Santa Carla

A/N: I sincerely apologize yet again for the lateness of an update. I've been going throu rou rough time lately, with acknowledging and obtaining treatment for depression. Also I've been told by a possible admirer that pursuing a relationship with him would be a waste of our time. Great guy, huh? Oh well, plenty of fish in the sea. I'm sorry my personal problems have affected my writing times, but I really am trying to get back on track. Also, constructive criticism is very much appreciated, as I'm planning on making a career in writing, and every bit of advice helps. Thanks for reading my rambling. Now, onto the story!

"Well, that was certainly unexpected," Marko said after floundering around in his confusion for a moment.

"For you guys, maybe," David countered, his tone implying that everyone had missed something that should have been painfully obvious.

"David, what happened? Why did Marko attack us?" Dwayne asked, clearly at the end of his rope. Paul just looked up from examining the bruises covering his body. Marko had the decency to look slightly ashamed at his actions, and Brandi avoided looking at Paul, knowing most of those bruises were her fault.

"At least you guys understand why Brandi acted the way she did," David teased. Seeing that Brandi was still confused, he elaborated. "Your meal was taken from you. It's instinct to fight for it. However, Marko's case is a bit more interesting," addressing the group again. "Marko, when we get to Max's place, I'm taking Brandi to our room and inducting her into the gang."

"She's mine!" Marko growled as he lifted David in the air by his neck. "You will not touch her!"

"I'm your sire, everything you have is also mine," David countered in a calm voice.

"Not my mate!" Marko said. The gasps from Dwayne and Paul made his think over what he had said, and he dropped David to the ground. He practically broke his neck when he whipped his head around to look at Brandi.

"Your subconscious recognized her as soon as you saw her. That's why you've barely left her side, and why you warned us all off back at the cave," David said standing up. "We can verify it with Max, but all that's left is for you two to claim each other and it's official."

Marko turned and looked at Brandi, confusion as well as acceptance and possibly love evident in his eyes. "My mate?" he asked softly.

"Only if you're mine," Brandi replied, her words soft with an underlying tone of steel. All of the Boys knew she meant it. And with that said, David recaptured everyone's attention.

"Now that that's sorted out, we really do need to go see Max," he pointed out. The group shook themselves out of their individual dazes, and proceeded to gather their bikes and themselves.

Approximately a quarter of an hour later, they arrived at a darkened house. Brandi was immediately drawn to a dog that waited just inside the gate that guarded the path to the house. David smirked as Brandi approached the dog only to have it snap at her and begin to growl. She quickly backed away from the gate, now content to stay with the bikes and the Boys.

********

Max pulled into his driveway thinking about what to do with Lucy. He knew the Boys had changed two of her children, and wondered how that would affect her. He was drawn from his thoughts by Thorn's barking though. He quickly climbed out of the car and went to reassure Thorn. Then he heard the motorcycles. When the headlights from the bikes shone at him, he knew exactly what was going on.

"David! I thought I told you not to fool around like that anymore." Max glared at the bleach blonde vampire who quickly shut off his bike to stand in front of his sire.

"Sorry," David said, although the small smile told a different story. "But everyone was getting restless."

"That's no excuse for misbehaving," Max reprimanded. He looked over the rest of the gang, offering a mildly reproving glance to each of them. At least until he saw Brandi. "And may I ask who this lovely young lady is? I know it can't be that Star girl you've told me about, you said you were planning on getting rid of her."

"This is Brandi," David said. "She's much more accepting than that whore."

"So you boys finally found your Tinkerbell, instead of a Wendy," Max said kindly. ^And she really does look the part as well. Petite, hair brown, bordering on black, with amber eyes. That’s a dark pixie if I ever saw one.^

Brandi's eyes sparkled as she responded to Max's statement. "Faulty analogy. Tinkerbell belonged almost solely to Peter." David and the others prepared for an outburst of some kind from Max, after all Brandi had corrected him. But Max surprised them all when he began chuckling.

"Yes, very much like Tinkerbell with that attitude. Now, I see no reason for us all to just stand around outside when I have a perfectly acceptable house waiting." And with that, Max quickly ushered everyone inside, pausing only to introduce Brandi to Thorn.

A/N: Coming up next, why did Brandi accept all this so easily? Why hasn't her family gone looking for her (since Lucy obviously went on the date with Max)? Why am I asking these questions? Oh yeah, cause if you have any ideas, be sure to let me know. If I like them, you get to preview the chapter before I officially release it. Sound good?