Between Heaven and Hell (PA #2)

Chapter Forty

Alexander (Greed)

Where is that fucking girl?

I check the time on my watch again and curse the human for making me wait for her. We've gone over this plan a million-and-one times, so you'd think she'd remember the first fucking step.

Meet up at the library at 9:00. That's it.

A well-trained monkey could follow directions better than Willow.

A dead monkey could follow directions better than Willow.

Shit, if she shows up and we actually pull this off, I can finally kill her.

Assuming I can do so in a way that doesn't come back to me. I have no interest in being torn limb from limb and set on fire, or whatever the fuck else Wrath would do to me if he found out I killed his precious pet.

I don't look down at my skin. If it's blue, the reminder of the curse will piss me off. If it's not, then my subconscious inability to grant the human harm will piss me off more.

"Do you often lurk in the shadows and brood?" Willow teases, suddenly in front of me.

I scowl at her and myself for not noticing her presence earlier. "You're late."

"I'm seven minutes early."

She's dressed in all-black like we discussed, even adding a black beanie and tucking her hair into it.

"Don't be a fucking wise-ass, mouse."

"Then don't be a fucking dumbass, Alexander. I'm literally early. Not on time, not late. Early, mothertrucker."

I smile faintly. "You couldn't commit to the second 'fuck,' could you? Just once was enough to put your panties in a twist."

She crosses her arms. "I prefer the word 'underwear' and I'm not wearing any. So, no twisting."

"Why the fuck are you not wearing panties?" I use the term to annoy her, but damn. Now I'm thinking about her bare pussy under those skin-tight pants.

"Ease of access," she deadpans.

An involuntary sound escapes my throat before I can stop it. 

She grins with way too much smugness. "I was just kidding. Regular underwear doesn't work with these pants and I hate wearing thongs."

I really need a fucking subject change.

Reading my mind, she says, "This is only the second time I've been here since I got banned. The librarian still death glares me whenever I'm unfortunate enough to run into her."

"What'd you do to make the old lady's enemies list?"

I'm not even on that list and I steal things from here all the time. Last month, I disassembled a table in pieces and took them out one-by-one. She didn't bat an eye when I walked out with slabs of mahogany lifted over my head.

"An enemies list? What is she, Richard Nixon?" she giggles a little as she says it.

My eyebrows raise. "Is that supposed to be a joke?"

"If I have to explain it, then no," she sighs. "I got banned from the library because I maybe, sort of, kinda bumped into a bookcase and caused a mini-avalanche of priceless literature. There were several casualties. It was all very sad and only partially my fault. I blame your brother mostly."

Willow's a fucking drama queen, but I'd expect nothing less from someone raised by my father. "Which brother?"

"Your second favorite."