Chapter 5

"Good morning," Blade greeted her, startling her. She mumbled something indistinct, hugging her pillow to her face, wriggling deeper into the duvet, where it was beautifully warm.

"You've got lessons today," he said insistently, tugging her duvet away and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "The sooner you're finished, the sooner you get back—" he winked at her, "and the sooner you get your surprise."

"Surprise?" she asked warily.

"You'll like it," he assured her, tossing some clothes at her. "So hurry up!"

"What sort of surprise?" she asked stubbornly.

He winked. "Get changed, Sarah. Otherwise there'll be no breakfast left for you."

"I'll see you later?" she asked, reluctantly pulling at the folded clothes, turning the jumper outside-in, pulling out its sleeves. "Oh go on," she sighed. "Go and get your breakfast, Blaze."

Immediately, he left, and she sat still on the edge of her bed, fighting to remember what had happened last night… then she moaned and covered her head with her hands, as the memory flooded back, tossing images, as sharp as knives, at her until she could feel Kierlan's warm, throbbing lips against her own, feel the hot tingle running through every inch of her body. And with it came the guilt: she'd betrayed Blade. Kierlan was determined and she'd encouraged the illusion that she ought to be with him.

"How could I?" she whispered, appalled.

Then it was washed away in a flood of anger. At Kierlan. "He's wrong!" she insisted softly, eyes wide, remembering how Kierlan had said…that Blade wasn't meant for her. "For goddess's sake!" she almost yelled, frustrated. "I haven't even known Kierlan a day…and I've known Blade…years! He's wrong!"

Then she yelped again as the distant aroma of scrambled eggs reached her nose. Scrambling into her jeans and sweater, she ran down the stairs, hopping on one foot with perfect skill, down each step as she tugged a sneaker on.

"Stop that!" Rita yelled, jerking her hand. Sarah slowed involuntarily and obeyed, walking down the stairs, one sneaker dangling from her hand, the other on her foot with its laces untied.

"You'll break your neck one day," Rita threatened, nipping back into the kitchen. "Hurry up!" Susie called.

Kierlan was there. He didn't look at Sarah: just concentrated on balancing scrambled eggs on his fork.

"I was hoping you and Susie would show Kierlan around the area," Rita said casually.

Sarah flinched.

"But Blade's asked to have you for the day," Rita continued, seeming not to notice Sarah's jitteriness.

"Scrambled egg?" Susie asked. Sarah nodded and Susie turned to Kierlan. "Kierlan? Can you pass the egg?"

"Wha?" he flinched, startled, then shrugged, reached out and passed the plate of bacon to her.

Susie rolled her eyes at Sarah, who laughed nervously, helping herself to a few slices of bacon.

"So, Blade's taking you out on a date?" Susie asked slyly.

Kierlan didn't react, just watched his scrambled egg stonily, stabbing into a piece of sausage with his fork, not saying anything.

"You're not having lessons today, anyway," Rita said, somewhat casually.

Susie's eyes lit up. "Great!"

"For her," Rita said calmly. "You have lessons, Susannah. And so does Kierlan."

Susie looked appalled, her fork dropping to her plate with a clatter. "What? How come?" she demanded, appalled.

"So you may as well meet up with Blade once you've had breakfast," Rita continued, unruffled.

"He's in town at the moment," Sarah replied. "He'll be back in a while."

Rita didn't ask why Blade was there. Susie rolled her eyes though. "He's at the club," she explained obnoxiously to Kierlan.

"Club?" Kierlan queried. "What sort of club?" his voice had risen in interest.

"Where vampires can get their fix of blood," Susie said wryly.

"And where witches can flirt to their heart's content," Sarah said sharply, looking at Susie.

Kierlan looked interested at that.

"No," Rita said sharply. "You're keeping a low profile here. All of you. Especially you, Kierlan."

Kierlan scowled. "I can cast a glamour," he pointed out, annoyed.

"I'll see about that," Rita said evenly, though Sarah was sure she'd detected annoyance in Susie's mother's voice. "It'd be best to either stay in your room, Sarah, or stay outside." She knew Sarah didn't feel like hanging around when magic was being worked.

Taking her plate to the sink, wiping a dishrag over it, rinsing it and stacking it, Sarah glanced outside.

It was bleak. Mist hung thickly in the air, obscuring the forest that had been reduced from black to pale grey by the mist's strength. When she walked outside, the air was cool and damp. Rita tossed her coat out and Sarah caught it, pulling it on over her sweater, ignoring Kierlan's last glance at her before he left the kitchen.