Martin Millar - Lonely Werewolf Girl (37 page)

"Why could he not?"

Thrix struggled to find an answer. Was it possible? Could
Sarapen have gone so far as to murder his brother's girlfriend? A
werewolf who had no say in the struggle for the Thaneship? If he had it
was a far more shocking occurrence than anything Thrix was expecting.

"I don't believe he's responsible," she said, but there was
uncertainty in her voice.

"You think not?" Markus suddenly became animated. "Who else
could it have been? Only the Begravar knife could have killed her.
Sarapen has the knife! My brother has murdered her to get at me! I'll
kill him!"

Markus rose to his feet and let out a dreadful howl. His face
was contorted with rage and hatred.

"Markus. We don't know for sure what happened. We must speak
to mother and - "

Markus wasn't listening. He ran to the front door and rushed
from the building. Thrix sighed. There was no point pursuing him. It
would not be possible to reason with Markus just now. Thrix wasn't
certain that he should be reasoned with. If he was now seeking bloody
revenge, what member of the MacRinnalch Clan could say he didn't have
the right to do so?

It was as well that she was here. Someone had to clear up the
mess. The murder couldn't be reported to the police. They must not
become involved in the internal feuding of the MacRinnalchs. The body
would have to be taken discreetly to Scotland for the clan and
Talixia's family to deal with, as was fitting. The Enchantress, with
her powers, could see that this was done without outside interference.

She took out her phone and called the Mistress of the
Werewolves. While waiting for Verasa to answer, Thrix sniffed out
Talixia's supply of the clan whisky and poured herself a large glass.
The battle for the Thaneship was already spiralling out of control and
there was no saying what the final consequences would be.

102

Moonglow had already transformed the small bathroom in their
new flat into a pleasant space. The shelves were full of natural beauty
products, there was a warm rug on the floor and a cheerful poster of
dolphins on the wall. Kalix perched on the edge of the bath while
Moonglow washed the werewolf's self-inflicted wound.

"Why do you do this?" she asked.

"It makes me feel better," said Kalix.

"Why?"

"I don't know. It just does." '

Moonglow didn't press the point. When the wound
was clean and dry she led Kalix back into
the living room and offered to make her
some tea, which Kalix accepted.

"But no milk or sugar."

While waiting for the kettle to boil Moonglow wondered what,
if anything, she should do about Kalix's self-cutting. It obviously
wasn't something she could be dissuaded from by a few kind words.
Moonglow wondered if Kalix's mental state might improve if she started
to feel more secure in her surroundings.

"Here's your tea. Do you want anything to eat?"

Kalix shook her head.

"You should eat. You haven't eaten all day."

"Don't lecture me about it," growled Kalix.

"Okay," said Moonglow.

Kalix wanted to watch TV so they sat quietly in front of the
screen for a while.

"I wonder if Daniel went home with that girl?" said Moonglow,
during the adverts. "She just homed in on Daniel. I've never seen such
an instant attraction."

It was an odd thought, Daniel with a woman. Moonglow couldn't
quite picture it.

"Why are there no good programmes on at night?" complained
Kalix. "We need more channels. Can we get more TV channels?"

"Definitely not," said Moonglow.

"I'll stop cutting myself if we get more channels," said Kalix.

"Is that really true?" demanded Moonglow.

"No," admitted Kalix. Moonglow laughed. At four a.m. they
heard the front door open. Daniel had returned. As he entered the room
he found Moonglow and Kalix both eyeing him with unusual interest, and
immediately felt uncomfortable.

"What are you doing back here?" asked Moonglow. "I thought
you'd gone off with Miss Dark Mysterious Stranger."

Daniel attempted to look casual.

"Well, I thought about it. But, you know…"

"What?"

"I decided not to."

"Why not?"

"What is this, an interrogation?" said Daniel, sounding
exasperated. "Do I have to tell you every detail of my personal life?
Is a man not entitled to the slightest bit of privacy round here?"

Daniel went to the kitchen and hunted in the fridge, returning
with a large plastic bottle of cheap lager purchased from the small
super-market on the corner, and they all sat watching TV and drinking
from the bottle.

"There's nothing good on," said Kalix, looking for support
from Daniel. "Moonglow, if Daniel tells you all about his failure with
the girl can we get cable TV?"

"I did not have a failure!" said Daniel.

"And no we can't get cable TV," said Moonglow. "But I'd like
to hear about the failure."

"There was no failure. I simply decided to come home alone. Is
there some law says I have to go home with any really attractive girl
who asks me?"

"You lost your nerve, didn't you?" said Moonglow.

"Completely. I mean, it was all too strange."

Daniel looked very unhappy.

"Never mind," said Moonglow soothingly. "It looked impressive
anyway. Probably Alicia's thinking about you in a whole new light, what
with exotic girls pursuing you all over the party."

"You think so?"

"Definitely."

Perhaps this was true. It couldn't be denied that an exotic
girl had pursued him all over the party. Daniel looked slightly less
unhappy.

It was very late the next day before any of them rose from
their beds. Kalix arrived in the living room in the early afternoon to
find Moonglow drinking her first cup of tea of the day. Moonglow was
civilised in the matter of tea drinking, and had the tea pot, a small
milk jug and a cup all placed neatly on a tray.

"Tea?" she said to Kalix.

"I've never drunk so much tea before," said Kalix.

They sat in silence for a little while. Kalix played with her
nose ring. The gleaming piece of gold was the only jewellery she owned.
The young werewolf looked better than she had for a long time. Her
hair, still unusually long, was now thick and well conditioned due to
liberal use of Moonglow's hair products. Moonglow noticed how good
Kalix looked, and hoped it would last. She had something to tell to
Kalix that was going to be a little awkward. She didn't want to offend
her but it had to be said.

"Kalix, I've invited my boyfriend Jay round tonight. He's been
wondering why I haven't asked him over recently and it's starting to
look a bit odd. But there's just one thing…"

"Yes?" said Kalix.

"Well, the reason I've been going to his place rather than
inviting him here is because you're here. Not that I don't want to
introduce you to my boyfriend of course but…"

Moonglow paused. This felt very awkward.

"You're worried I'll do something weird?" suggested Kalix.

"Yes. If you turn into a werewolf when Jay is here it'll
really be hard to explain. It's best that no one else knows you're a
werewolf. Not that I don't trust Jay of course, but…"

"All right, I won't turn into a werewolf," said Kalix.

"And please don't eat raw meat straight from the fridge."

"Is that strange?"

"Unusual," answered Moonglow. "And probably quite distressing
for Jay. He's a vegetarian."

"Okay, I won't."

"Also it'll seem weird if you cut yourself, throw up on the
floor or assault us in the midst of an anxiety attack."

"Hey!" said Kalix. "It's not like I do these things all the
time. Maybe once or twice."

Kalix started to sulk.

"And please don't sulk," said Moonglow. "Not that it would be
so unusual, having a person sulking in the house. Daniel does it all
the time. But I want Jay to feel comfortable when he visits. You know,
I really like him."

Kalix looked thoughtful for a second. She could understand the
concept of really liking someone. She smiled.

"I promise not to do anything strange. I don't want to make
your boyfriend uncomfortable."

"Good," said Moonglow. "Thanks for being understanding."

Moonglow went off to her bedroom to put on her make-up and
start the long process of getting her hair in good order. Shortly
afterwards Daniel appeared in the living room, obviously not in the
best of moods.

"Isn't it annoying the way Moonglow keeps inviting this guy
over here?" he said. "You can't turn round but Jay's cluttering up the
place."

"He's never been here before," Kalix pointed out.

"Hasn't he? Well he was at our last house all the time. You
couldn't move without trampling over him. It's completely inconsiderate
of Moonglow to invite him over."

"Why?"

"Why? Plenty of ways. There's you to think about. Is it right
for a sick werewolf to have to put up with this sort of thing? I'd have
thought Moonglow would have been more considerate than to fill up the
house with annoying visitors."

Kalix laughed.

"Moonglow asked me about it first."

Daniel was unconvinced. A cunning look came into his eye.

"Do you think you could scare him off?"

"What? How?"

"You know, maybe turn into a werewolf when he's here, and
growl at him? No? Perhaps that would be a bit much. How about just
having an anxiety attack and running round attacking everyone? Maybe
cut yourself a bit, make it look realistic? Or you could just vomit
everywhere, that'll spoil his visit."

"Certainly not," said Kalix. "I wouldn't do that."

Daniel was disappointed. Having saved this werewolf's life, he
might have expected her to be a little more co-operative.

"Well what about bringing in some raw meat and wolfing it
down? Jay would hate that."

Kalix shook her head and departed from the room, leaving
Daniel to plot Jay's downfall on his own. Moonglow was on her way to
the shops, and asked Kalix if she wanted anything.

"Beer or whisky or cider," said Kalix.

"You know you're technically not old enough to drink alcohol?"

"I've had a very hard life as a werewolf," said Kalix.

Moonglow laughed. She'd realised recently that when Kalix was
not suffering from anxiety attacks or running from her pursuers, she
could actually be quite funny.

"Can I use your computer and the internet?" asked Kalix.

Moonglow agreed, though she was a little nervous about letting
Kalix use her new MacBook unattended.

"I'll be careful," said Kalix.

Moonglow turned on her computer.

"Daniel really doesn't like Jay does he?"

"No," admitted Moonglow. "He doesn't."

"Why not?"

"I don't know," said Moonglow, though really she knew
very well.

"Did you ever sleep with Daniel?" asked Kalix.

"No. We just met and became friends."

Kalix nodded.

"My mother hated Gawain," she said, unexpectedly.
"So did my father. They banished him from the castle."

Kalix looked sad.

"I thought he'd come back for me. But he didn't."

Moonglow was unsure of what to say.

"Being banished by the werewolf clan must be serious. Would
it be dangerous for him to come back?"

"Yes. But I thought he would anyway. Do you think he thinks
about me?"

"Of course. He probably thinks about you every day."

"I don't think he remembers me," said Kalix.

Kalix seemed to have no more to say on the subject. To prevent
her from sinking deeper into gloom Moonglow found some fan sites for
Transvision Vamp and the Runaways. Kalix was diverted by this,
particularly when Moonglow showed her how to download music from the
page. Moonglow left her to it, and went off to the shop.

As Moonglow left the house it was already getting dark. The
only shop nearby that was open at this time on a Sunday was a very
small supermarket, not cheap but fairly well stocked. Moonglow bought
vegetables and spices she needed for cooking. At the checkout till the
attendant greeted her with a smile. Moonglow had quickly got to know
the staff. She always did, even in an anonymous city like London. She
returned home, dumped the food in the kitchen and went upstairs to
change. There she found Kalix, now in werewolf form, apparently trying
to eat her computer.

"Hey!" yelled Moonglow, and leapt to retrieve her MacBook
before it disappeared between Kalix's great jaws.

"What's going on?"

Kalix looked back at her angrily.

"Explain this," demanded Moonglow.

Kalix slowly changed back into her human shape and
then stood looking at the floor.

"Well? Why were you trying to eat my computer?"

"It wouldn't work," muttered Kalix.

"So you thought you'd bite it?"

"Yes."

"Kalix, this is precious to me. You promised to be
careful. If I'd got home thirty seconds
later you'd have crushed it."

Moonglow quickly inspected her computer. It seemed to have
survived the experience.

"What was so annoying?"

"I couldn't read it properly," admitted Kalix. "There was
something wrong with the writing."

"There was nothing wrong with the writing, Kalix," said
Moon-glow. "The truth is you just can't read very well."

"I can so."

"No you can't."

"There's no need to keep lecturing me about everything,"
snarled Kalix, and departed swiftly from the room.

Moonglow sighed. She'd known it would be a sensitive subject.
But perhaps, she thought, now she'd raised it she could do something
about it. She picked up her laptop and walked down to Kalix's room.

"Go away," said Kalix.

"Look, instead of trying to destroy my computer why don't you
use it to learn to read better?"

"I can read fine," said Kalix, stubbornly.

Moonglow was already busy logging on to a website she'd found
recently which she thought might help. Unless of course it just
insulted the young werewolf more.