Bloodfire (Blood Destiny 1) - Helen Harper Page 0,21

very convinced so I moved swiftly on. “So how are things in the land of the crime-stoppers?” I took a sip of the Coke and hoped that was enough of an opener to get him talking.

“Same old, same old,” Nick said with half a grin, “although there was a shocking case of burglary this morning.”

“And….?”

“And nothing. It was probably just kids. Perkins was broken into but nothing much was taken.”

Perkins was the local hardware store. It sold an array of DIY tools and kitchen implements. Probably not anything that a supernatural creature that left no tracks would be involved in. Not unless they had a penchant for home/cave/backwater portal improvements at least.

I feigned interest to keep him happy. “So what was taken?”

“A bag of coal and an electric screwdriver.” He leaned back on the stool and folded his almond brown arms.

“Riiight,” I said slowly.

“Like I said, probably just kids.” He smiled. The wariness in his eyes had gone and been replaced by a slightly over-eager expression that vaguely alarmed me. We’d parted on good terms but I wasn’t keen to have to quash any lasting hopes he might have that I was the woman of his dreams.

“Well, whatever keeps you busy, I suppose.” I gulped down the rest of my drink. Clearly there wasn’t anything to be gained from staying any longer.

“Leaving so soon?” he asked, the smile leaving his eyes.

“Like I said, I need to meet Tom.” I stood up.

“You should be careful out there, Mack. By the sounds of things there are a lot wild animals around at the moment.”

I paused briefly, half turning towards him.

“Didn’t you hear the racket last night? It sounded as if we’d been invaded by London Zoo.”

That would have been the pack, when John’s death was discovered. Nothing new for me there then after all. I pulled out a screwed up five pound note from my back pocket and left it on the bar, motioning to the barman to pay for Nick’s drink too. “Well, if I see any polar bears walking around with electric screwdrivers, then you’ll be the first person I’ll call.”

“Do,” he replied, with a cheesy wink.

I sighed inwardly and headed back out.

Trevathorn was a pretty place with window-boxes and cobbled streets but it was not exactly a teeming metropolis. After ten minutes of brisk walking from the door of the Hanging Bull, I was leaving the outskirts behind me and was in sight of the beach. The roar of the waves and salt in the air beckoned me and I quickened my step. I had briefly considered standing Tom up and going back to the site of John’s death to see what else I could dig up but I recognised that with the Brethren around that probably wouldn’t be smart. They had to have people out there already.

I stepped up to a jog, skirting the tough grass that scattered the path to the dunes. The moon remained high in the sky, throwing shadows across the landscape, although fortunately it would not be full again for another fortnight. By the time I rounded the top of the dunes, Tom was already on the sand, waiting. I slowed and took my time walking down towards him. Falling down once a day thanks to my seemingly inborn clumsiness was more than enough, thank you very much, and the sandy slopes were steep enough to warrant at least some care. The tide was out, leaving strands of seaweed and ocean detritus behind it. A small crab scuttled out of the way of my feet as the sand levelled out. Tom stood patiently, watching my approach.

I gave him a mock salute and, wordlessly, he handed me one of two wooden staffs before widening his stance in preparation. I ran my hands down its unvarnished length and it occurred to me that I was in need of some sparring. I had a lot of aggression still pent up inside. I wiggled an eyebrow at Tom, ducking just time to miss being hit by his first swipe. I retaliated with a crouching sweep that knocked him off his feet but he leapt up with more agility than he’d shown in recent sessions.

“Been practising much?” I inquired lightly.

He didn’t answer and instead began circling me. His left flank was open so I jabbed him under his ribs and was rewarded with a faint ooph. He tried to even the score with a swipe but I pulled back just in time so that his staff found nothing but