My Sunshine | Camille O'Connell

(39) A Closer Walk With Thee | Part 1

"He was so red I thought he'd explode. It was like he never lost a fight before." I cackled while retelling the story to my sunshine.

She was smiling across from me as we sat next to a corner cafe. In typical New Orleans fashion, the streets were crowded with tourists. All I could focus on was how the sun hit her hair so beautifully. "Well considering the time period, it might have been the first time he lost a fight to a woman."

"Fair point." I wasn't even paying attention to the conversation anymore.

She noticed. "What are you thinking?"

I reached over to grab her hand. "You look so beautiful."

She blushes. "Why do you always do this?"

"Tell the truth?"

"Compliment me out of nowhere. Catching me off guard." She pretended to be offended.

"That's how I keep you excited." I wiggle my eyebrows.

"If that's the case, then you won't need it anymore. I'm here to stay." My words were lost on my tongue. Holy fuck this woman.

I continue staring at her in awe, and she notices my silence. "What now?"

The words scared me, but they came so easy. "I love-" But my words stopped as Cami gasped.

The scene around us suddenly got dark and empty. Cami was gurgling blood and before I could scream she fell to the ground and my father appeared with a heart in his hands.

"Your degeneracy knows no bounds, daughter." His cold voice sends shivers down my spine.

I look down at my sunshine's dead body as tears pooled my vision. I was hyperventilating. "This isn't real. Nik killed you."

"And you bring the bastard's name into this? You are beyond help. Perhaps it's better to put you out of your misery." And without another word, I felt white oak piercing my heart, fire spreading over my body as I let out a scream.

I woke up with a gasp, as if I had died. The room was unfamiliar, which caused me to panic.

I felt arms wrap around me and I started screaming. The arms disappeared but the presence remained.

"Talia! Talia! It's Cami. You're okay. You're in my apartment. It was just a nightmare. You're okay." I could faintly hear her voice and I turned to face her. Once she could see I heard her, she continued. "Try to breathe with me, okay? Just like me." She started taking deep, long breaths as I desperately tried to match her.

It felt like eternity before my heart rate finally slowed down. When I was breathing at a normal rate, I looked down. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize." She hovered her hand above mine while giving me a look, asking for permission. I nodded and she took my hand in hers. "What happened?"

"I had a nightmare. About my father." I mumbled.

She nodded without another word and we stayed like that until a crash came from the hall. "Where's the intruder? They'll be sorry they ever came here!"

That made us both break out laughing. "Joshua! Come inside, dear."

Josh vamp sped into the room. "Are you both okay?"

I nod. "I had a nightmare, Joshua. Nothing more. Go back to sleep." From the amount of crashing his vampire speed was doing, sleep deprivation was a strong possibility. "Walk, dear."

He shot a finger gun and went to bed.

Cami and I looked at each other with small smiles at his antics. It made me forget the horrors of what I had experienced.