David had watched with interest, over the past week, as Star had dragged out some of the old bedding and furnishings from the bowels of the old hotel and had made herself a room, as well as her bringing back items from the beach to hang up in his cave. She had even prompted Dwayne to start to do the same and Paul had added his touch with monster movie posters and yellow and red spray paint. Her influence on the boys was encouraging and made him think that the time was right for her to turn. He had begun to leave her alone with one of the boys while he and the others went out to hunt and he'd seen the relationships develop between her and each of the boys, which also gave him confidence in his decision. David had asked Paul to pick up a car until the weather had chilled out, David despised being in a car but he hated riding out in the rain even more and it had been raining steadily for days. That was one thing he liked about being in Santa Carla, about being on the west coast in general, David didn't do the cold. Paul had come back with a large black Jeep Cherokee and Star had asked David if he would teach her to drive. He was hesitant at first, not wanting her to gain any type of independence from him but he relented, the process proving more frustrating for him then he'd anticipated.
'We are going to Grapes tonight and then we'll see how the night goes.' He told her early on the night of her 17th birthday and she smiled at him.
'OK.' She said. He had the feeling she would have gone along with whatever he'd suggested, just as long as she was out with them and not on her own and they got ready and scrambled up the staircase as quickly as they could as to not get wet, but failing by the time they got to the car. David drove them to the club then, skipping the line as usual, they walked into the room full of swirling lights and bodies writhing to the bass booming from the speakers.
'Drinks, boys.' David told Paul and Marko and they made their way to the bar while the three of them settled in to a booth. The boys arrived back with a various array of beverages and David picked up a glass and toasted his girlfriend on her birthday, to which all the boys did the same. He wanted to make sure she knew this night was about her and, seeing the delight in her eyes, he knew he had succeeded. She was buzzing. Paul downed a few shots and was up and ready to dance and he took Star's hand and they were out on the floor in a heartbeat. David was OK with it but he didn't take his eyes off her, knowing Paul far too well. Marko had gone off to dance with a long haired brunette leaving Dwayne and David alone.
'You're going to do it, aren't you?' Dwayne asked him, sucking on a cigarette.
'She's ready.' David answered watching her laugh as Paul spun her in and out of his arms. In a different time, Paul had been quite an accomplished dancer before David had found him and although he had changed, he would bring his skills out and use them to pull girls and David was aware of it. 'Max is on my case over her and I'm not going to let him take her from me.' He took a sip of his Jack and Coke and it was strong, Paul had made it a double. 'Once she's turned, Max will have to accept her. I want her, I want to keep her and she's going to turn.' Dwayne contemplated what his brother said, not sure that just because David wanted to keep her was a good enough reason to change her, but it was a good enough reason as any to change someone really. Dwayne knew that David was going to do what he wanted to do, regardless of what anyone thought, even Max apparently. David spied a couple of girls watching him and Dwayne but as soon as Paul returned with Star and David's attention was diverted, they looked away jealous and disappointed. Paul laid out shots for everyone again, which they all took except for Marko who was busy in the corner of the room with his tongue down some chick's throat. Dwayne whispered something to Star making her laugh then Paul slammed another empty shot glass down on the table.
'If you will excuse me, I believe my skills are needed elsewhere.' He said and he picked up Star's hand and kissed it. 'M'lady, thank you for your company but alas, I must depart.' Paul smiled at Star and David looked over in the direction to where he was headed at a very trendily dressed girl sitting in the middle of her group of friends and he knew he'd lost Paul for a while. Marko appeared at the table with his girl and suddenly Dwayne had a girl sitting with him too but that wasn't surprising, even being a vampire Dwayne could pull a nun in a church if he wanted to. He was relaxed and contentedly sat back with his arm around his girl and calmly smoked a cigarette then, as he looked around, he noticed Greg and his surf Nazi friends sitting across the room laughing and staring at them. David was surprised he hadn't picked up on them being here before now, but he realised he'd been too distracted by Star and he wondered if that was part of what Max had warned him about. He nudged Dwayne and they looked over at them their faces still as statues. Marko also picked up on it and looked over.
'What the fuck are they doing here?' He said but got no answer from either of his brothers.
'Who?' Star asked, looking around.
'No one.' David replied and he looked away, not giving them any more attention than they deserved, his desire to tear Greg's head off peaking. He looked at Star and she looked more than a little half cut and knew it was time to go before she got too hammered and he couldn't complete what he wanted to.
'We should go.' David whispered in her ear. 'I'm taking her back. Feed and get back there soon.' He projected in their heads, getting eye contact from Marko and Dwayne and a no look wave from Paul then he stood up and pulled her to her feet, steadying her as she lost her balance. He then led her outside and back to the car.
'How are we getting home?' She asked him a bit confused and he knew she was more gone than he thought. Paul and his bloody shots.
'I'm driving. We will meet the boys back at the Bluff.' Seeing the look on her face, he reassured her. 'It's alright Starlight, they'll be OK and they won't be too long.' They got in the car and he felt her staring at him as he started the car and began to drive.
'How are you OK to drive when you have had had just as much to drink as I have?'
'I haven't, I sat on my Jack and Coke all night.' He lied, he'd drunk more than enough only alcohol didn't hit him like it did her or the other boys. Another perk of being an older vampire, always alert other than when he was sleeping.
'How are the boys going to get home?' He liked that she worried about the boys, she was treating them like family and after tonight, they would be her only family forever.
'Oh, they'll find a way. We always do.' He knew exactly how they were getting home, he expected they had already left with their meals and would be back shortly after Star and he had arrived back at the cave. None of them were going to miss Star turning, they knew how important it was to David.
'Thank you for tonight.' She said, her head lying on the head rest.
'The night ain't over yet my girl.' He said looking out of the corner of his eyes, the excitement building within him over what he had planned for her next. He parked the car on the top of the cliff and she jumped out almost as soon as he stopped and she walked out to the edge and looked out to sea. He watched her as the lighthouse illuminated her then turned her into a silhouette and she looked like a ghost to him, her skirt and scarf floating in the wind and again he though she was perfect for him. He came up behind her and looked her body over trying not to get too aroused then he placed his arms around her and she leaned back against him. She was utterly comfortable with him and he wondered if he shouldn't wait for a while, but he could wait forever and the time wouldn't be any more perfect than what it was right now. 'Come on, let's go inside.' He said and they walked down to the cave entrance, again he had to hold her steady as they walked. He set the scene upon getting into the cave, lighting the barrels and candles and when he returned his attention back to her, he saw her lying on her bed. He strode over to her, lay on top of her and kissed her and she didn't open her eyes but she returned the kiss. 'Oh no, as much as I'd like to accompany you to bed, you ain't going to sleep yet.' He said and he pulled her up with him and she smiled and staggered over to the couch while he took his overcoat off and sat and had a cigarette. He projected to the boys to hurry up and Marko responded telling him they were on their way and David began to roll a couple of joints. 'Put some music on.' He told her.
'I don't know what is what.' She replied, filtering through Paul's mess.
'It doesn't matter.' He said and she picked one and put it on. The boys piled into the cave shortly after with pizza and David smiled knowing they'd all fed but thought it was a nice touch. They sat and sparked the joints but she declined saying that mixing champagne and pot was not going to end well for her and David laughed, little did she know what else he had in store for her. They boys were all smashed and David knew it was time so he reached behind his chair and bought out his special bottle and he could feel their collective near disbelief that he was actually going to go through with this, as he took the cork out and took a large mouthful of his own blood. In due process, it should have been Max's or at least a mixture of both their blood but David wanted her for his own with no influence from Max so he'd chosen to turn her with his blood only, he'd never changed someone with just his blood and the prospect excited him. He passed the bottle to Marko while looking intently at her and as soon as Marko took a sip he knew it was different from what he had been turned with and Dwayne and Paul picked up on his reaction. David, however, was again too focussed on Star and Marko's reaction had slipped beneath his radar. 'Star, we would like to celebrate tonight in our own way and we'd like you to join us.' David said. Marko passed the bottle to Paul and Paul didn't sip it, he skulled it and he instantly knew why Marko had been slightly alarmed. If Max knew David had turned her without his blood, he would lose his shit and it was never a pretty sight when Max was upset. It was Paul's turn to hope David knew what he was doing, he went to hand the bottle to Dwayne but Dwayne pushed it towards Star.
'Ladies first.' They boys joined their gaze with David's onto Star and they were all genuinely interested in what she was going to do.
'Be with us Star.' As soon as he said it, he knew he had her and she raised the bottle to her lips and swallowed and he thought his heart was going to jump out of his throat he was so happy. It was done and she was his forever. Paul hugged her and both Marko and Dwayne kissed her cheek and they all congratulated her and suddenly the party had found its second wind. Paul turned the sounds up and was bouncing around trying to get her to dance with him again and Dwayne was up pushing and laughing at him. David encouraged her to drink more before she was captured by Paul and was being thrown around the cave, a huge smile on her face. A little later, David encompassed her in his arms and kissed her.
'What is that?' She asked him about the bottle.
'It's my vintage wine. Only for special occasions and for special people. You're with us forever Starlight. You and I will be together forever now.' He told her outright. No more lies, there would be nothing kept between them and their lives would be totally intertwined from now on. Dwayne was challenging Paul on his skateboard but Paul wasn't interested and told him he was jealous he couldn't dance like he could and he grabbed Star again and was showing off his moves while Marko sat there drinking a beer watching them. 'It's going to be fine Marko, snap out of it.' David said, picking up on his brothers discomfort and Marko just looked at him. Star was being passed between Paul and Dwayne, them both dancing with her, and then she came back to David who gave her more of his blood, his stomach butterflies getting stronger with the more blood she consumed.
'What is this again?' She asked him, high as a kite on the stuff. He had never seen someone react to blood like she did, the boys seemed to handle it well but it was like a drug for her.
'It's life.' He whispered to her and Paul came and grabbed her and she was back with the boys. 'Show her.' He projected to the boys as he sat in his wheelchair and they looked at him seeing his eyes a rich yellow red and they followed suit, allowing her to see flashes of their true selves as she danced. He watched her sit and look confused as the boys flicked between vampire and human with every glance she took and suddenly she got up, swaying as she walked, and he watched with interest that Marko was the one to get up and help her to her bed. Paul was sharing another smoke with Dwayne and David's eyes narrowed as he saw Marko say something to her before leaving her on her bed.
'She's fucked.' Paul said looking over at her bed.
'She's going to be.' David said making the boys laugh.
'That wasn't Max's blood was it?' Marko asked David and David slid his eyes to his brother.
'No.' David said.
'Max ain't gonna be happy.' Paul said tisking his leader.
'I don't give a fuck.' David said sucking a large toke of the joint. They sat around and talked for a little longer until the boys got the point and left David to it. He went to Star and kissed her, waking her and she smiled lazily at him and he ran his hand up under her top, then under her skirt and she relaxed to his touch. He leaned down and ran his tongue over her nipple, making it hard and making her hand scratch over his shoulder, while his hand searched between her legs and that was enough for him. He unbuckled his pants and pushed between her legs, hovering there as she looked up at him, and he back at her. He was overcome with the power knowing that he had her for life, that she was his and his alone and he just about busted a nut right there. He slipped inside her and kissed her as he began thrusting into her, but somehow he wanted more. He wanted to taste her, he wanted her blood in his mouth as he fucked her and he contemplated biting her but didn't want to scare her again so he kissed her, sucking on her tongue and he gently sliced his canine into her tongue, her blood spilling into his mouth and he thrusted once more and exploded into her, the orgasm being the strongest he'd had in years. The sun was on the horizon and he knew he had to go out the back to sleep so he draped the sheet over her, leaving her to sleep and went to take his slumber, proud of what he'd accomplished.