Chapter 1
The noisy Cicadas that lived in the long fields of grasses around her home, filled the serenity outside Sarah's bedroom. She didn't sleep, just basked in that beautiful peace as though something within her knew that it was doomed to end in a few minutes, as though determined to grip onto that quietness as long as possible.
She knew how lucky she was. She knew far more about the world than many innocent humans: she knew of the vampires, the witches, the shapeshifters and werewolves. And, best of all, she knew about the Soulmate principle. It gave colour to her life and sent warm shivers of gladness through her. With these thoughts, a smile drifted onto her sweet face as she buried it into the pillow, letting the summer heat wash over her tanned skin.
The noisy cicadas were drowned out by the sound of a good car. She smiled wryly, used to the activity here. Circle Daybreak, of whom she and Blade were members, met here any time they could, often accepting the hospitality of Sarah's best friend's mother and staying for a night or two.
From the pure softness of the car engine, she judged it to be one of the higher members of Circle Daybreak. Perhaps Thierry, or Aradia: the prophetess of the witches, they occasionally visited. She doubted it to be any of the Wild Powers: they weren't ever really moved out of the safe houses they were kept in, for risk of Hunter Redfern finding out by chance. At the thought of Hunter, Sarah shivered. He was a cruel vampire that she feared; worse than that, she feared if Blade should meet him, for Blade was as opposite to Hunter as day was to night.
Then, through the soft summer night air travelled the rhythmic sound of five knocks. The last knock came exactly five seconds after the fourth knock. At that, it would have been impossible to sleep on. That sequence of knocks was important. The door was opened immediately of course. Curiosity tugged at her, and her mischievous nature pleaded for her to check it as well. And then, if that wasn't enough, the sensible part of her joined in as well, making it unanimous. She should know what was going on: Rita Lewis, Susie's mother, wouldn't mind: she encouraged active interest, since it guaranteed she wouldn't have to do too much of the work.
Finally, she slipped out of bed, grabbing her summer dressing gown: wrapping its thin cloth loosely over her baggy pyjama pants and sleeveless tank top. Then she left the room hurriedly. That sequence of knocks would mean anything would happen quickly.
"Sarah," Susie whispered, meeting her in the hallway as she left her own room. The two friends smiled sheepishly at each other. Susie was beautiful, and a witch. She was Sarah's best friend, and her mother was Rita Lewis, a witch who moved within Circle Daybreak's higher circles, offering assistance wherever possible.
They moved surreptitiously to the top of the stairs, to watch the front door, where Susie's mother was nodding, talking to the man, who stood with his hand placed firmly on a sullen looking boy's shoulder. The boy looked like he was seriously considering bolting, as though he hated this place.
Then he looked up, up the stairs, seeming not to notice Susie, and his eyes met Sarah's. She drew back slightly, startled. And a small, almost sly smile crept onto the boy's lips, giving him a foxish beauty though he had gypsy-dark eyes, a blunt nose and a strong, slim and stubborn chin. His clothes were city clothes: baggy blue jeans and a tight black t-shirt emblazoned with 'No Fear' in red.
"Mother," Susie called down clearly, disrupting the moment. "Who's he? What's going on?"
"Susie," Rita raised an eyebrow, turning to look up. "Sarah. What are you two girls doing, still up at this hour?"
She saw the boy's eyes become thoughtful, though still as sly as a fox, even saw his lips form her name, Sarah. Then he blinked, and his eyes were cool, icy and sly again.
"We're awake," Susie said impatiently. "Isn't that all that matters? You haven't answered my question!"
It could have been taken as rudeness to her mother, but instead, it made her mother laugh ruefully. "You're too much like your father. Bite your tongue, Susie."
"No, because that would hurt and I wouldn't be able to tell people what I think!" Susie said smartly. Sarah hid a smile, used to the banter between Susie and Rita Lewis.
As Rita offered to quieten Susie's tongue with a spell, Sarah took the opportunity again, to look at the boy. But this time, he met her gaze, throwing back a challenging, shrewd gaze in a way that caused dismay to rise in her. "Who are you?" she asked aloud, startled and annoyed at how breathless she suddenly sounded.
"Kierlan Harman," the boy answered with a crooked grin.
Susie's eyes widened. "Harman! We're cousins!" A small grin crept across her sweet features. "Very distant cousins, I hope."
Yes, good, Sarah thought, almost viciously. Let Susie flirt with him all she wants. I shan't let Blade get jealous of…Kierlan. At that, a pleasant feeling rose in her, a tame feeling compared to the brighter emotion that Kierlan's eyes gave her. For a moment, they shone pure violet, like the wild flowers in the woods beyond the fields. Then they darkened to violet-black again, serious and…angry.
Why should he be angry to be here? Sarah thought hotly, defensive of her home, of Rita and Susie, who made this home beautiful and wonderful to her.
"Oh dear," Rita muttered, seeing the coy look rising to her daughter's face. "Now she'll be unspeakable for the next few days—Sarah!" she raised her voice and Sarah flinched, startled. "Yes, Rita?"
"Would you settle our new…guest—" her lips thinned, aware of the scowl lightening on Kierlan's face "—in the guest room?"
Sarah could have refused. She could have said she was tired, but she didn't, because she knew Rita was tired too, had been up all day and the night before. "Yes, of course, Rita," she said, faking a smile.
Good, Rita thought approvingly. Sarah's levelheaded enough to deal with Kierlan's flirting. And he's in a bad mood, being brought here. He's going to be flirting for a while, I should think. And Blade won't take that.
She generally had, through all her involvement with creatures in the Nightworld, a slight mistrust of Sarah's lover. He seemed gentle, but…to Rita, he'd always be a vampire. And vampires are dangerous.
"Sarah," Kierlan said, a hint of mocking in his voice as he followed her into the guest room. "What was with the girl standing next to you? She looked like she needed glasses when she was squinting at me."
"Hmmph." She didn't think anything at all of his manners. If Susie had said anything like that, in her mother's hearing, she'd have been sent to her room immediately and have had all her beloved spell-books confiscated.
He was silent for a moment, annoyed that she didn't rise to the challenge, instead standing back as she sorted out a pillow and duvet for the guestroom bed. His eyes were moody and sullen now, like drooping violets on a frosty morning. "And how come she doesn't have violet eyes?" he asked finally. "I thought all Harmans have violet eyes."
To that, Sarah finally bit her tongue, tossing the pillow onto the bed, the sheets only half tucked in. Her voice was snappish, disgusted with Kierlan. "Her mother isn't Harman. Her father was. Her father is dead. Her mother is a different witch family."
Kierlan blinked, as though startled.
Sarah ploughed on, furious. "And why would you notice her green eyes anyway? You look like you'd rather be blind than here!"
"Maybe I would!" Kierlan snapped back, his eyes brightening with anger. "I was okay back home! Not grabbed off the streets almost every day by whoever wanted a chat with me! And I was allowed to walk down the street!"
Sarah snorted. "And let me guess, toss down your litter while you're at it? Break a few windows?" She stood up straight, her arms folded over her chest. "I like it here, Kierlan. I'm sorry if you don't, but you're acting like a child! A sullen, spoilt child!" She ranted on, her voice rising.
"For a human, you're loud," Kierlan said quietly, suddenly.
Her voice fell silent. He didn't look at her now. He just went to the bed, almost carefully placing the pillow at the end of the bed, finished tucking in the sheets and picking the folded duvet off the floor where Sarah had placed it.