Pretty When They Collide (18 page)

“
So where are we going?”

“
How do you like Prada?” Cassandra asked, tilting her head so she could catch a glimpse of Aimee
’
s face.

Their attention was drawn away by the sound of Frank
’
s helicopter lifting off from the helipad at the far end of the estate. Its lights sho
ne like small white and red sta
rs against the desert sky.

“
He escaped,” Aimee sighed.

“
So did you.”

“
Yeah,” Aimee answered, her voice filled with wonder. “I did.”

Cassandra
pressed
on the gas and the two women fled into the night.

Chapter 18
:

Free to Decide

In the early morning hours, the desert was at its coldest and Aimee shivered in Cassandra
’
s denim jacket. She watched Cassandra fuss with her messenger bag. It was the only thing she had grabbed from their very quick stop at the motel. It had been a gamble to recover Cassandra
’
s personal belongings, but with Frank
’
s men knocked out until dawn they had decided to risk it. Cassandra had worried that her broker, Scott, may have sent another team after her, but they had not encountered anyone.

Clad in jeans, boots, and a form-fitting Superman t-shirt, Cassandra looked beautiful with her hair falling gently around her chin. Straddling the motorcycle as she riffled through her personal belongings, she looked nervous. “Found it!” She yanked out a cellphone. “This
is my personal one
, so it should be safe.”

Cassandra had left everything her broker had given her for the job in a heap on the hotel room floor. She didn
’
t want to risk him tracking her through the items.
She had explained to Aimee that she had always kept her exact location a secret from Scott and never told him the false name she lived her normal life under.

Aimee smiled. “I told you that you had it.”

“
I was about to fucking freak out if I left it in the rental car,” Cassandra grunted. She began typing away on the screen.

The cold wind didn
’
t seem to affect the dhamphir, but it had Aimee shivering. They were miles out of Marfa and hiding behind the fake Prada Store that had been erected as an art display. The ivory facade was beginning to show wear and tear from the elements, but it was still in reasonable shape. There was no way to get into the
building
without tripping the alarm, and it wasn
’
t an actual store anyway. The shoes on display really were Prada, but there was only one
shoe
of each style. As far as Aimee knew, no one ever changed the shoes to the latest Prada collection.

“
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 fucking 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.”

Aimee bobbed her head. “Yeah, I am.”

Again, Cassandra
’
s hands skimmed over Aimee
’
s hair, her eyes scrutinizing Aimee
’
s face. “I
’
m a little scared.”

“
I know. But it
’
s okay,” Aimee assured her. “I didn
’
t even know I liked girls until you, so this is a whole new ballgame for me!”

Throwing back her head, Cassandra laughed. “Well, I can teach you all the rules and then how to break them.”

Her fingers tracing Cassandra
’
s lips, Aimee smiled softly. This is where she belonged and she knew it with every fiber of her being.

Headlights interrupted their moment and they stepped apart. A big van pulled up next to the motorcycle, killing the headlights. Aimee started to panic, but Cassandra let out a squeal of delight and darted around the front of the vehicle. The driver
’
s door flew open and a big guy with dark blond hair and a scruffy goatee leaped out and met her with a big hug.

“
Benchley!” Cassandra exclaimed. “Jeff didn
’
t tell me it was you coming to get us!”

“
Hey, sexy, I
’
m here to rescue you!” Benchley snuggled Cassandra warmly. “Are you straight yet?”

“
Nope. Still queer. In fact, this is Aimee, my new...
uh...” Cassandra looked panicked all at once.

Aimee joined them, extending her hand. “I
’
m her new girlfriend.”

Cassandra grinned widely. “Yep. Girlfriend.”

“
You always get the hottest chicks! No fair!” Benchley was obviously teasing, which set Aimee at ease.

“
Cass!” A groggy female voice called out, then the back door slid open. Rubbing her eyes, a petite young woman with a boyish haircut stumbled out.

“
Alexia!” Cassandra joyfully hugged her, too. “Hey, sweetie, what
’
s up?”

“
My annoying big brother told me that you needed us,” Alexia answered, yawning. She gave Aimee a short wave. “Hey, I
’
m Alexia.”

“
I
’
m Aimee
,
” Aimee answered, feeling strangely at home.

“
So everyone get in the van before the nasties come looking for us and let
’
s get the hell outta here,” Benchley said, motioning to the open doorway.

Grabbing her messenger bag, Cassandra gave the motorcycle one last, lingering look.

Slipping her hand into Cassandra
’
s, Aimee nudged her with her shoulder. “We could steal it.”

“
Nah. We don
’
t need a reminder of that tool,” Cassandra groused, her face darkening at the mention of Frank.

“
I couldn
’
t agree more,” Aimee answered.

Alexia climbed into the passenger seat, leaving the back seat to Aimee and Cass. Once inside, Cassandra slammed the door shut and settled in beside Aimee.

“
So, El Paso, then Dallas?” Benchley asked.

“
Actually, I think it
’
s time for me to make a visit to
Dr. Summerfield
. So, Austin instead.” Cassandra clasped Aimee
’
s hand tightly. “We
’
re joining up.”

“
Bad ass!” Alexia said, clapping her hands.

“
Kick ass,” Benchley agreed, pulling the van out of the parking lot. “That
’
s awesome news.”

“
Besides, I may need his help if my old broker, Scott, comes sniffing around. I
’
ve tried to keep my
personal
life on the down-low, but I
’
m worried about him possibly trying to find me.”

“
And there
’
s a certain asshole vampire who likes to enslave innocent supernaturals as sex slaves that I
’
d like to see gone from the face of the planet,” Aimee added.