Chapter 41

Karedon's POV

. Ring.

"Northman Residence. How may I direct your call?" I greet.

"I need to speak to Sookie. Now!" a rushed voice says on the other end.

"May I ask who is speaking and the purpose of your call?" I inquire.

"This is Jason and it's none of your fucking business what the purpose is! Put her on the phone." he yells. This is very unusual, even for him.

"Mr. Stackhouse. Your attitude is very unnecessary. Your sister is not here at the moment. Is this an emergency?"

"Sorry. I just need to speak with her as soon as possible. Do you know when she will return?" His tone has now returned to a more acceptable level.

"I do not know. Perhaps you should try her on her cell phone." I suggest.

"Duh! I will. Thanks." The line goes dead. Something is going on and I am bound by duty to find out.

"Harod, Paulo!" My two best warriors appear in front of me. "I need you both to find out what is going on with Jason Stackhouse. He called very upset and we need to make sure he is not in any danger that could affect our Mistress. Do you understand?" They both nod and bow, disappearing without a word spoken. I sincerely hope that whatever is going on with the brother does not hurt or sadden my Mistress. I would hate to lose my temper.

EPOV

"I am not sure that letting Tara's first meal be a full-blooded fairy was such a good idea." I say to both my wife and my maker.

"Well, it's too late now. Besides, the three of you will be able to control her. Right?" Sookie asks.

"Of course, we can. However, she will be high for the next few hours. We will need to burn off this excess energy." Godric answers. I nod in agreement. I can feel and see what the fairy blood is doing to Pam. She looks like she wants to fuck everyone in the room. Godric can assist with that, but I will not let myself or Sookie be involved.

"Pam is going to need to release soon before we have to deal with both of them in this heightened state." Godric nods and walks over to Pam. She was in the middle of examining Tara's fangs.

"Pamela. I need to speak to you for a moment." He grabs her hand and pulls her upstairs to one of the guest rooms. Meanwhile, Tara is looking all around the room, licking her fingers and fangs. Just as her eyes turn towards Sookie, my wife's phone rings and I move to sit next to her.

"It's Jason. I'll be right back" she says mentally as she walks into the kitchen.

"Is it normal to feel extremely horny?" Tara asks me.

"Yes. Feeding and sex go together for vampires. Sookie has already spoiled you with this meal. Tomorrow, Pam will show you how to feed from a human and all the things that you need to learn before you can be let out on your own." I explain. She repositions herself on the couch so that he is sitting on her knees, facing me.

"I'm so horny. And I feel hot even though my skin is cold." She whines. I knew this was not a good idea.

"The fairy blood is burning in your veins. It will pass. As far as your desire, Pam will take care of that shortly. Try to focus on something else, like your bond with your maker. Close your eyes and find the bond." I tell her. I use my own bond with my maker to call him. He sends me patience. The lust I feel from my maker and my child is surprising strong. I will admit that I got a little hard, a fact that I was able to hide from the newborn next to me.

"I can't focus! Just want to fuck you." Shit. She rips her shirt off, exposing her chocolate brow breasts and starts to move closer to me. I hold her in place with my mind and rise from the couch.

"Sookie." She does not answer. "SOOKIE!" I yell.

"Eric, what the matt-…oh, shit." she says as she takes in the scene. "What are we going to do?"

"You can teleport her into the room with Godric and Pam and let them fuck it out." I tell her. She nods in agreement and sits next to her friend. They disappear and Sookie pops back a second later.

"I need to leave for a moment." I raise an eyebrow at her words. Knowing I need an explanation, she continues. "Something is up with Jason and he needs me to meet him at Merlotte's." I growl and sit next to her. She immediately climbs into my lap, straddling me.

"What's the problem?" I ask, not so nicely.

"I'm not sure. He sounds scared and nervous."

"Have you heard anything from his guards?" I ask.

"No. And that is what has me worried." She pulls her phone out and sends a text to Karedon. Three alerts sound in rapid succession a moment later. I give her a few minutes to read the messages. Now with the addition of Tara, the lust of three members of my bloodline hits me and I am getting aroused again. I know she can feel my erection as well as hear the three of them upstairs, but she ignores us since there are pressing matters to attend to.

"Jason called the house, freaking out and being rude. Karedon told him that I wasn't there and to try my cell. He then sent two guards to check on him. He is at Merlotte's, but they have observed about a half dozen vampires surrounded the bar. They haven't entered or made contact with Jase, but they are definitely not ours. He says that my brother is sitting at the bar, drinking coffee." We both know that is unusual in itself; Jason sitting at a bar and not drinking a beer.

"What do you want to do?" I ask. I know it is best to hear her plan before I state what I think should happen.

"It's obvious a trap to lure me out into the open. They know that if Jason is involved, I won't stay away. I think I have to go, but I already know that you won't want me to go alone. First, I will call Sam; get a status report of the environment inside, then pop into the bathroom. That way, I won't be caught outside with these strange vamps. Then, I can find out what is going on with Jason." She exhales after stating her plan. It is solid so I send her my pride. She smiles brightly and hugs my neck.

We hear the screams of the two women, which is the signal that they have finally been satisfied. Godric is the first to join us, taking the seat that Tara occupied earlier.

"Did you have fun?" Sookie asks him.

"Yes. I enjoyed myself thoroughly." The lazy grin on his face was all the evidence we needed. While he enjoys the afterglow, she and I discuss the next move.

"I really do not want you to go, but I know you have to. Please promise me that you will return here immediately if there is any trouble." I beg.

"I will. And I will have the guards meet me there. I love you." She replies.

"As I love you. Be careful with yourself and my sons. I would hate to destroy the shifter's bar and everyone in it if something happens to you."

"I just know you would." She kisses me deeply as she grinds on my lap. I moan into her mouth. She giggles as she looks over to Godric. Before he can ask, she pops away.

SPOV

Although I forgot to call Sam before popping into the ladies restroom, I knew it was empty. I dial his number before making my presence known.

He answers on the second ring. "Thanks for calling Merlotte's. How can I help you?" he greets.

"Hey Sam. Don't say my name out loud." He's been in love with me for years, so I knew he would know who it was.

"Hey…something must be up if you are calling me. And I bet it has something to do with a particular patron of mine."

"That would be right. Is Jason ok? Has he said anything to you about why he is there?" I ask.

"Hold on…" I can hear him tell Lafayette to watch the bar so he can talk in his office. No doubt he spied the two fairy guards standing outside of the bathroom. He comes back on the line soon after closing his office door.

"I take it you will be here soon. The guards by the bathrooms could be a little more conspicuous."

"Sorry about that. We have to take precautions. What do you know?"

"Well, Jason came in about an hour ago. Upset that he was interrogated when he called the 'palace' and couldn't talk to you. From what I gathered, someone came to his house and scared him half to death. Something about you being in danger and that he needed to get in touch with you. There's a scent on him. Fairy, but not one I've encountered before. I think it is a trap of some kind, especially with the vampires I smell outside. They haven't come into the bar, but they are obvious wanting for someone's arrival."

"Well, the vampires are not ours. I will probably be able to tell who the fairy is once I talk to him, but are you sure it is my Jason?" I ask.

"Yea, it's him. I couldn't mistake his scent. Just like I couldn't mistake yours" he replies.

"Ok. Well, I'm already here. I will come out once you are back at the bar." I hang up. I follow his mind from his office to the bar. Once he resumes his post, I emerge from the bathroom. The guards bow and disappear. I can feel their minds close by. I slowly walk to the main dining area. Nothing had changed, except a few new faces and some aged older ones. Both Sam and Jason are surprised when they see me since I was sporting my normal flat stomach. Now a month and a half later, I'm look about 5 months pregnant.

I take the stool next to my brother, who still hasn't closed his mouth. "Close your mouth before you catch flies" I tell Jason. Turning to the greying shifter, "Can I have a sweet tea, please?" Sam doesn't say a word as he refills Jason's coffee cup and prepares my beverage.

"Should I even ask about this?" he asks, gesturing to my protruding stomach.

"What's to ask? You knew I was pregnant and I'm not exact normal. Are you really surprised?" I ask in return.

"Yes, I am. We can talk about later. Are you ok? Where have you been?" I can see from his mind that it was Breandan who went to my brother. I wonder why he didn't just take him, but I think he knows that it'd just make Eric put even more protection on me.

"I'm fine. What have you been told?"

"Well, this guy…or fairy came to the house tonight. He said that he was sent by Niall to see if I'd spoken to you because you had gone missing. I told him that couldn't be true because Eric would have told me. He said that Eric was busy looking for you. He asked where you might go if you were running. I told him that I wouldn't know. He got mad and popped away." That son-of-a-bitch! I can't wait to kill him.

"First of all, if you are ever looking for me, call my cell. Alright?" Once he nods, I continue.

"Second, if anyone, fairy or vampire approach you and say that Niall sent them, run. Until I tell you otherwise, Niall is not to be trusted." I know he wanted to know more, but I raised my hand to stop him. "I can't tell you why, but I need to find out if he can be trusted first. I've learned some things about our dear old great-granddad. Two of my friends are going to stay with you until further notice."

I mentally order the guards to reveal themselves as if they were coming from the restroom and sit in the empty booth behind us. Moments later, they do as instructed.

"Harod and Paulo will stay with you. They are special like me, so they can be invisible. There are others that are always there, but these two will be with you to keep you safe at all times. We'll not argue about this. Your life will not be in jeopardy."

His mind was overwhelmed, so he didn't try to argue about his new babysitters. "I love you Jason. We are the last remaining Stackhouses and I will do everything I can to keep it that way. Stay safe and listen to what they tell you." I give him an awkward hug from our barstools.

I get up and about to walk back to the bathroom, when he grabs my arm. "What about you? Are you going to be okay?" he asks, his tone voice dripping with fear and concern.

"I'll be fine. Eric keeps me safe and we continue to do so forever." I kiss him on the cheek.

On my way back to the ladies room, Sam stops me. "You're in danger, aren't you?"

"When am I not? This stems from what happen last month, during the pack run. Eric and I have protection on everyone. You, Alcide and his pack, Jason. We are working on ending this. All I ask is that you keep an eye on Jason and one out for anything suspicious."

"I will do what I can."

"Thank you." I enter the bathroom and pop back to my love.

EPOV

It has been fifteen minutes of watching Pam and Godric teach Tara how to move at human speed and control her strength. We discovered that she is a quick learner, something Sookie had told me before of their adventures as teens.

I felt a slight flare of anger from her about five minutes ago that almost sent me out of the house. Once I feel her calm return, I regained my composure. As I watch my family, teaching a new member much like Sookie will teach our sons, I still feel lonely. The one person that I want to be here in this moment is gone. I smile on cue at Tara's achievements and jokes made, but I am detached. Godric and Pam are used to this, but Tara is young and so new. She does not understand to severity of the connection we share. At this point, I would not be surprised if it trumps that of mine with Godric.

Tara stops in mid-stride. She had been practicing moving like her former self. She was facing the fireplace when she stopped, trying to figure out what she is feeling.

"What's wrong, Tara? Why have you stopped?" Pam asks her progeny. I can feel her surprise as she was getting used to Tara's 'never give up until you get it' attitude.

"I feel lonely and sad all of a sudden. Is this normal?" At her words, both Godric and Pam turn to me. I let out an exasperated breathe.

"No, it is not normal. You are feeling me in your new bonds. I am sorry." I state not just to Tara, but to all of them.

Tara vamps next to me. She is uncomfortably close, leaning about an inch or so away from my face, staring into my eyes.

"Whoa. You feel like this because Sookie is not here?" she asks.

"Yes."

"Do you always feel like this when you two are separated?" Had she been anyone else, I would have struck her for asking me so many questions and being so close.

"Yes." I answer.

"The love you have for her is the thing of legends. Never apologize. She deserves it more than anyone. And from what she has told me about you, the same can be said about you." I look at Tara for the first time since she stopped her lesson.

"I have never heard truer words spoken." Godric says from behind her. He lightly grabs her shoulders and pulls her away.

Just as she gets off the couch, my lover appears in front of us. I stand and have her in my arms before she can do anything else.

"Hi honey" she says in my ear. "Hey guys. What did I miss?" she asks of the group.

"Besides watching Tara shows us her amazing ability to learn quickly, the usual. Eric becoming a sniveling bitch because you were gone." Pam quirks with her hand on her hip. I growl at her, but she is used to it and it has no effect.

"Where were you, anyway?" she asks.

"Breandan has been visiting the family?" We all freeze. Tara looks at all of us, unsure of what to say or do. "He went to Jason to pump him for information about where I could be. He told him that he was sent by Niall, that I was in danger, and that Eric was too busy looking for me to come himself. Of course, Jase didn't know where I would go, so he left without anything. My brother called me to make sure I was okay, so I met him at Merlotte's. His vampire lackeys were outside, but they didn't see me. I left Jason with two fairy guards that will stay with him at all times."

"Did the shifter behave?" I ask.

"Yes, he did. I guess whatever Niall did to him worked."

"Good for him." I reply and she swats my arm.

Author's Notes:

I had to add some enemy activity so it would not just be sex, sex, sex. Back to Tara's first night as a vampire.

*The characters in this chapter belong to Charlene Harris & Alan Ball.

**I OWN NOTHING**