Rico and Skylar were at her back, though Rico stayed in the shadows of the docking bay—he didn’t do sunlight, and the midafternoon sun was hot and bright. Skylar followed her out. They stood side by side and stared down at the mass of writhing humanity ringed with the black uniforms of the Corps.
All attention focused on the podium at the front of the stadium and the man who stood alone. He made an imposing figure. Even from a distance, she could see his eyes glowing violet in his lean, handsome face as he stared out over the crowds. For a second, he looked straight at her, and a frisson of sensation skittered down her spine. He was tall, and the dark cloak he wore gave him a bulky appearance. Tannis had seen what was beneath that covering. Was he about to reveal himself to the world?
A movement to the side of them distracted her, and she swung around as four men in Corps uniforms stepped onto the landing pad. She cast a brief glance at Skylar, who gave a casual shrug.
“Can we help you?” Tannis asked.
“We’re the private bodyguard of the Leader.”
“So?”
“We were ordered to wait with you.”
“Are these guys for real?” she asked Skylar.
“Yes, look at the insignia.”
Tannis peered at the chest of the first guy. The usual violet insignia of the Corps was there, but circled with a gold C. “Freaking cool. Just don’t get in the way.”
“Something’s happening,” Skylar murmured.
Tannis turned her gaze from the soldiers to the podium, where Callum leaned forward and spoke, his voice rolling around the stadium. He had the most amazing presence and his words—despite being nothing new—sent little shivers running through her. She’d never been one for speeches, but she could have listened to that voice all day. Quite happily just stood here and stared at him. She sighed.
“You have got him bad, haven’t you?” Skylar sounded amused. Tannis ignored the comment, mainly because at that moment, Callum paused.
Was this it?
“So, with that in mind, I have brought you here today to show you the new, improved Collective.” His voice boomed.
Taking a step back, he loosened the cloak at his throat and it slipped from his shoulders, revealing the wings folded neatly behind him. Then they spread, almost six feet in span, black and leathery. They flexed slowly, beating the air with an audible whoosh. The crowd gasped.
He looked up toward where Tannis stood and nodded once. Then he flexed the wings again and rose into the air.
“Holy freaking moly.”
She’d known what to expect but all the same, her mouth dropped open. For a few seconds, he hovered over the podium, then the wings flapped and he headed toward them. Sort of. He didn’t appear to have much control and wavered almost as if he’d taken too many pinkies—the popular recreational drugs found in every bar on the planet. Finally, he straightened and hurtled their way fast. Too fast.
“Shit, he’s going to crash.”
Close up and spread wide, the wings were enormous, shadowing out the sun. Tannis poised, ready to dive out of the way, but at the last minute, when it seemed impossible that he wouldn’t smash straight into them, the wings folded and he dropped to the ground with a thud.
He rolled onto his feet in moments—she got the distinct impression he’d had a lot of practice at falling—then brushed himself off and looked around.
“Bloody exhibitionist,” Rico muttered from the doorway behind her.
Too right, but who wouldn’t be if you were five hundred years old and The Leader of the Universe and you had wings… All the same, she’d rather put off a confrontation with Rico until they were safely in the air. She turned to him briefly. “Go get us ready for takeoff.”
His eyes narrowed, but he spun on his heel and stalked away.
“Are we ready to go?” Callum asked.
Tannis opened her mouth to answer and then realized he wasn’t speaking to her, but to the guard beside him. A flicker of irritation poked her in the gut. She was captain; it was up to her to say whether they were ready to go or not. And what the hell did he mean by “we?” No way was she having a load of hard-assed, heavily armed bodyguards on her ship. “We?”
He turned to look at her, and she was caught in that violet stare. He seemed to look straight into her mind, then he frowned.
“Captain?”
“Yeah, that would be me.”
“I thought I made my instructions clear. You were to be ready to take off immediately.”
“Yeah, but just who exactly is taking off?”
He’d half turned away, and then swung back around and stared as though he didn’t quite understand the question. She was beginning to think he might not be too bright, which was a pity. Maybe he was some sort of figurehead, not in charge at all. Just somebody who acted as a front because he was stunningly gorgeous, which took people’s minds of the fact that he was spouting garbage—like all politicians.
“None of your concern. I’ve hired this ship. Now get us in the air.”