“I know so. Now, take a deep breath and turn that frown upside down. It doesn’t belong on your beautiful face.” Angel cups my face and helps me clean my smudged mascara before kissing me again, soft and steady.
To distract me from the chaos in my head, Angel asks me to list my favorite memories with Harvey. I’m so glad he was here to help me through my mess before I spiraled straight into panicland like I usually do.
For the rest of the ride, I recount every happy memory I have with my best friend, and our conversation slowly becomes lighter, just like my heart.
Before I know it, between Angel’s soft touches and calming distractions, we reach our destination, where others are already waiting.
When Angel climbs out, I move to follow, but two hands suddenly grab my shoulders and push me back into my seat.
“Noooo, my beautiful idiot, I’m supposed to open doors for you.” Angel shoves my legs back inside, shuts the door, and counts to three before opening it again.
“Sweetheart.” Angel offers me his hand with a cheeky grin.
What an adorable weirdo.
Angel shields me with his broad frame so I can fix my dress that has ridden up. When I’m done, I loop my arms around his bicep and hold it close to my chest.
If anyone can help me not fall prey to my fears tonight, it’s him.
My Angel. My mate.
14. Follow the chaos
Nevaeh
The moment we step into the club, I’m in a trance.
Angel wraps his arms around me protectively, keeping me tucked close and out of reach from any slimy, grabby hands. He hasn’t even let someone brush past me, let alone entertain the idea of a stranger touching me.
He’s acting like we’re behind enemy lines, not in a club where the music is loud enough to make my ears bleed.
People actually do this for fun?
I can’t even enjoy the music. It’s too obnoxious and overwhelming my already heightened senses in the worst possible way.
When I cup my hands over my ears to block out the noise, Angel covers them with his own. Before I can take my next breath, the music starts to fade, and I look above just in time to see a shimmering barrier forming around us.
The protective barrier hugs so close to our skin that it ripples when someone bumps into Angel. Rising on my toes, I kiss his jaw, thanking him for always being there for me.
Now that I can think again, I scan the crowd of supernatural creatures around me and finally understand why the club’s gates are enchanted. Those charmed gates are the only thing keeping humans from wandering in and discovering a world straight out of their wildest imagination.
Angel pulls me into his chest again. “Any idea where to start?”
“If you want to find Harvey, follow the chaos.”
A commotion on the second floor cuts through the ear-splitting music, and I instantly know where our first stopshould be. I grab Angel’s arm and tug him behind me, not bothering to look back. I know the others are following.
The crowd thins considerably as we make our way up, and the moment I lay eyes on the ruckus, I don’t have a single doubt in my mind who’s the orchestrator behind it.
Two pixies are at each other’s throats. Hair yanking, dresses torn, drinks splashed on the floor. Their makeup is streaking down their cheeks, making them look like angry, glittery pandas.
Behind them, two demons are bickering, shouting threats about what theycouldandwoulddo if the other didn’t shut up.
The crowd is thoroughly enjoying the show, oohing and aahing at every witty insult. This feels like a poorly written but outrageously entertaining comedy show.
My eyes keep darting around the room like a headless chicken, desperate to find the mastermind behind this soap opera.
A mysterious woman catches my eye. It’s like the crowd doesn’t even see her as she glides behind the two demons, screaming curses at each other, and lightly brushes their shoulders. As if her touch is infused with rage, one of the demons tackles the other to the floor, beating the absolute crap out of him.
