Chapter 16 What? Were You Expecting A Happy Ending? Not All Stories Have A Happy Ending! Alright Already, I Will Give You A Happy Ending!

"Nuala? Are you coming? Everybody is here. The party is going full swing."

"In a minute."

Nuala pauses at the threshold. She takes time to look around, to take it all in, to take stock of her household.

It has plenty of people, all in happy fulfilling relationships.

Wohpe, Selu, and Pah, despite stemming from different Native American tribes, are now a family: Wohpe the daughter, Selu the mother, Pah the grandmother. They have sort of adopted Delirium as a kind of surrogate granddaughter.

As a reward for her role in the unraveling of the conspiracy, both the Prince and the Primogen have granted Nuala a special dispensation to Embrace Etain. So now Nuala is Sire to Etain, Etain, to whom Nuala has ascribed the pet name Baobhan Sidhe, is now Nuala's Childe. They are now also a sort of a lesbian couple, as much as two vampires can be a couple.

When, due to the healing powers of Nuala's blood, Deirdre recovered from the damages inflicted upon her during her rape, drawn by the calling of the blood she eventually made her way into Nuala's home. Eventually she became Nuala's Ghoul. Nuala has given her the pet name of Leanan Sidhe after sealing their bond with two more sips of her blood. Deirdre still also loves Etain dearly, and has agreed to become her Blood Doll.

Grania one day showed up at Nuala's corner. When a vampire feeds from a human, as other blood drinkers will, the vampire injects, through her saliva, much as serpents do with their venom through their fangs and mosquitoes do when feeding, a mixture composed of an analgesic, an anesthetic, a stimulant, and a euphoric, which cocktail grants to the Kine being fed upon one of the most ecstatic experiences she can experience. Grania, for whom Nuala has now the pet name of Korrigan, became addicted to this experience, so she agreed to become Nuala's Blood Doll. But she remains sort of marginal to Nuala's household. She still makes a living as a hooker, she still spends most of her nights out working and she has her own place, though she sometimes will crash at Nuala's place. Unwillingly and unwittingly Nuala has become a sort of pimp to Grania. For starters she had to deal with so called upstanding neighbors that were outraged that she was plying her trade in their so called respectable neighborhood. Then, when Grania started having success, Nuala had to deal with other hookers trying to shoo in into her turf. Then she had to deal with pimps trying to hire her for themselves. She even had to deal with johns that had been less than respectful to her. Acknowledging that, Grania started sharing some of her income with Nuala. Also, Deirdre still loves Etain, but she also still has sexual needs, needs that Grania is more than happy to satisfy, throwing Deirdre an occasional freebie.

The household has even gained pets. When the household started being provisioned with victuals (more on that later) a rat, affectionately called Mickey, started roaming the household, feeding on crumbs. A stray cat, affectionately called Tom, started making the rounds of the household for leftovers as well. And Deirdre brought in her dog, Pluto.

Besides people, the household also has an abundance of victuals now.

Pah, with a little help from Selu, started keeping the household provisioned with Corn Mash Moonshine Bourbon. Deirdre helps herself heavily to it: partly to deal with a bit of a post traumatic stress disorder remnant from her rape; when there are parties so that she can unwind and have fun; and so that Etain can become drunk by proxy. Grania also helps herself to it whenever she drops by. Offerings are made of it to the Brownie. And Nuala leaves portions of it as libations for the three Goddesses when they are not around.

Selu keeps the household provisioned in Corn Pones. Etain and Grania eat them for breakfast. They are left as offerings to the Brownie. It was the crumbs from the Corn Pones that attracted the Rat. If sometimes Mickey doesn't wait for the Corn Pones to become crumbs, if sometimes he gets to them before the Brownie gets a chance to, the Brownie never seemed to mind.

Wohpe's contributions are manifold.

She contributes with Buffalo Milk. Deirdre and Grania help themselves to it, mostly for breakfast. Nuala also makes libations of it for the three Goddesses. Offerings of it are also made to the Brownie. And it was those that attracted the Cat. Once more the Brownie doesn't seem to care that Tom competes with him for his sustenance.

Wohpe also provides Buffalo Beef Jerky. Deirdre and Grania have that for lunch and dinner. Offerings of it are also made to the Brownie. They are the Dog's only sustenance. And it was the Brownie that made a point of sharing it with Pluto.

Wohpe already carried around a Chanumpa, with a Red Pipestone. She made Calumets to both Selu and Pah, the one for Selu with a Clay Pipestone, the one for Pah with a Bluestone Pipestone. They all smoke Wild Tobacco.

The other members of the household have all taken to smoking hand-rolled cigarettes made up of Virginia Blend Shag, also provided by her.

With the help of Selu she even manufactured a miniature Calumet for the Brownie, with a Corn Cob Pipestone. The Brownie smokes nothing else but Corn Silk, provided by Selu.

Now that the Brownie is well fed he keeps Womb the Painted Cave the Studio clean and tidy; he also wipes carefully and regularly Apple the Computer and he keeps him provisioned with the latest hardware and software upgrades.

Her studio even gained a TV set and a Boom box.

All in all, a healthy and wealthy household, muses Nuala.

A warm glow ignites somewhere in the middle of her, percolates to the rest of her, until she is thoroughly suffused in it.

A radiant smile on her face, she crosses the threshold, enters the womb, and joins the party.