Author's note: Many thanks to Kate, J. Berry Smith, Edicts Galore, Camille, Felix1987, Chantal, and Guest for your reviews! You're all amazing for taking the time to read our story!
Considering she'd run off with Paul that night, it surprised Jenn when Marie appeared asleep as she snuck into their small room. From what he had said about Dwayne, it sounded like her friend had had a pretty good time. Still, she hoped she wouldn't be overly angry with her.
She slipped out of her clothes and into a long shirt and short bottoms, trying not to make a sound, knowing that Marie's hearing was impeccable, and then slipped into the bed next to her. A glowing grin still brightened her face as there was much to tell, and the urgency of it made her want to wake Marie and spill all the beans right then and there, but she refrained.
Sleeping would be hard, or so she thought until the early morning hours let the sun in through the cracks of the curtains. A new day lit up the earth, which meant a new night would fall fast bringing with it a band, music, parties on the boardwalk, and Paul!
Marie was still sleeping and for a second, Jenn wondered if she was all right. Her breathing was still peaceful, so she slipped out of bed, got dressed and exited quietly to grab breakfast for the both of them.
As soon as Jenn left the room and her footsteps faded, Marie opened her eyes. She hadn't been awake long, but when she knew that her friend had come back safe and sound, albeit late, she was able to sleep more peacefully in spite of the otherwise restless night.
Kicking off the blankets, she sat up in bed and rubbed the back of her neck. Her whole body was sore and part of her just wanted to go back to sleep, but she knew Jenn would be eager to tell her about her time spent with Paul when she returned.
A full moon's night was usually rough on a werewolf if they didn't release the energy stored inside them, so Marie had decided to venture away from the boardwalk that night after leaving Dwayne by the arcade. There was a small forest conveniently located just beyond the piers, and she decided to go there. Upon stepping through the grove of trees, making sure the coast was clear, Marie shifted into her wolf form and ran to her heart's content. She was a beast connected to nature with a moon that dictated how dangerous she could be if anyone dared to cross her. Yet she had to maintain self-control, due to the fact that she was in vampire territory. She had to respect them and that meant not hurting or killing anything that was considered theirs. Not that Marie was a man killer, but with the moon fueling her power to its absolute peak, someone who angered her could trigger her rage in an instant, causing her to do something she would regret.
Now, to occupy her time while waiting in a more subdued state, Marie searched for the remote control to the TV. She was grateful that they picked a motel where the TVs had remotes. Back home, she always seemed to be the one designated to get up and change the channel after getting perfectly cozy in her seat.
Jenn was still glowing by the time she returned, shoving the door open with a handful of goodies in a to-go carton, along with two coffees and a couple different juices. She gave her friend a knowing smile as she shimmied in and kicked the door closed behind her. "I wasn't sure what you'd be in the mood for, so I got us a couple breakfast burritos and bagels. Coffee, I figured, was a must."
She plucked one of the hot cups from the tray, along with a few sugars and small creams and offered them to Marie as she sat down near her on the bed, making it bounce a little on purpose but not enough to spill anything.
"I hope we're okay and that you're not mad at me. I couldn't help myself last night. I swear something happens when he's around. Almost like a silent call. It kinda scares me, but at the same time, holy crap, Marie, I'm loving it. So... he said you talked to Dwayne. Something about a band tonight? Please, please tell me we're going. I said we would."
She darted off the bed and grabbed the important things, the ones that would ultimately fill their stomachs, and then crashed beside her friend again, letting the napkins settle in a pile between them. The smell of bacon wafted through the wrapping.
Marie lowered the volume of the TV so that the music videos could continue playing in the background while they talked. Then with the palm of her hand, she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes before taking one of the coffee cups.
"It's fine, we're going," she muttered after welcoming the hot, rich taste of morning brew. Compared to how awake and animated Jenn was, Marie was lagging like she was suffering a hangover. She yawned loudly before taking another sip of coffee as if it was much needed medicine.
"Aerosmith cover band," she informed Jenn. "I said I would only go if Paul returned you safe and sound." She lifted a brow as she decided to try one of the breakfast burritos. "Sounds like you legitimately like him. How does he feel about you? Has he said anything?"
Scooting up against the headboard, Jenn lifted her knees up, huddling a bit as she unwrapped her food and dove in. Marie's lack luster knocked the wind out of her sails a bit and she chewed for a second in silence, watching one of the videos for a few seconds. The lead singer reminded her a lot of Paul, which brought her elation right back. It had to be a sign.
"He didn't really say anything like, 'hey I really like you.' It was more action than anything." Jenn nearly hugged herself as she said this thinking about the kisses and the touch and the heat, despite his cool skin. "I don't want to sound like one of those anxious little girls in love with her crush or anything, but hot damn Marie, we were this close," she pinched her fingers together, "and closer than that to, well you know, sex! But you know my track record with the wild guys isn't the greatest. I wanted to wait, at least until tonight." She smiled wide and stuck her tongue out at her friend, but then her joy faded a bit. "You're really not into Dwayne at all?"
Raking her fingers through her tangled mess of blue, purple, and pink hair, Marie shook her head.
"It's not that," she insisted as she sat up straighter and folded her legs together. The burrito wrapper was removed and she took a bite out of her food, munching thoughtfully, before swallowing. "I'll feel better tonight once we're out."
Despite that statement, the food helped her grogginess. The more she ate and the more coffee she drank, the more alert she became.
"Having your abilities tied to the moon can be both good and bad," Marie pointed out as she got up off the bed and tossed her empty cup and wrappers into the nearby garbage can. She didn't want to bore Jenn with telling her about her uneventful fight to retain her humanity, so she kept the focus of discussion on Paul.
"That guy does come off as someone who'd rather do stuff than talk. Not that it's a totally bad thing, depending on the situation. He'd be anything but boring."
The werewolf sat back down on the bed and stretched her legs out across the mattress. She didn't have particularly long limbs, but they were thick, thus suited for running long distances.
Leaning close, Marie took a piece of Jenn's hair between her fingers and asked, "Wanna dye the tips hot pink?"
"No!" Jenn grabbed her hair from Marie, feigning a frown, but then smiled playfully. "I like my hair the way it is," she shrugged. "But hey, I'm not trying to be insensitive. You come first. I forget sometimes about the other side of you, which I shouldn't and there's no excuse. If you need to talk about it, I'm all ears." She grabbed a napkin and swiped it across her mouth before sitting up real straight and attentive.
Marie could only stare curiously at Jenn before simply smiling. She probably played human a little too well if Jenn had forgotten about her wolf side.
Crossing her arms over her chest, Marie sat back against the headboard, almost shoulder to shoulder with the blonde. Staring at the TV screen but not really watching, she said, "I'm scared about tonight. It's been a while since my last relationship, and I'm trying not to think too far ahead. After what happened with my ex, I swore I was finished with guys." She paused and made a slight face. "To be fair, I've only ever been with wolves. I wish I could be anxious about seeing Dwayne tonight, like you are with Paul. Isn't that silly? A werewolf afraid of a date?"
Jenn laid her head on Marie's shoulder. "Not really. I don't know how it is with vampires but I know you, and you have feelings just like anybody else, doesn't matter what you are. I should probably be more leery myself instead of jumping right in considering what happened before. I mean what if we do something along the line down the road that's not even that big of deal and it makes them angry? What then? Do we fear for our lives? The four of them seem so tight knit, you know? Maybe David saw that in you and I." She shrugged and sighed. "But you know how I am, thinking everything happens for a reason. Dwayne isn't a small guy... vampire. I would be afraid of him, was... whatever, but he seems real kind when he's around you, um, speaking from a mental perspective."
She giggled and poked her friend. "I wasn't trying to pry I just wanted to make sure you were all right since I was the asshole who left you behind last night. But hey, if tonight you feel like this is still bad, we can leave town. I swear. I really don't want to, but you have to go with your gut." She jumped up and stood on the bed, smacking her hands together. "So! Tonight, I'm thinking short skirt, beaded belt, my sexy shirt that hangs over one shoulder, and lots of bracelets with boots. What do you think? Easy access." She danced, swaying her hips.
Marie was speechless, but she eventually buried her face in her hands. Her shoulders shook as she tried so hard not to laugh out loud. Typical Jenn: supportive as a sisterly best friend should be, who was also ready to rock some guy's world and have some fun. There was a lot Marie admired and envied about her, but she was forever indebted having someone like her on this strange adventure. Finally, she cleared her throat and lifted her head from her hands, beaming and no longer feeling sorry for her checkered love life. Whatever happened that night would happen, and one way or another, both girls' determination would make it a fun night. "Let's go shopping for that perfect outfit you just described and get ourselves ready for the concert."
The night brought on a carnival like atmosphere at the boardwalk and the crowd wasn't as thick due to the masses gathering together down by the bandstand awaiting the arrival of the musicians. The lights were bright in that area highlighting the stage and the surrounding area as a few unknowns tested the sound stage to make sure everything was on cue. It was a different group of young people, not the families who flooded the rides or the arcade, but the ones, a few of them runaways, all looking to have a good time, and old enough to consume whatever liquor or beer they chose.
"See," Jenn whispered to Marie, already feeling as if the night was theirs. "This is even better."
The smell of popcorn and cotton candy still lingered from the day, now laced with something darker, something more feral that turned with the waves and mixed with the ocean air. It reminded Jenn of the cave and she got the feeling that this was the scene the vampires preferred.
"Where do you think they'll be?" Jenn danced on her toes as she asked the question, unable to keep her youthful appearance from looking even younger as she scanned the lower crowd for their dates. Her eyes didn't get far as she felt a soft, yet oddly strong hand grab her by the wrist and pull her back. At first she thought it was Marie, but as she spun around, she realized an older woman, a free spirit more or less, or possibly a fortune teller, had slipped in between the two of them.
"I see only death for you two in the future," she stated, looking at neither one of them, but instead straightforward as if she were looking into a crystal ball. "If you stay. You must go. Go now! Before it's too late!"
Marie squealed and jumped back over the woman's surprise appearance. She'd been too busy admiring the music stage that she didn't even notice her until she started going on about death in the future. The werewolf brushed invisible dust from the top of her printed dress with its loud colors and patterns before she addressed the stranger.
"What do you expect when you're in the so-called 'murder capital of the world?' I'd take your threat more seriously if this town's motto was 'the happiest place on earth,' but since it's not, I can't say your warning is too impactful." She sighed dramatically, unable to believe how smug she sounded. Once again, she blamed the moon. Although it wasn't completely full like last night, it still granted her a lot of power and energy, along with some attitude. "C'mon, Jenn, let's go," Marie started to say as she turned away, only to bump into someone. "Whoops, sorry, I…"
She trailed off as the familiar but foul-smelling odor filled her nostrils even before she tilted her head up to see who it was. The person in front of her was wearing a tattered and sleeveless Ratt t-shirt, tight black pants, and frayed leather boots. Untamed blonde hair fell just past the shoulders and stunning blue eyes grazed over the two girls before revealing a toothy grin.
"What's shaking?" Paul greeted casually. "I know we were supposed to meet up at the arcade, but I got a lil' antsy, so I decided to walk around. Good thing I did!"
The woman and her forewarning vanished into thin air in Jenn's mind as soon as Paul appeared, even though she still had a grip on her wrist. She yanked it away without a second thought about the message and stepped forward. If someone's eyes really twinkled, Jenn's were dancing with stars. She was speechless as she looked Paul up and down and mindlessly licked her lips. "If this is the way I'm going to die, then so be it," she finally said to no one in particular while meeting Paul's gaze at last. "Holy shit..." There was no booze needed when it came to letting words fly. Her heart was beating so hard she could hear it in her ears. "I mean... where's Dwayne?"
There was no resistance, she had to touch him and took yet another few steps forward to place a hand on his chest, unsure if taking his hand was the right thing to do. We're so going to rock this tonight, she thought.
Paul was thrilled to see Jenn along with her excitement to see him. It made the night worth the wait. "I ditched him," he said playfully, referring to Dwayne, as he eagerly eyed the petite blonde. "Can't be too far behind me."
He took a step back and upon taking Jenn's hand from his chest, he lifted her arm up and had her twirl around in front of him like a ballerina. He was certainly digging what he was seeing. His hand didn't seem as cold to the touch as it had the night before, and Jenn interlaced their fingers when she stopped and took something of a bow without lowering her head. She saw a darker man approaching wearing a scowl and realized it was Dwayne. He came up right behind them and hit Paul on the back of the shoulder.
"Wondered where the hell you went, shithead," he scolded before noticing Marie standing there off to the side. His facial expression change was immediate and he slipped past Jenn and Paul to give her a proper greeting. "Sorry about that, but he is a shithead," he told her. "No sense in hiding that truth from you ladies." He smiled and brushed over her shoulder with the tips of his fingers. "Glad you could make, Marie. You ready to let loose with us? I'll show you a good time, baby."
Without further ado, he swung an arm around her waist and lifted her up to his hips as if she weighed nothing at all. He dipped her fast and then let her go, grinning, almost laughing. "Most of the time here we gotta be serious because security is always barking at us, but on nights like these, we love to live it up our way."
Marie was both delighted and amused over Dwayne's affectionate greeting. She was somehow able to control herself when she'd been lifted up and her body touched his briefly. If Dwayne were a male wolf, this would have been a set up for the two of them to mate.
Her eyes grew wide in alarm when she realized what she was thinking about, and she burst out laughing rather loudly, so much for control. Stupid hormones and stupid moon! she thought in a panic.
A few people nearby turned and shot her odd expressions, but she ignored them. She took Dwayne by the hand and started to walk him to the nearest set of steps that would take them to the beach. "C'mon, gang!" she announced without looking back.
Paul had tilted his head in response to Marie's unexpected outburst before he merely shrugged his shoulders. "She seems to be in a good mood night," he told Jenn before resting an arm comfortably around her shoulders. "Wanna go follow them? Or do you wanna spend some solo time with moi before the concert officially starts?"
Jenn was pursing her lips in awe at the way Marie jumped into it all of a sudden, especially after mouthing off to the old woman who had vanished as soon as Paul showed up-unless she was a creeper hiding in a corner somewhere watching. She shivered in response to that thought, but looked sideways at Paul. Their fingers were still locked together as if two halves made a whole, while his other arm kept her close.
"I say we get a drink and then wander off alone for awhile and let the chemistry fly. I mean between Dwayne and Marie. Well, you and I too, if that's what you want."
Her smile slowly grew as she remembered what he had said the night before. Of course she knew what he wanted, but keeping the flirt going was much more fun. "You know what's funny? We were watching music videos earlier, and this guy, the lead singer... you could be related. He was so fucking hot. Oh! But did you see that old woman? She just came up to us out of the blue and said she only saw death in our future. If this is the death I have in my future, I'm counting on it." She laughed and shouldered into him.
"She's kind of a regular," Paul explained as he took his time walking with her through the boardwalk, soaking in the lively atmosphere the place had to offer. "She's got a rundown shop in town but every other week we see her walking around here, trying to get people to pay attention to her. I actually haven't seen her since I first came around a few years back, and she told me the same thing: the whole 'you're-gonna-die' bit. I mean, she's not completely wrong since I am what I am!"
"So then technically I have nothing to worry about." Jenn swung his arm in front of her as they came to a booth selling beer and wine and a few other things for the night. It was almost a contradiction of sorts, assuming she was safe in the company of a vampire who had already had a taste of her powerful blood. Yet he seemed rather contained as they stood there waiting for a glass of something that wasn't red at all.
"What do I smell like?" she whispered off hand without looking away from the makeshift bartender.
Paul let go of her as he took to leaning against one of the booth's decorative walls that showed a mural of people surfing and building sand castles. He was still stoked over how Jenn compared him to a popular lead singer of a rock band. It wasn't the first time he got such a comparison, but having it come from her meant a lot.
He went along with playfully describing Jenn's smell while waiting for their order. He said if fresh and clean with a hint of sun could be captured in a bottle and sold on the market that would be her smell right there. He kept his attention solely on her, and whenever a couple of brave females would try to get his attention, he was aloof but quick with sending them off. He wasn't a complete asshole, but he made it known he was busy.
"I got my eyes on the prize," he told one of them with a wink, before shifting his focus back to his date.
This guy looked like he fit in with the scene of Santa Carla even more so than his friends as he stood against the mural giving Jenn the best description of smell she had received thus far in her life. However, she hadn't expected it, and maybe she should have been more specific, but asking him what her blood smelled like in public didn't sound like the greatest idea.
Jenn had to laugh at his response to the girls. Flattering wasn't even the right word. He made her feel like the ultimate fan had won the lead singer's attention at a rock show times ten. "I bet you have a handful of numbers in your wallet just in case, don't you? Probably a normal thing for you around here huh? All these girls and maybe even a few guys wanting a little something something. I bet it doesn't bode well for most in the end though does it? Have you ever kept any of them around for longer than one night?"
She realized she was asking a lot of questions, personal ones, but she couldn't help it. The draw to him made her curious and she really did want to know everything there was to know about him.
The guy behind the small bar placed two semi clear plastic cups down filled to the brim with beer and asked for five bucks.
Jenn pushed away from the wall and dug into her purse. She wasn't used to anyone paying her way, and didn't expect Paul to, but she certainly wasn't against buying his.
Paul picked up his cup and when the employee turned to face him, a casual but direct command was given.
"Drinks are on the house."
The guy slowly blinked and didn't do anything else for about a minute, but when Paul raised his cup to him like he was going to toast him, he just nodded and resumed his duties without another word.
Swirling the contents in his cup, Paul decided to entertain Jenn by answering the question about keeping company for longer than a night.
"Not really," he said in a straight-forward manner. "We have just about everything we need with each other. Inviting more people to hang out or do whatever isn't a great idea. Besides, they start asking questions and they get annoying super quick."
Jenn would already know she was excluded from what he was referring to. The lifestyle of the vampire was heavily centered on blood, as it was the basis for their survival.
Paul held out his cup to Jenn and cheerfully said, "Bottom's up!"
"Like all the questions I'm asking?" she snickered behind her cup before lifting it to take a large drink. The semi bitter, cold fizz hit her tongue and she found herself guzzling it in front of him. It helped to take the edge off and with little food in her stomach, the sedative feeling shot straight down to her knees, making her hum as she lowered the drink at last.
"That's pretty good for cheap beer. But you obviously don't have sex with each other," she continued, referring to his comment about the group having everything they needed through each other. "Or do you?" she teased. "Hey, if I talk too much you can tell me. I mean, it must be different, right? Since I already know what you are. And honestly, I'm fascinated by it. I suppose I should still be scared, but you haven't given me any reason to be. At least not yet, and I like your company." She laughed. "How cheesy does that sound?"
Paul drank down some of his beer while Jenn talked, firing questions off left and right. The beer was decent, but he wouldn't pay for it willingly. Still, he finished it in a couple gulps.
"You got a job with the paparazzi or something?" he asked jokingly as he sat his empty cup down on the counter, where the employee took it away almost instantly. "Wanna know the scoop about what I am, what I'm all about, and all that?"
He tilted his head from side to side, making his neck crack. Once he got that out of his system, he thought back to what she said about not being scared of him and that he hadn't given her a reason to be. Why did that bother him? Why should it bother him? He liked her, didn't he? She sure as hell really liked him. Frightening someone he liked and wanted to get to know better wasn't ideal, whether he was as vampire or not. When it came down to it, he was a killer who drank the blood of the living to survive. Apparently she was okay with this. Then again, she hadn't seen him take a life. Would she still be this way if and when that time came to see him exterminate one of her fellow humans? Luckily, his face didn't reflect any of his thoughts and the music constantly spinning in his head kept his mind heavily protected.
"You know the right company to keep," he said at last before leaning forward to his fingertips along her jaw. "You're doing alright by me, babe!"
"I'm actually a writer," she admitted, tilting her head just right against the tips of his fingers. "It's originally why we came here, Marie and I, to find a great story. But don't worry, I won't be writing this one down."
Deep down she knew she was being naive and open about her personal life, considering she was treating Paul more like Superman rather than a villain, but had she not asked him a few good personal questions?
"And I'm not with the paparazzi, unless you're famous? Then I might be." She laughed, quickly finished her beer and set the empty cup back on its stage. "But yeah. Isn't there a game we could play? A drinking game? You ask me a question I ask you a question? Or something like that? We could make it fun." She gave him a rather erotic, suggestive look. "Or we could go find the real booze, find a nice spot in the sand behind the stage, and get down and dirty."
There was a pause and then it hit her. "Wait a second... you totally got that guy to give us free beer didn't you?" She said it quiet yet with surprise so that no one around would hear them, not that it was an issue considering the music was already loud and the band hadn't even started yet.
Paul chortled over the way Jenn's personality shifted so easily: inquisitive, sassy, serious, sultry, and wonderment. There were so many dimensions to this girl, but as soon as she mentioned, "getting down and dirty," the thought of having to answer any more questions bored him.
Bending down so that his lips brushed against her ear, he said in a low voice, "I know a real good place where we can get some great drinks. We'll start off with those and if all goes good, we're gonna make our own kinda music."
She didn't need the chill in the air to give her skin prickles, because Paul did the job just fine as soon as his mouth graced her ear. She envisioned him taking it further, pulling at her earlobe with cool lips, drawing a line down the center of her neck, causing her to moan and shiver. The fantasy left her weightless and the lids of her eyes fell hypnotically closed. All she wanted to do in that moment was inhale an elixir that would leave her intoxicated with no room to think and all the ability to react. She felt like a teenage girl, hormones raging, but she wasn't anymore, and this went beyond need. Something about him had clicked, like a lock picked with the perfect key. All the questions swimming through her brain meant nothing in the scheme of things now. They were things she would learn, hopefully in time, unless giving in on this night meant emptiness the next, but it was a risk she was willing to take.
"Take me there?" It was more of a plea than a question. Her eyes remained closed for a few breaths before she opened them and turned towards him. "I need this. I need it so badly I can feel it in my veins."
She looked down, holding her arms and palms up like an addict awaiting the next dirty needle. The sharp prick of his fangs could take their place for all she cared, as long as she could have him.
No other words needed to be spoken. It was a done deal: signed, sealed, and delivered. Her sweet scented blood laced with raging pheromones and ultimate desire to be with him was intoxicating. It was potent enough to where it would have caught his attention all the way outside of Santa Carla. He was hooked. The sensation to be with just one person in more ways than one was a foreign concept, but one that he wasn't going to waste any time thinking over.
His hand clasped one of hers and their fingers laced together once more. He tugged her over to him, until her body touched his, and he swiftly kissed her on the mouth. While the gesture was brief, it left him burning for more of her touch. If he wasn't careful, he was going to quiver with anticipation.
He pulled them away from the booth and led them away from prying eyes.