He parked quickly outside Max's and practically flew down the wooden path leading to the large hillside villa, banging loudly on the door with his fist on the front door. He heard Thorn growl protectively behind it but he just banged several more times, and several more again before he heard Max calm the dog behind the door.
Max looked down at David, who was looking around with wild, excited eyes. Max's eyes fell on the big black motorcycle parked at the entrance, loaded with an old army duffel bag.
"Max, I..."
"You're leaving" Max interrupted.
David sighed heavily.
"With Beth I assume" Max stated.
"I can't be without her Max, we have to go, this is the only way" he said desperately, running his cold fingers through his hair.
"I see" Max said in an understanding tone, smiling down at the boy "well, why don't you grab some things from the kitchen before you go, hmm?"
"I really gotta go, she's waiting for me" David said, gesturing to his bike behind him.
"Oh come now, it's the least I can do to get you both off on the right foot in your new life David" He said sweetly, "I insist".
David's stomach twisted painfully, he didn't want to be late, but Max had done so much for him, he couldn't refuse the man this final thing if he was never going to see him again.
"Sure" David reluctantly agreed, and Max smiled widely and clapped him on the back, ushering him inside the large bungalow and toward the kitchen, locking the front door securely behind him.
"Now, let's see what we have here" Max ruminated as he opened up the large double fridge.
David was overcome with an almost overwhelming sense of ungratefulness as he watched the older man wander around his kitchen in his dressing gown and slippers.
"Max, I'm sorry I'm taking off after all you've done for me..." David started.
"I'm not going to say I'm not disappointed you're going David" Max said, in what David assumed was a fatherly tone, "especially as I was getting so used to having some company, finally".
David felt the painful flood of guilt tug at his chest.
"I'm not going to condone your decision David" Max said, a disappointed inflection coating his words making David wince, "running away from your problems isn't exactly the actions of a man".
David shifted uncomfortably under Max's unwavering gaze and he suddenly felt like a seven-year-old being scolded. But Max had been so good to him, he really didn't want to disappoint him or let him down, he wanted to be a better man, the man Max thought he could be.
"If I don't go now, I'll lose her" David choked out, screwing up his eyes to stop the painful pricking. He'd never had a father as good as Max, the thought of him thinking badly of him made his insides squirm.
"What if there was another way"? Max said hopefully, slowly closing the distance between him and the boy stood helplessly in his kitchen, illuminated only by the electric fridge light.
"What do you mean"? David asked, shoving his hands into the pockets of his old leather jacket.
"What if you and Beth could stay here with me, forever" Max said, an excited smile curling his mouth.
"She can't, her Mom is taking her away, we have to leave" David sighed in frustration.
"What if I could, resolve, that situation..." Max said cryptically, creeping closer to him around the kitchen counters "...would you be happy to stay then, David"?
"What do you mean resolved"? David asked, confusion furrowing his brow.
Max chuckled darkly.
"What if I could make it so Beth didn't ever have to leave Santa Carla, David..." Max said, leaning against the counter next to him "...you don't really want to leave do you David..."
Max looked deep into David's eyes and David felt his brain become foggy.
"I..."
"You don't want to leave your town do you"
"No..."
David couldn't shift the fog that descended over him, he tried to move his feet but found his brain signals wouldn't reach his legs so he stood rooted to the spot as he looked into Max's yellow eyes...
"You don't want to leave me all by myself now do you, David"
"I..."
"I've been so good to you David, haven't I been good to you"
"Yes, I just...
"And you do want to be a family don't you David"
"Yes, I..."
"We could be a family forever David, just you and me"
David's heart thudded hard against his chest and he blinked his dry eyes, an image of Beth's perfect face floated under his eyelids, and the fog from his brain slowly slipped away.
"Beth" he whispered.
"Oh David, I didn't want it to have to come to this" Max said, taking his glasses off and folding them into his dressing gown's breast pocket.
"Max, what the..." David started but choked on the rest of his words as Max's hand grabbed his neck in a vice like grip, his long fingernails digging into his smooth flesh. David watched in horror as Max's face transfigured with harsher cheekbones, burning yellow eyes, long fang like teeth dripping with saliva.
Adrenaline flooded his system as he thrashed around, clawing at Max's hand, desperate for air as his lungs burned in his chest and the grip around his neck threatening to snap the bones clean in two. Max launched him over the kitchen island, sending him crashing against the drawers, glasses smashing around him, the bowl of oranges rolling all over the floor.
"You can't escape, David..." Max chuckled darkly as he stalked over to him, grabbing him by the neck again and forcing him up against the units as if the teenager weighed nothing more than a feather "...we'll be a family forever now"
"Max..." David breathed, clawing again at his hand and arms, his legs flailing wildly in mid-air.
"I want you, my son..." Max hissed "...but I will take the girl if you refuse"
David stilled, his eyes widening in understanding.
Beth.
"I can make you powerful beyond your wildest dreams David" Max said, running his tongue along his sharp fangs, letting David's toes touch the ground lightly.
"You'll be the king of this town..." he bargained, "...you and I, we will rule together and she will be safe but know, if you refuse me, I will hunt her down David"
He let David's feet fully touch the linoleum and let him find his balance but not once let up his grip around his throat.
"It's decision time David..." Max hissed, a malicious smile spreading across his face, yellow eyes burning ferociously in the dark "...who's it going to be"?"
David swallowed hard, his entire body shook with fear but his mind was filled with thoughts of Beth, only Beth.
"Who's it going to be David...You or her?"
