Pretty When They Collide (19 page)

Cassandra gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “I
’
ll help you take him down.”

“
I volunteer, too!” Alexia twisted around in the passenger seat. “I read up on him after your call to the
Doc
. That Francois guy is fucking twisted.”

“
I go where the hot women go,” Benchley declared. “So lead on fearless
hot
leader.”

As Benchley and his sister fell into excited conversation about the possibility of killing Frank, Cassandra leaned toward Aimee. “I
’
m sorry you lost everything when you left.”

Aimee touched the gypsy-style tapestry bag. “Not everything. I managed to hold onto this. It
’
s incredibly important.”

Looking curious, Cassandra studied the purse. “It
’
s kinda cute.”

“
No, no. Not the purse, silly. What
’
s inside.” Aimee tugged it off and gently opened it. Reaching inside, she withdrew a tattered book
, so old it was
held together with cotton string. “It
’
s my family
’
s book of shadows. This is why I ran away from them. It called to me once I turned sixteen. It invaded my dreams, called me in my waking hours, and showed me exactly where it was. I believe it
’
s one of a kind, possessing spells and potions that are long forgotten. Every time I open it I find a new one. It
’
s ancient and powerful. So powerful it masked itself from Frank. He never knew I had it.”

“
Wow.” Cassandra
’
s fingers hovered over the book, but she didn
’
t quite touch it.

“
If we
’
re going to be good guys and fight the bad guys, I think this will help,” Aimee said, then stowed it away.

Scooting closer, Cassandra held Aimee
’
s hands
. Aimee met her thoughtful gaze with her own. “Aimee, if you want to go and try to have a normal life
–
”

“
No.” Aimee
’
s tone was firm. “I belong here. I feel it. I
’
m home. Don
’
t you want me?”

The twinkle in her eyes and rogue quality to Cassandra
’
s grin said it all. “In the worst way.”

“
Then stop trying to make me reconsider.” Aimee brushed her fingertips over Cassandra
’
s cheek. “I know what I want.”

Cassandra
grasped
her hand and pressed a long, passionate kiss to her palm. “I do, too.”

Aimee
’
s heart lifted at Cassandra
’
s words. Snuggling together, they watched the sun slowly begin to rise as the van raced toward El Paso.

Epilogue

Cassandra drove up to her mother
’
s house and parked in the speckled shadows beneath the tall tree that loomed over the street. The drive from Austin had been uneventful, much to her relief.

She still feared Scott more than Frank. Scott had resources and was clever in obtaining what his clients desired. Frank was powerful, but not nearly as clever as he thought he was. When she had left behind the cellphone and laptop she had used to keep in contact with Scott, she had effectively cut off her communication with him, but she was still nervous.

Beside her, Aimee applied a little lip gloss to her lips and checked her hair in the mirror on the back of the windshield visor.

“
You
’
re already pretty,” Cassandra teased her.

“
It doesn
’
t hurt to look presentable,” Aimee answered, rolling her eyes. Clad in a colorful summer dress and flip-flops they had picked up in Austin, she looked amazing.

Cassandra, meanwhile, was in her regular jeans, boots, and a form-fitting t-shirt with Wonder Woman on it. She flipped down her visor, checked her hair in the mirror and shrugged. It looked good and what little makeup she wore hadn
’
t smeared. “Fabulous and done.”

Aimee again rolled her eyes. “Of course.”

“
Mascara and lip balm, babe. That
’
s all this perfect face needs.”

“
Hard to believe you were a model in Paris,” Aimee teased.

“
I can strut with the best of them. Besides, all that makeup at the shows is probably
what
made me hate the stuff.” Cassandra struck one of her sultry poses. “See! I
’
ve still got it.”

“
Oh, work it, babe!”

Cassandra playfully shifted around in her seat, striking all the old modeling positions.

Aimee giggled, a delightful sound.

In the two weeks they had spent together, Cassandra hadn
’
t doubted for a second that they were meant to be. They fit together effortlessly and the more they learned about each other, the more firmly cemented their relationship became. Cassandra couldn
’
t deny that something more powerful than both of them had brought them into each other
’
s lives.

“
So, ready to meet my mom?” Cassandra asked.

“
Absolutely!” Aimee popped her door open and stepped out.

Cassandra followed quickly,
taking
Aimee
’
s hand before guiding her up the walkway to the house. “Now, remember, she gets a little muddled. I told her all about you, but chances are she won
’
t have a clue who you are.”

“
I understand. I won
’
t be freaked out,” Aimee assured her.

Tucking her arm around Aimee
’
s waist, Cassandra gave her a slight squeeze. “I know that, but I just feel I should
–
”

The screen door banged open and Galina stepped out onto the porch. Throwing out her arms toward Aimee, she let out a cry of delight. “She
’
s so beautiful! She
’
s so perfect! I can see the magic all around her!”

Aimee stepped toward Galina, reaching out to her. “I
’
m so pleased
to
–
”

Galina cut her off with a warm embrace. “I
’
m so happy you
’
re finally here, Aimee. Cassandra has needed you for so long.”

Watching the two most important women in her life, Cassandra felt a lump in her throat. Galina held Aimee tightly to her, eyes closed in rapturous happiness. Opening her eyes, she reached out to her daughter, beckoning her into the embrace.

With a smile, Cassandra joined them.

Author
’
s Note

Cass and Aimee
’
s story has been banging around in my head for a very long time. I
’
m not even sure when they entered my subconscious because they
’
ve been waiting patiently for quite a while to tell their story. Because of their involvement in the PRETTY WHEN SHE DIES trilogy, I had placed them on the back burner due to the first book in the trilogy
’
s dismal sales. In 2011, that all changed when PRETTY WHEN SHE DIES began to sell briskly and gained a following. Encouraged by its growing fandom to write the sequel, PRETTY WHEN SHE KILLS, I finally moved forward with the trilogy and reacquainted myself with the dynamic duo of Cass and Aimee.

Though Cass and Aimee do not enter PRETTY WHEN SHE KILLS until toward the end of the book, they still play a major part in the events of the story. They will also play a larger role in the final book in the trilogy
,
PRETTY WHEN SHE DESTROYS.

Fan reaction to the couple has been incredibly positive and that is a major reason why I decided to go back to the moment when the two first meet. Though the story is still one of horror (isn
’
t Frank an asshole?), this is probably the closest thing I have ever written to a paranormal romance.

As you can tell from the timeline setting, when this novella takes place Amaliya is still human, Cian is dating Samantha, and
Dr. Summerfield
is alive. Therefore, I
’
m open to writing another Cass and Aimee novella if the fan reaction is positive and the sales are solid.

I won
’
t lie. These two are probably my second favorite couple
after Glynis and Ignatius in the Vampire Bride series
. Their dynamic and chemistry is just so vibrant and real and pours off the page. Individually they are really awesome characters, but together they are magnificent.

Therefore, dear reader, if you loved this novella and would like more of their adventures, I encourage you to tell your friends about it and also drop me a line. I
’
d love to hear from you.

Eternally yours,

Rhiannon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rhiannon Frater is the award-winning author of the As the World Dies trilogy (The First Days, Fighting to Survive, Siege,) and several other works, including the Vampire Bide series (The Tale of the Vampire Bride, Vengeance of the Vampire Bride,) the Pretty When She series (Pretty When She Dies, Pretty When She Destroys,) the young adult novel The Living Dead Boy and the Zombie Hunters and the futuristic zombie novel The Last Bastion of the Living. Inspired to independently produce her work from the urging of her fans, she published The First Days in late 2008 and quickly gathered a cult following. She won the Dead Letter Award back-to-back for both The First Days and Fighting to Survive, the former of which the Harrisburg Book Examiner called ‘one of the best zombie books of the decade.’ Rhiannon is currently represented by Hannah Gordon of the Foundry + Literary Media agency. You may contact her by sending an email to
[email protected]
.