My first thought when I woke up was that my body ached, and it ached quite a bit, and I felt tired. There was a sleepiness to my bones that I couldn't shake even as I began to collect myself. It was also incredibly dark, so dark that I couldn't even see my hands stretched out in front of me. Where was I? The last thing I remembered was passing out on the couch.

I pulled myself off the ground slowly. The floor was stone, and when I reached around for a bit, I found that the walls were stone, too. The only place I could think to be was the cave, but if I was, I was pretty far back. I dropped back onto the ground with a sigh. There was no point in trying to figure my way out considering I couldn't see anything.

I patted my pockets, trying to figure out if I had any matches with me only to realize that I was wearing someone else's jacket. I hadn't even noticed until now, but as I ran my hand down the front, I knew it was David's. It was long, falling to below my knees if I stood up, and it was incredibly warm. I smiled to myself and closed it around me, leaning against the wall behind me.

I closed my eyes and took slow breaths. It was incredibly quiet, the only noise being a dripping somewhere near me. Then, there was the sound of boots followed by a flashlight shining through a hole in the room. I lifted myself again, keeping close to the wall.

"Ivy," a voice I easily recognized as Marko called out. I called back to him, and he stepped into the room a few moments later, shining the light in my eye as he looked for me.

I winced and covered my face with my hands. "Marko, you dumbass, stop that!" My voice was lighthearted, and he laughed at my exclamation.

He pulled the light away and angled it towards the ceiling so the room was flooded with light. I gave him a smile and dropped my hands. He sauntered up and placed his hand on the wall by my head, leaning in close to my face. "So, uh, you come here often?"

We both fell into giggles, and he pulled away. I grabbed his coat, though, and pulled him forward, wrapping my arms around his neck in a tight hug. His arms wound around my waist, and he let out a deep breath. "This is nice," I mumbled against his coat, and he hummed an affirmation. "Why am I all the way back here?" I questioned as we pulled away from each other.

Marko froze for a moment before taking my hand in his and leading me away from the room, the flashlight as our source of light. "Well, we didn't want to leave you out in the sunlight because it'd be uncomfortable for you. You just ended up sleeping longer than we expected."

"Why would the sunlight be uncomfortable?" I asked only for everything to click into place. I stopped walking, and Marko's hand slipped from my grasp. "You did what I think you did, didn't you?" Had they turned me?

Marko hung his head as he answered. "You were going to die."

I was silent for a few moments before I nodded. "Okay," I said simply and took his hand in mine again.

"Okay?"

I laughed under my breath. "You did what you had to. Thank you."

I began walking again, and he followed, but he didn't talk. The rest of the walk was incredibly short, and I wasn't as far into the cave as I originally thought I was. As we emerged into the fully lit living area, I smiled at the boys and sat down on one of the couches. Marko went off in another direction, and Paul jumped over the back of the couch to sit beside me. He looked worried, but I wasn't sure why.

"Are you okay?" I asked, throwing my legs over his lap.

He responded by pulling me over until I was sitting on his lap, facing the others. He placed his head on my shoulder. "Aren't I supposed to ask you that, Ivy?"

"So, we're using my first name now? Odd." I raised one of my hands to comb through his hair the best I could with how teased it was. "I'm fine, Paul. Don't worry about me."

Paul grumbled lowly. "You always use that line."

I sighed. "Well, this time I mean it." I paused. "Right?" The question was aimed towards David who was sitting in his wheelchair, his leg thrown over one side. Marko returned from wherever he ran off to and dropped down beside Dwayne on the second couch, leaning his head on the brunette's shoulder. "I'm okay now, right?"

David's eyes were guarded as he looked at me, but he nodded. "Yes, you're okay now."

I licked my lips. "Well, then, what am I now?" Paul's arms tightened around my waist, and neither Dwayne nor Paul met my eyes as David responded.

"You're a half-vampire now, Ivy."

After a long bout of explanation that I only halfway remembered, I knew a few things. It wouldn't hurt to go out in the sun as a half-vampire, but it definitely wasn't recommended; it would kill me when I became a full vampire. Holy water wouldn't necessarily kill you unless you were completely submerged in it, but it would burn like hell if you got any on you. Churches were also off-limits. Garlic didn't do anything. As a half-vampire, I would be able to see through myself, and when I turned completely, I wouldn't be able to see myself at all. Marko said it was a bitch if you wanted to wear makeup, but it was a big boost in self-confidence, not being able to see yourself all the time. Lastly, you can enter a house uninvited, but if you are invited, none of the aforementioned things would do any harm to you.

Paul apologized about thirty different times throughout for turning me without my consent which led to me kissing him to make him stop. The kiss led to us making out for a few minutes before I realized there was still more to talk about.

I told the boys about the people in the forest, everything I knew about them and the encounters I had had since moving to Santa Carla. Dwayne had almost immediately gone to his makeshift library, looking for absolutely anything and everything that could explain what they were. David had stood up and left half-way through my explanation; the boys explained that he most likely just needed a moment to process everything.

Once I was done explaining everything, Paul and Marko disappeared and reappeared multiple times, each time bringing huge blankets and pillows until there was a nice palette in the middle of the room. Then, we laid down together, me between the two boys. Led Zeppelin played in the back at a low volume, and Paul would mumble the lyrics every now and then.

Marko was wrapped around my back, his head near my shoulders and his legs tangled in mine. Paul was lower and in front of me, his face pressed against my stomach and his arms around my hips; he claimed that it was comfortable there, and I didn't mind that much.

I was content and had almost begun to fall asleep again when the tape we were listening to ended abruptly. I sniffled loudly, and Marko pressed a kiss to my shoulder. "Marko," I grumbled, blinking my eyes so I could clear them. "We have to stop by my home sometime soon."

Marko hummed questioningly. "Why do we have to do that?"

"I have to let my aunt know that I'm okay considering I didn't go home last night. I know she's probably not that worried, but I would still like to stop by in case she is."

His arms tightened around me, and he shook his head. "No, it's not safe out there for you, angel."

"Then you guys can come with me," I reasoned.

"But I'm comfortable," he said, "and I don't want to leave."

I let out a groan and rolled over until I was straddling Marko. Paul let out a snore at the loss of contact and blinked up at me. "Hey," he whined, sitting up. I hadn't realized he had fallen asleep.

Marko was staring up at me, his eyebrows raised and a small smirk on his face. "We have to go. I'll even ride your bike if you want me too."

"That's not the only thing you can -"

Marko was cut off by Paul's voice. "Bike? Are we going somewhere?"

We glanced at him before falling into giggles by ourselves while he stared helplessly at us. "C'mon, Marko," I whined once we had calmed down. "Please?"

Marko huffed loudly before nodding. "Fine, okay, whatever," he said.

"Yes!" I placed a kiss to his forehead quickly before standing and reaching my hand out to help him up. "If we get there fast enough, she might let me back out!" I helped Paul up as well who looked like he still didn't understand what was happening. "And if she doesn't let me out, then, I can invite y'all into my room. We'll have an actual bed, then."

"We have actual beds here, though - in the back," Paul responded. "This used to be a hotel, y'know. Didn't we tell you that?"

I stared at them. "Then, why are we out here?"

Paul shrugged. "In case the other two wanted to join."

"Then why didn't you put me on a bed when you turned me?"

The two boys faltered and looked at each other. "That's a good question," Marko mumbled.

I rolled my eyes and laughed a bit. "Well, either way, come on." I jumped onto Paul's back who caught me after stumbling a few steps forward from the unexpected attack. I yelled a goodbye to Dwayne who was sitting against one of the cave walls. He gave me a smile in return, and then Paul led the three of us up the stairs and to the bikes easily. David's bike was missing from the usual group of parked bikes, and I found myself lingering at the trail going off before jumping onto Marko's bike. Then, we were off.

The loud roar of the bikes had become a familiar sound to me, and it was almost comforting. It would have been a nice feeling if it wasn't for the fact that the boys always drove like bats out of hell. They moved so quickly and went down so many shortcuts that I hadn't even realized we had pulled up to my house until the boys came to an abrupt halt.

I went to climb off only for Marko to grab my hand and pull me back down harshly. "Marko?" I questioned. He hushed me and shut off his bike. Paul followed his lead, and we were immersed in the quiet night. Both of them had their noses up in the air, taking deep breaths like dogs, and I didn't understand until a sickly sweet scent filled my nostrils. It smelled like a sugary wine or caramel when it was freshly made. "What's that?"

The boys shared a worried look between them, so I called out their names. Marko was the one to respond. "It's blood."

"Blood?" Why would it smell like blood? I was quiet for a few moments, and then I was sent into a frenzy. "My family!"

I pushed Marko's hand away and climbed off the bike quickly, sprinting towards the house as fast as I could. The boys called after me, and I could hear them chasing me, telling me to stop and wait, but I didn't. The front door was slightly ajar. I flung it open, and my senses were filled with that same sweet smell. I called out for my mom, and then for my aunt, over and over again.

Someone grabbed my hand, but I pulled away just as fast and began jogging throughout the first floor, looking for any sign of them, and when I didn't find them, I ran up the staircase. The smell was growing stronger and stronger until I was standing in front of my bedroom door. My hand hovered over the doorknob.

They were calling my name again, but this time, they were right behind me. "Come on, Ivy," Marko whispered. "Go outside, please. Let us check first."

I so desperately wanted to take his offer. I knew I didn't want to see what was waiting for me in my bedroom, but I knew I had to see it. I needed to see it. Maybe they were okay and this was just a big misunderstanding.

My hand was on the doorknob. I just had to twist it. I just had to-

The door opened, and my breath left my throat, my head empty as I stared at the scene in front of me. My mother was in a sitting position on my bed, her throat slit open and her eyes wide, but I could see even without the injuries that there was no life behind her eyes. My aunt was slumped against the wall near an open window. The bloodied curtains blew in with the wind while she laid there still. It looked like someone had bashed her head against the wall until it had split, the crack coming so far forward that it made its way down her forehead.

I took one gasp of breath and then another, and then I was collapsing to the ground in my doorway while my boys yelled my name.