Read Online Trouble with Gargoyles: an Urban Fantasy (Moonlight Dragon Book 3) by Tricia Owens - Free Book Online Page B

canine shifters. Behind me, something huge and fast rushed up.
    My mouth opened into a roar. I felt my teeth elongate into fangs as pressure and heat built up in my chest. I uncurled my tongue to spray out fire—
    The world flipped. Gravity seemed to reverse, and I went flying into the air as a monster roared…
     
    ~~~~~
     
    I'd never been happier to be grabbed by the Oddsmakers. Once I recognized the twisted Sistine Chapel-like images above me, I rolled to my feet. Frightened chattering was my only warning before a little monkey leaped into my arms. I hugged Melanie close as I looked around the spooky, cavernous room.
    The unexplainable black curtains were there as usual, occasionally emitting puffs of black spores or poison or who knew what. The images on the ceiling above were still moving, still tearing each other to pieces in slow motion. What was new was Kleure, who crouched on the concrete floor like a terrified puppy, his head twisting back and forth as he tried to take in the madness of this place.
    "What happened? Wh-Where are we?" Kleure stuttered, his fear making his speech nearly indecipherable. The yellow canary had come with him and it huddled tight against his thick dog neck for protection.
    I opened my mouth to say something snarky but that creepy girl's voice beat me to it.
    "Welcome to the home of your enemy, Kleure of the Wood."
    He startled with a yip, leathery wings fluttering. Even the blue flame halo around his head seemed to dim in his terror as a humanoid shape stepped up behind one of the waving black curtains. I knew there was nothing physical behind the curtain, that it was only a weird illusion, but Kleure acted as I had, assuming that a being actually stood there and was speaking to him.
    "I'm important in the community," he said to the cloth-covered figure. "I'm important to Las Vegas. To the casinos. You can't—"
    "Dare you presume to tell us what we can and cannot do?"
    The maniacally sweet voice made Melanie's small body shiver in my arms and her tail latch tight around my wrist. I covered her protectively.
    "We oversee all beings within this city, Kleure of the Wood. Even those who refuse to be overseen. Even those who resist, and cannot be made to behave."
    I expected Kleure to continue cowering in light of such a statement, but to my amazement he did the opposite. He straightened and tipped his large, triangular head back. He spread his wings. If it were possible, he looked almost regal, like a supernatural dog king. Even the little canary stopped hiding and gave an angry, defiant chirp.
    "There will be others to overthrow you," Kleure snarled. His canines showed wetly and his eyes gleamed dangerously. "You haven't beaten down the denizens of this city. The more you attempt to suppress us, the stronger and more powerful we grow. You have your sheep—" he sent a glare my way that stiffened my spine, "—but you will never rule over all of us. You will never break us ."
    It was an admirable resistance, but for as much as I disliked the Oddsmakers, I didn't see the point of it. As Vale had once told me, it was wiser to pick your battles. Here, alone, Kleure couldn't win.
    "You think we are not aware," Kleure went on mysteriously, "but we are aware of what you're planning. You're not nearly half as clever as you think you are. It's only a matter of time before—"
    "Your threats bore and insult us."
    The Oddsmakers didn't sound intimidated at all, yet I was intrigued. What had Kleure meant when he'd said the Oddsmakers were planning something?
    I imagined I could hear Vale's voice in my head, warning me to stay out of it. But that only goaded me to pay more attention. No one was about to pat me on the head and tell me to keep quiet or not get involved. Not that Vale would ever dare, but the Oddsmakers might...
    "We have given you every opportunity to fall in line and preserve the good health and well-being of the magickal community in Las Vegas and yet you have consistently defied us.