We'd wandered around looking for the others to no avail. Cam had to support me with his shoulder. It was incredibly frustrating to be slower than a human, but I eventually got over my embarrassment. Still… if I had my strength back, I felt like I could find Lyra more easily in all this. Cam's actions from the plane irritated me, but he was just trying to save the little animal.
Anyway, he paid for it. When he released the rodent beast from his jacket, it clung to him, whining. I had smirked, informing him that even with my exhausted senses, I could tell when an animal was bonded to someone. Good luck getting rid of it now. It had hung on his backpack with its little claws as we walked. Cam had accepted it. He seemed to have a soft spot for animals, which made me miss Drigar. A redbill could've gotten us around this area much faster than picking our own way over the large tree roots.
Now, Cam offered a bite of his granola bar to the creature. I contained my frustrated sigh. Well, if Cam starved because he’d fed all his survival rations to the rodent, that was going to be fun…
We were in for a long night. I was tired, but I knew I should stay awake. Leaving Cam alone to watch out for us didn’t seem like a good idea with that monster possibly around. I staggered to the ruined wall Cam was currently peeking out of to join him. He offered his arm, but I was okay as long as I could lean against the bricks. They would hold under my weight. I surveyed the forest. We only had a small line of vision, thanks to the wooden barrier, and it was too dark to see much, even for me. Cam's intense stare was what I sensed the most.
"Yes?" I asked expectantly. Maybe he was realizing that he was going to have to stay awake with me until I regained my strength.
"Are you sensing the area when you look out like that?" Cam asked, genuine interest flooding his face. "Sorry, it's just… I've never worked up close with a vampire like this."
I snorted. "And now you have a vampire using you as a crutch. You're in for an adventure." I shrugged, staring out at the trees. "Vampires are always using our senses, just like you can’t turn your ears on or off. It's a matter of paying attention to the right things. You learn as a child to tune out the tiny auras of smaller creatures, who pose no threat."
"Fascinating." When Cam said it, he actually meant it. Sometimes, I was asked questions by humans who didn’t really care… or who just wanted another reason to see vampires as freaks.
"We're safe for now," I informed him. I settled back against the wall as his blue rodent stared at me. "You've become the parent of a smart animal, at least. He knows how lucky he is that you rescued him." The thing kept close to Cam, as if the young man was his mother.
Cam pressed his lips together. "I'm sorry for not following orders… I just thought I had enough time."
"It's in the past," I told him with a sigh. "I’d tell you not to do it again, but I know you won't because Bryce and Lyra will have a lecture waiting for you whenever we find them. I'll let them handle that." I wasn't a bitter person, or one to hold grudges, but I was secretly looking forward to seeing Lyra draw herself up for a strong smackdown. The lecture would be about priorities and not going after half-dead furry blue things while an airplane was breaking apart in midair. I studied the creature, who slowly stepped behind Cam, and added, "Actually, your new friend seems to be doing better than me."
"He healed quickly. His leg is still messed up, but I was surprised to see how okay he is," Cam admitted. “Maybe it’s an effect of the Leftovers.” His watch flashed. I couldn’t believe the thing was in working condition. It was a few minutes past midnight in the Mortal Plane. We were going to have to talk to keep each other awake through this. Cam wasn’t going to be able to sense the monster, and I couldn’t keep my eyes open at the moment.
This plan proved easier than I thought, because once I opened up a little, Cam was insatiable with questions.
"So, what does an aura feel like?" Cam asked. The blue rodent, who hadn't been named yet, squirreled away into his arms.
I stared down at my hands, recalling how odd the invisible creature's aura felt around the plane before it attacked.
"It starts like an itch and then keeps tingling," I said. "You can feel it down to your bones."
Cam's eyebrows raised, clearly impressed. "Wow. You're like a superhero."
I let out a chuckle. By tomorrow, after some rest, I would be okay, but I was no superhero. "That would be nice, but even vampires have limits. The jumping you saw me do earlier isn't standard for vampires." I tapped the necklace around me. "I had some help from some old friends, which allows me to work that specific kind of magic. It’s just very draining and only for emergencies."
"My mother said many vampires trained as warriors. How young did you start?"
I reflected. It was always hard to give ages like humans did. Vampires never cared that much for numbers. "I was an adolescent, I suppose. It was right after I hit puberty, although I knew I wanted to be a warrior before
