the hell did I get myself into?
On the other side of the wall is a live porn show, and not the kind to be found on a free site. This is what would be seen behind a paywall on the dark web.
Set against the red velvet of the furnishings are men and women chained to crosses. The crystal chandeliers from above shine a light on their naked bodies. Some are bent over benches, taking a thrashing with hands, or long-tailed whips.
The problem is, none of what is happening is illegal. Even worse, there isn’t a single fang or claw in sight for my camera to capture as irrefutable proof of the supernatural being real.
“Mr. Serrano?”
A pretty woman smiles at me. She has feline features. It wouldn’t surprise me if there are cat shifters in the world.
I open my mouth to correct her on my name but decide against it, even though it grates. The Serrano name has got me this far. Hopefully, it will lead to pay dirt by the end of the night.
“Your private room is ready, if you’ll follow me.”
Chapter 4
It takes the darkness to cast the concrete city into color. Bright lights shine down onto the paved streets. Car horns roar as vehicles stampede up and down the way. Instead of the drab business suits and denim jeans I expected to see, the humans are out in spirited fashions.
Their ensembles include barely-there approximations of professional uniforms. Nurses with skirts the length of a Band-Aid. Maids with their nipples dusting over their tops. Firemen without their shirts, and police officers with their badges as the largest covering on their buff bodies.
The American celebration of Halloween has always baffled me. All over the continent of Africa, the different peoples celebrate their dead in a very different way. Of course, they dress in colorful garb and show off their tail feathers as all in the animal kingdom are wont to do. But the festivals’ main purpose is to celebrate the dead and assure them that they haven’t been forgotten. Not to offer candy to strangers dressed as skimpily as possible, and then try to get laid.
Hmmm. I think I like this way better.
“Happy Halloween, my beautiful African Queen,” a man dressed in a cowboy costume yells at me as he raises his right fist.
I suppose it would be easy to take me for a queen based on what I’m wearing tonight. The bazin I’m wearing was handmade by the women of my mother’s tribe. The strapless bodice hugs my breasts tight. The intricate knotting of the corset forces them to sit up high, but not high enough that my nipples dust over the top. The skirt flares from my hips in a cascade of oranges, reds, greens, and blues on a black background.
The patterns on the gown would bring to mind the kente cloth of West Africa. But the arrangement of the colors marks me as a princess, and not a queen. Still, I do not correct the good ole boy. Because one day, he’ll be right.
Finally, I reach my destination. Club Toxic sits in the heart of the city. There is a line of humans trailing around the corner. The males wear dark suits with masks. The women wear tight gowns from a bygone era, or strategically placed leather with collars around their necks.
Oh yes, I definitely like this way of celebrating the dead better.
A man beckons me to the front of the line. I had been headed there anyway. I’m the daughter of Queen Malika of the Orun; all lines lead to me as my right.
“Good evening, Princess Sanai. I was told your party wasn’t coming.”
“I was sent to ensure you got that message. But since I’m here…”
His smile is crooked as he regards me. My nostrils twitch as I inhale. I’ve never smelled a male vampire before, but my instinct tells me he is something different. A dangerous beast; maybe a wolf?
Whatever he is, I see that he is taken. The gold band on his finger marks him as someone else’s. So he likely won’t be amenable to my plans for the night.
He reaches over and lifts the velvet rope. “Enjoy your evening, your highness.”
I plan to do just that. I walk into the club and am hit with sensation overload. Outside the doors, the music had been a pleasant thump in my ears. Now, inside, the beat quickens my pulse. The smell of arousal and desire makes my mouth water.
We have regular dances at court where