Natural Born Angel (Immortal City 2)

After about half an hour, when everyone was eating cake, Jacks and Maddy took the opportunity to sneak off to the deck, which held the stunning view of all of Angel City. Jacks grabbed a sweatshirt from his old room for Maddy so she wouldn’t be cold – it had started to get a little chilly. Maddy slipped the sweatshirt on over her head, breathing in deeply; Jackson’s scent was always so overwhelming, but also so comfortable. Sitting on the cedar bench, she drew her knees up to her chest and leaned against him as they looked out at the panoramic view of the Immortal City.

For a moment, she looked up at his face. It never seemed to change, no matter if he hadn’t got e

nough sleep or anything: it was always perfect. His steady features always filled her with some kind of confidence. In him.

Jacks pulled her closer, slightly squeezing her shoulder.

“Ow,” Maddy said, rubbing it. “Agility training was a little harder than I expected.”

Jacks laughed. “Just wait until you have to deal with the advanced course. The first time I tried it I felt like I couldn’t fly for a week I was so sore.”

Maddy rolled her eyes. “I’m sure you were great at it. Mitch told me about all your awards.”

“What awards?” Jacks said innocently, smiling, his blue eyes twinkling.

“Stop always being so modest!” Maddy said, playfully pushing at him.

Jackson laughed for a moment, but then grew quiet, looking out at the sprawling view of the Angel City basin ahead of them. Maddy stole a glance up at his face – it had turned serious.

She knew he was thinking about his wings again.

“Maybe you can help . . . teach me. How to fly?”

Jacks peered into the distant Angel City night. “Even if I could fly now, I’m not sure what there is to teach. You kind of just do it. I mean, it’s built in. As part of being an Angel.”

Maddy thought about how that was somewhat true with her – she’d been able to fly intuitively at first – but also how some things seemed not to be natural at all. Jacks had never had to think about it, so how could he teach it? He had always had his wings, as long as he could remember.

All of a sudden Maddy’s heart felt impossibly tender as she thought about this Angel, who had sacrificed almost everything he had spent his whole life being groomed for in a mere moment under a knife on top of the library tower last year. What that must feel like for him.

“Jacks?”

He looked at her with a questioning face.

“Thanks. For tonight. And everything.” She squeezed his hand and then nestled in closer against him as the breeze slightly picked up.

All of a sudden the sliding glass door to the house opened up. It was Jacks’s sister.

“What is it?” Jacks asked, a little annoyed at his younger sister interrupting.

“You guys should come in here,” Chloe said. Her face was serious as she spoke.

Maddy and Jacks got up and walked into the living room. All the party guests were standing, watching the large TV, holding their drinks or plates with a slice of cake, but not eating.

On the screen was Archangel Charles Churchson, with his trademark goatee, wearing a crisp dark suit with a powder blue tie.

The Archangel looked squarely at the camera and began speaking: “Good evening. My name is Archangel Charles Churchson, and I am spokesman for the National Angel Services and its Council. Gabriel and the Council have given me this statement to read regarding recent political developments.”

The Archangel looked down at a paper in his hands. It had the raised seal of Gabriel and the Council upon it. He began reading the statement. “‘If the so-called Immortals Bill is passed into law by the United States Congress and, by extension, the Global Angel Commission, we cannot guarantee the safety of any human authority who attempts to apprehend an Angel. And we will take measures to neutralize any threats by whatever means necessary. We hope lawmakers will consider long and hard what the Angels have added to society before taking such an action and potentially putting their own kind in harm’s way.’” Archangel Churchson looked up from the paper and looked gravely at the camera again. “Thank you.”

Churchson turned and walked off camera, leaving only an empty space where he had just stood.

The camera cut back to the newsroom, where the stunned anchors were waiting. Voices and murmurs floated through the room among the guests as Kris leaned over and used the remote to turn off the TV. Mark was silent.

“Jacks, what’s happening?” Maddy asked.

“We need to protect ourselves, Maddy,” Jacks said. “Linden is a nut. You don’t know how dangerous he really is. I mean, look at the bombing.”

“The bombing was terrible, but that doesn’t mean that all humans should have to pay for it, at least until they figure out who did it!” Maddy protested.