Cat and the Cryptid Spring Episode Two

Cat and the Cryptid Summer by Raspberry | Content Warnings

Gran was awake and out of the house before Cat woke up. Not that Cat was too surprised. Ms. Peregrine (being a vampire and all) never slept, and she had probably ushered Gran away before she could change her mind. 

There was a heavy, ancient-looking book on the different kinds of fae waiting on the table (along with an unopened box of cereal Cat made a mental note to check for poison). Attached was a post-it note reading “Test as SOON as I’m back” and a hastily added “Love, Gran” at the very bottom (most likely the work of Ms. Peregrine). Cat’s phone buzzed as she opened the cereal and took a whiff.

“Yes, Mom, I have survived the night,” she said, wrinkling her nose at the cereal. 

Definitely poisoned and the pointless death of a perfectly good box of Cocoa Puffs.

“Music to my ears,” Mom replied dryly. “Shame that sass didn’t die in your sleep, though. How’s your Gran doing?”

“She left already,” Cat replied, testing a loaf of bread on the counter. 

“Did she say when she would call to check in?”

“She’s going to the coast, Mom, not off to war.”

At least, as far as Cat knew, which was only slightly more than Mom most days. Gran and Ms. Peregrine were taking their first trip together to see the ocean and relax. According to her story to Mom (since explaining an elderly-looking woman dating a thirty-something-looking woman who was actually a few hundred years older was complicated at best), Gran’s librarian friend was taking her to a retreat for the aging. Ms. Peregrine even created a fake brochure complete with a Tai Chi schedule and special showings by renowned Ouija board readers. In reality, it was a bed and breakfast a five-minute walk from the coast. Cat had even looked at the place online to make sure she wasn’t being duped out of some sort of magical adventure.

“Well, I’m just worried about her. She hasn’t traveled in… I don’t even know how long,” Mom said with a sigh.

“Ms. Peregrine can handle her.” Cat placed two slices of bread in the toaster. “She might be the only one who could out-stubborn her, honestly.”

“And you’re safe there?”

“Well, there’s a suspicious-looking squirrel outside, but I could probably take him if needed,” Cat responded. “Mom, it’s Sunday morning. I’ll be in pajamas and lounging around, just like at home, okay?” 

“Okay,” Mom said with most likely a roll of her eyes. “Well, call me if you need anything. Especially if that squirrel gives you trouble.”

“Okay,” Cat said with a laugh. “Love you.”

True to her word, Cat spent most of the morning sipping coffee and trying to read through the book Gran left out. She wondered if the Fae had been giving Gran trouble lately, and that’s why this was her homework. But whatever ancient author that had written this book didn’t seem to care if readers knew what he was saying. Cat reread the same page ten times before slamming the book shut.

If Ms. Peregrine were here, Cat could have asked for a translation, but she wasn’t about to interrupt a romantic retreat for homework help. She reluctantly threw on jeans and a t-shirt and trekked to the library.

It wasn’t open on Sundays, but Cat had a feeling Anne, who was also solo for the first time, would probably be there studying something too. The doors were locked, but the lights were on inside. Cat rapped on the window.

“Anne! It’s Cat!” she called, cupping her hands around her eyes to look inside.

The door swung open, and Cat jumped back. She almost forgot how unnaturally fast vampires were. 

Anne was just like Cat remembered her from last summer: gray hoodie, brown hair held up in a messy bun, and piercing brown eyes. Only, she looked paler and, if possible, tired. She was either really selling her tired grad student story or was the only vampire Cat knew in need of a nap.

“Hey,” Cat said, feeling her heart thump in her chest. She was apparently jumpier than she thought. “Are you okay?”

“I,” Anne began, licking her lips and glancing around. “Can you… can I show you something without you running to Ms. Betty or Ms. Peregrine immediately?”

“Of course!”

Anne opened the door wide enough for Cat to slip inside and bolted the door behind them. She led the way deeper into the library.

“The books were like this when I came in,” she explained, leading Cat towards the long tables in the center of the library. “I know this wasn’t here when I locked up last night, and it doesn’t look like a mortal broke in.” She sniffed. “I couldn’t detect any trace of an immortal either.”

There were books lined on the table, Dracula, Interview With the Vampire, The Vampire Chronicles, Vampire City,…

“Well,” Cat began slowly, looking at all the titles. “Someone really likes vampires?”

“Or someone is sending a message that they know about us,” Anne replied, biting her lower lip. “I can’t think of any immortal stupid enough to try something like this with Ms. Peregrine around. And, if this is some mortal trying to say they know about us, it’s a risky move taunting us.”

“Doesn’t the library have protective spells?” Cat asked, glancing around. “I can’t imagine Gran wouldn’t have installed a bunch of extra protections after… last year.”

Last year being when Ms. Peregrine blocked a Fae blade with her body, nearly dying, and causing Gran to both admit her feelings (finally) but also go into hyper protective mode.

“True,” Anne said, snapping her fingers. “Ms. Betty has one that would show if another immortal crossed the line, and a mortal wouldn’t be able to get past it after the library closes. I’ll check it out and see if it’s still intact.”

A rap on the front door caused both girls to jump.

“Must be Bree,” Anne said. “I called her as soon as I saw it.”

“Why?” Cat said before she could help herself. “I mean, Gran’s the Guardian, and I’m here while she’s out.”

“Well, I don’t have your number for starters,” Anne said with a laugh, tousling Cat’s hair. “And Bree has special senses. I would’ve come for you as soon as she got here anyway.”

She left Cat to answer the door. Cat put her hands to her face, trying to cool the warm flush across her cheeks. How was it possible to be flattered that Anne was going to come get her for help while also feeling annoyed that she was ruffling her hair like Cat was a silly kid?

“Afternoon,” Bree said, nodding to Cat and tilting her head at the array of books. “Oh, looks like someone was trying to be clever.”

“Well, they’re annoying as hell and on my list now,” Anne said darkly. “So that isn’t very smart of them. Any idea who I can talk to about this?”

Bree sniffed the air curiously. Cat watched her brush a thin lock of white hair from her face and trace a pale finger across the book titles. Something about her (and most of the Banshees Cat met) felt like a Victorian ghost reanimated. Maybe it was the pale hair and skin, or the way they seemed to float across rooms like they were constantly dancing between planes of existence. It was captivating and almost unnerving, especially when Cat made eye contact with their red pupils… or remembered how they could literally see death in the air. She shivered in spite of herself.

“You’ve got a Fae visitor,” Bree said finally. “Though, I can’t be certain it’s the usual type of Fae.”

“Usual type?” Anne asked. “How many types are there?”

“A lot,” Cat replied. “And actually weirdly coincidental.” She felt the book in her backpack. “I actually came here to ask you about the Fae.”

Gran was either really good at assigning homework… or she had just sprung a pop quiz on Cat and the town.

****

“Welcome to the Seaside B&B,” the overly-chipper receptionist intoned.

She pronounced “B. N. B.” with distinct pauses and emphasized pronunciation that Betty had a feeling she only did for elderly patrons. The urge to strain her neck forward and loudly ask her to repeat her sentence… 

Juliet poked Betty in the ribs, as if reading her mind. 

“Thank you, my name is Juliet Peregrine. I have a reservation here.”

“Yes, of course.” The keyboard clacked away loudly. “Oh.” The receptionist tilted her head, letting the mane of blonde hair swish over her shoulder. “Oh dear, it looks like you reserved the room with a queen bed. We can easily change that to the double twin bed suite.”

“No, thank you, I would like the room I reserved,” Juliet said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

The receptionist paused and glanced not-so-subtly at Betty again. 

“Will you and your… mother be comfortable?”

Juliet tossed an arm over Betty, pulling her closer.

“My partner and I would be more comfortable if we could speed up this check-in process,” she responded loud enough that Betty could sense the attention of other guests in the room shifting to them.

To Juliet’s credit, that statement alone sent the receptionist’s manicured fingers flying across her computer, and they were in their room within minutes. 

Betty groaned and sank on the pristine white mattress. 

“I knew I should’ve stopped taking the aging potion,” she muttered. “We’re going to draw too much attention now.”

“Nonsense.” Juliet ran a finger along the white dresser near the window, inspecting for dust. “I want pictures of us, and it’d be more suspicious if someone saw you looking much younger here than back home.”

“So instead I’ll look like some…” Betty struggled to find the words.

“Hey,” Juliet said, standing in front of her and lifting her chin up. “If anyone should be self-conscious about dating a much younger woman, it’s me. I’ve got a few centuries on you, you know.”

“Well, it doesn’t look like it to others,” Betty retorted. 

“Who cares what others think,” Juliet said firmly. “You’re perfect to me.”

Betty felt her lips curl into a half-hearted smile. It was easier than explaining that, for decades, all she had been doing was monitoring what others thought and saw, ensuring she was never much more than an afterthought. She wasn’t sure how to shift her mindset to one of indifference. 

It seemed Juliet was determined to ignore what anyone else thought, though. She brought out her sun parasol, despite Betty reminding her those hadn’t been in use for almost a hundred years, and held Betty’s arm as they strolled along the beach. 

She booked a romantic restaurant at sunset that overlooked the ocean. The waitstaff gave Betty the senior discount, which irked Juliet more than Betty, who didn’t turn down the free perks her appearance gave. 

Nevertheless, Betty couldn’t feel herself fully relaxed until they were back at the bed and breakfast, locked away for the night. Even though it was the first night in decades that Betty had been without her bed and protective spells, she felt more at peace here with Juliet than alone in her home. 

“I should call Cat and see how she’s surviving,” Betty mused, leaning her back against Juliet as they reclined in matching fluffy robes. 

“I’m sure she’s fine,” Juliet murmured, her voice barely audible as she leaned into Betty’s shoulder. “Unless you succeeded in poisoning her with your weird traps.”

“None of them cause death,” Betty replied with a sniff. “Just unconsciousness and a bit of a headache for a few days.”

Like she would actually plant something toxic or deadly without her around to give Cat the antidote just in case. 

“Then we have nothing to worry about,” Juliet replied matter-of-factly. “Nothing much has happened since last summer, and we took care of that problem then.”

“You’re right,” Betty said with a sigh. “Cat would call if anything happened.”