Blood Ties (13 page)

Too late. The bulb exploded into fine glass rain, showering his hand and arm.

Cassandra!’

His tone had changed entirely. There was anger in it now, a menacing snarl. Glaring at him, she saw his own eyes turn fiery red, first at the pupils, then sparking outwards so that the whole eyeball glowed scarlet. God, but he was strong! The light of his spirit burned in his chest like a dark sun.

That was how she looked. Suddenly she knew it.

Monstrous.

Cassie ground her teeth so hard it hurt. The aura around her wavered.

Hurt him! Hurt him! How dare he treat us so! 

Cassie shut her eyes tight.

HURT HIM!

‘NO!’ she snarled. Her fists tightened; she could feel her fingernails digging into her palms. Sir Alric stood absolutely still, but she knew he was coiled and ready.

Ready to defend himself? Attack?

Attack!

No!

Slowly, trembling and sucking in deep gulps of air, she felt her fists unclench, her muscles relax. As she closed her eyes and opened them again, the red filter dissipated and she could see him clearly once more. His own eyes remained red for a moment, then faded slowly back to their normal grey.

‘Control yourself,’ he murmured. It was still a growl, but a less aggressive one. ‘Good.’

Without taking his eyes off her, Sir Alric brushed at the glittering shards of glass on his sleeve. He’d cut his finger, Cassie noticed. There was blood. She set her jaw, trying to suppress the pleasure she felt at this.

Breathing hard, she waited until she was sure she could walk without trembling. Then she turned, shaking, and walked from the room, closing the door firmly behind her.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

I
can help you, my dearest. You’re weak. I don’t want you to sicken, my sweet Cassandra. Let me help you. Let us be together. Don’t leave me out here, not when I can save you. We can save each other …

‘Oh, God,’ mumbled Cassie. ‘Estelle …’

‘Cassie!’ Isabella tugged at her arm. ‘You are dreaming again. Talking to yourself. Wake up!’

Cassie forced her eyes open. Low sunlight slanted into the room from the huge window overlooking Central Park. It had been hours since she had stumbled down from Sir Alric’s office, weak with hunger. Isabella must be back from class.

‘Isabella?’

‘Cassie, what’s wrong? What can I do?’

As usual, her roommate was fizzing with energy, and Cassie found herself leaning hungrily towards her. Stretching out a clutching hand, she missed Isabella by a New York mile, and tumbled clumsily to the floor.

‘Cassie? Cassie!’ Isabella crouched beside her. ‘Oh, Cassie, you’re ill! Here, let me help you—’

‘No!’ Cassie scrambled back, pressing herself between the bed and the nightstand, and raised her hand, palm outward, to keep her friend at bay. ‘No, Isabella, don’t! I’m – I think I need to feed.’

Isabella hesitated, blinking at Cassie’s outstretched palm. Then she clasped it, hauling Cassie to her feet and gripping her shoulders.

Cassie endured it, rigid with terror. Any moment now … any moment …

Isabella cupped Cassie’s face in her hands, a serious look on her own. ‘So you should feed. Come on.’

Cassie stared as her roommate extended her arms. ‘N-no!’

‘Cassie, you look terrible. Please?’ Isabella pushed her

wrists into Cassie’s hands, but she pulled away quickly. Isabella shook her head, concerned and angry. ‘Look at you! Your skin is like paper. Your eyes are dull. You should not have left it so long. Come. We’ll go to Sir Alric. He’ll help.’

‘No way.’ Cassie shook her head rapidly. ‘No way, I’m not going to him.’

‘But, Cassie, why?’

‘I’m not – I’ll explain later.’ Cassie put her hands to her throat. ‘Oh, God, Isabella. I’m so thirsty.’

‘Here, take this.’ Isabella lifted her bedside carafe to Cassie’s lips. She gulped desperately, but it wasn’t helping. ‘Wait here. Do not move.’ Clasping Cassie’s hands tightly around the carafe, she fled from the room.

Cassie had drained it, refilled it and was swigging great gulps from it once more when Isabella returned. With her was Ayeesha, who stopped dead when she laid eyes on Cassie.

‘My God! Cassie, what’s wrong with you?’ she exclaimed.

‘She needs to feed.’ Isabella folded her arms. ‘Now. Ayeesha, can you help us? She’s only done it once before.’

‘Once? Cassie, you’ve fed only once?’ The Bajan girl’s eyes were wide with horror. ‘What have you been doing to yourself?’

‘She’s nervous about feeding from me,’ said Isabella grimly. ‘She’s been holding back.’

Ayeesha did a double take as the realisation of what Isabella had been saying dawned on her. Staring at her for a few seconds, she turned and gave Cassie an intent meaningful look. ‘Don’t you think Isabella should have a drink too?’

For a moment, Cassie couldn’t think what she was on about. Then she remembered the drink the Few gave their roommates, to make them forget the feeding.

‘ ’S OK, Ayeesha,’ she mumbled weakly. ‘She knows. Agreed to it.’

‘Really?’ Ayeesha still looked wary. ‘Perhaps we should call Sir Alric …’

‘No!’ Cassie’s voice was a cracked rasp.

‘OK. I’ll help you, then. Can you remember what you’ve been taught?’

Isabella nodded quickly for both of them. ‘Yes. Cassie – come on.’ She stretched her arms towards Cassie once more, and through her haze of confusion Cassie was sure she saw her friend’s hands trembling ever so slightly.

Ayeesha patted Isabella’s shoulder reassuringly. ‘Now, Cassie. Take hold of her.’

Cassie staggered groggily to her feet. Isabella smiled a little nervously and closed her eyes as Cassie’s thumb and forefinger tightened around her wrists.

She could feel Isabella’s blood pulsing underneath her fingertips, and the breath rushing in and out of her roommate’s parted lips. She lurched forward, closing the gap between them, but then felt a warning hand on her arm.

‘Careful,’ murmured Ayeesha. ‘Keep control.’

‘What if I can’t?’ Cassie felt wild.

‘I’ll stop you, believe me. But you can keep control. You know you can, you’ve done it before. Take it slowly.’

As she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, Cassie felt a surge of violent hunger. But Ayeesha’s fingers tightened on her arm, and the physical reminder helped her keep a hold of herself.

Cassie felt a bolt of sheer, sudden ecstasy as the endless breath began to move from Isabella, filling her own lungs and fizzing out through her whole body. Isabella’s life-force was tremendous – so vital! All that effervescent, unstoppable energy … It raced through her veins, raising the hair on her scalp. She almost laughed, feeling giddy. Blood throbbed in her ears, and she felt fierce and alive again. Gripping her friend’s wrists tighter, she sucked the life-force in, revelling in the rush.

A sound momentarily distracted her.

A knock on the door?

Cassie’s eyes opened and she glanced aside for an instant, still drawing Isabella’s life-force, faster now …

‘Who is it?’ Ayeesha called, frowning. Her grip on Cassie’s arm loosened a little as her attention was diverted.

‘It’s me. Jake.’ A pause. ‘Who’s that?’

Isabella’s eyes flew wide open, horrified. Cassie saw the shocked reaction, but she didn’t stop sucking, drawing that breath through the space between them and into her lungs.

‘Wait a moment, Jake,’ called Ayeesha.

No, of course Jake mustn’t know. Ayeesha mustn’t let him in. Somewhere in her delirium, Cassie realised she should tell her that. Stop and tell her now, right now.

But she couldn’t stop, not just yet …

Quick! Quick!

Isabella was pulling now, tugging to try to escape Cassie’s grip. She was panicking about Jake, of course.

Never mind him! Never mind any of that. Keep going!

Suddenly the panic and terror in Isabella’s eyes was different. She was flailing, struggling, and a horrible gasping noise was coming from deep in her throat.

Make her shut up and be still!

The girl was struggling now. The veins in her throat throbbed. But it wasn’t enough. She’d have to take more …

No! No!

YES! Give me more of her! We’re HUNGRY, Cassandra! Lock your mouth to hers and take it ALL!

NO! I can’t …

KEEP HOLD OF HER! DON’T LET GO!

Estelle, no – she’s my best friend!

She’s not your best friend. I AM!

‘Cassie? Cassie!’ Ayeesha’s voice cut into her brain as her attention snapped back to the feeding pair. ‘Cassie, stop it this minute!’

Ignore her!

Fingers bit into Cassie’s arm, tearing at her. Anger surged, and she sucked more life to compensate. Red fury fizzed through her.

‘CASSIE!’ Ayeesha’s fingers dug hard into her wrists, hurting her.

That was when the door burst open.

‘What the hell?’

Shocked out of her trance, Cassie broke her hold. Isabella stumbled, gasping, to one knee. Then she fell back on to her elbows.

‘Enough, for God’s sake. Enough.’ Ayeesha pulled Cassie away from Isabella and shook her angrily.

‘What’s going on? Isabella? Cassie!’

All three of them turned towards Jake – Ayeesha embarrassed, Isabella pale and shaky, Cassie still buzzing with energy. Her fingertips tingled, her brain tingled. She felt like she could spring up through the roof.

Jake’s face was a mask of incredulous fury. ‘You … fed on her? That’s what you were doing? You FED ON HER?’

Jake was paler than Cassie had ever seen him, his fists clenched. She wiped her mouth, breathing hard.

‘How could you?’ His words were barely above a rumble in his throat, dripping venom.

‘Jake, that’s enough!’ Isabella was breathless, scrambling weakly to her feet.

‘Isabella? Are you OK?’

Isabella forced a shaky smile, rubbing her wrists. ‘Fine. Jake, I’m fine. Don’t fret.’

‘But … D’you realise what she was …’ Jake’s voice faded and he slumped against the wall as the reality sunk in. ‘My God. Isabella – you agreed to this?’

‘Yes. Yes, Jake. Look, I’m sorry, I …’

He turned on Cassie, raging. ‘How could you? After Jess? After you saw what Keiko did to Alice? You did this to your friend?’

‘Keiko? Keiko was not like the rest of us!’ Ayeesha interjected angrily. ‘Keiko was sadistic! She liked to hurt when she fed. And Alice didn’t remember anyway!’

‘What difference does that make? Stay out of this!’ yelled Jake. ‘You’re just a monster like – like she is!’ He jabbed a finger at Cassie.

Cassie ignored him. Suddenly he didn’t matter. All that mattered was …

‘Isabella. Are you sure you’re OK? Did … did I hurt you?’

‘Seriously. I’m all right, Cassie. Jake, please …’

‘To hell with it, Isabella. You don’t care what I think, what this means to me …’

‘Jake, that isn’t true!’

‘Oh, really? You let this lifesucker feed off you and you weren’t even going to let me know? Fine. At least I know where I stand.’

‘Jake, please!’ Isabella reached out a pleading hand. ‘She didn’t hurt me. She won’t ever hurt me!’

His voice was a hiss. ‘You can say that to me with a straight face? Forget it, Isabella. But don’t forget – don’t ever forget – what they did to my sister.’

With that, he turned his back and stormed out of the room. 

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

I
f she’d felt bad before, she was in a pit of misery now. Cassie had a horrible feeling she was never going to see Jake again. She was longing for him to walk into the classroom, yet dreading it. He was never going to forgive her. Never.

She could barely even smile at Ranjit when he arrived and sat beside her. She could feel his perplexed glances, but she couldn’t take her eyes off the door. Her heart skipped a beat every time it opened, but when the maths class started there was still no sign of Jake. Words and figures floated in and out of her ears, unheeded. By the time class was over, she was so preoccupied she gathered her books together and walked out without a thought.

‘Cassie!’ Ranjit was hurrying after her. ‘Hey. What’s up? Have I done something wrong?’

She hesitated. ‘You? No, of course not.’

‘So what’s wrong?’

Turning, she studied him properly. His handsome face did look anxious. ‘Sorry. Ranjit, I’m sorry. It’s Jake.’

Ranjit’s face took on a guarded expression. ‘What about him?’

‘He caught me feeding off Isabella on Friday. We haven’t seen him since. He hasn’t been to class or his room.’

Cassie bit her lip. Saying it out loud reminded her how awful the situation was.

‘Oh, hell.’

‘Quite.’ Unhappily she shifted from foot to foot. ‘First Katerina shows up again, then this …’

‘Hey, listen, maybe it’s for the best if he cools off away from the Academy for a bit, clears his head. I mean, he must have had some inkling about you and Isabella? It can’t have been too much of a shock. He just needs some time to adjust.’

Cassie felt her hackles rise. ‘Adjust? I can’t really see that happening. Did he adjust to the knowledge of his sister having the life sucked out of her?’ Something burned in her eyes, a pinprick heat that was already expanding.

Ranjit rubbed his forehead with his fist. ‘Sorry. Sorry, that was tactless. I didn’t mean—’

 ‘It was a stupid thing to say,’ she snapped.

‘OK. Cassie, he’ll come around. He’s got to.’

‘Yeah? You don’t know anything about Jake.’ Blinking furiously to get rid of the reddish tinge in her vision, Cassie turned and walked swiftly away.

Once she was out of Ranjit’s immediate vicinity, the heat in her eyes subsided and she could think straight again. For a moment she thought he wasn’t going to follow, and guilt and remorse hit her. Then she heard his footsteps hurrying after her.

‘Cassie, please, I’m sorry. I’m trying to help.’

She halted, afraid to look at him. She sighed. ‘I know. Ranjit, I’m sorry too. I don’t know why I snapped. I’m just so stressed out, with this Council meeting coming up, and now Jake …’

‘It’s OK.’ He put a hand on her shoulder, then touched her face gently. She took his hand and led him into a quieter corner.

‘Well,’ she said, looking up uncertainly at Ranjit’s handsome face, ‘there’s something else about Jake. He knows Katerina is in New York. He’s been trying to find her. He wants justice for Jess. I think he might have hacked the FBI computer system to get some files about her death. He has some sort of crazy notion of putting Katerina on trial.’ 

Ranjit froze. ‘He did what? Cassie, this is serious. You have to tell Sir Alric. We need to deal with this before Jake does something we’ll regret.’

‘Something we’ll regret? It’s him I’m worried about. Look, I know you don’t have a lot of friends, so maybe you don’t get it—’ Cassie stopped short as she saw his expression change, hurt briefly flickering across his face. She took a deep breath. God, what was she saying? The last thing she wanted to do was hurt Ranjit. She mustn’t get angry, not now. She just needed to make sure he understood. Lowering her voice, she started again. ‘I didn’t mean that. I’m sorry. But, Ranjit, please, this is important. You cannot tell anyone about Jake. Please. I just need to talk to him. Explain things.’

‘Cassie, this goes beyond friendship. If Jake gets caught hacking the FBI system and ends up talking about the Few and the Academy – it could have severe implications for all of us.’ He stared at her meaningfully.

‘I don’t care about that. What happens to the Academy is nothing to do with this.’

Ranjit shook his head. He seemed to be making some effort to stay calm too. ‘Cassie, the fate of the Academy involves you as well. You need to remember that.’

Cassie took both of his hands. ‘Just a little time. If I can’t persuade him to drop it then, OK, we’ll tell Sir Alric.’ She held his gaze, and his eyes were a tumult of emotion.

‘OK, Cassie. I won’t say anything. I swear.’

She met his reassuring gaze, and exhaled deeply.

Are you sure that’s the best course of action, Cassandra, my dear? We must do what we can keep him on our side. We mustn’t let him get away …

Cassie pretended not to hear Estelle’s words. She’d had about enough of her interjections. ‘Thank you, Ranjit. Thanks a lot. Look, I’ll see you tomorrow, OK?’

‘Yes. I’ll meet you at your room an hour before the Council meeting.’

‘Yes. Great, yes of course.’ This time it was tears that pricked her eyes. How could she even entertain the thought of doubting him? Cassie leaned forward quickly and kissed him.

He caught her as she drew away, and pulled her back, pressing his lips more firmly against hers. As her heart looped the loop, she shut her eyes and indulged herself in his touch – but not too much. When he pulled away and smiled his goodbye, she paused for a moment, stunned, but pleasantly so. They could do this. Whatever was off balance, whatever had been causing their extremes of emotion, they were working it out. They could do this.

That was when she caught sight of Sir Alric.

He’d been watching them, she thought, as a chill went down her spine. Her sense of wellbeing quickly dispersed, the look on his face cloudy, but calculating.

‘Cassandra. Can I speak with you a moment?’ Sir Alric started towards her.

Oh, no. She had enough to handle right now, and she’d had enough of disapproval. Her relationship with Ranjit was absolutely none of his business. With a defiant glare and a shake of her head, Cassie turned very deliberately and walked away.

Out of the corner of her eye, Cassie watched Isabella thumbing her phone under her desk. She was at it again. Madame Lefevre was going to spot her soon, and then she’d be for it. You could push Madame so far, and then no further.

Still Cassie could understand Isabella taking the risk. They had heard nothing from Jake since the weekend: no phone call, no message. Her friend’s expression was growing increasingly desperate with every failed call.

‘… and so we see that Simone de Beauvoir has much to say about humanity and relationships, even to the world of the twenty-first century, which is why we should listen, hear what she is telling us, because we will gain so much more than we will learn from semi-literate texting throughout our class.’

Uh-oh. Cassie gulped, but Isabella hadn’t even heard Madame’s warning. When the woman stalked to her side and snapped her fingers for the phone, Isabella almost jumped out of her skin.

‘You may have it back after class,’ said Madame Lefevre curtly. ‘On this occasion.’

Miserable, visibly reluctant, Isabella passed her phone into Madame’s waiting palm, and caught Cassie’s eye. Cassie could only try to send her psychic messages of sympathy. Madame wasn’t the strictest teacher in the school; Isabella had been really blatant.

Still, Cassie didn’t know why Madame Lefevre had bothered to confiscate the phone; it wasn’t as if Isabella concentrated any harder on Simone de Beauvoir for the remaining twenty minutes. She wrung her fingers beneath her desk, staring unseeing at her textbook, and shooting anxious glances out of the window at the Manhattan skyline. She certainly wasn’t learning anything.

Cassie waited for Isabella while she endured her after-class dressing-down. Her fingers were twitching, and when Madame finally gave her the phone back she rushed from class, dialling frantically.

‘Call failed. Again! Why is his phone switched off?’

‘I don’t know.’ What else was there to say? She could hardly tell Isabella not to worry. Jake had been beyond furious. ‘I’m so sorry, Isabella.’

‘It’s not your fault.’ Isabella patted her arm. ‘It’s mine. I said you could feed, didn’t I? It was I who panicked. And all because …’ Tears sprang to her eyes. ‘All because I insisted on keeping it from Jake. I didn’t want you to lie to me, but then I lied to him. You see? It’s my fault.’

That made Cassie feel even worse. ‘Isabella, you mustn’t—’

‘I tell you, he must have gone home to Queens.’ Her friend’s gaze was distant. ‘I just don’t know why he won’t even speak to me. And I’m afraid if I turn up at his parents’ house, he’ll just get even more angry … Maybe they won’t even let me in.’

‘Wait, Isabella, you want to go to his house? I don’t know if that’s a good idea right now.’ She was panicking a little – Cassie had hoped to get a chance to speak to Jake before Isabella got to him. Her roommate still wasn’t aware that Jake knew Katerina was in New York. She needed to know exactly what Jake was planning, and didn’t want Isabella any more involved than she had to be. She owed the girl that much.

‘Maybe it’s not. But I have to try, don’t I?’ Isabella came to a halt, breathing hard. She swiped at her eyes. ‘Still, I’m really worried. I mean, his parents were not happy about him coming back to school. Of course that made him feel bad. But he came back anyway, and that was at least partly for me. And now the feeding – and me lying – that has been the tripping point. Yes? He has left the school and gone home. And I think he won’t ever come back! All my fault!’ she wailed.

‘Isabella, calm down. He’ll be back.’

‘No, Cassie. He won’t come back on his own. If only I can talk to him, say I’m sorry, make him understand.’

‘Isabella …’

‘After school. I’m going to see him. That’s it, that’s the only solution.’

Cassie sighed. ‘That’s what you were thinking about instead of Simone de Beauvoir.’

‘I’ll make it up to Simone later.’ The fire was back in Isabella’s eyes. ‘But in the meantime, I think she’d understand.’

Cassie shook her head. ‘OK. Well you’re not going alone. I’m coming with you.’

Cassie glanced at the afternoon sky, still as crystal-clear and stunning as it had been when they crossed the Brooklyn Bridge and gaped at the view of the city, but now a covering of icy grey clouds were hovering on the horizon.

‘It’s going to snow soon. You’re sure you know where—’

‘There!’ Isabella leaned forward to the taxi driver. ‘Right down this street.’

Cassie peered out of the cab window at the dilapidated buildings. ‘I have a feeling they’re not going to be happy to see us.’

‘I don’t care if they are or not. I must speak to Jake.’ Isabella flicked through her leather Gucci organiser. ‘Now, let me find the exact number … Ah, here! Here, driver, please!’ Her sudden shriek made the driver start and growl a curse. He pulled the cab to a halt, and Isabella quickly handed over the fare and leaped out. Cassie followed closely behind her.

‘Hold the door, please,’ Isabella called as an elderly man exited the apartment building. He looked a little dubious, but as Isabella approached and smiled sweetly, he nodded and obliged.

‘What number is it?’ Cassie asked.

‘Five-eighteen,’ said Isabella, her face now serious again.

The building was several storeys high and there didn’t seem to be an elevator. This was definitely a different New York. The stairwell smelled of cooking and the paint was peeling in a few corners. The walls were thin enough for Cassie’s heightened hearing to pick up a couple rowing on the third floor. It was a world away from the Darke Academy building, but it felt somehow friendly: noisy, warm and homely.

Outside Jake’s parents’ apartment were well-tended plants and a scuffed Welcome mat. ‘If only that were true,’ Cassie muttered.

Isabella ignored her. Taking a deep breath, she rattled the brass knocker, and almost immediately the cheerful sky-blue door jerked open.

‘Honey, thank God you’re back – oh!’ The woman staring at Isabella had obviously been expecting someone else, because she took a breath and closed her mouth mid-sentence.

She was very good-looking – well, thought Cassie as she remembered Jake, of course she was – but there were shadows under her red-rimmed eyes, and her face was drawn with anxiety. Her tawny hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and her teeth bit into her lip.