Rogue Angels Sneak Peek: Chapter One
Hi! Since Rogue Angels comes out next month, I thought I’d share the first chapter with you. It’ll be coming down on November 6th, so read it while you can!
Zara
I used to love watching Gifted game shows with Mum. Every Friday evening, we would sit on the sofa with our drinks – tea for her, hot chocolate for me – and we watched people with all sorts of abilities compete.
Right now, a Navitas was running the Gauntlet while aiming to destroy as many targets as he could. The Gauntlet was an obstacle course only the most daring Gifted tried to conquer.
“I think he’s going to make it!” Mum said as the Navitas started walking across a dangerously thin bridge over a pool. He stood still to allow a padded pendulum to swing in front of him, then moved forward – and that’s when he slipped.
I groaned with the crowd as he fell into the water. “So close!”
Before last term, this was just entertainment for me, but now I found myself noticing the different techniques used by each Gifted, and the sheer power in some of their moves.
Since I didn’t have a Gift, I had been placed in a support group at college with three other Giftless girls – except two of us weren’t Giftless at all, and wanted to keep their powers a secret until they turned eighteen. Nikita and Jess probably wouldn’t have told the truth at all if a Storm hadn’t attacked the Kingfisher shopping centre – and Lexi would most likely have told one of the teachers about Seth MacArthur’s unusual Gift when she saw him using it.
Or worse, she could have told the Agency.
“Everyone, please put your hands together for Sarah Lopez!”
The next competitor stood confidently at the start of the Gauntlet. She bounced up and down for a few moments, then when the klaxon blared she moved forward and shot two bolts of lightning from each hand.
Four of the targets shattered.
“I didn’t know Storms could do that,” Mum said thoughtfully. She touched the side of my head with one finger. “What are you thinking about, Zara? You look a bit…troubled.”
“The Storm at the Kingfisher had green lightning.” It was a shade or two lighter than Sarah’s, but I could still remember it.
Mum squeezed my hand.
Had Roger Dwyer been trained in the same way as Sarah? His nephew Kai belonged to the most powerful Storm Bloodline in the country; I hadn’t seen what he was capable of, but he had to be far stronger than they were.
I hoped he was all right, wherever he was.
“You like this next game, don’t you, Zara?”
“What game? Oh – Track ‘n Chase.”
This game was simple: ten Gifted were released into a town or city, and two Trackers were sent after them. The Tracker who caught the most Gifted was the winner, and anyone who hadn’t been captured won a thousand pounds.
I used to enjoy watching this one too. The trouble was, I’d found out the hard way that helping someone who was on the run and being pursued by a Tracker was not fun at all.
I also couldn’t forget the words Kai whispered when I accidentally let slip about Nikita’s Gift.
“He was right…Don’t tell anyone else. It has to stay a secret.”
“Apparently this is a real Agency training exercise.”
I frowned. “Really?”
“Yes, I heard about it last week. The Agency gets one of their Gifted employees to go into town and just keep wandering around, then after about five minutes they send a Tracker after them. They time how long it takes the Tracker to find the target.”
“That doesn’t sound half as fun as this.” I gestured towards the screen.
“Well, for the Agency it definitely isn’t a game.”
Lexi
“Are we doing anything tomorrow night?”
Mum frowned as she served a slice of lasagne onto Laney’s plate. “Not to my knowledge. Why?”
The four of us were sitting around the table, ready to eat dinner. Everyone was in a pleasant mood; I wouldn’t get a better chance than this.
Laney gave me an encouraging smile. Emboldened, I said: “Saturday’s open mike night at the Red Songbird, and I’ve signed up for it.”
Dad raised his eyebrows. “You’ve already signed up? What about your studies?”
“I’ve already finished most of it, and I can do the rest tomorrow morning. I’ve made notes for the essay and everything; the essay isn’t due for another two weeks and you know how quickly I write them.”
Mum and Dad glanced at each other. “It would have been nice if you’d asked us before you’d signed up, Lexi,” Dad said. “What if we really did have plans?”
“I’m sorry. I should have thought of that.”
“Yes, you should have.” Mum carefully poured water into each of our glasses. “Well, I don’t see what harm it can do – just so long as you check with us before signing up for more. In fact, why don’t we all go tomorrow?”
I hadn’t expected this. “Just so you know, my friends are coming as well.”
“Oh, that’s all right. We won’t interfere with you spending time with your friends – it would just be nice to see your Red Songbird debut.”
“I’d like to hear you sing live,” Laney said hopefully.
I knew I couldn’t say no.
Jess
I snuggled back against the garnet-red sofa. “Do you think this is made of actual velvet?”
“It’s definitely soft enough.” Zara ran her hand over the arm of the sofa.
The Red Songbird had a cosy atmosphere thanks to the dark tables, soft furniture and ruby-coloured lampshades placed everywhere. The four of us were tucked away in a corner with a perfect view of the stage; it reminded me of our favourite place to study in the library.
Lexi was quietly singing to herself. I could hardly hear her over the bouzouki player on stage.
“Do you know what song that is?” I asked Nikita.
She didn’t reply. Her gaze was fixed on the bouzouki player.
“Niki?”
She jumped. “Sorry! No, I don’t recognise the song.”
“He’s really good, isn’t he?” Zara said. “What’s his name again?”
“Raphael Altera.” Nikita still hadn’t taken her eyes off him. I couldn’t blame her – he had a lot of talent. Although…maybe that wasn’t the only reason.
“He’s cute, isn’t he?”
She was blushing now.
With one final flourish, Raphael finished the song and stood up. He bowed once before leaving the stage and the announcer came to take his place.
“When are you up, Lex?” I asked.
“Just after this next one, I think.” She smoothed her palms over her jeans. “I’m glad I don’t play an instrument. My hands are starting to feel clammy. I know I sang at that talent show, but this is different – and I wasn’t expecting my family to come tonight.”
The Carringdons were seated a few tables away from us. Sometimes, they would glance over at Lexi and smile at her; Laney, her sister, grinned and waved when she saw us watching.
That was when I saw someone sitting in the corner opposite ours.
It couldn’t be her. What was Abigail Caldwell, fiancée of Rex Morgan, doing in Foxwell?
“Jess?”
“Sorry, I think I’ve seen someone I know. Just going to check and say hi.”
As I approached, the more convinced I became that it was her.
“Hello?”
She glanced up.
“You won’t remember me. I’m Jess, Seth MacArthur’s girlfriend.”
That wasn’t actually true. Seth had asked me to be his pretend crush so his dad wouldn’t send him to a behaviour camp (the plan made sense at the time), and it progressed to me becoming his fake girlfriend.
He’d asked me if we could keep going with the ruse, and I’d said yes.
“I remember you.” She didn’t look any happier here than she had at her engagement party.
“Sorry, I’ll leave you alone.”
“No, it’s fine. Please sit down. It’d be nice to have some company here for once.”
I sat on the sofa next to her, feeling more than a little awkward. “Have you been to an open mike night before?”
“Lots. Seen a lot of amazing talent, and some that’s not so amazing. But everyone who gets on that stage gives it everything they’ve got, and I admire that.”
I cleared my throat. “Remember what I said that night of your engagement party?”
“No – what did you say?”
“I asked if there was anything I could do to help you.”
Rex and Abigail’s upcoming marriage was an arranged one – something that still happened among Gifted families.
Abigail laughed softly and shook her head. “I doubt it. Not unless you know a Shifter.”
I did know a Shifter.
I was one.
“Please welcome Miss Lexi Carringdon, ladies and gentlemen!”
Lexi
As soon as I stepped onto the stage, my nerves completely disappeared. My breathing was steady as I faced the crowd. When the guitar chords started, I started to sway in time to the music. This was one of my favourite songs, and I wasn’t remotely worried about making a fool of myself.
All I had to do was let the song flow through me.
When it ended, I bowed slightly then left the stage, unable to keep myself from smiling. I was definitely going to sign up for more nights like this! It had been so much fun.
Laney squealed and jumped up, throwing her arms around my neck. “You were amazing!”
“You were. Well done, Lexi!”
“Thanks, Mum.” Praise from Mum meant a lot to me, especially when it came to my singing.
I was just about to go back to the other Angels when someone said: “That was beautiful.”
He was about my age, with short blond hair and blue eyes a lot lighter than mine and Laney’s. They reminded me of ice caught by the sun.
“Thanks.”
“Boys, we’re leaving,” someone called from a nearby table.
The boy was already leaving to follow the voice, which was good as he would have noticed all the blood drain from my face.
Boys, we’re leaving.
No. It couldn’t be one of them. Not here. I’d heard that voice in my nightmares and had hoped I would never hear it again in person.
It was one of the people who had broken into Seth’s house while Zara and I had been inside.
“Isn’t that the Mendozas?” I heard Dad say.
“Yes. That reminds me, I need to make a lasagne and take it round to them.”
I felt sick. Mum usually only took lasagne to someone’s house for one reason.
“Are they moving into our street?” asked Laney.
“They’re moving right next door to us.”
Hope you enjoyed it! You can get the entire story on Amazon on November 6th!