Pre Edit Count –   4,427 Words

Song I listened to for this chapter: Black Water by The Doobie Brothers.

Previously:

Jason nods as he opens the door. “Thanks, man. My next lesson is on stocks so I would appreciate your help. Drive safe.”

Bobby nods and backs out of the driveway. He is watching the view in the rear mirror and Jason. Once Jason is inside, Bobby turns on the Lane and calls Eric. “Master, Jason is back at the Homestead. I will make sure the lawyer calls tomorrow and see what we can do about that.” He listens to Eric’s instructions and nods. “Yes, Master.”

He hesitates and then says, “Please pass to Mistress my well wishes. And if she needs anything, I will be happy to get it for her.” He hangs up after Eric disconnects the phone. He is already heading out on the freeway, his mind running on the errands his master has told him.

Now:

Late at night, there is hardly anyone on the streets of Shreveport, except those whose lives are the night itself or those that prey on them.  On the outskirts, Fangtasia is still open.  The heavy beat of the music is pumping out into the night, luring the innocent in to risk their lives with the shadows of the night.  Those shadows are relaxing against the walls, looking for their dinner, while not allowing anyone to get close, hissing as they watch the floor shows.

Down below the busy bar, three beings are resting after their most recent bout of lovemaking.  Panting as she lays back in the bed, Sookie moans as she feels Eric caressing her body as Godric starts kissing her neck, “You can’t be serious!”

Hearing the exasperation in her voice, something that he has never heard from her when they have been together, Godric raises his head and looks at their mate.  Her eyes are bright, but overall she is looking exhausted.  He frowns as he softly says, “Eric.” He cups his beloved’s face as he tries to find what is the problem so that they can fix it.

Eric had been lost in his own world of satisfaction and pleasure from pleasing his mates as he caresses his love, but as soon as Godric calls him, he immediately checks his bond with Sookie.  What he finds surprises him.  She is as horny as he is normally, something he loves in his little one, and he can still feel her lust for them both, but her exhaustion is overriding it all.  This alarms him since he can never remember a time that she has felt this way, even after hours of lovemaking with them.

Eric sits up and pulls her into his arms as he tells Godric, “Something is wrong.” He is using their small bond to try to find the problem as his hands caress her, making sure there is nothing wrong physically.

Exasperated, Sookie tells them, “Of course there is something wrong.  Since Hades left neither of you have taken a break.  Is it not daybreak yet?” She wiggles out of Eric’s arms, ignoring the hurt look on his face as she tries to put space between her mates and her.  She cannot explain it but she is agitated, but exhausted.  She wants to be with her mates, but at the same time cannot stand them touching her right now.

Feeling her confusion, as well as Eric’s hurt from her pulling away, Godric sits up as he takes in his mate’s state. “In the past you have kept up with us and often have pushed us beyond the daybreak.  I am not understanding what is wrong, my love.” He is only inches away from her, but is honoring her wish not to be touched, hiding his own pain at the separation from her.

Sookie closes her eyes, getting herself together.  She can tell it is not fair to either of them, since Godric is right, she has many times pushed them, not wanting to give them up to the day.  Thinking, she talks out her thoughts to them, “Well, let’s see.  I was brutally attacked yesterday,” She can hear their growls rumbling out at the reminder, “Yes, I know you guys are still pissed, so am I.  But I know that Hades would let me see them in the hell they have earned any time I wish, and to know that they are there right this second, helps.”

Though what she is unaware of is the shuddering that rakes her thin frame as she mentions the attack. Answering this, both Eric and Godric cannot help it but move closer to their mate. When she doesn’t repel them, Godric pulls her into him as Eric wraps his arms around both of them.

Shaking her head, she leans back into Godric as she reaches up and caresses Eric’s face as she continues, “I love you both, but since my attack, you may have healed me, but you guys know that even with all the blood you have poured into me last night, it still takes a lot out of my body to suffer the damage that I did.  Then to have to heal all that damage, my body is still the one that does the work with the help of your blood.  Since then we haven’t really stopped.  You guys took care of me tonight, but we have had sex when I woke up, in the shower.  We took a break to deal with Compton and the Rattrays, but we started right back up since we have been back from sending the Rattrays to Hades.  I have also dealt with the shock that the wait is almost over; the Marks that we have been waiting on all this time are starting to appear and to be advised that even though our plans are very important, we are more important.  On top of that we have had more sex.  Now I don’t know about you two, but my poor human body needs to relax!” By the end she is panting, her eyes wide, her pulse racing.

Up until now, the most turbulent thing in her life was when Eric stepped in about her brother.  The rest of the time had been filled with love. That love has always stayed constant but since she has been old enough they added the physical aspect, too.  But nothing has been like it has been since Bill walked in the door at Merlotte’s.  It seems as though years of planning are being reduced to days and sometimes hours of action.  It has not slowed down yet.

Realizing what Sookie is just now thinking, Eric leans his forehead down to his min älskade.  “I apologize, my lover.  When you put it that way, you are right, and we, as your mates, have woefully been inattentive to you.” His arms tighten around both of them, as he realizes again how close they had been to losing her.  Only this time to the fact they are not thinking of the fact that she is mostly still human.  He closes his eyes as he sends her his love and apologies.  It is their job as her mates to make sure she is taken care of.

Caressing her, Godric is also apologetic. “He is right, mein Schatz (my darling).  We have been poor mates to you.” He rubs his face into her hair, trying to keep his pain from her.  He has failed her before, and not taking care of her as well as he could!  He has no excuses, he has been here, but he has only given into his need to affirm she is here as well as Eric.

Relaxing fully into Godric, Sookie closes her eyes.  “I want you, I cannot think of a time I don’t want you two.  But… this is just coming so fast.  Let me have some time with just the two of you, let my mind heal.  Tomorrow I should be back to normal.”  Her voice is pleading.  She never wants to be away from them, why did she flinch away from them?  Why did she start this?  She could have sucked it up and just waited for dawn, it couldn’t be that far away.

They both can hear the pain in her voice and move closer, sending their love.  Eric quietly asks, “You need a moment, my love?” He will give her the moon if she asks for it.

Opening her eyes to look into his blue ones, Sookie tells him, “Not really.” She gives him a smile as she sends them both her love. “I know how much you love me, and I don’t feel like that.  I just feel, worn out.  Like an extremely old pair of sneakers.  I need to recharge.” With that she lets go.  There is no taking back her telling them, she has learned not to regret the past, it will only hold you down from reaching towards their future.

Thinking, Godric kisses her head. “Then you will recharge.  And until dawn, you will have the two of us waiting upon you, hand and foot.  Now, what do you say to a bath, first?”

And with that, Eric is off the bed and enters the room that Sookie had asked for as a joke.  What she had been unaware at the time is how all her vampires wanted to please her.  Pam and Eric had researched for the best tub while Godric had turned his participation in building her the room.  Contractors did the hard work, adding the walls that had Silver on the outside, thin layer of mercury and then iron mixed in the last layer.  The entire suite was made of this, but in the bedroom and bathroom, Godric had made sure that the iron was sealed against their Sookie feeling any affect by coating it all in concrete and then a layer of wood over it.  She has yet to show a reaction to it, but Godric never takes any chances.  These rooms are as safe as he can make them.

Godric is the one who insisted on the fireplace in the bathroom.  He knows both of his mates enjoy a fire, and truth be known, he did too.  He knew that there is dangers inherent for Sookie for a fireplace to be in their rooms, so he had worked with the contractors to find a way to let the smoke and excess heat to make its way out of the room without being detected.  He did this, by taking the simple math that the room was underneath the strip mall.  By this fact, the fireplace was directed up into the one above it.  The suite in the strip mall was rented by some lawyers, who thought adding a fireplace would make their waiting room more sophisticated.  They were helped by some glamouring of course.

Pam had been the one to make the room not be so claustrophobic.  She had read that humans need to see outside, so she had arranged for two ‘windows’ to be put in.  They had a feed that was of the city at whatever time it was.  Sookie can also change the view to any other she wished for here in Louisiana.

The rest of the room was the same.  The three had worked industrially to make it be relaxing, and, for Sookie, the ultimate resting area.  They had also made sure that her mates could join her, a fact that Eric loved and took advantage of constantly.  It was one of the things that the big Viking absolutely adored to share with his mates.

When shown it, she had been flabbergasted.  Her fist words were, “You guys know I was joking right?”

The three had grinned because it had taken her five minutes to even say that.  Since then, any time Godric thought Sookie needed to relax, the room was put into use if they were here.  Of course, it goes without saying that Eric and Sookie had shared the room more than once.  Something that had Pam commented that she was glad she had thought of the drain under the wood slats of the floor.

Right now, Eric hit the button to start the fire as he headed to the bathing area.  He looked at the ‘windows’ and decided on the bayous for the night.  Sookie wouldn’t enjoy the busy streets tonight.

Turning on the water for the tub, he added some sandalwood and jasmine scented salts to the water and lighted the candles that Sookie and Pam have placed around the room. Vamping back to the tub, when the water reached the right level, he turned on the jets as well as the other heating sources in the room as he hits the play button on the music system in the room. Soft music spills out of the speakers, a blend of music and water that reminded Eric of his homeland.  When he is satisfied with the temperature and the setting, he feels Godric and Sookie coming closer.

Godric carries their mate into the room, only allowing her to stand at the edge of the tub, and the two of them help her down into the bathtub.  Sookie moans as she can feel the jets working on her muscles as well as the scents in the room as she settles against one of the edges.  She looks up at her two mates with a smile, “Thanks.”

Both vampires grin, and Godric disappears as Eric sits on the outside of the tub, his eyes only showing his love for her as he asks her, “Is there anything else you need little one?”

Shaking her head no, Sookie relaxes.  Godric brings in a plate of fruit and a glass of wine.  He leans down and kisses her, telling her, “If you don’t mind, my love, I am going to take Eric elsewhere and take care of some issues.  If you need us, you know how to call us.”  At her agreement, Godric lifts an eyebrow to Eric.

They both move back in the room, donning what Sookie calls comfortable clothing, knowing that their little mate would not like it if anyone happened by (like Niall or Hades) and them not covered up. She has made great strides in not caring about their nakedness when the three of them are together, but does not like to be that way in front of others.  She had in fact commented that she would love a way to block those two from their rooms.  Niall, of course, teased her saying that there was nothing that could block them from joining them.  It was said with a smirk and a raised brow, followed by a lamp being thrown through him.

Godric sits down at the edge of the bed and indicates Eric to sit down.  “What is your progress with the phones, Eric?” He realizes this is a perfect time to see strategize, making sure that everything is on schedule.

Grabbing his laptop that Godric had gifted him in the last year from the table in between the two chairs, Eric looks up the order he had placed.  “They should be here tomorrow.  I have a new plan and have it under another corporation and then under another name to place additional layers of protection.  The phones are the latest out there, and I have pulled a series of favors owed to me through the years to make sure that Pam’s, Sookie’s, yours, and mine are especially off the grid.  They will register as a new phone number each time they are used to anyone else, and in fact will only register as who we are in each other’s phones.  The rest of the nest will know it is one of our people but no names.”  The logistics behind had actually enthralled him last night as he got it together.  That each phone will act as a throw away but actually be the same phone had interested him.  To make it where Pam, Sookie, Godric and him will know who is calling, even if it really is a throw away made him giddy.  It was using state of the art tools that the CIA and FBI use, using fingerprints and video technology.  Nothing is fool proof; there is a way around everything and this is just another proof of why they had needed to come out of the coffin.

Nodding his head, Godric tells him, “Good job.  It sounds like that is unfortunately the level we will need to take everything.  Have you heard from your friend in the Authority yet?” He is mentally going through his checklist.  While Eric is the strategist of the two, Godric is unmatched in his ability to put together the plans that his child comes up with.  That is what has made the two of them unbeatable through their centuries.  Adding Sookie and Pam has only made them better.

Working on the laptop on some of the other plans they have in the air as well as his Sheriff duties, Eric answers him distractedly, “Yes, she asks if we really want her to come to us now, or wait.  She is hearing rumors that there is something big going down soon.” He frowns as he reads more approvals for his area.  While he has no issue adding vampires to his rule, he doesn’t need the attention it brings from the Queen, jealous of the revenue he is getting.  Or at least that is what she says…

Thinking, Godric lines up all the pieces in his head before he answers.  All you hear is the clicking of the keys from Eric for a couple of minutes before Godric answers him.  “Yes, we want her to come here, I have some other people in the Authority working for us, but I think her expertise will be needed here.   Eric, I think it is getting close to the time we will need the new compound to be ready soon.  We will definitely need the space that it will allow us sooner than later.  I say we put the new members of the nest there for now.  Allow them to do whatever they need to do, but put them up there.”

Looking up at his master, Eric comments, “You really think it is that time, already?” That had not been part of the plans until they had formally taken control of the states.  Even though, Eric can see the benefits in having them set up operations earlier.

Godric meets his Mate’s eyes, “Yes.  With what Niall and Hades have told us already, we need to start thinking of the bigger picture.  We, right now, have enough to take Texas and Louisiana for ourselves.  The longer we can play this out, the longer we have to move the pieces on the boards.  I really would like to wait as long as possible, just for the reason there will be less time for retaliation.” He is trying to think of all the moves and players there possibly can be.

Eric shakes his head. “No, we should strike sooner than later.  I get the feeling that once we are all mated that everything will descend upon us at that time.  To have to deal with the retaliations and with whatever is coming our way may be too much too handle at one time.”

This is how the two of them have worked.  They would argue their points, letting the other point out the weaknesses of the other’s position.  Needless to say, before they brought it up, they have looked at it from every point in their own heads.  As Jason has said in the past, don’t need to fix what ain’t broke.

Godric settles back in the bed and leans on one arm, the other crossed over his body as he thinks. After a few minutes as they both think through the other’s proposal, he tells Eric, “I see your point, Eric.  But remember what they had told us last night, that once we have mated that there will be additional help available to us.”

“And do you really want to trust Sookie’s well being to a suggestion?”  Eric’s blue eyes are dark as he confronts his Maker.  He wouldn’t do it for anything less than what he is doing it for now.  Sookie is not to be risked.  Godric should agree.

And he did. “You know I don’t.”  Godric closes his eyes for a second as the age old grief strikes him from her first loss, then his eyes open to meet Eric’s. “As you well know, Sookie’s safety and wellbeing are always top priority for me.”  He sighs and admits to his Child. “I just don’t want to rush anything right now.  Call it a feeling or whatever, but the attack on Sookie really bothers me.  If our current opponents are willing to risk her in that way just to get Compton’s blood in her, then what else are they willing to risk?  And why?  Why would she be that important?” The two meet each other’s eyes as they try to think of all the possible reasoning there could be.

Breaking them from their contemplation, from the doorway, they hear, “For my telepathy alone will be worth it.”

They both turn to their mate; she stands there with her hair pulled back in a pony tail at her neck and the robe they had left her in the room.  She looks much more relaxed which both relax when they receive the same from their bonds to her.

She looks at them both, the time in the tub having relaxed her and listening to their conversation being what she needed to distract herself.  “We already know that a telepath is rare in the Supe world, and any vampire who collects the rare will be willing to risk anything.  And a Queen, a spoiled rotten little bitch like Sophie Ann?  Yes, she would do whatever it takes to get me.  I think that is where we need to start looking.  Look at why she has stepped up her pursuit and why would she risk someone like Godric’s wrath?  And who is working with her?  To be quite frank, she is too dumb to think of this all on her own and I just don’t credit Compton with the intelligence to think of all the loops.  Setting up Jason with a woman he has not been with in over a year?  To make sure the timing was to prevent both of you from reaching me?  To do this, they must have been watching us for awhile.  Otherwise, how would they know that Eric normally deals with any legal matters involving Jason?”  She looks at them both in the eyes as she states her case.

Godric smiles at his small mate and invites her to sit with him.  She smiles and goes to him.  He nuzzles her throat as he wraps himself around her.  His purr is audible as he seeks to make sure she is relaxed. “My love, did you relax enough? And how long have you been thinking about this?”

She leans back in his arms, luxuriating in the affection he is bestowing on her. “Yes.  The time helped me think, and that is when I realized that either Sophie Ann is working with someone, or Bill is working with two different people.  This is all a bit much for someone like him to come up with?  And why would the Queen want his blood in me?  There is a chance that we would bond…” And the punishment of unwillingly having her Bond with Compton would be her life.  Potential Children are very protected since most of the time they either are to be or have met their mates.  The chances of a Marked vampire meeting their other halves is much greater than any other.

Chuckling, Eric tells her, “Min älskade, have I mentioned how much I love your mind?” Her thoughts are exactly what they needed.  She fits perfectly with them.

Sookie grins at him, answering, “Not today.  I think you have mentioned how much you love me, my body, my mouth, and we can’t forget how divine you think my breasts are…”

Laughing, Eric teases her, “Well, you are the daughter in law of the God of Death.  I am admiring your godly assets.”

Godric holds his mate closer to him as he laughs at the two of them.  He loves their banter and is happy that no matter what, the two of them seem to be able to make him laugh.

Eric’s face gets serious as he leans forward, depositing the laptop on the ground.  “Truly, Lover, I do love your mind.  You have brought up good questions.  Since Godric wishes to wait until our mating, I wish to move now, what is your input?” There is nothing but sincerity in Eric.  He truly wishes to know his beloved’s answer.  Her mind is very unique, which Eric attributes from her living in so many since she was born.

Frowning as she thinks through what Eric has just mentioned, Sookie slowly answers, “I can see where Godric is coming from.  We both know Eric, that he rather wait and have more chances of us being safe than not.  And I can see where you come from; strike while the iron is hot, remove what opposition there is before they know what hits them.  But me personally?  I rather let it play out.  Draw everyone out.  Keep what we have ready, since no one can predict when the mating is to happen, but that works in our favor also.  If Hades does not know when it will happen, an actual God, then who would?” She looks up at the two of them, Godric leaning over her, Eric leaning forward out of his chair.

Godric, bestowing a kiss on her head, comments, “I see what you are thinking, my little one.  Since no one will know when the mating will happen, then everyone will be caught off guard at the same time.  But does this not make my idea stronger?”  He is not arguing with her, just pointing out his thoughts to her.  Like Eric, he values her input.

“No.  Godric, if we don’t let it play out like it is, how do we know what players are on the board?  Once we mate, we will be adding to that list, not taking away.  We may be adding on our side also, but who knows if what pieces we get will measure to who is on the board or even match who is coming?  That’s why Eric’s idea doesn’t work also since striking now will only get one of the players off, one we know about.”

Eric leans back with his hands behind his head, his long legs stretched out in front of him as he ponders what she is saying.  “I see what you are saying.  Yes, retribution from us taking the thrones, which is why I want to strike now, may not show everyone who is against us.  Not everyone who is against us now will care that we have Texas and Louisiana, which I suspect is the case with the attack on you.  But if we play this out, we will find out who the unknown player is behind Bill.”  He nods. “Yes, I agree with Sookie, Godric.”

Godric chuckles once to himself.  “Whoever taught you, my love, deserves credit.  You are right.  We need to play this out to try to expose as many players on the board.  However.  The rules are going to start to change now.  I will be doing as Niall and Father have suggested and will remain here.  Eric, you will take Sookie to Merlotte’s tomorrow and stage a fight, making her quit her job. This will make where she will have to be with one of us and won’t have any excuses not to. The nest will remain as is, but Eric is to ready the compound for our move.  Sookie, one of the last members of our nest will be arriving tomorrow at your home to ward it.  Make sure she is welcome, and have her stay there until she is done.  She may need Eric and I there to finish, Father had indicated she may.  And you, my love, will not go anywhere without Thalia at night.   We are working on getting you a guard for the daytime.” He pulls her into his arms as he finishes.  He will never risk her if possible.  Losing her again would send him to meet the sun, with Eric probably right behind him.  This is to never happen.

Niall shimmers in commenting, “I may have some help there.” He is sitting in the same chair he was in before.

Eric shakes his head at him, “Couldn’t keep away could you?” However, he can’t keep the grin from appearing at Niall’s timing.  He never has a problem being naked in front of the Fairy.

Niall’s eyes mischievously look at him, “Never.  I am shocked to find you three here, but not all in bed as you were earlier.”  His tone obvious in what he was aiming for.

Sookie huffs as she mutters about frat boys to herself as Godric does a discrete check to assure both himself and his mate that nothing is showing to Niall.

Godric nods to Niall once he has Sookie settled against him better.  “We were trying to let Sookie rest.  However she joined us and made some suggestions that have helped.” As he talks, he is casually grabbing a blanket from the mess and covering his young mate.

Niall shakes his head as he leans back.  His head leans back as he looks to the ceiling and sighs. He looks slightly worn down, a look very unusual for him.

Looking at her great grandfather, Sookie asks, “Is there something wrong?” Her concern is apparent as she asks.

Looking up at her, he flashes her a grin, “Why, my dear, I think you actually care!” He never wants his dear one to worry about him, it is his job to worry about her, not hers to worry about him.

Glaring at him, Sookie retorts. “A momentary lapse in judgment, I assure you.”  But the bite wasn’t there in her voice.  It never is, for Sookie loves her Great Grandfather, even if he acts as though he is her age most of the time.

He grins at her as she smiles back at him.  She truly wonders how the man in front of her is her Great Grandfather, and not for the first time.  He looks ways to young for him to be that old.

Rubbing his face, Niall leans forward to discuss why he showed up. “Now to what you were talking about, safety in the daytime.  Claude has volunteered his services as well as Preston.”

Immediately Eric growls as his fangs drop, “Not Preston.   He can’t seem to get it through his thick skull that Sookie is ours.” His hands flex, his stance unmovable in this.  The were-fairy is not getting around his mate.

Sookie can feel Godric’s growl and the click from his fangs dropping also.  She hurriedly asks, “Is there not someone else?  I don’t like him either.”  The incident last year was one too many.  Every fairy knows that Sookie is already mated to the two vampires.  Preston took it upon himself to convince her otherwise, stating that her cousin had no complaints.  Eric had barely restrained himself from removing Preston from the realm.  And that was by holding Sookie back.

Hades fades in leaning against the door, his arms crossed.  “I may have a suggestion.  Thalia is able to watch Sookie in the nighttime because of her age and power.  But also because she is female and will not be restricted from everywhere as a male could be.  But we cannot pick a fairy since she will be around a practical newborn in Compton.  We do not need for him to have more reason to acquire Sookie.”  Secretly he is agreeing with his son and his mates.  Even at this distance he can feel the rage from both Godric and Eric.  ‘What is Niall doing, suggesting Preston?’

Eric thinks this would solve their problem if Bill takes out Preston, but he pauses to think on the situation and reluctantly agrees.  “Who do you suggest then?” His fangs are still dropped from Niall’s suggestion and right now he doesn’t see any reason to withdraw them.

Hades grins and answers, “Leigh.”

Niall groans as he closes his eyes.  “Why didn’t I think of that?”  He knows that the three had a bad encounter with Preston, but Preston won’t tell him what happened.  However, Preston had the ability to hide his scent as well as being a were and this is why he was suggested.  No one would rather have another option than him, he never wants his dear one upset.

Godric asks the obvious question, “Who is Leigh?”

Hades grin only gets better as he answers him, “She is just die Wächterin (the guardian) who has been raised to be Sookie’s protection.  I made her specifically after Sookie was taken the first time.”  His face hardens. “I never want my sons nor my daughter to go through that again.  So I came up with Leigh.  I just received her back from the Britlengens for the last training she needed underneath them.  And we have not needed her until then.”

Eric teases, “You made a guardian for Sookie and not for the rest of us?” His fangs as well as Godric have both withdrawn as he relaxes in the chair, leaning against one arm as his other rests on the arm, his finger tapping.

Laughing, Hades tells him, “Oh you both will get yours later.  Well, you will Eric.  Godric’s has been with him since he became a vampire and accepted his role as my son.  You will understand more later.  To be short, I was hoping we didn’t have to resort to Leigh yet.”  He looks to Sookie.  “It will take most of the day tomorrow, and I am not going to lie, it will hurt.  But afterwards you will have a guardian that none will know where she is, much less be able to guard against her.” He and Niall have taken every precaution they could in Leigh, making her a force to reckon with.

Godric’s arms wrap around his small mate as he asks his father, “Hurt?” He had picked up on that word quick enough.

Hades glances at Niall and Niall sighs as he washes his face. “She will be imbedded into Sookie’s soul.  Leigh as she is right now is nothing more than a figment of Hades.  But once he gives her to Sookie, Leigh will often take the shape of a Black Panther, but she can change into any shape that is needed to protect Sookie.  Even a sword if need be.” And no one can do anything with her soul as has been proven in the past.  They wanted her to have a guardian even if she is somehow rendered into the spark/soul she had been before.  Never again will Sookie be defenseless if they can help it.

Shivering, Sookie asks, “Is she intelligent?”

Hades nods in answer.  He tries to explain to Sookie, “She is made to be your protector, that is her purpose in being here.  She will be your companion, anything you need her to be.  She will not exist if it wasn’t for you.  Sookie, I made her for you.  I put apart of myself into her to make it where she can exist and be able to protect you against anything.  I even made her able to be able to take me on and at least stand me off long enough for Eric and Godric to get to you.” He is trying to make her understand that Leigh is to be part of her or not to be.

Niall gets up and is in front of his daughter of his heart.  “Sookie, please accept her.  Leigh is the answer to Eric’s and Godric’s worry.  To Hade’s and my own worries also.  She is a one of a kind and that makes her unpredictable.”

Sookie just looks into his ice blue eyes and can see the pleading from them.  She looks to the rest of them and seeing their looks, sighs.  “Is there a way we can meet her now?”

Thinking, Hades stands up and puts his hands in his pockets as he paces.  He looks up at her, “I think there is a way.  Godric and Eric will need to be here, but then they will be involved with Leigh.”  He frowns.  “The best way I can think of saying this is, if Leigh thinks the best defense for you is Eric and he is there, she will form into a weapon for him to use.  Right now, she cannot take anyone’s form but her own, but that will change if Godric and Eric will be there.  My son maybe a demi god, but he is not a God and she will take something from him.  Or should I say, she will replicate something of him and Eric.  She will be able to use their forms, but will not be able to replicate their talents. She will be a part of the three of you, but yours.”

Godric’s eyes gleam as he looks to Eric.  “Yes.  We will be there.” He can see only bonuses in her having this guardian and the more that this guardian is, the better.  If them being there will give an advantage, then that is the least they will do for their little mate.

Sookie looks back at him and before she can argue, he tells her, “For us, meine Liebe (my love).  Father has gifted you with a guardian.  And you have heard him, mine is already with me, and Eric will receive his. This is nothing that the rest of us either have or will have.”

With her shoulders slumped, she nods.  She can’t help but think she is helping enslave someone for the rest of their life.

Niall sighs and bends down to meet her eyes. “You know, it really sucks that I am not here in person. It would make it easier when I want to look at you.  Now, look at me, tyttäreni. (my daughter).” As she looks up at him, he smiles at her as he comments, “You are receiving a gift from a God.  Just think of how you can boast about that to the nest?”

Eric laughs, ”Niall, wrong time period.  People nowadays don’t understand gifts from the Gods.”

Niall is still looking at Sookie.  She stares into his eyes, as he tells her gently, ”Accept.  She will be your best friend, and will never die.  You never have to worry about that since Hades himself made her.  As he said, she would not exist if not for you, and I think you will be quite surprised with her.” It had been one of his concerns actually.  Sookie needed someone who would be with her no matter what, to be able to keep her grounded.  Her mates will be there, but there is nothing like another woman to talk to, or at least that is what he has been told.

She closes her eyes as she says, ”How can I accept her when it will mean her slavery?” She voices her concern, knowing that Niall would answer her.

Chuckling Niall tells her, “She does not have a corporeal form until you accept her as your Guardian.  She remains with free will, just as Thalia does.  There is no slavery, my dear. I promise.” He had known this would be a question.  ‘Glad to see I know her that well.’

Hades nods as well, “He is completely correct, my dear.  You will understand better once you meet her.” He is by this time leaning against the bed post.

Eric stands up and moves towards his mates. He tells the two of them, “Give us a minute and we will be ready for her.” His eyes never leave Sookie’s as he moves to her side.

With a nod from Niall and Hades, the two reappear upstairs.  Niall watches the door to the lower area as he tells Hades, “Claude will still be watching over her.”

Hades nods, “I suspected so.  Leigh will do her job, but Thalia is still watching over her also.”  He glances at his friend, “Are you sure you don’t want to be down there, you had just as much to do with Leigh as I did.” He searches his face, aware of the tiredness in Niall’s features and worries.

Niall shakes his head. “No, I have plans that are still shaping up.  I have a meeting later tonight that may give us a huge advantage.  I may need to call you to cover for me.”

Hades sighs.  “I can’t wait for this to be all over with.  It will be a relief to come out from the shadows finally.”

Niall nods as he answers, “Yes, but then there will be no restrictions.”

Looking down to where the room holding the three that are waiting for him, Hades comments, “That is what they will bring, balance.”  With that he disappears to their room.

Niall watches them then says to himself, “Hopefully they will accept their place before it is too late.”  He runs his hand through his hair and glancing in a mirror to make sure everything is in place, evaporates to his own meeting.

Final count, 6,968 words.

Fairfarren~Wendy