Me and My Shadow - Katie MacAlister [37]
Magoth simpered at her. I kept my eye rolling to merely a desire, and greeted her politely. “Hello, Sally. I wondered what happened to you, since we haven’t seen you in a few months. It looks like you’ve taken up coaching Chippendales dancers.”
The nearest wrath demon flexed its zebra-striped thong at me.
“You mean Vincenzo and Gunter? Aren’t they the most scrumptious things you’ve ever seen?” Sally blew them a kiss.
“Er . . . they’re definitely something,” I said, avoiding eye contact with them.
“Sugar, jealousy just doesn’t look good on you. I’ll send them away, since you know how much I value our friendship. Well, that and they’re naughty little boys who don’t like it when Mumsy pays attention to other men.” She kissed Magoth’s ear and made an elaborate gesture in the air. The two nearly naked demons disappeared.
“I wonder how I’d look in a thong,” Jim said thoughtfully, squinting at the spot in which the two demons had been standing.
“Ridiculous,”I told it before turning to Sally.“You look hale and hearty. I take it you’re still apprenticing?”
“Gracious, no!” She looked crestfallen for a moment. “You didn’t get the invitation for the ceremony? Hell-fire! I knew I should have gone with Crane and Co. to do my announcements rather than having one of the minions handcraft paper from Yankee money. I’m sorry about that, May. It was a beautiful ceremony, truly moving when Bael sacrificed an entire legion to mark the occasion of my ascension to the throne. You would have loved it.”
Somehow, I doubted that. Still, my eyes widened at the thought of Sally ruling Abaddon. “You took the throne?”
“You little backstabber,” Magoth told her fondly, using the arm he had around her waist to give her a squeeze. “You used my banishment to forward your own cause. What a superbly self-serving thing to do.”
She bit his chin. “I knew you’d approve.”
“So long as it wasn’t my seat, yes.”
“To answer your question, May, I took over the seat left vacant by that demon lord who is now all dragonny,” she said, giggling a little as Magoth goosed her. “You know her, don’t you? I’d appreciate it if you could give her a piece of my mind. She’s absolutely ruined all of my minions. You wouldn’t believe the lax attitudes they have, not to mention a flat-out refusal to do anything truly evil. I mean, seriously, what’s the use of having minions if they won’t go forth and spread debauchery, depravity, and suffering in your name?”
“Shocking,” Magoth murmured, both hands on her butt now.
I said simply, “What a disappointment that must be to you. I will be sure to pass along your complaint to Aisling.”
“I’m sure she’ll be heartbroken,” Jim said, snickering just a little.
Sally, who had been whispering and giggling to Magoth, suddenly froze, her head snapping around to pierce Jim with a look that had the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. “Who dares to speak to me without permission? What is your name, demon?”
“This is Jim,” I said quickly as Jim backed up until it was pressed against my legs. “It’s Aisling’s demon, actually, although it’s out on loan to me.”
“It is impertinent,” Sally said, and with a negligent hand drew a symbol in the air.
“Hey, all I said—” Jim disappeared, just flat-out disappeared.
Fury roared to life within me. “What did you do?” I almost yelled, stomping forward toward her.
She had the gall to look surprised. “Why, banished it to the Akasha, of course. I know you’re not a demon lord, May, but really, your time here in Abaddon should have taught you that the only way to maintain control is to never allow impertinence in minions. It can only lead to worse things, like insubordination and outright mutiny.”
“She’s right,” Magoth