I wanted to take a minute to thank all of you who stuck with me on this wild ride. This chapter has no dedication because an equal part goes out to each and every one of you; for words of encouragement; support and great ideas. I am sad it's over but I'm glad to have shared it all of you.

Eric

Chapter Thirty-Six

The Last Stand

It was first dark and the undead rose with single minded purpose. There has never been a stand like this and if this moon was the last I saw; if I was to meet my end I knew it would be glorious. Not a single word had to be spoken between us just meaningful glances through impassive faces as we bid one another hail and fair well. Before the sunrise a river of blood and ash would rise to take many of us from this world.

There was chill in the night that was uncharacteristic for this time of year. With my wife beside me we stood ready and waited. I could trace the scent even before I felt the first sign of our enemy. The scent was the same that preceded all the assaults that led to this. The mist rolled in with the unbridled power that could only be compared to the eye of a hurricane; silent; calm but with death not far behind. It crept forward; with tentacles that sought out its targets. It was a visible aura; cloudy in appearance with a numbing aroma.

"Do not break team" Stan said. His voice was low; placating to combat the tension that had taken hold of some of our forces. Some vampires amongst us had seen what that fog could do.

To my right I felt Sookie's mind begin to shift. It was a signal that she was channeling the power of the fairy within her. It was stronger and more powerful than it ever was. She joined hands with Leland and they took several steps forward that placed them ahead of the front line. Their steps were shadowed by their team; the movement was seamless.

The mist reached us but no one was affected. I could almost feel the pressure of the cavernous mass floating around me seeking a breech but found none. There was nothing to prevent us from seeing as the elves marched in behind the unnatural smog. Their numbers were staggering. With the forces Cohan took out they still had us in bodies. The ratio was three to one including Sophie-Anne's vampires. I searched along their formation for her. It did not look as though she had many days of this life left. She had become emancipated; she now resembled a small gangly creature. If not for all the havoc she had caused she would have my vote for a full pardon.

Seeing that their main offensive weapon was useless the elves halted their approach to re-access the situation. Dillon took this time to make one last plea for peace. From what Sookie told me he truly was a pacifist and an optimist. Separately they were venerable qualities together they were foolish. Still no one stopped him because we knew it was futile.

"Nikko" He called out in a strained tone. His distaste was still palpable.

"Cousin" Nikko said in a trawling manner. The fairies hissed in unison and several drew weapons. "Well hello to you too, geez so sensitive" He said with a small chuckle. Clearly he was enjoying himself.

"There be no need for further death. You have the power to end this" Dillon said.

"Death" Nikko shook his head with a tsk to indicate he had heard something utterly asinine. "No, your sons; your daughters; they will receive death on swift wings but not you. You my dearest cousin will suffer a fate much worse. I will break you, all of you" He smiled a bright smile at him then turned his gaze to all the vampires that were present as if taking notice of us for the first time.

"Night children, she is the architect of the destruction that your kind has suffered." Nikko said gesturing to Sophie-Anne "I was but the instrument but I found her vision a bit…" He acted as though he was searching for words. "Stale, so I make you this offer my undead friends. I will give her to you for she and hers are now under my control. All you have to do is walk away and let us fair folk settle our affairs"

I did not have to look to see that some of the fairies had tensed. By all rights Sophie-Anne was the only reason we had joined this fight. She was the cause but the reasoning behind our presence her now went deeper. All the kings and queens looked at Stan. All commands were to come from him during battle. While each head of state could make their own decision to walk away it was fitting for Stan to answer first. For all intents and purposes he was a general.

Stan contemplated a moment longer then he gave Nikko a finger to indicate where he can take his offer. In case Nikko didn't understand Stan doubled his response.

"Of course I speak only for Texas" Stan said calmly without dropping his obscene gesture. Pam grinned and followed suit. She was followed by Isaiah who was followed by Bertrand and Russell. Freyda deliberated but she too gave Nikko the finger. Last was Sookie and I. The verdict had been unanimous; the elf had been told to fuck himself; royally.

For the first time tonight a look flashed across Nikko's face and he looked vexed instead of amused.

"Last chance Nikko. Go. Home" Dillon said.

"Soon, very soon I will be" Nikko spat. "Know this there is no where you can hide your children that I will not come for them" His eyes were ablaze with loathing and he was looking directly at Sookie as he spoke and we all knew he meant to include our children in that fate "With their blood I will wash the fairies from existence and history" Sookie lunged forward with murderous intent. I followed after her to her from charging.

Dillon let out a soft laugh that was almost a sigh "Imbecile. That will never come to be and it was you who made it impossible. This alliance was forged of your malice" he said. "With your mayhem you fortified it. If ever we forsake our oath to defend one another it is not this day" At his words the air on our side began to stir and change. The fairies began drawing in breaths in unison; they appeared to be a single organism. . In these numbers it affected all those around them. "If ever our collected strength should fail, it is not this day" There was a charge in the air that surged through us all. With every word Dillon spoke jolted and encompassed the air. I felt warmth flowing over my skin and I knew I wasn't the only one affected. All the vampires were beginning to hum with the excitement of the battle to come.

Dillon continued with vehement eyes that belied the soft tenor of his words. "A day may come when the ties that bind us bow and break but it will not be this day" His human features and those of the fairies began falling away to reveal an array of sharp teeth and pointy ears. Their hair billowed in the wind and their bodies glowed casting long shadows across the earth. It was truly a sight to behold "If you want blood Nikko come and claim it" Dillon hissed slipping into a crouch.

In response Nikko hurled the first of his fire balls. Nikko had expected us to scatter but he had not been prepared for Iain. The water reserves he placed behind us shot above our heads and collided with the balls of fire midair as they rained down. The collision exploded in an immense cloud of steam. . Iain and his team walked around and came to stand in front of us; directly in the path of the impending flames. Our long line drew to the left' it allowed us to protect him but to kept us from interfering. All that Atéyo thought Iain about manipulating water was now put to the test as the battle between the two began. .

All the while the elves were advancing. Iain was obviously a key target; they were focused on the fairies because of their magical abilities posed a bigger threat. They were not expecting Gideon. The first group to reach us was blinded once they got within his range. Those surrounding him picked them apart.

Our aim was to funnel them to us so their numbers would count for very little. We kept all their key targets front and center. They would either have to charge the front line to take them out and maximize their losses or sit back and watch us decimated their numbers.

"This is dreadfully boring" Pam said picking at her finger nails. Her team and mine had not yet been pulled in. We operated on a rotating basis; seven teams would fight; six would rest.

"You need a hobby" Tristan said with a smile.

Apparently some elves could fly. They took to the air with lemon and shredded bits of iron. "Sookie" Leland called.

"I see them" She said. I could feel her strain to push her invisible barrier over to the fairies that were well out of her range. She did what she could but some fairies were outside both her and Leland's protection. They screamed in agony as lemon seared their skin.

"Get in the air" Stan called to those of us who could fly.

Bertrand, Pam, Freyda, Callie and I took to the air to dispatch the elves in the sky. Dermot was not one to let absence of flying ability keep him on the ground. He teleported himself directly onto the back of one and removed its head. Before he could begin falling Pam caught him and tossed him on the back of his next target. He was by Callie when he finished his third opponent. She clasped her hands in front of her and he used them as steps to his next target.

Blood was administered to those who had been wounded. They were moved behind our battle lines to buy them time to heal. As I propelled through the sky I could see bullets from the sniper rifle belonging to Oliver do its work. It wasn't serving the purpose for which it was thought up but it was effective. Since he could not get a clear mark on Nikko he was assailing his people; he was putting his bullets clean through their skulls. It further thinned their numbers.

Freyda and I were still doing battle in the air. We moved the fastest because we were older. It made us most formidable. I served as a decoy. As the elves chased me down she showed up behind them and removed their head with her bare hands. The fight in flight was quick after which we returned back to our teams no worse for wear. I had a deep bite on my arm that stung but that was the extent.

"Sookie does your husband fuck as well as he fights" Freyda called to my wife when she landed. Her tone was matter of fact but there was a grin on her face.

"You better believe it" Sookie replied. Even as our people were bathe in the blood of our enemy we laughed.

The battle raged but our numbers were holding. The demons could not be covered under the shields of the fairies but that was not a hindrance. They carried no weapons and simply touched the elves that got close enough to kill them. So far our defense hadn't even been bent. It looked like it would hold. Our backs were covered and the sound of gunfire could still be heard at perfectly timed intervals.

Nikko came to this fight arrogant and self-assured. We came prepared. The elves fearing they had underestimated their advisories ushered the vampires in. Once again I caught sight of Sophie-Anne. Her body moved with its agility and speed that was expected of a vampire her age. It was devastating. She was even stronger than the last time our paths crossed but she looked lost; mindless. Whether it was her own doing or that or Nikko she had taken to turning larger humans. They would be more difficult to contain no matter how young they were.

It was hand to hand combat. Leland and Sookie were pulled back just as the two natured came from hiding. They soared from the nearby burrows in flawlessly choreographed crisscrossed formation and joined the fight teeth and claws first. Leading them was three saber tooth tigers. What their numbers could not cover the vampires closest to them took care of. I watched as Russell and his people surrounded Sophie-Anne.

"Something is coming" Lyra said from her place behind me. There was an edge to her voice that told me this would be bad.

"What is it?" I asked looking around. My senses caught nothing coming from any direction. For a long moment she just moved in a circle with her teeth barred. Then she jerked as if he had been hit with volts of electricity.

"Do you feel that?" Sookie asked me. She was still but her body was humming with an odd mixture of dread and aggression. All the fairies were giving off the same vibe their heads were moving in search of a danger that had not yet reached the rest of us. Then their heads were facing due south.

It was a minute difference before the scent hit the air. I turned my head in the same direction as the fairies. The poignant odor of sulfur and rancid meat rolled. The stench increased with every second until it became suffocating. I could not understand it. I had no need to breathe but the closer the scent got the more feeling of strangulation grew. Reflexively my hand rose to my neck.

"What the hell is that?" Sookie asked in a tight voice. Her question wasn't directed at anyone in particular but it was Dermot who answered.

"Indeed" he said sheathing his blade. "Hell hounds to be exact" Dermot hissed. His face was covered in the blood but I could see he looked...concerned "You must break teams now" He said in an urgent tone. "It must be the fairies to fight them" He was pulling away from Pam's side. She took his hand ready to go with him. "You cannot help there" He said stroking her face. "Stay with Sookie no matter what" Pam shook her head. "Promise me" He said shaking her. She nodded. He spun on his heel shouting for the fairies to take battle stations.

"What are they doing?" Stan shouted over the chaos. I explained.

It was testament to the trust we all now shared because Stan did not question it.

"Break team" Stan said. Instantly the teams dissolved. Behind me the fairies and demons tried to contain what was coming. I knew in that fight we could not help them. The only thing we could do was cover their backs.

Together we pulled our people back and regrouped. Now the species were segregated but backing one another in a loose triangle. Vampires and werewolves faced Nikko and Sophie-Anne's child army. We drew them to us. Sookie and Gideon were an even distance away from one another. She would not have to expending energy shielding those on his side because the forces that got close to him would be blinded and would be easy enough to kill.

The closer the hell hounds got the more depilating the effects on the undead and two natured. All the vampires were suffering the effects. My head was swimming with noises and screams that did not originate from the battle. Fear rippled up my spine. I beat it back knowing it was the proximity of the hell the elves had unleashed on earth. It was obvious the elves knew we were now at a severe disadvantage. They were now openly charging our front line; intending to push us closer to them. It was where we suffered our heaviest losses. Gideon could not maintain a firm grasp on his ability as he the inexplicable panic grew in us all. Some of the younger ones were no longer able to fight. We were losing ground.

"Push them back" I ordered. I was ahead of the lines. With every sweep of my sword I cut down an elf or a vampire in my path.

Freyda gave me a wicked grin and a wink before hurling her two bodyguards Felix and Callie over the enemy lines. Then she took off in the air after them. They landed behind the backs of the elves. She was attempting to draw some of their numbers in the opposite direction. It was not ten times more dangerous. It was suicide.

"This is where we hold them" Freyda said in a grave voice. "This is where they fall" Letting out a ferocious snarl as she delivered death upon her advisories. She blurred into nothing but a lethal gale of blonde hair. Having no other choice the elves had to double back and neutralize Freyda and her people which in turn gave us ground to advance. I thought Freyda would be killed within a minute of her landing. But she held on until some of the two natured were able to double back to her aid. The circle was loose but it was forming around the elves and the vampires that aided them.

A quick scan behind me revealed the fairies and demons were not as fortunate. It was no surprise because what I saw was not something I could have ever imagined.

"It is said that he sent them to the very axis of fire and earth" Dillon had explained months ago.

"The cusp of the underworld" Dermot translated.

That very notion had to be true and they had not spent their time idly. Hell hounds were six legged beasts that stood at twice the size of the saber tooth tigers on our side. They were not covered in fur but rotting flesh, amidst scales some parts of which were alit with smoldering flames. The saliva from their jaws fell to the earth and poisoned it. Their names were fitting and Nikko had somehow managed to summon two of these ravenous monsters.

Sookie must have realized the fairies were failing. I was to her side fighting but I saw her lips form the words "Toss me" to Stan.

"No!" I shouted.

Stan did not hesitate as she knew he would not. He took her by her wrists and spun in two full circles then launched her in the direction of the worst danger. I moved to intercept her path but Sookie was already hurling at a velocity much too quick for me to follow. Her destination was the fight between the fairies and the hell hounds.

I went after her but the effects of the hell hounds were still present and I could go no further. Helplessly I watched as Sookie continued her free fall. Her sword was gripped firmly in both hands and she steadied herself as she began to decline. When she landed she did so on the back of the hell hounds. It had a fairy pinned under its two front legs. The beast brought its head down to finish the kill but she decapitated it in a single precise and powerful fall of her arms. Before the creature imploded on its self it swiped a clawed paw at her that sent her sailing through the air.

I watched with a feeling of dread as blood poured from her side. She did not fall to the ground without agility like I feared she would. She landed on her feet but had to dig her sword into the earth as her body finally skidded to a halt.

"Viking get down!" I knew the voice. Before the words registered I had dropped to the ground and rolled to the side. The heavy whizz in the air above me told me I just narrowly avoided having my head removed. The warning had come Freyda. I tried to be happy that she had saved my life and not the fact that if she survived she would never let me forget it.

"Nikko" I said gliding nimbly to my feet. "Why so serious?" I gave him a bright smile that was taunting as it was chilling. He returned it. His form began to blur and then there were two of him and those two divided into two more until there were eight of him. Pam and Tristan came to my aid.

"I seriously hate elves" Pam said standing back to back with Tristan and me.

The copies of Nikko were identical from the smile to every tear and blood splatter on their clothes. That was the bad news. The good news was this took a bit of power because he was no longer able to use fire because Iain was tiring. We could end this.

What the replicas lacked in magical ability they made up for in depredating physical strength (more bad news). I killed two but it was a feat. There were four left when Tristan met the truth death. Pam had been drawing the brunt of the assault while he picked them off. He was not fast enough to deflect a blow that sent his maker to the ground. There was only enough time to drop his body over hers. The stake meant for her went through his heart instead.

"Tristan!" Pam screamed. She couldn't move. Her body was still being held down and her death was impending. I could not go to her I was facing two of the clones. Dermot appeared behind the one that was still looming over her. He snapped its neck. Then he pushed his sword into the head of the one holding Pam down.

In the same instant one of the copies I had been facing tried to vanish but Dermot tackled it completely ignoring the last remaining. I think he could tell which of the two was the original. I would have taken care of the last one but Pam had shot up from the ground where she had been crying and leapt on its back. Her eyes were blurred with tears. Her fists fell in a volley of blind fury and grief. I knew she could easily kill it but she wanted to avenge her loss. Even after there was nothing but a puddle of blood and bones where a head had been she kept throwing punches.

I tried to pull her from the corpse but she fought my hold. "It's over" I said pinning her arms down and holding her to me as she cried. I looked around. "It's over" I repeated. The war was hard fought and we had all paid a price.

***Epilogue***

I have not been to France for a few decades but like all most places only the superficial changed with time. The heart and soul of the country was the same. Sookie and I were on an Island off the coast of Marseille called "Rin's Isle" It was a present from Cohan to Aríndia on her first birthday. Alrick had been invited by Aríndia and so our family came. The island was small. It was surrounded by clear blue waters and white sandy beaches. Having been bought for a princess it was compete with castle made of white stone the domes and steeples of the castle were forged of real gold.

"What does the 'K' stand for?" I asked Atéyo. The initial 'AKC' was inscribed on the gold and red banners that hung from the castle walls.

"Kiva after my mother" He replied.

Beside me Alrick was seated with Aríndia on a towel picking at her food. He would take what she offered and brought to his nose. He winced and she laughed as he scrunched his face in distaste. Alrick was more open to human food but with his acute senses he preferred what humans would call mild or bland. His sister preferred blood almost exclusively.

The sound of laughter caused me to look towards the water. Aria was laughing uncontrollably. I could hear her heartbeat increase. Her face was almost flushed as she squealed in delight. Her mother would dip her in the water then swing her lightly in the air and catch her. Even with the memories of a bloody war it was impossible to remember ever being this happy.

Of all our allies and friend that went to war six months ago almost half did not return. The losses that weighed the heaviest in my heart were: Tristan; Indira; Bill Compton. There were many others. Bertrand of Indiana; Judith; Alcide Herveaux; Dillon Brigant; Isabelle and John of Texas; Betty Joe and Russell of Texas all died in battle.

In retrospect Sophie-Anne's vision of a world without monarch came into fruition. The governing systems of the vampire world had been titivated. While the territories of Amun; Zeus; Narayana; Moshup remained there were no more individual states within them. The eldest vampires in those territories were given equal responsibilities and power with in it that they shared with a member representative of the two natured.

Another drastic change came in the form of VABSO or Vampire And Bi Species Organization formerly known as AVL. The new acronym wasn't catchy but it was progress, progress that made all our future brighter by placing us on equal footing. There would be a place for fairies or demons if ever they chose to make their presence known to the world. No one of us would ever stand alone against any threat. The sacrifices of our fallen comrades would not be in vain.

THE END

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***Notes from the Author***

Wait there's more!

…During my bout with writers block while I was writing this FF I hadn't been sitting on my thumbs. I have been developing another story. It is all human and as a special gift for my avid reviewers and you lovely readers know who you are. You are getting the first bite!

So once again a great big thank you and if you enjoy my writing I would love to have you add me to you Favorite authors to see what I do next. Even with school on the horizon I will write!

ElfChef signing off...Until next time ladies and gentlemen!

Muuuuuuuuaaaaaahhhhh!