Dark Heart Surrender (10 page)

‘You don’t speak much of Haris.’ Luca thought for a moment.

‘He succumbed to a dark energy. He allowed himself to be killed.’

‘By the Vulpecula?’

‘We don’t know. His bones were found in a remote region of the south. Miles from his home. It was the first time a wolf had not been strong enough to defeat death.’

‘I didn’t know.’ Luca ran a hand through his hair. ‘No one ever said.’

‘My great mother ordered us never to speak of it. A bad omen for the Hunters, she said, “To give up like that”.’

‘But why? Why did he give up? What happened?’

Ulfred sighed deeply. ‘He allowed himself to be seduced by the Vulpecula.’

‘What do you mean?’ Luca asked. ‘A romantic seduction?’

‘It’s more complicated than that. He found himself helping them to gain status on Nissilum. They offered him and his family some kind of supreme protection. For all time. They ”arranged” for the family land to be increased, way beyond legal perimeters, by terrifying the surrounding landowners into submission. Slowly, my great mother found that her old friends would not speak to her, avoided her. She was excluded from all social events. My father, he remembers being shunned by people he had known since birth.’

‘So the whole family were ostracized?’ Luca shook his head. ‘That’s awful.’

Ulfred nodded. ‘My father left home, came all the way across country beyond the great barrier, to forge a new life for himself. I was not allowed to see my great parents for years. My father was so furious. My great mother was staunchly loyal to her husband, of course. She refused to facilitate a reunion, refused to beg Haris to stop.’ He paused. ‘Of course, he couldn’t stop. He was under some kind of spell. She knew that. Though my father did not find out until Haris was dead.’

‘I never knew any of this. But what happened to the Vupecula then? How did they come even to be on Nissilum?’

‘In those days, visitors were allowed on Nissilum for short amounts of time. After a few months they needed to present the correct paperwork or be deported. The Vulpecula would never risk being exposed, so they all left. And were never seen or heard from again on Nissilum.’

‘Where did they go? Mortal Earth?’ Luca swallowed, not really wanting to know the answer to his question.

Ulfred didn’t answer for a long time. He simply stared ahead of him and then finally took a breath, saying, ‘No one knows for sure.’

‘But then they could be alive – on Mortal Earth?’ Now it was Luca’s turn to stare into the distance. It was a remote possibility and it seemed ridiculous. But if it was true, then he and Jane were in danger.

Suddenly he couldn’t wait to get back to her. He got to his feet, putting one hand on his father’s shoulder.

‘I need to go,’ Luca told him. ‘I just—’

‘Yes.’ Ulfred closed his own hand over his son’s. ‘I understand. You must go.’

Luca had got a few steps away before he heard Ulfred call out to him.

‘You will tell me, won’t you, Luca? If you need help, at any time. You would always tell me?’

Luca felt a lump in his throat at his father’s words.

‘Of course,’ he told him. ‘Always.’

I
 was still fuming as I cycled home. Polly’s little theory was ridiculous. The memory of Ade’s face that night, mocking and entitled – every time it came back to me, I felt my face setting in fury.

As if I would ever want someone like that!

I changed gear going up the steep hill, the final leg of the journey. I realized my heart was beating too fast and my body took over, draining my thoughts, and I felt strength sapping out of me as I slowed.

I stopped, taking a breath and dismounted, looking around me in the twilight. It was so quiet and peaceful, except for that feeling of dread that was creeping over me that made all my cognitive powers seem to run in slow motion.

In the undergrowth, in the banks either side of the road, night-time creatures rustled. I jerked out of my torpor to see a flash of amber-coloured fur darting through the bushes. My heart stopped beating for a moment, my eyes fixed on this creature, rippling stealthily up the bank.

‘Who’s there?’ Still holding on to my bike’s handlebars I craned forwards, but the animal, whatever it was, was fast moving out of sight. As it reached the top of the verge, at the point where the thick woods began, it turned, its eyes flashing in the darkness, looking straight at me.

I felt air rushing through my head, forcing out all thoughts, leaving just the impression of this silky-coated creature. For a moment I forgot where I was, where I was going, as a sound like tinkling bells cut through the vacuum.

The blare of a car horn blasting jolted me out of my thoughts. I turned, squinting at the glare from the headlights, as a figure got out of the driver’s side and started talking to me.

‘What’s going on?’ I heard, though I didn’t know who had spoken, me or the person standing before me. ‘Jane?’ My eyes swam into focus and I recognized Luca anxiously watching me.

‘Oh.’ I looked down at my bike and then back up at him. ‘I guess I just got tired. This hill, it’s too steep.’

‘And you have no lights.’ Luca stepped forward and took the bike out of my hands. ‘Not functioning lights, anyway.’

‘I thought I’d make it back,’ I rubbed at my head, ‘before it got really dark.’

‘Are you all right?’ He put one hand out to touch me. ‘You seem a little dazed.’

‘I’m fine.’ I finally managed a smile. ‘How was work?’

Luca shrugged. ‘Back at the old training ground tomorrow. I had some errands to run today.’ His eyes flickered uneasily.

I moved to give him a hug. ‘I’m shattered.’ And it was true; I felt stupidly tired, as though someone or something had sucked all the energy out of me. I put my arm through Luca’s. ‘Can I have a lift?’

‘There’s no way you’re riding that bike with no lights,’ he said protectively. ‘So get in the car.’

‘Are you OK?’ I said, resting my head on his shoulder. ‘You look weird.’

‘Weird?’ He put his arm around me. ‘No, well … I’ll tell you about it later.’

There it was again, that uneasy feeling.

‘Something’s happening, isn’t it? Something strange.’

Luca’s silence wasn’t reassuring. He kept his arm around me, gently guiding me back to the car. Once we were both inside he put the keys in the ignition, then hesitated.

‘I went back to see my father,’ he said.

‘To Nissilum? I thought—’

‘I wasn’t going to go back – not for a while anyway. But I needed to talk to Ulfred. He’s a wise man and he knows pretty much everything there is to know about the history of Nissilum.’

‘What did you need to know?’ I asked. ‘You live here now, Luca. It’s a little dull, I realize that, being so mortal and all, but—’

‘I needed to ask him about the Vulpecula,’ he interrupted me. ‘They’re an ancient breed of malevolent fox.’

I stared at him for a second before I started grinning. ‘Are you serious?’ But a sudden recollection of a dinner conversation we’d had struck me, wiping the grin off my face. ‘I mean – they’re real?’

‘They were.’ Luca leaned back in his seat. ‘We thought they were extinct long ago. But now, well, we don’t know. Ulfred told me a story about my great great father Haris that casts doubt on that theory. Apparently he made some kind of pact with the Vulpecula a long time ago and there were consequences – fatal consequences.’

‘They killed him?’

‘Nobody knows. He could have killed himself.’

I sighed. ‘Not another one.’

‘I don’t know,’ Luca said. ‘It’s all speculation really, but Ulfred certainly has a lot to say about the Vulpecula and their particular, deadly power. They use mental stealth, tricks of the mind, to trap their prey. They’re vicious, but not until they have used all of their mind games to cause harm. They deal in trades. They were forbidden from gaining citizenship on Nissilum, and they wanted revenge for that ultimately. They tried to use my great great father to gain them that right.’

‘How?’

‘He had great influence with the Celestials apparently, so they used him and then cast a spurious spell on him. I suppose it was a kind of brainwashing. The desired result being that they would be installed on Nissilum as rightful citizens, despite the fact that they had no intention of abiding by its laws.’

‘Well, it didn’t work, did it?’ I said, my heart in my mouth. ‘If it had worked then Nissilum would be a very different place today.’

‘It didn’t work. But the Vulpecula didn’t disappear as everyone thought or hoped. Or at least, I don’t think they did.’

We looked at each other. We were both of thinking the same thing. I remembered the flash of an animal I had seen only minutes before. It seemed ridiculous that these deadly foxes were here and—

‘Hey.’ A hand was rapping on the car window. Luca and I jerked, startled. Tentatively Luca wound it down and a head of tousled red curls appeared at eye level.

‘Ade?’ Luca was trying hard not to appear freaked out, which he was – we both were. ‘What are you doing up here?’

‘I came walking.’ Ade’s grin was broad and it seemed genuine enough. ‘I think I got a little lost.’ He looked over at me in the passenger seat and his expression was guileless, innocent almost. ‘That’ll teach me to be adventurous.’

I glanced at Luca. ‘Well … we can give you a lift back home.’

‘No,’ Ade said too quickly, but then the smile returned to his face. ‘I mean, I can walk back. It’s not too late, and I can take care of myself.’

‘OK then.’ There was a few seconds of awkward silence, before I found myself speaking again. ‘I live up that track. Would you like to come in for some tea or something?’ I had no idea why I had suggested that; the words had come out of my mouth before I could stop them. Luca was frowning at me, I could see it out of the corner of my eye.

‘I don’t want to bother you,’ Ade said. ‘But I did want to apologize. To both of you, for my behaviour the other night.’

‘It’s not us you should be apologizing to,’ said Luca in a low voice.

‘Yes. I have tried calling Ashley several times. But she won’t take my calls.’ He shrugged. ‘I guess I’ve blown it there.’

‘Uh huh.’ Luca’s hands were gripping the steering wheel tightly.

I bit my lip. I knew I should be hostile too. Hadn’t I been cursing Ade all the way home? But somehow my brain was erasing all my anger. And the way he was looking at me, so eager to be friends, no trace of arrogance … I was starting to feel sorry for him.

‘I’ll only stay a bit,’ he told us. ‘If your offer is still open.’

My mother was gazing at Ade as though he were the prodigal son. She seemed entranced by his Titian looks.

‘Extraordinary colouring,’ she cooed. ‘People are so weird about red hair. I think it’s beautiful.’

Luca and I exchanged a look. It was hard not to be amused by Mum’s fawning. It was so unlike her. Even Dot was sitting with her chin in her hands, staring intently at the stranger in our kitchen.

‘I’ll shave it off one day,’ he said, smiling at her. ‘It’s been more trouble than it’s worth. People seem to think that it defines me somehow.’

‘People are so ignorant.’ She poured out some tea and handed Ade a mug. ‘Did you get teased at school?’

Ade’s face went blank for a moment. ‘At school?’

‘Yes. Kids are the worst.’ She sat down. ‘Jane knows all about that.’

‘Mum!’ I glared at her, before rapidly composing myself and turning to Ade. ‘I had a bit of trouble at school. But then I was home—’

‘What kind of trouble?’ Ade’s eyes seemed softer than usual, almost dewy with concern.

I shook my head, not wanting to pursue the subject, but again, finding myself talking.

‘They didn’t like me because they thought I was different. They don’t like anyone different.’

‘That’s certainly true.’ Ade drank some tea. ‘I’m sorry you had a hard time.’

‘It’s over now.’ I glanced sideways at Luca who looked unmoved. ‘And now I am happy.’ I put out my hand and took Luca’s, but it felt limp.

‘Yes,’ my mother said briskly. ‘All in the past.’ I saw her eyes flick up to the clock on the wall. ‘Would you like to stay for dinner, Ade? It’s getting late; I’m sure you must be hungry. You boys always are.’

There was tension in the air. I saw Ade considering, hesitating, before clocking Luca’s distinctly unfriendly expression.

‘That’s kind.’ He stood up and drained the rest of his tea. ‘But I have to be getting back. My grandparents always have food on the table at the same time.’

‘You live with your grandparents?’ Mum raised an eyebrow. ‘I didn’t realize …’

‘No, just visiting, while my parents sort things out.’ Ade’s face darkened a little; all of a sudden he looked smaller, like a little boy. ‘They’re getting on a bit, my grandparents, and they don’t like their routine disrupted.’ He shrugged. ‘I don’t want to upset them.’

‘That’s considerate.’ Mum looked approving. ‘Your grandparents live in Bale? I’m sure Luca or Jack will give you a lift back.’

‘That’s kind, but I’ll walk. I like walking.’ Ade told her. ‘Grandpa Pete will come and get me if I get lost.’