Ethereal

Nina's POV

Serena hadn't been kidding when she said the Portal wouldn't take us far from the waterfall. We'd shown up a little ways down the broken down Inn, no sight of Lucas and Etna anywhere, just as I'd expected. He hadn't worked his ass off for nearly two hundred years so Michael could catch her and finish her off.

Cameron had been clearly shaken up by Phillip's decision and while I was too, his emotional loss was far greater than mine. Phillip was his blood. His twin. I couldn't comprehend how he hadn't acted on one of his impulses and shoved Phill through the portal. A very tiny part of my heart was glad and proud, though. When I first met them, Cameron had been severely protective of his twin, going out of his way to keep Phillip away from me because he thought I was some dangerous creature out for Nephilim blood. Cameron only possessed good intentions for his brother's safety but he'd been borderline suffocating. Phillip deserved a chance to make his own choices and live life.

A sick feeling turned my stomach.

"You okay, Rapunzel?" Cameron asked from the driver's seat, zooming down an old country road. After popping up by the Inn, Cam had raced us to Devil's Cove, where his Camaro had been expecting us. He'd wasted no time throwing our bags in, pushing me inside the passenger's seat and driving off. "You haven't spoken for almost two hours. I'm getting worried."

A tender smile tugged at me.

"How can you joke?"

"It's keeping me from turning this car around. Humor me."

Cameron hadn't been very talkative himself. For the last two hours or so, we'd been driving at neck breaking speed, like the apocalypse was snapping at our heels. Nothing but a low radio hum to keep us entertained.

Deciding talking was a good distraction, I twisted to face him, curling my legs underneath me. Morning sun shone through his window casting a halo over his jet black hair and making those pitch-dark eyes pop.

"Where are we going?"

"Home."

I hesitated before speaking. Home? Haven Hills? Cameron might be back in his body and have his Power, but I didn't think going home was the best plan. Although, I really didn't have another plan. I didn't have a plan.

Cameron offered up a slow growing smile.

"Don't worry. It'll be the last place they'll look. They think I'm too smart to go back, so in this case, doing the dumb predictable thing is better. For a while." Cam lifted his wrist, showing off the charm bracelet. "And we're cloaked."

He knew how Angels thought better than I ever would. If he said they wouldn't tear Haven Hills apart searching for us, I believed him.

"But what about Demons and other things unholy? You said your property is no longer sacred ground." I pointed, voice with a tingle of fear.

Cam gave a nod, "True. But I'll figure something out. Don't worry that pretty little head of yours." He tilted his gaze my way, winking. A mad blush crept on my cheeks. "At the pace I'm driving it'll probably take us five hours to reach Haven Hills, maybe six. If we drive past a gas station I'm stopping, though."

"I'm hungry."

"I know. Your stomach's not shy." I rolled my eyes. Cameron's right hand reached across the console, lightly gripping my fingers. I flicked golden eyes to his soft, scrutinizing gaze. Muscles coiled deep in my belly. "So," I started, straining to sound unaffected by the molten heat in his midnight sky eyes. "You're afraid of snakes?"

Some lust withered from Cam's gaze. He breathed loudly with annoyance.

"When I see my brother again I'll kill him myself." I chuckled for the first time since leaving Devil's Cove.

"Seriously, though, I thought you always had your healing ability. You know, since birth?"

"Technically, I did. Me and Phillip were always resistant to common colds, flues, chicken pox. But until we were seven scrapes and bruises still took about a week to heal. That's why my Dad took me to the hospital for poison treatment. My blood wasn't ready to fight off the effects alone." In other words, he would've died. I shivered gripping his fingers, hard. "I like the new hair cut."

I blinked rapidly at the change of subject.

"Huh, thanks."

"It's edgy. It suits this new you."

"New me?"

"Yeah. You've become a person who likes to make life-threatening choices." I tilted my head, frowning. "While I was 'gone' you nearly died. Twice. Because of stupid, reckless decisions. First the car accident-"

"What? I didn't choose to wreck my car!"

Cam turned his eyes to the road, "No, but you chose to drive your car while having a panic attack. Not smart, Nina. And then you almost overdosed on Datura seeds." He made a long curve, then drove us into the starts of a highway where a multitude of cars joined ours.

Not wanting to pick a fight, I leaned a shoulder against the car door and pressed a cheek to the window, heaving a long sigh. Cameron lecturing me wasn't exactly something I'd missed, especially when we were trapped in a car and I couldn't distract him from the obvious truth. He was right. I'd taken great risks without his presence. Could I have handled things differently? Maybe. But was I sorry for how things turned out? No. All I'd done had been for us, for love.

Somewhere along our drive I fell into a light sleep. In the back of my mind I could hear Cam humming some unknown tune, it was soothing and at some point the humming became hushed singing. Even on the edge of shutting off I felt completely enticed by the lyrical voice he possessed. I'd never heard the song's lyrics, though. Later, I was shaken awake by a comfortable weight, warmth and... smell.

I smiled, dazed.

"Are we home?"

I saw Cameron's lips form a smile. His body was twisted in my direction and he was leaning as close as possible over the passenger's seat.

"Not yet. Gas station stop." I moved causing his leather jacket to slip some, he caught it before me.

"Thanks."

"You looked cold." He pulled it to my shoulders again. "Do you want anything?"

I squirmed a tiny bit. Yep. I needed a bathroom break.

"I need to go," I put emphasize on the last word. Cameron bust a throaty laugh. "But you can't do that for me."

"Nope, sorry. But I can get you junk food?"

"Sounds yummy."

"Anything with me is yummy, little bird." This time I squirmed for all different reasons. Cameron lowered his mouth to mine, kissing me. It ended all too soon. I wanted to tug on his sweater and keep kissing him until nightfall. "Come on, let's get you the bathroom's key before I need new leather seats."

I gaped.

"You're such an ass."

"You love me for it." He said, opening his door and climbing out.

He was so lucky I did love him for it. I slipped Cam's leather jacket onto my seat. It was one thing to be covered by it, another to wear it over a jumper jacket. Besides, it wasn't so cold anymore. Cameron and I walked up to the gas station clerk, a man in his thirties. I asked for the key and left Cameron on munchies-duty. The bathroom didn't exactly look like a pigsty, but it didn't smell like an air freshener, either. All the while I tried to keep my mind from drifting to the strange changes in my Power, I tried not to read so much into the strange dream from a night ago. Crows meant death, but what did a stranger with purple eyes mean?

I braced myself on the sink before washing my hands, I gazed intently into the mirror. Most of all, I kept myself from thinking about Phillip and Serena and the chilling fear that came with them. Eyes closed, I breathed deeply. Everything would be fine. They had survived Hell. They were badasses.

But what if Michael had gotten them? What if they hadn't been able to avoid him on time?

"God," I exhaled. "What a mess."

***

When I'd left the bathroom Cameron had been waiting for me. He'd bought a box of Twinkies, raspberry flavored Zingers, my favorite, two sacks of Lay's and two large water bottles. We ate together inside the Chevrolet while discussing how, at this rate, we'd never finish senior year. We laughed about it, but thinking about graduation brought up memories of my parents and how they'd always argued what I'd choose to be. A doctor, a veterinarian, a nutritionist. Now they'd never know. They wouldn't even be able to attend a stupid ceremony. So, after that, the subject died.

Cameron hadn't wasted time getting back on the road. He drove slower, though. I would never say it out loud, but thank God. Cameron's driving was amazing thanks to his heightened senses, I just didn't like my stomach dipping at every turn. I hadn't drifted off again, enjoying the scenery and later, the sunset. Cameron made another gas stop. I stayed in the car while he used the bathroom.

It was already night by the time we left crowded roads and pine trees stood on either road side. We hadn't passed Haven Hills' boarders yet, though. We were damn close when... Cameron stirred the car into a skinny dirt road. Along the un-sturdy path the wheels got stuck in muddy holes, Cam pressed down on the accelerator making the Camaro march on.

I sat up straight, pinning my arms to my chest.

"Cam? I'm pretty sure you made a wrong turn."

Cam made a doubtful sound, "I don't think so."

A dry laugh left me.

"Are you kidding?"

"No." He looked at me, easing the car to a stop. "There's something we have to see and I know the perfect spot to see it. Don't even ask what it is we're going to see, because it's a surprise."

It couldn't be helped that my heart tutted twice as hard at the word 'surprise'. This time when he left the car, he came over to my door, opening it. I got out eying him from under my eyelashes. What could he possibly have planned out here? He'd been miles away for two days.

"Wait here." He instructed, touching my nose tip with a finger. I giggled.

I leaned on the car's side watching him pop open the trunk, rummaging around. I noticed the sky wasn't completely dark, clusters of light stood out as minor clouds swayed by. A thump later Cameron was beside me, a thick navy blanket thrown over a shoulder.

"Where did you get that?"

"I packed it two days ago. In case you got cold and I couldn't warm you." He smirked with a wag of both eyebrows.I shifted my hair but it could no longer hide the embarrassment spreading over me. Cam's chuckle boomed richly, "I really like your new hair." He whispered in a silky tone, sweet as warm chocolate.

Heaving, I slid from between him and the car. I pretended to absently comb fingers through my hair.

"What's the surprise?"

He shook his head with a smirk making his way past me. Nagging anxiety chewed away at my remaining mental health. I wanted to know what the surprise was! So much so, that I picked up pace, running to catch up to Cameron. Falling into step beside him, I slipped our fingers together. He squeezed, sending a side-ways wry smile. Cam led us into a wide meadow, with a clear sky view, surrounded by pine trees. The grass below was short, burned from the cold winter snow. Cameron's fingers slipped and he grabbed hold of the mantle, spreading it across the ground.

"Sit," he pointed to the widespread blanket.

"Okay, okay. Don't pop a blood vessel, Mr. Bossy Pants." I sat on the mantle and started unlacing my Converse, chucking them off. I dragged myself to the middle, staring at Cameron. "A little clue?"

His expression was a blank canvas. Zero emotion. I huffed quietly. Cameron sat, toed off his boots and positioned himself behind me. His arms wrapped around my waist, tilting me backward. I allowed myself to rest on his firm chest, stretching my legs. Cam's own legs were drawn up on either side my hips.

Cameron skimmed the exposed neck skin with burning butterfly kisses.

"I'm starting to think you brought me here to make..." I trailed off as he placed two fingers under my chin, forcing me to stare at the sky. "Out..."

Streaks of light raced across the night's sky, dozens following more and more. The small clouds looked illuminated. It was like stars were raining down in a majestic dance.

"Surprise," he murmured sweetly, nestling his face in the space between my neck and shoulder.

"It's a... a meteor shower." I stammered, bewildered and my chest expanded at the beauty. "Cam. It's a meteor shower." I repeated, glaring with such big eyes I thought they might fall from their sockets.

Chuckling under his breath, he nodded holding tight, I downright melted into the embrace watching the beautiful scene of nature play out. I'd never seen one before. I'd never been big on astronomy happenings, but to see this—to see it with Cameron... I had no words.

"While I was waiting for you to come out of the bathroom—at the gas station—I overheard a guy talking about a meteor shower being at its peak tonight. I think he called it... Gamma Normids? I don't know much about constellations and planet stuff, but I think that was it. Anyway, the only thing I wanted to do since I heard it, was show it to you. I wanted to give you a memory you'd never forget."

I twisted around and Cam dropped his arms, sitting crossed legged as I stood on my knees, head-to-head with him. Those three little words I never got tired of saying didn't seem enough to show him how much this meant to me. I knew he was hurting—because of Phillip—yet, he was doing his best to be strong and sweet for me. He was giving us priority.

"This is..."

Cam reached out, cupping my face, tracing a finger over my lips. Effectively silencing me. He moved smoothly from crossed legged to stand on both knees, just as I was.

"I love you," he whispered bowing his mouth to my ear. I pulled back startled. "I don't just love you. It goes beyond it. It's a feeling I can't explain, but I know it's so much more than love. With you I know exactly where I belong. You're my home. The best part of my soul—of our soul. This connection between us... It'll go on even after we're gone," Cam angled my face so my eyes wouldn't dither from his. I could sense my gaze was shiny, brimming with happiness, love, longing, passion. "Because Twin Flames never separate after finding each other."

My hands reached out, gripping the edges of his leather jacket. Blood was pumping so furiously I could barely hear myself think. I stared at Cameron like he'd spoken in tongues. He... He said... My throat thinned out.

"...what?"

Smiling with a hint of guilt, Cameron stole my breathing room, making sure our foreheads touched.

"I love you, Nina." His breath stirred the tiny waves that were my hair. "I'm sorry I didn't say it back to you in Hell, or all the other times you've said it—I should have. And I'm sorry I yelled it as an excuse for my behavior... I was an asshole."

"You were." I got out, eyes unseeing. A rush of emotions sweeping me in a wild hurricane.

Both his hands framed my face, "I promise I'll never keep secrets from you again."

"Yeah..." at this point I wasn't very interested in secrets. I only heard his voice and the words he'd spoken so earnestly, with a heart so laid bare for me to see.

For once, I didn't over think.

My hands moved on their own, I tugged his jacket back, sliding it down his arms. I was kissing Cameron before it hit the ground. My fingers hunted for the Tee, removing it. Every itty, bitty cell flamed alive as our tongues clashed in a heap of passion. He groped my sides, the flesh sinking below hard fingers, eliciting a moan as they slid down, stopping on my thighs.

I pushed him and he let himself tumble on the blanket. Cam studied me in awe, tracing a finger tip from my shoulder to my elbow. Next, I found myself kissing his throat. He arched with a barely concealed groan. Cameron switched our roles, suddenly I was the one on bottom. Cameron's mouth moved to one of my ears, my hands circled his powerful forearms. When nibbling my lobe became boring, he licked behind it, following down. The way he was going at it, so slowly, made it feel like my collar bone was a bumpy road. Tracing a hand down his solid abs, I opened my legs and circled his waist—pulling him on top.

Our mouths became a tangled mess. Heat became unbearable even though we were outdoors, in the woods somewhere. Instead of alarming me, the thought made me crave it more. I panted against his shoulder, kissing it.

Cameron breathed along the neckline of my sweater, frustrated. Suddenly I was very bothered by the layers between us. I reached down, trying to grip my sweater's hem and ended up brushing Cam's waistband.

I bit my lip lost in wonderful, dirty thoughts I always kept hidden. With Cameron keeping anything bolted was useless, he brought it to the surface, good things and bad.

I yelped as a tearing noise fished me from fantasies. Cameron had just ripped my woolen sweater in two. I gasped a breath when lush lips burned the valley of my chest. For a second, all I did was rest my head back, biting my lip and turning from unearthly shivers.

Muscles in my legs hardened around him. A heated growl met my ears.

Everything told me we were beyond stopping point.

The revelation didn't startle me. I didn't want to stop.

I wanted this. I wanted it with him.

I didn't care about being buck naked in a forest meadow, under a meteor shower, didn't care about the ton of dangers of what we were doing. Because when my knees trapped Cam's hips, he pulled me closer, tighter, and our lips collided in a whole new magnitude of ecstasy. I pushed against his front long enough for him to unhook my bra.

My chest heaved on his, skin on skin.

Cam nudged his cheek on mine, trailing hot kisses along my jaw.

Tipping my head for better access, I opened my eyes, finding his. We held each other's gazes.

"I love you," I whispered, reaching up to cup his face. He kissed my wrist causing me to breathe a deep sigh.

He kept a hold on my hand, guiding it over his broad shoulders, over the reddening skin of his chest, stopping on his left peck. Under it, I could feel the wild beat of Cam's heart. Same as mine.

"This is yours, little bird. Heart, soul, body. All of me." Feeling super unhinged with emotions all over, I hooked my ankles. Cam tipped forward, lower, until our faces were inches away. "Ask me to stop," he said, voice rough with lust. "And I will." He would, no matter how much it would kill him, he'd stop.

"I don't want to stop," my voice came out so soft I thought even Cam wouldn't hear. "I want this. I need it, Cam. I need you."

Shaking his hair, he leaned closer, lips brushing mine as he spoke.

"I didn't bring you here thinking we'd do anything. It wasn't why I said all of that, either." My heart skipped more beats than it should.

"I know, Cameron." I murmured as he drew his strong arms around me, shielding me from the world. "This feels right."

His cool forehead pressed on mine.

"It does."

"Cam..." his name left me in an alarmed yelp as he began to disentangle from me.

A warm chuckle bubbled from within as he reached for his discarded jacket, draping my upper body with it. High on hormones, I couldn't see why he had to pull away.

"Protection," he breathed softly. "Unless you want little Nina's and Cameron's running around, I should probably get it."

Blushing bright red, I nodded with haste. When he disappeared in a blur, I wondered where he had condoms. In the car?

Cam was beside me not three seconds later, a square in his hand.

"I bought a box at the gas station." He confessed guiltily.

"Better to be prepared, right?"

"Right."

"It's okay." I reasoned. "I've wanted this for a long time, too."

"It was all I could think about when I was... in his body. I was glad to be near you, touching you, I just wanted to be with you and knowing I couldn't was killing me." I bit my lip and any left over self-control slipped.

The square was tossed across the blanket as we indulged in another round of exploring. My hands roamed the hard planes of his stomach and dove much lower. He sucked a big breath. Cameron's mouth dragged along my lower stomach—my fingers plunged into his hair. As he got near the jean's waist band, I arched off the ground coming alive. A raw sound came from Cam. He took his time popping the button, licking the skin just above, teasing and building me up. A shudder rattled my bones once the jeans came undone and he slowly started shimming them off. For every time he pulled them down, he stopped, taking his sweet time working burning kisses on my hips, inner thighs and... I moaned as he cocked one leg, kissing behind my knee. This went on forever.

Cameron was slowing every touch, every kiss so that we lived them and felt every one in our souls. His jeans ended on the grass with mine. It was mid March but we were on fire, flushed against one another, the whole world including the cold was dead and gone to us. My hands were on the move, slipping up his back, kneading the cord muscles in his neck, propelling his mouth on mine. It was deep, passionate and hungry. Static broke across Cam's skin. Tiny blue sparks jumped from his skin to mine, we stared for a while at each other. Normally, especially in the darkness, there was no telling Cameron's iris from his pupil, but in this instant his eyes seemed luminous. I traced the strong jaw line, he shivered. Cam had done this before, but he was shaking like I was. Within me, my soul was a wild mess reaching for his, waiting to entangle itself.

Cameron's arms tucked around me, pulling me to sit with him. Our kisses lasted so long I couldn't tell where he ended and I began. The electric sparks kept whisking from him to me, and I enjoyed the thrill. The voltage was so low they were caresses, tickles. Every part of Cameron was present and he wasn't afraid to let me see them.

The foil ripped. I wanted to close my eyes at the prickling pain, Cameron leaned down nuzzling his nose on mine. I forced them open, locking with his. It still... hurt. But Cameron... he made it better. Soon, heady sensations took over and I was utterly consumed by his addictive taste. Cam's fingers moved up between my ribs—they felt everywhere. My body was crowded with his. He kept slowing things, dragging them out, even as I pushed him to go faster. We moved against each other, finding a rhythm.

Being with him this way was beyond comparison to any other time we'd felt close. It felt like we were joined in the strongest way, it made our souls rejoice and sated as they chimed for being one again. This was more than physical, more than chemical attraction—it was spiritual. This moment told me I could never fall in love with anyone else. Because love—the messy kind you fought for, the real one I'd never thought existed—was here, in Cameron's arms. This was perfect and wondrous.

We were whole.

We were one.

After what felt like hours later, and honestly could be, Cameron turned over, gathering me in his arms. His flushed body warmth keeping the stinging cold breeze at bay.

"Okay?" he whispered in my ear. I nodded, feeling my body mushy and worn in a wonderful way. "Hey look, more shooting stars." Our heads tilted as they raced above, leaving their trail of gold.

I sighed, sinking into the hardness of Cam's lean muscles. I loved his arms around me, how perfectly I fit against him. Soft against hard.

"Cameron,"

"Hmm?" he glanced down.

I blinked, "I... just like saying your name."

He burst into laughter. The edges of my face turned bright pink, but a silly smile swooped in and I didn't hide it from him. Still chuckling, he maneuvered his head closer, kissing me with slowness, sweetly.

When he pulled back, his eyes were glinting obsidian. Fiery with energy and promise.

"Nothing will ever come between us again. Whatever happens from now on, we'll be together."

Unease pooled in my belly.

"What do you think it's going to happen?"

"I have no idea. I promise you this, though." He reached over for the discarded leather jacket, covering me with it. His ever present smell eased the worry. "I will never leave you again."

***

A yawn left as I turned over. I managed to flip onto my side but there was a heavy weight anchoring me to the soft bed.

Bed...?

My brain was super sluggish on figuring out why that seemed strange. After all, people slept in beds. Except... my body was feeling tired, a good kind of tired for a very particular reason. Eyes flying open, I winced. Sunlight was coming through the blinds. Blue walls greeted me, along with bookshelves, an archway that led into an awesome bathroom and... I was curled up on Cameron's football field sized bed.

"Huh..." I mumbled, feeling my voice scratchy.

A warm body moved behind me, the weight on my waist was an arm—Cam's arm. He pulled his arm closer to his side, nestling my body there.

"Morning, little bird." He breathed against the nape of my neck, causing tiny hairs to rise.

Determined to see him, I twisted in the half hug, finally coming face to face with a sleep ridden Cameron. His hair was a hot mess. Cam was propped on an elbow, eyes slick with tenderness and mischief. A strange, yet exhilarating combination. And oh yeah, he was naked from the waist up.

Looking down at myself, I saw I was wearing one of his dark hoodies and my lace panties from last night. I didn't remember putting those on, little alone his hoodie.

"You look adorable when you're confused." I sent him a dirty glare. A grin shaped his mouth. "I drove us home last night. You were totally drifting off when I carried you to the car."

My eyes adjusted to the sunlight coming from the window behind his bed. The last thing I remembered from last night was lying with Cameron under the meteor shower, dozing off. Which meant he'd carried me from the car up here and dressed me in this hoodie.

"Thanks." His only response was to lean forward, pressing a kiss between my eyebrows. "So, we're home?"

"Yes. But don't worry, after I got you up here I went to the basement and got some mountain ash. Spread it around the house. It won't last forever but it'll keep Demons out."

"Only Demons?" he nodded.

"The only thing unholy creatures can't cross—any of them—is holy ground." Cameron lied down beside me, fitting his head on the same pillow. "Don't worry, I won't let anything hurt you." He declared, voice fierce.

I knew Cameron would move mountains to keep me from harm, but a slinky feeling stirred. What if it weren't Demons we needed to fear? Fear was quashed once soft poetry lips bumped mine.

"You're a heavy sleeper."

I grinned, "I know."

"I've been awake for about an hour."

"What? What have you been doing?"

"What do you think?" he licked my bottom lip. "Watching you sleep, hearing you breathe..."

"Oh my God." I heaved a short laugh at his smirk.

"I wanted to wake you up, but you looked like you were enjoying yourself. So, I sacrificed my need."

"Your need?"

Cameron shifted fast, I was no longer in his arms and he was no longer spread out beside me. He was holding himself above me, hands pressed on either side of my head. The ripped muscles flexed as he hovered, painting me with lust.

"Oh," I intoned.

"Oh," Cam mimicked, black eyes hooded.

Biting my lip while smiling, I reached up, touching my bare palms to the ripped skin. Slowly I dragged them to his shoulders, sinking my nails in. His eyelids fluttered shut as he put some weight onto me. He made it hard to think of anything besides shedding clothes and stay in bed all day.

"What time is it?"

"Who cares?"

"Come on, Cam. Focus. We've missed school for a week." The Datura issue took almost two days, plus Cam had been locked in a cellar, then we had to leave because Angels turned up. We wasted a day looking for Devil's cove... "I still haven't talked or seen Dawn since..."

"Since Zeke died." His voice was somber and a tad aggressive, I knew he was thinking of skinning Samantha alive. With a heavy sigh, he looked to the bedside clock. "We can still make third period."

"We missed English? Darn." I joked, earning a blinding smile. Those reserved for only me. "Do you think it's stupid? Going to school, acting like everything is okay?"

Because outside of us nothing shone bright. Every problem was gloom and doom.

"No, I don't. I think craving normalcy keeps you sane. And like I said, we'll be safe here for some time."

"What about Phillip and Serena?"

A shroud of hurt touched his eyes.

"I don't know, Nina. Phillip hasn't called or texted. But... he's my brother, I'd know if something was wrong." He sounded like he was convincing himself. "He made a choice."

I nodded lost in thought. A moment later, Cam trailed steamy kisses down the column of my neck.

"We should get ready..."

"Huh-uh," he mocked. "Let's use my shower."

"If we use your shower we'll need a shower after the shower." I laughed trying to wriggle from him.

"But I want you all to myself." He whined once I sat on the edge of bed. Looking over a shoulder, I saw him lying there with a pout. Oh no, not the pout. Be strong, I told myself. "Breakfast in bed?"

His eyes beamed when I inhaled, liking the thought. No. No. I chided. I needed to get out and see my friends. I needed to fall in routine, at least while I could. Plus...

"Not now," I got up and he groaned rolling onto his back. I walked to his door but before leaving, I turned, a sultry smile playing on my red-apple lips. "But I can schedule you in after school. Say... for the rest of the day?"

Cameron's head shot up, he propped himself on both elbows, looking winded.

A lip corner hitched, "Oh, little bird."

***

Cameron had been right. We made it on time for third period. I had chemistry and he had history. I'd missed Bio, but there was always Trig. Dawn would be there. As class dragged on, I made a list of all the homework assignments I'd missed, sighing. Getting with the program wasn't easy and I was pretty much going to fail every class. I wondered if Lucas had bothered to put any effort while in Cam's skin? Would Cam's GPA be a wreck?

When class let out tingles ran beneath the skin, touching every inch of me. Wow. Intense.

An arm dropped across my shoulders.

"You really shouldn't use your creepy speed in public." The lecture fell on deaf ears, as usual.

"How was class?"

"Boring. Yours?"

"Same. Though, I had some entertaining thoughts." His words spiked hotness everywhere. "I talked with Vanessa about what happened. With Phillip and all."

"How did she take it?" I knew how much V was connected to Phillip, he'd been there for her, bad times and good. He'd been the only brother supporting her with the Vamp change.

Cam's eyebrows scrunched, "Actually, pretty well. Almost like..."

Cameron stopped talking when a sunshine smiling face, framed in bouncy curls, stopped in front of us. Dawn's mocha skin looked healthy, her chestnut eyes sparkly, so much that I feared she was running a fever. She was dressed in a Guns N' Roses t-shirt too big for her, it looked like something that would fit Cam and faded skinny jeans. She looked... happy.

"Dawn?" I asked and she came forward, hugging me.

"Oh my God! I'm so glad you're back. I knew you were in a car accident but V said you came to school, but then when I came back you weren't here! And, wow, love the new hair!" She pulled back gazing at Cameron. Whose head was cocked in disbelief. "Hey, you dropped the contact lenses."

"Yeah."

Returning her attention to me, she asked, "So, what happened? Why were you gone. All of you?"

"Hum, well..."

"We got mono." I gawked at Cam.

Dawn looked at him doubtfully, "Really? All three of you?" she hinted at something that made me cringe.

"No. Phillip isn't sick. He's actually not coming back to school any time soon."

What?

"What? Why?"

"Phillip fell for a girl."

Dawn looked like she might start dancing.

"Okay, so what, he ran away with her?"

Cam adjusted the strap of his backpack, "Pretty much."

Oh baby Jesus.

"And you let him?"

"I'm not his keeper." He shrugged, hiding the tense lines of his body.

Having had enough of this bizarro world experience, I cut their talk short.

"Dawn," I touched her arm. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah. I'm great. Why? Do I look pale? I told him this black t-shirt would make me look-"

"Him?" I jumped. For a minute, I feared her loss was so great she was seeing Zeke or getting drunk to hallucinate him.

What she said was none of that. She didn't even mention her deceased boyfriend.

"Right. You've been gone for too long, Nina. I've got a new boyfriend. He's a college student. But he's here on break or something." She giggled shrilly and the pit of fear took residence in my stomach. What the hell? "Cain's really hot and sexy and-"

"Cain?" Cam spoke up. "What kind of parent name's his kid 'Cain'?"

"My parents were into biblical names. I have no idea what my mother was thinking when she named me after a murderer, though. It was like... she expected me to carry on the legacy or something." A guy with dark caramel hair strolled up behind her, out of the blue. His face was handsome, his nose had a slopping tip and his chin was narrow, cleanly shaved skin... It all faded out when I saw the guy's eyes.

Purple.

He was the man from my dream. The one who'd chased me with crows until I plunged into icy water and... I breathed, standing my ground.

Dawn spun in his direction.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

"A little birdie told me your friends were back in school. I've been itching to meet them since I rolled into town."

"Really?"

"Yep." He tore his unsettling eyes from us, looking at Dawn with a slippery smile. "You should get to class. You're already late." With dismay, I saw the halls were empty. Dawn's strange behavior completely surprised me. Both of us.

"You're so sweet for caring." Huh. I barfed a little in my mouth.

The wide smile never left him, "I know. Now, run along. I need to have a chat with your friends."

"Okay," she said with some doubt. But then, she brushed it off running to Trig. Like he'd told her. Dawn was no one's lapdog. Something was very, very wrong with this picture.

"What the hell did you do to my friend?"

Cain focused on me, his smile scaling as he showed perfect white teeth. He had a great smile. Too bad it gave the chills.

"Love potions are very fun." Those things were real? "Some are just really strong too, they'll make whoever takes them do just about anything for the person who fed them the potion. That was me, by the way." He breathed a laugh looking between Cam and me. "Wow. Okay. It's just I've been waiting to meet you guys for such a long time now, I'm kind of nervous."

"Who are you?"

"Didn't she tell you?" he pointed to where Dawn had gone. "I'm Cain. And in case you're wondering, yes. I do live up to the name." Cain lifted his hand suddenly. We were sent flying against a row of lockers. I winced, rolling on the floor. "My siblings are dead. Courtesy of me. But let's talk business!" His eyes gleamed looking Cameron's way. Cain flicked out his hand, the motion pinned Cam against a locker.

I crawled the fastest toward him, Cain did nothing to stop me. He even released Cameron. Cain's Power settled along the hallway in a twisted, menacing cloud. It felt... off. Tainted.

"Imagine a boy, with a fabulous dream. A dream of a world on fire. Under his rules. A world where no one would care if he killed the dumbass who screwed up his order at the drive through!" He punched a wall leaving a dent the size of his fist, white plaster fell to the floor.

Cain turned around heaving a calming breath. Opening his eyes, he smiled charmingly. Like he hadn't just lost his cool over a... Did he say he'd killed someone because they screwed up his order? Holy mother...

"Where was I? Oh yeah. A world with no rules."

"That sounds a lot like Hell on Earth." I mumbled.

I wish I hadn't because Cain was suddenly crouching beside us. I pushed Cam's chest when he tried to lean in, probably wanting to cause bodily harm.

Cain tutted a finger my way.

"That's where you're wrong. It wouldn't just be Hell. It would be everything rolled into one. Like a calzone." That... made no sense. Everything rolled into one? What? "But for my epic dream to come true I need a few things." He began counting off his fingers. "More Power, which is so easy to get. You wouldn't believe how many idiots are willing to give it up. I'm like 'hello! Why would you want to be human? You were born so awesome!'" He paused, frowning. Then he laughed. "Well, if they didn't surrender their Power I'd take it. And kill them afterwards."

Cam snuck an arm around my waist, pressing me close to his side. He wasn't liking this.

"Right, so... More Power. Pure Angel's blood. Magic. Two halves of the same piece. I'm still working on what that means. And a Nephilim who can redeem Fallens."

My nails dug into Cam's arm.

"I think you two can help me with that last one?"

Cameron ignored my hand and pushed forward, putting their faces inches away.

"You're not a Fallen."

Cain let out a sigh as he stood, stretching his arms. His shirt rode up.

"Nope. Thankfully." He chuckled with glee. "I'm a different kind of monster. A true hybrid."

"I've never heard about a Nephilim with that ability." Cameron flat out lied. "And if one did exist, why would we help you? I like the world the way it is, thanks."

"You have no reason to help me. Actually," he sauntered over to the trophy case looking inside. "I'm the reason your families are dead. I was the one who ordered the attacks since, you know, I'm the Rebels' leader and all."

When he looked at our reflection in the trophy case glass, we were rendered speechless. Damn near a breakdown, but speechless. Was this guy for real? He looked like a man in his mid-twenties. I believed he'd ordered the attack on my family, but on Cam's? He would've been a teenager. And if he wanted our help why would he tell us he'd ensued the attacks and fires?

He was nuts.

"Also, if you don't feel like cooperating I can just tell Dawn to kill herself. She loves to do whatever I tell her." He sauntered to the damaged wall, placing a hand on it. My lips parted as wall pieces flew into the air, converging into the hole. They pieced themselves together at the closing of his fist.

Shaking my head, I heaved the only thing running through my head.

"What kind of sicko are you?"

"The kind who's glib with superficial charm, who has a big sense of self worth. I'm also a pathological liar, cunning and manipulative. The kind who's not burdened by guilt and is emotionally shallow, lacking empathy. Someone who fails to take responsibility for his own actions. Prone to boredom. Someone who leads a parasitic lifestyle. Impulsive. Irresponsible. Poor behavioral control, early behavioral problems. Juvenile delinquency..." I shut my mouth. What the freak was he...? Cain squinted his eyes at ceiling, thinking. "I think I got it all."

Cameron risked getting up, keeping sharp eyes on Cain.

He ground out, "In other words, you're a psychopath."

"That's exactly what my psychiatrist said after reading me the long list of "what's wrong with me"." He used air quotes, chuckling. "That was right before I killed him." Turning with his teeth-showing smile, driving my stomach into overdrive, he asked, "So, partners?"