Summer with a Bite

Episode Three

"Darling, it's called being a vampire," Brooks said. Esme laughed.

"Prove it," Esme smirked.

At that moment, Clover jumped out from behind the bushes. "What do you think you're doing?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"I'm just showing Esme my true self," Brooks said, unstartled from her sudden appearance.

"I'd like that," Esme purred. Then she turned to her friend. "Clover, please, I'll be fine."

Clover's eyes darted back and forth from Esme and Brooks. "Fine, I'll go back to the cabin. Have fun." Clover stormed away, leaving Esme and Brooks alone. Esme sighed.

"Do you like canoe rides?" Brooks asked.

"I like all rides," Esme joked. "So yeah."

Brooks smiled. "Wait right here." Brooks walked away and came back with a canoe for two. Esme climbed in and he pushed into the water, hopping on at the last second.

"So, tell me about yourself," Esme said, hugging her knees as Brooks paddled.

"I love poetry, and soccer. I've been going to this summer camp for three years now."

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"I'm seventeen... Could I read one of your poems?"

"Sure." Brooks pulled out a notepad. He trusted this girl, for some reason that he couldn't explain.

Esme read the poems with a smile. They were amazing. "You're really talented."

"Thanks."

"So, um, what's up with the whole vampire thing?"

"Each cabin gets at least one vampire-"

"Tell the truth."

"I am. Don't you trust me?"

"I do, but I know vampires aren't real."

"Then I must be fake."

"You aren't... It's hard to believe. Could you give me some sort of proof?"

"I have fangs. There's not much else I can do to prove my identity without biting you. I'm not that powerful yet. I would need more blood consumption before I flew or shapeshifted."

"I'd rather you not bite me..."

"Do you want to be a vampire?"

"Not really, but maybe in the future I'll change my mind."

"True love is eternal, infinite, and always like itself. So I'll give you time."

"Thank you." Esme handed back the poems and their hands touched. It sent a warm chill down Esme's spine. She didn't know how to describe it.

Brooks noticed how close Esme's face was to his. He noticed how her hand didn't leave his. He noticed how badly he wanted to kiss her in the moment. He didn't know why, but he wanted to. Maybe just to see what would happen. Maybe because he liked her more than he had liked any other girl.

"We just met," Esme said, like she was reading his mind.

"We have," Brooks agreed. "So why do I want to kiss you?"

"Maybe because I want to as well."

Brooks leaned forward, but was suddenly interrupted by someone's shouting.

"ESME! GET BACK HERE!" Kiwi shouted.

"Clover... that little rat! Just when things were about to get good," Esme muttered.

"A thousand times goodnight. Sorry to say goodbye so earlier," Brooks said, jumping into the freezing water. He quickly swam away, toward the Raccoon Village.

"Oh goodness," Esme huffed, grabbing the paddle. She paddled to shore where her entire cabin was waiting for her.

"Esme, please explain," Kiwi said when Esme got out of the canoe.

"Why doesn't Clover explain first?" Esme asked, eyeing her. Clover grit her teeth.

"It wasn't me," Clover said.

"Then why is everyone here?"

"Xaria caught me."

"I didn't mean to. Clover just opened the door and I asked her what was going on," Xaria said. "Sorry. I got too loud at the wrong time. It woke everyone else up."

Esme pressed her lips together and stalked off, embarrassed and annoyed.

"Just give her space," Clover whispered to everyone.

In the morning, Brooks woke to a loud shouting.

"What's going on?" he asked, jumping out of bed.

"Someone went missing!" someone exclaimed, running out of the cabin. Brooks followed quickly, barely getting his shirt on. It was still damp from swimming in the lake.

Brooks knew that Camp Toamna Pucci wasn't a normal camp, but no one has gone missing before. Well, they had gone missing from the outside world, but never from camp.

"Who was it?" his counselor asked Marie. They were talking in the center of the village. Everyone else was watching.

"McKenna Dixson..." Marie said sadly. "She was Owl Village. It's terrible... We're not sure what to do."

"How'd it happen?"

"We're not sure. But the window by her bed was shattered. I feel so terrible for her. I wish I could help..."

"We all do."

Marie nodded solemnly. "I'll keep you updated... Goodbye for now."

"Goodbye."

Once Marie left, his counselor looked back at everyone. "We will find her, there is no doubt in my mind... But first, we need breakfast, so let's head down to the mess hall."

Brooks followed, talking absentmindedly to the boys around him. Inside, he was in deep thought.

McKenna Dixson was kidnapped by a vampire. And he needed to find out which one.