"Where?"
"Tothe diner. You need some food."
"I'mnot cranky! I was happy until a minute ago."
"AndI intend to rectify that." He grinned at me in apology.
"Well,I am a little hungry. I mean I could eat…"
Westopped at the curb until there was a lull in the traffic long enough for us toget across the street. The diner seemed to be as busy as the bookstore, but notbusy enough we had to wait. I just didn't get my table but managed not to snarlat the couple sitting there as we passed.
Assoon as we sat down, Marge made a beeline for our table, coffee and menus inhand. "Did you see what that shit rag printed about you?"
"Idid."
"Yougonna sue? I'd sue. Slanderin' you like that."
Darshot me an inquisitive look across the table.
Ishrugged at him and sighed before answering Marge. "Technically, they didn'tprint one thing that was a lie. They totally twisted the context of thesituation, but there's nothing to do. I'm not worried about it. None of the…"I paused to look over where the vampires normally sat when they were hangingout in the diner. "None of the people that I was talking to filed acomplaint, so it's just one of those things."
"Still.Those kids were petrified of you until you did whatever you did. First time Iever seen 'em that happy."
That brightened my mood a little. "Thanks,Marge."
Shewaved my thanks off and pulled out her order book from her apron and her penfrom her hair. "Whatcha havin?"
"Steakand eggs," Dar answered with a grin.
"Coffee?Coke? Both?"
"Coffeeand a water, if you would, please." She smiled and turned to me.
"I'llhave the same." When I was with Dar, my craving for red meat skyrocketedexponentially. I didn't want the eggs, but asking for a steak for breakfastmight have seemed a little odd. He could have mine if he wanted.
"Scrambled,too?" She knew his preference for eggs from him ordering just one time.She amazed me sometimes.
"Please."
"Erkyderky," she answered and started walking away.
"Erkyderky?" I laughed as the words slipped from my lips.
Margestarted giggling. "A few days ago, this little Asian girl came through here,cute as a button. She said some of the strangest things. That was one of them.I must have picked it up from her!"
"Isay enough weird shit. If you catch me saying anything like that, have Herbsmack me with a skillet."
Margechuckled and headed for the counter. "Herb! Two eggs and legs, extra mooand whip 'em!"
"Aye,aye." Herb waved at me through the window into the kitchen.
"So,how did your foray into the elven lands go. I mean beside your consolationprize elf."
Isnorted. "Consolation prize. I wish it were that simple. Delron's entireplan consisted of me getting preggers and cast down into the fiery pits of hellto rescue my father."
"Thatisn't the best of plans."
"Oh,and he gave me a jewel to shove my father's gifts into to give them back tohim. Like the one that gave them to me in the first place."
"Thatis the better part of the plan. Where is the gem?"
"Inthe lockbox on my dresser. I'm going to get a pouch to carry it around in orsomething. Doesn't seem very safe leaving it where it is. I'm going to need it."
"Youjust need a way into Tartarus."
"Yep."
"Dot…"
"Youknow a way?" My eyes narrowed and I leaned closer.
"No.That's just it. It is the literal bottom of the planes, far below Gehenna. Onlythose from the adjacent planes can access it. There is no way to get thereanymore. You either have to be an angel or a devil."
"Devil?"
Hesighed and leaned back, sipping his coffee. The plane above Tartarus is called Cania.There was one sole inhabitant."
"Who?"
"MephistophelesHe was rumored to have a stronghold in Tartarus as well."
"So,he can get us into Tartarus?"
"Hecould if he wasn't eradicated by the angels."
"So,only the plane below can get us to Tartarus? Wait! I thought you said Tartaruswas the lowest?"
"Itis. But everything comes full circle. Instead of thinking of the planes aboveand below, think of them side by side, but when you're on the plane, down takesyou to the left." He tried to explain by having his hands one above theother and then twisted them together until they were side by side. It hurt myhead.
"Okay.I kind of get it. So, the one below is actually the highest?"
"Precisely!So, the angels can get to Tartarus because it is above them, but on the bottom."
"Ineed a fucking drink."
"Gotsome whiskey behind the counter. Need a snort in your coffee?" Margelooked at me seriously as she deposited the plate of steak and eggs in front ofme.
"No!It was a figure of speech. Dar hurt my head."
"Sillyboy. Hurt her ass, not her head." She cackled and dropped the plate offood in front of him alongside a glass of water.
Iblushed as I picked at my eggs.
"Letme know if you kids need anything else."
"Willdo, Marge," I grumbled slightly, unable to look her in the eye.
"Perhapsshe meant by spanking it?"
"You'regonna be spanking something else if you don't stop talking, Dar."
"Yes,Master."
Chapter 5
"We should totally have a New Year'sparty," Yuki said as if she was some sort of genius and tossed a four packof Red Bull into the cart.
Reachingin, I lifted it out and put it back on the shelf. "You need Red Bull likeI need another boyfriend." I kept walking and grabbed a case of Coke. Bythe time I got it into the cart, the Red Bull was back. At least she had triedto hide it under the stack of coloring books I found by the entrance to theAmersville Walmart. "Sneaky little shit," I said with a chuckle andpretended not to notice.
"Didyou say something, Master?"
"Nope.Head for the coffee aisle. We need to stock up."
"ShouldI grab another cart?"
"Har,har."
Myphone dinged in my pocket. Pulling it out, I rolled my eyes. I had texted mymother before I headed for the bookstore. I told her to call me when she gotup, but I doubted she had slept in until after lunch. She was ignoring me, butfinally caved and texted instead of calling.
Whatcan I do for you, daughter?
Ihit the call button. It rang four times and went to voicemail.
Iam indisposed at the moment. What do you
