Chapter 161
It had taken some serious negotiation, but I had managed to convince Cadence to let me stay in the operating room with Brandon, with Aaron’s help. I reminded her that I’d promised the new Guardian I’d be there when he woke up, and when Aaron assured her Jamie would be right next door, she finally gave in. She and Aaron had a lot to do, so she hurried off, back to her apartment, and Jamie disappeared for a few minutes, coming back with a bed identical to the one Brandon was sleeping in, which he wheeled over to Sleeping Beauty’s left.
“What’s this?” I asked as he pushed it into place.
“Well, I thought you might get tired,” he replied with a shrug. “I’m not sure how long he might be out, but I can’t imagine you’re planning to stay awake all night.”
“Thanks, Jamie,” I said, thinking it was a really nice gesture. “Look, I’m really sorry I was such a brat earlier, in your office.” This was the first time I’d had a chance to apologize to him for my previous outburst.
The doctor shrugged. “It’s okay. I know how badly you want to be a part of all of this, but you have to think about your sister’s position, too. She is trying to figure out what’s best for thousands of people all at the same time, and sometimes it might be hard to understand the decisions she makes.”
I was certain he was alluding to the fact that Cadence had made the decision to let Brandon go with them because she felt it was best for the team, and it turns out that was true. If she hadn’t let him go, he might not be here right now, and he was definitely going to make a good Guardian.
“I know all that,” I assured Jamie. “It’s just frustrating not being a part of everything, watching it pass me by.”
He stepped around the bed and put his hand on my shoulder. “Believe me, there will be plenty to do when the time has come. There will always be another Vampire to destroy. From my perspective, a year can pass by in the blink of an eye. You’ll understand one day.”
I couldn’t imagine being as old as he was, and I understood he had a point. It just didn’t seem that way from my perspective. I nodded and forced a smile.
“Get some sleep. I’ll come in and check on Brandon every couple of hours. I’ll try not to wake you.”
“Okay, thanks,” I said, assuming he probably could be pretty sneaky if he wanted to be.
The mattress was fairly comfortable for being a hospital bed, and even though I wished I had my bag so I could at least brush my teeth, I was happy to be here. Brandon appeared to be snoozing peacefully. I slipped my shoes off and moved them underneath the edge of the bed and then laid back, putting my hands under my head.
Staring up at the ceiling, I pondered everything that had happened. My sister knew Giovani was in Philadelphia because of my friends’ work. I wondered if they would be able to get to him in time to stop Gibbon. The fact that they knew he was after the Jogging Path Killer, or at least they thought he was, made me think it would be pretty easy to keep Giovani from getting what he wanted. It was simple—be where Gibbon was and don’t let Giovani be there.
The room was a little chilly, so I sat up and grabbed the covers from the foot of the bed and pulled them up around my shoulders. The note Giovani had left came to mind, and I went over it again. It still seemed so odd that he’d taunt my sister with a schoolyard song. What, exactly, was he trying to accomplish? Aaron had mentioned that something I’d said had helped him figure out that Giovani was going after Gibbon, and I wondered if having me around would continue to be helpful. I tended to see things from a different perspective than they did; maybe my lack of experience was an asset. If I continued to hang out with them, maybe I could be more useful.
I was still thinking about what it would be like to go on the hunt with them when my thoughts began to mush together, and I soon realized I was dreaming. I was back at the homecoming dance, but this time, it wasn’t just Elliott watching from across the room. I saw the face of Steven Gibbon, and rather than wait for him to pounce, I set off across the space, dodging through dancers to get to him first. Even as we fought, I felt another stare bearing down on me and turned to see Brandon’s impenetrable gaze.
My eyes flew open, but the sense that someone was watching me didn’t dissipate. I realized almost instantly where I was. The hospital. Brandon. I turned my head.
The room was fairly dark, but I could see him looking at me. “Hey there,” I said quietly, leaning up a bit off the pillow. I blinked and rubbed my eyes and then asked a stupid question. “Are you awake?”
Brandon’s throat was froggy. “I guess so,” he said before coughing and attempting to clear his throat.
“Oh, here,” I said, sitting up quickly. It was obvious Brandon was still disoriented, and the medicine must’ve dried his throat out somehow. “Jamie sat some water next to your bed. I’ll get it.” I hopped down, reached over, and grabbed the cup of water and made sure the straw was steady as I leaned over and helped him take a sip. “Better?” I asked once he was finished.
It took him a second to answer. “Yeah, thanks,” he said. I put the cup back and sat down on the edge of my bed.
After a long moment of silence, I finally asked, “How do you feel?”
He seemed to consider the answer, and I couldn’t blame him. He probably felt very strange. He lifted his arm and stared at his hand for a moment. He picked up his other arm and waved that hand, too. “Weird. Like I’ve been electrocuted or something. It’s so bizarre. I feel like my hands are moving a lot faster than they should be.” Continuing to move his hands in front of his face for a moment, his forehead crinkled, he tipped his head to the side in bewilderment.
“They are,” I agreed, wondering if his eyes were also moving faster so that the phenomenon looked different to him than it did to me.
