Page 30 of Skulk of Foxes
‘Or if she doesn’t,’ I said, ‘she might know someone who does.’
Alora looked confused. ‘Who’s Julie?’
I beamed. ‘She’s a…’ Searing pain flashed through my chest. I doubled over as it ripped through my body, tearing at my veins and arteries. Morgan was beside my knees in a second. I gasped and heaved, involuntary tears of agony rolling down my cheeks. I bit back the word I’d been about to say and moaned instead. It was all I was capable of.
‘The tea,’ Morgan growled at Alora. ‘What the fuck did you put in the tea?’
I waved a hand in the air to stop him. It wasn’t the damned tea. I’d barely drunk any of it.
‘I didn’t do anything!’ Alora protested.
‘She,’ I choked, ‘didn’t.’
‘Then what?’ Morgan demanded. ‘What’s wrong with you?’
I pulled myself back up to a sitting position. ‘It’s…’ I gasped ‘…the NDA.’
Morgan frowned at me, concern still flitting across his face. Suddenly his expression cleared. ‘Oh.’ He glanced at Alora. ‘I’m sorry. It was wrong of me to accuse you.’ He sat back in his chair. ‘Julie is a vampire. Maddy’s not allowed to speak of her vampirism because she foolishly signed a magic contract to that effect.’
Alora’s eyes widened. ‘A vampire? You’ve met one? I knew they existed but no living bogle has ever met one.’
Morgan looked smug. ‘You’ll love this, then. Our particular pet vamp is none other than Julie Chivers.’
‘FromSt Thomas Close? The actress who plays Stacey?’
He nodded. ‘That’s the one.’
‘No way! I love her!’ Alora remained open-mouthed. ‘I always thought she looked good for her age.’
I waved weakly at the pair of them. ‘Hello? I’m almost dying here.’
‘You’ll be fine,’ Morgan said briskly.
‘You don’t know that,’ I groaned. ‘Besides, Julie’s ethnicity is supposed to be a secret. It’s why she made me sign the stupid NDA in the first place.’ My whole body still ached and tendrils of pain were uncurling in the deepest and most unpleasant of places.
‘I won’t tell,’ Alora breathed. She was obviously flabbergasted.
‘You’re just annoyed that I could tell Alora and you couldn’t,’ Morgan smiled.
I stuck my tongue out at him. Even that hurt. How was that even possible? ‘I hate it when you’re right,’ I muttered.
‘I’m always right,’ he told me.
‘I’m the super genius around here, buster,’ I said, with a slight toss of my head. I couldn’t move it much; it still hurt too badly. ‘It was me who thought of Julie in the first place.
Alora smiled slightly. ‘I can see why you two are such a good match.’
I wrinkled my nose then I grinned. ‘We’re awesome, aren’t we?’
Suddenly Alora’s front door burst open and Sitri and Bally galloped in. Morgan leapt to his feet. I tried to, but it was more of a stumble than a leap. Damn. That NDA magic was powerful stuff. My knees buckled and I fell back into the chair. Gasbudlikins.
‘Someone’s coming!’ Sitri burst out. ‘A Fey, heading here. We have outpost sentries all over the place. There’s no doubt that she’s coming in this direction.’
‘She? It’s not Rubus?’ Morgan questioned, his fists clenching.
‘No, definitely not. She’s not one of yours?’
‘No.’ Morgan looked down at me. ‘Get up, Madrona. We can’t sit around and drink tea when we might have been followed here. We need to find out who’s approaching.’
