Free Twisted Heart by Eden Maguire Page A

into her head.’
    ‘So she didn’t actually see this Jarrold character kick the guy?’
    ‘Who knows? She hasn’t mentioned it lately, not since Conner’s leaving ceremony where she became a convert.’ I gave a wry smile and moved the conversation forward. ‘Anyway, what did Aaron say?’
    Orlando tidied his desk as we spoke, stacking books into piles and sliding papers into folders. ‘Only that she volunteered to walk the wilderness with a bunch of screwed-up juvies. The New Dawn people have decided they like volunteers – it’s part of the rehab, reintegration programme.’
    ‘Yeah, they do. And yeah, she did. And Aaron’s not happy?’
    ‘No, and I totally get that. We don’t know this organization, or any of the guys who run the place. Holly’s getting herself into something she might regret.’
    ‘Why, what could happen?’
    Orlando stopped tidying and frowned into the camera. ‘What about Amos, the big movie mogul?’ he challenged. ‘What kind of guy is he?’
    ‘OK, I guess. He made a cool speech at Conner’s service.’
    ‘You were there?’
    I picked up the surprise and disapproval combined into three small words.
    ‘Yeah, and I was there when Holly volunteered. Grace is thinking of doing the same. Amos was kind of cool. Actually, he reminds me of Sitting Bull or Red Cloud – one of those old chiefs we read about. And he believes in the ethos at New Dawn, no question.’
    ‘Believing in something doesn’t make it good,’ Orlando pointed out. ‘Remember Zoran Brancusi.’
    Other times, other places. A million other willing souls. The dark angel name sweeps like a shadow across my life, threatening my whole being .
    ‘This is different,’ I protested. ‘I’m talking about a talented guy who has everything going for him – brilliant career, high profile, multi-millionaire. And instead of cruising his yacht in the Bahamas, Amos chooses to set up an organization to help kids who are disadvantaged, damaged, whatever. And he’s hands-on. He doesn’t just pull in a team of people to work it out for him.’
    ‘Run that back,’ Orlando suggested. ‘Rewind. Substitute the name Brancusi for Amos, Black Eagle Lodge for New Dawn. See what I mean?’
    Wings beat. My dark angel and love thief, black eyes glittering, circles silently overhead, ready to drop on to his prey .
    His mission? To destroy young lovers and drag their souls on to the dark side. And to revenge himself against me, Tania Ionescu. To punish me for knowing him, for speaking his name. ‘Malach!’ I said, and his power crumbled. Spirit of death, dark angel.
    His method? To lurk, to lie low or circle the earth, never to go away. To shape-shift and rise again .
    ‘No, really.’ I spoke louder than I intended. Orlando was wrong about Antony Amos. It didn’t feel the same. I had psychic powers and would know in my heart it if it did.
    ‘Tania, listen to me.’ Leaning across the desk closer to the camera so that I was staring straight into his eyes, Orlando grew intense. ‘Holly can do what she likes and we know no one’s going to stop her. But I’m serious, Tania – I’ve seen what getting involved in bad spiritual stuff does to you.’
    ‘To all of us,’ I pointed out. ‘Remember Grace.’ How the dark angel targeted her because she was innocent and in love with Jude. In his twisted view of the world, she was his ideal victim, and he almost drew her on to the dark side and claimed her.
    ‘OK, I hear you. I’m not saying it wasn’t real – the fires, the poor kid who died on Black Rock.’
    ‘Oliver,’ I reminded him.
    ‘But you, Tania – you have to be aware.’
    That my psychic energy made me borderline crazy? Is that what we were back to? The idea that super-sensitive me could so easily slip from reality into nightmare visions of dark angels out for revenge.
    Out of the window I saw Dad throwing down grain for Zenaida and somehow the sight of it kept me grounded. I felt this was a time to back down from