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

I sighed. ‘As I keep telling you, it’s Charley.’

‘You suit Charlotte better. Despite the ridiculous blue hair.’

‘I could say the same about your eyes.’

Monroe’s brow furrowed. ‘Eh?’

‘They’re a ridiculous blue colour too,’ I muttered. ‘It’s unnatural.’

A smile played around the corner of his lips. ‘You’ve noticed my eyes?’

‘You noticed my hair.’

His smile grew. ‘It’s not the same thing,’ he said, ‘and you know it.’ The eyes in question danced with amusement and perhaps with a touch of something else too.

I coughed and looked away. ‘It’s time,’ I said. ‘You need to go. So do I.’

He leaned in towards me. ‘Stay safe, Charlotte,’ he murmured. ‘I’ll see you on the other side.’ He dipped his head, brushing my cheek with a lingering kiss. A moment later, he opened the car door and was gone.

I had to take a few seconds to compose myself. Suddenly I was reminded of the last man – boy – who’d set my heart aflutter. It was a long time since the memory of Matthew Thomas Dwight had conjured up anything but despair but, on this occasion, the thought of him conjured up something entirely different.

I touched the spot on my cheek where Monroe’s lips had been – and then I felt horribly guilty. Lizzy was being held prisoner by mad Max, her life was very possibly in danger, and I was swooning over a werewolf because he had pretty eyes and a sexy accent. Fuck off, Charley.

I shook myself, slid into the driver’s seat and got a damned move on.

I drove the little car as close to the park as I could before getting out and walking the last short section. It was an even better location for a crime-fuelled handover than I’d realised. The overgrown trees had created a natural barrier; from the street leading into the cul-de-sac, it was impossible to see anything beyond massive trunks and impossibly large leaves, some of them the size of golf umbrellas. This was Manchester, not the Amazon rainforest, but the trees didn’t seem to know that.

With some difficulty I squeezed past two oaks and walked forward. Although the branches and leaves were so dense that the park was dark and shadowed, there was a definite clearing in the centre. A motorbike that had snagged on one of the many long tree roots was raised half a foot in the air, with only the might of nature keeping it upright. I wandered over to it, hopped onto the seat and straddled it to wait more comfortably. The tree root holding the bike in place creaked slightly but it held my weight.

I didn’t have to hang around for long. I’d barely wriggled my arse around to get comfortable when Max’s familiar voice rang out to my left. ‘Quite extraordinary, isn’t it?’ he said. ‘Nature herself has reclaimed this spot. The locusts didn’t touch this part of the city. I was tempted to get these trees cut down but I rather like the place as it is. It’s my own secret hideaway.’

He stepped into the clearing only a few metres away from me. He offered me a gentle smile that did nothing but send shivers down my spine. ‘You’re looking well. I didn’t peg you as a United fan, though.’

I glanced down. I’d forgotten that I was still wearing the football strip I’d taken from the stadium after my encounter with the Canal Monster. I hadn’t even had a proper wash since then. Maybe swampy saliva was good for your skin; I could set up my own beauty company and market it. A nervous giggle escaped me at the thought.

Max gave me a puzzled look. ‘Is something funny?’ he enquired.

‘Everything,’ I told him. ‘Everything is funny these days.’

‘You either laugh or you cry,’ he agreed.

I’d pay good money to see Maximillian Stone cry. I shook myself and focused. ‘Where is Lizzy?’

‘Let’s have a little chat first.’

My expression hardened. ‘No. Let me see Lizzy first. I need to know that she’s okay.’

He moved closer. ‘I can assure you that I’ve not harmed a single hair on her head. She’s absolutely fine. A bit angry at being cooped up, but she’s been fed and watered. She isn’t hurt in any way.’

The fact that he didn’t mention anything about her springing fur and tusks and fangs meant that she’d managed to keep her bunyip form hidden. I breathed out. That was a very good thing.

I believed Max when he said he’d not hurt her; he’d have nothing to gain by doing that and, as far as Max was concerned, every action had to have a point to it. He’d break fingers if there was a good reason to do so; he’d also bring someone food and water if there was a good reason. At the end of the day, he only ever did something if there was a pay-off for him as a result.

‘I want to see her.’

‘You will.’ He smiled again. ‘But she’s not here at the moment. We’ll talk first and then we’ll see how the land lies.’

Yep: this was going down much as I’d expected. I tried not to appear triumphant.

My plan rested on Lizzy being held back at the Mayor’s residence. If she wasn’t there, we were all screwed. I didn’t want her here – I couldn’t control the situation here.

I folded my arms. ‘Then talk,’ I growled.

He quirked an eyebrow as if amused. ‘Very well.’ He jumped onto a low-lying branch of the same tree whose roots were holding the motorbike in place. He crossed his legs and rested his chin on his hands. ‘You, Charley, used to be nothing more than a mild irritant. But you’ve changed – you’re the not the same person you were.’

‘I can assure you I am exactly the same person I’ve always been,’ I said stiffly.

‘Mmm.’ He continued to watch me. ‘Maybe outwardly. Maybe your personality is the same too. But you now have a different skill set. You’ve either kept it very well hidden or it’s