Disclaimer: I don't own true blood.

BETA: The amazing suzymeinen

The wind, and blades of grass, and creatures of the night danced and swayed in a musical chorus that only one such as she could truly appreciate. The tendrils of the weeping willow that hid her rustled with laughter as she lay on her back and closed her eyes, enjoying the sounds that the circle of life evoked. The scent of the freshly cut grass wafted through the air and reminded her of the prairies of her long lost home; a home that she would never see again.

She pushed the thought away and sighed a happy sigh as she again became lost in the never-ending connection that all life enjoyed. It was all intertwined, and the roots of life went so deep in the Earth that even she could barely fathom it.

The tree branches groaned in protest and everything became eerily silent as the night froze with uneasiness. Even the autumn breeze momentarily stilled as a harrowed awareness blanketed the area. So tangible was it, nothing was immune to the influence of power and dominance that crackled in the air. She sat up and brushed the leaves out of her golden hair. He was here.

He had come.

Sierra moved to the trunk of the willow and peered through the umbrella of branches that brushed the soft ground. The spindly boughs attempted to hide her from a danger they were sure she did not fully understand. She was frozen, like a statue in the shadows as she waited with anticipation and wonder. Reaching down she retrieved her sunglasses and put them on so her eyes would not glint in the darkness, a trait unique to the Fae. Her shining eyes were sure to alert the approaching creature of her presence as she hid obscured behind a waterfall of leafy tendrils.

The vampire came to this park on the same day, at the same time, every week, unaware of how much she treasured his visits. She had first noticed him six months ago as she lay in the grass, gazing up at the starlit sky. This particular park was always quiet at night which was the reason she had chosen it as her home in the first place. It seemed she was not the only one drawn to its serene beauty. The large lake sparkled in the moonlight and the vampire always sat on the bench staring out blankly, as if he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.

She pitied him. His aura told a century old story that only one such as she could recognize. He had been cursed long ago, at least a century she estimated, by some sort of dark magic. The caster was most likely a witch and had long since died of old age. In all honesty, she was surprised the curse had not compelled him to suicide decades ago. This vampire must be strong with an iron will to have endured such a miserable curse for so long.

He was so drowned in sorrow and self-loathing, and his need for peace was so great that it cut through the atmosphere like a razor-sharp dagger. He seemed to seek refuge as he stared out over the lake, yearning for a contentment that it failed to provide him. His grievous affliction was so vast that it shrouded his otherwise innate senses with a blanket of gloom.

She could mask her scent at will, and out of the drive for survival she had trained herself in stealth since she was a child, making it even harder for him to sense her in his melancholy state. The fact that she was half Fae did not temper her essential spark, and she carried unique gifts like every full-blooded Fairy, but it did diminish her life-span, giving her the life expectancy of a regular human, which was the reason she was cast out of her village and eventually the Fae realm in the first place and brandished an abomination.

Tonight was a special night, because it was the night that Sierra decided she would approach the vampire and strip him of his curse. The danger sent a thrill through her as she slowly mustered her nerve while she waited. She was certain that he would not be able to harm her. She would simply teleport away after her good deed was done and he would not be able to give chase. The hard part was somehow tricking him into letting her touch him, so she could draw the curse out of him and free him of his life of anguish. She was sure if she did not accomplish this task tonight he would end his life very soon. The pain was so evident in his eyes that it made her heart heavy with sadness.

She had been taught from an early age that vampires were nothing more than sadistic monsters with teeth, which would drain her of every drop of blood if she came across one. But she sensed his gentle soul from her first glimpse of him, and it had intrigued her and brought all of her teachings and knowledge into question. It was true, she was young and inexperienced, only being seventeen years old, but she couldn't help but wonder if what she was told of vampires was simply an ancient myth that her people had passed down from generation to generation.

The vampire's life hinged on the very hope that it was indeed a misguided superstition spread by over-zealous Fairies, because if it was anything but a myth, she would swiftly retreat and abandon her task, condemning him to the shell he had been reduced to.

She suppressed a shiver as his form came into view. He was strolling down the sidewalk that led to the bench beside the lake as he always did, his hands in his pockets and his face blank of emotion.

Her nocturnal eyesight was poor since the Fae realm basked in never-ending sunlight, but he was not twenty feet away as he passed her, completely unaware of her presence as she crouched behind the woody boughs.

She held her breath. She did not even dare breathe when he was so close. She was sure one as ancient as he would sense even the modest of noises. She peered up at him as he approached, her face hidden in the shadows. She strained her eyes so she could see his features. His head was turned and he was looking towards the sparkling lake. His soulful blue eyes held a light, even in the darkness that bespoke of his otherworldly nature, as did the golden aura that bathed him like the purest sun. The blades of grass and branches from low hanging trees subtly pulled in his direction as he passed by, indicating the power that wafted off him like invisible waves. The very air seemed to part and the wind died in foreboding as he approached. Every insect and creature of the night became silent as they slunk away from him, sensing a deadly predator on the prowl.

She could not see the features of his face clearly due to her poor night vision but she was sure that he must be as beautiful as the soft aura that danced around him, only broken by the pulsing darkness that hovered over his heart, breaking the otherwise perfect golden light. The darkness was the curse, which she was sure was invisible to him and others of his kind. If he did sense or see it he would have sought to heal it long ago, though she was not sure that any would be able to rid him of it except one of the Earth Fae such as she. She was in tune with the life and souls of every living thing as they hummed in a connected beat that only the Earth Fae could sense, and if need be, heal when tampered with.

Finally, he passed her and strolled along the cement sidewalk that curved towards the lake. She stared after him and noticed the ink marking peeking out of the top of his shirt at the back of his neck. She had noticed it before, but she was not any less curious. Tonight he was wearing a long sleeved grey shirt that softly clung to his body and a pair of brown cargo pants. The clothes made him look youthful but his demeanor and the way he moved told her how weary he truly was. She could even sense that his life force seemed bland and faded as if he was suffering from malnutrition. The curse had weighed heavy on him as it was undoubtedly intended to do.

Once he reached the bench in front of the lake, he sat down with a long sigh. He sat motionless as he looked over the lake, seemingly lost in the ripples of water that gently fluttered in the breeze and glittered with starlight. His head casually turned when a frog on the opposite bank jumped into the water, causing a small splash.

She slowly rose to her full height as she leaned against the willow she had been hiding under. Now she was far away from him and would have to cross the neatly mowed field to reach him. She looked down at her outfit and suddenly realized that she must look ridiculous and might even raise questions. She wore a simple white sleeveless dress that hemmed in a tattered mess at her upper thighs. She was barefoot since she preferred to feel the cool soil beneath her feet as she walked. Her golden hair was stringy over her shoulders and she reached up and ran her fingers through it. It was still slightly damp since she had bathed in the lake before he came, but she still felt self conscious about her appearance. She raised more than a few eyebrows on the rare occasions that she interacted with humans.

Taking her sunglasses off and sitting them on the ground, she closed her eyes and told herself that no one deserved to be tormented with such an unhappy curse, even if they were a vampire.

She stealthily began to tiptoe down the sidewalk towards the vampire, making no noise as she went. She smiled to herself as she moved beside him. She was about ten feet away when she felt his eyes suddenly on her, but she did not look at him, instead she stared across the lake.

"What a beautiful place," she said with a mischievous smile.

Godric looked across the lake. He didn't know why he came here every week. Perhaps, it was to escape the disturbing things he saw on a nightly basis as Sheriff of Dallas. At least here he could get some semblance of peace as he relaxed into the silence and became mesmerized watching the rippling water. He had been coming here for years, but only for the last six months had he sensed a change. Something was in the air and he could not pinpoint exactly what it was. The air seemed to vibrate with magic. Even more recently he felt a pull in his chest that he had not felt since he gave his Viking the gift of immortal life while he lay dying on his funeral pyre.

He remembered that pull in his chest when he first laid eyes on Eric. It was one of the most momentous occasions of Godric's life. He will never forget it. It was the call of the maker. So beautiful and rare was it that most vampires never felt it, despite the fact they gave out the gift of immortal life like drops of O positive in this new age. An ancient vampire such as himself knew just how dangerous it could be to turn a progeny without the maker call. Such a progeny lacked loyalty and it was not uncommon for them to go insane after the transition. Not every human could handle immortal life and not every human was destine to live forever.

He scoffed. He was one to judge. He himself had turned such a progeny had he not? He turned Nora without the maker call, giving into Eric's pleas. Eric had good intentions. He had hopes of strengthening their blood line and found Nora worthy, but soon the young vampire had parted ways with them and left to seek out her own adventures. It had hurt him and Eric immensely when he was forced to release her, but it was for the best. Now they only sensed her life force thrumming across the bond like a faint whisper on a cheerless wind. The ordeal had taught him and Eric both a lesson that would stay with them until their true death.

An inherent chill crawled up his spine in cautionary warning and he knew well the call of the maker could only be evoked in a vampire if the human was on their death bed or was destine to die soon.

Over the last few weeks this place had an odd way of making him reflect about the nuances of the call as the pull danced in his blood. Though he doubted he could turn another progeny in his hapless state, the sensation still worried him and he could not help but wonder if he had aged so much that his intuitive instincts had forsaken him. There was no one around. Was he meant to turn that frog that jumped in the water just now?

He chuckled a bit under his breath imagining a frog with fangs and his heart immediately hurt, reminding him that he was a monstrous beast no better than a fiend and comparable to the most villainous hellion. He deserved no joy, let alone the pleasure and fulfillment that a new child would bring him.

He had finally come to a decision. He would present himself to the Fellowship of the Sun and end his intolerable existence at last. He would come face to face with the sun. He imagined it would be a glorious sight and there was no better way for a vampire to meet the true death. In the process, he would leave the world making a positive impact. He would answer for the crimes against humans by offering death himself on their alter as a willing sacrifice. He was after all death incarnate. Over the centuries two dispositions of his nature had emerged: the fearless and dark dealer of death that so many feared and the gentle and wise soul that so many respected. He was once proud of both aspects of his character, but over the last century the darker side had festered inside him and caused such self-loathing that he nearly crumbled under its weight. It was true, he had made many mistakes in his past, but he had always learned and grown from them as every vampire should. Only now did he feel as if every error of his past was a silver nail bitterly driving through his mind with its icy touch, exposing him for the monster he had apparently always been.

He frowned in disgust and was about to stand to make his leave when he felt the air shift beside him. Alarm and a chilly horror raced through him as he realized that someone had ambushed him, evading his exceptional senses, which had never once happened in his 2764 long years.

His mind worked so quickly that his head was not fully turned to look upon his adversary as a million thoughts ran through him. One such thought was a foe had come to slay him and he should acquiesce to the hand that was surely about to strike him down. Another thought was that he should stand up and slaughter the aggressor who dared to violate him. All thoughts came to a stand still as his chest nearly burst with the call of the maker when his eyes fell upon her delicate form. This was no nemesis come to end his baneful existence, it was an angel. His mind went completely blank and he froze in raw shock. He took in the sight of her golden locks as they bounced on the breeze, her white dress as it fluttered behind her, her charming beauty that put the heavens to shame.

"What a beautiful place," she said without even turning to look at him, her lips curving upward.

His mouth parted as he tried to process what was happening through a cloud of confusion. His blood churned and raced through him with the unmistakable maker call. He put his hand on the back of the bench and faced her slightly. Drawing in a sharp breath, he surveyed her profile while she gazed across the water.

His fangs slid out uncontrollably as every cell in his body vibrated with pleasure. He was sure that if he died the true death that very moment than he would die the happiest vampire that ever walked the Earth. Then a sharp pain so intense shot through his heart telling him he was a fool, telling him he was not right, that vampires were not right, and that he was a sadistic animal for even considering contaminating such a beautiful creature as she.

His lips started to tremble as he fought the noxious feelings that rumbled within him like rolling thunder across a thick sky.

She looked over her shoulder at him and their eyes locked. The internal conflict within him raged to new heights as they stared at each other. He inhaled deeply through his nostrils only to realize she carried no scent, which must have contributed to her ability to catch him off guard.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her smile fading slightly as she faced him fully with cautious yet graceful movements.

His eyes studied her face as he tried to ignore the pain in his heart. She was truly beautiful in every sense of the word, a radiant natural beauty that seemed to blend with the Earth itself. Her hair was long and a few shades darker than Eric's, which made him wonder if she was of Scandinavian descent. But her shorter stature made him think twice. Eric's people tended to be on the taller side and she could be no more than five-two at the most. Her silver-blue eyes gave her an almost other worldly appearance but her pupils were heavily dilated which diminished the effect.

"I was surprised," he finally admitted in a hushed whisper. He could not seem to bring his full voice out as he took in the sight of her.

Her pink lips curved upward in another smile, showing rows of white teeth. She reached down and twirled a tattered piece of her skirt. Her antics made her seem more youthful than she was which was already extremely young. He figured she could be no more than a score old.

Nervously she reached up and scratched her nose, which was adorned with a splattering of light freckles only a few shades darker than her tanned skin. Her entire body shined in the moonlight in the most inviting and alluring ways. He realized she was staring at his fangs and he made a great effort to retract them but found he could not.

"I will not harm you," he said softly in a voice he hoped sounded reassuring. "Do not fear me."

She shrugged unconcerned as another splashing frog caught her attention. Her naïve nature vexed him, and he thought surely she must know that he was vampire. She had already caught sight of his looming fangs and yet they did not illicit anxiety as they usually did, even from the most acclimated humans in the supernatural community.

"I wonder if I can catch one," she said squinting towards the opposite bank at the croaking frogs. "I can't see them but I can hear them singing."

Without even thinking Godric shot to the opposite side of the bank and gathered up four frogs in his hands before shooting back towards her.

"A gift," he said, holding them out to her, yet far enough away that he hoped he didn't scare her.

She laughed in a cute voice that delighted him. That delight was soon followed by another pang of self-loathing and he grimaced.

"Thanks!" she giggled as she reached out towards him.

When their hands brushed he felt his pain shed away from him like a thousand tiny caresses. She took a step closer to him and looked deeply into his eyes as her hand rested on his. He furrowed his brow as his worldly burdens seemed to wither away in the wind.

Soon he found himself smiling widely at her and he had no clue why. He was sure he had not felt so full of freedom and vitality in at least a hundred years. Finally she withdrew her hand and stepped away from him. Out of sheer excitement and his need for answers he tried to close the distance between them by treading closer but she stepped back again.

"What did you just do to me, child?" he asked in wonderment, the maker pull drawing him to her like a moth to a flame. His hands were still ridiculously held out in front of him as three tiny frogs shook in fright in his palms. One had already managed to escape when she took his pain away.

There was a loud laugh on the other side of the park which caused him to snap his head to the side, his possessive and protective nature for his future child already coming to life. It would seem two humans had decided to take a night stroll and interrupt their captivating encounter.

He looked back to her, about to apologize. For what? He knew not, but he would say anything to engage her further. To his dismay, she had vanished. He quickly spun around in bewilderment and searched the surroundings, flaring his nostrils wildly to no avail. She had no scent.

His blood still churned relentlessly with the maker pull and he almost panicked, fearing for her safety. He knew just how dire the situation was. The call of the maker was only possible if she was near death. Though he knew she looked perfectly healthy an uncomfortable feeling coiled in his chest as the call became even stronger, an ominous warning to him of her impending fate.

He spun around and saw two men come into sight down the sidewalk; the source of the howling laughter he had heard seconds ago.

They noticed him too and stopped laughing as they came to a halt. He finally dropped the frogs and hissed at them, causing them to scream and make a hasty retreat. He was angry that they had caused him to lose sight of his future child. No feeling was more precious or rare or strong than the call of the maker and it was nearly enough to send him into a frightful frenzy in search of her.

"Where are you?" He called. "I will not harm you, child. You have my word."

He closed his eyes and listened but heard nothing, not even the creatures of the night that went silent when he called into the air. Shooting up into the sky he searched the park from an aerial view for his child but she was nowhere in sight.

Several more times that night he landed in the park and called out to her but she never answered. He was a skilled tracker, able to use his heightened senses to hunt, even more so than the typical vampire, so he went into predator mode as the beast in him erupted to the surface. Despite this, he only managed to find her footsteps leading from the trees to the bench and mysteriously vanishing where he last saw her standing. He found a pair of sunglasses in the trees where her footsteps had begun and it only made him more curious. There were no other clues about who she was or where she had gone. He was at a loss as dawn approached. Finally, he reluctantly took to the sky to head back to his compound.

As he flew through the night a plethora of emotions crashed down on him, and he realized what exactly he had lost. Receiving the maker call was a blessing within itself but receiving it twice in one's lifetime was a true gift that very few enjoyed. It is true, many vampires had several progenies turned without the pull, but it was extremely hard to garner the loyalty, love, faith, and companionship a progeny born of the maker call would provide.

This young woman was extraordinary beyond all measure. Her very touch seemed to melt away his thirst for death, and he found for the first time in a century that he felt like himself again. He soon found himself opening the bond back up to his child Eric and he was immediately bombarded with curiosity and shock as their connection flared back to life. Eric prodded the bond cautiously at first before diving into Godric's emotions in search for answers. It was only a skill that came with a millennium of practice that allowed Eric to so expertly search his maker for answers.

Godric smiled as he landed at the compound and made his way to the door and Eric's interest peaked even higher at his mirth, unaccustomed to such feelings from Godric. But the mirth from Godric was soon replaced by worry and fear as he thought about the young woman he was pulled to. She was alone somewhere out there, unprotected and vulnerable and the pull told him she was not long for this world. A sudden thought came to him that she was probably homeless, as evidence by the state of her dress. He wondered if she was even human and he ran through everything that happened. She had seemingly disappeared in thin air, she held no scent, and she lifted a darkness from him that had shrouded him for so very long. Eric bounced around his feelings trying to make sense of them as Godric analyzed everything that had happened.

Finally the cell phone in his pocket began to vibrate and he didn't need a maker's bond to know who it was.

"Eric," he answered in a cheery voice that sounded strange to even him. "Why do I have the pleasure of this call?"

"You know why," the Viking quipped, but Godric could tell his child was smiling. "What has happened?"

"I gifted some frogs to a beautiful woman but she disappeared."

"So it's true then. Vampires do go senile with age," Eric sassed.

"That is due to a nosy and stubborn child. Not age," Godric retorted with a smile as he made his way down the stairs that led to the subterranean level of his compound.

"Truly though, Master. What has caused you to re-open the bond and be full of so much hope? Not that I am complaining, but I have not sensed such things from you in at least a century."

"Tonight I felt the makers call."

There was a potent silence between them. "Seriously?" Eric's finally said, his voice laced with disbelief and amazement. "You are going to ground tonight with a new child?"

"No," Godric chewed on the inside of his cheek. "You know that I will not turn an unwilling progeny, even with the pull."

"So this beautiful woman denied you?" He was in shock and his voice showed a hint of disgust. "Even when you gave her the frogs?" He added in sarcasm when Godric didn't immediately answer.

Godric paused in thought as he punched in the code to the door of his sleeping chamber. "In truth, I do not know."

"She would rather be left to her fate? Did she not feel the pull in return? Is she with you now?" Eric's questions came quickly as he felt Godric's worry.

"Do you know of any supernatural creature that possesses the ability to disappear into thin air, has no scent, and…"

"And what?"

"Can heal despair." Godric knew of no other way to phrase what she had done to him. "And possibly has poor nocturnal eyesight." He remembered that she said she could not see the frogs but could hear them and her eyes were fully dilated as if they were trying to soak up as much light from the moon and stars as possible.

"Niall Brigant is able to mask his scent and he can disappear via teleportation." Eric paused. "Are you saying this woman is a fairy?"

Godric's fangs immediately slid out and he heard the distinct click of fangs on the other end of the phone that mirrored his own. He reached up and wiped his palm over his mouth slowly in a downward motion before speaking. "The Fae are creatures born of the light so it would make sense that they would have poor nocturnal vision," Godric thought aloud and his heart fell heavy. No vampire would ever have the self control to turn a fairy. They would immediately drain them.

"A fairy would never go near a vampire. Even Niall keeps his distance. Did she have pointy ears?"

Godric thought back to his encounter with her and remembered staring at the profile of her face as she gazed over the lake. "No, her ears were visibly human."

"So are Sookie's."

"Who?"

"I have recently made the acquaintance of a delectable woman in my area and I believe her to be part fairy. She has the ability of telepathy and is immune to a vampire's glamour. She also has the most intoxicating scent. Perhaps this woman of yours is only partly fairy like Sookie."

"And you do not fear you will drain this Sookie when you come in contact with her?"

"No," Eric said seductively. Godric could hear the slight movement of a mattress as Eric lay down and sank in comfortably. "I believe that since she is only part fairy, if I'm correct in my assumptions, that I am able to control myself around her. In fact, she is claimed by another vampire…" He growled and his voice turned sullen. "And he has fed from her. An annoying inconvenience that I will soon remedy."

"It would be accurate to surmise then, that perhaps fairies possess gifts that are unique to each individual, similar to how vampires possess unique gifts," Godric mused as he thought how his future child can teleport and this other presumed fairy named Sookie has the ability of telepathy.

"Do you want me to fly to Dallas when I rise and help you search for her?"

"No. For now I do not wish to frighten her away with the presence of more vampires. It is my intention to convince her that I will not harm her or force myself upon her." Perhaps at the very least she would allow him to befriend her. The thought that he may never see her again stung Godric at his very core.

"If you change your mind than you know that I am at your disposal."

"Of course, my child."

"And I'm glad to have you back," Eric said fondly, his voice ever so slightly faltering. "You have been sorely missed."

Godric sighed, unsure what to say since he himself did not fully understand the implications behind the disparaging and dark thoughts that had plagued him for so long. A shudder ran through him as he realized just how close he was to ending his own life and the trauma that would have caused Eric. He had many questions that he intended to find the answers for. The self-loathing and despair he had felt seemed to be completely gone. He knew that he had most likely wounded his child deeply when he closed the bond and parted ways with him shortly after World War II. Their relationship would require delicate repair.

"Know that I do not have the answers to my past actions, my child. But that you have always been in my heart and not far from my thoughts."

Eric sighed and a long silence hung between them before he spoke. "I wish to see you."

"Soon, my child. For now we must go to rest for the day."

"Yes, Master," Eric said in a broken voice then he ended the call. Godric was sure it was to prevent him from hearing any further emotion in his voice and he couldn't help but smile since he knew everything Eric felt from the bond. His Viking had always believed that any display of emotion made him look weak, unless it was anger or pleasure.

Godric went to rest that day with his last thought being that of hope as he reveled in the feeling of his blood dancing with the thrill of the maker call. Tomorrow he would rise and return to the park where he had met the enchanting youngling that provoked his soul as only one other had ever done. He would return night after night until he found her and had the opportunity to speak to her again.

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