Dark Kings (Feathers and Fate #1) - Sadie Moss Page 0,8
its own heartbeat.
“Hey, you gonna keep lickin’ my damn windows, or you gonna pay me and get out?”
I jerk as the cab driver’s annoyed voice cuts through my awed reverie.
Crap, he’s right.
I’ve got my palms on the glass, my face so close to the window that my nose is practically smushed up against it, and I’d only have to stick out my tongue a little to be licking the window just like he said.
Flushing, I clear my throat and scoot across the seat to pay him. Anderson didn’t say anything about giving me a per diem or anything, so I’m assuming it’s up to me to bankroll this whole operation. Which will be fine for a while, since I’ve got a bit of money saved up from my time on Earth.
But if this operation ends up taking months? Years?
Well, I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.
Or live under it, I guess.
I slide out of the cab, and the driver peels away from the curb, leaving me staring up at the daunting building in front of me. Luckily for me, Greed—or Beckett, as he’s calling himself nowadays—lives a high profile life, which means it was easy to find out he’s going to be giving a speech at a charity gala tonight.
I was a little surprised at first that Greed is supporting a charity event, but as it turns out, there are a lot of ways that the super wealthy benefit from charities. From what I was able to gather, business deals will go down tonight that will make the attendees millions—and the whole thing is a tax write-off too. That’s greed at its finest: self-interest masquerading as generosity.
Securing a ticket to this thing would be pretty impossible at the last minute, especially seeing as I’m a nobody in the eyes of New York City’s elite. But I did a little experimenting last night, and just as I hoped, Anderson gave me back my invisibility right along with my wings.
I hike my bag higher on my shoulder, then walk halfway around the block and duck into the alley behind the massive building, glancing around to make sure no one is watching before I slip out of sight. A little shiver passes down my spine as if someone slid an ice cube down my back, and I smile at the familiar sensation. I haven’t done this in years, but it came back as easily as riding a bike—although I actually haven’t done that, well, ever.
Heading deeper into the alley, I make a beeline toward a delivery van that’s parked out back. Event staff are unloading crates of food and carrying everything inside through steel doors that are propped open.
Perfect.
I fall into step behind a woman with frizzy red hair and slip in through the back door behind her.
She heads straight for the massive industrial kitchen, and I follow, making sure to stay close enough to her that her body acts as a sort of shield for mine. I’m invisible, not intangible, and if someone knocks into a person they can’t see, it’s sure to cause way more of a scene than I want.
“Set those on the second shelf in the fridge!” one of the chefs yells as we enter the chaos of the kitchen, and the woman hurries to obey.
My heart rate picks up a little as I glance around me, taking in the hectic space. There’s something I like about this crazy, bustling atmosphere that humans create. My people are so deliberate about things, never frantic, and I kind of like the way humans do it.
I know that a lot of other angels, including Anderson, wonder why I like humans so much, especially since he knows how desperate I am to go home. Honestly, I don’t know where the fascination comes from.
Maybe I’m just trying to figure out how people can be so many contradictory things at once.
As the woman turns back to grab another load from the delivery van, I veer off and head out into the main ballroom where all the tables are set up. People dressed in expensive gowns and tuxedos are sitting and listening to the speakers, and I edge along the back wall, keeping myself pressed to it to avoid bumping anyone accidentally.
The woman at the podium, who I think is the head of the charity organization, finishes her speech. Everyone claps, and then…
Oh, frick.
My jaw falls open as the most stunning man I’ve ever seen walks onto the stage and takes the podium.