Free Demon Lord 6: Garnet Tongue Goddess by Morgan Blayde

concerted gasps from those in the room, except for Christie.  Her voice lashed out.  “See?  I told you Caine was here.  I’m not crazy.”
    “Crazy people never believe they are,” Rooster said.
    “Wow, dude!”  Malevolence’s hands choked up on the hammer she held.  “That’s so cool.  How did you do that?”
    Looking totally fuckable in her skin-tight, mostly black Power Ranger suit, Christie pointed a white-gloved hand at me.  Her katana was in its sheath again.  “He’s totally a ninja sorcerer.”
    “Yeah, what she said, so don’t piss me off.”  I grinned and let the shadow butterfly I’d planted on her dissipate. 
    Malevolence said, “I wish you were my father.”
    Ears turning red with strong emotion, Rooster stabbed me with a hard glare.  He muttered.  “Stupid ninja tricks don’t make a good dad.”
    I sighed.  Is it my fault I’m not a loser like you.  This damn perfection of mine is such a curse.
     
     
    1
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    EIGHT
     
    “There’s never a Shinto priestess
    around when you need one.”
     
                                                     —Caine Deathwalker
     
     
    “Listen up,” I told the reality stars in the office.  “I’ve got errands to run.  You guys stay together and suppress any sexual impulses that come around.  You’ll be safer that way.  Sex draws the ghost swarm.  The swarm draws the baby snake ghost.  The snake ghost probably won’t turn anyone else into a nagi or naga, but there are other ways it can hurt you.  Just keep calm and hide until I get back.”
    If I weren’t getting paid to deal with the spooks, I’d suggest they walk out.  Of course, they wouldn’t get paid by the show, and they might get into legal trouble.  I kept silent, doubting anyone would give up their chance at TV fame anyway.
    “Where are you going?” Christie asked.
    “My magic is better at dealing with material threats than spooks.  I need to find a certain kind of backup to fix things around here.” 
    I also need a liquor store.  I’m definitely too sober for all this.
    “I want to go with you,” Christie said.
    “Me, too,” Malevolence chimed in.  “I need a break from this dump.”
    “Then I’m going, too,” Rooster said.
    “Hell no,” I said.  “The people I’m going to see can be dangerous. Bringing along sightseers might ruffle feathers, claws, and fangs, and other kinds of stuff.”
    “It’s okay.”  Malevolence held up her hammer.  “I’ve got this.”
    “Hold that thought.”  I pulled Christie over to Deedee in the sleeping bag.  I whispered.  “I need you to stay here and make sure no one looks in the sleeping bag at Deedee until she’s conscious again.  It’s very important.”
    Christie stared at the hidden figure.  She whispered back.  “Why?”
    I lied.  “The aftereffects of her forced change will take a while to go away.  She’s not quite back to normal.  I don’t want someone seeing her and jumping to the conclusion that she’s a preternatural.  It could mess up her whole life.”
    The truth was, she looked fey because she was fey.  I wanted to give Deedee a chance to keep her cover.  She’d owe me, big.
    Christie leaned over the sleeping bag, peeled it open a little bit, peering in.  She nodded and closed up the bag again.  “Yeah, I see what you mean.  Are you sure we don’t need a doctor?  Someone that pale might be in shock.”
    “Know any witch doctors?” I asked.
    “Uh, no.”
    “Just trust me on this.”  I left her there and strolled back to Rooster and Malevolence.  “Rooster, I need you to find Lillian and bring her to the cafeteria where everyone else will be.”  I put an arm on his shoulder and dragged him away from his daughter.  I whispered.  “It’s a dangerous job.  Do you think you’ll be able to fight her off if she wants to force herself on you?”
    Rooster thought about