Mermaids and Vampires

58: Caught

~~~OLIVIA~~~

I smile giddily, impressed with what I've done. Adam will be so proud when he gets back!

I may have done it - I might have just won the war for us. After all, this was the creature Adam had been afraid of. I recognized him imediately, but he had no idea who I was. What a score.

Now all there is to do is wait until the vampires get back. I tip-toe eagerly through camp, anticipating Adam's return.

The silence is eery.

Soon though, it's broken - by the sound of an army of footseps.

I jog towards the wonderful sound.

"Adam!" I call, spotting him in the crowd.

His eyes fall onto me with a look of annoyance. I dissregard it, knowing it won't be there for long.

"How was the battle?" I ask.

"We never made it to shore." He breathes, "They ambushed us in the woods." He pauses. "We lost a few..."

"I've got something that might cheer you up." I say, trying to hide my smile.

"Olivia, all I can afford to think about right now is winning this war."

"It's about the war." I whisper.

His eyes linger on mine.

"It might be better if we got back to camp before everyone else." I whisper.

For once, he takes me seriously. He quickens his pace and we speed ahead of the swarm of vampires.

"In here," I whisper.

"You gotta tell me before I go in."

I roll my eyes, "Just go, I promise you'll be happy."

He enters the tent.

About five seconds later he comes back out, shaken. He stares at me, wide eyed.

"What? What's wrong? That's the enemy right?" I ask. 

"What am I supposed to do now? You just brought the most dangerous threat to vampires into the heart of our camp." He whispers.

"So... kill it." I state. 

Adam adopts a more-serious-than-usual tone. "That creature is more powerful than I am. I can't kill it."

I gawk. You've got to be kidding me. But his demeanor says otherwise.

"So, what are you going to do?" I ask in a hushed tone.

Adam shakes his head. "I don't know. The safest thing we can do is keep him as prisoner. As long as he doesn't get out, we'll have one less external threat to worry about."

"Well, that's a good thing right?" I ask.

He nods solomnly.

I can hear the vampires trickling into camp around us.

"I understand if you want to pretend like you don't know me now." I state.

He surprises me by slipping his hand around my waist and leading me into an empty tent.

He lifts my shirt off my body, kissing me all the way through.

I quickly do the same with him and we tangle into each other, embracing in the brisk, evening air.

"Thank you." I whisper between hurried breaths.

"I let three of our people die today." He confesses, kissing me harder to compensate for the pain.

I try my best to ignore that comment. The warm-shiver feeling of Adam's love is far too wonderful to let anything else creep in.

Still somehow, a darkness lingers in the air around us as his hand moves up my side. I close my eyes tight and lean into him. The fangs brush over my neck, sending goosebumps down my body.

"Love you." I whisper.

He feezes. Slowly, he pulls back.

"That's enough for tonight." He deadpans.

Fuck .

He's gone before I can do anything about it. Oh well. It was nice while it lasted.

I pull on my shirt and wander out.

The sky is darkening. Camp is lit up with burning torches. I stare up at the stars, wondering what's in store for me.

Last night's sleep was cold, so I make a point of heading to the cars to find some more blankets.

shortly after I arrive, I realize I'm not the only one here.

"...Charlotte?" I question, peering into a car from the back.

She's not at the trunk, scavenging goods. She's in the front part.

"I wondered why this trunk was closed..." I trail off.

The front door pops open.

"You caught me." She states, strolling over to me.

I'm still not sure what I caught her doing.

"We all know this war isn't going to be pretty." Charlotte admits. "I'm making provisions to get out when the time comes."

"Oh." I state.

"We were gonna tell you. But you kinda stormed off today."

"You thought I was gonna run off and tell adam." I realize.

She crosses her arms. "Did you?"

"No!"

"I'm still gonna get prepared. You never know when this thing'll turn ugly." She mutters.

"Whatever. I need a blanket." I say.

She pulls one out from beneath a bunch of crap int he back of the car.

"We don't need it." She says, chucking it at me.

"You're taking the car?" I ask.

She twirls the key around her finger.

"You don't think anyone'll notice?"

She shrugs. "Who cares. They won't know who took it."

Fair enough. 

I walk away, blanket in hand. The car starts up behind me as I enter camp.