Chapter 26

Sometime during the walk to the castle, Tom wrapped his arm around Sarah's shoulders. "It'll be okay," he said softly.

"I know," she whispered, feeling strangely calm the nearer she felt to Kierlan.

"And how did you get tangled up in the Nightworld?" Tom asked quietly, for the walk was long and once you'd seen one pebble of the rocky lands, you'd seen them all, in Tom's opinion.

"I live with two witches," Sarah replied. "Why are you involved with the Nightworld?"

He shrugged light-heartedly. "I go to college with two vampires. It was all a bit of fun until Hunter came along, told them to go with him. Ian refused and ended up dead. So me and Simon took the Nightworld a bit more seriously." He glanced up at the castle. "Simon's fighting up there. He's always wanted revenge for Ian's death. And Ian was a good friend to me too. He didn't deserve to be murdered."

"Was Ian lamia?" Sarah asked awkwardly.

Tom shook his head. "He was turned into a vampire by some idiotic uncle of Simon's. That's why Simon kept Ian company, out of guilt and then loyalty. Simon's family paid for the two of them to go to college. I met them there. But one night…Ian had a problem, didn't feed regularly enough one time. Simon, out of desperation, revealed the truth to me and asked me to help. To give some blood."

Sarah shuddered. "I could never let a vampire feed on me."

"It isn't so bad," Tom shook his head. "I haven't done it too often, but I do what's necessary. And what's it like, living with two witches?"

Sarah gave a startled smile, realising what he was getting at. "Maybe I haven't got the most ideal housemates either," she conceded. "But they are nice."

"So you're Sarah. Sarah…?"

"Strange," Sarah gave him a rueful smile. "Irony, huh?"

He laughed softly, his arm warm around her shoulders and giving her a pleasant feeling. "Yes. Very ironic, Sarah Strange. So, you live with two witches. How does that lead you to being here with the homicidal descendant of both the Harman and Redfern clan?"

"And the dragon," she said softly, barely moving her lips.

He went white. "What?"

"Anthony's a dragon," she said just as softly as before, nervous.

He swore, his breathing not as calm until he took a deep breath. "Okay. I'll pretend I have a plan and am perfectly aware that everything will be fine…Even if there is something near me that can use my head as a tennis ball…"

"My Soulmate's in Hunter's mansion," she said to take his mind off it. "Kierlan Harman. Do you know if they've found him yet? If they've rescued him? He's why I fell in with Jack Harman's crowd. He said he'd rescue Kierlan and keep us safe."

Tom looked world-weary and nervous at the same time. "Sorry to say this, but Jack's a treacherous little leech most of the time. If you haven't got the idea by now."

She nodded wearily. "Just my luck for Susie's cousins to be so damned homicidal…" It occurred to her then. "What about Susie?" she asked anxiously. "Is she okay? Susie Lewis."

He raised an eyebrow and uttered a short, sharp whistle. "No need to worry about her. She was the one pinning a vampire to the ceiling with nothing but the power of her thought. You know the saying: Never piss off a witch. I didn't. Not until today."

Sarah burst out laughing, thankful. "I'm afraid she's pissed off with me."

Then she thought of something, turned her head to look at him. "Why were you outside the castle and so far from it?"

He winced and was silent for a moment. "There was the werewolf," he said finally. "I know he followed me out. I thought I was a dead man until I found Simon's birthday present to me, from last year. A lovely miniature cross-bow and a bag of silver-tipped arrows."

"So you shot the werewolf," she summarised, "once he'd ripped you apart."

"Oh no, no," he grinned, mischievous humour glinting in his brown eyes. "First I screamed like a ninny, clubbed him over the head with my bag, then the crossbow fell out and went off, its arrow hitting the werewolf in the chest. Then I fainted in my victory. The bruises came from falling down, otherwise I'd be worried that I might sprout fur at the next full moon."

She laughed again.

"What a lovely story," Roseclear commented as they reached the outside of the mansion. There was a gaping tunnel entrance ahead of them.

"The mud's a bit wet," Roseclear said apologetically. "But I'm sure you won't make a fuss about it. Right, kids?"

With that, the vampire-witch ducked and headed into the tunnel, Sarah reluctantly followed her in, Tom behind her and Anthony was at the rear. Only Sarah and Tom's footsteps seemed to make a noise as the mud sucked at their trainers.