He found Star totally withdrew in the days following the revelation, which frustrated him at first, but he reflected on what Dwayne had said to him and he began to slowly show her the silver linings of being a vampire. He took her with him and showed her some of the beautiful views only he and his kind could see and got her used to the sensation of flight and, once her fear had dissipated, she grew to love it. He spent time, like he did before, with her on the Boardwalk only now he pointed things out to her that she had never been able to notice before and he enjoyed her innocent reactions to such things. He showed her how they got everything for free through compulsion and manipulation and she laughed at the ease at which he did it. He walked around getting clothing and jewellery and chocolates and whatever else she desired just by asking for it and the smile grew on her face with every new item. He showed her their speed and strength and she was suitably impressed with each new discovery and he knew that he was bringing her back around to him again. He took her back to his favourite spot out by the tracks, and he let her experience the place the way he did, as an immortal, and he watched her as she picked up on all the sounds around her and he assessed her development towards becoming used to being a vampire and he was pleased with her progress.

'Do you like being out here now?' He asked leaning against a tree trunk.

'I love it! I had no idea of the life that existed out here, the sounds of the owls and the crickets and the depth of the shadows caused by a full moon.' She said, her eyes lit up like torches. He could see was enjoying the transition now, despite her initial apprehension, and he thought it was time for her to understand the complexities of his communication abilities.

'It only gets better.' He mentally projected to her and she spun around and looked at him.

'What did you say?'

'It only gets better.' He repeated, his voice echoing in her head.

'Oh my God! How did you…?' She asked and he curled his lip at her expression.

'We can communicate mentally together. Once you have turned, you will be able to call for me or the boys if you need us or are in trouble. But because I have sired you, I can talk to you now.' He made it sound like it was just for emergencies and didn't tell her that he would be tracking her via that medium from now on.

'So, you're going to let me out without you?' She asked him and he picked up on her underlying tone. She was a half now and he could lay off her a little now. He still wasn't comfortable with the idea but he could try. He smiled at her and kissed her.

'You can go out alone as long as you come back to me when I call for you.' He told her straight and she nodded. He looked at her hard and he decided she was tied up tight now and he was going to have to trust her eventually. Either he or one of his boys would keep an eye on her but he would allow her to roam the Boardwalk alone should she wish. The night after, they went down to the Boardwalk and they parked their bikes up outside the entrance and Paul and Marko jumped up and sat on the wall while David got off his bike and leaned against it next to Dwayne and they watched her walk away into the crowd. David had to control the nervous tightening in his stomach then he told the boys to follow him and they headed into the same crowd.

'You're going to leave her on her own?' Paul asked him, surprised David was actually going to do it.

'Oh Paul, you know me better than that. Marko, follow her.' Paul laughed and Marko shot him a filthy look, this wasn't exactly what Marko wanted to do with his evening but he did as he was told and took off after her while David and the boys kept walking. He stalked the Boardwalk with almost a sense of freedom without her, he had spent so much time with her and focussing on her for the last few months that to just hang with his boys and do what they used to do felt good to him. He felt comfortable knowing she was now a part of him and he felt like he could go back to his version of normality. They fed early on some run away kids and he loved the surge of adrenalin he got with the brutality that he used in his kill, the boys all picking up on it and matching him in his game. They cleaned up and stayed down near the pier to stay away from the crowds on the Boardwalk, and they hung out near a group of girls and watched them dance and frolic around in the shallow waves under the moonlight, wearing next to nothing. One of them bent over and flashed them her ass and Dwayne wolf whistled, making them all turn around and look at them.

'What else you gonna show us?' Paul called out to them and the girls giggled together and one of them flashed her boobs prompting Paul to jump up.

'What's she doing?' David projected to Marko.

'She's dancing down by the Bandstand.' He replied.

'Has she spoken to anyone?'

'Nah man, she ain't done nothing. She's dancing around in her own little world. She's going to be fine. Can I ditch this now?' David looked over at Paul and he had one of them over his shoulder and Dwayne had one under his arm and they were both ready to disappear with them, leaving David alone with the last one.

'Go and feed and we'll see you back at the bikes in a couple of hours.' He said, the third girl walking towards him. He looked her over and she was a sexy young thing, maybe a bit older than Star, with dark red hair and he found himself getting turned on. Star hadn't been welcoming to his advances the past few days leaving him more than a tad frustrated and this girl was just laying it out there for him. It didn't take him long to make his decision and he took her and had his way with her. The sex was great but he could sense she would be a cling on if given half a chance and that was the last thing he needed. As he'd already fed, he made quick work in snapping her neck and dumping her far out to sea, meeting up with the other two afterwards, who had done the same with their girls, and they walked to meet Marko. David was feeling much more relaxed and content and he was ready to leave.

'Star, come on. We're leaving.' He called for her and waited impatiently for her to arrive. 'Where was she when you left her?' He asked Marko.

'Still down at the Bandstand.' Marko said then, within ten minutes, she came out of the crowd and climbed on his bike behind him and they rode back to the cave. She was happy and David felt like things were going in the right direction, he knew he had a decent hold on her and he figured he'd manage to turn her without too much trouble. He didn't know what Max's problem was.

Star had been very quiet before they went back to the Boardwalk the following night and David knew something was up. He had picked up that she was thinking about the reality of killing and he guessed her thirst was pulling at her and he smiled, it wouldn't be long now. He had to put her out of his head for the moment though as Max had demanded David meet with him so David left her with the boys on the Boardwalk and went to Max's video store. Walking in he found the new attendant behind the counter alone.

'Hi,' she said cheerily, 'how can I help you?'

'Is Max around?' He asked her, getting a good look at her for the first time. She was pretty but she paled in comparison to Star.

'He's not here yet.' She said smiling and David sighed as Max walked in behind him.

'Out the back.' Max ordered and David followed him.

'She'll do.' David said smiling, baiting Max.

'Stay away from her.' Max shut him down. 'But speaking of girls, how's Star? Has she turned yet?'

'Not yet.' David said, not wanting to divulge any more information than he had to and Max smirked at him, putting his bag down just inside the back door. 'What do you want Max?' David asked, looking at Max with measured disdain. David was tired of being Max's lackey but he knew his place and knew he had no choice but to do as he was asked. For now.

'Raoul McIntosh.'

'Who?' David asked.

'He's the building consent manager for the council.' Max told him.

'So?' David asked impatiently.

'I need you to kill him.'

'Why don't you do it?' David challenged him, and his tone annoyed Max.

'Because I'm doing business with him and I can't be implicated in anything right now. I'm set to make a lot of money and I'm not having this power tripper get in my way.' Max explained. 'And I'm telling you to.' David looked up at Max and saw he was serious. 'I want it done David. Soon.' David nodded and turned to leave. 'Oh, and I hear you've been giving Greg Merlo a hard time? Leave him alone.'

'The guy is a …' David spun on his heel and started to respond but Max interrupted him.

'Lay off him David, you're drawing attention. We don't need it.' Max told him in no uncertain terms and he walked inside. David was frustrated, he swore to himself that this would be the last time he'd do anything for Max but he knew it wouldn't be. He lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply as he slowly walked around the building back to his bike. Raoul McIntosh. He didn't even know what Raoul McIntosh looked like. He was going to have to track him over the next couple of nights. For fucks sake.

'David, you better get back here.' Dwayne's voice broke into his consciousness. 'She's down on the beach talking to a cop.'

'She's what?' David took one last breath and flicked his cigarette on the ground. 'Where on the beach?'

'Down near Pier 2.' Pier 2? What is she doing down there?

'Don't let her leave.' David gunned his bike and screamed off towards the other side of the Boardwalk. Fuck. What the fuck is she doing talking to a cop? He pulled up at the end of the side street leading out towards Pier 2 and he walked carefully out onto the sand. He saw her and the cop talking and he watched them as he walked towards them slowly. David sensed the other three boys around him but they were out of sight.

'OK, I think we need to go to the station and make a formal report.' David heard the cop say and they both turned in his direction and halted when they saw him in their path.

'That's him.' Star said and David saw her react and hold on to the cop, moving behind him.

'What are you doing Star?' David asked her, his compelling undertones lacing his words, and she let go of the cops arm staring at him.

'You need to come with me.' The cop said, beginning to get out his handcuffs. The cop was young and inexperienced and David knew he would be no problem for him. Suddenly Paul, Dwayne and Marko came out of the darkness and surrounded them and the cop looked around and pulled out his radio to call for backup but Paul smacked it out of his hand. 'I'm taking you all in for questioning regarding some murders in San Francisco.' The cop said, looking more nervous and unsure of himself the closer David walked towards him and David looked from the cop to Star and he saw her shrink away from his gaze.

'Who died?' David asked in an austere tone, slightly tilting his head in a condescending motion.

'Jason Richmond, Nick Richmond and Toni Stadler.' So, she'd told him they'd killed had she? Now he was pissed and it was time he showed her the true extent of what he could do. David simultaneously morphed into his alter ego and grabbed the cop and threw him to Paul.

'You telling people about us? About what we do?' He asked Star sarcastically. 'Well, best we show you exactly what we can do.' His words were full of venom. 'Paul, take him to Panther Beach.' He said and Paul and Marko took off, dragging the cop with them. Dwayne stood behind Star and David grabbed her roughly.

'I told you not to fuck with me. You wanna play girl? Let's play.' He took off after the boys towards the other beach. She was going to find out exactly who he could be when provoked.