Martin Millar - Lonely Werewolf Girl (28 page)

Kalix stared at Moonglow.

"Is that true?"

Moonglow admitted it was, repeating that it was not good to
watch too much television. Kalix became agitated. She started pacing
round the room. Then she sat down next to Moonglow and looked appealing,

"Can we get cable TV?"

Moonglow shook her head.

"Who needs ninety channels? Believe me Kalix, it's a waste of
time."

Kalix found this all very strange, and when Moonglow turned
down her repeated requests she began to sulk. She rose to her feet and
left the room noisily.

"Now you've made her angry," said Daniel.

"Not really angry. She's just sulking. If she's joining the
household, she has to learn to get along with us," pointed out Moonglow.

"I'm not certain that this werewolf will ever be really
communal," said Daniel.

"Of course she will. Look how much progress she's made
already."

It was true. Kalix had started to act more like a young
flatmate rather than a crazed werewolf. She seemed to be enjoying their
company. She'd eaten a lot and listened to music with them. She'd even
found a new record she liked,
I Want Your Love
by
Transvision Vamp which she'd played approximately thirty times in a row
till Daniel managed to divert her attention by finding a Runaways
single he hadn't played yet.

Moonglow had tried to ask Kalix details of her life as a
werewolf but Kalix was very unforthcoming. In response to Moonglow's
question about what state her mind was in after she transformed into a
werewolf, Kalix had merely shrugged her shoulders.

"You'd think a person would have more to say about being a
werewolf," said Moonglow to Daniel. "You know, communing with nature
and stuff like that."

"Maybe that's only in books," replied Daniel. "Perhaps if
you've always been a werewolf it's just part of the daily grind."

"I wonder if Kalix will ever change into her full wolf shape?"
Moonglow wondered. "I'd love to see her as a wolf."

Daniel cautioned against asking. "If she thinks we're trying
to treat her like a puppy she'll be outraged and leave."

"You're right."

The phone rang. It was Jay, Moonglow's boyfriend, calling to
arrange their next date. Daniel immediately started sulking, and went
to join Kalix in the kitchen.

79

The Enchantress made it as far as nibbling an entree before
her phone rang again. She answered it rather self-consciously. It was
Malveria.

"I have progress. The cursed Princess Crab-apple - ha ha, I am
making a joke with her name, do you understand it? - the vile Princess
has just received a clothes delivery from London. I learn this from the
daughter of my ambassador to their court. This daughter will now
attempt to see what label is on the clothes when the Princess disports
her unpleasant figure at the Empress Asaratanti's party celebrating the
one thousandth anniversary of her victory over the ice dwarves from the
north. I am invited to this party but will not go to because it is
common knowledge that the Empress Asaratanti would not have secured any
victory over the ice dwarves were it not for help from my mother, Queen
Malgabar, but the ungrateful Empress will not admit this."

Thrix was interested to hear that Malveria was making progress
though she would have preferred not to have had the history lesson.

"When the ice dwarves flooded down over the northern glaciers,
my mother - "

"I can't speak for long, I'm at dinner," said Thrix,
interrupting.

"At dinner?" The Fire Queen sounded surprised. "But you so
rarely go out to dinner. Is it business?"

Thrix hesitated.

"You're on a date!" said Malveria immediately. "How splendid!
It is a great worry to me that you so rarely have relations with the
opposite sex. Your lack of sexual activity is quite terrifying."

Thrix thought that there would be precious little chance of
relations with the opposite sex if she didn't get Malveria off the
phone.

"I have to go now. Please keep me informed of any
developments."

Thrix ended the call and looked apologetically at Donald
Carver, who was politely waiting for Thrix to finish her entree.

"Sorry, another business call."

"I can see you're busy with your work," said her companion, a
little dubiously.

"Tell me more about the film you're producing," said Thrix, to
get Donald's mind off her phone calls and back on to the conversation.
He told her about the meeting he'd just been to with his backers, and
their attempts to raise the millions of pounds they needed. Funding a
film was a difficult business in Britain and even an experienced
producer like himself never found it easy to raise the money.

"I've got them interested because I have an American actress -
"

Thrix's phone rang. An expression of annoyance flickered
across Donald's face though he stifled it as best he could. By now,
Thrix was regretting coming out to dinner while expecting her business
call from New York.

"Hello?"

"This is Dominil."

The Enchantress was surprised. She couldn't remember her
cousin Dominil ever calling her before.

"I am in London. I have some news I'd rather not discuss on
the phone."

Thrix made an arrangement to meet Dominil the next day. Her
cousin did not engage in the small talk which had so far blighted her
date but even so by the time the call was finished, the main course had
gone cold and Donald Carver was looking impatient.

"That was my cousin."

"You're a very close family."

"Not exactly. But you know, family business, after the
funeral."

"The funeral?"

"My father. That's why I was in Scotland."

Donald looked shocked. Thrix cursed herself for mentioning
it
.

"You've just been to your father's funeral? I had no idea. I'm
sorry, I really wouldn't have asked you out if I'd known."

"No, it's fine. I mean… once he's gone, just get on with life,
you know?"

Thrix thought she hadn't phrased this particularly well.
Donald looked at her rather strangely. She was rescued by the
appearance of the waiter. By now Thrix had completely lost her appetite
but searched for some desert she could manage, not wishing to appear
unenthusiastic about the restaurant's food, or her date. At least she
hadn't been unenthusiastic about the wine, she reflected, as she
refilled her glass and asked the waiter to bring another bottle.

Thrix looked at the menu rather glumly. Being a werewolf, the
Enchantress had a healthy appetite, but she was so used to being with
models and designers, none of whom were large eaters, that it was
unusual for her to be eating a dessert which would be packed full of
calories.

'Not that I need to worry about that,' Thrix told herself. 'I
haven't put on a pound in years.' Yet there was something about the
desserts which made her uncomfortable. What if she did put on some
weight? She didn't want to end up flying to New York looking like a
pudding. She waved away the menu.

"I'll just have coffee," she said, in a tone of voice which
attempted to imply that not having a dessert did not mean she wasn't
having an excellent time with Donald. She tried to concentrate on his
conversation but it was difficult, with thoughts of Malveria, fashion
espionage, Dominil and her mother all floating round in her head. What
did her mother mean,
she hadn't been able to attract a
suitable werewolf
? Since when was her mother keeping score?
Thrix realised that Donald was talking to her and tried to drag her
attention back to the matters in hand. He was asking her about her
possible show in New York.

"It would be a very good opportunity for me to break into the
market - " began Thrix. Her phone rang. It was New York. For what
seemed like the fiftieth time, Thrix looked apologetically at her date.
About thirty seconds later, when she was deep in a conversation with
the woman who was organising the show, she had forgotten all about him.
Once Thrix was discussing business she was oblivious to the outside
world. The call was a very long one, longer than all the others put
together. When she finally put her phone back in her bag she noticed
that Donald was looking bored.

"Sorry. Was I on the phone for long?"

"Very long," said Donald, rather sharply.

80

The Enchantress paid the cab driver and walked quickly up the
steps to her apartment block. The doorman let her in and she thanked
him politely. She took the lift up to her floor with a middle aged
couple who had just returned from the opera. The couple stood close to
each other, quiet, but affectionate. Thrix endeavoured not to look like
a woman coming back from a really bad date. The Enchantress walked
slowly from the elevator to her apartment. As she was about to put the
key in the door she halted, sensing someone.

"Malveria?"

The Fire Queen materialised beside her, dressed in a pale
lilac evening dress which set of her dark skin to breathtaking effect.

"Hello my darling Enchantress."

"What brings you here, Malveria?"

"Nothing, nothing."

"You wanted to see if I was engaging in some sexual relations?"

"Also that," admitted Malveria. "Is your man presently parking
the car prior to rushing up the stairs where he will fling you on the
bed or maybe the floor of the hallway if he cannot contain his passion?"

"The man is on his way home regretting he ever had such a dull
date as me."

"Oh." The Fire Queen looked disappointed. "This is not the
result I was hoping for. And why are you unable to open the door?"

Thrix was fumbling with her key. She realised she had drunk
more wine than she intended, and had hardly eaten anything. When she
finally managed to get the door open the Fire Queen put a hand on her
shoulder to steady her.

"What went wrong?"

"Everything. Too many interruptions. I hardly listened to a
word he said. By the fifth phone call he was looking bored and by the
seventh he was asking for the cheque. I've never seen a man disappear
so quickly."

The Enchantress waved her hand in the direction of the kitchen
and the coffee machine sprang into life. When a woman badly needed
coffee it was a blessing being a sorceress.

"Perhaps the situation could be repaired?" suggested Malveria.

Thrix shook her head.

"You can't ignore a man for the entire evening. It hurts their
pride."

"I am pleased I do not have to participate in this ritual you
call dating," said Malveria. "Really, it sounds so tiresome."

When the coffee was ready Malveria offered to bring it
through, which was an indication of the warmth of her friendship for
the Enchantress. There were very few people for whom the Fire Queen
would carry a tray.

"We could work spells to make him love you," suggested
Malveria.

"Forget it Malveria. I've gone off the whole idea. I've got
plenty of other things to think about."

"True, you are very busy," agreed the Fire Queen. "The
Sorceress Livia's 500th birthday celebration is only two months away."

Malveria had commissioned Thrix to make her clothes for the
event. It was one of the highlights of the Hiyasta social calendar.
Livia's 400th birthday celebration had been a legendary affair, and
this one promised to be even grander. It would last for five days, and
the Fire Queen would need several different outfits for each day. In
addition, Thrix was designing clothes for the handmaidens and page boys
who would attend Malveria throughout the event.

"Is there any chance, Enchantress, that with your upcoming
engagements in Milan and New York, and the interference of your family
feud that you may - " Malveria's lip trembled.

"Your clothes will be ready," said Thrix, emphatically.
"Everything is on schedule."

"Will we make fittings tomorrow?"

"I'm sorry I can't. Not in the morning anyway. I have to meet
Dominil. Mother has some insane idea that she can get the twins to vote
for Markus. It all seems very unlikely to me. Have you ever met
Dominil?"

"The white-haired one? No. But I have heard of her. Very
beautiful, I understand?"

"Yes, very beautiful. But completely cold. I've no idea how
mother persuaded her to do this. Meanwhile I'm supposed to look after
Kalix which is just about the last think I want to do."

The Mistress of the Werewolves expected Thrix to protect
Kalix. Thrix had refused to commit herself, but could see that she
would probably end up doing it anyway.

"Kalix is in danger from Sarapen," said Malveria, who was now
abreast of the situation regarding the Thaneship. "So it is fortunate
that I provided her with a pendant, yes? Perhaps she will be safe now?"

Thrix sipped her coffee, rather wearily.

"Perhaps. I suppose I should make more effort to protect her
but you know I've never liked her much. I gave her the first pendant
just so she wouldn't bother me any more."

"I do not know if I like her or not," said Malveria. "But she
is interesting. I feel there is the prospect of some entertainment
while she remains in the humans' house."

"Is that why you went to so much trouble?" asked the
Enchantress. She had been very surprised to learn that not only had
Malveria obtained a new pendant for Kalix, she had summoned her back
from the outskirts of the forests of the werewolf dead. The Enchantress
was aware of the expenditure of power this must have required. However
she was not aware of the price Malveria had extracted from Moon-glow,
and believed that Malveria had saved Kalix as a favour to her. The
bargain with Moonglow was Malveria's secret, for her future amusement.

"Do you mind if I remain when Dominil comes to visit? I am
curious about this white-haired wolf before whom all tremble."

Thrix looked at Malveria.

"Just how bored are you these days?"