Repercussion: The Clandestine Saga Book 3 (4 page)

              Elliott nodded his head slowly. He wasn't too surprised that there had been nothing to report. He was fairly certain the boss would keep him apprised of any new developments. After a few moments he said, "Well, it's getting late. Or early, depending upon how you want to look at it. I think I'll get back to my apartment, and see if anything interesting is happening in the world..."

              "Tell her I said hello," Aaron replied. He wasn't fooled by Elliott's attempt at aloofness. He was aware that it had been a while since Elliott had spoken to Cadence, and there would be no other reason for his friend to be so vague about his intentions.

Dragging himself to his feet, Elliott stretched, feigning nonchalance, before adding, "You know, she'd probably be happy to hear from you. You could just pop in and say hi, how's it going, what's up, that sort of thing.”

Shaking his head, Aaron said, "I don't think she'd appreciate that."

              "You never know. She hasn't said anything bad about you in at least a few weeks. I think she's starting to get over it."

              "Highly doubtful," Aaron replied, absently toying with the perfectly straightened objects on his desk. "I made my choice--my horrible, horrible choice--and there's not much I can do now to fix it."

              As much as Elliott heard the torment in his friend's voice, his comments abstracted a bit of a chuckle as he thought about how the result of Aaron's poor decision making had, at the very least, solved one problem for him. "At least Eliza's gone because of it," he mumbled as he made his way to the door. "Maybe it was worth it after all!" he yelled over his shoulder as he reached for the doorknob.

              Aaron knew he was kidding, for the most part, but he also knew he would endure another hundred years with Eliza to have Cadence back. "Have a good night."

              "You, too."

"And don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out."

              "There it is," Elliott replied with a laugh, closing the door behind him.

Distracting himself by checking the newsfeed was one way to keep his mind off of the conversation they just had regarding Cadence, but the distraction didn't last too long, and for a moment he entertained the suggestion of checking in with her. The last few months had been almost impossible to endure. He hadn't spoken to Cadence since she'd left to deliver a ring to the parents of one of Jack Cook's victims. She hadn't told Aaron she was planning to leave for good the same day, and by the time he realized she intended to set off on this journey without telling him goodbye, it was too late. He wasn't sure if he would have been able to apologize and talk her into staying if he’d had the opportunity, but the possibility haunted him. He missed her almost more than he could bear.

              What very few people truly realized was the extent of his involvement with Cadence. He had made a promise to her grandmother shortly after she was born to personally protect her at all costs. For years, he had watched over her himself, checking in with her several times a month. She never saw him, never knew he was there, but he watched her grow up from the shadows. It wasn't until she was a freshman in high school that he realized that the adorable little girl he had protected from afar for over a decade was becoming a young woman. Shortly thereafter, he grasped that his feelings for her were beginning to change as well. He removed himself from the situation immediately. After all, he had known her since she was in diapers. He assigned her care to another member of his team. He didn't see her again until that night at the Eidolon Festival when Cadence's friend Drew was swept away by the Vampire, Carter. Though he was hopeful that his infatuation had faded, he found out pretty quickly it had, in fact, grown. With Cadence, he was constantly waging a war within between the allegiance he had pledged to her family to protect her and his own attraction to her. It had become difficult to balance the two, and he had eventually determined he could do both. However, he had sabotaged that possibility himself twice now, and it wasn't likely he would get another opportunity to show her how he really felt.

              Sighing, he rubbed his hands through his short brown hair and picked up the newsfeed from Nevada. He knew she was somewhere in the state and was hopeful that he would get to live vicariously through someone else for a bit just to have the opportunity to see her face for a few moments. Unfortunately, when he realized precisely whom he would be living through, it did very little to alleviate his pain.

Chapter Two

              By the time Cadence reached her hotel room, she was very near to tears. It had been a long, busy two weeks, and she seriously thought her road trip was just about over, and she needed to return home at last. Though it would have been very simple to multi-task, she changed into pajamas, grabbed a bottle of water and made herself comfortable on the bed before she sent her first message.
"Hey! What's up?"
she asked, attempting to keep her tone nonchalant. Despite the fact that the IAC worked through their eyes, they could actually hear the other person's voice, which included tone.

             
"Well, if it isn't my long lost pal. What's going on, kid?"
Elliott replied almost immediately.

              Cadence took a deep breath. The sound of his voice made her feel both comforted and fragile at the same time.
"Oh, you know, out saving the world,"
she responded.
"And you?"

              There was a chuckle before his response,
"Out ruining it."

She laughed.
"I don't doubt that. Any interesting hunts lately?"

              "
Nah, just the usual. Got a bloodsucker last night, though. One of our new Hunters went with us. Seems to have some talent. We'll see."

             
"That's good,"
Cadence said, not really as interested as perhaps she should have been. "
Any word on the whereabouts of our primary objective?"

             
"Negative, Ghostrider
," Elliott replied.
"I am sending some folks into the rainforest, though. I'm not just sittin' around. And don't bother to point out to me that I am actually just sitting around."

"Okay,"
Cadence said, wondering what that was all about. "
If that's where you think they are, why not?"

             
"Exactly! See, someone who gets me!"

"Ha, you wouldn't have always said that
," she reminded him.

             
"No, but I say it now,"
he shot back. There was a time when Elliott couldn't stand Cadence. He had actually asked Aaron to remove her from the team. However, since that time things had changed drastically. Cadence was like a little sister to him, and being apart from her for so long was almost intolerable.

             
"It looks like we may have an interesting hunt coming up,"
Cadence offered, taking a sip of her water.

             
"Oh? That's cool. Where are you anyway?"
Elliott asked, realizing he wasn't even exactly sure of her location.

             
"Reno,"
she replied.
"We met with a local team tonight. They want us to help them catch a group of Rogues who have been causing some issues. Apparently, they are all Giovani's offspring,
" she added.

              Elliott was quiet for a second. Eventually, he asked, "
Who did you meet with?"

Cadence found his silence suspicious.
"Why do you ask?"
she shot back, cautiously.

             
"Just curious,"
he replied.

"Well,"
she began, "
we were initially contacted by Dr. Cale Ryan. We met with some of his team members."

              "
And him?"
Elliott probed.

"Yes?"
Cadence stated, though it sounded like more of a question.

              Elliott was quiet again for a long moment. Finally he asked,
"And what did you think of the good doctor?"

              Cadence played it cool.
"He... seems nice..."
she admitted.

             
"Mmm hmm,"
Elliott came back. He knew her too well. But he also knew that Cale Ryan's reputation of being extremely good-looking, charming, and an all-around good guy could potentially spell trouble for his little fairy tale image of Cadence and Aaron getting back together.
"And?"

Cadence was beginning to get a little offended.
"And what?"
she asked.
"What are you implying?"

             
"I'm not implying anything,"
Elliott replied. "
I just want to know what your impression was of the Reno Area Leader, that's all."

             
"I think you're getting at something,"
she chided.

"What is it that I could possibly be getting at?"
he pushed back.

             
"Well, I have no idea."

             
"Well, then maybe you're mistaken."

              "Well, maybe you are!"

              "Well, maybe you're a five-year-old!"

              Cadence groaned.
"I don't want to fight with you, even if it's fake fighting. I miss you too much."

"I miss you, too,"
he said, his tone changing. After a few seconds he added,
"Come home."

              She sighed loudly.
"I can't. Come out here."

             
"Can't. Too busy searching the rainforest."

              She chuckled, shaking her head. "
Search it from out here. I haven't seen you since Indiana!"
He had caught up with her briefly when they had done a hunt in the Terre Haute area in the middle of March. At the time, they were both convinced that they would find a way to see each other every few weeks. But they were extremely busy, and plans began to get shuffled and dismissed. Now, it had literally been months.

"I wish I could, but I would have to get permission, and you know how that goes. I'd have to talk to what's his name about you, and you're a sore subject, so I could get in trouble, then I'd get fired, and the next thing you know, I'm selling hot dogs on Coney Island."

              Cadence was glad he couldn't see the look of confusion on her face.
"What? That doesn't even make sense... just ask. He'll let you come out here. "

              Elliott knew she was right. But, though his absence had not been intentional, he secretly hoped that it might bring her back home. However, the longer she stayed away despite not seeing him, the more he began to think there was nothing that could bring her back.
"I'll see what I can do, kid. You be careful, though. Don't go breaking the good doctor's heart now, you hear?"

She snickered.
"What are you talking about?"
she asked, as if Cale Ryan's extreme attractiveness had gone completely unnoticed.

"You know what I'm talking about,"
he replied.
"Y'all might not know it yet, but as far as I'm concerned, you are spoken for."

             
"Okay, Bubba,"
she answered, shaking her head.
"I guess I'll get some sleep. Be careful,"
she added.

"Hey, you're the one that can die,"
he reminded her.

             
"You can, too, if I kill you,"
she teased.

"Come on over here and try it."
It was almost a request, rather than a chide.

             
"I wish I could,"
she said, the solemnity in her voice reflecting her wish to come home, not to exterminate him.
"I'll try to talk to you again tomorrow. Two weeks is too long."

              "I agree."

              "All right,"
she said with a sigh.
"Love you!"

"I love you, too,"
he replied slowly and meaningfully.

              Cadence let him go and pulled the covers over herself. For a brief second, she contemplated contacting Aaron. She hadn't talked to him for so long. Surely, she could check in with him, just ask about Giovani or Laura, without it meaning anything more than that. Maybe she could even ask his advice about the case she was getting ready to work with Cale. But, as much as she longed to hear his voice, she couldn't bring herself to do it, and like so many recent nights, she rolled over, hoping to dream about him instead. However, like most nights, Aaron wasn't the ex she dreamed of, and she spent several hours tormented by the ghost of Jack Cook.

***

Giovani awoke to the sound of howler monkeys in the trees above their makeshift hut. He hardly ever slept; it wasn't necessary for his body anymore. He was a highly efficient blood metabolizing machine. Yet, since they had determined to make the inner recesses of the Amazonian Rainforest their home, he had found himself sleeping more and more out of sheer boredom.

              Zabrina, on the other hand, always seemed to find something to keep herself occupied. He could hear her now puttering outside, likely building something or putting a more appealing spin on something they already had. In his entire existence as an undead, he had only found one other being whom he could truly bond with the way that he had with his "sister" Zabrina. Technically, they were not related at all, which is why she was also his lover, but Vampires created from the same host referred to each other as siblings. Zabrina had also come from Holland, his most trusted ally for years, until she decided to get back together with her former lover, Carter, someone Giovani never trusted. Holland had chosen the dark-haired scoundrel, and Giovani had set out on his own. It hadn't taken him long to find the beautiful Zabrina. With her long honey-colored locks, sultry smile, and casual tone, he had been intoxicated by her almost immediately. Now that he needed someone more than ever before, he was glad she was the one willing to run to the ends of the Earth with him.

              He stretched his sinewy arms above his head, scratched at his scraggly goateed-face, and ran his fingers through the blond mop on the top of his head. She must have heard him stirring, as she stuck her pretty face into the opening that served as a door, pushing the twisted, draping vines apart, and with a chipper smile on her face, called, "You finally awake, love?"

              Giovani yawned and stretched his arms in front of himself, giving her a smile as she made her way in and sat on the woven reed mats that lined the bottom of the hut, also her handy work. "I can't believe I slept so long," he muttered, his many years in Italy evident in his pronunciations. Shaking his head, he attempted to wake himself up.

              "I know," she concurred. "It seems the longer we stay out here, the more you are sleeping." She had a hint of an Eastern European accent, which came through more as she spent less time around other Americans. It was evident in her voice now.

              Giovani took this opportunity to pose a common thought. "Let's go back," he said, leaning over and taking her hands in his, doing his best to meet her gaze with the intensity of his.

              She was no stranger to this technique. She pulled her hands and her eyes away. "No, Giovani. We can't. Not yet. It's too soon. You know everyone is still looking for you. It's more serious this time. It's not just two rebel Vampire Hunters trying to find you. It's all of LIGHTS and a band of renegades led by a very angry, very determined, very pissed off cowboy. It's not worth it.”

Of course, he had heard all of these arguments before and knew she was probably correct; yet, Giovani enjoyed the thrill of the hunt--even when he was the prey. He had been dodging Laura and her sister Laney for about a decade, letting them get close and then sprinting away, all the time wreaking havoc, leaving a band of malicious young Vampires in his wake. Things had become more serious when he had attempted to take out Cadence Findley, the Vampire Hunters' new star pupil, and his cause wasn't helped when he led the slaughter of Cowboy Sam's niece and her family a few weeks before that. Now, he had all sorts of Vampire Hunters and Guardians angry and in pursuit. Zabrina was right. Chances were, as soon as he surfaced, they would be on to him. He was much safer deep within the rainforest where the only people he may run into were either lost backpackers, who would make a quick snack, or native people who would instinctively leave him the hell alone. Nevertheless, the game of cat and mouse was one of his favorites and he was growing more and more restless each day.

              Finally, after a lengthy pause, he asked, "How much longer do you think we need to stay hidden?"

She groaned, reflecting on the other hundreds of times she had answered that question. She felt like the parent on vacation with the gaggle of kids in the backseat asking "Are we there yet?" She stared at him again, fully aware that his eyes could lock her in quickly without warning, before finally responding. "Giovani, darling. We must give them time to move on. We are immortals. Let's bear in mind, the more time we spend out here, the more likely we are to have time together out there once this all blows over. Those people, those Hunters, are not going to live forever," she continued, gesturing emphatically. "We've been here less than four months. We should spend years here, decades even. Let them forget; let them find someone else to focus their energy on. Then, when we come out, we will be able to start anew without constantly worrying about who is on our tracks."