The next hour or so passed in a blur of exploration for them both. Star was braver than she had thought she ever could be, her newly sensitive skin came alive under David's gentle caresses. Control passed fluidly between them both as he made her gasp and tremble with delight first and then she did the same, her lips light on his smooth, broad chest as she lay a trail of kisses across his skin. Teeth and nails grazed flesh and traced curves as they learnt more and more about each other. The climax, when it came for them both, was beautiful.

Star lay curled against David's bare chest, her hair spread over the pillow behind them like an ink stain, her eyes closed and a small smile on her lips that was a mirror image of David's own satisfied grin when the whoops and yells of the other boys made her sit up.

'Man oh man, did that feel great!' Paul's unmistakable gleeful tone reverberated around the room. Star reached for the sheet tangled around them to pull it up over her naked body, but David stopped her with a grin and wrapped her tighter in his arms, protecting her modesty as he pulled her back towards him.

'Boys,' he admonished lazily, 'D'you mind? We're a little busy here.'

'Alright! Pull the curtain back and let us all see some ass!' Paul laughed, but the sound was cut short with a yell as Dwayne thumped his hard on the arm.

'That's my sister, man,' he grumbled.

'She's sister to us all now,' Paul countered and flung himself along the lip of the fountain. Marko sprawled himself amongst the cushions on the floor and Dwayne settled beside him. A long, low whistle made David sit up.

'Tozier?' he questioned, yanking his pants on and tossing Star a strappy summer dress. 'Hey, man,' he greeted the bald-headed, tattooed hulk of a man who looked like a mouse caught in a room full of cats.

'Never thought it'd look so goddamn cozy in here,' Tozier finally managed, finding a perch on the edge of the fountain beside Paul.

'Tozier!' Star barrelled through the gossamer curtain and flung herself into his arms, almost knocking him back into the wide, empty basin below as David lowered himself into his throne-like wheelchair with a smirk.

'Jeez girl, you look so good!' He held his friend close for a moment, returning her squeeze of a hug, before holding her out at arms-length to get a proper look at her in the flickering light of the candles that dotted the place. 'What the hell d'ya do to her?' He queried, looking over at David who lounged shirtless with one hand supporting his stubbly chin. 'Last time I saw her, which could've only been a few hours ago, she was battered and bruised to fuck.' David smirked and the other boys were silent. Tozier pulled the girl closer again and looked deep into her eyes, catching the flicker of something different there, something a little more wild. 'She's one of you,' he concluded softly.

'She's one of us.' David confirmed. 'She's mine.' He sat up and opened his arms and Star curled gratefully into them, unsure of how Tozier would react. Her friend bowed his bald, shiny head, the black tattoos snaking across his smooth scalp like a living thing, as he pressed his hands over his eyes. It felt like an age before he sat up and looked at her.

'If it's what you wanted, if it makes you happy, I'm happy. Can't say much fairer than that.' Star smiled, relieved.

'How long have you known about us?' David asked.

'All my life I think. I was grown up round these parts, always hearing tales of the dark creatures living here up at Hudson's Bluff, twisted tales that kept us away. Wasn't til I met Chris ten years ago that I really started digging deeper. He's a big believer in vampires and shit. We built a survival kit between ourselves just in case. Never thought we'd have to use it though but shit did it come in handy tonight.' Tozier jerked his shiny head over to the black bag that rested at the foot of the staircase where he had dumped it on his way in.

'Really appreciate that, man,' Dwayne said, swooping over to scoop his sister up off David's lap and spin her around. 'Damn it's good to see you, Star!' His long black hair mixed with hers as they twirled, laughing as Star's feet left the floor.

'I'm one of you!' Star said, wrapping her arms around Dwayne.

'Not yet,' he admonished, 'you need to make your first kill, you'll stay a half-vampire until then.' Star rolled her eyes, shifting the hair out of her eyes.

'I know, I know.'

Tozier swallowed hard and David chuckled.

'Don't worry, you did us a great favour tonight. You're safe.'

'For now,' Paul grinned, his long tongue snaking out from between his beautifully white teeth. 'Jeez, it felt good to burn that place to the ground!' Paul shook his teased blonde mullet as he socked an air punch and whooped.

'Did you find Franco?' David asked, sitting up a little straighter in his chair. The hard muscles of his still bare chest were tensed beneath his pale skin.

'No, just Niko.' Marko said, standing up and brushing the dust off his tasselled, patched jacket. He hadn't been able to look at Star since the boys had returned, his eyes were downcast as he hopped lightly up on the fountain edge and batted absently at the driftwood and starfish mobile that hung from the ceiling.

'There's one more too,' Star said. 'One other guy, Dino. He was working the kitchen in the restaurant.'

David raised a blonde eyebrow at Paul, who shook his head.

'No, man, like Marko said we only had the one body. Whole place has been torched so his remains won't be found. Big Al called the Fire Department, but by the time they screeched down the pier it'd practically burned itself out.'

'We stay off the boardwalk for now, stick to the town border and the north side of the shore. Star isn't to be left alone, at any time, am I understood?' David glanced around at each of the boys in turn who all nodded, though Marko still avoided eye contact with everyone.

'What shall I do?' Tozier questioned. 'How can I help?' He rubbed his beefy knuckles, as though spoiling for another fight already.

'Go home, stay alert. Franco might have seen you and he'll be more than pissed at the death of his son. Keep that kit handy because you might need it sooner than you think. Dwayne'll run you back.' David stood up, flexing his impressive chest muscles as he scratched his back and yawned.

'No, I'll stay here with Star. Paul'll take you.'

'Sure man, let's ride!' Paul heaved himself up from the spot he'd been reclining on and sprinted up the steps, full of boundless energy as ever. David clapped the bigger man on the back and gave a curt nod to him.

'Really do appreciate tonight.'

'My pleasure,' Tozier countered, cuffing the blonde vampire back. 'See ya around, huh.' He turned to Star who flung her arms around his thick neck and kissed his cheek.

'You saved my life,' she whispered. 'Thank you.' Timmy Tozier the Toughest Tattooist in Town blinked furiously for a moment.

'Don't mention it,' he choked. 'Just keep yourself safe, girl. I'm glad you're ok even if you are one of them.' He chucked the girl on the chin and pushed her gently away, scooping his bag up on the way out.

'I need to be somewhere,' David said when Tozier had gone. 'Dwayne, Marko, don't let her out of your sight.' He swooped down on Star, softly brushing her thick hair back from her neck as he nibbled light kisses across her collar bone. His warm hand encircled the back of her neck as he drew her in for a tremulous kiss, leaving every nerve in her body tingling with desire. And then he was gone.

Star closed her eyes for a moment to pull herself together again, a little smile dancing on her lips as she crossed the wide room to where Marko was pacing out another lap around the fountain. She sat on the lip and reached up for his hand, pulling him down to sit beside her as she watched Dwayne fiddle with the dial on the stereo to find his favourite rock station. The monstrous machine cost them a fortune in batteries, but it was an essential piece of equipment for them.

'Why won't you talk to me?' Star demanded. 'Why won't you even look at me?' Marko laced his fingers between his knees that jigged up and down until Star lay a restraining hand on one to stop it.

'I tried to attack you. I wanted to feed from you.' Star nodded.

'I thought that might be it. It wasn't your fault, Marko. I was bleeding. I'm sure the scent must have driven you crazy.'

'I would have killed you.'

'Niko had practically done that already. Plus you didn't hurt me, you didn't even get near me.'

'Only thanks to Paul and Dwayne. I've got no self-control.'

'It comes with time,' Dwayne said suddenly, crouching in front of the younger boy. 'Don't beat yourself up, bruh. No harm done.'

'Plus I'm one of you now, right? You won't have to face that temptation again.' Star reasoned. Marko sighed, running a hand through his tight blond curls in an almost desperate gesture that made Star's heart ache for him. She had never seen her usually upbeat friend look so down.

'Maybe not with you, but out there I will. I face it every time I walk out that door. The more I feed the more I want, it's a lust for blood that burns so deep that it hurts. What if I attack the wrong person?' Dwayne rested a hand on Marko's shoulder, his dark brown eyes soft and earnest.

'That passes soon, I promise. We're all here for you, bud, we stick together. Just like we'll all stick with Star to get her through this too.' He looked up at his sister. 'How're you feeling?'

Star considered this for a moment, frowning as she turned her thoughts on herself.

'My throat aches a little, like I've eaten something really spicy, but apart from that I've never felt better.' She grinned and Dwayne nodded, pushing his long black hair behind one ear.

'That feeling gets worse before it gets better. When you start to feed more frequently, it'll stop. This will sort you out for now, but it's not a long term solution because it's David's blood. We need human blood to survive.' Dwayne held out the ornate silver bottle to Star, who took a swig and pulled a face. Dwayne laughed as she passed it back to him.

'I know, tastes rank, huh? Don't worry, human blood is much sweeter, am I right Marko?'

Marko grinned a little too and took the bottle, downing some before passing it back to Dwayne.

'Amen to that, brother,' Marko said. 'Doesn't quite hit the spot.'

'You need to feed,' Dwayne admonished, taking in his black eyes and his paler than usual skin. 'Go now, I'll stay with Star.'

'Nah man, you look like you need it more. I know you can't stand David's wine. You go this time, I'll go when Paul gets back.' Dwayne rocked back on his heels and scrutinised the younger boy for a moment. It was true he hadn't fed for almost an age, and the mere thought of it set his mouth drooling.

'Fine,' he said. 'But change that radio station again and you're dead meat, man.'