Outcry - Completed

Chapter 13

This chapter is dedicated to @no_kidding !  Thank you so much for reading and commenting! Your kind words really mean a lot and keep me inspired to update!

Rayne plopped down in the passenger seat of Camden's Challenger and turned to face him as he took his place on the driver side. She waited expectantly for him to tell her just exactly what was going on, and frowned when he started the car without a word.

He pulled out of the parking lot and cut a sideways glance at her. He could only imagine what was going through her head. In less than a week, she'd found out so many truths about herself and the world.

"So?" she asked.

He smiled. "Rather impatient aren't we?" he asked playfully.

Rayne narrowed her eyes. "Don't give me that! I just almost got eaten by a zombie! I think I deserve a little explanation!"

This time, it was him who narrowed his eyes. "Well, if you'd listened and done as I told you, it wouldn't have happened now, would it?"

She gave him an incredulous look. "I thought someone needed help! What was I supposed to do? Just walk away and let them die?" she nearly yelled.

He took his eyes away from the road to give her a stern look. "No, you should have come and gotten me."

She opened her mouth to say something, but snapped it shut again. "When I heard someone needing help, I wasn't thinking about that."

His eyes were on the road again. "That's just it: You weren't thinking."

She turned to stare out the window. "Don't think I didn't notice you changed the subject on me. I'm still waiting on an explanation for what the hell that was," she said without looking at him.

He couldn't help but chuckle. She was feisty when she wanted to be. He sighed. "Do you remember what I told you about vampire blood?" he asked.

Rayne turned to look at him and adjusted her position so as not to crane her neck. "Yeah. Euphoric state, makes you heal faster, stronger, and extremely addictive."

He nodded. "That's what that was."

Her eyebrows creased in question and she shook her head. "I'm not following you."

Camden turned down the wooded driveway that led to the gate outside of his house. "What you saw was a vampire blood addict."

She rolled her eyes. "You're going to have to clarify that one some more," she said. "Because what I saw in there, and what almost attacked me, mind you, was one hundred percent, without a doubt, a zombie."

He stopped the car outside the gate and rolled down the window to punch in the security code. The iron gates swung open and he pulled inside. "Vampire blood is so addictive, that the normal human body will begin to show symptoms of withdrawal before the current 'high' wears off," he said, using his fingers in air quotes. "Meaning, you can still feel the effects of the blood in your system, but your brain goes into panic mode looking for more."

Rayne nodded and unbuckled her seat belt as he stopped the car in front of the massive house. She climbed out and waited for him to join her.

"Ok. I understand so far," she said and followed him up the front steps.

"Once the brain stays in survival mode for a while, it takes it up to the next level." He opened the door, ushered her in, and locked it behind her. "It now only cares about vampire blood. Nothing else matters. Self-preservation, fear, free will, none of it even exists to this brain anymore."