Page 8 of Pandora's Pain
The look on his face said it all. He both pitied me and hated me all at the same time. Maybe I’d missed something again, like with the woman in the street?
"They're just pretending, for entertainment."
"Pretend fighting?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Things have moved on from when you were last here," he pointed out.
"I just don't see the point of faking it. If you're going to fight, then fight. Preferably in front of an audience." I shrugged, thinking back to just how popular the fights had been. I'd not been a fan myself, but plenty of other humans had loved them. It was easy to see why too. The adrenaline and the rush filled the air. A way to enjoy pain without it being inflicted on you.
"Times have changed, Dora."
There was that name again. What was so wrong with calling me Pandora? I loved my name.
"Yes, yes, I know. I have information overload." But that didn't mean I understood it. Nor that I had to understand it either. There were some things which would probably always escape me. And that was okay. I hoped.
"Obviously, it's not working." He glared at me, but I was too engrossed with what was happening on the screen to pay him the attention he apparently wanted.
The man now singing to us was breathtaking. Unlike anyone I'd ever seen. I hoped no one would tell Zeus, but this man easily out shined most of the gods I'd met. The singer’s hands gripped a microphone tightly as he screamed lyrics about love and pain and a mixture of both.
It sounded harmoniously awful. It was like the emotion in him was being ripped from his throat, not caring about softening his tone for an audience of any kind. But his words were beautiful.
“What’s so sinful about him?” My attention never strayed from the deep vengeful look in the man on screen’s pale green eyes.
Alex looked from me to the television.
“The guy’s a rockstar. He breeds sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Literally. It’s like their fucking motto.”
This man’s motto was sex, drugs, and rock and roll?How odd. What a weird order also. I’d think drugs would come before sex, but I probably wasn’t an expert in the matter.
“Then I want him.”
“Want?” His brows creased, and a weird, repulsive look crept over his features.
“If he’s sex, drugs and stuff then he’s the one I want.”
“The sins aren’t puppies.Want.” His tone turned mocking as he shook his head at me. “Let’s do some research and we’ll get all of this started.”
Research. That sounded time consuming. Not at all how I thought I’d be spending my time as a free woman again.
Zeus said they’d come to me. They’d be drawn to me. My gaze locked on to the beautiful man on the screen just as the guitar riff drifted away into a sad and fading sound. His thick lashes closed slowly before the video turned to black and the musicstopped. A commercial cut across the screen, disrupting my thoughts of him.
They’ll come to me.
Seemed simple enough.
Without a word, I passed Alex, opened our hotel door, and strode into the hall. The carpet turned to dark tile, and my bare legs reflected off the glossy floor. I admired the high ceilings, the sparkling lighting of the hotel. It was a structure of glass. The building reached high into the heavens, while allowing its guests a view of the entire city. My attention wasn’t on the city, though. I was headed to the busy lobby down the wide, open hall.
“Where are you going? Are you insane?” Alex’s shouts rushed after me, but I didn’t pause for him. He cursed me under his breath—a stream of nasty words that only made me smile. “Zeus did not prepare me for this bullshit.”
Men in suits gave me hard stares, their eyes skimming down the dress Alex had given me. I adjusted the robe’s tie in the front, securing it a little tighter.
“You can’t walk around in public in a silk robe.”
His tight jeans and fitted shirt left little to the imagination. Hard lines etched down the front of his chest, the white shirt pulled nicely over his abs. If any small amount of lust entered his body his jeans would be sure to give a telltale sign of that, too.
“You’re more indecent than I am.” I gave a shrug to him as I continued on my search for the sins of this city.
They’ll just be drawn to me, right? So far, no sins are rushing the streets to jump in my box … Hmmm what a happy innuendo...
