Natural Born Angel (Immortal City 2)

Maddy paused with one foot on the steps. Jacks watched her, curious to see what she’d do. She turned and walked up to the girl.

“Sure,” she said, smiling, taking the pen and paper that the girl held outstretched in her hand.

Another teenage girl ran up on the other side of Jacks. “Excuse me, Jackson?”

Jacks turned. The girl held a digital camera in her shaking hands, her eyes wide and Angelstruck. Security raised an eyebrow at Jacks, but he shook his head at him, letting him know it was OK.

Jacks smiled warmly at the teenager. “Would you like to take a picture with me?”

The girl’s eyes darted quickly to Maddy, then back.

“Actually, well, do you mind taking a picture of me with Maddy?”

The edges of Jacks’s smile faded almost imperceptibly, the mask of his face tightening as he tried to hide his surprise and the dawning feeling of . . . what was it?

“S-sure,” he said, his lips translating more than he would have liked the colliding emotions inside him. The girl flashed a bright smile and skipped over to Maddy, who was signing an autograph for another girl.

“Um, she wants a picture with you,” Jacks said flatly.

“Oh, OK,” Maddy said, distracted by the pen and paper still in her hand. “Just give me a second.” She finished signing another autograph, then stood with her arm around the girl, and Jacks took the picture.

“Thankyousomuch!” the teenager sputtered. She and her friend started walking away down the pavement, then shrieked in glee together as they realized what had just happened. Their voices were clearly audible to both Jacks and Maddy.

“Oh-my-God-I-just-got-Maddy-Montgomery’s-autograph!”

Jacks turned to Maddy abruptly. “Are you ready?”

“Oh yeah, sure, let’s go in.”

The café was filled with Angels, Protections, and all their hangers-on. All eyes turned to Maddy and Jacks as they entered the outdoor seating area. A low buzz started as people began talking excitedly. The whole energy in the space changed as soon as they came in.

Jacks and Maddy sat down at a table near the corner. All of a sudden there was the screech of chairs being pushed back, as two people got up across the outdoor seating area. In an instant, Jackson recognized Vivian Holycross, along with Emily Brightchurch. He stiffened, hoping they’d just leave without making a scene.

“What are they doing together?” Maddy said, preparing for the worst.

But the gorgeous Angel girls made their way out without approaching Maddy and Jacks, though they did whisper together and laugh while looking in Maddy’s direction.

“Well, I guess that wasn’t too bad. Emily at least didn’t stab me or anything,” Maddy said, laughing a little bit. “Although I bet she and Viv have a lot to talk about.” Maddy was in good spirits after the TV taping. She looked at Jacks, who was silent, seemingly staring off into space. “Jacks? Are you OK? I mean, I know my joke wasn’t that funny, but. . .”

Jacks looked around the café at the other Angels sipping their lattes, eating their salads, chatting, flirting, laughing. He’d been at that café more times than he could count. He knew so many of the people sitting just a little way away, Angels he’d come of age with, and he was here with Maddy. But right then he just felt . . . empty. Alone. He couldn’t explain it. It was like how he had felt when he had gone on stage at the taping. It just happened upon him. And he felt afraid.

Jackson Godspeed wasn’t used to feeling afraid. He began to really, truly think about the possibility his wings might never be fixed. A cold hole opened in his stomach.

“Jacks?” Maddy leaned forward across the table and took his hand in hers.

“I’m fine,” Jacks said, snapping out of his reverie.

Maddy looked at him with concern, squeezing his hand. “Are you sure? You seemed a little off this morning, too. Is there anything I can do?”

“It’s nothing!” Jacks said, his voice rising. A few customers at the other tables turned their heads towards their table, noticing, and began whispering under their breaths.

Maddy looked at him in shock – Jacks never raised his voice at her. Ever.

He glanced back and forth, realizing he was drawing attention.

“It’s nothing,” he said, more quietly this time. He pulled his hand back from Maddy’s.

A look of pain and confusion crossed Maddy’s face. Suddenly Jacks’s phone buzzed with a text. A strange look crossed his face as he read the text and then put the phone down.