Raffe And Penryn Quotes

You don't even like me, remember?" That's what I try to say. What actually comes out of my mouth is closer to a baby's first attempt at babbling.
"Shh." He runs his fingertips along my cheek, caressing my face. "Hush. I'm right here." He looks at me with deep anguish in his eyes. Like there's so much he wants to tell me but feel it's too late now.
I want to stroke his face and tell him that it will be okay. That everything will be all right.
And I wish so badly that it would be. ~ Susan Ee

You should be with a nice human boy. One who takes your orders and puts up with your demands. Someone who dedicates his life to keeping you safe and well fed. Someone who can make you happy. Someone you can be proud of. Raffe ~ Susan Ee

He sighs as if a little disgusted with himself. 'Lately, I seem to be all about you.'
'What makes you say that?' I wish my voice didn't sound so breathless.
'I'm sitting on the hard floor outside your door while you take a cozy little nap, aren't I? ~ Susan Ee

Good morning to you too," he says in a lazy drawl. I have my hand on the bathroom door when he says, "In case you were wondering, the answer is yes."
I pause, afraid to look back. "Yes?" Yes, it was him holding me through the night? Yes, he knows I liked it?
"Yes, you can come with me," he says as though he already regrets it. "I'll take you to the aerie. ~ Susan Ee

Raffe holds me a second longer than necessary before he puts me down. And then it takes me a second longer than necessary to slide my arms away from his neck. ~ Susan Ee

He glares at me. "I've had to watch you die once, isn't that enough?"
"All you have to do is make sure it doesn't happen again." I give him a sunny smile. "Simple."
"The only thing simple is you. Stubborn little ... " His grumbles fades to a point where I can't hear them, but I suspect they're not compliments. ~ Susan Ee

Who knew? I had no idea that someone could be such a thorn in your foot during a death march and still be irresistibly attractive in some magical, undeniable way."
"So is this what people call sweet nothings? Because somehow, I expected it to be a little more ... complementary. ~ Susan Ee

I never kid about my warrior demigod status."
"Oh. My. God." I lower my voice, having forgotten to whisper. "You are nothing but a bird with an attitude. Okay, so you have a few muscles, I'll grant you that. But you know, a bird is nothing but a barely evolved lizard. That's what you are. ~ Susan Ee

What's your name?" I ask.

I don't need to know. In fact, don't want to know. Giving him a name makes it sound like we're somehow on the same side, which we can never be. It's like acknowledging that we could become friends. But that's not possible. It's pointless to make friends with your executioner.

"Raffe."

I only asked him his name to distract him from thinking about having to use his feet instead of his wings. But now that I know his name, it feels right. "Rah-fie," I repeat slowly. "I like the sound of that."

His eyes soften as though he smiles even though his expression doesn't change from his stony look. For some reason, it makes my face heat up.

I clear my throat to break the tension. "Raffe sounds like Raw Feet. Coincidence?" That gets a smile out of him. When he smiles, he really does look like someone you'd want to get to know. Some otherworldly handsome guy a girl could dream about.

Only he's not a guy. And he's too otherworldly. Not to mention that this girl is beyond dreaming about anything other than food, shelter, and the safety of her family. ~ Susan Ee

Come on. Say it, Raffe." I give him a half smile. "I love it when you say Pooky Bear. It's just so perfect when it comes out of your mouth."
"She might kill you in your sleep one of these days just so she can get rid of that name. ~ Susan Ee

I shove the wooden debris out of the way until I see the smudged face of the teddy bear. "There she is." I carefully pull out the bear and sword. I proudly flip the bridal veil skirt to show him the scabbard. Raffe stares at the disguised sword for a second before commenting.
"Do you know how many kills this sword has?"
"It's a perfect disguise, Raffe."
"This sword is not just an angel sword. She's an archangel sword. Better than an angel sword, in case that's not clear. She intimidates the other angel swords ~ Susan Ee

I watch in awe as Raffe pummels Beliel with blows so fast they're almost a blur. The force of the emotion behind those blows is immense. For the first time, he doesn't bother to hide his frustration and anger, or his longing for the wings he lost. ~ Susan Ee

He shakes his head sadly at me.'These are the rules we live by. We are soldiers, Penryn. Legendary warriors willing to make legendary sacrifices. We do not ask. We do not choose.' He says that like a motto, a pledge he'd said a thousand times. ~ Susan Ee

You've fought off a gang of men twice your size, killed an angel warrior, stood up to an archangel, and wielded an angel sword." Raffe cocks his head. "But you scream like a little girl when you see a maggot? ~ Susan Ee

Obi sits on the cot and ties my ankles together. I'm tempted to make a quip about requiring dinner and a movie before getting so kinky, but I don't. ~ Susan Ee

Dedicated to readers like Penryn who have it tough at home, who had to grow up fast due to life circumstances, and who have no idea how much potential they really have. You are being fire forged, just like Penryn. And like her, you can turn your greatest trials into your greatest strengths. ~ Susan Ee

I'm not usually a girl who hopes for a damsel-in-distress rescue but no matter the odds against it, this would be a freakin' fantastic time for Raffe to come and sweep me into the sky. ~ Susan Ee

He grins sourly. "I only make big bets that involve lives and the future of humanity." His shoulders slump as though the invisible weight on them is too much. "Speaking of which, you handled yourself well out there. Better than anyone expected. We could really use someone like you. There are situations that a girl like you could handle better than a platoon of men." His grin turns boyish. "Assuming you don't clock an angel for pissing you off."
"That's a big assumption. ~ Susan Ee

I never thought about it before, but I'm proud to be human. We're ever so flawed. We're frail, confused, violent, and we struggle with so many issues. But all in all, I'm proud to be a Daughter of Man. ~ Susan Ee

I'm gonna be sick," I say.
"I'm ordering you not to," says Obi.
"Ah, don't say that," says Dee-Dum. "She's a born rebel. She'll puke just to make a point."
"You're here for a reason, Penryn," says Obi. "And throwing up in my car is not part of it. Buck up, Soldier."
"I'm not your soldier."
"Not yet," says Obi with a wide grin. "Why don't you fill us in on what happened at the aerie? Tell us everything you saw and heard, even if you think it won't be helpful."
"And if you have to get sick," says Dee-Dum, "shoot for Obi's direction, not mine. ~ Susan Ee

We must be quite a sight. A cloud of scorpion-tailed, man-sized locusts blotting out the sky. And in the middle of it all, a demon with enormous wings carrying a teenage girl. At least, Raffe must look like a demon to anyone who didn't know he was an archangel flying on borrowed wings. They probably think he kidnapped the girl he's holding. They couldn't possibly guess that I feel safe in his arms. That I'm resting my head on the warm curve of his neck because I like the feel of his skin. ~ Susan Ee

They lift their axes and slice through Raffe's wing joints. They . . . . . his wings . . . I don't know if Raffe yells out in his pain, because all I hear is my own scream. Raffe falls. ~ Susan Ee

Raffe turns to me. It's the first time I've seen his face look less than perfect. He's squinting in pain and blinking rapidly. He came to help me. Through all the screaming noise and blinding lights, he came. ~ Susan Ee

You're naming your collector's-item, kick-ass sword that's made to maim and kill, specifically designed to bring your ginormous enemies to their knees and hear the lamentation of their women-Pooky Bear?"
"Yeah, you like it? ~ Susan Ee

I feel drained. There must be another answer, but I'm too emotionally beat up to think. I just want to crawl into the vault in my head and close the door on the world. I lean toward Raffe and feel his muscles against my arm. I close my eyes and relax into him. He feels so solid. I'm not sure if I'm giving him comfort or the other way around. ~ Susan Ee

And my instincts tell me that Raffe is mine. I found him first. ~ Susan Ee

How do you know this is Paige?" I ask, pretty sure this is another fantasy. It's one thing to have Dad's tracking device. It's another to actually be tracking Paige, considering she needs to have the transmitter on her.
"The devil tells me." She lowers her head, looking troubled. "If I promise him certain things," she mumbles.
"Okay." I rub my forehead, trying to be patient. There's a certain art to getting information out of my mom. You need one foot in reality and one foot in her world to get a better picture of what she's talking about. "How does the devil know where Paige is?"
She looks up at me as if I'd asked the dumbest question in the world.
"The transmitter, of course. ~ Susan Ee

Whatever campaign Uriel is running against Raffe, it's getting a major boost in the polls. Raffe and I are like a demonic campaign poster on legs. I worry about what will happen to him, how he'll ~ Susan Ee

You've acquired a pet, archangel. When did this happen?" There's puzzlement in his voice, as if it's normal for Beliel to know of Raffe's companions.
"I'm not anyone's pet."
"I met her tonight at the aerie," says Raffe. "She's been following me around. She means nothing."
Beliel snorts. "Funny, I didn't ask if she meant anything to you." He looks me up and down, taking in every detail. "Scrawny. But serviceable." He saunters toward me. ~ Susan Ee

I'VE FULFILLED MY end of the bargain, Archangel," says the Pit lord. His burned wings sweep back and forth lazily in the air. "I saved your pitiful Daughter of Man and her family. Now it's your turn." Raffe hovers on his beautiful feathered wings in front of the Pit lord. He nods with a grim expression. "No." The word slips out of my mouth as ~ Susan Ee

I have to ask,' says Thermo. 'I know the others are wondering this too. Is she your Daughter of Man?' He nods toward me.
I glance at Raffe.
Am I?
Raffe thinks about that for a second before answering. 'She is a Daughter of Man. And she is traveling with me. But she's not my Daughter of Man. ~ Susan Ee

Raffe is warm and strong and he feels like home. Our faces inch closer as the swarm shifts. For a moment, I can feel his breath feathering my cheek. ~ Susan Ee

Maybe you entertain me." He says with supreme confidence as if he's in control of the situation. "Like a monkey with an attitude and a pair of scissors." -Raffe ~ Susan Ee

I glance over at Raffe for the hundredth time as I huddle with Pooky Bear beneath a coat that someone gave me. I'm shivering as if it's zero degrees, and no matter how much I hug myself, I can't get warm. I ~ Susan Ee

I don't have kind memories of you, Raffe, in case you'd forgotten. After all this time, you show up in my life again with no warning. Making demands. Insulting me by flaunting your human toy in my presence. Why should I do this for you instead of sounding the alarm and letting everybody know you had the nerve to come back? ~ Susan Ee

I look up and see Raffe watching me. I feel a wave of awkwardness. Raffe grabs me around the waist and lifts me into his arms like in an old-time movie. His arms cradle my back and knees. I reflexively wrap my arms around his neck. For a moment, I'm confused, and the silliest thoughts flood through my head. "Don't let me go," he says. ~ Susan Ee

How do you tell time here?'

'It'll get hotter,' says Thermo. 'We can meet when we feel like we're baking.'

'That'd be now,' says Howler.

'We'll meet when Howler feels like he's burning and the rest of us feel like we're baking,' says Raffe. ~ Susan Ee

This is Deirdre," said Addison. "She's an emu-raffe, which is a bit like a donkey and a giraffe put together, only with fewer legs and a peevish temper. She's a terrible sore loser at cards," he added in a whisper. "Never play an emu-raffe at cards. Say hello, Deirdre! ~ Ransom Riggs

He's not just a mere mortal," says Dum. "Look at him. He's probably got some super-strength badass juice in his pocket right now. One gulp and his muscles would have muscles. ~ Susan Ee

I've heard that most drowning victims can't calm down. They have to impose their will against every survival instinct to stop flailing and let themselves feel like they're drowning. It takes an infinite amount of trust to count on someone else to save you. Raffe must have enormous willpower because he immediately stops splashing. He ~ Susan Ee

I watch the beautiful performance with an ache in my chest.
Then, just when I can't stand the sadness anymore, a dancer floats out from the side of the stage. A dancer in ragged clothes, filthy and half starved. He's not even in ballet shoes. He's just barefoot as he glides out to take his place in the dance.
The other dancers turn to him, and it's clear that he is one of them. One of the lost ones. By the look on their faces, they weren't expecting him. This is not part of the practiced show. He must have seen them onstage and joined in.
Amazingly, the dance continues without a missed beat. The newcomer simply glides into place, and the final dancer who should have danced solo with her missing partner dances with the newcomer.
It is full of joy, and the ballerina actually laughs. Her voice is clear and high, and it lifts us all. ~ Susan Ee

I try to give him a dirty look, but I can't help but laugh. "Yes, I'm laughing at you." Raffe pulls me closer and kisses me again. I melt into his taut body. I can't help myself. I'm not even sure I should try. My whole world turns into Raffe sensations as our lips explore each other. ~ Susan Ee

I snuggle closer to him in my sleep and my whimpering subsides to a contented sigh. It almost hurts to see Raffe closing his eyes and holding me the way a kid might hold a stuffed animal for comfort. I reach out my phantom hand to stroke his face. But of course, I can't feel him. I can only feel what the sword remembers. I run my hand along the lines of his neck and the muscles of his shoulder, anyway. Imagining the smooth warmth of him. Remembering the feeling of being held in his arms. ~ Susan Ee

He rakes his fingers through his hair, looking agitated. "Look, I'm sure I could find you a nice little bomb shelter somewhere with two years worth of supplies."
"I'm guessing those are all taken."
"And I'm guessing someone would happily give one up for you, especially if I asked nicely." He gives me a dry smile. "You could take a little vacation from all this and come out after things settle down. Hole up, wait it out, be safe."
"You'd better be careful. You might be mistaken for someone who's worried about me." He shakes his head.
"I'm just worried someone might recognize my sword in your hands. If I squirrel you away for a couple of years, then maybe I can save myself the embarrassment ~ Susan Ee

Another angel has snuck up on me. His wings are golden and his face chiseled, but he looks at me with the cold eyes of a killer. Before I can figure out what to do, snowy wings blot out the angel. It's Raffe. And he has two of his Watchers backing him up. ~ Susan Ee

Are zombie girls allowed to talk?"
"If they're cute and willing to do zombie-girl mud fights"
"Duuude. Right on."
"That's a disgusting image" ...
"It's not liked we'd pick the decayed ones, Penryn. Just … fresh from the dead."
"Only, with ripped clothes and stuff."
"And hungry for breeeeasts."
"He means brains."
"That's exactly what I meant. ~ Susan Ee

Their presence and attitude remind me of Raffe. He would fit in. It's easy to visualize him sitting in the booth with that group, drinking and laughing with the gang. Well, the laughing part takes a little imagination, but I'm sure he's capable of it. ~ Susan Ee

She sees me once in a guy's arms and she has us married already. I wonder what Raffe would think of my mom being his mother-in-law. ~ Susan Ee

When I open my eyes, the morning light makes me wish I hadn't. Raffe lies on his sofa, watching me with those dark blue eyes. I swallow, suddenly feeling awkward and unkempt. Great. The world has come to an end, my mother is out there with the street gangs, crazier than ever, my sister has been kidnapped by vengeful angels, and I'm concerned that my hair is greasy and my breath smells bad. ~ Susan Ee

My mother hasn't asked the questions that a normal person would ask, and I'm grateful for it. It's like the world has become so crazy that it makes sense to her now.
I turn on the engine and drive us out. 'Thanks, Mom. For coming to rescue me.' My voice comes out reedy and a little wobbly. I clear my throat. 'Not every mom would do that in a world like this. ~ Susan Ee

I stick to Raffe as close as I can manage without having to explain why I'm hugging his back. ~ Susan Ee

When you're small enough to have to look up at everyone around you, there's no such thing as a dirty fight. That's a new motto for me. I think I'll keep it. ~ Susan Ee

Your sense of judgement could use a dash of common sense. ~ Susan Ee

My friends call me Wrath," says Raffe. "My enemies call me Please Have Mercy. What's your name, soldier boy? ~ Susan Ee

I challenge you to come find us.' 'This is Penryn Young, Daughter of Man, Killer of Angels." Penryn ~ Susan Ee

Those pigeons couldn't take us out if they send their entire chirping flock. ~ Susan Ee

Oh, she could have handled the killing hands like the truest warrior," says Raffe proudly. "It's the little naked worms that make her tremble." "Maybe we should call her maggot slayer," says Howler. The others chuckle. I sigh. I probably deserve this, but that doesn't make it any easier. Now I know how Pooky Bear feels. ~ Susan Ee

Oh, Raffe versus Godzilla. Now that's a fight I'd love to take bets on, says Dum. ~ Susan Ee

Raffe holds me tighter. "It's about time you showed some sense. You should be afraid." "I'm shivering because I'm freezing." "You're cute when you're afraid." I give him a dirty look. "Yeah, you're cute when you're afraid too." He actually bursts out laughing. "You mean I'm devastatingly handsome when I'm not afraid. Because you've never seen me afraid." "I said you were cute, not 'devastatingly handsome.' ~ Susan Ee

Oh, man," says Dum. "That would have been so awesome. Can you imagine? Boom!" He mimes a mushroom cloud. "Moo!"
Dee gives him a long-suffering look. "You´re such a child. You can´t just waste a nuke like that. You gotta figure out a way to control the trajectory so that when the bomb goes off, it shoots the radioactive cows into your enemies. ~ Susan Ee