It was hot. Faye had seen the sun rise through the windshield of her car. Now it hung low in the sky over a landscape of empty yellow desert that looked as if it went on for ever. Beside her, Finn dozed fitfully. They had been driving for more than a day. They hadn’t even stopped overnight. Instead, they had taken turns at the wheel, pulling off the road only to change places, although Finn insisted on doing the lion’s share of the driving. Faye was grateful – she’d never realized how tiring it could be. The bikers had ridden with them all the way. Faye had no idea how they did it. Even with the few hours’ sleep she’d managed, she felt exhausted. But they followed steadfastly behind, as constant as dogs.

 

There had been no more sign of the truck, but Finn said the scent of the strange men was strong. They were still going in the right direction. Faye shivered as she remembered the encounter in the forest. Who were these men? She glanced at Finn’s leg – they’d bandaged it up as best they could, using a blue-and-white striped cropped sweater Faye had left on the back seat. It hadn’t been easy while they were driving, but least the bleeding had stopped now. Although her sweater was ruined . . . In her rear-view mirror she looked at the case Liz had given her, and wondered what was inside it. What she wouldn’t give for the chance to change her clothes right now. She felt as if she’d been wearing the same dirty top and jeans for weeks.

 

Her phone rang where it lay beside her leg on the car seat. Finn stirred from his sleep as she picked it up.

 

‘Faye?’ came Liz’s voice as she answered the call. There was a pause. ‘Are you still driving?’

 

‘We didn’t want to stop, in case we lost the trail,’ Faye told her. ‘Have you talked to my dad?’

 

‘Yes. I kind of told the truth,’ Liz said, her voice a little guilty. ‘I said you wanted to try driving somewhere other than Winter Mill, now that you had your licence. I think he’s fine. You might want to call him when you get the chance, though.’

 

‘I will,’ Faye said. ‘I promise – once we work out where we’re going. What are you going to do today?’

 

Liz sighed, and Faye could imagine her lying on her bed, head in one hand as she talked. ‘Not sure. Candy and Misty wanted me to go riding with them, but it doesn’t seem right, really. Poor Jimmy is so bored, stuck at home with his broken leg.’

 

‘Have you been back up to the Morrow mansion? Has there been any sign of Lucas yet?’

 

‘Nothing,’ said Liz. ‘Do you think I should talk to my dad?’

 

‘Not yet,’ Faye told her. She hadn’t said anything yet, but she had a theory that she’d been thinking about, and now she wanted to discuss it with Finn. ‘I’ll call you later, OK?’

 

Faye rang off and glanced at Finn, who was trying to stretch his cramped muscles. There wasn’t really much space in her little car. She couldn’t help but think he looked incredibly cute first thing in the morning. His hair was mussed, and his eyes were still sleepy. Finn looked around, frowning into the sunlight outside.

 

‘Morning,’ she said.

 

‘Hey,’ he said blearily.

 

‘There’s still no sign of Lucas.’

 

Finn nodded absently, but didn’t answer.

 

Faye tapped her fingers on the steering wheel, and then said, ‘Do you remember what that guy said – the one who stabbed you – as the van was driving away?’

 

He looked at her. ‘I’m not sure . . .’

 

‘He said, You’ll never see your friend again.’

 

Finn shrugged. ‘Well, he had just taken Arbequina, Johnson and Harris,’ he pointed out.

 

‘Yes – but he said friend. You’ll never see your friend again. Not friends – friend.’

 

‘I don’t really get—’

 

‘I think he was talking about Lucas. Not the bikers. I think they’ve got Lucas too.’

 

Finn sighed and rubbed a hand over his eyes. ‘Oh, come on . . .’

 

‘No, Finn – just think about it. Lucas disappears and then this? It can’t be a coincidence.’

 

Finn shifted in his seat, irritable. ‘Look, Faye . . . Until I know that he’s not sunning himself on some beach somewhere – which he probably is – I’ve got more pressing things to think about. My pack has to come first. There’s no reason to think that Lucas has disappeared – he’s just gone away. Whereas I know that half my pack has been taken! Aren’t you worried about them?’

 

Faye felt her tiredness turning to anger. ‘Of course I am! But can’t I also be worried about Lucas?’

 

‘I just don’t know why you’re so adamant that something’s happened to him,’ Finn said, raising his voice. ‘You saw that bill – he’s bought a bike! Can you imagine Lucas being able to wait to try it out when it arrived? I wouldn’t!’

 

‘Even if he had, he would have come back,’ Faye replied angrily. ‘I just don’t understand why you don’t care. Your brother vanishes, probably taken by the same men who attacked the bikers, and you don’t even seem to care!’

 

‘The two things aren’t connected,’ said Finn, just as angry. ‘Why would men who kidnap werewolves be interested in Lucas? He’s nothing. Just a silly boy who has the whole world at his feet! He hasn’t been kidnapped, he’s just out there somewhere, living it up!’

 

Faye was about to shout back when something landed on the windshield with a thump, right in front of her. It was black, the size of a small bird . . . only it definitely wasn’t a bird. It was a huge black bug. Its carapace looked oily and slick, opening to reveal fluttering black wings. It looked like it had a beak, but then Faye realized it was a large, evil-looking pincer that opened and closed as if it were looking for something to snap in two. Its thick front legs waved around in the wind as it moved slowly up the windscreen. Faye could almost feel it creeping across her skin. The sound of its beating wings was horrible – like a hundred mosquitoes moving together, whining and whirring.

 

‘Ugh!’

 

Finn leaned forward with a frown. ‘It’s just a bug,’ he said.

 

‘Just a bug? Look how big it is!’

 

Faye hit the windshield wiper button, expecting the creature to be swept straight off. But it was so heavy that it just sat there in the middle of the screen, the wipers straining uselessly against it.

 

There was another thump. And another, and then another.

 

‘Oh my God!’ Faye said, trying uselessly to speed up the wipers. ‘There are hundreds of them!’

 

Outside, the air turned black as the bugs swarmed over the road. More and more crowded onto the windshield, until Faye could hardly see where she was going. There was a shout from outside the car, and she turned over to see one of the bikers – Mackey – throw a hand up to shield his face. The bike swerved off the road, disappearing from view.

 

‘Drive faster!’ Finn told her, over the horrible noise of whirring wings. ‘Maybe we can outrun them!’

 

‘But I can’t see!’ Faye exclaimed. Finn wound down the window. ‘What are you doing? You’ll let them in!’

 

She tried to keep the car steady as Finn leaned out, swatting the bugs away as they hit his face. ‘There’s a sharp turn coming up,’ he shouted. ‘To your left. There’s a motel there – we can shelter inside. On my count, OK?’

 

Faye’s heart was banging against her ribcage. She was driving totally blind, with no idea of what was ahead. She just had to trust Finn.

 

‘Three . . . two . . . one – TURN!’

 

On his shout, Faye wrenched the steering wheel round. The tyres squealed against the tarmac as the car struggled to stay upright. For a second Faye thought it was going to tip over. She put her foot down, relying on Finn to tell her when to stop.

 

‘Stop – now!’ he shouted.

 

Faye pressed her foot hard on the brake and the car lurched to a sudden halt. Finn slid back inside as he wound the window back up. They were both out of breath.

 

‘What now?’ Faye asked.

 

Finn shook his head. ‘We’re going to have to make a run for it. It’s not far. OK?’

 

She tried to catch her breath. She was shaking, terrified of the idea of having to go out in the middle of the swarm. ‘I can’t,’ she cried. ‘I can’t, I—’

 

Beside her, Finn was struggling out of his Black Dogs jacket, his strong arms bare beneath the leather. Twisting round, he pulled her towards him and cupped her face in both hands, holding her still as he looked into her eyes. He smoothed his thumb across her lips. ‘Listen to me,’ he said, his voice deep and low beneath the hideous whirring noise outside. ‘We are going to be all right. I promise, Faye. Put my jacket over your head. I’ll be right beside you. We’ll make it. OK?’

 

Faye took a deep breath and nodded. Finn let her go and they each reached for their door handle. There was a buzz, and something fluttered against Faye’s ankle. She screamed and looked down to see one of the bugs. She shook it off, and then brought her foot down on it, hard. There was a crack as its shell split open. Nausea bubbled up into her throat as her foot crushed the creature into the floor and its insides coated her shoe. It was like stepping on a giant slug. But there was no time to wipe it off – the car was now filling with bugs. They had worked their way into the air vents, more and more of them scrambling inside.

 

‘Faye!’ Finn shouted, trying to get her attention. ‘We have to go – now. Now!’

 

She flung open the door.