My Anti-hero Fairy System-Chapter 56. The Raucous

Her mother’s name flashed across the display.

Reluctantly, Cara answered. "Hello?"

"Honey, where are you? Why aren’t you back yet?" Arlene’s voice came through, laced with anxiety and desperation.

Cara could tell from her mother’s tone that she was on edge. "Sorry, Mom, I lost track of time. I’ll be back soon."

"You didn’t answer my question. Where are you right now?" Arlene pressed, her concern evident.

Cara hesitated, her eyes darting to Joana, who was still hovering over a dazed Lisa. Searching for an explanation that would calm her mother’s nerves, Cara finally replied, "I... I remembered something today, and I thought it might help if I explored it more. But it didn’t lead anywhere."

"What did you remember, honey?" Arlene asked, her tone softening slightly.

Cara took a deep breath, weaving her response carefully. "I remembered working at The Hemridge Globe. I thought going there might jog more memories, but it didn’t. I’m heading home now."

Arlene sighed, her worry easing a fraction. "Honey, you need to take things one day at a time. Your memories will come back when they’re ready. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, Mom. I hear you," Cara said, her voice calm and reassuring.

"Good. And, Cara? Next time you’re staying out this late, please give me a heads-up. My mind went to some dark places tonight. Don’t put me through that again, okay?"

"I promise, Mom. Next time I’ll let you know," Cara replied sincerely.

"Okay, see you soon," Arlene said before hanging up.

Cara lowered the phone and looked at Joana. "Looks like I’ll be heading home now."

Joana gestured to the still-dazed Lisa, who was leaning heavily against her. "I’d drive you, but I can’t leave this one alone. I need to seal our bond by spending the night in a coffin with her."

Cara raised an eyebrow. "A coffin? That’s... charming."

Joana smirked. "Tradition, cupcake. You wouldn’t understand."

Cara rolled her eyes as she pulled up a ride-hailing app on her phone. "I’ll just call a taxi."

As she tapped at her screen, she said, "I’ve been thinking—maybe it’s time to get Sheriff Hader involved in all of this."

Joana’s expression darkened instantly. "No. I don’t want the police involved. I don’t trust them to care about vampires, much less help us. They’d only make things worse."

"So what’s your plan?" Cara asked, crossing her arms.

Joana helped Lisa to her feet, her voice cold and decisive. "I’m going to handle this myself. I’ll destroy the entire Temp-V trade in Hemridge, starting with Reverend Franklin."

"You can’t kill him," Cara said sharply. "If you do, he’ll become a martyr. His death would only rally his followers."

Joana scoffed. "You don’t understand, cupcake. Every day that man draws breath, he inches us closer to a war."

"And killing him will push us over the edge. The only way to stop him is to ruin his reputation. Give me time—two days. I’ll find evidence of his misdeeds. It’s out there. Please."

Joana stared at her for a long moment, then finally relented. "Fine. Two days. But if you don’t find anything, I will kill him."

"Thank you," Cara said, her shoulders relaxing slightly. Then, with a smirk, she added, "While you’re at it, maybe you could take care of my stepfather and my ex, Kyle Chesney, since they also part of Temp-V business?"

Joana laughed softly. "They’re just businessmen, unlike the Reverend, who is out there making people hate each other. I’ll deal with them later. For now, I’ll focus on dismantling their empires."

"Do what you must," Cara said, just as her phone buzzed again. She glanced down. "The taxi’s here."

Cara turned toward the door but hesitated, giving Joana one last look. "Good luck with... everything."

Joana nodded, her expression unreadable. "Stay safe, cupcake."

With that, Cara walked out of the castle, the cold night air hitting her as she headed toward the waiting taxi.

—--

—--

The next morning, Cara woke with sunlight streaming through her window, the brightness stinging her eyes. I must have forgotten to close the curtains, she thought, shielding her face with her hand.

She moved through her morning routine with sluggish determination. Today, she wasn’t preparing for work. Cara planned to call in sick—she needed a break from the diner and all the drama that seemed to follow her there. Her true agenda for the day was to visit the Hemridge Globe offices and have a long-overdue talk with her former boss.

Checking her phone, she saw several missed messages from Jackie.

[You really should call that woman. I’m sure she wants to hear your voice.] Hagrit’s voice echoed in her mind.

’She will, but not yet. Let me at least eat breakfast first.’

Still clad in her pajamas, Cara headed downstairs, her bare feet softly padding against the wooden floor. She walked straight to the kitchen, where the warm aroma of food greeted her. Lucrecia was standing by the stove, humming softly as she cooked.

"Lucrecia, Lucrecia, Lucrecia," Cara began dramatically, her lips curling into a playful smile. "It gives me so much pleasure for your face to be the first thing I see in the morning. And whatever you’re cooking smells divine. What is it?"

Lucrecia turned, her cheeks slightly pink from the compliment. "Ma’am, I’m making quesadillas," she said with a shy smile.

"Quesadillas," Cara repeated, drawing out the word in a sultry tone. "I’ve heard of them, but I’ve never tasted them before." She moved closer, standing behind Lucrecia with hardly an inch of space between them.

Reaching over, Cara plucked a piece of quesadilla from the plate and popped it into her mouth, chewing slowly. She licked her lips deliberately, her gaze fixed on Lucrecia, who stood frozen, her heartbeat visibly quickening.

Before the charged moment could escalate, loud voices erupted from outside. The sound of an argument filtered through the walls, breaking the tension in the room.

One voice protested, "Sir, you can’t just walk in here—this is private property!"

Another voice, firm and authoritative, replied, "My colleagues and I are here to make an arrest."

Cara frowned and made her way to the sitting room, her curiosity piqued. She arrived just in time to see Max standing near the door, trying to block someone from entering. His arms were outstretched like a human shield, and the sheer absurdity of his efforts almost made her laugh.

Within seconds, however, the police overpowered him. One officer snapped handcuffs onto Max’s wrists, dragging him aside. That’s when Cara saw him: Sheriff Hader, his presence as imposing as ever.

By now, the commotion had drawn everyone out of the house. Arlene, Ashley, Rudy, and Travis appeared one by one, their expressions ranging from confusion to anger.

"Sheriff, this is an outrage!" Rudy barked, his face red with fury. "Why did you barge into my house at this hour? What possible reason could justify this behavior?"

Sheriff Hader raised his voice, commanding the room’s attention. "Apologies for the disruption this morning," he began, his tone anything but apologetic. "But we’re here to arrest Travis Wesley on the suspicion of committing multiple homicides."