"Octavia's Plan"
Octavia Sylva's unmarked van sped through the modern, affluent streets of Rome. Inside, Octavia laid out the infiltration plan, a thermal map of the Palladium spread across a fold-out table.
"The Palladium isn't just a casino," Octavia explained. "It's a black market of the occult, run by Basil Burges, a Bear-Man whose only god is money. He knows who we are and keeps the peace as long as the Order doesn't step inside his establishment. What happens in the Palladium stays in the Palladium. In the same vein that Basil Burges doesn't bother the Knights Stalkers, we also turn a blind eye to the casino's activities, provided they remain controlled."
Octavia highlighted the surveillance points on the map. "The security guards are all creatures, mostly in human form, and they observe every move. Cheaters are punished; sore losers are sanctioned. It's a well-oiled machine governed by strict rules."
She turned to Maya and Rose. "Our approach needs to be discreet and blend with the luxury and exoticism."
"Rose, you can't use your human form. Too risky." Octavia winked. "You'll be Maya's pet. A Spotted Hyena."
Rose shrugged, resignedly accepting the necessity.
"Millène is a wealthy Succubus played by Maya," Octavia continued. "A simple seduction spell will mask her witch aura and give the illusion of a high-class succubus. Hyenas are rare and a symbol of luxury among the creatures. You will be visible, yet overlooked."
"The Target, the Transformation, and the Scent of Guilt"
"Our objective is to find The Gambler. With a name like that, he must be quick with his hands (a skilled gambler), but it's not the game that interests us; it's the wager." Octavia rapped the table. "Look for any unusual behavior, any overly risky bet, or any player who constantly wins but gambles with personal or life-altering stakes."
Rose mentally prepared herself. The transformation was a quick, painful flash, her bones reshaping, her skin covered in coarse, spotted fur. Her sense of smell was magnified a hundredfold.
"Ready, Millène?" Rose growled.
"Oh, I was born ready," replied Maya, who was now dressed in an emerald green evening gown that seemed to defy the laws of physics. The seduction spell gave her an aura of danger and intense attraction, making her appearance stunning and deeply captivating.
"The Plunge into Oblivion"
The van stopped. Maya, transformed into the stunning and dangerous Millène, stepped out. Rose, the hyena, was tethered to a braided leather leash, walking with forced dignity.
They entered the Palladium. The interior was an orchestrated sensory shock for the occult elite. Crimson velvet walls muted sound, allowing only the hypnotic clinking of chips and the dark jazz played by a musician whose eyes glowed faintly. Crystal chandeliers refracted light onto hundreds of jewels, many of which were enchanted talismans.
The Hyena and the Succubus
For Rose, the scent of guilt and fear was overwhelming. She picked up the stress pheromones of every security guard. She felt humbled by the leash, but realized her form allowed her to observe without being noticed. She could smell the panic beneath a player's mask, the hunger of a vampire beneath his expensive suit.
Beside her, Millène drew every eye. Ghouls, lesser Demons, and Beast-Men tried to engage her, lured by her potent charm. Maya dismissed them all with cool elegance and a haughty smile, never losing focus on her primary objective.
"Drop the leash, Ccil," Rose (the hyena) murmured, using Christian's code word to anchor her focus.
"No, darling. You stay perfectly quiet at my feet," Millène whispered sweetly. "Now, to business. We are looking for a man who loves risk."
"The High-Stakes Table"
Maya paused at a Blackjack table where the chips were unusually large and made of an unfamiliar material. The atmosphere was tense, even for a high-roller casino.
"I need to sit down," Millène murmured into her earpiece. "The stakes are higher here. I can smell the loss."
Rose crouched at her feet. The table was occupied by three players. One was a very pale, ancient man, clearly a vampire. The second, a fairy of unnatural beauty, was casually flirting with the dealer.
But it was the third player who snagged Rose's attention.
This man, with a smooth, unremarkable face, wore an immaculate black suit and fine leather gloves. He played with absolute composure. Not only was he winning constantly, but his betting style was strange: he only risked chips, yet an air of almost personal defiance emanated from him. There was no scent of fear or greed around him, only an absolute void.
"Bingo," Rose thought. She let out a small, low growl (the code for target identified), signaling to Maya and Octavia that she might have found The Gambler.
Millène: "What a fascinating table. Is there room for a new goddess to join you, gentlemen?" she asked, her seduction spell opening all doors.
The player in black gloves looked up. There was no pleasure in his gaze, only a calculated evaluation of Maya. He smiled—a cold, practiced gesture that didn't reach his eyes.
"Of course, Madame. Take a seat. Here, we all play at our own risk."
The Gambler's game had just been raised.