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

what you want, the opportunity to strike down an old man who challenges your authority.’ His lip curled. ‘Such as it is. You’re not doing a very good job of running our community. Effective or not, all leaders become tyrants in the end.’

I drew in a ragged breath. ‘No,’ I said. ‘They don’t.’

Monroe was wading into the water. ‘Nimue! Nimue!’

‘He’ll keep going,’ Albert remarked. ‘Even if you end my life here and now, that wolf will keep going after the mermaid. It’s his heart’s desire. He’s an animal. Better than that, he’s a predator and his purpose in life is to kill. He will kill the mermaid and then he’ll be at peace because he’ll truly understand his own nature and his own needs.’

I lifted up my chin. ‘Monroe isn’t like that.’

‘Yes, he is. And deep down, you know it just as much as he does.’ A knowing look flitted across Albert’s face. ‘He spoke about you. I do believe he’s in love with you, but he can’t deny the beast inside himself.’ He smirked. ‘I’ll prove it to you.’ He turned towards the lake. ‘Monroe,’ he called. ‘Listen to my voice. Leave the elusive little mermaid for now and come over here.’

Monroe didn’t hesitate; he swung round and walked out of the water, trudging towards Albert and me.

‘Monroe! Stop listening to him and look at me!’ I shouted.

He glanced in my direction. ‘Hello, Charley,’ he said. ‘You look lovely.’

I reached over and grabbed his shoulders, staring him in the face. His pupils were dilated and he had a dreamy expression, but he was still my Monroe. He would still listen to me. ‘Stop this,’ I said sternly. ‘You’re better than this. Give yourself a shake and become yourself again, not whoever this bastard wants you to be.’

‘Listen to my voice, Monroe,’ Albert repeated. ‘Charley is suffering. She’s in pain. You need to help her in the same way that I’m helping you. Kill her, and all her pain will disappear. She’ll be in a better place, a calmer place…’

‘Monroe, don’t you pay any fucking attention to him!’ I shouted. I shook him as hard as I could but he just continued to smile at me.

‘Kill her, Monroe,’ Albert repeated. ‘Make things better and ease her suffering. The wolf inside you wants to do it. It wants to tear into her soft flesh and rip her white skin. It wants…’

I slapped Monroe hard across the face. He blinked but his expression didn’t change. With desperation clawing at my insides, I gathered up all the magic inside me and flung it hard in Albert’s direction. At the last moment, Monroe nudged me and knocked off my aim, giving Albert the opportunity to sidestep. All that force went slamming into a tree behind him instead, splitting its trunk in two.

Albert’s voice hardened. ‘Do it, Monroe. Now.’

Right in front of me, Monroe shifted, his human form giving way to a massive wolf. He landed on the ground on all fours and bared his teeth, growling.

I started to back away. ‘Monroe, don’t do this.’ Almost of its own volition, magic flared again around my hands, ready to be dispensed at any moment.

‘Oh,’ Albert laughed, ‘this is too perfect. If you kill him, Charley, what does that make you? Go on,’ he urged. ‘Destroy the wolf before it destroys you. He’s already eating away at your insides. His death will save you from a destructive relationship that will do no one any good. Maybe once he’s gone, you’ll be able to concentrate on the rest of us in this city. You’ll focus on what’s important, not your pathetic love life.’

Albert’s words were becoming an incessant drone so I shut them out. I reached for Monroe, my fingers curling into his fur. He snarled once, a brief sharp burst, then he sprang towards me and his massive paws knocked me off my feet. I landed on my back, physically winded and emotionally destroyed.

Monroe’s body straddled mine, holding me in place. Then his jaws opened.

I squeezed my eyes shut. Make it fast, I prayed. Just make it fast. I held my breath and tensed as something wet and soft landed on cheek. I recoiled and felt my scream rising.

Wait.

A lick. That was definitely a lick. I peeked upwards, one eye open. Monroe winked. He lifted his head and howled for one blood-curdling moment. A second later, he turned and lunged at Albert.

I scrambled up as quickly as I could. I wasn’t sure I wanted to see this but I had to bear witness; the victims – and Monroe himself – deserved that much.

Monroe advanced on Albert, paw by soft paw. Albert had his hands up and, for the first time, looked strained and fearful. ‘Listen to my voice. You need to back away.’

Monroe shook himself, his red-tinged fur rippling.

‘Monroe…’ Albert said, his voice shaking. ‘You’re in pain. You’re afraid of yourself and what you might do. But you don’t want to do this. Not to me.’

Monroe growled, a vicious sound filled with unquenchable anger. I swallowed as his fur blurred. A second later he stood there, naked as the day as he was born and with his hands on his hips. ‘Oh,’ he said, ‘I do want to do it. I want to do it so very badly.’ He tilted his head downwards. ‘But I won’t. Because you can’t control me. I’m not a monster – at least, I’m not the monster you think I am. And you’re not worth it.’

Albert stared at him, his eyes wide. ‘It worked,’ he whispered. He began to smile, a sickening expression that did nothing to reassure me. ‘My therapy worked. You’re cured! You can move on with your life.’ He spread his arms. ‘Look at what I did! I saved you!’

It happened so quickly that I didn’t have time to react. A delicate hand, with one piece of straggly moss trailing down its wrist, reached up from the water, curled round Albert’s ankle and yanked. One second he was standing