Black roses fell slowly upon the tiny casket. The weeping and sobbing was so repetitive that it became the sound of the world. I could not hear the world anymore. My own tears blinded me. Then the mewing of the cat outside my window dissipated the vision and I could breathe. I gasped for air, released from the grip of horror.

"What will you have me do?" I begged. She blinked and licked the back of her paw, serenely staring at my crow. She was a dappled black with red highlights along her tail and a white patch atop her head. I had to obey the message of this creature or my child would die. Only their enchantment preserved her life. Only my obedience preserved the enchantment.

She meowed at me over and over, speaking Felidaen. I couldn't understand her. I began to feel a dull panic as I recalled this was going to be a problem, always. I looked at Cory when the messenger had given her instructions to me.

"You must agree to the next three things asked of you by other humans, no matter what." Cory sounded puzzled by this, as he translated. The cat looked again at my crow and I felt fear that she would try to harm him. What could I do, if she did? Instead she vanished in the blink of my eyes.

"But how will they know what I have done?" I grimaced.

"My Lord, I do not know. This is not what I expected from the cats. They are not interested in human affairs to this extent. It seems like a game, as though they are toying with you." Cory considered.

"They have asked for nothing until now. I don't understand." I complained. The shower in our cheap motel room stopped and a cockroach scurried out from under the door of the bathroom. A moment later, Detective Winters walked out of the bathroom in a fog of cooling vapor. My right hand ached, as though a mist were present.

"Who are you talking to?" He asked strangely.

"I made a bargain with the Prince of Cats to save Persephone." I answered him. "I must do their bidding, or she will not breathe. They came here and showed me her death while I suffocated. Then they made a strange command, it is almost like a joke."

"You trusted cats?" Detective Winters sounded like me, mocking my voice, as though he were asking introspectively.

Cory flapped and made grinding noises, like shifting gears, and then clicked rapidly before he turned on me and repeated Detective Winters's joke. Then he laughed even harder. When my bird had recovered from the hilarity he had discovered, he said with delight to me:

"Don't you get it? It is funny because only a fool would trust cats." Cory explained and then chuckled some more at my expense.

"My daughter would die otherwise." I said somberly.

"Death will always happen." Cory clicked to me. This was also funny to him, but he could see I was not even slightly amused and he stifled his laughter.

"What is it that you must do?" Detective Winters dropped his towel while I watched so that I had to look away from seeing him naked. Lately he had done this, where he would dress and undress in front of me. I wasn't liking it.

"I must obey the next three things I am asked to do." I told him. Detective Winters looked at me strangely.

"That is easy. I could ask you to do three different things right now and we can get on with our day."

"No." Cory clicked twice, the universal binary for a negative response. Then in plain English, my crow elaborated the rules for us: "These must be things asked of him from those who desire something from him that he would not normally agree to. There is no magic in asking my Lord to hand you three different objects from around the room. That wouldn't count."

"Jesus." Detective Winters hissed. "And this is just the beginning?"

"A mere test." Cory agreed.

Detective Winters looked directly at me and asked me: "Please confess to the murder you committed."

"I killed John." I stated, trembling and sweating instantly.

"You are under arrest for the murder of John Monica." Detective Winters was buttoning up his shirt and nodded. He took a pair of handcuffs out of a leather holder on his belt and handed them to me. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say now can and will be used against you. Do you understand your rights?"

I nodded and put on the handcuffs. I felt a tear in my eye. We were supposed to go to Mrs. Winters's house today and I would see Persephone and Isidore. Would I ever see them again?

"I'm sorry." I pled, crying weakly.

"Does it count?" Detective Winters asked Cory, using a tone and cadence that I did when I asked things of my crow.

"What do you think?" Cory tilted his head and studied me carefully. "My Lord's heart is breaking. His eyes say it hurts to obey your request."

"Alright. I think I know how this works. I've got one more for you." Detective Winters had a weird, creepy smile as he said this. I shuddered and realized again that I had no idea who this man was or what he was capable of. So much about the detective was a mystery. The more time I spent with him the less I understood him and the more he understood me, and my crow. I was completely terrified of him and the unknown retributions he could inflict upon me. And I was at his mercy like never before.

"Let's go." He got his keys and his phone and helped me up by grabbing the chain on the handcuffs. Cory alighted upon my shoulder and we went with Detective Winters to his car and were seated in the back, where we always rode.

"Are you taking me to jail?" I asked meekly.

"No, Lord. I already knew you killed John Monica. I don't know why he had to die, but I think you had a good reason. You were worried about his family, that's how I caught you. You have remained my prisoner since that day. It would be a waste to put you into the system. Look at all you have accomplished by my side, and think of how useful you have become. You wanted to be helpful, remember?"

"I remember." I sobbed in relief and some other emotions I can't identify. Detective Winters didn't hate me, he had kept me. He had made me useful, giving me a chance to right the wrong I had done.

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"Take those off and give them back, those are my handcuffs, you can't keep them." Detective Winters reached back and handed me the key to his handcuffs. I twisted my hands around and unlocked my left wrist. Then I took off the other. We stopped at a red light and I gave him back his cuffs and key and he put them away in their leather pouch.

He took us through a McDonald's drive through and got us breakfast and lunch as they switched over. This particular Micky D's stopped serving at eleven and those who arrived at eleven could get the last breakfast items and then order cheeseburgers. Detective Winters really got off on eating both meals at once in their parking lot. They always had some egg McMuffins and breakfast burritos for him, as he showed up almost every day. He sipped his coffee slowly and said again for the hundredth time:

"I like McDonald's coffee better than Starbuck's." Detective Winters swished some in his mouth like a wine connoisseur, enjoying the bitter blackness as a savor.

"I like McDonald's fries better then sunflower seeds." Cory decided. I saw something in my crow's eyes as he glanced upon mine. The black orbs of his eyes were like a window into the world of death, and shown my own death.

I saw myself hanging from a rope in the cool morning of an old field with just one blue tree with white leaves. As I stared at this image the sun began to rise behind me and I saw my own soul escaping my body. I could hear the rope squeaking and the branch creaking. A mandrake blossomed beneath my mortal coil. The smell of death drew flies to the lips and eyes. The sound of a hundred crows coming to land in the branches was like the applause of an audience, as their wings beat the air.

"You alright, Lord? You look like you just saw a ghost." Detective Winters watched me in the rear view mirror.

"I saw my own death. I looked into Cory's eyes and I saw how I will die." I spoke absently, unable to remain reticent as I felt a fatal knowledge usurp my mind.

"Do not all men seek to know their death?" Cory wondered.

"No, we ignore our death." Detective Winters explained with sympathy in his voice. "We are not supposed to know, we are supposed to think we will not die."

"But, death will always happen." Cory was baffled by this and fell silent. He couldn't understand that humans ignore death. It made no sense to him.

"Let's focus on life. That's enough about death for one day, right Lord?" Detective Winters had taken my hand, by the tone of voice and words he chose. He was sticking up for me and suddenly the death scene seemed very far away. I doubted I had long, but with a man like Detective Winters comforting me I felt the world would be okay without me. Somehow I was able to put it from my thoughts.

Detective Winters got on his phone and said:

"It's me: Jack. I was wondering how you are doing?" Detective Winters asked very sweetly. He was listening to someone describe how they were doing for a minute before he responded with: "A sabbatical is probably fine, but I thought you were going to take two years off anyway. I think you should still do that."

Someone was speaking to him and deciding something before Detective Winters said finally: "I have someone who can help with that. I can bring him to you right now, if the time is right." and then he chuckled and said: "Okay, perfect. I will drop him off and get started on that."

He looked at me as he hung up, giving me the creepy and weird smile he had earlier, except now he was leering at me with it. I shuddered, anticipating that this would be worse than the arrest. I could only dread the deed he had in mind, not knowing what it was.

The car stopped in front of an apartment building and I saw who he had brought me to. Dr. Leidenfrost was standing there in a black dress waiting with a charming blow pop in her mouth. I took note that she was not smoking and so did Detective Winters. He looked at me again and said in a very playful and teasing voice: "Looks like Heidi has quit smoking. She'd have one now if she hadn't. Wonder why?"

"I am starting to guess. I don't want to be here. I want to go see Persephone and Isidore." I complained. He got out and opened my car door like a chauffeur. Heidi smiled warmly at me as I forced my feet towards her. I had found her attractive before, but somehow I found her to be irresistible. I was gripped with terror, I did not want to be left alone with her. Detective Winters drove away, leaving me alone with her.

"Mr. Briar?" She recognized me and knew my full name already.

"Dr. Leidenfrost." I acknowledged her. She frowned slightly at the formalities we were using and the eight feet between us in the parking lot. I was quite comfortable with the distance and use of last names. My comfort was shattered as she came to me and hugged me and said:

"Call me Heidi, Lord. I keep dreaming of you, of this."

"Of what?" I asked stupidly.

"Of you coming to me, being with me. I've wanted you since we met. I see you, see who you truly are. You don't look away from me at all. I can hardly stand your gaze, but I can stand it even less when your memory fades." Dr. Leidenfrost spoke gently and sincerely to me, hiding nothing of herself. That she was in love with me, I had no doubt, after she spoke thusly. "Please be with me, please give me the life I want."

"Okay." I agreed, noticing a very large black cat sitting under the shade of an abandoned vehicle sitting in the grass. Its green eyes glowed in the darkness, watching as it listened and observed my obedience. I went with her to her home.

Detective Winters did not come back until much later. By then, Dr. Leidenfrost had fallen asleep in my arms. Her phone chimed that I could finally leave. It was a call from Detective Winters. I hoped she was done with me, I didn't want to come back and do this again. She was very beautiful and intelligent and her passion matched mine precisely. That her and I would make an excellent couple, I had no doubt. Perhaps that is what frightened me the most. I could not love her and my family with Isidore.

As I thought of Isidore I realized I had betrayed her. I had cheated on her. I might have to do it again, if the first time didn't do it. The shame and horror I felt made me glare at myself as I passed a mirror in her home. I found my clothes where she had scattered them as we had undressed each other.

Every moment I had spent with her was too good. Isidore was not like her at all, I had no desire for Isidore like I did for Dr. Leidenfrost. I had hardly ever kissed Isidore and I had already kissed Dr. Leidenfrost so many times. And not just on her lips. It occurred to me that I had not had any restraint. I could have done it quickly and barely touched her. Instead I had gone all-out and done everything with her, making it last for hours. I was confused as to why I had done this, like I was infatuated with her secretly and had wanted it as badly as she had. Somehow, without knowing myself for this man I was, when I was in bed with Dr. Leidenfrost. I felt sick in my soul and in my heart, torn between the family I had sworn and fought for, and this woman I had such lust for.

Outside it had become late afternoon. Detective Winters said nothing as I got into the car. I looked over at Cory. "What?" I demanded irritated by the silence.

"You smell different." Cory said plainly.

"He smells like sex." Detective Winters muttered absently.

"No talking." I groaned. We went back to the motel first so that I could shower. Then we went to see Isidore.

I was to stay the night and be retrieved by Detective Winters in the morning. I spent a lot of time holding the baby and changing diapers and feeding my daughter. It was the only time I got to, so I insisted on doing everything. When Persephone was asleep we went out onto the sand as the water lapped at the rocks that were uncovered below.

I watched the moon. I wondered what horrors awaited me, if the silent white moon was a place of nightmares and death. Would I find peace, with so many contentions?

"What is it?" Isidore looked up at me, so cute and delicately.

"I must tell you something I have done." I told her.

"Will it hurt?" She asked.

"I am afraid so." I admitted.

"Then don't. Don't tell me. You didn't let me speak. Now it's my turn. Don't tell me." She commanded.

I choked. I couldn't not tell her, if I kept it from her the betrayal would be complete. I was sweating, resisting the urge to confess what I had done, to beg for her forgiveness. I opened my mouth, about to describe my sin when she asked me, and I realized I had to obey her, or else:

"Please don't confess to me, Lord. I don't wish to know." As if she already knew, somehow.

I started crying. It was very painful to keep it from her. I felt weak, unable to reconcile with myself unless I shared it with her. I realized that I had done the bidding of the cats and the last daylight faded from the sky.

"I only want your kiss, the one you saved for me, the real one." Isidore's eyes were watering in her own kind of pain. She closed her eyes and tears raced from them down her cheeks as she leaned for it and whispered: "Kiss me."

This last command I had no trouble obeying.