Page 30 of A Leaner Meaner Midlife

“Thank you,” I told him, touching his face. His sunken eyes grew misty at my gesture. I had plans to take Gragraunch home with me. He deserved better. “Also, Gragraunch, can you and the other ghosts follow Micky Muggles, please? I need to know where he goes. It’s imperative for the life of my friend, Tory.”

“Asssssah yoooouah wisssshhhah,” he replied then zipped away.

At this point my army consisted of several insanely powerful Immortals and a gaggle of ghosts. It was a little unusual but was par for the course for me.

“Good plan, asshole,” Candy said.

Her terms of endearment didn’t bother me anymore. I kind of liked them. Gideon walked back up after being gone only a few minutes. His casual gait and calm demeanor didn’t set any alarm bells off in my head, but I couldn’t understand how he’d gotten the gals back to Tim so quickly.

Unless… I quickly looked back at the platform. Micky Muggles was still there. Had he gotten so good at becoming other people that he could be in two freaking places at once? When he’d scanned the crowd, his gaze had stayed on us a bit too long. Was the Keeper of Fate incorrect? Had he recognized us?

“Don’t speak to Gideon until after I do,” I insisted to Gabe and Candy.

My brother’s body went rigid, and Candy began to glow a little.

“Tamp that crap back,” I snapped at her.

She obeyed.

“You think it’s not him?” she asked under her breath.

“I’m not sure,” I replied. “If it is, I’m not sure he actually took the gals back to Tim. The timing is way the heck off. He’s meticulous. This doesn’t jive.”

Gabe’s tone was scary. “If that’s not Gideon. He dies.”

“Obviously,” I hissed quietly.

The Grim Reaper approached us while keeping his eye on our surroundings. He was still short, dumpy and sporting a receding hair line, but I was almost a hundred percent sure he was himself. Although, I thought Heather was herself when she wasn’t.

“Hey babe, that was quick,” I said, forcing a smile and hoping my voice wasn’t as tight as my stomach felt.

He stopped and tilted his head. “Yes, it was.”

“Did it… umm… go alright?”

He gave me an odd look. I kept talking. If he wasn’t Gideon, we were screwed. It meant that Micky Muggles had way more power than we believed.

“Where have you been?” I asked. If Gideon was actually Gideon, he was going to think I’d lost it.

The Grim Reaper caught on quickly. “Ask me.”

“Umm… I just did,” I replied, backing away as Gabe and Candy flanked me.

“The safe word. Ask me the safe word.” He was calm, cool and completely collected.

Getting my shit together was top priority. I felt like an idiot. “Safe word, please.”

Gideon leaned in. “Juicy justice boner. And you were smart to ask. I took the Nephilim back to the alcove and transported them to Tim. After a very brief update, I transported back.”

My knees felt like they might buckle. Gabe held me up. “I’m sorry.”

“Nope,” the love of my life said firmly. “You did the right thing. No chances need to be taken.”

Gabe touched my arm to get my attention. Micky Muggles was about to speak.

“I feel Tory,” he whispered, glancing around wildly. “She’s near. I swear on the Light, if he tries to behead her, every single person here will die. Violently.”

“Dude,” Candy said, slapping the back of his head. “One, you’re glowing. Cut that shit out. Two, if you try to kill me history will repeat itself, and I will eat you. We clear on that, fucker?”

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