by ID Johnson
Elliott stood. “I think I’ll head downstairs and check in with your folks,” he said, walking toward the door like a regular human.
“Okay,” I called after him. “Thanks again for the ring.”
“Sure,” he replied. “Glad you like it.” I could tell by the small smile of relief he flashed at me before he stepped out into the hallway that he meant it.
I couldn’t help but stare at my hand. It really was a cute ring, but more importantly, there was a great deal of sentiment behind it. I just hoped it wasn’t the reason I suddenly didn’t feel like asking any more questions about my sister’s new secret life.
I was in my room trying to decide what to use the gift cards on that my grandma had given me for Christmas when my sister came in. She did a little half-knock but didn’t really wait for me to say anything, which was fine, just not like her. I set my laptop aside when I saw her face, and she plopped down next to me on the bed, wrapping her arm around my waist and slumping against my shoulder.
A little caught off guard, I said, “Hi,” but it came out more like a question. One of my favorite songs was playing on Spotify, but I leaned over and turned it down, thinking she must have something she wanted to say.
“Hi,” Cadence said quietly. The room grew silent again, and I debated asking her all of the questions that were dancing in my head, the ones Elliott had answered and the ones he’d evaded. I knew my sister had a secret life now, one she wasn’t able to talk about, and it was increasingly frustrating to be around her but not be able to ask her anything.
Her hand was resting on my midsection, and as I stared down at it, I began to wonder exactly what she may have done with those hands recently. If my sister really was a vampire hunter, as I’d begun to expect, then was it possible she had actually killed vampires with those same bare hands that were embracing me right now? It seemed like the most ridiculous thing in the world to talk about, but I couldn’t help but wonder what she’d seen. I thought there was a possibility I could get her talking, like I did my parents sometimes, and she might say more than she intended, but I also wanted to respect what Elliott told me about not prying. It was a really difficult position to be in, and I just became more and more frustrated the more I thought about it.
“How was Sid?” I asked once I could no longer stand the silence around us.
“She’s good,” Cadence replied, her voice slightly muffled since the side of her face was pressed into my shoulder. “She met some dude at the mall last week and has a date tonight.”
I could hear the disgust in my sister’s voice and couldn’t blame her for being upset, or jealous, or whatever that was. “I’m sorry,” I managed, readjusting so that her head wasn’t pressed against my neck.
“Why?” she asked, shrugging but not sitting up. “I’m happy for her.”
Considering the tone she’d used, I didn’t think that was the case, but I didn’t know if going there would be worth upsetting her further. “You know, Cadence, Elliott is a really nice guy.” I decided to take another path, just to see where this one might lead.
“Oh, yeah. He’s great. He’s like a brother to me. I think he is to you, too, isn’t he? Or getting there anyway?”
Not the answer I was hoping for, but then I wasn’t too surprised either. “Yeah. He gave me this ring for Christmas.” I held up my hand for her to see.
That caught Cadence’s attention, and she finally moved her head a little bit to look at it, taking my hand in hers. “Wow, Cass. That’s really pretty.”
“I know. He said it was his grandma’s.”
“Better take good care of that.” She didn’t say it in an accusatory tone, like she thought I wouldn’t take care of it, but it was good advice, and I planned to follow it. Cadence stuck her head back in the space between my shoulder and neck. If I still thought she was a vampire, I might’ve been concerned, but I was pretty sure I was safe, even though I imagined she might be able to crush my skull if she really wanted to.
“Did you like Paris?” I asked. I had spoken to her a few times, mostly on the phone, since she’d come back, but with Jack’s funeral, I hadn’t gotten too much of a chance to speak to her in person, and even though I was pretty sure I’d already asked that question, I thought she might be willing to talk more about it now that she’d had some time to reflect on whatever had happened there.
“The city was really pretty,” Cadence said, “but I didn’t get to see as much of it as I thought. I spent most of my time there being hauled around stupid shopping centers and malls.”
I could tell by her tone she was bitter about that, and even though I know my sister isn’t much of a shopper, there was something about the way she said it that made me think it wasn’t just the experience that had her upset. I took a deep breath and pondered why she might be angry about shopping centers. Then, a thought occurred to me. “With Eliza?” I asked quietly.
Her response was more of a cross between a groan and a growl. “Yeah.”
With a sigh, I pressed on. “I know you probably don’t want to talk about it, but I thought you guys were friends. Isn’t she the one that drove you to Grandma’s house and dropped you off back home?”
Cadence sat up. “How do you know she’s the one that drove me to Grandma’s house?”
Her face was just an inch away from mine, and I wondered if I could see her IAC if I really looked, since it was freshly installed, but I didn’t peer into her eye, thinking that might be weird. I wondered if she was talking to someone else right now, too, or if someone was listening. “Mom and Dad say things sometimes. I think they don’t realize they’re saying them.” That wasn’t how I knew Eliza had taken her to Grandma’s house; I’d seen her out the window, but I didn’t think Cadence needed to know about my covert operations.
The answer seemed legitimate enough. “Yeah, she took me.” She made that noise again that sounded sort of like a dying goat, and flung herself backward into the headboard. “I did think she was my friend, Cass. More importantly… I thought Aaron was my friend. I mean… I can be mad at Eliza—and I am—but he is just as much to blame for this stupid… whatever it is as she is. He’s the one who chose to be with her instead of me.”
It was almost painful to listen to her speak. She grabbed a throw pillow and squeezed it, and I thought it might actually burst. I expected to see tears, but there weren’t any. I decided to change the subject.
“What about your other friends?” I asked, shifting around so that I was on my hip now, facing her. “What about Meagan, Hannah, those other people I met at the funeral?” I wasn’t sure if I should say the word funeral, or if I should rattle off the names of her friends like I’d been searching online for information about them for the last several weeks, so I tried to keep it nonchalant.
“Meagan’s great,” Cadence said, her face lighting up a little bit. “We went through our training together. And Hannah is pretty cool. She’s older than us, though, and has been working there a long time.” She made a face like she may have told me too much; how old did she think I thought Hannah was? As if she could just slide that right by me, she continued. “Of course, I have spent a lot of time with Elliott recently, and then there’s Jamie. You met him, right?”
Exclaiming, “You mean the hundred-and-fifty-year-old doctor?” didn’t seem like the best thing to say, so I replied, “Yes, I met him. He seemed nice.”
“He’s awesome. I really like him. Such a… neat guy.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Why don’t you go out with him?”
Cadence started laughing. “Uh, no. I mean… I think he liked me a little bit at first. But I think I’ll just leave the dating alone for a little while. I need to get really good at my job first, and then I can start to think about the possibility of dating again. Besides… with Jack… gone….”
She didn’t need to finish the sentence. I knew what she meant. Jack had been her first and only boyfriend. It had to be so weird to know he was dead. “I’m really sorry about that. Jack meant
a lot to me, too, though I know it’s not the same as it was for you.”
Cadence opened her mouth and then closed it, like she was going to say something to me about Jack but decided not to. The question of whether or not they’d ever determined exactly what Jack died from pressed into my mind, but I didn’t know that it was appropriate to ask right now, or at all. That might actually be a better question for Elliott, if I could get a chance to ask him. Something told me he’d tell me not to worry my pretty lil head about it. “I’ll be okay,” was all she finally got out, and I thought that was probably true, even though I had no idea why she’d said it like that. Jack had been pretty important to her at one time.
“Do you get to use a gun or anything?” I asked, trying to sound excited. “I mean—I don’t know what kind of security it is, exactly.”
Once again, there was hesitation. “Yeah, I’m training with weapons. I’m getting pretty good at it, but I still have a lot to learn.”
“That’s so weird,” I mumbled. “It’s hard for me to imagine you with a gun. You haven’t actually shot anyone have you?”
Cadence’s hazel eyes widened. “Shot? No… no I haven’t shot anyone. I’m mostly just going through my training.”
Something about her answer told me she wasn’t being honest. I couldn’t tell if she was trying to hide the fact that she’d injured people but hadn’t actually shot them or if she really had shot someone. Or something, as the case may be. I wasn’t quite aware of whether or not vampires counted as people.
My scrutinizing look may have shown my inner turmoil. “Cassidy,” Cadence began sitting up straighter. “Do you really think they’d let someone who just came into the organization a few weeks ago be put in a situation where they might have to shoot a person?”Her verbiage didn’t go unnoticed. She’d said “a person” and I knew we were not talking about people in the true sense of the word. “I don’t know,” I admitted with a shrug. “I don’t know much about the organization. It seems very interesting, though. I’d like to know more about it.”
Her forehead crinkled together as if I had just informed her that I would like to be a professional unicorn inspector when I grow up. “I really don’t think you’d like it much,” Cadence began. “It’s really kinda not your thing.”
“Well, you didn’t think it would be yours either, did you? I mean, it’s a far cry from teaching kindergarten, I imagine.” I crossed my arms but then realized that could be construed as defensive, so I uncrossed them and tried to look nonchalant.
“It is,” Cadence confirmed, “but I like the people, and the purpose. It’s a good place to work, although, I’m not sure Kansas City is the place for me. I’m thinking about going somewhere else for a little while.”
Her eyes told me all the information I needed. I couldn’t blame her for not wanting to be around Aaron if she didn’t have to. I didn’t go there right now. Instead, I asked, “Did Grandma really like it when she worked there? Is that one of the reasons you decided to give it a try?” I knew more than she knew I knew, that was for sure. And, honestly, if I had interpreted what Aaron said correctly that first day when I was eavesdropping in the stairwell, I knew more than Cadence did. She’d never had a choice in the matter. Once whatever happened at the Eidolon Festival had taken place, they’d only let her think she had a choice. But I didn’t think now was a good time to reveal any of that to her. I let her stare at me in silence for a moment. I saw a flicker of motion in her eyes and wondered if she was calling on Elliott to come and rescue her or asking what I might know. I held her gaze, daring her to lie to me.
“I, uh, guess so,” she stammered. “We haven’t talked much about it. She had a different… position than me.”
My bedroom door practically burst open. “Hey, girls. Whatcha doin’?”
“Why, Elliott, fancy seeing you here,” I proclaimed, staring at my sister hard, letting her think I might be on to her.
“Well, I was just in the neighborhood and thought I might drop in.” He was still standing in the doorway, leaning into the room, his broad shoulders taking up most of the space in the threshold.
“I was just asking Cadence some questions about your jobs. I was about to tell her how I’m thinking of going into the same line of work, you know, when I’m older.”
“What?” Cadence asked, looking from me to Elliott and then back again. “Cassidy, I thought you wanted to be an engineer like dad, or a doctor or something.”
I shrugged. “Plans change. Elliott, did you work at LIGHTS when our Grandma Janette worked there?”
“No,” he answered quickly, his forehead wrinkling. “Dude, how old do you think I am?”
“Not as old as Aaron, I guess.” If he could shoot lasers out of his eyes, he would’ve had me pinned to the wall. I was thankful that didn’t seem to be one of his superpowers.
“I think it’s great you’re taking such an interest in your sister’s work,” Elliott began, “but, unfortunately, we need to get back to KC so we can report back to work in the morning.”
I sat up ramrod straight on my bed, looking at him around my sister who suddenly seemed speechless for once in her life. “You’re leaving? Now? Why? How can you possibly need to work tomorrow? Don’t most people take this week off?”
“Not in our line of work, lil girl,” Elliott replied. “Besides, if I’m gonna take some time off in a week or two, I need to get caught up.” He didn’t quite wink at me, but his eyes narrowed.
“Time off for what?” Cadence asked.
“Just got some loose ends to tie up with a few of Cass’s friends, that’s all,” Elliott replied. Then, he made that face and my sister nodded. He’d told her something using just his eye! It was creepy and fascinating at the same time.
“I’m sorry I didn’t get to stay longer,” Cadence said, turning back to face me and wrapping her arms around me. “I miss you.”
“I miss you, too.” That much was true. I missed the old Cadence, the one without a million secrets and without a computer chip in her face.
“I’m gonna go tell Mom and Dad goodbye,” Cadence said, looking at Elliott sharply. “Maybe you and Cass need to talk for a minute?”
“I guess we do.” Elliott let out a breath that likely assured my sister that he caught her drift—my own sister wanted Elliott to brainwash me. Thankfully, we had a secret pact, and he wouldn’t do it. At least I was pretty sure he wouldn’t.
He moved out of the way so she could get out the door and stepped into my room, his hands on his hips. As soon as he was certain my sister was out of earshot, he said, “Cass! What the crap?”
“I’m sorry!” I exclaimed, scooting over so that my legs were dangling halfway off of the bed in front of him. “I just… couldn’t help it.”
“Help it! I can’t keep pretending to brainwash you and not do it! They’re gonna catch on!”
I growled in frustration. “I didn’t really even ask her anything, not half of what I wanted to ask.”
“Yeah, well, you better get your stuff together little girl.” He said “stuff” like he’d almost said something else, and I thought maybe he really was mad at me this time.
I glanced down at the ring he’d given me and remembered the only reason he was letting me keep this information in my head was because he cared about me. “Sorry,” I muttered. “Were you listening in the whole time?”
“No, just from the part where you asked if she’s ever shot anyone.”
For some reason, I thought that was funny. I started giggling and had a hard time stopping, despite his eyes baring down on me. “Sorry, sorry, sorry.”
“You should be.” He folded his arms across his chest and surveyed me for a moment. “Ignorance is bliss, Cass.”
“Has she?”
“Ughh!” He shook his head, exasperated. I thought I should let it go. I wanted to let it go. I was having trouble letting it go. “We cannot tell you stuff like that.” His voice was a sharp whisper. “Listen, I have to give my boss access to this conversa
tion now because you are not behaving!”
My eyes widened. It had never occurred to me that Aaron, or anyone else who was not in the house could listen to what he was saying to me. I straightened up again, not sure if he could see me or was just listening. “I’m sorry,” I whispered.
“Cassidy,” Elliott had that look in his eyes again, and I braced myself for forgetting. “There’s no reason for you to keep asking questions about your sister’s work. She’s taken a security job in Kansas City, and she is perfectly happy. She doesn’t shoot people. Everything is fine. When you grow up, you will be an engineer like your dad, and you will live a happy life. Got it?”
I nodded, but I knew something was different this time. He was staring at me intently, using that monotone voice he usually uses when suggesting something, but there was no glint, no movement in his irises. Nevertheless, I dutifully did my part. “My sister is happy in Kansas City. She doesn’t shoot people. I should stop asking questions about her job. I want to be an engineer when I grow up, like my dad. I will also be happy. I got it.”
A few seconds hung between us while Elliott apparently had his little conversation with the big bossman. Eventually, his countenance changed, and he began to shake his head. He mumbled something that sounded like, “You’re killin’ me...” but I didn’t catch the last word. “Smalls,” maybe? I didn’t know what that meant.
“Why do you have to leave?” I asked, jumping up off the bed and following him as he headed toward the stairs.
“I told you. We’ve got work to do.” He paused in front of the stairwell.
“But… seriously, it’s Christmas break.”
“You know, you should turn on a television sometime, lil girl. There are things happening in this world you may want to be aware of.” He started down the stairs, and I followed.