“Yes, nymph, my younger sister’s been kidnapped by the fucking Vampire Cathedral after they tried to kill our parents, all so they can get our retarded baby brother to come for a visit! Yes! Please, oh, please take the time to tell me about rain and floods!”
I threw open the driver’s door and leaped in, reaching across in the same motion to unlock Caitlin’s door.
She got in, still ranting. I hit the gas pedal before she’d gotten her seat belt on or her door shut.
“And I love Dad. You know I do, but Amalphia? Really? What other answers could we expect? If Ventas had shown up, we’d have something real and practical to work with. Shit, even Cenera. She’d have made more sense than water-for-brains!”
I let out a shudder. “It always wigs me out that you and Mom turn to Ventas. She terrifies me.”
Caitlin rolled her eyes.
“Well, she does.” I pulled the truck onto the Five. “I feel like she’s always one step away from starting a hurricane or tornado or something.”
“Of course a strong woman would freak you out. I’m surprised you can handle any of them, since none of them are scantily clad muscle daddies.”
I opened my mouth to make some butch lesbian retort but caught myself. “Are we really going to do this right now? Cynthia hasn’t even been gone a full day yet, and we’re already at each other’s throats—we’re not gonna be able to help her at all if this is how we’re gonna start.”
Her glare blazed into me. I kept my eyes on the highway. Finally, she let out a huge exhale. “Fine. I suppose you’re right.” She expelled another storm of breath. “I’m sorry. Just between Mom and Dad and Cyn, I’m about to come unhinged. And it didn’t help seeing Allison when we left the hospital.”
“Did you really apologize to me?” Ignoring the traffic around us, I turned and gaped at her. “I’m even more worried than I was before!”
She glared at me again, then laughed. “Shut up!”
For some reason, her reaction made me laugh as well, and then we were both cracking up. We laughed until tears were rolling down our cheeks, and I nearly had to pull over to the side of the road because I couldn’t see. Probably wasn’t all that funny, but if ever two people needed to laugh, it was us at that moment.
When we’d both settled down, I decided to milk the sibling camaraderie, considering how rare it was with the two of us. “I couldn’t believe how quick Allison got to the hospital. She was there in less than twenty minutes.”
Caitlin’s expression sobered, and I regretted that I’d pushed it. But too late now.
“You doing okay?”
Her eyes narrowed as she looked at me. “I’m not you, Finn. I can function when the person I love leaves me.”
It didn’t take effort to refrain from retorting back. She was right, and I had it coming. If I’d done a better job of handling my emotions, maybe we’d not be in this mess now. If I’d not tried to be the hero when the “love of my life that I’d met a whole day and a half before’s” best friend was killed, we definitely wouldn’t be in this situation. I wouldn’t have used my power to find the Square, and the Vampire Cathedral wouldn’t have known about me and wouldn’t have had any reason to attack my parents and kidnap my sister.
Caitlin’s long black fingernails curved over my wrist when she reached across the cab of the truck. “Hey, Finn, I’m sorry. We’ve been through this. There is no way you could’ve known any of this would happen. I get that. It’s not your fault.”
I kept my eyes dead ahead and gave a little nod.
She let out a sigh. “No, really. I was just mad, and I’m frustrated and scared. I know you’re hurting as much as I am.”
I glanced over at her, waiting for the punch line.
She just shrugged.
We drove in silence for another few minutes before she spoke again. “At least Amalphia said we’re on the right track. I think that’s what she meant, anyway.”
A laugh broke from my throat. “Now I know something has possessed your body if you’re even being gracious to Amalphia.”
She gave me a glare, and all felt right with the world again, even if the glare seemed more obligatory than genuine. She glanced around, as if coming awake. “This isn’t the way to the airport.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Well, don’t you think we should maybe get there? We don’t wanna miss our plane. This is the last flight to Costa Rica today, and I’d rather not piss off the Vampire Cathedral any more than we have to. We can’t afford to lose any more family members.”
“We’ve still got four hours until takeoff.”
“Yeah, so? Do you really think this is the best time to get a burger from Rascals?” I could hear the hint of frustration behind her teasing tone.
