The Scarlet Dagger

by J. E. Cluney

  The dingo was shifting to a man and dancing in a G-string, while the female witch had a witch’s hat on and was strutting along the wall in stilettos and a G-string set, while a final lady was twirling around a pole.

  “What do humans see here?” I asked as I watched a group of young men enter the door laughing.

  “A warehouse area. The whole area is warded to warp their perception of it,” Lucas explained, and I shot him a look.

  Had my men been here before?

  ‘Skip and I have,’ Lucas informed me with a lopsided smile as Skip shrugged and gave me his charming one.

  ‘There’s an actual brothel a few doors down too,’ Skip added, and my eyes widened at him.

  ‘Relax, we’ve never been there,’ Lucas said quickly. I knew they’d all had previous partners and I wasn’t jealous, but a brothel was…different.

  ‘I’ve never paid for sex, ever,’ Skip said firmly, as if the thought was rude.

  Typical men.

  ‘Don’t lump us all in together, VB. Ollie and I have never been here or the brothel,’ Marcus stated as he stepped over to wrap an arm around my waist.

  ‘Sorry,’ I said as I gave him a small smile.

  My chest was tightening in anticipation, and I wasn’t sure how to feel as Trish dragged Skip up to the front door.

  We stepped inside the building, and the beat of music reached us as we stepped towards the front desk.

  The bouncer there asked for IDs off everyone, which he scanned, and Trish declared she was covering the entry fee for us.

  I just waited with Marcus, wondering what lay beyond the hot pink door with gold glitter text making it clear that was the entry.

  But when we stepped into the building, my ideas of a sleazy little strip club with a handful of dancers were blown from my mind.

  The room we entered was huge, with various stages set up all around the place with tables and chairs.

  A large Japanese style golden dragon was flying around the high ceiling, glitter sparkles exploding from it occasionally. It was a magical sight, but my gaze was drawn to the exquisite dancers all around the room.

  Men and women, scantily dressed or wearing gorgeous corsets and death-defying heels, were dancing and gliding through the crowd. Women were dressed in a myriad of costumes too, from sexy nurses to schoolgirls, to female officers, angels, and devils. Many of the men were wearing assorted outfits, some dressed like drag queens with makeup and outrageous outfits, others wearing cargo pants, army tags, and boots. Many were dressed in various stripper uniforms, from policemen to firemen, and there was even a man dressed in a pink suit similar to Lucas.

  He noted this, laughing as Trish dragged us over to the main stage.

  I stared in awe at each of the smaller stages surrounded by seats as we passed, taking in the dancers. Some were even strung up in cages from the ceiling closer to the main stage.

  I gasped as fireworks went off near the main stage, whizzing around the room in an array of colors and exploding over various dancers with sparkling confetti.

  My men were enthralled, especially Marcus and Ollie, who’d never seen the place before.

  I wouldn’t pretend like I wasn’t mesmerized by both the men and women on the stages, some dancing on the poles, others doing their own routines.

  “Be careful. On the main stage, they can get fully naked,” Lucas informed me, having to speak up to be heard over the music that pumped through the room.

  I bit my lip at this knowledge as Trish happily seated herself alongside various others by the main stage. The entire room was filled with male and female patrons, and I spied a hens party off to one side, where the woman wearing the bride-to-be sash was giggling hysterically as a policeman dressed in only boots, hat, and a tiny G-string was giving her a lap dance. He even had a holster with a fake gun around his waist.

  But I wouldn’t pretend like all the dancers in here weren’t utterly gorgeous to look at. Many of the men were built like they lived in the gym, while the women looked like professional dancing was their thing.

  I turned back to the main stage as a new show started, and four women walked onto the stage in an array of sparkling lingerie.

  They moved with incredible grace as they danced together, tugging their tiny bras off and tossing them into the crowd.

  Trish squealed as she jumped up and snatched a gold bra from the air.

  I shot a look at Hayley, who was laughing as Lucas headed off to the main bar.

  “Do you think this would look good on me?” Trish fluttered her lashes at Skip as she held the bra over her dress.

  “Definitely,” Skip said with a snort as Trish cackled.

  ‘Can she actually keep it?’ Ollie asked mentally.

  ‘Yep. They get new outfits daily. They make a killing here,’ Lucas answered mentally from the bar before taking our drink orders.

  I was more than happy to be surprised as I watched the dancers on stage. I knew seeing their bare chests probably should’ve made me avert my eyes, but the way they were twirling and moving so fluidly had me awestruck.

  The ladies all moved through their series of steps, somehow miraculously staying on their feet in those insane heels as they danced before us.

  I moved my gaze to some of the other smaller stages as small fireworks and clouds of colored smoke started going off.

  I gasped as I realized some of the dancers had taken on partial shifts, their claws out and teeth elongated with amber eyes, so dingo shifters, clearly. I even spied a pale woman dancing down the back, baring her fangs for the crowd—a vampire.

  They really were catering to all supes.

  The scene on stage changed, and I turned back to watch a new woman strut out, wearing a white feathered costume with a long tail like a peacock.

  She danced more gracefully than the others, twirling and leaping through the air like a ballet dancer in white glittery heels.

  I was mesmerized, unable to pull my eyes away as she used some feathered fans to add to her performance.

  A puff of silver smoke rained down on her just as she moved into a daring twirl, pulling one leg right up alongside her ear as she slowly knelt down on her other foot.

  Even Trish gasped at the clear dance mastery and flexibility before the smoke engulfed the woman.

  Her feathered bra flew out of the cloud, and a delighted man caught it as he whooped while others cheered.

  Her tail and G-string came next, which caused the crowd to go wild, and my heart hammered as I waited for the smoke to clear, curiosity winning out.

  When it finally did, a frosty-white peacock stood on the stage, its tail fanned out as it spread its wings.

  I just stared as she took off the stage, flying around the room as the crowd called out to her.

  A commentator was now informing us this was Pearl, one of their dancers, and she’d choose one lucky guest to receive a free lap dance from her.

  ‘I thought only male peacocks had the fancy tails?’ I mentally asked in confusion.

  ‘Pearl is transexual. Born a man,’ Lucas informed me.

  I wondered how he knew this, but he just chuckled into my mind. He’d known her while she was going through her transition.

  I wondered if others caught on to this tidbit of information in regards to her shifted state.

  She chose a young man at the back with his friends, gliding down and hovering over him before she settled in his lap and shifted back to woman.

  She gave him a teaser of the lap dance before rising and taking his hand, and his wide grin was enough to make me smirk as she led him to the side of the room.

  Lucas informed me that was where the private lap dance rooms were.

  He joined us as Pearl disappeared with her customer while everyone cheered, and I happily accepted my cocktail and took a gulp.

  It was so sweet and intoxicating, it was hard not to slurp up even more of it.

  Another song started up, and black aerial silk fluttered down from the ceiling as a woman wearin
g a black mask and tiny black rhinestone G-string and bra set strutted onto stage.

  She glided across the stage, using the silk to dance before finally wrapping herself up in it. The silks rose up high, and she began her aerial dance high above.

  This was definitely a strip club that outdid all others.

  ‘You should see the city ones—twice as big, and much more magical elements,’ Lucas said as he sank into his seat, watching the dancer in awe.

  I knew none of my men were feeling any attraction to the dancers, but they were definitely appreciating their dance abilities.

  Trish, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying herself as she waved a male stripper over, who was wearing a fireman outfit.

  “How much for a public lap dance?” she asked over the music, and Hayley balked as she gave me a horrified look.

  The dancer laughed and named his price, and Trish nodded happily as she dug some notes out of her purse.

  Hayley covered her mouth as she laughed while the dancer stuck the notes into his G-string and began the lap dance, swaying his hips and grinding on my grandmother.

  Skip was clapping, while Marcus was shaking his head, and Ollie looked awfully uncomfortable.

  I downed my drink quickly, knowing I needed a bit more of a buzz to deal with this crazy night.

  The dancer moved around my grandmother, thrusting and dancing as she grinned like a child in a lolly shop.

  I could see her fingers twitching, desperate to touch his glistening, glittery skin.

  I had a feeling there was a no touching policy in place though.

  Lucas nodded to confirm this, his eyes flicking back to the aerial dancer as she twirled and hung upside down.

  “Oi, I’ll give you twenty bucks to give your mate a lappy too!” Trish laughed as she tugged another note out of her purse and slapped it on Skip’s knee.

  He turned to me with a shit-eating grin as he winked.

  Oh no.

  “Skip,” Lucas warned, but he was grinning and trying to keep from laughing.

  Skip was not one to back down though, and he stood up, tugging his shirt over his head to the delight of the tables around us.

  The women were cheering and laughing as Skip began dancing for me, straddling me and grinding against me, while Trish’s dancer nodded in appreciation of his skill.

  I just laughed, mentally demanding another drink, which Ollie leaped up to get.

  Having Skip’s bare chest right in front of me, that bulge starting to grow in his board shorts, was making me all hot and bothered.

  ‘Lucky for you, this place is magicked so that other shifters can’t scent arousal. No need for wild orgies to break out,’ Lucas said with a chuckle.

  Of course.

  I felt like I’d stepped into a hot scene of Magic Mike as Skip gave me a sexy dance, and I gritted my teeth as those blue eyes dilated in the faint lighting.

  ‘I can feel how hot and bothered you are, Bee Sting. I could so easily carry you outside, bend you over, and take you. Or up against the wall,’ Skip said into my mind as he leaned over me, dragging his lips up my neck and across my jaw.

  I quivered at his words, a deep ache flaring to life within me.

  God, I could certainly use a good screw right now.

  Skip chuckled as he pulled away, and I reached out for him.

  “No touching, remember?” Skip said playfully as he moved out of reach.

  I pouted as I spied Ollie returning with more cocktails for us, and he replaced Hayley and my glasses with fresh ones.

  “That’s for real dancers,” I stated as Trish enjoyed the show of both men quite happily.

  “Are you saying I’m not a real dancer?” Skip pouted before he gave me his charming smile and claimed my lips.

  I moaned against him, wanting to sit him down in his seat and give him his own dance.

  ‘I wouldn’t say no to that,’ he said on a groan.

  ‘I can’t dance,’ I grumbled as he broke our heated kiss.

  “Best be careful, the staff might think you’re a dancer and pull you up,” Lucas said as Skip continued dancing for me, holding his hands behind his head as he thrust at me.

  ‘Wouldn’t there be a dress code for this place?’ Marcus asked as he rolled his eyes while Skip pretended to face-fuck me.

  I was laughing hard now as I reached for my cocktail, feeling only slightly embarrassed but having fun.

  ‘There is, but they’re not overly strict here,’ Lucas answered.

  Trish’s dance ended, and she pouted as her dancer waved and blew her a kiss before moving off to find another patron.

  She smacked her lips as she checked out his ass while he strode off in his red G-string.

  Skip finished up his dance for me, then plopped down in his seat and took my hand to give it a kiss.

  “That’s horrible teasing,” I growled out, and he winked at me.

  ‘It’s a promise of fun once we get home,’ he said huskily into my mind.

  Well now, I could accept that.

  He reached for the beer Lucas had gotten him and chugged it down with ease as I sipped my cocktail and focused back on the aerial show.

  Clearly, she was finishing up, tossing her black bra into the crowd before slipping her stilettos off and hooking them in the silk.

  Then her mask and G-string were cast into the crowd as well, and I watched as two men nearly barreled each other over trying to catch it.

  ‘Onyx’ then had black smoke rain down on her, and a raven soared out of it, choosing one lucky patron to receive a lap dance as well.

  She landed on a young woman at the back, who looked rather shocked and embarrassed as Onyx shifted back to a woman and straddled her before guiding her off to the side of the room.

  The men lost their shit at this, cheering and yelling out how they wanted to watch this show.

  ‘Private lap dances are done naked,’ Lucas informed me as I wondered about it.

  I also wondered how much money they were making a night.

  ‘Some nights they can rake in two grand each easy. Depends on how many lap dances they do, since that makes them the most money,’ Lucas said as a new song started playing.

  Fuck, maybe I needed a career change. I’d definitely get insanely fit being a dancer like this.

  Ollie choked on the rum and Coke he’d just taken a swig of, and Marcus scoffed in surprise.

  The curiously excited looks Lucas and Skip were giving me made me quiver though.

  We continued enjoying the shows, downing cocktails and drinks quite happily. Once I was light-headed and laughing at everything, Marcus switched me to water, despite my objections, but I could feel he’d started to get a buzz after his various drinks.

  Nothing like the way everything was starting to move for me though.

  With those butts on stage and the way the women danced, all I could do was stare and appreciate their flawless beauty and skill.

  I’d love to be that stunning and dance that well.

  ‘You are that gorgeous,’ Ollie murmured into my mind as he slid his chair closer and kissed me, tasting of a sweet mix of Coke and rum.

  All my men were fully relaxed now, and Skip had thankfully put his shirt back on at some point.

  I wanted to get up and dance with some of the other patrons and my men and enjoy myself fully while I could.

  Who would’ve thought I’d enjoy a strip club?

  “Gran!”

  I swiveled my head and gasped as Trish sauntered over to a table of men with her cocktail in hand.

  “Who here wants a free lap dance?” she asked as she danced in front of them.

  Two of the men laughed, the younger ones, but their two older friends shrugged and repositioned their chairs.

  “Should we go rescue her?” Skip asked, his words slurring slightly as he set his beer down.

  “Crap,” Hayley groaned out as she finished her cocktail.

  I just chuckled as Trish started giving them both a lap dance, switching bet
ween them.

  “If they get grabby or anything, I’ll step in,” Skip stated as he eyed them carefully. “I don’t want to ruin her fun though. She is technically single. She deserves a good night.”

  He was right, and I knew that. Besides, she looked like she was enjoying herself, and the men were thankfully just allowing her to have her fun.

  We kept a close eye on her, and Hayley and I laughed as she tried to get one of them to dance with her. She succeeded, pulling one man up and dancing with him.

  Skip finally stepped in when Trish started staggering and spilling her drink, and Lucas thanked the men for letting her have her fun.

  I watched as the golden dragon circling the ceiling dived down and swam around the room, moving through the crowd like a golden dust creature.

  People walked through it like it was smoke, and I pouted as Marcus helped me to my feet.

  It seemed they’d decided we’d had enough for the night.

  “Time to take you home, gorgeous,” Marcus murmured as I stumbled and laughed.

  Okay, maybe I’d had a few too many drinks.

  “We’ll continue this party at home, right?” Trish asked Skip as she struggled alongside him, relying on him to hold her upright. Considering Skip was snorting and chuckling, I wasn’t sure if he was the one to rely on for support, but Lucas stepped in as well, while Ollie helped Hayley.

  “Of course!” Skip declared, and Trish cheered.

  Marcus just shook his head as those frosty eyes caught mine.

  “It’s going to be an interesting night,” he murmured.

  I laughed, knowing how right he was.

  With my grandmother here, it was only going to get crazier.

  6

  I collapsed onto the nearest lounge as Lucas portaled us into the living room, and Marcus knelt down to help me get my heels off, while Skip practically fell on the other lounge with my grandmother hanging off him.

  “Time for some food and water I think,” Marcus said as he set my heels aside and rose, giving me a kiss on the forehead.

  I stared at him, and the sudden urge to cry at how sweet he was washed over me.

  “Aw,” Marcus said, smirking as he moved to hug me, and I choked out a soft laugh as my eyes welled.