Gale Force Page 0,52

have one last item of business, and I think you'll all be pleased to know that it's a positive one. Joanne Baldwin has an announcement."

My palms were damp, my knees were weak, and my heart raced as if it were trying to use up its entire quota of lifetime beats in the next ten minutes. I hoped I didn't look as nervous as I felt. Scratch that; I hoped I didn't look as panicked as I felt.

At least I'd dressed for it. If I couldn't be self-confident wearing a kicky Carmen Marc Valvo dress and a pair of honest-to-God Manolo Blahniks in matching tangerine, I needed to turn in my fashion police badge. My hair looked good - wavy and glossy and glamorous. My makeup was fine, even though I was fairly sure I could use another touch-up on the powder to get rid of the shiny spots.

All I had to do was sell as good as I looked.

I stepped up to the podium as Lewis gracefully relinquished it, and the spotlight found me, and all of a sudden it was time. No more thinking, no more nerves. You leap, and hope for the net.

"Hello," I said. "I'd like to thank Lewis for allowing me to make this announcement today, because I think it's an important one. The Wardens have been through so much over the past few years; we've lost great colleagues to unavoidable accidents, and worse, to each other. We were drawn into a conflict with the Djinn that nobody wanted, and we suffered for it. So many lives were lost, and none of us can ever forget that."

There was utter silence in the lecture hall - not even a nervous cough. I knew that many people in the audience - probably most - had lost friends, lovers, family. They'd survived, but many still held on to the pain, and the bitterness. Those were the prime recruiting ground for the Sentinels.

The ones who hurt the most.

"That's why this is important," I continued. "You all know me. You all know that I owe my life to a particular Djinn who's been my friend and my protector through all of this. What you may not know is that it's more than gratitude; I love David, and he loves me. And we know it's not easy, and it may not be popular, but I'm here to announce that we're going to do something no Warden and no Djinn have ever done in history." I felt short of breath now, elated, scared, exhilarated. "We're going to pledge ourselves to each other in marriage, and I hope that you'll all join us in the next couple of months for a great celebration of our wedding. We believe that in making this vow, we'll bring the Wardens and the Djinn together again, in friendship, respect, and cooperation." I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling very exposed. "Thank you all."

For a heart-stopping second, there was still nothing - no sound at all. And then a lone pair of hands clapped, somewhere in the darkness, and then a few more, and then it turned into a round of applause. Not cheers and champagne, but it seemed positive enough. Lewis reclaimed the podium and I went back to my chair and sank into it, feeling relieved and a little sick with adrenaline.

The next bit of theater belonged to Kevin, who was standing at the back of the hall, looking surly and militant, as only Kevin could do. When a lull came after the applause, Kevin said, clearly enough to carry throughout the room, "I thought screwing a Djinn was off-limits. What, you're special?"

There was an audible intake of breath, and heads turned. Somebody laughed, but it was quickly smothered. Lewis, who'd been about to speak, seemed thrown off balance. He focused on Kevin with a baleful stare, and said, "If you want to offer your congratulations, Warden, do it to her face. I'm sure Joanne will be glad to take them personally."

That got general laughter. People knew me all too well. I stood up slowly, making sure that everybody saw my expression.

Kevin pushed away from the wall. "Yeah? Well, I'm just saying what everybody in here is thinking. We just got done burying people who were killed by these bastards, and now she's going to marry one? Not just a Djinn, but the Big Kahuna? What's the matter, Jo? Blowing off the Warden rules wasn't enough of a thrill anymore?"

"Shut up, Kevin." We'd worked this out, but I was