Catch Me If You Dare

Chapter 12: Nicholas

Zoe Reed

I buried myself in his arms, wrapped safe in his cocoon of warmth. Being there so close to him wasn't enough. I wanted to feel him against my skin and breathe in his scent. I could hear the pounding of my heart against his still one. I tried to control my breathing but I couldn't, he stole my breath away. Literally. I wanted us to stay like this forever. Nick and I. As one.

He lowered his lips to mine. My blood was racing through my veins now as I tried to grasp onto every breath I took. Without kissing me, the tease moved his lips to my ears.

"Find Dmitri and you'll find the general," he whispered before planting a trail a kisses against my throat. A chill ran down my spine as his cold lips touched my hot skin.

"Where will I find him?" I murmured, my eyes fluttering.

"Look into the darkness and you'll see light."

My eyes snapped open and darted around my bedroom. Staring wide-eyed, I let out a breath I didn't realise I was holding in. I shook my head and laughed to myself, "you idiot," I said. Trust me to get all hot and bothered over a short dream of the guy I sort of liked that's actually a dead vampire, the real kind of dead. Why is my brain even doing this to me?

Nick Caffrey is dead. I know that, it's a bloody fact. Oops. There's just some part of me, a piece that can't quite accept it. Something's off, it can't just happen like that. Someone like him...can't just die. I shook my head. Anyone can die. It's life, right?

His message. Find Dmitri and you'll find the general. I'm missing something here. Is Nick's ghost trying to tell me something here because if so, I'm going to have a seizure or kill myself. I groaned to myself, this is not the right time for this but I can't let it go.

I got up from my bed and went to switch the lights on. Grabbing my phone from the bedside table, I sent Rose a text telling her to meet me at the local park, which was convenient for me. I slipped into a pair of joggers and pulled on a jacket, then made my way out.

"Mom's going to be pissed you know," I heard Spencer call out from the living room. I halted and rolled my eyes, following his voice. Leaning in the doorway, I watched him stare at me with a look I couldn't quite read. I noticed the beer bottles scattered around him.

"Bad night?" I asked. I didn't actually care. I don't know why I asked. Maybe, in some sort of way I did pity my step-brother. After all, we both lost our fathers even if mine was an evil son of a bitch. We always had that in common at least, if anything at all.

He shrugged, "you could say that." He took another sip and smiled lazily at me. "What really happened to you in that school, Zoe? I don't believe what they say."

I raised my brows curiously and bit my lip, "why's that?"

"Well," he began, "you weren't such a crazy bitch before," he said and then burped.

I nodded in agreement. I know he was trying to hurt me out of spite. Spencer's had it in for me since day one and he's never ever going to be able to understand the complexity of this situation with his narrow mind. "I know," I said, "I know."

"And if you're going to sleep around at least be quiet, some of us don't care to hear you in the middle of the night."

I widened my eyes and stared at him, unable to form a coherent reply. "Wha-what," I stuttered.

He stared at me and narrowed his eyes, "that guy I heard earlier, you need to stop and think what and who you're actually doing. I may be a selfish dick but you're the closest thing I have to a sister and I don't want you to die as well."