first kill

Written for August Fic Challenge 2023, Prompt: Ferris Wheel. AU, Michael's a vampire, Star's not around. Comments and kudos would be awesome. Enjoy!


The Santa Carla boardwalk is swarming with locals and tourists.

Crowds gather around the stage, sweaty bodies writhing together to the beat of the music. There are clusters of people in line to get on the rollercoaster and the merry go round and the ferris wheel, all the other miscellaneous rides the along the pier. There are lovesick couples and giggling children – the only two groups willing to be suckered in for shitty prizes - waiting to waste their money playing the rigged carnival games. Others are eager to gorge themselves on the buffet of fried food and sugary treats. It's all noise and chaos and heat, all wrapped up in the ambiance of a summer night.

But, one group moves through them all like they don't even exist.

David leads, one arm thrown possessively over Michael's shoulder, keeping him in close. Marko, Dwayne, and Paul all follow. They've left the bikes parked off the boardwalk; they certainly don't need them to rule over their territory here.

"See anyone you like, Michael?" David croons in his ear, eyes flicking over the crowds for a suitable victim for his companion. The newborn vampire has technically had his first kill, some half-dead junkie the others had thrown before him to finish off, but he's not yet hunted his own prey and tonight is the perfect sort of night.

"Not yet," Michael tells him. David is sure he's looking, knows how the bloodlust takes hold. He can feel it thrumming under Michael's skin, hear it in his racing heart.

They settle on the rails, the dark ocean churning below them and the cacophony of the boardwalk on display. They watch the crowds – a pair of giggling teenage girls, a frazzled mother with two young kids, a trio of jocks in letter jackets, a group of guys and girls from a nearby college who are all fantastically drunk, a stoner couple, a goth chick.

None of them seem tempting.

David drapes himself over Michael's shoulders, lips pressed against his neck. "Come on, Michael," he says, voice low and dangerous. "The sooner you pick, the sooner I get to take you home to celebrate."

Michael leans into him, the hunt forgotten as his bizarre link to David sings through his bloodstream like he doesn't even need to bother to feed. So long as he has this…

A bite. David's teeth drag against his neck, forcing him to focus.

Some preppy dude sneers at them, at their display, spitting slurs at them as he passes by.

"Him," Michael declares, easily.

"Good choice," David agrees. He nudges Michael forward. "Go. We'll watch."

Michael sets off, slinking into the crowd with ease. He trails after the man as he moves down the boardwalk. It's so easy to track him, the stranger smells so strongly of food. Even in the seconds he loses sight of his target Michael is completely sure of his movements, knows exactly where the man is going to go. And, finally, just as predicted, the man walks just a little bit too close to one of the dark alleyways that run behind the shops. Michael's too fast for him, the guy barely even has time to react before he's pulled into the darkness, neck ripped to shreds by Michael's fangs.

It does not taste as good as David's blood, though nothing has. It is, he will concede, better than his last meal had been.

Still, he drinks his fill.

David's there in a second, arms wrapping possessively around his waist as he grins in satisfaction. "Enough," he says, after a moment. He pulls Michael off of his prey and seals their lips together in a bloody kiss, his tongue delving in to steal a taste of the fresh blood. The others whoop and holler in celebration of Michael's first real kill.

"With me," he demands, hands curled into Michael's jacket as he hauls him out of the alley.

The others take the body. They'll finish it off and dispose of it.

"Perfect," David tells him, heedless of Michael's bloodstained clothes as they fly off into the night.