“This is going to be a problem,” Elliott said, echoing Cadence’s concern. “She’s not mature enough to handle that kind of power.”
“I know. But what in the world can we do about it now?” Cadence asked.
“I haven’t the foggiest idea, but I can’t see any good coming of it,” Elliott replied.
“Listen, I don’t know what all you could see through her IAC,” Jamie began, “but something seemed a little off to me. She seemed a little… less good natured than she usually does.”
“Since when has that pubescent bundle of hormones been good natured?” Elliott asked, but Cadence understood what Jamie was trying to say.
“You think that the serum somehow enhanced her Vampire qualities, too, so that she’s a little more… evil… than before?”
“I guess that’s what I’m getting at. Maybe evil isn’t the right word. Maybe mischievous is better.”
“So more like a nymph than a fairy?” Elliott asked, stroking his chin in contemplation.
“Come on, everyone knows those creatures aren’t real,” Cadence replied, though at the moment she had no idea what was real and what wasn’t.
“I’m just saying, we need to be careful because none of us can control her at the moment, and she could end up taking some bigger risks in an effort to help.” Jamie’s tone sounded cautious, and Cadence fully understood his meaning. She only hoped her mother didn’t do anything to make matters worse.
“Well, I am exhausted, and there’s a full scale attack going on in Melbourne. So… I’m going to go check with Aaron and then get some sleep. It’ll be up to you night dwellers to make sure my little sister doesn’t destroy the world for a while,” Cadence concluded.
“I am going to get Martin and Ash over here and go ahead and get my procedure over with,” Jamie concluded, and Cadence suddenly felt bad that she wouldn’t be able to stay with him, but it was a struggle just to keep her eyes open at the moment. “It’s okay. I’ll be fine.”
“You better hope so,” Elliott muttered. “I think I’ll tail your mother home and make sure your lil sis doesn’t destroy anything in her angst.”
“All right. I’ll walk with you,” Cadence said, thinking she could go most of the way with him before she had to split off to head to the office. She leaned in and hugged Jamie tightly. “Good luck. Don’t do anything stupid. We need you.”
“I think we’ve had about enough stupid for one day,” he replied, squeezing her back. “I’m sure I’ll be okay.”
She pulled her hands away, though she wondered just how different he might be the next time she saw him and pushed that thought aside. He’d probably end up exactly like the rest of them—super fast and able to see through things. Surely, his healing powers wouldn’t be affected, although it did seem like Aaron’s abilities had been enhanced since he had gone through the process, and she began to wonder if Elliott’s had, too.
Elliott wished Jamie good luck, and they headed off down the hallway. “Do you think your gift has been heightened?” Cadence asked as they walked along. “Do people believe your lies more quickly now?”
“I don’t know. They were pretty strong to begin with,” he replied, and she knew that was true, though part of his answer was his ego talking. “We can try it and see.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, and her eyes locked on his. She saw the same vibrations in his green irises she always noted when he was trying to convince her of something, but they did seem to be moving more rapidly than she’d noticed before.
“Boy, you sure could use a donut,” he said, his voice calm and serene.
Cadence wrinkled her forehead and pulled her eyes away from his. “Of all the things you could’ve told me, I guess I should be thankful it was that and not that I needed to see Christian naked or swim with sharks.”
Elliott chuckled. “I’m not sure which of those is worse.”
A shudder went down her spine as she pushed open the door that led to the gate and the fresh predawn air hit her in the face. She said hello to the guards there before she replied, “I do.”
“Hey, you liked him at least a little at one time, as I recall.”
“Can we please let that go?” The Guardian at the gate punched in a code with his IAC, the clicking sound of the buttons ticking off with each new entry, and then the gate swung open, and they thanked him as they went through.
“Why would we want to do that? We gotta have something funny to talk about.”
“Don’t you forget, my friend, I know a secret about you.” She looked at him with a smirk on her face.
“About that. I’ve kinda thought maybe I should just wipe it from your memory. And Ashley’s. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about it.”
“Are you serious? Do you really think Ashley hasn’t told anyone? You have no way of knowing who knows and who doesn’t now. I’m sure Jamie knows.”
“Yeah, well, I could start with you.”
“Don’t you dare.” She refused to look at him for fear he might actually tamper with her mind. Suggesting breakfast and wiping out memories were two different things.
“All right, well, you better keep those lips sealed tight until I have a chance to tell my kid. Something tells me now is not the time.”
She agreed with that. “I won’t say anything.” They walked along down the mostly deserted sidewalk, only a few other Guardians stirring, until they reached the apartment building that housed the new recruits, and Cadence turned to proceed up the sidewalk without even thinking about where she was going.
“I thought you were headed for the office,” Elliott reminded her, a grin on his face.
“Damn it!” Cadence exclaimed. “I was. But… I need to run in here for a moment.”
He began to laugh. “Why is that?”
“Shut up!” she screamed back at him, and he started following her. “Where are you going?”
“Hey, since when have you known me to turn down food?”
Cadence growled but couldn’t argue with that. “I was thinking the kind with the pink frosting and sprinkles sounded really good.”
“I know,” he said, and she glanced up at him. “That’s the kind I told you you wanted.”
Her eyes widened. “No, you didn’t. You only said I wanted a donut.”
Still laughing, he replied, “My powers have changed, too. I planted the picture in your mind.” He leaned in close to her ear and whispered, “Scary, ain’t it?”
“God, between you and Cass, I don’t think Holland has a chance.”
