Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty-Eight

REBEL YELL

T he market street bustles with people, lights strung between the stalls like small hanging moons, the smell of roasting meat drifting on the cold night air. There are more traders than I remember seeing when I was there earlier with Ruth, the pub with the long tables full, people spilling into the street. A woman in a short skirt catches her high heel on the cobbles and stumbles, spilling her drink, laughing as she's steadied by her friends, men whooping their approval.

There are shadows, too, the shops along one side of the street shuttered for the night, awnings out over the front of them. And, in the darkness, keeping away from the moon lights and bright stalls, are small groups of people, couples kissing, others talking. With a lurch of shock I realise that some of them are vampires. What the hell? Instinctively I duck my head into Kyle's shoulder. What if one of them recognises me? His arm tightens around me. ‘You okay?'

I keep my face turned in as we pass another vampire, who is with… a human. What? ‘There are vampires here,' I whisper.

‘So? C'mon. Enjoy yourself.'

‘What if someone recognises me?' I mutter, my hand twisting in the front of his jacket. I can give him a night, no problem. A lifetime, if he wants it. But I can't give him anything if we get caught.

‘No one knows who you are, remember?' There's laughter in his voice. I grin, despite myself. Anonymity has its upside, it seems.

‘Right. That's right. I'm plain old Emily Reynolds.' I untwist my hand, turning my face forward once more. ‘And you're sure they won't send guards here?'

‘As sure as I can be.' He squeezes me, his lips brushing my ear.

I'd been so worried about that, had wanted to keep moving. But when I asked Kyle, on our way back to the town centre, he'd laughed. ‘This is the last place they'll look for you,' he'd said. ‘They'll search the vampire towns first.' Of course they would.

I'd wondered how it was that Kyle had known the Safe Zone so well, had spent time there. But the rule is that no vampire can hunt within the Zone. Not that they can't spend time there. And it seems that, for many, spending time among humans is what they want to do. The more I see of life beyond the estate, the more I realise how little I know about anything. But tonight I'm not going to worry about that. Tonight is for me, and Kyle.

We wander beneath the awning, the lights of the market to our left. To the right, more entwined couples, vampire and human. Vampires in small groups, talking. Several have the plastic packs I'd seen Kyle drink from, sipping human blood casually through a straw. And no one seems bothered. There are voices everywhere, talking, laughing, singing. And music, rising above it all, a skirl of flute and drum and violin, an irresistible dancing beat.

Keeping to the shadows, we follow the music to an open square, large trees surrounding a statue in the middle. There are more lanterns, hanging in glittering lines among the bare branches of the trees. The musicians are at one end of the square on a small stage, humans dancing in the open space in front of them, their breath puffing in the night air. Vampires watch from the darkness, some dancing, others tapping their feet. The beat is catching my feet, too. I hop and sway on the spot, Kyle's hand at my waist. I turn to see him smiling, lanterns reflecting specks of light into his eyes. He bends his head to kiss me, and it's bliss, this moment, anonymous, just part of the crowd. I wonder whether I'm right to go home, after all.

‘What is it?' He lifts his head, his cool breath on my lips.

‘It's just… I love you. And I love… this.' I wave my arm at the crowd, which is getting larger, more and more people dancing.

‘I love you too,' he murmurs, gazing into my eyes. ‘So dance, and then later…' One corner of his mouth curves, and he presses his hips against mine, his silver gaze hooded.

I sigh, reaching up for another kiss, my hands tangling in his satin hair. After a moment he sets me back from him, turning me around so I'm leaning against him, his arms around me. ‘Patience, Raven girl.' There's laughter in his tone. ‘Just a little longer, then we'll go.'

‘We could go now,' I say, tilting my head to look at him.

But instead of smiling he's serious, something in his gaze that worries me. ‘Not yet,' he says. ‘I want you to have this, enjoy this moment. Because after this, everything will change.'

I gaze up at him. Our eyes meet, and there's this moment of deep connection. And for a moment I'm scared. Scared of what he means to me, scared of what's going to happen next. He's right. Everything will change after tonight. I have to go back to my parents, to a world of blood and violence and beauty where I am nothing more than prey, no matter how they dress me up. And I'm going to try and change it.

I turn back to the crowd, leaning against Kyle, breathing in his scent, enjoying the feel of his arms around me. This is my last night of freedom. He's right. I need to enjoy it.

I jig against him, my feet becoming restless as I get caught up in the scene once more. The dancers swirl, people changing partners, moving around each other, arms waving. It looks like so much fun, so different from the sinuous moves of the blood dancers and vampires. A girl reaches out and grabs my hand. ‘Come on!' she cries over the music, her face bright with the joy of the dance. I look back at Kyle, unsure. He grins, and gives me a gentle push.

‘Have fun.'

Then I'm bouncing along with everyone else, my feet flying over the pavement stones. It's amazing, and I can't stop laughing, my worries drifting away with the dance. The girl who grabbed me twirls me, and I spin away from her to be caught by an older man with a curling moustache, who pulls me against the curve of his belly, holding one of my arms straight out as he swings me through the crowd. I glance back, helpless with giggles, and glimpse Kyle, the flash of his teeth as he laughs as well. The moustachioed man swings me around once more, then lets me go. I twirl into the arms of another dancer, and the pattern continues, as though I'm a bead travelling along a chain, my feet light as if they have wings. I've never felt so free. I twirl again, into the arms of another dancer.

And catch the scent of violets.

‘Hey, it's you!'

It's the blond boy from the café. He's even more handsome, close up.

‘Emily, right?'

‘Uh, yeah… um, Michael?' He grins, his blue eyes twinkling. He twirls me around the square, lanterns swaying above.

‘I haven't seen you here before,' he says.

‘It's my first time,' I say. Which is true. Something about him makes me not want to lie, as much as possible.

‘Fun, hey?'

‘Yeah!' I squeal as he lifts me, both of us laughing.

‘So, do you wanna?—'

The lanterns go out, suddenly, as do the rest of the lights in the square. The music stops, and there's the sound of screaming. It takes a second for my eyes to adjust. When they do, I realise I'm on the other side of the square from where I left Kyle. The crowd is surging towards us, and there are more screams. Then I see a tall vampire in black livery, silver glinting from his badge and epaulets, and realise what's happening.

The square is full of Raven guards.

‘Shit.' This is possibly an understatement. I can't see Kyle anywhere. I hope to darkness he's been able to get away.

Because that's why the guards are here. Despite Kyle's assurances, it has to be. They're looking for me. Michael's arms are around me, the crowd shoving and jostling.

‘Don't worry,' he murmurs, close to my ear. ‘They won't hurt us.'

I know they won't. I hope and pray Bertrand isn't here, because then it will all be over.

‘I need to get out of here,' I whisper.

‘Just keep moving,' he says, his feet shuffling with mine as the crowd presses into us. Above us I see a break in the shops surrounding the square, a narrow alleyway with high brick walls. And we're being swept, like leaves in a stream, towards it.

Michael grabs me tighter around the waist as we reach the mouth of the alleyway. ‘This way.' He pulls me sharply to the side, up a small flight of steps into a covered walkway. There are lanterns hanging from the vaulted ceiling, so there are no vampires here. Only a few humans, huddling in the shadow of the pillars framing the openings to the square. Michael pulls me into an alcove, his arms still around my waist, the intimacy disturbing and comforting at the same time. He smells of spice and violets, his hands warm through the silk of my shirt.

‘You all right?' His head is close to mine, as close as anyone's has ever been. I nod, the movement slight. I'm not really all right – if anything, I'm terrified of being found, of being exposed in front of everyone. And I'm desperate to find Kyle. I turn my head slightly. Guards fan out across the square, calling ‘Raven one, Raven two,' as they move through the crowd. They don't talk to any of the humans, though, simply moving them out of the way whenever they need to, as though they're herding them. Like cattle , my mind offers, an image of Andrew with meat on his fork.

My heart is pounding. So, I realise, is Michael's. I've never felt anyone else's heartbeat like this, or this encompassing warmth. The wool of his jumper is soft against my cheek, and I can feel tension in his stomach and chest, the hard muscles there. My own body responds, despite myself. It's almost as though I'm cheating on Kyle, and I try to move back.

He shifts his weight slightly, so there's more space between us. ‘Sorry,' he says, his breath warm against my ear. ‘I know we've just met, and this is a bit… We need to keep still. Hopefully, they'll find whatever they're looking for and move on.'

But they won't. Maybe I should give myself up, end all this. Because people are scared. There are children crying, a woman cowering in a doorway, all the light and joy of the evening gone. Because of me.

The Raven guards cross to the other side of the square, disappearing beneath the shadowed awnings. Where the vampires are. Shit. I strain my eyes but can't see much other than flickers of movement, the occasional glint of moonlit silver. My heart sinks. Whatever happens, I need to make sure I absolve Kyle of any involvement. Once I find him.

But I've no chance of doing that from here. ‘I need to—' My words are cut off by a furious burst of shouting, a woman's wail rising eerily above it, a howl of pure pain. Another group of humans surge into the square, but these ones hold flags and placards. Some carry lit torches. Others have scarves tied over the lower half of their faces, or black balaclavas on. The howling woman has a megaphone, as does another man, who shouts slogans, similar to those on the placards.

‘For The Twenty.'

‘And we shall have snow.'

And my family crest, slashed with three bloody red lines.

It's the North Wind.

Michael's hands tighten on my waist. ‘We need to move. Now.'

I don't need to be told twice. If I don't want Raven guards to find me, I sure as hell don't want the rebels to find me.

Yeah, I know. I thought I wanted to talk to them. And I still do. But not like this. With that, my decision is easy. I'll return home, take up the weight of Raven, and start to make change. Meet them as an equal. The last few sparks of freedom inside me sputter out. My rebellion needs to start from within. Kyle and I will work things out, I know we will.

Michael moves back and it's as though heat has been pulled from me. He grabs my hand – oh, welcome warmth – pulling me along the walkway towards a side street, the humans in the square already rushing to fill it as panic strikes. The howling woman is even louder. I make out two words among her desperate cries.

My son.

I stop, turning back. ‘C'mon,' Michael hisses, pulling at my hand.

But I need to see. On several of the placards is a photo of a young man. It takes a moment to recognise him. The boy from the Dome. And I realise who it is that screams, and why she would do so.

Most of the crowd has left the square. Raven guards appear from the shadows, whooshing into formation, a line of silver and black blocking everyone in, including the rebels – who don't stop their march forward, still shouting. The crowd starts to join in. There's a smash of glass and a guard ducks, crystal shards flying up from his shoulder, dark liquid on the pavement. Someone throws another glass, then another, the crowd baying with the screaming woman, the night ugly with noise. It reminds me of another crowd, this one of vampires, shrieking their bloodlust as three defenceless humans disappear beneath them. It becomes clear to me that this is a cycle of violence that will keep repeating. Unless somebody puts an end to it.

A man pulls a torch from his jacket, switching it on so a powerful beam of white light cuts through the crowd. There are screams, the guards flinching and stumbling away as it touches them. Shit. More Raven guards have arrived, another line of silver and black curving to the rear of the rebels.

And all hell breaks loose.

Dark uniforms flash through the crowd, knocking people to the ground. The torch is swiftly extinguished, the holder dragged away, his legs kicking as he disappears into the melee. There's more screaming, some of the humans scattering down alleyways, others a surging shoving mass surrounded by an ever-smaller ring of guards. Guards flash along the edge of the square, dragging people into the centre. More torch beams appear, extinguished as soon as they're lit. Then a young man, his clothes tattered, races forward, carrying a bottle with a rag stuffed into it, flames licking up the fabric illuminating his face as he throws it at the guards. It catches one of them, exploding into fire. The line of guards breaks, humans pouring through, trampling the burning guard to the ground.

I'm frozen. Michael tugs at my hand, flames reflecting in his eyes, gilding his panicked expression.

‘Come on!' he yells over the noise. ‘Now!'

I take one last look at the mayhem below, and make my decision. I can't change anything if I'm dead.

So I run.

Michael holds me to his side as we battle through the throng. I'm knocked and jostled, people screaming in my ear, projectiles flying overhead. I curl instinctively into Michael, his arm strong around me, trying to block it all out. Then there's a thud. I feel him jerk, his hold on me falling away. He staggers back, his hand to his head, which is bleeding heavily from a cut over his eye. He reaches out but the crowd takes me. I see his face, a mask of blood as he calls my name.

Then he's gone.