Jesus surprised me the most. He came as a woman. Yup, a woman. And instead of going plain, he selected a body that would have been right at home between the pages of a naughtymagazine and a face that would have made her a star. Him. Them. Whatever. Honey-brown hair cascaded down to his tiny waist in luscious curls, and his hips flared out to swing with every step. He sashayed over to my group and flung a lock over his slim shoulder.
“Pan, please stop lusting after my brother,” Azrael said.
Pan cleared his throat and, in a deep voice, asked, “You seriously think that I can look at that and think pure thoughts?”
“Why thank you, sugar,” Jesus drawled in a Southern accent.
Pan's big body swayed like an oak about to fall.
Azrael ignored him to ask Jesus, “Did you bring Abaddon?”
“Oh, you mean my date?” Jesus waved at the space beside him.
The empty space.
“Donnie?” Jesus called. Then, “Donnie!”
Abaddon trudged over looking as if he belonged in the South as well. The old South. He had on a seersucker suit to go with his lanky body, lanky blond hair, and lanky expression. Okay, his expression wasn't lanky, but it was very hound dog. Someone didn't want to be there.
“Ah, there you are, sugar,” Jesus said as he took Abaddon's arm. “Don't wander off like that.”
“I will not forget this,” Abaddon muttered. “Or forgive.”
Jesus giggled.
“I'll be happy to step in for you,” Pan said.
“That's still the J-man under there,” I whispered.
“Call me shallow.” Pan shrugged.
“Shallow!” Jesus smacked Pan's chest.
“I can't watch this,” I said. “I'm going to get a drink.”
There was an open bar, manned by one of the Froekn. I headed over to it and along the way, a little Chinese man joined me. I sniffed, then cocked my head. “Anubis?”
“Hello, Vervain.”
“Hi there.” I reached the bar and ordered a white wine.
“I'll have a whiskey sour,” Anubis said.
The Froekn man nodded and whipped up our drinks.
Meanwhile, Anubis asked, “Have all the guests arrived?”
I looked around the room. “I think so. What time is it?”
Anubis peered at his watch. “Ten till eight.”
“Dinner starts at eight so I'm sure everyone's here.”
“Everyone?”
I met his stare. “Well, there may be a couple of stragglers.”
“Ah.” He scanned the room. “I'm looking forward to dinner. Especially the main course.” He picked up his glass, nodded to me, and walked away.
