Azure's Note: I am accepting ideas to write chapter 7.

If anyone would like to contribute; feel free.

One of my ideas is to have Eric and Bill taken trapped by Abel-

Jessica & Emily have to team up for a rescue.

Second idea: Emily & Jessica caught & have to bust out on their own.

Feel free to let me know if you guys want anything specific.

Call On Me

Chapter 6:

Emily sat in her room; knees drawn to her chest. She studied the joyful faces of the figures in the paintings. Her sketch pad lay beside her; she tapped her pencil against her knee. Eric had painted these canvas'; it was clear he had taken his time. He had put a lot of care into the work. She found herself thinking back to her own life. It wasn't as happy as the ones she saw depicted around her. She wondered how her mother and father were; it had been a long time since she'd spoken to them.

The idea caught her fancy and she wanted to see her family. Leaving her room she listened for Eric. He had left already; the club was busy tonight. It was some kind of party. She could have gone with him; but found herself wanting to be alone tonight. Or so she had thought. Now she wanted company. She had spent years by herself in the hospital. Her nature was far more social then people had thought. Being a vampire hadn't changed that in her, at least not yet.

She left a note for him; in case he came home early. She doubted he would; Eric loved being at the club. Stopping at the office to leave the note she saw a present sitting on his desk. It was topped with a bright red bow and it had her name on it. Emily paused, studying it. Should she wait for him? Could it be jewelry? Wasn't that normally what was in a box like this? Excitement got the better of her and she picked up the box. Lifting the lid she paused again. A set of keys sat inside. She already had house keys; so what did these go to?

Emily put the keys in her pocket and headed out. There was a car sitting in the driveway and since Eric wasn't home, it was his. She stopped again. There was a giant red bow sitting on the roof. A smile lit her eyes as she yelped for joy. She jumped up and down in sheer happiness. Quickly taking the keys out of her pocket she pressed down on the button pad. The locks chirped and she ran to the car. Opening the driver's side door she put the key in the ignition. The exotic sports engine growled to live. She made excited sounds as she checked over the car.

Common sense kicked and she realized she needed to have registration and insurance. She leaned over to the glove box. That's normally where people kept it. To her joy she saw a plastic covered holder. She took it out. Quickly opening it, she grinned. The car was insured and registered. Eric was the primary and she was the secondary.

The lot of Fangtasia was nearly full; Emily parked at the front door. She nodded to the door man. He returned it.

"I won't be long." She said, walking by.

Pulling open the door she found the club jammed full of people. Both vampire and human alike danced, partied, and chatted. The club was going to clear a fortune tonight. Threading her way through the masses she searched for Eric. She found him sitting on his throne. He was talking with Bill and Sookie; he didn't look too pleased. But she was learning that was his general expression.

His head turned as if sensing her; his eyes lit up. She could tell he was happy to see her; even if his face didn't show it. Emily stepped up to the throne. Eric took her hand instantly; gently kissing the back of it.

She spoke in Swedish, not wanting others to overhear. "Thank you for the car; it's great."

"You're welcome," He responded. "Are you staying?" He glanced at her outfit.

"No. I want to go for a drive; enjoy my car." Emily didn't flinch when Eric stared into her e yes.

"The instinct to see our families in strong," He warned, "Keep your distance though; you are still young."

She smiled, kissing his cheek. "I will. Have a good night. I'll join you if I get back in time."

Making her way back across the club she waved to Pam. The woman returned it.

Emily climbed into her car and drove out of the lot. She headed toward the highway. With one hand she tuned the radio. Stopping as she came to a late-night techno station. Putting her hand back on the wheel; she drummed her fingers in time to the pulsing beat. Reaching the highway; she shifted the car into higher gear and let her speed increase. With this kind of car she would be there and back with plenty of time to spare.

She reached the city of Monroe and pulled into a gas station to fill up. Eric had insisted she carry a purse and had made sure she had everything a girl could need it. Emily had a hunch Pam had done of the shopping. Eric wasn't very into modern women's cosmetics. Either way, she had a beautiful purse and lots of cash. He had also insisted on that; as a reward for striking a deal with Sam Merlotte. Emily had no idea when Eric was going to deal with Able. So far the Sheriff had stopped leaving bodies in Eric's lands. But the problem still wasn't resolved. She knew Eric would handle it; but he would do so in his own time.

With her gas tank full; she headed into the store to pay. The clerk watched her intently as she entered. He was a young kid, perhaps in his early twenties. He had a wary look on his face. His uniform wasn't a good color for him; and he was on thin side for his build. He blushed when he noticed her watching him. Emily was overcome with hunger as she stepped up to the counter; the scent of him made her light-headed.

"Nice car," He muttered, he worked at his till. After a moment he announced her total and she handed him the cash for it. "So what are you doing out so late?" He asked.

Emily shrugged, "Driving home for a visit."

"Do you live in Monroe?" He made change and handed it to her.

"Shreveport," She accepted her change

He looked at her again, "You're a vampire."

Emily nodded, "You sound impressed."

He shrugged, "I guess."

An idea occurred to her, "Would you like to see the car?"

He glanced at the imported sports car in the lot, "I'm not supposed to leave the store."

Emily caught his gaze; it was instinct really, but she knew she could bend his will. "You want to see the car."

"I'd love to see the car." He muttered and stepped out from his platform. He followed her outside.

Emily let him look over her car; trying to figure out what to do next. "What's your name?"

"Mike," He glanced at her, "Yours?"

"Emily," She reached for him; he flinched away. She caught his eyes again and held him. "Don't move." She ordered. He went still.

Nervousness flooded her and she stared at him. He looked straight ahead, not blinking. Emily licked her lips, suddenly uneasy. She was hungry and it was best to feed before she saw her family. She'd hate to hurt them instead. Better to feed from a stranger then her own kin. She reached up to him and put her hands on his shoulders. His blood smelled incredibly rich to her as she inhaled next to his throat. She closed her eyes and let her instincts take over. Emily lost herself to the intoxicating sweetness of his blood. With each passing moment she felt her strength increase. Her energy grew and she was revived and left feeling electrified. Something cautioned her to stop and she did. As she stood back from Mike she heard an odd sound. A fading flutter in his body; it stopped. She looked at his chest; slow horror crept into her euphoria. Mike stood for a moment; before his legs folded. She reached out, catching him in her arms. Her purse slid down her arm as she looked around for an idea.

Panic filled her mind; she had to hide him and get out of here. She stared at the store, biting her lip. Her throat closed as fear clawed through her. Lifting his body she carried him into the store. Setting him behind the platform, out of site; she heard another sound. Fearing it was a car she looked up; it wasn't. Hers was the only vehicle. She heard the soft whirring again. Looking around she located it. Security cameras were recording.

"Oh shit," She crouched down again, trying to think. She knew from working in a store like this, that everything was in the backroom.

Emily spotted a button near the till; the word LOCK was engraved on it. She hit the button and heard a magnetic snap. The doors were locked. It would keep anyone from coming inside.

She had to hurry though. She'd seen Eric move in a blur and until hadn't cared how he did it. But she did care now. It would be useful. She moved, forcing herself to hurry. The next thing she knew she was at the backroom. The door was locked; she gripped the handle and felt then metal give way. Stepping into the office she crossed to the camera area. It took her a few seconds to remember how to delete images with this software. She deleted the last hour, just to be on the safe side. Before finishing she hit the OFF button with the mouse. The cameras were now turned off. She hurried back to the front of the store; she had to get out of here; but couldn't just leave Mike like that. It would be obvious a vampire had killed him.

Emily sucked in a deep breath as an idea came to mind. Crossing to the platform she gripped the cash drawer and yanked. The metal screamed as it gave up the treasure. She took the cash from both tills, left the coins. She stuffed the bills into her purse; not knowing what else to do. There was a lighter display on the counter; she grabbed one. Rounding the platform she found camping fuel. Ripping the top off two cans she used her super-speed and doused the store.

She closed her eyes as anxiety hit her; was she crazy? No, she told herself, she was protecting herself. She had to do this; it was the only way to hide the evidence. Absently she grabbed a third can and made sure Mike was soaked. The less of him left the better for her.

Emily took a few steps to the door, she grabbed a wad of Lotto papers off the near by counter. Setting it alight she threw it to the floor. Flames whooshed over the floor like a hungry beast. She watched the flames climb up the counter; spread down the aisles. Most importantly they devoured Mike's body. An alarm filled the store and she flinched; turning she smashed a fist through the glass and shoved the door aside. It hung off to one side; she ran to her car; throwing herself inside, she sped away and tried to ignore the tears that fell.

She drove a long time; avoiding the main streets of Monroe. Emily found herself back on the highway, still heading to her family's home. Her body should have been shaking; she should have been scared. But all she felt was quiet; calm. As if she hadn't just committed a murder, robbery, and arson, all in one stop. Emily bit her lip and sucked in several deep breaths. She wanted to feel something; anything. But instead she felt nothing.

It took her a few long moments to realize she had pulled off the road. She sat along the highway in her car; and leaned forward in her seat. She hadn't fastened her seatbelt, so there was nothing holding her back. She leaned her forehead against the wheel and stared at her feet. She still waited for her body to shake; for something like fear. But it never came. She just felt…alive. Her blood sang with power; her muscles still felt strong. A crazy idea floated across her mind; she quickly shoved it aside. She was not going to begin to think of herself as a great person. She'd just killed a man; robbed a store and then burned it in her wake. This was not something great people did.

Emily sat upright. She stared at her purse on the seat beside her. She wondered what Eric would say to her. What would he think? Fear hit her then; real and solid fear. Not of her actions but of what he would do. Of the punishment he would exact on her. That scared her.

Shaking her head, she started the car and headed back onto the road. A few miles passed and she saw her old home town. Red Water, LA, was just as small as she remembered. A population of just over a thousand lived here. It was very tight knit and traditional minded. She wondered what they would say to her now that she was a vampire. None of those things had occurred to her before she left Shreveport. This town wasn't as open minded as Bon Temps; there was a chance they could turn on her. Worst, yet, there was no Eric to protect her if they did.

"You're really being smart tonight, Em." She cursed her self, passing the sign that announced this to be the town of Red Water.

She found her parents house and was surprised at large gathering of cars outside it. All the lights inside the house were turned on. She could hear the laughter of a party; the chatter of a happy occasion from inside the house. Considering the date there shouldn't be any parties now. Curiosity drew her from the car; she put her purse over her shoulder, locked her car and made her way to the house.

Her hands felt cold; she rubbed them on her jeans. What did she say to her parents? Would they let her in? She stopped in her tracks. What if they didn't invite her in? She would be left outside all night. Shaking her head she decided if they didn't let her, it was fine. She would return to Shreveport and let it go. As if it was that easy….it wasn't though.

Emily reached the front door and it opened. She stared at her eldest cousin; he grabbed her, hugging her tightly. "Hey little cousin."

"Hi," Emily was grateful he set her down, "What's going on?"

"Come in," He hauled her into the house; luckily he had invited her first. "Auntie Joan! Guess who's here!" He pulled her down the hallway to the kitchen. People were everywhere. She didn't most of them.

But one face she did know was her mother. Joan Ashmont was still beautiful at fifty-eight years old. She was still as spry and high-energy as when she was a teenager. She turned, her face brightened.

"Honey!"

Emily braced her self for the firm hug from her mother. For once it didn't make her feel like she was drowning. She was far stronger then her mother now; and it helped her deal with the hug.

"Welcome home," Her mother let her go. "We heard about that break-in at the hospital. Thank god you were hurt."

Eric's actions had made the news apparently. "I am glad to." Emily muttered, she adjusted the fit of her purse on her shoulder.

"Say," Her mother eyed the bag, "That's a fancy purse. Where'd you get the money for that?"

Emily glanced at it, shrugging lightly. "It was a present."

Her mother's face shone with joy, "Really? From your boyfriend?"

It took effort for Emily not to frown and snarl at her mother. She'd been locked up for the last few years. How was she supposed to have a boyfriend with money? After a moment she realized it was the best possible answer; how else could she explain Eric if anyone asked.

"Sure, mom."

People came into the kitchen, in search of food and drink. A few of them were old childhood friends. They did a double take at the sight of her.

"Emily," One of the girls looked her over critically, "Nice clothes; since when can you afford designer threads?"

"She has a boyfriend," Her mother announced, "A rich one."

One of the boys looked up from his scavenge of the food trays. "So that's your Lamborghini out front?"

Her mother eyes widened, "Honey?"

"Yes," Emily tensed as she felt eyes watching her. "What?" Her shoulders tensed; her control slipped slightly. "I deserve nice things!" She clenched a fist. She had to get out of here!

Turning she hurried out of the house; she rushed into the night air and was struggling to breathe. She stopped; pressing a hand to her chest. She couldn't feel her heart beat; it was a human gesture that did not apply to her anymore.

"Emily!" Her mother called to her; she stepped out and hurried to her daughter. "Honey, are you okay?"

Emily nodded, regaining her composure. "Sorry, Mom. I am not ready to be here, yet."

Her mother nodded, "I understand, darling. Crowds can trigger your condition. Had I known you were coming I wouldn't have hosted a party."

"What is it for?"

"Robert was accepted into MIT. We received the letter last week."

Robert was another of her cousins. "Wow, the first of us to go to college." Emily had to admit that was a big deal. "Well, then the party should be bigger."

Her mother laughed, "Will you come back in? I'll keep the animals away."

Emily shook her head, "I should get back. Eric will start to wonder if I don't return soon."

"So his name is Eric?" Her mother chuckled, "I'd like to meet him sometime. What does he do?"

Emily mentally kicked herself, "He's a club owner."

The smile on her mother's face slipped a notch. "Oh," She was too conservative to like that, "Well, I am sure he is a good man."

"He is," Emily assured her. "I should really go."

"Yes, yes, of course dear. Drive safely; just because it's expensive doesn't mean it's safer."

Emily smiled, gently hugging her mother. "Enjoy the party and congratulate Robert for me."

"I will."

Emily walked away from her mother's house; at first she felt nothing. But as she drove she felt sorrow in her soul. She knew now why vampires didn't return home. It was painful and did no good. Her mother and cousins were human; they were not her kind. They might try to understand; try to love her; but they would always be afraid. Not to mention explaining Eric to her mother. That was a nightmare just to think about.

She knew, thanks to Godric's conversation with her, that it was her father who was the descendant. Her mother's people were from Europe; her father came directly from Sweden. With her father dead; the line ended with her. The cousins she had come from her mother's sisters and their kids. Her parents had only managed to have one child. Because her mother was over thirty when she'd married and conceived; the doctors told her to only have one child. And now Emily was a vampire. She felt suddenly alone as she drove. There was no family for her in Red Water any more.

Emily leaned her head on her hand, resting her elbow on the doorframe. She drove one handed, her mind clouded with emotions. Her heart was heavy with loss and she was angry too. She was angry with herself and with her family. If they had started younger there would have been more siblings. She wouldn't be the only one. But they hadn't and she was the only child.

If she hadn't gotten messed up with her father's death; hadn't lost her mind, in a way, she wouldn't have ended up in a hospital in Preston. Her world wouldn't have opened to people like Eric or Godric or Able. She would have been able to live a normal, sane, human life. But none of that had happened. When her father died she'd lost herself. Her anger at his death had spun out of control; she'd lost control. It had gotten so bad she had to be locked away. And in a lot of ways that anger was still there; it was just locked up inside her now. But she could feel it brewing. The dangerous, violent rage lived in her and stemmed from a child's confusion about death.

"And now I have become death," She muttered to herself.

She thought of Mike; the kid at the gas station, he was dead. Had she not stopped there tonight; he would have lived. Perhaps he had a girlfriend, or a mother; perhaps he was in college. Now he was a pile of ashes, and all because she had decided to go for a drive.

Emily returned to Shreveport and found herself lost in her mind. She had no desire to return to the empty house. Instead she drove to Fangtasia and parked. The lot was crowded with cars; but she found a spot; with her name on it. Getting out she locked the car and headed into the club. Thundering music deafened her. She ignored it all. Looking around for Eric she found him on stage. He was posing for pictures with a group of girls. They were hardly wearing enough to be covered and wore too much make-up. She pushed her way to the stage; catching his eye. His smile vanished; he came toward her without question.

"What's wrong?" He asked gently, putting his hands on her upper arms. She felt tears slid down her cheeks. "Come."

He rushed them to the office and shut the door, locking it. Emily sat heavily in one of the chairs in front of the desk. Eric crossed to her. Kneeling down, he made her look at him. His thumbs wiped across her cheeks, he put his thumb in his mouth. Emily wiped her face with her ands, rubbing the blood on her jeans.

"You fed," he whispered. His gaze searched hers, "What happened, Emily?"

She sighed, rubbing her face again. "I killed him."

"Who?"

"Mike,"

"Who's…" Eric trailed off. "I see, you drained him to death." He nodded. "It happens, Emily, especially to one as young as you."

"Does everyone my age burn down a store to cover their tracks?" She sobbed. She tugged her purse off her arm and let it fall to the ground. "I panicked. I thought that perhaps if I made it look like a robbery and burned the place, no one would look too closely."

"Tell me everything," He said gently, his hands rested on her thighs, gripping her hands. Tears of blood dripped onto his skin; he ignored them.

"I stopped to get gas…"

Eric's brows raised in surprise as she recounted the story to him. Her actions were resourceful, thought out, practical, and well executed. She was crying harder now; Eric found himself holding her. Her head rested on his shoulder, arms around his back. He ran his hands through her hair as she wept.

"Be calm," He whispered in his native language. "We've all done things like that."

"You have?"

"Yes," He thought back to his younger days, "I burned down a whole village to cover my tracks. Godric even helped me. It was the only way to cover our presence."

"But that was like a million years ago," She sobbed.

"Well, not quite," He smiled a moment, before sobering. "Don't blame yourself, Emily. This is part of learning what we are."

"But I was doing so well!" She sniffled, "I wanted you to be proud of me."

"I am proud of you," He kissed her hair, "Very proud of you. Not many young vampires would think to do that. It was clever."

"Really?" She pulled away, looking at him. "You think so?"

He nodded, "I don't recommend making a habit of it. But at the time, in this situation, it was very well done. We'll just have to work with you a little. Perhaps, the next time you decide to go for a drive, you'll feed before you go."

She sucked in a deep breath; wiping her face. She reached into her purse, searching for a tissue. The cash from the robbery fell out. She stared at it.

"What do I do with the cash I stole?"

Eric considered, "Keep it."

She looked up, "What?"

"Keep it, that's how most of us started our fortunes. We would steal; off those who died, keeping their money. After a while we grew it into a fortune." He reached own, collecting the money off the floor. He took her hand, gently closing her fingers around it. "Tonight was a learning curve for you, Emily. There is no use in feeling guilt or shame."

She sighed, "So you're not mad?"

He shook his head, rising to his feet. "If anything I am even more proud to have you as my blood. You've instinctively done in a few days, what normally takes years or centuries to master. That makes me very happy." He leaned down and kissed her head. "Now, let's go party. Pam put clothes aside for you."

Emily changed into the leather pants and halter top Pam had selected. The clothes were a little on the risqué side; but she tried not to think about it. Stepping out of the change area; she made her way to the club. Someone had put on a great dance track. To her complete surprise Eric was on the dance floor; hopping up and down with the others. It made her smile and lifted her mood completely. She joined him; he put his arms around her and they jumped up and down together. She was laughing and grinning when the song changed. Eric moved off the dance floor and she sat next to him. Pam was in charge of crowd control and was busy most of the night. Eric kept hold of her hand as they sat beside one another; he would entertain her with jokes that had her laughing. When not telling jokes he was on the dance floor or posing for pictures.

"Can I get a picture of the two of you?" A female human asked.

She looked like a tourist who got off at the wrong stop. Eric pulled Emily close; his arms around her middle, she put hers around his neck; they stood facing one another, and looked at the camera. The light flashed and let Emily seeing stars. She blinked and rubbed her eyes.

"You'll get used to that." Eric led her back to the dance floor, "Come on."

They ended up dancing most of the night away. Eric made sure he circulated through the club; he stopped, chatted, and shook hands with a lot of people. A few he would talk with, his expression serious, others he would just wave to. Through out it all, he kept Emily close, he kept hold of her hand at all times.

Had it been anyone else, she would have been embarrassed. But this was Eric. He was he Maker, the start of her family line. It wasn't awkward in the least. It actually left her feeling really secure. He wasn't angry with her; he didn't just push aside. He accepted her actions and moved on. He didn't do what her family had done; which is cut her out of their lives. Eric's hand on hers made her feel welcome. This was what family was supposed to feel like. And as she danced the night away with him at her side; she understood now, Eric was her family. And she was his and that was not something that time could steal away.