#ijam

It was sky blue with white wheels, and his pride and joy. It'd been a surprise, gifted to him after their family's sudden financial change with Max's inheritance. Well, Sam was a little fuzzy on the details, but, however it happened, Video Max had almost made the entire vampire fiasco worth it. The radio had been a gift from his brother. It was a little Ricatech radio that played cassettes too, not that he had many. Michael and Star borrowed it half the time, and he left it on the classics station Michael had turned it to. ‘Spooky’ by the Classics IV filled the air as he dodged pedestrians.

He sped through the streets of Santa Carla, passing punks, hippies, and regular beach bums alike. Santa Carla was the kind of place where he could wear whatever he wanted and still not be the weirdest person on the street. He even considered getting a face piercing, but he knew the Frogs wouldn't ever let him walk around a day with it. But, today wasn't just a day with the Frogs.

Today was a day with you.

He remembered the first time he'd ever met you at the comic book store. He couldn't have known it then, but you'd been listening in on their conversation, browsing over the comics like you were too cool for the three of them. Truthfully, he thought you were.

The first thing you'd said to him, Don't listen to the Frogs. It'd struck his mind. Of course he wouldn't, he'd wanted to say. A couple of crack pot army wannabes were preaching about vampires? Yeah, reliable source. He'd tried to think of something to say back, but you were walking out before he'd even had a chance. You were the first not-freakazoid person he'd ever met in Santa Carla, and you'd totally ditched him. It only made you cooler, if he was honest.

He was musing now, missing the days when it felt like you were vampire hunters together. Even if he knew he could never say that aloud with the truce.

It was just that- They'd gotten you back, but it wasn't like he ever got to see you. You slept through the days, went out at night, and the only time he actually got to talk to you was when you were half asleep over your eggs. It was better when the boys were around, honestly. At least then you'd talk to him while at home.

But, lately, you'd been different. Quieter. Secretive. Or, maybe, you weren't different at all.

You did lie to them about everything last summer, but he never held a grudge. You'd had to. Life and death, and all that. It was just that, now, it felt like the only one that got a report was Grandpa. Part of him knew why. To protect him, he mocked in his head. Well, screw that. If what Marko said was true, I don't need protection. He thought to himself. He didn't realize how dangerous of a thought that was.

His bike led him through the bends of each street, biking down High Street all the way to downtown. While he’d usually turn off onto Coolidge to get home from the highschool, Sam decided to make a pit stop in the downtown area. He passed record stores, bookstores, and a club where the old bowling alley apparently used to be. He dropped his bike outside the local church, and hopped the steps two at a time. When inside, he nodded at the nun in the far corner. He didn't catch her rolling her eyes as he dipped a bottle into the holy water.

It was a small spray cologne bottle, something he'd swiped from his Grandpa's bathroom. While he couldn't say anything with the current truce, that didn't mean he had to be unprepared.

Once it was full, he screwed on the top and gave the nun a quick after-thought of a wave and then clasped hands at her. She didn't seem very impressed.

He biked back to grandfather's house standing up on the pedals, racing through the streets as his backpack swayed with him. His leg muscles strained as he tried to get himself up the long drive way, and eventually he hopped off the bike to run it the rest of the way. He practically bulldozed the screen door down, dodging his Mom's cries about not slamming it to run straight up to your room. At the sound of his steps retreating towards the stairs, his mom called,

“Sam!” But he didn't care. This was his night with you, and he wanted to hang out with you before the Frogs had a chance to come over. But, he was caught by the handle of his bag just as his hand grabbed the bannister, and he was yanked back by his one and only older brother.

“Mike!” Sam whined, but Michael beat him to his ramble of complaints.

“You want your head bitten off? C'mon, man. See what Mom wants.” And Sam groaned as he turned on his heel. Michael knew exactly where he'd been headed, and he trudged towards the kitchen instead. He put his bag and radio down on the table, and Laddie smiled at him up through his bangs and over his plate of peanut butter apple slices.

“Yes, mom?” He said, trying and failing to keep the attitude out of his voice. He let his backpack slip off his shoulders and into the chair.

“Now, Sam, I made you dinner to eat before you go out because I don't want you filling up on junk,” She was a whirl through the kitchen as she pulled the dinner out of the fridge and set it on the counter. “And, I'll be at the store all night, so, if you need me, you'll have to call there. The number’s on the table.” She said, gesturing towards the piece of paper.

“I know the number to the store, Mom.” Sams voice was snippety as he responded, but his mother didn't even seem to notice. He picked it up anyways, thinking of you as he pocketed it. You were bad when it came to memorizing numbers.

“I already told her that I want you boys back by eleven, and that I really don't want you boys on the boardwalk, so please, Sam, don't give her a hard time. There's cash on the table for popcorn,” She was rambling, but it wasn't Sam that cut her off this time.

“And, stakes in the center console if you need ‘em.” Grandpa said, and then let out a laugh. Lucy sent him a glare, and Sam smiled.

“Dad.” Lucy said, her hands going to her hips. She shook her head as she turned her back to them to resume her tornado around the kitchen.

“I'm only kidding.” He said, waving a hand at her before clapping it on Sam's shoulder. Lowly, he said to him, “I keep the stakes in the glove box.” And Sam had to muffle his laugh when his Mom turned back around. She narrowed her eyes, and the two quickly gave her their most innocent expressions. She looked between them, before turning her back to them again. After a moment, the two laughed silently and left before she could see.

***

Your eyes flicked open the moment the sun sank below the horizon. You sat up with a yawn, but your exhaustion quickly pulled away from your mind like the blinds shot up the window. You looked out at the night sky, the stars sparkling above. The moon hung high, a crescent hidden behind the trees around Grandpa's property. Sunlight and the days were blinding, but the stars and the moon were a warm, clear glow to your eyes. Before the blood, nights could only be lit up by the fluorescent lights of street lamps or the many bulbs on the boardwalk. Now, as you looked out at the California hills, you could see for miles. Part of you knew that tonight was not going to go well, even if it was a dull inkling in the back of your mind. A small voice that pulled you along, a gut feeling. The girls would be expecting you, and you were going to ditch. The thought of how they might react made the hairs on your arms stand up, and you silently let go of the string to let the blinds fall.

You started to feel like the night was looking back at you, and you knew, very well, that it could be. You looked at the door before Sam banged on it. He yelled,

“Get up! Get dressed or we’re gonna miss the movie!” Even if you could’ve heard him if he’d whispered it all the way downstairs.

“Yeah, yeah! I'm up, Sam. Jeez.” You muttered the last part under your breath as you went for the door to your shared bathroom with Star. The light was already on, and, as you grabbed your toothbrush, Sam leaned himself into the open door to the landing. He was rambling, but you weren't quite listening. Something about vampires, something about the movie. Eventually, you just had to shut the door in his face because you needed to change. You reached for your stereo, and turned it up to drown out Sam’s protests.

Blending in meant a very specific thing in Santa Cruz, and, while you usually kept it casual, something was making you gravitate towards a very specific jacket in your closet.

It was thick black leather, the kind you could hardly find in the modern times. At least, not without paying an arm and a leg. You'd thrifted it, knowing it had to belong to some ex-greaser from the 50s. It'd been your passion project the past few weeks. You’d stuck pins and spikes wherever they could fit, and forego any chances of flying under the radar when you saw a Bride of Frankenstein T-shirt at the thrift. Maybe it was too on the nose, but it made a great back patch. You added a little red paint and drew the words, Dead Girl, on the back to make it look like it was written in blood. Yeah, it was definitely obvious, but whatever happened to hiding in plain sight?

The jacket hugged you as you walked out of your room, and a black sabbath cut off T-shirt peaked out underneath. Your boots made your footsteps heavy as you walked down the hallway, and you slid down the bannister with a grace only possible by being able to fly now.

You caught something whirling towards you, and the clanging of the keys hitting your hand told you what they were before you looked. You looked at Grandpa, and he let out his signature laugh. Your sunglasses fell from the top of your head down over your eyes, shielding them as you said,

“Careful, old-timer.” With your own growing grin. The shades, the jacket, your blue-jeans? You were only a few pieces off from Michael's look, but with infinitely more style. You thought so, at least. You wore bangles and necklaces that jingled in your ears, and two tied bracelets around your wrist. Even if you hadn't seen your boys in weeks, you wouldn't take them off. And, you couldn't forget your earrings. The girls had practically held you down as they pierced your lobes. You wore long dangly earrings, and then a row of smaller hoops marking three piercings on each ear. You glanced at your fading reflection, before you shifted towards the door. It was easy to corral the boys into Grandpa's car, and, as you peeled out of the driveway, you let Sam fiddle with the radio. Though, your eyes shifted off the road when Sam said,

“It's this same damn song again.” And the Classics IV filled the air. You glanced at him, and watched as he unceremoniously skipped to the next station. The next station was something more Sam's speed. 80s synth rock. It could be a coincidence. It could. You stared ahead at the dark, one hand on the wheel as you bit your nail between your teeth. But, as you turned the music up, you silently decided against it.

You didn’t have to focus anymore to hear the kitchen below. Lucy hummed to herself as she unloaded the dishes from the dishwasher, and you could hear Grandpa’s morning conversation with his daughter and her soft chirps back at his quips. Laddie was still sleeping, and you could hear his even breathing. He slept the latest, the young boy getting the most slack out of everyone in the house. In a few moments, Lucy would check the time and then call above to get everyone moving. C’mon everyone! The bus doesn’t wait for lazy-bones! Michael was in his room, and you could hear him counting his pushups. Hear the quick beating of his heart. Sam was shuffling around his room after finally giving up on slapping his relentless alarm clock's snooze button. Nanook whined, and you could hear that Sam was asking him about the better between two shirts.

Your breathing was even as you hovered in your room. Your eyes were closed, your legs were criss-crossed, and your thirst was a dull tickle in your throat. The sore throat that never subsided. You had made that joke to Lucy once in the past few weeks, and the face she made was enough for you to not make it again.

Weeks. The thought made you falter in the air. Your legs were quick to catch you, so quick that any of the humans would’ve thought you’d meant to get down. Weeks on vampire blood, on sleepless nights and drowsy days, and on attempting to choke down whatever Lucy tried to feed you. Weeks since you’d talked to them. Really talked to them. You didn’t count their attempts to catch you on the boardwalk. And, weeks of nothing. No big battles, no identifiable movie scenes, no hunters. Nothing.

You flitted across your room and grabbed your shades. You slipped them on as you felt the sun start to pour through your window. Blinds and dark curtains could only do so much. Every inch the sun rose was more weight on your tired mind. But, Lucy didn’t like to see you sleep through your days, and it was easier to just make the daily appearance at breakfast rather than have her concern keep you up past lunch.

You were sluggish as you left your room. Sam ran up to you as soon as his door closed, and you knew he’d probably been waiting for the sound of your door to open. He was more hyper than Nanook, rattling off so quickly that you couldn’t even begin to process. Your brain was shutting off, even if your body trudged down the hall like a zombie.

The quickest way to shut him up was to ruffle his neatly combed hair, and to gently push him out of the way as you went for the stairs. Finally, your brain caught up with his mouth.

“C’mon, you promised to take me! Michael’s going out with Star and mom doesn’t want me on the boardwalk anymore, and I don’t wanna be stuck with Grandpa on a Friday night-” Friday. Was it Friday already? The weekdays seemed to go by in a blur. You couldn’t remember this promise Sam was clinging to, but you didn’t doubt that he’d probably weaseled it in when the sun was high and you were agreeing to anything he said as long as he left you alone to sleep.

“Hey. Tell me how you really feel, Sammy.” Grandpa said from the kitchen, sporting his usual bathrobe and shades. At least you weren’t the only one affected by the sun in this house. You sighed as you walked towards the table, Sam following at your heels.

“Sammy, you know I can’t.” You said. Weekends were for one thing. He was quick to whine, and you were quicker to shut him up with a simple. “I have plans.” You said, and he knew that you did. Your routine had become almost suffocatingly strict.

“But, even you said so yourself, you’re not making any progress, so,” You knew where he was going with this, and, luckily, you didn’t have to be the one to tell him to shut up.

“Sam.” Lucy said. She was putting plates of eggs and toast on the table. The stereotypical movie breakfast. You would’ve brightened at the sight if you had any appetite.

The argument lost your focus as you heard the three sets of footsteps down the stairs. You closed your eyes for a moment, bracing yourself for another tense morning.

Star had barely spoken to you since that day, and, despite your best attempts to not take offense, it was starting to get ridiculous. She kept Laddie tight next to her most days, and decided to firmly distrust vampires, half-vampires, and vampire hunters alike. So, out of everyone she knew, that left three. Michael, Lucy, and Laddie.

You couldn’t entirely blame her either. Michael was less prejudiced, and he, at least, greeted you in the morning.

“Hey, what’s goin’ on?” He said as he headed for the table. Star barely threw you a glance as she glided to her seat, and Laddie wiped his eyes as he followed her. He gave you a weak, sleepy hello, and you returned it.

“Sam is begging me to take him to a movie.” You said, and this piqued Laddie’s interest. He looked to Sam, his long brown hair flipping as he did.

“Movie?” He asked, and Sam quickly sighed. From that, you guessed this wasn’t something Lucy would let Laddie see. Which also potentially meant this wasn’t something Lucy would let Sam see. Now, you were seeing how you fit into this plan.

“Me and the Frogs.” Sam quickly said, and Michael let out a knowing sound. The sound of a brother who had already dodged this bullet earlier in the week.

“Well, Sam, you don’t need anyone to take you to the movies. You can go with your friends.” Lucy said, oblivious as to why Michael or you would be needed. Sam grimaced, and you could tell he already regretted bringing it up in front of Lucy. Sam could fight vampires, but he still couldn’t go see a R-rated movie.

“Well, you see, Mom…I need one of them to buy my ticket.” He started, eyes on his plate as he scraped his fork against it. You shot him a look, but he missed it. He was better off just dropping it while he was ahead, but he didn’t seem to realize that yet.

“You didn’t spend your allowance already, did you?” Lucy exclaimed, but Sam was quick to interrupt.

“No! No. It’s just,” He picked up his orange juice, visibly debating if he should even tell her the truth. It was like watching a car crash. Suddenly, you wished you could help the kid out. You shot a look at Michael, and this brother caught it. He frowned over his eggs.

Your plans were non-negotiable, his were not. He sighed.

“I’ll take you tomorrow. How ‘bout that, Sam?” Michael quickly interjected. There, everyone’s happy. You thought. But, when your eyes made the mistake of landing on Star, you knew that couldn't be true. Star gave you a hard look. It wasn't quite mean or mad, but it definitely wasn't happy. You knew this look. It was her, This is your fault look. And, you could only think, For what this time?

That wasn't the point. She can't go out? Your fault. She and Michael can't take the car? Your fault. A glass breaks, weather changes, water won't get hot. Somehow, always, your fault.

Frankly, you were getting tired of it, and maybe it was the morning, maybe it was weeks of a pain that never ended, or maybe it was just the fact that you were plain pissed off by it. Whatever the reason, your eyes flashed yellow behind your shades.

It was strange how you could feel it. Never before in your life could you change something about your body that was an actual bodily function, and you never imagined being able to feel it the more it happened. You were quick to rub your eyes with your hands, willing them to go away, willing the flood of thoughts about blood and violence away, willing the waves of anger to subside. But, the tides only rose, and you pushed yourself away from the table with a shriek of the chair. Nanooks whine accompanied your footsteps, and that got everyone's attention, if your abrupt exit of the table didn't.

“You okay, honey?” Lucy asked, and you didn't answer as you practically threw the refrigerator door open. You grabbed one of the blood bags from the covered slot where the butter used to be. It made you laugh the first time you saw it. You'd quipped, What? Grandpa gets a shelf and I don't? You couldn't think of what his reply had been as you ripped off the top.

You didn't like to drink in front of the Emerson's, but you weren't thinking about that right now.

You chugged it fast, and, in your head, you imagined some angle in the film. The horrifying sight of the family appearing through the quickly emptying bag of plastic. It was gone in, maybe, ten seconds. Your brain quickly rattled off the Frogs voices, About half a liter in each bag and there's only five in the human body. Ten of these, that's what those assholes drink. Those were the words in your mind as you reached for the next one, but you stopped yourself.

Relief. Peace. Calm. It was instant, and your movements weren't so fast this time. They slowed to almost human pace, and you felt like you could breathe again. The rage pulled back like a wave, leaving the shores of your mind for now. Your eyes faded back to normal.

You closed the fridge.

When you looked at the Emerson's, they were all staring at you. Time caught up with you, and you remembered that Lucy had asked you a question. Everything had happened so fast, and now you were the one dragging.

“Yeah, just thirsty.” You said, and you let out a burp by accident. Sam made a face of disgust, always being the most prudish, and Laddie laughed. The elder members of the family didn't seem to find things as funny. Michael frowned, and said,

“You got something..” His voice was soft, as he gestured to the corner of his own mouth. You were quick to wipe at yours, and, sure enough, you wiped red, sticky blood off your face. Shit. You thought, and you turned away while you got the rest. When you pulled your hand away, you noticed your nails were still long. Your claws. Shit. You hid your hands in your pockets when you turned back to them.

You gulped. Everyone was still staring at you, even if Lucy, Laddie, and Sam were politely trying to eat to make it look like they weren't. You walked back to the table, trying with all your might to be normal. To be human. But, you had blended your human and vampire side more and more with each passing day, and it seemed now it was getting to a point where you couldn't hide it from yourself any longer. Hell, you couldn't hide it from the Emerson's either. They saw it. They all saw it.

The silence was stretching on too long, and there was only one thing you could think to say to finally kill it.

“I'll take Sam and the Frogs.” You said, your hands gripping the back of your chair. Sam was the first to spark at those words, but your eyes went to Stars. It was a peace offering. Not that she knew for what. It was your own apology for imagining ripping her throat out and drinking her dry at the table. She stared, and, in Stars way, she accepted it. She silently turned back to her plate and drank her orange juice. Relief hit you again, but it was nothing close to the first wave. You interrupted Sam's instant ramble with, “It'll make me feel better if he's with me, and… he's right. I haven't made any progress with the coven.” You admitted the last part with a sigh. Taking the bullet from Grandpa over your failure or Sam telling his mom he wanted to see an R-Rated movie, which was worse?

He eyed you, silent for a moment. You both ignored Sam's cheers and him running away from the table to get ready. You couldn't hear his thoughts, but you could read his eyes. Failure to get information was failure to move things along, and Grandpa didn't want these vampires in his town. You didn't want those hunters here either, and neither party would leave until we found out what was going on. Sense told you to stick with your lead. The coven wouldn't drop a bomb on your lap and then leave you with it to switch to driving around town forever. But, if you dug into the back of your mind, into where memories of early summer… You felt something. A pull. Telling you the movies were exactly where you needed to be.

He chewed, clamping his lips together with a slap before he switched to his own mask. He cut into his eggs as he said,

The boys had freaked, as was to be expected. Things had been broken, jackets were thrown, and panic had swept through them. They'd made such a clatter that they'd only calmed when Laddie had sleepily come from his bed. They'd had to be talked down by Lucy and Grandpa, and now you tried to focus their minds on something- Well, anything that could make them feel like they had even a modicum of control. Though, when you looked at the mess in front of you, you didn't think this was helping. Your mind kept drifting back to the camp, and you were sure the others were peering in.

"This doesn't make any sense." You said. Dwayne and Paul were sitting on either side of you, and Paul reached out for one of the papers you'd sprawled across the floor.

You had several timelines. The timeline of the original, of the one you'd created, and now the developing timeline of the one you were in.

"What do you mean?" Paul asked, and you rested your chin on your hand. You looked everything over, sighing again.

"Just- there's not enough stuff ," You reached for the timeline you had so far. "Showing me the hunters? That's some act two type shit, and there's just," You paused, trying to find the words. Marko thumped down into his spot across from you, passing you a mug of some tea that Lucy had made. His jacket was slung somewhere, showing off the crop-top he wore underneath. You held the mug in your hand as you gestured. "Where is he getting his run time?" And the boys didn't have to ask who 'he' was. They knew you meant the director.

While the five of you had gone over this seemingly a hundred times, you didn't mind. It was nice to spend time with all of them, even if the current events were starting to weigh on them. Anxiety was constantly in the back of their minds. You could hear it, and you wondered if the mental link made yours worse. And, while they tried to hide the effects of not being able to hunt every night, you didn't need a window into their minds to see it.

Tiredness weighted them all down, grated on their nerves, and you regretted being the only one getting a daily blood intake. Especially when you looked at the deep circles under David's eyes. It was getting to a point where if you proposed a group nap in the middle of the night, you'd have no arguments. Or, that if you snapped and went into a frenzy, there'd be no arguments either. 

It was Dwayne's voice that pulled you out of your head.

"There were lots of scenes of Sam doing nothing in the first movie." He said, and you leaned your head on his shoulder as you cupped the mug with both hands. It was warm, and it felt nice against your cool skin. Dwayne leaned into you, and you could feel his jaw brush against the top of your head.

"But, he wasn't doing nothing. He was setting up stuff for later. Foreshadowing and all that." You said, and paused to take a sip. As much as you didn't want to drag them back into this, your eyes glanced over to the dining room. 

The Frogs were in there, doing their little experiments. Sam, Michael, and Star were in the kitchen with Lucy, and you didn't think it was a coincidence that they were all only a shout away. Were they there in case you needed help? Or so they could all eavesdrop? You didn't know.

Still, the idea wouldn't leave your mind.

"No bridge, no bottle scene..." You trailed off. While there was action, sure, it didn't feel the same. There was no fun . You glanced over at Marko, and, the second you did, you heard his thoughts.

If this is all there is, this movie sucks . And you silently agreed. It wasn't at all like the original. After a moment, Marko added, Unless some people aren't telling us something . And you tilted your head at him. You weren't surprised by that train of thought, but you didn't want to encourage it.

Marko was the least trusting of your boyfriend's, and the most on guard. You watched the way he glanced pointedly back at the Frogs, and you gave him a look. Alright, seems as if he hadn't completely forgotten about the original script. While you thought the idea was silly, so much had obviously changed, this was the thought that stirred David. 

He might be right . He moved his hand under his chin as he thought, and you turned to look into his icy blue eyes as he continued. You saw flashes. Hunters, their deaths - Then, you were firmly blocked. The images faded from your mind as if you'd hit a brick wall. You frowned at the blonde, but, before you could say anything,  his voice filtered back into your head. But they might not even realize what they're supposed to be looking for . David finished, and you wanted to sigh again. Trust was never their strong suit, but you'd relax if David was still keeping an open mind. Plus, it wasn't like they were wrong. Navigating a horror movie was difficult when most of the cast went awol during the day.

You thought about it for a moment, looking down at the papers in front of you. Were they keeping things from you? You thought. You didn't think they would, but your mind drifted back to what you'd thought the moment you'd seen the camp.

This movie was about hunters . As if on cue, Edgar's voice filtered out of the dining room.

"I'm not hearing any talking out there," Edgar grumbled. You knew Frogs hated when the five of you retreated inside your minds, and that they weren't afraid to be vocal about it, but, for some reason, this grated you in just the wrong way. Maybe it was the growing monster inside your head, or the boys own need to feed, but his next words pushed all the wrong buttons. "You're supposed to be keeping us in the loop." He added, and your eyes narrowed into a glare. But, it was Marko that snapped,

"So are you." And you were quick to shift your eyes to him. You saw the look in his eye, could practically hear the thrum of his anger. In a second, it was like you could see where this was going. You blinked, and glanced around quickly at the boys around you. The way they sat, the way they stared- You knew exactly where this was heading. You reached out to touch his arm, muttering a quick,

"Marko." To try to steal his attention before the Frogs could push further. But, of course, the Frogs never knew when to stop.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alan snapped, and your eyes fell closed in exasperation. Shit . Before you could stop him, before you could say anything, Marko was snatching the paper of this timeline and storming towards the dining room. 

You tried to stand. To follow, to stop him. But, David's hand fell onto your shoulder. He gave it a squeeze, and, when you looked behind to find his eyes, they only said one thing. Wait . And questions filled yours. Questions that David didn't even try to answer as his eyes stayed fixed on Markos back.

"It means," He pushed the paper into the boys faces. "Take a look at this." He stared hard at the boys, at how they backed up from him. "You see how empty it is?" He asked, but his tone was hard and rhetorical. "That means that you haven't been telling us shit ." Almost as if she was summoned, Lucy's voice quickly traveled from the kitchen.

"Language!" And you sighed again. You knew, on the track that Marko was on, that this was only going to get worse. Attention from the other Emersons was not what he needed. But, Marko completely ignored the older woman. He turned back around, his arms open as he walked back into the living room.

"I mean, we're going in completely blind here, with all of the targets on our backs," Marko ignored Edgar's scoff at that remark. Instead, he continued his rant. Even as Sam and Michael filed into the room. "And, we don't even know where any of you were today." 

Your eyes shifted to the Frogs, to Sam, and then to where Star hid all the way back in the kitchen. When your eyes went back to Marko, his back was turned to you. He was looking at the Frogs. From what you could see, they didn't seem that sympathetic. You couldn't see his face, but you could hear his mind. Warning bells were ringing off, loud and clear. It made the silence outside his mind all the more deafening. 

Edgar moved his jaw, caught in a standoff with the vampire. Alan didn't say a word, but you knew their eyes were locked on him. Edgar was slow to respond, and his voice was almost even as he said,

"You got some bad trust issues, man." 

The way Marko laughed at that made chills go down your back. Slow, unbelieving, and then near hysterical. Goosebumps rose on your arms, and you subconsciously reached for the hand of whoever was closest to you. As you watched the sight before you, it brought back an eerie familiarity to when you'd first landed here. Alan spoke up a single,

"Our asses are on the line too." But Lucy didn't even try to say anything as Marko quieted. He shook his head, and you didn't need to see him to know the sight of the smile on his face. You knew exactly what it looked like. Predatory .

"They are?" Sarcasm dripped from his lips. Marko took a step, and it was like you and Paul moved with him. Dwayne and David stayed where they were, but you were up. You didn't know why for a moment, but then it clicked. In case you had to grab him . Paul seemed to have the very same idea. Still, Marko took another step. "You wanna know why I have trust issues, boys?" 

Marko didn't stop until the only thing keeping him away from the Frogs was the table between them. He set his hands down on the edge, gripping it as he bent himself to their eye-level. You watched the way his shoulders moved; the bones moving under his skin like when a lion walked.

You knew what he could do. It would only take a blink of a second, but you didn't dare think it. You didn't want to tempt him. 

“In the original movie,” Marko took a pause, and you didn’t even dare to breathe. “Y’know, how this was supposed to go?” He asked as if he was making easy conversation. In a moment, you knew where he was taking this. What was really bothering him. The bone he never got to pick. The secret you didn’t even realize you’d been keeping. Silently, you prayed for him to stop. You prayed for David to stop him, but, when you looked back at him, you knew what David had decided. So, you stepped so you were only a few paces away from him. Just in case.

Marko lifted a hand and pointed directly at the bandana-wearing teenager. You’d seen the look on Edgars' face before, even if he was trying to hide it. Behind the deep voice, the camo, the bandana, Edgar was just a scared kid. His brown eyes were wide with fear as Marko said the words, 

You had to stop yourself from smiling like an idiot and crying in the middle of the beach. You had to get a hold of yourself.

You'd thought this over and over the past weeks, what you'd do if you suddenly landed back in Santa Carla. And, the first thing to do was to find some familiar faces. The boardwalk was the ideal place to start, but you quickly glanced down at your attire. A sweatshirt and your fuzzy pajama pants weren't ideal, especially on a night as busy, and hot, as tonight. Good thing you always wore something more appropriate under them. You ditched your pajama pants, revealing the jean shorts under them, and wrapped your sweatshirt around your waist. You wore a simple band-tee underneath, having made sure to pack one you knew was decade appropriate, and let out a breath as you looked up at the stairs. Your mind was running, excitement threatening to cloud your judgement. But, you had to remember that you hadn't come here randomly. 

This had started all because of that sequel, the Lost Girls. A movie you knew nearly nothing about besides the first few minutes and the general synopsis. And, you had no idea if it'd started already or not. So, there wasn't a minute to waste. 

You climbed the steps, and tried to ignore the feeling of eyes on your back. You were positive it was just your nerves, even if you made the quick decision to head towards the right. You didn't spare a glance behind you, and you didn't catch the pair of eyes that watched you get swallowed up by the crowd. 

You weren't going to squander your time walking up and down the boardwalk trying to find the boys, especially when there was no telling if they'd actually be here. But, you knew for sure where to find someone, or someone's, who would.

You never thought you'd be so happy to see the Frogs in your entire life.

You didn't have to worry about any of the locals. The comic book store was deserted when you stepped inside, and Alan barely glanced at you when you walked in. He did a double-take. He was quick to slap his brother to get his attention, and the words,

"Holy shit." Fell from his lips at the sight of you. You hadn't really known what to expect if you were honest. After Grandpa's line, the movie ended. You had what you'd been able to read during the small sessions you were allowed to have your phone, but nothing more than that. Theories that they'd given up hunting and such, but were they true? You didn't know if they were going to grab their stakes at the sight of you, but really- Did it matter? You gave them a small smile and raised your hands, as if to say you came in peace. Finally, Edgar asked your name, as if to make sure it was really you, and you gave them a nod. "You were dead." Alan said, and you winced. Yeah, you supposed that's what they thought happened.

"You were history!" Edgar said, and you tilted your head. Okay, you didn't really have time for this. You took a step closer, and cut them off before they could continue their bewildered back and forth.

"I know, I know! But, I'm back, and I need to find the boys." You paused. You'd thought about this for weeks, but now it felt like a lump was in your throat. What if they said no? What if you were stranded? You didn't have any money, you didn't even have your phone. But, before you could let those thoughts consume you, you asked, "Help me. Please?" And, you thanked God that they both had a hero complex.

The next half hour felt like the longest game of telephone ever. The Frogs had to call Sam, who convinced Michael to pick you up. It hadn't taken much convincing for the Frogs to close early for the night, and they waited by the entrance to the parking lot with you. It was no surprise that Sam had practically thrown himself out of Grandpa's car and nearly tackled you to the ground with the force of his hug. He'd yelled your name, and you laughed as you returned it. He was talking a mile a minute, rambling about,

"You were gone- How are you-" But, you quickly shushed him. You probably already looked strange to the civilians of Santa Carla, and you couldn't explain just off the boardwalk. Quietly, you whispered,

"I'll explain later." And then your gaze shifted to Michael. You'd been somewhat surprised that he'd agreed, and you stared at him as he stepped out of the car. You waited for him to say something. Sam loosened his grip, and he turned to look at his brother as well. The last time you saw him you hadn't exactly been friends, so you had no idea what to expect. Finally, after a moment, he let out a deep sigh and took the steps to bridge the gap. You let out a surprised sound as he pulled you into a hug, and you gave him an awkward pat on the back. Seems like all the Emerson's are huggers, you told yourself.

You sat at the kitchen table, holding a glass of water as you tried your best not to stare at the clock while Sam and the Frogs chattered about everything that had happened in the past few weeks. Apparently, there hadn't been a dull moment. Everyone had helped repair the Emerson house, which took more than quadruple the amount of time to fix than to wreck. Max had left everything to the boys, who in turn gave the video store to Lucy. Another reason to keep Grandpa from staking them in their sleep, you supposed. And, to your surprise, supernatural rates had skyrocketed. Vampire rates were at an all-time high, which explained the arrival of the the Lost Girls, and Sam was more than willing to explain that their alliance with the boys was the only thing keeping them off the menu. The Frogs, however, insisted that it was their own hunter reputation, even if, after a glance from Grandpa, they added that none of them knew about their retirement. Quickly, you guessed that it wasn’t just a change of heart keeping them from picking up their stakes again.

Really, it was futile. You watched the seconds tick by, the shaking of your leg making little ripples in your water. You had no idea how to truly get ahold of your boys, since you'd been the only real connection to the Emerson's. But, when you arrived and Lucy told you she'd already called Max's house of all places, you were tasked to just wait.

"What did you tell them again?" You asked the woman, watching as she dried the dishes. If you interrupted Sam, he barely noticed. She turned and gave you a sympathetic look, and draped the rag she'd been using to dry them over her shoulder. She was being surprisingly gracious about the whole thing, and you guessed any issues had been smoothed over in your absence.

"I didn't tell them anything. I told them they just needed to come here as soon as possible." She said, and you worried your lip. Knowing your boys, maybe she should have told them something. Otherwise, as soon as possible could turn out to be past midnight. But, you didn't want to do that to them. You figured they deserved to see you in person, not to hear over the phone like everyone else. Star reached for your hand, as if she had practically read your mind. 

"They'll be here soon." She said, giving you a small, comforting smile from her seat besides you. You let out a long breath, and gave her fingers a squeeze. You thanked the heavens that no one seemed to be holding a grudge against you for lying to them or tricking them, but you supposed 'dying' and then disappearing into thin air had that sort of effect. You glanced over at the curly-haired brunette, at where he was standing near the wall. To think, even he seemed happy to have you back. Well, maybe not happy, but he wasn't being nearly as much of a dick as he had been.

While you'd gotten questions about what had happened and where you'd gone, you hadn't even been the one to say that it was probably best if you waited for everyone else to get there. That had been Grandpa. 

The old man stood with his back against the fridge, his eyes trained on you as he sipped from his root beer. You couldn't tell what he was thinking, and you decided that it was best to avoid his eyes.

"Laddie's gonna be so happy to see you." Star said, and, despite your nerves, you found yourself smiling. The little boy was apparently already asleep, as they were trying to get him readjusted to a day-time schedule. You glanced at the clock, but, before you could comment that perhaps 8:45 was a bit too early of a bed-time, you saw the flash of motorcycle headlights. 

You stood so fast you nearly knocked the glass off the table, and Lucy yelped at the screech of your chair against the kitchen floor. You took a few quick steps before you stopped yourself, stopped near the stairs. It was Michael that crossed the living room and went for the door, and you felt as though you couldn't breathe as you watched him. Your heart was beating so fast in your chest that you thought the boys had to hear it. That maybe they'd recognize it. Michael opened the door, and a familiar, clear voice threatened to make your eyes pool with tears.

"We can't stay long, Michael. We actually have things we need to besides fixing-" David stopped a few steps into the living room, stopped when his eyes landed on you. The others behind him practically ran into him, and you heard one of them gasp.

You almost felt like you were under a spell, a spell that fell over all of you as you caught sight of eachother. You couldn't move, couldn't think. From the looks on their faces, it seemed they couldn't either. You stared at each of them. To Paul's half-hanging open mouth to David's look of pure shock. They all looked so different from eachother, but almost exactly the same as you'd last seen them. The only thing that changed was the tiredness around their eyes. But, to you, they looked perfect.

You were holding your own hand, gripping it so tight that it nearly hurt. You looked between them, catching glimpses of each of their faces. Caught between being frozen to the spot and wanting to run right up to them. You couldn't think of a thing to say, but a soft,

He was just an apprentice, one that'd been instructed to stay behind. He'd been watching you for as long as Billy Idol and Fabio left. At first, it was out of concern. They, as in his group, knew what the pair you hung around with were, and they'd been studying them for weeks. In fact, because of you, their crew was making a move tonight. The second they saw two of them leave, only two, a silent decision had been made in their group. It was now or never. An opportunity like this one was rare, and they weren't going to pass it up, but one of them had to stay behind. Him , to be exact.

He figured that you were a potential victim. That you were a harmless civilian, and that you'd be in danger. It was their duty to protect people like you. Well, that's what they told him. That, and he wasn't trained enough to follow yet. He figured he'd protect you for the night, wait for the rest of your boyfriend's to leave. If he was able to get you alone, maybe he could even save your life. But, it was only when he saw you crush the railing that he realized you were danger. And, a wrench in their plan. Suddenly, four vampires became five, and he didn't like those odds as much. And you were a girl.

As you ran to the boardwalk, he fumbled for his field journal. He was trying to find the chapter, only to realize that he was losing you in the dark. 

"Shit, shit-" He muttered to himself, and he chased after you before you could completely disappear.

He tried to read and follow you at the same time, keeping more than a safe distance, and he tripped over his own feet when he finally found the page. The sand muffled his fall, and he pulled the book back to him. He read it, practically sprawled out on the ground as he muttered the words to himself.

"Females of the species," He glanced up at your figure in the distance. You were barely a sight in the dark, with your silhouette barely visible against the reflection of the sea. He contemplated getting up, finding a place further down the shore. But, he quickly blamed the fact that maybe it was more strategic to stay on the ground as the reason why he couldn't bring his knees to lift him up. His finger traced the words as he read, "Thought to be larger in size," He glanced up, but, at this distance, he couldn't tell. "Less socially aggressive, but equally as blood-thirsty as the rest of their species." And he couldn't help his gulp. He continued to read. "While there are heads to each coven, female covens notably have more egalitarian- Skip the politics." He told himself that there wasn't time for this, and silently promised his mentor that he'd read it later. "All vampires seem to follow the same sexual segregation found in vampire bats, but female vampires are particularly known for this. Solitary mates may be found- blah, blah, blah." His eyes skimmed until he found what he thought he was looking for. "Similar hunting practices, but female covens have been the only ones to display the hunting tactic of," His brow furrowed and his shoulders clenched as he read, "Solitary hunters kidnapping prey for the group to eat." And the young apprentice nearly felt like he was going to be sick. There was more to read, but he didn't bother. He closed the book and shoved it into his coat. 

As far as he was concerned, you were exactly what they'd been missing. Maybe that's why the rest of your coven didn't feed regularly.

He rolled into his back, reaching for the foldable crossbow he kept stashed in his backpack. He prepped it, glancing back at you to make sure you didn't move. He took out his cannister of holy water and stuck it in his pocket, before he ditched his bag altogether. He told himself,

"I should've known." He said to himself as he rolled back into his stomach. "I always thought vampires looked like lions anyways." He whispered, and slowly he began his crawl closer. "Probably hunting for the others- Well, not anymore." It took him over a minute to even get within reasonable distance. He stopped probably a few feet farther than he should, but it wouldn't matter. His crossbow was for long-distance hunting anyways. Slowly, he lifted himself to his knees, and lifted his weapon. Sure, maybe he should've just told his mentor. Maybe he should've ran the second he realized you were a vampire. And, maybe, he shouldn't have stalked you at all. But, he was here, and he knew bringing his mentor your head was going to be exactly what he needed to finally start taking him seriously. He'd probably only have one shot, so he had to make this count. Even if you didn't know he was there, he couldn't imagine you'd give him time to prep another stake.

But, that didn't stop the shock of fear going down his spine the second you laughed and sighed. It was such a sudden change from how still you'd been, and, well, he panicked. As you began to speak and turn, he shot. In his sudden panic, he aimed for the head instead of the heart.

And missed. 

***

Before you could even realize what was going on, there was screaming. Maybe he'd tried to run, tried to go for another stake, but it didn't matter. Loud, guttural, pained screaming. It filled your ears, accompanied by the sounds of tearing flesh, before they were silenced by a sickening snap. Then, it was just the sound of gulping.

You stared, unable to rip your eyes away. You'd grabbed the stake, like plucking a flower out of a field instead of a projectile meant for your head. You hadn't even really meant to do it, but now you held it to your chest as you watched a group of girls rip a guy to pieces. As you watched them feed.

Your throat ached at the sight, at the smell, but fear and shock kept your feet planted where they were. The wind had been blowing from the west, so the only thing you smelled was the sea salt. Not the hunter behind you, or the vampires hanging overhead. You'd been blind, been deaf, to the predators surrounding you. You'd been stalked and you hadn't even noticed. That realization was enough to ruin your appetite.

You could only imagine what the boys- what David would say. The second you thought of him, you reached for him. Inside your head, you practically screamed his name. You pushed so hard through the fog that you were sure you flooded it. And, you were sure the fear in your mind bled into your eyes when one of them finally looked at you.

You took a step back, shocked by the sudden eye contact, and the sound of sifting sand was enough to grab all of their attention. They weren't foolish, like you were. Not even noticing the hunter behind you. Their heads snapped towards you, and, in a blink, their faces faded back to human ones. 

You felt like you couldn't breathe as one of them slowly rose to her feet. Even as the voices of your boys filled your head, you could barely bring yourself to focus on them. 

Your eyes, now trained for the dark, watched as she wiped the blood from her face, as she stood to her full height. What's wrong? Her eyes were big and brown, no longer the yellow they'd been when she first looked at you. Where are you? Her hair was long and brown, tumbling over her shoulders. What happened? And she- Well, she was familiar to say the least. Are you hurt? If you weren't frozen from fright, if there wasn't a flood of thoughts that weren't your own filling your head, you would've laughed. 

In front of you was Sloane from Ferris Bueller. Or, well, the actress. Despite your fear, you wondered for a moment how Joel had swung that.

Even so, you stared at her as she came close. You tried to focus, scared to think of anything that wasn't of the girl in front of you. You reminded yourself that this wasn't her, that this wasn't nice-girl Sloane. That this was- Well, whatever her name was. A vampire. And, from what you could guess, the villain of this movie. 

The other coven. You thought, projecting it as loud as you could. At this moment, it was all you could to think to spare, all you could think that was safe.

She stopped only a bit away, her hands raised as if you were a wild dog. As if you were the one about to bite. After a moment, she smiled and slowly lowered her hands. You heard a rustle, and your eyes flicked to behind her. The other girls had gotten up, and they crowded eachother. Five of them total, each of them more familiar than you thought they'd be. In fact, was that - But, you didn't have any time to finish that thought before you realized not-Sloane was reaching out to touch you. You froze, and her voice was as soothing as it'd been on the screen as she said,

"He didn't knick you, did he?" She said, and you made the mistake of looking into her eyes. They were magnetic. So much so that you let her hand ghost your ear before you pulled away. It was only an inch, but you saw her eyes catch the movement. She paused, her smile fading. Quietly, you said,

"No," You paused. "He missed." And you watched her smile return. Your eyes flicked to the other girls behind her out of instinct, something telling you not to forget about them. They still stood off to the side, but they were closer than before. Their expressions left you clueless, and silently you tried to place each of their faces. After a moment, your eyes flicked back to her. Warily, you asked, "Who are you?" 

"I'm Mina." She said, giving her name easily. Then, she asked, "Who are you?" Copying the way you asked. Almost in a way that was cute. You gave her your name, watched the way she flipped her hair as she looked over her shoulder, and the girls closed whatever distance was left. Silently, you prayed the boys would get here fast. 

"You're fresh. Your heart's still beating." One of the girls commented as she practically hung off another's shoulder, a smile on her face as she said it. You were sure those words probably made it beat faster out of pure anxiety. And, as she did, you finally placed her face. She was one of the heathers, the yellow one if you remembered correctly. Either way, the way she smiled and the blood at the corner of her mouth made it look like she wanted to eat you alive. Was she meaning to be this creepy?

You must've made a face because you watched as the girl she was hanging off of, a brunette you knew was in one of Kiefers other movies, laughed softly. You even watched as the two other girls, both curly haired brunettes, gave eachother a look. And, while you knew the taller, the tallest of the group actually, was from Flashdance, you couldn't exactly place the last. But, whatever they thought was funny was cut off by the girl closest to you. She leaned closer and whispered,

"Ignore them." She said, and the look she gave you was akin to one you imagine she'd give an old friend. For some reason, it made you feel calm. It made you forget that the rest of the girls hadn't introduced themselves, and almost forget them entirely as she continued, "Are you alone?" She asked. If you were honest, you didn't know what answer would help you. You didn't know how long they'd stalked you- It made you falter when you reminded yourself that. There was something about Mina, something that made you forget that little detail. So, you decided on the truth.

"No." The vague truth, at least. You watched as she stared at you, as she tilted her head. She gave you a smile, almost one that was amused, before she glanced back at the others. And that glance- you didn't know why but it made more spill from your lips. "The rest of my coven is feeding." You supplied, and it was half-true. Really, you didn't know what happened. That caught her attention back to you.

"Leaving you to fend for yourself?" She said, and you didn't like what it implied. Your boys- They weren't neglecting you. There'd been an emergency. You almost found those words spilling out of your mouth, before you stopped yourself. You clamped your mouth shut. She didn't need to know about that. There was something about her, something about her eyes that made you want to spill every thought that came to your head. It took you a moment to remember that even mind tricks worked on vampires, and you decided that perhaps keeping your mouth shut was your best bet. When you didn't take the bait, she pursed her lips for a moment. Finally, she filled the silence with, "Maybe they should keep a better eye on you. Lots of," She paused to glance back at the body behind her as if to gesture to it. "Bad elements." She finished, and her words hung in the air.

You stared at her then, but your eyes were quick to flick away from her hypnotizing eyes. You looked at her purple jacket, lined with chains and metal pins. At her black pants and black vest-like top. When you got down to her black boots, you wet your lips when you realized you wouldn't be able to avoid her face any longer. But, just as you went to look up, you heard the sound of someone flying. Someones flying.

All six of your heads lifted at the sound, and only a moment passed before Mina said,

"Looks like you don't need us anymore." And you broke your eyes from the skyline to fix them on her instead. She followed suit, and, even if you felt like you shouldn't, you met her eyes. There was almost satisfaction in them when you did.

"Thank you," You started. "For stepping in." You said, and you found that you meant it. You didn't, and now never would have to, know what would've happened if they hadn't. You watched another brilliant smile cross her lips. Only, this time, you almost wanted to describe it as genuine. 

"Our pleasure." She said, and then she was glancing back at the others. You quickly guessed they didn't plan on sticking around to meet the boys. "See you around." Mina said, and the others were quick to follow. The only one that hesitated was the shortest of the group. She cast you a long look, and you furrowed your brows as you stared at her. Tan skin, dark eyes, dark curls- She was familiar, but not like the others. Like you'd actually known her at one point. By the time the boys set foot on the sand, she had left.

You didn't have time to regret your last moments, or you didn't see a point in doing so. You'd had time, so little but so much, in a world that you loved. With people you loved. And, who were you to hold on? Who were you to-

It was only when your hand touched smooth plastic that you realized it was just the flashlight of your phone.

In a second, your internal monologue cut off and shock ran through you. Your hand grabbed it, and then the lights flicked on to bathe your surroundings. Movie theater seats. Your wallet in your hand. And, behind you, a giant white screen.

Just like that, you felt like your entire world had turned upside down again. Your moment of peace was shattered. To think, you had accepted death, but this?

You were running before you could even think. You ran out of the theater, only to run right into your friends. You gasped, and you froze. While they should've been a welcome sight, you felt a pit in your stomach. You knew what this meant, knew that this was confirming your first thought since you realized the light was just your phone. You didn't have a reply as your friend asked,

"What's gotten into you?" And without even a word, you ran out of the lobby. It couldn't be. It couldn't be. Not after all this time - But it was. The world outside the theater was the world of your hometown. Was your world.

 ***

 All things considered, you thought you handled the news well. You only had a minor mental and emotional breakdown, one that earned you the spot in the mental hospital you were currently living in. Really, beyond the initial shock of the event, you hadn't broken down since. But, to everyone else, you were still breaking down. As the notes on your file said, they thought you were 'schizophrenic with delusions of grandeur' and had memory issues.

They thought you had some sort of break, a break where you thought you were a character from your favorite movie. A character that just so happened to look eerily similar and who had the same name. And, you'd already screamed at them about the chances of that. You were told, over and over again, that she'd always been in the movie. That the actress was like fifty-something, and had decided a normal life in Nevada was worth more than a movie career, and that's why she'd never been in another movie. You were told that the similarities were just a coincidence, and your therapist thought that it may've been the cause of your 'obsession' with the movie. And, to top it all off, no one seemed to know anything about the original movie. When you tried to watch it, you were greeted with the sight of your own face on the screen.

You sighed as you leaned back in your chair, your fuzzy pajamas and sweatshirt keeping you warm in the chilly office.

It was a nice facility, all things considered. One with views of trees and rolling hills. It would've been nice, if everything wasn't dead due to the winter. Part of you yearned for the California heat. Where the plants stayed alive all year. Where everything seemed to live forever.

Your therapist cleared her throat to get your attention. You looked at her, away from the window. She was young, early forties at most. She had blonde hair that was neatly tucked into a ponytail. She wore a gray cardigan and a white shirt with a pair of brown slacks. Not too dark, not too bright. Perfectly in-between. Really, you were starting to think that everything the hospital did was to try not to remind you of the movie. Well, outside of these sessions.

"You were saying that she's kind, y/n. We see that she befriends Sam." She reminded, and you glanced at the screen. You were the one with the remote in your hand, and you'd stopped it at the scene where Michael drinks from the bottle. You sighed.

"Well, yes, she is kind but not-" You stood. Now that it'd been weeks after your initial breakdown, you were free to move around the room, to approach the TV, to hold the remote. But you still couldn't have shoes with laces. You reminded yourself. "Not for that reason. See-" You gestured to the screen, to the boys sitting around it. "She cares, but her kindness to Sam is all a part of the plan."

"The plan?" Your therapist asked, even if you'd gone over this time and time again. You'd long gotten over talking about yourself, but, really, what was the point of this? Three days a week you'd walk through the whole movie, and you felt as though you kept saying the same thing. Maybe if you stopped trying to convince them- No. That was the point. You reminded yourself. They wanted you to give up, and the thought made your jaw click. You knew that, in order to make your case, you had to base your 'assumptions' on the movie. Not on what you knew to be true because you were there. The annoyance you felt crept into your voice as you said,

"Yes, the plan. In the end, Max says 'What ideas did you put in their heads'. She," You pointed at the screen. "Plays a much bigger part than it seems. She's the reason for all this. She knows. You can see here." You pressed play, the sound off as you gestured to the screen. You could see how she tried to laugh with Paul, but her eyes- Her eyes showed worry as she looked at David. "She's laughing one second, worried the next. She's stuck between playing her part, and trying to save them."

"Save who? Michael?" The therapist asked.

"Yes, but no-" You stared at the TV, your eyes far away as you did so. You were staring through it, staring almost back in time. You talked with your hands as you said, "She's trying to save everyone. She's trying so hard to make sure everyone lives that she-" You faltered. Your voice broke. The infamous ending. It was what the Lost Boys was known for. And you couldn't even say it.

"That she dies." The therapist finished, and you looked away from the TV. You looked to her, where she sat with her glasses and her perfectly tied back hair. She was so clean, so put together, even as she attempted to be casual. So different from your company for the past few months.

"Yes." You said as you looked away, back to the screen. You watched it play out for a moment. You watched them jump around, the overlapping of their faces. Of a face that looked far too much like your own. You ignored the sound of her writing, of pen scratching against paper, even as the scene faded and went to the next. On her notepad, she wrote,

Y/k has started using 'she' instead of first person - hasn't noticed when I say it either. A subconscious distinction has been made. It's time.

Your therapist looked up from her notes, and she gave you a smile. You only saw it when your head turned back to her, and her voice was kind, always kind, as she said,

"Y/k, tell me why you think she dies." And your eyebrows furrowed at the question.  What kind of question was that? You pointed with the remote at the movie, and said,

"Because that's the ending. She clearly dies." And I landed back here.  You internally finished.

"But there's the sequel." Your therapist said, and you stared at her. The sequels you remembered, the god-awful Frog Brothers sequels, couldn't have you in it. They couldn't even exist, knowing the end of the movie in this world. The Frogs gave up hunting, started to look for a cure. Or, at least, that's what you read in the theories on the internet. It was possible, but something told you no. 

You gave a shake of your head, clearly not understanding. Your therapist was still smiling, even as she put her pen down and folded her hands. Even as she said, 

"If you did, it was something they made you see." He said, his voice just as quiet, and you were quick to add the thought,

Like you did with Michael. You hadn't forgotten about their maggot trick, but David shook his head at the comparison. You watched the way his jaw moved as he took a drag of the cigarette. He didn't have a response to that, and you smiled to yourself. Not even a snide thought. David was good at that. He was good at keeping his thoughts hidden, even if you had a way inside his head. You figured you'd learn how to do the same eventually.

You don't have to get answers tonight. Dwayne thought, and you shifted to cast him a glance. He was staring at you, that same expression, the eyes, that always bored right into you. Images flashed through your mind. Going back to your room, laying in your bed, curling up and enjoying the rest of the night in the safety of four walls, in four sets of arms- But, you couldn't let him win. You closed your eyes and sighed.

You squeezed your arms around his waist, leaning your cheek against his shoulder as you did. If you were honest, you didn't want to get off David's bike. You knew the second you admitted that the boys would be revving their engines to take you back to the Emerson's house. But, you needed to do this. You needed answers.

If I don't go to them, they'll come to me. You thought, and that was all it took to try to silence their persuasion. They knew you were right, and you figured that maybe that's what last night had been. A message that they knew where you lived, and they knew you didn't live alone.

Images flashed through your mind of what could happen. If you were their target, that was one thing. But Star? You swallowed around the stone that lodged in your throat when you thought about dragging Star back into all of this. It's why she was home, surrounded by hunters and would-be vampire killers. Still, when you thought about-

Don't psych yourself out. Marko was quick to say in your mind, and you gave David's waist a subconscious squeeze. He squeezed your arm back, and, for a moment, you could feel your nerves wash away. You took a moment before you finally decided it was time.

"I'm gonna go for a lap." You said as you slid off, and leaned down to peck David's cheek.

We'll be right here. David thought, his eyes lingering on you for a moment as you backed away. They were in one of their usual spots, a spot they wouldn't budge from until you gave the word. You blew a kiss to the others, and Paul, ever the dramatic, threw his hands up and said,

"Hey, c'mon!" Before tapping his cheek. You laughed, shaking your head and your hand as you walked towards the crowd. 

You braced yourself for the onslaught of smells, noises, everything. But, as you approached, as the crowd welcomed you, it didn't hit you as hard as it has the night before.

Maybe it was the lingering effects of David's influence, or maybe it was the blood you drank before you got on the bike. Maybe it was just the transition itself. Your strength had crept up on you, flight eluded you, your vampire face had already made an appearance- Just when you thought something was predictable, it changed on you. It became harder to tell where you began and the vampirism ended. Less shades of red and blue, more shades of purple, you thought to yourself. 

You paused at the counters of bracelets, picking one up. Maybe not for you, but you knew a few people that would like the multicolored band. The crowd was thick around you, and you considered, only because you'd refused Lucy's cash, to pocket the thing. You almost brushed it off when you felt something touch your shoulder. But, your head still turned, and you thought, Speaking of purple.

"You gonna pay for that?" Mina asked, and stood besides you with a growing grin on her face. You glanced around, at the counters and at the woman behind them. You watched as she leaned against the table, almost as if she was blocking you from view. She tilted her head as she continued, "Or are your boyfriend's," She paused as her eyes swept around, "Gonna for you?" As if she expected them to appear somewhere in the crowd. From the way her smile disappeared at the mention of them, you assumed she would too. You decided to play the same game she did.

"Why, were you planning on buying it for me?" And her eyes snapped back to you. They seemed to twinkle with the lights from the boardwalk, and you were quick to add, "They're busy. And, I was just looking." You said, letting it slip through your fingers and fall back into the pile with the rest. The lady tending the counter was coming over anyway, and you began to push yourself away. Mina didn't hesitate to follow. 

"Too bad. I might've." She said, and you scoffed. You doubted it. She kept close, and she flipped her hair as she said, "What?" It was almost defensive. You glanced back at her, giving her a shake of your head, and it was then that you noticed she didn't have her gaggle of girls, her coven, following her. Your eyes did a quick search, and their absence unnerved you. Still, you tried to be nonchalant as you asked, 

"Where are your friends?" And she looked away as she smiled. It was all you needed to know that she knew it was a dig.

"Why? I'm not good enough?" She asked, as quick witted as ever. And as quick to deflect as ever. She was so close to you, you nearly thought she'd reach for your hand. But she didn't, and you replied,

"No, I just-" But you didn't have a reply. When you glanced at her eyes, it was like she squashed out any attempts at a lie. Any attempts of an act. You had to glance away if you wanted to think of anything. "I'm just curious." You said lamely. You could hear your boys, chittering in the back of your mind, but you blocked them all out. You needed to focus, and something told you she'd be able to tell if your lines were being fed to you. 

"Curious." She repeated the word, all silk and suede. You wondered if her voice was just like that. "What else are you curious about?" She asked, and you glanced back at her as you walked through the crowd. It was her eyes again, but this time you let the truth slip out.

"Everything." About you, you silently added. She paused a bit at that, and you saw her squint. The look was gauging, but it was the truth. Her lips curled around perfect teeth as she replied,

"Why do you want to know?" And, the way she smiled- It made you wonder how a girl with a smile that innocent could hide such a vicious bloodlust.

You stopped. You'd reached the railing, and your fingers went out to brush along the metal. She paused with you, her hair blowing lightly in the wind. 

"I'm trying to understand you." And, it was the truth. Part of it. Understanding your enemy was the key to winning, to surviving. You needed to understand Mina, before any of this went further. You needed to know her the way you'd known the Frogs, the Emersons. 

She looked away, almost as if the response embarrassed her. She laughed a little, before she looked back at you. She leaned in, and you leaned back. But not nearly as far enough to make up for the distance she crossed. She stared at you, like she was looking straight into you. Her voice was nearly seductive as she said,

"Well, stop trying." You gulped. Blinked. She was staring at you hard, and she barely backed up an inch as a hint of a smirk pulled at her lips. Was she- No. You told yourself, but you weren't completely sure. You blinked again, your mouth dry and your mind unusually frozen. The way the wind blew her hair from her face, you knew it had to be some level of movie magic. You couldn't think of a thing to say, much less an excuse to escape when she said, "C'mon, lemme show you." 

***

"Do you think this is going to work?" The newest of their clan asked. She was a girl with tan skin and dark, curly hair, with dark eyes to match. The girls didn't even try to hide the looks they shared at the question, and a toneless,

"Mina thinks it will." Was their only reply. To them, that's the only reply she'd need. But, the youngest didn't seem satisfied. 

She played with her bracelets, stared down at the sight of Mina leading her away. From as high as they were, they were as big as ants. But, her eyes still followed them with ease. Even as her nerves grew.

She didn't get why Mina, why everyone, was so transfixed on you. She picked at her bracelet as she asked,

"Mina's not gonna hurt her, right? We just-" But she was cut off by another girl. Her voice was sweet as she said,

"No, no," But sarcasm dripped out of her mouth as she finished, "She won't hurt her at all." And the other two girls snickered. They sounded like a pair of hyenas, and her eyes grew as she stared at the retreating figures below. Anxiety crept up her back, made the hair stand up on her arms. In the pit of her stomach, a bad feeling grew. She sucked in a breath, and began,

"We're just gonna-" This time, they didn't even let her finish her sentence. They snapped a quick,