Chapter Seventeen: Airport Revelations
Eric's POV
"Good Morning, Dear One," I kiss the back of my wife's neck. Sookie stretches beside me and I grin as she grabs my arm to pull me atop her. "Feisty again today?"
"Just need to get it out of my system before we pick everyone up at the airport today. This house isn't soundproofed anywhere like the old house in Ohio," she points out. Her arms wrap around my neck, urging me down for a kiss.
Once she is done with my lips, she kisses her way down my throat. "I cannot seem to get enough of you lately."
"When have you ever had enough of me?" Sookie asks, sliding her hand down my stomach to take ahold of me.
"Touché," I laugh, cupping her chin to steal another deep kiss. "This will really have to be the last time. We still need to swing by Pam's to get her van."
"Fine," Sookie sighs beneath me as her legs raise to grip my hips with her knees. "Then I get to be on top."
I laugh, rolling us over so she can have her way, as usual. Reveling my view, my hands tracing over her body as she builds us towards release.
Of course, as I anticipated, this is not our last bout before leaving for the airport. Since we both required a shower before departing, Sookie coerced me into another round between lather and rinse, which of course demanded a repeat. It took all of my strength not to bend her over the chest of drawers as we dressed afterwards.
This is getting out of hand, I think to myself as we finally find ourselves in Pam's van and on the road to Shreveport. Sookie is updating me that our children's flight has landed. Quigley's empathy is going to be overloaded at this rate. Sookie is longing for me as we drive. I can practically feel her plotting to find a place to pull over for one last quickie.
As I'm pulling into the exit to the airport, I glance at the additional exits to make sure I go to the correct terminal. The entire time, Sookie is fidgeting beside me. Oh, wait…
"Sookie, are you-"
"There they are!" Sookie chirps, spotting our children in the crowd.
Pulling up to the curb, I pop the trunk. Quigley can load their luggage for all I care right now.
"Sookie," I try again, but she has slipped out the door and is hugging our children excitedly. Of course, by now, they look like siblings instead of mother and children.
Resigned to the fact this conversation will be put on hold, I get out of the van and go to assist with the luggage.
"Thanks, Northman. Didn't expect a hand," Quigley laughs. "By the way, what's wrong with your wife?"
"What do you mean?" I know exactly what he means.
"You not giving it to her enough? She's acting more'n a wee parched."
"I have been drowning her," I assure. "It's not that at all."
Once everyone and their belongings are loaded into the van, we are quickly departing from the airport.
"I'm so glad to see you guys!" Sookie crows happily, but even as she does, the Bond flares with another burst of lust and longing.
This time, I cannot contain myself. "Sookie," I look at her, "are you pregnant again?"
My son starts laughing in the backseat of the van while Diedre tries to hush him. I have an immediate suspicion he knew his mother was pregnant and this whole family week might have been concocted by him. A bloom of pride and gratitude for my son fills my chest. When his laughter sobers, I catch his gaze and Leif just shrugs. Yes, he knew. I determine.
"Mama? Mama, are you pregnant?" Alexis asks in surprise.
"Oh…" Sookie moans with realization. "Oh, that would explain a lot."
It would explain her insatiability these past few weeks. Since we have not had any reason to be separated for a while now, I did not notice any real need or longing like I did the first time. Her lust was definitely increasing, but she has also been bored. I merely figured she was occupying her time with one of her favorite activities. Obviously I had no complaints.
"Mama, do you want to pick up a test on the way home?" Alexis asks. "See if it's worth calling Ludwig?"
"Do human pregnancy tests work on you, Sookie?" Diedre asks curiously. Not that I blame her, our circumstances being so unique.
"Yes, and yes. Eric?" My Bonded looks at me apologetically, but I know that little grimace is the inconvenience of getting off the highway, not because she is sorry for potentially being pregnant. She is more than aware of how impatient I have been to have another child to raise with her.
I nod in response, wanting answers as soon as possible as well. I take the first available exit and hunt for a pharmacy as Walmarts and other superstores will take forever to track down the correct aisle.
"There's a Walgreens!" Diedre shouts and points, taking the entire car by surprise at her enthusiasm. "Sorry," she laughs at her own excitement. Again, her enthusiasm is not a surprise to me. Novelty is a scarcity among ancient vampires, and I can only guess it only becomes more-so with each passing millennia.
As I pull into a parking space, I am taken aback as everyone spills out of the van.
"I want something to drink," Leif shrugs, leading the pack. "Flying always leaves me thirsty."
"I know exactly what you mean, Love," Diedre responds to his remark, beaming as my son takes her hand.
"It's a good time to stretch my legs after that flight," Alexis adds.
"No privacy," I grumble, but Sookie takes my hand and smiles up at me, "and I would not have it any other way."
As the family heads to several different aisles, I accompany my Sookie to the one for feminine products. Huh, they sell vibrators? I think in surprise to see the little toys on display. Not that I think anything sold in a drug store would be worth the purchase, but I still look at them curiously as Sookie debates between several pregnancy tests.
"Grab them all if you cannot decide," I suggest lightly after five minutes.
"Eric, I would need to drink a gallon of water to pee enough for all these," she sighs before deciding on a brand. "I just wanted a fast one is all. Ludwig says I light these things up like the Fourth of July when I'm pregnant."
"She said that?" I am surprised the doctor would use such an analogy.
"Nah," she stands up from her crouch. "She said something like my hormone levels are increased to such a point that I could probably get a positive test the day after conception."
"Well, if this pregnancy follows your last one, at least we will be better prepared," I smile.
"So confidant already," she grumbles at me. "Why didn't you notice sooner if you're so sure now?"
Lowering my voice in deference to our children's keen hearing, I answer, "To be fair, today was the first time I noticed any urgency towards you needing me. Unlike the previous time, nothing was keeping you out of our bed for extended periods of time. And only true death would stop me from wanting to answer your needs."
Sookie raises her arms to wrap around my neck, and I dutifully stoop so she can embrace me properly. As my lips meet hers, we are interrupted by Quigley shouting, "Y've already knocked 'er up, Mate. Put it away." I swear he only uses the full brunt of his Irish accent when he is being a nuisance or when he is flirting with my daughter- which I find irritating as well.
Sighing in annoyance, I give Sookie a quick kiss and walk with her towards the checkout. We are about to be rung up when both of my children pile the counter with coffee, chips, soda and candy.
"I suppose you want me to buy this for you?" I look at them and then their spouses.
"Please?" Alexis grins at me.
"C'mon, it'll be like old times," Leif adds. "We have to get you ready to cave to childish demands again."
"Eric it's fine," my wife laughs, pushing our children's junk food toward the cashier.
"Thanks, Ma-my favorite sister, ever," Alexis recovers, still unaccustomed to having to call her mother her sister in public. Since we no longer appear older to humans, no one would believe for a second that we are the parents of these two college students.
Once everything is rung up, we complete the remaining drive to the house where my wife immediately banishes us to the bathroom. I use my phone to set a timer for her, and we wait patiently for the two sticks to confirm of what I am already certain.
As the chime on my phone trills into the air, Sookie picks up the plastic tests and grins. "You called it!" She laughs, showing me that both have come back positive.
A relieved sigh escapes my chest and I hug my wife happily. "I cannot wait."
"Me neither," she agrees, returning my embrace. "Guess I have to go back on a human sleep schedule again for the kiddo."
"Indeed," I nod, "but at least you are not working this time, so I can easily pick up all the slack. All you need to do is exactly whatever it is you feel like, Dear One."
"I'm just having another baby, Eric," she laughs at the devotion saturating the Bond and my voice.
"No, you are growing an immortal, and they will be just as brilliant as you and their older siblings," I assure her.
"Their? Are you predicting nonbinary like you predicted our first born would be a boy?" She teases.
I laugh, "I have no clue what the nature of our newest child will be, but I will love them with all that I am."
For the first time in over a week, the Bond is filled with love that is not driven by an undercurrent of lust. I relish the genuineness of her emotions and kiss her happily. I cannot wait for this new chapter.
Sookie's POV
What am I going to tell Cammie? I fret as I smash the potatoes anxiously. I know she'll be happy for me, and be excited about another baby in the family, but it feels unfair that I should get to have another child while she is working so hard to lift the curse from hers.
"Want a hand, Mama?" Alexis asks.
"Can you start cutting the chives for me?" I smile at her offer.
"What about me?" Leif calls, coming in through the kitchen door from out back. There's a rosiness to his cheeks and I have no doubt he's just snuck back from a quickie with his wife.
"You can wash your hands and start setting the table." I reply as I add more butter to the potatoes.
Despite my remarks about neither child learning to cook, it isn't exactly true. They know their basics at the very least and can follow recipe if they want to make something, and therefore I trust and appreciate their help. Still, everything they make comes out tasting kinda bland. They don't got the taste or interest for cookin'.
"I swear she's lying when she says she can't hear family," Leif grumbles as he heads to the powder room to wash his hands. When he returns to the kitchen, he starts pulling plates from the cabinets. "You want the nice stuff?"
"Yes, and don't forget to put the leaf in the dining table before you start setting it," I remind him.
"Yes, Mama," he calls. "Wait, where's the leaf?"
"I have it, I have it," Eric calls from upstairs, having already gone to the attic at hearing my commands to our children. Soon he arrives in the dining room and helps our son extend the table.
Chairs are brought from their corners to fill in the extra space, and I feel a strange combination of contentment and the urge to straddle my husband on one of those dining chairs.
This is what I've always wanted. A big family gathering, with food and chatter. The vampires in our family always humored me despite Cammie and I being the only ones who could eat at first. Now we are nearly even numbers for those who can eat food and those who drink blood. Nowadays we definitely have enough mouths to feed the feasts I love to make!
"Sookie, Jenny and I have arrived," Pam calls from the front door. I'm surprised she beat Godric and Cammie, but beam at the pair happily as they arrive in the kitchen.
"Sookie, I seriously need you to come by some time and show me how to use a kitchen," Jenny comments as she leans against the kitchen counter and stairs at the dishes that are slowly taking up every available surface.
"It's not like I don't have plenty of time," I laugh. "What do you want to learn how to make?"
"Everything," Jenny confesses. "I practically grew up in dorms my whole life, and back then I thought it would be my only chance to devote my time to music. I never bothered with home ec and stuff."
I stare at her briefly in surprise before asking, "What have you been eating the past three years!?" Before Pam can open her mouth I snap, "And so help me, if you say 'out', you'll get an earful." Pam smirks at me, but keeps her lips sealed.
"Takeaway mostly," Jenny artfully avoids the word 'out' in deference to my need to keep it clean on holidays. I'd gotten relaxed at it since the kids started getting older, but with a new set of virgin ears on the way, I need to start reconditioning the family to church it up again. It's just so much harder to explain to small children why certain words are unacceptable. It's much easier when they have an ounce of self-control under their belts.
"How long have you been feeling lethargic?" I ask knowingly.
"Oh God, is that why?" Jenny asks in disbelief.
"Yeah," I nod. "When I first got my living immortal metabolism, I went and binged ice cream for a month. My focus was shot and I didn't want to do hardly anything. I'll teach you some really well rounded meals that are easy and you can make in bulk."
"That would be awesome. I haven't been binging sugar, but I am probably overdoing it on the grease," Jenny confesses with a laugh.
"Well you're always welcome to come have dinner with me and Cammie whenever you like," I assure her.
As we talk, Eric comes in from the dining room to get the good plates out for the settings. Since they aren't the usual dishes, he has to reach over me to a higher shelf to get them down. When his chest brushes my shoulder, I feel my legs go weak. He must see me wobble because his arm catches about my waist and his other hand passes the plates to Leif.
"Are you going to get through dinner?" He teases me.
"Been hitting the vodka early, Sook?" Jenny teases, but Pam's nostrils are flared and eyes dilated. She can smell how hot I am for my husband from the small contact. I can only assume by her wide eyed stare that she is having flashbacks of my last pregnancy. She stares at Eric pointedly and he grins at her. Yup, she knows.
Regardless, I am a grown woman, and I can ignore my pregnancy heightened libido for a few hours. Right?
My brother shows up next with a very festive center piece for the dining table. "I'll go place it for ya." Jason kisses my cheek in greeting as he makes a path from the front door, through the kitchen and into the dining room.
I can still feel exactly where Eric leaned into my shoulder. Ugh, this is so unfair! I want to spend time with my kids, but my body is screaming at me to be as close to Eric as I possibly can! My maternal instincts are clawing in opposite directions, and my hormones are lunging toward the bedroom while my heart is crying for the dining room!
And Cammie is going to be so heartbroken but happy for me!
A sob finally breaks free of my chest, making Jenny look at me in surprise because I've been merrily cooking next to her this whole time.
"What's wrong, Sookie?" Jason comes back to the kitchen at hearing my little sniffles.
"I'm pregnant again, and I don't wa-want Cammie to be sad!" I finally wail. "And I want to be with all my family but all I can think about is taking Eric out to the shed!"
"Wash your hands after!" My son calls from the dining room.
I laugh and sob, torn between happiness, sorrow and lust. Why does this feel so much harder than the last time?
"Hey!" The front door swings open, Godric and Cammie finally turning up for our holiday gathering. "Sookie, where do you need me?" Cammie asks, holding the screen door open for Godric who is carrying a case of liquor. Oh, shit, that's right! Cammie and I traditionally go through several bottles to get a nice buzz for the holiday. Over the past couple years Jenny and now my children have also participated, leading to quite the investment in varieties of hard alcohol.
Wiping my eyes quickly, I walk out of the kitchen to greet her, arms wide for my hug. "Aw, Sookie, what's wrong?" She asks gently, squeezing me a bit tighter than usual. Unlike Quigley, Cammie needs physical contact to be able to utilize her empathic skills.
Taking a deep breath, I decide to rip the bandaid off the situation. "I'm pregnant."
Cammie pulls away to look at me with surprise. "We're gonna have another baby in the family! I can't wait! When are you due? Are you having twins again?"
"We just found out on Saturday," I explain. "With the holiday, I haven't had time to get Ludwig over for more information. We'll probably bug her next week." I know better than to ask Cammie if she's okay. I know she's happy for me, and genuinely excited. Still, when she goes home, just her and Godric… I'm afraid the disappointment will strike.
"I can't wait to meet them… Wait," Cammie pulls away suddenly. "Leif!" She calls and my son peeks his head around the kitchen entryway. "Have you seen your little sib yet?"
"You know I have to be careful with that stuff," Leif reminds her. "It's really important I don't interfere with the day to day. So I try to just look at the big stuff, or the catastrophic stuff."
"Can you at least say if it's a boy or girl, and if there's more than one?" Cammie pouts.
Leif sighs, but I watch a little flash of mischief flicker in his eyes. "By the end of July, the family will have two more boys."
"Sweet, I'm still the baby girl!" Alexis laughs.
"Baby boys!" Cammie grins happily. "Wait, are you ready to raise them in Bon Temps? The school system is kinda…"
"Hey!" Jason glowers. "I'm doing the best I can with what I got."
"We will just have to work harder the next four years to improve the town further and bring more money and residents," Pam shrugs. "Once the textile factory opens at the end of next year, we can add a significant number of jobs to the area. Between the three of us, Godric, Eric and I will turn this town around in no time."
"It would seem we have another nineteen years before heading to Elfyria," Cammie smiles. "Which means, you can stop cramming for your upcoming role."
"I guess you're right," I begrudgingly agree. I wouldn't want to bring a small child into a potential war zone. We still don't know how the fae will receive us as the new royal family.
"Sookie?" Cammie gives me her big doe eyes. "Come back to school with me? We can start next fall!"
I glance at my husband hesitantly. He just laughs and shakes his head. "I had no reservations when you taught after our first set of twins. Why would I stop you this time?"
"Jason?" I look at my brother curiously.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll start working it on my end," Jason agrees to my unasked question. "It'll be good to be working with you two again."
"Well," my husband inserts himself between Cammie and I, his hand holding a cup of dark red fluid, "since the cat is out of the bag. Go ahead and start drinking this."
"Oh, right, thanks, Darlin'," I accept the cup of blood.
"Is that blood?" Jenny asks in confusion.
"My children are part vampire," I tell her. "During my first pregnancy, Ludwig mentioned they were small for their age, and suggested I try adding a cup of blood a day to my diet with a bit of honey mixed in for their fae heritage. Next check-up they were right on target."
"Aren't they floating around in your blood?" Jenny points out.
"Only the same amount any human baby would be- which isn't that much when you think about it. That would be like eating their own house, though," I point out jokingly. "Besides, when I'm pregnant, it really doesn't even bother me. Red meat is a staple item for me."
Jenny spends the rest of the night asking about my pregnancy. I tell her all about my experience with Leif and Alexis. Well, minus the insatiable libido. That just isn't polite, family conversation.
The holiday is spent reminiscing. Jenny hasn't heard half the family stories as Pam is not much of a story teller. I tell the story about how Eric and I first met. Jenny gasps at my mugging. Jason tells her about the time he was shot on Christmas Day. Cammie gushes about the night Godric finally told her he loved her. My children tell us all about their last year of their undergrads.
Two new babies by this time next year… What will they look like? What sort of men will they grow to become?
TBC
A/N: Please, remember to review, and I'll see all of you next Wednesday!
-Andi