The Trouble with Trees

Mika's Note: WOW!  Less than 400 words!  Whoda ever thunk it, coming from me?  Idea was spurred by something someone said.

As strange as it may sound, a tree kept me in the bar all night. Yeah, I know, wishful thinking, right? But not so. You see, my ex is a freak. He can’t seem to let go and annoys me to no end on a daily basis. And my doctor wonders why I suffer from anxiety. I swear, really.

So, when he caught me out last night, he just had to approach me and get in my face. I hate that more than anything and I just so wasn’t in the mood to deal with his crap. So, when he started in with his ‘don’t you love me anymore’ and ‘why can’t we work it out’ junk, I just leaned over and kissed my new friend. Long and hard.

And she kissed me back.

Needless to say, he freaked even more than usual. Serves him right, but I digress. He ranted, he raved, and then he went out into the parking lot and pulled a chainsaw out of the trunk of his sedan. See, I told you he was a freak. He then took said chainsaw and hacked at the tree I parked underneath that evening. Dumb move, I’m now thinking.

It took three hours for the rescue team to remove the tree from my poor little Miata. Then it took another hour for the insurance adjuster to arrive, pissed at being drug out of bed at so late an hour. Police, hangers-on, and drunks surrounded me. Well, us, I suppose. Lorie stayed by my side as they hauled Karl away, screaming that he’d get me, some day, eventually. She also stayed through the insurance guy yelling at me and the two cute rescue workers declining any payment once they’d heard the full story.

Interesting the evening, to say the least.

Now, I’m not the type to go for a one night stand, least of all with another woman. But hey, anymore, I’m up to just about anything. So, Lorie’s at the door, waving to indicate the tree is now off my car and we’re clear to go.

Apparently our friendly neighborhood tree boys are following us home.

Curiouser and curioser.

But heck… after the night from hell… who am I to complain?

And see, it really was the trees fault I never made it home… at all… last week.

Male Order

Mika's Notes: My BFF is attempting to get back into the dating scene and told me yesterday that it'd be so much easier to find a man if she could just pick one out of a catalogue.  That innocent (and oh-so-honest) comment inspired this.  Thanks Red, and yeah, I know, you'll never forgive me, right?

Deafened by the roar of the truck in the garage, she rubbed her temples, praying for an Advil or two. Imagine that, and I haven’t even made it inside where the kids are yet. Ali smiled to herself, forcing herself to leave the solitude of her truck’s cab. The vibrations made by the obnoxiously loud vehicle still reverberated in her head and the garage.

It’s such a man thing, she thought to herself, to have a vehicle that people can hear before they ever see it. But then, that was Blake all over. This was the man that managed to rig a custom muffler onto his tractor after all.

Laughing quietly, she grabbed her laptop and walked the fifteen feet to her mailbox. Securing her computer between her boots, she tugged open the ailing metal box and started pulling mail out. Bills, bills, and more bills, she noticed. A few ads, a letter from a friend on the other side of the country, and a thin, cardboard box.

Odd, she thought, turning the box over in her hands. I haven’t ordered anything. My Perfect Man & Co? She shook her head as the laughter bubbled out of her. Sounds like an ‘adult bookstore’ to me. Shrugging, she piled all the other mail on top of the box, lifted her laptop and headed back towards the chaos.

“Ah, thank God you’re home,” Blake announced upon seeing her. “I have to run.”

“What?” Ali asked, setting her laptop on the breakfast counter. “Where are you going?”

“To meet Billy and that brother of yours, remember?” He had a brief moment of panic, thinking he’d forgotten to tell her after all.

The light came on and she relaxed. “Of course, I forgot.”

“Can’t imagine why,” Blake teased her, flashing her his overly white teeth in a broad grin. “Thanks, Cookie.”

“Be home by curfew or else,” she teasingly threatened.

“Or else what?” he joked back, kissing her forehead.

“Come home late and you’ll find out,” she grinned back evilly.

Blake grimaced, knowing she still had her firearm stuck at the small of her back. “Yes ma’am,” he saluted before blowing her another kiss and running out the door.

~*~

With the kids fed and down for the night, Ali grabbed the mail and sat on the couch, a glass of water on the table before her. She’d just separated out the bills from the junk when the front door opened and a red head poked inside.

“Is it clear?”

“Yeah, Shana, it’s clear,” Ali laughed at her friend. “Come on in.”

“Thanks. If those rugrats of yours saw me…”

“It’d be all over but the ‘Auntie, Aunite!’” They both laughed at that; Rory and Rayna had an unnatural love for her best friend. “And, on that note, where is the little one?”

“He’s at home, asleep. I needed a few minutes alone, so I rustled up a baby sitter. Figured I’d be home long before Billy anyway.”

Ali nodded. “Yeah, and if it came to that, you could sneak home and get him and bring him back. It’d take two seconds to set up the play pen.”

Shana eyed her closely. “Don’t tempt me.”

“Aren’t you the one who always said, “Lead me not into temptation; I can find my own way?”

She just laughed evilly. “Paying bills? How exciting,” she teased. “Ali hon, I think you’ve been married too long.”

“Not paying them, not just yet. Sorting them out from the riff raff that came in today’s mail.”

“Ahh,” Shana commented, understanding. “Get anything interesting?”

“Aside from a letter from Courtney, not much.”

“She doing okay out there in Hell?”

Ali had to smile at that. Shana, being from the South had no real concept of heat and couldn’t comprehend why anyone would willingly want to live in the southwestern United States. “Yeah, seems to be enjoying her new post, so all is well.”

“That’s cool,” she was saying when she spotted the box. “What’s that?”

Shrugging, Ali had no answer. “Dunno, haven’t opened it yet.” She handed it to her friend and allowed her the honors. “Didn’t order anything so it’s probably junk.”

Ripping open the easy pull tab, Shana silently agreed. Upon getting the box open, she pulled out a hardbound book. The cover depicted a buff, bronzed man in nothing but his tighty-whiteys. “…Assembly Required: Go from slim pickens to perfect pickens in six weeks,” she read, amused.

“What the hell?” Ali asked, taking the book from her friend’s hands. Flipping through the pages, their eyes widened as they grazed over the full-color glossy pictures of men’s bodies.

“Oh my God,” Shana snorted, “I think it’s a catalogue of some sort.”

Ali closed the book and looked more closely at the cover. “I think you’re right.” She pointed to the fine print near the bottom of the front cover, near to the UPC code. “A do-it-yourself catalogue for building the perfect man.”

“No freaking way!”

“Oh heavens to Mergatroid, I think it is.”

Laying the book flat on the coffee table before them, Ali opened to the table of contents and they skimmed the page, commenting on the chapter titles.

“Introduction,” Ali quipped, seems like a good way to start a book.

“Brains vs. Brawn: How to decide if you want a smart man or a buff man.” Shana grinned, thinking on Billy for a moment. “Definitely buff over brains any day.”

Ali sighed. “Easy for you to say, I’ve got neither.”

“Aww, poor Blake,” Shana giggled, “but at least he’s cute.”

“Yeah, there is that. And look at this one, Chapter Six, Packages vs. Prowess: Should he be hung or should he have staying power?”

“Ohmigawd,” she choked, “can’t we get both?”

“Finally,” Ali laughed, “I’ve got at least one of those.”

Waggling her eyebrows, Shana grinned, “Wanna share which one?” Knowing Ali would change the subject instead of answering, she blurted, “And this! Hair and Eyes: Do blondes really have more fun? And are those baby blues worth the upgrade?”

After perusing the table of contents, they went over the color contents with a fine-toothed comb, building their ‘perfect’ man in jest. Knowing that while the men they already had were far from perfect, they were also far from rotten.

“Oh geez, look at the hair on that one,” Shana groaned. “How could anyone find that sexy?”

Ali coughed, choking on her mojito. Sometime during their perusal, they’d graduated from water to rum. “Wanna rethink that one? Last time I saw Billy without a shirt I remember thinking he needed some mowing.”

“Not my fault your man has more hair on his face than on his chest,” she teased back.

“I like it that way, thankyouverymuch.” She laughed until she saw something else that caught her eye. “How about this, you can get your skin tones in anything from albino, and that’s an actual color here, to ‘as dark as it gets’.”

“Hmmm, dial-a-tone on your man, interesting. I’ll take mine somewhere in the middle, not too dark, but not pale either.”

Ali nodded in agreement, “Me too. Like mine toasted a bit.”

(September 18, 2008)

“Toasted? Yeah, I think you are,” Shana laughed, raising her glass. Taking a sip, she noticed the time suddenly. “Damn, this has been fun, but I promised I’d be home by ten.”

Looking up, Ali noticed it was quarter past. “I’ll call home and let your sitter know you’re on your way. We can pick this up at work tomorrow.”

Shana leered and giggled, “You can count on that.”

She shook her head and watched her friend climb into her car and drive off. Satisfied that she’d be okay, Ali called ahead and let Shana’s temporary replacement know she’d be home before long. “Guess I ought to check on the kids and put myself to bed as well,” she muttered walking down the hallway, turning off all but the entrance light.

~*~

The alarm jolted her out of sleep, startling her awake. Ali stretched and yawned, looking beside her to make sure her husband had made it home in one piece. He evidently returned sometime during the night. The drool on the pillow proved he’d been home for at least a couple hours. He didn’t start that until he’d been asleep at least three hours.

She’d been in the shower before it hit her. The build-a-man catalogue. Ali started to laugh at the absurdity of her subconscious mind. “What a bizarre dream,” she told the shampoo. “Just one question, is somebody trying to tell me something?”

Having gotten herself together for the day, she holstered her gun and reached for her cell phone, pressing the talk button and dialing Shana, intending to make sure Billy had made it home as well. “Morning,” she greeted her long-time friend, closing the bedroom door behind her. “How are you feeling this morning?”

“Not too shabby. Billy stumbled in sometime after two this morning, I think.”

“Sounds about right,” Ali agreed. “I have to tell you, I had the strangest dream last night.”

“Really?” Ali was known for her bizarre dreams and any mention of one perked those who knew her right up. “Was it juicy?”

Ali snorted. “Not quite, but it had potential. I got a catalogue in the mail,” she began, entering the living room and spying her glass of water and grinning, “and it was a build your own man spec book.”

“Oh my God, you’ve got to be joking!” Shana exclaimed. “Did you share with me?”

“Yeah, we actually looked at it together and…” her voice trailed off as her eyes spotted a piece of cardboard on the floor.

“And?” Shana urged.

“And we built our perfect men.” Moving to the far end of the coffee table, she found the box. What the hell?

“Sounds like fun to me, although I am pretty partial to the one I’ve already got.”

“Yeah,” Ali agreed distractedly. “Me too, usually. Um, can I talk to you in a bit?”

“Sure, I need to finish getting dressed anyway. See you in ten.”

“Yeah, see you.” Ali pressed the end button and stared at the coffee table. And the catalogue from My Perfect Man & Co. sitting on top of it.

A Day in the Life

Mika's Notes: Sadly, this really DID happen.  And even scarier?  They HIRED HIM.

99.5% of the time I love my job, I really do.  I like talking to people.  I like the joking and teasing and good humor of the plumbers I work with.  But every now and then, things go bad fast.

My number 1 pet peeve is stupid people.  If you're confused or you just don't understand,that's one thing, and entirely understandable.  Even if you just forgot, which is annoying as hell, it's still understandable.  But when you're just plain stupid?  I don' get it.

Today's example:

We're hiring, right?  Okay, no big deal, or so you would think.  However, a 'help wanted' ad seems to bring out every freak and crazy person in the valley.  Along with all the stupid ones as well.  I cannot tell you how many calls a day I get during an ad run asking if we are still hiring plumbers.  Nope, sorry, we're only looking for electricians today.  DOH!  We're a PLUMBING company you freak!  Of COURSE we're looking for plumbers!

But I digress.

Not long after I arrived this morning, I got a typical call. 

Me: "Good morning, Blade Plumbing, how may I help you?"

Freak du Jour: "I saw your ad in the paper."

Me, rolling eyes: "Yes.  And?"

Freak: "Are you still hiring plumbers?"

Me, resisting the urge to tell him the ad only started today and that um, yeah, we're still hiring.  "Of course, come on in and put in an application."

Freak: "Well, you know, gas prices are high right now and I'd rather not come all the way down if I'm not going to get the job."

Me, grasping phone in a choke hold: "Well, they don't do phone interviews and if you're experienced, I'm sure there won't be an issue with you getting hired."  Didn't tell him we were rather desperate at that point.

Long silence and then Freak: "Oh, okay."  Disgusted sigh.  "I'll come down.  Where are you located?"

So, I, being the amazingly organized and efficient secretary that I am, give him our address, cross streets, and some brief directions.  Now, several years ago, we expanded our building and now share it with a communications company.  Their doors are locked for security reasons and you have to call up to get clearance to be let in. Us, not so much, but you have to tell people it seems because they miss the very obvious, very bright green sign hanging over our door.  So, I tell him: "When you get here, pull into the first driveway and park in the parking lot.  You'll see a big, bright sign with Blade Plumbing on it."

Freak: "Okay, I'll be there in an hour."

Four hours later, I get another call. 

Me: "Good afternoon, Blade Plumbing, how may I help you?"

Freak from Earlier: "You're not here."

Me, wondering WTF this guy is smoking.  "Yes, we are.  Our door is set back from the main building some, but there's a..."

Freak, who is beginning to tick me off.  "No, you're not.  I'm in your parking lot and you're not here."

Me, now wishing he was sharing whatever it was: "Okay, where are you?"

Freak: "You're across from the paper company, right?"

Me: "Right.  And where are you?"

"I'm in the lot directly across from the paper company, and you're not there."

Me, thinking the hell I'm not, if I wasn't we wouldn't be having this inane conversation.: "Yes we are.  Stay right where you are and I'll come out and get you."

And that's exactly what I did.  I got up from my desk and poked my head into our Estimator, Jordan's, office.  Luckily, his brother, Davis, was there as well since he's the one doing the hiring.  "I'm going downstairs to prove to this freak that we are where I said we are.  My advice?  Don't hire him.  He's in the parking lot and can't find us."  Leaving them staring after me, I went down the stairs, out the front door and into the parking lot.  I found him standing four cars down from the front door, unable to locate the BIG FREAKING SIGN above the door. 

And yeah, they hired him.

And you wonder why I'm a Mad Secretary, right?

Dakotah: Interlude: A Vampire in Wal*Mart

This was written in January 2005 and follows directly after Sierra's story.  Poor Kotie. 

Things change when you’ve been dead a couple hundred years. I discovered that again just this evening. You see, I’ve been dating a woman 270-something years younger than me (give or take a couple decades), and tonight she’s told me that the impossible has happened.

We’re going to have a baby.

Now, I don’t know how this happened. Well, I know the theory of how and the science behind it but what I don’t understand is the how of it. After all, I’m dead, aren’t I? I guess I’m more alive than I previously thought.

Not even our resident vamp doc quite understands it all. Although, I think he’s holding out on us.

Which is why I’m here. In Wal*Mart. Searching for baby clothes, cribs, and all that goes with having an infant in your home. Unfortunately, there isn’t much open at this time of night. Even in Las Vegas, your options are limited at 2:30 in the morning.

I’m a lucky vampire. I have a beautiful redheaded witch who loves me and doesn’t mind a boyfriend who has a tendency to be a pain in the neck. She takes care of my day-to-day operations and ensures that no one opens the blinds in my bedroom at lunchtime. Despite the fact that she’s been tempted to do exactly that on occasions, she cares enough to resist the urge and I’m thankful. She’s self-supporting and owns her own business. A very modern witch. What more could a bloodsucker want?

But this. What do I do with this? A baby? Seriously. I haven’t been a father since I was turned three hundred and some years ago. My son was only a toddler then. Now he and his mother are nothing more than dust. Every last parenting skill I might have ever had is dust along with them.

Sweet Sierra. She’s too good to me. In an effort to ease my anxiety, she has purchased nearly every book she can find on fathering and parenting. And even one or two on being an older father. I doubt that I’m what they had in mind when they wrote those. Not that I can really comprehend much of what was inside those books. During the short period of time I was a father, my duty was to keep my family from being murdered and hopefully bring some money in. Everything else was up to my wife.

I am so not prepared for this.

So here I still am, at Wal*Mart, at 2:45 on a Wednesday morning. Pink or blue? Yellow or green? How am I supposed to know? My son wore black, white and grey. Not much else was allowed for young men back then. They aren’t kidding when they say things were better in the good ole days.

I’m in over my head, I think. When I get home I’m going to leave my credit card for Sierra and let her do the shopping. After all, what’s the rush? There’s still 30 weeks to go until D-Day.

And there’s no doubt she’ll know better than I do.

Sierra: Part 2

Not a whole lot to warn you about in this story.  No sex, very little language, but a bit of suggestion.  :)  And um, okay, so I had a hard time breaking this apart and you got two pieces. LOL  Also, forgive my formatting... I never bothered to fix that, either.  LMAO.

That's how it started.

Here's what happened next:

Dakotah remained estranged from me for many months. It wasn't until after Angie and Peyton split ways that I saw him again...

~*~

I was just turning off the shower when the phone started ringing. Expecting the answering machine to pick up, I reached out and grabbed my towel and began drying.

Three rings. Stop. Three more rings. Stop again.

Odd. Whoever was calling was hanging up before the machine could pick up. Grunting, I wrapped the towel around me and waddled damply to my phone. Looking at the caller ID, I noticed Angie's number. Before I could even think to call her, the phone rang in my hand.

"Hello?"

"Jeez Sierra! Where have you been?"

"In the shower, Ang. What's it to you?" Man, she was agitated. "You could've left a message."

"What? To tell you I dumped Peyton? Not hardly!"

"What?" It was my turn to ask this. "Why'd you dump him? I thought things were going good."

A heavy sigh came over the phone. "It *was* but not now. He was always gone at night. I couldn't ever get a hold of him during the day. He was becoming possessive and impossible!"

I counted to ten before responding. This sounded like every other guy she'd ever dated to me. "Sorry to hear that. Any idea why?"

"Yeah. Other women. LOTS of other women. I'm such an idiot."

"Nah," I consoled. We all make mistakes. Big ones sometimes," like letting a gorgeous man getting away without even getting his number, I thought. "Don't worry about it too much."

"Yeah," she agreed. "Maybe you're right." She was quiet for a moment, then: "There is this cute guy in my biology lab that's been asking me out..."

"There you go! Perfect!"

"Thanks! He left me his number; maybe I'll go call him. Thanks, Sierra. I knew you'd help!"

"Anytime," I lied. She was just too easy to 'convince' when it came to men. Angie wasn't a whore, but it didn't take much to coerce her into dating someone. Oh well. She just moves on. Wish I could.

I'd just put down the phone and was on my way back to my room when the phone rang again. Expecting Angie again, I answered the phone: "So what now? Need permission to sleep with him too?"

"Excuse me?" came that sultry voice I never thought I'd hear again. "While I admit to a dalliance or two in the past, I've been quite content with women for a very long time."

Oh my goddess! "Dakotah? Is that you? I'm so sorry! I was expecting Angie again and she's always looking for approval for whatever crazy idea she already has. I..."

"Shh, it's quite all right." He was laughing at me which *wasn't* 'quite all right'. "I found myself at your doorstep this evening and was wondering if you had plans for the evening."

"No," I said then kicked myself. THAT sounded desperate. "I mean, not yet. What brings you over here after so long?" I have to admit I was fishing.

"I'd finally decided I'd been too long without you and your company. May I come up?"

"I'm naked." DOH! Idiot! "I mean, I just got out of the shower and haven't gotten ready yet. I'm a mess."

"You're lovely as you are. Please, go get dressed. Leave that paint off your face. You've got a lovely complexion; don't ruin it with that stuff."

I was dumbfounded. NEVER had a man told me to forget the spackle. Hmm...

"I'll patiently wait down here until you're ready."

Quick moral debate. Morals lose. "Come on up. I'll let you in and then get dressed."

He arrived at my door in half a minute. I let him in and retreated to my bedroom practically floating. He was, if possible, even *more* gorgeous than before.

"What were you planning?" I called from behind my half-closed door.

"Nothing fancy, just a walk in the moonlight maybe. Dress comfortable."

That, I like. Comfy. Jeans, Hello Kitty T-shirt, Nikes.

He slowly appraised me as I emerged from my room. His amazing blue eyes devoured me from head to toe and back again. "Perfect. You look perfect."

Without another word, he took my hand and led me out of my apartment and onto the sidewalk. We walked towards the park and basked in the light of the nearly full moon. He didn't speak again until we'd passed through the park and back again. At my door, he paused and considered me carefully.

I was flying high right then. My prince had returned! "Come on, we can talk inside." I turned to go in and he stood on the mat.

"Sierra, I came tonight to apologize for something that happened when we were last together. I did something inexcusable.”

Inexcusable? I didn't remember much but I knew it couldn't have been THAT. There wasn't any way. My neck was the only thing sore that morning. Well, that and my head.

"*Please* come inside. I have *extremely* nosy neighbors."

He contemplated that for a minute and reluctantly stepped inside. I curled up in my favorite chair, waiting for the bomb to drop. He remained standing, pacing, wearing a hole in my already sad carpet.

"I took advantage of you last time we met." I started to protest and he waved me quiet. "No, not in the way you're thinking. We regrettably did not have intercourse but... I did trespass upon your body in a way I shouldn't have."

Okay, if you say so. "I'm confused. If we didn't have sex, then how did you take advantage of me? Did you rob me?"

Wearily shaking his head, he sighed, "No, my dear. It's not that simple." He paced some more. "How should I say this? I'm not like other men you've met."

Ain't that the truth, I thought to myself. I've never met a god before.

"That's not what I meant either," he replied to my thoughts, startling me. "But I am happy to see you find me desirable."

"Okay, now you're freaking me out. HOW did you know what I was thinking?"

He caught my gaze again like he did that night but this time I didn't feel my body yielding to his like before but I was unable to look away. His hands lightly gripped my wrists. :I'm not human. I'm a creature of the night. That night, I took your blood and not your innocence. It doesn't matter anyway because I didn't have your permission to do so.:

He released his hold on me. I blinked rapidly trying to take in what he'd just revealed to me. "Why are you telling me this? Why didn't you just erase my memory or kill me off?"

"Because in all my three hundred and more immortal years, never have I come across someone such as you. Only once, in my mortal life, did I know someone like you. My wife. She was lost to me the night I became what I now am." He paused and looked out my window. "But that's a story for another night."

I remained silent. What do you say to something like that? I mean, how often do you have supernatural creatures confessing in your living room? Not often on my block!

"You have an old soul, Sierra. I'm not going to tell you you're my wife reincarnated because I don't think you are. But you aren't new to this earth. You've walked this path before. There's a reason things come easy to you. Baking, healing, working magic." His eyes met mine and he went on. "I've been looking for someone like you for a long time."

In the midst of trying to find the right words, he pressed his lips against mine, gently at first, but quickly with growing passion. With one arm snaking around my waist, he pulled me against him. I could feel the hard lines of his body and the tips of his protruding fangs as his tongue pushed into my mouth. Gasping for breath from the unexpected kiss, I stared up into his eyes.

"I'm sorry," he began, backing away. "I couldn't stop..."

I grabbed his wrist and stopped his retreat. "Kiss me again," was all I managed before he was on me again.

~*~

Being the lady that I am, I will leave it at that. He tasted my blood again that night, bringing us both more pleasure than we knew possible, but just a nip and no more. Dakotah was determined to court me in his old-fashioned way and I was bound to let him. It's nice being courted. And taking just a sip was his way of letting me know he respected me for more than a meal.

I now live with him in his place on the outskirts of town. Or, what used to be the outskirts. This city has grown so much, there isn't much outskirt left. The wildest parts of town are the more densely inhabited areas instead of the dry, desert areas of old.

We've lived here for close to 18 months together. It was the best decision I'd ever made. I just hope I still have a place to live in the coming months. He's a good guy, yes, but he's not always that understanding. Besides, it's going to be quite a shock. All these years he didn't believe he could father a child. A big shock. Three hundred plus years is a *long* time to go believing something only to have it proven wrong.

~*~

So, are you still with me? Good! Glad I could entertain you. Now, I've got to go rest my ever-expanding body and prepare for the influx of trick-or-treaters. Might as well try and think of a way to break this interesting bit of news to my blood-sucking, creature-of-the-night, father-to-be too.

What's that? The truth? Come right out with it? Nah, it'll never work. I'd wind up with more than the usual hickey he gives me, I think.

Guess it's a good thing it's Halloween. At least no one would notice his fangs as he's chasing me down the street.

Maybe I can convince him it was aliens...

Sierra: Part 1

Mika's Note: This story isn't very long, only a little over 4,000 words, so instead of chapters, I think I'll just break it up into 3 or 4 parts.  And I also just came to the realization that I never did fix this story to fit with Dakotah, so I'm thinking she'll be having a flashback later, in another story.  *sigh*  Why do I do these things to myself?

Originally written October 2003.

The Witching Hour. All Hallow's Eve. My night to howl, so to speak.

I think I've been spending entirely *too* many nights howling lately. Or, at least, that's what my body's telling me. Sick as a dog, no energy, grouchy to the extreme. Yup, my body's *definitely* telling me something.

I'm gonna be a Mama.

Which, under ordinary circumstances, wouldn't be so bad. But I've got a problem. No, no... my boyfriend didn't leave me. No, he doesn't beat me or otherwise abuse me. Nope, he's as loving and considerate as any one man can be. And he's hot to boot. The problem is much more serious than that.

You see, my boyfriend's a vampire.

Yeah, you heard right. Vampire. As in neck-biting, blood-sucking, turning-into-a-bat-and-flying-away vampire. Well, maybe not turning into a bat...

But the neck-biting is good. Too good.

He doesn't know. Not yet. Gods, not yet. But in time he will. Soon. I'm running out of time. And excuses.

So, I gather from that look on your face that you're wondering how all this happened. Well, it's a long story. I'd be happy to tell you if you're content to sit and listen.

You are? Well, get comfortable we'll be here awhile...

~*~

It was Samhain, or Halloween if you must, three years ago tonight. I was decked out in all my witchy glory and headed out with a group of friends to a newly discovered club they'd been invited to. It was supposed to be full of really hot guys, one friend had confided. Truth to be told, it was full of really *COLD* guys. Cold as in dead, or more appropriately, Undead. But we didn't discover that until later.

We headed out in my best friend Angie's car. With six of us packed into her Toyota, we joked and teased as we made our way over towards UNLV and the plethora of trendy bars and hangouts that surrounded the campus. I'd always wondered who thought to put that school so close to not only the airport but the Strip as well. Just what college kids need - easy access to booze, women and gambling. And a fast way out. But I digress...

"Sierra, I'm shocked."

"Shocked? Why Angie?"

"Look at you! Black cape, long peasant dress, Tinkerbell wand... It's not like you to perpetuate stereotypes. All you're missing is a tall, pointy hat."

"Sorry Ang, I left the hat at home with my broom." Laughing at myself, I continued, "Nah, but it IS Halloween. I just thought I'd dress so everyone *else* would know I was a witch."

"According to Donny," chimed in Celia, another girlfriend, "you don't need to dress up."

"Yeah, well, what does Donny know?" I mumbled, trying not to think too much about my recent ex. "After all, he does prefer Lana to us."

We all laughed in an attempt to erase Celia's untimely comment. Donny and I had been an item for well over a year - my first steady man since graduation. Then, one night about three weeks ago, he left without a word of explanation. Angie and Tara saw him out hanging on Lana a few nights later, a girl he swore he couldn't stand. So much for honesty in relationships, right?

"Look at this place!" whined Constance, our resident rich girl. "It looks like a warehouse!"

Laughing, Angie replied, "Gee, I hope it ain't a strip club then!" referencing the fact that most of the strip clubs around town were precisely that, warehouses.

We unfolded ourselves out of the car, straightened our clothes, and basically primped before heading inside. Looking around at the bland facade, my eye caught on the club's sign. Nightwalkers. "Hey Ang, that's quite an odd name for a club, isn't it?"

She glanced at the sign and nodded. "Yeah, but then a real oddball told me about this place. Remember Peyton? That cutie in my night class? Him."

"Oh no!" I laughed. "We're in trouble then!"

"Now Sierra, he's a nice guy,” she scolded. "Just a bit... eccentric... is all. Besides, he said he'd be here tonight, so be nice!"

"Yes Mom," I mocked as well all entered the club.

The illusion of a warehouse vanished as soon as you entered the building. Plush, antique-type sofa benches were scattered everywhere. Made of some sort of dark wood, they sported red velvet cushions and practically called out, "Come sit on me". The floor was concrete, stamped in an odd design that resembled flowing water and colored a pale reddish-pink. The bar was on the far wall, directly opposite the front entrance. It was made of the same dark wood as the sofas and polished to a high shine. A gorgeous, redheaded creature with brilliant green eyes stood behind it taking orders and mixing drinks.

Off to the far right was a high, old-fashioned stage that was currently void of entertainment. A rich, red velvet curtain hung directly behind it, presumably hiding the performers. The rest of the huge space was littered with people dancing, drinking, and trying to pick each other up amongst the many tables and sofas.

Spying the stage, Tara stage-whispered playfully, "Oh my gosh, it IS a strip club!"

"I resent that comment!" came a familiar voice from behind us.

"Sorry Peyton!" Angie called as her tall, blonde god walked up and hugged her. "We were just joking."

An odd twinkle lit up his eyes. "'S’okay. No offense taken, my dear." He focused his smile on her a moment longer before turning it on the rest of us. "So, are you going to introduce me to your friends or not?" he teased.

Flustered, Angie sputtered, "OH! Of course! You know Tara, right?" he nodded and she went on. "This is Celia," pointing to our short brunette friend, "Constance," pointing to *our* blonde goddess, "Paige," our redheaded goddess, "and Sierra." That's me, of course, the resident pagan and scapegoat. "Guys, this is Peyton." We smiled and passed hellos back and forth.

"Ladies, why don't you find your way over to the bar and order yourselves some refreshments? I regret that, with the holiday tonight, there won't be any performances, but we can find a way to entertain ourselves, I'm sure." He paused and looked back over his shoulder. "I have some friends with me. They're over that way," he pointed over his shoulder in the direction he'd looked before. "Be dears and get something for my Angie, would you? We'll meet you over at our table."

Tara took Angie's order and we wove our way to the bar. Waiting for my drink to arrive, I watched Angie and her new paramour. She hadn't mentioned anything about seeing him, but anything was possible. He was certainly enjoying her company however.

Constance and Paige were noticed by a couple of hunks almost immediately after reaching the bar. They made obvious faces and we laughed and waved them off. Grinning like schoolgirls, they focused their attention back on their new pals. We couldn't deny them; this is why we were here after all.

On the way back to Angie and co, Celia was headed off by a rather obnoxious and completely obvious young man. And Celia, being Celia, drank it up and excused herself.

Looking at each other, Tara grinned at me. "Looks like I just might be going home with *you* tonight."

"I love you and all, Tara, but you're just not my type." We giggled self-consciously and resumed our mission, drinks in hand.

"Where are the girls?" Angie queried as I set her drink before her.

"Out there," I said, motioning my chin out towards the dancing throng. "Mingling, I suppose."

"Ah," Angie replied knowingly. "I see. Anyway, Tara, Sierra, this is Andrei, Peyton's roommate."

"Hi," he replied, shaking both our hands. "Nice to meetcha."

"We're still missing a member of our party," Peyton interrupted. "Dakotah's not very fond of this kind of place so he tends to hide. But, he's here somewhere."

"Oh, okay," I replied, not knowing what else to say. I looked to Tara for help but she was oblivious. Her eyes were locked onto Andrei's. He was standing now, with one hand outstretched to her. Seeing a lost cause for what it was, I turned back to Angie and Peyton.

"Angie dear, I do think Andrei has the right idea. Would you like to dance?"

By the way Angie's face lit up, I didn't need to hear her answer. Her voice found me anyway. "Sierra hon, are you gonna be okay here by yourself? I mean..."

I cut her off. "Go, dance! It's okay. Besides, I'm still nurturing some unresolved anger. Go have fun." She didn't need any convincing. They were off before I'd finished my sentence.

Looking down at my Coke, I frowned. "Why'd I pick tonight to stay sober?" I mumbled, wallowing in my own self-pity. Poor me.

"Maybe because that alcohol crap will kill you. Or at least get you into serious trouble in a place like this."

Startled, I looked up.

"Sorry," apologized the voice. "I thought my friends had been sitting here."

"If you mean Peyton and Andrei, yeah, they were here."

"Where are they now?" I pointed without looking and he nodded. "As I thought. Mind if I join you?"

"S-sure," I stumbled. "Plenty of room."

He seated himself across from me and held out his hand. "I'm Dakotah. Sorry they all abandoned you. No social skills, that group."

"No, it's okay." I forced myself to look him in the eye and was startled and surprised by what I saw.

His eyes were a deep blue color, framed by long, thick lashes. The kind most women would kill for. He had long, dark hair that fell in loose waves down his back, almost to his waist. There must've been some kind of Indian blood somewhere in his family because he had that beautiful caramel-colored skin and fine features that the Indian people call their own. And his body, well, wow.

But there was a contradiction in his eyes that I couldn't figure out. As beautiful as they were, they seemed out of place in his young face. Almost like they'd seen more than his years hinted at. Liked they belonged in an old man's face and not in a fresh kid's. I told myself I was imagining things and tried to concentrate on what he was saying. He was so hot however, that I had a hard time looking at anything but his well-muscled arms or hearing anything but my heart thudding in my chest.

"This isn't my thing. Especially not on a night like this. I'd rather be out under the moonlight." he was saying.

"Yeah, I agree," I think I said.

Angie and Peyton suddenly appeared next to us. "Glad to see you decided to show your face, pal." Peyton shot out. "Had a young lady all alone here at our table."

I swear Dakotah rolled his eyes. "Well, if you weren't so eager to get your fang on, she wouldn't have been here alone, would she?"

"Fang on?" Angie asked, confused. "Oh, I get it! Like 'get your groove on' but you used fang since were in this gothy-vampish club!" She tittered a little laugh. "That's funny!" Dakotah just stared at Peyton.

"We're going to go cuddle on a couch. You two should join us." :She looks like she's pretty tasty. I wouldn't let her get away if I were you.:

:Go away, Peyton. Do what you want. Just be discreet! There are way too many mortals in here tonight. If you must feed, then do so out of sight:

Obviously, I was unaware of this conversation, but I knew something was going on. The tension at the table just went up about fifty notches.

"Whatever you say, boss." Peyton spat.

"I'm not your boss. I'm just tired of your games." Dakotah watched Peyton lead Angie over to an unoccupied couch in the corner. He turned his attention back to me as they began to make out. "Please, excuse me. I need to get out of here. My apologies - I don't mean to leave you on your own."

"No worries. Not like it's the first time it's happened tonight." I looked out towards where my friends had disappeared. "Unlike my friends, I'm not interested in one-night stands and carousing all night." I watched nameless faces pass by me on their way to and from the bar. "Maybe I should leave too."

"If I miss my guess, you all came here with Peyton's friend, right?"

How the hell did he know that? "Yeah, we came with Angie. So?"

"So, you don't have any way home."

"I can catch a cab."

"Not in this area. You'd be history."

"I've lived here a long time. Don't worry about it."

"I'll take you home."

"Um, no. And you're worried about thugs on the streets? Sorry, you're a Greek God and all, but I'm not that stupid."

"Romanian."

"Huh?"

"Romanian God. But that's beside the point." He caught my gaze with those incredible blue eyes and I felt my body yield to his command. There'd be no arguments from me anytime soon. "It's okay. I don't bite." *Weeelll, not hard anyway.* "I'll take you home and you'll be safe."

"Okay." Don't ask me how or why, but suddenly I trusted him. He took me by the hand and led me to the front door. I followed like a lovesick puppy.

"My truck is over here." He directed me to the left and escorted me to a newish Dodge Ram. While unlocking my door, he glanced back at the club, like he was sending psychic hate mail or something. "Get in." I obeyed.

I don't remember telling him which way to go but I must have since he found my place without a hitch. He had my keys in his hand and let me into my own apartment. I felt obligated to have him in for a drink. I *do* remember screaming at myself NOT to do this, but I don't remember listening very well.

In the end, my stupidity didn't cost me my life. But it could have. I know that now.

We talked for a good part of the night. I know that I wish we'd been otherwise occupied. After some time, I think he felt the same way. I don't know when he left me. All I know is I woke up on the wrong side of my bed, clothed in my favorite jammas, with a crick in my neck.

Sitting up and rubbing my neck, I squinted at the bright sunlight coming through my window. Morning! Oh no! Where'd the time go? I moved to get out of bed and fell to the floor. After letting the carpet comfort my pounding head for a moment, I moved more slowly and pulled myself back into bed. That's when I noticed the rose and paper on my nightstand.

Sierra:

Everything is as it should be. You drifted off to sleep shortly after midnight. I brought you to your room and laid you on your bed. I locked up and left. I next went to insure your friends all made it home safe. They are all fine.

Be warned: Nightwalkers is NOT a place for girls like you and your friends. Peyton made a serious error in inviting you along. For your own safety and sanity, do NOT return. Trust me when I say it could cost you more than your innocence.

Will I see you again? Time will tell.

Until that day, be well,

Dakotah

Sighing, berating myself for not being able to remember anything, I got a glass out of the kitchen, filled it with water, and put the rose in it. I carried it back to my room and left it on my nightstand. Wondering if I'd ever see my Greek God again, I fell asleep.

About Sierra

This is the second in the Dakotah series, told from Sierra's point of view.  I think I like this lighter, shorter story better.  However, I went back and tweaked things after re-writing the original Dakotah story, so if there's something that doesn't quite jive, shoot me a note and let me know so I can fix it.  I thought I caught all those, but you know how sneaky those inconsistencies can be...

Now, onward and upward... or was it 'to infinity and beyond!'?

~Mika and Buzz

Dakotah: Epilogue

 

Mika's Note: Yeah, yeah, yeah... I can hear you cheering... stop it. LOL  'Scuse the horrid poetry.  LOL

Journal Entry ~ August 3

All is well once again in my home. My love has been returned to me, body, mind and soul. And I believe I have learned my lesson. I must have since here I sit, hot mug of tea in my hand, despite the horrid heat of August in Nevada. It may take a century or two, but I do eventually learn.

My mother would have agreed, whole heartedly on that account.

She is still wary of me, even on my best days. She’s seen the caged animal get loose and now fears retribution for having stashed him back inside his fenced preserve. I think she fears I’m going to lose control of the demon inside me again and that I’m going to lay the blame on her for forcing me to keep him locked away. I doubt she’ll ever know, or truly understand, that she is the reason I lock him away, have banished him from my existence.

You can’t love when you are consumed by desire, greed, and need. You can only destroy. Melinda is a prime example of that very principle. May the gods above save me from that fate. I pray that Sierra and her dear sister, Cheyenne, drag me into the sunlight before I become the bitter, angry vampire that Melinda has warped into.

I have lived my life refusing to have regrets. While I wish I hadn’t ever harmed Sierra, I do not regret what has transpired between the two of us. I think it was necessary for her to understand the nature of the beast that resides within me. I only wish I hadn’t hurt nor scared her nearly as much as I had. That’s as close to a regret as I am allowing myself. She will be more careful from this day on. And maybe, just maybe, she knows me a tiny bit better than she had just a few days before.

Tyler is even more enamored of my russet-haired witch than ever before. He admires her beauty and is amazed by her strength, the emotional as well as the physical. Never before have either of us encountered a mortal being with such strength of heart and spirit. She is what keeps me sane, and what gives me reason to rise with the moon every evening. My dear Sierra, this poor creature would be beyond lost without you in my life.

And you wonder why I was so drawn to you from the very beginning. I only wish I could explain it to you. Maybe someday. But until then, I will have to satisfy myself with caring for you and seeing to your every need. Even if that entails humiliating myself by being your coffee boy. Your wish is my undying command.

In eternal night,

Guided by the brilliant

Light of my love,

No more searching; only finding

I sought you for centuries

You, my perfect mate

Only to find you now

Just when I thought I’d lost

All chance to ever have

My reward, my rescue

I hold on tightly

Afraid to let go and be lost

In the eternal darkness

That I know as my soul

Dakotah James, once upon a time known as Tawno Brishen Kobori, forever just to be me

Dakotah: Chapter 8

Mika's Notes: Lots of lovey-dovey make-up sex forthcoming... And another inside joke between Zan & I.  LOL

"And for you, sir?" The girl in the green apron and cheesy grin asked.

Dakotah sighed. This barista was much too cheerful for so late at night. "One large iced decaf double nonfat mocha. Lotsa whipped cream. Please."

“Absolutely!” the cheery girl replied, repeating his order. “And the name for the order?”

“Dakotah,” he exhaled loudly. “With an ‘h’.” If he was going to be embarrassed like this, the least they could do was spell his name right. Looking out the storefront window, he could see Sierra and Tyler discussing something in the Mustang. “Probably me,” he muttered, walking closer to the windows and freedom from the mortification of being at Sierra’s whims. 

“I have one large iced decaf double nonfat mocha with extra whipped cream for Dakotah at the bar.”

He stepped up to the bar, took a straw and smiled at the girl, making every attempt not to show her his fangs. It wasn’t her fault he was here right now. “Thanks.”

Stepping outside, he glanced at the cup, curious if they’d gotten his name right; it was rare anyone did, even after being told. He grinned a toothy smile when he noticed that she’d not only spelled it right, but had added fangs to the smiley face adorning the cup. “Of all the things to put on my cup.” He shook his head, not wanting to really know.

***

"So, are you satisfied?" he asked later. They were curled up in bed, snuggled close.

"Almost. " She reached her face up to his and kissed him. Forgiving him.

As he slid his tongue into her mouth, he could taste the chocolate from her coffee. A hint of the creamy whipped topping that had capped it off. "Mmm, you taste good, even better than usual. I could get used to this, I think." He delved his tongue between her lips once more, tasting her a second time.

"Good thing I get decaf," she giggled. "Last thing we need is you getting a caffeine high off my blood." His mouth smothered her next set of giggles. She broke free long enough to get one more dig in on him. “I’d never forgive myself if I was responsible for setting a wired vampire loose in the city.”

He growled playfully at her, attacking her mouth in a desperate attempt to shut her up, just for a little while. She could tease him later. Much later.

Dakotah's hands moved along her curves, settling comfortably on her hips. "No, you don't want me getting a caffeine rush.” He nipped at her bottom lip, teasing, taunting. “Especially since I already plan to have you all night as it is. And if I get too much caffeine, well, then you’ll be the sorry one." Sierra smiled; she couldn’t think of a single reason to complain. She also highly doubted she’d be sorry for anything that came out of tonight.

He pulled at her bottom lip with his teeth, letting his blood teeth gently graze their length. She shivered beneath him. Tonight it would be good. His tongue moved in and out of her mouth, dancing and playing tag with hers. Engaged in a long, lingering kiss, his hands moved up her stomach and along her breasts. She inhaled deeply, filling her chest with air and pushing her breasts against his hands. "You tease," he breathed.

"That's me. Only I'm not teasing now." He could hear her heart skip a beat, fear and anticipation swirling inside her.

A throaty chuckle was his only answer.

One long kiss was all it took for him to get her shirt onto the foot of the bed. Trained, dark fingers toyed with her pink nipples, pulling and pinching as she squirmed. His hand gently caressed her flat stomach and moved downward to the patch of copper hair he loved to tease her about. Obediently, she opened her legs to his touch.

“A redhead to your roots,” he teased. She blushed and guided his fingers into place. A place he knew very well by now. Sierra’s back arched as the first of his fingers slid inside her. He buried his face in her neck, lightly nipping her salty skin. She moved against him, driving him into a frenzy of desire and bloodlust.

Dakotah licked the taut skin of her neck and panted, “You are so ready for me and I’ve barely even touched you.” He gave her another little nip with his fangs. “Do you have any idea what that does to me?”

She grinned evilly. Taking his erection into her hand, she muttered, “I can see what it does to you.” She stroked the length of him three or four times, feeling him harden even more, delighting in the feel of him in her fingers.

When the growl escaped him, her smile broadened even further. Sierra ran her free hand through his long, dark hair. Getting a firm grip on the back of his head, she forced him into a kiss. She spread her legs and, with the other hand, guided him into place. He fit easily inside her, her anticipation making it ever so easy for him.

Dakotah gave a muted cry of pleasure. His gums ached and his pulse raced. Slowly, he moved against her soft, white skin. She lifted her hips to meet him, accepting him deeper with every thrust. Sierra let her head rest against the pillow, biting her lip and closing her eyes. They had a perfect rhythm going, one they both wanted to last forever. Her little grunts and squeaks became louder and more frequent as she got closer to her climax. Her body began to move of its own accord, not allowing him to pull out of her for more than a second at a time.

It was time. He knew it. He could feel it in her body. He could smell her sweat and her blood. He wasn’t ever sure at a time like this which one was the sweeter smell. Dakotah inhaled the mingling scents of her body and his, savoring the way he felt inside her and loving the way her body heat was warming him.

He lowered his mouth to her neck. She inhaled sharply at the prick on her skin. In an effort to prolong the inevitable, he licked at the tiny droplets of her blood that were welling up to the surface. Teasing him the way he’d enjoyed teasing her. Sierra’s body began to tremble with her approaching climax. Giving in to lust, to the bloodlust, he drove his erection inside her, plunged his fangs into her vein.

Sierra gasped; the dual orgasm shook her physically, emotionally. She felt his release; he slowed and stopped moving against her. He lay to the side, lips still attached to her neck. Sighing, she held him to her, allowing him to finish in his own time. Closing her eyes, she floated near sleep thinking, I’m gonna have one hell of a hickey tomorrow…

Dakotah: Chapter 7

Mika's Note: The 'wrap-up'.  *G*  Short, and could have been included with Chapter 6 now that I think of it.  *sigh*  Whatever.

"So what did she hit?" Tyler asked, curiosity rising to the surface now that the threat had vanished. Dakotah had just finished explaining the night’s events to an astounded, but much relieved, Sierra.

"I'd blessed and consecrated his pendulum specifically to meet his needs. I put protection from evil spells and such on it. Never thought that he,” she motioned to the man beside her, “would need it, not knowing what he was. But, I guess it worked!" she laughed giddily at the thought of something going so right. “For once being overly cautious paid off for me.”

"Yeah, you're one mighty powerful little witch! I ain't gonna mess with you!" Tyler teased Sierra, thankful she was going to be okay. He’d become quite attached to her over the time she and Dakotah had been a couple. Losing her tonight had never been an option. For either of them.

Dakotah noticed her absently rubbing her wrists. "Are you okay? I wish we could've gotten to you sooner. I couldn't get through all those protections you'd put on yourself.” He held her tightly and kissed the top of her head. Now is no time for scolding, demon.

"Sierra, if you'd put up shields to protect you from him, why didn't they protect you from her?" In all the years he’d been alive, Tyler had never tangled with a witch, not a real one anyway. Having been a scholar in a previous live, his quest for answers never ceased.

"I... I don't know. I think she may have broken them somehow. I felt this strange tingling when I was going to change my clothes. I wonder if that's when it happened?" She tried to shrug it off, but the creepy memory remained.

"It probably was. She was born during the height of magic users, back before Christianity was the norm. Melinda was at one time a very powerful witch, and at a time when the rules against harming others were much less strictly enforced.” He sighed, not wanting to think on it, unable to do anything but. “Now, she's just a mean, bitter old vampire." Dakotah pulled the fiery redhead even closer. "But don't let that lull you into security. I have no doubt she could pull out some tricks that'd make us all turn and run." And I think we may discover just how powerful she’s become.

"I won't ever let my guard down. Not now or ever. I'm just sorry I couldn't trust you. You hadn't hurt me, after all." She pressed her back against his chest, searching for the elusive feeling of safety.

"That's not the point. I could have hurt you very easily. I'm just glad it didn't come to that. You were wise to just give in, no matter how wrong." He blushed at the look Tyler was giving him. "Baby, I'm so sorry this happened. If there's anything I can do... let me know, okay?" His eyes met hers, touching his mind to hers. You know I will do anything you ask, from now on. I owe you that much.

"Well, if you're serious, you know what always makes me feel better..." she slyly suggested.

"No. Absolutely not." he said adamantly. "No." It was so un-vampire like and embarrassing. He couldn’t believe she would even ask. “Please no.”

“But, you said, you promised!” She pouted playfully, knowing she already had him. "Fine. If you don't love me enough..."

Dakotah: Chapter 6

Mika's Notes: Figured I'd post what was left.  Yippee, right?  And forgive me if my chapters end abruptly.  Never divided it up before for some dumb reason and am too short of time to REALLY read it over.  So, hoping it makes sense. LOL  Some violence and assuredly some bad words...

"They'll be here soon," Melinda announced confidently, pacing the bare concrete floor. "He's letting his thoughts slip in his excitement. I can hear him loud and clear." A triumphant smirk crossed her face.

"That's good. I can't wait to get my hands on him!" Brett chuckled, ideas flitting through his mind. "My payback for stealing what was going to be a very lovely slave for me." His gaze flicked to Sierra.

Melinda looked down at him. "You will do no such thing. He is MY chylde, MY responsibility. If anyone is to dispatch him, it will be ME. Do you understand?"

He nodded his assent, too terrified of her to speak. Too disappointed to think of a good enough response.

"Good. Besides, once I have him back under my control, I plan on taking him home with me." Brett did not like the smile on her face.

***

"Oh dear Goddess," Sierra breathed, "I'm so stupid. I was just scared. Please help him find me. If you help me out this time, I swear I won't buy any more herb plants. I will never murder another innocent plant!" Tears streaked her cheeks. "Please help him find me!"

I already have, my child, daughter of my soul. Be strong and blessed be…

Sierra started and looked around until the feeling of peace and security overcame her and she knew her goddess was with her. And that eventually, she would be safe again.

***

"Doesn't it figure? All these warehouses! She could be anywhere." Tyler groaned, looking from side to side at the numerous buildings surrounding them.

"She's not. She's here. This one." He pointed to a nearby grey colored building. "I can hear her breathing."

"In we go then!" he announced more eagerly than he felt.

The two vampires walked the perimeter of the building, scouting and observing their environment while trying to find an entrance. They came across a side door on the west side and broke the lock.

“Easy enough,” Tyler muttered, watching Dakotah snap it in his fist.

Inside, it was dark. The warehouse had been designed so that inside there was two smaller warehouses and one large office area. Their door had led them into one of the smaller warehouses.

"Which way?” Tyler looked around them, the darkness not an issue for the vampire. “She's obviously not in here."

Dakotah thought for a second before the question was answered for him. "She's at the north end, in the back of the office," announced a feminine voice. "But you're going home with me."

"Over my undead body," Dakotah fumed. "I will never follow you and your twisted self anywhere ever again.” Just let me get Sierra and get the hell out of here, he begged.

"And you, Tyler, Mr. Big Shot Vampire, you're mine,” Brett growled from behind his newest master.

"Brett!" Ty exclaimed in disbelief. "What the hell? Why are you here? And why am I really all that surprised?”

"You wouldn't understand, I'm sure. You'd never believe me if I told you how your friend deceived Sierra by telling her vicious lies about me. How he stole her from me." He shook his head sadly, consumed with his self-delusions. “She’s so sweet and delectable, I just wanted a taste or two but not now.”

"I warned her about you, you pig! You take girls out and a week later they're on a milk carton,” Dakotah defended himself and his past actions easily. No matter what her eventual answer to his courting was to be, he’d been determined to make sure she didn’t end up with him. And dead for her troubles.

"I wasn't talking to YOU!" he shouted, turning to glare at Dakotah, anger flaring in his green eyes.

Tyler took the opportunity. Flinging himself at Brett, he knocked him to the ground. Brett fought and struggled, landing one good punch in on Ty's jaw. Being the stronger of the two, Tyler wrestled him to the ground and slashed him across the throat with his nails.

Brett's hands flew up to his rapidly escaping blood; his scream gurgled in his ripped throat. Tyler quickly pulled his silver executioner's knife out of the holster at his hip and finished the job. Quickly. Bone snapped as he sawed through the punk's neck. I’m enjoying this too much, I think.

Panting, Tyler looked up at the sound of a single clap.

"How daring! My hero!" Melinda teased. "Now I don't have to get rid of him myself." Her glare turned back onto Dakotah. "You on the other hand..."

Like lightning, she flew at him, claws and fangs bared, prepared to cull her cub. Her flight stopped abruptly, her body hitting an unseen force surrounding her target. Stunned, she fell limply to the ground. Briefly dazed, she weakly muttered, "What the..."

Dakotah didn't give her a chance to finish the thought. He was on her immediately, pushing her face down on the cool cement. She thrashed and kicked, throwing him off to the side. Melinda rolled onto her back and oriented herself. In a breath, he was back on top of her, shoving her back to the ground. She saw the glint in his eyes and panicked. He meant business this time. There'd be no persuading him tonight. He’d changed, just like they’d warned her.

And typically, she refused to listen.

He saw nothing but her beautiful pale breast. The white skin he'd fallen in love with. The soft body he'd held so many nights... You can't think about that, he harshly reminded himself. Raising the blade he always carried with him, out of habit, and for moments like these, he brought it down, strong and sure; it met the concrete as she dissipated beneath him. Silver rang on concrete; the sound echoed loudly in his ears.

Another time, my love, she laughed. However, you’d better keep an eye on that little witch of yours, just in case.

"This isn't over, is it?" Tyler sighed.

"Not by a long shot, I'm afraid. Let's go find Sierra." Dakotah stood, brushing the dust from his denim clad jeans, his wife his only objective now.

Dakotah: Chapter 5

Mika's Notes: The 'joke' between Sierra and Dakotah actually came from a card my man sent me when I was living in Phoenix, away from him. Still have it too.  And yeah, I do think of the oddest things at the oddest times.  Warnings in this chapter: nothing really bad except my idea of an 'action scene' here and in the next chapter or so. LOL

Sierra walked down the hallway to their bedroom, unbuttoning her blouse. Feeling an unusual sensation, she stopped, cautious, curious. Her body was tingling in a strange way, not unpleasant but far from comfortable. Reminded her of the after effects of spell casting, especially those days when she’d forget to reground the energy after finishing her ritual. A shiver crawled up her spine. "Boy, that was weird," she mumbled, continuing on. “Kotie must be thinking of me after all,” she muttered, remembering their old joke.

Ever get the chills when you’re all alone, Sie?

No, Kotie, why?

You should with all the time you spend naked in my thoughts.

“Why do I always think of the oddest things at the oddest times?” Sierra asked herself, not expecting an answer. She reached the bedroom door, shirt hanging loosely around her body. Just a moment too late, she heard the person creeping behind her. "Wha..." was all she managed before a damp hand muffled her scream. Fingers closed over her mouth, clamping down hard.

Shh, my sweet. I won't hurt you, at least not yet. The stranger’s grip tightened on her, squeezing her heart with fear. You remember me, don't you? We were hitting it off so well until… well, until you met him. And he found a way to change your mind about me, didn’t he? His mistake.

Eyes widening in fear, Sierra recognized the voice. It was Brett, another vampire, one she'd been interested in before she'd met Dakotah. He’d frequented the same places she and her friends had and she saw him often. Sierra had been thinking of accepting his offer of a date until later when Dakotah had warned her off him, told her of his temper and unpredictability... I guess he was right.

He jerked her around and dragged her back out into the living room. Another form entered from the kitchen. Another vampire, she knew immediately. She could feel the malevolent power and energy rolling off of her being. Not a good sign at all.

Brett tossed her onto the couch and ordered her to sit.

"So you're the pretty little witch I've heard so much about? Humph. Don't know why he made such a fuss." The barb hurt, but Sierra did her best to ignore it. "Doesn't matter. You're just going to bring him to me anyway. Then I'll give you to Brett for 'safe keeping'." She laughed. "Bind and gag her. We're leaving." Brett obeyed.

***

"Ah, finally!" came the relieved sigh. "She's home."

"Great. How'd you finally connect with her?"

Dakotah looked worried. "I don't know. Something must've knocked her shield down. We'd better hurry."

Tyler turned the key in the ignition of Dakotah's Mustang and raced out of the parking lot.

***

"She's not here, Tyler. I've looked everywhere. Something's really not right."

My, aren't we a bright boy!

Dakotah looked around quickly, trying to find the source of the mental voice. His senses on full alert, he attempted to hone in on its location.

I'm not around you, honey-boy. Your little woman and I are having a ... chat. Why don't you come join us? There’s always room for one more in my brood. But, well, you already know that, don’t you?

Where are you? He pleaded. You’d better not hurt her! I promise you’ll regret even thinking about it.

Or what? She cackled. Come and get her. If you can

The voice was gone.

"Shit! Where is she, D? Forget that, WHO is she?"

"As to the where, I have no idea, I couldn’t pinpoint her location. She’s learned a thing or two in these last few decades, I think. As to who... well, she's Melinda."

"Melinda? Who the hell is Melinda?”

"Just Melinda," he said, looking past his friend, procrastinating on telling him the truth for as long as possible. "Go out to the car and get my map. I'm going into Sierra's altar room. I need to find something." Let’s just hope she didn’t ward her sacred space as well as her body, he silently prayed.

Tyler nodded and headed out to the car. He returned a few minutes later and found Dakotah sitting cross-legged on the floor with an intricately carved wooden box in his lap. In one hand he held a small silver knife and in the other a whitish stone on a black leather cord surrounded by smaller, darker stones. "Whatcha got?"

"This," he said holding up the small weapon, "is her ritual knife. She says she uses it mostly for symbolism and to chop herbs, but she also says she keeps it around to keep me in line. It's silver." He held it securely between his thumb and first finger, displaying the triple goddess symbol carved into the wooden handle as he moved it side to side. The light glinted off the untarnished blade and finely honed edge.

"This," he said, allowing the stone to dangle off its chain, "is a pendulum. She's been trying to teach me how to use it, but I've never had much use for it. Old dogs, new tricks and all that.” Dakotah smiled slightly at the lame joke. “Tonight we're going to see if I actually paid attention to her or if I'd just thought I had." He paused as he held the stone in his hand. "Sierra found it in some store and swore that, once she'd held it, that it had been made especially for me. It's a moonstone," he pointed to the large whitish stone hanging in the center of the cord. "These," he motioned to the tiny round stone beads on either side of the moonstone, "are bloodstone. Fitting, isn't it?"

***

They spread the map out on the kitchen table, smoothing it flat. "So how does this thing work?" Tyler asked.

"Like this," he responded. Dakotah leaned over the center of the map and took a deep breath. Taking the pendulum out of his shirt pocket, he held it steadily over the map. Concentrating on the lessons Sierra had given him, he silently grounded himself, making an effort to connect with the Earth. It was a half-hearted attempt; he didn’t have the time to do it properly. He had questions and needed answers. Fast.

"What is the action for yes?" The stone moved back and forth.

"What is the action for no?" The stone slowly swung in a circle. “Okay, on to the important issues.” Tyler was confused, but held his tongue, having faith that one of them knew what was going on.

"Is she in the city?" The stone moved back and forth. Yes.

“Good news, that,” Ty interjected. Dakotah grimaced. It was a large city they lived in.

"Is she in the west?" The stone slowly circled. No.

"Is she in the north?" The stone swung back and forth. Yes.

"Bingo!" Tyler shouted, getting excited despite himself.

"Geez! Be quiet!" Dakotah moved the pendulum over the eastern portion of the map. "Where is she? Please!" Never in my life did I think I’d be begging a map and a stone for help.

The pendulum hung motionless for a long time, much, much too long for either vampire’s comfort.

"Come on Dakotah, this is stupid. We know the area, I have some ideas where she could be, let's just go and..." Tyler's voice trailed off as the pendulum started to move again, side to side, a direction they hadn't seen before. "What's it doing?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out." He watched for a moment, studying the pendulum, not breathing. It was swaying more to the right than the left so he gently eased it to the right. It still reached to the right. He moved it a bit more. “My god, I think it’s trying to tell where she is,” he murmured in disbelief. It began to swing to the left suddenly, but only slightly. Dakotah watched for a moment and moved it a tiny bit to the left. The pendulum began to swing in a circle. "Quick, I think it’s got something! In the kitchen by the phone, grab the pen!"

Tyler found it quickly and returned at a run. "What do you want me to do?"

"Follow the motion of the pendulum and make an outline." Tyler did as Kotie instructed, taking care not to touch the stone and knock it off course. "That's where she is," he said, pointing to the circle, smiling for real finally. He kissed the moonstone and put it around his neck. "I guess she was right, it was made for me."

"I guess this also means you've been listening to her too," his friend teased, ducking out of Dakotah’s reach, running for the front door.

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!