Five minutes later, everyone except Tiernan and Fiona were out the door. It didn’t take us long to get to the north side of Fremont Street to a place called the Neon Boneyard where hundreds of old signs have been arranged into an outdoor museum.
It’s afterhours, but the twenty-seven signs that were restored remain lit up at all times, glowing brightly against the night sky in a kaleidoscope of colors.
With Bryn close by his side, Caiden leads our little pack through the meandering paths with old signs of every size arranged on either side. A few times I notice his gaze snags on a particular relic, and his naturally stoic expression appears to almost soften, as though remembering the early days of his family’s empire.
I place my hand in Finn’s and let him lead me as I stare entranced at some of the most iconic signs in Vegas history. I want to stop and study them all, imagining what they looked like when they were new and lit up and think about the thousands of people they attracted to their establishments.
But we’re quite literally on a mission, and there’s no time right now to play the part of tourist.
“Here we are,” Caiden says, as we stop in front of the massive red Stardust sign with its space-agey letters lit up with thousands of bulbs. The Riviera sign above it is similar in design, and with the monolith that is the Hard Rock Cafe guitar off to the right, we’re awash in the glow of red and yellow neon.
Bryn presses her free hand into her lower back, which is probably feeling the strain from the short walk. “Wow, that’s amazing. Definitely ‘grand and staid.’ So what’s the hall of riches Moira mentioned?”
“It’s a secret underground casino, called Abhaile,” Caiden says.
A smile curves my lips. “Faerish for home.”
Caiden offers me a nod of respect. “That’s right. Our father opened it in 1908, just a few years after we established Vegas, as a gambling hall exclusive for Dark Fae. Then, when gambling was outlawed in 1910, he opened it up to all supernaturals.”
My brother’s eyes light up like a lightbulb turned on over his head. “Ah, I know this place. It was enjoyable when I had business here. But I lost much money playing roulette. That part I did not enjoy so much.”
“Now I remember,” I say, narrowing my eyes at him. “I never came with because I wouldn’t step foot in this city—no offense,” I add to Finn and his brother.
Finn winks. “None taken.”
Caiden frowns at Finn. “Some taken.”
“But you always came back with less money than what you made on your new deals. Pissed me the hell off,” I finish, crossing my arms.
“He wasn’t the only one. The odds were heavily in the house’s favor,” Caiden says. “Abhaile was how we made most of our money until they legalized gambling again in 1931. Then Dad shut it down, claiming it was too much of a hassle to keep it going with the rest of the city growing. Now, I wonder if he didn’t foresee the ban and planned the whole thing.”
Finn’s head snaps in his brother’s direction. “You think Dad was a seer?”
Caiden shrugs. “I’m not sure. Specialty powers typically run in family lines. Dad was an only child and alive when our people lived in Faerie, so I think it’s possible he had the sight and kept it secret since it didn’t pass down to us who were all born here.”
Connor snaps his fingers. “I always thought he knew too much. I just assumed he and our dad had spies everywhere.”
Finn shakes his head as though in disbelief. “At some point, I’m going to think back on my entire life for any clues Dad was psychic. But not until we get this spear and put Edevane down.”
Conall bumps fists with Finn. “Amen, brother. How do we get into the casino, CV?”
“I don’t know, exactly. None of this was here when it was running. I assumed the location for the museum was chosen to permanently cover up the evidence. I never thought there would still be a way in.”
I form a flame in the palm of my hand for extra light. “Then we’d better get looking.”
Everyone else turns on their phone flashlights and begins to pair off. Finn steps in close, speaking softly. “Why don’t you go with your brother. You haven’t had any time together since you got out.”
This male. He’s forever surprising me with how thoughtful and intuitive he is. It’s a good thing I have a tough exterior, because he turns my insides to mush every time that he says something sweet. Which is always.
“Thank you,” I say. He gives me a wink and heads off to join Caiden and Bryn as I turn toward Dmitri. “Where should we start?”
His scarred eyebrow arches high on his forehead as he crosses his arms over his chest. “Start with how you wanted my head for allying with your enemy only two days ago and now you are his little sun.”
I bite the inside of my cheek in an attempt to prevent the smile from forming, but I’m not very successful. “What do you want me to say? A lot has happened in two days. He’s…” Different from anyone I’ve ever met. Come to mean more to me than I can possibly express. Mine. “…unexpected,” I finish with, but I know my brother hears everything I didn’t say.
Dmitri takes it all in for several long seconds, then nods as though accepting the situation. “As long as you are happy, moy sever, I am also happy. For you both.”
Overcome with love for the vampire who has been my everything for almost five centuries, I step into his open arms and accept the tight embrace that says so much more than he would ever verbalize.
When the moment is over, we pull apart and get back to business searching for the secret entrance around the massive Stardust letters. More old signs, large and small, are stored behind it, which is where Dmitri and I start.
“Gods, this place is incredible,” I say in awe, shining my flame on a playing card that comes up to my chest.
“It is rather impressive.” He checks his fingers after touching it and scowls. “And dirty.”
Giving him a know-it-all smirk, I say, “Aren’t you glad you listened to me and changed out of your fancy suit?” My brother rarely dresses down but seeing him in Tiernan’s black joggers and black Smashing Pumpkins concert tee is a whole different level of casual for him.
Somehow his scowl deepens. “I look like a ridiculous college frat boy, not a powerful vampir pakhan. You are lucky I am glad to have you back or I would think of a suitable plan for revenge. Now search.”
“Okay, geez. Touchy, touchy,” I murmur with a grin.
as I pass my light over a letter N that’s almost twice my height. I’m about to keep going when something about the way the shadows shift on the faded blue shipping container it’s leaning against catches my eye. “Hold on, what’s this?”
Dmitri joins me and holds his phone’s flashlight over the area where I’m pointing, allowing me to extinguish my flame. Reaching up, I brush off the small area with my hand, creating a cloud of desert dust that makes us cough. When the air clears, we see it. Scratched into the paint on the side of the metal container are the letters A-B-H-A-I-L-E.
“Good work, sestra,” he says, then calls the others over.
Connor walks around the front of the shipping container, which is blocked by the giant letter. “If this is it, how the hell do we get in? We can’t move that thing even with all our supernatural strength.”