Evadne was still catching her breath when Hades' voice floated out from the phone, soft and faintly sulking.
"Baby…"
Only then did she remember he was still on the call.
She reached for the phone by the lamp with shaky fingers and brought the screen closer. She lay sprawled on her stomach, hair a mess, skin flushed, propping herself up on one elbow as she looked at him.
"You forgot about me, didn't you?" Hades asked, eyes narrowed at the camera, a hint of wounded jealousy in his tone.
"You haven't kept your promise," Evadne replied instead, arching a brow at him.
"Casadin messaged me and told me to give you an hour before I called," Hades said defensively, like that explained everything.
"Not that promise," she said pointedly, gaze sharp despite the lazy satisfaction softening her features.
Hades stared at her from the other end of the line, clearly trying to remember.
"You forgot, didn't you!" Evadne accused, eyes widening in disbelief. "I'm not talking to you anymore!"
"Remind me?" Hades said, a little too innocent, clearly fishing for clues.
"Hades Falcon! I'm not talking to you anymore," Evadne repeated, this time in her best spoiled, bratty tone... the one she knew would hit his guilt button every time.
"Baby, please give me a little slack," Hades pleaded, and she rolled her eyes, knowing he'd seen right through her act and was still playing along. He also knew she was simply bored and using this to torment him a little.
"How about this," he tried again. "To show my sincerity for forgetting my promise… I'll keep it double."
Evadne's eyes immediately lit up, a smile tugging at her lips before she could stop it. She quickly tried to suppress it, but Hades had already seen.
"Compromise," he said, still coaxing her.
"Promise?" she asked, lifting her chin, one brow raised.
"Promise," Hades said solemnly, even lifting a hand in a little mock oath.
"No excuses," Evadne warned, narrowing her eyes theatrically.
"Of course not… When did I ever make excuses?" Hades asked, feigning outrage.
"Hubby, I'm not even going to dignify that with an answer," Evadne shot back, making a face that made Hades laugh.
"Baby, even if I do always make excuses because of your unhealthy choices," he countered, "I still keep my promises. You have to give me credit for that. But I promise, for this one, I'm not going to make any excuse."
"You better not, Hades Falcon. Because I swear, I'll go cold war on you," Evadne said.
She glanced away from the screen when she heard the bathroom door open. Casadin stepped out, a towel wrapped around his waist, carrying a small basin with warm water and a clean cloth. He was clearly planning to wipe her down and take care of her.
Evadne's brows pinched together for a second. There was something… different about him.
"I promise, Baby. So tell me what this promise is, so I can keep it," Hades said, pulling her attention back to the screen while Casadin sat down on the edge of the bed beside her and began gently cleaning her skin... her sweat-dampened neck, shoulders, arms, and the sensitive places between her thighs, carefully erasing the physical traces of what they had done.
"You promised we'd do a McDonald's drive-thru and order everything on the menu once I got discharged from the hospital," Evadne reminded him, her tone turning smug as she shifted into a more comfortable position, letting Casadin do what he was doing more easily. "And since you promised to double keep it, you're eating with me."
She saw his expression drop a little on the screen, and she hurried to add, "And you promised... no excuses."
Hades could only let out a long-suffering groan.
Casadin bent over, cheek brushing briefly against Evadne's, so he was in frame too.
"Did you fall into another trap, you mutt?" he said in a smug tone, then pressed a kiss to Evadne's jaw.
"Shut up, moron," Hades shot back, glaring at him through the screen. "Baby, I remember that promise, but Mommy and Daddy aren't letting you go out yet."
"Daddy said I can go wherever I want as long as I'm not alone," Evadne replied sweetly.
"Owww… someone thinks he found a loophole after falling into the trap," Casadin said, eyes glittering with amusement as he looked at Hades, then down at Evadne... who was now smiling up at him as if they were co-conspirators in a very successful scheme.
"I know, right? He never learns," Evadne said, chuckling.
Hades let out another small groan of frustration.
"You two always gang up on me," he complained, a real hint of sulk in his voice now. "And baby, you promised you'd go easy on me."
"Yeah, I know," Evadne replied, giving him a wicked little smile. "I said I'd go easy on you a little. And I am."
She sounded entirely too proud of herself.
Hades could only stare at her on the screen... his girlfriend flushed and glowing, sprawled on her bed while Casadin carefully, almost reverently, wiped her down. The two of them kept stealing looks at each other, matching mischievous smirks on their lips.
And all Hades could think was... he was definitely in trouble.
These two were ganging up on him again.
Knowing Casadin... who knew how obsessive Hades was about healthy food... Hades could already imagine the asshole plotting to test his limits with fast food. And yet he also knew, without a doubt, that he would still show up for that drive-thru. Because Hades knew just how much his baby loved junk food… and he could never get tired of seeing her eyes sparkle with pure happiness whenever Evadne bit into something greasy and unforgivable.
"So when are you going to take me to the drive-thru, Mr. Hades Falcon?" Evadne asked.
Hades sighed, because he knew there was no escape. When Evadne said she would go "cold war" on him, she meant it... and he hated it when she did.
Because unlike regular girls who go cold war by blocking their boyfriends and disappearing, Evadne did the opposite. She would show up everywhere Hades was… and then keep him at arm's length. She wouldn't talk to him. She'd just roll her eyes at him and walk past as if he were nothing but scenery. It was more frustrating than being blocked, because she was literally right there in front of him, and still treated him like he was invisible.
And the worst part? She would show up with Casadin… and the two of them would flirt shamelessly in front of him. Evadne acting like Hades didn't exist, while Casadin rubbed their sweetness in his face... it made Hades want to punch the smugness right out of that idiot's pretty face.
Evadne also did cold wars with Casadin sometimes... but they never lasted longer than an hour. Because Casadin was Evadne's greatest enabler in all things reckless and chaotic.
If Evadne ever killed someone, Casadin's first question wouldn't be "Why did you do it?"
No. His first question would be, "Where are we burying the body?"
Unlike him. Hades liked to think of himself as the sane one... he'd at least ask if there was a reasonable reason for murder.
"Since I know you're going to feed me food that's enough to kill an elephant," Hades said, earning himself a synchronized eye roll from both Evadne and Casadin, "how about this Friday, baby? I need to prepare myself... and my gut."
He exhaled again, already resigned.
"And I know you. You're going to sulk and pout if I leave halfway through eating those oily fries," Hades continued. "So I have to clear my schedule first. Then I'll be free to eat with you... even if I already know I'll probably throw up all that unhealthy food afterward. But I'll still keep my promise to my baby… even if I get food poisoning."
"Awww, hubby," Evadne cooed, her tone dripping with fake concern. "You really think all those words you just said tugged at my conscience? You better think again. Your guilt trip is like a big boulder... so big and so obvious all I have to do is step to the side. It won't even scratch me."
"Not even a little?" Hades asked, a reluctant smile tugging at his lips.
"Nope. Not even a speck of dust," Evadne said, laughing and sticking her tongue out at him.
"What the fuck! You've got to be kidding me!"
Both Evadne and Hades snapped their attention to Casadin at the sharp curse.
"Cas, what's wrong?" Evadne asked, immediately worried as she sat up so she could see what he was looking at. Casadin was staring at his phone, jaw tense.
"Flynn just sent a message in the Rebels group chat," Casadin said. "He said he's changing address."
"So? Why would you curse like that? Your friend's just moving," Hades said, brows furrowing.
"Because, Falcon, he'll be living with Heavensblade," Casadin replied, voice rising, "and the address is the Dalton Villa."
"Are you serious?!" Hades practically shouted through the phone.
"Isn't the Dalton Villa the one beside ours?" Evadne asked, leaning closer to Casadin's phone to read the message herself. "Oh my God. It's true. And they're moving now."
Casadin shot to his feet and walked to the closed veranda doors. From that spot in Evadne's room, the view overlooked the Monteverde garden and, over the high wall, the Dalton Villa next door.
"Why would the Daltons sell their villa?" Hades asked.
"Oh, shit…" Casadin hissed, peeking through a sliver of curtain.
"What? What is it?" Evadne demanded.
"Heavensblade is right there," Casadin said, eyes widening, "and he's looking straight over here."
"Is that a tattoo?" Evadne asked, brows knitting as something dark caught her eye on Casadin's back. "Casadin Sinclair! When did you get a tattoo?" Her voice shot up in shock before she could stop herself.
"Baby, that's impossible. He's terrified of needles... how would he survive a tattoo?" Hades scoffed from the phone.
"Fuck you, Falcon," Casadin snapped back before returning to sit beside Evadne on the bed. "Princess, what tattoo are you talking about? I don't have one."
"It's on your back!" Evadne said, pushing at his shoulder until he turned away from her. She angled him then lifted the phone so Hades could see too. "See? That's a tattoo, right?"
"The hell, Casadin... when did you suddenly grow a spine?" Hades asked.
"Fuck you, Falcon, I've always had more spine than you," Casadin shot back. He handed his own phone to Evadne. "Show me, Princess. Maybe it's just dirt?" he added, sounding unsure even to himself.
Evadne took his phone and snapped a clear photo of his bare back.
"Dirt?" Hades practically shrieked. "Are you saying you didn't shower? And you made love to Vee like that? Are you crazy?!"
"Of course I showered. God... your germophobia is borderline insane. So dramatic," Casadin snarled, making Evadne laugh.
"It's not dirt. Look. That could never be dirt," Evadne said, handing his phone back. "It's half your back on the left side. And it's not random at all."
True to her word, it wasn't dirt. It couldn't be.
Covering the left half of Casadin's back was a black-gray wing... large, curved, and detailed, feathers stylized into sleek strokes. The whole design subtly formed the shape of half a heart, with the inner edge cut out as if the other half was missing, wisps like soft flames trailing from the gap. Bold tribal lines framed the wing, curving around his shoulder blade and down his ribs, creating a sharp, symmetrical pattern that looked intentional and almost… Celestial.
"Oh my God, Cas…" Evadne's eyes lit up as a thought snapped into place. Her fingers traced one of the inked lines, shivering slightly at the heat of his skin. "Is it possible this is your warrior angel wing?"
"Baby, there's only half," Hades said on the phone. "Shouldn't there be two?"
"Maybe the other one is supposed to be invisible because it's white, so it's not showing up yet," Evadne said quickly. "Oh my God. Hades, check your back too. Maybe you have one as well." Her voice turned excited, almost breathless.
"I don't have anything on my back, baby," Hades replied.
"You don't know that. You haven't even checked," Evadne said, rolling her eyes.
"Yes, I have," Hades insisted. "When I shower, I scrub my back. I look at it in the mirror. I don't have that."
"So what are you trying to say, Falcon? That I don't scrub my back?" Casadin snapped, taking the phone from Evadne.
"You tell me. You're the one who thought it was dirt, moron," Hades shot back... and just like that, the two of them started trading insults. To Evadne, it was background noise at this point. Their bickering was their twisted version of brotherhood, and she'd grown used to it.
She let them go at it and stood up from the bed, slipping on Casadin's blue polo that was hanging over the headboard. It draped over her like a short dress, smelling like his cologne and their shared heat.
Barefoot, she padded over to the veranda doors.
Evadne frowned as she eased the curtain aside. From her angle, the neighboring villa was farther than she'd thought. She could barely make out the outline beyond the Monteverde wall... and yet earlier, Casadin said he'd seen Michael Heavensblade from here, looking straight toward her room.
Even with enhanced senses underwater, her eyesight on land was just normal. She couldn't see what Casadin apparently had.
She glanced back over her shoulder.
The two idiots were still ripping into each other through the phone, calling each other names like it was a sport. She shook her head, then peeked through the curtain again at the Dalton villa.
"Maybe I should go and welcome the new neighbor," Evadne said loudly to herself.
"NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Hades and Casadin shouted at the same time... so loud she actually jumped.
"God! That honestly scared me!" Evadne glared at Casadin, since she couldn't glare at Hades in person. "I'm just trying to be a good neighbor…"
"My blood pressure is rising again," Hades groaned dramatically from the phone.
"Princess, are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Casadin complained. It was rare for him and Hades to agree on anything... but apparently anything involving Michael Heavensblade was one of those rare exceptions.
"I just want to be a good neighbor," Evadne insisted. "And what is Flynn going to say if we don't even show our faces? He literally told the group chat where he's living now, knowing his new house is right next to mine and knowing you're always here."
"I'm tapping out," Hades said on the other end.
"Falcon! Don't you fucking dare," Casadin snapped, glaring at the phone as if Hades were physically in front of him.
"Since you're the one who always enables her chaotic ideas," Hades replied in that maddeningly calm voice of his, "you can handle her this time."
"You can't do this to me right now, Hades Falcon!" Casadin said in an exaggeratedly wounded tone. "You know I fold faster and easier than origami when it comes to her."
Evadne padded back to the bed and slid her arms around Casadin from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder so Hades could see her clearly on the screen.
"I can't handle this stress right now," Hades muttered.
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Evadne asked, lower lip jutting out in a pout.
"I need to go back to work now, baby," Hades said, his expression and voice softening the moment he focused on her. "I'll see you tonight. I love you. Goodbye."
"I love you too," Evadne replied, sending him an exaggerated air-kiss toward the camera.
"Hades Falcon…" Casadin growled warningly.
"Eat dirt, shit. Goodbye and good luck," Hades said sweetly... and even raised his middle finger at Casadin before ending the call.
Evadne burst into laughter while Casadin could only groan, dragging a hand down his face in pure frustration.
"I'm taking a shower," Evadne announced, leaning forward to plant a quick kiss on Casadin's cheek. "You call the kitchen and tell them to prepare food we can bring over to the new neighbor."
She turned away and started toward the bathroom, absently unbuttoning his polo on her as she walked.
"Princess, can we think about this... like, ten times over?" Casadin asked, voice strained with one last attempt at self-preservation.
"Nope!" Evadne called back, completely unapologetic. "We cannot let Michael affect our life. And to make him see that, we have to act as normal as possible."
She disappeared into the bathroom without even bothering to close the door.
Casadin stared at the open doorway for a moment… then let himself fall back-first onto the bed. He rolled onto his stomach, buried his face into Evadne's pillow, and screamed into it...
"FUCK YOU, MICHAEL HEAVENSBLADE!!!"
He stayed there, breathing hard, then finally flipped onto his back with a defeated sigh.
After a few seconds of sulking, he grabbed his phone, composed himself, and did exactly what Evadne had asked... calling the kitchen to order food they could bring over to their infuriatingly well-bred, archangel-possessed new neighbor.