This place was huge. I’d been in here a million times, but its wow factor still got me every time. The floor was carpet, but it looked like something a royal would have in their mansion. Red, deep browns, and golds created a mosaic of shapes and lines. A huge circular light hung in the center of the open space. It looked low to me, but no one else seemed to mind. There were no windows, same as every other casino I’d been in, and low music filtered through the air. Girls dressed in short white dresses, carrying trays of drinks, were everywhere.
My eyes followed one with dark hair as she strutted past us. Her legs were amazing.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Hardy said, drawing my attention back to him. He swung around to lock eyes with me. “You are a genie.”
I flashed him a smile. “That I am. Care to make a second wish?”
“Let me think on that one.” He shifted back to the machine and pushed a few buttons. “I’ve got loads of money to play with tonight!”
The machine made a noise and then spit out a stack of twenties. Hardy waved it at me, his smile huge, and then made his way to the line forming at the cashier station. He was about to cash in on some chips and have a little fun.
Awesome. I’d be here all night, waiting on him to come down from the high of gaining so much money at once and make his second wish. It would take at least two hours, maybe three, for this to happen. I called it shiny object syndrome.
As the line to the cashier moved forward, I slipped away, heading back to the entrance. Once I was outside again, I stood on the busy sidewalk, inhaling the night air and listening to the hustle of the city. This place was always the same. While the faces passing by might change, the chaotic energy of Sin City always remained the same. It was something I’d loved about this city when I was still human.
I’d come to Vegas frequently with my college buddies. We were loaded, arrogant, and ready to party. The city seemed chaotic to me then, too, but in a much different way. It fueled me then instead of draining me like now.
Maybe I’d granted too many wishes. Maybe I’d grown up while being frozen at twenty-two, thanks to my gig as a genie. Whatever the reason, this city wasn’t as awesome as it used to be. Not to me.
With a sigh, I made a right outside the entrance to the casino and started walking. I wouldn’t go far. Hell, I couldn’t. I wasn’t allowed to roam freely. I was always within a certain distance of my Charge when free of my lamp. Besides, the instant he thought about me, I’d feel that awful tugging sensation again and blink to be standing in front of him once more.
I shoved my hands in my pockets as I strolled down the sidewalk, walking past drunken fools I envied and hookers who talked their game, trying to get me to stop and strike a deal. It was the suit. It called to them like a moth to a flame. Money, that’s what it represented to them. They probably didn’t even see my handsome face. My gaze drifted to the night sky as I ignored the next cluster of hookers. No stars. That was one of the many things I hated about this city, the lights were so bright you couldn’t see the damn stars. Not a single one. However, the moon was still visible, and tonight it was full. My feet faltered as I continued to stare. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d noticed a full moon.
Were they always so luminous? Did they always look so low?
I couldn’t pull my eyes away from it. There was something hypnotic about it, something that called to me. A beam of light streaming from it caught my attention. My brows pinched together as I continued to stare. Someone bumped into me from behind, jostling me just enough to pull my gaze from the moon. A girl had darted from the place behind me to the curb. She hunched over and puked the entire contents of her stomach onto the street. I shook my head and continued further down the sidewalk, some people just couldn’t hold their alcohol.
When I knew I was about to hit my limit on how far I could go from Hardy, I leaned against the nearest building and closed my eyes, soaking in the sounds of the city and the feeling of space.
The undeniable sensation someone was staring at me rippled across my skin. I opened my eyes to find the source. It was a brunette woman standing a few feet away. There were two others with her. They all showed so much skin they might as well be in their bathing suits and some heels. While I didn’t mind the sight, especially of the brunette, unfortunately lust was not the Sin Demon who ruled over me.
Although, my life would be a hell of a lot more fun if that were the case…
The brunette licked her lips and then took another drag from her cigarette. I allowed my eyes to trail over the length of her, soaking in every piece of skin visible because I knew that’s what she wanted. Hookers craved attention. Their bodies were how they made money after all. Why not put it on display for all to see? At least you were seeing what you were buying.
“Why don’t you come on over here and take a closer look?” She called out to me. Her voice was sweet, like honey. Areas of me that had been long since neglected by the feel of a woman sprang to life. “Come on, sugar.” She crooked her finger at me. “I can grant your every wish.”
“Doubtful.” I laughed, before turning to head back to the casino and see if my Charge was ready to make his second wish yet.
“Asshole!” She shouted after me.
Her enthusiasm behind the word only made me smile wider. I’d been called worse by women before. There were many hearts I’d broken in my human days. Hell, even my mother had called me worse names than that when she was three glasses into her latest bottle of red and high as a kite off Xanax.
Even though it was sad to think of it this way, I often thought of those days—even the ones with my mom—as the good old days. My gaze drifted back to the moon while I walked. A bright light strayed from it, grabbing hold of my attention and causing my feet to falter. Something looked as though it floated in the light beam. Whatever it was, it was small. A scrap of paper maybe? It drifted through the air, falling toward me. I held out my hand, and the silvery slip landed in my palm. Words were written across it.
The Monster Ball
My lips quirked into a smile. Monster Ball? What the hell was a monster ball? There was more writing on the back when I flipped the piece of paper over.
Just as the moon has brought me to you,
So shall the moon bring you to the ball.
All Hallows Eve.
The witching hour.
Well, this was interesting. A Halloween party for monsters? Wait. Was it even close to Halloween? I’d never been able to keep up with the calendar year while inside my lamp. What was the point anyway? It wasn’t like I could take holidays off.
I glanced around, searching for signs of Halloween. They were everywhere—on advertisements and in the windows of stores. My eyes fell to the piece of paper again, and I read it for a second time. “Monster Ball by moonlight, I wish…” I scoffed before cramming the paper into my pocket and heading inside to find Hardy.
Chapter Three
Hardy was at a blackjack table when I found him again. His face was redder than before, but I didn’t think it was because of the heat or his size, I thought it was from the alcohol swimming in his veins. There was a nearly empty glass beside him. I was positive the amber liquid inside was scotch. The same redhead from the picture I had of him was at his side. Was she someone he knew personally, or was she part of the game this place had running to keep guys like him spending their money?