That’s right! In the echo-chamber of her head, Estelle sounded vindictive and starved, but triumphant. Oh yes, Cassandra, my dearest girl! Only a matter of time …
CHAPTER ONE
The carousel jolted into life as baggage spilled on to it. Cassie stood penned in the crush, overwhelmed with the sheer noise and bustle of JFK, desperate to spot her tatty suitcase so she could get the hell out of there. A tall, sweating businessman on one side, a mouthy old lady on the other, both of them shoving and manoeuvring, hanging like vultures over the turning baggage belt. Neither seemed like prime candidates to feed upon, but beggars couldn’t be choosers …
Oh, no. Stop that! Cassie wanted to cry but she didn’t have the energy. Tucked tightly into her window seat, avoiding looking at the passenger next to her, she’d seen the dawn come up behind the Statue of Liberty as the plane had circled in, but she hadn’t cared. Hadn’t cared about the symbolism of it – sunrise on her own New World. Hadn’t cared about the beautiful symmetry and skyline of the city. She’d just wanted the plane to land so she could draw a clean breath of air, a breath that hadn’t been round everyone’s lungs already so that it tasted of them. She’d just wanted to be gone from that crush of humanity, crammed into the aircraft like an untidy life-force buffet.
Well, at least she’d controlled her appetites. Seven hours. That was something to be proud of, wasn’t it? That was an achievement.
Of course, my dear! And you were so right. I’m glad we restrained ourselves. Airline food. So dry and tasteless.
Cassie spluttered a tight laugh out loud despite herself.
‘Hey, honey, wanna move along there?’ The businessman barged her out of the way to seize his case.
If she hadn’t staggered sideways into the resentful old lady, she’d have fallen over. Now she could feel herself swaying, her reserves of strength almost gone. The man’s stale perspiration was overwhelming. The sour-and-salty tang made her nostrils dilate. It was only sweat but it was infused with the vitality of him. He was hot and his overburdened heart was pounding: she could hear it, feel it. Oozing out of his pores, his scent clung to her nostrils like … a plate of chips. Yes, that good. Cassie licked the upturned corners of her lips, focused on his, watched his breath pant out and in …
Cursing, he pushed past her, banging his case on her shins, and was gone. Missed her chance. Tears sprang to her eyes, and Cassie didn’t know if they were tears of relief or fury.
Missed! No! We missed him! Estelle sounded half-demented. Find someone. Find someone NOW!
Vaguely, Cassie was aware that her own case had just swept by, held together with a recognisable old bungee of Patrick’s, but she took no notice. She was scanning the crowds hungrily now, and she wasn’t worrying about anything any more. Anything except—
That one! That one, quick!
Turning dizzily on her heel, she locked on to the figure Estelle meant. It was young, strong, female. Slender but toned, and striking in a dark Mediterranean way. It had a child with it but the child was passed into its father’s arms with a kiss and a word and a smile, and now the young, strong female was turning with a click-click-click of heels and making for the toilets.
Not it, she! yelled Cassie inwardly. She! She’s a human being—
Yes, yes. Whatever. She! Quick! WE’LL MISS HER!
Backing up swiftly, hunger jarring against the thrill of the chase zinging through her veins, Cassie pushed her way through the crowd and followed the click-click-click. Funny that she could hear it so acutely through the noise and the bustle and the endless distorted public announcements. It was as if her whole being was focused on the sound of those heels, every nerve in her body locked on to the female. A little way ahead, it – she – swung open the door of the toilets. Click-click-click. Cassie quickened her step, silent in beaten-down trainers. Almost there. Almost there!
HURRY!
Yes, Estelle, we’ll feed. We’ll FEED!
‘Cassie!’
The shriek of greeting penetrated her concentration. Just. Her purposeful steps wavered.
‘Cassie Bell! Darleeng!’
A mosquito. Buzzing, bugging. She wanted to swat it, kill it. Leave me alone, she wanted to scream. I need to—
Something barrelled into Cassie, knocking her off-balance and enveloping her in a warm, expensively scented hug. ‘CASSIEEEE!’
For a fraction of a second Cassie fought the embrace, throwing a starving glance at the toilet door as it clunked gently shut on the human and its life-force.
Then she came back to herself with a jolt that was almost painful. What had she done? What had she nearly done!
‘Isabella?’ Close to tears, Cassie returned her tight embrace, hanging on to her best friend as if she was all that was keeping her sane.
Yes, this one, then! She’ll do! She’ll do, I tell you!
NO! Her inner snarl was fierce enough to shut Estelle up. For now.
‘Oh, Isabella. Am I glad to see you.’
‘And I you! Did you come off the London flight? It landed five minutes before the one from Buenos Aires! Serendipity! Wonderful!’ The girl was still talking in constant exclamation marks, thought Cassie fondly as Isabella tossed her glossy mane of silky brown hair. ‘And Jake is waiting for us! I have texted him, he is outside, in the terminal!’
‘And you stopped to say hello to me?’ Cassie raised her eyebrows weakly. ‘I’m flattered you didn’t run over me to get to him.’
Isabella had doted on the handsome New Yorker ever since he’d joined the Academy. Having finally got together at the end of last term, the pair had barely had a week together before Isabella flew home to Argentina (first class, natch). If she was impatient to get her hands on Jake now, it was hardly surprising.