In case you haven't noticed yet, my chapter names are Elliott Smith lyrics and song titles… ;)

"We need more help."

Rita said nothing, her wrinkled eyes red-rimmed and tired. She had spent the last three hours desperately trying to keep life in Adrian's body. Every time she willed the skin together, it willed itself apart again, seeping and inflamed. Wounds inflicted by a hellhound were no ordinary wounds. They had a life of their own, and fought her magic tooth and nail, as if they were intent on destroying the body upon which they had been inflicted. Hellhounds…who would have ever thought to use them? They were almost uncontrollable, and that many of them…it was like trying to keep a pit of snakes untangled. God knows where he had gotten them all.

Not hearing a response, David raised his voice a notch. "You said that if anything threatened your clan, you wouldn't hesitate to go back to using the old ways."

"I would. But it could end up killing not only me, but everyone. The black magic is like a wild thing. You don't control it, it only allows itself to be controlled for a while. It flatters you and entices you until you end up completely in its grasp. "

"But if you tapped into it, you could just kill them."

Rita exhaled loudly, as if she were dealing with a child. "Taking life or giving life back is almost impossible. It would take me weeks to prepare the rituals and to harness the energy. We have no time for that."

David sat back in the chair and raised his eyes to the ceiling. An idea was forming little by little in his head. Ever since Rita had mentioned life and death. Coming together like little beads of mercury, congealing to form one coherent thought. At first, it seemed like almost a joke. But the more he thought about it…the more plausible it became.

"Rita."

"Yes….?"

"Bringing something from the dead back to the living. So, you're saying it's extremely hard, right?"

"Almost impossible."

"Time consuming?"

"Yes, yes, weeks of preparation at least, like I said."

"Interesting."

"David, don't think I don't hear that tone. What are you getting at?"

A broad smile formed on David's face as he dropped his eyes to the ground, laughing softly to himself. "What about bringing something back halfway?"

"Halfway? What do you mean halfway?"

"I mean, not from dead to living, just from dead…to undead." He looked back up at her, dark blue eyes sparkling with an almost child-like mischievousness. "I have a few old friends we could call on, if you know what I mean…."

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….….

"That's it. I'm done with this."

Michael was already wheeling his bike out of the garage.

"Michael, you can't just walk out now." Cate strode after him. After they had retrieved Daniel's body for a quick but proper burial, Michael had immediately gone to his room, packed his things, and headed out the door. He hadn't said a word to anyone, and would have left completely unnoticed if he had not bumped into her on the way.

"Oh can't I?" he threw down his bag and glared at her furiously. "This is your war. I've seen enough already.

"But your father –"

"I am NOT my father. I don't want any of this. I came with you to see what this was all about. Now I have. If you want to spend your life bathing in other people's blood, that's fine, but I like to sleep with a clean conscience." He picked up the bag and deftly laced it to the back of his bike. He wasn't kidding around, not this time. There was a time and a place to play rebel, but it wasn't now. He wasn't about the leave Lucy and Sam alone for good, not this time.

"Michael, we need every person we can get right now. If you walk away right now, you're a coward."

"If I walk away right now, I'm not a coward. I'm the smart one. I'm the one who doesn't want to spend the rest of his life killing things."

His bike growled to life and Cate threw up her hands. Suddenly, he didn't look like Tobias anymore. The liquid brown eyes that had caused her to swallow her tongue when they had first met were now trained on her with disgust. Their depth was gone, they seemed like shallow soil. He wasn't anything close to Tobias. It was as if an imposter had come back, some kind of doppelganger to spit on his grave by acting the part of the abandoner. She actually began to feel cheated, wronged. This was supposed to be their inspiration, the son of a highly regarded warrior, who took it upon himself to leave his family and come fight for the clan. This was supposed to be her brother, or at least a reflection of him, so she would not feel quite so devastatingly alone and devoid of family. But now? Michael was leaving. She was growing angrier and more indignant by the minute. They had brought him all the way from Santa Carla, and at the first sign of death, he decided to pack up and leave?

"Bravo." She heard David walk up behind her, his gloved hands clapping slowly and deliberately. "Bravo. Bra-ha-vo. Some hunter, there. Michael, I'm impressed by your complete lack of balls once again."

"Don't even get me started on you." Michael cut the engine, apparently not ready to leave yet not that he had another target for his anger. "You're a crazy, power-hungry son of a bitch. I knew that from day one, but y'know I though hey, he's got a cool bike, he's probably just a little weird, let's see where this goes. Whoops, too bad he's one of the freaking UNDEAD. I'm sick of seeing where things go, because as of right now, my track record has been pretty damn crappy."

"Are you sure it's not because you're supposed to be power-hungry son of a bitch along with us?" David sneered teasingly. "You wanted to be one of us, admit it. They say you always hate things in other people that you hate about yourself. How about it Michael?"

Michael gritted his teeth. The way David said his name drove him crazy. It always had. He sounded like he was talking to a dog, or a child. Ohhh Miiii-chaaaaael! "Maybe at one time I did, but now I wouldn't lower myself to scraping you off the bottom of my shoe. And I never wanted to be part of some crazy vampire hunting club. I have a mother and a brother. You guys, on the other hand, have absolutely nothing. Do you understand that? Your lives are worthless. Worthless. So go ahead and throw them away! No one will miss you, no one will care. I, on the other hand, have responsibilities, and right now I'm going back to them no matter how many names you decide to call me behind my back. Enjoy speaking while you can, by the way, I hear it's pretty hard from six feet under."

Michael angrily keyed the motor back up again, and this time he didn't cut it again. The bike was out of the garage with Michael on it in a few seconds, leaving only a trail of dust .

"I guess you had him picked, didn't you." Cate murmured.

"Wanna take a shot at him? I can get your bow."

"Eh. I almost want to. How is Ade?" Cate changed the subject with a sigh, running a frustrated hand through her hair. It felt greasy and tangled. Right now, all she wanted to do was take a shower and forget the horrific scene she had just witnessed.

"Bad. Very bad. Rita stitched him up but he could go either way."

"You know he attacked them to save me."

David shrugged and replied reluctantly. "Guess I can't be quite so much of an ass to him, now can I?"

"If you ever get to talk to him again, that is. Adrian was always….odd…but he has a strict sense of loyalty."

"He acts like he knows you better than me."

"He's jealous. He won't admit it."

"Jealous, huh?"

"We used to have a thing." Cate's voice held a finality as if she didn't want to discuss it any more.

"A thing?" David bristled. "What kind of thing? I hope you're talking about teaching him to play fetch or something. And that he didn't move that furry ass from the foot of the bed to any other place on it"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, and my history prior to you is none of your business."

"At least he didn't give you fleas…guess that pack really did warp your sense of attraction if that's the kind of guy you used to go for." David grunted and began to turn away from her. It was a low blow, he knew, and he expected retribution….but he was still unprepared for how swiftly it came. The palm of her hand moved so quickly he couldn't avoid it, and it slammed into his check with a resounding slap. Before he could react to that, she cannoned into his chest with her entire body, knocking him onto the floor. The wind was crushed from his lungs as she dug her knees into his chest and he felt the stinging tingle of silver at his throat. Her face was inches from his, and it was anything but friendly.

"Times like these…I have trouble remembering why I didn't kill you a month ago. Tell me again? Because you 'love' me? Because you think we're the same person? Well, let me tell you something, David. When it comes right down to it, you don't know a single fucking thing about me, much less about that part of my life, and if you ever, EVER bring it up in that tone again, I'll collect your goddamn head AND your balls, and leave you to rot in the sun. I don't need this."

They locked eyes with each other like two wild animals, breathing heavily, each one refusing to break the stare. David wasn't about to let her win. "Yeah, you do need this. No one's ever challenged you before, no one's ever gotten your ass-kicking little panties in a bunch before now, and guess what? That's why I'm here. I OWN Santa Carla. I OWN my pack. I practically OWN California, for that matter. And I sure as hell ain't gonna forget that, because you can't beat me. Hell, you can't even come close."

"You're wrong."

"Oh?"

"I can beat you any time."

"And how's that?"

"Leaving. If I leave, you're no longer vulnerable. I make you vulnerable, you know that. And it's that feeling, that feeling of being so ridiculously insecure about showing any weakness at all, THAT is what keeps you working, keeps you going, keeps you fighting, because you go through life scared. If you don't have someone around to scare you into realizing that you're not the end-all and be-all of the universe, and that God forbid, you actually care about someone more than your own disgustingly huge ego, you have nothing to live for."

"Bullshit."

"You love me and you know it. That's why you're such a bastard to me. You 'own' Santa Carla, fine, but I own you."

He bit her. Not a nip. This was a bite, a snapping, hard bite, right to the side of her face. Her head suddenly exploded with the reverberations of pain coursing through her nerves. With a scream she released her hold on him and rolled off. The bite was in a painful spot, but hadn't gone too deep. It was already beginning to heal, but…..had he just bitten her? Bitten her? And suddenly….David started to laugh. It started as just a little snort, but as he kept watching her, it grew and grew in volume until he was holding his sides and desperately trying to catch his breath. Cate stared at him like he had suddenly gone mad. "You bit me."

"Oh my…..God" David gasped, trying to speak in between bursts of laughter.

"You BIT me. What the hell is so funny?"

"I…..I hope…….you….you didn't….give me rabies!"

He fell back over onto his back, howling with laughter.

Cate stared.

And stared.

And a tiny smile began to creep across her lips.

Seeing him roll around on the floor, yelping like a crazed hyena….it was too much. She giggled, tried to cough and redeem herself, but finally surrendered to the laughter that was forcing its way out of her mouth. They both sat in the garage, Cate holding her knees to her chest to try to keep herself from choking in between bursts, and David still on his back, wheezing and laughing harder than ever.

"Ummm…am I….interrupting something? Guys?"

They both looked up. Paul was standing in the doorway, staring at them with almost a terrified expression on his face, as if he had walked in on a pair of madmen. Harrumphing and coughing, they both tried to regain some dignity….but upon seeing Paul take a cautious step back, they both burst out laughing again, this time even harder.

"Just…..just a disagreement…" Cate managed to get out. She scooted awkwardly over to David and pulled him up to give him a kiss on the cheek.

He yelped and jerked away, making a cross with his fingers. "Hell no woman! You're gonna give me mange!"

Paul looked from one hysterical vampire to the next, and wasn't sure if he should just leave, or join in laughing for good measure. "Guys…quit it with the creepy playtime….it makes me go feel like I need to take a shower in bleach….a lot of bleach….very hot bleach….I swear, if this is how you guys fight, then I really don't even want to know what the sex is like."

"Heehee, David, did we just scare the horniness out of Paul?"

"I…(gasp)….think we did."

"Ok, Ok….no more wolf jokes, Ade is still in bad shape…." Cate took a deep breath and finally managed to get a hold of herself.

"Aw, he wouldn'ta minded I bet." Paul said helpfully, glad that the laughing had stopped. "Probably make him feel good to know he made you laugh even while he was down….or something…"

"Ok….ok….ok…" David panted, catching his breath. "Heh…I actually did come in here with some news, before Michael took off like a – "

"Michael's gone? Bummer, man…"

"We're better off without him."

"Anyway." David coughed commandingly, still unable to stop smiling. "My news. Yes. MY news. We could possibly be getting some reinforcements."

Cate looked at him incredulously. "From where?"

"Santa Carla. I had a little talk with Rita…seems like she could pull a few strings, loosen death's grip a little…just a little, mind you" David cast a devilish glance at Paul, who returned it, confused.

"We don't know anyone anymore in Sant…oh holy crap David, you can't be serious!" His eyes went as big as dinner plates.

David picked himself up off the ground gracefully. "What, don't want a little family reunion?"

You have got to be kidding, man. That's….that's…"

"Genius" David squared his shoulders and smiled proudly.

Cate had gotten herself up as well and her previous amusement had gone dead cold. There was no joking around with something like this. She knew exactly what David was thinking. "Can she do it?"

"No!! Wait!! No!!" Paul looked from one to the other, being slowly outnumbered in votes. "You can't do that!"

"She says it's possible."

"In the name of all that's freakin holy and a vintage Les Paul, shut the hell up David! You're crazy!"

Cate gave Paul a look of death and he whimpered slightly. "He's…he's crazy."

"Maybe we need a little crazy right now."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"Paul, step away from that. The last thing I need is for you to get your hair in it." Rita was bustling around her room, organizing what seemed like an endless collection of jars, books, papers, and ornaments. They were in her room, which was surprisingly small, considering her status in the clan. It was also packed wall-to-wall with some of the oddest things either of the vampires had ever seen. Antiques from practically every decade, strange-looking carvings, clocks, ornate bowls and jars…and books. Shelves upon shelves of books, stacked doubly in some places.

"David, stop touching that."

David withdrew his hand from a small statue of an elk carved in beechwood, pretending he hadn't even touched it in the first place. "What else do you need?"

"Nothing. Everything I need is right here. Right now, what I need is for you two to stop fussing about and stand still. Paul, sit there. No, not there, there! No! There!"

Paul bobbed up and down according to her scolding as if the surfaces he was trying to sit on were burning hot, until he gingerly lowered his behind into a low, thickly carved wooden chair at one end of the room. "Here?"

"Yes." Rita came over with a length of rope and began tying his hands to the armrests.

Paul winced, surprised that such an old woman could pull so hard and tie knots as tightly as she could. "Uh hey….I'm all cool with older women and the kinky stuff but I don't think now's the time."

"Keep it in your pants. David, over there."

David didn't acknowledge her direction, but sat down in the threadbare upholstered chair at the other end of the room as if he had been planning to do it by himself all along. "And the rope is for?"

Rita yanked the knots around Paul's forearms tighter. "Because when I use you two as vessels, its going to hurt. A lot. And the last thing I need is you rolling all over the floor of my room and making a mess and knocking things over."

He still didn't uncross his arms. Rita finished with Paul and came over to him. "David, now."

Slowly, he moved them until they were sitting on the armrests, and she went to work. "You never told us who is going to channel who."

"That's for you two to tell me. Like attracts like, so whatever energy is left from your friends will be attracted towards the living vessel that is most like them. If the vessel is too different, it'll be like me trying to force and elephant through the eye of a needle. Plus there's always the slight chance that as the energy passes through it'll leave some sort of impression on you…so better it's a trait or impression that you have already rather than something totally alien."

"Dude, I so get to channel Dwayne."

"Paul, you're as close to Dwayne as a rubber ducky is to a great white shark. You're channeling Marko."

"Oh jeez, but what if I get his hair or something as an impression?"

"It'll be an improvement."

"But!"

"Paul? Who is more like Dwayne? Huh? Who is more like Dwayne? Me or you?"

"You." Paul grunted darkly, pouting.

"That's right. You're too pathetic to channel Dwayne."

"I hope Dwayne makes you SHUT THE HELL UP MORE as he goes through you!!"

David growled and snapped his teeth at Paul.

"Stop it right this second or I'll leave both of you here by your entertaining but marvelously annoying selves!" Rita barked in her best grouchy-mother voice. "Quiet."

She slapped down a huge book on her bed and deftly turned to a bookmarked page, giving David one more glare before beginning to concentrate. "And don't think I'm relenting on my previous statement to you with regards to Cate when all this is over."

"I don't doubt your sincerity. But I'm not going anywhere unless it's with her."

David watched her read and almost felt a bit of hesitation. This wasn't going to be pretty. It was going to hurt a hell of a lot, and if Rita didn't know what she was doing, both he and Paul could end up dead. Well, they were dead anyway if they didn't try it…so why not? This wasn't white magic. This was right on the edge of black, and one step more could bring back all sorts of things that no one wanted to have running around. Rita was basically opening a huge door to a chaotic, swirling mass of spiritual energy, from everything alive, dead, and in between, and trying to find two specific energies she had never even sensed before. Picking invisible needles out of an invisible haystack with a blindfold on. The only guide she had was two small metal rings around each thumb, which she had dipped in David and Paul's blood, respectively. Considering their strange flip-flop between mortality and immortality, he wasn't even sure if there WAS any of Dwayne and Marko still in them, since they had sworn as packmates and exchanged blood so long ago. But it was the only thing she had. It wasn't like they had bodies to work with. Rita mouthed words to herself, making sure everything was in order before they were spoken out loud. David and Paul watched silently.

"Are you two ready?" Rita's voice had suddenly changed from its high-pitched, motherly tone. It was deep, almost throaty, and carried a strange dark tone. Neither of them responded, and she took that as a yes. She began speaking. It was a strange, musical, lilting language that didn't seem to have any end of beginning to sentences. Word after word came out of her mouth, never pausing. Very few things had ever sent chills up David's spine, but this was one of them. He vaguely wished Cate was there, but her presence would only make the ritual harder because she was not involved in it, Rita had said. He noticed Paul had closed his eyes and decided to follow suit. Just try to relax. Relax. He got to thinking about Santa Carla. He hadn't seen, felt, or smelled ocean in a while. It felt strange, and he wasn't sure he liked it. There was something about the comfort of having a border with the sea that he missed out here. Plus the fact that it was completely desolate, hot, and god-awfully boring here in Mesita…well, minus the crazy revenge-taking vampire and hellhounds and the like. Those were always good for a laugh.

No….?

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO!!

He opened his mouth but no sound came out as it felt like someone had swung a pickaxe through the soft part at the base of his skull. A Mack truck crashed through his brain and exploded out of his eyes as white light and stars. Pain, indescribable, wrenching pain, pain so intense he couldn't even open his eyes, couldn't make a sound, couldn't move a muscle. Every single cell in his body was screaming as if something was forcing its way inside, scrabbling through his bones, through his organs, through his eyes and ears, and bursting out of the other end with a roar.

A ringing noise grew in his ears until it was a shriek, single-pitched, never wavering. It only took a few seconds more before he blacked out, and the shrieking sound receded like a train going back down a dark tunnel. And then there was nothing.