Jesse looked over and watched Eliza sleep.  He’d awakened already and knew she’d be waking soon also.  He thought about the story she’d told him about the were-cats, wolves and dogs.  He still found it very hard to believe, although he knew or had heard that were-wolves did exist.  He supposed that if the wolves existed, so too, could the dogs and cats.  It just seemed very strange. He knew that this was another thing he’d have to mention to Codrin and see if he could give him any insight.

More to the point, however, was what he was going to do about bringing Eliza along.  He knew she’d progressed to the point where she was learning without his teaching.  Which was a good thing, he guessed.  Although it did make it harder to keep his eye on her.  He laughed quietly to himself.  “If she knew what I was thinking, she’d drub me good.  I know she could do it too.”  She was a quick study in all he taught her, knowing she had outside teachers too.  If this story was to be believed, she had learned some new things about self-defense, not just attack.

He knew she’d been taking the martial arts course, they’d talked about it.  She was very adept and most things.  “Small but mighty, that explained Eliza,” he thought with a grin.
Some of the best things come in small packages definitely held true here.

Jesse wished, a pointless wish, that he’d been the one to “embrace her.”  Then, I wouldn’t have so much trouble knowing where to go from here, although she’d probably still have led me a merry dance.  He chuckled again.  He knew she didn’t go looking for trouble, that wasn’t Eliza.  It sure found her though.  He thought of all the times trouble found her.  He again wished there was some way he could insulate her from anymore trouble.  He couldn’t though, so he stopped the futile thinking.

“Ok, she’s picked up the telepathy quicker than I originally thought she would.  She can send over longer distances too, which is a good thing.  She’s picked up the defensive learning very quickly and is so very strong for her size.”

Suddenly his eyes unfocused and he listened, as if hearing a noise.  Not a noise, a feeling, a feeling of deep unease.  Eliza, she’s in trouble....as usual.  “Now do I wait, do I look for her, do I do nothing, that’s the question,” he thought.

“The bond between the two of us is so strong, I wonder if she feels it too? Maybe she’s just projecting unknowingly.  I’ll wait, see what happens, if she projects more, then and only then will I go to her, he decided.

A smile formed on his face as he felt the cry for help diminish.  “She is highly capable of taking care of herself, and woe to the attacker.  There, whatever the danger was, its gone.  She seems to be alright, slight pain, but none-the-worse for wear,” he chuckled.

Eliza stamped her foot, “I’m so bored I could spit,” she grouched.  “I sure hope Jesse has something exciting planned for tonight.  After that practice with Christa the other night, it sure has been boring.  Seems our little ‘doggie’ has gone to ground. It hasn’t been seen for a while and no new bodies have turned up.  Jesse will probably take that as more proof these things don’t exist,” she grumbled to herself.

Looking at her watch, she saw that it was getting on toward time to meet Jesse.  Hoping again he had something planned that would spice things up, she went to start getting ready. On her latest shopping spree, she’d bought several new leather mini’s.  She knew Jesse liked to see her in them and they were her favorites too.  She’d gotten several in her favorite black and one in a deep, deep plum color.  It was almost the color of the plum brandy she loved to drink.  Her laced up vest was the same color and the laced up leather sandals we almost that plum.  She had been lucky there, they’d been on sale dirt cheap, it was a hard color to match.  She finished dressing, applied a little make-up and made sure Toby had his food and water.  Heading out the door she turned for a last look, turned off the light and left.

Outside, it was hot and muggy.  She just loved these lace-up vest.  They covered her as much or as little as she was in the mood for at the time, but they were comfortable and left her free to move.

She wondered if this blink thing that Jesse had taught her worked on distances too?  One way to find out.  Looking around, she saw she was alone and concentrated on where she wanted to be.  With a grin she saw she’d arrived at the end of the line outside the door to the club.  Knowing she’d have no trouble getting in, she made her way to the front.  The guy at the door knew her and with a smile, waved her on.  As she passed him, he whispered, Jesse is in his dressing room waiting for you.”  So with a smile and a slight wave of her hand, she acknowledged the message and made her way toward Jesse’s dressing room.

Turning the handle to walk in, she discovered it was locked.  Knocking lightly, she called, “Jesse its Eliza, let me in.”  Hearing movement inside, she waited, none to patiently, for Jesse to unlock the door.  She heard the lock being turned and then the door parted slightly.  She saw it was pitch dark inside, with a dark even her keen eyesight couldn’t penetrate.  Jesse was grinning at her, leaning forward to give her a kiss.  “Come in, come in, what are you standing there for.  Let’s go.”  Taking her arm, he drew her into the night, dark room.

Suddenly, the light of 200 candles blazed to life.  There in the room, were some of their friends.  The room was filled with flowers, red and white roses and a cake in the middle.

Laughing, Eliza looked at Jesse for some explanation for this.  He was grinning from ear to ear.  He said, you thought I’d forgotten huh?”  “Forgotten what, Jesse,” Eliza asked in puzzlement.  “This is our two month anniversary.  Smiling, he said, two months since we first got together.”
Eliza’s mouth dropped open and with another grin, Jesse reached out and gently put his finger under her chin, pushing her mouth closed.  “You should see the look on your face, Eliza,” he joked.  “My, my, I think this is the first time I’ve seen you speechless.”

Aiming a playful chop at his wrist, Eliza pulled up short before actually making contact.  “I didn’t expect anything like this Jess, how did you manage it in so short a time,” she asked him.  “All of our mutual friends, good thing your dressing room is bigger than it looks, we’d be overflowing into the club.”  “That’s where this is heading as soon and we cut the cake.  It’s big enough, so we’re going to pass it out to anyone that wants some in the club.”

Looking around with a smile, Eliza saw Vicki, Jimmy and many others she and Jesse knew. He’d managed to make this evening, the one that had been so boring in the beginning, an exciting and memorable evening, indeed.  It was just beginning too, from the gleam she saw in his eyes.

After cutting the cake, Jesse handed Eliza a blood red and a white rose.  Taking her arm, he led the way from the dressing room into the main area of the club.  “I wish I could have made this a private party, just for us and our friends,” he whispered to Eliza.  “It wasn’t possible though, since this is one of the busiest nights of the week.  Smiling back at him, Eliza told him that this was just fine as it was.  “I met you in a crowded club and its fitting we celebrate in a crowded club.”

Seeing their friends seated, Jesse motioned to the man at the door to start letting the public into the club.  That was one good thing about being the permanent show here, he did have some perks.  Not many, but some.

Watching the room fill up, Jesse made his way to the small stage and climbed behind his drum kit.  He grinned at his band mates and they launched into the song that Jesse remembered they’d been playing when he’d first laid eyes on Eliza in the club that night.  He wondered if she’d remember.  Looking up, he could see she did.  He knew they both shared a passion for music and this was now a special song.

As he watched Eliza, he noticed a small commotion at the door.  Watching closely, he saw the same girl that had come in a while back.  She looked around, saw Eliza and hurried to her table.

Eliza, looking up at that moment, caught a glimpse of someone that looked like Christa, hurrying towards the table.

“Now I know Jesse doesn’t know Christa, probably wouldn’t have invited her if he did, she laughed.  “Not with some of the things we’ve gotten into since becoming friends.  She looked harder, and sure enough it was Christa coming towards her.

Standing, she waved Christa over, asking at the same time, “Christa, is everything alright?”
Christa waved back with a smile, softly calling, everything’s fine.  “I just wanted to talk something over with you, but I see you’re busy.  We can talk another time, Eliza.”

“No, sit, sit.  Christa, these are my friends, Vicki and Jimmy.  Vicki, Jimmy this is another friend, Christa.  We met a while back, in the park.  We both have the same interests.  Jogging and so on,” Eliza explained.

Jimmy leaned over to Vicki and quietly asked her if she’d like to dance.  Vicki, looking at Eliza and Christa, nodded and they moved toward the minuscule dance floor.

“Gee, Eliza, I hope they didn’t leave on my account,” Christa said.  “What I wanted to talk over could have waited another night.  It wasn’t that important.

“I don’t think they left because of that, they have a thing going,” Eliza replied with a smile.  They spend time together whenever they can.  They are two very good friends.  Now what is this thing you want to tell me?” she asked.

Jesse watched as the two girls huddled close.  He saw the body language and knew they were more than comfortable together.  He wondered what was going on over there, but knew he wouldn’t get a break for at least two hours yet.  “There is something very strange about that girl,” he thought to himself.  I can’t put my finger on it, but it’s there.  Watching closely, without seeming too, he noticed a feline cast to Christa’s features in certain light.  “That must be what Eliza was talking about,” He thought.  The slight tilt to her eyes and the tawny color of skin, hair and almost cat eyes.  “That would account for what she thought, wouldn’t it,” he wondered.  “No, I just don’t believe there are such things as were-cats.  I just can’t believe it.  Although how could those weird deaths be explained.  He knew Eliza would never leave something like that.  No vampire worthy of the name, would leave a mess like that around to be found.”

He saw Vicki and Jimmy heading back toward the table and the close conference seemed to end as they arrived.  They sat down and the atmosphere lightened, as they all began to talk. Jesse wondered what had been going on that was so important.  He’d like to have listened in on that one.

Jesse wouldn’t have believed his ears if he’d heard what had been discussed.  They had been talking about the attacks by the were-dogs.  The fact that since the moon was on the wane, the attacks seemed to have slowed down now.  Possibly they were over again until the next full moon.  Still, he wouldn’t have believed.

Eliza and Christa sat with their heads close together, talking in low voices.  They had serious looks and were intent on what the each other was saying.  They both knew the attacks had stopped.  The bodies found mutilated had numbered eight.  They also knew they’d had nothing to do with these killings.  That meant the full moon definitely had something to do with them. With the training session they’d had, they felt that they wouldn’t have a problem if the were-dogs attacked.  Although, Christa kept warning Eliza that she couldn’t know what they were like really from that little exercise.

Looking up, Eliza made a small motion, the talk changing to a neutral subject that they had started haggling over before. Vicki and Jimmy made their way back to the table, holding hands and smiling at each other.  Eliza smiled in welcome, talk resuming as the foursome continued to get to know each other.

Eliza looked at her watch and grinned.  “Ohhhh, Jesse will be getting a break in about ten minutes,”  she announced.  “You are going to stay and meet him, aren’t you Christa?” she asked.

Standing, Christa smiled and replied, “no Eliza, not this time.  I don’t think Jesse is ready for me yet.”  With a smile and a small wave, Christa made her way along the outskirts of the room and headed out the door.

Just then the music stopped and Jesse rose from behind his drums.  Making his way to the table where Eliza, Vicki and Jimmy sat, he looked around for the other girl that had been there.  Thinking she’d just gone to the Lady’s Room, he leaned over and kissed Eliza.  He quietly whispered, “Hey girl, looking good.”

Eliza and Vicki told him how good the band sounded tonight, how the room seemed to really be into the music tonight.  Jesse smiled at them and thanked them looking around the room.

“What are you looking for, Jesse? Eliza asked.

He answered, “Wasn’t there someone else here, the same girl that came looking for you the other night?

“Oh yes, that was Christa.  She said to tell you hi and that hopefully, in the near future, you two would get a chance to meet.  She had something to do tonight and couldn’t stay,” Eliza explained.

With a grin, Jesse joked, “well she looked interesting.  Guess I could meet her sometime.  You never know, she may be just my type.”

Eliza just looked at him with a frown, then quickly and lightly slapped his arm.

Shaking his arm rapidly, Jesse frowned and said, “Geez Eliza, you don’t know your own strength.  I was just kidding remember?”   Looking at his arm, he saw a red hand print beginning to show.

“Hey now, I didn’t hit you that hard Jesse.  You know I didn’t,” Eliza complained.  As she watched, the hand print came up, sort of glowed red, then faded away to nothing.

She sputtered, trying to say something, anything.  Nothing came out.  For the first time, Jesse saw Eliza at a loss for words.  He took advantage of it too.  Laughing, he said, “Yes, yes, I’ll show you how to do it.”

“How to do what,” asked Vicki?

Both Eliza and Jesse answered at the same time, “just a trick Jesse, I, said he’d, I’d teach me, her.”  All four burst into laughter and dropped the subject.  The continued talking until Jesse’s time was up and he had to go back to the small stage.

Looking deep into Eliza’s eyes, Jesse whispered, “wait until later, then I’ll give you the rest of your anniversary present.”

“Eliza felt a shiver work its way up her spine.  Shuddering slightly, she smiled a sultry smile at Jesse and said, “Promises, Promises, Big Boy.”

Laughing Jesse walked back to the band and the music started again.  For the rest of the night, Eliza watched Jesse closely, trying to figure out what her present could be.
As Jesse played, he knew Eliza was trying to figure out what he’d meant.  Chuckling to himself, he knew that the surprise he had planned back at his apartment, would please her.

Finally, the band was playing the last song.  Vicki and Jimmy were gathering all their belongings together, ready to head out.  As the song ended, Jesse motioned to them to meet him in his dressing room.  When the three of them got there, the lights were on and the candles were gone.  The room was still filled with the red and white roses though.

Going from vase to vase, Jesse took a few from each and made a small red and white bouquet for Vicki.  He tied a pink ribbon around it and thanked them for coming to the party he’d planned.  Handing the bouquet to Vicki, he ushered them out the door.  Laughing he turned to Eliza, “alone at last,” he said.  Leaning in, he kissed her deeply.
Breaking the kiss, breathing hard, he said, “ok enough of this until we get home.”

Leaving the club, they walked to Jesse’s car, making their way back to his place didn’t take long.  Jesse, always polite, walked around and opened Eliza’s door.  Taking her arm, he ushered her up the steps and into the house.  Once inside, he sat her on the couch and headed back to another room, returning with a large box in his hands.

Handing Eliza the box, he grinned and said, “here Eliza, I know you don’t have this one for your collection.”

“My collection?” she asked.

“Open it and you’ll see,” Jesse replied.  Smiling, Jesse watched as Eliza opened the box.  With a gasp of admiration, Eliza shook out one of the most beautiful capes she’d ever seen.  Plum brocaded material on the outside, with a satiny, shimmery inside in deepest, darkest black.  It had a high standup collar, that came up the back of her head, bending around to almost frame her face.

“Oh, Jesse,"  she breathed, "how can I convey how much I love this?”

Jumping up, she ran to him and flung herself at him.  Grabbing his cheeks, she pulled his head down, giving him a toe curling kiss.

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll find a way,” he said huskily.  Lowering his head he kissed her again, this time picking her up and heading for his room, saying softly again, “yes, I’m sure you’ll find a way.”