"Boys!" David's voice echoed off the walls as he and Ruby descended into the belly of the cave's main room. Dwayne's head popped up from behind a book. "Meeting!"
"Nice kill Ruby! You took that girl down like a pro!" Paul appeared from behind the tool chest in the corner, clapping a hand on Ruby's shoulder. Ruby smiled weakly at Paul.
"Not now Paul." David flicked away the remains of his cigarette. "Where's Marko?"
"Up in their room." Dwayne rose from the couch and crossed to the circular fountain where the others were clustered.
"I'll get him." Paul offered.
"No. Ruby can tell him this, it'll come easier from her I'm sure." David folded his arms behind his back. "I've decided to take my rights as a sire and train Ruby, separately."
"Wha?" Paul blinked.
Dwayne raised a brow. "Are you sure of this, David?"
"It's my right."
"I'm missing something here." Paul crossed his arms over his chest. "What do you mean by 'rights', D?"
"It's something you never had to face, Paul." Dwayne was looking at David as he spoke. "When a vampire makes another, they have rights to the creation."
"I'm not a creation." Ruby glared.
"That's the traditional wording, Rube." Dwayne still didn't look from David, who was staring back at Dwayne.
"Back the bike up. We're technically your creations, Marko, and me right? Where is all this training for us?"
"You're not strictly childer, you're equals. Sired from both Dwayne and I, and sharing the blood that runs in Marko's veins as well."
"Co-siring. Pack mate creation." Dwayne added.
"Oh." Paul relaxed. "And Ruby's not."
"Nope." Dwayne finally looked away from David. Directly at Ruby. "She belongs solely to David."
"And that's what I mean by rights." David said coolly. "And as such, as much as all of us are her brothers, and lover in Marko's case, you are all interfering."
"Am not!" Paul protested.
"Paul, not now." Dwayne's voice was low. Paul shut up. "What do you mean to do, David?"
"The renter's are moving out in two days. The house will be empty. It's enough of a separation, yet we can all meet to hunt without having to travel. The rest of the evening I can devote to her studies."
"And you're going to just lock her in the house for the day?"
"No, I'm staying in the house with her."
Paul's jaw dropped. "Oh dude… Marko is so not going to go for that! That's practically shacking up with Ruby! After that little incident, that's totally stealing a taken woman!"
"PAUL!" Dwayne snarled. Paul snapped to attention. David did nothing, remained calm. He stepped to Paul, and although inches shorter, stared the Lost Boy down.
"I am not stealing from anyone. I am taking my rights as a sire and doing my job to train my childer properly. Speak anymore of this "stealing" and you will find yourself with one severe sunburn. Understood?"
"Yes David." Paul was squirming, wishing to escape the gaze of their leader. "I'm sorry."
"Good." David released his mental hold and stepped back. "We'll move in two nights' time. Objections?" The last part was directed towards Dwayne.
"Answer my question, David." Dwayne's voice was still low. Ruby knew there had been mental communication between them but had no idea what. David's gaze flicked to Ruby, then back to Dwayne. Then he looked away towards the tunnel.
"Dwayne?" Ruby's stomach tightened. He knew.
"I have my answer, Ruby." Dwayne placed his book on the fountain. "I recognize the law."
"Um, ditto." Paul added, his voice quiet.
David was still staring at the tunnel. "Ruby, go to Marko." Pulling her coat tighter around her self, Ruby left the boys.
"Marko?" She almost wished they had a door to knock on. You couldn't knock on curtains, and these weren't sheer enough to see through.
"Yeah."
"Can I come in?" There wasn't an answer but Ruby knew Marko accented. She pulled the curtain back a bit and slipped in their room. He was sitting on the floor, his back against the bed. "Marko…"
"Ruby, I've been thinking. This is a really rough time. You having been gone so long, coming home a vampire… David's childer… and then I know it's not your fault entirely that you attacked me tonight. I shouldn't have threatened David that way. But I'm so… I love you so much and I thought what we have… had… would withstand anything." He hunched forward, his voice growing softer. "But now I don't know."
"Marko?" Ruby knelt in front of him.
"I love you Ruby. And maybe we're meant to be. And maybe we're not. And this isn't your fault or mine; this is a blow even a rock solid relationship would be stunned by."
"What are you…"
Marko looked up at her, his blue eyes soft and sad. "When you love something…someone, so fiercely like I love you and something this shattering happens, you have to set them free. It wouldn't be fair to hold you back."
"Hold me back? Marko. You're not holding me back. You never have. Do you think I'm in love with David?"
"David is clearly in love with you." Marko looked away for a moment, then back to meet her gaze. "I don't know if you are in love with him."
"If this is about the kiss."
"Ruby, I made peace with David because he's right. He didn't steal you. He hasn't stolen you. I'd much have you undead like the rest of us then in the ground and never able to see you again. No, I don't have to like the way it happened. But you didn't attack me because you love David; you attacked in defense of your creator. I was so upset and jealous I wanted to have David as the blame for losing you."
"You didn't lose me."
"Ruby…"
"Yes Marko?"
He looked up in her eyes. "I set you free."
"I don't understand Marko…"
"I set you free from me, from this relationship, to move forward. And if you come back to me, then it will be of your own free will."
"Marko no…"
"I know David's plans. Dwayne let me hear though him. And I know David is true to his word, training you out of his rights as your sire, and that this isn't because he wants you. But this will be too much for us, for you, to be tied to me and living apart. Your focus should be on your training, survival. Not on me."
"Marko." Ruby felt the tears rolling down her cheeks. The ache in her chest was making her dizzy, making the room spin. Marko gathered her into his arms as she buried her face in her hands. "No Marko, no. Please no. Don't break up with me."
"Honestly it's what is best for us. You're still Ruby, still the girl I loved. But you've had a major, major change now. You've got to discover yourself, your new life. And maybe I'm to be a part of this new life, maybe I'm not."
"I love David, but I'm not in love with him." Ruby rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands. Marko nodded.
"I understand."
"You're my pack mate. You're part of my life still."
"Yes, I'm your pack mate forever. But I'm talking about being your lover."
"You… you want to break up because now I'm a vampire and you only knew me as a lover when I was human."
"If we're meant to be, you'll be back Ruby. But this is what's best for you, and for me, right now. It doesn't mean I don't love you, quite the opposite. I want what's best for you, I always have. And I don't want you to not know how to survive as a vampire. David is the one to teach you now. He can train you, baby. He's right. I never did quite grasp how to separate it all down. I'm still too human for my own good some nights." He rocked her, stroking her hair as she cried into his hands. "Yes, part of it is I don't know this new form of you. And it scares me, and makes me sad that I lost what I knew. Like I said, still have trouble grasping the separation of old life versus this life." His fingers traced the silver filament scars on her throat with feather touches.
"I'm still me, Marko."
Marko's smile was small, but the love was still in his eyes. "Yes. You're still my Ruby. And I love you."
"I love you Marko. So much." She wrapped tightly around him in a fierce hug, squeezing tightly until tears sprang to Marko's eyes.
"Then understand I'm letting go so you can begin this chapter fresh. The ties to your old life should be severed clean. None of them forced me to say this, to do this. I just know it's what's right in my heart."
"I don't want to, but I understand why… as much as it hurts."
"I know baby. I know." His fingers closed around one of the braids he'd put in her hair the first night they'd met. "I'll always be here for you."
Ruby sat on the floor, packing what she'd brought with her to the cave when she'd originally moved in and what she had collected since. A little over four years had flown past since she'd met the Boys in Los Angeles, but so much had happened, changed. Especially in the last three weeks. Now she was moving yet again. Not far, and not away entirely, but into yet another new life. The less she thought about it at this point the better. Her thoughts were muddy, and made her stomach twist into tight knots when she tried to truly think about it all.
She folded the last shirt, tucked it in with one of the books Dwayne lent her to read, and snapped the locks shut on the suitcase. The room was bare except the sleigh bed. Marko and Ruby had come to the decision that neither should have it and neither should use it. It was too much a part of the past now. Marko had packed his things off into a new cave up the tunnel.
"Ruby, we've got the stones ready." Marko popped his head into the cave. Even the curtains had been removed.
"All right. I'm finished." Ruby got to her feet and picked up the suitcase. She found Paul and Dwayne in the tunnel, four huge buckets of stones with them. She and Marko had also decided they should wall up the entrance of their room for now.
"Kind of a waste. We could make it a entertainment room." Paul sighed, handing stones to Dwayne who began to wall up the entry.
"Your room is already the entertainment room, bud." Marko smirked, doing his share of handing stones to Dwayne as well.
"Oh yeah!" Paul grinned. Ruby couldn't help but shake her head and smile, doing her part to stack the stones.
"David will be back in a half an hour to fetch you, Ruby." Dwayne noted, looking over his shoulder at her as he worked. "You ready?"
"Just gotta say goodbye to my roommates."
"I sure will miss you Ruby. But at least now I can walk around naked again!" Paul smirked.
"Oh please no!" Marko groaned.
"That was something I so did not miss." Dwayne growled, stacking stones faster. Ruby rolled her eyes. They made short work of the entryway, walling it clear to the top of the tunnel. Marko carried her suitcase into the main room, as Ruby and the other Boys followed.
"I got you a going away but coming back some day present!" Paul jumped ahead of them, pulling a box out of the empty fountain. He handed it to Ruby. Crudely wrapped in twine and newspaper. The comics.
"You didn't have to do that Paul." Ruby smiled and tore the wrappings off. It was a spray can of air freshener. Ruby held it up, brow raised. "I'm at a loss for words…"
"Girl, you're gonna be living with David. His feet stink!" Paul demonstrated, spraying the can and filling the immediate air with the cloying scent of flowers. All four started coughing. "See! It'll cover any funky smell!"
"Wow… I'm still at a loss for words… uh… thanks Paul." Ruby crammed the can back into the box and stuck it beside her suitcase. She hugged Paul, who thankfully didn't even attempt to cop a feel. Next was Dwayne, who gathered her up in a brotherly hug.
"We'll miss you around the cave, but we'll see you every night."
"I know. I'll miss sharing your book collection."
"Any time you need something to read, just ask." He smiled, letting her go. Ruby blinked as his voice entered her head. If anything goes wrong, all you need do is call me. I will hear you. I promise you have my word on that, Ruby.
"Thank you Dwayne."
Marko stepped forward and hugged her tightly to him. "Love you Ruby." He buried his face in Ruby's hair, breathing her in one last time.
"Love you too Marko." He let go slowly. "You need to talk, just let me know, ok?"
"Will do." His child-like grin spread over his face. There was a roar of a motorcycle above them.
"I think that's your ride, Ruby." Dwayne hefted her suitcase and handed it to her, as she tucked Paul's ever so thoughtful gift under her arm. "I don't think David's going to come down to get you."
"He sure is making this separation bit serious." Paul grumbled.
"It is serious, especially to David." Dwayne was certainly patient, much like a saint, with Paul. He lead them all up and out to the small wooden crossing that lead up to the bluff. "We'll let you go from here Ruby. I know it seems odd, but it's better this way."
"I'll see you all tomorrow night." Ruby tried to smile, but she had a hard time. This was getting serious. David had spent the last two evenings seeing the previous renters moved out and working on the house. Little had honestly been seen of him, and Dwayne had led the hunts in David's absence. She'd touched their link a few times, testing and he'd always answered her query immediately. But he wouldn't come back to the cave.
Ruby took an unnecessary deep breath and headed up the wooden steps, and up to the bluff. David was parked by the bottom of the staircase, the engine purring. David did not dismount, but held out some ties for her to lash the suitcase onto the back of the bike. He was silent and serious about this departure. Ruby didn't even test their link, just tied the suitcase on and mounted the bike behind him.
As her arms snaked round him, she was smacked through their bond with a wave of… lust? Blinking through the red haze she felt David shudder as hard as she did. He just shook it off faster then she. He gunned the motor and they sped off down the bluff towards town.