Ok now folks, this is my first ever foray into TB land so please don't be too harsh…

WARNING: this story is rated MA as it will contain adult themes; meaning lemons, violence, blood play etc. That said if that kind of content isn't your cup of tea or if you are underage, kindly please find something else/age appropriate to read.

Disclaimer: I do not own TB or SVM, the series were Allan Ball's baby and the characters and the main plot belong to Charlaine Harris, capice? Okay then…

CHAPTER 1

A MONTH EARLIER: MERLOTTE'S BAR & GRILL

"Night Sookie!" – "Night Cher!" Arlene called out shortly followed by their boss, her arm up in the air, waving energetically at the younger girl standing half-way across the parking lot.

Quickly pasting a smile onto her face, Sookie turned back towards Merlotte's Bar & Grill, just in time to see Sam – her boss – lean against the already locked back door, pretending to not have been staring at her while he waited for his employees to safely get into their cars.

'God dammit, she's so beautiful…I just wish sh-'

With a quick inhale, Sookie slammed her mental shields down tight so she wouldn't have to hear the rest – good Lord, talk about awkward! It was one thing to overhear some random patron thinking something nasty, usually something sexual and nasty – but it was a whole 'nother matter to hear your boss think how much in love he is with you.

'Just…nope', she thought with a shudder, even as she raised her own hand up in a wave, calling out a no-nonsense "night ya'll!", as she watched Rene Lenier – Arlene's current boyfriend – throw an arm around said red heads shoulder while the woman in question cackled loudly at something he whispered just for her to hear.

For a moment there, Sookie found herself rooted to the spot, watching the couple get into Rene's truck. A sudden sharp pang of sadness pierced her heart; Lord Almighty, how badly she wished some days to be normal, all just so she could have a tiny piece of what Arlene and Rene had.

But nope 'that's just ain't meant to be…' she thought bitterly, willing the stinging in her eyes to stop already – with a quivery inhale and exhale, the young blonde quickly unlocked her beloved car – a yellow jalopy that was already older than her when she bought it with her hard earned money, she hurriedly got in, slamming the door closed in her agitation.

A tired groan fell from her full pink-painted lips as soon as she sat down, her head hitting the steering wheel with a soft thud soon after.

"Good Lord in heaven…what a day", Sookie muttered under her breath, recalling the chaos that had broken out at Merlotte's when the local Bon Temps Hawks won today's match against their long time frenemies – the Ruston Bulls. Seeing how practically the whole town had gone on to watch the game, was it really that surprising that they chose to celebrate the team's victory at the one and only place in town that served alcohol and hot food..?

Nah, she didn't think so.

Still, today was, as Gran would call it, hell on wheels and Sookie was utterly exhausted and not for the first time in the last ten minutes, she found herself wishing she could teleport instead of reading minds.

"…and if wishes were horses, the beggars would ride…", the young waitress whispered softly as she raised her head up from the steering wheel with a weary sigh and starting the ancient jalopy's engine with a twist of her wrist, she backed out of the employee parking lot.

ONE WEEK EARLIER – SHREVEPORT

He could feel the thrum of the low bass…music…in his very bones as he stood, eyes closed, on the rooftop of his childe's establishment, having just escaped the heady sexual tension loaded atmosphere of the bar (as well as some of the clingier clientele).

'Perhaps…' he thought, '…coming here was a mistake…'

He shook his head in a negative, almost derogatory manner, '…no, no it wasn't. However hard this will be – is, however misunderstanding Eric might be of the reason behind my sudden visit when we haven't seen each other in almost a century, when our maker-childe bond has been closed for much longer than that...however stubborn and laden with desperation his son might get because truly; somewhere deep down – very deep down – he knows what this visit is about, he has known for a long time this was coming.'

'Even so…' Godric thought, with a sad nigh on imperceptible shake of his head as his once vividly grey – more blue-grey, like storm clouds really – eyes opened, taking in the sight of sprawling city lights and darkness of the night in front of him, '…it won't be easy saying goodbye without actually saying it.'

With a morose sigh falling from his pale lips, the ancient vampire turned to head back inside – before Eric came looking for him or better yet – sent his own progeny after him. Not that there was anything wrong with Pamela; she is rather entertaining in fact, if a tad morbid in her sense of humor and how and where she chose to wield it.

For once being completely honest with himself, Godric thought the almost a century old vampire could make even him laugh…that is, if he could feel anything other than misery,despair and a soul crushing loneliness.

The ancient being sighed tiredly as he continued to observe the night sky, the horizon above the bright lights of Shreveport growing dim and heavy with gathering storm clouds.

It's been about a century now, starting perhaps, a scant few months before he closed down the maker-childe bond with Eric that he had finally admitted to himself that the older he got – the longer his accursed existence continued – the less he felt physically and emotionally..? Well, lately it has been nothing but...suffering.

Shoulders slumping with the onslaught of all he's been able to feel for the last century, Godric turned and briskly made his way towards the only rooftop access point. Gripping the sleek metal doorknob in his hand until it gave an ominous creek, as though promising to disintegrate under the exertion of such inhuman strength, the vampire in question stood as still as only one of the undead could manage, breathing rapidly yet shallowly as he tried to calm his restless mind.

Suddenly, a faint jangling of a chain somewhere in the not too far distance followed by just as faint sounds of a struggle and an inhuman growl reached his sensitive ears. Head swiveling in the direction the noise came from, Godric focused his hearing and just listened for a moment and soon enough, picked up the sound of two distinct voices; a male and a female, arguing and cussing heatedly in hushed voices.

The female seemed to be worried as much as she was angry with her partner for roping her into yet another of his schemes and the male – his voice tremulous yet agitated too – hissed at her to shut up and help keep the 'fanger' down.

A deep frown marring his handsome features, the Sheriff of Dallas, Area Nine realized the two were none other than vampire drainers quick at work.

'So close to a vampire bar too…' he thought, his displeasure and disgust almost palpable.

Without really thinking as to what he was doing, the next moment found the ancient vampire jumping off Fangtasia's rooftop and down onto the asphalted parking space below to the sound of a sharp inhale followed by a wet squelching sound, panicky scrabbling and hasty, retreating footsteps.

Not wasting any more time, even as he realized he was probably already too late to help the vampire who fell for the trap set for them by the two humans, the dark haired immortal let his much honed senses take him to where he wanted to go and as he reached the scene of the apparent crime – not that the human authorities would recognize it as such, at least not any time soon – he grimaced; the 'victim' wasn't someone he knew, rather just another creature of the night that had, at one point or another, had blown through Fangtasia in hopes of finding an adequate meal in one of the fang bangers frequenting Eric's bar.

Still, the pile of clothes and blood and goop at his feet used to be a person – undead as they were – and if there was anything that still managed to irk him these days, it would be injustice…

A MONTH EARLIER: STACKHOUSE FARM

It's well past 3 AM and the rhythmic ticking of the double bell alarm clock on the bedside table and the soft pelting of raindrops against the old, white painted windows are the only sounds to disturb the silence of the night in the long-since dark room, until that is, its sole human occupant whimpers in her sleep.

Tina rouses from her rest at the foot of the bed with a soft mewl and looks straight at her beloved human, her green eyes sharp and knowing as she stares intensely for what seems like an eternity and then she mewls again, louder this time.

This seems to settle the sleeping girl and all is calm again...until it isn't.

A shuddering exhale leaves the young blonde and she turns her head to the side, sweat glistening on her brow and upper lip as day-dreams of love - of a husband and a little girl in the hopefully not too distant future - turned cold and dark and scary as soon as Morpheus claimed her for the night.

What she sees is unclear and thus it is impossible to tell whether any of it is real or made-up and twisted by the deepest, darkest fears and doubts of her heart. Not that it matters - even though it should - because come morning, the young blonde will wake with no memory or real proof of what once again had plagued her dreams but a heavy heart and ever deepening dark shadows under her sad brown eyes...

The grey British - Short hair mewls sorrowfully at her owners continuing distress and decisively slinks her way up the bed only to curl up on the blonde girls chest, her sharp green eyes closed as she starts a rumbling purr.

A/N: Edited 24/11/2023.

I'm so sorry for the superbly long hiatus you guys. It's just that, well...life got in the way. There was a sudden and very unexpected death of a close family member and frankly, I was in shock and then denial and then...just trying to deal.

I was not in the right place mentally to write, nor did I want to and although my own health right now isn't anything to be happy about I've realized just how much I've missed writing and so here we are.

I still can't promise regular updates but I've started editing this story so it's closer to the idea that inspired it in the first place and I am mapping and plotting and researching future chapters.

Thank You All for sticking with 'The Spark'.

XOXO, CherrySin