A/N Okay guys, just so everyone's clear, the wedding's gonna take up probably three chapters. Sorry, but a lot of shit's about to go down, what can I say? I'm just glad the big day's finally here, myself. Thank you to my most wondrous beta Wanda W., and to all my faithful readers and reviewers, some of whom have been with me since the beginning. I may not be able to respond to each of you, but rest assured, I do love you all.

Chapter 50

I awoke to a thunderous pounding on the front door.

"Sookie!" Amelia yelled, relentlessly banging again. "SOOKIE GET YOUR ASS UP, IT'S TEN O'CLOCK!"

I stumbled to the door and pulled it open, rubbing my eyes and yawning. Amelia stood on the porch looking pert and chipper, her hair spiked in that signature way, dressed in a tiny pair of white shorts, a blue Hawaiian print halter top and a pair of flip flops.

"Weddings are bullshit," I mumbled. Holy hell, I thought as I stretched and yawned, it sure made sense that I'd overslept, given all that had gone on the night, or should we say, early morning before.

"Girl, game on," she said emphatically. "I lied to Octavia and told her you'd been up and gone to the store already. She'll skin you alive. You better get dressed."

I turned back inside and started grabbing clothes. I'd showered a few hours before so quickly I brushed my teeth and hair. I pulled on a pair of tan capris, a tissue weight salmon-colored tank, and a pair of green rainbows. Amelia handed me a travel mug of coffee, with cream just the way I like it. Gratefully I took it as we made our way down the hill.

"We have a situation," she said, as we dodged the brambles. I made a mental note to clip them later.

"The garden is full of brownie children," she continued.

"What?" I swatted at a bee.

"Brownie children," she said slowly, as if speaking to a muddled individual. "Wizno's ex-wife and her sister-in-law dropped off his youngest and a few cousins while they went to run errands or something. They're playing in the garden now, but what am I supposed to do with them? I don't know how to take care of baby brownies."

"How many?"

She shrugged. "At least four or five." I groaned.

"What the hell were you doing last night?" Amelia asked as we walked. "The Were guards stopped by the house for coffee early this morning and said you were up all night running all over the woods with that Bill." She wrinkled her nose.

"What Were guards?"

"The ones Eric sent late last night. They reported in this morning to alert you of their presence, but you were still in bed."

Crap.

Just then I heard yelling and cussing coming from the direction of Jason's house.

"What's going on down there?"

Amelia grinned widely.

"Oh, Jason went out with Wizno and his brothers for a little bachelor-type party at an underground supe bar in Shreveport last night," she said. "They all got way wasted and crashed at Jason's. The brothers got up early and realized how filthy the house was. They've been cleaning and pinching him all morning, and he's too hungover to do anything but lie in the bed and yell."

I started to head for Jason's to do some damage control.

"Hey, leave it alone," Amelia grabbed me by the arm. "I went down there a few minutes ago and the kitchen is sparkling, but the rest of the house needs to be finished in case someone wants to use the facilities tonight." After I thought about it a second, I couldn't help but smirk a bit at the thought of Jason getting pinched for his slovenly male habits.

We reached the garden and I looked in. Sure enough, two little boys and three girls, ages about five to eleven, were playing hide and seek among the rows. They were precious, tiny children, dressed neatly and somewhat old-fashioned in calico dresses and dress shirts with overalls. I noticed they all had long hair, carefully covering their little pointed ears. The oldest girl approached me

"I'm Elsbeth," she said. She had red hair and freckles. I wanted to put her in my handbag and take her with me.

"How old are you, Elsbeth?"

"I'm twelve," she said. "I'm in charge until my mom gets back."

"That's nice. Have you all eaten breakfast yet?"

"We found some earthworms in the garden," she said. I tried not to make a face. "And I had some tommy toe tomatoes. I told the others they could eat them, I hope you don't mind."

"No, I don't mind," I laughed a little. "Are you all okay with playing outside?"

"Oh yes, that's what we do best," she said, smiling brightly.

"Are you Wizno's daughter?"

"Just Jonas is Uncle Wizno's," she said, pointing to the smaller boy. "He's five."

Jonas was about the size of a three year old, but the older boy with him, Malachi, who Elsbeth said was nine, was just about the size of Hunter. I went inside to get them some apple juice and cheese and crackers. Amelia looked at me impatiently.

"They're not hurting anything, Amelia, and we can't send them away. She said her mother was coming back. Chill." Amelia shrugged and went about her business.

I sat and drank my coffee and watched the kids play while I worked the phone, coordinating final deliveries. I ordered more chairs and tables, and the Rent-It man was very nice about delivering on such short notice. I called the florist and confirmed Octavia's orders there. I walked around the lawn and garden, mentally working out the evening. The children played together very well, and were extremely well-mannered. Octavia's cousins began arriving; they were planning to prepare the heavy hors d'oeuvres in my kitchen.

It wasn't long before the delivery trucks started pulling in the drive. I was just talking to one of the drivers when a little brownie woman pulled into the driveway in an old Volkswagen van.

She jumped out and hurried up to me. She was slightly plump, with Elsbeth's same bright red hair, and she wore a tie-dye skirt and top.

"Hi," she said hurriedly. "I'm Tula. There's been a bit of a mix-up. We thought the wedding was at two, and it's not until tonight. Do you mind if the children and I hang around here for the day? We'll stay out of your hair, you have such a pretty place, and they're brownie children; they just want to play outside."

"It's fine," I said. "Are you Wizno's ex?"

"Oh, no," she laughed, "They wouldn't do that to Octavia, don't worry. But Wizno's son does want to be here for his father's wedding," she nodded to Jonas.

I had a sudden thought. Hunter was the same age as Jonas, and size as Malachi; and because they were supe children, he wouldn't be able to read their minds. I thought back to when I was a kid, and how I wished for such playmates. Hunter would almost feel normal around these kids.

"My cousin's little boy is the same age, do you think they could play together?"

"Oh yes, they'd love to," she beamed. Quickly I called Remy Savoy; thankfully he was at home. I explained about the brownie children, and although I could tell he thought the situation a little strange, he agreed that Hunter didn't have many friends and would enjoy kids he could relax around.

"I'll make sure he's looked after." I promised. To my delight, Remy agreed.

While I waited for Hunter, Bruno popped in out of nowhere accompanied by several other members of the fae guard. He, of course, was dressed in his signature loincloth/skirt, and bare-chested, ahem. He and the other guards held baskets of goodies, sandwiches and salads and assorted pastries.

"Compliments of Niall and Fintan," Bruno said with a wink. "They wanted to make sure you had nourishment." I felt a rush of warmth for my grandfather and my great-grandfather. It would be hard to get lunch today with everything going on.

"The gourmet grubs will be delivered later," Bruno said.

"The what?" I wasn't sure I'd heard him right.

"Fintan said Octavia would be preparing a White Grub Ceviche for tonight," he explained. "Made with chopped fresh grubs, lime juice, vinegar, cilantro and peppers. It's traditional brownie special occasion fare."

Any residual doubts I might have had about the depth of Octavia's feelings for Wizno after their fight the other night were squashed right then and there.

I chatted a bit with Bruno. As we were catching up, Remy Savoy pulled up in his truck.

"Aunt Sookie!" Hunter called, running up to me. I swept him up in a hug. "You're still pretty," he sighed, burying his head in my shoulder. 'Well, I hope so," I laughed.

"Thank you for bringing him," I smiled at Remy, who was staring at the scene before him slack-jawed. I looked around, seeing it through his eyes. Brownies running around, fae guard in full regal dress, an errant Were or witch here and there.

"We're kind of a motley crew," I said shyly, looking at the ground. "It's going to be a circus, but I'll make sure he's looked after," I assured him. Remy nodded, still looking a little dazed.

"I'll pick him up around dinnertime, say six?"

"That'll be fine."

Jonas came out and grabbed Hunter's hand and pulled him away unceremoniously, in that way children do.

Remy left and I busied myself re-arranging the flower deliveries. Vaguely I heard cars and trucks pulling in and out, but I tuned them out. The sounds of the children playing and laughing, the sun on my face, and the heady scent of gardenias and lavender lulled me into a warm and fuzzy place. I was on a step stool, lost in my own little world and working with a particularly trying arbor, when I heard a noise from behind me and turned around to see none other than Beau Sinclair standing right beside me. I nearly fell off my stool.

He was dressed casually, in jeans and a starched white button down, open at the neck, the cuffs folded back, and some obviously ridiculously expensive cowboy boots. His wore his dark hair brushed back over his forehead, setting off his perfectly tanned face, and his onyx eyes glimmered in the sun. He looked, well, he looked yummy, just to tell you the truth.

He grabbed me by the elbow to steady me, "Sorry to startle you," he murmured as he set me straight on my feet. I looked at him incredulously. "What are you doing here?"

"If Mohammed cannot come to the mountain …." he drifted off and looked a little boyish. "You didn't answer my messages."

I stepped down off the ladder and gestured across the property. "I've been a little busy, Mr. Sinclair," I said.

"I see," he said. "Can we talk for a minute?" I looked at my cell phone. After two, and I hadn't eaten yet.

'I can take a lunch break," I said reluctantly, a little self-conscious about my appearance. It was hot, I was sweating a bit, and my hair was a little mussed from all the activity. Plus, I had not a stitch of makeup on. "Would you care to join me?"

'I'd love too," he said with a little bow.

I went into the kitchen. Octavia was yelling at her cousin Raquel, something on the stove was boiling over and another woman was brandishing a knife at the butcher block table. I squeezed my way around them and grabbed a couple of sandwiches from the fae-catered tray, a couple bags of chips and some sodas, and dove back outside.

"This way," I led Beau over to a table in the shade under a tree, grabbing a tablecloth on my way.

Wordlessly he helped me spread it, and I set our food and drinks out. "I never thanked you for the book," I said, a little sheepish at forgetting my manners. "I have enjoyed it already."

"I'm very pleased that you like it," he said graciously as we both sat.

The children were laughing and playing in the old barn at this point. I waved to Tula, who was sitting on a lawn chair watching them.

"Brownies?" Beau lifted his eyebrow. "Long story," I said.

"You're going to have your hands full tonight," he remarked.

"I'm beginning to realize that."

We began to eat. Beau asked me a few questions about the wedding. "I heard about this event through the grapevine," he said.

"You heard because you're …." I didn't want to assume anything here.

"Part-demon, yes," he said. "Just a smidge. But I still keep in contact with the supe world, it has been necessary, and beneficial over the years. My business is quite tied."

I polished off the last of the sandwich and wiped my mouth. I took a long swing of the coke, feeling nervous for some reason.

"So, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"I have two points of interest here today, one personal and one business."

I nodded.

"I've been thinking about you ever since the other night in New Orleans, and I did some checking around. I know about your talent. I also know you've been active in the vampire community for some time now."

"That's true," I conceded.

"Are you seeing anyone?" he asked bluntly. I nearly spit out a mouthful of cola.

"Yes, I am," I said.

"The Viking vampire?" I nodded.

"Is it serious?"

I regarded him narrowly. "No, we're just having a good time," I said with a certain amount of sarcasm.

H e held up his hand in a placating gesture. "What I mean is, is it long-term? Do you see yourself having a future with him?"

The question took me off guard. I stared at him blankly for a moment beforeI drew myself up stiffly. "I can't see a future without him," I replied. "And I hardly see how it's any of your concern."

He smiled in a wry manner. "Well, it's my concern because I would like to ask you out," he offered quite diplomatically. "There is an affair in New Orleans next month, another black-tie event with even bigger oil executives, and I would like for you to accompany me as my date. Also I was thinking," he gave me that dazzling little half- smile here, "that we might have dinner one night before then."

I pursed my lips.

"I'm sorry, but I am involved." I tried to soften my words with a smile. He looked disappointed, but recovered quickly.

"Onto business then," he rubbed the palms of his hands down his jeans briskly.

Just then Bruno approached carrying a large Styrofoam cooler. He lifted the lid to reveal a mound of wiggling black dirt.

"The grubs," he said simply. I shuddered and pointed to Jason's house. You gotta draw the line somewhere.

Beau looked at me questioningly. "Don't ask," I said.

"Your employment contract with Herveaux," he said, lifting a dark eyebrow. "It's almost up, correct?"

"Yes, the six months have gone by very quickly."

"And will they be renewing it?"

"I assume so." I creased my brow. Come to think of it, no one had mentioned the renewal of my contract.

He nodded.

"You realize that many Were businesses are hurting right now. So many are construction-based, the two-natured like to be outside, and that kind of work just comes naturally to them."

I had to agree. Business had been very slow at Herveaux and Sons, and several tense business meetings had ensued. Alcide walked around looking tight-lipped a good deal of the time. I hadn't paid too much attention, because I'd been busy with press releases concerning the downside of the economy and its effects on Supe-based business. My most recent assignment had been to write upbeat news articles about the different two-natured trades for the online newsletter, a daunting task.

"I heard there will be cutbacks," he said. "Your job may be on the block."

How presumptuous! "It's not your place to tell me this," I snipped.

"No, it is not, but I have told you," he said smoothly. "I am also here to tell you that even if they can renew you, things will be rocky for a while yet. I have an offer to make you that I don't think you can refuse.

"Sinclair Oil is doing very well, despite the economy. We just discovered a huge oil reserve off the coast of Louisiana that will provide over the top profit for years to come. In addition we are funding research into alternative energy with some spectacular results already. My company is solid, wealthy, and way in the black." He paused.

"Go on." My stomach started to do nervous little flips.

"I'll double your salary, and that's just to start. I need someone with your ties to both worlds, someone who can move seamlessly between humans and supes, and you've proven that you can do just that.

"I need your PR skills, but I also need your face at events, press conferences, et cetera," he continued.

"And you need me to read minds," I clarified.

"It wouldn't hurt," he smiled.

"I don't use my gift for profit or evil, Mr. Sinclair. I hope your realize that," I couldn't keep the stiffness out of my voice.

"You have to admit," He lowered his voice and leaned forward," if we knew what the powers at OPEC were thinking, it would be quite beneficial; hell, the last time oil went over a hundred bucks a barrel alone their thoughts would have been worth millions—but that's not why I'm offering you the position, per se.

"You would help sniff out traitors within my own business. You would travel, a lot. But make no mistake, Sookie, I live and work in a world rich in international intrigue." His eyes flashed as he spoke.

Did I ever mention how charming Beau Sinclair could be? And boy, did he smell nice. I realized he was still talking and mentally shook myself.

"…I would give you three months annual leave. Sometimes the schedule would be exhausting, and you wouldn't be home for weeks at a time. You and I would work very closely together," he continued.

"I have a private jet and helicopter at your disposal, as well as private cars and drivers. It would be a very high level position, Sookie, but with many, many benefits. As you proved you worth, your salary would go up exponentially. The profit sharing alone would be worth the job change, I do assure you."

"The Weres have been good to me," I said. "I don't know, it's a lot to absorb."

Beau stood up. "Well, think about it," he said. "We aren't a huge oil company, but we're a very wealthy one. We take care of our people. I'd like to take care of you, Ms. Stackhouse." He held out his hand and I shook it.

We walked toward the town car. His driver was standing beside it, waiting. I recognized his brain signature as human.

"The offer will be open for a limited time," Beau said as he turned to the car. "You will get back to me, in say, a week?" I nodded. "Good luck tonight, Sookie."

"Mr. Sinclair?" I called out. He turned back around. "If you're in town tonight, feel free to stop by," I said. It was only polite, after all; here he was, a part-demon, and every other Supe I'd ever met was expected to be at my house tonight. He smiled and nodded, then got in the car. I watched as the driver backed out and headed down Hummingbird Lane.

Was he right? Could my job be in danger? And the one he offered me—it sounded great, but were there strings attached? Freaking hell, I was too busy to think too much about that. I made a mental note to corner Alcide later, and I turned back to the wedding and tried to put it out of my mind temporarily, which wasn't hard, as right about then an eighteen-wheeler with the E(E)E logo pulled into my drive.

Amelia walked out of the house. "You rented from Quinn?" her eyebrows nearly disappeared into her hairline. I shook my head. "There's been a mistake," I approached the truck as I addressed the driver.

"I have a note," the burly middle-aged man dug in his pocket and extracted an envelope, then handed it to me.

Sookie,

I heard you might need a fairy-free vampire zone tonight. I'm sending some tents and furnishings, gratis. The king called and requested additional security also, which will arrive later, but these things are my gift. I will not be able to attend, but I do send you my best.

Thinking of you,

John Quinn

Amelia read the note over my shoulder. "Well, that's nice," she said cattily. "Last time he led the vamps to your house, at least this time he's giving them some place to sit."

"The king's requesting security, that means he's coming," I said slowly.

I watched as two more big men began unloading the truck with two Aladdin-type tents and sumptuous furnishings. I pointed out the only empty space, the far edge of the lawn near the trees.

"Do you think de Castro is bringing his own chair?" I whispered to Amelia as the men carried a particularly royal-looking settee by me. She shrugged. "That's rather ill-mannered, don't you think?" I groused.

"He's a vampire king, Sookie, not Emily Post," she replied as she walked back into the kitchen.

A fairy-free vampire zone might not be a bad idea, I thought. We had the capes and cuffs that Fintan sent, but would it be enough? What if the vamps refused to wear them? Vampires and fairies and brownies, oh my. Weres and witches, a part-demon, the Britlingens, and now Felipe … I sank down on the front steps and put my head in my hands.

"If you're freakin', it's time to start drinkin'," Amelia walked out of the house and handed me a glass of muscadine wine. "Here, have a big glass of Fuckitall."

I took it from her with a small giggle. "Alcohol doesn't solve problems," I said sternly.

"No, but it can help you forget about them for a little while," she returned. We both took a long swig.

"It's going to be all right," she said, patting me on the hand. "This is a celebration, remember, not a political event. And it looks like we're going to have plenty of muscle if things get out of hand." I relaxed a bit at her words.

We sat there for a few minutes. The afternoon sun soon became very hot, and the children grew tired of playing outside. They wandered toward the house, followed closely by Tula.

"Here, you all come in the living room and watch TV, cool off a little." I called out as I stood up and went inside. I sat down at the dining room table. Too many cooks in the kitchen.

"Can you make the chocolate leaves for the groom's cake, Sookie?" Octavia called out. "Sure," I said. A baker would deliver the wedding cake, but Octavia had insisted on baking the groom's cake, a raspberry and chocolate confection. I went in the bathroom and washed my hands, then spread out the washed and dried rose and gardenia leaves we'd saved from the floral arrangements for that purpose.

Octavia brought me the double boiler of melted chocolate and set it on a trivet. "Octavia, you need to go rest," I admonished. "Take a nap, sweetie, okay?" She nodded, looking tired but happy. "I'm stopping in just a minute," she promised as she handed me the pastry brush.

The kids settled down on the rug in the living room, absorbed in SpongeBob. Hunter walked up to the table and watched me as I carefully brushed the chocolate across the leaves.

"Can I help?" he asked, clearly fascinated. 'Sure, Hunter, just go wash your hands real good. I have another pastry brush right here."

He did as I asked and came back to the table. I showed him how to paint the chocolate rather thickly on the back of the leaf, and then set it on the waxed paper to dry. We worked quietly side by side. I stole a sideways glance at him. He was a cute little boy, with the dark hair damp from the heat and curling around his sun-flushed face. He appeared old for his age, a sure sign of telepathy, I thought with a sigh.

"I'm not old, Aunt Sookie," Hunter said without looking up. "I'm just a little kid. " Oops, gotta watch myself around this child; you'd think I'd know better than anyone.

"Jonas found an inchworm in the garden," he continued conversationally as he dipped the brush in the pot of chocolate.

"Did he eat it?" I blurted out before I could stop myself. Hunter furrowed his brow and shook his head.

He concentrated hard as he worked, and in just a few minutes we had finished all the leaves. "I'll put these in the freezer, and in about ten minutes I can show you how to peel the leaf away and we'll put the chocolate ones on the cake," I promised. He nodded.

"Have you had fun here today, Hunter?" I asked.

"Oh, yes," he nodded vigorously. "I like my new friends, Aunt Sookie," he whispered, touching his little fingers to his forehead. "They let my brain rest."

I smiled despite the sudden tightness in my chest. "They let my brain rest, too," I confided.

"Really?" His rich brown eyes grew round.

"Yes," I said softly as I reached over and squeezed his hand. "Your dad will be here soon, but you can come back anytime you want, just let me know, okay?"

"Okay," he said solemnly, then scooted off the chair and joined the other kids in front of the television. I watched them for a moment. As soon as Hunter lay down on the rug, Malachi put his arm around him.

I'd enjoyed the children being in my house. I thought back to my adolescent days, when I worked in the Sunday school nursery at church. It disturbed me to hear the unkind thoughts people would think during Reverend Fullenwilder's sermons, so, often as a teenager, I retreated to the nursery.

Baby's minds are like Play-Doh, unformed, innocent. At such a small church I would sometimes have five or six babies at a time, but I didn't mind. They were so easy to be around, their needs so simple. A bottle or a diaper, to be rocked or held; that was about it. And I got to do it for a while, too, until several church mothers told the reverend they didn't want crazy Sookie taking care of their kids.

I told myself then that one day I would have a child of my own, and no one could ever take it away from me.

But look at the world I live in now; look at what happened to Minnie and Porter, look what happened to me as an infant, as a child and teenager—hell, what had happened to me as an adult. I thought of the crazy-quilt of a family tree Minnie had presented to me just days before, and all that those women had suffered through the centuries.

Even now, consider all the peril that Hunter would have to face for years to come. A child of mine would be in danger, at most, and, at least, would suffer untold hardships if it inherited my questionable gift. Could I, in all good conscious, bring a child into this world, knowing what it would face?

I knew the answer, and it hit me not like a ton of bricks, but more like a brightly-colored fall leaf falling slowly, but surely to the ground.

"This stops here," I said out loud, to no one in particular. No one seemed to notice.

I will never have a biological child. I could not prolong this madness, could not pass on all the trouble I'd known to my own flesh and blood. I couldn't control what Jason did, or Hunter did as a grown man, but I could control my own actions. I might one day adopt, but I would not pass my DNA onto a new generation.

I waited for the sadness at this revelation to hit; instead, I felt strangely unburdened. It came to me that this concept had been niggling in the back of my mind for some time. I'd made a good decision. I had no reason to grieve.

A couple of the brownie kids fell asleep on the rug. Hunter looked like he was well on his way. Quietly I moved about the room, putting the chocolate petals in the freezer, covering sleeping forms with afghans and quilts.

I needed to work on a surprise I'd come up with for the vampires. The cooks cleared a little spot on the kitchen counter. I'd decided to make blood aspic, like the old-fashioned tomato aspic Gran used to take to special occasion dinners at church. I substituted a high-quality synthetic for the tomato juice, then added the 'vampire-friendly' gelatin I'd found online (don't want to think too much about what that meant), lemon juice and Worcestershire as well as other spices, and put it in the refrigerator. I really should have made it the day before, but just got too busy. I hoped for the best while the children slept.

I cleaned up my mess and got out of the other cooks' way, then walked outside. Everything, miraculously, was coming together. Amelia marched around the yard, Bluetooth in place, attending to small details. The flower arbors were decorated, a carpet had been laid out directing people to the chairs for the reception and mixer, the tables were set, beautifully, I might add; the hors d'oeuvres and drink tables were ready to be filled.

A portable tile dance floor graced the side of the house by the garden, with ample room for the musicians and band. It looked magical and colorful and everything Octavia wanted, I thought with great satisfaction. Speak of the devil, she walked up behind me as I surveyed the lawn.

"What time is it?" Octavia asked. I looked at my phone. "Nearly six," I said. "Are you going to go get some rest?"

"I'm going to try," she said with a laugh. "Tula volunteered to do the ceviche while the children nap, so I feel like I dodged a bullet already."

"Oh, this is your lucky day, lady," I joked. She laughingly agreed.

"Let me know if you need anything," I said. She nodded as she went back into the house.

I heard tires crunch on the gravel and looked up to see Remy Savoy's truck pull up in front of the house. He got out and went around to the passenger side and opened the door. A petite female with auburn hair, very attractive, stepped out of the cab.

I approached them. "I think Hunter's asleep," I said. "He's had a very good day." I turned to the girl and extended my hand.

"Sookie, I'd like you to meet a good friend of mine," Remy said as the girl smiled brightly and put her hand in mine. "This is Andrea."

********

Now, I did warn you it was gonna get hairy, didn't I? … next chapter this time next week, muse willing. You all know I'd love to hear what you think, and as always, take care of yourselves, misscyn

PS Don't forget to check my profile for teasers!