“Oh, I’ve always thought you were nutty, hon.”
“Mom.”
She sighed. “You know I believe you. It’s just... a lot to take in.”
“Trust me, I know.” Eva had spent the last ten minutes telling her mom everything. And by everything, she meanteverything.
“I wish you hadn’t gotten tangled up in this,” Jacqui said. “I don’t like knowing you’re in danger.”
“I don’t like it either. I’m freaking out, and I have no idea what to do.”
“And I’m sorry about your boyfriend. It’s never fun to find out your trust in someone you care about was ill founded. I’m sorry you had to have your heart broken.”
“Yeah.”
Her mom hesitated. “You have broken up with him, right?”
Had she? “It’s not like we’ve really had time for that conversation yet.”
“But you’re going to, right?”
“I dunno,” she snapped, suddenly annoyed. “I’ve been a little too busy worrying about whether I’m going to survive the next ten minutes to spend time thinking about how to dump my demon boyfriend!”
“Okay, okay, I just want to make sure you’re okay, that’s all. I want you to make the right decisions.”
Eva sighed. “I know, I’m sorry. This is all a bit much for me. I mean, I don’t even know what to believe about demons, because nothing any of these guys do seems verydemonicto me. I mean, they’re all kind of assholes, sure, but they take care of each other.”
“You said they escaped from Hell because they didn’t feel like they belonged there anymore. Maybe they have evolved, like Asmodeus said. Still, I don’t think it’s smart to get involved with him at such an unstable time in his life.”
Eva snorted. She made it sound like Ash was changing careers or moving to a new city. Then again, he kind of was.
“And then there’s the age difference to consider. He’s astronomically older than you.”
“I know.”
“That’s a little weird, isn’t it?”
She winced. “Yeah, I never really thought of it that way. He’s kind of immature in some ways, though. I think it’s because he’s just figuring out how to be a normal, functioning person and not evil and conniving, or whatever demons are.”
Jacqui snorted. “That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement.”
“I know.”
“And then there’s the obvious lifespan difference. I don’t see how you could ever be seriously involved with someone who is immortal.”
“Immortal... ?”
“If he’s as old as you say he is, that means he’s immortal. He’s never going to age. Even if he turned out to be the perfect man for you, twenty years down the line, there are going to be some serious challenges springing up in your relationship. Imagine if you married him, and then a few years later, people started asking if you were his mother. Then, his grandmother.”
A sickening feeling twisted up Eva’s stomach, but she brushed it off with a laugh. “God, Mom, I think it’s a little early to be thinking that far ahead.”
“I know, but you have to admit it’s a consideration. How can you start a serious relationship with someone when you know it can’t last forever?”
“I haven’t— I don’t—” She shook her head. “I never said I wasn’t breaking up with him. I just said I hadn’t had time to think about it. I mean, obviously I have to—”
The bedroom door burst open with a bang, the handle smacking the far wall. Belial ducked under the frame and entered the bedroom without waiting for an invitation.
“Good morning, Eva.”
