A/N: okay, I have been typing like a mad thing to get this chapter perfect, and I am seriously so thrilled with it, it's like not even funny. I only hope everyone likes it as much as I do.

Thank you to seetherfan77 for following.

Freax as always your review put a big smile on my face! And a hug for your review as well, Emzy2k11

Disclaimer: I only own Sarah and her OC friends, nothing else you've seen before. Sadly.

Enjoy!

VII.

"Close your eyes Sarah."

I did as I was told, sitting cross legged on the floor in the cave with the boys all around me.

I'd slept the whole night and following day, and the difference those thirty six hours made to my health was unbelievable.

It was like those agonizing hours were just a horrible dream. I was a little freaked out when I woke up and I didn't recognise the bed I was in. But then I saw the boys all sitting around the room and I breathed a sigh of relief.

They said it was time they told me a little secret, and gestured for me to take a seat on the floor.

All the mystery was starting to irritate me, but I complied in the hopes that they wouldn't screw around anymore and just tell me what happened in this cave.

"What do you hear?"

With my eyes still shut, I let a sarcastic look cross my face.

"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Just listen, hard."

I let out a dramatic sigh and did as he said, letting my mind go blank and focused.

At first all I could hear was the sound of the waves outside, and the fires burning in the barrels.

Then my ears pricked as other sounds entered my head, making me frown.

"What do you hear?"

"I hear the boardwalk. The rollercoaster, the band… they suck."

Laughter echoed through the cave and I smiled too.

"I can hear cars… people shouting."

As I talked I could just visualize each picture to go with the sound.

I opened my eyes and stared at the boys, with worry etched into my features.

"Why can I do that?"

"Because we can do it too." for once Paul said something without a grin or a sneer. He was completely serious and it scared the crap out of me.

"Close your eyes again."

I didn't want to, but I had to if they were going to get to their point.

"What do you smell?"

"I smell the ocean, limestone, marble, cement, damp, you guys…"

A new scent appeared, being waved under my nose, and all at once that burning in my throat was back.

My eyes flew open and I reached out to grab whatever it was, just to make that burning go away.

David pulled his hand back and wiped the red stuff off his finger.

All at once it made sense.

"No." I shook my head and looked at them, willing them with my eyes to suddenly burst out laughing and yell, "Gotchya!"

But they didn't.

"It's true, Sarah. We made you one of us, because we knew you'd be perfect for this life."

"Life?!" I stood up and glared at Dwayne, "Last I checked vampires were dead!"

As I said that word out loud, I felt the feeling rise in my gut, and now I knew what it was.

Thirst.

Yes, I was thirsty, but all the water on earth wasn't going to take it away.

"WHY?!"

My scream was a drastic change from the calm that was present in the cave seconds ago.

Suddenly the walls and ceiling seemed as if they would fall on me any minute.

I turned on my heel and ran for the exit, just needing some air at the very least.

But Dwayne landed in front of me from above.

I looked behind me then back at him, stumbling over the words trying to get out my throat.

When I found my voice, it was low, threatening and dare I say it… feral.

"Dwayne, get out of my way."

He looked behind for a second before stepping aside and letting me go.

When I made it back to the boardwalk I tried as hard as I could to keep my tears back, not wanting to cause a scene in the middle of an amusement park, but eventually I just had to sit down and cry.

I bent forward and put my head on my knees, trying to control my sobs.

The boys were vampires.

I was a vampire.

I was undead.

I was a killer.

I was going to have to kill people to survive.

Why did they do this to me?

The last question made me cry even harder.

I needed answers, I had so many questions I needed to ask them, mostly to do with all the myths that went along with vampirism like burning in the sun and such.

But I couldn't bear to be anywhere near them right now.

"Excuse me?"

I looked up and through my tears I saw a man standing in front of me, with concerned look on his face.

"Are you alright, dear?"

"Yes, I'm fine, thanks."

There was a moment's pause, then he said, "You're Sarah, aren't you?"

"Yes. Sorry, have we met before?"

This guy wasn't the type you'd forget easily, he was too eccentric.

"No, some friends of mine mentioned you."

When I frowned at him he smiled warmly and said, "Why don't we start over."

He held his hand out.

"I'm Max"

Third Person POV

Dwayne had never been so paranoid in his life.

Waiting for Sarah to come back once she'd come to grips with their news, as David had instructed, Dwayne kept thinking the worst would happen while she was out.

She was a smart girl, but accidents happen.

She rushed out before they could explain anything to her. If she fed too soon…

"Relax, buddy. Your girl will come back."

Dwayne shot Paul a warning look, but the blonde only smiled.

Those words 'your girl' sent a thrill through Dwayne he hadn't felt since turning.

Sarah didn't know it yet, but she was his.

It was something he realized the night before when she'd lifted the bottle to her lips. He'd heard of soulmates and all that crap before, but as the change took hold of her as the night carried on, the bond between them strengthened.

He knew she felt it too.

The way she looked at him as she moved around the room was so different from the friendly smile she always gave him before.

She was drawn to him, as much as he was to her.

They'd be together forever.

Just as soon as she came back!

It was strange though. Dwayne was convinced that David would be the one Sarah was bound to. He'd chosen her to join them. And although it filled Dwayne with an unmistakable jealousy, he accepted the fact that Sarah was David's mate.

Now that had all changed.

Sarah had all but forgotten that David, or any of the other boys, even existed.

It was just them as far as she was concerned, and Dwayne relished in her new found attention.

What he didn't expect to accompany that desire was the protectiveness he had over her.

He wanted to take care of her.

The tender feelings he got every time he thought about her was scary. It was not something he'd ever tell his boys, but Sarah was his to protect now.

Which was why he was pacing around the cave like a lunatic now.

He wanted her back in this cave now. He wanted to know that she was safe.

The uncertainty was driving him nuts!

"Weird huh?"

David had to repeat what he said before Dwayne heard him.

"What?"

"How easily you worry about her."

"It's unbearable."

David chuckled and said, "Yeah well, that's what happens when you have a mate."

The blonde was once again calm and withdrawn, sitting in his chair with arms folded and head tilted back slightly. Marko had been sent to keep an eye on her and the other three were forced to just wait till either one or both returned.

Dwayne took a seat on some random flat surface and observed his friend.

He'd expected fireworks when David realized he wasn't going to get the girl. David was a jealous type, and being a vampire meant that jealousy was multiplied tenfold.

But after Sarah had started to fall asleep standing up, Dwayne was pulled aside by David and told some very surprising news.

"I know it's not me, Dwayne. She's not mine, so don't feel bad or whatever. This one wasn't meant to be." he ruffled Dwayne's hair, then took hold of his collar and said with a smirk, "But that's our lost girl there. So if you break her heart, I'll break your face. Now take her home. She's got a long day ahead of her."

Wasn't that the freaking truth?

Dwayne remembered his twenty four agonizing hours of transformation. It was something they all went through and it was hell.

When they saw Sarah last night they realized she'd actually had a harder time than even them.

At least now the worst was over.

Now he just had to wait until she came back.

But she didn't come back, instead Marko ran into the cave moments later and said, "We've got a problem."

Sarah's POV

I was silent as Max told the girl that worked in his shop to take a break. I'm pretty sure I had a completely vacant look on my face as he asked me how sugar I like in my tea and all that other useless crap.

When he placed the cup in front of me and still I said nothing, he tried to get me to open up, "Sarah, whatever it is you can tell me, I won't judge you."

"I don't think you can help me, Max. Thanks, but I'm pretty sure you would judge my sanity."

"Being a vampire was never a thing normal people could accept."

I looked at him in shock and tried to ask how the hell he knew.

He just smiled, "I've been in Santa Carla for many years, my girl, I know David and his boys well."

"Are you…?"

"No, no I'm not one of them," he said laughing, "They just have a tendency to tell me stuff."

"Oh. Well then maybe you can tell me some stuff then." I hated the bitterness in my voice, I mean the guys was only trying to help, but I was just so mad I had to take out on someone.

"Can this be… undone?"

Max frowned and my stomach twisted painfully, "Only way I know is to kill the head vampire. Then all half vampires will return to normal."

"Okay, well who's the head vampire?"

"I don't know."

I took a deep breath, trying to keep from exploding at this poor man, then I realized.

"It must be David."

"If that's true, Sarah, then it would be as easy as stake through the heart while he slept during the day."

"Easy as that." my voice sounded distant as I contemplated killing David just to be human again.

"But Sarah, when you think about it, really contemplate killing him… could you do it?"

I thought for a minute, then I let out a heavy sigh, "No. I couldn't. Even after doing this to me, I couldn't hurt them."

I laughed ironically, "I am so screwed."

"Maybe not." He reached out and patted my hand, "Look, Sarah, this isn't going to be easy. The boys have told me time and again how people they've tried to get in the group have either died from refusing to feed or been driven so mad from the thrill of killing, that they've had to kill them to keep their secret. So you're going to have tough time, but remember this is your choice. The boys may have made you half, but you decide whether you want this life, how and when you choose it."

Max's words gave me some feeling of power back. He was right, I did have choices left, the boys hadn't taken them all from me. I could choose whether to become a full vampire.

"Also, being a vampire isn't all bad."

"Oh yeah?"

"There are ways to make eternal life enjoyable."

"Do tell, I'm sitting on the edge of my seat here."

"Find yourself a mate."

"A what now?"

"A mate, Sarah. Someone to spend your life with."

I gave him a sarcastic look and said, "What am I, an animal now?"

"Well, you're not human."

"Oh, funny!"

He laughed for a while, and I was unable to do anything but just watch, thrilled that my problems were amusing.

Max wiped his eyes and returned to the serious adult, "But seriously, though, mates are supposed to be the one person that can make being a vampire… fun. And you know, David seemed keen when he told me about you."

I shook my head, very annoyed, "Don't play dating service, Max, that's so disturbing."

"Well then, Sarah, who would you pick?"

After a moment of silence, I stood up and said to Max, "Thanks for everything, Max. I have to go. I have some misfits I have to see."

"Anytime, Sarah. And remember if there's anything you need, ever, I'm here."

I thanked him again and left the store, heading back to the beach and that long ass walk to Hudson's Bluff.

How the hell I had managed to run the distance was lost on me.

As I walked I kept thinking about what Max had asked me.

Who would you pick?

Only one face appeared in my mind when I tried to answer that question.

And it wasn't David's.

"Sarah!"

And just when I thought this night wouldn't get any worse.

"What do you want, Mitch?"

I turned and had to take a step back from how close he was. Immediately I knew he was roaring drunk and probably high on top of that.

"I've decided that you need to stop being a stuck up bitch, and come back to me."

"Have you now? Well, I hate to disappoint you, but that is not going happen. Now leave me alone."

I tried to step past him, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me right against his chest. I recoiled as the scent of alcohol and general odor filled my nose. Then my stomach lurched as he crushed his lips to mine and I could taste every drop of what he'd consumed before he found me.

When he pulled away after a second, he said darkly, "You're not going anywhere."

"Mitch, stop it, you're hurting me!"

He'd started dragging me to where his car was usually parked, and panic welled up in my throat like bile.

"Good! You're mine, Sarah, and I'm going to make sure you never get away again."

I let out a desperate scream for help, and then there was blur as I was pulled out of Mitch's grasp and placed behind three very pissed off looking bikers while the fourth held me to his side with both arms around me.

"Sarah has asked you nicely to leave her alone one time too many I think." David was never more terrifying in my eyes than he was right now.

"Piss off, her and I are old friends, aren't we Sarah?"

"Fuck you!" now that I was tucked safely behind the boys I had a lot more guts, and I tried to go for him, but as always I was powerless against Dwayne's grip.

Mitch laughed and stepped closer to David. "She couldn't get enough of this," he made a gesture to himself and I wanted to throw up, "not too long ago."

"Unfortunately for you, buddy, Sarah has new friends now. And this is the last you'll be seeing of her."

I turned away as Paul and Marko started dragging Mitch away. He obviously realized what was about to happen to him because he started screaming hysterically.

I grabbed Dwayne's hand and pulled him back to the crowded part of the boardwalk. As much as I hated Mitch and was secretly glad he was currently being eaten, I knew I wasn't ready to see what being a vampire was all about just yet.

I pulled myself up onto a rail overlooking the beach and looked at Dwayne who stood in front of me, facing the people. I grinned as I realized he was in a way guarding me.

I was still pissed at him, I would be for a long time, but I was touched at how protective the boys were. I genuinely felt safe around them. The irony made me laugh.

I didn't know what lay ahead of me, if I was even going to become what they wanted me to be, but I knew I needed their help regardless. I was horrified at the thought of killing people, but fear of dying was just as strong. So being mad at the guys who were the only ones able to help with this was futile and stupid.

"What are you thinking about?"

I looked at Dwayne and said, "I'm picturing what Mitch looks like without a head."

"Would you like to go see?" he gestured back to where we'd come from, making me laugh.

"I'll pass, besides how do we know if they're finished yet?"

Dwayne grinned back at me and asked, "So where'd you go after you left the Bluff?"

"I met a friend of yours." When he raised his eyebrows at me questioningly, I elaborated, "Max."

"And?"

"He told me some very… interesting things." I let a flirtatious tone take over, smiling at him slightly.

He grinned back, taking a step closer, "Such as?"

"I think you can guess."

He'd stepped right up to me and I put my legs on either side of him, and he put his hands on my waist.

"You know, Sarah, I'll never tell you I love you, and I'm not a good guy. But you'll never be alone again."

"Don't worry, Dwayne, I think I can handle it. And I'll never say I love you, either."

In a…weird kind of way, I think we just did. But who knows.

"I seriously hope this is the end of all of your surprises." Our heads were literally inches apart by now.

"No promises."

And he closed the short distance between us.

A/N: and we have an official SarahXDwayne pairing! Woo hoo!

For those of you who were hoping Sarah would end up with David, all I can say is… sorry? And if you're thinking it's all going to be sunshine and happiness from here on in just because Sarah has a soulmate I can only say: have you seen the Lost Boys? Sunshine is lethal for vampires duh!

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