Haunted by the Immortals

Chapter 9

Nat

We fell asleep in each other's arms. It was cute. Nice, in fact, I felt real – human. Cami made me this way. It was like a totally different me. I know what Mom would say, "Son, you're too young to assume that you are in love with a sixteen-year-old teenage girl. You don't understand do you, sweetie? You think this is permanent? You think your pretty girlfriend is permanent? This is California you're in, Nathaniel, filled with gorgeous boys and girls. I don't want to break your heart but I can't help it but tell you the truth. She's going to leave you, honey. Or hopefully you will leave yourself and find a beautiful girl your own age who'll understand your situation better than this girl. But of course, if you don't try, Cami's going to LEAVE YOU."

I woke with a jolt and breathed heavily. No, Cami would never do that to me. She just couldn't. When I was back in reality, I realized that something big was missing from my arms. I glanced down – a stupid thing to do, because I could feel her presence not there – and saw no Cami. She was gone. I sighed, and turned back to look at the clock. It was one-forty. She must have woken up and gone up to bed. She had school tomorrow – first day.

I dragged my almost-numb legs up the winding staircase and heaved out a sigh of relief once I reached my door. I turned it, slipped in and didn't bother to switch the lights on. I went straight for the bathroom. Brushed my teeth, looked at my reflection and wondered to myself, yeah, I deserve her. She deserves me. I love her. God I love her, I love her, I love her, I must – I should.

When I got back inside my room I didn't even have the energy to put a top on. I slid into bed to find another body pressed next to mine. I kissed her on the nose and she moaned a little, stretching out an arm so it lay flat on my chest. I grinned and snuggled in close to her.

"I love you, baby."

And then, again, I fell asleep hugging her close to me and listened to her steady heartbeat that would sometimes be a drumbeat when I kissed her. I could always hear it. I never told her because I thought that would make me sound really testy and creepy. Yeah...no, I wouldn't want my girlfriend coming up to me one night and say, "I can hear you. I can always hear your heart."

***

I woke up to an empty bed. "Crap," I blurted. I turned to my bad side which was punched by Rhoda's foot once and groaned a little. The clock read six-forty-five. Cami would've left by now. Shit. I was meant to go with her. Here we were in Malibu, and she was supposed to go all the way to Pasadena and now, alone. She would have left hours ago and she used the advantage that I was still asleep.

I changed at lightning speed, no time for a shower, and grabbed hold of my phone stabbing the speed-dial button and sat impatiently for Cami to pick up. She answered five rings later.

"Nat," she answered like it was a statement and she wasn't asking if it was me. I ignored it and let her carry on. "Why are you calling me?"

"Calling you? Cami, do you have any idea what the hell you've done? You've gone all the way from Malibu to Pasadena on your own. Do you have some kind of death wish or for The Vampire to catch you?"

Her voice was a bit hesitant and the snickers and whispers coming from behind her seemed unusual. There was one voice I found familiar and three others I didn't.

"Nat," she sighed, she was tired, "I didn't come on my own, you know. I'm not that stupid." I knew she did a little shrug because she always did when she said something like that. "Plus, you seemed so peaceful. I didn't want to disturb you so Stefan came with me."