The Darkest Passion | The Lost Boys

Chapter Three

That voice. Where had she heard that voice before? Nina searched through her memories for any recollection of that voice. Her eyes widened in realization when she remembered where she had heard that voice before. No, it couldn't be him. She hadn't planned on seeing him until at least another week.

Taking her hand from Paul's, Nina spun around and faced the direction of the voice. Her mouth dropped open in shock and she felt her eyes start to water at the sight. There he was. Her savior and friend.

Max.

Ignoring Paul's questioning gaze, Nina ran toward him and leapt into his open arms. This man was like her Father and best friend rolled into one. He had been there for her during her darkest hours. Her eyes squeezed shut as tears rolled down her cheeks, smearing her make up, but she didn't care.

"You're actually here, Max."

He pulled back from her and looked her through his thick glasses. He looked very happy to see her. It had been a good little while since they had seen each other face to face. They mostly kept in contact through phone calls and letters.

He nodded to her and held her tighter. Again, Nina thought that she head a faint growling noise but she shrugged it off.

"What are you doing here, Nina?"

His voice was full of curiosity but it also contained a bit of worry. Nina could understand where he was coming from. She had not told him of her family's new home yet because she wanted to surprise him. He probably thinks that I finally ran away from Malcolm.

Nina shrugged and replied," Just looking around my new home."

His eyes about popped out of his skull in shock. The look on his face made Nina throw her head back and laugh. She forgot for a moment that he was a vampire and that he would be bothered. The sound of his throat clearing brought her back from her laughter. She lowered her head, embarrassed because of her actions.

Pulling a pouty face, she said," Sorry, Maxie, I just always forgot that you're not... Well, you know."

She thought that she heard gasps from behind her but she ignored them and just focused on Max.

"How have you been, Max?"

He smiled a bitter sweet smile down upon her," I have just missed you, Nina. Life has been boring and drab without you in it."

"I missed you, too, Max."

She was leaning in for another hug when she heard a voice practically growl out," What the hell is going on here?"

Oh shit she had forgotten about Paul.

Nina pulled away from Max and looked into Paul's blazing blue eyes. Stepping back, she pulled her arms away from Max and held them out in a defensive position. She watched as Paul took giant steps toward her and roughly snatched her up in his arms. Nina desperately tried to hold in the whimper that forced itself out of her mouth at his rough gesture.

" Paul, son, let Nina go."

Max's voice was gentle and nothing but a whisper but it only served to make Paul madder than before. His grip seemed to tighten on her arm to a bruising degree. Nina struggled in his grasp as he began to rub his face down the column of her neck, a low purring noise erupting from his chest.

Max took a step closer to them, his hands held out in front of him," Paul, you are scaring her."

Paul paid no attention to Max and continued to nuzzle Nina. It was not until Nina whimpered loud enough to reach through his rage induced haze that he stiffened and pulled away from her partially. Sensing the remaining anger in him, Nina ran her hand up and down his arm, trying to calm him down enough to loosen his grip on her. She watched as he visibly relaxed before her and she sighed inside with relief.

Paul looked up at her and managed to catch her gaze, his stare deep and searching, filled with some unknown emotion within their blue depths. Nina could not tear her eyes away from him and she noticed how his grip on her waist tightened once more, but she paid no attention to the slight tingle of pain; all of her attention was focused on the male before her. She had not even noticed them coming closer and closer toward each other until she heard a loud throat clearing from behind them. Snapping her gaze from Paul, she looked up to find Max staring at her with a joyful yet annoyed look upon his face.

"Nina, I love you like I would a daughter and I hope you do the right thing."

She smiled faintly at him and murmured softly, knowing he could hear her," I will, Max. I always do."

A flicker of sadness flashed in Max's eyes and Nina suddenly remembered that she was supposed to get Marcus' and Melody's dinner from the Chinese restaurant. Fear ran down her body in violent shivers as she thought of the consequences of her actions. He may kill her just for the sake of a good time. Feeling a cold sweat gather on her skin, she tried to pull away from Paul explaining," I have to get home. He's going to kill me."

A small growl began to resonate from Paul's chest at her words. Nina laid her hand down upon the cool skin and closer her eyes for only a few moments. Upon opening them, she found Paul staring at her face once again. His gaze targeted upon the bruises upon the side of her face with a murderous glint in his eye.

His voice low but solemn, he stated," I can't let you go back there, Nina."

"You have to, Paul. I have no where else to go."

His eyes filled with hope, his voice urgent, he rasped out," Come with us. Come with me. Please."

Looking deep into his eyes, she tried to find it in herself to say no to him but she could not. What did she have to lose? Who was going to notice her missing and actually care? Why shouldn't she go with someone that looked at her as though she was there whole world? As she opened her mouth to reply to him, a thought crossed her mind.

If Max was a vampire as he confessed to her late one evening in confidence, needing a friend to tell his secrets to, then were the boys as well?