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

but enough to release it from whatever was holding it in place. ‘Watch and learn,’ I declared before flicking my wrist.

The branch snapped free and, with unerring speed and force, almost whacked into Monroe. He only just pulled back in time. A fraction of a second later there was a fat plop as it landed in the blood lake, splattering both of us with fine red droplets. Oops.

‘Nice going,’ Monroe murmured.

Hmm. Maybe both of us needed an exercise in humility. ‘Sorry.’ I grimaced. That was what I got for showing off.

I lifted my head. There was another branch a few metres away. Second time lucky, I decided. Not that I believed in luck. I raised my hands once more and prepared to concentrate harder this time around.

Just then, there was a ripple in the blood behind us and the original branch flew out again, landing with a wet thump between Monroe and me.

We exchanged looks and slowly turned to look at the reservoir. More undulations disrupted the surface of the blood. Keeping his eyes trained on the patch where the ripples were the strongest, Monroe crouched down, took hold of the branch and threw it back in.

This time the heavy, blood-soaked branch flew out of the water far faster – and with far more force. I squeaked and leapt to the side to avoid being smacked in the shin. Monroe didn’t move a muscle; he simply folded his arms and glared at the rippling lake of blood.

I followed his gaze and spotted a dark shadow moving underneath the surface. My stomach tightened but, before I could say anything, a strange humming sound reached my ears. It was an annoying, grating buzz and it set my teeth on edge. I grimaced and glanced at Monroe. He’d dropped his arms to his sides and was suddenly slack-jawed. I blinked. There was a dreamy expression on his face. Well, that was new.

‘Uh, Monroe?’

He ignored me and stepped towards the reservoir’s edge. With the sudden certainty that he was about to throw himself in, I lunged forward and yanked him back. ‘What the hell are you doing?’ I hissed.

He shook me off as if I were nothing more than an irritating fly, and started forward once more. I cursed under my breath and reached for him again. This time I didn’t bother trying to grab him; I just elbowed him sharply in the ribs. Fury spasmed across his body and he snarled, fur sprouting out across his jawline.

The humming stopped abruptly and the surface of the reservoir broke to reveal the head of an extraordinarily beautiful woman. I was too shocked to do anything but stare.

‘He’s a werewolf?’ The bobbing blonde threw her hands up in disgust, ignoring the splatter of flying blood that the movement created. ‘Just my fucking luck.’

Monroe staggered backwards. I simply gaped. I had imagined many things that might be in the dark red pool but she wasn’t one of them.

The woman flicked her eyes to me with a disdainful toss of her head. ‘What are you looking at?’

My jaw worked uselessly. She sighed and spun, her head disappearing into the gruesome depths. A half-second later there was a flash of silver and a large fish tail appeared, flicking at us like a middle finger.

I pinched my skin. Nope. I wasn’t dreaming. I swivelled towards Monroe. ‘Was that…?’

‘A mermaid?’ he grunted. ‘I believe so. Yes.’

Chapter Two

We scrabbled up the muddy bank in a bid to regroup and steer clear of any further mermaid-style shenanigans.

‘She’s not exactly what Disney envisaged, is she?’ I whispered half to myself. I turned to Monroe. ‘Why didn’t you tell me mermaids existed?’

He was looking as disturbed as I felt. ‘I didn’t know.’ He gazed out across the expanse of blood. ‘She must have been enticed here by the magic.’ He tapped his mouth thoughtfully. ‘And she obviously has powers.’

I snorted. ‘Seductive powers.’ At Monroe’s sidelong look, I jabbed him on the arm. ‘You were all but ready to climb into that reservoir along with her. What the hell happened?’

He seemed annoyed, although more with himself than with me. ‘I don’t know what I was thinking. I heard her song beckoning to me and…’ His voice drifted away and he frowned, unable to account for his own actions even to himself.

Personally, I wouldn’t have called that weird buzzing sound a song but each to their own. ‘I thought it was Sirens who were known for doing that. Singing, I mean.’

Monroe scratched his chin. ‘Legends often get mixed up in the re-telling. You’ve heard the human version, which has no doubt been warped over generations. From what we’ve just experienced, mermaids and Sirens are one and the same.’

‘She wasn’t wearing a shell bikini. And she didn’t have any singing crabs with her.’ I cast a quick look around the seemingly empty reservoir.

‘What?’ Monroe asked.

‘I’m checking to see whether Tom Hanks is about to show up.’

He tsked. ‘I think you can forget what Hollywood has told you.’ He frowned. ‘If you think about what the old stories say, though, mermaids are tough cookies. Very tough cookies.’

‘Walking on knives,’ I said, suddenly remembering. ‘When the Little Mermaid was transformed into a human to win the love of the prince, every step felt like she was walking on knives.’

Monroe nodded grimly. ‘Exactly. We can surmise that not only does her kind have a high pain threshold but also that they’ll go to any lengths to get what they want.’

I pointed at the reservoir. ‘What she apparently wants is you.’

‘No. She lost interest when she realised I was a werewolf. She wants a man.’

I shivered. ‘To mate with?’ I asked. ‘Or to eat?’

He folded his arms. ‘There’s only one way to find out.’ He raised his chin and called out across the lake of blood. ‘All we want is to talk!’

There was no response. Big surprise: Monroe’s shout was hardly the invitation of the year.

My brow furrowed and I tried to think. I didn’t know squat about mermaids but I