Angelfall

CHAPTER 30

I’m not an actress and I suck at lying. I am also far from being a seductress. It’s hard to practice the art of seduction when you’re always pushing your kid sister around in her wheelchair. Not to mention that daily jeans and baggy sweatshirt do not a seductress make.

My mind spins, grasping for ways to get the albino’s attention. Nothing comes to mind.

I take the long way around the lounge, hoping to think of something.

Across the club, a small entourage of women and guards makes its way toward the warriors. They follow in the wake of an angel who has almost the beauty of the warriors with just enough normalcy to his looks to make him non-threatening. He’s good-looking without being intimidating. Toffee hair, warm eyes, with a nose that’s a touch big for his otherwise perfect face. This one is all smiles and friendliness, a born politician.

He wears a gray suit circa 1920s with polished shoes and a golden watch chain looping from his waist to his vest pocket. He pauses here and there to exchange a word or two of greeting. His voice is as warm as his eyes, as friendly as his smile. Everyone smiles back at him.

Everyone but the two women who flank him. They stand a step behind on either side of him. Dressed identically in silver dresses that pool on the floor at their feet, they are matching platinum trophies. They’re human, but their eyes are dead. The only time any life comes into them is when the Politician glances toward them.

Fear flares in their eyes before it is squelched, as if showing their fear would invite something truly frightening. I can almost see the trembling of their muscles as they tense to keep from cringing from the Politician.

These women aren’t just afraid of him. They are screaming-on-the-inside terrified.

I take another look at the smiling angel but see nothing but friendliness and sincerity. If I hadn’t noticed the women’s reactions to him, I would have thought he was best friend material. In a world where instincts matter more than ever, there’s something very wrong about not being able to directly detect the person that these women know him to be.

Because of the circular flow of the club, the Politician and I walk toward each other as we near the warriors’ booth.

He looks up and catches me watching him.

Interest lights up his face and he shoots me a smile. There’s so much open friendliness in that smile that my lips automatically curve up a split second before alarms go off in my head.

The Politician has noticed me.

An image of me dressed as one of his trophy girls flashes through my mind. My face waxy and empty, desperately trying to hide the terror.

What are these women so afraid of?

My step falters as if my feet refuse to get closer to him.

A waiter in a tux and white gloves steps in front of me, breaking the eye contact between me and the Politician. He offers flutes of bubbly champagne on his tray.

To stall, I take one. I focus on the rising bubbles in the golden liquid to center myself. The waiter turns and I catch a glimpse of the Politician.

He leans into the warriors’ table and talks in a low tone.

I let out a sigh of relief. Our moment has passed.

“Thank you,” I murmur to the waiter with great relief.

“You’re welcome, miss.”

Something familiar about his voice makes me glance up at the waiter to see his face for the first time. Until now, I’d been so distracted by the Politician that I hadn’t really looked at my savior.

My eyes widen in shock at the red haired, freckled-nosed face. It’s one of the twins, Dee or Dum.

The look he gives me is one of blank professionalism. Absolutely no sign of recognition or surprise.

Wow, he’s good. I never would have guessed it based on my interactions with him before. But they had mentioned that they were Obi’s spymasters, hadn’t they? I assumed they were joking or exaggerating, but maybe not.

He gives a little bow and drifts away. I keep expecting him to turn around and flash me a mischievous grin but he walks stiff-backed and offers drinks to people. Who would have thought?

I casually step behind a crowd to hide myself from the Politician. Did Dee-Dum know that he was rescuing me or was that a happy coincidence?

What’s he doing here? An image of Obi’s caravan winding its way up to the city comes back to me. The truck full of explosives. Obi’s plan to recruit resistance fighters by making a showy stand against the angels.

Great. Just great. If the twins are here, they must be scoping out the place for their counter attack.

How much time do I have to get Paige out of here before they blow the place to Kingdom Come?