“Yeah, well, I have to go pass this shit around to assholes. Have fun,” she chirped as she walked off.
Dixie approached and I was struck again by her beauty. “You good?” she asked as she gave me a hug.
“I’m good.”
“Have you walked the room?” she asked and immediately began to pick at her polish.
“No. Should I?” I inquired and pressed the bridge of my nose. There was never a freakin’ dull moment around here. Ethan was deep in conversation with my grandpa. When did he get back? I looked around for Gigi, but she was nowhere to be found.
“Well, um . . . ” Dixie struggled for words.
“Tell me. I’m not in the mood for surprises at this particular time.”
“It’s better to show you,” she said, took my hand and led me to the far side of the room. I was imagining all kinds of horrors, but I hadn’t been prepared for what I saw.
A large cage made of some kind of glistening material sat on a platform made of gold. Demons milled around it, pointing and taking pictures. A strong dampening spell surrounded the cage and covered it completely. Thin razor sharp blades protruded from the bars insuring the no one stuck a hand or object in and no one stuck a hand or object out. It was positively brilliant in its structure and absolutely barbaric in its reasoning.
Inside the cage, seated on hard wooden chairs were three women I had hoped never to see again . . . Lust, Wrath and Greed.
They were dressed in formal gowns—they were sullen and humiliated. Refusing to make eye contact with anyone they stared straight ahead and said nothing. Satan was a sick cookie. This was one hell of a punishment. I wondered if he would let them eat.
“Why?” I asked Dixie.
“He wants his brother to see all of his children since God only has one.”
“I’m kind of surprised he wants to show them off caged like animals. Doesn’t say much for his parenting skills.”
I walked to the edge of the cage and stared, knowing full well they could do nothing to me and I could destroy them. Lust stared back with hatred in her eyes and Wrath blew me an inappropriate kiss.
“Thank you for killing the bastard,” Greed said. She looked better than she had yesterday, but I was not going to be fond of her anytime soon.
“I didn’t do it for you,” I said harshly. She was sorely mistaken if she thought I would take a life on a whim. My tone shocked her and she looked away.
Wrath considered me carefully and tilted her head. “You are more than what you seem,” she said.
“Isn’t everyone?” I shot back. “You all certainly are.”
The silence was long and I wanted to walk away, but I refused to run.
“Come with me, Astrid. My father and Uncle God will be here soon. I just didn’t want you to be taken by surprise.”
With one last glance at the pathetic evil in the cage, I walked away with Dixie. I felt very little for the women—my cousins. I wondered if they lived in the same cage in Purgatory, but decided they didn’t deserve any more thought.
The Sword was still missing, God was coming for lunch and it was the lunar eclipse. Hell was ripe for a showdown.
“All rise for Satan and God,” a Guard yelled at the massive arched entrance to the dining room.
A hush fell over the crowd as a small army of Angels preceded the arrival of the big guys. Dressed in diaphanous white they seemed to float on air. They reminded me of my Angel, Pam—blindingly beautiful. They had peaceful smiles on their faces and they smelled like the wind on a rainy summer day. My body leaned forward in hopes of being noticed.#p#分页标题#e#
“Don’t,” Ethan whispered. “They’re as crazy as the Demons, just in a different way.”
“How do you know?” I asked, finding that hard to believe.
“A little first hand experience and the word from your grandfather.”
I was instantly curious about his first hand experience and hoped it wasn’t the same kind of experience he’d had with Lust. I tamped down my jealousy and simply gave him a look.
“No, it’s not what you think,” he said and put his arm around me. The heat of his body was comforting and I leaned in.
“Will we actually make it out of here alive?” I asked.
“Yes. We will,” he answered. “Tonight if I have anything to do with it.”
As much as I wanted to believe, I wasn’t so sure. A promise was a promise. It didn’t matter that the Devil didn’t keep his. I was my own person and my word was good. I would find the Sword and I would leave.
“I’m glad you’re wearing the necklace,” he whispered in my ear. “You will use it if you need it. Promise?”
“I promise.”