Immortal City

me here tonight and that he didn’t bring you. I also know that I met Jacks before I knew he was a famous Angel, and now that I do know, I still don’t care. And that’s because I like him for him, not because he’s a celebrity and not because he’s going to do wonders for my publicity. But you wouldn’t know anything about that, would you, Viv?”

Jacks looked like he was working to suppress a smile.

Vivian’s expression twisted with hate. Then she looked at Jacks, and her face softened. “You know what, Jacks? I get this, too. A little scandalous fling before all the responsibility, right? Fine. Have fun.” She scoffed. “But remember, once you get that Divine Ring, you’re mine.” Then a smile crept across her lips, and she turned to Maddy. “And Maddy? If you’re hoping to become his Protection someday, just trust me,” she said, and smirked at Maddy’s outfit, “you can’t afford him.” With that she spun on her heel and was gone.

“That went well,” Mitch said. He must have heard the whole thing. “I’ll make sure Vivian doesn’t kill anyone,” he said, and disappeared into the crowd.

“I’m sorry,” Jacks said, taking Maddy’s elbow and shaking his head. “Vivian gets kind of jealous.”

Maddy stared incredulously. “Vivian is jealous of me?” She looked at her hands and was surprised to realize they were shaking. The realization of what had happened was still only just sinking in. Vivian might be a fantastic bitch, but Maddy knew she was probably right.

“I shouldn’t have come,” she said finally.

“What?” Jacks’s face darkened in frustration. “Listen to me, Maddy. You belong here because I say you belong here, and in case you didn’t notice, this is my party. Please,”

he said, more softly, “don’t let it ruin your night. In fact, I’m going to make sure it doesn’t. Come on.”

“Where?” Maddy asked, but Jacks had already taken her by the hand and was pulling her toward a crowd of Angels in another part of the room. A DJ was spinning in one corner, and all of a sudden Maddy’s heels were clacking against a wooden floor. She looked down. It was a dance floor.

“Dance with me,” Jacks said.

Maddy’s heart boomed like a thunderclap. She had never, in truth, danced with a boy before. At her middle school commencement she had let Tom Watson hold her by his fingertips, and they had swayed back and forth to “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” but she wasn’t going to count that.

“Jacks, I can’t,” she insisted. “I don’t know how.”

“It’s easy,” he assured her. “Just follow me.”

The Angel took her in his arms. She felt his hands trace around the curves of her hips and meet at the small of her back. Then he pulled her into his body, and she lost all resistance. It was irresistible. Maddy’s breath came is shallow gasps as she breathed him in. She had to reach up on her toes to wrap her arms around his shoulders and then lace her fingers around his neck. Jacks stepped smoothly and began to lead her, and to Maddy’s astonishment, she followed. It was nothing like she thought it would be. It was somehow, impossibly, effortless.

And they were dancing.

She couldn’t feel the floor anymore, but she didn’t need to. There was something instinctive, almost inevitable about the way she was moving with him. Even other Angels had stopped and were watching them now. There was no denying it — Maddy and Jacks were a vision. Like they were supposed to be holding on to each other. Like they were meant to be.

Jacks pulled back from her, just slightly. “You look so beautiful,” he said softly, his eyes dancing in the light. He brought her close again.

Maddy felt that same electricity beginning to move through her, just like the energy she had sensed in the back room of the diner and when the two of them had gone flying. From Jacks’s glinting eyes, which he never took away from hers, she could tell he felt it as well.

Yet something was different this time. Somehow, something had changed. As much as she might try, Maddy was surprised to realize she couldn’t completely let herself go, lose herself in the moment.

Was it Vivian’s words still ringing in her ears? Maybe.

But if she was honest with herself, it was more than just that. It was everything about the night — the decadent party, Mitch’s distrustful expression, even the discussion in the car on the way over. Something was wrong about the whole situation. Or at least, there was something wrong about her in it. Vivian’s words reverberated in her head. You don’t belong here.

As much as she hated herself for it, she couldn’t help but agree. She unlaced her fingers from around Jacks’s neck.

“What wrong?” Jacks asked, his eyes still drunk with the electricity of their connection.

“Why did you invite me here, Jacks?” Maddy asked.

“Tell me the truth.”

Jacks looked at her with a questioning expression.

“Remember? I told you I would help you get out a little. You know, live life.” He gestured around the room, smiling to her. “It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?” Maddy bit her lip. He reached for her, but she stepped away from him.

“I’m sorry,” she said abruptly, “I just. I can’t do this.”

She turned without meeting his gaze and walked quickly away.

She didn’t know where she was going, or even really why. She just had to get out. She saw the twinkling patio through the back door with its shimmering, turquoise pool and headed toward it. She had just gotten outside when Jacks caught up to her.

“What’s wrong?” he said, spinning her around. “Is this still about what Vivian said?”

“It’s the truth, Jacks,” Maddy said bitterly. “I don’t care what Vivian thinks. . but she’s not exactly wrong, is she? We’re different. We don’t see things the same way.”

Jacks’s eyes searched Maddy’s face. “What do you mean?”

“Well, first of all, don’t you see how unfair all this is?”

she blurted. “How selfish? Do you think everyone lives this way?”

“No, of course I don’t!” he said. He spun his arm to the party. “But it’s part of my Commissioning, Maddy. This is how it’s always done. I don’t have any control over it. And besides”—his expression grew hurt—“you’re making it sound like this is all somehow a bad thing, when Angels are the greatest force for good in the entire world.”

“Yeah, maybe for executives and their kids!” she countered. “Certainly not for anyone I know.”

Jacks felt punched in the gut. He had been trying so hard to show her something — how he felt. And she was throwing it in his face yet again.

“Don’t you have anything to say?” Maddy said. Jacks remained silent, bowing his head slowly and turning away.

Sounds from the party inside filled the silence. After a few moments he spoke.

“Honestly, Maddy, sometimes I really don’t get you. I take you out to a party anyone else would kill to go to, and you’re unhappy about it.” He shook his head. “In fact, you think the whole thing is unfair. There’s no pleasing you.”

“Would you save me, Jacks?”

It came out in a rush.

All of a sudden Maddy realized it was the nagging she had felt deep inside her. It was this single question. It had been gnawing at her ever since he had come to pick her up earlier in the night.

Jacks’s eyes darted to hers, intent, then looked away.

“If you were my Protection, yes.”

“No. As I am now, tonight,” Maddy pressed. “If something were to happen, would you save me?” When she spoke again, her voice was gravelly and raw. “Would you come for me, Jackson?”

He just stood there. Maddy watched a procession of emotions move across Jacks’s face like rolling thunder.

Anger. Annoyance. Doubt. Even sadness?

Finally, he spoke.