Winter woke to a feeling of softness rubbing against her arms, and gentle cushion under her back.
When her lashes slightly parted, she stared up at the ceiling, watching a shadow of a tree blowing in the wind.
She looked over to the window, seeing a large oak with little bits of leaves leftover from the fall.
She then looked around, attempting to see where she was.
Winter was lying on a bed with a wooden frame and silk sheets, a large, feathery blanket draped over her arms as she lay on her back, facing the ceiling.
All the furniture around her were also a light tan color, and there were nightstands, dressers, and tables...
Where am I?
It looked like a guest room in a fancy home... but she didn’t really know anyone with this kind of money...
Only her grandmother... and she died when Winter was ten...
But she sat up, rubbing her eyes that itched with exhaustion while yawning...
She managed to look around for an exit, and she found two roller doors which she guessed was a closet...
But when her eyes landed on the bedroom door, she noticed a chair resting next to it, the one that was supposed to be at one of those empty wooden tables.
And on the chair, sat Cameron.
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*****
Winter didn’t know what time it was, but she suspected that Cam should’ve been asleep by now... because judging by the moonlight casting through the window... it was around midnight...
But he was awake, resting his elbows on his knees and watching her curiously.
How long had he been there...?
She just stared back, unsure of what to say...
Or if she could talk still...
Clearly she could move now, her body felt strong and supportive, and she watched him for a minute...
He wasn’t smiling, his lips were in a straight line, but the light from the window reflected off his blue eyes, making them shine white like he were some kind of celestial being...
She watched him for a moment, and he did her, both of them studying each other curiously.
She had a sudden thought, remembering the night before when she was attacked by that monster which he called a “vampire.”
He did save her, apparently shoving holy water down her throat to prevent her from turning, but she didn’t really remember that...
She woke up a while later in his lap... and he took her to that chai place...
She didn’t remember wanting to fall asleep...
She looked back to him, eyes rounding.
He made me fall asleep...
She didn’t know how... but he had some kind of magic that came out when he pressed his hand to her forehead... and it knocked her out...
Why would he?
Did he want to take her wherever this place was, so she didn’t know the address or where it was? What was he going to do with her?
Winter wasn’t going to wait and find out.
She shot up off the bed then, launching for the door but he was in front of it seconds later, blocking her escape route.
Oh... that was right... he could run faster than light...
Something about him wasn’t human... She knew something was off about him...
His dark blue eyes assessed her grey ones with amusement, though he still wasn’t smiling.
“Let me go,” she ordered, narrowing her eyes.
He didn’t move.
“Do you want me to punch you again?”
Silence.
She turned then, darting straight for the window, throwing it open, but before she could haul herself out, Cameron caught her waist, pulling hard and ripping her hands off the window sill.
She cried out, falling backward into his hold as he wrapped his arms around her.
She squirmed, reaching for something to grab onto but nothing was in reach.
Winter relaxed for a moment, bending forward as his arm pressed against her navel, folded across her to keep her in place.
“Done yet?” he said, a little breathless.
She looked to the window sill, glaring despite her staring at the metal. “No.”
And she shoved the heel of her foot into his shin, making him cry out as his grip loosened, but he still held on tightly.
So she managed to drive her foot into his gut from behind, making him double over and she broke free, launching into a sprint to the bedroom door.
She didn’t even look behind her to see if he was following, just threw the door open and darted down the hall, seeing the front door at the end.
Her heart started racing, pumping blood through her.
Almost there... Almost there...
But Cam caught her wrist, throwing her against the wall but not hard enough to hurt her.
Seconds later, he backed her against it, pinning her wrists above her head so she couldn’t move.
She was gasping, he was, too, both of them staring at each other with menace...
But there was more to Winter’s expression, dark... and hardened in fear...
But she wasn’t staring into his eyes... she was watching his lips...
The sharp canines that pierced through his bottom lip...
“You’re...” she breathed, tears brimming in her eyes. “You’re a vampire....”
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*****
Cameron shoved Winter back into the bedroom, throwing her onto the bed as he shut the bedroom door, dragging his hand down his face.
She didn’t move to escape this time, just sat on the bed, eyes glistening with tears. “Are you going to... kill me?”
He gave her a look. “No.”
“Then why do you want me so bad? What do you want?”
He sighed, shaking his head but pressed his back to the bedroom door.
She could tell by his strangled breaths that his navel was aching from where she kicked him.
He didn’t respond.
“Why won’t you let me go?” she said, voice cracking slightly. “What do you want from me?”
“I’m not going to hurt you,” he stated, staring down at her softly now.
“I don’t believe you....”
He sighed.
“Let me go,” she said, managing a stern tone. “And stop stalking me.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“You won’t understand that yet,” he stated.
“Do you want to kill me...?” she said again.
He shook his head. “No.”
“Hurt me?”
“No.”
“Then what do you want?” she questioned.
“I want you...” he said then, still catching his breath.
“Why? I don’t understand!”
“I know.”
“You’re making no sense!”
“To you.”
“I want to go home!”
He shook his head, but his eyes were still soft.
“I’ll punch you again!” she said, but her voice broke.
“If you try to escape again,” he said, eyes darkening. “Even if you do it silently and not hurt me, I’ll hold you down until you’ll fall asleep again.”
Her eyes widened at his words.
But he started stepping toward her, making her stiffen and scoot away.
His eyes darkened ever-so-slightly, as if he didn’t like seeing her this way...
Then why was he holding her captive...?
“Winter,” he said softly, “relax.”
But he made it to her, sitting on the bed as she stared, watching his next move.
“Lay down.” He gestured to the bed.
She shook her head.
“Now,” he said, “or I’ll push you.”
She looked away, avoiding eye contact while pulling her legs to her chest.
She always did that when she was scared... sometimes instinctually...
He sighed then, dragging his hand down his face as if he knew this.
After watching her and making sure she wasn’t going to bolt, he lifted the soft blanket she was under before and wrapped it around her shoulders.
She looked to him then, brows drawing together at this sudden gesture...
But he knew she liked the feeling because her eyes glazed over ever-so-slightly...
Winter always loved soft things...
“Cameron...” she said then, “are you a vampire...?”
A nod.
“How can you walk around in the day? Doesn’t it hurt?”
“No,” he said then, “I’m a daylighter.”
“How?”
“Because I was an angel before I turned.”
“Did you fall?”
He shook his head. “I was bitten on a duty to protect you, but I didn’t get to holy water in time, so I turned.”
“Are you still an angel?”
He shook his head.
“How is that possible?” she whispered.
He smiled. “No more questions, Evans. Go to sleep.”
And he guided her to lay down, making sure the blanket was still over her before stepping over to the chair and sitting down.
She stared for a moment, cheeks burning when he watched her...
Why did this feel so weird...?
“I have trouble sleeping when people are watching me,” she stated.
“Deal,” he said a little harshly. “Don’t think for a second that I trust you’re not going to run.”
“Don’t you need to sleep?” she said.
“Nope.”
She sighed, rolling onto the other side and staring off into space.
She could feel his eyes burning holes into her back...
She curled up a little, hugging herself tightly as her mind raced...
He wasn’t a ‘monster.’ He’s a vampire.
You’re a... vampire...
What made him different from that other one...? What other powers did he have...?
And... what did he want from her...? Why wouldn’t he let her go?
All the sudden, a noise burst through the room, almost making her jump before she realized it was a song...
She listened for a moment, hearing the gentle chorus before the song started playing...
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“Isn’t it scary...
All alone...
Heart made of glass,
So I keep it lone...
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You really scare me,
Not alone...
So, my love, please,
Take me home....”
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Winter turned to gaze over at Cam, seeing him holding his phone in his lap with a speaker resting next to him, silently playing her favorite song...
He had a ghost of a smirk, staring at her gently.
She felt tears brim in her eyes but she rolled over onto the other side, hot tears sliding onto the pillowcase.
She heard little quiet footsteps behind her, followed by the bed dipping down under her back, and she turned her face more into the pillow when Cameron pulled the blanket down, over her feet.
He brushed some hair out of her face, but she flinched away, attempting to say, “Don’t touch me,” but sobs caught in her throat, and her voice was lost.
“Why are you crying...?” he whispered, drying her cheek with a thumb. “Are you scared?”
She turned her face into the pillow, attempting to hide her drenched cheeks but she knew he already saw them.
Winter then felt the bed dip down further under her back as he lay behind her.
She didn’t move from her position, unable to comprehend what he was doing or why... so she decided to keep herself still, unmoving, and hope he’d go away like he was a feral dog...
But she heard his gentle voice, “Come here.”
And before she could answer, he grasped her shoulder and rolled her toward him, wrapping his arms around her while pressing her head to his chest.
His warmth bled into her skin, soothing the chills that passed through her, but she didn’t want them to...
So she kicked, not intending to hurt him but to escape like she could wiggle out of ropes...
“No!” she cried, pushing against his chest. “No!”
“Don’t fight me,” he said softly, all amusement gone from his tone. “I swear you’re safe no—”
“NO!” she screamed, kicking harder.
But he only held her tighter, pressing her hard enough to him so she couldn’t move, but purposely didn’t hurt her, and her eyes widened when he started stroking her back with his palm, soothing her fear without her wanting him to.
“Shhh...” he cooed, rubbing his cheek on the top of her head.
She started easing in his grip, but still kicked lazily.
“Relax...” he breathed, loosening his grip a little. “I won’t hurt you, Winter.”
“No...” she sobbed into his chest, but they both knew she wasn’t asking for him to stop, she was begging herself to not give in...
Because she didn’t want to trust him... he was stalking her... and she was supposed to trust no one...
She didn’t even have any friends... and now she was letting a guy cuddle with her?
On the first day she met him?
What was wrong with her?
“Shhh...” he soothed, feeling her ease, tense, and ease again, clearly resisting his comfort, but giving in.
The thing was, he wasn’t forcing her to give in.
You can’t force someone to calm down no matter how much they enjoyed it when you caressed their back.
She was letting herself, though she didn’t know it.
Because in the back of her mind, she wanted to give in.
She loved the feel of him... how he heated her frosty veins with fire, how his touch sent tingles through her skin and soothed her aching fear... and how right now... his voice changed, and he sounded so calm and collected when she was crying...
Why was she crying?
She didn’t understand that yet...
When he played her favorite song... it somehow calmed her aching fear, and she couldn’t understand... why...
When she locked gazes with him... when his originally cold blue eyes looked so warm and soft... all the sudden these tears came, and she didn’t know why...
All she knew was that she didn’t want to cry in front of him, because it was a weakness...
But she already was, and he wouldn’t leave.
Why...?
“There you go...” he whispered as she eased in his arms, loosening his grip a little. “There you go....”
She gripped onto his shirt as his hand moved up to her hair, gently brushing his hand through the soft waves and tucked them behind her ear.
“You’re hair’s so soft...” he whispered as he continued the gesture. “And it smells like watermelon.”
Why did her heart warm when he said that? Wasn’t she supposed to be repulsed by that comment?
She sniffled, feeling the tears vanish when he continued, running his palm through the strands, but his fingers never got caught in the tangles...
A sudden shiver of warm tingles went through her, and her cheeks heated at the feeling.
Why does this feel good? she thought. Why am I liking this?
She blinked, staring at the dark spots on his grey T-shirt where her tears bled, and blinked slower when another shiver ran through her...
She felt his other hand’s grip loosen on her back, but stayed gently against her shirt, testing if she would resist again.
But she didn’t, and he let go for a moment, pulling the blanket up to her chin and over her more so she was warm, his other hand still stroking her hair in gentle caresses...
“There you go,” he whispered, smiling gently down at her while she stared lazily off into space. He could tell by her lowered lashes that she was falling asleep. “Was that so hard?”
Her head relaxed into his chest, resting on his shoulder.
She blinked again, slowly... the second time somehow... slower...
Until her eyes were closed, and he saw the leftover redness on her cheeks from the caresses...
She wasn’t embarrassed...
She liked it, though... and her cheeks heated because of the chills...
“You’re giving in, Winter Evans,” he whispered. “I know you are....”
But then he rested his head on hers... and he could hear the gentle beating of her heart...
And when he stared down at her neck... there pulsed her artery... moving the skin gently with her heart’s rhythm...
His eyes widened at the sight, and his stomach grumbled...
A sudden desire filled him…
His mouth needed copper... he needed to taste the saltiness...
And she looked so peaceful like a deer sleeping in the woods...
And he was the hunter... craving her blood...
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