“Yes.”
“All of them.”
“Yes.”
“But they don’t have their powers. Someone stole them?”
“Yes.”
He paused for ten heartbeats. I knew because I counted them.
“All right. Where do we need to go?”
“The casino.”
“The casino. This is...okay, I can go with it. When?”
“Today. We have to be there today. I know you don’t believe me. Just...don’t think I’m crazy.”
“Why would I think you’re crazy? We’re just going to go get the stolen god powers being held hostage by a god. At a casino. Do I have that right?”
He was so close I could see the lines at the edges of his eyes, smell his cologne, deep and a little sweet, and something that would always remind me of him. So close, I could see the freckles under the tan of his forehead and nose, could smell the coffee and sugar donuts on his breath.
I wanted him to kiss me. I thought he might want to kiss me too.
“Yes?” I said.
“What about all the gods in your living room?”
I swallowed and the tension drained away. He might not believe me, or maybe he did. But he was going to go with me. To see Mithra. So we could bring the powers back to Ordinary where they belonged.
“I’ve got it under control,” I said.
~~~
I didn’t have it under control.
“You know who took the powers?” Aaron asked again. “And you’re not going to tell us? They areourpowers. You understand that, don’t you, Delaney? Those powers belong tous.” He waved in a circle to include all the gods. He included the vampire too, but I didn’t point that out to him.
“You promised you’d get them back. You also promised they’d be safe.”
I was beginning to think Aaron was being a jerk to start a fight.
Oh, right. Aaron was always looking to start a fight.
“Don’t be an ass,” Jean said. “We had nothing to do with the powers being stolen. Pick on Crow.”
“Hey!” Crow yelped. All eyes in the room turned to him.
I felt the tension build.
Nope. There was not going to be a brawl in my living room.
“I know where the powers are and I’m going to get them back right now.”
“Great!” Crow said too quickly. “I’ll come with you.”
“No. You stay here with Myra and Jean. I don’t want you to screw this up.”
