C H A P T E R  T W O

{The Murder Capital Of The World?...fucking brilliant}

𝑻𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓

San Jose, California.

Not Hesperia's first choice, given the astounding places she'd been to in the last few years, but it was one she'd settled on while deciding where to go next. The world was vast, and she had a newfound thirst to see it all.

Passing through back allies, sweating under the summer sun, she groaned at the weight of the things she was carrying: a bagful of groceries and a large book, first edition, a fucking great find if she commended herself.

Scanning the title again, eyes squinted to see through the glare of the sun shining over the buildings walled around her and through the cracks of her hair, she rolled her eyes.

Grimm's Complete Fairytale's.

It was the fifth fantasy book this week—and she herself loved to read, but this was getting excessive.

The sleeve of her black top slipped down her shoulder, and it was because of that, as she huffed irately and balanced the book on top of the groceries to slide it back up her arm, that she didn't pay attention to her surroundings.

A big mistake.

Just as she'd put it back in it's rightful place, she was unprepared to hear the sudden loud pop behind her, and she tensed just as she felt hands on her shoulders.

"Boo!"

Though she'd been anticipating it, the loud exclamation in her ear caused her to squeal and jump forward. She stumbled, eyes wide, righting herself at the last second.

Her food was not so lucky, and the bag went crashing to the ground, spilling yogurt everywhere.

Now she was pissed.

"Cassius!" She exclaimed indignantly, turning around. The culprit was indeed him and he hadn't heard her, too busy laughing at her expense.

"You fucking jerk!" She seethed, "I thought we agreed you weren't gonna do that anymore!" Her annoyance spiked when she had to bend down and scoop any salvageable food back into the brown paper bag, groaning in disgust at the yogurt literally spattered everywhere. Even her clothes.

People stared at her as they walked past, but why wouldn't they? To them it just looked like she was talking to thin air. It meant nothing to her. She was used to the looks. Of course, she had to be if she didn't want to completely disregard her poor brother while they explored the numerous cities they'd visited over the years.

"I'm sorry. Sorry." He pressed when she scoffed, because she knew he wasn't. That was clear enough in his chuckles of pure delight. "I just couldn't help myself. Your face is always hilarious. " He broke into laughter again as he imagined the expression she'd pulled, wide eyed and raging like a grumpy cat.

She could be moody when she wanted to be.

"Besides, if you don't want me scaring you then try not to think about me." He suggested, swaggering around her and bumping purposefully into people, who stared back behind themselves at the...nothing that had just nearly pushed them to the floor. "You know I'll use it as an excuse to scare the shit out of you"

Hesperia rolled her eyes again—a common thing she did around Cassius, he was just that annoying—and she finally achieved the disgusting task of stuffing the dairy covered food back into the bag.

The telepathic connection they had, one of the many things about their bond she didn't get the physics of, was definitely one of the perks that she despised. She needed only to think his name and he'd be summoned.

Glancing down, searching the dirtied concrete for his book, an overly satisfied smirk stretched across her face."Aha! Not so funny anymore, is it?" Slowly she stood and turned to face him, and he gasped in horror when he saw his new prized possession covered in disgustiung human food.

"No! Not the book!" His theatrics weren't appreciated, especially when he snatched it out of her hands with the grabby petulance of a child.

Hesperia crossed her arms and observed his reaction with a smug smile on her face. Looking up, he glared at her with scorn. But then, he mirrored her dark glee right back up at her.

That look on his face was not good and faster than lightening, her smile dropped.

"Cassius..." She warned, taking two steps back from him. Troublesome grin growing impossibly bigger, he darted forward and grabbed a fistful of her brand new black skirt, proceeding to use it to wipe the 'disgusting human food' off of his precioius book, accidently snagging her fishnets on his rings in the process.

"No!" She squealed once again in dismay. "You...you total utter douchebag!" She cried, ripping the book from his hands and then, as was her right, she proceeded to beat him over the head with it.

"I've told you before not to touch my clothes!" It was comical, as she hit him lightly between each word.

He cowered down briefly in mocking pain and then, wanting the upper hand, his arm shot out and pinched her in the side.

The abrupt sharp jolt caused her to yelp and drop the book, and Cassius scooped it up, pacing three steps away to face her with a gloating air of victory.

"I win." He declared, voice light and bright and full of mirth, holding the book close to his chest like it was the most precious thing in the world.

To him, though, it was.

Books allowed Cassius to escape this filthy world filled with annoying humans—his sister, obviously, excluded—and he cherished the time where he could be transported anywhere he wanted: to magical worlds packed full of wonder. Some of which they'd experienced in real life.

They stared at each other, facing off, deciding if they should tussle even more. In the end, quite uncharacteristically, a smile broke out across Hesperia's face and she let out a fond, cheered laugh. "You win." She agreed.

She never normally backed down when they would 'fight' like this, but she was in a good mood. Stepping towards him, she took the book back and bent down to scoop up her food, adjusting her strap again on the way up.

People still stared as they went by and she knew they thought she was crazy for talking to the empty space next to her. But it was only vacant to the affectless vagrants and mortals who were blind to the world of creatures around them.

She was fine with that—to be branded insane. The illusion of not having a sound mind was worth it. She didn't need anyone but her brother.

Though what she was thinking was true, Cassius knew why they all really stared. His sister was beautiful in a melancholy sort of way, and he had supposed long ago that she wouldn't ever quite shake the sadness that still sometimes took over her.

Her sorrowful looks gave her a unique beauty that made her name fit her perfectly, but when she laughed it was a sight indeed. It showed she had the ability to be more joyful than any others and it often made even the darkest and gloomiest of souls feel happiness.

He often wondered how he had been so blessed to find her that day, as miracles he'd once been involved in creating were nothing but dreams to him now.

Yet, she was one. A miracle. His miracle. His sister.

She continued her slow walk to the hotel, unaware of his reverence of her, knowing he would follow. "So, my fiendish companion, what did you do while I was out running your little errand?" She dragged the question out, teasing him.

"Hey, don't complain. I'd do it if I could but I think it would freak the humans out to see a floating bag of food or a book going past them." He grumbled, scowling at the ground. Spying the worried look she was now shooting his way, he gave her a quick smile to placate her fussing over his well being before adding, "However, I did scare one of the hotel staff when he came in to clean the room by opening and closing the draws and stuff. So...that was kind of fun." He sniggered like it was the funniest thing in the world.

Angel, human: thousands of years old or six. Boys would be boys.

"Yeah, well, the novelty kind of wares off when you do it at every single hotel we stay at." Shoving him with her free arm, she opened the door to the hotel for him, letting it bang shut behind her.

It was well past dusk now, and Hesperia was so bored she was debating eating her own arm. It was extreme and she wasn't Hannibal Lector, but she needed something to distract her or she just might end up truly insane, like many thought her at a glance.

Cassius had decided to remedy her dull eyed staring at the ceiling and now, they were arguing over where they wanted to travel to next.

"I say we go over sea's, we haven't done that in a while." Cas suggested half heartedly as he dragged himself off the bed to go to the bathroom.

They sure as heaven could afford it. Hesperia had received a fuck ton of inheritance, given that she was the only member of her family left alive.

"God, where's you're imagination, oh mighty fallen one?" She harassed, drumming her clasped fingers on her navel, gleaming with pride when he grumbled. "Besides, we've been abroad so many times. Why don't we think of somewhere we haven't been in the country? Theres plenty of places." Hesperia's voice strained as she turned to hang up side down over the edge of the bed, always claiming she could think better this way.

"Oh, yeah? Like where buttercup? Come on, fill me in, Madame Curey." Cas waltzed back into the room and collapsed next to her, copying her position with his black hair just brushing the floor. The corner of her mouth twitched at the name, looking at him out of the corner of her eye, he was smiling too.

After that night he'd saved her, it had kind of just stuck and he'd been calling her that ever since. She didn't mind, and though it reminded her of her family sometimes, it made her feel happy more than anything when he said it.

"Well, what about somewhere by the sea? Somewhere that has fun things to do. 'Cause this?" She motioned a finger at their hotel room, "ain't fun."

Hesperia had to throw in the choice of a costal town. She adored the ocean and beaches, often times most places she picked were similar-though she came up short on any real places to go.

She pushed again, the embodiment of innocence as she pouted when he made a show of thinking about it, "Pleaseeee, Cas? It kinda feels like we have to. Its summer after all." Stretching her back, she turned her face to look at him; He contemplated her idea, doing that annoying thing he loved to do where he'd take too long to answer just to piss her off.

Just as she was about to explode at him, notoriously short patience blown like a fuse, he snapped his fingers and lept up, jostling the bed so roughly that she ended up falling off. Hitting the hard carpet that felt like it had left burns on her hands, she grunted, angry and resembling a bull when she sat up and glared at him fiercly.

He smiled his apologies and her glare softened.

She whined complaints and profanities as she managed to stand up, and flopped heavily on the bed before giving him her full attention. "Well, go on then." She mumbled grumpily, nodding for him to continue.

"Santa Carla!" He exclaimed, looking at her as if he expected some big reaction. He got anything but. He sighed when she just stared at him; blank, irked that she didn't know what he was talking about.

"Am I supposed to know about this place? Where even is it? The North Pole?" She snickered, picking up his book and flipping it open to a random page, skimming it.

It was then he realized she was being this aloof on purpose, to get back at him for earlier. He couldn't say she wasn't entertaining, clearly he'd rubbed off on her.

Walking around the bed he took the liberty of explaining. "It's this crazy little town not even an hour from here. I heard one of the front desk ladies mention it." Pausing beside her he looked at her for a moment, even more annoyed but amused when she still gave him no reaction. She didn't even look up from the page she was pretending to read, and he snorted. The book was upside down.

Clicking his tongue, he snatched the the thick paperback from her hands and snapped it shut, ignoring her indignant "Hey!" and sat down on the bed, forcing her to scoot over. "Supposedly it's known as the 'murder capital of the world!'" He jeered, shaking her, though he stopped when she didn't react.

"I thought you'd like that." He mumbled, dejected. It was no fun trying to piss her off if she wasn't gonna react.

"The Murder Capital Of The World?" She repeated, oozing aversion already.

What the fuck? Why did he want to go there? And why did he think she'd want to travel to somewhere she could end up gutted and slashed to fuck like she was in Nightmare On Elm Street or something.

He nodded, puppyish and pleading, and she feigned agreeance. "Oh, well please let's go then. It's not like it sounds shady or dangerous at all."

Cassius seemed to miss the obvious tone of sarcasm and smiled excitedlty before pulling her in for a side hug.

"I knew you'd agree!" God, he was dense.

She still let him rant, a patient line of unease on her lips. "Trust me, Ria, you're gonna love it! The boardwalk is full of crazy shit to do! they've got rides, food, concerts..." Cassius's voice faded away as she thought over this suspicious 'Santa Carla.'

Just thinking the name, letting it echo in her mind, made her feel...strange. A little unpleasant, more apprehensive.

God, she felt like some sort of doomsday naysayer as she mulled over the town they'd soon inhabit.

She could only wish she wouldn't become one of the killer towns new victims.

But, she was forgetting how unlucky she was.