Pretty When They Collide (Pretty When She Dies 0.5)(44)

“Fucking A!” Cassandra grinned. “My backup plan is in effect, so no worries.”

“Backup plan?” Aimee cocked her head. “You had a backup plan?”

“Well, yeah. I knew I was coming to save you and not get that damn relic, so I started to get nervous. It’s one thing for me to put my ass on the line, but I didn’t want to risk yours more than I had to.” Cassandra shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe I was starting to doubt Scott, but I did contact an old friend of mine who is part of an organization that fights the big bad monsters of the world. I asked for him to send someone to pick us up. I didn’t want us to leave with the rental car and take the route I took coming in. I just got word that they’re almost to the rendezvous point. Which is here.”

Aimee shifted on her feet, adjusting her tapestry bag, the beads dangling from the bottom jingling. It felt so strange to be far away from Frank and the cocoon he had trapped her in. The world felt vast and a little frightening. “And then what?”

Cassandra shrugged her shoulders. “We go to El Paso, grab some food, then head to Dallas. We can get you a flight out of DFW to any place you want to go. I have some extra money squirreled away. It’s on me.”

Lowering her eyes, Aimee stared at the gravel under her feet. The setting moon was huge and bright in the sky and she felt like she could see every little individual stone. “I don’t know where to go.”

“Do you have family?” Cassandra’s voice was concerned.

Aimee shook her head. “Not really. My family took refuge in a very religious group to hide from our enemies and disguise our bloodline. At some point my family bought into the rhetoric. They’re all kinds of crazy because they believe that to be a witch is evil. And yet that is what we are by birth.” She lifted a shoulder. “I ran away at seventeen and Frank found me. That was ten years ago.”

The other woman’s lips parted slightly, then she looked away. “I, uh, well... okay. My friend, Dr. Summerfield, is part of that organization I was talking about. The Assembly. He told me he would take you in. Apparently, there are some dire predictions going on about something big happening soon. They could use your help.”

Licking her lips, Aimee pondered the offer. “Are you part of the group? Will you be there?”

Sliding off the motorcycle, Cassandra strolled to Aimee’s side, arms folded across her breasts. “Honestly, I’m seriously thinking about it. I don’t have a broker anymore and things got bad tonight. If you hadn’t been there I may have... you know.”

Ducking her head with sudden shyness, Aimee grinned. “We’re a good team.”

“Yeah, we are,” Cassandra agreed, her eyes twinkling, but she seemed unsettled.

“Maybe we could join together?” Aimee suggested. Despite her attempt to not stare at Cassandra and study her every little gesture and expression, Aimee found herself doing just that. She found herself desperately wanting the other woman to show that she wanted Aimee to remain in her life.

The dhamphir’s eyes were a warm hazel in the moonlight. Aimee loved how they seemed to change color with her mood.

Cassandra again lifted her shoulders. “Maybe we could.”

With a sigh, Aimee raised her eyes to the sky.

“What is it?”

How could she tell Cassandra how much her heart yearned to be at her side? She barely knew the dhamphir, but she wanted to know everything about her. Maybe she didn’t know the fine little details of her life, but Aimee knew that she understood Cassandra’s heart and soul in a way she never dreamed was possible with another person. Cassandra was like Aimee: full of power that she didn’t fully understand and yearning to know what it meant apart from the darkness of the vampire world.

“Cass,” Aimee started as she met Cassandra’s curious gaze and tried not to falter

“Yeah?”

“All I wanted for years was to be free. To escape Frank.”

“And now you are!” Cassandra grinned at her, tucking her hands into her jean’s pockets.

“I never even thought of where exactly I would go or what I would do. I just wanted to be free of him.” Aimee stepped toward Cassandra. “And now that I am free and I can choose where I will go and what I will do...”

Arching an eyebrow, Cassandra said encouragingly, “Yeah?”

Taking Cassandra’s face between her hands, Aimee kissed her tenderly. Instantly, their powers mingled, skipping across her skin with tantalizing heat. The soft warmth of Cassandra’s lips chased away the world around them. Their lips parted for a second only to be joined again in a deeper, sweeter, more passionate kiss. The pain, fear, and violence from earlier in the night were forgotten as Aimee sank against Cassandra’s lean, yet soft body.

Brushing her hands over Aimee’s long hair, Cassandra nuzzled the side of her mouth.

“I want to be where you are,” Aimee whispered, tears in her eyes. “I belong where you are.”

“I know,” Cassandra answered in a husky voice. “I think I’ve known since the dream. And it’s f*cking insane.”

Staring into eyes now the color of the bluest sea, Aimee smiled lovingly. “I believe in magic, destiny, and love.”

Cassandra laughed lightly. “Well, a few days ago I didn’t, but now I believe in you. And you’re all those things, aren’t you? Magic, my destiny, and my love.”