Chapter 9
Eric Northman
"Enough" I bellowed, the last thing I needed was Aurora losing her cool and kill my sons' chance and happiness.
Everyone in the room froze. What was Aurora thinking when she came up with the idea of using Yannick's creations as an army in our reality? But we had made our choice and put too much into this plan to walk away from it now. Flint was strong and capable, but I had yet to see the other Adarians, would they even be a challenge for our world's vampires. I knew first hand that not all creatures of the same race had the hunger for battle.
"Aurora please." said Ezrael as she raced to stand between Aurora, Stark and Preston facing the five Arches.
"But they want to play little one, who am I to refuse?" purred Aurora as her flame turned from red to black.
The five Arches shifted with fear, I studied the two Archesses hiding behind them on the couches. The one called Jennifer seemed calmer then(than) I'd expected but the other one shook like a puppy about to get kicked, I threw my head back and laughed at the sight of this fragile scared little Archess, my Sookie even as a human had fire in her that outshone these creatures.
"Eric." snapped Sookie as I stared at the weak little Archess, she cowed more under my gaze. I knew Sookie was reading my thoughts and they were not in the favour of the female under my gaze.
"What the fuck are you look at?" spat the Arch Uriel, following my eyes.
"Nothing. That's the problem, Aurora this is pointless. They are no match for our world, that one's about to roll over and die just from fright." I said letting my disgust roll off my tongue.
"No, no please, they just need time. You promised." pleaded Ezrael.
And as I expected Aurora softened and let her flame die out giving Stark and Preston a nod to back away as she did. She cared too much for this Archess, I just hoped it wasn't blinding her from what we had to do.
"Ezrael, maybe Eric's right." said Aurora softly.
"We can do this, I thought of the prefect plan. If they think you're an Arch they'll come for you. Your power alone will call to them and once they're out in the open, we can trap them and give them their choice." said Ezrael, looking back at her Arch Samael.
"You want to do what?" asked Stark, eyeing the Archess.
"If the Adarians see Aurora with one of our Arches, they will come for her." replied Ezrael, looking hopeful.
"And how exactly is that helpful?" asked Preston looking at the other Arches with contempt.
"If Aurora stays with us for a short period of time, a week or two going out into public with one of our Archangels, they'll come out of hiding and attack. Then all we have to do is move them to your world and you have your army." replied Ezrael matter of factly.
Aurora looked over to me and I knew she was breaking down the idea like I was, it was sound. If we got all the Adarians out in the open all we had to do was give them their options. Come with us and fight or die where they stood. Preston had seen a vision of the Adarians fighting under my command. He assured us it was inevitable; they hungered for battle. It was why they were created; but the timing was off for what we needed.
"I hate to interrupt but you want to do what with the Adarians?" asked the Arch Samael.
"We intend to take them with us, removing them from this world." replied Stark.
This got their attention, the five of them relaxed and took their seats again. I studied the Arch Azrael. As a vampire he seemed capable, but against Bastian or myself, I'd put my money on us. Maybe Yannick was having a bad day when he created this vampire version.
I coughed my chuckle under Aurora's hard gaze. I knew she too was reading my mind and I winked back daring her to prove me wrong.
"What do you need us to do?" asked Flint as he joined the conversation.
"Don't even bother, we are not leaving Aurora with the likes of these Arches. Who would protect her, them?" spat Stark as he waved his hand around the room.
"We are capable I can assure you." said the Arch Michael.
"Really and your plan to hide her blood thirst and need to feed on other supernatural, is?" asked Preston, revealing the same disdain in his voice as Stark.
"We could send supes. Yannick wouldn't be watching from our realm." replied Sookie.
"She out shines these Archesses in every way, no one would think she's just an Arch. Would you compare a orchid to a daisy?" said Stark looking a little irritated at Sookie.
"Samael didn't notice the difference straight away." said Aurora, considering the idea.
"There was something about you, but without knowing what you really are, they'd assume you're an Archess, a remarkable Archess at that, but an Archess all the same. It could work." replied Samael.
"Sam, maybe this could have worked if they didn't know Ezrael was yours, but now they do and the goddess is too powerful to just be any Archess." said the Arch Gabriel.
"She could be mine, I am the warrior Arch. It could explain why she's more powerful then Ezrael." said the Arch Michael.
"And what, your going to protect my mate? Pretend she's yours and flaunt her to your enemies." spat Preston disgusted with the idea.
"Yes." replied the Arch as he stood and straightened his shoulders.
"Michael, Aurora is a huge responsibility. She's like nothing you've ever encountered before. We're talking about a creature that has the power to create worlds." said Sookie.
'Hey standing right here' laughed Aurora.
"This could work if we bind your abilities a little, maybe even enough for Eric to glamour the belief into your head your are an Arch." suggested Sookie.
"Will you ever stop surprising me? Beauty and Brains. Perfect in every way, my sweet gentle little sister." said Aurora as she looked over to Sookie, admiration in her eyes.
"Not going to happen, I will not leave you unable to protect yourself. I'm not being cruel but they are just not strong enough for the job and Yannick will suspect something if I don't return soon. We're walking on thin ice already with him believing you're taking some time for you and Preston to reconnect in the middle of a Fae war." said Stark.
"I could..." started Preston but Stark interrupted him.
"Preston, you are not a warrior. Yes, you and Aurora are powerful together but using her abilities with you amping them in this realm would send up a flare to Yannick." said Stark and he was right.
"We'll send Alcide and Jasper. They're capable and a food source, Yannick won't miss them." I said.
"Stark, you know I'll give my life to protect Aurora, but what is there here that could harm her?" asked Ezrael.
"Our absence." replied Stark simply.
"We're bonded mates, ask Jennifer how she feels when she's too far away from you and then multiply it by a billion, then you can only start to comprehend what distance does to us. It will weaken Aurora and make her vulnerable." said Stark.
I looked over to the Archess Jennifer and she shivered with the idea.
"Why can't one of you stay with her? If this Preston is meant to be with her why doesn't he stay and hide in the background?" asked the Arch Azrael.
"Preston and I are volatile together, it wouldn't be safe without one of our other mates around." replied Aurora.
I cleared my throat when Preston wrapped Aurora in his arms and snarled 'I'll show you volatile' I was getting sick of the love bunny attitude Preston had for Aurora, but thankfully Aurora just smiled at him and went back to her business as always attitude, she and I where very similar in the aspect.
"Call Kellan, he'll blend in and Yannick won't think twice with him realm jumping between ours and your uncle's realm to keep and eyes on things." I suggested.
Stark considered the idea and relaxed a little, he knew as well as I did, Kellan would decimate anything that got remotely close to harming Aurora, if she was unable to defend herself.
"If this is something that is going to happen, these are the rules Baby. Under no circumstance are we binding you, the wolves stay by your side like a second skin, Kellan more so." said Stark before he turned to the Archangel Michael.
"You Arch, get out of line once and I'll skin you alive do you understand me? You have no comprehension of what a true Arch can do. Aurora is everything to me and one mark on her skin and your Adarians are the last of your worries." spat Stark with acid in his voice.
"Stark, I think your forgetting I can take care of myself." said Aurora.
"No, I think you're forgetting I love you and this is insane. Bastian and Gerard and going to flip when they find out. Now be a good goddess and kiss me before I go collect Kellan and the wolves." said Stark cupping Aurora's face.
We all watched Stark kiss Aurora passionately before he shimmered out of the room. This was my chance to tell these creatures how this was going to go, it was time for the Viking pep talk.
"Stark has said his peace now it's my turn. You fuck this up, you die. You step out of line, you die. I think for a second you're trying to scheme against us..." before I could finish, the Arch Gabriel chuckled 'we die'.
"Look this is a lot for us to take in but we get that it's huge. We'll take care of yours like we would our own. You have our word. Until I'm told other wise, I'll treat and protect Aurora like she truly is my Archess." said the Arch Michael.
I have to give the Angel points, maybe this hair brained idea was going to work. Sookie stepped beside me and pressed into my side.
"It'll work, I'm sure." she said looking at me with those big eyes.
"Lover, I hope your right." I replied.
Samael
I had sat quietly for so long, I didn't know where to start when it came to processing what was happening. True Arches, Goddesses and Fae, what the fuck had we gotten ourselves into? Ezrael studied me closely as she stood beside Aurora and the pair discussed what would we need to bring the goddess to the attention of the Adarians. Michael was crazy for stepping forward, but it was Michael, always doing what he thought was best.
My breath caught in my lungs when Stark returned with a huge white hair male and two rough looking brunettes. Their ability to teleport was vastly stronger than my own.
"Are you out of your mind?" bellow the white haired male, as she strode toward Aurora, anger emanating from him.
"Kellan, shout at me again and I'll show you out of my mind." snarled Aurora, she really was amazing. Even with everything that was happening around her she was graceful and noble.
"He's going to kill us, you know that don't you?" he replied, mused by the idea which was strange to me.
"He can try, but please as if I couldn't stop Yannick. He'll understand when the time comes for him to find out." smirked Aurora.
"Are these creatures really worth the fight?" he asked.
"They're the twins future. We do this and they are protected always." she replied.
Her words softened the white haired male's stance. He stepped infront of her and looked into her eyes 'I can't bare the idea of anything happening to you' he whispered before he kissed her softly.
I was becoming uneasy with the way all these males took liberties with Aurora. It just seemed wrong, she was a goddess after all.
"Calm yourself Samael, they're my mates. Trust me if anyone else touched me like this you'd see uneasy. Kellan's abilities to inflict pain are remarkable." giggled Aurora.
"All of them?" I asked.
"All of the abilities or all of the males." laughed Kellan.
"Don't you remember me saying to Ezrael, her two to my six?" giggles Aurora nudging Kellan of his comment.
I didn't reply, the looks I was getting from my brothers, shocked me into silence. It was Azrael that spoke up again letting the brothers minds spin.
"So you have the Fairy and the Arch, who's he?" asked Azrael nodding towards this Kellan.
"This is Kellan, he's demon and one of my six. I also have Stark the Warrior Archangel and Preston the Fae as you've said. There's also Bastian, Eric's brother he's also vampire. As well as Gerard, the Mere-man and to finish off the mix Yannick. He's a God, Death Dealer and your creator." she said shocking us all into a state of disarray.
"Our Father is one of your mates?" asked Michael horrified at the idea.
"You look like your about to pass out Michael." said Ezrael, taking this news a little to well.
"I've just promise to pretend to be the mate with our creator's Goddess, I think passing out sounds about right." said Michael as he lowered his head into his hands.
"Is this why you and Ezrael look alike." I asked.
"Yes, she was created for you in my image." said Aurora looking at Ezrael in a bewildered way.
"I don't understand, why isn't our Father here with you?" asked Eleanore speaking up for the first time.
"He'd be pissed that's why." replied Kellan, looking directly at Aurora.
"What happened to you all, is kind of my fault. It's why I came looking for Ezrael all those years ago. Yannick would not be happy if he knew I was interfering." said Aurora, this peaked my interest.
"How do you believe any of this to be your fault?" I asked.
"What do you remember about your fall from Yannick's grace Samael?" Aurora asked me.
"Maxwell told me I had been replaced and my hunger for power was the reason. Michael now stood at The Father's side. I was no longer needed; replaced with someone more suitable." I replied, it was still unreal to have her call our Father, by a name, Yannick. It felt cold even as I thought of it.
"And the fall of the Archesses?" asked Aurora as she looked at my brothers.
"The Father had shown them to us and then they were gone. Maxwell told us of Samael's treachery and what was needed to get them back if we so desired it." replied Uriel, looking at Eleanore with love.
"So at any point did Yannick address any of you directly?" asked Aurora.
"No." we all said at once, he was The Father we never approached him directly, it was an honour when he came to us, but we never went in search of him.
"When all of this was happening Yannick wasn't even in your realm of creation, he was in search of me. It was expected of each of us to create a world. Yannick created you all from what he knew at the time. Stark and I had already found each other and Stark considered himself my protector, so this is why you Arches where created in his image to protect the world Yannick had created. Ezrael is my image because this was all Yannick knew of creating a creature of power, someone to be the other half of a warrior's soul. Before he left, he created the remaining four Archess so none of you would be alone like he was and he left you to find your own way while he came in search of me." she said looking over each of us trying to gage our responses.
"Why was he looking for you?" asked Michael, trying to process everything he was being told.
"I had lost my brother and taken a dark path. If my Father hadn't interfered none of you would have been created because my end goal was to kill Yannick and in turn end my own life." she replied, shaking as she recalled the memory.
"And Samael, my fall, the Adarians?" asked Ezrael, her asking made me realise she had never asked Aurora of this before now, she was as in the dark as the rest of us.
"You my sweet child were never discarded, you were removed so a vengeful creature could take what was never offered to him, Power. The Adarians, were to be cancelled due to their hunger but Yannick did not assign them to your death. With you at Samael's side the pair of you would have created a wall this creature, your enemy would never be able to climb. He took his opportunity when Yannick left in search of me, but what he didn't know was Yannick loved you all and left you a safe guard and when the Archangels chose to fall, your enemy fell with them." replied Aurora looking directly to me.
"Safe guard." I asked.
"To make sure you would always have someone looking over you, Yannick crated a connection between the five of you and a guardian to watch over you when he couldn't, what your enemy didn't know was when he convinced you all to fall, he'd be dragged down with you." replied Aurora.
"MAXWELL" I roared, getting a nodded from Aurora.
Uriel embraced Eleanore as she burst into tears, Jen looked relieved to know the true and Ezrael just stared at me. Her eyes wide and searching, I rose from my seat and approached her.
"Are you ok?" I asked.
"You never..." she sobbed unable to finish her question.
"Ezrael, forgive him and yourself. You are not me, you don't have to keep everyone at arms length as I do. Samael is no more to blame than you are, love him as he loves you and drown in the time you have together now. Forget the past and look only toward your future with him and Azrael. I never got around to creating my own world, so I've decided to create your happiness instead, let's call it, your happily ever after." said Aurora.
Ezrael launched herself at me wrapping her body around mine, 'I do love you and Azrael, so very much' she sobbed into my shoulder. I clung to her tightly, she loved us. And it wasn't strange to say us, it was right. I turned to look over to Azrael and he smiled at me, hearing what Ezrael had said as clear as I had.
He rose from his seat and approached Aurora standing next to us.
"I hate to ask, but I must know. If I am Ezrael's, what of the fourth Archess?" asked Azrael, terrified of Aurora's answer.
"She's your daughter." she whispered into Azrael's ear.
Ezrael stiffened in my arms pulling her head back to look between Azrael and myself.
"Yannick created the three of you with Stark, myself and himself in mind. We can not have children being Death Dealers, so he gave the three of you what he most wants for the three of us." she replied softly.
"Pepper." I choked. I knew it was her, the eyes and sweet cupid face, she was ours.
Ezrael looked into my eyes and nodded. This is why she'd pulled away from me. She was protecting the child that was created for the three of us, our daughter, our Angelic blonde haired blue eyed daughter.
Aurora stepped away with Kellan, Preston and Stark to the two brunette males who where talking with Sookie and Eric. They must have been Alcide and Jasper. She was giving us time to comprehend what she'd just said, Ezrael unwrapped her legs and I lowered her as she stood between the two of us.
"She the best part of the three of us." replied Ezrael to our pleading eyes.
"How did you find her?" asked Azrael, beaming with the idea of a father.
"Flint and I wear in England hunting for a strange pull that had me distracted. For months I was unable to feed properly, or hide my supernatural essence, it was 1890. One night after we'd been searching for twenty seven hours straight we found a pregnant woman dying in a rat infested alley off the docks. Her name was Martha Tabram. She was a beautiful human, her eyes pleading when we found her, all she was concerned about was her precious child. Before her heart beat for the last time she gave birth to a daughter and named her Saltine, our Saltine, our Pepper." said Ezrael.
"Why do I know that name?" I asked trying to recall where I'd heard it before.
"She was Jack the Ripper's second victim." replied Flint off to our left listening carefully as Ezrael re told the story of the night they found Pepper.
"But that makes her over a hundred years old, the child I saw was six or seven?" I asked.
"We don't really know why she ages the way she does, Erik believes she wills herself to stay young because the three of us can't refuse her a thing at her current age." said Flint chuckling at the idea.
Before we could ask any more questions, Aurora gasped. Her gaze shot over to Eric and back to Stark, Sookie's body shuddered and her hands flew to her head.
"He's looking for us, you have to go." she ordered, as she looked between Preston and Stark.
Stark shot Michael a look, reminding him of his previous warnings. Kellan gave them a nodded and then Eric, Sookie, Preston and Stark vanished leaving us all alone with our new guests.
The two wolves, settled comfortable into a conversation with the Sawyers, while the rest of us watched Kellan and Aurora as they stood side by side like they were waiting for something to happen.
"Can I suggest we let you and Michael get to know each other, we only have a few hours of darkness left, what do you think?" said Flint.
"What do you suggest?" asked Aurora, tilting her head to one side and studying Michael.
"I have no idea, but no one is going to believe you are his Arch the way the two of you are acting around each other, actually it's not just the two of you it's all of us, we need to settle down and relax for this to work." replied Flint.
The goddess gave a shrug and turned to her demon, 'Can you please take those ridiculous contacts and veneers out, I hate it when you hide your beautiful true nature' she said as she shrugged of her leather jacket, revealing underneath a blood red silk corset. I actually swallowed as I took in her full shapely figure, the demon gave me a hard look as he walked over to one of the wolves and collect a large black bag. He threw it on a side table and pulled out a toiletry bag which he open to reveal a contact and dental case, not one of us said a word as he removed his contacts and veneers sealing them in there cases and returning everything back to the large black bag. When he turned back to Aurora, Eleanore squeaked. Gone was his all American smile and in it's place was a row a deadly sharp hunter's teeth. And the eyes if you could call them that, no longer was there the soft blue of his contacts, in their place were black pools of nothing. I stared as I studied the solid black orbs that sat in his eye sockets, my gaze only pulled away when I heard Aurora snarl lustfully looking over the Demon in his true form.
How the hell were we going to act like these two where part of our world? Stark was right. The longer I looked at Aurora the more it was like looking into the sun and with the demon at her side, they were celestial, magnetic and really out of this world.
"If we have to do this I suggest the Arch Michael allows Aurora to scan his mind, it will allow her to get a feel for him." said Kellan.
"What do you need me to do?" asked Michael with a shaking voice.
Aurora and Kellan looked at each other 'not through blood' said Aurora again tilting her head looking over to Michael.
"Do you read Archangel?" asked Aurora.
"Of course I can read." replied Michael insulted.
"Sorry you misunderstand, do you enjoy reading?" asked Aurora.
"I enjoy it very much." answered Michael.
"Would you be uncomfortable if I was to sit with you while you read? It'll allow me to read you, it is slower and more difficult with this method but I think I'll get all I need." replied Aurora.
"So all I have to do is sit and read aloud?" asked Michael.
"Sit yes but read aloud no, I will be able to hear you just fine without you becoming vocal." said Aurora.
"Dealer if you're getting your book club on, can we steel the demon. Jas and I will scan the area and he can do a food run." said the wolf Alcide.
"I will not leave Aurora." replied Kellan.
"Gabriel and I can do food, I'm hungry anyway." said Jennifer.
'I am grateful for your understanding." said Kellan to Jennifer making her blush, the demon may look as scary as hell but it seemed he had a way with the ladies.
Michael left the room and returned with a copy of Wuthering Heights taking a seat in the large couch next to the fire, Aurora and Kellan moved over and my breath caught when Aurora didn't sit next to Michael. She placed a hand on his shoulder and lowered herself onto his lap. Michael's breath came out in a huff and his eyes lit up like a fire storm. He locked his body in place and heaved out air trying to control himself.
"Are you going to be able to control yourself?" asked Kellan.
Closing his eyes Michael laid the book off to the side and tentatively wrapped the goddess in his arm lowering his head into her hair, Aurora didn't seem to mind the contact.
"It's so tranquil with you in my arms, it's better then being in the homeland." whispered Michael.
"It pleases me you enjoy the contact. If I am being honest you feel peaceful to me and this contact comforts me as well." replied Aurora.
"Should I begin?" asked Michael raising his head and picking up the book.
"Please" said Aurora.
Michael took two large breaths and started to read silently. I sat watching for some time when Ezrael addressed me.
"She's remarkable isn't she?" asked Ezrael.
"Yes, but she does not hold the pull for me that you do my love." I replied.
"Sweet, but you don't need to hide the pull she has, I feel it to." said Ezrael as she smiled and sat next to me.
"I find it strange, I understand she's a goddess and I'm sure very powerful. But I have an overwhelming need to protect her." I replied.
"Have you meet the Father?" asked Azrael as he joined us.
"No, he never comes when Aurora does. Mostly it's Gerard and Stark." answered Aurora.
"But when she was here last there was seven of them?" I asked.
"Erebus was with them, not the Father." replied Ezrael.
"Erebus?" asked Uriel as he and Eleanore leant over joining our conversation.
"He is a lesser god than Aurora and the Father, he is very protective of Aurora." replied Ezrael.
"There is something about her, she seems sad." said Eleanore.
"She is sad, a very long time ago she lost her brother and has never recovered. I don't think she'll ever be happy until they are reunited." said Ezrael looking kindly over to the goddess.
"Uriel you mentioned the Father had spoke of the death dealer, what did he tell you?" asked Azrael.
"It was after I had returned from battle and I was confused of my destiny and the Father told me of a Death Dealer who was created for death like myself but found beauty as well." replied Uriel.
"That would have been Valiant, Aurora told me of him once. He truly sounded like an amazing being." said Ezrael.
I was about to ask more of this Valiant when I shot to my feet at the panicked whimpers of Aurora, she had fallen asleep on Michael's lap and began tossing and turning. Kellan who was standing next to the window rushed to her and brushed his hand down her cheek. The contact settled her instantly, it also relaxed her enough that a pair of magnificent black wings emerged from her shoulder blades and rested against her body.
"Should I stop reading?" asked Michael.
"No,it's a good sign that she relaxes around you." replied Kellan sitting next to Michael and Aurora. He placed her legs on his lap, gently stroking her wings. Again Michael froze when Aurora turned in his lap snuggling in his chest snuzzling her lips against his neck. Kellan gave a soft smile to my brother, not concerned with the action and closed his eyes pressing as much of himself against Aurora as he could as he closed down to join her in sleep.