People Are Strange (The Lost Boys Anniversary Edition)

Chapter Three

Things seemed to simmer down somewhat between David and Dwayne after that late night display at Fay's place. It could have been that the two vampires were slowly getting used to each other's presence. Dwayne had made it very clear that he was not about to pack up and leave. Santa Carla was prime hunting territory with a surging transient population of wayward souls that went unnoticed by the local authorities. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up and he wanted a piece of it.

David was none too happy about the situation but in the end they came to an agreement that they could both live with. They each held dominion over their own actions and territory but if called upon would defend one another from any encroaching threats that came up from Los Angeles or down from San Francisco. The Boardwalk remained under David's control while Dwayne decided to settle on the other side of the San Lorenzo River.

Their combined territory grew and borders were secured. Two sets of eyes were always better than one and Dwayne proved himself to be a notable fighter and exceptional tracker.

Not long after his arrival in Santa Carla an incident arose where a lone werewolf wandered into the nearby redwood state park and caused a bit of trouble with a few hikers. Before the authorities could call in the park rangers to hunt down what was reported to be a rabid mountain lion Dwayne had tracked and killed the half-mad mongrel. All evidence of its existence was erased, though he did keep one of its long canine teeth as a trophy. This he turned into an earring that he wore in his left ear.

As the nights grew warmer during the slow weeks of May the local scene began to slowly come to life. The vast crowds would come later in the summer but there was enough foot traffic in the downtown sector to draw Dwayne out of hiding. David had crossed his path the day before and thanked him for taking care of the stray situation. Dwayne was granted a reprieve to wander at leisure through David's area and there was even an offer to join in on a hunt if he so chose to.

He was tempted to see David in action in order to get a better sense of what the other vampire was capable of. Yet there was something else that he had to do first. It was something that lurked in the back of his mind like a growing itch he really needed to scratch.

Having purchased, in cash, a second-hand motorcycle that was designed for speed and maneuverability rather than the typical power and chrome Dwayne took to the streets in order to get a better sense of the layout of the town on the ground. He had flown over the numerous streets a fair number of times and had mapped out the majority of it in his head. Yet some things just needed to be checked out up close and one of those things was a dance studio tucked away on the second floor of a small mid-town strip mall.

Castilla's Dance Studio was easy enough to miss from street level as the design of business sign was nothing eye-catching or colourful. But there was no mistaking the music that poured through the wide glass windows of the studio. With his heightened sense of hearing being as finely tuned as it was Dwayne could hear the pounding tempo of a top forty tune before he picked up the tell-tale scent of hair spray, perfume, and sweat.

He did not pull into the studio parking lot but drove past it in order to park his bike across the street. The eight o'clock class had ended and the dancers began to leave in small groups or pairs. The chatty teenage girls gossiped loudly as they climbed into a variety of waiting cars. No one seemed to notice him as he sat watching from the shadows. Soon enough the studio lot emptied until only a small yellow two-door Ford Fiesta remained. From where he was positioned Dwayne could see a pair of yellow eyes that peered out from underneath the car. A stray cat poked its head out for a moment as it looked around before it stretched and jumped into the hood of the car.

She really did have eyes everywhere.

Dwayne mulled over this thought as his eyes drifted away from the feline sentinel. There was movement in the windows that caught his attention. A solitary figure stood in full view as the loud music died down. With her wild dark hair tied back from her face Fay looked younger than she had the last time he had seen her. The outfit was an improvement though. Tights and leg warmers in purple and blue showed off a figure that her pink bathrobe had done a decent job of hiding from view.

Fay stretched and flexed without a care. She had no idea that he was there and that was the way he wanted it. She brought her leg up and over her head in a way that Dwayne did not think was even possible as the slow strumming of guitar chords began to play.

Love of my life, I don't have a lot to give you.
What's in my heart is all that I can really give you.
Love, undying love is all I have.
A handful of words that might make you laugh...

Dwayne sat back on the seat of his bike as he witnessed that special moment when a dancer slipped into the music and forgot the walls around them. Fay's eyes were closed the entire time as she slowly moved across the studio floor, each step a delicate balancing act on bare toes. The love ballad was embraced and recreated in a solo act that was as mesmerizing to watch as it was to preform. Fay floated along leading with her hand one moment or her head the next as her body twisted and bent into shapes that shifted into something more.

The faintest smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he watched the story she was telling play itself out. There was a longing in how her arms reached out to the empty space around her. Her torso arched and swayed with an invitation that was both innocent and sensual. She was dancing for someone she only knew in her dreams. Her feet brought her closer and also further away from reaching her desire that was just out of her reach.

When the song shifted to a deeper tempo Fay leapt into the air and twirled once, twice, three times in succession without missing a beat. Her landing shifted into a flourished twist and then she was down on the floor and out of sight. Her legs flashed behind the glass as she did a series of floor moves he could not quite make out from his vantage point. She flowed back into view at the end of the song as she wrapped her arms around herself and stilled, her head tilted back with one hand cradled against her neck. She held the pose as the song faded out to silence.

Dwayne sighed as he remembered to blink. When he looked back up at the studio Fay was still standing in full view. The only difference was that she was now staring out the window and her eyes were trained on him. He did not hesitate. He locked his gaze with hers for what felt like minutes until one of them looked away. Unlike Fay Dwayne no longer had the involuntary urge to blink so the vampire stare won the round.

Fay's eyes narrowed as she sent an angry feline hiss in his direction. Dwayne pulled his lips back and flashed his fangs in response. The startled expression on her face made him laugh out loud. Let her hiss all she wanted, she didn't own this stretch of town. Whatever agreement she had worked out with David did not apply to him because he never agreed to anything. Just as long as he kept out of her reach there was nothing Fay could do to him. So if he wanted to watch her dance he was going to do just that. He was going to figure this whole magic thing out one way or another. If it came with a show, then all the better for it.

Dwayne gave the annoyed witch a cheeky wink as he gunned the engine of his bike and pulled out onto the street. As he roared past the studio Fay did not miss her chance to get the last word in as it were. He did not miss the crude arm gesture she happily sent his way. He waved as he rode off in the direction of the Boardwalk. Maybe he would take David up on his offer after all. Dwayne was suddenly in the mood for something Italian and he had the whole night ahead to fulfill that craving.