“I already told you. Asmodeus. You can call me Deus, though.”
“Do you have a last name?”
“Uh… yeah, probably. Landon, what’s your last name? I’ll just take that. Asmodeus Death Riverstonson.”
“That’s… I don’t know whose last name that is but it’s not mine,” Landon says.
Asmodeus simply shrugs.
“Mother, enough,” I say. “I’m not going to follow in your footsteps, no matter how much you think I should. It’s not going to happen. Thank you for… coming.”
She stares at me for a moment and then at my balloon. “We will have words.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
She heads toward the door with a huff before pausing in the doorframe and looking back at me. “How are you?”
I hesitate, rather caught off guard by this question. “I… uh… I’m fine.”
She gives me a nod and with that, she’s gone.
“Wow, Ellison, I see where you got that stick up your ass. It’s from your mother,” Asmodeus says.
“Thanks,” I retort with much sarcasm.
“You’re welcome.”
I can’t help but wonder why he thinks I’m honestly thanking him. “I have one more duty for you.”
“Of course.”
I hand him the ferret. “Get rid of this thing.”
“No, he’ll eat it!” Landon says.
“I will not…” Asmodeus trails off. “It does look delectable. Like a bratwurst.”
“Find it a new home.”
“Just not in your stomach,” Landon begs.
CHAPTER EIGHT
DEUS
“Deus, my dear demonic worshiper,” Landon calls as I head out with the feisty ferret in my hands.
“Yeah?”
“We need you to watch Ellison. We don’t want him to be alone, so we’re going to need someone in his house with him when he gets released tomorrow. Can you stay with him? August and I… have… very important things that must be done.”
“For the low, low price of a hundred and twenty-five per hour.”
Landon’s face immediately sours. “You want to be paid moreper hourto just sit around Ellison’shousethan it would have cost for you tomurder me?”
“That would be correct.”
Landon growls and I feel like if he had more energy than a sloth, he’d try to strangle me or at the very least punch me, but instead, he just scowls like I’ve insisted on his firstborn, which I haven’t… yet. “I should be worth like a million dollars and sixty-nine cents. Not a hundred!”
