Goddess of Light (Goddess Summoning #3)(7)

It was in front of another massive fountain. This one was shaped like an arabesque window. The center of it was dominated by a gigantic stone man sitting on a throne. Three standing statues ringed the throned figure, but Pamela didn't have a chance to get a clear impression of them because at that instant the eternal sunlight that shined off the domed ceiling faded, and a thick fog began pouring from openings at the base of the throne. Pamela sneezed at the tangy scent of dry ice.

"Bless you!" Eddie said from behind her. Then he leaned down to speak in her ear. "It begins. Watch closely."

Maniacal laughter erupted from the middle of the fountain, and Pamela felt a weird little jolt of shock as she realized that the center statue had become animated. The laughter was issuing from its moving lips. In amazement, Pamela watched as the seated figure swiveled on its dais so that it was facing them.

"It is time! It is time!" The talking statue proclaimed. "I am Bacchus! Come one - Come all! Come to the mall!"

The animated Bacchus lifted his goblet, which suddenly glowed golden. But Pamela spared only a small look at the new special effects. Bacchus' face had captured her attention. She decided he resembled a grotesque reproduction of the Three Stooges' Curly all dressed up in a toga with grape leaves around his bald head and several chins dangling down his neck. More laughter spewed from his mouth as he pretended to drink a toast to the crowd.

"Caesar! Welcome the visitors to our Forum!"

At Bacchus' command, the standing statue that was farthest from them began gesturing with his arms and said something about Bacchus pouring a feast for the crowd.

From where she stood Pamela couldn't quite make out his words. The newly animated arm-flailing statue reminded her of Fred Flintstone.

"Bloody buggering hell," she muttered to herself, using her assistant's favorite oath, "it's like a car wreck."

"On with the party!" Bacchus' statue yelled. "Artemis, speak to your subjects."

The second of the standing statues raised her arm, and Pamela was horrified to notice that her mountainous br**sts bobbled in time with her movements.

"From the forest and the hunt only you could entice me to leave - so it is to your Forum that we all must cleave. Shop, drink and be merry - especially if it is Visa that you do carry!" The female voice was tinny sounding, and as she spoke a quiver of arrows and a bow slung over her shoulder glowed an awful neon red.

"Well spoken, my beauty!" Bacchus' head wobbled up and down with a jerky, mechanical movement. "But now it is your brother's turn. Play for the gathering, Apollo!"

The statue directly in front of her began to turn until it was facing the crowd. The harp in Apollo's hands glowed bright green while he stroked it. Music came from a speaker semihidden at Pamela's feet.

"Yes, Bacchus, with my lyre I shall delight and inspire."

"It touches my heart!" Said the fat statue in a canned voice. "Oh, Apollo, what a romantic spell you cast. But enough! It is time to summon the light of day!"

The Apollo statue bowed awkwardly to Bacchus before raising his hand. Abruptly, the domed ceiling came alive with lasers, bouncing in bright colors from cloud to cloud as Bacchus' pleased laughter filled the dry ice air. The slicing lights finally culminated in a burst of brightness that left the fake sky lit as if it was midmorning.

"Now, my friends," Bacchus said as the other statues dimmed and died, and a pink-tinged spotlight illuminated his florid face. "Eat, drink and be merry! And remember - you must return for the special evening show at eight o'clock sharp! Until then, carpe diem!"

As his maniacal laughter faded and spontaneous applause broke out, Pamela overheard a woman wearing red sweatpants say to her friend, "Ain't it better than last time we was here?"

"Yep," her friend replied.

"Oh, God..." Pamela groaned.

Chapter 3

"No, you are not to fret. I know exactly what has you looking so concerned." Eddie patted her hand. "Money is not an issue. I will spare no expense to make my vision come to life."

"You may trust his word, ma'am. Eddie will provide you with all the funds that you need."

Pamela blinked woodenly up at the tall man.

"How insufferably rude of me," Eddie said. "Pamela, let me present you to my assistant, James Ridgewood. James, this is our much esteemed interior designer, Pamela Gray."

"A pleasure to meet you, ma'am." James took her hand in a firm, dry grip.

Eddie slapped his palms against his thick thighs. "I can hardly contain my excitement! Now that you have seen the marvelous fountain, tell me, Pamela, what do you think?"

"What do I think?" Pamela stalled by repeating the question. She and Eddie were sitting beside each other on one of the faux marble benches that surrounded the now-silent fountain. Because of the author's girth, the bench that would normally have held three or even four people was full, so James stood beside them. Pamela looked helplessly from Eddie's sparkling eyes up to James, who returned her gaze with the steady, attentive expression of a schoolboy. No help there, she realized. James had bought into the decorating disaster, too.

"Yes! What do you think of fashioning the centerpiece of my home after this fountain?"

Pamela studied Eddie carefully. The big man wasn't pretending. Unfortunately, this wasn't a joke. He really wanted the wretched thing. She cleared her throat and took a deep breath before plunging into her answer.