In two days from now, it will have been three years since I've started Need. This is a huge amount of time for any writer to handle a story, especially one as short as Need has been, but alas, what's done it's done.

I've gone through times with zero inspiration, and other times with my muse whispering in my ear ideas for other stories, such as the many one-shots you read over the years from me. It's been a long journey, but it has finally come to an end.

Today, I'm publishing the last chapter of Need. There's only an epilogue on the way for this one, but it won't be something very long. I think I've tied up all loose ends and I hope I didn't lose anything on the way.

Thank you all for sticking with me through all of this and continuing to read Need even when I took the longest breaks imaginable. Thank you for reviewing and thank you for believing in me that I'd finish this story when even I didn't see an end to the complicated weave of ideas I started out with.

Also, thank you Karen for doing yet another chapter for me. Big applause to Inverted Meridian, guys! She's fucking awesome!


Chapter 21 - Long Live the Queen

The sun had just set when we went upon our way that night. We had things to take care of before we left for Vegas and we all wanted to make sure everything went perfect once we arrived.

Stopping by one of Eric's houses was on our list since we had to get more weapons. We felt the need to be more prepared than logic told us was actually necessary. Having two vamps with firepower within reach didn't seem to come up when we were packing the bags. The idea was that Russell and I would at the very least try to keep our powers hidden for as long as possible.

It was also essential for me to meet Niall alone at first and have the others join me after a few minutes. I needed to figure out all the pieces of the puzzle and it wasn't like the old bugger would be able to drag me off to Fairy without my say-so.

I really hoped that he'd figure out he'd lost the game and just go home with his tail between his legs and leave me alone. If not, well… he didn't know who he was dealing with. Although I never liked it when someone's life ended as a result of my actions, I was not going to let him get away with hurting us.

I'd rather deal with him now than let Niall become a bigger problem for us in the future.

It all came down to whatever I could get from his mind and just how fucked up his plans were. I was already suspecting that he was hoping to use me as some sort of brood mare. His plans to have me vanquish all vampires were, however, so farfetched that I was surprised he even thought that I'd do this for him. Family or not, that wasn't something anyone with any sense of what's right and what's wrong would do.

Thoughts about Niall's plans plagued my mind and I didn't like any of them. I was looking at the problem from all directions and I could only see one outcome. The chances that he'd just back off were slim to none and I was in no mood to be fucked over by someone pretending to be a relative of mine.

The nerve! I groaned just thinking of how gullible I'd been to believe he was a long-lost relative, that any of the fairies who had since entered my life were anything other than actors and spies for Niall's games and plans.

I tried to relax a bit because I was afraid my hands would light up in anger and I'd accidentally burn the wrong person, like Eric, Pam, or even Russell.

I focused on the task at hand, instead – getting things together so we can all go to the airport and fly over to Nevada in Russell's plane. With a bit of luck, De Castro would be dead by the time we got there and Niall would have completed his end of the bargain.

Victor, for his part, would have sent his messengers ahead. I smirked, imagining the look on Niall's face when he saw me there.

"What's that smirk for, Lover?"

"Oh, you know, just imagining Niall's reaction tonight. I need to know his whole plan, but that doesn't mean I won't be having fun at his expense."

Eric wrapped an arm around my shoulders and drew me close. He really didn't like the idea of me facing Niall on my own because of his protective streak, but he was also rational and admitted that I was powerful enough to handle the Fae Prince and his cronies.

I didn't begrudge him for worrying, however. I knew that my newfound durability was still too recent for him to wrap his head around it, even if he was my Maker. The fact that I had all these powers hasn't registered fully, either.

On one hand, I knew that I could be invincible in any battle I may have to face, but I also knew that it was all circumstantial. If I wasn't smart about it, I could lose my life and waste all the dreams I shared with Eric, with my new family. Eric knew this of course, and he was silently urging me to be cautious, to always be aware of my surroundings, of my enemies, and to avoid being cocky about the things I could do.

After all, he had survived a thousand years by knowing when to make a move and when to take a step back, when to use his strength, and when to keep the aces up his sleeve. It was not only a lesson I could learn from him because he was my thousand- year-old husband, but also because he was my Maker and that's the kind of thing vampire sires teach their new progenies – survival skills.

I knew I could be particularly hard-headed sometimes and careless in many occasions, especially when people I loved were in danger, but I had to temper myself some.

With that thought, I climbed the steps to the private plane Russell managed to get for us. Jason and Pam were already there and I was sure Russell would be there soon as well.

"Sis, can I have a word with you?" Jason said as he caught sight of me.

"Sure," I replied and climbed back down from the plane. If Russell wasn't here yet, there was going to be no lift-off. I'd also rather talk to Jase in a more private setting, even if said privacy was more or less an illusion with the heightened hearing vampires possess.

After walking for a couple of minutes on the tarmac, we slowed down and came to a stop. Jason suddenly embraced me, hugging me tightly. I was a little taken aback, but returned the gesture. I found that while his scent was appealing to me and the blood pumping under his skin was certainly making my fangs throb a bit, I didn't feel the huge urge to drain him dry.

I had gotten a bit better at feeding over the past weeks and the hunger had died down a bit, which was apparently quite a feat for a vampire as young as I was. Whether this had something to do with the fact that I had chosen this life rather than woken up into it or because I was a seraph, I did not know, but it was a welcomed development.

"Thank you, sis, for everything. I know you didn't have to do any of the things you've done for me and I'm the first to admit I ain't been the best brother out there, but I love you, ya' know?"

"I know, Jase, I love you too. You don't have to thank me for anything, hear me? It's what family's for."

"It's just that ever since Gran died, we went through so much. You went through so much and I wasn't always there for you as I should have been. I was getting better at it though, right? Especially since Michelle…" he said and choked up.

I soothed a hand over his back, while gently hugging him with the other. I really didn't want to break a rib by not minding my strength around him.

"It's going to be ok, you know… it's just not going to happen overnight. I've lost a few people in the past years; people I loved. You'll heal, eventually. It will get easier and easier to think about her, and you'll remember the good times and keep her in your heart always. Time will help," I promised.

"How do you do it? How will you do it?" he asked in a small voice.

I knew what he was referring to and I, too, had wondered about this. I was immortal now. This meant that everyone around me would eventually die. It was a sad truth that I had to live with for the rest of my days on this plane.

"I don't know, Jase. I truly don't know. You could become a vampire too, if you wanted to, you know."

"Yeah. I'm gonna think this one through, though. I'm not sure I'd want to live forever."

"I don't want you to ever die, but that's your decision in the end. I do want to know if, at any point in the future, you'd let me, Eric, or Pam bring you back as a vampire if it were a last resort, like an injury we couldn't cure."

I really hoped he'd agree to this. I knew that I'd given Eric enough grief about this in the past and he'd been deeply hurt by my words at the time. It wasn't just because I'd allow myself to die, but because I would be leaving him behind to face the world on his own without me by his side.

"Yeah, I think that'd be ok, although I do hope we ain't gonna get to that point. I mean, try keeping me alive first," he said and we both laughed.

"I'll do my best, big brother," I said and kissed his cheek, tightening my hold on him.

"You'll be ok out there, tonight, right?"

"Yeah. You'll see. Your sister can kick ass!"

"I know you can, Sook. I just want you to promise me you'll be careful."

"Promise," I said, not just for him, but for Eric too since I knew he was listening.

We stepped apart from one another as we noticed Russell approaching in the sky. As he landed, he started speaking, telling us he'd been talking to his husband and that they'd both take a state off Eric's hands now that de Castro was dead.

"What about the third?"

"Well, the way I see it you can both reign over it, leave it to Pam, or do whatever else you want with it."

Eric stepped towards us as we climbed the steps to the airplane. He had his poker face on, but I could feel the turmoil inside him. He'd never wanted to be king, to have such a responsibility. He was happy with his slice of land, his position as an underling, even if he was more than able to lead a state. His business knowledge and the way he had managed to build a fortune was proof enough that he knew how to keep his state afloat from a financial point of view, while the way his Area was organized proved he was more than able to handle a much bigger region.

Even so, he was reluctant to accept the throne because he wanted to travel the world with me. He wanted to show me the things that had enchanted him over the past millennia as we discussed.

"Pamela, would you care to be queen, my dear?" he asked.

Shock was written all over her features, although she quickly wiped it clean. Surely she had to know that Eric loved and cherished her and would back her up no matter what.

Eric smirked and waited for his progeny to speak up. When she did, Pam inclined her head.

"Master, but would you not be better suited for the job?"

"You'll do just fine, Pam. I'll have your back and so will Russell and Bartlett, I am sure. No one will contest your rule over the state," he said with a level look.

Pam mulled things over for a few seconds, before nodding. She turned to Russell and asked him if they had already decided which states they were going to pick so she would know which state was hers.

They then launched into a conversation about the transition period and what they were going to do now that they were all monarchs. I could sense Pam's happiness and read it in her mind. She still couldn't believe that Eric had chosen to give her the throne, even if she was more than aware of Eric's lack of desire to become a king. After all, she'd been with him for hundreds of years and he'd had countless opportunities to take a throne somewhere in the world.

I was sure that Pam was going to do just fine at handling a state. We'd help her establish her power and she'd have some strong allies, so I wasn't very concerned about whatever vamps would think she wasn't old enough or powerful enough to rule a state.

With us at her side, there would be no one willing to challenge her...unless they wanted to meet their final deaths.

We spent the rest of the flight in each other's arms, listening in on Pam and Russell excitedly chatting about the states they were going to take over, trying to decide which one would go to Pam and which to the Mississippi and Indiana kings.

The thought of what was to come, however, didn't really leave our minds and we kept going back to it. I could sense the bouts of fear rising from Eric; fear that he'd somehow lose me, that Niall would manage to drag me away to Fairy, that I wouldn't be able to face them all, that Eric himself would lose his life and countless other grim scenarios.

I tightened my hold on him and sent him comfort and love through our bond. Nothing was going to happen to me.

We soon landed in Nevada, collected our gear, and zipped to the desert. We were about three miles from where Victor was supposed to meet with Niall, so we set camp there.

I would go forward with Jason alongside me, while Pam, Eric and Russell would stay behind. I needed to get Niall's plan out before allowing the meeting to degenerate, as I knew it would. With the time and planning put in by Niall, there was no way he was going to back off immediately. The more I thought about it, the more certain I grew that he'd need to be forced to take the step back.

I kissed Eric one last time, pouring in my love for him and the trust that I'd be ok. Turning around, I took Jason's hand, pulled him close to me, and zipped to about a mile and a half away from the meeting point. There was no need to walk the whole way since Niall wouldn't be able to spot us from that distance.

I was wearing a deep blue dress; it was tight around me, but not so tight that I couldn't move. I looked like… me… human Sookie. And that was the whole plan to get information from Niall – prevent him from detecting that I wasn't human any more for as long as possible. Nature seemed to be playing in our favor since the wind was blowing from Niall's direction, rather than the other way around, which would help prevent him from sensing I was vampire now.

We approached the meeting spot and I could instantly see a frown then a smile on Niall's features. He was there with about a dozen other fairies, all armed with swords that were nearly certainly made out of silver since iron was obviously out of the question.

"Sookie, how great to see you," Niall greeted and my stomach churned. Fucker.

"Great-grandfather, pleased to see you, too," I lied through my teeth and plastered the Crazy Sookie smile on my face.

"I thought I was going to see Victor," he said, cautiously looking me over and barely glancing at Jason.

"He said he'd be here soon, but sent me on ahead. He thought we could catch up before you two talk through whatever it is you need to chat about. Good thing Jason is with me, though, or I'd have been afraid to wander around here without him by my side."

Niall smirked, certainly thinking that Jason wasn't much for protection anyway. Oh, how he was wrong.

"How was your trip with Victor? Uneventful, I hope," he tried.

"Oh, I gave him grief about it, but when he told me that I was going to be meeting you, I relaxed a bit. Not too much, though. You know how nasty them vamps can be," I said, trying my best to fool him.

"I wasn't aware Jason was going to come too," Niall added, letting some annoyance trickle into his voice.

"I wasn't going to leave without him. He just went through some terrible times, unfortunately, as his fiancé was murdered a few weeks ago. He didn't want to be alone and he's my brother after all," I told him, reading his mind in the process.

That fucker even let a small smirk play at his lips before his poker face was back on. My blood boiled as I figured that he must have ordered Victor into glamoring Michelle into Jason's life.

"I had no knowledge of this," Niall said. "I'm sorry to hear it, Jason. I'm sure you'll be fine in Fairy, too, since you are of our blood, after all, even if you do lack the essential spark."

Jason kept quiet as we had planned, but nodded politely. He'd have done a lot more if he'd just heard what Niall thought about, which was an accident that would leave me without Jason as well. The Fae prince didn't like me having any other relatives than 'himself'.

"We're going to Fairy? Victor didn't say anything about it, not that he's much of a talker," I probed.

"He wasn't supposed to. I wanted to talk to you about this. I hope you'd join me in Fairy since this realm is no longer safe for you."

"Why is it not safe anymore? What happened?"

"There are too many vampires and staying here will most certainly get you killed, my dear, something that I do hope we can avoid since I am rather fond of you," he lied through his teeth.

I sighed and nodded. "I understand. But, what are you doing here? In the middle of the desert?"

Niall smirked and for the first time I saw the deadly creature lying right beneath the surface. His cronies didn't move a muscle the entire time we were talking, but I was sure they'd form a wall around Niall in no time.

"I don't see why I shouldn't tell you. After all, you have no more connections to the vampire world. I and the fairies in front of you have helped kill Felipe de Castro, the vampire king of Nevada, so that Victor can take on this job."

I gasped for effect and covered my mouth. "But why would Victor need your help?"

"Because he has a very small following and he needs to show that he has strong allies that will help him lead the tri-states."

"So you're an ally of the vampires now? After all the talk you did about how vampires can't be trusted?" I turned indignant, something that I thought would be appropriate.

"No, not really. I helped him because he could help me. I had him make sure you were safe and unharmed as you join me in Fairy."

"So you told him that I'm coming with you to Fairy and he agreed?" I scoffed. "What did you promise him in return since I don't see him willing to part with the telepath of the kingdom?"

That took him by surprise and he kept quiet. I pushed. "Oh come on, grandpa, if there's one thing that I've learned it's that vampires aren't willing to let go of what I can offer them. There have been so many hunting me for what I can do," I said, letting the tiredness and sadness flow into my voice.

I was looking at the ground, playing the role, when his thoughts finally landed on the one thing I was missing. I knew then what his plans were, from top to bottom. How he controlled me and put my life in peril from my very first days, how he was an active part in all the sorrow in my life, and how he planned to kill all those around me, including Eric, Pam and Jason...and how he was offering Victor another telepath in trade for me. Hunter.

Little Hunter had barely started school. He was just a child and Niall wanted him to listen in to all the gory details going in a vampire court. What the fuck was wrong with him.

I was beyond furious and I was done chitchatting.

"There's no trade, Sookie. It's a fair deal, I helped him become King and he helped get you here safely."

"Bullshit!" I screamed at him, my eyes finding his.

The wind changed direction then and the second his nostrils flared, I knew he could now sense that I was no longer human.

His soldiers drew their weapons, ready to fight, but I was quicker. I rose off the ground and spread my wings, letting them all see them. A chorus of gasps accompanied my show of power as the moonlight bathed my feathery wings in light.

"I was right!" Niall bellowed. "You are a seraph! That's spectacular, Sookie! Now you can come and help your family fight against the scour of the earth."

"You?! My family?" I guffawed. "Niall, dear, you need to know right about now that I can read your mind, you dirty old bastard. Giving Hunter to Victor?! What the fuck is wrong with you?!" I was outraged and threw a ball of fire at his feet.

I knew that now Eric, Russell and Pam would be joining us soon. I heard the distinct ripping sound made by Weres when they were changing and I noticed Jason taking a few steps in front of me, his shiny black fur shining in the moonlight.

Niall took a step back from the fire, shocked at what I had done, and his soldiers mimicked the stance before forming a wall around Niall. As if that'd help…

"Sookie, what are you talking about?"

"I know all you've done. I know all about your plans and I am not going to go with you to Fairy. I am not going to fight against vampires because I will not fight against my own kind!" I yelled at him.

Confusion was written all over his features before I dropped my fangs.

Niall bellowed a terrible cry, clenching his fists in despair. So much time he'd wasted on this project, so much deception and effort, all for nothing.

"You became a vampire?! What is wrong with you, Sookie?! Can't you see how awful these creatures are?"

"They're not much worse than you are, to be fair. All the grief you caused me, all the nasty, nasty things you did to get to this point… I've seen some nasty shit, Niall, but nothing like what you've done. At the very least, I have people who love me at my side."

And with that Eric and Pam flew in and so did Russell, each at either side of me.

Niall's eyes widened at the sight of Eric, knowing that Victor had not kept that side of his deal and probably realizing that his partner in crime was dead. Angry, he shot a ball of electricity towards Eric, causing him to fly higher, Pam clutched into his arms. He'd turned his back in the process, trying to shield her from any attack.

Another shot followed close behind, this time landing squarely in his back, causing his arms to limp at his side and for Pam to drop from his hands. I screamed, sending a healing orb towards Eric. It absorbed into his skin, immediately helping him to heal from the wound inflicted by my pretend-grandfather.

Russell zipped towards Pam, but it seemed that she didn't actually need any help. For some reason Pam was now flying. She was suspended in the air trying to get her bearings and figure out how to control this. And then it clicked for me - the healing explosion from Russell's training room. Jason became able to turn into a full Were, Eric became immune to silver, and Pam, it seems, became able to fly - she had always been annoyed that she hadn't inherited that ability from Eric.

Seeing that they were both ok, Russell came to my side, making his wings visible to the enemies in front of us.

I smirked at Niall. "That's right, he's like me and you're completely fucked!"

With that I swooped in and threw a ball of fire into one of the young fairies flanking Niall. Russell followed suit, while Eric, Pam and Jason attacked from the ground. I saw Eric getting cut by the sword of one of the fae men and the bewildered look on the man's face as my Viking didn't even flinch due to his new-found immunity.

The look soon turned into one of agony as Eric's own sword made its way into the fae, turning him to dust. Pure iron swords were surely helpful to have around when fighting these creatures and Eric had an entire arsenal.

One by one, our enemies died. Jason took down a couple, while Eric and Pam also killed their share. Mine and Russell's fireballs also did quite a bit of damage until the only one left was the slimy old bastard.

Niall jumped to his feet after stumbling over the weapons of his lost comrades. I landed a few feet in front of him and Russell did the same. Eric and Pam zipped to my side as well, while the panther was touching my leg with its tail.

I jutted my chin out at Niall. "Back off. Step down. Don't mess with me and mine ever again and I'll let you live. Go to Fairy and lock down all portals. I don't want to see you ever again. If I do, you're going down and I will find a way to come into your realm, the place where you so nicely wanted to take me against my will and breed me like a mare in hopes of creating an army of Seraphim to fight your battles for you, and I will decimate the entire fae population."

He stared at me in horror. His mind was in overdrive, going a mile a minute. He couldn't believe I'd do all this.

"Oh, I will do this. You killed my parents, you probably had a hand in killing my gran, too and you planned to kill Jason as soon as he was in Fairy with us. You asked Victor to kill Eric. Don't think for a second that I will not follow through on my promise," I responded to his thoughts and he gritted his teeth.

I guess he was still hoping I was bluffing about being able to read his mind as a book now.

"Niall," Russell said, "I'd do as she said if I were you. Even if she backs down, I will hunt you down in her place. Seraphim are not weapons for someone like you to control. We are more than you'll ever be able to comprehend." His hands lit up for emphasis, making Niall unconsciously gulp.

Eric, in all his glory, stepped forward. He looked fierce as he glared down at Niall. Suddenly his hand was around the man's throat, lifting him off the ground.

"You dare try to take my bonded and pledged away from me? You dare try to kill me? You dare think that you will ever be able to control someone like Sookie?" he asked, squeezing tighter and tighter.

"Fuck you," Niall spat.

Eric threw him to the ground in response. I stepped over him, looming over his form with my wings spread out.

"Go home, Niall. It's the only chance you have at living."

"You'd kill me? After all I've done for you?"

I snorted. "Not for me, but to me, you asshole. I don't like killing, Niall, but I'll do it if I have to."

"Come with me to Fairy, Sookie, and I'll forget all about the way you're acting now. The vampires won't need a telepath and Hunter can take over for you if they decide they absolutely need one," Niall said and I looked at him in disbelief.

Was he serious? "He's FIVE! And he'll never be anyone's puppet if I have anything to do with it. What the fuck makes you think I'll come with you? Are you deaf or stupid?"

He had clearly gone mad. "Fine, then you leave me no option, Sookie." He jumped to his feet, his sword at the ready.

Before he could take a step forward, he was dust. Eric's patience had reached an end, and he had stepped forward and swiftly removed Niall's head in one move as the fairy's eyes were on me.

I groaned in frustration and sent an orb of fire to the place where his body had disintegrated. Motherfucker!

I was in Eric's arms in a flash and all else seemed to fade away. I calmed down instantly and I could sense his influence through the bond. I welcomed it; I cherished it. I couldn't let that bastard affect my life any longer.

"I'm sorry, Sookie, I know you wanted to do it, but it would have hunted you for a long time if you had. He's been much too big a part of your life in recent years for things to be any different. I don't want that for you, Lover."

"I know. I tried reasoning with him, tried getting him to back the hell off, but it seems that Niall had gone aboard the cuckoo train leading straight to Nutville. He was delusional to an extreme."

"I'm sure the shocks he had tonight, first finding out that you really were a Seraph and then that you're a vampire, didn't go well with him."

Breathing out a sigh, I knew that he was right. We took a step back from each other and found our friends and family looking back at us. Jason was back to his human form, dressed in a change of clothes Russell had carried with him when approaching us.

"Let's go deal with y'all's new kingdom," I said, jutting my chin towards the lights of Las Vegas.

Russell grabbed hold of Jason, while Eric and I took Pam by the hands and slowly levitated off the ground, trying to help her get her bearings. She smiled at me then and thanked me.

"I guess it was always in you, sis, you just needed a push," I joked and she smiled again. It was such a rare sight when Pam's mask was on, but it something that I was growing accustomed to. In the end, I, too, would need to develop a persona to show off to the world around me, something different from the woman I was within my own circle of friends.

I knew I had to worry about the faeries that would come looking for Niall, and the imminent war that was likely to start if the tinkerbelles of the world were stupid enough to retaliate. I wasn't too concerned about the outcome of those fights, however, not with the backup I had and with the powers within my reach, but I did hope it wouldn't come to bloodshed. Or whatever, since faeries turned to dust and they'd be the ones making up most of the death count.

Until then, however, we had politics to deal with before starting my adventures with Eric – traveling around the world. The first place on that list was my Viking's place of birth...


Once more, thank you for reading. Reviews are love, as always.

xoxo