The screams and music from the boardwalk cover the sound of the Surf Nazi's pained yelps as Marko tears into his neck, snarling like a feral animal. Blood paints the brick wall behind him. Paul's got another dead one at his feet and he gleefully licks the blood from his fingers like a child. Sofie steps over the body and walks toward Marko. The Surf Nazi sees her and reaches out, his eyes terrified and pleading. She takes his hand and kisses up his wrist before sinking her fangs in. She grimaces at the taste of his blood. It seems like all this guy runs on is coffee, cheap beer, and pot, but after a few seconds, it doesn't matter anymore. The burning hunger inside of her guts calms and is replaced quickly by total euphoria. Paul was right. The more she hunted and the more she drank, the less guilty she feels about doing what she has to do to survive. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Marko dislodge his fangs from the man's neck, panting wildly. His face is still twisted and demonic and his eyes become fixated on her. As she drinks, he brushes her hair away from her face and licks a stripe up her neck. Sofie pulls away, letting the corpse fall to the ground with a hollow thud. He grabs her face and kisses her feverishly. Sofie growls and tugs on his bottom lip with her teeth, drawing blood. Marko gasps and deepens the kiss while Paul drags both of the bodies to the beach to dispose of them. Marko pulls back and grins.
"We gotta go, lovebirds," Paul announces, landing softly behind them. "Security's making the rounds."
Marko, Paul, and Sofie take off running and giggling before security spots the blood on the sides of the building. To anyone else, they look like three hooligans running from the cops. Sofie can't deny that the fact that they have all of this power coursing through them, and the fact that they have to keep it a secret is more than a little exciting. She's never done anything like this before. She was always a quiet, wound-up kid with a stomach full of anxiety and nothing to do with it other than to chew her nails down to the quicks. This power makes her feel like an entirely different person. She just hopes it doesn't change her too much.
They get to the liquor store and wander around while the cashier eyes them suspiciously. He's an older, portly man with a thick black mustache and dark, curly hair. Marko wanders off toward the back of the store while Sofie grabs a few packs of beer out of the fridge. Paul taps her on the shoulder. He's holding a bottle of whiskey that she doesn't recognize.
"Sof, put this in your bag," he whispers while looking over his shoulder.
She frowns.
"No."
"C'mon. It's not like we're killing the dude and taking the whole liquor store with us."
"Paul, I have money. I'll just buy it for you."
"Yeah, but that's not fun."
She sighs.
"Paul... it's not -"
"We just tore out two people's throats and you're gonna tell me that you draw the line at stealing?"
Sofie rolls her eyes and shoves the bottle into her purse. She would rather just give in than watch Paul have a temper tantrum. He smiles wide, leans in and gives her a gentle peck on the cheek before strolling out of the store with a shit-eating grin plastered on his face. Sofie feels Marko's arms wrap around her waist. He places a soft kiss on her neck and slips another bottle into her purse. She rolls her eyes.
"Both of you are ridiculous."
"I love you," he purrs.
"Mmhmm."
Marko pinches her ass and follows his brother outside while Sofie pays for the beer. The three of them stroll back to the beach and find David and Star sitting in the sand, his arm is slung around her shoulder and they're sharing a cigarette. Star nuzzles into his neck. They look completely comfortable with each other, like they've been together for years.
"That was quick," Sofie remarks.
"David's good at this," Marko murmurs.
"I can tell."
The five of them sit down in the sand. Sofie tosses David and Star two beers. They seem far more interested in each other than drinking them. Star is practically sitting in David's lap. He twirls her hair around his finger and she giggles like a dizzy school girl. They speak in soft, low voices while Sofie and Marko exchange pained glances.
Is this what we're like?
I hope not.
David is far too interested in kissing up Star's neck to even bother glaring at them. That's a first. Paul grabs his bottle and takes a giant swig from it. As he goes to put it down, his eyes narrow. He leans over to Sofie and Marko.
"I'm gonna go talk to that girl," he mumbles.
"What girl?" Marko asks.
"To your left. Red bikini. Dark hair. Great ass."
Marko looks over his shoulder and Sofie rolls her eyes. Vampires or not, they're still gross boys.
"Nice," he whispers appreciatively.
Sofie shakes her head and takes a massive swig of whiskey.
"I'll see you guys later," Paul mumbles.
He saunters off, whiskey bottle in hand toward the girl. Marko sighs. grabs the bottle of whiskey from Sofie's fingers, and motions toward some rocks about a mile down the beach. Sofie stands and leaves the beer with David. David reaches up and grabs her arm, pulling her toward him. They stare at each other for a moment and David smiles. Sofie is left with the implicit understanding that he isn't going to hurt Star. It's nothing he says, just a feeling that sits in her bones. Their connection is becoming stronger. She squeezes his hand gently and he releases her while Star looks on in confusion. Marko winds an arm around her waist and they walk toward the rocks. The beach is starting to clear out and the closer they get, the more secluded the rocks look.
"Where are you taking me?" She asks.
"Swimming."
He rips the cap off of the whiskey bottle and takes a big swig before passing it back to her. She mimics his action and lets out a soft laugh.
"I don't swim."
"You've lived here almost half of your life and you don't swim?"
"I'm more of an inside person."
"An inside person?"
"Yeah. You know, I'm a couch, ice cream, and Donahue kind of person."
Marko chuckles as they hop up the rocks. He sheds his clothes. Sofie follows suit, leaving her purse and clothes next to his on the rocks, and he leads her down to the water. The water is freezing and Sofie shivers, but she adjusts to the temperature quickly. Marko giggles and pulls her toward him so that her body is flush against his. He kisses her deeply as the water gently laps around them. Sofie feels herself melt into him and runs her fingers through his hair. She breaks the kiss and giggles.
"So, by swimming, you meant make out in the ocean."
"While naked," he adds.
"Of course."
He kisses the tip of her nose and then runs his lips along her jawline, causing a shiver to roll down her spine.
"That's what I love about you, Sof. You're quick."
His voice is soft and smooth, but there's a primal quality to it that lingers just below the surface. She moans softly as he bites her earlobe. His hands wander up and down her body. Sofie wraps her legs around Marko's waist and places rough kisses up and down his neck that turn to bruises. Marko groans. He grabs the back of her hair and pulls her away, sinking his teeth into her neck. Sofie cries out and he enters her roughly. She laughs and runs her claws down his back as her fangs drop. She bucks her hips maniacally and he continues to drink from her. When he pulls his mouth away, his lips dive for hers once more. They communicate in gasps and snarls, both of them holding onto the other with a sense of urgency. Sofie buries her head in the crook of Marko's neck as she begins to shake and tremble. He holds her up with ease, whispering filthy things into her ear.
"Tell me your mine," he growls.
"I'm yours," she whispers, her voice tight as she teeters on the edge of her climax.
"Louder."
"I'm yours!"
Her eyes roll back and she tumbles over the edge when he reaches down to circle her clit with his thumb.
"Louder!"
"Fuck! Marko, I'm yours!" She cries.
He chuckles.
"Good girl."
She grips his hair so hard that she's afraid she's going to tear it from his skull. It doesn't seem to bother him, in fact, it only spurs him on. His hipbones crash against hers once more before he cries out and spills into her. They ride out the rest of their carnal high before he finally places her back onto the ocean floor. Sofie chuckles and leans into him. He places gentle kisses across her cheeks.
They swim for a while, splashing each other and leaping onto each other's shoulders before swimming back to the rocks. Marko shakes himself dry like a dog while Sofie pulls her dress back on and pulls her hair into a disastrously messy ponytail. They sit on the rocks, passing the whiskey bottle back and forth.
"Do you miss any part of being human?" She asks.
"The sun," he says softly.
"What's the last sunrise you remember?" She asks.
"August 15th, 1936."
Sofie's eyes go wide.
"Wow."
He chuckles at either her reaction or the memory. She can't quite tell.
"I was seeing this girl at the time. I knew I'd been turned - half, obviously. This would be the last time I would see her. So, it was special."
"What was her name?" Sofie asks.
Marko begins to laugh.
"I can't remember. I want to say Charlotte. It was so long ago."
"And there have been so many girls since then," Sofie teases.
Marko stifles another giggle.
"Hey, a man's gotta eat."
Sofie punches him in the arm.
"Ew! Marko! You're so gross!"
He cackles and pulls her close, smothering her neck in kisses.
"You love me though."
"I do," she laughs.
&&&
Sofie bounces into the bar with a big smile on her face. It feels good to be in her second home, but it feels even better to be out of that fucking cave. David and Star have, effectively, taken it over - not physically, but mentally. There's no escape from the moaning, the screaming... there's so much screaming. Even Marko is exhausted. Dwayne has taken Laddie and Ichabod to Sofie's apartment to save his ears. Paul joined them a couple of days later with the promise that no girls were allowed to come over and that he at least clean up the kitchen.
A few times, Sofie thinks about knocking on David's door and asking if he was actually killing Star, but Marko tells her it's not such a great idea. Star looks utterly exhausted most evenings and her neck is covered in hickeys and quickly healing bite marks. David is drinking from her but not bothering to turn her - for some reason, Star has no idea what's happening to her. Marko explains that some vampires glamour people in order to keep feeding on them undetected. Sofie does her best to keep Star fed, to keep her energy up, and avoid any questions about David's sleeping or eating habits (or lack thereof), but despite Sofie's assistance, Star has begun to look quite sickly. Tonight, Marko is keeping an eye on Star while he and the boys go hunting. Sofie stuffed a fifty-dollar bill into his pocket with the hopes that he'll keep Star entertained if there's any chance of pulling her off of David's arm.
When she walks into the bar, it looks like an entirely new place. Matt has completely replaced all of the furniture and re-upholstered the booths. They're a gorgeous royal purple now, to match the walls. Matt is standing on the dance floor beaming with pride while Ben is hunkered over a sandwich at the bar. Sofie squeals with delight and runs for her best friend, jumping into his arms. Matt stumbles backward and they crash into a wall. Sofie bites her lip and steps back, giggling. She's forgotten just how strong she actually is now. Matt laughs and runs a hand through his hair.
"Jesus. Have you been hitting the gym, Sof?"
"Just those Jane Fonda tapes your mom got me for Christmas."
"Damn. I should try those," he mumbles, rubbing his back. She tries to avoid grimacing, but it's tough.
Kara is sorting records near the DJ booth. Sofie and Matt agreed together to make her a permanent DJ rather than just a waitress. They'll pay her more and Ben doesn't have to beat the shit out of patrons for grabbing her ass. Kara waves at her from the DJ booth and Sofie immediately trots over to her.
"So?" She asks, plunking herself down next to Kara.
Kara looks up and gives her a sheepish grin.
"What?"
"I haven't seen you since your date. How was it?"
"It was really good," Kara says, putting a pile of records beside her. "He's so sweet, and he was surprisingly cool about the whole mom thing."
"Dwayne's a good guy," Sofie says. "When are you seeing him again?"
Kara giggles.
"He's actually coming here tonight. He's bringing your boyfriend, Paul, David, and some girl named Star?"
Sofie almost chuckles but stops herself. Instead, she closes her eyes for a moment. There's a loud pop in the back of her head, like someone's opening a lock. She feels herself connect with Marko in full technicolor. It's strange.
You didn't tell me you were all going to make an appearance tonight.
She can see Marko grinning like a cheshire cat. There's blood on his lips and his eyes are golden.
We'll see you soon.
Her mind goes blank and her eyes flutter open. Kara glances over at her and tilts her head, her eyebrows knit together in confusion.
"You okay?"
Sofie chuckles and pretends to rub her forehead.
"Just a little dizzy. I'm fine."
"You should eat something," Kara offers. "I have some granola bars in my purse."
Sofie ruffles her hair.
"You're such a mom."
"Someone's gotta be," Kara quips. "Otherwise you and Matt would eat nothing but whiskey and candy."
"Hey!" Matt calls out. "Don't dog on my nutrition!"
"It's not nutrition if it gives you the runs, Matt!" Kara yells back.
Ben, who is halfway through a sandwich, dramatically drops it on the bar counter and looks at Kara, disgusted.
"Why did you have to bring that up and ruin my dinner?"
Sofie, Kara, and Matt double over laughing. Kara puts on a few records while they set up for the night. Sofie wipes down the counter and looks around, resting her elbows on the top of the bar. She's missed this. Matt tosses her a wink from across the bar. Yeah, she's definitely missed this. The past few weeks have been so bizarre that it feels nice to get back to something normal. The moment the clock hits 10pm, the doors open and the boys come waltzing inside with Star and Laddie in tow. Matt points at the boy and looks at Sofie, confused. The only thing she has to offer is an awkward laugh as she shuttles the boy into the back room.
"How come I can't be out there?" He asks.
"Because out there is where all of the drunk people are, and they're not exactly a great time."
Laddie pouts.
"Well, what am I supposed to do? This is boring. I wanna go to the boardwalk!"
"Not by yourself."
"Whyyyy?" He whines. "I'm not a baby!"
Sofie crouches down in front of him and cups his face in her hands.
"You're very dangerous right now, Laddie. It's not safe for you to be around anyone but us and Star."
The boy crosses his arms over his chest and scowls. Sofie stands, fishes through her purse and pulls out a twenty. She runs back to the bar and exchanges it for a mountain of quarters. She sprints back into the staff room and dumps them on the desk in front of Laddie. His eyes go wide.
"Here. There's a pinball machine in the corner. Go nuts."
"Cool!" Laddie exclaims, scooping the coins up. "You're the best, Sofie!"
Sofie breathes a sigh of relief as Laddie begins to plunk quarters into the pinball machine. When she turns, Marko is standing in the doorway grinning at her. Her stomach does a backflip.
"Hey, you."
"Hey!" She chirps, snaking her arms around his waist. "Did you manage to drag Star away from David?"
"For all of five minutes," Marko mumbles. "He gets pretty possessive."
"Marko, he's gonna end up killing her!"
"He might," Marko agrees nonchalantly. "He hasn't decided if he wants to turn her yet."
"Christ..."
"I'm sorry, babydoll."
"Well, tell him to make up his fucking mind. She looks like a walking bruise out there."
As Marko goes to speak, Matt appears behind him. Sofie instantly feels panicked. How much did he just hear?
"Sof?"
"Yeah, yeah," she says, unwrapping herself from Marko. "I'll go to the bar."
Matt shakes his head.
"Uh, no, there's... there's a cop here."
"Okay...?"
Matt bites his lip. He looks worried.
"He's here for you."
Sofie looks up at Marko, eyes wide. He gazes back, only slightly less panicked. All she hears is one word ring in her head like a bell.
Kevin.