Word Count: 1329
"We'll have security present there, there, and there," Celine said, pointing to exits as she and Fate paced across the plush red carpeting of the casino floor. "
"Overall we're increasing the force by fifty percent on the floor." She entered a code into the keypad next to a locked door and pushed it open. It led them down a set of marble stairs.
"What about in here?" Fate asked, as they approached the high security vault.
The guards flanking each side of the door touched their hats, greeting Fate and Celine as they passed.
"In here we're doubling security," Celine said, crisply. She raised her dark eyebrows. "Can't be too careful with twenty-five million."
Fate smiled. They'd reached the vault and Celine turned to look at him, her shiny black bob swinging above her shoulders as she turned.
"And what are you adding?" she asked.
"There's already a protection spell in place, but I'll fortify it."
Celine nodded. She was the only one at The Fates Casino who knew what Fate was. He had wondered at first if he could trust her. It had been a risk to tell her—it was a risk to tell anyone—but he'd been right. It was a nice to have someone to talk to, to speak openly, something he had not been able to do since leaving the Immortal realm.
"What does it do?" she asked. "The spell?"
Fate looked at the door of the vault. It was heavy, ten inches thick. On the outside there was a keypad for the twelve-digit code, as well as a pad for fingerprint detection and a retinal scan. "It's a ward to keep mortals from entering the safe."
"What about the Immortals?" Celine asked.
He smiled. "It doesn't prevent them from entering it, but it does stop them from leaving it."
She raised a perfect eyebrow. "Better than any security system I know."
"Let us hope so," Fate said, quietly. They headed back up the stairs toward the casino.
"Are there any other Immortals who live in the mortal realm?" Celine asked, her black Louboutins clicking against the marble steps.
Fate passed a hand across the stubble on his jaw.
"As far as I can see, I'm the only one who lives here full-time, though others pass through."
"Any reason to believe we'll be seeing any around?"
"You never know. You can't be too careful, can you?" he said. "Not when it comes to protecting what's mine."
***
Lucky snapped her gum. She always did that just before she made a big move. It was her tell, but it hadn't slowed her down.
She eyed the pile of chips in front of her, then pushed it into the middle of the table.
A hush fell over the Atlantic City crowd. One of the old men at her Texas Hold'em table gave a low whistle. There were four, all wearing shorts and white sneakers and polo shirts, indistinguishable to Lucky. Ninety-nine out of a hundred Atlantic City poker players were old men in white sneakers. After a while, she had just stopped paying attention.
Lucky tucked a light brown curl behind her ear and did some quick math. She glanced down at her cards. If she won—and she thought she might—she'd have a chance. Added to the money she had saved, she just might have enough.
Three of the men folded with visible disgust. The last old man standing asked for two cards. He pushed his chips into the center and threw down his cards.
YOU ARE READING
Fate
Werewolf*First title in the Immortal Series* "He's the one they tell you never to make a deal with." After her parents agreed to give her to the infamous immortal, Fate, once she reached a certain age, Zayla has accepted her life as over. But not without a...
