Winter and Cameron sat at her favorite chai shop, Kit-Cat Cafe the next day, waiting for their order of sub sandwiches so he could take her somewhere.
She sat at the table, staring lazily off into space as a waiter walked up to her and Cameron, placing a tray down onto the place-mat in front of her.
“There you are. Anything else?”
Winter looked to Cameron who shook his head. “No, we’re good for now, thanks.”
She nodded and walked off through the double doors of the kitchen.
Cameron pushed Winter’s plate to her with a finger, and she watched him with her brows pinched together when he said, “Eat.”
“I was planning on it,” she stated. “What am I going to do, feed it to my cat?”
He chuckled. “You don’t have a cat, Snowflake.”
“I want one.”
He shook his head in defeat, then nodded to her food. “Eat.”
“Fine,” she muttered, purposly sounding dramatic.
She picked up her food from her plate and lifted it to her mouth, seeing Cameron look at her with a tilted smile.
“What?” she said, thoughts tumbling.
He looked as if he were trying not to laugh. “It’s bigger than your face.”
She looked down to the sub sandwich, noting layers of ham, cheese, and tomatos. “I know, I have to extend my jaw like a snake to eat this.”
He started laughing then, Winter watching him with raised brows as he calmed.
“Are you sure you’re not still high?” she questioned.
“Pretty sure, yes.”
“Okay.” And she went back down to stare at her sandwich, eyeing it curiously as Cameron watched her with an amused glint in his eyes.
“Do you want me to cut it up?” he said.
She gave him a look. “No, mom.”
He laughed softly. “I’m not entirely sure that’s how the joke goes, Snowflake.”
She titled her chin up. “It goes how I want it to go.”
“Alright,” he said, dropping it.
He stared at her as she managed to take a bite off the corner of the sandwich, chewing it like it was a mouthful.
He had to hold back a laugh that got caught in his throat, temporarily choking him.
“Alright...” she said, swallowing it down, “do it....”
She pushed the plate with the sandwich to him as he chuckled and pulled a butter knife out from a folded napkin.
She watched him start cutting the bread... Skillfully... like he was a master chef at some point.
But she looked behind him, staring off into space...
She couldn’t believe it... that vampires were real... that magical beings existed, angels... demons... all of them were real, not just tales or stories...
“Winter,” Cameron said, making her eyes shoot to his, “are you even listening?”
“No,” she said honestly.
He looked behind him to what she was staring at, and turned to her when he found no one. “Was there a cute guy?”
“No.”
They were both silent after.
A moment later, he saw her yawn, then watched her own finger trace the scrape lines some people left on the table.
“Tired?” Cameron wondered.
She moved her gaze to him. “A little.”
“Did you sleep well last night?”
“Yes,” she responded, staring back down at the table.
He chuckled, mocking her and rested his cheek on his hand, but while her pose was more lazy and exhausted, his looked amused and seductive.
She had to move her gaze away when something hot coiled in her navel.
“So, Winter Evans,” he said then, tilting his head to the side, “let’s make a deal.”
She looked at him then. “What deal?”
His smile was all fox. “Why don’t we go to the amusement park, and ride the highest ride.”
“What’s in it for me?” she said.
“Nothing,” he responded slyly, “because you have no choice.”
“What if I’m afraid of heights?” She narrowed her eyes.
Cameron grinned. “You’re not. I know that very well.”
Winter rolled her eyes.
“If you scream,” he said, making her eyes lock with his again, “you have to go swimming with me.”
“And if I don’t?”
The madness was back in his expression again... the same icy blue tint glowing in his eyes. “I don’t think we’ll have to worry.”
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*****
It was around two in the afternoon when Cameron and Winter walked into Dunston Stream‘s amusement park, screams echoing against the metal fences as the rides rattled through Winter’s ears.
A lot of the places in this city were named after their founder, the Dunston family. They funded most of this place and helped build a lot of the stores in this city.
Winter looked over to Cameron as he gave her a menacing smile.
“What?”
“Scared?” he wondered curiously.
“No.”
He only laughed softly, dragging her across the sidewalks as she managed to glance around, taking in her surroundings.
There was a mini arcade shed on her right, the walls painted a glistening white, and on the other side, there were hot dog, cotton candy, and pretzle stands.
It was like a carnival.
With really scary rides.
Winter looked up to where Cameron was half-dragging her, and noticed a tall roller coaster almost reaching the clouds.
And her eyes rounded.
He was taking her there?
“Cameron,” she said, pulling at his sleeve.
He turned to her, tilting his head to the side curiously as if to say, hmm?
“Where are we going...?”
“Don’t worry,” he said, chuckling, “we’re not going on there.” He grinned then. “Unless you’re feeling like a dare-devil.”
Wait... what?
Didn’t he say he was taking her on the highest ride and dared her not to scream?
Her heart pounded at his smile. “Where are you taking me if you’re not taking me on there?”
“Somewhere fun.”
Oh, so he lied.
“Is it the club again?” she wondered, glancing around for another entrance.
He shook his head. “No, someplace better.”
She dug in her heels then, making him almost fall over.
“Tell me,” she said when he gave her an annoyed look.
He sighed. “Really? Not going to trust me?”
“I want to know, Cameron.”
“And I want a million dollars. We all can’t get what we want.”
She looked down to his arm. “Let me go.”
He smiled. “No.”
“No?” she echoed in disbelief.
He only threw her legs out from under her, stealing a little gasp before he carried her to the right, where a resturaunt rested.
“Are we going here?” she wondered curiously after glaring at him.
“You’ll see.”
“Why can’t you tell me?”
“Because it’s a secret.”
She was silent after that.
Cameron did carry her in there, though, setting her down onto a booth and scooting in next to her.
Why were they here? What was he planning? Why did he lie to her?
“Ready to order?” a waiter said suddenly, snapping Winter out of her thought process.
When the hell did she get there...?
She probably was a vampire...
Did Winter have to question whether every human was a vampire or not?
“Yes,” Cameron said, making Winter look at him curiously, “we’ll order the spagetti.”
Spagetti?
Where did this come from? Did he even look at the menu?
“Also,” he said gesturing to Winter with a wave, “it’s her birthday.”
Hold on... how did he know that...?
Also... what day was it?
“Ooh,” the waitress said, “happy birthday, erm....”
“Winter,” Cameron said.
“Pretty name,” she commented, smiling gently. “Happy birthday, Winter. I’ll go get your food.”
She almost left, but she caught herself and turned. “Oh, I almost forgot. Drinks?”
“Chai and cola, please,” he stated.
“Of course.” And she walked away.
“Cameron...” Winter said, “what day is it?”
“October twenty-fifth,” he responded.
Your birthday’s tomorrow... he told her thoughts.
She was focusing too much on how the dreadful date was coming up... and how her mother was kidnapped...
Oh, God... her mother was kidapped... How was she supposed to save her when time was not on their side?
If Cameron was right... and someone was killing her family on this certain date... she had eleven days to escape him and save her mother...
Eleven...
“Hey,” Cameron said, making her eyes shoot to his, “why are you so quiet? Why are you staring outside? Is there someone there?”
Did he not hear her thoughts...? Odd...
“No...” she answered, shaking her head. “Just thinking.”
“About?”
“Life, Liberty, and the Persuit of Happiness,” she joked not for the first time.
“Really?”
“Yeah,” she said, “oh, and freedom... which by the way, you have taken from me.”
“I thought you were over this.” He rolled his eyes, exhaling.
Her lips tilted when he rested his arms on the table, staring at the football game displaying on the TV.
“Cameron?” she said.
“What now?”
“Don’t sound so pissy,” she snapped. “I was messing with you.”
He gave her an annoyed look but with a small smile. “Now who’s pissy?”
She shook her head in defeat and stared back out the window, lost in thought.
“Your thoughts are fast,” Cameron noticed, giving her a once-over. “And you’re tense. What’s up?”
She looked down at the table, finding the perfect loop-hole. “Well, for one, my father and sister’s dead... for two, I have no idea where my mom is... and three? Oh, yeah, someone wants to kill me.”
“Winter...” Cameron said sympathedically, taking the bait.
Should she have told him about everything going on in her head? Would he be able to help her save her mother?
“Cameron?” she said then, deciding to ask him a sudden question. “How many people have you killed?”
He was originally staring at the game but moved his gaze to her. “Why are you asking me this?”
“Just curious.” She stared out the window again.
“Are you still questioning my motives?”
“Maybe,” she admitted. “But I’m really just curious.”
“You’re far from curious, Winter,” he stated. “You’re dwelling on it.”
She was silent.
“I can read your mind,” he said then. “I know when certian thoughts are repeating. You’re arguing with yourself. You want to escape, but another part of you wants to stay. So you’re asking me these questions to try to give yourself a reason to leave.”
She still focused on what lay behind the glass, attempting to ignore him because she knew he was trying to get in her head.
She watched the children jumping while their parents guided them to the roller coaster, the rides sparking as each car passed on the metal rails, the embers dissipating in thin air...
Her lashes lowered when she realized that she and her stepdad used to be like this... laughing together, having fun together...
And now what was she supposed to do...? Save her mother? Stop this person from hurting her family?
Who even was this person?
A sudden frosty ocean washed through her veins...
Kit...
It was Kit...
Why?
What did she do? Why did everyone she loved die?
Could she even confide in anyone? With this weight and guilt?
“Winter,” Cameron said suddenly, “what’s going on? Something’s wrong, I can tell.”
“Nothing’s wrong,” she said instinctively.
“Wint—”
“Here you are,” the waitress said, setting a large plate of spagetti in the middle of the table, followed by chai next to Winter, and cola next to Cameron. “Is that everything?”
Cameron nodded, smiling gently. “Yes, thank you.”
And she walked off, once again.
“Good service, huh?” he said, sliding a fork out of the napkin and spiraling spagetti onto it.
Winter nodded. “Expensive, too.”
“I don’t mind,” he said, giving her a gentle grin. “I get to spoil you.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Ahhh,” he said, hovering the fork a little over her lips.
“Ahhh,” Winter said, opening her mouth until he slid the food in.
She let a small giggle escape without realizing it.
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