Ángel

Por L.A. Weatherly

La vida de Willow nunca ha sido convencional.El hecho de vivir sola con una madre enajenada y una tía que nunca se ha interesado por ella, unido a su interés por la mecánica de los coches y a su capacidad para leer el futuro, la convierten en su instituto en la Reina de las Rarezas.
Sin embargo, de pronto llega al pueblo en que vive un chico al volante de un Porsche negro que descubrirá en qué reside exactamente su rareza. Aun cuando el auténtico objetivo del muchacho, Alex, sea matarla.
Weatherly da una vuelta de tuerca al tema de los ángeles al plantear la posibilidad de una invasión de ángeles que se alimentan de la energía vital de los humanos, lo que provoca un aumento de las enfermedades entre los humanos.
Y ni siquiera la CIA será capaz de detener la invasión.

• Idioma: Español
• Editorial: MARLOW
• Fecha de lanzamiento: 1 mar 2012
• ISBN: 9788492472390

Vista previa del libro

Prólogo

–¿Tu coche es ése? –preguntó la cajera del 7-Eleven–. ¿El negro brillante?

Alex asintió, apurando una taza de café Big Gulp allí mismo.

–Cómo mola –suspiró la chica, lanzándole una nueva ojeada. Se trataba de un Porsche Carrera y los rayos de sol lo hacían brillar como si estuviera hecho de cristal líquido–. Por aquí apenas se ven coches como el tuyo.

«No, claro que no», pensó Alex, intentando recordar dónde se encontraba ese «por aquí». Cattle Chute (Oklahoma), u otro poblacho con un nombre igual de funesto. «El hogar de los cowboys de pura cepa», anunciaba el cartel cosido a balazos de la entrada de la ciudad.

–Surtidor 3 –le indicó él a la chica.

La cajera le sonrió, abriendo mucho sus ojos castaños mientras marcaba en la registradora el precio de la taza de café y la gasolina.

–¿Acabas de llegar al pueblo? –le preguntó. El cartelito que llevaba en el pecho anunciaba que se llamaba «Vicky». La chica era casi tan alta como él, pero eso tampoco era decir mucho, ya que él apenas sobrepasaba el metro setenta y cinco, y se había planchado tanto la melena castaña que casi podría haber cortado un papel con su cabello.

«Debe de ser un trabajo de fin de semana –supuso mientras sacaba la cartera–. Debe de rondar los dieciséis. Seguramente va a ese enorme instituto que he visto en las afueras de la ciudad.»

Aquel pensamiento lo molestaba y lo divertía al mismo tiempo. Sólo conocía la vida de instituto por la tele: deportistas con chaquetas que llevan una letra bordada, animadoras que corretean alrededor del campo, parejas que acuden juntas al baile de graduación. Un mundo completamente distinto, un mundo tan estúpidamente inocente que casi le daba miedo. Los estudiantes de instituto eran lo bastante mayores para luchar, pero ninguno luchaba.

Porque casi ninguno era consciente de que estaban en guerra.

–No, estoy de paso –respondió y le alargó un par de billetes de veinte.

–Oh. –El rostro de Vicky mostró su decepción–. Supuse que podrías ir al mismo instituto que nosotros…, aunque supongo que ya eres mayor para ir a clase. ¿Cuántos años tienes?

¿Veintiuno…?

–Más o menos –contestó con una sonrisa ligeramente pícara. En realidad tenía diecisiete años, pero Vicky no se había equivocado tanto: en lo que importaba, él era ya mayor.

La cajera tardó lo suyo en darle el cambio.

–¿Cuánto tiempo te vas a quedar? Es que, bueno… Si quieres hacer algo… o si quieres conocer un poco la ciudad…

Del bolsillo de los pantalones vaqueros brotó un pitido que anunciaba que su teléfono móvil acababa de recibir un mensaje. El corazón de Alex dio un vuelco. Se hizo ligeramente a un lado, sacó el teléfono y lo abrió.

Enemigo detectado, Aspen (Colorado). Residencia 1124, Tyler Street.

«¡Por fin!» Como siempre que se producía un avistamiento, Alex sintió un escalofrío recorriéndole todo el cuerpo. Por fin… Ya había pasado casi una semana y se estaba volviendo loco. Guardó el teléfono en el bolsillo y sonrió a Vicky. ¿Por qué no? No volvería a verla nunca.

–Tal vez la próxima vez –le respondió, cogiendo el vaso de café–. Gracias, de todos modos.

–Claro –aceptó la chica, intentando esbozar una sonrisa–. Vaya… Entonces, buen viaje.

Cuando Alex empujó la puerta batiente, el ambiente demasiado frío a causa del aire acondicionado dio paso a un septiembre seco, ardiente. Se metió en el Porsche. El coche era tan bajo que sentía estar sentado en el suelo, los asientos de cuero negro lo rodearon como si lo abrazase la oscuridad. Aquel Porsche era enormemente cómodo: toda una suerte, ya que prácticamente vivía dentro del coche. «Aspen (Colorado)», tecleó en el GPS. Tiempo estimado de llegada: 2.47. Casi nueve horas de viaje. Con un nuevo trago de café decidió hacerlo de un tirón. No necesitaba dormir… Por Dios, si lo único que había hecho desde la última presa había sido descansar.

Salió del aparcamiento y puso rumbo a la Autopista 34, al norte de la ciudad, si es que aquella población podía considerarse una ciudad: sólo había unas docenas de manzanas de casas prefabricadas y un par de avenidas largas e iluminadas aderezadas con tiendas, por las que seguramente paseaban aquellos muchachotes lugareños todos los sábados por la noche, bebiendo cervezas sin alcohol y hablándose a gritos. Nada de aquello existía fuera de los límites de la población, donde sólo había polvo, silos de granos y extractoras de petróleo. Alex colocó el controlador de velocidad a ciento diez y encendió la radio. Sonaban los Eagles, canturreando aquello del Hotel California. Hizo una mueca de disgusto. Conectó su iPod y dejó que sonara algo de rock independiente mientras el Porsche se comía los kilómetros.

Se preguntó durante un instante cómo habría reaccionado Vicky si supiese que guardaba un fusil semiautomático en el maletero.

***

Las montañas Rocosas acunaban Aspen en su interior, como si se tratase de la palma de un gigante que sostuviese un puñado de diamantes. La carretera giraba y descendía por la ladera a medida que se acercaba a la ciudad. Los faros del coche barrían la oscuridad que se abría ante Alex. Algunas liebres se quedaban paralizadas en el arcén, con los ojos abiertos como platos, y en una ocasión perturbó la tranquilidad de un gamo, que desapareció entre los árboles con unos cuantos saltos.

El reloj del coche marcaba las 2.51 h cuando cruzaron el límite de Aspen. No estaba mal. El GPS lo dirigió hacia Tyler Street, una avenida silenciosa bordeada de árboles cercana al centro. Una de las farolas parpadeaba, pero el resto iluminaba la calle en silencio, revelando una hilera de casas de grandes ventanales y céspedes inmaculados. Ninguna de ellas tenía las luces encendidas. Todo el mundo dormía.

Alex aparcó el coche a unas cuantas casas de distancia del número 1124. Apoyó los codos en el volante y contempló la casa. Sus oscuras cejas se unieron en una sola mientras reflexionaba. Sabiendo buscar, a veces podías distinguir una señal, pero allí no había nada. Se trataba de una casa igual a todas… excepto por el césped delantero, algo más descuidado que el resto: en medio del césped sobresalían, rebeldes, algunas malas hierbas.

«Desconsiderados con los vecinos… Muy mal», pensó Alex.

Antes de iniciar el descenso hacia Aspen había puesto el fusil en el asiento delantero. Ahora colocó el cargador y echó un vistazo a la casa a través de la lente infrarroja. La puerta principal cobró un color rojo inquietante, y todo se hizo más definido, incluso podía leer el nombre grabado en el buzón de correos metálico instalado en el muro del porche: «T. Goodman».

Goodman. Alex soltó una risita a su pesar. En muchas ocasiones, las criaturas adoptaban apellidos vulgares para poder integrarse mejor. Y era curioso comprobar que algunas de ellas también tenían sentido del humor. Colocó el silenciador en el cañón del fusil. Aquel silenciador era de última generación y relucía tanto como el arma. Ya sólo tenía que esperar. Se acomodó en su asiento sin apartar la vista de la casa. Antes, cuando salían por equipos, a los otros cazadores les disgustaban las noches de vigilancia, pero para Alex constituían parte esencial de la caza. Parte esencial de la diversión. Tus sentidos deben estar alerta, no puedes relajarte ni un segundo.

La puerta delantera se abrió casi una hora después. En menos de un segundo colocó el fusil en posición y siguió observando a través de la lente. El hombre alto que había salido al porche se detuvo para echar la llave a la puerta, antes de bajar a buen ritmo los escalones y correr por la calle. Sus pasos resonaban en el silencio, decididos.

Alex bajó el arma. No le sorprendía que T. Goodman hubiese salido en forma humana, ya que normalmente solo mostraban su verdadera naturaleza cuando comían. Esperó a que el hombre doblase la equina, en dirección al centro, para salir del coche y abrir con cuidado el maletero. Sacó una gabardina negra, cerró con cuidado el maletero y se puso en marcha, con el fusil bien escondido bajo el largo vuelo de la gabardina.

Cuando giró por la misma esquina, localizó a su presa a sólo una manzana de distancia, cruzando la calle. Se detuvo un instante y dejó que su vista se desenfocase instantáneamente. Alrededor de aquella oscura silueta se iluminó un aura de un tono plateado, pálido, con un ligero parpadeo de luz azul en el borde.

Alex apresuró el paso. Hacía días que la criatura no comía, así que debía de estar de caza.

El hombre se dirigió hacia un bar en el centro, Espuelas, como rezaba el cartel de neón que brillaba en la fachada, donde una vaquera amarilla y rosa, vestida con pantaloncitos cortos y un minúsculo chaleco de cuero destellaba mientras agitaba el sombrero. El ritmo de la música golpeaba con fuerza y un coro de voces masculinas gritaba al unísono.

Alex reconoció la señal y sacudió la cabeza en señal de su admiración. Espuelas era uno de esos locales en que las camareras iban ataviadas con ropa sexy y bailaban sobre la barra. Los hombres presentes a aquellas horas debían de estar borrachos y revoltosos, por lo que no prestarían mucha atención a lo que sucedía a su alrededor… El escenario ideal para ir de caza. En efecto, él también habría escogido un local como aquél.

Un par de seguratas aburridos flanqueaba la entrada principal. Para no llamar su atención T. Goodman se fundió con las sombras. A media calle de distancia, Alex tomó su posición tras un Subaru aparcado mientras calculaba el espacio que los separaba. Allí estaría bien, decidió. En otras ocasiones había estado mucho más cerca, aunque los gorilas podían ser alcanzados por alguna bala perdida.

Justo en ese momento la pesada puerta metálica del Espuelas se abrió de golpe y salió tambaleándose un hombre vestido con un traje arrugado.

–Una gran noche, chico –afirmó, palmeando el hombro de uno de los vigilantes–. Las chicas están muy bueeenas. –Sacudió la cabeza para reforzar sus palabras, como si éstas no fueran suficiente para demostrar cuán buenas estaban.

–Sí, muy buenas –respondió el guardia de seguridad, divertido.

–Espero que no tengas pensado conducir, Eddie –añadió el segundo–. ¿No prefieres que te llamemos un taxi?

Eddie no contestó y siguió caminando en zigzag por la calle, tarareando una canción sin melodía. Uno de sus pies golpeó una lata de cerveza vacía y el sonido se propagó por la noche. Los seguratas intercambiaron una mirada y se encogieron de hombros: no era su problema.

Alex se irguió cuando vio a T. Goodman separarse de las tinieblas y avanzar hacia el hombre como una sombra alta y silenciosa. Alex preparó el fusil y se dispuso a seguirlo. Estaba seguro de que sucedería en cualquier momento. No necesitaban intimidad, tan sólo un espacio relativamente despejado. Sin apartar la vista de Goodman, Alex respiró profundamente para centrarse y rápidamente trasladó su energía a través de sus chakras hasta alcanzar su coronilla.

En el preciso momento en que la criatura unía su mente con la de su presa sintió inmediatamente un ligero escalofrío. Había acertado… Ya había llegado el momento. Tambaleándose, Eddie se detuvo en seco, inseguro, y, poco a poco, se dio la vuelta.

En medio de una onda oscura, el cuerpo humano de Goodman desapareció y en su lugar apareció una luz brillante, gloriosa, que se convirtió en un faro que alumbró toda la calle iluminando todo: el bar, los edificios aledaños, el rostro asustado de Eddie. Y, en el centro de la luz, un ser brillante, de más de dos metros, con unas alas gigantescas que, extendidas, eran de un blanco tan puro que parecían azules.

–Esto… Esto no puede estar pas… –tartamudeó Eddie al ver acercarse al ángel.

A media calle de distancia, Alex oyó a los seguratas riendo animadamente con una mujer que se había detenido a pedirles fuego. Si alguno de ellos hubiera mirado en aquella dirección, tan sólo habría distinguido a Eddie solo, de pie, tambaleante como un borracho en una calle oscura.

Estirándose por encima del capó del coche, Alex echó un vistazo a través del visor del fusil y mantuvo las manos firmes y tranquilas mientras apuntaba. Apareció el rostro del ángel, aumentado varias veces. Como humano, Goodman resultaba físicamente atractivo, como lo son todos los ángeles que adquieren esa forma, si bien analizando detenidamente sus caras siempre se descubría algo extraño, algo demasiado intenso, unos ojos tal vez demasiado oscuros para resultar tranquilizadores, pero ahora, con su forma angélica, los rasgos de Goodman mostraban una belleza de otro mundo, una belleza orgullosa y feroz. El halo que lo rodeaba brotaba como un fuego sagrado.

–No temas –lo tranquilizó el ángel con una voz que sonaba como cien campanas repicando–. He venido por un motivo. Tengo que entregarte una cosa.

Eddie cayó de rodillas, con ojos desorbitados.

El halo. Alex se centró en él y apuntó a la zona más pura, más blanca, a su corazón.

–No te dolerá –continuó el ángel, acercándose. Entonces sonrió y su brillo pareció multiplicarse por diez hasta hacer arder la noche. Tembloroso, Eddie gimió y bajó la cabeza, incapaz de soportar aquella belleza.

–Además, recordarás esto como la experiencia más importante de toda tu vida…

Alex apretó el gatillo. Cuando el impacto de la bala afectó la palpitante energía del halo del ángel, la criatura estalló en un millón de fragmentos de luz. Alex se agazapó tras el coche mientras la onda expansiva golpeaba por encima de él y el grito agónico del ángel resonaba en sus tímpanos. Todavía en aquel estado de sensibilidad tan intensa, podía apreciar los campos de energía de todos los seres vivos que habían sido afectados por la explosión: el perfil fantasmagórico de un árbol y unas cuantas briznas de hierbas que danzaban y se enroscaban como atrapadas por un huracán.

Lentamente todo volvió a la normalidad. Silencio. Alex devolvió la energía al chakra del corazón y los bordes fantasmales desaparecieron. Deslizó el fusil bajo el coche y se dirigió hacia Eddie, que seguía de rodillas, temblando, en la acera. T. Goodman había desaparecido completamente: no quedaba ni rastro.

–Eh, tío, ¿te encuentras bien? –preguntó Alex, poniéndose en cuclillas a su lado. Los guardias de seguridad habían dejado de hablar y miraban hacia ellos. Alex levantó una mano hacia ellos, tranquilizador. «Todo bien, está un poco borracho.»

Eddie volvió el rostro hacia él, cubierto de lágrimas.

–Aquí… había… No me vas a creer, pero…

–Lo sé, lo sé –lo interrumpió Alex–. Vamos, levántate. –Rodeó a Eddie con un brazo y lo ayudó a ponerse en pie. Al tipo más le valdría empezar a hacer dieta.

–Ah, la cabeza… –se quejó Eddie, apoyándose sin fuerzas en el hombro de Alex. «Cosa de los ángeles», se dijo Alex. Eddie había estado a sólo metro y medio de distancia y, aunque la mayor parte había estallado en dirección a Alex, Eddie sentiría los efectos unos cuantos días. Mejor eso que terminar quemado por un ángel.

Cualquier cosa era mejor que eso.

–Era tan bonito –murmuraba Eddie–. Tan hermoso…

–Sí, muy hermoso –farfulló Alex poniendo los ojos en blanco. Empezó a caminar de vuelta al bar, arrastrando a Eddie consigo. Como siempre, sentía la mezcla de compasión y desdén que siempre sentía hacia ellos. Aunque había dedicado su vida a rescatarlos, jamás habían sospechado siquiera lo ocurrido, por lo que nunca resultaba realmente placentero.

–Eh, creo que este colega necesita un taxi –pidió cuando llegó junto a los seguratas–. Me lo he encontrado tumbado en el suelo, en aquella acera…

–Nosotros nos encargamos –rió uno de los vigilantes, liberando a Alex del peso del hombre de negocios–. El viejo Eddie es un cliente habitual, ¿verdad, colega?

Eddie volvió la cabeza, intentando concentrarse.

–Tom… He visto un ángel –consiguió pronunciar. Los guardias se echaron a reír.

–Claro que sí. Te refieres a Amber, ¿verdad? –respondió el otro guardia–. Va siempre con unos pantaloncitos muy muy cortos y no para de bailar en la barra. –Le guiñó un ojo a Alex–. Hey, ¿quieres entrar? No tienes que pagar entrada… Te invitamos.

En su época, cuando era más joven, Alex había estado en un montón de locales como aquél, la mayoría de veces arrastrado por otros cazadores. Para ser sincero, siempre le habían parecido muy aburridos y, aunque le apetecía tomarse una copa, la idea de sentarse en Espuelas con la adrenalina del asesinato todavía bombeando en sus venas le pareció demasiado irreal, incluso para alguien como él.

Meneó la cabeza y dio un paso atrás.

–No, en otra ocasión mejor… Será mejor que me vaya. Gracias, de todos modos.

–Cuando quieras –volvió a ofrecer el primer vigilante. Eddie ya había perdido completamente el conocimiento y se apoyaba sobre él como un saco de patatas. El vigilante acomodó el peso muerto del hombre, impaciente–. Mike, ¿vas a llamar al taxi o qué? La Bella Durmiente pesa cada vez más.

–Bueno, decidle que vaya con un poco más de cuidado con la bebida dura –recomendó Alex con una sonrisa–. La próxima vez dirá que ve elefantes rosas.

Capítulo 1

–¡Qué vergüenza! ¡Pero qué vergüenza! –farfulló Nina, que se apoyaba en la puerta del copiloto con los brazos cruzados sobre el pecho, sacudiendo la cabeza en señal de desaprobación.

–¿Quieres que te lo arregle o no? –le pregunté. Mi voz sonó algo apagada porque tenía la parte superior de mi torso y la cabeza enterradas en las profundidades del motor de su Corvette. Intentaba cambiarle el carburador, pero el motor estaba tan sucio que los tornillos se habían fusionado completamente con el metal y con la mugre de las juntas: por si no lo sabéis, es negra y pringosa–. ¿Me pasas la llave? La que tiene el mango amarillo…

Nina refunfuñó al agacharse para rebuscar entre mis herramientas.

–Todavía no me creo que tengas una caja de herramientas… ¡de verdad! Y no me puedo creer que la hayas traído al instituto. –Dejó caer la llave en mi mano.

–Vale… ¿paro? Con una palabra me basta. –En aquel momento ya había retirado el filtro de aire, desconectado el conducto de combustible y los manguitos de aspiración. Nos encontrábamos en el aparcamiento del instituto, porque había supuesto que sería más fácil arreglárselo allí que en el garaje de casa, que está atiborrado de cajas viejas, bicicletas y basura que mi tía no se decide a tirar. No había tenido en cuenta el factor vergüenza, claro. La historia de mi vida.

–¡Willow! ¡Ni se te ocurra! –siseó Nina, apartándose los mechones castaños–. Vamos, no te hagas la ofendida. Quiero que me lo arregles, pero no sabía que ibas a hacerlo aquí. Eso es todo.

Miró furtivamente hacia el campo, vigilando cuidadosamente a Scott Mason y su cuadrilla de arrogantes héroes de fútbol. Ya hacía un buen rato que habían terminado las clases, pero tenían entrenamiento. El aparcamiento era como un océano gris, sólo puntuado por unos cuantos coches por aquí y por allí.

–Deberías darme las gracias por no haber empezado a la hora del almuerzo –le advertí–, pero todavía me queda algo de dignidad. Vamos… –Apreté los dientes al intentar girar la llave. Hice presión con todo mi peso, hasta que la tuerca cedió–. ¡Ja!

¡Lo he logrado! –Le di vueltas hasta soltarla completamente, saqué el viejo carburador y lo coloqué junto al nuevo para compararlos. Eran iguales. Casi era un milagro, porque el Corvette de Nina tendría que haber estado expuesto en el Smithsonian.

–¿Dignidad, tú? –protestó Nina arrugando la nariz–. No me hagas reír. Veamos, ¿qué llevas?

–¿Ropa?

–Willow. Pareces… no sé. No doy con una palabra para describirlo.

–¿De veras? Genial… –Sonreí mientras me limpiaba las manos en un trapo–. Eso quiere decir que soy única, ¿no? –Llevaba una blusa de brocado verde brillante de los años cincuenta, con mi par de vaqueros favoritos… y destrozados. Mi chaqueta de terciopelo negro colgaba del capó abierto, fuera de peligro. La mayoría lo había comprado en El Ático de Tammy, mi tienda favorita en todo el mundo.

Nina cerró los ojos y dejó escapar un gruñido.

–Única. Sí, buena descripción… Francamente, Willow, Pawntucket no está preparada para ti.

Aquella afirmación era tan cierta que no valía la pena discutir. En lugar de abrir la boca, agarré un destornillador y empecé a limpiar la zona en la que había reposado el carburador viejo para hacer desaparecer el polvo y la mugre. Aquello era totalmente asqueroso, como un pedazo de carbón sumergido en una poza de alquitrán.

Nina abrió los ojos y se asomó bajo el capó.

–¿Y ahora qué estás haciendo? –preguntó preocupada.

–Estoy limpiando todo este limo asqueroso. –Le mostré el destornillador cubierto de aquella sustancia viscosa y oscura–. ¿Quieres echarme una mano?

–¡Puaj! ¡No! –Suspiró y volvió a apoyarse en el coche, retorciendo un mechón de pelo entre los dedos–. ¿Pero por qué tienes que limpiarlo? ¿No puedes colocar directamente el nuevo?

Un mechón de mi pelo rubio cayó entre el motor y me lo coloqué de nuevo tras la oreja sin levantar la vista.

–Brillante idea: no podría sellarlo completamente y empezaría a tragar aire como una aspiradora estropeada y…

Nina se irguió repentinamente, como si llevase un resorte.

–¡Dios mío! ¡Se acerca Beth Hartley!

Beth Hartley era una de las estrellas del instituto Pawntucket. Beth era delgada, guapa, sacaba buenas notas y todo eso. Era un año mayor que nosotras, casi había cumplido los dieciocho, y estaba en el último curso. Y, además, no nos movíamos en los mismos círculos: ella formaba parte de todos los comités y clubes habidos y por haber y vivía básicamente en el instituto. Y la verdad es que habrían cerrado las instalaciones si por alguna razón ella no hubiera podido venir. Los profesores se habrían declarado en huelga.

Vertí un poco de disolvente en un trapo limpio y empecé a frotar el espacio vacío donde tenía que encajar el carburador.

–¿Qué crees que toca hoy? –pregunté–. ¿Ensayo de animadoras? ¿El comité del baile de graduación? ¿Salvar el planeta?

–Willow, no tienes gracia –me reprendió Nina–. Viene derechita a nosotras.

–¿Y qué? Seguro que no es la primera vez en su vida que ve un carburador. –Nina se quedó mirándome. Pasó un segundo y, al darme cuenta de lo que acababa de ver, empecé a reír–. Oh, tal vez sí, ¿eh?

Nina bufó, como si no pudiese decidirse entre pegarme un buen rapapolvo o reír conmigo.

–Mira, ya sé que no te importa, que la mayoría de gente te ha coronado como la Reina de las Rarezas, y créeme cuando te digo que esto que estamos haciendo no ayudará nada… –Calló de golpe cuando Beth nos alcanzó.

–Hola –saludó Beth, pasando la mirada, insegura, de Nina a mí. Su pelo largo era de un precioso color miel e iba maquillada de forma tan perfecta y sutil que nadie podría asegurar que se había maquillado. Pasarse horas maquillándote para que luego no se note el trabajo siempre me ha parecido una pérdida de tiempo, pero cada loco con su tema.

–Hola –respondí, sacando la cabeza de debajo del capó.

–Hola, Beth –terció Nina, con voz quebrada–. ¿Qué tal la reunión del grupo de teatro?

–Del anuario –la corrigió Beth–. Muy bien. –Miraba fijamente el capó y a mí, todavía medio debajo de él–. Estás… Hummm… Estás reparando el coche de Nina. –Sonó medio a pregunta medio a afirmación.

–El carburador –asentí.

–El carburador, ya veo –repitió Beth, parpadeando con sus ojos castaños.

Una pausa. Noté cómo Beth estaba sacudiendo mentalmente su cabeza para aclararse las ideas y terminar decidiendo que no quería seguir indagando sobre el tema del carburador.

–Hummm… Willow… –carraspeó Beth–. Quería saber si tienes los deberes de la clase de Atkinson. Ayer no pude asistir.

Sentí que las cejas se me levantaban. Creía firmemente que Beth no sabía que íbamos a la misma clase. Ni al mismo instituto. Ni que habitábamos el mismo planeta. Aunque, pensándolo mejor, quizá sí lo sepa… ¡Seguramente no vivimos en el mismo planeta! ¿Pero por qué me los pedía a mí? A esa clase iba al menos una docena de sus perfectas amiguitas.

–Sí, creo que sí –respondí encogiéndome de hombros–. En la carpeta roja. –Fui hasta mi mochila azul, que había dejado tirada en el suelo, junto a la caja de herramientas–. ¿Te importa cogerla? Tengo las manos llenas de… –Se las mostré y ella palideció.

–Claro, muchas gracias. –Sacó la carpeta de la bolsa, la abrió rápidamente y echó una ojeada a los deberes. Cuando la estaba guardando de nuevo, miró a Nina y vaciló, empezó a decir algo pero se detuvo. Su cuello se ruborizó tanto que alcanzó una intensidad fucsia.

Los movimientos de mis manos con el trapo se ralentizaron cuando empecé a mirarla con sorpresa. Repentinamente, supe qué sucedería a continuación: ya había presenciado en demasiadas ocasiones las señales para equivocarme. Los ojos de Nina se agrandaron: ella también se acababa de dar cuenta de la situación.

–Mejor… Mejor que vaya a beber un vaso de agua –anunció, dando un paso que pretendía parecer natural hacia atrás. Estoy segura de que pensaba lo mismo que yo: «¿Beth Harley? ¿En serio? ¿Doña Perfecta?».

Cuando Nina hubo desaparecido, Beth se acercó a mí y bajó la voz.

–Hummm… Willow… –Respiró profundamente y se pasó los dedos, con una manicura perfecta, por el cabello–. Me…, me han comentado que haces… lecturas. Ya sabes, lecturas psíquicas –añadió rápidamente. Su rostro estaba rojo como una hoguera.

–Sí, así es –asentí.

Me pareció que Beth contenía el aliento. Intentaba sonar escéptica, pero se mostraba tan esperanzada y suplicante que creí tener un cachorrillo mirándome fijamente.

–Y… ¿Y eres buena? –lanzó.

Me encogí de hombros y empecé a instalar el nuevo carburador en el colector de admisión.

–Creo que sí: no todo lo que veo termina sucediendo, pero la mayoría sí. Para serte sincera, lo que no sucede se encuentra en un camino alternativo…

Beth me observaba con intensidad, absorbiendo cada palabra.

–¿Un camino alternativo? –repitió–. ¿A qué te refieres?

Pensé en mis palabras mientras enroscaba las tuercas, una a una, manteniendo regular la presión en el carburador.

–En la vida puedes tomar decisiones y, a veces, puedo ver las diferentes posibilidades desplegadas… y lo que puede suceder en cada una de ellas, pero no todas suceden, porque sólo podrás elegir una de ellas…

–Sí –asintió Beth–, por eso necesito ayuda –musitó, casi para sí misma–. Decisiones. –Dirigió la mirada hacia el instituto–. Bueno, hummm… ¿Querrás hacerme una lectura? –preguntó precipitadamente–. ¿Algún día? ¿Pronto?

Pegué un respingo al imaginarme a Beth en mi casa, ya que las dos no parecían encajar mucho, pero enseguida me encogí de hombros.

–Claro, cuando quieras. ¿Qué te parece mañana después de clase? No, espera… ¡Mejor el jueves! –Había olvidado durante un segundo que la enfermera libraba más pronto al día siguiente y le había prometido a tía Jo que volvería a casa pronto para ocuparme de mamá. Le di mi dirección a Beth.

–Allí estaré –afirmó con vehemencia Beth. Algunos de sus amigos del comité del anuario habían empezado a salir del instituto, así que ella se apretó con fuerza la mochila contra el pecho y se fue para reunirse con ellos–. Y, Willow… gracias –se despidió en voz baja.

Me quedé mirándola, perpleja. Yo no debería tener la gente tan encasillada: si tener aptitudes psíquicas me había enseñado algo es que nunca puedes saber qué pensamientos se le ocurren a la gente, brotando de su mente como burbujas en el caldero mágico de sus vidas normales y corrientes. Pero, a pesar de ello… ¡Se trataba de Beth Hartley! «Qué raro», me dije mientras acababa de ajustar la última tuerca.

Nina volvió mostrando en su rostro una expresión que clamaba «¡cuéntamelo todo!».

–Quiere que le haga una lectura –le confesé, ya que era inevitable.

–¡Lo sabía! –exclamó Nina–. Por la forma en que actuaba, tan furtiva, lo he deducido. –Meneó la cabeza, haciendo un gesto de estar completamente asombrada–. Guau, no me puedo creer que Beth Hartley también crea en toda esa basura.

Nina es la persona menos imaginativa y más prosaica del mundo entero, de manera que está convencida de que cualquier cosa relacionada con la parapsicología es una estafa, si bien eso no implica, necesariamente, que me considere una estafadora. Cree que me engaño a mí misma. Cree que soy una teatrera, que me invento las cosas, que me dejo llevar… Ésas son sus conclusiones. Cree que debería dedicarme a la actuación, porque estoy siempre constantemente en contacto con mi niño interior. Lo verdaderamente extraño es que seamos amigas, pero lo cierto es que nos conocemos desde que tenía nueve años, cuando mamá y yo nos mudamos a Pawntucket para vivir con tía Jo, y supongo que nos hemos acostumbrado a estar juntas.

Nina me miraba. Yo, todavía debajo del capó, vi cómo meneó la cabeza.

–Willow, eres consciente de que deberías poner un punto y final a todo eso de los poderes psíquicos, ¿verdad? La mitad de la escuela está convencida de que eres una bruja.

Sentí que las mejillas se me calentaban.

–Tampoco es que sea culpa mía –farfullé. Casi había acabado: buenas noticias, pues Nina empezaba a irritarme.

–Claro que es culpa tuya –insistió Nina–. No tienes por qué seguir haciendo lecturas, ¿verdad? Claro que no. La próxima vez que alguien te lo pida… ¡di que no!

No respondí nada. A lo lejos, oía al equipo de fútbol que seguía entrenando, las hombreras chocaban unas contra otras como si fueran titanes enfrentándose con toda su furia.

–No puedo decir que no –dije al fin. Acabé con el carburador, me limpié las manos y ordené las herramientas.

–¿Por qué? –graznó Nina, exasperada. Me volví hacia ella.

–¡Porque la gente tiene problemas, Nina! La gente tiene miles de problemas y creo que yo… puedo ayudarlos.

–Oh, venga, Willow, te engañas a ti misma si crees de verdad… –Nina se detuvo cuando agarré mi chaqueta y cerré con un buen golpe su capó.

–Ya está –le comuniqué, lanzándole las llaves–. Antes de ponerlo en marcha tendrás que llenar el moto… Dale un poco de gasolina antes. –No le di tiempo a contestar: cogí mis cosas y me largué.

–Muy bien, como tú quieras –gritó a mi espalda–, pero sabes que tengo razón. Nos vemos mañana. Y gracias por arreglarme el coche, chalada.

Me despedí con la mano sin darme la vuelta. Me metí en mi propio coche, un Toyota azul bastante abollado, lancé todas mis cosas en el asiento del copiloto y encendí el motor. Ronroneó como un gatito, naturalmente. Quizá mis notas sean bastante nefastas, pero con los motores soy un hacha.

Coloqué una cinta de blues en la radio mientras salía del aparcamiento: sí, el siglo xxi todavía no ha alcanzado mi equipo de música. Enfilé por la Carretera 12 hacia casa. La conversación con Beth se repetía una y otra vez en mi cabeza, imposible olvidarla.

«Decisiones. Por eso necesito ayuda.»

Sentí un cierto malestar en mi interior y fruncí el ceño, preguntándome por qué, de pronto, me dominaba aquella aprensión. Tener dones psíquicos no es lo que cree todo el mundo: no soy una gurú que todo lo sabe y que todo lo ve. No, tampoco puedo adivinar el número de la lotería y sí, claro que sí, me pilla la lluvia fuera de casa como a todo el mundo.

La verdad es que en ocasiones recibo destellos, sensaciones, pero nunca son nada concreto a menos que esté en contacto con alguien, por ejemplo, sujetándole la mano. Además, debo tener espacio mental suficiente para estar relajada y poder aclarar la mente. Si estoy triste o excitada casi nunca consigo nada, si bien lo cierto es que no es una actividad que vayas desplegando por todas partes, a no ser que quieras perder completamente la cabeza. En general, vivo como todo el mundo, sin saber exactamente por dónde van a ir las cosas.

Pero en algunas ocasiones tengo unas intuiciones muy fuertes… y justo en esos momentos estaba sintiendo una sobre Beth. Me mordí el labio y desaceleré porque llegué a un cruce.

Fuesen cuales fuesen las decisiones que debía tomar, tenía un presentimiento muy muy malo.

***

–Tortitas –pidió Alex, lanzando una ojeada a la carta–, con huevos revueltos y beicon, con guarnición de buñuelos de patata. Y una tostada. –Se estaba muriendo de hambre. Siempre le pasaba después de una caza, se sentía como si hiciese una semana que no comía nada.

–¿Café? –ofreció la camarera, una mujer gorda que parecía aburrida.

–Sí, también zumo de naranja –asintió Alex.

La camarera se puso en marcha, Alex guardó de nuevo la carta en el soporte y se desperezó. Tras alejarse del Espuelas, había dado una vuelta por el centro hasta que encontró un gimnasio que estaba abierto toda la noche. Pagó la entrada e hizo ejercicio durante horas, enfrentándose a las máquinas como si fuesen el enemigo, haciendo repeticiones hasta que el sudor le corría por la cara y los hombros como si estuviese bajo la lluvia. Sintió que finalmente la adrenalina que le corría por todo el cuerpo empezaba a desvanecerse y que daba paso a un cansancio que era muy bienvenido.

Se detuvo y dejó descansar la cabeza sobre la barra de la máquina de abdominales.

–¡Qué buena rutina! –preguntó el encargado de sala. Ya eran casi las seis de la mañana y el gimnasio empezaba a llenarse de gente. Alrededor de Alex se oían los chasquidos y chirridos de las máquinas de pesas, además del ronroneo y el golpeteo de los pies de las cintas de fitness.

Levantó la cabeza y se quedó mirando fijamente al chico; casi había perdido la noción del lugar en que se encontraba, pero asintió y logró sonreír.

–Sí, genial.

Se enjugó el rostro con la toalla y se irguió. Sentía los músculos como si fuesen agua. Normalmente, después del encuentro con un ángel, corría, pero correr no era suficiente, nunca acababa exhausto. Aquello era mejor. Quizás incluso conseguiría dormir algo al día siguiente, quizás al otro.

–Tío, he estado mirando cómo usabas las máquinas –comentó alegremente el encargado, rociando de desinfectante el sillín de una bicicleta estática y frotándolo–. Parecías estar poseído.

–No, eso les pasa a los otros –respondió Alex, con una mueca–, a los que no detengo a tiempo. –Y, dejando al perplejo encargado solo, se colgó la toalla alrededor del cuello y fue a ducharse.

Ahora estaba tomando un trago de un café insípido y miraba por el ventanal hacia las montañas Rocosas. A su alrededor, la cafetería bullía de gente, de papás y mamás despreocupados vestidos con tejanos y sonrisas amables, de niños pequeños que no dejaban de revolver en sus asientos y de colorear los cuadernos del Señor Tortitas.

Había estado en Aspen varias veces antes de la invasión. A los ángeles parecía gustarles aquella zona, pero él desconocía el motivo. Tal vez se debiese al aire fresco de la montaña. Alex apoyó la barbilla en la mano y se quedó ensimismado contemplando los lejanos picos nevados. Por algún motivo, Aspen le recordaba a Albuquerque, aunque esta ciudad estaba en medio del desierto y de una llanura y tenía rocas doradas en lugar de montañas

Comentarios para Ángel

[alcarinqa_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Angel is a nice change of pace from the other angel-related novels available. In this book, the angels are the bad guys, sucking auric energy out of willing human beings. There is an interesting motivation for the angels to migrate to Earth, and I hope the Crisis is explored further in the sequels. I also thought it was cool that the CIA is helping resist the angels, definitely one of the things I liked most. I feel the book is largely driven by one character - Alex. I thought the story is narrated by him and was disappointed that it’s not. Alex is a memorable character because his background and experiences define him so well. He seems much more realistic than Willow, who is a well written character but bland. I feel she could have been grounded to her past much better to make her stand out, but she is initially painted as a generic YA heroine. There are a few shining moments with Willow, however, so the potential is there for her to become pretty awesome. The plot is fast paced and flows well. I was never bored while reading Angel and felt that the lore was properly explained without being tedious. I was surprised at how quickly feelings developed between Willow and Alex, but was gratified to see they were at least realistic about it since they were being hunted down at the time. Angel is a good read: engaging and fresh, with cool characters. I want to read the sequels and follow Alex and Willow’s adventures further, and recommend it to people who want something different from their paranormal romances.You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic.

[thelibraryhag · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Angels walk among us. They always have. But instead of healing and giving comfort they leave madness and disease behind. Now their world is failing, and they have invaded earth and more are coming. Willow has always been psychic. When she does a reading for a school mate, she sees the angel that has fed from the girl and her life changes forever. Now she is in a life and death fight to destroy the angels before they destroy her. Her only help, an Angel Fighter hunk (Alex) who is not sure whose side Willow is on. I really enjoyed this book. I like the world and the characters. There is lots of action. It is really a romantic suspense as well as a paranormal romance as Willow and Alex try to escape the angels. I could have done with a bit less tingling on Willow's part every time she touched, looked at or thought of Alex. But heck, it is YA romance. People who love Twiliglht will probably enjoy all the moony, lovey dovey stuff. I think the writing is very good and even with all the tingling, the story moved at a good pace. I really am looking forward to the next book in the series.

[poetrytoprose · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

Okay, let’s get what I didn’t like about this book out of the way: the shifts between first-person Willow and third-person Alex. Why?! I really don’t understand the reason for this. I can do with alternating narrators, but it was just so strange to have this change in point of view when it didn’t serve any purpose. It wasn’t too jarring, as I got used to it fairly quickly, but again…WHY?! Sticking to one narrative POV would have been more than sufficient.Moving along, I did enjoy L.A. Weatherly’s new take on angels. I found them to be absolutely creepy and I thought they held aspects that were quite realistic. For one, it was easy to imagine churches and cults forming for them; we see so many fanatics for various things and people today. Second, the effects they had on humans are things we see in present mental and medical conditions — which is what made them even creepier to me!The romance of this story was the most predictable aspect of the novel. Yes, there’s a certain level of predictability that comes with reading YA, but there are ways to keep things interesting and this didn’t deliver. Willow and Alex’s relationship was pretty sweet, but even when they were bantering and “hating” each other, I didn’t feel much for their chemistry.The novel kept a relatively fast pace as Willow and Alex remained on the run. There were a few places where it slowed down, particularly their stay at the cabin, but things quickly picked up again as we neared the conclusion…where it came to, in my opinion, an abrupt stop. I expected a bit more bang.Angel Burn offered a refreshing twist on angel mythology, a premise full of potential for the remaining books in the trilogy. I can’t say I’ll be rushing out to get the next books in the series, but I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for them!

[lauramoore_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

I had mixed feelings as to what I was going to think of this book, A lot of books have come out recently in the YA genre that have been focused upon angels, but Weatherly's angels were nothing like ANY angels I have ever heard of. Angels who suck out the souls of humans who think they are good. Its actually a pretty scary concept to be completley honest. Blinded by the beauty of angels, and feeling like their a positive influence in your life, while they are making you sick and stealing your soul? OH BOY! I have to say I really did enjoy this story. Alex who is an AK, yup that's right an ANGEL KILLER! He see's the angels for what they are, EVIL! but what does he do when he starts to fall for Willow, who is part angel herself. Is she evil, or because she's only part angel is she not the soul-sucking beings he knows angels to be? I can't wait for the sequel of this book honestly, It was like nothing i've ever read thats for sure, in fact I like angels being good and I like thinking that people that have passed are watching out for us, but in the same respect they were kinda kick-ass being bad too, even though in my opinion they were more of demons then angels, but It was unlike anything else i've ever read, and I think that everyone should give this book a chance!

[thelostentwife · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

I have rated Angel Burn right dead center of a 1-5 rating system. If I could, I'd rate the first half a good, solid 4 and the second half would waver between a 1 and a 2. The first half of Angel Burn is filled with action, interesting characters, a really unique twist on "angel lore", and is fast-paced and just downright fun reading. It's not great literature, but it was fun and it had me reaching to pick up my book whenever I had a few spare minutes to read (and actually, it kept me up until a good two hours after when I should have been asleep last night).But then, about halfway through the book - just about when the love interest really takes over the relationship between Alex and Willow, the book started to lose its edge. Between the realization that these two teenagers "love" each other, the convenient placement of skills and money (who rides around with that much money, seriously), the overuse of the term "half angel" (I think I counted it five times in two paragraphs), the "you" "no you" "no you" back and forth between Willow and Alex in their lovesickness moments... it all got to be too much. I felt as if Weatherly went from creating what could have been a very kickass story and fell in love with her own characters so much that she went into some daydream world and wrote out a story that, in all honesty, should have been kept in her own mind. The result? A very unsatisfactory ending and one that really disappointed me. Even the climax, the moment we were all waiting for, was flooded with regrets, teenage angst and moments that had me rolling my eyes so violently that I gave myself a headache. In short - great idea, great beginning, really crappy ending. I'd hoped for better.

[cattwing · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

Another parnormal romance with a slight twist - this time it's the girl who's the supernatural one. "Angel Burn" kept me pretty occupied until about half way through. I started out strong, plenty of action and a snapping you're-driving-me-crazy-but-man-are-you-hot- relationship between the guy and the girl that, while predictable, was nevertheless entertaining. But halfway through, they got all of their differences sorted out and fell madly in love. So much so that there was absolutely NO conflict at all between them. The action died down a bit, the other plot conflicts were temporarily resolved, and I completely lost interest as things just got way too sappy. I'm kind of curious to find out what happens, but I just don't know if I take it anymore. Maybe I'll just read a summary somewhere...

[liyanna_1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

This is one of the better Young Adult novels I've read so far. It has romance in it, of course, but more importantly, action too! If it were made into a movie (I can totally picture that), I could even take my boyfriend to see it. It has evil angels who want to feed on humans, hunt our heroes, it has murder attempts, CIA and a thrilling ending.I was pleasantly surprised that it was not religious at all. The angels could easily be replaced by mindreading aliens (which they kind of are, come to think of it). But that would have made Willow a less interesting character, so I'm glad it's about angels after all.Just a tiny remark, the love confession of our heroes didn't do much for me ("I thought you didn't like me" blablabla) and small bits of the book were a bit boring (where they spent weeks hiding in a hut playing cards). But thankfully it is followed by thrilling events.

[jibar_2 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

I liked it. The concept of Angels actually being the bad guys is kind of new to me, but I don't know wether it is new in and of itself. I suspected some things.Go to my blog if you want to find out what I mean: 30nightsinsomniac.blogspot.com (Search for the Angel Burn Review)It was entertaining and a fun read, although I found that everything moved too fast and then too slow at times. The middle part kind of dragged along and I found myself not reading for a few days, which is not a good sign.This review feels extremely choppy, but I'm tired and I don't really know what to say. I've tried a couple of times to write something decent but my juices don't seem to be flowing. I liked the book, but not as much as Enclave by Ann Aguirre or The Goddess Test by Aimée Carter. I liked the story and I'm going to keep an eye out for its sequels. It's definitely worth a read!

[angelgirl122193 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Angel Burn is creepy and terrifying, yet oh so addictive! Seriously. These angels in the novel are not nice at all. They feed from people, and by doing this they give them angel burn which leads to a psychological disorder like schizophrenia. Thank goodness for Willow and Alex, who know what they are and are determined to stop them from taking over the world.Willow has had to grow up very fast in Angel Burn. Her mother has been unable to really care for Willow since she was a toddler, so Willow hasn't had much of a childhood. When Willow find out that her mother has checked out because of Angel Burn, and that Willow is a half-angel herself, she is horrified. She doesn't want to be related to one of these evil creatures, no matter how pretty they seem to be. When the angels find out about who she is, they are shocked. Angels shouldn't be able to have offspring! And it doesn't help that they can tell that Willow has it out for them. This somehow leads to her and Alex finding each other, running for their lives, and discovering more about Willow's unusual genetics.I was so happy that I got a chance to see what Alex was thinking in Angel Burn. Like Willow, he has had to grow up very fast, being an Angel Killer. He has been slaying angels since he was 11, with tons of training before that. Alex is a tortured guy who has a rocky past, but he as he and Willow fall in love, he begins to soften up. I couldn't believe how strong Alex had to be to be able to slay angels. It is so dangerous, and you have to wait for the right moment, so it is a terrifying job. I enjoyed seeing Alex and Willow's feeling grow stronger for each other as they learned more about one another. This isn't one of those instant love stories, thank god!!L.A. Weatherly blew me out of the park with her storyline. Deadly angels who live only to drain humans and have no care for them?? This is a crazy concept, and she really took a risk by doing it. She made a fan out of me! Even though I am a Christian and I believe that angels are loving beings who truly care for us and watch over us, I did get involved in Weatherly's story. Do not go into this one expecting nice, loving angels because you are sure in for a shock!The only problem I had with Angel Burn was that there were a few parts in the story that lagged. I know that not everything can be full of action, but it was just a little hard to keep me reading during these parts.Angel Burn is a fascinating novel that had me hooked from page one. Even though there were a few slow parts in the novel, I still enjoyed my experience. Definitely give this one a shot if you haven't read it yet.

[mrsboswellbooks · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

When reading Angel Burn, take everything you know about angels: White, wonderful, full of pure love, healing touch, heavenly hosts singing hosannas... Now, throw this all out the window! Weatherly creates an entirely new races of angels in her Angel Trilogy. The angels that exist in the world of Willow and Alex are dark and cruel beings who feed off of human essence and in the end, cause things like strokes, cancer and much more! They have not a care in the world for humans and could ultimately be the demise to all humanity.Willow is a little bit strange and somewhat of a social-outcast to her peers. Willow, who now lives with her aunt, has been taking care of her mentally-ill mother from a young age. She has been forced to grow up a little quicker than those her age. Add on top of that the fact that Willow seems to have psychic abilities and is able to read people with a slight touch... of course people are going to think her strange!Enter Alex, who is an AK. Yes, an Angel Killer. He has been hunting down these terrible creatures who feed off of humans and leave nothing but deterioration in their wake, since he was young. Alex is tasked to find Willow but once he does, he's not sure what to make with what he sees. Alex and Willow are lead on a cross-country journey. Will they find answers to save humanity or is everyone doomed?I really enjoyed the characters. Willow is such a strong young woman and Alex is complex but full of amazingness once he opens himself up. Alex and Willow are both great characters separately but throw them together and the pages ultimately turn themselves. Their acquaintance is quite strained in the beginning, but soon their budding romance begins to flourish.The story is told in multiple POVs, which I'm not too fond of because I feel like I'm jumping around between multiple different stories, as well as changes between first person and third person narration.The ending did not come with the BANG I was expecting, but it leaves room for Weatherly to expand and continue the story in Angel Fire and Angel Fever.Overall, a brilliant beginning to a new series and an intensely unique look at angels. Weatherly weaves a truly exciting and detailed story that will be sure to leave readers anxiously awaiting Angel Fire. I know I am.

[nocturnewytche · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Wow... It's been awhile since I read this one and perhaps I should have wrote my review sooner. In all honesty, it doesn't matter because Angel Burn left that big of an impact on me. This is one of my favorites novels so far and I am aching for the next book. I was hesitant to read this as I had read enough 'angel' YA books to last me for awhile. I had just finished Crescendo, Unearthly, and Angelfire so I wasn't keen on another 'angel' novel. A person recommended I read this if I liked the previous mentioned titles so being someone who reads too fast for her own good, I decided to pick it up to have another book filler. Boy, am I glad I did! Angel Burn was superior in many ways. This book is more cutting edge and deep into not only descrption, emotion, and plot but well-rounded and something new in the idea of a story plot! The concept of AK (angel killers) and angels being 'evil' was different and well accepted as an alterior idea. The characters were so well presented and given such detail that I felt connected to them almost immediately. I've read many YA books in the past few years, but aside from Twilight and Mortal Instruments, Angel Burn is one of my absolute favorites. A must read in my opinion and the kind you can read over and over!

[kikihowell · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

The interesting thing about this book was the way the author used terminology, like angels and angel killers, but seemingly reversed the good and bad guys leaving the reader to keep turning the pages just to figure it all out—the discrepancy between their own preconceived definitions of paranormal creatures and the actions of the paranormals in this book. Of course I won’t give anything away, but I can say I was thrilled with it all by the end.I did like the writing, very descriptive, tipping the scales at telling far beyond any showing. In fact, I felt, and this is a personal opinion I'm making from the YA books I have read, that this author didn't talk down to the reader when explaining concepts in the story like I have felt other YA authors have done. Having teens of my own, I found it refreshing to read a plot I felt would challenge the thoughts and imaginations of its readers. There was a strong bit of created mythology, a complex world filled with unique characters. And the book just kept getting better once you got past a lot of back story in the beginning, which did keep me engaged because of the intensity of the action, and again, the challenge to my own ideas. After that, you get more and more action, the violent type without the gore. Intermixed with this is a lot of character interaction during a road trip, the apocalyptic threat edging on the suspense, as well as a developing love story. This one is definitely something a parent wouldn’t mind reading right along with their teen.

[breereads · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

More at theawesomemagicattic.blogspot.comPretty, pretty angels. They show themselves to humans, enchant them, and drain their energy. Afterwards, the humans adore the angels, and join the Church of Angels, a group dedicated solely to the angels. And now the angels want Willow dead. Maybe not so pretty after all. When Alex is sent to kill Willow, he uncovers things for himself. As each day passes, he falls harder for the girl who should be his enemy. Willow's different. She's always known that. Not just because she's got a knack for fixing cars, but because she can see one's future with just a touch. But she's never known exactly how different she was. With the power to save or destroy, Willow must decide what to do. Before it's too late. I was hesitant to read this book at first. I began reading the first few pages, and lost interest. A few months later, I picked up the book again, as many people have said it was amazing, and I was ready to give it another go. After the first few pages, the book just got better and better. I like the idea that L.A. Weatherly gives us. It isn't the typical fallen angel plot, but the author gives you the idea that even angels who don't fall can be evil. It sheds a whole new light on the good angels, and bad fallen angels concept that most YA angel books have. It was interesting. Willow was my favorite character, no doubt. She was strong, but innocent, in a way, and clueless. I liked her character. She didn't really care what people thought about her. She was the kind of girl I wanted as my best friend. Alex was... Alex. He was hard and cool on the outside, but kind, caring, and somewhat vulnerable on the inside. Willow and Alex's relationship was sudden, and kind of abrupt. They had this love-hate feeling for each other, and then suddenly they're in love. Strange? I think so. Also, the beginning was well... plain. Nothing interesting, nothing bad. It was just that. Plain. While the middle and ending was great, the beginning wasn't as good.But, that aside, and this book was amazing. The story was smooth, flawlessly written, and the plot was original. The characters were fun, well written, and the action was intense. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this trilogy.

[vykic37 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Find this review and more at On The Shelf!This was a very fun and different kind of angel story! Angels are usually these wonderful beings that are pure and good, but not the angels in L.A. Weatherly’s world. These angels feed off of people, who in turn, become obsessed with the angels and will eventually fall ill thanks to angel burn caused by the feesing. It’s a very interesting twist on the popular angel perception. I really like the character of Willow. She is so good-hearted and always worried about helping people. She is strong, even if inside she would like to run away in some instances. Alex is a good character as well. I enjoyed how his and Willow’s relationship grew, definitely no insta-love here! As for Willow’s best friend, Nina, I’m glad we didn’t see her much because I found her to be incredibly annoying and I haven’t got a clue how someone could be friends with her. The book is very fast-paced and full of action. There weren’t many slower points in this story at all and something was happening at every turn. Some things go as expected and some things don’t. The reader does a good job at narrating and she knows how to make the exciting parts exciting, and for emotional parts, you can almost hear her lip quivering! This has nothing to do with this sotry, but I like this company’s audiobooks becuase of the few repeated “reminder lines” of story at the beginning of each disk when you switch to the next one. I already have Angel Fire in my CD player. Definitely recommened for those who like angel stories, expecially if they are looking for something outside the normal box! Fast, plenty of action, great characters, good narration.

[jrlibrary · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Interesting idea that angels are not actually "good" creatures, but aliens seeking to inhabit the Earth. Willow is the daughter of an angel (demon) and a mortal and should not actually exist, though she does. Alex, is an angel killer, a trained assassin whose only purpose is to wipe out angels and save humans from being fed upon by angels. The romance between Willow and Alex is a highly unlikely one, but it works, and the chemistry between Willow and Alex is fantastic. This is book one of a trilogy, and I'll definitely be looking to read book two and three.

[bookswithbite · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

s I read this book, I was little skeptical. Lately I have been reading lots of books about angels, demons and whatnot, that reading another angel story, well you have to really impress me in order for me to get into the book. So many books out there carry the same plots and the same types of characters. After reading a bit into the book, I was hooked. I realized that I enjoyed Willow and Alex. Both were dynamic characters and had love that I enjoyed seeing.The plot I did enjoy reading once I got what's going on. It did take a while for the plot to take off but once it did I really love it. The were many secrets, betrayals, and lots of action going on. What really got me was how blind Willow was to all of this. Her emotions I loved reading. Ms. Weatherly did a great job writing all the thoughts and feelings out. The love in this story sweet. I am such a romance junkie! To see two people falling in love over a course of running away from danger, almost being killed, learning secrets, it really had my heart out there! I love watching how in the mist of things, these two people can come together and it was like no one or nothing can break what they have. They had a secret place in which they can go to within each other and be safe. Total swoon! Overall this book is great! I really enjoyed reading it and exploring the world that Ms. Weatherly has created. Angel Burn is the start of new series that I can get addicted to! I can't wait to see what the next book has in store!

[shelleyjax · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly follows two main protagonists. Alex Kylar, who is an angel assassin, or Angel Killer, and Willow Fields who is a mechanic, psychic, and a junior in a small Upstate New York town of Pawtucket. She is also part angel.Alex has been an angel assassin since the age of 12 since being forced into the life by his own father. Hunting Angels runs in his family. Why does the AK’s hunt the Angels you ask? Because they feed off humans in order to survive. They cause death, disease, and mental illness to anyone they touch. Alex has a talent for using his chakra’s to give him an advantage over others which makes him one of the best hunters around. He can clearly see when Angels are draining their victims of their life juices. The Angels, it seems, are on earth because their world is dying off. Alex has been working solo ever since the CIA took over Project Angel.Alex is one of the last members of Project Angel and is given a job to hunt down and kill what he is told is an Angel feeding off human life forces. His contact claims she is extremely dangerous and needs to be dispatched immediately. But, when he arrives in Pawtucket and enters her house, he realizes that there is something definitely wrong here and sets out to find the truth. What he finds changes his life forever.Willow loves to work on cars. She buys her clothes at Tammy’s Attic to save money, and fellow students, including her best friend Nina, call her Queen Weird. She has done psychic readings since she was 11 as a way to make money so that her Aunt Jo doesn’t have to do so much to support her and her ailing mother Miranda. Willow’s only downfall is when she tells a fellow student about her future while doing a reading. Instead of letting it play out or telling her a lie, she tells the truth about what she sees. Willow soon gets a close encounter of the Angel kind. After he leaves in a hurry to get away from her, a contract is put out on her life. Now, it seems that both sides -the Angels and the Angel Hunters- want her dead. Only later does Alex find out that he has been working for the bad guys, and that Project Angel has been compromised and he is the only AK left alive.I’ll just come out and say it. This book is really good. I love the way the relationship between Willow and Alex isn’t forced. They work through some extremely difficult situations, including attempts on their lives by a radical cult like group called the Church of Angels as well as the Angels themselves. Yes, I called them cultist because that is exactly what they are. The action takes us the reader from Upstate New York, to New Mexico, and to Colorado where the climax takes place.The Angels in this book are nothing like you've read to this point. They aren’t Fallen Angels from Hell. They haven't come down from Heaven to buggle in the end of days. You might even think of them as being aliens of the Angel variety. These Angels are on earth because something called the Crisis happened on their planet. This is what leads to what is called the Invasion. The Second Wave is supposed to be double the Invasion in scope and magnitude. Angels feed off humans and leave them in a state called Angel Burn. Not only does this lead to fascination and adoration and cult like followers, it leaves them damaged as well.My only real disappointment was with Jonah, the undercover operative who was working in the Church of Angels. I really wished that he had played more of an active role in stopping the Angels, including Willows own psychotic father. Readers will also get a huge jolt when they learn who Willows father really is. Let’s just say that if you saw that coming, you paid way more attention than I did.I am definitely encouraged by the start of this promising series, and will put this author on my to follow list so that I don't miss they next release in the series.ARC Recvd via Netgalley.com // Expected publication: May 24th 2011 by Candlewick Press

[dragonlibrary8 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

My thoughts:This is a whole new look at angels! Secret CIA Angel Killers? That too is new for me! The characters are thoughtfully designed. I liked their convictions and willingness to do the right thing in the face of danger and the threat of death. Both Willow and Alex are fantastic characters. The development of their relationship is creative and wonderful to follow. I love that Willow fixes cars and dresses out of style. She is so realistic that the extraordinary powers she possesses don't seem to be such a stretch. Alex is incredible. He is so strong in his beliefs, but at the same time centered enough to reach beyond what he has always known to grasp the new and changing world that he is thrown into. The cult-like Angel religion is so true to life it is frightening. She creates a world that is easy to believe in and fills it with characters that are wonderful to read about. The story flows easily and the plot threads all come together to an ending that leaves the reader both satisfied with the story and anticipating the next book in the series.I truly enjoyed the book.

[kmartin802_1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

Angels are the bad guys. They are coming to Earth because conditions on their world have changed. They feed on the energy of humans leaving them weak, sick but enraptured. Alex hunts these angels. He is sent to kill Willow. She is something both humans and angels think is impossible--a half angel. When Alex finds out that the angels want her dead, he decides to help her. They are one the run and isolated. They need to stop the next wave of the angel invasion.

[readingwithmartinis · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

OH MY GODS. The Goodreads synopsis author is not exaggerating AT ALL when they say that L.A. Weatherly has reinvented the angel. She absolutely reinvented the angel and in a way that kicks so much ass, I don't know that I can accurately describe it!In Weatherly's world, the angel that we know as a peaceful messenger of tranquility has been firebombed and remolded. Weatherly's imagining of the angel is not one of a benevolent entity full of love, but rather a crazed, vicious, human soul eater monster! Angels are such a hot topic in literature right now that it would be easy to dismiss Angel Burn as more of the same. But let me tell you, it is not. Angel Burn was like part fairytale, part The Terminator. These unimaginable monsters just keep coming and coming for Willow (and other humans). And just when you think the story is going to reach a lull, Weatherly kicks it right back into high gear.There was no putting this book down for me. I consumed Angel Burn. It was just that good. The characters were simply amazing. Off the hook amazing. Alex is really hard to relate to in the beginning of the novel because we just know him as an assassin. As his relationship with Willow unfolds, we get to see how amazing he truly is. Willow is such a strong female character. I heart her with puffy unicorn stickers and little flowers. She has no idea that she is part angel and is suddenly in danger of being killed. This character could totally have been written as a shrinking violet type who needs someone to rescue her. While Willow does need Alex's help, she needs no rescuing. LOVE LOVE LOVE these characters.Totally unique plot + Angels on another level + effing amazing characters = Angel Burn. Read it because you will love it.

[bookworm_lisa · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

This is an original take on Angels. We tend to think of angels as benevolent creatures. We of course learn this from the Bible. The angels in this book are predators from another world, who take on the appearance of benevolent, loving beeings. Willow lives with her aunt and mother. Her mother is mentally ill. She has been for a long time. Willow watches after and takes care of her mother. She knows that her mother's mental state has something to do with the father that she has never met. Willow has psychic abilities. She uses them to help out her friends and acquaintances. A school mate named Beth asks for a reading to help her decide the path she should take, and Willow is introduced to the world of Angels. Beth has had visitations from an Angel and she has now become obsessed with them. She doesn't like that Willow told her to stay away from the Angel. This leads Willow on a journey, both mental and physical as she becomes caught up in the war between the angels and those trying to stop them. Along her journey she discovers that her father is an angel. Alex finds her, he is actually sent to kill her, and together they discover more about the war with the angels and discover their love for each other. There is so much more to this book. I don't think I am really giving anything away with this review. I really liked that the book is original in the way angels are depicted. The love story between Alex and Willow is typical. I will look forward to more books in this series. The war has just begun.

[theepicrat · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Here I thought we've seen all that can be done with angels - we've seen them as fallen, guardian, sexy, sweet, ruined, redeemed, lost, forgotten - but Angel Burn has definitely proven me wrong! Definitely not from heaven or hell, and definitely not the angels I want to be watching over me! Yeesh. I'd hate to think what the "devils" would be if they existed in this world that L.A. Weatherly crafted so carefully.This twist on angels will definitely satisfy readers who are tired of the same old spiel and want something with more of a bite. What happens when these angels are leeching on your soul and leave you worse for wear? No matter, they'll make sure to leave you all warm and fuzzy inside after a "angelic visit" so you won't think to blame them for feeding off your soul and essentially killing you. Will anyone notice - or even more pertinent, will they notice in time before they get burned as well?Alex intrigued me. He definitely nailed that mysterious bad boy persona and fit it oh-so-nicely that I probably drooled on my eReader! He started off as cold and unmoving, but I couldn't blame him. Here was a boy who grew up with the mission of killing angels and saving people who will never thank him or realize what happened. How messed up is that? His is a story that I desperately would love to know, but Angel Burn was more of an small appetizer as far as Alex goes.The one thing that threw me off was the varying perspectives in Angel Burn. Both first- and third-person are utilized and sometimes within the same chapter, although first-person perspective came only from Willow. Readers get to view through Alex's eyes via third-person along with the angels and their co-conspirators. No one perspective dominated the whole story. I am not sure if Willow's first-person narration helped the story - or if it would have worked if everything stayed in third-person all around. The change in perspectives was not confusing, but I had to wondered why there was a change each time we bounced from Willow's view to everyone else's.Regardless of the different perspectives, Angel Burn was an unexpected breath of fresh air in this angel phenomenon that I am eagerly anticipating the next chapter of this trilogy!

[herbcat_1 · Calificación: 1 de 5 estrellas]

Unfortunately, this book is likely to be very, very popular with teens. The romance is far sweeter than in Twilight, and there is much more urgency. It has plenty of tension, some character building, and definitely adventure. But it makes angels into monsters who feed on humans and turn them into something like vegetables. I can't see why the author and others like her can't create their own monsters without taking already created beings and endowing them with terrible characteristics. I would hate to think that this could plant a seed into teen brains so that they could never think of an angel as a figure of comfort, purity, or goodness. But this is obviously meant to be a series, and I think it will catch on, with kids loving the pure, clean romance between the half-angle heroine and her rescuer.

[jmchshannon · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

When reading Angel Burn, one needs to forget all one has ever heard about angels. In L. A. Weatherly's imaginings, angels are the Big Bad. It makes for a story that is interesting and more than a bit heretical. Ms. Weatherly's angels are not fallen angels but rather ones that come with wings and halos. They do not come from a heaven but rather from another world. They have only come to Earth because their world is collapsing and the only energy upon which they can feed is found in humans. Therefore, not only are angels no longer celestial beings but are now predators intent upon taking over Earth by bending all human will to their purpose. Go figure. Angel Burn is not the best YA, paranormal romance ever written, but it does get kudos for trying to do something different. Unfortunately, one can be a bit too different, and the strain to the reader's credibility does more harm than good. This is exactly what happens with this first in the Angel series. Angels as the Big Bad is akin to teddy bears being rabid. Some images do not work well and are too incredulous to be easily ignored or accepted. Also, it is not the most well-written novel either. Some of the more romantic scenes are cliched and overused, including one snort-inducing scene where the hapless hero is left chasing after his beloved, screaming her name as she flies off to save the world, realizing what a terrible mistake he has made in letting her go alone. Oy. This is not to say that it is a horrible novel. In fact, it is decently pleasant. It does read a bit too much like a romantic drama screenplay, replete with cheesy imagery and even worse dialogue and sentimentality, but there is a reason why such imagery and dialogue is so popular. The idea of evil angels is even quite intriguing. One has to give Ms. Weatherly credit for creating something completely unique. Unfortunately, I personally could not overcome the faults of Angel Burn. I enjoyed it while I read it but will not be picking up the second in the series when it is released. I just did not care enough about any of the characters and felt the idea of lethal angels quite preposterous and writing just too sentimental for comfort. That is not to say that teens will not fall in love with the story. In fact, I suspect they will be more accepting of the more difficult-to-accept concepts than I was. Angel Burn is proof that sometimes YA novels are for their target audience only.Thank you to NetGalley for my e-galley!

[sithereandread · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

ANGEL BURN, by L.A. Weatherly, was a fantastic story about a different side of angels. Weatherly paired a half-angel and angel killer together and created a steamy romance and edge-of-your-seat action thriller.I am a sucker for angel books and this one will definitely be added to my shelves. Weatherly possesses a talent of hooking a reader right away. The first chapter ended with many questions buzzing around in my head, and I grew anxious for them to be answered. They agenda's and lifestyles were completely different but it totally worked. I immediately loved Willow. She is kind, giving, and really wants the best for those around her. I loved her psychic abilities and I wanted to understand them more. Alex makes it up there on my list of YA hotties. Along with being gorgeous he is weapon-trained and sweet. Getting into both of their heads with the shifting POV's added a lot to the value of this book for me.Along with the romance, there came intense action. Alex and Willow were on the run from the angels and narrowly escaped them each time. Weatherly stepped up the anticipation of Alex/Willow's capture in each chapter as the stakes grew higher.I really enjoyed Weatherly's 'take' on angels. It was refreshing to see that not all angels were actually good. The religious aspect of angels took a back seat with their real motives. The idea of angel burn and the manipulation of humans was so unique, I have to applaud Weatherly for her creativity!Overall, this was an awesome start to the series and I look forward to more of Alex and Willow kicking butt in the next book!Cover note: Love this cover! It is very simple but absolutely gorgeous. The accented title with the swirls is quite creative and totally adds to this cover.

[skstiles612 · Calificación: 3 de 5 estrellas]

This is not your typical heavenly angel type story. In this book we find a group of “angels” that suck the life right out of the humans who worship them. Willow isw a sixteen year old who is half angel and the target of the Angel Killers. When Alex is sent to kill her, he kidnaps her instead, hoping to sort everything out. Of course we know they have to start having feelings for each other. I’d like to say I enjoyed the book but I didn’t. It isn’t because it is poorly written, because it is not. I just had a hard time getting into the story line. I guess it was because I had a problem seeing the angels being portrayed as something with an evil agenda. I know there are many out there who will love the edgy feel of this type of book and so it is to them I would recommend this book, and the admit that for once I have found a book that just wasn’t my cup of tea.

[readingbeader · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Angel BurnL.A. WeatherlyNetGalley ARC, YA, angels, paranormal, romanceWillow has always been Queen Weird; she buys her clothes from thrift stores, fixes cars, gives psychic readings and has a crazy mother. After his mother’s death, Alex grew up in the desert training with his father and brother to be a killer of angels. Angels are not the benign creatures we think of—no, these angels feed on humans, damaging them, causing mental illnesses, cancers, and many other terrible maladies. Alex and Willow team up to save her life after the angels decide they want her dead. I enjoyed this read. The relationship between Willow and Alex felt real, even though they came from such different backgrounds. But they each needed to grow up fast as children, and that helped prevent a lot of the stupid drama that often plagues some high school romances. They actually talked to one another and listened. Wow. Start of a trilogy. Sigh. Does have an ending, but you know there is more coming.

[krista23 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Is nothing sacred anymore? I was raised thinking Angels were heavenly creatures, beings that represented good and happiness. But this book has shattered those ideas. These "Angels' are evil with a capital E. They feed off your energy, slowly sucking away all your body's nourishment to live, all the while your dying with this idea that your in heaven, your completely happy and the "Angel" is the best thing to ever happen to you. If your lucky the hotty bad-ass Alex may come and kill the angel before it does much damage, but he's a rare soul. An "AK" -Angel Killer, trained to identify and shoot them in their HALO's!The romance was swoon-worthy, the action was awesome and the angels were freaky. The main character Willow is a half angel, She can fix your car, see your future and save your world.This book was Extremely unique, action packed, and left me with unanswered questions (yes it's the first of a series) So pick it up, and keep your pants on because your in for a wild ride.

[bellydancer_1 · Calificación: 4 de 5 estrellas]

Angels are all around us, sucking the life force from us, feeding from us. They are so mesmerizing that mere mortals are following them setting up The Church of Angels for us to worship them from.But there is a teenage girl Willow, could she be the earth’s saviour. She knows she's different from other girl; not just because she loves tinkering around with cars, she has a gift. Just by touching people she can see their future; their dreams, their hopes and their regrets. Along comes Alex who is one of the few who know the truth about angels, and the truth about Willow and her ability. He has been send to get rid of her; to quell dark forces within her, the ones that make her dangerous, but when he meets her finds he is falling in love with his sworn enemy.A fabulous read for those who are paranormal fan, fast moving and full of action this is one to watch.

[joystuart_1 · Calificación: 5 de 5 estrellas]

I really enjoyed this book. Loved the title, caught my interest immediately, but time and work got in the way -- finally had time to relax and couldn't put it down! Very different approach, these angels are nothing like other angels you have read about. Lots of adventure, good developement of the romance without getting graphic, left me wanting the next book without leaving me on a cliff about to fall (I personally hate that!).If authors and publishers ever read these reviews, please, please take a lesson from authors like Anne McCaffrey - make the books able to stand alone - so much time goes between reading one and the publishing of the next that you need a refresher! Also, series books are a pain because you can NEVER seem to find all of them unless you are fortunate enough to discover the series at it's very beginning!