Page 130 of When Darkness Calls

“Yeah.”

“Prove it.”

Jesus fucking Christ, here we go.

“Smartass, why don’t we start with you then. Cade, you’re Dracula.”

I even laugh at this point.

“Really? Cade is Dracula? I mean, you got the whole ‘hates mornings’ thing right.” I try to hide the amusement in my voice, but I can’t, and I know she’s annoyed. The creases are back between her brows, and her foot taps against the wooden floor.

Dani clears her throat and stands, “Cade: son of a wealthy man whose family established a town; master manipulator especially when using his looks; has means of gaining social power; and sucks the life out of any fun situation he’s a part of.” She grins.

“Dracula: a Count in a long line of royalty established in Transylvania; has powers of mind control and his looks are used to captivate prey; and literally sucks the life out of everything. I rest my case, your honor.” Dani flops back onto the couch with a smug look on her face.

Cade is just staring at her, and so am I. I mean, that was pretty accurate, and aside from just these basic characteristics, Cade does kind of act the way Dracula does in the movie.

He’s very confident in every action he takes. It’s calculated and always a part of some plan. I know that what Dani said threw him off.

There’s a contemplative look in his eyes. “Okay,” I start, “What about the rest of us then?”

“Easy. Keegan is Frankenstein, Alexander is Wolfman, and Dominick is Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde.” She picks at a piece of fuzz on her sweatpants as if she hasn’t just turned our world’s upside down with this revelation.

“And me?” An antsy sort of excitement runs through me.

Dani looks at me long and hard, her head tilting one way and the next, her dark curls tumbling over her shoulders.

“The Invisible Man.”

I’m disappointed. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

“But why? He’s the one no one talks about.”

“Exactly. You stick to the shadows, Grays. Griffin is a man who was obsessed with light and optics and understanding their importance. Hence, you and your camera you go nowhere without. Griffin was also a reasonably intelligent man, but he had a hard time making connections with other people. I’m pretty sure this is the longest we’ve had a conversation where I’m not about to punch you in the face. And Griffin had a violent streak. I know you try to hide it, but everyone knows what happened at the football game your senior year.” Dani gives me a pointed look and I just shrug.

Fuck, Mitchell Robinson. Dude’s a dick.

“Okay, I see your point.”

“I think you’re both full of shit,” Cade laughs, standing to head upstairs. “I’ll be back in a second. I’m gonna order pizza and call mom.”

I nod at him as he passes, and Dani throws a pillow at him. She has already turned her focus back to the black and white film.

Her eyes are wide with wonder as she watches each scene unfold. The amount of dedication to every little detail is something I can see reflected in myself when I people watch or try to capture moments in photos. Every little thing has to be perfect, and it has to tell a story, one that you can never forget. That’s what makes art so visceral, so real.

Dani is kind of like that. She has always been so stubborn and steadfast. I should have known that any argument between her and her brother would just end in her being right. But the way that she views the world through such cinematic lenses is admirable. I can relate to that part of her. She wishes to find the answers behind everything, while I want to preserve them.

“Have you ever thought about what you want to do after you graduate?”

My question takes us both by surprise.

“Uh, no. Not really. I still have a few years to think about it though.” She sits cross-legged with her back to the armrest.

“I know that, but you should give some thought to doing something with film. You know I’m in the art program doing photography, but some of my classes I share with different film majors. The stuff I’ve heard them talk about from their classes seems cool. I think you’d like them.”

There’s a far off look in her hazel eyes, but she gives a slight nod and a brief smile. “Yeah, I’ll think about it, Grays.”