Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It had been months since the Emerson family’s fight with the Lost Boys and everything seemed to go back to normal, all except Michael. He often found himself awake in the early hours of the morning staring up at the ceiling, both his head and heart filled with regret. He was so sure that when school finally started back up again that everything would fade away and he could live a normal life, but it seemed that the odds of that happening weren’t his favor. Swearing under his breath, Michael rolled himself out of bed and pulled on some pants and his old leather jacket. Slowly stepping out of his room, he stopped to listen for any hint that someone might be awake. When he found none, he continued to creep down the stairs and he silently slipped out the front door. 

Hopping on his bike, Michael scooted himself down the driveway and far enough down the road away from his house before revving his engine and taking off to the one place that might bring him peace of mind. Speeding down the road and feeling the wind rush past his face, Michael couldn’t help but remember his first night with them. Gritting his teeth, he continued on, going even faster than before.

When he finally arrived at the bluffs, he looked out at the ocean ahead of him, worrying his bottom lip in between his teeth. Closing his eyes for just a second, Michael sharply inhaled before making his way down the stairs and stepping into the entrance of the cave. The moonlight could only reach so far; Michael could only see about five feet into the sunken hotel, but he pressed on. It felt almost like instinct, moving around in the dark. He’d re-visited the hotel many times in the past few months, searching for something; Michael didn’t know what he was hoping to find, but he felt drawn to the old hotel anyway. He let his hands drift out from his sides, open palms gliding against the rough surface of a chair. Letting out a dry laugh, he plopped himself down, envisioning the boys gathered around him, wicked grins on their faces as he fell for their tricks. He also remembered Star’s voice in his ear as he held the bejeweled bottle, the mouth of it already tilted towards his parted lips. How was he supposed to know that it was actually blood? Sure, it had the tangy, metallic taste of blood, but it was heavily over-shadowed by a rich sweetness that Michael couldn’t get enough of. His head started to feel foggy at the thought of David’s blood; it made him feel good.

David’s wicked laugh echoed throughout the empty hotel, sending a jolt of panic through Michael. He jumped up from his spot in the chair and looked around him, even though he knew that he wouldn’t be able to see anything. As David’s laughter got louder, a chorus of different laughs joined in, Michael recognizing them as the laughter of the other boys. Stepping backwards in fear, his foot hit a rock, sending him tumbling backwards. As he fell to the ground, the boys’ cackles increased, seemingly getting closer and surrounding him from all sides. Pressing his hands to his ears, Michael sat himself up and curled his knees into his chest.

“This can’t be real, this can’t be real,” Michael whispered, his breaths quickening. “I must have fallen asleep, this isn’t happening. You guys are dead!” He shouted into the darkness around him, not sure if he would be more relieved if he received silence in return or an answer. 

“Are you sure about that, Michael?” David’s gruff voice rasped into his ear and he shuddered, scrambling to his feet before stumbling towards the pale light at the entrance of the cave. Their laughter continued to taunt him from behind as he tripped up the stairs, scurrying out as fast as he could. As he hopped back on his bike, Michael could still hear the echoes of their laughter as he took off down the road, wanting to get as far away from the bluffs as possible. Soon, the laughter was overtaken by the sound of the wind and the ocean waves not far beside him. With his heart racing in his ears, Michael sped home, the faint red glow from the sunrise in front of him. As he neared his house, he slowed his bike, electing to walk it up the driveway rather than ride it. 

Quietly pushing open the front door, he stepped inside, thankful to see all the lights still off. With a sigh of relief, he turned and softly closed the door and locked it, almost breaking the lock off when Sam’s voice sounded from behind him.

“What’re you doing? Were you sneaking out, Mike? Huh?” With a roll of his eyes, Michael straightened up and smoothed the wrinkles from his t-shirt.

“No, now shut up before you wake Mom and Grandpa.” He walked past Sam and ruffled his hair as he did so, headed towards the stairs.

“Where did you go? You’re not skipping school, are you?” With a smile, Michael just ignored his brother and continued upstairs, letting himself fall onto his bed once he made it back to his room. Letting his eyes fall closed, he let his thoughts turn to David in the safety of his home. Michael wasn’t sure what he would find when he went down there, but he hadn’t expected to be haunted by the presence of his somewhat friends. With a shiver, he recalled David’s voice, his hand reaching up to rub at the back of his neck, certain that he felt something back at the old hotel. He couldn’t help but to give in to the belief that the Lost Boys were somehow alive, even though he knew better. A wave of guilt washed over him as he replayed David’s death in his mind, watching as the horns pierced his chest. Rolling onto his side, Michael stared at the wall beside him, wondering if he had truly lost his mind. There was no way they survived, no of course not. He was just tired; his mind must have been playing tricks on him.

“Michael,” a voice whispered, just loud enough for him to hear. He looked around the room, expecting to see Sam, but all he saw were shadows. “Join us, Michael.” The disembodied voice was undeniably David’s, and Michael could feel panic swell in his chest. His eyes flicked to the window where he saw the sun continuing to rise. It couldn’t be David, the sun was coming up. Sitting up and backing himself against the wall, he licked his lips before tentatively calling out.

“David?” He was met with silence and he felt himself deflate, stuck between feeling glad that no one answered and feeling disappointed that David wasn’t actually there. With a sharp exhale, Michael leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. 

“Don’t forget about us , Mikey.” He felt the hairs on his arms and neck stand up at the second voice.

“Come on, Michael,” a third voice rasped, and Michael gritted his teeth. Surely he was losing his mind.

“No, this isn’t real.” More laughter filled his ears as they began to chant his name, almost reminiscent of his first night with them as he drank from the bottle. “Leave me alone!” 

“Michael.” He ignored the calling of his name as he closed his eyes, trying to will away the voices. “Mike!” A hand grabbed his shoulder and Michael flinched, hard. Ducking his head down and curling his hands into fists, he raised his hands next to his head as he turned away from the hand. “Mike, hey Mike, what’s going on with you, huh?” Opening his eyes and turning to look at the person in front of him, Michael saw Sam, a worried look on his face as he hunched over him.

“M’fine, Sammy.” Michael sat up and grinned at his younger brother, though he wasn’t sure how convincing he was. “Just a bad dream or something.” 

“You’re so weird.” Sam looked down at him with a scowl and probably some geeky insult ready at the tip of his tongue, but Michael pushed his face away as he stood up, maneuvering around him. “You’re gonna be late for school if you don’t get ready and Mom’s gonna get mad.” An amused smile played on his lips as he watched Michael stumble around his room in search of clean clothes.

“Get outta my room, Sam. Go wait in the car, I’ll drive you today.” Michael didn’t have to look at his brother to know that he was sporting a wide grin. Waiting until he heard Sam’s footsteps retreat back into the hallway and down the stairs, he stripped himself from his clothes and pulled on some decently clean jeans from the bottom of his closet. Huffing as he once again pulled on his jacket, Michael headed downstairs and met Sam in the garage. He was sprawled out in his seat, that goofy grin still on his face.

“Can I drive on the way home?” Michael turned to his brother, an eyebrow cocked in amusement. Letting the question sit for a few seconds, he hopped in the car and shoved the key into the ignition. Revving up the engine, he laughed.

“What do you think the answer is, Sammy?” Seeing Sam pout from the corner of his eye, Michael grinned wider and took off, the wind blowing through his hair once more. It wasn’t the same as when he was on his bike, but it was close enough that it was still freeing. Trying his best to forget about that morning’s strange events, he sped down the road, listening as Sam flipped through the different stations on the car radio.

Chapter Text

Michael wasn’t a terrible student, in fact, he could have top notch grades if he put in the effort. Though he knew he should care about his choices, after all, getting into college was dependent on his grades. He found that he couldn’t bring himself to care. Michael often caught himself staring out his classroom windows, longing for some sense of freedom that made his heart ache at the thought. Though he’d never had a plan for himself on what to do after school, he found that after his run-in with the Lost Boys over the summer, any thoughts of what he’d like to do that he might have had, had severely diminished. He had envied the boys; they never had to worry about financial problems or what to do with a fleeting life. 

Michael couldn’t keep from thinking about that morning, if what he’d heard had truly only been a figment of his imagination. He began to grow antsy, wanting to chance another visit to the old hotel. With a sigh, he let his eyes flick back to the front of the room, scanning the words written in chalk on the board. Once again, losing focus on his schoolwork, Michael looked around the room, observing the mostly bored expressions on the other kids’ faces. As he let his eyes flick around the room, thoughts of what the Lost Boys would be like in school filled his mind. Stifling a laugh at the thought of them goofing off, Michael let out a dry cough and rested his cheeks in the palms of his hands. He’d never been a fan of the long school days, and he resented them even more now. Michael wasn’t a person who could sit still for 8 hours at a time; no, he’d rather be on his bike, speeding down the road and leaving the world behind him. He’d rather be trying his damned hardest to keep up with David’s bike, dust and fog swirling up in clouds around him. Focusing his gaze on the clock fixed above the chalkboard, he grinned, deciding to slip out the front doors during a passing period. He felt his stomach fill up with anxiety, giving him the rush of adrenaline that he desperately craved.

While he maneuvered his way through groups of kids passing through the halls, Michael kept his head down, focused on not looking too suspicious. Pressing himself up against the brick wall, he waited until the hall was mostly clear before sliding out the doors, a grin on his face as he was greeted with the cool, fall air. Strolling to his grandpa’s car, he hopped into the driver’s seat, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. He had a couple hours to kill, so Michael figured that it wouldn’t hurt to take a drive while he waited for Sam to get out from school. Knowing that no matter where he would drive he’d end up back at the hotel, he gritted his teeth and decided to just go straight there, telling himself that it was only to save time and gas. Flying down the road towards the old hotel, Michael felt that familiar nervousness rise in his chest again. He couldn’t quite figure out why he developed an obsession with the hotel, but he never bothered trying to fight it. 

In all his visits, he’d never found anything that hinted at the survival of the boys, but he always found himself going back and hoping to find something. Michael hated the thought of joining them, growing disgusted at the thought of him becoming a murderer like them, but he missed the connection he had with them, the feeling of family. He hadn’t known them all that long, and had only met with them a couple times, but he could always feel their presence. At the time, he’d hated it, didn’t want to feel their gravitational pull. Now that they were gone, however, Michael grew lonely and missed their presence more than ever. It wasn’t so bad when Star was still around, but Michael’s strange fixation on the hotel and his longing for something that wasn’t there had pushed her away. She begged him to go with her, he remembered. She wanted to live and travel across the country to get away, and she wanted Michael to go with her. Michael was stuck in the past and refused to leave them. ‘What if they came back?’ he argued, trying to convince himself more than Star that he only wanted to stay to protect his family. He’d been there when Star left, a remorseful smile on her face as she turned away from him. She promised that she’d come back to visit someday, and Michael only smiled. He spent the rest of that day holed up in the hotel, finishing off the pack of smokes that David had left behind. Michael vividly remembered watching the plumes of smoke swirl around the damp air, imagining David’s face in the smoke.

Michael hadn’t realized that he had reached his destination a while ago until he heard the jarring sound of a car quickly honking at him as it drove by. He pulled himself from his thoughts and looked out over the ocean. He bit down on his bottom lip and chewed at it lightly, a bad habit that he had picked up a little while after the big fight. Turning off the car, Michael stepped out and slowly made his way back down the old, rickety stairs. As usual, he wasn’t sure what he was expecting to find, but he felt compelled to continue his journey anyway. Heading back into the hotel for the second time that day, Michael looked around anxiously. Since the sun was up, he was sure that if the boys were alive, they wouldn’t be active, so he walked in deeper, letting his eyes rake over the scenery. The hotel was much different during the day than at night, and he wasn’t sure which he preferred. On one hand, he could see much more easily and wasn’t afraid of tripping over stuff, but it didn’t feel right. The hotel lost its charm when it was basked in the sunlight, and Michael found himself hating it. No, it wasn’t right for him to be there when it was like that. But he continued on.

Walking deeper into the cave-like structure, he turned in circles, taking in the view. His eyes stopped on the old fountain, the same one that Paul had traipsed across during his first night there. He remembered David standing in front of it, his arms open wide and that signature smirk on his face as he welcomed Michael. At the memory, Michael felt his feet take him closer to the fountain, stopping a few inches short of its concrete base. He knelt down and ran his open palm across the rough surface of it. 

He hated himself for going there, hated himself for always keeping those memories in the back of his mind. He had tried to reason with himself, telling himself that the boys shouldn’t have made that big of an impact on him. They only knew each other for a few weeks after all, but that feeling of closeness he had with them, even for that short while, had affected him deeply. He loved Sam, he truly did, but Michael never got that same bond with him as he did with the Lost Boys, and it disgusted him. He’d never felt truly empty inside, but since the death of the boys, Michael’s heart ached and longed for them. Mostly blaming it on that short connection they had since he had drank the blood, Michael tried not to think that maybe it was because he knew that they all could have been something more. He could’ve had friends in this new town, no, he could’ve had a family. Sure, he did have a family, but there was something about the boys, something about David, that drew him in and appealed to him in ways that he couldn’t even comprehend.

“David,” he let the name slip from his lips, pressing his warm cheek against the cold concrete. Even from the first night he’d seen David, there was something about him that intrigued Michael. He could never keep his eyes off the man, even when he absolutely wanted to look away. He thought about the first night he’d shared with Star, how confused he was. He didn’t get the answers he wanted from her, but as they laid together in the tangled sheets, he couldn’t find it in himself to care at that moment. She kissed away his doubts and wrapped herself around him, pulling him impossibly close. For a moment, she was the only thing on his mind and he reveled in her glory, but he felt another presence. When he got the chance, he’d glanced over her shoulder and at first, saw nothing but darkness peering back at him. But those eyes, those blue eyes were watching and Michael knew it. Trying to focus on the task at hand, he ignored David’s persistent stare. He buried his face into Star’s neck, breathing deeply and inhaling the scent of her cheap perfume. Biting down and sucking softly on her soft skin, Michael concentrated on her soft moans and jerky movements. He felt her fingers drag across the tight skin on his back as he pressed into her, the sharp scratch of her nails sending shivers up his spine. She whispered his name like a prayer, repeating over and over into his ear. As Star panted into the open air, Michael was positive that he had heard David whisper his name into his other ear, earning a deep, guttural noise from Michael. 

Michael remembers giving his all that night, not only for Star, but for his secretive voyeur. When he finally came, it hit him twice as hard and he knew he could thank David for that. Shifting on his knees, Michael felt that all too familiar friction in his jeans and he groaned, gripping the edge of the fountain harder in an attempt to will away his problem. He spit out a few curses as he reached down and palmed himself through his jeans. Fucking David. He wasn’t even there and he was still affecting Michael in ways he shouldn’t. Stifling a moan, he undid his jeans and pulled his cock out, shivering when the cool air hit his skin. Stroking himself, Michael rubbed his thumb over the head and used the already dripping pre-cum to slick himself up. Grunting out David’s name, Michael closed his eyes as he used his free arm to hold himself steady on the edge of the fountain. He moved his hand faster, twisting his wrist in different ways as he sped up. David’s face flashed in Michael’s mind as he went along, chasing the climax. 

“Come for me, Michael,” David’s voice purred in his ear. Biting down on his lip, Michael held back a moan, not wanting to give David any kind of satisfaction, whether he was actually there or not. He felt the faintest of touches on his shoulders and he gasped, finding himself leaning into the touch. David’s hands, or what he supposed was David’s hands, pressed harder, slipping forward and rubbing against his chest. A hand came up and cupped his cheek, causing Michael to tilt his head to the side to get more contact with David’s cool skin. “Be a good boy for me, Michael.” Michael nodded as David spoke gently into his ear, letting out a whine as he felt cold lips on the back of his neck. He worked himself faster as David continued to press open mouthed kisses to his neck. Feeling a heat pool in his stomach, Michael knew that he wouldn’t be able to last much longer. As he stuttered out David’s name, he felt a searing, white-hot pain wash over him. David sunk his teeth into the tan skin on Michael’s neck, sending him over the edge and spilling into his own hand. Michael came with a shout, his entire body trembling with aftershocks.

 Wiping his hand off on his pants, he cringed and shoved himself back into his jeans before standing up, stumbling for a second. Michael snarled at the thought of what he just did and backed away from the fountain, nose scrunched up in disgust. Trying to get the thought of him jacking it to David out of his mind, he tried to think about Star, but every time he tried to picture her face, David’s would pop up instead, that smirk of his always present.

“What’s the matter, Michael? Not ready to admit what you are?” David’s voice taunted him, swirling around his head and echoing off the walls.

“Stop! You’re not real!” Michael looked around, looking for David’s stupid face. “And if you are, I’ll kill you myself!” Gruff laughter surrounded him, closing in on him and he felt as though he were suffocating. His lungs burned and the pressure in his head was enough to think he would explode.

“Didn’t work out for you last time, though, did it?” Michael’s vision clouded over, the floor seemingly wobbling upwards, closer to him and then right back down to its original spot. Stumbling around, he searched for a wall to lean against, but settled for sitting down on a pile of broken concrete slabs before he lost his footing.

“Just stop!” Michael curled in on himself, his whole body shaking. “Just leave me alone,” he cried out, voice cracking. 

“But where's the fun in that?” David's voice was just barely a whisper, but it hit Michael's eardrums like a sonic blast. His hands were tangled in his hair as he screamed, pulling at the dark brown locks. “Better get home before someone finds you down here, Michael.” Each time Michael's name was spit from David's lips, he shuddered, folding in on himself more and more.

“I can't. I can't do it.” Michael could hear the tremble in his voice and he hated how weak he sounded, especially in front of David. “I can't, I can't-” he was cut off by a harsh whisper, David telling him to shut it. 

“Just close your eyes, Michael.” He shook his head, staring down at the dusty floor between his feet. “Don't fight me, Michael. Close your eyes.” 

Michael did what he was told.

Chapter Text

Waking up to people screaming his name, Michael groggily rolled over to face them, cracking open his eyes just enough to see who it was. To his surprise, he found himself lying in his bed, his mom standing only inches away from him and his brother lurking in the doorway.

“Mom?” He blinked his eyes slowly, not sure if he was dreaming. She looked down at him, brows furrowed and lips twisted into a scowl.

“Michael, what has gotten into you? First you leave Sam at school, then you don’t come home until late at night. Now get up, it’s time for school, you’re going to be late as it is.” Michael groaned, rubbing at his face with his hands, curling into a ball. Pieces of memories from the last night flashed in his mind, filling his vision. Thinking back to him beating off to David, Michael felt his stomach lurch and he scrambled out of bed, slipping by his mom and shoving Sam to the side before rushing into the bathroom, just barely making it to the toilet. He dry heaved for a bit, arms wrapped around the cool porcelain and his face regrettably close to the inside. Remembering the bite, Michael felt the stomach acid and bile rise in his throat, tears streaming down his cheeks. He heard his mom gasp as she entered the bathroom, kneeling down to gently rub his shoulder. He tensed under her touch and she recoiled slightly. Michael wasn’t directly facing her, but he knew that she was sporting that worried look that she often wore around him. He groaned as he shifted uncomfortably to look at her, doing his best to give her a smile, but he was sure that it came out more as a grimace. “Michael?”

“I’m not feeling too hot, Mom.” She pressed her lips into a thin line, reaching her hand up to feel his forehead.

“Michael, you’re burning up!” He groaned in response, letting his body go limp as he leaned against the toilet. “Let’s get you back to bed.” With a shaky breath, Michael pushed himself, his arms shaking as he struggled to lift himself up. “Sam! Get in here and help your brother.”

“No! I don’t want whatever he’s got, he’s gonna infect me!” Sam peeked into the room anyway, his gaze focused on his struggling brother.

“You’re not going to get sick, Sammy. Help me.” Michael’s voice was strained, all his energy being used to keep him standing upright. He used one arm to lean against the wall as Sam visibly deflated.

“Why is it always me that has to help you, huh?” Michael couldn’t find it in him to bark back some snarky comment, so he just ignored his brother as he gently wrapped an arm would his shoulders, consciously trying not to lean too much on him. After Sam dropped him back in his bed, Michael wrapped his arms around him, pulling him into a hug. His fingers dug into the thin material of his jacket as he pressed his face into his stomach. “What’s going on, Mike? You’re acting so weird.”

“M’sorry, Sammy.” Michael’s words were muffled, but he was sure that Sam had heard him. “I didn’t mean to leave you yesterday.”

“Well you could have at least given me a heads up.” Michael smiled at his brother’s way of accepting his apology. He felt Sam quickly reach around him and squeeze a gentle hug before pulling away from him. He flashed a small grin before leaving. Michael groaned as he flopped backwards on his bed, reaching a hand up to his neck to feel for the bitemark. As he ran his fingertips over the skin, he noticed that he couldn’t find any noticeable bump or scab where it should have been. Maybe he was going off the deep end after all. Heaving out a sigh, Michael closed his eyes and turned to face the wall. He shoved his face into his pillow and bit his lip, desperately wanting to go back to sleep, but terrified of the things he’ll see.

It hadn’t taken Michael long to fall asleep; the events from the night prior and the stress from it all had worn him down. For a while, he hadn’t dreamed while he was asleep, leaving him alone in the stark blackness. He slept restfully for a few hours, no one in the house to bother him, and no outside forces manipulating his reality. Good things never last forever, though, as they say. Michael stirred, groaning as he rolled over onto his back, squinting drearily up at the ceiling. His curtains were closed, but there was a small sliver of pale sunlight that penetrated the small gap in the fabric. It cast distorted shadows around his room, only illuminating a small path to his closet. 

Pushing himself up into a sitting position, he stared at the closet door, feeling stupid for thinking that there was something in there other than his clothes. Regardless, Michael crawled out of bed and gingerly stepped forward, knees bent and arms outstretched; he walked lightly on his feet, ready to fight if something was there. Holding his breath, he reached out and flung the door open, holding his fists out in front of him. Seeing nothing but his clothes hanging up on hangers, he sighed in relief and shut the door, leaning on it as he let his heartbeat steady out.

“Oh, you won’t find me in there, Michael.” David’s voice sounded from behind him and Michael jumped, spinning around to face him, if he was there. A shadowy figure sat on his bed, one leg dangling off the side and the other bent at the knee, his arm resting on top of it. Blinking before responding, Michael eyed the figure, trying to determine if it was actually there or not.

“David?” His voice was barely a whisper, and Michael inwardly cursed himself. He could practically hear the smirk in David’s voice as he got a response.

“The one and only.” Cautiously stepping closer, Michael tried to get a better look at him, his eyes straining. He could barely make out David’s general face shape, but those eyes. Those eyes that pierced his soul were illuminated in the darkness. With a shaky breath, Michael pushed forward, determined to get answers.

“Are you real?” He stopped walking, stopping a couple feet away from the side of the bed, listening for David’s response. When he got none, Michael growled and asked again, frustration quickly building inside him. “Are you real, David?” He spit out David’s name venomously, like just speaking it left a bad taste in his mouth.

“Would you like me to be?” Michael frowned, not expecting that answer. “What does real mean to you, Michael?”

“Stop, shut up! Just shut up.” Michael ran a hand through his hair, his eyes darting around the room, determined to look anywhere besides where David was sitting. “Why are you doing this? Is this fun for you? What are you doing to me?” Michael couldn’t stop the flow of questions that came out of his mouth. As his knees began to shake, he clenched his jaw, focusing on standing tall.

“Well, sure it’s fun, but this isn’t about me. It’s about you , Michael.” Furrowing his eyebrows in confusion, Michael took a tentative step closer.

“Me? What do you mean it’s about me?” As he stepped closer, the features on David’s face became more visible, and the grin that stretched his lips drove Michael nuts.

“Come closer, Michael.” David stretched his arm out towards him, beckoning him closer with his finger. Michael moved closer, his knees hitting the side of his mattress. David shot him a look, continuing to gode him to move closer. With a dry gulp, he climbed up onto the bed, crawling on his hands and knees closer to David, stopping just a few inches short. David reached his hand out, combing his fingers through Michael’s curly hair, bringing their faces closer together. “What do you want, Michael,” he asked, eyes staring directly into his. Michael could only stare back, his mouth opening and closing like he wanted to say something, but he failed to form words each time. “Tell me, Michael. Just ask and it’s yours.”

“Are you real?” Michael could see David’s grin widen, his eyes scrunching up as an inaudible laugh escaped his lips. David pulled Michael in closer, their noses barely touching. Michael could feel David’s warm breath against his cheek as he spoke.

“Is this real enough for you, Michael?” He shuddered, his lips parting as he panted. He hated David with every fiber of his being, but in this moment, he couldn’t pull himself away. David’s gaze held him in place and all he wanted in that moment was to reach out and touch him.

“Touch me,” he rasped, biting down on his lip as he leaned forward to rest their foreheads together. David’s fingers tangled themselves in Michael’s hair, pulling his head back and exposing his neck. Michael tensed as David leaned forward, pressing his lips to the tender flesh. He remembered the bite from last night and tried to pull away, but David’s sturdy grip kept him in place. He let out a whine as David scraped his teeth on the underside of his jaw, his fangs digging slightly into his skin. Pulling his lip back in between his teeth, Michael allowed himself to move closer to David, lowering himself until he was straddling the one leg that was on the bed. He grinded against his thigh, trying to relieve some of the friction that had built up in his jeans. 

One of David’s hands slipped under Michael’s shirt, his cold fingers lightly dancing across his ribs. Michael bit down harder, determined to not make any sounds. Tasting that familiar tang of blood, he cringed, but refused to ease the pressure. As he felt the blood trickle down his lip and start to reach his chin, David’s grip on him got tighter as he pulled away from Michael’s neck. Michael watched as David’s eyes focused on his lip, he could swear he saw a sparkle in them. Without further hesitation, David sunk down and pressed his lips to Michael’s, sucking on his bottom lip to draw out more blood. Grabbing David’s shoulder to steady himself, Michael groaned. Pulling away, David grinned at him, his lips stained red with Michael’s blood; Michael found himself simultaneously appalled and intrigued at the sight. David’s mouth hovered next to his, his breath tickling him slightly.

“You taste so good, Michael.” David’s voice had a certain seductive quality to it, and maybe that’s why Michael found himself wanting more, craving to be near him. Shivering, despite the warmth in his room, he pressed himself even closer to David, just wanting to feel him against his skin. He wrapped his arms around his neck, burying his face in David’s shirt, taking in his smell and the coldness of him. As he rocked himself back and forth, his heart lurched. He knew what he was doing was wrong, but he also knew that it felt so right. The feeling of David’s hands running themselves over his body was something that Michael both wanted to remember forever, but also forget and bury it deep into the back of his mind. David’s nails dug gently into his back, causing him to arch and throw his head back. He let his eyes flutter closed, content with David’s not-so-careful touches.

“Michael?” The sound of his mother’s voice rang out through the house and he jumped in surprise, pushing himself away from David as he kept his eyes on the door to his room. Hearing her footsteps come up the creaky stairs, Michael continued to stare wide-eyed, frozen in his spot. The door opened slowly and his mom peeked her head in, the worried face returning. “Michael, how are you feeling?” He stared at her, fully intending to answer, but he wasn’t sure how he felt. Sure, he didn’t feel sick anymore, but he also didn’t think he could bare to be around anybody else. Looking to where David was sitting, all Michael saw was an empty spot in his bed, the blankets wrinkled and messed up from his movements, but there was no indication that David had ever been there. Turning back to his mom who had fully stepped into his room, he nodded.

“Yeah Mom, I’m fine.” She walked over to him, worry still ever present in her eyes. Michael clenched his jaw as he shifted in his seat, backing himself against the wall. She pressed the back of her hand to his forehead, leaving it there for a moment before sliding it down to his cheek.

“You’re still warm, honey.” Michael let out a dry bark of laughter, shaking his head. He avoided looking into her eyes as she sighed down at him.

“Yeah, Mom. I think I’m sick.” There was a touch of distaste in his voice, his mind racing. “I’m gonna take a shower.” He slid past her and made his way into the bathroom, slipping his clothes off and shoving them into a pile in the corner. Catching his reflection in the mirror, he leaned in closer, staring at himself in the eyes, his breaths creating fog on the glass. His gaze traveled down to this neck where the bite should have been, but only tan, unmarked skin was left in its place. With a growl, Michael pushed himself away from the mirror, grinding his teeth as he stepped into the tub, not bothering to turn on the hot water as he turned the shower on, letting the icy droplets wash over him. He shivered as thoughts of David pervaded him mind. “Fuck,” he yelled, pulling at his hair. No matter what he did, all he could think about was David and frankly, he was tired of it. He felt his body tremble as David’s face flashed in his mind.

“You’re mine, Michael.” His voice sounded so close and yet so far. It bounced around in his head, driving away any other thoughts he had. You’re mine, you’re mine, you’re mine. Michael let out a scream before his vision went white and he collapsed to his knees.

Chapter Text

 It had been a week since the shower incident and everyone was still a little on edge. Both Sam and their mom cast Michael worried glances, but they both kept their distance. As Michael’s visions of David became more frequent, he got more twitchy and paranoid, his eyes always flitting around whatever room he was in. Lucy had suggested that he and Sam should visit the boardwalk again, let off a little steam. Of course, Sam was excited about the idea; he rarely got the chance to go visit the old comic book store anymore. Michael agreed to the idea, but he wasn’t exactly thrilled with the thought of being surrounded by hundreds of other people, most of which were his peers, potentially seeing him in the middle of another one of his freak outs.

Once the two of them got there and had walked around for a bit, Michael found himself enjoying the trip. He had to admit that it was nice to get out of the house and just relax for a bit. He smiled as he watched Sam’s eyes light up as they continued to walk around. The lights and music overtook the night and Michael could say that he was glad to be there. His grip on Sam’s shoulder tightened as they walked through a large crowd of people, not wanting to lose his brother. As they passed them, Michael felt as though he was being watched, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. He looked around, hoping that it was just his imagination acting up. As he glanced around, he noticed a familiar blond. The man leaned up against the wooden railing, a smirk making its way onto his lips as they made eye contact. Stopping in his tracks, Michael stared at him, anxiety pooling in his stomach. Wanting to call out to him, he began to step closer, never breaking eye contact. He was only stopped by someone tugging on his arm, pulling him back into reality.

“Mike, what’s the matter with you? Found another girl to chase, huh?” Sam’s lips twitched up into a smile as he teased Michael, amusement laced in his voice. Michael turned to face him, blinking, as he tried to recalibrate himself.

“No, I-” he stopped himself, not daring to tell Sam that he was seeing ghosts of the assumed dead vampires. Looking back to where Paul had been standing and seeing nothing in his place, Michael just shook his head. “Thought I saw someone I knew.” Sam snorted and tugged on his arm again.

“Come on, I wanna look at some comics before we ride anything.” Michael just let out a hum of agreement, glancing back as Sam led him away. His eyes went wide as Paul’s figure was once again leaning against the rail, a wide grin on his face as he wiggled his fingers in a wave. Shaking his head, he turned back around and followed Sam, determined on not letting his hallucinations ruin his brother’s night. Ignoring the feeling of Paul’s gaze lingering on his back, Michael kept close to Sam, a wide grin on both of their faces.

As Michael watched Sam peruse through the different comics, he smiled, noticing the way his brother’s eyes lit up at something he found cool. The Frog brothers were right there by Sam’s side, and though Michael couldn’t say that he was particularly fond of the two weird kids, they made Sam happy and that’s all he could ask for. Michael wandered around the small store, not really interested in the geeky things that were being sold, but the bright colors and wild art caught his eye every now and then. Glancing back at Sam to make sure he was still doing alright, he wandered further back behind some shelves and leaned himself against a wall, letting his eyes close. At some point during the night, he had developed a headache and trying to fight against the pressure in his skull was exhausting. Rubbing his temples with the tips of his fingers, Michael groaned and grinded his teeth.

“Mike?” He quickly pushed himself away from the wall and collected himself, cocking an eyebrow and tossing Sam a toothy grin.

“Yeah, Sammy?” Michael rolled his shoulders back and felt that satisfying crack before shoving a hand in his jacket pocket, wrapping the other arm around Sam’s shoulders. “You ready for some rides?” He noticed the off look on Sam’s face, his grin faltering a bit. “What’s up? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Sam turned his head away from him, staring down at the floor as they walked towards the exit. Michael didn’t miss the intense stares from the Frogs on their way out. “Sammy, what’s going-”

“I’m worried about you, Mike,” he interjected, his eyes wide as he finally looked up at his brother. “You’ve been acting weird for months and it’s freaking me out. Mom’s on edge, you abandoned me at school! It’s like what happened with those vampires all over again.” Sam stared Michael in the eyes, his lips pressed into a frown. Michael sighed and brought his hand up to ruffle Sam’s hair.

“I’m alright, Sammy. I’ve just been a little stressed lately, that’s all. It’s nothing for you to worry about, yeah?” Giving him an encouraging smile, Michael pat his back and pulled him in for a side hug. “Come on, let’s have some fun.” His cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling so much, but he had to make sure Sam was alright. When he saw Sam’s lips twitch up into a smile, he grinned wider and led him back down the boardwalk. “The night is yours, Sam. I’ll follow your lead.” Sam laughed and grabbed his wrist, pulling him along.

All the different sounds coming from the various rides and games were disorienting, the music echoed around the boardwalk and it was hard to tell where each sound was coming from. With all the walking in circles and the rush of the different rides, Michael found himself growing dizzy, but in the best way. His head was light and his sides ached with laughter. Stopping to catch his breath, Michael let go of Sam’s arm to rest his hands on his knees while he hunched over. 

“Mike! Come on,” Sam’s voice beckoned. Michael looked up in time to see Sam waving him over as he disappeared into a swarm of people.

“Sam! Wait up!” Michael took off into a sprint, his eyes scanning the crowd in hopes of finding his brother. “Sammy!” He called out his name, ignoring the stares from the people passing by. Michael clenched his jaw, worry bubbling up in his chest. In just a few short seconds, he had lost his brother, and he had no clue where to start looking. Pushing his way between different groups of people, Michael started to become frantic, his head whipping back and forth as he searched for Sam. “Sam!” he called out once more, his throat growing sore. 

Looking through the crowd, Michael spotted Sam’s signature hair and jacket. Screaming his name, Michael ran towards him, relief flooding over him when Sam looked over and made eye contact. Before he could reach him, however, a large wave of people passed between them, blocking Michael’s sight of him completely.

“No!” Michael tried to find a way through the people, and finally found a small opening, squeezing himself between the strangers. His breath caught in his throat as he saw that Sam was no longer there, but rather a familiar vampire in his place. Dwayne just stood there, unmoving, as Michael inched closer to him, chest heaving with rage. Reaching his arms out and pushing Dwayne’s shoulders back, Michael growled. “Where is he? What did you do to my brother?” Michael pushed closer, head tilted up slightly to look him in the eye. “Where’s Sam?” Dwayne didn’t give him a response; he just cracked a grin and backed away, turning around as he walked away from Michael. “Hey!” Dwayne made no move to indicate he was going to stop or slow down, so Michael huffed and took off after him.

The two of them reached a familiar pathway, the same one that they had been on when Michael first rode with them. As he began to fill with nervous energy, Michael grinded his teeth together, his jaw clenched. Dwayne looked at him over his shoulder and lightly smacked the back of Michael’s head.

“Stop, that’s not a good look on you.” Before Michael could form a rebuttal, he turned back around and continued walking, his pace getting faster as the two of them approached the rest of the Lost Boys. Michael warily followed Dwayne up to them, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. David stood in front, of course, smirking. Michael rolled his eyes as he stopped in front of him, shoving his hands in his pockets to keep from punching him.

“Where’s my brother, David.” Michael was tired of waiting for answers and his concern for Sam’s safety was ever growing. David grinned at him, mirroring his posture.

“Relax, Michael, we didn’t hurt him. I just needed to get him out of our hair for a bit.” Michael tensed, still not getting the answer he wanted. David rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue. “He doesn’t even realize you’re gone, Michael. He’s out having fun with his big brother and there’s nothing wrong with that.” Sighing, Michael took his hands out of his pockets and rubbed his face, turning away from David.

“No this isn’t real. I’m crazy. I’ve finally gone mad.” He let out a broken laugh as he faced the group again. “None of you are real! You’re dead, we killed you.” 

“We’re just as real as you are, Michael.” David stepped closer to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Michael shifted, leaning in closer to David.

“No, you can’t be. This isn’t real.” Michael heard Paul and Marko fail to stifle their laughs in the corner as David held his hand out to Dwayne, his palm open. Michael watched as a small switchblade was dropped into David’s open hand, and he squirmed in David’s grasp. David smiled with  amusement, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“What are you scared of Michael? After all, it’s not real.” Michael could hear the laughter in his voice, his chest heaving as he found it suddenly harder to breathe. “Give me your arm, Michael.” As though it was against his will, Michael did as he was told and stuck out his arm, the sleeve of his jacket riding up slightly and exposing his tan skin. David gave him one last grin before pressing the blade down against his arm and quickly pulling back, leaving a deep gash in Michael’s arm, just above his wrist. Hissing in pain, Michael withdrew his arm and cradled it close to his body, an incredulous look spreading across his face.

“What the fuck?” His uninjured hand began to shake as he gripped his arm tight, watching as the blood ran down his arm and dripped onto the concrete below. More laughter rang out from the boys, David still grinning in amusement as Michael backed away.

“Was that real enough for you, Michael,” David taunted, bringing back the memories of that day in Michael’s room. “Join us, Michael. We can help you.”

“Help me? You caused this! I don’t want your help.” Michael cowered away from them further, both of his hands covered in his own blood.

“But you need us, don’t you, Michael?” David moved closer to him, a hand reached out for Michael to take.

“No! Stay away from me.” Michael snarled and smacked David’s hand away, backing up. “Don’t fuckin touch me.” He narrowed his eyes as the boys stepped closer to him. Clenching his jaw, Michael took a step back before taking off, running back to the more populated area of the boardwalk, only focused on finding Sam. The burning in his arm was ever present, but he couldn’t bring himself to worry about it, not when Sam was still missing.

Around half an hour of searching had passed and Michael grew more panicked by the second. Growing weak from the blood loss, he continued to stumble around, vision blurry and clouded over. The scenery around him seemed to spin, the bright lights sending a wave of nausea through him. Losing his footing, Michael tumbled to the ground, landing on his knees as tried to keep himself from dry heaving. Calling out Sam’s name until he was hoarse, he tried to get back up, nearly falling on his face each time he got halfway to his feet.

“Mike?” Sam’s panicked voice reached Michael’s ears through all the different voices and music, and he felt a wave of relief wash over him, his body slumping over even more. “Mike, what happened to you?” Sam’s voice drew closer and a gentle hand grabbed his shoulder. “Holy shit! What happened to your arm?” Michael groaned and tried to stand once more, finally getting into an upright position with Sam’s help.

“Just ran into some tweaked-out junkie, Sammy. I’m alright.” Michael was thankful for the arm that Sam had wrapped around him as they walked away, his vision getting clearer as the adrenaline of losing his brother wore off. “Come on, let’s go home; it’s been a long night.” Sam kept quiet as they walked and Michael hated it. He wanted his brother to go back to his usual overly talkative self; he should be going on about some new nerd thing that he got into or telling some ridiculous story that involved the Frogs. As they got to the car, Michael nudged Sam to the driver’s side, flashing a tired grin as he hopped into the passenger seat. 

“Mike-”

“You’ve got this, Sammy. You’ve done it before.” Michael slumped down in his seat and shut his eyes, impatient to get home and just fall comatose in his bed. The car jerked forward as Sam pulled out of the parking spot and headed out towards the road. Though the trip back to the house wasn’t a long one, it felt like they had been driving for ages. A searing pain from Michael’s arm reminded him of the gash in his arm, a groan slipping from his lips at the thought of having to patch himself up.

Sam helped Michael out of the car and stayed behind him as they trudged up the stairs, prepared to catch him should he lose his balance and fall. Michael slipped into the bathroom, flipping the switch with his elbow as carefully slid his jacket off, letting it fall onto the floor. Staring down at his arm, he snarled, curling his fingers into a fist.

“I can help you with that, Mike.” Sam’s voice was soft, dripping with uncertainty. Michael looked over to him, tired eyes taking in his brother’s tense posture.

“No, you don’t have to, Sammy. I’m okay.” Sam stepped closer to him, gently pushing him into a sitting position on the edge of the tub.

“Let me help you.” Nodding, Michael sighed and agreed.

“Yeah, alright, Sammy.” Only a few words were exchanged between the two as Sam rinsed off Michael’s arm, cleaning off the dried blood and dirt. Sam’s joking attitude and teasing jabs had completely vanished, leaving Michael filled with regret and a strange sense of emptiness. Sam’s boyishness was all but gone and Michael knew that it was his fault. As Sam finished wrapping up Michael’s arm, tying the bandage just a little too tight, Michael leaned forward and rested his head on Sam’s shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

“For what? It’s not your fault some junkie freaked out on you.” Michael’s mouth was dry and all he could manage was a soft hum of acknowledgement. “And hey, you could be dead. Then you’d have to apologize.” Sam’s breathy laugh was enough to pull the ends of Michael’s lips up into an almost smile. He felt Sam run his fingers through his hair, fingers occasionally getting tangled in knots and pulling at his curls.

“Thank you.” Sam didn’t respond that time. He instead just playfully ruffled Michael’s hair and backed out of the bathroom, slipping into his own bedroom. Michael stayed put in his spot on the edge of the tub, staring down at the slightly wet tile beneath him. His mind flashed to David’s face, that twisted look in his eyes as he sliced at Michael’s arm. It felt different, though. Michael’s chest ached at just the thought of David, and he felt a hollowness inside him unlike anything he had felt before. “Fuck,” he hissed, lightly smacking himself in the cheek for thinking, even for a second, that he might miss David. How could he miss a monster like that?

Michael decided not to think about it too much and headed towards his room, catching a glimpse of the monster in the mirror on his way out.

Chapter Text

When the gash on Michael’s arm didn’t mysteriously disappear when he woke up the next morning, he knew he had to come to terms with the fact that the Lost Boys weren’t dead. He ran his fingertips over the bandage, dread filling his entire body. He didn’t have any dreams or hallucinations the past night, and he supposed that it was a good thing, but something just felt...off. Michael felt a strange sense of longing, a tugging at his heart, and he despised it. He’d felt it before, when he was first turned, but this was different. After actually seeing David again, the longing grew stronger and Michael felt disgust well up inside him. It was sick to miss him. David was a monster. And a man. Michael stared down at the floor, his bottom lip sandwiched between his teeth. With a groan, he leaned back, the back of his head knocking against the wall. 

Michael rubbed the side of his neck, his thumb brushing over the spot on his neck where he was bitten. He knew that there was no mark there, but he couldn’t stop himself from touching that spot anyway. A small, twisted part of him wished that there was a mark, something physical that he could touch and feel. He remembered the feeling of David sucking on his lip, drawing out the blood from the cut that he made. Michael choked back a groan at the thought; something inside him wanted David to take more of his blood, wanted him to drink to his heart’s content. His nails dug at the skin on his neck, feeling his own pulse under his fingers. He swallowed, his mouth suddenly going dry at the thought of David sinking his teeth into his neck, sucking and licking as he drank the blood. He pictured himself positioned on top of David in the wheelchair, the various barrels of fire being the only source of light in the old hotel. Though he couldn’t see them from his spot in David’s lap, the other boys would be watching from the shadows.

Michael clenched his jaw shut, stifling most of the moans that tried to escape. Kicking off his pants, he pushed the waistband of his boxers down just enough so that they were out of the way. Gently squeezing the base of his cock, Michael threw his head back, hitting it against the wall, causing a wave of pain to flow through him. He immersed himself back into his daydream, wanting to feel David’s touch. 

He felt David’s hand slip under his thin shirt, his nails lightly dragging up his spine, shivers wracking his body. Michael felt more than heard himself moan, his face growing warm. He could feel the stares of the other boys on him, and though it caused some embarrassment, it somehow spurred him on, made him want to put on a show for them. As David bit and sucked on his neck, Michael groaned, wiggling his hips, not just for the boys’ view of his ass, but for David as well. He rubbed their clothed crotches together, creating more friction between them, his own nails digging into David’s shoulders. Wanting to feel more, Michael pushed himself away from David slightly, just enough to give himself room to peel off his shirt. Pressing himself to David once again, Michael buried his face in the other’s neck, taking in his smell. As David pressed open mouthed kisses to his neck and shoulder, Michael suddenly felt the presence of three more vampires. Hands and mouths explored his exposed skin and Michael, though his eyes were closed and facing away from them, believed he could tell whose hand was whose. 

Sharp nails dug into his lower back, clawing into the skin. Michael was sure that that was Marko’s overzealous grip, a grin making its way to his face when he felt the sharp scrape of fangs in the same area. To the left of Marko was Paul, who had planted his soft hands on his arm and near his ribs. He nuzzled his face against Michael’s skin, a grin on his lips the whole time. That left Dwayne to his right, almost face to face with David. Dwayne’s hands were calloused, but his touch was gentle and firm. He bit down lightly on Michael’s shoulder, drawing a little blood before lapping it up with his tongue. The sensation of all the boys surrounding him sent Michael spiraling. 

The thought of their cold hands and lips against his hot skin was enough for Michael to give a final jerk of his hips as he came, whispering David’s name into the empty room. Staring up at the ceiling, red faced and panting, he hardly reacted to the knock at the door.

“Mike! When you’re done being gross, Mom wants us downstairs for lunch!” Instead of giving Sam an answer, he just continued to lay there, chest heaving and a mix of disgust and confusion coursing through him. With a pained sigh, he closed his eyes and wet his lips, trying to clear his thoughts before cleaning himself up and going downstairs. 

When Michael came down the stairs, hair still damp from the quick shower he had taken, Sam scrunched his nose is disgust before letting out a dry laugh.

“Cold shower must have felt nice, huh, Mike?” Michael rolled his eyes and took a seat at the table, looking down at his lap to avoid eye contact with anyone. He only hoped that he wasn’t too loud and that Sam hadn’t heard whose name had slipped out of his mouth. That was not a conversation he wanted to have. He just wanted to get through lunch without being weird. When his mom walked in with the rest of the food, he gave her a smile as she passed, thankful that she didn’t try to start a conversation at that minute. Gripping his jeans, Michael inhaled sharply and focused on trying to keep a calm facade with his family, answering as little as possible without raising any suspicion. 

Though lunch had gone smoothly, Michael was still on edge. He had holed himself up in his room, trying to sleep off his funk, but every time he closed his eyes, all he saw was David’s piercing blue eyes staring back at him. He hadn’t had any weird encounters or hallucinations with David which meant that these thoughts and feelings were coming strictly from Michael and that pissed him off to no end. It was sick and it wasn’t like him. After a while of tossing and turning in his bed, he finally decided to get up and do something about it.

Throwing on his jacket, Michael clenched his jaw and made his way back downstairs, clicking his tongue when he saw his mom out front, sitting in her chair. Heading out, he made sure to call out to her as he hopped on his bike.

“I’m going out for a ride, Mom!” Before she could give him an answer, he started the ignition and pulled out into the street, riding down towards the boardwalk. Though it wasn’t quite dark out yet, the sun was setting and that meant that there would be plenty of people out having a good time, even on a Sunday night. With only one goal in mind, Michael sped down the road, a frown etched into his face.

Parking his bike on a hill away from most everything else, Michael ran a hand through his hair before heading down towards the boardwalk, the loud music already pounding in his ears. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he swaggered down to where the action was. A huge crowd of people had gathered at the base of the stage, some local band rocking the night. A smile twitched at Michael’s lips as he remembered the night he’d first seen Star. He hadn’t planned on finding anyone that night, but Star’s nearly gravitational pull had other plans. Tonight was different though. Michael wasn’t there for a show, rather, he was there for a quick fuck. Just something to get his mind off David and his stupid face.

As Michael entered the crowd, he licked his lips, just enough so that they weren’t dry and cracked. Maneuvering through the wild groups of people, Michael found himself stopped in the middle somewhere, surrounded by rockers and headbangers alike on all sides. Scanning the crowd, he noticed a pair of deep, brown eyes looking back at him. A sly grin making its way to his face, he looked her over, his fingers curling into fists in his pockets. Though she wasn’t nearly as remarkable as Star had been that night, she was still very pretty and Michael felt himself growing antsy already. Flashing a smirk in her direction, Michael turned away, focusing his attention on the guys on the stage, letting his foot tap to the beat of the music. With all the wild screams and hollers around him, he found himself letting loose a little, any previous anxiety he had about his plan had dissipated completely. 

Without moving his head, Michael glanced back to the girl, grinning when he saw that she was still looking back at him. Biting his lip, Michael threw his head back, rocking back and forth on his feet as he danced. Her own swaying had all but stopped as she watched him, only fueling his temporary ego. With a wink, he twitched his head back, indicating that she should follow him as he turned to leave. He didn’t wait for her to catch up as he slipped away from the large crowd, walking down the boardwalk by himself.

He heard footsteps rush up to him, slowing down beside him. Michael turned his head and saw the girl, a sly smile on her face. He grinned and gave a nod, walking alongside her.

“So what’s your name, darling?” Michael was never one to pick up girls for just a one time hookup, but he supposed that tonight was different. He looked her up and down, taking note of the short, flowing dress she was wearing. 

“Lisa.” Her bright eyes flicked up to meet his and he could feel his excitement grow. 

“Lisa,” he muttered, rolling her name off the tip of his tongue. “It’s a nice name. I’m Michael.” Smiling up at him, she nodded.

“I know. I’m in your home room.” She grinned, a giggle escaping her lips. Michael silently cursed himself under his breath, the corner of his mouth twitched up into a smirk. Though it wasn’t ideal for her to be in his class, he decided that it wasn’t the worst thing in the world. Taking a hand out of his pocket, Michael let it fall to his side, glancing at Lisa before brushing his knuckles against hers. When she turned to face him, he looked away, the smallest of grins on his face. Sure, he had never done something like this before, but Michael knew how to play coy. The two walked along the boardwalk together, moving further away from the big crowds. They didn’t talk a whole lot, and Michael was very thankful for that. He enjoyed the silence between them, save for the few laughs and giggles in between their teasing. Michael looked her over, and he had to admit that she looked nice. The carnival lights cast different colors on her face and reflected off her shiny brown hair. Scanning their surroundings, Michael noticed that they were generally the only two people around, having walked to the outskirts of the pier. With a devious glint in his eye, Michael pulled Lisa closer to him and leaned down, pressing his lips against her ear as he whispered.

They found themselves behind a building, Lisa pressed against the boarded up wall as they kissed, hands roaming each other’s bodies. Michael pinned her to the wall by her hips as she pressed herself up against him, arms wrapping around his neck. Growling, Michael nipped at her jaw, pride growing inside him as she let out a few whines. Slipping a hand under her dress, he toyed with the waistband of her panties, grinning when he heard a gasp. Her skin was warm and Michael buried his face further into her neck. As he rubbed his thumb over her clothed clit, Lisa let out a shrill moan, pressing her face against Michael’s shoulder. Pressing kisses to her neck, he continued faster, feeling her body tremble against his. Slipping his fingers under the fabric, he could feel how wet she was and he moaned into her neck, his grip on her hip tightening. 

As she whimpered out his name, Michael pressed himself closer to her, wanting to feel more of her body against his. He could feel her hands fiddling with the button on his jeans, popping it open after a couple seconds of jittery fumbling. As she pulled his pants and boxers down out of the way, Michael did the same to her, sliding the fabric down her thighs enough to give him access. Mumbling into her ear, he told her to jump, lifting her up as she did so and pressing her back to the wall. Her legs wrapped around his hips as much as they could with the restriction of her panties around her thighs. Michael carefully pressed into her, making sure not to go too fast right off the bat and hurt her. He pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, swallowing all the sounds she made.

After he had bottomed out and given her time to adjust, Michael moved his hips, slowly at first to get started, but quickly speeding up, getting rougher as he went. Lisa’s hands tangled themselves in his hair, tugging slightly at the curls near his neck. Michael had slipped both hands under her dress, taking in her warmth. As he ran a hand up and down her side, he felt her ribs, his nails scraping over the soft skin that was stretched over them. She squeezed her legs tighter against him, pulling him closer to her as she got more frantic. Her breaths were shorter and quicker, more whines and moans being drawn from her lips. Michael knew that she wasn’t going to be able to last much longer, he wasn’t too far away himself. Breaking the kiss, he moved back to her jaw, scraping his teeth along the skin, her grip on his hair tightening in response. His rhythm was getting sloppier as he came closer to the edge, the sound of Lisa’s breathy moans in his ear spurring him on.

With a couple more thrusts of his hips, Michael felt her clench around him, wailing next to his ear. Letting her ride out her orgasm, Michael pumped in and out only a few more times before pulling out, using his upper body to keep her against the wall as he used a hand to bring himself to climax. Gritting his teeth, he groaned, pressing his cheek against hers as he came, his breath slowly catching up to him. Holding her there for a few more seconds, he pressed a kiss to her cheek before lightly patting her thigh.

“You okay?” She gave a nod in return and peeled herself away from him, standing on shaky legs as he slowly put her down. As they both fixed their clothes and made themselves presentable, a heavy silence fell between them. It wasn’t particularly uncomfortable, but Michael sure did feel weird about it. Tucking his shirt back into his jeans, he cast a glance over in her direction, watching as she combed her fingers through her hair, getting the tangles out. He smiled at her as she looked back at him, a grin on her face as well. Her cheeks were dusted with a faint shade of red and Michael laughed to himself, not feeling good with what he’d done.

“Will I be seeing you around, Michael?” She gathered her hair and let it cascade down a single shoulder. With a nod, he answered.

“Yeah, sure thing.” He laughed at how little reassurance was in his voice. “Of course, Lisa. We do have class together after all.” With a grin, he shoved his hands back into his pockets, leaning himself up against the wall. She giggled and nodded again, toying with her fingers in a nervous fashion.

“Well, I should be going. I’ll see you around.” With a wave, she turned and walked back around the building, presumably back to the main area of the boardwalk. As soon as she was out of sight, Michael sighed and ran a hand through his hair, regret welling up in his chest. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy the moment, but he knew that it was a bad idea. Groaning, he let his head fall back against the wall, closing his eyes as he stood there, not sure what to think of himself.

“That was a nice show, Mikey.” Michael jumped from his spot, head whirling around to see who was there. Paul’s figure stood a couple feet away from him, a joint hanging from his lips as he leaned his shoulder against the wall.

“Thought I told you to stay away from me.” Paul grinned and shrugged, stepping a little closer.

“Couldn’t help myself.” Taking a long drag, Paul closed his eyes and inhaled, holding his breath for a while before exhaling, thick smoke swirling around his head. “You know, Mikey, I used to be like you. A lot like you, except for the drugs.” He chuckled a little, his eyes flitting up to meet Michael’s. As he stepped forward, Michael felt the urge to back away, but every muscle in his body had gone stiff and he was frozen in place. “I know what you’re doing.”

“What are you talking about?” Michael could only watch as Paul strutted closer, just a hint of a smile on his face.

“I used to do it all the time before I came to terms with myself, Mikey. I’d find myself enamored with some dude, and it used to really freak me out. Like, I thought I was some sort of freak.” With a snicker, he shrugged, still looking at Michael with that soft look in his eyes. “So then I’d find some girl who was down for a quick fuck to take my mind off it. But I finally realized that there wasn’t anything wrong with me. Well-” he stopped himself, a grin toying at the ends of his lips. “Well there’s definitely something wrong, but that wasn’t it. Guys, girls, who cares? It’s not weird, Mikey.” Michael scoffed and turned away, clenching his jaw as he tried to walk away. He was not about to have this talk, right now or ever.

“Yeah? And how do you know what I’m going through?” Paul caught up easily, his longer strides enabling him to keep Michael from escaping the situation. He grabbed his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. Moving so that he was standing in front of Michael, forcing him to face him, Paul tapped the side of his head with his index finger.

“Your thoughts are loud, Mikey. You really keep us up during the day.” Michael’s breath hitched in his throat, mouth going dry and chest tightening up.

“You can read my mind?” Paul made a face, his nose scrunched up as if he were deep in thought.

“Yeah, something of the sort. It was a lot stronger when you were one of us, but the connection is still somewhat there.” Michael felt his fingers go numb, his heart pounding in his chest. David could hear what he was thinking? Suddenly, the air felt thick and Michael couldn’t seem to get enough oxygen to his lungs, his legs getting weak and nearly giving out beneath him. “Woah man, calm down.” Paul grabbed Michael before he could fall, holding him close to keep him secure. “It’s gonna be okay, Mikey. Here, have some of this,” Paul shifted so that he was keeping Michael up with one arm, using the other to hand him the still lit brunt. Neither of them were entirely sure if that was a good idea or not, but Michael couldn’t find it in him to worry about it as he took a hit, still slightly struggling to breathe. 

Paul grinned as Michael seemed to become stable enough to stand on his own. He wrapped an arm around his shoulders and lead them in the opposite direction, back to where he had parked his bike. 

“Let’s take a ride.” He took the blunt from Michael and dropped it on the pavement, snuffing out the nearly dead flame. He hopped on his bike, kicking back the kickstand and waiting for Michael to get on.

“I don’t have my bike.”

“You don’t need yours, Mikey.” Michael scoffed and rolled his eyes, shoving his hands into his pockets.

“Yeah, I’m not riding bitch. Especially not with you.” Revving the engine, Paul grinned back at him.

“I won’t tell anyone, I promise.” Michael hesitated for a minute, eyes flicking back and forth between the back of Paul’s bike and Paul. Seeing his eager grin, Michael sighed and nodded, walking over to the bike and throwing a leg over the side. He grabbed the sides of the bike instead of hanging onto Paul, not wanting to be fully humiliated. With a laugh, Paul got ready to take off. “Hang on, Mikey!” As they sped off, Michael tensed, feeling himself nearly slide off the bike. Giving up his last shred of dignity, he wrapped his arms around Paul’s waist, pulling himself closer to him. As the wind rushed past his face, Michael felt that maybe, he was glad that Paul came to talk to him. He had such a calming presence to him and Michael felt at ease for just a moment, being on the back of that bike with Paul’s crazy hair whipping in the wind around him.

Chapter Text

Paul had taken them to a cliff overlooking the ocean, parking his bike just off the side of the road. The two of them had sat on the edge, dangling their legs off the side while they looked out over the dark waves. Michael’s panic had subsided for the most part, a nice calm filling him instead. Paul happily answered any questions he had, a grin on his face the whole time.

“So David?” Michael looked over at Paul, not really sure how to finish his question. “Does David,” his voice trailed off once more, causing Paul to laugh a little.

“He doesn’t care either way, same with me. Now Dwayne, he usually goes for girls, but if he’s really horny or sometimes even just bored, he’ll bring a guy back to fuck or he’ll just hookup with one of us.” Michael stared, running a hand through his hair as he tried to process it all.

“So you all just,”

“Sometimes, but not that often. More often than not, we usually get a quick fuck and then feed.” Michael cringed at the use of the word ‘feed,’ but kept quiet as he listened to Paul talk. “Marko and I usually are the ones fooling around though.”

“Are you and Marko a thing?” Paul chuckled and shifted in his spot, turning to lay his head in Michael’s lap.

“I guess one would call us that. It’s pretty open though, we’re just really close. He’s the one that convinced David to turn me and I’m eternally grateful for that.” He smiled up at Michael, reaching a hand up to touch his face, his thumb rubbing over his cheekbone. “Though I have to say, Mikey, that little daydream of yours earlier was very enticing.” Michael sputtered at the mention of the daydream. He could feel his face grow warm, Paul’s laughter not helping his embarrassment.

“It’s not like I wanted to think about that, it just happened!” He grew defensive and slapped Paul’s hand away from his face as he continued to laugh. Michael wasn’t sure if it was the weed or Paul’s naturally calming personality, but he didn’t stay upset for very long and ended up laughing along with Paul in the end. He found himself running his fingers through Paul’s hair, a little surprised at how soft it was. “Hey Paul?”

“Yes, Mikey?” Michael grinned and looked down at him, his other hand toying with the fabric of his jacket.

“How are you guys alive?” Michael knew that they technically weren’t alive, but he also knew that Paul understood what he was getting at, so he didn’t bother trying to elaborate.

“I was wondering when you were gonna ask that.” He paused, humming up at Michael before continuing. “Though I think you should save that question for later and ask David.” Michael didn’t quite like the fact that he had to wait for an answer, but he nodded and didn’t press it. Squirming in Michael’s lap, Paul searched for his bag of weed and his lighter. Fishing them out of his pocket, Michael snorted, looking at the several blunts that Paul had stashed in the little plastic bag. “Hey, you never know when you’ll need some, so I like to be prepared.” He flashed a grin up at Michael, shoving the bag back in his pocket after he got what he needed and flicked on the lighter, holding it up to his face as he lit the end. Slipping the lighter back into his pocket, he stretched, taking a long drag as he did so. Blowing the smoke up at Michael, he grinned, watching as he inhaled most of the smoke and coughed into the air. An idea popped into his head and he laughed with excitement. “Wait wait, I want to try something, Mikey. Hold still.”

Michael did as he was told and sat still, looking on in amusement as Paul sat up and situated himself so that he was straddling Michael’s lap. He pushed his shoulders back slightly, causing Michael to lean back and prop himself up on his arms. He figured that it was so that if they lost their balance, they’d fall back into the dirt instead of plunging into the ocean. Paul’s grin was stretched wide, his eyes scrunched up in the corners as he smiled.

“If you don’t like it, just tell me and we can stop okay?” Michael had no idea what Paul had in mind, but he agreed and nodded his head anyway. “It’s nothing extreme, just something fun that I thought you might like.” Paul talked a lot, not that Michael really minded. It was comforting in a sense. “Okay, just follow my lead.” Paul was close, but just far enough away that he could bring the blunt to his lips and face Michael completely. Taking a hit, he held his breath and held the blunt off to the side, a grin on his face. He leaned closer in to Michael and pressed their lips together in a somewhat awkward open-mouthed kiss. Breathing out, the smoke filled Michael’s mouth and he inhaled, letting the smoke fill his lungs as he continued to kiss Paul. He sputtered a bit, taken by surprise, but he found himself enjoying the moment. Pulling away, Paul gently patted his cheek. “You’re a natural, man.” Michael felt a strange sense of pride at the compliment, a laugh bubbling at the back of his throat.

“What was that?” Michael took Paul’s hand, bringing it closer to his face to take another hit. Paul just shrugged and grinned.

“Just something that someone showed me a long time ago. Nice, right?” Exhaling, Michael nodded, pressing his forehead to Paul’s. Dropping Paul’s hand, Michael sighed and flopped backwards, folding his hands behind his head as he looked up at the sky. Paul shifted so that he was lying down as well, though he stayed on top of Michael. He was curled up in an odd position to account for the height difference, but he made it work as he laid his head down on his chest. Michael knew that he was listening to his heart and he grew a little nervous, Paul’s devious grin not helping. “Davey is just going to love getting his hands on you.” He finished with a laugh, masking any hint of a threat. Michael grinned and continued to stare up at the sky, his eyes moving from star to star. A chuckle made its way to his throat before it turned into a full blown laugh, his eyes squeezed shut and his head thrown back. “What’s so funny, Mikey?” Michael continued to softly laugh as he looked down at Paul, trying to formulate a sentence.

“I can’t believe I just-” he wheezed, interrupting himself. Paul watched with amusement as Michael laughed, his face going red. “I hooked up with some random girl from my school that I don’t even know, and now I’m up here, smoking pot on a cliff with a vampire. This is so ridiculous!” Paul couldn’t help but laugh himself as he listened to Michael. It wasn’t necessarily that what Michael was saying was funny, but rather that it was amusing. Michael was a lot more carefree and entertained under the influence, and Paul liked that side of him.

“We should get you high more often.” Amidst his giggles, Michael agreed and nodded. “You’re a lot more fun like this, Mikey.” Michael hummed in agreement, a loopy grin stretched across his lips. With a yawn, he stretched, knocking Paul off of him as he did so. With a laugh, Paul stood up and brushed himself off, extending a hand out to Michael. “The sun will be coming up soon. Let’s get you home.”

“My bike,” Michael muttered as Paul pulled him to his feet, leading him over to the bike.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll get Marko to get it or something.” Mumbling inaudibly, Michael went with it and hopped on behind Paul, pressing his face in between his shoulder blades. Paul would occasionally reach back and pat his thigh, making sure that he was still awake so he wouldn’t fall off the back. He sped faster down the road, knowing that Michael probably wouldn’t last much longer.

Stumbling through the entrance to the hotel, Michael nearly tripped several times, only being kept up by Paul. His head felt heavy and all he wanted to do was lie down. He noticed the other boys lounging in different areas of the hotel, all of them looking in his direction. Fixing his gaze on David, he grinned, thankful that Paul was taking him in that direction.

“I got you a present, Davey,” Paul purred, pushing Michael forward. He stumbled forward, stopped quickly by David’s arm and a tight grip. David held him by the waist, his fingers digging into his side as he held him impossibly close.

“Thank you, Paul. Good work.” Michael groaned and wrapped an arm around David’s shoulders to help steady himself.

“Nice work, Paulie,” Marko cheered from beside them, an amused grin on his face. Michael leaned further into David’s side, his legs felt like jelly.

“David,” he muttered, pulling himself toward Star’s old bed, hoping David would get the hint and take him over there. Paul moved over to them, leaning on David’s shoulder to whisper not-so-quietly into his ear.

“Careful, he’s clingy.” David laughed and pulled Michael closer to him, his signature smirk on his face.

“Is that so?” Continuing to groan, Michael managed to drag the both of them over to the bed, letting himself fall face first into the mattress. Rolling onto his back, he made enough room for David to join him in the bed, his eyelids growing heavier. “And why did you need me over here?” David stood at the edge of the bed, a grin on his face as he looked over Michael.

“I don’t want to sleep in your creepy ass hotel alone,” he grumbled, the words almost unintelligible. He frowned up at David, staring him down. “David please.” Michael wasn’t particularly afraid of the hotel, but he wanted to be near David, wanted to feel his presence. With a roll of his eyes, David caved and sat down in the bed next to him. Michael hummed, guessing that it was as good as he was going to get, and wiggled himself closer. Lazily, he reached an arm out, draping it over David’s lap, wanting to feel him. David stayed silent, watching Michael curl up around him. “David?” His voice was quiet, laced with exhaustion. He received a hum in response, taking it as a sign to go on. “What’s it like to drink blood?”

“You should know, you’ve done it before, Michael.”

“No no no, I mean actually drink blood. What’s it like?” Michael waited for David to give him an answer, closing his eyes and pressing his face against David’s hip.

“It’s nice, Michael. There’s a thrill, not only in the killing, but the rush of strength that the blood gives as soon as it hits the tongue is to die for. ” Michael felt a hand run through his hair, moving down until it rested on his neck, the thumb rubbing over his jugular. With a shudder, he craned his head back, giving David more room.

“Do you ever drink from someone without killing them?” David’s touch grew a bit harsher, pressing the pad of his thumb down harder against Michael’s vein, sending a tingling feeling throughout his body.

“Not usually, no. We tend to drink to kill. No witnesses.” Michael hummed, opening his eyes again to look up at David.

“If someone were to ask you to do it, would you?” Michael noticed the toothy grin on David’s face, his gaze lingering on the sharp canines, his jaw clenched.

“I guess that would depend on the person.” Michael tensed, a wave of arousal flooding through him. As he continued to stare up at David, another question found its way to the tip of his tongue.

“Have you ever thought of drinking mine?” His voice was low and gruff, almost guttural. He didn’t miss the dark look that crossed David’s face, a new sense of excitement welling up inside. “Thought about how it would taste? I have, David.” Shifting to sit up, Michael pulled away from David, not breaking eye contact. Throwing a leg over David’s lap, he leaned in close, loosely wrapping his arms around David’s neck as he was pulled closer. Slowly leaning in close to his ear, Michael arched his back, trying to hold back a moan at the feeling of David’s cold hand slipping under his shirt to rest on the small of his back. “Bite me, David.” Michael felt David tense beneath him and he grinned. David laughed and gripped Michael tighter, pressing his face into the crook of Michael’s neck.

“If you insist, Michael.” David hooked his fingers underneath the fabric of Michael’s shirt, pulling upwards. Lifting his arms over his head, Michael assisted David with the process, grabbing the shirt and tossing it aside, eyes locked on David’s, heart pounding. He waited for David to make the first move, growing impatient when all he got was a smirk.

“Come on, David,” he practically spat, rocking his hips to spur him on. David grinned, placing a hand on Michael’s neck, his sharp nails digging into his skin, but not quite hard enough to break through it. 

“Want me to bite you here with my boys watching? That’s how you like it, right, Michael?” There was a taunting lilt to his voice, something that Michael didn’t know he liked. He threw his head back, tangling his fingers into David’s hair as he did so.

“Yes, fuck yes.” His heart was pounding faster and he knew David could hear it. With a whine, he let out a soft “please,” a small grin making its way to his face as he felt David’s grip on his neck tighten. With a sharp tug, Michael found himself flush against David. As he felt him bite down, a scream filled the hotel and echoed around in his head. David sucked against his neck, his bottom teeth scraping against the sensitive skin, tongue lapping at the blood that spilled out. Michael felt as though his entire body was on fire, every inch of him tingled and he could feel himself trembling. Whines and whimpers were muffled by the fabric of David’s coat, and he couldn’t tell whether or not he was disappointed that the other boys couldn’t hear him. 

David pulled away not too long after, careful to not bleed him dry. Michael whined at the loss of contact, keeping himself pressed as close to David as possible. He looked at the bloody mess around David’s mouth and his head suddenly felt lighter, an indescribable feeling overtaking him. He reached a hand out, swiping a thumb across David’s lips. In his hazy state, Michael stared at the blood on his thumb, watching as a small droplet formed and dripped down into his palm.

“Your turn, Michael.” He looked back up at David, curious as to what he was talking about. Dwayne’s switchblade was in his hand, being twirled between his fingers. Michael watched as David pressed the blade into his pale wrist, cutting a small, but decently deep gash into his flesh. Almost immediately, blood pooled at the edges of the wound and began to drip down his arm. Holding it out to him, David pulled Michael in closer. “Drink, Michael.” David’s voice was low, and Michael nodded, not taking his eyes off the bloody cut until he pulled it to his lips, closing his eyes as the sudden richness filled his mouth. Michael wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but he knew that this was better than anything he could have imagined. Gripping David’s arm tighter, he sucked on his wrist, desperate for more of the sweet taste. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Michael could hear himself moaning around David’s arm, but his attention was focused solely on the blood, his body seemingly growing heavier the longer he went, his eyes squeezed shut in concentration.

He could hear whoops and hollers sound out from around him, but Michael couldn’t have cared less about them in that moment. When David finally pulled his arm away from Michael’s desperate grasp, he groaned, tongue swiping over his lips, chasing any drop of flavor he could get. Falling limp in David’s arms, he let out a breath, a warm sensation of satisfaction washing over him. He could feel David rake his fingers through his hair, relaxing even more into his touch. The laughter and cheers were nearly drowned out as he felt himself succumbing to his fatigue, David’s words the last thing he heard before drifting off to sleep.

“You’re one of us, Michael.”

Chapter Text

When Michael woke up, he was alone. Shoving his face into the pillow, he groaned, trying to escape the rays of sunshine that had creeped into the room. Opening his eyes, he found that he wasn’t in his bedroom, but rather, the old hotel. Quickly pushing himself up, he looked around, hissing in pain as the light hit his eyes. After a brief minute of confusion, the events of the night prior came rushing back, sending chills down his spine. Searching around the bed and the ground nearby, Michael grabbed his shirt and pulled it back on, determined to high tail it out of there as fast as possible. Squinting and shielding his eyes as best he could, he practically crawled out of the hotel. Though he had just woken up, Michael felt drained and exhausted, his legs barely strong enough to get him up the old stairs.

Looking around for his bike, he saw it parked near some rocks away from the main road, thankful that Paul had found a way to get it back there. Grunting in pain as the sun shone into his eyes, he kicked up the stand on his bike and threw a leg over the side, taking a moment to steady himself before he sat down and took off down the road, going slower than he would’ve liked. With his eyes practically closed, and the sun beaming down on him, Michael could hardly see where he was going, swerving off the road occasionally. All he could do was hope that he made it home relatively safely.

Michael knew that his mom didn’t work as much as she did during the summer since the boardwalk was almost baren during the day, save for a few kids playing hookie, but he didn’t expect her to be home as he pulled up to the driveway. Quietly maneuvering himself to the side of the house, he leaned his bike up against the wall, hoping that no one heard the engine. Creeping around the the back door, Michael slowly opened the door, thankful that they usually kept it unlocked. Peeking his head in, he made sure the coast was clear before stepping in, silently closing the door behind him. With the direct sunlight off of him, he felt a little better, but it wasn’t by much. He still felt exhausted and it took all the strength he could muster to get himself up the stairs. Slipping into his room and being extra cautious to not make noise, Michael shut the door behind him and stumbled over to the bed, falling to his knees at its side. Pressing his face into the mattress, he sighed, longing to haul himself up and drift away on the comfortable bed. He knew he couldn’t be seen, however, and elected to completely drop to the floor, rolling under the bed to hide in the shadows. 

The hard floor wasn’t Michael’s favorite place to lie down on, but he couldn’t think of any other options at that moment. The sun still slightly seeped into the room, but it wasn’t enough to bother him, and the bed provided enough shelter that the light wouldn’t touch him. His exhaustion finally getting the better of him, he felt his body relax as his breathing slowed, eyelids growing heavy as the need for sleep overtook him. Scooching closer to the cold wall, Michael let himself go to sleep, hoping that Sam wouldn’t find him curled up under there.

The universe must have heard his pleas, because when Michael woke up, his room had grown cold and dark, his slumber left undisturbed. With a groan, he slid out from under the bed and sat up, letting out a sigh as he felt his bones crack when he stretched. Standing up, he moved to the door, pressing his ear against the wood to see if there was anyone out there. Hearing a couple voices in conversation, he listened closer, curious as to what they were saying.

“-just don’t know what’s gotten into him.”

“He’ll come around soon, Lucy. It’s his senior year, he’s just having his fun.”

“It’s just,” there was a brief pause in the conversation. “Ever since-”

“He’s going to be okay.” Michael stepped away from the door, his lips pressed into a tight line. Gently pressing his forehead to the door, he sighed, closing his eyes as he deflated. He knew he couldn’t stay there, but he couldn’t face going back to the hotel. Gritting his teeth, he took a sharp inhale before glancing over to his window. Pushing himself away from the door, he moved closer, pulling the strings on the blinds to roll them up and get them out of the way; he opened the window and felt the cool breeze hit his cheeks. Looking down at the ground below him, nervousness pooling in his stomach, the thought of dropping that far wasn’t too appealing. It reminded him of that night on the bridge, except there was no one down there to catch him this time. He just had to hit the ground and get himself far away from there as possible. With a deep breath, he prepared to jump.

“Mike?” Sam’s voice was quiet, but it hit Michael like a train. He froze in his spot, not daring to look back at his brother. “Mike, what are you doing? Where have you been?” As Sam continued to ask questions, Michael felt his head growing lighter, his grip on the sides of the window sill tightening. He could hear Sam’s heartbeat in his ears, his mouth watering and the urge to attack building up inside him.

“Get away, Sammy.” His voice was low, his throat getting tighter as he spoke. “You can’t tell Mom I was here. No one can know.”

“What are you talking about? What’s going on?”

“I have to leave, Sammy, and I don’t need Mom or the cops on my trail, okay?” Sam was silent for a moment, and Michael clenched his jaw, the sound of Sam’s heartbeat growing more tempting by the second.

“Are you doing drugs, Mike? Is that why you’re leaving? Are you in trouble?” Michael began to slightly shake, using all his effort to keep from turning around draining his brother right then and there. 

“It doesn’t matter. You just gotta promise me that you won’t tell anyone.”

“What if I can’t?”

“You have to, Sammy. You have to.” Michael looked out into the street, trying to find something to focus on besides his brother. He knew that Sam wouldn’t be able to keep his promise, but he hoped that he could keep it long enough that he could get far away from Santa Carla.

“Look at me, Mike.”

“No.”

“Goddamn it, Mike. You sneak around, you don’t even come home sometimes, and now you’re in here asking me to keep some secret for you. At least have the decency to look at me when you’re talking.” Sam’s voice had raised significantly and Michael’s body tensed with dread, worried that his mom or grandpa would hear him yelling. 

“I can’t, Sammy.” His voice cracked as he heard Sam step closer to him. “Don’t come any closer!” He wouldn’t be able to stop himself if he got his hands on him, so he wanted to keep as much distance between him and Sam as possible. Sam was behind him, the sound of his blood almost unbearable. 

“Mike,” he spoke softly, and Michael could feel his presence get closer.

“Don’t-” Sam grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back. Michael turned to face him and grabbed the collar of his shirt, pushing him down to the wooden floorboards, kneeling above him. He didn’t even need a mirror to see that he had vamped out; Sam’s horrified expression and racing heartbeat said enough. Michael looked down at his brother, the smell and the deafening sound of his blood nearly drove him crazy. His nails tore holes into Sam’s shirt as he gripped the fabric tighter, trying to ground himself and pull himself away. Breathing in deeply, he pressed his nose to his brother’s neck, nearly drooling at the thought of fresh blood.

“Mike?” Sam’s voice was soft and broken, scared. Michael immediately pulled himself away, letting go of his shirt and scrambling backwards on the floor. He caught Sam’s eye and they stared at each other for only a second before Michael jolted upwards and hopped up into the window, letting himself fall to the ground and disappearing out of sight. Ducking into the shadows, he raced around the house a retrieved the bike he had left and made his way back towards the street, taking off into the darkness.

Michael didn’t have a plan on where he was going, he just knew that he had to get away from that town. However, the further he got from Santa Carla, the heavier his heart felt. At first he had chalked it up to him missing his family and didn’t think much about it, but there was something deeper tugging at him, some primal sense of longing that he couldn’t quite understand. His chest felt tight and his whole body tensed, realization hitting him like a brick. David. He was tied to the pack and his instincts were telling him to go back. As tempting as it was, Michael knew that he couldn’t face them. He didn’t want to be a killer, which he knew that if he stayed with them, he would inevitably become. The sting in his heart nearly making him keel over in pain, but he pushed forward, using every last ounce of willpower in his body not to turn his bike around.

As the sun was beginning to rise, Michael felt himself growing weaker, his vision was blurry and his whole body trembled. He knew he needed to rest soon, but he had no idea where he was. He’d been driving for hours and couldn’t seem to remember a single landmark that he’d passed. The only thing that he was grateful for about the quiet back roads that he had taken was the fact that there seemed to be plenty of old, abandoned shacks that sat along the side of the road. Deciding that he would stop at the next one that appeared, Michael slowed down, letting his exhaustion take over him for a bit. As the next building neared, Michael drifted to the side of the road and pulled off onto the dirt path that led up to the shack.

Using what little power he had left, Michael busted down the back door and made his way inside, groaning at the lack of furniture. It wasn’t that he was expecting the small shack to be furnished, he was just hoping that he wouldn’t have to sleep on the hard floor again. With a sigh, he found a relatively shady corner of the building and dropped to his knees, finding the most comfortable position he could so he could get decent sleep.

For the first time in a long while, Michael didn’t dream. Though he was asleep, he could still feel the aching in his heart from being so far away from the boys. After all those nights of begging to not have dreams, to be away from David and his touch, Michael found himself craving to see him in a dream. He wanted to indulge without having to face real life consequences, which is why he guessed he wasn’t dreaming then; it was some sort of punishment. Tossing and turning in his unconscious state, Michael felt more lonely huddled up in that corner than he ever had before. He just hoped that when night fell again, he’d be able to find something to occupy himself with.

When Michael finally awoke, the sun had just gone down and he felt no more rested than he did before he went to sleep. With a groan, he just sprawled out on the floor, shoving his cheek into the accumulated dust and dirt. His heart and his mind were at constant war and Michael found that he was both restless, but entirely too lethargic to do anything. His mind told him to hop on his bike and ride as far East as he could, so that he wouldn’t be tempted to go back to Sam and face his family. On the other hand, his heart pulled him back to Santa Carla, towards his family, but more importantly, his pack. He knew that the further he traveled from the old hotel, the more painful the sting in his chest would be and he wasn’t sure if he had the strength to be so far from them. He didn’t want to join them of course, but he wanted, no, he needed the sense of security that came with being with them. He needed to feel their presence with him always and Michael hated it. He hated himself for letting his guard down, but he hated himself more for the fact that he would do it all over again, just to feel David’s touch.

Whining, Michael curled himself into a ball, still stuck on a decision of what to do. He laid his palm out flat on the dirty floorboards and dug his nails into the old wood, gritting his teeth as he turned his head, smearing more dirt across his face as he did so. He knew that he’d have to go somewhere eventually, the stabbing pain in his stomach telling him that he was hungry, but Michael knew what that meant for him, and he absolutely did not want that. As tempting as it was, even just to get rid of the constant burning in his stomach, he didn’t want to be a murderer. He closed his eyes and let out a scream, somehow folding in on himself more than he previously had. There were so many thoughts and feelings rushing through Michael and he trembled, not being able to understand or control anything. A warm sensation flooded his chest, a wave of relaxation washing over him for a quick second. The feeling of cold rubber pressed firmly against Michael’s fingers caused him to open his eyes, finding himself looking at a familiar boot gently stepping on his hand. Without even having to look up, Michael knew who it was and let out a shaky breath.

“David?” The boot pressed down slightly harder on Michael’s fingers, causing him to wince, even though he wasn’t in pain. Crouching, David looked Michael in the eye, a hard look of disappointment on his face.

“Thought your days of fighting this were over, Michael.” The way David spat his name sent shivers down his spine and Michael writhed on the ground, continuing to stare into David’s blue eyes.

“I can’t. Sammy.” Michael’s words were short and raspy, strained almost. David’s usual smirk morphed into a wicked grin and he reached out to comb his fingers through Michael’s tangled hair. Michael looked up at him with wide eyes, moving his head to lean into his touch.

“What happened with the kid? Tell me all about it, Michael,” David purred, a sick look of excitement in his eyes. Michael clenched his jaw and shook his head, not wanting to picture Sam’s terrified face, but David coaxed him out of his silence, offering promises of relief and catharsis. Though Michael knew the promises were broken from the start, he indulged David and let the words fall from his lips.

As he whispered the story to David, Michael’s thoughts were consumed with what could have happened if he didn’t walk away. Images of Sam’s blood splattered across the room filled his mind and even though his gut reaction was to recoil in disgust, there was some predatory, instinctual urge to wonder further, wonder how good Sam’s blood would’ve tasted if Michael had attacked him in that room and drained him. His fingers dug into the wood, knuckles pushing against the sole of David’s boot as he clawed at the floor. An overwhelming thirst took over Michael and he whined, broken and pitiful. The burning sensation in his stomach returned tenfold and he stared up at David, mouth open and a mantra of pleas on his tongue. David grinned down at him, moving his hand from Michael’s hair down to his cheek, swiping his thumb over his cracked bottom lip. 

“David,” Michael rasped out, eyes scrunching up in pain. He received a hum in response and he shuddered, parting his lips more as David ran his thumb around his mouth. “M’so thirsty.” With an amused laugh, David responded.

“And what do you want me to do about that?” Michael groaned at David’s response, which only elicited a wider grin. “We’re miles away from the nearest town and you’re here, face down in the dirt in some run down shack.” As he spoke, his thumb moved past Michael’s lips and into his mouth, resting flatly on his tongue. Michael’s lips wrapped around David’s thumb, not quite sure what David expected him to do. “You know you have to feed, Michael.” He immediately shook his head and whined, though the sound was mostly muffled. “You’ll die if you don’t.” Michael pulled his head away, David’s thumb slipping out of his mouth with ease.

“I’d rather die than become a murder like you.” David rolled his eyes and went back to petting his hair, being less gentle however.

“No you wouldn’t, you’re being dramatic. Look at you! You’re pathetic, Michael.” Michael didn’t answer back, instead he just huffed and laid his head back down on the ground. “You’re telling me that instead of just letting go and giving in, you’d rather us leave and let you lay here and waste away? You want to be left for dead and spend the rest of your short little life here, in this disgusting building, alone and miserable?” 

“No,” Michael whispered, not wanting David to leave his side. Of course he didn’t want to die alone, but he especially didn’t want to feel the hollowness in his chest if the boys left.

“No?”

“Don’t leave me here, David.” Michael sighed and used all his effort to drag himself closer to David’s side, looking up at him with pleading eyes. “Help me,” was all he could say, knowing that he was giving in and that David would be reveling in it. David moved his thumb back over Michael’s lips and waited for him to open his mouth. When he received a confused look in return, he rolled his eyes.

“Bite. It won’t be enough to satiate you, but it will at least get you on your feet.” Michael hummed and did as he was told, biting down on the pad of David’s thumb with his jagged teeth. As the blood entered his mouth, he sucked around David’s thumb and drew as much blood out as he could, reaching up with his other hand to grab David’s wrist to steady himself. The taste and feeling he got when he drank were the same as the first time he’d tasted David’s blood, but his body craved something more. Lapping up the small drops of blood that continued to fall, Michael pulled David’s hand away and stared up at him. “You ready to go, Michael?” With a nod, Michael moved to get up, waiting for David to move his foot before standing up. He was a little wobbly, so he grabbed onto David for support, electing to ignore the sly grin that David was sporting.

“Where are the others?”

“Outside. Didn’t think you’d want them to see you writhing face down in the dirt.” Michael clenched his jaw, gritting his teeth at the thought of all the boys watching him lay there and beg. Hearing David next to him snicker, he scowled, pulling himself away.

“Get out of my head.” Michael slipped out the door and made his way over to his bike, making a point to ignore David. 

“Wooh, Mikey! Finally coming to join us, huh?” Michael ignored Marko and just gave the group a tight lipped smile, picking up his bike and settling down on it, waiting for them to take the lead. He wasn’t excited about what was going to come next, and a heavy sense of anxiety settled in his stomach. He knew that if he started he wouldn’t be able to stop himself, and that truly scared him. Michael had no idea what it would be like to lose his humanity, and although it frightened him to the core, there was still that small twisted part of him that was excited to finally be a true part of the pack.