Raffe 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

Anybody that ties you to a chair at gunpoint is a bad guy. Do I really need to explain 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

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

I'm revoking your warrior status," he says as he watches Clara and her family.
"I had warrior status?"
"For about thirty seconds."
"What heinous crime did I commit to lose my exalted status?"
"A true warrior would have retrieved her sword first before doing personal business."
"I'm all about personal business. Every battle I have is personal."
"Hmm. Good answer. Maybe you'll eventually regain your status."
"I won't hold my breath. ~ 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

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

They won't let any part of him fall to the ground," says Raffe in a quiet voice. "His brothers will keep him from falling."
In the distance, the Watchers weave a beautiful dance in the dawn sky beneath Beliel's shower of fire. ~ 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

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

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

You're smarter than you look,' I say to Raffe.

'But not as smart as he thinks,' says Howler.

'I can see discipline has broken down during your vacation,' says Raffe.

'Yeah, it's all that lounging on the beach with nothing to do but drink and watch women. ~ Susan Ee

You're not Fallen are you?"
"From everything I've heard, that would just make me more sexy to you Daughters of Men. What is it that you all see in bad boys? ~ 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

Penryn? Who are you talking to?" My mother sounds almost frantic now.
"Just my own personal demon, Mom. Don't worry. He's just a little weakling."
Weak or not, we both know he could have killed me if that's what he wanted. I won't give him the satisfaction of knowing I was scared, though.
"Oh." She sounds calm suddenly, as if that explained everything. "Okay. Don't underestimate them. And don't make them promises you can't keep." I can tell by her fading voice as she says this that she's reassured and walking away.
The baffled look the angel shoots at the door makes me chuckle. He glances my way, giving me a you're-weirder-than-your-mom look. ~ 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

One second, we are surrounded by angels holding their swords. The next second, one of their arms drops and his sword thunks to the grass like a lead weight. The angel stares at his blade uncomprehendingly.
Another sword drops.
Then another.
Then a whole bunch, until all the other unsheathed swords fall, thudding on the grass like subjects bowing down to their queen.
The angels stare at the swords at their feet in utter shock.
Then everyone looks at me. Actually, it's probably more accurate to say they're looking at my sword.
"Whoa." That's about the most intelligent thing I can say right now. Did Raffe say something about an archangel sword intimidating other angel swords if she could gain their respect?
I swivel my eyes to look at the blade in my hands. Was that you, Pooky Bear? ~ 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

When I look back, Raffe has a smug grin on his face. That's when I realize I've been manipulated into feeling better. I stubbornly try to resist but it's already too late.

I do feel a little better. ~ 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

She [Anita] turns back to Raffe, her face melting into a radiant smile. She puts her hand on his arm as he's about to take off his pants.
And that's all the excuse I need.
I grab the sudsy shirt out of the gray water and throw it at her.
It makes a plop noise when it lands on her face, wrapping around her hair. Her perfect hair clumps into a stringy mass, and her mascara smears as the cloth slides wetly down her blouse. She emits a high-pitched squeal that turns every head within earshot.
"Oh, I'm sorry," I say in a sugary voice. "Did you not like that? I thought that's what you wanted. I mean, why else would you be putting your paws on my man? ~ Susan Ee

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

Maggots are freaky hideous,' I say, getting up. I try to salvage some dignity, but I can't help but shiver and shake my hands in the air. It's an instinctive impulse, one I'm not up for resisting right now.
'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?'
'It's not just a maggot,' I say. 'A hand burst out of the ground and grabbed my ankle. And maggots crawled out of it and tried to burrow into me. You would scream like a little girl too if that happened to you.'
'They didn't try to burrow into you. They were just crawling. It's what maggots do. They crawl.'
'You don't know anything. ~ 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

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

You should go,' Raffe says to me. 'This is no place for a human.'
'What about me being your second for the contest?'
'Nobody will remember that once they see the Watchers.'
'Are you sure you're not just trying to avoid getting back into the truck with me and my mom?'
He almost smiles. ~ Susan Ee

NO!" Raffe grips me as if he can bind my soul to my body. An upside-down view of the doorway shows up in my field of vision. Smoke waft through it.
Although the pain obscures Raffe's warmth, I feel the presure of his hug, the rocking of our bodies back and forth as he repeats the word, "No. ~ Susan Ee

How long did you resist?" asks Uriel. "Did you push her away? Did you tell her she meant no more to you than any other animal? Oh, Raffe, did she die thinking you didn't care about her? How tragic. That must just tear you to pieces."
Raffe looks up with murder in his eyes. "Don't. Talk. About. Her. ~ Susan Ee

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."
"What, the other swords quake in their scabbards when they see her? ~ Susan Ee

Just this once,' he says almost more to himself than to me. 'Just one moment.'
Then he leans down and kisses me. ~ Susan Ee

Let go, I say into his ear.
Raffe holds me tighter like there's no room for discussion. ~ 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

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

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

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

Raffe nods to one of the Watchers who then takes position below us. I'm guessing he's there to catch me if I fall. "Don't you dare let me go," I say. ~ Susan Ee

Raffe must be thinking something similar because he tightens his grip around my waist as if to say, not this one ~ 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

Don't you know a heartfelt declaration of love when you hear one? ~ Susan Ee

Raffe: "Have you named her yet" "she likes powerful names"
Penryn:I bite my lip
Raffe:he looks like hes bracing himself for the worst "what is it?"
Penryn: "Pooky Bear"
Raffe:"I am pooky Bear, from an ancient line of archangel swords ~ Susan Ee

Why is it that everyone else can look like they're part of a zombie hunting party, but I still have to worry about fashion?"
He won't stop snickering. "You look like a leopard-spotted Shar-Pei."
I think those are the little pug-like dogs drowning in massive folds of skin. "You're scarring me, you know. It could haunt me for the rest of my life to be called a wrinkly little dog at the tender age of seventeen."
"Yup. A sensitive girl. That just defines you, Penryn. ~ Susan Ee

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."
"You mean I'm devastatingly handsome when I'm not afraid. Because you've never seen me afraid. ~ Susan Ee

Tell me about Raffe."
Nothing.
"okay. Let's practice fighting," I said in an enthusiastic voice as if I'm talking to a little kid. "I could use more lessons."
Nothing.
"Right. Well, I guess I have nothing better to do now than to decorate the teddy bear with ribbons and bows. What do you think of dusky pink?"
The room wavers, then morphs. ~ Susan Ee

We walk for about an hour before Raffe whispers, "Does moping actually help humans feel better?"
"I'm not moping," I whisper back.
"Of course you're not. A girl like you, spending time with a warrior demigod like me. What's to mope about? Leaving a wheelchair behind couldn't possibly show up on the radar compared to that."
I nearly stumble over a fallen branch. "You have got to be kidding me."
"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."
He chuckles. "Evolution." He leans over as if telling me a secret. "I'll have you know that I've been this perfect since the beginning of time." He is so close that his breath caresses my ear.
"Oh, please. Your giant head is getting too big for this forest. Pretty soon, you're going to get stuck trying to walk between two trees. And then, I'll have to rescue you." I give him a weary look. "Again."
I pick up my pace, trying to discourage the smart comeback that I'm sure will come.
But it doesn't. Could he be letting me have the last say?
When I look back, Raffe has a smug grin on his face. That's when I realize I've been manipulated into feeling better. I stubbornly try to resist but it's already too late. ~ Susan Ee

We must be quite the sight. Raffe in his red mask with his demon wings spread out in all their scythe-edged glory. A scrawny teenage Daughter of Man brandishing an archangel sword. And a little girl stitched-up to look and behave like a nightmare who is clutching a pair of angel wings. ~ 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

What's wrong with going with me?' I ask.
'No one wants to be stuck with love birds.' Howler shakes his head.
'Awkward,' says Cyclone, already walking toward Thermo.
'You think I'd do something to risk a fall?' asks Raffe.
'You can't fall for anything you do here, Commander,' says Thermo. 'You're already in the Pit, so technically, it's equivalent to being in a Fallen state during the time you're here. ~ 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

...If it wasn't for you, I'd think that angels were all totally interchangeable.'
'You mean because I'm beyond perfect?'
'No. Because you're so humble.'
'Humility's overrated.'
'So is clear self-assessment, apparently.'
'Real warriors don't stand for psychobabble.'
'Or for rational thinking.'
He glances at my naked legs. 'No, not that rational, I admit. ~ 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

Sixers pour in from every edge of the bridge. We humans back into the center as they lumber toward us. I have my knives out, but they might as well be toothpicks pointed at an army of grizzlies. "Penryn!" I look up to see Raffe watching me with anguish in his eyes as his Watchers hold him at a safe distance from us. ~ 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

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 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 shut my eyes and try not to squeal. 'Get the maggots off me!'
Raffe brushes them off, but it feels like they're still crawling on my skin.
'So you do scream like a little girl,' says Raffe with some satisfaction in his voice. I open my eyes a second too soon, because I catch him tossing the severed hand into the sand ~ Susan Ee

Here and there, plumes of dark smoke reach into the sky like the fingers of a drowning man reaching up for the last time. ~ Susan Ee

Raffe throws me a dirty look. He bends over and swipes his arm behind my knees, lifting me up in his embrace.
'I can go with one of the locusts.' I stiffen in his arms and try to lean as far away from him as I can.
'The hell you will.' He runs a couple of steps before spreading his wings. ~ Susan Ee

I just got tired of the wetness sticking to me, that's all. I think I was pretty safe from the threat of your joke being funny. ~ Susan Ee

I nod, trying to get the image out of my head of Raffe dancing to some rock song. possibly buck naked. ~ 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

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

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 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

Raffe looks over at the bloody knife in my hand. If I still had any doubts that it was you, that would do it. ~ 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

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

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

Raffe: "The unruliness of the women in your family must go back for generations. You're like a plague upon the land."
Penryn: "So long as we're also a plague upon angels, I'm sure everyone else will forgive us."
Raffe: "Oh, you're definitely a plague upon at least one angel. ~ 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're like a little girl demanding answers to questions during a covert operation. Why is the sky blue, daddy? Can I ask that man with the machine gun where the bathroom is? If you don't stay quiet, I'm going to have to dump you. ~ Susan Ee

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

Raffe looks like someone just broke his heart. ~ Susan Ee

There's a softness to Raffe's look that I've never seen before. It's not that I see naked longing or tender love or anything like that. And if I did, it would just be in my messed-up fantasies.
Not that I fantasize about him. ~ Susan Ee

Raffe begins walking away from the village. Either come with me or stay. I can only help those who want to be helped. ~ 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

What would you do if you had to make a run for it?' His voice is husky as he stares, mesmerized, at the unraveling thread.
'I'd grab my shoes and run.'
'Dressed like this? In front of lawless men?' His eyes drift up to my midriff.
'If you're worried about pervs breaking into the house, it's not going to make a difference whether I'm in this outfit or in baggy jeans and a sweatshirt. Either they're decent human beings or they're not. Their actions are on them.'
'It'll be tough for them to take any action while I'm pummeling their faces. Disrespect will not be tolerated.'
I half smile at him. 'Because you're all about respect.'
He sighs as if a little disgusted with himself. 'Lately, I seem to be all about you. ~ 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