usually felt as easy as breathing. I suppose I just wanted to impress him, to reassure myself that he loved me by the look on his face when I came down the stairs.
Ivy squirted me with an atomizer, took my hand, and walked with me to the top of the stairs.
“Will you go first?” I asked, swallowing apprehensively.
“Of course,” she smiled. “But I don’t think it’s me he wants to see.”
I watched Ivy descend gracefully and wondered why I had asked her to go first. Nobody could look elegant next to her — it was an impossible task, and I might as well have conceded defeat immediately. I heard Xavier applaud softly and make complimentary remarks. I knew that Gabriel would have been waiting at the bottom to take her arm. Now it was my turn and my family waited expectantly at the foot of the stairs.
“Coming down, Bethany?” I heard Gabriel ask.
I drew a deep breath and began my shaky descent. What if Xavier didn’t like the dress? What if I stumbled? What if he saw me and realized that I didn’t measure up to the girl he had created in his mind? The thoughts rushed through my brain like small bolts of lightning, but as soon as I rounded the curve in the stairs and saw Xavier standing below, all of my worries and inhibitions slipped away like flour in the wind. His face was turned upward, alight with anticipation. His eyes widened into two vivid pools when he saw me, and his mouth opened slightly in surprise. He was resting against the banister, his left ankle in a brace. He looked dazed, and I wondered if it was me that inspired such a reaction, or just the concussion.
When I reached the bottom, he took my hand and helped me down the last step, never once taking his eyes off me. They traveled over the contours of my face and body, drinking everything in.
“What do you think?” I asked, biting my lip hesitantly.
Xavier opened his mouth, shook his head, and closed it again. His blue eyes gazed at me with an expression even I couldn’t translate.
Ivy laughed. “Xavier, you’re a man of few words.”
“I think it’s more that words have failed me,” Xavier said, seeming to recover somewhat. The corner of his mouth crept up in his familiar half-smile. “They’d only be an understatement. Beth, you look incredible.”
“Thanks,” I murmured. “You don’t have to say that.”
“No, really,” he said. “I can hardly believe that you’re real. I feel like you might disappear if I close my eyes. I wish I could be there with you tonight just to see everyone’s face when you walk through the door.”
“Don’t be silly,” I scolded. “Everyone is going to look amazing.”
“Beth, have you seen yourself?” Xavier said. “You’re radiating light. I’ve never seen anyone look more like… well, like an angel.”
I blushed as he gently fastened a corsage of tiny white rosebuds around my wrist. I wanted to wrap my arms around his waist, wind my fingers into his schoolboy hair, trace the smooth skin of his face, and kiss his perfect, full lips. But I didn’t want to ruin Ivy’s careful work, so instead I leaned forward gingerly and gave him a single kiss.
I felt as though Xavier and I had barely spoken two words to each other when there came a knock at the front door. Gabriel went to answer it and came back with Jake Thorn at his elbow.
I wasn’t sure if I was imagining it, but Gabriel, who had seemed perfectly at ease a moment before, now seemed to be standing straighter. His jaw was clenched, and I could see the veins in his neck throb. Ivy, too, seemed to stiffen when she saw Jake, and her rain gray eyes took on a rare glazed look that meant she was alarmed by something.
Their reactions were disturbing and brought my own doubts about Jake flooding back. I caught Xavier’s eye. Something in his expression told me that the feeling of uneasiness was mutual.
Gabriel placed a hand heavily on my shoulder as he disappeared into the kitchen to get drinks. My siblings were usually wary of strangers; they’d warmed to Xavier and Molly but nobody else. Still, their guardedness toward Jake made me uncomfortable. What could they sense? What had he done in his lifetime to cause angels to flinch at his presence? I knew Ivy and Gabriel would never ruin the night by making a scene, and so I tried to dismiss silly notions from my head and enjoy the evening as best I could. Sensing I was on edge, Xavier stood close to my side, his warm palm pressed against the small of my back in a gesture of support.
Jake, on the other hand, seemed completely unaware of the effect he’d had on us. He wasn’t wearing a tux as I’d expected but fitted black pants and a leather aviator jacket. Trust him, I thought, to choose the unconventional option. It was dramatic though, which was probably why he liked it.
“Good evening all,” Jake said and strolled over to me. “Hello, baby, you look great.”
“Hi, Jake.”
I stepped forward to greet him, and he took my hand, bringing it to his lips. I saw a flicker of something close to anger cross Xavier’s face, but in the next moment it was gone and he stepped forward to shake Jake’s hand.
“Nice to meet you,” he said, but there was a hard edge to his voice.
“Likewise,” Jake replied. “This introduction has been a long time coming.”
Unlike Xavier, Phantom made no effort to be sociable. He sank down on his haunches and gave a guttural growl.
“Hello, boy,” said Jake bending, and proffering his hand.
Phantom sprang up, barking furiously and snapping his teeth. Jake withdrew his hand, and Ivy hauled a reluctant Phantom out of the room by his collar.
“I’m sorry,” I said to Jake. “He’s not usually like this.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he replied, and withdrew a small box from his jacket. “This is for you. I think corsages are a little passe.”
Xavier scowled but refrained from comment.
“Oh, thank you, but you shouldn’t have,” I said, taking the box.
Inside was a pair of fine white-gold hoop earrings. I was a little embarrassed by how expensive they looked.
“It’s nothing,” said Jake, “just a thought.”
Xavier chose this moment to intervene. “Thanks for taking care of Beth tonight,” he cut in with a pleasant voice. “As you can see, I’m a little indisposed.”
“It’s my pleasure to help Bethany out,” Jake replied. As usual, his voice came out sounding affected and a little pretentious. “Sorry to hear about your accident. What a shame for it to happen just before the night of the prom. But don’t worry; I’ll make sure Bethany has a good time. It’s the least a
“Well, as her
Now it was Jake’s turn to scowl. Xavier turned his back on him and took my face in his hands, planting a soft kiss on my cheek before wrapping my silver shawl around me.
“Are you all set?” he asked.
In truth, all I wanted to do was stay home and curl up on the sofa with Xavier and completely forget about the prom. I wanted to take off my dress, put on sweatpants, and snuggle up to him where I felt safe. I didn’t want to leave the house, and I certainly didn’t want to leave on the arm of another boy. But I didn’t tell him any of that; I just forced a smile and nodded.
“Take care of her,” Xavier said to Jake. His face was friendly, but there was a note of warning in his voice.
“I won’t let her out of my sight.”
Jake offered me his arm, and we stepped out into the street where a limousine was waiting for us. I saw from Gabriel’s expression that he thought it was excessive. Before I left, Ivy leaned down to fiddle with the strap of my dress. “We’ll be close by all night if you need us,” she whispered. I thought she was being a touch overdramatic. What could possibly go wrong in a ballroom filled with hundreds of guests? Still, her words were comforting.
The limousine looked like an alien spaceship with its sleek, elongated body and tinted windows. I found it vulgar rather than glamorous.
Inside, it was even more spacious than I’d imagined. A modular couch in white leather stretched around its walls. The lighting was purple and blue and came from halogen lights that studded the ceiling. To the right was a bar built into the wall, and blue lava lamps illuminated the rows of glasses and the bottles of liquor that had been
