Evie was under too much stress.
The life of a bodyguard was not easy, but it was something that made her feel like a better person, and her love for the boys had changed her a lot.
She used to say that loving someone was a weakness, and now that she loved them, it made her life, and job, a lot harder.
She just feared losing them because of a miscalculation on her part.
A distraction could be fatal.
"What are you doing?" BC-13 asked, five stories above the ground, leaning against a wall with his feet on one of the Twin Gargoyles, observing the entire pool area from above.
"I'm sure Jade hasn't checked the list as I told her to," Evie said with her eyes on her phone, standing on the gargoyle to BC-13's left, the one that had lost its right wing thousands of years ago when Zeth was still a Guardian of Evalon.
"How many people do you still need to check?" BC-13 asked, pulling his phone out of a pocket on his uniform, "I can help. I know all Hunters ever."
"Of course you do," Evie laughed a little, "Vanessa made sure you memorized them all."
"You know what she was like," BC-13 sighed, "Well? How many more do you have to check?"
"I am about twenty people away from making it to the end of the list. But Roman Industries? I don't know, it's good that Mrs. Roman invited employees and their families but..."
"But?"
"Artemisia isn't on the list so far, nor is her assistant," Evie said, looking at BC-13 right in the eyes.
"I'll check it, leave it to me."
"Roman Industries is famous, they've been giving away prosthetics to a lot of people for years, many of Frank's guests tonight were beneficiaries, people from the hospital that he met and invited to the concert for free." Evie frowned, "But something still doesn't add up."
"Meaning?"
"Leonardo took care of the list. Nobody has noticed but his right eye is bionic, and he was a client of Roman Industries."
"So what?"
"I just don't trust Leonardo, something is there but I can't connect the pieces yet. And his feline pheromones affected Jade, I'm sure about it. Jade's voice sounded nervous, like when she likes someone."
"And she is unreliable," BC-13 nodded, "Do you think Jade would fall for Leonardo now? A cat's pheromones are weaker than a Lycan's, but maybe?"
"Don't even mention it. Alex has already fallen in love with Kasey."
"And you are okay with that?"
"Yeah, I don't see the problem, Alex is like that, he cannot be monogamous, we can add Kasey to the relationship against my will later," Evie rolled her eyes.
"Then you are not okay with it."
"Focus! Something is not right. I mean, Leonardo? I don't like him."
"Your attention please!" Egor's voice echoed throughout the venue, making Evie frown as the neon spotlights danced and emotive music blared, "Ladies and gentlemen! Boys and girls! Single women who love cats and parents who had no interest in coming to this event but had to because their teens needed a chaperone! Please welcome... Monster Mash and Fifth Octave!"
There was screaming, there was crying, and there were paramedics running to catch people fainting, all in a second.
"Shit. The guys didn't tell me they were done!" Evie looked at Leonardo in the distance, looking at Jade with a finger on his chin, then at the boys while one by one stepped out of the hotel.
"It takes you five seconds to put on tank tops and black sweatpants," BC-13 laughed, "I think it took you longer to rappel from the suite all the way here when you said their makeover was done."
"You'd be surprised how long it takes Zeth to get dressed and perfumed, and how easily Draco and Everett get distracted, and how long it takes Alex to feel comfortable with his reflection because of his muscle dysmorphia. And I'm not even talking about how long it takes Frank to get rid of static in his clothes."
"You're really close to them, huh?" BC-13 laughed.
"More or less." Evie said, firing her grapple gun at the gargoyle beneath her feet, putting her phone in her pocket, "Oh well! No rest for the weary. If you discover something, tell me. See you around."
Evie took a step forward and let gravity do the rest. The metal wire of her grapple gun whirred as she fell.
Free falling always gave her the adrenaline rush she needed when sleepy.
When she was a few feet above the ground, she swung forward, pulling the trigger so the hook would detach from the gargoyle.
She spun backwards in the air, people looked at her and the entire crowd gasped.
Evie then landed hard on the ground in front of the Monster Mash guys, in a superhero pose that even made Kasey roll her eyes.
Evie was just showing off, and as she straightened, she fixed a strand of hair that was out of place.
There was silence afterwards.
"What an entrance!" Alex cheered loudly, "Everyone! Cheer for our Chief Bodyguard!"
The people burst into applause, and Evie blushed. She wasn't used to being praised, and thanks to Alex here, with almost black hair and dark brown eyes to hide his Lycan nature from the world, ll the people were clapping for her.
"Damn, Evie. That was awesome," Alex was still clapping, "That's my girl!"
"Thanks, Alex, I think I made my point clear," Evie laughed a little.
"Oh yeah, no one should mess with her!" Alex had a peculiar look in his eyes, admiration and something else that Evie liked.
It made her feel loved, alive even.
Then she turned to see Jade in the crowd and that look... Was it envy?
Fuck! Evie had to be more careful around Jade. Everyone knew what happened during the Clash of the Rahmans. Two powerful women could bring down an entire empire without a doubt.
"Evie. You need this," Everett said, handing her a microphone. Blonde hair, eyes a darker shade of blue, Everett looked good, classic, and Evie loved that. He looked like a frat boy in fact, typical cliché but without the drunk part, if she ignored the Global Awards thingy of course. That night, Everett confessed to Evie that he had drunk too much because, for a moment, he wanted to know what Aspem felt when he got drunk, and he promised never to do it again because he didn't understand the fun in that.
"Thanks, Big Guy," Evie nodded at him, "Please, everyone stay where you are," She said with the microphone close to her lips, in front of the boys, standing firmly with a hand on her hip, "Let's be civilized, we will move forward to the golden circle over there," she pointed at a ring that shone like liquid gold with glitter on the floor, "And then we shall begin with the autographs and pictures."
Evie looked at Jade standing near said circle, distracted with the tablet in her hand. Great, this was going to be difficult. Evie couldn't blame Jade, but she wondered if she was cut out for this job.
Jade was very indecisive and a little clumsy, and easy to impress romantically speaking.
Evie looked at Leonardo standing near a flower pot, watching Jade intently, and that look... Evie just didn't trust that guy. The boys had insisted that he could be a valuable member of the team, but Evie, Draco and Zeth knew well that trusting too much could sometimes lead to trouble. In fact, Evie and Zeth had a private conversation regarding how his friends at Guardian Fort stabbed him to death for trusting too much, and then he woke up with a heart made of gold inside his chest only to hang the traitors personally.
"Is it going to be just you the one to escort us?" Frank asked in Evie's ear and she looked him in the eyes. It was so strange, an unknown face but a familiar soul. Frank's eyes were both brown again after all these years, and he had dyed his hair black so they would both have more in common than before. Evie simply loved this boy, and although she promised not to fear love anymore, she did fear losing him.
"We don't need anyone else!" Draco laughed, and boy! He looked cuter with light brown hair and aqua green eyes, "She is a one woman army!"
"I trust Evie completely," Finn nodded. He had dyed his hair brown, and had put on lenses a darker green than his natural colour. Finn always had simple tastes, and this simplicity was always welcome, "Maybe someone here should learn a little about trusting others, right Zeth?" Finn rolled his eyes, and didn't even look at the leader of the band. Evie didn't like seeing these two being so distant because she was the first person who knew about Finn's feelings for Zeth.
"Guys, guys! People didn't pay for this event to watch us argue," Paul said. It was so strange to see him now, with black hair and blue eyes, but the change suited him too much, and his smile looked much more charming this way. And those express tanning cans he used? Wow. Paul looked almost as handsome as Zeth! "We'll do this for charity, and that's why we have to do it in a good mood and with the best attitude!"
Everyone nodded.
Paul was one of the new guys around, but Evie couldn't deny that she felt as close to him as she did to the other boys.
"Come on, we have to smile and be our best selves tonight," Kato said, blond and blue-eyed, but with a bit of tan on him, surely inspired by Zeth and Paul, "No fighting tonight. We should all be happy because we're helping people in need, right?"
"Kato always has the right words for everything," Frank said, raising his arm to inspect the flesh-coloured plates hiding all traces of metal, "Let's do it for people who need our help."
"It was very noble of you to make this event inclusive," Deadgar said, patting Frank's chest. Black hair and green eyes suited him. "Menus in Braille, waiters who know sign language, wheelchair ramps... Wow! You thought of everything!"
"It was noble that you invited so many people for free, Frank," Boomer said, patting his shoulder. Boomer had chosen black hair and eyes and he actually looked very handsome.
"I just wanted the people who paid for this experience to see how many people they are helping," Frank nodded, and Evie smiled widely.
That's why she loved this boy.
"You know, this is the first time I've wanted to work and not just for the pay," said a blue-eyed, blond Damon, almost unrecognisable, "It's a good start from scratch."
"Yeah, it's nice to start over," Evie said, happier than ever.
"I wonder if anyone will recognise us! It is weird to look human!" Draco laughed, jumping a little.
"I'm a little worried about the same thing," Zeth said, gallant and elegant, "I hope my beauty is intact."
"Zeth, you barely changed," Draco grunted, "You are only wearing light blue lenses to hide the sapphire blue of your eyes. Everyone will recognise you!"
"I also darkened my hair a little," Zeth said, adjusting a misplaced hair.
"I bet no one will recognise me," Draco said, puffing out his chest.
"Guys, trouble," Evie pointed to a girl who was approaching quickly. Melody Operman, with her cell phone in her hand. Stubborn girl didn't know how to follow instructions.
"Oh my God! I can't believe I will finally meet Monster Mash! We will finally talk! Oh you look so good dressed like humans! Especially you, Draco!" Melody said, then she turned to look at Zeth, "Oooohhh! Who's the new guy? He's so handsome!"
"I'm Zeth," he laughed and Draco gaped, his arms dangling, "You didn't recognise me, huh?"
"God! I never would have known it was you!" Melody looked very surprised, "You are unrecognisable! What a surprise!"
"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Draco yelled.
"We have more surprises for you tonight, Melody," Zeth winked and Evie stood between her and the band leader.
"Miss Operman, please keep your distance. You'll be able to approach the boys in a moment," Evie said and Melody, although reluctantly, returned to her mother at table eight. Cadence looked upset, and began to scold her daughter.
"You're direct woman, Evie," Everett nodded, "I love direct women."
"Thanks, Big Guy," Evie blushed a little, "Come on guys. We have work to do."