It was easy. I could see the wheel in her head turning.

She didn't think she could outplay me. Truthfully, she had great luck but was terrible at reading people. She'd never win a game of cards if I didn't let her.

Why would you let her win then?

Because it was easier than winning and well, she was the sort that persisted. Not any more. Lately, I think she relied on her boy toys to get out of fights and win unethical bets. the last gossip, I saw on Megickit is about how she lost her familiar "Betsy" in a card game.

It probably wasn't true. The girl was too lucky for that to happen.

"Gene."

"What?" I asked, "You want to bet Betsy too?"

It wasn't something nice to say but I had enough. It is sorted my thing to beet around a little, muddy the water a little. Diana was probably going to laugh it off.

"Oh, come on, Gene," she scolds me. "You're a mutt. The Yoit name deserves better. Not a half mix like yourself without any magic abilities to show."

The room went silent. Even my mother who usually sides with her paused. It was in bad taste to say the word mutt to my face. It was inconsiderate.

I stare at her hard.

She leaned in toward me, her eyes intent.

"It's the truth, cousin. If grandma was here, you wouldn't dare challenge me. We'd never have this conversation. You know you'll be pulling the family name down."

"No," I told her. "You don't know that. You're making it up to make yourself feel better for being greedy."

In my thousand years of existence, this was the first time I saw this side of Diana. Losing a trusted one even if they are still alive is hard. The grief had gotten to her. LOL, that is better for me then.

"But - "

Mother caught my attention by waving a hand at me, and I saw from the corner of my eye that Drake was melting into a pool of blood. It was gruesome.

"Diana," I called at her interrupting whatever she had to say,

Looking at the area, he was there was more blood. It was going everywhere and destroying everything in the room.

My stomach quailed, threatening to eject the meal I'd taken earlier, but I forced it down. This was not the time to be squeamish. I walked in a circle around Drake, keeping my distance.

Someone as old and power like him shouldn't have died this easy. Then I saw something unnatural. Well, unusually even for us the supernatural. His mouth didn't look like a dragon. There was sharp pointy teeth like that of a globin. You know the greyish things that jumb you when you travel underground.

Okay, so this wasn't the real Drake then. I look at Diana. She was really surprised and panicky. She wasn't told.

Well, he'd be in the dog house after this but that wasn't my problem. I saw the blood seeping toward my mother.

"Run Mom!" I screamed, knowing that she was the real target,