Star leant against the side of the velvet armchair, her legs tucked beneath her and Niko's hand twisted in her thick hair to keep her head resting on his knee in an enforced familiarity that made her cheeks burn with shame.
'You shine like the sun, my pretty,' the older man said, his voice rich and heavy with the same accent as Niko. 'It is no wonder my boy is enchanted by you. You are so much like his first love, I cannot blame him for wanting your blood.' Niko gave Star's head a little shake as he grinned at the curse that flew from her lips. Franco laughed and the sound was as rich and smooth as his accent. His slick, black hair gleamed beneath the dimmed light of a small crystal chandelier that hung from the ceiling and warmly illuminated the small room that had been richly decorated in haste. Franco couldn't bear to 'slum it' any longer and had sent Dino out bargain hunting the next town over to keep his taste for the exotic sated, until their inheritance followed the others over from Europe.
The older man took up most of the deep purple couch, his frame shorter and broader than Niko's. Another figure lay curled like a cat, pale against the dark cushions, his floppy hair dyed a washed out lilac colour that matched his tie-dye t-shirt that was spotted here and there with speckles that appeared black from a distance. Star knew it was blood from the smell, and the fact that Franco had shoved the boy into the corner the minute Niko had led her into the room, his small black eyes lighting up as he licked his lips and smoothed his features.
'I do hope you'll save enough for me, my dear child. I would demand first taste, but I know you have a score to settle here. So, on that note I will let you two have some privacy for a while. This is to be our blood parlour,' Franco continued, motioning to the windowless room, it's walls painted deep red to match the thick rug on the dark stained oak floor. 'We will while away the hours with our family, new and old should the gift of your life be accepted by us, fattening ourselves on the sun-soaked blood of the people of Santa Carla. Admittedly it's not as grand as I would have hoped – yet. There is time enough for improvements. We are immortal after all.' He shared a laugh with Niko and then gestured to the slumped, silent figure in the corner as he stood and shook the creases of his neatly pressed pants straight. 'Don't mind our little friend here. Louis will probably have a little nap for a while, he won't interrupt.'
'I can't believe you haven't finished him yet, Papa.' Niko jerked Star's head around, so her eyes were tugged from the purple haired boy she recognised as one of the ride operators from the boardwalk – a boy who couldn't have been more than nineteen at most.
'You keep me too well fed, my son. I cannot keep up with the blood you supply me with.' He stretched, rubbing the paunch that poked a little over his belt. 'Ciao, bella. I hope I see you soon.' The click of a key in the lock made Star swallow hard.
'And so we are alone, il mio amore.' Niko yanked hard on the handful of Star's hair he still gripped to guide her up and onto his lap as though she were a puppet on a string. His other arm snaked quickly around her waist and he pressed his cold lips lightly against the flesh just below her ear. 'You smell fantastic. Of warmth and sunshine,' he murmured.
'And you smell like puke and dog shit,' Star countered, feeling childish as she squirmed against his iron grip. She could feel his mouth open as he chuckled against her skin, his breath only marginally warmer than his lips.
'How petty.' Her fingernails raked the skin of his bare forearm, digging down as much as she could. Star had never been one for long nails, but the nails she did have were strong enough not to bend or break under the pressure she exerted. She left a long line of even, bloody tracks almost from his elbow to his wrist. 'Ahh, you like it rough,' Niko laughed without even flinching. He looked down for a moment, as Star did, to watch the weal's knit themselves together again in seconds. Niko's skin was perfect once more, unblemished. 'You would need silver nails to do more than tickle me, Star.' His arm moved from her waist to grip the girl tightly by the throat. 'You'll see I like to play rough too, beautiful girl. But you are much more fragile than I, so I must hold back, for a while at least.'
Star could barely breathe, his fingers were crushing her windpipe. She scrabbled desperately at his hand, her mouth gaping.
'Mmm,' Nico murmured, running a long, thin finger around her open lips. 'I would love to stuff this pretty little hole. There are so many things I would enjoy gagging you with… but I think the sounds of your screams and your whimpers as you beg for your life… for your death even… would be so much sexier.' Star struggled against him, kicking out weakly with her leg as Niko stood abruptly, his hand still clamped around her throat though the pressure of his fingers had lessened a little.
'I will never beg you for anything,' Star gasped between rasping breaths.
'We shall see,' Niko chuckled, using his foot to hook an ornate looking wooden chair with scrolled arms from beneath a writing desk just inches away. The heavy piece of furniture skidded towards them and he plonked Star down in the seat hard enough to knock the wind from her lungs. 'Have a seat,' he offered unnecessarily. She felt the tightening of thick leather straps securing her wrists and ankles to the arms and legs of the chair in a split second, rendering her motionless. She closed her eyes for a moment and clenched her fists, fighting down the wave of panic that threatened to pull her under, determined not to let him see how terrified she now was. Tied to a chair in a windowless, locked room she knew her chances of survival were shrinking by the second. When she opened her eyes she found the chair had been positioned directly in front of a gilded mirror hung on the opposite side of the wall. She could see the purple haired boy still slumped motionless in the corner and her own wide terrified eyes, black in her white face. But she couldn't see Niko. She whipped her head around as far as she could and found him grinning behind her.
'We have no reflection, bella,' he confirmed. He produced the steel razor blade again and reached over her shoulder. With her hair gathered in one hand he pulled Star's head to the left and pinned it still, exposing her long vulnerable neck, the artery pulsing in rhythm with the frantic, terrified beat of her heart. But the blade only lightly skimmed the skin there. Star could only watch in the mirror helplessly as the blade travelled further down and snickered the thin fabric of her top, slicing easily through the threads until the material fell away to expose her bare breasts. His cold, cold hand caressed the smooth warm flesh, pinching first one and then the other of her dark nipples. Star bit her lip, straining against her bonds. Niko laughed.
'Just close your eyes and imagine I am your beloved David. Even though I know it will be me you see.'
'You will never come close to him,' Star snarled through gritted teeth, flinching away from his touch as best she could.
'Perhaps not, but I am betting I am getting closer to you than he ever has.' The blush that touched her cheeks made him roar with laughter. He flung his head back and crouched in front of her. Star stared resolutely through him. 'Ahh. He has never touched you has he? Not here…' His finger tip lightly grazed the swell of her breast. 'Or here?' he dragged it further down, circling a nipple. 'He has never owned your body. But I will own it.' His hand drifted to where her thighs were splayed open a little.
'He doesn't need to,' Star bit back, her eyes flaming as she glared at him. 'He owns my soul already. You have this body now, but he will always hold my soul.' Niko emitted a low growl and flicked the razor blade deeply over the top of Star's breast, drawing a thin line of blood instantly. His long tongue traced the line as he looked at her, twisting the opposite nipple at the same time. 'Scream for me, Star,' he urged, sinking his teeth into the soft flesh around her nipple and drinking with his eyes closed.
'What the actual –' Tozier blinked at the four boys who stood in their leather jackets and biker boots, hulking and menacing at his back door. 'Hey, dickwads, I don't open Tuesdays, can't you read, damnnit? If you want a group sesh you gots ta book just like everyone else. I don't got no more appointments til October.'
'Star needs your help,' David said and his gruff tone made Timmy Tozier look twice.
'Hey, you're that punk she's been hanging with, right? Well what the hell ya done with her? I ain't seen her for ages.' Tozier beefed himself up as much as he could, more out of habit than anything, his thick tattooed arms crossed over his barrelled chest as he twitched his sandy moustache.
'Star is in danger, we're running out of time.'
'Why didn't you say? Come the fuck in,' Tozier growled, reaching out and grabbing the nearest boy by the collar and pulling him in, which happened to be Paul.
'What kind of trouble?' he demanded, leading the group to the small apartment upstairs.
'Vampires.' David said.
Fifteen minutes later, after Tozier had gathered together a bag, he climbed on the back of David's bike with his trusty baseball bat, Patience, slung over his shoulder. The short parade of bikes cleared the usual throng of thrill-seekers, cutting through the ocean of people which made Tozier feel like Moses parting the Red Sea. As they headed further along the pier towards Zingaro the crowd seemed to thin out. Either it was just too early in the evening for people to be heading this far out, it was only a little after sundown after all, or perhaps they could sense something bad going on. Either way, when the boys pulled their motorcycles up in the back ally of the café they attracted little attention. Tozier hit the ground running before David had even put the brakes on. Flinging his bag higher up on his shoulder he set to the door with Patience, grunting with the effort of each swing.
'Quit it,' David hissed, his grey eyes cold as he grabbed the end of the bat after Tozier had managed two swings, succeeding in only denting the metal door. 'This door opens outwards. Remember you need to invite us in.' Paul snorted.
'What a way to announce us, you dumbass.' David gave Tozier a shove towards the door handle before the big man could retaliate and shot Paul a warning look.
'Just remember why we're here,' he warned, lowly.
'Yeah, to bust some shit-sucking asswipe,' Dwayne grunted, smacking his fist into his hand and tossing his long dark hair.
'Alright!' Paul whooped, but beneath his breath at David's death-glance. Marco twitched nervously.
'Well get your lily-white asses in here, you bunch of-' Tozier didn't get to finish his bad-tempered insult as he was knocked off balance in the dark as Dwayne rushed through at lightning speed, following the scent of fresh blood with David hot on his heels.
'Star!' he bellowed, eyes narrowed against the darkness even though he could see perfectly well. 'Where the hell are you, Star?'
'There' David motioned to the closed door with two gloved fingers and nodded at Tozier who fell at the door with his baseball bat. Three swings to splinter the wood and a double shoulder barge by David and Dwayne was all it took to pop the lock and open the door and the boys, tailed by Tozier, fell into the room.
'Well, well. I didn't expect you to bring me another gift, David.' Niko grinned as he stood up from where he'd been crouched, his teeth dark and his smiling lips smeared. He closed his eyes, drunk with the glut of blood he'd had.
'My, but you sure are one ugly motherfucker,' Tozier winced in awe.
'Star!' Dwayne cried, lurching toward the dark haired figure sat with her back to them.
'Take Marco out,' David warned before Dwayne could move any further. 'Now!' he snapped when the other didn't move instantly. 'I'll sort this.'
Dwayne's eyes darted between the prone form of his sister, who hadn't even twitched at his shout, and the wild, flat hunters eyes of his blood brother. Marco's features had changed and the younger boy snarled softly, the sharp tips of his teeth growing longer by the second at the overpowering scent of blood. Dwayne grabbed the neck of the other's colourfully patched jacket. 'Let's go, Marco,' he said, reluctantly dragging the other back. David snapped his fingers at Paul, pointing to the stirring purple haired boy lounging in the corner, who had by now recovered enough to start searching for his mirrored sunglasses that he vaguely remembered dropping the day before.
'Score!' Paul grinned enthusiastically, scooping up the figure and carrying him outside to where Marco needed a distraction.
David approached slowly, his heavy boots thudding on the dark floorboards. Tozier stayed close behind him.
'You could have knocked,' Niko said, his handsome features almost human-like again. 'I might have let you in. She is still with us, but I think I've tired her out for the moment.'
David looked down at the thin figure of Star, half naked and strapped to the wooden chair.
'Beautiful, no?' Niko enquired.
'You're fucking sick,' Tozier breathed, taking in the dark purple bruises, thin red criss-crosses and wide oval bite marks – some of which still trickled blood – that peppered Star's neck, her shoulders, breasts and torso. The girl's fingers were all broken, David noted as he glanced further down, and her long skirt had been hitched up to reveal more bruises, bite marks and shallow cuts upon her white thighs. Fingerprints and nail marks circled her throat and a few touched her cheeks where Niko had almost lost his self-control. But she was still breathing, her chest rising and falling with breaths so shallow David suspected she might have a few broken ribs.
'I'm not even half-way through with her,' Niko nodded towards the armchair. 'Take a seat, I'll let you watch. Then we'll have dessert,' he laughed, staring meaningfully at Tozier, who was stock-still at the image of his broken, helpless friend. 'You should have heard her cry for you, brother. It was almost sorrowful, she was adamant you would come before it was too late. But I think I punctured a lung, so I doubt that will happen. Do you want to have the last bite, or shall I?'
David flung himself at Niko, his features twisted with silent fury as his teeth gnashed to rip and tear. Niko spun agilely and raised his arm, catching David's sharp teeth on the fleshy part and wincing a little as a chunk of skin was torn free. They tore at each other, clawing and biting like tom-cats scrapping in an alley way, wrestling and tumbling. David's hand found Niko's throat and the force of his grip sent them both reeling upwards to crash against the ceiling. Each of them grunted as they fought for the upper hand. David caught a severe blow across the cheek, his skin ripping with a sickening sound as Niko dug his nails in, but he landed a phenomenal uppercut which sent Niko's head snapping back, exposing his throat. He lunged with his other hand as they both came crashing down at Tozier's feet.
'Now, Tozier!' David yelled, feeling Niko regain enough strength to flip him over to land on top and pin him to the floor. Tozier managed to shake himself away enough to reach into his bag and draw out a long silver stake. 'Now!' David roared and Niko pulled back, ready to strike with his teeth at David's throat. Tozier bellowed like a wounded wildebeest and rammed the stake so far through Niko's back that it pierced his heart and came out through the other side, dangerously close to David's chest. With lightening reactions, David had managed to roll out from beneath Niko as the Italian came crashing down, dead before he even hit the deck.
'Too close, man, too close,' David muttered, kicking the limp form of Niko off to the side. 'Boys,' he drawled a little louder, dusting himself off as he crossed the room to where Star still sat, unconscious. Tozier mumbled, awestruck and blood splattered as he nudged the perfectly handsome Niko.
Dwayne, Marco and Paul appeared in the doorway looking well-fed. Paul cursed when he realised he'd missed out on the action and socked Marco hard in the shoulder.
'Dumbass, making us miss all the fun,' he grumbled.
'Is she alive?' Dwayne demanded, storming into the room and heading straight for his sister, her head lolled to the side as he shook her.
'Watch it,' David admonished. 'She is for now, but won't be for much longer if you shake her like that. She's badly injured, we need to get her back right now. Help me untie her.'
The two of them gently unbuckled the leather straps that had cut into Star's wrists and ankles. Dwayne pulled off his jacket to cover her bare, battered breasts, leaving himself shirtless.
'I'll take care of her,' David promised, carefully heading towards the door. 'You know what to do. You and Tozier torch this place. Paul, make sure no one see's what's going on – pull some stunts further down or something, get Big Al on your case. Bring Tozier back with you when you've finished. I guess we owe him a proper explanation.' David eyed the hulk of a man who had been reduced to his knees, dumbfounded, as he tried to make sense of what had gone on. He slipped out of the door with the broken Star cradled in his arms.
