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

Valerie shook off the shards that had landed in her hair and gazed at me while the others squealed and leapt backwards. ‘That wasn’t altogether reassuring.’

I gritted my teeth. ‘I was proving a point,’ I said. ‘I’ve got magic. Magic that can keep you all safe.’

Timmons stared at the mess on his once-gleaming lobby floor. ‘Was that really necessary?’

Monroe took my elbow and steered me towards the door. ‘We are leaving,’ he said.

‘The offer’s still there!’ I yelled over my shoulder. ‘You’re all welcome to join us!’

‘Charlotte,’ Monroe murmured, ‘no one is going to want to join us. You destroyed that hotel.’

‘All I did was damage a light fitting,’ I told him starchily. ‘We’ll check on you in a day or two,’ I called back before the door closed behind us. ‘You can still change your minds.’

Monroe sighed and ran a hand through his hair. ‘Heaven help them.’

Chapter Seventeen

Monroe remained pissed off for the whole journey back to my house. His anger was there in every line of his body. He stopped off at the first clothing store along the way and picked up something new to wear – tight jeans and a white T-shirt that moulded themselves to his body irritatingly well and did nothing to mask the stiff tension in his muscles and spine.

It was only when we finally drove into my neighbourhood that he chose to speak. ‘I understand,’ he said, with apparent difficulty, ‘that you want to help people. It’s a commendable intention. But these aren’t normal times, Charley. When the city is finally closed off for good tonight, those left behind are going to doubt their decision to stay. They’re going to panic and they’re going to fight. By encouraging others to join you, you’re putting everyone else in danger. It’s far safer to look after yourself. Lawlessness is going to rule and survival will be the name of the game.’

I pursed my lips. ‘I’m pretty certain that, by its very definition, lawlessness can’t rule,’ I told him. ‘Lawlessness means there are no rules. You’re not making any sense. Besides, you’re wrong. This is when everyone will pull together. Everyone who’s stayed behind has the shared experience of refusing to evacuate. We’re already a community, whether you like it or not.’

‘You’re inviting trouble by inviting others into your home. You can’t look after everyone. You have to look after yourself,’ he repeated.

I sighed. ‘Aren’t wolves supposed to be pack animals?’

Monroe was silent for a moment. ‘Yes,’ he said finally. ‘And look how that turned out.’

I winced. But as much as the man was still grieving, and as much pain as he was in, I couldn’t let his emotions dictate my future. I’d try to help him like I’d try to help anyone else, but there were limits.

The conversation stalled at the sight of Lizzy, Julie, Jodie – and various others – in the street outside our house. I breathed out, relieved that they were all in one piece. It didn’t look as if anyone had vampire bite marks.

‘Who the fuck are all those people?’ Monroe sniped.

‘I don’t know. But gee, look, they’re all helping move supplies into the houses.’ I blinked, wide-eyed and innocent. ‘They look like nice, helpful new neighbours. They don’t look dangerous to me.’

Monroe hissed through his teeth. ‘Yet,’ he said. ‘They don’t look dangerous yet.’

‘Pessimism is destructive.’

‘Optimism is weak,’ he shot back. He pulled up alongside them and turned off the engine. There was such raw pain in his words that I wondered if he felt that optimism had been his downfall. Optimism and arrogance.

‘You don’t have to stick around,’ I told him quietly. ‘There’s still plenty of time to leave Manchester.’ Strangely, I didn’t want him to go. He was annoying and far too taken with himself, but I quite liked having him around. But I wouldn’t stand in his way if leaving was the best thing for him to do.

‘I will leave when I choose.’ His mouth drew into a tight line, indicating that the conversation was over. We climbed out of the car.

Lizzy was already laughing at us. ‘A Smart car? Is that the best transport you could come up with?’

‘We had some trouble along the way.’ I smiled. ‘I’m glad to see that you guys are alright though.’ I nodded at Julie, who was signing an autograph for two young men who appeared giddy with excitement at being in her presence. ‘Any trouble?’

Lizzy shook her head. ‘She’s been good as gold. We grabbed the last of the blood supplies from the hospital, so she’s all filled up for now. Though if she’s going to stay with us, we’re going to need a better long-term solution.’

I grimaced. Yeah, we were. If only to keep Monroe quiet, we’d need a proper way to contain the vampire actress. And feed her.

Cath popped her head out of the door. ‘Hey!’ she said cheerily. ‘Good to see you’re back. Nothing happened here. I could easily have gone with you.’

‘Well,’ I said, ‘I almost got eaten by a swampy monster that’s now living in the canal, Monroe almost killed the last faery in Manchester and we bumped into Max. So perhaps it was wise that you stayed put.’

She blanched. ‘Oh.’

Monroe glared. ‘I didn’t almost kill the last faery in Manchester. I wanted to.’ He sniffed. ‘But I didn’t.’

Lizzy looked at me. ‘Are you alright?’

I nodded. ‘Fine. But I don’t think that Julie is the only person we have to worry about. We’re going to need to deal with Max properly or sooner or later he’s going to deal with us.’ My tone was ominous. It was meant to be. I sighed. ‘Anyway, where did all these people come from?’

She grinned. ‘We picked them up along the way. Most of them are on their own, so it seemed like a good plan to let them join us.’ She sent me a sudden, anxious look. ‘That’s okay, right?’

I grinned back. ‘That’s wonderful.’

Monroe