Page 18 of The Party

The Archangel Michael was even more fearsome in the flesh than she had imagined he would be.

A large shadow blocked the opening. The helldragon Vannog crouched beside Michael and squinted at the room.

“Was that Vozgan?”

The purple helldragon stuck his neck through a rear window, Gertrude roosting on his head.

“That wasn’t me, dad,” he said cheerfully. “It was Artemus and Lily’s kid.”

“Oh.” Vannog studied the little girl warily, his giant pupils dilating and contracting. “That power felt akin to that of a truly powerful helldragon.”

“No kidding,” Drake said, still shell-shocked.

“Well, at least we know where to find a human flamethrower if we ever need one,” Serena muttered.

Artemus scowled at the super soldier. Lily sighed.

Alice giggled.

Artemus’s gaze switched from his daughter to Michael.

“Do you know anything about this?” he said suspiciously.

Michael flinched. He recovered and bestowed a beatific smile upon the room.

“Heaven moves in mysterious ways,” he stated wisely, carefully avoiding Artemus’s eyes.

Artemus pondered this for all of five seconds.

“Lily, cover Alice’s eyes for a minute,” he snarled. “I need to go over there and kick her grandfather’s ass!”

---