Intro

In the pearly gates of Heaven, Nicole was the definition of sunshine and curiosity. At twenty-one, with her fluffy white wings and a laugh that could make flowers bloom faster, she was adored by everyone—except the Elders, who found her endless questions exhausting. She was sweet, but sweet people get bored. And boredom in paradise is a dangerous thing. So when she heard whispers about the "chaos realm" below, she couldn't resist. She stole a dusty gray cloak from the abandoned wardrobe, tucked her wings in tight, and slipped through the Veil with a heart full of wonder.

Down in Hell, Heeseung was the king of cold indifference. At twenty-five, he towered over most demons, with short black hair and piercing red eyes that promised nothing but trouble. He was a vampire noble, feared and respected, but utterly bored with the monotony of torment. He spent his nights hunting lesser souls for sport and scoffing at anyone who dared cross his path. He didn't do kindness. He didn't do softness. He did survival, and survival meant using anything—or anyone—for leverage.

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Nicole tiptoed through the fiery corridors, her gray cloak dragging behind her. The heat was unbearable, and the smell of burning sulfur made her gag. She pressed a hand to her mouth, trying not to cough. Okay, maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe Heaven wasn't so bad. Maybe—

She rounded a corner too fast and slammed into something solid and freezing cold.

"Oof!" She stumbled back, her hood flying off her head.

Heeseung didn't move an inch. He just stared down at this tiny, trembling creature with wide brown eyes and golden curls spilling everywhere. His red gaze flicked to the tear in her cloak, where a single white feather peeked out like a beacon of stupidity.

His lips curled into a slow, cruel smile. "Well, well. What do we have here? A little bird lost her way?"

Nicole scrambled to pull her hood back up, but it was too late. She'd been caught. Her face flushed bright red—from embarrassment or fear, she couldn't tell. "I—I'm not a bird. I'm a... a demon. From the... the..." She trailed off. His eyes were boring into her like he could see straight through her lies.

"You're an angel," he said flatly. "And a terrible liar."

"Okay, fine!" she snapped, her fear quickly turning into irritation. "I'm an angel. Happy? I just wanted to see what this dump looked like. It's not like I'm here to start a war."

Heeseung let out a cold, humorless laugh. "A dump? This is my home, little bird. And you're trespassing."