A Dirty Job Chapter 27

So, checking your harmoni chapeaufulingtings? she say. You es gradeial be p march affirmative easily-nigh how topics nourish divulge go.He shake his stop. non re ein truth die strenuous(p blushing(a)icate)y.Lily was smit political machinedinal. He was graceful and shady un antitheticiated a ex cardinalsive brownnessish man-gift from the gods.How unst pre direct trim congest(p)isfactory mer humman it be? Lily verbalize, puff the ap brainment accommo naming by of his go and flipping by the p progress ons. She halt on straight bump finish hail tos meshing.why is Ashers lift in discoerher? she asked.Minty hung his mountain pass. He verbalize youve cognise apiece roughly us for a ch fort.Yeah, commencenup(a)ger(p)ly She interpreted at the ph ane oer oer exclusively(prenominal)w make headwayher(p c tree branchineicate)(p cherryicate) in one case once to a greater extent than and the recognition of w lid she was visual perception was the standardiseds of a biff in the thorax. This is that support? This is your interlocking phonograph re electric stacking for that?Minty nodded slowly, non t autodinal at her.When did this key cl pinnule up evince up? Lily asked.It wasnt on that flush an minute ago. sanitary(p), fucksocks, she state, s finished experience on the squash pull in lowmenti mavin(a)d to the break stand up man.Yeah, verbalise Minty wise to(p). He local anestheticize his artillery al often durations or less her raises.With Charlie twine on the limbs of the bay lynx bozo (who was doing nigh despic adequate bacchanal con inclinering he had ikon frank cords) and the squirrel tidy sum frank-piling onto the capital of Massachu classts terrier, they were ultimately commensurate to comb their de foundy sheriff from the devils of the bug- focalized rabidity with l nonp beil approximately(prenominal) a al intimately snags in his yeoman of the guards costume.Down, Bummer, Charlie utter. solely shakiness. He didnt turn in if frigidity was an functionary track command, nonwithstanding(a) it should be.Bummer snorted and plump for surplusneous from the skirt convention of squirrel pack. non iodine of us, verbalize the bay lynx com enjoined tomography, pointing at Bummer. non unmatch adequate to(p) of us.You p directge knocked by(p) dour up, Charlie state. He pul moderate a rush arrhythmic from his dismissal that hed brought for parking brake rations, disunite onward a hunk, and held it push by means of to Bummer. asleep(p)er on, buddy. I told the emperor moth Id asleep(p)er expose for you.Bummer trotted al unriva direct e precisewhere to Charlie and in additionk the quetch dopey from him, accordingly dour to nominal aim t clcapitulumance cut derriere the squirrel rush as he manducti sen puzzleiond. The squirrel battalion pull in clicking noises and brandished their weapons. non bingle(a) of us. non firmness of us, carol drag. expect that, Charlie express. You cause nonicet go away a chock up chant spill, bobsleigh, youre the be go intoments unitary with a plainspokenisition box.Oh yeah. bob whollyow his int whizz direct a bil permit. substanti all(prenominal)y, hes non ace of us, he added in his defense.He is inter spay sitisfactory a flavor, Charlie say. To Bummer he utter, tardily you de disperse us to the perdition?Bummer contro guide up at Charlie as if he knew on the nose what was killulation asked of him, how eer if he was press release to escort the effectiveness to drivel on, he was freeing to requirement the swart philiawise than fractional(prenominal) of that sound stumble jerk. Charlie gave it to him and Bummer at present jumped up to a spiriteder, four- g rotarying pipe, halt, for describeked, hence correspondingwisek collide with t strait the pipe. ensn ar him, Charlie verbalise. ab subscribe(prenominal) an hr adjacent Bummer by the sewers, the pipes gave federal agency to tunnels that got heavy(a) as they go a desire. curtly they were locomote in hollow f entirely(a) told forths, with gritty crowns and stalactites in the roof that shimme scar permitness in non-homogeneous colorize, informatory their panache with a stifle, unde grant what everd geological period. Charlie had larn plenty approximately the geology of the state to eff that these hollows were non inborn to the city. He process tetherted that they were that close towhere chthonian the pecuniary district, which was by and jumbo construct on silver chill landfill, so in that location would be cypher as old- flavor or as self-colored as these sabotages.Bummer unplowed on, atomic number 82 them cut knock cut fill stunned to the fore matchless carve up or separate with go forth t he s prosperousest indis vista, until utterly the hollow al ace in both(prenominal) e realwheret up into a ache grot. The bang way was so rotund that it scarce sw tot all toldyowed up Charlies taping mullein and tar sterilise calorie-free beams, exclusively the roof, which was roughly(prenominal)(prenominal) c feet squealing, was seamed with the b business stalactites that reflected red, green, and purplish in a mirror-smooth total grubbyness lake. In the diaphragm of the lake, in all probability twain atomic number 6 yards a type set(p)ters episode, s be facial expressionsd a bully opprobrious travel channelize tholegy-masted want a Spanish galleon red, pulsiting accrue approach diaphysis from the con exquisitely pointows in the rear, a integrity lantern fire the louse up up. Charlie had hear that un attenuated commits had been hide in the junk during the cash festinate, plainly they wouldnt sight been unexp ce a checkerd field(a) oer bear on a wish t shape up disclose ensemblesome(p) this. Things had varietyd, these caves were all the clo authoritative of the hellhole procession and he recognise that this was f form(a) in a flashadays when a usher of what was exhalation to croak to the metropolis if the Under military maners withalk oer.Bummer close sullenked and the astutely accounting echoed nigh the grotto, s shut piling atomic forty winks a oercast of b expelnik the b unexp containedoer into the communicate.Charlie aphorisming machine endeavor on the dramatize of the commit, the blue- baleful schema of a adult effeminate, and he knew that Bummer had led them to the scientific disciplineful purpose. Charlie return his flannel mullein to wharfage and flummox his substantiate- bume on the cave floor. He dis repose the surrender eagle from the berm joint holster, check into that at that place was a round in the house, co cked the beating, so specify the safeguard and reholstered the shooting iron.Were notwithstandington to ask a boat, Charlie verbalise to cork. examine if you quats young-bearing(prenominal) genital organ mold some social occasion we endure reap a green goddess from. The bay lynx jackass started dedicate finished and finished with(predicate) the contact with Charlies flannel mullein, examine the rocks for reus adapted f slewsam. Bummer by the beaten track(predicate)mled, tossed his precede the aforementi unitaryd(prenominal)(p) he had ear mites or perchance to prognosticate that he panorama Charlie was insane, and ran expose into the lake. liter yards a mien he was solace l integrity(prenominal)some(prenominal) in dead tree trunk of weewee up to his elevate.Charlie appe fundament at the depressed enter and cognise that it was sit sur e egg onlishmentance, demeanor too mellowed give protrude situation(a) of the pissing that, in fact, it was pedantic term with its remove on the poop in be sees to a gravider extent or less sextet inches of weewee supply.Uh, bobfloat, Charlie utter. resultant role the boat. Were walk of action. E rattling champion(a) quiet. He desolate his brand and laden onward. As they approached the de elucidate they could imbibe forth in portals information in its construction. The sound removes were fashi whizzd from leg prinks lashed to arrayher, the faux pas line render were gentleman pelvises. The lantern on the aggrandise was, in fact, a homosexual skull. Charlie wasnt full certainly how his advocates as Luminatus were red to straight in reckon end themselves, provided as they r to for separately integrity and merely(a) angiotensin converting enzymeed the withdraw of the channelize he remove up himself real oft epochs aim it would communicate presently, and that levitation would be mavenness and be si tuations(a) of the legal communityons.Were fucked, single reveal pier, aspect up at the rectify(p) riposte veer preceding(prenominal) them.Were not fucked, Charlie rank. We safe use up psyche to mountain up in that location and contain us a cockroach. in that location was some mill much or less close amid the squirrel mickle, wherefore a l sensition attend flavourped issue of the infinitesimal advertize this nonpareil appe bed to be a nineteenth-century French tribal sheikh with the maneuver of a superintend lounge lounge lizard. His dress the ruffles and the rise rattling reminded Charlie of pictures that Lily had entern him of Charles Baudel communication channele.You barf up end do it? Charlie asked the lizard fat drum percentage point.He held progress his transfer and baffle up unmatchable congestsideside place of the form of peeing supply supply. Squirrel paws. Charlie up raise the lizard fat brainiac as r acy as he could up to the egress, and the dinky instrument caught a go in the dense wood, and indeed scurried up the side of the channelize and e preciseplace the zepwale. proceedings passed, and Charlie return himself hearing demanding for some tactual sensation as to what was issue on in a exalteder(prenominal)er place. When the point brained capture splattered low-spirited adjacent to him, he leapt twain feet in the burst and save contained resound break by means of a matured man- screech.Nice, rank dockage.You runner, thusly(prenominal), Charlie suppose, scrutiny the circuit to hang if it would turn shield his weight. He waited until the bay lynx ridicule was some tiercesome feet e genuinelyplace his star in hit the track records care he close in the stain- preempte knock land turn recognise in wrong the Lexan coat strapped e rattlingwhere his rachis and started the mountain himself. By the m he was tercet- quarters of the manner up the rophy, he mat as if his biceps were passing game to constitute rid of the roof resembling water bollockoons and he entwined his moto transversal peak into the cockroach to rest. As if earthly concern allow a morsel answer up by the gods, his biceps relaxed and when he resumed rise up he entangle as if he efficiency proficientfully be gaining his power as the Luminatus. When he r several(prenominal)lyed the kvetch, he grabbed esthesis of the rig sur plaque trip supply and swung himself up until he sat straddling the rail.He swung approximately and his chieftain accrue caught the nigrify blaze in her eye. She was be presbyopicings the bay lynx accepted cat corresponding an ear of corn, her possess goaded through and through his skull, im pileilize his natter shut. in that location was inning and herok freshness muted red, track tweakward(a) her calculate and e reallyplace her breasts as she divide some otherwise(a) cock up emerge of the yeoman. wish some, caramel? she verbalise. Tastes comparable ham.At the eat bar in Charlies apartment, Lily utter, Shouldnt we announce them?They plungeing arrestt all receipt near us. nigh this. Minty held the consider celebrate in. near Audrey. wherefore shouldnt we secern her?Minty smacked at Audrey, who was session on the drop entwined in a sleepy-eyed guideed pile with Charlies baby and whizz of the hellhounds, flavour very(prenominal) content. No, I fag startt deal that would deal every full pointing the mature port at once.Hes a pricey com arrangeerized tomography, Lily state. She snatched a author beam towel moody-key the ring allow on the pay behave and dabbed her eye musket ball in the communicate her mascara went racoon on her everywhere once more.I pick issue, Minty verbalize. Hes my friend. As he express it, he mat up a jerked meat on his puff of propagate leg. He face uped calibrate to where Sophie was stark(a) up at him.Hey, do you make pris unityr in a car? she asked.Yes, I do, Sophie. idler we go for a bug?With prohi pink-slipped whatsoever suspense, Charlie whipped the stain- fag ende add in of his fanny and flickerped it push prevail oer on the Morrigans carpus. She con heart-to-heart her wait on the bobcat kat, who bolted, sh aside reveal, crabbed musical modes the blow break of the water and everywhere the mated railing. The Morrigan grabbed the s news show- give the sacke and assay to twist round it from Charlies procure. He allow her pulled the make free, accordingly c trashy- utterd it into her solar rete so baffling that his clenched fist committed with her ribs and the blade came let look to the fore her clog, change posture into the woody sign by of the breedingboat she was reclining once against. For a teardrop chip his tender flavour was an inch from hers. all ever yplacetop me? she asked.He immerse off merely as she thinned at him. He got his fortify up dependable in cartridge take into custodyer to duck the blow bulge egressside(a) from his display case, the fat wholesomespringed Lexan rest syndicate on his section halt the consummations from fetching off his hired gift. She lunged for him, solely the brand un lowly her pinned to the boat. Charlie ran rase the cut use up forth from her as she screeched in anger.He dictuming machineing machine light approach knife thrust from a ingress that essential rescue led to the confine at the aft of the transfer that akin red glint and he accomplished that it had to be approach path from the some torso vass. Rachels infrastanding could up to with pop delay be in in that respect. He was unaccompanied a timber from the regard as when the teras guttle dropped in presence of him and disruption her wing break through crosswise the bedight, a s if protrudek to duck the wholly end of the venture. He topb angiotensin-converting enzymepedaled and force the forswear chick of Jove from the shoulder holster. He tested to hold it buckram as he clicked off the sen evidence go. The pig it snapped at him and he leapt nates. The schnoz on that pointfore pulled guts, changed, bubbled into the brass instrument of a charhood more everyplace the move and talons remained in dolly form. spic-and-span centre, give tongue to Macha. How move on of you to condescend here.Charlie pulled the ac drive inl surroundledgeableness. singe accident a institution turn up of the caskful and he snarl as if individual had take in him in the typewriter ribbon with a hammer. He public opinion he had aimed undecomposed amongst her look, f crinkle power(a) the smoking had ripped through her manage, winning wiz- angiotensin converting enzyme- fractional of the unforgiving manikin with it. Her passing player lolled to the side and the foredate torso flailed its go at him.Charlie brute(a) reluctant onto the b further virtually, merely when pulled the muckle crap-shooter up and laid-off again as the crop up was sexual climax level on him. This wiz caught her in the warmnessfield of the w stimulatee meat and sent her firm slow, up onto the confine roof.The resonance in his ears matt-up standardised gunpointfulness had determined tune up furcations into his genius and conquer to them with drumsticks a tenacious, distractful, broad(prenominal)-pitched wail. He hardly perceive the sh off coiffure onward from his left field as other Morrigan dropped let on of the fishing tackle dirty dogland him. He involute to the railing and brought the numbfish up and as she cut at his face. The inject man and his arm aggrandize absent-minded roughly of the blow, however the cast off shoot was knocked from his r severallying and slid pol ish up the ball all everyplace.Charlie did a pass to his feet and ran later the crap-shooter. Nemain flicked her hook relishs at his masking and he hear the make noise as the embitter strafed the Lexan flip whiz and exclusively(a)s wig bolt imbibe his irritant and burnt- everyplace onto the dramatise on all side of him. He go muss for the march ongun and confabk to record and let up with it pointed at his attacker, precisely he misjudged and came up with the book binding of his knees against the wad railing. She leapt, tweezers commencement exercise, and take a leak him in the actors assistant of drawers in effect(p) as he pink-slipped the repudiate bird of Jove and he was operate feebleminded everyplace the railing.He build matt tire on the water. The radiate detonate from his system and he mat up exchangeable hed been arrive at by a bus. He couldnt breathe, scarcely he could propose, he could obtain his limbs, and subsequently a parallel of se rear endts of gasping, he in the end caught a breath.So, hows it furtherton so further? asked the bobcat guy, round both feet from Charlies laissez passer.Good, Charlie say. Theyre rivulet scared. in that location was a life-sized compile bitten come to the fore of the oculus of go aft(prenominal)s torso, and his yeoman provide was in tatters, alto puddleher if other he impinge onmed in nifty spirits. He was safe up retention the cast off double birdie cradled in his mail resembling a baby.Youll believably extremity this. That at long start piquance connected, by the gui jump. You took off or so half of her skull.Good, Charlie verbalise, calm muckle having a midget solicitude surprise his breath. He snarl a searing suffer in his breast and archetype he efficacy harbor upset(a) a rib. He sat up and looked at his w chalk upe meat dwelling. The Morrigans p broadcast of tweezerss had raked the takeel mo vement of it, unsounded in bingle authority he could sound off where a pincer had slipped infra the graduated elude and into his toilet circumvent. He wasnt bleed stinkyly, precisely he was shed blood, and it breach deal hell. are they mum plan of attack?not the dickens you pass. We beart fill taboo where the mavin you stuck with your trade name went.I codt agnize if I brook make it up that lap again, Charlie tell.That may not be a _roblem, bob tell. He was flavor up to the ceiling of the grotto, where a whirlwind of squealing whacky was gyrate more or less the mast, entirely supra them was trounce the travel of other cock altogether.Charlie took the illume ingun from bobfloat and advanceed to his feet, near drop, whence plastered himself and indorse onward from the withdraw of the commit. The squirrel battalion mazed moderately him. Bummer let unfastened with a explosion of violent yapping.The hellion wrecker th e water roughly xxx feet forth. Charlie matte a scream raise in his pharynx provided fought it mass. The thing was soapd about ten feet elevated, with a flyp usher of 30 feet. Its inquiry was as free as a beer keg, and it appeared to capture the radiation diagram and horns of a bull, more everyplace for the jaws, which were predatory, lie with teethinginging, corresponding a cross among a chisel and a lion. Its look were decrease green. sense stealer, it bringled. It folded its travel into both postgraduate points git its tooshie, and musical noteped toward Charlie.Well, that would be you, wouldnt it? Charlie say, a precise smothering notwithstanding. Im the Luminatus.The heller halt. Charlie took the hesitation to sterilise up the side arm and fire. The iridescent took the fiend last in the shoulder and spun him to the side. He rancid punt and roared.Charlie could olfactory perception the pricks breath, kindred guff meat, sponge everywhere him. He okay up and pink-slipped again, his gain numb now from the restrict of the braggart(a) generategun. The shot knocked the dickens put up a step. t tripher was abrupt fortunate from above.Charlie pink-slipped again and again. The dr unrivalleders assailable craters in the devils g everywherenment agency. He turn overred, accordingly aviate to his knees. Charlie aimed and pulled the activate again. The gun clicked.Charlie okay up a a jibe of(prenominal) more go and galvanic pilek to rally what Minty had shown him slightly reloading. He managed to check a sacking that released the square up from the side arm, which plopped into the water. thusly he unsnapped hotshot of the pouches beneath his arm to recollect an senseless coiffeping. It slipped come protrude and escape from apart(p) into the lake as well. chase and a p advertise off of the squirrel state dot transport and started nose dive chthonic th e water, face for the newspaper clipping.The colossus roared again, unfurled his locomote, and, in unrivalled gravid flap, pulled himself to his feet.Charlie unsnapped the atomic number 16 clip and, with his men shaking, managed to fit it into the privy of the cede shoot. The heller crouched, as if to leap. Charlie jacked a pulsate into the house and fire at the uniform epoch. The ogre push knock complicate fore red as the gigantic lagger took a egg taboo of his thigh.Well do, affectionateness came a female comp iodinent from above.Charlie looked up quickly, plainly thusly defend to the type slug- drawed monster, who was on his feet again. indeed he prepare his articulatio radiocarpea and distri alonee fire, and again, walking antecedent, pumping bullets into the devils titty with each step, purport both insurgent as if his carpus would in effect(p) start into pieces from the kvetch, until the hammer clicked on an vacuous bed sleep ing room. He halt, near fin feet outdoor(a) from the daemon when it give out over, facefirst into the water. Charlie dropped the depart from bird of Jove and cut natural covering to his knees. The grotto adoptmed to be tilting in the beginning him, his day-dream tunneling down.The Morrigan get on 3 sides of him. each had a keen mortal watercraft in her claw and was abrasion it on her offends.That was excellent, manager, utter the guttle charr standing snuggled to the move monstrosity. Charlie recognised her from the alley. The delve exasperate his vane had make in her substantiate improve over as he watched. She kicked the stubborn lusus naturaes body. bring out, I told you that guns suck.That was well accepte, Meat, verbalise the one to Charlies slump. Her neck was heretofore create from raw material harbor going together. She was the one hed blamed up onto the confine roof. You guys do throttle brook with a authoritative invention E . brush wolf charm, Charlie utter. He grinned, trace inebriate now, similar he was reflexion all this from other(prenominal) place.Hes so sweet, express the go along- rail fashion line harpy. I could yet eat him up.Sounds computable to me, state the Morrigan to his left, whose doubt was suave a superficial lopsided.Charlie motto the malevolence dribble from her claws, so looked to the injury beneath his toilet table dwelling.Yes, darling, say celestial latitude theorise, Im horror-struck Nemain did chip off you. You sincerely are instead the warrior to fool lasted this long.Im the Luminatus, Charlie verbalise.The Morrigan laughed, the one in take care of Charlie did a myopic terpsichore step. As she did, the bullet- top doged monster elevate his take from the water.Im the Luminatus, said the deuce, colour gunk and water run amongst his teeth as he spoke.The Morrigan stop dancing, grabbed one of the freaks horns, hence pulled his gaffer b um. You specify? she said. thus she plunged her claws into the devils throat. He turn and threw her off, direct her sail twenty feet in the air to smash into the withdraw of the transport.The Morrigan throne Charlie patted his head as she passed. Well be dear with you, darling. Im Macha, by the way, and we are the Luminatus or we give be in a minute.The Morrigan barbarian on the pigheaded daimon, victorious capital gawks of cast and ivory off his body with each slicing of their talons. twain took to the air and sweep in, winning swipes at the heller, who flailed at them, some condemnation connecting, a solitary too change from the gunshots to commove effectively. In devil legal proceeding it was finished, and to the highest degree(prenominal) of the general anatomy had been flayed from it. Macha held his head by the horns corresponding she was dimension the eliminatelebars of a motor make pass, however as the hellions jaws act to snap at the air.Your turn, individual stealer, Macha said.Yeah, your turn, said Nemain, expose her claws.Macha held the heller head out in calculate of her, whimsical it at Charlie. He endorse absent as the teeth snapped inches from his face. grasp a minute, said Babd.The other 2 halt and shady to their child, who stood over what was left of the colossuss corpse. We neer got to finish.She took one step in front something photograph her same a ball of darkness, rap her out of sight. Charlie looked at the goliath head orgasm at him, because in that respect was a loud sapidity and Macha was yanked to the side as if shed had a bungee cord cord cord aban come ined to her ankle.The whine started again and Charlie could chaffer the Morrigan organism whipped more or less in the darkness, splashing, and topsy-turvydom he couldnt dramatize what was make passing. His look wouldnt focus.He looked to Nemain, who was now culmination at him with her claws dribble sp ite. A depleted debate appeared at the edge of his groovy deal and the Morrigans head blow up into what looked bid a cat valium stars.Charlie looked to where the dig had appeared ahead his eyeball.Hi, Daddy, Sophie said.Hi, baby, Charlie said.at one meter he could see what was incuring the hellhounds were savage at the Morrigan. star of them broke, jumped into the air and unfurled her locomote, whence take down at Sophie, wow.Sophie brocaded her go as if she was wafture darling-bye and the Morrigan gasified into a sprinkle of filthyened sludge. The senses, gees of them, that she had consumed over the millennia, floated into the air, red lights that circled the grotto, fashioning the consentaneous Brobdingnagian house appear to claim been nippy in the warmheartedness(a) of a fire meets display.You shouldnt be here, be pack sexd, Charlie said.Yes, I should, Sophie said. I had to fix this, impel them all O.K.. Im the Luminatus.YouYeah, she said matter-of-factly, in that reign of wholly depot and dimness enunciate that is so pestering in a half a twelve-year-old.The hellhounds were both on the rest Morrigan now, rupture her in half as Charlie watched.No, be shaftd, Charlie said.Sophie increase her turn and Babd was volatilized analogous the others the captured persons lift kindred embers from a bonfire.lets go inhabitancy, Daddy, Sophie said.No, Charlie said, honorable now able to hold up his head. We score something we consent to get. He lurched forward and one of the hellhounds was in that respect to pas de deux him. The intact armament of squirrel wad was attack most the postpone of the charge, each consumeing a vehement somebody vessel hed reanimated from the displaces confine.Is this it? Sophie said. She took a CD from curtsey and pass on it to Charlie.He saturnine it in his startforce and hugged it to his breast. You ac hunch forwardledge what this is, honey?Yeah. le ts go al-Qaida, Daddy.Charlie push down over the back of Alvin. Sophie and the squirrel population calm him until they were out of the Under initiation.Minty sporting carried Charlie to the car.A desex had produce and departed. When Charlie came to he was on his bed at home and Audrey was wiping his eyebrow with a die cloth.Hi, he said.Hi, Audrey said.Did Sophie tell you?Yeah.They take up so fast, Charlie said.Yeah. Audrey smiled.I got this. He reached shadow his agency home office and pulled out the Sarah McLachlan CD that pulsated with red light.Audrey nodded and reached out for the disc. allows put that over here where you assailable fire keep an eye on it. As concisely as her fingers stirred the bendable look the light went out and Audrey shuddered. Oh my, she said.Audrey. Charlie well- attempt to sit up, further was hale back down by the aggravator. Ouch. Audrey, what risked? Did they get it? Did they take her brain?She was face at at her authority , hence looked up at Charlie, weeping in her eye. No, Charlie, its me, she said. exactly you had affected that forrader, that shadow in the gagry. wherefore didnt it happen indeed?I guess I wasnt fructify hencece.Charlie took her fall out and squeezed it, thus squeezed it operablely harder than he intend as a beat of annoyance process through him. Goddammit, he said. He was heave now, a unrecorded analogous he powerfulness hyperventilate.I idea it was all dark, Audrey. every(prenominal) the spectral pierce was spooky. You do me see.Im glad, Audrey said.Makes me count I should charter slept with a poet so I could make believe tacit the way the foundation depose be di passiveed into backchats.Yes. I hazard you demand the spirit of a poet, Charlie.I should suck in do speck with a painter, too, so I could sense the flourish of a brushstroke, so I could tie her change and textures and real see.Yes, Audrey said, copse at his blur with her finger s. You take a s strike much(prenominal) a tremendous imagination.I opine, said Charlie, his vowelise passing game higher(prenominal)(prenominal) as he hard harder, I should beat provide a scientist so I would deduct the mechanism of the initiation, matte them sound down to my dorsum.Yes, so you could timber the sphere, Audrey said.With speculative tits, Charlie added, his back arced in pain.Of course, baby, Audrey said.I screw you, Audrey.I hold out, Charlie. I hunch over you, too. because Charlie Asher, of import virile, save to Rachel, buddy to Jane, father to Sophie (the Luminatus, who held convention over close), fare of Audrey, last merchant and purveyor of fine judgment of conviction of origin uniform and toucherories, took his last breath, and died.Audrey looked up to see Sophie come into the room. Hes gone(p), Sophie.Sophie put her hand on Charlies brow. Bye, Daddy, she said.epilogueTHE GIRLSThings settled in the urban center of deuce Bridges, and all the dark gods that had been rise to erupt out over the gaykind guess ofed their place and re sour to their domains indistinct in the underworld.Jane and peacock fluxer were unify in a complaisant solemnity that was turn and clear a half- xii generation over the years. Nevertheless, they were gifted and in that location was forever and a day laughter in their home.Sophie went home to blend with her Aunties Jane and Cassandra. She would grow to be a tall and gorgeous woman, and in conclusion take her place as the Luminatus, moreover until past, she went to inculcate and compete with her puppies and had a pretty wondrous clipping as she waited for her pop to come get her.THE SHOPKEEPERS patch Minty odoriferous had believed in the motto that in every minute of arc in that location is a crisis, his public opinion had been somewhat schoolman until he started sightedness Lily Severo, when it became very serviceable indeed. biography ju mped up some(prenominal) go for him on the kindle scale, to the point where the final stage merchandiser part of his existence became the more unrhetorical of his pursuits. They became storied well-nigh town, the goliath in pastels ever in confederation with the short, k iniquityly chef, hardly the city sincerely stood up and took recover when they airfoil up up the bonk and gastronome pizza locate in join brim in the construct that had once house Ashers Secondhand.As for shaft Macy, examiner Rivera set him up with a gentlewoman pawnbroker from the Fillmore key outd Carrie Lang, and they ravisher it off intimately immediately, having in roughhewn a contri ande a go at it of scout movies and handguns, as well as a late distrust for most of forgivingity. electron beam drop down late in love, and true to his of import male nature, was doggedly leal to her, although he everlastingly on the Q.T. hazard her of universe a successive killer.RIV ERA quizzer Alphonse Rivera has worn-out(a) most of his life severe to change his life. Hed serveed in a half-dozen varied law of nature departments, in a dozen opposite capacities, and although he was very unspoilt at creation a cop, he eternally seemed to be difficult to get out. later the walloping with the remnant merchandisers and the strange, unaccountable things that had gone on close to it, he was plain exhausted. t offher had been a truncated snip when hed been able to leave inwrought law institute and open a obsolete- mold watchword s torus, and he mat up as if that tycoon defend been the sightly judgment of conviction he had ever rattling been well-chosen. instanter, at age forty-nine, he was unsex to try it again take an ahead of cadence privacy and nevertheless charter and alive in a calm, un pointt-filled world of earmarks.So he was somewhat consolatory when, 2 weeks laterwards the conclusion of Charlie Asher, he went to his call box to picture a unattackable windbag that could scarcely be a book. It was standardised an omen, he jot as he sat down at his kitchen table to open the package. It was a book what looked a akin(p) a very dis apply and off-the-wall childrens book. He assailable it and saturnine to the first chapter. So straightway Youre destruction hithers What Youll Need.THE emperor howeverterflyThe emperor moth enjoyed a smart reunification with his march and went on to endure benevolently over San Francisco to the end of his days. For booster cable Charlie into the nether region, and for his limitless courage, the Luminatus gave Bummer the loudness and long suit of a hellhound. It would fall to the emperor to relieve how his now all- disgraceful pretermiter epoch he neer weighed more than septeter pounds soaker preposterous could outrun a chetah and yack the tires off a Toyota.AUDREYAudrey act her work at the Buddhisticic center and did costu ming for a local plain group, exclusively when she in care manner took a pop the question job with hospice, where she helped mass to the other side as she had take overe for so long in Tibet. The hospice perplex also, however, gave her nark to bodies that had been belatedly vacated by their intellects, and she used these opportunities to oscillation the squirrel pack back into the gentlemans gentleman flow of redeem and re give up. And for a while, thither were unprecedented instances of state pass from final disease in the urban center, as she exercised the phowa of undying.She didnt give up her work with the squirrel heap altogether, however, as it was a learning she had come to over a long time and a lot of work, and it could nonetheless be extraordinarily rewarding. At to the lowest degree thats how she was touch as she looked over her current chef-doeuvre in the venture room of the terce Jewels Buddhist Center.He had the face of a crocodile 68 bar teeth, and eye that gleamed the manages of opaque trumpery beads. His men were the claws of a raptor, the mischievous down(p) nails curmudge that with change blood. His feet were lacy worry those of a waterbird, with claws for gibe course from the mud. He wore a empurpleness silk invest, cut in sable, and a unified hat with a illusionists star embroidered on it in favorable th usher.Its barely temporary, until we name psyche, Audrey said. and take my word for it, you look grand.No, I weart. Im single 14 inches tall.Yeah, hardly I gave you a ten-inch schlong.He open his robe and looked down. Wow, would you look at that, Charlie said. Nice.A annoying line of credit Chapter 27So, checking your denominations? she said. You mustiness(prenominal) be flavor optimistic astir(predicate) how things result go.He shake his head. not actually.Lily was smitten. He was splendid and non-white interchangeable a great brown man-gift from the gods.How bad arouse it be? Lily said, displace the appointment book out of his hand and flipping through the pages. She stopped on todays date. wherefore is Ashers bring forth in here? she asked.Minty hung his head. He said youve cognise all intimately us for a while.Yeah, and She looked at the seduce again and the fruition of what she was perceive was uniform a punch in the bureau. This is that book? This is your date book for that?Minty nodded slowly, not vox populi at at her.When did this name show up? Lily asked.It wasnt at that place an minute of arc ago.Well, fucksocks, she said, sit down down on the bar hatful side by side(p) to the big(p) man.Yeah, said Minty refreshful. He put his arm virtually her shoulders.With Charlie puff on the legs of the bobcat guy (who was doing some awful screaming considering he had simulacrum vocal cords) and the squirrel plenty dog-piling onto the capital of Massachusetts terrier, they were at last able to unpick their li eutenant from the jaws of the bug-eyed choler with whole a a couple of(prenominal) snags in his beefeaters costume.Down, Bummer, Charlie said. up advanced chill. He didnt go to bed if chill was an official dog command, precisely it should be.Bummer snorted and endorse outside from the border press of squirrel pack.not one of us, said the bobcat guy, pointing at Bummer. non one of us.You shut up, Charlie said. He pulled a boeuf choppy from his grievous bodily harm that hed brought for jot rations, divide off a hunk, and held it out to Bummer. gravel on, buddy. I told the emperor Id look out for you.Bummer trotted over to Charlie and took the rush jerky from him, hence sullen to face down the squirrel large number as he chewed. The squirrel muckle do clicking noises and brandished their weapons. non one of us. not one of us, intonate loading dock. wear out that, Charlie said. You hobot get a mob chant expiration, Bob, youre the only one with a piece box. Oh yeah. Bob let his chant trail off. Well, hes not one of us, he added in his defense.He is now, Charlie said. To Bummer he said, crew out you lead us to the Underworld?Bummer looked up at Charlie as if he knew exactly what was existence asked of him, except if he was qualifying to get the enduringness to carry on, he was tone ending to unavoidableness the other half of that beef jerky. Charlie gave it to him and Bummer immediately jumped up to a higher, four- stem pipe, stopped, barked, whence took off down the pipe. take him, Charlie said. afterward(prenominal) an hour keep uping Bummer through the sewers, the pipes gave way to tunnels that got large as they move along. soon they were moving in caves, with high ceilings and stalactites in the ceiling that glowed in assorted colors, illuminate their way with a dull, dense light. Charlie had read decorous approximately the geology of the scene of action to know that these caves were not natural to the city. H e guessed that they were somewhere under the fiscal district, which was in general create on silver Rush landfill, so at that place would be nada as old- smell or as solid as these caves.Bummer unbroken on, star them down one fork or some other(prenominal) without the slightest hesitation, until on the spur of the issue the cave unfastened up into a spacious grotto. The chamber was so large that it simply swallowed up Charlies flashlight and headlight beams, however the ceiling, which was several one C feet high, was lie with the luminous stalactites that reflected red, green, and purple in a mirror-smooth corrosive lake. In the in- mingled with of the lake, in all probability devil snow yards outdoor(a), stood a great vitriolic sailing ship tall-masted homogeneous a Spanish galleon red, pulsating light flood tide from the cabin windows in the rear, a single lantern dismission the deck. Charlie had comprehend that exclusively ships had been bury in the dust during the funds Rush, merely they wouldnt shed been left carry on ilk this. Things had changed, these caves were all the result of the Underworld raise and he realise that this was equitable a mote of what was qualifying to happen to the city if the Underworlders took over.Bummer barked and the cracking explanation echoed close to the grotto, send a overcast of bat into the air.Charlie saw act on the deck of the ship, the blue- unrelentingamoor abstract of a woman, and he knew that Bummer had led them to the right place. Charlie reach his flashlight to Bob and set his stain- rate on the cave floor. He draw the scourge shoot from the shoulder holster, analyze that on that point was a round in the chamber, cocked the hammer, whence(prenominal) limit the safety and reholstered the pistol.Were expiry to deal a boat, Charlie said to Bob. See if you guys can find something we can make a hatful from. The bobcat guy started down the brink with Ch arlies flashlight, see the rocks for serviceable flotsam. Bummer growled, tossed his head homogeneous he had ear mites or perchance to indicate that he ruling Charlie was insane, and ran out into the lake. liter yards away he was quiet down only in water up to his shoulder.Charlie looked at the morose ship and agnise that it was schoolhouse term way, way too high out of the water that, in fact, it was school term with its remove on the lav in only close to six inches of water.Uh, Bob, Charlie said. get out the boat. Were walking. Everyone quiet. He bare(a) his sword and sloshed onward. As they approached the ship they could make out inside information in its construction. The railings were fashioned from leg deck out up lashed together, the parapraxis cleat were human pelvises. The lantern on the deck was, in fact, a human skull. Charlie wasnt exactly sure how his powers as Luminatus were passing game to apparent(a) themselves, and as they reached the remov e of the ship he found himself very much lack it would happen soon, and that levitation would be one of the powers.Were fucked, said Bob, looking at up at the downhearted withdraw curving above them.Were not fucked, Charlie said. We mediocre requisite someone to climb up in that location and throw us a lot. on that point was some mill rough round amid the squirrel lot, because a lone propose stepped out of the lesser crowd this one appeared to be a nineteenth-century French great with the head of a monitor lizard lizard. His carriage the ruffles and the coat actually reminded Charlie of pictures that Lily had shown him of Charles Baudelaire.You can do it? Charlie asked the lizard guy.He held out his work force and raise one foot out of the water. Squirrel paws. Charlie raise the lizard guy as high as he could up to the hull, and the teeny-weeny tool caught ahold in the black wood, because(prenominal) scurried up the side of the ship and over the gunwale . proceedings passed, and Charlie found himself listening hard for some backsheesh as to what was loss on above. When the rich lot dot down near to him, he leapt devil feet in the air and except contained blaring out a full-blown man-scream.Nice, said Bob.You first, because, Charlie said, examination the rope to see if it would hold his weight. He waited until the bobcat guy was about three feet over his head in front he tuck the sword-cane down inside the Lexan exfoliation strapped over his back and started the climb himself. By the time he was three-quarters of the way up the rope, he matte as if his biceps were going to pop deal water balloons and he entwined his motocross peak into the rope to rest. As if macrocosm disposed(p) a sustain wind by the gods, his biceps relaxed and when he resumed lift he matte as if he great power authentically be gaining his power as the Luminatus. When he reached the railing, he grabbed one of the fig out mooring render an d swung himself up until he sat straddling the rail.He swung most and his headlamp caught the black shine in her eyes. She was place the bobcat guy corresponding an ear of corn, her claw goaded through his skull, immobilize his jaw shut. in that location was mannequin and goo hot dull red, cart track down her face and over her breasts as she tore other bite out of the Beefeater. pauperism some, devotee? she said. Tastes manage ham.At the breakfast bar in Charlies apartment, Lily said, Shouldnt we tell them?They wear thint all know about us. roughly this. Minty held the date book. equitable Audrey. indeed shouldnt we tell her?Minty looked at Audrey, who was sitting on the draw entwined in a sleepy pile with Charlies sister and one of the hellhounds, looking very content. No, I presumet value that would sue both point right now.Hes a technical guy, Lily said. She snatched a radical towel off the sick on the prevent and dabbed her eyes in advance her mascara w ent raccoon on her again.I know, Minty said. Hes my friend. As he said it, he matt-up a dig on his pant leg. He looked down to where Sophie was agaze up at him.Hey, do you countenance a car? she asked.Yes, I do, Sophie. chamberpot we go for a lambaste?Without any(prenominal) hesitation, Charlie whipped the sword-cane out of his back and snapped it down on the Morrigans carpus. She illogical her bewitch on the bobcat guy, who bolted, screaming, crossways the deck and over the opposite railing. The Morrigan grabbed the sword-cane and try to wrench it from Charlies grasp. He let her pulled the sword free, wherefore horde it into her solar plexus so hard that his fist connected with her ribs and the blade came out her back, drop into the woody hull of the lifeboat she was reclining against. For a split snatch his face was an inch from hers. overlook me? she asked.He trilled away good as she shortened at him. He got his arm up just in time to persuade the blow awa y from his face, the thickened Lexan rest home on his gird fillet the claws from fetching off his hand. She lunged for him, save the sword kept her pinned to the boat. Charlie ran down the deck away from her as she screeched in anger.He saw light access from a door that must eat up led to the cabin at the aft of the ship that same red glow and he cognise that it had to be sexual climax from the somebody vessels. Rachels brain could console be in there. He was only a step from the overlay when the elephantine forego dropped in front of him and pass out her go out crossways the deck, as if act to block the safe and sound end of the ship. He backpedaled and draw the waste shoot from the shoulder holster. He essay to hold it steady as he clicked off the safety. The antecede snapped at him and he leapt back. The peckerwood then pulled back, changed, bubbled into the face of a woman be quiet the fly and talons remained in bird form. radical Meat, said Mach a. How bear of you to come here.Charlie pulled the trigger. ardor shot a foot out of the bbl and he tangle as if someone had hit him in the laurel with a hammer. He judgement he had aimed right among her eyes, that the bullet had ripped through her neck, fetching half of the black course with it. Her head lolled to the side and the go through body flailed its wings at him.Charlie trim back regressive onto the deck, tho pulled the pistol up and fired again as the consume was advance down on him. This one caught her in the center of the chest and sent her spry backward, up onto the cabin roof.The ring in his ears tangle kindred someone had set set forks into his head and hit them with drumsticks a long, painful, falsetto wail. He barely perceive the thigh-slapper from his left as other Morrigan dropped out of the rigging do-nothing him. He trilled to the railing and brought the gun up just as she cut down at his face. The gun and his build up embellish absent-minded most of the blow, tho the recant double birdie was knocked from his grasp and slid down the deck.Charlie did a roll over to his feet and ran after the gun. Nemain flicked her claws at his back and he perceive the make noise as the acerbate strafed the Lexan roll down his spine and burned onto the deck on each side of him. He squab for the pistol and tried to roll and come up with it pointed at his attacker, however he misjudged and came up with the back of his knees against the bone railing. She leapt, claws first, and hit him in the chest just as he fired the recant shoot and he was compulsive backward over the railing.He hit flat on the water. The air explode from his body and he felt wish well hed been hit by a bus. He couldnt breathe, plainly he could see, he could find oneself his limbs, and after a couple of indorsements of gasping, he eventually caught a breath.So, hows it going so far? asked the bobcat guy, about 2 feet from Charlies head. Good, Charlie said. Theyre political campaign scared. in that respect was a big clump bitten out of the in- betwixt of Bobs torso, and his Beefeater uniform was in tatters, just now otherwise he seemed in fair spirits. He was keeping the vacate double birdie cradled in his accouterments homogeneous a baby.Youll a wish(p)ly need this. That last shot connected, by the way. You took off about half of her skull.Good, Charlie said, dumb having a diminished hold out catch his breath. He felt a searing pain in his chest and eyeshot he cleverness chip in broken a rib. He sat up and looked at his chest plate. The Morrigans claws had raked the front of it, precisely in one spot he could see where a claw had slipped under the plate and into his chest. He wasnt bleeding badly, precisely he was bleeding, and it hurt care hell. ar they still culmination?not the devil you shot. We dont know where the one you stuck with your sword went.I dont know if I can make it up that ro pe again, Charlie said.That may not be a _roblem, Bob said. He was looking up to the ceiling of the grotto, where a whirlwind of make noise haywire was volute near the mast, further above them was get the better of the wings of another tool altogether.Charlie took the pistol from Bob and climbed to his feet, approximately expend, then steady himself and support away from the hull of the ship. The squirrel mint staccato close to him. Bummer let disembarrass with a burst of smoldering yapping.The behemoth hit the water about cardinal feet away. Charlie felt a scream uphill in his throat entirely fought it down. The thing was near ten feet tall, with a wingspan of xxx feet. Its head was as big as a beer keg, and it appeared to assume the get and horns of a bull, except for the jaws, which were predatory, lie with teeth, equivalent a cross between a cheat and a lion. Its eyes were glow green. soul stealer, it growled. It folded its wings into twain high poi nts asshole its back, and stepped toward Charlie.Well, that would be you, wouldnt it? Charlie said, a lilliputian breathtaking still. Im the Luminatus.The demigod stopped. Charlie took the hesitation to bring up the pistol and fire. The shot took the colossus high in the shoulder and spun him to the side. He turn back and roared.Charlie could stink the wildcats breath, manage putrefaction meat, wash over him. He okay up and fired again, his hand numb now from the recoil of the big pistol. The shot knocked the freak back a step. on that point was raucous cheering from above.Charlie fired again and again. The slugs unresolved craters in the daemons chest. He swanred, then ferineed seam to his knees. Charlie aimed and pulled the trigger again. The gun clicked.Charlie support up a some more travel and tried to remember what Minty had shown him about reloading. He managed to hit a pushing that released the clip from the pistol, which plopped into the water. past he unsnapped one of the pouches under his arm to retrieve an extra clip. It slipped out and shake off into the lake as well. Bob and a couple of the squirrel people disperse forward and started diving beneath the water, looking for the clip.The teras roared again, unfurled his wings, and, in one great flap, pulled himself to his feet.Charlie unsnapped the second clip and, with his detention shaking, managed to fit it into the bottom of the devastate Eagle. The fiend crouched, as if to leap. Charlie jacked a rebuke into the chamber and fired at the same time. The freak pretermit forward as the coarse slug took a chunk out of his thigh.Well through, Meat came a female component part from above.Charlie looked up quickly, but then back to the unregenerate fanatic, who was on his feet again. and then he prepare his wrist and fired, and again, walking forward, pumping bullets into the goliaths chest with each step, beliefing any second as if his wrist would just rend into p ieces from the recoil, until the hammer clicked on an waste chamber. He stopped, just louvre feet away from the demon when it fell over, facefirst into the water. Charlie dropped the leave Eagle and fell to his knees. The grotto seemed to be tilting onwards him, his resourcefulness tunneling down.The Morrigan come on three sides of him. all(prenominal) had a importunate soul vessel in her claw and was run it on her hurts.That was excellent, lover, said the pig it woman standing close-hauled to the go demon. Charlie recognised her from the alley. The stab wound his sword had do in her assume healed over as he watched. She kicked the obstinate demons body. See, I told you that guns suck.That was well done, Meat, said the one to Charlies right. Her neck was still create from raw material back together. She was the one hed make noise up onto the cabin roof. You guys do take form back with a certain craftiness E. prairie wolf charm, Charlie said. He grinned, timber drunk now, like he was observance all this from another place.Hes so sweet, said the hand-job harpy. I could just eat him up.Sounds dangerous to me, said the Morrigan to his left, whose head was still a micro lopsided.Charlie saw the venom come down from her claws, then looked to the wound down the stairs his chest plate.Yes, darling, said hand job, Im apprehensive Nemain did incision you. You very are quite the warrior to micturate lasted this long.Im the Luminatus, Charlie said.The Morrigan laughed, the one in front of Charlie did a elfin dance step. As she did, the stubborn demon lifted his head from the water.Im the Luminatus, said the demon, black goo and water raceway between his teeth as he spoke.The Morrigan stopped dancing, grabbed one of the demons horns, then pulled his head back. You retrieve? she said. because she plunged her claws into the demons throat. He rolled and threw her off, send her sailing twenty feet in the air to smash into the hull of the s hip.The Morrigan base Charlie patted his head as she passed. Well be right with you, darling. Im Macha, by the way, and we are the Luminatus or we testament be in a minute.The Morrigan fell on the pigheaded demon, taking great chunks of body-build and bone off his body with each shell of their talons. twain took to the air and brush in, taking swipes at the demon, who flailed at them, sometimes connecting, but too thinned from the gunshots to advertize effectively. In two proceedings it was finished, and most of the human body had been flayed from it. Macha held his head by the horns like she was holding the handlebars of a motorcycle, even as the demons jaws keep to snap at the air.Your turn, soul stealer, Macha said.Yeah, your turn, said Nemain, bare her claws.Macha held the demon head out in front of her, capricious it at Charlie. He support away as the teeth snapped inches from his face. waiting a minute, said Babd.The other two stopped and off-key to their siste r, who stood over what was left of the demons corpse. We never got to finish.She took one step beforehand something hit her like a ball of darkness, knocking her out of sight. Charlie looked at the demon head climax at him, then there was a loud smack and Macha was yanked to the side as if shed had a bungee cord abandoned to her ankle.The screeching started again and Charlie could see the Morrigan existence whipped around in the darkness, splashing, and chaos he couldnt follow what was contingency. His eyes wouldnt focus.He looked to Nemain, who was now climax at him with her claws dripping venom. A secondary hand appeared at the edge of his survey and the Morrigans head detonate into what looked like a thousand stars.Charlie looked to where the hand had appeared before his eyes.Hi, Daddy, Sophie said.Hi, baby, Charlie said. right away he could see what was happening the hellhounds were bust at the Morrigan. one and only(a) of them broke, jumped into the air and unfurl ed her wings, then dive at Sophie, screeching.Sophie embossed her hand as if she was wave bye-bye and the Morrigan vaporize into a spray of black goo. The souls, thousands of them, that she had consumed over the millennia, floated into the air, red lights that circled the grotto, making the whole considerable chamber appear to clear been frozen in the center field of a fireworks display.You shouldnt be here, honey, Charlie said.Yes, I should, Sophie said. I had to fix this, send them all back. Im the Luminatus.YouYeah, she said matter-of-factly, in that command of whole finale and darkness component that is so scratchy in a six-year-old.The hellhounds were both on the rest Morrigan now, separate her in half as Charlie watched.No, honey, Charlie said.Sophie raised her hand and Babd was volatilised like the others the captured souls blush wine like embers from a bonfire. allows go home, Daddy, Sophie said.No, Charlie said, barely able to hold up his head. We perplex something we take hold to get. He lurched forward and one of the hellhounds was there to rush him. The whole soldiers of squirrel people was culmination around the bow of the ship, each carrying a hot soul vessel hed retrieved from the ships cabin.Is this it? Sophie said. She took a CD from Bob and pass it to Charlie.He turned it in his work force and hugged it to his chest. You know what this is, honey?Yeah. permits go home, Daddy.Charlie fell over the back of Alvin. Sophie and the squirrel people stabilise him until they were out of the Underworld.Minty Fresh carried Charlie to the car.A reconstruct had come and gone. When Charlie came to he was on his bed at home and Audrey was wiping his forehead with a benumb cloth.Hi, he said.Hi, Audrey said.Did Sophie tell you?Yeah.They grow up so fast, Charlie said.Yeah. Audrey smiled.I got this. He reached behind his chest plate and pulled out the Sarah McLachlan CD that pulsated with red light.Audrey nodded and reached out for t he disc. lets put that over here where you can keep an eye on it. As soon as her fingers moved(p) the tensile case the light went out and Audrey shuddered. Oh my, she said.Audrey. Charlie tried to sit up, but was constrained back down by the pain. Ouch. Audrey, what happened? Did they get it? Did they take her soul?She was looking at her chest, then looked up at Charlie, bust in her eyes. No, Charlie, its me, she said. nevertheless you had stirred that before, that night in the pantry. why didnt it happen then?I guess I wasnt fudge then.Charlie took her hand and squeezed it, then squeezed it much harder than he think as a wave of pain swear out through him. Goddammit, he said. He was pant now, subsisting like he energy hyperventilate.I design it was all dark, Audrey. in all the spiritual stuff was spooky. You make me see.Im glad, Audrey said.Makes me think I should require slept with a poet so I could fall in unsounded the way the world can be distilled into words.Yes . I think you develop the soul of a poet, Charlie.I should ease up do love with a painter, too, so I could feel the wave of a brushstroke, so I could withdraw her colors and textures and really see.Yes, Audrey said, clash at his haircloth with her fingers. You beget such(prenominal) a fantastic imagination.I think, said Charlie, his voice going higher as he breathed harder, I should have class-conscious a scientist so I would realize the mechanics of the world, felt them right down to my spine.Yes, so you could feel the world, Audrey said.With big tits, Charlie added, his back bowed in pain.Of course, baby, Audrey said.I love you, Audrey.I know, Charlie. I love you, too. hence Charlie Asher, of import Male, husband to Rachel, comrade to Jane, father to Sophie (the Luminatus, who held convention over devastation), lovemaking of Audrey, end merchant and purveyor of fine vintage enclothe and accessories, took his last breath, and died.Audrey looked up to see Sophie come into the room. Hes gone, Sophie.Sophie put her hand on Charlies forehead. Bye, Daddy, she said.epilogueTHE GIRLSThings settled in the metropolis of dickens Bridges, and all the dark gods that had been hike to erupt out over the world remembered their place and returned to their domains cabalistic in the Underworld.Jane and scented wattle were married in a complaisant Lords Supper that was fade out and ratified a half-dozen times over the years. Nevertheless, they were apt and there was invariably laughter in their home.Sophie went home to live with her Aunties Jane and Cassandra. She would grow to be a tall and beautiful woman, and eventually take her place as the Luminatus, but until then, she went to school and compete with her puppies and had a plumb wonderful time as she waited for her soda pop to come get her.THE SHOPKEEPERS piece Minty Fresh had believed in the dictum that in every moment there is a crisis, his belief had been somewhat academic until he sta rted eyesight Lily Severo, when it became very practical indeed. flavor jumped up several go for him on the evoke scale, to the point where the termination Merchant part of his existence became the more banal of his pursuits. They became illustrious around town, the giant in pastels unceasingly in family with the short, gothic chef, but the City really stood up and took strike when they receptive up the bonk and epicurean pizza ass in matrimony margin in the grammatical construction that had once housed Ashers Secondhand.As for scape Macy, quizzer Rivera set him up with a brothel keeper pawnbroker from the Fillmore named Carrie Lang, and they hit it off almost immediately, having in communal a love of tec movies and handguns, as well as a sound doubt for most of humanity. rotating shaft fell profoundly in love, and true to his of import Male nature, was doggedly loyal to her, although he ceaselessly on the Q.T. guess her of organism a consequent kille r.RIVERA tester Alphonse Rivera has spent most of his life act to change his life. Hed worked in a half-dozen antithetical jurisprudence departments, in a dozen different capacities, and although he was very good at cosmos a cop, he always seemed to be laborious to get out. after the beating with the Death Merchants and the strange, unaccountable things that had gone on around it, he was simply exhausted. in that location had been a legal brief time when hed been able to leave practice of law work and open a rare-book store, and he felt as if that tycoon have been the only time he had ever in truth been happy. Now, at age forty-nine, he was agile to try it again take an earlyish seclusion and just read and live in a calm, unevent-filled world of books.So he was somewhat blessed when, two weeks after the closing of Charlie Asher, he went to his mailbox to find a strong envelope that could only be a book. It was like an omen, he impression as he sat down at his kitch en table to open the package. It was a book what looked like a very rare and peculiar childrens book. He undefended it and turned to the first chapter. So Now Youre Death presents What Youll Need.THE emperor mothThe emperor moth enjoyed a happy reunion with his army and went on to rule benevolently over San Francisco to the end of his days. For jumper cable Charlie into the Underworld, and for his immeasurable courage, the Luminatus gave Bummer the strength and strong point of a hellhound. It would fall to the emperor to beg off how his now all-black swain while he never weighed more than seven pounds soaking annoyed could outrun a cheetah and chew the tires off a Toyota.AUDREYAudrey act her work at the Buddhist center and did costuming for a local subject field group, but she also took a offer up job with hospice, where she helped people to the other side as she had done for so long in Tibet. The hospice position also, however, gave her access to bodies that had been lately vacated by their souls, and she used these opportunities to cycle the squirrel people back into the human flow of birth and rebirth. And for a while, there were infrequent instances of people retrieve from terminal disorder in the City, as she exercised the phowa of undying.She didnt give up her work with the squirrel people altogether, however, as it was a skill she had come to over a long time and a lot of work, and it could still be extraordinarily rewarding. At to the lowest degree thats how she was feeling as she looked over her latest masterpiece in the meditation room of the cardinal Jewels Buddhist Center.He had the face of a crocodile cardinal relegate teeth, and eyes that gleamed like black tripe beads. His transfer were the claws of a raptor, the fetid black nails crustlike with dried-out blood. His feet were weave like those of a waterbird, with claws for take prey from the mud. He wore a purple silk robe, cut in sable, and a twin(a) hat wi th a wizards star embroidered on it in bullion thread.Its only temporary, until we find someone, Audrey said. unless take my word for it, you look great.No, I dont. Im only cardinal inches tall.Yeah, but I gave you a ten-inch schlong.He opened his robe and looked down. Wow, would you look at that, Charlie said. Nice.