A/N: We've reached double digits, as far as chapters are concerned, woo! My exams are over and they went well! So now I have more time to write. Subsequently, this chapter is slightly longer than the rest. I hope you guys like it and thank you all so much for the reviews, as always x
With The Lost Boys
"Hey, where's Paul?" Marko questioned, looking up and down the Boardwalk.
"With his girl, probably," David shrugged "He'll be needing to do some damage control after last night."
"I like her," Marko announced and Dwayne mumbled in agreement before they both turned to David, failing to hide their curiosity.
"If I didn't, she wouldn't be alive," he shrugged "Doesn't mean I'm looking forward to the shitstorm that's gonna down if this ain't done right."
"I dunno what he's thinking," Dwayne sighed in agreement – one of the perks of being a vampire was the very little drama it entailed, and he didn't want that changing.
"I know what he's thinking with," Marko snorted and they all laughed.
"Well, I hope it's worth it for him," David shrugged in a tone that made it clear he thought it wouldn't be "'cause their relationship's gonna go real rocky real fast when he finally does it...Even if time runs out and he chooses the easy way, he ain't giving her much time."
"How about a bet?" Marko suggested "I say she'll be one of us by the...What is it tonight? The thirty-first?"
"New Year's Eve, yeah," Dwayne snorted and Marko rolled his eyes – what kind of immortal kept track of the date?
"Okay, so I say she'll be one of us by tomorrow night. Latest."
"What?" David snickered "We talkin' about the same girl, here?"
"He's alone with her now, ain't he?" Marko protested.
"I say the eighth," David shrugged.
"When does she leave?" Dwayne asked thoughtfully, trying to calculate what date he was going to go for.
"Eleventh."
"You think he'll only give her three nights?" Marko's eyebrows rose.
"If he keeps being an ass and insisting on doing it the other way, yeah."
"I say fourth," Dwayne announced confidently "Half way through her time here."
"What we betting?" David questioned, smirking now.
"First pick when we feed for a week." Marko suggested.
"One rule," David cut in "No interfering. Even if it looks like it's gonna happen earlier than when you bet. Remember the real goal here."
"What about offering, uh, encouragement?" Marko asked.
"Nuh-uh. She's too skittish. Might scare her off. No interfering, period," David shook his head.
"Deal," the other two nodded, happy to have found a new form of entertainment.
"But, uh, I gotta say," Marko continued smugly, before gesturing towards the beach "My odds are looking real good right now."
David and Dwayne looked to where Marko had pointed to see the two people their entire conversation had been concerned with, lips locked, hands all over each other and Cat wearing Paul's jacket. Marko gave a smug laugh, Dwayne shook his head and David quirked an eyebrow in surprise. He'd been convinced she'd be mad for at least three days. Maybe he'd been underestimating his brother...or his soon-to-be sister.
Paul, it seemed, was very creative when it came to ideas for their new tradition. He got them ice cream – despite his lack of a job, he didn't seem to have many money issues – won her a stuffed animal on one of the cheesy carnival games, they went on a ride at such a breakneck speed that Catriona spent most of it with her eyes closed, and when it was nearing midnight, he was dragging her towards the Giant Dipper.
"I don't know if you remember last night, but it didn't end well," she gave a nervous laugh as he led her towards the ride.
"Nah, today we're gonna go on the normal way," he chuckled, glancing to the clock fixed on the wall behind the bored looking employee, and then to the line "C'mon."
Ignoring the queue, he swaggered to the front and guided her into the front two seats of the cart waiting to leave. Catriona was stunned that nobody said anything to them for cutting in front, but didn't miss the wary looks they received from some.
"Perks of being a Lost Boy," Paul gave a crooked grin in response to her curiosity.
"How anybody is scared of you, I don't know," she teased, nudging him with her elbow.
"My roguish good looks and dangerous personality, obviously!" he made a great show of pretending to be offended.
"Of course, of course," she shook her head with a smile "Speaking of which, have you got some kind of feud going on with the guys who run the comic book shop?"
She jumped slightly as the ride shuddered to a start and they began their slow ascent.
"What, Rambo junior and chuckles? Ha!" he sniggered "They were, uh, pestering to join us a few years ago. Couldn't stand being told no, so now they go around saying crazy shit about us."
Catriona nodded with a slight frown. That would explain their weird behaviour, but it wasn't the explanation she was expecting – although she wasn't sure what explanation she had been expecting.
"I didn't realise it was an elite club," she joked "Now I feel special."
"If you didn't feel special before, I've been doing a shit job."
She gave a soft laugh and gazed up at the sky as the car continued to ascend. Below them she began to hear a countdown being shouted, starting with ten.
"Babe?" Paul's voice cut through her thoughts.
"Yeah," she nodded, feeling her adrenaline begin to pick up as the car rose higher and higher.
"Kiss me."
"Now?!" she laughed "I don't think now's the time!"
"Now!" he insisted.
She turned her head and at that moment a lot happened at once. Her lips met his, they began the drop, there was a bright flash of light and the boardwalk began to cheer as it hit midnight. The feeling was indescribable, and Catriona barely registered what was going on until the sensation of pure weightlessness came to an end and the roller coaster shot forward horizontally.
"Holy shit," she breathed in amazement, wide-eyed, heart hammering in her chest.
"Happy new year," he gave her one of his wide grins and Catriona didn't even bother to try and hold back her own.
"How the hell did you manage to time all of that?" Catriona asked in disbelief as they dropped by the hotel room so she could drop off her stuff – not that she had much, a photograph and a cheesy teddybear, but she didn't want carry them around all night.
It turned out that the bright flash of light had been a camera attached to the roller coaster – as they'd kissed, it had hit midnight and the moment had been captured in a photograph, one that she'd had to buy on their way off of the ride, not just because it had been an unbelievable moment, but because she was growing very smug about how good she and Paul looked together.
"Pure skill," he gave her a smug smile.
"I'm sure," she laughed as they walked up the steps to the boardwalk "And luck had nothing to do with it?"
"Luck's just preparation meetin' opportunity."
"That'd seem a lot wiser if I hadn't heard David saying it the other night."
His only response was a slap to her ass, causing Catriona to yelp and then blush "You asshole!"
"Yeah! Talk dirty to me!" he teased and she gave a snort of laughter, shaking her head "C'mon, the band playing tonight is actually good."
He led her over to the part of the boardwalk that'd been set up for bands to play at, where a bored looking security guard who couldn't have been any older than sixteen didn't even bother to ask them if they had tickets.
"Dwayne stole the singer's wallet last time they were here," Paul snorted, gesturing to the man with an obnoxiously bright blue mohawk "He's an asshole. Can sing real good, though. There was enough weed in there to last us all two weeks, so I guess we owe him thanks for that."
"Giving away all our secrets, Paul?"
Catriona jumped when David's voice sounded from behind them, and then blushed at the amusement of the boys.
"How's the arm?" Dwayne questioned and Paul looked away uncomfortably, clearly not happy with the direction of the conversation.
"You were right – didn't need stitches," she nodded "It's a bit sore, might scar, but I should live, if all goes well. Thanks for helping me, by the way."
"So what do you guys think – we go for it again?" Paul cut in before Dwayne could respond, earning an amused look from his brother.
"Go for what again?" David asked, taking the cigarette from behind his ear and lighting it.
"The wallet! C'mon, that last shit was good," Paul grinned, slinging an arm around Catriona's shoulders.
"Worth a shot," Marko shrugged in agreement and Dwayne nodded.
David was the only one who hadn't spoken up yet, a thoughtful look on his face, and when he did, Catriona's heart sank.
"Cat should do it," his tone was light, verging on friendly as he eyed her to gauge her reaction, as Marko and Dwayne smirked and Paul cringed.
"C'mon, man, I'll do it," Paul offered "She doesn't do this shit."
"Hey, nobody's forcing her to do anything," David shrugged "Just a suggestion."
Catriona held back a sigh. She knew she didn't really have to. She could say no, somebody else would snatch the wallet and they'd head back to the cave and party, no harm done...but she knew David's opinion of her would lower, and although she'd spend relatively little time with the Lost Boys, she knew that David's opinion meant a hell of a lot with them. If she tried, she knew she'd surprise, and maybe even impress, them – even if she failed. Whilst the boys were right in their assumption that she was sheltered, they didn't know that her brother wasn't.
Being ten years older than Catriona, Jamie was a typical protective older brother, but seeing as he lived in Scotland and she lived in London, he couldn't be there to protect her himself. That was why he taught her a few tricks, for peace of mind if nothing else. He'd begun when she was around fifteen, teaching her mostly minor things – how to punch properly, how to use somebody else's weight against them if they attacked her, what to do if somebody tried to rob her. Over time this extended to new things, which he jokingly referred to as "survival skills". One of those 'skills' happened to be how to pickpocket, just in case she ever ended up in a sticky situation with no cash on her. Catriona had never tried it before, except for when she'd been practising with Jamie, but she still remembered most of what he'd told her.
"I'll go-," Paul began but Catriona cut in.
"I'll do it," she announced and all four of the Lost Boys turned to look at her, stunned.
"Babe, you don't have to," Paul frowned, clearly confused by her response.
"I know," she shrugged "But I've got a better chance, right? I'll use my feminine wiles."
Her joking tone towards the end seemed to amuse David, but not as much as the fact that she'd accepted the challenge.
"They'll play a couple more songs, when they finish they'll come mingle with the rabble," David offered and Catriona nodded, plan formulating.
Shrugging off Paul's jacket, she handed it to him and then tied the hem of her t-shirt so that her abdomen was exposed.
"Should I be worried here, babe?" Paul teased, a mix of amusement and surprise on his face.
"Maybe," she joked, ruffling her hair to try to give it some oomph before seizing the bottle of vodka Marko held and took a gulp.
"Liquid courage?" David asked in his usual mocking tone.
"So he thinks I'm drunk," she countered, wincing at the taste before taking another gulp and handing it back to Marko "Rockstars are sleazy assholes who love nothing more than an easy girl...and acting like they're better than others. It's what makes them so much fun."
She waited until they announced what would be their final song before she moved. Leaving the boys where they stood near the back of the crowd, she edged her way towards the stairs she assumed the band would descend and waited. As the end of the set drew near and the band began to thank the crowd and wish them a happy new year, Catriona's nerves began to kick in.
Knowing the boys would be watching her every move, she tried to hide her anxiety, shifting from one foot to the other and running a hand through her hair. After what felt like an eternity, the band left the state and soon the singer was inches away from her.
"Hey!" she gave a breathless, giggly greeting – more from nerves than anything else, but it was helping her look wasted "You're the singer of, uh..."
She chanced a glance towards the drum kit to see the band name and did her best not to laugh at it "Monday's Mutants, right?"
He gave her a quick once over before a sleazy smirk reached his lips and he nodded, gesturing for his friends to continue on without him "Sure am, baby."
"Oh my god! I'm such a huge fan!" she breathed, giving him a shy grin "I came here from England to see you guys play tonight, actually! Great way to spend New Year's Eve, right?"
"I can think of a better way," his tone was slimy and suggestive and it took all she had not to back away from him.
"Would you mind signing my shirt?" she asked, trying her best to look like she was filled with awe.
"Sure," he nodded, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a sharpie.
As he did this, she caught sight of a shabby looking leather wallet in the same pocket. Of course, when signing the shirt he went for her chest, making her even more uncomfortable.
"Thank you so much," she squinted down at the signature "Eric! Honestly, I can't believe I got to meet you!"
"Pleasure's all mine, doll," he leaned in closer and Catriona did her best to pretend she was enjoying it.
"Oooh, what does this mean?" she leant forward even more and ran her fingertips over the necklace he was wearing – an ankh – making sure to brush her fingers against his throat as she did.
Eric began to launch into a long, incorrect, explanation of the symbolism behind his necklace, but Catriona barely heard any of it, because as he was distracted by her touch to his chest, her other hand was reaching inside his jacket and grabbing his wallet.
"...I'm just a really spiritual guy, you know?"
"Yeah, of course, cool," she nodded, taking a step back after shoving the wallet in her jeans pocket.
"So, uh, we're having an after party back at our hotel – you wanna come along?" he leered down at her.
"Hey, babe!" she jumped at Paul's voice, and suddenly arms wrapped around her from behind "You met him!"
"I did!" she grinned and then gave a shriek as Paul began to place very deliberate kisses on the side of her neck.
Eric gave an unamused laugh and left without even saying goodbye.
"Territorial, are we?" she teased, dropping the drunk fangirl act.
"Damn right I am," he shot a glare at Eric's back and let go, taking her hand as they headed back to the boys "What a dick."
"Well," she shrugged, guiding his hand towards the lump in her jean pocket where the wallet sat "Let's find out if it was worth it."
"You got it?!" he seemed surprised.
"Of course I did! You thought I didn't?" she hoped her mock confidence was convincing "...Wait...You didn't come over to help me get away, did you?"
"'Course I did," he spoke too quickly to be believable.
"Somebody was jealous!" she sang the last word, trying not to be too pleased about his reaction.
"Pfft, like he can compete with me," Paul snorted, letting go of her hand to drape his jacket around her shoulders again.
"Waste of a good t-shirt though," she sighed mournfully at the name scrawled across the chest of it.
"You got it?" Marko questioned when they reached the boys and Catriona nodded, pulling the corner of the wallet out of her jeans only slightly as proof.
"Good job," David gave her a smirk, eyebrows raised in surprise "Looks like tonight's party's in Cat's honour, boys."
The rest cheered, Paul planted yet another sloppy kiss on her neck and Catriona found herself being very pleased she'd left the hotel that night.