Jana Oliver

“Ah, that's your problem," Riley said, relieved to be on familiar ground. "You've got a copy of Paradise Lost in your house. Biblios hate Milton. Same with Dante, C.S. Lewis and most holy books. They'll go after those every time.”

“Ya've got no respect, woman," Beck retorted. After the door closed behind him she realized what he'd said."Woman?" He wasn't calling her girl any longer.If that wasn't a sign the world was ending, what other proof did she need?”

“What would you pack for Armageddon? Sunscreen and shades? Flame-proof underwear? Maybe a travel guide to the Underworld?”

“That was a kiss for the record books.”

“It was the kiss of a man who had waited years for the moment, and feared that it would never come again.”

“I thought he worked for Heaven.' I thought I was in love.”

“Love me. Forever.”

“I could stay here forever.""But you won't.""Maybe I will.”

“Accept that I enjoy being with you. Accept that when I'm with you I see Heaven in your eyes.”

“You will be my downfall, Riley Blackthorne.”

“What about Beck?""Backwoods Boy? Are you crazy? It'd be a threesome - me, him and his overbearing ego. Definitely doomed to failure.”

“You need to look hot now that you've got three guys giving you the eye.""Three?""Sweet blue-eyed blond trapper... Muscled blond trapper number two, who buys you cards... And that gorgeous, 'Where have you been all my life' dude with the raven-black hair and dark eyes.”

“Find DadBust Holy Water ScamSave the WorldBuy GroceriesDo Laundry”

“Wow! It's like magic! she exclaimed.Simon shook his head. "It's God's love. That's stronger than any magic." - The Demon Trapper's Daughter”

“Ozymandias controls not only the dead, but the living. He works the dark magics, and it is said he knows the paths between the worlds and walks them without fear. He wields the-""Stop! In English, okay?"""In English?" she asked, throwing the empty wineglass into the picnic basket. Riley nodded."You're in serious shit.”

“The guy behind the counter had been seriously adorable. Model-level cute. She had mentioned that, and Allan, her then boyfriend, hadn't taken it well.That's when she'd learned that male egos and fruit had a lot in common: Both bruised easily.”

“Riley found her friend studying the contents of one of the store's display windows. It was full of sparkle. “How do you catch this thing?” he asked.She dug in her bag, pulled out a sippy cup, and handed it to him.“You're joking, right?” he said. “You trap demons with cups that have dancing bears on them?”She glowered at him. “See the glitter in the bottom? Klepto-Fiends can't resist it.”He held up the sippy cup and compared it to the exquisitely cut diamonds in the store window.“Wanna bet?”And I brought him along why?”

“I can't face losin' ya, Riley. Yer all I got left in this world.”That brutal honesty again. He'd peeled away more armor, and this time he'd exposed his heart.”

“You could have let that thing flatten me, but you didn't. Why?”“I could ask you the same question.”She was too tired to edit her mouth. “You're my master. I couldn't let that thing kill another trapper, even if I think he's a total asshat.”Harper looked at her for a long time then cracked a toothy grin. “And you're one mouthy bitch, but you're my apprentice. I don't need the reputation that my people die because I don't protect them.”That was fair.”

“The Prince of Hell shrugged. 'Shit Happens”

“For they both were solitary,She on earth and he is heaven.And he wooed her with caressed,Wooed her with his smile of sunshine-Song of Hiawatha, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow”

“‎'The demon cried, waving its furry arms above his head like a demented orangutan.”

“The demon stopped its frantic attempts to escape. It stared at the glitter and began to pant, fingers twitching in anticipation. More twitching. Faster than she'd expected, it zoomed up to the sparkles, despite the danger. She snagged the fiend right before it picked up the last one, and dropped the Magpie into the cup. Instead of a flood of swear words or the offer of a favor, she heard a long, tortured sigh. Then it sat, sorting the glitter into piles by color.Now she'd seen everything.”

“What did ya learn from this dumbass stunt?”Here's where she was supposed to apologize, promise to be a good little girl and never do anything like this again.Screw that.Riley locked eyes with him. “I learned that the Holy Water better be fresh, that I need practice throwing the spheres, and that someone has to watch my back so asshats don't steal my demons.”

“As Beck drove out of the garage, he gave the parking attendants a big toothy smile and a wave. “There's some snow on the fifth level. Thought ya might like to know. Y'all have a nice day, now!” he called out.No wonder Dad liked working with you.”

“The End is Nigh!" the man shouted."Is there still time for hot chocolate?" Riley asked.The-End-is-Nigh guy blinked. "Ah, maybe, I don’t know.”

“Don't start,” he warned.“What?” she said, grinning. “I'm sure all the big, bad trappers have a bun-bun in their houses.”

“Do not get yourself arrested, you hear?” she urged. “I am not going to bail your butt out of jail, mister.”“Now who's goin' all old geezer, huh?” He snorted. “I'm gonna get drunk and pass out on my bed at home. Haven't done that for so long I can't remember.”“Probably a reason for that, Beck. You're killing brain cells, and you don't have that many to spare.”

“So what did you bring? Lip gloss and a hairbrush?”Smirking, she unpacked the sandwiches Mort's cook had made for her, along with an ample slice of chocolate cake. “You owe me an apology.”“Omigod, it's a feast! Okay, you're forgiven.”

“reading is the soul's salvation”

“Were ya really tryin' to stab that demon in the ass?”Riley groaned. “No, I was aiming for its leg, and it moved. I looked like a total dork.”Not to me.”

“Beck finished his call. Once he was paying attention again, she pointed downward with the pipe. Peering over the edge of the building, he blinked at the sight, then grinned.“Good job. Remind me not to piss ya off. Ya might think of usin' that on me sometime.”“So tempting,” she said. Except I'd aim for your knees. Your head's too hard.”

“Beck must have seen how frightened she was because his expression softened. He leaned close, and whispered, “Do ya trust me, Riley?”Tears built in her eyes.“Yes,” she whispered, trembling in fear. Always.“Then it'll be all right,” he replied. Beck gently placed a kiss on her forehead.”

“Libraries and demons," she muttered. "What is the attraction?”

“A soul is forged in the fires of adversity, not comfort.”

“Do what ya have to do to pay off yer debt with Heaven,’ he said, his concern for proper speech abandoned. ‘But ya do not die on me, ya understand? I can’t live without ya. Yer all I got, woman.’ Her breath caught in her lungs. ‘I don’t want to be here if you’re not.”

“I should go. Stewart’s waitin’ for me. Says he wants to teach me how to use a sword properly.’ Riley hooted. ‘Can I watch? This should be totally hilarious.’ ‘Ya’ve got no respect woman.’ Beck retorted. After the door closed behind him she realized what he’d said. ‘Woman?’ He wasn’t calling her girl any longer.”

“Paul sold his soul for you, didn’t he?’ Riley turned towards him, astonished, ‘How did you know?’ Beck adjusted the blanket again. ‘I just figured it out. That’s what a man should do for his daughter. Or his woman.’ He looked her straight in the eyes. ‘I’d do it for you if it kept ya safe,’ he said tenderly. He’d go to Hell for me. In that instant, Riley knew she’d do the same for him.”

“Yes!’ Beck crowed, pumping his fist into the air. ‘That rocks!’ Then he charged off in search of another Three to decapitate. Riley sighed to herself. ‘I’ve created a monster.”

“No more messing around with Hell. They play for keeps.’ ‘So does Heaven.”

“I’m not going to faint at the sight of your butt,’ she said. ‘Ya might, and I don’t want that on my conscience,’ he said, tossing the jeans aside.”

“I’m home. Ya happy now?’ Beck’s gravelly voice demanded. ‘Yes, I am.’ ‘Yer’ treatin’ me like i’m some idiot kid,’ he complained. ‘Gee, I wonder where I learned that?’ He hung up on her.”

“I promised Paul I'd keep ya safe, he said. If that means packin' yer ass out of town so it doesen't get humped by a smooth talkin' loser, that's the way it's gonna be.”

“Girl? He pressed.The name is Riley, she shot back. Learn it. Use it!”

“It’s up to you to fill it. Find things that mean something to you, that represent times where you’ve overcome an obstacle, learned something important. Put those items in the bag and they’ll help you find your strength.’ ‘I’m not sure if that’s going to help much.’ Unless I put a brick in it and nail Brandy between the eyes.”

“Thanks. For everything. I mean it.’ A slow grin edged onto his face. ‘You’re worth it…Princess.’ Her tennis show hit the door a second after it closed.”

“Kiss my ass, demon!’ Beck whooped, and shot a first in the air.”

“That’s when she’d learned that male egos and fruit had a lot in common: Both bruised easily.”

“Ya lied to me and put yerself in danger. If the Three hadn’t ripped you apart, those two bastards would have. Ya gotta listen to me girl. I’ve been down this road myself.’Riley Smirked. ‘Those guys wanted to party with you too?”

“Accepting favors from fiends was so against the rules. Like potato chips, you couldn't stop at just one, then you'd find yourself at Hell's front door trying to explain why your soul had a big brand on it that said “Property of Lucifer.”