Chapter 17

"What the hell were you doing to her?" Felix says, his voice practically a growl.

He's looming over the angels as they huddle in the corner of the room. He's lost the top hat, but he's still dressed in the vampiric black ensemble he wore on stage, adding to the air of menace. Even though he's standing casually, almost relaxed as he addresses them, at any moment I could imagine him lashing out and grabbing one of them in a chokehold.

"Explain," he says. "Immediately."

"Did they hurt you?" Alastaire whispers to me, his mouth right next to my ear. He pulls me to my feet and steadies me in his arms. I feel faint.

"No. I'm ok," I say.

I'm not totally sure that I'm telling the truth. The curly-haired girl seems to have blood dripping from one of her hands.

Did they stab me with the scissors?

My body hurts all over and my mouth tastes like salt and metal. I think I might be sick.

The girl in the sparkly gold top bursts into tears whil