Page 38 of Nine Inch Nasty (Hemlock Academy #9)

Delaney

“What? No! We were having a moment! We were being all sweet and sappy, and…really, goddess? This feels like the right time to go make me do shit? I’m sorry, do you want me to enjoy the mates you gave me?

Because I’ve got to tell you, you keep making us work when what we really need to be doing is strengthening these bonds. ”

Child, must you complain so loudly? Look.

I’m literally risking so much just reaching you like this, but how was I supposed to know everything would turn out the way it did, and you’d already have everything you needed?

Activating the prophecy was my failsafe, your key to a comfortable life with your mates.

I stare at my reflection in the mirror as the voice sounds in my head, ready to fucking scream. I’ve been around my mother enough to know exactly how the goddess communicates, so maybe I should be more freaked out by this, but I’m more just infuriated that I have to go do more heroic shit.

And yes, maybe I’m about to look like a crazy person, having a one-way conversation by screaming at myself in the mirror, but sometimes there’s nothing to be done about that.

“What do you mean how should you know? You’re literally the goddess!

Don’t you plan all this shit out? Come on, get it together! ”

Wil’s eyes are huge as he steps up next to me, running his hands right above my shoulders. “Sweet divine light. Is the goddess possessing you right now? I am not worthy! My dick is the least I can offer you!” and he drops to his knees and kowtows.

It’s a bit hard to control all the strings when I’m no longer fully in your realm.

I don’t have long. Look, I’ll give you a hack, okay?

You can’t tell anyone else though, or else the hack won’t work.

When you get the Nine Inch Nasty in your hand and you approach your next obstacle, all you need to do is find a way to penetrate somebody with it.

It honestly doesn’t matter who, or how, or where, or anything else.

Once the relic is deep within somebody’s body, all the chaos that’s been brought to the surface will suddenly dissipate.

You can’t use the same person twice though.

So, if another issue should arise thereafter, you’ll have to choose another sacrifice. ”

I run out of the room and lock myself into the nearest bathroom, covering my mouth to prevent myself from announcing anything that was just spoken to me internally.

Once there’s a mirror in front of me again, I’m able to communicate back. Yeah, I don’t know why I need the mirror, but I do. “You want me to do what? ”

Sweet summer child, why do you think it is called the Nine Inch Nasty?

“Because it’s a nine-inch dick!”

Dicks are hardly nasty. Also, it’s actually ten inches. The ‘Nine Inch’ name was an accident. But we don’t have time for that story right now. You need to get to the temple before it’s too late.

Hyperventilating, I bend over the vanity and let the cool countertop press against my forehead before addressing the mad goddess. “You. Want me. To bring a stone dildo into a temple? And then FUCK SOMEBODY with it?”

Hey, it could be yourself, you know. That’s always an option.

But yes. Wil’s family has created quite the stir.

The temple is likely to implode soon. They’ve been worshipping my alter ego for too long.

But she needs to be fucking destroyed because it’s making me even weaker in your realm.

Bring back the slutty goddess to the people, Delaney. This is your sacred mission.

She disappears and I literally can’t make this shit up.

Screaming helps, though.

“Delaney?”

Then it helps again.

When I’m finally ready to open the door, all 11 of my mates are standing there, and I’m pretty sure at least a few of them are thinking about committing me to an inpatient clinic, and that’s almost a more tempting offer.

Deep breath, Conduit. Remember the time your mom took you to a puppy play clinic and then kept volunteering to do stuff as a demonstration and you were forced to stay and watch all weekend?

This is going to be cake compared to that.

“We have our mission. Does anybody know where that fucking dick is?”

???

“And you’re sure this is what we’re meant to do?” Wil asks as he stares through the windshield of the passenger seat at his massive temple. “We’re supposed to…be here ?”

“Time to fight some hooved blessed. Fuck. What is my life? Okay, everybody out. I have no idea what’s about to go down, but it might get weird. If I…act…out of character…just know there’s a reason. Okay? Okay.”

“You sure you want to go in there, Delaney? Your dress is…a bit short for temple protocol.”

Adam side eyes Wil, waiting for him to understand something vital. He’s too dialed into his trauma right now though. “She’s the voice of the goddess now, Wil. Pretty sure she can wear whatever she wants into any temple she chooses.”

Wil swallows loudly, tucking his hands under his arms as he rocks back and forth. Poor guy, this place has clearly messed him up a bit. That gives me the va va voom to head in.

I don't think I've ever actually stepped into a church like this. I feel like it's designed to give you an inferiority complex. From the statues of the goddess out front that are literally looking down at you, to the massive columns when you enter, and the tall ceilings that make you feel tiny, to the cold, sterile walls and floors, I’m on edge the second I’m inside those obscenely ornate doors.

It's not warm, and it's clear you're not supposed to actually feel comfortable here.

Everybody inside the building is more or less focused on what's happening up at the front of the temple on the stage, where I immediately clock Wil’s parents off to the side as a wrinkly old man preaches to everybody in attendance.

The church must sit 1000 people, and even in the middle of the day, it's at least half full, and everybody is clapping and nodding along to all the crazy things he's spewing at them. He’s talking about how today's conduits are not yesterday's conduits, how this generation has no respect, how they’ll be the downfall of our society, and how it's up to the elders to keep their children in line.

I almost hate that we had to bring Wil here, because everything about him screams submission already.

His shoulders are hunched, his head is down, and he's trying to blend in with us. Lucky for me, I have perceptive mates. Wil isn’t here alone; he's got the support of his new family with him.

And none of us are going to berate him or tell him he's not worthy or that he's doing everything wrong.

As soon as the doors close behind all of us, the pastor’s words become clear.

Though I wish they didn’t because they’re kind of sucky words.

“And so, a call to action. If we want to correct our society, we need to cut out the disease from the roots.

It's not enough anymore for us to simply talk to people about all the ways our goddess can improve their lives, we need to bring more people in here, need to spread our message.

“I know a lot of you have children or know of people that attend that sinful academy.

In years past, it's been a beacon of light for members of our church.

But from the reports I'm hearing from Mr. and Mrs. Murdock, they're allowing these young conduits to run wild.

They're not being held accountable, and they are tarnishing wholesome members of the goddess’ congregation.

“So, we will be meeting for a demonstration, immediately following the service. Somebody must be made an example of. It brings me no joy to inform you all that Mr. and Mrs. Murdock's own son will be the one to provide that. He has fallen to the wayside, and I fear his soul is nearly beyond saving.

“It is critical that we show up en masse, and make these people see reason. Because if we can't do it,—”

Yikes.

Well, he's seen me at least. I feel dramatically skanky in my outfit, nervously clutching the messenger bag I tucked my stone dick into. I still have no idea how it’s going to come into play, but I guess I need to put my trust in the goddess.

There are gasps and whispers as I walk down the center aisle toward the pulpit, my mates all behind me. I try to smile at the members seated politely and wave, because I know that the goddess still loves them all even if they're a bit confused.

“I think I can take it from here, Sir.”

His face, if possible, turns even redder. “You most certainly will not! What is the meaning of all this?”

Wil’s parents, well, his mother more than anything, are pointing at us, ready to burst. “That's her! That's the one! The one that ruined my son! Ruined him and then refused to make him honest.”

“Mom—”

“No! You will not talk back to me here. This is my church. My home. I will get respect here, if nowhere else.”

“Well, I was about to start my spiel off with, ‘with all due respect,’ but clearly you don't hold any for us, so I'm not sure why I should hold any for you. I've been sent here on a mission by the goddess herself.”

“Heresy! She knows not what she says! The goddess would never use a woman like this to spread her message!” Wil's mother starts stepping toward me, and I'm kind of rooting for her to trip on the steps, but unfortunately, karma must be booked elsewhere.

If I could make the goddess possess me on demand, now would be a great time for that to happen. That's not going to happen though, because I'm pretty sure just speaking through me earlier wiped out the power she had built up in this realm.

I ignore the enraged people at the pulpit and focus my attention among the congregation.

They're the people that really need this message the most. The people that are potentially more easily influenced by bad ideas.

“If I don't look familiar to you, it's because I've always tried to avoid the media.

You'll know my mother though. Queen Gabriella.”