Over the next week, David and Star spent almost all their time together. Paul had acquired a car from somewhere, she didn't know where from and she thought it was kind of strange, as the weather had turned sour and David had been teaching her to drive, much to the boys' amusement. Paul would sit in the back with Dwayne and Marko and mess with her head and lean over and play with the stereo and generally make a nuisance of themselves and Star picked up very quickly that David hated being in a car and his patience was short with both her lack of driving skills and the boys making it even more difficult in teaching her. She'd had the opportunity to talk and spend some time with all the boys separately when David would disappear and leave her with one of the boys every night, he would never leave her on her own but he wouldn't allow her to accompany him when he went out with the other two. She had, however, managed to find some common ground with both Paul and Dwayne, she struggled a bit with Marko but there seemed to be a mutual respect growing between them once they'd gotten to know each other a bit more, which she appreciated. She had found some vintage cloth from the old hotel stocks and had hung it around her bed for a modicum of privacy and she'd developed a kind of comfort in her space of the cave. While looking for the curtains, she'd found some old rugs, blankets and cushions that she'd brought out to her bed and she'd decorated it well. She'd begun to bring back dried starfish and other trinkets she'd found on the beach which she'd strung up in mobile type arrangements around the place. Dwayne, being artistic, had helped her by bringing back things like large laser discs and other items he'd obtained from the Boardwalk and Paul's contribution had been to take to the walls with some spray paint, that was about as artistic as Paul got. The weather hadn't let up all week and David had decided they would go down to Grapes for her birthday to start off with and see where the night took them from there and she was happy with that. She hadn't celebrated her birthday since her mother had died and she was just grateful to be around people who cared. Regardless of the weather, Grapes was jumping and she was instantly happy to be there, they sat at a booth on the right side of the room while Marko and Paul were dispatched to go and get drinks and they returned with a magnum of champagne, four bottles of beer, a Jack and Coke and a scantily clad girl with test tube shot glasses attached to her large white cowgirl belt and the party began. David picked up one of the champagne flutes and raised it, encouraging everyone else to raise a glass.

'Happy Birthday Star.' He said curling his lip as he spoke.

'Happy Birthday, Girl!' Paul added and they all clinked glasses. She drank happily, not wanting to offend the boys in their effort to have her enjoy her night. In between Paul drinking shot after shot, he would pull her out onto the dance floor and dance with her, David didn't but she didn't expect him to and she didn't mind. She didn't need to dance with anybody, the music was enough to have her happy to dance on her own but Paul was blowing her away with his moves. He was a spectacular dancer, like a real talent and she was suitably impressed. No one else approached her tonight as it was obvious she was with the four men and no one dared to intrude on their party but David would always have his eye on her though, watching who she spoke to and what she did. About halfway through the night Dwayne and Marko had a couple of girls hanging off them, she didn't know who they were but they seemed friendly enough and she was happy to see the boys engaging in some sort of communication other than with themselves. As she sat with David, she looked out into the crowd and saw Paul had girls with him also and everyone seemed happy, it felt like the perfect night to her.

'What the fuck are they doing here?' She heard Marko say a little later and she spun her head around to see who he was talking about.

'Who?' She asked.

'No one.' David told her and in his tone she could sense a change. She had drunk more than she had intended to and she was quite light headed, she had no idea what time it was but she assumed it to be quite late.

'We should go.' David said in her ear, reading her mind again. How did he do that? He got up, helping her to her feet and she swayed a bit but he caught her. He then just walked out without saying anything to anyone which she found odd.

'How are we getting home?' She asked once they got outside.

'I'm driving.' He told her. 'We will meet the boys back at the Bluff.' She looked at him confused. 'It's alright Starlight, they'll be OK and they won't be too long.' He always knew just what to say to make her feel better and they got into the car. She looked at him as if he had an ethereal quality as he started the car.

'How are you OK to drive when you have had just as much to drink as I have?' She asked him.

'I haven't, I sat on my Jack and Coke all night.' He said, his eyes on the road.

'How are the boys going to get home?'

'Oh, they'll find a way. We always do.' We. He said it like they were all one.

'Thank you for tonight.' She said, her head resting on the seat as she watched him.

'The night ain't over yet my girl.' He said looking at her sideways and he sped up. They arrived at the cliff top, it had stopped raining and the air was misty and cool. He left the car out in the open and she got out and wandered to the edge of the cliff and looked out over the ocean. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and stood there for a moment. 'Come on, let's go inside.' He led her down the stairs, holding her as she was a little unsteady on her feet. He lit the barrels and went around lighting the millions of candles around the cave that she loved while she took her jacket off and lay on her bed, she could have gone to sleep but he came and lay on top of her and kissed her. 'Oh no, as much as I'd like to accompany you to bed, you ain't going to sleep yet.' He pulled her to her feet and over to the couch telling her to put some music on, which she did, while he lit a cigarette and rolled a couple of joints. She'd found a tape of Paul's and placed it in the boom box and when the boys all clambered down the cave entrance about a half an hour later, Paul approving of her choice of sounds by doing some air guitar as he jumped into the room. Marko had brought back some pizza but none of the boys seemed too interested in it, even after they had all sat around and smoked the joints. David sat in his chair while she sat on the couch with Paul sitting on the arm of the couch on one side of her and Dwayne sitting on the couch seat next to her. Marko was sitting on the adjacent couch and they were all happy and relaxed when David reached behind his chair and lifted the bejewelled bottle again. It made everyone stop and look at him as he popped the cork out and took a large swig of the contents then he handed the bottle to Marko, who also took a swig.

'Star, we would like to celebrate tonight in our own way and we'd like you to join us.' She looked at David as Marko passed the bottle to Paul, not quite understanding what he was saying, she thought she had already joined them. Paul took his fill and went to offer it to Dwayne.

'Ladies first.' Dwayne said and Paul handed it to Star. She looked at the bottle, she knew she'd had enough to drink and she contemplated declining but instantly she felt the peer pressure coming from all of the boys and suddenly she felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room.

'Be with us Star.' David's voice enveloped her and she looked at him and felt compelled to do what he wanted her to do. She took the bottle from Paul and she felt all of their eyes on her as she brought the bottle up to her lips, the liquid tasted salty and warm and was thick like a syrup and she knew it wasn't wine. Was it a type of Port? It tasted tangy and metallic and the taste lingered in her mouth as she handed the bottle to Dwayne. She then saw them all smiling at her, no one more than David, and the atmosphere in the room had exploded to one of celebration and excitement but she didn't know what had changed. They were all hugging and kissing her in congratulations and she was confused.

'What is that?' She asked David when he took her in his arms and kissed her.

'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 said it like it meant something but she felt like she didn't know what exactly. Her drinking his wine seemed to change something and make it somewhat more permanent, like they were celebrating a marriage or something. She looked at David and he was beaming, like a father proud of his new child and unable to get the smile off his face. Paul seemed equally as pleased, bouncing around wanting her to dance with him again and Dwayne maintained his usual reserved persona all be it happy that she had joined them like David wanted. Marko however grabbed a drink and sat back and pensively watched her. He appeared neither happy nor sad, more intrigued at what had just transpired and, although he'd congratulated her in the same manner as the rest of them, he was almost sitting back and waiting to see what would happen next and she didn't know why. David encouraged her to drink more which she did enjoying his growing happiness with every bitter mouthful and soon her head was positively swimming, this stuff was strong.

'What is this again?' She asked him after her fourth or fifth sip.

'It's life.' He whispered in her ear and she smiled, she had never seen him this animated and it made her happy. Soon she was literally spinning from Paul to Dwayne again and back to David as the music blared. She felt like she was floating and soon it became all too much for her and she had to sit down, she couldn't see straight and as she looked around the room, she began to think she was hallucinating again. She was seeing their eyes changing colours and there was something about them that was different. She got up and stumbled as she attempted to walk to her bed and suddenly Marko was there helping her.

'Thank you.' She was slurring her words.

'You've done it now, you will never escape. I hope you're prepared.' He said as he took her to her bed and walked away. She lay there running her tongue over her teeth analysing the strange iron taste, thinking about what Marko had just said. You will never escape. Why would she want to? Escape from what? What did he know that she didn't? She must have dozed off a little because the next thing she knew, she felt lips on hers and she opened her eyes to see David leaning over her and she smiled up at him, feeling his hand slide up under her top and expose her breasts. She closed her eyes again as his hand then made its way up her inner thigh and she manoeuvred herself to fit in beneath him better. She felt the tip of his tongue slick across her nipple and she let out a small moan and spread her legs a little further apart. She heard him undo his buckle and slide in between her legs and she opened her eyes, he was on the verge of entering her but he stopped and looked deep into her eyes. Once again, she felt hypnotized by his crystal blue orbs, almost like she was sinking, and she began to feel numb but she couldn't work out why he had this effect on her. He then plunged deep inside her and she closed her eyes in pleasure before his mouth found hers again and his thrusts became more regular. She felt a sharp pain on her tongue but she was so involved in the act that she didn't react to it, knowing he could get a little carried away and knowing he was close to climaxing. Once they were both spent, she felt him get off her and her eyes grew heavy, so heavy that she felt like she had weights on her eyelids and she couldn't stay awake. She'd had far too much to drink and she decided she wasn't going to drink that stuff again, David's wine, it was too much for her. She became aware that the music had gone, the room was quiet and the boys had gone, including David, and she strained to open her eyes to see where he was. Seeing no sign of him, she had a brief knot in her stomach over the fact he wasn't sleeping next to her but that was taken over by her tiredness and sleep took her like it had never taken her before.