Her body shifted under the soft comforters nuzzling the silk cladded pillow dreaming of her parents in a time before she wasn't called a freak. She sniffled eyes opening with tears already in them blinking having them roll down her cheeks at the thought of a happy family. Tears rolled out of her eyes to the pillow below letting out a wail of pain heart burning with the thoughts of her failure thick in her mind sobbing out for everything she was told she had done. A door opened quickly fear bubbling in her chest by the sound thinking her father was coming to beat her once more crying out harder shaking in the bed eyes wide as a grey haired man rushed to her side wrapping his arms around the shaking girl. She cried into his arms pushing herself into his chest sobbing as he soothed her a hand running through her short hair. Her eyes wavered sniffling softly tears still streaming down her cheeks looking to the older man in front of her in confusion.
" Vlad?"
He watched her eyes full of worry hand on her cheek calming her as she looked around the room she was in freaking out a little more seeing it wasn't a room she knew heart beating faster gripping onto the sleeves of his suit. She panted afraid of everything at the moment head wiping around looking around for some explanation to where she was Vlad gripping onto the girl tightly afraid she would run from him.
" It's okay little badger," he cooed softly holding her close to him, " My friend brought you here remember?"
She looked at him wild eyed panting but slowly calming down; thinking things through about what happened looking to the older man in silence nodding sheepishly. Her heart warmed as he pet her hair gently to calm her down eyes resting on the man's blue ones looking into them gently breaking contact slowly glancing away to something else.
" You're at my house little badger," he spoke softly watching her, " In Wisconsin."
She froze up a little at the mention of being in another state; she was in so much trouble. Her heart began to race a little at the thought of her father and she began to worry, worry about him, worry about him beating her, worry about school, worry about Danny and Tucker and Sam. Vlad pulled her closer to him noticing her worry making her cuddle up to him. She looked blankly at the floor shivering slightly at the loss of the cape knowing Plasmius most likely took it back for himself, head resting one Vlad's chest not moving when he scooped her in his arms picking her up effortlessly. Her eyes glanced upward to him wondering what he was up to watching him swing the door open walking out into a long hallway smiling slightly at the torches that lighted the way. Sniffling softly she looks at all of the decor around the hallway smiling at the large house around her finding the different shades of green calming, noticing the Packers themed things everywhere glancing out one of the windows as they passed looking at the wilderness outside. She looked around eyes wide with excitement wondering which doors lead to what, how many things were hidden in the house, and how many things she could get into she was brought out of her thoughts when Vlad set her down heading into what looked to be the kitchen having her follow behind him her stomach growling. Watching Vlad she smiled heading over a chair sitting down at a little island counter as he started to pull out some things from the cupboards.
" I'm sure you're starving right little badger?" he asked glancing over to her.
" Yes Mr. Vlad," she chirped at him with a smile.
" No need for formalities you can just call me Vlad."
" Okay Vlad," she said watching him move around, " So how did I end up here anyway?" she asked nibbling on her lip slightly the worry beginning to bubble.
" A friend of mine brought you here so I could take care of you."
Her cheeks reddened with his words looking at him gently a smile on her face nodding. He must of been talking about Plasmius she thought to herself but wondering how some old guy was friends with a ghost. Something crossed her mind and she flinched at the thought.
" How am I going to go to school?" she asked.
" Oh butter biscuits…" he murmured causing her to giggle gently, " How about I make you some food later and we can go back to Amity Park and get your school situated."
" I'm okay with that," she smiled.
Getting up slowly she walked over to him to help put away the things he had pulled out to speed up the process. She smiled when he patted her head gently motioning her to follow him wondering where they were going to now following him into a garage, looking over the cars that were stored drooling a little at the older model cars smiling looking through them as well as the sports cars.
" Little badger?" Vlad called.
She snapped out of her stares looking over to him smiling jogging over as he stood next to a car opening the door for her.
" 1969 Boss 429 Mustang?" she questioned looking over the car quickly before getting in.
" Correct."
He shut the door after she situated herself getting in himself starting up the old beauty letting the engine purr for a moment, Dakota looked at the interior taking in every detail happily drooling over the old car giddy when it began to move. She stayed quiet for most of the ride back to Amity Park looking out the window as Vlad drove the Mustang away from her new home. Trees passed and were replaced with houses, houses replaced with apartment buildings as they drove deeper into the city, sighing as they passed through the familiar Amity Park towards the school. Her heart stopped as they passed the street her old house was in Vlad reaching over to rub her arm gently to calm her passing the building her muscles relaxing. She sighed as they rolled up to the school the last bell ringing getting out of the car with Vlad walking towards the school as the other students began to leave a few of the kids snickering as Dakota walked in with Vlad.
" Pay no mind to them little badger," he spoke softly to her.
She nodded slightly glancing to him smiling heading towards the main office stopping in her tracks seeing Danny, Tucker, and Sam ditching Vlad rushing over to them.
" Dakota you're okay," Tucker piped up moving quickly towards her engulfing her in a hug.
" Sorry I didn't come to school today," she said hugging him back tightly.
" What happened?" Sam asked looking to her a little worried.
" It's really complicated…" she mumbled not noticing Vlad coming up behind her.
" I'll talk to the principle you talk to your friends okay little badger," he whispered into her ear.
" Okay Vlad I'll meet you back at your car," she said with a small smile.
She waved slightly watching him walk off Danny a little tense around the older man seeing a shiver run down his spine looking to them as if Vlad wasn't a big deal.
" Is that Vlad as in Vlad Masters billionaire of the year?"
She shrugged nodding not really getting what the big deal was only caring that he was taking care of her and that he was giving her an escape from her parents. Her eyes shifted to Danny who was staring at the way Vlad had gone, talking to them heading out with them back to the car.
" No way he has a 1969 Mustang," Danny said in awe looking at the car.
" Yeah that's what we drove here in from his place in Wisconsin."
" You're going to live all the way in Wisconsin…" Tucker said a little bummed looking at her gently.
" I swear guys I'll come back I'll stay there till I get on my feet and then I'll come back."
She smiled softly her heart beginning to ache at the thought of not being able to see her friends anymore pulling them all into a big hug smiling softly even though she felt torn inside. Her heart broke at the sound of a small sniffle that wasn't from her glancing over to Tucker who was holding back tears. Danny watched her with soft and sad eyes as Sam kept everything together, but Dakota knew her too well as she was probably as torn as she was on the inside.
" I promise I'll come back guys," she said softly voice cracking, " I promise."
She continued to hug them keeping them close so no one would break out in tears smiling softly looking at them softly flinching when Danny grabbed her arm. A chill ran down her spine a nagging voice bubbling up from the back of her head snarling at her of Danny's knowledge of her self harming. Her eyes wandered up to his wondering what he was doing freezing when he pulled up her sleeve to expose her cut and band-aid covered forearm to them his eyes locking on with hers.
" Don't continue," he whispered looking at her arm sadly.
Pulling her arm away quickly, she nodded pushing the sleeve down just in time Vlad emerging from the front doors walking towards the group of kids. Dakota smiled hugging them once more heart stopping when Danny whispered something into her ear then pulling away quickly from her leaving her when the older man arrived.
" Are you ready little badger?" Vlad asked opening the car door for her as she watched her friends leave.
" Yeah I'm ready to go home."
Dakota sighed laying in bed staring at her laptop screen blankly figuring out what to type next not knowing how to finish the paragraph. She closed it gently putting it on the floor getting up bored out of her mind since Vlad had gone out for some work issues wishing he was back so she could talk to him, or at least see Plasmius once again to ask him about being a ghost. Her body headed out of her warm room into the hallway holding herself heading for the kitchen stopping halfway down the hallway hearing something from one of the rooms. Slowly, she made her way to the door pressing her ear against it flinching at the sounds from within staying still when the movement stopped. Her heart pounded in her ears listening for anything keeping silent, but squeaking as a hand trust itself from the door turning her intangible yanking her through the door tumbling to the floor. She looked around slightly finding it to be the library head snapping upwards meeting red eyes.
" Plasmius?"
She looked up to him a little surprised he would be here smiling slightly, but disappearing as he moved around her in a stalking movement fear coursing through her veins. Her movements were slow compared to his as he thrust himself upon her not listening to her gentle cries. She flinched as he began to sniff her neck licking his lips as she turned her attention away from him squeaking when his mouth found it's way to her neck. Her face burned thinking that he was trying to get intimate with her being taken by surprise when she felt his fangs on her neck. She squirmed under him shivering at his hot breath against her neck feeling saliva dribble onto her neck a scream getting caught in her throat as he bit down drawing blood lapping up the metallic liquid. Her throat closed up soft choking noises escaping here and there from her mixed with a gnarled squeak. She didn't fight him, beginning to feel weaker every second as he drained her gasping when he pulled away blood dripping onto her from his mouth. Her eyes dulled slightly feeling his tongue against her neck whimpering softly causing him to chuckle at her feebleness. She looked up at him not afraid of him wondering what his did and why.
" Quiet now little one sleep," he sung watching her eyes flutter shut.