Page 51 of The River of Hatred

We shuffle back up to the surface, preferring a slightly longer walk on ground level, to a shorter one in the underground passages. We’ve all spent long enough without the human sky.

But I almost regret the decision halfway to the next station. Just as we’re walking past a famous sandwich chain, I do a double-take and nearly run into Itha as my head’s on a swivel.

“Did that woman… just lift her skirt to pee right there?”

Sariel covers my eyes and pushes me onward. “Sometimes the human world is as bad as Hell, poppet.”

Ain’t that the truth.

“I guess that explains these squiggles of dried liquid over the ground.” I wrinkle my nose.

“The tourist areas are much nicer,” Sariel promises. “And you’ll love Provence. It’s warm, smells like herbs… and overpriced soap. There’s fields of lavender, like something from a screensaver. Those make the place smell like a fancy candle. There’s lots of rosé and overpriced food. But don’t worry, I’ll be your sugar daddy.” He winks at me before bopping my nose.

I sigh wistfully. I haven’t smelled nice things in too long. “It sounds like Heaven,” I say.

Itha scoffs. “There are no violent humans in Heaven.”

I bug my eyes out and look to Sar for an explanation.

“Well, there’s a lot of drug and gang-related violence in Marseille. I’m guessing Belial’s cultists fit right in.”

Huh. No wonder Simone high-tailed it out of there. She told us she was from New Orleans and no one questioned her French accent. She was always skittish, like she was running away from something and it hit us that much harder when she disappeared and we thought she was dead.

Though it turned out she was kidnapped by another archdemon, Asmodeus, and became his baby momma. Ineedthe story there like I need air. And these hotter than Hell – pun intended – archdemons need to stop going allveni vidi vicion our soldiers. Though Kevin, another teammate, got accosted by a succubus. Last I knew, he was still moping around Abaddon, missing her. I wonder if he admitted it to her yet – or at least himself.

“Earth to Jessica,” Sariel murmurs into my hair. “Where were you?”

“In a soap opera.” I smirk at my own wittiness. If you can’t amuse yourself, what’s even the point? Grinning, I hold my hand out for Ithuriel to hold. We may be heading into danger, but right now I’m in (mostly) beautiful Paris, with subjectively the hottest two males on the planet.

Chapter 25 – Sariel

Marseille

“Why do I always pull the short straw for these fast food runs?” I pout at my lovers from my perch on Ithuriel’s chest. We’re in bed, I’m lying belly-down with my chin resting on Itha’s torso and Jessica is just a couple of inches away, cuddled up against his side.

“I don’t eat,” the angel murmurs, eyes closed seemingly peacefully. But I’ve noticed his sadness when our poppet isn’t looking.

“And I have social anxiety,” she chirps, nuzzling the angel’s neck.

We’ve been in Marseille for a few days now and this is the first night we’re resting together like this. None of us have the energy for even a quickie, least of all Jess with her mortal body. A body that needs food.

“I promised you five-course meals with views of lavender fields. So far I dragged you through the port and fed you Micky D’s. I’m a shit sugar daddy,” I sigh.

As soon as we got to Marseille, we hit Les Terrasses du Port for some more clothes for Jess – I didn’t want her wearing the cast-offs of random chicks and escorts Arma and I entertained in our Paris apartment. While we were there, we encountered several Cambion mortals – all male – and decided to follow them. Unsurprisingly, they led us into the sketchier side of the port. We’ve been spying on them since, and only now took a break to shower and for Jess to sleep in a bed and not in one of our laps. Though she ended up sprawled over us anyway.

“Well, you got us this nice Airbnb,” she soothes, her palm resting on my cheek. I turn my head to kiss the center of it.

“Yeah, nothing says romance like making your girlfriend sleep in dirty warehouses,” I mock our situation.

Jess’ eyes round and her mouth pops open. “What did you call me?” she breathes.

I grin at her surprise. “Did you think I’d let just anyone sleep on me so rats don’t nibble on her toes?”

“But you…” she hesitates.

“But I what?” I prompt, pushing myself up to have a better view of her face.

“When I asked Itha if he’ll stay with me in Purgatory you got all mad. I thought you didn’t want me around you two.” She bites her lower lip as tears well up in her eyes.

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