“Always,” Julian said with a smile thatdidn’t completely reassure her.
“I’ll help you,” Cassidy offered.
“I’d prefer if you took Aida home,” Juliansaid. “Vampires can’t get into the apartment, but I’d prefer it ifshe wasn’t there alone.”
“I don’t need a babysitter,” Aidaprotested.
“It’s not a babysitter,” Julian said. “It’scompany. Do you want to stay in the apartment alone right now?”
No, she didn’t, but they needed all the helpthey could get with this. “I’ll be fine,” she said with an airinessshe didn’t feel.
“It will go faster if it’s just the two ofus,” Kyle said.
Aida got the feeling he didn’t want his twininvolved, and Cassidy must have thought the same thing as shescowled before telling him, “An extra set of eyes is alwaysuseful.”
“Fine.” Kyle threw his hands in the air. “Wehave to get this done now, or we’re going to end up in prison, andI am far too good looking for that.”
Despite being frozen and so tired she couldcry, Aida chuckled.
“Cassidy,” Julian said as he glanced at Aida.“I think it would be better if you went home with Aida and stayedthere.”
“I’ll be fine,” Aida assured her when Cassidyglanced questioningly at her.
Cassidy looked at her brothers, then at Aida,and back again as she was torn between leaving her friend andmaking sure her brothers were okay.
“We have to go,” Kyle said impatiently.
Cassidy’s shoulders slumped. “I’ll stay withAida.”
“All of this to end up back where westarted,” Kyle muttered as he paced a few feet away.
Julian ignored him as he focused on Aida andhis sister. “I’ll walk you back.”
“We’ll be fine,” Cassidy said.
“I’m not taking any chances,” Julian toldher. “Kyle, stay with the body. I’ll take them back and find acar.”
“Yes, sir,” Kyle said as he clicked his heelstogether and gave a mock salute.
Julian gave him the finger as he claspedAida’s arm.
“We’ll be fine,” she said. “Just go get thecar.”
“I’m going to make sure you make it back tothe apartment,” he said through gritted teeth.
“I am here, you know,” Cassidy said.
“Please stop arguing with me,” Juliangrumbled.
Cassidy stared at the two of them beforeclosing her eyes. When she opened them again, the smile she gavehim told him that he wasn’t fooling her; she knew the truth of whatAida was to him.
“I’ll be back in less than half an hour,” hesaid to Kyle.
“I’ll be here,” Kyle said as he crossed hisarms and leaned against the wall.
Aida kept her head bent against the bitingwind as she walked beside Julian to the end of the alley. Cassidyled the way down the street and to their apartment building. Aida’seyes still burned, but she wasn’t sure if it was from the lingeringeffects of the pepper spray or exhaustion. She wouldn’t be gettingany sleep until Julian and Kyle were safely home.
Cassidy unlocked their door and entered theapartment, but Aida turned to face Julian. She opened her mouth tosay a hundred different things but faced with his weary andtormented expression, her words clogged in her throat.
