I wake late the next day and hear the house bustling with activity. I lean over and kiss Eric's forehead as I pop to the bathroom and take a quick shower and brush my teeth.
I pop on a lavender pantie and bra set before I pop my lavender yoga pants and matching tank. I conjure my lavender socks and some matching lavender and white Nike running shoes as I pop my hair into a high ponytail.
I make my way downstairs and make it to the kitchen for my coffee. I see Pam and Karin seated with Jason and Merlin as I arch my brow.
"Daywalkers," I say as a statement as everyone seated smiles and nods. "Good," I say as I nod my head and sip my coffee.
"The houses are full, so we stayed here last night," Jason informs me as I nod my head again. I needed more coffee after the events last night. My lady parts are still sore, I think to myself.
"The Sumerians have yet to arrive, but they will be here," I hear Merlin say as I continue to stand and stare out the window. I feel odd this morning, and I cannot put my finger on what is wrong.
Just a feeling that more than Sumerian deities are arriving for us. I walk out the door without saying a word and take off for a run around the estate. I haven't done my endurance training since I returned. As I run, I think about some of the problems that have set right.
Bartlett Hale is trapped inside his mind, being served his rewards just as he used to brutalize others like Hadley. He is in a mental hospital on the other side of the state, where he will remain until he dies a slow and painful death.
Alexi can no longer be a danger to anyone because of Jason sending him to his true death. Appius Livius Ocella is finally dead and gone. Ding Dong! I think as I run.
Freyda is in Oklahoma, where she has stayed hidden. I assume until her fang grows back. I gave her warning, but unfortunately for women like her, a warning is not enough. She will be back eventually, and when that day comes, I won't show any fucking mercy.
I have made allies with Sophie-Anne, and she knows what the future holds. Bill Compton is on a mission to save his woe fallen descendants and no longer is a danger to me or the state of Louisiana.
I pick up my pace as I conjure gymnast bars throughout my running trail. As I run, I jump and twirl.
Each time I land perfect as I dismount and continue my exercise.
I need to deal with the Hollow and her brother today. I can't leave either of those asshole's alive, not after what they do in the future. So many senseless deaths, I think to myself as I continue to run. "Not this time," I say with determination as I conjure a wall up ahead.
I increase my speed as I flip over the wall and keep running. I stop as I come to a stream. I bend down and wet my neck and drink some water after I purify the water.
Magic is the best.
Soon I will have Aryk and Arya back, but until it is safe, I will not risk bringing them back.
I stand to finish my run, and I pop onto the wall to have a look at this side of the property. I am amazed at what I see — Forrest for miles and miles. I can see a river, and in the distance, it looks like a waterfall.
I conjure my phone and call Jason and tell him to check into buying whatever land is available at the backside of the wall on the north-western side, and then I correct myself.
"Better yet check into buying any property that connects to ours," I say as he agrees.
When I hang up, I continue my run. I stop when I reach a clearing not far from where I drank from the stream.
I close my eyes and imagine a movie theatre with all of the trimmings. I also picture a wide rock walkway to the main house that has solar lighting. When I open my eyes, everything I imagine is here. This theatre will be better than leaving home to see a damn movie; I think to myself as I continue my run.
I stop again and close my eyes once more and imagine an asphalt running track that buts against the rock wall that leads like a road around the estate. I leave the obstacles that I have added and also add more. This newest addition should help with my training. I add a top of the line home gym on the Fae side of the estate with a rock walkway that also leads back home.
Solar lighted, of course.
I make it back to the main house and pop myself to the shower before the sun goes down. When I come out of the shower, I snap my hair in a high straight ponytail. I snap my armor on my body and snap my weapons on, and though I may not need them, I like them. I lean down and kiss Eric as I pop myself to the outdoor garage.
I walk right up to one of the motorcycles that are stored here for residents and I decide to conjure conjure my own.
A brand new Harley-Davidson Sportster. I opt for black and chrome. As I pop a helmet and glasses on, I see a hand grab my arm. "Going somewhere, sis?" Jason asks as I give him a death glare.
"Come with, or stay here, but I have unfinished business in Shreveport," I say as he nods. I watch as he swings his leg over a Fat-Boy Harley-Davidson, and I conjure armor and weapons for him.
We start the bikes and peal out of the driveway, and I feel angrier the closer we get to Hallow and her brother.
I can feel when we are near, so I pull into a parking spot as Jason follows my lead. I mask our weapons and armor with magic. To anyone else, we look like motorcycle enthusiasts out for a ride.
We walk until we stop in front of a cheesy psychic storefront. I can feel both Marnie and Mark Stonebrooke inside. I take a breath to quell my anger, and I step inside with Jason right behind me.
We stand and look around at the assortment of items that I once would have paid no mind to, but after years of training, I know that these are dark magic items. I push my thoughts into Jason's mind.
" Do not touch anything," I say with my thoughts as his eyes widen and he nods.
I see Hallow step from behind a beaded curtain, and Jason looks at her with confusion.
"Don't be deceived by appearances," I push to his mind.
"Can I help you?" Hollow asks us with a smile that doesn't reach her eyes.
"Yes, our Gran just passed away, and we were hoping to contact her," I say as she nods her head in mock sympathy.
She gestures for us to take a seat, and as she reaches for my hand, I grip her wrist tightly and push my memories of the future into her mind.
I see different emotions pass across her face, but the one that ignites my rage is the euphoria at the pain she caused so many people that I love.
I see the lust and longing for my husband.
I see the evil at her core.
I finally see recognition, and before she can utter a word, I magically seal her lips. I stand up and reveal my true form to her as I shine as brightly as the sun with my wings extended as her eyes widen in fear.
"You should be very afraid," I say as I circle her.
"All of the terrible things that you did to the people that matter to me, and the things that you have done to the people that I do not know," I say with malice. "They all had or have people that love them," I continue.
"You want my husband and to drain him dry," I emphasize as I pace around her shop. "I am Queen Aslynn PenDragon, and you will never have Eric Northman or anyone that I love," I tell her as she narrows her eyes.
"I can read your thoughts, bitch, and yes, I will take that bet," I say as she begins to struggle.
At that moment, her brother Mark walks into the front of the shop, and he attempts to shift, but I stop him with the wave of my hand.
"If you want to behave like beasts, then you shall live like beasts," I say as they look at me in confusion.
I walk to Hollow and call on Merlin's training. "As Queen of the magical realms and beings, I Aslynn PenDragon Northman do at this moment revoke your right to any form of magic," I say with authority as her eyes widen, and she struggles even more. "Never again will you hurt another living soul or undead being," I say with final judgment as I press my hands to each side of her head and siphon her magic from her body. I see her brother's eyes widen as she slumps over on the table.
"Mark Stonebrooke," I say as he whimpers as I approach and siphon any magic he has as well. "I Aslynn PenDragon Northman at this moment sentence Mark and Marnie Stonebrooke to live out they're lives as the animals that they truly are," I say as his eyes widen.
We watch them both transform into giant sewer rats as Jason's lip curls. "You are condemned to live out your lives in this building," I say as they flinch. "Never leaving," I continue. And since you like playing cat and mouse games with so many lives here is a cat for your very own," I say as I conjure a mean-looking alley cat.
We walk out the door and magically erase all evidence of our being there. I seal the building and magically flip the open sign to closed. We can hear the cat chasing the rats and the squeals of pain as we walk away. We swing our legs over our bikes as we start our bikes and head back home.
The drive was exhilarating. Almost like flying. One more significant problem down. Well, two if you count Hallow's brother.
As we pull our bikes into the garage, we are greeted by a very angry Viking and his children.
"Where the fuck have you been?" Eric demands as I step away from my new bike.
"I finished the Hollow and her brother," I say matter of factly as I feel his rage double.
"You could be with child at this very moment, you little idiot," he rages as I blink at him. I had not considered that. My surprise registers to him through the bond.
"We had to go," Jason tells them as all eyes snap to him. "They could have done anything to a vamp, but they couldn't touch us," Jason says defensively.
"What did you do?" Karin asks in fascination as Eric and Pam give her evil looks.
I raised my hands and played the entire confrontation out for them to see.
"I was not in danger," I say as I plead internally for Eric to look at me. "You were in danger because of what she is and what you are," I say with sincerity, but he is still angry. "YOU would have done far worse to anyone who planned those things for me," I told him as I had reached my boiling point.
"Do you think it was easy for me to sit back and be a helpless fuckin' damsel in distress twenty-four fuckin' hours a day while you saved me?" I demanded.
"It was never easy for me to watch you put yourself in danger, either Eric Fuckin' Northman," I screamed as his eyes rounded with shock.
"You could NOT be present for a necromancer's execution," I screamed in rage. "Hallow would have used you in any way she could," I continued.
Before I could lose my temper more than I have, Jason wrapped his arms around me and popped me to the Fae house where my family stopped and rushed to give me comfort as a Viking began to bang on the door.
I watch as Niall pops to open the door, and I see Eric standing at the entrance looking fit to be tied. "I am here for my wife," he tells Niall through gritted teeth as his eyes never leave mine.
"What has happened now?" Niall demands in outraged confusion.
"She could be with child, and she left the estate with your moron grandson to deal with The Hallow and her brother Mark alone," he emphasizes the word alone, and I cringe as Niall stands with Eric and pins Jason with a glare.
"Call Ludwig now," he commands my Uncle Dillon, and Dillon pops to the phone as Niall stomps over to me and gently takes my arm. "Meet us in your home Viking," Niall tells Eric as we pop to my living room.
Before I can utter a word, Eric is in front of me. "I understand your reasoning for vampires not attending you, but you could have taken your Fae family, the shifters, or any of the deities here that trained you, but you did not," he seethes.
"Yes," I say with stubbornness.
"They all trained me, Eric," I tell him.
"I am damn good at what I do," I continue.
"I survived one hundred years of training to come back to you, and the things that I have faced and defeated make that bitch look like a grade school pussy," I yell in defiance as he looks like I have slapped him.
"Step back so I can see my patient," I hear Ludwig say as she pushes past Eric. "What's the damn problem here?" she demands.
"My wife has been using magic and probably fighting for all I know," Eric informs her with anger evident in his voice.
"She's a warrior now Viking," she tells him with a roll of her eyes.
"Warrior or not, I will not have my wife doing such things when she could be with child," he seethes in anger as her eyes dart to me, and I shrug.
I see her smell the air, and her eyes widen.
"I will run the tests on Sookie, but every female who engaged in sexual intercourse last night will have to be tested for pregnancy, too," she says as everyone's eyes go wide.
I hear Pam shriek in outrage. "Jason Stackhouse," she shrieks "You better not have a teacup Tinkerbelle inside me," she screams as Jason's eyes widen, and he sits in the nearest chair.
I see Karin narrow her eyes at Merlin and grab her sword as Merlin vanishes.
"Karin," Eric shouts, and she stops. "Before you kill your wizard, make sure that you tell everyone that fucked last night to form a line to be tested," he explains. She nods her head and is out the door in a flash. I see Pam narrow her eyes at Jason before he joins Karin to spread the word.
As Amy sets up a command post in the kitchen next to the half bath, I conjure all of the tests for her and bottles of water. I am the first to be tested, and the proof is positive. I see Eric stare at me with a smug expression.
"Why so smug Viking?" I hear Ludwig ask as she gives me instructions and moves to take Pam's blood since she can't pee on a stick. "This is the work of divine intervention," she continues as Eric looks at her with a questioning gaze.
"I smell four or more fertility deities in the air," she explains as my eyes go wide. "I had a bad feeling last night when I saw them standing together, but I brushed it off," I say in bewilderment.
I see Ludwig hand Pam her results with a smirk, as she screams with rage, and Jason pops away. Karin is the next to be confirmed along with every shifter that engaged in sex last night. I see Sophie-Anne walk through the door and sit in a chair with disbelief written on her face. I see Andre standing beside her, looking uneasy.
I watch in fascination as Ludwig draws her blood, and after testing, it is confirmed that Sophie-Anne will also have a child. The first full-blooded vampire child to be born and not made.
I watch in astonishment as Andre bows at my feet and makes a blood oath never to harm me and mine and to always come to the aide of Avalon. I see Sophie-Anne weeping bloody tears.
"You have given me a gift that I never hoped to dream for," she whispers. "I was turned very young, you see," she tells me with a sad smile. "I hoped for children as a human girl, but I was turned vampire days before my sixteenth birthday," she explains. "Now I have the chance to be a mother," she tells me with a smile.
"I have also asked Andre to be my King and Consort," she tells me with a smile.
"The knife shall also join us, and I would like you to officiate," she asks me as I wrap my arms around her and agree.
"I have a favor to ask of you," she whispers as I hug her. I nod my head for her to continue. "We would like to stay here in your haven until our child is strong enough to take to my palace," Sophie-Anne asks me as I look into her eyes.
That child would be a mark for anyone scared of change. "I agree because of the child, and our new alliance, but THIS is our kingdom," I say as I grab Eric's hand. I see her smile and nod. "I would expect nothing less from The PenDragon or The Viking," she tells us as she nods her head to us and leaves the house.
At that moment Marie comes running in the back door with Tara in hand. "She is carrying the child of your Maxwell," Marie hisses at Eric as Tara snatches away from her. "I choose," Tara tells Marie with anger, and Marie huffs out a breath. As she turns to leave, I hear Tara yell, "And no voodoo shit on by man great grandmother," I am speechless as she shrugs and walks out the door.
"Thank god Lafayette cant get knocked up," I say in amazement.
"Eric," I say as I become dizzy, and he zips over to me. "Make sure the Fae are tested," I say before I pass out in his arms.