"It needs to come off now,"
"Nope."
"Luna."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul laughed, "It's supposed to."
"But things happen when I drink. I got kicked out of the party."
Marko laughs, playing with my hair. "So you've said." I nod, yeah. Yeah I did say. I was fucking crazy. It was fun, and the bitch got a stick up her ass because her girlfriend was hitting on me. Not my fault.
"Yeah, this chick was flirting with me, and I mean, it was totally cool because it was a lesbian party so duh that's suposed to happen. It was also my first party so I was definitely in on that! It was gunna happen but then this other girl came over after my arm was hit by someone else and my drink spilled-a little-and she said that it'd be better for me if I left because apparently she was worried for me but like, bitch, I'm fine. I went home and did my dishes and organised all my socks." I rolled my eyes, explaining the whole situation. I could feel the alcohol, seeping into my mind and making everything warm and fuzzy. "She was a total bitch! Like, not my fault your girlfriend thinks I'm cute, hellooo, she was the one petting me."
"Oh my god," Paul answers, shaking his head as he sits near me. "I can't believe she did that."
"I know!"
"Such a bitch."
"Right?" I turned to Marko, seeing his smiling face as he glanced at Paul over my shoulder. "So, I don't go to parties anymore. Because it's a problem when I drink."
"You're doing fine chica." Paul places an arm around me. When did we get down into the sand?
"Hm, thank you Paul."
"Here, has some water." Marko reaches out with a water bottle, and I take it, and instantly begin to struggle with the cap. I grumble but jump away from the hands reaching out for it.
"Hey, hey!"
"I just wanna help!" Paul replies and I scoff.
"Excuse me," I blink at him, "I am an independent woman." I lean back, popping the cap open. "See these shoes on my feet's? Are mine, I bought 'em, that's right." I wiggle my boots in the air and lean back against Marko.
"You tell him El." Marko chuckles from beside my ear, resting his chin on my shoulder.
I laugh, "Water for me, no more shots!"
"I think that may be smart, little light weight."
"Bitch," I grumble, giggling as Paul makes a face back at me as he goes to grab another beer. Paul came back over, beginning to tell me a few stories. I felt myself not able to follow along too far into the story, unable to focus for so long but he kept my attention with wild movements and noises, making me laugh harder and harder each time.
I lay back, having fell over from one of Paul's stories. The sand was warm under me, and soft against my skin. I close my eyes, basking in the sensation of the sand. I peek my eyes open when I feel it move around me, and Marko is there, crawling over me. I don't bother moving, letting him do his thing. He leans down, kissing me on the mouth with a gentle press of his lips. He tasted like cold caramel and honey, though that may be the bourbon I saw him down not too long ago. He pulls away with a soft wet lick at my mouth, the tip of his tongue catching my upper lip. I smile when he begins to nuzzle my neck with his nose before rubbing his cheek against mine. Soft kisses and licks caused goose bumps to scatter across my skin. I shivered when he bit down a few times, though never breaking skin, just sucking and rubbing his teeth on my skin.
"Marko." My eyes flashed open, and I looked up to see Dwayne and David upside down. To the left Paul was entertaining Laddie, telling the kid a story I couldn't follow. My focus was on David. I rolled over onto my stomach, feeling Marko's body against mine as I pushed myself up. My hands were tied together in front of me. When did that happen? It was a black belt, secured tightly around my wrists. It was painful, but not uncomfortable. My hands weren't numb, at least I didn't think so. I shrugged, blinking away the small bout of confusion. Whatever. I crawl towards David, going to the place I was focused on. I settle between his spread legs, smiling up at him before I lean against his left leg. I settle against the leather, resting my head against his knee. It was nice and warm before the fire, which was still blazing before us.
"I think it's time to go home."
"Home?" I ask, looking up with unfocused eyes as Dwayne walks into my line of sight. Laddie in his arms. I feel tapping and turn to see David smirking down at me.
"Time to go." I nod, struggling but managing to stand up. I follow David, keeping hold of him as we get on. I grip his coat as he rides, my hands still tied together. We weren't going very fast, well we were, but David wasn't being as reckless as before.
The cave was cool, nice against my skin but I was beginning to feel the chill as Paul lit the barrels, Dwayne putting Laddie to bed in the back. David sat down in his chair, and I walked over. I pat his arm, pulling it from his lap before I ease myself into his lap. I sink into him, resting my head on his shoulder, curling my legs up and holding my hands to my chest. I relax when he doesn't object, inside wraps an arm around my side and pulls me closer.
I look over when Dwayne comes up to us, and he reaches out. "Let's get this off, yeah?"
"What" He takes my wrists, and I frown. "No," I pull back, tucking them closer to my chest.
"It needs to come off now," Dwayne argues, and I shake my head.
"Nope."
"El."
"Don't want it off." I mumble, closing my eyes as I pressed my face into David's chest.
"Elsie, give him your hands." David's voice echoed in his chest; the vibrations of his soft voice rumbled in my head. I sigh, not looking as I hold out my hands. Dwayne's fingers work fast, nimbly unclasping the belt and slowly unwrapping my wrists. I felt better when the pressure was released, though I did like the way it felt. Marko walks over, tucking a blanket around me. I hum, pulling it closer as I snuggle deeper into David's chest.
"If I knew she'd be this clingy I'd have gotten her drunk sooner." Paul's voice is far away, too far for me to care. The only thing I can hear and really care about is the vibrating. It was like a large house cat, purring as fingers softly comb through my hair. It was the last thing I remember before I fell asleep.
It was dark when I opened my eyes, my head throbbing gently with each pulse my heart gave. Oh, that's painful. I scrunch up my nose, turning my head to the side. Oh, this is actually quite comfortable. The fabric my cheek rested on was leather, cool against my skin as my brain roused from slumber. I recalled the shots I took, how fast it worked through my system, and within half an hour I was drunk. Oh shit, drunk me came out. Shit. That's so embarrassing.
So, Marko and I kissed, got hot and heavy a bit in the sand, but then David stopped it. I-fuck, oh shit-I kneeled at David's feet. Practically glued me to him. Jesus, that's a little much, even for drunk me, right? I will admit I've only met her once and it ended in a short and disappointing night and my roommates not taking me to parties with them anymore, which again made me even more embarrassed about drinking. Damn. Drunk me is a slut, submissive, and maybe a little gay. She's a queen though, she's making it in the world. She'll get there.
But-but David. I sat in his lap. Uninvited. I'm lucky I'm not dead right? That's practically a high-high as a whale, thank you Bert Kreischer for that reference, if you don't recognize it and like standup comedy go watch his Netflix special Secret Time-honor, right? I shifted against the pile, my head clearing up. I guess I wasn't drunk enough for a hangover, just a mild headache. Nice. Noise. I nod to myself, a mental meme image popping up. God, I missed memes. And vine. And Asmr. How many years until it's made here?
I sat up, seeing we were in the fort. Maybe it's a nest now, since we all sleep here together in a pile. I guess the boys think it's safer to be all together. I hope it's healthy for Laddie though. I rub my eyes, taking a deep breath and releasing it in a yawn. Man, I can feel it in my bones.
"Good night princess." I hear a teasing tone climb and I hum, turning to see Paul smirking at me as he rested on his stomach, hand supporting his chin. His eyes sparkled in what little light I had. "Sleep well?"
"Peachy," I grumble. "Like a log actually."
"Yeah, David's the best, isn't he?"
I flush, turning to my left and making out David's vague outline in the dark. I placed a hand over his chest, gently patting around and felt his one hand over his chest, the other still wrapped around me-or where my body had been.
Paul chuckles from the other side of the pile. "You were attached to him most of the night...really cute."
"Shut up!" I hiss, trying to hide my rosy cheeks. I knew he could see them, even in the blackest of nights, he'd be able to see perfectly. He could probably hear my blood rushing, smell it under my skin. "Don't make fun of me."
"Never figured you'd be so submissive Luna." He mocked even more, and I sighed, shimmying out of the pile and towards the door. I waved my arms around, making sure I wouldn't bump into anything before I grabbed the oil lamp by the door. I lit it, the cavern bursting in an orange glow almost like a snap to the figures. "Oh Ellie!"
"Hush your face." I hiss as Paul crawled out after me.
"But I want some time with you too!"
"You've had Ellie time Paul," Dwayne's unimpressed drawl comes from behind us. I jump, spinning to see Dwayne standing from the entrance of the fort. Dwayne looks at me, a small smirk ghosting his face. I shake my head, knowing he's thinking of last night when I refused to have him untie me. "It's my turn."
"Aw man," Paul mutters, slumping his shoulders, before dramatically crawling back into the nest. "Fine, me and Marko can cuddle some more, just us."
"Fuck off Paul." Marko's voice was muted by the pillow his face was smashed into.
"No one loves me." Paul huffs, and I shake my head. I turn to Dwayne, feeling exposed but also a flash of anxiety I hadn't felt before. Damn drunk me, fucking up everything. Dwayne's eyes sweep over mine before he gives the gentlest smile, I've ever seen him use.
"Come on, let's let them sleep in." He takes me out to the lobby, lighting the barrels as I sit on the sofa. He turns to me, and I notice the comb he now has in his hands. "I would like to do your hair tonight, if that's alright with you."
I nod, unsure if I'd like to break the calm intimate silence we shared at this moment. Dwayne comes over, and sets a lush pillow on the floor, motioning for me to sit on top of it. I do and try to ignore how secure I felt with his legs on either side of me, caging me in but also seeming to shield me from the world. Safe. It felt safe here with him, in this position. Which is odd, because I don't ever remember feeling so secure in a way, like this, with someone.
Dwayne undoes the braids Marko plaited into my hair, weaving skillfully to untangle and unrat my head. The skin of my neck and scalp tingled as he started to comb through, the sensation relaxing as he went.
"Hair is very symbolic to my people." I open my eyes in surprise at his sudden words.
I raise my eyebrows, but don't turn my head. "Is it?"
"Yes. It is sacred and important to who we are, as individuals and to our family and people. It is a source of pride and strength, but also represents our connection to our culture, to our history and people." As he speaks, I can feel him begin to braid my hair. I smile, thinking of his words as I feel him twirl and wrap my hair together. "My mother was the only one to ever touch and help me with my hair, it was special to us. The bonding we did each morning as she braided and brushed my hair. She told me that her mother only touched her hair as a child, and that only my father was able to do so now. No other person outside of mothers and spouses is to do so. It's tradition and builds spiritual bonds between them."
"My mother told me I'd do my wife's hair in the future, when I was a man. She said that she would do mine as well." I flush, thinking of Dwayne and I, together back in those times. Was he even from the 19th century? Or is it more modern? I can imagine him as a warrior, on a horse, war feathers he earned from battles and victory, painted with bright colors against his bare skin...alive and in the sun. Human. Mortal. Able to be wounded and killed. Maybe he would have taken a wife, perhaps he'd braid her hair in the sunlight during a picnic. Maybe he'd watch as she combed their children's hair...
"When she died, I taught my younger brother and sisters many styles and techniques to care for their hair. Told them the same traditions, taught them how important their hair was."
"You had a large family then?"
"I suppose." Dwayne answers, his lips right against my ear, affectionately resting his head against the back of mine. I could feel his body looming over me, protecting me from any and everything around us. I stayed on the floor long after he finished, just relishing in his light touches, fixing my hair here and there.
I didn't speak for the longest time, not until after the others had trickled out. Laddie was building something with a few older legos, the box rattled every few moments as he dug for that perfect piece. Marko sat beside Dwayne, leaning his upper half against the other's side. Paul was walking around the fountain, tranced in his own weed induced world. David was smoking in his chair, looking off into the distance like he was thinking of something nostalgic and far away.
"What happens now?" I asked, catching the other's attention. My voice was quiet, so Laddie was still in his own little world across the room. But the others heard me.
"What do you mean?" Marko questioned.
"Well, Max is gone. I am assuming David is now legally in charge." Paul snorts from his place on the fountain, tripping over his feet as he giggles. His arms flail as he rights himself, "Laddie is human, but seems to like it here with you, which is all the better for him. He's happy, so that's important. The Emersons haven't shown themselves, the Frog brother's either." I wrap my arms around my legs, "So, I don't know any vampire lore or law or whatever, but will more vampires come? Try and take territory, is that a thing?"
Dwayne's fingers run along my neck, relaxing my shoulders as David takes a drag of his smoke. He exhales, a cloud fogs my view of him. "Max had a few connections, but they know that if he died, we would inherit his things."
"There shouldn't be disputes or fighting. If anything, a nomad or two could wander in but they'll be able to sense and smell us." I nod, accepting the words.
"So, you own everything from Max's now? His shop? Home? Thorn? Is Thorn going to be yours now? Is that how it works?"
"Thorn is dead, his essence was tied to Max's. He withered away just a day after Max was killed." Dwayne spoke, voice low and soothing. "As for everything else, it is now in David's name."
"What will you do with it?"
"Sell it probably, let the city take it." David shrugs, like he doesn't care.
"What if you can use it? I doubt Max was hurting for money. I see him having his things paid off or having a set account for it. Keeping him comfortable for more than one lifetime. It could be useful, I mean, hunters or wannabe hunters know about this place, and they know you aren't dead..." It may be safer to just move, at least for sleeping purposes. Maybe just for a while. It'd also be safer for Laddie, healthier.
"We'll get it sorted." David nods, a new contemplating expression taking over. I nod, ending the conversation that was turning just a little too heavy for me. Just a tad too emotional. It wasn't long before the guys went out, and Laddie and I decided to stay in, resorting to watching a movie together. We curled up on the couch, the computer on the coffee table before us.
"Luna?" I hummed as Laddie interrupted Mulan's triumph of getting to the top of the poll. "Are you gunna stay with us?"
I pause, fingers hesitating just for a moment as I comb through his hair. "I don't know buddy..."
"Do you wanna stay with us?"
I bit my lip, nodding. "I wouldn't mind staying with you," I nudge him with a smile. "Who else is gunna make Paul take care of himself eh?"
Laddie giggles, moving a little closer against me. "So, you'll stay?"
I swallow, feeling my throat get tight. I didn't wanna lie to him. I felt like it wasn't fair, it wasn't right to lie to him. "I don't know Laddie. It's-hard to say."
Laddie frowns, a cute pout on his chubby cheeks. "Why? You want to go home?"
"Laddie," I move to face him, giving him my full attention. I felt like he deserved the truth. The real thing. I didn't want to make him hopeful, nor did I want to lie and say I'd stay forever... "I want you to understand this, okay?" He nods, looking a little scared as he met my eyes. "I-," I take a deep breath. "You know how I'm not from here, right? Well, I don't know how I got here." I shake my head slowly, trying to gather all my thoughts. "All I know is that I was driving to a place called Santa Cruz, but I ended up here in Santa Carla. I traveled through a different dimension somehow; you know those magical portals in your comic books. It's like that. Only I didn't know I was."
"So, you are lost?" He asked, and I nodded.
"Yeah, and I don't know how to get home...I don't know what happened to get me here, and I don't know if I'll be able to stay. I don't want to scare you, Laddie, that's not why I'm saying these things. I just don't want to lie to you, do you understand?"
He sat there for a moment, staring down at his lap before looking up at me. "You mean you might not be able to stay?" I nod, "You don't know if you'll have to go back?"
"Yeah buddy, I don't know."
"I understand," He mumbles softly, wrapping his arms around me before settling back into the movie. "But you'll stay if you can, right?"
I wrap my arms around him, blinking the tears out of my eyes. "If I can,"