Dakotah: Chapter 1

Mika's Notes: There's some blood and violence at the end there, not that they didn't get what they deserved.  LOL

Bursts of rust covered the sky as the last remnants of the sunset faded slowly away. The mountain looked as if someone had set it on fire tonight. And, in fact, someone had. Mother Nature. Firemen were desperately trying to contain a fire that had been started by a lightning strike during one of Nevada's freak summer rainstorms. The smoke rising from the blaze made for an exquisite sunset. Grey clouds surrounded the setting sun, muffling and muting its glare, rendering it strangely red and dull. Just like a smoldering ball of blood.

There was something about a sunset in the desert that was different from anywhere else, Dakotah thought to himself, peering through his thick, specially treated windows. Other places you got orange and yellows, but here all you got was shades of red. It must be an omen.

He was still standing at the window when a young auburn-haired girl walked up behind him, stepping quietly in her bare feet. "Evening, Dakotah. Sleep well?"

"Like the dead," he responded without thinking.

Giggling, she replied, "Nothing unusual there. Would you like your tea?"

Turning, he frowned. "No thanks, Sierra. I think I need to hunt tonight." He paused, trying to think of a way to change the topic of conversation without brushing her off completely. He often feared his old-fashioned and brusque manner would put her off. "Did you have a good day?"

It was now her turn to frown, but only slightly. "Yeah, not too bad. Just baked some bread for Lammas. It's in just a couple days."

He took a deep breath, inhaling a fragrance he'd adored in life. "Mmm, nothing better than the smell of fresh bread." He sighed. "It's one of the few mortal pleasures I actually miss. Fresh bread and my mother’s homemade apple butter."

She smiled and shook her head in amused disbelief. How could he be such a demon and still seem so human? It was just part of his irresistible charm, she guessed.

"Why do you think you need to hunt?" she ventured. "You've been doing so well. I thought the tea was helping." The smile faded from her face, erased by the worry that came every time he hunted.

"It has been, I promise. Your tea has been working miracles on the cravings, honey. I just don't know.... there's something in the air tonight, I think." It was more instinct than anything else and he wasn’t sure just how to explain it to her, despite the fact that she probably felt it too. "Bring me my boots, would you?" Although desperately wanting to delve farther into this, Sierra immediately complied, handing them to him from the closet behind her. "Thank you," he said and stepped out into the night.

***

Shivers coursed over the vampire's skin. Even though the sun had been down for over an hour, it was still hot in the city. Bizarre as it was, intense heat had always given him shivers. And the Vegas heat was one of the few elements that still affected his undead body. Rubbing his arms vigorously, he stopped in front of the bar and looked up at the neon sign.

Midnight Brothers the sign read, causing him to smile slightly. The current rumor had it labeled as a gay bar. No, alternative lifestyle, he reminded himself, laughing. Alternative lifestyle. Right, if they only knew. Unable to hide his irrepressible smile, he entered and greeted some of his fellow nightwalkers.

"Hey, D!" called one, an irritating fledgling named Markus. "Its nights like this that remind me why I wanted to leave the days behind!"

Laughing, he agreed completely. Startled at the light touch on his shoulder, Dakotah turned and looked into the eyes of his oldest and dearest friend, Tyler. "Hey pal," he greeted him, extending his left hand to shake, and wound up being pulled into a hug.

"It's been a long time, huh?" Tyler agreed. "What's kept you away so long?"

"Ah, well, Sierra's finally made some progress. Through a lot of experimentation and a lot of prayers, she's found something that helps control my Hunger. It's amazing but true."

"Mmm, Sierra,” asked a third vampire. “So how's that little red-headed witch of yours anyway?" Brett, that was the young creature’s name.

"Good, Brett. She's doing really well. Her shop is busy as can be and she's happy as can be."

"If she's doing so well, then what brings you out tonight?" queried Tyler.

"I truly don't know. I told her it was something in the air, for lack of a better explanation. But, now that I'm out, I think I was right. There's an odd feeling out there tonight."

"Ahh, I think you've been spending too much time with that little witch," scoffed Brett. "Something in the air? You've gotta be kidding!"

Dakotah shrugged the comment off; there was bad blood between the two vampires and he wasn't about to stir it up tonight. Not if he didn't have to. Brett would lose, enough said.

Let it go, not all of the young ones are as in tune with the forces of the world as we are.

Does that make us senior citizen vampires then? Or just freaks?

Chuckling at the mental exchange, Tyler smiled at his friend. "Hey, let's go talk,” he prompted. “C'mon, I've got my usual table." He patted the other’s back, attempting to relieve the sudden tension between his friend and the rogue.

Okay, but I do need to hunt tonight, the sooner the better.

Understood. I need to as well, so we'll talk first and eat later, I promise.

Dakotah nodded and followed his friend and mentor over to the corner they always inhabited. They seated themselves in their usual places. Tyler took the chair with the view of the bar; Dakotah put his back to the wall and watched the rest of the club’s customers mill about, looking for who knew what.

"What's on your mind tonight, D?"

"I really don't know, Ty. It just doesn't feel right, ya know? Like there's something out there that just doesn't belong."

"Hmm. I haven't noticed anything, but that doesn't mean it isn't there. My concentration hasn’t exactly been at its peak lately." Tyler paused and thought for a moment before changing the subject. "Anyway, how's married life these days? I haven't had a wife in over two centuries!"

“Well, you know, Ty, some things never do change.” Both vampires laughed at that and began talking about their lives, both present and past, until the Urge came over them both.

"I think it's time," Dakotah stated.

"I think you're right. Let's go."

***

They were standing on the street corner, hassling innocent tourists with their antics. So far, they hadn't hurt anyone, but the time was quickly nearing. Impatient to be done for the night, they shoved flyers advertising female escorts into the faces of every passerby, young or old, male or female, none of the three particularly cared. Their frustration levels rose with every refusal and nasty denial. The night was young and they wanted to be part of the scene, not here where they were.

Dakotah and Tyler had intentionally wandered into a lesser-populated area of the infamous Strip generally only frequented by thugs and lowlifes. A vampire’s preferred meal. Or, at least their preferred cuisine anyway. The selection always seemed like a buffet, lots and lots to choose from, enough so you never got bored. Sadly, they were also generally overcooked. Drugs, alcohol, hard living all gave dinner a nasty aftertaste.

"Hey Mister," one of the street punks yelled, stepping out in front of a rather well-dressed older man, "take one of these! Hot girls are just a call away!"

"No thanks," the man responded calmly, attempting to push past the blonde kid and his stack of papers.

"I said, take it! I've gotta get rid of all these before I can go home and get paid so take it!" he insisted, shoving the lewd pamphlet into the man's face.

"No thank you, I'm not interested in smut," the gentleman stressed and again tried to get away. The other tourists in the vicinity made every attempt at a quick getaway, avoiding the smut peddlers at all costs. Some were luckier than others.

The punk was livid. He grabbed the tourist by his lapels and screamed in his face. "I see how you are, you with your nice suit and shoes, just oozing money and status. You don't care if an honest man can't make a living!"

Honest man? Dakotah thought rhetorically, and just a bit sarcastically.

What a bunch of punks, Tyler thought back at him.

Yeah, let's feed 'em to the wolves.

Or something like that, Kotie?

Dakotah’s response was a throaty chuckle.

Still shouting angrily, the punk started to shake the businessman roughly. Tyler approached the scene cautiously, not wanting to startle the volatile man. "Why don't you let him go and discuss this with me?"

"No! He's just another rich bastard trying to make his living off the regular folk without giving a damn about the regular folk!"

Using his friend's distraction, Dakotah stepped up behind the harasser. While quickly wrapping one arm around the punk’s waist and the other around his neck, he applied a bit of pressure to the throat area. "Let him go," he hissed in the porn-peddler's ear. "Or else." He left no room for discussion or misinterpretation.

Slowly, his fingers released the businessman. Finally free, the gentleman took off at a run, vowing loudly to never return to Las Vegas for any reason, conventions or not. "Okay punk, now it's just you, me, and your friend," he laughed viciously. "And my friends." Two more punks stepped out beside the first. A brunette grinned meanly, rubbing his hands together, while a redhead attempted to look intimidating.

Well D, I hope you're hungry. Tyler laughed softly.

Mmm, it HAS been six months, you know.

The original instigator stepped forward, pulling out a pocketknife. "Come on boys, time to play!"

Tyler leaped forward, lashing out with his foot and disarming the punk. Stunned, the blonde reacted much more slowly than usual. Tyler moved closer, getting ready to make his next move, when the punk's fist shot out towards his face. The vampire caught the blonde’s fist in his hand and forced his arm downward. "Thought I was that easy? You don't know what you're messing with." What you’re messing with, he corrected himself silently.

Growling fiercely, he jerked the man's body forward and caught him by his shoulders. In a fit of anger and frustration, he sunk his elongated teeth into the man's sweaty neck. The dust and dirt of the street and desert mingled with the blood now coursing through Tyler's mouth. He wrinkled his nose at the stink of the man but persisted in his feeding. Those 110º days don't do a body justice. Becoming limp, the body fell against Tyler and he let it fall carelessly to the street. He looked to Dakotah and saw he was holding his own.

Dakotah had one filth monger by his neck, squeezing mercilessly and had the other by his shirt collar. As he absently squeezed the man's neck, he sunk lower and lower, slowly falling to the ground, dying to the sound of his throat being crushed. The other, he pulled close to his face and grinned, bearing his fangs to the startled man.

"Do you see these?" he growled, referring to his teeth. "These are my justice. They are judge and jury when it comes to scum like you three. They also happen to be my favorite form of executioner." He barked out a rough laugh and snaked his teeth onto the redhead’s neck.

His tongue touched the salty, grit covered skin of the arrogant young man he held to his mouth. His conscience forced him to recoil from what he was about to do, but his body, the Lust that drove his actions, wouldn't let him. Fighting a battle of wills, he slowly buried his blood teeth deep into the man’s throat. His grip on the other relaxed and his dead body fell to the ground, unmoving. Discarded for another pleasure.

With the first rush of blood, he was totally lost to the Animal within. He surrendered to the euphoria wholly, completely. Drawing deeply, he felt the dirty man's heart slow and he eased up, savoring each and every drop of the rich liquid. Struggling, struggling, he fought to keep control. The Animal overcame him and his control faded. Within minutes, the third body was drained and lying on the asphalt.

Licking the remaining blood from his lips, Dakotah dumped his two dead bodies alongside the third; already at the bottom of an orange construction drop box just a half-mile from their feast. Knowing that bodies turn up every day in Las Vegas, they weren't too concerned about them being found.

And it’s not like his fingerprints were likely to show up in AFIS. If the police even bothered to check.