Immortal City

Humanity Defense Front members, heading north from Angel City. They had weapons. Guns. Knives. Hate literature.”

“HDF?”

Garcia nodded.

Sylvester’s head swam.

“Something serious is going on here. Maybe more serious than any of us could imagine.” He stepped away from the window and looked at Angel City through the space his handprint had cleared in the condensation. “Right now anyone on that Walk of Angels is a potential target.”

“That’s nearly every Angel in the city.”

“I need to go talk to an old friend.” Sylvester’s face tightened. “No Angel in Angel City is safe tonight.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Maddy sat up suddenly in the darkness. The dream she’d been having was so vivid, but now it faded from her mind.

Something about an accident on Angel Boulevard. The more she tried to hold on to it, the more distant it became. After a few moments she couldn’t remember any details at all. The only thing that stayed with her was a feeling — the undeniable feeling of being watched.

She let her eyes adjust to the darkness of the room.

Something was different, but what was it? Her gaze moved around the four walls that, since infancy, had been her entire world. The nightstand with her old retainer case. The jewelry box Gwen gave her. The small wooden desk Uncle Kevin bought for her at the flea market, now overcrowded with textbooks and financial aid paperwork. There were even a few tween posters on the wall that she hadn’t found the time to take down. It occurred to Maddy that adulthood had been forced abruptly and unwillingly on the little room, and it was doing its best to hang on to the last vestiges of her fading childhood.

A draft caused Maddy to pull the covers tightly around her. That was what had woken her. The window had been closed when she went to sleep.

And now, it was open.

Her eyes darted to the window and, in a breathless, panicked moment, took in the sight of a dark figure crouched on the sill. The letters of the Angel City sign spread out from his shoulders.

“You sleep like an Angel,” Jacks said. The shock of his words in the dark room sent Maddy’s stomach leaping into her throat. She didn’t even realize she had screamed until it came out of her mouth.

“Don’t be frightened,” Jacks said, sounding worried.

“It’s just me. I’m sorry, I so didn’t mean for that to sound creepy. Let me start over.”

“I’m not frightened,” Maddy gasped. “I mean, I was, I mean, you scared me to death.” Maddy made a conscious effort to slow her breathing and let the knee-jerk fear bleed out of her. Gaining her bearings, she trained a flinty eye on Jacks.

“What are you doing?”

“Can I come in?”

“No,” Maddy said curtly, “you may not come in.” She sat all the way up in bed and drew her knees into her chest.

Cool night air rushed under the covers and around her legs like seawater. Wearing only her old shirt and underwear, Maddy began to shiver.

“I wanted to talk to you,” Jacks said.

“I don’t understand what was unclear about what I said at school,” Maddy said coldly, “but I want you to leave me alone. I’m not part of your world, and I really don’t care to be.” She paused, waiting for Jacks to jump in with something argumentative or clever, or maybe even with another apology. Instead he simply sat there in his suit and V-neck, listening. The silence lengthened. When Maddy spoke again, her voice was softer.

“Look, I’m sure there are plenty of girls who would kill to have you sitting at their window tonight.” She paused, thinking of Gwen. “But I’m not one of them. If you’re still trying to apologize, then fine, you’ve apologized. Now you should just go home.”

“You’re right,” Jacks said. “You’re not part of my world. You’re not one of those girls. And maybe that’s why.”

“Why what?”

“Why I can’t stop thinking about you.”

Maddy rolled her eyes. “Guys like you don’t say that to girls like me.”

“I’ve never said that to anyone, actually,” Jacks corrected. “In fact, I’ve never done anything like this before.”

He let out a little laugh. “How am I doing?”

He swallowed hard, trying to push down his nervous-ness. He was astonished to realize he was nervous. Somehow being around Maddy just put him in a different space.

Jacks felt so present.

Maddy stared at him, letting the anger and frustration surge through her.

“Why are you doing this to me?” she asked finally.

He paused, considering.

“I’m being honest. I know you may not believe me.

But I haven’t been able to not think about you. When we were in the back at the restaurant, and. .” Jacks’s voice trailed off, his face coloring. “I still feel terrible about what I did. I lied to you and, even though I had good reasons for it, it was wrong of me.”

Maddy studied him. Was he telling the truth?

Jacks smiled. “I mean this in the best possible way: I’m not going to leave you alone until you let me make it up to you. I’m serious. I’ll be here every night. You might as well get me some pajamas and a toothbrush.”

Despite her best efforts not to, Maddy laughed. She looked at Jacks and could see the faintest twinkle of light in his eyes.

“So what you’re saying is that I should just give in and let you make it up to me. Otherwise you’ll be tormenting me like this for the rest of my life?”

“Pretty much. Yeah.”

“Well.” She sighed. “What do you have in mind?”

“Come fly with me.”

“Fly? I can’t fl — I mean, I can’t go anywhere with you right now, anyway.” Jacks sat utterly still, framed by the letters of ANGEL CITY on the hill. “It’s totally out of the question,” she protested. “Besides, I have to work the morning shift tomorrow and my uncle would kill me.”

The Angel remained silent.

“Plus school,” she added, her brow knitted. She could tell by his silhouette that he had folded his arms.

“Maddy, it doesn’t matter if you can’t stand me. Just do it to do something. To make the night yours.”

“What?”

“To live, Maddy.”

“I’m living just fine, thank you very much,” she said, haughty.

“Really? By working the morning shift?” He softened.

“Maddy, you have the rest of your life to work the morning shift. I’m asking you to come fly with me tonight.”

Maddy opened her mouth to say something, then closed it. He was unbelievable. Still, she was surprised to realize her pulse had quickened, and she could feel her heart beginning to pound in her chest.

“I have applications, too,” she tried feebly.

“Stop making excuses.” Jacks grinned. Maddy eyed her jeans and gray hoodie folded over the desk chair.