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Some vampires live in castles. I live paycheck to paycheck.

Running the hottest drag bar in Vegas takes equal parts charm, wit, and steel backbone. Running it as a vampire surrounded by tempting humans? That takes iron-clad self-control.

I’m Char Flammen, and I learned restraint the hard way—back when I was still breathing. Now I use those hard-won skills to keep my bar running and my fangs to myself. I’m nobody’s pushover, vampire or not.

Too bad Klaus Theoden doesn’t see it that way. The billionaire bloodsucker who turned me keeps trying to lure me into his golden tower with promises of luxury and ease. Having escaped one controlling jerk already, I’d rather face the sun.

But now Theo’s crossed the line—he bought my bar out from under me.

So I quit.

Theo doesn’t take rejection well, which means I’m now running for my undead life in the middle of summer in the desert. But I’m a survivor, and I’ll win this war even if it kills me twice.

That is, until he brings in the werewolves…

Preorder here: https://bookfunnel.amscottwrites.com/lotzkzjur6

Huge sale! Bitter Haven is just $0.99!

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Lightwave: The Sisters of Cygnus and Lightwave: Shooting Star are on sale, too!

Working Class Vegas Vamp is a free urban fantasy serial. It is unedited and subject to change. If published later, it may differ significantly, and will probably include additional material. Typos and English errors are likely; feel free to leave a comment or write me at am {AT} amscottwrites.com (revised as a standard email address. Pesky bots!) Available for a limited time only!

Haven’t started yet? Chapter 1: https://www.amscottwrites.com/2024/10/29/working-class-vegas-vamp-chapter-1/ ‎

I woke before the sun went below the horizon, another new side effect of the Unbound Queen selection. If I was going to leave the gargoyles, now would be the time. But learning more about them seemed smart, especially since they claimed to guard the magic and could teach me more than the vampires.

I meditated, then deflated the mattress and did some yoga. By then, the sun was down. I turned the locking wheel and sliding the bars from the slots in the rock wall. Pulling the door open took a bit of effort, but once I got it moving, it swung easily. Slinging my backpack on, I picked up the mattress and opened the exterior door, jumping when Mattias materialized next to me. “Your glamour is too good.”

He smirked. “It comes in handy, but in this case, I wasn’t even trying. If I lean against rock long enough, I naturally blend into it. Staying human-toned takes a bit of effort for most of us.” He held out a hand. “I’ll take the mattress.”

I gave the bag to him. “Thanks. I rested quite well.”

He nodded. “Have you decided what you want to do?”

“Not going to ask me about the prophecy?” I regarded him skeptically.

“It’s yours.” He shook his head. “We’d like to help, but you’re right, we overstepped and I apologize.”

His admission surprised me; it seemed like a good sign. Or a way to lull me into complacency. “I accept your apology, thank you. I’m torn. I’d like to learn more about your magic, but I feel like we’re running out of time.” It wasn’t until I said the words that I realized just how true that was.

“You may be right. Karski called me. The vampires know you’re sheltering with us and they are not happy.” He shrugged. “They believe we are invaders, overstepping our bounds, and they’d cut us off from the magic if they could.”

“They can’t?” Curious that the native users didn’t have a better grasp.

He grimaced. “If they could use it correctly they might be able to block us. But they don’t understand what they’re doing. They mesmerize humans and each other. The weres use it for shape shifting. Both are instinctive; rather like breathing. But if you know something about science, you can concentrate oxygen and bottle it. We concentrate it to forge new gargoyles, shape shifting, glamour, and protecting the Pool of Life.”

“And yourselves?”

He jerked his chin. “Yes. Only in self-defense. We don’t use magic offensively. It’s too costly to the wielder and the Pool of Life.”

Asking species-survival related questions might get me smacked like a bug, but I had a responsibility. “Speaking of that, you said forging more gargoyles used too much magic. But all of your furnaces were in use. So why not forge fewer, since you‘re practically immortal?”

“The vampires and weres keep turning people. We have to keep up.”

I’d never understood that argument. “That makes no sense.” I held up my hand to count down my reasons. “One, vampires and weres die. Vamps less often, but we all die. Two, if you can guard the Pool of Life with the numbers you have now, you don’t need more. Three, you’ve admitted forging new gargoyles is a load on the Pool, so by continuing, you’re doing more damage than helping.”

Mattias crossed his arms. “How can you judge our guardianship when you don’t even know what we do or how we do it?”

“Then I guess you’d better show me.” I noticed he wasn’t denying any of my charges, though.

Turning up his hand, he swept his arm towards the vault tunnel. “I am not a Guardian of the Pool. The Council guards the Pool. But we can return there.”

I didn’t want to waste time walking through all those tunnels again. “Why don’t have someone else ask while you teach me what you can about the magic? While we’re doing that, I’ll let your people look at the prophecy, but I don’t think you’ll find anything useful. It’s just a lot of dreams. Or nightmares, if you’re human.” I shuddered.

We entered the main tunnel, and began the long downward trudge. But before we had gone more than a few hundred feet, Mattias stopped. I stopped, too. The rock under my feet vibrated, and a roar sounded from below, followed by a crashing sound.

Mattias pulled me to the side of the tunnel, then ran back up, towing me by the wrist. “The vampires are attacking!”

“What? Why?” That made no sense at all.

“They want you.”

I stopped running. “To see me or take me?”

“Come on. We can’t stay here. We’ll get trampled.” Mattias took off.

A thundering sound, like a huge waterfall, resolved into the crack-thud of rock feet on the tunnel floor. I sprinted after him, then zoomed past, careening through the door and over to my bike. The chatter of machine guns and boom of explosives came from beyond the hanger doors. Lacking body armor, I put my motorcycle leathers on.

Before I finished, Mattias joined me. The hanger doors to the tunnel slammed open, and gargoyles poured out. First, the Outer Shield residents, then the larger Inner Shield members. They lined up on both side of the doors, forming a circle along the outer walls of the parking cavern. As more gargoyles joined them, the circle grew.

“We will join and strengthen our shields. Talk to Theoden!” He handed me a phone, then stepped into the line when it reached us. When they’d encircled the entire parking area, they stopped and linked arms.

Me and my bike were outside the protective circle. So much for mutual defense. I tapped the phone’s screen, which opened without a passcode. Theoden’s contact appeared, so I hit the call button.

“I warned you, Mattias.” Klaus Theoden’s tone was unusually angry. “I warned you, and you did it anyway. This is what you get.”

I scowled. “This is Char, not Mattias. I’m a free person, and I’ll talk to whoever I want to talk to. Back off!”

“Don’t tell me what to do, little vamp.” He hissed the words, his venom unchecked.

I hissed back, backed by the prophecy’s fury. “I am the Unbound Queen and you will speak with respect!” The same technique I used to mesmerize, powered by our combined anger, blasted from me. The gargoyles near me wavered, like they were dizzy, and the closest dropped to his knees.

“Yes, my Queen.” Theoden’s tone was subservient. “What are your orders?”

By the burning daylight, I’d controlled the Night King of Vegas over the phone!

But before I could enjoy the moment too long, the prophecy shoved an image at me. The vision showed a beautiful white woman, with vibrant green eyes, long, curling blonde hair and camera-ready makeup wearing a bright red, tight formal gown with a diamond tiara. Her long fangs slid over plump blood-red lips. A feeling of disdain mixed with fondness and gratitude came to me.

I muted the phone and pulled the prophecy from my jacket. “Is this the priestess? You think I should talk to her?” Anger spiked, and the image dropped to her knees and put her forehead to the ground.

“She needs to acknowledge me. Got it. Do you think I can do that over the phone again?” Doubt rose, then the scene changed, showing me bending over the priestess with my hands on either side of her head. “Understood.” I unmuted the phone and let my mesmerization powers flow. “Klaus Theoden. You will stop attacking the gargoyles, and bring the High Priestess to meet me just outside the doors. You will not attack me, nor allow any other to attack me. Do you understand?”

“I understand, my Queen.” He yelled, but the sound was muffled, like he’d covered the microphone.

The sounds of assault lessened, then faded into silence. Carrying the phone and the prophecy, I walked to the exit door. If I could make Theoden obey, I could control the priestess, too.

As I reached for the handle, Mattias grasped it first. Gargoyles clutched Mattias’s shoulders—he’d pulled the entire circle with him. “We have your back, Charlene Flammen, but please pull the magic from all of us, not just those closest.”

Now I understood. The gargoyles near me had sagged because I took their power. Not what I’d intended, but it explained why Theoden gave in. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I’ll do my best, but since I don’t know how I did it, I’m not sure I’ll succeed.”

“Understood. We’ll balance it ourselves, then.” He tapped at a keypad, and a clicking noise came from the handle under his hand. “Shields up?”

I swallowed, and wished I had time for a blood box. But I’d demanded the confrontation—delaying made me look weak. I fed power to my shields and thickened the panels in front of me. Theoden could be faking, just to get me out there and shoot me to pieces. “Ready.”

Mattias turned the handle and shoved the door wide.

Swallowing hard, I stepped out like the queen I wasn’t, with my head held high. The door closed behind me, and moments later, vampires sprinted to me. Theoden took the lead, with the beautiful woman I’d seen in the vision hanging on his arm.

For a split-second, I thought about running, but Theoden was too fast. He’d catch me for sure. If I really had mesmerized him, I’d look weak to the others. If I hadn’t, I’d just prove that I wasn’t a leader. If Theoden was faking, he wanted to take me down personally.  I stepped towards them, and stood upright, arms crossed, toe tapping, like I was impatient.

Theoden stopped five feet in front of me and dropped to one knee. “As you commanded my Queen, the High Priestess.”

If he was faking, I didn’t have time to check. The Priestess hissed and sauntered towards me, stopping well inside my personal space. “Well, well, well. If it isn’t the low-bred girl who would be queen.” Her heavy Russian accent almost sounded fake. While she was beautiful at a distance, up close that beauty wasn’t even skin deep. Makeup plastered her face, and long false eyelashes beat against her flushed cheekbones. Her red lips looked like they’d had too many filler injections, and she had to suck the bottom lip in to keep her very long fangs from piercing it, giving her voice a breathy tone. And a severe overbite. She wore elaborately tooled black leather from neck to toe, silver flashing at her neck and over her heart.

I held back my smile. I’d dealt with so many of her type. More money than sense, they followed every pricey medical spa recommendation, and ended up looking like cartoons rather than real people. These women, just like Theoden, were convinced of their superiority simply because they had money. At the bar, I’d had to toe the line, using flattery to make them behave. But here, I set the rules. I held her gaze, but didn’t try to control her. “According to your own prophecy, I am the Unbound Queen.”

“You are not! You have not completed the tests, and you will not complete them now.” She sneered, which looked hilarious with her features, and spun on her heel.

I caught her arm and yanked her close. “If that’s the case, don’t you want your precious prophecy back?” If I was wrong, I was dead. I held the book high, waving it my left hand. The prophecy didn’t project anything to me, so I might be making the wrong move, but it was better to know now.

“Mine!” She swiped at the book, her long nails rasping against the cover, and grabbed it with both hands. Then she screamed and dropped it, pulling her hands to her chest, screaming again when the backs of her hands hit the silver decorations on her jacket.

Leaving the prophecy at my feet, I put my palms against her cheeks. The heavy makeup was slippery, so I threaded my fingers through her heavily sprayed hair and captured her gaze, sending the full force of my power into her. “I am the Unbound Queen. You will submit.” Energy surged through me and into her.

The Priestess sagged in my hold, then straightened. “No. I will not give into a child.” Her words emerged slowly, and she trembled in my hold.

I pushed harder. “You will acknowledge me as the Unbound Queen.” I shoved my will into her, envisioning her dropping to her knees.

She held my gaze, and tried to mesmerize me, but her attempts were like a cloud of gnats. Annoying, but easily swept away. “No, no, no!” The last was a wail. Then she dropped to her knees.

I kept my grip on her face and hair, bending over her. “I am the Unbound Queen.”

She tried to look down, but I didn’t let her. “You are the Unbound Queen. I will serve you forever, my Queen.”

“Unfasten your neck guard.” I loosened my grip, letting her slide away, and wiped my hands on her shoulders. The prophecy told me what to do next. I wasn’t thrilled, but understood the purpose.

“Yes, my Queen.” She fumbled at the buckles, which didn’t seem to be silver. Either that, or she’d already been burned so badly by the prophecy that she couldn’t feel it. The neck guard dropped to the ground, too close to the book.

I grabbed the book, returning it to my inner pocket. Then I pushed her head back and to the side, bent, and sank my fangs into her neck. Warm blood flowed sluggishly into my mouth, rich with power but sour tasting. Probably from the fear and pain of her victims. I sucked her essence into me until I had her completely under control, and power rushed through me. Then I dropped her to the sand without trying to close her wounds. Looking up, I crooked my finger at the closest vampire. “Tend to her.” The vamp leaned over her, licking her wounds.

Then I stalked to Theoden, still kneeling, and did the same. His blood wasn’t as powerful, but it wasn’t as sour, either. As I drank, I could feel the connection to every vampire he’d turned, and their power threatened to overwhelm me. I shut that connection away and concentrated on Theoden. Once I had him under control, I let him go, pointing at the next vampire. “Close his wounds.”

I stepped back from him and faced the gathered vampires. “I am the Unbound Queen, and you will obey me!”

Every one of them dropped to their knees, weapons clattering as they fell. It seemed too easy, but I wasn’t going to complain about success.

Mattias pulled his line of gargoyles closer to me, and the nearest vampires bounded to their feet, blocking his approach. I scowled at Mattias. “Stop. All of you. Mattias, please convey my thanks to the Gargoyle Guardians Council. I will contact you later about a way ahead for the mutual benefit of all our peoples. Please tell the weres the same. Theoden, organize our return to the Tower and put the underground shelter back into caretaker status.”

“Yes, my Queen.” Theoden rose and bowed, then called his lieutenants to him, barking orders.

I faced Mattias. “Thank you. I appreciate your help and I will be in touch soon.”

“You are welcome, Charlene Flammen, Unbound Queen of the Vampires. Rule well.” He nodded his head, then retreated, pulling the linked gargoyles with him.

I hoped they’d return my bike, but I had the feeling it would be a while before I’d get to ride again. A long black limo came to a stop in front of me.

Theoden opened the door. “My Queen, High Priestess, please enter.”

I nodded, and ducked into the car, sliding across and buckling up. The ride across the desert track would be rough. The Priestess—I’d have to get her name at some point—got in and took a seat on the side-facing bench, then Theoden joined her. Two of his bodyguards took the seats beyond him, compact machine guns slung across their laps.

He opened a bottle of blood wine, pouring three glasses, and handing the first to me. “My Queen.” Then he gave one to the Priestess and they both raised theirs. “To the Queen Unbound.”

I nodded, but didn’t bother drinking. I didn’t need more blood—power sparked and fizzled in my veins.

Theoden threw the drink back and laughed, letting the glass drop to the carpeted floor of the limo. “Thank you for taking care of that problem for me.” He jerked his head towards the Priestess. “Now I don’t have to worry about her little cult, because I’ve got the Unbound Queen right where I want her.”

He’d faked his capitulation. Despair sank into my gut, followed by sheer fury, the prophecy joining me. I knew it was too easy, but ignored the signs. Not only would I pay for this, but everyone in Las Vegas and beyond would, too.

Theoden turned towards his henchmen. “Don’t look into her eyes. If she tries to touch me or mesmerize me, shoot her in the legs.” Then he looked at me. “Did you really think you could take me over, little girl? You’re nothing. A low-class, uneducated, stupid call-girl.”

The name-calling was designed to infuriate me, make me act rashly. “I suppose you’ve got a story already worked out for my injuries? I think I know this story.” I looked at the limo’s roof and tapped my chin, then returned to Theoden. “The Priestess broke away from my control and attacked me. In their rush to defend me, I was injured. I will need time in seclusion to heal. Is that about right?” I hardened the part of my shielding facing him and his henchmen, curving it sharply close to my knees and down below my feet.

Then I opened my new connection to Theoden’s network of vampires. He’d evaded my control, but I could feel every single one of the vampires in his network, so drinking from him had accomplished something. I searched for the branches controlling the men in front of me. They’d been turned by a vampire that Theoden had turned. I bypassed that vampire for the moment and searched his line.

His brow furrowed for a moment, then smoothed. “Precisely.”

“Didn’t expect the stupid girl to figure that out, did you?” I smiled and found one henchman, then I found the next. I’d rather put both of them under my control and get them to take out Theoden, but I wasn’t certain I had that kind of precision. So instead, I commanded both of them to sleep. They immediately sagged in their restraints.

Theoden grabbed the closest weapon and fired it at my legs. Bullets flew and rebounded from my shielding, most of them directed to the limo’s floorboards by the curve I’d created. One hit the Priestess, who screeched and curled into a ball on the seat. Several hit his bodyguards, startling them awake, and one smacked into Theoden’s leg. He screamed and dropped a hand across the wound.

I smirked and raised my voice to penetrate the ringing in my ears. “Didn’t expect that, either.” Keeping my shields solid, I grasped Theoden’s connection to his vampires and ripped it away.

He screamed again, the bellow of rage turning into a high-pitched wail of despair. Dropping his head to his knees, he clamped his hands on his head. “No!”

“Yes.” I hissed the word. “They are all mine, not yours.” Turning my attention to my new people, I firmed my connection. “Protect me from Theoden. Staunch your wounds, and care for the Priestess.”

“Yes, my Queen.” Both men bowed their heads, then one knelt to push up the other’s pant leg, while the seated vampire aimed his weapon at Theoden.

I rose and put my hand on the back of Theoden’s neck, then sank my fangs deep again. I drank, pushing my will into the maelstrom of despair and fear he’d become, ripping it all away and giving him a worthy goal—to please me. I rooted through his psyche, ensuring every hint of disobedience was gone. Pulling out, I closed his wounds and retreated to my seat. Running roughshod over his mind made me sick to my stomach, but I couldn’t afford to take chances with this particular vampire. “Klaus Theoden, we will not allow your disobedience. Look at me.”

With a jerk, his head came up and his gaze met mine. “Yes, my Queen. I will obey your every word.”

“And you will never, ever betray me, in thought or deed.” I pushed my will into him, powered by his blood and the vampires under my command.

“I will never betray you, my Queen, in thought or deed. Your wish is my command.” He slid from the seat to his knees, still holding my gaze.

“Excellent. You will continue to run your business network, ensuring we have funds for our rule. But you will treat your employees fairly, and compensate them well. If there is a conflict between those goals, you will consult with me. You will tell me your overall strategy tomorrow afternoon.” I smiled. “And you will remember I’m not stupid or foolish.”

“Yes, my Queen, I will. You are both wise and intelligent.”

“Very well. You may take a seat.” I dropped his gaze, then clicked the intercom button. We’d stopped sometime during the confrontation. “Driver, is the vehicle okay?”

“No, my Queen. The engine has stopped. I think the fuel line was hit.”

I grimaced. “Get us another vehicle, please, and arrange for this one to be towed and fixed. Thank you.”

“Yes, my Queen. The car behind us will take us.”

A dark SUV pulled up next to us, and my driver got out, opening my door. The SUV emptied, the vampires inside spreading out around both vehicles, pointing their weapons out.

I got out, checked the SUV’s interior and saw no one, so I got in. “Theoden, Priestess, join me.” They did, sliding into the seat next to me.

The limo driver took the wheel, and one my new vampire guards took the passenger seat. “My Queen, it is approximately forty minutes to the tower.”

“Thank you. What is your name?” I wasn’t Theo, treating his people like interchangeable, disposable pieces.

“George, my Queen. Tom is your bodyguard.”

“Thank you, George and Tom. I appreciate your care. Please let me know if you need anything to make your job easier.”

“Yes, my Queen.”

Then I turned to the Priestess next to me, and Theoden. “Buckle in. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.” I laughed and fastened my belt.

It would indeed be a rough ride, but I finally had hope for the future. I’d survived, and through hard work and perseverance, I’d keep humanity and the magic of our world safe. Retraining the vampires, negotiating with the weres and other magical creatures, and investigating the gargoyles would take time and effort, but if we could all work together, we could create a better world for all of us.

Compassion and empathy were the key, rather than destruction and command. With thoughtful compromises, everyone could win, rather than Theoden’s pyric victory. Autocracies inevitably ended by the sword, so I’d craft a mutually beneficial way ahead, creating a world where we could all thrive.

I wouldn’t accept anything less.

***The End***

This is the final installment of Working Class Vegas Vamp. I hope you’ve enjoyed it! It will remain up through April, then I’ll take it down.

Let me know if you’d like more in this world.

Working Class Vegas Vamp Copyright © 2024 by AM Scott. All Rights Reserved.

Cover by Achlys Book Cover Designs

The post Chapter 28 and 29–Working Class Vegas Vamp first appeared on AM Scott.

Working Class Vegas Vamp is a free urban fantasy serial, usually publishing on Tuesdays. It is unedited and subject to change. If published later, it may differ significantly, and will probably include additional material. Typos and English errors are likely; feel free to leave a comment or write me at am {AT} amscottwrites.com (revised as a standard email address. Pesky bots!) Available for a limited time only!

Haven’t started yet? Chapter 1: https://www.amscottwrites.com/2024/10/29/working-class-vegas-vamp-chapter-1/

Trying to remain unemotional, I scanned the English entries below the prophecy. More flowery language yearning for the freedom to hunt humans however and whenever they wanted, freedom from their constraints and speculation about the Unbound Queen’s powers. As they found gold and purchased luxuries, their desire to rule the entire Earth grew. Destroying the gargoyle invaders, capturing and caging the “diseased” weres for blood, and hunting humans on ranches were scribed in dark ink. Frustratingly, there wasn’t anything concrete on what the Unbound Queen could actually do or how to do it. 

Occasionally, Trinity added a note about relocating and new furnishings for the temple. A more relevant entry appeared the day I was born.

The High Priestess reported a surge of joy from the prophecy! Worshiping with our Dear Leader, they have discovered the Unbound Queen has manifested in her nascent form! Blessed are we who shall see the prophecy fulfilled in our lifetimes.

From there it devolved into more ranting about hunting, so I skimmed. Thirty-six years later, they were losing hope. The prophecy couldn’t tell them where I was, only that I’d been born and still lived. Trinity expressed subtle doubts that the turning would ever happen, then the next paragraph was blacked-out. I sniffed the paper, then touched it. The paragraph might have been scorched rather than redacted with ink. Whatever had been written there must have been blasphemy to risk burning a book. Although, I was fairly certain the pages weren’t paper; they were too thick, with an odd texture. 

I turned the page. The handwriting changed, becoming even more old-fashioned and slightly spidery, but the writer didn’t identify themselves. Perhaps the priestess wrote rather than a secretary, so there was no need for an introduction. 

After concentrated devotion, Dear Leader Klaus reports the common form Queen Unbound has entered his territory. All search for the unturned who will free us from our shackles of night so we may rule the world as is proper and right. 

Ugh. The same excuse as always–power gave them the right to push everyone else down. 

The next entry reported that seven vampires tested a female human and could not mesmerize her, but some doubted the woman’s validity as the future Unbound Queen. I didn’t remember talking to seven weirdos like Theoden, but so many creeps came to the Stardust, they all blended together. I kept reading.

The candidate is adamant against our power so far, but of low station and even less dignity. She serves rather than commands, and is most likely a woman of ill repute among the humans. Our Dear Leader will test her and report. 

Our Dear Leader reports the candidate resists his best efforts. If she remains so after seven nights in a row, he will bring her to me. If she can withstand the gathered might of the congregation, Our Dear Leader, and I, she will be turned. All will then hail the Unbound Queen.

No wonder my turning was contested. I hadn’t undergone the final tests. I flipped the page. Only three lines were scribed, two on the left page, the last in the middle of the right. All had deeply scored the paper—the priestess had used a heavy hand.

Klaus Theoden has turned the candidate, untested by me. 

This will not stand.

We wait for the true Unbound Queen. 

As I read the words, the depressions caused by the priestess’s hard writing on the last line disappeared, and then the words themselves faded. I put the prophecy down on the rock floor and shivered. That wasn’t creepy at all. Would I ever get used to a sentient book?

I turned the now-blank page.

Despite my objections, the failed candidate remains, polluting our tower. I have forbidden her entry into the temple—Klaus Theoden has no power to force my hand. No matter how quickly the untested adapts, it proves nothing. I will not bow to a failure.

The rest of the pages were empty. I closed the book and let my head drop against the stone. I’d hoped for an instruction manual or at least some clue on what I was really supposed to do, but there was nothing except expectations of a brutal rule over “lesser creatures.” No wonder the prophecy tried to steer me towards evil—that was all it had learned. 

While I could hope the previous pages contained more, I had a feeling that they didn’t. Perhaps most of the traditions, religion, or whatever they might be called were passed down orally. Or maybe there wasn’t anything more to the whole mess. It was just the ravings of ancient vampires determined to dominate everyone. Plenty of humans believed in their innate superiority because of a particular physical attribute. Vampires came from humans, so their attitude would only get worse after gaining real power.

I had decisions to make. The whole purpose of the prophecy was to find the future Unbound Queen. If I was that person, then its job was done. However, the prophecy had proven it could teach me certain vampire skills. But those skills might be twisted by the need to dominate all living creatures. 

The gargoyles said they could teach me magic, and that they were better at it because they approached it scientifically. But they weren’t natives; they weren’t even from this plane, whatever that meant. And I had no way to know if their magic system used more resources than a native magic user. Plus, while they said they could only have so many new gargoyles, all those furnaces were roaring and they’d tried to take the prophecy. Maybe both of those were sincere, or maybe they weren’t. 

The werewolves had offered to help me because they didn’t want the vampires ruling. The badgers didn’t want the vampires in charge, either, but they were more interested in making money and causing trouble than helping.

The vampires wouldn’t teach me anything. Theoden would put me in a cage and starve or torture me until I obeyed him. Which meant I’d die, because I wasn’t giving into him or anyone.

Rage burned my soul, and I stared at the prophecy. “Yes, I’m the Queen and he’s not. But he has many bound followers, your priestess repudiates my claim, and he’s got a lot of money and influence. Can you teach me how to escape a cage? Melt through the bars or unlock a lock? Or short-out an electronic lock?” I tried to picture each action in detail, but I wasn’t a locksmith or electronics expert. 

The prophecy’s anger lessened. It pushed the picture of the gang member I’d mesmerized in the alley to me. 

“That’s a human. Vampires are harder. Especially if they never approach in person. When I was there, his cells had tiny openings to the hallways or they’d shove people through fast. I’m sure that these days, those openings are locked and unlocked remotely, along with the doors. They probably have airlock-style entries, too. Shove a blood box, or worse, a human into the airlock, lock the outer door, then open the inner door. A starving vampire won’t pass up a meal to escape and it would be practically impossible, anyway.” 

The prophecy’s anger grew, but I got nothing useful from it. I should ask better questions. “What can you teach me?” 

It pushed the picture of the shield at me again, but showed me shoving a person away with it. “So if I can make the shield strong enough, I can physically move objects?” Agreement came from the book. 

That was useful, especially if I could surround myself with a shield like that. Or maybe I could change it to shock someone, rather than make it strong enough to physically move something. But first things first. I called up my shield and found it still active, but thin. Interesting that I’d integrated that ability already–it was as natural as breathing. I strengthened the shield, and pulled it tighter to me, then pushed at the prophecy still on the floor. 

The book didn’t move. I fed more power into the shield, trying to concentrate it near the book, and tried again. The book jolted, but didn’t move. Trying harder, I shoved again, sliding the book a half-inch away. 

Then I collapsed against the rock wall, panting and hungry, my shield in tatters. “Well, it’s possible, but not easy.” Hopefully, practice would improve my abilities. I grabbed another blood box out of my backpack. I only had three more left, so I’d have to find a way to get more before I practiced too much. Mattias said he could help, but a species that ate diamonds didn’t need blood. 

I drank and wondered if I had more skills. I could mesmerize and shield, and use the shield physically and mentally. I’d have to figure out a way to electrically charge the shield. I’d assumed mental shields were to keep other vampires from mesmerizing me, but the gargoyles had asked me to use one while they worked magic that obscured our trail and burned out electronics. Without my shields, would I be vulnerable to whatever they’d done? If so, I had to learn their magic to shield against it. 

The prophecy’s simmering anger increased, along with the feeling of tight, scorched skin. The threat of magical furnaces really bothered the book. Was it ever happy? Immediately, the feeling of satisfied hunger came to me with thoughts of praise, devotion and longing for blood from a dozen different minds. 

Worship made it happy. Everything else angered it. “Well, book, you’ll have to learn that there is more to life than fury and praise. Or existence, I guess, since I don’t think you’re alive, exactly.” 

I had other vampire abilities. Speed was the main one, but Theoden was much faster. Some vampires had unusual strength, but I didn’t. If I was well fed, I had endurance and a very high pain tolerance. I didn’t have much education, but I’d learned over the years that I was smarter than the average man drinking at my bar. Plus, even the educated ones got stupid with enough alcohol or sexual distractions. 

I’d rather rely on my intelligence than my abilities, especially mental abilities. Those seemed to burn through my energy stores much faster than regular thinking. I had to unseat Theoden if I wanted peace or convince him to support me. I also had to convince the High Priestess that I was the Queen Unbound if I wanted her support. Having her on my side would make the vampires easier to control, but only until they realized I wasn’t going to bring them unlimited feasting. Then they’d kill me and wait for the next Unbound Queen.

The book threw anger at me again. “Got it. You like me.” But why would it like me when I wasn’t doing what the vampires wanted? Arrogant certainty radiated to me. “You don’t make mistakes. You picked me, it’s a done deal, their opinions don’t matter.” If the book could nod, that’s what it would be doing. 

Probably because centuries of vampires had told the prophecy that. It was an infinite loop of reinforcement; a cult. Generally, encouraging critical, independent thought and gently pointing errors broke people out of group-think, but it took time. I’d be dead before I could do that and the book didn’t care. “Can you teach me anything else?” 

Hot blood pulsed into my mouth. 

I hardened my shield and the phantom fluid disappeared. Great. The book tried to drive me into slaughter. “Not going to happen.” Even if I wanted to do that, it would just make it easier for humanity to find us and hunt us down. Certainly, there was nothing like drinking from a willing human. But unlike fiction, I didn’t think there was any upside to that for humans. They didn’t get powers, or a longer life, or special healing, other than the coagulant in our saliva. I was fairly certain that science already knew how to accelerate that process. 

I slid down on the mattress. I was tired, and the sun was well above the horizon. 

Which surprised me. Normally, I was out cold by this time, but either the book had changed me or it was a side effect of being the Queen. Whatever it was, I’d rest and maybe a solution would come to me. Or more problems would pop up, which seemed more likely. I slid my backpack under my head and meditated on my breathing, hoping for a better tomorrow.

***To be continued***

Working Class Vegas Vamp Copyright © 2024 by AM Scott. All Rights Reserved.

Cover by Achlys Book Cover Designs

The post Chapter 27–Working Class Vegas Vamp first appeared on AM Scott.

Working Class Vegas Vamp is a free urban fantasy serial, usually publishing on Tuesdays. It is unedited and subject to change. If published later, it may differ significantly, and will probably include additional material. Typos and English errors are likely; feel free to leave a comment or write me at am {AT} amscottwrites.com (revised as a standard email address. Pesky bots!) Available for a limited time only!

Haven’t started yet? Chapter 1: https://www.amscottwrites.com/2024/10/29/working-class-vegas-vamp-chapter-1/

By the time I joined Mattias, he’d already placed his hand on the nearest, and smallest, gargoyle. Then he hugged the gargoyle’s leg. Perhaps more contact eased communication?

A grinding noise drew my attention upward. All the massive gargoyles stared at me with shiny, solid black eyes, unblinking. I almost took a step back, but stopped. If I moved, I’d run. Between their size, the alien eyes, the giant beaks and the claws, I didn’t stand a chance. They could shred me to bits before I took three steps.

“The Gargoyle Guardian Council welcomes the Unbound Queen of the Vampires.” Mattias released his grip on the gargoyle’s leg and turned toward me, but kept one hand on the giant’s leg. “They look forward to discussing a mutually beneficial way ahead. They’ve empowered me and a sub-council of Outer and Inner Shield members to discuss the details with you, and offer you training. There is no obligation connected to the training, because it benefits everyone, especially the Pool of Life. You burn bright.”

I nodded to them, then looked at Mattias. “Please thank all of them for me. I look forward to hearing any insights they have on the prophecy I carry, and any they might have on how to fulfil my duties and obligations.” Screwing up my courage, I look upward to meet their eyes again. “However, I must know how much your people take from my planet and how you balance those scales. While it is true that Earth’s inhabitants haven’t done well with the bounty given us, we are natives. You are not.”

Mattias tilted his head, then turned away to clench the Council member’s leg again. After a few moments, he completely released the gargoyle’s leg and pointed at the door. “The Council acknowledges your question is fair. They aren’t sure our expenditure can be measured. They believe that our work to protect and balance the magic more than makes up for the magic we use, because much like water on Earth, magic is recycled. When our souls leave our bodies, the magic used to sustain us returns to the Pool of Life. The Pool hasn’t significantly diminished since our arrival.” He opened the vault door, holding it for me.

I slipped through and waited until he secured the locking bars. “But it has gotten smaller.”

“It’s impossible to scale. They say it’s lost some…power. But not enough that any magic user on Earth would notice. They believe that if every gargoyle on Earth passed on to the next life, the pool would grow, because we brought energy with us from our system.” He snorted. “Not that it’s easy to kill us.”

“I imagine not. I have no desire to kill any of you, but if you were taking far more than you returned, conservation would be critical.” It would be smart for Earth inhabitants, too.

He opened the vault door, we slipped into Forger’s Rest, and he secured the door. Then he refilled my water bottle again. “As we learn more about Earth’s magic, we do our best to sustain it. We admit that when we arrived, we weren’t careful. We were trying to survive. That’s probably why the Pool of Life is somewhat diminished. But watching humans move west across America and repeating our mistakes made us more conservative. We’ve done our best to reduce our load on the Pool and on Earth’s material goods, too. For example, we supported research creating synthetic diamonds and other gemstones. They’re an important energy source for us, but we don’t want to pay for human conflict.”

I stopped. “You eat diamonds.” Why this seemed more shocking than the other revelations was a mystery.

Mattias stopped and turned towards me. “Yes. Compressed carbon is an excellent source of energy.” He continued walking, moving around the recovering forgers. “We don’t eat the way you do, but the term for absorbing energy is close enough. We need water, too, but don’t actually drink. It soaks into us. That’s why we have fountains rather than faucets.” He opened the door. “And yes, we have to get rid of waste. Your room is one of several set up for human visitors, but the waste products are recycled the same way we recycle ours.”

That answered a few questions. I had so many more, but we were nearing the forging cavern again. I’d wait until we reached the cooler tunnel at the far side. Mattias unlatched the door, let me through, and secured it again. The heat of the forges blasted me and I gave up on looking professional. I alternated sprinting and speed walking until I reached the far side. Striding steadily, Mattias had kept up with me, and he opened the door.

Walking through the tunnel, the temperature dropped, and even though it was still quite warm, a shiver ran down my spine. The entire experience was unsettling; particularly realizing that someone I’d considered a colleague was far more alien than I’d realized.

However, even if he’d been a purple, tentacled monster, he was a sentient, which meant he was a person. He’d proven reliable and clever in the years he’d worked for me. I suspected he’d hidden some of his intelligence to stay in his position as Fantastique’s security manager. “When I left the casino, why did you say you needed the job? Weren’t you there to watch me?”

“I couldn’t tell you that, could I?” He shrugged. “Besides, we were watching Theoden more than you. He was the bigger threat. Staying at the casino let me keep a closer eye on him. Except he abandoned his responsibilities to go after you, and then he took his people and hid.” Mattias opened the next door and we entered Inner Shield. “Take your time crossing. Explore the public areas, or return to your room if you want. I’ll collect a few people, then we’ll meet in Outer Shield. It will probably take me half an hour or so. I won’t have everyone the Council specified, but you’ll meet most of them tonight and the rest tomorrow.” He tilted his head. “Sound good?”

I nodded. “Yes, thanks.” Wanting to see as much as possible, I crossed to the path on the opposite side of the cavern. It followed the same rainbow pattern, using entirely different but equally beautiful patterns. I knew mosaic tile took a very long time for humans, but perhaps gargoyles were faster? Or maybe their lives were so long that they thought nothing of spending months or years creating something beautiful. Mattias had implied that he’d been young when he arrived from their original home, and gargoyles had appeared on churches in the fifteen hundreds, so he could easily be a thousand years old or more. They may have moved to the Americas long before Europeans did, or maybe they came across the ocean at the same time.

However long it had been, the caverns were gorgeous and bright, despite being deep below the surface. I stopped to watch each different game. The sports had human patterns, like baseball and soccer, but they moved slower and used much larger balls. The tile games were played standing—I hadn’t seen a chair anywhere but the human house. Gargoyles stood, crouched, or reclined, but they didn’t seem to sit, even in human form. I guessed there was no need for physical rest when you were made of rock. Or a rock-like substance made of carbon.

I meandered along the gentle curves of the walkway, enjoying the tinkle of fountains and scents of the flowers and herbs. Despite what I assumed were lounge areas at the front of each house, I didn’t see any gargoyles there. Perhaps they preferred the common areas when they were awake. If they even slept. These structures implied they needed time separate from the larger community, but that might be a poor assumption, too.

I reached the far end of the cavern and passed through the sliding doors, sauntering along the connecting tunnel and through the next set of doors. Since I still had time to kill, I wandered through the market kiosks and booths. Most offered clothing in a variety of styles, along with hats, shoes, sunglasses and accessories like messenger bags. Two booths displayed men’s suits in dark shades—no flashy plaids or pastels for these guys. Gargoyles worked at sewing machines in the back. Finding suits off the rack for such massive shapes would be challenging, so having tailors made sense. I reached the sparkling kiosks offering precious metals and gems.

Mattias caught up with me. “Come. We’re meeting at the fountain near the front door to Outer Shield.” He pointed towards the hanger doors. “You have the prophecy, right?” He walked away.

I caught up with him, wondering why he didn’t want me near their food merchants. “Yes, I have the prophecy.”

“Good. Along with council representatives, we have experts in many written languages. If you can’t read the prophecy, it’s likely we have someone who can.”

I stopped. “I haven’t had time to even crack it open.” I’d been so busy surviving and then the prophecy seemed to talk to me, so there was no reason to try reading it. But no matter what, I wasn’t handing it over to anyone else.

Mattias kept moving. “That’s okay. You can take a look before the meeting starts.”

But there was no time like now. The walkway was wide and mostly empty, so I took the book out of my jacket pocket and opened it up. The first page contained beautiful script—the kind you’d see in old Bibles, with pictures and all—but I couldn’t read a word of it. Flipping through the book, the writing style changed, but I still couldn’t understand any of it. The pictures disappeared, and the script became plain, and then on the very last pages, I finally found some in English. Old style English, with the odd letter substitutions, but readable.

The first page in English held the prophecy; the version Karski had shown me.

The Prophecy of the Unbound Queen

When the dusk bleeds into an endless bright,
And battles rage over control of the night,
One shall rise—a queen of shadow’s creed,
By choice alone, not by chains decreed.

In mortal flesh, her fierce heart was concealed,
Yet by her will, service for all is now revealed.
With fangs unsheathed, she claims her boundless might,
A sovereign born to rule the endless night.

None who stand in her path shall be redeemed,
For her command reigns supreme.
A tempest fierce, she leads her kin with grace,
The unchained dawn none can hope to replace.

She brings no peace, no mercy to the fray,
Yet freedom fierce as stars keep threat at bay.
The world shall know her rule, unbent, serene,
When black night turns bright and towers turn the desert green.

Behold the rise of the queen freely turned,
Her power flows where hearts and heavens burn.

Still the same ridiculous proclamation that could apply to anyone. Hoping for enlightenment, I turned the page. It was English, but seemed to be an introduction, rather than a continuation of the prophecy.

In this year of 1852, by the sacrifice of our Dear Leader, Ivan Sereda, we have relocated to safety in the Americas. At the order of our new Dear Leader, Klaus Theoden, and with the agreement of our High Priestess, I, Trinity, assume duties as keeper of the sacred records.

We await the Unbound Queen’s arrival, knowing our patience will be rewarded. Under her gracious rule, our fetters will fall away, and all shall offer their life’s blood to us under the tamed sun. We shall revel in the day and the night, bathing in the blood of our enemies and drinking their children down.

Dropping the book with a splat, I choked, trying to hold my revulsion back. No wonder Karski wanted Trinity dead—what a revolting ideology. I gripped my thighs, leaning over, trying not to throw up.

A shadow fell over me. “Char, are you okay?” Mattias asked.

I picked up the prophecy and straightened, even though I wanted to curl into a ball and avoid the entire world. “Yeah, I’m…well, not okay, but I will be.” I shuddered. “I can read the last part of the prophecy, but it might take me a while, because it’s disgusting.”

“I’m sorry. If you want, we can read it for you and find the relevant parts.” He held out his hand.

“No.” I hugged the book to my chest. “This is my responsibility. After I read the English parts, I’ll let your experts take pictures and translate, but I’m not giving anyone the prophecy. It’s mine.” I met Mattias’s gaze and kept it, even when his eyes changed into the solid black the Council members displayed.

“Are you sure it’s responsibility, or is the book compelling you?” Leaving his hand outstretched, he raised both brows. “We can shield you from it and then you’ll know.”

Rage blasted from the prophecy, but I blocked it. “I’m more than capable of doing that myself. Why are you so determined to take it from me?”

His arm dropped and he leaned over me. “Because it’s influencing you. You changed when you picked it up. You’re a different person than you were before.”

I raised my chin and rather than backing away, leaned towards him. He could undoubtedly crush me like a bug, but I wasn’t backing down. “Oh, so you want the nice girl back? The one who negotiates and placates everyone because she has no power? The one who is easily manipulated? The one who goes along to get along?” I poked his chest with my forefinger. “No. Back off.”

He took a half-step back, then rumbled.

“I don’t speak gargoyle. If you’re insulting me, I’d prefer to understand it.” I turned and strode for the room they’d assigned me. The sun rose soon, but I wasn’t staying with people who threatened me because I’d gained a bit of leverage. I’d find hole in the desert. Wanting to sprint, I held myself to a steady stride, because I might need my speed later. Tucking the book into my inner pocket, I stopped before I entered my assigned quarters. While they were light-safe, without an emergency escape, they could be a prison. I spun on my toe—while I’d be more comfortable with all my stuff, I didn’t need it.

“Char, wait.” Mattias blocked me. “I’m not insulting or threatening you. We offered you safety and we meant it.”

I stared him down. “Safety or captivity? Or maybe your version of safety means treating me like a child? I don’t have your years, but I’m not immature or stupid.”

He raised both hands, palm out. “If I gave you that impression, I’m sorry. Look, rather than meeting the rest of us tonight, why don’t you read the book, alone. You can meet with us tomorrow night and tell us what you need and want. I promise that you are not trapped here. We promised protection, and we meant it. Besides, it’s too close to sunrise for you to leave safely.”

“That’s my decision, not yours.” I wasn’t going down without a fight.

“Agreed, and I understand your reluctance to remain. My words were rash.” He stepped towards the house. “I’ll get your pack and show you to a safe room in the parking area beyond Outer Shield. It has an emergency escape, and rock doors that lock from the inside. While we could collapse the escape tunnel, you could get out. I’m sure the book could teach you several techniques to blast your way free. We want an ally, not an enemy.”

I put my hands on my hips in a power pose. “I want allies, not owners. You cannot force me to do anything.” I wasn’t a pawn or a plaything for anyone.

“Understood. I’d appreciate it if you’d wait.” Mattias strode into the house.

I might have a better chance to escape with him gone, but five or six gargoyles stood in a tight group near the closest exit. They might be under orders to stop me. Or they might not. The sliding doors were at least seventy-five feet away, maybe farther. The mosaic patterns threw off my sense of distance. If I sprinted at my full vampire speed, I could probably make it there before the gargoyles, but I’d need blood after that. My blood boxes were in my pack, and finding a large enough animal to feed from in the desert was difficult.

I’d trapped myself, an hour and half before sunrise.

But if I could reach my motorcycle, I could find shelter. I put my leathers back on and waited, counting the seconds. Before I reached a minute, Mattias emerged, holding out my pack and carrying a large bag in his other hand.

I grabbed my pack and pulled out a blood box, sucking down the fuel. After the first few pulls, I slid the backpack on, and walked towards the sliding door, drinking and walking.

Mattias walked alongside, grinding out something in gargoyle as we passed the group. “I’m telling them I’ll explain when I get back.”

At least he didn’t make me ask. The doors slid apart, and we traversed the plain rock tunnel to the exit in silence. The lack of pattern and color was somewhat of a relief; while beautiful, the mosaics were overwhelming. That was kind of a metaphor for gargoyles, period.

We slogged up the long tunnel out. On the way in, the slope seemed almost undetectable, but leaving, the uphill effort almost made me pant. Exiting the tunnel, Mattias led me towards my motorcycle, but before we reached it, he stopped in front of a door I hadn’t noticed. It blended into the surrounding stone, and the handle looked like a small fissure in the rock.

He opened the door, and led me down a short hallway to another door. “This is an earthquake shelter.” He opened the second door, and tapped the wall just inside, turning on a light and revealing an empty room that was about ten feet long and tall, and only five feet wide—a roomy tomb. A wheel with locking bars stuck out from the small door on the far end. “The tunnel emerges into the desert about just beyond the entrance to the parking area. I can bring your motorcycle in here, but the fuel fumes might be excessive, because the ventilation is passive, not active.” He spun and pointed above the door we’d just entered. The door to the parking garage also had a locking wheel and bars, and above it was a rock screen that was less than a foot square. A lever stood out on the right side. “You can close the vent using that.”

Except I couldn’t reach it. I wasn’t sure I could open the rock doors, either.

Mattias dropped the bag on the ground. “This is a blow-up mattress. You’re free to stay and use it, or leave. It’s up to you.” He bowed slightly. “We hope you stay so we can discuss a way ahead tomorrow evening.” He left, leaving the door to the room open, but closing the door to the parking area. It also had bars on my side.

Stay, or go? We’d burned more time, so staying was the smarter thing to do. I spun the wheel on the exterior door, which moved surprisingly easily, then blew up the camping mattress. After that, I secured used a couple of zip ties to warn me if anyone attempted to spin either locking wheel.

Putting my weapons in each reach—not that they’d do me much good against gargoyles—I sat on the mattress, and leaned against my pack. Then I retrieved the prophecy.

Before I could think about it too much, I opened it wide.

***To be continued***

Working Class Vegas Vamp Copyright © 2024 by AM Scott. All Rights Reserved.

Cover by Achlys Book Cover Designs

The post Chapter 26–Working Class Vegas Vamp first appeared on AM Scott.

Working Class Vegas Vamp is a free urban fantasy serial, usually publishing on Tuesdays. It is unedited and subject to change. If published later, it may differ significantly, and will probably include additional material. Typos and English errors are likely; feel free to leave a comment or write me at am {AT} amscottwrites.com (revised as a standard email address. Pesky bots!) Available for a limited time only!

Haven’t started yet? Chapter 1: https://www.amscottwrites.com/2024/10/29/working-class-vegas-vamp-chapter-1/ ‎

We trod through the gently curving tunnel, the temperature rising as we walked, and stopped in front of a door with a dark-colored wheel in the middle, made of iron perhaps. Mattias grasped the wheel and turned it, a scraping noise coming from the door, then he swung it open. The door was thick rock, with long locking bars attached to a matching wheel on the far side. We passed through the doorway and into another gigantic cavern. Hot air roasted me and dried my mouth. As Mattias secured the door, I moved to the side and took off my jacket, but couldn’t stop staring. And blinking, trying to wet my eyes.

Rather than houses along the sides, ten-foot diameter tunnels roared with flame. Massive gargoyles in their traditional four-leg, horned head beast form blasted fire from their mouths, while two more in human form shoveled black rock–possibly coal–into the tunnels. The human form gargoyles were giants–easily nine feet tall–but their legs were short in comparison to their wide, muscular torsos. None of them wore clothing, which made sense, because it would be burned away.

Mattias walked away from the door. “I’ll be right back.” He disappeared into an opening in the wall.

I unzipped my leather motorcycle pants. I’d be meeting the Council in leggings and a t-shirt after all. But I doubted what I wore mattered to gargoyles.

Mattias returned, and handed me a metal water bottle. “Drink all you need. I can refill it.” He raised his volume so I could hear him over the fire-blasting gargoyles.

“If it stays this hot, I’ll need a lot.” The cavern seemed hotter than Death Valley, and swirled with even hotter currents as the blast furnaces warred for dominance.

“I should have warned you, but I don’t feel the difference unless I walk into one of those.” He pointed at the furnace.

“Is this your heating system for the caverns? Seems like a lot of work.” Solar panels and electric heaters would be easier.

Mattias rumbled, interrupting my thoughts. “No. We are forging new gargoyles. It is a very long, difficult process and not always successful.”

“Oh.” Forged, not born. He was sharing a lot of information with a stranger. Would I ever leave these caverns? “I’m sorry it’s not easier.”

“Come.” Mattias walked away.

I rolled my leathers into a bundle and followed. While Mattias moved at an even pace, I sprinted across the furnace openings, and slowed between them. Sweat poured out of me, evaporating immediately and leaving my skin tight and dry.

At the end of the cavern, I waited for Mattias to open the lock bars, then scampered into the tunnel beyond. The air wasn’t much cooler, but it was better than being dry-roasted in a furnace. I drank the bottle dry and held it out to Mattias after he secured the door. “More, please.”

He shook his head. “In the next cavern. Come.”

We continued along another identical, gently curved rock tunnel, then Mattias cracked the next vault door and pointed a finger, indicating I should go through. The cavern beyond the door was just as large as Outer Shield, but the carvings and tile work were on a much larger scale. The gargoyles, in human and traditional form, varied from giants of twenty feet to human size. Some carved the walls, while others added to the mosaics, the tiles looking miniscule in their massive hands. Others plodded across the cavern. Some slumped or crouched against dark gray mounds sticking out from the walls. The mounds were shaped vaguely like crouched gargoyles that had eroded over centuries of wind and rain, but there was no sign of weather down here. While it was still hot, I no longer felt like a pig on a spit.

Mattias took my bottle and filled it at a towering fountain with a wide pool at the bottom, then led me across the space, winding around the slow-moving giants. “This is Forger’s Rest. All of these people have completed a full forging cycle. They stay here until they are ready to move on. Approximately half return to forging. About a quarter of them shed size and power and rejoin the Inner Shield community. Another quarter join working groups for the Council, and eventually, the Council itself. Rarely, they remain here and gradually return to dust.” He pointed at the mounded backrests at the sides of the immense cavern.

“Those mounds are people?” My immediate reaction was horror, but I couldn’t judge them by human or vampire standards. I held up my right hand. “Wait, I’m sorry. My reaction was ill-considered.”

Mattias nodded once. “I understand. It doesn’t seem right to a biologically grown species. But we are literally forged from carbon, one of the main elements of Earth, so to carbon we return. Forging new life is strenuous, both physically and mentally. Once they give their all to a new life, some can no longer hold onto theirs, particularly if the forging was unsuccessful. It’s not common, but it happens. We don’t know exactly when the soul lets go, so we hope that by leaning against what remains, we bring comfort and ease to their passing.”

I closed my eyes, trying to comprehend the pain and compassion. “That’s beautiful and tragic.”

Mattias continued walking. “It is. But less tragic than before we figured out how to bind to this world’s magic. When we arrived, we lost so many. All over the European continent, the remains of our people return to dust, deep in closed mines. Only a few hundred of us survived the gate and the early transition. Even now, we are only a few thousand, split between the Americas, Europe and Asia. But any more would be too great a burden on your world.”

“Would any of the other planets in our solar system be better?” I waited for Mattias to open the vault door.

He turned the wheel. “The temperature of Venus would be better but there’s too much sulfuric acid in the atmosphere. We’d disappear like tears in the rain. The pressure on Jupiter is too great and the rest of the planets are too cold. We’ve adapted to this one quite well, and we have a fulfilling role.”

“I suppose.” While aliens saving humans was popular in fiction, I was more likely to believe they were invaders, lulling our suspicions. Certainly, few humans were truly altruistic. If they weren’t getting an obvious reward, then they were taking a larger one, secretly. But gargoyles weren’t humans. “Just how much of Earth’s magic does it take to sustain your species?”

He shook his head and motioned for me to walk through the opening. “I don’t know. You’ll have to ask the Council. But I don’t think it’s excessive.”

We traversed the now-familiar semi-circular tunnel, and stopped at the next vault door. Mattias opened it and we entered another massive cavern. While still too warm for me, it was cooler than the last. But that didn’t matter in comparison to the gigantic gargoyles in front of me. They wore bipedal forms, but without the details that let their smaller members appear human, and stood in groups of three to ten. The smallest gargoyle was probably ten feet tall, with a five-foot wide torso; the largest at least thirty feet tall. They were linked, either by holding hands, a hand on a shoulder, or they leaned against each other. “I guess that explains the hangar doors.”

“Yes.” Mattias pointed at my water bottle. “Don’t forget to drink.”

As we walked, I sipped water and Mattias explained. “These are working groups for the Council. They monitor the magic by geographic region. The more magic users in an area, the more people it takes.”

Nearing the far wall, I noticed our footsteps were loud in the silence. Before opening the next door, Mattias took my water bottle and filled it at another fountain with an even larger pool at the bottom, then cracked the next vault door. Rather than a tunnel, we stepped directly into another cavern, about half the size of the previous spaces. Seven gargoyles in their traditional forms crouched in a circle, the smallest at least thirty feet tall, the largest almost brushing the suspended lights.

Mattias pointed at the group. “The Gargoyle Guardians Council. Since their voices would deafen you, I’ll interpret. Come. I have to touch them.”

I grimaced. I was tiny next to these behemoths and I really didn’t want to get stepped on.

Mattias chuckled. “Don’t worry. They don’t usually move fast. And before you ask, yes, we use a form of telepathy, but it requires contact.”

But the Council members weren’t touching—except they were. Each had two tails, linking them together. “Before we interrupt them, I’m assuming you grow larger with age?”

“Yes. That’s another reason for the split between Inner and Outer Shield. Outer Shield people can pass for human. Inner Shield are too large, but not strong enough to join the forgers, or they are newly forged and learning.”

This was all too easy. “You’re sharing an awful lot about your species with someone you hardly know. Why?”

Mattias cracked a smile. “But I do know you. I’ve worked with you for years.” He held up a hand. “It’s not the same as being friends, but in some ways, it’s better. I’ve seen how you treat others, how you manage difficult people and your leadership abilities. We can trust you.” He turned and walked towards the Council. “But if you betray us, we’ll crush you like a gnat and throw your prophecy into a forge.”

Anger flooded from the prophecy, but it was tinged with fear. The book must be vulnerable to magical fire, if not mundane flames. “I don’t break my word. But I won’t make a blind promise, either. I need to know what your help costs.” Karski was right—my ignorance was dangerous. I didn’t know how to use magic, other than my instincts or what the prophecy taught me. I didn’t know what the prophecy said or the extent of its abilities. Or what it meant to the other vampires in the world, all of them with more knowledge and skill than me.

In short, I might be safe for now, but I still had a lot of trouble. The Council might help, but I had to know why and how much they expected from me. And I wanted to know what kind of burden they added to our planet. Were they protectors, or a protection racket? “Civilized” invaders rarely benefited the natives.

However, my choice right now was simple. I could leave and die, or listen to the gargoyles and possibly survive.

I followed Mattias towards the looming danger of the Gargoyle Guardians Council.

***To be continued***

Working Class Vegas Vamp Copyright © 2024 by AM Scott. All Rights Reserved.

Cover by Achlys Book Cover Designs

The post Chapter 25–Working Class Vegas Vamp first appeared on AM Scott.

Working Class Vegas Vamp is a free urban fantasy serial, usually publishing on Tuesdays. It is unedited and subject to change. If published later, it may differ significantly, and will probably include additional material. Typos and English errors are likely; feel free to leave a comment or write me at am {AT} amscottwrites.com (revised as a standard email address. Pesky bots!) Available for a limited time only!

Haven’t started yet? Chapter 1: https://www.amscottwrites.com/2024/10/29/working-class-vegas-vamp-chapter-1/ ‎

I frowned at Mattias. “I swear to harm none unless they attack me first. I agree to mutual defense of the sanctuary, but I will not protect a criminal from prosecution.”

Mattias scowled back. “You do not know us, so I will let the insults go. So agreed.” He turned and walked away.

I followed. “I didn’t intend insult, only precision. Every species with intelligence and free will has those who flout the law.” I matched Mattias’s slightly formal speech.

“Gargoyles don’t have free will. We cannot last long on this world without magic, so we are bound at a young age. For us to become criminals, we must break from the magic. Then we die.”

I trotted downhill beside him, the tunnel big enough for two semi-trucks side by side and just as tall. “You aren’t native to our planet?”

“No.” He shook his head. “We come from another plane. Physically, our world was very different from this one, but we have much in common. We abused the abundance we were given until there was nothing left. We ruined our planet and all the others in our system. Our researchers found a way to leave, but to power the gate, we had to blow up our sun. Since we had nothing left to stay for, we did just that. We created a passage, but left a hole in our souls.” He stopped and moved to the side of the empty tunnel. “Then, the magic on this side of our gate caught us completely by surprise. We were scientists. It took many years of study and experimentation before we found a way to thrive here. If we don’t bind to the magic, we slowly turn to rock and crumble to dust. Exposure to sunlight, including the reflection of the sun on the moon, hastens that death.”

Interesting that he was sharing so much about his species without asking anything in return. And while magically binding your people might be a survival tactic, there was always a way to get around the rules. I’d remain cautious, and start with simple questions. “I’m guessing the appearance of gargoyles on gothic structures wasn’t an accident?” I wasn’t sure of the timelines, but many medieval cathedrals bore the winged forms as waterspouts or decorations.

Mattias huffed with a small smile. “Gothic structures were built at the time we were figuring out how to survive here. Our young flew the skies, spying on the scientists, priests and magicians of the time. What we found, however, was the vampires and weres. They understood the magic better than the humans, because they too depend on it. But not in the same way we do.” He moved away from the wall and continued downward.

“Thanks for telling me that. I’m kind of surprised you did.” The tunnel remained a gigantic hole in the earth, with smooth rock walls, a slightly sandy floor, and bright overhead lights. I wondered how far down we’d go before it changed.

“We learned the basics of magic from the vampires. If you had stayed in Theoden’s tower, I suspect you would have been taught eventually.” He held up one hand. “Not that I blame you for leaving. I realize conditions there were far from ideal. Quite frankly, we will do a better job of teaching you. We approach magic as scientists, so we understand the rules and limitations. We also understand that our lack of self-control led to the destruction of our planet and solar system. When bound ourselves to the magic, we also promised to protect this planet’s resources.”

I smirked. “Which allow you to continue living.”

Mattias nodded. “Enlightened self-interest. We are dismayed by the rapid changes of the last century but hope that we can help control the damage. If not, we can create another gate, but we don’t want to leave another destroyed system behind us, especially when we may not survive the next destination.” He shrugged. “We might not survive the destruction of this sun, depending on what it does to the magic.”

His use of “we” made me assume he was speaking of gargoyle survival only. “I’m guessing none of us Earthlings would survive your gates?”

He shook his head. “Unlikely. The forces during transition are extreme. You might come up with a transport enclosure, but you’d probably have to create one for each person, and there aren’t enough resources on the planet for that. But that doesn’t matter, because we’re staying. We will protect the magic.”

“Understood.” I’d have to find out the lengths they would go to and what they considered a crime. Near the end of the tunnel, massive, airplane hangar doors blocked our way. We strode to a smaller opening at the left side. Sliding doors whooshed aside as we neared, and we entered a much smaller tunnel, exiting through another set of sliding doors twenty feet later.

The other side, a football-field sized cavern, was an entirely different world. Unlike the plain rock parking structure, the walls of this cave bore beautiful, elaborate carvings, enhanced with swirls of color. Green plants surrounded fantastical water features along each side of the massive space. Mattias tugged my arm, moving me away from the doorway where I’d stopped to gape. “Wow. This is gorgeous.”

And overwhelming. A row of gorgeous, stately buildings were carved into the cavern’s rock wall on the far side. Graceful balconies decorated the upper stories, and the floor level had open patios, with doors at the back. A walkway meandered in front of the houses, fountains and containers of plants lining it. Our side of the cavern held similar carvings, but these seemed to be businesses, not living spaces. The cavern’s ceiling was light blue, with white, fluffy clouds, and a huge light suspended in the center; smaller lights dotted the space surrounding the center. Equally large fans turned slowly above the suspended lights, creating a light breeze.  People walked in and out of the houses and businesses, some carrying bags. They all appeared male.

I turned to Mattias. “Do you live here?”

He nodded. “Yes, although I share a residence in Las Vegas, too.” He swept his arm in front of his body, indicating the cavern. “Outer Shield residents interact with the world often. We are also Council Shield’s first line of defense, if the automated defenses are defeated.” He pointed at the far end of the cavern. “You see the other set of hangar doors down there? Those lead to the next community, called Inner Shield. The residents don’t travel as often to the surface but still need access. Many of them work remotely. Beyond that are more communities, and finally, the Council chambers.” Curling his fingertips, he beckoned me to follow, and we crossed the cavern.

Small kiosks and carts stood in neat rows at the far end of the cave, selling clothing, sunglasses, games and oddly, rocks, gemstones, and precious metals. Although I could only see about thirty people, all in male human form, the gravely sound of gargoyle voices rumbled like heavy snowmelt in a mountain stream.

He led me to the third house in the row, carved in a style that reminded me of Petra, Jordan, where they filmed the exterior of the holy grail scenes in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. He pointed at the stone benches to our left and right. “These are our human accommodations. Please wait here while I make sure your quarters are ready.”

The entry lounge was ten feet square, and the walls were carved in gorgeous Moorish patterns. Tiny, bright colored mosaic tiles lightened the heaviness of the rock. The floor was the same slightly sandy rock as the outer cavern. Large planters held flowering plants, adding more color to the space. Water features tinkled, providing a high note to the rumble of gargoyle voices, and adding moisture to the dry, desert air.

After exploring the small space, I was about to sit when Mattias reappeared. He crooked the fingers on one hand in a beckoning motion. “Come. I’ll show you to your room. You can leave your backpack there. Then I will take you to the Council.”

I followed Mattias through the door, entering a tall, wide hallway with evenly spaced, decorated doors blending with more beautiful wall mosaics. The third door on the right, the last in the row, was open. We turned into a room about ten feet square, the walls covered in restful shades of green and blue mosaic tile. A full-size bed with a forest green cover took up one corner, a lounge chair in a deep brown next to it, and a door opened to a small, human-standard bathroom on my left. I dropped my bag at the end of the bed. “Perfect, thank you.”

“You are welcome.” He pointed at the entry door. “Note the door seals, ensuring no light can penetrate, even underground. Also note there are no emergency escapes. If you cannot get through the door, we recommend remaining in the bathroom until you are rescued. Earthquakes are rare, but the bathroom ceilings are reinforced to withstand even major quakes.”

I nodded. “Understood. Let me use the facilities, and I’ll be right with you.” The idea of being trapped under so much rock was a bit terrifying, but I assumed that a species that could carve rock so beautifully could also cut through it quickly.

Mattias withdrew, closing the sealed door behind him. I entered the bathroom, used the toilet, and washed my face and hands. I was rather casually dressed to meet important people, but better the motorcycle leathers than sweatpants and a t-shirt. I considered the prophecy, still in my inner jacket pocket, but got nothing back from it. I left, finding Mattias in the entryway lounge.

He led me along the gently curving walkway in front of the houses. Men standing around small, high tables in the center of the cavern rumbled what I assumed were greetings in the grinding gargoyle language. I didn’t see any women, but I wasn’t sure gargoyles had genders, and I had no idea if it was rude to ask. But I could always plead ignorance. “Hey, Mattias, I don’t want to offend you, but I’m assuming human forms aren’t your natural form, right?”

He shook his head. “No, they aren’t. Our natural forms aren’t possible on this planet, unless we risk volcano diving. The human form is comfortable enough most of the time, and it takes effort to change.” He shrugged. “We can easily add wings for gliding, or four legs for running, or other attributes. But much like the weres, we change shape when threatened. That’s where the monsters perched on churches come from. It’s easier to change form when you’re young, so the watchers were probably too immature for the job.” He sniffed. “Like me. I’ve learned better survival techniques since then.”

We stopped in front of the smaller door at the end of the cavern. Mattias turned towards me. “Please ensure your shields are secure. As we get closer to the Council chambers, we’ll pass through areas with younger members. We must protect them from outside influences, especially emotions. That which you carry holds much anger.”

The prophecy had been eerily silent since entering the cavern, but I agreed. My shield seemed solid, but I ran through the building process the book had taught me, ensuring every panel was tight, and the structure fed by a tiny trickle of power from below me. “Okay. I think I’m ready.”

Mattias scanned me from my head to my toes. “Agreed. If you need to stop to reinforce the shield, please do so.”

“Because I’m new to this, or you expect me to be shocked?”

He snorted. “Eventually, both. You’ve done well for an untrained practitioner, but be on guard.” He walked to the door and it slid aside, revealing another tunnel curving to the left, away from the main hangar doors. As we walked, the tunnel curved back to the right, forming a semicircle.

The sliding door on the far end opened into a cavern similar to Outer Shield. It was the same size, and had the same lighting and fans, but with houses on both sides, all of them elaborately decorated. Even the walkways were tiled with colorful patterns. The main cavern floor was separated into areas by delicate, carved rock screens. Closest to me, men played a ball game that looked similar to baseball or cricket. Beyond that, more men stood around high tables, playing games with rectangular tokens like dominos or mah jong. The gargoyles varied in height from a little shorter than me, to about eight feet tall with shoulders that were too wide and legs too short to be human.

Mattias continued along a walkway tiled in swirling patterns of yellow, changing gradually to orange, then red. Looking ahead, the end was purple—the colors of the rainbow. Were all the women in houses? Or did they have women? “Everyone out here mimics the male form. Is there a reason?”

He grimaced. “Yes, we all take the male form. First, because males are traditionally leaders in your world. It’s an outward appearance and has nothing to do with procreation or our thought processes. We can look female just as easily, but conservation of mass is a law of physics. As females, our size makes us stand out even more.”

“I can understand that.” All these large men didn’t make me particularly comfortable, even though the numbers were low for such a large space. I’d guess there were maybe a hundred or so people in this cavern.

He slowed slightly. “I’m sorry if it makes you uncomfortable. I intellectually understand why, although I can never fully sympathize. There is little on this planet that can physically threaten us.”

I looked at my small hands. “I certainly can’t.”

Mattias stopped and turned towards me. “Not right now. But when you master the magic, you could be a real threat. I warn you now—do not lie to the Council. Even a partial truth is dangerous.” He sighed. “I like you, so I’ll tell you this as well. If necessary, speed is your greatest asset. Use your magic and run.”

I forced a chuckle. “That’s my favorite tactic. Fast feet for survival.” But his warning made this journey to the center of the earth seem even more perilous.

He nodded, then turned and continued. “Exactly.”

I trod the path next to him, watching the shifting colors below my feet and the matching change on the carved walls of the cavern. At the end, another set of hangar doors blocked the way, with the same sliding doors to a side passage.

Mattias stopped again, scanning me. “Are your shields holding?”

I checked; they appeared solid. “Yes.”

“I hope so.” With that ominous sentence, Mattias turned and passed through the sliding doors.

Swallowing hard, I followed.

***To be continued***

Working Class Vegas Vamp Copyright © 2024 by AM Scott. All Rights Reserved.

Cover by Achlys Book Cover Designs

The post Chapter 24–Working Class Vegas Vamp first appeared on AM Scott.