The Anxiety of Kalix the Werewolf (85 page)

The fight ended, and there was silence, save for the crackling of flames. Dominil dragged herself to her feet, now badly wounded. She stumbled forward to where Sarapen and Kalix lay in a huge pool of blood. Dominil was close enough to the exit to see the street outside. Another group of hunters was about to rush into the building. She slammed the inner door and bolted it. The Guild's doors had been constructed to keep out intruders and could not be broken down quickly.

Dominil groaned as she fastened the bolts. Her ribs had been smashed by bullets and it was difficult to move. As she turned slowly from the door, she saw Thrix hauling herself upright, blood dripping from her chest and her legs.

“Help me,” said Dominil.

Thrix staggered forward. Between them, they managed to pull the limp figures of Sarapen and Kalix back from the door, dragging them behind the remains of one of the hunters' barricades. Dominil thought that Sarapen was still alive. She wasn't sure about Kalix. Thrix's strength gave out and she collapsed behind the barricade. She had an ugly wound on her face, which had torn her lips. Dominil could hear hunters banging on the door and feel the heat of the flames, which were now burning through the nearest wall. She hauled herself toward her fallen companions. Feargan was dead, torn apart by the machine gun. Eskandor was also dead. Decembrius had been shot several times in the chest, and lay on his back in a pool of his own blood. He was still breathing faintly, but Dominil didn't have the strength to move him. She crawled back toward the barricade.

“Eskandor and Feargan are dead.”

“We'll be joining them soon enough,” said Thrix, who was now too weak to heal herself.

The front door began to give way.

“Bye, Dominil,” whispered Thrix. “See you in the Forests.”

Dominil took two guns from her pocket. She handed one to Thrix.

“I took these from the hunters,” she said. “We're not at the Forests yet.”

CHAPTER 169

“What are we meant to do now?” said Moonglow. She felt agitated, sitting in the van the werewolves had hired, waiting for something to happen.

“I don't know,” said Daniel. “What can we do?”

“There's Vex!” cried Moonglow. She opened her door to call on the young Fire Elemental, who was running up the pavement.

“Vex, what's happening?”

“Aunt Malvie sent me to help but I can't find anyone!”

Daniel's phone rang. “It's Dominil.”

“Daniel?” Dominil's voice sounded weak over the speakerphone. “Are you close?”

“Yes. We can see the building.”

“Good. You may be able to help.”

“How?”

“We're trapped between hunters and fire. We have many injuries.”

“Is Kalix all right?”

“She may be. Ram your van through the front door.”

“What?”

“Ram it through the door. It will allow us to escape. I have to go now.”

Moonglow and Daniel gaped at each other.

“Ram the van through the door?”

“What did she mean Kalix may be all right?”

Vex clambered into the van. “What are we going to do?”

“Ram it through the door,” said Daniel.

“No we're not!” cried Moonglow.

“Dominil says they're trapped.”

Moonglow shook her head, resigned to her fate. “Fine. Do it.”

In the darkness they could see lights flickering behind some of the upstairs windows, though there was no real sign of the fire that Dominil had mentioned. As they approached the building, a group of men disappeared inside, closing the front door behind them.

“Check your seat belts and hang on tight,” said Daniel. He swung the vehicle round so as the rear end faced the building. Between the van and the front door there was a small step up to the pavement, and another small step in front of the door. There was a screech from the gearbox as
Daniel thrust the van into reverse and slammed backwards into the wide front door. Moonglow, arms covering her face, felt a severe jolt followed by a very loud crash. Wood and masonry crumbled under the violence of the impact, and the van filled with dust.

They sat in shocked silence, unsure of what to do next. They heard the back door being wrenched open, and looked round in terror, expecting to find a werewolf hunter pointing a gun at them. It was Thrix. She leaned on the doorframe, supporting herself with difficulty. She seemed to be grinning though it was hard to be sure, with her lips badly cut and blood pouring down her face. Seconds later a werewolf hunter did appear. He was struggling, dazed from the smoke and the impact of the van. When he saw Thrix he started to slowly drag a gun from inside his jacket.

Thrix realized that she was now outside the building, and free of the barrier that prevented her from using sorcery. “Rach ann an laige!” she said. “My enemies collapse in the dust.”

As soon as she spoke, the hunter's eyes closed and he fell unconscious to the ground. Thrix looked briefly triumphant. Then her head sagged as the last of her strength disappeared and she toppled forward. Dominil emerged from dust and smoke, her face red with blood. She carried Kalix, who was unmoving, and also covered in blood. Dominil laid her in the back of the van.

“Help me get the others,” she said. Dominil turned, but stumbled. She tried to rise, but could go no further. Moonglow and Vex scrambled to help her into the van. Daniel ran past them into the foyer where he almost fell over a huge werewolf who was crawling along the floor, dragging another werewolf behind him. He noticed another werewolf lying prone on the carpet and started to drag him toward the van. Moonglow came to meet him, and between them they lifted the stricken werewolf into the vehicle.

“That's six,” said Moonglow. “Is that everyone?”

Dominil opened her eyes. “Three more,” she said.

A man, who Daniel took to be hunter, emerged from the shadows, either unaffected by Thrix's spell, or recovering. He paid them no attention, so eager was he to make his escape from the flames. He ran out of the shattered door.

“Come on,” said Moonglow. “We can't leave anyone.”

Daniel, Moonglow and Vex ran back into the foyer. Moonglow stepped on something soft. She recognized Decembrius. He had been shot in the chest. Moonglow couldn't tell if he was alive or not. She dragged
his body away from the flames. As she attempted to hoist him into the van, a huge arm emerged to help.

“Thanks,” said Moonglow. She recognized the huge werewolf. “I thought you were—”

“I'm still alive.” Sarapen grimaced. He had many wounds, and much silver inside him.

Vex and Daniel appeared, dragging two werewolves, both dead, as far as Moonglow could tell. She helped lift them into the van, and tried to ignore the feelings of nausea brought on by the carnage.

“Time to go,” said Daniel. He clambered over the back of the seats, positioned himself in front of the steering wheel and drove off as fast as he dared. “Where am I going?” he yelled.

“Kalix needs help,” shouted Moonglow from the back of the van.

Kalix had numerous wounds and several of them were still bleeding badly. Moonglow put her hands over them, trying to stop the flow. She felt a twinge of hysteria. They needed help and there was no one to help them. Moonglow looked toward Thrix for assistance, but Thrix was unconscious. Moonglow could hardly imagine what had happened inside the building.

“I can help,” said Vex, squeezing her way to her side. “Maybe.”

She put her hands on Kalix's chest. A faint orange glow came from her fingers. She put one hand on Kalix's forehead and a little more light passed between them.

“I didn't know you could do that,” said Moonglow.

Vex looked troubled. “I can only heal flowers, really.” She kept her hand on Kalix's forehead, trying to send some of her elemental fire into the young werewolf's body.

“I'll go to Thrix's flat,” said Daniel. “Maybe she has werewolf medicine.”

They weren't far from Knightsbridge. Daniel headed for the car park underneath Thrix's block.

“How are we going to get everyone upstairs?” said Moonglow.

There was no reply. Daniel parked in the car park, and looked round. “What now?”

Moonglow and Vex looked hopelessly at the wounded werewolves. Kalix was still unconscious though her breathing had become more regular since Vex's intervention. Dominil was fading quickly. Her eyes were open, but unseeing. Moonglow leaned over her, and thought for a moment that she was already dead. “Can you help Dominil?” she asked Vex.

“This is all terrible!” cried Vex. “Stupid werewolves, fighting all the time!” She put one hand over Dominil's throat and the other over the wound in her chest. The faintest of blue flames emerged from her fingers, penetrating Dominil's skin. Beads of perspiration appeared on Vex's forehead as she grappled with the unfamiliar and difficult task. The blue fire from her hands grew fainter then disappeared.

“I think you saved her,” said Moonglow.

“I need to lie down,” said Vex. She lay limply on the floor, her strength completely gone.

Eskandor had reverted to his human form in death. Moonglow couldn't bear to look at the body. One of the werewolves she didn't recognize cried out in pain as he was burned inside by silver. Kalix was so battered as to be hardly recognizable.

“What are we going to do?”

Daniel didn't know. They'd managed to rescue the werewolves from the Guild's headquarters but now it seemed likely that they'd all die in the back of a van in an underground car park in Knightsbridge.

CHAPTER 170

The Fire Queen lay on the floor of the stationery cupboard for a long time. Eventually she gathered enough strength to haul herself upright.

“A tremendous triumph against the vile Kabachetka.” She smiled. She looked down at her dress. It was badly scorched. Her smile vanished. “Once more I am obliged to turn up at a fashion event in damaged clothes. It is so trying.”

Though the Queen felt weak she was determined to at least make an appearance. “I have vanquished Kabachetka. I will say a polite hello to Donatella Versace if it's the last thing I do.”

She could no longer maintain her high-heel spell, and was walking with difficulty as she emerged from the cupboard. “No doubt Agrivex has carried me to some part of the building inhabited only by junior sales clerks. Donatella may be miles away.”

The Queen stepped round a corner and found herself facing a large wall mirror. She grimaced. Her hair was tangled and her make-up was in a very poor state. Worse, she was carrying Vex's green plastic bag.

The ultimate disgrace, she thought. She had a strong urge to throw it away but was prevented by an innate sense of honor. Having agreed to look after the handbag belonging to another female, even Agrivex, she could not simply discard it. The chivalrous code of the Hiyasta does not permit one to throw another woman's handbag in the bin, no mater how wretched it may be.

The Fire Queen attempted to make some emergency repairs in the mirror. She touched up her eyeliner, but as she studied her reflection, she felt her spirits sag.

I look terrible. I'm in no fit state to encounter anyone fashionable. I will return to the palace
.

The Fire Queen turned round and bumped right into Donatella Versace who emerged from a private room, with the Japanese designer beside her. Next to Versace and Takahashi were the editors of
Vogue
and
Elle
, and behind them a collection of journalists, photographers and models. The Fire Queen looked at them blankly. For once in her life she felt completely lost for words. She smiled weakly as the group moved around her.

Mr. Takahashi stopped. He was a young designer, no more than twenty-five, with very long dark hair. He looked at the Fire Queen. His face lit up. “You have the bag!” he said, excitedly.

“Pardon?”

“The green plastic bag from my first collection! Such a rare item!” He embraced the bag. Then he embraced Malveria. “I'm so happy to see this bag again.”

By now the assorted editors, models and designers had come to a halt. The Fire Queen found herself the unexpected center of attraction.

“This bag launched my career in Japan!” enthused Takahashi. “I did not know any of them ever reached Britain! It is so good of you to bring it to my launch!”

The Fire Queen felt some strength returning to her ankles. She drew herself up elegantly. “I thought you may appreciate it, Mr. Takahashi.”

“However did you find it?”

The Fire Queen smiled. “I have many sources around the world.”

“It's such a splendid piece,” said the editor of
Elle
, very appreciatively.

“It's been a favorite of mine for a long time,” said Malveria.

Noticing several photographers about to take pictures, the Fire Queen put her hand to her hair as if to straighten it, and then, with her power returning, let a little of her fire flow into it, so it would look good for the cameras.