They slipped inside the 7-11; the familiar ding of the infrared beam that notified people had come inside the store. Dwayne disappeared down the aisle towards the cooler case. Ruby looked around, feeling rather out of place with her clothes. Some punks in Misfits shirts eyed her coolly, then went back to their comic books.
Ruby side stepped away, going down the aisle that was stocked with crackers and chips, candy bars and gum. She wasn't hungry - she'd learned to get by on little food when money was tight and rent was due - so she just eyed the food. Suddenly she felt something cold on her arm, yelped and turned around.
Dwayne raised a brow, and Ruby realized the cold brown glass bottles of beer had touched her skin. And then she began to wonder why she was so jumpy.
"Chill girl. It's only me." Dwayne said then grinned. "You want anything?"
"Not really..." Ruby looked towards the doors, shoving the blush that was rising to her cheeks back down.
"'Kay. Well we can go then." Dwayne headed off to pay for the beer, leaving Ruby in the aisle. The door sounded again and laughing, chattering voices echoed off the store walls. A local gang entered, each with the trademark blue bandana, which was the symbol of their allegiance. Ruby had seen them many times and each time she'd gone out of her way to get around them.
"Hey, it's a sexy gypsy chica!" One called, pointing at Ruby. Nasty whispered comments went through the gang, ending with rough laughter.
"And you all thought we wouldn't find any fun tonight!" The one who seemed to be the leader called. The gang laughed again and advanced on Ruby.
"Ella sucede ser mi novia, muchachos. Retroceda." Dwayne came out of nowhere, standing behind Ruby and wrapping an arm around her waist possessively. The gang all looked at Ruby, then at Dwayne again and laughed.
"Sure man. We just wanted a little fun. Maybe you'd share the chica for an hour?" the leader laughed.
"Retroceda!" Dwayne growled, his eyes glowing red for a moment. He bared his teeth, and Ruby was surprised his fangs didn't show. She knew they would if the gang moved any closer though.
"Chill, it's all good. She's yours, man! We get that!" the leader held up his hands and the gang backed up as one and headed outside. Dwayne let Ruby go and headed out the other entrance. Ruby blinked, then followed.
"What did you say to them?" She finally asked, when they were safely on the way back to her apartment.
"I told you them you were my fiancé and to back off." Dwayne shrugged.
"Fiancé?"
"It was better then saying you were my girlfriend. Being engaged holds more weight." Dwayne replied. "And in an ironic way, you're kind of like a fiancé. You're being brought into the family. Just not marrying one of us." He waited for Ruby to unlock the door, then headed in and dropped down on the couch.
"You speak Spanish." Ruby locked the multiple bolts on the door.
"I'm part Mexican, part Sioux." Dwayne answered, beating the small black and white TV with his fist, trying to get it to work.
"Cool..." Ruby was staring at him. It explained the long black hair entirely. And the smooth skin, his build, the raw sexuality...
"I can see it shows in my looks." He smirked, catching her staring.
"Uh, I..."
Dwayne smirked again and went back to working on the TV. Ruby walked to the kitchenette silently embarrassed. Each of the Boys was sexy in their own right. David with his silence, grace, power, and his blue eyes. Paul with his rock star looks, his personality oozing the mantra "sex, drugs, and rock and roll." Dwayne with his mixed heritage looks and his brooding nature. And then Marko; he was adorable, caring, gentle, kind, and just all around cute.
"Thinking about Marko again." Dwayne was looking at her, having given up on the TV.
"I was actually thinking about all of you." Ruby replied.
"What about us?"
"That you're all cute in different ways." Ruby confessed.
"You just now noticed that." Dwayne laughed. Ruby pouted. "Ok ok, you didn't just notice. But come on girl. Vampires are almost always sexy."
"Sexy before they become vampires, or sexy after?"
"Sometimes they're not before. But usually they are. I don't know. It's a stupid fact. But if we were to go and look for another member to join the gang, we'd search among good looking guys or sexy girls." Dwayne sighed. "Now that makes me feel really shallow."
"Is there a reason it's like that?" Ruby sat on the floor in front of the couch.
Dwayne contemplated a moment. "I think it's because our senses are so high above humans."
"What do you mean?"
"We can see in the dark, we can hear sounds from miles away. And we can smell things, things you wouldn't even know could be smelled."
"Like how it's said a dog can smell fear?"
"Yeah, like that. But we really can smell fear. And hate, love, anger, pain..." Dwayne grinned. "And sex."
"You're as bad as Paul." Ruby grumbled.
"You've only been given a taste of Paul. Just wait till he's gone a few nights without getting laid. Ugh." Dwayne groaned. "He's such a bastard when that happens."
"I'm sure he nor any of you have no problems finding willing girls." Ruby chuckled.
"Paul and I, yeah. David's... how do I explain this? He's just not that into romance and lust and sex really. He's seriously into being a vampire and rules and protecting our home and magic things. But if he was acting his age, he'd have no problem." Dwayne explained.
"You forgot Marko."
"Marko... um oh. Um, Marko's not into one night stands." Ruby raised an eyebrow. "I don't know. He's the romantic one. I think he wishes there was just one girl for him. And that's hard on him, because if he found one and David denied her joining the gang, then Marko would be crushed."
Ruby nodded. She could understand how Marko felt. Her short relationships in high school were nothing that special. And no guy had really caught her attention now. She wasn't impressed by most of the guys who hung out in bars or worked on the movie sets. But on the other hand, she was afraid she wasn't mature enough to be devoted to just one person.
"Live your life, play the field, love lots Ruby." Dwayne cut into her thoughts. "Because you never know when it might end."
"You won't end."
"Not now, no. Being a vampire has that advantage of never dying. Doesn't mean we can't be killed. But we stand a hell of a better chance surviving things that would probably cripple or kill you."
"That's a pleasant thought."
"It's just the truth."
Ruby looked at him. "Did I mention you're very blunt sometimes?" Dwayne chuckled and laughed.
"Now you sound like Paul." Now Ruby had to laugh too.
"Just what I wanted to hear." Dwayne smiled, then grew serious.
"Honestly, think about what I said. I think that in time it will help you to understand a lot of the things we do, the way we go about problems, and the like."
"Thank you, Dwayne. I will." Ruby smiled. Dwayne smiled back.
"Now, if you'll tell me where I can find some blankets and some nails and a hammer, I'd appreciate it. I've got to block these windows before dawn. And you've got to start packing."
Dwayne began the task of covering the apartment windows with blankets, proving himself a safe place to sleep during the day. Ruby watched a little, before bringing her suitcases out of the closet and rummaging through them to see what she should take with her.
"Not that shirt." Dwayne said, nailing a corner of the blanket to the window casing.
"Why?"
"Because Paul loves Guns and Roses, and he'll steal it first chance he gets."
Ruby pouted. "But I love them too."
"Then you'd better wear it all the time. Even then it's probably not safe." Dwayne smirked and went back to work. The two worked in silence for a while; Ruby folding and packing clothes into a bag, Dwayne covering the windows. Satisfied, he settled on the couch with a beer and watched Ruby.
"Take that skirt. It's nice." Ruby packed the skirt. "Take those jeans, it gets really really cold in the cave sometimes. Actually, take all the jeans you have."
"I don't have anymore."
Dwayne frowned. "Didn't have much to begin with when you came here, did you."
"Not really. Only took what would fit." Ruby shrugged.
"David will give you spending money when we get home, I'm sure."
"What? You guys have jobs or something?"
"No, money from our food sources." Ruby scrunched up her face. "Don't knock it sister. I mean, it's more then you really have at the moment." Dwayne frowned as soon as he said that. "Ugh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."
"It's true though. I don't have anything."
"You will now. We'll all see to it." Dwayne smiled. "So what's the sleeping arrangement?"
"Well there's only one bed. And you're sitting on it." Ruby explained, finishing packing the clothes away into the bag.
"Huh. Well that's going to be interesting."
"What do you mean?"
Dwayne grinned. "I promise not to hog the covers."
"Oh no! You're not serious!" Ruby's eyes grew wide. Share a bed with this really hot guy?
"Please, it's not like I'm going to even be awake to do anything." Dwayne smirked. "Once the sun rises, I'm out cold till it sets. Sorry to get your hopes up."
"Okay who sounds like Paul now!" Ruby grinned, hitting Dwayne with a pillow. He faked protest and a pout.
"Just be thankful Paul isn't here. He'd probably be all over you by now. And Marko… god knows what that boy would do."
"Please don't tell me this. Now I'm afraid to go home with you." Ruby chuckled.
Dwayne grinned and started to work on the hide-away bed. "You already called the cave home. That's a good sign." Ruby smiled; she hadn't even thought about it. Dwayne soon had the bed folded out and sprawled on top.
"I don't know how I'm going to sleep with you laying like that." Ruby laughed, sitting on the edge.
"Hmm, how bout if I sleep like this?" Dwayne laid on his side, in a Cleopatra-like pose. Ruby laughed again.
"No better. Funnier, but no better." Ruby rose, going into the bathroom to change for the night. Or day, she realized. She was very sleepy, probably from waiting around all day for their return. Better adjust to their hours as soon as possible.
Ruby returned to the main room, and found Dwayne already under the covers, still dressed. "You're not gonna sleep in those are you?"
"Why not?"
"Doesn't look comfortable."
"I'm not supposed to get comfortable. Defeats the whole protector idea."
"Oh."
"Don't worry about me." Dwayne smiled. Ruby grinned and cleaned up the empty beer bottles on the floor. Dwayne yawned as he watched her. "Sun rises in a few minutes, so I'll say goodnight now."
"Night Dwayne."
"Night Ruby." The Lost Boy settled in bed, eyes closed. Ruby cleaned a few things up before turning to look him over. Looked rather peaceful in sleep. For a killer.
Sighing, Ruby stretched and yawned, heading towards the bed. She crawled in and shortly fell asleep.