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

‘They tried to shoot Lucy when they first saw her. She’s not hurt. Neither am I,’ I added. ‘And I’ve withheld information about the bogles and the Travotel. Let’s keep them contained for now.’

He nodded tightly. ‘Good plan.’ He folded his arms across his chest and I knew he was considering all eventualities. ‘Why did you take them through Cuddles’ territory?’ he finally asked. ‘We normally leave him in peace.’

‘Stress test,’ I answered. ‘I wanted to see how they would react.’

Julian smiled approvingly. ‘And?’

‘The goons will listen to Barrett for now. I suspect that won’t always be the case. They were scared of Cuddles and they’re nervous about what else they might meet in the streets. We can work with that. Fabian Barrett is less apprehensive than the others and he’s also obviously a smart man. If we’re going to get what we need out of this relationship, namely supplies, we need to tread carefully. He has to feel that he’s getting something back too.’ I smiled. ‘He wants to be the hero so let’s allow him some of that. Not too much though, or his supposed bodyguards will take over.’

‘You’ve done well, Charley,’ Julian said.

Monroe frowned, worry still dancing across his expression. ‘Are you sure you’re alright?’

‘I told you.’ I dismissed his concern with a smile. ‘I’m fine.’ I glanced back. ‘I’d better go and retrieve them and bring them round. Oh, he likes to be called Fab.’

‘Fab?’ Monroe’s tone made it clear what he thought of the billionaire’s nickname.

I smirked. ‘Says it all really, doesn’t it?’ I swept a glance over the assembled crowd. ‘Let’s get ready to rock, roll and squeeze every damn thing we can out of Fabian Barrett.’

As I’d anticipated, Fab and his entourage had already started moving again, walking slowly towards our enclave with undisguised tension. He didn’t strike me as the kind of person who would hang around and follow orders from others, even when entering an apocalyptic zone filled with unknown terrors. Neither did his miniature army.

I suppose I should have been pleased that they weren’t merrily skipping towards us without a care in the world. I dreaded to think what might happen if something untoward happened to Britain’s most famous tech billionaire while he was in our city.

A few uneasy thoughts slid through my mind about what the outside world might have been planning for Manchester’s future up until now. Had we been naïve to assume we were going to be left alone? It was impossible to think that anyone would want the entire city bombed into oblivion because of the non-existent threat we posed. It had come up in conversation a couple of times but it had always been dismissed as even a vague theory and I’d never seriously entertained the idea. Then again, I’d never thought that our magic would be described as ‘the Plague’. Perhaps we needed Fabian Barrett’s help more than we realised.

‘Well,’ Julian muttered behind me, ‘at least we know they won’t be running off without us any time soon. In those suits their top speed must be about a mile an hour.’

‘How do you think they pee?’ Cath asked.

Good question. They didn’t seem in any hurry to return beyond the walls to empty their bladders and I knew they didn’t want to roam around at night. Dusk was already closing in and it would be another ten hours before the sun rose. But I didn’t think they’d want to take off their hazmat suits any time soon either.

I squinted at them as they drew closer. I was certain Fab had something up his sleeve. I was intrigued to find out what.

I beamed at the little group. ‘Everyone’s thrilled to meet you,’ I said. ‘There’s already quite a welcoming party.’

Boyce and the others didn’t look as happy as Fab at this information. ‘We only want to talk to the leader,’ Boyce sneered. ‘I assume that’s not you.’

He was right; it wasn’t me. That was through choice, though, and Boyce didn’t need to know that.

I gave him my prettiest, most innocent, butter-wouldn’t-melt, girly smile. ‘I’ll just get him for you,’ I said. I turned round and jerked my chin at Julian. He would do for now. Fortunately, he understood immediately and strode forward.

‘You can leave us now,’ Boyce snapped.

I curtsied and twirled away. I wasn’t sensitive enough to take umbrage at his patronising demeanour. In fact, I far preferred it when I was underestimated. It was easier to win that way.

‘What’s going on?’ Monroe asked, when I returned to his side.

‘They want to talk to our esteemed leader,’ I said with a wink. ‘I thought that offering Julian up would be the best bet.’

‘Do they know he’s a werewolf?’

My grin widened. ‘Probably not.’ I reached up and pressed my lips against his. There was a vaguely unpleasant odour clinging to his skin. ‘What’s that smell?’ I asked, pulling back.

A muscle ticked in his jaw. ‘Guess.’

I wrinkled my forehead. Then I realised. ‘Oh.’ I stepped away. ‘You ought to get yourself cleaned up.’ I clamped my hand over my mouth and tried hard not to laugh.

‘I would have done,’ he said through gritted teeth, ‘if you hadn’t taken it upon yourself to travel to the door on your own and almost get yourself killed in the process.’

‘I wasn’t even close to getting killed.’ I sniffed. ‘But judging by your smell, you were.’

He glared at me. ‘The hell hound had diarrhoea.’

I bit my lip. ‘Did you get hold of the message cylinder?’ I asked, still ridiculously entertained.

Monroe crossed his arms. ‘No. It will probably be days before it shits the damn thing out.’

‘Well,’ I said, tears springing to my eyes with the effort of keeping in my giggles, ‘it’s just as well I went to the door on my own instead of waiting for you.’

He muttered something uncomplimentary under his breath. I coiled my arms round his neck. ‘Don’t worry,’ I whispered. ‘I still love you, no matter how smelly you are.’

Something glinted