human. Now tell me about her and don’t try denying your fascination any longer. A mother knows these things.” She clasped her hands in front of her and tried to appear like a concerned parent.
“You’re kidding, right?” He sneered. “You don’t care about me. You can’t. It’s not in you. It’s not in any demon’s genetic makeup.”
“Son, you stab me with your words. I do care about you and I want you to be happy.” She pouted and batted her long eyelashes. “Which is why you should be out on the town—such as it is—and fucking a slut or two.”
“Yeah, right. You want me to be happy like you wanted my father to be happy. So happy you got him kicked out of heaven.”
She preened and smiled, but the smile was icy cold. “Yes, his fall from grace was one of my finest achievements.” Frowning, she waved her hand as though dismissing a displeasing thought. “At least until he redeemed himself by saving all those silly people.”
“Yeah, those people who were so foolish as to fly in an airplane during one of your thunderstorms. What was he thinking helping to land the plane?” Tanner ran a hand through his hair. “Why are you here, anyway?”
“I was hoping you’d seen the fires of Hades, faced up to your destiny and decided to embrace your mother’s heritage. Don’t you think it’s time you became a full-fledged demon?”
“Are you forgetting I’m part angel? I don’t think the Big Evil Dude’s going to let me in. Besides, I like who I am, where I am. Now, if you don’t mind, I have things to do.” He strode over to the computer and started to turn off the screen, then decided not to give his mother the pleasure.
“You like her.” Her frown changed into a scowl. “How disgusting. My son’s infatuated with another mortal. Really, Tanner, I don’t mind you fooling around with these lower beings, but have some pride. Fucking them—and I’m all for emotionless hook-ups, mind you—is one thing. But I can see it in your face. You’re enamored of her. Just like you were with what’s-her-face.”
Tanner gritted his teeth and ground out the name. “Mira. Her name was Mira.”
“Whatever.” His mother’s curls danced around her head. “The point is that relationships with humans never work out.”
“Never work out?” He closed his eyes, steadying himself against the fury straining to break free. “Are you fucking kidding me? You drove Mira to her end. That’s more than just not working out.”
Bryna waved him off, his words meaning nothing to her. “I wasn’t anywhere near her when she took her own life. But let’s not rehash history. Why can’t you go into town and find a nice, innocent virgin to lure into your bed? Fuck her brains out and move on.”
“Mother, I’m warning you. I won’t let you hurt someone like you hurt Mira.” The demon side of him itched to tear out her throat. Claws strained to burst from his fingertips. Saliva erupted along with his fangs. Anger scorched through him.
The flutter of his father’s wings ruffled Tanner’s hair. If anyone could get the best of his mother, it was his angelic father. He let out a breath, regrouped to push the demon side under control again, then turned to face his father. “Hey, Dad. I’m glad you dropped in.”
“My pleasure. From the looks of it, I’m just in the nick of time.” His father, Setias, curled his pristine white wings, hiding them under his clothing, and ran his fingers through his thick white hair. He placed his hand on Tanner’s shoulder and studied the photo of Hilly. “She’s lovely, son. Who is she?”
Bryna trounced to the other side of the room and flopped down on the sofa. “Our boy is messing around with humans again. Can’t you talk some sense into him?”
His father glanced from the screen to him and back again. “Well, for once, I have to agree with your mother. Mixing with humans rarely turns out well.” His father cleared his throat.
“So if she wasn’t human,
“You’re kidding, right?” He sneered. “You don’t care about me. You can’t. It’s not in you. It’s not in any demon’s genetic makeup.”
“Son, you stab me with your words. I do care about you and I want you to be happy.” She pouted and batted her long eyelashes. “Which is why you should be out on the town—such as it is—and fucking a slut or two.”
“Yeah, right. You want me to be happy like you wanted my father to be happy. So happy you got him kicked out of heaven.”
She preened and smiled, but the smile was icy cold. “Yes, his fall from grace was one of my finest achievements.” Frowning, she waved her hand as though dismissing a displeasing thought. “At least until he redeemed himself by saving all those silly people.”
“Yeah, those people who were so foolish as to fly in an airplane during one of your thunderstorms. What was he thinking helping to land the plane?” Tanner ran a hand through his hair. “Why are you here, anyway?”
“I was hoping you’d seen the fires of Hades, faced up to your destiny and decided to embrace your mother’s heritage. Don’t you think it’s time you became a full-fledged demon?”
“Are you forgetting I’m part angel? I don’t think the Big Evil Dude’s going to let me in. Besides, I like who I am, where I am. Now, if you don’t mind, I have things to do.” He strode over to the computer and started to turn off the screen, then decided not to give his mother the pleasure.
“You like her.” Her frown changed into a scowl. “How disgusting. My son’s infatuated with another mortal. Really, Tanner, I don’t mind you fooling around with these lower beings, but have some pride. Fucking them—and I’m all for emotionless hook-ups, mind you—is one thing. But I can see it in your face. You’re enamored of her. Just like you were with what’s-her-face.”
Tanner gritted his teeth and ground out the name. “Mira. Her name was Mira.”
“Whatever.” His mother’s curls danced around her head. “The point is that relationships with humans never work out.”
“Never work out?” He closed his eyes, steadying himself against the fury straining to break free. “Are you fucking kidding me? You drove Mira to her end. That’s more than just not working out.”
Bryna waved him off, his words meaning nothing to her. “I wasn’t anywhere near her when she took her own life. But let’s not rehash history. Why can’t you go into town and find a nice, innocent virgin to lure into your bed? Fuck her brains out and move on.”
“Mother, I’m warning you. I won’t let you hurt someone like you hurt Mira.” The demon side of him itched to tear out her throat. Claws strained to burst from his fingertips. Saliva erupted along with his fangs. Anger scorched through him.
The flutter of his father’s wings ruffled Tanner’s hair. If anyone could get the best of his mother, it was his angelic father. He let out a breath, regrouped to push the demon side under control again, then turned to face his father. “Hey, Dad. I’m glad you dropped in.”
“My pleasure. From the looks of it, I’m just in the nick of time.” His father, Setias, curled his pristine white wings, hiding them under his clothing, and ran his fingers through his thick white hair. He placed his hand on Tanner’s shoulder and studied the photo of Hilly. “She’s lovely, son. Who is she?”
Bryna trounced to the other side of the room and flopped down on the sofa. “Our boy is messing around with humans again. Can’t you talk some sense into him?”
His father glanced from the screen to him and back again. “Well, for once, I have to agree with your mother. Mixing with humans rarely turns out well.” His father cleared his throat.
“So if she wasn’t human,
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