| FORTY-ONE |
TRADE MY LIFE AWAY

Eira was unconscious for most of the day and the eclipse lasted until night filled the sky. When she woke up, she blinked her eyes open tiredly to find herself on her bed.

"Eira," she heard his voice before she was wrapped in a hug by Eric. "I thought...You scared me."

"I'm sorry," she apologized as she hugged him back.

They stayed wrapped in the other's embrace for a long moment. Then Eric pulled away slightly to caress her cheeks, "You were bleeding. You kept bleeding."

"I did?" she furrowed her eyebrows.

He nodded, "I did my best to stop it."

He held up a towel soaked in her blood, "I gave you my blood but you didn't heal. So I just had to wait. How do you feel?"

"I'm okay now," she gave him a reassuring smile.

"Good," he smiled. "I don't like being afraid for you."

"You don't have to be," she promised and he seemed to accept it as he grabbed her hand and kissed her fingertips. She knew her Eric wouldn't have been so easily fooled.

Because Eira still felt drained like a black hole had opened up inside her chest. She felt weak and tired. She started to wonder about the power she was blessed with. She wondered if she completed what she was born to do that it would kill her. It made sense. The ultimate power for the ultimate price.

_____

When it became nightfall, the eclipse disappeared. She found out from Sookie that Bill was meeting with the witch in the cemetery at midnight. Eira intended to go. She felt much better now and only felt a little bit uneasy along with being a little short of breath sometimes.

"I don't think you should go," Eric argued. "If you want to fight the witch, allow me to fight for you."

"Eric, I'm going," she said with an air of finality. "If this witch is so powerful then no vampire stands a chance. Only someone like me could do something to stop her and I intend to. But I think you should stay."

"No. Absolutely not," he grabbed her hand. "I go where you go."

She stared at him softly as she tightened her grip on his hand before she promised, "Alright. Together and then...then forever."

            "Forever?"

          "When this is all over, I'm ready to spend forever with you," Eira said. "When this is all over, I want you to make me like you. I don't care if I lose the sun. I just want you."

         He smiled before he kissed her shortly. Then he muttered against her lips a promise, "Forever."

____

They went to Bill's house first to inform him they were joining him. They had to wait in the living room before he greeted them.

        "Sorry to keep you waitin', and uh, I don't have much time, so what can I do for you?" Bill said.

       "We're here to fight against the witches with you," Eira informed. "Plus, that witch will be far more interested in me than you."

        "Because of the eclipse?" Bill guessed. "That was quite a feat. It's been all over the news."

           "Yes, it was extraordinary," Eric said. "I keep asking her if she's a goddess and she keeps saying no."

          "Eric," she blushed as she scolded to get him back on track.

           Bill couldn't help but smile a bit before he stated, "Well, I do not intend to fight. I want peace."

        "But you're prepared for war?" Eric questioned.

       "Of course. But I'm not convinced we will win."

           "Well, war isn't about whether you think you can win, it's about being willing to die for something you believe is worth dying for," Eric argued.

      She stared at Eric for a moment. She was always willing to die for him and she knew he was willing to do the same for her. Perhaps, they both contained a little bit of war in their souls for each other.

          "It will be war, Bill," Eira said. "And the witch will die."

      Bill stared at them for a moment before he nodded, "Thank you."

       Eric bowed his head, "My liege."

       Eira looked at Eric like he'd grown a second head and then at Bill before she spoke, "Yeah, I'm not saying that. You're an ass but an ass I'll fight beside."

         Bill chuckled, "Very well then."

         ______

       They congregated in the cemetery hidden in the darkness. Eira found out Sookie was fighting as well and, of course, Pam. When Bill gave the signal, they came out but Bill had even more people waiting in the wings.

As soon as Eira stepped out with Eric, Marnie directed her gaze towards the white-haired beauty. Eric placed an arm out in front of Eira protectively as he noticed.

Marnie spoke, "It is you. You enacted the eclipse. You have very strong magic."

"Stronger than yours," Eira replied.

"Why do you protect these monsters?" Marnie questioned.

"Not all of them are," Eira responded. "And considering you want to wipe out all vampires, you are a monster yourself or do you not look in the mirror?"

Pam chuckled, "I love when she's sassy."

"Pam!" Bill shushed.

Marnie glared at Eira before redirecting her gaze back on Bill, "Describe this peaceful resolution to me."

"We will never harm you again.
Anyone who has done so has been commanded to desist, or they will face the true death. In return, I only ask that you remove the spells from my two subjects here."

"You say you are willing to execute those who have harmed me, but you bring them to me, and you ask me to remove spells I placed on them in self-defense," Marnie questioned. "All for a promise that I'll never be harmed again."

"Yes."

"I have your word for this?"

"I swear it."

"Bill, she's casting a spell!" Sookie shouted.

"Demoness!" Marnie glared at Sookie as she raised her arms to reveal more of her followers while Bill gave the order for the rest of his soldiers to come out. "Now!"

"You may have dominion over us, but you do not over the living," Bill said as red lasers from the guns his guards were holding pointed at Marnie. "Surrender now and no one will be hurt."

Marnie only chuckled and Eric vamp sped to a blonde follower standing behind the witch where he pulled out her heart. He held it up towards the witch as a threat to surrender. But Marnie only started to chant and a deep fog rolled in.

Eira immediately ran forward to try to find Marnie. She stood in the spot the witch had stood in but she was gone. She let out a yell of frustration before running through the fog trying to find Marnie or Eric.

"Eric!" she called as she stumbled over tombstones in the fog while the shots of bullets rang in her ears. She came upon two of the followers of Marnie trying to kill Bill as he shouted for Sookie which meant she was in danger.

     She immediately raised her hand and the two followers went flying back through the air before falling and toppling over tombstones. Bill removed the silver from around his neck before nodding his thanks and then he sped off.

          Eira continued through the fog until she finally found Marnie except she found Eric, too. He was kneeling in front of her with a subdued expression as Marnie cackled while patting his head.

           "Get yours hands off of him!" Eira shouted.

           "Of course," Marnie raised her hands in surrender before she laughed. "But he is my vampire now."

           "Attack her!" Marnie commanded.

          Eira felt her eyes widen as Eric flew at her with vampire speed, knocking her to the ground. She felt him bite and tear into her neck as she screamed.

              Eira pushed against him and thought of the wind which made him go flying back to land at the feet of Marnie. She glared at the witch and thought of her burning.

               Marnie yelped as she looked down at her hands starting to boil. Then she raised her arms and chanted something before she and Eric disappeared.

            "You bitch!" Eira yelled as she got up, clutching her neck. "Come and face me!"

            But the fog had started to slowly disappear and Eira kicked the ground in frustration. The witch was gone and...so was Eric.

            _____

         Daylight came soon enough. She spent the day deliberating over what to do. The witch had Eric under her control. She had to free him somehow.

         Eira could kill the witch but she was not sure if that would lift the spell over Eric. After all, the house of her grandmother in New Orleans had still been invisible to Eric even after she died. She wasn't sure what spells died with death and what did not.

        No, Eira wanted guarantees that all spells would be removed from Eric. She could only see one path in her mind. So the next night she went to the Moon Goddess Emporium to fulfill it.

         She entered through the front door, completely unafraid. Marnie was surprised as she came to the front but the rest of the people in the back were barred from following; there seemed to be some sort of spell that kept them there.

          "You have a lot of nerve to come here," Marnie said. "I assume to kill me?"

          "No," Eira uttered. "I'm here to trade."

          "Trade what?"

          "My magic," Eira glared. "I have the power to kill all vampires. I will let you channel me and you can fulfill what you've always wanted to do."

           Marnie started to smirk, "And what do you want for this?"

          "Eric," she stated. "You are to release him and remove all spells. He's also one of the vampires that are to be left alive on this Earth along with a few others."

           Marnie responded all too quickly, "Done."

           _____

              They went outside with Eric. She was so relieved to see him. Her plan was working. Once Marnie removed the spells, she'd burn the witch and everything would be over.

            "Walk and do not stop," Marnie commanded.

           "We had a deal!" Eira glared at the witch.

           "In a moment," Marnie waved her hand at her to shush.

         Eric started to walk and did not stop. She kept her eyes on him as Marnie started to chant. Then her voice stopped.

           Eric had stopped in the empty street. Memories had filled his head with surprising speed. He immediately turned his head in alarm, "Eira."

             Eric vamp sped back towards them but was forced to stop. An orange wispy shield suddenly surrounded the place before it became invisible.

            Eira felt her lips part in surprise before she turned to the witch, planning to turn her to ash. But Marnie had already chanted a curse in her mind; a sleeping curse.

          Eira fell to the ground, unconscious. Eric took a step closer but didn't dare move the past where he saw the shield. He stared at Eira in worry before glaring at Marnie, "What the fuck did you do to her?"

            "She is merely asleep," Marnie said before cackling. "And after tomorrow, all of you vampires will never sleep again. All thanks to her, you will all burn."

             Then Marnie raised her arms and she disappeared along with Eira back inside.