Stricken

Zara stepped into the cold, damp cave, hearing the echoes of the boys' laughter bouncing off the stone walls. Their silhouettes danced about in front of the fire.

"Glad you could make it," David whispered in her ear, making her shiver. How did he sneak up so quietly behind her?

Zara turned and smiled at him. "I missed you."

His glove finger stroked her face as his lips turned up in a smile. "I missed you too. Come on."

He took her hand and led her over to the corner, away from the others who smiled and greeted her. Cupping her chin, he studied her closely with his light blue eyes, making her blush.

"What are you looking at?" she asked quietly, unable to meet his eys.

"You are so beautiful," he said. "Its hard to believe you're mine."

Zara smiled, unable to think of anything to say. David's face drew closer until his lips touched her's. From head to toe, her whole body shivered. His lips were so cold and smooth, seeming to suck the very oxygen from her lungs as they parted. His body moved her's up against the wall, its chill penetrating her clothes.

Her head felt light, like it would sprout wings and fly away. His hands wandered down to her hips, keeping her locked between him and the wall as his tongue moved past her lips. She moaned and went to move her arms around his neck, but his hands pinned them to her sides as he moved his lips up to her ear, down her jaw, to her neck.

Closing her eyes, she moved her head to the side, giving him better access as he trailed kisses down to her bare collar bone. He nibbled and bit at the sensitive skin, another moan escaping her lips. Her head swam at his cold touch.

As he moved back up her neck, his lips found her erratic pulse, and he lingered there, feeling the blood pump under that one spot. The temptation made him dizzy. His tongue slipped past his lips, the want to taste her blood was unbearable. He had to. Just a taste.

Zara's eyes snapped open when his hands slammed her harder against the wall. Blinking in confusion that he was suddenly not in front of her, she noticed him at least ten feet away with his back to her. His shoulders were heaving with heavy breaths and Zara could almost see his body shaking. The other boys had fallen silent and were staring at them.

Zara stepped timidly forward. "David?"

David didn't say anything, only continued to have his back to her. If he would have turned, she would have seen his distorted face with the yellow eyes and fangs. She would have seen the real him.

It was too soon. She wouldn't be ready to see yet. He didn't want to hurt her, to scare her. But maybe tonight...Yes, when Michael came looking for Star he would show them both. He'd have her where he wanted her and she wouldn't be able to resist.

Aware that his features were normal again, he turned around to Zara, who was beginning to look worried.

He strode up to her and put his hands on the sides of her face. "I'm sorry. I needed some...control."

Zara's thin eyebrows knitted together. "Control?"

David smiled as though it were a pointless question. "Why don't we go to the board walk?"

He took her hand and gestured to Marco, Dwayne, and Paul, who were still remaining silent. "Let's go have some fun."

The boys began shouting and laughing again, following the two out of the cave and into night air.

~

Zara giggled as Marco and Paul annoyed Dwayne, dancing out of his reach as he snatched at them, growling at them to quit it. David kissed her neck quickly before he could feel her pulse and lose himself again. Instead, he wrapped one of his arms around her body, the other bringing his cigarette to his mouth.

"What do you want to do?" Zara asked as the three others returned to the railing that they stood beside.

"I don't know..." David said slowly. "Maybe we could--"

His grasp on her was jerked away and he was forced to look into Michael's angry face.

"Michael!" Zara cried. "What are you doing?"

"Where is she?" Michael demanded, tightening his grip on David's jacket collar.

"Michael, stop!" Zara pleaded, trying to unsuccessfully pry him from David.

"Shut up, Zara!" Michael snapped before turning back to David.

David blew his inhalation of smoke and chuckled. "Take it easy, Michael."

"Where is Star...David?" Michael repeated.

Zara looked between the two of them. What was Michael talking about? What did David do to Star?

"Michael, if you ever want to see Star again...you better come with us now."

David slipped out of Michael's grasp and looped an arm around Zara's waist again.

"Where are we going?" she asked, looking up at him with her hesitant eyes.

The corner of his mouth raised in that secretive smile. "You'll see..."