The Key to Erebus (The French Vampire Legend. Book 1)

Chapter 29

  I woke up to the sound of gentle knocking. I tried to ignore it but after a few moments the knocking got heavier and was accompanied by someone hissing my name through the door.

  “Jéhenne.” More knocking. “Jéhenne, bloody hell, will you wake up!”

  I glanced at the clock and swore, it wasn’t even seven o’ clock yet. Flinging back the duvet in annoyance, I grabbed the old dressing gown that Rodney had lent me since I’d moved in. It was at least less hideous than Gran’s. Stumbling blearily to the door I found him looking shifty. I opened my mouth to ask him why he’d woken me up at such an unreasonable hour, but he put his finger to his lips and barged past me, closing the door behind him.

  “What the hell’s going on?” I asked fumbling with the dressing gown cord.

  “My bloody house is full of sodding guards and guns, that’s what!” he fumed, twitching the bedroom curtains and peering outside.

  “Huh?”

  Rodney went and sat on the bed in a huff and folded his arms.

  “Can’t even get in me bleedin’ kitchen to make a cuppa ‘cause it’s chock full of your sodding body guards! I mean, I realise he has to protect you but surely the Château would have been better?” he demanded. “I just haven’t got the room. There’s ten of them down stairs, ten, for Pete’s sake! Five more of the blighters up here…”

  “Rodney! What are you on about? What bodyguards?” Though as I said the words I got a sinking feeling in my stomach.

  “After your little revelation last night, of course,” he grumbled. “Bloody convenient that was, dropping the bloody bomb and then doing a Sleeping Beauty impression! All bloody hell let loose, let me tell you.”

  “Oh.”

  “Oh!” Rodney mimicked and rolled his eyes. “That’s not the worst of it either,” he said dropping his voice to a whisper and looking around the room furtively.

  “What do you mean?” The fact I appeared to be under house arrest just as I'd feared, was quite bad enough.

  “He’s here.”

  “Who?”

  “Corvus!”

  “What! Where?”

  “I don’t know!” he hissed furiously. “For all I know he’s sleeping in the bleeding wardrobe.” Automatically, both of us turned to look at the wardrobe doors in horror.

  I huffed and rolled my eyes at him. “Oh don’t be ridiculous, he’d never fit for a start - and why is he here anyway? I mean I knew he’d over react, but this is … it’s just …”

  “Typical of Corvus,” he finished for me with a grimace. “What d’you expect, Jéhenne? He spoke to Remé and got the low down. Once he found out about Tacitus he was fit to be tied.” Rodney rubbed his head wearily.

  “Sorry.” I wondered if I was doomed to be kept under lock and key for the rest of my days. Rodney gave me a crooked grin.

  “Aww, don’t you pay me no mind, luv, I’m just cranky this mornin'. He’s 'ad me running in circles all night and I haven’t had me mornin’ cuppa. Keepin' you safe is all that matters.”

  “I don’t understand why he’s gone this mad during the day though,” I puzzled. “I mean it’s not as if Tacitus can get to me in daylight.”

  “Oh and you think he’s got no one working for him who can?” He gave me a look of disbelief and I stared back as the idea sunk in. “It had really never occurred to you?”

  I shook my head and sat down heavily on the bed next to him.

  “Now what?” I asked.

  “I dunno, but you’d better get used to the wallpaper, I reckon you’ll be seeing a lot of it.” He put a comforting hand on my shoulder.

  Suddenly we heard a commotion coming from outside the front door and I stuck my head out of the bedroom window to investigate. Corin was being interrogated by two heavies in black combat trousers and black t-shirts, though instead of being intimidated by their presence as they may have expected, Corin seemed amused.

  I was well aware that Corin’s looks were deceptive, I was only now beginning to realise how deceptive. I hurried Rodney out of the room so I could get dressed before either of them came to any harm. I arrived at the front door just in the nick of time if Corin’s expression was anything to go by. He was no longer looking amused, but more like he was considering parting their heads from their shoulders.

  “Ah Jéhenne, your friends here seem to think I mean you harm.”

  “I’ve been wondering about that myself,” I replied scowling at him. I gestured for him to walk with me in the garden and waved the guards away in irritation.

  “Mademoiselle Corbeaux, s’il vous plaît. Monsieur Albinus was quite explicit in his instructions. You are not to be left alone.” One of the guards had stepped in front of me and I looked at him in confusion until I realised he was talking about Corvus.

  “I am quite sure you can guard me from here. My friend and I want to have a private chat and we’re going to go and sit on that wall there. You can see us perfectly clearly.”

  The guard scowled in response but obviously didn’t consider Corin too big a threat. We walked to the stone wall that surrounded the front of Rodney’s garden and sat down.

  “What’s going on, Corin?”

  “Jéhenne?” Golden eyes, like liquid amber regarded me but gave nothing away.

  “Oh don’t play with me. Believe me, I am sick and tired of being in the middle of other peoples games. I’m not a puppet to be manoeuvred as the rest of the world see fit. The bracelet and the biscuits, exactly how far am I in debt to you and why didn’t Gran warn me?”

  “Aaah.” He sighed,. “Your vampire no doubt. Honestly I’m surprised that my luck held as long as it did.”

  I looked at him aghast. Despite everything Corvus had said, I had still hoped that Corin had some logical explanation. I had counted him as a friend and felt utterly betrayed.

  “Why?” I demanded. “What did you want from me?”

  Corin looked down and began picking the soft, old mortar between the stones away with his fingers.

  “You know, perhaps, that both the Fey and Elvish realms have been tainted by the modern world? Our races are dying”

  “The faeries too?” I asked, surprise out weighing annoyance.

  Corin nodded. “All of the Fae. We are all afflicted with the same malady and have both come to the conclusion there is only one way forward.”

  “Which is?” I asked with a shiver running beneath my skin.

  “To strengthen our race with human blood.” Corin looked at my blank expression and sighed. “To breed with the human race thus giving our children your strength and immunity.”

  I gasped as his meaning filtered through to my brain.

  “And how was I supposed to fit in with this plan, Corin?” My stomach began to churn as the possibilities occurred to me.

  Corin looked at me and glanced away. At least he had the grace to look guilty.

  “I’m the only son of the King, I must marry and provide an heir and set an example to my people. There are many who find the idea of mixing our pure blood with other races … distasteful.” He grimaced, apparently as disgusted with this thinking as I was. Looking up at me he smiled. “I had seen you with Inés and thought you very beautiful. She suggested this was a way for us to get to know each other a little.”

  I rubbed my hands on my legs trying to dispel the itch in my fingers. “So you thought you’d trick me and turn me into some kind of … Of brood mare!” I spat in disgust.

  “Jéhenne.” Corin took my hand in his and fixed those golden eyes intently on mine. “I hoped to make you my wife, the future Queen, but I would never have forced you into anything. I hoped only to show you my world, to give you a chance to understand us and to get to know me. I would never have held you against your will.”

  “Why should I believe you?” I pulled my hand away from him too angry to be soothed. “You’ve tried to trick me. How much am I in debt to you? What do you own, my soul?” I demanded.

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” he said, rubbing his eyes.
I looked at him as his shoulders slumped. For the first time since I met him, I saw the darkness behind those beautiful eyes. He looked worn down. “You owe me nothing, Jéhenne, and I apologise for any pain I have caused you.” He turned to me then and took both my hands, not letting me pull away. “Try to understand. My people are dying and I am desperate to help them but I would never harm you. I stand your friend and always will.” He smiled slightly and the gold in his eyes sparkled in the morning sun, a slightly wicked look glinting there now. “Maybe one day you will come to me of your own accord.”

  “Now you’re being ridiculous!” I snatched my hands away again. “Even if I decided to forgive you for your deception, I love Corvus and don’t tell me you hadn’t considered the possibility that he would follow me. I guess he was just an added bonus.”

  Corin shrugged but I noticed he didn’t contradict me.

  “You are young yet,” he said. “But in time you will notice the lack of family. It’s hard, living an immortal life in this realm, watching friends and loved ones die around you. One day, if you choose to live as your grandmother has, you will long for your own flesh and blood just as she did and that, my dear Jéhenne, is something the vampire will never be able to give you, no matter how he loves you.” There was compassion in his eyes but my temper flared.

  “Don’t hold your breath!” I hissed, my anger growing as the truth in his words pierced me. “And don’t bother coming around anymore. You say you’re my friend but you acted like anything but and I don’t want to see you right now.” I stalked away a bit, taking a breath to calm myself. “I expect I’ll calm down given time, but frankly, I don’t know when that will be.”

  Corin stood and smiled, though it was a sad expression. “I understand Jéhenne, but please believe that I will always come if you need me. I swear to you that I will always be your friend and I will always protect you, if you wish me to.”

  I was still furious but his words did comfort me a little. Knowing that he wouldn’t let me down if I really needed him eased the betrayal I felt.

  I watched as he reached beneath his shirt and drew out a crystal strung onto a thin leather band. He lifted it over his head and I watched in astonishment as the glamour it obviously carried fell away from him. Gasping in shock I truly saw him for the first time and knew now why I had always felt I wasn't really seeing him, like he was hiding something.

  I had become used to being around handsome men. Corvus was heart stopping on his own and most of the vampires were easy on the eye. Rafael, Sariel, all of them pulsed with beauty and power. This man though ... His raw sexuality was like a living thing, a hunger that sparked a reaction in those around him. He was far more masculine and powerful than the glamour had implied but that beauty and grace was there too. I heard him curse, low and angry beneath his breath at my obvious disbelief.

  “I should never have listened to her,” he said, shaking his head.

  “Who?” I muttered, still staring at him.

  “Your grandmother,” he replied with a sigh of frustration. “She was of the opinion that you were a naive little innocent and would run screaming in fear if I made an approach as I truly am.” He smirked and shook his head. “I think she miscalculated.”

  I blushed and folded my arms, scowling at him. “Don't bet on it.”

  His laughter was a joyous sound that rolled through me, inviting me to join him. I did my best to ignore it and hung on to my annoyance. He just looked amused by my anger though, as though he now knew where he stood. Moving closer to me he ducked his head to speak softly in my ear.

  “You will find that I do not give up easily, Jéhenne.”

  I took a step back, glaring into the warmth of those golden eyes. “It won't make any difference,” I snapped, aggrieved by his attitude. Arrogant bastard.

  Corin just grinned at me and shook his head. “Don't worry, I will give you a little time to cool off and ... forgive me,” he said, not bothering to hide the fact that he believed this was a foregone conclusion. “But we will meet again, I promise.”

  I was saved from replying as my attention was taken by a familiar car screeching to a halt and the vision of Claudette flying across the garden. I glanced at the guards who were heading my way and waved them back. Thankfully, Claudette was in full flight and didn’t seem to notice. She rushed up to me and I was engulfed in a hug and a stream of incomprehensible French.

  “Ma pauvre,” she sobbed. “I just heard the news, I had to come … I’m so sorry.” I looked at her feeling utterly bewildered and a more than a little unsettled at the idea I had missed something terrible.

  “What?” I looked wildly at Corin who just shrugged.

  “Mais, Jéhenne, your Grandmother, we just heard this morning that she had died while visiting her niece in Bordeaux.”

  Suddenly the penny dropped, but I simply stood and opened my mouth. I could think of nothing to say on the subject. Thankfully Corin saved me.

  “I’m afraid she’s still in shock,” he explained to Claudette who was only now focusing on the man beside me He put a comforting arm around my shoulder and steered me to sit on the stone wall, as though I’d taken leave of my senses. He may well have been right. I noticed, with some amusement, the expression on Claudette’s face as she took in the man in front of her. In her haste to comfort me she hadn’t noticed him, but now he was commanding her full and complete attention. She put me in mind of a lemming that had just seen the biggest cliff in the world and was about to hurtle, gleefully off the edge. I saw Corin glance at me pointedly and I struggled back to my senses.

  “Ah, oh ... Claudette this is my… friend.” I spared a moment to scowl at him. “Corin. Corin … Claudette.”

  “Enchanté, Mademoiselle.”

  Smoothly he took her hand and raised it to his lips. Good grief, I thought bitterly, one minute he wanted me as his Queen, the next he’s laying it on with a trowel for the first female he sets eyes on. Claudette though, was enraptured and was staring at him with her pretty turquoise eyes on stalks. I pulled my attention back to the conversation.

  “It was most thoughtful of you to come and visit Jéhenne at such a sad time.” Corin was saying with the utmost sincerity. Claudette flushed prettily before replying.

  “Oh well, she is a bonne amie and I know things have been a little difficile with her Grandmother recently.”

  Corin was nodding his head sympathetically and I marvelled at his capacity to keep a straight face.

  “Mais, Jéhenne,” said Claudette suddenly turning back to me. “We heard that she has already been buried and with no funeral!” She sounded horrified.

  “I--I … well.” I wrote a mental list in my head of all the ways I could dispatch Inés for real, while I tied to come up with a believable reply. “Gran wasn’t much of a church goer,” I said, stumbling around for an answer. “She was more … er, spiritual and she didn’t want any fuss and really I feel like she isn’t gone at all,” I finished sounding more than a little overwrought. “Her presence is so strong everywhere around here,” I added with a sarcastic tone that Corin would have been well aware of. I caught a glimpse of him and noticed his lips twitch slightly but he righted himself and joined in.

  “Yes,” he said, nodding gravely. “Inés did not believe that death is an ending, you understand, but just the beginning of our next journey.”

  I glared at him, wondering if he’d ever acted, and he looked back at me with a mournful expression that made me bite my lip. Claudette was still gazing at him, enraptured.

  “Oh, c’est beau.”

  “Would you allow me to walk you to your car?” he asked, offering his arm. “I think that Jéhenne is still feeling a little overwhelmed. Perhaps you could return in a few days … when she is feeling more herself?”

  I smiled at Corin gratefully. I had by no means forgiven him but at least he was trying to be helpful.

  I was subjected to more hugging and kissing and tears from Claudette and tried my best to look bereft and wistf
ul rather than furious and guilty. I felt terrible for deceiving Claudette, but what else could I do? I watched as Corin escorted her to the car and wished I could hear their conversation, as they seemed to be talking in earnest. Suddenly I saw Claudette’s demeanour change and she smiled shyly and giggled. She leaned forward and touched Corin’s arm and he took her hand and kissed it, all the while looking down into her eyes. She was quite obviously smitten. I could hardly blame her.

  I stalked back towards them, intending to ask Corin what the hell he was playing at, but he was too quick for me.

  “Goodbye, Jéhenne.” He bowed for me, eyes alight with mischief and I watched in frustration as he got in Claudette's car and they drove away.

  “Son of a bitch!” I cursed out loud. I’d have to find out from Claudette what had been said. If he thought he was going to play her like he’d tried to play me, I’d turn him into French toast, I thought savagely. I glanced up to see if the guards had seen his sudden departure, but they didn’t seem to have noticed. Fat lot of good they were then.

  I spent the next ten minutes stalking around the garden, trying to clear my head. I hadn’t had the chance to ask Corin why Gran had helped him with his deception, though I had few ideas which I suspected were close to the mark. I figured her grand-daughter being the Elvish Queen would have had some impressive advantages. The next time I saw her we were going to have a serious talk, including explaining exactly what I thought of her killing herself off without telling me.

  I absent mindedly rubbed my fingers on my jeans to relieve the burning tingle that was becoming all too familiar. Well, one thing was for sure, I wasn’t going to spend the day moping around here feeling sorry for myself. I headed back into the house, threading my way through burly men, until I found Rodney.

  “Where did he find this lot, anyway?” I snapped, “Rent-a-Thug?”

  Rodney glanced at the guards warily. “That’s the kind of question you learn not to ask, if you know what’s good for you.”

  “Well do they know what Corvus is?” I whispered. “And what else is out there?”

  Rodney shook his head; “No, I don't reckon so. They just know he’s seriously bad news if they screw up, and he pays well enough to keep them loyal. Not that they’d dare go elsewhere, they’ve seen enough of him to know he’d not take kindly to being betrayed.”

  I swallowed the unease that always leaped to my throat when Corvus was mentioned in this manner and sighed heavily.

  “Well, I’m not sitting around here all day, Rodney, I’ll lose my mind.”

  “Oh no, don’t you bleedin' think about it, young lady.” Rodney jumped up and looked at me sternly, waging his finger and trying his best to look fatherly and intimidating. The only effect it had was to make me snigger, but he carried on undeterred “Not only is it bloody dangerous for you, can you imagine what Corvus would do to us if we let you go?”

  I folded my arms and looked at him steadily.

  “Do you really think that I couldn’t get out if I put my mind to it?”

  I glared back at me. “Oh, I don’t doubt it, luv, what wiv your new powers. If you can keep a vamp like Lucas in 'is place, a few human guards ain't gonna be much of a problem is it? The problem is what happens next and the fact that I’ll be hung, drawn and bleedin' quartered whether it was my fault or not.”

  “Oh, keep your hair on,” I muttered in annoyance. “I wouldn’t do that to you and you know it.”

  Rodney sighed with relief and sat back down. “Well, that’s all right then.”

  I smirked and gave him a sideways glance. “That’s why you’re all coming with me.”

  “What?” yelped Rodney, leaping to his feet again. “Have you lost the friggin' plot? Exactly how conspicuous do you want to make yourself? Don’t you think you’ll stand out with fifteen heavily armed guards surrounding you?”

  “Well obviously, this is why you’re going to disguise them.”

  Rodney groaned. “Please tell me you’re joking.”

  I shook my head, arms folded. “Nope. I’m going to Brantôme market and I’m not taking more than four guards, so you better tell them to decide who’s coming.”

  An hour later we were ready to go and I was stifling hysterics at Rodney’s efforts to disguise the guards. They looked like they were on their way to a punk reunion and three of them were deeply unhappy about it. The fourth had got into the spirit of things and had even asked me for some black eye-liner which he was now applying with some skill, much to the disgust of the other three. He also had the longest hair and had worked it up into spikes, with some help from Rodney, giving him the appearance of a startled hedgehog.

  “Well, at least we won’t frighten anyone into thinking we’re dangerously armed.” I grinned at Rodney.

  “No, just dangerously unhinged,” he muttered back. I caught his eye and chuckled as he sighed theatrically. “I am going to be so dead when his nibs hears about this,” he grumbled.

  “You’re already dead,” I pointed out and he snorted.

  “Come on then, let’s get this freak show on the road … unless you’ve changed your mind?” I didn’t miss the hopeful note in his voice but I shook my head.

  “No.”

  The one thing I was sure about was the need to get out and enjoy the day. I couldn’t explain it but I had a weird feeling, like I was waiting for something bad to happen. I had thought it was because of the whole problem with Corin, but that was sorted, as far as it could be, and if anything my sense of unease had increased. Obviously having a homicidal vampire after you for the key to the Underworld was bound to make a person somewhat jittery, but that aside I still couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible was getting close. I purposely closed my mind to it. The sun was shining, it was a glorious day and I was going to make the most of it, while I could, with a good friend. Oh and four rather dubious looking body guards.

  It was decided that the guy with the eye-liner and scared hedgehog hair would take one guard and drive Rodney’s car, so as to blend in and Rodney would come with me. The other two guards would follow behind in their massive black four by four. Once we were under way, Rodney got straight to the point.

  “So what’s this bleedin’ key business about then?”

  “I have no idea,” I said as I glanced over at him. “I was hoping you could tell me. Didn’t Corvus say anything last night?”

  “Oh 'e said plenty,” Rodney muttered with feeling. “Most of it was unrepeatable and I didn’t understand the rest.”

  I huffed and shook my head in frustration. “All I know is that I can apparently open the only gateway to the Underworld.” He looked at me in horror and I snorted. “Just don’t ask me how or why because I haven't got a bloody clue.”

  “And Tacitus wants the key, i.e. you?”

  I nodded and bit my lip anxiously. “Whoever holds the key controls the Underworld. They could summon demons and spirits and make them do what they wanted.” I felt my chest tighten and my breathing start to pick up. Rodney reached over and squeezed my shoulder.

  “Come on, luv, keep it together. That means you got the upper hand, you’re the one in control.”

  “In control of what?” I shrieked. “A demon army? How would I summon them even if I wanted to, which I don’t! I don’t want any of this shit, Rodney, I want it all to go away.”

  “I don’t reckon that’s gonna ‘appen, now is it, lovely?” he said gently. “Come on Jéhenne, you’re the strongest person I know, and you’re not on yer ownsome. We’ll all get through this. We’ll sort it together, OK?” I looked away from the concern in his eyes and blinked hard, swallowing the lump in my throat. Rodney was right, I wasn’t about to give up and die and I had some powerful allies. We would all get through this.

  “Come on, let’s enjoy the day, eh? No vampires, no magic, no shit of any kind allowed,” Rodney said with force and I laughed as his words mirrored my earlier thoughts and ignored the darkness that seemed to be creeping up on me.

  By
the time we got to Brantôme the place was heaving. Cars trawled sluggishly through the crowded streets and the whole area was filled with noise, while the river Dronne ran smoothly and silently underneath the bridges. Market vendors shouted about what they were selling and bantered cheerfully with their customers and we wandered aimlessly around the stalls, occasionally tasting things that were offered and fending off the good natured insistence of the vendors that we buy large quantities of whatever they were selling.

  There was a guy with dreadlocks and an elderly dog that shuffled under the stall, out of the glare of the sun, who was selling little wooden figures and joss sticks alongside heavy bead jewellery. Another was selling slippers, tablecloths and those gaudy aprons that looked as though they’d been specially made for old ladies.

  My favourite stall was the one selling spices. A Dutch man stood behind rows and rows of small wicker baskets, piled high with every kind of spice or herb you could imagine. I moved forwards for a closer look and was hit by a thick haze of different smells. Little labels were stuck in the baskets with the name of the spice or herb scrawled in black ink. But I knew there was a basket under the table containing things most customers would never dream of asking for. Things that Gran had sometimes sent me to buy, like Mandrake root and salamander skins. The man looked up and seeing me, gave me a wink.

  “Anything I can get you, Mademoiselle? I have some items that may be of interest.”

  I smiled and shook my head. “Not this week thank you,” I replied politely. He shrugged and turned back to a tall German man with very loud trousers.

  I couldn’t help but smile as I noticed one of the guards haggling with a vendor selling cheese. We’d got a few funny looks on the way round but Brantôme in August was full of tourists and we were just more foreign oddities to add to the mix.

  We walked past a Tabac and stopped as we noticed the newspaper headlines.

  “Oh blimey, poor sod.” Rodney shook his head. “Amelia’s gonna be devastated.”

  The story that had been making headline news for the past fortnight was the demise of the rock star Johnny Blonde, lead singer of The Dead Beat. When they first appeared a couple of years before, they had been declared the ‘Nirvana of the twenty first century’, partly because of the kind of music they played, but also because of the lead singer’s uncanny resemblance to Kurt Cobain. It seemed the similarities didn’t end there though, as his life had been cut short tragically young. It looked to be the usual story of the excesses of fame and a drugs overdose, and now he had been officially declared brain dead. He had no family, which I guessed was a blessing in a way, but now the courts, his record company and anyone else who could stick their oar in were debating when and if his life support should be turned off.

  “That’s just awful.” I’d really liked The Dead Beat and looked sadly at a publicity photo of the handsome young man, taken just a few weeks ago, looking cool and misunderstood for a publicity shot.

  It was getting really hot now and we crossed the road and headed into a narrow street that led to a little square where we could stop and have a drink. As we sat and ordered, Rodney chatted amiably to the guards who finally seemed to be thawing towards us.

  After we finished our drinks, we headed back to the market and towards the car. On the way Rodney had found a young English boy who was selling T-shirts and was holding one up to get a better look. I went and peered over his shoulder to see that it said Vampire Weekend.

  “Really?” I raised an eyebrow at him as he handed the money over to the lad with a grin.

  “Why don’t you like them?”

  “Sure,” I said, smiling.

  “Good,” he said handing me the bag. “It’s for you, cheer you up like.”

  I laughed. “Oh that’s so sweet. Thanks, Rodney.” I gave him a brief hug in thanks and the next thing I knew I was staring up at five anxious looking male faces regarding me from my horizontal position on a park bench. I gasped in horror as I remembered the feeling that had overwhelmed me before I passed out. Struggling to sit up, I grasped Rodney’s hand.

  “What is it, luv, are you sick?” he asked, looking worried sick.

  I shook my head violently. “Oh God, Rodney, something terrible is going to happen.”

  He frowned at me, squeezing my hand. “What do you mean, what’s going to happen?”

  “I… I don’t know.” I hesitated, not wanting to elaborate. “I just know it is ... and soon.”

  Rodney studied me, his eyebrows drawn together. “Come on,” he said quietly. “We need to get you back home. Can you walk?”

  I nodded mutely, letting him help me up and we hurried back to the car. I handed him the keys as I felt too shaken to drive and got into the passenger seat. He put the keys in the ignition but hesitated before starting the car.

  “Did you see anything or get any ideas … was it Tacitus?” he asked, a tense note to his voice.

  “Not really, no it was just ... something terrible.” I struggled to make sense of the rush of feeling that had hit me. “It was just… fear. A feeling like nothing was real.” I shook my head to try and rid myself of the lingering darkness.

  Rodney was quiet for a long moment.

  “You know, ghouls are looked down on by all the other races,” he said and I frowned at the change of subject and his words. He shrugged and gave me a wry smile. “Oh, we’re handy enough to do the donkey work and cleanin’ up like, but we’re always on the outside.” He paused and cleared his throat nervously. “Jéhenne, whatever it is, whatever happens, I jus' want you to know that you an' Corvus, you made me feel part of somethin’ and … well, you’re the closest thing to a family I ever 'ad an' … I’m grateful.”

  I burst into tears and he patted my shoulder and fumbled about in the dashboard for a tissue.

  “Hey, stop blubbing,” he huffed. “I’m trying' to say somethin’ meaningful here and you’re ruinin' it.”

  “Can’t help it,” I said, snivelling.

  “Well that’s it anyway… said me piece 'aven’t I.” He looked away and started the car.

  I looked out of the window and wondered how he had known and swore that I would do whatever it took to keep Rodney safe.