"The man's melodic voice caught the girl's attention and seemed to entrance her with a single word. She ceased speaking, her eyes locked onto the man ...he held so fiercely."My dear, you are not yourself. Please allow Madame to lend you aide. I shall be no farther from you than outside that door. I will not leave you. I give you my word. Please?"She stared intently into his stormy green eyes as if she searched for an answer there. She released one of his lapels and Erik watched as her hand glided. She spent pretty much the whole journey bitching about not being allowed to eat or drink for twelve hours before the anesthetic, but she was pleased to be getting it done.Dad had debated about whether to stay in her room and wait; as we were all in his SUV, he ended up coming home to await the call from Carol.Dad paced the floor at home until the phone rang; he snatched it up, listened, and then sat down hard on the couch, white faced.Sis grabbed the phone from Dad’s limp hand, and identified. We girls were all dressed the same, bar for the colours. Gold sandals, gold chains around our waists. Long gold earrings. Harem pants, see though, no knickers. Gold trimmed see through bra’s. Half veils. Our eyes black and heavy with mascara. He came, the Arab prince. He wasn’t alone, others came as well. Dressed for the desert, romantic, like Valentino in an old film. I felt my stomach do a double somersault. I wasn’t to be made available. I was reserved, reserved for my own red haired client,. She smacked her head on the ground and fought to keep her wits about her as the world tilted sideways.From where she lay, she saw the shadow move toward her, his hands raised in excitement.“Your world is about to—” the shadow’s proclamation was cut off when lightning lit up the sky to reveal the biggest bird Beth had ever seen in her life. It was clutching the remaining turret in its claws, and massive streamers of electricity flowed all along its feathers.A second blast of lightning revealed.