Chapter 37
Chapter
Thirty-Seven
MERRI
My hair glistened as I pulled a brush through the red strands, the light reflecting off my locks causing a glossy sheen I only ever saw when I was fully fed.
Topped off, one might call it. There really was no reason for me to ever go without feeling like this.
I had five mates at the ready to keep me at full power, no matter the circumstances.
Why did I ever think depriving myself was a good choice?
Because you felt selfish? Or worse, like you might kill them?
I paused my brushing with a frown, unable to tell if my inner voice was trying to give me much-needed grace or make me feel stupid.
Sometimes it was hard to tell.
Maybe that was why I started replacing my bitchy internal self with Andi’s much more supportive voice?
Fuck, I needed therapy. Clearly, I was damaged in more ways than I could ever deal with. But honestly, who among us? If I’d learned anything in my cam girl days, it was that no one escaped this life without some kind of trauma. We were all just doing the best we could with the hand we were dealt.
A soft knock on the bathroom door pulled me from my thoughts. “I’ll be right out,” I called, thinking it was one of the guys.
Instead, Lilith’s voice floated from under the door. “There’s been a development, pet. If you’re not already, I suggest you dress for a trip to the surface.”
Well, shit. That was unexpected.
“All right. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” I glanced at myself in the mirror. A crop top and skirt weren’t exactly conflict appropriate.
By the time I changed into something more fitting for a fight, everyone else had already gathered in the common area. I strode in, anticipation singing in my blood. It was impossible to know what to expect, but Lilith wouldn’t have come to get me if it wasn’t serious.
“What’s going on?” I asked, sidling up to Chaos.
“A new hellmouth opened up on the island of Hawai‘i.”
That wasn’t exactly life-altering news. Hellmouths had been popping up all over for months now.
“What makes this one special?”
“The giant tentacle monster that popped out of it.”
“Tentacle monster?” I repeated.
“You know, like Cthulhu?” Sin offered.
At my blank expression, he tried again.
“H. P. Lovecraft?”
I shook my head.
“Dungeons & Dragons?”
I shrugged helplessly.
He threw his hands up. “Your education is seriously lacking.”
Lilith put her hands on her hips with an exasperated sigh. “Don’t look at me, Sinclair. I got her when she was a teen.”
Gavin stepped forward, commanding our attention.
“It’s a herald of the final battle.” When I looked at him like I had no idea what he was talking about, he sighed.
“The tentacle monster. The humans have no clue what’s happening, aside from the volcano violently erupting.
But soon they will be devoured. Unless we stop it. ”
That’s when I realized it wasn’t just a couple of the patrol groups preparing to leave. It was all of us. The entire army.
“Is it a good idea for all of us to go?” I asked, fidgeting nervously.
Chaos took my hand in his, silently lending me his strength and setting me at ease.
“We’re at the stage where we can no longer afford to send anyone off alone.
We have to assume that any and everything is a trap.
And this is a big enough threat that we’re going to need considerable backup.
The last thing we want is one of our teams to get caught unaware while they’re already dealing with a foe. ”
“Okay, but how are we supposed to kill a god? That’s what he is, right?”
Sin clapped his hands. “You do know!”
I rolled my eyes but didn’t give him any other acknowledgment.
“To answer your question,” Evander said, stepping into my line of sight, “we don’t. We need to send this fiend back.”
“Okay, how do we do that?”
Moira shrugged. “No clue. That’s part of what we need to figure out.”
“And we’re just going to do that on the fly?” I asked, looking around like someone was going to shout Sike! and we’d all have a good laugh.
No one did.
“We don’t have the luxury of time for more research. If we don’t get there as soon as possible, it will begin devouring the world.” Evander’s tone brooked no argument.
Shit. So this was like the end end. No more waiting. No more Knights or Princes or countdowns or side quests. The end was officially nigh.
“We need each of you to take up your weapon,” Michael said gravely.
“But if it’s just Cthulhu or whatever, why would we risk taking them?” Dahlia asked.
The angel looked at us all with a ferocity that chilled me to the bone. “Because it’s very likely this is a trap.”
“And we’re waltzing straight into it?” I blurted.
Chaos’s hand tightened around mine. “That was always the plan, Red. We make them come to us, or we bring the fight to them. Either way, we have to fight.”
Yes, in theory, this had been what we’d prepared for. I just hadn’t realized how terrifying it would be once it was actually here.
I sighed and stomped over to the table where my weapon sat. “Peachy.”
Malice was at my back, his hand a warm comfort on my shoulder. “We’re going to be right there with you, hellcat. You might have to hold the weapon, but you’re not going to face them alone.”
Grim surprised me by smiling, his presence pulling my attention to where he leaned against the wall.
“How can you be happy about this?”
He lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “I like our odds.” Then he strode forward and chucked me under the chin. “Don’t forget who you have on your side.”
My stomach clenched. He said that so confidently, but they had Death on their side just as much as we did. And she’d bested my men before. It’s like everyone had forgotten that’s how we got into this mess in the first place.
As though he’d read my thoughts, Lucifer came up to me and leaned in close. “Don’t look so downtrodden, crabapple. No one touches what’s mine and lives to tell the tale. That goes for those horsewomen too.”
It was nearly impossible, but I forced myself to smile. My mates were trying so hard to bolster my spirits. The least I could do was pretend it was working.
“Well, I guess we’re heading to Hawai‘i,” I muttered.
I’d always wanted to visit the islands. It was too bad the first time I was going was under such dire circumstances. Maybe we’d luck out and send that monster packing.
And unmake the horsewomen.
And stop the apocalypse.
And my unborn child wouldn’t be the antichrist.
And God would show up and say all of this was a test and we’d passed.
Hey, if we were wishing for impossible things, I might as well aim high. If anyone knew how to dream, it was a succubus.