Falling Stars Rising 04
When the shuttle doors slid open, a raspy voice purred, "Discover your inner Eve and lead them to temptation."
Amber shadows draped the statues of a man and a woman who frolicked beneath a tree. Above them, coiled on a branch, a lively snake regarded the pair with cool and wicked intent.
The neon sign on the archway read: Welcome to Eden, where sin is the eleventh commandment.
Sometimes they took their metaphors a bit too far, Nikki thought .
Amidst the myriad aromas permeating the atmosphere, she picked out his scent and followed it. Her footsteps echoed on the cobble stones. Ahead in the distance, she saw him disappear down a sidestreet.
She spread her fingers, and Saturn's light glinted off the sharp blades protruding from the tips. In the crisp air, his scent grew stronger. Overwhelming. Her heart beat faster. When she reached the corner, she stopped and closed her eyes; her nose slightly upturned. Then taking a deep breath, she stepped into the shadows.