Part 9
The initial denial and shock had worm away. It wasn't exactly the best plan in the world but Cassidy and Orion had managed to come up with an idea that should get her turned into a Night Person without any catches.
Cassidy walked home in a much better mood than she had set out in. Until she reached her house and saw the blue and red lights of a police car flashing in her driveway. Her first thoughts were Lavinia was in trouble again.
Cassidy had to force herself not to smirk. When she became a Night Person she would finally be able to outshine the bitch. She would be beautiful and powerful and her sister would just be an ordinary human!
But when she went into the house Lavinia was sat on the bottom of the stairs, her eyes wet with tears. Cassidy felt a lump growing in her stomach, a painful panic starting. "What's going on?"
She glanced at the living room door. Her mother was sat on a sofa with two police officers on either side. Her skin was ashen, her face expressionless, her eyes were staring ahead blankly.
"Marlene is dead. They found her an hour ago with her throat slashed."
Cassidy didn't know what to say. She'd hated Marlene and hadn't bothered to hide the fact. She hadn't wanted her sister dead, no matter how many times she'd wanted her out her life, not *really*.
"Where?"
"In her room."
"Was she..." Cassidy gulped, unable to finish the sentence.
Lavinia shook her head. "No. No signs of any assault. They're saying it looks like someone she knew enough to let into the house."
Cassidy leaned against a wall, feeling dazed and sick. Her eyes moved over to her sister. Lavinia looked at her defensively. "I was out with a friend. Where were you?"
"With a friend too."
The next few hours were a strange blur. An ME came with a gurney and the forensic crime scene people. It was like a movie, but without any cameras. Cassidy got a quick glimpse of the body before it was taken away. Marlene was almost white - like she had been drained of blood.
Which made her think immediately it was a Night World vampire. Then the killing had been disguised as a slit throat. Cassidy even heard one of the forensics people mutter to a team-mate, "How the hell are we going to get around the no blood issue? The Redferns don't want to risk exposure."
Cassidy shuddered and hurried to her room. Everyone was gone an hour and a half later. Lavinia had left to stay at Ivy's the night. Cassidy's mother was asleep. Cassidy lay awake, unable to do anything else, not even call Orion for comfort.
She couldn't get over the fact that there really were Night People *everywhere*. And that Orion's Redfern family could apparently get away with *murder*
Did she really want to become one of these monsters? Cassidy rolled over in her bed and pressed her face against the pillow. A cool breeze blew in from the open window, kissing her cheek gently, though it didn't make her feel any better.
^Not all Night People are bad,^ she thought. ^Orion's not bad. He loves me so much I'll do anything for him. Even if that means becoming a Night Person. I will be whatever he wants me to be.^
It would be so much easier if they could just find some sort magic spell that could make Orion human again. Or, just human, considering he had had the misfortune of being born a vampire.
Cassidy sighed with dispair. Oh, why did soulmates have to be so *complicated*? ^We'll be together. ^We'll find a way.^
* * *
The initial denial and shock had worm away. It wasn't exactly the best plan in the world but Cassidy and Orion had managed to come up with an idea that should get her turned into a Night Person without any catches.
Cassidy walked home in a much better mood than she had set out in. Until she reached her house and saw the blue and red lights of a police car flashing in her driveway. Her first thoughts were Lavinia was in trouble again.
Cassidy had to force herself not to smirk. When she became a Night Person she would finally be able to outshine the bitch. She would be beautiful and powerful and her sister would just be an ordinary human!
But when she went into the house Lavinia was sat on the bottom of the stairs, her eyes wet with tears. Cassidy felt a lump growing in her stomach, a painful panic starting. "What's going on?"
She glanced at the living room door. Her mother was sat on a sofa with two police officers on either side. Her skin was ashen, her face expressionless, her eyes were staring ahead blankly.
"Marlene is dead. They found her an hour ago with her throat slashed."
Cassidy didn't know what to say. She'd hated Marlene and hadn't bothered to hide the fact. She hadn't wanted her sister dead, no matter how many times she'd wanted her out her life, not *really*.
"Where?"
"In her room."
"Was she..." Cassidy gulped, unable to finish the sentence.
Lavinia shook her head. "No. No signs of any assault. They're saying it looks like someone she knew enough to let into the house."
Cassidy leaned against a wall, feeling dazed and sick. Her eyes moved over to her sister. Lavinia looked at her defensively. "I was out with a friend. Where were you?"
"With a friend too."
The next few hours were a strange blur. An ME came with a gurney and the forensic crime scene people. It was like a movie, but without any cameras. Cassidy got a quick glimpse of the body before it was taken away. Marlene was almost white - like she had been drained of blood.
Which made her think immediately it was a Night World vampire. Then the killing had been disguised as a slit throat. Cassidy even heard one of the forensics people mutter to a team-mate, "How the hell are we going to get around the no blood issue? The Redferns don't want to risk exposure."
Cassidy shuddered and hurried to her room. Everyone was gone an hour and a half later. Lavinia had left to stay at Ivy's the night. Cassidy's mother was asleep. Cassidy lay awake, unable to do anything else, not even call Orion for comfort.
She couldn't get over the fact that there really were Night People *everywhere*. And that Orion's Redfern family could apparently get away with *murder*
Did she really want to become one of these monsters? Cassidy rolled over in her bed and pressed her face against the pillow. A cool breeze blew in from the open window, kissing her cheek gently, though it didn't make her feel any better.
^Not all Night People are bad,^ she thought. ^Orion's not bad. He loves me so much I'll do anything for him. Even if that means becoming a Night Person. I will be whatever he wants me to be.^
It would be so much easier if they could just find some sort magic spell that could make Orion human again. Or, just human, considering he had had the misfortune of being born a vampire.
Cassidy sighed with dispair. Oh, why did soulmates have to be so *complicated*? ^We'll be together. ^We'll find a way.^
* * *