“Delia?”Olivia’s voice seemed to come from very far away.“Are you sure you’re all right?”
Delia blinked hard, forcing herself to focus on her cousin’s worried face.The supernatural overlay faded, returning her to the tastefully decorated chapel with its arrangements of white roses and carefully soft lighting.
“I’m fine,” she replied.“Just got a little dizzy for a second.I think they really amped up the caffeine in that grande iced tea I drank before we left the house.”
Jeannette’s brows pulled together in concern.“Would you like some water?Or maybe you should sit down for a moment?”
“No, I’m okay,” Delia said at once, even though she knew that wasn’t entirely true.The energy building across the city seemed to be affecting her more strongly with each passing hour.
What if she overloaded completely?What if the supernatural static building across Las Vegas fried her brain like a computer in a power surge?
Not helpful,she told herself firmly.Focus on what you can control.
“Let’s see the chapel,” she said aloud, putting on a brisk smile.
The main ceremony space was everything the website had promised — elegant without being ostentatious, with good sight lines and sunlight streaming through stained glass windows, casting jewel-toned patterns across the white carpet.
“This is perfect,” Olivia said, sounding happy and sure of herself for the first time since she’d landed in Las Vegas.“It’s exactly what I was hoping for.”
Another wave of energy hit Delia, and this time, the surge came with horribly vivid images.She saw Caleb in what looked like a holding room, his hands bound behind his back while shadowy, red-eyed figures stood guard.She saw Vinea in his human guise, moving through what had once been Angel’s Dream but was now transformed into something that belonged in the deepest circles of Hell, shadowed and dark and smoky, with arcane symbols blazing on the walls.And she saw dozens of other demons converging on Las Vegas, drawn by the growing network of power that crisscrossed the city.
The visions were so vivid, so immediate, that for a moment she forgot where she was.She took a step forward, reaching out as if she could somehow touch Caleb through the psychic connection they shared.
“Delia?”Alec’s voice was sharp with concern.“What’s wrong?”
She blinked, and realized she was standing in the middle of the chapel’s center aisle, one hand extended toward empty air, while Jeannette and Alec and Olivia stared at her with expressions ranging from mildly concerned to deeply alarmed.
“Sorry,” she said quickly, and dropped her hand.“I thought I saw something move, but now I realize it was probably just a reflection from the stained glass.”
Jeannette’s frown deepened, and Delia had the uncomfortable feeling that the chapel manager was beginning to suspect there was something seriously wrong with one of her potential clients.
“Why don’t we step outside for a moment?”Olivia suggested.“Maybe we should get some fresh air before we finalize anything.”
Delia gave a grateful nod, then followed her cousin and Alec back toward the entrance.As they walked, she tried to create some kind of mental barrier around her psychic abilities.She visualized a high wall surrounding a garden, a wall of stone covered with climbing roses.And within that wall, all was serene and beautiful, a place darkness could never touch.
The pulsing energy that had been pushing on her all day seemed to retreat a little.
Was it actually working?
Outside the chapel, the late afternoon sun had begun to sink toward the mountains that ringed the Las Vegas valley, painting the heavy clouds overhead in shades of orange and red and purple.The scene should have been beautiful but somehow seemed ominous instead.The air itself seemed to hum with tension, as if the entire city was holding its breath.
“Okay,” Olivia said once they were out of Jeannette’s earshot, “what’s really going on?And don’t tell me you’re just tired, because I know it’s more than that.”
Delia looked at her cousin and reminded herself that Olivia had been having prophetic dreams about her wedding for weeks.That had to mean she must also possess some level of psychic perception.
Maybe it was time to trust her with at least part of the truth.
“Something is happening in the city,” Delia said.“Something that’s affecting sensitive people more than others.I think you might be experiencing it, too — that’s why you’ve been having all those nightmares about the wedding.”
Alec frowned.“What kind of ‘something’?”
How could she possibly explain that Las Vegas was currently being used as the focal point for a massive supernatural ritual without sounding like she’d lost her mind?
“There have been some unusual incidents over the past week or so,” she replied, choosing her words with care.“Electrical disturbances, structural problems, that sort of thing.And weird vibes.Some people seem to be more aware of these disturbances than others.”
It wasn’t technically a lie.
Olivia was quiet for a moment, her eyes searching Delia’s face.“Is that the real reason why you wanted me to change venues?Not because of permit issues, but because you sensed something wrong with Angel’s Dream specifically?”
