'Where you going, Star?'
'I need a walk.' David stood up as Star shifted the comfort of her brother's arm from her shoulders. The small group had finished the beer in the cooler and a few other bottles Marco found in the old camper, and they had been sat around the glowing embers of the fire laughing and joking, as if they hadn't slaughtered two people only an hour or so ago.
'I'll come with you,' Dwayne said, kicking a heap of sand over Paul, who had pulled a face and pressed his thumb against his forehead.
'No,' David said. 'I'll take her.'
Star faltered but headed down to the beach. The cool evening air caught her hair, lifting it from the back of her neck and freshening her fire-warmed skin, making her tilt her head up towards the silver moon. The fine sand between her bare toes still held the heat of the day that was now behind them, though she could feel the change in temperature as she drew nearer the water's edge.
'Changing your mind, Star?' David asked, watching her from a little distance as she lifted the hem of her dress and let the tepid water lap at her feet. Her many silver bangles clinked, glinting with moonlight as she turned to David and shook her head.
'No.' He edged closer, hands in his pockets and collar turned up though he took care to keep his black boots out of the way of the playful water that sucked and pulled gently at Star's feet.
'We're dangerous. Monstrous, even.'
'No,' she said quietly, her tone suggesting to David that she was trying to convince herself. 'You aren't dangerous, not to everyone. Just to people who deserve it.' David snorted with something like derision.
'You think people deserve to have their throats ripped out? To die slowly whilst their heart pounds with agonising fear in their chests? As every person they've ever met, every mistake they've ever made and wish they've ever had flickers across their mind with longing and regret?' He flung a smooth, round pebble into the ocean that Star hadn't even seen him pick up. It skipped lightly across the waves, bouncing seven times before sinking in a circle of ripples that broke the calm surface of the water. Star swallowed.
'Maybe some do.' She shrugged and began to walk, heading away from the little camp. 'You said you only feed from the bad ones. That makes me feel a little better.'
'How much badness can one ingest before one becomes bad too, I often wonder?' David said lowly, as he followed Star along the shoreline. She fiddled with her collection of bangles, twisting a cheap silver ring on her finger as she shot David an uncertain look. 'It hasn't always been like that. We do have slip ups, occasionally. Some more than others. Marco more than most.' Star caught an almost affectionate smile on his lips, but it was quickly replaced by that oddly emotionless gaze that was grey in the darkness. 'It's hard to keep control once you start feeding. It's like an animal instinct, to drink and drink because you never know when the next meal is coming. But I keep the boys in line. I'll keep you in line too, when you belong to me. You will not feed without my permission, we cannot risk drawing attention to ourselves. My colony has lived in Santa Carla for over eighty years and I don't plan on moving us out any time soon.'
Star nodded, stealing a glance at him from time to time as he kept in step with her. His short blonde hair shone platinum in the silver light, his strong, beautiful face enchanting. David laughed softly, knowing as he looked at her, that it was too late. Star was captivated by his very presence. This was often a useful side effect of his eternal youth, but it was presently irritating. He had wanted this to be an informed decision that Star had come to herself, having heard the truth of immortality. After over a century on this hate-filled, spiteful and corrupt world, David had grown jaded and the chance of living forever had lost its appeal that it had originally held for his nineteen year old self, back when he'd been David Williams – bell-hop at the hedonistic Atlantis Hotel. He hadn't been given the whole picture before he was turned, and for that he would forever curse his maker.
'It's too late for you now, anyway.' David said, halting his slow pace. Star stopped too and turned to face him, confusion creasing her face.
'What do you mean?' she asked.
He stepped closer to her, their bodies only inches away from each other as the water lapped soundlessly over his boots.
'I mean you're lost now to any sense or feeling. You're captivated by me.' David's voice was low and gruff. Star felt the light touch of his leather glove on the back of her neck as he drew her closer still to whisper in her ear, his breath tickling over her skin like the kiss of a breeze. 'You would do anything I say, you would turn to the shadows in an instant.'
'Yes,' Star breathed, conscious only of his touch, his closeness and the quickened thud of her heart.
'Nothing I say about the hideousness of our existence will prevent you now. You want this, you want to belong to me.' A twisted smirk was on his lips, his cold eyes bright. Am I enjoying this? David asked himself, Am I getting a thrill out of her fragile mortality hanging by a thread on my whim? Yes I think I am, some sadistic voice in the back of his mind replied. Star looked so beautiful, bathed in the milky white moonlight and surrounded by the glimmering sea, like some classical goddess – all lithe, creamy limbs, thick dark hair and huge wide eyes as she trembled at his touch, longing for more.
'You would beg at my feet if I told you to,' David grinned. His hand slid from the back of her neck to caress her throat as he pulled back enough to let his lips almost – almost – brush across hers. It gave him a kick to see how she shivered with delight. But another, vindictive little voice piped up, unbidden. It's not you, it's your power she's drawn to. She couldn't give a shit about you. He gave her a little shove that made her stumble backwards and drop the hem of her dress that had been loosely gathered in her hand. Star gasped as the cool salty water seeped quickly through the thin fabric and chilled her legs, bringing her around to some kind of sense. She shook her head as though to clear it, watching a little warily as David turned away and ran a hand through his short hair. When he turned back to her, his light eyes were cold, the spark of warmth that had almost blossomed there had been quenched.
'The others are too young to know anything but joy at their youth and their strength at the moment, perhaps with the exception of Paul. But he's just Paul. Dwayne, Marco, they don't know the trials that come with this cursed half-life yet. It isn't something you can undo, and it comes with sacrifices.'
'What sacrifices?' Star asked, finding her voice.
'Giving up on family, friends. They'll all grow up, go on with their lives. Get married maybe, have kids. That's something you'll never do, if you come to me. Your body will be frozen, unable to change.' Star had often daydreamed about a white wedding, two kids one day, what little girl hadn't? But as her relationship deteriorated with her father and as the reality of her mother abandoning her was examined and processed by her maturing mind, Star had been terrified she might walk in the footsteps of either parent later in life. She shook her head once more, cocoa curls bouncing softly around her delicate features.
'I have no one, except Dwayne now.'
'What about Tozier?'
She gasped, her heart sinking as she remembered, guiltily, the only true friend she had ever really had.
'Oh! He must be worried sick! But, how do you know about him?'
'There's not a lot I miss on the Boardwalk. It's my business to know what's going on out there.'
'I have to go back, to explain, to let him know I'm safe.' David shook his head.
'You can't. You can't ever go back. I won't allow it.'
'I won't tell him about you, any of you, or this whole vampire thing. I promise.'
'Once you change, you won't ever be able to see the sun again. You won't be able to feel it's warmth on your skin, it'd kill you.' David continued, as if she hadn't spoken.
'I don't care about that!' Star was impatient, and grabbed David by the arm to spin him back to her as he continued his walking. 'I don't belong to you yet, I am going to see Tozier.'
David laughed, and for the first time in countless years, his eyes lit up with amusement.
'Get on my bike, the night's still young.'
'Hey, girl. What's goin' on?' Tozier asked through his yawn. He wore nothing but a billowing pair of blue stripped boxers, the tattoos that travelled up his arms and neck also covered most of his wide, barrel like chest as he held the back door of the tattoo parlour open. 'What the hell happened? Get in here,' his sleep-blurred eyes widened as he took in the state of Star's bloodied dress. Dwayne had helped her to clean the cut on her head, but hadn't any spare clothes for her to change into. 'Come in,' Tozier insisted, stepping back and holding the door open, gesturing at David too as Star seemed to hesitate. 'Come through to the front, Chris is still asleep.' He flipped on a side light which emitted a warm, bright glow, and settled himself on the red sofa. 'Where the hell you been, Star?'
It was a gesture of Tozier's good breeding – despite his hard looking exterior – that he merely nodded at David as he sat opposite in the wing-backed chair with a silent smirk. Tozier's eyes were full of concern for Star as he pulled her down beside him. 'So spill it, don't keep me waiting.'
'So I checked out that new place. Not so great, I wouldn't recommend making a reservation.' Star smiled weakly, but quickly grabbed Tozier's arm as the man made to stand up. 'It's not something you can solve with Patience.'
Tozier balled his meaty hands into fists and growled.
'I can't sit here and do nothing, knowing they've made mincemeat of your face, Star. What the hell are you on?'
'We've got it under control,' David added, smoothly. Tozier sat back, the heavy muscles of his tattooed chest flexing as he stroked his thick moustache and contemplated the white-blonde man for a moment, as if he was only just seeing him for the first time.
'Who the hell are you?'
'This is David, my brother's friend. He helped me out. I'm going to be staying with him, with Dwayne, for a while. I do appreciate everything you've done for me. I – I just wanted you to know that I hadn't got myself put on the back of a milk carton or anything.'
Tozier nodded. 'You know I'm always here for you, girl. Whatever you need, I'm your man. You want to take those clothes I got you? Chris isn't really in to cross dressing.' He grinned a little at Star's easy smile. 'Let me grab it all for you.'
'This where you've been staying, then?' David looked around with mild interest as Tozier went upstairs to gather Star's things, his light blue eyes lingering on various sketched designs that decorated the walls.
'I never really stayed here. Tozier wanted me to when things got bad at home but I'd rather be outside. It's why he changed my name to Star. I like the night, it's so peaceful. And whenever I came here he always said I had the stars caught in my hair. That, and my love of anything that sparkles.' Star gave a little smile and gently jangled the cheap bangles at her wrists, silver rings catching the light.
'Star's a great name, I like Star. What was your name before?'
'Ellora.' Star wrinkled her nose a little, pulling her feet up under her as she leant forward to adjust the design books on the table, more from force of habit than anything. 'My father chose that name for me. Ellora isn't the person I am now, my daddy killed that girl a long time ago.'
David stood up and browsed the designs on the wall for a moment, his hands behind his back as he pretended not to notice the tears Star hastily wiped away with the back of her hand. His finger traced the elegant lines of a calla lily.
'Pain can be a beautiful thing. It makes us stronger,' he said without turning to look at her. 'Friends do that too. You have a good friend here.'
'Tozier's a great guy. He gave me a job even though the first time we met I was lifting wallets from his clients. He taught me to pierce, but it's the tattoos I want to do really. Tozier's going to train me.' David turned around then, his gloved finger falling from the delicate rose he had been caressing.
'You'd have to give that up. Sticking needles into skin wouldn't do much for your control.' He grinned. 'Looks like this guy's been a great friend to you, be such a shame to throw a friendship like that away.'
'I wouldn't, I could still see him. This place stays open late and Tozier would meet me anywhere. I could still draw the designs for him, even if I couldn't tattoo.'
David crossed the room, closing the gap between them, leaning over Star as she stayed sat on the sofa, his beautiful, earnest face inches from her own.
'He won't want you when he sees what a twisted monster you've become. You'll disgust him, your friend wouldn't want you anywhere near him. Why would you want to destroy something you've got so good?'
Star's dark brown eyes were wide as she was fixated by David's bright blue ones.
'Because it's not what I want. I want to be with you and my brother. I want to belong and to be yours.' David took a breath, taking in her flushed red cheeks. His head bowed for a moment and when he looked up again his cold eyes were alight with some flicker of something akin to hope.
'You won't want to be mine when you realise what a curse it is I'll give you. Yes you'll be young forever, you'll never change.' One leather-clad finger lightly touched her blushing cheek, the contact sending a delicious thrill through her body. 'You will be beautiful for all eternity, just as you are now. You will never die. But everyone else around you will. You'll never be able to keep friendships because your eternal youth would raise too many questions. You'd be lost. Like me. A few hundred years of this cursed life gives you too much time to reflect, to remember and to regret. It isn't a life I would have chosen if I had the choice, but I'm giving you the choice and you need to choose right.'
'I'm choosing you.'
Taking another deep breath, David stood up.
'Everything ok?' Tozier asked, dumping a canvas bag full of clothes at his feet.
'There's somewhere I need to be,' David said, running a hand through his short blonde hair in a gesture that Star was beginning to recognise now as frustrated. He looked at Star. 'Meet me by the carousel at four, I'll take you back to the Bluff. Don't be late.' With a curt nod to Tozier, David swept out without looking back. The other man let out a low whistle.
'You ok, Star? I mean, really ok? That guy's intense. What does he mean he'll take you to the Bluff? He best not mean Hudson's Bluff, girl. You swore to me you wouldn't go up there.'
'I didn't actually promise that, Tozier. It's where Dwayne is staying, it's cosy.'
'Cosy? Star, the place is a death trap! Not to mention all the other shit that goes on up there.'
'Like what?' Star was a little curious, though she couldn't help the little drop of fear that slid down her spine. Tozier groaned as he heaved himself down on the couch beside her, scratching at the white shirt he had hastily thrown on whilst he'd been gathering the clothes upstairs.
'Evil shit. I've lived in Santa Carla all my life and even when I was a kid we would always hear stories about ghosts who lived up there, they evolved into devil worshipers over time. People would go up there to explore, mostly teenagers and idiotic New Agers, determined to find something supernatural. Most never came back, and the ones that did would babble and rave about monsters. Blood suckers and werewolves. I was never stupid enough to venture up there myself. My dad made me swear on my dog's life that I wouldn't.' He shrugged at the look Star gave him. 'I was a fat, friendless slob back then. That dog was the only thing worth more to me than my own life.'
'What do you think's there now, like really there?'
'Could be it is ghosts. Stands to reason really. That hotel was full to bust in 1901 when the ground opened up that night and swallowed the thing whole. Not one person was pulled out alive and some of the bodies were never found. There's gotta be something up there that leaves such a bad vibe. You seriously going up there with that guy?'
'His name's David, and yes, for now.' Star smiled and leant across to kiss Tozier's bald head. 'Don't worry though, I'll not forget you.'
'You better not, or I will be bringing Patience up there to see what's going down.'
Star grinned. 'You got any coffee going? Take it out of my paycheck.'
'What the hell have you agreed to?' David demanded, his ice blue eyes flashing as he slammed his fist on the glass table top.
'Don't take that tone with me.' Max pushed his thin framed glasses a little further up his nose, his words curt and sharp. 'You know we have no choice by the rules of our kind to help each other out.'
'Since when did 'help each other out' become handing the whole of Santa Carla to another colony on a plate?' He leant forward in his chair, the smooth leather creaking and his beautiful features were twisted with annoyance.
'They've got a good set up going, I have to say. A little different to yours. You and your boys prey on the – unsavoury – shall we say? Whereas this new colony have taken to thinning out the down and outs, the no-hopers. Where's the harm?' Max sat back in his chair, fingers steepled as he watched the anger build on David's face.
'Where's the harm? The two of them have taken out around 32 people already in the two weeks they've been open. Too many, too fast. It's going to draw unwanted attention and threaten us all. They aren't clean either, they're bleeding them out slowly and torturing those people.'
Max frowned thoughtfully at this.
'That does sound like a lot of bodies in rather a short space of time for only two of them, I do admit. Franco said it was just himself and his son.'
'Niko?' David's teeth clenched as he leant forward, remembering the sleek, good looking Italian. 'He's the bait I think, drawing in the girls. What bothers me is that you've taught us not to play with our food. It's unnecessary to prolong the suffering and I think they're hoarding them in the basement, feeding on them slowly.'
A deep, belly laugh erupted from the older man as he stood up and shook the sharp creases out of his jeans. He strode across the room to stand at the floor to ceiling wall of glass that offered an almost panoramic view of the twinkling lights of the nicer end of Santa Carla. He clasped his hands behind his back, his powerful frame still vibrating with his amusement and David was reminded just how strong Max was.
'How long did it take you to learn not to play with your food, David? I remember the joy it gave you in those early years, to smell the fear and taste the terror in their blood. To chase, to hunt. You were insatiable.' Max rocked back on his heels and turned to glance in an almost fatherly-like way at David. 'You were hard to control back then, almost impossible to train. You had no concerns for the wellbeing of your food then, that I find this sudden compassion a little alarming.'
David tracked Max with his eyes as the taller man crossed the room to a polished walnut sideboard, watching as long fingers hovered for a moment over a selection of cut-crystal decanters.
'You're looking a little pale, my boy.' Max lifted a long glass bottle with one hand that held a dark red liquid, as rich as port, carefully picking up two small tumblers with the other and set them down on the table. The dark leather of his couch creaked as he sat back down and poured the thick liquid into both glasses, smiling gently as he watched David's eyes dilate at the scent. 'Drink.' He offered the tumbler and David drained it without hesitation.
'I haven't fed in a while,' David admitted, gesturing for a top up. 'I've been too busy watching these Italians.' Max filled the glass to the brim this time, setting the bottle back down as he sipped his own drink.
'You must take care of yourself, first and foremost. The colony need you to lead them, to keep them in line. I've a feeling that there may be more – visitors – to Santa Carla than I was led to believe. Franco came to me asking for cover for himself and his boy. I admit I was nervous, wondering what he was going to ask. Very nervous, if I'm honest – he is from a great succession of Elders. Generally colonies don't just turn up uninvited, asking for jobs. We find a good thing and stick with it until some disaster forces a move. I still don't know why they're here and I'm quite suspicious about their intentions. If there are more than two of them, we could be in for a little trouble. We aren't a big colony and most of your boys are young, too young really to have the discipline should the need come to fight. Perhaps strength in numbers is the way forward, but we must be choosey in who we recruit. Santa Carla is my territory and I will not give it up without a fight.'
David nodded and closed his eyes, leaning back in his chair to let the sweet, revitalising high of the blood take effect. He licked his lips, savouring the taste.
'I do have one in mind to turn,' he said softly, smiling a little to let his blood-red teeth show.
