The small hot light shining on her face and the microphone in her slightly sweating hand felt good.  When she stood to sing, she felt charged and alive, and the simple fact was that she was a draw.  Her low husky voice, a surprising contrast to her petite body, her deceptively young appearance, and her mature projection of sensuality, was a captivating contrast that offered a combination that was attracting attention and bringing in customers.  She took the four counts and began to sing.  She had quickly discovered that a low voice and a close proximity to the microphone produced an up close, personal effect through the sound system that made it seem  as if she was directly singing to each person in the audience. Without fail, when she began to sing, silence would claim the room.

Jesse was laying down a simple, unobtrusive rhythm for her.  When Eliza was singing, she was the center of attention and the band's job was to support her.  When she was sounding good, they all were sounding good!  He marveled at her talent.  Who would have ever suspected what was within her?  What a presence, and it was all her.  No vampire tricks.  The number was ending so he faded to some light brush work as the light man dimmed the mini spot.

He shook his head in wonder.  She was good.  She did not wear a costume.  She was just Eliza.  She took the stage and she'd sing and people loved it, or did they love her?  She'd take the stage and look so vulnerable and young, but Jesse was sure she could melt the paint off the walls with her voice if she wasn't careful.  The heat of the mini spot would cause her to perspire very quickly, but she seemed unaware of it, she was so involved with the song.  As her silk blouse would become damp, the spot light would highlight her body and the translucent fabric would offer tantalizing hints of her form.  She was a package impossible to resist.  So tiny and defenseless, women wanted to mother her, while her unconscious projection of sensuality made each and every man want to be the knight that would defend and protect her honor.  

The last note faded and Eliza sagged, exhausted and drained.  She clipped the mic onto the stand and heavily sat on the stool.  Enthusiastic applause filled the room, drowning out the announcement of the band's break time, but they knew what was being said and were already docking their instruments.  Chris walked over to her, put his arm around her shoulders and handed her first brandy of the night.  She wouldn't drink when she was performing, saying she needed all of the brain cells firing to do it right.  "Good gig tonight, but you really look beat.  You ok?" Chris asked.  

Accepting the drink and taking a good pull, Eliza sighed and leaned her head against his chest.  "What a week," she said lowly.  "I had no idea what I was getting into."  

"Do you like it?  You're damn good, you know."

"Oh, I love it.  I had no idea how much I'd love it.  I feel so alive, so complete."  She looked up at him and smiled.

Jesse, Jay or J-man, as he was known to the group, watched the interplay between them and grinned.  Eliza could attract men, and women, he mentally amended, the way jelly would attract ants.  He wondered if her maker had any idea of what he was doing when he embraced her.  He hoped she wouldn't take this singing thing too far.  It would be unwise for a vampire to attract too much attention.  He blinked and realized that she needed to feed.  

They had been close, still were, even though she wasn't aware of it, and he could recognize the signs.  She'd probably been so preoccupied with the singing, she'd just let it slip.  She was prone to do that.  He'd never met a vampire so unconcerned with feeding.  He grimaced, an expression meant for no one and seen by no one.  He worried about her and hope she wouldn't go too long and go critical and do something dangerous or stupid.  He consoled himself with the knowledge that hadn't happened so far.  She was a remarkable lady!

Eliza stood, smiled at Chris and kissed him on the cheek, leaving a warm spot and a bemused expression on his face.  Going to the bar, she ordered a tonic water.  One drink was her limit between sets.  She half sat on the bar stool and fanned the neck of her blouse to cool off while waiting for her drink.  

Rolling the drink between her palms, she'd just reached the same conclusion as Jesse.  She needed to feed.  

"Excuse me, Miss. I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your songs tonight." 

She turned and stared up into the darkest eyes she'd ever seen in her life.  He was tall, dark and handsome and he was smiling at her.  For a moment she felt her insides turn slightly liquid and all she could really think was, "Yum!"
 

Eliza dug her fingernails into his back, causing him to shudder.  She threw her head back as he strained, tensed and cried out.  He collapsed, exhausted, on top of her and she easily rolled over so that she was on top of him.  She'd never "done it" in a van before and it had been quite exciting.  She'd gotten so involved with the sex she'd almost forgotten to feed. She grinned, feeling her fangs deploy.  "No time like the present," she thought.  She leaned forward, letting her breasts tickle his chest as fangs glided gently into his throat.  He murmured something that she didn't catch but then fell totally under her spell.  Time passed as she pleased herself with his body and with his blood.  

Straightening, she dressed and carefully covered his nude body with a cover.  She wasn't sure how long it would take him to awaken.  She neatly folded his clothes and left them where he would see them easily.  He'd parked on the street so the worst thing that would happen if he didn't awaken soon enough is that he'd get a parking violation.  She took one last look around and carefully licked one errant drop of blood from his neck.  Peering through the tinted windows to make sure she wasn't seen, she stepped out, set the lock and quietly closed the van door.  
 

Jesse glanced at his watch.  He could tell from her flush that she'd just fed, and from her smile and the way she moved, he was sure more than just feeding had been on the agenda.  She'd cut it close.  He wondered if she'd planned it that way or was just lucky.  The other band members were returning and picking up their instruments.  Jesse's heart beat faster and he briefly wished it was he that'd taken that break with her.  He sighed, knowing that this way was better for her in the long run.  She had things she had to work through, and at this time, on her own was the way she needed to go.  This was harder on him that is was on her.  So close, yet so far, but this was the only way he knew to protect her.

Chris played lead guitar and could also provide a good rhythm too, and he'd been the lead singer.  When Eliza had been hired, he'd been so taken with her sound that he hardly ever sang lead any more.  Sometimes they'd share the mic and harmonize.  The crowd loved that and they did work well together.  One exception was "Ghost Riders."  Chris would take the lead on it and he'd play lead on an electric bass guitar, producing an eerie, pulsing, driving sound that seemed to enfold the listener while he'd sing the lead.  Eliza would stand back and sing a wordless counter point harmony.  The first time Jesse heard her do that, the hair on the back of his neck stood up.  He'd never quite heard a human make such a sound before.  It was a high pure note that seemed to undulate, waver and stretch to the very edge of hearing.  Although it was not loud, and even standing back from the microphone, it seemed to penetrate and carry.  

Chris was a true professional.  When he was playing, nothing seemed to cause him to break rhythm or drop a note.  Jesse grinned, remembering the first time they'd done the song.  Chris had absolutely blown a note.  He'd covered, but the look on his face was priceless.  Since that time, he'd used that song judiciously and never more than once a night.  

On several occasions, someone in the audience had requested "Summer Time" and Eliza had simply refused to sing it.  Since she was new and seemed so unsure of herself, Chris had not pushed the matter.  Everyone was treating Eliza like she was a breakable china doll, and she seemed to be loving it.  Jesse, though, knew that she could be hard a nails and a stone cold killer.  He loved seeing this side of her and felt so much closer to her.  Remaining a stranger to her was really getting difficult.   He knew he had to do it though for both their sakes.

He could tell something was bothering her though.  The give and take that was usually so free, seemed a little forced tonight.  He knew she was still worried about Jimmy.  From her e-mails to him, he knew Jimmy hadn’t surfaced yet and that was really bothering her.  He’d done some checking around, Jimmy was still on the run and the hunters hadn’t gotten to him yet.  Jesse hoped that Jimmy either stayed underground until the heat was off him or found his way to friends and still stayed low.  He really didn’t want him bringing the hunters here.  

The lights dimmed, their signal to take their places back on the minuscule stage.  Eliza was the first one back and the rest of the band followed.  They launched into the first song of this set when Jesse saw Eliza watching a couple coming in the door.  She continued singing without a break and he saw a slow smile appear on her face.  He smiled as he watched her watching them.  The couple made their way to a table close to the stage.  With a big smile at Eliza, they settled back and listened to her sing.  A few times, it seemed as if Eliza was singing just to them and they were definitely enjoying the attention.   Jesse wondered who they were.  They surely must be friends of Eliza’s.  It sure didn’t take her long in a new place to settle in and make friends, even with her weird schedule.  

Jesse was right.  Liala  and Mark were thoroughly enjoying themselves. , Liala  was very pleasantly surprised at the way she sang.  With a long, intimate look at Mark, Liala  felt that Eliza was, indeed, singing just to and for them.  Everyone in the room seemed to fade away and they listened to her sing.

Eliza knew now that Liala  and Mark had hit it off, just as she’d hoped.  Though she was happy for them, it left her feeling alone again.  She knew, though, that Liala  needed Mark more than she did.  He seemed to be just the thing she did need.  He was careful to look after her and seemed to really care that she was happy.  With a smile at Eliza and a small wave, Liala and Mark left the table and made their way into the night.

Still singing, Eliza smiled to herself, knowing these two were happy and that had done something to bring them together.  The rest was up to them.

   
Waking the next evening, Eliza stretched and was glad that this was the band’s night off.  She needed the off time.  Without realizing it, she knew now she’d overdone it and was very tired.  She’d forgotten to feed and that had been remedied last night.  She couldn’t and shouldn’t go that long again.  Snacking was fine but she needed a full feed more often now that she was expending so much energy.  Stretching again, Eliza slowly got out of bed and headed for the bathroom to shower.
 

Looking at herself in the steamy mirror, Eliza realized that she had seemed to stop getting younger looking.  Now that she was singing, the look seemed to have changed a little and matured some.  She still looked too young to be singing in a club, but she had taken on a slightly more mature look.  She laughed to herself.  “I guess we’re never satisfied with our looks,” she thought.  “I always felt I looked older than my age, now.  I look younger, a lot younger than my age.”  With a chuckle, she moved to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee.  

With a glance at the computer, she saw she had some e-mail.  Grabbing a cup of coffee, Eliza sat down and brought up her mail.  Scanning it, she saw she had the daily one from Jesse, some junk mail and one from Jimmy.  She opened Jimmy’s with some excitement and dread, since it had been some time since he’d told her the news of Vicki’s death.  She knew he was still running and hoped he’d tell her where he was.  Quickly scanning the letter, Eliza saw that Jimmy had been hurt at the same time that Vicki had been killed.   Hunters had no scruples about turning against their own, if they thought they knew something.  She also saw that Jimmy didn’t say exactly where he was, although it seemed he was moving closer to where she was.  He didn’t know the city she’d gone to, so if he found her it would be by chance.  She just hoped the hunters weren’t on his tail.  If so they might have to move again and she didn’t want that. For the first time since leaving the library, Eliza felt content.  She had a job she loved and was making a life for herself that she didn’t want to lose.

Sitting there, she thought back to the times she, Jimmy and Vicki had spent together.  Some good, some bad.  Lost in thought, she realized at a lot of the times had been bad.  It didn’t seem that way while it was happening but on reflection, Eliza had seemed to do a lot of bailing out of Vicki.  Jimmy too had done his share.  He was always looking out for her and when he couldn’t, Eliza seemed to have taken over.  This realization didn’t change the fact that they’d been friends but it did put it more in perspective.  Eliza knew that if Jimmy did find her, she would help him and would do it gladly.

She wondered, well maybe this would be something she could talk over with Jesse.  He would probably know the answer.  Saving Jimmy’s letter, she opened Jesse’s.  Just everyday things, how was everything going, had she heard from Jimmy yet?  Oh yes there was the opening she needed.  She quickly wrote a reply to Jesse.  Before doing anything or saying anything to Jimmy, she hoped Jesse would be able to answer her question.

“Jesse, I know that between vampires, we can, for want of something better, send a sort of summons.  Do you know if it can be done  with humans?  What I mean is, can it be done from a distance and if so, how great a distance?  This is important, Jesse, very important.  It could mean life or death for Jimmy,” Eliza wrote.

Sending the e-mail reply, Eliza knew she’d have to wait for Jesse to return his answer.  A plan was forming in her head now.  If Jesse answered the way she hoped he would, then she would put the plan into effect and hopefully save Jimmy’s life.  Maybe she’d try just sending a trial thought, suggestion to come to her.  Eliza figured it couldn’t do any harm and might even do some good.  She would just have to have some place to have Jimmy hide.  Again maybe Jesse could help her there.  It was worth a try.
 

He was moving quickly, traveling by night and sleeping during the day.  For about the thousandth time, he thought, “this is how Eliza lives all the time.  She’s used to this.  I’m not.”  He knew though, that his life depended on getting far away from his old  life.  Since they’d killed Vicki, trying to get information on Eliza, he’d known his very existence hinged on getting out.  He wasn’t sure how many miles he had put between him and the mob, but for the first time since he’d left, he felt it was all right to slow down a little.  Jimmy had altered his looks as best he could.  A different haircut, color and a full beard and mustache had really changed the way he’d looked.  It was funny what a little facial hair could do to change your looks.  He knew he’d lost some weight too, not eating regularly had that effect. 

 It was almost dawn, so he thought he’d find a place to hide for the day and catch some much needed sleep.  He’d slept in a lot of different places, since he’d been on the run.  Some of them were good and more than a few, not so good.  He found a deserted farmhouse tonight and he figured he’d sleep in the barn.  He made sure he’d left no tracks and curled up under the hay that was still in the loft.  It had a faintly musty odor, yet was still mostly clean and dry.  He fell asleep quickly and immediately began to dream.

He was running in his dream.  Suddenly, he heard a soft voice calling him.  “Jimmy, come to me.” “How can I?” he called back.  “I don’t know where you are.”

“Follow my voice, Jimmy, just follow my voice,” she called.  

Jimmy knew that voice.  It was Eliza.  How he knew it was Eliza, he wasn’t sure.  He knew that the voice was calling in his head.  It wasn’t a sound he truly heard.  He also knew, as a dreamer knows, that he was asleep.  He’d follow it when he awoke.  If it wasn’t a figment of his imagination, of course.

As soon as the voice quieted in his head and his dream, Jimmy fell deeply asleep.  He didn’t even hear the noise of someone entering the barn.