Drink Deep - Chloe Neill [99]
That still stung.
Sure, it wasn’t the first time we’d had a disagreement. There’d been a boy she dated who I’d thought was obnoxious, and she tended to give my parents more credit than I did. We’d grown apart when I’d been made a vampire and hadn’t adjusted gracefully to my new life. Her apprenticeship training in Schaumburg hadn’t done much for our social schedule.
But we’d always managed to get through. I could only hope this time was no different, that even with magic and exams between us, we’d manage to find each other again.
After tossing the phone in my hands for a few minutes, I decided not to call. If she really needed space, I’d give it to her. God knows she’d have done the same thing for me.
But while she could avoid me, Catcher couldn’t. I dialed up his cell phone and caught him in the car.
“On the way to your grandfather’s house,” he said.
“Still officing unofficially?”
“Unless we hear something different from the city, which seems extraordinarily unlikely, ‘unofficial’ is our permanent gig. Unfortunately,” he added as a horn honked in the background, “traffic to your grandfather’s is much worse than to the office. It takes me twice as long to get there.”
“Isn’t there an El stop by his house?”
“I prefer my car,” he flatly said. “What’s happening at Cadogan House tonight?”
“Well, due to unfortunate events, I’m no longer standing Sentinel.” I filled him in on Frank’s quality testing and my forced failure.
“Classy,” he said. “Makes Darius West look like a total peach.”
“I wouldn’t go quite that far, but you’ve got something there. Have you had a chance to talk to Simon?”
“I have. He’s as mystified as we are. He says he’s heard nothing about the Maleficium and that it’s safe and sound in Nebraska. Out of an abundance of caution, the Order’s established a committee to look into things, and they’re on their way. He also thinks Tate’s bluffing, and he put some stock into your lemon and sugar theory. He says the new ‘forensic magic’ recognizes trace magical evidence like odor.”
Catcher’s tone screamed “sarcastic,” but there was also a hint of “jealous” in there. Catcher hadn’t been a member of the Order for some time, so it stood to reason he wouldn’t be up to date on all the latest information and techniques. He clearly had unresolved issues about the Order. Maybe buried beneath his irritation that Mallory was learning about magic from Simon was a little magical jealousy.
“How long until Mal’s done with exams?”
“Couple of days, but the schedule is fluid. Simon’s apparently trying to keep her on her toes. Listen, I’m just pulling into the driveway. I’ll call you if there’s news.”
“Appreciate it,” I said, and he hung up. I had no doubt I’d hear from him again. If I’d learned anything in my months as a vampire, it was that drama was in unlimited supply.
I found a stack of library books outside my door again, all referencing unexplained historical events. The librarian seemed to think Amelia Earhart’s disappearance and the Bermuda Triangle were related to our sky and water problems. I was sitting on the floor, waist-deep in magical conspiracy theories, when my phone rang.
Saved by the bell, I thought, and pulled it out. When I saw Jonah’s number on the screen, I popped it open.
“Hi,” I carefully said, not sure of his mood since we hadn’t spoken since the kiss—and nervous that he was calling to relay another crisis. I really could use a break.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Reading. What are you doing?”
“I’m at Benson’s. Get your ass down here and buy me a drink.”
Benson’s was the Grey House bar, located across the street from Wrigley Field.
“I’m not going to buy you a drink.”
“I’m pretty sure I remember you owing me a drink. Especially after you totally denied me when I poured out my heart to you.”
I couldn’t help but smile, and appreciated that he’d broken the ice. “I don’t recall it happening that way.”
“Then you would be