by L. J. Smith
Chapter 19
"Do you want a latte or a cappuccino?" Adam asked from the head of the line at the coffee shop counter.
"Surprise me," Cassie said, and then watched him interact with the barista, placing his order and counting out his money.
Cassie pretended not to know him for a moment and imagined he was a stranger she'd just seen for the first time. She observed his cut jaw and broad shoulders, those auburn curls. Yes, she thought to herself. It would be love at first sight all over again.
Things between Cassie and Adam had come around full circle. The past few days since the confrontation with Scarlett at the docks had been romantic and exciting, just like the first days of their relationship. When he kissed her, she shivered with that familiar pleasure and excitement, of loving him so completely with her entire body and soul, and knowing he felt the same.
Since the truth had come out about Scarlett, Adam went back to being Adam, and Cassie went back to being Cassie, but happier and more confident.
Adam returned to their table, setting down an iced mocha topped with whipped cream and a giant chocolate-chip cookie.
"You said to surprise you," he said.
"You're trying to get me high on sugar. "
"That's how I like you best. " He dipped his finger into the whipped cream for a taste.
Cassie glanced at the door, but the girl entering wasn't Scarlett.
Adam laughed. "She's only a few minutes late, relax. "
"I know. " Cassie broke off a hunk of cookie and shoved it into her mouth while Adam took another swipe at the whipped cream. She looked away, not wanting to be caught watching him lick it from his fingers.
"Should I leave you and my iced mocha alone?" she asked.
Adam blushed, pushing the drink closer to Cassie and out of his reach. Then he wiped his mouth with a napkin and tried to be serious. "I'm so glad for you," he said. "Scarlett is pretty amazing. I can totally see how the two of you are related. "
"I tried to tell you," Cassie said.
"I know. And I've never been happier to admit that I was wrong. "
"Well, you can tell Scarlett that in person, if she ever gets here. " Cassie glanced at the door again and then took a sip of her drink. "I'm starting to worry that she hasn't shown up yet. I'm going to call her. "
But Scarlett didn't answer her phone, and Cassie began to worry even more.
"I have a bad feeling about this," she said. She knew if she phrased it that way, Adam would take her seriously.
"Then we should go over to the B and B and see if she's there. " Adam stood up, wasting no time.
It was exactly what Cassie wanted him to suggest.
Sometimes his predictability was her favorite thing about him.
The bed-and-breakfast where Scarlett was staying was a Georgian building just off Old Town Square. It was one of the most beautiful historical B and Bs in New Salem, owned and operated by an old man whom Cassie knew by sight. She'd grown used to seeing him walking his three Pomeranians around town. A few times, she'd bent down to pet one of the dogs, but she never engaged in much conversation with the old man. He was who answered the door when they arrived, the dogs yapping and jumping around his feet.
Cassie introduced herself and Adam while the man ordered his dogs to be quiet. Once inside, she stuttered a bit before saying, "Sorry to bother you, but my sister, Scarlett, is a guest here. We were wondering if she's here. " It was the first time Cassie had ever said those words, my sister. It felt exhilarating to say it, but it also felt foreign, as if she were telling a lie.
The man nodded and rubbed at the silver scruff on his chin. "Yes, yes, Scarlett with the crazy hair," he said.
"So she's here?" Cassie was momentarily relieved.
"No," he replied. "She hasn't been here since yesterday. " Adam noticed the panic in Cassie's eyes and pressed for more information. "Are you sure? She never came home last night, not even to sleep?"
"No, she didn't," the man said, straightening his posture.
"But that's really not your business. A girl has a right to her privacy. " His eyes ricocheted between Adam and Cassie, and then he raised his white eyebrows. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave. I can't give out information on my guests to two strangers, kids or not. "
"Of course," Adam said. "We understand. Thank you for your help. " He left a phone number so they could be reached in case Scarlett returned, or if he heard anything of her whereabouts.
Back in the car, Cassie turned to him. "Now I'm really worried sick. What should we do?"
Adam focused on his driving. "I think we should give it a little more time," he said calmly. "We don't know that she's in trouble. She could just be out and about. "
"Out and about?" Cassie was exasperated. "If she was just out and about, then she would have shown up at the coffee shop when she was supposed to, or at least answered her phone. "
"Cassie. " Adam chose his words carefully. "Try to remember that we don't know all that much about Scarlett.
She could be off visiting friends and forgot to call you. "
"So you think she'd just stand up her new sister?"
"That's not what I'm saying. "
"You think she's some kind of flake," Cassie said. "Just because she's not as uptight as all of you. "
"All of you?" Adam gripped the steering wheel tightly and brought the car to a halting stop. "You mean us, the Circle?
Why do you keep insisting on separating yourself from us? I don't understand it, Cassie. "
Cassie was feeling too much all at once to make sense of it. But here they were again, having the same fight they seemed to keep having. She was tired of Adam always trying to reason her out of her true feelings.
"I'm not separating myself," she said. "But I don't know what more you need to fully accept Scarlett. She's my sister, Adam. "
"I know," he said, continuing along Crowhaven Road to Cassie's house. "I didn't mean anything by suggesting she might not be in trouble. Do you see how quickly you jumped to that conclusion?"
Cassie didn't want to admit it, but she did see that. She was silent until they reached her house. "I guess I'm just shaken up," she said finally.
"Let's just give it the night," Adam said. "If you still don't hear from her, I promise we'll get the group to look for her in the morning. "
"Okay. " Cassie reached over and gave Adam a kiss on the cheek, but she didn't invite him into her house.
That night Cassie had a dream. One minute she was on a beach, tanning beneath the summer sun with the sound of the ocean and seagulls filling her ears, and the next minute she heard a scream. It was a bloodcurdling scream for help, much like Melanie's scream the night Constance was killed at the festival. In the dream, Cassie opened her eyes and found she was no longer on a sunny beach but in a field or a meadow, at night. And the sky overhead had turned murky, like a poll uted body of water.
The scream for help came louder. Cassie thought it was coming from a shadowy house in the distance. It was unmistakably Scarlett's voice, but Cassie couldn't get to it.
In fact, she couldn't move at all.
Scarlett! Cassie yelled out, still within the dream. I can hear you!
It was all so vivid, Cassie was sure it was real.
The connection worked, Scarlett replied, relieved but still terrified.
Where are you? Cassie asked.
I don't know! The hunters are holding me captive.
They're torturing me, studying my powers. Please help me!
Try to stay calm, Cassie said. Think hard, is there any clue as to where you are?
Help me, Cassie. Please, hurry. I think they're going to kill me soon.
No! Cassie was losing her. The connection was fading.
Scarlett, can you still hear me? I promise we'll find you, somehow. Scarlett? Hello? Hang on. We'll save you!
Cassie sat up in bed, startled. She wa
s fully awake now, in her bedroom, alone. Her mahogany furniture stared back at her. She could hear her mother snoring down the hall. All was as it should be.
It was three in the morning. Adam had said to give it the night. But what if Scarlett didn't have till morning? She had to call him.
Shaking, she dialed Adam's number, and the moment he answered, she said, "Scarlett's been kidnapped. " Adam sounded groggy and confused. "What?"
"I dreamt it. But it wasn't a dream. She came to me, Adam. We communicated. "
"Are you sure?"
"I've never been more sure of anything. It's the hunters.
They have her. "
"Okay. " Adam cleared his throat. "I'll put out a call to the others. Where should we meet?"
"Behind my house, out on the bluff. We can't risk waking my mom. "
"Done. I'll be right there. "
"Adam, one more thing. " Cassie could hardly express how thankful she was to have him at a time like this. "I love you. "
She could almost hear him smile. "I love you, too," he said.
