The Anxiety of Kalix the Werewolf (10 page)

Vex, dancing nearby, stumbled into them. The impact pushed Kalix into Decembrius and he instinctively put his arm out to support her.

Vex grinned. “Are you having a nice cuddle?”

At that moment, the full moon appeared in the sky outside. Instantly, Kalix and Decembrius changed into their werewolf shape. Seeing this, Vex laughed. They heard howling from the kitchen from the twins, who had also changed. They didn't need to howl, but they knew it would annoy Dominil.

Decembrius received the customary boost brought on by the werewolf change. He noticed that he had Kalix in his arms, so he kissed her, feeling it was the only reasonable thing to do.

Kalix kissed him back, very briefly, but withdrew. “I have to get up early in the morning.”

“No, you don't.”

“Yes, I do.”

Decembrius looked at Kalix suspiciously. As far as he knew, Kalix never had to get up early in the morning. She wasn't working and college hadn't started yet. He frowned.

“Well, so what if you have to get up early?”

“So you can't stay the night.”

Decembrius felt his humiliation returning. “I didn't ask you if I could stay.”

“You were going to.”

“How do you know I was going to?”

“Because you're kissing me.”

Decembrius's powerful feeling of well-being brought on by the werewolf change evaporated rapidly. Kalix refusing to sleep with him before he'd even suggested it seemed particularly humiliating. He suddenly felt
too annoyed with Kalix to argue about it.

“Who'd want to stay with you anyway?” he said harshly. He pushed Kalix away, then stormed off to the kitchen. There he found himself in the midst of an argument, with Beauty and Delicious on one side and Dominil on the other.

Dominil was irate. “You invited Pete? When we're all werewolves?”

“Why not?” said Beauty. “He knows we're werewolves anyway.”

“That doesn't mean we should invite him to see us. Are you both insane?”

“Moonglow said they were short of boys,” said Delicious, who didn't see why Dominil was making such a fuss. “And he's one of the few boys who won't be shocked to socialize with werewolves.”

Dominil shook her head. She was struggling to control her temper over the twins' idiocy.

“What about Kalix and Decembrius? Pete doesn't know they're werewolves. Don't you know it's taboo to give clan secrets away?”

Delicious shrugged. “I never thought about them,” she admitted. “But hey, what's another werewolf or two? Pete won't tell anyone.”

Dominil snarled in frustration. The bright light from the naked bulb in the kitchen reflected from her sharp teeth.

“He won't tell anyone? He's a guitarist in Camden. That doesn't make him trustworthy. And would you stop trying to force me into some sort of relationship with Pete? I've told you a hundred times, I'm not interested.”

“Have you really given it a shot?” asked Beauty. “Maybe with a bit more werewolf passion?”

“Who's got werewolf passion?” asked Vex, who chose this moment to stumble into the kitchen. “Is it Decembrius?”

Decembrius looked uncomfortable.

“I don't think kissing Kalix was a bad idea,” said Vex. “Even if she shot you down in flames.”

The twins sniggered. Decembrius looked furious.

“She did not shoot me down in flames.”

“Yes, she did. Hey, don't look at me like that. It's not my fault if she won't sleep with you. Don't be embarrassed. Kalix is really beautiful, anyone would want to sleep with her. Isn't that right, Beauty?”

“Definitely.”

“You see, they agree with me,” said Vex. “There's nothing wrong with wanting to sleep with Kalix. If she rejects you in a crushing manner, well, that's just unfortunate. And a bit embarrassing, I suppose.”

Decembrius left the kitchen with an angry scowl on his face. Agrivex turned to the twins. “I could really do with a boyfriend. Do you know anyone nice?”

CHAPTER 14

With Dominil furious, Decembrius humiliated, Kalix moody, Daniel crushed and Moonglow uncomfortable, the party might have ground to an uncomfortable halt. As it was, Vex's and the twins' high spirits were enough to keep things active and noisy. During a pause in the music, the doorbell rang, with an insistence that suggested the caller had been ringing for a long time.

“I'll get it,” cried Vex.

“Who could be calling?” Moonglow was worried. “We can't let anyone in with . . .” She looked around awkwardly.

Beauty and Delicious laughed. “With werewolves everywhere? Don't worry, it's probably Pete.”

“He knows you're werewolves?”

“Unfortunately, he does,” said Dominil. “It's still exceptionally stupid to invite him here.”

With the full moon above, none of the werewolves were able to resume their human shape. This frustrated Decembrius. After his disagreement with Kalix, he'd liked to have departed, but it would mean skulking his way through backstreets and gardens. He had done this occasionally in London, but it was a risk he'd rather not take.

Vex appeared in the room with Pete in tow. “Look, it's Pete the guitarist! I said there were werewolves here and it was a secret, but he said he knew already so I said he could come in!” Vex beamed, pleased to have another visitor.

Pete greeted the twins, politely thanked Moonglow for having him as her guest, then attempted to sit on the arm of Dominil's chair. Dominil angrily brushed him off.

“Uh . . . hi,” said Pete.

Dominil glared at him. “I have no idea what you're doing here and I'd advise you to leave. You're not welcome.”

Dominil, as an angry werewolf, made for an intimidating sight. The
atmosphere sank. Pete looked embarrassed and quite alarmed. Even the twins seemed surprised by the strength of her unfriendliness.

“Have some wine,” said Vex. “I'm Vex! Or did I tell you that already?” She laughed, and Beauty put music on, masking the awkwardness.

Moonglow stood close to Kalix and whispered in her ear, “Are you really getting up early tomorrow? Or were you just . . .?” She glanced at Decembrius.

“I am,” said Kalix. “I've got to do something.”

“What?”

“Something private, with Dominil. I didn't think it would happen so soon, but Dominil just told me she's got everything ready. That's why she came tonight. We'll be going away for a few days.”

Moonglow was concerned.

“Don't worry,” said Kalix. “I'll be fine.”

“Is it going to be violent?”

“No. It's just something private.”

Moonglow dropped the subject, knowing there was no point interrogating Kalix. But Moonglow remained worried because, in her experience, any time Kalix left the house for a few days, violence would ensue. She'd come back wounded, either from fighting other werewolves, or the hunters.

“It'll be fine. No fighting,” said Kalix, confiding a little more than she might normally have. “I'll be back in a few days.”

“Can you really not tell me where you're going?”

Kalix shook her head. Moonglow dropped the subject. At least Kalix would be with Dominil. Moonglow knew of Dominil's reputation. She was intelligent, competent and powerful. She would keep Kalix safe, if anyone could.

CHAPTER 15

Kalix yawned. She'd had only a few hours' sleep before Dominil had woken her. She looked down at the clouds below.

“I didn't know we'd be above the clouds.”

Kalix had never flown before. She was nervous, but Dominil's presence was calming. Besides, she had more to worry about than a flight to Inverness.

“Do you know the way once we get to the airport?” asked Kalix.

“I'll find it. The rental car has GPS, I checked.”

Kalix nodded. According to Dominil, they'd still have some hours of driving after reaching Inverness. It was the closest airport to Minerva's mountaintop, but Minerva's retreat was in a very isolated spot.

“I wonder what happened to Decembrius?”

Last night Dominil had slept in Kalix's room. Wakening early in the morning, they'd found the twins passed out on the couch downstairs, with no sign of anyone else.

“Do you think he might have gone out at night?”

“As a werewolf?” said Dominil. “Unlikely. How badly did you insult him?”

“I don't know. I didn't mean to insult him at all. But he was hinting about sleeping with me. I said I had to get up early in the morning.” Kalix pursed her lips. “I suppose that does sound like an insult.”

Kalix gazed down at the clouds again. She found it amusing to be flying above them.

“Do you think I should have slept with him?”

“I have no opinion,” said Dominil.

Dominil fell silent. Kalix knew her cousin didn't want to talk, but found it difficult to remain quiet.

“I'm nervous. Not about flying. About . . . you know, Minerva.”

“I am a little discomfited too,” said Dominil. “But Minerva says she can help us end our addiction, and lessen the withdrawal symptoms. It's worth trying. We both know we've got to stop taking laudanum.”

Kalix stared at the back of the seat in front of her. She wasn't looking forward to the next few days. Though she was only eighteen, Kalix had been addicted to the opiate for years. Her addiction was widely known throughout the clan, and was a large part of the reason for her disgrace. Kalix's mother burned with shame if ever the topic was raised. Kalix's brother Markus and her sister Thrix regarded her addiction with contempt. Throughout history, a few werewolves had exhibited a peculiar weakness for the drug. Becoming addicted to it was regarded as extremely shameful. Anything Kalix did was attributed either to her craziness or her drug addiction; as far as the clan was concerned, the addiction was worse.

Dominil's addiction was secret: Kalix was the only person who knew. Dominil had managed to keep it under control. Nonetheless, she was addicted. For months, she and Kalix had been traveling to Merchant MacDoig's shop in East London to purchase laudanum, and paying
heavily for it. The Merchant knew he had a captive market and kept his prices high. This was a drain on Dominil's limited resources, and was worse for Kalix. There had been plenty of occasions in the past when she'd stolen to support her habit. Recently, she'd found herself tempted to steal from her flatmates, and while she had resisted the urge, it was this that had made her agree to Dominil's suggestion of appealing to Minerva for help.

It annoyed Dominil that she was so dependent on the opiate. Dominil had little empathy with the world, and a very powerful intellect that could not always be satisfied by her computer work, or her love of history. There were times when she was dreadfully, numbingly bored. During one such time she'd taken laudanum. It had warmed her inside and made her forget her boredom. It hadn't taken long to become addicted. Now she needed the substance, though the warmth it had once given her had mostly faded.

“Do you think it will hurt?” asked Kalix.

“Hurt? I shouldn't think so. Minerva isn't going to punish us.”

“Is she going to work some spell?” said Kalix hopefully. Perhaps Minerva could easily make them better with magic.

“I'm not certain,” admitted Dominil. “When I talked to her on the phone, she mentioned a herbal treatment to ease the withdrawal. But I'm sure we'll suffer for a while till it clears out of our systems.”

“I wish she'd just use magic,” said Kalix gloomily.

“By reputation and by my observation, you are very resistant to magic,” Dominil pointed out. “Possibly because of your unusual birth.”

“I hate my unusual birth,” moaned Kalix and sank into her small chair. The closer they came to their destination, the more nervous she was becoming. Her head drooped and she stared at her boots.

“I'm scared of this.”

“There is no need for fear,” said Dominil. Kalix didn't think she sounded quite as confident as usual.

Inside their hand luggage, they each carried a bottle of laudanum. A brown, antique-looking bottle, as supplied by Merchant MacDoig. Minerva had advised them to keep taking their normal dose until they reached her retreat. Dominil had kept on carefully measuring out the amount she needed each day. Kalix had too, though she was gripped by a desire to take more, to use it all up before it was taken away, as if filling herself with the drug might somehow insulate her from the unpleasantness to come.

“Are you still helping the band?” asked Kalix.

“Yes.”

“Do you enjoy it?”

“Not a great deal.”

“Then why do you do it?”

“Partly because the Mistress of the Werewolves asked me to, to keep the twins out of trouble. And partly because I can't think of anything else to do. Since leaving Oxford, I haven't managed to establish a clear set of ambitions.”