It was the fall of 1944 and all in all it was proving to be a wonderful time. The war in Europe was still raging, but Eric could feel that it would soon be coming to a close.
He and Pam had travelled to Europe several years prior so that he could return to Sweden, where he had not been in many decades. When Pamela had revealed that she was in fact British by birth he had suggested that they return for a visit. She reluctantly agreed and so for the past three years they had toured the British isles, thoroughly enjoying the chaos the war was creating.
This November evening found the two of them in a tiny English alley. They were enjoying a stroll and had made a stop for a quick snack.
"See?" Eric remarked to his progeny. "Home is not nearly so painful when you are no longer living."
"Perhaps we could seek out some of my former acquaintances?" Pam asked hopefully. They generally tried not to create more of a stir than necessary, but there were quite a few people that she'd like to kill if given the opportunity. "I know we try not to kill-," Pam continued, but was cut off by her maker.
"I think we can make an exception this time," Eric decided. He knew he'd made the right decision when Pam beamed at him in response. "If any of them are still alive, that is."
"I hope so," Pam said, drawing closer to him. She looked up at her maker, knowing her love for him was shining out through her eyes. Over the past (almost) four decades they had grown close. While he had at first been unsure about having a progeny he soon proved himself to be a brilliant maker. He had always guided her and taken care of her and she had been surprised to find she had grown to love him, an emotion she had never been able to feel in her human life. She would do anything for him, and she knew without him saying that he would do anything for her as well.
He wrapped his arms around her small waist and drew her up against him. He marveled at how tall she was for a woman, something that had drawn her to him as he'd stalked her for days before their first meeting. Without having to bend down much, he met her lips with his own. They continued kissing sweetly for long moments, their passion having cooled somewhat over the years, until a voice in the alley broke them apart.
"I see you are well," Godric spoke, amused to see his son wooing women as he always did.
Eric pulled away abruptly from the vampire in his arms, shocked to hear the voice of his maker. He had not seen him in more than a century but was pleased to be in his presence once more.
He sped the few short paces to where Godric was standing and breathed his name reverently before coming to his knees before him.
"It is good to see you," Eric said.
"It has been many years," Godric smiled.
Meanwhile Pam watched the exchange with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. As Eric rose from his position on the ground, the intruder turned his eyes to her.
"Hello, my dear," he said, allowing his eyes to pass over the woman in front of him. She was attractive, no doubt, but Eric did not generally bed vampires, preferring the company of humans whom he could simply glamour or abandon at will.
"I see you are embracing the changing times," Godric commented, noting her trousers with interest. He was so old that truly nothing surprised him anymore nor did he hold onto any sort of beliefs about women or their "place" as it were. But he could tell this particular vampire was young and most likely her attire was a rather big deal to her.
Pam, however, took Godric's comments to be a critique and immediately found herself defensive. She had dealt with small men for too many years to take his sexist attitude.
"I see that you clearly have no interest in being either progressive or fashionable," she retorted. The child before her wore simple clothes and looked more like a man of the streets than someone Eric would know.
"Pamela!" Eric snapped angrily. "Bite your tongue."
"But-" she began.
"Must I repeat myself?" Eric continued and she fell silent. She hated when Eric was angry at her and could also tell how serious he was being in this moment.
Godric made his way over to Pam and made a slight bow of apology. "I did not mean anything by my statement," he assured. "You look lovely."
Pam was unsure what to do and looked at Eric in askance. He looked at her expectantly.
"Thank you, sir," she responded. "My apologies." She lowered her gaze respectfully, her eyelashes brushing her cheek. Upon raising her gaze once more she found Eric looking at her with approval.
"Godric," Eric said, taking his place at her side. He took her hand in his and she was surprised to feel a faint hum of nervousness from him. "This is Pamela… my progeny."
Godric looked to his son with surprise before his gaze returned to her. He looked at her again, but this time his perusal was more thorough with this new knowledge. Eric had chosen well. She was indeed lovely with her golden hair and bright blue eyes. She towered over Godric and he knew she would have even without the aid of her heels.
All her beauty aside, he was still surprised to learn his only son had made a child. Eric had always been so adamant that he would rather not become a maker, yet here they all stood.
"How old are you, my dear?" Godric asked his grandchild.
Sensing she was being sized up, she replied, "73." She had no idea why this vampire was looking at her like she was the answer to all the secrets of the world but it was beginning to irritate her.
"She lies," Eric hastily added. "She is only 39. Your human years don't count, Pam." He had not told Godric of his new progeny because he was not sure how he would react. He still wasn't sure, but he didn't want his maker to think he'd been sitting on this secret for nearly a century.
His grandchild glared up at her maker, his son, and he tried not to laugh. She was feisty, and he had a feeling that was just what Eric needed.
"She is splendid, my son," Godric said, meaning it. Pam glanced to the short vampire in surprise, finally realizing what was happening. Suddenly Godric found himself on the receiving end of her once-over.
"This is your maker?" Pam exclaimed, glaring at her own maker. "Why did you not say so?" Seriously, he could have saved her some embarrassment. He knew she absolutely hated to be kept in the dark.
"It is an honor," Pam turned to Godric. She might have gotten to her knees as well, but she really did love these trousers. Instead she lowered her head briefly.
Godric gave her a smile before turning his focus completely to Eric.
"I need to speak with you about some matters," Godric informed him.
"Of course," Eric said. "We can return to our temporary home. Pam will lead the way." He pushed on the small of her back to get her to move ahead of them. She nearly argued but knew Eric would not allow it. Instead she did as told with the hope that she could linger and eavesdrop as much as possible.
"I would fly you there, but Pamela is still much too young to have this ability," Eric apologized. "And she hates being held as I do the flying."
"It is no problem," Godric assured.
"What is happening?" Eric asked, in Swedish. His nosy little progeny was doing her best to hear them, he was sure. While he had begun to teach her the language, he knew she would be lost with their conversation. She had only a basic understanding, and a fast-paced conversation was still beyond her.
"I may know where the wolves will be going next," Godric replied, also in Swedish. He could see from the tenseness in Pamela's shoulders that she was listening, and he understood his progeny's desire for this to be a private conversation, though his grandchild's attempts were amusing.
"Where?" Eric immediately asked. He had told Godric of his desire for revenge many centuries ago and so Godric had kept an eye open.
"Germany. I am going there now," he told him. "I had planned for you to come along, but it seems you have other matters at hand."
"I will accompany you," Eric said. "Pam can remain here."
"During the height of the war?" Godric questioned. "She is still too young to be on her own."
Eric wavered for a moment, caught between his desire for revenge and his desire to keep her safe and close.
"I will go," Godric said, taking the decision from his hands. "If I find anything, I will summon you and you may bring her with you."
"Is it not worse in Germany?" Eric asked. Godric could see how concerned Eric was for his new progeny and it pleased him to see the evidence that Eric was shaping up to be a good maker.
"Perhaps," Godric stated. "But at least we will be close if something should happen to her."
Eric nodded, understanding his reasoning. If Eric had to leave her, he would rather she be nearby.
They had reached the home they had commandeered for their stay in England. Pam lingered in the doorway as Godric came to a stop on the sidewalk.
"I will leave now," Godric said, reverting to English as the bulk of the conversation was over.
"It is nearly dawn," Eric argued. "Stay the day, please."
Pam watched in mild annoyance to see how it would play out. Pam had heard their conversation and understood a great deal more than Eric had anticipated. It seemed that they may need to move on to Germany, though she was not clear on the reasoning. She had been pleased to hear that Eric was not going to simply abandon her, but that did not overshadow her annoyance at Eric's attempts to keep her out of the loop.
Godric must have conceded at some point because the next Pam heard Eric was ushering his tiny maker into the house.
"There are three rooms besides mine and Pam's that are light tight," Eric explained. "You may choose which you prefer."
"Thank you," Godric said as Eric led them all into the parlor. "How did you come upon this place?"
Pam found herself on one side of the room as Eric moved to sit beside his maker. She suppressed her desire to roll her eyes as Eric explained about the wealthy man they had glamoured out of his home for a few months.
She sat silently for what seemed like forever before she felt the bleeds begin to come on. Eric and Godric had chatted over their life since they had last seen each other while she sat observing, afraid to miss something.
At last Eric's eyes turned to her. "You should go to ground for the day," he said.
"I am fine," she said. Blood ran from her nose and she wiped it away with the handkerchief Eric handed her for times like these.
"Go," Eric told her, softening his words with a kiss to her forehead as she rose to stand beside him. "I will join you shortly."
Pam gave Godric a departing glance before leaving as Eric requested. She knew that they could stay up for much longer than she could, being so much older, and she struggled to stay awake after laying down in their bed. She failed, falling asleep before Eric joined her, and succumbed to death.
TRUE BLOOD
Eric and Godric spoke for another hour or so after Pam retired. Godric was finally able to ask Eric more about his progeny, excited at his first grandchild.
"It was an accident, really," Eric informed his maker. "I saw her in San Francisco and saved her from an attacker. I visited her brothel the next night to have her."
Godric raised his eyebrows at this information but said nothing. Not that he needed to; Eric seemed unable to stop his chatter, for once.
"I did not intend to make her vampire. But she asked me to. I refused, but she slit her wrists as I went to leave."
"You could have left her to die," Godric observed.
"I could have," Eric said. "But I didn't. Something about her just… spoke to me. I do not know how to describe it."
"I understand," Godric smiled. He had felt the same about Eric 1000 years prior.
Eric, sensing he had his maker's approval, felt lighter. He had not regretted turning her, but he had wondered what Godric would say and therefore had not told him when he had done it. That, and he feared that Pam may not survive her first couple years, as many vampires did not, and did not wish to tell Godric about a progeny only to have to tell him later that he had failed as a maker to protect her.
"You have chosen well," Godric continued and Eric felt the pride well up in him at his maker's praise. "She is certainly not like most women." In the short time Godric had spent with her he knew she spoke her mind, a rare but praiseworthy quality. She was also beautiful, a trait which never hurt.
"She is not," Eric agreed. Her life on the streets had hardened her in a way that both saddened him and made him appreciate her. She was unique, for sure.
"I believe I will go to ground as well," Godric said at last.
"I will show you the way," Eric said, but Godric waved him off.
"Go to your daughter," he said simply. "I will find a room."
Eric left his maker for the day and made his way to his and Pam's room. She had fallen asleep though it seemed that she had tried not to; dried blood was present around her ears and under her nose.
He wet a tissue and wiped her face as she slept. He was trying his best to get the blood out of her hair when she wakened.
"Eric?" she asked, confused to be waking in daylight. She blinked up at him as he stood over her. She felt him stroke her hair. "Are you coming to bed?"
He pulled back from her and stripped off his clothes before slipping into the bed beside her. She snuggled up to him and he angled his head down to kiss her hair.
"Is Godric leaving tomorrow?" she asked.
"I think so," Eric told her. He stroked her bare arm absently where it was resting across his chest. He was surprised at her next question.
"Will we be going to Germany?" She caught the look on his face as his gaze flew down to look at her in shock. "Don't look like that, I understand more Swedish than you think."
He rolled his eyes at her though really he was proud. "You're just too smart for me."
"That's right."
"We might be," Eric answered her. "Godric will let me know."
"What's in Germany?" she asked.
Eric was not ready to tell her what was happening and to confide about his family. It was a burden he didn't want to lay on her shoulders. But if he blew her off, he knew her curiosity would only intensify.
"He may need help dealing with some werewolves," he said. "He has been searching for them for many years."
"Why?" she asked. Good lord, she was like a curious child.
"I do not know," Eric lied. "He has never told me. But if he needs my help I will assist him."
Pam nodded, unaware of Eric's lie. He felt a little bad about it, but knew for the moment it couldn't be helped.
"Go to sleep," he whispered.
She adjusted her position at Eric's side, resting her head on his shoulder. Satisfied with his answers, she slipped back into death.
TRUE BLOOD
Godric had roamed the house for a little while, not even close to tired. He knew that Eric would stay up all day to speak with him, though, and feigned drowsiness in order to get his progeny to sleep.
Eventually he heard them quiet down. He'd selected a room next to Eric's, enjoying the feeling of his son humming through the wall and for a short while he'd heard them speaking lowly to one another.
Before turning in for the day he peeked into their room. Eric was wrapped around Pamela, his chest to her back. He could tell that neither of them were dressed, though it did not surprise him. Though he had never had a sexual relationship with either Eric or Nora, he could understand how the maker-progeny bond could encourage it. Add in the fact that both were attractive and they spent most of their time together, it was almost inevitable.
He took a last look at them, still marveling at the fact that Eric now had his own progeny. After five hundred years had passed and Eric still had shown no interest in procreating, he felt that Nora would be his only hope to continue the bloodline. Apparently that was no longer a worry.
He returned to his room, happy he had seen Eric again.
He hoped he would get a chance to get to know Eric's progeny, as well.
