Wendy finally settles down after the last frustrating five hours. She had tried to calm herself by photoshopping some banners for one of her other stories, a beloved favorite that she is anxious to get back to again. But while the first banner was done extremely quickly, the next one took up the rest of her time trying to fix one lousy chess piece, and when she did get it fixed, it looked bad and she had to scrap it and then she started on another idea… only to scrap that one, too. She eventually came up with one that worked.
Connor had been wanting mommy attention too, but had left her alone – after she was finished with the frustrating part. She leaned back in her chair, no longer wanting to work on Banners for her stories. So she had turned and looked at what she needed to accomplish this weekend. Tomorrow would nice since she would be by herself until Marty came home, and even then they will be the only ones here. Food is bought, everything was done today so it will be relaxing.
Earlier she had celebrated the ending of one of her stories with her friends, pleased as punch with the fact she is doing what she wanted at the beginning of the year: finishing stories. Though, this period of time was going slower, and she already told Meridian that she is blaming her. The damn Muse Whisperer just had to inspire her…
Refocusing on the present, Wendy looks up at her white board and notes that the Participation Banner for this month’s Writing Contest is done. Then she sees the reminder to work on Best. She will work on that tonight if everything works out for her.
Then she sees “Interview”. Uh oh….
A voice sounds from beside her, “You better be saying “uh ohh” for not getting my interview done, Wendy.”
She swallows the soda she is drinking, looks up, and smiles at the tall blond looking down at her. “Hi Eric! Long time no see!”
He stares down at her, “And whose fault is that? Not mine! Not your fans!”
She grins. “Blame Meridian.”
He stares down at her, and she sees the smile hovering in his eyes. She just lifts an eyebrow, and he shakes his head as he chuckles. “I am glad you and your fans haven’t forgotten us.”
Watching as Connor jumps all over Eric and he plays with the dog, she replies, “Nope. And you guys got nominated in quite a few categories. I was shocked I received any, and to find out that they like the story…” She waives at her To-Do board.
Eric looks over at it and chuckles at the notes all over the top board for the story she is writing now. “Loving your white boards I take it.”
Wendy leans back in her seat as he sits in her mom’s chair. “Yep. And this Photoshop thing is awesome, I got a board back by using it to map out some stuff on the Brotherhood series. Meridian was thrilled with it too since she got her colored diagrams and so on.”
Laughing at her as she looks excited, he looks around her office. “Since when you posted about me you used a chapter you already had written, I have not been here yet since you remodeled. It is you.”
She blushes as she looks around ,”Sorry so messy.”
He laughs at her. “Messy? Wendy, Adele is messy next to you. I have never seen anyone so compulsive in cleaning. And not only here, you clean up the files that the ladies are using for your Photoshop stuff and so on. And your journals, the obsessive need to organize everything is actually a little scary.”
Wendy is blushing even worse, and Eric just laughs at her. She rolls her eyes at him. “So how did you know I would do the interview tonight?”
He shakes his head. “I didn’t. Godric sent me to find out what the plan was. He heard through the grapevine that we will be up soon to finish the story.”
“Yep. Your fans have spoken. They nominated you, they gave reviews, the response was so overwhelming that if I didn’t need to finish what was on my plate so I can get writing on the other stuff afterwards, you guys would be up now. You still have to wait until the two or three stories are done for this time, with me editing all those stories, and then Aos Si. Then ITE will be next. I was nervous since I have plans, and I also have the Mating between you three to write. Plus, you know the other reason.”
Eric nods. “And what have we told you? We are honored. You will get to it all soon. Now why don’t we get this interview done, since you have next month’s interview to get ready. You have your chapter to write, and the ones to edit for your Queen to work on for the next couple of weeks. Then you will be doing other stuff. Now. Godric has informed me of these questions of yours. I think your WordPress Whisperer and Queen had too much fun asking many of these questions.”
Wendy laughs as she pulls up the documents. “And you with your perfect memory are going to do what?”
His eyes sparkle with humor as he tells her, “Eric Northman, The Norseman, Viking, Northman, Sherriff of Area 5, Mate of Sookie and Godric. I was born approximately in 900 AD. My height is 6’ 4”, Blond Hair, Blue eyes.”
She types as fast as he rattles off the information. When she finally catches up to him, she is never more glad for the skills taught to her by American Airlines. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to keep up with him. She looks up and raises an eyebrow.
Unable to help it, he grins at her as he starts again. “According to Sookie, I have a warrior’s build, but the other ladies in the house, especially Leigh, told me it was a runner’s body. Either way, it has served me well both in battle and in the beds of many a woman before our Sookie came to us.”
Wendy looks up and asks, “Significant other?”
“As you well know, Godric and Sookie.”
Quickly taking control of the interview from the cheeky bastard still grinning at her she starts to ask, “Par-“
“Ulfrik and Astrid.”
She gives him the look. “Dammit Eric! How the hell are the girls going to get the interview they deserve if you don’t at least let me ask the damn questions?!?”
Leaning back in the seat, his ankle across his knee, he replies drolly, “Well, Milady, I am just eager to see what questions I have from the lovely group! Godric told me of this little part where the questions are different. This is all under control.”
Wendy leans back and asks him, “So what am I supposed to do, Eric? Sit here and just type your answers and not ask anything? You know the ladies like to read the interviews for getting a clue to how you really are with me. Niall even played the game!”
Eric sighs. “But it is a waste of time. Tell me that you don’t have your iPad recording this stuff so you can make sure you typed everything up correctly. This is as much for informing them as me letting you ask your questions. To be truthful, while I am happy to be here, I wish to get back to my Mates. The Marks are getting stronger and it seems like we need each other as much as possible.”
Wendy’s ears burn and he just laughs about it. “Wendy…. You know more about us than anyone. There is no reason for your ears to be so red. And I can see it’s getting to your face even. It will look like you got sunburned. And this cannot be, since Martin will be upset.”
She snorts. “Really? Martin and this cannot be? Please Eric! Be yourself!! Be the one who sat here and told me all the naughty things you three can do before the Mating that do not involve sex. If I remember correctly, and we both know I do, it was when I was coming off of being sick for so long, and not used to writing anymore. I had to deal with your ass and how you wanted to make sure that there are lemons and limes since there are still things you and Godric could do with Sookie. So, now that we have talked this long, can we finish up the interview and get to those questions you want to hear?”
Eric just grins at her. “Fiesty.”
She rolls her eyes at him. “You never change do you?” She mutters under her breath.
He chuckles. “I do, Wendy. But as you pointed out, you are used to me. You accept me for who I am. Don’t get me wrong, I would never like to piss you off. I have seen that temper of yours. However, to set that temper off takes a lot more than most people will know. On the other hand, you accept people as they are. If you think they are just being rude to you, you shrug it off. Only when your friends and family are upset does that temper of yours rise up. You don’t care who they are, what they believe in, what their sexual orientation is. You accept them all.”
Sighing, Wendy tells Eric, “Shhh. Stop kissing my ass. Your story is getting finished, you got the interview. Now stop before your nose turns brown. Now. Did you have any children?”
He laughs. “As you wish milady. No human children that I know of. I am not sure if anyone had been pregnant before I died. But there is Pamela, my vampire Child.”
She notes it all down, then continues, “Best Friends?”
He cocks his head to the side. “Godric and Sookie. But I think that under your ideas of friends that Niall could be one if I think of like that. But at the same time…” He looks off frowning as his thoughts turn to the discussions and hints he has picked up.
Wendy quickly asks Eric, “Any Tattoos or scars?”
He blinks and then stares hard at her. When she just looked at him waiting for his answer, he finally replies, “No tattoos. The mark is on me, but it is not really a tattoo. Scars, well those I had from many years of living. I have a scar on my hand from sword fighting with my father and grabbing the sword when he flipped it out of my hands. I have another I know of from fishing when we were aviking. There are scars from battles and so forth. Nothing too damaging, but Sookie calls them proof of the life I lived before I turned vampire.”
AS she is writing it down, Eric is staring at her. “You know something.”
She lifts an eyebrow. “I have no idea what you are talking about. I know a lot of things.”
He leans back and stills as he continues watching her. She never fidgets and just waits him out. After about five minutes, she just tells him, “You know I have a dog and cats. Staring at me is not going to do a thing. And no trying puppy eyes or anything else, either. I guarantee Connor has you beat in the whole puppy-eye department. So if you are going to stare, I am just going to talk to the girls.” She looks over to another screen and comments on pj’s with Meridian, and tells the ladies in the beta chat how much of a pain in the ass Eric is being.
After a while, Connor is the one who gets Eric’s attention, with his head in his lap, and giving him those puppy eyes. He is sleepy, but he knows when they are here, Mommy won’t go to bed until they are gone.
Eric looks down and he finally comments, “He really is good with those puppy eyes, isn’t he.”
Wendy is laughing at Meridian and a comment she had just made. She looks up and asks, “Are you ready to finish? If not, you can let him out and he will be fine again. He’s just a schedule dog and is upset that I am not sleeping on a schedule anymore. He tries to stay up with me.”
Eric sighs, rubbing his eyebrow with his thumb. “I just have a feeling that whatever game Niall is playing is going to hurt Sookie.”
Wendy sighs, then gets up to let Connor out, leaving Eric alone. When the two of them return, he is sitting there glaring at her. “Why did you leave?”
“Connor wanted outside. You were not participating. Have you decided that you will work with me so you can go back to Godric and Sookie? Otherwise, I will call Godric and Sookie. Then I will tell the fans about your attitude, and take up Meridian’s suggestion of stopping the interview and finishing it another day. Now, it is your choice.”
He stares at her. “Sookie is more important to me than an interview, and if you know what Niall is hiding, then you need to tell me.”
Crossing her arms on the desk, Wendy leans forward and tells him, “I do know. Why? Because I wrote it. And it is not time for you to learn. If you find out now, it would change everything, and all my work to get you three to this point will be for nothing. But, it is up to you. You can tell Godric that all he suffered for the last couple of the chapters was for nothing because you couldn’t resign yourself to learning as you are supposed to. No harassing the poor author who only writes as the muses tell her. The only reason you are here is because the ladies voted for you to be interviewed, and so far this interview has been a bust. Now decide, Eric. Will you finish this?”
He stares at her, his face impassive and she just raises the eyebrow. They lock stares, and Connor settles down by his mommy’s feet and stares up at Eric. He wants to play with the man who normally rough houses with him and they play all the time. He is not liking this visit.
Eric finally growls out, “I spend time with my Mates as a pastime. Or outthinking that idiot Compton. My favorite mode of Transportation is my Corvette, but I also enjoy a flight once in awhile. I prefer to use my brain against a worthy adversary, or if in battle, my sword is my preferred weapon. I keep no pets of the human or animal variety.”
Wendy nods to him as she types it all up. She then looks up at the vampire in front of her. She watches him and finally softly tells him, “There is good reason, Eric. I don’t like my characters suffering and you know I always promise a beautiful HEA. Be patient.”
He nods stiffly at her, then thinks back to his Maker and Niall’s conversations. “My best childhood memory was the day I became a man. I had played with the males in my village and trained at my father’s side all in preparation of the day he would deem me worthy of my sword. When he thought I was close, he took me to the blacksmith and left me there, telling me I needed to learn the craft to understand the roles of my people better. This was nothing new, I had been left with the carpenters when they built a long ship for us to use. I carved some of the head, and spent time hollowing out logs and so forth. I had also learned how to make the homes my people used. So being left behind to learn something new was not surprising.”
Eric has a slight smile on his face as he remembers. “I spent the winter with the blacksmith, working on the tasks he gave me. During this time, we worked on two swords along with the axes and other items that would be needed once the thaw started. I learned the value of thinking ahead and planning each step carefully, making sure the fire never went out, and many other tasks. If it was not taken care of properly, all the work up until then was ruined.”
He looks into her eyes, his normal affable self recovered. “Then came the last day for the two swords. I had helped make both of them, and was proud of the fact. When they were finished, I helped sharpen both of them, and the Blacksmith told me to go home, that there was a feast that night. I went to bathe, and was soon in the longroom, helping my father. Later that night, my father stood up and announced the reason for the feast. They have a new adult in the village. This was a huge deal, and everyone was pounding the tables and stomping their feet. I was right along with them, looking around for the lucky one. The Blacksmith came up the walkway between the tables, and gruffly told me to stand. I couldn’t believe it, but I would not shame my father. I walked up to him, head held high. As I stood before my father, every person in the room heard how I gained this important right. Every person saw how proud my father was of his son, and how proud I was to stand before him as an adult as I bore witness to his pride in me. Then he brought out both of the swords. He told me that every man should know everything about their weapons. I had forged the weapon that I would use until I was a man full grown. And then the other sword, the larger, heavier sword, would be mine.”
Wendy smiles at him, and tells him, “Thank you, Eric. That is a memory to be treasured.”
He nods to her. He waits until she is finished typing, then tells her, “My best teen memory is one that every man knows is his favorite. When we returned, my father sent to me a thrall to teach me about being a man. I spent many nights learning the skills that a man needs to satisfy a woman. My father believed every male’s duty is to please the woman he was with. As he told me, males can have pleasure easily. Woman can’t. A man who can please his woman, will never lack for warmth in his bed.”
Wendy can’t help but laugh. “Why does this not surprise me?”
Eric’s eyes seem to twinkle as he grins at her. “It is every male’s job, and I take my father’s advice very seriously. Ask my mates.”
She rolls her eyes. He waits calmly until she is done then tells her, “My best adult memory so far was the day we found our Mate. I had no idea why I was being driven through the night to answer this call, but that moment when I looked into her eyes, and she looked into mine…that click vibrated through me. While the first time we had been together was a great night, and the night we finally get to Mate will be a favorite, that moment was the greatest. I had no idea that Sookie was what Godric and I needed.”
Wendy quickly types it all up. When done, she looks up at him, and raises an eyebrow as he smirks at her.
He finally answers her, “The smell of my Mates after we have all been satisfied. There is nothing better.”
He laughs as she huffs and writes it down. Only Eric!
Then she sees the next question, and waits for his answer. He chuckles. “I take it from your expression that ‘favorite movie’ is one of your favorites?”
Wendy nods. “So far the answers have been a real eye opener. I am looking forward to hearing yours.”
He chuckles then sits there for a moment before leaning back. “I would have to say the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The books were amazing, and to see them brought to the big screen was incredible. Though Star Wars is a close thing, too. I clearly remember seeing it and being amazed to see that on a movie screen. It was the beginning of science fiction being raised from a guilty habit to a staple. Imagination is the only reason I have survived so long. Without it, there is no hope since if you can’t imagine better, then you have no hope. There is no wonder, no amazement. Imagination is really what lifts humans and other Supes above animals. We can dream of more, and that makes us more.”
Wendy smiles as she types it up, remembering the times she and Eric had discussed books. She may write now, but in her library is proof of her mind loving getting lost in books. It helped her become the person she is now.
When she gets caught up, he tells her, “I would love to vacation in Sweden, but only if my Mates were with me. Other than that, I would have no destination.”
She keeps typing as he continues, “I spend my days sleeping, but when I am awake, lately I have been spending my nights with my Maker and Mate. It is how I prefer to spend my time.”
When she is done, he leans forward. She laughs. “You forgot Life’s Aspiration.”
He chuckles. “To be what I am. A loving Mate that takes care of his loves. As long as I have them, I am happy.”
She laughs, then he hears her clicking keys as he watches. He wants to see what the ladies in her group have come up with for him.
She looks over the questions, and seeing who had the most votes, she relays to him, “missrissa81 asks, ‘What did it feel like finding your Sookie when she was just five years old, and then to find out that you would be sharing her with your maker, only to find out that you were mated to both Sookie and Godric?’”
He thinks back to that day and tells her, “As I mentioned earlier, it is the best memory of my thousand years. But when we found that Godric was out Mate also, it settled me. I was not looking forward to giving up the time with my Maker. I love him, and it felt like something was tearing inside of me not to be with him. But I knew that Mating was absolute. I was just confused about why I was upset with it. So it was a relief to find that I was not wrong. That there was a reason for me to feel that way towards my Maker.”
Then he smirks. “I like that one! Who is next?”
Wendy rubs her wrist, as she looks through the list. “mistressjessica asks, ‘Vampires are naturally possessive creatures. How do you stop yourself from feeling jealousy or possessiveness when Sookie shares affection with Godric?’”
He stares at her for a moment, and then answers the question. “There is none. She is ours, as Godric is ours, and I am theirs. If there were jealousy or possessiveness in our bond, we couldn’t be Mates. There is beauty in watching Godric share his body with Sookie and me, just as there is with Sookie. Godric feels no jealousy either with the two of us like that. Now, we have some issues but they are not because of our love for each other; they are misconceptions that no one had corrected before. We just learned a valuable lesson, that while we love each other, and there is no jealousy over a Mate being with the other Mate, there is still a chance that one of us will be upset thinking we were not enough for our Mates. But never about one being with another. How can I be jealous of them wanting to be with each other the way I want to be with them?” Then his fangs drop. “But make no mistake. They are mine, and I will kill any who try to separate us. Just as I expect them to do the same if someone tried to take me away from them.”
Wendy nods, a smile playing on her face. She knew the answer, but she is glad to hear it. Their issues have never been about being with each other – it stemmed from feelings of being inadequate for their Mates, the fear of not being everything they needed. But these three have craved each other before there was even a hint that there was to be a triad.
Looking over the next three, she tells him, “The last three tied. So I will do them in the order they make sense to ask. When he nods to her, she then looks over and reads to him, “Meridian asks, ‘You have an eternity before you: what three things or events do you look forward to the most?’”
He laughs. “My Mating of course!!” When Wendy laughs with him, he shakes his head. “I also look forward to this plan coming to an end. I have spent so long acting like I was nothing more to Sookie than a big brother, and now our act has me wanting her but has her acting as if she hates it. I also look forward to not having to serve Queen Sophie Anne. This may not be what others think about, but it all ends up with the same result. I want to be free with my Mates. I want to show them affection, and return it freely. I would like to tease Sookie, and not have her have to act like a spoiled brat. It seems simple and so little, but it is something I yearn for each night this charade goes on.”
Wendy nods as she types. She can understand that. “Bertie Bott asks ‘If you could have one, what would your theme song be?’”
He laughs. “I am loving these questions! Theme song… hmm…” He leans back as he thinks aloud, “Cowboy Casanova is one Sookie loves to dance to with me. She says it fits me… But then there is Demons by Imagine Dragons. The lines in it fit me and I really empathize with it. But I think the song Thrive by Switchfoot is one that fits. The lyrics are very moving. ‘Checking for a pulse but I just don’t know, am I a man when I feel like a ghost? The stranger in the mirror is wearing my clothes.’” He smiles. “Then there is this part, ‘I get the feeling that I’m in between, a machine and a man who only looks like me.’ There are times I have risen and asked myself what the point is. But then something happens, and like the song states, I won’t give up. I want to thrive not just survive.”
Wendy grins. “You are as bad as I am. Never can give one answer.”
He chuckles, but his words are very true, and he knows the woman typing them up will make sure they understand them. The two of them have spent plenty of time talking about music and books.
She finishes, and yawns. “Last one! Meridian asks, ‘Were there any questions not asked that you would like to have BEEN asked?’” She gives him a look.
He smiles. “Not that I can think of. There is one I wish was asked, but per the rules, I couldn’t answer and you can’t answer for me. But all in all, these were good questions, and I am pleased with the thought that went into them.” Then he gives her a look. “Since we both know you will not take blood from any of us, you need to go to bed. I have kept you up late.”
She waives her hand at him. “I am glad to be able to cross this off. Tomorrow I can work on the chapter for Kelpie and then I can get to working on the chapters for I Never…Did. I need to have something ready for the fans to read while I work on the others.”
He chuckles, shaking his head. “You work too hard too often. Remember to take time for yourself.”
She snorts, “Now you go home to your Mates, and I will send this to Charissa and Meridian, and then I will head to bed myself. I have an hour before Marty’s alarms go off.”
He stands up, and she walks with him to the door. He turns and hugs her. “I am sorry for the poor manners earlier. I am just worried about Sookie. There is much on her shoulders and I don’t like unknown things. They often come back to hurt us in the long run.”
Wendy smiles at him. “Go. You will know soon enough, Eric. Just be patient.” He pets Connor, and walks outside. Once he passes the porch, he takes off.
Heading back inside, Wendy sits down again to get the notes in order and send everything to the betas. It has been a long day…
