Author's Notes:

Hello? Anyone out there? I know I'm late with this update, but it was over a week before anyone let a review so I hope I haven't lost you interest. Regardless, please review and let me know who I'm doing. This is my first fic and your feedback will determine whether I do another.

I'm trying to touch base with everyone before we get to the childbirth and the epic battle. Any guesses as to the identity of Godric's mysterious vampire brother? Who AP's other progenies may be? And will their assistance be needed. Like before, the correct guess will get you a preview of the next chapter.

Translations in this chapter:

Conversation with un-named character is Macedonian.

Conversation with Nero is Greek.

*The characters in this chapter belong to their respective authors, CH, & AB.

**I OWN NOTHING**

Chapter 49

SPOV

With Eric gone to rid us of the monster I've just learned Niall to be, I try to suppress my anger. I can feel the babies sending calm through the bond. I grab hold to it and focus on that as I rub my belly. It was working until I heard Niall's bullshit of suggesting I be taken to Faery now. Bitch please (as Lafayette would have said). Thoughts of ripping out his heart and feeding it to my Viking play in my mind and the anger builds again.

I watch the monitors and follow Niall as he walks out the front door, heading for the cemetery. I release the breath I knew I was holding just as Eric returns to me.

"He is gone lover. Are you alright?" I shake my head. "You got through his shields, did you not?" I nod vehemently. "Show me."

After our minds link and he learns what I have, he becomes very quiet. Unnervingly quiet. He paces the cubby as his mind breaks down every possible scenario and all potential contingency plans. I know that this is probably a good time to tell him about my own plans, but I will wait until I find out who was successful and who wasn't so we can go from there. The more of them I can remove from the equation, the easier his job of wiping out the rest of the assholes will be.

"Do you mind showing this to the others tonight?" He's so cute when in war mode.

"Of course, I will. When do you want me to?" I ask.

"Whenever is comfortable for you lover. We can either do it before we begin the festivities or we can go down into the basement during." He joins me on the bed.

"We can do it in the basement sometime during the evening. I think I need to pay my mother a visit. I need to know who he went to meet with in Niflheim."

"I believe you are right. Whoever it was, they had to have been a witch" he says absentmindedly.

"How do you know?" I ask, feeling like the grasshopper that I am compared to his thousand plus years of knowledge.

"For a human to be taken to Niflheim upon death, they would have to be powerful, yet evil enough to be dishonored not only in life but in death as well." I think I need to spend some time in the library.

Godric's POV

"I refuse to bow to anyone, especially a fucking fairy!" yells California.

With agreement from the entire West Coast (whom seem to have fallen in love with Pamela), the Eastern Seaboard, Arizona, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee, I have been able to weed out the monarchs who may been aligned with New Mexico. That leaves us with six monarchs who did not care to attend this teleconference, which makes them suspects.

"I, as well as those of my bloodline, am also in agreement with you. This is why we are using our combined connections and accumulated favors to find all the traitors to our kind and ensure they face justice. We plan to bring them in front of the Council and the Ancient Pythoness for judgment if possible, unless they give us no choice but to bring on the True Death."

"I say we kill them upon sighting. Save us the time and travel expense" Florida suggests. As if he does not have the money to go anywhere he wants.

"Unnecessary killing will only justify their actions. Carloman forced our hand, so New Mexico is now a part of the Louisiana monarchy…" I am interrupted by the reactions of some of the participants.

"So Northman now has Louisiana and New Mexico? Does he plan to keep it?" asks Arizona.

"I am unsure of my child's plans for this newly acquired state. Perhaps those interested should make an impromptu trip to Fangtasia tonight to make their interest known to King Northman" I tell them. "Know that our only goal is to ensure the freedom of our kind, as well as the supe community as whole. The vampire race was not the one to be targeted. We all must work together to make this happen. If you suspect any in your kingdom of traitorous activities, assume that are working for the enemy and capture them immediately. Bring them with you to the hearing when it is announced. I will update you all with any new developments, especially when I get word for the Old World." With nods all around, I end the transmission.

I look at the cue for my next Skype call. This is the one I am most interested in having. With half being friend and the other half being foe, there is no telling who is in bed with the enemy. The Old World has become more organized within recent years. With South America, the Caribbean, Canada, and Mexico joining under the rule of the Council, North America has been able to stay abreast of their comings and goings. But the Old World wanted to develop their own way, in an attempt to show the New World that it still has some 'gumption' about itself.

Calling in a couple of favors owed to me, I was able to send out a request to discuss this matter with any monarch across both oceans. The enemy has had a head start on pushing their propaganda, so I believe that being straightforward about what has happened so far is essential.

While waiting for the Asian and Australian representatives to join, I scroll through the 10 private message requests I have received so far. There are two that catch my immediate attention, so I connect to the one sent first.

"Знаев дека ќе прерасне во власта кои би ривал моето. Горд сум на тебе." (I knew that you would grow into a power that would rival my own. I am proud of you.) says the dark haired man on the screen.

"Се надевав дека ќе ми одговори на повикот. Тоа колку брзо ќе може да се добие да се Shreveport, Луизијана во Соединетите Американски Држави?" (I was hoping you would answer my call. How soon can you get to Shreveport, Louisiana in the United States?) I try to not show my excitement, but I am unable to do so.

"Толку желни да ме види ... мора да ми недостасува. Се разбира, јас сум веќе на пат." (So eager to see me…you must be missing me. Of course, I am already en route.) He chuckles almost silently. I realize that it has been 1,800 years since I have seen it.

"Гледам мојот творецот е во контакт со вас." (I see my maker has been in contact with you.) Although there was never any doubt of the severity of this situation, his involvement means that victory is somehow more vital.

"Се разбира, таа има. Таа е нашата творец, помалиот брат." (Of course, she has. She is our maker, little brother.) I am the only progeny of the Ancient Pythoness known to exist in the world, and that knowledge is known by only a few. There were five of us in total. Four still live because we disassociated themselves from her and the world at large. I wonder if she will call upon the others.

"Јас ќе бидам со тебе наскоро. Јас сум многу нетрпение очекувам да одговараат на вашите деца, особено NORSEMAN." (I will be with you soon. I am very much looking forward to meeting your children, especially the Norseman.) I smile at the thought. Due to the secrecy we had to live in, I could not expose my child and my brother to one another. Such action would have painted targets on both of their undead hearts. Losses I could not ever imagine being able to bear.

I nod and the transmission ends. I feel some of the tension leave my body knowing that my brother is on his way. I will have to warn the others. And I am unsure of the reactions I will receive.

The remaining representatives have joined the call, signaling that it is time to get this over with. I explain the situation as I know it to all those in attendance. No one interrupts. Of the 17 present, three end the connection once they become aware of what I am speaking of. Uganda, Mongolia, and Argentina made their choice. Now, the word will spread and they will all crawl out of the hidey holes (using Sookie's word for our resting places), hopefully to meet the sun.

13 of the remaining 14 give their unanimous decision to join our side of this war and pledge to spread the word to every vampire they know. Word of mouth is the fastest mode of communication, so I expect to hear rumblings soon.

I watch as the participants disconnect from Skype, yet one remains. It is the one who did not voice their decision during the conference. I do not want to speak to him, but it is unavoidable and my curiosity can no longer be ignored.

Connecting to the private video call, I stare into the light blue eyes of the portly blonde before me.

"Κάθε μέρα από τότε που είδα τελευταία φορά, έχω πει αυτή η προσευχή. Δόντι 'Alligator και το πνεύμα snakeskin, να λάβει το πνεύμα του έξω από το σώμα του. Περιμένετε! Μην πάρετε την ψυχή του, να το δώσει σε μένα.'" (Every day since I last saw you, I have said this prayer. 'Alligator tooth and snakeskin spirit, take his spirit out of his body. Wait! Don't take his soul, give it to me too.') Even as a vampire, his spot-ridden face looks like it is sweating.

"Βλέπω αθανασία δεν έχει μετριάζεται παραφροσύνη σας. Ποτέ δεν θα είναι μαζί σας Nero." (I see immortality has not tempered your insanity. I will never be with you Nero.) I state this as plainly as I possibly can.

"Το ξέρω, αλλά η νεράιδα μου είπε ότι θα δώσει σε μένα αν τον βοήθησε." (I know, but the fairy told me that he would give you to me if I assisted him.) I am going to enjoy draining Breandan for this ridiculousness.

"Ηλίθιος. Είπε ψέματα σε σας. Τι έκανες για να βοηθήσει;" (Fucking idiot. He lied to you. What did you do to assist?) I ask through gritted teeth.

"Αν σου πω, θα έρθει και η δική μου είναι;" (If I tell you, will you come and be mine?)

"Ποτέ." (Never.)

"ΝΑΙ! Θα έχετε και κανείς δεν θα με σταματήσει. Έρχομαι για σένα τον εαυτό μου." (YES! I will have you and no one will stop me. I am coming for you myself.) He motions for some unseen person to end the call, but they seem to not be paying him any attention.

"Να ξέρετε ότι έρχεστε να ανταποκριθεί το αληθινό θάνατο." (Know that you are coming to meet the true death.) And with that promise, I end the call. I need to feed in order to control my urge to fly there and kill him now. I walk out of my room in search of someone who can get me some donor blood.

EPOV

After much convincing, Sookie let me take her mind off of Niall's sins. I was honored to bring her the little death four times, before her anger dissolved and her hunger for food prevailed. I blinked us to the kitchen where I am currently cooking two Monte Cristo sandwiches.

"Have I told you how much I love you today?" she asks from her seat at her Gran's old table.

"Yes. You have told me 76 times." I send her my love and pride through the bond. She releases a moan (which I refer to as her 'happy moan') and I smirk arrogantly over my shoulder.

"Well, the day is still young." She looks enchanting sitting there in her silk robe, which barely cover her due to her swollen womb. Just the thought of them makes me smile, but then it fades to a scowl once Niall's actions come to the forefront of my mind.

I push to press them back and focus on my Goddess. Having finished her sandwiches and plating them, I sit the food before her and go to retrieve her beverages. Just as I bring her a glass of sweet tea and a glass of my blood, the air in the room becomes thick. The familiar sonic boom accompanies the Goddess Freya as she now occupies the seat across from my wife.

"Good day to you my children. It smells wonderful in here." She pauses to savor the air for a moment. "It has been six centuries since I have ingested human food." She closes her eyes as if she is thinking of her last meal.

"It would be an honor to serve you" I greet with a deep bow. I vamp back over to the stove and cook two more sandwiches for the Goddess.

"Good morning Mother. I was planning to come see you. I guess you knew that." Sookie greets. She moves to rise, but the Goddess motions for her to stay seated. Instead, she moves the seat closest to my lover and leans into her stomach.

Speaking in a language I have never heard before, she talks for my sons. I feel their excitement and happiness at her proximity. I turn to face them to check on Sookie when I see the extraordinary. In the same fashion as with Odin, Freya's hands lays on top of Sookie's belly. A red light, that seems to be the Goddess' aura, flow down her arm and into Sookie. Her stomach is glowing in their golden light which begins to blend with the red. The colors flare and then subside. The Goddess withdraws her hand.

"I cannot wait until they arrive. To have little ones around will be so much fun! Folkvangr will be fully of laughter once more." She is bouncing and clapping her hands, much like Sookie does with she beats me at something.

"They are just as excited as you are" Sookie tells her, in that laugh that warms my undead heart. "I broke through Niall's shields." Her statement silences not only the room, but seemingly, the air itself.

"Show me" the Goddess commands and they grasp each other's hand. With their eyes closed, they share the knowledge between them in the quiet of this warm, Louisiana afternoon. This takes about one minute and then it is over. Their eyes open, both glowing with their respective lights, but they do not release each other.

"I feel sorrow at your pain. They both should have just accepted their ends to be the inevitable instead of what they chose to do. As I have said, their end cannot be circumvented." She reaches and wipes away the tear that has fallen down my lover's cheek. My rage returns and I, inadvertently, rip the handle off the skillet I am cooking with. The sandwiches were done anyway. I return to fixing the plate and present it to the Goddess.

"Thank you" she says as she begins to eat. "I can honestly say that I have never met a vampire who could cook. You are very fortunate my dear child."

"I know I am" was Sookie's response as she dives back into her own food.

"Have you any idea who the person Niall could have met with in Niflheim" I ask, finally joining the conversation.

"I am surprised at you Viking. You have the means to find this out yourself." She puts her hands together like a bird as she makes bird noises to mimic my ravens.

"They already had tasks to complete" I say, a little insulted that she would think I had not considered using them.

"They are magical, you silly man. They are capable of much more than you think they are." With a wave of dismissal, she continues. "I will save you the trouble and tell. The despicable slime went to Hela to contact Grimhild. I would surmise that she told him of the magic she used in the past, on her own children as well as my Brynhild no less. Her actions not only brought dishonor onto herself, but them as well. However, the majority of her family consisted of mere mortals so they were sent to Hel while she was went Niflheim." I know the stories of her meddling in the lives of beings that could have probably became Gods themselves in time.

"She was a sorceress trapped in the body of a pathetic human woman. Her specialties include mind-altering potions and shape-shifting spells. I believe I have some text on her in the library. If not, I believe Godric may." Sookie blows me a kiss in appreciation. I answer by sending a wave of love and desire through the bond. Her immediate arousal hits the air and makes itself known.

"Awww, lovers in their prime…they are so wonderful to observe. I bet he is an excellent lover" Freya whispers to Sookie. My lover blushes, filling the bond with pride and embarrassment.

"Yes, he is more than excellent. But pleasssse…let's not talk about our sex life." She eats the last bite of her sandwich and I vamp to her side to retrieve her plate. Kneeling next to her chair, I wait for her to turn towards me before capturing her lips in a searing kiss. My attempt is to leave her breathless and I do.

Without uttering another word, I take her plate and that of the Goddess, back to the sink. It takes me 30 seconds to wash and dry the dishes before I make my grand exit.

"I will leave you beauties alone and begin getting ready the evening. I hope you will join us" I say towards the Goddess.

"I would not miss it. Besides, I cannot let Odin have too much fun in this realm without supervision. Frigga would kill me if he got into trouble with some of those fangdingers." Sookie and I exchange a look before we fall into peals of laughter. I am just walking into the living room when I hear Sookie explaining that they are called 'fangbangers'.