Inside a demon universe where their kind was dinner, this small place in the inner city was what many called home.
“So you finally brought her,” Angelica said with a smile as she walked up the steps, taking in a fully intact and healthy Eve. Her hair swung behind her, almost hitting one of the two demons who followed her. “A pity Eros still will not join us.”
I didn’t remember the first day I met Angelica, but I did remember the day she showed me her power in an effort to get more people to help out with her cause.
She’d approached both of us, but I was keener to lend my help than Eros. And even then, it wasn’t much. Angelica used her husband's status and demons to get humans in and out of dangerous places. To bring them here and take care of them.
I just helped them stay under the radar and provided some sustenance and shelter at times.
“At least one of us should have plausible deniability,” I said.
“Is this what yourdealis?” Eve asked, turning to me. There was still a smile on her face.
I shook my head.
“Our deal was that Eros and I would never eat another human again,” I admitted. “Not a hard feat; we haven’t eaten humans in forever.Thisis a sanctuary Eros and I helped Angelica build.”
“Without them, I would have been found long ago. My husband is blissfully unaware of the things I do here; he’s just happy I come back to warm his bed.”
Lies.Angelica was a powerhouse on her own. It wasn’t every day that a human could survive the way she had to thrive and help others in her very same position.
She could have left a long time ago, but she stayed so she could help others.
“He’ll listen to anything you tell him,” I reminded.
Angelica shrugged. “Yes, but I don’t trust him to keep this secret.Theirlives are too valuable.”
Eve was still shocked as her eyes roamed the vastness of the space. I hoped this would show her the type of demons Eros and I were. It might not be enough to erase what she saw, but it was something. A reminder that we weren’t all as cruel as Father and his minions.
“Humans. Right in the middle of a demon city,” she breathed. “How?”
“I’ll show you.” Angelica held her arm out for Eve. “Oros, watch the door, will you? Eve is safe with me.”
My skin burned when Angelica sent me a wink.Is it that obvious how infatuated I am with her?
But I didn’t care, especially not when Eve leaned against me and placed a kiss on my cheek before prancing off to follow Angelica’s lead.
I couldn’t stop my hand from coming up to rub the spot her lips touched.
I’m so fucked.
20
EROS
“Where is your sister and toy?” Father asked as the guards forced me to take a seat in front of him.
It had been a few days since his party, but I’d be a fool to think he would let us off the hook with the scene we caused.
We shouldn’t have questioned him so obviously, but if we hadn’t, we would have never known.
“I am not her keeper,” I said, not wanting to tell an outright lie. While I might not knowexactlywhere they were or what they were doing, I could guess.
After the party, Eve had been destroyed. She put on a happy face, but it was obvious what watching it all did to her. To her mind.
I hated it. It hurt me to see her like that. Made me sick. I wanted to protect her… but I fell short.
But thank god for Oros’s ingenuity.I hadn’t wanted us to go in the first place, and while part of me still regretted it, we finally had Father right where we wanted him.
