An: This chapter was written as I listened to Hungry Like The Wolf on repeat...over and over again. Just thought I should mention that.
Disclaimer: I don't own The Lost Boys. Bailey and Jack are pretty much inventions of my brain though.
Chapter 5
Hungry Like The Wolf
Stalked in the forest, too close to hide
I'll be upon you by the moonlight side
Do do do do do do do dodo dododo dodo
High blood drumming on your skin, it's so tight
You feel my heat, I'm just a moment behind
Do do do do do do do dodo dododo dodo
In touch with the ground
I'm on the hunt I'm after you
Scent and a sound, I'm lost and I'm found
And I'm hungry like the wolf
Strut on a line, it's discord and rhyme
I howl and I whine, I'm after you
Mouth is alive, all running inside
And I'm hungry like the wolf
-Duran Duran-
Days turned into weeks and before I knew it two whole weeks had passed in Santa Carla. I worked almost every day for Madame Ames in her little bookstore. It was something about that small confined store that made me feel calm and at home. Between those dust covered shelves, filled with books the common man rarely laid his eyes upon. Every day I read about the supernatural about voodoo, werewolves and most of all…vampires. There was a whole section on vampires in the very back of the store, but besides that Madame Ames store also harboured old classics like Pride and Prejudice and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Almost every night, even if I was working, Paul found me. I don't know how he did it, but he always did. The wild haired rocker had grown on me, the warning bells no longer chimed when I was with him only a small buzz was left as a small reminder. But every time we met up with the boys the bells started up again, especially if David was there. He never did anything to me, rarely spoke directly to me but there was something about him. His eyes held a look that I couldn't, and honestly didn't want to understand. The others were fine though, Dwayne rarely spoke at all, but when he did we would have intense conversations about books we had read. Marko was interesting to talk too, his view of life may have been a very morbid and sardonic one but his arguments were so convincing that I sometimes found myself agreeing with him. Laddie was like any other ten year old kid, he managed to weasel himself into my heart and now every time those big blue eyes looked at me pleadingly I couldn't say no. Paul told me Laddie had a crush on me and probably wanted me to marry him or something.
A couple of days after I met all the boys I was introduced to Star. A girl I thought was David's girl…but couldn't be sure; they both gave mixed signals every other minute. She was quiet, but it was nice to talk to a girl for once, even if this one acted rather peculiar most of the time.
Jack didn't like that I was hanging out with them, every time he spotted me with them on the boardwalk he confronted me as I got home. Yelling me about the vibe he got from them, I told him it was useless to argue about it and he soon gave up. Just asking me to be careful around them but it was getting harder and harder to keep my guard up, especially around Paul. The familiarity increased every moment we spent together and I had more then once experienced the chilling sensation of Déjà Vu. Accompanied with the strange dreams I had been having lately and this feeling in the pit of my stomach that something was about to happen.
It was a Wednesday when Paul took me to their home for the first time. As usual Paul had collected me from work, somehow knowing exactly when my shift ended. I never questioned it, I had a feeling that I didn't want to know the answer. It was like any other night and yet it wasn't. He was joking around as usual but there was something in his eyes. The way they stared into mine with a hint of seriousness that was almost never present in the rockers sky blue eyes. Something was up and we both knew it but chose not to bring it up. He took me to the stage were a band was going to play rock covers; he had been talking about it all week. Soon we were lost in the crowd, moving in synch to the rhythms of Nazareth and both of us not entirely there thanks to Paul's never ending stash of pot. That was one thing that I hadn't told Jack and it wasn't something I was longing to tell him either. Paul was a pot head, I figured that out the first night we met but what I didn't figure out was that he would somehow managed to convince me to try it. A bigger surprise was that I would actually like it.
We were in the middle of a laughing fit and headbanging in a most outrageous way to "Look What the Cat Dragged In" when David showed up. It was like he suddenly appeared out of nothing, something all of the boys had a tendency to do every once in a while. I was just about to spin around when I noticed him standing right next to me and I gave out a surprised little yell. I was not comfortable around the peroxide blonde yet and by the way he was smirking, I knew that this was not an unknown fact to him. He glanced away from me and looked at something behind me, presumably Paul. I knew that my guess had been correct when I felt a hand on my hip and heard his voice say;
"David." He turned his eyes to me again and looked me dead in the eye even if he clearly stated his errand to the boy behind me.
"The boys and I thought that you and Bailey would like to join us. At home." I turned my head to Paul as soon as David mentioned their home. A place that I still hadn't seen. I couldn't read Paul's expression as he stared back at David; they seemed to have some kind of mental conversation or argument with each other. I didn't know what to make of it but apparently Paul lost because he sighed so quietly I wouldn't have noticed it if he wasn't standing so close to me.
"Sure." I looked at Paul, so many questions was burning in my mind, ready to jump off my tongue. But I stayed quiet as soon as my brown eyes locked with his blue ones. The look in them was not one of amusement for once, it was one of anger, his usually sky blue eyes turned into a hard steely blue. But when he saw my confusion they softened again, I would have given anything to know what ran through his mind that very second. The crooked grin was back again as he asked;
"What do you say Bay, want to see our home?" I stared at him trying to figure out what he wanted me to answer but even if the buzz was slowly but surely leaving my system I wasn't capable of distinguishing the look in his eyes. So I went with pleasing David, I said;
"Sure, why not." David smirked and Paul just continued smile crookedly, chills ran down my spine and somehow I knew I had just made the wrong decision. Before I knew it I was seated behind Paul on his bike with all the boys and Star around us. Dwayne let out a howl like sound and the other followed, laughing like maniacs. Then, like on some hidden signal they all revved their engines and we shot off. My grip on Paul tightened and I let out a squeal in surprise. We zoomed over the boardwalk towards the beach, people scurrying out of our way. I let another yelp escape when all the boys suddenly took a sharp left turn and road down a set of stairs and out on the beach. The sand flew around us and I couldn't help but laugh and shout with the boys. The beach ended and we were suddenly riding through woods and some very choppy terrain. How any of them could see anything at the speed we were moving in was beyond me, all I could see was blurry shapes that my mind knew were trees but my eyes couldn't see them. The trees disappeared and we entered a clearing, a cliff. I knew it had to be a cliff because I could see a lighthouse in the distance. We came to a screeching stop and the gravel beneath us gave away slightly. My stomach clenched when I followed the small rocks journey over the cliff and down to the dark abyss that was the sea. I could see and hear the waves crashing violently against the cliffs. I was jolted back to reality when Paul lifted me off his bike laughing his insane laugh.
"Were did you go Brown Eyes?" he asked grinning from ear to ear. I gave him a small smile and said;
"Neverland." Chuckles erupted from the other guys' throats and I watched as Dwayne completely ignored the "Warning" and "Danger" signs and disappeared along a rickety staircase. David and Marko followed but I hesitated. Hadn't they told me that we were going to their home? What were we doing here, out in the middle of nowhere? My brother's worried voice echoed in my mind creating a strange song with the warning bells that had once again started up. Bang. Don't stray from the boardwalk. Bong. Don't you feel it? Ding. Don't trust them Bay. Chime.
What was I doing here, why had they brought me here?
"You coming?" Paul looked at me with that same grin that always made me feel somewhat safe. So even if my subconscious was screaming at me to turn around and run, I took his hand and followed him down the stairs. He led me into an opening, a cave. Oil drums were lit and illuminated the cave, an old fountain seemed to be the centrepiece. A poster of Jim Morrison, a canopy bed, an old couch, what seemed to be a front desk and I thought I could spot an old elevator; it looked like an old hotel lobby. Everything was broken but still slightly intact, I eyed the lobby mural and strangely enough an old wheelchair. My eyes took in the sight but my mind couldn't really understand it at first.
"You live…here?" Paul grinned, Marko smirked, Dwayne actually smiled, Star looked queasy and Laddie was jumping up and down. I turned my eyes to David and he gave me a smirk as well before beginning his tale, which sounded more like a well rehearsed speech.
"He loves to tell this story," Paul whispered in my ear and with a crooked grin and a wink he shoved me towards David while he went to sit on the fountain.
"This was the hottest resort in Santa Carla back about eighty years ago. Too bad they built it right on top of the San Adreas fault." He turned to look at me as he swept his arms out and gestured to the lobby he was standing in.
"In 1906, when the big one hit San Francisco, the ground opened up and this place took a header into the crack. So now it's ours." I nodded and continued to look around, amazed. They lived in a cave? How could they stand the chilly breeze that floated through the opening? Where did Laddie sleep, he was just a kid they couldn't exactly leave him out here in this cold lobby, could they? It was strange, definitely un-controversional but in some way I found the whole thing very fascinating. It suited them and in some strange way I liked it.
"I like it, it's different but I like it," I said and continued to walk around the fountain taking in everything I could.
"I knew you would Bay!" Laddie bounced up to me and I laughed and let the kid drag me away to show me where Paul kept his rock box. When he had located it he ran over with it to his older "brother" and told him which song he wanted to hear. The scene made me smile and something told me that this occurred quite often. I was about to approach the laughing pair when a small voice stopped me in my tracks;
"You should get out while you can. It's not what it seems." I turned and looked at the dark haired girl in surprise.
"What do you mean?" I noticed that I was talking just as quietly as she was and my voice quivered slightly. Her big brown eyes showed nothing but sorrow, pity and pure fear when she said;
"You have to stop seeing them." I didn't understand what she was talking about but a chill went down my spine at the raw emotion laced in the girl's voice.
"Star…what are you..?"
"Yes Star, what are you talking about?" David. I watched as Star froze and I could feel those icy eyes boring into the back of my head. I turned slowly and gave him a weak smile only to receive one of those malicious smirks in return.
"Why don't you girls join us?" that smooth, seductive voice purred and I could only nod. I continued my trip towards Paul and my personal safe haven. Those familiar blue eyes locked with mine and the fear was swept away. The tense air that had set over the cave when Star talked to me quickly evaporated and soon we were messing around like any other night. The rock box was blasting out "No Sympathy for the Devil" a song that all the boys seemed to know every word of. I was tickling Laddie mercilessly when Paul grabbed my waist and lifted me off of the kid.
"Now counter the attack little dude," he shouted followed by his howling laugh. Laddie giggled and started tickling me while Paul held me down.
"Not fair guys," I pleaded for them to stop and eventually they did. Everyone was laughing and just talking, enjoying the night when the mood changed abruptly. David was sitting in, what I figured was, his wheelchair fondling a gothic looking gold and ruby embedded bottle, filled with some red substance. Marko's smile stayed the same but the look in his eyes changed. Dwayne stopped talking to Laddie and the small boy's eyes widened at the sight of the bottle. I felt Paul stiffen beside me and his hand clamped down on mine. We all watched as David threw his head back and gulped down what, to him, seemed to be the sweetest thing he had ever tasted by the look on his face. He opened his eyes and I was sure that they were even more icy blue then usual when he addressed me.
"How about some wine, Bailey?" I didn't like his tone, I didn't like the look in his eyes, and I didn't like anything about the whole scenario. It felt strange and the air in the room was so thick you could try to cut it with a butcher knife and struggle. Before I could say anything though the boy next to me spoke up;
"It's almost midnight Bailey, I better take you home or Jack will skin me alive." Relief, confusion, fear and gratitude went through my mind when I heard Paul's voice. I looked at him, the grin was in place but his eyes weren't amused. I followed his line of sight and had to stop myself from recoiling in fear. The look on David's face was feral, his lips set in a sneer and his eyes blazed.
"You're right. We should go. Bye guys." Paul took a hold of my arm and all but carried me out of the cave and up the stairs. Only when the chilly night air hit our faces and the waves from the ocean could be heard as we reached his bike did he stop. He leaned his hands against the bike and put his whole weight on them like he was about to start doing push-ups. He muttered something I couldn't hear as he pushed himself off the bike and patted down his pockets, obviously looking for a fag. Apparently we were no longer in any hurry to get out of there. The look on David's face had frightened me. And somehow I knew that Paul was in big trouble for what he had just done…I watched as he lit the fag and blew out a cloud of grey smoke. What was in that bottle and why didn't Paul want me to drink it? Judging by his and David's reactions I thought it would be better not to ask. He was watching me, those eyes looking at me as if seeing me for the first time. The moonlight shone down on him and made him paler then usual, it made his eyes sparkle and right then at that moment he oozed pure sexuality. I don't think I have ever found a man so beautiful and as attractive as I did Paul that night at Hudson's Bluff. My breath caught in my throat and this strange feeling…this indescribable desire and attraction hit me. That feeling of déjà vu was back again too, like I had felt this, been in this similar position before.
That Wednesday when Paul took me to see their home for the first time was also the first time he kissed me.
You know those romance novels that describe first kisses as magical, fireworks and all that? The ones we laugh at but secretly wish were true. Well my first kiss with Paul was nothing like that. One minute I was staring into his eyes and the next his cold lips were on mine. His hands grabbed at my waist desperately as his lips worked feverishly against mine. I responded with an equal amount of desperation that I had no idea where it came from. My hands went to his mane of blonde and I pressed myself closer to him. Minutes passed by and we would probably have stayed lip locked longer if it weren't for the fact that we had to breathe. Panting we stared at each other and I was surprised to find the uncertainty, curiosity, feral passion and confusion, that my eyes undoubtedly shone of, being reflected back at me.
"Wow," I muttered breathlessly. A calloused, cold hand stroked my cheek.
"Yeah, wow is the right word alright," he grinned his crooked grin and I grinned back. No words needed to be said. It was like we had connected on an entirely different level. Not a word was uttered when we straddled Paul's bike and road towards my home. We reached the house in mere minutes and I climbed off, unsure of what to say or do. I looked up into those blue eyes and it came to me.
"You're going to be in trouble with David, aren't you? He's mad at you…"
"Yeah." No explanation, no nothing. Exactly what I wanted, needed.
"I'm not going to ask why, you know." He stared at me.
"I know." We both stared at each other. Blue eyes blended with brown, an understanding. He stepped forward so fast that I didn't even see him take the step until I felt is hair brushing my cheek and his lips pressed against mine. The first kiss we shared had been feral and wild, untamed. This one was relaxed, controlled and pretty chaste. I'm pretty sure a silly grin covered my face when he drew back, eyes sparkling.
"I'll…uh…see you around Brown Eyes," he said. His eyes were…uncertain?
"Yeah, I'll see you around." I watched as he turned, threw me a wicked grin and tore off into the darkness.
Paul's POV.
I knew David was going to be on my case for what I did. I didn't know how to explain my actions to him because I couldn't understand it. When we went to see Max that first night I met Bailey he told us of an ancient belief. Mates, fated, they had many names. A vampire can take a mate if he chooses but there is one soul, one individual out there that fits with his soul. This doesn't only involve vampires mind you, mortals experience it too…they call them soul mates. Souls that find each other from time to time again. I never believed in past lives but now I'm starting to wonder… the familiar vibe I get from Bailey, Max explained that I had in fact met her in another life, probably in several ones. Souls like ours are created to find each other and once they do, they stick together until the body they're located in dies. But if one of them is a vampire, well that doesn't happen. He also said that the fated ones can feel the other, they recognize each other. But since I am a vampire and thanks to my heightened senses I felt it tenfold.
Max told me that if I wanted to keep seeing her and not end up devastated once her mortal carriage gave in, I would have to turn her. He knew that the attraction would grow eventually he just didn't know how fast. We were all a bit sceptic about it; I mean honestly it sounded like some bad fairytale. But the head-vamp assured us that this was no fairytale it was reality. And once two souls that are fated meet they will apparently physically hurt if they are parted. That's why they often die close together. And here's the catch, I won't die but Bailey will, if I don't turn her. So it was decided right then and there, she was to be turned, eventually.
But when David brought that bottle forward tonight my insides roared in protest. That bottle was filled with an equal amount of all our blood I could smell that. If she drank that we would all be her sires, equally. But she was my fated, my future mate, mine. In case you didn't know vampires are a very jealous and protective kind and if I…when I turned Bailey I wanted to be her sire, alone or at least have some kind of sire veto over the others. That's why I told her we had to go. That's why I stopped David and now I would undoubtedly pay.
When I reached the cave everything was dead silent. I didn't see anyone and before I had a chance to react a mutilated hand was around my neck and I was pressed against the wall.
"Hey David," I rasped out. His fanged out face stared back at mine and he snarled. He didn't ask he didn't question he just raged through my mind to find the answers. When he found them the pressure lifted slightly and then increased again when he found the second reason. The more risky and stupid one.
"Paul…" he growled and from the corner of my eye I saw Marko and Dwayne approach us.
"Really Paul? Are you sure that's wise?" Dwayne looked my square in the eyes, worry for us, the pack and the outcome of my rash decision shone in his eyes.
"I want her to know what she's getting into. I want her to choose to be with me…to become one of us because she wants to. Not because we tricked her." They stared at me, unsure.
"Paul, you know how risky that is…" Marko began but was quickly cut off by David who finally let go of my throat and let me fall to the ground with a thud.
"I really hope this isn't some plan formed out by a pot-haze Paul. Once you tell her, once she knows and isn't one of us…she's a threat. If you don't turn her after she knows…If she doesn't become one of us…she has to be killed. You understand that, right?" His eyes bored into mind trying to make me see his point of view. And I understood him, I understood their worry but I knew what I was getting into.
"I don't want to force her dudes. And it doesn't feel right. Trust me." I had resorted to a pleading tone but they all stayed vary and unsure, resolute. David sighed.
"Okay, we'll do it your way. But Paul if this goes wrong and she has to be taken cared of, I won't kill her. Marko and Dwayne won't either. It has to be you who does it." There it was; the catch and my punishment if it all went to hell. A fair deal. I nodded in agreement and said;
"I know." They nodded too; finally we had reached an agreement.
"Sun will be up soon." And with that we all headed to the very back of the cave to our sleeping area, our haven. Our minds filled with thoughts of what was to come.
Bailey's POV,
It was a week after our kiss, after my first visit to the cave. We had gone there twice and kissed a whole lot more after that. Jack didn't like this development, he caught Paul and I making out one night when he brought me home before Jack for a change. Everything was pretty much back to normal again and that weird vibe that had surrounded us when I first visited the cave was gone, like it never happened. But I did catch the boys giving each other pointed looks and shared silent conversations even more often than before, it was very annoying.
I was walking through dark woods. Jack had gone to work early and Paul had something to do so he couldn't pick me up so I had to walk to the boardwalk. This was the first time I actually walked on my own and I had managed to get lost. It was chilly and every tree around me looked alike.
With every step I took the trees seemed to come closer and the skies grow darker. I was scared. Suddenly the trees opened, I had reached a dirt road. I had never seen the overgrown road before and it didn't ease my fears one bit. The whole scene looked like it was taken from a Stephen King novel. Somewhere an owl hooted and the wind grew stronger. I hurried along the road hoping it would take me to the boardwalk. Crack. Somewhere to my left something or someone stepped on a branch, I froze. I listened but the only thing I could hear was my own harsh breathing and my increasing heartbeat. Had I imagined it? I started walking slowly again, every single one of my muscles were coiled like springs ready to start working if the need arose. Crunch. There it was again, this time closer. I started to pick up my pace my heart felt like it was going to beat right out of my chest at any second. Swish. Something brushed my left arm and I let out a small yelp. I turned to see what it was, but I couldn't see anything. It was getting darker by the minute and I still had no idea of where I was. Crack. Stomp. Dunk. I stopped and listened, there was no doubt about it now. Those were definitely footsteps. Footsteps increasing in speed I realized and just as that thought went through my mind I set off running.
I never was a fast runner and I was clumsy so as I tried to run for my life I stumbled every other second on some root sticking up or a traitorous rock. I could hear him panting behind me, those steps getting closer and closer. He was chasing me, this was a hunt and I was the prey and he the hunter. I was getting tired and he was obviously not I could hear him getting closer by the minute…but I didn't dare looking back.
…In touch with the ground, I'm on the hunt I'm after you…
Then the unavoidable happened; I stumbled and fell. I threw my hands out and scraped them as they took the worst of the fall. He was upon me seconds later. I could feel the warmth oozing from his body, were he stood to my left. I could hear his panting breath. I lay completely still, waiting. What was he doing?
…Scent and a sound, I'm lost and I'm found…
Then he moved, I wouldn't have noticed if his boot hadn't touched my thigh. I heard it, a familiar jingle of chains and the scent that hit me when he bent down was nauseatingly familiar. Pot-smoke, cotton candy, the sea and some rusty, coppery smell I never managed to identify. I knew that scent; Paul. But what would Paul be doing out here, hunting me in the woods? Was this a dream, a nightmare? Only one way to find out I thought as I slowly turned. My eyes first met those familiar boots and white pants and a smile graced my features, maybe he was just trying to catch up with me. My eyes traveled to his face and I bit back a scream. Gone were those familiar blue eyes I had come to adore, gone was the crooked smile and angular facial structure. In its place was a horrifying mask that barely resembled the handsome face I was used to looking at. His eyes were yellow-red; the same color of those eyes that had stared at me so long ago, his mouth was set in a grim smile showing off his fangs. Fangs spotted with blood, just as his chin and mesh shirt. His hair was wilder than usual and all he did was stare at me as I stared back at him. I didn't know what was going on…was I dreaming? Was this real and if it was…who, what was sitting in front of me and where was my Paul? I couldn't breathe, all I could do was stare in horror at the figure sitting calmly in front of me. This thing that had chased me through the forest…this…Paul? I don't know where it came from but suddenly a adrenaline kick hit me and my body reacted before my mind did. Before my head could register what was going on I took off running fueled by nothing but pure fear. I glanced back and saw it…him still sitting in the same position. I turned around and this time, I did scream. Right in front of me stood the boy I had just seen behind me. I stared at his red eyes and disfigured face and fainted.