Page 7 of Abraxas

Everyone was settling in their rooms, and she noticed that Abe had the room next to her. It always seemed that his rooms were close to hers, but there was no point in wondering why. He'd say it was because they were friends, but she thought it was because he wanted more. With her luggage settled in her room, she saw she had a couple of hours before meeting with the others at the restaurant for supper. A nap would be so wonderful.There was no reason not to. It would keep her head clear, not that she thought she'd need it. It was tomorrow when she would need a clear head and the ability to fix everyone, so they looked amazing.

Gloria took a quick shower and threw on a sleeping shirt. She set the alarm and laid down to nap because she didn't want to be late. Why would she need one after sleeping on the airplane? She didn't know but was sure she needed the rest. Had she not been able to sleep, she would have gotten up. That wasn't a problem, so she laid down, napped, and woke to the alarm. It was a good thing that she had set it.

Her stomach rumbled, telling her that she was hungry. Gloria dressed quickly and headed out the door. Abe was there almost as if he had been waiting for her. They headed to the elevator together. They were going to a fancy restaurant, which was enclosed in glass and on the roof. She had to admit that she was impressed. The place was packed, but they were in a separate room, probably used for parties and such. It was much more comfortable than sitting among a crowd. The band was often recognized. So, eating or carrying on conversations was hard when people were constantly asking for autographs. Not that the band was bad about giving them.

People even took selfies with them, and they didn't seem to mind that either. The band's attention made her glad she was not famous. It was one of the reasons that Gloria worked behind the scenes. She didn't like getting a lot of attention and preferred to blend into the background. That was where she did her best work. The work that she did for the band members was a work of art, and she was proud of what she did. Lu had certain things that he was willing to do and other things that he wasn't. By the time she was through with him, he looked otherworldly and impressive regardless of the restrictions he placed on her.

Win pretty much let her do whatever she wanted to, and she could give him a wild, supernatural look. Each band member had certain things they did not like and did not want to deal with. She knew what she could do and what not to do with each. She even knew what to do with most of the other band members who often opened or closed the show. They traveled with a large amount of makeup, costumes, and other items that made their show every bit theatrical.

A new group would be opening. These guys were younger and didn't have the usual demon names, but there was no doubt that they were demons. Antoine, Damascus, Zanzibar, and Xylar made up the band. They had been given their names by younger scientists who thought they were fancy. Zan and Dam used shortened versions of their names. Antoine liked his name, but Xylar just went by X. They were all handsome and had a wild look about them, and that was what she played up when they performed. Tomorrow night, they will be the opening band.

They were beginning to become well-known themselves because they already had several singles and one large album out. Their band was called Wild Ones, and the description fit. Lu encouraged all his people to try their hand at music, acting, or any other art. She had seen a picture when it was being painted, and it had been amazing. If Abe did anything besides singing and playing instruments, he never said. That was already a whole lot of talent for one male to have.

“What are you thinking about? It must be serious since you're biting your lip.” Abe mentioned.

It was a bad habit she had, and she often did it when she was working on the band and trying to get everything perfect,

“I was thinking about The Wild Ones makeup.”

“You do such a good job on them. They are also willing to let you take it to the limit. I have to admit that I could never do that.”

“Awe. One of these days, I hope you guys will let me do that, even if it's just for a party back home. I really want to see what I can do without restrictions," Gloria admitted.

“I hope you don't really expect that.”

“One of these days, you'll trust me enough to let me do that. It will be so cool.”

“It might be cool to you, but I'm already at my limit," Abe admitted.

“But you wouldn't have gotten there if you hadn't let me push those limits just a little bit.”

Abe blushed. He knew it was true because she had pushed them, and she pushed them every time just a little bit, and sometimes she got away with something. These guys were so hot, every one of them with a little bit of makeup and a wild bit of costume, and it drove the audience crazy. There was nothing wrong with that because it was all fun. That's why people come to concerts, to be entertained and have fun. They celebrated just being alive tonight. It was their chance to have fun.

“Those young demons will let you do anything you want. Isn't that good enough?”

“You guys are just a little bit uptight, which is surprising for fun-loving demons, " she observed.

Abe turned red again. “Now, wait a minute, that's not fair. We've come a long way, I'll have you know.”

“I know you have, but you can still go even longer," Gloria observed.

“This isn't a sex talk that I'm interrupting, is it? I would hate to do that," Lu asked.

Gloria felt her face turn red, too. “No, we were talking about your group’s costumes and makeup. We could do so much more, but some of you are afraid to push the limits.”

“That is a conversation I do not want to be in on. You've been pushing the limits, and I will admit the crowd loves it, but there are certain lines I do not want to cross.” Lu admitted.

Gloria sighed heavily. “We will see what happens tomorrow.”

Lu and Abe exchanged a look. She could see it would be an uphill battle, but she was willing to try anyway. The sky was the limit. With the band's reputation, anything they did would be received well. The only thing they didn't want to do was get bored and stagnate. That would just not go well with their reputation. She had been researching, finding all kinds of possibilities, and a few came along with her. Gloria would see exactly what they were willing and unwilling to do tomorrow.

She couldn't complain as far as Lu was concerned because he had really come far since the first time, she had fixed him up. Abe was probably the worst one, allowing the least. Win was the best, allowing the most in everything that looked good on him. He and Risa made an amazing couple, especially when they were all decked out. Those two were the perfect places to showcase her talent.

“Are you plotting against us?” Abe asked.

“I would never do such a thing. There are many ways to impress a crowd, and I am just trying to decide which way to go.”

“You work too hard. This party is about having fun. Why don't we dance?”

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