Page 232 of Evil Hearts

Chapter Three

Raguel

“ S eriously, that shadow was female. When I struck it, I felt… her. There was a split second when I saw her as a human. Her raven hair and porcelain skin, but those eyes... and tiny golden horns. It freaked me out, but not as much as what she did to you.”

Andras runs his hands through his golden wheat colored hair that just brushes his collar. It’s always messy looking because of the length and his curls, but now it’s standing on ends now. It’s odd to see our leader disheveled. “She must be his demon. Especially if she was there to deal with that sinner. I told you the rumors that he jumped were true, and was doing good. He isn’t sitting on his keister doing nothing. He’s not letting humanity destroy itself.”

Evangelos, or Evan as we call him now, says nothing like normal. He hasn’t spoken in over a hundred years since Gabriela’s death. She was his sister — twins actually, which is rare for angels. He signs, “Maybe we should find another and if she shows, get her to confirm our cousin is now the demon lord?”

Andras paces back and forth. His wings are hidden, like all of ours. We have not unfurrowed them since we jumped but once. They had almost totally turned ashen gray by the end of our first year here. By now, they are probably black as night. After all, we’ve been here on earth for a decade now. “What if… what if he has turned like Lucifer? What if…”

That’s it. I can’t hold my tongue. “He is a demon, not a devil. That shadow was a demon. She was not evil, but not good. That should be enough proof the rumors are true. Heaven’s army is gaining on us. We must take a fucking chance. I prefer to not join Lucifer and to be ended when humanity needs us.”

Both my cousins turn to me in shock. Yes, I cursed, but give me a break. I’m no angel. Maybe I was never meant to be. “Oh, come on. It’s not like I said His name in the curse. I still have morals.”

“So… we find others of similar morals to the last one and what…? Hope the shadow shows?”

For the next month, we take out twenty rapists with no sign of the shadow. So we switch to some paedophilia vermin. Three down and we are wondering if the shadow will ever

show. Andras has the newest slimeball by his balls when I sense her. “She’s here.” That causes Andras and Evan to turn and scan the room.

We all lock onto the shadow in the east corner. Andras grins. “Child of our cousin, we wish to speak to you.” As we watch, a shadow tendril snakes out and wraps around the vermin’s neck.

“Give him to me, and then we’ll talk. You cost me many meals this past month.” Andras releases the man and a trail of piss is left behind as the tendril takes him into the shadow. There’s a final muffled scream and his dead body lands at my feet, startling me.

The shadow laughs, and by God it is the most amazing sound I have heard since we jumped. “Some angels you must have been.”

We look at each other. “How…” is all I get out before she interrupts me. “Not very bright either. Why Lord Prōto is interested in you three, I have no clue.” “You are a demon, yes?” Andras asks.

With shadow-like tendrils swirling around her, she steps out of the shadows. Her human-ish appearance is just as I remembered. Somehow, though, she is more breathtaking staring Andras down then I remembered. “What do you want, a brownie badge for that astute observation?”

Andras’ hand goes to his hip out of instinct, but finds no sword. It disintegrated days after we jumped. He was hot headed for an angel and since we jumped, his temper is rising more often. I worry he is slipping from naturality towards evil. If that happens…

“What angel, no sword? Are you threatened by the likes of me? Pfft, what a disappointment.” She turns to step back in the shadowy corner when Andras snaps. He rushes her and wraps his arms around her tiny frame.

“Do not disrespect us, demon,” he spits out. “We just wanted to talk. We have been cleaning up this planet for years. While you did what? Hid in the shadows.”

With a twist and a spin that would impress even an archangel, she has Andras on the ground pinned by her shadowy tendrils. Evan steps forward to help, but is stopped by another tendril and lifted into the air by his neck. “I have taken out more of this world’s filth in my demon life than you could fathom. I do not hide. Because of me, they cease to exist.” She looks up at me. “Care to join them, angel boy?”

With a shake of my head, I answer, “I’m good. I felt your strength before. Please forgive my cousins. Since we jumped, they are a bit…”

“Impulsive, angry?” she asks. Never taking her eyes off Andras.

This woman, or demon, is stunning and I can’t help but feel I need to know more about her. To get close to her. “They are that. It’s hard to do what’s right when at every turn there’s a devil trying to capture us or an angel trying to end us. Now we have a demon kicking our asses and taking our kill. Wouldn’t you be a bit… on edge, too?”

Slowly she turns her head and we stare at each other for a long moment before Evan whistles, a broken sound getting our attention, even as he fights for air. He signs, “Can’t breathe.”

Before I can translate, she sets him back down. Signing, she says, “I didn’t mean to harm you. Please forgive me.” Then in a move so fast, if you blink, you would miss it. She vanishes into the shadows.

Andras coughs, then stands to his full height. “Well, that didn’t go as planned.” “You think, but did you feel it… her?” I ask, looking between them both. Evan nods and Andras says, “She’s… special.”

Damn right she is.