Dark Heart Forever (9 page)

I looked from one to the other. ‘Under control?’

Dalya smiled impishly. ‘He means he won’t fall in love with you.’ She looked almost triumphant. ‘He can’t, or he’ll—’

‘That’s enough.’ Luca grasped her hand tightly. ‘Now be nice to Jane. She’s my friend.’

‘Luca hasn’t got any friends,’ Dalya told me, flatly. ‘He’s antisocial.’

I bit my lip to hide a smile; Dalya and Dot were like two peas in a pod. ‘Makes two of us. Luca and I have a lot in common.’

‘He just reads all these mortal books that he took from Earth one time,’ she went on. ‘
Huckleberry Finn
and
White Fang
and
Franny and
—’

‘
Zooey
,’ I finished. ‘I’ve read those too.’

‘How did you get here?’ Luca asked her. ‘You ran?’

‘No, I came on Sabre.’ Dalya gestured behind her. Further in the trees a small black horse was tethered to one of the trunks. ‘I brought India with me too, but I left her further back. She won’t come through the trees.’

Luca looked at me. ‘I wanted to show you the Celestial Palace, but there’s no time now.’

Dalya hopped from one foot to the other. ‘That’s what I came to tell you. Mother is on the committee for the Great Ball. She said we all need to help with the arrangements. She’s calling a family meeting.’

Luca rolled his eyes. ‘I’d forgotten about that.’

‘What’s the Great Ball?’ I asked.

‘The annual Nissilum celebration of peace,’ explained Luca. ‘The angels host it at the Celestial Palace to keep good will amongst the species.’ He paused. ‘It’s where angels, vampires, witches and wolves all meet and pretend they don’t hate each other. It would be amusing, if one wasn’t required to wear a suit and be polite for hours on end.’

‘Luca always gets roped in to serve drinks and usher people about,’ Dalya told me. ‘It’s because he never has anyone to take.’ She looked at me, her brown eyes bright and mischievous.

Luca frowned. ‘Stop it, Dalya. The Great Ball is not for mortal girls.’

‘She could pretend. Mother would be overjoyed that you have a mate.’

I raised an eyebrow.

‘That’s “girlfriend”, in mortal terminology,’ said Luca firmly, giving Dalya a gentle prod in the arm.

I chewed my lip. ‘It sounds kind of … interesting,’ I said slowly. ‘Fun, even.’

‘Really?’ Luca stared at me. ‘Are you saying you’d like to come?’

‘I don’t know …’ I threw up my hands. ‘I mean, it’s no more weird and frightening than anything else right now.’

‘True.’ Luca looked down at the grass.

‘I’d have to wear a dress, right?’ I said, warming to the idea. ‘Only I’m not a dressy kind of girl.’

‘That is the custom.’ He looked serious for a minute. ‘Jane, I don’t think this is a good idea. If anyone found out that you were mortal …’

‘She could be one of our southern cousins,’ said Dalya excitedly. ‘There’s so many of them, and nobody knows them very well.’

‘When is this ball?’ I asked.

‘A few weeks’ time,’ said Luca.

There was a moment’s silence before I spoke.

‘I suppose I could come.’ I picked up a tiny stone and threw it into the water. ‘If you want me to. After all – in for a penny, in for a pound.’

Brother and sister looked at me blankly.

‘That’s “What the hell!” in mortal terminology,’ I said, tongue in my cheek.

Luca raised an eyebrow then turned to Dalya. ‘Well, if this one can keep her mouth shut long enough, then … we’ll see.’ He got to his feet. ‘Now it’s time for you to go back to the land of pennies and pounds.’ He lifted his arms and stretched, his T-shirt rising to reveal a firm, olive-skinned stomach. ‘You’ll need to close your eyes and tell yourself to go home.’

Like Dorothy, clicking her red shoes together.

‘Is that all?’ I asked.

‘That’s all.’ He picked up my parka. ‘Here, I’ll help you with your coat.’

I pushed my arms through while he held it. As I zipped it up I felt the underside rip noisily.

Luca and Dalya regarded me, amused.

‘You need a new coat,’ said Luca, laughing. ‘You’ve grown out of that one.’

‘What are you, my mother?’ I grinned.

Dalya rolled her eyes impatiently. ‘Come on,’ she whined. ‘I want to watch her go.’

‘Close your eyes,’ said Luca softly. ‘And give yourself the instruction.’

I did as he said and pushed all thoughts out, except for one.

Take me home.

And the sounds of the water and the trees faded until there was nothing, except for the voice in my head.

I
 arrived back exactly where I had left, lying at the base of a tree. I opened my eyes slowly to see a familiar dusting of snow over the winter leaves and sat up, stiffly. I looked up at the sky, wondering if I had fallen straight through the universe from Nissilum. Did it exist in the universe? I shook my head. It wouldn’t help to analyse anything too much. None of it would make sense.

I imagined my mother had been pacing the kitchen for hours by now, worried witless about where I’d got to, but when I walked through the back door, she was standing doing the washing-up, humming softly. At the sound of my footsteps, she turned and smiled at me.

‘Hello, darling. Nice walk?’

I looked up at the clock. It was eleven-thirty. I’d left for my walk at a quarter to. I blinked. It wasn’t possible … Maybe time stands still in Nissilum.

‘Bobby’s in a strange mood.’ She peeled off her gloves and hung them over the tap. ‘Was he chasing after birds or something? He was all worked up.’

I shrugged. ‘He was a little overexcited, that’s all.’

‘Hmmm.’ She looked at me. ‘Lunch will be ready in an hour. And Dot’s over at Cassidy’s house. Why don’t you go into the living room and talk to Dad.’

It wasn’t a question, it was a sugar-coated order. Mum doesn’t like company while she’s cooking.

‘OK.’ I got up, unzipping my parka. ‘But I need to change first.’

The living room door was closed as I went past to the stairs, and I heard a low voice and figured Dad was on the phone. In my bedroom, I quickly changed, putting on the first things I found on my chair.

As I pulled my fingers through my tangled hair, my eyes fell on the photograph sitting on top of my chest of drawers. It was of my parents, back when they were first married. Mum was wearing a full-length, blue, satiny dress, her dark hair curled up in a chignon at the back of her neck. She looked stunning. I picked up the photograph and studied her face. I could see myself in her. My colouring and my eyes. I looked down at her dress, wondering if I’d ever look good in something so elegant and feminine. I shook my head. Would I ever make it to the Great Ball? Back on mortal Earth, Nissilum and its tranquil, luscious beauty was fading already.

I replaced the photograph and opened the top drawer. There lay the notebook. Proof that Nissilum and Luca existed. I took it out and put it under my pillow so I could read it later in bed.

I went downstairs and into the living room to find Evan sitting on the sofa with my dad. I blinked as Evan got quickly to his feet.

‘Oh hi.’ I covered my nerves by doing a quick inspection of my clothing. Not too bad: leggings, clean T-shirt and a short black cardigan. ‘Um, what are you doing here?’ I asked awkwardly.

After our evening the week before, Evan had told me he was going to be out of town with his dad for a while and that he’d call for me when he got back. I wasn’t sure he’d meant it at the time. I hadn’t exactly been the most sophisticated company on our date. I’d practically bolted out of the car when he’d driven me home.

‘I went for a drive,’ Evan said easily. He came over and kissed me softly on the cheek, his lips moving close to my ear as he whispered, ‘I wanted to see you.’

I looked across at my dad, who didn’t look like he’d heard, before allowing myself a shy smile.

‘This is my dad,’ I said, stupidly.

‘Yes, I know,’ said Evan smiling. ‘We’ve met.’ He looked unbelievably gorgeous in scruffy, faded jeans and a denim shirt. He ran a hand through his messy blond hair. ‘I was just asking your dad about his work. You didn’t tell me he was a carpenter.’

‘Evan’s done some woodwork out in Australia,’ said my father, handing Evan a beer. ‘I’d hire him in a heartbeat if I wasn’t so stretched financially these days.’ He rubbed carefully at his neck. ‘I could do with the help while I’m getting over this injury.’

‘I did some work at a boatyard on weekends, for one of the wooden boatbuilders. I loved working with wood. Learned a lot too.’ He took a swig of beer. ‘One thing I’m going to miss about back home.’ He shook his head. ‘I think I’m getting under my dad’s feet. I need to find something to keep myself occupied.’ As he spoke he gave me a careful sideways look, his eyes smiling as he licked a drop of beer off his lips.

I thought the expression ‘jelly legs’ was made-up until I saw him do that.

I swallowed. ‘You could teach me to drive,’ I said without thinking. ‘I mean, if you’re serious?’

‘I am,’ he said, his eyes on mine. ‘And it would be my pleasure.’

I glanced at Dad, hoping to God he hadn’t noticed how I was acting, but he was busy rubbing Bobby’s back, who’d come panting and friendly into the room.

‘Oh, but I haven’t got a car yet,’ I said, already trying to get out of it. ‘I’m not getting it till next year.’

‘Not a problem. When do you want to start?’

Dad nodded appreciatively at Evan. ‘No time like the present,’ he said, giving me a wink.

I opened my mouth, trying to think of another reason why I wasn’t ready, but I couldn’t come up with anything.

‘After lunch,’ said Dad. He nodded at Evan. ‘You’ll stay for lunch, young man? Anna always makes enough for five anyway.’

‘So I’ve heard,’ said Evan glancing at me. ‘Thank you. I’d like that, Mr Jonas.’

‘I’ll inform the cook,’ said Dad jovially, walking through to the kitchen, leaving us alone together.

Evan looked me properly up and down, grinning. ‘I hope you don’t mind me just dropping by, but it was the only way to get to see you again.’

I shrugged but couldn’t keep the smile off my face.

‘You look so pretty,’ said Evan and, before I could say anything, moved closer to me, his hand brushing my back, sending tiny electrical impulses up my spine. Then, resting his hand on my waist, he drew me gently towards him. I stayed rooted to the spot, wondering what to do with the sparks flying around my insides, but Evan seemed happy to do all the work. ‘I couldn’t wait to see you again,’ he said softly. ‘I haven’t stopped thinking about you. I really like you, Jane. You’re different.’

I turned slowly, not wanting to spoil the moment by saying or doing anything clumsy or stupid. But as I was grappling with this, Evan lifted his hand and stroked my jawline, stopping to raise my chin with one finger. He bent forward, bringing his lips to mine, and I felt the softness of his mouth as he kissed me. Gently at first, then more firmly as I tentatively kissed him back. I moved my arms around his strong, lean chest, my fingers traced the dips between his ribs, aware that the hunger I felt right now was most definitely not for food.

But the sound of the door opening broke the spell and Evan pulled swiftly away. We both looked to see Bobby in the doorway, gazing up at Evan with a kind of adoration.

‘Well, the dog likes you,’ I managed to say, over the pounding of my heart. ‘So, you’ve got somebody’s seal of approval.’

‘As long as I have yours,’ said Evan, pushing my hair off my face. ‘I don’t care about anyone else.’

‘Dinner’s ready!’ came my mother’s voice from the kitchen.

‘You haven’t met my mum properly yet,’ I whispered. ‘She’s the real gatekeeper in this house.’

Evan bent to give me one more soft kiss on the mouth. ‘No worries. The ladies love me,’ he said, pulling back with a grin. ‘You’ll see.’

‘H
ere you go,’ Mum said, handing Evan another beer.

‘Uh … no thanks, Mrs Jonas.’ He shook his head. ‘I’m driving.’ He glanced at Dad. ‘Two’s my limit.’

Dad nodded his approval as Mum handed him the beer instead and smiled at Evan.

‘So teenagers aren’t all drinking and looting any chance they get,’ she said, sitting down and taking the lid off the casserole. ‘Good to know.’

‘Mum. Nobody goes looting.’ I rolled my eyes, realising that her looks weren’t all I’d inherited from her. We shared the same social skills too, apparently. While Evan had been washing his hands before lunch I’d warned her not to interrogate him about the time he’d gone missing. I just hoped she wasn’t going to let her curiosity get the better of her.

I glanced at Evan, hoping she wasn’t totally putting him off, but he was smiling.

‘It’s OK. I’ve seen my fair share of wasters …’ He paused. ‘Back in Australia, there were hundreds of them, drinking till they passed out.’ He held out his plate and Mum heaped a huge spoonful of pork in white wine on to it. ‘I was always too dull to join in.’