Chapter Five
The next few nights were pretty much the same. Lucy would go to work at the video store from noon to nine, sometimes later to help Max close up. She had become more comfortable around Max. Lucy really liked the guy. He was a gentleman and understood when her children needed her attention. During a shift, she had called home to check on Sam since the twins were at their booth and Mike had taken off again. Sam told her, "I'm doing okay mom. My sunburn is finally peeling into a tan. Mike had slept all day again and then he took off on his bike after mouthing off to grandpa. Did the twins tell you Mike snapped at them? He's changed."
She was concerned since Jade and Kayla never brought it up. She hung up with Sam as Max walked into the store, "Is everything alright, Lucy?" She had a hand over her mouth and the other was propped on her hip, "Have you noticed anything odd about Michael? He's been aggressive towards his siblings. I mean, I'm sure it's just a typical teenage boy being a teenage boy. But Michael was always so protective of his siblings, especially his sisters."
Max scrunched his nose in thought, "Well, I'm sure he'll come around." He knew what it was. Michael was transitioning into a vampire. One of the side effects is moodiness and anger from the hunger for blood. Max had scolded his boys for not getting to the twins, but Paul and Marko didn't want to rush it and then have their mates hate them. If they turned them the same way they did Michael, the twins may never forgive them. They didn't feel too bad for tricking Mike, but they want the twins to make the choice for themselves. They also didn't want Max to know about David's suspicion the twins were hiding something. So far, nothing has been uncovered.
Lucy was lost in thought on what to do with Michael when the twins came into the video store for the first time. "Hey, mom. We're closing up early tonight. We promised Sam that we would take him to San Jose tomorrow." "That's right. I almost forgot about that. He's been looking forward to getting some new comics. It's such a shame those boys at the shop here are so disrespectful."
Max was still standing next to Lucy and couldn't help but ask, "What happened?" He looked at the twins, "I know those boys are a little strange but I never knew them to act out." Max scanned their appearance, noting that even though they dressed similar to his boys it was nowhere near disrespectful. The oldest of the twins, Jade, sighed, "We gave them the impression that we were not human because of our eyes and Kayla wears sunglasses all the time because of light sensitivity. They even went as far as to dump holy water on Kayla in front of our booth. Our brother Sam loves comic books, so we are going to take him to San Jose and comic shop hop."
"Well, that's nice of you. Hope you have a lovely time in San Jose. If you excuse me, I have some work to do," Max returned to his office. But not before calling his Hellhound, Thorn, to his side. Thorn had come closer to the twins to go past them into Max's office but backed away with his tail between his legs and whining. Max tilted his head in confusion, "Come Thorn." Kayla had turned to the Hellhound and saw how scared he was. She sat down on the floor in front of him, making herself seem as small as possible to appear non-threatening. Kayla held out her hands, palm up to show her hands were empty, "Hello, Thorn. It's alright." She continued to sit in this position as Thorn inched closer, crawling low to the ground. Jade stood still next to Kayla so she didn't startle the pup. Thorn was close enough to sniff Kayla's hands. After Thorn had sniffed her hands, he flopped down into her lap and rolled over to show his stomach for belly rubs. His tail was wagging so hard you would think there was a dent in the floor. Jade crouched down slowly and rubbed his belly too.
To say Max was confused is an understatement. He called Thorn to his side again, and this time he followed his master into his office with Max closing the door behind him. Maybe his boys could shed some light on Thorn's behavior. "The strangest thing just happened. Thorn was afraid of the twins. He cowered with his tail between his legs until they proved to not be a threat. Then it was like he was a puppy all over again." Max looked Thorn over, he seemed fine now curled up in his dog bed. "Huh?" Max was stumped.
The Lost Boys
In the past few nights, the boys have hung out with the twins at their booth. They watch as various people or groups of people stop by and scout Kayla's art or Jade's jewelry. Each of the boys was wearing something Jade made them. Paul had one more stainless steel bracelet on his right wrist and a 550 self-defense on his left wrist. He would never need it but he loved the idea that Jade felt better that he had one, as well as his brothers. Dwayne was wearing a wire-wrapped Red Jasper pendant on a stainless steel chain. Marko had pierced his left ear a second time for a small stainless steel bat charm. He and his brothers internally laughed at the irony of the charm he picked. Marko's 550 self-defense bracelet was three different colors, green, blue, and black with a matte black clasp on his right wrist. David only added a 550 self-defense bracelet, all black with a matte black clasp hiding the small blade.
It was approaching eight at night when Kayla told the boys they were shutting down early. "What? Why?" Paul whined. The two blondes hadn't asked their mates out yet. Kayla smiled as she folded up her lawn chair, "We're taking Sam to San Jose tomorrow. We promised him a day of comic shop-hopping. He absolutely refuses to set foot in the shop here, since those kids don't know how to act." Jade had packed away her jewelry kits to take to their mom's truck. "Yeah. I still catch those punks trying to snoop on us. They're not very good at being sneaky." The boys helped them pack up.
As they were closing up the back of the SUV, Paul and Marko asked the twins out on a date once they got back. The twins looked to be having a conversation with just their body language before answering at the same time, "Sure." Paul had hugged Jade tightly, once again saturating his jacket and mesh shirt in her scent. It calms the throbbing in his chest until he is able to see his mate again. Having to wash blood from his clothes fades the scent after each feeding. Paul can't wait until she is tearing apart victims right next to him. Marko had the same thought. He held onto Kayla like she was going to disappear if he let go. Her scent was smothered into the very seams of his brightly colored, hand-sewn jacket. He has been taking it off during feedings so the scent doesn't fade as fast as it did for Paul. Plus getting blood out of his jacket was harder for him than the rest of his brothers. Kayla doesn't stiffen up anymore when Marko buries his nose in her neck. It is something he does when he hugs her since the first time. Smiling against her neck before he lets go.
Jade and Kayla head to Video Max to let their mom know they were leaving early and give her keys back.
David and his boys were currently scouring the boardwalk for their next meal when Max barged into their heads. Talking about Thorn's behavior like they cared. It was interesting to hear that Thorn was scared of the twins but not them or anyone else. "Paul. Marko. You two should spend more time with your mates. Now, I know they're hiding something if a Hellhound is scared of them." The rest of the boys agree. Knowing they had already asked them out on a date, Paul and Marko were more anxious than ever for the next night. They were catching things here and there about the twins that can't really be explained. The twins would start telling stories about things they had done over the last few years, but there would be holes in the stories. Hopefully, they will find out soon so they can claim their mates. The pull in their chest fluctuates between painful throbbing to a dull ache and it is annoying.
San Jose
Jade had spent the better part of the morning after their workout tuning up her bike. She had finished right before lunch. The three siblings sat down at the table and ate some sandwiches before leaving for San Jose. Sam rode with Jade for the two-hour ride. He was excited to spend time with his sisters while comic book shopping. They had gotten directions for one of the more popular shops. It was another ten minutes before they found it. Sam was in heaven. He didn't know where to look. Sam dove into the organized shelves looking for that one comic, 'Batman #14,' that he is dying to get his hands on. The cashier was watching him carefully, praying he just wasn't some kid looking to destroy his shelves. Sam felt eyes on him, but it wasn't as bad as the Frog brothers. Sam knew how to handle comics with care so the guy didn't have anything to worry about.
Jade and Kayla had stayed outside to walk around and just explore the area. Jade tapped Kayla on the shoulder, "Check it out." Jade pointed to a 1976 yellow, CJ7 Jeep for sale in excellent condition. Both the twins knew Sam has been wanting his own car, and with his style, this Jeep seems perfect. Kayla sped up a little, "Let's see how much." The top had been taken off and rolled onto the back bumper, the doors were still on it but can be taken off. The interior looked a little sun-dyed but otherwise, it was clean. The owner of the Jeep saw the girls walk up from inside the dry cleaners where he worked. He would drive it to his work every morning hoping someone would be interested in it. "Hello, ladies. Can I help you?" He asked the twin girls. "Yes. How much?" Jade started the transaction, buying the Jeep at a reasonable price for Sam.
The Boardwalk
Lucy was behind the counter when her daughters came in looking guilty of something. She knew that look, "What did you do?" Lucy put her hands on her hips. Kayla was fidgeting with her french braid. Jade had her hands behind her back, pivoting on her heels, "We may have bought something for Sammy." Lucy sighs and rubs her forehead, "What did you buy?" The twins motioned for her to follow them outside. "Maria, would you mind watching the register for a moment?" "Sure thing Lucy," Said the girl who usually works with Lucy and Max until closing. Lucy walks with her daughters outside to the parking lot.
Sam was sitting in the driver's seat of a yellow Jeep, "Hi mom." He was absolutely giddy. When the twins surprised him with the Jeep he couldn't believe it. Sam spent fifteen minutes thanking his sisters and trying not to cry. His father had said he would buy him a cheap car for his sixteenth birthday but their parents were already going through a divorce. It was just another broken promise from their father. So when the twins told Sam the Jeep parked in front of the dry cleaners a few doors down from the comic shop was his, he flipped. Sam absolutely loved the color. It was bright sunshine yellow with tan interior. Sam drove with a smile all the way to the boardwalk.
Seeing the massive smile on her youngest son's face, she couldn't stay upset with the twins. But that doesn't mean she wasn't going to make them sweat, "What am I going to do with two?" She shook her head and walked away from the twins to take a seat on the passenger side, "Oh Sammy. It's lovely. You promise to take care of it?" Sam nodded his head, "Yeah, Jade is going to show me how to tune it, and everything." Lucy patted his cheek, "Okay sweetie. Drive safely." She climbed out of the Jeep and gave the twins the 'you should've talked to me first' look, before returning to work.
Max watched the whole thing from the door since it was unlike Lucy to leave the store unless she took a break, "I see their trip to San Jose was eventful." Lucy took a deep breath and put a smile on her face, "You can say that." Lucy turned her gaze back to the parking lot where Sam and her daughters were talking and sitting in his Jeep, "I think the twins are trying to make up for their father's broken promises. The look on Sam's face is worth it." Max smiled at his mate and held the door open for her, "Shall we? Lucy, I hope you don't think I'm being too forward, but would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night?" Lucy took a moment before she answered, "I would love to."
"Alright, Sammy. Are you going to head home? Jade and I are going to meet up with the boys," Kayla asked her brother. "Yeah, I'm tired. Today was a good day. Thank you," Sam was seconds away from getting emotional again. "Think of it as a late birthday present. The guy said he recently tuned it up so we have time," Jade gave her brother a side hug from the ground on the driver's side. The twins stepped away and watched him start up his Jeep and drive out of the parking lot towards home.
Date Night
Marko and Paul were waiting for their mates to show up at the usual spot near their bikes. Their scent hit them before they saw them. They had planned on splitting up. The boys had the same ideas about how this date was going to go. Walk along the boardwalk, play games, ride the rides, eat some greasy carny foods then end the night at the cave. Hopefully, find out what Jade and Kayla are hiding so they could claim them. Each night they spend with them is a good night. It would be even better if they were together all the time.
"Evening boys," Jade stood next to Paul. He brazenly clasped her hand in his, "Sup, beautiful." Paul watched as Jade's face turned a light shade of pink. Not to be outdone by his best friend, Marko kissed Kayla on the cheek, "Hey, darling." Kayla couldn't hide the blush rising on her cheeks. What the boys didn't know is that they have never been in a serious relationship with anyone. Michael would go into 'big brother mode' and chase them off. Terra and Eli were the same way. The four girls never dated. The twins were always being guarded by an older brother, Terra and Eli not having the time. Their profession took all of their time.
Paul led Jade towards the roller coaster. Marko took Kayla through the vendors' arena before veering to the food stands. The two blonde couples had the time of their lives. Hitting every ride, running into each other a few times before walking alongside each other to end the night with games. Marko stood in front of the Balloon Dart booth, "Pick one and I'll try to win it." He pointed to the teddy bears. Kayla picked out a dark blue Teddy similar to those of the Grateful Dead. The vendor stood off to the side, sweating from nerves. These boys scared him. They would strong-arm him into letting them win. Marko gave the vendor a quick glance and smirked. He tossed the five darts he was given and popped five balloons. The vendor announced, "Winner," handing over the bear without a fight. Kayla could tell the vendor was scared, she just didn't say anything. The night was going too well to ruin it.
Paul and Jade were finishing the night at the boardwalk off with a game. Paul asked, "Pick a game? Let's see if I can win anything." Jade picked 'Duck Shoot'. A game where the shooter is given five shots. They have to shoot moving bullseyes that pop up behind rows of ducks. The more shots that hit, the bigger the prize. Jade had her eyes on a green stuffed duck. Paul paid the vendor, picked up the rifle in the middle, and took aim. He hit only three bullseyes, the weed in his system screwed with his aim. "Can I try?" Jade asked. She paid the vendor, took the rifle from Pual. Stood in front of him, and took aim. *Ting, Ting, Ting, Ting, Ting.* She had shot five bullseyes in a row. The vendor shakily handed over the green duck she just won. Jade looked at Paul's shocked face, "You okay?" He closed his mouth, "Damn babe, you're a better shot than me."
"That's nothing new," Marko's voice cut into the group as they met up. "Fuck you dude," Paul playfully punched Marko in the shoulder. Which in turn started a wrestling match between the two. Jade and Kayla couldn't help themselves, each placing bets on their date, "Twenty bucks on Marko." Jade responded in kind, "I'll take that bet." When Paul had Marko in a headlock and was giving him a noogie, they looked up to see Kayla passing Jade a twenty-dollar bill. Paul dropped Marko and started laughing, "Did you...Did you bet on who would win?" "Uh, maybe," Jade still had the money in her hand. Marko was a little hurt but overall he joined his brother. The two vampires laughed so hard their stomachs hurt.
Kayla broke the moment, "So, what are we going to do now?" She brushed her fingers through Marko's over-fluffed hair as a result of the noogie. Marko's eyelids fluttered for a moment. Paul nudged his brother out of his stupor, "We wanted to show you where we live. Chill for the rest of the night, away from the boardwalk." Jade and Kayla thought it over and agreed. They haven't known the boys for long, and they wanted to trust them with their secret but not yet. They will go with the boys and hang out, but nothing more.
Before the couples could leave the boardwalk, Michael had stormed over to his sisters, "What the hell? You bought Sam a Jeep?" His voice getting louder and louder, drawing attention to the siblings. Jade got in his face, "Keep your voice down, Michael. Yes, we bought him a late birthday present that your so-called father promised. He earned it. You, on the other hand, have been a total dick lately." "Fuck you, Jade. Our family was perfectly happy before you two were adopted," The moment those words left his mouth, he wished he could un-say them, and the twins' heart sank. Neither let it show though. Kayla stood off to the side next to Marko and Paul, who were ready to jump in and beat the shit out of Michael. Jade just smiled and patted Michael's cheek, "Now we know where we stand. Goodnight Michael." Jade and Kayla mounted their bikes and sped out of there like bats out of hell.
Michael was frozen to the spot until a fist collided with his face. Marko had beat Paul to the punch, pun intended. Paul alerted David, "Come get your boy before we kill him!" Both vampires had continued to beat Michael into the ground before they were pulled off by Dwayne and David. Michael was unconscious, his face was swelling up, several teeth were broken, and his nose was broken again. Judging by his breathing a couple of ribs were broken.
David ran his gloved hand through his hair, "What happened?" He turned to his brothers. Paul and Marko were breathing hard, trying to calm down before they vamp out. Marko licked the blood from his gloved knuckles, "He ran his mouth and pissed off the twins." Paul had mostly calmed down, still wanting to throw a few more punches, "You deal with him." Paul patted Marko on the shoulder, "Come on. Let's go feed."
The two blonde vampires found a couple of Surf Nazis walking away from a drug dealer and under the boardwalk. The Surf Nazis were going to snort the Cocaine then prey on some helpless woman. Never heard or saw the two vampires until it was too late. Marko tore his victim's throat out with his taloned nails, getting blood all over himself and the sand. He was more angry than hungry. Marko did drain the guy, as he was tearing him apart. Paul wasn't as angry. He crushed his victim like a Boa Constrictor as he sank his fangs into the guy's jugular. Hearing the snapping of bones as he drained the guy actually calmed him down. And the thought of the joint in his jacket pocket. They threw the corpses into the ocean to be swept away by the currents, resurfacing further down the shore.
Meanwhile, David and Dwayne took Michael back to the cave. They were going to force-feed him some blood from the bottle so he could heal and drop him off at home. If he doesn't feed and fully turn soon then Michael will be tossed out on his ass to deal with everything on his own. Max will not be happy. David could care less at this point. Michael has made their lives very difficult. David could only hope the twins will not be like Mike.