Author's Note: Happy New Year, everyone! I started back to school and things got very busy so unfortunately this chapter didn't get uploaded as quickly as I wanted, but I ended up re-doing it shortly after so I'm glad I had the few extra days. Nevertheless apologies for the delay, I did leave it on a bit of a cliffhanger last time XD so here's the next chapter! There aren't that many more after this, just a couple so I can tie things off and then the story will (sadly) end. But until that time I hope you enjoy this next part and please leave a review!

Thanks to everyone that added the story to their favourites and follows and thanks to TishaLiz, ZoopBooper (response below), Guest (response below) lostboyfan8797, JaliceJelsa4eva, Guest (response below), DreamBigandBeUnique, littlesisterrapture, Leleeishere and rose217 for their reviews :) thanks a lot guys and I hope you enjoy!

ZoopBooper: Happy New Year to you too! I'm a big fan of cliffhangers and this one I have looked forward to for a while lol I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Guest: Thanks for your review! Glad you liked it :)

Guest: Hahaha that review made me laugh out loud, exactly the reaction I was hoping for XD glad you liked it!

Disclaimer: I do not own The Lost Boys, just my OCs.

My eyes opened again sometime later and I was surprised not to find the night sky above me anymore, instead there were rocks with an orange glow moving across them that could only be from fire. My brow furrowed as I tried to remember getting here, but the last thing that came to mind was my body lying on concrete, broken and injured from my fall.

It was only then that I realised I hadn't felt any pain since I woke up, I lay still for a few seconds before slowly testing out each limb, waiting for a sharp pain from one of my many broken bones. I found none, my limbs felt weird but not sore, definitely not broken anymore.

Two other sources of pain had disappeared, my ankle didn't throb from Thorn's bite, and my neck didn't feel ripped open from Max's fangs. I tentatively reached up towards my neck to try and find the wounds from before, instead I could only feel smooth skin. I sat up in surprise and looked to my ankle for any injury and again found none, I almost wondered if the whole thing had been a dream. But blood stained the bottom of my jeans and the front of my top, so there definitely had been something there.

Looking around my surroundings were familiar, I was back on the four-poster bed in the caves I had slept on so many nights, the sound of waves crashing in the distance was the only sound I could hear along with the flickering of a distant fire. Then someone cleared their throat.

My eyes settled on two figures in the caves, both I knew and they stared cautiously at me as if waiting for a reaction, my first instinct was get up to cross to the nearest one and throw my arms around them.

"Mom." I breathed in relief, she stroked my hair and held tight, "I never thought I'd see you again."

"How are you feeling?" She asked, pulling back to examine my face.

I shrugged, "I feel okay, a lot better actually."

"Told ya she'd be fine." The other person in the caves said with confidence, I grinned before crossing over to them and jumping up into their open arms, "Shorty's good as new." Paul said as he spun me in a circle before setting me down, keeping an arm around my shoulder.

"Where are the others?" I asked, my thoughts straining to the missing members of the group. One in particular, and when I thought back to the last time I'd seem him I started to panic, "What happened to Dwayne?"

"Chill out girl, he's fine." Paul said, patting my shoulder, "Had a close call after Max staked him but he's okay, it didn't get his heart. All that's left are some splinters, he's gonna need a day or two to heal and he'll be good as new too."

"So he's okay?"

"Yeah! David and Marko are keeping an eye on him just in case, but he'll be fine. Don't worry." Paul assured me.

"Okay." I breathed, my panic lessening a little, "Can I see him?"

Paul and Rachel exchanged a weary glance, there was a few seconds of silence before Rachel answered, "Maybe leave it for a while, he'll need his rest."

I nodded in understanding, I wanted to see him but Rachel was right, "What about Max?"

"Dead." She answered, relief clear in her voice, "David and I took care of him, he won't be coming back."

"Really?"

"Really. We got there just as he pushed you, we killed him while Paul and Marko got you and Dwayne out. You were both very lucky."

"How long ago was this? Have I been out long?" This all felt like it had happened ages ago, I could remember it but just about. The freshest thing in my mind was the fall, I could still remember the pain right before I blacked out.

"About twenty hours or so I'd say." Rachel answered, I could only stare as she continued carefully, "You've been unconscious all day."

"But how did-" I was about to ask them how the wounds on my neck had healed so quickly then, as well as my ankle and all those bones. On their own they could take weeks, even months to heal, yet I had done it in less than a day?

It was then I remembered Paul telling me something a while back- vampire blood heals everything.

I swayed a little in shock with the realisation that I wasn't human anymore.

"I'm a vampire?"

"You were pretty beat up when I found you, another few seconds and you'd probably be dead, your heart had almost stopped. I knew the only way to save you would be to change you." Paul told me.

"So whose blood did I drink?"

"Mine." Paul answered, "Your mother was a little preoccupied handling Max along with David, Marko was getting the stake out of Dwayne so I kinda had to decide on the spot." He said with a sheepish glance towards my mother who wore a grim expression.

"You're only a half-vampire at the minute, you have to feed in order to complete the transition."

"Oh." I breathed, remembering that catch, "When do I have to do it?"

'Not until you're ready." My mother answered, shooting a warning glance at Paul when he went to answer, "You can take as long as you like, no one's pushing you into it."

"And how do you feel about this whole thing?" I asked her.

"I'd rather you were a vampire than dead, Bryn." She answered softly, "Plus with Max out of the way I can at least know he won't be here to make you miserable. You're free to do as you please now."

"And you?"

She smiled, "I don't have to worry about Max anymore. It's a strange feeling, knowing I can do what I want."

"Will you stay here? For a while at least?" I asked.

She thought for a second, "Guess I could stick around for a while."

I grinned, feeling like things could actually work out, my mother could stay with us as long as she wanted and she didn't have to hide. It was weird, only a few hours ago everything seemed beyond saving, and now we were all safe and Max was gone. I was a vampire, but I still felt like me. I hoped it would stay that way even after I fed, I finally didn't feel any dread or worry. A small bit, perhaps, for Dwayne, who had almost died saving me, but as long as he was safe that was what mattered.

"So what now?"

"I wouldn't advise going out until you're ready to feed." Rachel said.

Paul threw his hands up, "Girl's gotta learn how to be around humans sometime."

I thought for a second, "I'd like to go to the boardwalk." I announced, smiling sheepishly at Rachel's exasperated look, "I've missed it."

"Fine." She agreed, holding her hands up, "Just be careful."

"Careful is my middle name." Paul said whilst grabbing my hand, I laughed as he pulled me up the steep rocks that led to the entrance of the caves.

"Feeling okay?" Paul asked as I got off the bike. My throat had started to itch a little since we arrived at the boardwalk.

"Yeah." I answered, running my hand over the skin of my neck, looking down at the front of my top. "Shit, this is kinda noticeable isn't is?" I said, pointing to the dried blood that stained the neckline of my top.

"A little." Paul chuckled, scratching his head, "Here." He said, taking off his jacket and holding it out.

I put my arms through the sleeves and rolled them up to my elbows, folding the sides of the jacket over each other to cover the shirt.

"Thanks."

"No problem. Have you got any other clothes you can change into?"

"I had a bag at that house." I told him, he winced.

"Yeah we kinda... Torched it with Max inside. Y'know, just in case."

I shrugged, "No big deal. What happened to Thorn?"

"Aw he ran, took off after Max was dead. He'll be fine."

"I hope he's okay."

"Didn't he take a chunk out of your ankle?" Paul asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Only because Max told him to. He's just a dog, it wasn't his fault he had a crazy owner."

"You are far too forgiving, Shorty."

"Maybe." I chuckled, "So what do we do now?"

Paul fell into step beside me as we walked towards the entrance, "First we get you some new clothes. Come on." He said, taking my arm and pulling me along with him as he strode through the crowd.

We stopped at the stalls that litter the boardwalk with people selling all sorts of things, from clothes to ear piercings, Paul began sifting through the racks of clothes at a stall.

"Pick something." He urged after I stood for a few seconds, I began going through a different rack of assorted jackets. They were mostly leather but a few were denim, I stopped at a leather jacket that was a chocolate brown colour and looked like it would fit okay, maybe a little big but not too much.

"What about this?" I asked, Paul came to stand beside me and nodded in approval.

"Looks nice. Pick a top to match." He said, pointing to the stall he had been at which held an assortment of shirts in all the colours of the rainbow. I grabbed an off-the-shoulder purple one and Paul took it almost immediately, handing them to the girl supervising the stall. She smiled and took the money from Paul, handing me the clothes in a small bag.

"Enjoy them." She said cooly.

"Thanks." I smiled, taking the bag and Paul's arm, steering him in the direction of the nearest bar where I knew they'd have toilets.

'I'll grab us a seat." Paul said as we got inside, I continued towards the bathroom and closed myself in a small stall.

I removed Paul's jacket carefully before taking the new top and jacket from the bag, swapping my bloodstained shirt for them, putting it in the bag once I finished. I walked out to the sink and dropped the bag with my old shirt into the bin with the used drying tissues.

Turning the faucet on I ran the water and washed my hands before looking up to see if the jacket and top looked alright. I stopped in surprise for a second at my reflection, which was dim and oddly transparent. Must be part of the vampire package, I stared at my faint reflection for a few seconds before the door opened.

Two girls walked in and I hurried myself out of the way of the mirror, they probably wouldn't take the reflection thing well. I hastily dried my hands and exited the bathroom, looking around for Paul at a table.

I finally found him with two drinks already at the table, "Got your favourite."

"Cuba libre?"

He nodded as he took a gulp, not even bothering with the straw. I sipped mine, half-expecting it to soothe the itch in my throat if only a little, but it had no effect.

"Here." I said, handing him back his jacket, "Thanks for lending me it, and for getting the new one."

Paul waves a hand in dismissal, "No need to thank me, your old one was ripped and shredded so we couldn't really leave you with it. And sorry about all your clothes in the house two, I'd have grabbed them if I'd have known." He apologised as he put his jacket back on.

I shook my head, "It's fine, honestly. They were just to change into while I travelled back here, the only thing I wish I had was Dwayne's scarf to give back to him."

"You had it?" He asked curiously.

"Yeah he gave it to me ages ago, it was in my bag when I left. It saved my life, actually."

"How?"

I stirred the drink around with the straw, "Well I needed some way to let you guys know what had happened, the only thing I could think to do was use the scarf. If Dwayne saw it then he'd know I was with Max, so I tricked Max into putting it on Thorn so when he went to meet you, he'd see it."

"Wow, that was smart." Paul said, looking impressed, "I did notice the scarf on Thorn but it never clicked that it was Dwayne's, I just thought it was the same colour."

"Only Dwayne would have noticed it, I think. Did he notice it when he was there?"

Paul shook his head, "He didn't go to meet Max, didn't feel like going. I met him after and we saw Max leave the store with Thorn, I guess he must have seen it then and realised just after Max left."

"Is that how the rest of you found out?"

"No actually, Dwayne took off but I had no clue why, I met up with David and Marko and we were trying to figure out where he had went when your mother found us. She told us you had come back on your own but we said we hadn't seen you, we kinda figured from there that if you hadn't made it someone must have gotten to you first."

"How'd you find out where I was?"

"David managed to get a read on where Dwayne was, he could tell he was injured. We got there just in time I guess, another few minutes and you wouldn't be here right now. And it's a good thing Dwayne got there before us, he said you and Max were just about to leave."

"I was trying to stall him but he wasn't having any of it." I sighed, "I kept hoping someone would come and find me."

"Well it's a good thing you left that clue. Good thinking, Shorty."

I tried to smile, "Maybe if I'd have left a different clue, one you all would have gotten, Dwayne wouldn't have been by himself and he wouldn't have been hurt."

"What other clue could you have left?"

I shrugged, "I don't know, something else."

"Face it, that scarf was the only thing you could use. Anything else and Max might have figured it out, or we might not have caught on. So stop beating yourself up over it, Dwayne will be fine once those splinters come out."

"Sounds painful." I winced.

"He's had worse." Paul said, suddenly I was reminded of that Dwayne told me he went through before he turned.

"I guess."

"Hey." My eyes finally left my drink to meet Paul's, "No more being sad. You're back with us, your mom's here too, Max is gone and we can all just chill out and enjoy ourselves. I forbid you to be sad." He pointed.

I let a small smile slip, "I missed you."

He grinned, "Missed you too. Now finish that drink so we can go have some fun."

"Okay." I agreed, drinking the rest of the cocktail until only the ice remained at the bottom. I followed Paul out of the bar and into the main crowd of the boardwalk again, taking in every familiar bright light and the music of the rides.

It felt good to be home.