Trouble with Gargoyles: an Urban Fantasy (Moonlight Dragon Book 3) (15 page)

Celestina and Lev, in his human form, entered the room, looking cautiously bewildered. Celestina had thrown on a kaftan. Her braids were tucked under a headscarf. Lev wore a pair of jeans and nothing else, not even shoes. Always testing my willpower, that one.

Echinacious waved before closing the panel, sealing the six of us inside. I quickly made introductions for Celestina's and Lev's sake. My two friends eyed Xaran as warily as I had when I'd first met him.

"First off," I told everyone, "this room is one hundred percent protected. The Oddsmakers can't see or hear anything that goes on in here."

"Leading me to believe we're about to discuss something they won't like," Celestina said dryly. She leaned against a wall, arms and ankles crossed. "Diana and Christian left Vegas a couple of hours ago, just so you know. To be precise, Diana spirited herself away and Christian headed to the airport. Do we need to call them?"

I looked to Vale, who shook his head. "I'll tell them later. It's important to Christian that he sees his mother whole and well again."

I didn't argue that, though I did send a dirty look at Xaran, who didn't even pretend to be remorseful. Sure, Diana had exaggerated about the degree of torture she'd suffered, but she had clearly felt threatened enough to leave her body. Fear of pain was as bad as pain, in my book.

"Alright," I said, "here's the down and dirty. Apparently my parents used to work for the Oddsmakers doing who knows what. I know that sounds bad, but hear me out." I took a deep breath. "My mom was a double agent. She was working with a group of shifters and other magickal beings to try to overthrow the Oddsmakers. And the thing is, I'm thinking of doing the same thing."

"You will die," Lev said, gravely.

"Great, thanks. Anyone else with an opinion a little less grim?"

Melanie clutched her hands together in front of her chest. "I don't like it. I don't like it at all, Anne! We saw what they did to Kleure. That could be you! Why would you want to make yourself their enemy?"

"
Because we saw what they did to Kleure,"
I bit out angrily. "I stood by and let it happen and I'm sick at myself for that. Who made the Oddsmakers the bosses? Who agreed to the rules or agreed that the Oddsmakers could enforce them however they see fit? There are no trials. They decide your guilt for their own reasons and that's it. I won't stand for that."

"No one has successfully stood up to them," Celestina stated calmly. "Ever. Not in all the decades since they've been here has anyone tried to stop them and made a difference. There's no question that you're powerful, Anne, but if even your mother, whose was full-blooded Chinese, couldn't do a thing to them, what makes you think that you can?"

"Because I know something that she didn't." It was a gamble, but I was willing to bet everything on this. "Vagasso is partnered with the Oddsmakers. I don't know why—" I added quickly when my friends gasped, "—but I'm confident that taking out Vagasso will throw a serious wrench in whatever the Oddsmakers are doing here. And Vale and Xaran believe that the bunch of them are working toward something. I believe it, too. Kleure mentioned as much before they killed him."

Celestina frowned. "Who is this Kleure you keep referring to?"

I explained everything that had happened since Melanie and I entered the Keyhole, with more detail than I'd shared with Vale. I heard him curse, whether at the events or my stupidity, I didn't know. Could have been both. The others absorbed the information in shocked silence.

"Who's to say that tomorrow that won't be you or Lev being turned inside out?" I challenged Celestina. I inclined my head at Xaran, who so far had not said a word. "They already tried to kill
him
. My mom was supposed to do the job."

"Before she could, I explained to her why I was in your city," Xaran cut in with his bone-rattlingly deep voice. "What I told her opened her eyes. We agreed to a secret partnership. Unfortunately, her failure to kill me might have been the Oddsmakers' first clue that she wasn't fully committed to their cause."

"The reason he says that, guys, is because three years later, Vagasso would murder my parents, and I believe it was with the blessing, if not outright command, of the Oddsmakers."

Melanie murmured unhappily. Even the normally unflappable Celestina looked stunned. It was a lot to soak in, I understood that. But I didn't need my friends to accept it all, just be aware of it.

"The Oddsmakers have already mentioned a couple of times that they want me for a mission. For some reason they're convinced they need someone who's descended from dragons. That means they trust me so far. I'll play that role just until I can get access to Vagasso. Then all bets are off. When that happens, you may need to scatter for a while."

"I'll do my best to protect you," Xaran chipped in. One corner of his mouth tipped up. "Looks are deceiving. I'm not only a gargoyle, I'm one with considerable influence."

"He's the heir to the Gargoyle Throne," I told my friends.

"And yet the Oddsmakers ordered Anne's mother to kill you. Doesn't sound like you have that much influence," Celestina pointed out archly. "Why do they want you dead, anyway? Why not Vale, too?"

"They want me dead because I've been active and vocal about overthrowing all demon rule, no matter where it occurs. My throne is one such place. Las Vegas is another."

This was news to me. "What are you saying, that the Oddsmakers are demons?"

"They're dark entities just as Vagasso is a dark entity. Are they actual demons? No one knows. No one has yet identified their powers or tested how far their reach is. I don't care about either of those things." Xaran brushed imaginary lint off one shoulder. "If there's a possibility they're demonic, I'll take them down. End of story."

"But what about your throne?" Melanie asked meekly. "Why haven't you already gotten rid of the demon who's sitting on it?"

He advanced on her, making her let out an 'eep!' and back away. Apparently realizing his effect on her, he held up both hands. "Sorry, little monkey. I wasn't trying to—" He frowned. "The demon imposter who sits on my family's throne sits there for the time being because it's only a puppet. It is commanded by someone else. Someone I am trying to get my hands on."

"Vagasso," I said, snapping my fingers. "That's why you're interested in Vegas."

"Taking him and the Oddsmakers down will help the entire city, not just our family," Vale protested.

I held up my hand. "I'm not accusing you of anything. I get it. I'd go wherever it took me, too, if I were in your shoes. It's just another reason for me to do this."

"This is speculation, though," Celestina warned. I was grateful that I could always count on her to play Devil's advocate when needed. "The Oddsmakers could be dark entities, sure. Or they could be antisocial sorcerers. Don't base this decision on assumptions, Anne."

"You're right. I wouldn't hunt them purely on the rumor that they might be dark. What I will hunt them for is their actions. I refuse to sit by while they level punishment on another magickal being in Vegas without a proper trial. I never signed up for a tyranny. None of us did."

"And why they not kill Vale?" Lev asked. He had sort of hunched up his shoulders, reminiscent of a wolf whose hackles had risen.

"I'm a problem for them," Vale replied. "They're aware that I'm with Anne, and they can't afford to alienate her. They want her. They need her."

"For what?" Melanie asked, grimacing as if she feared the answer.

"The mission," I said. I shrugged when my friends look at me questioningly. "I don't know either. Doesn't matter. For now, they think I'm some dumb loser at their beck and call. That buys me time to go after Vagasso. We need to break them apart, and he'll be the easier target."

"Anne, what about, you know, going full dragon?" Melanie nearly whispered the question. "Aren't you still afraid of that?"

To my surprise, I realized that that fear had not entered my mind at all once I'd learned of my mother's actions.

"No," I told Melanie, "I'm not afraid of that. If my mom didn't succumb to her dragon, I won't either."

"Good," Celestina huffed. I sent her a quick smile.

The room fell into silence. I was happy to give my friends all the time they needed to decide how much distance they wanted to put between me and them. Learning your friend might be the reason you were killed wasn't something you swallowed easily.

Finally, a small voice said, "What if we all just moved to L.A.?"

I slung an arm around Melanie's shoulders. "You can do that. We all could. Maybe you should, at least for a few weeks. That'd make me feel good that you're safe. But I can't go with you. Moonlight belongs to my family. The Oddsmakers took that family away from me. I'm staying, no matter what happens."

Celestina shared a look with Lev. He nodded tightly. "Wolf-boy says we're staying. I say if the Oddsmakers ruin Las Vegas, what's to stop them from expanding their reach to other cities? Running won't solve anything. You're right, Anne: they can't be allowed to continue what they're doing. If there's a way to help you, Lev and I are available."

"This could get you killed," I warned them sternly.

"So could driving to the post office. This makes for a better epitaph."

I wasn't surprised that Celestina and Lev weren't running away—she had a business that was doing well—but I was surprised by the offer of assistance. That took some guts.

Melanie curled her arm around my waist and sighed loudly. "It wouldn't be any fun driving the Todos Tortas truck in L.A. I've heard the traffic is horrible. I'm staying!"

"But you'll stay out of it," I insisted.

She shrugged with a mischievous grin. "Monkey see, monkey do. If you fight, I fight!"

"And if I die?"

She didn't back down. "We'll go down fighting together."

I nodded with reluctance. My throat had tightened up painfully.

"Since you can't be seen speaking with the shifters of Fremont, I'll go in your stead," Xaran said, thankfully taking up the slack. "It would be unwise to let any of them know that you're working with us. Information like that would fetch a high price from the Oddsmakers. So for now, I'll be the liaison between you and that faction."

"Call it the Rebellion," I said, after clearing my throat. "Make this all
Star Wars
so I'll have a theme song to hum while I'm fighting our evil overlords."

My friends gave me a pity laugh, mostly to break the tension. We'd all just agreed to possibly die fighting dark spirits that might or might not be demons from Hell. It was a heavy thing.

"We'll find ways to keep everyone updated as we go along," Vale said. "For now, everyone should get some sleep. Maybe you'll feel differently in the morning. There'll be no shame in that. We only wanted you to be aware of the danger, and give you the heads up to avoid it."

"I won't change my mind." Melanie gave my waist a squeeze.

"We no change either," Lev grunted, puffing out his chest. Celestina patted him approvingly on the shoulder.

"Then let's break this up," Vale said. "Moody and I need to discuss some things."

My friends filed out into the main gallery while Xaran lingered behind with Vale and me.

"We're going to succeed this time," he told us confidently. "Before, it was only your mother, with help from your father. I don't count the shifters because one of them likely squealed on her.
Your
friends will be useful."

"We're not using them." I gave him a good heaping of glare. "They're
helping
us. Big difference."

He waved off my nitpicking. "In the end, it will be the same. All that matters is that we win."

Win. Was that the correct word for what we were aiming for? A win? That sounded too inconsequential, like we were gearing up for a basketball game against a particularly vicious opponent. This was so much more than that. Freedom was what we were fighting for, and I didn't care if using that term made me sound corny. Freedom from bullies was enough to motivate me to do nearly anything.

"I'll come find you once I've spoken with the shifters—make that, the Rebellion—tomorrow tonight." Xaran smirked at the use of the name. "Until then, lay low, if that's possible."

I could hear Vale grinding his teeth before he spoke. "We'll be fine. Go do what you need to do."

It was clear that he couldn't be rid of his brother fast enough. I shared the feeling. Xaran was using me, even if our needs were aligned for the time being. It was a relief when it was finally just the two of us in that dark room with the spotlighted painting of a memory of revolution.

"Definitely need a theme song for this," I stated.

Vale brushed a lock of hair away from my cheek. "We need to go back to your place. I have a date with a rebel leader that I need to complete before sunrise."

"Consummate," I murmured, holding his gaze. "I think that's the word you're after."

His eyes blazed. "You're not wrong."

We bid Echinacious farewell for the time being. I had zero doubts that the goblin was trustworthy. He had a spark in him that made me think he'd fought his own battles back in the day. A defiant goblin after my own heart.