Ethereal

Nina's POV

White fluff covered the forests' greens and browns, making the outside world a brand-new canvas.

I scowled at the mantles of pure white. Snow. Before moving to Haven Hills, Virginia, I'd objected to everything with passion. San Diego had had everything a teenage girl could want. Warmth, hot surfers, great beaches… Not to mention it wasn't a small town where everyone knew everyone. Despite all my arguments, we'd ended up moving.

I'd been right about one thing, the freezing weather. Still, nothing compared to the chill inside the Ice Caves in Hell. Just thinking about them sent magnified shivers from my head to toe.

Crossing my arms harder, I tried squeezing some substantial warmth from my turtle neck and woolen coat. I wished I could borrow Phillip's ability, just in the winter. The guy was still walking around in a Tee!

I snuck a glance at Cameron.

"I get why Phillip isn't cold. He's a walking, talking super-nova. But you..." I paused, looking over his biker jacket, navy T-shirt and dark jeans. "How do you do it? I'm wrapped in two layers of wool and still freezing like a Popsicle."

Not taking his eyes off the wet road, he smirked.

"After eighteen years you tend to build a tolerance. But look on the bright side," I cocked my head and his hand slid from the gear shift to my jean-clad knee. "You make a very sexy red riding hood."

I blushed, looking down at my red knee-coat. Cam's hand lingered for a couple of extra minutes, before he had to switch gears. My gloved fingers ran over the new leathery seats.

"I can't believe you bought a car on a whim."

"It wasn't a whim. I had no car." No, not here at Haven Hills. Cameron's Camaro had been left in Rockwell at Rory's bar, Luna Di Sangue. "I needed to go all the way to Atlanta. It was much quicker this way."

I looked outside so he wouldn't see my twitching nose. Not going to Atlanta made it easier on him. So he didn't have to explain where Courtney was to Billy, her employee. I wondered what would happen to the bar? Rory was the owner, but she'd never show up again.

Because she was dead.

The exact moment my mind whispered 'dead' we entered Madison Avenue. Goody. One more drive past my burned down house.

We'd come back from Hell on January the second. So, on top of missing Christmas and New Years, we'd been left with three days to get our act together and walk into Julian Ivory like we'd had a swell time in San Diego. Going to school meant I needed clothes, books… Going into town, meant driving through this Avenue. So, I was getting very used to seeing these ruins.

The lawn had twice the snow layers then the neighbor houses, and up in the middle, where the house had burned to the ground, was snow mixed with smut. With all the scenery change, part of me didn't associate the empty place with what I'd lost.

"You ready for this?" Cameron asked, not bothering with 'are you okay' or 'it'll get easier'. I liked that. Because asking someone how they were after losing their entire family, was a really stupid question.

"To hear Mr. Carter yep about Pride and Prejudice? I'll survive." I shrugged, knowing our first class was going to be packed with bored yawns and nodding off students.

"I was talking about going back to school—the whole package." His eyes left the road, meeting mine. With all the white outside, his black eyes shone stronger, mesmerizing me to my core. Heck, most things about Cameron were drool-worthy. "Everyone will be looking at you, Rapunzel, and not for the obvious reasons."

That little flirt at the end eased things. Sure I knew they'd stare with pity, whisper in the halls, then smile when I walked by. It wouldn't be the first time. The reasons would just be different.

"I've dealt with worse." It came out low and accusatory.

Cameron's hands tightened on the wheel.

"I really am sorry." I knew he was. "You've got to admit, though, feeling tingles down your spine every time you see one person isn't usual. I was only looking out for Phillip."

Deep down, Cam had a point. The physical manifestation of our bond as Twin Flames had been very unsettling, at first. Before learning that our souls were literally half of each other, I used to think the shivers were in my head and that I was certifiably crazy. Thank God for Jade and her Psychic ability to see Soul Threads.

Cam was driving slowly through the slippery lane, no rush getting to school at all. Though, I could see tension lines on his face. I grimaced. In the last couple of weeks, Cameron had almost died a hand-full of times—both on the road to Hell and in Hell—had nearly served as a vessel for the Devil—who wanted to cross into our dimension and blackmail me into finding some girl—all to get his twin brother back. And we'd done it. Phillip was home safe and sound.

Only Phillip wasn't the same guy who I'd met—and briefly dated—on arrival at Haven Hills. He was dour and snappy. Not to mention he hadn't slept two nights in a row, going out without saying a thing. Maybe for a run, that's what Cam hoped. So, while my job had been shopping, Cam's had been about tailing Phillip. Mornings and afternoons. Not at night. He'd tried it once but Phillip sent a fireball at his head.

Anger issues? Check.

But that wasn't all. Cameron's stress meter was complete with possible Angel attacks. He was worried that Raph—AKA, Archangel Raphael—hadn't paid a visit to hail on their asses.

Because of that delicate situation with their "uncle", Cam decided Phillip shouldn't be on his own. And so far, he'd gotten flipped off.

"It would've been worse if you dragged him." Their latest clash had been about Phillip not wanting to hitch a ride with us. I was cool with him taking the bike, Cam... Cam wanted to monitor his every move. "You push him, he pushes right back. You should know that, I mean, it's exactly you do."

"Yeah, well, it pisses me off." He roared, flipping onyx strands off his eyes. I feared he'd turn the car around. "I went into Hell to get my brother back and it's like..." he sighed. "It's like I got a stranger instead."

Sorrow weighed down his words. I wanted to say it would all return to normal in a couple of days, but right now, I wasn't sure of anything.

"Maybe he just needs space."

Cameron twisted to stare at me, perplex.

"I've been giving him space. We haven't actually talked since I came through the Portal! How can I give him more space than that?"

I snorted, "You've been following his every move."

"Not at night."

"Because he almost burned your hair off when you tried." Cameron's mouth closed, his lips sat in a white line. Great, now his eyes were lit with anger towards me. "I'm trying to help, jerk." I mumbled, digging my out-of-the-store backpack from the backseat.

The school's parking lot was packed when Cameron pulled in, finding a good enough space. The gray sky and silvery coldness made arriving at school twice as discouraging. With weather like this, all I wanted was to curl up in the parlor room's couch, soaking in the fireplace's heat, sipping some heavenly hot cocoa.

I smacked the SS Camaro's door. Did I mention Cam bought the exact same car? It was even black. Guess he stuck with what he liked.

Snow crunched under my pull-on ankle boots. A strong arm wrapped my waist, pulling me back to the car's side. The smoldering in his gaze made me want to strip out of my coat.

"Last semester we got off to a really bad start," Cameron's breath ended up brushing my chin and lips. "Let's kick this one off real good, okay?"

"I'm not taking back what I said about you being overbearing." Groaning, he switched our positions, pressing me into the car door. Breath rushed out of my lungs, memories flowed back in. "This doesn't feel very different from our first day..."

"It is." My golden eyes danced with Cam's as his fingers deftly unbuttoned the red coat. As long as he was this close, I wasn't worried about freezing. "What did you want to do when I cornered you?" His hand traveled along my skinny sweater, making me entirely too hot.

Was he really asking me to think when his plush lips were hanging so close? Damn him.

"I wanted..." tousled dark hair fell over his forehead. "I wanted to kick you in the balls."

I said it so straightforward and fast, Cam's whole sex-dripping eyes faltered. He let out a grand chuckle, resting our noses together.

"I don't blame you," he said, still grinning like the D-bag he was. "Though there's more interesting things you can do with my b—"

"God, you are such a perv." I pushed him. Or tried.

"You have no idea. My depravity knows no bounds." He took my chin between his thumb and index finger, all caliente gaze and smooth lips. "Here's what I wanted to do."

He kissed me.

His body came all around mine. I was pushed harder into the door. Cameron's hands latched for my cheeks, mine grabbed onto his hips. He tasted me wholly, leaving no mouth corner unvisited. I savored his strength, enjoyed his magnetizing touch and threw myself into the kiss. We hadn't spent nearly enough time together, with Phillip being explosive and with me shopping with Vanessa.

Soon, Cam's leg was between mine. Red flag—stop now!

Obsidian eyes slipped open meeting golden ones. I smiled half-dazed. Okay, more than half.

"I'm thinking you liked our semester kick-off."

"It was okay." I dismissed, untangling our limbs, going around him.

Cam flashed to stand in front of me. I looked side-ways to see if anyone had seen. Nope, students laughed and talked going up the stairs, leaving the lot. One of these days he'd get caught using.

He cocked an eyebrow my way.

"Okay? That's not good enough."

"Fine. I guess it was great."

"You guess?"

"It was!" I hissed when he didn't let me past him, circling my waist. "It was great." I pressed a hand to his solid chest. I flickered my eyes to his. "What about you? Are you okay?" His worry about Phillip overshadowed the fact that four days ago he'd been part of dark Magic ritual.

Tucking away a blond strand, he said, "I'm fine. No need to worry about me." I nodded. He did look fine. And he'd been acting like his jerky, smartass, bad-boyish self. "Now who's overprotective?"

I smacked his shoulder.

His arms fell away as he went around, getting his books. A loud purr later, a stunning Ducatti rode into the parking lot. The flashy red stood out and made tons of onlookers stop, eying it. Phillip shook off his newly-trimmed hair. He looked fresh and attractive in his brown leather jacket, worn jeans and soft-brown Lacoste Jarmund boots.

Shouldering his bag, he faced Cameron who'd returned to my side.

Phill held out his arms saying, "Happy?"

"Very."

Smiling dryly, he fell back a step before stalking off to Ivory's front doors.

I touched Cam's arm, he looked down at me.

"At least he's here." I shrugged.

***

English with Mr. Carter was five minutes away and Dawn was still a no-show. Good to know something's never changed.

"He looks fine." Vanessa whispered, leaning over my locker.

I whisked a look at Phillip who was chatting up Felicia Wayller. She was a girl who sat behind me and Dawn in Bio. Nice, polite, I'd talked to her a couple of times. I'd never seen them hanging together, but then again, he'd been a Busy Bee last semester, dating me and helping Vanessa become a functional Vampire. Oh, and he and Cam were like night watchers, slaying nasty things like Possessor Demons.

"Maybe with her," I scowled. "He's been driving Cam up the wall. Disappearing at night, stalking the woods endlessly from dawn to dusk..." Not giving me more than a 'hello'.

I closed the locker, leaning on it along with V.

"Maybe he needs time." She said calmly, taking her peculiar rosewood eyes from Phill. "Or..." she stopped short. I'd missed this shyness and purity of her. So much so, that when Cameron called her up—so we'd go shopping—I'd wanted to hug her. She'd beat me to it, nearly suffocating me outside their property. "Or who knows what happened to him, Nina? You said he hasn't said a word."

It was true. None of us could begin to imagine what Phillip had gone through. Cameron and I had been put through our share of torture, but Phill... He'd been shackled with Golden Chains—they kept beings with Power from using it and the more time you had them on, the worse your body suffered—he'd been beaten, forced into The Games—where fights between prisoners and slaves happened. Something told me that was barely the surface.

"When I got attacked and I turned," she began, facing me. "Everything in my life changed. I changed with it, I think... I think you understand. The thing is, that's what life does. There are good and bad moments and they shape us. Some things are permanent, some fade away. Being a Vampire is unchangeable. But all the grief, disappointment and the idea I'd never make it as a Vampire? I got past it. Well, I'm getting past it." A little, tender smile crept on her lips.

What she said made absolute sense. Life changed us every day.

"Phillip was there for you—you let him in. He's been acting like we tortured him, instead of saving him." Her lips thinned. I stopped, feet from our class room. "What?"

"Didn't you mention a girl he seemed protective of?"

I nodded, "A Witch named Serena, about our age." The same Cam sent through the Portal with Jade. Poor, fifteen year old, Jade! I hoped that wherever Serena's home was, that she was treating her right. That girl deserved a good life. I just wished I could be a part of it... Here on Earth, I was the only Psychic. It would be nice to interact with someone like me. "You think they...?"

Vanessa shrugged causing her ebony curls to bounce.

While I pondered the strange possibility of Phillip and Serena getting it on in Hell, the bell went off and we went in. I took my spot, quickly opening a fresh notebook along with a copy of Pride and Prejudice. Oh! I dug out my pencil case filled up with colorful pens. I saw Cameron chuckle once he saw the rainbow littering my desk. Then he saw V, she saw him. They nodded at each other, unsmiling, but it was progress. She didn't look about to faint and he didn't glare darkly.

I stared at the door waiting for Mr. Carter to walk in, before he did, Phillip arrived. Since he'd been avoiding Cam and me, I thought he'd take another seat. A stupid flutter wrecked my chest when he pulled out the chair in front of me, sitting.

Familiar faces like Zeke's and Daren's made it in. I caught Zeke's eye, he smiled. It was like twisting a butcher knife in my gut, though. That smile reminded me of Phill's boyish one.

"It's good to see all of you are present..." Mr. Carter said after making the roll call. His eyes lingered on the background. "Well, all but Ms. Brighton, apparently." Dawn and her sunshine personality had bust inside the class room just before the tardy bell. And bonus of the day? Sam was missing class. Yes! "So, let's kick off with an introduction to Jane Austin's plot..."

As Mr. Carter commenced his crusade, I looked at Dawn. Her eyes had been big when she came in, almost like she hadn't been expecting me. I couldn't exactly blame her. I'd taken off without returning a single call. V told everyone the twins had accompanied me to San Diego—for my family's funeral—and that I'd stayed there, coping.

I felt super guilty and wanted to make it up to her. She and Phill had been warm and welcoming from moment one. She deserved a better friend.

I was glaring at Phillip's head—hard. Willing him to twist around and talk to me. Or yell. Something…! He moved, only not to look behind, to the door. Following him, I saw Samantha walk in.

I heard Dawn snicker. I couldn't hide the starts of a smirk, either. But Mr. Carter's amazing lecture and threats about the principal's office didn't come.

That's when I noticed a curious thing. All the guys in the room were staring at Sam. Including our up-tight teacher. I was happy to see Cam look away, at me, frowning.

I shrugged.

"Sorry I'm late, Mr. Carter." Was all she said in a subtle, sultry tone. She sat in the back of the class. "Please don't stop on my account." She smiled sweetly.

Dawn called Zeke with red-fury. He snapped those innocent baby-blues her way. I swear Phillip was eating her up with his eyes until Cam leaned over, slapping his brother's head. Phill blinked at Cam.

I couldn't understand what all the fascination was about. Samantha was wearing a small sweater, fur coat and leggings. Her cheerleader outfit was far more revealing and she'd worn sluttier stuff to school.

I glimpsed over a shoulder as Mr. Carter and all the remaining guys returned to normal. Sam's brown eyes meddled in mine. A sudden flick of jealousy lit inside me. The more I looked into her eyes, the more it grew.

Sam smiled. Not a pity smile. A smug sneer.

Disconnecting from her, I looked at Cameron. He shook his head discretely, before Mr. Carter carried on. No matter how much I wanted to concentrate on Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, I found myself wondering about the Sam-phenomenon.

I decided that me and first days at Julian Ivory weren't compatible.