cupid clearly hates me.

[ 24 ]

"Are you ready to leave, my love?"

You set your book down—The History of Vampires, an old, yet interesting work that you had found between the spines of two herbal guide books on the living room bookshelf—on the couch and looked up at Alastor. He was straightening the red bow tied around his neck.

"Leave?" You stood up. "To go where?"

"We're meeting with Rosie. Remember? I told you about it when we were eating breakfast yesterday morning. You told me you wanted to tag along... have you changed your mind?"

"No, I definitely want to come," you assured him. Although his gleaming smile granted no visible emotion, you were sure he was feeling the opposite of 'assured'. "I just forgot that it was today. Where are we meeting her?"

"The Garden of Eden."

You faltered for a moment. Alastor waited for you to regain your composure.

"I'm sorry, the garden of what?"

"Of Eden," he repeated. "I have no idea why Rosie wishes to meet us there, but I'm sure you've heard of it. Bits and pieces of the story of the Garden of Eden are told in every biblical story out there. Adam and Eve resided there, and Eve chose their fate with the bite of a single apple."

"Yeah, I know the story," you said, watching as Alastor smoothed his palms down the front of his suit jacket. "I'm just confused, because... why is the Garden of Eden in hell? Shouldn't it be in heaven? Or, like, on Earth?"

"Nope."

"How?"

"Well, as you know, the tale of Adam and Eve took place many centuries ago. When Eve bit into that apple, she became a being of sin. So, even though the Garden was originally built on Earth soil, as the years waged their battle, the Garden sank into the dirt and became nothing. It was reborn in hell, along with Adam and Eve," Alastor explained.

"Are they still alive?" you asked, referencing Adam and Eve.

"Yes."

You gasped. "Oh my God, no way. Are they demons?"

"Yes."

"Both of them?"

"Yes."

"Even Adam?"

Alastor chuckled. "Yes, my love. Even Adam. He bit the apple, too, you know."

"Wow," you mumbled, rubbing your palm on your forehead. You felt like you needed to sit down or else your knees would buckle. "That's crazy."

"Indeed. You will have more time to think about it later, dear. We must leave now—Rosie doesn't like to be kept waiting." Alastor held out his hand, and you took it. Your grip was tight, because your head was reeling, as it had every time after Alastor had told you something about hell.

If Adam and Eve still existed, and they were demons, what else was possible?

☆

The Garden was everything you had imagined, and more.

You entered through a wooden gate, which was placed in the middle of a wall made of bright green hedges. You couldn't see over the wall, but you could already tell by the flourishing exterior that this garden wasn't one that belonged in hell. That thought was strengthened as you stepped inside. Your feet suddenly felt too heavy against the lush green grass, soft as a cloud beneath your shoes. The sky was blue and sparkling, creating the affect that the wooden gate had transported you and Alastor away from hell and into some magical land where life prospered and everything made one feel content.