Dark Heart Rising (23 page)

‘Yes, you are—’ I began, but the sound of chairs being scraped back drew all of our attention somewhere else. I realised that Dalya was on her feet, one hand holding on to Lila’s. She was staring beseechingly at Soren and I.

I darted quickly around the back of the dark twins towards her, but stopped at the sight of her mouthing:
In an hour I will come and find you
.

I nodded, turning back again. Sofi and Natalia were practically draped over Soren.

‘Soren?’ I eyed him. ‘Can I have a word with you?’

Soren’s relief was visible. He removed Sofi’s hand from his arm, politely, and smiled at both girls.

‘Another time, ladies,’ he told them. ‘My friend—’

‘Oh, yes.’ Natalia drawled. ‘Your
friend
.’ Her mouth twisted in a lascivious grin. ‘But if you should get bored of your little grey-eyed “friend”, we’ll be mingling in the ballroom.’

She reluctantly let go of him, casting me a look at the same time.

‘A narrow escape,’ he whispered, slipping his arm around my waist.

I ignored the tingle it sent up my back.

‘Dalya will come and find us when the time is right.’ I shuffled out of his grip. ‘We should go and lose ourselves in the music.’

‘I thought you’d never ask,’ he said, lightly touching the base of my spine.

I rolled my eyes and realised we were once again trapped behind the vampire twins. They seemed to be everywhere I looked.

‘Wonderful,’ said Natalia, ‘we four will make such good-looking dance companions.’

‘Talia?’ Sofi’s tone was scolding. ‘Be nice to Jane. You know how protective Vanya is about her pets.’

Somehow we had lost Soren. I looked behind me, seeing that he was trapped behind Dalya’s Uncle Olwen.

‘So.’ Sofi moved closely to me as we walked. ‘How is it that you come to be here? We have heard the rumours but I never thought I would see the day that the Borgias were consorting with mortals. Vanya must be very fond of your companion.’

‘I won’t be here long,’ I told her a little lamely, as somebody brushed past me. I was too busy trying to squeeze through the crowds with Natalia and Sofi to look and see who it was, but his voice at my side made every hair on my body stand on end.

‘I am not sure I feel like dancing,’ Luca was saying, a little ahead of me, but close enough for me to touch him if I wanted to, to lean in and inhale him.

‘Nonsense.’ Henora looked at the mass of people eager to get to where the band was playing. ‘You need to find that bonny girl of yours and make it your business to dance.’

‘Yes, Mother,’ said Luca through clearly gritted teeth.

‘The sooner the two of you are married, the sooner I don’t need to worry about you,’ Henora muttered, tucking a grey tendril of hair behind her pointed little ear.

Luca didn’t answer, but he turned and I saw his profile, his cheekbone, more pronounced than ever. He looked so despondent, tired … resigned. Knowing I was being foolish, I fell back from the vampire twins and reaching out, not knowing if he would feel it, I touched his hand.

And as if by instinct his hand quickly closed around mine. He didn’t look back, but I felt the pressure of his fingers as he held on to me, and a longed-for feeling of warmth and safety flooded through me.

I held my breath, and then he released his hold and moved through the doorway. As he got there, he turned and his eyes found mine; his was a look of happiness clouded by great sadness.

And then he was gone.

I came out into the hall, to my left was the grand staircase, to my right was the door to the kitchens. I remembered what had happened there before, with Vanya and Luca and realised it wasn’t so unlikely that tonight it would happen again.

I shut my eyes. I didn’t know what was going to happen. No point in inventing catastrophe when it hadn’t happened yet.

‘I thought I’d lost you.’ Soren appeared beside me. He craned his neck in the direction of the ballroom, where the Vampire Jazz Quartet were in full swing. ‘I suppose it would be remiss of me not to ask you to dance.’

I smiled at the look on his face. Pure dread.

‘You know, I don’t really feel like dancing either,’ I said truthfully.

‘Come on,’ he said, holding out his hand, ‘let’s explore this place, while no one is looking.’

‘I don’t know …’ I shook my head, remembering exploring with Luca. I felt disloyal, somehow.

‘Quick,’ he said, a glint of mischief in his eyes, ‘before Celeste and Cadmium decide to retire for the night.’ He pulled me with him, towards the staircase and, though I tried not to, I couldn’t help myself from looking into the ballroom. Looking for him.

And there, with Henora looking on with a doting expression on her face, was Luca, Lila in his arms. She had her head resting on his shoulder as they danced to a slow, sensual number from the band. I couldn’t see his face, but I didn’t want to. I couldn’t bear to see his happiness. I quickly looked away, hurrying after Soren as he headed upstairs.

Avoiding the faces in the portraits we passed as we climbed, I wondered why Soren was so interested in exploring the palace.

‘Soren!’ I hissed as we arrived at the first floor. ‘What if we are discovered?’

‘We hide,’ he said, impishly, ‘Or we just pretend we are lost.’

I tugged at my wig. ‘Can’t we just go and sit outside or something? Wait for Dalya to find us?’ I tugged at his arm. ‘You do remember what you have to do tonight?’

He turned, serious now. ‘I remember. If you haven’t noticed, I am trying hard to distract myself.’

‘Oh … OK.’ I felt bad now and dropped my hand. I looked around me, seeing a long carpeted corridor that seemed to lead somewhere. ‘But let’s try and not get caught. It’s going to look a bit odd.’

He gave me a look with his black eyes. ‘Very well,’ he said, ‘but anyone would think you don’t want to be alone with me.’

I am sure I turned crimson. ‘Don’t be silly.’ I gestured at the corridor. ‘Come on. Let’s see what is down that hall.’

Soren turned the handle of the first door we passed and it opened on to an exquisite room: wood-panelled walls and wall-to-wall glass cupboards containing ancient-looking books.

‘Impressive,’ Soren said sincerely.

‘Imagine all these books.’ I stepped closer, peering through the glass of one of the cupboards. ‘They must be worth a fortune.’

The lights were off and only a sliver of moonlight cut a streak across the room. It was eerie, but magical.

‘I bet you were one of those children whose nose was constantly inside a book – escaping from reality,’ said Soren by my side.

I turned, smiling a little. ‘You know me so well.’

‘I’d like to have known you as a child,’ he said then, his voice hushed and low. ‘I bet you were a sweet and serious girl.’

I shrugged more nonchalantly than I felt. Suddenly the room felt full of tension. I knew I was avoiding Soren’s eyes. It was as though Soren, like Luca, recognised me. I caught my breath, as I felt the touch of his fingertips brush mine. Felt a frisson of electricity.

‘Jane,’ he whispered.

Confusion. I was not here for Soren. I didn’t love Soren. Yet it was Soren who had been my companion, my friend, these past weeks. And then I remembered Luca, with Lila in his arms, and hurt anger made my guilt evaporate.

Finally I turned to him, and we stared at each other, our eyes locked. My heart was racing.

He drew me towards him, and I allowed myself to be drawn, and then he leaned back against the door, pulling me into his arms.

Pressed back against the dark wood panelling I felt his lips brush my cheek. No longer cold, but warm and full, gently touching my skin. I felt myself breathe out, not wanting to feel anything, but feeling everything all at once, my head resting on his chest. I could hear his heartbeat and mine, loud and fierce …

‘I never thought I would feel like this for a mortal,’ he whispered softly into my hair, and I felt the softness of his mouth as it tenderly kissed my neck. I shivered, hot suddenly, and instinctively my back arched.

‘I don’t want this,’ I managed to say, my voice husky and strained. ‘This isn’t right.’

But as his arms moved to circle my waist, I didn’t push him away. Because, despite the words I had just spoken, I did want this. I hated myself for wanting it, but it was consuming me. It was all there was. Right then, in that moment, it was all I wanted.

Finally he drew back and took my face in his hands, his eyes glinting in the darkness, the sharp line of his cheekbones cutting a hard but beautiful shape. And his mouth, wide and perfect, moved closer to mine, taking my breath away.

He put one finger on my lips, and with his other hand he stroked my face.

‘It’s OK,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry. It was a mistake, but I couldn’t help myself.’

‘I …’ I struggled with relief, and intense disappointment.

‘
Shhh
.’ He pressed his finger more firmly against my mouth.

And then he was moving away from me, gently opening the door, he disappeared through it, leaving me wide-eyed and disbelieving.

I was left alone, with the sound of my fiercely beating heart.

And the taste of betrayal in my mouth.

‘I
’m proud of you,’ Celeste told him. ‘You’re a credit to the family – and a worthy heir.’

Raphael summoned a pleased smile, though he had hated every minute of the evening so far. The weight of what he knew sat heavily on him, and he could barely bring himself to look at either of his grandparents. He wondered when, if, he could escape. But an exhausted-looking Cadmium seemed to put pay to that plan.

‘Dear, you should rest.’ Celeste took her husband’s arm, concerned. ‘Let me help you upstairs.’

Cadmium didn’t protest. With irritation, Raphael saw the relief on his face.

‘You will be happy to preside over the rest of the evening?’ She smiled winningly at Raphael, patting his arm. ‘Good boy.’

Raphael watched them climb the grand staircase, then disappear out of sight, before he turned on his heel. For tonight he would have to play the part, but his thoughts were more galvanised than ever. He wanted to find out where Milo had disappeared to – if he was still alive. Once he had found him, he would ciscover what had really happened to his father. And why this web of lies had been laid to cover up the truth.

Standing nodding at the hordes streaming in and out of the great room and into the hall, he recognised Jane, saw her look around anxiously, then move quickly across the hall to the door that led through to the kitchens.

‘What is she up to?’ he murmured to himself. As he sidestepped the over-excitable Tilly, he was thwarted by a pair of rangy vampire girls, their identical bodies clad in skin-tight black leather dresses. Their faces he saw were identical too. Vampire twins. In spite of his curiosity about Jane, Raphael was stopped in his tracks.

‘Haven’t you grown?’ said one, holding out a skinny arm. ‘I remember you as a little cherub of a boy …’ Her lavish lips parted to reveal pearly white teeth. ‘But you wouldn’t remember us …’

‘I’m sorry,’ he said politely, ‘I don’t recall you … I can’t think why.’

The girls both tittered. ‘Charming,’ said the other twin. ‘Would you care to dance?’

‘I really … There is something I need to do …’ he began, before both beauties moved to hem him in.

‘Do it later,’ one of them purred. ‘Surely it can wait a while …’

Raphael opened his mouth to protest, but they were clearly having none of it. They quite forcefully diverted him, like a pair of supermodel bodyguards, into the music room. On stage, two women dressed in black silk catsuits were bent over a cello and a double bass, accompanied by a quiffed teddy-boy on drums as a suave, black-eyed and incredibly tall man in a classic suit sung into a microphone.

The music changed from moody jazz to a jauntier swing-style number. Beside him, one of the vampire twins was tapping her foot, her slender arms waving.

‘Perfect,’ she said, nodding to her sister. ‘Ready?’

Swiftly they took one of each of his arms and began a mesmerising dance. Raphael had never been much of a dancer, but these girls were working some magic because he had never felt more assured on the dancefloor.

For the moment, all thoughts of betrayal were gone from his head.

E
ventually, I crept, dazed, across the corridor and down the stairs. After the quiet of upstairs, the noise coming at me seemed deafening.

‘Luca, Luca, Luca,’ I whispered to myself, feeling that if I said his name enough times I could wipe out what had happened only minutes before. I had no idea where Soren had got to and, though I didn’t particularly want to find him, I knew that Dalya would be looking for us, expecting Soren to reveal who he was to his sister.

A man in a silver tuxedo slunk past me, holding a circular tray of glasses aloft. He glanced briefly at me as he went, frowning. For a paranoid second I wondered if my dark bob had slipped, that what had happened with Soren was obvious.