“I know what he looks like, so I should definitely go,” Kiki said, stepping through the portal and making Alek flinch.
“If it’s all the same to you guys, I’m going to sit this one out.” He moved as far away from the ghost as possible, and I didn’t even try to hide my smirk.
“Aw, big guy, don’t be afraid of me. I’m only scary when I want to be.”
Alek didn’t respond; instead, he fitted himself in the corner behind Sunday and Caleb, although he was so enormous there was no hiding him.
“I’m going this time,” Dahlia stated. “I’ve been sitting around here doing nothing, and it’s driving me crazy.”
“I wouldn’t exactly say nothing,” Caspian said with a smirk.
“Fucking you doesn’t count, Cas,” she snarked, causing her ghost friend to hold up a hand for a high five.
“Tell him, sister,” she said with a wide grin, their hands slapping together. I had a momentary flicker of confusion before I remembered that Dahlia was Death’s daughter, meaning she could interact with ghosts as if they were corporeal, much the same as Grim and Hades could.
“Oh, I don’t know. It sure counts to me,” the pirate countered.
“If you’re going, then so am I,” Hades stated, arms crossed over his chest as if that would stop his mate from arguing if her mind was set on it.
Kiki wove her arm through his. “Aw, it’s almost like the gang’s back together.”
“I think you’re missing a few members, toots,” Asshole shouted at her from the portal.
“I did say almost, thankyouverymuch.”
“I’d like to go and see this one through,” Merri said, scrutinizing the blade.
“Is that really a good idea, kitten? We almost lost you last time.”
Merri leveled Sin with a glare. “You heard Moira, we have at least a day before they can pull something like that again. Besides, we’ve already been over this. Famine is my cunt of a mother, and I’d very much like to be involved in anything related to sending her ass back to oblivion.”
Oh, I loved it when she got all fiery. It reminded me of that time she took control and dominated me.
“Obviously I’m going,” Sin said.
And here was my moment. “Actually, I’ll be leading this charge.”
He looked at me with his eyes wide and mouth open in shock. “What now?”
“None of you have any idea how to get to our target.”
“And you do?”
I sat on the arm of the chair nearest me and made a show of crossing my legs at the ankles. “Yes.”
“And you’re just telling us now?”
If I were a less patient devil, I would have slapped him. “I couldn’t get a word in edgewise. You’re always talking.”
“Okay, pot,” Sin said with a snort. “If you say so.”
“How do you know where he is?” Kiki asked.
“Let’s just say I’m a friend of the family from a long time ago. Those connections are forever.”
We didn’t have time for me to go into detail about my dealings with Brett Ransom’s great-great-great-great-granddaddy and the blood debt the family would forever be paying. What he thought was a birthmark was actually my direct line to him.
“Why does that sound like a really nasty loophole?” Merri mused with a little smile, familiar enough with her aunt’s antics to understand exactly what must have happened.
