City of Magic: The Complete Series by Helen Harper (book club recommendations TXT) 📕

‘You are.’

‘I’m not…’ Monroe cursed. ‘Fuck it.’ He took hold of my shoulders and pushed me gently against the wall. At the same time, I pulled his face down towards me. His lips descended on mine, hot and insistent. Heat flooded through me. It wasn’t only my body that was responding; the magic inside me reacted too, tingling up and down and making me shiver, despite the searing heat of Monroe’s body pressed against mine.

‘Charlotte,’ he groaned.

‘I know,’ I whispered. ‘I know.’

His breath was coming fast and heavy. His mouth found mine while his hands moved away from my face and down my body. I couldn’t think straight. Nothing else existed apart from Monroe. Nothing else mattered. It was just me and him and…

There was the sound of a very loud cough. Barely registering it, my eyes flicked open then I jerked when I saw Cath, leaning against the doorframe and fanning herself. ‘I have one word for you both,’ she said. She raised her voice and crowed to the ceiling, ‘Hawwwwt!’

Monroe slowly pulled away from me. ‘Doesn’t anyone ever knock around here?’

I sighed. ‘Tell me about it.’

‘Honestly,’ Cath said, ‘I’ve been shipping you two for like ever. It’s about time you got it on.’

Monroe looked at me blankly. ‘Shipping?’

I shook my head. ‘Is there something you need, Cath?’

She grinned. ‘I can wait.’

I folded my arms across my chest then realised that half my shirt buttons were undone. Cheeks flushing, I fumbled to fasten them. ‘We’re done.’ I sneaked at look at Monroe.

‘For now,’ he murmured.

I blushed harder. ‘What is it, Cath?’

‘Anna told me you were heading north. I want to come along. The vampire’s body is there, right? I want to take a look.’

I swear she grew more bloodthirsty by the day. ‘I’m not sure that’s a good idea.’

‘I want to learn!’ she protested. ‘I examined Valerie’s body and I learned tonnes from that! I want to examine the vampire’s too. It’s all in the interests of medicine. It’s all very well stitching up the odd wound or handing out painkillers, but things aren’t always going to be so simple. I’m the only person with any kind of medical experience and I barely know a thing. I’m not being voyeuristic. I’m trying to better myself. I thought you’d appreciate that.’

‘You’re not the only person. We have two doctors in the north,’ Monroe said.

I started. ‘You do?’

‘Just because we’re werewolves doesn’t mean we can’t hold down a job,’ he said mildly. ‘Although there’s also a vampire who’s a cardiac nurse. I have no idea how that works.’

Cath jumped up and down. ‘O. M. G. I have to be there. Let me come with you!’

I frowned at Monroe. ‘How did I not know you had real doctors?’ We could have used them. Several times.

He looked apologetic. ‘I guess I thought you knew. It appears I’m only just starting to learn how important communication is.’

And then some. ‘What else do you have that we don’t?’ I enquired, still annoyed.

‘You’ll have to spend more time with me and find out.’ His eyes glinted.

‘Are you guys about to start snogging again?’ Cath asked. ‘Should I step outside?’

‘No.’ I sniffed. ‘We’re going to the north. We still have a murder to solve.’

‘So can I…?’

‘You can come.’ I gave Monroe a long look. Three months and only now I was learning there were real doctors? ‘Have you been holding out on me?’ I asked.

‘Not deliberately.’ He caught my hand and squeezed it. ‘I really am sorry, Charlotte.’

‘I bet they don’t have engineers,’ Cath said. She looked at Monroe. ‘Do you?’

He shook his head. ‘No.’

‘Ours are collecting generators from around the city,’ she chirped. ‘Before too long, we’ll have enough electricity for the whole community. If the magic doesn’t interrupt it, that is.’

He raised an eyebrow. ‘Is that right? We could do with some of that ourselves. You didn’t mention electricity before, Charlotte.’

‘We don’t have any yet. It’s a work in progress.’ I looked away. But, yeah, okay, I supposed we both had to work on our communication. And spend more time together in the process. I could live with that.

Chapter Sixteen

In the end, I was secretly glad of Cath’s presence as we journeyed to the north of the city. It meant that there wasn’t the opportunity for more awkward conversations with Monroe. Or distractions. My love life had to come second to Valerie’s murder; it wasn’t fair to her memory to spend my time being distracted by hearts and flowers. Or by how good Monroe smelled when he was pressed up against me. People died and life went on as it should. But there was still a time and a place, and this wasn’t it.

We dropped Cath off at the building earmarked as both a hospital and a morgue. I made a bet with myself as to the likelihood that her approach to blood and gore would make even the werewolf docs appear squeamish in comparison. Then Monroe and I strode towards the community’s centre, the imposing building in front of the square that served as the main hub, where Maggie was being kept.

It wasn’t just werewolves who were out on the northern streets now. With dusk falling, more and more vampires were visible. Their presence made it patently clear that they didn’t want to be locked away in their little enclave; they wanted to be out and about and involved in the world. They’d settled with the wolves rather than separating themselves away because they wanted to be part of things. I wondered how long that would last if the current climate of suspicion continued.

The vampires’ nervousness was amplified by the fact that they steered away from Monroe and me. There were a lot of side glances and under-the-breath comments. From what I could tell, none of them was complimentary.

Despite the attention, our progress was unimpeded until we reached the square. Monroe took my hand as we crossed and, warmed by the small but affectionate gesture, I stopped paying attention to the people around