problems, the feds’ problems are my problems, even the evening meal, whoever that poor soul is, is now my problem."
"Ah, there she blows," Cupid said as he shrugged. "It's five o'clock. Pretty safe to say Aoleon's going to come looking for her soon."
Patrick stared out into space with a pensive look, his hands stuffed into his pockets. "Give me the key to the suite."
"Now you're talking." Cupid reached into a drawer and threw a card key at Patrick. Patrick caught it with one swift motion, moving so quickly his fingers flashed open and shut. "She'll be safe there. I think. Edie, you best take this bow and arrow with you if you want to live past tomorrow. Once Aoleon finds you're not bringing her dinner, she'll be flaming mad. And I don't mean hibachi." He chuckled heartily at his own joke as he removed a garment from the top drawer of his desk and chucked it in my direction. "And wrap this scarf around your bloody head."
"When I think of the alternatives," I said as I caught the scarf, "suddenly a hundred years of slowly growing old doesn't seem so bad. Compared to hell." I tied the scarf around my head and took the bow from Cupid's outstretched hands. Picking up the bloodied arrow, I placed its end into the band and pulled it back, aiming it at Cupid's head. "What will happen if I shoot you?"
"Eden," Patrick said. "That's really not necessary."
"Oh, I think it is." I stretched the band back even farther.
Cupid stood his ground, straight-faced. "Nothing will happen, my wayward one. As long as love still exists, I shall go on living. I'm only lending that to you, sister. Run along now. And stay safe." He smiled crookedly, waggling his fingers at me.
I brought the bow to rest at my side. "If I didn't still believe in love, I would have shot you."
"I know, doll. I know. Patrick, see you tomorrow."
I threw the bow on the ground and ran out the door as Patrick called out after me, into the deserted hallway, with my arms and legs pumping. My hands slammed into the metal door push. I threw the heavy door open, emerging out into the cool Las Vegas night. In my tight silk jersey halter dress and silver heels I ran until the faces of the laughing crowds strolling along Las Vegas Boulevard blurred around me. Anger and the feeling of betrayal coursed through my body, spurring me to move faster with newfound supernatural strength as I left the city behind and dashed out into the outskirts. I stopped when the darkness of the desert surrounded me.
My knees buckled and I sank to the ground on my knees, weeping. Snakes, insects, and dark things slithered underneath the cactus and rocks, hissing and sliding and crawling. I threw my head back and gazed at the full moon. "Why! What good...to turn me from one creature to another. It's not fair," I sobbed. "It's not fair." The eye of god stared back, cold and silent.
I rested my cheek upon the sand, still warm from the day's heat. I lay there for a while until I heard a rustling noise far above my head. In the sky flew a large black bird against a backdrop of stars and eternal black. The human-sized bird alit upon a desert cliff, high above my head. In the darkness, the animal's head was nothing but a nub. I could not make out a beak or any facial features; it was merely a black bowling pin with wings. The bird thing shuffled to the side, its claws scraping upon rock. A shudder of fear coursed through me as I rose to my feet. Three other birds in the air followed, perching upon the same cliff. All seemed to be watching me, waiting for my next move.
My breath came faster as my heart pounded. I whirled around and sprinted back toward the city. The voices remained silent.
* * *
"Eden," Patrick murmured as he answered the door. "I was worried about you."
I strode into the luxury suite at the Paradise Bayou. "I can't do this alone," I said.
"You don't have to. Come in. Rest."
The sofa and loveseat in the luxury suite at the Paradise Bayou was
"Ah, there she blows," Cupid said as he shrugged. "It's five o'clock. Pretty safe to say Aoleon's going to come looking for her soon."
Patrick stared out into space with a pensive look, his hands stuffed into his pockets. "Give me the key to the suite."
"Now you're talking." Cupid reached into a drawer and threw a card key at Patrick. Patrick caught it with one swift motion, moving so quickly his fingers flashed open and shut. "She'll be safe there. I think. Edie, you best take this bow and arrow with you if you want to live past tomorrow. Once Aoleon finds you're not bringing her dinner, she'll be flaming mad. And I don't mean hibachi." He chuckled heartily at his own joke as he removed a garment from the top drawer of his desk and chucked it in my direction. "And wrap this scarf around your bloody head."
"When I think of the alternatives," I said as I caught the scarf, "suddenly a hundred years of slowly growing old doesn't seem so bad. Compared to hell." I tied the scarf around my head and took the bow from Cupid's outstretched hands. Picking up the bloodied arrow, I placed its end into the band and pulled it back, aiming it at Cupid's head. "What will happen if I shoot you?"
"Eden," Patrick said. "That's really not necessary."
"Oh, I think it is." I stretched the band back even farther.
Cupid stood his ground, straight-faced. "Nothing will happen, my wayward one. As long as love still exists, I shall go on living. I'm only lending that to you, sister. Run along now. And stay safe." He smiled crookedly, waggling his fingers at me.
I brought the bow to rest at my side. "If I didn't still believe in love, I would have shot you."
"I know, doll. I know. Patrick, see you tomorrow."
I threw the bow on the ground and ran out the door as Patrick called out after me, into the deserted hallway, with my arms and legs pumping. My hands slammed into the metal door push. I threw the heavy door open, emerging out into the cool Las Vegas night. In my tight silk jersey halter dress and silver heels I ran until the faces of the laughing crowds strolling along Las Vegas Boulevard blurred around me. Anger and the feeling of betrayal coursed through my body, spurring me to move faster with newfound supernatural strength as I left the city behind and dashed out into the outskirts. I stopped when the darkness of the desert surrounded me.
My knees buckled and I sank to the ground on my knees, weeping. Snakes, insects, and dark things slithered underneath the cactus and rocks, hissing and sliding and crawling. I threw my head back and gazed at the full moon. "Why! What good...to turn me from one creature to another. It's not fair," I sobbed. "It's not fair." The eye of god stared back, cold and silent.
I rested my cheek upon the sand, still warm from the day's heat. I lay there for a while until I heard a rustling noise far above my head. In the sky flew a large black bird against a backdrop of stars and eternal black. The human-sized bird alit upon a desert cliff, high above my head. In the darkness, the animal's head was nothing but a nub. I could not make out a beak or any facial features; it was merely a black bowling pin with wings. The bird thing shuffled to the side, its claws scraping upon rock. A shudder of fear coursed through me as I rose to my feet. Three other birds in the air followed, perching upon the same cliff. All seemed to be watching me, waiting for my next move.
My breath came faster as my heart pounded. I whirled around and sprinted back toward the city. The voices remained silent.
* * *
"Eden," Patrick murmured as he answered the door. "I was worried about you."
I strode into the luxury suite at the Paradise Bayou. "I can't do this alone," I said.
"You don't have to. Come in. Rest."
The sofa and loveseat in the luxury suite at the Paradise Bayou was
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