CHAPTER FOURTY ONE

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         VAMPIRE BLOOD MADE HER FEEL MORE ALIVE THAN SHE HAD EVER FELT BEFORE. Dakota could feel it surge within her veins, could hear the smallest of sounds and any bruise or wound she had, was gone forever. It had healed anything that might have been broken within.    

The surface beneath her was comfortable, probably the most comfortable she had been in a very long time. The mattress felt as if she had fallen asleep and gone to heaven. The sheets pooled around her body in a thick warm blanket.

"Welcome back."

This wasn't her bedroom, she had never been in this room before. It was enormous, granter than the suite she had been staying in at the Carmilla in Dallas. The walls were painted a soft white, the windows large to reach floor to ceiling with navy blue velvet curtains pushed to the side. The dark wooden floorboards brought warmth into the room.

"Dakota?"

The blond moved her eyes to the vampire sitting at the edge of the bed, soft smile on his face. Relief washed over her to see such a familiar kind face and her hand reached up to touch the spot on her neck where the vampire had sunk his fangs in. It was healed, all smooth skin like in her dream.

"Godric," she breathed, slightly confused. "where are we? What happened?"

"You're safe now." he patted her leg through the sheets. "We're in Shreveport. Eric's home. He should be here soon."

Dakota nodded slowly, dropping her hand from her neck and glancing around the room one more time. The sheets smelled of the viking and her cheeks tinted crimson at the thought of having slept in his bed. 

"You're the one who saved my life?" 

Godric confirmed with a small nod, eyes twinkling in the moonlight. "When Eric didn't come home, I got worried." he confessed. "He had gone to Jackson to find Mr. Compton because the magister had his progeny hostage. Eric said he was going to fix it, but he never got home. Then I heard your screams. I took care of it."

The blond swallowed, worry etched upon her face at the mention of Pam might getting hurt. "I don't know how to thank you." she began, shaking her head. "I was stupid, trying to escape like that. I should have known better."

"You don't have to thank me, little one." Godric consoled. "You were afraid. It is basic human instinct."

Below them, a door slammed shut, almost shaking the entire house and Dakota gasped when her head was cradled against a cold chest. Her cheek was pressed against a blood stained sweater and his hands were in her hair. Godric tried to hold his grin, disappearing from the room.

"Eric," she began, holding onto him tightly. "i'm so so-"

"Shut up." 

Dakota frowned at his choice of words but kept her mouth shut. Eric took in a deep breath, breathing in her scent and his grip was almost painful but she let him. He let go of her, suddenly and he took a step back, looming over her form on the bed. Dakota felt little under his stare and tugged on her cuticle.

He looked pissed, really angry and she knew what was coming next. "I told you to stay put! I told you I was going to get you out and you didn't listen to me!" he seethed, voice harsh as he glared down at her. It almost scared her and she was thankful he kept his fangs hidden.

"I didn't mean -"

"You could have died! You would have died if it hadn't been for Godric. I felt everything and there was not a goddamn thing I could do about it!"

"Eric -" she tried again but he cut her off.

"You don't think, do you?"

"I'm sorry!" she barked, feeling upset as she slid from the sheets and onto the wooden floor, still wearing her blood soaked clothes herself. "I really am, okay? I was scared. I didn't know when you'd be back. I just wanted to get the hell out of that place. I panicked."

"You should have waited!" he roared, nose almost touching her own.

"I'm sorry!" she apologised, not in the mood for a screaming match after everything that happened. "Please, don't yell at me."

Eric's features softened slightly as he looked down at the young woman before him, he could feel her anxiety and suddenly felt guilty that he was the cause of it. Eric never felt guilty, not for anything and it was an odd feeling. 

"I was worried." he confessed, no more anger behind his words. He reached up to wipe a small smudge of mascara from her cheek. "I thought you were dead and there was nothing I could do about it. I was too far away to get to you in time."

"I didn't mean for that to happen." she frowned. "I just really wanted to get out of there."

"Come here." he held out his arm and Dakota stepped into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist and she could feel him rest his chin on top of her head. "Promise you will never do such a thing again?"

"I promise." she nodded, moving her head back to look up at his tall frame. "Is Pam okay? Godric said the magister had her hostage."

Eric smiled and gave her a single nod. "Pam is fine. You don't have to worry about her. Come, I have something to tell you. "

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"YOU'VE GOT TO BE FUCKING KIDDING ME."

Dakota couldn't believe the words that spilled from the vikings mouth the moment he said them. It was ridiculous and completely unbelievable. It was lame and she paced around Eric's living room, which was as big as her entire house. 

Godric eyed his progeny and then Dakota, sitting quietly on the couch. Pamela was smirking, sitting on the arm rest as she watched the two of them, too. Dakota was glad to see the vampire, though she did look a bit rough. Then again, they all looked like shit, covered in dried blood.

"It's what I found out this morning." Eric stated, arms crossed over his chest as he looked at her.

"A fucking fairy? How fucking lame."

"I never expected you to have such a potty mouth, Koko." Pam grinned, twirling her blond locks between her perfectly manicured fingers. Dakota rolled her eyes at the older woman, who let out a huff in amusement.

"Fairy is one name for it." stated Eric, slightly merriment by her outburst. 

"What other names are there?" she wondered, having stopped her pacing as she turned to the three vampires.

"Fenordree, Fae, Ellyllon," began Godric. "the old people, Aliens."

"God fucking damn it." she closed her eyes for a moment. "I really am a freak."

"You're not a freak, Dakota." said Eric, trying to hold in a smile. "You're mostly human. Apparently a Fae coupled with one of your male ancestors. The Fae were known for breeding with humans against their will."

"My people are rapists?"

"Lovely," Pam drawled sarcastically.

"How come you didn't know what I was before?"

"The Fae are believed to be extinct." informed Godric. "None of us have ever come across one, until you and your cousin. Rumour is that the blood of a fairy can make someone like us ... day walk. Which is why they were very desired by vampires. They were often kept as prisoners or drained for just a moment out in the sun."

"Am I in danger?" she frowned, overwhelmed.

Dakota had always known she and Sookie had been different, and not in a 'look at me' kind of way, but they were always seen as outcasts by the people of Bon Temps for their mind reading. This was a whole other level of outcast and she didn't like it, thought it did explain the weird light shooting from her hands whenever she was in danger.

"Maybe." nodded Eric. "No one knows what you are, just us three and the queen of Louisiana, but she won't be a problem."

Dakota nodded her head slowly, taking in the information before asking, "Is it true? The part about you being able to go into the sun if you've had my blood?"

"It is." confirmed Eric, sharing a quick glance with his maker. "Bill was able to go in the sun after he drank from Sookie. Not for long, but he was still able to."

"This is insane." Dakota announced. 

Pam hummed in agreement, trying to get a smudge of dried blood from her velvet shirt with one of her nails, little crumbs falling off. Eric peered out the window and into the dark sky before turning back to the trio. 

"I have to go." he stated. "Russell will get suspicious if I stay away too long. We will have to continue this later."

"You can't go back." Dakota protested, shaking her head at him. "He's dangerous, Eric."

"He has something I want." he said, and there was no room for argument. "I want you to stay with Godric or Pam. You'll be safe here. Can you do that?"

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FANGTASIA HAD BEEN CLOSED FOR DAYS, ONLY GINGER WAS ALLOWED TO ENTER TO TAKE CARE OF SHIPMENTS AND STOCK. Which is exactly what the woman was doing right now as Pam and Dakota stayed in Eric's office two hours after Eric had gone back to Jackson. 

Godric had decided to trail his progeny, in case of emergency, leaving the woman by themselves. Eric had no doubt in his mind that Pam would protect Dakota and left her life in her hands, for now. 

"Put these on." Pam shoved a maroon velvet tracksuit in her hands. "I'm sure they'll fit you."

"You love velvet, don't you?"

"Velvet, leather, silk," she grinned, throwing her blond hair over her shoulder as she began to undress before her. Dakota averted her gaze, blush spreading onto her cheeks. "as long as I look hot."

"I don't think that is something you have to try hard for, Pam."

Pam turned on her heels in her underwear, smirking at the human before her. "If Eric wasn't so enamoured by you I would have loved to have you, Koko." This only intensified her blush as she turned away from the vampire, taking off her own clothes to change into the new ones. Pam's eyes raked over her but she didn't mind.

"Did he hurt you?" wondered Dakota, tying the laces of the pants. "The magister?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle, sugar." shrugged Pam, but Dakota didn't mis the slight falter in her voice and she grimaced. 

"I'm glad you're okay." Dakota confessed, and Pam shot her a rare smile.

The door of the office slammed open and in came Eric, covered in freshly dried blood, wearing a silk blouse that had been ripped open. Pam had gasped, which was unusual for her as she looked at her maker. 

"We need sanctuary." was the first thing out of his mouth as he paced the room, anger evident on his face.

"Oh my god, what have you done?" asked Pam, quickly pulling on her shirt.

The viking turned to her, urgent look on his face and he wiped blood from his chin. "I staked a vampire, the lover of Russell Edgington."

Dakota's eyes widened, having seen the vampire briefly when she was in Mississippi and Pam was quick to accuse her maker. "Are you insane?"

"Where can we go?" roared Eric.

There was no doubt that Russell would be coming for him, and since he had two-thousand years on the viking, he didn't stand much of a chance to his wrath. Dakota's eyes fell to the crown in his hands which he held in a death grip.

"A - a human home would be safest." Pam managed to bring out, more expression on her face than she probably ever had.

"We can go to my house." Dakota tried, heart hammering inside of her chest as she looked at Eric. "You will be safe there. No other vampire can enter."

"No!" he pointed a finger at her, moving the crown to his other hand. "That is out of the question!"

"You never panic. Should I be panicking?" Pam asked, sharing a worried look with the human beside her as she studied Eric's behaviour.

The office door burst open once more and in came Godric, followed by Ginger. If Eric noticed the look on his maker's face, he didn't speak on it and instead he turned to his employee. "Ginger, dear," he began, wiping more blood from his face. "where do you live?"

The blonde shrugged. "Across the river in Bossier, why?"

"We need your house." urged Pam. "Now-ish."

"Because of the V-feds?"

Eric stilled at that, seemingly frozen in place and slowly his eyes moved to Dakota with worry.