Chapter 440
I remembered from last time it took a couple of extra seconds to come through, so when my phone said 1:00, and nothing happened, I kept breathing. About the time it rolled to 1:01, I heard a whoosh and two dings.
Brandon and Elliott.
Of course, I read Brandon’s first. I glanced over at Cadence and saw her reading, too, so I knew at least Aaron had messaged her. It didn’t take much persuasion to keep me focused on Brandon’s words.
“Hey, babe. How’s it going? You’re probably sound asleep, right? Nothing on your mind? Dang, I wish I was there with you. Of course, if I was, you really would be asleep, and I’d be in another room, in Iowa, probably watching a lame movie with my dad. Still, it beats what I’m doing now, I guess.
“So it has occurred to me that Holland wanted us gone for a reason. I hope you’re being careful. I’m sure Cadence has contacted every available Guardian in the tri-state area and has them standing by, but you keep an eye out. If I come back to find out something has happened to you... I might jump right back in here.
“I got your last text, and it’s really cool that Ward is working on figuring out the book. I’ve heard Aaron talk about him a few times, and he seems like a really smart guy. I hope he’s made some progress by now. Of course, our messages are getting crossed in here, so I hope I’ll be getting another one about the time this one goes out.
“But I have to tell you, Aaron has decided this is the last text we can send directly to anyone, and we can’t receive them on our phones anymore either. I know it sounds harsh, and I bet some of the other girls will be upset about it, but it’s to save our batteries. Dax’s battery is down to like five percent, and no one else has a portable charger, except for me. So from now on, the texts will be going from my phone to Cadence. I hope you can help Tara and Ash understand that. Dax is crying again....
“So, since this is the last time I’ll be able to talk directly to you without everyone else reading it, I just want you to know that I love you so much. I’ve had a lot of time to think while I’m in here—when I’m not fighting off three headed dogs—and I want to tell you, Cass, I can’t imagine what my life would be like without you. Sure, I’d get into a lot less trouble, but it wouldn’t be worth it at all. I think about our future sometimes. I hope you do, too. Anyway, I see us together for the long haul. So I know I’ll make it back to you soon. Because we have to do life together. You’re my person. Okay—I hope that wasn’t too sappy. Love you literally to the moon and back. Be safe.”
I had tears rolling down my cheeks by the time I was done reading, and I could hear Ashley wailing in the next room through the thin walls. Cadence’s eyes were glistening, but she wasn’t crying. I could only imagine Aaron’s messages were probably more matter-of-fact. But it was the “you’re my person” bit that got me. That said everything. And the fact that he wouldn’t be allowed to text me directly again because even though I understood why, and it made perfect sense, I would miss getting his messages.
I read Elliott’s before I said anything to Cadence. Like last time, it was shorter than Brandon’s, but still made me both laugh and cry at the same time.
“Once upon a time, there was a very special lil girl named Cassidy Elizabeth Findley. She had superpowers even before she faced the Vampires for the first time. She knew how to make people smile, how to make them laugh, how to make them feel like the most important guy in the world. She buys perfect Christmas gifts and looks great in pink flower rings—and whatever else she chooses to wear because she’s just the coolest person ever. One day, her best pal went missing (for the second time) but she was all right because she’s the strongest lil girl in the world, too, and she knew he’d make his way back to her soon enough. She used her giant brain to help her sister find out how to get people back when portals eat them, and then one day, not too long after he’d disappeared, she brought him back, and greeted him with an enormous bag of crunchy Cheetos. The End. P.S. I miss you, lil girl. See you soon.”
I am so used to wearing the ring Elliott gave me, I don’t even notice it much anymore. But I was twirling it furiously by the time I’d finished the message. I wished I hadn’t put his hat back in his suitcase, but at least I had the ring. He hadn’t said anything about not being able to text me anymore, but I figured he just assumed Brandon had told me.
I glanced up at Cadence again, and she was staring at me. “You okay?”
“I will be. You?”
She nodded. “No more texts.”
“I know. I think Ashley knows, too.”
“She does. She sent me a pretty nasty IAC message about it. I’m sure she’ll cool off in a bit. Tara’s upset about it, too, but we need to do this.”
“I agree.”
“All right. Then... let’s talk battle strategy.” She set her phone aside, and I joined her on the bed. I thought Ashley should be with us, but figured Cadence would probably want to give her a minute. If they were coming, they’d likely be there in the next couple of hours, so we needed to be prepared. Out there in the night, there were a ton of Hunters and Guardians waiting to protect us, but the way I was feeling, I could take on an entire legion of Vampires all by myself.
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