Tomboy101: I know the chapters are short but hopefully they'll get longer the farther along into the story I go. Please enjoy and don't forget to review!

Ch. 2 Not In The Cards

I eyed the deck of cards in my hand. They were regular playing cards, nothing really all that special about them. I picked up the top card and flipped it up in the air. It spun and then froze, hanging at eye level. It was the Jack of Diamonds. I frowned. I hadn't wanted to draw that card.

I took the next top card and repeated the motion. This card stopped midair next to the other one but it was facing backwards. I reached up and turned it around. It was the Ace of Hearts. Well, it was the card I wanted but why had it been backwards?

I snatched the two cards from the air and put them back with the rest of the deck. I closed my fist around the deck and it vanished. I was starting to feel uneasy. This wasn't the first time in recent weeks that I had wanted something and things hadn't gone my way. That had never happened to me before but now it seemed to be happening all the time. It was weird and starting to freak me out just a little.

I stood up from the park bench I had been sitting on and turned. My black biker boots made crunching noises on the snowy path as I walked back through Central Park. It was nighttime in New York City. I had come here because it was Valentine's Day and Cupid had asked me to lend him some luck as he made love connections in the city of dreams on one of the most romantic days of the year. That at least had worked out. Now, though, I was needed in Vegas but my luck seemed to have run out which was impossible. I'm Lady Luck for crying out loud! I'm not supposed to run out of luck.

I sighed and readjusted my black fedora so it sat at a jaunty angle over my left eye. Maybe Vegas just what I needed to recharge my batteries. If all else failed though I was going to have to go get some of the luck I had been storing in my fellow Spirits. Let's hope it didn't come to that. While all of them liked having me around none of them would really appreciate me taking my luck back. I shuddered at the thought of what they would say.

I turned a corner, passing the giant statue of Balto, and came face to face with Cupid. Now, when you think of Cupid what do you see? A baby in a diaper with little white wings and a bow and arrow, right? Well, that's not Cupid at all. He's more like a twenty-five-year-old Greek Adonis: bronze skin, a drool-worthy body complete with a six pack of rock hard abs, surfer boy curls, piercing Caribbean blue eyes, and the most handsome face out of all of the Spirits. His weapons of choice are a bow and arrow but they aren't cartoony at all and you wouldn't get me to touch them with a ten foot pole. For all his ridiculous good looks though he's an alright guy, sweeter than sugar with his heart in the right place and always a perfect gentleman. Just what you'd want for the Spirit of Love.

I gave him a lazy grin. "Hey Lover-boy," I drawled in my thickest southern accent. "How's it goin'?"

"Hello Lady," he said warmly, his voice like rich chocolate. If I was anyone else I would have swooned. Thankfully I wasn't so I didn't. "It is going very well. Thank you for coming today. Everything always goes smoother when you are around."

I shrugged. "What can I say? It's what I do. Now, if you're all done I need to get goin'. There's a poker tournament I don't wanna miss."

"I am all finished. Will I see you the same time next year?"

"Dunno. All sorta depends on how good your luck is."

Cupid laughed at the joke. "I will see you around, Lady," he said as he unfurled his massive white wings.

"See ya Casanova," I said with a wave as I continued down the path. As soon as I was out of sight of Cupid I pulled a pair of black dice out of my jean's pocket. I rolled them around in my hand a couple times then brought them up to my lips. "Vegas," I whispered and tossed them.

The next moment I was standing on the rooftop of The Monte Carlo. I peered over the edge. Bright lights, lots of people. I could practically hear the slot machines and clank of chips from up here. I smiled. I love Sin City.