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  CASINO RED

  Tales of the Magi Saga 4

  By

  Andrew Dobell

  By Andrew Dobell

  Booklist

  The Magi Saga – Urban Fantasy

  When Amanda discovers she’s a Magi after being attacked by a werewolf on the streets of NYC, she’s introduced to a magical society and drawn into a hidden war for the fate of mankind.

  Magi Dawn: The Magi Saga Book 1

  Magi Rising: The Magi Saga Book 2

  Magi Omen: The Magi Saga Book 3

  Magi Edge: The Magi Saga Book 4

  Magi Odyssey: The Magi Saga Book 5

  Magi Descent: The Magi Saga Book 6

  Wasteland Road Knights

  Liberation

  Exploration

  Tales of the Magi Saga

  The Angel of Tarut

  His Love

  Hack Imperfect

  Casino Red

  Uprising

  Pilgrimage

  A Thoroughly Modern Witch

  The New Prometheus - Cyberpunk

  When Frankie’s brain is transplanted into a Cybernetic body after being shot, she must go on the run from the mega-corporations who want her and her cyber-body’s designer dead.

  The New Prometheus

  The Prometheus Gambit

  The Prometheus Trap

  Prometheus Vengeance

  The Magi Saga Short Stories

  Only available through my mailing list;

  www.andrewdobellauthor.co.uk

  The Angel of Tarut: The Magi Saga Prologue

  His Love: A Magi Saga Short Story

  Anthologies I am part of:

  The Expanding Universe – Sci-Fi

  The Expanding Universe 3 – Sci-Fi

  For more of Andrew’s work, including Free Short Stories and Artwork visit my Website and Sign up to my Mailing List.

  www.andrewdobellauthor.co.uk

  About this book

  The events of this short story take place between books 2 (Magi Rising) and 3 (Magi Omen) of the Magi Saga.

  Would you leave me a Review???

  Thank you for taking the time to read my book. If you enjoyed it, please consider posting a short review on Amazon.

  Word of mouth is an author’s best friend and much appreciated.

  Thank you.

  Andrew Dobell.

  Casino Red

  New York

  ‘Don’t look so glum Mandy, we’ll have a great night tonight. Hey, play your cards right, and I might even let you sit on my face later,’ she whispered into Amanda’s ear. Maria stood behind her with her arms wrapped around her waist, and as she spoke she gave Amanda’s boobs a good squeeze for dramatic effect.

  ‘Hah!’ Amanda laughed out loud in mock outrage at her lover's rudeness, and suddenly all the bad memories that had been floating around her head were gone as Amanda shook her head in disbelief at what her lover had just said.

  Amanda stood before the full-length mirror in her bedroom and had been holding up the light and floaty red dress she had worn to the New York Ball a few weeks ago in front of her body. The dress had been a present from Maria who had wanted to surprise her.

  When she’d first seen it, and seen how see-through the material looked, she had felt a little nervous about wearing it, but the pretty embroidery on it covered up the essentials and the final look with the matching strappy high heels certainly looked heart stopping.

  After that initial trepidation, she had chosen to brave it and wore the outfit. In the end, it felt really empowering and something of a thrill to go without underwear in a dress that made it obvious you weren’t wearing any, to such a high profile event within the local Magi community.

  But the Ball had ended with a trip to Ultima Thule, home of the Magi Council on one of the moons of Saturn where she’d learnt a few things that had soured the end of the night for her and left her with some troubling memories from that night. Memories that had been attached to this dress as well, meaning that every time she saw it in her wardrobe, the thoughts, and feelings of that night came rushing back.

  But, Maria loved her in this dress and had been asking her to wear it again ever since that night. She’d avoided it, but Maria hadn’t relented and proceeded to make her an offer of a night out somewhere wonderful if she wore the dress again.

  In the end, Amanda had agreed and she’d stood there in her vest top and knickers holding the dress up before her with the memories of the New York Ball filling her mind once again as Maria walked over. She’d stepped in behind her, gently wrapped her arms around her waist, and whispered her naughty comment in her ear, causing Amanda to laugh out loud.

  She immediately felt better and turned to face Maria who had a very cheeky look on her face.

  ‘Thank you,’ she said, giving Maria a quick kiss and a playful pat on the butt as she walked off to finish getting ready herself.

  It was time to get dressed.

  ***

  Arm in arm with Maria, Amanda walked through the lobby of the Hotel Hermitage with its pristine white décor wearing her long Red Dress and feeling ready for a great night. Maria had Ported them over to Monte Carlo in Monaco in the south of France where she had booked a room for them. The Penthouse Suite no less with its wooden decked Terrace that looked over the bay and its endless rows of Yachts.

  She’d spent a good while stood there looking at those boats and thinking that she would love to have one one day. Not an unrealistic proposition to a Magi such as she, but it could wait for the time being.

  She’d checked herself in the mirror one last time before heading down to the lobby with Maria, pleased with how she looked. The dress hugged her body in just the right places while its slit up her right leg allowed it to flare out around her legs as she walked. She wore nothing beneath it once again and loved the feeling of freedom it gave her.

  She kept her hair loose, this time, letting it cascade over her back, its colour not dissimilar to the red of the dress and high heels that had straps up to her knee. They finished off the outfit perfectly and gave a satisfying click on the polished marble floor in the hotel lobby as she walked through it with Maria.

  Maria wore a figure-hugging white dress that displayed her curves and figure as she moved, her dark wavy hair standing in stark contrast to the white of her dress.

  ‘This place is stunning Maria, where are you taking me?’

  ‘You’ll see, we’ll have a good night I’m sure. I want you to enjoy yourself, let your hair down and have some fun. Things have been way too serious recently and I think you need to relax a bit.’

  Amanda smiled at Maria, a feeling of love and protection filling her up and making her feel happy and excited at what the night might bring.

  They stepped outside the front entrance and Maria passed the valet a ticket.

  ‘We have a car?’ Amanda remarked.

  ‘Of course, only the best for you tonight. But this isn’t just any car.’

  The roar of the high-performance engine that assaulted her ears at that moment immediately made Amanda turn her head to look at the car that eased down to park before them. The vehicle looked like something from the future with its dark grey carbon fibre bodywork with bright red trim and some crazy styling.

  ‘Holy shit,’ Amanda whispered under her breath. ‘This is for us?’

  ‘Indeed it is,’ Maria said with a smile.

  ‘What the hell is it?’

  ‘A Lamborghini Centenario, and it’s a work of art, don’t you think?’

  ‘It’s, wow, it's fecking awesome so it is.’

  ‘Then please, get in,’ Maria said, motioning towards the passenger door.

  Getting into the car in high heels in her somewhat revealing dress proved to be a slight challenge, but with a
bit of help from the valet, she soon found herself sat in the futuristic car that looked like the inside of some kind of starship. She couldn’t help but run her fingers over the carbon fibre and leather interior and marvel at the lights on the dash. She had never been inside of anything even remotely like this.

  Maria lowered herself into the driver’s seat and tipped the valet generously before closing the door on the coupe supercar, shutting out the street noise outside.

  ‘Shall we?’ Maria asked.

  ‘We shall,’ Amanda answered, unable to stifle the grin that had spread across her face. Seconds later, they pulled away from the hotel and out into the streets of Monaco.

  ‘Where are we headed?’ Amanda asked.

  ‘All in due time, I thought we’d enjoy this car a bit before we reach our destination. Monaco is quite small, so I think we’ll have a drive first. Sound good?

  ‘Absolutely,’ Amanda said.

  Maria guided them out of the city, through the Monaco tunnel and onto a nearby highway where Maria proceeded to break the speed limit and give Amanda a few scary moments showing off the ludicrous acceleration of the car.

  Amanda could see Maria’s Magic at work, keeping the lane they used clear and their car unnoticed by the authorities and the cameras. The whole ride thrilled Amanda and reminded her of the power of her motorbike. She’d ridden motorbikes for a while and loved the sensation of speed she got from them but had always dismissed cars as being unable to deliver the same thrills. But as they navigated back into Monaco, Amanda knew she now stood corrected.

  A short time later they pulled up outside an ornate sandy coloured building with two squat towers on top that faced onto a busy square with people going about their evening. A few other fancy cars were parked beside them, so Amanda looked up and saw written on the front of the covered entrance, Monte Carlo Casino. Amanda raised her eyebrows in mild surprise and considered it for a moment.

  She had not suspected this, but, it certainly fit with everything else Maria had done for her so far. The sumptuous hotel, the flash car, and now this, a prestigious casino. The whole thing felt like some kind of James Bond film. Amanda smiled, money wasn’t an issue for her and her Magic, so this could be fun.

  ‘A casino.’ Amanda stated.

  ‘Not just any casino, but the casino I think you’ll find,’ she said with emphasis.

  ‘Of course, I’d expect nothing less,’ she said, smiling.

  The doorman to the Casino stepped forward and helped each of them out the car in turn as curious members of the public looked on, staring at the rare car they had just driven here.

  After her lover had spoken with the valet, Amanda took Maria’s arm and walked towards the entrance of the building where the doorman met them once again and held the door open for them.

  ‘I’m guessing you have never been here before?’ Maria asked.

  ‘No, I’ve not had the pleasure,’ Amanda answered as she took in the stunning interior décor. The place looked more like a palace than a casino with its marble columns and polished floor, and this was just the Atrium. She stood in the middle of the huge room with the smooth stone columns holding up the first-floor balcony above. Wooden doors carved into decorative shapes lined the far wall while to her left the sights and sounds of people on slot machines and having a fun evening could be clearly heard.

  Maria went to speak with the lady at the front desk and gain them entry before returning to her side. They walked slowly towards the noise of the slot machines.

  ‘Now, don’t be surprised if you feel some Magic going on in here or sense other Magi or Scions, this place is a bit of a magnet for the supernatural,’ Maria said.

  ‘I can imagine, what with all the money and influential people from around the world coming here to spend their money.’

  ‘Absolutely, but we’re here for a fun night, as are most of the other Magi here, Nomad or not. I believe the Arcanum has a few people here, monitoring things to make sure the Nomads don’t get out of hand and start ripping people off.’

  ‘Really? Wow, that’s proactive of them.’

  ‘That’s only what I’ve heard, the Arcanum don’t exactly broadcast their operations. Anyway, let’s not talk shop all night, we’re here to have some fun, right?’

  ‘Right!’ Amanda said as they moved further into the Casino.

  Entering the first room through a large doorway, they found themselves enveloped by the sights and sounds of people having fun and spending money. To their left were the first few banks of slot machines and the people playing them, while to their right, a money exchange table swapped people's cash for the brightly coloured tokens or chips that you always used in a casino to stop you thinking you were actually spending money.

  Maria went to get them some chips and motioned that Amanda should go and have a look around.

  A huge archway led into the next room, bigger than the first with even more machines and people putting money into these games of chance like it was going out of fashion.

  As Amanda walked over the blue and gold carpet she could already sense Magic at work here and the presence of other Magi. But the feelings were fleeting as the workers of the Magic did their best to hide their presence. The room had this strange juxtaposition of the modern games of chance standing in stark contrast to the gold and marble décor, the vaulted ceiling with its glittering chandeliers and the exquisite renaissance paintings that adorned the walls, and yet, it worked. The common theme here obviously being money, and it served to tie the whole thing together in a curious kind of way.

  Spotting the bar, Amanda walked over and slid her bum onto one of the cushioned chairs and caught the waiters notice to order some drinks while she looked across the sea of faces amidst the glowing lights of the slots. The dress code in here was strict, with all the men wearing jackets at this time of night and no sandals or flip flops allowed. Amongst the gamblers and curious tourists, Casino security walked the floor, watching the throng of people for any transgressions or people trying to cheat the system. She felt sure there were other Magi in here, not that she could spot any right now. Maybe they’d make themselves known later.

  By the time Maria returned, two glasses of champagne sat on the black mirror shine surface of the bar. Maria handed over Amanda’s share of the chips and picked up her glass.

  ‘A toast, to a night of fun with friends,’ she said.

  ‘I’ll drink to that so I will,’ Amanda said, and sipped her drink after a clink of their glass flutes.

  ‘So, what do you fancy? The Machines or do you want to have a look at the Roulette, and card games?’

  Amanda glanced at the machines she sat near. They were strangely alluring with their blinking lights and promise of winning the jackpot, but they also seemed to her like the game for the gullible and felt they were more based on pure chance than something like Blackjack or Poker that appeared to have more skill attached to it.

  ‘Let’s go through to the card games and roulette, they appeal to me more than these do,’ she said, indicating the slots.

  ‘Sounds good,’ Maria said and fell into step beside Amanda as she walked through to the next room where a number of tables covered in green velvet stood on the red and gold carpet in this room. A few crowds of people stood or sat at a number of these gaming tables, playing or watching others play the games. Amanda walked over to a nearby Blackjack table with a few spare seats and motioned to the croupier in a questioning manner, asking if she could sit. The man nodded and she quietly slid onto the seat doing her best not to disturb the other players who were mid game.

  As the current round of the game came to an end, she found herself dealt into the next round with two cards placed in front of her. The aim of the game was to get as close to twenty-one based on the value of your cards without going over. You played against the house and the side with the highest hand won. It took a few rounds to get the hang of it, but she soon found her stride and with a bit of friendly banter going around the table, she found herself g
rinning from ear to ear and having a great time. Maria stood behind her and offered support and advice as she played.

  She could have cheated, using her Magic to swing the game in her favour, but where would the fun be in that. As usual, Amanda had her Aegis up and fully fuelled to keep herself protected, but she also had a dampening effect cast upon herself, hiding her Magical nature from any who might be looking for a Magi such as she.

  All Magi had a kind of Magical sight that allowed them to actually see Essentia, Magical energy, which meant they could also see its use as well. When you used this sight to look upon a Magus, their enhanced connection to Essentia showed up as a glow, in and around them, and their Aegis appeared as a kind of semi-transparent bubble that surrounded them.

  Essentia always appeared to be in motion naturally, like a lazy mist in the air that didn’t move too much, but never appeared static.

  Essentia also fuelled life, and when looked upon you could see the Essentia being both sucked into and expelled out of a living being in a gentle manner. Magic had a similar effect but in a much more violent way. Magic caused the otherwise lazy glittering mist to surge and whip about in gusts and eddies of varying power depending on the strength of the Magic used.

  But a Magi’s control over Essentia could also be used to calm that effect. They could dissipate the Essentia, make it calm again and hide their Magic’s effect on it. This took time and concentration and could not be easily done quickly or when you were under pressure, such as during a fight, but Amanda was under no such pressures here, so she could easily dampen her effect on the Essentia around her, and by adding in an element of Illusion, a Glamour effect, Amanda and Maria could both appear as mere mortals to any other Magi in this building.

  In addition to the cameras placed throughout the room, trained on the tables and the people playing the games, Amanda suspected there would be others, either Magi or Initiated walking through the room, looking to see who else might be here and if any of them were using Magic.