CHAPTER THREE

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         "I'M JUST SAYING," SHRUGGED JASON AS HE GRABBED A BEER FROM THE FRIDGE. The man pushed the door shut with his boot. He took the cap off with his teeth and took a swig, squeezing his eyes shut. "do you want a vampire sucking blood out of you?

Dakota raised a dark brow at her cousin as she smoothed out her sundress. Sookie had invited Bill Compton over to their house. Adele wanted to speak to him for her church group meeting 'descendants of the glorious death'. Apparently having a vampire that was present during the civil war brought interesting topics for conversation.

"I'm just trying to get to know the man, that's all." Sookie told him as she glanced toward him from the kitchen window. The girl was all dressed up, wearing her prettiest dress, lipstick on her lips and blush covering her tanned cheeks.

"Because that's where it's gonna end up. Always does." Jason gave his sister a pointed look. Dakota rolled her eyes. He really didn't like vampires, especially not that his sister was getting involved with one.

"What do you know about vampires, anyway?" Dakota asked, ready to defend Sookie if she needed to.

"Yeah, I know a lot more than I care to."

"Oh, please, Jason." scoffed Sookie as she got up from her seat before stalking off to the front of the house. "You ain't even got enough sense to pour piss out of a boot."

"What did I say?" Jason furrowed his brows.

"You're an ass." Dakota got up as well and went into the living room, joining her grandmother who was fussing over the flowers on the table. "They look beautiful."

"Oh, thank you, child." Adele smiled, squeezing her shoulder with a bright smile. "Is it too much? I know their senses are heightened. He might think them to be too much."

"I'm sure he won't mind." Dakota reassured her as she sat down next to the fireplace. Tara and Jason followed, plopping themselves in the last two empty chairs beside her.

Sookie entered, smile on her face as she walked up to her grandmother. Bill was behind her, wearing a simple suit. He looked good, despite his pale complexion and lack of life.

"Grandma, this is Bill." Sookie introduced them. Adele gushed over him, shaking his hand in delight. Bill smiled at her before his eyes landed on the other three in the room. "You've met Jason, Dakota and Tara."

"Good to see you, again." he said sincerely.

"Please, take a seat." Adele said.

Sookie guided the vampire towards the couch and patted the seat beside her. Adele had gone to the kitchen and came back with a plate of sandwiches, handing them around the room. Jason eyed the man the entire time, taking a large bite from his food. Tara and Dakota glanced at each other, awkward silence clung in the air. The older woman stopped before Bill and offered. He declined politely.

"Oh, my stars." she gasped. "Of course. You don't ... I'm sorry."

"It is no problem." he said, smile on his face as she sat beside him on the side of the couch.

"Your people, Mr. Compton." she started, curiously. "they were from this area, I believe."

"Yeah, my father's people were Compton's," he nodded. "and my mother's people were Loudermilks."

"Oh, there are a lot of Loudermilks left." Adele said happily before furrowing her brows at the vampire. "But I'm afraid old Mr. Jesse Compton died last year."

"Yes, ma'am." Bill said. "That's why I came back to Bon Temps. There were no living Comptons, so I've set up home in the old Compton place. And as I expect the VRA to pass – "

"Yeah, I wouldn't be too sure about that if I were you." Jason interrupted with a grimace. "A lot of Americans don't think you people deserve special rights."

"They're the same rights you have." Bill said.

"No, I'm just saying there's a reason things are the way they are." Jason shrugged, feeling uncomfortable in Bill's presence.

"Yeah, it's called injustice." Dakota sighed, giving Bill a smile. He gave her a thankful nod.

"Listen," Jason turned to her. "it's called 'this is how we do it'."

"Jason!" Adele warned. "This is my house. I will not tolerate rudeness." Jason grumbled out a cuss word to quiet for anyone to hear when Adele turned back to Bill. "Did you know the Stackhouses, Mr. Compton?"

"Yes." Bill seemed to be interrupted from his thoughts. "I remember Jonas Stackhouse. He and his wife moved here when Bon Temps was just a hole in the road. I was a young man of sixteen. Isn't this the house he built? I mean, at least in part?"

"Yes, it was." Adele agreed.

"Did you own slaves?" Tara questioned.

"Tara!" Sookie looked at her wide eyed.

"I did not, but my father did." Bill nodded. "A house slave, a middle aged woman whose name I cannot recall, and a yard slave, a young strong man named Minas."

"Oh, this is just the sort of thing my club will be so interested in hearing about." Adele said.

"About slaves?"

"Well, about anything having to do with that time." Adele told her.

"I look forward to speaking to your club, Mrs. Stackhouse." Bill smiled kindly as she gushed. "Now, if it's all right with you I thought that Sookie and I might take a walk. It's such a lovely night."

"Well, it's alright with me if it's all right with Sookie." Adele nodded.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Jason stood up from his seat.

"I don't think it's any of your business." Sookie said.

"She's right, Jason." Adele nodded.

"Look, Gran, I am the man in this family –" Jason said whereas Dakota snorted, turning her head away to keep herself from laughing.

"You are a man in this family." Adele interrupted him. "but I am the oldest person here and this is my house. You better respect me, boy."

"Actually," Bill leaned towards her. "I am the oldest person here."

Adele laughed with him and Jason rolled his eyes, laughing along with them as sarcastically as he could. Sookie walked past her brother with a glare as she took Bill's hand and they disappeared out the front door.

"Thanks for making me look like a fool in front of him, Gran."

"You don't need any help looking like a fool." Dakota said.

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MERLOTTE'S WAS BUSY TONIGHT AND DAKOTA HADN'T HAD TIME TO TAKE HER BREAK. The woman went from table to table with plenty of orders. The heels of her feet hurt from the shoes she was wearing and the constant walking. She cussed herself for trying to walk in her new trainers this night. Tara was arguing with Sam behind the bar about uniforms as she got to them.

"Remind me why I hired you again?" Sam wondered as he walked off.

"Affirmative action." Tara said as she handed Jane Bodehouse her fifth drink of the night.

Dakota grabbed two beers from the bar as she headed back to her table. The four boys grinned at her as she put the drinks down, taking out her notepad. "Anything else I can get ya?"

"Four burgers with a side of fries." one smiled.

"Is that all for you?"

Yes, ma'am. If you could serve them fries off them perfect titties, we'd all be obliged. Ain't nothing I like more than licking food off a girl's tits. And that's a fine ass, too.

Dakota forced a smile on her face. The back of her head aching as their thoughts reached her. It had been so busy she wasn't even focused enough to keep them out. "Okay, then."

As Dakota was about to walk away, she felt a hand squeeze down on the flesh of her bum. The blond jumped and turned around, fuming. The boy was slammed down onto the table, his arm bent uncomfortably by Rene Lenier.

"You wanna let go of the lady, you, or you want me to knock you into next week?" he threatened.

"Damn, man, you're about to break my arm." The boy cried out in pain.

"Apologize," Rene said.

The boy looked up at Dakota. "Sorry,"

It took Rene a moment before he let the boy go. "Maybe you and your friends should find someplace else to eat, yeah?" The boy let out an angry huff as he and his friends got up from the table, avoiding Rene's gaze as they left Merlotte's.

"Rene, you should have let me handled that myself." Dakota sighed as she turned towards Arlene's boyfriend, smile on her face.

"Merlotte's is a nice place. We all wanna keep it that way." He shrugged, his thick accent dripping off his tongue. "Besides, you remind me of my baby sister, you. I hope to god somebody will stick up for her if some asshole ever does her that way."

"Thank you," Dakota said genuinely, squeezing his arm with a smile before going back to wait her tables.

The woman went from table to table, the bar getting busier the later in the afternoon it was. Dawn hadn't shown up for work and she had two sections to cover. Dakota rested her head on the bar with a sigh when she felt her phone vibrate in the pocket of her skirt. Sam glanced her way when she pulled it out, seeing a missed call from Sookie.

A moment passed when her cousin's face lit up on her screen once more. Dakota picked up. "Hey, Sook."

"Dawn is dead.