Read Online Starblood (The Starblood Trilogy) by Carmilla Voiez - Free Book Online Page B

up your own mind about her, I guess.’
    ‘I can hardly wait. Oh my god, we’re so late. Why did I take so long to choose my outfit?’ Sarah nudges Donna’s elbow and marches ahead.
    ‘Don’t worry. It’s fine,’ Donna says, hurrying to catch up. ‘The party’s only from nine, it’ll go on all night.’
    ‘Donna,’ a male voice shouts from across the street.
    Donna feels cold; she knows that voice. Feigning deafness she walks faster.
    Sarah tugs at her shoulder. ‘I think someone’s calling you,’ she whispers. Then Sarah’s hand is gone and Donna feels the tug of her presence far behind. She stops walking and glances over her shoulder. Sarah waits on the pavement, ten paces back, eyes fixed on the man who hurries across the street towards her.
    Donna walks back towards her friend. With each step her throat tightens. As those grey eyes turn towards her she wants to flee, but her feet are rooted here. She cannot leave Sarah alone.
    ‘Hi,’ the young man says. ‘Couldn’t you hear me call you, Donna?’ His cruel smile seems to revel in her discomfort.
    Donna looks towards Sarah. If she expected Sarah’s skin to crawl in the presence of this creature she was wrong. Sarah is smiling. Her pupils wide open soaking up the vision of this terrifying man. Why doesn’t Sarah look at me like that? Donna blinks hard. She must not cry.
    ‘Donna,’ he says, nodding. ‘And you are?’ he asks, looking at Sarah’s open face.
    ‘S-s-sarah,’ she stammers.
    ‘If you’re heading towards Raven’s I’ll walk with you,’ he tells them.
    Neither of the women argues. What can Donna say and who would listen? She knows Sarah is already lost to her. Why did we walk this way? We should have cut across the park. The attack was years ago and yet women, especially Gothic women, still don’t walk there. She wants to say something, divert Sarah’s attention for a while, but what can she say? Everything she ever thought to utter to her friend is already said in her eagerness to speak, to listen, to engage Sarah’s attention. It’s all empty now. Her words have left her and, in their place, a painful lump rests just below her voice box.
    They are chatting beside her. Donna tries not to listen to the words. Every now and again a phrase reaches her, Sarah speaking about art, he about books. Donna tries to define why she dislikes him so much. Maybe if she could explain it to Sarah later she might see it with her own eyes, feel it crawling on her own skin, but Donna doesn’t know. The feeling is deeper than language, more instinctual. He frightens her.
    Raven’s flat comes into view at last. A discreet door nestling among identical two storey flats in a shabby cul-de-sac. The door is open and the thud of industrial beats wash over her last steps. Raven will protect Sarah. Maybe, if Donna asks, Raven will expel him from her home, his scaly tail between his legs. Energised she hurries up the steps. She knows he has let Sarah walk next. She can feel him leering at Sarah’s back, at the way her buttocks move as she climbs the steep, uncarpeted stairs. Donna’s stomach tightens. She can see Raven now, her big black boots stand firm on the living room floor. Donna rushes towards her. She touches Raven’s arm, interrupting the conversation. Raven scowls then smiles at her. Her pierced lip moves across perfect teeth but her eyes remain frosty.
    ‘Donna,’ she says. ‘Glad you could make it. Oh and you brought a friend.’ Then the words stop.
    Donna looks from Raven to Sarah and the man beyond who seems to be sniffing Sarah’s hair. Raven moves towards them. She raises her hands and grabs the man’s forearms. He smiles at her.
    ‘Satori, my love, you came. Where have you been hiding this past month?’ When Satori shrugs, still grinning she continues. ‘Come with me my darling. We’ll get you something to drink.’ With a dismissive wave towards where she probably assumes Donna will still be standing, Raven ushers Satori