Chapter 112
I wasn’t willing to accept that answer, of course, and it sort of enraged me a little bit. If she wanted to continue to pretend, then I was going to push back. I shook my head at her, forging ahead. "Cadence, why do so many people you love die?"
That question seemed to catch her completely off guard. "Ha!” she exclaimed, suddenly seeming emotionally exhausted. Cadence shook her head and turned away from me as she said, “If you had any idea how many times I have asked that question myself lately, Sis.... I don't have an answer for that, I honestly don't. I wish I knew..."
She did know, though. At least, she had some idea. I wouldn’t have asked the question if I didn’t already know the broader answer. People she loved died because she was a vampire hunter. Vampires tend to kill people. But I needed to know what had happened specifically to Elliott. I remembered what he’d said about the titanium bullets, about hunters not being able to kill other hunters. "Was it an accident?" I asked, hoping she’d crack this time and just tell me the truth.
Clearing her throat, Cadence scooted back further on the couch and finally turned to face me. I fully expected from that initial reaction that she was going to try and blow me off again. So, when she answered, her response was no surprise. "No, it wasn't an accident. But I really can't say much else, Cass. I'm sorry. I wish I could explain everything to you, but I'm not allowed to. It's just part of my job."
Mentally exhausted and no longer willing to play this game, I put my hand on my sister’s knee, and leaning forward, I said the only two words that made any sense under the circumstances. "I know.”
She didn’t understand what I meant, though. Her response was a sigh of relief and a, "Good, I'm glad you understand.”
Frustrated, I let out a groan to end all groans. "No, I mean, I know, Cadence. I know!"
An awkward silence hung between us as she raised an eyebrow at me, and I met her stare, unwaveringly. As she spoke, her words were measured. "What do you mean, you know?"
Choking back my tears and swallowing the giant lump in my throat, I replied, "I mean, I know that you're a... vampire hunter. I know." I knew there was a chance someone would come in now and take all my memories away, but I needed to tell her everything. Besides, I had no doubt it would be impossible for anyone to take my memories of Elliott away from me. Not now. Not ever.
Cadence drew a deep breath. Shocked, she said, "What are you..."
I interrupted her, looking her dead in the eye, done with the games and the lies. "Please don't pretend it's not true.”
My sister began to stammer. "Uhm, listen, Cass, I'm not allowed to talk about what I do.”
Anger began to build inside of me. After all of this time, I’d finally confided in her that I knew exactly what she was, what she’d been doing. Elliott was dead, and she wasn’t even going to confirm for me that I was right? "Why not?" I spat at her. "Don't you think I deserve to know?"
Cadence stared at me for a moment with her mouth open, and I had no idea what she was going to say in response to my demand, but she didn’t answer me. Aaron did. "I do," he said. Both of us turned our heads to look at him. He was standing a few feet away, and I had no idea how long he’d even been in the room. "Tell her," he said to my sister quietly.
Still looking a little shocked, Cadence repeated, "Tell her?"
Nodding, Aaron confirmed that he was serious. "She's been through enough. You can explain it to her.”
I looked up at him and managed a small smile, despite my broken heart. Never in a million years would I have guessed he’d end up my ally, but I was thankful that someone, anyone, seemed to understand why it was so important for me to know what had happened.
I wasn’t sure what was going on with my sister. Perhaps she’d gotten in trouble before for wanting to tell me stuff. She muttered, "But what about Grandma's book and..."
Aaron cut her off. He took another step forward so that he was standing right next to her now. Squeezing her shoulder, he said, "Cadence, I think we're passed all the bull at this point. Tell your little sister what we do." Actually, he said something else, a different word instead of bull, one I’m not allowed to repeat because it’s a level three cursie, and then he leaned down and kissed the top of my sister’s head and took a seat in the chair across from my dad’s recliner. I looked over in his direction and remembered that he and Elliott had been very good friends for a long time. Once again, I felt selfish for not thinking about all of the other people who Elliott’s death had affected. Aaron put his elbows on his knees, his hands on either side of his head, and was quiet as my sister took a deep breath and turned back to face me.
"Okay, Cass. I'll tell you. I am a Vampire Hunter."
Something about finally hearing the words from my sister’s lips got a reaction out of me. "I knew it!" I exclaimed, just above a whisper.
Cadence was shaking her head at me again. "So, Elliott didn't tell you?"
I remembered the last conversation we had had, how Elliott had told me then that if my sister ever asked to tell her he was innocent. Besides, in response to that direct question, my answer wasn’t exactly a lie. He hadn’t outright told me much of anything, though he had confirmed a lot of the information I’d gathered on my own. “No, he wouldn't tell me anything,” I finally replied. She looked skeptical, so I stammered on. “I just... did some research.”
Her attention shifted to her boyfriend, but he appeared to be lost in his own thoughts. I imagined she still wasn’t exactly sure what she could tell me and what she couldn’t. While I was happy for the distraction of having this conversation, every time she stopped talking, my mind wandered back to Elliott and what had happened to him. I needed answers. "My job is, obviously, to kill Vampires, but only the bad ones."
I nodded, but I was confused. That wasn’t the answer I was expecting. "There are good vampires?"
Cadence’s head tipped back and forth as she said, "Well, there are Compliant Vampires. If they follow the rules and only feed on animals or very bad people, we leave them alone."
It took me a moment to figure out what to ask next. I realized I’d never even asked Elliott what he was, though I knew he wasn’t a vampire. "And was Elliott a vampire hunter, too, then?"
"No," Cadence answered quickly. "He... was... a Guardian." I noticed her stumble over the word “was.” How could he exist now only in the past tense?
In all of my research, in months of talking to Elliott, I couldn’t remember him ever using that word—guardian--though he’d said he was there to protect me. Was that part of what LIGHTS stood for? I couldn’t remember exactly. My eyes jumped to Aaron, and I realized I didn’t even know what he was, then, if they weren’t all the same thing. "What is a guardian?" I asked, catching Aaron’s eyes before returning my gaze to my sister. He was at least paying attention to us now.
"A Guardian's job is to protect Vampire Hunters from Vampires. When we get in trouble, they can intercede and keep us safe," Cadence explained.
I needed a moment to process that. After months of wondering, all of this information was finally starting to come together, and the questions began to flow out of my mouth quickly. "So, can vampires kill guardians?"
"No," Cadence said, which made sense.
"But vampires can kill vampire hunters." It wasn’t a question. I knew that had to be the case or else there would be no reason for guardians to exist.
"Yes." She nodded her head as she confirmed.
Obviously, I knew something could kill guardians, not only because Elliott had told me as much, but also because he was no longer here. Slowly, bracing myself for an answer I felt I didn’t want to hear, I asked, "What can kill a guardian?"
I watched my sister exchange sympathetic glances with her boyfriend before she quietly said, "Only a Vampire Hunter.”
