Page 48 of Crown of Death

And a drop of cold acid plunks in mystomach.

“What game?” I ask around a tightthroat.

He loops an arm over my shoulders and steers us to the doors. “You’llsee.”

I shrug him off as I step through, but immediately stopdead.

The interior of the resort is heartstopping.

The ceiling soars above us. It stretches probably seven floors high. Suspended from the ceiling are mirrors. Long, thin. Round. Jagged and half broken. Mirrors of every shape and form hang down from the ceiling, looking almost as if they’re suspended in mid-air.

And lights cut all around the space. Blue and purple lights bounce off the mirrors, casting light in every direction in a crazy lasergrid.

It looks like we stepped right into the middle of a science fiction spacebar.

It’sstunning.

Breathtaking.

“I’ll admit,” Cyrus breathes as we slowly walk inside, “as much as I dislike this city, the House of Valdez gives an impressivefront.”

Impressive doesn’t begin to coverit.

Everyone milling about inside, playing at the game tables, sitting at the bars, lounging on expensive and massively large black couches, looks alien-like. Their skin glows blue and purple. Their eyes seem too shiny and bright. Teeth glow and I’m searching for fangs but seenone.

“Are they all vampires?” I breathe as I follow the crew from the limo into the heart of thecasino.

“No,” Cyrus says, and I see his nostrils flare slightly as he takes in a deep breath. “Some, but not most. The casino functions as any other on The Strip, but it is the House that owns and runsit.”

“We occupy the top three floors of the building.” Edmond’s voice cuts through the crowd, and we suddenly stop at a wall that looks just like a big mirror. He places his hand on it and a beam of light flashes underneath it. “But the rest of the casino is just like any other. Though, if you pass out drunk here, you may wake up with a sore neck, and feeling slightlylightheaded.”

My stomach flips and my eyes slide to Cyrus’, searching for confirmation. He only gives a slightnod.

Cyrus said the point of this trip was to make the reality of his world real tome.

It’sworking.

The wall suddenly opens, revealing an enormous elevator. With Cyrus’ hand once more at the small of my back, we all step forward andinside.

The doors shut when Edmond presses abutton.

This is no normal elevator. We immediately shoot upward, at an insane speed. My knees buckle at the unexpectedthrust.

Instantly, Cyrus’ arm wraps around my waist, pulling me against him to keep meupright.

I meet his eyes for a long moment, and he stares atme.

Cyrus has a face you could get lost in for hours. The most powerful gaze you’d ever meet. Penetrating.Probing.

But I can feel a dozen more eyes watching us. And sure enough. I look around, and see every single person in this elevator looking at the two of us, almost expectantly. Perhapshopefully.

I don’t understand a single bit ofthat.

All too soon for how tall I know the building is, the elevator slows and then stops. The big doors slideopen.

And once more I’mstunned.

Enormous windows, with seemingly no walls to brace them, open up the view over thecity.