Caleb
Something glinted in the darkness. Unable to move, I could only stare, frozen in fear, as the terrifying blur approached, moving too quickly than any human-shaped creature should be naturally able. The breath evaporated from my lungs, extinguished like a flame, leaving behind only suffocating smoke.
I whimpered in fear. She came closer. Her fangs dripped with venom. I was caught like an insect in a spider’s web, unable to do anything except wait for my death.
With her claws and fangs ready, Margaret lunged.
A scream ripped from my throat as I shot up. A wave of consciousness rolled out and I realized it was a dream. Anightmare.
The room looked unfamiliar, I thought with a prickle of unease. Then I remembered why.
I came face to face with Adriel, who looked shocked. He’d only been in a vampire’s trance - not fully asleep like a human - so I wasn’t surprised my cry had roused him.
“Caleb, what is it?” he asked.
He put his hands firmly on my arms, and the pressure of his grip brought me back down to reality.
“Breathe,” Adriel instructed.
I felt dizzy, but I did as he told me. Soon the long, deep breaths settled the static of my mind and I was able to think clearly.
“Sorry,” I mumbled. “I was having a bad dream.”
“I see that,” he replied, looking grave. “Do you want to talk about it?”
I held my tongue. Did I really want to tell Adriel that his mother was the one causing these recurring nightmares?
“If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine,” Adriel said. “But if it’s something I should know, tell me. We don’t keep secrets anymore, remember?”
“Right,” I mumbled. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, no longer feeling tired and wanting to distance myself from unconsciousness. “It’s just hard to explain.”
Adriel put his hand on my own. “I’m listening.”
“Okay…” I sighed. “Ever since Margaret attacked me, I’ve been having these nightmares about her. About getting killed by her.”
Adriel’s expression softened. “Oh, Caleb…”
I stared at the sheets, feeling small and useless. “Sorry, I know she’s your mom and everything, but it freaked me out more than I thought it would.”
“You know, she’s not my biological mother,” Adriel said. “To be honest, I wouldn’t even compare her to an adoptive one. My brother Theo is probably the only one out of the three of us who holds feelings like that towards her.”
“I figured something like that,” I admitted. “I guess I just feel guilty that I feel this way about her.”
“You shouldn’t,” Adriel said. “It’s a natural reaction to have fears about someone who tried to murder you.” His face darkened, and I knew what he was thinking even if he didn’t say it out loud:Someone who, as long as she’s alive, can still try to murder you.
I played with the edge of the blanket.
“This isn’t the first time you’ve had this nightmare, is it?” Adriel asked.
“No,” I admitted.
“And you suffered in silence all this time?” There was no accusation in Adriel’s voice, only sympathy and guilt.
I shrugged. “I didn’t want to bother you, especially since things were weird between us.”
Without another word, Adriel embraced me. He held the back of my head and stroked my hair. I let myself relax in his arms. The leftover fear from my nightmare melted away, and now I only felt warmth and comfort. My heart thumped happily in my chest.
“I’m here,” Adriel soothed.
