Gabriella Poole - Blood Ties (Darke Academy)

The building was several storeys high and there didn’t seem to be an elevator. This was definitely a different New York. The stairwell

smelled of cooking and the paint was peeling in a few corners. The walls were thin enough for Cassie’s heightened hearing to pick up a

couple rowing on the third floor. It was a world away from the Darke Academy building, but it felt somehow friendly: noisy, warm and

homely.

Outside Jake’s parents’ apartment were well-tended plants and a scuffed Welcome mat. ‘If only that were true,’ Cassie muttered.

Isabella ignored her. Taking a deep breath, she rattled the brass knocker, and almost immediately the cheerful sky-blue door jerked open.

‘Honey, thank God you’re back – oh!’ The woman staring at Isabella had obviously been expecting someone else, because she took a

breath and closed her mouth mid-sentence.

She was very good-looking – well, thought Cassie as she remembered Jake, of course she was – but there were shadows under her red-

rimmed eyes, and her face was drawn with anxiety. Her tawny hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and her teeth bit into her lip.

‘Sorry. I thought you were— Oh my …’ Jake’s mother tailed off again as her nervous gaze found Cassie. Her eyes lingered on her for an

uncomfortable moment, as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Then she shook her head. ‘I apologise. It’s just you … you look so

much like my daughter.’

Cassie found herself taking a step back. She dropped her eyes, swallowing hard. ‘I’m Jake’s friend, Cassie. And this is Isabella.’

Recognition, followed by discomfort, seemed to flicker across Mrs Johnson’s face. ‘Oh. Isabella. Jake’s girlfriend … He’s mentioned you.’

‘Janice?’ came a deep voice from further inside the apartment. ‘Who is it?’

A moment later, a man appeared at Mrs Johnson’s side. He was unmistakably Jake’s father: tall and handsome, but his large brown eyes

too were shadowed with worry. He also seemed surprised to find Cassie and Isabella standing at his door.

‘That’s right, I’m Jake’s girlfriend,’ Isabella continued. She took a breath and extended her hand. ‘It’s good to meet you, Mrs Johnson. Mr

Johnson. Uh, is there any chance we could come in?’

Flustered, Jake’s mother touched Isabella’s outstretched hand briefly, glancing over her shoulder at her husband. Then her eyes were

drawn helplessly back to Cassie.

‘No, I … This isn’t a very good time, I’m sorry …’

Isabella stepped forward. ‘Please, Mrs Johnson. We won’t take up much of your time. We just want to speak to Jake for a second. Is he

here?’

Mrs Johnson gave a shaky sigh. ‘No, he isn’t. He barely left the house all weekend. He was working on his computer the whole time.

Then, this afternoon, he raced out like a tornado. He said he had found what he was looking for, but he had to go back to the Academy.

Something about being traced. Listen, what’s going on? Jake wouldn’t tell us anything, but he was obviously worried about you, Isabella.

He seemed to think that you were in some sort of danger – that the same thing that happened to Jessica might happen to you.’

‘He said that?’ Isabella swallowed.

‘Yes!’ snapped Mr Johnson. ‘What did he mean? Look, if you girls know something, you should tell us.’

Cassie glanced at Isabella, but her face was suddenly calm as she replied, ‘I’m sorry, Mr and Mrs Johnson. Jake and I had an argument,

and I think he may have misunderstood a few things. I think we’d better go. Sorry to have troubled you.’

She gave a polite smile and turned to leave before Jake’s parents could say anything more. Cassie heard the Johnsons’ door slam shut

as they made their way downstairs and into the slushy street. Wet snow was falling again. When she glanced up at the window of the

apartment, Cassie saw the twitch of a blind, caught a last glimpse of Mr Johnson’s suspicious face.

‘We need a cab,’ said Isabella, scanning the streets for yellow paintwork, once again determined. ‘We need to find Jake. Something’s not

right, something more than just seeing you feeding on me. Why else would he leave his parents’ apartment again?’

‘Isabella, I have to tell you something …’ Cassie’s voice caught in her throat, but there was nothing for it. Secrets and lies had got them

into this mess. There was no point keeping things hidden any longer. Cassie took a deep breath.

‘I think we may not be the only ones looking for him.’

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Isabella visibly blanched, then let out a piercing wail.

‘The FBI?’

The cab driver threw her an irritated look via his rear-view mirror.

‘Shhh!’

‘Cassie, I can’t believe you didn’t tell me this!’

Cassie took a deep breath, trying to avoid her friend’s incredulous gaze. She cleared her throat uncomfortably.