Page 8 of Blaze of Our Lives

Glancing around the room, I pointed at Lilith. Quickly, I jotted a note and handed it to her. Her lips compressed and her lovely brow wrinkled in worry.

“You’re sure?” she asked.

I nodded. I needed her to insult Pandora. Lilith knew her nemesis better than anyone. They’d ruled together for billions of years. There was no way Pandora could resist insulting her back. I’d try it with the mind door open. I’d try it with the mind door shut. I’d try it multiple times because the evil Goddess of the Darkness was wily and smart.

Lilith inhaled then exhaled slowly as Candy Vargo glanced at the note and chuckled. She handed Lilith a toothpick. My mother accepted.

“Pandora’s bald. Her raven locks are a wig,” Lilith announced.

Every single person’s mouth in the room dropped opened, including mine.

Pandora’s mouth opened as well. I only knew that because of the litany of filthy words that spewed furiously from her made my head spin. It was loud and so freaking profane, she made Candy Vargo look like a chump in the cursing department. I wasn’t about to repeat it. Honestly, I was in shock that everyone in the room hadn’t heard it.

From the expressions on their faces, I knew they’d been left out of the vulgar diatribe. Lucky them.

As Pandora continued to swear at Lilith and deny she was hairless, I pictured a massive reenforced steel door. With anal precision, I closed it. And I bolted the sucker shut.

Pandora’s voice disappeared.

I didn’t trust that.

“Another,” I told Lilith. “Make it worse.”

“Worse that being bald?” Cher asked with a wince.

“Yes,” I insisted.

Lilith began to pace. I wasn’t looking forward to hearing Pandora lose her mind again, but I needed to know I had a sure-fire method to keep her out. There was no way I could keep my own mind intact if she was privy to everything. It was horrifying enough that I was her condo until I could figure out a way to evict her.

“She had a lover… once,” Lilith said.

“Once?” I asked, confused. The Demon had lived for billions of years. A single lover in all that time seemed strange. Pandora had no morals. Monogamy didn’t seem like her thing. The Demon killed others for sport.

Lilith nodded. “It was in the beginning… before she became the woman she is now.” My mother walked over to the couch, sat down and pressed her temples. “He didn’t love her like she loved him. He used her. Used her for a million years.”

“To what end?” Daisy asked, sitting down next to my mother and putting her arm around her.

Lilith blew out a long sigh. “Me. I was his end goal.”

And the ick kept getting ickier. I reminded myself that living for a kagillion years would mean everyone had a past and not all of it would be pretty.

“And?” I questioned, realizing Pandora was still silent.

“And, after a million years, I gave into temptation,” Lilith admitted. “Not my best moment, but the aftermath was brutal. That’s when… when…” Lilith’s chin fell to her chest. Her shoulders shook as she silently sobbed.

“Break time,” Gideon announced tersely. “We shall reconvene shortly.”

He took his sister’s hand and led her outside. Abaddon wrapped his arms around me from behind and whispered in my ear.

“Did Pandora hear that?” he asked.

I shook my head. “I don’t think so.” It had been radio silent since I’d locked the metaphorical door to my consciousness. “Did you know the story?”

The Demon I loved rested his chin on my head. “Somewhat, but only from rumor.”

“Do you think knowing the rest of the story is important?” I questioned as I noticed Cher and Tim offering everyone refreshment. I wasn’t sure where they got the food since I hadn’t grocery shopped lately, but I didn’t ask.

Abaddon turned me around to face him. “Words have power and meaning. If they’re spoken it’s usually for a reason.”

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