*1 week later*
LUNA

"...at least you're feeling better," I gently push aside a strand of curly hair away from Marko's brow as he lays on the couch, hands behind his head and his Chesire cat grin making my whole world shake.

I was so scared that he would die.
But, he made it.
He was extremely malnourished, and that's from going without blood as long as he did.

That and he was sunburnt on his chest and back.
It didn't get him too bad though, but he does have some permanent skin damage, meaning the spots where he was burned will always stay red

But luckily, he's been gaining his health, slowly but surely.
We're officially out of the woods now and on the road to recovery.

He chuckles, looking up at me.
"I told you, through thick and thin," he says, reaching one hand up to caress my cheek.

I lean into his touch.
He lowers his hand, yawning just a little from me waking him up ten minutes ago.

I stand up. "You should rest," I lay a blanket on him, reaching up to feel his forehead. "Do you need anything?"

He laughs softly, "no thanks, mommy," he laughs, but I roll my eyes, deep down, finding his joke funny.
"To be honest, I'm healthy enough to get up and do things, but," he stretches, as if he's living the life of luxury.

"It's nice having Paul be my slave," he winks at me.
I laugh, kissing him goodbye before I take my leave.
I start to walk towards the exit, but I stop when I feel a shy pair of eyes staring at me intensively.

I look behind me, only to see Star standing in her doorway.
But just as fast as I met her gaze, she closed her curtains and laid on her bed, back facing me.

My heart breaks.
She's been doing this for a week, refusing to talk to me, and just hiding away in her room.

She won't talk to anyone.
I asked Dwayne if she is acting normal to them, but he shook his head.
He told me that ever since that night I brought Marko home, she's barely murmured a word to them.

The night we fought, she left and didn't come back for hours, but I waited for her the entire time.
I wanted to tell her I'm sorry, that I love her. That I didn't mean a word I said.

When she did come home, I instantly ran to her, apologizing over and over again.

Though my words meant nothing to her.

"I won't keep you from Marko," she told me, "but it's best if we keep our distance."

And with that, she's shut me out.
Not just me, but everyone.

For a week, I've been giving her what she wants, but tonight, I find myself pushing her curtains aside and going to her bed, sitting down.
She clutches a pillow in her arms, holding it against her chest, curled into a small ball.

She refuses to look at me.

"Star?" I gently touch her arm, "you okay?"
No reply.

I sigh, my shoulders slouching forward.
"I feel awful about our fight," I whisper, remembering all the hurtful things I said. "I shouldn't have gone that far. You only had my best interest at heart," I say, licking my lips, "and with what happened after the fight, you becoming a vampire...it's okay."

I let my hand fall on her shoulder, and I let it stay there for several moments.
"Please," I whisper, tears beginning to fill my eyes, "I don't want to lose you again Star. You're my best friend. My whole world. My sister..."

She doesn't reply.
I lean down and plant a soft kiss on her shoulder, hugging her as my tears fall down onto her arms.

"Please don't shut me out."

***

I left Star's room after ten minutes of what felt like talking to myself.
Star refused to look, move, and let alone speak to me.

So I took my leave and went outside and walked down to the beach.
I wanted to be alone, to think, and to feel like I can breathe.

I sit down on the moist sand, bringing my knees up to my chin, exhaling deeply.
God...
Did I lose Star? For good?

I bury my face in my knees and cry.

I relive the memories of her and I, running up and down the boardwalk, having the time of our lives just last year.
What happened to those good moments?

I sniffle, wiping my eyes.
I was blind.
I believed that nothing could ever happen to me and Star.
But now, I risk losing my sister to becoming a full blooded vampire.

If that happens, I'll never be able to reach her again.
She'll be gone.

I sigh deeply, before a voice whispers in my head.
"Head Vampire..."

Head Vampire?
Hope rises in my chest.
If I find the Head Vampire, and kill him, Star will be back to normal.

But...

Dread fills my stomach.
Who in the world could that be?
That and...will I even have time to find him before it's too late?

I wipe at my face with my sleeve, before a voice speaks behind me. Smooth, but cold.

"Did the Heavens send me a fallen angel?"

I look behind me, and I see David, hands in his pockets with a smirk on his face.
My heart begins to pound.

He sits beside me without my consent, scooting closer to me, leaning in to my face. "What bothers you, dear?"
Dear?

I want to smack him across the face and run away, but fear keeps me sitting in my place.
I gulp. "No-nothing," I stutter, feeling smaller by the second being beside him.

He comes closer. "You're eyes say otherwise," he whispers.
I try and lean away. "I'm just...worried about my sister."
"You're sister?" He laughs, but it's a malicious sound.

Confusion takes hold of me.
"You should be," he grins at me, an evil, dirty smile. "She's dying."

Dying?!

Panic seizes my chest.
"What do you mean she's dying?!" I ask, shouting just a little, the fear of losing her to death making me shake and my voice crack.
She can't die...she just CAN'T!
How would I go on without her?!

David only smiles. "You can't fight your inner vampire for too long. Yet she has fought it for a very, very long time. I'm surprised she isn't dead yet."

"What are you saying?" I whisper, licking my lips that just went desert dry.
He looks at me, his face holding a leering smile that makes my instinct scream at me to runaway.

"She's going to die any day now," he chuckles, before his tongue licks his front teeth.
I shudder, pushing myself farther away from him before I get up on my feet.

He follows, slowly coming towards me.
I glance left and right, searching for my escape.
But there isn't none.

There's a stone wall on my right, and a ocean on my left.

He comes closer, so close until my back hits something behind me.
The stone wall.

He approaches me, throwing his arms on each side of me, blocking me within his grasp.
Panic has my heart pounding out of my chest.

"What are you gonna do to me?" I whisper.
He chuckles. "I've waited ten months for this moment," he reaches up and caresses my cheek.

I squirm from his stone cold touch.

"When I discovered that my Mate was going behind my back with that asshole Michael, I decided it was only right to get back at her. And you, my dear, are the one thing that'll make her break."

He leans in and runs a fang down my neck, and I scream before his hand reaches up and covers my mouth.
Tears stream down my face.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you yet," he whispers, the dirty, disgusting tone sinking in his voice. "Why don't we have some fun first?"

He leans in to kiss me, but I dodge it, kneeing him in the stomach.
He doubles over, and it's my chance to escape.

I run full speed away from him, looking over my shoulder at a furious David whose on my tail.
Soon, I feel his hand grab my hair, yanking me back and down on the sand.

I scream, fighting to get his hands off my hair, but it's no use.
His grip is too strong.
"You little brat!" He screams at me,"you've ruined EVERYTHING!"

He smacks me across my face before he begins to drag me towards the ocean.
I kick and scream, yelling for help from someone, anyone!

We're getting closer and closer to the ocean, and I know what his intentions are.
He's going to drown me.

He gets ankle deep, before suddenly another figure comes flying in and knocks him off his feet, sending David flying across the beach.

I gasp, sitting up, only to see Marko on top of David, holding him down and punching him in the face repeatedly.
"Go!" Marko screams at me before him and David roll. "Run!"

I get up on my feet, running and stumbling across the beach.
All I can think about is getting to Star.
I need to get her out of here!
I won't leave without her!

I run into the cave, screaming her name.
"Star!" I twist my ankle, rolling and falling on the hard cave floor.
I get right back up, despite the pain and blood running down my leg.

"Star!" I run into her room.
She lays still on her bed, her hair covering her face.
"Star!" I shake her, but she's not responding.

"STAR WAKE UP!" I scream at the top of my lungs, fear and panic pulsing through my veins.
Still, no response.

Oh god please don't be dead!
PLEASE!

I reach and feel her pulse, it's beating! But barely.
I lift her arm and throw it against my body, using all my strength to try and lift her.

Each time, either I stumble, or she falls.
"What's going on?!" Dwayne runs in.

YES!

"David's gone crazy!" I cry, getting Star back on my body. "I need to get her to a safe spot!"
I growl under my breath, lifting Star, before suddenly Dwayne scoops her bridal style in his arms and carries her like she weighs no more then a feather.

"Come on!" He nods towards the exit, and we both run outside.
Star hangs limp, eyes shut and arms hanging out.
Oh Lord please don't die on me Star!

We reach outside, and he puts Star on Marko's bike before he looks over to see the commotion happening down at the beach.
Marko is still fighting David, and it looks like he's winning.

David has blood running down his face, and he's starting to become weak.
"Marko!" I scream.

Dwayne looks at me. "Stay here!" He runs forward, down the hill to the beach.

I stand on the edge, watching it all.

***
MARKO

I hear Luna scream my name, and fear has me looking at her to see if she's alright.

She is, thank God. But it leaves me open for David to attack.
David comes flying at me, growling, before Dwayne suddenly steps in between us, punching David.

"Dwayne!" I shout.
"Go!" He says, "take her someplace safe!"

"Dwayne-"

"Marko!" Luna cries again, which snaps me into reality.
I take off running to her, panic climbing up the hill and going to where she is.

I grab her, hugging her tightly. "Are you okay?!" I scan her entire face and body, "did he touch you?!"
"No!" She cries, "but we need to go, Star-" she looks at her limp sister who is laying on my bike.

My eyes widen.

"We need to go!" I shout, getting behind Star that way her body leans against my chest.
Luna climbs on her bike.

We both kick start our bikes, and we speed out of there.
I can hear David scream behind me...

"This isn't over! You haven't seen the last of me! I'll kill everyone of you, you hear?! YOU'RE ALL DEAD!"

***
LUNA

We sped as fast as we can away from the cave, but we have no idea where we can go before the sun rises.
We have little time...

"Marko!" I shout, turning my bike and pulling into the boardwalk parking lot.
I have an idea.
He follows behind me. "Luna we need to move!"

I climb off my bike, running into the boardwalk entrance.
"LUNA!" Marko shouts, but he doesn't follow me, he stays with Star.

I run as fast as my feet can go, searching for two familiar faces.
It's risky, but I need to do this.
Marko can't face David alone if David comes and finds us.

We need others.

I run into the comic store, breathing heavily.
Alan and Edgar look at me.
"Please," I rush to them, "I need your help."