Free Heaven's Key (Demon Hunter Book 1) by Electa Graham Page B

Fortunately, I had a fall back amount of five hundred. Cole didn’t have to know about it. It was my treat for being so responsible with the rest of the money.
    The salesman left and it was just the lady in red and me. She won the next two hands. It was time for me to leave. This table was not being lucky. I stood up and she laid her manicured hand on mine and smiled. “Please don’t go. You seem to be my lucky charm.”
    “I need one of my own. If I stay, I’ll be broke.”
    “I’m sure your luck will change in the next few hands; that’s how the cards work. Let me buy you a drink.”
    The losses kept piling up, but the drinks kept arriving and by the fourth one, I was winning again, but I no longer cared. She became my good luck charm and I went from being broke to being up a thousand bucks. Between the drinks and the winnings, I was about as happy as I get.
    I didn’t notice my good luck charm had left the table. I was having too much fun winning. I promised myself I’d go find Cole the next time I lost a hand. Leaving now seemed foolish. When the time came, I rose and sat back down. Drinking on an empty stomach was not a good idea. I needed to get something to eat.
    Casinos don’t like you to know how long you’ve been giving them your money. Time could be strange when you were drinking; add concentrating on every hand, and I could have been there for two hours or ten. Whatever the time, I needed to sit for a bit more or I was going to get to make a fool of myself.
    My mind drifted to a million things and when it finally came back to what was in front of me, I was up over five thousand. The gambler in me wanted to stay, but my bladder screamed for me to leave. I took my chips and wandered over to find the bathrooms. Pee first, then I would go find Cole.
    The casino was almost deserted. It should have been packed by now. The people playing the slots all looked like the ones from earlier. My mind was fuzzy, but something was trying to break through. A tiny scratch at the back of my brain, but I couldn’t make sense of it. The happy relaxed feeling I felt when I entered was gone. Things felt wrong, but my brain wouldn’t work fast enough to figure it out.
    The bathroom looked empty, but something felt wrong. I braced myself in front of the mirror. The woman looking back looked crazy and out of control. My eyeliner was down around my cheeks and my lipstick was just a stain outlining my lips. I was a mess.
    Cursing myself for getting so drunk, I stumbled to a stall and locked myself in. That feeling of not being able to breathe was taking hold. I had fucked up. Fishing in my purse for my phone, I tried to call Cole, but I couldn’t focus to see the numbers. Maybe if I stayed in the stall until I sobered up, I’d be okay. Lifting my skirt, I took a quick pee. Some things could not be put off.
    I opened the door to see the lady in red staring at me. “Hello, Jael. You’re looking a little ragged. Maybe you should fix yourself up.”
    “How do you know my name?” I hadn’t told her my name. If this was trouble, I was so fucked. Standing was a struggle; fighting was not even in the realm of possibilities.
    “I’ve been asked to talk to you.” She stood there looking sweet, but she wasn’t human. How I didn’t realize it before I don’t know. I must have been too focused on the cards.
    “My partner is coming; whatever you want, you better go before he gets here.”
    The woman in red laughed. “Your partner is watching porn and jerking off. He’s pissed at you and you didn’t even notice.”
    “I noticed; I just didn’t do anything about it. What do you want with me?” I was willing myself to focus my mind and eyes and neither were responding.
    “We need to have a talk. Woman to woman.”
    She was blocking the exit. I slowly washed my hands, hoping something would happen so I could get away. The woman stared at me in the mirror. “What do you want from me?”
    “There are two ways we can handle