Sarwat Chadda - Devil’s Kiss

Percy shrugged. ‘Nope. Art must have told her to hide in case he didn’t beat Michael.’ He looked towards Kay. ‘Couldn’t you, y’know, pick her up?’

‘No. Elaine’s not one of the gifted, but she knows a few tricks. She’s off any radar. If she’s got the Mirror she’s probably in some protected location. There’ll be wards and charms all over it.’

Percy checked his watch. Just gone midnight. He pointed at the phone on the desk. ‘Let’s give Berrant a call. He’s on duty at Crow Street Hospital. Find out how your dad’s doing.’

At least I have Percy. She’d seen her father after school, and Percy had just been there. The big West African, for all his strength and determination, was soft-hearted when it came to her dad. He was probably the only true friend her father had. The only true friend she had.

Percy dialled. ‘Berrant? Everything OK?’ He nodded. Then froze. ‘What d’you mean he moved you? Who’s looking after Arthur?’ Billi jumped up, knocking the mug on to the floor. Panic set in and she stared at Percy’s horrified face. Percy slammed the phone down. He stared at it for a second then ripped off his apron.

‘Gwaine’s moved the watch on Art. Berrant thought I was meant to replace him.’

Billi tried to steady her shaking hands. ‘Where’s Berrant, then?’

‘ Kent. Gwaine’s sent him down there tonight to look into some haunting.’

‘Where are the others?’ asked Kay.

‘Not bloody near enough,’ cursed Percy. There was no one guarding her dad.

They took Arthur’s old Jaguar, but were forced to crawl along. A dense fog had descended over the streets, cutting visibility down to a few metres. Shrouds of ghostly white mist rolled over the windscreen as they made their way towards Crow Street Hospital. The car park was filled to overflowing so they went round the back to the secluded loading bays and ‘PERMIT ONLY’ areas. Percival parked up near a fire exit. Kay and Billi clambered out.

Percival reached in and unhooked the hidden latches beneath the rear seat. It tilted upwards revealing the weapons cabinet. Tightly packed in foam and plastic to stop them from rattling, he picked out a wakisashi, a single-edged Japanese short sword. He adjusted the sheath behind him under his jacket, and slid the blade in. Billi took a pair of hiltless bayonets and a chest holster, shortening the straps in well-practised moves, then clipped her two daggers in place. She threw on her coat, and by crossing her arms across her chest, drew out her weapons once, twice, three times so eventually they could pop into her hands in an instant. They divided up a set of holy water vials and crucifixes each, then she slammed the seat back down. It clicked shut.

‘What about me?’ asked Kay.

Percival laughed. ‘We get into a fight, Oracle, I want you to run.’

‘That’s not fair! I can fight.’ He reached out a hand. ‘C’mon, give me something.’

Billi and Percival glanced at each other. Their reply was simultaneous:

‘No.’

Kay muttered something under his breath, and Percival put his hand on Billi’s shoulder.

‘Nothing flash, OK? If it all goes pear-shaped go for the easy kills: chest, throat, stomach, in that order. Understood?’

Billi nodded. She sincerely hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

Percy looked at the building ahead. ‘We’ll go up, I’ll lead. We grab Art and get out of here. The Canterbury preceptory has medical facilities. We’ll look after him there.’

‘What about Gwaine?’ said Billi. The bastard had abandoned her father.

Percy zipped up his jacket. ‘I’ll worry about Gwaine. Kay, you with us?’

Kay was staring into the fog. If anything, it had got thicker. The dim, hazy street lamps barely penetrated the heavy blanket of cold, white mist; it seemed to surround them like a ghostly army. He shuddered, then looked back at Billi and gave a wan smile.

‘Ready,’ he said.

The rear of the hospital block was open twenty-four hours a day with minimal security. There were two large roller shutters, wide open, and a lorry backed into each. Bright lights shone out from the loading bay, and two laundry men were pushing overloaded laundry trolleys into the back of the vehicles. The driver leaned against the cabin, smoking. Percy ducked under the short barrier and made his way towards one of the rear delivery doors. He acted casually, waving at the guy smoking, and went in. Billi and Kay were a few footsteps behind.

More trolleys lined the corridor, some stuffed with soiled sheets and stained towels, others fresh-smelling and neatly stacked. But the laundry smell gave way to the stinging odour of strong antiseptic. Arthur was up on the sixth floor, but they didn’t take the lifts. Kay groaned as Percy pushed the doors to the stairwell open. The stairs rose up the entire building and were only lit on alternate floors, leaving dark shadowy bands. Billi gazed upwards. The steps were two-man wide, wrapped round an open well. One wall was glass, with vents every other level. Percy took two steps at a time, surprisingly lightly given his size. Billi followed with Kay stumbling behind, cursing. They stopped on the sixth, and Percy gave them a minute to catch their breath. He gently turned the handle – it wasn’t locked – then faced the two of them.

‘You wait here. I’ll grab Art.’ He pointed down the stairs. ‘Keep the escape route clear. Give me five minutes.’

‘And if you’re late?’ asked Billi.

‘Wait some more.’ With that he pushed the door open, winked at Billi, then left. Billi paused at the door, staring down the dark corridor until the door finally closed.

‘Gwaine’s done this on purpose,’ she said. Just wait until Arthur found out.

‘Maybe he had his reasons.’

‘Yeah, getting Dad killed so he could stay Master.’ Billi checked her pair of daggers. She flipped one out and held it over the balcony, trying to catch some light from the bulb on the floor above.

Kay shuffled. He put his hands in his pockets, then out again, then crossed them. Then back in his pockets. All in the space of about thirty seconds.

‘Relax,’ Billi said. She was used to this, the waiting. She didn’t like it, but she knew there wasn’t any other choice. But, of course, Kay never went out on Hot Meets. He looked embarrassed.

‘Sorry, not used to all this,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry. About… us.’

‘There is no us,’ Billi snapped. She didn’t need him to ‘care’ about her. She could look after herself. Let Kay stay with the Templars. More fool him.

She checked her watch: three minutes gone. She pressed her ear against the door. She couldn’t hear anything. ‘What d’you reckon, should I -’

Kay jerked his hand up. He took two steps down, moving silently, and slowly turning his head, scanning. Suddenly his eyes widened. ‘They’re here.’

Billi’s heart skipped a beat. She touched Kay’s hand; it was stone cold. He pulled away, going to the floor below. She hurried after him, and grabbed him just as he reached for the door knob.

‘Wait, Kay! Who?’

Kay closed his eyes, sighed deeply and pressed his palms over his face. ‘I can’t tell. Two of them, but I can’t pick anything up except anger, rage. And hunger. A terrible hunger.’ He dropped his hands and went for the door. ‘They’re… oh no. It’s the children. They’re after the children.’

Billi pulled Kay away from the door before he did something dumb, like run in and fight. She held him close. ‘Listen to me, we go and get Percy. Now.’ This was no time for stupid heroics.