"I know it."
I whirled around, my heart hammering in my chest, but gave a sigh of relief when I realized who it was.
"Kali, hi," I said, then: "This really, really really sucks." sucks."
She nodded. She was standing by the utility closet, still in the same outfit she"d been wearing the last time I saw her. Her beautiful dark eyes were stricken with sorrow as she took in the scene that surrounded us. She may not have loved the Gopi, but she felt the same way I did: Their deaths were a waste.
"What in the world happened here, white girl?" she said, shaking her head. She didn"t look at me, just surveyed the destruction. I could tell that she wanted me to confirm that I"d had nothing to do with the ma.s.sacre-and for once I could honestly say that this this wasn"t my fault. wasn"t my fault.
"I don"t know. I just got here myself."
She stepped over a fallen rack of saris, blood caking their shimmering sequins like paint, and came to stand beside me. Together, we tallied the damage.
"G.o.d sent me here," I said finally. She started at my words, her eyes curious yet a bit fearful at the same time.
I don"t know why why I blurted the words out like that, but I guess there was something about having a religious experience that left you kind of sh.e.l.l-shocked. I blurted the words out like that, but I guess there was something about having a religious experience that left you kind of sh.e.l.l-shocked.
"You saw saw it?" she asked, her eyes wide. I liked how she called G.o.d an "it." I mean, that was exactly what I would"ve done, since the Creator of All Things that it?" she asked, her eyes wide. I liked how she called G.o.d an "it." I mean, that was exactly what I would"ve done, since the Creator of All Things that I"d I"d spoken to was definitely of the "s.e.xless" persuasion-which meant any gender that said spoken to was definitely of the "s.e.xless" persuasion-which meant any gender that said they they were made in G.o.d"s image was full of s.h.i.t. were made in G.o.d"s image was full of s.h.i.t.
"I heard heard it," I said. "It spoke to me twice, but the first time I had no idea who it was." Jeez, I felt like I was in high school talking about a boy I liked or something. it," I said. "It spoke to me twice, but the first time I had no idea who it was." Jeez, I felt like I was in high school talking about a boy I liked or something.
Kali nodded like she believed what I was saying, but for all she knew, I could"ve been hallucinating the whole thing.
"G.o.d doesn"t personally intervene very often," she said. "In fact, I"ve never met anyone that"s seen-or heard-from the Creator. At least in this century."
"Lucky me," I said bitterly.
She glared at me, her large eyes flashing. She really didn"t like me pooh-poohing my fifteen minutes with G.o.d.
"Yes, lucky you."
I didn"t know how to explain to Kali that, yes, maybe it was was a great honor to meet G.o.d, or the Creator, or whatever "it" called itself these days, but right then I would"ve sold my firstborn to be a normal girl with a life span of sixty-five to seventy years and no knowledge whatsoever of the Afterlife. a great honor to meet G.o.d, or the Creator, or whatever "it" called itself these days, but right then I would"ve sold my firstborn to be a normal girl with a life span of sixty-five to seventy years and no knowledge whatsoever of the Afterlife.
"Look, Kali, G.o.d sent me here for a reason. I don"t know what it is, but it must have something to do with this place or the Gopi-"
Kali looked down at her hands.
"I made a mistake, Callie." It was the first time she had used my real name: not "white girl" or "dipwad" or "b.i.t.c.h." I supposed that meant we were making some kind of progress in our tentative friendship. At least, I I was gonna take the usage of my real name as a step in the right direction. was gonna take the usage of my real name as a step in the right direction.
She stared down at her cuticles as she chose her next words carefully.
"I let you think you owed me a favor for coming down and helping you with Indra"s movie," she continued. "I was gonna hold it over your head and make you do all kinds of embarra.s.sing, ridiculous things just because I could."
If it hadn"t been so obvious what a hard time she was having simply telling telling me how silly and selfish she"d been, I would"ve made her rue the day she"d ever set eyes on me. But since having to apologize to me me how silly and selfish she"d been, I would"ve made her rue the day she"d ever set eyes on me. But since having to apologize to me period period was such a major-league blow to her ego, I decided that was such a major-league blow to her ego, I decided that that that would be punishment enough without making her feel any worse. would be punishment enough without making her feel any worse.
"We were lovers once, but not for many, many centuries," she began, as if that explained everything.
"Okay," I said uncertainly. "Go on."
"You see, because of this, Indra felt very close to me," she continued, "and for a long time he had begged me to come to him; he said there was something he needed needed to tell me. But I was very angry with him- to tell me. But I was very angry with him-for reasons that do not concern anyone anyone else else-and I didn"t go to him, nor would I allow him to come to me. So he used you to make make me listen, and what I heard, I didn"t want to believe . . . so I pretended to not hear at all." me listen, and what I heard, I didn"t want to believe . . . so I pretended to not hear at all."
I reached out and took Kali"s hand, giving it a squeeze. This was really, really hard for her and I wanted her to know that no matter what she said next, she was my friend-probably my only one in the supernatural community-but a friend, nonetheless.
"Oh, Callie," she wailed, "in the memories I showed you, Indra let me see that he had never defeated Vritra. And he has lived with the fear and guilt for so many years-"
"Drowning his pain in drink?" I offered. She turned to look at me, surprised. Did she think I was blind blind? C"mon, how many times did the man pull the stupid flask out of his pocket just while I I was looking at him? was looking at him?
I think it was pretty obvious the man had a problem-whatever ambrosia of the G.o.ds" concoction he was drinking. ambrosia of the G.o.ds" concoction he was drinking.
"Yes, that"s right. He is addicted to Soma, and that"s that"s why I"ve been so angry with him. You saw in the memories how strong and beautiful he once was, and to let himself become only half a man . . . It made me so terribly angry with him," she finished, her eyes sad. why I"ve been so angry with him. You saw in the memories how strong and beautiful he once was, and to let himself become only half a man . . . It made me so terribly angry with him," she finished, her eyes sad.
"Yeah, about that whole "let"s thrust Callie into Indra"s memory so she can see Vritra"s beautiful human corpse castle" thing. Let me just pause right here, so I can give you an extra-special thanks thanks for that one. And when I say for that one. And when I say thanks thanks, I really mean, how insane are you to do that to me? how insane are you to do that to me?"
Kali grinned sheepishly at me.
"Sorry about that, but Indra wanted you to see . . . and then you you asked, so what could I do?" asked, so what could I do?"
"I don"t care. You still still should be groveling at my feet," I countered. should be groveling at my feet," I countered.
"Not gonna happen," she said. "So don"t even go there."
"Fine," I replied. "I never did did see past Indra being captured by Vritra"s mud men. Tell me what he showed you . . . and what you were see past Indra being captured by Vritra"s mud men. Tell me what he showed you . . . and what you were supposed supposed to show me." to show me."
Kali sighed, not wanting to think about the fact that she hadn"t done as she was told and shown me all all of Indra"s memories. of Indra"s memories.
"You have to understand that after I saw the truth, I couldn"t bear for you, or anyone else, to know it," she whispered, pleading for me to understand.
I didn"t know what to say. I might"ve done the same thing had I been in her situation, so who was I to judge? Instead, I nodded for her to continue.
"He was captured by Vritra-and instead of dying as befits a hero-the dipwad made a deal with the slimy demon. He would tell the world that he had vanquished him with Sea Foam, and for that that he would have his life." he would have his life."
"Okay, so he wanted to live. I can"t blame him for that," I said. "But did he say why why Vritra wanted the supernatural world to think he was dead?" Vritra wanted the supernatural world to think he was dead?"
Kali shrugged unhappily, her bottom lip stuck out like a child"s.
"He didn"t know, white girl. It was the only thing the demon asked of him, so I suppose he didn"t think it was wise to press him for information," she said defensively. Jeez, without fail, every time I thought Kali and I were becoming friends, she got all b.i.t.c.hy on me.
"And this was the only only part of the memory you didn"t show me?" I asked, checking to make sure she wasn"t holding out on me. part of the memory you didn"t show me?" I asked, checking to make sure she wasn"t holding out on me.
She nodded, and then suddenly her face fell.
"I was Indra"s undoing! If I had shown you what he wanted you to see, you could have saved him," she sniffled, gesturing at the carnage with her hand, her lips trembling like this was something she had created-which she obviously hadn"t, no matter how guilty she felt.
"You didn"t do this," I said. "There"s something else going on here, something Indra didn"t tell you about. Why else would he have the Gopi bodyguards at his beck and call? Why the bad disguise? He used me me to call to call you you because this way it would be a secret that the two of you had spoken. The guy was scared. That much I would bet a million bucks on." because this way it would be a secret that the two of you had spoken. The guy was scared. That much I would bet a million bucks on."
"You really think so?" Kali said hopefully, her dark eyes looking happier than they had since I"d first thrown an Elle Elle at her head. "You really, really, at her head. "You really, really, really really think so?" think so?"
"Did I or did I not not just say I"d bet a million bucks on it?" I said, looking heavenward. just say I"d bet a million bucks on it?" I said, looking heavenward. So help me, if the Hindu G.o.ddess of Destruction does So help me, if the Hindu G.o.ddess of Destruction does not not stop being all whiny on me . . . stop being all whiny on me . . .
"Well, what do we do now?" Kali asked uncertainly as we stood there surrounded by enough blood and gore to fill twenty B horror movies.
Suddenly, there was a loud crunching crunching sound behind us. sound behind us.
"It"s coming from the closet," Kali said through clenched teeth. "We"re gonna have to kill it, white girl. You up for it?"
I nodded, not sure what what the h.e.l.l I"d just agreed to. But Kali was right. Whatever had killed the Gopi was still in the closet, and we the h.e.l.l I"d just agreed to. But Kali was right. Whatever had killed the Gopi was still in the closet, and we would would have to defeat it with only our bare fists for weapons. have to defeat it with only our bare fists for weapons.
I felt like Dwayne Johnson on estrogen, and the sensation was kind of cool.
Kali let out a war cry as the door to the utility closet flew open and something large and black flew out at us.
"Wait a minute!" I screamed as I grabbed Kali by the arm and nearly yanked her off her feet. I knew that big black thing, and there was no way in h.e.l.l I was gonna let Kali hurt it!
"Runt!" I nearly shrieked with joy as my h.e.l.lhound puppy made a running leap right over Kali and into my open arms. I grabbed on to Cerberus"s pup-my pup because there was no way jose I was ever giving her back now-and held the beast to my chest like my life depended on it. The feel of her heart drumming double time in her rib cage, and the smell of her stinky dog fur, was heavenly. pup because there was no way jose I was ever giving her back now-and held the beast to my chest like my life depended on it. The feel of her heart drumming double time in her rib cage, and the smell of her stinky dog fur, was heavenly.
"Callie," Clio yelled as she came out of the utility room at a run, her long teenage legs sprinting toward me as fast as they could carry her. In two seconds flat I had my dog and my little sister smashed into a giant three-way bear hug-one of my patented ones-and all of us were crying and giggling like a bunch of two-year-olds.
"I"m sorry, Cal," Clio said, her voice raw and warbly. "I should"ve believed you, and I didn"t!"
"It"s okay," I said, squeezing her even tighter to me. "I shouldn"t have been such a p.u.s.s.y. I should"ve stood up for myself."
"All right, white girls, you guys better stop stop cryin" and cryin" and start start explaining," Kali said from where she sat, a very safe distance from all the sisterly affection. explaining," Kali said from where she sat, a very safe distance from all the sisterly affection.
We both turned to stare at her. I had forgotten she was even there-which only made her madder. Clio and I both started snickering when we saw the pinched, put-upon look on her face.
"If you don"t stop it right now, I am so so out of here," she said, giving me one of her trademark "I"m gonna kick your a.s.s" looks. out of here," she said, giving me one of her trademark "I"m gonna kick your a.s.s" looks.
I nodded, realizing the time for a reunion was not not among the Gopi carnage. among the Gopi carnage.
"Clio," I said, letting her pull away from me finally, "how did you guys find me?"
She smiled. "Oh, that was easy. He He showed us." showed us."
She turned back to the utility closet and pointed to where Daniel stood, his back against the wall, a large janitor"s broom lying at his feet.
He gave me a weak smile.
"Hey, Callie, I thought you might be needing this-"
He held out something small and silver for me to see as he took another tentative step forward.
"Don"t you dare, you monster," I yelled at him, pushing Clio behind my back protectively. "I won"t let you hurt a hair on her head!"
"Callie, you don"t understand-"
"I know who you are, Daniel Daniel. Now stay away from me!" But then something something, some small piece of trivia, niggled at my brain.
Hadn"t the Devil said it is his own own presence that brings out the killing side of Death? So, if this is the Devil, and not Daniel, then why is the little voice inside my head not screaming for blood? presence that brings out the killing side of Death? So, if this is the Devil, and not Daniel, then why is the little voice inside my head not screaming for blood?
"You figured it out," Daniel said happily, his face relaxing into a real smile for the first time since I"d seen him last. "I"m not really allowed to talk about it, you know? So it makes explaining kind of hard."
I nodded. I was really starting to hate all this magic stuff. I liked honesty, and it seemed like honesty honesty was something the supernatural world took for granted. was something the supernatural world took for granted.
"So you"re really you you," I said, even though his answer was only a formality. I had all the proof I needed inside me.
"What"s going on?" Clio said, her hand wrapped around Runt"s leash.
"Nothing," I replied, giving her a rea.s.suring smile.
When my eyes caught Kali"s, she just shook her head reproachfully at me. I didn"t know what her deal with Daniel was, but I had a funny feeling the Devil had been using his "shape-shifting" trick to bamboozle unsuspecting women (and G.o.ddesses) for quite a while-with poor Daniel as his scapegoat.
"I"ll explain later," I offered, but she rolled her eyes and snorted under her breath.
"It has to do with the Devil."
This caught Kali"s attention, but I shook my head and mouthed the word "later."
While I had been trying to appease Kali, Daniel had closed the gap between us.
"The Cup of Jamshid," Daniel said, offering it to me with both hands. "You left it back in h.e.l.l after you saved my life."
"You saved his life," Kali said. I shook my head, letting her know I really would really would explain everything later. explain everything later.
"Thanks," I said, giving him a sheepish smile. "Sorry I left you there, but Death seemed to have bigger fish to fry."
"Hey, no worries," he said, smiling, and for the first time I felt myself really, truly really, truly attracted to him just like we were a attracted to him just like we were a real boy real boy and a and a real girl real girl-not two people caught up in a supernatural whirlwind of craziness.
"Why would you do this for me?" I said, giving him a searching look. I dropped my eyes as soon as I encountered his equally intense gaze in return.
"Because you saved my life, Calliope Reaper-Jones, when by all rights you should have been feasting on my soul."
twenty-seven.
"Aw, shucks, it was nothing." I shrugged as I took the silvery cup from his hands.
The burning sensation I"d felt when I first touched the magical object was gone, replaced now by the warm weight of something magical that was ready to do my bidding.
"How did you find us?" I said as I literally had to drag my eyes away from the cup, its magical force was calling out to me so fiercely.
"The Cup of Jamshid showed us," Clio said. At the mention of its name, the thing began to glow a bright silvery white color, and I could feel the thrum of life inside it, like there was a heart welded right into the metal.
"Thank you for all of this," I said to Daniel as I gave his hand a squeeze. It was pretty hysterical to watch the man blush. The real Daniel was so the opposite opposite of the Devil. of the Devil.