Page 21 of Generally Hospitable
“For the love of everything fuckin’ inappropriate—pun totally fuckin’ intended,” Candy Vargo shouted from the living room. “I’d tell you horny fuckers to get a room, but it sounds like you already have one.”
“We’re not banging,” I shouted back.
“Could have fooled everyone in California,” she replied with a cackle.
I ignored her. Abaddon was so consumed with the life-changing news, I wasn’t sure he’d even heard Candy Vargo.
“Cecily,” he shouted, jumping to his feet, scooping me up, then gently placing me on the bed like I was fine China. It made me laugh. His frantic movement as he paced the room was dizzying.
“Do you need food?” he asked, unsure what to do. “Pickles? Ice cream? Pizza or maybe sauerkraut with peanut butter?”
“Sauerkraut with peanut butter?” I asked, wrinkling my nose in disgust. “Why would I want that?”
“I don’t know,” he said in his outdoor voice, clearly freaking out, but definitely happy about the new and wonderful life that we’d created together. “I know nothing about pregnancy or babies. I’ve heard that pregnant woman eats unusual combinations of food and can have hormonal rages that include knife throwing and the occasional castration of the offending partner.”
“Oooookay,” I said, trying not to laugh. I failed. “Where are you getting this information?”
He shook his head, wearing a path in the floor as he walked back and forth in front of me. “I don’t know.”
I laughed as I got off the bed and grabbed his hand to stop the pacing. “I’m not hungry right now.”
His gaze met mine. “Are you sure?” he asked, doubting my sincerity.
“Positive. I’m good. I’m thrilled and just a little bit scared.”
He nodded. “Okay, that’s good. I’m terrified.”
I giggled. “And that’s good too. Means we care. People have been having babies since the beginning of time. We can do this.”
“You’re right,” he agreed, still a bit panicked. “We’ve got this. I say we go to an undisclosed location and wait it out until the baby is born. We can have security and any kind of food you want brought in. I’d like to suggest that we don’t keep any knives on the premises. Although, if you want knives, that’s fine. If you castrate me, it’ll grow back. One of the perks of being an Immortal Demon.”
Of all the ways I’d imagined Abaddon behaving, this wasn’t one of them. The Demon was losing his mind… and shockingly fine with losing his junk.
“Not happening, dude,” I said, cupping his cheek in my hand. “No safe house. No castration. No knives. I have a job. You have a job. If I don’t do my job there will be no world left to bring our daughter into. You feel me?”
“Daughter?” he asked with a delighted smile as he touched my stomach.
“Daughter,” I confirmed, placing my hand over his.
His expression went from serene to concerned. “Does Pandora know?” he demanded. His eyes began to sparks and the pacing ramped up again.
He was having the very same thoughts I’d had. A female child being borne of a Goddess was automatically a Goddess. My existence had infuriated Pandora to the point she’d committed the ultimate sin of killing another Goddess. She’d been enraged that Lilith would have the upper hand in the Darkness with me on her side. Granted, she’d been aiming for me to die and not my mother, but either way the end result was the same. AGoddess was not permitted to end the life of another Goddess. Period.
“Stop,” I said firmly. “Listen to me.”
Abaddon reluctantly sat back down on the edge of the bed.
“Pandora was the one who told me I was pregnant. She offered herself up to the false God so I could escape. She knew that the balance wouldn’t be broken since I carry a Goddess inside me. There would still be two Goddess even if she didn’t make it out alive. She sacrificed herself for me.” I paused and closed my eyes. If I thought too hard about what she might be going through at this exact moment in time, I’d lose it. She would be pissed. She’d given me the greatest gift that could be given. If I screwed it up, she’d haunt me for the rest of time. “Pandora, gave me her magic. She’s trapped in there with nothing.”
“She what?” Abaddon asked. He was having a hard time believing me.
Hell, if I hadn’t been there, I’d have a hard time believing me. This wasn’t the behavior of the Pandora people had known for millions of years.
“Gave me her magic,” I repeated. “I didn’t know she was doing it until it was done.”
We both stared at each other in silence for a long moment.
“What happens when there are three Goddesses alive?” Abaddon questioned. “What are the chances that Pandora will go after our daughter?”
