Star smoothed down the last wrinkles on her newly made bed. Her yawn echoed loudly in the small apartment, but the fear of closing her eyes prevented sleep. No matter how much she wanted to crawl beneath the covers and let her weary body rest, she felt unsafe. Until her task of helping the Frogs was over she needed to find a new place to live and work. Then she planned to get as far away from here as she could manage, and she would never return. Coming back once was enough - she was still feeling aftershocks from the enormous earthquake of the Lost Boys return.

She perched on the edge of the bed, retrieving her coffee mug from the night stand. It was to be caffeine until around 5am, then sleep could take her. Lying on the bedspread to her left was a holy-water gun, and to her right was a stake. David's latest expressions of his 'love' for her had been killing Marie and biting Alan. She didn't think the next step would be flowers. Star tried to stifle another yawn, but it escaped. She plonked the coffee mug back on the side table. So tired...

"The pain comes and goes."

"You can stop the pain. It will go away as soon as you feed. Star, you must feed."

"It's not like you said! We're monsters! Paul tore a person in half. I saw it all!"

"Star, listen to me-"

"No, you listen to me for a change! I'll live with the pain. I'm not killing anyone!"

"That's not possible. You must satisfy the hunger. Once you do, you will understand."

"Bullshit! You massacred those people on the beach tonight. And you loved every minute of it!"

David pushed his hands through this hair in frustration. "Boys will be boys," he said through gritted teeth.

"That's your answer?" she yelled back in bewilderment "That applies to going to strip clubs and drinking too much, not to bathing in the blood of six people!"

"I'm warning you Star, don't push me. You will make your first kill."

"Now, you're threatening me?"

"No, I said I'm warning you. Stop resisting and feed. Become one of us. Be with me properly."

Star spun on her heels to face him. "Or what?" she hissed.

David raised an eyebrow and pierced her with his icy blue eyes. "Don't fight it."

"I thought you loved me! How could you do this to someone you love?"

"It's because I love you that I Changed you. But there is a price."

She grabbed an old wine bottle covered in dripped candle wax, and fired it at the vampire. David ducked his head and glass rained behind him. The noise echoed around the still cavern for a second, before David strode towards her. Holding herself defiant despite her fear, she watched the blur that was her lover's hand crash into her. She flew back against the wall, a sharp pain searing through her head, before the cold stone behind her was replaced by a soft mattress.

David hovered on top of her, his eyes fading from rage to guilt. "Star. I'm sorry. You make me so mad. Sometimes I lose myself when I'm with you."

He kissed her lightly on the cheek, and stroked the side of her head.

She moaned, still a little stunned, and pushed his hand away. "Don't."

"I do love you. That's why I wanted to Change you. That's why I want you to feed. Us, together, forever."

Tears trickled down her face, from the physical as well as emotional pain. "This isn't love."

Suddenly his soothing touch was everywhere. Tender kisses followed. She found herself drowning, once again, in David. He managed to hide the fight they had, the same fight they had been having for weeks, hide it under caresses and whispered words of affection.

Before she knew it, she was kissing him back, pushing the coat from his shoulder, dying to run her hands over his cool skin. David chuckled and pulled his t-shirt over his head, his fingers already moving to unbutton her top.

He ran a teasing hand down her hip. "I promise I'll prove it..."

Star woke with a start, blinked sleepily, then glanced around wildly. It was still dark. She pushed herself into a sitting position and frantically flicked on the lamp at her side.

She noticed a few things at the same time. Firstly, she was covered by a blanket that she didn't remember wrapping herself in. Second, the gun and stake that had been at her side were now on the kitchen bench. And thirdly, there was a something prickly next to her hand. A long-stemmed red rose, thorns glistening, turned out to be the culprit. She whimpered and again looked around the room.

"Is anyone there?"

Star kicked off the blanket and scooted off the bed, picking up the watergun, only to find it empty. She wrapped her hand around the stake.

"David?"

A deliberate noise drew her attention to the broken window, the boarding that had covered it now neatly leaning against the wall for the second time that night. She approached the window cautiously and peered out. She caught a glimpse of white hair in the night, then nothing.

The breeze from outside twirled her curls back from her frightened face, the salty air fresh and cold. An echo from her dream/memory, and from last night at the diner returned to her.

"I'll prove it..."

That was what she was afraid of.

~{*}~ THE END ~{*}~

Many thanks to those that took the time to review and/or PM me. It's been so encouraging! I have sequel ideas swimming in my head; so many things left unresolved, and old characters to re-introduce! Please let me know what you think this story (my first), by reviewing; if I know you like what I am doing, then the sequel may just take hold.

Special thanks to: Taylor Moore, CeeCeeG, and boo56.

Michelle aka Lily aka insanheadspace

xo