CHAPTER SIX

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         DAKOTA SAT NUMBLY ON THE KITCHEN FLOOR, COVERED IN BLOOD AS TEARS STREAKED HER TANNED FACE. The police had come and they were talking amongst themselves as they took in the scene before them. Her gaze was on her grandmothers' lifeless face and she could still see the fear in her eyes.

"Kota,"

It was Sam Merlotte, her friend, though it didn't quite register in her mind as he spoke to her. He had followed Sookie home to make sure she was safe. They had a fight and she had stormed off on her own. Sam touched Dakota's shoulder carefully and expected her to glance up at him, but she didn't.

"Kota, come on, sweetheart."

Sam took a hold of her elbow and helped her to her feet, touching her cheek to make her look up at him. Dakota let out a whimper and he pulled her close, not caring the blood now staining his own clothes.

From the corner of her eyes, she could see her cousin being comforted by Bill. She had no idea when or how he got here. She hadn't heard him come in. Her eyes moved up to Sam's warm ones and he gave her a soft smile.

"Why don't you go lie down? They're going to be here awhile. As soon as they find something I will let you know." He tried but Dakota shook her head as she pulled away from him slightly.

Oh, shit. I got blood all over my boots. So much blood.

Adele was a good person, pull it together. Do your job, no wonder they don't respect you.

Cut her up real good. Must be thirty stabs. Throats wide open.

Holy hell, we got ourselves a serial killer.

Poor woman stuck raising those batshit crazy Stackhouse kids. Didn't deserve this.

"Dakota," Sam tried again, she had been staring off into the distance.

"I could use some air." she breathed and with shaky hands she stepped from Sam's embrace fully and made her way to the front porch. The crispy night air welcomed her with open arms as she sat down on the bench.

Sam looked at Sookie and let out a somewhat annoyed sigh. The younger woman was leaning on the vampire, and he shook his head as he followed after Dakota and into the late summer air. Despite his feelings for Sookie, the other woman needed him more than she did, and he cared for Dakota, he really did.

"Whatever you need, anything you want me to do, you know I am right here." Sam said as he sat down beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"I know," Dakota sniffed. The woman loved Sam, he was always good to her, and she was glad she was able to call him her friend. "Thank you, Sam."

"Anytime," he shook his head, bringing her closed and pressing his lips to her temple.

"I need to call Jason." Dakota said, closing her eyes for a moment.

"I can do it." Sam offered and Dakota gave him a grateful smile as he took out his phone.

It rang a few times and then cut to voicemail. Dakota frowned, heart sinking at Jason not hearing the news till the morning. Sam didn't leave him a message. Sookie came outside, eyes red from crying. "They're about to move her."

Dakota got up quickly and joined her cousins side, as she grabbed her hand in hers and squeezed. Bud Dearborne opened the screen door as he stepped outside.

"You girls might want to sleep at a friends house, a place less isolated?"

"We're not going anywhere." Dakota protested as she glanced at her cousin. "This is our house and we're staying right here."

There was a commotion from inside the house and Dakota turned her head. "Turn her right here," Mike Spencer instructed his assistant. Adele had been zipped up in a body bag and Dakota's breath hitched in her throat as she stumbled back into Sam's chest. He wrapped an arm around her waist in comfort. "Coming through."

Her walls came down once more as Bud's thoughts reached her mind.

It's dumb luck these girls aren't in that bag right now, one screwing a vampire the other a sympathizer. You could be next.

His thoughts didn't match his words as he spoke, "We're truly sorry about your grandmother."

"Are ya'll done in there?" Sookie asked harshly. "I would like to clean up if that's alright?"

Bud nodded solemnly. "Alright then. You call us at the first sign of anything." He turned to Sam. "Keep an eye on them."

"I will." Sam agreed as they left. "He's right, you know. The two of you shouldn't stay here. You can take my trailer, I'll sleep in the bar."

"Thank you, Sam." Dakota nodded. "I just really want to sleep in my own bed right now."

"We're as safe here as anywhere." Sookie added. "Besides, you two can protect us."

"Sookie," Bill began, and realisation dawned on the youngest Stackhouse. "It will be dawn soon, I am sorry."

"No, that's okay." she sniffed with a half-smile. "I almost forgot."

"There's an extra mop around back." Dakota told Sam as her cousin said her goodbyes to the vampire. "Could you please get it for me?"

"Of course," he nodded. "You sure you want to do this right now, though?"

"Gran took a lot of pride into her home." Dakota said. "She wouldn't want anyone seeing it like this."

Sam left to get the mop and Dakota entered the home by herself. There was so much blood. It was as if the entire kitchen was covered with the dark red liquid. It smelled heavily of metal, and she could almost taste it on her tongue, making her nauseous.

Sookie was behind her, eyes filling with tears once more as she began to fill a bucket with soapy water.

Dakota sat down on her knees, taking the rag from her cousin as she began to scrub at the floor, blood clotting underneath her nails. She didn't notice Sam come back inside with the mop. The only thing she saw was red.

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THE BLONDE SAT NUMBLY AT THE KITCHEN TABLE. Her eyes were trained on her hands as she played with her grandmother's ring on her middle finger. It had a small green gemstone. Though, the blood had washed off, she could still see it on her skin like a thick velvet coat.

Dakota refused to look at the spot where she had found Adele. Sookie and herself had scrubbed it clean the evening before. There was no trace of a murder, but the image was still very clear in her mind.

The house was full of town's people and Dakota couldn't remember inviting anyone over. Sam had stayed the night, which she was thankful for. Dakota had found him making them breakfast when she had gotten downstairs early in the morning. Tara and Lafayette were early as well, the latter staying closest to Dakota.

I heard they haven't cried a tear.

The blonde let out a sigh as she shut everyone's thoughts out. Dakota didn't want to deal with any of it. Lafayette sat beside her, making sure she was alright while Tara was helping Sookie put a casserole into the fridge.

"Koko," Lafayette began, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. "Do you need anythin'?"

Dakota averted her gaze and glanced at him with a soft smile and shook her head. She was incredibly grateful for him, he had such a big heart, and she didn't know what she'd do without him.

"Thanks, Lala. I am okay."

Maxine Fortenberry ambled into the kitchen, ears open for drama. The woman gave Dakota a forced smile as she put the casserole before her. Maxine always knew everything about everyone in Bon Temps and she didn't feel like dealing with Hoyt's mother.

"Oh, Mrs. Fortenberry, you shouldn't have." Dakota managed to get out, glancing at the food with a grimace. Smelling the tuna through the foil.

"You poor children." she began, laying a hand on Sookie's shoulder who joined her cousins side. "I am so sorry for your loss."

Dakota didn't know if it was genuine.

"That's very kind of you." Sookie thanked her. "Gran often talked about you so ... thank you."

Lafayette grabbed the casserole and wrinkled his nose, sharing a look with Dakota as he got up to put it with the rest of them on the kitchen counter. "Yeah, 'cause nothing says I'm sorry like a tuna cheese casserole, damn."

"Has anyone seen, Jason?" Dakota wondered suddenly. She was too caught up in her own grief to notice her cousin wasn't there.

"How the hell should I know? Tara snapped and Sookie raised a brow. "I ain't his keeper."

"Bitch." Lafayette told her.

"Adele was just an angel sent from heaven. Too good for this world." Maxine said. "We're all gonna miss her so much."

Dakota let out a huff as she turned towards the woman. There was something in her words and she didn't trust it.

I heard they almost cut her head off. I don't see any blood. I should have gotten here sooner. Maybe I should have brought my red velvet cake instead.

The blonde shared an annoyed glance with Sookie, who had also heard the woman's thoughts. Dakota got up, jaw clenched. They needed to leave, she didn't want them in the house.

"Oh, you poor thing!" Dakota was brought into a tight embrace, and she could smell Arlene's strawberry perfume strongly. "I just can't believe it. Are you alright?"

"I am fine, Arlene." she grimaced at her hostility. She tried to sound kinder as she said, "Thank you for coming."

"It's the least I can do." Arlene gushed, wiping away her tears. "I can't imagine what you're going through. If you need anything at all. If you need help with moving –"

"Moving?" Dakota frowned. "We're not moving."

"But, honey," she started. "with it happening right here."

"We have more good memories in this kitchen than bad ones." Sookie said.

"Oh, what a good way to look at it." Arlene smiled. "You know, you really are smarter than anyone gives you credit for." Dakota raised a brow about to retort something rude in defence of her cousin. "Oh, honey, I didn't mean it like that."

The young woman rolled her eyes and turned her head. Maxine was going through their fridge, taking out her grandmothers pie. "Maxine Fortenberry, you put that pie down right now!"

Dakota stalked over to the woman and took the pie from her prying hands. Some older women were looking at her with disbelief in their eyes, not used to her raising her voice. They gave her disappointed glances and Dakota clenched her jaw.

"This is gran's pie!" she continued, grief washing over her.

"Well, I am sorry." Maxine tried. "I was just making some room."

This girl is crazy as a bedbug.

We all know you and your cousin killed your grandmother.

Shouldn't be mingling with vampires.

Dakota was about to burst into sobs when Lafayette took her by the shoulders as he led her from the room. "Would ya'll excuse us. Koko needs some time alone, away from your sorry asses."

"I shouldn't have lost it like that." Dakota muttered as she plopped down onto her bed, pie in front of her as Lafayette laid down beside her.

"Don't feel sorry for yelling at that snoopy old bitch." he said, turning his head as Dakota rolled up at his side, resting her head on his chest. He ran his fingers through her blonde locks. "She's been sticking her nose where it don't belong. I mean if she talked more shit she'd be shaped like a toilet."

Dakota choked out a laugh before falling silent.

"Gran's gone. She's really gone."

"Yeah, she is."

"I don't know what I am supposed to do." Dakota confessed, tears filling her eyes. "Can't even think straight."

"Well, of course you can't. How can you with all these circling buzzards? You're not their entertainment, you ain't gotta dance for them. You just gotta feel what you feel."

"Thank you for getting me out of there. I can't seem to block anyone's thoughts out right now."

Lafayette reached into his pocket and fished out a few pills. Dakota sat up on her elbows and looked at him with a brow raised.

"I don't do drugs, Lafayette."

"Koko, relax. This is not drugs." he reassured her, taking one pill and placing it in her palm. "This is just Valium. Put it on your nightstand just in case you change your mind."

"Can you stay?" Dakota asked, rolling the pill between her fingers.

"Of course," he nodded.

Dakota smiled and put the pill in her mouth before resting her head back on his chest. Closing her eyes as she tried to get rid of all the negative thoughts coming from downstairs.