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Chapter Text

Chapter Text

"You stupid, useless, piece of trash bike!" Estelle yelled, kicking her tire out of frustration. She quickly regretted it when pain shot up her leg, uttering curses in quick succession. "Stupid fucking bike! Fuck!" She slumped over, crossing her legs as she leaned her head back, letting the moonlight wash over her face. Her boot-clad feet kicked at the pavement in front of her, knocking rocks out of the way and kicking up dust.

So much for getting home before midnight like she'd promised. Her aunt was so going to kill her. Why had she moved out here anyway, it's not like there was anything worthwhile? To get away from the sun, yeah, but it was still sunny here in Santa Carla, so that couldn't be it. She'd read about Santa Carla in the paper, a hot spot for murders. Hell, it was the fucking murder capital of the world! Maybe she'd just felt drawn to it for some morbid reason, drawn to the murder and mystery that surrounded the coastal town.

Maybe she was just fucked in the head. Yeah, that was probably it.

Her boots kicked at the rocks near her feet, her teeth sinking into her lower lip. How would she get back to her aunt's house? Her bike was dead, she was stranded in the middle of bumfuck nowhere, and she was pretty sure that there wasn't a gas station for another couple miles. Defeated, she rubbed her temples with her fingertips, trying to think of a way out of this mess. She could wait until another car came by, but that likely wouldn't happen for another couple hours.

She could try to get to the nearest gas station, but that was a lot of walking, and she didn't want to leave her bike unattended. Then again, it's not like it would be much of a risk considering the lack of people around here.

The revving of an engine startled her out of her gloom and doom thoughts. The blinding white headlights on several bikes blinded her as she lifted her leather clad arm to shield her eyes.

"You lost, sweetheart?" A blond man sat on the leather seat of a bike, his fingerless gloves exposing the tight grip he had on his handlebars.

"My bike broke down," she answered dryly, leaning back on the curb and digging her hands into the dusty ground for support.

"Where you headed?" another blond asked, tilting his head. He was the shrimpiest one, with long, blonde curls that hung down to his waist.

"Santa Carla." Her tongue slipped out from between her lips, wetting them.

"Hey now, so are we. A pretty thing like you shouldn't be stuck out here, that's how bad things happen. Should we give her a ride, boys?" The first blond, who seemed to be the leader, asked, glancing around at the others. When he had their approval, he jerked his head over. "You'll ride with him. His bike's the biggest." Her gaze landed on the man at the back of the group, and suddenly her jacket feelt much too tight.

Long, thick, dark hair that flowed down to his ribs, dark, hooded eyes that were full of mystery, and a powerful build, this man was exactly her type. He exuded an air of danger, smelling of gasoline and cigarettes.

"What's your name, pretty?" the final blond one asked, leaning over his bike as he smirked at her.

"Estelle," she said, her teeth sinking into her lower lip again as she walked over to the bike that the dark haired man rode. She was prepared to get on behind him, but he shook his head.

"You sit in the front," he said, and his voice rolled over her like lava. Deep, sultry, and holy hell did he have the best voice she'd ever had the blessing of hearing. Wordlessly, she nodded and climbed onto the front of the bike. He swung his leg over and the bike dipped under his weight. His proximity sent shivers down her spine, the fact that this leather clad hunk was so close to her was practically overwhelming her senses.

He leaned forward, and his arm brushed against her shoulder, giving her the slightest of feels at the rock hard muscle that laid under that heavy leather jacket of his.

"Hey, wait, what are your names?" She glanced around at the group. "And what about my bike?"

"Don't you worry about the bike, sweetheart, we'll get it back to you. I'm David. That's Marko." He pointed to the shrimpy blond. "That's Paul." The third blond. "And that's Dwayne."

Dwayne.

"Hold on tight," the dark haired beauty, who she now knew as Dwayne, whispered in her ear, sending even more shivers down her spine. This definitely wasn't safe, being picked up by hot strangers on the side of the road in the middle of the night, but goddamn were they hot.

The engine revved and her hand instinctively gripped his thigh tightly for balance as they shot down the road, the three blonds yelling like banshees while Dwayne stayed silent. She could feel his chest moving against her back as he breathed in and out, and all she could think about was if her hair was in his mouth or not. She would literally die if it was, oh god, she hoped that wasn't the case.

"Address?" the leader shouted from his own bike over the roar of the engines.

"333 Moonwake Avenue!" she shouted back, but she was worried that he hadn't heard her over the noise of the motorcycles. Surprisingly enough, the familiar form of her aunt's dilapidated a-frame house came into view, the last lot on that street. Covered in vines and with a garden bigger than the house itself, it could've been passed off as a witch's hut.

"This is your stop, sweetheart," David said, bowing slightly from the seat of his bike. Swinging her leg over the side, she slid off of Dwayne's bike.

"Thanks for the ride, I would've been there for a while if you guys hadn't shown up," she said, a half smile curling on her lips. "I appreciate it."

"Our pleasure, sweetheart." David smiled at her, an almost wicked gleam in his eye. "You coming down to the boardwalk tomorrow?"

"Wasn't planning on it, but I could make room in my schedule." Estelle shrugged, crossing her arms over her chest.

"See you then." He winked at her, revving his engine as he did a full donut on her driveway, kicking up the dust, before speeding away. The rest of his posse followed him, but Estelle's eyes lingered on the dark haired one.

Dwayne.

Estelle. Estelle. Estelle.

"Hey, Dwayne, the hell are you thinking about?" David waved his hand in front of his face, causing him to blink. "You've been spacing out every since we picked up that chick earlier. Did you want to drain her or something?"

"No." His answer came out so quickly and forcefully that it surprised even him. Since when did he care about some pathetic human?

"She sure was sexy. Did you see those thighs? I wanted them around my shoulders, not that seat," Marko said, and the two other blondes smirked and nodded in agreement. Dwayne's fist clenched at the thought. Estelle's legs, wrapped around Marko's shoulders? As if.

He couldn't disagree with the sexy part, however. Long legs, dark curls, honey coloured eyes, this girl was nothing to scoff at. Her pretty, pink lips flashed through his mind, the image of her sinking her teeth into her lower lip having him clenching his fist.

"Come on, Dwayne, we've got to get that pretty girl's bike. Move it, come on," David yelled over the noise of their bikes, his front tire lifting as he sped down the road. Dwayne wordlessly followed, but his mind lingered.

Estelle.

Chapter Text

Padding down the creaky, old steps that led to her bedroom, Estelle emerged into the kitchen, greeted by her aunt sipping a cup of tea with another cup right beside her, still steaming.

"Well now, look who's woken up," her aunt chided, pushing the tea towards Estelle's still drowsy form. "Here, drink this."

"Thanks, Auntie," she sighed, taking a deep sip of the warm tea. Earl, her favourite. Her Aunt Leila Jamieson was a superstitious woman who'd grown up in Santa Carla, along with Estelle's own mother. She'd never left her hometown, stating that it wouldn't feel right to live anywhere else but her home. Why she'd ever want to stay in Santa Carla, Estelle would never understand.

"A group of boys came by this morning, you know. Dropped off that ghastly bike of yours. Why you keep that hunk of junk, I'll never understand." Aunt Leila looked her up and down, eyebrow raised. She stepped out from behind the counter, her long, patchwork skirt swaying and her jewellery clinking delicately together in small chimes. "Those boys, they looked like trouble. They all wore leather and rode bikes; I don't want you mixed up in that. You know your mom would kill me."

Her tea sloshed in its cup as she whirled around to peer out the window, checking to see if her bike was really there. Sure enough, there it was, and it looked much better than before. Had they washed it before they brought it back?

"Lost your tongue, girl?" her aunt asked, pinching Estelle's cheek with her bony hands.

"Ow, Auntie!" she yelped, jerking her face away from her aunt's range. "No, I was just surprised."

"Why did those boys have your bike, hm?" Aunt Leila raised a suspicious eyebrow in her direction, and Estelle felt her lips press together. Now it was an interrogation. She had to be careful about handling this. She couldn't tell her that it had broken down and she'd gotten a ride from them, that might just give her aunt a literal heart attack.

"I left it outside the house last night when I came home, leaning against the gate. I guess they brought it inside," Estelle said quickly, lying through her teeth. She'd probably believe that. She'd believe that, right? It was totally possible, of course she'd believe it.

Her aunt eyed her suspiciously, narrowing her gaze as she pursed her lips, maintaining eye contact. "Hm." She turned away and Estelle had to force herself to not take a deep breath of relief. "Drink your tea, Étoile. It's good for you."

"Yes, Auntie." Lifting the cup to her lips, she took a sip, humming softly as she drank it. "I'm going to the boardwalk later, probably tonight. Do you want me to pick up your sage bundle from Sloane?"

"Hmm... I could use a refill. Pick me up some crystals too, amethyst. They're good for protection, you know," she said, steam rising from the tap as she washed her plate.

"I'll pick those up then." She glanced at the clock and she cursed, hurriedly chugging the rest of her tea. "I was supposed to help Maxime with that viewing for the old house on the hill! Shit, shit, shit, I'm late!" She scrambled out of the house, climbing on her bike and revving the engine.

"Bye, Étoile, don't forget my crystals and sage!" Aunt Leila waved from the door as Estelle tore down the dusty road, ignoring the limit as she drove over to the house.

"No way, Esty, you really got fired?" Molly Baker leaned over the metal railing that lined the boardwalk, staring at her friend in surprise as she pushed her sliding glasses back up her nose. The moon made the water in front of them glow, lighting their faces with a ghostly light.

"I told you not to call me that, but yes, I did." Estelle took a bite of her pretzel, expression glum as she chewed rapidly. "I was only late once and she fired me!"

"Just the way of the world," Molly sighed, her red braids swinging from side to side as she shook her head. "Come on, let's walk around for a while." Estelle glanced down at her watch and pursed her lips.

"Hey, Molls, what do you think of David and the other bikers?" she asked, glancing at the girl beside her as her boots thumped against the boardwalk.

"You finally met the Lost Boys?" Molly raised an eyebrow, side-eyeing her friend with squinted eyes. "I think they're sexy, obviously. David's by far the hottest, but Estelle, they're bad news. Seriously, they are. There was this girl, Lacey, who fell in with them last year, and no one's seen her since."

"Really, you think David's the hot one?" Estelle made a face. "What about Dwayne?"

"Dwayne? Is that the short one?"

"No, that's Marko. Dwayne's the one with the dark hair."

And those gorgeous cheekbones, fuck-me stare, and, though this was just an assumption, washboard abs. . .

"Oh him? Isn't he mute? I swear, I've never heard him speak." They turned the corner, flashing lights from the carnival games hurting her eyes as they continued to walk. "He's okay, I guess. Not really a David though." Molly smiled dreamily.

"Okay, keep it in your pants," she muttered, stopping in front of a balloon darts stall. Molly saw her pulling her wallet out of her pocket and groaned, leaning against the post.

"Seriously? What is it with you and balloon darts?" she asked as Estelle forked over the cash to the vendor, who handed her three darts in return. "You never win anyway!"

"Call it a gambling addiction then." Adjusting her stance, she squinted, picking the green balloon as her target as she launched the dart.

"Oh, what a miss!" Molly snickered, earning a side glare from Estelle. "Not my fault you suck."

Two more unsuccessful attempts later, Estelle finally gave up and walked away, Molly followed her as they wandered in the direction of the sketchier part of the boardwalk.

"Are you going in there?" Molly motioned to Devil's Alley with her head.

"Yeah, my aunt's crystal vendor is down there." She nodded, glancing at the dimly lit alley. "If I don't come back in fifteen, assume I'm dead."

"Noted. Good luck, soldier." Molly waved to her as she entered the alley, passing men with wandering eyes and women on the roadside. Estelle hated Devil's Alley. It was where all the lowlives of Santa Carla hung out and creeped around. Thankfully, she didn't have to be there long, as Sloane's shop wasn't far from the entrance she'd used.

"Estelle, sweetheart, where's your aunt? You know you aren't supposed to be down here," Sloane, the crystal lady that her aunt always went to, scolded her, shaking her head when Estelle walked into her tiny shop. "How can I help you today, hm?"

"Auntie wants a restock of her crystals," Estelle said, digging out her wallet. "And amethyst. And sage bundles."

"Uh huh, uh huh." Sloane bustled around, grabbing everything she'd asked for. "Anything else?"

"Nope, that's everything." Estelle shook her head, holding out the cash her aunt had given her.

"Thank you kindly, Estelle. Tell your aunt to stop sending you over to this miserable part of town, will you? It's much too dangerous for a young girl like you," Sloane scolded, handing her the change and the bag of her things. "Now then, be on your way."

"Bye, Sloane, thank you." Estelle hurried out the door and back up the street, staring down at the uneven, cracked stone beneath her boots. As she passed a bar, she heard a couple wolf whistles as she went past, but she didn't stop to curse them out like she would've in the street.

"What's a pretty girl like you doing in Devil's Alley?" A smooth voice asked from beside her, and she jumped, almost dropping the bag. David was staring at her intensely with a smirk that only got wider as he recognized her. "Estelle, is that you? What a surprise."

"David. Where's the rest of your posse, huh?" Estelle straightened up, staring David dead in the eye. "They leave you behind?"

"Wow, she's got a bite to her," he snickered. "They're coming, sweetheart, don't worry about them. They just had a little detour to make. Back to my question though, what's a girl like you doing in Devil's Alley?"

"Shopping," she answered dryly, readjusting her grip on her bag. "What about you, hm?"

"Oh, I don't think that's any of your concern." David smiled. She heard whooping coming from the alley behind her. "Oh, there they are. You had us worried sick, what do you have to say for yourselves? Honestly, teenagers!" David tutted, shaking his head at them with a smirk.

"Oh, hey again, Estelle." Marko grinned at her, to which she nodded back at him with a half smile.

"Estelle?" Paul leaned over, seeing that is was, in fact, her. The smell of cigarettes and gasoline announced his arrival before David could, the smell blanketing her senses. Suddenly she was back on that bike, his arms around her as the thrum of the engine pierced the air. She turned around to see Dwayne standing behind her, staring at her with those intense eyes of his.

It was like time froze, leaving just the two of them in their tension-filled atmosphere. Her eyes drank him in greedily, her teeth sinking into her lower lip so hard it drew the teeniest bit of blood. His eyes immediately shifted from her eyes to her lips, completely focused on them.

"Hey, David, where's Star?" Marko asked, breaking Estelle's concentration as he looked around the alley.

"The concert, last I checked," David answered, leaning back against the street lamp. "Should we go find her, boys? And girl, of course."

"Oh, I actually have to go, my friend is waiting for me," Estelle said, motioning to the entrance of the alley. Dwayne's eyes darkened.

"Nonsense, you're coming with us." David smirked. "Come on, lets go see this friend and see if she wants to join."

Molly was so going to kill her for this.

Chapter Text

"Estelle, there you are! I was actually worried you'd died!" Molly exclaimed when she saw Estelle come out of the alley, rushing forward to greet her. "What the hell happened? Why-" She paused mid-sentence as one by one, the boys came out of the shadows of the alley, all standing behind Estelle as they stared at her with wolfish grins.

Poor Molly looked bewildered, her eyes wide and eyebrows raised as she glanced between Estelle and the men behind her.

"Sorry, ginger, but we'll be taking your friend tonight," David said smoothly, sliding up behind Estelle. "Unless, of course, you want to come too? I'm sure we have room for one more. Paul's got a real affinity for redheads."

Paul waved at her, looking her up and down as Molly blushed intensely under his stare.

"Oh, um, well, we were going to. . ." she trailed off as Paul walked over to her.

"Oh, come on, come with us," he said softly, twisting one of her braids around his finger. "Pretty please?"

"F-fine," she stuttered out, her face so hot an egg could've been fried on it no problem.

"I love it when a plan comes together, don't you?" David smirked, turning around and walking back into Devil's Alley. When no one moved to follow him, he turned around with a raised eyebrow. "Our bikes are this way. Move it."

Marko immediately followed, hot on David's heels, while Paul walked with Molly. That left only two people.

Estelle glanced at Dwayne only to find him already staring at her. Seriously, it should be illegal to be that fine. Turning on her heel, Estelle followed the others back into Devil's Alley, people moving out of their way as they walked by.

This felt like a fever dream. If her aunt knew that she was with the boys right now, she'd smite her on the spot. No one leered at her anymore, however, which was a bonus perk she was more than happy about.

"So, who's riding with who?" Marko asked, glancing at David. "Is Estelle riding with me today, or what? I know Paul wants to ride with the ginger." Paul smirked, blond curls bobbing as he nodded.

"My name is Molly," she muttered, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I guess you can ride with Estelle," David shrugged in response to Marko's question, glancing at her before his eyebrows raised. "Dwayne looks like he might disagree." Turning around, she saw Dwayne glaring daggers at Marko, eyebrows furrowed and eyes narrowed with what almost looked like a snarl curling on his lips.

"She rides with me," he said through clenched teeth, his voice gravelly and rough from the lack of use.

"Dwayne has spoken," Marko muttered, rolling his eyes kicked a rock. She was kind of surprised when they found all of the bikes in one place, none of them stolen or ransacked for parts. She wasn't sure if it was luck or fear that had kept people away from them. Right now, she was leaning more towards fear. Marko got onto his bike with a glum look while Molly and Paul got onto his bike, the former smiling at something Paul had said.

"Hop on," Dwayne said, his voice low enough that only she could hear. Swinging her leg over the side, she took a seat on the cold leather, gripping the seat with her thighs. He climbed on after her, the heat and proximity of his body making her shiver involuntarily. His arms reached around her to get to the handlebars, his leather clad biceps brushing against her shoulders as he did.

The engines of all four bikes revved as they took off, her grip on the seat tightening as they shot down the beach. She could vaguely hear Molly screaming as they sped down the beach, but the roar of the engine was overpowering everything else. They parked near the entrance to the performance area, leaning the bikes against the wooden posts.

The boys took off running towards the main boardwalk, people scurrying out of their warpath, while Molly and Estelle wandered through the throng of people in front of the stage.

"I take back what I said earlier," Molly said as they avoided a group of drunk guys. "David isn't the hottest."

"Oh wow, Paul's got his hooks in you, hm?" Estelle grinned, bumping her shoulder as Molly flushed red.

"Shut up," she muttered, looking straight down at the sand beneath her shoes. "He does no-" Her face collided with someone's shoulder, knocking her back and right into Estelle. Her legs buckled as she stumbled backwards, only barely managing to keep herself balanced. Molly was not so fortunate, having fallen flat on her ass.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry, are you okay?" She was gorgeous, with pale skin and dark hair that framed her face in delicate curls. "I didn't mean to knock you over, I swear, I just didn't see you!"

"Relax, Star, she's fine. You're fine, right?" A silver lip ring sparkled in the dim light as Estelle met a pair of haughty blue eyes and lips curled in a strange mix between a sneer and a smirk. "Come on, ginger, get back on your feet."

"You okay?" Estelle asked her quietly as she helped her up, brushing the sand off of her while casting a glare at the rude girl, but her interest was piqued by the mention of the name 'Star'. "Star? Isn't that the girl that they're looking for?"

"There she is," David crooned, seeming to just appear behind Star as he ran a hand down her arm gently. "Hey, Star."

"David, hi," she said, smiling slightly.

"I see you've met Umber and Star, huh, Estelle?" David tilted his head to the side and Estelle glanced back at the girl who was currently looking irritated.

"What the hell, David, you know these girls?" the rude girl, who was likely Umber, asked, glancing between Estelle and Molly with barely disguised disapproval.

"Don't mind Umber, she's all bark and no bite," Marko snickered, earning a tight glare from Umber herself as he held up his hands in mock surrender.

Umber rolled her eyes, scoffing as she shifted her focus back to David. "Whatever. Where's Dwayne?" Estelle glanced around, seeing Paul asking Molly questions quietly, Marko watching Umber and David, but no sign of Dwayne. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, glancing over at David.

"Dwayne stopped for food. He'll be here soon," David said casually, putting a leather-clad arm around Star's delicate shoulders. It looked out of place there, almost alien.

"I'm here." Dwayne melted out of the shadows, his body looming over Estelle. Her nose wrinkled as the smell of coins filled her nose, along with cigarettes and gasoline, which were typical when it came to Dwayne.

"Dwayne, there you are!" A sweet smile was suddenly plastered on Umber's face as she hurried over to him, pushing past Estelle to get to him. The green monster of jealousy cracked an eye open when she saw Umber's hand on Dwayne's bicep, but she pushed it down. It was unreasonable to be jealous, especially since she'd only known him a few days.

"What a bitch," Molly muttered to her underneath her breath, and she huffed in agreement. "Okay, well, nice meeting you guys, but Estelle and I have to get going now."

"What, so soon?" Paul frowned slightly, and the unimpressed expression on her face softened a bit.

"Sorry, Paul, but we have to get back." Estelle glanced down at her watch as Molly talked to Paul, and her eyes widened.

"Molls, we have to go, like, ten minutes ago. It's way past when I told my aunt I'd be home," she hissed, grabbing her arm. Molly whirled around and her face went white when she saw the time.

"Oh my god, my mom's going to kill me." Grabbing her arm, Molly began to drag her down the boardwalk.

"Hey, where you going? Come on, let us give you a ride back." David grinned, motioning to the bikes parked a ways away. "Don't worry, we'll get you back in one piece."

Once she saw Paul's pleading eyes, Molly caved, and that meant that Estelle had to as well. Trudging back over to the bikes, Umber clung onto Dwayne's arm like it was a lifeline. Estelle, not wanting to be near Umber for fear that she'd punch her, walked with Marko, who cracked jokes the whole time. She'd thought he was a little strange at first, but he wasn't so bad.

"Star's with me," David announced, climbing onto his bike as Star sat on his lap so elegantly that Estelle had to wonder if she was even human.

"I call Molls." Paul smirked as Molly sat down on his bike, cheeks flushed red.

"I want Estelle." Marko grinned at her, to which she smiled back at him. Dwayne's eyes narrowed, the shoulders of his jacket tightening as he tensed up.

"Guess that leaves me and Dwayne," Umber said, shooting a satisfied smile at Estelle.

"Hey, Estelle, you ride, right?" Marko asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Yeah, I ride, you saw my bike." She nodded, cracking her neck as she glanced at him.

"Why don't you drive, hm?" He grinned at her, and she wasn't going to say no to driving a bike.

"Yeah, why not." She shrugged, gripping the handlebars. When she heard the engine rev, she grinned. "Better hold onto your panties, Marko, cause this baby runs like a dream. I like to go fast." A choked sound came from somewhere on the left, but she ignored it as she revved the engine again.

"Wow, sweetheart, you're looking pretty good on that bike," David mused, his hand on Star's thigh as he pulled up beside her. "Want to race?"

"Always."

"Who else is in?" Dwayne rolled up beside them, Umber's hands wrapped around his waist as her body pressed against his back. "Alright, Dwayne's in. Paul?" Paul glanced at Molly, who shook her head.

"Nah, not today, David." He shook his head, blond curls swinging from side to side.

"Alright, count us off." The sounds of three engines revving echoed loudly on the beach as Paul shouted the countdown.

"You better go fast, Estelle," Marko muttered, to which she just grinned and revved it louder.

"Go!"

She tore down the beach, her grip on the handlebars tight as she blew by a couple who were in a rather compromising position in the sand. The wind whipped her hair back into poor Marko's face, but she was too focused on winning to care.

"You do go fast!" Marko yelped, his arms wrapping around her tightly. "I'm sorry for ever doubting you!"

She could hear David whooping from somewhere behind her, but Dwayne's bike was too close for her liking. Pulling up beside her, he glanced over at her, eyes seeming to zero in on Marko's arms around her waist as he held on for dear life. She swore that for just a moment, his face distorted into something with big ass fangs and no eyebrows, but just as quickly it was gone.

"Hey, Ethel, better get ready to eat sand," Umber sneered, and Estelle's jaw clenched.

Talk about bitchiness, this girl took it to the extreme. She was literally every stereotype, ever. Would it be rude to knock her off the bike? She could hit Dwayne though, that would be seriously unfortunate.

"Estelle! Focus!" Marko screeched, and she finally refocused on the sand in front of her, to which she noticed her bike leaning against the tree she'd left it against earlier. She slammed the breaks but the sand didn't help her breaking as they sped right towards a large rock. She felt her heart fall to her ass. They weren't breaking fast enough. They wouldn't make it.

"Oh my God, Marko, hold on!" she yelled, closing her eyes as she tensed.

Boom.

They rammed into the rock, the both of them getting flung through the air like ragdolls. Crashing into a bush, she landed on her back, air leaving her lungs as she wheezed, gasping for air. Man, she never learned. That was the second time she'd lost control of her bike on a beach, and both times it had ended in a crash. She felt like she'd been lying there for eons, her ribs aching. She should sit up.

She couldn't sit up. Well, she could, it just hurt like hell. She closed her eyes, huffing a breath as she braced herself, using her elbows to push herself up. She made it halfway before she fell back again, grunting in pain. There was definitely a gash on her thigh, she could feel the blood, and then a nice sprinkling of cuts all over her hands and face.

"Motherfucker!" she yelled, and then groaned, hand on her ribs. Yeah, no yelling for a while.

"Estelle." She cracked open an eye to see Dwayne kneeling over her, his dark eyes intense.

Goddamn, why'd he have to be so fucking gorgeous when she was in pain? What an asshole.

"Are you okay? You're-" He paused, eyes focused on her leg. The blood dripping from her gash.

"I'm fine, just help me up," she said, grunting. Dwayne stayed silent. "Dwayne? Dwayne?"

"Estelle, there you are! Oh my god, your leg!" Molly exclaimed, running over to her as she dropped down beside her. "Let me help you up. come on."

"What a show, Estelle, honestly, I'm impressed." David smirked, his arm over Star's shoulder.

"Is Marko okay?" she asked, glancing around for him.

"Yeah, he's fine, Paul's got him." He jerked his head towards Marko's bike. "His ride's trashed though. Nothing we can't fix, obviously, but- The hell is up with Dwayne?" She glanced over at Dwayne, who was staring at her while breathing heavily, almost like he was panting. He looked almost rabid, like a wild animal. Umber came out of the bush behind David, glancing around at the group.

"Wow, Ethel, you've outdone yourself," she said dryly, smirking as she eyed her up.

"Okay, well, we should go. Tell Paul I saw bye," Molly said, grabbing Estelle's arm as they hurried out of there, Estelle limping along.

"Hey, is Marko really okay?" she asked, glancing around for him.

"I'm fine!" A shout came from a few bushes away. "Just a few scratches!" There was the sound of branches breaking. "See you later!" A couple more mutters and grunts sounded, followed by "grab his wrists".

"What the hell is going on?" Estelle muttered to Molly as she kicked up the kickstand of her bike, gingerly sitting down again.

"I don't want to know whatever kinky shit is going on over there." Molly wrapped her arms around her. "Let's go. We're definitely in shit."

"Great. Something to look forward to."

Chapter Text

"Estelle, what's going on with you? You've been out of it all day." Molly's voice shook Estelle out of her thoughts, bringing her back to the present. The ache in her leg was still throbbing from the night before, and she felt a little light headed. She'd managed to wrap it in bandages as well as disinfect it before she went to sleep last night, but that didn't stop it from hurting like a bitch.

"Sorry, Molls, I'm just tired," she said, trying for a half smile, but she didn't think it met the mark based on Molly's expression.

"Did your aunt get really mad at you?" The redhead leaned forward, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose when they began to slide down. "I was really lucky, my parents were definitely asleep when I got back."

"She wasn't awake, thankfully," Estelle said, lying through her teeth as she leaned back on Molly's bed. Her eyes drifted around the room, taking in the pale pink walls that had become so familiar to her. She'd only known Molly for a few months, since she'd moved here pretty recently, but they'd been fast friends.

"I guess that makes sense, you wouldn't have been allowed to sleep over otherwise." Molly grinned, sprawling out on her bed with a grunt. "So, what should we do tonight? I think the boardwalk opened the arcade, so we could head down there. You brought your bike, right? Oh, wait, should you even be riding with that gash you got?"

"I brought my bike, yeah." She nodded, her eyes shifting to the spot on her leg where that massive cut still ached. "I'm fine to ride, don't worry. It just looked bad."

"You sure you're okay? You're not very. . . engaged." Molly raised an eyebrow. "Come on, let's watch a movie. My parents rented the Princess Bride!" Without waiting for an answer, she jumped up and hurried down the stairs to her living room to grab the tape. Estelle stared out the window at the large weeping willow, its branches brushing against the perfectly manicured lawn that Molly's dad held great pride in. Under the willow-

"David?" Estelle's eyes widened when she saw the platinum blond haired man standing under the tree with a bored expression on his face. Just as quickly as he was there, he was gone, the spot he'd been standing in empty. What the hell?

She must have been so tired she was hallucinating. Why was hallucinating David and not Dwayne? What a strange thing, the mind.

"Hey, sweetheart." Estelle jumped back from the window as she slapped her hand over her mouth, David's smirking face in the window. He'd climbed up the side of Molly's house?

"David, what the hell are you doing here?" she hissed, opening the window. "Seriously, if Molly's dad sees you-"

"Relax, he won't see me. C'mon, grab the ginger and let's party." He grinned. "Paul's real anxious to see her again, you know. She's made quite the impression."

"Estelle, what are you doing at the window?" Molly walked back in, but almost jumped out of her skin when she saw David there. "David? Is Paul here too?" Sliding in beside her, she peered out the window, looking for her blond-haired man to no avail.

"Gingersnap, there you are," he said, tilting his head. "Come on, let's go have some fun. The boys are waiting down at the boardwalk for us, and they'll be real sad if I show up alone."

"Gingersnap?" Molly muttered, making a face. "Look, David, I can't just leave-"

"Sure you can, it's real easy. I won't let you guys fall." David winked with a smirk, dropping down onto the grass below without so much as a whisper. How he was so elegant, Estelle wasn't sure, but she knew that she wouldn't have even half of his grace if she tumbled out the window.

". . . Will Paul be there?"

"Molly!" Estelle hissed, whipping her head towards her friend with an accusing stare.

"Yeah, Paul's gonna be there." David nodded, before glancing at Estelle. "Dwayne's gonna be there too, sweetheart, and we left the ol' ball and chain back at our place." That must've been Umber. She really was a ball and chain.

More like a noose.

Estelle was weak to Molly's pleading stare, and the promise of an Umber-free evening appealed to her more than she cared to admit. She was lucky she hadn't changed out of her shorts and tank yet, grabbing her beat up leather jacket off of the bed. "Okay, fine, but you better catch me if I fall or it's your head on a pike, David."

"Yes, ma'am." David grinned, holding out his arms to catch her as she gingerly swung her body out the window. "Don't be shy, sweetheart, I don't bite. Much."

"Reassuring," she grunted as she began to clamber down the side of the house. "How'd you even get up there, David, holy shit." The side of Molly's house was covered in thick ivy and branches, which in theory was a good, ladder-like option, but it was a lot harder to climb than it looked.

"You're fine, just let go." Squeezing her eyes shut, she released her grip on the vines, momentarily free-falling. It was strangely exhilarating. A pair of strong arms wrapped around her shoulders, taking the brunt of the impact of her fall before she was set back on the grass.

"You okay?" Molly asked, keeping her voice quiet incase her father heard them. When Estelle nodded, Molly gripped the ivy, sitting on the edge of her window sill as she carefully shut it again before beginning to awkwardly shimmy down.

"I got you, Gingersnap." When she was halfway down, Molly slipped, having grabbed a patch of dry, delicate branches. In the blink of an eye, David had her in his arms and back on the ground, her face white with shock as her fingers twitched, looking for branches that weren't there. "Told you I had you."

"How did you do that?" Estelle asked, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Who cares? Gingersnap is fine." He set Molly down and sauntered towards the sidewalk. "Besides, Paul would've killed me if one red hair on her head was out of place."

"He would?" Molly flushed red, hurrying after David and leaving Estelle to bring up the rear. Unwillingly, she should add.

"David, how exactly are we getting down to the boardwalk?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

David smirked, bringing out his keys. "We ride."

Molly sat in front of David while Estelle sat behind him as they tore down the road, every single bump or divot threatening to send her flying off of the bike in a beautiful parabola. Her math teacher would be so proud that she even remembered what a parabola was.

"Worst threesome ever."

Molly snorted, covering her mouth with her hand, and David let out a short snicker as they pulled up to the boardwalk. They sure were giving the people on the boardwalk a show, a random punk man rolling in on a motorcycle with two young women with him.

"Let's go hunt us some boys," David said, grinning as he helped Molly off of the bike.

"That sounds wrong, David."

"Yeah, it sounded better in my head," he sighed as they walked towards the crowd, one girl on each of his arms. "Aren't I the lady killer, hm?"

"Oh yeah, you just can't keep the girls off of you," Molly said, adjusting her ponytail as the crowd parted for them. Or most likely David. He had a bit of a reputation, after all. David turned the corner into Devil's Alley, and after a moment of hesitation, Molly and Estelle followed him. They walked. And walked. And walked some more until they came out on the abandoned stretch of beach that bordered on the woods.

"The hell are we doing out here?" Molly asked, glancing around warily.

"Bonfire, Gingersnap. What, scared of the big, bad wolves in the woods?" David smirked, leaning against a tree. Huffing, Molly marched into the woods, and Estelle followed, David leading the trio forward through the darkness of the woods. Estelle's leg throbbed with each step they took, but she refused to let it show, sucking it up and bearing it.

"Seriously, if there's a spider on me, you're dead, David," Molly said, jumping as a tree branch poked her side.

"You can try, Gingersnap, you can try."

After another fifteen minutes of walking, they came across the the other boys, but no fire. Marko was the first to see them, running over to them with a grin. "You convinced them to come!"

"Of course I did. What, you doubted me?" David scoffed, rolling his eyes as Star approached him with a smile and they got to talking. Estelle glanced around, but there was no sign of Dwayne anywhere, just the blondes and Star.

"You came." Paul walked up to Molly, who flushed pink at the sound of his voice as she tightened her ponytail, glancing at him.

"Estelle, hey, how are you?" Marko grinned at her as he hurried over to where she stood. "I heard you busted your leg pretty good last night."

"It looked worse than it felt," she lied, shifting from foot to foot as she stared down at the ground. "What the hell was happening after we left?"

"Nothing much, we kind of just hung around." Marko shrugged, but she caught the slight tension in his shoulders, the way that his eyes had darted towards David.

"Then what was. . ." Estelle shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest. "Nevermind." Despite the curiosity acting like cheese grater against her brain, she shoved it down and walked further into the clearing. "Where's the bonfire I was promised?"

"Oh, yeah, we gave up on that," Paul said, shrugging his shoulders with a relaxed smile on his face. Too relaxed. Estelle glanced between the three blonds, trying to figure out what their deal was. David was listening to Star talk, but every few seconds he would glance around him, looking at Molly, then Paul, then Marko, and finally Estelle, and then back to the woods, before focusing on Star.

Marko was laughing and joking around like usual, but he kept looking at David, and they'd do this awkward stare before he'd go back to joking around. Paul was talking to Molly, but his body was tense and seemed to be almost shielding her.

"What's with the focus, Estelle?" Marko raised an eyebrow, head tilted slightly.

"Oh, it's nothing." She smiled, choosing a tree that would give her the best view of the clearing to lean on, continuing to observe everyone. Still no Dwayne. "So why are we out in the woods again?"

"Why not? Don't be a spoilsport, sweetheart, lighten up." David made a face at her, but now she was too aware of all of them to miss the way his eyes shifted from side to side, the glance at Paul and Marko.

"Oh my god, what is up with you guys today?" Estelle looked between all of them with her eyes narrowed, jaw clenched slightly. "Seriously, anyone with eyes can see that you guys are on edge!"

"On edge? Estelle, I think you're the one on edge." She stared at Marko with a dumbfounded expression on her face, but when she saw all the others giving her the same skeptical look, even Molly, she took a deep breath.

"Deny it all you want; I know something's making you guys nervous." Turning on her heel, she stormed off into the woods, ignoring the people who yelled her name as she kept going. She walked. And walked. And walked.

She only stopped when she reached a creek, sinking down onto a large rock and staring out at the water. Picking up a handful of pebbles, she launched them at the water, the soft 'plop' of the water the only sign they'd made it to the bottom. Then the worry sank in.

She'd been too caught up in her own thoughts to remember that she was in the woods. Alone. Without anyone around for miles. Animals, or even men, could lurk in the woods, eager to prey on a helpless girl with an injured leg.

Great, now she'd scared herself.

"Lost?"

"Gah!" The inelegant sound that came out of her mouth, along with a healthy string of curses, would've had her mom washing her mouth out with soap back in Florida. A gorgeous woman stood over her, auburn curls tumbling over narrow shoulders, red painted lips set in a camera ready smile. "Um, no, I'm fine, thanks."

"Are you sure?" She tilted her head to the side, and that's when Estelle noticed her eyes. They were the colour of melted butter, too bright and unnatural. "What's wrong?"

"What the hell is up with your eyes?"

Suddenly her smile was a little too wide, eyes too open, brow bone too pronounced, and canine teeth much too long. "You're a smart one. You noticed quite fast. A shame, you would've made such a nice addition to our sisterhood."

She sprung, knocking Estelle to the ground as she held her down with her bodyweight, teeth sinking into her arm. "What the fuck!" Estelle was yelling, thrashing in the woman's iron grip, her teeth sinking past her skin as the auburn haired woman took a drawn out mouthful of her blood. She reared back, her mouth leaving Estelle's skin as she licked her lips, glancing up at Estelle.

"Witch blood!" she hissed, baring her teeth at her in a fearsome grin. Then a knee collided with her face, knocking her back and off of Estelle, who wasn't exactly proud of just how fast she scrambled back from the now growling weird, freak lady that had just taken a bite out of her arm. "You! I knew I smelled one of Max's boys!" She glanced back at Estelle, seeming to weigh the risk of diving for her again.

"Get off our turf," the newcomer growled out. "And tell the Widow to keep her girls out of our goddamn territory! Damn Blood Belles. . ." It had to be a man, his voice low and gravelly as he spoke, body lowered in a protective stance with his arms out and ready to attack.

"Give me the girl, and you've got a deal." She smiled, licking her lips slowly as her eyes settled on the still-bleeding bite mark on Estelle's arm. "Mother will be eager to meet her, I'm sure. Especially when she scents her blood."

A snarl from deep in the man's throat rattled through the air. "Get. Out."

She snapped her teeth back at him, lowering into a fighting stance. "Not without her. Mother will simply be so disappointed if I return empty handed."

"Too damn bad. Get out."

Shooting one last look towards Estelle, the woman straightened up, her claws sliding back into regular looking nails. "Next time, I won't be so kind." And before Estelle's very eyes, she levitated through the ear and took off. Flying. She was fucking flying.

As she was standing up, her hand landed on a twig, the loud snap echoing through the silent forest. Quick as a whip, the man was in front of her, and the smell of gasoline and cigarettes hit her like a truck as she blinked.

"Dwayne?"

Chapter Text

She blinked and she was alone. Her head whipped around, scouring the treetops for any sign of her supposed savior, but there was none, just the faint chirp of crickets in the surrounding woods. Had she imagined it, imagined the smell of gas and cigarettes? Had she really just been attacked by some freaky, levitating, psycho woman? And who the hell had saved her? What was going on in this freako town?

"What the fuck. . .?" Stumbling forward, her hand moved to touch her arm, to stop the blood, but when she touched it, there was nothing there but skin and a hole in her jacket. Her eyes widened, and she could've sworn that there had been a cut there not even a minute ago. Lips pursing, she glanced around at the woods, trying to see if she'd missed anything, anyone. Alone still. She'd been bleeding, she'd felt the blood on her skin... right?

"Estelle!" Racing out of the woods came Molly, her neat ponytail undone and red strands dangling over her worry-stricken features as she slid to a stop in front of Estelle. "Holy shit, what happened to you? Your jacket, it's ripped pretty bad. Did you fall?"

"Whoa, Estelle," Marko said, causing both Estelle and Molly to jump as he seemingly just appeared behind them. His eyes narrowed on the rip in her jacket, and Estelle could've sworn that for a moment, his eyes went scarlet. A beat later, they were brown and concerned, his head tilted to the side as he looked her over before glancing around at the surrounding woods. "How do you always manage to find trouble, huh? Get caught on a branch?"

"Yeah, branch," she responded, her eyes still raking over the trees like someone was going to jump out and get her. "Sorry for wandering off on you guys, I was just frustrated."

"Just happy you're okay," Molly said with a smile, her eyes focused on Estelle as Marco's gaze drifted. "Want to head back to the boardwalk? Maybe we can catch the band from last night. You want to come, Marco?" Snapping his head back to face them, a half smile that didn't reach his eyes curled on his lips.

"Sorry, guys, I can't. Star might be able to though."

"Star might be able to what?" From within the woods emerged Star, and Estelle still couldn't get over how elegant this girl was. Were they really the same age?

"Head down to the boardwalk with Molly and Estelle," Marco replied, glancing at her. A moment of silence passed between them before Star nodded, turning to face the two girls with a radiant smile.

"I'd be happy to go with you guys. Girls trip!" Estelle glanced back at where Marco had been standing as they walked away, but it was empty, like he'd never been there.

The bass pounded beneath their feet as the band played, the smell of sweat and fried food making her eyes water as they pushed through the crowd. "What are you doing with them?" Estelle's jaw clenched as she turned around, the haughty stare that belonged to Umber spearing through her, lip curled. "Come on, Star, let's go." Star pulled her to the side for a conversation, and clearly Umber didn't like what was being said.

"I'm going to the bathroom," she said to Molly, who nodded.

"Need me to come with you?"

"No, I'll be fine. Grab me some popcorn?" She turned on her heel and walked back through the crowd, escaping to a less crowded area just off the main drag. Her head pounded, the image of the woman already fading from her memory. Her eyes, had they been red? Or yellow? Brows furrowed, she walked square into someone's side, a nasty habit she seemed to have picked up recently. It was a woman, probably in her late thirties to early forties if her guess was right, and Estelle had almost knocked her over.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention," she said hurriedly, helping her up. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, it's alright, I understand," the woman assured her with a smile, patting her hand. "No harm, no foul, right?"

"Lucy, my goodness, are you alright? That was quite a tumble!" From the store came an older man with glasses and greying hair. He turned to face Estelle, and a shiver went down her spine when they made eye contact. She didn't know why, couldn't place why she felt unsettled by this kindly old man who ran. . . what was it, a video store? Being around the boys must have been messing with her ability to pick out bad people, her natural judgement.

"Excuse me, young lady, are you okay?" Estelle was snapped out of her daze by the question, asked by the man. "You fell as well, after all."

"Oh, yeah, I'm okay," she said with a half smile. "Sorry about that, again, I really didn't mean it."

"Of course, of course. I have a boy your age, you know. We just moved here," the woman explained with a smile. "What's your name?"

"Estelle," she said without thinking. Maybe she shouldn't give her name out to strangers, especially not in front of the man that still had the hairs on her neck standing up straight, but it was too late now.

"Well, Estelle, even if it wasn't under the best circumstances it is lovely to meet you." The woman, Lucy, smiled warmly at her.

"Nice to meet you too, ma'am," she responded rather awkwardly. "I have to go, I have people waiting. Sorry again." Turning back, bathroom forgotten, she hurried down the street towards where she'd came, feeling someone's gaze burning through her back.

"Hey, there you are," Molly said as she spotted her approach, her expression tight. "Look who showed up." She motioned to the right with a jerk of her head, and what Estelle saw made her want to kick a wall.

"Oh, great, Ethel's here."

Oh hell no.

Umber's smirk made her want to rip off her skin, wiggling her fingers as her blue eyes gleamed. She walked towards the two of them with Star in tow, stopping in front of them. "What are you doing here, hm? Hoping to get a glimpse of Dwayne? Too bad, he isn't here because of-"

"He's sick," Star jumped in, shooting a look at Umber, who just made a face. "The boys went back to check on him. Nasty, um, flu."

"Okay, well, we should probably head out, right?" Estelle glanced pointedly at Molly, who nodded hurriedly. "Don't want her dad to realize that we're gone."

"Oh, yeah he'll have my head," Molly added earnestly. "And probably yours too. He already thinks you're a bad influence."

"Gee, I wonder why," she muttered under her breath. "Okay, let's go, Molls. See you later, Star." Summoning every ounce of patience she could muster, she added, "Umber." As the two girls turned to leave, Star gripped her arm and pulled her back, her strength taking her by surprise.

"Wait!" For a moment she sounded almost panicked, but it was gone in an instant. "Let us come with you, to drop you off. The more of us the less of a target we are." This girl was built slim, like a model, but it felt like she was hitting the gym every day as Estelle was basically manhandled. Even as she spoke, her grip didn't relent, not allowing Estelle to make her escape or refuse her offer.

"Yeah, fine, okay," she muttered, tearing her arm away the moment Star's grip loosened. "Shit, David drove us out here, how are we getting back? Walking?"

"Guess so," Molly sighed. "Better get moving."

As they walked along the road, Star turned to look at Estelle, her gaze raking over her from her boots to her hair. "So, why are you stretching your ears?"

That was not the question she expected, one of her hands moving to feel the plugs in her ears. "Felt like it, I guess."

"Doesn't it hurt? Same with your nose, didn't that hurt?"

"Yeah, but it looks cool, so.." Estelle trailed off, not sure how to answer her question honestly. They were cool, her piercings, but she hadn't gotten them because they were cool. Okay, she had, but that wasn't the whole reason.

"I could never pierce my nose," Star said, practically floating along beside the group. "Or really anything but my ears."

"That's nice." A long pause settled over the girls, the only sound being the cars roaring by and their breathing. They turned onto Molly's street, Estelle's lips pursing slightly. How the hell were they going to get back inside? They couldn't go through the front, her dad would catch them immediately, and they couldn't climb back up through the window. She still wasn't sure how David had climbed up there, in the dark no less.

"We're here," Molly said, pausing in front of the house beside hers. "How do we get in, though?"

"Through the back," Umber said bluntly, walking over to Molly's fence.

"Um, I don't think we can get in through there, that gate's really heavy. My dad can barely open it-" Both of their jaws went slack as Umber pushed it open with ease, holding it open for them.

"Come on, hurry up," she snapped, glaring at the two of them.

"Bye, guys," Star said with a smile as the two of them hurried through the gate. Umber closed it behind them with a thud, and both Estelle and Molly turned to look at each other.

"What the fuck was that?"

"I've never seen anyone open it that easily, much less someone my size!"

"No fucking way that just happened."

Walking into the house, they creeped upstairs and made it into Molly's room without much hassle. Thankfully her dad never woke up, and Estelle kicked off her boots, moving towards the window to close the open blinds. Peering out into the woods that Molly's house backed into, she caught a white flash, but it was gone before she could process it. Turning back towards the bed, Molly had already collapsed, eyes closed.

Fuck, sleep was beautiful, but Estelle couldn't sleep. Not yet.

Star's earlier panic came back around, her strange refusal to let them leave without them. Then the hazy memory, her torn jacket. What had torn it? Why couldn't she remember? And Dwayne was apparently sick, the flu, but something was telling her otherwise. And the man at the video store, who was he? Why had he set off every single alarm in her body? How did that sweet woman tie into this?

Head pounding, Estelle slipped into a restless sleep, her dreams haunted by yellow eyes that seemed to follow her every move.

Chapter Text

"How was Molly's?" Her aunt's voice cut through the fog of sleep as she kicked open the wooden door, hastily removing her helmet. She hadn't slept a wink last night, couldn't shake the feeling that someone, or something, was watching her. Why did her aunt have to live so far out of town anyway, especially in such a run down house in the middle of the freaking woods? Estelle was like, seventy percent sure that her aunt could afford to move out, she just didn't want to.

"Good. We watched Dirty Dancing," she answered, rubbing her eyes as her aunt handed her a steaming cup of coffee, which she accepted very gratefully. "What did you do last night?"

"Ah, not much, you know your aunt." Her aunt waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. That was true, her aunt never really left the house. She wasn't even sure what she did for work, not that it was any of her business. "Cleansed your room again, it had a dark aura." Ah yes, the dark aura of her room. She'd long since learned to not bother fighting her on this or questioning her choices because Aunt Leila would never explain exactly what a 'dark aura' meant.

"Thanks, Auntie." Grabbing the coffee, she headed up the steps, prepared to sleep forever. When she stepped into her room, she could've sworn a dark cloud lifted, and she felt so much better. Maybe her aunt was onto something with that cleansing, because whatever she did was working. Or maybe it was a placebo. Not that she really cared, not when her bed looked so nice and inviting. She changed into a worn shirt and collapsed, her eyes closing as she fell asleep.

Her dreams were filled with weird images, flashing through her childhood, but not how she remembered it. That day at the park, when her mother had accidentally forgotten her there, a ghostly woman hovered over her five year old body, watching. The image shifted, now showing her at school when those boys were picking on her, then the tree branch that had fallen on their heads, the branch wrapped in what looked like a translucent purple rope.

The images vortexed, swirling wildly, before coming to a stop, forming a scene. There were the boys, David, Marko, and Paul, discussing something in a huge cave, Star and Umber sitting on the sidelines, a little kid sitting right beside Star. Dwayne still was not with them, much to her disappointment.

"He's getting worse," David was saying, casting a worried glance to an extension of the cave blocked off by tapestries, preventing her from seeing inside. "He hasn't been able to keep anything down since he smelled her. He tore up the walls trying to get out. This is serious shit."

"What should we do then?" Paul questioned, crossing his arms over his chest. "I've never seen him like this before."

"There's only one thing we can do," David said solemnly, and Paul nodded in agreement before looking at Marko. Marko, looking reluctant, clasped his hands together.

"Are you sure? I mean, we already have a lot of us. More could draw unwanted attention. And what about the friend?"

Paul stiffened, moving to answer, before David cut him off. "Stop. Someone's listening." He glanced around, sniffing slightly, before his eyes settled on wherever she was watching from. "Who's there? Show yourself."

Suddenly there was a ruckus from where someone was supposedly having a freakout, in that blocked off tunnel, snarls echoing against the stone and deterring David's attention. The three boys disappeared into the cave, leaving the girls and that little kid alone as the image began to fade again, changing.

Now she was looking at her aunt, sitting in a room she didn't recognise in the house, pouring over an old book. "No, it can't be," she was mumbling to herself, brows furrowed as she flicked through yellowed pages with increasing speed. "It's too soon, there is still time. Maria said that she was a late bloomer, she won't be ready for a while yet. But the signs. . ."

Maria? That was her mom, but as far as she knew, her mom and aunt were estranged, had been for years. What signs? What the hell was this? The visual faded before she could continue to ask questions, her aunt fading out of sight as yet another new setting appeared. This one she'd never seen before, maybe in passing? The setting didn't seem to matter, however, when a gorgeous man seemed to materialize in the centre of the room.

Bright blue eyes, curly blonde-ish mullet, sharp jaw, one slutty little earring, this man was the whole package. Not as sexy as Dwayne though. No, it was impossible to top the insane looks he had. That fuck-me stare, those beautiful biceps hidden beneath that leather jacket, his dark hair that she just wanted to pull back as they made out. . .

"Find him," a disembodied voice whispered, pulling her from her thoughts. She stared at the face swimming before her, the sexy-but-not-as-sexy-as-Dwayne man. Find him? How on God's green earth would she find him? "Find Michael."

Who the fuck was Michael?

Her eyes snapped open to her room, the moonlight streaming in through the cracks in the curtains and illuminating the dark corners. What the hell had that been? Standing up, Estelle creeped towards the window, peering out from behind the curtain and into the forest beside the home. No one was there, yet she still felt watched, like someone was just out of sight.

Waiting for the right moment to strike.

She crawled back into her bed, staring up at the ceiling blankly like it held all the answers. What did that freako dream mean? She closed her eyes, trying to remember all the details. There had been something about her as a kid, something weird, and there had been the conversation between the boys about someone losing their shit, then her aunt talking about her mom and being ready for something. And of course the 'find Michael' bullshit.

Had she taken something? Seriously, what was with these dreams?

But more importantly, had that been real? If it was, she needed to talk with David along with finding the mysterious Michael. Was this a quest? Did this count as a quest? Was she accepting quests now?

Her aunt was so going to ship her off to the funny farm if she found out.

"Estelle, why do we have to go to the boardwalk again?" Molly groaned as Estelle dragged her towards her bike, already passing her a helmet as she straddled the leather. It would be weird to say that someone spoke to her in a dream and told her to find some guy named Michael, right? That probably fell into weird and creepy territory. And the fact that she felt like she absolutely had to go to the boardwalk tonight.

"Cause we're young, dumb, and you want to see Paul," she said flatly, starting the engine. "Yeah, you're turning pink, Molls, come on."

They rolled up to the boardwalk and Estelle parked haphazardly, immediately leading Molly through the crowd of people. Damn tourists.

"Whoa, Estelle, where are we going?" Molly asked, grumbling as she pushed through groups of people to keep up with Estelle.

"Um, good artist tonight," she said, glancing around for the mysterious Michael of yore. Where was this guy, seriously? Of all the places. . . She sighed, stopping reluctantly in the middle of the pit as she glanced around, Molly gasping for breath beside her. Had she come out here in vain? Damn it, there was no way, right?

"Oh, sorry," someone said from behind her, causing her to whirl around, eyes widening as she took in the sight of pretty blue eyes, blonde-ish curls that fell in a cute mullet, and that slutty little earring. Target acquired, Michael of yore found. He was talking to. . . that was Star. And if Star was here, that meant that David was too. That conversation she'd heard that night, had that been real? Something was weird about that group. Well, weirder than they already were.

"Oh, look, Ethel's here." Estelle took a deep breath as Umber slunk out from behind Star, a smirk on those stupid lips. "And she brought the Ginger. How lovely to see you guys again."

"Estelle, Molly, hello," Star greeted them with a smile, causing Michael to turn to see who she was talking to. Yup, he looked exactly like he had in her dream. But why had she been told to find him? And even better question, who the fuck was telling her to find him?

"Hey, I'm Michael. Michael Emerson." He smiled at the two of them, and the tips of Molly's ears went bright pink. This guy was unreal. Moving on from Michael, she fixed her gaze on Star.

"Is David here?" she asked, glancing around the packed area. Star shook her head while Umber scoffed.

"Clearly not. Don't you have eyes, Ethel?"

What was with this girl and insisting on calling her Ethel? Was she stupid? Maybe slow? Useless, definitely. God, Umber was the worst.

"I heard my name?" All three girls, and Michael, turned around at the sound of David's voice, with Michael's face flushing ever so slightly at the sight of the tall, blond, and handsome arrival.

"David," Star said, glancing at Michael, then back at him. "This is Michael, we just met him." David gave Michael a once-over, not looking too impressed before he turned back to look at Estelle.

"So, Estelle, what did you need from me?" He smiled, and for a moment Estelle could've sworn she saw what looked like fangs. She blinked and there was nothing, his smile the same as ever.

"We need to talk."

Chapter Text

"Uh oh, that sounds serious," David said with a smirk, leaning back slightly as he looked her over. "Unfortunately, sweetheart, I don't have time to talk today. Star, Umber, let's go." He turned on his heel, heading off towards where his bike was probably parked. Star hurriedly followed while Umber was more leisurely, glancing at Estelle with that smarmy smirk that made her want to rip out that fucking lip ring.

"Later, Ethel," she called behind her, climbing onto the bike. Michael watched the three of them go, dumbfounded, then slowly, clumsily, followed them over to David's bike. As the engine revved, David looked back at Michael, a sly smile forming and Estelle could practically see the gears turning in his head as he glanced between Michael and another bike parked haphazardly.

"Try and keep up, Mikey," he sneered before tearing down the beach, Michael reluctantly following after him on a stolen bike.

"Fuck!" Estelle exclaimed, whirling around as she began to storm back towards her own bike.

"Estelle, hey, what the hell is going on?" Molly demanded, grabbing her arm to try and stop her.

"David's being a royal prick, Molls. Come on, we gotta follow them. I need to talk to him," Estelle said, and Molly, seeing the absolute conviction in her friend's eyes, just nodded and slid onto the back of Estelle's motorcycle, arms wrapped around her tightly as she gunned out of there, trailing behind David and Michael as they went down the beach, away from the lights and sounds of the boardwalk and into the night.

The rocky cliffs loom over her bike, the only light coming from the glow of the headlights against the sand and the moon above. The sound of water lapping at the shore was second to the roar of the engine, sand flying in their wake. She could faintly hear the two bikes up ahead, see their tail lights in the distance as she approached. Where the hell were they going? There wasn't anything out this way, as far as she knew.

"Seriously, where are we going?" Molly asked, mirroring the question that Estelle was asking herself. The lights up ahead vanished, meaning the bikes were off and they were going somewhere, probably on foot. Shit.

"Wish I knew, Molls, really," she grunted, stopping the bike and yanking off her helmet, throwing it aside as she hurried to follow the footprints they'd left in the sand, Molly trailing behind her. The trail stopped at the entrance of a cave she'd never seen before. "Have you been out here before?"

"Of course I haven't been out here! Estelle, I don't think we should go in there," Molly whispered urgently, grabbing her wrist to pull her back, but Estelle shook it off, her eyes locked on the faint glow in the distance against the aged rocks. Something was going to happen, and she needed to be there.

"Come on."

"I hate you." Despite her complaints, Molly followed her into the caves, lingering behind Estelle as they walked towards the source of the light. Her heartbeat was pounding in her ears, out of her chest, hell she could feel it in her stomach. What if Dwayne was there? What if he didn't want to see her? She hadn't seen him in forever, maybe he was done with her. Maybe he'd turned to, shudder, Umber. Don't think like that, Estelle, that sexy hunk of man meat would never turn to Umber of all people.

"Well, well, well, look who's decided to join us." David smiled as Estelle poked her head around the corner of a tapestry, peering into the cave. It was, surprisingly, furnished, filled with art and lights. There was a couch, a couple other seats, and discarded boxes of take-out littering the ground. This was the place from her dream. She glanced to the side and sure enough there was the blocked off cave. Up higher, on ledges, sat Umber, Star, and a little kid, one that she recognized again from the dream. "Estelle. Welcome."

What the hell?

Molly shuffled out slightly from behind Estelle, and Paul sat up straighter, staring at her. David's smile, however, only got wider as he looked the two of them over.

"And Gingersnap too, what a surprise. Come on in."

Slowly they inched into the room, everyone's eyes on the two of them as they stood stiffly by the entrance, Molly still partially hiding behind Estelle. Her gaze raked over each person individually, taking note of where they were sitting. She looked again and felt something in her chest sink. No Dwayne. Again. Was he avoiding her? Oh god, maybe he really was done with her. Damn it.

"Want some chinese?" David motioned to Marko, who held out two small boxes of take-out to them with a smile. Michael held another one of the small boxes, his grip white knuckled as he stared down it. Molly looked towards Estelle, who glanced between David and the offered food. She was pretty hungry, actually, and that box of. . . was that chicken lo mein? Whatever, didn't really matter what it was. She could only hope it was, you know, edible.

"Yeah, sure." She nodded, and Marko tossed it to her. It was, indeed chicken lo mein. She was a genius after all. Molly was giving her wide eyes, fumbling to catch the box that Marko threw to her. Estelle cracked the chopsticks apart, opening the box and gingerly eating a piece, still not entirely sure what was going on.

Michael's shocked yelp had her looking up, all eyes turning to him as he dropped the box, rice spilling out. "You good?" Estelle asked, raising her eyebrow as he panted heavily, a bead of sweat tracing down his pale face. He glanced up, then back to the spilled rice, his gaze shifting to look up at Star.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."

A few minutes later, the same thing happened but to Molly, who dropped her box like it was burning her with a startled scream. Paul shot to his feet, staring daggers at David, before tentatively retaking his seat. "Spider," she said, pointing at her food. Estelle stood up, peering at the lo mein with a discerning eye.

"I don't see any spiders, Molls." She held out the chicken lo mein with a shrug, pursing her lips. "You sure you saw one?"

"Positive. . ." Molly trailed off, staring down at the food but not eating. Estelle, meanwhile, found that she'd cleared half the damn box. Jesus, she'd been hungry. Makes sense, she hadn't really eaten before leaving, but still. Maybe they had water or something around here. As she swallowed another spoonful, she saw that David was staring at her intently, his brows furrowed in concentration before glancing at Paul, then Marko.

Weirdos. After another minute, David leaned back and grabbed a bottle, holding it between two fingers as a smirk forming on his lips. "You guys thirsty?" All three of them nodded, and David motioned to Marko, who passed it to Michael first. Star leaned forward, her eyes big as she whispered something quickly to Michael, but he seemed to disregard it as he took a swig of whatever the drink was. Maybe cranberry juice.

Then Molly drank, making a face before she passed it on to Estelle. "Tastes like coins." Before she took a sip, she examined the outside of the flask, bottle, whatever it was. It had metal detailing on the base and sides, emblems that she'd never seen before.

"Ethel, are you just going to stare at it?" Umber's voice was like a bucket of ice water mixed with shit, pouring over her and snapping her out of her thoughts. She cast what she hoped was a withering glare in her direction before drinking down what felt like half the damn bottle, keeping her gaze locked with Umber's even as the acrid taste of iron burned her tongue.

David snatched the bottle back, peeling it out of her grip as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, her skin now stained slightly red. He was staring at her, something that almost looked like approval on his face. He opened his mouth to speak, but rustling caused him to look away, towards the noise. The tapestry that covered that blocked off area was moving, brushing against the stone walls, cutting through the silence. Someone was coming out. The boys stiffened, their gazes locked on the entrance, while Umber and Star looked at each other, Star's grip on the kid tightening slightly.

The smell of gasoline and cigarettes hit her like a goddamn truck, goose bumps forming on her arms as a cool gust of air washed over her. Dark eyes were on her, and she couldn't stop staring as tall, dark, and handsome emerged. Complete with the leather jacket that strained over broad shoulders, long hair that fell in front of a chiseled jawline, and gloriously shirtless was Dwayne, his body absolutely still in front of the entrance to the cave.

Time seemed to distort around her as everything fell away, leaving only them, only Dwayne and Estelle. No one else mattered, not now, and probably not ever.

She blinked and he was gone. So was Paul. She glanced up, noticing the absence of Star, the kid, and to her great displeasure, Umber. The idea of Umber and Dwayne together, alone, made her want to rip her hair out, scream, then absolutely claw Umber's face off until only bones remained.

"Come on, sweetheart." David was directly in front of her, one hand held out as he smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "We're going on a walk, you, me, Marko, Michael, and Gingersnap. Let's go." Without giving her a moment to answer, he was already dragging her towards the exit, her gaze lingering on where Dwayne had been moments ago. He'd been so close. So damn close. But still so far.

Too far.

They ventured through the woods, Molly and Michael following as David held on tight to her arm, Marko holding up the rear. Eventually they reached a railway bridge, and David, to her surprise, slid through to hang on by the bottom, and Marko followed his lead.

"Don't be pussies," he sneered up at him. "Hang."

"Come on," Marko coaxed with a grin. With a glance at the two girls, Michael joined them hanging, his grip looking painfully tight as he dangled in midair above the fog that blocked the ground below.

"Get down here, Gingersnap." David's grin was almost feral as he looked up at Molly, who turned even paler. She glanced pleadingly at Estelle, who simply nodded, slowly clambering down to join the boys. Molly followed suit, even slower than Estelle had been. For a moment, all of them just hung there, David's soft laughter the only sound.

Then Marko fell, and Molly screamed.

"Relax, Molls!" David yelled, his eyes wild. "It's your turn next!"

"No way!" Molly shouted, her grip getting even tighter as her eyes went glassy, filled with unshed tears. Dammit, she hated it when Molly cried.

"Come on, Molly," she mumbled, but Molly turned her glare on Estelle.

"This is all your fault, you know. I wouldn't be hanging off a bridge if it wasn't for you and your stupid impulsive decisions!" Estelle reeled back slightly, the verbal slap echoing in her ears.

"Ladies, ladies, let's get along. Estelle, sweetheart, why don't you go next?" David's smile made her skin crawl, but she was determined to see this through.

"Estelle, don't do it."

"Estelle, think this through."

Taking a breath, she closed her eyes and let go, the feeling of weightlessness taking over as she fell into the fog below with only one thought on her mind.

Dwayne.

Chapter Text

Thump.

Her body hit the surprisingly soft ground, inciting a groan as she cracked open her eyes, only to see. . . her room? What the fuck? She sat up, her hands feeling the duvet beneath her fingertips and the sheets underneath. Was this a dream? She'd just been at a bridge, but now she was here, which didn't make any sense.

"Estelle, when did you get home?" Her aunt was standing in the doorway, her sharp eyes raking over Estelle's form. "I heard a thud." What the hell was she supposed to say to that? Yeah I fell off a bridge but landed in my bed, no sweat.

"Um, that was the window?" It was the worst, most unconvincing lie she'd ever told. Her aunt's eyes narrowed as she moved closer, before reeling back.

"Estelle, you weren't with those boys again, were you?" Aunt Leila was suspicious now, and something almost like fear entered her tone. "I told you they were bad news, why didn't you listen?" She began to pace back and forth at the foot of the bed, wringing her fingers. How had her aunt known she was hanging out with the Lost Boys? She hadn't told her, and as far as she knew she was being pretty good at hiding it.

"They aren't that bad," she muttered, but it fell on deaf ears as Leila continued to talk to herself, or maybe to Estelle. She wasn't really sure.

"You didn't drink anything they offered, did you? Nothing red?" Her aunt suddenly surged forward, gripping her shoulders tightly, staring into her eyes with what could have been desperation. "Estelle, did you drink anything?" A beat of silence as the two stared at each other, neither relenting in this contest of wills. Her aunt was going to be so mad at her, but she didn't see what she had done wrong. It was just a drink, right?

". . . Yes."

The grip on her shoulders loosened as Leila stepped back, her gaze downcast. "I can't believe. . . Why would they. . ?" She went back to pacing, mumbling too quietly for Estelle to hear, but she could assume that it was about her. She turned back to face Estelle, focused and calm, though the fear still lingered. "Estelle, I need you to come with me, now."

"Okay." She followed her aunt down the stairs, past the kitchen, and towards the back of the tiny house. There was a small cellar door, somewhere she'd never been. Never had a reason to anyway. Aunt Leila opened it, motioning for Estelle enter, which she did after a moment of deliberation with herself. Aunt Leila wouldn't hurt her, right? This was fine. She still didn't understand what she'd done wrong though.

She came out into a library, a room filled to the brim with old looking books, and suddenly she remembered the part of her dream that her aunt had featured in. This was that room, the room where she had discussed her mother and the 'signs', whatever that meant. Aunt Leila suddenly looked years older as she sat down in a weathered armchair, motioning for Estelle to sit in the one beside hers. "It's time for me to tell you things, Estelle. Things that will sound ridiculous, but I need you to listen. Can you do this?"

She nodded wordlessly, unsure if she could bring herself to speak.

"You come from a very long line of witches, Estelle. The Thorn Dynasty, specifically. But I need to back up to the beginning." Well, that was definitely a way to start off the conversation. "Santa Carla holds deep meaning to our bloodline, the Thorns. It is where we were founded, where we have built roots for centuries. Your mother and I, our family was no exception. We were considered some of the best witches in recent memory of our line, though your mother was always more gifted than I was. She was a natural."

Her mother, Maria Jamieson-Achterberg, was a witch? Her mother, who scoffed at fairy tales and wouldn't let her watch Disney movies growing up, who told her that the arts were a waste of time and to focus on studies, had magic? Her aunt seemed to be oblivious to the disbelief etched into every line of Estelle's face, caught up in the nostalgia.

"The Thorn bloodline is primarily blood witches, which is why Santa Carla was perfect for us, and there was no one better than your mother. Then she met your father."

And there was the bitterness. She knew that her aunt had never liked her dad, not that she could blame her. From what she remembered, he wasn't all that great, and her mother didn't hold him in very high regard either. So much so that when she remarried, she'd changed her last name back to her maiden name and then hyphenated with her husband, who also sucked but for different reasons.

"He was visiting from the east coast, from the Massachusetts branch of the Ravenstone Dynasty. Another branch of witches, they specialize in divination. Lines are generally not supposed to get involved with each other for fear of too many gifts in one child, so we typically marry a non-magic person and explain it to them. Apologies, that was off topic. Anyway, she fell head over heels for him. Got knocked up, got hitched, and had you."

So not only was she the product of a stupid teenage fling, she was technically illegal because she would be too powerful. Just what she wanted to hear.

"After their divorce, she turned her back on magic and left Santa Carla, left me. And she left with you, pledging that she would never teach you magic." Her aunt looked over at her sadly. "But she couldn't stop it. You come from two very powerful bloodlines, Estelle, two of the original four. You were going to be powerful, no matter what, and when your magic started manifesting your mother didn't know what to do."

The memories from her dream rushed back. The ghostly woman from the park. The mysterious tree branch. Her mother going pale whenever she spoke about strange experiences, telling her to stop telling lies. Those weren't made up, or random strokes of luck. Her mother hadn't been disbelieving, she'd been in denial. She'd been scared. And now she was too. Magic? Seriously? Magic?

"You don't know how to control your magic, which will only get worse now that you know of it. I am going to help you, Estelle, don't worry, but there is another issue at hand." Her aunt's expression hardened. "Those Lost Boys, they are something very ancient, Estelle. They are older than me, older than your mother, and they have been here for a very long time."

"What are you saying?"

"Vampires, Estelle. They are vampires." Estelle stared at her blankly, her brain processing slowly. Vampires? So first witches, why not add vampires into the mix? Her mind immediately went to Dwayne, his strange reaction to her bleeding from when she'd crashed the bike, and suddenly it made a lot more sense. "And you drank their blood. They've started to turn you, sweetheart. You're also half vampire now." And that was the sentence that broke her brain.

She was not only a witch, but also half vampire because she'd drank from an, admittedly suspicious, bottle of red liqui- yeah, okay, she was seeing her mistake now. To drive the point home, her aunt passed her a small, handheld mirror, and Estelle saw her reflection was almost translucent, disappearing.

"There's a way to fix it, but that is for another time."

"Wait, what about Molly?" Terror gripped her heart as she thought of Molly, who would never be able to bring herself to hurt anyone. "She drank too. And Michael. What about them?"

"They're half vampires as well, but I don't have time to focus on them. You are my priority." Her aunt took out a book, passing it to Estelle. "It is tradition that once a witch turns fifteen she unlocks her true potential. You, obviously, have missed that marker by several years." Yeah, no shit. "Read this, it will explain it better than I can. It has our history, our rituals, everything."

"Okay, are we just skipping past the half vampire part?" She asked, looking down at the heavy, old book in her lap. It was well kept, but the yellowed pages and frayed leather cover showed its age.

"Yes. It is not uncommon for witches, especially Thorns, to become vampires or half vampires. We work and live closely to them, after all, being blood witches. To them, our blood tastes incredible because of the magic coursing through it." She pulled out another book, this one thicker and even older. "This is about vampires. The good news is that for you, the symptoms of being half vampire will be much less."

"Amazing." The lack of conviction in her tone really didn't sell her words. Nevertheless, she could kind of feel what her aunt was talking about. Her throat felt dry, itchy, but it wasn't driving her crazy. In fact, she could ignore it pretty easily.

"It is amazing, Estelle. You are more fortunate than your poor friends, you know what is happening to you," Leila reasoned, clasping her hands together. "I know this is a lot, but it is true. There's a whole world out there that your mother never let you see. It's your birthright, but she denied you, which is unforgivable to witches. Especially considering your father's heritage. You are, more than likely, capable of both blood magic and divination."

"Oh." That was all she could muster. That weird dream, maybe it had been divination? Or maybe something else, because that woman that spoke to her couldn't have just been divination.

"We can talk more about it later, alright? For now, just read." Her aunt stood up and walked out, leaving Estelle alone in the basement with the dusty books and the weight of her new reality. Slowly, she opened the book about vampires. If she was turning into one of these, if Dwayne was one of these, she needed to know as much about them as she possibly could.

Vampires and blood witches have been close for centuries. Vampires primarily live on the west coast, while werewolves dominate the east. When a vampire finds their mate, they will be unable to drink from anyone but their mate, even if they are a vampire themselves. Until they drink from their mate, they will go into a craze to keep them close.

What the hell had she just walked into? What kind of royally fucked up world was she living in?