Xane left the house by the front door intending to walk to clear his head before crawling into bed. The rest of the guys had already headed towards their respective sacks. The evening had vanished, consumed by a seemingly unending discussion and negotiation process, but it was all settled now, at least until the lawyers got hold of it tomorrow morning. Even Rock Giant had eventually agreed that breaking with the band was in Elspeth’s own best interests. It seemed she’d said things to him, before falling asleep in his bed in the Little House, that had convinced Paul she needed to get some distance from Black Halo for the sake of her own mental health. The story that would eventually go out to the press was that she was taking an extended sabbatical to deal with personal matters, and not that she’d been forcibly ousted. It meant they had yet another new musician to find, but at least the tour’s being pushed back to the end of the year meant they’d have time to look for and recruit someone.
Initially, he’d thought he’d go into the woods, but his feet took him in the opposite direction, down to the pier, across to the recording studio, and then along the bare rocks by the water’s edge until he reached the steep bank with terraces cut into it. He spotted something small and furry, possibly a rabbit, on the meadow-like roof of the sauna block. It stared at him with lamp-like eyes before vanishing into the bushes. Fairy lights lit his way up to the second terrace, which was decked and home to the hot tub. Steam was rising off the water and swirling away into space. Who the hell was in there at this time of night? The only bodies he couldn’t account for were Luthor and Dani, who he’d assumed were up on the mezzanine floor. He’d meant to stop by that way on his return to the house and see if he could coax them into bed with him. In any case, it wouldn’t be them taking a late-night dip. He knew his lady love too well. If Luthor was staying the night with them, Dani would be sleeping in her pyjamas again.
Rock Giant, he guessed, was the only other option; he’d watched Ash and Spook head into their rooms. They were both wiped out, especially Ash. This sort of stress wasn’t going to help his recovery.
‘Paul?’
Evidently not, unless the guy was deliberately giving him the silent treatment.
Maybe someone had turned the tub on and then forgotten to turn it off again? Actually, that was probably it. The damn thing had probably been bubbling away here all night. The fact the cover wasn’t on, and he couldn’t see anyone as he climbed the last of the slope, seemed to confirm that. Xane rounded the bushes and tramped onto the decking. It was a nice little haven Spook had created here. Lots of potted plants, a spectacular view over the lake during the daytime and a big sail shade overhead, so you could enjoy the tub even when the weather wasn’t so grand. He’d just turn the controls off and replace the cover. Then it was definitely time for bed.
Xane was still five steps away when he realised the hot tub wasn’t empty, and that the black of the water wasn’t purely a reflection of the night sky.
‘Oh, no! Oh, fuck!’
Xane scrambled over the side and plunged into the steaming water. It was too damned hot, enough that it stung his skin and made him woozy. He splashed his face, and red rivulets rolled over the back of his hand. This couldn’t be real. When he tried to grab hold, her clothing tore and wrapped around his limbs like fronds of seaweed.
‘No … no …’ Somehow he managed to drag her over the side and on to the decking, where she filled his lap like a broken rag doll. ‘No … no … What have you done? You didn’t need to do this. What have you done?’
Blood oozed from Elspeth’s wrist, more slowly now that she was out of the water, but she’d already lost so much, and now that she was in his arms he could feel exactly how insubstantial she’d become. Nothing much to her but bone and skin.
‘Help!’ he yelled as loud as he could, and he’d spent years perfecting a stadium roar.
She was against him, and his shirt was wet, making it near impossible to tear it from his back to use as a bandage. Instead, shivering, he tore away part of her skirt and clamped it against the flow. ‘Please. Fucking someone … We need an ambulance here now.’
They were on an island; an ambulance was going to do them fuck-all good. They needed a chopper. He made a decision then and there to learn how to fly. Where the hell was the nearest hospital anyway?
‘Xane?’
Oh, thank God … thank God … thank God!
‘Paul! I’m over here.’
‘Elspeth’s not in the chicken coop any more …’
‘Help me.’
For perhaps ten excruciating seconds, Rock Giant stood rooted to the spot. ‘I thought she was asleep. I didn’t think she’d move.’ Then he sped forward, and crashed down onto his knees beside Xane.
‘I just found her. She was in there.’ Xane jerked his head towards the tub. ‘I don’t know how long, or how much blood …’
Rock Giant ripped his shirt off and bound it over the top of the soaked cloth and Xane’s hand, to put more pressure on the wound. He kicked over a potted plant, and used the tub as a support so that he could elevate Elspeth’s arm. Only then did he check the pulse in her throat.
Xane thought he ought to have done that.
‘Get help. Get the others.’ Spook would know what to do and where to take her. ‘I never wished for this.’
Rock Giant flipped back onto his feet. His face was haggard, his eyes glassy black, but his voice emerged scarily calm. ‘She’s been saying she wanted to die, so that she could be with him for months. But there are no happy reunions in death, only darkness.’ He shoved another potted plant behind Xane’s back, relieving some of the burden of keeping her limp body upright. ‘Keep your grip tight and the arm elevated. I’ll find Spook, and we’ll need the keys for the boat. Keep her safe, Xane. I’ll be back as fast as I can.’