A Home for Misfit Monsters

Chapter 17 - A Deal With God

"You go out for one date and come back with a guard of demons and you broke the cloaking spell," Callie said, swirling around Rhia as she plucked a few spell books from the shelves. "I guess that should've been expected."

"Yes, and I'd like you, mom and the rest of our coven to come back to the house with me," Rhia said, slipping the books into her bag. "I have a plan, and I need your help."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Her mother said. "Our collective magic will be a target for Godiran. We'd draw him to you."

"That's what I want," Rhia said, closing her bag. "I'm having a party in his honor, and I need him to feel compelled to attend instead of killing innocent humans to find me."

"A party sounds reckless, Rhia," her mother tutted, sliding her hands to her hips. "Have Gia and Sae agreed to this?"

"We did, but it wouldn't matter if we did or not," Ezra said, walking inside the cabin in his human glamor. "This is Rhia's fight and it's her choice to deal with Godiran as she pleases," he said, taking Rhia's bag from her. "The others have started walking to the car. Are you ready?"

"Yes," she said, turning to Callie and her mother. "I'd really appreciate it if you and the rest of our coven came back to the house with us."

The books on the shelves rattled as a plume of glittering white smoke burst from them and wispy forms of women with milky white eyes filled the room. "We will come with you, goddess." They spoke in unison. "We were born to assist you."

A smile curled over Rhia's lips. "Thank you," she said, bowing her head to her coven of witches. "Mom, aunt Callie, that just leaves you. Are you coming?"

"I'm in." Callie nodded and nudged her sister. "Come on, Selah, we're already dead and wouldn't you like to put God in his place for what he did to you and your beloved?"

Rhia's mother curled her hands into a fist and nodded. "Yes, I would. I'll help you, baby girl. I'll do whatever you need."

"I haven't been around this many Sedliw in a long time." Ezra chuckled, squeezing Rhia's hand. "This is going to be some party."

"Did you know Sae'tänezyrian gave us our coven name?" one woman giggled as she floated around them. "He said we were the burning light left from you. What the celestial gods called a sedliw essence and our name was passed down in reverse to become the Wildes women of the Sedliw. The bright and burning essence of you, Rhia. Daughter of our Divine Mother Goddess."

Rhia looked up at Ezra with adoration and love simmering in her heart. "Why didn't you tell me that? That's so sweet of you."

He choked out a laugh as he shook his head. "It wasn't that sweet. Rianne summoned me out of nowhere and I called her a sedliw in spite of you. I was angry."

The ghostly woman grinned. "That is true. We didn't get along very well in the beginning and I couldn't understand how you fell in love with such a mean spirited brute, but Sae saved me and my sisters from God's hunters and taught us how to conceal our magic from them. That's when I understood his love for you," Rianne said, patting a hand on Ezra's shoulder. "I'm glad you've come back and found our goddess."

"Thank you, but I didn't," Ezra said, looking down at Rhia and sliding his fingers to her chin. "She found me and pulled me from the depths of Gehenna to remind me of my purpose."

The devotion swirling in his gray depths made her heart stutter and need pooled in her gut as she gazed at his succulent lips that she ached to taste again.

"Nope!" Callie clapped her hands, snapping Rhia and Ezra out of their heady daze. "We're on a mission, ladies and Rianne, you need to stop weaving that fucking spell around them," she said to the disappointed groan of the coven.