A Shimmer of Angels

by Lisa M Basso

  “My undying gratitude.” It came out sharper than I intended.

  “Not enough.”

  My breath wavered. “What then?” He already had my fear. I was practically drenched in it. I smoothed the ends of my ponytail and worried the corner of my lower lip between my teeth.

  A quiet change stirred in his face, softening around his eyes. “You’re so much like her.”

  His comment burrowed into me in a way it shouldn’t have. I tightened the ribbon that held my hair back, then tightened my resolve. “That’s not an answer.”

  He swirled his empty cup. “I’m not sure what I want from you yet.”

  That makes two of us, because I had no idea what exactly I wanted from him either, besides answers. “There are lives at stake. I won’t stand here and play your cat-and-mouse games while we wait for others to die. Just tell me what you know.”

  He watched me a moment more, than gave a curt nod. “Decisive. I like that. My guess is Az has found himself a new sandbox, one you happen to be playing in. If I’m right, you’d better get the hell out of there.”

  Before I could ask who this Az was, the impatient tourists in the corner waved for their waitress. I looked around for Daphne. Oh, right. I was their waitress. I shot Kade a don’t-think-this-is-over glare and hurried to my customers. Jose was half-asleep when I put their order in, but perked right up with one look at the ticket.

  Through the kitchen, I heard Daphne call my name. I knew if I left Kade alone for too long, he’d slink away, so I pretended not to hear her and turned back toward him instead.

  Two seconds later, Daphne emerged from the kitchen carrying a zippered black case and sporting a mascara smudge on the inside corner of her eye. “Rayna, I have to make a drop to the bank,” she said. “I have my cell if you need me, but I’ll be back before five so you can get out of here on time.” She sashayed out of the diner looking happier than I’d ever seen her before. What could have her in such a good mood?

  The kitchen bell dinged. I hesitated, eyes on Kade. “If you ever want coffee from here again, don’t go anywhere.” It was an empty threat since Daphne and Shelly would serve him, and we both knew it. As an added incentive, I refilled his cup and spared him a smile, though I was sure it looked nothing like Mom’s ever had.

  I picked up two salads and a minestrone soup and delivered them to the tourists. Another couple came in when I was inches from returning to the counter. I grabbed two menus, sat them, and took their drink orders.

  “One strawberry milkshake and one Tornado Breeze.”

  I cursed to myself. Of course they would want a handmade milkshake and the diner’s special sundae, each of which took nearly five minutes of constant attention—and noise—to make. I shot Kade another glare and turned my back on him to begin the painstaking process of creating dairy magic.

  The burgers were waiting at the pick-up counter when I finished, and another set of customers had walked in. By the time I had a second to devote to Kade, my shift was less than five minutes from being over. All of my late afternoon customers were eating. I peeked into the kitchen and reminded Jose to take his break. It was long overdue, and I needed the privacy.

  Two days ago I was begging not to be alone with Kade. Strange how quickly things change.

  “So, who’s Az?”

  “A Fallen.”

  “Like you.”

  Kade sneered. “He and I have nothing in common. You have to understand, when we’re first cast out, it’s difficult being cut off from the kind of family we’re used to. Az was quick to align himself with the wrong crowd.”

  The bell jingled again. Perfect. The other night I couldn’t get him to shut up, and now I couldn’t keep him talking. I looked up, frustrated. Cam’s white wings caught the gray light, spreading it across every inch of the diner. My irritation dissolved. Kade must have seen something in my expression, because his wings ticked back and froze against his stiffened spine.

  Cam’s soft features took on an edge of fury. His wings snapped open with the force and sound of a gunshot. The span reached almost from one wall to the other.

  Uh oh. This was not going to be good.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Kade slid from his seat and turned to face Cam. “Speak of the devil.”

  I thought about correcting him, telling Cam we’d been talking about Az, not him, but the seriousness in both their faces didn’t leave much room for my input.

  Kade shot a dark glare at the couple sharing a sundae, his eyes swirling black. Cam tipped his wings down to level a glare at the three tourists, that white-blue light emanating from his eyes.

  My stomach clenched, a reminder of Friday night. Kade with that woman in the alley. His eyes consumed with black. Cam, using that light on me.

  Both sets of customers grabbed their things and scurried out without paying for their checks.

  “Hey!” I called after them, but they were long gone.

  If they could scare people away with just their eyes, what else were these two capable of?

  Kade’s dark wings shot to the sides, their width rivaling Cam’s. The gust sent me stumbling back into the counter. My black ribbon blew free from my hair. The sound reminded me of rain beating against a plastic tarp. In the seconds it took me to sweep my hair from my face, they’d closed all but a foot of the distance between them.

  Wings filled the expanse of the diner, turning to white smoke where they touched the counter, a table, or chairs. Kade’s back was to me, his black wings blocking my view of Cam, but I could still see Cam’s white wings extended, their light radiating onto Kade.

  “What are you doing here?” Cam’s voice breached the tangle of wings.

  “I could ask you the same thing.”

  “You need to leave the humans alone.”

  Kade scoffed. “You mean your human?”

  Something fluttered in my chest. Silence squeezed the diner, choking it with two hands.

  “I mean all humans. If I find out you had any hand in the recent deaths—”

  “Kids aren’t my cup of tea. And I don’t like you threatening me, brother.”

  Brother?

  “Don’t call me that,” Cam bit out. “Our ties were severed the day you Fell.”

  Kade’s feathers curled in a little at the ends. “Anything else before you go?” he asked.

  “You terrified her,” Cam said, and I knew he was talking about Kade’s Friday night soul-kabob.

  “Not terrified,” I corrected, even though it was a blatant lie, but neither of them seemed to hear me.

  “Sorry, Rayna,” Kade said. He didn’t sound sorry.

  Cam must not have thought so either, because his wings curled back, like he was rolling his shoulders. Preparing for a fight. In answer, Kade’s wings bit the air at the farthest ends of the diner and curled toward Cam. If they destroyed Roxy’s, I would be so fired.

  “Kade thinks this Az guy is responsible for the suicides,” I said.

  Cam’s wings relaxed.

  “Jealous I can tell her things you can’t?” Kade gloated.

  I narrowed my eyes at Kade’s back. Now his willingness to answer my questions made a little more sense.

  “Not hardly. Those of us still in His good graces work to remain above human emotion.”

  I thought back to Friday night. The concern in Cam’s eyes and his words, the way they lit this calming tunnel of fire beneath me that had nothing to do with that strange light. The conversation, his actions … it had made me think he cared. Not just about what I saw or what I knew, but about me, my feelings, if I was okay. But if he was so above feelings, as he’d just said, I had to wonder if that was all an act to get me to trust him.

  “What about Azriel? It’s been years since I’ve heard that name.”

  “Why would I tell you a damn thing?”

  This peacocking had gone on long enough, especially if what Cam had said about them not being able to see each other’s wings was true. I pressed forward, but a thick set of black
feathers was in my way. With more courage than I thought I had, I grabbed a handful of wing. Kade sneered at me, but he didn’t forfeit an inch. I expected them to feel oily because of their sheen, but they were as soft and delicate as Cam’s.

  My fingers lingered for a second too long. Kade’s sneer faded. His eyes pierced me, and this time it wasn’t in warning. I’d never seen that kind of look on anyone’s face before. Disarmed by his stare, I unclamped my fingers and pushed past him before I could decipher the meaning behind that look.

  “That’s enough!” I pressed a hand to each of their chests, fighting to put some distance between them. Heat and electricity crackled through my fingertips. Both sets of eyes seared holes through me. If it didn’t scare the hell out of me, I might have been in Heaven between these two. I blinked the treacherous thought away and peered up at each of them.

  A moment after my gaze touched Cam’s, his face softened in apology. Kade moved against my hand, no doubt taunting Cam.

  I trusted Cam to keep himself in check more than I trusted Kade to, well, do anything I wanted him to. Kade wouldn’t meet my gaze, although those rich, chocolate eyes swirled with black. That couldn’t be good.

  “Kade.”

  He ignored me, still challenging Cam with those dark eyes.

  “Kade!” I wrapped my fist in his cable-knit sweater. My fingertips sunk into the luxuriously soft fibers. He closed his eyes. When they opened again, those strange, black depths were on me. His lips twisted up in a smirk. He was seconds from snapping. I could feel it in the tension ratcheting up in his muscles. There was no telling what would happen if Cam’s strength and Kade’s collided.

  “Please.” I kept my voice as soothing as I could manage with my heart jumping up into my throat. I slowly released my grip on Kade’s sweater and stepped from between them.

  Kade’s shoulders loosened, and he huffed at me. “My guess is Az is taking her classmates. I can help. If you ask nice.”

  “And why would you do that?” Cam asked.

  I frowned at Cam. Though I didn’t know how much I trusted Kade, we needed him.

  “Well you shouldn’t interfere in a human’s life you’re not protecting. Those still are the rules, right?” Kade glanced at me, allowing his gaze to travel the length of my body. “So think real hard, lover boy. Do you want my help or do you want them all to die?”

  All of us? “The whole school’s in danger?” I asked.

  Cam fisted Kade’s sweater, and his wings projected even brighter light.

  “Cam, no.” I placed a hand on his shirt this time.

  He shrugged me off and pushed me aside.

  Another flick of wings sent my hair into my face again. I fought it back in time to see Cam punch Kade in the face.

  The tiniest drop of red dripped from the corner of Kade’s lip, the readiness to strike written all over his face. His fist sailed toward Cam. Before I could think better of it, I dove between them.

  Kade pulled back just in time to avoid hitting me. I squeaked in relief.

  Cam backed up two steps, bumping into a table and shattering something. The new distance between them satisfied me. It didn’t hurt that their wings were tucked away and the air I breathed didn’t taste of distain.

  The broken remains of a mug sparkled on the floor, reflecting the gold from Cam’s wings. I knelt to sweep the debris into my hand. Pain sliced into my index finger, and I dropped the shards, scattering the pieces again.

  “Ow!” One of the larger pieces clanked against a metal chair leg.

  Kade stalked toward me. Cam moved to step between us, but Kade quickened his pace to slide past him. I matched each of Kade’s steps with a backward one of my own. Three steps later, I fell into a chair. Kade knelt before me and held out his hand.

  No way. I shook my head, cradling my hand to my chest. The blood welling reminded me I was vulnerable. Human. After what I saw Friday night in the back alley, I knew Kade was far from either of those things. He brushed ceramic dust and splinters from my hand, and brought my finger to his mouth. I wanted to struggle, to pull back, but something in his rich brown eyes stopped me. Brown, not black.

  Then his tongue rolled around my finger, and my heart stopped.

  Leaving my blood in Kade’s hands—or mouth—bittered the taste on my tongue. Part of me worried he’d be able to suck my soul this way. If I continued to stare into his eyes, there was no telling where I’d end up. Mental images of the morgue, or worse, the alley behind the diner, flashed before me. Another part of me—a smaller, stupider part—didn’t want this to end.

  I glanced up to Cam. His fiery glower pierced Kade’s back.

  Regaining the feeling in my legs, I snatched my finger from him, making sure to keep clear of his teeth, and rose to my feet, determined not to let my knees betray me.

  Cam rammed Kade into the wall, and pinned his forearm against Kade’s neck.

  “Don’t worry,” Kade choked out. “Blood has nothing to do with the soul transfer. And the small slivers of souls I have to take in order to survive don’t drive me into a bloodlust the way it does some of the others.”

  I tapped Cam’s shoulder, hoping he’d release Kade and not disembowel him. “Can we please put a lid on the conflict? My boss will be back any minute.” I glanced over at the clock to find my shift had ended seven minutes ago. Through the front window, I spotted Daphne crossing the street. “Or like now.” Behind me the two of them scuffled, separating. I pulled the front door open, latching it into place to allow fresh air in. Otherwise, Daphne might wonder why it reeked of testosterone in here.

  Dad’s SUV was parked at the curb. Thank God. I’d had enough.

  “Daphne, I have to go. I’m going to be late for my classmate’s wake,” I shouted from the front door. Without a glance back at either angel, I added, “I don’t care which one of you does it, but someone’s paying for those abandoned bills.”

  I hopped up into Dad’s SUV, counting my minimal tips to keep from remembering the way Cam had lost control and hit Kade, the hidden relationship between Kade and my mother, and the idea that there was still a Fallen out there looking to take my classmates’ souls.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Allison’s wake sucked. The funeral parlor had been a wash of black clothes and tear-stained faces. Most of the floral arrangements were predictable, scent-less white Calla Lilies. It reminded me in every way of Mom’s funeral. Allison’s friends whispered about me being the one to find her body, and Dad kept patting my knee, annoying the hell out of me. I’d caught a glimpse of Cam’s wings near the back of the room, but he was gone by the time I was able to break away and look for him.

  That night, I fell asleep with my pen in my hand, furiously scribbling in my secret notebook everything that had happened at the diner.

  The next morning, I bolted out of bed, raced through the shower, and swept the books off my bed and into my backpack. It killed me a little inside, knowing what a mess my books must be in and that I didn’t even have a minute to make my bed. Wet hair dripped down the back of my sweatshirt as I raced down the Powell Street hill to meet Lee at Roxy’s before school. I’d called him on my way out the door, but he hadn’t picked up. He hadn’t picked up the dozen times I’d called him over the weekend, either. I left him another message, along with my cell number. Just in case he’d lost the other six messages I’d left with it.

  I pushed through the door of Roxy’s and claimed our booth. Daphne took an order from a couple in their forties and nodded to me. The other waitress, a girl I hadn’t worked with yet, stepped from behind the counter and headed my way with a pencil and pad in hand.

  “Need a menu?” she asked.

  I shook my head and ordered two hot chocolates, one with extra whipped cream. Lee was a sucker for whipped cream.

  While I was waiting, I dug through my backpack for my secret notebook. My fingers bent against my Science book, a couple of spiral-bound notebooks, and my iPod. The notebook wasn’t there. Shit. I rummaged frantically thr
ough the bag. It has to be here, it has to.

  But it wasn’t. In my rush to get out the door, I must have missed it. Which meant I’d left it at home. Out in the open.

  I checked the clock, trying to figure out if I had enough time to run home and grab it before school started. I’d be cutting it close, but if I left now—

  Someone slid into the seat across from me.

  I zipped my bag closed. “Lee, I—” Only when I looked up, it wasn’t Lee sitting across from me, drumming blunt fingers against the tabletop like I was already boring him. Someone much darker sat in his place.

  “Lee, huh?” Kade’s voice slid across the table, burrowing beneath my skin. “You must be pretty popular with the boys at school, what with them starting to drop like flies and you seeing angels and all.”

  “Wow,” I said flatly. “You’re just full of tact. Only one boy is dead. And for your information, I don’t go around announcing my …”—insanity, madness, curse—“… issues to people. Now if you don’t mind, I’m expecting someone.”

  The waitress returned, sliding the hot chocolates across the table. “You two enjoy,” she said with a wink at Kade.

  Hmm. Guess all it took was a pretty face to put her in a good mood.

  Before I could stop him, Kade grabbed Lee’s extra-whip H.C. and raised an eyebrow at me. “Sweetheart,” he pushed the drink away and flashed the waitress a wry smile. “No self-respecting man drinks this crap. Could I get a cup of coffee, please?”

  Her smile shot to life, awakening her slim face with beauty. “No problem. Be right back.”

  I turned to look out the window, watching the corner Lee usually rounded.

  “If your Lee was smart, he’d stay away from a girl as crazy as you.”

  His thoughtless comment bored through me. “Why don’t you take that cup of coffee to your usual stool and leave me the hell alone? I’m sure you’d prefer that, anyway. You have to be used to it by now. Being alone, I mean.” It was a low blow, but I had no doubt that his sole reason for sitting with me was to ruin my day. Or to collect on the agreement I’d foolishly made in exchange for information.