Page 26 of Another Underworld

Her grin eclipsed mine. “Yes, can do, Bitch,” she shot back, still coming at me. “I’d find it amusing to make you lose your mind.”

“Fine,” I said, happily giving up. “You want a hug? Then you’re going to get a hug.”

All of a sudden, the Goddess didn’t look as sure of herself. She’d just opened a can of worms that she had no clue how to handle. Pandora tried to back up, but I was determined. Just as she was about to slip away, I grabbed her and hugged the bejeezus out of her. Her slim frame went as stiff as a board as she tried to weasel her way out of the show of affection. She sputtered indignantly and let loose with a bunch of four-letter words.

Too bad, so sad. She started it. I was going to finish it.

As I held the horrified woman tight, I wiggled my fingers and dropped the protection ward around my people. They quickly formed a large circle around us and watched in abject shock and confusion as the two Goddesses of the Darkness showed each other affection. It wasn’t clear from the outside that Pandora was trying to leave my embrace. That was good because whether she wanted to admit it or not, this was a step in regaining the trust of our people.

“Well, would ya look at that?” Cher squealed as she and Abaddon flew in and landed next to us. “It’s a dang lovefest.”

Cher was still boobs to the wind, but it was somehow appropriate. Abaddon removed his shirt and handed it to Cher.She tossed it on the ground and laughed. He just shook his head in amusement and put it back on. Fifi joined Cher and Abaddon. It was awesome that the Succubus was no longer a hulking, six-foot monster with razor-sharp fangs. She was back to her stunning, grenade-loving self.

“No, it’s not a lovefest!” Pandora grunted, finally breaking the embrace.

“I’d beg to differ,” I said smugly. “It was definitely a lovefest.”

She rolled her eyes and smirked. “Silly Bitch.”

“Stinky Whore,” I clapped back. Turning away from her, I addressed my broken and battered people. “You are free,” I announced. “You’re free because of your loyalty to me. You’re alive because of Pandora’s plan and bravery.”

The murmurs in the crowd were those of disbelief, expressions of surprise plastered on their gaunt faces. One by one, they dropped to their knees. The show of respect was for me… and a little bit for Pandora. She had defended them at my side. We’d both fought hard and won their freedom. Still, the display of respect moved her. Pandora stood silently, her face drained of color, and her remaining hand trembling so much that she shoved it into her pocket.

I swiped across the air and commanded their attention. “Yes, it’s hard to believe. I have to remind myself to believe it. However, the truth cannot and will not be denied.” I paused and let my eyes rove over the Demons. “I could not have done this alone. You would have perished and I might have been a casualty as well. The Darkness needs two Goddesses to survive. Without Goddess Pandora and myself, the end will come.”

“I will not show loyalty to Pandora,” a Demon in the front said with force. “My loyalty is to you, Bitch Goddess Cecily.”

I nodded and smiled. “Thank you. I’m not asking you to be loyal to Pandora. I’m asking you to accept her as the other half of me. This job is too big for one Goddess.”

“She is evil,” one of the women who’d been lashed cried out.

Pandora stood as still as the large-genitaled joke of a statue in the middle of the camp. I waited to see if she would speak. She didn’t.

“Love the sinner, not the sin. After millions of years,” I began.

“Trillions,” Cher corrected me.

“My bad,” I conceded. “After trillions of years, Pandora has been given the gift of hope. Her life has been one of tragedy and pain.”

“And evil,” another Demon called out again.

“Yes,” I agreed. There was no way of denying or sugarcoating Pandora’s past. “And evil, but that’s the beauty of hope. According to Martin Luther King Jr., who was a lot smarter than me, we must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”

Pandora chimed in. “Umm… I’d have to argue my past is far more colorfully heinous than simply finite disappointment.”

“Not helping,” I muttered quietly. She shrugged. Even so, I couldn’t deny her statement. “Fine point, well made,” I conceded loud enough for all the Demons to hear. “Try this one on for size then… learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning.”

“Did you make that up?” Pandora asked.

“No. I wish I had, but those were the wise words of Albert Einstein. Again, smarter than me,” I told her. “Bottom line is this.” I took in everyone with my gaze. “We have a problem—a rather large one that could bring on Armageddon if we don’t solve it. There’s a false God playing with fire in the Darkness. He has imprisoned you, and if he isn’t stopped, the end will come awhole lot sooner than expected, both in the Darkness and all the other realms.”

“Question,” Cher said, addressing the crowd. “Is the fake God’s junk as big as the statue depicts? Cause, I mean, come on… that wanker is absurd.”

“Men and their dicks,” Pandora said, holding her index fingers two inches apart. She arched a brow. “Am I right?”

The laughter erupted immediately. Even Pandora smiled. My Angel agent was brilliant in so many ways, and I was glad Pandora jumped in on the moment. It was good to laugh before battle and an even better one to laugh when the deed was done.

The deed wasn’t completely done, and a lot of distrust of Pandora remained, but we’d taken the first step, and we’d lived to tell.

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