Page 8 of The Red Rider
“That’s what I’m afraid of. I don’t know the first thing about summoning Satan, but you might have my back so hard, it gives Isaiah time to bring him into the mix.”
Aeron was totally adorable when he knew I was right, but he hated it and didn’t want to admit it. And I knew he was going to hate it even more when I pinched his nose gently.
“You know I’m right. Now, stop being cute and stick your lower lip back in.”
Aeron huffed, but I could tell he wanted to smile. He had to keep up his asshole façade in front of Dice.
“Fine. I get it. But if Dice is going to stay here, he’s sleeping on the couch. I’m not sleeping with his cold feet all over me again, and I’m not giving up my spot sleeping next to you.”
“Is that settled? Can we stop growling and pouting now?” I asked.
Leif finally tore his eyes away from the chewing gum on the door.
“It’s done. Let’s watch a movie before bed. Dice, you are aware we don’t have bombs here like you do in Florida, right?”
Dice just leaned back into the pillows.
“I’m just building parts. You do realize I have to convert nuclear bombs into devices that will release an aerosol and not blow shit up, right? It might take me ten minutes instead of five. I have to put it all into blueprints and get it to bases all across the country. I know the next words out of your mouth are that I should be in Florida playing with my bombs, but that’s already what I’ve been doing. I’ve got a full fucking day, and I still have time to do my radio show. Now, what movie are we watching? Do you have any Mel Brooks?”
I expected an argument from the resident movie quoting geek, but he finally seemed to agree with Dice about something.
“I could go with some Mel Brooks too.”
Leif just nodded.
“The one director we all agree one. I could scrounge up some Mel Brooks.”
Aeron yanked me into his lap while Leif started rooting through his DVDs. Dice’s eyes never left me. I wasn’t mad they were finally getting along about something, but it was pretty fucked up the one thing the Horsemen of the Apocalypse could agree on was thatSpaceballswas an excellent movie.
Chapter 5
D
idSpaceballsever get old? Because Miss Mabel showed me this movie during movie night at her apartment, and it was still funny. Now that I thought about it, all the angels and Nephilim I’d met so far seemed to dig Mel Brooks. Miss Mabel exposed me to his entire cinematography, and I couldn’t see why anyonewouldn’tlove the man, but was there something I didn’t know?
“Fess up. What’s the deal with Mel Brooks? Miss Mabel loved him too. Is he some sort of angel?”
Dice just laughed.
“No, he’s just super clever. I think everyone loves Mel Brooks, Speedy, not just the Heavenly creatures.”
“Yeah, but the three of you never agree aboutanything.”
Leif finally seemed to have forgotten about the gum on the door and was back to himself. His serene smile was back now that I was snuggled in between him and Aeron.
“There’s plenty we agree on. You just haven’t been around us long enough. When it used to be an option, we could even agree on where we wanted to go to eat every night.”
I scoffed.
“You’re all so different, and you like different things. You expect me to believe you’re that old and you successfully maneuvered going out to eat?”
Dice just slung his leg over the arm of his chair and chewed on this toothpick.
“I think you forget how old we are. Sometimes, our options were shit and utter shit. Gruel used to be the only thing available. Gruel and ale so watered down, you might as well not bother. There wasn’t always a Maria there that could whip up amazing gruel either. Leif is spoiled.”
Leif didn’t snap. He just kissed the top of my head and smiled at Dice.
“You cleaned your plate and had seconds.”
