But, long after David's lips left Taylor's thigh, after she'd pulled on an unseasonable pair of high-rise jeans and a cropped band tee, after she'd fluffed her hair and applied her thin layer of makeup and waltzed out of the house twirling a new set of keys around her finger, David was still burnt.
And he knew why.
He'd used the darkness of the room to his advantage, convincing Taylor that her blood had helped him, and pretending to fall back into his usual daytime sleep as she began to get ready for work. Her blood had strengthened him, sure, but it hadn't healed his wounds - vampire blood, even that of a halfling, couldn't do that. He needed to be fed by a full-blooded human and Taylor, as it seemed, was no longer one of those.
He wondered how long it would be before she noticed, before the sun felt unbearably hot and bright and she started to sleep in later and she developed a hunger for something which she could not name.
But he knew now, he couldn't be the one to tell her. Not after what they'd both just admitted, while he was sleeping in her room and she was practically sitting on his face. They wanted each other, and they were both afraid of it.
When the front door shut again, and the bolt slammed into place, David rose from the bed, avoiding contact with anything. He grimaced loudly even as he turned the door handle, and it left irritated marks on his burnt skin. He moved towards Sam's room. It wasn't ideal, but it was well worth a try.
David called for Sam loudly - but not loud enough to wake the others - only to save himself from having to touch another thing. Sam answered, groggy and confused.
"What the hell?" Sam asked, his eyes bugging out at David's pink tint.
"I had an accident, with your sister." He spoke through gritted teeth.
"Did you try to make a move on her, and she yanked back the curtains and unleashed the wrath of the sun on ya?" Sam laughed harshly, ignoring the pained look on David's face.
"Something like that." David huffed. "Anyways, I need blood."
Sam made a face.
"Ooh no! You all gave me a no-bite promise! Go ask my sister, this is her fault!" Sam moved the slam the door, but David stuck out a hand, stopping it. He ignored the pain shooting up his damaged arm.
"I can't ask your sister, Sam, and I can't tell you why." David thought for a moment. "Or, maybe I will tell you why - after you help me."
"David - "
"Look kid," He said harshly. "You've read the comics, I've seen you, and you know what a bite does - absolutely nothing, unless I take too much blood. Which I won't, because Max and Lucy would have my head. So think about this for a minute before you decide: what do you have to lose? And what do you have to gain?"
Sam swallowed, thinking of his older sister, as he opened the door just a few inches more. Without allowing David into the room, Sam stuck his wrist out into the hallway.
David didn't need to be asked twice. He bit down, sharply enough that Sam didn't feel much pain at all, and began to suck.
When his skin returned to its usual pale shade, Sam ripped his arm away. David nearly growled, drained and feral, but decided against it. He best hold up his end of the deal, and not anger Sam.
"What's wrong with Taylor?" Sam asked, his eyes filled with a worry that was curiously absent from the rest of his family's. That was the thing about being human - you felt things more strongly then, cared for them. Vampirism had its pluses, but it also had its complications, its coldness.
"The wine from last night," David began, but didn't quite know how to finish.
"No," Sam breathed, disbelief flickering in his eyes. He looked up, his anger settling on David. "You! Did you give it to her!"
"I wouldn't do that to her, Sam." David sighed and, for some reason, Sam believed him.
It was a convenient narrative - David liked Taylor. If what Michael said last night was true, then David even loved her, but humans and vampires rarely mixed well together, countless histories had pointed that out. So, in order to win her love, David had decided to trick her into becoming one of them. The story made sense, but it didn't feel right. It was like jamming together mismatched puzzle pieces. Sam furrowed his brows.
"Max gave her the wine, I remember because she was the only one drinking it." Sam said, lost in his thoughts.
"You're smart, Sam." David shook his head. "I'll leave you to figure this one out on your own. Thank you, by the way."
David stalked down the hall, headed towards the basement where the rest of the boys slept when they stayed the night here, the upstairs bedrooms reserved for permanent residents - Sam, Michael, Max and Lucy, and now Taylor. But most of them, David would bet, were in the cave tonight, even Laddie, who much preferred the familiarity of the Emerson household. He hadn't heard them return from the boardwalk last night.
As Taylor swam in his thoughts, David shut the basement door behind him, and prepared to catch up on his sleep.