Vampire Babysitter (Camren)

Chapter 5

"Kiz!" Ari repeated to Demi for the tenth time.

She'd only arrived home from the hospital five minutes ago. Just as Dinah had predicted, Ari had wasted no time spreading the news that I'd kissed Camila. I could have sworn with each refrain she grew more smug. Was it even possible for a baby to be smug?

"How did she learn that word, anyway?" I muttered grumpily, eyeing the baby in Demi's arms. "No one said it out loud. We just did it."

I paused, considering my choice of words.

"Shut up," I added before Dinah could twist them into something else.

Dinah closed her mouth, which had been brimming with a retort. "You're no fun. You'd think you'd be in a better mood after making out with Camila."

"We did not make out," I insisted. "It was one kiss." I couldn't help the unconscious smile that drifted to my face. "A great kiss… but still just one."

"Kiz!"

Dinah ruffled Ari's hair. "You tell her, Ari. She's in denial, but we know better."

"Leave her alone, Dinah," Demi sighed, bouncing the giggling little girl in her arms. "It's been decades since I've seen her this happy. Don't ruin it."

‘As long as you're happy, I'm happy,’ she told me, ‘Just remember she's human. Despite what Dinah says, you need to be careful. Intimacy with a human can be precarious. Don't get complacent. Maybe you should give Emma a call? She has a human mate; maybe she has advice?’

Dinah shot Demi a sullen look. "I'm not ruining anything. I'm celebrating!" She gave Demi a sideways grin. "Would you rather we talk about that nurse? I saw the way you looked at her when I showed up at the hospital. You can't deny it."

Demi's mind grew flustered, a rarity for her; she was usually the definition of calm and collected. Demi turned all her attention to Ari whose little stomach was growling.

"We should get her some breakfast. You two haven't fed her since she woke up, have you?"

I shook my head. "She woke up just before you got home. Dinah was in the middle of getting her some cereal."

The sun had just begun its ascent when Ari awoke screaming bloody murder. Dinah and I had rushed into her room, worried she'd hurt herself, only to find all she'd wanted was to be lifted out of her crib. The little terror had transformed into her usual bubbly self the second I'd picked her up.

Dinah picked up the half-filled bowl of cheerios, turning to the fridge to grab the milk.

"You're almost as bad as Lauren at this deflection thing," she told Demi as she poured a healthy dose of the awful smelling liquid onto Ari's breakfast. "I've been waiting for weeks for you to make a move. Are you telling me you've gotten nowhere?"

Demi ignored her and doubled down on the deflection tactic. "So, Lauren, tell me more about Camila."