PART FOUR

Prodigal Son

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Not too far from Merlotte's, in the woods surrounding Jason's house, a wolf crouched in the dark. Its shoulders and head hung low to the ground in a stalking posture. Its attention was sharply fixed on Dermott, the half fairy, who was Niall's son.

For centuries, Dermott's gift of evasion had made him difficult for his father to find him. This gift coupled with the fact that fairies could sense their kin yards away in a crowd of other fairies made him elusive. Even if his kin tracked him down, none could get within several yards of Dermott without his notice. By the time they would reach the spot he was standing in, Dermott would be gone.

Tonight, however, it wasn't one of Dermott's kin who was tracking him. In his wolf form, Preston was invisible to Dermott. Undetected by the half fairy, Preston had watched him charge through the open door of the house. Cautiously, Preston crept out of the woods, while inside the house Dermott was letting Jason know that the werepanther he'd just attacked had been involved in his wife's death.

Stealthily, the tawny colored wolf inched silently through the open lawn and toward the black truck parked in front of the house. Preston needed to use surprise. From Reece's briefing, he knew Dermott was a formidable opponent. In hand-to-hand combat the half fairy was a master at manipulating the pace of a fight and leading his opponent into a position that would be to his own advantage. He tended to wear down his foe methodically, waiting for his opportunity to attack.

During his youth, Dermott had perfected his skills as a fighter; both with the sword and especially in hand-to-hand assault. Purebloods, who felt they had something to prove, would often corner the half fairy, beating him to a pulp. It didn't take Dermott very long to learn how to defend himself and how to pound his attackers to the ground. Once he had matured, one cross look from a pureblood was enough to incite the half fairy into a bloody brawl. At other times it was sheer defense against someone's offended mate bent on challenging Dermott that provided him the many hours of honing his fighting skills.

So heeding Reece's instructions, Preston was prepared to use surprise and magic to capture the half fairy. Excluding Niall and his late son Fintan, Dermott's other kin did not possess strong magic. At least not to the great extent that Preston did. Niall knew this about Preston. Not only would Preston's gift for transforming make him undetectable by his son, but Preston's strong magic would make it possible to capture Dermott without his son being physically harmed.

For several long minutes, Preston waited crouched beneath the truck next to the big rear tire. Eventually, he could hear Dermott step off the front porch of the house. Several steps later, the half fairy came into Preston's view. The wolf waited. Dermott confidently made his way toward the woods. "Wait…wait," Preston silently told himself. With Dermott's back toward him, Preston slyly appeared from beneath the truck. Moving slowly toward his target, the pads of his feet barely made contact with the ground beneath. "Wait." Counting off to himself, Preston synced his breathing to his count down. Just feet from his target, with in the trees concealing them, Preston transformed back into a man. At the exact moment that Dermott registered another fairy it was too late.

Dermott swung around to charge at his would be attacker. Swiftly, Preston cast out a net of magic to ensnare Dermott. With his body incapacitated, Dermott's forward momentum propelled him into Preston. Both fairies tumbled to the ground. Free from any restraints, Preston quickly stood taking a defensive posture over Dermott. He watched with amazement as the half fairy doggedly resisted his magic.

"You're going to injure yourself," Preston cautioned him.

"It will be nothing compared to what I'll do to you," grunted and huffed Dermott.

"I'm sure of it." Preston didn't doubt Dermott could inflict some serious damage on him. He was as tall and broad as Preston. "Niall was very clear that you weren't to get a scratch," said Preston.

"Why?" snarled Dermott. The mention of Niall's name filled him with determination to break free from Preston's spell. "So my dear father wants to be the one to look me in the eyes as he kills me."

"I doubt that." Preston shook his head in disbelief. He knew that if he tried to pick Dermott up, he was sure one of them would get hurt.

Before Dermott could snap back, Preston drew up energy from the earth beneath his feet. He conjured a sleeping spell over the half fairy. A few seconds later, Dermott was out like a light.

Heaving Dermott over his shoulder, Preston made his way through the woods. Barefoot and naked, he carried the unconscious fairy toward the nearest portal to Faery. In no time, back in Faery, Preston plopped the unconscious half fairy onto the chaise in the middle of Niall's private retreat.

"What have you done to him?" Reece did not disguise his alarm.

"He's fine," answered Preston. "I didn't hurt him. He should wake up in a while." Reece shot the young fairy a disapproving glance. "He wouldn't stop struggling," he quickly added.

"Move." Reece motioned for Preston to step back. Appeasing the mature fairy, Preston moved giving him access to the half fairy. Reece carefully inspected Dermott. Niall would not be pleased if his son had been harmed.

An elemental suddenly appeared out of thin air. "The Prince's son is intact." Her sudden appearance unsettled Preston a bit. She had materialized next to Dermott. She hovered protectively over the unconscious changeling. "I can revive him if you wish," she told Reece.

"Wait for the Prince," he replied looking around the room. "Where is he?" he asked the elemental.

"He is in the corridor with Dillon," she answered, her eyes never moving from Dermott's form. The elemental was a female and not immune to the effects of Dermott's physical attributes. She stared at him with a compulsive fascination. "Niall will be here shortly." Her voice was barely a whisper.

"I need to—"

"Is he unharmed?" Niall's voice interrupted Preston.

"The spell used is excessive," criticized Reece, "He may have magic burns."

"He'll be fine," retorted Preston. "He was stubborn. If I hadn't made him sleep he would have given himself magic burns." Niall tapped Reece's shoulder. His assistant moved, allowing the Prince access to his son. Carefully, Niall sat on the edge, his hand touching his son for the first time in many years. The Prince gently sighed.

"He is unharmed," the elemental assured him. She kept her eyes on Dermott, recognizing his uniqueness. Her expression was near euphoria. Changelings were uncommon creatures. This made Dermott one of a kind in the eyes of the elemental. Something that held value, if only for his rarity. "May I have him?" she wistfully asked the Prince.

"No." Niall's voice was clear and kind.

Imperceptibly, Preston shook his head at the strange scene before him. "I would like to return to Bon Temps," commented Preston.

"Thank you." Niall turned and glanced up at the young fairy. His gratitude was evident in his tone. "You have until morning," he told Preston.

Preston nodded. With his dept paid, he turned and eagerly headed down the corridors. Each step he took, took him closer to Bon Temps. Closer to Sookie.

"I can revive him," stated the elemental. Niall didn't answer her. He allowed himself a few moments to enjoy how peaceful and beautiful his son looked. Dermott was always willful and rebellious. There had been many choices that his son had made over the centuries that Niall condemned. He often wondered if Dermott had done what he had simply because he had forbidden it.

Once, during the summer solstice celebration, Niall had observed how the young elf named Mauve, had attracted his son's attention. She was the elf Prince's pledged bride. Had the alliance the fairy Princes had been negotiating for years with the elves not been at stake, Niall would have looked the other way. Since this was not the case, Niall had spoken to his son.

Angered by his father's presumptuousness that he wouldn't have kept his hands to himself, Dermott seduced the lovely she-elf. What made matters worse, was that Dermott chose to seduce her in her husband's waiting chamber just when the elfin council had been dismissed.

After this incident, it would be another few centuries before a treaty was reached. And even then, it was a rocky alliance. Dermott's very public offense could not be swept under the carpet. To appease the other fairy Princes and Barrack, the elfin Prince, Niall had to bind Dermott's magic. Though this ensured a truce with the elves, the personal cost to Niall was great. This single act estranged father and son for centuries.

Niall exhaled audibly. Lovingly, he touched the side of his son's handsome face. Despite all the sadness and harsh words shared between them, he still loved his son.

"I'm ready," Niall told the elemental. In an instant, she revived Niall's son.

Without a word, Dermott gradually began to wake up. His eyes opened. It took him several moments for his mind to register where he was. Dermott was initially shocked; surprised that he was still alive. Almost immediately, a mixture of happiness and rage, like oil and water, filled his heart when his eyes met his father's. His first inclination was sheer joy at feeling the warmth of his father after so many centuries apart. His second inclination was to lash out at his father for the grievances Dermott felt he had suffered at his hands.

"What now?" asked Dermott, his tone dry. "Are you going to kill me?"

"Kill you?" Niall huffed. This was not the reaction he was expecting. "You are blood of my blood. How could I cut off a piece of myself?"

"And Fintan?" Dermott made no attempt at concealing his anger. He had believed incorrectly for several years that his father had killed Fintan for defying him; for siding with Breandan.

At hearing Fintan's name Niall's powerful shoulders gave slightly under the weight of his sorrow and regret at losing Fintan. He wished he would have bound Fintan; though it may have estranged them as it had with Dermott, but at least Fintan would have been alive.

"It was Breandan," replied Niall.

"You lie to make yourself good!"

Niall held his son's gaze. "Fintan appeared to me." At hearing his father's words, a sharp sorrowful pain cruelly teased the center of Dermott's chest. Fintan had been his twin, his other half, his beloved brother.

It was the way of the fae for their spirit to visit their elder. Had Dermott been born first, instead of second, Fintan would have appeared to him instead of to their father. As Fintan's next eldest, it was Niall who Fintan's spirit came to visit. That was how Niall knew his son had died. Fintan's spirit came to him. Though Fintan refused to tell Niall by whose hand he had been killed, Niall had learned enough from Fintan that he was in no doubt who had been responsible for his son's death.

"After what you've done to me," bitterly said Dermott, "Why should I believe you?"

"Because you know I speak the truth." The information Preston had retrieved from Murray had solidified Niall's decision. He leaned over and kissed his son. That single, yet complicated, touch of love, undid the binds he had placed centuries ago around his son's magic. Niall only hoped that the last few centuries had taught his self-centered son a lesson.

"Why?" breathed Dermott. This had not been what he had expected. He truly had believed his father was going to torture him and kill him. Confused by his murderous father's mercy and overwhelmed with relief from his father's bindings that had been like cold hard shackles, he was overpowered by emotion. His tears turned to uncontrolled sobs as the guilt of what he had done over the recent years harshly crashed upon him.

Niall's impulse was to hold his son, but he held back allowing Dermott time to find some measure of balance. The Prince's expression contorted with agony as he witnessed his son's pain. Gradually, Dermott's trembling eased. Finally, Niall reached out and touched his son. His spark instantly filled his son with warmth and comfort. Strength. Love. Healing.

"It's tonight," Dermott's voice quivered.

"Tonight?"

Dermott nodded his head. "Breandan gave the order to kill Enda." His words were a blow to Niall. Had he been standing he would have staggered and fallen. The intel they had received from Murray indicated Breandan was going to assassinate Dermott. There had been no mention of Enda his wife being the target.

Niall's gaze shot toward the elemental.

Before the words even formed in his mind, she dematerialized. In a blink of an eye, the elemental appeared next to Enda, Niall's wife. She had barricaded herself in her bedchamber. The makeshift blockade the Princess had created tumbled over itself under the force coming from the other end.

With her iron tipped sword in her hand, the Princess stood ready. Clothed only in her billowy sleeping gown, she looked like beauty awakened after centuries of sleep. She was beautifully fragile.

The elemental's dark eyes turned sinister. Her unnaturally dark hair rose around her thin form like electrically charged particles. Both angel and demon. With shadowy features hollowed out of her marble pale translucent complexion, she stood dangerously and protectively in front of the Princess.

As the first of Breandan's assassins entered, the elemental blasted him, showering the room in a rain of sparkling dust. The air filled with the scent of caramelized sugar. A second assassin, broad and tall, plowed forward while a third and fourth charged at Enda. She was prepared. Enda's feminine arms held her blade firm.

Grunting, Enda blocked the third assassin's large sword inches from her face. She pushed forward. Spinning. The force of her momentum came crashing down at the fourth assassin, at an attempt at a fatal strike. Whirling to position herself for another strike, the assassin moved. Swiftly, he gained the advantage. His blade sliced at her gown, just missing the tender soft flesh beneath the thin fabric.

The air was filled once again with the scent of another layer of caramel.

Enda glanced up through her dark lashes meeting the eyes of her attackers. Her bare feet, carefully moved her back as they inched forward. Their eyes filled with purpose. She would die tonight was written all over their expressions.

On the other side of the room, the elemental pulverized the third assassin showering the room in yet another layer of silver dust. The fourth assassin charged at the Princess. Blinded by the cloud of silver, Enda couldn't see. At once her body was crushed under the weight of her last assailant. His fingers wrapped around her delicate neck.

She struggled for air. Her hands desperately clawed at the fairy's fingers.

The air was abruptly filled with the crackling whip of electricity.

In a blink, a hand appeared at the center of Enda's assailant's chest. The elemental lifted him as if he was made of nothing more than a piece of writing parchment. Enda's eyes watched with terror as the angel and demon held the fairy above her tall frame. The elemental's features were a charade of what a real face ought to look like. In a heartbeat, the elemental tore the fairy in half. Showered in the blood of her kill, the elemental suddenly arced. A flash of light filled the room.

Enda shielded her eyes. The smell of caramel thickened the air in her bedchamber.

"Come Princess." The elemental, once again the beautiful apparition Enda was accustomed to, leaned forward and scooped her up. With the precision a thousand times more accurate than any human radar system, the elemental located the Prince.

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