Bloodfire (Blood Destiny 1) - Helen Harper Page 0,18

“The masking worked – they didn’t smell you.”

“Sure, as long as I don’t plan on bathing any time soon and keep slathering myself every 6 – 8 hours, then I’ll be absolutely fine.” I retorted sarcastically.

Tom came closer. “You will be great. They’ll do the rites, choose the alpha, ask for leavers and then it’ll all be over.”

“He’ll still be dead.” I looked at Tom and breathed out. “Sorry. I just….”

“I know.” He reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my hair and changed the subject. “I miss the red.”

“Yeah, me too.”

I was pretty sure I could never be called vain but I did love my hair. I patted its new colour self-consciously.

Mackenzie.

Julia’s voice popped into my head.

I need you to meet me by the tree.

I’m on my way. I sent back immediately before turning to Tom. “I have to go.”

“Practise with me later?” His eyes held mine pleadingly.

“You want to join the Brethren.” It wasn’t a question.

“They’re not all bad, Mackenzie.”

“They’re brutes.”

“Please?” He blinked at me with large brown puppy dog eyes.

Oh for goodness’ sake. I sighed and nodded. “I’ll meet you at the usual place after dark. Around 8pm?”

Tom nodded at me and I spun around to leave the dorm. I padded down the draughty corridor to the stairs thinking for the millionth time how handy it would be to be able to shift into something warm and fuzzy. John had refused to install central heating, insisting that Cornwall’s warmer climate and woolly jumpers were enough. I shivered. My beloved keep was old and in dire need of a makeover. The stone steps leading down to the ground floor at least were covered with a shabby red carpet that had definitely seen better days. Some insulation was better than none, I supposed. John had said the keep had charm and character; I had retorted that Stonehenge had character but that it didn’t make me want to live there. I tugged at my ponytail and sighed. I missed him. I closed my eyes and briefly pinched the bridge of my nose, causing me to stupidly miss the hole in the carpet on the next step. My foot slipped and, before I knew it, I was sliding down the rest of the stairs on my arse, coming to land in a rather undignified heap at the bottom.

“Graceful as always, Mackenzie,” drawled Anton.

I glanced up and saw to my horror that he was stood there with two of the Brethren, the bored looking blonde and another, who were both looking down at me with slightly disgusted expressions. Shit. Shifters didn’t fall, they had too much balance and grace for that.

I cleared my throat too loudly, muttering something inane about ungainly new shoes designed for humans, and pulled myself to my feet. I aimed for the front door trying to pretend that my left hip wasn’t completely killing me and tugged at the handle to get out. I could hear Anton’s voice behind me. “Of course, not all our pack will impress you….”

I slammed the door shut behind me and stalked out before realising that stalking hurt too much and a limp was much more called for. That had been a careless move.

Several gleaming – and expensive – cars sat in the driveway. At the front was a sleek black sporty car and, just visible and bending down next to it, running his hands over the paintwork, was the green eyed Brethren bloke. I tried not to smirk as I realised that his showy pride and joy had clearly been scratched by one of the unreliable pieces of gravel that lined the ground of the drive. His back stiffened as he sensed my presence and started to rotate round to look at me so I quickly turned away and began walking smartly to the meeting point before he could start talking. I got lucky and he stayed silent, but I could feel his eyes on my back until I turned round the tree-lined corner towards the green.

By the time I reached the old oak tree where I used to practise archery, dusk was approaching. I could just make out Julia’s figure in the dim light.

“I’m sorry it took me so long, I…er…” I didn’t want to disappoint her with tales of my already clumsy human behavior.

“Enough. It’s not important,” she said dismissively. “Whatever you’ve done so far can no doubt be explained away.”

How did she do that? I could feel myself redden in embarrassment; it wasn’t my fault that