Immortal City (Immortal City 1)

“I know, but look at it from their perspective. If I get photographed with any of these products, do you know how much that’s worth to these companies? It can mean hundreds of thousands—even millions—of dollars in additional sales.” Jacks was looking at her keenly, as if needing her approval.

“Oh,” Maddy said, feeling numb and shell-shocked. She understood the logic, but something about it seemed so wrong. So unfair. Jacks took her around to every booth, filling her bag with the latest gadgets and accessories. It was everything Kevin could never afford to get her. They reached the last booth and Maddy’s eyes grew wide. There was something she really needed. Jacks saw her expression and smiled.

“She’ll take one,” he said.

The kid behind the booth set it up instantly, even calling in and activating the service. Then he handed Maddy her own brand-new BlackBerry Miracle. Maddy couldn’t believe it. Gwen wouldn’t stop talking about this phone, and it wouldn’t even be out for another six months.

She opened the clutch of her purse and dropped it in, along with her ancient flip phone.

“For nostalgia’s sake,” she said, clicking the clutch shut. They left the room and found Darcy waiting for them outside. Jacks handed Maddy’s bag over to Darcy. He himself had taken nothing.

“Okay,” Darcy said, shouldering the heavy swag bag and typing on her Berry, “you guys good? Vivian needs me inside.”

“Yeah, we can take it from here,” Jacks said, nodding.

“Nice to meet you again, Maddy,” Darcy said without looking up, and then sped away, face in her Berry.

Vivian. The name echoed in Maddy’s head, and she was surprised to feel a stab of jealousy twist through her.

“Vivian Holycross is here?” she asked.

Jacks shrugged. “Yeah, just a . . . friend. We share the same publicist.” Maddy nodded uneasily. But Jacks smiled his hypnotizing smile at her, and Maddy couldn’t help but feel good and smile back, Vivian or not.

Jacks stuck his arm out, she took it, and he led her back down the hallway, toward the noise and commotion of the party.

Halfway down the hallway, Sierra Churchson emerged from a bathroom, her twin brother waiting outside for her. Her face instantly turned dark. She was a lithe beauty; her wings were notorious for their resemblance to butterflies’. Jacks pulled Maddy a little closer to his side. Sierra leaned toward Jacks and whispered something in his ear Maddy couldn’t fully make out. She thought she caught the word star. Confusion crossed his face.

Sierra sauntered away, her hips sliding smoothly under her four-thousand-dollar dress.

“What’d she say?” Maddy asked.

“Something strange . . . Never mind,” Jacks said, leading Maddy down the hallway. He tried to put a smile on his face to put her at ease. “Ready?”

For Maddy, stepping into the party was literally like crossing into another world. It was, without a doubt, the strangest place she had ever been. The room was a kind of lounge furnished with mismatched lime-green and orange couches, deer-antler chandeliers, and pink and white chairs of every shape and description. There were life-size plastic pigs for tables and horses for lamps. Nothing matched, and the more Maddy looked, nothing made any sense either. And then, there were the mirrors. They hung everywhere, in every different shape and size, reflecting warped and twisted images of the passing guests. Like they were inside some kind of gigantic fun house.

Jacks’s presence seemed to fill the party immediately. Angels offered hearty congratulations and posed with him for pictures. Maddy recognized faces she had seen on billboards during her walks to school and on ANN at the diner. They were all actually here now, and so close she could reach out and touch them.

Jacks took Maddy over to where a long serving table had been laid. Even the buffet was bizarre. There was food to drink and drinks to chew. Trays of desserts had been set out that looked more like modern art than anything edible. All around Maddy, the Angels indulged themselves. They munched on foie gras cotton candy and devoured drizzly, melting bonbons. They toasted one another and let the drinks spill over their lips and drip down their chins. A waitress offered Maddy a frozen cocktail that was literally smoking, which she took and then discreetly set down on a pig.

Jacks looked over at Maddy. “Do you like it?”

Maddy saw there were a few humans, Protections. She thought she recognized Sarah, last year’s American Protection winner, standing around awkwardly, no one talking to her. None of the humans were with the Angels like Maddy was. They were hanging out, but there still seemed to be a bright line of separation between them and the Immortals. Just getting invited as a Protection would be enough, though, to get blog coverage that Gwen would’ve killed for.

“Godspeed, get over here!” a burly voice called out from the bar.

“Come on,” Jacks said to Maddy, lighting up. “I want to introduce you to someone.”

Over at the bar Jacks embraced an athletic-looking Angel with dark, glassy eyes and a great smile. Maddy found it slightly overwhelming, how good-looking they all were.

“Where have you been, man?” Mitch asked, his tone slightly rebellious. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

“I want you to meet someone,” Jacks said. He turned to Maddy. “Mitch, meet Maddy. Maddy, this is my best friend, Mitch.” The Angel looked at Maddy with an expression that bordered at first on sheer bewilderment. His eyes searched hers, as if trying to place her. Finally, he gave a half-smile and reached out his hand.

“Hi, Maddy,” he said. “It’s nice to meet you.” His tone was polite but guarded.

“It’s really nice to meet you too,” Maddy said. But as she shifted her gaze, she saw Mitch shoot a quick, questioning glance at Jacks. Maddy wondered what that meant.

“Mitch and I go all the way back to Basic Flying together,” Jacks said. “But seriously, I don’t know why I keep this guy around sometimes.” Jacks threw his arm around Mitch and punched him hard on the shoulder.