Page 14 of Blaze of Our Lives

Bowing his head in respect to both Daisy and me, he smiled apologetically. “As usual, the Angel of Mercy speaks with common sense that us older people seem to have forgotten how to use. Sometimes to make clear what is muddy can verge on impossible.”

“Nothing is impossible,” Daisy reminded the man she loved. “You just have to believe.”

He chuckled. “Fine. The Higher Power is whatever or whomever you see It as.”

I rolled my eyes. “Soooooo, if I want Tim to be the Higher Power because he’s really nice then he becomes the Higher Power?”

Tim giggled. It made me giggle. “Oh my! What a lovely compliment, Bitch Goddess Cecily! But alas, no. It doesn’t work that way.”

“Lemme give it a shot,” Candy Vargo said.

“Be my guest, friend,” Tim told her.

“Alrighty then,” she said, splaying her hands out in front of her. She began to shimmer and her knotted hair floated around her head. It was a scary look coupled with her mismatched sweats and sandals. “Pretend you’re on the Higher Power’s plane.”

“How did I get there?” I asked.

She hissed at me. “That don’t matter right yet.”

I took a healthy step back. “Got it,” I replied, keeping my distance.

“Just envision what I’m fuckin’ sayin’, Badass,” she instructed.

I nodded and played along. I had nothing to lose and, hopefully, something to gain with this game of make-believe.

“You’re just fuckin’ walking along and minding your own business, and then BAM! You feel It. Your blood runs cold, and you sneeze like a motherfucker. All of a sudden, the wind kicks up and the trees uproot—screamin’ in agony as they break in half like they were twigs. The animals begin to screech, and the air smells of death. You close your eyes, and all of a sudden Mr. Fucking Rogers is standing there with Mr. McFeely. You’re pretty sure that Pee-wee Herman is nearby since his bike is hanging from one of the trees.”

Candy Vargo was batshit crazy.

“Oh my God. STOP,” Heather snapped. She was glowing, and her magical tattoos raced along her arms and neck. “With all due respect, what in the actual fuck are you talking about? Not real sure this is helping.”

Candy raised her hands to electrocute Heather. Heather was ready to go back at the Keeper of Fate with her hands held high. Abaddon stepped between the women and growled. If I hadn’t been in danger of losing my house to crossfire, I would have taken a moment to point out how sexy he was.

“Stand down,” he ground out. “Violence is not what is needed. Do you understand or shall we take this outside so I can help you understand?”

Both women dropped their arms. I heaved a sigh of relief.

Lilith began to laugh. It sounded unhinged, but it was definitely laughter. “Hang on, please. I have to disagree with Heather. Candy Vargo has made a fine point—rather bizarre, but not unhelpful.”

Everyone stared at Lilith.

“Keep talking,” I told my mother.

“Open the door and let Pandora join the conversation,” she instructed. “But give her a warning that the door can be bolted shut again as easily as it was unbolted.”

It was my turn to blow a big raspberry. Listening to Pandora lose her shit wasn’t what I needed right now. Or maybe it was… only one way to find out.

CHAPTER FIVE

Letting Pandora into the conversation was a risky move. However, she wanted to get out of my body as much as me. Maybe, in this instance, she’d be helpful… A Goddess could hope, anyhow.

The fact that I was about to open an imaginary metal door to let an evil Demon have free reign of my mind was the beginning of a really bad sitcom or, more likely, an embarrassingly crappy B horror movie that had gone straight to video. The reality that it wasn’t make-believe boggled my brain. I’d had some iffy jobs in the past, but this one beat all of them.

Pushing away my desire to run far from this mess, I took a deep calming breath. I really wanted to indulge in one of my brother’s pot gummies to take the edge off the hysteria that was bubbling close to the surface, but was unsure if it would affect Pandora. It was bad enough dealing with a sober Pandora. I was positive I couldn’t stomach a high one.

Closing my eyes, I visualized opening the door.

“BITCH,” she screamed. “I will not be shut out. I will destroy you!”

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