We spent the next two days in bed, and I tended to Caleb’s wounds between kissing him and occasional sex. He said sex helped him heal, and I didn’t want to argue with him. Sex with Caleb was delicious, and I couldn’t turn him down. He wanted me naked, so he could admire my body, flaws and all. He said my body was the most beautiful canvas he’d ever seen. I flaunted my curves for him, eager to distract him. I only dressed when I went outside into the forest at night to breathe in the smell of the redwood trees and to look up at the limitless sky. The stars overhead sparkled in a way I’d never seen before. So bright and luminous, they filled me with hope and wonder.

I found a black, vintage silk robe in the bedroom chest of drawers. I also scrounged up a comfortable pair of silk pajama pants, and a cashmere blend t-shirt for Caleb to wear for our inevitable trip home. Even though I wanted to stay here forever, I knew our time was soon coming to an end.

I slipped the t-shirt over Caleb’s defined muscles, careful not to scrape his wounds. The silk pajama pants fit him perfectly, as did the robe on me. When I looked at us in the bedroom mirror in our outfits, we could have been from any era.

I styled my hair like a flapper, and imagined us in the 1920s. With rolled curls, I was a 1940s pin-up. Wild hair with feathered bangs made us look positively 1980s. I imagined ourselves at every decade in the past, and I hoped we’d get to spend every decade in the future together.

Caleb told me we’d have time together, and I wanted to believe him. Something in my gut told me not to count on living forever with Caleb. A dark shadow crossed my mind whenever I thought about our future, but I didn’t know why.

The deep lacerations Owen inflicted on Caleb looked a little better, but their slow healing worried me. The bruises on Caleb’s body disappeared completely, leaving behind no marks. It was the venom in Owen’s claws that had done the real damage. Caleb’s complexion was sallow, and his body felt cold and stiff. The vibrancy of his usual energetic demeanor was gone, and I wondered how long the poison would take before it destroyed him completely.

On the second day of our stay in the house, Caleb made a turn for the worse. I placed cool washcloths on his forehead, and tended to him as best I could. I wasn’t a doctor, and there was no telling where the nearest hospital was, and besides, I didn’t have a car. A feeling of helplessness crept over me.

I massaged his muscles, and thawed blood from the deep freezer in the kitchen for him to drink. With each sip of blood, he grew a little stronger, until he was finally ready to go home.

I was grateful for our time in the house, away from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood. It’d just been us for the past two days, and after the first night, we never spoke of our dark secrets again. On the final night of our stay, we sat out on the front porch and listened to the sounds of the darkened forest. We kissed and cuddled while the full moon illuminated the night sky. It was as perfect as I could imagine anything being, and it was just the thing we needed to reconnect and recharge.

Before midnight, a stretch limo pulled up the long dirt road and parked in front of the house, only a few feet from the porch. Caleb took my hands and led me back to the limo that had brought us to this mysterious, magical place. Without another word, we left it all behind.

We didn’t have anything to pack or bring home, only ourselves. We sped off in the dark of night towards the City of Angels, and all I wanted to do was turn around and go back to Caleb’s cottage in the woods.

“Almost there.” Caleb squeezed my hand as we merged onto the 405 freeway towards Hollywood. The city felt denser and more populated than I remembered, with bright neon signs and fast, crowded streets. The smell of exhaust and the oppressive night-time heat made my nostrils burn. I dreaded going back to reality, when our little enclave in the woods had made me so happy.

The car threaded through the surface streets, hitting every light on the way to Sunset Blvd. We passed Opium, and I remembered when Caleb first took me there and I realized who, or rather what, he was. It seemed like an ancient memory, from a life I could hardly recall.

On the top floor of Opium, I saw the unmarked penthouse club where I’d spent the evening with Caleb, Drew, and Natalie before the premiere. I noticed for the first time that the windows were mirrored, and it was impossible to tell from the outside that it was anything other than a run-of-the mill office.

“Huh. Looks can be deceiving,” I said as I pointed up to the top floor.

“That they can,” he smiled. He looked at me with a cryptic, far-away smile and a twinkle in his eye. The color returned to his cheeks, for a moment, he looked like the old Caleb.

By the time we reached Mulholland Drive, and made our ascent into the Hollywood Hills, the streets were mostly empty, except for the occasional late-night party-goers headed home from the clubs. The air was still and silent as we drove the steep road to the top of the city. The full moon shone brightly on the slick asphalt, and I rolled down the windows to take in the view.

Hollywood was beautiful in its own way. In a town of smoke and mirrors, of lies and deception, there were moments of true beauty. I looked over at Caleb, and thought about the unconventional bond we shared. I felt happy for the first time in a long time. No matter what the future held, I’d found my soul mate. We’d overcome our trust issues, and we’d been made stronger for it. I grasped his hand, and felt the warmth flow from his body to mine, and back to his again. He scooted me closer to him on the bench seat and wrapped his arms around my delicate shoulders. He was all I needed in the world, and as long as I was with him, I was home.

I smiled as I leaned into Caleb’s strong shoulder. He still smelled like the bubble bath from the cottage. It was a mixture of sweet bubblegum and chamomile. I inhaled the rich aroma and let it burn into my senses. As long as I lived, I’d never forget the time we shared at the cottage in the woods, and the smell of Caleb fresh from the bath.

I wrapped my arms around his taught waist. His silky t-shirt caressed my skin, as I nuzzled closely to his neck. I didn’t notice the flashing police lights and the caution tape on the road ahead, until Caleb shook me from my relaxed state.

“Abby. Look at this.” Caleb clutched my hand tightly, as if to protect me from the danger that must be near.

I looked out the window and saw that we were nearly at Caleb’s house. The road blockade prevented us from reaching the short distance to his driveway. I craned my neck to see what the trouble was. Sirens blared in the distance, as more cars arrived. There was already a SWAT team, an ambulance, and countless police cars crowding the narrow, asphalt road. When I looked closer, I gasped in shock.

“The police have surrounded Natalie’s house. I have to get out and find out if she’s okay.”

“No, stay in the car, Abby. You don’t know who or what they’re dealing with.” Caleb held me tightly in his strong, capable arms.

“She’s my best friend, Caleb. I don’t have a choice. I can’t leave without knowing if I can help her.”

With that, I opened the limo door, and stepped barefoot onto the rocky asphalt. In the distance, I heard the police chief speaking over his walkie to his dispatcher.

“The victim is in critical condition. She’s being transported to UCLA Memorial. Notify next of kin, and no press. She’s some big Hollywood actress.” He paused. “Damn it. Looks like we’ve got company. The vultures are already here.”

Two television news choppers swooped in, hovering near the LAPD helicopter who shone a spotlight down on the property. From the light of the police helicopter, I saw that Natalie’s front picture window was shattered. Sniper bullet holes riddled the thick, triple-paned glass.

“Ma’am. You can’t go in there.” The voices of the officers faded into the background as I crossed the police tape, and made my way into the darkened house. I’d hunt down whoever hurt my best friend, and nobody was going to stop me until they paid for what they’d done. A hand brushed my shoulder, and when I looked back, I saw Caleb beside me.

“We’re in this together, Abby. Whatever they did to her, we’ll make them pay.”

The End.

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