Disarm / Rafe Cameron

08. You're A Vampire

You're A Vampire
chapter viii
warnings: alludes to abuse,
talks of drug addiction and
eating disorders

THE SUN BLED THROUGH a slight crack in the curtains, and landed right in her eyes. Lifting up a hand to shield it, Layne forgot for a moment where she was. The room didn't look familiar and someone was sleeping next to her. Initially, she was frightened, but then it registered where she was, and who she was with, and she felt safe again. She pulled the blanket over her bare chest and turned on her side, using his broad shoulder to block the blinding sun. He was breathing slowly, and Layne watched as his shoulders moved up and down. She wanted to touch him, but he looked so content sleeping, it wasn't worth it. He was so beautiful she wanted to cry. Breathing in his scent, she just placed her head on the mattress close to his him and listened to him breathe.

"If you're hungry, there's food in the kitchen." he grunted, placing his hand on her hair. Layne felt cemented into place as though she couldn't move. "I'm okay." It felt slightly awkward and Layne wasn't sure why. It occurred to her that she hadn't told either of her parents where she was, and slight panic set in. Her phone was on the ground and she maneuvered from beneath his hand to reach for it. There were missed calls from her mother, and her dad. She saw a text that said,

Layne, I only said those things because I love you. I need you to come home now.

It was from twelve in the morning—Layne felt her stomach churn. She couldn't understand why she put him over her parents. Sitting up and ignoring the other texts, Layne typed, i'm fine mom. i'm safe. After sending it, Layne was tempted to text her mother saying how Rafe loved her. But she couldn't even get her thumbs to move. She turned off her phone and placed it face down on his nightstand. Rafe ran his hand from the nape of her neck down her back. Layne ran a hand through her hair and turned to look at him. "Who was that?" he asked, his voice groggy, and he used his other hand to block the sun, like he was a vampire. He was a vampire, and he sucked the life out of her.

He sat up beside her, his arm ghosting her back as he toyed with the ends of her hair. "My mom." she didn't look at him and heard her phone buzzing. When she glanced back at it, Rafe leaned over and muted it. "Hey. Hey look at me." he turns her face toward him with two fingers. Layne felt like jelly in his hands, and as if she could melt into the ground. He placed his hand on her cheek and pushed away a few strands of hair. "You're mine, okay? I'm always going to protect you. I promise. I love you." his words were so insincere but Layne convinced herself it was true. It sounded liked someone else was speaking for him. She didn't answer because she physically couldn't speak.

"You are the only one who has ever stayed with me for this long. You're the only one who can take care of me, Layne. You know that?"

She stared at his comforter for a while and picked at her finger nails. He graced his fingers over her neck and kissed over the mark that was left by his hand, as if he was trying to heal it, as if he wasn't the one who did it. The marks on her arm were just beginning to fade and he ignored them as if it was a one time thing. "Can you say something?" he whispered, placing a kiss on her cheek. Layne sighed shakily, turning to look at him. "You really scared me the other night." she said it so quietly she thought he didn't hear her. His skin was hot against her and his breath was shuddering, Layne thought he might begin to cry. When she looked at him, there were tears in his eyes and Layne felt her heart break.

"I was using drugs. I—I get possessive over you because I care about you. You know that," he was twitching and itching his nose. "I'm trying to get clean. But its so hard, Layne, it's so hard . . . my dad, he wants me to be this perfect son . . . and step up like him . . . but I can't, and you're the only person who loves me."