The Trans Ultra Collection Vol 2

by Ursula Lovelace

  The wig took a bit of work but I got it down. It wasn’t very long and went well with my neck. I was actually starting to like my new look.

  The clothes were much easier to put on. I wanted something understated rather than the gaudy dresses most women wore on the Vegas strip. I found a blouse and skirt combo that felt comfortable enough. I had ordered a special padded bra from the internet to give me a respectable bust line.

  Women’s shoes were a world onto themselves. I settled on a set of heels. I figured they would make me look taller than my usual self. It took some work but I got used to strutting around in heels and pumps.

  With the clock ticking, I wore my new clothing as much as I could. At first, it was strange to walk around in a skirt and a padded bra. Then, I got used to the soft, form-sitting clothing. I much preferred it to my old disguise. Hell, even a pair of panties felt more comfortable than my old boxers.

  Erin had to be her own person. She couldn’t just be Aaron in a dress. I needed to be someone who could pass as a woman and not attract too much attention.

  I wanted to go out and try out my new look. Dealers had an eye for detail. They were always on the lookout for cheaters who used signals or electronic devices. I needed my disguise to be battle tested before I went to the casino.

  I got my test sooner than I thought. One day, someone buzzed my apartment. I forgot I was wearing Erin’s getup when I opened the door.

  I gasped when I saw it was Sergei. I feared he was here to collect early. Worse, I was cross-dressing right in front of him. The man would think I was some freak.

  I instinctively asked in the girlish voice I had been practicing. “Hello? I wasn’t expecting guests.”

  “Hello,” he said with a smile. “Is Aaron home?”

  I nearly sighed in relief. I couldn’t believe he was buying my disguise. “Sorry, he’s out. I don’t know when he’ll be back.”

  Sergei wasn’t eager to leave just yet. “He never told me about you.”

  I forced a smile. “My name is Erin. I’m a professional friend of Aaron. I’m staying over for a few days.”

  “Erin Wells?” he said, getting inside. I wasn’t out of the woods just yet. One mistake could lead him to uncover my identity. “I guess we can dispense with the innuendo. I came here to ask Aaron about a new ID. As you can imagine, a man ordering a woman’s ID attracts attention from my organization. It’s good to see that he’s investing in his trade.”

  “Yes, he got me a new ID,” I said immediately, my heart thundering in my chest. I barely even factored Sergei and Russians in this. “It’s one with a new last name. I got kicked out of Caesar’s Palace last week.”

  I made sure to stay in character. I shuddered to think what he would do if he found out the crazy scheme I was hatching. My debt would be the least of my worries.

  “That was generous of him, especially in such trying times,” he said teasingly. Sergei leaned in to look inside my apartment. I wondered if he was looking for Aaron’s whereabouts. “It’s good to know he’s not planning on pulling a fast one on us.”

  “Aaron’s here to stay.”

  “Please remind him of his… obligations to us,” he said, seeing my collection of women’s clothing lying around. Thankfully, he didn’t think too much of it. “I’d like us to continue our business relationship if possible.”

  “Of course,” I said with a forced smile. “You can count on Aaron. You’ll get your money, sir.”

  “Call me Sergei,” he said, his expression softening. If I didn’t know any better, I would say that he was flirting with me. “If you’re a player, I’m sure I can find appropriate work for you. My organization has a very fair compensation plan.”

  I gave an awkward laugh. “Thank you. I’ll keep it in mind, Sergei.”

  After he left, I tried to get all my bearings together. My disguise had worked better than my wildest dreams. Sergei had actually met me before and couldn’t tell it was Aaron under that wig and makeup. In fact, the man was infatuated with me!

  The important part was that I needed to convince everyone else at the casinos. I only had a couple of days left before the debt was due. With the confidence I had now, I was ready to head to the casinos and try my luck.

  Of course, a card counter made his own luck.

  Sergei’s visit had been a sobering encounter. It made me focus on getting into casinos and paying back the debt. Once I was past the front door, I could milk the dealers for all they were worth.

  I may have fooled him but the dealers were another story. These eagle-eyed casino employees were always on the lookout for tricksters. To my credit, I had just as much of an eye for detail. If I kept my cool, then I could go from casino to casino without attracting suspicion.

  When the day finally came, I made sure I looked perfect. Las Vegas was home to tacky dresses but I decided on a modest blouse and skirt combo. It was attractive while being low-key. I was here on a mission to win money rather than draw unwanted attention.

  It had been quite the transformation. When I looked in the mirror, I didn’t see Aaron. I saw a beautiful blackjack player out to win against the house. She was focused and confident in a way I had never been before as a man.

  I wasn’t anywhere as nervous as I had been before. It helped that I enjoyed my new feminine look. These soft garments were made for me. It beat wearing suede any day of the week.

  Still, some doubts lingered in my head. I didn’t just have to win at several different casinos. I had to do it while dressed up as a woman. If my voice cracked or my wig fell off, it would be all over. Some drunk guest could get frisky with me and try to put his hand under my dress.

  Like any good blackjack player, I needed to avoid distractions. I just hoped distractions avoided me. I may have done too good of a job dolling myself up. As far as card counters went, I was a sexy diva on high heels.

  When I headed out into the streets of Las Vegas, I knew there was no backing down. I headed down the streets to a place where taxi drivers congregated. I thought about using public transportation but I decided against it. I wanted some privacy on my way to my first casino.

  On the way, I passed the citizens of Las Vegas. They were everything from street hustlers to professional players like me. I noticed some of them looking at me. I worried that they had seen through my disguise as Erin.

  To my shook, they greeted me with a smile. One man even brazenly asked me. “Want me to treat you to dinner, honey?”

  In a sultry voice, I answered. “Maybe next time.”

  “My schedule’s open, babe,” his friend said, drinking in the sight of me. “A guy like me can show what this place is all about!”

  I flashed him a smile. “I’ll remember that.”

  There was a spring in my step after that little exchange. My body brimmed with confidence. People didn’t just believe I was a woman. They were attracted to me. I wasn’t entirely sure if that was a good thing. I had adopted this look to avoid drawing attention to myself. Nonetheless, it gave a good boost to my morale.

  In fact, all types of people were paying attention to me. Men eyed me with curiosity and desire. Women glanced at me with jealousy and disdain. I was never used to being the center of attention. I preferred being invisible so I could count cards in peace.

  I had to admit being a woman came with it perks. Men were nice to me and smiled brightly. Store owners offered me free samples and a tour. Believe me, Las Vegas could be home to cold, self-centered people looking to screw you over. When it came time to hail a taxi, several cabs raced towards me.

  I chose the one closest to me and asked him to take me to a casino-hotel that I knew had newbie blackjack dealers. At the back of the mind, I always worried someone would see through my disguise. Thankfully, this taxi driver was not one of them.

  “What’s a beautiful girl like you doing in Las Vegas?” he asked flirtatiously. I was thankful the he wanted to make small talk rather than ask probing questions. Erin Wells didn’t have much of a life story oth
er than being a card counting blackjack player. “I can take you to a nicer casino if you want. It’ll be a better spot for a classy lady like you.”

  I giggled. “I can handle myself.”

  Chapter 4

  Finally, I arrived at the casino. It was one I had visited multiple times before under other fake identities. With my new disguise, the place looked unfamiliar to me. Erin felt more like a person onto myself than a mere fake identity.

  Regardless, I was here to win. I needed to play enough to make a profit before cashing in. My new disguise would buy me some time but I had to work fast to avoid attracting the casino’s security. They had the technology to track when a gambler was on a hot streak. When I offered my taxi a tip on top of his toll, he stopped me.

  “Keep it,” he replied, giving me his business card. It had his phone number in case I needed a ride. “Call me if you want to hit another casino.”

  I’d actually have to take him up on that offer. “I will.”

  When I entered the casino, a guard immediately welcomed me in. “Enjoy your stay, ma’am.”

  I wasn’t used to getting the royal treatment. It wasn’t unusual for casino security to screen out known cheats. Even card counters like me were fair game. As successful as I was, I still had to be on the lookout for professionals like Roger Smith.

  After touching up my appearance, I went to the counter and bought some chips from the pit boss. I wasn’t able to buy as many chips as I wanted. I had spent a good deal of money on clothing and makeup. I barely had enough chips to play at the high stakes table. I figured I could start small and build from there over the night.

  Once inside the casino floor, I got down to business. I spotted a vacant blackjack table. It was a high stakes table with a young looking dealer. He flashed a bright smile at me. “Care to play, miss?

  The dealer would be easy prey. It seemed that my feminine wiles were having an effect on him. I returned his smile and said. “Sure thing.”

  I even put a few chips in play for the dealer. It essentially meant I was playing for the dealer as well as for myself. That hand’s winnings went towards the dealer at the end of the session. In exchange, the dealer is incentivized to go a little easy on me since both of us would benefit. I figured it would help me disarm him while I counted cards.

  Like I said before, blackjack was one of the few games where victory didn’t completely come down to luck. I just had to focus and count cards. When I felt I had done enough, then I would cash out and hit another casino. At this rate, I would be able to pay off my debts and have some extra left for myself.

  Unfortunately, it was easier said than done. Erin Wells was attracting quite a bit of attention from the casino guests. My winnings were still modest and unworthy of spectacle. Instead, my looks were gathering a crowd.

  One man sat down next to me. “Do you mind if I play, ma’am?”

  “Not at all,” I replied, keeping track of the count in my head. I didn’t another distraction but having another player would take the heat off of me. The count was heavily in my favor. “It’s an open game.”

  Hand after hand, I raked it in. I managed to tune out the distractions and focus on the count. I was nearing the limit I had set for myself. Last time, I had stayed in the game too long and attracted casino security’s attention. If I played for a more modest goal at multiple casinos, then my risk factor was lower at each individual casino.

  I was thankful for the fact I was playing in a legitimate casino rather than an underground establishment. If a mob casino figured out I was a cross-dressing card counter, then I’d be killed instead of jailed. Worse, they would bury me alive in the desert under a set of cards adding up to twenty-one. It was how they warned card counters to stay off their turf.

  For the better part of an hour, I gambled and accumulated a tidy sum both for myself and the dealer. He never guessed that I had bamboozled him. Hell, the man spent more time flirting with me than actually dealing. I could’ve gotten away with using a secret calculator or earpiece if I wanted to.

  Suddenly, a drunk man stumbled onto our table. The impact shook my chips as the dealer gestured for security. With a hiccup, he asked me. “Hey babe, want to come up to my room?”

  Before I could reply, a security guard came in and escorted him off the premises. The interruption made me lose track of the count. It was actually a blessing in disguise. I remembered the count was turning and I had reached my limit.

  I collected my winnings and tipped the dealer his share of the war booty. “Thanks for dealing.”

  “I work two shifts each night,” the young dealer said, practically swooning over me. He handed me a small rack to carry my chips. “But I can always make time for you.”

  It was time to cash in and hit another casino. “I’ll remember that.”

  At the cashier’s window, I raked in four times my original stake. I could’ve stayed and gone for more but I didn’t want to attract any more attention. Being Erin felt like a double-edged sword. I could get inside a casino with ease but I drew more spectators than I would’ve liked. Regardless, I just had to ignore them and count cards.

  The cashier whistled at my earnings. “That’s a good haul, miss. You’re always welcome here.”

  I laughed. “I wouldn’t be too sure!”

  I called the taxi that had brought me here and asked him to take me to another casino. I thought about my battle plan. At this pace, I was well on my way to clearing my debt and earning a profit at the end of the day. It was like taking candy from a baby.

  In fact, I had never experienced such an easy time at the blackjack table since I was banned. As a man, I was always concerned with getting caught in the act. Microscopic cameras were tracking all of your moves. Unlike Aaron, Erin was welcomed everywhere she went. Something about her disarmed the dealers and casino security.

  A part of me wondered if I could continue being her after paying off Sergei. Erin was beautiful, confident, and a million other things. People fawned over her in a way I had never experienced as a man. Hell, I was more used to being pushed around or conned in Las Vegas. On a more practical note, I seemed to have an easier time counting cards as her.

  Nonetheless, it was something I could worry about after I paid my debts.

  I hit casino after casino. I watched every card like a hawk and ran a count in my head like some human computer. I made money hand over fist. Whenever I hit my limit for the table, I cashed in my chips and headed to the next target. I never stayed around too long.

  The only hard part was ignoring all the men I was attracting. I was good at counting cards but I lost track of the times I was asked out to dinner by a complete stranger. It didn’t hurt that some of the men were willing to pay for a few hands just to talk to me.

  I couldn’t remember that last time I had performed so well. I wasn’t worried about getting caught by security. I guessed they didn’t think a pretty young woman would be some expert card counter.

  As I played and travel, I encountered other card counters. Most of them were amateurs. They didn’t have the concentration to pull it off and ended up losing their chips on bad bets.

  There were also professional card counters as well. The good ones kept their head down and left when their hand got too hot. Nevertheless, you had a few greedy ones that stayed in too long and caught the casino’s ire. Hell, one of them even used an electronic counter and had to be taken into the back. While this was no mob casino, it wasn’t unusual for cheaters to get roughed around before the cops came in and took them into custody. I didn’t plan on losing my shirt over this.

  I shuddered to think what would happen if they caught onto me. I was a cross-dressing card counter with a fake identity. As far as they saw it, I was on the lowest possible rung when it came to gaming the casino system. They would have no mercy for someone like me. That was why I needed to finish up and get home.

  The good news was that I was well ahead of my target. I had repeated my winning at over a half dozen different cas
inos. This had been my best night ever. I was on a red hot streak I had never accomplished as a man.

  I wondered about continuing to count cards as Erin. She had an uncanny ability to charm dealers. If it ever got too risky in Las Vegas, then I could probably try casinos in other states as well. I’d have plenty of time to decide after I settled my debts.

  I just needed to cash in my chips and I could finally put this mess behind me.

  Or so I thought.

  As I made my way to the cashier, a six feet tall casino guard blocked my path. He spoke to me in an authoritative voice. “Come with me.”

  I nearly dropped my chips. “Excuse me, what’s going on?”

  Another pair of casino guards joined him. One of them simply ordered me. “No questions, please follow us.”