I am finally back. Sorry it took me so long. But between starting a new job and some other silly stuff that needed to be taken care of there was little to no time for me to continue writing or even come up with anything. Thank you for your patience and for all the support I've been getting on various channels. I hope I will be able to update on a more regular basis again.
I sat there for what felt like forever, just staring out at the dark water. I felt something nudging against my mind, trying to get my attention.
'Do I need to come and get you or are you coming back on your own? You've been gone for three hours now…' I almost couldn't believe it. Had I really been sitting here that long? I scrambled back to my feet and brushed off the sand that stuck to me. Slowly I walked back towards the boardwalk which now seemed awfully loud and crowded. I felt some kind of pull on my body and mind, seemingly pulling me closer like a magnet. Not long after I caught sight of Dwayne overlooking the crowd. As if sensing my eyes on him his gaze caught mine over the distance.
"Took you long enough… Are you feeling better now?" I took his outstretched hand and nodded.
"I didn't want to worry you. It was just… It was a little much. With Laddie there I only now realised what I gave up. Don't get me wrong. I love you and your brothers, I love Laddie. I would not change a thing or make any other decision. It just hurts to realise I will never have children of my own, that I won't grow old, that there will not be another sunrise for me…" Dwayne pulled me into him, tugging my head under his chin. He didn't say anything, he didn't need to. I could feel his compassion through our bond. I could feel his pain.
"Look who found her way back." I turned my head and looked at David, who was sitting on the reiling next to us. He jumped down and walked over, pulling me from his brother and into a demanding kiss.
"I am sorry, David…" My voice was a low whisper, but I knew he had heard me.
"Don't worry about it. I am proud of you. You did much better on your first day as a vampire than Paul has."
"Hey! I was totally stoned and hungry…" I couldn't help the laugh. Of course Paul had acted out on transitioning. I stumbled a little when David started walking, still holding my hand and pulling me with him.
"Where are we going? And where is Laddie?"
"Don't worry. He is with Star. Or should be if she knows what's good for her…" His growl had me looking up at Dwayne. His jaw was clenched tight and I had the feeling that Star had abandoned her duties concerning the boy on more than one occasion. David pulled me along the boardwalk, the few people still up and about quickly jumping out of the way just like the first time I had been with my boys. Most people looked away as soon as they were caught staring at our group, still some girls shot me angry looks and I just smiled back at them.
"Carefull. You might just choke on that big smile, cupcake." I looked to my left and grinned at Marko.
"Couldn't help myself. Besides you are the one constantly grinning…" I walked straight into David since I hadn't noticed he stopped walking. Looking up I recognised the building in front of us.
"Video Max? What are we doing here? I always thought Max hated you coming here."
"You will understand in a minute." David pushed me towards the back entrance and through the door. We stood in the dimly lit hallway for a second before he knocked on the door to our right. Up front in the shop I could make out Maria's voice, who was ushering out the last customers before closing up.
Entering the room I knew to be Max's office I noticed nobody was there.
"Sit. He is on his way." I was nervous when I took a seat on the chair in front of the desk. David pushed away some papers carelessly before sitting on the wooden surface and lightened a cigarette. Marko and Paul pulled out some boxes to use as seats while Dwayne stayed standing behind me, his hands on my shoulders. We sat in silence for what felt like hours to me. I caught up on Maria's scent fading, so I assumed she had left the shop. But there was another scent. One I recognised but couldn't place. A looming presence, growing stronger every second.
"Relax princess." I wanted to say something when the door to the office opened.
"Off my desk, boy!" I looked at Max a little dumbfounded. Sure it was his office but still I hadn't expected him. What was he doing here at this hour? David bared his teeth for a second before getting off the wooden desk and leaned against the wall next to the door instead.
"It is good to see you, Amy." His gaze had softened a bit and I felt myself relax a little while he took a seat in his chair behind the desk.
"What is going on here?" I found my voice again and looked at David in confusion. But it wasn't him who answered. In fact I had never seen him in a state like that. He looked like the dog that just got kicked for sitting on the couch, none of his usual confidence and arrogance left.
"So for once the four of you actually did as you were told. I am almost impressed. As for your question my dear, I am the reason you are here tonight. To welcome you to my family."
"Your… family? Wait a second… You are a vampire?!" I was shocked. Max gave me one of those soft smiles I was so used to. I got out of my chair and started pacing around. How had I not noticed? True I only ever had seen him after dark, but I had always pinned it on the fact that this shop wasn't his only one.
"But… How? I thought you hated the boys. I don't understand…" My mind was running full speed, trying to catch up with the facts.
"Calm down, sweetheart." David caught my wrist and pulled me against him, which helped a little.
"Well. It wouldn't have been in my interest if people knew of my connection to these troublemakers. Though they are my children and I made them, they are just as disobedient at times. They built up a reputation that didn't mix well with my business and efforts to blend in." He looked at me leaning against David and slowly processing what he just said.
"You made them… So that means you are their… sire?" I looked up at David for confirmation of my assumption. He gave me a slight nod and quickly pressed his lips to my forehead.
"Exactly, my dear. I am sure it was confusing for you to find out what they are and what you were becoming."
"Nah. She took it like it was nothing. Didn't even shed a single tear over it." Paul cackled in his corner and winked at me.
"Did I give you the impression I was interested in your opinion at this point? Sit down and shut your mouth until told otherwise." I flinched at his sharp tone towards Paul and felt the urge to snarl at him for treating him like that.
'Don't. As much as you hate it, keep it to yourself for now.' David's arms had tightened a little around me and I noticed that the other three were looking at me as well.
"As I said. It must have come as a surprise to you. With everything you have been dealing with of late." There it was again, this soft smile. But it didn't feel authentic anymore, not like a few days ago. It seemed forced, practiced over and over again until perfection.
"Honestly it wasn't such a big surprise after all. I felt like something was off from the get go. I just came to realise I was more at ease around them than around any other person I've ever met before. It wasn't that hard of a decision to give up my mortal life. There wasn't much left for me anyways." Max nodded slowly.
"It doesn't surprise me that you took it so well. I knew you were strong the moment I met you a year ago. I knew you were made for this. It was the right decision to tell them to bring you into the family."
"Come again?" Did I just hear that right? He told my boys to make me a vampire?
"Oh, you didn't know?" The older man raised his eyebrows and looked directly at David. I pulled away a bit and looked at him as well.
"David what is he talking about? Didn't know what?" There was a sudden pain and a hint of guilt in his face when he avoided looking into my eyes.
"David?" I had an ill feeling in my stomach.
"He told us that he wanted to turn you into a vampire and therefore make you his daughter. To make you one of us… It was our order to get close to you…" I whirled around and looked at Paul. He was sitting there with his head in his hands, fingers threaded in his hair and a pained look in his soft blue eyes. He looked at me pleadingly, but all I felt was anger boiling up in me.
I pulled away completely from David and took a forceful step away from him. I couldn't believe this.
"Amy…"
"Don't you dare touch me!" I snapped at Dwayne, losing control for a second. I felt my face shift for a second before I regained control. The anger and disappointment still boiling right under the surface. He pulled back his hand but didn't move away.
"Is that true?" I looked at Max. I wasn't mad at him, even when he was the one behind all of this.
"It is. I told them to get close enough to you to convince you of turning. They weren't allowed to tell you whose orders they were, but I never told them to keep it from you. I assumed they told you about the truth behind their intentions since you grew so close so fast." Max had leaned back in his chair and watched me with interest.
"Amy…"
"So it was all a lie?" I glared at David, who had pushed off the wall by now.
"It wasn't like that..." Paul now joined in.
"So you didn't follow orders when you asked me to hang out with you?!" My words were harsh. I didn't feel any regret about snapping at them or when Paul flinched as if I had slapped him across the face.
"At first we did follow orders. But we didn't expect to fall…"
"Oh shut it, David! I am so through with all the lies and games. Do you honestly expect me to believe that you followed orders like a good little boy and then suddenly realised you had real feelings for me? Do you think I am stupid?!" I turned to look at the others. Paul had tears in his eyes and watched me like a beaten dog. Marko had pulled his knees to his chest and was staring off into nothing while biting on his thumb. A gesture I had come to recognise as a sign of nervousness. Dwayne had his hands buried in his pockets and looked at me with those dark eyes, searching something it seemed.
"But it is the truth. We didn't tell you, because it didn't matter. Nothing we told you was a lie…" Normally his calm voice would manage to bring me down again, but not now.
"Oh hell yeah. I am sure. Did you have fun watching me fall for you like a lost kitten? It wasn't enough for you to make me think you actually cared enough for me to want me despite my past. I really believed you when you told me I was yours! Was it as hilarious for you as it was for me? Was I just a good fuck? Did you even plan to tell me or where you just going to drop me off at Max's and leave me?!" I got angrier with every word. I hated them. I hated them for what they did to me. I hated them for making me believe I found a family. I hated them for breaking me again into a million pieces.
"'Look at me Amy!'" David turned me to face him again and took my face in his hands. His eyes bore into mine, I felt his mind push into mine and realised he was trying to pull rank on me. A loud slapping sound echoed in the now silent room. David didn't even try to turn his face back towards me. He just let go of my face and spit some blood onto the floor. I had slapped him across the face with full force. The scratch marks from my fingernails on his cheek were healing right before my eyes.
I turned towards the door and opened it.
"Amy, please…" It was the first time Marko opened his mouth. He looked absolutely defeated.
"Fuck you, lying piece of dead shit." I walked out, towards the exit and out of the video shop.
"Sit! All of you! Let her go." I heard Max keeping them from following me. And honestly I had no idea what I would have done if they had tried to stop me now. When I finally reached the beach for the second time this night, I realised I didn't even know where to go. I had nothing. No place to call my own, no family, nobody. Except maybe… I turned back towards the boardwalk and tried picking up a certain scent.
