Page 16 of Chaos
“Of course. I even wrote some plays in my day. I had an entire troupe of actors that lived in my estate. It was great fun to invite everyone for a performance on my property.”
“Okay, so television and movies are like theatre, but if you liked the performance, you could watch it exactly how you loved it repeatedly down to every detail. Special effects have come a long way, as well.”
I felt my entire body light up. When I had a vessel before, there was nothing I enjoyed more than reading and live theatre when I wasn’t off causing trouble. And my witch just invited me to watch a show with her. It was a start.
She was right about a few things. She didn’t know me. She had every single right to tell me no, even if I didn’t understand why. From what I’d seen of men in this century, I was a catch, even if I wasn’t a god. I didn’t know her either, or that was something I needed to do. I could see every possibility of a future with us together, and it was going to be glorious.
I needed to stop looking at the possibilities and focus on the present. I needed to learn every little thing about my witch. I knew she loved and cared for this library with the passion of some religious zealots I used to know. I knew she cared for that stupid cat a lot.
I needed to learn everything about her because in every possibility I saw about our future, war was coming, and I needed to protect her.
Chapter 15
Ripley
M
y living quarters took up the entire top floor of the Library of the Profane. Technically, I could have turned one of the other rooms on my floor into a bedroom, but I only chose two. It was way more space than one librarian could need, and they told me I could do whatever I wanted to that floor while I was the librarian.
The librarian before me was dull and had horrible taste in wallpaper. It was all shades of pink and very flowery. I ripped it all down and painted the walls black or purple. Most of the rooms I’d turned into playrooms. I set one aside for my bedroom and another for a guest room when my twin sister needed to come to the Library to research something for the Museum of the Profane where she worked.
Chaos might not know it, but Felix knew damned well there were plenty of rooms on my floor to make a bedroom for him, but I still wanted him in my bedroom with me. He hadn’t said a fucking thing about it either.
I led Chaos to my television room. I had a giant movie screen in here to watch things on. The library paid exceptionally well, as it should, considering I almost died for this job. I had one of those massive sectionals brought in to sprawl out and watch my big screen. There was plenty of room for the three of us, even if Chaos was massive.
I found out I had a total hard-on for British television and movies after Felix demanded to watch some. A new Doctor Who episode was always a significant event in my apartment, and now Felix could enjoy my junk food buffet instead of eating a can of tuna while we watched.
I hopped on the sectional and patted the empty spot next to me for Chaos to join us. Felix had chips and salsa in his lap and was going to town.
“This is so much better than tuna,” he moaned. “I’m never eating canned tuna ever again.”
Chaos reached for the Oreos I bought him.
“Why would anyone do that to tuna? Oh! I think this is the best flavor yet.”
Chaos and his Oreos. It was just so weird that he was so into them, but I fully intended on corrupting him in the ways of modern junk food. I grabbed the Cheetos and stuck them in his lap.
“Try those and tell me they aren’t amazing.”
Felix reached over and grabbed a handful.
“Those weren’t around the last time I was alive. I had to watch you eat all this food and rave about it, but you refused to let me have anything except tuna when we were in here watching things. Some of it smelled amazing, and some of it looked foul. Ripley, can you get me fish and chips now that I’m not stuck as a cat?”
“I can,” Chaos said. “I can get some for all of us. Where should I go?”
“A chippy in London, but we don’t have the time for that. The episode is starting soon.”
Chaos just chuckled.
“Maybeyoudon’t have the time. I’m a god.”
Chaos just snapped his fingers, and all three of us had a basket of fish and chips in our laps. He could be seriously useful, and I loved that he got this for Felix just because he wanted it. I didn’t think he just did it because Chaos wanted to try it either. He was trying with Felix because Felix meant a lot to me.
“Oh, my Lilith. It’s covered in vinegar, and he even got a saveloy,” Felix moaned.
Chaos was already halfway finished with his.
“The cat has good taste in food.”
