“Okay, okay, Red. Whatever you need.” He picked up the papers and moved towards the door, then suddenly turned, holding up a finger. “Just one thing though – how does a dragon mate with a human in the first place? I mean how did your great-grandfather or grand-mother have sex with a fire breathing lizard?”

I was the spawn of a lizard. Oh my God.

Alex pushed Tom gently towards the exit. “Let’s not think about that part for now,” he said briskly.

Tom nodded slightly and finally left. Alex looked at me silently for a second before speaking. “So, what do you have in mind?”

“Whatever do you mean, Alex?”

“You know what I mean. You couldn’t wait to get rid of your wolf friend. And I’m getting to know you, Mack Attack.” He placed emphasis on the ‘Attack’. “You have a plan.”

I nodded briefly. “I have to get into that portal.”

Alex gave a sharp intake of breath. “I’m not sure that’s wise…”

“It’s what I was planning to do along anyway, Alex. And now it just makes even more sense. It’s me she must be after. If I go to her, then all this will stop.” I gestured around the kitchen and at the still present signs of the invasion. “You know it makes sense.”

“I know Lord Corrigan is planning something.”

I interrupted. “Lord Corrigan can go fuck himself.” I felt a brief twinge of something as I said his name. Regret? Fear? I wasn’t sure but I pushed it way and focused on the here and now instead. “Only I can do this. And I need your help to do it.” I held his eyes. Please, Alex.

He was silent for a long moment before speaking. “Okay, then, Mack Attack. What do you need?”

We walked outside into the cool night, heading for the little outhouse where the bolt of cloth was situated. Even after the Brethren had examined it, they’d left it where I’d placed it, unwilling to bring the death streaked material inside. It also meant that Tom wouldn’t know where we were should he manage to quickly hide the papers and then return looking for us. This was my fight.

Only the porch light leading from the keep was on, so we had to carefully pick our way along the path. I was alert for signs of the watchers that Corrigan had so arrogantly spoken of, but everything seemed quiet. Perhaps the Brethren weren’t as good at their jobs as he thought they were. All to the good. Neither of us spoke until we entered the small hut. I winced slightly as the old hinges creaked when the door opened, but there were fortunately no sounds of alarm from the keep behind us.

Inside it was pitch black. I sensed Alex make a movement beside me, and the interior was suddenly glowing with a soft light.

“That’s a handy trick,” I grunted.

He shrugged and walked over to the cloth, recoiling slightly as he got closer.

“This reeks of power and death. Are you sure about this?”

I didn’t even deign to answer. He lifted up his palms slightly in acknowledgement and got to work. I watched him, still fascinated at the display of magic. His eyes closed, much as they had the previous time, and he began to chant softly. After a moment, the now almost familiar swirl of blue smoke curled around the cloth then began rising into the air and filling the small space. I felt my bloodfire warm in anticipation and I knew I was ready for this. It would kill me, but it would be worth it. And the rest of the pack would be safe.

Tendrils started sneaking away from the cloth and curling around my ankles. I felt tingles of cold on my skin and shivered slightly. Alex chanted louder and then fell silent. The smoke bled away into the atmosphere.

“It won’t activate again until you’re inside the portal,” he said softly.

“Good. That means nothing else will see it between here and there,” I commented. I deliberately kept the tone of my voice light. “And the portal itself?”

“Let’s synchronise our watches,” he said, with a ghost of a smile at the spy like phrase. “At exactly 2.15am, I’ll open it for ten seconds. I can’t give you longer than that though.”

“It’ll be enough.”

“You don’t have to do this, Mack. The Brethren…”

“Don’t, Alex. I do have to do this and you’re not going to change my mind.” I picked up the cloth, trying not shudder, and stuffed it inside a plastic bag to avoid the smell escaping. Then I shoved it into one of my backpack’s side pockets.

“I can come with you,” he offered tentatively.

I laughed sharply and without mirth. “You don’t do fighting, remember?” I touched him gently on his arm and tried to put conviction into my voice. “I will be fine and back here in no time.”

He smiled slightly at the lie. “I’ll wait right here for you then.”

I tried to smile in return. “Don’t wait up.” He looked at me with a mixture of sympathy, hope and understanding. “Thank you, Alex,” I said quietly, “for everything.”

“Anytime, Mack Attack.” He gave me a mock salute, which I acknowledged with a forced grin. Then I turned and left for the beach.

Chapter Twenty Five

As I left Alex and the wooden hut behind, I noticed that there was a light on in one of the third floor rooms, where Julia – and the Brethren – were housed. A shadow moved across the window from behind the drawn curtains but I couldn’t make out who it was. It didn’t matter though. I knew this area like the back of my hand and could easily skip in and out of the shadows, staying out of sight, until I could get away into the woods.

Despite my bluster in front of Alex, I was feeling a bit scared. Okay, more than a bit scared, in fact I was bloody terrified. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was the right move to make, however. I skirted behind a tree and then ducked to the fringes of the keep’s front garden, hopping over the low-lying fence. I was about to edge into the cover of the woods when I noticed a dark shape moving towards me. It looked vaguely lupine so I figured it was probably one of the Brethren out patrolling. Luckily, the wind was down so my scent wouldn’t carry far. I still froze, however, and waited, holding my breath and hoping the figure would turn into the garden rather than continue on towards me.

I counted my heartbeats. One one thousand, two one thousand, three one…excellent. The wolf turned back once it reached the gate and began to head down the way from which it had just come. I breathed a silent sigh of relief and entered the little forest. I paused just before the path, turning back to take one final glance back at the keep. My eyes travelled the length of its dark shape, over the familiar breeze blocks and slightly crooked outline. I prayed desperately that Julia would pull through. It didn’t bear thinking about what might happen if she didn’t. Hot anger flickered again inside me at what she, and the rest of my adopted family, were being forced to go through on my behalf. If I could stop Iabartu, it wouldn’t make amends for the danger I’d put them in or for the consequences my presence had caused them, but it would prevent any further problems. They could return to their quiet little lives, unbothered by the arrogantly superior Brethren or nasties that threatened their very existence. I tried not to wonder if any of them would really be sorry that I was gone. Tom would, probably. Betsy perhaps. I hoped that they realised what a good thing they had going here in our little corner of the world and didn’t take the decision to move to London with the Brethren. It was out of my hands now though.

I drank in the whole scene with my eyes and then turned back to the trees. It was time to go.

As soon as I reached the path, I picked up the pace and began jogging. I had about twenty five minutes before Alex opened the portal. I could have tried taking a shortcut and leaving the path, but I was still wary after my spell in the faerie ring earlier on and knew that the path would be quick enough. Part of me regretted throwing the majority of my coffee onto the kitchen wall. Some caffeine would have given me a much needed boost right now. Instead, I focused on the path and the satisfaction I would feel when I drove my silver dirk into Iabartu’s black heart.

Before too long I reached the beach. I slowed, knowing that there would still be some Brethren guards out keeping a watchful eye on the portal. Fortunately I’d come prepared for just such an eventuality. I walked slowly over the top of the dunes, arms outstretched just in case any trigger happy shifters decided to attack first and then ask questions later.

As before, there were two guards, standing watchful over the frozen gateway. Both heads whipped immediately in my direction but relaxed slightly when they realised that I wasn’t a threat. They still looked stiff and uncomfortable though, and, for just a brief moment, I felt slightly sorry for them. It couldn’t be easy being made to stand here all night, in rural Cornwall, and know that their lives and the lives of their friends were being risked for a bunch of not very powerful, yokel pack shifters. My sympathy didn’t last long, fortunately.

The one closest to me, the werefox, kept his gaze trained warily on my approach. I figured that they didn’t entirely trust me after Corrigan’s implication that I had deliberately abandoned them to be attacked. The other had switched her focus back onto the portal itself.

“Hiya!” I forced my voice to be bright and cheery.

Neither of them replied but I continued up towards them. “I couldn’t sleep so I thought I’d come out for a walk and see if either of you needed a break.”

“We are fine,” the fox grunted, as expected.

“Well, how about a drink, then? You must need something by now to keep your energy levels up.” I pulled a couple of cans of Coke from my backpack – from a separate compartment to the silver weapons, of course – and offered them out to the both of them, keeping the smile fixed on my face.

The werefox looked like he might tell me to piss off for a second, but clearly his thirst won over and he grudgingly accepted both of them, handing one to his colleague. I checked my watch. Still five minutes to go before Alex would release the portal. I figured it’d give me a chance to brush up on my small talk skills at least.