Darkness Falls

by Mia James

  April was about to raise another objection, but Davina held up a hand.

  ‘No time,’ she said, pulling her cashmere sweater over her head and heading for the dressing room. ‘I’ve only got fifteen minutes to make myself as gorgeous as you. I need all the help I can get.’

  Despite the fact that she was sitting across the table from a vampire who might have killed someone she knew, April was having a pretty good time. Away from all the other Faces, Davina was actually quite funny and self-deprecating. There was none of her usual showing off and one-upmanship, even when it became obvious that the tea room at the Dorchester was somewhere she visited often. April hadn’t even known it existed.

  ‘Hello again, Jamie,’ said Davina as a gorgeous waiter approached their table. He had chiselled features and even under the crisp white shirt it was obvious Jamie was no stranger to the gym. The waiter smiled in recognition.

  ‘Hello, Miss Osbourne.’

  ‘How many times must I tell you to call me Davina?’

  He shrugged those powerful shoulders.

  ‘Sorry, Miss Osbourne,’ he said. ‘Hotel policy. Thanks for the in with Guido, by the way.’

  ‘Not a problem,’ she said, touching his hand. ‘Just bring us two more of these, okay?’

  She raised her glass. Davina had insisted on them both having a glass of champagne when they had arrived. ‘We’re celebrating, remember? The real April Dunne has finally emerged.’

  When he had gone, Davina leant over the table. ‘I put him in touch with an agent at W2 Models. He’s too pretty to be waiting tables for ever.’

  ‘See what I mean about you being nicer than your reputation?’

  Davina waved the compliment away. ‘Maybe I’ve got other plans for Jamie,’ she smiled.

  April wondered. Was she just referring to dating the gorgeous waiter, or was she planning on feeding from him? Or had she plans to turn him into the male Kate Moss and use him for the vampire cause? Maybe it was the booze bubbling through her veins, but April couldn’t see Davina as a one-dimensional blood-sucker any more. She was vulnerable and funny and real. Plus she was at home in places like this. She looked around at the pillars and the gilt and velvet. It was all a bit old-fashioned and silly but at the same time it was glamorous and brilliant. She bit into a tiny pastry and sat back.

  ‘I could get used to this.’

  Davina pointed at her.

  ‘I knew you’d like it. Underneath that reserved British shell, there’s a diva fighting to get out.’

  April giggled and sipped her champagne.

  Davina glanced at her watch. ‘Now, do you want to go back to computer club or whatever it is you normally do after school, or shall we go and get our nails done?’

  ‘Oh, I think the nails.’

  Davina smiled her approval.

  ‘I’ll call Miguel. By the end of the day you will be more fabulous than me and that’s saying something.’

  April was feeling pleasantly fuzzy and happy. She was enjoying the feeling of being naughty and decadent. There was certainly no way she wanted to go home to the disapproval of her mother and the inevitable shouting that would follow. April was sure that Mr Sheldon would have gleefully rung Silvia about April’s disappearance under the guise of ‘concern for her well-being’. Really he was just creeping around her, trying to get in with her mother to avoid a lawsuit. She pulled a face.

  ‘What’s up?’

  ‘Just thought of Hawk and my mum.’

  ‘What about them?’ asked Davina, clearly sensing some intrigue.

  ‘Oh, he’s been nosing about, turning up at the house at weird times, having little chats with my mum. I think he’s after her.’

  ‘Eww! That’s horrible. And what’s your mum thinking of? Your dad’s funeral was only a few weeks ago.’

  ‘Tell me about it. He gives me the creeps.’

  ‘Oh, Hawk’s harmless. He’d like you to think he’s in charge at Ravenwood, but he’s just a lackey.’

  Now it was April’s turn to be interested.

  ‘Really? Who is in charge then?’

  Davina looked evasive.

  ‘Oh, some fat cat billionaires. The way my dad talks about them, they’re pretty powerful. I certainly wouldn’t want to be in Hawk’s shoes right now anyway.’

  ‘What’s he done?’

  ‘More what he hasn’t done, I think. The school’s not producing as many geniuses as it’s supposed to or something. Daddy’s upset with him, anyway. And the governors are definitely not going to be happy about all the scandals in the papers, with both Marcus and Layla. So I wouldn’t worry, he’s probably going to be fired long before he can get anywhere with your mum.’

  Davina obviously knew a lot more than she was saying. Which was another reason for April to stick with her. Maybe she could squeeze out some more information. Caro would be pleased. Not that she was doing anything for her, she reminded herself. She’d had enough of Caro Jackson and her holier-than-thou attitude. No, April had been through enough for that stupid conspiracy cause and it was about time she had a bit of fun. Paying the bill with Davina’s shiny black credit card (‘Well, technically it’s Mummy’s, but if she will leave her PIN lying around …’), they click-clacked through the lobby and out to the car where they fell back into the white leather seats. Davina picked up her phone and started tapping away.

  ‘Who are you texting?’

  Davina tapped the side of her nose. ‘All in the name of fun, don’t you worry.’

  She leant over to Miguel and said, ‘Slight detour, Miggy darling. Zip up to Selfridge’s, would you?’

  Waiting for them on the kerb were Chessy and Ling. April’s heart sank. She’d been enjoying her day of liberation with her new-found friend Davina. She’d been warm and open and surprisingly sensitive, but she knew how she got when she was around the rest of the Faces: like some sort of fashion-conscious ringmaster, cracking the whip to get everyone to jump her way.

  ‘Don’t look so worried,’ said Davina as she opened the car door for the girls. ‘It will be fun, I promise you.’

  ‘Hi April!’ trilled Ling and Chessy together as they squished into the back seat, Ling sitting on Chessy’s knee. ‘This is such a stroke of luck, isn’t it?’ gushed Chessy. ‘We were just shopping for a watch for Ling.’ The other girl proudly held up a gem-encrusted disc of gold on her wrist. ‘Is it too much?’ she pouted.

  ‘Just a little,’ smiled Davina. ‘But then you can pull it off, honey.’

  They drew up at a nail bar in Mayfair, piling out and going inside, chattering and laughing. Ling immediately latched onto Davina, chattering about her new watch, so April sat down next to Chessy. She’d rarely spoken to the girl, but she was always there at the edge of the Faces group, a smart-arse smile on her face. If she was honest, April was a little intimidated by Chessy. She seemed so aloof and otherworldly. Plus she was the prettiest of all the Faces, which didn’t help.

  ‘So how are you feeling after all the drama?’ said Chessy as the technicians, inscrutable behind their face-masks, began to buff their nails.

  ‘Oh, not as bad as you’d think. After all the knocks, it’s almost as if I’m getting used to it, you know?’

  ‘You’re very brave,’ said Chessy. ‘I mean, I’d have gone to pieces. I wish I had your strength.’

  April looked at the girl, searching her expression for hints of sarcasm, but there was none. Chessy seemed to be saying what she meant. April was taken aback.

  ‘Oh, well I wouldn’t say I was strong …’ she muttered.

  ‘Don’t be so modest,’ said Chessy. ‘Look at all you’ve been through: moving to a new school which, let’s be honest, is full of weirdoes.’ She leant forward and hushed her voice. ‘And I do include present company. It can’t have been easy fitting in at Ravenwood.’

  ‘No, it wasn’t, but there are some pretty cool people.’

  ‘Even so, it’s hard. Then you get mixed up with that horrid thing with that girl Isabelle, then your dad …
well, who wouldn’t be knocked by that? I would have ended up in a loony bin if I was you. And then on top of all that, you get attacked by a maniac. Twice! Honestly, April, I don’t know how you coped.’

  ‘Like I say, people have been really nice. Davina’s been great.’

  Chessy smiled wickedly and lowered her voice, glancing over to where Davina and Ling were gabbling about some club in Mayfair. ‘’Vina’s brilliant, of course. But don’t you think she’s a bit, well, full of herself?’

  April put a hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle.

  ‘Well, sometimes perhaps.’

  ‘Most of the time, you mean,’ smiled Chessy. ‘Always bossing people around like she knows everything. And she’s always doing these makeovers on people. She wants to get a bit of advice herself.’

  April had to pinch herself to stop from laughing out loud.

  ‘Personally I think she’s a bit jealous of you.’

  ‘Of me? Why would she be jealous of me?’

  ‘Because you’re so in control. You take everything in your stride.’

  ‘Me? No! Besides, I never thought Davina had any problems with self-confidence.’

  ‘Ah, but arrogance usually masks insecurity.’

  April blinked at her, then Chessy smiled. ‘I read about it in Glamour,’ she giggled. ‘But still, it’s true, isn’t it? She’s sophisticated and beautiful and everything, but cool she is not. Uptight is more like it.’

  This time April couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing.

  ‘What are you two gossiping about?’ asked Davina.

  ‘Those two out there,’ said Chessy promptly, pointing to two girls walking past on the opposite side of the street. Their clothes were a mish-mash of high fashion and vintage edginess. They had ridiculous Geisha-style make-up and back-combed hair, tottering along in mini-skirts and platforms.

  ‘April was just saying how it looked like the circus was in town.’

  Davina laughed.

  ‘Art students, it’s the only explanation,’ said Davina.

  ‘Maybe a Japanese mime troupe,’ said April. Everyone laughed and April felt something wonderful: belonging. She felt accepted and wanted. No one was asking her to be some great superhero or spend every waking moment searching for the answers to conspiracies. She could just relax and have fun. She realised she hadn’t really done that since she had left Scotland.

  ‘What do you think Marcus had against you?’

  April shrugged. ‘Maybe he didn’t like my talking to Benjamin so much.’

  ‘Yes, I’ve noticed Baby Ben’s been following you around a lot,’ smiled Chessy. ‘And there was I thinking you were a one-man woman.’

  ‘Not any more,’ said April, ‘if I ever was. I mean, I suppose Gabriel was only trying to protect me and I hate that he’s in prison because of that, but …’

  Chessy nodded sympathetically.

  ‘Well you could do a lot worse than Ben, but I think we can show you a lot better.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  Chessy’s nails were finished and she turned around to Davina and Ling. ‘I think we need to show our friend from Scotland what London’s all about, don’t you?’

  ‘The Saturn?’ said Davina with a wicked smile.

  ‘Yes! The Saturn!’ said Ling, clapping her hands together. ‘Oh do come, April, it will be so much fun!’

  ‘What’s The Saturn?’ asked April.

  ‘The Saturn Club,’ said Davina. ‘It’s only the celeb hangout du jour.’

  Chessy smirked and mouthed ‘Du jour’ to April.

  ‘Say you’ll come, April,’ said Ling. ‘It’s always filled with gorgeous men.’

  ‘How can I refuse an offer like that?’

  April felt a buzzing in her bag and scrabbled her phone out. A text from Caro. She clicked the button.

  Sorry, me and my big mouth again. And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.

  Forgive me over ice cream? CJxx

  No, not tonight, thought April, snapping her phone closed. I think I’ve got somewhere better to be.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  The club was like a spaceship; high-tech and dangerous at the same time. As they descended down a long silver staircase lit by red neon bars it felt like the whole building was about to take off. It was furnace hot and April was feeling the bass from the music pounding in her ribcage.

  ‘This way,’ shouted Davina as they pushed into the main room. ‘You’re gonna love it!’ She led the way through the dancing crowd to an elevated booth where a burly security guy immediately lifted the red-velvet rope to let the girls pass through. The VIP area was more intimate than the main room, with booths finished in white padded leather and modernist perspex chairs.

  A hostess showed the girls to a booth and April huddled up next to Ling, admiring her long legs and impeccable make-up as the waitress handed them champagne.

  ‘I have to say you’ve changed since we first met,’ said April.

  ‘I know. ’Vina’s changed my life. When I think of the boring geek I was before, it’s so embarrassing.’

  ‘Don’t say that. Just because you weren’t up to the Faces standard of …’

  ‘Oh no, they’re not like that at all. I know everyone thinks they’re a bunch of bitchy cows who spend all their time putting everyone else down, but they’re actually great when you get to know them. I think they’re misunderstood.’

  ‘Well, I have to admit you’ve all been very nice to me today. Davina’s been especially nice.’

  ‘She’s wonderful, isn’t she?’ said Ling, looking across at her with shining eyes. ‘I love her so much. I’d do anything for her.’

  ‘Anything?’

  ‘Pretty much. I mean, I’ve always found it quite hard to make friends. I’ll be honest, I’ve never really had a best friend. But Davina’s done everything for me. She did my hair, make-up, showed me how to dress, she’s completely restored my confidence. I feel like a new woman.’

  April thought about her day with a sinking sense of worry. Wasn’t that exactly what Davina had done for her today? Given her a makeover then brought her into her circle of friends, made her feel wanted and lovely? Is this just the recruitment process? Is this how she draws people in? As the cocktails and champagne flowed, April realised with a twinge of guilt that she hadn’t thought about Gabriel once. She was actually having real fun.

  ‘Come on girls,’ said Davina, ‘I want to introduce you to someone.’ She pulled them over to a handsome, tanned boy.

  ‘Is that Jamie George?’ whispered April. ‘I love him.’

  The actor was tanned and fit, having just finished filming a romantic comedy where he’d played a lifeguard. The gossip magazines were full of pictures of him strutting about in his trunks.

  ‘I saw him first!’ said Chessy with a flirtatious smile.

  ‘Do you really know him?’ April asked Davina, her eyes wide.

  Chessy rolled her eyes. ‘’Vina knows everyone,’ she said, just a hint of mockery in her voice.

  ‘Not everyone,’ said Davina. ‘Just the people who matter.’

  She walked over and bent down to air-kiss the actor.

  ‘Hey, Vee,’ he drawled. ‘I haven’t seen you since that party at Alix’s. Mad scenes, eh? Shame about the big guy.’

  April looked at her. Davina had known Alix Graves? This was huge news.

  But he can’t be a vampire, can he? she wondered. God, April, stop being so paranoid, of course he isn’t. Vampires couldn’t have their photographs taken, she knew that much. A man who spent all day in front of cameras wouldn’t be much use if he just came out as black smudge.

  ‘This is our new friend, April,’ said Davina. ‘Say hello.’

  ‘Hi April,’ said Jamie, offering her a hand to shake. ‘You’re as pretty as your friends.’

  ‘You’re such a sleaze,’ said Davina. She was talking to a Hollywood star as if he was an old friend. No wonder Ling looked at her with such hero-worship.

  ‘No one’s goi
ng to believe I’ve met him,’ April whispered to Ling. With her phone in her hand, making sure she turned the flash off, she clicked off a shot. But immediately someone grabbed her arm.

  ‘Don’t do that.’

  She turned. ‘Benjamin!’ she said, surprising herself by hugging him, ‘What are you doing here?’

  ‘Oh, the party usually ends up here at some point, so it’s always worth popping by. Plus I need to keep an eye on Davina. She can get herself into trouble.’

  She looked at him, squinting slightly. Ben really was very good-looking. She felt bad thinking that way, but then remembered why she was so angry with Gabriel. And why shouldn’t she find other men attractive, especially when they were as nice as Benjamin Osbourne? He looked at her phone.

  ‘I think you’ve got his best side. But it’s better not to take photos in the VIP section.’

  ‘What? Why not? He has his photo taken all the time.’

  ‘Exactly. But not here. There’s a lot of people here who don’t want to have their photo taken.’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘Because there are a lot of people here doing things they shouldn’t,’ said Ben with a wink. God, he’s nice, thought April. She felt bad for even thinking it, but then she thought of Gabriel, his hand tenderly stroking Jessica’s cheek, and her guilt faded. She took another swig of her cocktail and sat down on the banquette next to Ben.

  ‘So how’s it feel to be the girl everyone’s talking about?’

  ‘Am I?’

  He laughed: throaty and suggestive.

  ‘You can’t go getting yourself attacked by a maniac twice in a month, April, and expect to slip under the radar.’

  ‘Ah. I suppose not,’ she said, aware that she was slurring a little, but not really caring. ‘I think it’s getting to be a habit.’

  ‘Perhaps,’ nodded Ben, his bright blue eyes on her. ‘I can see what made Marcus go crazy for you though.’

  April blushed, covering her embarrassment by sucking on her straw and looking out at the crowd. She could feel Ben’s eyes on her, but she was determined not to wilt under the power of his gaze.