Page 86 of Swamp Kings 1

“Handy needs a body,” Harlow muttered. “He will take whatever’s in them with him into the new vessel. He said to build the body with containment capability while we discuss a permanent solution.”

“You want me to hold Garbagio?” Atlas offered.

Kult glared at him, then caught that familiar look in his brother’s gaze, the craving to touch a miraculous bundle of power. That’s what his son was. Their son, if he was being fucking honest and he surely wasn’t, he was boldly lying and trying his damnedest not to give a single fuck. “Five minutes,” Kult said, walking toward him. “He’s been pissed lately. I think he doesn’t like being passed around. It’s fucking with his ability to lock in to any one thing.”

The smile on Atlas’s face as he took the baby put a big dent in Kult’s kill urges. They both stared at the tiny scrunched up face, his magical powers drawing mutual grins from the two devil’s watching. A third smiling devil came to the show, daddy Pain.Kult waited for the usual jealousy, but it was no match for those guns this baby carried in his little squeaks.

“He’s been so restless,” Pain said. “I have to hold him all night to absorb whatever is bothering him.”

Kult eyed him, envious of both the job and the power he had. “It works?”

He nodded, stroking his forehead with his finger, immediately settling him. “He loves my touch for what it can do.”

Kult didn’t like what he heard in that. “It’s you he loves, not just your touch, dumbass.”

“He’s so light,” Atlas marveled. “I still can’t get over that he’s a whole human and yet this tiny.”

Sync finally joined them and delivered a kiss to his forehead. “I don’t mean to break up the party,” he cooed softly. “But Uncle Handy and Uncle Kaphas and Poppa Quantum are in real trouble.”

“If he ever gets too fussy, call me and I’ll come and calm him then give him back,” Pain said to Kult.

Likehellthat was happening. “We’ll manage. I’ll teach himcopingmechanisms since pain is a natural part of life.”

Pain kissed his forehead next. “Good idea, daddy.” He straightened, grinning at Kult, then leaned toward him with his pucker.

“Put those lips on me and they’ll star in your next masterpiece.”

Pain laughed, giving the kiss to Garbagio instead. “Daddy doesn’t want my kisses. You’ll have to have all of them.”

Pain raised his head, putting his face before Atlas’s. “I’ll just chew your fucking lips off,” Atlas warned quietly, getting everybody’s sadistic chuckles.

“So, about Handy’s body,” Kult said to Harlow, getting back to it. “You have any ideas?”

“Nothing fool proof,” he muttered. “But get this. He asked for the Bishop to help design it.”

“The Marsh King?”

He nodded. “Apparently, he saw his capabilities.Afterhe gets the bat bite.”

“And will he?”

Harlow gave a huge, frustrated shrug. “Next item on our list. Call the Marsh Kings in for a chit chat.”

“All of them?”

“These people move like a pack of wolves,” Harlow cried. “I’m making an educated guess it’ll be all of them.”

He nodded, thinking. “Ask them to meet us in that Sanctuary Hall. It’s private and big enough.”

“Good fucking idea,” Harlow said, pointing at him and pulling out his phone. “Fuck.”

“What?”

“That party is tonight, the one we were invited to and cancelled.”

Kult considered that. “It’s kind of important to the safety of the entire Hoard, I think.”

Harlow’s face brightened. “It is!”

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