Page 38 of Another Underworld

“Fine,” she snarled at Tiny. “You can bless yourself with my presence. Not many have that honor. If you get in my way, I will remove your legs. Are we clear?”

Stinky Whore’s flirting left a lot to be desired, but Tiny didn’t seem to mind. He was all in. I was beginning to think he was as insane as she was.

“Move,” I insisted. “If the guards spot the assassins, my people are toast.”

“As you wish, Bitch,” Pandora said as she yanked Tiny up from his prone position and pulled him out onto the field.

“That’s a fucking explosion waiting to detonate,” Abaddon commented as we watched them enter the fray.

“And then some,” I agreed with a laugh. “And I couldn’t be happier for them.”

The only thing I heard before forty Demons’ heads were lopped off was Pandora shouting, “Hello motherfuckers! I’m back.” I’d never seen that many Demons go down so fast. They’d barely had time to register that Goddess Pandora was standing in front of them before the assassins made them headless and dead. I made a mental note to ask the assassins if they would train me on the fire machetes. The deadly weapons were fast and efficient, and they’d saved us a whole heck of a lot of time.

Granted, popping evil Demons like blood-filled ticks got the job done as well, but it was loud and messy. It would be nice not to mess up my outfits. It was the little things…

“Victory,” Pandora shouted as I lifted the ward and freed our people. The statue of Chub Chub Wang came down immediately. My Demons tore the false God into slivers of rock and pulverized sand. Abaddon had taken over and doled out the food, clothing, water and fruit to the emaciated crew.The assassins assisted. Morale was low, but the essentials we’d brought them had helped lift their spirits.

Approaching my people, I smiled. They all bowed and shouted their gratitude.

“You will stay here and regain your strength,” I commanded. “When you feel ready, you may join the rest of us. We’re headed to the castle to defeat Chub Chub Wang.”

The look of perplexed confusion on the newly freed Demons made me close my eyes and pray to be sucked into the ground. It wasn’t the greatest first impression to leave on my people. Dick jokes were becoming my unintentional go-to. That had to stop. I didn’t want to be known as the Goddess with a pecker fetish. I wished I could rewrite the last scene, but that wasn’t happening. A little flop sweat dotted my upper lip. However, there was nowhere to go but up. I couldn’t go much lower.

“Sorry about that,” I said, cocking my head to the side in embarrassment. “It’s the nickname we gave the false God since his junk on the statue is rather misleading.”

The riotous laughter from the assembled group made the tension in my shoulders ease. Demons were naughty by nature. Dick jokes were no biggie. My relief was palpable. It was time to keep going.

My goal? Save Irma, Jonny, Moon, Stella and Corny while taking out Chub Chub Wang and keeping the rest of my people safe.

It was a tall order.

There was no room for error. The thought settled in my stomach like a lead brick. The world as we knew it was on the line. My plan was to go in alive and come out alive. However, I was willing to die for the greater cause.

I just hoped it didn’t come to that. I had a naked tropical vacation to go on, a wedding to plan and a TV show to star in.

Dying wasn’t on the agenda. Not today.

“Well, crap,”I muttered as I hid alongside Abaddon, Pandora, Tiny and the assassins behind an abandoned building a few thousand yards from the castle I wanted to burn to the ground. The castle was impressive and huge, but it left me cold. I was far more into something smaller and modern. I wasn’t sure how that would fly since Demons were all about tradition and grandeur, but I was the boss. They’d have to deal with it. “That’s a lot of security.”

“Underfuckingstatement,” Pandora said, mimicking one of Candy Vargo’s favorite words.

There had to be around eight hundred guards surrounding the castle. They were armed to the teeth and wore murderous expressions on their faces. The amount of purple fire swords pulled gave the castle an eerie lavender glow in the early twilight. It was ominous.

“Every single one of those bastards used to be loyal to me,” Pandora said, seething with anger. “A bunch of shit stains.”

I didn’t disagree, but we didn’t have time to discuss the merits, or lack thereof of her former followers. I closed my eyes and concentrated.“My people, it’s Bitch Goddess Cecily. Can you hear me?”

The connection was faint, but I heard the chorus of yesses. Chub Chub Wang had definitely put up some kind of magical block, but I could still communicate with my people at a distance from the castle. My guess was that once I was inside, all contact would be cut.

However, while it was still there, I planned to use it. “Here’s the deal. Pandora and I are going in first. Abaddon, Tiny and the assassins will follow. I’m going to try to pop all theDemons, but eight hundred is a lot. As soon as the explosions begin, come out from hiding and get to work. Not one Demon who worships Chub Chub Wang is to be left alive. Roger that?”

The chuckles from the three thousand Demons at my use of the false God’s nickname made me smile. The laughs were followed by assent. We were ready to go.

“And what exactly are we going to do once inside the castle?” Pandora questioned with a raised brow.

I doubled down and raised both brows. “You have a plan, Stinky Whore?” I shot right back.

She grinned. I returned the favor.

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