Working Class Vegas Vamp is a free urban fantasy serial, usually publishing on Tuesdays. It is unedited and subject to change. If published later, it may differ significantly, and will probably include additional material. Typos and English errors are likely; feel free to leave a comment or write me at am {AT} amscottwrites.com (revised as a standard email address. Pesky bots!) Available for a limited time only!

Haven’t started yet? Chapter 1: https://www.amscottwrites.com/2024/10/29/working-class-vegas-vamp-chapter-1/ ‎

Chapter 24

I frowned at Mattias. “I swear to harm none unless they attack me first. I agree to mutual defense of the sanctuary, but I will not protect a criminal from prosecution.”

Mattias scowled back. “You do not know us, so I will let the insults go. So agreed.” He turned and walked away.

I followed. “I didn’t intend insult, only precision. Every species with intelligence and free will has those who flout the law.” I matched Mattias’s slightly formal speech.

“Gargoyles don’t have free will. We cannot last long on this world without magic, so we are bound at a young age. For us to become criminals, we must break from the magic. Then we die.”

I trotted downhill beside him, the tunnel big enough for two semi-trucks side by side and just as tall. “You aren’t native to our planet?”

“No.” He shook his head. “We come from another plane. Physically, our world was very different from this one, but we have much in common. We abused the abundance we were given until there was nothing left. We ruined our planet and all the others in our system. Our researchers found a way to leave, but to power the gate, we had to blow up our sun. Since we had nothing left to stay for, we did just that. We created a passage, but left a hole in our souls.” He stopped and moved to the side of the empty tunnel. “Then, the magic on this side of our gate caught us completely by surprise. We were scientists. It took many years of study and experimentation before we found a way to thrive here. If we don’t bind to the magic, we slowly turn to rock and crumble to dust. Exposure to sunlight, including the reflection of the sun on the moon, hastens that death.”

Interesting that he was sharing so much about his species without asking anything in return. And while magically binding your people might be a survival tactic, there was always a way to get around the rules. I’d remain cautious, and start with simple questions. “I’m guessing the appearance of gargoyles on gothic structures wasn’t an accident?” I wasn’t sure of the timelines, but many medieval cathedrals bore the winged forms as waterspouts or decorations.

Mattias huffed with a small smile. “Gothic structures were built at the time we were figuring out how to survive here. Our young flew the skies, spying on the scientists, priests and magicians of the time. What we found, however, was the vampires and weres. They understood the magic better than the humans, because they too depend on it. But not in the same way we do.” He moved away from the wall and continued downward.

“Thanks for telling me that. I’m kind of surprised you did.” The tunnel remained a gigantic hole in the earth, with smooth rock walls, a slightly sandy floor, and bright overhead lights. I wondered how far down we’d go before it changed.

“We learned the basics of magic from the vampires. If you had stayed in Theoden’s tower, I suspect you would have been taught eventually.” He held up one hand. “Not that I blame you for leaving. I realize conditions there were far from ideal. Quite frankly, we will do a better job of teaching you. We approach magic as scientists, so we understand the rules and limitations. We also understand that our lack of self-control led to the destruction of our planet and solar system. When bound ourselves to the magic, we also promised to protect this planet’s resources.”

I smirked. “Which allow you to continue living.”

Mattias nodded. “Enlightened self-interest. We are dismayed by the rapid changes of the last century but hope that we can help control the damage. If not, we can create another gate, but we don’t want to leave another destroyed system behind us, especially when we may not survive the next destination.” He shrugged. “We might not survive the destruction of this sun, depending on what it does to the magic.”

His use of “we” made me assume he was speaking of gargoyle survival only. “I’m guessing none of us Earthlings would survive your gates?”

He shook his head. “Unlikely. The forces during transition are extreme. You might come up with a transport enclosure, but you’d probably have to create one for each person, and there aren’t enough resources on the planet for that. But that doesn’t matter, because we’re staying. We will protect the magic.”

“Understood.” I’d have to find out the lengths they would go to and what they considered a crime. Near the end of the tunnel, massive, airplane hangar doors blocked our way. We strode to a smaller opening at the left side. Sliding doors whooshed aside as we neared, and we entered a much smaller tunnel, exiting through another set of sliding doors twenty feet later.

The other side, a football-field sized cavern, was an entirely different world. Unlike the plain rock parking structure, the walls of this cave bore beautiful, elaborate carvings, enhanced with swirls of color. Green plants surrounded fantastical water features along each side of the massive space. Mattias tugged my arm, moving me away from the doorway where I’d stopped to gape. “Wow. This is gorgeous.”

And overwhelming. A row of gorgeous, stately buildings were carved into the cavern’s rock wall on the far side. Graceful balconies decorated the upper stories, and the floor level had open patios, with doors at the back. A walkway meandered in front of the houses, fountains and containers of plants lining it. Our side of the cavern held similar carvings, but these seemed to be businesses, not living spaces. The cavern’s ceiling was light blue, with white, fluffy clouds, and a huge light suspended in the center; smaller lights dotted the space surrounding the center. Equally large fans turned slowly above the suspended lights, creating a light breeze.  People walked in and out of the houses and businesses, some carrying bags. They all appeared male.

I turned to Mattias. “Do you live here?”

He nodded. “Yes, although I share a residence in Las Vegas, too.” He swept his arm in front of his body, indicating the cavern. “Outer Shield residents interact with the world often. We are also Council Shield’s first line of defense, if the automated defenses are defeated.” He pointed at the far end of the cavern. “You see the other set of hangar doors down there? Those lead to the next community, called Inner Shield. The residents don’t travel as often to the surface but still need access. Many of them work remotely. Beyond that are more communities, and finally, the Council chambers.” Curling his fingertips, he beckoned me to follow, and we crossed the cavern.

Small kiosks and carts stood in neat rows at the far end of the cave, selling clothing, sunglasses, games and oddly, rocks, gemstones, and precious metals. Although I could only see about thirty people, all in male human form, the gravely sound of gargoyle voices rumbled like heavy snowmelt in a mountain stream.

He led me to the third house in the row, carved in a style that reminded me of Petra, Jordan, where they filmed the exterior of the holy grail scenes in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. He pointed at the stone benches to our left and right. “These are our human accommodations. Please wait here while I make sure your quarters are ready.”

The entry lounge was ten feet square, and the walls were carved in gorgeous Moorish patterns. Tiny, bright colored mosaic tiles lightened the heaviness of the rock. The floor was the same slightly sandy rock as the outer cavern. Large planters held flowering plants, adding more color to the space. Water features tinkled, providing a high note to the rumble of gargoyle voices, and adding moisture to the dry, desert air.

After exploring the small space, I was about to sit when Mattias reappeared. He crooked the fingers on one hand in a beckoning motion. “Come. I’ll show you to your room. You can leave your backpack there. Then I will take you to the Council.”

I followed Mattias through the door, entering a tall, wide hallway with evenly spaced, decorated doors blending with more beautiful wall mosaics. The third door on the right, the last in the row, was open. We turned into a room about ten feet square, the walls covered in restful shades of green and blue mosaic tile. A full-size bed with a forest green cover took up one corner, a lounge chair in a deep brown next to it, and a door opened to a small, human-standard bathroom on my left. I dropped my bag at the end of the bed. “Perfect, thank you.”

“You are welcome.” He pointed at the entry door. “Note the door seals, ensuring no light can penetrate, even underground. Also note there are no emergency escapes. If you cannot get through the door, we recommend remaining in the bathroom until you are rescued. Earthquakes are rare, but the bathroom ceilings are reinforced to withstand even major quakes.”

I nodded. “Understood. Let me use the facilities, and I’ll be right with you.” The idea of being trapped under so much rock was a bit terrifying, but I assumed that a species that could carve rock so beautifully could also cut through it quickly.

Mattias withdrew, closing the sealed door behind him. I entered the bathroom, used the toilet, and washed my face and hands. I was rather casually dressed to meet important people, but better the motorcycle leathers than sweatpants and a t-shirt. I considered the prophecy, still in my inner jacket pocket, but got nothing back from it. I left, finding Mattias in the entryway lounge.

He led me along the gently curving walkway in front of the houses. Men standing around small, high tables in the center of the cavern rumbled what I assumed were greetings in the grinding gargoyle language. I didn’t see any women, but I wasn’t sure gargoyles had genders, and I had no idea if it was rude to ask. But I could always plead ignorance. “Hey, Mattias, I don’t want to offend you, but I’m assuming human forms aren’t your natural form, right?”

He shook his head. “No, they aren’t. Our natural forms aren’t possible on this planet, unless we risk volcano diving. The human form is comfortable enough most of the time, and it takes effort to change.” He shrugged. “We can easily add wings for gliding, or four legs for running, or other attributes. But much like the weres, we change shape when threatened. That’s where the monsters perched on churches come from. It’s easier to change form when you’re young, so the watchers were probably too immature for the job.” He sniffed. “Like me. I’ve learned better survival techniques since then.”

We stopped in front of the smaller door at the end of the cavern. Mattias turned towards me. “Please ensure your shields are secure. As we get closer to the Council chambers, we’ll pass through areas with younger members. We must protect them from outside influences, especially emotions. That which you carry holds much anger.”

The prophecy had been eerily silent since entering the cavern, but I agreed. My shield seemed solid, but I ran through the building process the book had taught me, ensuring every panel was tight, and the structure fed by a tiny trickle of power from below me. “Okay. I think I’m ready.”

Mattias scanned me from my head to my toes. “Agreed. If you need to stop to reinforce the shield, please do so.”

“Because I’m new to this, or you expect me to be shocked?”

He snorted. “Eventually, both. You’ve done well for an untrained practitioner, but be on guard.” He walked to the door and it slid aside, revealing another tunnel curving to the left, away from the main hangar doors. As we walked, the tunnel curved back to the right, forming a semicircle.

The sliding door on the far end opened into a cavern similar to Outer Shield. It was the same size, and had the same lighting and fans, but with houses on both sides, all of them elaborately decorated. Even the walkways were tiled with colorful patterns. The main cavern floor was separated into areas by delicate, carved rock screens. Closest to me, men played a ball game that looked similar to baseball or cricket. Beyond that, more men stood around high tables, playing games with rectangular tokens like dominos or mah jong. The gargoyles varied in height from a little shorter than me, to about eight feet tall with shoulders that were too wide and legs too short to be human.

Mattias continued along a walkway tiled in swirling patterns of yellow, changing gradually to orange, then red. Looking ahead, the end was purple—the colors of the rainbow. Were all the women in houses? Or did they have women? “Everyone out here mimics the male form. Is there a reason?”

He grimaced. “Yes, we all take the male form. First, because males are traditionally leaders in your world. It’s an outward appearance and has nothing to do with procreation or our thought processes. We can look female just as easily, but conservation of mass is a law of physics. As females, our size makes us stand out even more.”

“I can understand that.” All these large men didn’t make me particularly comfortable, even though the numbers were low for such a large space. I’d guess there were maybe a hundred or so people in this cavern.

He slowed slightly. “I’m sorry if it makes you uncomfortable. I intellectually understand why, although I can never fully sympathize. There is little on this planet that can physically threaten us.”

I looked at my small hands. “I certainly can’t.”

Mattias stopped and turned towards me. “Not right now. But when you master the magic, you could be a real threat. I warn you now—do not lie to the Council. Even a partial truth is dangerous.” He sighed. “I like you, so I’ll tell you this as well. If necessary, speed is your greatest asset. Use your magic and run.”

I forced a chuckle. “That’s my favorite tactic. Fast feet for survival.” But his warning made this journey to the center of the earth seem even more perilous.

He nodded, then turned and continued. “Exactly.”

I trod the path next to him, watching the shifting colors below my feet and the matching change on the carved walls of the cavern. At the end, another set of hangar doors blocked the way, with the same sliding doors to a side passage.

Mattias stopped again, scanning me. “Are your shields holding?”

I checked; they appeared solid. “Yes.”

“I hope so.” With that ominous sentence, Mattias turned and passed through the sliding doors.

Swallowing hard, I followed.

***To be continued***

Working Class Vegas Vamp Copyright © 2024 by AM Scott. All Rights Reserved.

Cover by Achlys Book Cover Designs