Dakotah: Chapter 4

Mika's Note: Aren't you glad I didn't go with the interludes? LOL  Nothing bad in this chapter 'cept some language.  :)

She brushed her blonde hair back from her face, peering intently at the young vampire before her.

"So, have you been preparing things as I have asked you to?"

He nodded eagerly. "Yes ma'am, I have. Your residence and finances are all taken care of, just as you ordered."

"And what about Dakotah? Will he be here tonight? As promised?"

The youngster paused, frightened of the elder vampire. "I... well, I doubt it."

"What do you mean?" she said, growing angry.

"You see, he's living with this witch..." The younger vampire paled, cautious of the angry woman’s temper.

"He's what? You didn't tell me anything about another one of our kind!" she interrupted.

"Oh, that she's not. She's a mortal witch. She's been trying to cure him. Or come close. Seems to be working. He hasn't been around here much. Except for last night." He looked quickly at her, knowing immediately he'd said the wrong thing.

"He was here last night? And you didn't inform me?" She moved closer, closing the space between them.

"But you're his creator, his sire. Don't you know these things?"

"I used to know these things! If I still did then I certainly wouldn't need you would I?" She grabbed him by the neck and brought his face to hers. "Now listen to me. Something has been blocking out his thoughts from me for quite some time now. That's why I'm here, to find out why and how he is doing this. Now tell me why he was here last night."

"He came to hunt. And because he felt that something was out of place. Not right, you know? He never did figure it out that I know of."

Hmm, so he's feeling my presence, she thought. That's good. That's VERY good.

"Come along, Brett. Show me where this little waif is shacking up with my chylde." She loosened her grip on his throat and let him fall weakly to his knees.

***

"Oh Cheyenne!" Sierra wailed. "I can't take this. I'm going back and try to work this out." She threw her hands up in surrender, heading for the front door.

"Are you sure?" her sister asked in concern. "He could easily kill you in a rage like that. It scares me." She crossed her arms across her chest, hugging herself.

"I know, Chey. It scares me too. But, in over a year, this is only the second time he's flipped out on me like that. There's something up and I don't like it."

Her sister sighed. "I guess your efforts have been for nothing then." She handed her sister her purse reluctantly, not wanting to let her leave the safety of her home.

"The tea! That's what was wrong!” She took her purse distractedly, thinking. “He said he needed to get out and hunt last night so he didn't have his tea. He hasn't even so much as playfully growled at me since he's been drinking it. Now I know I've really got to go." She pecked Cheyenne on the cheek quickly.

Cheyenne got up from her chair and hugged her younger sister. "If you are sure, then go. You're always welcome here."

"Thanks sis!" she said, hugging her back.

"Just be careful. Hot or not, he is a killer and a demon. Remember that."

"I will."

***

"I can still feel it, Ty. My skin is absolutely crawling now. It's driving me nuts." He absently rubbed his arms, trying to rid himself of the gooseflesh. "I haven't felt this way in years." Suddenly, his face blanched. "Oh no. Please let me be wrong. Please let me be wrong." Dakotah clenched his teeth, fear and anger bubbling up unexpectedly. Please no, he begged.

"Wrong? About what?"

"Let's just say that, if I'm not wrong, then it's going to take all of Sierra's gods to get me out of trouble." He blanched even further. "Oh god, Sierra!" He quickly got up, almost knocking the table over. "I've got to find her."

"Okay, let's go." Tyler followed his dark-haired companion out of the bar, trusting he knew what he was doing.

***

Shaking with fear and anticipation, Sierra got out of her Dodge and began the long walk up the driveway to the front door. She hadn't used the front door since the first day she'd come to live with him. Now, she was back to being a stranger in her own home, in a sense. She felt like she didn't know him as well as she thought she had.

“Focus,” she mentally scolded herself. “Remember why you came back!”

She pulled herself together and approached the walkway. A strange feeling of foreboding overcame her as she reached for the doorknob. She paused, pulling her hand back partway. "Stop being silly, girl," she told herself. "It's just Dakotah's anger and frustration you're feeling. Now go in there and fix this!"

Sierra twisted the knob angrily and pushed the door open, tensing for an attack. When none came, she relaxed slightly and stepped inside carefully. The house was dark but that didn't alarm her. Dakotah often sat in the dark, reading or listening to music, not realizing her human eyes weren't as sharp as his. She was constantly turning lights on around him, bringing him into the twenty-first century. And he was constantly teasing her about needing glasses or having night blindness. She flipped on the porch light and then the foyer light. Now able to see, she made her way across the living room to the main lights for the house. Turning them on, she looked around. Empty. He wasn't here.

"Guess I could at least go change and figure out where he might be," she said to the empty air and headed for her room. “Kill some time anyway.”

***

"Okay, let me concentrate..." Dakotah begged out in his car. He closed his eyes and focused his thoughts on his love and tried to locate her. This ancient mind trick worked so much better when her blood was fresh in his veins, but it hadn't been long since he'd tasted her. It helped that their bond was a strong one; they were normally always connected with a ‘thought and a prayer’ as Sierra called it. "Dammit!" It was those damn protective shields keeping him out; her stubborn streak keeping him from locating her.

"What is it? Is she okay?" Tyler asked, concerned and frightened for his friend’s mortal wife.

"I don't know... I'm having a hard time finding her. She put up a protective shield to keep me away from her, afraid I'd REALLY hurt her and she musta been sly enough to put up mental wards to keep me out of her head too.” He sighed loudly. “She's too smart for her own good sometimes." Screaming mentally, he demanded, Damnit child, let me in!