Vegas Is Burning

by Trinity Blacio

  “It’s most likely carrying a tracker.” He looked at her purse, and she hugged it to herself.

  “Dump it out; let me see what you have in it. Please, we don’t need them to know you’re leaving Cleveland.” Mario flashed his lights, pulled over to the side of the road, and turned to her.

  “If you throw something else out, I’m going to hit you,” she snapped. Bella dumped her purse out in her lap, and he stared down at the items.

  “Can I see the purse? The wallet?”

  “Mario, so help me God, if you ruin this purse, I’ll kill you. It took me two paychecks to get it, and do you know how hard it was for me to get one? It’s the one thing I treated myself to after graduation from college.” She handed over her purse as Tank moved back to the car and leaned through the driver’s-side window.

  “What’s... Shit! I totally forgot! I’ll get Charley’s,” he said, moving back to his car.

  Bella smiled and sat up, waiting for the fireworks.

  “What’s so funny?” Mario asked, following her gaze.

  “You thought I was bad. Watch,” Bella said, hearing the screech before Charley jumped out of the car with her purse clutched to her chest.

  “Touch it and you die, wolf boy,” she growled, stomping back to Mario’s car. “Did you know...” She looked in and saw Mario going through Bella’s purse. “You let him touch your purse?” she asked, shocked.

  “If Mario ruins it, he’ll be singing soprano for a few days,” Bella said, glancing back at him. “Oh great, cops.” Cop lights flashed behind them.

  Tank waited for the police officer to park and get out of the car.

  “Um, Bella, I didn’t do this,” Mario said and flipped her $300 purse to show her the cut mark on the bottom.

  “I’m going to kill them! That’s the only damn thing I had!” She closed her eyes. “Charley, look at the bottom of your purse.”

  “Oh no. It’s the last one I had,” she pouted and a tear slid down her cheek.

  “I’ll buy you both another purse as soon as we land, I promise. Hell, I’ll buy you two each, any kind you want,” Mario said.

  Bella glanced at Charley, and watched the smile appear on her face. “I’m not going to forget this. Any kind, right?” Charley asked.

  “Wait, Charley. Mario, you do know purses can cost over $2,000, right?” she asked.

  He looked shocked, then laughed. “Honey, if you two want a $3,000 purse after all the crap you’ve gone through, it will be my present to you both. A ‘welcome to Vegas’ gift.”

  Charley threw her purse at Mario and laughed. “One thing we don’t mess around with is our purses. Some girls have shoe fetishes; we have purse ones. What about the wallet?”

  “Your wallet is clear, Bella. Charley, looks like your purse and phone have been bugged.” Mario handed the items to Tank as he walked up with the police officer.

  “This is Officer Safer. The Cleveland alpha called him, and he’ll follow us to the airport. I’ll give these to the car behind us and have them take off in the other direction. Everything else is clear?” Tank asked, looking at the two piles of things lying in the car.

  “Yes, we should get going. My brother has already called the crew. Charley, when we get to the plane, I’ll grab you a bag to put the rest of your belongings in,” Mario said and she nodded.

  “I hope you have pillows and blankets, because I’m ready to crash. I think all this crap is finally catching up with me.” Charley yawned. “And I know you need to sleep too,” she said to Bella and turned to go back to Tank’s car.

  “How much farther to the airport?” Mario asked, starting the car.

  “About ten minutes. So where are we staying when we land in Vegas?” she asked, closing her eyes and resting her head against the headrest.

  “My brother has his old apartment ready for you two.”

  She snorted. “I need to find a job. Maybe I can find one at one of the casinos. I hear they pay pretty well.”

  “You are not to worry about finding a job. Everything will be taken care of; plus, there is plenty you can help with. I saw what you did with that plant back at the pack house earlier tonight.”

  She met his gaze. “It was nothing. I like plants and animals. With no one to talk to at home, I would go out in the woods during most of my childhood. If you listen hard enough, you can hear the plants talking to you. With everything polluting our Earth, I try to help out as much as I can.”

  “Well, the Earth will need your help in Metropolis, Bella. There’s so much damage there, gas leaks, fire.” He shook his head. “It’s bad.”

  “I don’t know how much my little gift will do, but I can try. You know what’s funny? They always thought Daisy had the gift. I did, but they didn’t see it. At least I was smart enough to keep what I could do from them until the end. That’s when things started getting nasty and I had to move out. I was 16 years old when I went to live with Charley and her family. My supposed father tried to come get me once, but when Charley’s momma opened the door...” Bella laughed. “I’ve never seen a man so scared. I never saw him move so fast as he did to get away from their home. You see, Charley’s momma is from New Orleans; she’s one of meanest voodoo queens around. You don’t mess with her family, and boy, when she finds out what... shit.” Bella grabbed the phone. “What’s the number to the other car?” she asked, and Mario took the phone and dialed it for her.

  “Tank, let me talk to Charley. Well, wake her up. Tell her, Momma.”

  Bella pulled the phone away from her head As Charley screamed, “Fuck! We’re dead! I’m calling now,” before disconnecting the phone.

  “What was that about?” Mario asked.

  “Let’s just say you are about to get a first-class taste of a pissed-off voodoo queen. It also means Charley and I will be getting extra guards.” Bella sighed.

  Chapter Seven

  Raul stepped into Hold Them Tight, the private club he regularly visited, and nodded to Brandy. His supposed mate would be on her way to Vegas in the next hour. He snorted, remembering Mario’s words: “You, brother, are in so much trouble. Got to go, her momma just stepped into the plane.”

  “What’s got you smiling?” Lucid, one of his best friends, asked, placing Raul’s usual double shot of the club’s best whiskey in front of him. He and Lucid could never figure out was their connection. He had fed Lucid many times, and they shared a closeness that was unusual for two different species, vampire and wolf.

  “Just something my brother said.” He swirled his drink and looked over at the St. Andrew’s cross on which a flogging was taking place. “I want to thank you and your people for helping out when the fire broke out yesterday. I thought for sure I’d lost a few of my wolves last night.”

  Lucid leaned against the bar, staring at him. “You would have, and, Raul, you know I’ll be here if you need help. You’ve helped me a number of times; it’s what we do. Anyway, someone is really trying to cause trouble for you, wolf, and I, for one, don’t like it. Did you notice that group from last year is back? The one that gave all of us hell?”

  “My father mentioned something about them earlier, but I was out of town when he dealt with them. I came back when all the stuff was coming to a head.” Raul’s gaze moved to his right as one of the submissives, Trish, stepped up to the bar.

  “What can I do for you, doll?” Lucid asked. His gaze traveled down her naked form.

  “Master Jason would like a double bourbon, please, sir,” she said and nodded to Raul.

  “Alpha, I hear your woman will be here soon. I volunteer to show her around.”

  “How is it you know she is coming here?” He turned his full attention on her.

  She bowed her head. “I’m sorry, but your sister told me, and asked if I could help out. I haven’t told anyone, sir. I wouldn’t do that.”

  Raul took a deep breath. “Sorry, pet, it’s been one bad week. Yes, please help my sister, and we don’t know if she is mine yet.” He nodded to the drink Lucid had pour
ed for her. “Go, Master Jason is waiting for you. Inform him I’ll speak with him before he leaves to go back to his pack.”

  “Yes, sir.” She smiled and grabbed her master’s drink, then glanced at Raul again. “Sir, is it true someone is trying to kill her?”

  “I’m so going to throttle my sister. Yes, Trish, now go.” He turned to see Lucid staring at him. “What?”

  “You’re here and your mate is on her way?” Lucid asked.

  “I couldn’t sleep, and I thought...” He shook his head. “Who the hell am I kidding? It’s the weirdest thing. I’ve spoken with this woman two or three times now, and she calms my wolf like no other. But then, I’m told she is of the Earth. Wouldn’t that have the same effect? And wouldn’t it calm all of us? Even Mario said being around her is an experience in itself.”

  Lucid smiled and Raul knew he was up to something. “So you’re going to bring her here? If what your brother said is true, I’d love to take her up to one of the theme rooms. Maybe play doctor and patient. I haven’t done that in a while.”

  His wolf rose fast, then stopped, not wanting to kill Lucid, which was weird. “Funny, Lucid. I see what you’re doing, and there will be no taking her anywhere until I find out what’s going on.” He frowned. “If anyone else had said that, they’d be dead.”

  “My friend, she’s yours. You haven’t even met her, and already you’re ready to rip me apart for just suggesting that I wanted to play with her. Now tell me, why is she being rushed here? Can I help?”

  “Thank you. So far, her apartment has been burned down, someone totaled her car trying to kill her, a bogus doctor at the hospital tried to take blood from her, not to mention her adoptive family has been trying for years to harm her. On their way back to the local pack house a couple hours ago, they were attacked again.” He downed his drink and turned to face him. “Mario found two bugs planted on her belongings in her purse, plus her friend’s.”

  Lucid frowned and rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t be able to sleep either. This has even me worried, and I didn’t even speak with her. I’ll keep an eye out; just the thought of something happening to her doesn’t sit well for me. Then, there’s the fact I don’t want to see my place burned to the ground,” Lucid added, and Raul glared at him.

  “We don’t know if this destiny crap is real, so please stop,” he grumbled.

  “You really believe that? After all that’s been happening? I always figured you were one of the smart ones, but right now, you are not acting so smart, my friend.” Lucid moved across the length of the bar and stepped out from behind it. “I want to show you something,” he said. “Come.”

  Lucid led him to the back of the club and down to the basement, where Raul had never been. “We discovered tunnels down here a couple of months ago, when the ground started to shake. I’ve had my men secure them.” He glanced back at Raul. “I thought it would be cool to extend the club down here when things settle down. We could have a lot of fun. One night, I’ll show you the different rooms we found, but this main room is yours—well, maybe ours.” Lucid pointed to a carving depicting himself, Raul, Bella and two others.

  “What do you mean my room?” But as soon as Raul stepped into the large cavern and saw what Lucid was pointing at, he knew it belonged to him. The walls were covered in ancient writing, and sculptures of sexual acts were carved in the stone, but the one at the north wall drew him in.

  This scene took up the whole wall, which was at least 20 feet long. Raul was staring at the image of himself on the wall. He was part beast and part man, his hand drawn back holding what appeared to be a whip. Raul’s gaze moved to the woman in the scene. Her arms were attached to the wall, her head thrown back and her long, curly hair pulled up on her head. Her eyes held the passion a submissive would have when about to hit subspace. Her breasts were full and round. This woman was not skinny but full-figured and short.

  His cock hardened as he traced the image of her face. “What does this all mean?”

  “I’ve had this dated, my friend. These carvings aren’t old. They were done recently, like in the last ten years,” Lucid said, watching him. “If you look around, you’ll see this whole room features you, not just this wall. I’ve had the old words translated. Are you ready to hear them? And look at the picture of the five us; it’s like we’re forming a ring.”

  Raul straightened and turned his full attention to Lucid. “I always listen. Just because I don’t accept what was written long ago as my life, never think I’m not listening.”

  Lucid nodded and walked over to the wall. “It’s almost like a letter, really. Our son, follow your heart but watch those close to you and her. If we could help, we would, but our fates were written so, so long ago. Your mate comes to you shattered. Only you will be able to heal her, but in doing so, your own soul will find its peace. Don’t wait too long; learn from our mistakes. Love comes when we are not expecting it. This old man still lives in all of you who walk, but you, Raul Lombardi, have two fathers, two mothers. Accept it.’ Then, there’s an outline of a hand. They want you to place your hand there.” Lucid pointed to the imprint on the wall.

  “Yes, I’ve tried putting my hand there, and so have a few others, but nothing happened,” Lucid stated. Raul then noticed the masters of the club behind him, watching.

  “All of you believe it?” Raul asked, and they nodded.

  Without waiting, Raul placed his hand on the handprint. The fit was exact. Warm sand slid over his hand, and the opposite wall opened just as something pierced his palm, causing him to jerk back...

  The history of Adish and Sana-Sun rushed through his head, making him stagger back.

  “We are here for you, Raul, but know we can’t choose your destiny for you. You must follow your heart, but know you are part of ours.”

  Raul shook his head and growled, “No!” He turned and moved toward the room that had just opened up.

  * * *

  Bella wiped her tears away as Maria, Charley’s mother, hugged her and knelt next to her on the plane.

  “So we’re going to Vegas, finally,” Maria said.

  “What? How did you know?” Bella asked, though she already knew the answer.

  “Sweetie, we’ve always known your destiny. You and my Charley are sisters of the soul. She’ll never be far from you, and we won’t be, either. Are you ready to hear about your family?” she asked as Mario sat across from her, watching them.

  Maria turned her gaze on him. “Your destiny will come soon, but you know this, don’t you?”

  He nodded. “I know my life leads me to Yellowstone, but not before I help my family.”

  “That is how it should be. We all have a destiny to follow, but for so long, our people have ignored it in search of something grand.” Maria stood and stretched.

  “You’re not human, either, are you?” Bella asked.

  Charley looked over at her. “Of course, Momma is human.” She looked up at her mom, who was shaking her head.

  “No, my little girl, but it’s time we told our story, yes?” She looked up at her husband, Herme, who nodded and kissed the top of her head.

  “Your brothers are packing our belongings as we speak and bringing what we could save of Bella’s belongings. They’ll also do a sweep of everything before they leave to make sure everything is safe. If you’ll excuse me, I have a man to talk to about our daughter.”

  “What? Daddy, leave Tank alone!” Charley said, but her momma waved to her before she could stand.

  “Sit. It’s his right to grill this young man, as we will be doing to your man also, young lady.” She looked over at Bella.

  “What?” Bella gulped, looking across at Mario, who smiled, leaning back in his chair.

  “I’m so going to enjoy this. Please, have a seat.” He nodded to the chair beside him, and Maria rolled her eyes.

  “Do not think you are safe, young man. Your woman is protected too. All women of the Earth are. I just wish we would have gotten to
Bella before that family had.” Maria sat and reached over, taking Bella’s hands.

  “About 50 years ago, long before Charley was born, I’d given up on having a daughter. I had six strapping boys, but in my heart, I always wanted my girl, and Herme wanted at little one to spoil. On Samhain night, I had a visit from Mother Earth herself. She told me I would have my daughter, but she would be connected to her daughter—one born to a human who wouldn’t live long after giving birth. It was the dying woman’s wish to have one child before she died, and the Great Mother agreed, giving her a daughter, you, but something happened or someone. You were supposed to come to Herme and me, but you were taken as the woman died, and no one knew where. Once we heard what had happened, Herme and my sons searched for you, but you seemed to have disappeared from the Earth, until that one night when we moved to Oberlin.” Maria sat back and smiled.

  “Herme had been teaching at a university for a long time, then he was suddenly transferred to Oberlin College. No reason, just transferred from our home. But when Herme came up here to look into the school, he knew why. You were here with those shits who called themselves your parents.” Maria looked over at her husband, and he winked at her.

  “You were two when we finally moved here,” Maria said and turned back to look at them. “You see, your mother knew where you were and wanted us here to protect you. Once that girl Daisy was born, those assholes that adopted you started to practice dark magic. You needed to be protected, and the Great Mother knew we wouldn’t allow anything to happen to you.” Maria leaned forward.

  “We tried everything to get you away from those people, but they had all the connections, and everything they did was legal. So we moved here permanently, and of course, as soon as you two were old enough, we enrolled our little girl in the same school you were going to. Everything was fine for the first six years of your life until Danny and the boys noticed the bruises, and that’s when we stepped in. We couldn’t take them to court, but we could do other things. The creeps soon learned not to mess with my family. Remember when Daisy got really sick and no one knew what was going on?” Maria asked and Bella nodded.