Chapter Six

NATHEN

 

Back home, Syn slipped the drive into one of her secondary laptops, just in case of a virus or tracker, and opened the source folder. It included hours of security footage from inside a large home. The videos clearly depicted a woman resembling Cameron’s mother and three other women going about their daily lives. There was no audio with the video, and Syn pointed out the footage was likely from a home security system which most people didn’t realize were easily hackable and resulted in actually less security as would-be thieves in the know could tap in and find out when someone wasn’t at home, disable the system, and take what they wanted. She assured Cameron this was not a usual practice, as most people who used these systems were middle class families without much to steal, and people who knew how to hack the systems would be searching for bigger fish who had better systems. This didn’t do much to comfort Cameron whose tears silently flowed down his face like rivers as he watched his mother cooking, watching television, and visiting with the other women.

“She hasn’t aged a day,” he whispered with awe as he kneeled on the floor next to the coffee table which held the laptop.

“There’s an address,” Syn said softly, opening a document with specific information about the city, community, and home, where Maria Molina and three other named individuals resided.

Nathen was hesitant, but added, “I can project to the address using a maps app, then convey what I’m seeing to both of you. Though, it might be dangerous if fae are around.”

Cameron’s breath caught, and he begged quietly, “Please?” Nathen could feel Cameron’s emotions roiling over him: despair, hope, guilt, shame, and an ultimate fear of hoping too much.

Stroking Cameron’s hair lovingly, Nathen’s heart swelled when he laid his head in his lap. Unlocking his phone, Nathen typed the address into a maps application, which automatically zoomed in on the house and block the home was on. He switched into satellite view and focused using his blood to power his innate skill.

Nathen’s perspective shifted, and he was inside the mental world of his creation, converting the electronic information into something his mind could comprehend. A dark void expanded in all directions, and in front of him sat a table with a replica of the map on the phone made of miniatures. All the lights in the small miniature homes were off, except for one in the middle: the address he put into the destination, he assumed.

He moved closer to the table and focused on the home with the light. The table responded with a wavelike movement that morphed all the objects around it, like liquid metal. What was left standing was the solitary house he had focused on. It was the size of a doll house, and as he peered in, he was able to see small people moving inside.

He projected this view to Cameron and Syn.

Cameron gushed breathlessly, “Mom! Is there a phone? Can you get the phone number?”

Nathen focused on the window and the house seemed to get larger, or Nathen’s perspective smaller. It wasn’t clear which. The visual sensor moved through the window into the room. Ms. Molina rocked gently in an oversized chair, reading a novel. Nathen moved around the room looking for a cell signal but couldn’t find one. There was, however, an old-fashioned landline phone which Nathen focused on.

*

CAMERON

 

Cameron’s phone got a text message from an anonymous number with a set of digits he assumed was the number of his mother’s phone. His regular pale skin was splotched with stress as he shuddered in Syn’s embrace, snatching up the phone and staring at it dumbly. “Syn—” he internally whimpered.

“I know, I know, Cam…Aaron…”

It was the first time since his mother died that Syn had dared to use his given name. He twisted in her embrace and she slid up onto the couch so she could take his face between her hands caressing him lovingly as she looked seriously into his bloodshot eyes. “You didn’t know. All this time both of us thought she was dead. You must stop beating yourself up—over her death, and now this. Please? Just…call her?”

Cameron swallowed the thickness clotting his throat and rested his head on her knee, allowing her to hold him, rocking gently. He was once again the sixteen-year-old who had just seen his mother die, lying in his best friend’s embrace, sheltered in the playground, and in shock, at a loss as to what to do. Syn had held him then for a long time before using her hacking skills to establish a new identity, a new life for him. His mother had told him to run, and Syn had insisted he flee. Had given him explicit instructions, which he followed. And slowly he had found a new life, though part of him was taken on the night he thought his mother was murdered. And now here she was.

He searched Syn’s dark-brown eyes, so filled with concern and love. “I’m right here,” she assured him.

Stronger, he nodded and stared down at the phone in his hand for a long time before hitting dial. Mentally, he watched through Nathen’s eyes as his mother ignored the phone and continued rocking and reading. He flinched when a woman’s voice answered, “Hello?”

“I, umm, can I please speak with Maria?” he asked quietly, a sob threatening in the back of his throat.

There was a long pause before the woman said, “Hold on.”

Nathen projected the picture of Maria being interrupted by a knock at her door, and a woman entering and handing her the phone. The woman stood nearby watching Maria and the phone with suspicion and concern.

“Hello?” Maria asked.

The sob broke free, an anguished cry, and Cameron clutched Syn’s hand too tightly. His mother’s voice brought a new wave of tears and a maelstrom of different emotions as he croaked, “Mom?”

He saw through Nathen as Maria Molina fell back onto the chair, her book tumbling to the floor as she clutched the phone in both hands, holding it tightly to her face, her eyes wide in shock, painted with fear.

“Aaron?” she asked in disbelief, her voice much quieter.

“Oh, Mom,” Cameron whispered, his head falling forward to rest on Syn’s as his shoulders quaked with sobs. He saw Maria glance at her friend who was leaning against the wall, both hands held tightly against her chest as she stared wide-eyed with an expression of fear.

“Mi corazon, listen to me. You must forget this number. I don’t know how you found it, but it’s not safe.”

“Mom, no. I know, I—”

“Not another word. Do not contact me. This number will no longer be active. You must go on with your life. Remember, I will always love you. You are my heart.”

The line went dead. Cameron stared at the phone in horror, his mind’s eye open wide. He watched through Nathen’s consciousness as Maria and the other woman began speaking quickly. He shuddered in disbelief as Maria raced to her closet and yanked out a suitcase, throwing various clothing into the bag. The other women in the house were shouting and also packing. Cameron dialed again and saw his mother shoot a glance at the phone, which went unanswered. He tried again and again, allowing the phone to ring to its max each time before hanging up and trying again for almost ten minutes until all the women were dressed, packed, and leaving.

*

NATHEN

 

Nathen sensed Cameron panicking. He had to do something. Focusing on the ambient digital energy in the air, he poured more of his collective strength into manifesting his image. He couldn’t affect physical matter, but maybe he could project an image of himself in this space to Cameron’s mother.

The image of his own body, a depiction of his ego, manifested in the room. “Ms. Molina, please pick up the phone, he can’t lose you again.”

Maria screamed, falling back onto the ground and scuttling backward. One of the ladies with her fell down next to her, also staring at Nathen in shock.

“Who are you?” Maria said aloud.

“I’m your son’s friend. He’s calling you as I speak, please pick up the phone. There’s more going on than you know.”

She took a deep breath. “There is much more going on than either of you know. And if you really are my son’s friend, you will urge him to forget about me. He needs to live his own life. There is a war raging here, and I cannot have him in danger.”

Nathen nodded. “There is war brewing here as well, and we are both already involved.”

Maria’s soft features furrowed into a worried frown. “Where are you? Where’s my son? What is the war of which you speak?”

Nathen started to weaken as he was burning through his blood by maintaining the image and mental projection. His stomach started to turn as the now familiar hunger began to gnaw at his mind.

“We’re in San Francisco. I’m with him, as is his friend Syn.”

“Cindy?” Maria grinned, her expression one of understanding and relief. “Listen, we can’t speak on the phone. And nowhere is safe.”

“Please ask her if we can meet in person!” Cameron begged, still cued into the mental link and watching from Nathen’s perspective. “We can fly there, be there tomorrow. Or anytime.”

Nathen’s image began to waver and fade in and out as he was losing the energy to maintain his mental form. “I’m using my magic to communicate with you… It can’t be tracked. But Cameron wants to know if we can meet you in person? He says we can fly and be there tomorrow, or anytime. “

Maria hesitated, finally whispering, “His favorite picnic spot when he was a child, before we moved. Wednesday at midnight.”

Cameron’s relief and joy flooded all of them, and his mind was blanketed with a sea of blue as the state flower roared to life for a short time each March, a field he somehow knew belonged to the KTSA radio station. Cameron projected images of a creek next to the field peppered with tall shoots of bamboo that he would wander through getting seemingly lost in for hours as his mother read by the water.

Nathen smiled and nodded agreement. “We’ll meet you there.” He waved and his image disappeared.

Nathen blinked and was back in his body. Drained physically, a predatory ravenous need gnawed at him. He caught a view of his ashen pallor in the mirror and was distracted by his bestial image, eyes glowing a cold blue.

“Thank you,” Cameron exhaled a jagged breath as he threw himself around Nathen, hugging him desperately.

Nathen smiled, fangs extending, intoxicated by Cameron’s neck being so close. His mouth watered as he imparted, “I’m glad it worked, though I am really hungry…”

“What?” Cameron pulled away, eyes growing wide with understanding, pupils dilating with immediate arousal. “Oh!”

Syn coughed at the exchange. “Well then, time for me to go hang at Red for a while. Don’t wait up.” She made haste collecting things as she headed out the door.

“Come on,” Cameron stood, holding out his hand to Nathen.

Head spinning, Nathen grasped Cameron’s hand and struggled to his feet. He stumbled to the bedroom and inhaled deeply. Cameron’s racing heart and bulge in his pants sent a stimulating bouquet of pheromonal anticipation that summoned Nathen. Every detail illuminated. Buttons flew in slow motion when he tore Cameron’s sage colored shirt open—a color that highlighted the brown flecks in his otherwise emerald eyes. Unable to contain himself, he pounced Cameron, knocking him off his feet and onto the bed. Cameron’s surprised yelp morphed into a moan when Nathen’s lips locked onto his. Cameron’s heady flavor wasn’t enough, so he used his eyetooth to pierce his tongue, suckling the sweet elixir before the mixed saliva healed him. The small appetizer of Cameron’s blood spurred him on. He wrenched Cameron’s head to the side and drove his fangs deep into Cameron’s throat, only aware of the writhing and sensuous moans of his lover. His prey.

Cameron’s hand came down hard against Nathen’s head, holding him to his throat as he thrust against Nathen’s hip. Nathen continued to gulp, Cameron’s blood infusing him, the vitae spreading through his body. The hunger quieted. His mind and will were once again his own. He released his grip and lapped at the wound, healing it.

“Thank you. I feel like myself again.” Nathen embraced his lover, the scent of Cameron’s passion-stained pants enveloping his senses.

Nathen was encompassed with gratitude as their legs entwined. “God, thank you!” Cameron sighed heavily, breathing deeply.

After a while, Cameron sluggishly moved away and opened the computer, anxiety once more trickling in. Nathen saw him searching for flights. “Did you…?” Cameron’s question hung.

Nathen was confused, then pulled Cameron’s intention from his mind. “Of course! I would love to meet your mother and be there for you. And I’ve never been to Texas; could be exciting… Though I hear they have issues with gay people in some places. Of course, that’s probably not as big a problem now if we get attacked.”

“You’ll never have to worry, gorgeous. I’ll always be able to protect us.”