanks.

"Now, why don't you boys go get cleaned up while I show everybody around the house?" Sookie suggests. Knowing that I cannot go to our chamber without revealing too much about its location, she smoothly adds, "I think I'll start with the living room. It's got some fabulous woodwork."

After she leads the Fairies into the formal living room, Robert flashes up the staircase and I hurry down to my chamber. I shower and redress, somewhat perversely choosing jeans, a Fangtasia t-shirt, and a pair of boots this time around. Since I am quite alone, I feel free to seethe and scowl as much as I like. By the time I make it back upstairs, Wilson has already served the Fairies a round of Perianth in delicate long-stemmed crystal glasses, and is now discreetly hovering just outside the living room doors. On his tray are two more glasses, also long-stemmed but ruby-colored instead of clear. As soon as he sees me, he hurries over and offers me one. "I think you will find this to your liking, Your Majesty. Sir Robert brought this blood from New York especially for this occasion."

One sip tells me it is Norwegian Royalty, pure, not blended. This stuff is quite hard to come by and costs a fortune, but sadly, even this rare blood tastes dull compared to my Bonded's. Slipping up beside me, Robert accepts his glass from the butler, takes a sip, and murmurs regretfully, "Not nearly as good, is it?"

"No complaining. I did warn you."

"Brother, it was totally worth it."

For a few moments, the Knight and I stand side-by-side just outside the door, quietly observing the group on the other side of the room. They are so focused on each other, they have yet to notice us. Obviously enjoying themselves, the shining creatures are sipping Perianth and chattering away in their beautiful language... all except for Faeryn, who quietly watches the others. Although I have no idea what is being said, Sookie is obviously making an effort to draw the half-Fairy into the conversation, but the girl never says a word.

My Bonded told Robert and me that the Fae are very "touchy-feely" and now I see what she meant. They are constantly touching and stroking each other. Each contact produces a barely visible shimmer, almost as if they are sharing tiny bits of magical energy. Rhys has managed to position himself between Faeryn and Sookie, frequently punctuating his sentences by lightly touching one or the other of them on the arm or the hand. Each time he does it, I get a little more out-of-sorts, and I can tell that Robert feels exactly the same. When the Fairy actually goes so far as to lay his palm on the flat of Sookie's back, a wave of pure jealousy rolls through me. Although I manage to keep my fangs retracted, I simply cannot stop myself from growling, and this time, it is not all that quiet. Instantly, Sookie's head snaps in my direction. After a quick glance at me, she turns back to her guests. "Please excuse me," she says in English, "I need to see about the hors D'oeuvres."

She hustles across the room and through the open doors. As she passes Robert and me, she pins us both with The Look and hisses, "You two. Follow me."

She stomps off down the hall, and we obediently trail after her. Once out of earshot, she twirls around and gives us both a steely glare. Hands on hips, she exclaims, "What is wrong with you two? If this is your way of showing the Fae they have the wrong idea about vampires, you had best re-think your strategy."

Completely bewildered, Robert says, "I already apologized for showing my fangs."

"That's not what I mean! The pair of you have been glowering and growling ever since Rhys got here."

Indignantly, Robert sputters, "But he keeps touching you!"

"I warned you both in advance that Fairies like to touch!" she says heatedly.

Immediately, I fire back, "I was prepared to let your family touch you. Rhys is a different story. Do you really expect me to tolerate him putting his hands all over you?"

Poking me in the chest with her tiny index finger, Sookie growls, "You invited him. What I expect is for you to man up and live with the consequences! Now here's the deal. When we're with vampires, I try really hard to follow vampire etiquette. I expect the same consideration from the two of you. At a Fae gathering, touching is perfectly normal. In fact, not touching is considered quite rude. You two get a hall pass because you're vampire, but I'm not about to insult any of my guests, including the one I didn't invite."

"But Sookie, I—"

She holds up a warning finger. "No "buts"! Now, I am going to go back in there and be a good hostess. If you two really want my party to be a success, you will come back in with smiles on those handsome faces. No more grimaces, growls, or especially fangs! Are we clear?"

Properly chastised, the pair of us nod. "Good!" she exclaims, and then promptly vanishes.

I glance over at Robert. He looks so completely stunned that in spite of the circumstances, I find myself smiling. "Mon Dieu!" he says faintly, "Anyone who claims Fairies do not bite has never met that one!"

That makes me laugh outright. Clapping him on the back, I say, "Brother, I told you she was not all sweetness and light. Now come, let's go see if we can get back in our nestmate's good graces. If we are charming enough, maybe she will share some of that Perianth with us after our guests have gone home."

When Robert and I finally step into the living room, we find the others admiring one of the oil paintings Sookie brought back from New York. Switching to English, Niall asks Robert about the gallery where it was purchased. Coincidentally, the Prince has purchased several paintings from the same place, and soon the two of them are soon deep in a conversation about art and antiques. Careful to keep a pleasant smile on my face, I move around with the others as Sookie continues her little tour of the downstairs. To show my spouse I am least attempting to be a good host, I help her answer questions about the history of the house.

To my surprise, Rhys is quite knowledgeable about the history and architecture of Louisiana, a subject I would have thought to be of little interest to one of his kind. As loath as I am to admit it, he has an easy way about him, clearly very intelligent and extremely witty. Ironically, if the circumstances were different, I would probably find him excellent company. Even so, I find it difficult to look at him directly without bristling, but I manage, in large part because Sookie has apparently decided to take pity on me. Since our talk, she has cleverly kept herself inserted between Claudine and Rhiannon, thereby minimizing Rhys' opportunities to touch her without her appearing rude.

Our little group ambles from room to room, slowly making our way toward the back of the house. Since we will shortly be occupying the dining room, Sookie does not stop there. As we pass the open doors, I note that the servants have already rescued the dishes from outside and set the long, very formal table. The ever-efficient Wilson has even added a place setting for our unexpected guest. For obvious reasons, I know very little about seating arrangements for dinner parties, so Sookie warned me in advance that as hosts, we will sit on opposite sides of the table with our guests between us. This seems very strange to me because at vampire affairs, quite naturally companions are expected to be at their vampire's sides at all times. No matter what is considered "proper," I certainly hope Wilson had enough sense enough not to place Rhys next to Sookie.

The next stop on Sookie's tour is my library. Nearly the first thing everyone notices is the wedding portrait of Sookie and me that hangs over the fireplace mantle. "That is a lovely picture of you, cousin," Claudine says admiringly, "It is nearly as beautiful as the portrait Faeryn painted of you."

"Sookie never mentioned that Faeryn painted her portrait," I say in surprise, "I have always wanted a proper portrait of my beautiful wife. I would love to buy it."

The Prince states firmly, "It is not for sale. It hangs in my library where I can see it every day."

"I see. Perhaps I can persuade the artist to paint another."

Faeryn, who still has yet to utter a word, frowns and quickly looks at the ground. Her mother says quietly, "Someday, perhaps. My daughter is not currently accepting any commissions."

"That is a great pity," I say with sincerity. "She is extremely talented."

Sookie says sadly, "I'm really sorry to hear that, too. Pam has been pretty mad at me lately, and I wanted to buy her a gift to smooth things over. It has to be something really special, though, so I was hoping to commission Faeryn to make her a bracelet."

The half-Fairy lifts her eyes to Sookie's. She still says nothing, but I fancy I see the merest glimmer of interest in her gray eyes. Also seeing this, Sookie says to her, "I was thinking maybe you could use some of those pink fairy-stones we found near the dragon's lair. Remember? I was totally paranoid the whole time we were hunting them, thinking he was going to show up and fry us into crispy-critters."

The barest ghost of a smile passes over the half-Fairy's lips, and she nods.

Robert says to her, "I have seen some of your jewelry. The set you made for Sookie is exquisite."

"Faeryn, that is quite a compliment," says her mother, "I believe Sir Robert is extremely knowledgeable about jewelry."

Sookie says proudly, "Not only does he know all about jewelry, he actually makes it himself. In fact, he just made these earrings and this bracelet for me." She holds out her wrist to display the beautifully-crafted piece. While the other Fairies examine it more closely, I notice Faeryn sneaking a quick peek at the Knight. A smidgeon of color rises in her cheeks before she rapidly looks away.

Next, the conversation turns to books. The Prince compliments my collection, even remarking that he sees many of his own favorite titles on my shelves. Spying my hand-carved chess set on the small game table in the corner, he says to me, "What unusual and attractive pieces. Sookie tells me you play. Perhaps someday we can find time for a game."

By the ways his eyes are twinkling, I suspect he will turn out to be a very worthy opponent. "I will look forward to it," I answer quite honestly.

Soon afterward, Sookie it is time to move on, finally leading her guests into the more private areas of the house. When we reach the family room, Rhiannon says in delight, "Look, Faeryn! That is one of your paintings!"

"I put it in here because I spend a lot of time in this room," Sookie explains. "It's my favorite painting. I always think of Faeryn when I see it."

Just then, Juanita glides into the room with a tray of the little morsels of food Sookie calls appetizers. I note with amusement that instead of her normal attire of jeans, t-shirt, and tennis shoes, the little housekeeper is wearing a black dress, a starched white apron, hose, and low-heeled pumps. Even her salt-and-pepper hair has been swept up into a neat bun. Idly, I wonder if these startling changes were her idea or Wilson's. Although she seems as composed as ever, her eyes are dancing with excitement at her first glimpse of Fairy Royalty. After Sookie introduces her, she circulates around the room serving the appetizers. They are so beautifully prepared, even to me they look good. After selecting one, Claudine takes a bite and moans. "Oh, Sookie. This crab is delicious!"

With a pleased smile, her cousin replies, "Thanks! I can't take credit for it, though. I have a wonderful chef who's fixing everything. Now come on, I want everyone to see the sun room. It's right through here."

Drinks and snacks in hand, most of the group moves into the adjoining room, leaving Faeryn and me alone. The half-Fairy is still gazing up at her painting, a look of utter sadness on her tattered face. Knowing that Sookie wants me to be polite, I go over to speak to her, but even though I did not do so intentionally, I must have moved a bit too silently. When she finally realizes there is an over-sized vampire standing next to her, she gives a strangled gasp and jumps away. Unaccountably, instead of my normal biological reaction to fear and flight in a Fairy, her actions produce a very un-vampire-like response: a wave of pure pity flows through me, followed by a strong impulse to comfort her. Unfortunately, I have little experience with either. Not knowing what else to do, I clasp both hands behind my back and step away from her. Very quietly, I say, "Faeryn. I am sorry if I startled you."

It takes her a full minute to gather herself together, but eventually she nods. Keeping my voice low, I attempt to reassure her. "I give you my word I will not harm you, nor will I allow any other vampire to do so." After thinking a moment, I add the most sacred vow I can think of, "I swear this on my Bonded's life."

After a brief hesitation, she nods again. As if to prove her faith in my words, she takes a tentative step towards me, and then another. Eventually, we are once again standing side-by-side, staring up at her painting. "You know, this is my favorite painting, too," I tell her quite sincerely, "You are an extraordinarily gifted artist."

Without moving my head, I glance at her out of the corner of my eye. A sheen of tears has suddenly welled up in her sad gray eyes. Being no stranger to torture (in fact, having been on both the giving and receiving end, one might say I am an authority on the subject) it suddenly dawns on me why the little Fairy is so sad. She is not accepting any commissions because of lingering physical infirmities, but because her creative muses have deserted her. She is absolutely terrified that they may never return. To a true artist, that possibility is far more damaging than any physical wound could ever be.

I cast around in my mind, trying to think of something that might reassure her. "Unlike blood, Faeryn, true talent does not leak out of you," I finally tell her. "It is bone deep, woven into the very fabric of your being. Without exception, every vampire I know who was an artist in their human lifetime retained that talent after being turned. Sometimes it took a few months, but inevitably it returned. So you see, not even death can erase it."

Although I am trying my best to offer her solace, my well-meant words seem to have the opposite effect. Now her tears spill over and run down her battered cheeks in a fragrant flood. Silently, I produce the clean handkerchief I routinely carry now and hand it to her. Before I can make things any worse, I turn to go, but before I can take my first step, I feel a small tug on the back of my shirt. Very slowly, I turn back to face her. After mopping the tears from her face, Faeryn puts her hand to her throat. With considerable effort, she finally manages to rasp out, "Eric... Thank... you."

With a slight shock, I now realize her silence has not been purely by choice but because her throat and vocal cords are damaged, too. My second shock comes when I notice that her eyes and her dress are no longer dull gray but a very pale shade of blue. It is such an amazing feat, I cannot keep myself from smiling... which in turn, produces just a hint of a smile from her in return. Before I can say anything further, Claudine calls out from the sun room, "Faeryn, Sookie's taking us outside now. Don't you want to see the pool?"

Quietly, I ask, "Do you want to join the others now?"

A brief pause, then Faeryn bravely lifts her chin and nods "yes." After one last quick swipe at her eyes, she stuffs my sodden handkerchief into a concealed pocket of her gown. Tentatively, I offer her my arm. To my delight, she takes it without the slightest hesitation. I escort her into the next room where the others are still patiently waiting for her. The first to catch sight of us, Rhiannon lets out an astonished gasp. I do not know which is more shocking, the change in her daughter's appearance or that she is allowing a vampire to touch her. The others seem equally amazed, all except for Sookie. I must have finally done something right, because she is now beaming at me with pride and happiness.

Quickly realizing that the last thing Faeryn wants or needs is everyone making a fuss over her, her mother says brightly, "Sookie, the inside of the house is so lovely, I cannot wait to see what you have done outside."

Taking her cue, Sookie opens the door and leads the way outside. Even though the flower arrangements and dishes have been moved inside and everything else is thoroughly soaked, enough of Sookie's decorations are intact that everyone can see how much effort she has put into this party. Unintentionally, my poor mate lets out a ragged sigh. "As you can see, we were going to eat out here. The weather has been perfect all week. I sure wasn't counting on the rain."

Ever the fairy godmother, Claudine puts her arm around her cousin. "This is a lovely setting for a dinner, Sookie. The rain seems to be over. Would it be all right with you if we still eat out here? It won't take us a minute to put things right."

"I, uh... well, sure, if you don't mind."

"Of course not. Rhiannon, you get the table. Rhys, you light all the candles, and I'll get everything else."

Remembering her manners, Sookie says quickly, "Now, y'all don't go to too much trouble..."

"Don't be silly! This will be fun!" First giving her hostess a broad wink, Claudine cups her hands together and blows into them, forming a tiny tornado. Tossing it on to the flagstones, she sends it skittering over both pool and patio, busily sucking up every stray leaf or petal in its path. Not to be outdone, the other two begin their designated tasks in an equally theatrical manner. While the magic flies thick and fast around the terrace, Robert and I stand to one side and try our best not to gape. With a little direction from Sookie, they are able to reconstruct the earlier setting almost exactly. It turns out that Claudine was slightly off in her time estimate, though. It actually takes them two minutes to get everything in order.

Once the last item is in place, the Prince looks around with satisfaction. As if she had done it all on her own, he exclaims, "What a romantic setting! This is lovely, Sookie."

"Well, I had a lot of help," she replies with a smile, "Thanks, everybody."

Dusting off her hands, Claudine says, "You are most welcome. I seem to have worked up an appetite, though. Are there any more of those yummy hors d'oeuvres?"

"Of course. Juanita should be bringing another round any minute. In fact, here she is now."

As if on cue, the little housekeeper steps through the French doors bearing another tray of tidbits. It takes her a few seconds to register everything is now back in place, and even longer to figure out how it all got there. The totally stunned look on her face is priceless, but I also see that she is about to drop her tray. If I move quickly enough, I can probably catch it... but a split-second before I launch myself in her direction, she manages to get a better grip on her composure and her tray. Comically, almost on her heels is Wilson with another round of drinks and a nearly identical reaction, except that he really does drop his tray. Luckily, this time I am more prepared and so is Robert. Between the two of us, we are able to rescue all eight glasses and the tray without spilling a drop, which is a pretty fair trick even for us. This feat seems to amaze both the human servants and the Fae contingent. We even get a small smile out of Faeryn, which makes all the effort totally worth it.

After the two rattled servants finally make their rounds, Sookie tells Wilson, "Obviously we'll be eating out here. How long until dinner?"

"The Chef said he is ready any time you are, Madam," the butler replies.

"I think everybody's hungry, so let's say... fifteen minutes?"

"Very well, Ma'am."

It suddenly occurs to me that I never turned on the background music, so I excuse myself and head to the control room. In my haste to get to Sookie, I dropped the remote control into a tangle of wires on the floor, and it takes a bit of effort to contort myself into the right position to retrieve it. I finally manage to snare it and get the music started. Before I can extract myself from the cramped space, Sookie suddenly appears in the doorway. For a moment, I wonder if I have done something else wrong, but one look at her face reassures me I am still in her good graces. Still, there is no point taking any chances. "Yes, my love?" I ask cautiously, "What is it?"

"I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate you being sweet to Faeryn," she replies, "I don't know what you said to her, but it seems to have done her some good."

"I am a Vampire King, Sookie. By definition, I am incapable of being sweet."

"Okay... how about 'kind' then?"

"Even worse."

"Um. 'Considerate'?"

"Absolutely not. Try 'powerful and ruthless."

"Well... Okay, but the reward I brought was for someone sweet. I guess I got the wrong guy."

"Reward? What reward?"

Eyes twinkling, she holds up her glass of Perianth.

"My, that is a handsome reward. Perhaps you might reconsider your terms. After all, I did prevent several of your grandmother's crystal glasses from breaking. The one in your hand, in fact. Surely that is worth a reward."

"Hmm. I suppose that was pretty impressive. All right, then. Come and get it."

She takes a sip, leaving her lips wet. In a flash, she is in my arms and I claim my reward with relish. The instant the essence touches my tongue, its magic begins to spread through my system. Once the last smidgeon of the luscious liquid is gone, I beg for more. Giggling, Sookie replies, "Nuh uh. One good deed, one reward. If you can behave for the rest of the evening, I just might give you another taste after everyone is gone. Think of it as an incentive."

"This is your way of paying me back for that remark about using my blood as an incentive, isn't it?"

Grinning, she says, "Well, if the shoe fits... Now come on, we need to get back to our guests. Dinner is about to be served."

Once we get back to the terrace, Sookie announces it is time to eat and points out where she would like each guest to sit. Happily, she asks Niall to sit on her right and Robert on her left. Rhys is placed between his Prince and Faeryn, who is seated to my left. Once everyone is settled in their designated places, the hostess rings a tiny bell and the dinner gets under way. The menu for the Fairies consists of traditional Louisiana cuisine given a modern twist by Chef Sinclair. Each course is accompanied by a suitable wine. For the vampires, the chef has also concocted recipes for each course. They are every bit as creative and tasty as the last ones I sampled, although this time, in deference to our warm-blooded guests, detailed descriptions are not openly announced. Robert is just as amazed and impressed by each offering as I was at my first "dinner". I am thoroughly amused to see that his first attempts at relearning the use of knife and fork are every bit as awkward as mine were.

Since everyone at the table is doing their utmost to be pleasant, the conversation is surprisingly light and easy. I am proud to discover that Sookie has a real knack for steering the conversation away from controversial topics. True to his word, Robert pours on the charm. He tells us about the latest plays on Broadway, as well as other interesting cultural events happening in New York. It turns out that he and the Prince have similar tastes in art, and they both share a deep fondness for Paris. Claudine likes to travel, and regales us with some amusing incidents from her last trip to Cozumel. Rhiannon, who is seated to my right, contributes her fair share to the conversation, and her voice is so lovely it is a total pleasure just to listen to her speak. Faeryn does not attempt to talk, but listens quietly as the talk flows around her. I am amused to see that she keeps sneaking peeks at the Knight when he is not looking... which is not that often, since he is staring at her every chance he gets.

To my utter annoyance, Rhys proves himself to be an excellent conversationalist. Eyes sparkling with merriment, he keeps the others laughing at his humorous comments and amusing anecdotes. Having always viewed Fairies as rather stiff, haughty creatures, I am somewhat surprised to find they are actually quite lighthearted and playful. Being surrounded by her own kind has brought this out in Sookie, as well. In all the time I have known her, I have rarely seen her laugh so much, and I realize with a pang of guilt that it is quite likely my fault. As my Bonded, she is constantly surrounded by vampires, most of whom are anything but lighthearted. As a group, the undead are definitely not known for their joke-telling skills; but of course, I do know a few. Since Fairies are the brunt of most of them, though, I politely refrain from telling any. (The few I remember from my human days no longer make any sense. One would have to be Viking to appreciate them.)

Although I am careful to keep track of the conversation and respond when spoken to, I actually say very little. Instead, while everyone else is chattering away, I surreptitiously study my would-be rival. Even up close, he is disgustingly perfect in every way. I note that he takes great care to flirt with every female at the table equally, but I am not fooled for an instant. I see the way his eyes smolder when he looks at Sookie. In fact, his attention is so focused on her he never even notices me watching him. The only one at the table who does notice is the Prince, who, strangely enough, seems to be studying me. In typical Fae fashion, he does not bother to conceal his interest. Even when I am not looking in his direction, I can feel the weight of his stare. I am quite accustomed to being scrutinized, so it does not make me uncomfortable in the slightest, but I would dearly love to know what he is thinking. The blue eyes so resembling my Bonded's give absolutely nothing away.

In spite of the undercurrents, the evening progresses in a pleasant fashion. By the time the main course arrives, our guests seem to be genuinely enjoying themselves. As the Fairies become more comfortable in their surroundings, an amazing transformation begins to take place. The more they relax, the more they allow their true selves to show. No one but Faeryn looks even remotely human, including Sookie. In this other-worldly state, they are truly so beautiful it is practically impossible not to stare. And that smell! As powerful as he is, even the Prince cannot stifle their delectable scent entirely, and eventually the air around the table becomes saturated with it. My immunity prevents me from wanting to grab anyone, but keeping my fangs from popping out is a constant struggle; I gave up trying to suppress my erection after the first hour. I have no idea how poor Robert is managing, except when he begins to get that glazed look, his nestmate reaches over and strokes his arm until he regains his composure.

Once the last bite of dessert has been consumed, Sookie suggests that we move to more comfortable seats. To my delight, she comes around the table and takes my arm. Together, we lead the others over to the seating area near the koi pond, which has an excellent view of our entire back yard, including the rose garden. Sookie picks a loveseat and pulls me down next to her. While the others find a place to sit, she takes my hand in hers and presses her lips against my palm. Giving me the sweetest smile imaginable, she murmurs, "You are doing so well. I love you, baby."

Draping my arm around her shoulders, I reply just as quietly, "I love you, too, Angel."

Once everybody has settled in, Niall calls for another round of Perianth. As soon as it has been served, he announces, "Now that our wonderful dinner is over, I think it is time to present the gifts."

With a wave of his hand, all the boxes and crates that had been left on the front driveway suddenly appear a few feet away. The Prince continues, "Due to several unforeseen events, I have been remiss in giving our newly-weds their wedding gifts." Raising his glass to Sookie and me, he gives what I assume is a toast in Sylvan. Immediately, the other Fae raise their glasses and repeat his words.

For my benefit and Robert's, Sookie translates, "They said 'Good fortune and great happiness to the loving couple." Giving Niall a brilliant smile, she very graciously thanks him.

Returning her smile, he says, "I had a great deal of fun selecting your gifts, my dear. I am anxious to see what you think of them."

Sookie casts a puzzled glance over the large array of boxes. "But surely these aren't all wedding gifts?"

"Of course they are. I was unable to spoil you when you were young, and I fully intend to make up for it now. Since you are currently unwilling to come to the Portal, I decided to bring a few of its treasures to you." Looking directly at me, he says seriously, "Eric, you already have in your keeping one of my greatest treasures... my great-granddaughter. Although not as dear to my heart as she, some of the gifts I bring are seldom allowed outside the Realm. I know you are wise enough and powerful enough to guard them properly."

What he is saying in a round-about way is that my real gift is his respect and trust. For the Fairy Prince to entrust physical proof of the existence of the Fairy World to a vampire is nothing short of astonishing. Quite sincerely, I respond, "I appreciate your trust. I will take great care to keep all your treasures safe."

"Very well. Let us get started." Niall points to two small crates stacked to one side. "That is more Perianth from my private stock," he says, "It is not fussy about temperature, but never store it underground for long, or it will turn cloudy and lose much of its potency."

"Thank you so much," Sookie says, clearly pleased with such a fine gift. "I will savor ever drop."

Ha! With any luck, we both will. Next indicating the three tall wooden crates, the Prince says, "Sookie, why don't you open one of those? I want to see if you can do it with your magic."

Through our Bond comes a wave of uncertainty. I can tell she is unsure how to proceed, but after a brief hesitation, she gets to her feet. "I've never really done this before, but here goes..."

I feel her gathering her energy. A moment later, she thrusts her hands out in front of her, and the front panel of the middle crate bursts into flames. Completely horrified, Sookie quickly jerks back her hands and cries, "Oh no! Somebody help! I don't know how to put it out!"

Instead of being angry or even dismayed, Niall bursts into laughter. He flicks his fingers at the flames and instantly they disappear. Still chuckling, he says to Sookie, "Annwyl wyres, you are using a cannon when all you need is a sling-shot."

Rhys starts to rise from his seat. "Please! Allow me."

His Prince pins him with a look which is remarkably like the one Sookie gives me. "Sit down, Rhys. I know you like to play the hero, but Sookie needs to learn to do these things herself."

The male Fairy falls back into his seat looking a little crestfallen. Turning back to Sookie, Niall rattles off something in Sylvan which I assume are instructions, because she nods. Taking a deep breath, she tries again. The crate has been nailed shut, and one by one, each nail pops out and falls to the ground. Finally, the charred front panel swings open, revealing a small potted tree with yellow and green striped fruit hanging from its branches. All the other Fairies begin to clap and cheer at Sookie's success. Claudine whoops, "Woo hoo! Way to go, Sookie!"

I have no idea what is so special about a potted tree, but it absolutely delights my wife. She gasps, "Oh, sir! It's one of your special trees! Will it even grow here?"

"I am not altogether sure, but I think so. I assume you have a greenhouse. You will need to protect them from sunlight until we see how much the leaves can tolerate."

Looking slightly puzzled, Sookie says, "But they were growing in full sun in the Portal, weren't they?"

"Not exactly," her great-grandfather replies somewhat vaguely, "I wrote out some specific instructions. They are in the crate."

After that, Sookie opens the one of smaller boxes (using her hands this time). Inside is a board game made of fairy stone. A medium-sized but extremely heavy wooden box contains an ornate set of knives, forks, and spoons in several sizes, as well as several other utensils for which I do not know the names or their intended uses. The entire set is made of gold encrusted with sparkling gemstones.

"Oh, my goodness!" Sookie says in astonishment, "What a magnificent gift!"

Rhiannon explains, "As King and Queen of this territory, you will no doubt be entertaining people of all races. Since no Supernatural creature is allergic to gold, Niall thought those might come in handy."

The last few boxes contain other household items from the Portal, each more exquisite than the last. In total, these gifts are equal to a King's ransom, or more precisely, what the Prince probably considers an adequate amount of reparation for holding my Queen against my wishes. When Sookie has opened the last of them, she jumps up and gives her great-grandfather a big hug and kiss. "Thank you so much for all these amazing gifts! Eric and I will treasure each one of them."

The Prince folds her into his arms and presses his lips against her forehead. Smiling down at her, he replies, "You are very welcome, my dear."

Faeryn is sitting in a chair just to my right. She has been extremely still throughout all the unwrapping, almost as if she is holding her breath. Now she lets it out in a quiet but prolonged sigh. I glance at her, only to find a puzzled frown on her face. She seems deeply disappointed by something, and I very much wonder what has caused such a strange reaction. Before I have time to give it much thought, Claudine says, "Well, now that the gift-giving is over, I am dying- er, I am quite anxious to see your rose garden, Sookie. It looks beautiful from here."

"Yes! Is anyone else ready for a little after-dinner walk?"

Everyone seems enthusiastic about the idea, except for the Prince, who says, "You young people go on. Eric and I have a few things to discuss."

At well over 900 years old, Robert cannot be considered exactly young, but he is clearly included in that group. As the others start down the path towards the rose arbor, he hesitates, torn between following Faeryn and Sookie and hearing what the Prince has to say. Much preferring him to keep an eye on Rhys, I quickly wave him off. "Go on, brother," I say teasingly."You look like you need to walk off that enormous dinner you just ate."

With a quick salute, he hurries off to catch up with the others. The Prince settles back into his chair and casually holds out his hand. Instantly, two cigars appear in his palm, and he offers one to me.

"No, thank you."

"You do not smoke?"

Since neither tobacco nor marijuana has any effect on vampires, smoking is generally considered a waste of time... except that, like males of any race, I do enjoy a good cigar now and again. Eying his offering with regret, I say, "On occasion, but never around Sookie. She cannot abide the smell of cigar smoke."

"Trust me, she has no objection to these." Giving me a very un-Prince-like grin, he says, "Go on, have one. If she objects, I will tell her I twisted your arm."

As if he could! Chuckling at his little jest, I accept. Out of thin air, he produces a golden cigar clipper and a jeweled lighter. Soon we are both contentedly puffing away, and I see immediately why Sookie has no objection. These cigars produce a thin lavender smoke that smells simply marvelous! My only regret is my Bonded is not here to give me a few tastes of Perianth to go with it. A couple of minutes pass in amiable silence. Finally, the Prince says, "I suppose we need to get down to business. Now that the ladies are absent, we can discuss your plans for the Were-Tiger. I take it you plan to dispose of him as soon as possible."

"Of course. He is insane. He is clearly a danger to Sookie and must be destroyed."

He chuckles. "I totally agree with you, but of course, Sookie may object. She is still too tenderhearted for her own good. Once she thinks it over, it is possible she will try to stop you."

Now it is my turn to smile. "I doubt it. If Quinn is lucky, I will catch him before she does. You saw what happened to that crate."

Looking absurdly pleased, he says, "Yes, her magic is coming along quite nicely, isn't it? Obviously she has been practicing. Has she had any success controlling her appearance?"

"Some, but not nearly enough. I was hoping Faeryn could stay and give her some instruction, but clearly she is in no condition to help anyone just now."

"On the contrary, I think focusing on someone else's problems is exactly what the girl needs. Her color has already improved in the short time we have been here. She seems to be quite taken with you. Perhaps you can persuade her to stay."

"I will gladly try. Short of that, do you have any other ideas on how to speed things up? My Coronation is right around the corner."

"As I said before, I can temporarily block Sookie's magic, but I will only do so as a last resort. Ultimately, she must learn to control her appearance herself. As for her scent, I have an idea for a new perfume that might help mask it. I have my top chemists working on it, and with any luck, they might come up with something very soon. "

"Perhaps it is not the end of the world if non-humans find out she has some Fae blood. The larger issue is her connection with you."

The Prince says seriously, "Yes, I have long been afraid she could be captured and used against me. As you know, the Fae are capable of great cruelty, even towards each other. Faeryn is living proof of that sad fact. I fear the poor child may never be the same." His voice is even, but I see deep sorrow and regret in his old eyes. "Some good did come out of it, though. The battle that resulted settled some long outstanding issues. Most of those that presented a danger to me and mine have been captured or killed."

"If that is the case, is it possible that Sookie is no longer at risk?"

"Believe me, I ask myself that every day. I have come to love my great- granddaughter very much, and nothing would please me more than to be able to claim her... But still, dare I risk it? And what about you? Would you want me to, if I could?"

"Niall, I have known you a long time. If you tell me she is no longer in danger from your enemies, I will believe you. If you are asking me if I am worried about keeping her safe from others of my kind, I am completely confident in my ability to protect her from them."

"Ah, but if you will pardon a small pun, there is more at stake than Sookie's safety, is there not? As King, you are surely aware of the increased tensions between our races. You are a new King, whose power and influence is on the rise. If Sookie's connection to me is revealed, is that likely to help you or hinder you? Your fellow monarchs may view your connection to the Fae with awe... or with suspicion."

"Most likely, both," I admit. After a brief pause, I say softly, "I never thought I would say this, but I wish there was a way to settle our differences."

After taking another deep drink from his goblet, Niall replies, "Strictly between us? I feel the same. I certainly cannot afford to lose any more of my people in another senseless war."

"Over the last few years, my territory has suffered many loses as well. As much as I appreciate a good battle, I am not anxious to lose any more vampires."

He snorts. "Why not? Unlike us, you can easily make more."

"True enough, but with population growth comes risks. Newly-made vampires are very difficult to control. Without a great deal of supervision, they kill indiscriminately. Disposing of a body or two is one thing. Getting rid of them by the score is another. How long do you think it would be until the humans figured it out and came after us all with stakes? Unlike the Fae, we have no other world we can retreat to."

"Still, you cannot deny your race is on the rise. Mine is dwindling by the day. Unless I can find a way to fix our fertility problems, I fear it will not be long until we vanish entirely."

As arrogant and irritating as they can be, the idea of the most magical of all Supernatural creatures becoming extinct is surprisingly distasteful. "Sookie told me that part of the problem is repeated exposure to iron. As Prince, could you not ban your people from visiting this world until your population has time to recover? It might only take a century or two."

With a deep sigh, he replies, "Yes, I have often thought of closing all the portals. However, if I do I will have a true rebellion on my hands. You see, while our Realm is beautiful and ordinarily quite peaceful, it can also be a bit... dull. By comparison, this world is vivid and exciting. Even Fairies having no use for humans still crave the intensity your world provides."

"Have you ever considered those humans represent your best hope? Homo sapiens have no issue with iron, and are generally quite fertile. Perhaps your people need to re-think their attitude towards keeping the race pure. Aren't half-Fairies better than no Fairies?"

"No matter what I think, those sorts of prejudices are not easily overcome. The Fae put a great deal of stock in magical ability, and Fae/human hybrids with half-blood or less are generally not up to snuff."

"Unless they have the Essential Spark."

The Prince gives me a piercing look. "What do you know of the Essential Spark?"

"As I understand it, those that have it are quite magical, and they are also capable of producing full-Fae. Have you made a concerted effort to find those that have it? Obviously, I am not an authority on the subject, but would they not make excellent breeding stock?"

Instead of answering the question directly, he says, "Are you aware that Sookie carries the Spark?"

As if I had known about it all along, I say coolly, "Of course."

Given the conversation, I fully expect him to remind me what a sacrifice he has made in allowing Sookie to marry me, but he does not. Instead, his gaze shifts towards the rose garden. Turning my head in that direction, I see the others slowly making their way round the paths. Robert is talking with Rhiannon and Faeryn, his hands carefully clasped behind him. Claudine has stopped to admire one of the climbing roses just now coming into bloom. Although he is not touching her, Rhys is strolling along with Sookie. He is obviously telling her another joke, because she is laughing again. They are positively dazzling together, the perfect Fae couple. With a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, I realize what utterly perfect Fairy children they could make together, and no doubt the Prince is thinking exactly the same thing. "I want to ask you something, Eric," he says slowly."Would you give Sookie a child if you could?"

Normally, I would be seething at such a question, but somehow I know Niall is not trying to be offensive; plus, my recent conversation with my Bonded on this very subject is still very fresh in my mind. This seems a night for confidences, not just monarch to monarch, or Fairy to vampire, but from one man who loves this special woman to another. With a heavy sigh, I reply, "The truth is, I would do nearly anything to give her the child she so desperately wants... but can I allow her to be impregnated by Rhys or any other Fairy male? I am truly sorry, but the answer is no."

With a slight smile, Niall says, "I have known you for a long time, Viking. Do you really think I would expect you to? No, I was asking if you yourself would father her child, if such a thing were possible."

"Then the answer is yes. As un-vampire-like as it seems, I would love to give her a son. But of course, that is completely impossible."

He is silent for a long time, his eyes never wavering from the beautiful pair in the garden. He seems to be weighing something in his mind, and finally he says, "I know how you probably feel about Rhys. I suppose I cannot blame you, but Sookie has made her choice. She could have stayed in the Portal with him, but she did not. I can assure you, she never even seriously considered it. Rhys knows better than to pursue her any further. As a personal favor to me, I ask that you not kill him."

"Is it that obvious?"

Chuckling, he replies, "Absolutely."

"I suppose you need him to breed with some other lucky Fae girl."

"Frankly, yes, and as many as possible. Now that he has seen for himself how much Sookie adores you, he will move on to someone else."

As much as I would love to be owed a favor by the powerful Fae Prince, I have to think about his request for a long time. "All right," I reluctantly agree."As long as he does not pursue Sookie any further, I will not kill him."

"Excellent. Now, I really would like to see Sookie's roses, and I expect you would like to pry her away from Rhys. Shall we?"

After a walk around the rose garden, we eventually make it back to the patio and settle in for some games. Sookie unpacks the board game Niall has just given us, and everyone tries to explain it to Robert and me all at once. The Prince finally shushes them. "With all of you jabbering away, they will never learn to play! Be quiet and let me explain it!"

The game is a bit complicated, but we vampires soon catch on. It is very fast-paced and relies on both luck and skill, and I find myself enjoying it a great deal. Almost before I know it, it is time for our guests to leave. Although they could just as easily leave from here, they seem to feel it is only polite to depart the same way they came in. Once we reach the foyer, Rhiannon and Faeryn are the first to say their goodbyes. Sookie takes the half-Fairy's hand and says, "I know you still aren't feeling very well, but please stay. Maybe the change in scenery will do you good."

Faeryn gives her a smile, but does not answer right away. She quickly glances at Robert, then at me. Ever the gentleman, Robert says gallantly, "If you are hesitant to sleep under the same roof as an unfamiliar vampire, I will gladly go to ground elsewhere during your visit."

Still, the little half-Fairy looks at me, a question in her now-blue eyes. I could turn on the charm, but I sense that is not what she wants. Very seriously, I tell her, "Faeryn, I would like for you to stay. My Bonded needs help only you can give her. As I told you before, you are quite safe here, from vampires or anyone else."

That must be what she wanted to hear, because she painfully croaks out, "Thank... you. I'll... stay."

Clearly delighted, her mother says, "Oh, that is wonderful! Sookie, what room will she be in? I need to leave her some things."

I take that to mean that Faeryn is currently unable to conjure up her own things. Sookie answers, "In my room – the bedroom I was in the night I was sick. Let me show you the way."

"No need. I remember where it is. Stay and say goodnight to your guests. I will be right back." In a flash, the beautiful Fairy disappears.

Next, Claudine steps up to thank Sookie for the evening. As they hug each other goodbye, I hear Claudine whisper in her cousin's ear, "Please take care of Claude. I know he's an ass, but he needs you."

Sookie whispers back, "Don't worry. He's going to be fine," and gives her a reassuring squeeze before they break apart.

Much to my surprise, Claudine then turns to me and bravely offers me her hand. After a brief hesitation, I take it. As her warm fingers slide into my slightly cooler grasp, she actually looks shocked. Before she can stop herself, she says, "How funny! I always thought you would be much colder."

I smile faintly. "A common misconception."

For once, she gives me a true smile. "Eric, one thing I can say about you is that you always surprise me. I truly enjoyed myself tonight. I had no idea a vampire could be so much fun."

Wrapping her hand around my arm, Sookie says proudly, "See? I told you so!"

With a return to her normal sarcastic smirk, Claudine says, "It's probably the result of him drinking nothing but your blood for months... and you'd better cut back on that healing magic of yours, Sookie. The vampires of this territory will be horribly embarrassed if their king becomes known as Eric the Cheerful."

It is obvious she is just teasing me, so I give her a mock growl. Claudine just laughs, blows me a kiss, and goes to join her grandfather, who is still chatting with Robert. Seeing it is his turn to thank his hosts, Rhys saunters over to Sookie and me. Not letting go of my arm, Sookie offers him her other hand. "It was great to see you again, Rhys. Thank you for coming."

Taking her hand, he says, "Goodnight, Princess. Thank you for the lovely evening. I hope to see you again soon."

About ten things I want to say to him skitter through my mind, such as "Not bloody likely," and "Stay the hell away from my wife," but Sookie discreetly pinches my arm. Instead, I force myself to say, "Sookie and I are glad you could join us."

Reluctantly, Rhys lets go of her. Instead of moving away, his eyes slowly shift to mine. The tall blond male is only a couple of inches shorter than me, and for a long beat, we look each other squarely in the eye. At first, all I see is the same amused indifference I have seen all evening, but then, Sookie leans against me in a wifely gesture that prompts me to put my arm around her. The instant I draw her close, something quite different flashes in those emerald depths. It is there and gone in an instant, but not before I have seen what lies beneath the Fairy's passive, jovial exterior: an extremely tricky, aggressive and dangerous opponent who would like nothing better than to stake the pesky vampire standing between him and the female he desires. Naturally, this brings my own aggressive nature boiling to the surface, so I immediately allow Rhys a good look at what lies behind the mask of congenial host: an extremely possessive, aggressive, not-to-be-fucked-with Vampire King, who is exceeding close to ridding the world of one fantastically handsome, wife-stealing Fairy.

As we stand there taking each other's measure, the air in the foyer seems to condense, and all other conversation fades. Rhiannon, who is coming down the stairs in the normal way, takes in the situation at a glance. She promptly vanishes, instantly reappearing directly in front of her daughter. Her clearly protective motion makes me realize Sookie is also in harm's way. Sookie must realize it, too, but instead of moving behind me as she should, she slides between the male Fairy and me. "Cut it out, Rhys," she says quietly but firmly.

Although her voice is steady, the jolt of anxiety and distress coming from her is strong enough to penetrate my own dark emotions. Instantly, that tiny little voice in the back of my head starts to bleat out a warning, advising me to calm down before I damage my Bonded. Never taking my eyes from the Fairy, I slowly fight back my urge to kill him. Just in case, I gently grasp Sookie's arms and move her out of the danger zone.

Suddenly, from across the room, the Prince issues an imperious command. "Rhys. Take Rhiannon and Claudine outside. I will say my goodbyes and then join you."

Obviously unwilling to be the first to look away, Rhys does not move until his monarch barks, "I meant now, Rhys."

Hearing the dangerous tone in his monarch's voice, the male Fairy abruptly turns on his heel and strides through the door. After giving her daughter one last hug, Rhiannon follows him. Rolling her eyes and sighing loudly, Claudine, too, heads for the door, muttering under her breath, "God save us all from testosterone."

Shaking his head, the Prince walks over to us. Since I came so close to going back on my word, I fully expect a few sharp words, but instead, he says, "I freely admit, I was quite disturbed when I first discovered that my great-granddaughter had Bonded with a vampire, but clearly some very good things have come of it. Sookie, your Bond with the Viking has not only given you enhanced magical abilities and longevity, but also self-confidence and strength. Due to your influence, your vampire is learning to exercise restraint, something I thought impossible for one of his kind. I am quite proud of both of you."

Just as surprised by his words as I am, Sookie says, "Um. Well, thanks."

"You are very welcome, my dear. Now, before I go, I have one last gift to give you." Eyes gleaming, he extends his hand, and on his palm appears an absolutely exquisite Fabergé box. Offering it to Sookie, he says, "Since I was so late in giving you your wedding gifts, I think I will give you your first anniversary gift in advance."

Examining the small jeweled box, Sookie exclaims, "My goodness! This is just about the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!"

"Oh, the box is not the real gift," he says with a mysterious smile, "The real gift is what is inside."

"Oh! Can we open it now?"

Eyes twinkling, he says, "Certainly not. It will give you something to look forward to. Knowing a little something about feminine curiosity, I have enchanted it to stay closed until February 18th of next year. Furthermore, if you are not perfectly happy with each other on that day, it will not open until the next year, and so on."

"Well, I guess that's a pretty good incentive to stay happily married!" Sookie says with a smile. "I'm going to be beside myself with curiosity until then."

Turning to Faeryn, the Prince gives her a stern look. Wagging his finger in her direction, he says, "And you, young lady...no telling her what it is, not even so much as a hint. Are we clear?"

For the first time tonight, Faeryn flashes him a real smile. In fact, she is positively beaming, and if I am not mistaken, her eyes and dress are one shade bluer. She croaks, "Yes... my... Lord." Quite suddenly, it dawns on me that this is what she was expecting him to give us earlier. Now my curiosity is really piqued. What could this mysterious gift possibly be, and why should Faeryn care whether we get it or not? Luckily, Niall decreed that she cannot reveal the contents to "her," meaning Sookie. He distinctly did not say "them." Maybe I can wheedle the information out of the little half-Fairy during her stay... but first, I will have to convince her to take some of Robert's blood so she can speak without pain.

Giving both girls one last kiss, the Prince goes out the door. Robert, Sookie, Faeryn, and I step outside to watch the others take their leave. From the porch, Sookie waves goodbye, saying, "Bye, y'all! Come back soon!"

A flash of brilliant light, and they are gone. As we walk back into the house, Robert says with a happy sigh, "Well, that was definitely one of the most incredible evenings of my long life. Thank you for including me, little sister. Now, since I promised this lovely lady I would go to ground elsewhere, I suppose I should say goodnight as well."

Sookie asks, "Are you going to stay down by the lake?"

Faeryn looks totally distressed, as if mentally picturing Robert burying himself in the dirt by the edge of the water. The tour of the grounds had never gotten as far as the lake, so the little half-Fae has no way of knowing about the garçonnière. Amused, I explain, "We have a little cabin down there. Appropriately enough, its original use was to house bachelors."

Roberts hastens to add, "I will be quite comfortable there, I assure you. Wilson can bring me whatever I need."

"Perfect!" exclaims Sookie, "Now that we have that settled, I'd better show Faeryn to her room." Turning to her friend, she says sympathetically, "Honey, you look positively exhausted. Let's get you to bed."

The half-Fairy nods. I bid her a fond goodnight. Without attempting to touch her in any way, Robert bows. "Bonsoir, belle dame. I hope to see you again tomorrow evening."

For the very first time tonight, Faeryn looks directly at him and gives him a timid but beautiful smile. After setting the Prince's mysterious gift on the hall table, Sookie takes her friend by the hand and leads her upstairs. Robert stands beside me as we watch the two lovely creatures ascend the staircase. Once they are out of sight, Robert sighs. In French, he says, "Poor damaged little dove. Why do you suppose she will not take my blood? Do you think she is in love with someone else and feels it would be inappropriate?"

I shrug. "More than likely, she is just squeamish. I cannot tell you how difficult it was to get Sookie past her aversion to taking my blood."

"What about the magnificent Rhys? Do you think Faeryn is interested in him? He could not seem to keep his hands off her."

"Yes, but he also could not keep his hands off Sookie or Claudine for that matter."

"Pfft. No female within a hundred miles of that one is safe. Damned Fairy charm!"

Grimly, I say, "Now you know how I feel."

"Yes, I do. I say we rid ourselves of this pest as soon as possible. I tried to get him to reveal where he lives, but all he would say is that he spends most of his time in the Portal."

"It does not matter. I promised the Prince I would not kill him."

"You did what! Are you insane?"

"It's a long story. I expect Sookie is going to be awhile getting Faeryn settled. I will walk you to the cabin and tell you all about it on the way."

"For some reason, I feel a bit restless," he replies with a frown, "Let's fly to the lake so I can work off some of this energy."

Grinning, I say, "Restless, eh? Are you sure a nice cold shower is not what you need?"

"Brother, what I need is to have my head examined," he grumbles, "There is plenty of night left for me to go to out and find a female or two who would be thrilled to satisfy my needs. Instead, I cannot seem to tear myself away from the vicinity of a woman who will scarcely look at me."

"Robert, my friend, all I can tell you is I felt the same way when I first met Sookie. What can I say? These fairy females are addicting. Now come, let's go flying."

Unsurprisingly, the short flight to the lake is not enough to cure my brother's "restlessness." After being in the company of Fairies all evening, I have an identical problem. Shedding our clothes on the porch, we head to the water and swim a few laps around the lake. Robert seems disinclined to talk, so I spend the time mulling over the evening. Knowing the subject of Quinn will only put me in a foul mood, I quite deliberately tuck it away until later. Instead, I think about the differences in my Bonded while among her own kind. There is no question that being in their presence enhances her gifts, as well as her physical appearance. I can only imagine how spectacular she looks while in the Portal. No wonder Rhys fell in love with her.

Watching that damnable Fairy flirt with her all evening without being able to do anything about it was sheer torture, but in a way it was worth it. I now know that Sookie has no feelings for him other than friendship. Unfortunately, I also know Rhys is head-over-heels in love with my wife. Just thinking about it makes my blood start to boil... until it occurs to me that no matter how hard this evening was for me, it had to be truly excruciating for the Fairy. He was forced to see with his own eyes how much Sookie adores me. How galling for him to realize even with his magnificent looks and Fairy charm, she still chose me! No doubt he is gnashing his perfect white teeth at this very moment, knowing it will be my cock plunging into her sweet depths tonight, not his. Never, ever his. Thinking about how miserable he must be cheers me up considerably.

After the fourth circuit around the lake, Robert heads for the shore, and I am right behind him. Neither one of us remembered to bring a towel, so we stand on the sandy beach for a moment to drip-dry. While combing my wet hair out with my fingers, I glance down and note that both of our cocks are still jutting out like swords, just as fully erect as when we went in. With a chuckle, I comment, "Maybe we should have gone a few more laps."

Contemplating his unruly member, the Knight says morosely, "At least you have a wife waiting for you at home. All I have is a date with my hand."

Robert is the most even-keeled vampire I know, and it is very rare to see him this out-of-sorts. To take his mind off his loneliness, I say, "Come on. Niall left me a few of his Fairy cigars, and I want you to try one."

Without a great deal of enthusiasm, he says, "All right. I will go fetch some towels and meet you back on the porch."

The Knight reaches the steps of the cabin just ahead of me. Head down, he is just crossing the porch when I spy a faint glimmer directly in front of the door. Just as I call out a warning, Sookie materializes practically on top of him. I do not know who is more startled, him or her. She lets out a little yelp, and I think for a moment she is going to pop away again; but then she realizes it is only her nestmate, and I am only a few steps behind him. Letting out a sigh of relief, she starts to relax... until it registers that neither one of us is wearing a stitch of clothing. Before she can stop herself, her eyes drop downward - then widen as she takes in my brother in his full glory. Jerking her gaze upright, she blushes furiously and stammers, "Oh, wow!... I mean... Robert, you... ah... you need a towel!"

Totally unconcerned with his nudity, Robert says calmly, "Yes, I was just going in to fetch some. Please excuse me."

Still rooted in place, Sookie is blocking access to the door. She seems to realize this and tries to move out of his way just as he steps forward. They end up moving in the same direction and bumping into each other. After being with her relatives all evening, Sookie looks and smells almost fully-Fae. With such close contact, even the Knight has his limits. Although he makes no attempt to grab her, his fangs snick down and his erection thumps into her fairy-cloth covered midsection. Mortified but clearly unafraid, Sookie gasps, "Ooof! Sorry!" and immediately tries to step out of his way, but again, they choose the same direction. Finally, the Knight grasps her shoulders, sets her to one side, and then continues on his path without another word. Not one joke, comment, or apology.

Sookie stands in the doorway with her mouth forming an astonished "O." She watches the vampire stomp across the room and disappear up the stairs. Eyes wider than ever, she whispers, "Honey, what's wrong with Robert?"

With a straight face, I reply, "You are just spoiled. Not everyone is as gifted as me."

"Gifted...? Oh! But his is nearly as big as... er..." Now she is blushing more furiously than before. "That's not what I meant, and you know it!"

"Caught you looking, didn't I?"

"I would have to be blind to miss that! Now quit teasing me and tell me what's bugging him. He isn't mad at me for what I said to him at the party, is he?"

Taking the last two steps on to the porch, I lean casually against the door jamb. Assuming a serious expression, I reply, "I think my brother has just realized he has an illness, and he is not quite sure how to deal with it. I recognize the symptoms, because I have suffered from the same disease."

Really alarmed now, she cries, "Eric! Bill told me vampires weren't susceptible to any diseases! Are you telling me he was wrong?"

I nod solemnly. "Oh, yes. This one is very rare and in my case, incurable... although only time will tell if it will be the same for Robert. If I am not very much mistaken, he has developed a roaring case of "fairy-itis."

"Fairy-itis! But vampires love fairies... Oh. I think I see. You mean he really loves one, don't you? You think he's in love with Faeryn?"

"Yes, he is exhibiting all the same symptoms I had when I first met you: disbelief, dismay, confusion, and the kind of sexual frustration that no fangbanger can possibly assuage."

"Good grief! If that's how you felt when you met me, then why on earth did you pursue me?"

"Because I also felt elation, excitement, warmth, and hope. And did I already mention the mind-boggling sexual attraction? After the first night you showed up at Fangtasia in that little white sundress, I walked around with a non-stop hard-on for months."

She snorts, "Huh. From what I heard, you did that before you ever met me."

"This was different. I honestly did not know what I was feeling or what to do about it. Pam accused me of being out-of-sorts all the time."

"That was because you didn't want to be in love. Robert once told me he would be delighted to find true love again. If he really loves her, why isn't he happy?"

I reply truthfully, "Because he is smart enough to know the perils that lie ahead of him. What if she does not return his affection?"

"Are you kidding? Didn't you see her peeking at him during dinner? She sure wasn't looking at Rhys like that. I'd say the attraction is definitely there."

"Yes, but in her current condition, it may be a very long time until she is ready for a real relationship. Even then, there is no getting around their biology. Can a vampire ever be able to love a half-Fairy physically without draining her? That would be a terrible tragedy, don't you think?"

A wave of sadness and pity rolls through our Bond. Sighing heavily, Sookie says, "That would be just awful. Poor Robert. Honey, we've just got to do something to cheer him up."

"What do you have in mind? Do you want to slip him a little of your magic?"

"That, too. But I really had something else in mind." Holding out her right hand, she stares down at it with a look of intense concentration on her face. A second later, a half-full bottle of Perianth appears in her palm. Looking faintly surprised, she exclaims "Too cool! I wasn't sure I could do it from this distance." Suddenly, she frowns. "Honey, you don't mind if I give Robert a little, do you? Strictly for medicinal purposes, of course."

She has no way of knowing I already mentioned the possibility to him earlier. Rubbing my chin, I say thoughtfully, "Well, I suppose it is your duty to care for your nestmate to the best of your ability. Although, as Elder, I must insist on trying out any "cures" first, to make sure they will not harm him."

Finally, I get a laugh out of her. "Oh, naturally. Maybe that's what Gran meant when she said "Age before beauty."

For that remark, I flash my fangs and give her a play growl, "Grr! No being fresh with your Elder! He just might have to spank you!"

"Promises, promises!"

In a flash, I am seated on the wicker loveseat with a squirming Fairy draped across my lap. I proceed to give her a few love pats on her fabulous bottom. Giggling like a maniac, she cries, "Baby! Cut it out! I'll spill the Perianth!"

Abruptly, she stops wiggling. Glancing over, I realize that Robert has suddenly appeared in the doorway. One towel tucked around his waist, he is using another to pat his hair dry, and a third is slung over his shoulder. He seems marginally more relaxed, and there is no tent in his towel, so I assume he has taken himself in hand and garnered a bit of relief. Careful to not come any closer to the fragrant Fairy in my lap, he tosses me the dry towel. "Sorry for the delay," he says quietly."I took a quick shower." Giving Sookie a faint smile, he asks, "So, little sister, did you get your friend settled in?"

Quickly repositioning herself upright on my lap, Sookie answers, "Yes. Her mother left her a potion to help her sleep. Thanks for offering to heal her, by the way. That was really sweet... oh, sorry. I mean, that was very chivalrous of you."

"You are welcome," the Knight says, "Too bad she refused me."

"You know what I think? I think you deserve a reward just for offering." She wiggles the bottle of Perianth at him, "What do you say?"

I have to hand it to my Bonded. She certainly knows how to cheer up a vampire. Immediately, Robert gives her a broad grin and a sweeping bow. "Dear lady, it would be very unchivalrous of me to refuse, would it not? So I will say yes to your kind offer... unless our Elder has any objections."

"Not as long as I go first, you old rascal. You will try to hog it all."

Sookie says, "I think there's plenty for everybody. Come sit down, Robert."

Suddenly, his frown returns. "After being with your family, ma petite, you smell extraordinarily luscious. My self-control seems to have worn a bit thin. Perhaps we should wait until another time."

Never one to take no for an answer, Sookie says firmly, "You need this, Robert. Throw me that wet towel, please."

With a puzzled look, he does as she asks. "Thanks," she says, "Now close your eyes for a minute, would you?"

As soon as he complies, she stands and strips off her fairy-cloth dress, revealing a gossamer set of matching underwear. Being intimately acquainted with my wife's selection of undergarments, I know right away that this set is new. I have an awful suspicion Rhys provided these at the same time he "gave" her the outfit. If so, he is probably back in the Portal right now, abusing himself while fantasizing about her in them. "Did that insufferable Fairy give you those, too?", I growl.

In a reasonable tone, Sookie replies, "My others were soaking wet. Would you have liked it any better if he had left me bare-bottomed?"

Sometimes, I hate it when she is right. With another growl, I rip both bra and panties off her body, shred them, and toss the remains off the porch. Rolling her eyes, Sookie shakes her head and sighs, but makes no complaint. She merely begins to scrub herself with Robert's damp towel. Once she has gone over every bit of bare skin, she holds out her arm for a sniff test. One deep, delicious inhalation later, I proclaim her within acceptable levels. Tossing the wet towel aside, she grabs the dry one, wraps herself in it and climbs back on my lap. After making sure it covers all the bits she deems necessary, she says, "Okay, Robert. I'm good to go. Open your eyes and come join us."

The vampire obediently complies, and is soon wedged in next to me on the settee. The wicker creaks a bit, but in the end proves to be well-built enough to withstand the combined weights of two large vampires and one small Fairy. As soon as our nestmate is settled, Sookie stretches her legs out across his and then thrusts the bottle of Perianth at him. "Here, hold this. I need to conjure up a glass." A second later, one from the cabin's kitchen appears in her hand. Robert quickly pours a healthy dollop into it. Raising her glass, Sookie says, "Here's to the best nestmates a girl could ever have. Cheers!"

After taking a sip, she wets her lips and offers them to her Elder. It seems like forever since our encounter in the control room, so I take my time, kissing my woman thoroughly and completely. Robert finally huffs, "Am I ever going to get a turn? At this rate, it will be dawn before you are through!

Of course, I ignore him. When we finally break off, Sookie pants, "Wow, honey! That was some kiss!"

We both glance over at our brother, whose large white fangs are now fully extended. He gives us both a very French shrug, as if to say, "What do you expect?" Sookie just giggles. She takes another sip, then leans towards him, her perfect little mouth pursed for his kiss. Obviously trying his best not to overstep his bounds, Robert leans forward and gently presses his lips to hers, delicately running the tip of his tongue over them. While he laps up every last smidgeon of the highly intoxicating essence, Sookie places her free hand on his bare chest and begins to stroke him, sending her healing magic through his system. Wanting to share the experience with them, I quickly tug the edge of the towel from under her bottom and slide my hand under it. With my palm pressed against her skin, I can feel the hum of her magic, and as always, it fills me with an amazing sense of well-being.

Once he has captured every driblet of Perianth, Robert sits back with a happy sigh. Capturing the fairy's hand, he brings it to his lips and kisses her palm. "Thank you, sister. I feel... I feel marvelous. That was a wonderful reward."

Leaning her head against me, Sookie laughs. The silvery sound is so lovely it actually makes me shiver with pleasure. With a tiny slur to her words, she cries gaily, "Brother dear, you were a good vampire tonight! All good vampires deserve favor!"

Apparently we vampires are not the only ones susceptible to Perianth's intoxicating effects. Add this last little tipple to the unaccustomed amount of liquor she has already consumed, and my little fairy-wife is well on her way to being lit! She is just so adorable! "Kiss me again, Sookie!", I demand.

With the cutest little smile, my Bonded obeys. First handing me the glass, she slips her arms around my neck and proceeds to give me a passionate kiss that leaves me tingling from my head to my toes. Once she is done, our nestmate looks so envious, I put the glass to her lips and encourage her to give him another taste. She obediently wets her lips and offers them to him. Between the effects of the Perianth and the magic spreading through his system, Robert's already eroded control slips another notch. The kiss he gives her this time is not nearly as chaste as the first.

Taking her face between his palms, he gives her a deeply sensual kiss. Unsurprisingly, the vampire in me finds this entire experience extremely erotic. My little Fairy does not need our Bond to know it, either. The harder-than-diamonds erection under her sweet little bottom makes it perfectly clear. As if on cue, she wriggles a little, which immediately sends my arousal into overdrive. If she keeps this up, I am going to need my towel back- to clean up the mess I will be making!

I manage to last a couple of more rounds. By that time, we are all three well and truly smashed. Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately), my well-bred Southern Belle seems to realize the three of us are perilously close to doing something her Grandmother would definitely not condone. Laying back in my arms, Sookie exclaims, "Hoo! You boys are really hard on a girl's morals! Honey, you'd better get me home."

Running his hands up and down her smooth legs, Robert says hopefully, "Are you sure you do not want to stay here? There is plenty of room upstairs."

We all know he is not merely offering to share a bed for the day. Instantly, visions of the two of us giving our little Fairy indescribable pleasures dance in my head. For a brief moment, the vampire in me thinks about talking her into it... but then the Twice-Bonded part of me asserts itself. "Better not, brother. She would never forgive either one of us. I had best get my little Belle home."

Holding her in my arms, I rise to my feet, not an easy thing to do in my current state. Very carefully, I make my way off the porch. From my arms, Sookie calls out, "G'night, Robert! Rest well! See you tomorrow night!"

Getting unsteadily to his feet, Robert cries, "Bonsoir, ma belle! I had a good time tonight!" With a last wave, he staggers for the door. Somewhere along the way, his towel has disappeared, so the last we see of him is a view of his rather impressive backside.

"Mm-mm-mmm," Sookie says appreciatively."That is one prime hunk of vampire. No matter what it takes, Faeryn is one crazy fairy if she doesn't jump on that immediately."

"Speaking of fairies jumping on vampires, do you know we still have nearly an hour until dawn?"

Grinning, my randy little female replies, "You don't say. Baby, how fast can you get us home?"

"Hold on and we'll see." Knowing it is the quickest way, I launch us into the air. I have never tried flying while intoxicated before, and I find myself weaving off course a time or two. Still, by using the lights of the big house as a beacon, I get us home in record time. Setting down on the back patio, I am pleased to see that the servants have already cleaned up and put everything away, including Niall's gifts. Carrying my woman through the French doors, I head straight for our chamber. Just as we emerge into the central hallway, I see Wilson coming from the kitchen with a tray of freshly washed glasses in one hand and the Faberge box in the other. He seems only marginally surprised to see a naked, fully-erect Viking vampire carrying a towel-wrapped Fairy through the house. Giving me a slight bow, he says, "I was just finishing up for the evening, Your Majesty. I put the Queen's other gifts in the morning room, but I was unsure what to do with this one."

"Put it on the mantle in my library. The Queen can decide what to do with it tomorrow."

"Very good, sir. If I may say so, I think your party was a great success."

I am not inclined to stand around the hallway chatting with servants when I could be making love to my Fairy, so I quickly bid him goodnight, and continue on my way. Over my shoulder, Sookie cries, "Thanks, Wilson! You guys did an amazing job! See you tomorrow!"

Navigating the stairs to our chamber is a little tricky, but I get down them without incident. I gently lay my wife on our bed, but before I have a chance to remove her towel, she rips it off and launches herself at me. Giggling wildly, she wraps her arms around me, grabs my bottom with both hands and squeezes. "Ha!" she exclaims, "Have I ever told you that you have the world's greatest butt?"

Smiling down at her, I reply, "By the way you were staring at Robert's, I thought perhaps I had lost that title."

"Hmm. I guess I'd better have another look." Letting go of me, she makes a circular motion with her finger. "Turn around."

Obligingly, I spin around. She sits back on the bed and thoughtfully regards my backside. "Muscular... check. Smooth... check. Squeezable... check. What about kissable, though? That's going to require a test."

Crawling forward, she gives each cheek a big smooch. "Kissable... double check."

"So I win?"

"Just one more category." Unexpectedly, she gives me a sharp nip on one cheek.

Although it does not really hurt, it does surprise me. I cry, "Ouch! What kind of category is that?"

Chuckling, she says, "Bite-ability. Out of a possible ten, that's definitely a twelve. Okay, I'd say that does it. You retain your title."

"So what is my prize?"

"Turn around and you'll see."

Obligingly, I turn back towards the bed. Laying on her stomach, Sookie is about eye-level with my erection. Taking it in hand, she licks it from base to tip several times, and then places as much of it as she can get in her hot little mouth. As aroused as I am, it is all I can do to hold back from spilling immediately. "That is a nice prize," I manage to gasp.

To my dismay, she releases me and sits back. With a wicked gleam in her eye, she says, "Oh, that's not the real prize."

Climbing off the bed, she slips around behind me and shoves me forward, so that I am bent over the mattress, supporting my weight with my arms but with my feet still on the floor. Wondering what she is up to, I glance over my shoulder at my still-intoxicated mate. Eyes gleaming, she runs her hands slowly over my lower back and buttocks. Leaning forward, she kisses the indentation at the base of my spine... and then moves down a bit, licking and nibbling first one cheek and then the other. Having a fascination with this area of my body, she has done this before, and as always, we both enjoy it immensely... but the sense of anticipation coming through or Bond tells me this is not all she has in mind. I have no idea what is coming next, but with the slightest provocation, it will be me.

Falling to her knees, she continues to nibble while coaxing my legs further apart with her hands. She sensually slides her palms up and down the muscles of my inner thighs a few times, then reaches between them and begins to massage my shaft. Due to our little cocktail party with Robert, I am already extremely aroused. All it takes is a few sure strokes of her hand and the pressure of a release starts to build... but I absolutely do not want to come just yet. I definitely want to see where my adventurous little lover is going to take this. Unfortunately, in my current state of euphoria, I am not as rigidly in control of my responses as usual. Gritting my teeth, I count to forty... and then backwards to one, this time in Mandarin. Just about the time I have myself under control, she nuzzles her head between my legs and laves the back of my scrotum with her tongue. With the fingertips of her free hand, she gently rolls one of the round globes into her mouth. While gently sucking and massaging it with her tongue, she continues her slow rhythmic massaging of my erection. Now I have to fight back my orgasm in earnest. By the Gods, if she keeps this up, I will not last another five seconds!

Now that our Bond is fully repaired, Sookie knows exactly how close I am to the point of no return. Her mouth releases my flesh and her hands go still, allowing me to regain at least a modicum of control. Once I am out of the danger zone, I shift a bit to one side, to make it easier for her to give the other testicle its fair share of attention, but instead, I feel her warm, velvety tongue sweeping across the stretch of skin between my balls and anus. This is such an unexpected treat, I let out a sigh of sheer bliss.

Even though it is pure torture to keep my hips from moving, I force myself to stay as still as possible. I am absolutely burning for my woman to try something very adventurous, something that I have done to her but not yet asked for in return. In my wildest dreams, I never thought my relatively inexperienced lover would think to try it without any prompting from me. To my amazement and utter delight, she parts my cheeks gently with both hands and moves her tongue a bit higher, tentatively running its tip around the most intimate area of a male's body. Unable to stop myself, my entire frame quivers with pleasure and excitement, and I let out a prolonged moan.

Taking this reaction as encouragement, my emboldened mate chuckles deep in her throat and gives me a much firmer lick, followed by several more. That does it! With a hoarse shout, I lose my battle for control. My orgasm barrels through my body, my essence pumping out of me in savage spurts. Once I am spent, I crawl onto the bed, roll over and collapse. Sookie laughs exultantly, knowing exactly what intense pleasure she has just given me. In a very satisfied tone, she says, "Hmm. I guess you like that."

I mumble something totally incoherent. Chuckling again, she quickly mops up the mess with her discarded towel. Throwing it aside, she crawls up my body, stretches out on top of me, and peppers my face with kisses. When I am finally able to speak, I tell her, "You are a wanton woman, Mrs. Northman. I love it."

"It's all your fault. I was a nice girl when you met me," she says with mock sadness.

"That is true. Fortunately, you seem to be a fast learner. In fact, after that performance, I can see that it is time to move forward with your lessons."

Bracketing my hips with her knees, Sookie rubs herself sensuously across my newly deflated member. With an adorable pout, she says, "Judging by the feel of things, I think you might not be up for any lessons tonight."

"Think again."

Before she draws her next breath, I have rolled us over so I am now on top. Luckily, it seems that Perianth has no effect on my recovery time because I am already rising to the occasion. One or two passionate kisses is all it takes for me to be rock-hard again. My woman writhes beneath me in anticipation, her moist heat beckoning. She tries to guide me into her warmth, but I resist, only coming close enough to brush my tip across her slick folds. Putting my mouth close to her ear, I whisper playfully, "Do you want me, lover?"

"Mm hm."

"How badly?"

"What do you think?" She wriggles against me, trying in vain to impale herself on me, but again I shift just enough to evade her. With a little moan of frustration, she says, "Eric! Come on, baby."

With a wicked smile, I reply, "Not so fast. Since you implied I was not up to the task, I think you had better beg."

"Oh, you think so, do you? I'm pretty sure Fairy Princesses are not supposed to beg Vampire Kings for sex. It just isn't done."

"Ah. You are probably right. Too bad."

I start to roll away, but she wraps both arms around my neck and holds tight. Giggling, she exclaims, "Wait! Wait! Okay, I'll beg!"

Settling back into the cradle of her soft body, I grin down at her. "All right. Let the begging commence."

"Please make love to me, baby," she pleads prettily.

Shaking my head, I tell her, "Sorry. You'll have to do better than that."

"Okay. How 'bout this?" Pulling my head down to her lips, my Fae Princess whispers a very unladylike plea in my ear along with some explicit instructions. A second later, I have her heart-shaped bottom grasped firmly in both hands. Raising her hips slightly off the bed, I bury myself to the hilt and begin pumping for all I am worth, giving my woman exactly what she begged for. Each powerful stroke brings forth a little whimper of pleasure, and in no time at all she is climbing toward what is sure to be a spectacular orgasm. I know exactly how to time my bite to give her the greatest satisfaction, and as I plunge my fangs into her soft, fragrant skin, she arches under me and screams my name. I am filled with a sort of savage joy, knowing no one, not even a magnificently handsome Fairy male, could ever hope to make her scream like that.

Considering all the blood I have already consumed over the course of the evening, there is really no reason for me to take more than a sip, but once the ambrosia of my Bonded's blood touches my tongue, my current condition makes it nearly impossible to practice moderation. I drink greedily, trying to satisfy my intense craving... until that small voice in the very back of my brain reminds me I am already quite intoxicated. To take one drop more of her Fairy-laced blood would be very, very dangerous. And so, I force myself to seal the wounds.

Lifting my head, I stare down at my indescribably beautiful wife, who gives me the lazy, sensual smile of a well-satisfied angel. The craving for her blood is suddenly replaced by another, even more intense desire. The Bonded vampire in me insists that the ritual be completed. I need to feel my blood circulating through her veins. I must.

Bundling her in my arms, I roll us on to our sides. Still joined, we are now facing each other. I thrust into her slowly with long, even strokes. Staring into her eyes, I say, "Bite me, Sookie."

Knowing I fully intended to wait a few more days for this, her eyes widen in surprise. Elation and anticipation rush through our Bond. Still, she hesitates. "But you said..."

"I know. Do it anyway."

Without further argument, she leans her head into the crook of my neck, and licks and nibbles my skin. I try to keep my thrusts slow and steady, but my hips have other ideas. The more she teases me, the faster I pump... and within moments, I am racing towards another orgasm. I growl, "Do it. NOW!"

Immediately, my lover complies. Since the transfusion, Sookie's teeth are much sharper than they used to be, but she still has to bite very hard to break the skin. The pain is brief but exquisite, and sends me right over the edge. No longer a shrinking violet when it comes to taking my blood, she sucks it down in greedy gulps while my body shudders through a second intense climax. Long after the punctures have sealed themselves and the last spasm has passed, we lay clenched together, entirely too blissful to move. The Bond is fully open, and I swear I cannot tell where she ends and I begin. We are simply... one.

After a time, I realize my other half is getting a bit chilled, so I reluctantly let her go long enough to pull back the covers, slip her under them, and crawl in next to her. I lay on my back and settle her into the crook of my arm. Closing my eyes, I savor the feeling of my blood coursing through my Bonded's veins, and I know she is doing the same. As if choreographed, we give out identical sighs of contentment. After a few minutes, Sookie whispers, "Having your blood in me is amazing. It feels... It's just... " she trails off, unable to come up with the right words.

I laugh softly. "It feels just as good to me."

"I'm glad you changed your mind about waiting."

"Believe me, so am I."

She says nothing else for a time, and then, "Eric?"

"Yes, love."

"We had a nice party, didn't we?"

"Yes, we did. I am very proud of you. You make a wonderful hostess."

"Thanks." She pauses to stifle a yawn. "Weren't all those gifts Niall gave us amazing?"

"Well, I certainly enjoyed the Perianth. What is so special about those trees?"

"The Prince's hobby is breeding plants and things. Those trees are hybrids that took him years and years to get perfect, and he's very proud of them. The fruits taste just like lemons, but they're safe for Fairies to eat."

"Ah. What did he mean about keeping them out of the sun?"

"I have no idea. They were growing outside in the Portal." Pause. Yawn. "Honey, what do you think is in the beautiful little box? You know, the one for our first anniversary?"

"The box is too small to hold much. Maybe it is full of gemstones. What else could it be?"

"Well, he is the Fae Prince, " she says drowsily, "Maybe it's full of wishes..."

With that, my sweet fairy-wife falls asleep in my arms. Even though she cannot hear me, I whisper to her, "I do not need any wishes. I already have you."

Author's notes: I hope y'all enjoyed the chapter. Please don't forget to leave me a review! I always look forward to hearing from everybody.