Envy

[Devina] “You know, Adrian, you ever get bored with being a Goody Two-shoes, you could come over to my side.” “Because you have cookies, right.” Those black eyes returned to his own. “And so much more.” “Well, I’m on a diet. Sorry—but thanks for the invite.

That's where you come in. I want into that guy's mind, and you need to tell me how to do it." Ad shrugged. "Personally, I'd just use a hacksaw, but—" "There are potential consequences and side effects," Eddie said carefully. "Like what?" "Well, worst case... he could end up like Adrian.

Come here. I need to hold on to you." She felt the same way. And when there was no distance between them, it was like coming home.

It...is for me?" "Aye. So what say you, lover mine.

Scratch what I said before. I think I am falling in love with you. Right here. Right now.

Conservatism is the cousin of cowardice.

Then how about we start with a shower," he said in the kind of deep voice that made her consider the value of cleanliness.

Tell me this isn't permanent" "No, you have to give me my weapon back at the end." Har-har, hardy-har-har. "I'm talking to Jim." "No, it's not," the angel answered from out of Veck's mouth. "I can get free as easily as I got in." "You sure about that?" "Nope." "Fabulous.

Hello? You tracking at all? Or were you planning on sleeping through this round." The lids on that red stare lifted. "I'm not sleeping." "Meditating. Whatever." "I wasn't meditating." "Fine. Psychically manipulating energy fields——" "You make me dizzy when you pace. It's vertigo diversion.

Ah, yes, the departmental shrink. And in the silence that followed, he knew everyone was waiting for him to groan, but he wasn’t a Lethal Weapon wild card, damn it. Yeah. For example, he couldn’t dislocate his shoulder, he didn’t live on the beach with a dog, and he wasn’t rocking a death wish. You’re welcome.

How can something so . . . huge happen so fast?

It's not big," Veck said, "but it's flawless. That was important to me. I wanted to give you something...flawless

But come on, like she hadn't seen every aisle in his grocery store already?

Reilly's closet looked like Marilyn Manson's. Assuming he'd been reborn as an accountant.

Reilly is fine.” For a moment, his lids dropped low, and she could have sworn that he muttered under his breath something like, She sure is. But no doubt it was her new underwear making her hear things.

How'm I doin'?" Jim asked in his own voice—hey, he could talk out of the bastard's mouth, too. Across the way, Adrian shrugged. "Pretty damn good—I can't sense you. But I gotta ask—the pair of you want a cigarette? Or are you going for a twofer?

Matter of fact, when it came to manscaping, all he had was a dark stripe that ran between his belly button and his... You know, maybe size did matter, she thought.

The Maker was a genius, he thought. Infinity resulted in insolence. But transience was the way one treasured what one had been given.

now he knew why God didn’t give people superpowers. Humans were dangerous enough as it was. . .