Briony’s face settled into a contemplative expression. “My really real family left me with humans. Maybe because I was a scary baby.” Or maybe they just had better things to do. Like how she was sure she was having a better time reigning over a household by doing… well, nothing. She liked finger-painting and PB&J with the crusts cut off, though. “It was! They pretty much locked me in a—” What was it called? Oh yeah. “—orphanage with other kids. ‘Cept really, they were locked in with me. They’d made such stupid whiny, whimpery noises that you had to laugh. Briony nearly bounced right on the spot when Bubbles said she had a tail and wings the same colour as her horns. Pretty. “I got those too, but they’re that colour—don’t touch, it’ll make the prickles much worse,” she said, holding out her hand to show the colour of her nails. A bizarre and not entirely attractive mottled white-green-grey-and-purple that was somehow reminiscent of a corpse. Or at least Hollywood’s portrayal of one. And she could give that warning because she could taste the unease in the air. Also because it was polite. “Is your tail forked too? Mine likes to stab at people…” Hers often had a life of its own, displaying a lack of restraint where its owner was otherwise really rather reserved – on the surface, at least. She laughed at Bubbles’ apparent disbelief, skipping from one foot to the other in amusement. “Silly, I wouldn’t go on holy ground. I’d have a headache for a week.” She knew because she had tried once. That was also how she knew her eyes flashed. The priest who had tried to help her in her discomfort had not reacted well. Nor had she to him. “Heard of the church Amazing Grace? Or Pastor Dan Lemuel? Danny Boy is a demon and the whooole church is damned. Mommy thinks he’s great.” Briony positively beamed. She thought it was absolutely hilarious.
“I love sleepovers.” With a knowing smile, Briony clasped her hands in front of her, fingers entwined. Sleepovers were like the orphanage all over again. “It’s the best to get them when they’re asleep and don’t know you’re holding their hands.” A tactic that only really applied to her, but she thought it’d freak this Suzy and Matt out enough if they woke up to find the Shepherd standing over them in their sleep. Draping the jump-rope over her arm, she twirled on the ball of one foot; she knew what she was doing to her parents tonight. Pretending to have nightmares and begging to be allowed to sleep in their bed with them. She had known how to cry on command since before she’d been adopted. “Suzy sounds like a doll’s name.” It did. She was sure Airla had a doll with that name. She was also sure she had pulled its head off because it wouldn’t stop smiling. “Huh. Even if they did figure it out, there’s nothing they can do. Not like I can stop it. Don’t get scared, either.” Which meant the threat of angels just made her stick her tongue out most days. “Same… But how do you know being a grown-up wouldn’t be better if you’ve never been one?” Briony wasn’t sure she was bothered how old she looked; she just had too much fun frightening people. As long as she could still do that, it didn’t matter.