CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT

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          THE BREEZE FELT NICE AGAINST HIS SKIN AS HE APPROACHED THE OPEN WINDOW ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF THE APARTMENT BUILDING. Dakota was sitting cross legged on the bed, back turned to him as she typed away at her phone. The intoxicating smell of her hit his nostrils and he was surprised that no other vampire had tried to drain her dry yet.

He watched her for a moment, brows furrowed before moving closer to the open window.

The hairs on the back of her neck tickled at her skin and she turned her head, having felt his eyes on her. Her phone fell from her hands onto the mattress beside her as she jumped at the sight of him hovering above the ground.

"You scared the shit out of me." she breathed, hand on her chest. "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you to invite me in."

"I knew you could move through the sky." she said, surprised as she moved from the bed toward him. Dakota pulled her bath robe tighter around herself to keep away the coldness coming from outside. "I didn't think you could actually hover like this. Can all vampires fly?"

"Can all humans sing?" he mused, smirk playing at his lips.

"Are you kidding?" she huffed, shaking her head. "I couldn't carry a tune in a bucket with a lid on it." Eric smiled at that as she said, "Come in."

The vampire stepped over the threshold, grabbing onto the windowsill as he placed his feet on the old carpeted floor beneath him. He walked further into the room, back to her as he closed his eyes for a moment, her scent stronger than it had ever been.

"So, um, how goes the search?"

"I don't care about the search." she said, coming up behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist, resting her head against his back. "I'm glad you're here, Eric. I missed you."

The viking raised one brow as he turned around in her embrace only to be met with her dark eyes staring up at him. The top of her head just reached his shoulders and she looked so small with her blonde locks pushed behind her ears. Dakota leaned in, standing on the tips of her toes as her lips brushed his collarbone.

"You smell like the ocean in winter." she breathed, meeting his eyes again. "How is that possible?"

"That's not possible." he frowned.

Dakota played with the hair at the nape of his neck lovingly. "You played by the North Sea as a child."

"Yes," he nodded, in awe that she knew this. "how did you know?"

"I am smelling your memories." she whispered, her hands moved to his shoulders and she pushed the material of his leather jacket down his arms. 

"Not even you can do that."

"Oh, I got skill you can't even dream of, cowboy."

Dakota pulled his face down to her own, pressing her lips against his own in an openmouthed kiss. Eric grabbed the back of her head, wrapping his hands in her hair as he desperately tried to get her even closer. He could feel the grin on her face as she pushed at his chest, hard, and he fell backwards onto the bed.

The vampire watched her with big blue eyes as she stood before him as she slipped the bath robe from her shoulders, falling to the floor. Dakota was only wearing a pair of purple panties, chest bare and there was a low growl coming from the back of his throat as she crawled toward him.

"You want more?" she said huskily as she straddled him. 

Eric reached for her, pulling her face closer to his own and licking her lower lip. Dakota ground her hips down onto his own and he thought he might have been in heaven in that moment. The heat of her skin felt wonderful, the thrum of her heartbeat made him feel alive and her scent, god her scent was all over him.

"You want more?"

"Huh?" he frowned, pulling away from a moment.

"You want more?"

Eric blinked a few times, feeling his pants tightening at the thought of the telepath. His eyes fell on Yvetta then, the dancer Pam had hired to work at Fangtasia. He was no longer in Jackson, but sitting on his throne in his bar and his mood turned sour immediately. 

"Or am I boring you?"

The woman was wearing a skimpy outfit, trying to get his attention and Eric thought she looked pathetic as she slid down the pole before him. He waved her off, jaw clenched and the brunette felt offended, walking off stage with a glare.

Pam watched as Eric sped off toward his office and he was gone before she even had the chance to say anything to him.

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"THE VAMPIRE RIGHTS AMENDMENT'S IMPENDING PASSING, HAS LEFT MANY UP IN ARMS, BUT PERHAPS NONE SO MUCH -"

Dakota turned the volume of the tv off with the remote, she had had enough of supernatural beings for the time being and would rather not listen to anything the news had to say. The kitchen was small and Alcide took up most of the space as he stood before the stove.

"Bacon?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder.

"Thanks," she nodded, taking a seat at the dinner table.

It was still early, Dakota hadn't slept much and she guessed neither had Alcide. He had showered already, looking refreshed. Probably better than she looked as she was sporting dark circles underneath her eyes. 

"How are you feeling?" 

"All good." he commented. His injuries had all healed, courtesy to the werewolf blood surging through his veins." We heal quickly, though not as quick as vamps do. By the way, what time do you want to head back to Bon Temps?"

"We're not going back to Bon Temps." Sookie entered the kitchen, looking freshly showered.

"But I thought we weren't looking for that asshole anymore?" Alcide questioned, raising a brow.

Sookie grabbed a glass from the cabinet and filled it with orange juice. "Oh, I still plan on finding him."

"Okay," Alcide huffed, shuffling the bacon around in the pan. "doormat."

"I am not a doormat!" Sookie defended herself, facing him. "I just want him to say it to my face. I think he's in trouble. Maybe i'm wrong here, but if he can look me in the eye and tell me it's over, then i'll leave him here to rot."

"If you're looking for closure, move on." 

"Says the man cooking breakfast in a wok 'cause he's too sad to buy a new frying pan." she shot at him, even though Alcide was only trying to help her. "I need more information. Take me to that engagement party tonight."

"No fucking way." he snapped, turning off the stove. "I paid my debt to Eric Northman, which you weren't even a part of, by the way."

"Sook," Dakota sighed. "you can't ask that of him. He's done enough."

"I need to find Bill." she tried before turning back to the werewolf. "I know you're still hurting over Debbie. But seeing her with those creeps might help you get over her."

"Are you insane?" Dakota accused. "Are you hearing yourself? You're asking Alcide to face his fiancé while she's getting engaged to another man. He has done enough for us, we can figure something else out to find Bill."

"This is the only way." snapped Sookie. "I am going to this party with or without you."

Dakota laughed humourlessly as she rolled her eyes. If she didn't love her cousin so much she would have never gone to Jackson, but Sookie was family and she cared a great deal for her, but sometimes she could just be so selfish, not caring about other people's feelings. But now, Dakota had had enough and she didn't want to be here anymore. She wanted to go home.

"Fine," she sighed. "go ahead. I'm going back to Bon Temps."

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ALCIDE WAS WAY TOO KIND FOR HIS OWN GOOD AND HE HAD GONE BACK TO LOU PINE'S WITH SOOKIE TO HELP WITH HER SEARCH, LEAVING DAKOTA ON HER OWN. The werewolf had promised to take her back to Bon Temps when they'd get back from the bar, but she didn't want to burden him and instead of waiting, she had bought a bus ticket.

Dakota was done with all the vampires, wolves, pain and whatever else it was the supernatural world brought with it. All she wanted was to go home and lay in her bed, safe.

The sun had just disappeared behind the horizon and she had been waiting for a good fifteen minutes on the sidewalk, bag slung over her shoulder. It was cold and she wished she had packed warmer clothes, but Alcide had radiated so much heat she hadn't even noticed the weather outside.

There was a shout behind her and she glanced at the girls stumbling from the strip club, which was very conveniently located next to the bus stop. Other than them, it was quit and she hadn't seen a single since she had gotten there.

"Dakota? What on earth are you doing here?"

The blond turned, brows furrowed until she came face to face with the vampire who broke her cousin's heart. He looked well, wearing an expensive looking suit as he took a step closer toward her. He seemed on edge, eyes moving to look over her shoulder for a moment.

"What am I doing here?" she huffed, following his gaze before turning her gaze on him. "What are you doing here? We've been looking for you. Sookie is mad with worry. What happened to you?"

"Listen to me," he grabbed her biceps. "you need to get out of here. It is not safe here for you. Call Sookie, say you saw me and that I am alright and get her the hell out of Mississippi, do you hear me?"

"Why?" she frowned. "Are you in trouble? I know about the werewolves, do they have you under their control?"

There was an amused laugh behind her and Bill bared his fangs, grip tightening on her skin. Dakota peered at the man behind her, but she didn't recognise him. He was older than Bill and he too, had his fangs bared as he sped to her, causing her to flinch.

"Compton," he spoke, though his eyes were solely on her. "I send you out here to find us someone to eat and you have truly outdone yourself. This one smells, delicious. Like a spring day filled with apple pie and lemons."

Bill kept his mouth shut, jaw clenched as he feared for her safety. Dakota swallowed, fear setting deep within her bones when he leaned in, nose brushing over her neck to take a whiff off her. He held himself with ease and her eyes fell on the red velvet jacket he wore.

"Tell me then, what is your name?"

"I don't want any trouble." she whispered. "I was just on my way."

He clapped his hands together, beaming smile on his face as he peered up at Bill, who stood a head taller than him. Bill kept his face void of emotion as he held onto the blond. It was too late, there was nothing he could do to safe her. Dakota could feel it by the way he loosened his grip on her, weakness.

"On your way?" he laughed, fangs shimmering from the streetlight beside them. "I don't think so, sweetheart. You know, i've had a really long day and I am in desperate need for a drink. What do you say? Will you give Russell some of your sweet smelling blood?"

Dakota began to panic as he grabbed the back of her head and brought his mouth to her throat. Her hands pushed against his chest and without even knowing what she had done, Russell was blasted away from her grip, landing twenty feet away from where she stood. Bill was no longer behind her, having been thrown back from the force of her power.

The blond had dropped her bag in the process and before the vampires had a change to recover, she legged it and ran as fast as she could back to Alcide's home. 

Dakota screamed when something slammed into her and she pushed against the wall of the strip club, chin splitting open from the force.

"Tsk," tutted Russell Edgington. "that was very, very bad of you."

"I will fucking kill you."

"What are you?"