11: COVERED IN BLOODCandy paced just outside the portal from the living to the netherworld. A feeling of anxiety and dread—emotions she hadn’t felt for decades—loomed over her. She took a deep breath through her rotted nostrils for courage and stepped through the invisible curtain.
“Ah, Candy. I’ve been waiting with bated breath.” Anya stood from her throne, letting the silence in the room act as permission for Candy to report.
The ghoul groaned and whinnied, shaking her head.
Anya stepped forward and lifted her black veil, revealing her graying skin and yellowed eyes. “And you looked everywhere?”
Candy nodded and directed her gaze toward the ceiling.
“Their homes? Hotels? Bars? His office? Everywhere? You’re sure?”
Candy stepped backward and hiccupped a sniffle.
“Baron has really d
