Title: The World Is Ending (And Ours Has Just Begun)
By: Bridget McKennitt
Pairing: David/Michael
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2569
Summary: There was a distinct reason why David turned Michael, and it wasn't because of Star.
Disclaimer: Lost Boys is owned by its makers and other companies. They are used here without permission, and for entertainment purposes only. No challenge or infringement upon the copyright is intended, nor should any be inferred.
Author's Notes: Written for Kajivar in the Yuletide 2008 Challenge. Thank you to angela_snape and ponderosa121 for beta reading.
Michael curled his naked body around Star's own as he took in her scent. The night before was magical. He moved her hair aside and bent down to nuzzle against her cheek. He hadn't meant for this to happen, though he was pleased that it did, and he needed to head back before Sam had a bigger freak out. He kissed her on her cheek, warmth blooming in his chest when she smiled sleepily, and rose from her bed.
There would be time to talk in the morning.
Michael stumbled back towards his house, the stars bright in the sky, his mind still full of questions. His visit to Star gave him no answers and now he had to return home to Sammy's fears and panic with nothing to say to calm his brother.
"Michael."
He looked up and saw David on his motorcycle, grinning that shit eating grin of his. Michael took a steadying breath and walked towards him with a smile on his face he did not feel at all.
"David. Good to see you again." He glanced around. "I see you're feeling brave enough to not travel with the rest of your gang."
David snorted as his smirk widened. "For this? Nah, you're not worth their effort. Besides, the boys are busy getting dinner. Want a ride?"
It was Michael's turn to snort. He crammed his fingers into the front pockets of his jeans. "No thanks. I'm not some girl."
"I can see that. Trust me, Michael, there is no possible way that I could mistake you for a girl." David's gaze moved up and down and Michael fought the urge to shiver. "No, not a girl at all."
"Right." He recalled the night before and the weird activity that went on outside the house, how it had tipped his little brother from paranoid to straight out panicked. "Was that you outside my house last night?"
David chuckled. "Perhaps. Were you nervous? I wouldn't have expected that from you."
"No. But you did scare my brother."
"That's too bad." David parked the motorcycle and slung his leg over to get off it. "You should really think about teaching that brother of yours how to be brave in the face of danger."
Michael wanted to tell David that Sam was plenty brave, even in the face of thinking that his brother was a vampire ready to suck his blood, when David got closer into his space than before. "Hey there, not so close."
"You surprise me, Michael. There are so many strange things happening around you, and yet here you are, still as naive as before. Why is that? Haven't you been feeling a little under the weather lately?" David smirked, leaning in. "Have you been getting cravings?"
Michael knew. His brother hadn't been overreacting. But how? "How did you...?"
"It was almost too easy, Michael. Maybe next time when a pretty girl says don't drink, especially when she tells you that it's blood, try not to drink the wine." He curled his hand around the back of Michael's neck, pulling him in until David was nuzzling against the side of his throat. Michael stiffened as David wrapped his other hand around his hip. "How does it feel knowing that my blood is running through your veins?"
"Are you saying that I'm a vampire?"
"No, not quite. To complete the transformation, you need to make your first kill." Michael jerked as he felt two sharp points scraping against his throat. Fangs, those had to be fangs. "Star still needs to make her first kill. She waits and waits, but the hunger will get to her sooner or later."
"Planning on killing me?" Michael clenched his hands into fists, daring as much as he could to struggle within David's hold. He wasn't stupid, David was stronger than him, especially as a vampire, and his fangs were this close from sinking into him. David's breath curled over the point of his pulse. Michael sickly anticipated the sharp sting of David's bite, the slide of teeth opening his veins. For a brief moment or two, he wanted David to bite him and make it hurt.
He got a ticklish brush of words instead before David drew back and said, "No, my plans are bigger than just killing you." He bent low once more and sniffed against Michael's cheek, making his body tingle from the motion. "Go home and wash up, Michael. You smell like Star."
David released him and Michael stumbled a step, trying to regain his balance. He hopped onto his motorcycle and revved the engine. He gave Michael one last grin before driving off into the night.
By the time he got home, the sun was just rising and Sammy was hiding in his bedroom with a garlic doused shirt. He knocked, practically pounded, on Sam's door, pleading for him to open it, but his brother screamed to leave him alone.
Michael growled and stomped towards his own room, collapsing into his bed and falling into a deep slumber.
***
He was stranded on the beach with a huge bonfire blazing a few feet away from him. There were people surrounding him just like during the beach party he'd attended a few days ago. He could see Star's curly hair through the crowd and he began pushing his way to get to her.
Star turned around and he could see the sorrow in her eyes. She waved her arms in the air, shouting at him, as she pushed her way towards him. As hard as he tried, he could not hear what she was saying.
Suddenly, the crowd parted and he could see David standing near the bonfire. Star's voice grew softer and his gaze focused only on David.
David looked up at him and gave him a half smile. Michael unconsciously licked his lips and took a step forward towards him. Just the sight of him made Michael's stomach clench, hungering for something he could not name. He just wanted.
"Miiiichael. Miiiichael. Don't you want to play?"
Star's arms wrapped around him, holding him back as the crowd swallowed David back into their depths. The last glimpse he saw was David's teasing smile.
Michael woke in a cold sweat and had a major case of morning wood that tented his blanket. He turned his head when he heard sniggering and saw Sam standing in the frame of the doorway.
"Geez, Michael. You must have been having an awesome dream if you have a boner like that." His eyes narrowed as he cautiously took a step back. "I bet you were dreaming about drinking blood or some other vampire thing! Don't lie to me, Michael."
"I haven't said a damn thing!" Michael sat up and rubbed his eyes, fumbling around his nightstand for his shades. "Sammy, stop overreacting. I said I wasn't going to hurt you and I won't. We're family."
"You're still a vampire." Sam lifted his chin in a stubborn set. "You gonna argue with me about that?"
"You're only half right. I'm half a vampire. If I kill someone, then I cross over completely. Could you shut the curtains? It's too bright in here."
Sam jumped at that and hurried to close the curtains before turning around to face Michael. "Who told you that?"
"David," he said absentmindedly as he searched around his room for a clean shirt. "He's the one who turned me. I suppose he turned Star as well. She's a half vampire like me."
"Wait right here." Sam left the room and returned a few minutes later, thrusting a short stack of comic books at Michael. "The Frog brothers at the comic book shop gave those to me. They're about vampires and everything you need to know is right here."
Michael took the comic books and flipped through the first one. "That's great, Sammy. Good thinking." He closed the book and set them aside. "I need to go."
"What, why?"
"Because Star's trapped, Sammy. She's a half vampire now, but that could change at any time. I have to save her."
Sam made a face and almost reached out to touch Michael before pulling back. "At least let me call the Frog brothers. Okay? They'll have a plan of attack."
"You do that while I go find Star. Don't give me that look. I have to do this."
"Okay, fine. If you come back to me as a full vampire, I'm going to tell mom on you."
Michael rolled his eyes and mussed up Sam's hair. "I'm not, I promise."
***
Michael returned to the underground hotel while it was still day time, taking each stair carefully. He saw in the comic book that full vampires couldn't stand the sunlight, that it would kill them, but he was not going to take any chances. "Star? Star!"
He spotted her asleep on one of the beds and headed towards her. "Star, wake up."
She moaned, but Michael continued to call her name until her eyes fluttered open. "Michael? Michael, what are you doing here?"
"I came back for you. Come on."
Star shook her head. "No, I can't leave Laddie. Michael, you have to go."
"I know about everything. David told me. My brother is figuring out a plan to save us both."
Star pulled away from Michael, staring down at her clenched hands. "Did he tell you that you were meant to be my first kill? I couldn't do it, Michael. I couldn't kill you, and now you're trapped in this hell like I am."
"We'll find a way, I promise. Okay?" Michael placed his hands on Star's face and kissed her. "I have to go, but I'll be back."
Star nodded, eyes fluttering close at the kiss. "Keep away from David, Michael. He's trouble."
***
Sam hadn't returned home from visiting the Frog brothers, but his mom was in the kitchen preparing food. Michael kissed her on the cheek before leaning against the counter staring at the boiling pot on the stove. "This sure is a lot of food," he remarked.
"That's because I'm having Max over for dinner tonight." Lucy pointed a spatula at him. "Please try and behave while he's here, all right? I like him and I want to try and live a little for once."
"I will."
"Good. Thank you. Could you please find your brother and ask him if he's going to be here for dinner?"
"He's over at a friend's house, but I can look for him."
Lucy made a face and hurried to the refrigerator, opening the door wide. "A friend? I better make extra in case he invites them over for dinner. You know how your brother is."
"Sure, mom."
Michael wasn't exactly certain where the Frog brothers lived, but if they had given Sam the comic books about vampires, then the best place to find them would be at the comic book shop on the boardwalk.
He found Sam at the back of the shop, talking excitedly with two other boys. Sam spotted him and motioned him over. Michael stood next to Sam, letting his mind drift as the boys continued to talk about their plan for the vampires. All he cared about that moment was Sam.
"Well, whatever you do, don't go near the vampires until we're ready to kill them. We don't want to give up our element of surprise," said the shorter Frog brother.
Michael narrowed his eyes, but agreed to his terms. "You gonna be okay here, Sammy?"
"Yeah. Go tell mom that I'm bringing the Frog brothers over for dinner. We have plans." Michael caught the glances between the three and shook his head as he left the store. Whatever it was, it wasn't going to be good.
Miiichael.
Michael's head shot up to look at the darkening sky. He hadn't realized he had stayed so late that the sun was already setting. He glanced back towards the shop before continuing down the boardwalk, ducking past the chattering people. If he went back inside, he'd endanger his brother.
He walked towards the end of the boardwalk, away from the crowds - away from his brother - and onto the darkening beach. He could do this on his own. Michael watched as the last bit of sun dipped below the ocean.
Strong arms grabbed him from behind and Michael's back slammed into a solid chest. "Michael," purred David against his ear. "You smell delicious. No stink of Star on you. Only the scent of your musk and sweat."
Michael stiffened against David's chest before struggling against him. David's arms kept him still.
"Star told me what your plan was. You wanted me to be her first kill."
David chuckled, low and rumbling against Michael's back. A shiver raced up Michael's spine and David made an appreciative sound. "Is that what she said? No, she was mistaken. I never had any plans for your death. That would have been foolish."
"Then why the hell did you turn me? Was it for your sick amusement?"
"I suppose I should let you in on the little secret. I didn't turn you for Star or anyone else's first kill. No, I turned you because I wanted you to be my mate."
Out of everything David could have told him, that wasn't one of them. It didn't make a lick of sense. He didn't remember seeing anything about mates in that vampire comic book Sam let him read nor that a vampire would choose someone who wasn't female, like Star.
David laughed and held him even tighter. "I had to test you, Michael. I had to make certain you were the one."
It still did not make sense. "Why me? This town is full of people, female people. You could have chosen any of them for your mate."
"Have you seen the people in this forsaken town? You're the best." David bent his head and licked a trail along Michael's neck, a moan escaping his lips. "There is no fighting this, you know. You will be mine, Michael."
"Never."
"No? What if I threaten your mother, or perhaps Sam? Yes, you'd do as I say if I threaten to kill little Sammy, won't you?"
Michael snarled and attempted to get his arms, legs, anything loose in order to attack David with. "Don't you dare touch them."
"Shh, I won't. At least I won't if you do as I say. So relax."
Michael inhaled a gulp of air and forced his muscles to relax. When he was loose and limber, David turned him in his arms and looked at Michael with a rugged smirk on his face. "Good boy. You are going to love being a vampire once you make your first kill. The power and strength you feel now is nothing compared to when you transition over."
"No..."
"Yes." David kissed him then. Michael had been half expecting it, dreaded it, but the kiss was sweet. It was far from what he'd thought David's kiss would be like.
Miiichael. David's voice echoed in his mind as he deepened their kiss before pulling back. "I knew it. You'll make a wonderful mate, and you'll do exactly what I say, won't you? For Sammy?"
Michael sucked in a breath and jerked his head. For Sammy, he would do it. He freed his arm and pulled David's head down for another kiss.
He could do it.
