The Changeling Princess (15 page)

I searched the room for the ruby. I found it imbedded in the wall and pried it out with my fingers. “That ruby really came in handy,” Wade said.

“
Yes it did. Maybe I can analyze the source of its power and incorporate it into my energy beam.”

“
That would be a good thing.”

I nodded my head and smiled.
“It’s something to think about.”

CHAPTER 27

We pulled out of Chicago and headed west on Highway 80. The Warlock scent no longer filled the air and that put a smile on my face. I felt I was making a difference and that was important to me.

The scent of the Warlock twins became stronger and stronger as we headed west. We left Highway 80 and picked up Highway 76 to Denver. The scent of the Warlock twins was stronger in that direction.

I picked up several new Warlock scents when we arrived in Denver. We did a thorough search of the city and within six days we’d freed two Witch Clans and destroyed three Warlock Clans. I was beginning to feel like a traveling bounty hunter who comes into town and cleans out the bad guys.

I was really proud of Wade. He had no fear whatsoever and he had become a fierce warrior. It was easy to see why he
’d been chosen to be my companion. I knew I could depend on him no matter what kind of trouble we ran into.

*
* *

“
Our next stop is Las Vegas, Wade.”

“
Maybe the Warlock twins are in Las Vegas?”

“
If they aren’t, I’m sure they’re close by. The scent is becoming extremely strong.”

Wade had a twinkle in his eyes.
“We could use our powers and pick up some easy money while we’re in town.”

I furrowed my eyebrows.
“I thought you’d come up with something like that. We’re not going to Las Vegas to gamble.”

“
But it wouldn’t be gambling, we’d just be collecting a little expense money.”

“
Like I told you before, Wade, you should have been a salesman.”

*
* *

We pulled into a large motel on the outskirts of Las Vegas and rented a room on the second floor. The Warlock twin weren
’t in Las Vegas, but I was positive they were close by.

We unpacked and went to a nearby Denny
’s for dinner. I planned on analyzing the ruby when we returned to our motel room. I was curious to see if I could figure out how it got its power.

We returned to the motel room and I placed the ruby in the bathtub. I placed a force field around the bathtub with a small opening in the center. If the ruby blew up, at least it wouldn
’t take the motel room with it.

Wade stood behind me as I adjusted my energy beam to scan the ruby. The ruby was solid red, but I saw a powerful white light directly in the center.
“That’s the source of the ruby’s power,” Wade said.

I went into intense concentration and focused on drawing the white light into my energy beam. I narrowed the beam until it resembled a thin straw that I could use to suck the energy out of the ruby. After I penetrated the ruby and began the suction process, the intense white light became fainter and fainter. I continued draining the energy until the light in the center of the ruby had completely disappeared.

“I think you did it,” said Wade.

“
Let’s go outside and give it a test.”

I grabbed Wade
’s hand, morphed into a Mist and made us invisible. We flew to a deserted area of the desert and floated down to the ground. When we materialized, Wade put his energy beam on low power and used it like a flashlight. “How about that cactus?” Wade asked.

“
No way. The cactus is a part of nature’s divine plan and I’m not going to kill it.” I found a bare spot on the ground with no vegetation. “This will do just fine.”

I focused my energy beam on the ground and concentrated. I watched as the ground turned white with frost. I continued concentrating until the ground was covered with ice.

“Fantastic!” Wade shouted.

I changed my energy beam to a heat beam and melted the ice.
“Now we have a super weapon against Heat Demons,” I said.

“
That’s true, but you could beat any heat Demon bare-handed. They wouldn’t stand a chance.”

“
Maybe so, but the cold beam will really come in handy if we should ever face a horde of Heat Demons.”

*
* *

I practically had to drag Wade out of bed the next morning.
“What time is it?” he asked.

“
Seven-thirty. If you want to stay in bed, I’ll go have breakfast by myself.” The mention of food had Wade out of bed in a flash.

“
Janis, I was wondering . . . Do we have to be twenty-one to go into the casinos?”

“
I’m not sure, but I don’t think so. I’ll change my appearance so that I appear to be in my early twenties. I’ll pretend to your older sister.”

Wade crinkled his nose.
“That’s going to be a first.”

Wade watched with interest as I aged my face so that I appeared to be in my early twenties.
“You know, Janis, you get better looking with age.”

I think I blushed because I knew Wade was sincere.

We walked out into the motel lobby and I locked the door behind us. “Maybe we’ll run into Elvis at breakfast?” Wade joked. Without thinking, I morphed into a finger-snapping Elvis singing “Don’t be Cruel.”

I suddenly heard an ear piercing scream.
“Ahaaaaaaa.” I looked behind me to see a middle-aged woman who had just stepped out of her room.

“
What’s going on, Mable?” I heard a man yell out as Wade and I were entering the stairwell to the ground floor.

“
George, come quick. It’s Elvis! He’s right here in our motel. I wish you could have seen how he looked at me. I’m telling you, George, Elvis wanted my body. I could see it in his eyes.”

Wade was staring at me as I morphed back into twentyish Janis French.
“You’re going to get us in trouble, Janis.”

“
Yeah, I’ll be more careful, but you have to admit it was funny.”

We laughed all the way to the car.

* * *

We pulled onto the Las Vegas Strip and blended in with the early morning traffic. I was impressed because I couldn
’t get over how large the casinos were.

“
There’s Caesar’s Palace,” I pointed out. “That’s supposed to be the classiest casino in Las Vegas.”

I slowed down when we reached the Stardust.
“This casino looks more reasonable. Let’s check out the buffet here.”

“
Sounds good to me, Sis.”

No one paid any attention to us when we walked into the casino. I asked for directions to the buffet and found out that we were practically standing in front of it. I paid the entrance fee and a pleasant middle-aged lady seated us at the back of the room.

“Help yourself and eat all you want,” she said. “A waitress will be around shortly to take your drink orders.”

We piled our plates so high that we were lucky to make it back to our table without spilling anything on the floor. This is silly,
” I said. “We can always go back for seconds.”

“
I guess we got carried away, but everyone’s doing it. I don’t see how the casino makes a profit.”

“
I read an article that said the hotels have promotions, like low-priced buffets to get people into their casinos. The real money maker is the gambling.”

“
That makes sense. Not to change the subject, but I’m surprised we haven’t picked up the scent of any Warlocks in Las Vegas.”

“
I’m surprised too because the nickname for Las Vegas is ‘Sin City.’”

We finished breakfast by having a plate of bread pudding for dessert. I was stuffed to the gills, but Wade had another helping. I had to admit I liked watching Wade eat. What puzzled me was how he managed to stay so slim.

We walked through the Stardust and watched the people gambling. I was amazed that the atmosphere was so quiet and subdued. I thought the inside of a casino would have more of a loud carnival atmosphere.

We stopped and watched the players at the roulette wheel. The wheel contains a total of thirty eight numbers if you count the zero and the double zero. If you bet a dollar and the ball lands on your number, the roulette dealer pays you a total of thirty-five dollars. I calculated that the casino shorted you
two dollars because the odds are actually thirty-seven to one, not thirty-five to one. I figured this was how the casino made a profit in the long run. I think the correct term I had once read was “incorrect odds” or something like that. I was positive all the casino games had the odds in their favor.

My adventurous nature took over because I felt an irresistible urge to gamble. I smiled at Wade and then made my way to the roulette table. I heard Wade whisper,
“Go get ‘em, Sis.”

Most of the players had large stacks of chips in front of them, but I discovered that most of them were only ten cent chips. I removed a dollar bill from my wallet in my shoulder bag. I paused and then placed it on the number seven. The roulette dealer exchanged my dollar bill for a dollar chip.

I watched as the ball spun around and around before it dropped down onto the spinning wheel. I remained perfectly still as I employed my power of telekinesis. When the ball slowed down, I nudged it along until it fell in the number seven slot.

I was thrilled when the roulette dealer paid me a total of thirty five dollars. I pulled my original chip back and placed my winnings on the number seven again. I tried not to look smug as I waited for the roulette dealer to spin the ball again.

“You’re letting it ride on the same number again?” remarked a lady standing next to me. I smiled and nodded my head.

When the ball dropped onto the wheel, I followed the same procedure and nudged it along until it fell into the number seven slot again. I squealed and clapped my hands to appear excited.
“I don’t believe it,” said the lady standing next to me. “That’ll probably get you into the Guinness Book of Records.”

I was paid a total of twelve hundred and twenty-five dollars. When I added that to my previous win of thirty-five dollars, I had won a total of twelve hundred and sixty dollars. I figured it was customary to leave a tip, so I handed the dealer twenty-five dollars.

Wade walked with me to the casino cage to cash out. “Way to go, Sis. You’re a natural born roulette player. What’s next, craps or blackjack?”

“
I think we should quit while we’re ahead.”

Wade frowned.
“I thought we were just getting warmed up.”

We spent the rest of the day having fun on the Las Vegas Strip. We stopped in all the major casinos and I was impressed with how spectacular they were. We decided we
’d stop back later in the evening and eat at one of the casino buffets.

“
Let’s go to Caesar’s,” said Wade.

“
Why Caesar’s?” I asked.

“
It’s a classy casino, so the food must pretty good.”

“
That’s as good a reason as any.” I was positive dinner was going to be a real treat.

CHAPTER 28

We stopped at a local shopping center because the only clothes we had were casual wear. We decided we needed something a little dressier to wear to Caesar’s buffet. Money wasn’t a problem because I had my winnings from the roulette table.

I found a quaint little boutique and picked out an attractive dress. I also picked out a pair of high heels and a matching handbag. I was happy I wasn
’t going to look like a character from the new television show “Beverly Hillbillies.”

We found a men
’s clothing store. I purchased a sports shirt and a pair of slacks for Wade and finished it off by adding a new belt and a pair of dress shoes. Wade looked really sharp.

*
* *

We arrived at Caesar
’s Palace at seven-thirty in the evening. I felt comfortable in my new outfit, but some of the women were wearing expensive outfits that cost as much as a new car. I thought someone should do a television show exclusively about the super-rich. I couldn’t imagine what the lifestyle of the super-rich was really like.

I caught several women staring at Wade as we waited in line at the buffet. I didn
’t want to hear their thoughts, so I tuned them out. I was the great and mighty Ivarr, but I was only seventeen and I was still capable of being jealous. I constantly struggled with my emotions because Wade was so special to me.

The buffet was excellent. I had two helpings of prime rib and everything that went with it. Wade was like a little kid. He was continually walking around the buffet, filling his plate with something new. We had ice cream and cake for dessert and then we finished it off with a huge chocolate
éclair. I felt like a stuffed buffalo when we left the buffet. Wade admitted he was having trouble sucking in his gut. We both developed a case of the giggles as we walked around the casino floor.

We stopped at the roulette table to watch the action. The first thing I noticed was how large the bets were. Wade grinned.
“Why don’t you show them how it’s done, Sis?”

“
We don’t need the money.”

“
That’s true, but how often do you get the chance to rub elbows with the elite?”

I suddenly found myself walking toward the roulette table. I felt like I was in a trance when I bought a five dollar chip and placed it on the number seven. The lady standing next to me had a handful of five dollar chips and was spreading them around the table. One of her five dollar bets was on the number seven, right next to my five dollar chip.

When the ball landed on the number seven, the lady and I were each paid thirty-five chips, a total of one hundred and seventy-five dollars. I pulled my original five dollar chip back and placed my winnings on the number seven again.

“
You’ve got to be crazy,” the lady said to me as she picked up her winnings. “No one hits the same number twice in a row.”

“
Maybe I’ll get lucky,” I replied.

The woman laughed as the dealer spun the wheel again. When the roulette ball landed on the number seven, the lady standing next to me almost dropped her drink. I did my best to look excited.

I was paid a total of six thousand one hundred and twenty-five dollars, so I handed the dealer a hundred dollar tip. I now had a profit of sixty-three hundred dollars, minus my hundred dollar tip. When I added that to my previous winnings, I had a total of seven thousand four hundred and twenty dollars.

I was still in a daze as I walked back to Wade.
“I don’t know why I did that. I can’t believe I actually lost control of my senses.”

“
I think you got caught up in the atmosphere. It just goes to show that even a mighty Ivarr can’t resist the chance to show off once in a while.”

“
I’m giving this money to the people who financed our trip.”

“
I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

We spent the rest of the evening driving up and down the Las Vegas Strip. The dazzling light displays were enough to take your breath away. If I lived to be a hundred, I doubt that I
’ve never see the equal of the Las Vegas Strip at night.

*
* *

We were up early the next morning. We stopped at Denny
’s for Belgian Waffles and we were back on the road at eight o’clock. We headed west on Highway 95 to Tonopah. The scent of the Warlock twins was becoming stronger with each passing mile.

We were about five miles past Tonopah when I pulled the car over to the side of the road.
“My senses tell me that we’re very close.” I pointed north. “This is where the Warlock twins are hiding.”

We unloaded our swords and shields and then I morphed into the Changeling Princess. We traveled in Mist form for twenty minutes heading due north. When we floated down to the ground, I reached out and placed my hand on a transparent surface that caught the reflection of the afternoon sun.
“This is a domed force field,” I said.

Wade ran his hand over the dome.
“This dome is similar to the one in Chicago, but much, much larger. I’ve never heard of a Warlock who could build this type of force field. Are we going to burrow under the field to get inside?”

“
No, because they’re going to know we’re here as soon as we come up on the other side. I’ll just cut an opening with my energy beam.”

I analyzed the strength of the domed force field. I wasn
’t surprised when I discovered it was only one tenth the strength of my own force field. The Warlock twins were in the minor leagues when pitted against the powers of an Ivarr.

I narrowed my energy beam and cut an opening big enough for us to step through.
“It must be thirty degrees cooler in here,” I said.

“
How about that,” said Wade. “Nothing like having air conditioning in the middle of the desert.”

The first thing I spotted was a twelfth century castle with a drawbridge. As we were walking toward the castle, the draw bridge was slowly lowered to the ground. Racing out from within the castle walls was a large group of strange-looking Demons. They were extremely tall and they were armed with swords and shields. They reminded me of the Demon we encountered in Cincinnati.

We opened fire with our energy beams on full power. The Demons kept coming, so that told me we were dealing with Heat Demons. I refocused my energy beam and hit the Demons with continuing blasts of ice cold air. The Demons looked like they were moving in slow motion, struggling frantically to cope with the frigid air. Wade joined in and began blasting the Demons with energy bolts. It looked like a combination of Christmas and the Fourth of July as the Demons exploded, leaving thousands of icicles spread all over the desert floor.

I spotted a strange-looking creature that looked like a cross between a dinosaur and a dragon. It had the body of a T-Rex and an extended neck with the head of a dragon. Its long tail had six protruding spikes, similar to a Stegosaurus tail, another dinosaur that lived during the Jurassic Period. This creature looked like a killing machine that had just stepped out of a science fiction movie.

I had two choices. I could carve this monster up with my sword or blast it to pieces with my energy beam. I didn’t do either one because my warrior instincts had taken over. I was going to fight this creature on its own terms. Within seconds, I morphed into a fifteen-foot tall Tyrannosaurus Rex.

I moved forward, my eyes blazing with anticipation as the monster cautiously moved backward. It was like a cat and mouse game to see who would attack first. The monster was cagy. If I moved forward, it turned sideways and cocked its long spiked tail to defend itself. We played this cat-and-mouse game until I suckered the monster with the false impression that I had lost my balance. When the creature lunged forward, I pivoted to one side and grabbed it by its long neck. You could hear the bones crack as I bit down as hard as I could. The monster let out a muffled cry as I separated his head from his body. When it fell to the ground like a rag doll, I lifted my head upward and gave a blood-curdling roar to announce my kill.

I looked down to see that Wade was fighting off against two vicious animals that looked like dinosaur raptors. Wade pivoted on one foot and sliced off the heads of both raptors in one clean sweep. I morphed back to the Changeling Princess and picked up my sword and shield.

“
That was quite a demonstration, Wade. I’m really impressed.”

“
You morph into a real life Godzilla and you’re telling me I looked sharp? You know what, Janis?”

“
Spit it out, Wade. I know you’re going to say something cute.”

Wade stared at me and paused.
“Now I forgot what I was going to say.” We both laughed.

The ground in front of the castle was covered with the bodies of Demons and dinosaur parts. The pathway to the castle was clear, so I decided it was time to move on. I kept a sharp lookout for more creatures as we crossed the drawbridge. When we entered a large, barren courtyard, the first thing we encountered was a barrage of steel pointed arrows. The arrows bounced off the force field I had thrown up as a precaution.

The next thing we encountered was a small whirlwind that quickly became a small tornado. Wade called on his power of the elements and conjured up a tornado twice as large. Wade’s tornado absorbed the smaller tornado like a vacuum cleaner sucking up dirt.

I suddenly sensed an electrical charge building up in the courtyard. The charge got stronger and stronger until it took the form of a human shape. I fired a quick energy blast, but it had no effect. I resorted to telekinesis, stopping the creature dead in its tracks. I was about to build a force field around the creature when a rain cloud appeared over its head. The downpour that followed quickly dissolved the electrical creature.

I gave Wade a thumb up. “Way to go! You’re thinking on your feet.”

My attention was drawn to a door opening directly in front of me. I watched with interest as two young men stepped outside wearing devilish grins. Both men were about five feet tall with deformed bodies and huge humps on their backs. They had hair down to their shoulders and their faces were twisted so badly they barely looked human. They were the most evil-looking humans I
’d ever seen. There was no doubt that these were the Warlock twins, Ezra and Ezell.

“
You are capable adversaries,” said one of the twins. “Now it’s time for you to die.” The twins joined hands and their eyes took on a deep red glow.

I felt a force trying to enter my brain and realized that the twins were using mind control. I blocked the brothers
’ thoughts and Wade did the same.

The twins looked perplexed. I doubted that anyone had ever been ab
le to stand up to them before.
You’ve got some surprises coming your way
, I said to myself.

I countered with an energy bolt, knocking the twins off their feet. They had surrounded themselves with a force field, but it wasn
’t any stronger than the force field they’d used to build their dome. The fear on their faces grew in intensity as their force field slowly dissolved. I looked at Wade. “Let’s get this over with.”

We opened fire with our energy bolts and watched as the Warlock twins exploded into clouds of black smoke. Wade was holding his nose again and I tried not to chuckle.

“Janis, those were the foulest-smelling Warlocks I’ve ever come across.”

“
I can believe that. The stench was so bad it even got to me.”

“
I think we should check out the castle to see if there are any hostages.”

“
I was thinking the same thing.”

We searched every room in the castle, but we didn
’t find anyone. We did find several rooms that looked as if they were intended to be rejuvenation quarters. We were lucky we got there in time before the Warlock twins took any prisoners.

We have to destroy this entire facility,
” I said when we returned to the courtyard. “I don’t want a single trace of this castle to remain after we’re through with it.”

We put our energy beams on full power and started in on the castle
’s foundation. The walls began crumbling as block after block fell to the desert floor. When we were done, all that was left was a huge pile of rubble. We worked together, using our power of telekinesis to spread the huge blocks evenly over the ground.

The next thing we did was to destroy the force field dome. We focused our energy beams like a flashlight to speed up the process of dissolving the dome. When we were finished, I covered Wade and m
yself with a small force field for shelter. I left several tiny openings so that the dome would not interfere with Wade’s power to control the weather. I watched as Wade went into extreme concentration, conjuring up a powerful wind storm. The sand was blowing so hard we couldn’t see anything outside of the force field.

When I dissolved the force field, I looked around, the castle and all the remains of the hideous creatures were buried under the sand. It was as if the Warlock twins and their castle in the desert had never existed.
Our job was finished.