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Sierra PoV

Despite our protests, Michael agreed. From that one word yes, Star accesses a world of torment, screaming and endeavouring powerfully to be free of my clutches as I hold her away from the others. Again, I don't utter a word. There is nothing I can do now Michael has agreed to fully transforming into one of them. Instead, I feel guilt. An empty void of guilt consumes me.

What if I never came here?

Would things be different?

David has invaded Michael's fate though, and because of that, he must die in order to become immortal. I'm a dead woman anyway, if Max doesn't murder me, David surely will. If I had taken control back onto the car, Michael would have been provided more time. Max will be coming soon. Michael didn't have to permit David to do this to him, he would kill me anyway. As for Star, from the tone in Marko's voice, it was a vow for Michael to have Star as his first kill before Michael was threatened with anything. Could have there been another method to seize in order to get out of this trap? I don't know, but I feel to blame partially for this. If I had only swerved the car away, if I had driven at a more tepid pace, he would have had more time.

Star runs out of the car, wailing for the loss of her hero, and outside to the beach. Swiftly I follow, pinning Laddie to my side as I carry him, only flashing Michael an apologetic look before averting my eyes. The wise selection for me to make would be to say nothing to him, it'll ease the situation. After all, we hardly know each other. We may have liked each other, but all along, I was nothing but a danger to him. Even after he agreed, I was situated in the place of culpability because of the entrance. If I wasn't here, Michael would have been presented with more time. Carefully, I place a weeping and frightened Laddie on my lap subsequent to sitting down next to Star in the drowning beige sand, wrapping my arm around her so she may rest her head on my shoulder.

"He - he - he did it - for - for - you! He doesn't - ca - care for me! He - he's fall - fallen for you!" From those shrieks, I know Star has reached a paranoid and insane state from everything. Michael doesn't feel that way, I'm intelligent enough to acknowledge. However, it doesn't mean the emotion of guilt doesn't escalate from it. I was part of the transaction though. For whatever reason, I was a sector of it.

"No, Star. He doesn't feel that way, and you know it. You're hysterical, you have no idea what you're saying" I sternly inform her the honesty she required, and from the nod in her head, she acknowledges it. Michael's purpose to Star was to be the hero, so who's there to save the hero now? I can't do anything and I doubt Star will dispute against it despite her intense wish to do so.

"Why did he just give in, Sierra? Why did he just surrender to them?" Star bawls, reminding me of Michael's words to me last night. Little did he know that I wasn't admitting defeat, but I knew and can acknowledge now that since I unwillingly stepped foot on their territory, I was a dead woman. After all, if Max had been killed, there is no doubt David would have taken his place. I knew what I was doing the whole time. I would have escaped it somehow, though. No way am I dying at the hands of the supernatural.

"He didn't give in, Star" I whisper to her, my own voice being stifled by fright and upset. More than anything, it is strangled by guilt. Part of this is down to me, I'm at fault for some of this.

There isn't anything I could do, and because of the abrupt intervention with the car, Michael had no time. What if I just allowed David to do Max's notion, would he be consented to stay human then? Why did Michael even agree to it? He doesn't even know me; I'm not worth it because of that fact alone. I wouldn't be dying for him. It would be a murder on Max's behalf because I intruded.

"His family's lives are at stake here, Star. I'd do the exact same for mine if it meant saving them, and I'm sure you'd do the exact same for Laddie. That's one thing we all have in common, we'd do anything to save those we love" The decision Michael chose was a courageous one, but there is nothing I can do to haul him out of it. "He's made a deal with David now, there's no getting out of that" I look at Star's face, scanning the degree to which she is upset which leads onto another question I will desire to inquire. "Did you care for him, Star? Excluding the whole he's going to be my hero thing?"

Star murmurs a few words, and from what I gathered it is an excuse, but with the heightening of my eyebrow, she finally wails out her confession in one pared down sentence: I did, but not for the reasons I should have. Then, she admits another thing, something I anticipated from her all along:

'I don't want him to do this. He doesn't deserve this. He's kind'

I sigh to myself. This could have been so easily avoided. I should have driven the car slower; he could have had more time. I should have just granted things to take their natural course without involving myself. When Star came to me at The Boardwalk, I thought there was a chance we could have revived him from this chaos, and because I have some emotions of my own for him, I agreed to help regardless of me commanding him to stay away from me.

All I can do now is soothe a tearful Star whose dreams of escaping have been dashed, and a distraught Laddie who buries himself in my shoulder. Staring up at the sky, seeing the stars, I wonder whether there's a way I can overpower this. I'm afraid to die, I had so many plans. Obtain a dance scholarship, go to university and train to become what I have been aspiring to be for years, and live a content life. Above all, my brothers need me. This makes no sense, and before I can think anything else, I hear footsteps coming out of the cave. I don't raise my head, focusing my view on the child petrified from the two incidents tonight, including being almost hauled by Paul and Marko along with myself and Star to an unknown scheme. Whoever it is, it causes Star to scamper away into the cave. Still, I don't raise my head, but simply concentrate on Laddie and attempting to compose him and rid his fears.

Mike PoV

"Time to move that piece of shit out of our cave." David calls out, walking to the car with the rest joining him to push the front of the car in an attempt to dislodge it. I wince and cover my ears at the strident screeching and groaning coming from the metal as it's bent and cut by the caves rocks. I know their ears had to be hurting from the noise if mine are from being a few yards away.

"Shit, how the hell did that bitch get it through the opening without crushing it? Damn it!" Paul yells out in annoyance.

"Shut up and push!" David yells back at him, just as annoyed to be having to amputate the thing.

As soon the car was free of the cave, I race up to the opening, half watching to see what would happen to it, half making sure David would keep his word. I don't trust him, but saying no would guarantee Star and Sierra's death right there on the spot. I get out in time to see the guys split up, two on each side of the now very ruined car. Its sides are dented in, expensive paint scraped off along with long gashes and tears in the metal on each side from it being forced back through the cave's opening. The front isn't much better as the windshield is now falling in, the bumper is caved where it had rammed into the wall, smashing the jukebox. All four bend down as if on a timed cue and then wrench upwards, all of them taking to the air with the car.

"Jesus, shit!" I yell out at the sight.

They just soared off with a fucking car! Though not far, I hear the thing land somewhere up top with a trembling thud. They aren't gone long, David returns, casting me a bemused glance before him and the other went over towards Sierra and Star. I start forward but hinder my unnerved movement. David likely won't kill them, not right in front of me, because if he did, the deal is off.

"Oh, shut up, Star" I hear Paul call out. "Geez, you're getting what you want, your little freedom..." Paul then snorts." Girls, nothing you can do makes them happy."

"Yeah, not with her. Wow, she's really lost it. You sure we can't just tie her to the rail road tracks?" Marko inquires, that calculating grin instigating shivers to sprint up my spine.

"Shut up. A deal's a deal, and I don't go back on my deals. Now, Sierra, right? As I said, I don't go back on a deal, but letting you go is going to cost me for it if Max finds out what I've done before he's taken care of. I suggest getting out of town, you and Star. Especially you, Star, you're falling apart and far from useful." David is talking to the girls. From David's grave tone, it is elemental they flee. " Get out of Santa Carla tonight and you won't have to worry anymore, even about Max, he won't hunt you down. Well, actually I'd suggest getting out of this state, Max can be a bit insane." That cold sinister laugh of his rolls out and devours the air. "I should thank you though, Sierra. After all, if not for you, I wouldn't have known what Michael's little brother was up to, nor would they have known Max really is the Head Vampire and that nothing worked because he was invited. Why, they could have assumed it was me and came right for me now, couldn't they? So, I can forgive you for that little suggestion of killing me and my boys. Now your car's up top, the tires are still good, you might try some of that driving of yours on the way out of California." David turns away and starts back towards me.

Soon, I would be saying my final goodbyes to Sierra. I just hope she and the others have a safe journey without Max interfering with their wellbeing.