Page 280 of Castings & Curses

Yup, probably gay.

Still, gay demon or not, I think I’ll miss him and his grumbly dad-vibe.

I’m not entirely sure how I got to Heaven in the first place. There’s a lot I don’t remember. Roche assured us this meeting with the angels would determine what was to be “done” with me. As if I were nothing more than a number or a line of a sheet of paper, something that needed to be categorized and handled. I understood it, but I didn’t like it. I’m not some number, some cog in the machine. I am Mercedes Rose James, K-Pop fan, Pop-Tart addict, and future freshman of Syracuse University.

Except, I’m not those things.

Not anymore.

The realization hits me all over again. I’ll never get to go to a BTS concert, never eat a S’mores Pop-Tart dipped in Nutella again. I’ll never see freshman orientation at Syracuse.

Endor must sense my distress as he leans over to look at me. “Hey,” he says softly.

I look up at him, his gaze making me feel a fraction better.

“Hey.”

“We’ll figure this all out, don’t worry,” he assures me, and all I can do is nod

CHAPTER12

Valory

I smoothout the fabric of my dress, which, in my opinion, is probably a little too gaudy for a work meeting, but Delilah insisted I wear it to “fit the innocent vibe.” I’m not sure what my “vibe” has to do with whether I keep my job, but it was pointless to argue with her.

My fingers fidget with the pearls adorned on my ivory dress, and I catch Matthew sneaking a glance at me, which stupidly makes my heart skip a beat. Maybe this dress wasn’t a bad idea after all…

Then, I feel it.

The shift in the air, like death is coming.

The scent of fire and brimstone accompanies them, and as they walk through the room, I can’t help but gape at the sight of them.

I’ve never seen a demon before. Sure, I’ve heard stories, both when I was alive and being up here in Heaven, but I didn’t expect them to look so… human.

The woman is dressed in a tight, red dress that hugs every curve of her body. Breasts that swell, giving the most ample cleavage and legs that look perfectly smooth. Her dark hair falls over her shoulders and coupled with the blood red lip, she looks like a vampire from a romance novel rather than a demon.

Mercy strolls in with the other demon and my heart catches. His arm is around her waist, and she looks all too trusting, too comfortable with him. He’s tall, like the other demon, and has the same dark features. Black hair that is swept back to look oddly reminiscent of the Greaser styles men wore in the ’50s. His suit is well tailored, though his jacket is draped over his free arm, and I take note of how his shirtsleeves are rolled up to the elbows. His arm around Mercy boasts a full sleeve of tattoos and a well-defined bicep muscle, and I find myself wondering where his tattoos begin and end.

My gaze travels upward to meet his. He looks at me like he can see right through me, past my flesh and blood, and right down to my soul. The realization is both terrifying and strangely… satisfying.

I shake my head, trying to rid myself of the weird onslaught of feeling, and focus on the task at hand. I’m just out of sorts today, and I need to get back to square one.

“Roche, how lovely to see you again,” Matthew says as he motions for her to sit.

Again?

Does he know this demon?

“Uh huh,” she says nonchalantly as she collapses in her office chair, crossing those long legs, swiveling back and forth.

“This is my associate, Endor. Endor, this is Matthew. He’s basically the angelic equivalent of me.”

I watch Matthew’s lips tighten and his shoulders tense.

“My job is of higher importance,” Matthew says sternly, and I don’t miss the smile that plays on Roche’s lips.

“So high and mighty you can’t even keep track of one little lost soul,” Roche taunts, and I think this demon has quite a lot of nerve.

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