Pure Magic (Book One)

Chapter Three

I started looking around for Caleb. He saw me and stood up. "Hey, there you are!" He reached out and grabbed my books.

"Oh, thank you," I smiled. I tried to grab a few back. "Don't take them all. They're heavy."

He rolled his eyes in a mocking way. "uh hell-ooo, I'm a vampire and don't care about such nonsense." He grinned. "Hush and let me be a gentleman."

I giggled. "Okay, okay, gentleman, by all means. And thank you."

"Anytime, m'lady." He winked.

I blushed.

"So, you and Morgyn hit it off quite well, eh?" He said, as we started walking.

"Eh, yeah, I guess so," I nodded. "And what about you two? Are you still smitten?"

Caleb smiled. "Not as smitten as he is with you."

I stopped and looked at him. "What?"

"When you walked away, he moved his position so he was staring at the building, like he couldn't even have his back turned to you. I think he really took a liking to you." Caleb smiled warmly.

If only it was like that. "Oh, uh," I started walking again. "No, it wasn't like that."

"Oh?" Caleb sounded confused.

I spent the trip back explaining how Morgyn had truly felt about me initially. As we got into my apartment, Caleb smiled.

"I don't know," he said, putting his hand up to his chin as if he was thinking. "I mean, I saw the way he looked at you." He placed the books down.

I playfully pushed him. "Stop it. I'm trying to play matchmaker and hook you two up," I giggled. "Stop trying to hook me up with him."

He laughed. "I'm happy with life the way it is." His face quickly turned serious. "I learned quickly that it's not wise for a vampire to fall in love."

I gazed back at him. "What do you mean?"

He sighed and sat down. I followed.

"When you're immortal, you lose everyone you love. They get old, but you don't." He looked at me sadly. "So I vowed I would never subject myself to that again." He looked away. "Not after her."

"Her?" I asked. He had never spoken about his love life to me. Then again, I had never asked or brought it up.

"Yes, my fiancé," he nodded. "Granted, she was taken too soon anyway, but it was a reminder that even if I were to be in a long term relationship, it would always be much longer for me than it could ever be for them."

I looked down at the floor. I knew eventually I would leave him too. As would Morgyn and any other friends he had made. The thought of it made me incredibly sad.

"You remind me of her," he said quietly.

"What?" I asked, lifting my head. My heart fluttered a little. 

"Ruby," he looked at me. "I think that's what I noticed first about you." He smiled sadly. "You have similar facial features, hair, the way you carry yourself, your sense of humor."

"Our names too," I said, in thought.

"Yes," he nodded. "Ruby and Jade."

I smiled. "I'm sure she was wonderful."

He nodded. "She was." He paused for a while and sighed. "Truth be told, I have feelings for you that I never expect you to have in return, and I really do think it's because you're so much like her."