Natural Born Angel (Immortal City 2)

“Maddy? You’re like the biggest ever,” Vanessa said. “I can’t wait for us to go shopping together!” The girl’s eyes flickered with delight as she thought about the prospect of her every move with Maddy being caught by the paparazzi.

Maddy wanted to point out that shopping together wasn’t in the contract, but instead she said, “That’d be great.”

It’s all about pleasing the Protections when you first meet them, Mark had said. Keep them happy.

Mark said, “Now please just relax for a moment, and— ”

“I’ve done this before, with Lance, remember?” Vanessa interrupted Mark. “Even though no one knows what you guys do.” Vanessa settled in her chair. “Ready.”

Maddy looked over at the heiress, then closed her eyes. Using the technique Susan taught her, she opened her mind and let Vanessa’s energy come in fully. She then began the process of disentangling the frequency from all the others nearby. The energy was buoyant, mostly happy, and just a bit mean. Soon Maddy had a clear lock on Vanessa’s frequency.

“We’re good,” Maddy said, opening her eyes and smiling again. She was surprised at how easy it had been.

Squealing, Vanessa pulled out her iPhone. “OK, can I just get a picture?”

Maddy looked at Mark. He nodded, telling her to play along.

Vanessa came around the table and then leaned next to Maddy, taking the picture with her phone. She checked it. “I’m totally tweeting this right now!” she exclaimed. “Maddy, thank you so much!” She threw her arms around Maddy again, and then bounded out of the room, led by Max, who was standing by. The door closed and the room was silent again.

Maddy had her first Protection.

Jackson’s stepfather looked at Maddy: “Are you all right?”

“I am,” Maddy said. “Now who’s next?”

*

Over the next couple of hours, Maddy met five more Protections. They ranged from another wealthy teenager to an older woman who had been married to a man who had started a doughnut empire. All were absolutely thrilled to have Maddy as their Guardian; Maddy was clearly the hottest Angel on the planet right now. There was only one Protection who had any problem with her. His name was Jeffrey Rosenberg. The Jeffrey Rosenberg. The billionaire.

Rosenberg was considerably overweight. His belly rounded underneath his tailored jacket, straining the buttons as he walked into the room, sweat on his brow. He was accompanied by his assistant, a young woman with a short pixie haircut, A-line skirt and white blouse.

“Mr Rosenberg, meet Guardian Madison Godright,” Mark said. “Maddy, this is Jeffrey Rosenberg.”

Mark was being overly nice as he sat Rosenberg down, Maddy thought. Entitlement just oozed from the billionaire’s pores. Maddy found it mildly repulsive, and given enough exposure to it, she might find it very repulsive.

Still, she let herself go and let Rosenberg’s energy wash over her. After having met only a handful of Protections, Maddy could memorize their frequency within seconds now. It was getting easier each time. Even though Rosenberg left her feeling gross. This was her job now.

Settling his girth in the seat, Rosenberg’s eyes drifted incredulously over Maddy, all the way down to her Louboutins, and then back up. She smiled tightly.

“I didn’t want the one that was half,” Rosenberg finally said.

Mark shot a quick glance at Maddy that seemed to say, Be calm.

“I can assure you, Maddy is as capable as any other Guardian, and she possesses skills I haven’t seen in years,” Mark said. “You are in good hands.”

“I want half off my protection plan.” Rosenberg’s voice was flat. Maybe borderline ruthless.

“Jeff, you know that’s not an option,” Mark said, trying to maintain his composure.

The billionaire flared his nostrils as he looked at this part-human, part-Angel across from him, the slightest wisp of an arrogant smile on his face.

Maddy’d had enough.

“If you don’t want to work with me, that’s fine,” Maddy said. “Because the truth is that there are a lot of people out there who need help. And you, sir, don’t look like one of them.”

Silence reigned in the room. Mark sat, frozen. Jeffrey’s assistant was totally silent, her eyes the size of golf balls – she’d probably never seen someone tell off her boss like that. As for Rosenberg, he just sat there, not moving a muscle, looking directly at Maddy, as still as a statue. Ten seconds passed. And another ten. The tension in the room was thick and oppressive.

Then Rosenberg did something Maddy never could have seen coming. He laughed. He came to life, his laughs small and gurgling at first, and then transforming into long, wheezing peals of laughter.