Max called a meeting with the boys as soon as it was reported that Raoul had gone 'missing' and they met out at the railway tracks, David making sure they were late on purpose.

'You're late.' Max said but, to both David's surprise and annoyance, he wasn't angry.

'I know.' David said walking towards his elder, the others following him.

'You boys did well, and fast, how'd you do it?' Max asked David and he seemed happy to see him for once.

'Does it matter? The guy's dead.' David said, full of disinterested attitude.

'I want to know David. Are they going to find a body?' Max asked.

'Do they ever?' David was being deliberately evasive and Max knew it. Max stood there waiting for his answer and David knew he'd wait there all night until he got it, whereas David just wanted to leave. 'Dwayne and Marko took care of him.' Max looked surprised at this.

'Did anyone see you with him?' He asked Dwayne and Dwayne shook his head.

'How did you get to him?' Max asked and David rolled his eyes and sighed. 'I need to know details about this one David, it is a precarious situation.'

'Star made contact and she brought him to us.' David admitted and Max smiled.

'Has she turned yet?' David looked over his shoulder back at the boys out of the corner of his eyes and barely shook his head.

'No? Well at least you've found a use for her.' His comment jaded him and made him think of the man in the street in San Francisco.

'That it?' David asked ready to leave.

'For now.' David turned and began to walk away. 'How was Los Gatos? Enjoy your trip down memory lane?' Max asked and David stopped dead in his tracks. He hated that Max could still do that. It made him feel like he was still Max's child and it fucked David off. 'I'll see you soon David.' Max added and he got in his car and drove off. David continued back to his bike and they all took off to feed then after they had disposed of the bodies and cleaned themselves up, they sat and chilled for a bit. The boys had noticed David's ongoing mood wasn't improving and they were struggling as to how to address it until Marko spoke.

'What's wrong with you?' David sucked in a hit of smoke before he answered.

'Nothing.' David said curtly.

'What happened in San Francisco?' Dwayne asked him and David looked at Dwayne then at Marko and back out to sea. He could put Marko off but not Dwayne.

'Some cunt asked me how much to fuck Star.' David said.

'What?' Paul laughed. 'When?'

'While we were waiting for you.'

'Is that why you ditched me?' Paul asked him.

'How much?' Marko pushed and David flicked him a filthy look.

'Did you let him?' Paul followed, hoping for a story.

'No, I took his money and killed him.' David said, almost amused at the memory. 'But I killed him in the street.' The boys went silent. 'I know, bad form, but he fucked me off. I got no problem with hookers, you guys know that, but I'd never be with one. My girl is no one's whore and I will not have anyone propositioning her or touching her or doing anything with her. That includes you lot.' Although he'd said it to all of them, he'd more so said it to Paul. Dwayne had too much integrity to do that to David and Marko all but hated her and it wasn't that he didn't trust Paul, he'd just seen the connection between the two of them and he wasn't going to let it grow. Star was his toy and he wanted everyone to know it. 'She just needs to fucking turn, then I won't need to worry about her.' David was sick of waiting and it was well known that David didn't wait for anyone. They all sat there contemplating what he'd just said, it was unheard of for David to make such a mistake and it proved to them how wound up he was over her.

'What were you doing in Los Gatos?' Dwayne asked him and David shot his eyes at his intuitive brother and Dwayne instantly saw that it wasn't something David was willing to talk about. Dwayne knew about Los Gatos and he was blown away that now Star knew too.

0o0

Over the next few days David's mood just got worse and he was pushing her harder to turn but she still resisted. Then he realised what he needed was leverage, an ultimatum to force her hand and then he would get what he wanted. He awoke and hung there for a while thinking about his next move and his thoughts came back to a child, someone small who wouldn't put up a fight or take too much to kill. If she still wouldn't go through with it, then he'd turn the kid and leave her to look after it. Prostitutes didn't have kids following around after them. It would eliminate any misconception of her and make her look more wholesome and normal, maybe like an older sister, but definitely not for sale. Then if the kid killed, she'd turn for sure, he couldn't imagine a kid having much will power and he knew she was close too, he'd seen it in her eyes. He dropped down and woke the boys in doing so, and they all walked out to the main cave and he saw Star sitting on her bed looking through another one of Dwayne's sketching pads, only this one was his hidden sketch pad.

'Did you give that to her?' David silently asked Dwayne and Dwayne shook his head staring at her unimpressed she had it and they approached her curtains and stepped inside.

'What are you doing?' He disturbed her and she quickly slammed the book and turned to faced them but said nothing. 'Star?'

'I… um… was just looking at some more of your drawings.' She handed the book back to Dwayne with a shaking hand. 'I'm sorry.' She said and David could feel Dwayne's annoyance. He would have spat at her but David wasn't in the mood and he just couldn't do this right now, he had to leave. He had to hunt and go find a kid to put his plan into place. 'Stay here with Paul. We're going out.' He looked at Paul and glared at him before he left with the other two. They fed off some drunks downtown and it left all of them feeling a bit off their game, and David with a headache which didn't help his mood any. They went down to LA to find a kid, David knew well enough not to shit in his own backyard and that if he was seen walking around with a kid who had gone missing in Santa Carla, it would draw unwanted attention. There was enough of that going on already. Max was going to be a big enough obstacle let alone the police, not that the missing persons unit in Santa Carla did anything, they had contributed enough to the missing persons board on the Boardwalk to know that. They went to Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier and there was a band playing down there, some chick band who were popular in LA, The Bangles or something. David was grateful Paul wasn't with them, he'd just be distracted by the short skirts singing on stage. They filtered through the people scattered along the pier and went down the end out in front of the restaurant. David looked out to the ocean and the moon glinting and reflecting off it and he began to question what he was doing, when Dwayne nudged his arm and he turned around to see a young kid, about ten or eleven, who was watching the cartoon artist draw some people. His parents had wandered off without him and Dwayne walked up and stood near him.

'What do you think?' Dwayne asked him.

'It's good. It looks just like them.' The boy said and he looked up at him and his eyes lit up a little that someone like Dwayne would talk to him.

'Nah, I could do better.' Dwayne said and the artist gave him a scowl and the boy looked him up and down.

'You don't look like an artist.' The boy said to him.

'Oh yeah, and what does an artist look like?' Dwayne asked him as he walked off and the boy followed him.

'Not like you. You look different. Would you draw me?' He asked, trotting along like a little puppy dog.

'Sure, but I'm going to play down at the arcade for a bit with my friends, wanna come?' David and Marko were waiting by the railing and Dwayne pointed over to them and the boy looked at them, a little uncertain. 'They're not that scary, the one with the long hair kills at Air Hockey.'

'Come on Dwayne.' David said and he walked off towards the arcade.

'What's your name kid?' Dwayne asked him.

'Laddie, people call me Laddie. I don't have any money though.'

'You don't need to worry about that kid.' Dwayne smiled.

'Come on, let's go play.' Dwayne said gently pulling on his jacket and the boy went with him. They entered the arcade and Laddie ran over to the air hockey table but there was a guy sitting on it. The boys walked over to it and they guy looked at David and without David even saying anything the dude got off and sulked away. Laddie looked up at David with amazement in his eyes and David glanced down at him.

'You playing or what?' David asked him and the boy ran around and picked up the puck and put it on the table. 'Marko, you're up.'

They played for a short while and David quickly realised this was the kid he was looking for. He saw the parents come looking around the arcade and he stood so he was blocking their view of Laddie and they left in a panic. Laddie appeared so enamoured with the Dwayne and Marko that he'd lost all interest in anything but being around them. David knew it was going to be easy to get him to come with them and once he saw their bikes it was sold. David could practically hear his heart beat quicken in excitement when Dwayne asked him if he'd like a ride. They kicked it back up the coast and arrived in half the time it took them to get down there. David jumped off and silently entered the cave to see Paul with his arm around Star and he stood there still as if he was poised to strike. What the fuck were they doing?

'Comfortable?' David said and he watched Paul's arm drop instantly and Star turn her head to look at him. Paul stood up and raised his hands in surrender.

'I was just talking to her man.' Was Paul stupid? David was in no mood to have his orders challenged or disobeyed and he had no problem in telling Paul so.

'If I see your arm around her again, I'll cut it off.' He was deadly serious as he took two steps towards the two of them. 'Go and eat.' He told Paul and Paul went to leave but as he walked past David, David noticed the new silver adorning Paul's ear and his jealousy surged. It was bad enough she had done one for Dwayne as well as David but now Paul. 'Nice earring.' David said without looking at him and Paul paused, knowing it was a thinly veiled warning then he left. David maintained his stare on his girlfriend and she stood to face him. She didn't look guilty but she did look nervous and then he saw her face change as the other two walked into the cave with the little boy. Her face displayed shock to confusion and finally dismay at the little boys presence and David laughed maliciously.

'Star, meet Laddie. Laddie, this is my girlfriend Star.' He watched Laddie walk over to Star wanting to be accepted by the girl.

'Hi.' He said looking up at her and she smiled at him.

'Hi Laddie.' She bent down to talk to him and David slumped down into his chair and pulled out a smoke.

'Do you like my bear? Dwayne won it for me.'

'Yeah, he's great. Laddie, how old are you?' She asked and David narrowed his eyes at her as he smoked.

'Ten.' The boy, absent minded, answered her.

'Ten…' She looked back at David and he gave her a blank yet powerful stare. 'Where are your parents?'

'Laddie wanted to hang with us, didn't you kid.' David interrupted, flicking his eyes onto the boy.

'Yeah, and Dwayne asked me if I liked arcade games and they let me play with them and then he took me for a ride on his bike.' David smiled smugly as she scrutinized him while Laddie spoke. The kid was saying exactly what David wanted him to say. Marko called Laddie over to him and showed him his birds and David relaxed in his chair and put out his cigarette. He called to Paul to come back and to bring some food with him when he returned and when he looked up, he saw Star walking swiftly towards him.

'What are you doing? Why is he here?' There was an urgency in her voice as if her opinion was going to make a difference to him.

'He's going to be your first.' He burned her with his stare, she was questioning him again and he was in a raw mood as it was without her pushing him any further. Didn't she get that? He saw something change in her and she shook her head and her eyes began to water. He felt a sense of satisfaction at her reaction and a boost of power knowing he was railroading her into doing what he wanted her to. 'You will Star. You won't like the alternative.' He felt totally in control and that's just the way he liked it. She began to back away from him but he wasn't going to let her get away or avoid him and what he had planned for her. 'Star.' He compelled her and she stopped. 'Sit down.' He watched her sit down rigidly on the couch opposite him then Laddie came over and sat next to her, so close he was touching her.

'How long have you lived here?' The kid asked her.

'A few months.' She replied.

'Where are your parents?' He asked and David watched in intrigue at their interaction and at what she was going to say.

'Ahhh… They died.' He watched her closely as she answered but he wasn't expecting what Laddie did next.

'It's OK, my brother died too.' David tilted his head at the boy's words. 'Is that a skateboard?' Laddie skipped over to Dwayne's skateboard. 'Who's is this?'

'It's mine.' Dwayne told him and he shook Laddie's hair like an older brother would.

'Can you ride it?'

'Can I ride it…' Dwayne laughed and David knew he was going to impress him with his skills. The kid was mesmerised as Dwayne did his thing and David looked back at Star to see her face tinged with fear at the idolisation Laddie was quickly developing with Dwayne. She looked back at him and directly into his eyes and he could read her like a book. She expressed hopelessness over the situation and he knew she knew he had the upper hand here and there was nothing she could do about it. He heard Paul come in and his arrival drew the attention of all the others but David held fast to her gaze despite the intrusion. Paul placed the food down and everyone began to eat and David heard Paul ask who Laddie was and Dwayne tell him but he paid them no mind until he broke off his stare off with Star and he pulled out his millionth cigarette for the day and lit it, moving his attention to the boys and watching them eat.

'Aren't you hungry?' Laddie asked Star after a while when he noticed she wasn't eating. David backed him up sensing an opportunity to get in a dig at her.

'Yes Star, eat. I know you're dying to feed.' David mocked her with his double meaning and she gave him a resentful look which just egged him on. 'You don't know the extent of which I will go if you don't.' He changed his tone to one of underlying seriousness which he knew she had picked up on.

'I'm not hungry Laddie, but you eat as much as you can.' Her voice wavered as she spoke.

'What's he doing here?' Paul voice appeared in David's head after they'd eaten.

'The ball is in her court now Paul.' David answered him. 'Come on Star.' He said aloud and she shook her head at him and she began to get upset. For fucks sake, he was a kid, no one important and her consistent resistance was fucking him off. David had even brought the meal to her, he had made it so easy for her and there was no reason to deny him now. If she needed a push, he was more than willing to give it to her. He pulled out his wine and drank some. 'Want some?' He asked her malevolently and he offered the bottle to her, the corner of his mouth curling up.

'Can I have some?' Laddie asked him and he slid his eyes to the boy before he answered.

'Sure kid.' Star shot him a death stare and he looked back at her. 'Unless Star objects. What do you say Star?' The pressure filled silence he had created was penetrating her and he could tell she was paralysed as to what to do.

'Please Star? I'm thirsty.' Laddie's pleading was perfect and was just exacerbating the situation.

'This is it Star, it's either you or him.' David spoke to her mentally and he saw her hands begin to shake.

'Um… how about we find you something else?' She said to the boy, looking around.

'Why? I've got this right here.' He leaned forward. 'Stop stalling Star, what's it gonna be?' He'd had enough and it was time for her to make her decision.

'David, please don't do this.' She said to him quietly and he gave her his most uncaring expression as he handed the bottle to Laddie. Laddie looked at her and she glanced from Laddie back to David. 'I hate you.' She said taking aim at him and she stood up and walked over to her bed.

'Drink up kid.' David told the kid and he smiled triumphantly as Laddie took a large sip.

'Ew, this tastes funny.' Laddie said and David smiled. Dwayne, Marko and Paul all gave each other looks of consternation, not quite believing what their leader was doing. Why the fuck would he want a kid hanging around? This was even somewhat fucked up in their eyes.

'Don't worry about it kid, you'll get used to it.' David grabbed Laddie's jacket by the collar and walked him over towards Star. 'Would you like to stay here with us for a while?'

'Sure.' Laddie yawned. 'Can we go back to the arcade tomorrow?'

'Star will take you to a better one.'

'Can I go for a ride with Dwayne again? He's cool.' Laddie rubbed his eyes.

'We'll see kid.' David told him. We'll see if you make it through the night with the way Star's eyes glinted when she caught a whiff of his bottle. 'Come and sleep here.' David patted Star's bed and Laddie jumped up.

'Oh, I forgot my bear.' He got down and wandered off to find his toy and David towered over her with superiority pouring out of him.

'Why are you doing this? If you want to punish me, punish me but why couldn't you leave him alone.' She asked him.

'He is your punishment. You wouldn't do it, now he's your problem.' He enjoyed the confusion and terror on her face then Laddie came back hugging his bear. 'Sleep here tonight kid and Star will get you another bed tomorrow.' He glanced once more at her, his smirk firmly planted on his face. .

'Are you alright Star?' Laddie asked her.

'Yeah.' She said. David walked back to the main cave, not interested in any more of Star's pouting. He had her trapped now, she was going to have to kill, or try and refrain from killing while she either helped a kid to keep from killing or watch him do it himself. Either way, she would succumb, she wouldn't be able to not succumb. Next would be explaining this to Max.