Dark Heart Surrender

by Lee Monroe

  ‘Oh.’ My heart picked up speed as I peered over his shoulder and saw it, the hole like a well, black and earthy. It was more like a chute.

  Perfect for pushing a body down.

  Luca straightened up, his shoulders tense. ‘It definitely looks like some kind of pit,’ he said.

  ‘It might lead somewhere,’ I said. ‘Somewhere bigger.’ I glanced behind me nervously. The sky was gathering storm clouds. It seemed ominous. But then, everything about this place seemed ominous, not least the creepy earth clad beneath us.

  Luca was just standing there staring down.

  ‘Maybe we should tell the police about this?’ I touched his arm.

  ‘No.’ He was firm. ‘We need to piece this together ourselves. If we tell them then whoever did this will know we know.’

  ‘You mean Ade and Polly.’ I finally said it. ‘Because that’s who you think did this, isn’t it?’

  He shook his head slowly. ‘Honestly, I don’t know. Why would they do that?’ He turned to me. ‘But on the other hand, we don’t know who Olivia is either – or what she might mean to them.’

  ‘It is odd. If they are the Vulpecula, they wouldn’t be interested in a mortal. What vendetta would they have against her?’

  ‘They are driven to succeed,’ he said. ‘And maybe that means that whoever gets in their way is in trouble.’ He looked back down into the pit. ‘Maybe Olivia got in their way.’

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  She touched her T-shirt – a new one someone had bought her – along with some jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. She tried to remember what she had been wearing before … before the awful thing had happened, but this strange fog seemed to cloud out her memories of anything before she came to in that disgusting dripping cave.

  But she kept thinking about her mum. And the face that kept coming into her head wasn’t one she knew. The mother who had brought her up, fed and clothed her. It was another face. She had seen her, this woman. But she didn’t know how or where. She scrunched up her eyes, as though that would help jog something. But nothing.

  The door to the room opened. A woman in a suit came in, carrying a thin file. She walked towards the table where Olivia was sitting and sat, smiling reassuringly at her.

  ‘Olivia,’ she said gently. ‘How are you feeling?’

  ‘Better,’ she said. ‘I want to go home now.’

  The woman placed her palms on the table. ‘And where is that?’ she asked. ‘Home?’

  Olivia shrugged. ‘I’m not sure.’

  ‘Olivia …’ The woman sat up straight. ‘Is there anything you can tell me – anything that might help us find who did this to you?’

  Olivia concentrated, her eyes boring down on the table. ‘It was a man,’ she began. ‘I think it was a man – or a boy. He wasn’t old.’

  The woman turned on a tape recorder. ‘Can you say that again, Olivia, for the tape?’

  Olivia repeated herself, already doubting what she remembered. ‘I mean, someone strong … overpowered me. But…’

  ‘But what?’ The woman looked intently at her.

  ‘I was going to say – I just felt I couldn’t fight back … I was so weak.’

  ‘But there was a man – a boy with you?’ The woman raised one eyebrow. ‘Can you remember what he looked like?’

  ‘Blue eyes.’ It suddenly came to her. ‘Cold eyes.’

  ‘That narrows it down,’ murmured the woman, half-heartedly writing something in the file.

  Olivia shook then; out of nowhere she started to shake uncontrollably. So hard that the table rattled.

  ‘Olivia …’ The woman snapped the file shut, alarmed. ‘Olivia?’

  She could feel its silkiness and the visceral panting sound it made as it brushed against her. It was almost as though it was here now.

  She hugged herself, finally looking the woman in the eye.

  ‘An animal,’ she said. ‘It was some kind of animal.’

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  ‘Are you feeling better?’ Mrs Connelly closed her office door and moved to sit down at her desk. She gestured for me to sit too.

  ‘Much better thanks,’ I said, smiling. ‘I think I’ve just been overdoing it a little lately.’

  ‘I see.’ A flicker of disapproval appeared in her eyes. ‘You know you need to prioritize things better. Your college work is very important. It’s vital that you give it as much attention as possible if you want to get the right grades.’

  ‘I’m aware of that.’ I’d been in her office two minutes and already she was winding me up. ‘But I need to talk to you about Polly. I think you should assign someone else to look after her from now on.’

  ‘Polly feels the same way,’ Mrs C said smoothly. ‘I gather the … the dynamic between you is a little difficult?’

  One way of putting it. I took a subtle deep breath.

  ‘Polly has her own difficulties to deal with.’ Mrs C paused. ‘Her grandfather is very unwell. I believe the doctors don’t feel he will recover. It’s a matter of days …’ She closed her eyes, in a show of respect.

  ‘I’m sorry to hear that.’ I tried not to let my mind run away with this information. The implications for Luca – and for me.

  ‘Yes, it’s the last thing that family needs at the moment, what with the police swarming all over them.’

  ‘What?’ I stared at her.

  Mrs Connelly cleared her throat. ‘It’s not public knowledge yet – I only got the phone call this morning. But apparently the girl who was found in the cave – well, she turns out to be related to the Ellises.’

  I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out.

  ‘Clearly they are very distressed and I would appreciate it if you kept this information to yourself,’ she went on.

  ‘Of course.’ I nodded. I just wanted to get out of there and talk to Luca. ‘I won’t say anything.’

  ‘Good.’ She beamed falsely at me. ‘Now, I expect you’ve got a class to go to.’ She stood up and waited as I picked up my bag in a kind of daze.

  ‘Polly is a special girl,’ she said as I reached the door. ‘Very bright and very sensitive. I think you should remember that and not do anything to upset her.’

  I frowned, reaching out for the door handle, and turned to look back at her. All friendliness had disappeared from her face and in its place was an undeniable look of hostility. With her hair scraped back and her eyes narrowed to mean slits, Mrs Connelly had a mean, vulpine look to her. Any retort I was going to make evaporated.

  ‘Of course not,’ I said. ‘I understand.’

  Ashley and Emma were subdued when I ran into them at the lockers. I hadn’t spoken to Ashley since Saturday night. I felt guilty about that, but I just couldn’t face pretending that I supported her relationship with Ade. I’d had too many other things on my mind. Still, when I saw her, looking pale and unhappy with her sister, I knew I should try and be a better friend.

  ‘Ash,’ I said softly, opening my locker. ‘How are you?’

  ‘Fine.’ But her eyes were not meeting mine. ‘Just a bit tired.’ She glanced at Emma, who was looking sheepish. ‘I haven’t slept too well lately.’ She yawned. ‘And now I have to get to my next class.’

  ‘I’m really sorry about what happened on Saturday,’ I said, stuffing some books in my bag. ‘I just don’t want you to get hurt.’

  Finally Ashley looked at me. ‘Is that right?’

  ‘Yes. Of course it is.’ I closed my locker. ‘I was trying to look after you. I know it all got a bit weird, but—’

  ‘Are you sure you weren’t just trying to get in between me and my boyfriend?’ she said.

  ‘I’ve got a boyfriend of my own,’ I said, my voice rising. ‘I have no interest in yours.’

  She stared at me, clutching her bag to her chest. I saw the blank look in her eyes and the shadows beneath them.

  ‘Perhaps you should make that clearer to Ade then.’ She paused. ‘He seems to be under the impression that you’ve got a bit of a thing
about him.’

  ‘What?’ The ridiculousness of that statement was so obvious to me that I could hardly find the words to go on. But I made a valiant effort. ‘I think Ade’s been spinning you a line.’ I tried to sound as calm as possible. ‘For whatever reasons. But I can promise you I am not even slightly interested in him. I don’t even like him – or his sister.’ I took a deep breath then. I must as well let it all out now. ‘And I’m telling you, Ashley, the best thing you could do now is dump him. Get as far away from him as possible.’

  Ash looked disbelievingly at her sister then back at me. ‘Unbelievable,’ she said coldly. ‘At least before you were subtle about your feelings. Now you’ve just totally exposed yourself.’

  ‘That’s so not true,’ I said. ‘Whatever you think – or Ade has made you think – it’s all part of some plan—’

  ‘Oh for heaven’s sake!’ Ashley shook her head. ‘Will you stop with all this mysterious plan rubbish. I mean, are you so sad that you have to create drama when there is none?’ She tugged at Emma’s jacket. ‘Come on, Em, let’s go. We’re going to be late.’

  Emma gave me what I thought was a sympathetic look, but her loyalty to Ashley was always going to come before the truth. I watched them go, my heart sinking further and further.

  What a mess. Ade and Polly had succeeded in turning everyone against me. They’d even tried it with Luca. I shut my eyes. But I still had Luca. He would never betray me.

  Students were hurrying past me, rushing to lessons, and I knew I should move too. I had History followed by Art. But everything in me wanted to cut college and go home. Back to safety. I remembered Mrs Connelly’s face: a mixture of warning and dislike. She had it in for me too. I wondered whether Polly might have worked her magic on the head, along with practically everyone else.

  I dropped my bag and felt in my pockets for my phone. As I dialled I hoped that Luca had decided not to go in to Pete’s place and was at home. The phone rang for ages and I was just about to end the call when he picked up.

  ‘Luca?’ I said. ‘Is everything OK?’

  ‘Sure.’ He sounded a little guarded. ‘Are you OK?’

  ‘I’m not sure.’ I hesitated. ‘I’ve got some news. I think I’m going to come back home. My head’s too full of all this stuff to focus on studying anyway.’

  ‘You want me to come and pick you up?’ he said. ‘I’ve got a couple of things to do, but I could be there in half an hour.’

  ‘That would be good.’ I frowned as I heard the sound of the phone being muffled or something. ‘Luca?’

  A couple of seconds passed before he spoke. ‘I’m here. Listen, Jane. Polly’s here. There’s bad news. Pete’s … He’s dead. He died this morning.’

  I opened my mouth, conflicting thoughts running through my brain.

  ‘Jane – did you hear what I said?’

  ‘Yes … Yes … That’s terrible news … Is Polly OK?’ I didn’t add, ‘And what is she doing in my house?’ It wasn’t the time. Though after what had happened the day before at the training ground, I couldn’t believe Luca had let her in.

  ‘What do you think?’ he replied, uncharacteristic sarcasm in his tone.

  ‘No, of course … Look – I’ll make my own way home …’ I said, trying not to cry. Whether from shock, or the fact that my world felt like it was crashing down around me, I didn’t know.

  ‘If you don’t mind,’ he said. ‘Look, I’ve got to go. I’ll see you later, OK?’

  ‘Yes. Sure. I’ll see you in a bit.’ I hung up, staring at the phone.

  A bell went off. Recognizing it, I sighed, stuffing the phone back in my pocket. A fire alarm was all I needed right then. But I followed the surge of people heading outside, half dazed by the conversation I’d just had.

  Typically, as it always does when a fire alarm goes off, it was raining outside. Once I had my name checked off by my tutorial group’s fire monitor I found shelter underneath the bike shed’s roof, and huddled my coat closer round me, watching the students filing out of the main building. Amidst the last people to leave were the twins, deep in conversation. Emma had her arm around Ashley, as though she was comforting her. Another time I would have gone over to find out what had upset her, but not now that I was Enemy Number One.

  I was just turning away to make room for some students who wanted refuge under the corrugated roof along with me, when my eye caught the final person to come through the main doors. Tall, auburn-haired, his hands in his pockets and a dark look on his face.

  Ade.

  Instinctively I moved back, trying to hide myself, and watched as he trailed after the twins, his head down. He couldn’t see me, I was sure of that. I breathed out and all of a sudden spots of rain were mixing with tears on my face.

  Someone had lit a cigarette and, though I didn’t smoke, I wished I did right then. I breathed in the acrid smell instead, letting myself cry here, where no one had noticed me.

  ‘Here.’ A hand held out a tissue in front of my face and I blinked, shaking my head. ‘Thanks but I’m fine,’ I said, concentrating on staring straight ahead.

  ‘Take it,’ said the owner of the hand. And at the sound of his voice I turned, disbelievingly.

  Ade’s smile was kind – and a little sad too. I wasn’t going to let that sway me though. Apart from his sister, he was the last person I wanted to see.

  ‘I’m sorry about your granddad,’ I said flatly. ‘But please leave me alone.’

  ‘Sure,’ he said, putting the tissue back in his pocket. ‘Sorry I bothered you. I can see you want to be alone.’ He looked up, just as a fresh bout of rain pelted down from the sky. All around us people were taking shelter where they could. It looked like I was stuck with him for a few minutes at least.

  To say there was an awkward silence was a massive understatement. I prayed for the rain to stop.

  ‘I know you hate me,’ Ade said eventually, as we watched two of the tutors rushing around with clipboards. ‘And I don’t blame you. I’m a jerk. I’ve always been like that. I just can’t seem to behave myself.’ He laughed shortly. ‘You should hear my mother on the subject.’

  I said nothing, but sneaked a sideways look at him. There was no supercilious smile there. His face looked closed off – like he was genuinely upset. I frowned, annoyed that I might be feeling sorry for him, and looked away.

  ‘And Polly’s always been this wilful, fiery girl. My parents let her get away with murder. Trying to compensate, I suppose.’

  And what about Olivia? I thought. How does she fit into your happy little family? I wasn’t going to get into that now. I wanted to find out more about this poor girl before I said anything to Ade. Odd that he hadn’t mentioned it though.

  ‘Yeah, well. That’s no excuse,’ I said eventually. ‘Whatever pain you’re going through – you have to abide by some kind of basic principles, you know. It’s called being a member of the human race.’ I bit my lip, wishing I hadn’t said so much; I was certain he was sneering at me now, whether he showed it or not.

  ‘You’re a breath of fresh air, you know that?’ he said softly. ‘So strong. Moral. Smart.’ He paused. ‘And really beautiful.’

  ‘Yes,’ I sighed, irritated. ‘I’ve heard this routine before, Ade. This flattery bullshit.’ I turned to him. ‘And it’s not going to work. I know you and your sister are trying to come between me and Luca. After Saturday night, I am sure of it.’

  ‘Is it working?’ he said, one eyebrow raised, and he looked so comical it threw me.

  ‘What?’

  ‘Are you single yet? Can I have you?’

  I shook my head at the sheer gall of him. ‘No.’ I crossed my arms resolutely over my chest. ‘I am very much not single.’ I looked away then and a shadow seemed to cross over my heart. I couldn’t be certain of anything any more.

  The rain had stopped and so had the fire bell. The fire engines that had parked outside were pulling away. It was a false alarm and the tutors were herding students back inside.

  �
�You going back in?’ said Ade.

  I wrinkled my nose. It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him to mind his own business. But something made me respond. ‘I don’t know what I’m going to do,’ I said. ‘I just want to be alone, if you don’t mind.’

  He stared at me for a few seconds. ‘Of course,’ he said, and I glimpsed a genuine sadness in his eyes. ‘I’ll see you around then – I hope.’

  I barely nodded. All of a sudden I wanted Ade to make me feel better. Even if it was fake – and he was totally bad news. The truth was I didn’t know who to believe, who to trust any more. If Ade really was part of the Vulpecula, then he and Luca were deadly enemies, and I knew whose side I was on. But what if Luca was wrong? What if Ade and Polly were just two ordinary mortals?

  If they were, then there really would be nothing standing in the way of Luca’s and my happiness – our life together. And maybe Luca found that prospect more frightening than anything else …

  I opened my mouth to tell Ade to stay, but instead I lifted up my coat collar and shifted my bag on my shoulder. ‘See you around,’ I said, turning to the college gates.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  Luca wanted Polly out. When he’d first seen her trudging up the track towards the house, he’d been tempted to hide. But something about her demeanour had made him soften. She looked crestfallen, vulnerable.

  ‘It’s all so messed up,’ she said, looking small as she sat in the kitchen. ‘Grandpa Pete was the only sane person in our family. And now he’s gone. My mum’s going to fall apart.’ She looked up at Luca, her blue eyes damp and tearful. She’d scraped her red hair back into a severe ponytail and her face looked scrubbed and free of makeup. It was hard to see her as anything other than a lost child when she looked like this. And Luca had been trained to be kind to those in distress.

  But there was something else, of course. Whenever Polly was near him, she rendered him incapable of clear thought, she seemed to blunt any sharp edges he had, any sharp thoughts.