Starfire Angels (Starfire Angels: Dark Angel Chronicles Book 1) (7 page)

She didn't want to think about it. She
needed a distraction. "Josh, did you ever get a call back from that
show?"

Jackpot. His eyes lit up like he'd won the
lottery. "That's right. You weren't here this morning. They're
sending someone up this weekend to check out filming locations and
get things set up."

"What about my birthday tomorrow?" Linds
gave Josh a dirty look.

"Oh...ah. I'm still planning to be
there."

"You better. After everything I've suffered
hearing about your 'Dark Angel', you owe me this." Linds's serious
tone broke down into a snicker when Josh grabbed the finger she
pointed at him.

Dark Angel. Her wings. Elis's wings. Raea
glanced aside as the thoughts wiggled through her brain. Could it
be? Now, she had to see his wings. She had to know.

"I can be sitting here?"

Huh?
Raea blinked at the accented
voice. Pallin. That was fast. Too bad Linds sat on one side of her
and Jess on the other. "Um…Yeah."

He took a seat on the opposite side of the
round table, in one of the two empty chairs. "I have not chance to
talk today. Too much…work. I am wanting more time with you."

Here it comes.
He was going to ask
her out. She knew it. "I'd like that too." She could still live
like a human, as she always had, like her mother intended.

"We may be together after school?"

Her insides flipped, kicking her heart into
a race. "Dinner?" Oh, man. That smile made her stomach flutter.

"Yes. That would be good."

* * *

The afternoon dragged on with the sun bright
and warm outside. Snow melted in rivers down the streets. March
weather. Raea couldn't wait to get out and enjoy it. She couldn't
wait to go out with Pallin, but she wanted to know about Elis.

On the walk home, Josh's excitement blurred
his words, but Raea only half-listened with a few "Uh, huhs" and
"Goods" thrown in to sound like she listened. He knew she couldn't
think of anything right now amidst the excitement of meeting Pallin
in a couple hours. She gave him credit for trying though.

At the corner where she split with Josh,
Raea slowed. "Let me know when you hear anything
new
.
Emphasis on the 'new'." He always talked a person's ears off about
his obsession with Dark Angel. If he only knew how close to the
truth he was, if she was right.

"I get it. Later."

Raea didn't have to work to slow her pace
after Josh left. The pools and rivers of melting snow did that for
her. Elis didn't seem hindered in the least, or he didn't care
about the water.

She had almost forgotten about that morning.
Now, she had to know. He walked a stride behind.

"Is it you?"

His steps fell quiet. Did he realize she
spoke to him? Would he understand what she meant?

Raea stopped and turned.

"What?" He frowned.

"The one causing such a fuss?" Did she have
to say it? She didn't want to, not in the open. Others might
overhear.

"I don't know." He walked again and gave her
only a passing glance. "We'll talk about that later."

Later? As in training her later?

"We don't make ourselves known here. Our
purpose is to serve, not to gather fame or fortune, or draw
attention to the power we wield. It's too dangerous."

"So, play the superhero thing and live a
double life?"

His smile infected her. After all this time
seeing him somber and moody, his smile seemed out of place. She
looked again to be sure it was real.

["Not intentionally."]

"Why do you have to use the other
language?"

["So you learn."]

Right. But she had always known, so it
wasn't really learning. "You mean refresh?"

["Better yet."]

["I never forgot."]

["No. Probably not. Like the crystal shard
you wear, the Starfire inside you records everything. I'm sure you
can recall, with very little effort, any detail of your life."]

"Just those I want to remember." And most of
what she didn't, despite her attempts to forget.

"I understand."

The statement sobered her. He probably did
understand. Like her, he had lost his family because of that
crystal. And the Starfire was a part of him. What good was it if it
only brought trouble? Why should she protect it?

["Meet me at sunset."]

["Why?"]

["Training."]

"Um…I'm kinda busy tonight."

The muscles in his jaw tightened. What bit
him?

Fine. She supposed she could give him some
time. She did
not
want the Starfire making those wings
appear, especially while she was with Pallin.

["All right."] At least with this
"training", she should figure out how to control the Starfire so it
wouldn't interfere with her life. It gave her no other choice.

He left her for Mrs. Johnson's yellow-sided
house, while she hurried into her aunt's and uncle's house.
Now
for Pallin.
She let out a little squeal.

The second she stepped through the door,
Buddy slid into her and barked. "All right. Fine. Go do your
thing."

At the same instant the dog shoved past her,
a thought hit in regards to the slop outside. Too late. Buddy
splashed in the slush and mud. Stupid dog. Now she'd have to bring
him into the garage to dry off. He could stay there until Mike came
home. It was his dog. Why should she have to clean up the mess for
letting him out? She had to get ready for tonight.

After rounding up the muddy chocolate lab,
Raea retreated to her bedroom.

Now, if Debbie would hurry home. Raea needed
the car, or at least a ride.

* * *

When they neared the downtown area in the
slanted light of the sinking sun, Debbie broke the silence of their
ride. "Remember to stay here until I come back."

"Yes. I know. Stay to public places." Better
that she say it than Debbie. Her aunt was nice, but the lectures
Raea could live without. Josh had been bad enough.

They arrived at George's Diner, the local
place she and her friends had told Pallin about over lunch. She
couldn't believe it. She was going on a date with Pallin. This was
too good to be true.

But where was he? Through the tall windows,
she saw a few people sitting in the diner, but none of them looked
like Pallin. And she wasn't late.

Uh, oh. Did Pallin have trouble finding it?
Maybe she should have given him directions from his hotel, not just
a general location. Man, she was no good at this. She was going to
blow it.

Might as well try.
Raea opened the
car door and stepped out.

"Be careful."

She smiled at her aunt and closed the door
of the sedan. Here went nothing. Her aunt pulled away as Raea
stepped into the warm diner.

George's maintained a bright atmosphere. A
simple colorful trim ran along the top of the white walls, where
paintings of bright flowers alternated with decorative sconce light
fixtures. The floor was a simple black and white checkerboard tile
while the tables were marble patterns in different colors on white.
Georgene had transformed what a few years ago had been a dark,
foreboding bar into a warm, inviting restaurant
.

Where was Pallin? A foreigner new to a small
town, he couldn't have gotten
too
lost. While she studied
the few other faces at the small tables and the wire-framed chairs
around them, a cold wind chilled her back. She twisted around—

And swore her heart leapt from her chest.
"Pallin." He made it. "Where should we sit?"

"You choose."

Okay. I choose. Right.
Raea swallowed
her anxieties and headed for a cozy booth along the side, next to a
tall cooler of soda. She removed all her winter gear and sat down
opposite him.

"This is nice place, very simple." He
brushed golden hair away from those eyes.

"I like it." Raea clasped her hands on the
table.
Say something.
This was so much easier with her
friends at lunch.

After a few seconds of silence, Pallin
asked, "How do we get food?"

"Oh." Raea's cheeks warmed. Of course, they
would need to order, or at least look at a menu to see what was
available.

"I'm sorry. Here—" She pulled the menu from
its holder near the wall.

His smile took her breath away. He took the
folded, laminated menu when she offered it.

"If you have any questions, just ask. I've
been here a lot. I know what I like." She smiled, hoping he
couldn't see how nervous she was.

"I have many, but most for later. Please to
helping me read. English is...hmm...not easy."

"Oh. Sure. Um...Here..." She ran through
every item and gave him descriptions. Pallin's lack of
understanding surprised her, but it gave her an opportunity to
share her knowledge; maybe he wasn't U.S. military, but that would
be odd. Too much time spent overseas, she guessed.

When the waitress came to their table, Raea
helped Pallin order.

Awkward silence filled the air. Her brain
stumbled over words to find a coherent thought. "What country did
you say you grew up most of your life?"

"It is not well known."

"Someplace too small to make any news, I
suppose?"

"Yes." He took a deep breath and clasped his
hands on the table.

"What do you like to do?" She asked.

"Not do much but travel."

"Oh? Where have you been?" How exciting to
see new places, although she would tire of traveling frequently.
She liked being in one place, having regular friends.

"Many places, never to stay long. Never to
meeting people, to keeping…friends." He smiled that charming smile
that melted her insides. "Tell me more of you."

There was a topic Raea had no trouble
talking about. Nevermind she wasn't human. He didn't need to know
that. Besides, it could have been a dream.

In the middle of their discussion, the food
arrived.

The rest of the evening proceeded in much
the same way. Pallin surprised her with his lack of understanding
of some things she thought would have been common even in a small
country.

When they finished their meal, the waitress
took their plates and left the hand-printed bill. Raea tried to
smile but played with the straw in her water, stirring the lemon
slice to settle her nerves.

"I am not good at this."

She looked up at Pallin. He thought
he
was having trouble?

"I am new to customs here and being not good
company."

"It's as much my fault. I'm sorry, Pallin.
I'm a bit nervous. That's all. I don't want you to think I'm
uncomfortable, because I’m not. I just...I just..." How could she
explain it? "I've never done this before."

A sly grin crept up his face. "I am new
also."

"I don't believe it. You must have a
girlfriend in every town you visit."
Idiot. What kind of stupid
statement is that? What if he does?

"No."

"Really?" Raea blinked and let out a breath
that left her relaxed.

"I am…being not…good with friends."

She smiled with relief. The situation took
on a new light, a ridiculousness that sparked a few giggles she
tried to repress. However, when Pallin caught the laughing bug, she
couldn't hold back. It continued for several minutes.

When the fit died down, he held his smile as
if the laughter lingered beneath the surface yet. Or was it a dark
satisfaction she saw in his smile? That couldn't be right.

"I feel...much better," she admitted. And
she had managed some conversation, without Jess's help. Jess never
had trouble talking to people.

"Yes."

At a quick glance of the clock on the wall,
she gasped. Two hours had passed already. Although she would have
liked to spend more time visiting with him, she had a commitment to
Elis.

She had almost forgotten her training. She
had to learn to control the Starfire. No way did she want those
wings sprouting again without her consent. What if it happened in
the middle of school, or in front of Pallin?

"I should get going." She grabbed her coat
and stood to slip it on.

When he lifted his coat, she noticed that
the layer down the middle on the outside was more than
decoration—she could see through when he held it loose. A strange
style, but Pallin was from a different culture, or, at the least,
not used to dressing for North Dakota cold.

"We go now?"

"No. I'm sorry. I have other plans and have
to meet someone soon." If not for her promise to Elis, she
could
spend more time with Pallin.

"Maybe we see together another time."

"Outside of school? I'd like that."

Her insides fluttered when he smiled. She
loved this. Even if it couldn't last more than a week or two, she
could at least enjoy the time they had.

* * *

Pallin's arrogant smirk left a bad taste in
Elis's mouth. He had hated Pallin from the first moment he saw him.
The accent was too familiar, too much like his own, before he
learned to control it. Suspicion gnawed at him, fueling his
hatred.

From the bench outside the large windows of
the diner, he watched Raea and Pallin in their booth. Debbie had
asked him to keep an eye on Raea for trouble, so Raea could enjoy
herself but still be safe. He would have watched without Debbie
asking, but this way was better. So far, this Pallin had done
nothing to cause him alarm, but Elis wished he would. Any reason to
keep Pallin away from Raea would suit him.

Before Elis's thoughts strayed too far, the
two rose from their table. He hurried around the corner to a narrow
space between buildings. He couldn't afford Raea's hostility if she
knew he watched them.

A familiar sedan pulled up to the curb where
he had sat. Debbie. Raea must have called.

Raea hurried to reach the car.

In his black coat and gloves Pallin smiled
and waved as the car drove away. When the street emptied of
traffic, the smile turned into something sinister. Pallin hurried
down the sidewalk.