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‘Take a good look, Shae,’ the crowd-stopper says. ‘His physique is all wrong. He’ll never fill out. He’s weak.’

Her movements are as fluid as liquid metal. Mercury comes to mind, probably because it will kill you if you ingest enough of it. I try to pull my eyes away from her supermodel body, clad in a low-cut silver top with matching figure-hugging jacket and black pants that could pass as skin, though it’s an effort. She flicks her head, releasing an intoxicating scent that makes my head spin.

‘Roll it back, Jez,’ Shae says sternly. ‘We can see he’s no match for you.’

She would be no match for anyone except a mercury-inhaling sadist, I can’t help thinking.

Isaac, Gabriel and Michael burst out laughing. Shae smiles, while Jez glowers at me. They can all hear my thoughts. I try to block them like Thane’s been teaching me, but these dudes are too good. My walls are like water to them; they pass right through.

Brilliant.

Isaac slaps his palm down on my shoulder. ‘Don’t underestimate this one, Jez. What he lacks in size he makes up for in courage.’

‘Courage or stupidity – there’s a fine line between them,’ she slings back with a stinging glare directed between my eyes like an arrow.

Thane returns, pocketing the phone, and glances at his friend, the majestic, golden Michael. On his way he passes the crowd-stopper, acknowledging her with a slight nod. ‘Good of you to come, Jez.’

Contrarily, she looks as if she could have him for dinner.

‘Uh-hum.’ Isaac clears his throat, reminding me to watch
my thoughts. I promptly nod. I’m going to go nuts, but I promise to try.

‘How bad is it, Michael?’ Thane asks.

‘He entered through the northern Crossing at midnight Eastern Standard Time, heading due south. He crossed the equator at 1800 hours, bringing six Prodigies with him.’

‘Only six?’ I ask. Six sets of astonishingly intense eyes swing to me. ‘I mean, he has an army at his disposal, yet he only brings six soldiers?’

Thane says, ‘Earth belongs to humans. Imagine the chaos if he brought an entire battalion? He’s here tonight to collect one angel, not start a war of cosmic proportions.’

‘If he brought a battalion,’ Michael explains, ‘I would bring an army of equal strength. And between our two sides we would annihilate every living being in just a few days.’

‘Six Prodigies aren’t going to be a pushover,’ Shae explains for my benefit. ‘They’re fighting machines with no goal in life except to serve their king, and they never pull back.’

She brushes Thane’s forearm, wrapping her fingers around it. ‘Where is my sister? Do you have her in a secure place yet?’

He lays his palm over her hand and looks into her face. When neither speaks, I gather they’re mind-linking. Their private chat pisses Jez off big time; her turquoise irises begin to shrink into black.

Sensing someone watching her, or maybe hearing my thoughts, it takes only a momentary distraction to bring her powers back under control. Jez flashes me a fierce look that has shivers tripping down my spine.

Thankfully, Thane starts explaining how Ebrielle goes by
Ebony here, which gets her attention. ‘She knows nothing about our world, can’t yet accept she’s one of us.’ He looks directly at Shae. ‘I’m asking you all not to speak to Ebony on any subject without running it past me first.’

He glances at me then. ‘Except for you, Jordan. You’re going to be Ebony’s source of information.’

I nod and he says, ‘We need to leave now. Any other questions will have to wait.’

‘How do you want to do this?’ Gabriel asks.

Thane draws a breath as he thinks. ‘Michael, you will come with me.’

This makes sense since he can call on his army for reinforcements in a hurry if needed.

‘Isaac and Shae, you take the lead car.’

Shae’s eyes narrow at Thane. She’s clearly upset at not being in the car with her sister. A silent communication passes between them before Thane says, ‘Trust me, Shae. Your emotions will overwhelm her. She’s not ready for you yet.’

Isaac takes his wife’s hand, leans in as if to whisper something, and though they exchange no words, she nods and sighs resignedly.

Gabriel glances at Jez, ‘Looks like we’re bringing up the rear, my lady.’

‘Story of my life,’ she mutters acidly. No one pays attention.

‘What about me, Thane?’ I ask.

Six sets of impressive eyes zoom in on me again; I feel like a fly in a room full of bees. ‘You will sit behind me,’ Thane says. ‘Your presence will keep Ebony calm.’

Four angels dart outside while I run through the house to the garage without a hope of keeping up with Michael and Thane. They’re in the car with the engine idling when I get there. On the road we hit a hundred in four seconds, the darkening landscape whipping past.

‘What did you tell Ebony?’ I ask Thane.

Concentrating on driving very fast, he says, ‘The truth.’

‘What truth would that be?’

He flicks me a look. I should give him the benefit. He doesn’t lie. ‘The one who arranged her kidnapping is coming with six highly trained soldiers to collect her. And if she doesn’t allow us to protect her, she will never see her friends or her beloved horse again, or find out what happened to her adoptive parents.’

‘Did she freak out?’

‘She warned me.’

Beside me, the golden angel laughs. ‘She warned
you?
’

‘She said there are three people ready to lay their lives down to stop me from taking her.’

Michael’s humour dies on his face. ‘They may just have to.’

Thane catches his eye in the mirror. ‘There’ll be no need for violence on the Lang property,’ he says. ‘They are honourable people. With no thought for themselves they came to Ebony’s aid, providing her with reassurance and a caring home.’

Without taking his eyes from watching the darkness, Michael comments, ‘The High King is just. They will be aptly rewarded when their time is upon them.’ His eyes flicker to Thane. ‘So how will we approach them?’

‘With as much truth as they can comprehend in the shortest time possible.’

‘While you negotiate, I’ll secure a perimeter,’ Michael advises.

My mouth goes dry suddenly. ‘Are you saying Prince Luca could be here already?’

‘He is here,’ Michael says, his eyes darting from one side of the car to the other. ‘Watching. Waiting.’

‘For what?’

‘An opportunity. For the instant we drop our guard.’

‘That’ll be me.’ My gut clenches. I’ve been stuffing up all my life. It’s like my legacy or something.

Thane finds my eyes in the mirror. ‘Stay calm, Jordan; just focus on your task.’

‘Keeping Ebony calm and feeding her information – I got it.’

‘You’ll be fine. It’s time to trust me, to really trust me.’

Our convoy must make quite a sight driving down Mountain Way, all three cars travelling close and at speeds far in excess of the speed limit.

Just as Ebony said, Amber and her parents are standing across their front door with Ebony nowhere in sight. When they see the angels take up positions around the house, keeping watch of the darkness, they exchange looks, their eyes wide with fear.

Thane is out in a flash, but he waits at my door so we can approach the Langs together.

My steps are slower than Thane would like, slower than
I
would like, but he doesn’t rush me; he’s in my head so he knows I’m freaking out.

‘Steady, Jordan.’ He stays close, his hand on my shoulder. He acknowledges someone behind us. I flick a look. It’s Michael, returning from setting up the perimeter already.

On the porch, Amber surveys me with a black scowl. One day I’ll ask what her problem is, but not when I’m petrified of Prince Luca and his six specially trained soldiers lurking in the dark somewhere, watching, waiting for that moment when one of us –

‘Jordan.’ Thane shakes his head.

OK, OK.
Focus, Jordan, focus
.

Thane introduces himself in his calm, soothing voice, explaining how he and his team are angels who have come to protect Ebony from a dangerous dark angel named Luca. ‘I need to take Ebony to the Monastery of the Holy Cross, where she’ll be safe while I perform an ancient ritual on her to protect her from the manipulations and influences of this evil dark prince.’

Amber’s parents both stare at him as if he’s a ghost.

‘I promise Ebony safe passage,’ he adds, ‘and will return her soon after dawn.’

Watching the angels running from post to post faster than humanly possible, the family can see that to call the police would be pointless. They’re not stupid, they’re just stunned.

‘We always knew Ebony was special,’ Mr Lang says, and glancing at his wife, they nod at each other. ‘We won’t stop her.’

Thane nods deeply. ‘Thank you.’

In the distance a dog howls like a wolf, then makes a shrill whimpering sound as if begging for its life. It’s so eerie, shivers rip up my spine.

Michael takes off with the speed and silence of the supernatural. One blink and he’s gone.

Is it him?
Is he
that
close?

Movement on the perimeter draws all our attention to where Jez and Michael come together whispering.

‘What is it?’ Mr Lang asks.

Thane tilts his head a moment, then his face drops. ‘I’m sorry,’ he says. ‘It seems one of your dogs inadvertently crossed his path.’

Mrs Lang and Amber gasp, while from the dark interior of their house Ebony’s husky voice rings out, ‘No,
no
, please don’t let the dogs get hurt.’

‘Are our animals in danger tonight?’ Mr Lang asks.

‘Prince Luca has one purpose tonight, to take Ebony away with him, but anyone who attempts to stop him will assuredly be slaughtered. Your horses are safe inside their stalls. Keep your barn locked and any other animals you may have secured within.’

I gulp deeply and notice Amber’s eyes bugging out like golf balls. They flicker into the darkness before settling on me. ‘Is Jordan safe?’

Everyone looks at me. ‘Not as long as he’s standing out here.’

Then Ebony’s voice calls out, ‘How do I know
you
people aren’t the ones killing the dog and scaring us half to death?’

Thane glances at me, and for the first time desperation appears in his eyes, so I step between Amber and her mum, find Ebony in the shadows and take her hands in mine. They’re ice cold. ‘Ebony, you need to come with us. We don’t have time to argue about this. I’ll be beside you all the way, I promise.’

She groans and Amber spins around and quickly jumps in. ‘Honey, you don’t have –’

I grab Amber’s arm before she can finish. ‘Yes, she does. And if you’re really her friend, you will support her leaving with us right now.’

Her eyes flit to Thane, to Michael, to the cars, to the darkness. She bites down on her lower lip, tugging it into her mouth, and finally nods. ‘OK, but she makes her own mind up.’

‘I don’t want to put these good people in danger,’ Ebony says in a rush, ‘but I don’t trust what’s going on here. Jordan, do you know what this looks like to me?’

I let her hands go and lift mine into the air, both palms facing upwards. ‘That a whole bunch of angels are trying to keep you safe?’

She gives me a long look. She wants to think I’m joking, but my serious face is confusing her. ‘That Nathaneal couldn’t talk me into going with him, so he brought in reinforcements to scare the crap out of me. And it’s working.’

‘Ebony, this danger is real.’

She breathes in deeply. ‘Jordan, I don’t believe in what Nathaneal is selling, but I sure get the part where he wants me to leave everyone I love and everything I know. Mum and Dad will come home one day to find I walked out on them. I can’t do that. I have to be here for them. They’re all I have. Do you know what I’m saying?’

‘More than you realise.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘I’d give anything to see my mum again. She died when
I was nine. And I never knew my father. He’s been in prison for most of my life. Without parents I was made a state ward. Trusting strangers, normal or weird ones, is never easy. I had to do it because I didn’t have a choice. You do. Just make sure you’re not basing your decision on fear. You look freaked out. I don’t blame you, but don’t let it take control of your logical thinking processes up here.’ I point to her head.

‘I saw Adam Skinner today.’

‘
What?
’

‘He told me not to trust Nathaneal.’

‘It’s bullshit!
He’s
bullshit! Don’t listen to him, Ebony. He’s … he’s … an idiot. He’s the one who’s bad news. OK?’

She nods, looking tired, and I say, ‘If you come with us, I’ll be with you all the time. I won’t leave your side. I promise.’

She nods and gives Amber a hug. ‘Are you sure, hon?’ Amber checks.

Ebony sends Thane a dirty look. ‘Apparently, if I stay here tonight I endanger the people I care about.’ As she says this, they maintain eye contact and her lower lip trembles. Thane’s eyes blaze at her with such intensity it takes her a moment before she can pull her eyes off him. ‘It seems I don’t have a choice,’ she tells the Langs.

Thane starts to say something, but she blows him off, being careful not to catch his eye this time. ‘Forget it. I’m coming. You don’t have to convince me any more.’

Thane gives the Lang family a curt nod and closes his big arms around Ebony, dwarfing her as he draws her into the protection of his chest.

Michael falls in on her other side, his eyes darting in all directions until they reach the passenger side, where they form a wall for Ebony to ease into the car safely.

The next thing I know Isaac is beside me with his arm around my shoulder, his wife on my other side. They shield me in the same way until I’m in the Lambo too, then dash to the red Ferrari. Last to leave their posts around the house are Gabriel and Jez.

As we drive off, Thane introduces Ebony to Michael. She looks at the golden angel with startled-doe eyes. ‘How do you do?’ she whispers.

He glances at Thane as if seeking permission. Thane nods, and Michael murmurs to Ebony in a kind voice, ‘Better than you, I would think.’ Reaching for her hand, he kisses it. ‘My lady, it is wonderful to be meeting you at last.’ He gives her a small smile before returning to watching the darkness flit past.