Page 5 of Saving Dakota

Raul sat behind the wheel but did not immediately start the car. Instead, he turned to his friend. "You know how this works." He began. "Fate makes her design, and fight as you might, she always gets her way. He may not know it yet, but you, my friend, are his destiny, and soon he will understand that fact. He will be drawn to you just as you are drawn to him.Make yourself available." Raul nodded with a knowing smile and started the car.

"Make myself available. Is that all you got, Raul?" He mocked.

"It's all you need, trust me."

CHAPTER THREE

Dakota hurried down the alley and stepped behind a restaurant dumpster, confident that the pungent odor would mask his scent. They were looking for him, and their presence was immediately obvious. They were nightwalkers, and one of them was particularly powerful.

Dakota did not feel he was prepared to deal with all the supernatural elements of Mt. Pleasant just yet. Able’s work had shielded him to a great extent, but the nightwalkers were the most powerful among the others. He wouldn’t be able to avoid them for long.

The two who entered the library were formidable beings and not the caliber of nightwalker he’d encountered in the past. These men were solid and focused and appeared to be very comfortable among the humans. Their glamour probably kept their secret for them but still how could their power and essence be missed it saturated the air.

The dark one was particularly impressive, and Dakota found it difficult to put him out of his thoughts. His hair black as the night and with eyes to match he had the presence of a leader a power beyond what Dakota was prepared to meet. Hisgaze had captured Dakota and held him for several seconds and during that time he felt the heat and force of the man.

He didn’t know his name, but he was certain that they would meet again. There was a calling between them, which Dakota did not understand, but it had meant something. The feeling of knowing that man was filling him, but he had never met him before. As hard as he tried to dismiss the feelings and put them aside, the more the vision of his perfection overwhelmed him. Dakota hadn't been in a relationship for a very long time, and he was looking at this nightwalker with a hunger that he should not be feeling.

Dakota hurried down the block to his rented car and headed back to his motel room. He needed to make some calls based on the information he had gathered. Eric had been seen by the cashier at the café.

He had been alone and had appeared rushed and jumpy. He'd ordered two coffees and a ham sandwich and abruptly left. Dakota planned to check the local motels and campgrounds to see if he could pick up a scent or further direction. He'd started earlier and hit some of the establishments with no luck. But Mt. Pleasant had quite a few low-dollar motels and a fair number of hangouts that a person could crash at for little or nothing.

Dakota drove into the Starlight and parked across the lot. He didn’t like parking in front of his unit because it disturbed his line of sight. In a town like Mt. Pleasant, you wanted to keep your vision clear. He settled in with a coffee he’d picked up at a gas station and made his calls.

He identified himself to everyone he spoke to, apart from the Sheriff and his deputy, so it was just a matter of time before the others knew exactly who he was and why he wasthere. Whether they left him alone or involved themselves in his business remained to be seen.

As he sat there considering his next move, his mind once again trailed back to the dark one, and the prevalent scent of fresh-cut cedar filled his senses upon seeing him. The pleasant scent had a meaning, but he couldn't remember what it was or where he'd heard about it. Like the man himself, the scent took over his heart and mind, filling him with satisfaction and longing. He had no idea where this would lead, but he knew for a fact that he would be seeing the tall, dark one again very soon.

"Paula, did Eric happen to say anything to you about his relationship with Ivy? Did he tell you they were serious or simply hanging out together?" The lady at the café had alluded to Eric commenting on his fiancé being unwell and that he was bringing them something to eat. She was certain he'd referred to them as his fiancé.

"They're just friends, as far as I know, Dakota. Eric would have told me if it had gotten more serious. Ivy is not his fiancé, and I'm not sure why he would tell someone she was."

"Maybe it means nothing. He might have just used it for expediency. Eric wasn't one who liked long explanations." Dakota theorized.

“You have a solid lead on him in Mt. Pleasant?” She asked.

"He was here four days ago, and people saw him and spoke to him." He told her.

"Find him, Dakota." She was trying to stay strong, but her pain was evident.

"I will, Paula, I promise." He wouldn't usually make such a statement, but he felt certain that Eric was still in the area, and it was just a matter of time before he found him. He was just about to contact his captain with an update when he felt a wave of energy, the likes of which he had never encountered before. It swamped him, constricting his breathing and filling him with fearful alarm.

"He probably went back to the motel," Raul said as they made their way down the main street.

“Most likely, since all his protections are there.” Terrance agreed. “We need to convince him to talk to us, but he seems to have a twisted view of the supernatural.”

"Maybe that's his experience where he's from. Not all communities are a positive experience. There are some real bastards out there, and you and I have met quite a number of them.” Raul defended the man, and it brought a smile to Terrance's face.

"I'm going to send the information on Detective Lieutenant Winters and Eric Blackbird to Easton and see what he can find out for us." Terrance quickly sent the text, followed by the file.

“Detective Lieutenant is a notable title why would they send him on a case like this. It’s a missing person which should be handled by their officers keeping in touch with the local authorities." Raul was trying to sort out the information. "They either care deeply for this boy, or they know something we don't."

"It's probably both." Terrance was going to elaborate when he received a text from Easton. "Master DuCane wantsus to bring Detective Lieutenant Winters to the Palace. He wants to speak with him." Terrance read the message out loud. They looked at one another, knowing full well that Detective Lieutenant Winters would not willingly accompany them anywhere, let alone the Palace.

“Hell, he hasn’t even agreed to speak with us yet.” Raul shook his head.

“I’ll explain our situation and see what he wants us to do.” Terrance offered and sent an explanation to Easton outlining the man’s distrust and apparent awareness of the supernatural. He also added that Dakota Winters was his beloved because the Master was not someone you kept information from. After a few minutes, to his surprise, Terrance received a response from Master DuCane.

"The Master will meet us at the Starlight," Terrance stated.

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