Page 13 of Generally Hospitable (Good To The Last Demon #7)
CHAPTER EIGHT
Lilith’s serene focus immediately calmed me. Seated on the couch next to my mom felt right. She sat with her knees turned toward mine, facing me, as she took both of my hands in hers. “Talk to me, Cecily.”
I nodded and let the entire story fall from my lips. It took a good thirty minutes. I left nothing out. I spoke quickly and clearly. No one interrupted. When I’d finished, it felt like I’d run a marathon. Listening to myself tell the story out loud made my resolve even harder than it already was.
I wasn’t sure if Fifi had told her anything before the conversation, but I was certain my mom would have handled it the same way regardless. She was the calm in all storms. I wanted to be like her.
“Decatalian is not that powerful,” Lilith finally said after she’d taken a few moments to absorb the tale.
” She nodded reassuringly. “He never was and never could be. It’s no surprise that he was clueless about death magic.
Even if he’d been taught how to create the spell, he’s too simple-minded to apply it.
” She shook her head as she dismissed the idea as absurd.
“To do what he’s doing, he has to have a very powerful benefactor.
I know you feel strongly that it’s the Higher Power, but have you searched for any other potential enemies? ”
I shook my head. “No,” I conceded. “Hasn’t been a whole lot of time, and I’m going with my gut.
The Higher Power makes the most sense. It’s the only thing powerful enough to destroy Immortals.
Besides, It’s got a bug up Its butt about me, and I’m sure It isn’t going just let it go.
It had set me up to be drained of my magic then killed by Chub Chub Wang’s lackies… I mean Decatalian’s lackies.”
Lilith squeezed my hands. “Chub Chub Wang is far more appropriate for a dreadful person like him.”
“Right,” I said with a small smile. Point for my people in the nickname department.
They’d nailed it. “So, that’s why I believe it leads back to the Higher Power.
Pandora sacrificed herself for me. That’s why I’m here and she’s there.
I think that the punishment was meant for me, but she’s willingly paying the price. ”
“You know,” Candy Vargo said, picking her teeth. “I ain’t so clear on why that old broad sacrificed herself for you. Don’t make no fuckin’ sense to me. Any way you slice that shit log up, it’s gonna end in Armageddon. Without two Goddesses, we’re screwed.”
Abaddon looked pointedly at me. It was early, but definitely time to share the news. “I’m pregnant with a girl,” I said. Every mouth in the room except Abaddon’s hung open. “Pandora is the one who told me. She knew if she died, the balance would remain intact since I carry a Goddess inside me.”
“Welp, slap my ass and call me Mother Fucker,” Candy said, followed by a long loud whistle. “If that old cow makes it out alive, she’s done her probation time. Ain’t no way to deny she was willin’ to give up her life to make up for the life she took.”
Lilith had tears in her eyes. They were happy tears. “May I?” she asked, pointing to my stomach.
“You may,” I replied, guiding her hand to my still flat stomach. Without consulting Abaddon, I made a decision with my heart that left my mouth before my brain could tell me to cross-reference it before announcing it. “I want to name her after you, Mom.”
Lilith’s laugh reminded me of tinkling bells on a light summer breeze.
It was every kind of lovely. If my daughter had even a small amount of my mother’s qualities, she would turn out just fine.
I spared a quick glance at Abaddon. I’d just made a decision single-handedly that should have been reserved for both of us.
I still would have wanted to name her after my mother, but it would have been better if I’d checked it out first.
“You can pick the middle name,” I told him, as my way of apologizing.
“I’m good.” He smiled, then gave me a wink and a thumbs-up. “It’s perfect.”
My relief that he liked it and wasn’t upset with me was real. Thankfully, I hadn’t created another clusterfuck. We had too many of those going right now for me to whip up one more.
“I think straddling her with Lilith is a bit much,” my mom said with a grin. “Maybe something like Lily would be more fitting.”
“Lily,” I said aloud, trying out the name.
Abaddon followed my lead and gave it a shot. “Lily,” he said then repeated it. “I love it.”
“Me too,” I said, looking down at my tummy. “Your name is Lily. What do you think about that?”
“If she answers you, I’ll shit a brick,” Cher announced. “I’m only buzzed right now, but a talking embryo might send me over the edge.”
“Lily did not answer,” I promised. “You’re fine.”
Cher grinned and popped open another bottle of peach. She was well on her way to being soused.
“Getting back to the matter at hand,” Lilith said, with her hand still touching my stomach. “Do you think the Higher Power is aware that you’re pregnant?”
“No. I don’t,” I said. “And that’s what throws a wrench into her shitshow. Why would It arrange the death of one of the Goddesses of the Darkness, knowing that it would bring on the end?”
My statement hit Candy Vargo hard. She leaned forward and listened intently.
It seemed as if she had something to say, but if she did, she was holding it close to her chest. The cryptic shit was at work again.
Immortals were a complicated bunch. Dagon and Shiva had not spoken much, but it was clear they were keeping watch for danger.
Their eyes strayed constantly to the street outside the bay window.
Our area was magically warded for safety, but two extra sets of eyes were always welcome.
“May I be so bold as to speak, my liege Bitch Goddess Cecily?” Fifi asked, bowing low while wielding a gnarly-looking sword in one hand and a grenade in the other.
“Absolutely,” I told her.
She laid her sword and grenade down on the coffee table.
I was pretty sure it was a show of respect, but I kept half an eye on the grenade.
I really didn’t want it to roll off the table and go off.
That would suck hard. I loved my little house and losing any body parts was out of the question.
They would grow back but I didn’t have time for that crap.
Not to mention, Lilith was now human. She wouldn’t live through an explosion.
Abaddon read my mind, or, more possibly, my face. He casually walked over to the table, picked up the grenade and put it into his pocket. I smiled my thanks and got a sexy lopsided smile in return.
Fifi cleared her throat and took the floor. “Is it possible that the Higher Power is playing a game of control with you and Pandora?”
“Keep going,” I said.
“It might very well be that It has no intention of killing Pandora. It’s messing with both of you for the perceived disrespect It was shown.”
“What’s the end game?” I pressed. Fifi was making sense, but only to a point.
Both Pandora and I had thought that we were possibly being tested by the Higher Power, but we hadn’t come up with a motive.
I still didn’t have a motive. “Many of my people died because of the false God. I believe that’s her doing and it’s fucked. I just can’t see the end game in this.”
“That I’m unsure of, my liege,” Fifi said. “I’m sorry.”
“Nope,” I shot back immediately. “Nothing to be sorry for. It’s an interesting theory and could have some merit. Thank you, my friend.”
Fifi preened under my compliment and bowed so low her forehead touched the floor. The thought that Phyllis was just messing with us and had no intention of ending Pandora gave me a bit of relief. However, the Higher Power didn’t have Pandora. Chub Chub Wang did.
“How much freedom would anyone guess that the Higher Power could have given Chub Chub Wang?” I asked.
“I would think It would keep Chub Chub Wang on a tight rope,” Lilith said, thinking it all out as she spoke.
“The Demon is not smart. He had, and I assume still has, very little impulse control. Although, he seems to love women, he despises them as well. If Pandora has no power and is left to Chub Chub Wang’s devices, there is a chance that she could die by his hand without the permission of the Higher Power. ”
The modicum of relief I felt only moments earlier turned sour in my stomach. Nothing, and I meant nothing, was going the way I hoped. I felt like I had most of the pieces of the puzzle, but a few of the most important ones were still missing.
“Hey,” Cher said, pointing at her long-time BFF Candy Vargo. “I can tell your ass is just itching to speak. You best let it out or I’m gonna have to come over there and beat it out of you.”
Candy’s brows raised. “Like you could, old lady.”
Cher laughed. “Maybe not, but I most certainly could hold you down and do your makeup. Gussy up your messy self a little.”
Candy was appalled. Cher was serious, and she was seriously bad at makeup.
She didn’t carry a mirror in her bottomless bag and often used eyeliner on her lips and vice versa.
As she spoke, her lips were lined in navy and her eyes were lined in orange and bright red, a prime example. It made her look diseased.
“You wouldn’t,” Candy said, refuting Cher’s threat. “If you try any of that shit, I’ll sneak into your house and replace all them wine coolers with alcohol free ones… for the next fifty years.”
Cher threw her hands up in surrender and laughed. “You win, you old bat.”
Candy Vargo just grunted and flipped her buddy an affectionate middle finger.
However, I agreed with Cher. If Candy had something to say, I needed her to say it.
“Candy Vargo,” I said, giving her the eyeball.
“Badass,” she replied, giving it right back.
“You have anything to add to this conversation?”
She shrugged, picked her ear with the toothpick that had formerly been in her mouth then stood up. “Actually, I do.”
We waited. And waited. Then waited a little more.