I'm just offering food for thought: Take a bite.

"They are your family when they need help and not before or after"

We can't completely discount the fairies as detached to Sookie nor is it always a one sided relationship (as it is with the Shreveport pack). We are forgetting Claudine, Claude and Dermot. Claudine had always helped when she needed her. She died in her defense. Claudine was also pregnant (I am in no way insinuating Sookie should endanger her children) and Claudine also left Sookie a good inheritance. Claude moved in to try and save her from the vengeful fairy Coleman. Let us not forget the role Dermot has taken in her life and the initial reason he came around. Niall spent sent her Preston so she wouldn't be alone Christmas Eve one year. Then he had Christmas dinner with her. Say what you want but he didn't have to come for Sookie when Lochaln and Neave had her. His intentions with allowing her to have children with Eric are unclear but…they are both happy to able to have their children anyway.

A lot of you feel like Eric was right with the above mentioned statement. In my opinion he was wrong and that was where he lost the debate. I may not be doing a good job illustrating it there is more to bonds and marriage than those involved but that was my aim. Before too long vampires will need allies themselves… very soon (dum…dum…dum) :D

Another point I wanted to address is that Sookie is not looking down at vampires or vampirism. She loves and respects Eric there is no debate there. The hurdle for her when it comes to being turned is losing who she is...point blank period. She is trying to reconcile with it but it's not easy. Also Eric never told her the effects of her death on him. He doesn't want to feel she guilty.

Did that sound like a rant? It totally wasn't. I just wanted to address the major point on the reviews.

I almost forgot the most important part of the update: Dedication! As fate would have it chapter 21 belongs to ericplz! I can only imagine the things you are begging for! :D It was because of your particularly no nonsense review that this chapter came out early! So enjoy and I hope to hear more from you!

Sookie

Chapter Twenty-One

A Dark Past

I stopped then started trying to recall any and all the things I knew about elves. They were descended from fairies like a host of other creatures ranging from goblins to angels. Their blood was poisonous to vampires-it made them really weak and almost defenseless. I have had one encounter with an elf. In the not too distant past Victor had sent Pam and I on a mission that brought us to Tunica Mississippi. In a strip club called two blondes I met Rudy. He was half human; half elf but a total creep. Needless to say the encounter with him wasn't pleasant so I was already biased. That was the extent of my knowledge.

Dillon continued speaking but I didn't think he was speaking to us. He sounded like he was confessing a sin. "Had he not be living here for so long he would not have survived. His tolerance for iron and lemon is very high" He tried to sound proud that his son had fought so bravely and survived so much but that cover didn't reach his eyes. They had not left his son as he spoke and the expression on his face was unfathomable.

One by one he had watched his children die. What he had suffered was something no parent should ever have to live to see. He has done it twice that I knew of. So had my gran, she never knew I knew but each time her child died a little bit of her died with them. Aunt Linda's death almost broke her especially with Hadley gone. Today Dillon almost faced it for a third time. In a word: heartrending. There was just so much death in my family. I stood up and followed him out of the room. He was in a talking mood, we needed answers and Claude had to rest.

I followed him into the living room. I was thankful that Eric sat too. It made almost sure he was wasn't going to kill anyone. All night he had been like a scowling animated log. I took his hand and we waited for Dillon to start doing some explaining. It was like drawing a line across the board. Eric was seated next to me and we were facing members of my family. I knew how I was related to Dermot, Dillon and Ronan and his mother but I had no idea who the other male called Iain was and how he was tied to this or to me.

Ronan smiled at me from his place under Dermot's arm. I thought he should be somewhere else but with his super hearing he was going to hear anyway. I returned his smile. His mother's pout deepened. She had been frowning all evening. She even managed it while drinking soup. It was quite the parlor trick. It was obvious everyone but they were intent on ignoring her so I was going to do the same where I could. For a few minutes no one said anything, we all just sat. I was vaguely aware of all the void minds that were moving around outside.

Something was off I noticed it as I drank the fairies in. Dillon had on a long sleeve shirt that must belong to Dermot but the bloody bandage was still visible through it. He was a fairy they healed quickly but it didn't look that way for him or the tiny fairy woman. The gash she had been sporting earlier was clean but still very raw looking. Iain had a wound on his head that was similar to hers but it looked aged. Ronan's burns looked about a week old. I wasn't sure what to make of it.

"If you will tell her this tell her all of it" Dermot's voice was calm but I would like to think I knew better. I'd wager he had his own feelings about begin left out of all this.

"Niall has gone to the Summerlands" Dillon said. Dermot looked as broken as I was. Whatever he thought his brother was going to tell me it wasn't that. He didn't know either at least he wasn't in on all of this; whatever this was. It was comforting that all us none pure blooded fairies got the same treatment. We have to stick together I knew that had he known he would have told me. I was sure of that.

Granted Niall was old and I knew I would never see him again but I was just expecting him to outlive me and I never got a chance to thank him. I tried not to cry but I was hurt at the loss of my great grandfather.

Eric didn't understand why the words I just heard made me so sad. "He's dead" I translated. The news got a reaction from him. He was still outwardly hostile but he was also curious.

"Ask how he met his end" He told me.

Tears were pricking my eyes. I swallowed them back but I couldn't keep my voice from shaking as I spoke. "How?"

"My father lived a long time even for a fairy." I nodded. I already knew as much and it was something to be happy about. In the wake of war and so much senseless death he died of old age. It was a luxury few creatures attained humans also "After the last war he sought out means to bring out the most fertile periods in our species. Magic of that magnitude calls for sacrifice" I don't know why but guilt came crashing down on my shoulders. I couldn't keep from crying then. Eric took my hand and held it in both of his.

"He has gone to the final home of his forebears. In whose mighty company he will know no shame. It is no reason for tears" Ronan's mother spoke firmly and gave me a reproachful look as if I was disgracing Niall by being unhappy that he was dead. I didn't know her but I sure didn't care much for her.

Dillon continued. "As is my birth right the rule of the sky became mine. I am to guard my people-our people and I am failing. In the dark our enemy grew stronger. They were able to breech a portal" Dermot made a noise. It was a mixture of shock and horror. No one had to explain to me that was bad because I knew the portals were still sealed. I also knew fairies were the only creatures allowed in their world. Despite himself Eric was interested but he didn't show it.

"What do you know of elves?" I shook my head I knew little that pretty much equal nothing. Dillon nodded unsurprised. Ronan moved from his father's side and crawled to the fairy named Iain. He wrapped himself around him and I knew he would be asleep in no time. This was a story he has heard before. I on the other hand was going to hear some things that would give me a better look into the past and future of the Fae. Fairies weren't exactly innocent in all this. In fact you could say they started it and in fact you would be right.

"Many creatures are descended from the Fae. Elves as well only they did not naturally evolve and grow from us. They were made by a fairy who sought to create something in his image" That was shocking but not very hard to believe. I could see a fairy being full of themselves enough to do something like that. Dillon's had his elbows resting on his knees. The small wrinkles on his face were pronounced. I didn't know exactly what that round figure was on his age but he was old and he looked his age. "My grandfather's grandfather many grandfathers ago by the name of Kellan did this. Much like what my father did for you. Humans have so accurately dubbed it a god complex."

This was different. I couldn't explain how but it just was. Niall knew I wanted a child whether I was willing to admit or not. He knew it wasn't possible with Eric and he knew that was who I wanted. It was different than creating something in his image because he was so in love with himself. I let his incorrect assumption go unanswered because it wasn't essential to the overall point

"They do not have any Fae weaknesses but they are weaker. Because of this they were used as slaves and treated with less than no dignity" I could see why he would want to keep that from me. I was glad Dermot didn't let him. "Soon they rebelled. That was the first great war of the elves" Dermot just loved to go against the grain. I glanced his way quickly he gave me small smile. He owned a bow that was used by their greatest archer; Draco something or another. "That war gained them their independence. But Kellan cursed them and being their creator it carried very much weight. With this curse he bound them to their treachery and cast them from Faery; never to know a home, never to rest in living or in dying." I thought treachery was an interesting choice of words. Why was it so surprising that someone turned against you because you treated them like dirt? Once just once I would like to see a one species of supes get along with another. Sigh.

"They cannot enter the summerlands" Dermot clarified.

"It is said that he sent them to the very axis of fire and earth"

"The cusp of the underworld" Dermot translated. I was just absorbing information. I didn't think I had enough facts to make an informed decision or formulated any thoughts on the matter but the Fae were looking like the bad guys as it stands right now. I tried not to look as disgusted as I felt by what this Kellan person had done. I wasn't sure if he had done it out of plain old cruelty or superciliousness. Noticing the less than friendly look on my face Dillon shrugged he was too tired to pretend to care.

"While I regret what was done I am not willing to die for the misdeeds of my ancestors." That was fair enough. He was old but I knew he wasn't old enough to have had a hand in it. It was history and it was ugly. We didn't write it we only lived with the consequences of it. It was like someone holding me personally responsible for any slaves any Stackhouse may have owned. According to what I knew of my family they didn't own any; they were always too poor.

"Since that day no elf has ever been able to enter our world" There wasn't a hard fast rule with magic, and curses and the like. Maybe the curse of Kellan was wearing off. Maybe the elves had gotten stronger over the ages. I hated that they were after fairies but no living thing deserved to be sent to the cusp of hell.

"How did they get into your world" His answer was short as not to leave any room for misinterpretation from those present.

"They had e aid of a vampire. That was why I went to your husband" I was looking at him to make sure I heard right and he nodded. That was interesting. Vampires in this state already had issues with weres and random attacks against both species. I wouldn't think they would pick a fight with fairies.

"How do know a vampire is involved?"

"I could smell it" Iain said more defensively than was necessary.

"I saw her with my own eyes" Dillon confirmed.

Eric would have to look into matters that involved a vampire but he needed something concrete. Beside me he was trying to muster up skepticism but he couldn't. Fairies couldn't tell direct lies and Dillon has been giving us nothing but direct answers. There were a lot of questions to answer. A vampire helping elves to take out fairies would have fairy blood to gain. That was all I could think of. There were very few that would be doing all this just to chase a high. It would be an almost endless supply. They could sell it the profit would be monumental. Vampires like everyone else valued money.

A rouge vampire was one thing. Hopefully it would be a vampire from our state and this would be easier to deal with. If another royal was behind this then there wasn't much we could do for the Fae. Unless we were protecting our assets we couldn't intervene. Even if we could it wouldn't be through waging war. we would have to go to court. Yes vampires were very bureaucratic. Anything else other than going through the systems would have to be a takeover. Neither of those things were something we wanted to do. First things first identify this vampire. Humans used sketch artists. Bill had the vampire rolodex. Dillon could look through it and hopefully his assailant would be in there.

"What vampire?" I knew Eric wanted to ask but he was obviously going to leave the talking to me while we were here.

Dillon shrugged his shoulders. "I do not know"

First things first the vampire behind this would have to be identified. Dillon was the only one that could do that. If she was out of the picture the fairies would stand a better chance on their own against the elves. It was all that we could do for them. There was no way we were fighting their battles.

"Have you declared war?" Eric asked. He sounded completely put out by having to address Dillon directly but I was deep in own thoughts. He was going to have to use his own mouth if he had any more questions.

Iain was the one who took that question and his disdain almost matched Eric's I say almost because he was cradling a child he just couldn't look that scary. "It was not for us to decide. War is upon us" Eric gave him a blank stare that flawlessly displayed just how little he cared about his troubles.

"Fairies of the sky and water have bound together" He nodded his head at Ronan's mother.

The tiny woman spoke and she was speaking with an air of nobility instead of hostility it was a very welcomed change. "I am Lyra Riverngale. I hold dominion over the water" I tried not to flinch when I heard her title. "I too regret the suffering of half breeds in the recent war, but not all fairies of the water believed such things" I nodded. Her words would have had more weight had she not been looking out the window as she spoke. "When they breeched our world Dillon and I pushed them back and we sealed all the entry ways in our blood, spark and magic" I didn't know what that meant but it sounded like a heady thing that had all kinds of disaster written in it.

"They need to kill us both. No other means will be viable" Dillon translated. He was real matter of fact about it. She nodded. It wouldn't be hard to do. I took another good look ant her and Dillon. A fairies spark and magic made them what they were. They had given theirs up. I would bet money they were almost as weak as a strong human.

"What happens if they…" I let my voice trail off. I thought it would have been terribly insensitive to say "kill you guys" but I had to know the stakes.

"Faery will fall into shadow" to summarize what I thought I understood: It was the end of Faery as they knew it. That truth weighed heavily in the room and it all but sucked all the air from it. We were all feeling the mass of it except Eric of course. His bland expression did not shift as he offered a suggestion that was both very apathetic and very practical.

"Relinquish your home and find another" All the fairies in the room minus Ronan (He was dead sleep) turned to give my hubby a looked that was defiant and non-too friendly. Hey opened their mouths to say a few choice words but Dillon raised his hand and they all took a gulp of air instead.

"This is not a fight over land or pedigree" He said. For the first time since we started our little Q&A session his eyes weren't on me. They were on Eric. "Their goal is extermination not acquisition"

I gasped "Then why didn't you bring more people to help" They were just a group of rag tag royals. After they whopping they took today I didn't know how long they would last. I was also curious as to why they didn't split up.

"All who are here were closest that night and we had to make haste. Also many of our fighters are female" Lyra said. "They are with child or have just given birth." I nodded. "We cannot leave them defenseless. On this plain we have a better chance at remaining hidden. It will give us what we need most; time" Don't ask me why they were choosing this world as a battle ground either but I guess everyone did.

I made a face. That was their game plan? Hide here on earth. I wasn't one to encourage anyone to fight but hiding and being hunted like a dog was a shitty way to live no matter how short a time. Lyra would be toting her son about as well.

"They attacked all of you today" Eric asked. "How did they find you?"

"It was my mistake" Iain said and he looked torn. "I tried to get him a safe passage back home" He patted Ronan's back. I couldn't imagine what it was like to want to save a child so desperately. I didn't want to I would turn into a blubbering mess. "It gave away his location and they closed in very quickly" Eric moved his gaze to Dillon. I though he felt something as Iain spoke but he shifted his focus quickly and his emotions changed with it. I never registered what it was.

"Why is your face familiar?" Dillon smiled almost immediately and I knew this wasn't going anywhere good.

"I was once referred to as "raining death" by your kind" It was time to go. Eric told me Vampires and fairies had fought against each other once upon a time. The fact that my uncle Dillon had earned a nickname from vampires was perfect, just fucking perfect. I didn't ask for an explanation and no one offered one.

Eric stood and walked to the door. He opened it by the tiniest margin for a brief moment then he closed it. After two minutes he reopened it. When he came back and joined us he had several copies of Bill's vampire rolodex. I tried to smother my happiness at the fact that he was going to find the vampire that was after them. He placed the cases on the table. Bill had been busy. His vampire software had several new additions now.

"Do you have a computer?" Eric asked and in doing so he had lost them. From the blank looks on their faces he could have changed languages. They didn't even look like they knew where to begin making a guess as to what a computer was. God help them. I could see why they couldn't split up. Two of them were weaker and it was kind of obvious why they had needed Claude too. None of them knew enough about life here to survive alone. They all turned to Dermot to translate he simply nodded.

It was like an assembly line. Lyra picked it up and carefully examined the label on the boxes containing Bill's software. Then she passed it along to Iain who did the same and then passed it to Dillon.

I got the distinct feeling he thought it worked like a magic mirror or something. "It will show me her face if I wish" Dillon asked. He was trying not to sound like he was marveling at the thought but he totally was. He was turning it around as if it should make with the showing already. I explained that he would have to look through all the editions by way of computer to find the face he recognized. Iain asked me if it held scents too. I shook my head as impassively as I could.

Eric came and helped me out of my seat and spared them a parting scowl. "Goodnight" I said to them. Everyone else gave me a nod of their head. Dermot hugged me and they all cringed as he came within arm's reach of Eric. At the door turned to take one more look at all the fairies that were truly bereft. My eyes drifted to the room where Claude was sleeping. I looked to where Ronan was laying on Iain. I hoped that something could be done.

Eric and I didn't discuss anything that happened with the visit. I didn't think he had to tell me anything. I knew the extent of what he was willing to do and I was grateful for that much. At some point on the high way I fell asleep. I wished I could have stayed that way. I woke in the middle of the night and found that Eric and Gideon were both gone. It wasn't surprising they did most of their work while I slept.

I found an old romance novel I never got to finish and decided to wait up. Three pages after I gave up on the book. I stroked my stomach. "Please go to sleep mommy's tired" I took a bath to calm them; I had tea and a warm glass of milk; nothing worked. It was very close to dawn when Eric came home and found me talking to my baby bump. Gideon gave me a wave and headed for his room.

"What's wrong?" Eric asked. I shook my head.

"Nothing they aren't letting me get any sleep" I yawned and stretched. He smiled as he lifted me off the couch. I was carried in Rhett and Scarlett fashion to the bedroom. Eric lay with me. He rubbed my tummy and hummed wordlessly. The minute his children stopped moving I was out like a light. He must have known I was going to sleep through the day same as him because he made the room light tight and we slept in bed together.

"Wake up lover" I threw my arm over my head in protest and turned away from him. He chuckled. "I can't have my children starving. You need to eat" There was great smelling food here. It made my stomach rumble at embarrassing volumes. I woke up and saw a tray of food on the night stand. I was dealing with two equally strong desires. I had to empty my bladder but the food smelled good and looked even better. In the end my bladder won.

My dinner was half a baked chicken with potatoes and vegetable for sides. I had my choice of water, milk or a can of soda for drinks. I must be dreaming. No one here cooked besides me but it didn't look bought. I looked at Eric who was wearing a smug smile.

"Is it supposed to be difficult?" I kissed him.

"You are…" Words failed me if I wasn't careful I was going to start crying. These days it didn't take much but I believe had he prepared me a meal and I wasn't pregnant I still would have gotten teary eyed. I couldn't believe he had gone as far as cooking me a meal a good one at that. It wasn't something women could even expect from human men.

"Perfect" He supplied. I kissed him again because I couldn't have said it better myself.

"Yes, Thank you sweetheart" Before I could dig in he presented me with a bottle of blood. It wasn't as cold as I usually liked but it was didn't smell or taste as disgusting. While I ate Eric showered. It said something about my appetite that I finished a huge meal before he finished his shower. I meet him and Gideon at the door when they were ready to go.

"Indira and Alana are around if you have need" Meaning he wouldn't be. The way they were dressed told me they would be traveling alone and remaining unseen. I worried about him when he did his vampire business. Eric was old and Powerful and Gideon was able to protect him but I still worried.

"Will you be back late?" He shook his head.

"We need to see Pam" A rueful smile was on my face at the mention of Pam. I never thought I would miss her snarly remarks and humor as much as I did. We kept in contact via email but I couldn't talk to her the way I wanted unless it was face to face. Neither of us has been able to manage it since her wedding. But I was worried about her happiness and I felt bad that there wasn't much I could do from here. Eric said. "It is her own fault her melancholy persists" Dermot still refused to talk about her. Every time I brought her up her threatened her life each time it was more creative than the last. I stopped bringing it up and so I had no way of knowing how she really was and it made me feel worse.

"Tell her I miss her and I love her" I knew she probably wouldn't return the sentiment but if nothing else she would laugh about what a human I was being.

"He said Pam. You know that right?" Gideon replied. He was making a face that quesioned my sanity.

"Yes Pam" I repeated rolling my eyes.

Eric nodded to my request and kissed me goodbye. As he and Gideon slipped out the side door of the house I fought the urge to say, "Be careful". Eric was always careful but sometimes no matter how careful someone was bad things happened to them.

I cleaned up and found some work to do from home. David had sent several emails during the day. For the next hour I looked through function invites and invoices for the area. A new Fangtasia was in the works and there were contractors that had to be paid, permits to be requested. David was sending me preliminary resumes for prospective managers to run it once it opened. The resumes were for show because I only had to meet them once to know. I was working and snaking happily when my body froze and I whipped my head to the left.

Eric was in trouble. Going off what I was feeling it wasn't bad but it would be. My panic coupled with the anxiety of both Eric and Gideon was damn near crippling. I thought through it. I didn't even think twice about it. No one here would get to him in time. He and Gideon had been gone almost two hours. I was going to send the only other person in this world I could trust.

"Dermot" He was in front of me in record time. "You have to help me" I begged.

0o0o0o

That wraps up chapter Twenty-One...Come on people no pitch forks and torches I know the cliffie was was evil...if you have thoughts complaints and concerns you know where to voice them :D

The next Chapter reveals the vampire antagonist in all this. If anyone guesses who it is I will eat my shorts! LOOOOOOOOOOOL