“Winter...” Cameron whispered, tucking some hair behind her ear. “Wake up, Honey. Come on, Sleepy Head.”
She groaned as she left her gentle dream world, shifting further into him as he chuckled.
“I know you’re tired,” he said, “but if you sleep more you’ll be even more tired. And you won’t want to wake up.”
She groaned again, the sound clearly meant to say, Stop talking.
“Get up,” he said softly, shaking her a little. “Come on.”
She shook her head.
“Just yesterday you said you were afraid of me,” he stated, “and now you don’t want out of my arms. You know how contradicting that is?”
She was silent.
“Okay, Winter...” he said then, a little annoyance catching in his tone. “I have to go check something out, alright? I just wanted you awake so you didn’t think I left you.”
Her lashes parted as he continued.
“Something happened a couple blocks away, and I need to go check it out.”
“What happened?” she wondered softly.
“I don’t know,” he said, raking his fingers through his hair, “but I can't leave you alone... so I need you to come with me, alright?”
A nod.
“Alright, get ready.” And he slipped off the bed, brushing down the wrinkles on his jeans.
“Did you sleep in that?” she wondered, sitting up and wiping her eyes.
“Yeah,” he said as if she were stupid, “why can’t I?”
“I thought jeans were really uncomfortable to sleep in...” she said, yawning while stretching out her arms in a cat-like arch.
“Not when I have my Winter in my arms,” he said, lips twitching up at the corners.
She looked to him then, gaze a lazy grey but it somehow looked... brighter... “‘Your’ Winter?” she echoed.
He nodded, smirking now. “You’re mine, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Before she could argue back, he stepped over to the kitchen, pouring a glass of water and went back over to her, handing her the liquid.
“Umm...” she said, taking it, “okay....”
“I think the correct term is ‘thanks,” he stated.
“You’re welcome,” she said, smiling.
He sighed, shaking his head in amusement before stepping over to a hall closet she didn’t know existed and rolled open the doors.
She watched as he pulled out a dark blue dress and stepped over to her, setting it on her lap.
She looked at the embroidery... looking at all the beautiful stitched swirls and designs, the silk somehow mixed with cotton... and how... professional it looked...
If she hadn’t taken that fashion class in ninth grade... she would have no idea that this was handmade.
“Where did you get this...?” she questioned, lifting the fabric in her hands.
“I got it from that dress store you like,” he said, “in the mall.”
She stared at him for a moment. “I thought we’re still near my house....”
“We are.”
“The mall’s like... an hour away, Cameron.”
“I know.”
She looked down to the dress, feeling her cheeks heat, but not from embarrassment. “Why...?”
“Did I get it?” he finished. “Because I saw you staring at it for a couple months now, through the store window. You couldn’t afford it, and you were waiting until you could get a job so you could.”
She looked to him, brows drawn together. “How did you know that?”
“I just do,” he responded. “I know you better than you think, Snowflake. I know your favorite foods, colors, books, shows, and clothing.”
She stared down at the dress again, rubbing the softness of the fabric with her thumb and finger.
It’s so soft... she thought.
“Go on,” he said, nodding to the bathroom. “Go put it on and we’ll go, alright?”
She stared at him for a moment. “Right now?”
“Yes, right now, silly,” he said, chuckling. “Why did you think I gave it to you? To put on in twenty years?”
She stared down at the dress again, draping it over an arm while she shuffled out of bed, stepping over to the bathroom door and shutting it behind her.
Almost two minutes later, Winter came back out wearing the beautiful hand-crafted dress that fell down a couple inches past her knees, the cut waving around her body like an ocean surrounding a Goddess.
Cam’s eyes raked her head-to-toe, taking in how the strings on her stomach were tightened like a corset, and how the dress fit her perfectly.
“You even got the right size,” she said, brushing down non-existent wrinkles. “You really know me well, don’t you?”
“I do,” he said, managing to look into her grey eyes now. “I know you very well.”
“Does it look okay...?” she said, not noticing his eyes glistening with her reflection. “There’s no full-length mirror in the bathroom....”
“You look beautiful,” he said, making her gaze lock with his.
His eyes still looked blue... but somehow brighter than she had ever seen them...
And he watched her gaze brighten with his reflection... as if how he looked at her made the ice inside her melt.
The storm in her eyes was slowly dissipating... though she didn’t know it yet.
“Ready to go?” he wondered, standing from the bed.
“Where are we going?”
“To check out something a block from here, I said that, didn’t I?” he said, “I need to see what it is.”
“Why? What do you think it is?”
He was silent for a moment, just staring softly into her eyes as if trying not to scare a terrified child. “It’s a crime scene, Snowflake. I need to find out what kind of crime it is, and if it’s what I think it is, I need to make sure you’re safe.”
She was silent, but her mouth parted as if she were about to ask something else.
But she couldn’t come up with anything to say.
I need to make sure you’re safe.
No one... had ever said that to her before...
So, why now...? Why him...?
But he stepped over to her, holding out his palm face up. “Hand.”
She stared down at it for a moment. “Why?”
“I said yesterday that I’m either carrying you or holding your hand,” he stated, “I don’t trust your word when you say you won’t run. So it’s just a precaution.”
She just stared down at his palm. “Cam?”
“Yes?”
“Why are you doing this?”
He was silent for a moment, just watching her grey eyes stare down at his palm. “I have my reasons that I’m not willing to tell you, Snowflake. Not yet, anyway.”
She looked to him then. “Why?”
“You’re not ready yet,” he said softly.
She was silent after that.
“Now, come on,” he wiggled his fingers, “take my hand.”
She reached out, hovering her palm over his as if afraid she were touching electricity or dipping her finger in ice-cold water.
But when she lay her hand on his, a smirk curled onto his lips, and he laced his fingers through hers, making her cheeks flush. “Alright, let’s go.”
52Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0mkzLltVu
*****
Ten minutes later, Winter found herself being half-dragged across the city streets by Cameron whose gaze was focused straight ahead, and it only took ten more minutes before they turned around a building to see yellow tape lined across a section of a street.
Cameron stopped suddenly at the edge of a building, making her crash into him.
“You okay?” he said, chuckling.
A nod.
“Alright,” he said, “let me just find out what happened and we’ll go back to the hotel, alright?”
Another nod.
“Alright,” he said, focusing back on what lay behind the yellow tape.
Winter tried to focus, as well, noting some police officers blocking some pedestrians views of the crime scene.
Cam exhaled a panicked breath, clutching onto her hand tighter. “That’s what I was afraid of....”
“What is it?” she said silently as if avoiding being called out by a librarian. “And how can you see?”
“It’s a murder,” he said, making her stiffen, “and I have good vision. It’s a vampire thing.”
It’s a vampire thing.
Say no more, that’s all the answers she needed.
But she shoved the thought away. “Was it a rogue vampire murder?”
She watched Cam’s eyes search through the crowd, though she wondered what he was seeing. “No... but it is a murder....”
“If it wasn’t a rogue,” she said, “then... why are you so afraid?”
“Because it’s not a rogue who wants you, Snowflake,” he said. “That one that showed at your house when your mom was taken was probably just a guard.”
“Then...” she whispered, “who wants to hurt me...?”
“I don’t know yet,” he said, still searching the crime scene with his icy-blue eyes, and looked to her. “But we’ll figure it out.”
“Cam...” she said, feeling her eyes darken, “did you kill that person there?” She nodded to the crime scene. “Are you just lying to me?”
He looked to her then, brows drawing together at this sudden accusation. “Why are you asking me this?”
“Did you?” she questioned a little harshly, stepping back a little as her heart froze over.
He narrowed his eyes. “No.”
“Are you lying?”
“Have I ever lied to you?” he quizzed, eyes hardening a little.
She stared for a moment, thinking back...
Had he ever lied to her? No...
He’d avoid telling her things by finding loopholes... but he’d never lie...
“Answer me,” he said, tightening is grip on her hand a little, “have I ever lied to you, Winter?”
She shook her head.
He looked back to the crime scene. “I only kill if I have a reason.”
A sudden shower of ice rained down on her. “Reason?” she echoed in disbelief. “What ‘reason’ gives you the right to kill someone?”
He looked to her then, though his eyes weren’t cold or burning with rage like she expected. “My reasoning is always making sure you’re safe. That’s why I killed that guy that one morning.”
She was quiet, feeling herself freeze as if his words somehow paralyzed her.
“He broke into my house,” Cam explained. “He wanted to hurt you.”
“Why?” she wondered, not wanting to believe a word out of his mouth, but she could feel them settling into her frosty veins... filling her body with a sudden realization...
Like this made sense...
“Whoever wants to hurt you,” Cam explained, eyes growing darker in sadness, “has been sending assassins to kidnap you... I’ve been killing them every time they try to get close, but... it just... I wasn’t expecting you to get up yet... and... you ran....”
She touched his cheek where she slapped him that morning, but he caught her hand and brought it down to her side, shaking his head.
“It’s already healed,” he said, “don’t worry.”
“How?”
“My immortality kicked in the next day you let me feed on you,” he explained. “So I’m as good as new.”
“I don’t understand...” she said, “why you want to protect me....”
He smiled at her comment. “I know I’ve said this thousands of times, but you won’t understand yet, Snowflake.”
“Why can’t you tell me?” she questioned, brows drawing together.
“Because I’m not ready either.”
Before she could ask more questions, he looked back to the crime scene, studying everyone’s movements as if he had laser vision.
“Cameron...” she said, tugging at his arm.
He looked to her. “Hmm?”
“Why won’t you tell m—”
“Hey there, you guys,” someone said, their voice so deep it made Winter’s bones shake.
She and Cam looked up, seeing a tall boy with dirty blonde hair and bright green eyes staring down at them.
“Why are you guys hiding behind a building?” he questioned, looking around.
While Cam’s eyes narrowed at the sight of the boy, Winter’s rounded with realization.
It was that boy… Kit... from the chai shop...
“Winter, right?” he said, ignoring Cameron’s glare. But he glanced back at Cam. “I’m still up for that offer, you know. The police are right there.”
What did he mean by... offer...?
The answer slapped her across the face when she remembered Kit’s words.
I can talk to him. Tell him to leave you alone.
“No...” she said, still worried that Cameron would murder him, “I’m fine. He’s not bothering me, thanks, though.”
“Bothering you?” Cam echoed. “Why am I new to this conversation?”
But his question was never answered.
“Well...” Kit said, “if you need anything the police are literally right there.” He nodded to the crime scene, then looked from Winter, to Cameron, to the crime scene, then back to Winter again. “I’ll leave you back to your snooping.”
And he walked off.
Cameron then looked down to Winter. “Who the hell was that?”
“I honestly don’t know.”
“Are you lying?” he questioned. “You were talking to him like you knew him.”
“I was just being kind,” she said, “or else that conversation would be so awkward that it would feel like I was taking a cheese grater to your eardrums.”
“That was a very painful, yet descriptive statement,” he said, raising his brows.
“I know,” she said. “I’m pretty sure that’s the point.”
She stared off into the distance.
“What’s his name?” Cam wondered.
She looked to him, brows drawing together. “I think... Kit... why?”
“You know his name?” Cam said. “And you’re telling me that you don’t know him? I feel like you’re lying to me. And don’t throw my question, ‘have I ever lied to you,’ back at me, alright? Because you have lied to me.”
“Okay, Jesus,” she said, throwing her hands up. “Why are you acting like this? It’s not like he’s my boyfriend. Lay off the jealousy.”
Cam was silent at first. “How did you know his name? And how did he know yours? And why were you and him shaking hands in the restaurant?”
"You want to take a breath?” she questioned, raising her brows. “If you weren’t a vampire, I’m pretty sure your face would be turning purple right now with how fast you’re talking.”
“Answer my questions.”
She rolled her eyes. “Okay, fine. I knew his name because he introduced himself at the restaurant. And I remembered it because it’s the name of my favorite candy bar. He knew mine because I told him at the restaurant, and we shook hands as a greeting, alright?”
“Is that the truth?” Cam questioned.
“Yes.” She closed her eyes in annoyance.
“Good.” He focused back to the murder scene. “What were you talking about at the restaurant?”
“I don’t understand why you’re being so possessive,” she stated.
He gave her a look. “Answer, Winter.”
“He told me he’d talk to you if you were bothering me.”
Cam gave her a disbelieving look. “He thought I was bothering you?”
A nod. “At the time, I did, too.”
“Why did you turn him down?”
“I didn’t feel like waking up the next morning to find him hanging from his toes on the ceiling.”
Cam looked to her. “You thought I’d kill him?”
“I wouldn’t put it past you.”
He watched her for a moment, tilting his head to the side curiously. “Are you afraid of me, Winter?”
“A little,” she admitted silently.
“Why?”
“I don’t know what you’re capable of...” she said. “And I’m not sure if I want to find out.”
He caught her arm then, making her gasp when he lifted her by her armpits and held her up under her hips.
“What—” she started.
“Let’s get you back to the hotel,” he said, starting to walk.
“Did you get the information you needed...?” she wondered softly.
“All I need to know,” Cam said, “is that guy is not who he seems.”
She gave him a concerned look, then glanced behind him to the crime scene. “What do you mean?”
“I meant what I said, and the internet can do the rest of the talking.”
52Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnAtHLAhNKm
*****
Ten minutes later, Winter and Cameron entered their hotel room, and Cam set her on the floor before stepping over to a drawer and pulling out a computer and a charging cord.
He plugged it into the wall and sat at the table, typing in his sign in information before tapping the table impatiently while it loaded.
“By the way,” she said, shuffling through her clothes on the bed, “do you know where my phone is? I haven’t been able to find it since I woke up in the park that one night....”
“I know,” he said, still tapping the table with a little smile. “I had it disconnected.”
She looked to him then. “Why?”
“Because I can’t have you calling people that will most likely get you killed.”
“Who would I call?”
A shrug. “Calls can be traced, Snowflake. And we can’t have people finding you.”
She glared at him, but he didn’t seem to notice.
“By the way,” he said, shuffling through his coat pocket, “happy Monday.”
He tossed a box on the bed, and Winter stared for a moment before realizing it was a blue flip-phone.
“You took my phone,” she said, “disconnected it and tossed it, telling me that you don’t want me calling anyone, and you buy me a new one?”
“Yep.”
She rolled her eyes, then looked down to the box, picking it up off the bed. “It’s a flip-phone.”
“Correction,” he stated, “it’s a burner cell. Can’t be traced.”
She looked to the box again. “Why did you get it in blue?”
“It’s your favorite color,” he said, looking to her now, “isn’t it?”
“Yes...” she said, “but I thought you... toss it once you call someone....”
“You won’t need to,” he said, resting his cheek in his hand while the desktop loaded, “I only have one number on there. And no one will trace it.”
“Let me guess,” she said, looking to him with dull grey eyes, “it’s yours.”
He smiled. “So smart.”
She rolled her eyes, and he would’ve seen it if his computer hadn’t completely loaded, and his attention was focused on the screen now.
She watched him go onto the internet and search something up, though she couldn’t see the words with how far away she was.
Did she even care?
No... not really... He could do whatever...
That’s all he seemed to do anyway...
She slipped her legs off the bed, then, tossing the box onto the mattress and stepped over to the kitchen, shuffling through the fridge.
“You hungry?” she asked Cam.
“Nope, I’m good.”
“Alright....” And she went back to searching through the fridge.
She pulled out a box of watermelon he bought at the store at one point and closed the door with her hip, stepping over to the silverware drawer and pulling out a fork.
She then went to the counter, sitting on a barstool while prying open the box of fruit.
She took a bite of the sweetness, resting her cheek on the counter while chewing, picking the fruit with a fork.
“You bored?” he said from behind her.
She shook her head. “No... I’m okay. Just continue doing what you’re doing....”
She heard a quiet rustling from behind her, and she knew Cam was making his way toward her.
He caught her wrist and pulled her up, lifting her while his other hand grabbed the plastic bowl of watermelon.
“Cameron...” she whispered, “I said I was fine... Just go back to what you were doing....”
“I know you said you were fine, Winter,” he said, setting her down onto a chair across from where he sat. “But I know you’re lying, and I’m done with that computer thing anyway.”
“You are?”
“Yep.”
“That was fast.”
“Yes,” he said, chuckling, “I was checking my email and I found out something quite interesting.”
“What?”
He smiled. “Apparently, some people wanted to check out my car’s extended warranty.”
She started giggling, making a small smile split his face.
But before she could stop, he leaned forward and pressed his mouth to hers, making a gasp escape her mouth.
But before she could respond, he cupped the back of her head, lacing his fingers through her hair and pulled her into him...
She could just hear the words going through his head...
Don’t let go... Don’t let go...
He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth for the first time, making a small moan escape her throat when he dragged it out gently from his teeth...
He was being so gentle... and yet... this boy was created for killing... He was made to bite people and drain them out until there was nothing left of them...
How was he so... careful with her...?
She leaned into the kiss for the first time, making him smile slightly when she grasped his shoulders, turning her head so their noses were out of the way... and she could press her lips to his harder...
She didn’t know how... but he tasted sweet... like oranges and cinnamon... and she knew by this specific flavor, that he’d been chewing gum...
He grasped her hips then, raising her off the ground so he could carry her over to the bed and laid her down, nuzzling his face into her neck and making her giggle.
All coherent thoughts about him being a vampire vanished from her mind... the ones that warned her that he could bite her right here and now... drink her blood and kill her... all of them... gone...
He never did, though... He just ran his fingers up her sides and lightly tickled her, loving the small giggles coming from her mouth...
And he leaned down again, pressing his mouth to hers.
But this time... all playfulness was gone... and this kiss was filled with an intense need...
Not a lustful one... though almost... fearful...
On his side...
And little gasps escaped her mouth when he pressed little pecks along her cheekbone and behind her ear for the first time, making tingles jolt through her everywhere he kissed...
She gripped onto his shoulders when he continued down to the nape of her neck, stopping there...
She could feel something sharp press to the skin... and it only took a moment when she knew it was his fangs...
She shot up then, scooting to the headboard when he gave her a concerned look.
Fear rushed through her like waves of ice, and she touched her neck to see if he bit her...
But there wasn’t even a dent from his teeth... not even a little sting of pain or a drop of blood...
“What’s wrong?” he said.
She looked to him, seeing the fangs barely poke out of his lips.
She pointed to her teeth, indicating to him in case he didn’t notice.
He touched his canines, then pulled away, realization clouding his eyes. “Oh, that.” He looked to her then. “I didn’t bite you, did I?”
She shook her head.
“This happens sometimes when I’m feeling intense emotions...” he stated, voice sounding a little quiet. “When I’m hurt, scared, or angry.”
She stared for a moment, noticing that he didn’t have malicious intent in his dark eyes... though they looked almost... sad...
“Are you...” she whispered, “scared...?”
He was silent.
“You are, aren’t you?” she said. “Why?”
He shook his head, making her brows draw together when confusion turned her stomach, and he got up off the bed, stepping over to the kitchen. “I’ll make you some food, alright?”
Why did he seem so... sad? What the hell happened?
While he stepped to the kitchen, her eyes moved to the computer on the table...
The screen was open... and he was still logged in...
“Hey, Cam?” she said then.
He looked to her, seeing her smile softly. “Yeah?”
“Can you go downstairs and get me some milk from the breakfast bar? They close in ten minutes.”
His brows drew together in suspicion. “Why me?”
“I thought you’d want to go instead of me,” she stated, “because it would’ve been easier for me to escape.”
“Okay...” he said, stepping out of the kitchen. “What do you need it for?”
“For some chai.”
“You have chai?”
“Yes, I do,” she said, smiling. “You’re making it for me when you get back.”
He raised his brows. “Yes, your majesty.”
She let out a little giggle when he stepped over to the door, opening it before casting a look at her. “If you run,” he threatened, “I’m going to catch you and tie you down onto that bed so you can’t escape again, hear me?”
She nodded, watching him search her gaze for a moment before stepping out of the hotel room and shutting the door behind him.
She waited three seconds before getting up, half-running, half-tip-toeing to the door and glancing out the peep hole to make sure he was gone... and when he was, she darted over to his computer, relief washing over her when she saw the screen was still on.
She typed in the short-cut, Control-H, and pulled up his search history.
After glancing at the door to make sure he wasn’t back yet, she looked to his computer, looking at the most recent website that he was on...
The time he clicked it was about four minutes ago... which meant he was looking through it before he was in this mood...
She clicked it, glancing up at the door to make sure he wasn’t back before looking to the computer again...
Her heart froze when she stared at the screen...
It was a news website... something that was posted a year ago, but it was the title of the article that was posted on the screen that caught her attention...
Wanted suspect for fifteen murders in Maine still not found, if you have any information regarding this man, please call your local precinct or dial 9-1-1.
Winter would’ve suspected that this person would’ve been Cameron... but they didn’t mention his name...
But when she glanced down at the screen... she saw someone familiar standing in the picture... though his previous soft eyes now looked hard...
It wasn’t Cameron...
It was Kit.
52Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioUzIHeX5z
52Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgcrDq4R3xH
52Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfYObcKI1G
52Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYE9gluJJeR
