Dark Heart Rising by Lee Monroe

Author:Lee Monroe
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
ISBN: 9781444904901
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Published: 2011-06-01T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY

When I woke up the first thing I saw was the moon through the window. Translucent, shimmering, perfectly round. I looked at my clock, two a.m. I had gone to bed with that moon staring at me, and woken up to it. For months I had barely noticed it and now it seemed to be beckoning to me. All over again.

Careful not to wake my sleeping family, I drew back my quilt and softly crossed the room to the window.

It was a windy night, but milder than usual. I shrugged off the thick cardigan I had worn to bed and forgotten to take off. A tiny draught lifted the fine hair on my arms and outside the black-topped trees swayed rhythmically. The wind must be strong because it was as though the whole of the mountain was whispering. Just leaves hitting leaves, I told myself. But something felt different tonight … I felt a strange sensation. No, not strange … familiar. I had drifted in and out of sleep, things coming into my head … Not exactly a dream, but images. I wanted so badly to see Luca. But all I saw was fleeting. Black eyes. Not green. A thick green forest and the sound of breathing.

And a low wail. Like a wolf’s.

I lifted the window latch, pushing it open, feeling the slight nip of the difference in temperature. It felt cool, soothing, gentle fingertips stroking my arm. I shut my eyes, wanting to feel sleepy again.

‘Jane.’

My eyes snapped open, met a flash of a face. But was it him? Was I just making him up … and those unmistakeable mossy green eyes? I opened my mouth, but as I did so, he disappeared. Breathlessly, I leaned right out of the window, searching on the ground below. I didn’t imagine it, I knew. Someone had been there.

‘Luca,’ I whispered out into the night, ‘please. Don’t go.’

But I was met only with silence. The yard was deserted, the trees still gently swaying.

I closed the window, defeated, and as I moved away from it, I caught my reflection on the dressing table mirror. My hair was tangled and messy, and dark shadows lined my eyes. I looked terrible, like I hadn’t slept for months. All the happiness drained out of me.

I knew I would never sleep now. But I climbed back into bed, pulling the quilt over me, leaning back against the headrest.

Luca had not spoken to me for months, hadn’t contacted me through my dreams like he had all that time ago. And now, tonight … Was he trying to tell me something?

Or warn me?

Suddenly my heart was beating fast and adrenaline started to surge. Was Luca in trouble? Hugging my knees, I glanced again at the clock – only ten minutes had passed – and then my eyes fell on my phone. Flipping it open I scrolled through the numbers. I had barely used my phone since I’d got it … but I remembered the text from Soren, the creepy one he’d sent on the day I got it.

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