CHAPTER FIFTY FIVE

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          SOOKIE STACKHOUSE WAS THE LAST PERSON SHE WANTED TO SEE RIGHT NOW, BUT HERE SHE WAS, STANDING ON THE FRONT PORCH WITH A VAMPIRE IN TOW. It was nearly morning and Eric had to go down into the cubby within the next thirty minutes. Dakota had no patience for her cousin or Bill and she was ready to spew curse words at the both of them.

"We need to talk." urged Sookie, voice laced with unspoken panic.

"No, we really don't." retorted Dakota, as she went to push the door closed but Bill was quick to stick his boot between it and the threshold. The woman flared her nostrils, trying to keep her fangs from sliding out of her gums as she glared at the vampire. "Get your foot out of my home."

"I am not here to take Eric." declared Bill, sharing a quick glance with her cousin. "We have news, and we don't have a lot of time."

Dakota wanted to strange the life out of him and slam the door against his pale face, but she decided against it when she felt the viking come up behind her and slide a hand from her waist toward her stomach, resting it there. The blonde didn't care about the disapproving glances as she leaned back into his touch.

"Your majesty." Eric inclinded his head in greeting, eyes slightly narrowed.

"You have five minutes and then I want you both out of here." declared Dakota, throwing the door open to let them inside. She didn't care that it was also her cousin's home, she couldn't face her any longer than she had to. Sookie, in passing, shot her an apologetic look before ambling into the living room, whereas Bill didn't give either of them a second glance.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" wondered Eric, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "I don't think we can trust them after what happened."

"We can't trust them. Not any more at least." she turned to face him. "They only get five minutes, then they're gone. Let's just get this over with."

Sookie was already seated on the couch when Dakota and Eric joined them, just in time to see Bill throw a heavy velvet bag onto the coffee table. It rattled, shaking the entire piece of furniture and it better not have dented the wood or she'd have his head.

"What's in the bag?" Dakota lowered herself onto the chair opposite of them as Eric sat on the armrest with him arm dangling over the headrest.

"Chains," stated Bill, as he cocked his head to the side. "made out of pure silver."

"And why do we need silver chains?" Dakota raised a single brow in annoyance.

"Those witches down in Shreveport are trying to kill all the vampires in the area." began Sookie, worry etched upon a tanned face as she looked at Bill. "Their head of coven, Marnie, is going to call for them when the sun is highest and get them to walk into the daylight so they'll burn."

"I don't believe a witch can do that."

"I believe it." said Eric, his fingers absentmindedly played with the towel dried hair at the back of her neck, curling it around his digits.

"They use some type of necromancy." continued the vampire king. "Strictly forbidden magic. Since we're technically not ... alive, she'll be able to control our bodies."

"You mean to tell me that I have to chain Eric down so that that bitch can't get to him?"

"It would be safest of Eric were to come with us," said Bill, but it was clear to Dakota that he had not been the one to suggest it. Perhaps it was her way to apologise and yes, she was thankful for the revelation but that didn't change anything. "but the choice is his."

Eric was quick to reply with a shake of his head. "I'm not leaving."

"Thought as much." muttered Sookie.

"We'll leave you with these then." Bill pulled on a pair of black leather gloves and grabbed the bag, letting the chains slide out of it. "If you do not chain him, Dakota, he will meet the sun. Jessica and I will be doing the same thing at my home. I even informed Pamela of this, and she will chain herself at Fangtasia. Good luck."

The vampire got up from the couch and made his way back outside into the early hours of the morning, leaving the door ajar for her cousin to follow. The blonde glanced between the two of them and shot them a quick smile before she followed after Bill.

Dakota didn't watch either of the leave, gaze on the chains on her coffee table. The thought of having to put them on Eric mad her nauseous and she could almost smell the scent of burning skin at the thought of it. 

Eric hadn't stopped playing with her hair once and she closed her eyes.

"It's okay." he uttered. "I will be okay."

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THE SILVER DIDN'T BURN HER SKIN AND SHE HELD THEM TIGHTLY WHEN ERIC LAID DOWN ON THE BED IN THE CUBBY HE HAD BUILT FOR HIMSELF. The viking had reassured her multiple times that it was alright, but she still hesitated when she hovered the chains over his ankles.

His pale skin sizzled once the metal touched him and he cried out in pain, eyes screwed shut as his face contorted in agony.

"I'm sorry." Dakota apologised profusely. "I am so sorry!"

Eric didn't acknowledge her as he tried to breathe through the pain and she quickly wrapped another around his wrists and abdomen. More apologies spewed from her mouth as she secured the chains to the bed. Dakota wished she could only place one on his body, but he was strong and he would break free if he really wanted to and that wasn't safe.

"I must be pretty strong." he huffed, feeling the weight of them.

"You're the strongest vampire I know." she confessed, sitting beside him on her knees, mattress dipped by his waist.

"It's like i've .. i've been drained."

The room filled with wafts of smoke from his smouldering skin and her heart ached. He had gotten paler and she could almost see the purple of his veins peek through. He had been chained before, plenty of times, the last time being in the church in Dallas. Something just seemed more ominous this time. This time it was to protect him.

Slowly, she reached down and grabbed another piece of silver from the cemented floor and frowned at him. His eyes moved toward the object in her hands and he groaned. "I'm so sorry, Eric. I've lost too many people in my life. I can't loose you too."

"I understand." he nodded, fangs sharp against his lower lip. "It's okay."

Dakota wanted to do it gently, but causing someone else pain never was gentle and it would hurt either way. The blonde placed the silver around his throat and the moment it touched his skin he cried out, pressing his head as far as he could into the pillow. He tried to get away from it but to no avail. 

Dakota took hold of his shoulder, wishing to take the pain away from him.

"Dawn is just around the corner." she uttered softly. "I hope ... No, I know this is enough."

The viking couldn't move a muscle but his eyes still found hers as he tried to control his pained breaths. Dakota brushed a strand of hair from his forehead and leaned down to press a kiss to his damp skin. 

"Will ... Will you stay with me?"

"Of course." she nodded, kicking off her slippers before she laid down beside him on her side. 

He managed to turn his head slightly and tried to offer her a smile and she brought her lips down to his own. The sun was only minutes away and then they'd had to wait. Maybe this was all for nothing, maybe Bill and Sookie were lying. Maybe the witches weren't even capable of raising the dead, but she'd hate herself forever if they didn't try.

Time went by incredibly slow for the next four hours and the blonde had to watch as Eric got the bleeds. Dakota cleaned him up, but new drops slid from his eyes, ears and nose every time he blinked. Her white top was stained, but she couldn't care less.

Neither of them spoke for a while, just waiting for something to happen. At one moment Dakota thought he might have fallen asleep despite the pain he was in, but when she lifted her head from his shoulder she saw his blue eyes slowly moving across the ceiling as a way to distract himself.

"What time is it?" he questioned not much later.

"Uh," Dakota blinked. "it must be past noon by now."

"The spell hasn't come. It might not come at all." he caught her gaze, his voice came out strained and he looked like he was about to pass out. "Dakota, remove the silver.""

"I can't take that chance." said Dakota, shaking her head softly. "There's still half a day of sunlight left. If I remove the chains, and she does cast that spell and you meet the sun. I would never forgive myself."

"King Bill said the witch is very powerful." he stated. "So, who knows? I might meet the sun anyway. I'd rather you didn't remember me like this."

"You know," she rested her hand on his chest. "there was one other time I saw you under silver. We were in a church full of people who hated vampires. You said you'd give yourself up in exchange for Godric and for me. Didn't sink in fully at the time, but even then, you were willing to die for me."

"Did you love me, then?"

"I don't know." she confessed, taking in a shuddering breath. "We hadn't known each other for a very long time, but, I do now. I do love you now. I've never said that out loud before."

"Dakota, I don't want my memories back." he said in return and she furrowed her brows. "I am perfectly happy right now, with you right by my side. I don't want to remember the pain i've caused. Just this in this moment and nothing more."

"You never caused me pain, Eric." her eyes welled up and he wished he could wipe the unspilled tears away. "But I am still not letting you out of the silver."

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ANOTHER TWO HOURS HAD PASSED WITHOUT THE WITCHES SPELL AND DAKOTA HAD LEFT ERIC IN THE CUBBY TO GRAB A BOTTLE OF WATER. He was half asleep, breathing softly when she padded up the ladder. It would only take a minute before she'd be back down.

Dakota downed an entire bottle before she grabbed another one, tossing the empty bottle in the trash. The woman managed to reach the bathroom just in time, feeling stupid for not having just gone when she needed to an hour prior. 

"Hello? Sookie? Dakota?" 

The front door creaked open and Dakota peered up, making her way toward the hallway with a plate of grapes in her hand, ready to head back down. Jason, wearing his police uniform stalked inside.

"Jason," she smiled. "i'm a little busy but what's up?"

"I was looking for Sookie, to tell her the good news." he hesitated, raising a brow in her direction. "She didn't tell you? I didn't turn into a were-panther after all."

"A where-what?"

"Yeah," he nodded, as if she were dumb. "it's such a relief."

"Great," declared Dakota, face contorted in confusion as she looked up at him. 

"What the hell is with the blood." He pointed at her bloodied shirt, and both of them looked at each other as if the other had another head sprouting from their neck. "Did something happen?"

"It's kind of complicated," she tried, setting the plate of grapes down on the coffee table. "Eric's under silver and I got a little bit of him on me."

Dakota didn't hear her cousin reply when suddenly the curtains that covered the open windows began to float from the strong breeze. Dread washed over her and the wind got worse by the second, papers that laid on the desk flew around the room. 

"Kota, what's going on?"

"There's a witch spell comin'." she explained, eyes wide. "It's supposed to make all the vampires walk out into the sun." Gut wrenching screeches came from down the cubby and she cursed underneath her breath. "I gotta go."

"Wait!" Jason grabbed her wrist and hauled her back. "If he's out of control, I don't want you down there."

"I have to go, Jason." Dakota declared, tearing her arm from his grip. "I'll be fine. I can handle him, you don't have to worry." More screams filled the house and she turned back around. "He's not gonna make it without somebody being there for him."

Dakota didn't wait to see what her cousin was going to do as she rushed back down the ladder, slamming the door shut in the hopes of it lessening the spell. Eric had his back arched, eyes wrenched shut as he screamed bloody murder.

"To the sun." he chanted, trying to wiggle free from the chains.

It almost seemed as if the viking would break free from the silver, so set on getting outside that Dakota straddled him and pushed down onto his chest. Eric without his memories didn't know she was a vampire but in his haze didn't notice the strength she used to keep him pressed into the mattress. Somehow the wind winded up down there and Dakota's hair wafted around her head from the force of it.

"Take off the chains!" he roared, eyes ablaze. "Take 'em off!"

"Listen to me! You'll die if you go out there!"

"I don't care!" The viking was furious, his once blue eyes now a dark colour as he glared at her in anger. If he could hurt her he would have. "I! Don't! Care!"

"Listen to me!" she screeched. "It's not real! It's a spell! Fucking fight it!"

The words did not register in his mind and he kept trashing against the chains, trying to buck her off of him as she held him down. The chains had not been enough, he was too strong and she used all the strength she could muster.

"Please, please, please," she repeated, wishing this wouldn't last till sundown.

It felt like hours but it must have been minutes when the strong wind dispersed and Eric fell limply beneath her. His eyes were closed and his chest heaved up in down in heavy breaths. Dakota wanted to rip the chains from his skin but it was still sunny, and she had no idea when the spell would activate once more.

"Eric?" she murmured, holding his cheeks between her palms. "Are you okay? Look at me."

The viking opened one eye with great difficulty as he watched her. "Is it over?"

"I don't know." she leaned forward, capturing his lips against her own for a fleeting moment. "I truly hope so, but I don't know."

"I think you might need to add more chains."

long time no see! how is everyone? i want to thank you all for the continued support on this story and all the votes and comments, they make my day. once this story is finished, i have another eric story in mind. one that does not follow the show (mostly)!