Page 25 of Generally Hospitable
“Right,” she said. “So given that hypothetical situation, do you think that the fucker in charge has anything to lose?”
No one said a word. The answer was awful. No one wanted to say it out loud to give it more power.
Candy didn’t care. “If someone had nothing to lose, and was going to lose everything it held dear… what do you think that fuckin’ fucker might do?”
“Take the whole universe down with It,” I whispered as the bile rose in my throat.
“Bingo, mother fucker,” Candy Vargo said. “Pandora might already be a goner. Trust me on this, you’re next. If the Higher Power has Its way, it will end the world before Its power is taken away. I’d suggest you get back to the Darkness and kick some ass, badass.”
“Hang on,” I said, eyeing Candy warily. My mind raced. I felt chilled and overheated all at once. I didn’t know if that was from being pregnant or from the horrifying truths that had just been laid out. “Are you saying…”
“Make all your fuckin’ questions hypothetical,” Candy instructed.
“Fine. I can do that. Hypothetically speaking, are you possibly saying that if the person who may or may not be the Higher Power were to be snuffed out that would not pose an issue since there may or may not—with the stress on themaypart—hypothetically speaking, of course… a triad of Immortals already alive to possibly take over the job?”
Candy looked at me with pride in her eyes. I loved her and she loved me. “I ain’t sayin’ shit,” she said with a chuckle. “But… hypothetically fuckin’ speaking… the world probably won’t end with one less piece of shit in it.”
I smiled at her. She smiled back and tossed me a box of toothpicks.
“You are the badass,” she said. “Go be the fucking badass.”
She didn’t have to ask twice.
CHAPTER NINE
The transportback to the Darkness had been no less painful than the one we’d taken to Earth. That was irrelevant. No pain, no gain. We had too much to lose to worry about personal comfort. It was just Abaddon and me who returned. Cher and Fifi had stayed back. Fifi had protested, of course, but I’d stood firm. This was boiling down to a Demon issue. I didn’t want an Angel and a Succubus who meant the world to me to go down in the fight.
We materialized in the tree line where my people kept watch on the castle. Tiny, Irma, Jonny, Corny, Stella and Moon reported in immediately. No one had tried to enter the castle, and no one had tried to leave. Gathering them close, I put it all on the table. I needed my generals to be with me so the army would follow.
“Let me speak first,” I said. “Questions after.”
They nodded and waited.
“This is far bigger than we originally thought. Chub Chub Wang is just a cog in the wheel. Granted, he’s dangerous, but he’s not the mastermind. He’s not behind the death magic. He’s not that powerful. The Higher Power is behind all of it.” The look of shock on their faces was not a surprise. I’d reacted thesame way. “There’s a triad of Immortals who are destined to take the Higher Power’s place. They’re alive now and ready. We believe It knows this and has nothing left to lose. And if we don’t stop It, everyone and everything is going down—I’m talking the entire universe, not just the Darkness. Someone with nothing to lose or live for is about as dangerous as a being can get. If the Higher Power can successfully take out both Goddesses of the Darkness, the end will come.” I looked around at their familiar faces, then nodded.
“Okay. Ask me questions.”
“Is the Higher Power in the castle?” Irma asked.
“I don’t know,” I replied. “However, if we take Chub Chub out, I believe there’s a fine chance It will show Its ass.”
“Roger that,” Irma said.
“Do we know if there are more guards in the castle?” Tiny asked, doing his very best to keep his shit together.
“I don’t know,” I told him.
“However,” Jonny chimed in. “We do.”
I could have kissed the dummy. I’d forgotten he’d said they’d been spying inside the castle before they’d revealed themselves to me in the throne room.
“Out with it,” Abaddon told him.
Jonny was all over it. “Tell me approximately how many guards were taken down outside of the castle?”
“Eight hundred,” Tiny answered.
Corny chimed in. “There were twelve that Cecily had sucked into the abyss of the Netherworld, so that means Chub Chub is down eight hundred and twelve soldiers.”
