Manipulating Fate (Carousel Series #2)

Chapter 7: Santa Cruz, CA | 1987

"Was any of that true? About this guy who's throwing the party?" Ruby called in Marko's ear as they rode along San Lorenzo Boulevard towards East Cliff Drive.

"Probably not. Never heard of him. Of course, it's not like we exactly attend high school anyway." He called back over the motorcycle's roar. "But it's an easy way to find information about summer parties, high school girls."

"Why did David spare them?"

"Might be useful again later. Also why he gave them money. They'll remember us for being nice, kind even, and be helpful again. Not all the times we've done this have we let them live. If Paul tried to take one of them home, chances are she probably wouldn't see the sunrise."

"It's the original dinner date!" Paul cried, laughing, standing up as he rode along. He howled like a wolf on the prowl, prompting Dwayne to roar back, and Marko to cry out in solidarity. Only David was silent. Ruby prodded their mental link and got the mental version of call waiting. David was busy, plotting or thinking. Or mentally jacking off; one couldn't tell.

Ruby sank back behind Marko, holding tighter. Things seemed to be okay for the moment, but would they hold up after the hunt?

There was certainly a party going on at the beach. You could see the light through the forested area that ran along between the main road and the access road, a roaring bonfire and some paper lanterns strung along for the beach goers to see their beers. David waved a hand towards the other side of the access road and the Boys followed, parking their bikes and killing the engines. They met in the circle of bikes.

"Dwayne, scout the far edge and see how many are at the waters' edge. Paul, stay with Ruby. Marko, with me." David's voice was far lower then any humans' hearing range. Ruby shivered. She could smell the hunger of the boys, her own hunger, and the hot blood on the other side of the gravel road. She repeatedly licked her lips, as though they were already smothered in blood.

"Wow girl, you've got it really bad." Paul sat on a wind-battered log.

"Hungry..." Ruby managed as her fangs descended of their own volition. She was shaking terribly.

"Shit." Paul leapt up and clapped a hand over Ruby's mouth, his other arm around her body. David, Marko and Dwayne were already down at their respective scouting points. "Just chill girl, not too much longer now. I promise. D and Marko are getting take out."

"Hungry." Ruby's voice was strained.

A whistling sound; the flap of wings. Dwayne dropped from the trees. "None down at the water." He reported back. "What's with Ruby?"

"She's losing it, man." Paul's gripped tightened as Ruby began to reach out, to break free.

"Damnit. I saw Marko up in a fir near the bonfire, no sight of D."

"HUNGRY." Ruby's voice rose louder behind Paul's fingers.

"I know sweetie." Dwayne patted her head, at a loss just like Paul on what to do.

"There's maybe ten, not more then 12." Marko leapt down from another tree. "Ruby?" he hurried over, grabbing her hands.

Dwayne looked at the smaller Boy. "Where's David?"

"He was right in the road behind me." Marko frowned, looking around for the leader.

"Please!" Ruby cried desperately. She was fighting so badly it now took Paul and Dwayne to hold her back.

"Sweetheart! Listen! It's Marko!" Speaking while attempting to hold her face to make her look at him, Marko tried to get through. "We're gonna get you food, I promise. I'll just go get one of the loner ones, bring him right back and you can kill..."

"No." a deadly voice shot from the tree branch above them. Three faces turned upwards, Ruby still staring helplessly towards the party. "When I say let go you will release Ruby. Understood?" David was already in beast mode, his eyes glowing red-yellow in the dim light.

"David, she'll scare them! And someone will get free!"

"You will release her when I say to." There was no room for argument in David's tone. He dropped down soundlessly in front of the four vampires. Marko backed off to Dwayne's side as David came right up to Ruby. Ruby struggled against the arms holding her back, fangs fully descended.

"Ruby." David spoke directly to her mind. Her struggling started slowly to cease until she met her eyes with his. The blue had given way to orange-yellow, the paleness glowing like a cat's eyes. She stopped moving, only seeing David now.

"David..." Marko whispered, trying to diffuse the situation.

"Release her." Paul and Dwayne slowly took their arms from Ruby, hands releasing her. David's hand came up and cupped the side of her face.

Ruby felt the power in his hands, felt their bond sing. The link was wide open, as though she was an arcade game and he was at the joystick. He was showing her how to kill, how to feed though mental images and his own memories. Stepping off to her side, hand still on her cheek, gaze still burning as hotly as hers was on his. "Vado quod epulum parvulus." The words shot through their mental link and Ruby knew them. Knew what David was telling her to do.

She shot off through the trees, over the gravel road and into heart of the party. Behind her, the sound of wings pierced the night.