Oh, God. Gabriel felt the automatic plea rear up in his mind, though he knew he was not going to receive any help from that quarter. He was fallen, so deep and dark down in the pit that he had been given the ultimate punishment beyond banishment from heaven. He had been given the curse of havinghis flaws emulated by the women he encountered.

“I’ll do whatever you want, just let me be with you, love you,” she said, eyes red-rimmed and desperate, greasy hair tumbling over her shoulders, callused hands running along his chest.

And he knew it was true. This was his punishment. Every woman he had an intimate physical relationship with grew to crave him, to desire him the way he longed for his absinthe.

He was addicted to alcohol and opium, and they were addictedto him.

It was overwhelming in its horror, and Gabriel shifted left, moved out from under those smothering, clinging hands, and stumbled down the street, ignoring her pleas, the pounding of her shoes as she followed him, chased after him.

There would be no more women, ever.

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

“Are you sure you don’t want to stop in anywhere else?” Gabriel asked, as they walked down Bourbon toward Dumaine.

“No, I definitely need to call it a night.” Sara couldn’t believe she’d danced as long as she had. Gabriel must have been bored out of his mind sitting there with his ice water while she danced through an entire band set.

But it had been so much fun, so liberating to just move to the music. To not think, to not worry, to just feel. To interact with people in such a casual, anonymous way.

She sighed, fingering the strand of beads around her neck. Lack of sleep and the wine were catching up with her, making her weary, but in a pleasant, content way. “Thanks for taking me out. I had a good time, and I appreciate you suffering through a boring night to show me Bourbon Street.”

“It wasn’t boring at all,” he said. “I enjoy your company, and I like to people watch.”

Sara told herself to accept that, take it at face value. Enjoy walking beside Gabriel. “There were definitely some people worth watching.” She laughed, picturing the older guy who had suddenly decided to break-dance. It had been worthy of an A for effort, but not much else.

“You have to hit Bourbon with the expectation that you can see pretty much anything at any given moment.” Gabriel gestured to the street to the right. “This is our turn.”

Sara glanced over and lost all her good humor. The street looked pitch black and empty, the few storefronts on it closed up and locked for the night. “This doesn’t look safe.”

“It’s fine. I walk here all the time.”

It went against every dictate of common sense to stroll down what amounted to a wide alley at one-thirty in the morning. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”