Since the birth of the first Fae child, my days in Florida and my employment with Wyman had been numbered anyway. That was the argument I was using with Caspian. I had put my notice in two weeks ago and every day since that faery hounded me but my mind was made up. The truth was I needed to focus on Eric and our life together. I had also agreed to consult remotely with Caspian, but I was no longer going to be dividing my time and my attention.

There was nothing to be sad about. I had done what I had set out to do. My blood debt was paid and with every birth of a Fae child I was adding to the nest egg. I no longer had to work. I had done well, and I felt good about what I'd done for someone other than vampires. Usually, they were the only ones that mattered.

The other major reason to cut my ties with the Sky Fae was Breandan

No matter what progress we'd made the faeries were still heading to war. I could feel it. In the past two trips I'd made to Florida the tension had only mounted. There was going to be blood. I needed to cut my ties. I'd done what I'd said I would. I would take the fond memories before they became bad. I had to admit that I would miss Caspian. Nerdy pals like that didn't grow on trees. Still, I had to what was best for Eric and me.

My bags were packed for what would be the very last time. I would have a final meeting with Niall where he would sign off on my payment requisitions, and then I would be kissing this generic dorm room goodbye. I smiled at the Fangtasia annual calendar that was hanging on my wall. It was always January. On the spread Eric was January and let me tell you, that the man looked good in snow and fur. I smiled at the image as Preston took my hand.

The picture of my husband and all lusty thoughts evaporated once the ground solidified under my feet. Preston had brought us smack dab into a war zone. I looked at his face and by the look of horror on it, he hadn't been expecting this either. He flew into action, forcing me to the ground and jumping into it sword first. I heard the shouts and screams and could smell the scent of fear and blood that were rank in the air.

The Sky Fae had drawn their line in front of a house. It was the safe house I'd been brought to in the Everglades. Even from this distance the scents were familiar. I'd treated all the females within and I knew they were all in varying stages of pregnancy. Caspian was with them. My guess was that he was trying to get them out while the fighters defended the parameter. I heard the panicked cries.

"They have used the water to deflect the wards and trap us inside!"

"Get the cars!"

"We are going to die!" Another voice said.

My adopted father used to tell me that knowing when to fight was more important than knowing how. "Know the fight. Know your enemy," I whispered.

This wasn't my fight. I was just here for a check. I had made sure Caspian knew everything I did. They knew that. They would protect him above all else. My conscience should be free. I didn't have a place in this fight. I did not! Niall arrived and with him were Colman, Claudine, and seven other rangers. They were all in uniform. I breathed in a sigh of relief. For a second there, I was afraid I would have to do something stupid.

Apparently Claudine might be as big a threat as Niall had claimed; she had wings. Upon arrival she sprouted them with blazing blue swords in her hands. She cut down an opponent as she made her way to the house. When she emerged there was a woman in her arms, and it was clear that she intended to fly her away to safety.

It was so stupid. The move was so obvious that anyone could predict it. Volleys of arrows were sent her way. She dove and fell to dodge them, but one was imbedded in her left wing and she went down with the heavily pregnant woman in her arms. She took the brunt of the fall to keep the woman safe; however, it cost her free arm which was now broken and a wing that was bent awkwardly.

"People will always show you who they are when you present them with what they want most in the world."

What I wanted more than anything was my life with Eric before all this, brothers, and ending his Maker and my blood debt. That was what I wanted more than anything and picking sides in a war that seemed never-ending was the last thing I needed. Did I have no responsibility to the lives that I had helped bring about? Was that who I was, a mercenary who got paid for a job but would do nothing more? I saw someone moving in on Claudine. My decision was made.

I moved and tackled the Water Fae to the ground. I broke the mace wielding female's face with a well-placed head butt, and then I grabbed the sword at her hip.

"Get back inside, Annika!" I shouted at the pregnant woman. She looked at me with eyes filled with fear, and then down at Claudine. "She's had worse, trust me. Move your ass, now. Please!"

I pulled Claudine to her feet. "This attack plan is bullshit," I said watching as the Sky Fae were getting their asses kicked all over the place.

"It is an evacuation," She said. "We have to get…"

I feared as much. Breandan knew every Sky Fae would die for a pregnant female and it was precisely what he was counting on. He didn't need to fight them, and honestly, it didn't appear as though he was. He was targeting the house, playing on their fears, and they had taken his bait.

So far, other than Claudine's wounding, Niall was the only one who was seeing real combat. Once they took him out, every elemental attack or hex he was blocking would come through and the fight would be over. That was the aim, to kill him first. I knew it because if I was attacking him, it was exactly what I would do.

"Call them back," I said.

"Why?" Her eyes were narrowed at me, scrutinizing, trying to penetrate. "What are you going to do?"

"What I do best," I told her, shrugging out of my sweater.

"Rangers," Claudine called. "To me."

The fighters immediately obeyed as if they were a single celled organism, even those I thought had been too wounded to move. They all returned to her side. I looked around and saw Niall was in a cloud of air that seemed impossible to touch regardless of who tried or what they threw at him. I stole two short swords from a random female.

"Don't let them draw you out no matter what. Niall and I will draw the fight."

"Can you back that level of arrogance?" Colman asked.

I snorted a laugh. "Yep!"

My whole life I'd been the fastest, though it was something I had to work at. I noticed that Niall was surrounded and that his swirling vortex of power was getting smaller. Before anyone saw me I had already incapacitated two Water faeries.

Others flashed to avoid me, but their movement patterns were predictable. I fought my way to Niall and saw whatever he was doing was starting to take its' toll. He was leaning on his cane. I caught an arrow that would have hit him in the back. He swayed on his feet and I caught him before he fell. He needed to sign my check!

"If I gave you power what would you do with it?" He rasped.

Gone was the Prince who had gone tit for tat with me. He looked like an old man who was tired, so very tired.

"Win."

His hand rose to my forehead and it felt as if tornado of power tore through me. I didn't have to worry about fighting it or controlling it. I kept Niall at my back and rose to my feet knowing that for his enemies the fight was lost. My consciousness wasn't though. I was there witnessing the power of a Fae Prince exploding through me.

Energy was coursing through me and unimaginable power was in my veins. I unleashed it all, losing me in the process. I didn't awaken until it was over and I was the only one left standing. I looked down at my body. I was hurt, but I didn't feel the pain or the blood leaking out of me. I felt powerful. Trudging over to Niall, I looked over him. He looked worse. Not only was his face lined, it was pale with a greenish undertone. Crumbling to my knees, I brought his hand back to my forehead.

"Take back your faery shit!" I said. "Just sign my check already."

The last thing I saw was his smile.

When I came to I was in a room I did not recognize. The scent alone told me I was in a place I'd never been before… Faery. If I had to describe it, I would call it York peppermint patty. It smelled so good. That was before the scent of faery blood. It was everywhere. I knew that in this place not even an ancient vampire could control themselves. I could though; not to mention I was too weak to bite anyone.

"Sookie?" Someone called. Caspian. I recognized his voice and his scent, but was unsure as to why he was shaking me. "Are you alright?"

"What the hell kind of doctor are you? Shaking an unconscious person?" I groaned.

"Not the practicing kind," He said, and then he drew me into a hug that I couldn't help but return. "I am glad you are well, my friend."

"Dying was not on my list of things to do today."

"Actually that was yesterday," He said.

"Eric…" I whispered.

Shit. Pushing off him, I got to my feet. I felt unsteady and the pain in my head was present, but otherwise I felt fine.

"Is pissed off, but I informed him directly at great personal sacrifice."

I winced. That was to be expected. At the end of the day, Eric was a vampire and I was his mate. He would shoot first if he thought I was in trouble. Only when he was sure everyone was dead would he ask any questions. The fact that Caspian was my friend was the only thing that saved him, which of course was the reason he had been chosen as the bearer of bad news.

"Yeah," Caspian said. "Put me through two walls before I got a word out."

"Sorry about that," I said. "You should have called him or something."

"I would have but I don't get reception up here."

He waved an elegant hand around the room. The room was something straight out a fairytale. The floors and ceilings were made of stone but adorned with luxurious rugs and curtains. Looking out from the bed I had a clear view of the world outside my window.

The clouds seemed to be alive and they weren't white against the clear blue sky. Every color imaginable and some that weren't were woven into the nebulous forms. They were woven like the finest threads of an intricate blanket dancing and merging to form elaborate designs that decorated the sky. I stared in disbelief. Disbelief turned to awe when it morphed to show on my face.

The images continued to morph. Somehow I knew that no one was reading my mind. This was a collection of all the Sky Fae with whom I had come into contact. I could tell by the way the perception of my features changed. I looked sinister and evil when I had attacked the ranch years ago.

Yet the skill in which I fought was not lost. That moment when Claudine had announced she was pregnant was up there. I thought I'd been quick to cover my happiness for her, but apparently I wasn't. It was right there in the sky for me, for all to see. Lastly was the battle I had fought with them.

I knew I'd won but I didn't recall how. There were so many views that had been offered. In my consciousness I had blacked out until it had been over, but I saw it now. It was as if the Water Fae were trying to keep up with lightening and failing. I was moving faster than I ever thought possible. My mind, while unconscious, must have been subconsciously moving just as fast, calculating and preparing for the attacks to come. I might as well have been a fortune teller.

In the motion picture in the sky, raw energy was pouring out of body. My hands moved my fingers and the very air around me bent to my will. The curses that had been thrown my way were tinged red and brown in the sky. With frightening ease, I deflected and countered them while still fighting with the short swords.

"You're kind of a big deal around here," Caspian said. "Like history scrolls, big."

"I'd say."

I saw Niall take his power back and saw myself fall. Of all the faeries in the realm, Colman had caught me with care no less. My head was resting on his chest and everything. The Water Fae were rounded up and were made to swear a vow of peace with all those who were peaceable or they were executed. None of the executions were glossed over or rejoiced, not even Breandan's or Neave's (I killed Lochlan in battle).

With every Water Fae who was turned to dust, thunder boomed and lightning lit the cloud-based images. When it was over the scene of the battle was filled with Sky Fae. The ones from the house had braved the outside, sensing the danger was over. Others were Rangers who were late to the fight.

I snorted a laugh. Niall was good. Even if I wrote the propaganda I'd just seen, I don't think I could have done a better job. The pregnant Fae were front and center. They were surrounded by the Rangers and their mates. Then the sky went back to normal; if normal meant clouds having colors and making motion pictures of what was under them. The message was clear; the war was over and their people would live on. To those who still had issues with half breeds, one had saved them and they had to swallow their issues.