I could see the bank through the trees in the distance. The tall pines whispered and swayed in the breeze as I came through the edge of the forest.
Will was sitting on the edge of the dock and my heart jumped renewing my energy. I ran out of the trees toward him.
"Will!" I shouted, incredibly relieved to see his face look back at me.
Even from the distance, I saw him light up. He scrambled to his feet and jogged toward me. But by the time he met me at the edge of the dock, his smile had faded, replaced by a frown and darkened eyes. I reached for him, but he grabbed both of my wrists before I could touch him.
"No," he ordered. His grip was painfully tight.
Confusion swept over me. "What? Will...why?” I'd been running so hard that any air that was left in my lungs could only be used to keep me alive. I stood there panting, trying to suck in as much air through my open mouth as I could.
"It was too close...you? I couldn't..." He began talking so fast I couldn't understand him. "I didn't know." I could see his mind racing behind his blazing eyes.
Who was too close? The kids from last night?
"What? Who? You aren't making any sense!”
His eyes bore into mine. His hands wrung my arms even tighter as he shook his head. "Of all the places, why here? Why you? I wasn't supposed to.” He stopped and looked at the sky. Finally dropping my arms, he sighed. "I have to go.”
My heart stopped. "Why!"
"For you. I have to go… for you,” he said softly. He did not turn to look at me when he spoke.
“Is this about what Dorothy said last night? She was just angry, Will. She didn’t mean any of it. She’s very old fashioned. I’m going to be see my parents soon, Will. Did I tell you that? They will help her see that it’s okay for me to see you. They know I’m capable of making my own choices.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about,” he said through his teeth.
“What then?”
“Your grandmother was right, Cami. This isn’t right. You and me.”
“What’s not right about us? I don’t understand.”
His eyes lingered on my hurt leg before coming up to meet mine. There was much more than apprehension about Dorothy behind them. He turned away.
”I'm okay. It will be okay. She will see that you’re a good person, that you’re right for me. Please, Will. You proved that just last night. You protected me. Look.” I shoved my foot forward. "It doesn't even hurt today. I'm fine."
"Protected you?" he grunted. The cold expression on his face when he spun around left me speechless. Somewhere in his mind, a switch had flipped and he slowly stepped closer, eyebrows raised. "You? As if you needed my help.” He glared at me.
My entire body wilted under his glare. The way he examined me was strange, in a way that made my pulse trickle down into my fingertips. He was looking for something it seemed, following my outline slowly, but never looking directly at me.
"What a fool I was. To think that I had to protect you from anything," he whispered, tilting his head to the side. I could only stare back, completely dumbfounded as he continued his search.
"Will, stop it. You're freaking me out."
"Freaking you out? For hell’s sake, Cami, I actually cared about you!”
He cared about me, past tense. Which means something happened to make him change his mind. I watched in horror as he tried to put each piece together.
There was a very good reason I wanted to stay away from him in the beginning. The same reason why I didn’t let myself get too close to anyone.
I wanted so desperately for him to stop thinking. Stop trying to figure it out. It wouldn't make sense – it didn‘t even make sense to me. It was just a mess of folklore. I tried to think of something, anything, to say to distract him. But I couldn't.
"You nearly took her head off with small bump and your parents-Peace Corps...Ha! What is it they really do, Cami? They're murderers aren't they? You’re going to see them soon? Are they going to teach you now, too? Steal innocent lives?”
“You‘re being ridiculous!”
"I know the truth about you, Cami. Last night. They were coming for you last night. They weren't your friends playing a joke or some thugs trying to ruin our night. They wanted YOU! They wanted a vampire!"
“What!” I cried incredulously. “Are you insane?”
He was fuming at me. “Don’t you even try to deny it?” He continued to spew accusations. With every word, he became more enraged.
"STOP IT!” I collapsed on the deck sobbing. "You don't know anything!"
"Then what is it? Tell me that I'm wrong! Tell me those things weren't here to find you! That they weren’t here to put an end to all of the evil things you and your family have done!” he roared down at me.
My head shot up out of my hands. "How could you possibly know that? I haven't done anything...my parents haven't done ANYTHING! I don't know who you are or what you think you know, William Dalca, but I do know that you are just a stupid boy, with stupid fantasies! How many times have you read that book? Vampire?”
I immediately realized how completely juvenile that sounded. I didn’t care. I tried to find anything that would stop him. I stared up at him waiting for his response. But it didn't come. He silently stared at me with a clenched jaw.
I buried my head into my knees. How could he have known anything? How could he know anything about me was different than anyone else? What happened after I ran off last night? I thought about the men -or the figures that I assumed were men- in the park. Will’s reference to them being “things” made me shiver. I didn’t understand what they could possibly want with me, I hadn’t done anything.
My family and I were harmless. Our history was saturated with secrets and they happened to revolve around the existence of vampires, but we never spoke of it anymore. Except for a few lingering rumors, those supposed skeletons were buried.
My mind grew numb from all the thoughts fumbling over themselves. I was going to tell him; eventually. It wasn’t the kind of thing you could bring up in casual conversation. Hey Will, good to know you. I think you’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever met, and oh by the way, you’re in a town full of vampires. But don’t worry, they’re totally lame. I wiped the wetness away from my cheeks and stared out over the lake, trying to find another explanation that might work better than that.
His fit of rage was seemed to be fading. He sat on the end of the dock, letting his long legs dangle off the side, gazing into space. I wondered why he hadn’t gloated at his victory. What was he thinking? I wanted so much to ask, but I was terrified at what else he might say that would rip me apart. I didn’t want him to leave and I didn’t want him to look at me either, with so much disgust in his face. Maybe not speaking was best.
My head rested on my knees as I watched him. He was so beautiful and melted into his meditative state, a far cry from the madman that took over him seconds ago.
It was easy to see why I had fallen so quickly for him. He was everything I wasn’t; strong, confident, and caring. He was frustrating and intolerably wicked at times- and I loved it. Challenging me by forcing me to think outside of my own little world became one of his favorite past times; which was almost impossible to do since I’d spent seventeen years to perfect being selfish. And now all I could think about was how much I was hurting.
Dread gnawed at my stomach. What if I did lose him? I would be lost. I didn’t know why it took this disaster of a morning to reveal to me exactly how intense my feelings were for him. And now the chasm that formed between us was swallowing me. I wanted to find the freaky figures from last night and hurt them.
Time passed slowly before the planks beneath him creaked when he finally stood up. He was going to leave. I couldn’t watch; it was too painful and my eyes slammed shut. The creaking grew louder as he passed behind me. I squeezed my eyes tighter and tried in vain to force the lump in my throat to stay down. I would never see him again. I didn’t want him walking away to be the last
image I had of him. I tried to replace his angered face with the arrogant, gorgeous smile that melted me every time he flashed it.
The noise stopped on the other side of me, followed by a loud thud. I released the hold I had on my eyelids and peered out through the blur.
He was staring at me again, his eyes exploring mine.
“I’m sorry, Cami.” His voice was so soft I could barely hear him. A crease formed across his forehead as he searched for words. “I shouldn’t have said those things. I am just so confused right now. It wasn’t right.”
I remained silent. Instead of responding to him, I scrutinized the red fingernail polish that I’d so carefully applied before the bonfire, I smiled at the memory of how many butterflies were loose in my heart. I wanted to use all of the tools that I had to look pretty that night, not just for Will, but for myself too. I wanted my exterior to match how I felt inside. Now that polish was scratched and peeling, like a small testament to how I felt inside before he came along. I plucked another sliver off of my thumbnail.
Will put his hand under my chin and raised it so my eyes would meet his. “Please forgive me. I am sorry.”
What could I have said that would help him see the truth more than what I already did? I withdrew from his hand and returned to my nails. His apology was sincere, but his words still hurt.
“Cami?”
I nodded so that he knew he was forgiven.
He wasn’t going to press for more than that and eased back on the dock putting his arms behind his head.
Again, I was awed by his peace and envied his ability to find it so easily. I curled up beside him and put my head on his chest and closed my eyes, wishing that when they opened again it would be yesterday morning and we could begin again.
I rested there for an eternity, deciding on what I was going to have to tell him. I didn’t want him buy into the hype and believe that I was some kind of freak, but I didn’t want this silence between us either. I sat up. “I’m sorry.”
He chuckled and propped himself up on his elbows.
“I was right wasn’t I?” he asked and then his smile quickly faded. “Not about the hurtful things that I said, but the other … thing.”
“No. Will, it’s just-” I rubbed my temples. “I just can’t understand why you would think that?” I tried to dance around his question. I didn’t want to lie to him, but I didn’t want to scare him with the bizarre stories either.
“A lucky guess,” he teased.
“Nice try.”
“A pixie told me?”
“Ugh!”
“A mermaid?”
“Will! “ I whined.
He smiled. “Okay, I’ll tell you, but you have to tell me I’m right first.”
“But-”
He put his finger on my lip. “Don't... Answer my question.”
“And then you’ll tell me why?”
“Cross my heart.” He dragged my hand across his chest in an X pattern.
His touch didn’t help my already exaggerated emotions. I was sure he was going to push me into the lake and run when I told him the truth. I decided maybe a little at a time would be better than divulging it all in the take it or leave it fashion.
“You’re suspicions aren’t too far off,” I hurried. “So there. Now, what gave you that idea? I mean how did you even- out of all the things...vampires? It was the book, huh,” I stammered. The nagging need to know how he knew anything prompted me to cooperate. I stared back waiting.
“What! Back up,” he laughed. “That’s not a good enough answer.”
“Why? I answered your question. You didn’t say I had to elaborate.”
“Okay. New rules. You have to give me all of it. By the way you're stalling, there's obviously something interesting. What’s the point in holding back now? If I’m satisfied, I’ll let you in on my little secret.”
“Oh yeah. That’s fair,” I pouted. “I’m not saying anymore until you give me something.”
He sighed heavily. “Well, I guess it’s going to be a quiet morning.”
There we were. On the dock, a battle of the obstinate had begun. I was not going to give in. The longer I could put off revealing anything more, the better. To have him beside me a little longer was worth it. I forced myself to accept that it didn’t matter how he figured it out. He knew...something. Whatever those things were last night must’ve told him. I smiled to myself. I knew more. I curled next to him again and let him stew in curiosity. There was a sense of power I’d never felt before. I finally stumped him. I smiled again, very satisfied.
It didn’t take long for him to crack.
He shoved me away from him with a little too much force.
"Hey!"
“You’re not giving in are you?” he asked, ignoring my protest.
“No.” My puckered mouth punctuated my resolve.
"You’re impossible." He shook his head. “FINE. I know because it’s the kind of thing that I'm supposed to know.”
He said it so matter of factly. Because he was supposed to know. What did that mean? He's just innately supposed to know when he's in the presence of a clandestine family of freaks. That's an impressive trait.
He could see the frustration in my face. "Stop it."
"What? You’re supposed to know? What does that mean? You-."
He cut me off before I could argue any further. "Stop. Just talk to me."
I sighed. He was right. My gift of debate was passed to me by Dorothy. I was slowly turning into my grandmother.
"Well," I began. "I don't really know where to start.” His full attention caused my cheeks to burn with embarrassment. The following conversation was going to be the weirdest one I would ever have with someone not related to me.
"It's not what you think...exactly. My family supposedly are-were. Ugh!" So far I was failing at telling my own story. "Vampires," I mumbled.
My stuttered beginning didn't faze him. He was resting on his right elbow, fully engrossed in my every word, movement, and breath. It was so hard to speak when he watched me like that. As much as I wanted to be there, the center of his world was suddenly a scary place to be.
"My great-grandfather was a ...vampire; he married my great grandmother, who was not. Together they had my grandfather. He married my grandmother, Dorothy, they had my father. Mark met Jillian, and what do you know, here I am. Satisfied?” I rushed through it so fast I wasn't even sure I was done. I'd never managed to simplify it that easily before. I'd left out several important factors that he would no doubt now grill me over, but getting the most important detail out of the way was an unexpected relief.
There wasn't even a blink to break his stare. "You're kidding me with that, right?" he asked dryly.
"I'm trying, Will," I insisted. “What else is there really?
He tilted his head to the side. His brilliant blue eyes looked hurt. "Why are you so afraid to tell me?"
"Well..." I stammered. "Don't you think this is a little weird? I mean, you're acting like it's no big deal-like you do this kind of thing all the time. Move around from town to town mesmerizing people with your sultry eyes, making them spill their secrets."
"You'd be surprised at some of the things I've heard."
“I knew it, but I doubt that I'm like anyone you've ever met before," I chuckled.
He smiled, "Absolutely not."
"Maybe you should just ask me what you want to know. This might go a lot easier."
He clapped his hands together after sitting up.
I readied myself for whatever he could fire at me.
“Tell me more about your Great-Grandfather.”
“Okay, but I don’t have any really solid details. Probably because what I know is mostly from really old stories. So my great-grandfather’s family lived in a small town in Europe, Romania, I think. But who really knows. Isn’t that where all vampire stories begin?”
Will remained expressionless, waiting for me to continue. Apparently I was not as clever as I thought. “Anyway, his vi
llage was caught in the crossfire of some kind of vampire uprising. The people were attacked, and a lot of them were killed. Everyone in my great-grandfather’s family died, except him. He was the lucky one, depending on who you ask, who survived. He was alive, and completely changed. He was then, as I said, a vampire.”
His eyebrows rose again, silently urging me to continue.
“Over time he found his way here, and this is where he stayed.”
“Until he died,” Will concluded for me.
I nodded.
“If he was a vampire, how did he die?”
“I have no idea, Will, it’s just an old story. It was probably of old age. I’m not even sure that he was Romanian. I’ve never seen any kind of pictures or anything.”
“That’s because vampires don’t have reflections.” He was completely serious. I searched his face for a hint of humor and found nothing.
I wanted to test that theory and peeked over the side of the dock, dropping my finger to poke the center of my reflection in the water. Tiny ripples drifted away from the center. “I guess that proves my point.” I already knew that was a bogus way to test for vampires. The large and unflattering bathroom mirror reminded me everyday that indeed I do have a reflection.
“So what is it with your uh-pack? Good or evil?" He grinned, intentionally bypassing comment.
"Will!"
"I'm sorry. I'm trying to understand how your vampire family can live and survive, obviously, in such a small town. You aren't a very good story teller."
I ground my teeth until I was pretty sure there were none left.
"I... am... trying. And we’re talking vampires, not werewolves.”
He laughed again, enjoying my irritation. He lay back on the dock again. "I'm done. I promise. Continue if you want.”
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