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“Not possible,Valkyries don’t get hangovers.”
Kaleb smirked. “Itappears they do if they drink with seven pissed off Conflict She-Demons.”
“Argh.” Shawrubbed her temples, pleased to note that the pounding was starting to lessenslightly. Thank the Goddess above for Valkyrie healing powers. “Please tell methey agreed to attend the baby shower?”
“Nope. Not evenkaraoke did the trick.”
“I didn’t-” Crap, Shawhad a vague recollection of a microphone, lights in her eyes and the throb ofToto’s Rains down in Africa. No. No. That was her go-to karaoke song, a familyjoke. “Are you telling me I sang for those heifers and they still wouldn’tagree to attend the shower?”
Laughing, Kalebgot to his feet. “I warned you they were pissed off with Galen for hiding thathe was spiralling down the Berserker Stabby drain faster than they were led tobelieve. And rather peeved that that they weren’t asked to help choose aDemoness bride: to join him in a loveless marriage in order to keep him fromturning Stabby. Which just kind of rubbed acid into an already gangrenouswound. Then of course there’s Stephanie.”
“She did nothingbut save his Demon ass by claiming him.”
“No one is sayingdifferent. That at least had them agreeing to meet you for drinks last night.But Stephanie did kind of take her sweet time doing it.”
“She didn’t knowshe was supposed to claim him. Or even how to go about doing it.”
“Semantics. Andlet’s not forget she hogged all the fun of overthrowing that bitch, QueenLaynn, for herself.”
“Was shesupposed to issue invitations? Throw a party?”
Kaleb shrugged.“Kind of. We’re Conflict Demons. You instigate a coup, you should at leastinvite close friends and family. It’s only polite.”
By the Sword, Shawhated her life right now. Though she hated ornery stubborn Conflict She-Demonseven more. “I… hold on, did I dream them or were there nine small femalechildren in here earlier? And was one of them dressed liked an astronaut?”
“Yes. I think wepassed out…” Shaw growled at the inference. “I mean, we decided to take analcoholic induced nap in the staging area for the under-fives, if I’m any goodat guessing children’s ages. Which given I own a pre-school does kind of makeme the expert.”
“Under fives? Oh,I’d forgotten about the whole kiddie beauty pageant thing the Darvyns arerunning so they can gorge themselves on all the ensuing conflict.”
“You might want tothink about re-phrasing parts, if not all of that statement. It’s anIntellectual and Talent Exhibition.” Kaleb ignored the disbelieving snort Shawissued. “Elite school scholarships and guaranteed college admissions interviewsat Ivy Leagues are amongst the prizes. There are no parades in swimwear. Instead,the children display their talents with a show or a presentation. And yes, thecompetition is exceedingly fierce, and no, the Darvyns do not feed off thechildren. No Conflict Demon with any class ever would. But you met the parentsyesterday. They are a veritable buffet. Then triple that tension on competitiondays when the friends and grandparents attend.”
The door swungopen and nine avidly curious little girls surged back into the room. Clearlydeciding they had given the duo more than enough time. Shaw watched unsurprisedas all nine fixed their attention upon Kaleb, who was gifting them with thedimple and smile. But these girls were ultra-smart, they weren’t falling for MrCharm.
“Who are you?”
“You shouldn’t bein here.”
Shaw just had toask. “I get the astronaut.” She nodded at the child dressed in the silver spacesuit with American flags stuck all over it. Her hair artfully decorated high inbraids with lots of twinkling silver stars in the mix. “And the doctor.” Sheshifted her attention to the child in the white coat with a stethoscope hangingaround her neck. “But what are you supposed to be?” The redhead with shortringlet bouncy curls was dressed in a purple and red full body leotard, withbursts of different coloured glitter stretching from one shoulder down to heropposite ankle.
“India’s aperformer.” The astronaut declared, her tone dripping with derision.
“The Exhibition isnot all about dwarf planets, neutron stars and boring slide shows, Jacinta. Youknow as well as I do that Cirque De Soleil send out scouts to events like theselooking for fresh talent to nurture.” India, having finished giving Jacinta atelling off, smiled brightly at Shaw. “I’m a tightrope walker. I’m workingtowards adding fire into my act.”
“Impressive.” Shawmeant it.
“I recite Pi up tofour-hundred decimal places.” Volunteered a little girl dressed like a nerdyprofessor.
“I’m a tumblinggymnast.” Declared another little girl in a patriotic red, white and blueleotard. “You’re on my practise mats.”
“Oh, sorry.” Shawlurched to her feet, dismayed as her stomach lurched also. Urgh. Was she ill?Maybe she’d eaten something off last night. Whatever she was. She. Was. Not.Hungover.
“I take Boney onstage.” The girl dressed as a doctor gestured at a full skeleton waiting acrossthe room. “And point out all the various bones.” She rounded on the astronautwho had released an unimpressed snort of derision. “Quit that, Jacinta, or I’llshow you what I know about nerve ending bundles and how to temporarily paralysesomeone.”
Finding theirfocus, ambitions and kind of bitchy attitude admirable, Shaw couldn’t help butthink the group would make excellent Valkyries. She likewise had been trainedyoung in anatomy, though more so she could cleave a body apart. But look at howgreat she’d turned out. It gave her some hope that these girls would take theirrightful place in society in the future, and totally grind any idiotincompetent males standing in their way under their dainty feet.
“You two!” Amatronly older woman burst into the room dressed in all black, a headsetclamped over her head, a menacing scowl on her face. “You can’t be in here. Whoare you?” She looked ready to tackle Shaw and Kaleb personally if they so muchas looked at her young charges wrong.
“Terribly sorry.”Kaleb flashed the dimple and smile her way, but this woman wasn’t budging, thescowl remaining fixed in place, looking seconds away from requesting a securityescort. “I’m Kaleb, this is Shaw, we’re with the sponsors.”
