I DON'T OWN SOUTHERN VAMPIRE MYSTERIES OR ANY RESEMBLANCE THEREOF.

I THINK I'M GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE FF WRITING BREAK. I AM GOING TO GO BACK AND RE-WORK MY FIRST STORY THOUGH. I'LL STILL BE AROUND LADIES, JUST MEANS I HAVE MORE TIME FOR TWEETING AND FORUM-ING. I POUNCE AND FOOZLE EVERY LAST ONE OF YA!

THIS WAS VERY HARD TO WRITE. I DON'T LIKE VIOLENCE, BUT IT HAD TO BE WRITTEN AND I KNEW FOR A WHILE WHAT WAS COMING, MAYBE SOME OF YOU DID AS WELL.

BEFORE I SAY GOODBYE, I NEED TO THANK EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO REVIEWED. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH IT MEANS TO ME THAT YOU WERE MOVED ENOUGH TO LET ME KNOW.

TO EVERYONE WHO MADE THIS STORY (OR ME FOR THAT MATTER) A FAVORITE, I'M REALLY HONORED.

TO ANYONE ELSE WHO READ THIS, I HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED IT.

TO MY LOVELY LOVELY BETA, MS. HOPESTREET. THANK YOU FOR BEING MY PERSONAL COMA NAZI, THE TIME AND CARE YOU PUT INTO THIS IS SO VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. KISSES.

AND NOW, THE EPILOGUE. CIAO KIDDIES, IT'S BEEN FUN!

Epilogue

"Good afternoon, it's time for the Author's Corner here on NPR, I'm Judith Levine your host, and we're here with Sookie Northman, author of the widely popular Charlaine Harris Series. Now Mrs. Northman, first off, congratulations on the immense success of your books."

"Thank you so much Judith, but please call me Sookie."

"Alright then, Sookie, I'm sure some of our audience might be curious as to why a romance novelist is on the show, but they shouldn't be. Besides being immensely entertaining and well-written, the stunning historical accuracy and innate detail that you present readers with has given you not only romance readers, but history buffs as well."

"Thank you. It was a surprise to me too. I started out with the first book almost as a dare to myself. I loved writing, and I loved romance novels, and I just thought I should give it a go. I had no idea that it would become the phenomenon that it has."

"Yes, in fact only a year after the first book was published, the first studio-length feature film was made."

"That was a shock! I don't think I fully understood how popular the book had become until the movie was released and was a hit."

"Now I've heard that this most recent book in the series, an adventure in Viking-era Europe in the 900's, 'Gray Skies' is be the last? Say it ain't so!"

"Judith, I'm afraid it is. As I'm sure you and my readers know, this series is the story of Charlaine and Leif; a pair who have been destined for each other through the ages. I started in Victorian Europe, and traveled back in time with each novel… this latest book is the beginning of their story. The start."

"So you end with the beginning?"

"Yes, exactly."

"Well all good things must come to an end."

"They do indeed."

"Now, many have said how similarly the lead characters resemble both yourself and your husband."

"I've never denied the fact that I based the characters on us. When thinking of the perfect leading man, the first image was always my husband."

"Speaking of which, I hear that you and your husband will be celebrating your 10th wedding anniversary in a few months. Let me be the first to congratulate you."

"Oh, thank you so much!"

"Sookie, let me ask you: I know that your eldest daughter, Elsa is 8, and your son, David is 4, correct?"

"Yes, we've been very blessed."

"Do they know what mommy does? What mommy writes about?"

"Well, they know Mommy writes books and that they're not for kids. But as for the topics, no they don't. Eric and I have decided that they can read them when they're 18, but I'm sure they'll find a way to get their hands on them before then."

"I hear that you've already decided on the topic for your next book?"

"Yes. We've just bought a huge ramshackle farmhouse near my hometown in Louisiana. And, for better or worst, we're going to try to fix it up ourselves… with the kids, and the dogs, and all. I'm going to keep a journal about it; hopefully I can make it into a book people would want to read."

"A departure from your past repertoire."

"Yes. But I don't know that I could, or would, try to top the Charlaine Harris series. I think I might be retiring the romance novel, at least for a while."

"Well, I'm sure whatever you decide to write will be a success. Your fans are devoted."

"They certainly are."

"I hear you have a surprise for us."

"Well Judith, I was so honored that you asked me to be on the show, that I thought I'd share the short treatment I wrote for myself about the final book."

"That's wonderful! So exciting! So we'll be getting the condensed version, the cliffs notes, if you will, of 'Gray Skies'?"

"Yes, exactly."

"Well then, Sookie, please take it away."

"She was standing on a rocky gray shore, watching a huge wooden ship. As it sailed away from her, she could hear the men singing in unison as they rowed. She wondered if Leif was singing as well. She was wearing a thick wool dress and a matching shawl wrapped around her. Her hair was loose and whipping in the wind. She waved at the large wooden boat in vain; she knew he could longer see her. She could barely make out the sound of men singing anymore. Suddenly, she felt a wave of sadness wash over her. When the cold wind rushed by her, she fell to her knees and cried loudly, her whole body shaking. Something was wrong. It felt like goodbye.

Although Leif was in fact singing, his heart wasn't in it. His heart was on that quickly vanishing shore, in Charlaine's hands. He would have done anything in his power not to leave, not to set out to siege and kill. But it was his duty, and he couldn't disappoint his people. He sang to keep the men under his command excited and to ready them for the battle ahead. He had to soldier on. There was no other option. She never even protested. She knew what loving him meant. She knew that at any moment, he would have to take control, move out, face men equally as strong and skilled as he in battle.

As he looked at the shore, he thought he could almost still see a flash of blonde hair blowing in the wind. Like gold shimmering on the beach. It was she. His brave, beautiful, suffering wife. She was his everything, and nothing pained him more than leaving her, but he had to. He was born a prince amongst his people. His father had been their leader, their king, and when Leif was born, all those duties were naturally bestowed upon him. He had never thought twice about his role or about his destiny until he had met her.

She and her family had escaped a horde of solders that ransacked her village. Her father and brother were killed, and this brave singular woman had made it across frigid waters and barren lands with her mother and small sister looking for sanctuary. He was 17; she was 16. He knew from the moment he saw her that she was his. He married her only months later. They spent a week in bed together, lavishing each other's bodies with kisses, touches, and sweet acts of love.

Their existence was blessed and peaceful until… until.

A year later the same horde that had killed her family rushed the town without warning. Chaos ensued. There were countless deaths, rapes and murders. But perhaps none more tragic than his father, the king, their leader. It was suddenly up to Leif to take the reigns. They both knew what needed to happen next. A king could not be murdered without retaliation. It was honor and duty. It was Leif's honor and duty, and his next step would be a painful one.

He would leave to secure his father's honor and legacy. He would leave her to fight and possibly face his death. She never let him see her cry, never once. But she would steal away to weep, gasping for air. She was weeping now on a cold barren shore. Frigid water soaked her dress, shawl and hair. She would get sick, but she couldn't tear herself away from that shore until the boat was no longer in sight.

Weeks passed. Lonely weeks. Sad weeks. Always that nagging feeling of the end would take over her, and she would shudder. When the she heard the horns blowing, she almost let herself smile… it was him! He had returned! But when she heard the first scream, she knew better. It wasn't Leif, it was the enemy. She knew right then and there that her sense of foreboding was ill-conceived. It wasn't his end that she was about to face... it was her own.

Leif's raid had been a success. He had lost only a few men and reciprocated the death of his father with the murder of their leader. They were sailing home. He would be with her again. It was days into their journey when a sailor noticed the ship. An enemy ship. They were ahead of them! How they could have forged forward so much faster than they was a mystery, but they had no time to ponder it now.

His only thought was with her. If he couldn't make it time… he couldn't think that way! He started singing loudly to fortify his own nerves. His men soon joined in, but the attempt was futile. He wouldn't be alright until he had her in his arms again. He and his men could only ever strive to keep the enemy ship within sight. They were never able to catch up.

When the enemy ship made shore before they could, Leif almost jumped into the freezing water to swim to her. He was certain that he could make it to shore before the ship. Luckily his best friend and advisor talked him out of it. He was right of course; Leif would be of no use to Charlaine if he was frozen solid, or dead at the bottom of the ocean.

Charlaine could only hope that she would be able to see him one last time before she died. They stormed the house. Her attempt to keep them away with a sword was laughable, but she had to try. They knew who she was. She was in the largest house, with the nicest pelts, best woolen clothes, and even two young boys keeping watch outside. They dispatched the poor boys with one fell swoop of their weapons and made their way to her. Although she didn't go as easily as they had hoped, she was theirs now.

They took her to the meeting house. The large stone house was used for gatherings, religious affairs, and the happiest events in their community. It was sadly ironic that this place of smiles and hope and laughter would be the place of her death. Three men dragged her kicking and screaming all the way. Many tried to stop them along the way, but the strongest and most capable men were with Leif.

One of the men slapped her until she quieted. Her breath had been knocked out of her. Savagely, forcefully, they tore the clothes from her body. Laughing the whole time, they took turns violating her. She simply shut her mind down. She thought back to the first time she saw Leif, to the way his smile always calmed her. She thought about the children that would have had. She thought about spring flowers and the love they had shared.

She could feel herself slipping away. Their rough actions, their abuse were slowly making it harder and harder for her to hold on. If only she could see him one more time she repeated to herself. Hold on just a little longer…

He made it to shore and ran faster than any man ever had. He killed anyone in his way. He had lost count how many, but nothing would keep him from her now. He made it to their house to see the slain boys and knew she had been taken. He screamed a terrible gut wrenching scream. He tore through the house and ran back outside. His men had caught up with him and were finishing off the last of the enemy as his head spun in terror and panic. Where was she! Where! He looked around. Everything was on fire or ruined except for the meeting house. It was there, untouched, with the door open. Was that it? Is that were she was? He ran, tripping over debris and bleeding moaning bodies as he went.

There in the corner were three men laughing. One was bent over a body, a woman. He was pounding into her as if she were a straw doll. "NO!" he screamed. He ran forth knowing it was Charlaine. Sword out and blood boiling, he ran his sword into the half naked man who was bent over her. The enemy stopped and spit out one last breath. As he collapsed, the two other men lunged at Leif. Between his rage and heat, they were no match for him. He threw one off his back, slamming him into the hard stone wall. The other he faced and in one quick move sliced open his throat.

The man he had thrown began to crawl toward him. He stopped him by pinning him to the ground with his sword… straight through his back. He was covered in blood and screamed again in a bloody rage. It wasn't until he heard a small breath in the corner that he came crashing back. There lay his wife, the woman he loved more anything. She was naked, back and blue, and seemed half in this world and half in another.

He ran to her, pulling the fur off his back to cover her. He sat down and pulled her onto his lap. She couldn't be sure then. But, was he there? She tried to look, to turn her head, but she no longer had the strength. She could swear she could hear him weeping. She wanted to calm his tears. She wanted to tell him it was all right now, nothing hurt, not when she was in his arms.

She was being rocked back and forth. The movement was so calming, so soothing. She felt herself slipping away more and more with every minuscule breath. It was the end. She was with him, though, and that was all she wanted. He knew this was it. Her body couldn't keep working anymore. He held her and rocked her slowly. All he wanted for her now was to be comfortable, to be at ease.

Before she left him forever, he made a promise aloud to her, to the gods, to whoever was listening.

"I'll find you, do you hear me? I'll ever let you go again! No matter the time or place my love, I promise… I will always find you."

She smiled as her spirit left her body, knowing that his words were the truth: she would see him again in another life in another land.