"I'm going home." Lily told David as the Boys and Michael were heading out.
He stopped and looked back at her. His blue green eyes almost glowed from the power in blood from the bottle. "What's wrong Lily?"
"I don't like this. And Star's itching for a fight with me tonight."
"Are you sure?" He drew her close and kissed her. The taste of blood on his tongue made her moan and sink into him. When he released her, she stumbled back.
"Not nice, David." Lily said shakily. She took a step back from him. "No, I'm going home."
"Come back tomorrow." He brushed his fingers over her neck and turned to join the Boys waiting for him. Paul winked as they followed David out and Marko and Dwayne waved to her. She laughed silently and gathered her leather jacket and backpack.
"Are you going home Lily?" Laddie asked. He climbed off the bed and threw his arms around her waist. She dropped to her knees and hugged him tight.
"Yeah, kiddo. I don't wanna fight with Star anymore tonight."
"Are you gonna come back?" He almost looked like he was going to cry.
She nodded. "Of course, little one. I'll be here tomorrow." She hugged him again before standing up. "Now, aren't you supposed to be in bed? You've had a long night." He beamed at her and climbed back into bed.
"Night Lily."
"Good night Laddie." She slipped through the crevice in the cave wall and headed down the tunnel leading to her house. Ten minutes later, she emerged in the basement. Wearily, she climbed the stairs to the kitchen.
Thorn barked at her when she appeared in the kitchen. She glared at him and pointed at the doggy door. The dog slunk outside and she headed for the stairs.
"You're home early." Max was sitting in the living room reading the paper.
Lily changed her course and headed for the couch. She flopped down with a sigh. "Star brought in a new guy." Her father looked up sharply. "His name's Michael. David and the Boys took him out tonight."
"Is that why you came home?" He asked, smiling.
She nodded. "Star's being a pain in the ass. She thinks this is a game or something."
"I warned David about her. But you know how he is."
Lily snorted. "Yeah, I know. I'm going up to bed."
"You look exhausted Lilith." He told her. "I'll be going into the store tomorrow so I probably won't see you."
"Okay. Night."
"Good night Lilith."
Lily turned and climbed the stairs to her room. She changed into pajamas and crawled into bed, asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
Someone else was in her bed. She turned into the warm body sleepily and yawned. An insistent touch on the side of her neck made her open her eyes.
Paul was stretched out beside her. His blue eyes glittered warmly at her as his hand ran up and down her side.
"Paul? What are you doing here? What time is it?" Her still sleeping brain couldn't understand what he was doing in her room.
"'Bout 4 am. You seemed upset tonight. I thought I could make you feel better." He grinned and gave her a quick kiss. "Don't worry about that guy, princess. He's a poser. He's just here cause of Star."
Lily settled against him more comfortably. "David won't give her up without a fight." Paul nodded, suddenly occupied with Lily's neck. "And he gave Michael the blood. He can't just let him go now."
"Lil, forget about him." Paul forced her to meet his eyes. "Nothing bad is going to happen."
"Okay." She sounded unconvinced. He shook his head and slipped a hand under her shirt. He grinned mischievously. Lily's eyes went wide and she shook her head. "No, don't. Paul, don't."
He ignored her protests and started tickling her. Lily shrieked and pushed him away. Paul captured her wrists and held them above her head. His lower body pressed into hers. "Say uncle."
She shook her head. "No."
He transferred both wrists to one hand and dragged the other down along the side of her neck, down over one breast to the ticklish spot over her ribs. "Say it." She shook her head. His hand danced over her ribs, making her squirm. Paul dropped his head to her throat, his mouth moving over the pulse.
Lily moaned. "Uncle." He laughed and let go of her wrists. She caught his long hair in her hand and tugged gently. "That wasn't fair."
"Neither is life. Feel better?" He buried his hand in her hair, luxuriating in the silken feel of it.
She moved her hips against his. "A little. But I could still use some cheering up." Lily bit her lip seductively.
Paul laughed and leaned down to kiss her. "Well, let me see what I can do to fix that."
Lily walked on the metal railing like it was a balance beam, the Boys watching. "Father's having dinner with that woman." She said morosely.
"Which woman?" Paul asked, sitting on the railing.
She looked down at him. "The one from the store."
David looked up at her. "Michael's mother?"
"She's that loser's mother? Good lord. I wonder if father knows." She climbed down so she was sitting on the railing and leaned back against Paul.
David laughed shortly. "Of course. Why do you think we didn't kill him the first night?" He brushed the back of his hand over her arm. "Don't worry about Michael princess. Star's gonna take care of him tonight."
Lily looked down at him. "What do you mean?"
"The girl's gonna finally become one of us." Paul said from behind her.
Lily twisted around to look at him. "Star's going to kill him? Think she'll go through with it?"
"Course princess. David ordered it." He nipped at her throat playfully. Lily swatted at him and hopped off the railing into David's arms.
"This is cause for celebration." Lily told them.
David chuckled as he set her on her feet. "What'd you have in mind princess?"
There was an evil glint in her eye. "Up for wreaking a little havoc on the locals?"
"Always girl." Marko smiled.
David grinned. He liked when Lily's vampire side showed. All the Boys did. Dwayne kissed the back of her hand before heading to their bikes. Paul gave a whoop and jumped off the railing following the quiet vampire.
"Sometimes, Lily, you amaze me." David said quietly as they followed the Boys to their bikes.
She cast a sidelong glance at him. "Only sometimes? I'm not trying hard enough."
David laughed suddenly, loud and joyous, causing everyone around them to turn and look at him. He didn't laugh often. The Boys rolled their eyes at their leader as he and Lily climbed onto his bike and they took off.
The Boys flew into the cave at full speed, only David slowing slightly to let Lily drop from his arms to the floor below. She landed gracefully and straightened up. Something made her turn and she found herself staring directly at Michael, half naked, sitting up in the four-poster bed. Star was curled on her side next to him sleeping the sleep of the dead. Lily raised an eyebrow at him before continuing on to her room, leaving the lovebirds alone.
"She didn't kill him." Lily said flatly when David appeared in her room the next evening.
He looked ready to kill. "I know."
Lily finished pulling on her shirt and walked over to him. She placed her hand on his cheek. "What do we do now? She disobeyed you."
His gloved hand came up to cover hers. "We move to plan B. I want you to take Star and Laddie to the beach. Don't come back to the cave until almost morning. The Boys and I will deal with Michael."
"You're going to force him to change?"
"We're going to try."
"Better just to kill him." She shook her head. "Be careful. That nosy little brother of his has been hanging around the Frogs."
David leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. "Those two couldn't kill a vampire if one threw himself on a stake for them."
Lily giggled and walked with him into the main cave. The Boys each greeted her with a kiss on the cheek and Laddie ran up to her for a hug. She ruffled his hair with affection and looked casually at Star.
The young woman was standing in the shadows by her bed, a scared look on her face. Her eyes followed David, waiting for him to make a move against her.
"The Boys and I hunt tonight. Star, you go with Lily." David threw a hard look at Star, as if daring her to defy him again. "You too Laddie."
"Where we goin' Lily?" Laddie tugged on her hand, drawing her attention to him.
She smiled. "I thought we'd go to the beach. Go swimming. Sound good?"
He nodded excitedly. "Yeah."
Star stepped out of her corner. "But David, I though-"
"Are you disobeying me again Star?" David's voice was full of quiet menace. She quickly shook her head, casting her eyes downward. He smirked cruelly. "Good. Then let's go Boys."
He stopped and looked back at her. His blue green eyes almost glowed from the power in blood from the bottle. "What's wrong Lily?"
"I don't like this. And Star's itching for a fight with me tonight."
"Are you sure?" He drew her close and kissed her. The taste of blood on his tongue made her moan and sink into him. When he released her, she stumbled back.
"Not nice, David." Lily said shakily. She took a step back from him. "No, I'm going home."
"Come back tomorrow." He brushed his fingers over her neck and turned to join the Boys waiting for him. Paul winked as they followed David out and Marko and Dwayne waved to her. She laughed silently and gathered her leather jacket and backpack.
"Are you going home Lily?" Laddie asked. He climbed off the bed and threw his arms around her waist. She dropped to her knees and hugged him tight.
"Yeah, kiddo. I don't wanna fight with Star anymore tonight."
"Are you gonna come back?" He almost looked like he was going to cry.
She nodded. "Of course, little one. I'll be here tomorrow." She hugged him again before standing up. "Now, aren't you supposed to be in bed? You've had a long night." He beamed at her and climbed back into bed.
"Night Lily."
"Good night Laddie." She slipped through the crevice in the cave wall and headed down the tunnel leading to her house. Ten minutes later, she emerged in the basement. Wearily, she climbed the stairs to the kitchen.
Thorn barked at her when she appeared in the kitchen. She glared at him and pointed at the doggy door. The dog slunk outside and she headed for the stairs.
"You're home early." Max was sitting in the living room reading the paper.
Lily changed her course and headed for the couch. She flopped down with a sigh. "Star brought in a new guy." Her father looked up sharply. "His name's Michael. David and the Boys took him out tonight."
"Is that why you came home?" He asked, smiling.
She nodded. "Star's being a pain in the ass. She thinks this is a game or something."
"I warned David about her. But you know how he is."
Lily snorted. "Yeah, I know. I'm going up to bed."
"You look exhausted Lilith." He told her. "I'll be going into the store tomorrow so I probably won't see you."
"Okay. Night."
"Good night Lilith."
Lily turned and climbed the stairs to her room. She changed into pajamas and crawled into bed, asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
Someone else was in her bed. She turned into the warm body sleepily and yawned. An insistent touch on the side of her neck made her open her eyes.
Paul was stretched out beside her. His blue eyes glittered warmly at her as his hand ran up and down her side.
"Paul? What are you doing here? What time is it?" Her still sleeping brain couldn't understand what he was doing in her room.
"'Bout 4 am. You seemed upset tonight. I thought I could make you feel better." He grinned and gave her a quick kiss. "Don't worry about that guy, princess. He's a poser. He's just here cause of Star."
Lily settled against him more comfortably. "David won't give her up without a fight." Paul nodded, suddenly occupied with Lily's neck. "And he gave Michael the blood. He can't just let him go now."
"Lil, forget about him." Paul forced her to meet his eyes. "Nothing bad is going to happen."
"Okay." She sounded unconvinced. He shook his head and slipped a hand under her shirt. He grinned mischievously. Lily's eyes went wide and she shook her head. "No, don't. Paul, don't."
He ignored her protests and started tickling her. Lily shrieked and pushed him away. Paul captured her wrists and held them above her head. His lower body pressed into hers. "Say uncle."
She shook her head. "No."
He transferred both wrists to one hand and dragged the other down along the side of her neck, down over one breast to the ticklish spot over her ribs. "Say it." She shook her head. His hand danced over her ribs, making her squirm. Paul dropped his head to her throat, his mouth moving over the pulse.
Lily moaned. "Uncle." He laughed and let go of her wrists. She caught his long hair in her hand and tugged gently. "That wasn't fair."
"Neither is life. Feel better?" He buried his hand in her hair, luxuriating in the silken feel of it.
She moved her hips against his. "A little. But I could still use some cheering up." Lily bit her lip seductively.
Paul laughed and leaned down to kiss her. "Well, let me see what I can do to fix that."
Lily walked on the metal railing like it was a balance beam, the Boys watching. "Father's having dinner with that woman." She said morosely.
"Which woman?" Paul asked, sitting on the railing.
She looked down at him. "The one from the store."
David looked up at her. "Michael's mother?"
"She's that loser's mother? Good lord. I wonder if father knows." She climbed down so she was sitting on the railing and leaned back against Paul.
David laughed shortly. "Of course. Why do you think we didn't kill him the first night?" He brushed the back of his hand over her arm. "Don't worry about Michael princess. Star's gonna take care of him tonight."
Lily looked down at him. "What do you mean?"
"The girl's gonna finally become one of us." Paul said from behind her.
Lily twisted around to look at him. "Star's going to kill him? Think she'll go through with it?"
"Course princess. David ordered it." He nipped at her throat playfully. Lily swatted at him and hopped off the railing into David's arms.
"This is cause for celebration." Lily told them.
David chuckled as he set her on her feet. "What'd you have in mind princess?"
There was an evil glint in her eye. "Up for wreaking a little havoc on the locals?"
"Always girl." Marko smiled.
David grinned. He liked when Lily's vampire side showed. All the Boys did. Dwayne kissed the back of her hand before heading to their bikes. Paul gave a whoop and jumped off the railing following the quiet vampire.
"Sometimes, Lily, you amaze me." David said quietly as they followed the Boys to their bikes.
She cast a sidelong glance at him. "Only sometimes? I'm not trying hard enough."
David laughed suddenly, loud and joyous, causing everyone around them to turn and look at him. He didn't laugh often. The Boys rolled their eyes at their leader as he and Lily climbed onto his bike and they took off.
The Boys flew into the cave at full speed, only David slowing slightly to let Lily drop from his arms to the floor below. She landed gracefully and straightened up. Something made her turn and she found herself staring directly at Michael, half naked, sitting up in the four-poster bed. Star was curled on her side next to him sleeping the sleep of the dead. Lily raised an eyebrow at him before continuing on to her room, leaving the lovebirds alone.
"She didn't kill him." Lily said flatly when David appeared in her room the next evening.
He looked ready to kill. "I know."
Lily finished pulling on her shirt and walked over to him. She placed her hand on his cheek. "What do we do now? She disobeyed you."
His gloved hand came up to cover hers. "We move to plan B. I want you to take Star and Laddie to the beach. Don't come back to the cave until almost morning. The Boys and I will deal with Michael."
"You're going to force him to change?"
"We're going to try."
"Better just to kill him." She shook her head. "Be careful. That nosy little brother of his has been hanging around the Frogs."
David leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. "Those two couldn't kill a vampire if one threw himself on a stake for them."
Lily giggled and walked with him into the main cave. The Boys each greeted her with a kiss on the cheek and Laddie ran up to her for a hug. She ruffled his hair with affection and looked casually at Star.
The young woman was standing in the shadows by her bed, a scared look on her face. Her eyes followed David, waiting for him to make a move against her.
"The Boys and I hunt tonight. Star, you go with Lily." David threw a hard look at Star, as if daring her to defy him again. "You too Laddie."
"Where we goin' Lily?" Laddie tugged on her hand, drawing her attention to him.
She smiled. "I thought we'd go to the beach. Go swimming. Sound good?"
He nodded excitedly. "Yeah."
Star stepped out of her corner. "But David, I though-"
"Are you disobeying me again Star?" David's voice was full of quiet menace. She quickly shook her head, casting her eyes downward. He smirked cruelly. "Good. Then let's go Boys."