Read Daddy's Little Angel for Free Online Page A

and grabbed my shoulder. I assumed it was Gabi’s. But then I noticed the red, blue, and silver snake ring that spiraled up the middle finger. I knew that ring. Everyone in the band had one. I slowly turned to see Vale herself standing in front of me. She pulled me up toward the stage, and up I went. I was so in shock, she could have told me to moo like a cow and run three laps, and I would have done that, too.
    “We have a special guest to help us with our next song,” she said into the microphone. “Let’s put our hands together for Angel Garrett.”
    The entire stadium broke into a round of thunderous applause. It was un-freaking-believable. I felt like I was in an alternate universe. A really cool one where everyone knew who I was—even celebrities like Mara’s Daughters. It was like standing on top of the Empire State Building, or a cloud, or whatever was higher than that. I felt so powerful. Then a thought flashed in my mind. How did Vale know my name? The realization sent me crashing back to Earth. Getting picked by the band wasn’t some fabulous twist of good luck. It was Lou. It had to be.
    I didn’t know what to do. I took a step toward my seat, but Vale latched onto my wrist. “Just go with it,” she whispered to me. Then she put the microphone in front of my face. “Say something.”
    Say something?! I thought I was going to die right there. What was I supposed to say? Everyone was staring at me. My thoughts instantly shifted from Lou to my outfit. Why hadn’t I worn something cooler that day, something more like Beleth? She totally had that rock ’n’ roll look I wished I could pull off. I, on the other hand, looked like Strawberry Shortcake in my boring jeans and stupid pink and red striped T-shirt. Vale nudged me as the band started up on the intro to the next song. “Go on, introduce it.”
    My head was buzzing so much I couldn’t think of the title. “Umm, hi everyone,” I said into the microphone. I must have had it too close to my mouth or something because it let out this horrible screech. I heard a few groans. This was taking a very bad turn. I scanned the crowd. I knew Cole was there somewhere. I didn’t want him to see me freeze in front of everyone, so I forced myself to keep talking. “How about giving it up for Mara’s Daughters?” Even though I felt like a total spaz, I must have said the right thing because everyone started cheering again, which, luckily, got my memory going. “Here they are with ‘Caught in My Web.’”
    I caught Gabi’s eyes. “AWE-SOME!” she mouthed, and then shrieked with the rest of the crowd.
    The band played, and Vale and Vinea circled around me. I couldn’t help but laugh. Then before I knew it, I was shaking my hips alongside them. It was so much fun, I didn’t even feel nervous. Not even when Vale moved the microphone between us for the chorus. I was up there singing at the top of my lungs:
    The past, future, or now, I’ll find you—don’t worry how.
    I have my ways, and one of these days.
    I’m gonna find you. I’m gonna find you.
    I searched the crowd for Cole again, but I didn’t see him anywhere! I wanted so badly for him to see me and be impressed.
    When the song ended I was actually sweating like a pig. My pits were definitely sweat-stained. I decided I’d better be safe and head to my seat before anyone noticed them. I wanted to be known as the Mara’s Daughters chick, not the armpit princess.
    “Wait a minute,” Vale said into the microphone. “Don’t go anywhere yet. We have a surprise for you. Everyone, it’s Angel’s thirteenth birthday today, and since she’s a special friend of ours, we thought we could all sing to her. Hit it Bel, Vinea.”
    They played a fast-paced version of “Happy Birthday” and everyone—the band and the audience—serenaded me. It was by far the coolest thing to happen to me—ever. The girl nobody paid any attention to was at the center of everything. I loved it, even if evil was what