xiv.

It was a little more than a week later when I finally made my way back to the boardwalk. I hadn't left the cave in quite a while, but I wanted to take Rain out for a walk, and I wanted to take the flowers from my shop. I would find somewhere to plant them all once I arrived back at the cave. I didn't plan on taking the actual flowers, but I would grab the seeds and everything I needed from there.

I left while it was still light outside, though it was a bit annoying. The sun was uncomfortably bright, but I slid a pair of sunglasses on and layered a bit more clothing than normal on. I left a note to the boys that I was out and put Rain on his leash before making my way up the annoying stairs. Luckily for me, a few days ago, Marko bought me a cart to go on the side of my motorcycle so Rain could ride with me. It took a bit of convincing and whining, but I convinced him, and I couldn't be happier. Rain was a bit goofy looking inside the small cart, but he fit, and I learned that he enjoyed motorcycle rides quite a bit.

I sped down the beach and to the boardwalk, dodging people easily. I ignored the dirty looks, instead paying attention to Rain who sat with his tongue out, watching people around us. I parked in front of my shop and clipped his leash to my belt hook.

I had forgotten how the boardwalk looked during the day, and though it wasn't as beautiful as the night, it was more playful and cheery. Whereas the night was filled with teenagers and people running around hoping to cause trouble, the day was filled with cheery families and happy old couples that reflected on how it looked. I walked down the boardwalk with a small pep in my step despite how tired I was in the beating sun. I knew I needed to grab some things from the shop, but I wanted to explore on my own for a bit.

I passed by the comic book shop and faltered. I bit my lip and stared inside, debating on looking for the comic Laddie had asked for the days before. They hadn't gone near the shop after the incident, and I knew Laddie was unhappy about it. It was, after all, the only comic shop in Santa Carla, surprisingly. I knew what he was looking for: the new Superman comics along with some Spider-man books. I took a few more moments to think it over before stepping into the shop.

It was a standard store with short aisles filled with a variety of comics that didn't seem to have a specific order. There was a counter with the register, and two people sat slumped against a TV that played the news quietly in the background. I could make out two boys placing comics in spots, not paying me any attention. I looked down at Rain before deciding to just keep him with me.

I moved through the aisles slowly, raking my eyes over the issues carefully, trying to figure out which ones looked the best. I had picked up about five of them before I was approached by the boys. They stood in front of me and moved when I did, blocking me. I sighed and stared at them before glancing at the sun that was slowly setting. "Hello," I stated simply, staring at the boys.

"We don't like your kind in our store," the one with the bandana spoke, his voice gruff as if he watched too many action films.

I scratched my arm at the statement, watching as Rain's fur bristled at my uncomfortable expression. "I'm not quite sure what you're talking about. I'm just trying to buy some comics."

The one with the tan skin spoke next, his arms crossed over his chest. "I think you know exactly what we're talking about. You're always around them, doing couple-ly things."

I rolled my eyes at that, trying not to show how shook I was. "I don't know what you're talking about. Listen, I'm just trying to buy these comics for my little brother. Do you want my money or not?"

"We don't want it if it's coming from vampire scum like you," the bandana kid stated.

I rolled my eyes again and crossed my arms like they had. "Come on, dudes. I've got like fifty on me. I'm just getting comics for a kid. Is that a crime?"

The sun seemed to be taking forever to set, and I was getting antsy. Rain growled lowly at the boys, and I shushed him quietly. The boys' eyes drifted down to him for a second before returning to me. "Yes. It is. Now get out." Bandana kid was the one to speak again, and I frowned harshly.

I shook my head and opened my purse, watching them from the corner of my eye. I pulled out fifteen dollars – way more than the comics were – and handed it out to them. "I'm taking these comics. I'm sure this is way more than they're worth. Thanks for ruining my night."

The tan kid snatched it out of my hand, and I walked toward the exit. The sun had finally set, and I could hear the boys' bikes in the distance. "Yeah, and stay out," the bandana kid yelled as I stepped out.

I turned, clenching the fist not holding the books tightly. "Fuck you," I yelled back only to gasp as I felt an arm wrap around my waist. I turned to see David looking at me, his eyebrows raised. He looked into the store for a second, silently asking if I wanted him to do something, but I shook my head and grabbed his hand, leading him away. He followed without saying anything, and I bit my lip as we approached the rest of the boys.

I smiled a bit at the sight of Laddie sitting on Dwayne's bike. He grinned when he saw me and hopped off, running over and wrapping his arms around my leg. "Hey, little dude," I said, picking him up so he was resting on my hip. "I got you some things." I showed him the comics in my hand, and his eyes widened, a bright smile on his face. He made grabby hands for them, and I set him down on the boardwalk before handing them to him. He giggled loudly and ran over to Paul, showing them off.

I sighed and leaned into David as he wrapped his arm around me again. I turned and wrapped my arms around him completely, burying my head in his neck. David pushed his hand under my jacket and rubbed at my exposed back. The crop top I was wearing showed off most of my mid-riff. I groaned a bit and tightened my grip a bit. "Why'd you leave early, princess?"

I groaned and shrugged my shoulders. "I dunno. I went to actually go get some flower stuff from my shop, but then I got distracted. Felt like I was gonna hit that little kid." David chuckled at that. "How do they know what we are, anyway?"

"Beats me. Little fuckers know how to research, I guess."

I hummed and nodded. "Think they're gonna be a problem?"

"I'm pretty sure we can take down two fourteen-year-olds." He laughed again, and I felt myself get passed to another boy. The brunette hair told me that it was Dwayne, and I smiled against him as he hugged me tightly.1

"You had us worried, princess. Was afraid somethin' happened."

I pressed my lips against his neck and shook my head. "I'm sorry, my warrior. I'm all good, though." Dwayne purred lowly, and his hands moved to grip my waist. "I love you," I mumbled against his skin, and he purred louder.

"I love you, too, my princess."

We stood like that for a few more moments before I pulled away, meeting the eyes of the rest of the boys who had been watching us. I smiled at them and pulled myself up so I was sitting on the railing of the boardwalk. "So, what do you guys want to do," I questioned as I pet Rain.

"Go get your flower stuff and maybe some food," David stated, though it was more of a question. I nodded and jumped down. Rain bumbled after me, walking near me, but not too close. David wrapped his arm around my waist, and Dwayne moved to wrap his around my shoulders. Marko and Paul were behind us. Laddie rode on Paul's shoulder, and Marko was talking to Star about something he had seen earlier. I didn't listen. Instead, I focused on the wilting flowers in my shop. I frowned at the sight, annoyed that I had let them die.

I unlocked the door easily and walked in. The boys immediately dispersed, and Star looked around with a small bit of awe on her face. "This is yours?"

I nodded and moved to behind the counter. "Yeah. I used to work here before I moved in with the boys. I have my own house, too, but I don't use it much, obviously. I was thinking about selling it, but it might be of some use later on, so I keep it." I pulled open a drawer to reveal jars of all kinds of seeds, each labeled with their respective flower. "It used to be a lot prettier in here, especially when the plants were alive, but I haven't been taking care of them like I'm supposed to. Maybe you can help me find somewhere near the cave to plant them." I looked up to see Star nod slowly, a small smile on her face.

Laddie was helping Paul pick the remaining living flowers around the shop, sitting them in his hair with soft laughs escaping the two of them. Dwayne watched Paul, his back leaned against an empty wall. Marko had found my radio and was fiddling with the settings. I knew he had probably broken it on accident, but I wasn't going to say anything. David was watching me as I bent over and picked up the small jars, placing them in a canvas bag I had stashed in another drawer.

After placing all the jars in the bag, I grabbed my spray bottles and plant food, silently hoping I could find somewhere with the right soil near the cave. I placed the bag on the counter, and Marko instantly took it, holding it for me. I smiled at the action, and I looked around the shop for anything else I might need. My eyes stopped on the familiar dreamcatcher sitting on the wall.

I grinned and stood on my tiptoes so I could take it down. I held it in my hands for a second before calling Star over. She stepped in front of me with a curious look. "This is going to sound very cheesy, but bear with me." Star nodded, and I placed the dreamcatcher in her hands. "I got this the first day I saw all the boys. It holds a lot of value in my heart, I'm not going to lie, but I'm going to give it to you." Star furrowed her eyebrows, and she opened her mouth to protest, but I cut her off. "I'm giving it to you because I want you to realize that things are going to get better. I know you're still on the fence about the whole vampire thing, but I'm letting you know that even though I was at a partially bad part of my life, I still found something – some people – that helped me a whole lot, and things are going to get better for you because I believe in you, Star, and you're going to make the right decision, and you're going to be happy."

Star stared at the item in her hand before she spoke quietly, her voice almost a whisper. "Thank you, Eva."

I smiled a bit and nodded, laughing as she pulled me into a hug. "I'm your sister now, Star. Anything for you."

Star squeezed me a bit tighter before letting go, and I turned to meet the eyes of the boys. They all looked a bit shocked, but they composed themselves under my gaze. I smiled at them and crossed my arms. "So, where are we eating?"

After that, we went to a small Chinese place that had just opened up. Marko was excited at the news, claiming that Chinese was his absolute favorite and grew offended when I told him hibachi restaurants were my favorite. He ran with me through the crowds, his hand holding mine as I stumbled behind. Rain loved the opportunity to run and easily kept up.

After dinner, we bumbled around the boardwalk, and I watched as the boys tried to start up drama with the surf nazis. Star, Laddie, and I hung back as David almost got into a fight with one of the boys after the boy grabbed my arm. We fled, though, before a security made his way over. After a few good hours of hanging around, we made our way back to the cave, and Star and I looked around the area for good places to plant the seeds.

Star hummed a song quietly as we walked around the area. My hands were stuffed in my pockets as I scanned the ground below the cliff. Her singing was oddly calming, and it reminded me of a siren. Her voice could lure in the most unsuspecting of men. "I didn't know you could sing," I stated simply as I bent down to study some dirt. It was almost perfect, but I knew that if we moved just a little bit around, we would find the perfect area.

I looked up to see Star flush red at the sentence. "Thank you, but I'm not that good."

I shook my head. "Well, you're definitely a lot better than most people I've heard, though all I can think about recently is Paul's terrible singing." We both jokingly shivered, and I laughed a bit. "But, for real, you have talent. You should embrace it."

Star smiled a bit and watched as I dug my hands into another patch of dirt. "I always dreamed of being a singer. I don't think I'd be one of those big ones, though. I'd always have small shows. Big crowds would just freak me out."

I nodded and stood, wiping my hands on my jeans and making note of where the area was. I could plainly see the entrance to the cave, so I knew the boys wouldn't mind. "Sing me something," I stated simply.

Star paused for a second and shrugged her shoulders. She started singing slowly, barely audible, but as I encouraged her, she was singing loudly, a bright grin on her face. I recognized the song as 'Bette Davis Eyes.' It was a favorite of my mom's, and it was also one of mine. She went through the first verse and chorus before she stopped. I grinned brightly and wrapped my arm around her shoulder, pulling her to the cave. "Yes, you're very, very talented."

When we stepped into the cave, we were met with the sight of Dwayne rolling around on a skateboard while Paul was laying on the ground with Laddie jumping on his stomach. David was flipping through a book, and Marko was playing with his pigeons. It was a funny sight, to say the least.

"Star," Laddie yelled when we reappeared. He jumped from Paul and bumbled over to Star, wrapping his arms around her tightly. "Star, I'm tired. Can we go to bed." Star looked at me before nodding to Laddie. "Goodnight, guys," he yelled out, pulling Star to the bed. They each responded with a 'goodnight', and I waved to the two.

I smiled a bit as they disappeared behind the curtains. "Well," I announced, making my way to the hallway, "I'm going to go take a shower. One of you can join me if you want." I threw off my shirt as I entered the hallway, throwing it to the lobby. Immediately, there were footsteps behind me, and I heard the boys protest before I disappeared into the bathroom. Once you entered another room of the cave, the rest of the sound was cut off, even for vampire ears, and it was a quiet blessing.

I turned to see Paul taking off his mesh shirt, his jacket already discarded. I chuckled a bit and pushed my pants down my legs easily, my shoes forgotten when we first got back to the cave. I turned on the hot water before I took off my bra and underwear, entering the shower immediately after. Paul followed quickly, and we stood in silence for a few moments before I felt him move so he was directly behind me. He moved my hair from one side of my neck, his fingertips dancing along my sides, barely there.

I hummed as he pressed his lips against my throat. He trailed them along the sides of my neck, laughing when I let out a quiet moan. The incredibly cool feeling of Paul's body behind me clashed with the warm water, and it sent a new wave of euphoria through me as his hands moved from my sides to my breasts, his thumbs rubbing across my nipples.

I moaned softly and leaned against him. He chuckled quietly, and I pulled away from him slowly. "I do actually need to get clean. I haven't showered in three days because of you boys, and I feel gross." I looked over at him and laughed a bit. "And I'm sure your hair could use a good cleaning seeing as how much hairspray you put in it."

"Hey," he said quietly, and I laughed in response.

I grabbed his face with my hands and pecked his lips. "I love you," I dragged out.

He grinned a childish grin and bent to kiss me as I did him. "And, I love you."

"Now, help me get clean."

The two of us worked slowly. Paul seemed to take great joy in rubbing soap along every inch of my body. I had to smack his hands a few times when he tried something inappropriate, but he made me like showers just a bit more. As for washing himself, we didn't really have to do much. There wasn't very much dirt or sand on him, and vampires don't sweat, apparently. Really, I just spent a decent amount of time running soap through his hair, working out the hairspray and moisturizing it. It wasn't as bad as I thought it might be, but it definitely wasn't the best. He thoroughly enjoyed me tugging and carding through his hair. A few times, he let a moan or groan slip, but I ignored it, working the hairspray out of his hair.

When we stepped out, I laughed a bit, but I commented on how cute he looked with his hair wet and not as puffed up. It seemed to always have its own bounce and lift to it, but it wasn't as bad as when he had hairspray in every inch of it.

Paul pulled me toward the bedroom with an exasperated sigh, saying that showering had tired him out and now he needed to sleep, or he would pass out on the floor. I giggled and followed him. Both of us had towels wrapped around us, and I gripped mine tighter when we reached the bedroom. I knew I would be dropping it, but I also knew that Marko would easily grab it from me if he wanted to.

The boys watched as we entered, and Marko laughed at the sight of Paul. He immediately walked up and ran a hand through his hair slowly. "It's been a while since I've seen you without the spray, Paul. It's cute."

Paul grinned and chuckled, leaning forward to press a kiss against Marko's forehead. "Yeah, whatever, dude. Now, move so I can put on some boxers."

I laughed. "Yeah, if you haven't heard, Paul has decided that if he doesn't go to bed in the next two minutes, he's going to pass out right where he's standing."

Marko laughed and shook his head. I rummaged through my drawer of the dresser and pulled out a thin, black lace bra with matching underwear. I dropped my towel and pulled my bra on before hiking the underwear up my legs. I fell onto the bed and felt myself get dragged up to the boys. I met David's face, and I grinned a tired grin at him. I could feel the sun rising.

"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are," David questioned.

I grinned and nodded. "Way more time than I can count, David."

"Well, I'll say it again. You are absolutely exquisite, sweetheart."

I smiled and moved forward so I could kiss him softly. I pulled away after a short second. "Thank you, David." I turned myself on my side and felt my back get pulled into Dwayne's front. David moved so he rested a bit lower on me, more near my breasts. Paul was behind David this time, his hand coming to lift mine so he could hold it to him. Marko was still laying on my legs, though. His head rested on my thighs, and his arms wrapped around my calves. I smiled again. "Goodnight, boys."

"Goodnight," each mumbled, followed by a pet name.