"Ah!" Sam yelled as he closed his closet door and found Michael and I standing in the corner, both of us covered in sand and sweat.
Our bodies were on overdrive and I had to lean against Michael for support.
"It's okay," Mike whispered as his eyes softened at his brother. "We know who we are now, Sam."
"Don't kill me," Sam held up a hand towards them. "I'm basically a good kid, so just don't kill me." I made a move to speak, my face pained, before being cut off. "I can help you; just tell me who the head vampire is. I thought it was Max, but I was wrong. Just work with me, and I can help you and you'll be okay."
I was almost at the point of no return, ready to say that Max was the head vampire, as we heard a soft voice yell out Michael's name from outside.
He quickly pushed the windows open as Sam asked if she was one of them.
My attention was easily grasped.
"I have to talk to you, can I come up?" Star shouted and I wanted to yell yes, just so that I could see my mother.
Instead, Michael yelled, "No!" and cautioned Sam to close the window and lock the door.
I was able to get out, "I'll stay with him," before a gust of wind blew through the room and Star was standing just inside of the window.
"She's one of them!" Sam yelled as he dove backwards into me, leaving both of us unsure of why he was seeking me for comfort as he used me as a human shield. "And don't tell me it doesn't make her a bad person, Mike!"
"You know where David took us tonight, don't you, Star?" Michael clenched his hands at his sides.
"Who's David?" Sam asked me, as I just shushed him and told him not to worry about it right then.
Star began an apology as she neared Michael, his face skeptical as he finally realized that they drank blood and not wine that night in the cave.
He was just mistakenly assuming it was David's blood, not Max's.
"You drank someone's blood? Are you crazy!" Sam screamed.
I gave him a dirty look and hissed at him, "Not the time, Sam."
"I'm just like David now, Star," Michael had a twisted look on his face that I couldn't help but want to slap off of him.
"No, you're not!" She countered. "You both… you're like Laddie and me. We're not one of them-"
"-Until you make your first kill!"
"Sam, shut up!" I glared as my eyes flashed yellow.
"Why didn't you kill me last night?" Michael asked.
I couldn't help but wonder the same thing about David.
"You were supposed to be my first," Star replied with a blank expression. "That's what David wanted… But, I couldn't, Michael."
"Why?" His face turned up in a sneer. "Because you care so much about me?"
"Yes, I do." She pressed her hand to his cheek, which he roughly pushed away. I had to turn away from the rest of the conversation, unable to see my mother crying. It would have pushed me over the edge. I wasn't supposed to reveal myself. It didn't help that Michael's emotions were turning him into a, well… huge prick. "I was hoping you'd help Laddie and me."
I turned at the sound of Michael's laughing as Star disappeared back out of the window, "Star!"
I turned on Michael with a growl, "You complete ass!"
Michael frowned, but his attention was quickly captured by Sam, who was diving for the phone, "What are you doing?"
"I've got connections."
I knew what was coming. I knew that the climax to the story was near.
I also knew that David could have ordered me to be killed, but he didn't.
"Sam? Sam!" I hissed into his ear and watched as he jerked backwards away from me as he woke up, confused. "I need you to listen to me."
"This couldn't wait?" He asked with a yawn. "We have a big day tomorrow."
"No," I shook my head with a sharp look on my face. "I really need you to listen to me…"
"What?" Sam sat up, bothered and concerned by the look that I was giving. "What is it?"
"David's not the head vampire."
"How do you-"
"Don't ask questions," I shook my head. I was already meddling. "You can go get Star and Laddie tomorrow morning, by all means. Just… none of them are the head vampire."
"Okay, so who-"
I was gone before he could finish the question.
"David!" I yelled as she stormed through the woods. "David!"
I had gone by the cave and down the Boardwalk, both to no avail. Sunrise was in a few hours, and I needed to be back before Michael noticed I was missing.
"I thought you might come looking for me," David stepped out with a grin. "Have fun tonight?"
I snarled as I stepped forward and sent my palm colliding with his cheek, "Don't be an ass."
He rubbed the spot gently as he sneered, "Is that all you wanted?"
"No," I frowned. "I wanted to know why you didn't just kill me. You wanted Star to kill Michael, I'm sure." I didn't want to completely blow this for her. "Why didn't you kill me?"
David straightened his posture and matched my expression, "Why does it matter?"
"I've already told you that there are things that I can't tell you, David," I shook my head, my eyes instantly going softer.
"That doesn't seem like a fair trade."
"Why are you being difficult?"
"Why didn't you feed?" David shot back, instantly catching me off guard.
"I – I can't…" I mumbled.
"Then maybe I should just kill you," David grabbed me by the waist and slammed my back up against a tree, ignoring as I let out a cry of pain. "You want to know why I didn't kill you. It's because I felt connected to you; that's something I haven't felt in a long time. But, if you won't feed, you're of no use to me."
My fucking half-vampire hormones took over.
"Get the fuck off me," I scowled as I pushed myself free and set off back towards the path.
My eyes were glossy as I looked back over my shoulder with a quiet murmur of, "If you don't care to learn and trust me, then I hope you burn."