Page 74 of Skulk of Foxes
‘I knew you’d come through and do the right thing.’ There was a smile in Rubus’s voice.
That wasn’t right. I struggled to move, every atom of my body straining. I managed to wiggle my little toe. That was hardly going to cut it.
‘Stop her!’ Jodie’s voice screamed. ‘She’s got it. She’s going to…’ Her words faltered mid-sentence and there was a dull thud. I clenched my jaw and tried to move. What was happening? What was going on?
‘Julie,’ Morgan cried, anguished. ‘What are you doing?’
‘What I should have done all along.’ Her voice sounded very close, as if she were hovering over me. My last flicker of confidence in my soap-star friend started to ebb. Surely not? Surely she wouldn’t betray us? She’d be killing herself and destroying her own demesne.
I strained to move again. Were my muscles returning to life or did I just need to pee? It was hard to tell.
Rubus spoke again. ‘Thank you, Julie.’
There was the sound of a scuffle, followed by a loud oomph of pain. ‘Don’t!’
It was the horror in Morgan’s voice that gave me the impetus I needed to turn my head so I could see what was going on. I still didn’t have enough control over my limbs to save the day but I was able to focus for long enough to spot Julie passing the arsebadgering sphere into Rubus’s waiting palms.
No.
Dread filled me. What was she doing? This was crazy. I was supposed to be the mad one but it was starting to seem as if I were the only person who was sane.
Morgan stared at Julie in horror. ‘Why?’ he whispered.
She didn’t look even slightly guilty. ‘You have no idea what it’s like,’ she said. Her bottom lip trembled but her voice was firm. ‘To be afraid all the time. Not to know who’s going to come round the corner and attack you for who you are. I have no control over my vampirism. The only reward I have is that I get to live forever – assuming I’m not killed by a bunch of vampire hunters.’
I wet my lips. I was regaining control of my facial muscles if nothing else. When I spoke, however, it was little more than a hoarse whisper. ‘But we took care of the hunters. You’re safe.’
Julie shook her head. ‘One came at me only a few hours ago. It was only by luck that I survived. My house has been burnt down. Mysanctuary, Mads!’
‘That was Dave.’ I tried clearing my throat but it didn’t make my words any louder. ‘He worked for Rubus, for gasbudlikins’ sake.’
A brief tremor of doubt shivered across her and I felt hope flare. Then she squared her shoulders and her resolve appeared to stiffen. ‘He was proving a point. As long as this demesne remains as it is, I’m in danger. The magic build-up, which was created byyourloss of control andyourspells, showed me what my potential is. It showed me that I don’t have to be weak, I don’t have to live every minute of every day in fear, downing gin and tonic by the bucket just to get through. With magic flooding this world, I can finally win.’
‘At the expense of billions of lives,’ Morgan pointed out.
‘It’s not my job to worry about the world,’ Julie said. ‘It’s my job to worry about me. I can’t take this life any longer.’
‘You might not survive the transition.’
She smiled. ‘Oh, I think I’ll manage.’
Rubus was dancing from foot to foot, almost beside himself with glee. ‘Protest all you want, brother dear. The sphere is mine.’ He reached for it, ready to grab it from Julie’s outstretched hand.
Morgan threw himself forward, lunging to get to the sphere first. Julie snapped her jaws and I realised for the first time just how sharp her teeth had become. She tore at the flesh on Morgan’s hand with her incisors and blood spurted everywhere.
I strained again, doing everything I could to move, but my limbs were leaden. No matter how hard I tried, I wasn’t going anywhere.
It was over very quickly. Rubus rounded on Morgan and slammed his fist into his nose. There was a sickening crunch of bone, then Rubus pulled back and held the sphere triumphantly aloft. ‘I have it!’ he crowed. ‘I finally have it!’
There was a murmur from Rubus’s few remaining followers then one of them elbowed her way through. Lunaria looked even paler than usual, apart from two high spots of colour on her cheeks. When I saw the expression in her eyes, I swallowed. The madness reflected there was even more obvious than the craziness in Rubus’s emerald depths.
I licked my lips. ‘Morgan,’ I croaked. I swung my gaze round, searching desperately for him. He was curled up into a foetal position, with Rubus’s foot resting on his hip as if he’d just bagged himself some prey. I could hear Morgan’s ragged and uneven breathing. He wasn’t dead but he wasn’t going to be any help.
My fingers twitched as life stirred in my body. I gulped in air and continued to strain while Lunaria strode forward. Just as the numbness in my legs began to dissipate, she drew out a long, curved dagger. It was already stained with blood.
Rubus, finally sensing her approach, turned. ‘Ah, you’re there,’ he said. ‘That’s good. You can be by my side when I use the sphere. When we finally get back home to where we belong.’ He smiled, savouring his triumph.
Lunaria raised the dagger aloft, holding it high over her head.
