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This is a standalone fantasy romance with an HEA, part of the Forgotten Kingdoms, a series of standalone fantasy romances that can be read in ANY order. 🦕 second chance romance ✨ dino friends 🐍 never giving up 🔮 curses galore 🦕 reclaiming memories ✨ soul mates 🐍 fated mates 🔮 shifters 🦕 power of love ✨ touch her & 💀 🦕✨🐍🔮🦕✨🐍🔮🦕✨🐍🔮 There had never been a point in my life when things felt…right. Now here I was in Vegas, with bright lights, chaotic chatter, and a horrible pit in my stomach. Something bad was going to happen. Oh, enough of that. I massaged my temples with the tips of my fingers. Nothing bad was going to happen. Evera, one of my few friends who kept in touch from time to time, had called to say she was in Vegas and had a hunch I might be there too since I often headed west in the autumn. Sure enough, she'd been right, so we’d agreed to get drinks at a party in a bar called The Portal. Nothing bad was going to happen. Not even if this hotel lobby threatened to overwhelm my senses. Was I even in the right place? Intricate mosaic tiles adorned the floor, and warm light flowed from the glittering crystal chandeliers. A pianist in a suit sat on a red velvet bench, swaying in time to the music as his fingers danced across the keys in a soothing yet sophisticated song that was sharply at odds with the hustling hum of guests and ringing bells of gambling games farther away. Taking a deep breath, I noted so many scents: polished leather, magnolias and rum, woodsy cigars, lily of the valley and freesia, rosemary and cucumber water, fresh bread, rich dark wines, and amber whiskeys. So much, all clawing for my attention. And, of course, I’d chosen to walk through a super-fancy hotel casino—in my fuzzy, soft triceratops hoodie and Starry Night leggings and sneakers. Still, it was Vegas on Halloween, so most folks didn't pay me much mind. So many costumes, though. Mostly elegant with long lines and crisp colors. There might have been a formal gala tonight by the looks of some of the dresses. I neared the large marble sculpture of a waltzing couple. Evera was supposed to meet me here. Wow—there were so many more people here than I’d expected. Guess I should have thought more about what Halloween in Vegas was like. Last year, Evera and I had both wound up as waitresses in a themed diner. Making friends wasn’t usually something I did, not because I didn’t like people but because eventually I just bled awkwardness and sadness. That never bothered Evera. She was as kind as she was beautiful, and she could convince me to do almost anything. That included coming out for a party at this bar. "Stella!" Evera’s cheerful voice cut through the smoky haze of strangers milling about. She wore a Red Riding Hood costume that set off her golden skin and dark hair to full advantage, her emerald-green eyes sparkling. I bounced forward and hugged her, her arms already circling me. "Hey! You didn’t mention how huge this party would be. I mean seriously, it's like everyone is here!" "They probably dropped a flier under every possible door." She chuckled with a shrug. "I’m surprised you didn’t get one." I hesitated, wondering if I’d just missed it. I’d been feeling so off lately. Even when I sketched to relax, it felt like something was just not right. Who knew what else I’d missed? And she was looking at me like she was worried. Of course she was, but I didn’t want her to be. "Maybe they weren’t doing the motels? It might just be the hotels on the strip." Her gaze flicked over my face once more as if weighing my words. Then she seized my hand. "Come on. Let's grab a drink. I need one after this week." I nodded in agreement as we made our way toward the bar. We’d barely squeezed into two black and gold seats before a bartender appeared before us. With a bright smile and a flourish, he looked at us both. "How can I help you, ladies?" His name tag read Carlos, and Evera offered him a bright smile as she relaxed against the high-backed chair. "My friend and I will both take a glass of champagne. We’re celebrating." "We are?" My eyebrow lifted as I looked at her, surprised at this. Good as it was to see Evera again, I had no idea what we were celebrating. I couldn’t help the smile that tugged at my mouth. She had always been such a bright spot. She never felt like she fit anywhere exactly right either, but that didn’t stop her from being this positive force of nature no matter what she was doing. Carlos snatched up a green bottle with gold foil, giving it a small flourish as he looked us over. It had a pretty label, and, if I remembered correctly from the restaurant I worked at a few months ago, it was an inexpensive brand with sparkly floral notes. Good for get-togethers where you just wanted to sip something without shattering the bank roll. "Anything important? Or just life?" Evera twitched her shoulders, her dark hair standing out against her red hood. "Just having a night off from work and being with friends." "Well, that deserves several drinks on the house." He slid two glasses across the sleek black surface and then put the bottle into an ice bucket in front of us. "Cheers, ladies." Smiling a little, I picked up the flute of champagne and studied the pale bubbles as they rose and burst at the surface. "Do you know him?" I looked at her curiously. The way she picked up her own glass and grinned warmed my heart. "Nope, but he could probably tell we needed a drink." Damn. Evera had such an easy charm that folks were just drawn to her. In this case, it got us free drinks, which was great because I wasn’t sure I had much money for alcohol. At least not if I wanted to eat something besides beans and rice out of my mini hotpot. Still, it was worth it. Sometimes we all just needed to live a little beyond existence, and from the way Evera held herself, there was a lot more going on with her too. "What’s going on?" I asked. She remained silent for a couple breaths, her arms folded on the marble slab of a bar top. Her mouth pinched. "Honestly? I am working over sixteen hours a day consistently. I am making almost no money because rent has gone up, and my boss is an absolute creep…so lots going on, and none of it fun." A sigh tore through me. That rawness in her voice…I got it. "I’m sorry. That sounds horrible, and I definitely understand. Honestly, I’m out in some cheap motel until I figure out where to go next. I only headed out this way recently since it’s been warm here consistently." Her eyes widened. "Shit, you should have called me. You absolutely could have stayed with me." I took another sip of the champagne, savoring the fresh apple and lemon notes as it transformed from the floral flavor, and then shrugged with a smile. "You’re a great friend, but I didn’t want to be a burden. It sounds like we both have a ton of stuff going on. Besides, I'm trying to figure out what I'm really looking for, you know? Everything just feels…off. Maybe I'll head toward the ocean. Anyway, I’m just glad we were able to meet up." She clapped her hand down on the bar. "You’re right. You’re completely right, and this bottle is not going to finish itself. Drink up. We can absolutely ignore all of these problems until tomorrow." Evera and I talked for what felt like hours, sipping champagne in a fancy bar in our strange costumes. Life hadn’t been easy for either of us, but rough times made for good stories with friends. We caught up on the highlights of what had happened in the past year, including the bugs and wrinkles. I even admitted to her that I’d just left my own crappy job on instinct—as if something had called me out here. It was hard to explain, but Evera seemed to get it. At the very least, she didn’t judge me. Time flew as we chatted. We moved on from champagne to frozen spicy strawberry margaritas. And then, as we both realized how late it was getting, we hugged each other close, promised to keep in touch, ordered a drink for the road, and went our separate ways. The alcohol had already started to hit me, but I could still walk straight. At least for now. Carlos, bartender of the year and total sweetheart, put the frozen spicy strawberry margarita into a fancy to-go cup with a spiral straw. I hadn’t realized that a place this fancy would have that. I slipped him an extra tip on top of what Evera gave him. It wasn’t easy working in a place like this, but hopefully, tips on a night like Halloween would make it easier for him. It really was a busy night. I wandered down a long lobby that connected with another casino, not really caring where I was going so long as I was moving. As I nursed the spicy margarita, I finally found and curled up on a leather-covered bench beneath a tree that might or might not be fake. So many people and I was completely content to disappear. Oh…maybe not completely. Oh, no. This wasn’t good. 🦕✨🐍🔮🦕✨🐍🔮🦕✨🐍🔮 Click Learn More to head to Amazon and grab your copy today!

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Jessica M. Butler

Of Serpents and Ruins