“What on Earth?”
Beauty, perched on a chair in front of a cracked mirror, was in her werewolf shape. That was a surprise, because neither of the twins could transform at will.
“What happened?”
“I don’t know.”
“Why did you change? And how?”
“I don’t know. It just happened.”
At that moment, Delicious involuntarily transformed as well.
“Stop doing that. Change back.”
The twins laughed.
“This is funny!” Beauty exclaimed.
“No, it isn’t. You’ve got a gig to play. Change back.”
But the sisters claimed not to be able to. They hadn’t meant to change in the first place, and now they seemed to be stuck.
“Trust you to be the first werewolves ever to get stuck,” said Dominil, angrily. “Are you sure you can’t change back?”
The twins strained to make the transformation, without success. They were so unused to making the change at all, apart from around the full moon, that the whole experience was quite strange. They stopped laughing, realizing the seriousness of the situation.
“We can’t go on stage like this. Can we?”
“No.”
“Could we pretend we were in costume?”
“That’s the most ludicrous idea I’ve ever heard.” Dominil clenched her fists in frustration. Trust the twins to come up with some new way of ruining everything. “Just change back; it’s not difficult. I’ll show you.” She changed into her werewolf shape and stood in front of the sisters. “Now, concentrate—”
At that moment, Pete walked into the dressing room. Finding himself confronted by three werewolves, he moved faster than anyone had ever seen him move before, leaping backwards in shock and crashing against the wall so violently that he knocked himself out. He slid down the wall to lie unconscious on the floor.
“Well, that’s fantastic,” said Dominil. “Now the guitarist knows we’re werewolves.”
“And he’s unconscious.”
Dominil pushed a chair against the door to keep it closed then bent down over Pete.
“Don’t kill him!” Delicious looked worried. “It’s not his fault he found out we’re werewolves.”
“I wasn’t planning on killing him. Though it might make our lives easier.”
Chapter 160
I’m defeated.” Moonglow was hunched on the couch, her hands thrust deep in the pockets of her shiny latex jacket.
Daniel couldn’t remember seeing her quite so dejected. It would have been an excellent opportunity for stepping in and cheering Moonglow up. Unfortunately, Daniel was too dejected to make the attempt. The loss of their money was a shattering blow, one that made it impossible to feel any emotion except depression and defeat.
“I’ll get a job,” said Daniel.
Moonglow nodded. She would have to find work as well to pay their debts. “But it won’t help us right away. If we don’t pay the electricity today, we’re going to be disconnected. And the phone bill needs to be paid by tomorrow.”
“What about the council tax?”
“Also tomorrow.” Moonglow sighed, loudly. “I thought we could help Kalix. I was mistaken. Every time we do, she just lets us down. I can’t believe she took that money.”
Daniel didn’t argue. If Moonglow had come to the end of her patience with Kalix, it was understandable.
“I hope she’s safe in Scotland.” Moonglow’s expression darkened. “But if she comes back, she’ll have to move out. I’m not living with someone who steals from us.”
“What about Vex?”
“I don’t know. Right now I don’t care.” Moonglow put her hand on the phone then withdrew it. “I really can’t bear asking my parents for money.”
Daniel nodded. He knew how embarrassing that was going to be. If he could have asked his own family for money, he would have, but Daniel’s mother didn’t have any money to spare. He shifted uncomfortably, wincing a little. His back was sore. After going out with friends the previous night, they’d stayed over. Moonglow had slept in the spare bed. Daniel, gallantly, had volunteered to sleep on the couch. Now he had a stiff neck.
“I expect Malveria will take Vex home anyway,” said Moonglow, “when she learns that she’s missed the exam.” Kalix and Vex’s final exam was tomorrow. In addition to her fury over the missing money, Moonglow was outraged that they’d simply disappeared when they were due to take their exam. “Looking after them was a complete waste of time.”
Daniel stared at the sheet of paper in his hands. “Can you help me with this?”
“What is it?”
“My application for work at the supermarket, stacking shelves. Every time I try to write my name, my eyes go blurry.” Filling in his application form, Daniel felt quite bitter about everything. “I should have known the minute we met a werewolf that no good would come of it.”
Chapter 161
Though the gigs Cameron MacRinnalch had previously organized had not been spectacularly successful, the venue he used was small enough not to require a huge audience to generate a good atmosphere. Tonight the usual crowd of students was augmented by a few of the younger MacRinnalchs, students themselves mainly, sent to university in Edinburgh by werewolf parents keen for their children to better themselves. There was a good atmosphere as they waited for the band to appear. Yum Yum Sugary Snacks, being even more obscure than the rest of the bill, were on first.
In the privacy of the dressing room, it seemed like they might never go on at all.
“What are we going to do?” Dominil desperately tried to think of some sort of story they could tell Pete to get them out of this mess, but she knew it was hopeless. Pete had seen Beauty and Delicious as werewolves, and it couldn’t be undone. “Unless he thought he was hallucinating. Does Pete take drugs?”
“Of course not,” said Beauty. “He is a guitarist in a rock band after all.”
The twins burst out laughing.
“This is not funny,” growled Dominil. “And will you please change back before anyone else sees you?”
“I kind of felt like I almost changed when I laughed,” said Beauty. “Dominil, could you say something funny? Sorry, foolish question.”
It was a mystery why the twins had suddenly transformed. Dominil’s immediate thought was that the return to Scotland, possibly in conjunction with the twins’ intake of alcohol, might have affected their metabolisms somehow. “I wonder if Pete might have amnesia after banging his head? We might get away with it if you change back right now.”
Beauty and Delicious strained to transform. They couldn’t.
Pete’s eyes flickered open. “What’s going on?” He rubbed his head and hauled himself to his feet, looking annoyed. “You should have told me you were going to wear costumes. It gave me a fright.”
“I told you we could say that!” cried Beauty. “Dominil said it was ridiculous.”
“Where did you get the masks?” Pete marched over to Delicious and pulled her ear.
“Ouch.”
Pete looked troubled. Delicious’s ear seemed very realistic. It didn’t look like part of a mask. As his eyes adjusted to the poor light, he noticed that her entire body seemed to be a different shape.
“What’s going on?”
There was a long silence, punctuated by the sound of people outside shouting orders at the bar.
“Well, this is awkward,” said Beauty.
Dominil, always resourceful, found herself out of ideas.
“We really are werewolves. That’s what’s going on,” said Beauty. “Normally we keep it secret.”
Suddenly realizing that it was true, Pete looked terrified and opened his mouth to yell. Abruptly, he closed his mouth and stopped looking so terrified. He turned to Dominil. “You’re a werewolf too, aren’t you?”
“No.”
“Yes, you are! You’re just like them! Can I see you as a werewolf?”
“I’m not a werewolf.”
The twins sniggered.
Pete looked excited. “This explains a lot.”
He stepped closer to Dominil, which, in the tiny dressing room, brought him almost into contact with her. “I’ll never tell anyone you’re a werewolf. I’d never give you away.”
“Thank you,” said Dominil, dryly.
Adam, the drummer, knocked on the door. “What’s going on in there? It’s almost time to play.”
“We’re not ready yet,” replied Beauty.
“We need to use the dressing room too,” shouted Adam.
“What for?”
“Simon needs to do his makeup.” It was a reasonable point. Simon, the bass player, always wore some makeup on stage.
“I’ve got a new shirt to try on,” called Hamil, the keyboard player.
“Finally they all decide to make an effort,” muttered Dominil inside the dressing room. “Well, Butix, Delix. This is it. Either you change back to human now or we call off the gig and smuggle you out with blankets over your heads. What’s it to be? Pete, if you’re opening your mouth to say something personal in relation to me, close it immediately or you’ll regret it.”
Pete closed his mouth.
Beauty and Delicious once more strained to change back. Again, there was no result. The twins looked hopelessly at each other.
“I can’t change,” Beauty whined.
“What if we’re stuck forever?” Delicious looked distraught. “We’ll never be able to go out again!”
Suddenly, and very unexpectedly, Pete threw his arms round Dominil and attempted to kiss her. Dominil, outraged, pushed him away very roughly. He bounced off the wall and slid to the floor again. The twins roared with laughter. Pete making a desperate grab for Dominil was one of the funniest things they’d ever seen.
“What do you think you’re doing?” demanded Dominil.
“I thought a sudden shock might make them change.”
“This is not a bad case of hiccups. It’s the fundamental core of our being.”
Pete looked abashed and sore. Beauty and Delicious roared with mirth. Delicious actually slid off her chair, and as she hit the ground, she changed back to human. Moments later, her sister did likewise.
“Hey, we changed back.”
Dominil looked at them gravely.
“Apparently, uncontrollable laughter has shaken your metabolisms back into some sort of order.” She swiveled to glare at Pete. “Don’t ever do that again.”
“Could I see you as a werewolf?”
“If you do, it’ll probably be the last thing you ever see. Now is everyone ready to play?”
“I can’t just go on stage and play guitar right after finding out about werewolves,” protested Pete. “I’ll need time to think about things.”
“You don’t have any time,” snapped Dominil. “I’ve driven this pair of idiots four hundred miles up the freeway, not to mention doing whatever is necessary to place your limited talents before the public. If you don’t get up there and make it sound good, then you’re going to discover how mean a werewolf can be.”
“She can be a really mean werewolf,” said Delicious.
“She’s notorious for it,” agreed Beauty. “You should stay away from her.”
“I think I’d be okay about going out with a werewolf,” Pete was philosophical. “I’d make allowances.”
“The MacRinnalch werewolves do not seek allowances from their boyfriends,” said Dominil, icily. “Not that you will ever be my boyfriend. Now play.”
* * *
Shortly afterwards, Yum Yum Sugary Snacks trooped on stage. The unexpected transformation problem had at least cleared the anxiety from the sisters’ minds, and they appeared on stage looking excited. The crowd cheered. Though it was dark in the venue, the gloom couldn’t entirely obscure the incredible candy-floss pink and brilliant electric blue of the twins’ hair. They ambled into position, greeted the audience cheerfully, and announced their first song.
“After the string of humiliations I’ve suffered,” thought Dominil, “this had better be good.”
Pete started up their first number, launching into it with gusto.
“You’re playing the wrong song,” yelled Beauty.
There was a period of confusion while the band argued about which song they were supposed to be opening with. The crowd laughed and jeered. Dominil hung her head.
“Why did I involve myself with these people?” she wondered. “Was my life really so full of ennui?”
Her phone vibrated in her pocket. She took it out, reading the message on the illuminated screen.
“dominil you’re a fool. i tricked you. we weren’t after you at all. we’ve removed the enchantress’s powers and now we’re going to kill her. love from albermarle, your more intelligent friend”
Dominil looked at the message then looked at the stage. Delicious had now fallen over, while Pete had started up another song. Beauty shouted at him again, telling him it was the wrong one. No one seemed sure. Their set was rapidly degenerating into chaos. Dominil put her phone back in her pocket and marched out of the cellar. Cameron MacRinnalch called to her as she walked past him at the desk. “Leaving the gig?”
“I have to go to the opera.”
Chapter 162
Do you really, honestly like opera?” asked the enchantress.
“Not much,” admitted Captain Easterly.
Thrix was relieved. “Me neither. Thanks for coming anyway.”
“Thanks for inviting me.”
They pressed closer to each other in their seats. The lights had dimmed, and the audience awaited the entrance of the renowned Felicori. The great ballroom at Andamair House, restored and refurbished by Markus with its candelabras in place and seating installed for the occasion, looked like a very suitable venue for the famous singer. Not as illustrious as the great opera houses of Europe, but intimate and refined nonetheless.
The Mistress of the Werewolves was pleased with Markus’s work. But as the lights went down, Verasa was troubled. For one thing, there was no sign of Markus. For another Felicori was late appearing on stage. Verasa could hear some important sponsors whispering to each other as they waited in the semi-darkness. “What’s the delay?”
The crowd, while too polite to jeer, became tangibly unsettled as the opera singer failed to appear. Verasa waited a few moments before rising gracefully from her seat and heading backstage. People had donated a lot of money to be here. She didn’t intend to let her event be ruined.
In the backstage area, she grasped hold of the first stagehand she encountered. “Have you seen Mr. Felicori?”
“I think he’s still in his dressing room.”
“He should be on stage.”
“They’re temperamental, opera singers.”
“They can be temperamental on their own time,” muttered Verasa, heading for Felicori’s dressing room. “Not on mine.”
Unexpectedly she bumped into Princess Kabachetka. Verasa regarded her suspiciously. She was a Fire Elemental after all. Not as dreadful as Malveria, certainly, but still not to be entirely trusted. “What are you doing here?” she asked the princess.
“I slipped away to rescue Mr. Felicori.”
“From who?”
“Queen Malveria, of course. It is she who detains him, undoubtedly.”
“How do you know that?”
“I can sense her aura from here. Who knows what she may be doing in his dressing room?”
Now quite alarmed, Verasa picked up the pace. She burst into the dressing room without knocking, fearing the worst. The sight that met her wasn’t quite as bad as she’d imagined. Malveria was seated on a small couch, weeping freely, while Felicori and his vocal coach were apparently trying to console her.
“Mr. Felicori! You’re due on stage.”
The singer looked apologetically towards Verasa. “I’m sorry. But my friend is quite distressed. We have been attempting to comf
ort her…”
Chapter 163
As Kalix approached the dark doorway that led down to the cellar, she could sense the presence of several werewolves. The MacRinnalch scent was unmistakable. Beauty and Delicious were here, and a few others. But not, as far as she could tell, Dominil. She hurried down the stairs into a tiny corridor lined with posters advertising obscure local bands. She knew immediately that the young man sitting at the table taking money was a werewolf. She grabbed him by the throat and bared her teeth. “Where’s Dominil?”
Cameron MacRinnalch shrank from Kalix’s grasp. He’d never met Kalix, but he recognized her immediately from her reputation. Stories of her madness circulated in the clan, stories that grew bloodier in the telling. She’d killed three huge MacAndris werewolves, Sarapen’s bodyguards, cutting them down in an instant. She’d massacred any amount of werewolf enemies at the great battle in London. Kalix had killed werewolves and men from one end of the country to another, and now she was here, with madness in her eyes and the stench of blood seeping from her hidden wounds. Cameron wilted under the terrible strength that flowed from her skinny frame. “She left!”
“Where did she go?”
“The opera!” Cameron felt desperate. He was strong like any MacRinnalch but young and unused to fighting. He knew Kalix could kill him. “The opera at Andamair House.”
“The charity event?”
Cameron nodded, and looked terrified.
Kalix let go of his throat. She growled. So Dominil had gone to Andamair House. Kalix had been there as a child. It was some distance away. She didn’t know the bus routes. Perhaps she could take a taxi.
From inside the cellar came the raucous sound of Yum Yum Sugary Snacks, pounding out a disjointed version of “Vile Werewolf Whore,” one of the songs they’d written about Dominil. The smell of Kalix’s blood and the strength of his own fear gave Cameron MacRinnalch a desperate yearning to take on his own werewolf shape. He struggled against it, fearing that Kalix would kill him if he did.
“I need money for a taxi.”
“Take this,” said Cameron, desperate for Kalix to leave. He thrust the metal box containing his takings towards her. Kalix scooped up some notes, stuffed them into her pockets, and ran back up the stairs, her hair and coat flying behind her. Behind her, Cameron MacRinnalch shuddered. He regretted putting on the gig. Yum Yum Sugary Snacks was terrible, and Kalix was worse. The encounter left him shaken. He’d never met a werewolf like Kalix before. She wasn’t civilized. She was violent and insane. Yum Yum Sugary Snacks came to a grinding halt midway through a song. There was a terrible cacophony of jeers, screams, and feedback. Cameron shuddered again. Perhaps he should forget about promoting music and just concentrate on his studies.
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