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

that when she got to know you.’ I grinned and winked. ‘She was in a hurry to escape because I told her what happened between us yesterday. She feels awkward about the situation.’

His eyebrows shot up. ‘You told her about us?’

‘She’s my friend,’ I said simply. ‘I needed to offload.’ Then, more gently, ‘You might want to try it some time.’

Monroe smiled faintly. ‘I’m not sure Anna wants to hear about my problems.’

I tsked. ‘I meant with your friends.’

‘I don’t have any friends.’

I watched him patiently. ‘I’m sure you do. In fact I know you do. I’m your friend.’

‘My friend?’ he asked softly.

I didn’t blink. ‘Yes.’

His eyes grew more intense, to the point where it was difficult to look away. ‘Even after our … argument yesterday?’

‘It wasn’t much of an argument,’ I said. ‘It was mostly me yelling and you listening.’

‘Because you were right,’ he murmured. ‘I am beginning to re-think my policy of isolationism.’

I’d already suspected as much but it was good to hear him say it. A thrill of delight ran through me. Maybe our future was brighter than I’d thought.

‘The reason being,’ he continued, ‘that if everyone is together in the same place, it’ll be easier to keep an eye on them all. It’ll improve all our safety and ensure all our survival.’

My happiness dissipated slightly. He was still fixated on the idea of survival at all costs. What about the quality of that survival? I told myself that I should be happy that he was concerned about everyone’s future. I’d had visions of Monroe’s community as a series of separate enclaves, with each race protecting itself from the others.

‘I was discussing the vampires’ situation with Theo,’ he said, surprising me. ‘We’ve decided to create covered walkways so they feel more comfortable coming out during the day. They didn’t used to be affected by sunlight, not until all the magic shit occurred. It’s made them more powerful and more vulnerable at the same time. If we can bring them into the community more often, they’ll feel less separate.’ He paused. ‘And less likely to go out and commit murder.’

I shifted uncomfortably. Monroe was no fool and he gave me a sharp look. ‘What is it?’

‘I have a theory,’ I said. ‘One you’re not going to like.’

His expression grew grim. ‘Go on then.’

‘A vampire’s natural instinct is to drink blood. A wolf’s natural instinct is to hunt. What if the magic in the air is merely amplifying those instincts? What if neither Philip nor Maggie could help what they did?’ I started to warm to my topic. ‘It’s like the old fable of the scorpion and the frog.’

Monroe’s eyes narrowed slightly. ‘The frog carries the scorpion across a river to save it and the scorpion stings the frog, drowning them both, because that’s its natural instinct. That’s what you mean?’

‘Yeah. Vampires will kill humans because they need their blood.’

‘And werewolves will attack because they can’t help it. It’s not logic, it’s just base need.’

I was relieved that he understood what I was getting at and wasn’t upset by it. I bobbed my head enthusiastically. ‘Yep.’

‘If that’s true,’ he said softly, ‘it seems to me that you’ve created your own reasons for isolationism to continue rather than to stop.’

Hang on a minute. ‘That’s not what I meant!’ I protested.

‘It’s true, though. If we can’t stop ourselves then you have to stay away to keep yourselves safe.’ His mouth tightened. ‘Perhaps you’re right. All the humans should be kept away from the supernaturals.’ He stepped back from me, seemingly already implementing the policy.

‘I was not suggesting that!’ I glared at him. ‘I was only floating an idea!’

‘A valid one.’ His expression had closed off. Shit, me and my big mouth. Why hadn’t I kept my daft theory to myself?

Monroe crossed his arms over his chest, forming yet another barrier between us. ‘If your idea is correct, there will be more deaths. Things will get worse.’

‘Not necessarily,’ I began. ‘If my idea is correct, we can work together to find ways to curb those natural instincts and let off steam. Knowledge is power, Monroe. Forewarned is forearmed. You can’t use this as a reason to hide away even more – you said yourself that it would be better if we were all together!’

He scratched his chin and his features tightened in pain. ‘I’m a wolf, Charley. If my natural instinct is to hunt and to kill and to be a predator, what if you become my prey? What if I can’t help myself and I hurt you?’ His voice lowered to a whisper. ‘What if I killed you? I have enough deaths on my conscience as it is.’

‘You wouldn’t do that. You wouldn’t hurt me.’

‘You don’t know that,’ he said flatly. He looked away. ‘I was thinking about therapy. Proper therapy. I thought I could speak to someone professionally then I might be able to sort myself out and be worthy of you. Of this life. I’m tired of fighting myself.’ His voice grew more strained. ‘Maybe I don’t have any choice, though. Maybe the only course of action is to stay away from you for good.’

Fucking hell. In the space of a minute we seemed to have gone from the idea of a happier future for everyone to utter hell. ‘Monroe,’ I said, ‘I think we need to talk about this a little more before either of us jump to any conclusions or do anything we might regret.’

The door slammed open and there was the sound of running feet. ‘Charley!’ Lizzy whirled into the room. ‘You have to come now!’

I shook my head. I couldn’t deal with squabbles over rations or water or whatever else was going on right now. ‘Someone else will have to deal with it, Lizzy. I’m busy.’

‘‘It has to be you. She demanded it was you. I don’t know what’s going on but if you don’t come now, someone is going to get hurt. Some green-skinned woman is going absolutely nuts. Green skin! She’s kicking off