It was.
“Craziest fuckin’ thing,” Candy said, looking a little shell shocked. “I was yackin’ with Alana Catherine about if gauchoswere in style or not and all of a sudden, she turned into a dang baby. I caught our little gal before she hit the ground. Scared the crap out of me!”
Everyone had gathered around. The mood had gone from joyous to confused. No one was sure what to do.
“It’s fine,” I announced, willing it to be true. “This is actually Alana Catherine’s true age. She’s a baby. All’s good.” I looked at Gideon. “It’s good right?”
He nodded and cuddled her close. “It’s good,” he said with more confidence that I was sure he was feeling. “She grew up fast because she had to. Now, everything is how it should be and she has the chance to live her life in the way it was supposed to be lived.”
My knees almost bucked in relief. He made so much sense it brought tears to my eyes.
“All good,” I yelled to everyone. “It’s all fine.”
“If it’s all good, why does Shitty Ritchie see the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?” he asked with wide eyes.
“Fuck,” I said, trying not to freak out.
I loved the drag queens. They loved me. Dirk, Fred, Wally and Carl were my friends. They’d probably heard about the true Higher Power and were here to check it out. That was it. That had to be it.
They rode up on their gorgeous steeds. Everyone backed up to give them room.
Carl was in front on a white horse—representing Conquest. Dirk came next on an ashen pale green horse—representing Death. Fred followed on a black horse—representing Famine. And bringing up the rear was Wally. Wally rode a red horse and represented War.
None of the boys were in drag. It was all kinds of wrong. No dresses, no false eyelashes, no makeup, no wigs. It made me feel ill.
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse wasted no time.
“Alana Catherine is vulnerable,” Wally said. “She cannot defend herself as a baby.”
“I can defend her,” I said without hesitation. “I’m her mother.”
“And I’m her father,” Gideon said, eyeing the Horsemen with distrust. “Nothing will happen to her under my watch.Nothing.”
“She will be defended by the Darkness as well,” Cecily said, stepping up next to us.
Abaddon was to her left and Pandora to her right. Candy Vargo, Tim, Charlie and Heather joined the line of protectors. My siblings along with Tory, Zander and Catriona stepped up as well.
“We’re fuckin’ in,” Candy told the boys. “All of us. “Ani’t nothing gonna happen to that baby if I got anything to say.”
“And Candy Vargo always has something to say,” Tim added, patting his friend on the back.
“Yes, I fuckin’ do,” she confirmed.
Dirk’s gaze met mine. “It is not that simple, Daisy.”
I shook my head. What did he mean?
Fred dismounted and walked over to Gideon. He lightly touched Alana Catherine’s cheek and cooed at her. “There are those who were never fans of the Higher Power, and they will stop at nothing to keep It from rising again. Even if that means killing Alana Catherine to end It once and for all.”
“I WILL EAT THOSE FUCKERS,” Shitty Ritchie bellowed.
Jennifer took her position next to her partner. Chamuel and Hemah floated above them.
“Now, I can’t eat people,” Jennifer said. “But I will fight for Alana Catherine with all I have… and I have a lot, my friends.”
Carl smiled down at Jennifer, then let his gaze scan the rest of us. “All of you are good people with good intentions, but we have concerns.”
“Who?” I demanded. “Who is after my child?”
