All the sounds seemed distant... like Winter was sinking below the sea with no light, drowning into the black poison.
“So,” Kit said, tilting his head to the side, “how’s my little girl?”
She was silent for a moment, just hearing herself breathe before she found her words. “I’m not a little girl. Let alone yours.”
Kit’s smile only grew in amusement. “Why are you so scared?”
“I’m not.”
“No?”
“No.”
“You’re lying,” he noticed. “You’re trembling, very slightly, but I can see it, Winter.”
“I’m not afraid of you,” she stated, forcing the shakiness from her tone.
“I can see the fear swirling inside those eyes of yours,” he said, circling around her. “Are you sure you’re not afraid of me?”
“No,” she said again. “I’m not afraid.”
“You’re being defensive,” he noted.
“I’m not.”
“You know,” he said, making his way toward her, “your blood smells so sweet yet salty. I’m quite curious as to what it tastes like. And so are the boys.” He waved a hand behind him to the figures that blocked her exit. “Do you mind giving us a little taste?”
“Yes,” she said, “I mind.”
“Aww...” Kit said, “why do you act so tough, Winter? You’re scared, admit it.”
“Even if I was,” she said, “I’d never show you fear. You thrive off it.”
“What makes you say that?” he wondered, almost defensively.
“You’re a psychopath, Kit,” she said, keeping her eyes on his while checking her peripheral vision for movement.
His gaze seemed to burn slightly. “Care to explain?”
“You don’t know what a psychopath is?” she questioned as if he were stupid. “So you’re a psychotic idiot?”
He was in front of her then, pressing her to the wall as he caught her chin so he stared deeply into her eyes, his cold green gaze piercing into hers. “Watch that mouth, missy,” he snapped.
“What do you want?” she questioned then, forcing herself to look into his piercing glare despite her entire body screaming for her to look away. “If all you want is blood, then you could kill other angels or humans. Why do you need me, and how are you not a rogue?”
“You ask a lot of questions,” he said, eyeing her thoughtfully. “But not the right ones.”
“Then tell me why you’re coming after me,” she said, glaring up at him. “Is this your decision or someone else’s?”
“Now there’s the right question,” he said, nodding to feign approval. “But I’m going to answer your question with my own. Who do you think sent me?”
Her eyes widened, breath catching while he tilted his head to the side, smile edged with malice.
“Dante...?” she whispered, body growing cold.
“Good girl, Winter,” he said, chuckling under his breath. “You got that one right.”
She didn’t know why her anger wasn’t bursting like it did when she was fighting Cameron… right now… Kit was right, she felt terrified…
“Why are you working for him?” she questioned. “You could be free like everyone else!”
“Why do you think, Winter?” he said, eyes hardening in anger. “I love him, I’m loyal to him, but I’m not what he needs. He needs another child he made. And you’re the only one left.”
“Wait...” she whispered, body growing cold. “What do you mean... ‘another child he made’? Amelia and I are his only children....”
“You really think that?” Kit laughed, the sound echoing off the walls. Her skin burned when he ran his finger down her throat, to the artery on her neck, lightly tracing the lines of the veins, but she forced her eyes to focus on his.
“Don’t touch me,” she snapped, slapping his hand away. “Answer the question. Did he have another wife before my mom?”
“No.”
“That can’t be possible,” Winter stated. “My mom never talked about you, not even to my father.”
“Step-father,” he corrected.
“I meant what I said.”
Kit only touched her neck again, his fingers scorching her skin like an iron rod pulled out of a fire. “I was our mother’s first born. But I was a still-born. Dante brought me to life with black magic.”
“Black magic?” she echoed. “Then how are you a vampire?”
“The spell went wrong,” he said. “But I’m alive now.”
“You’re undead, Kit,” she said. “And he only brought you to life because he wants something... I don’t know why or what he wants, but he’s using us.”
He shoved Winter against the wall, almost knocking the breath out of her. “You’re one to talk, Winter. Are you trying to manipulate me, little sister? Huh?”
Little sister...
Winter didn’t know why, but she never wanted to hear him call her that again.
It was painful to hear. Especially from him.
He trailed his finger down her throat, to the veins on her neck again.
She struggled from under him, his weight smashing her lungs into her ribcage.
She could barely breathe.
She felt his other hand move down to her thigh, making fire sear up her veins. “What are you doing?” she questioned. “Don’t touch me!”
“You’re weapon’s gone,” Kit noted thoughtfully, pulling his hand away but the other stayed at her throat.
She wanted to curse at herself internally.
She left it in the training room.
“You’ve forgotten it,” Kit said, smiling menacingly. “You can’t save yourself, Winter. You’re too weak.”
“Cameron’s...” she started.
“Not here,” Kit finished. “We’ve been waiting in here for you to come in. And he’s not here. He can’t save you now, can he?”
“Actually,” someone said further in the room, “I can.”
All of them spun around to see Cameron standing in the doorway, the guards suddenly frozen in place.
He just strolled past them. “Leave her alone, Kit.”
Winter watched Kit reach for a weapon in his pants, but before he could even grasp the handle, Cameron smashed him against a wall, knocking the breath out of him.
Winter didn’t even see him move.
“Reaching for this?” Cam pulled a gun out of his pants. “What are you, a human?”
“Don’t give me that human bull,” Kit said, struggling as Cam’s grip got stronger. “You use one, too.”
“Only if I really need it. But you’re too easy.”
But he ignored him. “What are you guys doing?” Kit questioned to the guards. “Don’t just stand there! DO something!”
Their eyes seemed to reflect recognition in them, and they started toward Cameron.
He only smiled... A lethal, irate, menacing smile.
“Coward,” he said to Kit, picking him by the shirt and hauled him against a stall, making his back crack against it as he hit the metal.
Winter just stared, afraid to move from her spot when she saw Cameron stare down the guards with a smile like a wolf watching his prey.
“Choose,” he said, eyes glowing with rage. “Run or die.”
Both looked to each other, clearly panicked, but stood their ground, getting into fighting positions.
“You’re choice.” Cam shrugged.
He then vanished, everyone looking around in the room for him but he was gone.
Winter backed herself into the corner of the sink, not sure if she liked this side of him.
The dangerous, lethal, deadly side...
He suddenly appeared behind one of the guards, and Winter saw him first, veins freezing over.
Kit was the second, and his eyes widened before screaming, “Behind you!”
Both guards turned, but Cameron already caught one of their heads, turning it clockwise like he was jerking a steering wheel.
His neck snapped, the crack echoing through the room.
Winter covered her mouth, nausea welling up her throat when the guard clattered to the ground.
Then Cam looked up to the other guard, smile widening when his eyes reflected him with terror.
He backed away willingly, throwing his hands up innocently, but didn’t leave the room.
“Good choice,” Cam praised. “You ought to get a metal for being smart.”
Winter stared at Cameron, watching how his muscles flexed... how his jaw tightened, and how his voice seemed lower than usual... growling almost...
He was even baring his teeth, snarling at the guard like a rabid dog.
This wasn’t him... and if it was... something was off...
Something was different...
Winter moved her eyes to focus on Kit, seeing him still sitting on the floor, back pressed to the dented stall where Cam threw him.
But the boy only chuckled, though Winter could see his normally green eyes darken, hardened in fear...
He was terrified...
Cameron turned around at the sound, staring intently into Kit’s eyes who was laughing now, but Winter couldn’t tell if this laugher was from amusement or terror.
It was probably both...
“Don’t lose control in front of your girlfriend, Cameron,” Kit said, smiling at him menacingly. “You haven’t told her yet, have you?”
“What...?” Winter whispered silently, horrified that if she would raise her voice, Cam would focus on her and she’d be on the floor with a broken neck.
The guard behind Cameron started laughing, and Winter shot her gaze to him, lungs clamping.
What were they talking about...?
She watched Cameron’s fist clench as he looked down, staring at the floor, and he looked to the guard, eyes piercing into his.
He then stepped carefully over to the guard whose laughter trailed off, stepping backwards until he met the wall.
Winter saw the fear flicker in his eyes again, like a match lit with black fire.
He held out his hand as if that would stop Cameron from getting closer.
Winter clutched her shirt when Cam grabbed his wrist, and the other hand under his elbow.
“What are you doing?” the guard questioned, voice shaking slightly.
But Cam jerked his arm backwards like he were bending an iron rod, and snapped the bone, the crack ricocheting off the walls.
The guard screamed and fell to the ground, his arm bend backwards into a ninety degree angle.
Winter covered her mouth, chest caving in as tears burned her eyes.
“Asshole!” he shouted, clutching onto his arm while tears fell down his cheeks.
Cameron only smiled, tilting his head to the side menacingly. “Good night,” he said, voice lower than Winter had ever heard.
Winter pressed her other hand to her mouth, a single tear slipping down her cheek when Cameron drew up his foot.
She cried out when he slammed his heel into the guard’s face, but covered her eyes when his skull gave to Cameron’s shoe, feeling her heart crack when her eyes boiled with unshed tears, nausea welling up her throat.
She heard a shuffle of clothes, and she knew that Cameron was walking to someone.
She lowered her hands, forcing her gaze away from the dead bodies, and focused on Cameron who was covered in blood, but he was making his way over to Kit.
Who had a terrified expression, but before Cam got close enough, he forced a sadistic smile. “Bye.”
And he vanished, making Cameron stop in his tracks, staring down at where Kit was, but Winter couldn’t see his face or his eyes, only the side of his cheek and tip of his nose.
Though, due to there being no curve of his mouth, she knew he wasn’t smiling anymore.
But he moved his gaze to hers, eyes an icy blue.
She took a step back, shaking her head when he started to her.
“No...” she whispered, climbing backwards onto the counter, attempting to get away from him. “No.”
He kept his pace, but didn’t say anything.
She scooted so far back that she pressed her spine against the wall, hoping to melt into it and to get away from the horror that lay in front of her.
He only stopped at the base of the sink, where the counter ended.
He reached out for her, but she flinched, making him draw back slightly.
He didn’t say anything, making her heart pound so hard against her ribcage, she feared it would burst.
And she couldn’t see his expression with the blurriness from her tears, though she wasn’t sure if she wanted to... To see the anger in his eyes, his face covered in fresh blood...
But he reached again, catching the small of her back and pulled her toward him while she tried to squirm out from his grip.
She feared if she kicked him... he’d kill her...
He showed no mercy with the two dead men... even when they hadn’t even touched him...
How did she know he wasn’t going to hurt her?
But Cameron brought her down, holding under her hips despite her screaming and crying, but it didn’t seem to bother him.
“No,” she whimpered. “No! No!”
He pressed her head to his chest, lightly kissing her temple to assure her that she was safe.
“What are you doing?” she sobbed. “I don’t understand what you’re doing!”
He kissed her again, pulling her further into his embrace.
Why wasn’t he hurting her? What did Kit mean by “don’t lose control”? Was Cameron secretly a psychopath?
If he was, why did he kill them and not her? What triggered this?
“Why aren’t you talking?” she cried. “Why won’t you answer me?”
He only held her tighter.
“Cameron! You’re scaring me!”
He rubbed his cheek against hers, and she knew he was saying, I’m not going to hurt you.
But why? Why did he get into a murder-rage with those three and not her? Wasn’t that how murder-rages worked?
Also... why wasn’t he talking...? Why was he suddenly mute...?
My voice will scare you, a voice echoed through her thoughts. That’s why.
It was Cameron speaking, but she couldn’t understand why he couldn’t say his words aloud…
What do you mean by that...? she thought, hoping he’d hear her.
I can’t explain yet... I need to get you somewhere where you’re safe.
What was happening? Why was he suddenly calm? How would his voice... scare her...?
I’m sorry, Winter... he told her mind. I lost it... I didn’t mean to scare you, I was just trying to protect you.
Why did you kill them then...? she questioned. You could’ve just seriously maimed them... You could’ve called the police...
That’s not how this works... he responded. The police don’t deal with vampire situations. Let alone whoever’s behind this. They can shoot the rogues, but rogues kill humans. They hunt them.
She wanted to ask him why he killed those two men so brutally and creepily... He looked almost like a serial killer... but she remembered his words...
I’m sorry, Winter... I lost it.
So... did vampires have bad tempers or something?
Or was it something else...?
Why did he change so much? There was something about him... something that made no sense...
Let’s get you somewhere safe... he said.
She nodded, letting him hold her despite her body stiff in his arms.
She couldn’t relax... She wasn’t sure if she could ever sleep again.
“Alright,” she whispered.
35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡolAdgrCzBO
*****
It was around five in the evening, and Winter sat in a booth across from Cameron, who was spinning his finger around the rim of an empty glass, looking out the window while they waited for their waiter to get their orders.
He was wearing a black sweatshirt he stole from a pawn shop, covering the blood stains on his grey undershirt.
Winter stared out the window, as well, watching the sun’s light reflect off the water on the street.
Both were deathly silent.
“Hey,” a tall girl stepped up to the table, wearing a lightly stained black apron, and her long brown hair fell down to the small of her back, “my name is Layla, I’m your waitress for the evening. Can I get you anything to order?”
Winter stared out the window still, lost in thought, but it was Cameron who spoke, “Yes, I’ll have a water and spaghetti, and....” His voice trailed off as he looked over to the zoned girl. “Winter, what do you want?”
She was silent.
“Winter?”
No response.
He tapped her shoulder, making her jump as if he slammed her back into the chair.
“Sorry...” she said, “what was the question?”
“What do you want to eat?” he repeated, but in a gentler voice.
He was talking now...? What happened to the mind speaking? And she still didn’t understand what he meant by “my voice will scare you.” He sounded the same to her.
“Winter,” he said again, making her eyes shoot to his.
“Yes?”
“Food.” He pointed to the menu.
“Oh... right....” She just glanced at the first thing that looked interesting. “Chicken Alfredo.”
“Drink,” he said.
“Oh... um... I don’t know....”
“I can bring you our signature hot chocolate,” the waitress said, leaning down to whisper, “on the house?”
“That’s very kind of you,” Winter said, “but I....”
“Winter,” Cam said, “stop denying things you want. Take it.”
She shot him a look, thinking to him, Stop reading my mind, Cameron. And don’t tell me what to do.
He only smiled.
“I’ll just get it,” Layla said, standing now. “Anything else?”
Cameron looked to her then, mouth open to speak but he lost his words when his eyes locked on the girl.
Winter looked to Layla for a moment, who was only waiting for an answer.
Did Cameron know her? Or was she just really pretty?
Also... he hadn’t looked at her since she stepped up? What else was he focusing on?
You, Winter, a small voice in her head spoke, but she shoved the thought away, trying to keep her head clear.
She watched him for a moment, seeing him narrow his eyes almost in suspicion. “Do I know you from somewhere?”
Oh... he did recognize her... but Winter still didn’t push away the “she’s pretty to look at” thought... He was a guy...
Guys cheat.
The waitress looked surprised for a moment. “No, I don’t think so.”
Cameron just studied her for a moment, clearly watching her body language, but Winter dropped her gaze to the table when she noticed his eyes were raking the waitress’s body.
Something hot stirred inside her... Something burning and nauseating... and she didn’t like it...
What was it...?
She knew the answer despite her telling herself she didn’t...
She was jealous...
“I’ll go get your orders,” Layla said.
When Winter heard tapping footsteps, she knew the girl had left.
Why was she even jealous of Cameron? Wasn’t he a player? He just killed two people in less than a minute, and as far as she knew, she was his next victim...
But the sudden thought crossed her mind...
If he wanted her dead... wouldn’t he already have killed her...?
She started questioning whether or not her thoughts were valid...
Was she just going through Stockholm syndrome? Was his whole plan the entire time to kill her...?
“Winter,” Cameron said, and a sudden panic rushed through her when she realized he read her mind, “let me tell you something about me, okay?”
She was silent.
“If I wanted you dead two minutes ago, you’d be dead two minutes ago.”
She swallowed down cold air.
“If I wanted you dead in the bathroom, I would’ve let them kill you. Hey, I would’ve watched!”
She bowed her head down, something icy forming in her chest at his cold choice of words, and she clenched the fabric of her shirt, digging her fist into her stomach to hopefully ease the pain.
“My point is,” he stated, “is that you’re right. If I wanted you dead, I would’ve already killed you.”
“You killed them so cruelly...” she whispered, voice breaking slightly.
“You know I had to do it...” he responded softly. “If I let them live, then they wouldn’t leave us alone.”
“You gave them a choice...” she said then, voice so quiet he could barely hear her. “You said, ‘run or die,’ but you were going to kill them anyway, weren’t you...?”
He was silent.
“You were playing with them...” she said then. “Like toys....”
“I was giving them a taste of their own medicine,” he responded. “They were doing the same to you. You know I had to kill them, Winter. If I went easy on them, you’d be kidnapped or even... dead... You do know that, right...?”
“I know...” she whispered, “but something still scares me....”
He watched her for a moment, but he couldn’t see her eyes due to them being hidden by her long bangs. “What does?”
“There’s a side of you that I haven’t seen yet...” she responded, “to an extent... and... it scares me....”
“What side?” he wondered curiously.
She was silent for a moment, and he could just hear her breathing... small, shuttering breaths.
“What side, Winter?” he pressed.
She exhaled before saying, “Your rage.”
He was silent then, and she rested her cheek on her hand, staring off out the window while he watched her.
She was right, though...
There was a part of him she hadn’t seen...
And he wasn’t sure if he would ever tell her...
She couldn’t handle it... not yet...
35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHAq6Lw7RX
*****
Winter was lying on her belly, kicking up her legs as she rested on the hotel’s couch.
She was currently watching some cartoons that she loved as a kid, and rested her cheek on her hand as if she were bored.
Cameron was God knows where... In his bedroom, sulking, or taking a crap, she didn’t know.
She wasn’t sure if she wanted him near right now... After she talked to him about his rage, he’d been quiet the rest of the night...
She couldn’t tell if he was angry, or if he was scared, but she hoped she didn’t anger him...
After today, she wasn’t sure what set him off anymore...
Twenty minutes passed, and the credits rolled when she show ended.
She closed her eyes for a moment, listening to the end tune that reminded her of her childhood.
Amelia, Amelia! she'd yell to her sister. Did you see what happened?
Yes! she'd respond. They sent the bad guy to jail!
Do you wanna play our game again? But this time we send him to jail?
Yes! That sounds so cool!
The memory vanished when a shadow stepped up to her, blocking the light from the lamps that made the darkness under her lids glow...
“Winter,” Cameron said almost too softly.
She opened her eyes, looking up at him. “What?”
“There’s something I need to show you.” He offered his hand, palm face-up. “Come with me.”
She sat up then, laying her hand on his even though she wasn’t sure if she should trust him, and he smiled despite his eyes looking dark.
“Come on,” he whispered. “Follow me.”
He guided her out of the hotel room, pulling her gently along as they made it to the front doors that flew open at their motion, and he turned right, Winter following.
They’d been walking for over almost twenty minutes, passing the city, some restaurants, and the police office.
Winter looked to the patrol cars where some officers sat in, drinking coffee, thinking about waving and screaming... Maybe they’d take her away from Cameron and help her find her mom... but she kept silent...
She didn’t understand why, though…
After ten more minutes of walking, they entered a forest, the moon’s light casting through the trees like sun beams, sending rays of silver through the mist...
They stopped then, Cameron turning around and breathing out a shaky sigh.
“What are we doing here...?” she wondered. “Do we need to catch something...? Gather plants? Do you need animal blood or something...?”
The wind blew his dark hair over his face, shielding his expression, though she could still see the white where the moon reflected off his eyes. “No.”
He let go of her hand then, backing away a couple steps as if he was trying to keep a distance.
The misty air rushed through the forest, tugging her hair, but she managed to pull some away from her lashes and tuck it behind her ear. “What did you want to show me?”
“Don’t be scared,” he said almost carefully, “alright?”
She only stared, wondering what horrible things he was about to show her.
Would he kill another person...? Was he going to hunt a deer and show her how to hunt one...?
But she nodded.
He breathed out a long sigh, staring at her for a moment when he bowed his head down, clenching his fists.
At first nothing happened, and she looked around for a moment, thinking he was moving objects with his mind, but a sudden crack echoed through the forest, and she spun around to see him on his knees, elbows bent out of shape.
“Cameron?” she questioned, stepping a little toward him. “What’s going on? Are you hurt?”
He put his hand out, indicating for her to stay.
She stopped then, pressing her fists tightly at her sides when he put his hand down.
Another crack echoed through the forest, making her flinch when his spine rose as his hips bulged out...
She stared for a moment...
Hold on... was he... morphing...?
Maybe into a bat...?
But she thought he said vampires didn’t turn into bats...
But his face grew out a muzzle... fur cutting through his clothes, and his hands and feet turned into paws...
Before she even knew it... a gorgeous, black wolf stood in front of her, his fur blowing with the gentle breeze as his eyes focused on her...
Though she didn’t know what he expected her to do...
Did he want her to scream...? Was he expecting her to run away?
No... this wasn’t scary...
It was... fascinating...
“I thought...” she whispered, “that you were a vampire....”
He only stared into her gaze, his eyes the same icy blue as his human form...
She stared back, trying to process what was happening...
But then it hit her, like a slap to the face. “You’re a hybrid... aren’t you...?”
He bowed his head, the gesture saying, Yes.
She moved her right foot a couple inches in front of her, attempting to see if he would back away, wince, or growl...
Was he like real wolves...? Was he a rabid hound that fed off prey? Was he a dog that loved and cherished humans? or was he... still Cameron...?
But she moved a little closer, seeing him stay in place but watching her move...
“Cameron...?” she whispered, “are you still in there?”
The wolf sat down as a response, tilting his head to the side like an adorable puppy.
She saw the light in the icy blue gaze that glowed whenever Cameron smiled.
“So...” she said then, taking another careful step, “can you hear me?”
It bowed again, but this time only his head.
Yes.
“Does this form....” She trailed off and rephrased. “You won’t hurt me in this form, will you?”
No, a voice echoed through her thoughts.
She was quiet for a moment, then said, “You can talk to my mind still...?”
Yes.
“Can I... walk to you?”
He bowed his head again, and she stepped a little faster, but carefully to him, watching his every move...
When she made it a couple inches from him, she reached out, watching him intently while she touched his head, running her hand down his black fur.
“How is it so silky, yet... fluffy?”
She looked to his face then, seeing his eyes reflect amusement in them while he stared back.
“Don’t bite me,” she cautioned, “okay?”
I would never, his voice assured her.
A big smile spread across her face. “Good.”
She hurled herself at him, taking him off guard when they both collapsed to the ground together, her on top of him and rubbing her face into his silky fur.
He only bent his back backwards like he was made of rubber and slid out from under her, making her roll over in shock as he loomed over her, the smile still lighting in his eyes.
She smiled back, hurling herself at him but he jumped out of the way again and she landed on her back, almost knocking the breath out of herself again.
But before she could get up, he pressed his paws to her shoulders, licking her cheek faster than she could handle...
She guessed this was his “wolf version” of giving her kisses.
She giggled, the sounds of her laughter echoing off the trees.
“Cameron!” she laughed, squirming from under him. “Stop! Ahh!”
He paused then nudging her head with his muzzle...
A sign of affection...
She could tell he was glad she didn’t run away when she saw this form of him... To be honest, as a child, she loved wolves...
When she, her mother, and her sister went to Yellowstone National Park, there was a pack of pups running through the meadow, and since her mother was distracted giving Amelia some ice cream, Winter started to the wolves...
She was just a child... she didn’t know encountering them was bad...
But at the same time, children had nightmares of wolves... Dreams of themselves being chased by a pack or a singular wolf, and woke up screaming...
But not Winter, she never had nightmares of the pups or anything related to them...
Though she almost felt close to them...
She had only made it a couple feet from them when someone caught her arm, dragging her back to the sidewalks where everyone else was, all of them staring at Winter like she was a maniac...
Her mother was yelling panicked words that she didn’t register...
She was too focused on her twin who was smiling sweetly at her, almost sympathetically.
“Now don’t leave again or you stay in the car,” Sam had warned. “Amelia, watch her.”
She then went back inside the restaurant to retrieve something.
“Did they call you?” Amelia whispered then.
“Did who call me...?” Winter wondered.
“The wolves...” she responded, staring off to the pups who were looking back. “I can hear them sing sometimes... like their howls are your pop music.”
Winter giggled, reaching out beside her to capture her sister’s hand. “No, that’s never happened to me. Did you make that up?”
Amelia snickered. “How would I come up with that? You’re the creative twin.”
Winter looked back out to the wolves whose mother had descended from the woods, and they all looked to Winter and Amelia before stepping into the trees with her.
Only one of them glanced back at the two girls again, and Amelia waved like she was saying goodbye to a family member, then the wolf pup followed behind her siblings.
Winter looked to Cameron then, smiling for the first time that day when the memory vanished back into the real world.
He was still in his wolf form, watching her curiously while she had that flashback.
She pushed him off her, getting up from the forest floor and stared at him evilly. “Catch me.”
Before he could register her words, she darted away, further into the forest.
After a couple seconds, she heard his padding footsteps follow behind her.
He was getting closer, but she didn’t really care...
Winter made a sharp turn to the right, making his feet slide at her sudden change of direction, but he managed to follow her after a half-second delay.
His galloping feet were getting faster, thumping against the forest floor like a deer with iron hooves...
But she saw a break in the soil, and she stopped suddenly, her feet sliding across the fallen, autumn leaves, but she stopped before she reached the edge.
Cameron seemed to do the same thing, though he was beside her.
It wasn’t a cliff like she expected, but more of a stream covered in a thick fog...
The sight would’ve been terrifying for anyone, thinking that there were bears here or some kind of wild animal.
Winter’s eyes lit. “Cameron!” she said excitedly, making him look at her curiously. “Can you fish?”
He just stared, clearly hoping she wasn’t serious.
“I know it’s a bear thing,” she said, smiling still, “but let’s try! Come on!”
He watched her in amusement as she splashed into the water, wading in knee-deep.
“Come on!” she said. “It’ll be fun!”
She could imagine his human-self shaking his head in amusement when his wolf followed in next to her.
She giggled when he entered the water so gracefully, silently but carefully...
It was scary but beautiful...
“Try it!” she said, waving a hand to the water. “Catch one!”
She could see the eye-roll in his expression even though he didn’t really do it.
But he stared down into the stream, icy-blue eyes watching the water cautiously as he hunted for movement.
She watched in awe when his eyes caught, and his muzzle struck the water like a dagger, tearing out a fish out seconds later.
Winter smiled as it wiggled in his mouth. “I should get you a bone for Christmas.”
I should give you a bone for Christmas, he responded to her thoughts smugly, and she stared before the words sank in.
“Eww!” she said, disgusted. “Don’t ever say that again.”
He spit the fish out onto the land as a response, though both of them just stared at each other then.
Winter tilted her head to the side while he watched her, almost as if he were waiting for something.
“What?” she said.
It’s your turn, Snowflake, he spoke to her mind. You don’t want to be left out of the fun, do you?
She only shook her head, staring down at the water and watching for movement like he did.
When she saw something, she dived her arms into the stream, catching the slimy fish with her hands and pulled it out.
Right as both her hands exited the water, the fish slipped out of her grip, and she yelped, trying to catch it, but it kept on bouncing off her hands like a rubber ball.
Cameron was watching her in amusement when she caught it, but it slid through her hands and fell back into the water, swimming away.
She looked to Cam then, seeing him staring at her.
“Don’t laugh at me,” she said, pointing an accusing finger at him. “I can see that you are. And just so you know, I don’t have razor sharp teeth, and these things are slimy and wiggly.”
He kept on staring, the same amusement lighting his eyes.
She shook her head, climbing out of the stream and standing up on the land as the wind cooled the water droplets on her legs to ice.
Cameron followed, shaking off his body like a dog.
She just giggled, backing away when he looked back to her at the sound.
He went into a lunge position, knowing what she was planning.
Right as she turned and darted away from him, he launched off his feet toward her, padding his legs along the dirt faster than a gazelle.
“Catch me!” she yelled in front of him, looking over her shoulder to see if he was following.
Oh, he was... and gaining a speed at a hundred miles-an-hour.
Goddamn... did he have a gas petal or something?
Could he actually go faster than this?
The answer was, yes. In his vampire form...
Though she hadn’t seen him go that fast in this form before...
She looked back ahead to see where she was going, but he magically appeared in front of her, making her feet slide along the floor when she stopped, but he sprung off his hind legs, tackling her until her back met the floor, though for some reason...
It didn’t hurt...
And he started licking her face again.
She could only hear him mocking, I got you! I got you! I win!
“Ahh!” she laughed. “Okay! Okay! I get it! Stop!”
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*****
Almost an hour later, Winter found herself lying on the forest floor, staring up at the night sky from the opening of trees.
Cameron was still in his wolf form, resting his head on her stomach gently, eyes focused on her as she pointed up, smiling.
“Look,” she said, happiness catching in her tone, “that’s the big dipper. Do you see it?”
He didn’t take his eyes off her, but she didn’t really look at him to see if he was listening.
“My father used to say that stars represented soldiers or warriors... Like that one!” She pointed up. “Do you see the sword and the belt? He called that Orion, the warrior... And there,” she pointed somewhere else, “that’s the small dipper... It’s shaped like a ladle spoon, so that’s why they named it that... Oh! Oh!” Her finger aimed to another thing in the sky. “You see that star? The one that’s not twinkling...?”
He still didn’t respond and didn’t move his gaze to look.
“The stars that don’t twinkle are actually planets... You can tell what each one is... and they change every season. Mars is the red tinted one... and Jupiter is the large one, though Venus is bright... Mars and Venus come out in the summer or early to mid-year... Saturn’s more of a fall thing... and Jupiter is winter....”
Cameron kept silent, listening to her soft voice.
“Some people think aliens are a conspiracy...” she whispered, resting her hand on Cameron’s head and petting his fur softly without knowing it. “But I kind of wonder... if there is something out there... It seems highly impossible that we’re the only things in the entire universe... Those billions of stars... they all have planets, too... Surely we aren’t the only living beings that exist... right?”
He watched her let out a long, big yawn, exhaling a breath before she relaxed into the ground.
“I know you were scared to show me this side of you,” she whispered softly, exhaustion catching in her tone, “but now I don’t fear you now that you’ve told me. You’ve confided in me, Cameron... With more things than I have you... and I want you to know that means a lot to me....”
And her lashes lowered as she stared up at the sky, and seconds later, they were closed, and she was resting peacefully under him...
He lifted his head off her then, watching her peaceful expression with his blue eyes...
And slowly, he morphed back into himself, though he was stark naked.
So he crept over to a tree and pulled a backpack from the trunk he shoved in there years ago, shuffling through it before pulling on a fresh pair of grey jeans and a black t-shirt.
And he stuffed the pack back into the wood, stepping over to Winter then, staring down at her softly now.
She let herself sleep...
She trusted him... This was a huge sign... though he knew she still wanted to protect herself, because the fourth of November was coming... and she was terrified of losing everyone she cared for.
Including him.
Cameron kneeled down beside her, slipping his arms under her knees and back, lifting her seconds later.
“Let’s get you to bed...” he said softly, hoping not to wake her, and started out of the forest.
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*****
Because Cameron was a fast walker, he made it back to the hotel twenty minutes less than it took to get to the forest, though he didn’t use his vamp-speed, hoping to not startle Winter awake.
She was quiet... and somewhat content... though there were some things he needed to explain to her, but right now wasn’t the time...
He opened their room’s door, scanning the darkness for threats before shutting the door behind him and carrying Winter over to his room.
He didn’t want her to be alone tonight... Not when Kit and those two assassins encountered her in the bathroom earlier...
He needed to be cautious...
Because she wasn’t safe alone anymore...
He laid the tired girl down onto his bed, catching the throw blanket before lying it down on her.
Her expression somehow eased more at the warmth and the softness...
He leaned down and kissed her forehead, drawing back before sitting on the bed beside her.
And he brushed some hair away from her forehead, making her lashes flutter.
But her eyes parted, and he drew back slightly when she looked up at him.
“Cameron...?” she whispered, voice quiet as if she were still exhausted.
“Hmm?” he said quietly.
Did he wake her up or was she only half-asleep the whole time?
“Why is everyone so terrified of you?” she asked then, eyes clouding over with exhaustion, but she forced them open, hoping for an answer.
“Vampire-werewolf hybrids aren’t common, Winter,” he responded in the same soft voice, hoping not to startle her. “In fact, they’re impossible. I was the first and only.”
“Are they scared of you because you’re a hybrid? It seems something more than that....”
“It is something more,” he said then. “Being a hybrid doubles your strength. Not only am I a daylighter from being an angel before I turned, but I also have vampire powers, werewolf powers, and the combined strength of both species. Everyone’s terrified of me because I have double the strength they have. No matter what race.”
“I bet the angel race is glad you’re not rogue,” Winter said, smiling, “you’d be impossible to kill, huh?”
“Pretty much,” he stated. “They’re lucky, the ones who hurt you aren’t.”
“Can you lose control?” Winter whispered. “I heard Kit say something like that.”
“If I get angry enough,” Cameron said, “then yes.”
“What does that look like?” she wondered.
“You don’t want to know,” he said, “trust me.”
“No...” she urged, “I want to know. Please, tell me.”
He shook his head, but decided to answer anyway. “Imagine me as a wolf,” he said, “but I have the urge to kill and not stop, I go through murderous rampages, and not only do I kill people, I gut them.”
She stared.
“Sorry...” he uttered, “too descriptive. That ought to give you nightmares, huh?”
Her eyes shaded over with a sudden fear. “Cameron...?”
“Don’t worry,” he said, reading her thoughts, “I won’t hurt you. Not even when I fully lose control.”
“Really?” she whispered. “Not even when you’re in murderous rampages...?”
“Winter,” he said, leaning down so his face was inches from hers, “I don’t hurt people I care about, and you’re on the top of the list.”
She blinked.
“I won’t hurt you,” he promised again, resting his forehead on hers. “Never. Ever.”
She was silent, staring deeply into his eyes again.
After a minute, she spoke, “Can you turn into him again...?”
He knew she meant the wolf.
But Cameron chuckled, heartwarming at the question. “Maybe later. You have to sleep now, though, okay?”
He pulled the covers over her again, brushing her hair to the sides of her face so it wouldn’t itch her nose.
“Can you tell me a story...?” she whispered before he could get up.
“You want a bedtime story?” he questioned.
A nod.
“Alright....” She watched him think for a moment, staring off into space as if he were thinking up one on the spot. “Once upon a time, there was a little bird,” he said gently, brushing his hand up and down her arm.
He knew the gesture would make her sleepy, but he didn’t really care if she heard the whole story, he wanted her to fall asleep again where she was peaceful and at ease.
“She had glowing feathers that glistened in the sun,” he continued. “She lived in a tree full of other birds, though none had her beauty. The small bird had two brothers, the oldest was taken in by the parents, but the other shared her blood, her beauty.
“The oldest was always gone. He had other things to do that were more important, whereas the other cared for her like no one else had.
“But the beautiful bird’s brother joined the others to protect their nests. And this left the little bird alone. Yes, she was beautiful with her bright, glistening feathers and glowing green eyes, but that’s all everyone saw.
“No one noticed how she helped baby birds up from falling off their nest, no one saw how kind she was, beautiful on the inside, not even her mother. It was her brother that did.
“Her mother would tell her to brush her feathers, that if she wanted a man to love her to gloss her beak, eat mint leaves. All looks, that’s all everyone cared about.”
Winter stared up at Cameron as he continued, watching his dark, sad eyes as he brushed her hair away from her face. And he saw her lashes flutter at the gesture.
“And as the little bird grew insecure and depressed, those beautiful, flowing wings grew thin and dark. And her green eyes faded to a black void. And no one saw her for who she really was.
“They saw the dull wings and dark eyes, not bright and glowing. For she was no longer beautiful outside or inside. She was thrown out of the nest to fend for herself, young, a child, too young to know how to find her own food and feed herself.
“So she took her own life, hoping that if she lived amongst the flames of hell, the afterlife would be better than hopelessness and despair.
“And when her brother flew back years later,” Cam whispered, cupping Winter’s cheek and gently rubbed the skin softly with his thumb, “he asked for his sister, bringing her a trophy from his many adventures. But his mother told him she was gone. That she chose death over her family, but it was his older brother who told him they threw her out.
“And the boy bird left his home, hoping to continue his work without his sister. But all he could feel was hatred, rage, and guilt. For it was his sister who kept him sane, loving him and as he did her.
“And because she was gone,” Cam said, letting Winter lazily study his expression, “the boy had no family he loved. In his eyes, they were murderers... and he left the nest on his own, living a free life he wished his sister had.” He smiled sadly. “The end.”
They were silent for a moment, watching the other’s gaze curiously.
“That was dark,” Winter said finally, making Cameron’s lips tilt up. “And... was that story about you...?”
He nodded.
“You had a sister, too...? And a brother…?” Winter whispered.
He nodded again.
“I’m sorry for what happened to her...” she whispered, looking down. “I know how it feels to lose someone so close to you.”
“I know you do,” he responded, lightly placing his hand on hers.
“What was her name...?” Winter whispered. “If you’re okay with telling me.”
“Jasmine...” he responded.
“That’s a pretty name...” Winter said, attempting a soft smile but wasn’t sure if it helped the pain ease inside him.
“It is...” he answered.
They were silent for a moment, just staring at the other softly.
“Still can’t sleep?” he wondered curiously, breaking the silence.
She nodded.
“Mind if I get in beside you?” he said then.
“I know you’d do it anyway,” she said, shaking her head. “Even if I said no.”
“You know me well, don’t you?” He laughed softly, slipping under the covers beside her and drawing her to his chest.
She took in all of him…
His scent was a mixture between roses and bitter-scented-coppery blood...
She wasn’t sure if she should’ve been attracted to the sweetness or repulsed by the saltiness.
Because when she imagined him, her vision cracked with blood, bitter-red filling her senses...
Red scent... red songs... red light...
Because everything about him was red...
Wherever Cameron stood, blood lay at his feet, and she wondered when he’d start drowning in it...
Because she was... and she secretly wanted to sink deeper into the darkness inside him... and never leave his side…
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