“It would be best if the earthlings at large were kept ignorant of the universes beyond their borders. They are too fragile a species to grasp the complexities of their true place in the grand scheme of life.”
Half human myself, I wasn’t sure how to take that, but I let it go. I’ve had enough fights outside of my weight class lately to know better than to take this one on. I plastered on my best I’m-Gonna-Screw-Your-Daughter look, nodded, and waved goodbye. A split second later, Hasstor’s spell took hold, and I was whisked away.
I could have sworn Squirmy winked at me.
Chapter Two
Much to my surprise, I arrived back in my living room, in the exact same spot Xyx picked me up. Convenient.
I didn’t know how long I’d been gone-time in alternate dimensions always a bit screwy in comparison to Earth-but I knew it had been a little while, at least; long enough to ruin my day. My senses pinged on an empty house. Karra and Chatterbox were already gone, leaving me alone. That was the last thing I wanted to be.
As soon I realized I was coming back from my unexpected jaunt across the universe, and wasn’t gonna die, I’d started imagining being with Karra more. Together again for such a short time, the shadow of Abe’s death lingering over the last couple days of relative peace after the Heaven debacle, I just wanted to cuddle.
Yeah, I said it.
But as usual, especially of late, my uncle and his needs and machinations trumped any of my insignificant wants and desires. It felt like a bad marriage; ‘til death do I get screwed. Not that it did me any good to complain. The big boys were gonna play their reindeer games regardless, and the little folks would be the ones to pay for it. It had always been that way. Expecting my lot to be any different now was like hoping a politician would make good on his campaign promises. It just wasn’t gonna happen.