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

and rolling the liquid around his mouth like some daft connoisseur. ‘It’s amazing what delights can be found in some of these abandoned dwellings,’ he told me.

He put the glass down while I marvelled at how quickly he had adapted to this new world. You could say what you liked about the nasty bastard, he certainly didn’t let the grass grow under his feet.

He smiled as if he knew what I was thinking. ‘Now, Charley, let’s get down to business.’

Max truly was an idiot. He was desperate to control me and bring me under his thumb because he saw me as powerful and magical and – whatever. I wondered how these negotiations would go if he knew the truth about the others he’d managed to capture.

‘Go on then,’ I said tersely. ‘What do you want?’

‘Your undying loyalty, obviously. I’m not stupid enough to believe that I’m going to get it without a little … enticement, however. You have magic, Charley. I have your friends.’

He went back to Julie, reached down to her arm and stroked it in a most unpleasant manner. Her pupils flared at his touch; deep down, I suspected it was more with desire than disgust.

‘I’ll keep them with me to encourage you be part of my new society. They’ll be safe as long as you toe the line.’ He grinned. ‘You have several friends. Even if one dies, there will still be others.’ He leaned forward. ‘I want your magic, Charley. I will have it. Manchester has gone to the dogs and I’m the pitbull in charge. Resist all you want, it won’t do you any good.’

Julie’s mouth opened a fraction wider. It looked as if her fangs were elongating by the second. I swallowed.

‘You’re a fucking prick, Max.’

‘I know. Ain’t it great?’ He removed his hand from Julie’s arm and pointed at the hapless butler. ‘Hit him with a bolt of your magic.’

‘What?’ I recoiled even more than the butler did.

‘I want to see your powers in action. I know what you can do, but I want to witness it here and now. Strike him or I’ll slit little ol’ Julie’s throat.’

He pulled out his knife again, in case I’d forgotten about it, and walked over to me. He released a knot so that one of my hands fell free then he returned to his spot behind Julie, playing with the knife and balancing it by the tip on his palm, like a stage magician.

The butler was rooted to the spot, his eyes wide with terror. Julie was the complete opposite; she even winked at me. I had no way of knowing how strong her vampiric powers were. This was a hell of a gamble.

‘I won’t do it.’ The tremor in my voice was real. ‘I won’t hurt another person for the sake of it.’

Max sniffed. ‘You will.’ He lunged down with the knife in one swift motion, slicing it across Julie’s pale skin. For a moment I thought he’d missed but then beads of bright blood appeared along her neck. She gurgled once and her head dropped forward.

I retched. Max left Julie’s slumped body where it was and sauntered towards me. ‘There, there,’ he cooed. ‘Don’t worry. There are plenty more where she came from.’

He took a pristine white handkerchief from his pocket and wiped my mouth with it in an almost tender gesture. I stared at him in horror.

There was the sound of a slamming door. The butler had clearly decided to make a run for it while he could. I wasn’t surprised; Max was a complete psychopath.

‘It’s so hard to find good help,’ Max murmured. He glanced at Julie’s body. ‘Shame. It was rather nice to have such a renowned actress in our midst. Still, I always found her character annoying. It’s probably for the best that she’s gone. This new Manchester is for the likes of you and me, not her.’

He went to the door and popped his head out. ‘Bring the Australian next,’ he called. ‘And someone kill that freaking waiter already.’ He turned to me. ‘It’s pointless to keep resisting, Charley. It will be far less painful for you if you give in now.’

My stomach churned. ‘Alright,’ I whispered. ‘Alright. I’ll do whatever you want.’

Max smiled. ‘Atta girl.’

Someone put a hood over my head to drag me outside, on the off chance that I was stupid enough not to have already realised where we were. I was shoved and pulled some distance, my feet tripping over one another. At least my hands were now untied; that made it easier to maintain my balance, even if I dared not raise my fingers by so much as a smidgen to make my escape. I tried to pay attention to where I was being taken but being hooded was totally disorientating.

When the hood was finally yanked off and I could breathe properly again, I realised I was back in the same small park where I’d met Max earlier. I blinked several times to regain my vision. The clearing was small, but it was packed to the gunnels with people. Max clearly wanted my acquiescence to my new role as his magic slave to be as public as possible.

I swept my gaze across the assembly. Jodie was there, and I suspected the hooded figure next to her was Cath’s, but it was difficult to be sure. No doubt Cath would be keeping a low profile, given her recent history with Max. That was something, I decided. I didn’t want her or Jodie to be nabbed too.

Max had dressed for the occasion and a dark cloak swirled round his feet as he strode up. He smiled benignly but the light in his eyes was totally vicious.

‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ he intoned. ‘Thank you for joining us on this fine evening and in this wonderful place. Manchester is now ours. We can do whatever we want with it. No more government or police or taxes or misery. Finally we are free!’ His manner seemed to