me realize I was letting Simon's power go to my head. The bastard was doing a mind-control thing on me, trying to get me to come on board as his successor."
Derek put his hand on Freddy's arm. "It was because he was proud of you. He thought the offer was an honor. But your mother raised you to be decent, Fred. Obviously you couldn't go that way."
CiCi dabbed at her eyes. "Thank you, Derek. You don't know what it means to hear you say that. I was so afraid . . ."
"Mother, I would never serve a goddess from hell." Freddy lifted her hand to his lips. "I wanted a father, but not one who could sacrifice people to feed a monster. I told Simon that."
"So you gave him an ultimatum?" I couldn't believe it. If I'd planned this, it couldn't have worked out better. Now if only Simon wanted a relationship with his son badly enough, maybe we could work a deal.
"Basically. But Simon can't leave the EVs. No one can. The goddess doesn't tolerate defectors. You sign on for life. If Simon tried to quit, he'd be terminated." Freddy's shoulders sagged. "I'm sorry. I really wanted to get to know him. He's a fascinating man. Brilliant, really. And he could do so much good if he hadn't tied himself to Honoria and her demands."
"He did that long before he knew he would have a family, Frederick. I'm sure he has regrets now. But it's too late." CiCi looked at me. "Unless . . ."
"I don't know. I guess the big question is, can she be taken out? That would free Simon from the EV thing." I remembered the setup out there. The gold dome where Honoria resided, the moans and groans coming from a dark hole in the earth. Supposedly she sucked the energy from her victims to survive.
"I tried to find out more about the EVs while we were out there, Glory." Derek sat on the table beside me. "That's one creepy place. It's not just a hole in the ground, it's a tunnel. Simon actually walks down inside it when he confers with her. Which shows he's either brave or nuts. I wouldn't get within a hundred feet of the place. I swear you can hear the screams of the damned coming from there."
"Wow. I had no idea. I had pictured a hose of some kind connecting to her. The Oreck from Hell, you know?" I shivered. "Guess the only one who could tell us how to take her out would be Simon. And that's if he's interested." I turned to Freddy. "What do you think? Would your father give up the EVs for you?"
Freddy looked thoughtful, then took his mother's hand again. "There's only one way to find out. Glory, you're going to have to ask him."
"Me?" I swallowed, trying to picture that conversation. Simon had such power that he could be one of Lucifer's demons. He could turn me to stone, read my mind past blocks, you name it. Probably all powers courtesy of Honoria. Yes, he scared me.
"Hey, this is your idea. I gave him my 'ultimatum,' as you call it. He didn't exactly fall to his knees and beg me to take it back. Just sat there, like he had to think it over. Right then I realized that I'd probably expected too much. Unless there's a way to kill the goddess, walking away from the EVs wouldn't give us time together. Simon wouldn't survive to be a father to me. Honoria doesn't allow for defectors."
"We don't know that, Fred." Derek frowned. "I say someone has to have a talk with Simon. Get some answers. You started this, Glory. Why not finish it?"
"Simon and I aren't exactly best buds." I could feel three sets of eyes staring a hole in me. Yeah, I'd started it. No, technically Rafe had started it. Me and my loyalty. It had really taken me down a dark and creepy path this time.
"But I think you're the one to do it." Freddy nodded. "Even if Simon survives leaving the EVs, you want him on Lucifer's team. Mother told me the demons explained that's what is necessary to get Rafe's debt clear."
"Yes, that's right." This was too messy, with way too much margin for error. Freddy put a reassuring hand on my shoulder.
"Relax, Glory. I'm assuming Lucifer can offer Simon some incentives to come over to his side after my father makes the break. Seems like that's for