CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

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         GODRIC'S HOME WAS BEAUTIFUL IN AN ANCIENT KIND OF WAY. Though most of the furniture that littered the space was modern, you could practically feel the oldness of it all radiate off of it. It was dark and moody, something perfectly fit for a two-thousand year old vampire, so it didn't surprise Dakota when she had entered the house.

Dakota stood with her back against the wall and a glass of water in her hands. Isabel had kindly loaned her one of her dresses for they had come straight here after the events of the church. It was around two in the morning and she had lost the desire to sleep entirely. 

Eric was nowhere to be seen, having disappeared the moment they had stepped inside, Jason was in line to speak with Godric and after Isabel had handed her the maroon dress, she too had disappeared from her sight. Dakota tried not to think so much about the events of the night, chills creeping up her spine at the fact she and Eric could have burned alive had they not escaped. It dawned on her how easily lives were taken these days and it made her uncomfortable. 

Dakota opted to watch the vampires converse with the sheriff for the moment, finding his presence quite calming as he sat on the other side of the room. However, her view was blocked when a tall blonde viking appeared before her. 

"There you are," he crooned, meeting her gaze. Seeing the distant look in her eyes, he brought his hand up and gripped her chin between his fingers, furrowing his brows. "Are you okay?"

The blonde let out a small sigh before nodding her head, finding the coldness of his touch quite soothing on her heated skin. He wasn't convinced and rubbed his thumb on her cheek. 

"If I had known it where a trap I -"

"You did know," Dakota cut him off, but there was no anger in her voice. "but it's okay. Godric is your maker. I can't begin to understand the bond you two have, so I get it. Besides, I offered it myself. It was my plan and I knew the risks."

Eric watched her with an unreadable expression on his face as he slowly dropped his hand from her face, though he made no move to take a step back. He still wore the same clothes he had worn at the church, except for his leather jacket, which she had wrapped around her shoulders after having changed. He quite liked to see it on her so he had already decided it wasn't his anymore.

"You're a very intriguing woman, Dakota." he nodded, chuckling to himself as he stepped around her and leaned against the wall beside her. "Don't ever change."

She let out a huff, smiling softly as her eyes fell onto Godric once more. He sat on a comfortable chair, nodding along cordially as the vampires from his area welcomed him back. He seemed distant, like he wasn't entirely there but none seemed to notice as they gushed over him. Each vampire waited their turn patiently.

"Welcome home, sheriff." Stan said, but there was no sincerity in his voice. "We are all very relieved."

The two-thousand year old vampire peered up at him, keeping his mouth shut. Godric cocked his head to the side and Stan walked off, grumbling to himself. Jason was next in line, near the end and he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly while looking at Godric. Jason was never good with these kind if situations.

"Well, I just want to say i'm real sorry for what the Fellowship put you through." he began, looking anywhere but Godric. When he met the vampire's eyes, he gave him a small nod, ready to walk off and disappear within the crowd.

"You helped save many lives today, Mr. Stackhouse." said Godric, sincerely. "Please know you have friends in this area whenever you visit."

"Thanks man," Jason faltered. "but I don't know if I want to come back anytime soon."

As Jason came their way, Eric pushed himself off the wall. The eldest Stackhouse was too emerged in his own thoughts to even notice and bumped into the tall viking. The shock on his face was evident and he stumbled back.

"Hail the conquering hero." drawled Eric.

"Oh, no." chuckled Jason, feeling a bit out of place. "I'm no hero."

"Oh you are," Eric pointed out. "in this town. But in my area we know you well as the buyer and user of vampire blood. And that's a very grave offense."

Dakota knew Lafayette was dealing vampire blood, but she had no idea who his clients were, nor did she want to know. However, she never expected her own cousin to be using the drug and she send him an annoyed glare. Eric could kill him for it, though she doubted he would, especially now.

"I don't do that no more." he defended himself, shaking his head before turning to the blonde woman. "I swear, Kota."

"All things considered," Eric continued, tilting his head with a barely noticeable sly smile. "we'll call it even. But you won't be doing it again."

"Yeah," nodded Jason, uncomfortably.

"No," Eric raised a brow.

"No," Jason muttered, eyes wide. "no, no, got it."

"Good boy," said Eric. "now run along."

Jason scurried off and disappeared into the other room as Eric turned toward Dakota. The vampire excused himself and left her standing there, going to do god knows what. Her eyes wandered round the room and she met Godric's gaze, he was already looking at her with his dark blue eyes.

The woman gave him a slight smile and pushed herself off the wall, making her way toward where he was sitting. His eyes never left her face and he gave her a kind smile when she stopped before him, craning his neck to face her.

"Hey," she began, fumbling with the hem of her dress. "I don't remember thanking you for what you did for me at the church. I ... I don't want to think about what could have happened if you hadn't stopped him."

"You don't have to thank me, dear. I'd do it again." he said, tilting his head to the chair beside him. "Sit."

Dakota gave him a sheepish smile and sat down, trying to ignore the looks the other vampires gave her when she did so. The blonde had learned that Godric had been nineteen when he was turned into a vampire, thus being frozen in time ever since. He was no child, having been on this earth for two-thousand years.

"I'm really glad you okay." she confessed, though having no idea why since she barely knew the boy. "Truly, welcome back."

His expression didn't change, but she caught the slight slip off his smile anyway. "If it weren't for you and your bravery I would have lost my child." He spoke of Eric. "I thank you for that, Dakota." When she didn't know what to say he continued, "You care for Eric."

Dakota let out a breath, which almost came off as a chuckle. "I do. He's saved my life more times than I can remember. He's a good friend, I think."

"Just a friend?" he quirked a brow, smelling his progeny's blood running through her veins.

Knowing full well that the blonde vampire could hear everything they were talking about from where he had re-entered the room, she brushed it off with a snort, shaking her head at Godric who watched her in amusement.

"Yes," she nodded. "he's kind of an infuriating stubborn child sometimes."

"He can be." chuckled Godric, meeting the eyes of his progeny who was watching them with narrowed eyes from the other side of the room. "Don't let him hear you say that to his face, he might have your head."

Dakota was about to say something else but their laughter got interrupted when Isabel entered, holding a bruised Hugo by his bicep and dropping him at Godric's feet. Dakota hadn't seen him since she had gotten out of the basement and he looked positively worse than he did before, face all kinds of purple and dried blood crusting under his nose.

"Here, this is the one that betrayed us." she sniffed, dried blood caked underneath her eyes.

The room filled with curious vamps, wanting to know what their sheriff was going to do with the human traitor. Eric had come to stand behind his maker and Dakota, resting a hand on either of their chairs.

"Hugo." Godric clasped his hands together on his lap, turning to look at Isabel. "He's your human, is he not?"

"Yes, he is." she confirmed sadly.

"Do you love him?"

"I ... I thought I did." she nodded, new tears of blood streaming down her face. Hugo didn't dare look up at anyone as he sat on his knees before them.

Godric smiled softly, letting out a sigh. "It appears you love him still."

"I do. I'm sorry." she cried, noddig. "But you are my sheriff. Do with him as you please."

The boy turned to Hugo and said without hesitation, "You're free to go."

"What?" gasped Stan, furious as he pushed himself off the wall.

"The human is free to go." Godric repeated himself. "And do not return." Hugo nodded his head quickly. "It is not safe for you here, I fear."

"This is a travesty." Stan barked.

"This is my verdict." Godric gave him a hard stare. "Eric, escort them out. Make sure he leaves unharmed."

"Yes, Godric." said the viking, walking around them and hoisting Hugo up by his collar. Isabel thanked him profusely, following after them with quick steps, the sound of her heels slowly disappearing from the home.

"That was kind of you." said Dakota as most of the vampires dispersed throughout the house again.

Godric bowed his head slightly before excusing himself from the room. Dakota watched him disappear up the stairs and she sighed, drying her sweaty palms on the dress before getting up herself, unsure what to do with herself in such un unfamiliar territory. 

Dakota opted to search for her cousin and ambled through the home. Jason wasn't in the main living room nor the hallway so she only hoped he hadn't gotten himself in any kind of trouble. The woman almost bumped into Stan as she went around the corner and he gave her a glare full of hatred, eyes narrowed.

"Watch where you're going, bloodbag."

In a blink of an eye the vampire was pushed against the wall with a thud, Eric staring down at him with a murderous look on his face. "Watch your mouth, cowboy."

"Or what?" he drawled, quirking a brow. "Are you going to tear me apart like you did those humans? Fucking coward."

Eric's fangs dropped from his gums and he let out a growl, literally. All Stan did was bark out a laugh as he let himself be pushed around, knowing full well that the viking wasn't going to do anything with so many witnesses around.

"Eric, don't." Dakota tried, taking a step toward him to lay the palm of her hand on his forearm. "It's not worth it."

Normally, the viking would have already ripped the younger vampire limb for limb, but this was Godric's territory and he knew his maker would have a tantrum if he were to kill Stan in his own home. The fact that Dakota stood beside them wasn't helping much either. With one last glare he let him go and Stan disappeared from the hallway with a grin. 

"I will rip his head off." he grunted, retracting his fangs as he looked down at the girl. 

Dakota agreed, scrunching up her nose. "He's a bit of an asshole. I wouldn't blame you. But I doubt Godric would like his home to covered in vampire guts."

"He's seen worse." Eric shrugged with a chuckle.

Dakota had grown to like his company much more than she'd like to admit. Despite his condescending way of speaking, his flirtatious personality and harsh exterior, he was always respectful of her and her boundaries and no one really had been in a long time.  

"We should probably go back to The Carmilla soon?" asked Dakota. "Or are we staying here for the day?"

"Most of the vampires will leave soon." said Eric. "Godric has prepared you a room here if you wish to stay, if not, we'll go back to the hotel."

"We can stay -"

Dakota was interrupted when a male voice called for their attention. Her eyes fell onto a familiar face. He was at the church with them, one of the members of the Fellowship. "Excuse me, everyone. If I could have your attention. My name is Luke McDonald. I'm a member of the Fellowship of the Sun. And I have a message for you all from reverend Steve Newlin."

The moment the reverend was mentioned, the vampires bared their fangs in anger. Luke pulled the zipper off his jacket down, revealing spikes, chains of silver and plenty of bullets attached to the material of his shirt. Dakota held her breath, seeing him raise his hand with a trigger that most likely would set off the bomb around his chest.

Before anyone was able to make a coherent thought, Luke had pushed the button and a rush of hot air gushed through the room, sending her flying backwards. The breath was knocked right out of here when the weight of someone shielded her from the blast, causing her to gasp for air as they both hit the floor with a harsh thud.

All that could be heard were the screams of burning vampires as the walls collapsed around them.