Starfire Angels (Starfire Angels: Dark Angel Chronicles Book 1) (19 page)

The ring of her phone startled her.
Pallin.

She snatched it up without checking the
caller ID. "Hello?"

"Hey, Raea. Doing anything right now?"

Her excitement fizzled out. "Hi, Josh.
No."

"Good. I thought we could get together—all
of us—and hang out."

"Sounds good." That might get her mind off
where her heart belonged.

"Yeah. I have the house to myself."

Oh, she so wanted to tell him. She needed
someone to talk to who wasn't involved.

But, no. They couldn't know.

She needed the advice. How was she going to
keep it all inside? She was terrible at keeping these kinds of
secrets. What had she told Josh? Oh, yeah. Elis was helping her
learn about her heritage. Okay. Heritage. Got it. "Cool.
Good...um...Can I, like, ask you something? But you have to promise
not to tell anyone, not even Jess and Linds. No one else."

"Yeah. Sure. I won't say anything."

She knew he would keep his word. Josh had
admitted to knowing about Jess's mother having cancer even before
losing her hair in chemotherapy. Jess had trusted him until she was
ready to talk. Jess had trusted Josh over her. While it had hurt,
it spoke highly of how they could trust him. He wouldn't say
anything about this relationship stuff.

"Good, cause I thought I liked Pallin, but,
you know, he's not going to be here much longer; and I've been
spending time—a lot of time—learning stuff from Elis. I mean, it's
like there's this sort of like weird..." Raea huffed away the rest.
Just say it!
"I think I like Elis. Say anything to anyone,
anyone,
and you're dead." There. She said it. Her heart
raced to escape the inevitable, but she had stuck it out. Or
rather, spit out what she needed to say.

Silence.

"Josh?"

"Okay...This is totally unexpected. What do
you mean you
think
you like Elis? Wouldn't you
know
?"

"Yes. Maybe. But it's not that easy. When
I'm with him, I actually kinda want to be closer. But I'm not so
sure he likes me,"
because he leaves the room instead of helping
me practice,
"so I don't want to look stupid saying something.
And I'd feel bad about Pallin, leading him on."

"Hmm...I don't know. This is something Jess
is better at."

Great. Now Josh knew but telling him was a
waste, because he didn't know what to say.

"What do I do?"

"You're gonna have to say something to them.
But Pallin's leaving anyway, so maybe forget about him, let him
down easy. I'm not so sure about Elis. He doesn't say much and
stays out of the way. I suppose you could see how he reacts to you
making a move."

"That is the last thing I want to do." She'd
feel like a total moron.

"He probably wouldn't object. He's a guy.
You're a pretty girl. Maybe he's just scared. You know we get
scared of rejection, too."

Maybe, but it just felt too weird. Elis.
This was Elis she was considering. And, while she didn't consider
herself ugly, she wasn't particularly beautiful or anything.
Thanks, Josh.
He knew how to make her feel better. She
needed to hear that.

"I'll figure it out, but please,
please
don't tell anyone?"

"I won't. You'll probably tell me anyway
when something happens. Everyone else does," he said. "Why does
everyone have to tell me their secrets?"

"Because we know you can keep them."

"Yay. Good for me. Anyway, hurry over. Linds
is on her way. She's picking up pizza for lunch."

Her stomach grumbled at the thought of
pizza. "I'll be there in five."

"'Kay. See ya."

"Bye."

Awesome. Something to do to get her mind off
things. But now Josh knew. Maybe he was right. No matter what, she
probably should call it off with Pallin. He wouldn't be around long
anyway.

* * *

"This is a waste, Nina."

She expected that attitude. Travis and Jake
didn't know what she had discovered, because she couldn't yet be
sure. But she was damn well not going to sacrifice what she
suspected.

D.C. had other business at the hotel. Too
bad. She wouldn't have complained.

"Not if that girl is connected to our
angels." Not if the girl
was
one of the angels. It had to
be. The documentation with the images Nolan sent explained some
ancient beliefs in higher beings with incredible powers who had
flown to the heavens. One could take it literally as a description
of angels, and when studying the paintings, she could see the
similarity with the marks on Raea Dahlrich's hands. If she sprouted
wings and took to the air, Nina wanted to be ready.

The crew had rented an SUV when they arrived
to haul their equipment. Raea wouldn't recognize it as she had the
white rental car.

"Stay on her." Nina wanted every second on
film. Where was the girl going on a nice day with her jacket
unzipped? Where was Elis? Where were her wings? Surely she couldn't
hide them under that jacket. Nina couldn't be wrong. Maybe the
wings only came out at night. Whatever the case, she would make
that discovery.

Were
they angels? If not, then what?
What was their purpose? Raea had grown up here. Her friends had
confirmed that, along with the birth records, but they could all be
lies and forgeries.

Nina had to know.

"You know, we could be interviewing more
witnesses," Jake said from the driver's seat. His shiny bald head
contrasted the dark shades he wore.

"No. This is too important." Was Raea
walking to Josh's house? It seemed that way. Why?

"Uh, Nina? What about the Dark Angel?"
Travis turned from the camera to her, his short hair looking like
he just got out of bed, as usual. From the gray hoodie, faded
jeans, and black stormtrooper tee, he could have been one of the
kids they watched.

"This is about more than the dark angel. I
think she may be one of them."

"One of what?" Travis turned to her.

"Get that camera back on her!" Better. She
wanted every moment caught on tape. "One of the angels."

A momentary pause passed between the two
men.

"If she's an angel, where's her wings?"
Travis asked.

"Hiding."

"Where?"

Travis's question echoed her thoughts.
Where, indeed, could the girl hide wings? Her back was as flat as
any girl of her stature. In fact, she was too perfect and slim, too
human
.

"I...It doesn't matter. If she's an angel,
she probably has ways of hiding them. Humor me." She met Jake's
gaze, or assumed she did, through the shades. He shrugged.
'Atta
boy. You've been with me too long. You know I'm usually
right.

"You're not seriously going along with
this?" Travis looked from her to Jake, who gave a single nod of his
head. He had only been on her crew for three months. The rookie had
to be broken in the hard way.

Skeptic. You'll see.

"Do it," Jake said.

"All right. As long as I get paid."

The payoff would come when they caught Raea,
and hopefully Elis, with wings. They hid among mere humans.
Why?

And what had really happened to Raea's
mother? There had been a Padina Shartrael married to Scott
Dahlrich. She had been on record as pregnant when Scott himself put
through her paperwork to enter the country. Debbie hadn't lied
about that. How could an angel be born on that world? Didn't they
just exist?

Something still didn't quite make sense.
Either everyone lied or some detail evaded her.

Too many questions. Nina wanted answers. One
way or another, she would find them.

Raea still seemed unaware of them. A
rust-spotted white car pulled up in the driveway of the Baum house.
Raea waved and jogged over as a girl with a ponytail stepped
out—Lindsey, if Nina remembered right—one of Josh's other friends.
Didn't the young man hang out with any boys his age? Then again, at
his age, hanging out with girls was something most guys wanted.
Smart boy.
Linds, as the others called her, lifted two pizza
boxes aloft.

"Oh, man. Pizza. When do we get to eat?"
Travis said.

"Later." Nina hadn't thought about food. Was
it lunchtime already? That would mean taking a break, and Raea
could slip away. Nina would have to plan better next time.

Raea opened the door of the house for Linds,
and they disappeared inside.

"That's it?" Travis lowered the camera. "Can
we go get food?"

How long would the girl be inside? What were
they doing, besides stuffing their faces with pizza?

"Fine. But we'll be back."

"Why don't we get those last interviews
before we track this girl?" Jake started the vehicle. "Next time
we'll bring food."

A man after her heart. Jake understood. "All
right. Let's do it. We should have time for one interview today."
And hopefully the last two tomorrow, and a couple days to watch
Raea and Elis.

Golden Demon

Raea stared at the last few pieces of cold
pizza. Tempting. But what a pig. She'd eaten three huge slices four
hours ago. They all had. She'd had her fill then and shouldn't be
hungry again already, but she was.

The laughter and game competition worked up
her appetite. Josh had munched all afternoon, and his mom invited
them to stay for supper. Raea wouldn't say no to that. She needed
the break. Spending a Saturday with her closest friends, joking and
laughing, had been what she needed to erase the confusion of her
heart.

But her thoughts shifted to Pallin and Elis
often, especially when Josh gave her funny looks.

"So, I suppose you want to spend some time
with Pallin?" Linds nudged her in the ribs with a suggestive
smile.

"Actually, I'm not really into him like I
thought."

Jess turned from her racing game against
Josh. "What? What do you mean? I thought you two made a cute
couple. Everyone at school is jealous."

"Not really. It's like he's too busy, except
at school. Besides, he's leaving soon."

"But what about keeping in touch
long-distance?" Jess turned back at a "Booyah!" from Josh.

"I don't feel right about that." True, but
she couldn't tell them everything. Josh knew the real reason, and
he kept quiet. Thank goodness.

"So, you're gonna break it off?"

"Break what off? There's nothing there."

"Well, you should at least make it clear to
him."

"I suppose, but he never answers the phone
when I call." Without Pallin to occupy her thoughts, she could
focus on Elis. But how would she test him? What if he didn't like
her the same?
Oh, God. Strike me down now. Spare me the
pain.
She didn't want to think Elis might not like her. And to
think a week and a half ago she had been totally against anything
to do with him. She blamed the Starfire for everything.

"Then you should do it in person," Jess
said. "So he knows you're serious."

Raea cringed. That was the last thing she
wanted now. Whatever she saw when he had first appeared fizzled
out. She really didn't want to go, but she'd never find the nerve
at school with everyone listening. "I just want this over with.
It's been bothering me for the last couple days. I'm so sick of
worrying about it. Linds, can I beg a ride?"

"Where?"

"The Prairie Rose Inn."

"Sure. Now?"

"You're not going alone." Josh turned from
his game. "If he takes it wrong... Maybe I should come too, just in
case?"

Josh's support warmed her. She could always
count on friends. "I think Linds and I can handle it."

"You're sure?" That look. He knew the
details, but that didn't mean she wanted to say what had to be said
with a bunch of witnesses. Bad enough to have to say anything to
Pallin.

"Thanks." She could always count on her
friends. "I think we'll be fine."

"All right. But if you change your mind, I'm
ready." He was serious. The fact that he ditched his car in the
racing game prove that, especially when he was winning.

Good old Josh. Why couldn't she have fallen
for him? Why hadn't anyone else? Because Josh was a friend, not a
boyfriend. She had never even considered it. Someday, some girl
would snatch him up. But that someday and some girl wasn't her or
now.

She didn't want to go through with this. But
the others were right. It would only be fair to Pallin, if he was
even interested, which was more than the courtesy he gave her.
Besides, she could move on without worrying about it.

She and Linds grabbed their jackets and left
for the hotel.

By the time they arrived, Raea's stomach
somersaulted into a queasy mess, but she exited the car and walked
with her friend to the front doors.

"You're sure about this?" Linds stopped with
her hand on the lobby door of the hotel.

"Yeah. I have to get it over with."

"You don't look so good."

Ya think?
What gave her the first
clue, besides that Raea had talked about it the whole ride there?
"I'll be fine. Jess is right. At least in person, I can be sure he
gets the message. And he can't ignore me like he can a phone. This
can't wait until Monday either. I have to do it
now.
" Before
she lost her nerve, and so she could sleep.

"Jess would know. She's dumped enough guys
the last couple of years."

Definitely. That was why Raea trusted her
opinion. This was her first time, though. She should have listened
to Debbie. Why did this feel right but make her feel so sick? Why
couldn't these things be easy?

They said little through the quiet corridors
of the hotel and found his room on the top floor.

"Ready?" Linds asked.

Not really, but it had to be done. Raea took
a deep breath and knocked.

After only a couple seconds of silence, Raea
calmed. "Okay. He's not here. Let's go."