The consequences mean getting blacklisted, and to be honest, there aren’t any other clubs like this one. They’ve gone downhill by attracting the wrong sort. People are shagging in the open and all kinds of sordid things. Customers don’t come here for that.” He glanced down at my feet. “Hope those are comfy. You’ll be standing for a long time.”
The red-and-gold theme carried throughout the club, and while each level was more explicit than the last, I didn’t see anyone engaging in any sex acts. Simulated? Yes. Touching? Yes. And a whole lot of sexual role-playing I’d never seen before. There were chairs and other adult equipment, panthers on leashes, sensory exchange for either fun or profit, and some corners were set aside for the hard-core stuff—like whipping and masochism. The private rooms weren’t private. Anyone could walk in or watch through the viewing windows. Each level had a bar, and I gathered that most of the bartenders were Sensors by the way they were spiking the drinks. As we walked, men and women approached me, asking if I wanted to play in whatever fantasy they were engaged in. But once they noticed the owl on my arm, they backed off.
When we returned to the first floor, Flynn nudged me. “What do you think?”
“I don’t see any Vamps in here.”
“We have a policy about the famously fanged. Our customers don’t want to be near anyone who might snitch. Vamps are notorious charmers who blackmail for a living. Aristocrats snub places like these, but I’ve seen many a Councilman sneak through the doors with a mask on their face. Aside from all that, the only way to control Vampires is impalement wood, and that’s not in the budget. A peckish one might bleed someone dry. And that’s not the worst of it. They can do serious damage, and not just to the walls and furniture. I’ve got twenty-four ribs in my chest, and I aim to keep them. The younglings don’t know their own strength.” Flynn continued our walk. “So, are you up for it?”
“As long as nobody touches me, I’ll be fine.”
Flynn jumped in front of me. “If anyone touches you without consent, let me know who the scamp is, and I’ll take care of it. It’s not just the leashed we protect. We have rules about staff, and anyone who disobeys those rules gets blacklisted. Got it?”
I folded my arms and tilted my tattooed arm toward him. “Including you?”
Flynn sighed and gave me a little eye roll. “That was different.”
“Grab me again and you’ll find one of my heels in your eye socket.”
“Duly noted.” He tipped his orange glasses down his nose while looking behind me. “We part from here.”
Flynn danced off toward a group of people in latex. They were lounging on large plush sofas, ignoring the panther that was knocking glasses off a low table.
Flynn literally had the worst job in this place from what I could tell.
When I reached the bar, I lifted the counter to make my way behind it. “Where do you want me?”
“Everywhere,” Simone said. “Beer coolers are down below, but ask if they want tap.”
I glanced down at the coolers. “Are you kidding me? There’s only one brand.”
“Of course there is. We only sell Breed beer from one distributor.”
“Is there any difference?”
Simone patted her hand on the bar. “The difference is the money doesn’t go to humans. It goes to a local brewery run by Shifters, and Shifters are the ones who order it most. Hard liquor is on the wall behind you.”
“Breed alcohol?”
She smiled and pinched my chin. “You’re catching on. We have red and white wine but no varieties. And we only accept cash,” she said, pointing to a sign. “If anyone wants to open a tab, use their alias ID to enter into the system. You won’t have to do that often since almost everyone pays in cash. People don’t come here to drink all night long, but they like a little to loosen up.”
Simone gave me a quick demonstration of how to use the computer, which looked cut and dry.
“Keep the bar clean. Spilled magic is messy, and it’ll hurt our reputation. If someone orders a Sensor special, fix the drink and hand it to me. If I’m not available, grab Rena on the other side.” Simone pointed to a row of sinks. “That’s your cleaning station. Make sure you rinse all the magic off the glasses and toss the dirty rags. We have an endless supply under