Dad returned, set a beer in front of Vyn, circled around and sat back on his stool. Looking over the table to make sure everyone was paying attention, he began, “This boy, Vyn, well, he invented something that’s going to change the world. It’s called light serum.”
The team looked a tad scoffing, bushy raised eyebrows, a chortle here and there.
Aeron said, “You don’t say, and how’s that?”
“Vyn, why don’t you handle this?” said Dad.
“My pleasure, Phil.” Vyn pulled up his mug and took a long drink, set it back and wiped his mouth. His newfound composure tickled a little pride in me. He went on, “I’ve been working on this light serum for years, with one purpose in mind.”
“And what wou—” Jarl started to say but Dad stopped him:
“Come now, Jarl, let him talk. You’ll understand soon enough.”
Jarl nodded to his quarterback, took a drink, set it back to the table. “Sorry, son, go on.”
“Well, the sole purpose of this light serum is to allow angels the ability to fly at night.”
“And why would we want to do that?” Tyr asked.
Aeron said, “Defensive linemen, they never could keep their mouths shut.”
Tyr responded, “Yeah, well, at least I didn’t spend my entire career running away, prancing across a field like a faerie to catch a ball. Then dancing around like a ballerina idiot. Tell me, how many pair of pantyhose did you tear because of that?”
Chuckles and snorts went around the table.
Aeron said, “If it wasn’t for that prancing you wouldn’t have that trophy in your case”
“Are you say—”
“Would you guys just shut up!” I snapped … Whoops. All eyes on me, I swallowed, scooted closer to Vyn.
Dad broke the pause, “I see they’re not gonna let you talk, Vyn. Let me handle it.”
Vyn lifted his mug, grinned, and gave the floor to Dad.
Dad began, “We were a team once. Matter of fact we were the best damn team on earth. How’d you like to be a team again? A team with a much bigger goal”—that peaked their interest, brows lifting—“Well, you all know the statistics of the angel disappearances. Especially you, right, Lug”—Lug tightened his face—“If we could fly at night, we could be that team again, only this time the hunters would be the opponents. We could wipe them out, and take the dreks along with them. We could save our angels. We could save our children and create a new world of peace, without those filthy animals.”
A feeling of adrenaline washed through the room. Energy began to vibrate through the table and into my body, intoxicating sheer power. The wings of all the team began to shutter to life behind them. The room air began to hum and I could barely hear the crowd outside over the climbing vibrations. Beer mugs and dishes began to chatter on the counter. I looked over at Mom and Angie. They gazed back in wide-eyed confusion, as if they weren’t sure whether they should take shelter under a table.
I mouthed the words to them, “I know, right.”
Excitement coursed through me.
Angie mouthed back, “What the flap is that?”
She waved for me to go to her but I held up a finger and mouthed, “Hold on, hold on.”
The team pushed from their chairs and the mountain range rose from the earth.
They began to chant, to bellow, “Yeah, Yeah,” louder and louder the sound climbed through the vibrating walls, “Hoo! Hoo! StarWings!”
As they began to glow, the room brightened to where I almost had to squint. They lifted their mugs, slammed them together over the table with beer splashing all around—in my hair, on my dress, on the table and floor, everywhere. But I didn’t care in the least. My skin heated on the edge of delight. Dad was smiling at me so large, nodding a look of “I told you” while beer-foaming at the mouth.
The entire muscled group had become rock-solid, glowing, gargantuan flappin animals.
And I was on their team.
In all the excitement, I didn’t even notice the chant was dying down just as I heaved the weight of my glass up, and yelled in a screechy girl voice, “StarWiiings!” I was out of control, couldn’t help it, couldn’t hold it back.
They all stopped … looked at me. Vyn and Jaydenn started to chuckle at my bizarre outburst. I set my mug down, twitched a grin, tucked some hair behind my ear and lowered my chin. The warmth of embarrassment tightened my skin while I tried to ignore the chuckles.
Tyr finally said, “You’re absolutely right, Elle”—I raised timid eyes to him—“Don’t you be embarrassed girl, say it, StarWings.”
“Um, StarWings,” I squeaked, scrunched my face up, gave my earlobe a nervous tug.
“You can do better than that, girl.” Tyr turned to the others. “Let’s help her out boys.”
They all resumed the chant. It grew from low to high, and higher and higher, until the room began to vibrate again. Through the noise, Tyr offered me a kind nod, as if I was family, or his daughter that he’d just saved from excruciating embarrassment. To this wonderful angel, I returned an appreciative smile.
Ah, what the flap, life is supposed to be fun. I let my shoes fall off my feet, climbed up onto the table, hoisted my mug with both hands, and joined the chant in my screamy girl voice, “StarWings! Star! Wiiiings!” I’d never felt so alive in all my life.
While I showered in the beer spray, my vision bounced down to Vyn, then across the room as Mom shook a pursed-lip, disapproving mother face at me.
Angie had her hand over her mouth, trembling with laughter, tears forming around her eyes. But it didn’t look like she was laughing at me, she was laughing for me. Feeling she might want to join me, I waved her over. She didn’t hesitate, jumping out of her chair and skipping across the floor to Jaydenn. I read her lips as she requested his mug, “Give me a drink.”
The table vibrated under my bare feet as I sent her a smile. She female-sipped the beer, and looked up. There she was, gleaming, my big sister. I yelled to her, “I love you!”
“I love you too!”
As I looked down at Vyn, he gave me a grin, shook his head and appeared to chuckle.
Angie took another drink, and then climbed up onto the table with me. In our white dresses, we did our skip dance we used to do as children, only this time the lawn sprinkler threw out a shower of beer.
The huddle bounced for almost ten minutes, before all of us settled back to our stools. My heart still fluttered as I sat next to Vyn. Angie was behind me with her hands on my shoulders. My hair was damp with beer, but we had access to the showers and all the amenities of the stadium so I wasn’t concerned. One of my angel-wing earrings had fallen off and sat at the center of the table.
“Dad,” I asked, “can you hand me my earring, please?”
Dad reached out, snatched it off the table and held it up for all to see. Tiny gold wings dangled from his fingertips as he tilted his head, seemed to be thinking at them. “Well, these here look a lot like a medallion. A StarWing medallion. Elle”—his eyes met mine—“welcome to the team, honey.”
Tyr choked some beer out his nose, wiped his face and looked at Dad. “You mean cheerleader, right?”
Angie tightened a grip on my shoulders.
“No sir,” Dad replied. “She’ll be hunting with us.”
“You’re joking? Dancing on a table is all fine and good, but it’s an entirely different thing to hunt. We can’t have some princess cheerleader in the field with us.” He looked at me. “No offense, Elle. It’s for your own good.”
Princess! Angie held me down as I said, “Now listen here, Tyr. I don’t care how flappin big you are. You are not going to stop me. I can do what I want, understand.”
The entire table paused to look at me. Whatever.
Tyr scowled while I cut a glare at him in silence, more silence, and a little more … Dad would protect me, right?
The rest of the team studied me. One would tighten his lips, another would nod, and the reactions began to spread around the tabl
e.
Aeron turned to Dad. “You got yourself quite a girl there, Phil.”
Dad tossed a grin to us girls. “Yes, yes I do. A couple, actually.” His eyes went around the table. “Pay careful attention to her boys. We might just learn something about grit.”
Nods, pursed lips, agreement spread. I finally felt like part of the team.
“Well, boys, I guess we have new member,” said Tyr. He winked a large jade eye at me.
Could eyes have muscle?
He added, “Don’t you worry, girl. When you’re a StarWing, you’re a member of the elite. We’ll be watchin’ out for you. Any trouble, just screech that StarWing scream you got and any one of us’ll be right there.”
And at that, I felt a wing-to-wing smile stretch my face.
CHAPTER 11
“You girls smell like beer,” Mom said with a sour look as Angie and I returned to sit with her.
“I know, Mom,” I replied, lowering into my chair. “I’ll get cleaned up in a little while.”
Angie commented as she took her seat, “You should’ve joined us, Mom.”
Mom let out a sigh that ended with a snicker. “My table dancing days are over, girls.” She lifted a sly little grin, which sent my imagination running. After I gave her a curious squint, I grabbed my tea from the armrest, and with a few gulps, tried to drown out the images of my mother dancing on a table.
HOME – 21 VISITORS – 3, the stadium scoreboard that hung from the domed ceiling showed the digital numbers as the players headed off the field for halftime.
The StarWing cheerleaders came onto the center of the field, over the StarWing emblem painted on the grass. They started their lineup dance, wing to wing while super long legs kicked up to their heads and back. They were gorgeous. The boys had called me a cheerleader, didn’t they? I was offended back then, but as I looked at those graceful angels on the field, it now seemed to be a compliment. Being one of those girls down there, no, I wouldn’t mind that at all.
Could I be a soldier angel and a cheerleader at the same time? At least give me that uniform. White boots wrapping almost knee-high while the girls kicked and bounced and flipped their long hair up and down, the crowd cheering along. Short shorts and a blue sports top with silver wings printed over the chest. I dropped a glance at my chest. Yeah, I could fill out that top, well, maybe.
“Do you think I could be a cheerleader, Mom?”
She swiveled her head so fast to me I thought she might’ve hurt herself. Her face bright like I just switched on a light bulb. “Yes, Ellie,” her excited words spilling out, “of course you could. You should honey. You want me to ask Dad for you, I could, I could help you sweetie.” She was much too excited for me not to see right through that.
With a grin, I let her hang onto that dream for a second … then said, “Could you get me one of those uniforms?”
Mom clicked her tongue, threw me a look. “Is that all you want, Ellie, just that silly uniform?” She focused back on the field.
“Sorry, Mom, but c’mon. Just look at them.”
Mom studied the girls as they hopped and kicked around. She smiled at the field. “It is kinda cute, isn’t it?” She paused, a twinkle on her face. “I think I want one of those too. I’ll ask your father. I’m sure we can figure something out.”
Angie directed her eyes on me, then back down at the field, shaking her head.
Narrowing my eyes at her, I snipped, “What?”
Angie continued to perform the spoiled-Ellie headshake as I added, “I could wear it while hunting, it could be my uniform.”
Angie snorted. “Hah, yeah right. I could just see that. No, Ellie, you can’t.”
“And why not?”
“Think about it. Hunters like bright things. It doesn’t get much brighter than that. I’m sure Dad’ll dress you up in some green and black looking getup. He’ll probably wipe black grease all over your face and dye your hair black too.”
Mom appeared visibly shaken, scrunching her face. And I was right there with her.
Die my hair black? What the flap! NO, not acceptable.
Mom angled a grin at me. “She’s right. He might just do that.”
Eyeing the field, I tossed out a breath … Then got to my feet, turned and squinched up my face at them. Mom and Angie both sat there with smirking little grins. I gave them a “humph,” then wheeled around and padded bare feet across the floor over to Dad and the boys. Who were in some sort of male bonding discussions, reminiscing the glory days and masterful plays.
With a few taps on Dad’s shoulder, I said, “Can I talk to you for a second?”
Chewing on a chip, Dad nodded at me. Since I stood there waiting for him, he caught the hint, angled off his chair and we walked across the room for some privacy.
We stood together while Dad patiently eyed down at me … and I asked the fateful words: “You’re not going to dye my hair black, are you?”
Dad barked out a laugh … “Of course not, why would you even think that?” His gaze slid over to Mom and Angie. He gave them a frowning headshake while they sent us pair of smiles, toying with little Ellie’s mind. Not funny. They did a girly high-five. I threw a scowl their way. Then couldn’t help but slip out a chuckle.
Dad placed a palm on my shoulder. “Don’t pay attention to them. They’re just messing with you. I’m sure it won’t be the last time.”
Filled with relief, I beamed him a grin and tucked some hair behind my ear.
Mom and Angie treating me like that, not a very warm feeling. I just want to help the children. Why do they have to pick on me? Was I making the wrong decision?
Dakarai screeched in my mind. He wasn’t going to let me go, it became clear.
The skybox door opened at the far end of the room, grabbing my attention. A uniformed waiter rolled a cloth-covered cart into the room that held a long sandwich stretched out on a platter. Even from all the way over here, I could tell it was eggplant, with purple edges and melted cheese. Ugh. As the waiter wheeled the cart to the table, I realized that sandwich was big, but not nearly big enough for the boys. Then two more waiters rolled in with two more identical sandwiches, but these two carts also held giant platters of fruit. My stomach voiced its approval.
Dad said, “Let’s go grab something to eat before the boys get it all.”
While I stood at the table with my plate of fruit and melon cubes, next to the seated Vyn, the boys were devouring the sandwiches like feeding boars; snorts, groans and schlopping mouth sounds, somewhat disgusting. I forked a cantaloupe cube into my mouth. Offensive line, no doubt about that, the thought reminded as the sweet melon washed over my tongue.
As their feeding slowed, Dad scrubbed a napkin over his mouth, then said, “Listen boys, I think we should talk to the stadium director. We could probably use the field for training.”
Grunts and nods of agreement went around.
“Great idea, Phil,” Dag said as he lifted his mug, sending the others to do the same. Were they all connected or something, and did they have to cheer every idea? The beer shower came to mind, and even as they tapped glasses over the table, a cringe zapped me. I reached up and touched my crunchy-crusted hair.
Having had enough, I said to Vyn, “I’m gonna go get cleaned up.”
Vyn nodded, set his sandwich down. “Do you want me to go with you?” Wink.
I elbow nudged him with a snicker. Disagreement, yes, but it was nice to be a girl again.
“Be careful,” Vyn added with concern.
My mouth dropped to his. I gave his bottom lip a little nibble and felt his grin under mine. I drew back, smiled, scrubbed my hand over his jaw and said, “You need a shave, I like it. It tickles.” He held a dazed look on me, blue eyes shrouded in clouds. Knowing what he was thinking, I added on a giggle, “You’re such a male.” My palm went to his cheek as if consoling a little boy, before I broke away to stroll over to Mom and Angie.
Approaching them, I couldn’t help but stop behind and watch. They each had
a fruit plate on their laps, straight postures and wings tucked proper, little fork gestures while they picked at their fruit and talked, eating with elegant precision. Ladies. They looked so classy compared to the animals at the table. Mom’s hair gleamed like silk pouring over her wings. A little envy lifted inside me, torn in my decisions.
After a long sigh, I stepped over and tapped Angie’s shoulder. She swiveled her head to me while I asked, “Will you come with me? I wanna take a shower. My hair is all crunchy, please?”
Angie finished chewing. “Yeah, I need to get cleaned up too.” She set her plate to the floor, added as she rose, “I need to talk to you anyway.”
Mom angled some sort of look at Angie, which sent my eyes to narrow in suspicion. Angie compressed her lips into a line, some kind of silent communication between the two of them. That’s not nice, don’t they know that hurts my feelings.
While Angie and I strolled down the stadium corridor, our heels clicking the polished floor, I couldn’t help but notice the crush of fans everywhere in their StarWing fan shirts, wing-flaps buttoned down tight. They stood and milled around at snack stands and souvenir shops. Others traipsed along with various cups and plates of beer, tea, fruit, petal chips and sandwiches while they chatted about the game. The smell of grilling food, mixed with the din of laughter and chatter, filled the painted concrete corridor.
Being around all the fun was nice, until I became aware of something else: Drekavacs. One would pass; send a chill up my spine. Because Angie noticed this, she folded her arm around me as we walked. An overwhelming desire came over me to just go home, curl up in my warm featherbed and stay there.
Then I realized; I had no choice but to face the cruel memory if I wanted to join the team. So I did my best to ignore. It didn’t work. A tall drekavac approached, looking at me as he passed by. They were all looking at me, at least that’s what it felt like. The air seemed to stir in slow motion, my pulse sounded in my ears. My legs jellied, lungs began to drag for a breath. Angie held me close as I trembled in her arms.
Wings of Boden Page 8
