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Prologue

"I have made my decision, Bacchus The portal will remain open"

As Zeus spoke, he turned his back on the corpulent god and rested his hands against the sazed down at the Great Banquet Hall of Olyoddesses Zeus' smile became self-satisfied The iathered as they did on this evening, their combined allure was more resplendent than all the stars in the heavens Then his expression sobered No matter how perfect their exterior, he had slowly been forced to adroup below him

They lacked the sublimely mortal touch of humanity

The Supreed hiina she had been the most lovely of maidens Her skin had been seductive mortal cream He could still feel the imprint of its unique softness as she had pressed herself willingly against his feathered back when he changed hile and carried her away to make love to her No, her body had not had the sheen of perfection that gilded a goddess's complexion, but she had responded to his touch with a naive exuberance that no goddess could ever match

"Exuberance!" Zeus thu thunder to gru i" He didn't turn to look at Bacchus; instead, his gaze roa, he squinted his dark eyes What was it that Hera had said They take for granted the gifts of their immortal power They need to spend time away from the Ancient World Somewhere they are not idolized and worshiped He had to adh he often had reason to wish his wife's powers of observation were less accurate He griaze, which always seemed to see into his soul

"They have languished too long in Olyle with modern mortals," Zeus said suddenly

Bacchus tried to keep the irritation from his voice "But I am the only one of the immortals to ever show an interest in the modern world Why must you insist that they clutter up my realm?"

Zeus looked over his shoulder at Bacchus "Demeter and Persephone have recently visited the modern world of mortals, and, as the Goddess of the Harvest told doain with a ular basis"

Bacchus drew a deep breath and tried not to squiraze "Then why not open the portal in the Kingdom of Tulsa?"

Zeus shook his head, turning back to his contemplation of the crowded hall His talk with De gods and goddesses could co noticed

"No, Bacchus I have given this great consideration I have searched thewith its fanciful mortal re-creation of Caesars Palace and The Forulih the portal

"But Las Vegas isCaesars Palace and The Foru in a part of the world I have chosen as my own"

Zeus' head snapped around, and his eyes blazed "You presust the gods?" Thunder rolled threateningly in the background

Hastily, Bacchus bowed his head "Forgive me, Lord"

"Do not forget yourself again, Bacchus What I have given, I can also take away" He stared hard at the lesser deity before returning to his scrutiny of the crowd "Look at them The portal has only been opened to thee Even the ny as he remembered how too many of the lovely semideities had chosen to be made stars and flowers and trees because they had become so bored with their lives "Exuberance that is what Olyas has breathed into us once more"

"But Lord" Bacchus covered his growing anger and pitched his voice to a concerned, paternal tone "You knohat happens when gods and goddesses become too involved in the lives of mortals Think of Troy Remember Medea and Jason Consider what beca to doom the world of modern mortals to chaos and heartache?"

"I do not need to be lectured by such as you, Bacchus" Zeus' voice restorm cleared from the mountains, he ss I have set into place certainrestrictions" - Zeus drew the word out carefully, his eyes gleaht My children will si a as" He shifted his head so that Bacchus could see his stern, majestic profile "This discussion is over My will stands"