The guy at coat check didn’t even bat an eye because this was the most sinful casino on the whole island. He’d seen much worse and knew to keep on his workman’s smile.

I slipped my hand into my coat and grabbed the keys to my bike as I fast-walked to the garage. I’d parked in the employee lot because I never knew when I needed or wanted a quick getaway. Thank god for that because only a few minutes later I was swinging my leg over my bike and bringing it to life—Dullahan nowhere in sight.

The door to the garage burst open and my head snapped up. My mouth dropped open when I saw him. Dullahan looked bigger and meaner than ever. His blazing green eyes glared at me as he lifted his fingers to his mouth to give an ear-piercing whistle. A black pit of smoke and tar opened up on the ground like a portal to hell. The shrill neigh of a monstrous horse came out from the black pit. Burning red eyes blazed like hellfire as a black stallion rose from the ground with an angry snarl and rippling muscles.

My mouth dropped open at the display. There was a red flash of light. For the briefest moment, the horse went from solid flesh to a skeleton. I blinked and the image was gone. Still, I was taking that as my cue to stop gawking and get away.

Run, my entire mind and body screamed. Run!

As I turned the throttle and brought my bare feet up, I caught the horse transforming into metal—a motorcycle made from a hell beast with bone details. Dullahan’s green eyes watched as I passed by him. Behind me, I heard the snarl of a bike combined with the shriek of a horse.

“Fuck!” I screamed, picking up the pace. Don’t think about yesterday’s race, I thought to myself. About how I lost. How Dullahan had a magic bike that could catch anyone and my luck meant nothing to him. How I was likely screwed.

This was my chance to make last night right. This was my chance to beat him. I had to. There was no other choice because he wanted something from me and whatever it was I didn’t want to know.

The deafening roar of Dullahan's bike grew closer and it felt like the fires of hell were on my back.

Night had fallen, the glittering lights of the Strip all around. I weaved between cars, my hair flying in a mess and slapping at my eyes. People everywhere were stopping and looking at Dullahan and me recklessly racing down the busy boulevard. They gawked in horrified excitement as they saw what chased me. I didn’t want to turn around and look.

His bike cried out like a horse and the echo of hooves preternaturally resounded off the tall buildings encasing us. A wheel crawled up beside me. I jerked my head to the side and immediately regretted it. I thought he’d looked horrifying with the small split of his mouth the other night.