“I think he will do an excellent job,” Tim said, patting the little weirdo on the head.
Shitty Ritchie was positively elated with Tim’s vote of confidence. Although, he was far more into the part aboutoffing the Higher Power when the third of the Trinity revealed itself than the fact that he would become part of the new and improved Higher Power.
Candy Vargo turned to Gram and pre-gamed her apology. “Gram, I’m about to cuss. If I don’t, I’m gonna pull a Shitty Ritchie and knock the house down. We cool?”
“Darlin’, you go right ahead. My knickers are in such a knot right now, I feel like droppin’ a few f-bombs myself.”
Candy walked over to the fireplace, stepped up onto the hearth, and inhaled deeply. She put a few toothpicks into her mouth and was ready to roll. “Motherfucker, shit, damn, son-of-a-bitch, fuckwit, shitstain, twat, shithole, fucker, fucker, fuck, fuck, fuck!” she bellowed.
We waited for more. She didn’t disappoint. The diatribe went on for a good ten minutes. Gram floated over to Alana Catherine and put her ghostly hands over her ears. I wasn’t sure it helped, but the gesture was appreciated.
When Candy was finished, she stepped off the hearth and sat down on the couch. She petted my dogs like nothing had happened.
“You feel better?” Heather asked Candy with a grin.
“Much, corn nut,” Candy Vargo told her. “While I’m gettin’ used to using more socially acceptable language like testicles and bahookey, sometimes a girl has to do what a girl has to do. I figure that a few poop words thrown out into the world is a better option than mass destruction.”
“Few might be exaggerating a bit,” Jennifer said with a laugh. “But I think the world’s a better place with a couple of Candy Vargo f-bombs in it.”
“Thank you, butthole,” Candy said.
“Welcome, turd face,” Jennifer replied.
Gideon stood up. He pinned me with an intense gaze. “It’s time to leave. We have to get Alana Catherine and Shitty Ritchie into hiding.”
He was right, and that’s when the reality of what we were about to do hit me like a ton of bricks. I felt it physically. I was about to leave behind part of my heart. I had no clue if I’d ever see any of the people sitting in this room again. My siblings weren’t here. I couldn’t even say goodbye to Rafe, Gabe, Abby and Prue. Missy wasn’t here. She’d been my BFF since we were kids. Amelia wasn’t here. She’d become like a sister to me. The need to scream was real.
I didn’t.
My eyes scanned the room. Heather was trying to hold it together. My sister was my rock. The thought of not seeing her was painful. I realized I’d never find out who Jennifer’s pappy was. I’d never eat one of June’s peanut butter cookies again or be graced by her kindness and beautiful giggle. But… we had to go.
The life of my daughter was on the line. I would do what I had to do. Most of the people we were leaving behind were Immortal. Forever was a long time. I would see them again. But June, Jennifer, Missy and Amelia… they would be long gone from this world by the time it was safe for us to come home. My eyes filled with tears, and they rolled down my cheeks. I knew I’d be crying for a long time.
“Umm… okay,” I whispered, trying to hold it together for my baby and everyone else. “It’s time to go. Gram, will you and Mr. Jackson come with us?”
“Yes, baby, we will,” she promised. “I ain’t never leavin’ you until it’s my time to move on.”
I nodded jerkily. And that’s when I noticed Candy Vargo, the baddest of the badasses begin to cry. I knew she would miss me, Gideon, Alana Catherine and possibly even Shitty Ritchie, butGram was her world. Gram was the mother she’d never had. It was devastating to watch Candy’s heart break.
I started to hug everyone quickly. If I lingered too long, it would be harder to leave. The urgency to get going became very real now that the story had been told.
“I’m ready,” I told Gideon as I scooped Alana Catherine into my left arm and Shitty Ritchie into my right. “It’s time to go.”
The explosion in the front yard rocked the house. The shock on my face and the faces of the people I loved was terrifying. Zander sprinted to the window and swore viciously.
“Change of plans,” he ground out. “The zombies are back.”
Gideon encircled our baby, Shitty Ritchie and me in his arms, and I threw up another protection ward around Alana Catherine, then glanced at Gideon. “Can we transport out of here?”
He shook his head. “I just tried. There’s something blocking the magic.”
“It’s the Higher Power’s magic,” Shitty Ritchie hissed. “It’s got us trapped like rats on a sinking ship!”
I frowned. “We fight, then?”
Gideon nodded. “No choice.”
Crap. We’d waited too long to escape danger, and the danger had found us.
