Forward: When Percy gets to the club, I'd recommend turning on the song "Condition" by SWIM, followed by "Just". Check out the album it's from too, In Circles, if you like dance music.

Chapter 8: Hotel Hobbies

"On a dark desert highway…. cool wind in my hair." the radio said. Lou shut the song off quickly. It was like the third time we'd heard it in an hour.

We were riding through Arizona now. The border was an easy obstacle. Sleeping in the car wasn't. These seats didn't hold up very well as it turned out. The three of us were just about going crazy from the heat too.

Lou and Annabeth had mostly recovered from Tenochtitlan, or at least I hoped. I sure as hell know I wasn't. I'd gotten maybe six hours of sleep since we got out a day ago. Lou was at the wheel for now and I weas trying to doze off in the passenger seat. And for a second I did.

I was in the bar again. Kronos's place.

I found a Singapore Sling in front of me again. I took a sip.

"How's it going?" I asked the Titan. He was still in the shadows, but his form had noticeably changed.

"You tell me." He said, "I went to great lengths to return that agent to life. And he's dead now."

"Lured us into a trap. Said it was your idea anyway." I responded, "What'd you expect?"

"He lied to you Perseus." Kronos rasped, "He told me that there was an advantage to be gained from finding an artifact. What it was he would not tell me. He pitched it as a test of your abilities."

"Can't say I trust that version of events." I said, "How does someone like you get played that easily?"

"Perhaps I placed too much confidence into that man." Kronos said, "It's in the nature of Kakia's children to be unreliable."

"I take it you have some experience with that crowd?" I asked.

"Not much. That goddess is quite inactive as of late. Nobody has seen her in quite some time." He said, "But enough talk. I have summoned you here to ask, for the last time, if you will join me."

I set my empty glass down and pretended to think. I already knew my answer. But I wanted more information.

"You said last time that I would be working with other agents for the time being. Why should I trust your agents if the only reference I have is Frank? That didn't turn out well for anybody." I said.

"Your point is true. Yet he was the sole outlier amongst my agents currently. The two others I have working on this endeavor have been extremely competent. Perez was merely a bit of muscle. The one who could do dirty work discreetly." Kronos said, "I can assure you that you will not be engaging such assignments."

"Who are these other agents then?" I asked, "I never take a job blindly like you're asking me to."

"I can only reveal their identities if you swear on the River Styx to not reveal them to anybody else." Kronos said. Annabeth had told me about those oaths during one of her lessons so long ago. No way I was getting tangled up in that.

"Then I can't accept your offer." I said, "There's just too many unknowns."

"Are you absolutely sure?" Kronos asked, "Once you make this decision, I will consider you the enemy."

"Then fuck off." I said.

I was awakened by the sound of heavy traffic.

We were stuck just outside Las Vegas.

Lou was tapping impatiently at the wheel.

"Why don't we find a place to stop for the night?" I suggested, the sun was starting to sink.

"What? You looking to stay at some fancy casino?" she asked.

"We got some cash from Frank's place." I said. We'd plundered a few thousand from his apartment, combined with what we had left of my own stash, I think we could afford a decent hotel.

"True." Lou said.

"Do we have the time though?" Annabeth asked from the back seat.

"We have a week starting tomorrow." I said, "Not ideal but I'd rather we get to the Underworld well rested than not. We can make it to LA tomorrow easily."

"Fine." Annabeth said.

"What about that place up ahead?" Lou said. By this time, we were in Vegas proper and a few blocks from the Strip. She was pointing out a place that was decorated lavishly in bright red and pink. It was called the Lotus Hotel and Casino.

"Seems good enough to me." I said, "As long as their rate is low at least."

"Alright, let's check it out." Lou said. She pulled into the place's driveway, a classic arched one. A bellhop came out to greet us under the lights.

"Hello, welcome to the Lotus Hotel and Casino." he greeted. His smile was wide and warm.

"We're here to check the rates." I said calmly.

"No worries, sir, please come inside." he said.

The three of us walked in and were inside a lavish lobby. Everything about the place screamed luxury. And we saw several guests checking in at the marbled front desk. An older couple, a middle-aged woman, a guy with two kids, a group of college guys. Seemed like a real diverse crowd.

We found an open receptionist and I took the lead.

"Hello sir." she said.

"I'd like to know the cost on three single rooms." I said.

"You're just in luck, we're running a special promotion tonight and tonight only." the receptionist said, "For only one hundred dollars you can stay at our luxurious hotel, and you'll get a free play card for our casino. And for one hundred and fifty dollars you can upgrade your room to a suite."

I turned back at the girls, and they shrugged.

"I guess we'll take three suites for tonight." I said.

"Excellent choice sir." the receptionist said.

"Why don't you two go get our stuff and I'll handle the check in." I told Annabeth and Lou.

"On it." Lou said as they left for the car.

"When do we have to check out by?" I asked.

The woman looked at me curiously, "Sir, we don't have such a procedure. Just like the famous song, you can check out any time you'd like. But you can never leave!" That got a polite chuckle out of me.

"So, there's no time limit, that's convenient." I concluded. She gave me a polite smile and typed away at her computer and processed my cash payment.

Lou and Annabeth made it back. I took my backpack and the duffle bag full of our illegal stuff from them. Hopefully nobody would care to look too much.

"Your booking is complete." the receptionist said pleasantly, "As your rooms are being prepared by our staff, I have called over one of our concierges to give you a tour. And I also have a porter on standby to hold your belongings."

"Excellent." I said, "And I trust that the staff of this hotel are discreet?" I slid a folded bill towards her. The receptionist gave me the look, she knew exactly what I was asking.

"Of course sir." she said slyly while taking the money, "We value our guests' privacy above anything else. Our discretion is unmatched."

"Good to know. And I hope for our continued benefit it remains that way." I said while sliding another bill over. Behind me a man appeared with a luggage cart, and I thought I saw the receptionist give him a hand signal of some sort. He took our bags away towards the elevators. We weren't left alone for long. An energetic blonde sauntered up to us. She was dressed to the nines within the business casual framework.

"You three must be our new guests. Please follow me." she said. We followed her into the hotel.

"Smooth moves Pirate Boy." Lou said in a low voice.

"You wish you were that slick Tinkerbell." I replied.

"Hey, we got a sweet deal because of me." she said, "I'm sure that qualifies."

"Lou, the only smooth things about you are your driving and your legs. You can't fool me just yet." I said bravely.

Lou's face went red and she started giggling. We'd reached our first attraction, the casino floor. The games were all there. Tables, slots, and even more. I thought I'd seen a horse betting screen in the back somewhere. I kind tuned out the concierge. The only key detail, "your cards will work on all games" is what mattered to me.

Lou tugged my arm as we went downstairs. I could hear the sound of engines rumbling but I could tell they weren't too powerful. But as soon as I looked at Lou, I couldn't help but smile as well. She looked giddy as we found a go-kart track. There were people zipping around the course and the lines looked short too. Good for repeat racing.

"Our go-kart track is completely free to use once you sign the waiver." the concierge said, "And these aren't normal go-karts either. They've been modified to race specifications. Any self-respecting motorhead should give this a shot!"

This time it was me who had to pull Lou away and we kept walking through the halls. We saw the pools. One inside and out. A video gaming room fitted with what I assumed was decent tech. Annabeth seemed curious about it at least. A nightclub called Empathy that seemed to be lively despite the time, maybe we'd been inside longer than I thought. We ended our tour at the hotel's main bar.

"I hope you enjoy your stay. I am going to check the status of your rooms. And in the meantime, please take these vouchers for the bar." the concierge said. She handed us all a bunch of bright pink and floral-studded tickets and waved us to the bar. We found three empty seats near the corner of the room and sat down.

The place's vibe was lively and there were loads of different people milling around. The bartender didn't waste any time on coming for our orders.

"Diet Coke please." Annabeth said wearily, sliding the coupon towards the man.

"Right away ma'am. And you two?" he turned to Lou and me.

"Order for me." Lou told me.

"Two Mai Tais." I said, sliding him the vouchers.

"Right away." the bartender said.

"Really?" Annabeth asked.

"They didn't card us. May as well have a bit of fun." I said.

"I've never drank before." Lou said.

"First time for everything, right?" I said.

The bartender was back quickly and set our drinks down again.

I took a sip, and it tasted amazing. I wasn't sure if they had added rose water or another aromatic. The floral note within the cocktail played so well with the orgeat. I glanced at Lou, and she looked sufficiently refreshed. Annabeth looked more relaxed too. You wouldn't catch me drinking a diet soda, even on threat of being sacrificed by the Aztecs. But hey, if she calmed down, who am I to ruin it.

From behind us the concierge came back.

"I'm sorry to inform you that your originally booked rooms have been affected by an electrical issue. At no additional charge we have upgraded your booking to the penthouse suite!" she held out new keycards, they were like solid gold in my hand.

"Outstanding." I said. This place was getting better and better.

"We have also loaded your play cards with an infinite allowance for tonight and tomorrow. Feel free to keep your winnings too!" she said.

Holy crap, what a deal!

She left us again and I turned to the others. They looked just as giddy as I was feeling.

"I'm going to check out that gaming room. I'll see you guys later tonight!" Annabeth said excitedly. Not my first choice. But to each their own.

Lou looked at me, "You've got good taste Pirate Boy." she twirled the straw in her glass. She puckered up and took another sip.

Despite the tanning she did back in the Gulf, her face was still pale, and elegantly so. I'm not sure when she'd found the time to do make-up, was it the Mist? Whatever she did was worth it. The black matte lipstick was so hot. Her eyes were done perfectly. Crisp lining, and just enough shadow. It made those black and blue eyes lethal. And don't even get me started on the hair, I don't know how it looked so perfect. I'd been staring at her and she giggled. I wish she did that all the time.

The world around us seemed to grow even more vibrant. The conversations from the other patrons were joyful. The backing lights past the bar gave each bottle of liquor an intense appeal. I wanted to try them all. I kept this drink. I wasn't sure if they made it strong, or if that floral hint was just too good. I couldn't stop.

All we had to do was show the drink-slinger our golden keycards and he kept them coming. Lou and I slurped down all different kinds of booze. And I made sure to keep us hydrated too. We talked for I don't even know how long about things I couldn't remember. She was electric, and I was too. All the fatigue I was feeling earlier was gone. All I wanted to do was be here, with her.

"I'm going to use the bathroom." she said at some point, "Why don't we meet up back in the suite?"

"Sounds good babe." I said.

I heard her giggle.

I still got it!

Or was I only just getting it? I'd never even tried a line like that before. Maybe I should do it again? It would make Rowan proud at least.

And it was when I thought of that man, that angel of romance, I came up with an idea.

I called over the bartender and he called the concierge back. I wrote a note on a bit of stationery and gave her some instructions. She was more than happy to carry them out.

Simply walking to the elevator was a trip in luxury in itself. Not only did the bartender allow me to take my drink with me, the whole vibe of the building came alive. All the other guests were happy. The staff were impeccably helpful, and I was so incredibly tempted to try out everything I saw. Go-karts, poker, gaming, all of it. But I pushed forward.

The elevator to the penthouse was private and I rode it to the top alone. The inside was amazing. The foyer was dazzling with light from a crystal chandelier and the design mixed elements from minimalism and Versailles sensibilities. I brushed my hand against a clothed table and felt the coat hooks. The materials were classy and premium. No way anything here would disappoint.

The penthouse also featured a kitchen and dining room. A den with a broad TV, and a jacuzzi on a covered balcony. There was also a small well-stocked bar on the balcony. I wandered out there and met with the night air. Even that seemed on another level. The Strip lights looked amazing.

I found my room. A small placard was on the door with my name. Inside the room was quite large. I hardly believed the portions worked out with the walls. But the California King bed made me just want to flop down and never wake up. The bathroom was finely adorned. But on the desk, I found something. It made me smile instantly. It seemed that Lou and I had the same idea.

There was a stack of folded clothes and a note.

Percy,

Meet me at Empathy.

-Lou 3

The clothes the concierge had picked for me fit perfectly. It wasn't anything too wild. Off-white slacks, polished boots, and a soft black button-up. I looked at myself in the mirror after I got dressed. I ruffled my hair a bit and put on some cologne I found in the bathroom. Hints of cherry, saffron, and leatherwork.

I looked damn good. I felt damn good. And I knew she would too.

The club inside was nowhere near anything I'd seen in Roanapur. The trance music boomed over the speakers. My first stop was naturally the bar, and I got myself a little more courage. The place was generally dark as you'd expect. But there was just enough light from tables and the stage to get around. And despite feeling the music in my bones, I never felt like I couldn't have a conversation from it being too loud. The acoustics team deserved mad props.

I finished a glass of rum and wandered towards the dance floor. I kept to the edges. I was not a rhythmic person by any stretch. But the whole place was magnetic. The more I spent around this music, the more I wanted to let it take control of me. And soon enough I found myself walking to the beat and nodding my head. Even little actions like brushing past someone or looking from place to place followed the time signature.

The melodies were so bright and joyful above the dead cold bass. It was so incredibly inspiring. I kept wandering with this hopeful feeling in me when I saw her. That wave of black hair, her curves silhouetted in the glow coming from the DJ's stage. She'd worn the dress I sent after. It suited her perfectly. Not too showy but the right number of hints.

All my patience was removed.

The only way out was through.

My hand wrapped around Lou's shoulder. She fell into me and smiled. The crowd around us didn't seem to exist as we found our rhythm. We felt each other amid the glow and the music. The climax of the song came, and it was a shimmer of synths reverbed to hell and back. It felt like a monsoon back home. Warm, windy, and with her, absolutely perfect.

The song started to wind down and Lou's back was grinding into my chest.

"I'm so glad you came." she said.

"I'm glad you got the note." I replied.

"Seems we had the same idea."

"You're looking better than I'd imagined."

"You've got good taste baby."

The DJ got on the mic, a low and smooth voice. Like an old-time jazz man.

"Ladies…" he drawled, "I need you. To tell your man. What you need tonight." He paused for a passage of song, "And fellas… I expect you to follow through. Don't fail me boys."

Lou leaned back into me as the song cascaded over us. She wrapped her arms behind her and held my head down. I never even thought to try and stop her. Her mouth was right next to my ear.

"All I want is you, to fucking want me too."

Her voice broke me, and my hands wrapped around her. She turned around and our lips met. She came in again and we introduced our tongues to each other. I could taste the cocktails from earlier. We broke apart again, and I couldn't see any time pass in her eyes. The song around us faded and the last thing I remember was her closing in again.

Sunshine, white sheets, bright lights out the window. The pumice-colored carpet below the window was perfect, spotless. I felt my head on its side, deep in the pillow. It was so warm. The whole bed was warm.

I looked straight ahead. I wasn't the only one lying here. I felt her on my chest, bare. Her hair invaded the white covers where my chest was, her head was buried in my shoulder. I could feel my arm across her back.

Did we seriously do it?

I looked around the room some more and I saw those pants I was wearing last night laying on the ground beside me. I saw the boots Lou had on last night not a long way off. Hy undershirt was there too. And hold on, was that her bra?

I reached up with my free hand and rubbed my eyes a bit. I moaned slightly and she stirred a little bit. She adjusted her head and her arm fell across my chest.

For the first time in a while, and for the last time until we got back to Camp, I felt like everything was going to be okay. Something I need to tell myself more. And it was so much easier with her lying next to me.

I rubbed her back lightly. She was so soft. And her warmth came like a well-oiled engine. Her breaths were steady, and I felt so relieved that she wanted me too. Ever since that night I got to Camp, I knew we'd end up here. In some place. In some time.

This was almost a sadistic type of bliss. Because I knew in the back of my mind that we had to leave. We were doing something before getting here, I was sure of it.

Lou moaned and her eyes cracked. She went through the same realization that I did, and her forehead plopped into my shoulder lightly.

"Did we do it Percy?" she asked groggily.

"I can't remember." I said.

"Me neither." she said.

"So, who's to say it was real?"

"A naked girl wakes up on top of you and you question your memory?" she chastised, "That's adorable."

"You're adorable." I said. She smirked and rolled over a little bit. We were still under covers. And I really wanted to see her, sober at least.

Speaking of, I'm surprised that we weren't painfully hungover. That was her first night drinking, and that was the heaviest bender I'd been on in about a year or so. Hell, what was I even doing back then? What happened yesterday?

I looked towards the nightstand on my side of the bed and saw a glass that looked like one of the cocktails from last night. It was a simple rum old fashioned that the bartender insisted I try neat. It was really good, very sweet. I reached over and leaned up a little on the baseboard for the glass and decided that a little 'hair of the dog' never hurt nobody.

Before I could raise it up, Lou plucked it out of my hands.

"I don't think so." she said. Still undercover, she straddled me. Her legs arched near my abs, and I could tell she was getting excited. She was so warm.

With the blanket around her shoulders like a robe she took a sip from the glass, at least a shot's worth. Before leaning down to my face. Half my vision turned black as her hair made a curtain around my head. The window's light was blocked, and I only saw her face.

"You'll have to work for this." she whispered.

She leaned back up and shrugged off the cover.

She looked so much better than I could imagine. Everything from her boobs to her hips. She was even shaved down there.

In that moment, I just knew I had to say something profound, something amazing, poetic.

"Waow."

Lou started laughing and she brought the glass to her lips, but she didn't sip, she tipped.

The liquid flowed down her body, and I of course couldn't let a good drink go to waste. I did my duty and found every drop. And it just so happened that I made the water in the drink swirl around her tits. I killed at least three birds with one very happy stone. Lou was definitely a fan. I could practically feel her dripping.

As for the rest, I'll keep it between the two of us. I just hope I lasted longer than I did last night.

Afterward I was on the balcony in my boxers. I had a glass of water in my hand. The early morning signs of life down on the Strip were starting. I smiled. I don't know why. Maybe it was just the golden morning glow or the crisp air. Warm enough to stand out in, cool enough to flush out your lungs.

Behind me I heard the sliding door from the bedroom and Lou came up next to me in a fluffy robe. She had a pack of cigarettes in her hand with a lighter. Must've found them in my jacket.

"How do you do this?" she asked.

"You sure you want to?" I asked.

"I'll try anything once, and that's the way it should be." She replied.

"Fine." I said, "Just put the filter in your mouth, as so." I took a cigarette from the pack. They were Djarum Black clove cigarettes from back home. Not exactly the kind you'd want to smoke as your first but whatever.

"Then you just suck some air through the cig as you light the end." I demonstrated. My Zippo clicked and I held the flame just to the end of the stick. I sucked in ever so slightly and a nice ember formed on the end. The crackle of the cloves inside told me I was good.

"Seems easy enough." Lou said. She did as I'd shown her. She lit the end and sucked in way too much. She dropped the lighter and started coughing up a storm. I stepped back and laughed a little while taking another drag.

"Smooth moves." I teased.

"Fuck off." Lou grumbled between coughs. She did get the thing lit, and it sat in her fingers. She went in for another drag.

"Don't just keep the smoke in your mouth. Try and breathe it down with some air." I said.

She tried doing it and she had a better reaction this time. Still coughing, but she was up straight at least.

I leaned on the railing, and she joined me.

"How the hell do you handle these?" she asked.

"I don't." I said, "I don't really smoke that much. Most normal people I know get bit the first time, then the second, and then quit after the third anyway."

"Why do you have them then?" she asked before taking another drag. Cue the coughing.

"Sometimes it just feels right y'know." I said, "Hard to say when those times are."

"Fair I suppose." She said.

"Why'd you want to try it out?" I asked.

"Seemed right." She replied, "You've already gotten me drunk and took my honor. May as well do it all."

I laughed, "You took mine too. My 'honor' as you call it."

"Really?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"But I'd have thought." She paused to cough, "I dunno."

"To be honest I'd been offered many times. Kissed a few chicks here and there." I said, "There was that one girl at the American School, she'd been crushing on me for years. I think her name was Veronica or something. She cornered me and tried fucking me. But I never had any interest. Then there was the one time Revy got wasted and wanted me to 'become a man'. She called up a guy she knew, a pimp named Rowan. She got him to send over one of the finest ladies he had."

"Why didn't you take it?" Lou asked.

"Just didn't feel right." I said, "The chick had this look in her eye." I thought about how to word it. She was white, American or Canadian from her accent. Such a rarity alone among Roanapur's working girls. But combo that with a nice ass and double Ds, she was a rockstar. Or a cash cow. Depending on your perspective.

I remember I was hanging out in Revy's apartment when she came over. She was dressed in green lingerie to match her ginger hair. Revy gave me the keys to her place. She only said to not do it on her bed.

After the door closed the hooker sat down on the couch beside me. She asked what I wanted to do, that I was at her disposal. But even then, as a dipshit fourteen-year-old. Barely able to hold a pistol. I could tell there was something wrong.

I asked her if she really wanted this. And I must've been the first one to ever ask her that question in years. She broke down crying. I tried comforting her. She went on a long story on how she wanted to be a lawyer back home. She stripped to save for law school and one thing led to another. One pill too many. The wrong john at the wrong place. And she'd ended up here, with no way out.

Even today I don't know what happened to her. Hell, I barely remember how she ended up going home. But there was no way I could've fucked her. No chance.

Lou saw the look on my face, "It's okay." She said, "You can tell me some other time."

"Thanks." I said, "It's not that it's a violent story. Just sad is all."

"I get it." She said.

"But you're the first girl I've actually wanted to be close with." I said.

"You're the first guy too." She said, "I kissed another boy back in first grade, but I'd hardly count that."

I smirked, "Looks like I have some competition."

"Oh, stop it." She said with a light hit on the arm.

Our cigarettes were done. We left the balcony.

I took a shower and found Lou on the couch sketching in her book again. Turns out we'd accidentally slept in Annabeth's room last night, it was the closest to the elevator. However, there wasn't any sign she'd come up to the penthouse last night.

"Wonder where Annabeth is." I pondered while I made a pot of coffee.

"Maybe she got lucky too." Lou said slyly.

"I just hope we did enough to clean up." I said. We did our best to get our clothes out and to make the bed look new again. Housekeeping would handle the rest.

"Speaking of getting lucky…" Lou said. She leaned her head on the back of the couch to look at me.

"You up for another round?" I asked while I sipped from my mug.

"Nooo…" Lou said with a smile, "I was thinking we hit the casino. Looked like a good time."

"I'd have thought you would gun for the go-karts." I said.

"It would be too easy for me." she said before standing up. She came over to me and stole my mug. "Like taking coffee from an idiot." My eyes narrowed. She bolted.

I caught her eventually, on the couch. Mug long forgotten. My mouth had something way better to do with hers.

Late that afternoon we went down to the casino floor. I'd gone through the closet and found some nicer clothes already sitting there for me. A black sports coat, white shirt with a popped collar, crisp blue jeans and shiny black shoes. Lou had found a fresh white blouse and a black skirt in her closet. The look was clean, and she'd done her makeup in a more classic Americana fashion. Opting for reds instead of blacks. I would've jumped her by now, but I was already feeling a little sore.

We came onto the gaming floor and immediately I was drawn to the blackjack table. While I preferred poker, Lou had told me that she didn't know how to play. But getting to 21 was much easier.

We did quite well there, and she got really into the game. She got very good at splitting her hands and getting the dealer to hit out. At one point I thought she forgot I was there, and my gaze turned to the poker tables. One in particular.

A guy, mid thirties by the look of him, caught my eye. His suit was light powder blue, and his long hair and scruffy beard were jet black. On his arm was a blonde, her evening gown was lush, and her proportions were really enticing. He went up to the high roller table and flashed his golden play card and the bouncer let him in immediately.

"BULLSHIT!" Lou shouted. It snapped me back to earth.

"Sorry, ma'am, but you've busted." The dealer said calmly.

I patted Lou on the back, "Let's get outta here babe." I said smoothly.

"I'll fucking end you!" Lou growled at the dealer.

"Ma'am, may I interest you and your partner a free bar voucher?" the dealer offered. He held out two tickets between his fingers.

I snapped them up quickly and hauled away a seething Lou.

"We need to teach that guy a lesson." Lou grumbled as we went towards the bar.

"It's alright." I said while I rubbed her shoulders a little.

I ordered some drinks, a tequila sunrise for her and a mojito for me. We sat down at the stools and sipped them for a while, I listened to her complain about the blackjack dealer.

As Lou winded down I noticed the blonde woman from earlier arrive. She leaned on the bar and blinked flirtatiously at the tender.

"A Vesper martini for me, an Iron Curtain for my man." Her voice, smooth and silky said.

"Right away madam." The barkeep said.

The woman turned to look at me, luckily I was a loyal kinda guy, or Lou might've killed me then. She fluttered her perfect eyes at me, the pupil's colors shaded between colors. Pink then Red then purple then blue then green then gold. Her pristine red lips curled into a smirk. She gave me a wink before walking away with her drinks.

"Percy?" Lou asked. She placed her hand over mine.

"Sorry, lost my train of thought." I said.

Lou smiled, "I was thinking we go back up. Find a better way to blow off some steam." She twirled a lock of hair and gave me that look.

"I want to check out one more thing first." I said. She nodded and I had the bartender refill our glasses. I went to the bouncer at the high roller tables and flashed the card. He smirked and let me in. I guided Lou to a table, it just so happened that there was one open seat left. At the table were mostly older men. Slick and slimy geezers, most had cigars and dark whiskey drinks at their disposal. The only one who looked closer to my age was the man from earlier. He was wearing a pair of black square sunglasses now. In a chair at his side was the blonde, who was smoking from an old-school cigarette holder.

I took my chair and laid down my card. The dealer reached down and slid me a stack of chips, and another employee sat Lou down in a chair beside me.

"Glad you could make it hon." The woman said.

"What?" the man asked.

"Saw these two at the bar dear, nothing wrong with that." She reassured.

The man sized me up, and I took a note from his book and slid on Frank's aviators. The man chuckled.

"You got a lot to learn kid." He said.

"He's already done quite well for himself." The woman said, eyeing up Lou, who was looking very confused.

"Yeah, not bad." He said, "Might be exactly what we're looking for."

I was dealt my hand, complete bunk. The man smirked across from me.

"I hope your intentions are clean." I said.

"You two just play well together." The woman said, "Makes my heart flutter."

Lou smirked, "How's that honey?"

The woman leaned on the table and really puffed up her chest, "You wanna find out dear?"

I smirked at the guy. I think Lou just stole his gal. His face was stone cold, and he bet. The other players went all in as did I. Lou and the woman were still making fuck-me eyes at each other. My bet and the guy's all outmatched the other players, and we made a two-way side pot. We all flipped our cards. And in the excitement, it seemed I'd gained two-pair. As did the man.

The other players busted out and it was just us.

"Shouldn't you wrangle your woman?" I asked the guy.

"Could say the same." He replied. I glanced at Lou, and she was entranced. Her lips were slim and if the situation were any different, I'd have thought she'd need to piss.

"Tied. The pot is split." The dealer said. The guy and I were on equal footing.

The cards were dealt, pocket aces. I didn't show any emotion and called the blind. The flop cards were laid and I had a full house, aces full of kings.

Lou leaned over to me, "Percy Jackson," she whispered, "You win this hand and I'll fuck your brains out." Something about her was rabid. I guess poker was a major turn-on.

The guy across from me showed nothing, and his woman wrapped an arm around his chest and stood behind him.

"Maybe let them win baby. But I know you won't." I thought I heard her say quietly. She looked up at us, "I like a game with high stakes…"

"All in." the man said.

"And unnatural players." She completed.

"Me too." I pushed my stack over.

The dealer showed fourth street and the river. The two of us played our hands and I'd won. He was bluffing on a pair of jacks. I hauled in my chips and the man stood up. He sheathed his sunglasses.

"Be seeing you Perseus." He said.

"Be seeing you." I said back. At the time I didn't even think about the name thing. I was too engrossed in my winnings. And Lou, who was buzzing at my side.

The dealer placed a metal briefcase in front of me, "One hundred thousand young man." Congratulations."

Lou barreled into me with a hug. Her perfume hit me just right, and I leaned into her.

"Good god Pirate Boy!"

I took the money and patted Lou on the shoulder. She released me and I offered my free arm to her.

"I believe you made me a promise." I said slyly.

"One hundred thousand." She said, "Gets you way more than promises." She planted a huge kiss on my cheek, and I could feel her lipstick make a mark.

Walking across the floor I felt like a rockstar. I had loads of cash. A beautiful girl on my arm. The other card players gave me various cheers and salutes as I walked by the tables. A waiter planted a glass of champagne in my hand. Lou clinked my glass with hers as we reached the elevator.

Luckily it was private, and I'd downed my bubbly quickly. She pinned me up to the closed door and ravaged my face with her lips. Our glasses broke on the floor, and I didn't care in the slightest. With my free hand I got a grip on her hair and pulled her in deeper. She grabbed at my shirt and arms. Our tongues did all the communication.

My free hand wandered down to her ass and I took a handful. She squealed and broke off. She moved her lips towards my left ear.

"I really want it." She said. She nibbled my ear, and I slid my hand underneath her skirt and under her panties. She was drenched.

I worked a little and she moaned into my ear, "You like high stakes?" I said.

"Yesss." She moaned.

"Let's do it right when we get out." I said. She shuddered.

"Ohh." She moaned.

"Right on the floor." I said, "Any maids be damned."

I could feel her sinking into me even more, she was already close.

The elevator dinged and the door slid open. I had no time to balance, and I fell flat on my back. Lou was on top of me. She whimpered as I withdrew my hand to straighten up.

"Hey guys." A voice said. I looked behind me and saw Annabeth walking towards the elevator. She looked shaggy, like she didn't care about her appearance at all. She was wearing gym shorts and a white t-shirt with various stains on it. Her eyes had bags underneath and her hair was a mess.

"Heya." I said awkwardly. Lou was a little shaken. Maybe her shame had some limits. The elevator was okay. Doing it in front of the housekeeping was hot. Annabeth seeing her junk, and mine? I guess that was the limit.

"Gotta go back." Annabeth said. She barely seemed to notice the state we were in.

"Where to?" I asked.

"Scrim's starting soon. Had to come up to eat n' shit. Can't talk." She said quickly as the elevator door closed.

My mind was frozen, but I felt Lou trying to undo my belt buckle.

"C'mon, bed's just over there." I said.

"You promised me the floor." She said pleadingly. I just laughed and grabbed her around the waist.

"You're right." I took her thighs towards my head, and I went under her skirt. That was the last light I remember from that day.

X

Author's Note:

So originally, I wanted Vegas to be a one and done chapter but the more I added the more I realized I was going to need to split it. So, stay tuned! Lots of action next chapter, although I really liked working on the Percy/Lou part of this. I know it might seem a little fast, and that's intentional.

Let me know what you think! And Happy Easter to those who celebrate.