Eric began to pace back and forth in his little office of his club, Fangsta.

Ring, riiiing, riiiiing, riiiiiing. "Hey, This is Jade. I'm not able to pick up the phone right now. So, please, leave me a little message after the beep. Talk to yas later!" Beeeeeeeep.

Eric leaned over his office phone, "Hello, Jadden, it's just Eric again. I was just calling to wish the married couple a happy anniversary. I don't understand why you aren't picking up either your house phone or your cellphone. It's unlike you, so when you can--" Beeeeep.

"Damnit," he grumbled. He needed to pick up the speed of his thick accent if he was ever going to finish his message.

He began to pace again. He had made sure to get up an hour early just to call the couple before they headed out to do whatever. He had called their house phone six times in the last hour, and her cellphone four times. It was starting to worry him. He expected at least little Claira to pick up; she loved to pick up the phone.

Claira! His icy blue eyes widened as he fell into his chair. Eric picked up his phone and punched in a few numbers.

Riiiing, riiing -- "Hi?"
He gasped, "Claira!"
"Mister Eric! How're ya?"
"Good good, but why is no one answering your house phone?"
"Well, I would... if I was home. Daddy sent me to stay with Auntie Rhy an' Uncle Deany. He said he was very sick an' I couldn't take care of him."
"Ohhhh, poor Dakota. Where is your mother?"
"Uh.... He said she was with you."

A sickly feeling creeped up on him and cold pricks moved about his body. He was silent for a moment, but he knew he had to speak, "Oh yes! I nearly forgot!"
"Can I talk to her? I miss her very much. She left when daddy got sick an' didn't even say goodbye ta me."
"Oh... oh no, you can't darling. She's with Miss Pam on a special mission. She told me to tell you that as soon as she was finished she'd bring you a ton of presents home!"
"Really?! Tell her I just wan' her home for Christmas. You see, Mister Eric, ever since daddy told me she left I've had the worst feeling like she's gone forever. Silly, isn't it?"
"I'll tell her, darling. And yes, that feeling is quite silly," he clenched his teeth, "I saw her just yesterday before Pam and her went to do that mission."

"Mister Eric, it was very mean of ya ta take momma right before her an' daddy's anniversary!"
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I promise to have her back as soon as possible."
"Mmmtay. Thank yoooou. Oh an', Mister Eric, can I tell ya somethin' else funny?"
"Yes, darling."
"Well, when I look Auntie Rhy and Uncle Dean in the eyes... they have this great sadness in 'em. I dun know why. An' they won't lemme watch anythin' but the cartoon channels. I like that a lot. Momma makes me watch all different stuff, but I jus' like watchin' cartoons," she giggled.
"Oh, sweetie, that sadness isn't sadness. It's just... worry. They care deeply for your father and that he's sick. That's all."
"Oh! That explains everything! Thank you, Mister Eric!"
"No problem, darling. Now, I must go, my dear. The club is starting to get very busy."
"Um, okay. But Mister Eric, can ya tell me something?"
"Anything."
"Can ya say you love me? I don't feel very good... Everything feels so weird."

He bit his lower lip hard at that. It really tugged at his cold, dead, heart. "Yes, my dear. I love you, Claira Ann. My Claira Bella."
"Thank you, Mister Eric. Have a goodnight."
"Goodbye, dear."

Click.

Eric sat there, staring at the wall for a long time. Blank of all emotion. Unbelieving of the lies he had just fabricated to this little girl. Lies that had to be told. Truth would crush her every being. The truth was he knew exactly what happened. Claira's empathy was correct. It always was. Her mother was no more.

"I don't believe this!" as his fists burried themselves into his desk, he stood quickly. Within seconds, Eric was at the door. He was out and made towards the backdoor.

Pam asked him where he was going in such a hurry, he murmured one word, "RhyDin."

His mouth hung free for quite a while. Eric's eyes just followed every word Jade had written, picture she had drawn. He turned the paper left and right, then looked to another folded up paper. Every confusing detail simplified. He looked to the vials in the book. Crimson liquid in one, a lighter red in another, and the an empty vial.

"You will need some of her ashes," Eric murmured out to Dakota.

Dakota had crawled towards Eric as he read the ritual, "I know. But it's gunna be tricky. I heard somewhere that her neice had given it to her sister, Icer."

"What's the problem with that?" Eric pulled the couch up from the floor so Dakota could sit on it.

"Icer is a dragon," he sighed and heaved himself upon the couch.

"Oh... That sister," Eric sat at the other end of the couch, still looking over the notes.

"Yeah, that'n," Dakota huffed, pulling a half empty bottle of Jack to him.

He swatted the bottle, and knocked it out of his hands. It crashed onto the floor, "How would Jadden think about this? I assume you've been like this since you killed her?" Eric gave him the eye, "Well, let me tell you something. This ritual will never be completed if you stay have in the bag all the time. You have to stay committed! If you cannot show me that, I will kill you and take Claira away from this place." He gave him a stern look.

Dakota puffed up his chest at that, "No one will take away my little girl, ya hear me?" He winced at the pain, but didn't back down.

A cold smile creeped onto his face, "Good to hear." But his features turned grave, "It's important you pay attention to this."

Dakota nodded and stayed silent, though wincing and groaning from time to time.

Eric held up the crimson vial, sniffed it, and pointed to something on the paper, "This is Jadden's blood. This will come after you make this design somewhere on a hard flat surface with chalk." He looked at the lighter red vial, "This is from her soul. In other words, these are her tears. This comes next." He looked to the empty vial, "This is the most important... and the one Jadden couldn't provide for you. This is what she has become. Ashes. When you get this, you must spread this around the lining of the design."

Dakota stared back, taking all this in.

Eric gave him a blank look, "Do you understand?"

"Yes, but can ya write some of that down for me. Jus' the order of the vials," he offered a sheepish look. These days, Dakota got mixed up easily.

"Of course," He rolled his eyes and shifted through the papers to find a pen. Finding one, Eric made a few notes on Jade's already hand-written notes. "Now, you do know you will need help."

"Like who?" He winced, holding his side.

"Jadden's little elemental friend would be perfect," he made a note of that too.

"Why her? I'm pretty sure she won't be wantin' ta see me for a long time," he sighed.

"If she wants to see our Jadden alive she will. Any form of magic will do, as long as you go through every step and every chant right. And with your people's... background, you will even serve as a great help," Eric said as he sat back some, studying the papers further.

"Me?" Dakota blinked.

"You might think you're just a simple human, but all Native Americans have some Earthen link. One with nature. It shouldn't be a shock, really," He glanced over to Dakota, "But you must be well for this task. It will take a lot out of you and Misses Rhy."

"Too bad I'm in shambles, eh?" A hearty laugh came from Dakota's burnt lips.

"Oh you humans are so terrible with memory," sigh, he set the contents of the book back inside and set the book onto the coffee table. Eric bit into his wrist, "Even if I want you to suffer, you can't. You two are the only ones who can perform the task of bringing her back." He held his now bleeding wrist to Dakota's lips, "Here, drink before it heals."

"Oh God... that won't... will it?" He held the wrist back.

"Did Jadden teach you anything, fool? No, I must share your blood as well before you change. And trust me, I don't want that. Now drink!" He pressed his wrist to Dakota's lips.

If Eric called Dakota a fool one more time, he'd lose it. But he only drank from him, for healings sake. He thought only of bringing his beloved back. It seemed as though minutes went by, but it was only a matter of seconds. Eric yanked his arm away from Dakota's clutching fingers. No matter how disgusting the act may be, humans never want to get away from the surge of energy.

Dakota cleared his throat, licking his lips. He dared not to look Eric in the eyes. It was kinda embarassing, "Thanks..."

"No problem, Dakota. But you must gather your strength and the ingredients to finish this. Also, you can't perform the ritual this month. The moons here are not right, and her soul has not yet settled. To try and get her now would prove risky and stupid," He sighed, as if talking to a four year old. "But how did this happen?"

He flexed his rusty fingers, watching his shirtless chest heal itself of burns. He heard a pop as the broken rib Eric inflicted upon him healed. After staring at his body for too long, he replyed to Eric, "Tara, 'nother vampiress here, brought up turnin' me into a vampire. Jade an' I had plenty o' arguments 'bout this, an' she wouldn't have it. Ever. Tara said that we could have kids this way, an' Jade lost it."

"That's ridiculous. Jadden could never have children as a vampire, even if you yourself were one as well," A blonde brow quirked up at that.

"That's what Jade said. But I jus' hoped, ya know? We argued a while, an' she said somethin' 'bout dyin' was the only way things would work. I didn't want to believe her, but she jus' kept sayin' she wasn't gunna let me turn into a monster. Soo..." His voice broke. He cleared it, "I always carry her heart with me somewhere. I knew she'd never let me be a vampire. I had ta trust her an' give her what she wanted. Death. Final death. So I did it, right there in the inn. I never looked back." Large tears gushed down his cheeks.

"It's alright. You did the right thing," Eric shifted uncomfortabley, setting a hand on Dakota's shoulder.

"No I didn't! We could have worked somethin' else out! An' now, I'm the most hated man in RhyDin! I killed my own wife, an' nothin' can take that back," he was starting to crack up. Lose it. Sobs escaped him.

Eric hated to see the man like this, so he did the only thing he knew to. He sent a backhand across Dakota's face, "Get a grip!"

Dakota sat there for a moment, dazed. Tears stopped. "Thanks, man."

"Now, we will get her back. You will get her back. You just have to stay together," he stood. "I must leave. My club is surely crashing and burning without its owner. I can't have that now. Good luck and godspeed, Dakota Steele. You will need it." With out much more, he headed towards the door. Eric looked at the broken door, "Sorry about the door. I'll pay for a new one."

At that, he left and pulled out of the driveway. Dakota moved back into his trusty recliner. He pulled the book, then the contents into his lap. He had to study every bit of it, and know everything by heart to get his other half back.