Chapter 534
Mrs. Carminati is one of the nicest people in the world. I could seriously stand at her desk and talk for hours. She smells kind of like cookies and flowers, but in the sort of way that makes you just want to hug her. Even though I wasn’t feeling very good about myself when I walked into the office, her smile instantly made me feel better.
“Well, hello there, Cassidy. How are you today?”
“Fine,” I said, managing a smile. “How are you?”
“Fair to middlin’,” she said with a little chuckle. I’d heard my grandmother say that before and figured it meant somewhere in the middle. “Glad the weather’s finally starting to cool off a bit. Us humans care about such things.”
“I remember.” Had it been all that long since I’d been human myself? Not really, but it seemed like an eternity. I leaned against the counter. “Cadence wanted to see me.”
“She’s not back yet.” Mrs. Carminati’s expression took on a bit of worry, something I didn’t see from her often. It soon faded away. “I’m sure she’ll be back in a minute or two. What have you been up to lately? You and Brandon seen any good movies?”
Unable to control my face, I said, “Actually, we aren’t seeing each other at the moment.”
“Oh, dear. That’s too bad,” Mrs. C said, and I could tell she meant it. “Did you have a disagreement?”
“Something like that. I just... I’ve been really busy with everything going on in Europe, trying to help, and he wanted to give me some space.”
Mrs. C nodded, a sympathetic look on her face, but not the kind most people gave me. Hers seemed more genuine. “This must be a hard time for you. I’m very sorry to hear that.”
“Thank you.” I really did feel better, hearing her say that. “I talked to him some last night. Maybe after all of this is over with....” I couldn’t finish the sentence. I didn’t want to sound desperate.
“I’m sure you two will sort it out.” She reached up and patted my hand. “Sometimes, two people are meant to be together, and nothing can tear them apart. But, if that’s not the case, don’t fret about it. You have a long future in front of you, doll.”
Hearing her say those words made me feel so much better, even though other people had said similar statements since Brandon and I had split. It just seemed to be more of a possibility that I might actually be all right when Mrs. Carminati said it.
The door behind me opened, and my sister and Aaron walked in. Cadence looked a bit agitated but also sort of sad. Aaron looked like he’d just been playing one-on-one hoops with someone other than Cadence. He was slightly disheveled, and by that, I mean, maybe a hair or two out of place and the tuck in his shirt only 90 percent even instead of completely symmetrical. So way more put together than most everyone else in the world—but askew for him.
“Hey, Cass. Sorry about that,” my sister said, smiling at Mrs. C. and then walking past me. “You ready?”
“Yeah.” I really didn’t want to leave the comfort of Mrs. C’s desk and follow them into the office where I knew we would be in the midst of a disagreement soon, but I had no choice. Elliott’s words still weighed heavily on me, and the last thing I needed was to hear my sister say something similar. Nevertheless, I had made my decision. It was time to stand my ground—or crumble like one of those toothpick bridges we made in middle school, the kind where you use marshmallows to hold them together. I didn’t want to be a pile of broken, sticky beams.
Cadence went around the other side of the table and sat down, and Aaron went to his chair at the head of the table. I took Jamie’s chair just because it seemed like the best place to sit with just three of us. My hands were shaking a little again, so I folded them, trying to hide it, but I think my sister could see.
“How did your research go?” Aaron was trying to sound nonchalant like this wasn’t a big deal. I wondered how long that would last.
“I have some interesting information to tell you. But it’s not good.” If I could skip straight to what I’d discovered about the creatures, maybe they would be so focused on that, they’d forget about Christian.
“Let’s hear it.” My sister’s face contorted slightly into what I think was supposed to be a smile. She was trying too hard.
I took a deep breath, thinking the more I told them, the better off I’d be, so long as I didn’t mention Christian. Distract them, but also make them realize how important I am to the team. “First of all, those black creatures are people. I was able to get into the head of a girl named Dala who went missing a few days ago. She’s in some kind of a hole in the ground, out in the mountains where Daunator has his lair.” I needed to not mention holes again.... “He did something to her, and now, she’s turning into one of those things. She knows who she is at the moment, but eventually, I think she won’t have her own memory anymore. That’s why I’m not able to find everyone using my telepathy. If they’ve already crossed into something else, I can’t pick them up. And those monsters don’t have their own thoughts. They’re just part of Daunator’s web of magic after that.” I took a breath, not sure where I was going next.
Aaron jumped in. “Do you think all of the missing are either already turned into these creatures or in these holes?”
I could tell by his expression he was surprised and puzzled, and I imagined he’d never seen anything like this before. “No, some of them are Vampires, like the ones Eliza encountered that night, the first time she ran into Honey. I have no idea how he decides who becomes what, but there seem to be more creatures than new Vampires.”
“You don’t know exactly what they are, but do you know how to kill them?” Aaron asked.
I shook my head. “I don’t have any idea.” I had seen Eliza fighting them, and they seemed fragile enough, but I didn’t know if any of them had actually died.
Cadence and Aaron exchanged glances, and I realized there was something they weren’t telling me. They knew more about the creatures than I had originally thought, but I didn’t know how they knew. I hoped they’d tell me, but I didn’t want to prolong this conversation by asking questions.
