Part 7 (2/2)

'So.' He put on his jacket, also ancient leather. 'Now, you've done the hard part. Are you ready?'

'I don't know,' I sighed. 'It all seems too much. I mean, I don't think I'm up to taking on the mighty Hunters. Henora is one scary lady.' 'A puppy.' Soren slung his bag over his shoulder. 'Vanya could eat her up for breakfast.'

'I'm sure,' I murmured. 'But I'm not Vanya. It's me who needs to convince Luca. And if he needs convincing then I don't think it's going to work.'

'Where's your fighting spirit?' Soren eyed me sternly. 'Think of what you have been through already. You simply need to hold your nerve.'

'Game playing.' I shook my head. 'I'm not into that.'

'Nonsense. Everyone plays a little game ...' He hesitated. 'What's courts.h.i.+p if isn't a carefully balanced game of push and pull?'

'I ...' I thought about it. 'I suppose so. But it's horrible.'

'Exciting, though.' Soren's eyes flashed darkly. 'Life is a dreary continuum, made bearable by those moments of excitement. It's called feeling alive.' He studied me. 'And for you mortals, that life is so short ... You owe it to yourselves to feel alive ... at the very least.'

I laughed. 'That's one spin on it, I suppose. But what about safety, stability and all that?'

'Pah. That is for when you are old.' He grinned. 'Youth should be full of adventure and experience.'

I thought about the months, years stretched ahead of me. I couldn't imagine meeting another Luca. And I wanted that feeling back. The feeling I had when he put his arms around me and I felt his breathing as he pressed his face against mine. The tiny sparks that flew around inside me when he kissed me.

I stared at Soren. 'You're right,' I said. 'I wish I didn't have to do this ... It's all so complicated. But I don't want any regrets.'

'That's my girl.' Soren held out his arm and, without thinking about it, I let him pull me towards him.

'I have to tell you, Jane,' he said, leading me through the Art room door. 'I have had such a heavy heart since Lila has been promised to Luca, and have been so intent on getting her back' he paused, as though wondering whether to go on or not 'my intention was to use you. Convince you to help me, with no real thought of helping you in return. But meeting you ... getting to know you, I find I care very much that you get what you want. It is no longer just about me now ... It is about the two of us.'

He didn't look at me and, though I had been on the verge of outrage, his honesty knocked the anger out of me.

'Thanks for telling the truth,' I told him.

Soren turned to me then, his black eyes sweeping my face. I couldn't read his expression properly, but he looked sad.

It was dark outside college. Soren got out his car keys.

'Let me drive you home,' he said, pointing his keys at a beaten-up-looking vehicle in the car park.

'I've got my bike,' I said, remembering I had no helmet today. I'd been in such a rush to get to college that morning, I'd left it hanging on its hook in the hall at home.

'No helmet.' He raised an eyebrow. 'And so too dangerous.'

'I'll call my dad,' I said, fl.u.s.tered. 'It's fine.'

'Jane.' Soren's tone was exasperated. 'Stop being so ... proud.'

I stood, tensely for a few seconds.

'OK, then.' But just to the mountain road.' I thought of bringing yet another strange boy back home to meet my parents.

'Fine.' He nodded. 'Get in.'

As he drove through the dark, Soren stared straight ahead of him, while I concentrated on not remembering another car, another boy. A boy who'd wanted to kill me.

'It must have been frightening for you,' Soren said after a while.

'What?' I turned to him. It was as though he'd been reading my mind.

'Raphael.' He was still looking straight ahead.

I tucked my hands between my knees. 'I don't really want to talk about it.'

'OK.' He returned to looking out at the road.

'I mean ... It just reminds me of that time ...' I shut my eyes. 'I thought it was all over. I thought everything was going to be OK.'

'It will be.'

'How do you know that?' I looked defiantly at the side of his head. 'Everything has gone wrong.'

'I just have a feeling.' With a swift movement his hand closed over mine. 'And I am here to help you.'

I pushed his hand away. 'Not you too,' I said, contemptuously. 'All these boys tripping over themselves to help me.'

Soren laughed then, tilting his head back. I saw the flash of his perfect teeth, his perfect cheekbones.

'I can see what it looks like,' he said, smiling. 'But I really am here to help you.' He tapped the steering wheel. 'And you will help me.'

This did make us more even, I had to admit. I sighed heavily.

'It's just up here,' I said, as we came up to the bottom of the hill. Soren pulled up against the verge and stopped the engine.

'We don't have too much time,' he said gently. 'If you want a future with Luca, we have to go back ...'

'I know.' I clasped my hands together. 'When?'

'It's the weekend tomorrow ...' He studied my face. 'You need to tell your parents something ... anything.'

'I can't.' I shook my head. 'It's impossible, Soren ... What am I going to say?'

Soren shrugged. 'A college field trip ... I don't know.'

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