Page 436 of Evil Hearts

Chapter 7: Quinn

Isigh and plopback down on the couch, resting my head on the back of the couch. I hadn’t meant to upset her entirely. It was just too easy to get under that golden skin of hers. And I hadn’t meant to shoot her either; she’d been a means to an end to get my point across with the Council.

“Trouble in paradise?” I roll my eyes at the sound of Raphael’s voice and crane my neck to look over at him. He’s perched on top of the nightstand, his blood-red wings closed behind him.

“Shouldn’t you be tormenting Lucy?”

Raphael shakes his head. “Nah, not right now. He’s got a stick up his ass, as usual.”

“And so you thought it would be a great idea to pester me.”

He bobs his head and looks around. “Nice little place you’ve got here.”

“It’s not mine,” I tell him.

Raphael grins. “Oh, I know. The whole Veil is talking about it.”

I groan and scrub a hand across my face. “Great, so everyone knows I’ve been sentenced to Guardian work?”

“Yep. On both ends. Lucy’s upset, but there’s not much he can do about it.” He stands and stretches out his wings. “So, who’s the girl?”

“Like you don’t know,” I say and sit upright on the couch. “You’re the one that told me to go after her.”

He waves a hand. “Details. Any mortal would’ve been great as a hostage, but since my brother has a favorite plaything in the Heavenly Realm, I figured targeting her would be easier.”

I scoff. “Ha! So you admit it.”

He lifts his shoulders in a half shrug.

“Admit what?”

I startle at the sound of Eva’s voice. I hadn’t heard her come out. Her face is flushed, and her eyes are puffy and red-rimmed. I’d made her cry after all. Something in my chest tightens, and I immediately look away.

“Were you talking to yourself?”

“Obviously not. He couldn’t hold a conversation even if he tried,” Raphael says and turns around, taking a bow.

Eva let’s out a sharp gasp and backs up a couple steps when Raphael makes his presence known. He can appear a bit intimating to mortals, just as any Fallen or Demon can. “Y-Your…” She trails off.

“A Demon,” I clarify for her.

Eva looks at me with a glare. “I can see that, stupid.”

“Ooh, she’s feisty. I like that!” Raphael laughs and walks over to throw an arm over her shoulder. She shifts on her feet awkwardly to compensate for his weight. “Keep him on his toes. He needs it,” he whispers into her ear, but it’s loud enough for me to hear.

I scowl at him and rise from the couch. “Go bother someone else, Raphe. We’re busy.”

He looks between the two of us and grins. “Yes, I can see that. The chemistry isburningbetween you two.”

She opens her mouth and snaps it shut but shrugs off Raphael’s arm. “Who exactly are you?”

“Raphael.DemonRaphael,” he says with a flourish. I roll my eyes at his dramatic performance. “At your service.” He snatchesone of her hands and plants a wet kiss on the back. My jaw tics. Something simmers in my gut, on the verge of boiling.

“This lousyDemonwas just leaving.” I march over, grab one of his wings, and pull him away from Eva.

“Ow,ow! Watch where you’re pulling that!” he snaps. Then he turns his face back toward Eva and extends an arm in her direction. “Help me. And then we can—”

“She doesn’t want your offspring, you lecher.”

---