Gabriella Poole - Blood Ties (Darke Academy)

Isabella patted her arm. ‘Well, Jake and Ranjit will come around to each other eventually. They have to – we need to be able to double

date!’ She smiled, then gave a loud dramatic sigh, flinging out her arms so violently she almost knocked a wrinkled old lady off her bike.

‘But if you would rather not see Jake right now, I can call it off …’

‘Don’t be crazy, Isabella. Of course we’ll meet up with Jake!’

Isabella grinned. ‘I knew you’d say that.’

‘Oh did you now! Drama queen. Don’t wave your arms again, you nearly killed someone. Where are we meeting?’

‘Outside the Lincoln Center, on the West Side. One o’clock.’ Isabella checked her watch, and walked faster, calling back happily to her

friend. ‘We’ll have lunch, do some retail therapy … It’ll be like old times, Cassie!’

‘You can think about lunch already? You amaze me.’ Swallowing her misgivings, Cassie laughed. ‘Come on, then. And don’t you dare call

another cab. We’ll take the subway.’

Isabella was racing ahead of Cassie with every step – she must have been dying to meet up with Jake. The Argentinean girl was as happy

as … as a polo pony in fresh hay, or something. It was quite reassuring to see that it was possible to be so into someone despite all the

craziness around them. It gave Cassie hope for her and Ranjit.

All the same, when they reached the Lincoln Center plaza and caught sight of Jake sitting on the edge of the fountain – tapping at his

laptop, again – Cassie couldn’t help hanging back. She wasn’t sure how long she could conceal the fact that Katerina, his sister’s killer, was

swanning around this very city. Jake, though, jumped up straight away, shoving his laptop swiftly into its case and jogging over. As soon as

he could bring himself to let go of Isabella, he gave Cassie a quick hug too, though there was some tension in his eyes she couldn’t quite

read – as though he was hiding something, holding something back … Isabella seemed oblivious.

‘Now, where shall we eat? Oh, it’s so good to be together again!’

Yes, thought Cassie, even though there was one vital person absent. Seeing Isabella link her fingers through Jake’s made her realise just

how much she was missing Ranjit, despite having seen him only last night.

Last night.

She felt a knot in her stomach at the ambiguous way they had left things, Sir Alric’s interruption and … what had come before that. She

couldn’t figure out what it was between them – the magnetic push and pull of it was tough to get her head around. He liked her, didn’t he?

He must do, to risk the disdain of so many of the Few. And the spark between them – it was like something out of this world. There was no

reason to be afraid, was there?

‘No way am I trailing you round Bloomingdale’s all afternoon while you try on half the store,’ Jake was telling Isabella, though he looked

to Cassie as if he’d trail her to the ends of the earth if she crooked one little finger.

‘Oh, it’s only a little shopping. Don’t be such a spoilsport. Oh! We had breakfast, Jake! We puffed our faces at a wonderful teahouse. All

red banquettes and—’

‘Cool. I’m glad you had a chilled out morning, after everything that happened last night.’

‘So if shopping’s off the agenda, what do you reckon we should do instead, Jake?’ Cassie said, eyeing him closely. He seemed to

brighten.

‘Uh, I dunno … Some sightseeing? How about the Chrysler Building, or Times Square? Or St Patrick’s! Like I said, it’s fun being a tourist

in my own place. I never saw it like this before.’

‘I still want to see some shops!’ Isabella punched Jake affectionately in the solar plexus, making him almost double up. ‘Oh, in fact – look

at these …’ She sped off towards an expensive-looking shop window and began gazing at the display of handbags, her eyes wide with

excitement. Cassie stepped towards her half-heartedly, but stopped when Jake whispered her name urgently.

‘Cassie …’

She turned, glancing at Isabella, then walked over to him, her nerves tumbling in her stomach. Whatever it was he wanted to talk about, it

wasn’t going to be good. She stopped beside him and he fixed her with a serious gaze.

‘What?’

‘Listen, I know this is going to sound crazy, but I think we could all be in danger.’

Cassie’s eyes widened. ‘Danger? What do you mean?’

‘Last night … The person who tried to grab Isabella …’ Jake drew a deep breath and ran his hand over his short hair. ‘I think it was

Katerina.’

‘What? No, Jake—’

‘Look, I know what you’re going to say – that I’m so obsessed that I’m seeing things – but I got a good look, and I swear to God it was

her.’