Ruby nearly shrieked, then she remembered Dwayne had spent the night. Protecting. Nothing more. Her panic subsided and she rolled over. So much for telling me you're totally out cold the whole day, Dwayne. she thought. She hadn't felt him wrap his arm around her and pull her close during the night. Or day. She wasn't sure what to call it.
Untangling her self, she crawled quietly from the bed and dressed. Dwayne never moved; Ruby figured that maybe he really did sleep like the dead. Perhaps the arm was something he'd done in his sleep. She'd have to ask him later.
Ruby fixed herself some toast and watched a little TV. It was nearly 8:30 in the evening before Dwayne rose. He stole some of her toast and grinned, sitting beside her on the bed.
"They should be here soon. You're all packed?"
"Everything I can think of."
"Good. I think we'll take the blankets too. You'll need them till you get used to the cave." Dwayne finished the toast and rose, going to un-nail the blankets.
"You make it sound like Antarctica." Ruby mused.
"It can be. To humans. The winds blow right off the sea into the tunnels and comes howling through, freezing. The Boys and I just don't notice anymore."
"Oh. Well I do have my coat..." Ruby brushed the crumbs from her hands and went to the closet. She removed an old 70's style swing coat. Heavy dark tapestry material, with a blonde fox fur neck and sleeves.
"That'll work. If you don't mind getting sand in the fur." Dwayne nodded, folding the first blanket up.
"It's warm, and I don't mind." Ruby slipped into it, buttoning it around her self. The coat really was heavy, and lined.
"Good, wear it tonight." Dwayne finished the second blanket and laid them on the bed. "You need anything else or are you all packed?"
"I suppose the cave doesn't have electricity?" Ruby looked at her TV.
"Nope."
"Then the TV's out... and the radio..."
Dwayne crouched to look through her books. "You can bring some of these. David would appreciate them." Ruby nodded and packed the ones she read often in her bag. "Comic books?"
"No. Why?"
"Paul and Marko like those."
"I don't have any." Ruby put a few more books in her bag. "What about you?"
"What about me?" Dwayne looked up at her.
"Do you read anything?"
"I read the books I own, sometimes David's. I'm not really into getting lost in a book." The Lost Boy rose and went to the window. Ruby didn't press the subject. Both heard the roar of the motorcycles coming up the street.
"Are you ready, Ruby?" Dwayne was suddenly in front of her, staring down at her. His eyes were dark, face solemn. Ruby looked up at him. She detected he was worried about her, cared for her.
"Yes Dwayne." He nodded, leaning down and kissing her gently.
"For luck." He whispered, just as there was a knock on the door.
David entered first, followed by Marko. David hugged Ruby, while Marko stayed back.
"Evening you two. How were things?" He asked, looking at his lieutenant.
"Nothing big. A run in at the 7-11 with some punks, otherwise a-okay." Dwayne shrugged. Ruby heard Marko gasp a little, but he still remained back by the door.
"Good." David turned to Ruby. "Packed?"
"As much as I could take."
David chuckled. "Everything else you need will be provided."
"Dwayne told me that."
"Did he now." David grinned at Dwayne. "I'm sure he didn't tell you everything about us."
"No." Ruby shook her head.
"Good. I wanted to keep some things a surprise." David clapped his gloved hands together. "All right, let's get going. We only have so much darkness. Marko, her bags. Dwayne, everything else." The two Lost Boys grabbed everything and headed out the door.
"I could carry those..."
"Nonsense Ruby. Now, leave your keys on the floor." David headed towards the door. "Clean break, sweetheart." David waited till she tossed her keys on the floor, then took her hand.
"Goodbye old life, I guess." Ruby murmured, as David led her down to the street.
"Welcome to your new life." He smiled. The glare of the streetlight glinted off the chrome work on the four bikes. The other three Lost Boys had already packed Ruby's things and mounted up. David climbed on his and revved the engine. The others returned the call.
"You are one of us now, Ruby. You belong to the Lost Boys. And we belong to you." David called over the roar. Ruby stared at each of them. Solemn faces of David and Dwayne; a cackling Paul, and a grinning Marko. Ruby's gaze met David's. He nodded with his chin to the back of his bike.
Ruby climbed on behind him, pulled by unseen strings. Her arm around David's neck as she climbed up on the powerful bike. Settled in, arms around his waist. David headed down the street, the other three following. And Ruby no longer lived in Los Angeles.
Ruby yawned and held tighter to David. They'd been riding for hours, only stopping once for beers in Greenfield. Marko had voiced concern that she'd fall asleep and fall off, while Ruby napped in the booth. David had to assure him she wouldn't.
It was 3:45am when they rolled into Santa Cruz. The Boardwalk was shut and locked tight for the night, and the town was deserted. The Lost Boys stopped in front of a bar that was still open, though very few people were inside. Ruby yawned again and looked over at Marko. He looked at the street.
"Ruby, you need to stay here for the day. It would be dangerous for you to come to the cave tonight." Dave spoke.
"Dangerous...?"
"I'll explain in time. Climb down, please." David's tone held finality. Ruby did as she was told and climbed off the leader of the Lost Boy's bike.
"You know, this crap about 'explaining in time' is really getting to me." Ruby growled. David chuckled.
"You're right. But I'm not going to tell you right now. So get used to it." He pulled Ruby's bag from Marko's bike and dragged her into the bar.
Ruby noticed one sleeping drunk in a back booth, and an older guy wiping down the bar with a wet rag.
"Ruby, this is Miller. He's a confidante of ours." David motioned to the bar tender. "Miller, this is Ruby. She's family."
"Pleasure." Miller grumbled, eyeing her. She was quiet a cute little redhead.
"Miller, don't get ideas." David growled. Miller shrugged and went back to wiping the bar. David turned to Ruby. "I suggest you sleep in the booth or the store room. Miller will be good, and nothing will harm you."
"David... come on, you're ditching me in a strange town, and a strange bar, with a weirdo." Ruby looked at Miller. "No offense."
"Ruby. This is home now. You'll know your way around like you've lived here for years." David grinned. "Now, sleep. Be at the Boardwalk tonight; we'll be there to take you home." He cupped her cheek in his gloved hand. "Don't worry, girl."
"I'll try." Ruby sighed. David nodded and kissed her. His touch had electricity to it. She shivered; what was it with these guys and kissing her tonight?
"We'll see you tonight at the Boardwalk." He let her go and disappeared out the door. Soon she heard the motorcycles start and roar away.
"You can sleep on the cot in the back store room. It's boarded up, so you won't have to worry about sun." Miller pointed with the rag to a door.
"But I'm not..."
"You're family." Miller said pointedly. Ruby wondered what that meant, but didn't ask. She just picked up her bag and went in the storeroom.
Shutting the door behind her, she found a bare bulb hanging from the ceiling and a green cot against a wall. The windows were boarded up and painted black. She lay down on the cot and wrapped her coat tightly around her self, keeping warm with the help of the fur.
"Welcome to Santa Cruz, Ruby." She whispered to herself as she drifted off.