The snow was dissipating when Winter drove up to her house, and she launched out of the car and up the steps, not caring that she parked in the middle of the road.
Once she saw the shattered living room windows, her body grew cold, and she darted up the steps, throwing open the front door and sprinted into the house.
“Mom!” she called. “MOM! WHERE ARE YOU?”
She made her way to her mother’s bedroom, the hallway that led to the kitchen, and her bedroom… no sign of her…
Pure panic burned her veins with frost, and she was hyperventilating to the point of where she felt light headed.
He’s coming…
This isn’t how I wanted you to find out…
WHO’S coming? Find out WHAT?
Did someone want her dead? Did they kidnap her?
“MOM!” she cried into the house, fighting down tears. “WHERE ARE YOU?”
Her sobs caught in her throat, temporarily choking her but she didn’t seem to care…
She was about to go to her mother’s bedroom again when she heard a low growl from behind her…
Like a dog…
But they didn’t have a dog…
She spun around… seeing a human-like shadow casting along the living room floor from the moonlight outside the windows…
It wasn’t Cam this time…
It was something else entirely…
Winter’s body froze in place when the shadow moved toward the kitchen’s entrance…
This wasn’t a human… this was growling like a dog…
But then it got closer to the kitchen, and she looked around for exits but there were none… just the entrance to her mom’s office…
So she grabbed a knife from a block on the counter, the ones that her mom always used to cook, and pointed it threateningly at the shadow…
But it creeped closer to the kitchen’s entrance, and closer…
Until it walked into her eyesight…
Winter’s eyes widened, breath catching…
It was a human-like figure with a long pointy tongue sticking out like it was taunting her… he had a bald head that was shaped like an upside down pear… skin a bright green… and back hunched like his spine was in a U shape.
She gulped when she noticed his long, sharp canines…
A monster…
He launched at her suddenly, faster than she could handle, and she screamed, slashing it with the kitchen knife but it wasn’t fazed at all, it just launched toward her again and threw her on the ground, knocking the breath out of her…
She fought back despite her being unable to breathe, reaching for the knife that slid across the floor when he tackled her…
Before she even knew it, his dagger-like canines sank into the skin of her neck, making her scream as his teeth burned her like fire…
She caught the knife then, stabbing him in the back, and he actually got off this time, rolling over in agony with some weird pain-filled growl, but she only rolled on top of him, stabbing him over, and over, and over again…
Until blood stained her shirt and hands…
And before she knew it, she fell off the demon and onto the kitchen floor, the blood inside her burning her veins like poison…
What’s happening to me…? she thought. Why can’t I move? Why does everything hurt…?
Winter felt the blood drip down her skin, leaving a cold, dark pathway from her neck to her chest, disappearing under the fabric…
I feel like I’m paralyzed… and I’m so tired…
She barely heard a door kick in before she left the real world, into the darkness of her mind…
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*****
Winter woke slowly, easing out of her dream world while she lay on something cold, but soft... and something warm draped over her chilled skin... she knew by the feeling... that it was a jacket.
When she opened her eyes, she looked around for a moment, taking in her surroundings before she saw a figure above her, staring off into the distance...
It was quite odd... she couldn’t see what it was... her sight was blurry as if she needed glasses...
She blinked slowly, still unable to move but couldn’t understand why...
Her arms and legs were paralyzed...
She pushed away her anxiety, staring back up at the figure who sat above her...
They clearly didn’t notice she was awake... just staring off into the distance...
She wondered what the figure was looking at...
The way they were sitting... and how close they were... she knew by the cushion under her head, that she was resting on their lap.
As her sight adjusted a bit, she attempted to say something, but her voice was lost in her throat... her throat that burned like fire...
She did make little quiet noises, though... and it caught their attention.
The figure looked down at her, though she couldn’t see it’s expression. “Oh, hey, there. How are you feeling?”
She recognized that voice...
Cameron.
She tried to speak again but failed.
“I know...” he whispered, “I’m sorry, Snowflake. I had to give you some holy water to counteract the venom.”
Wait a minute... Holy water? And venom?
How does blessed water stop venom?
“It does burn a little,” he stated, “so if your throat hurts, that’s why.”
How did he make it go down her throat?
“You fainted before,” he explained as if she said her thoughts aloud. “I managed to wake you up long enough to get you to drink it, and you fell back asleep.”
She was silent, just stared up at him.
“My— mo— m...” she managed to get out from her scratched throat.
“I don’t know where she is,” he said softly. “But what I do know, Snowflake, is that you’re not safe by yourself anymore.”
Oh, God... Where was this heading...?
“Now that you’re here with me,” his smile was all fox, “you’re not allowed to leave.”
She narrowed her eyes at him, wanting to say something along the lines, “You can’t kidnap me,” or maybe, “I’m not coming with you,” but she couldn’t speak.
He smiled at this. “From now on, Winter Evans. You’re mine to keep. Mine to protect. All mine.”
The look in his eyes told her he wasn’t joking in the slightest... there was a hardened look to them... possessive almost, but in a protective manner...
He’s not right... Something about him didn’t make sense...
Something’s not right...
But he looked back to the sky, smiling at the clouds...
It wasn’t a charming smile...
He was planning something... something bad... and she didn’t know what...
“So,” he said then, looking back down at her, “do you want to go back to the chai place? Get some warm tea down your throat, it might help the burning.”
She nodded slightly, unable to move still, so she opened her mouth to tell him but he pressed his finger to her lips. “No more talking, Snowflake. I’ll carry you there, I know you can’t walk.”
Her eyes rounded at the thought of this creepy boy holding her and taking her places when her voice was too scratched to call for help.
He might tell her where they’re going, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t lying.
But he lifted her head off his lap, knowing fully that she was dead weight but didn’t care, just lifted her up and cradled her to his chest.
Oh, God... No, no, no...
She didn’t trust him enough...
She attempted to squirm in his hold, but she was only moving a little, and it made him look down at her with his brows raised. “Why are you struggling? Are you not comfy?”
She shook her head, attempting to say, No, I’m not comfy, but he took it the opposite way.
“You are, that’s good.”
His bare arms were pressed under her knees and back, and she could feel the warmth radiate off him in waves...
No... she was starting to enjoy this...
Damn it...
Why couldn’t she control herself?
Fighting him harder, she managed to squirm a little more, but was too weak to push against his chest and relaxed for a moment, catching her breath.
He was smiling down at her, clearly in amusement.
When she looked to his expression, she glared, shoving against his chest but he didn’t even sway...
Why won’t he let go?
She squirmed harder, only making him hold her tighter, but she managed to relax in his arms, catching her breath again.
“You’re wearing yourself out, Snowflake,” he stated then, watching her breathe. “Struggle all you want, I won’t let go.”
“Why?” she said, her voice raspy.
“Because I don’t want to.”
She glared, fighting again, but he only sighed, pressing her harder against him until her face met the bare skin of his neck.
She froze for a moment, feeling his skin lightly rub against her cheek...
How could someone so pale... be so warm and soft...?
One of his hands started caressing her back in soft circular motions, almost as if he were attempting to calm her...
“I’m not letting go,” he whispered in her ear. “As I said, you’re mine to protect... All mine....”
She didn’t move away from his neck even though her body screamed at her to... she just held herself there, letting his warmth deepen into her skin...
I swear on my still-beating heart...
If his heart was still... then how was he so warm...?
“I’ll take you back to the cafe, alright?”
Silence.
“Order you a chai?”
Silence.
“Are you asleep already?” He chuckled, his voice buzzing in her ear.
She shook her head.
“Okay, then, I’ll take you there, and then I’ll take you to my place.”
Silence.
“I was kind of expecting you to freak out there...” he admitted. “But I guess not, huh?”
“Sc... Sch... School...” she whispered.
He only smiled. “No more school for you, Snowflake. I’m not letting you go. Ever.”
“No... I... need to go... tomorrow... go... to college....”
“Believe me when I say this, Sweetheart,” he said, “you don’t need to get a job.”
“W... why?”
“Because I have a butt load of money. Enough to last us a lifetime.”
“How...?”
“I’m not answering that without a lawyer present, Evans. Don’t question me.”
She gave up then, staring off into the distance as he started walking.
They were under a tree before... the white specks of snow catching on the leaves above them... So there was a patch of grass under the tree that was left out from all the other frost.
Winter recognized this place... it was the park a couple blocks from her house...
She watched the moonlight reflect off the metal of the playground... and a memory flashed across her vision...
Green skin... pointy tongue... dark eyes...
She touched the spot on her neck where he bit her... and she winced when the two holes in her neck burned with her touch...
Cam seemed to notice her flinch, and he looked to her. “You okay?“
She pointed to her neck. “There was... a... mon... ster... and he... bit me....”
Cameron only chuckled, holding her a little higher. “He wasn’t a ‘monster,’ Snowflake, he was a rogue vampire.”
She froze.
“They become rogue when they commit too many sins,” he explained. “Their bodies turn green, their tongues grow, and they become greedy and want blood all the time. They don’t really care what they do to get it.”
Vampire? Sins? Monsters?
What the hell was going on? She didn’t understand anymore!
“Are you... messing... with me...?” she said then, a little annoyance in her tone.
“Sadly, no,” he stated. “You should believe me, you saw him.”
She froze again, body turning cold. “He... bit me! Am I... sick?”
“No,” he said, “you won’t turn into one. I made sure of it.”
A sudden thought crossed her mind...
Holy water...
That’s why he gave it to her...
“You cold?” he said suddenly. “You’re shaking. Do you want a little closer?”
“No…” she whispered. “Don— Ahh!”
He dropped her legs suddenly, holding under her thighs with his arm and used his other to press her head to his chest.
“Umm…” she uttered.
“Are you still not comfy?” he wondered curiously.
“N… no…” she said then, “you… j… just… surpris… ed… me….”
He only chuckled. “I’m going to run, okay? We’ll get there faster.”
She shook her head. “I don’t… want to call the… pol— police… because you had a hear— heart attack… when you’d… try to run for the first time… in a couple… years….”
“Are you saying I’m unhealthy?” He gave her an annoyed, but amused look.
She only smiled.
He shook his head in defeat, holding onto her tighter. “I’m going to run in three, two….”
“I… don’t need you… to count do—”
“One.”
Before she could utter another word, the world launched by them in light speed, making a choked cry escape her burning throat, and she clutched onto Cam with the little strength she had left.
The lights from the houses and buildings flashed across her vision, making her head spin, and her stomach sank to her feet as if she’d been falling off a cliff.
“C— Cam!” she cried. “Too fast!”
He only held her tighter, chuckling low in her ear. “Oh, relax. We’re almost there.”
And he stopped suddenly, making her lurch forward but his grip only tightened, almost knocking the breath out of her when she was pressed against him again like his arms were a safety belt.
“We’re here,” he said as if what he just did was normal.
She was gasping, clenching onto him like he were the only thing preventing her from sinking into hell.
He started rubbing her back gently as if to calm her, but didn’t say anything.
“How…” she whispered, tightening her grip on the back of his shirt. “Do you have… roller skates with rockets attached to them or something?”
“Don’t you ever question why I just keep on vanishing?” he wondered.
“I thought you were just a fast runner…” she admitted, “like… you ran track or something….”
“You think a normal person can run that fast?”
“I thought… you… would hide behind things to freak me out….”
She seemed to discard the “normal person” comment he made.
“No, Snowflake,” he said. “I don’t.”
Her grip still didn’t loosen.
“I won’t do it again,” he promised, “when I’m holding you, okay?”
She nodded, and he stepped into the café, her still in his arms.
When he made it to the tan-colored booth, he sat down with her in his lap.
“Cam…” she said, a little of her voice coming back, “I don’t want to sit in—”
“I know. Give me a second,” he interrupted, scooting a little in before setting her on the other side of him.
When he took his hands off her, she realized last minute that she didn’t even have enough strength to sit up, and she fell forward, face inches from the table when Cam caught her, chuckling.
“I’ll let you lean on me,” he said, guiding her to rest on his side before she could respond. “There, better?”
Her eyes moved to his arm that was wrapped around her, hand resting above her hip. “Do you… have to put it there?”
“I have to make sure you don’t fall again.” He was smiling. “Either this, higher or lower.”
She looked to her chest, then to her thigh, heart pounding. “Never mind….”
He chuckled. “That’s what I thought.”
But he waved at a waitress, catching her attention and she moved over to them, smiling. “Hello, ready to order?”
“Yes,” he said, “I’d like a chai with some espresso and…” he moved his gaze to Winter, who was staring off into space lazily, “what do you want, Honey?”
“Regular…” she murmured.
He watched her stance for a moment before returning his gaze to the waitress. “Just a traditional spiced, decaf.”
“Alright,” she said, scraping down to order into a small notebook. “That’s all?”
“That’s all.”
She smiled down at them. “You didn’t hear this from me, but you guys are a cute couple.”
Cam chuckled, then looked to Winter who wasn’t fazed by the waitress’s comment at all, just staring off into space, eyes darkening.
“I’ll be back with your drinks,” she said.
“Thank you,” Cam stated, and watched her walk off.
He then looked to Winter, watching her dark expression before snapping his fingers in front of her eyes, making her jump.
She shot a glare at him, but he wasn’t smiling now, just studying her curiously. “Something’s off about you,” he said, “what’s up?”
“I just got bitten from a vampire,” she snapped, “what else?”
He continued watching her. “There’s something else, too. About your mother. You’re scared.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Yeah,” he countered, “you are. Why else would you take off after a panicked phone conversation? And then when I come into your house—which by the way, has broken windows like it was robbed—I see you on the floor, passed out with a knife in your hand, and a dead vampire next to you which has… what… a hundred stab wounds in his chest?”
She was silent.
“You killed him,” he said, “and stabbed him multiple times, repetitively.”
“He bit me,” she said.
“You could’ve ran.”
“I could’ve, and he probably would’ve followed me. And I would’ve collapsed with the venom he had.”
“You stabbed him in the back,” Cam stated, “I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t.”
“I didn’t know that. I was panicking.”
“Clearly,” he said.
She was silent.
“I’m not saying you shouldn’t have done that,” he stated. “I’m just proving a point.”
“What ‘point?’”
“You said you were panicking,” he said.
“Duh. Who wouldn’t?”
“Okay, drop the tude,” he said.
She was silent, eyes slightly glistening from tears, but she blinked it away.
“Winter,” he said then, “you were panicking. You were scared.”
No response.
“Snowflake,” he uttered, studying her dark features, “why did your mom call you?”
Silence.
“You are going to answer me,” he demanded.
“It’s nothing.”
“You’re lying.”
“I’m not confiding in you. I don’t even know if you’re involved.”
“Involved?” he echoed. “In what?”
“I don’t know,” she said then, “maybe you’re staking me because you want something from me. I’m probably the only kid in school who has no one who cares about me, so I’m an easy target. You decided to take my mother out of the picture so I had no one left, right? What’s next? Kill her? Demand something from me? Take me? And if I try to resist you, you’re going to do something drastic? Sadistic? Make me watch you torture her? Why else would you show up in my life?”
He was silent for a moment.
“Okay, one, you watch too many cop shows. Two, I’m not sadistic and I don’t torture people, okay? Three, I’m not the one who took your mom and I have no idea what’s going on. And four, I don’t want anything from you, alright?”
“So, you’re saying you’ll let me go then.”
“Oh,” he said, chuckling coldly, “nice loop-hole, Evans. But, you didn’t let me finish. I don’t want anything from you other than keeping you safe.”
“Yeah,” she said sarcastically, “I totally believe you. Because stalking me, freaking me out, and shoving burning water down my throat—which by the way, I don’t remember—is totally making me feel safe.”
“You’re right,” he said, “that’s not the only thing I want from you. But I already told you before, you’re mine, Winter.”
She was silent.
“You are now,” he said, “but I’m not going to hurt you, I can promise you that I won’t hurt you, Snowflake.”
“You won’t,” she stated. “But that doesn’t mean you don’t have buddies that wil—”
“I don’t have buddies,” he interrupted, “and I won’t let any harm come to you.”
She looked to him then, narrowing her eyes. “Why?”
“Because you’re mine now, Winter Evans. Mine to protect, mine to keep. All mine.”
And he pulled her closer as if his words weren’t meant to be threatening, running his gentle fingers through her hair.
“What are you doing?” she questioned, but her voice was growing silent as if this gesture calmed her.
“Quiet, now,” he whispered, pulling his coat more over her arms, “and get under my jacket more. You’re freezing.”
“Don’t tell me what to do,” she snapped, but her tone faltered.
He turned toward her, pulling her face into the crook of his neck suddenly and making a gasp escape her mouth.
And he started rubbing her back again in long gentle motions.
She melted into him slightly.
“What were you saying?” he said, chuckling.
“You’re making me tired…” she said, attempting to press her hands to his chest but her elbows buckled, and she fell further into him.
“Good,” he said. “She’s coming with the drinks, alright? So don’t fall asleep yet, Snowflake.”
But he still didn’t stop rubbing her back.
“Here you are,” the waitress said, setting the cups on the table. “Anything else?”
“Nope,” Cam said, “thanks.”
And she walked away.
He looked down to Winter, who was limp in his arms like a rag doll, and he chuckled. “Has no one ever rubbed your back before?”
She shook her head.
“I can tell,” he said, tilting his head to the side. “Do you want me to stop?”
She shook her head.
“Just a couple hours ago, you told me not to touch you.”
She was silent after, but managed to push her arms against his chest, attempting to sit up but her elbows buckled again, and he chuckled when she collapsed back onto his lap.
“Why are you making fun of me…?” she whispered.
“I’m not,” he said. “Just amused, that’s all.”
“Because I’m too weak to fight back?” she countered.
“That’s part of it.”
She gave him a look.
He only smiled, grabbing under her armpits. “C’mon. I’ll help you sit up and drink your chai before it gets cold.”
Seconds later, she was sideways in his lap, staring up at him with heated cheeks before he grabbed her chai, holding it out to her.
She stared down at the cup, but didn’t take it.
“It’s not poisoned,” he stated.
She was silent.
“Are you not taking it because you can’t hold it?” he asked then, amused.
She nodded slightly as if embarrassed.
“Do you want my help?” he said.
Another nod.
He raised the chai to her mouth, and she instinctively sealed her lips when it got closer.
“I won’t choke you,” he said, “promise.”
She still didn’t trust him.
“Okay,” he said, sighing in defeat, “how about a deal, huh? Raise your hand when you’re done with a sip, okay? And if I don’t listen, you get to punch me as hard as you want.”
She smiled then, though evilly.
“Deal?” he said.
She opened her mouth then, letting him press the rim of the cup to her lips and tilt the liquid down her throat.
Her cheeks heated when the warmth of the milk soothed the chills running through her body, and the scent of the cinnamon calmed her anxiety.
And she rose her hand, Cam taking the cup from her lips and waiting for her to swallow.
She did and opened her mouth again, letting him tilt the liquid down her throat again, and rose her hand.
This went on for twenty minutes until the cup was finished, and she rested in his lap, still not strong enough to sit up on her own.
“There, better?” he said. “Still don’t trust m—”
She punched him in the gut, making him lurch forward a little while sucking in a breath.
He looked to her when most of the pain subsided, glaring. “What the hell?”
“Sorry,” she said, smiling, “my hand just twitched. I think I’m getting a little feeling back.”
He grabbed her arm and pulled her against him then, making a little gasp escape her lips. “You’re going to regret that.”
But despite the threat, he pulled the jacket over her arms, rubbing her back again as she melted into him, once more.
“Stop…” she said then.
“Why?”
“You’re making me….”
“Tired?” he finished. “I know, that’s the point.”
“I don’t want to sleep,” she whispered, easing in his grip. “What if you take me to a pimp or something…?”
“No more crime shows for you, Evans,” he said, chuckling. “It’s getting in your head.”
“Why am I… fading…?” she whispered.
“Because you’re exhausted,” he responded in a gentler voice. “From the stressful day, and from the vampire venom getting out of your system. Go to sleep.”
“No….”
“Go to sleep, Snowflake,” he whispered.
“You can’t make me.”
He chuckled. “Oh, yes, I can. And you can yell at me for it in the morning.”
Before she could process his words, he pressed his hand to her forehead, something cold emanating from his palm, and her eyes weighed down.
“What are you doing…?” she questioned. “Stop… it… no… stop….”
But she went limp in his arms, and he caught her head before it fell to the table again.
“Just a little warning,” he said despite her not listening, “you’ll have that dream again, and I’ll make it happen again and again. Until you understand, Winter.”
And he pressed her head to his chest, throwing some ten dollar bills onto the table and took his cup of tea and espresso, holding under her hips as he stepped out of the restaurant.
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