Page 3 of Hades
“I’m definitely not in Hell.”
Holy shit I’m in Vegas… I actually fucking did it.
Taking a moment, I study the lobby. It has sleek black tiles with a thin white outline on each tile. It’s just enough so the black is not too overpowering. White walls and black pillars break up all the black, red, white and green horse statues and pictures. It’s classy and sleek and I fit right in here.
My steps carry me to the biggest of the hulking statues. I pause to study it. The carving of the marble is exquisite, they definitely didn’t spare any expense. If I didn’t know any better, I would think that this horse was real.
I stand and admire its beauty for a few more minutes like the tourist I am, but I can’t avoid the humans forever. I’m dreading the ever growing line of people but I have no choice.
My foot taps on the tile impatiently as I wait which earns me more than a few dirty looks.
Don’t they know I could burn them alive for that? Usually humans have a healthy amount of feararound me, an innate ability to tell that I’m other and a danger to their delicate forms.
After a few minutes of waiting, I notice that all the humans in line are staring at their phones. I don’t have much use for these stupid things, but I pull mine out just to blend in. I’m grateful that Lainie keeps up with all this new technology and passes it on to me.
I donotwant to look like a fool in front of these mortals.
As if I’m actually distracted, I glance up from my phone from time to time as the line slowly inches forward.
A rumble of annoyance escapes me as the time ticks on. This is ridiculous. Waiting in this line is more tortuous than judging souls in the Underworld.
Sighing, I throw my useless phone back into my bag, my foot continuing to tap.
Lainie’s going to get an earful for this later. This place is nice but the newness hasn’t faded yet, meaning it’s far too crowded in here.
The only thing needed to send me over the edge would be the wails of a baby.
My magic ripples under the surface as I long for the safety of the Underworld. The living, breathing people in this lobby that grows smaller by the minute is too overwhelming for me.
Yes, the Underworld is full of dead people but it is my job to boss them around.
Just as I finally give up and decide to leave, I look up and realize I’ve made it to the front of the desk.
How did I get here?
Behind the counter is a well dressed male, hair perfect, not one piece out of place. He smells strongly of cologne and his shining silver watch has a brand even I recognize. A smile is plastered on his face as he greets me.
“Hello Miss, welcome to 4 Horses. My name is Alec. How may I help you today?”
“Hayden Underwood,” I say, returning his smile and giving him my alias, “checking in.”
I hand over my ID and he takes it, giving it a once over before he begins to tap on his keyboard. He takes so long I almost start to wonder if he sees right through the lies.
Making eye contact with me again, he finally smiles and hands my ID back along with my room key.
“You are on the sixth floor in room sixty-six. I hope you enjoy your stay at 4 Horses.”He points me to the elevators with a dismissive wave.
“Thank you,” I manage to say without burning him alive.Gold star for me today.
My heels click on the tile as I make my way around to the lifts. I arrive just in time to join a couple in the only open elevator but she holds up a hand and sneers at me before I can step inside.
“Sorry, this one is full. You’ll have to take the next one.” She plasters on a fake smile and adjusts her skin tight dress. If it were any tighter she’d pop out of it. Of course, the action has her male friend staring right at her chest.
I scoff, “Your ass needs all that room?”
A majority of mortal women always seem to have an aversion to me; the last time I was topside, I was disguised as a homely old lady and was treated the same.
This time I have no intention of letting some insecure mortal push me around.
