by Helen Harper
I thought maybe we could meet. You know, in person. And then I could, you know, apologise. And, um, we could chat.
Chat? Out of everything I’d expected her to say, this wasn’t it. About what? The weather perhaps? Knitting patterns?
You’re right, she hastily backtracked. This is a stupid idea. I’m sorry for bothering you.
Damn it. I reminded myself to let her have the lead. Hold those horses, kitten. As you’ve gone to so much trouble to get in touch, then perhaps you are right. We should meet. And ... chat. I took things a tiny step further, hoping against hope I wasn’t being too forward. Why don’t we have dinner? I know some good places that are quiet and intimate where we wouldn’t be disturbed.
Well, actually, Corrigan, I think it would be better if we went somewhere where there were a lot of people. You know, when you met me yesterday it was because I had anger-management counselling.
I exhaled. So much for a tete-a-tete over candlelight then. You don’t say.
Err... I do say. And I find that it’s easier for me to keep my temper and act like a normal person if I’m in a big crowd. In fact, it’s actually part of my therapy to spend as much time out in the busy public as possible.
That’s an interesting choice of words, kitten.
What?
‘Normal person’. Mack was the least normal or ordinary person I’d ever met. In the dictionary, if you looked up extraordinary, her face would probably be there. Because you’re definitely not normal and I’m pretty sure that you’re not a person either. You still owe me an explanation, I think.
She kept her response level. Well, I’d have thought that by now you’d have gotten all the information you need out of Betsy or Tom or Julia.
Despite what you may think of me, I don’t tend to force my shifters to tell me things that they don’t want to.
My Lord, in that case, you won’t force me to tell you what I don’t want to either.
My inner need to assert myself took over. But you’re not one of my shifters and I’m not your Lord.
Well, okay, whatever, she dismissed uncharacteristically. I’m a normal person who happens to be free next Saturday night. If you aren’t doing anything, then maybe I can come to London and we could meet. Otherwise, never mind. I understand that being the Dark Lord of the Brethren means that you’re a busy man.
I scratched my chin. Under any normal circumstances, Mack would be spitting and seething by now and running for the hills. Considering she was stuck at school with a bunch of teenagers in the middle of nowhere, her social life probably wasn’t packed full of exciting moments. Mentioning Saturday was incredibly specific for someone with a less than hectic nightlife. There really was more to this than she was saying. My eyes narrowed slightly. I would bet anything that Mack was angling for an invitation to the Otherworld gathering the vampires were hosting. I had no idea what her reasons were but I was going to take full advantage of the situation. Not only would I be following Leah’s advice but I’d also get to see Mack again. Maybe even in a dress.
Next Saturday causes a few problems. However, I believe I can overcome them. I grinned to myself, acting as innocent and naïve as I possibly could. I have to attend a gathering with some Otherworld leaders. Will mixing in such company be a problem for you?
As long as you’re not talking demi-goddesses, then I can probably manage. There was a hint of glee to Mack’s Voice that affirmed my suspicions. She was thrilled.
Okay then. No demi-goddesses, I promise, I purred. Then, because I knew she wasn’t about to change her mind, I couldn’t resist teasing her ever so slightly. I wanted a little more banter before she broke away again. Wear something pretty. I will come and pick you up at the Ministry.
I could almost see her balling up her fists in annoyance. Mack, however, merely murmured quietly. Of course. I will look forward to it.
Despite her ulterior motives – whatever they were – and the natural ending to our conversation, a deep feeling of satisfaction uncurled itself in my chest. As will I, kitten, as will I.
CHAPTER SIX
It took a few days to squeeze in a return visit to the Tower of London. After complaining about having nothing to do, Staines had taken it upon himself to provide me with a vast mountain of paperwork to complete. I would have delegated it someone else but he grumbled at me that it was good for my soul and an essential part of my role. I think it might have been because he wanted me to focus on something other than Mack. Either way, by the time I’d cleared the decks and found the time to seek out Corux again, the bird appeared remarkably unperturbed about my news concerning the vampires’ interest in the seal.
‘Corux knows this already,’ it flapped, focusing on the movements of a crowd of teenagers who appeared to be on a school trip and were doing whatever they could to escape the watchful gaze of their teacher.
‘How do you know?’ I asked.
‘They came. They spoke to Corux.’ The raven’s bright eyes gleamed. ‘They brought gifts.’
I stiffened. ‘What gifts?’
‘Shiny things.’
‘Did you give them the seal in return?’
It cackled loudly. ‘Corux does not deal with the dead ones.’ Then it glanced at me knowingly. ‘They want to hurt you. They are afraid of you.’
I nodded distractedly. ‘They seem to be under the impression the Albus seal will help them do this.’ I gnawed at my bottom lip. ‘I’m not wrong, am I? It doesn’t have any real power?’
‘It is white and pretty.’
I sighed in exasperation. ‘But...’
‘No,’ it cawed, ‘it has no power in the sense that you imagine it. Power, however, comes in many forms.’
‘What do you mean, Corux?’
The raven hissed. ‘Wait here.’
It took off, flying at a low altitude towards the teens and swooping towards them with what I could only imagine was a particularly menacing glare. Several of them screeched, dropping the illicit cigarette they were attempting to light. They scattered.
‘Corux does not like smoking,’ it explained when it returned, preening slightly at its success. ‘Tried it once. Made Corux sick.’
I tried to picture the large bird with a fag hanging out of its mouth and failed entirely. ‘What were you saying about power?’
‘The ravens talk. We see power here. We know the past. A shiny crown is pretty but it has no magic. It does, however, have power.’
I frowned at the cryptic answer. ‘Are you saying the seal is important after all?’
Corux didn’t elaborate. He’d caught sight of a family who were pointing at him in excitement. I could hear them telling each other that it was the raven from Youtube. Not one to let an opportunity pass by, Corux flew up, circling round my head then flapping towards the people. They pulled out an impressive collection of cameras and began snapping away while the bird posed. Attracted by the flurry of activity, other tourists joined in. I wasn’t going to get any more out of the raven today. I supposed it was just as well. I had a date to prepare for.
*
I waited across from the Ministry headquarters, feeling more nervous than I had in a long time. I adjusted my cuffs and wondered whether wearing a tuxedo was too over-the-top. I was trying to impress upon the gathering of Otherworlders that I took our new meetings very seriously but I couldn’t help thinking that Mack would believe I looked like a stuffed penguin. I reached up to loosen my bowtie and take it off to soften the effect when the shimmers of a portal began to appear. I dropped my hands to watch instead.
Mack tottered through, collapsing on the pavement. Even from this distance I could see the tinge of green to her face. I started forward to cross the street and help her but, a second later, the surfer mage, Floride, appeared. I hung back, irritation and awkwardness flooding through me. I wondered if it was a request from him or from one of the other mages that had made her so desperate to attend this gathering. Anything was possible where Mack was concerned.
When she had finally
finished throwing up, Floride took the role of gentleman and ensured she made it back to her feet. He was casually dressed, as always, in a brightly coloured t-shirt and ripped jeans. His attire might have been grungy but it only made me feel more stiff and primped up than I already had been before. At least Mack had taken me at my word and was wearing a dress. It clung to her curves in a manner that made my mouth go dry. Considering it was a deep scarlet colour, it should have clashed with her hair. Instead it simply made the light regrowth around her skull look even brighter. Staines would be impressed that she’d made an effort. Hell, I was taken aback by how unbelievably good she looked. Still, the old werebear had made a point of telling me before I’d left that I should take the opportunity to find out what she really was. It wasn’t just him who had an undying curiosity about her true nature. I couldn’t stand the thought of the mages knowing more about her than I did.
A bus lurched past, blocking my view. When it finally moved away, Floride was holding Mack’s body, his hands curved high round her ribcage. From this angle it looked disturbingly like he was fondling her breasts. I swallowed down the surge of jealous anger and tried to stay calm.
‘Are you ready to go yet or are you bringing the wizard with you?’ I called out.
Both Floride and Mack jumped as if shocked to see me. Considering this meeting point had already been pre-arranged, it struck me as a particularly ridiculous show of surprise. It didn’t help when Mack turned to the mage and murmured something then kissed him on the cheek. I balled up my fists and glared, counting slowly to ten in my head. Starting the evening off in a jealous sulk was not the way to win Mack to my side. I slowly unclenched my fingers and leaned against the car, folding my arms in a bid to appear more casual.
Mack took a step forward. Bizarrely, she seemed to wobble in an astoundingly uncharacteristic fashion. My stomach dropped at the thought that she’d had to down copious amounts of alcohol to deal with this night – and my companionship - until I realised it wasn’t because she was drunk. She was wearing high heels that she didn’t seem to be able to walk in. In fact, she was halfway across the road when a wide-eyed look of panic crossed her face. Outstretching her arms in a vain bid to steady herself, she looked remarkably like she was trying to learn how to fly. She flapped them up and down until I could almost believe she’d actually take off up into the air. Then, however, she lost control entirely and fell forward with a loud oooph. The startled look on her face was so comical that I couldn’t help myself from chuckling.
Mack picked herself up and threw me a glare that would have frozen a lesser man in his tracks. ‘Yeah, lap it up, fuzzball,’ she spat.
I deepened my voice. ‘Striking fear into the hearts of all who cross her, ladies and gentleman, I give you Mackenzie Smith.’
Her eyes continued to spark. ‘Fuck off.’
‘Okay, then.’ I shrugged, confident she was prepared to do just about anything to make it to this party, and began to return to the car on my own. I’ll admit I didn’t take my eyes off of her just in case though.
Mack was unimpressed. ‘Very funny.’
‘Just remember that you’re the one who invited me out on a date. You might want to show a little more humility and gratitude,’ I teased.
‘This is not a date,’ she said primly. ‘It’s merely an opportunity to smooth things over in order to avoid any future confrontations.’
The trouble was I wanted lots of confrontations with Mack. The more passionate, the better. I licked my lips and held the car door open, gesturing her inside. It was probably better we got going before I did anything silly like pouncing on her.
‘So things are going well in shifter-land, then?’ she asked, once the car pulled off.
I didn’t really want to talk about how mundane my life currently was. What was I going to say? That the most exciting conversation I’d had lately had been with a bird and that I was becoming fabulously adept at balancing the Brethren’s cheque books? Regardless of her ulterior motives in asking for this date, I still wanted to impress her. Without saying anything, I reached into the small fridge and poured her a glass of champagne. I’d made a point of selecting the very best we had in our wine cellar.
I’d barely finished filling my own glass when Mack finished hers and set it aside. I blinked in surprise. Maybe she wanted to get herself tipsy after all.
‘Thirsty?’
She lifted up her chin. ‘A bit. Maybe I just need some Dutch courage to get through this evening. I tensed up at her words although she seemed to realise they’d affected me because she abruptly backtracked. ‘Just because until very recently I thought that you were going to slaughter me and all my friends once you worked out that I wasn’t a shifter, of course.’
‘Yes. We’ll need to talk about that one day.’ I poured her another glass. This time, she ignored it. ‘So, the mage. He’s the one from Cornwall, right?’ I asked casually, as if I didn’t know already. ‘The one who sneaked you through the portal.’ I was referring, of course, to the one leading to Iabartu’s demesne.
Mack’s eyes narrowed. She knew exactly what I was talking about. ‘He didn’t sneak me through the portal. I asked him to help me get through it and he obliged. Because he’s nice. And that’s what friends do for other friends.’
‘Put them into life or death situations?’
‘Help them in their time of need,’ she returned.
Except if Anton and I hadn’t arrived when we had, Mack would have been killed. The thought created a tight unpleasant knot deep in my chest. ‘It may have been more helpful if he’d gone through with you.’ I took a deep breath and reminded myself that I wanted to know the truth about what she really was. Despite Leah’s advice, I was starting to think that the only way I’d find out her true nature was to goad her into telling me. This would be a good opportunity. I plunged ahead. ‘But you didn’t want that, did you? You were seeking glory and wanted the spotlight all to yourself.’
‘Glory?’ She seemed more flabbergasted than angry. ‘I was trying to stop Iabartu from murdering anyone else.’
I pushed on. ‘We still haven’t really established why she was trying to murder anyone at all.’
Comprehension lit across her face and I inwardly cursed. I’d been more transparent than I’d intended. ‘Instead of annoying each other,’ Mack said softly, ‘why don’t we see if we can get along?’
I might not be getting close to getting any answers from her but I really liked the idea of that. ‘Okay then,’ I smiled. ‘You look nice in that dress. It was ... thoughtful of you to dress up.’
‘You look well turned out yourself.’ She grinned to herself and I felt my stomach do a little flipflop. Where the hell had that come from? This was ridiculous; I was acting like a spotty teenager on his way to his first school dance. ‘So, where is it we are actually going?’ she asked coyly.
‘You know exactly where we’re heading.’
‘Um, no.’ She blinked innocently. Too innocently. ‘You just said that it was a gathering for the Otherworld leaders, that’s all.’
I was suddenly tired of the games. What I really wanted, I decided, was for us to be honest with each other. ‘And you just happened to be free to go out only this night,’ I drawled. ‘After almost biting my head off less than twenty-four hours before. Let’s quit the play-acting, kitten. For some reason, you are desperate to get into this party and you’re prepared to use me to do it.’ I leaned towards her and dropped my voice. ‘So don’t think that I am for one moment going to let you out of my sight to go off and do something stupidly reckless.’
‘I don’t have any ulterior motives, Corrigan. You’re just determined to think the worst of me.’
‘Hmm, we’ll see about that, shall we?’
She stared at me, wide-eyed. I wondered whether I’d made a terrible hash of things again already. Unfortunately – or perhaps fortunately – Mara pulled the car to a halt and I was prevented from saying anything else.
CHAPTER SEVEN
I
wanted to open Mack’s door for her and help her out of the car. I was aware that I rarely acted like a gentleman when she was around and, even though my action was more to add weight to my words about not letting her out of my sight than because I was suddenly Mr. Chivalrous, I didn’t want her to lose her balance on those silly shoes again. As it was, however, she wouldn’t wait for me. Story of my life.
I walked round to her side anyway and held out my arm for her. She seemed nervous although whether it was because of the fact that I had called her out on her reasons for attending the party or whether the imposing façade of the vampires’ nest was getting to her, I wasn’t sure. Either way, I felt ridiculously pleased that, after a momentary hesitation, she took my proferred arm even if her free hand was gripping onto her purse as if she was afraid she was about to mugged. I inhaled her scent. It was deeply feminine but with a hint of something harder, reminding me of chocolate laced with chilli. I didn’t think telling her that she smelled good enough to eat would go down very well however, so for once I kept my mouth shut.
The gleaming black door swung open as we approached, revealing various guests already inside. It was interesting to note that the vampires had hired a sprite as their doorman. It was akin to using jelly and ice-cream to encourage dieting. They were trying to hard to pretend that they trusted us all. Still, when he beckoned me over to be frisked, I dutifully held out my arms and spread my legs to allow him to be circumspect. We were all aware it was pointless. My’weapons’ were part of my shapeshifter soul and everyone knew it. I glanced over at Mack who seemed to be thinking the same thing. I was betting that if the vampires tried anything, she wouldn’t find a lack of knives or guns any sort of hindrance. I’d seen her in action often enough to prove that.
I stepped back once he was done. Mack, with a tiny smile paying around her lips that made me instantly suspicious, took my place. He patted her down, starting at her shoulders and moving downwards. The moment his hands reached her waist, she gasped and dropped her purse, spilling the contents on the floor. I glanced down with interest at the lipstick, comb, mirror and tampon.