"I hope our transportation is suitable." David grinned.
"I've never ridden...a...um..." Ruby stared at the bikes. She'd always been a good girl, never accepted rides from strangers. Especially strangers like these.
"There's nothing like it, girl!" Paul smiled. "The wind in your face, the stars above you, the good, solid vibrations between your legs..."
"Enough, Paul." David glanced sidelong at his lieutenant. Paul shrugged and stuck out his tongue, hopping on his bike. Dwayne had already mounted and started his bike. Marko was still standing behind Ruby, looking at David.
Ruby was half looking at the pavement, half looking at David. There was pink in her pale cheeks.
"Excuse Paul, everything has a sexual aspect to it for him." David laughed. Ruby stared harder at the pavement. Paul cackled, revving his bike.
"I noticed." Ruby muttered.
David slid on his bike. "You're welcome to ride with me, or one of the others. Though I think Marko is hoping you'd ride with him." The leader chuckled, as his lieutenants broke into laughter. Ruby turned a bit to look over her shoulder, at Marko. He grinned more.
"Okay…" Ruby nodded. Climbing on his bike, Marko offered Ruby a hand. David, Paul and Dwayne watched expectantly. Now or never, she thought to herself. Slipping up behind Marko, the others broke into yells of excitement.
"We go pretty fast. So you'd be smart to hold on tight." Marko's child-like grin danced in her eyes. Ruby swallowed hard, finding her arms instinctively encircling his waist. She looked out over the street, her gaze meeting Paul's. He winked and smirked at her, bringing another blush to her cheeks.
"We ride, boys!" David called, gunning the engine of his bike and flying down the street. Paul let out a howl and followed suit. Marko leaned back a bit, then took off with a jolt. Ruby gripped tightly to him, thankful he had warned her. The streetlights and cars were a blur as they rode past. She figured Dwayne was somewhere behind them, just as he popped up beside her and Marko, a cool grin on his dark features. Marko grinned back to Dwayne, pressing back against Ruby. Startled, she tightened her grip more. Dwayne laughed and rode ahead, catching up to the howling Paul and the solemn David.
The Lost Boys and Ruby rode up into the hills, through the expensive pricey neighborhoods that actors, musicians, and other famous people called home. Motors gunned, the powerful roars echoed off the two- and three story homes. Ruby had relaxed some, realizing these guys weren't probably as insane as she had first made them out to be. Her arms still encircled about Marko's waist; she tilted her head up and stared up at the first stars in the night sky. The view was better up in the hills, away from the crowded lights that eclipsed the sky down below.
Marko pulled up beside David, after running his bike between Dwayne and Paul who were playing tag while riding.
"The tree?" He asked David, over the bikes. David nodded and suddenly turned onto a rocky dirt path. Marko grinned again, following suite. The other boys laughed and caught up. Bumping down the dirt trail, they went farther, till Ruby realized she could see the entire expanse of LA from their location.
"Wow..." she breathed. She'd never been up in the hills, at least not on this hill and not at night. David had already dismounted and was waiting for the others at the base of a long dead oak, whose branches spread in every direction, creating a perfect place to sit and stare at the city.
"Never been up here?" Marko asked, as Ruby slid off his bike. She shook her head.
"Not here, no. I've been in the hills in the daytime though."
Paul showered her with some dead grass he'd pulled from the rocky terrain. Ruby pouted and brushed it from her hair. The boy was laughing, Dwayne smirking. Marko glared at his friend, then grinned, helping to pull the last from Ruby's hair.
"So, Ruby. Come, sit and enjoy the view." David motioned to a branch that hung out over the hill. Looking among the boys, Ruby realized this would not be a good time to tell them she wasn't into tree climbing. Timidly, she put her foot in the joint of the branch and started up. Halfway to the offered branch, she realized all the boys were in the tree. Dwayne was really high up, sitting in a place where two branches connected and joined. Paul was below him, singing what sounded like 'I want Candy' by Bow-Wow Wow. Ruby went back to her branch and found a hand being held out for assistance. David's gloved hand was cold as she took it, noticing the bracelet that encircled his wrist.
"Nice bracelet." She commented, taking a seat beside David. He nodded.
"A present from a deceased friend."
"Oh."
David shrugged. "Nothing to be sorry about. Everyone dies."
"Or do they?" Paul laughed, joined by Dwayne and Marko. Even David chuckled. Ruby just sat there, silent. The city lights twinkled below them.
"I promised to tell the legend, didn't I." David remembered. Dwayne leaned back in his makeshift seat, eyes closing. Paul quieted, and Marko stretched out on the branch that curved out off to the side of Ruby and David.
"Yeah, you mentioned it." Ruby said, pulling her coat tighter about herself. It was kind of chilly for July; she felt a slight breeze pick up around them.
David nodded, pausing for effect and to light a cigarette. "Well, do you believe in myths? Things like werewolves, creatures from the black lagoons, demons... Vampires?"
"And if I say no?" Ruby furrowed her brow. Well this was certainly stupid. What was up with asking her a question like that?
"You'd be lying to me." David replied, his blue eyes meeting hers. Ruby opened her mouth to say something, but shut it. He was right. "You believe in vampires."
"How?" she cried, staring at him in disbelief. The other boys laughed quietly.
"Because..." David paused, "they're real creatures. Well, vampires yeah. Werewolves... we haven't run into any. Yet."
Ruby was staring at David, eyes dark and untrusting. "What is this? You drag me up here, to tell me a stupid lie, complete with drama and a spooky old tree?"
"No. We brought you here, because we knew you'd understand." Marko said, softly placing a hand on Ruby's boot to get her attention. She looked down, about to yell at him, when she saw his face.
White and crimson eyes set in a face that was animalistic. Long, sharp teeth - the second and third teeth that of a wolf or bat. And Marko was grinning at her, with that awful face. Ruby couldn't even scream.
"He's right, you know." David added. Ruby turned and found David's face matched Marko's. The teeth and eyes glistened as he broke into a smile. Paul and Dwayne were the same. All four began to laugh, and Ruby couldn't tell if it was vicious or just plain laughter. She didn't want to know either. Pushing herself off the branch, she took the fall to the rocky ground below. Scraped her knee, the scent of blood hit the air. David frowned, as Ruby tried to get back to the dirt trail.
There was the sound of wings, wings flapping in flight, unearthly. Ruby groaned, as she looked up and saw David standing in her path. He was David again, the blue eyes troubled, frowning.
"You know we're real, Ruby. We know you've seen vampires before." He said. Ruby stopped, shaking her head and sitting hard on the dirt.
"Screw you, guys! This isn't funny." She shouted, trying to see the damage to her knee in the darkness. "It's not funny at all. I don't care what you are, just let me go, damn it."
"Ruby." David crouched before her, his gloved hand cupping her chin. The others had come up behind, standing in a crude half circle behind Ruby. Ruby refused to meet David's gaze with her own, as the hot tears were clouding her vision and she didn't particularly want to remember that night, five years ago. David still held her chin, his other hand stroking her cheek. "I was there. I know what happened to your brother. I know who killed Jeremy."
That did it. Ruby looked up at David, the hot tears spilling down her cheeks and onto his leather gloves.
"Jeremy..." she whispered, as David gathered her up in his embrace, putting her to sleep with a light touch to her forehead. The sound of the wings, screams, and laughter filled the air.