Angels & Demons: The Series

by Megan Linski

  I can’t tell her about the crash, so I make something up. “I’m sorry, Isolde. I was hanging out with Thames Deacon. He’s a boy in my Chemistry class. We were just fixing stuff in his garage. I didn’t hear my phone.” I take it out of my pocket, and pretend to check it. “I guess my phone was off.”

  “Thames Deacon?” she asks. Her face softens. “I know his mother. I used to babysit him when he was little. He’s a nice boy.”

  But then her face reddens again, and she says, “That’s still not okay, Cassia. I don’t mind if you hang out with your friends, but I need to know where you are and be able to get ahold of you at all times.”

  “I’m sorry, Isolde, I just lost track of time,” I lie. “I’ll do better next time. I promise.”

  She nods. Her lips are pursed. “Very well.” She gestures to the stairway. “I suggest you get some sleep. It’s too late for you to be up on a school night.”

  I’m not a little kid to be told when to go to bed, but I go upstairs just to get away from her. I have to really control myself not to slam my door.

  I pick up a pillow, and scream into it to release my frustration. I’ve never had a foster parent that’s noticed if I’ve been gone for a few hours, or even a few days before. She actually acts like she cares. Yeah, right. I’m probably just a paycheck to her.

  She’s not my mom.

  I change into my pajamas and collapse into bed. Would she call the cops to come look for me? Probably. Cairo told me his family works for the police, so I guess next time she calls I’d better answer. How embarrassing would that be if I got picked up by a cop and it ended up to be Cairo’s dad or something? Ew.

  I turn on my back. I shouldn’t be alive. I should be lying in a hospital morgue somewhere, along with Thames. What exactly happened today? How did Cairo save my life?

  I know he saved my life. He didn’t even deny it. He just didn’t want to give me any details.

  He’s hiding something. Whatever it is, I’m going to find out.

  When I walk into school the next day with Cairo’s letter jacket around my shoulders, Lavonne, Sydney and Emalee look about ready to have a field day.

  They’re not the only ones who are staring. Everyone in the school has their eyes on me, even some of the guys. Most of the girls are giving me death stares of jealously. Some of them are even crying. Is it really that big of a deal? Talk about an overreaction.

  “Girl! What did you do!” Lavonne pushes several people aside to get me to. “Cairo’s letter jacket!? How?”

  “Is it even real?” Sydney strokes it, like it’s the Holy Grail. “Holy shit, it is.”

  I hug my books to my chest. “Something happened last night. Cairo and I kinda went on a date.”

  “A date!!!” Lavone squeaks.

  “You must tell us everything,” Emalee insists, tugging on my arm. “Right away, during gym.”

  “I will,” I promise the girls. The bell rings, and they hurry off to class. I look around for Cairo, but once again, he’s not there. He can’t possibly be doing Key Club stuff again. He has to go to class eventually. Is he avoiding me?

  I sit next to Thames in Chemistry. There are dark circles under his eyes, like he didn’t get any sleep. When he sees me wearing Cairo’s letter jacket, the pen in his hand literally breaks.

  “What are you doing, Cass?” he whispers to me. Mrs. Rorick bypasses her lecture and gives us a worksheet to do instead. I’m relieved, because it means we can actually talk instead of giving each other meaningful glances all hour.

  “Cairo gave it to me. It’s no big deal,” I say. I start on the worksheet, but read over the first question three times. I know this answer. I’m sure I do.

  “You should stay away from him, Cass,” Thames says lowly. “He’s not the type of guy you want to be around, trust me.”

  “Funny. Cairo was just warning me about you just last night.” I swear, men can be more dramatic than girls sometimes.

  “What did he say?” Thames growls.

  “Just that you’re reckless.” I catch his eyes. “I can’t say I disagree. What were you thinking, Thames?”

  “Look, I’m so sorry for what happened, Cass,” Thames says. It’s clear he’s upset. “It was so ridiculously stupid. I should’ve known better to put you in danger like that. It was your first time on a bike. I got carried away.”

  He sighs. “I know I could’ve killed you. Believe me, I’ve been beating myself up over it all night.”

  He takes an even bigger sigh than the first. “But Cairo knows he’s not good for anyone. That’s why he keeps himself away from people, especially girls. It’s better if you avoid him completely.”

  “I think I’ll be the judge of that,” I say. I pull the Periodic Table out from under his sheet of notes. “Come on, help me. This is going to take all hour.”

  Lavonne and the other girls are all over me once I get to the gym. I give them only the bare details, leaving out the accident and making up some story about how Cairo saw me walking home from Thames’ garage and decided to give me a ride, then take me out. They’re analyzing every little word he said like an alien spoke it and not a boy. I let them do it, because I’ve been going over the date again and again in my head and haven’t gotten anywhere. Maybe they’ll figure out some small detail I missed.

  I don’t see Cairo at all that day. I ask Isolde to drop me off early the next morning, but despite walking around the school for a half hour before class, I don’t see him. How is that possible? Heaven High isn’t that big. I should’ve run into him at least once.

  “If you’re looking for Cairo, he’s not here,” Thames tells me at my locker. “Sometimes he just doesn’t show up.”

  “Hm. Okay.” What, do the teachers give him a pass, too? I get that they like to squeak by star athletes in order to keep them on the team, but missing whole days at a time is ridiculous.

  It’s fine. I’m onto him. I’ll figure out his game.

  A whole week passes, and still no Cairo. I have a pretty boring weekend, filled with nothing but studying and Isolde’s home cooked meals. She takes me to a movie on Sunday, some superhero comedy. I actually kind of like it. I find myself laughing alongside her, until I force myself to stop. It’s not really awkward, but it’s weird. I’ve never had a foster parent take me places, at least, not in a long time.

  But even going to the movies can’t get Cairo off my mind. When I get back to school on Monday I finally spot him, but he ducks behind a group of populars when he sees me and then vanishes, again.

  I chase after him all week… literally chase after him in hallways and in the lunch room, trying to catch his attention, but he maddeningly manages to slip away every time. I don’t know how he does it.

  By the time Friday rolls around, I’m super pissed. I managed to corner Cairo between periods as he came out of the boys’ bathroom, but he went right back in once he saw me standing there.

  “Hey, Cass, you want to come over to my house tonight?” Thames asks once I leave my last class. “I got a new video game I want to try out, and I think you’ll like it.”

  “Yeah,” I say, fuming. “Sounds like fun.”

  “Awesome.” He grins. “This is gonna be sweet.”

  I text Isolde to tell her I’ll be home by nine. My mind’s still focused on Cairo. I’m good enough to wear his letter jacket, but he can’t be seen talking to me in public? Would it be a blow to his social standing or something? I feel so stupid that I’ve been wearing this dumb jacket for two weeks day in and day out, hoping he’d talk to me.

  I’m wasting way too much energy on a guy. Men are supposed to chase women, not the other way around. I’m probably embarrassing myself by running in circles around him. He probably thinks I’m desperate. Time to forget about him.

  Thames drives unusually careful on the way to his place, and I hate it.

  “You don’t have to be extra careful around me because of what happened the other day,” I tell him. “Don’t listen to Cairo.”

 
“This isn’t about Cairo.” He turns the radio off. “I just want to keep you safe.”

  Thames pulls in front of a small, one room cabin tucked neatly in the back of the woods. Inside the tables are littered with pop cans and chip bags. Posters of heavy metal bands and muscle cars plaster the fading wallpaper. It’s a bachelor pad, but I’m just thankful that there’s not one Playboy babe hanging on the wall.

  “Sorry. I forgot to clean up,” he says.

  “It’s fine. I’ve lived in places worse than this.” I sit down on the ragged couch and Thames reaches for the TV remote. The widescreen cost more than his monthly rent, I’m sure. “So what are we playing?”

  “It’s a shooter. You’ll like it,” Thames says. He turns on the Xbox. “Wanna order a pizza?”

  “Sure.” I take one of the controllers from Thames. Within the next five minutes, he and I are facing off against aliens in some lunar combat game. I don’t get the rules, so I’m not very good, but it’s fun anyway.

  Thames is so much better than me. I don’t think he’s died once in the forty minutes we’ve been playing. When the pizza arrives, Thames puts on some heavy rap and hands me some paper plates. He gives me a slice before piling on three for himself.

  “Do you have any peanut butter?” I ask, putting my pizza down on the coffee table.

  “Yeah. Why?” He asks.

  I scamper to the kitchen. I rummage through the array of condiments in the fridge, which are all Thames has, until I find a jar. I then grab a spoon and return to the kitchen, setting both down beside my pizza.

  “What are you doing?” Thames asks slowly.

  “I put peanut butter on my pizza,” I say. I take a glob of peanut butter and plop it on top of my piece, mushrooms, sausage, pepperoni and all before taking a huge bite. “I know it’s weird.”

  “That’s freaking disgusting.” Thames wrinkles his nose, but still laughs. “You’re one strange girl.”

  “Tell me something I don’t know.” I take another glob and smear it on my pizza, making a satisfied sound as I take another bite. Thames pretends to gag.

  After months of being with Eric and a few weeks of awkwardly trying to navigate Heaven High, this is practically like paradise to me. But even though I’m having a good time, Cairo nags at the back of my mind, never leaving me alone. I wonder what he’s doing right now. What is wrong with me?

  We play for a few more hours until it gets dark. When it hits eight thirty, I punch Thames’ shoulder and tell him we have to go.

  The light outside Thames’ cabin comes on as we journey outside. I’m almost to the car when I hear an eerie growling behind me.

  “What the…” I turn around. The sight that stands before me chills me to the bone.

  It’s a dog. But it’s not a normal dog, not from this world. This dog is gigantic, even bigger than a wolf, with large, razor-sharp teeth and eyes that grow red in the dark. It’s skeletal structure pokes out, rotting muscle and torn skin clinging desperately to the bones, an awful smell rolling off the monster’s flesh. Despite how awful it looks, the animal doesn’t seem to be in pain. Just angry.

  Blood rolls down its legs and drips on the ground. It has its gaze focused on me.

  “Thames,” I squeak, but he’s already noticed. He looks scared too, but not particularly of the dog. It’s almost like a normal sight to him.

  “Cass, get in the truck. I can take care of him.” Thames crouches down, readying himself as if preparing to spring at the creature.

  “Are you crazy? Is this the kind of thing you guys see Up North?” I yelp. Hell, a bear wouldn’t be as terrifying as this! The dog sinks downward, preparing to pounce.

  “Cass, run!” Thames jumps in front of me just as the dog leaps for my throat.

  I scream and duck to the side. Thames grabs the dog and slams it against the truck. The dog slumps down to the ground, but it’s not enough to stop it. It lunges for me again, but I’m able to dodge it and its face hits the passenger side door instead.

  Thames wraps his arms around it and falls backward. Thames and the dog start wrestling, the dog madly trying to bite Thames while Thames literally punches it over and over in the face, trying to get it to submit.

  I jump in the truck and slam the door shut. From inside the truck, I watch as Thames and the dog tango. Thames is on his back, trying to choke the dog out, while his slobbery jaws gnash at Thames’ neck. It’s a terrifying sight.

  Finally, Thames is able to throw the dog off. He gets up and sprints to the truck, but the dog grabs hold of his leg. Thames screams in pain, and I gasp as blood soaks his jeans. The dog has sunk his teeth inches into Thames’ flesh.

  The dog wrenches its head to the side, and pulls Thames down. Thames’ head slams against a rock, and his body sags lifelessly.

  “Thames, get up,” I whimper. He doesn’t. He doesn’t even move. The dog puts a paw on him and digs its claws into Thames’ back, scratching his leather jacket and giving a primal howl.

  The keys are in the ignition. I slide over to the driver’s side. Thames still isn’t moving. The dog growls in my direction before kneeling down, mouth drooling saliva.

  I really don’t want to run over a dog, no matter how scary, but it’s going to kill Thames. I take a deep breath and crash my foot down on the pedal. But then a flash of light beams before my eyes, and I slam on the brakes. I rub my eyes and try to refocus, to see what I almost hit.

  It’s Cairo. He picks the dog up and tosses it nearly ten feet against a tree. The dog whines as it hits the tree, getting up and barreling toward Cairo. Cairo tackles the dog and wraps it into a bear hug, spinning it around before tossing it again, this time against the bed of the truck. The entire vehicle rocks to the side with the impact. The dog lets out a shrill yelp, then charges Cairo once more.

  “Cairo, look out!” I scream.

  He’s already got it. Cairo pulls back his fist and slugs the dog right across the cheek. The dog goes rolling onto its back. It flips over several times before it slides to a stop.

  It shakes its head, and Cairo stands in front of it. The dog stumbles to its feet, and then takes off, giving loud whines as it flees into the forest.

  Cairo stands tall. He makes sure the dog leaves before he stoops down by Thames, checking his pulse. Hot damn. He’s a hero.

  “Is he okay?” I ask, getting out of the truck. Right at that moment, Thames gets up and groans.

  “Man,” he mumbles. “That was one tough pup.”

  “Thames!” My knees skid beside him on the ground. His pant leg is torn to shreds, barely hiding a mass of mottled flesh. “Oh, my God. We need to get you to a doctor.”

  “He’s fine,” Cairo says roughly.

  “Fine? Are you crazy? That dog probably punctured an artery!” I scream.

  “I’m stronger than you think,” Thames grunts.

  “Oh, yeah. For sure.” I huff and cross my arms. Stupid man. He’ll probably put duct tape on it and call it good.

  “Get in the car, Cassia,” Cairo orders. “We need to get you home.”

  “You need to get Thames to the hospital! That dog could have rabies! How in the hell do you hate him so much?” I scream, tears pricking my eyes. Cairo remains firm.

  “I’m not going, Cass. Just listen to him,” Thames says. His face is wrinkled up in pain.

  “Why do you keep showing up like this? How do you always manage to arrive right when I’m about to get into trouble?” I shoot at Cairo.

  “I was just coming by Thames’ house to drop something off,” he replies coolly.

  “Bull,” I snap. “If that were true, your truck would be here, and it isn’t. Something’s going on here. I know it.”

  “Would you just calm down and get in?” he asks.

  He opens the door to Thames’ truck. I stubbornly throw up my hands and say, “Not unless you’re taking Thames to get help.”

  “Okay! I’ll take him to my mom!” Cairo finally relents, losing his temper. “She’s a doctor. She’ll fix it. Happy?�
��

  I let out a quick sigh. “Yes. Thank you.”

  I sit in the middle, while Cairo hefts Thames to the passenger’s side. Thames tries to beat him off and limp to the vehicle, but Cairo picks up Thames like he’s not a huge ass guy and plops him in next to me.

  Thames winces every time his truck hits a bump in the road. I’m seething between the two of them. This is absolute garbage. These boys are hiding a secret from me, and I have every intention of finding out what it is.

  “So you can’t tell me that was a wolf,” I start. “There’s no way. Its skin was peeling off. It even had rotting flesh, for crying out loud!”

  “It was probably diseased, like you said,” Cairo growls. He’s gripping the steering wheel so tightly his hands are going white. “Don’t ask me what it is, I don’t know. I’m just glad it didn’t get ahold of you.”

  “You’re a liar,” I whisper under my breath. I don’t think he heard me. Thames nudges me with his elbow, to tell me to shut up. I can take a hint and don’t say anything the rest of the ride there.

  Cairo swings in front of my house. I slide out the driver’s side so Thames doesn’t have to move. I expect Cairo to leave right away, but again, he walks me right to the door.

  “You’ll take care of him, won’t you?” I ask once we reach the porch. Now that my rage has passed, all I can focus on is helping Thames.

  “Yes, I’ll make sure he’s fine. I’ve told you before I care about him,” Cairo says, almost in an exasperated way. “Not that he’ll want me to. He’ll try to soldier on through it like always.”

  “Well, don’t let him. The bad boy persona is really getting old,” I tell him.

  Cairo nods. He turns, but before he can, I reach out and snag the sleeve of his jacket.

  “Why have you been avoiding me?” I ask. His eyes connect with mine at the question, and with it I feel that familiar shock of electricity… that feeling of falling through thin air.

  “I haven’t,” he says. He rips his gaze away.

  “That’s not true, Cairo.” I hold on tighter to his sleeve. “We went on that date, or whatever, and ever since you haven’t spoken a word to me. You won’t even look at me.” I hate myself for allowing my voice to wobble. “Can you at least tell me why?”