Chapter 20

Beatrice

I watched Dev’s expression carefully as I waited for his response.

He opened his mouth to speak before closing it and running his fingers through his hair. “I work in the detention areas,” he finally began. “I’m there more frequently than many other fallen angels.”

“That doesn’t sound pleasant,” I remarked.

He shrugged. “It’s not usually terrible, but it’s far from date conversation. That’s part of the reason I didn’t want to discuss my life in the demon realm. I’m also a fallen angel.”

“I know,” I replied. “You make it sound like that’s a problem.”

“It can be,” he stated. “Most witches make the mistake of believing we’re another type of demon. We go out of our way to make others believe that since the truth isn’t pretty. We’re scorned by other angels and have gone to war with them more than once. When humans say fallen angels are evil, that’s not completely true. It’s partly propaganda to make other angels look good. None of us are truly good.”

“I still don’t see what this has to do with me not going to the demon realm,” I insisted.

“If you go to the demon realm with me, people will talk about us being together,” he began. “That will bring our relationship to the attention of those who might want to hurt you to get to me.”

I shrugged. “It’s too late to worry about that now since an angel already saw us together.”

He blew out a frustrated breath. “That’s an even bigger problem, but we may be okay since he doesn’t know who you are or where you live. Still, I fucked up, Beatrice.”

“How?” I asked.

“It never occurred to me that angels might see us together,” he admitted.

I shrugged. “Who cares if they see us together? I know angels are nothing to mess with. Even though I didn’t take any classes on angels in school, I learned a little about them. Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure,” he replied hesitantly.

“Why can all preternatural beings see fallen angels, but they can only see regular angels when those angels choose to be seen?” I asked.

“It was Lucifer’s decree that fallen angels be visible to others,” he replied. “He didn’t want fallen angels becoming as out of touch with others within the preternatural community as angels have. Your ability to see angels puts you in a great deal of danger.”

“You mentioned that,” I told him. “My mom completely freaked out when I saw that angel as a child.”

“With good reason,” he added.

“At the time, I thought she could see him, too,” I explained. “Now, I realize that I may have been mistaken.”

“It’s possible she also saw him,” he stated.

I shook my head. “I’ve replayed her reaction several times in my mind since yesterday. I’m sure she couldn’t see him. We never talked about it after that day. She made me promise to never tell anyone I’d seen the angel.”

“Good,” he began. “It would have been safer for you if she’d told you that only you could see the angel and explained the danger it put you in.”

“I doubt my mom gave a damn about the danger I was in,” I muttered. “My parents are selfish. There were only a handful of times when they seemed genuinely worried about me. When my brother was trying to kill me, they acted concerned. It’s always possible I imagined their concern.”

“You deserve better,” he said softly.

“We don’t always get what we deserve, right?” I asked with a smile.

“I suppose you’re right,” he agreed.

“Why else don’t you want me going to the demon realm?” I pushed.

He raised an eyebrow at my question. “Haven’t I given you enough reasons?”

“There’s more to it,” I insisted.

“I’m looking for your brother,” he replied softly.

“It shouldn’t be hard to find him,” I said nervously before realizing that if Dev was looking for him, Desmond was missing. “Did he escape?” My words came out as little more than a whisper.

He took my hand before responding. “The detention area he’s housed in is nothing like witch or human prisons. There are many places to hide.”

“But he could have escaped,” I insisted. “That could be how he got a phone to call me.”

“Smuggled items are a problem in all prisons,” he explained. “There are phones, weapons, and drugs in the demon realm detention areas. We’re only worried about your brother’s disappearing act because he’s a warlock. It’s much harder for a warlock to survive and make the kind of friends needed to get his hands on a phone.”

I smiled and nodded. “You don’t think a warlock could hold his own in a demon realm prison.”

“Not this one,” he replied. “I’m not insulting witches, but the demons in this prison are the worst of the worst.”

“Desmond is very good at manipulating those around him,” I pointed out. “He could have convinced someone to help him.”

Dev sighed. “That’s what we suspect. We think someone’s hiding him.”

“Why are you looking for him?” I asked. It was a stupid question, but I needed to hear the answer from Dev.

“I’m going to make sure he doesn’t hurt you,” Dev told me, his dark tone sending shivers down my spine and making me want to squirm in my seat as arousal flooded my body.

I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat. “Our food is ready. I’d better run and get it.”

Before Dev could respond, I jumped up and raced to the counter to get our burritos. Hopefully, Dev wouldn’t try acting like a gentleman again tonight.