On the Far Side of Darkness

by R. C. Graham

  One group of four women stood out, the aforementioned butches. They sat in the middle of the left wall from which vantage point they could see the entire bar. Their loud laughs and forceful gesticulations made it appear as if they owned the place. One was a large woman, heavily muscled. She was dressed in a sleeveless T-shirt, black jeans and combat boots. On her right forearm was a tattoo that read ‘Semper Fi’ against an ornate background. A knife entwined with snakes was on the left. Her upper arms had a number of inked in marks, upright singles and sets of five delineated with a horizontal line. These covered her right biceps and triceps. The other side had only one five and three uprights.

  The woman who just entered saw all this in a quick glance. Her movements were smooth, self assured and without wasted motion. She noted everyone who turned to look at her.

  What they saw was a petite lady with a fair, bordering on pallid complexion. Her auburn hair ran in a cascade of waves to her shoulders. She had a pretty, thin face; her nose was narrow and a little long. The eyes gazing over the bar were sea green and alert. Her lips were lean and a shade paler than pink. A loose silk dress shaded deep black with spaghetti straps holding it up covered her torso and hips. The garment reached to mid thigh. Beneath its hem a pair of slim and beautiful legs showed. Her pretty feet were in black sandals laced to her calf. The attractive redhead gripped a small clutch, the same color as the rest of her garb, in her right hand.

  The woman at the door drew in a sniff of air. Her head swung a little as if testing every odor. That was followed by a smile, one that skirted wicked. It seemed the auburn tressed lady had found what she was looking for.

  A person stood away from where she was leaning, at the wall next to the foot of the stairs. She was a tall, brawny black woman in a red leather bustier and breeches with her blonde dreads tied back in a pony tail. She placed herself in front of the person who had just entered to look the new patron over. The woman’s gaze ran from face to shoes and back again. Her grim mouth and hard eyes spoke of her suspicion.

  The redhead looked back and gave a sweet smile.

  The bouncer relaxed and stepped aside. The woman in black sauntered down the steps and into the bar.

  She walked with an easy, almost feral grace. Again there was no wasted movement. Her head scanned about in a manner similar to that of other women here. Yet there was a pointed regard in her eyes that implied this person was looking for something else.

  As the pale lady passed the butches the big woman called out, “Hey! Sweet thing! Come ‘ere. I’ve got what you’re looking for.” She emphasized the words by grabbing her crotch. Her right hand moved to the opposite biceps and tapped it. “I need to add to my collection,” she added. Her cronies laughed.

  The woman in the black dress stopped and looked at them. She tilted her head, her lips pursing. After a moment’s contemplation she replied, “Thanks, but no.” Her voice was colored with a southern U.S. drawl. “I’m not impressed with people like you anymore.”

  Snorts of laughter sounded from those nearby. “Nice one,” muttered someone.

  The butch turned red with fury. “You cu…” she started to snarl, leaning forward.

  “Roxy,” interjected a loud voice from the spot near the door, “there’ll be no trouble here.”

  Her face still crimson, Roxy fell back and drew a swig of her beer.

  The auburn haired woman turned away, unconcerned with what had just happened. Her gaze fell on a young girl seated with her left side to the bar, watching what was happening around her while her left hand tapped topaz colored nails on the countertop.

  That person’s tresses were a rich chestnut reaching to mid-back and her skin was a few shades short of olive. A bit taller than the woman looking at her, the girl had wide shoulders and a full ass. Dressed in a white halter top only just large enough to hide her full breasts her smooth skin was on display, as it deserved to be. A mini-skirt, also in white, was wrapped around her hips and her graceful legs were shod in stilettos of the same color. The stool next to her was empty.

  A tiny, sharp smile shaped the lips of the redhead. She hastened across the room, dodging the other patrons with ease and sat next to the brunette.

  The girl watched the woman approach with a mildly perturbed expression. She faced forward and hunched her shoulders as the seat beside her was occupied. Both hands gripped the stem of the wine glass in front of her. Her eyes flickered towards the just taken stool and her mouth was set in a neutral line.

  “What’ll it be?” asked the slim bartender.

  “Bourbon, straight,” replied the just seated patron.

  As the server turned away, the easy grace the pale woman held herself with disappeared. Her back slumped a touch, her shoulders drew in. The cast of her face sobered while her mouth tightened. That instant of doubt faded, she sat straight. Her expression relaxed and she swiveled towards the quarry she had chosen.

  She fixed her eyes on the lovely femme in the next chair, and they never left. Even when her drink arrived and she took what appeared to be a tiny sip of it, she watched.

  The sultry girl being appraised didn’t react at first. Her gaze stayed on the white wine she had been sipping. She started to fidget, squirm in her seat. Her eyes kept flitting in the direction of the stool just occupied while she chewed on her lower lip. After a minute her head turned and her brown eyes met the other woman’s green ones. A shiver ran through the girl. Her throat worked as she swallowed with nervousness. The muscles of her stomach tightened. Her legs squeezed together for a second.

  The woman with the auburn hair spoke. “Hi,” was all she said. Her lips formed a smile as she lifted the tumbler of bourbon to them.

  The dark haired girl’s mouth opened in a little gasp. A light film drew across her eyes and she pressed her thighs together again.

  “You’re very beautiful,” the fair skinned woman went on. Her smile grew firmer, a touch of wicked amusement played across her face.

  Another shiver rippled and the femme hissed in a soft breath.

  The redhead spoke again. “What’s your name, darlin’?”

  “C, Cindy,” was the reply.

  “A sweet name for a sweet girl. I’m Diane.”

  Cindy’s mouth moved without making a sound. Her body made a tiny twitch. A flush filled her face and her skin began to gleam as a thin film of sweat appeared on it.

  Diane’s green irises darkened for an instant. That enigmatic smile grew stronger still.

  A hand attached to a tattooed arm fell on Diane’s left shoulder. “I saw her first, bitch. Back off,” snarled Roxy.

  Diane turned to look into the butch’s face. The petite lady’s expression became impassive, not a trace of emotion showed save a flicker of something dark that flashed through her eyes.. Her right hand came up and placed itself around Roxy’s forearm. The slim fingers barely reached halfway around the solid muscles, and they squeezed.

  Roxy’s eyes widened and she grunted in pain. She jerked her arm away from Diane to stare at the livid marks where the other woman’s hand had rested.

  The bouncer came up in a rush. “Roxy,” she gritted, anger clear in her voice, “You don’t own anyone in this place so sit down and behave yourself.”

  The mannish dyke did as she was told. But her eyes glared at the woman who hurt her.

  “You okay?” the black woman asked Diane. Her face was hard. She ran her suspicious gaze over Diane once more. The stern look faded, became laced with uncertainty. She crossed her arms and drummed her fingers against her biceps, showing her vacillating thoughts about the pale woman sitting in front of her.

  “Yes, thank you,” was the reply as the bar’s guardian was again shown a sweet smile. The bouncer relaxed, although not much, before returning to her spot by the door.

  Diane refocused her gaze on Cindy.

  The brunette stared back with wide eyes. “How,” she stuttered, “how’d you do that?”

  “Mind over matter,” the older woman replied. “If I don’t m
ind, it doesn’t matter.” The smile gracing Diane’s lips grew mocking. “Roxy thinks she’s frightening. She has no idea what real fear is.” The deriding expression fell away. Diane’s features and eyes blanked for a moment, looking somewhere other than the place she was in now.

  Cindy swallowed. Her legs twitched. One foot went to the floor and her thigh tautened as the femme started to stand. She paled a little, her lips were set in a grimace of unease.

  Diane’s smile returned and she refocused on her quarry. “Enough about me. How about you? What do you do?”

  Once again, the brunette’s eyes glazed while the hot blush reappeared on her cheeks. Her legs ceased twitching and they moved apart a little. Ripples appeared in the surface of her wine as the hand gripping the stem of the glass trembled. “Stu, student,” the femme managed to spit out. She turned in her seat to face the woman beguiling her.

  “What do you study, pretty girl?” was Diane’s next query. Her oblique smile grew some more and her eyes glinted with hunger; a hunger similar to but not quite the same as the girl she was chasing displayed.

  A sound bubbled in Cindy’s chest, a sound of need. Her breathing sped up and quivers raced through her body. “Psychology,” was the shaky word that passed her full lips.

  “The human mind,” noted Diane, “a very interesting thing isn’t it? And emotions. Such an important part.” Her left hand went down, stroked the smooth skin of Cindy’s right thigh. “I can tell you’re experiencing a lot of emotion right now, aren’t you?” Once more the redheaded temptress’s eyes clouded with a hint of malevolence, there and gone in an instant. A certainty settled on Diane’s features as she pulled in another small sniff of air.

  The femme shuddered at Diane’s touch. Her skin broke out in small beads of moisture. A fevered whine leaked out of her mouth. Her eyes fluttered and her mouth quivered.

  “What brings you here tonight, Cindy?” was the pale woman’s next question. Her hand didn’t stop its gentle petting.

  The brunette slumped a little, released a quiet moan. The sweat grew thicker on her skin. Her mouth worked although nothing emerged. Her eyes were locked on the other woman’s face and shone with heat.

  “Let me guess,” Diane went on. She leaned closer and whispered, “You were looking to get laid.” Her face lit up in eager expectation.

  “Oh!” gasped the girl being teased. Her body shivered. Cindy gave an addled smile and a weak inclination of her head.

  “What a coincidence,” grinned her seducer, “so was I.” Diane’s teeth were very white and her upper canines seemed a little longer than normal. “I think we should take advantage of that coincidence, don’t you?” the woman in black asked.

  Again, Cindy nodded weakly. Her breath was short and fast. The brunette squeezed her legs together and a subdued groan oozed from her.

  Diane opened her clutch and placed a ten dollar bill on the bar. She stood up, took Cindy’s waist and drew the brown haired girl from her stool. The femme wrapped her arms around the woman holding her and huddled close. The pair headed for the front door.

  A snarl came from the small pack of butches. Diane glanced towards the source to see two of them with their hands on Roxy’s shoulders, holding her in her chair. The tattooed woman’s face was twisted in rage.

  Diane smiled a mocking smile at the big dyke and faced front. She guided Cindy to the stairs. When the couple got there, she turned to the bouncer and said, “Thank you.”

  The black woman frowned a little. Her mouth grimaced. It opened for a moment, then closed again to a thin line. “Good night,” she replied through tight lips.

  With her catch still in her arm Diane climbed the stairs and opened the door. She and Cindy stepped out into the empty, dark street. The second the door closed Diane turned, pulled her quarry close and kissed her hard.

  The brunette femme answered with a tremulous moan. She clutched the other woman tight. Her mouth opened and she groaned at the sensation of her seducer’s tongue teasing around inside. Cindy’s pelvis pumped, running a damp, demanding vulva against the thigh pressed to her.

  Diane pulled back to declare, “I’ve wanted to do that since the moment I saw you. You’re going to be delicious.” She took the girl by the ass, lifted her up and bore her towards a nearby alley. The easy way she walked showed that this required no effort on her part.

  The woman being carried wrapped her legs around Diane. Her hips shimmied. She gibbered with her want. Cindy placed her mouth on Diane’s neck to lick and kiss the pale skin with abandon.

  The entwined women entered the alley and went down it a short distance. Dropping her clutch, one of the auburn haired woman’s hands let go of the full cheek it held and lifted up the white halter top hiding Cindy’s breasts. When revealed they were marvelous; large, firm, with broad aureola and stiff nipples. Diane grabbed a handful of brunette hair, bent Cindy back and sucked on a tasty mound.

  An inarticulate sound bubbled out from the young woman. The sweat on Cindy’s skin began to run. Her legs tightened their hold and the rhythm of her hips sped up. She clung to her seducer with a desperate grip.

  “Want to see a neat trick I learned recently?” asked Diane.

  Cindy managed to lean her head forward. Her eyes were glassy, a simper of blind hunger leered across her mouth. She whined a sound betraying the exquisite passion filling her.

  Diane took that as agreement. Smiling, she grabbed a rigid nipple in her canines and bit softly.

  The girl’s mouth dropped and her eyes snapped wide. Her voice devolved into a sputtering babble. Cindy’s hands seized her ravisher’s biceps. Every muscle in her body drew tight.

  The pale skinned woman let go of the stiff nubbin and continued playing. Her tongue washed over Cindy’s sweat slick skin. She drew in the nipple not yet played with and bit that one as well.

  Cindy jerked, hissed and moaned through the erotic treatment. “What’s,” she murmured, “happening? Never…” That was all she could say before the nip of Diane’s teeth washed away her wits.

  “Are you ready?” asked the redhead.

  Cindy’s answer was an aching groan.

  Diane chuckled and let go of her plaything’s ass. Cindy planted her feet on the ground. With a quick motion, the woman in the black dress turned the girl around so they were spooned together. Her left hand gripped a firm breast, the right went under the white mini-skirt and petted the sopping garment covering Cindy’s engorged labia.

  The fingers on her hot skin drove the olive skinned girl’s passion to the very edge of sanity. Her entire body shuddered with the sensation triggered by Diane’s gentle touch. Somehow a “Please!” succeeded in passing her lips. It was a word eloquent with rapture.

  “What ever you say,” grinned the red headed huntress. Her fingers pushed the sodden fabric of Cindy’s thong aside. Two of them slid into the hot, quivering pussy revealed and her thumb placed itself on a hard clit. She pumped slowly, tickled with a gentle touch.

  So Cindy got what she needed.

  Her hips blurred in a mad rhythm while her body jerked at the wild eruption of bliss that rocketed through her. She pressed her head into Diane’s shoulder. Her mouth opened to fill the air with a keening wail. Anyone who heard that sound would know exactly how intense Cindy’s orgasm was.

  Diane’s mouth rushed to the climaxing woman’s neck. Her auburn hair fell forward to cover her face.

  Cindy’s brown eyes goggled, her face went slack. Her body’s movement stopped save for an occasional quiver. At random moments her throat worked in a gulp. At others, her mouth opened and closed in a silent gasp.

  For just over a minute the women held this tableau. Then Diane pulled her head back. Cindy collapsed in her grip, gulped at the air like a swimmer who had nearly been pulled to sea by an undertow.

  The face that pulled away was not the face that had descended. Now the features were monstrously beautiful, a sight that would cause terror with its sharp, too perfect glory. The green irises held a hideous malice.r />
  The creature looked down at the small holes still oozing blood in Cindy’s neck. Her evil eyes lit up, her head started to descend once more.

  An instant later, the woman returned. Her mouth was grim and her face hard. The thin lips relaxed and her sweet smile reformed. Diane’s irises lightened, all traces of shadow fled from them. Her head moved again and she licked up the thin trickle of red liquid. The punctures vanished as her tongue moved over them.

  “How do you feel?” she asked the still slack girl in her arms.

  Cindy mouthed a faltering sound in response. One arm lifted for a moment then flopped downwards. A twitch shook her before she wilted once more.

  “I’m glad,” smiled Diane. “Let’s get you home.” She drew her meal’s halter back into place then stooped for her purse. The vampire moved next to Cindy, placed an arm around the young woman’s back and lead the shaky legged girl out of the alley.

  The femme staggered. She made a sound like the beginning of a sob. This was followed by a feeble giggle. Her eyes were torpid and her face slack.

  A familiar snarl greeted them as they stepped onto the sidewalk. Diane turned her head in the direction of the bar to see Roxy and her compatriots standing a few paces away. The big butch took a step forward, clenched her fists.

  Diane’s eyes filled with darkness again.

  Roxy’s gaze looked right into the stygian gulf of them. The muscular woman blanched, gasped. A wide stain appeared on the crotch of her jeans. She turned and ran. Her companions followed. They hadn’t caught the full force of the small woman’s glower but had seen enough to want to be elsewhere.

  Diane’s sea green irises became normal once more. A cab turned the corner and she flagged it down. She placed Cindy in the back seat and gave the girl a soft parting kiss. “Sleep, sweetie. Eat something with lots of red meat in it tomorrow. An iron supplement is a good idea too.” She pulled a hundred dollar bill from her clutch and gave it to the driver, telling him to keep the change. She watched with a smile as the cab pulled away.

  “Enjoy yourself, cher?” sounded a voice. It came from a lithe figure garbed in black leaning against a lamp post across the street. The man’s hair was dark and a little long. His eyes were blue and his skin was as pale as Diane’s. A warm smile graced his lips.