Andy chuckled. “I don’t know if I’d put it that way.”
“I would. You have no idea what that witch, Raya, has put me through. Like I’m some kind of errand boy. You’re lucky you escaped.” Phoenix sat down next to Andy. “Speaking of escaping, how did you get back, anyway?” asked Phoenix.
“Your witch didn’t tell you?”
“No, she just made a sarcastic remark about how you had already turned up, no thanks to me, and just like that”—he snapped his fingers—“I was free. So I went looking for you. Are you still bound to yours?”
“My what?”
“Your mortal. Erin?”
Andy rubbed his bearded chin. “In a manner of speaking.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“I’m supposed to help her get revenge on her jerk of an ex-husband.”
“Well, that’s easy. Go make his hair fall out or something, and you’re done. Free as a bird!” said Phoenix.
“I made his pants fall off in front of his church congregation, but it wasn’t as satisfying as I hoped it would be. At least, Erin didn’t seem satisfied.”
“She wanted more?”
“I don’t know. It’s like she wanted something different.”
Phoenix rolled his eyes. “Mortals. They never know what they want.”
“I don’t want to leave until I do the job right,” said Andy.
“You have too much of the angel in you, my friend,” said Phoenix.
Andy raised his eyebrows. “How can you say that? I lie, I desecrate churches with my very presence, and I’m no stranger to temptation. I’m a better demon than you are, by far. Your last customer, might I add, described you as ‘worthless.’”
Phoenix rubbed his hands together. “Oh, ho! Let’s rewind a bit, shall we? Tell me more about this ‘temptation.’ Are you tempting this mortal?” His dark eyes shone.
Andy looked away.
“Come on, you can’t lie to a brother demon. Tell Phoenix all about it.”
Andy resisted the urge to shove Phoenix off the building. “I’m not tempting her.”
“Leading her on only to crush her heart in the end?”
“Back off, Phoenix,” said Andy.
Temporarily stunned into speechlessness, Phoenix looked Andy up and down. He clucked his tongue. “What have you gotten yourself into, mate?”
“Nothing,” said Andy.
“Sitting there like a brooding hen? Don’t tell me it’s nothing.”
Andy refused to speak.
Phoenix spoke more gently, for a demon. “You know nothing like that can work. You’re immortal. She’s not. There are no happy endings.”
“I know that,” said Andy. Pain bubbled up from whatever passed for his soul. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Suit yourself,” said Phoenix. He pointed a finger at Andy. “But don’t come crying to me when it blows up in your face.”
