Chapter Nineteen
Paul anxiously rubbed his jaw as he stared over at Flick. She'd been stood in the same spot for the past thirty minutes, her arms wrapped around her middle like she was trying to hold herself together as she stared out at the ocean. "She still not talking, huh?" Marko clamped his hand on Paul's shoulder, his brows furrowed in a frown.
"Nah, she's completely out of it man – I don't think she was ready," Paul worried, running his hands through his wind-whipped hair.
"Were any of us truly ready?" Dwayne interjected, planting a firm hand on the opposite shoulder.
"Don't get all philosophical on me man, my heads already fucked," Paul sighed.
"Anyone see where David went?" Marko inquired, glancing over his shoulder.
"He went to cover Flicks tracks-" Dwayne answered, "-he's gonna leave a note claiming Mickey skipped town with his girl, he's gonna pack a bag and shit, make it look legit."
"You know, for as much as Dave sometimes sucks the life outta the party, we'd be up shit creak without a paddle if he weren't around," Marko mused.
"I know you're right man but holy shit does the guy push my buttons, sometimes I just wanna slap some fucking empathy into the cold-hearted son-of-a-bitch-" Paul threw his hands up in the air, "-I mean take tonight, it's clear how much this had affected Flick and all he can say is 'what's done is done.'"
"Brother I'm not sure he knows how to be empathetic-" Dwayne sighed wistfully, "-I think whatever happened to him before we met him is what's made him into who he is now. I mean, he never talks about his past life."
"True, we all know each other's stories apart from his," Marko agreed.
"Ugh-" Paul groaned, "-why're we being all sentimental, we should be celebrating our new addition – God she was perfect wasn't she?" he bit his lip, recalling the way Flick had feasted hungrily on Star and Michael's blood, her fury alone enough to make him hard never mind the violence.
Marko and Dwayne chuckled.
"I thought you were concerned for her mental health-" Dwayne arched his brow, "-because to me, right now it just sounds like you wanna stick your dick in her ass."
"Hey!-" Paul scowled, prodding his friend's broad chest with a ringed finger, "-my girls a lady, she doesn't take it up the ass!"
Marko guffawed while Dwayne barked a laugh. "My bad man," he snickered, holding his hands up in a gesture of a truce.
"So where do you wanna stick your dick?" Marko whispered and Paul snorted, shoving his closest friend light-heartedly.
"Listen, we'll give you guys some time alone – I think Dave's gone rogue anyway," Dwayne shrugged, kicking sand over the dying flames of the fire.
"Alright, see you guys back at the cave," Paul nodded, turning his attention back to his mate.
Flick's eyes tracked the distant ebbing waves, her newfound supernatural vision enabling her to make out the shifting shape of something swimming near the surface of the water a good six or seven feet away despite the only light being the silvery shimmer of the moon. She sighed, the corners of her lips twitching every so often when she accidently tuned into the boys conversation, overhearing their crude comments and Paul's rather humorous display at trying to defend her honour, insisting she was a lady.
With the things they'd done when they were alone, she would have to disagree...
The cool ocean breeze caressed her bare arms, bringing her attention to the thick smears of dried blood caking her pale skin. She still couldn't fathom the fact that she'd killed her own brother, then again, what was there to feel guilt about? It wasn't like he was such a pillar of the community. He didn't do anything for anyone unless he had something to gain and maybe now he was out of the picture, Sam would actually get the attention from their mother that he craved so much.
Her mind started to drift from the negative thoughts clouding her mind to thoughts on what tonight meant. To an outsider, what she'd done would mark the end – the end of her humanity, the end of her old life and the people in it. However, as much as she could agree with such a sentiment, on the other hand, the gnawing ache in her core told her that rather than being the end, that this was actually the beginning. It was the beginning of a new life, a complete do-over. She could be who she wanted and she do what she wanted. But it wasn't only the freedom she now had that made tonight a new beginning, it was the fact that she'd now secured her eternity with the man that she loved.
Barf.
Flick smiled and shook her head, since when did she get all gooey? She glanced over her shoulder to find Paul stood a few feet back, his expression brooding as his eyes stared off at something unseen. She knew that he was concerned about her mental state and she knew that he thought she hadn't been ready to make the full transition not only from overhearing his conversation with the boys but she herself could feel it. She could feel his concern, his worry and his anger towards David for pushing her into it. It was tangible, like she was experiencing the emotions for herself and she wondered if that was how it was going to be from now on. Was that how Paul had felt when he'd claimed her? He'd not only claimed her physically but mentally and emotionally too - two lost souls entwined.
"Hey," Flick called out and Paul's head turned in her direction, his expression uncertain.
"Hey," he smiled, sauntering across the sand towards her.
Flick reached out and curled her fingers around his, pulling him closer. "You're wrong you know," she murmured, peering up into his gorgeous grey eyes.
He frowned, confused. "Wrong about what?"
"That I wasn't ready-" she clarified, "-you shouldn't be so hard on David, his heart was in the right place..." she defended the platinum blonde who she'd admittedly grown rather fond of.
Paul scoffed. "That dude doesn't have a fucking heart."
"Wrong again boo," Flick smiled, earning an impish smile in return. "So, it's actually official, huh?"
"Mmhmm... my very own living dead girl," he smirked, wrapping his arms around her waist.
Flick sighed happily, a wave of calm washing over her as she buried her face against Paul's chest. "Is it weird that once I got past the initial shock of killing someone, that I kinda don't feel that guilty?" she murmured.
"Nah they deserved it, in a way it was self defence, they were planning to hurt you Flick, they even had a fucking contingency plan for what they'd do if shit went too far. That fucker didn't give a shit if he killed you babe, it's only fair you killed him first."
"You make killing someone sound like playground shit," Flick laughed, smoothing down the lapels of his jacket.
"In a few months, you'll feel the same way," he chuckled, nuzzling her neck.
"I need a shower," she sighed, leaning into the featherlight caress of his lips on her neck.
"I've got a quicker way to wash you off," Paul grinned devilishly as he swept her off her feet.
Flick squealed, knowing exactly what he had planned. "Don't you fucking dare," she warned but her warnings fell on deaf ears as Paul's grin grew wider before he launched her into the ocean.
Flick screamed when the icy water engulfed her, the coldness seeming to seep into her bones. She swiftly propelled herself towards the surface, launching herself into the air like some kind of overgrown fish. She landed back on the beach with a scowl, planting her hands on her hips while Paul stood grinning manically, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "You're gonna pay for that," she pouted, tugging at her drenched clothes, the water-logged material sticking to her body like a second skin.
"Yeah, yeah babe-" he smirked, creeping closer to where she stood, "-let me get you outta these wet clothes," he smirked, grazing his finger down her sternum.
"How about you bite me?" she countered.
"With extra fang baby," he grinned wolfishly, once again sweeping her into his arms.
Sam's eyes roamed the inventory laid out Alan's bed, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth afraid to vocalise the niggling doubts swimming in his mind. Was it really enough to take down four powerful vampires? Was Flick one of them now? Would he have to choose between his love for his sister and his desire to rid the world of evil bloodsuckers? Would Flick try to hurt him? In all honesty he wasn't so psyched to find out the answer to any of it, he'd rather just bask in peaceful ignorance but he knew he was in too deep now, he couldn't back down. If it wasn't already too late, he needed to save his sister.
Edgar lifted the heavy canvas bag from the foot of the bed, reeling off each item as he meticulously packed them away.
"Four stakes..."
"Four daggers..."
"Pistols loaded with holy water..."
"Crucifix..."
"Garlic..."
"UV lamp..."
"Where was it you said they lived? Hudson's..." Sam frowned as Edgar pulled the toggles on the bag, sealing it's contents before shoving it back beneath the bed out of sight.
"Bluff-" he replied, "-Hudson's bluff - it's a big cliff bordering the coastline."
"They live in the cave out there," Alan stated, handing Sam the controller for the games console.
"You're honestly telling me that my sister is living in some damp, dirty cave full of bats, spiders and rats?" Sam screwed up his face in distaste.
"Wouldn't be surprised if she's sleeping in a coffin by now," Edgar croaked.
"Do you think they do twin coffins for vampire couples?" Alan mused.
"Don't be ridiculous," Edgar scoffed.
"Oh that's ridiculous but the idea of living in a cave isn't?" Sam shook his head.
"What do you want me to tell you Phoenix? You gotta just admit defeat and accept that your sister's part of the undead army, she's bunking in the crypt with the bats and snacking on human hearts," Edgar shrugged.
Sam was about to refute Edgar's statement but the shrill ring of the door bell beat him to it. "That must be the pizza," Alan chimed.
"I'm not sure I feel so hungry anymore," Sam murmured to himself, slumping on the end of the bed.
Dwayne chuckled darkly as he sprinted through the dense maze of trees. The branches whipped at his face while the wind whipped his hair as he remained hot on the heels of a screaming, terrified camper. Of course he was much faster than any human but the chase was always a rush, it always made the blood taste so much sweeter.
He and Marko had ended up in the huge national park thirty minutes out of town, the two of them deciding they fancied partaking in a real hunt rather than just picking up some chick in a dive bar and nailing her before draining her blood. Being out in the wilderness chasing their terrified prey was rather exhilarating and he wondered why they didn't do it more often, it's not like they had to worry about witnesses out in bum fuck nowhere.
A chorus of terrified screams and shouts echoed through the trees and he took it as his signal to end the chase and bring his victim back to camp. Dwayne grabbed the flailing woman by the scruff of her hair, dragging her kicking and screaming across the dirt floor back towards the designated meeting point. He slammed the woman onto the ground with a heavy thud and stomped on her leg sending her kneecap and surrounding tendons bursting free from their sun-kissed prison. "Shut up," he hissed at the whimpering, sobbing, pitiful heap by his feet.
Dwayne peered over the camp fire with a manic grin, catching sight of Marko's victim sprawled at his primed with terror and ready for the slaughter. Marko circled the whimpering woman slumped on the floor, his mouth curved up in a snarl. "I'm so fucking sick of hearing your noise-" Marko growled, "-please don't hurt me," he taunted before chuckling darkly and ripping off her jaw in one swift motion. "Try pleading now bitch."
"Ouch," Dwayne laughed, shaking his head. "Guess it's my turn," he grinned an crouched over his victim. With clawed fingers he slowly gouged out his victims eyes leaving the woman blinded and howling in pain while her hollow sockets bled tears of crimson. Marko retched when Dwayne began to toy with the two gelatinous organs and he snorted a laugh. "Hey Marko – catch!" he grinned, tossing an eyeball in his friends direction.
Marko yelped and retched, almost tripping over the girl by his feet in his desperation to flee the flying eyeball. "That's the fucking second time you've done that man, fucking quit it," he scowled at Dwayne who merely barked a laugh in response, drop kicking the remaining eyeball into the fire.
"I think they should be nice and sweet now man, what do you think?" Dwayne smirked.
"I say bon appétit dude," Marko grinned.
Dwayne yanked the woman to her feet by her hair, grinning when she screamed wildly, her busted leg hanging limp and useless beneath her. He inhaled the scent of her life force and his canines automatically elongated. He sank his fangs into the butter soft flesh of her neck and drank greedily, growling and groaning in satisfaction as the warm metallic liquid trickled down his throat. When every last drop of his victims blood was drained, Dwayne tossed the bloodless cadaver into the roaring campfire, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
Marko decided to celebrate with an enthusiastic howl, his eyes widening when an actual wolf or coyote echoed his howl in the not so distant distance. "Holy shit man, let's get the fuck outta here before we're fucking dog food," he cackled, squiring enough lighter fluid into the dancing flames to keep the fire burning long enough to hide the evidence of their feed.
After a brief walk back through the forest, the duo ended up perched on the summit of a mountain, their legs hanging over the edge as they looked out onto the huge expanse of nature. It was strikingly beautiful at night with a clear view of a few constellations, the miles and miles of towering trees and the sound of the forests buzzing and chirping around them. Dwayne sighed, taking a drag of his cigarette.
"Fuck me, look at that view-" Marko whistled in appreciation, "-kinda puts it all in perspective, doesn't it?"
Dwayne barked a laugh – it was hilarious when Marko tried to act deep, almost as hilarious as it with Paul, the two of them were as shallow as a fucking rain puddle. "How profound, do tell me more-" Dwayne teased, "-what exactly do you feel sitting here on the over-sized fucking rock puts into perspective?"
"The world man. I mean, look at it – it's fucking huge and we're just these two guys sitting on a mountain. We're insignificant. It kinda makes me think about how much shit we're never gonna see. There's a whole world out there and we're fucking stuck in Santa Carla," he explained, inhaling a lungful of weed.
"Dissatisfied with your life brother?" Dwayne asked, extinguishing the cherry of his cigarette between his fingers.
"Nah – I love my life but I dunno, it just makes you wonder, you know?"
"I understand-" Dwayne nodded, "-I know we're missing out on shit being what we are but at the same time, would we really be happy with our lives as they were?"
"I'd be dead by now," Marko frowned.
"Man you are dead," Dwayne laughed.
"You know what I mean dickwad," Marko punched his shoulder.
"Yeah I know what you mean. I think I'd still be living on the rez, married to some obedient daughter of a tribe elder, hunting, protecting the land and the tribe..." he mused.
"Oh yeah? Would kids be in that scenario?" Marko inquired curiously.
"I dunno, I used to try and imagine myself as a father – I think I would have been a good dad, guess I'll never find out now."
"You know you still could be a dad," Marko glanced over at him.
"How? We're firing blanks man."
"I don't mean biologically but like, you could always just pick up one of the kids no-one wants and make him/her like us. They'd literally be a kid forever."
"Yeah? You gonna babysit?" Dwayne chuckled. "You know as well as I do that kids don't fit in with our lifestyle just like girlfriends don't. Plus, do you really see David agreeing to having a kid clinging to his ankles for the rest of eternity?"
"Good point," Marko grimaced, hauling himself to his feet. "You ready to head back? I don't know about you but I'm ready to start firing – blanks or not," he grinned.
David trawled the scattered piles of trash heaped in man-made mountains around the junk-yard looking for the perfect spot to bury the bag of Flick's deceased brother's clothes. He found a spot amongst a pile of scrap metal awaiting the compressor and stuffed the hold-all in a small gap in the metal, shifting various odds and ends in order to camouflage it better. He stepped back, drawing his cigarette to his lips, inhaling the bitter smoke before exhaling steadily, the plume of grey smoke pushed back over his shoulder by the breeze rolling in from the ocean.
He sighed wearily, scraping his hands back through his hair, the lingering scent of bonfire smoke and charred flesh making his nostrils flare when the sleeve of his jacket brushed against his face. He kicked at an empty beer bottle in frustration, tracking it as it flew through the air to land with a clang against a rusting iron girder where it shattered on impact sending shards of broken glass in every direction.
He rubbed his sternum, wincing when the dull ache that had been present for the past hour pulsed leaving him grimacing in discomfort. He knew what the ache was and he knew why it was there. It was the ever growing sense of loneliness that seemed to creep up on him from time to time. David knew that in a literal sense he wasn't alone, that he had his pack around him but even then he often found himself feeling like he was teetering on the cusp of solid friendships, unable to relate to the three mischievous immortals. Not only did he feel unable to relate to his three friends but he felt unappreciated and ridiculed.
Take tonight for example, he'd honestly had Flick's best interests in mind. He'd being trying to make an effort to make her feel more like one of the family as well as also wanting to sate Paul's worries about his mate and the impending transition by taking the weight off him in regards to pushing her into taking the next step. Nevertheless, in the end, what had he got for his troubles? The finger of blame pointed in his direction when Flick had, had a bit of a wobble after the rage had worn off, that's what. He hadn't even gotten a simple thank you for having the foresight to cover her tracks.
Sometimes he wondered if he'd be better off alone. The boys would probably be happier without him around seen as they only saw him as the one to always suck the soul out of the party. Perhaps he was destined to be alone in death as he was in life...
The pulsing ache in his core grew stronger and he winced, tossing the butt of his cigarette into a nearby puddle of unidentifiable sludge.
For once he wanted to feel wanted...
He wanted to feel something other than misery...
But most of all, he wanted to feel like he wasn't so alone...
David found himself standing outside the door to Sophia's hotel room. He couldn't hear any movement inside but he knew she was in there from the alluring fragrance of her blood – spices peaches. Exhaling a calming breath, he lightly rapped on the door, silently hoping that she hadn't yet fallen asleep.
A few tense seconds passed before he heard the soft sound of feet padding on plush carpet before the door swung open and Sophia greeted him wearing nothing but a silky crimson robe and a warm smile. David swallowed thickly as his eyes trailed the seductive curve of her waist, cinched and showcased by the silk ribbon tying her robe down to the sun-kissed skin of her deliciously thick thighs. "I didn't disturb you, did I?" he inquired, resisting the urge to maul her in a wild frenzy.
"No, I loaded up on coffee, I wanted to keep myself awake – I didn't give up on you," she smiled, gesturing for him to come in.
'I didn't give up on you...' Her words, no matter how flippantly they'd been used had a greater effect on him than he'd bargained for and he found himself drawing her into an almost suffocating embrace, his lips ghosting the soft skin of her jaw as he held her against him, breathing in her intoxicating scent, allowing himself a brief reprise from self-loathing, no matter how fleeting the moment.
"Rough night?" Sophia stepped back, her gentle hands braced on his forearms as she peered up at him through lush thick lashes, her beautiful hazel eyes mesmerizingly twinkling in the soft light.
"Just the one?" he chuckled, combing his fingers through his hair.
"Tell me what I can do to take your mind off whatever it is that's making you look so... lost," she searched his face, the pad of her thumb brushing his jaw.
David lightly grasped her wrist, kissing the spot where her pulse thrummed and lead her towards the bed. He shook off his jacket and shirt, keen to erase the lingering odour of death before he lowered himself to sit on the edge of the mattress, leaving Sophia standing between his parted knees. He slid his hands down her back and over the generous curve of her ass. "You can start by getting rid of this," he crooned, thumbing the hem of her robe.
Sophia swallowed as her bottom lip worked it's way between her teeth in a way that made his cock twitch. He braced his weight on his hands as he listened to the sound of her heart racing as the sweet musky scent of her desire flooded his senses. Heeding his instruction, Sophia begun to untie the robe. "Slower," he drawled, his eyes tracking her every movement. David's eyes salaciously roamed the mouth-watering contours of her body, sucking his lip between his teeth and exhaled sharply, the robe now lying in a puddle of silk by her feet.
"Put your hands behind your back, one hand holding the opposite wrist," he ordered and Sophia did as he instructed, her heart pounding while he knew the spot between her legs throbbed as it became damp with the evidence of her desire. The action of holding her hands behind her back pushed her breasts outward, so much so that he could see the subtle stiffening of her dusky pink buds with every caress of his breath.
"Stand with your feet shoulder width apart," he commanded, his voice deep and husky. Sophia parted her feet, her body jerking as she bit her lip to stifle a whimper when he slid two fingers between her thighs, his eyes hooded as he drew his fingers back, bringing the slick soaked pads to his lips and slid them into his mouth, groaning in satisfaction from the sweet taste of her. He heard her breath catch in her throat as a low whimper tumbled from her lips when he parted her folds with two fingers while a third teased her hidden sensitive bud.
Remnants of her desire trickled down her thigh as he continued to tease her bundle of nerves while her body jerked, her legs threatening to give out as her skin flushed with heat. David withdrew his hand and positioned himself on his knees in the middle of the bed. "I want you to kneel on the bed in front of me, part your knees wide and keep your hands behind your back."
Sophia forced her legs to work and obediently positioned himself the way he'd described leaving herself completely exposed as if she was presenting herself to him – only him. "Your so fucking perfect," he murmured, his eyes hungrily roaming her body.
He prowled forward and covered her breast with his mouth, coaxing a breathy moan. He sucked and teased her breast while his free hand cupped the other, rolling her pebbled nub between his fingers. Sophia reached out, combing her fingers through his hair as she succumbed to the rolling waves of pleasure. When her arms started to shake, David guided her onto her elbows, his lips busy cruising the soft slope of her stomach. She whimpered when his lips and tongue moved further south as he placed soft, wet kisses against her apex, flicking and swirling his tongue over her sensitive bud. He gently sucked her clit, alternating the pressure until her whole body was trembling with restraint.
David sat back on his heels and shuck off his jeans before pulling Sophia into his lap, the feel of her warm, wet heat against his cock was enough to drive him to the brink of insanity. He slid his hands beneath her ass, urging her to wrap herself around him. She cautiously lowered herself onto him he audibly groaned, kneading the flesh of her ass as she slowly took more of him, inch by inch until he was buried right to the hilt. "Fuck," he groaned, burying his face against the crook of her neck as she took the lead, working her hips and ass in ways that made his head spin.
He felt himself climbing closer to the edge and he was overcome with yearning, a yearning that he'd never felt until tonight. "Tell me you love me," he whispered, his lips ghosting her collarbone.
Sophia clasped one hand around the back of his neck while the other tangled in his hair, her uneven breaths caressing his ear. "I love you," she whispered, kissing the underside of his jaw.
A twinge of something unfamiliar made his chest feel tight as he held her body against him. "I wish I could keep you," he breathed against her ear as he drove himself deep sending the two of them tumbling over the edge in a jumble of tangled limbs.
P.S...
Thank you all for the favourites, follows and reviews, it's nice to know people are enjoying my ideas :).
Don't be afraid to let me know how you think this story is going, I don't think I'm too far off the end but I don't want it to feel rushed. Lemme know if you have any idea's and I can try and work them in!