Spellbound

I want to thank you all for your alerts, favorites, and reviews. Thank you all for the time that you've given the story. I'm sorry that I didn't get to post this on the third day. Work kicked my ass this week. I'd also like to say that it has never been my intention to confuse anyone but I can say, for myself, that there have been instances when I've contemplated leaving my husband. Then the next minute I'll think that it's worth working things out. But emotions are/can be confusing.

Anyway, I hope that you enjoy. The characters do not belong to me. They belong to CH. The story is mine.

Why?

Is this what she meant? Was this really her way of solving their shared problem?

Why?

Were there no other options?

As Sookie sat in the car with the letter in her hand, she wondered what went wrong; what caused things to go as they had today. It started out as a great day. She woke up beside her husband and they are making progress. Tonight they are going to talk about their future. They are going to make their marriage work. The second most wonderful part of an already great day is that her grandmother called her before her meeting with Calvin Norris.

Adele called just to tell Sookie that she loves her and that she was thinking of her. Her exact words were that Sookie and Eric were on her mind. She was smiling as she talked to her granddaughter. "I woke up this morning thinking of you and Eric. I wanted to check in and make sure that everything was going well. By the way you are sounding this morning; I can gather that you've made your mind up about your marriage. You two had a good night?"

Sookie giggled. "Yes ma'am, I have and yes we did. It was wonderful, grandmother. It was better than I could have ever imagined. I want this so badly," she said. "I realize now that I was thinking too much. I want to be with him and I'm willing to work things out. We weren't given a fair shot and it wouldn't be fair for me to leave him without knowing whether or not we would have made it without any interferences. I think that we have a real chance, grandmother. I really do.

"And if I'm wrong then it's a lesson that I've learned. I believe now that what we have is more than just a sexual relationship. I know that this is love, grandmother. Last night, while we were making love, something happened to us and it was beautiful."

Adele smiled as she remembered when the beautiful moment happened in the once loving and honest relationship that she'd shared with Fintan. "It was the essence. It was the sharing of your souls and because it's springtime, it was easier for you to see who your true mate is. The spring shows us the way. Just because it's not springtime there, doesn't mean that it's not springtime in you. It's easy to forget when you've lived in the earthly realm. Their ways differ from ours but even though you are away, our way of life will still affect you. You can feel it all over; your heart, soul. It's a part of who we are."

Sookie began to whisper. "Last night, I did something that I've never done before. I bit into him and drank his blood without him asking me to. It was as if I needed it. I craved it. I had to have it."

Adele laughed. "That's okay. Your body desires it and it wants it. He's your husband, your soul mate. It was supposed to happen, my dearest one. His blood will do wonders for you in the future."

"It's so different, grandmother. It feels like we are no longer two beings. He shares my heart and my soul. I share his memories and every emotion he's ever tried to hide." Sookie blushed as if she was being watched. "When he's dead to the world, he's not really dead. He's dreaming and I can see those dreams if I want. This morning, he was dreaming of us. We had sons and we had a life, grandmother. We had a good life. It was so real.

"Even before we became one, I wanted the life that he dreamed of. I wished for it, every night, every time we made love but to know that he wishes it as well, it gives me hope. I never want to let it go." She added, "I won't have to worry about the unknown man and children in my dreams. Isn't that wonderful, grandmother?"

In a sad and monotone voice, Adele said, "Not anymore, Sookie. The man and the children have passed. You'll be fine now," she said as she sighed. "When you're with the one that loves you, there's nothing like it. Love makes you feel as if everything you've ever experienced is brand new. It makes you ..." her voice trailed off. "Never mind the ramblings of an old lady. What you've done is different; monumental. We've never shared the season with vampires; it obviously affects vampires just as it does the fae. Andromeda foresaw this; you and the vampire. You and Eric have done something that the supe world said could never happen."

Sookie beamed with pride. "Grandmother, I wish that I had told Eric how I felt in the beginning of our marriage instead of waiting for as long as I did. There is so much damage that we both caused. If we had only talked things over it would be so different with us now. We're going to make it better, grandmother. You're going to be so proud of us."

"I've always been proud of you, Sookie; both you and Eric. I've always known that you can do anything that you put your mind to; including saving your marriage."

"Enough about me and Eric," Sookie said. "You owe me an explanation, young lady. What took you so long to call me back? I've been calling you for quite awhile but you wouldn't call me back. I wanted to tell you …"

Adele cut her off in mid sentence with a hearty laugh. "I haven't been a young lady in quite a few centuries. And to answer your question, I've been extremely busy, dearest one. Things have been a bit … hectic here but they've settled down a little; at least for the next hour or so. What was so urgent that you had to call me two hundred times in one day and send Courtland to see me? I know that there's nothing wrong with you and the vampire."

In a soft voice, Sookie said, "I wanted to say thank you for what you've done for us. You don't have to do it, you know. You don't have to leave Fintan because of me. That's not necessary. I'll be fine. You and Fintan can work …"

In a stern voice, Adele said, "That's enough of that. My marriage is my concern. Whatever I decide to do, it is because of me and only me. You handle your business there and I will handle what happens here. You had nothing to do with your grandfather's deceptive ways. It was his choice to destroy what we had, not yours. This is not your or Eric's fault. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, ma'am," Sookie said in her little girl voice.

"Don't you ever think that the demise of my marriage is your fault, do you hear me?"

"Yes, ma'am," Sookie said as she nodded.

"Whatever has happened to our marriage is solely the burden of your grandfather's. You and Eric had nothing to do with it. No matter what happens, it is not your fault. Tell me that you understand and that you will not blame yourself; ever."

"I understand and I won't blame myself; ever."

"Good," she said.

Sookie could almost see her grandmother smoothing down the front of her dress and running her fingers through her hair. She said what she had to say and that was that. There was going to be no arguing and nothing else was going to be said about it. Everyone in fae knew that when Adele Brigant spoke to them in the sternest of voices, there was nothing else to be said. If you didn't like what she had to say, you kept it to yourself and dealt with it.

"Now, there is something that I need for you to do for me. In time, you'll understand why you have to do this." She told Sookie that she wanted her to go and see Dr. Ludwig instead of coming back to Fae to see Elvin; the doctor that treats all fae women. "It's not a good time for you to return here. You need to stay at home. You need to stay close to your husband," she said. "Under no circumstances do you return here."

That surprised Sookie. Adele always referred to Fae as their home. The earthly realm was just a vacation place with extraordinary benefits. It was never supposed to be considered home and she knew that it was best that she didn't go home right now because of what was going on with Fintan but Faery is her home but the urgency in her grandmother's voice scared her. She knew that without a doubt that she was going to take her grandmother's words to heart.

"If you think that's best," Sookie replied.

"I do," Adele said. "Don't bother calling me back and telling me what the doctor says. We both know what's going on with you. You've always known. If you would stop being so darned stubborn, you would admit it to yourself. Your mother was just like that." She fell quiet. "You would've loved her so much. She definitely would've loved you. You're just alike; a dash of stubborn with a heart of gold."

"Grandmother, are you okay? If you need me, I …"

"I'm still speaking," Adele interrupted. "You go on and do what you have to do. Stop those dang blasted denial games and talk to your husband. Look, sweetie, I have to go." Before she hung up the phone, she said, "I do love you."

"I love you too, grandmother." After a slight pause, Sookie said, "You're scaring, Gran."

Adele laughed. "You're not scared. You're just a worrywart. Now, go on and handle your business."

It was settled and that was that. Sookie knew to do as Adele told her to. She was going to see Dr. Ludwig as soon as the meeting was over for the residents of Hot Shot. She'd called and made her appointment with the great Dr. Ludwig and she was off and running.

From the time that she left home, she was in an excellent mood. Everything was falling into place. Couple that with that fact that she was going to get the residents of Hot Shot the things that they needed, she was going to have a great day. And that's exactly what she did. She'd gotten Calvin Norris everything that his people needed.

The roads that were no more than potholes were going to be repaved. The street lights were going to be placed at the entrances of Hot Shot and throughout their community. The little schoolhouse was going to be renovated and they were going to have real teachers instead of parents posing as teachers. The children and the elderly residents were going to get the medical care that they so desperately needed. New roofs on old houses and some residents would be getting new homes. The money for the new homes would have to come out of the budget that the supernatural council allowed them and she knew that Eric would go along with it. It was her main priority to see that the people of Hot Shot would be warm and snug by the first of November.

When the were-panthers learned that they would be getting the necessities that they needed, they were beyond ecstatic. Calvin Norris and his people were just as happy as Sookie has ever seen them. They were so pleased that they'd planned a surprise barbecue for her and Eric. He was expected to show up at dusk. She told them that as soon as she was done with her next appointment, she was going to be there. Sadly, she had to call and tell Calvin that she couldn't make it. Her perfect day was no longer perfect.

"I heard," he said as soon as he answered her call. "If there's anything that you need, please don't hesitate to call either me or Tanya. You're family and we will stand with you."

Staying as strong as ever, Sookie's voice didn't tremble and her head remained high. "Thank you, Mr. Norris. Your words are of great comfort. If you or your people need anything further of us, we are here. You need only call."

He knew that she was hurting but said nothing. The fae as a people will never change. They always have to be strong even when it hurts to be. He could only guess that's why she stayed with the vampire for as long as she did. When they would go to summits, the were-panthers noticed his standoffish attitude when it came to her but he knew that the vampire loves her. They hoped that Eric would see the error of his ways and do what he should've done long ago. He needed to stand tall and be proud with his faery princess at his side. He'd hoped that Eric would see that love is not a weakness. It gives anyone who has it, strength.

"Good day, Mrs. Northman."

She made it home without realizing that she was home. She didn't bother pulling the car into the garage. She couldn't stop thinking about how perfect this day was supposed to be. Hell, it was supposed to be a perfect day for all but she was wrong. The rain rolled over the windshield of her car as tears fell from her eyes.

Sookie looked down at her hands and at the wadded up piece of paper that had forever changed her life. She squeezed her eyes closed and cried harder than she has ever allowed herself to cry. She's usually able to hide her emotions. That's what faeries are supposed to do. They stay strong and they aren't to let anything drag them down; no matter how bad it is.

Thunder beat against the skies as her crying became louder. Lightning flashed across the sky as her shimmer filled the car. She'd never felt such pain. She never knew pain like this even existed. She got out of the car and walked to the front yard. There she stood as the rain fell down on her face.

"Mrs. Northman," William called out. He's one of the Were guards that Eric hired to watch the grounds during the day. "Mrs. Northman, are you okay? You're getting wet. I can go in and grab an umbrella if you like. Mr. Northman's not going to be happy to hear that I let you get so wet. What if you fall ill?"

She ignored him and continued to stand there. Her fae guards were watching her. They knew why she stood in the rain. It was to wash away her pain and no one was to interfere with her. Everyone in the land of Fae was grieving today. They understood her grief. They also knew to keep their distance but not the Were. The Were was new. He didn't realize the pain of fae women. Hopefully, for his sakes, Sookie would realize that he didn't know.

"Mrs. North …" He swallowed down the rest of his words.

Her eye had gone completely black. Only a faint blue outline surrounded the black orbs. Within in seconds, the fae guards removed the Were before he could meet his unfortunate demise.

"Sookie, it's me." Just as the lightening cracked against the sky, Claudette appeared. Her chocolate brown hair was plastered to her head. Her eyes were as dark and as sullen as Sookie's only hers held a faint green outline.

She turned at the sound of her cousin's voice. There was no more sobbing but the tears continued to fall. Seeing Claudette made it true. She'd lost some of her glow. For awhile, all of the fae would lose some of their glow. It was sign of mourning. Claudette stood beside Sookie and both of the fae women stared out into the rainy evening sky. She reached for Sookie's hand and once she had it, she never wanted to let it go. She needed the feeling of oneness.

"She ate the deadliest fruit." Claudette's voice trembled at the words.

"She suffered?" Sookie asked.

Claudette shook her head no. It was a lot different for her than it was for Claudette. For a fae, eating the deadliest fruit was the same as a human drinking acid. If Eric and Pam hadn't been there to save her, she would have suffered a horrifying death. She would have …

"How could she do that?" Sookie closed her eyes and thought of Adele. She had the most beautiful smile. She had the sincerest heart and the most beautiful soul. If not for her, many of the fae wouldn't have souls and now ... now she's gone.

Claudette continued to cry. Heart wrenching sobs wracked her body.

"She came to you."

Claudette nodded and sniffled as she answered Sookie. "Yes. She told me to give you a message. She said that you will survive this and you will live a long and happy life. She said that you'll have a life of love. No more chasing dreams for any of us; no more of us settling for less than what we deserve."

Sookie's bottom lip began to tremble and her knees gave way. Life as she knew it was over. There was no one to help with the new changes and challenges that she was about to face. Claudette sat down on the ground with her; still holding onto Sookie's hand.

"Why did she do it, Claudette? Why would she eat the deadliest fruit? We've always been there for her; for each other. All she had to do was call us. We need her. We're nothing without her."

Claudette's eyes dropped to the ground as she mourned.

When Sookie turned to look at Claudette, she saw it. "You knew," she whispered. "You knew that she was going to do it before she did it."

She squeezed Sookie's hand tighter. She's always known but what was she supposed to do? She couldn't stop her. She'd tried. The night that Adele told Claudette that she was leaving Fintan, Claudette knew what it meant. She tried her damnedest to get her to change her mind.

When she went to see Adele after the vacation she and Sookie took, Claudette was turned away every single time. She wanted to tell her grandmother that she wouldn't have to leave Fintan now. Sookie was going to give her marriage a chance but she couldn't. Adele wouldn't let her. Claudette was not allowed beyond the palace doors. She sent her fae guard to the palace with a message for her grandmother. She threatened that she would tell Fintan what she was planning to do. Adele knew that Claudette would have never betrayed her so the threat meant nothing to her and she didn't change her mind. There was nothing that she could do.

"When grandmother said that she was going to leave Fintan, there was no other way. Sookie, there are some things that she never told you and she never told you for a reason. You wouldn't have been able to handle it. If you had known what she was going to do, you wouldn't have given your marriage or your obligations in this world a second thought."

Sookie's hand went to her heart. She understood now why Adele told her not to blame herself. She understood now why she said that it wasn't her fault. "She could have come to me. She could have stayed with me and Eric. She didn't have to do what she did. She had us. We could have protected her from Fintan."

"No," Claudette said. "She had no other choice. She and Fintan were one. She couldn't live without him. She was his chosen one just as he was hers. He gave her his essence. She would have died if she'd come here. The difference is that she would have suffered in this realm. In our world, she lived as if she was a fae. If she'd come here to live out her remaining days, she would have been ravaged by the aches and pains of the humans. It would have taken years for the essence to leave her body and the suffering would have been horrendous for her. It would have been ripped from her body; only slowly. By doing what she did, she eased her pain. In order to be free of his essence, she had to kill it. That's why she ate the deadliest fruit. She returned to her human form and she died."

In between sobs, Sookie asked, "And she didn't suffer? You promise that she didn't suffer?"

Claudette shook her head, "She didn't suffer. She died in her sleep."

"He had to have felt it. Why didn't he stop her?" Sookie yelled. "Why didn't he try to stop her?"

"He didn't know that she'd done it until he felt it. It was too late for him to stop it. It was like with Lucian and me. When I killed him, I could feel my insides shred. It felt as if my heart had been ripped from my body. My soul was gone. So if anyone suffered physically from grandmother's death, it was Fintan."

"Claudette, what's going to keep him from following her to the Summerlands?"

"Everything," she said. "Grandmother's a very smart woman. She knew what she was doing. She wanted him to suffer. She wanted him to know what it was like to live without the one that you love most of all. She wanted him to suffer the same fate that he'd planned for you. He is now the one that is to live without his true love. He is the one that will live a long and lonely life. His life will not be short. His suffering will not be swift. That is why you can't go and see Elvin. You did go and Dr. Ludwig didn't you?"

Sookie nodded as a surprise look settled on her face. Claudette knew more than she'd ever let on.

"Good," she answered. "You see little one, if you go home now, you can never return. Fintan's the last living Brigant in Faery. It's not possible for him to die; no matter what he does. He has to have an heir there that will replace him. Since we are here, he has no choice but to live his remaining days alone. A living Brigant has to be there to replace him." She looked Sookie in the eyes and said, "Neither you nor Claudine will ever return to the land of Fae. That is grandmother's wish and it is a wish that we will abide by."

For the first time since hearing about her grandmother's death, Sookie smiled. "You have my word."

A popping noise filled the still air. "Is it true?"Claudine asked. "Tell me that it's not true. Tell me that grandmother is not gone. It's a dream, right? I'm dreaming and I'll wake up to the smell her perfume and to the feel of her kisses. It isn't so." Her voice was soft and filled with sadness. A wadded up piece of paper was in one hand as the other rested on her baby belly.

Claudette patted the wet grass beside her. After much effort, Claudine sat down. "It is so, Cici."

"What am I supposed to do?" Claudine asked. "She is our touchstone. She keeps our little family together. How are we supposed to make it without her? Why would she do this to us? Why would she leave us alone like this?"

"Fintan," Claudette responded. "She did it because of Fintan."

Claudine snapped her head around to face her sister and her cousin. "What? Why you would speak such hateful lies? Grandmother loves grandfather. She would never leave him to suffer so."

"Cici, I've never lied to you, have I?"

Claudine saw the truth on her sister's face. Closing her eyes, she silently gave in to the truth of her sister's words and their sad reality. "Tell me what happened."

Claudette held her sister's hand tightly as she told her how Adele listened to Fintan as he taunted Eric on the phone about how he'd helped him destroy his marriage to Sookie. "Grandmother was broken. She'd lost all faith in him. She couldn't bear to be with him any longer. She never stopped loving him and she knew that she could never stop loving him. She had no other choice. She'd planned this, Claudine."

Claudine began to cry. Just like Sookie, her vision of Fintan was now destroyed.

As Claudine cried Claudette wrapped her baby sister in her arms. She told her about their grandmother requesting that they never return to Faery. She kissed Claudine's cheek. "Look at me Cici," she said.

"What?" she asked in a trembling voice.

Claudette told her what they had to do for Adele. "We can't return home; at least for a few hundred years. His punishment should be the punishment that he wanted to bestow upon on our Sookie. He wanted her to be miserable and lonely. For six years that is what she was. Fintan relished in it. He knew how much Sookie loved Eric and he didn't care. Her pain gave him joy. Grandmother saw that. She was finally able to see him as I've always known him to be. Grandmother felt that for him to live without her is a just punishment for Fintan. When I got her vision, I promised her that we would grant her wish."

She then placed her hands on Claudine's shoulders and said, "All of us, sister. We will not return to Faery. Our fae princess has already agreed. Do you stand with us, Claudine?"

She put her hands over her face and cried a little more. "Colman brought this letter to me today. Grandmother had written it to me. I knew that something was wrong. She never writes letters. If she has something to say to us, she says it to our faces." She wiped tears across her face with her arm. "I tried calling her but she wouldn't take my calls. At least she told me that she loves me." She began to cry again. "I wish that I could've told her because I do." She looked at her sister and cousin and said, "I do."

"Me too," Sookie said as a hanky appeared in her hand. She stood up from the ground and walked over to where Claudine was sitting. Sookie flopped down on the ground beside Claudine as she cleaned her cousin's face. Claudine hugged her when she was done.

"Me three," Claudette said.

"Memories?" Claudine asked as she released Sookie from her hold.

The three fae women nodded and smiled. They gathered around in a circle and held hands. They shared their favorite and best memories of their childhood. They were little girls playing out by the falls with Adele. They were gossiping and laughing during lunch. Adele was always so beautiful and so strong. She was theirs and they belonged to her. The memories were plentiful and the cousins were soon smiling. Pretty soon, they were giggling. Not too long after, they were laughing. The rain was gone. The sun was shining brightly and the birds were singing.

"I love you," the three fae women said to the sky.

"You have my word," Claudine said. In a sad voice, she added, "I'm lost without her."

Claudette chuckled. "I'm going to stay in trouble. I just know it."

"Probably," Sookie said as Claudette plucked her. "We have each other. We've always had each other and we'll keep on having each other. We'll make it and we'll be strong just like grandmother raised us to be. We're going to be fine and we're going to be wonderful and strong fae women. We're going to have full and prosperous lives and we will be strong. Deal?" she asked.

"Deal," the sisters said at the same time.

"Just like grandmother said, we are the masters of our destiny." Sookie got up from the ground and swiped the remnants of the ground from her bottom. Though her heart was breaking, she couldn't let them see it. "You girls go home and begin mastering your destiny. I'll call you later."

Claudette and Claudine kissed Sookie's cheeks and popped themselves home. As she walked to the house, tears fell from her eyes. Even though it was an hour before dusk, she began to wish that Eric was awake. She needed him now more than ever.