“We are caretakerth.” Carl climbed back on the bed, gauging my mood with caution. “Ath you can imagine, thath not a great quality for a Demon.”
I nodded and waited.
“We can read the intentions and powers of others,” Janet’s voice changed. For the first time I was aware of her true age. “That’s a dangerous power to have.” All of her mirth disappeared. “Most of our kind have been destroyed.”
“We behaved like circus show freaks in Hell,” Myrtle explained. “We were dismissed as weak, stupid and inconsequential. It was our cover.”
Wait,” I interrupted as I tried to piece their story together. “Why were you in therapy with me? Was that a set up?” I gasped. My head swirled with doubt and distrust.
“No!” Carl bellowed. “No thet up.” He rubbed his bald head, a sure sign of distress. “Dixthie, we have been athigned to you from birth. We were created hundredth of yearth ago for you.”
“We never knew our purpose until you were brought to Hell.” Janet grasped my arm, determined to make me understand. “When I saw you as a beautiful little toddler, it was the greatest day of my life.”
“We’ve stayed hidden most of our lives,” Myrtle said quietly. “To be recognized by our Lord and King as protectors to his most beloved child is an honor beyond anything we could have hoped or imagined for ourselves.”
“We love you, Dixthie,” Carl added shyly. “We will protect you and die for you.”
“So the volunteering in Hell to come with me to Earth?”
“Was just for show, in case any traitors were in the midst,” Janet said.
“Therapy?” I asked.
“So you could know us better,” Myrtle said.
I was speechless. As the pieces of my life puzzle clicked together I wanted to laugh. I stared at the three Demons waiting patiently on the bed for my reaction. My brain was racing with whys, hows, what ifs and WTFs. I took a deep breath and in a moment of both perfect calm and utter insanity. . .I decided to just go with it. One moment at a time.
“I love you guys too,” I told them.
“Thank Satan!” Janet giggled, expelling the breath she’d been holding. “Now that we have all that sorted out, there’s something odd I’ve noticed in Eden, Kentucky. The mortals here are not what they seem.”#p#分页标题#e#
“What do you mean?” I asked, hoping she could shed some light on Miss Evelyn and Rhonda.
“I haven’t been able to put my finger on it.” She sighed unhappily.
“Is there a species on Earth that I don’t know about?” I turned to Myrtle, the Keeper of Secrets. If anyone knew, she did.
“Shifters,” she said and my brain clicked so hard it hurt. “Mortals are mortals, but I do believe some of them possess significant magic.”
“Demonic or Angelic?” I asked.
“Neither,” she replied as she shrugged her shoulders.
I ran my hands through my tangled hair and realized I had a few very important visits to make today.
“So,” I said, examining the remarkable amount of chest hair on my comforter, “I have several people I need to surprise today. Is there anything else we should be doing?”
“We keep doing what we’ve been doing. . .going to school, fight training, planning the dance, having sex in the science closet with Timmy.” She smirked, but then on a dime turned deadly serious. “I believe the trouble will come to us. We don’t need to look for it.”
“Eden is neutral territory,” I reminded her as I wondered if I was going to have to throw my bedding away. I suppose I could take it outside and beat it before I washed it.
“Neutral won’t mean anything to pure evil. They will come,” Carl said, getting off my bed and putting on a t-shirt. Why in Satan’s name couldn’t he have covered the hair rug on his chest before he shed all over my bed?
“He’s right,” Janet added disgustedly. “True evil plays by no rules.”
“Everybody off the bed,” I instructed. “I don’t want to set any of you on fire.”
“What in the Hell are you going to do?” Myrtle asked, wasting no time removing herself from my bed.
“I’m going to use Black Magic to get rid of the massive gift from Carl that’s covering my sheets and making me want to hurl.” I eyeballed Carl who sheepishly grinned. "If I'm gonna save the world, I'd better be able to clean a comforter."
“Holy Baby Beelzebub.” Janet was in a panic. “Be careful and don’t blow up the house.”
She plastered herself against the wall and began inching her way towards the door.