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“What are you babbling about?” Pandora demanded, electrocuting them. “You will speak when you’re spoken to or it will end badly… for you. Kill the human,” she insisted, staring daggers at the Demons surrounding her. “Prove your loyalty to me. It will be icing on the cake for Cecily Bloom to watch her father die.”
“Leave. Immediately,”I commanded them.
In a puff of red shimmering mist, they disappeared with my father cradled safely in Corny’s arms.
Pandora’s expression of utter shock would have been funny in another time and on another planet. “Well, aren’t you the clever one, Cecily Bloom,” she purred with venom dripping off of each over-enunciated word. “I didn’t realize you were that deviously smart.”
For a hot sec, I considered taking a hard left in the plot and weaving in a shitty movie I’d done calledYou’re Not My Mother. It had come to mind when I was at Candy Vargo’s big white mansion. Had that been a sign? In the crappy B movie, I’d successfully convinced the nightmare of a woman who’d kidnapped me that I was on her side. I’d kept her going until the police arrived.
Pandora wasn’t that stupid. She’d never believe I’d defect to her side no matter how good of an actress I was. However, most narcissists loved to talk about themselves. If I could get her talking, I’d buy some time.
“How did you get out of the time-out?” I questioned.
Her brow raised. She refused to speak.
Compliment the ego… “Impressive. Candy Vargo isn’t someone who makes many mistakes. Your power must eclipse hers.”
I didn’t believe that for a second, but Pandora took the bait. She was thrilled.
“No one can trap me,” she snarled. “I am the Goddess Pandora. I’m more powerful than all.”
“Seems that way,” I said, snapping my fingers and producing a chair. I sat down and crossed my legs.
She was taken aback at my casual demeanor.
“What do you think you’re doing?” she hissed.
I shrugged and smiled. More likely than not, I was about to die. She knew it and I knew it. I’d give her a run for her money, but she was a gazillion years old and I was forty. The odds were not in my favor. “Well, since I’m about to bite it, I figured I’d get a few questions answered first. You have a problem with that?”
She wavered for a moment. With a wiggle of her fingers, she repaired her throne and sat down. “Your bravery is surprising.”
“That’s a compliment coming from you,” I told her flatly.
She wasn’t sure if I was being serious or sarcastic. I didn’t help her out. “How did you learn of my existence?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know,” she sneered.
“Actually, yes. That’s why I asked.”
She was thrown easily. I wasn’t kissing her ass. I wasn’t afraid of her either. She didn’t know what to do with the situation at hand. I felt a sudden sense of peace. I wouldn’t die as a coward. I wouldn’t beg for my life. That would bring her too much pleasure.
Whatever. It was just her and me now. I crossed my fingers and sent good vibes out into the Universe that backup was about to arrive. Man-mom was safe. Even though I might not survive, it was time for all of Hell to rain down on Pandora.
“Do you not recall who told you about me?” I queried.
“Of course, I do,” she snapped. “She’s dead.”
My brows shot up. I knew it had been Rhoda Spark—the Demon who had kidnapped Abaddon when he had been weak and then handed him over to Pandora. She had pretended to be loyal to Lilith, much the same way I’d had my Demon army pretend. She’d been on Team Pandora all along. Unfortunately, the reward for her blind faith in evil had been the reason for her demise. She’d annoyed Pandora and died violently at her hand because of it.
“Rhoda Spark,” I said aloud.
“Correct.” Pandora cracked her neck, stretched her arms, and finished with a yawn. “I’m getting bored and itching to murder you. You can have one last question.”
“And you’ll answer it?” I challenged.
She rolled her eyes and waited.
No question was stupid… “Is Pandora’s box a real thing?”
