by S W Vaughn
* * * * *
After the disastrous morning with the Tempter, not to mention being forced to wear the ridiculous shirt, Jaeryth had decided this day couldn’t get any worse. But the damned angel had proven him wrong by turning up and interrupting his plans. Again.
“So…Jaeryth.” Tex folded his arms. “What did you say your last name was?”
“I did not say.” He refused to let the woman-stealing bastard intimidate him, even if it did seem he suspected something was not right. He could prove nothing.
“How do you know Logan?”
“We’ve only just met.” He was tempted to tell the angel the truth, just to see how he’d react. He doubted that Logan would believe he’d been a demon, even if her good friend Tex told her. But Logan had asked him to use this ridiculously thin story and he would not risk breaking her trust. He couldn’t accomplish his mission without it.
Tex smiled suddenly. “I think we got off on the wrong foot,” he said. “Logan seems pretty upset and I don’t think either of us want that. So let’s start over.” He held a hand out.
This change of heart felt about as sincere as Lucifer’s promises. Still, it would harm nothing to offer a token handshake. Angels were held to the same restrictions as demons when it came to dealing with humans. Concealing his suspicions, Jaeryth grasped the extended hand.
Immediately, his perception shifted without any effort on his part. Tex stood before him in true form, terrifying as only a full angel could be—clad in tattered wraps of linen like a winding-shroud, with great crimson-feathered wings and a shaggy black mane streaked with gold. His eyes blazed silver, and a red smile gaped his mouth.
Beyond the threatening form of Tex, the landscape also revealed its truth. The light of Citadel bathed Logan’s house, transforming shabbiness into beauty that spread beyond the confines of the structure. Its golden glow bathed his own skin and the concrete on which he stood sparkled like glass.
The angel was watching him closely, seeking some reaction. He offered a frosty smile and pumped the hand that gripped his. “I’m pleased to meet you, Tex,” he said.
Tex released him and the mortal plane reappeared around them. His smile grew brittle. “Any friend of Logan’s,” he said.
“Agreed.”
Silence descended and stretched to an awkward length. Finally, Tex relaxed visibly and cast a smug look. “Well, I hope you’re not planning to stay long, neighbor,” he said. “Logan has plans with me tonight.”
Fury flashed hot through him at the blatant implication, but he calmed as he realized that Tex was simply twisting the truth. “Yes, I know,” he said. “You are in her band and there’s a show. I’d planned on attending.”
He nearly laughed at the angel’s indignant expression.
“That’s great,” Tex said through clenched teeth. He relaxed with obvious effort. “So, you live around here,” he said. “Close by?”
“Across the street.”
“Yeah?” Tex smirked. “What’s your house number?”
Damned persistent bastard. “I don’t think that’s any of your business,” he said.
“You want to know what I think?”
“Not particularly.”
“I think you’re lying. In fact, I know you are. I just can’t figure out why—but I will.”
The front door of the house opened and Logan emerged carrying two glasses and a clear bag containing the jar Tex had handed her, now filled with yellow liquid. Urine, he realized. She placed the glasses on the porch rail, descended the steps and approached them to hand the bag to Tex. “Here you go, counselor,” she said. “Don’t drink it all at once.”
“I’ll try to restrain myself.” Tex, all smiles and warmth now, hugged Logan and kissed her cheek.
It was all Jaeryth could do not to strike the smug bastard.
“Hey, Logan.” Tex kept an arm around her shoulders, but his taunting gaze fell on Jaeryth, daring him to say something. “Do you mind if Blue picks you up tonight? I’ve got a little running around to take care of and I’m going to be cutting it close.”
“Sure, if she doesn’t mind.”
“I already asked her. She’s cool.” He squeezed again, a friendly gesture. “All right. I’ll see you tonight.” Releasing her, he turned to Jaeryth and extended a hand. “Take it easy, friend.”
Clenching his jaw hard enough to hurt, Jaeryth took it. There were no unearthly visions this time. He didn’t need them—he’d already made his point clear.
“Later.” Tex grinned broadly, waved to Logan and strode toward his car, whistling.
And Jaeryth decided that, human or not, he was going to do something about that blasted angel.
Chapter Fourteen
After Jaeryth fell asleep, Logan went about doing mostly normal things, and even managed to grab a quick nap herself. She was determined to stay calm about all the weirdness that happened this morning and whatever bug Tex had up his ass about her new friend.
But the upcoming show was another matter. By the time Blue pulled into the driveway around eight that night, her nerves sizzled like hot oil. She felt worse than she had before the first time. Maybe because of Nick the Neighborhood Jogger and his YouTube video.
Or maybe it was Jaeryth. He hadn’t made her first show, since he’d apparently been busy getting the shit kicked out of him. Besides, even if he had, she never would’ve seen him in the crowd. But this time she’d know he was there.
Why one person’s opinion of her singing should matter so much, she had no idea. But her trembling hands and the film of cold sweat on her back said that it did.
Blue got out of the car before they reached it, leaving the engine running. She barely glanced over. “Just gotta shove a few things aside,” she said. “I remembered you texted me about an extra, but I totally forgot to check the—” She did a double-take in the middle of opening the back door and pinned her gaze on Jaeryth. “Holy hell. You’re some extra.”
She couldn’t help smiling. At least Blue would give him a better reception than Tex. “I guess I should introduce you two,” she said.
“You’d better.”
She glanced at Jaeryth, who looked more than a little wary. He probably expected Blue to give him the third degree, like Tex no doubt had. “It’s okay,” she told him. “Blue’s cool.”
His crooked smile made her stomach flutter.
“All right.” She drew in a quick breath and hoped she didn’t look as flustered as she felt. “So, this is Blue, the kick-ass bass player. Blue, meet Jaeryth.”
“Great name.” Blue held out a hand.
Jaeryth hesitated for half a second, and then took it. “You as well,” he said. “Blue.”
“Wow.” Grinning, she mock-shivered and stepped back. “Can you sing with that voice?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“Pity.” She headed back for the car. “Nice to meet you and we’ve gotta go. Gimme just a second.” She opened the back door and shoved a bunch of loose papers and electrical cords across the seat. “Hope you don’t mind riding coach, Jaeryth.”
“I don’t believe I do.”
Blue blinked at him and then shrugged. “Okay, then. Hop in.”
Jaeryth cast a dubious look at the car. But he moved toward it and then climbed inside gingerly, rustling papers as he went. When he situated himself on the seat, he had to shift his legs over into the other foot well so he’d fit. “It seems a bit cramped,” he said.
“Guess I’m moving my seat up.” Blue flashed a smile, closed him in and turned to Logan. “Damn, woman,” she half-whispered. “Where’d you find him?”
“He’s my neighbor.” The lie came easier this time, and with less babbling.
“I’m moving down here with you. I want one of those.”
The teasing tone said she didn’t have to worry about Blue making a move on him. She was grateful for that. Not that she was involved with Jaeryth or anything, but him hooking up with someone would complicate an already insane situation.
<
br /> While Blue pulled the driver’s seat forward, Logan walked around and climbed in the passenger side, then looked back at Jaeryth. “You all right?” she said.
“Fine.” He shifted position a bit and pressed back against the seat. “Is this place far?”
“Honestly? I have no idea.”
“It’s not far.” Blue closed her door and buckled in. “The Pelican’s a nice little local place. We play it once or twice a month. We’ll be there twenty minutes, tops.”
Jaeryth smirked. “Good.”
Logan faced forward and waited until they got moving, and then lit a cigarette and lowered the window halfway. “So,” she said to Blue. “How little is this place?”
Blue smirked and shook her head. “You’re still nervous?”
“Uh…yeah. I am.”
“Don’t be.” She reached for the pack of smokes in the cup holder and fired one up. “It’s little,” she said. “Something like five hundred capacity, max. And there’s never been that many there.”
“Sounds cozy.”
“You’ll have fun. Trust me.”
Logan nodded and spent a minute staring out the window. “Hey,” she said eventually. “Did you know we’re on YouTube?”
Blue laughed. “Course we are. It’s what you have to do these days. We’ve got a kid that tapes the shows, chops them up and uploads them for us every time.” She let out a snort. “It’s supposed to help us get discovered or something.”
“Maybe it will.” Logan told her about Nick.
“Freaky,” Blue said when she finished. “So this guy’s coming tonight too?”
“He said he was.”
“Well, there’s gonna be like three dozen people plus one, then.”
“I can handle that.”
The drive seemed to take a lot less than twenty minutes. They hit downtown Pottstown fairly soon and Blue slowed to navigate the turns. Cars lined both sides of nearly every street they drove down. A normal sight in Philly, but Logan hadn’t expected it here. “I didn’t know Pottstown had such a hot night life,” she said. “It is Sunday, right?”
“Last I checked.” Blue frowned through the windshield. “This is weird. Must be something going on around here.”
They hung a right onto yet another street packed with cars. Midway down the block, Logan saw the neon sign for The Pelican Room.
And the massive, three- and four-deep line of people that snaked from the door and stretched down the sidewalk.
“Oh my God,” she said in strangled tones.
Blue’s mouth hung open in almost comic shock. No words came out.
“What’s wrong?” Jaeryth went from detached to alert in two seconds flat.
She turned sideways and smirked. “Three dozen plus one,” she said. “I think Blue’s head count is a little low.” She tried not to look directly at the lines, or the packed parking lot. The idea that all these people were here for Ruined Soul made her downright queasy. And she hadn’t even brought a bucket this time.
“Um. Wow.” Blue slowed as they neared the parking lot entrance and stared at the waiting throngs. “They giving away free beer in there, or what?”
A weak laugh was the best she could manage. This was just unreal. They wouldn’t even be able to fit that many people into the place…would they?
“Good thing we get special parking privileges.” Gravel crunched loud beneath the tires as Blue threaded the car through the overfilled lot. She pulled around to the back door, killed the engine and faced Logan. “I think we’re gonna need extra security tonight,” she said, then threw a glance toward the back seat. “How about it, neighbor?”
Jaeryth’s brow furrowed. “How about what?”
“Ever bounce a bar before?”
“No.”
“It’s easy. You stand between the stage and the crowd and look angry. If anybody tries to rush up, you push ’em back.” Blue grinned. “I think you’d be real good at it. Especially the angry-looking part.”
He looked at Logan. “I’ll do this for you,” he said. “If you’d like me to.”
Oh God. Why did he have to make it sound as if he were offering to sleep with her or something? Come to think of it, just about everything he said to her sounded that way. It was that gorgeous voice of his. She was going to melt all over Blue’s upholstery. “I’d like that,” she managed. “Thank you.”
She couldn’t imagine actually needing protection—but it sure wouldn’t hurt to have Jaeryth to look at while she was up there.
* * * * *
Hell’s flames. Just this morning Jaeryth had sworn off protecting Logan, and here he was doing it again. This was not helping his mission. But if she was injured by some enthusiastic human, as the woman called Blue seemed to think might happen, his progress—such as it was—would come to a halt.
Besides, large crowds of mortals, mixed with music and alcohol, were very attractive to Tempters, and he didn’t want Ronwe’s underlings anywhere near her. He would handle the corrupting where Logan was concerned.
He’d been frustrated to note that she seemed to have pushed the earlier encounter with the Tempter from her mind, if she hadn’t dismissed it entirely. He had hoped it would speed her awakening, if nothing else, but still she denied her vision. Perhaps tonight, after this concert, he would discuss it with her.
For now, though, it would require every bit of his concentration to interact with all these mortals. Tex already suspected him. The angel could do nothing without revealing himself in the process—but the others were different. They had no secret identities to hide and they would notice any strangeness.
He followed Logan and Blue through an unmarked door at the back of the building and into a cavernous, nearly empty room, which remained that way apparently because of four large men standing in the opening between this room and the next. Beyond the guards, people crowded thickly, awash in pale light from the signs above the bar. The roar of their chatter resounded through the building.
At least there were far fewer humans in this room. Besides himself and the women, there were two men on a stage jumbled with equipment and a lone man who hovered in the middle of the room, staring uncertainly at the crowds.
One of the men on the stage, a muscular blond with several colorful tattoos, leapt easily to the floor and ambled toward them with a smile. “Y’all have any problems gettin’ in?”
“Piece of cake,” Blue said. “I only had to run over four or five screaming fans.”
The man shook his head and grinned at Logan. “Damn, short stuff. You got ’em comin’ out of the woodwork now. I never seen anything like this.”
“It’s not me.” Logan blanched, and looked as though she might be sick. “I only invited one guy. Well…two, I guess.”
“Invited?” Laughing, the man slung an arm around her shoulder. “You didn’t have to, darlin’. They’re here for that angel voice of yours.”
Jaeryth silently congratulated himself on his restraint and held back a grin when Logan twisted away from the man. “It’s not me,” she repeated, and let out a shuddering breath. “So where’s Tex? I thought he’d beat us here.”
The blond blinked in surprise, actually looked at Jaeryth for the first time and flashed a quick frown. “You ain’t Tex.”
“How observant,” he intoned.
Logan elbowed him and cleared her throat. “Jaeryth, this is Reid Rivers, and vice versa. Reid plays guitar.”
“Yeah?” Reid raised an eyebrow. “Who’s he?”
“Temporary security,” Blue said. “What’s wrong, Reid—afraid he’s gonna steal your groupies before you get to them?”
Reid laughed. “Pretty sure there’s plenty to go around tonight,” he said. “And I never go home alone. Unlike some uptight chicks I know.”
“Some of us would rather be uptight than contagious.”
“Careful, Blue. Some day, you’re gonna bust the wrong set of balls.”
“Guys.”
The single word from Logan was enough to sto
p the fight and ease most of the tension—yet another indication of her latent power. It would not stay latent for long.
Blue shook her head and smiled at Logan. “Sorry, Mom. We’re done,” she said. “I guess we’d better get set up, before that crowd eats us alive.”
“Great,” Reid said. “What about Tex—or are we just gonna go unplugged tonight? I didn’t bring my acoustic.”
As though the statement had summoned him, the back door opened and Tex strode through.
Logan smiled. “Speak of the devil.”
The devil, indeed. Jaeryth couldn’t help glaring, though the angel did not even acknowledge his presence. “Sorry, guys,” Tex said. “There’s a little traffic out there.” He headed straight for Logan and curled an arm around her. Only then did he cast Jaeryth a smug look. “You made it. How nice.”
He noticed Logan didn’t shy away from Tex.
The confused-looking man in the center of the room approached when he caught sight of Tex, waving an arm almost frantically. “You’re here,” he said with mingled relief and exasperation. “We’ve got a hell of a crowd. Did you guys offer to buy everyone drinks or something?”
“Come on, Vern.” Tex smiled. “Are you complaining about the extra business?”
“Maybe. I had to call in some favors, get all the bouncers and extra staff in here. I’m not sure it’s gonna be enough.”
The man was introduced as the manager of the place. After a hasty round of pleasantries, Blue said, “You’re in luck, Vern. We brought some spare muscle along.” She gestured to Jaeryth.
Vern the manager cast a critical eye over him. “You ever do security before?”
“No.”
“Whatever. You’re big enough. Come on, I’ll get David to run through things with you.” Vern turned and started away, apparently expecting him to follow.
His breath caught when a small, warm hand slipped into his, and Logan smiled at him. “Sorry you got roped into this,” she said. “But thanks for helping out.” She lifted onto her toes and kissed his cheek.
Where her lips had touched, his skin practically burned.
