"What are you saying?" Marko's brow wrinkled as he frowned up at me.
"If you want her, she's yours." I glanced over at the couch where Star sat, huddled up with her arms around herself, awkward as always when I was anywhere near her.
"Seriously? Why?" Marko's frown disappeared, replaced with a smile.
"You always liked her. More than me. And she sure as hell doesn't want to be with me."
"That's unusually generous of you, David. What's in it for you?"
"I want a companion. A real one. She's too weak. I want someone who's gonna fight back once in a while, give me a run for my money." I sighed. I didn't know what I wanted. I had a string of temporary companions behind me, none of whom had given me what I wanted. None of them would take that final step to becoming a full vampire and I'd ended up killing every last one of them. Star was no different, but I knew Marko was quietly crazy about her, so there was no reason for me to finish her off. Maybe he could do something with her, coax her into changing completely, where my impatience prevented me from doing so.
"What are you talking about?" Paul appeared beside me and rested an elbow on my shoulder, leaning on me. I stepped to the side and he staggered, scowling. "What the fuck?"
"I'm not a fucking leaning post," I grunted.
"He's passing Star over to me." Marko smirked. "Can you believe that?"
"Yeah, actually. How many women have you been through, David? Wasn't Star the unlucky thirteen?"
"Something like that." She was the thirteenth I'd tried to turn and failed with. I'd thought she could really be the one and I'd wasted almost six months on her.
"Better start looking for another one for you." Paul chuckled. "Have you told Star what's happening yet?"
"No." I gestured to Marko. "Go for it."
"You really don't want her?" Paul asked.
"No. Same way I didn't want Marie, or Jackie, or Lucy, or Jane, or whoever the fuck else in the end."
"They were all hot as fuck." Paul sniggered. "Shame you buried 'em all."
"They were weak," I groused. "I'm the fucking head vampire since Max was killed. I should have a companion."
Paul shrugged one shoulder. "It's not a requirement, is it?"
"No. But it's what I want."
"It'd be better if we were a foursome again. Four vampires against the world. If Steven hadn't gotten killed—"
"Well, he did." My scowl deepened. "Star was supposed to be the fourth."
"I meant another guy. You said it yourself, the women you picked have all been too weak."
"What are you saying? I should have a guy for a companion?" I snorted and sneered at the same time.
"Why not? I didn't mean to fuck, obviously. Unless you want to. I meant to make up the four again, to have your back, be your right hand vamp, whatever."
"Hmm. I suppose it's not a bad idea." I toyed with the suggestion of finding another guy, someone young and strong, attractive and confident, like me. It could work. Maybe.
"We should go out and start hunting. Leave them to have a little chat." Paul jerked his head towards the couch, where Marko had sat down a couple of feet away from Star and was smiling winningly at her. She'd relaxed immediately, seeing it was him and not me. She didn't feel threatened by him.
"Yeah, let's go." I headed for the stairs and within minutes we were on our bikes, heading towards the boardwalk. We parked close to the comic book store and hovered by the entrance, taunting the Frog brothers until their hackles went up and Edgar's hand hovered over the plastic pistol on his hip, threatening to blast us with holy water. The boardwalk was quiet and he'd probably get away with it if we didn't scream too loud.
I turned away and strode past the sideshows and rides to the foot of the rollercoaster. Suddenly I knew what I was looking for.
"What are we doing here?" Paul asked.
"I saw someone around here a while back. Looked like a homeless guy."
"Are you hungry?" Paul grinned.
"No."
He raised his eyebrows. "Well, I am."
"So, go hunt. Meet me back at the bikes in a couple of hours."
"A couple of hours? Ain't gonna take me a couple of hours to feed." Paul rolled his eyes.
"So do something else. I'm gonna check this guy out, see if he might fit."
"Ohhh." Paul nodded in understanding.
I turned away from him and when I looked back, he was gone. I continued forward, stepping into the shadows of the coaster and making my way beneath the steel frame supporting the tracks. Soon enough I saw him, pretty much invisible to the human eye in the darkness. He sat on the ground, legs stretched out in front of him and ankles crossed, hands tucked into the pockets of a threadbare denim jacket. His jeans were torn at the knees, and his sneakers were worn through in places. Long dark hair fell around his face, hiding his expression from me.
I dropped to a crouch a few feet away. "Hey. You okay?"
He lifted his head and his hair fell back from his face. His eyes narrowed and he eyed me warily. His heartbeat picked up its pace and the faint smell of sweat reached my nostrils. "What do you want?"
"I've seen you here before. You live here, or what?" I teased.
His jaw stiffened and he pulled his hands free of his pockets, fists clenched. "Some of us don't have the luxury of a choice."
"I wasn't criticising. You want to get something to eat?"
"What's the catch?"
"No catch." I raised both hands, palms towards him. "Thought you might be hungry."
"Yeah. You could say that."
I edged closer and offered my hand. "I'm David."
"Dwayne." After another hesitation, he placed his hand in mine and shook. His grip was firm and I felt the pulse at the base of his thumb. His skin was grimy and nails filled with dirt.
"Come with me." I rose and backed away.
Another hesitation, then he picked up a battered knapsack and followed me. I'd never seen him on his feet and he was taller than I expected—in boots instead of sneakers he'd be almost my height. We passed a couple of food stalls and I noticed the subtle flare of his nostrils, and the quick lick of his lower lip. The guy was starving.
"What do you want to eat? Hotdog?" I pointed at the nearby stall.
"Anything. Thanks."
I pulled out some money and purchased two hotdogs loaded with onions and cheese, plus a large coke. Dwayne's eyes widened in disbelief when I passed them all to him. "You don't want anything?"
"I already had something." I smiled at him. "Enjoy."
"Thanks." He gulped some of the coke, then went to sit at the side of the boardwalk and ate the first hotdog faster than I'd seen anyone eat.
"Take your time. If you haven't had a decent meal in a while, you might get sick."
He snorted. "What are you? My mother?"
I grinned. "Where is your mother?"
"Dead."
"Shit. I'm sorry," I groaned. "I didn't mean—"
"It doesn't matter. Both my parents died when I was a kid."
"How old are you now?"
"Twenty-one."
"You don't have anyone else?"
"No. I was in care until sixteen. After that—the system doesn't give a shit, you know?" He bit into the second hotdog.
"You've lived like this for five years?"
"Off and on. I get by mostly. It's a bad year though. Too many homeless in this town. There isn't enough room for all of us, or enough people to help. I'd work if I could get anything." He crammed the last bite of food into his mouth, chewed rapidly, then washed it down with coke. "What about you? You don't look homeless."
I laughed. "You might revise that opinion if you saw where I lived. But if you need a place you're welcome to come back with me."
"What do you want in return?" His eyes narrowed again.
"I don't expect payment. I'm offering you a place to stay."
"No one does that without strings of some sort. Mostly they want to fuck you."
"You've done that before?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Once. It's not me. I'd rather starve than let someone fuck me for a bed and a meal."
I swallowed. "You into guys, Dwayne?"
"Yes. Is that a problem?" He lifted his chin defiantly and glared.
"It's not a problem. And I don't expect anything in return. Me and my friends have a huge place up by the bluff."
"Friends?"
"Yeah. There's Paul and Marko and Star. Why don't you come back and see? If you don't like it, you don't have to hang around, right?"
"I guess."
"The others don't expect anything either. Marko has Star. Paul's not into guys."
"Are you?"
"No." I shook my head.
"Okay. I'll go with you." He stood up, finished the coke, and discarded the cup and the wrappers in a nearby trash can. "Thanks for the food."
"You already thanked me," I reminded him. "This way." As we walked back towards the comic book store, I stuck two fingers in my mouth and whistled piercingly. Within seconds, Paul was at my side.
"Paul, this is Dwayne." I gestured to each and they shook hands.
"You didn't waste any—" Paul broke off and glared as I stamped on his foot. "—time on those stupid rides like you normally do."
"Fuck off. I like the coaster." I shoved him and he stepped out of reach.
"So. Dwayne. You coming back with us?" he asked.
"I think so." Dawyne looked at him as if waiting for permission.
"Don't look at me. David's the boss." Paul grinned. "Any friend of his is welcome with me. Same goes for Marko."
When we reached the bikes, Paul sprang onto his and took off, leaving me with Dwayne. "You're gonna have to ride pillion." I swung my leg over the bike.
"Sure." Dwayne climbed on. I heard the pounding of his heart, his blood racing through his veins as he sat with his hands hovering uneasily either side of me, before gingerly slipping his arms around my waist.
"It's okay. Hold on tight." I started the bike and kicked it into gear. Dwayne was heavier than Star and it took me a moment to balance just right. Then we were racing down to the sand and back towards the point. Dwayne's arms tightened around me and he pressed against my back, thighs warm against mine. My nostrils flared as I imagined what he might taste like. My fangs began to slip from my gums as I fantasised, picturing him bare-chested, me tipping his head back, pushing his hair off his neck, and sinking the tips of my fangs in so gently he barely felt it, then sealing my lips over the wound and drawing his sweet blood into my mouth. My pants grew tight with arousal and I almost laughed. I'd never even contemplated doing anything with a guy, but all I had to think about was how his blood might taste as he surrendered to me, and I was rock hard. Could Dwayne be the companion I'd been looking for in forever? Maybe.