CHAPTER FIFTY EIGHT

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          "I REMEMBER EVERYTHING. US." 

Dakota had her feet pulled up underneath her as she sat on the couch in her living room. Eric, still wore his blood soaked clothes, sat beside her and their knees were touching. He rubbed small circles on her thigh as he peered at her face.

"I was so scared you weren't going to remember." she confessed, frowning as she followed the movement of his fingers. "And I was so scared she was going to end up killing you."

Eric lifted his hand away from her thigh and grabbed her chin between his fingers gently, making her meet his eyes.

"I'm right here," he muttered. "and I'm not going anywhere."

Dakota was relieved that Eric was himself again. That was not to say that she didn't enjoy being with him these last few days. But this was the Eric that she had fallen in love with and she wouldn't have him any other way and she was glad that he remembered these days too.

"I'm so sorry." she apologised, leaning into his touch.

"What on earth do you have to apologise for?"

"You know." she furrowed her eyebrows at the viking. "I've treated you like trash for the past year. I can't believe you've put up with me for this long. You didn't deserve that, you tried to save me."

Eric offered her a small smile and he pressed his lips to her forehead and brought her into his arms. Dakota didn't care that they were both still covered in blood, she was just happy to press herself against him.

"I love you," he murmured and in return she pressed her mouth to hiss.

That was the first time he had ever said that out loud and her heart soared at the words. Dakota knew how difficult it was for him to express emotions like that. Eric said a lot of things he never meant most of the time but she knew that he was telling her the truth. And despite everything that was going on around them, she had never been happier.

"I will never hold any of that against you." he nudged her nose with his. "I took the human part of you and I can only imagine what that must be like. I was selfish and I didn't think about what you would have wanted, but I do not regret any of it and i'd do it again in a heartbeat."

"I would want you to do it again." she confessed. "I wouldn't trade this for anything else. I might have lost my human part, but I can still go on as if it never happened. I'm just stronger than I was before."

"Oh, you're definitely strong." he grinned, a chuckle escaping him.

The front door was forced open as Pam sped inside, skin looking as perfect as it had ever looked. Her eyes were blood shot, as if she had refrained herself from crying as she stared at their maker.

"Koko called. Are you back? Is it you?"

The viking squeezed Dakota's chin once and got up as he took two strides toward his progeny. "Yes, i'm back."

"Oh god, I missed you." sniffed Pam as Eric enveloped her into a tight embrace. He had the back of her head lovingly and Dakota smiled up at her family. "That fuckin' sorceress, I thought i'd lost you forever. How did you get her to break the curse?"

"Well, she didn't. Dakota did."

Pam wiped at her eyes even if there was no blood leaking from them and turned to her, grateful smile on her face. Pam was the least affectionate person she had ever met and her eyes widened when the vampire sped toward her and wrapped her arms around her in a tight embrace, cutting off her blood circulation.

"Thank you." she said, sincerely.

"Always," Dakota didn't hesitate to reciprocate the hug.

"Look at that," mused Eric, smiling proudly. "my two favourite girls."

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THE NIGHT HAD STARTED OFF SO INCREDIBLY GOOD THAT DAKOTA DIDN'T EXPECT THE MORNING TO BE SO DREADFUL. It was when Eric and Pam had gone to ground in the cubby after she had silvered them, that Sookie had bursted through the front door with claims of Bill blowing up Moon Goddess.

And if Dakota were honest, she couldn't really care much about the place getting blown to bits. If there weren't human being inside she would have let him do it, but Tara was still in there and they couldn't let that happen.

Which is why she now stood on Lafayette's front porch, arms crossed over her chest as he paced back and forth.

"This shit is ridiculous. Vampires are gonna bomb Shreveport?" Dakota hadn't seen her best friend for at least a week and she had no idea what he had been up to with Jesus. "They can't glamour the whole fuckin' city."

"Yeah, they can." confirmed Sookie, standing shoulder to shoulder with her brother. "It's what they did to everybody last night at the hotel. We're the only humans who know what went on."

"Well, can't the police do anything?" asked Jesus.

"Like what?" scoffed Jason. "Put up yellow tape? Direct traffic? Even a SWAT team's no good against magic. Besides, those Shreveport boys ain't gonna believe a Bon Temps deputy. Or an anonymous tip, which we already tried, and I got laughed off the phone."

"Tara?" tried Lafayette, phone pressed against his ear. "Ugh." This is Tara, talk to me. "Voicemail ... Fuck Marnie."

"Don't blame her. She wouldn't have anything to do with this." Jesus shook his head at his boyfriend. "Marnie's a victim. She's trapped. It's the Spanish spirit."

"Whatever," commented Lafayette. "if she would have goddamn let her parakeet rest in peace ... then Bill Compton wouldn't be marching on MoonGoddess. To blow up my only fuckin' cousin. Hell, i'm sure Eric Northman is in on it too."

"No, he isn't." spoke Dakota. "He has no idea."

"How do you know that?" asked Lafayette, facing her.

"Because he was with me last night." she commented. "He hasn't spoken to Bill at all and I doubt he will, but I wouldn't run it past him if Bill asked him. He hates the witch as much as anyone."

"Look," began Jesus, trying to reason. "I know Marnie better than anyone else. If I can reach her, she'll help us push Antonia out and send her back to wherever she came from. It's the only way."

"I really hope you're right." said Dakota.

Jesus gave her a single nod as he went into detail on how he was going to try and achieve this. They had to make up a solid plan for this to work or Tara and the others would be lost forever.

"So," began Dakota as she sat beside Lafayette on the porch. "since when are you into witches?"

"I didn't think I was." he shrugged. "Until Jesus dragged me to Moongoddess last week. They did some weird shit, Ko, I can't lie. Some strange shit happened to me after that that I can't explain. I have magic."

"Magic?" she raised a brow.

"Or some medium shit or somethin'." he nodded. "Look, I don't expect you to believe me but that shit's real."

"I believe you." she stated, resting her head in the palm of her hand. "You've always been a little messed up in the head."

"Bitch," he scoffed, his lips quirking into a smile.

"I missed you." she muttered. "I feel like I haven't seen you in ages. So much has happened and I wish all could just go back to normal. I'm sick of all the death and the fighting. I'm seriously thinking about moving away from Bon Temps."

"You better take me with you."

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IT SURPRISED DAKOTA THAT HER COUSIN HADN'T BOMBARDED HER WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT HER FANGS, HELL, SHE HADN'T EVEN MENTIONED IT AT ALL. Dakota blamed it on the entire situation and Sookie was just too busy with worrying about her best friend.

"Don't know about you guys," started Jason, as the group of five stood looking at the building the witch resided in in Shreveport. They hid behind one of the cars. "but this place gives me the creeps. And where is everybody? The streets are empty."

"I feel some bad juju." confessed Lafayette and turned to Jesus. "Antonia cleared out the whole neighbourhood?"

"That's a repelling spell." he confirmed.

"Oh, glad to know i'm not just chicken shit." mused Jason as he clasped his hands together. "Alright, who's in there?"

"Bunch of people." said Sookie as she put all her focus into trying to listen to the people inside the building across the street. "Hard to tell them apart."

"Find Tara," said Lafayette. "She'll be the loudest."

It took Sookie a moment but once she heard that familiar voice of her friend, she confirmed that she was inside the building. They were still being held hostage by Marnie and they had no way of getting out of there. "She's pretty mad."

"Pissed off like usual." grinned Jason. "That's a good sign."

Jesus nodded to himself and stepped out from behind the truck they were hiding behind and said, "You guys wish me luck."

"Wait," Lafayette called after his boyfriend. "are you really gonna try to do the Mavis move?"

"In principle." he nodded, hands in his pockets. "Antonia doesn't sound lost or confused and she sure doesn't look like she wants to leave. But I gotta save Marnie, and i'm irresistible, right?"

"I don't like it. You're walking into the mystical un-fuckin' known."

"This isn't my first time or my second time," Jesus took hold of his face as he tried to reassure him, offering Lafayette a smile to comfort him. "and it won't be my last."

"You know what, guys." began Jason, gaining their attention as he spoke and the four of them looked his direction. "I'll go."

"No, you can't." said Dakota.

"Why not? I'm the law. And I can lie. I can fight. And I can run like the fuckin' wind."offered Jason, ready to storm inside.

"But you aren't magic." retorted Dakota. "It's too dangerous."

"That's why I have to go." said Jesus, planting a kiss to Lafayette's lips and turning to Sookie and Dakota. "Listen for me?"

The four of them watched as Jesus crossed the road, making his way toward MoonGoddess Emporium. The sun was warm against their skins, no doubly giving them all a sunburn. Dakota blinked when the streets was illuminated by a yellow light as bright as the sun.

Jesus cried out, as if he was being electrified and fell to the concrete. The light diminished and she held Lafayette back as he was about to run for him. The doors of Moon goddess opened and out stalked Marnie as the four of them ducked further down behind the car.

"This is incredible." confessed Jesus as he got back to his feet. "What power?"

"It's a simple protection spell." she shrugged nonchalantly.

"Marnie?"

"Antonia." she said, as Jesus was about to introduce himself to the witch. "I know who you are. Marnie and I share everything. Where have you been? We needed you. I thought you were her friend?"

"Mexico." he said. "It was an emergency. My grandfather's very sick. I'm so sorry. I should have told you before I left, but ... I came back as soon as I could."

"Marnie trusts you." she rested her hands on her hips.

"We trust each other."

"I'm a little harder to convince."

"Tell me what I have to do." Jesus offered, trying to prove his loyalty to the woman he had known for a very long time.

"Come to me." was she insane?

"Through the wall?" he panicked. "Antonia."

"We have enough weak links in our circle." she shrugged, narrowing her eyes at the brujo. "If you can't do it ...I have no use for you."

Jesus let out a long sigh before taking in a deep breath, sending a quick prayer to whichever god he believed in. Lafayette began to shake his head rapidly, ready to stand and call this plan off but Dakota kept her grip on him to keep him from doing anything irrational.

The streets were illuminated again as Jesus tried to push through the barrier. Lafayette was swearing one word after the other but Sookie reassured him, "He wants to keep trying. I can hear him."

There was a roar from up the street and Dakota's eyes widened as she caught a glimpse of the horns that appeared on his head.

"What the fuck is happening to his face?" demanded Jason, confused.

"It's a Latin thing." tried Lafayette, grimacing.

It took him another moment but Jesus broke through the barrier, appearing on the other side as the light fell away. He was panting, resting his hands on his knees.

"Welcome back," grinned Marnie.

Lafayette began to pace back and forth the moment Jesus disappeared into the building, door slamming shut behind them. Dakota tried to let all his thoughts flow into her mind and she could hear anything that he and Marnie were discussing. 

"What are they saying?" asked Lafayette, crouching down beside her.

"Shh," she shushed. "Antonia is talking to him"

Ten minutes passed and all that she was giving Jesus was the fact she wanted to recruit Lafayette for her little coven to fight the vampires. The witch wanted more power, she wanted to end the entire vampire race.

Dakota? Sookie? The plan has changed. It's Marnie. She's behind all of it.

"Shit," cursed Sookie.

"What?" demanded Lafayette, eyes widening at the thought of someone hurting Jesus. "Did that bitch to somethin' to him?"

"Marnie's flipped sides. She's runnin' the show."

Get the fuck out of there now!

"Something's up." frowned Dakota. "Jesus says run."

The doors of Moon Goddess opened and out came Holly and Tara, hurtling toward them. Sookie and Dakota were already making their way toward the two woman, Lafayette and Jason behind them.

"Where's Jesus?" cried Lafayette.

Tara slammed into Sookie, holding onto her friend as tightly as she could. Holly reached Dakota and Lafayette, out of breath in the middle of the street. Dakota pushed both of them behind her as Marnie stepped out onto the streets.

The witch glowered at them and raised her arms above her head, a flash of light piercing through entire block. Dakota was frozen, unable to move and a wave of electricity went through her entire body.

And then she was no longer standing outside as they were faced with Marnie, inside the building.

this last part was an entire mess i apologise. I am however, very, very excited about next part :)