Page 82 of Speak No Evil

Fuck, she’s the absolute best.

“Yeah, I get it.”

“Now, if you were to, I dunno, ask me if I want to take part in some righteous vengeance and maybe cause him some pain, well, I won’t say no to that.”

“Veruca!”

“What?” Her eyes widen in mock innocence. “I know, I know I usually let you do the dirty work, but I think in this case, I might really enjoy a little left-hand-path darkness.”

I tuck that away for when she’s got her stamina back.

“There’s something else,” I say.

She sighs, visibly deflating. “Babes, I don’t know how much more I can take.”

“This is good. I think.”

I take off the stretchy pants and t-shirt I threw on after the shower and, before V can ask why I’m in my birthday suit, call up my demon form.

She whistles, shaking her head with a huge grin as she looks me up and down. “You fucking did it, you badass bitch.”

“Did what?”

“You turned into the person you wanted me to show you in the bathroom mirror.”

The memory comes instantly. Veruca and I in my bathroom as she puts her glasses on me to show me I can handle my shit. I expect them to be spelled. I expect to see more than just me.

I didn’t then.

But I sure as shit do now.

“I guess you’re kinda right.”

“Kinda?”

“There are one or two other things.”

“Well, get on with it before I run out of steam.”

“I may have pulled Ryker’s and Thorne’s true forms into existence. As well as Chonk’s.”

She shakes her head. “I’m sorry, did you say Chonk? You gave the fat orange cat a true demon form. Oh, I’ve gotta fucking see this.”

So I pull him through a portal, tentacles and all.

V’s eyes bug out, and she squeals in delight. “OH! You made him aduyops!!” She makes gimmie hands at the tentacles, and I hand him over.

I don’t ask how she knows—on sight—which extinct demon realm creature Chonk is.

“I’m glad you’re feeling better, V,” Chonk says out loud.

Veruca almost jumps clear out of her skin. “He talks! And he knows my name!!”

I nod. “He knows a lot more than that.” I stink-eye him, since he still hasn’t told me his theories about why any of this happened.

Veruca scratches him right over his four eyes.

“The reality of it is rather boring, Stinky.”

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