{I don't not own Trueblood or The Southern Vampire Mysteries, this is not for profit}

-Instantly, Constantly, For Eternity-

Chapter Three

Around an hour later, Theo felt a presence behind him as he ordered drinks from the bar. Sookie looked up and immediately scowled at the people Theo could sense were behind. Before he even turned around Theo could tell they were vampires, and even though he couldn't hear their thoughts he knew there was more than one.

"Hello Eric, Pam, Chow" Sookie's voice was strained, like she definitely did not want to be anywhere near these vampires. Bill was quickly making his way over to the group, anger clearly visible in his eyes.

Pam, who had to be the blonde female, stared around her at the bar like she was going to throw up from purely being there. She was definitely not a country girl, with her three inch heels and air of superiority. Sensing he was staring, she returned his gaze, obviously expecting Theo to drop it and scurry away but Theo had had plenty of dealings with vampires and he was not afraid of them. He held the gaze, and s slight look of surprise began to spread across her face. The Asian vamp, who must have been Chow, watched this with amusement and wonder.

These ones are used to being in control

Theo smiled when it was Pam who had to break the gaze as the third vampire had asked her a question.

"Eric, I am not going to speak to you at all. You are going to want me to do something that is going to get me killed, like all the other times"

Eric, the third vampire, smiled at Sookie's resistance. He reminded Theo of the men in his dreams as a teenager, when he was scared and confused and having dreams that confused him even more. He was so tall, so much taller than Theo, who was only five foot eleven and his blonde hair was carefully brushed of his face. He was beautiful, but deadly.

"Sookie, you will be paid this time, we know you need the money and we need your help. This is a win/win situation" His smile was seductive, gentle but with that underlining idea that everything Eric did he did her himself. It was dangerous, and that made it even more sexual.

Bill walked over to stand between Eric and Sookie when he saw the look on Sookie's face. A look that told the world she did not want to do this but would because she needed the money.

"Sookie has said that she does not want this job and we would appreciate it if you would leave" They looked like they were about to tear each other's throats out, and Theo could tell that this was not meant for the human eyes that were staring at the two male vampires.

"Bill, Sookie and I have an arrangement and I do not appreciate you going against my orders" Eric had a look about him that told anyone who looked that he knew he had already won. It was so arrogant it made Theo forget that Eric was amazingly gorgeous and simply made him angry.

"Listen, Eric, you may be the sher…" Theo walked over to Bill and placed his hand on his arm, letting his power flow into Bill and forcing him to be quiet.

"Now, firstly, I do not appreciate you treating my cousin like she is not her own person. She has made up her mind and now you will all respect that" Gazing around, Theo saw that they were all staring at him like he was insane. But he had done this many times before and much of the magical world held little terror for Theo anymore "and if you do desperately need Sookie's assistance, I will do it for you"

What are you doing?! God in heaven, don't get caught up in this vampire crap if you don't have to

It was sweet, but it was too late for Theo to be a normal human.

"You are foolish, mortal, Sookie is special and that is why we need her" The vampire Chow had a look about him that said he was used to being right, whether people liked it or not. Theo was beginning to dislike Chow.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his cigarette packet, lit one and breathed in deeply before continuing "You are foolish, vampire, if you think Sookie is the only one who is special" breathing out a stream of smoke, Theo tried not to look at Sookie's pleading eyes that told him to stop before he got to deep. It was distracting and he was in business mode.

Eric eyed Theo, glancing up and down his body, from his long, dirty brown hair to the boots on his feet. Theo felt like he was being undressed and it was getting hard to concentrate with Eric making him feel naked.

You are a professional, stop this. Theo hated it when he wasn't able talk back to Matthew, but he really didn't want anyone thinking he was crazy again.

"Sookie, Bill would you please leave, me and...Sookie's cousin have business to attend to" Sookie looked like she was going to cry and if Bill had been in a cartoon there would have been steam coming out of his ears. They did leave, though quiet unwillingly.

"Theo"

"What" Eric's head snapped away from the door which Sookie had just left through. It was funny, but Theo got the impression that Eric had a crush on Sookie.

"My name is Theodore Grace" Though Chow and Eric didn't say a word; Theo noticed how Pam's eyes flicked open, her eyebrows raised and her mouth dropped open. She was obviously more versed in the world of witches then the other two vampires.

"Well Mr Grace, it seems like you will be doing a job for us" Eric smirked, Theo was beginning to think this was his favourite expression "we will pay you two hundred dollars, it is not a very hard task, and we would like it if you could do this tonight"

"Fine, explain it to me on the way"

Theo strolled out first, kissed Sookie on the cheek, told Jason he would be back late and avoided Bill's questioning stare. He was not in the mood to explain anything.

Be careful, cousin, Jay and I just got you back and we don't want to lose you again so soon

Theo nodded and smiled reassuringly at Sookie, before following the vamps towards the door. As he left, Theo wrapped his hand around his eyes and muttered a spell under his breath. Immediately, all of the humans in the bar went back to what they had been doing, like nothing had happened at all.

Theo was sitting at a table in the club that the vampires obviously owned. It was black and red, and most likely when it was open looked pretty impressive, but now it all seemed slightly silly.

Fangtasia, how ridiculous

A new cigarette in hand, Theo waited as the humans were ushered into the room by Pam. There were six of them and at first glance Theo knew this would not be as simple as he had expected. The four women were had been so heavily glamoured that their thoughts were choppy and muddled. He wished more vampires did not use glamour, because it made his life so much harder.

Dragging deeply on his cigarette, he indicated for the first male to be brought forward. He did not seem to have been glamoured at least more than once, so his thoughts circled in his head like they normally would.

Searching for an ash tray, noticing there was none and before the vampire could run and get one, he pressed it to his skin, not even flinching as it sizzled. The vampires winced and the humans trembled. All were confused or intrigued. Theo grimaced slightly as the new skin grew quickly over the top of the red circle on his arm.

Eric, who was sitting on the bar, leaned forward slightly.

Taking the man's hand, he sifted through his thoughts, feelings and memories, expertly weaving through his mind until he was certain there was nothing he needed in there. He did learn that he loved his wife and daughter, even though she was a stripper.

The other man and the first woman were both clear, though the woman had been glamoured far more than he would have recommended Theo could still tell she was innocent.

By the third woman, Theo knew he would have to try something different.

"Do you have any chalk?" Eric looked over at Pam, and without saying a word Pam jumped up and went to find some chalk.

He is her maker

Theo nodded, noticing how intently Eric was staring at him. His blue eyes were piercing, and all over again Theo felt like he was naked. He would have been angry if Eric wasn't so hot.

When Pam returned with a packet of chalk, Theo was able to return to the job at hand. The pattern Theo was drawing was now almost second nature to him. His mind wondered as he drew, and from the trickles of thoughts he was getting from the young girl in front of him, he really hoped it wasn't her who did it. The fragments of memories and thoughts Theo was getting told him that if the girl had done it, she definitely wouldn't have deserved the fate that would befall her.

The intricate pattern done, Theo turned off the lights with his mind. He could sense the vampire's distress but none of them moved. The only light in the place was from the pattern drawn on the table, the faint blue light casting shadows on Theo and the girl's faces.

She was so scared, but there was nothing Theo could do about that right now.

Grabbing her hands Theo pulled her into the circle, his eyes flashing white. She gasped as Theo undid the tangled web of glamoured memory in her mind, twisting and turning until everything in her head was laid out straight and simple. It was then that he was able to find what he was after.

The lights flicked back on and the chalk circle on the table seemed to crumble away in the light. It saddened Theo that such a nice girl was going to die. Everyone was staring at him and Theo knew his eyes were still glowing and he could feel his hair moving like it was being blown in the wind. It would take a while to stop.

"She did it" When he spoke Theo could hear Matthew's voice coming out with it as well.

Chow and Pam lifted the girl up and dragged her away while Eric glamoured the other women. Theo was about to protest, but decided it would be safer not to. He did not want humans running around knowing part of his secret.

"So Mr. Grace, it seems that you are not what you appear" Sitting down in the seat opposite him Eric gazed openly and curiously. His hands were resting on the table and Theo could not resist any longer.

Reaching across, Theo grabbed Eric's hands, flipped them over and studied the patterns on his palm. Eric tried to pull away but Theo's grip was strong and he wasn't trying to get away as much as he could have. The lines were not those of a human, when a vampire was made their lives alter and new fates are decided. This, of course, could only be seen by someone looking for it. Theo's eyes glowed even brighter as he breathed on Eric's hands, causing a much older set of lines to appear.

"You are very old... from lands far away. Cold, it's so cold. Blood...blood and war. Battles... so many battles and war and death. Lonely. You were lonely" Theo looked up from Eric's hands to stare straight at his face "Your wife was killed, and your children. Everything became about the battle...the fight...killing...but you saved as many as you could..." Eric pulled his hands away sharply, his face like thunder but it was too late for Theo to stop "You had to make up for not being able to save her...Freya and...and...Josef...Christophe...Ana...Henrik...Inga. You watched..." Theo could not sustain it and he felt Matthew retreat into his body, too tired to sustain it. They had never delved that far back into a vampire's past before. He shivered as he felt the snow disappear and the empty club come back. His eyes returned to their normal brown as Theo slumped forward, exhausted beyond belief. He had seen Eric's whole life, everything in it. He hadn't meant for that to happen.

Eric could not bring himself to speak, and Theo could tell he had not thought of his human years in a long time. Pam and Chow must have seen but they did not say a word. Theo was unsure if even Pam knew that much about Eric.

"Chow, drive Mr. Grace back to Bon Temps" Chow had to help Theo stand, His legs unable to support him. Wearily they made their way out the door.

Theo could feel Eric's eyes on him the whole time.