By Midnight (Ravenwood)

  April was beginning to regret coming to the party. She only knew a handful of people, and none of them well enough to have a conversation with. She had only seen Davina twice the whole night and the last time was only to pass on some juicy gossip about Gabriel and a girl called Sara. Apparently she’d seen them going into the toilet together. ‘And you know what that means,’ she had trilled, watching April’s reaction carefully. April’s stomach was turning, but she wasn’t about to let Davina know that, especially as she wasn’t at all sure why. So she simply shook her head. Had they gone in to do drugs? To have sex? To work out some difficult equations? April had very little idea what was normal to pupils from Ravenwood. So she had spent the evening wandering around the house, trying not to look too lost, hiding away behind the paper umbrellas in a variety of drinks. Not wanting to let Caro down, she had tried opening as many doors as she could, but had only found empty bedrooms or necking couples, nothing even vaguely resembling a giant conspiracy. She had just decided to leave when she bumped into Gabriel coming down the stairs and, hemmed in on all sides, she couldn’t get away.

  ‘Hello,’ she said frostily.

  ‘Hello.’

  ‘Enjoying yourself?’

  There must have been something in her tone, because Gabriel frowned. ‘Why do you ask?’

  ‘Oh, no reason,’ she said, surprised at how bothered she was by Davina’s stirring. ‘Just something I heard.’

  ‘Really,’ he said, holding her gaze as he walked past her, their bodies brushing against each other. ‘I thought you might be the kind of girl who thinks for herself.’

  ‘I am.’

  He raised his eyebrows.

  ‘What have you got against me, Gabriel?’ she asked with annoyance.

  He shrugged, not meeting her gaze.

  ‘Why do you think I care one way or the other?’

  ‘Well, you don’t seem too happy to see me here. Not to mention you telling me to “get out” on my first day in school.’

  He looked at her sharply.

  ‘That wasn’t what I meant,’ he said. ‘I was trying to ... oh, it doesn’t matter.’

  April felt herself bristling.

  ‘Why doesn’t anyone around here say what they mean?’ she snapped.

  ‘I take it you don’t like my friends?’ said Gabriel with a hint of amusement that irritated her even more.

  ‘Do you?’

  Gabriel ignored her and took a sip of his drink.

  ‘And what about Isabelle? Was she a friend?’

  He turned to look at her, his dark eyes glittering. April held his gaze, her pulse quickening. She felt her skin tingle, as if an electric current was passing between them.

  ‘Which Isabelle is this?’ he asked.

  ‘You know exactly who I’m talking about,’ said April, lowering her voice. She still had no idea what had happened in Swain’s Lane that night, but she was sure that Gabriel Swift knew more than he was saying; you didn’t grab someone and shout ‘Run!’ unless you were pretty sure there was some danger. He had to be involved.

  As if he was reading her mind, he said, ‘Didn’t DI Reece tell you who called them that night?’

  ‘Was it you?’

  Ignoring her question, he said, ‘Has it occurred to you that I might simply have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, just like you? That maybe I was trying to help her? And maybe I was trying to help you?’

  ‘So why don’t you just tell me—’ she began, but a tall blonde girl rushed up to Gabriel and, seemingly oblivious to April, threw her arms around his neck.

  ‘There you are, baby,’ she cooed, ‘I thought you’d forgotten all about me.’

  The girl looked up into his face and, seeing he was still observing April, turned towards her.

  ‘Oh. Not interrupting anything, am I?’

  ‘Not really,’ said April contemptuously and walked down the last of the steps before pushing her way down the corridor, trying to put as much space between her and Gabriel as she could. Men! she thought. Why do we bother? All they care about is their latest bimbo. She slipped into a long room with floor-to-ceiling bookcases and took refuge in a tall leather wing-back chair where she couldn’t be seen. Now that she was sitting down, April realised she was a bit drunk. She pulled out her mobile and checked for messages. One from Caro, one from Fiona. Caro’s was predictable: Don’t forget the mission, Spygirl. Over and out. Xx

  Feeling guilty that she hadn’t found anything for Caro, April stood up and walked around the library. There was nothing much to see here, just shelves and shelves of boring old books. She didn’t even understand a lot of the titles, they were in some weird foreign language. She took one down and flipped it open. Greek, she thought, although it could well have been Cyrillic or something. April slid it back and shook her head. The whole plan was impossible; even if she had known where she was going, and what she was looking for, there was no way to get in and out of any of the rooms unseen, the party was too packed. Even the rooms and corridors upstairs, furthest away from the ballroom, had witches and ghouls sitting on the floor, kissing and drinking, some even lying down together. And anyway, she very much doubted if anyone connected with Caro’s conspiracy, whatever it was, would leave files stamped ‘Top Secret’ out on top of a desk for her to find. International criminal masterminds tended to be a little more intelligent than that. She reminded herself that it was Caro’s conspiracy, not hers, and quickly thumbed a response. Working on it. Only found snogging couples so far. X. She only had to wait a few seconds for a response. Cool. Snogged any boys yourself?

  ‘If only,’ she whispered to herself as she scrolled to Fiona’s message.

  How’s the party? Everyone still horrible and mean? April smiled. Trust Fee to cut straight to the chase. She sent a reply.

  Right first time. Horrible, mean and drunk. Think I’m heading home.

  She closed her eyes and leant back. She really was feeling quite tipsy now, but not in an unpleasant way. Warm and fuzzy, but happy with it. She just wished she had friends here to share it with, possibly even a boy. She briefly thought about Benjamin, but immediately pushed him from her mind. He was just flirting with her; she’d seen him all over a number of other girls as the party had gone on. In fact, she’d seen him with his arm around two very geeky-looking girls. Maybe he’s into charity cases, she thought. God, maybe I’m a charity case.

  Her phone buzzed - a message from Fiona.

  Don’t go home yet! Send me photos of sexy boys first!

  April laughed. There she was feeling sorry for herself when in reality Fee was probably sitting at home watching telly and wishing she could be at a glamorous Halloween party too. It wasn’t that bad, even if Gabriel was an ass.

  ‘Screw you, Gabriel Swift,’ she whispered and began giggling. God, I think I am drunk, she thought as she wandered back into the ballroom. Positioning herself by a pillar to one side of the action, April held up her phone, hoping it looked like she was just scrolling through old texts, and quickly took a few snaps of the scenes before her. She wasn’t at all sure people here would be happy to have their photos taken, given that they were drinking and smoking, but the underhandedness made April enjoy it more. Caro’s ideas about spying might have been far-fetched, but April did feel the thrill of doing something a little forbidden. It was the first fun she’d had all evening; not quite James Bond, but a girl could fantasise, couldn’t she? Speaking of which, there was Milo, spinning a girl around on the dance floor, a big cheesy grin on his face. He is nice, she thought, snapping off a shot, then quickly tapping in a message and sending it to Fiona.

  ‘Forget it, sweetheart. He’s out of your league.’

  April turned around. The blonde girl, Layla, who she had seen with Davina on her first day, was staring at her with undisguised distaste.

  ‘I shouldn’t think Milo Asprey would be interested in someone like you,’ she said, looking April up and down. ‘He’s not into slumming it.’

  April’s just gaped at the g
irl. She genuinely couldn’t think of a response, so she simply turned and walked towards the back of the house.

  How rude! she thought. How could she be so man? It beggared belief. If she had been feeling out of place before, now, with her confidence crushed, April simply wanted to escape. She hurried along the corridor looking for the front door, but instead found herself in the doorway of the kitchen - or, to be more accurate, kitchens plural. It was a huge space with stone floors and what looked like marble worktops; it was hard to be sure beneath the clutter of glasses and bottles and plates of nibbles. Right, now send those photos and leave, she thought to herself, quickly scrolling through the pictures. She had to admit, it did all look pretty decadent and happening - the dance floor with the girls in short skirts gyrating against floppy-haired boys, the bar area where the booze was flowing, the alcove to one side full of snogging couples. It looked like a cool night. She sent them to Fee with the message: Like Studio 54, only with more bats.

  ‘Hey!’ shouted a voice angrily. ‘What do you think you’re doing?’

  As April had walked into the room, raising her phone for another picture, she had almost bumped into a group of four or five boys standing around a desk. One boy immediately jumped in front of her, deliberately blocking her view. ‘Give me that!’ someone shouted as her phone was snatched from her hand. April whirled around to find herself facing Marcus Brent. Oh God, she thought. Of all the people ...

  ‘And what are you doing with this?’ he asked nastily, his dark eyes gleaming.

  ‘Give it back, that’s mine,’ said April, making a lunge for her phone.

  ‘Oh no you don’t,’ he said, holding it up in the air as someone else grabbed her from behind.

  ‘Let me go!’ she protested, struggling. ‘I haven’t done anything! ’

  ‘Let’s see about that,’ said Marcus as he looked down at the phone, scrolling through April’s pictures, his expression changing from cruel amusement to outright anger.

  ‘Oh really? And what are all these?’ he asked, holding the phone up. ‘I don’t think we’ll be needing these ...’ he said and pressed the ‘delete’ button.

  ‘Those are mine!’ said April, angry at his arrogance.

  ‘No,’ said Marcus with a superior air, ‘they are not yours. Nothing here is yours and it never will be, you stupid little girl. I bet if I went through your bag I’d find half of Milo’s family silver.’

  ‘Piss off, Marcus,’ said April, with feeling, but the truth was she was scared. It might have been a busy party, but this was an out-of-the-way corner and no one knew she was here.

  ‘Oh, it’s like that, is it?’ Marcus smiled, reaching out to stroke her hair. ‘I think we can show you what we do to thieves in our house.’

  ‘It’s not your house, Marcus,’ said another voice.

  Marcus’s eyes opened wide and fear and anger flashed across his face as Benjamin stepped into the kitchen. The boy holding April instantly let her go and she stumbled backwards onto the floor.

  ‘It’s not yours either. And anyway, she was taking photos of us, Ben—’ said Marcus petulantly, but Benjamin cut him off, snatching the phone from his hand.

  ‘Out,’ he said simply and April watched gratefully as Marcus and his friends disappeared from the kitchen.

  ‘Come on,’ said Benjamin softly as he helped her up and handed her phone back. ‘Are you all right?’ he asked, touching her shoulder gently. ‘Nothing broken?’

  ‘I’m fine,’ she said, shaking off his hand. ‘Just leave me alone.’

  ‘Hey, I’m sorry if they—’ he began.

  ‘Leave me alone, Benjamin,’ she said, rushing for the door. She pushed her way down the corridor, oblivious to the cries of people she bumped into or stepped on, just needing to get away and be on her own. She was furious with Marcus, furious with Davina for inviting her, furious at herself for being so vain she had believed she could fit in with these people. She ran blindly through the house, taking turns at random until finally she came to a glass door. She went through and found herself in a conservatory that no doubt looked out onto the grounds in the daytime, but now in the dark it only reflected the room back at her. Christ, I look terrible, she thought. She pulled a compact mirror out of her bag and looked at her face. Her make-up had smeared, her dress had hitched up and her cheeks were flushed. It’s Halloween, all right.

  ‘Okay, calm down ...’ she murmured to herself. Looking around, she saw a wicker chair and table by the window and sat down, fanning her face and trying to get her breathing under control as she fixed her make-up. There was an open bottle of white wine and some empty glasses on the table. Someone else had obviously found this spot earlier. She splashed wine into a clean glass and drank it down, wiping her mouth and grimacing as it burned her throat. Urgh, not sure I’m a fan, she thought, but it was for medicinal purposes. Suddenly April was aware that she wasn’t alone. She turned to see Milo standing awkwardly in the doorway.

  ‘Can I join you?’

  April shrugged. Company was the last thing she wanted right now.

  Milo sat down in the other chair. ‘Sorry to intrude, but I saw you run past the ballroom. Are you okay?’

  ‘No, I’m not okay,’ snapped April. ‘Your friends have been shitty to me all night and I don’t know why, I only came here to have a nice time and I’ve never done anyone any harm, but it seems that being civil to the new girl is too much to ask ...’ All her frustrations poured out in a torrent and April was embarrassed to find that tears were beginning to trickle down her cheeks. She brushed them away angrily.

  ‘Sorry,’ she said, looking away from Milo. ‘It’s not your fault. I’m just not having that great a night, can you tell?’

  Milo reached over and handed her a napkin from the table. ‘Well, I wish I could tell you that my friends aren’t arseholes some of the time, but I can’t. It’s just one of those things that comes with the territory, I’m afraid.’

  April blew her nose and wiped her face, trying not to smear her mascara any more than it already had been.

  ‘What territory?’

  ‘Going to a posh school, having lots of money, knowing you may never have to work for a living and, even if you do, it will make you a packet just like Daddy. Being taught you’re part of the elite. All that tends to make people think they are somehow superior.’ He grinned. ‘And of course if you add a pretty girl to the mix, well, that only makes us fight over her.’

  April blushed. ‘So if all that’s true, how come you’re being nice?’

  Milo smiled. ‘I’m not sure I am, exactly, but I try not to fall into too many of the traps. I try to be a good guy when I can.

  April filled her glass and chinked it against the bottle. She was feeling even more drunk now and uncommonly bold.

  ‘Well, here’s to the good guys,’ she said.

  Milo put his hand on hers, gently taking the glass away from her. ‘I don’t think you want to drink that,’ he said softly, looking into her eyes.

  April felt her heart do a backflip. ‘What do I want to do, then?’ she asked, the alcohol making her reckless.

  ‘This ...’ he said and bent forward, his full, warm lips pressing against hers in a soft, soft kiss. April pulled back a little, thinking of Gabriel for a moment, but only for a moment. Why am I thinking about that selfish idiot? Then Milo kissed her again, this time with more urgency, his tongue seeking hers, his hot mouth on hers, and she thought of nothing else.

  ‘Oh God,’ she murmured as he pressed his body against hers, his hand sliding behind her neck to draw her closer. She did nothing to stop him. It was so good, she never wanted the moment to end. He pulled his mouth from hers and began to kiss her neck, her ears, nuzzling into her hair.

  ‘You’re so sweet,’ he whispered, his hands slipping teasingly over her body, her pulse racing in response. ‘So beautiful ...’

  Milo was kissing his way down her neck now towards the soft swell of her breasts. It felt so good, so right. Cautiously at first she slid her
hand beneath his shirt, feeling the firm muscles of his chest. He moaned in pleasure as her fingers brushed his nipple.

  ‘Let’s find a bedroom,’ he whispered into her ear.

  Her heart pounding, dizzy from his kiss, she nodded slowly, closing her eyes as he kissed her again. When she opened them again, clinging to Milo, she froze on the spot. Gabriel Swift was standing in the doorway glaring at them. His eyes were narrowed, his jaw clenched, his whole body exuding anger.

  April froze, her mouth open, unable to look away from Gabriel.

  ‘What’s the matter ...?’ said Milo, before seeing her face and turning towards the door.

  ‘What do you want?’ he hissed at Gabriel, clearly angry at being disturbed.

  ‘Let her go,’ said Gabriel simply.