"Jimmy!  Jimmy!"  The voice was  persistent and penetrating.  From a dead sleep, his eyes flew open and he froze, absolutely motionless, making sure he attracted no attention.  He could hear voices below the loft he was sleeping in.  

"You sure he's in here?" a voice asked.

"No, but I'm sure he came in here," responded another voice.

Jimmy considered his options.  He was a big man but he was unarmed and nearly broke.  His circumstances were nearing critical and he was quite sure there were armed hunters in the barn with him.  He grimaced, not liking his chances.  He felt a rage come over him about what they'd done to Vicki and vowed that they'd not take him alive and that he'd take some of them with him, if it came to that.

"Damn, it's dark in here."

"What do you expect?  It's night!"  

A heated argument ensued, giving Jimmy the opportunity to gather his wits and seek a way out of the barn.  He was in the loft and there was an opening that was used to load the bales of hay.  There was a rope and pulley suspended from it and he quickly took advantage of the ready make escape route.  His descent made more noise than he'd anticipated or liked, but luck was with him.  The argument between the two hunters masked the sounds of his departure.

His landing was less than graceful and slightly painful. Limping, Jimmy worked at putting distance between himself and the barn.

Jimmy was in a rugged, wooded area and he was totally disoriented and lost.  There was no sign of civilization and he was quite concerned.  He was a city boy and was quite skilled at city survival but the wilderness was not his element. He'd been wandering, lost, for a couple of days now and the only good thing about his situation was no hunter could know where he was, because he had no idea where he was himself.  

He was trying to walk in a straight line.  He'd selected a westerly direction to travel in.  He determined west by the sun.  The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Knowing what time it is, the direction west can be estimated with sufficient accuracy to avoid walking in circles.  That morning, he'd found a blackberry patch and the tart berries were a treat that supplied moisture and nourishment.  The small meal had buoyed his spirits and there was almost a bounce to his steps.

There was a sound!  Jimmy stopped, froze and cocked his head to listen.  The puzzled expression on his face was replaced by enlightenment as he realized he was hearing an  approaching train.  Looking around, he spotted the track to his right and could see the train rounding a bend.  Running forward, near the track, he crouched to conceal himself and his intentions from the engineer.  As the locomotive passed him, he stood and sprinted, trying to match his speed to the train so he could safely board.  The train was gaining speed from the bend and he was beginning to lose ground.  Desperately reaching for a car and leaping, he felt a firm grip grasp his arm and assist him into the car.  He landed heavily and lay gasping on the dirty floor of the vibrating car.

"Bad choice, man.  Bad choice.  You coulda been kilt."  Jimmy heard a dry chuckle then the voice continued.  "I saved you, though.  Guess that's my good deed for the day, huh?"  The voice rattled on and on, engaged in a one sided conversation that the voice seemed completely satisfied with.  Rolling onto his back, Jimmy saw his rescuer.  His first thought was that he was sharing the rail car with a wizened gnome. But the rattle ov conversation convinced him that his host was very human and very talkative.  His host handed him a can of warm soda which he gratefully accepted and sitting up, gulped it down.

The day passed pleasantly.  Jimmy was told that they had at least a 30-hour ride ad that they could relax and enjoy the journey. Weezer, as he introduced himself had been "riding the rails" for years and regaled Jimmy with tales of the good old days and complaints about the modern hassle and security of catching a ride.  They passed the time sharing warm sodas, cold pizza, and conversation.

With a full belly, the sun warming their car and the rhythmic motion Jimmy nodded off as the sun set.  He jerked awake and sat up.  It was pitch dark and there was no motion or sound of the train.  "Weezer?" he called.  There was absolute silence.  Jimmy looked around trying to figure out where he was and what was happening.  All he could see was darkness.  He thought he could feel a light breeze on his face.  He felt dirt and damp grass under his hands.  "Damn," he breathed, "this ain't the train."  He wondered if they'd crashed and he'd been thrown free.  He felt a cold chill wash over him as he considered the possibility that he might be dead.  "Hey," he shouted.  There wasn't even an echo.  

He shakily got to his feet, feeling his body.  "I feel alive and I feel ok," he muttered to himself. He held his hand out and stared, but couldn't see a thing.  He pinched him self just to make sure he could feel.  He could.  He held his breath to listen and all he could hear was the sound of the blood rushing in his ears and his heart beating.  He suddenly felt cold and goose bumps formed on his arms and legs, causing a prickle of pain and a chill breeze seemed to caress his body.  He heard a rustle, a faint sound from behind him.  He spun, facing the sound, not knowing whether to fight or run, but all he could see was a faint glow in the distance. He squinted trying to see, trying to make out what was happening.

"I'm dreaming," he thought.  "This has got to be a dream."  The light was increasing, getting bigger and appeared to be coming closer to him.  It was oval in shape and hints of a figure could be glimpsed within its cold light.  Jimmy stared, unable to move as he could make out the form of a tall, pale lady with dark hair, all dressed in black, flowing, diaphanous material.  As she was dressed, he could not see her walking.  She appeared to glide toward him.  

She approached within inches of him and he was transfixed by the sight of her.  She looked him straight in the eyes and studied him intently.  A chill rippled through him but he really didn't feel fear.  His emotions were more    curiosity than any thing else.  She raised her right hand and touched his cheek.  The touch was electric and cool.  It reminded him of Eliza's touch.  He stared at her intently and could see just a hint of fangs behind her ruby red lips.  He raised his hand, hesitated and let it drop.  He couldn't bring himself to touch her.  

She turned to her left and pointed.  His eyes followed her movement and he could see a tall building.  The moon was behind it and it presented a peaceful, almost tranquil picture.  He felt an overwhelming desire for peace and normalcy and he realized how much he missed Vicki.  He tore his eyes from the sight of the building and faced his strange visitor but there was only darkness.  He looked around, and he could see only darkness again. He felt himself dropping to his knees and darkness engulfed him.

Heard music.  A guitar was playing Summertime, slow, mournful and beautiful but the shaking was very annoying.  He opened his eyes and Weeder was shaking him.  "Your gotta sees this.  You really a gotta sees this.  This makes it worth it!"  Weeder saw Jimmy's eyes open and he pointed.  "There!  Take a look at that."   He could see a tall building.  The moon was behind it and it presented a peaceful, almost tranquil picture.  

"Oh . . .  my . . . " he breathed and jumped from the moving train.  Landing on all fours, Jimmy jumped up and began running toward the building in the distance.  He could still hear that music in his head and it was drawing him on.  A single light shone from a window in this building, sending the feeling of peace and tranquility and safety.  The light was muted, as if a curtain had been drawn across a window and the light was shining through it.  Stumbling and staggering he drew closer to the building.  Anyone seeing him would think he was drunk.  He kept running into indentations and that led to the stumbling and staggering.  Finally, it seemed like he’d been running forever, he drew near  the door of the building.  He still felt no sense of danger, although he was aware of a presence.  Faint music still drifted on the air.  Still, that same song.  He knew it to be "Summertime."  He hadn’t heard it played like that, though, since Jerry died.  He remembered Eliza taking Vicki and him once to hear Jerry play.

Raising his hand as if to knock, he waited.  No sounds.  None at all, other than that faint music, almost an impression rather than true music.  He reached his out his hand and grasped the handle.  The door swung inward with no sound at all.  The light inside was, indeed, muted.  It seemed natural though.

For the first time he felt truly safe.  Even though he sensed someone or something with him, he knew without a doubt, they meant him no harm.  For the first time since he set off, he relaxed and knew he was safe.  

That smell.  Oh, something smelled so good. Food.  He was so hungry and so tired.  Bone tired.  He followed his nose and entered a smaller room.  There, he saw a table and two chairs.  The table was set for one.  On it were the most mouth watering items.  Almost running, Jimmy made his way to the table.  Looking around, he still saw no one and decided that the food was for him.  He settled himself and dug into the most enjoyable meal he’d had in a long time.  Roast beef, done to perfection, vegetables that seemed to be roasted also.  All piping hot and tasting as amazing as they looked.  He ate until he could not eat another thing.

He rose from the table and began looking around the room he’d been in.  There didn’t appear to be a door back to the room he’d entered from.  That was strange, but it didn’t really bother him too much.  Following a short hallway, he came to a room that he saw was a bedroom.  "Ah the luxury of sleeping in a bed again," he thought.  It had been quite some time since he’d slept in a real bed.  He had slept where and when he could.  He couldn’t be choosy if he wanted to be safe.  The bed was so comfortable that he stretched out and was soon asleep.  He was soon deep in dreams.  Vicki, Eliza,  they seemed to merge.  He wished Eliza were here.

As Eliza slowly walked along, taking her time to unwind after a long gig at the club, she suddenly realized there was no sound, no light, nothing.  It was like walking into a cloud bank.  Filled with fog but no sound, no smells, nothing.  Then suddenly, just a hint of lilac.  The soft scent brought back memories, some happy, some sad.  She remembered that scent and the last time she had smelled it.  Rolain and Jerry.  Jerry’s memorial service. Rolain’s soft voice entered Eliza’s head.  "Go my dear.  You are needed.  He needs you.  You will know what to do," the voice said.  

As the voice faded from her mind, the scent of lilacs disappeared also.  Slowly Eliza sank down.  A dream, she knew it was a dream, but still, she had been walking, hadn’t she?  Slowly, she drifted to sleep.  She slid into the dream easily.  The building in the distance, sending out warmth, tranquility, peace.  Yet, she had an overpowering sense of being needed.  Now, right this minute.  Overlaying the peace, was a feeling of fear, quieted now, but still there.  There was someone or something there that needed her.  

Waking, Eliza opened her eyes and knew she was still outside.  Instead of the sidewalk under her, she smelled grass. Slightly dusty, dry but still grass. It was dark.  Not the full moon then.  No light whatsoever.  No stars, no moon, no light, except....there, in the distance.  Straining, for even with her keen night sight, Eliza could just barely make out the building.  She knew it was quite far away.  A single light shown in the night, like a beacon.  

Eliza looked around again.  She still had that feeling of urgency.  Knowing it would take all night to walk, she thought and was there in a flash.  Walking around the outside of the building, it seemed to be just an ordinary building on the outskirts of a medium large town.  She could see more lights a short distance away.  Moving back to the entrance, she put her hand on the door.  It slowly opened without a sound.  Moving cautiously, she moved into the room.  It was the same room Jimmy had entered.  Quiet, peaceful, safe.  Moving slowly, she looked around this outer room.  With her night vision she saw it was indeed like an outer office type area.  Anyone looking in the windows would see an office setup.  Moving onward through the door, she entered the smaller windowless room, that held the remnants of Jimmy’s dinner.  Eliza smiled sadly as she saw just how hungry Jimmy had been.  She could tell this had not been an easy time for him.

As she stood thinking this, there came the faint smell of lilacs and the quiet haunting strains of "Summertime."  Again memories assailed her and unbidden, tears slowly welled in her eyes.  Then she heard, "still crying?  Bad little bat, you have no need to cry for us," she heard Jerry say.  With a smile, Eliza looked up and saw the faint figures of Jerry and Rolain, arms entwined.  "We knew you were looking for him and were worried, Eliza.  We felt you trying to call him to you.  So, we helped a little," she heard Jerry say.  "He’s sleeping now, has been for quiet some time actually.  He’s exhausted and would have collapsed shortly without some healing sleep."

Nodding, Eliza followed the hallway and found the room where Jimmy lay sleeping.  She knew as she stood there watching him, Jerry and Rolain had faded back to wherever they had been.  Thinking, she thanked them silently, knowing there would always be a bond between the three of them.

Silently watching Jimmy sleep, Eliza knew they wouldn’t be leaving here this night.  Jimmy was too exhausted to travel any further.  Walking back to the room that held the table and chairs, she grabbed a chair and headed back to Jimmy’s room.  Placing the chair in a darkened corner, Eliza sat there watching the deepening night.  As the morning drew closer, Jimmy’s sleep lightened and Eliza grew more tired.  She hoped he’d wake before sleep claimed her.  It was barely two hours til dawn and she would have to sleep.

Jimmy woke, opened his eyes and without moving took stock of where he was.  Being that the room was windowless, the only light came from the hallway and didn’t illuminate much of the room.  He became aware of soft breathing in one corner of the room.  Little light penetrated the corners and he didn’t want to give away the fact that he was awake.  The breathing was to soft and light to be a man, he hoped.  No matter, he hoped whoever it was had no weapons.  He had his knife, if it hadn’t been taken while he slept.

He must have made a slight movement, as a voice softly called from the dark said, "Jimmy, it’s ok, it’s Eliza.  I am so glad I found you."

With a shuddering sigh, he relaxed back against the bed and waited to hear what she had to say.  He knew he was safe now.

Eliza slowly moved into the little light there was so that Jimmy could really see it was her.  She looked at him and he couldn’t stay in the bed any longer.  He sat up and then, with a soft moan, burst into tears.  In a way it felt so good to be able to release all the pent up emotions that he had been living on.  He cried for Vicki, for Eliza and for himself.  He cried for all he’d lost, all he’d found and what was to come.

It hurt Eliza to stand there watching him cry, although she knew that he needed this.  It didn’t make it hurt less for her.  She missed Vicki also and knew that was a small part of what was going through Jimmy.

Moving to him, she knelt by his side and putting her arms around him drew him close to her.  She patted and rubbed his shoulder, murmuring, "it’s ok now Jimmy, it’ll be ok." He buried his face against her shoulder and cried harder.  

Placing both her hands along his face, she raised his face so he was looking into her eyes.  She looked down at him, staring deeply into his tear filled eyes, slightly beginning an  enthrallment to calm him.  Slowly his sobbing eased as he fell deeper under the spell.  With a slight smile, he leaned into Eliza and rested against her.  At the feel of his relaxing against her, Eliza felt her fangs beginning to drop down.  She fought the need.  This was Jimmy and he was already too upset.  She’d never just take from him.

Suddenly she heard a noise from the outer room.  She called out, "Jerry, Rolain, is that you?"  Not hearing any reply, she slowly lowered Jerry down to the pillows again.  Standing, she moved silently toward the door leading to the room where the remains of Jimmy’s meal had been.  The room was dim now, as the lights had been extinguished and the only light came from the windows.  She knew it was nearing dawn.  The faint pearly light of dawn was showing through the window.  She saw the remains of Jimmy’s meal had been removed and the room looked as though it had never been used. 
 
There, from the outer room, she heard another hushed noise.  Someone was moving around out there.  Eliza flashed to the wall, careful to avoid any true light coming in the window.  She knew she’d have to make sure this wasn’t a foe, quickly.  She needed to get into the windowless room before sunup.  Again another nose, a carefully muffled exclamation.  With a slight, silent giggle, Eliza knew someone’s poor little foot had met an immovable object.  Again a not so muffled curse.

Wait!  She knew that voice.  Closing her eyes, she scanned the outer room.  She knew it.  It was he.  She flashed into the outer room, coming to just behind him.

Jesse jumped as Eliza threw her arms around him from behind.  He just had time to return his features to the way he’d looked when he and Eliza were a couple.  He didn’t want her to know who he was know.  It was still safer for her.

Turning slowly in her arms, Jesse reached around her and picked her slight body up and held he close to him.  "Oh, she felt so good in his arms," he thought.  She must have felt the same, for she leaned forward and placed a small nipping kiss on his lips.  He claimed her lips in a deep kiss and both of them knew right then, it wasn’t over between them.

With reluctance, they both broke the kiss.  Eliza leaned back in Jesse’s arm and asked how he’d managed to find her.  

"It wasn’t hard, Eliza," he replied.  "I’ve most always been able to keep track of you in one way or another."

"Put me down, Jesse," Eliza said.  "Come, Jimmy is here and he needs our help," "He hasn’t had a chance to tell me what was going on, he’s been sleeping most of the time I’ve been here."  Taking Jesse’s hand, she led him to the small windowless room where she’d left Jimmy.

He watched as they entered the room, not caring much that there was a man with Eliza.  He was too happy to have found her, knowing she wouldn’t have brought someone in here that would hurt him.  Looking closely, he recognized Jesse and with a sad smile, held his hand out, saying, "good to see you again, man."

Catching Jimmy’s hand and shaking it, he threw his free arm around Jimmy’s shoulders and gave him a quick hug.  "Good to see you again too, wish it was under better circumstances."

With a nod, Jimmy settled back down on the bed, as Eliza went to draw the chair closer to the bed.  Jesse looked at Jimmy seriously and said, "ok Jimmy, what can you tell us about what’s happening and what happened to cause Vicki’s death?"

Shuddering slightly, Jimmy looked at both of them in turn, saying quietly, "they still want Eliza."  "For some reason they want her dead, beheaded, staked and whatever else they can do to her.  They hated her more than any other vampire they had found yet."  Looking at Eliza, he asked her what she had done to bring their hatred down on her.

With a bitter smile, Eliza replied, "it’s a long story, Jimmy, a long, long story."