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Max was dead. Star had gone back to her life. Michael tried to, but it didn’t last long. He only lasted a week before he answered the call, drove back to the abandoned hotel, and accepted the blood offered to him, straight from David’s throat. Secretly he thought it was kind of pathetic that he’d been so quick to return to them, but that anxiety was already dissipating. Of course he couldn’t stay away. He was meant to be one of them.
But being one of them didn’t mean they were any more forthcoming. And there was one thing that was really bothering Michael.
It was three in the morning. The others had come back from a successful hunt, bringing along Chinese food (without maggots this time, David promised) and two beer bottles of blood. One for Michael, who still hadn’t taken the plunge and made his first kill. And another one. For Laddie.
Dwayne had almost immediately disappeared into the bowels of the hotel, while Marko, Paul, and David stayed behind with Michael. They ate and drank, until Marko and Paul ended up piled on the couch, and Michael ended up on the ground, leaning against David’s leg.
He was pleasantly fuzzy, leaning into David’s hand carding through his hair. His mind always wandered when he was like this, flitting through random topics and memories.
And then he thought about the two bottles. And he frowned.
David shifted, tugging Michael’s head back until they were making eye contact. His expression was lighthearted, a more genuine version of his usual smirk.
“What are you thinking about, Michael?”
Michael furrowed his brow, trying to put words to his thoughts without sounding like an asshole. But the longer he stayed silent, the more David’s laid-back smile faded, and he couldn’t have that. So Michael blurted out:
“Why the hell is Laddie still here?”
Michael immediately regretted saying it when David’s smile completely disappeared. “I mean,” he rushed out, “Max is dead. He should be human again, right? Wasn’t Star gonna bring him back to his family or something?”
Michael and David stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, before David abruptly started laughing. It was one of his real laughs, coming out of him in barks separated by half-inhales. His eyes were squeezed shut, and one hand came up to cover his face, while the one in Michael’s hair tightened.
Michael loved it when David laughed, but not when it was directed at him. “Hey asshole.” He elbowed David’s leg as hard as he could, frowning when David only swatted at him. “You have something to share with the class?”
Slowly David’s giggles died down. “Michael,” he said, in that smooth voice he used when he was relishing in knowing something Michael didn’t. “Michael, Laddie was never a half-vampire.”
Whatever Michael thought David was going to say, that wasn’t it.
“What do you mean he was never a half-vampire? Star said-”
“He’s been here longer than Star. She just assumed, probably ‘cause the kid was always up during the day. He’s got too much energy.”
Michael was reeling. Laddie was a full-ass vampire. He’d been there longer than Star. How old even washe?
“He’s twelve. Been with us for three years now.”
David was looking off into space. He did that sometimes, Michael noticed, when he was trying to remember something.
“He was Max’s first attempt at putting us in line. He knew we’d have a soft spot for the kid. Most of us were like him once upon a time, kids fucked over by society. Max didn’t introduce him to us until he was already fully turned.”
“Oh.” It was all Michael could say. David looked… lost.
“He’s little. We try to keep him away from the worst of everything. Give him as normal a childhood as we can. It’s not much, but what else can we do?”
After a moment, David seemed to snap back to reality. He leaned over Michael, smirk back on his face. “Not like it worked, though.” He tilted Michael’s head up. “It only got us attached. Just like you.”
He leaned down to kiss Michael, and any other thoughts were left forgotten.