Read Angel Evolution for Free Online

know, Sam, but there’s something weird about him. Did you see the way his skin almost radiated light, even when we went inside? And his eyes were dilated, like he was on drugs or something.”
    “I didn’t notice the ‘light’ thing, but if you mean he radiated hotness, then yes, I noticed that! I know what you mean about his eyes, but they make him look kind of serious and mysterious. Maybe he just had an appointment with the eye doctor and they put drops in his eyes to dilate them. Geez, Tay, don’t be such a buzz kill. You are allowed to have fun. This is college, remember?”
    “I’m sure you’re right, Sam. I’ll text him later,” Taylor promised in a lame attempt to appease her well-intentioned friend.
    “That’s the spirit!” Sam exclaimed.
    They soon became distracted by their rumbling stomachs and the various buffet-style food stations around the cafeteria; large, colorful signs identified each type of food: pizza, stir fry, pasta, salad, dessert, drinks, and so forth.
    Over dinner, Taylor learned more about Marla and Jennings. They had been dating for three years and had known each other for about ten. Their entire families, dating back a few generations, had graduated from UT and mostly still lived in the area. Marla’s mother and Jennings’ father were both professors at the university. Their families had season tickets for the football games; they never missed a Beaver’s game unless an act of God prevented them.
    “You’ll be going to all of the football games this year,” Marla said. It was more of a statement than a question. “All freshman get free season tickets to the games.”
    In reality, the cost of the tickets was included in the freshman tuition, which was a bit higher than for the other students. The goal was to encourage the new students to go to games and become loyal to the team, the Beavers, and to UT in general. The trick usually worked, as after only a single game most of the kids became fans for life.
    “Of course we’ll go, won’t we, Tay?” Sam said.
    “Sure,” Taylor replied simply. Taylor liked football, as did most blue-blooded Americans. In high school, she was a member of the pep group, which helped make signs and flags for the football team. Always wanting to be the center of attention, Samantha was a cheerleader. In their own ways, they each supported the team and enjoyed watching the games.
    In addition to learning a bit about their new friends, Sam continued to gush about how excited she was for Taylor. Taylor barely heard a word she said. She couldn’t stop thinking about Gabriel: his face, his eyes, and her screams in the middle of the night.
    As the conversation continued, none of them noticed the pair of dark eyes that watched them from across the crowded cafeteria.
     
     

Chapter Nine
     
    G abriel watched Taylor from across the room while pretending to be interested in the conversation of the normal freshman boys he was sitting with. She would not be able to see him from this distance, although he kept her in his sight at all times. He was able to see her as if he was looking through binoculars—perfectly clear, like he was sitting next to her. The bright lights in the dining hall were devoured by his nearly fully-black eyes, and then streamed across the room with the focused power of a magnifying glass. Of all my abilities, this one is underrated , Gabriel thought.
    He gazed thoughtfully at her as she sat with her friends. Earlier, he had been impressed with her ability to resist his charms, but wasn’t worried. He was versatile, which was one of the many reasons he had been selected by the Council for this job.
    Not interested in food tonight, he excused himself from the table and strode purposefully out of the hall. Rounding a corner into a dark alleyway, he checked in front and behind himself, and seeing no one, leapt forcefully into the night sky. Reaching an altitude of a thousand feet in just over two seconds, he arched his back, extended