Sin's Dark Caress

by Tracey O'Hara

  “Well, if it isn’t my old friend, Detective McManus,” the BDSM mistress husked, running a professional glance over Bianca. His disguise had obviously failed big-time. Not that it mattered now.

  “I need to see Madam Lo, Luna.”

  She sidled up to him with a slow smile and pressed herself against him as she fingered the lapel of his suit. “I’m sorry, Detective, but the madam is . . . indisposed.”

  “Then . . .” McManus leaned so close their noses almost touched. “ . . . tell her to get disposed.”

  Mistress Luna’s gaze dropped to his lips as hers parted slightly. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  The succubi sisters Luna and Lo had been running the House of Pleasure for as long as he could remember. A man entered, dressed in an expensive looking suit. He smiled nervously at them and sat down. Lili appeared dressed in her usual demure school uniform, crisp white socks up to her knees and her hair in ponytails. She gave McManus a saucy wink as she crossed to the seated man. As usual it disturbed him on so many levels.

  “Hello, Daddy,” she said, taking the man’s face in her tiny childish hands and giving him a tender peck on the lips.

  The man leered, his trousers unable to hide his excitement as the prepubescent girl took his hand and led him from the room.

  McManus shuddered, feeling dirty. He could never get used to seeing that.

  “My Goddess, she’s only a child,” Bianca said, her face mirroring his own revulsion.

  “Actually, Lili is more than three hundred years old,” he said. “According to the law, she’s well past the age of consent.”

  “Aeternus?” Bianca asked.

  He nodded.

  “Still,” Bianca said, turning to the doorway where Lili disappeared with her john. “That’s perverted.”

  “I know,” he said. “But still legal.”

  “You know a lot about Sin Town,” Bianca said, tilting her head. It was good to see some of her confidence returning.

  “Before my foster parents took me in, I lived on the streets for a while. In fact, I met Dan Murphy when he caught me trying to boost a car that belonged to one of the nastiest drug dealers in Sin Town. It would’ve literally cost me my balls, if not my life, if I’d succeeded.” The memory brought a smile to his lips. “Not everyone who lives here is crooked, at least not back then. The Murphys took me into their home right here in Sin Town.”

  “And a right little smartass he was then too.” An elegant woman stood in the doorway. “Hello, Lancelot.”

  She was the only one besides his adopted mother who ever got away with using his first name. Madam Lo’s long red lace gown showed her immaculate figure to perfection, and her dark hair, streaked with purples and reds, hung past her waist. She looked as beautiful now as she did to a seventeen-year-old boy with a crush.

  Madam Lo came into the room leading two seminaked beefcakes on leashes attached to the studded collars around their throats. She gracefully reclined on the chaise lounge and arranged the skirt to best show off her spectacular legs. Her pets kneeled on either side, one running his hand up her leg, while she stroked the other’s head.

  She looked at McManus with hooded seduction. “Now what was so important you had to interrupt my evening meal?”

  “We’re looking for Fast Jimmy.”

  She arched a perfect eyebrow. “What makes you think I know where he is?”

  McManus could see she did. Now all he needed was to convince her she should tell him. “Two reasons really. First, you know everything that goes on in Sin Town.”

  She acknowledged this with slight incline of her head. “And the second?”

  “He comes here regularly to see one of your girls that he’s involved with.”

  Again the Succubus gave him a sage nod. “Myf.”

  “Myf?” Bianca said.

  “Myfanwy, a druidess with a great talent for erotic plant manipulation.”

  “Erotic plant manipulation?” he asked.

  Madam Lo grinned. “Yes, tentacles, vines, and all sorts of other fabulous tricks. I could get Myf to give you a demonstration, on the house.”

  “Um, no thanks,” McManus said. “We’re just after Fast Jimmy. So is he here?”

  Madam Lo looked at her sister, dropping the seductive act for a more professional face. “Is he?”

  Mistress Luna nodded.

  “You didn’t need to disturb me for that,” the madam said.

  McManus glanced at Madam Lo. “Do you think she’d tell me anything without your say so?”

  Her musical laugh lit up the room. “How well you know us, my boy.” Her bedroom eyes drooped again and she ran her hands over her ample, perfect bust. “In all ways possible.”

  “I’ve long ago grown immune to your allure, Madam Lo.”

  She gave the same throaty laugh. “Only because I’ve let you think you have.”

  She was right; he could feel the desire swelling with the Succubus’s pull. And a man never forgot his first.

  “Madam Lo, the whereabouts of this Fast Jimmy could be crucial in helping us find a killer,” Bianca said, stepping between him and the madam, killing the rising desire in his blood.

  “Well now, witch, aren’t you a surprise?” The succubus rose from the lounge chair and stood directly in front of her. “I see you have the blood of my people flowing in your veins. Rest assured, if I really wanted your detective, I’d have him and there’d be nothing you could do to stop me. But as it is, I merely want to remind him who he was dealing with.”

  She swept her skirts around and headed for the door, taking her pets with her. “Luna, take them to—”

  A piercing scream shattered the air.

  20

  Fast Jimmy, Dead Jimmy

  Bianca followed the others in the direction of the scream. Doors on either side of a narrow corridor opened as naked and near naked people peered out. McManus pushed past, shoving some roughly back into their rooms. Bianca struggled to keep up in the ridiculous boots she wore but managed to make it to the screaming woman only a couple of steps behind him.

  As soon as she entered the room, she could sense the now familiar vileness. It permeated everything. She took in the scene with a quick glance. Plants and vines grew everywhere, in pots, in hanging baskets, and creeping up the walls. It looked like some sort of fantasy jungle. A sweeping arc of blood sprayed across the large bed in the center. Some of it had splashed the ferns beside the bed and now dripped like gruesome raindrops.

  “Well, looks like we found Jimmy,” McManus said, looking down at the dead man lying on the bed. “Unfortunately, I think it’s going to be a little difficult getting him to talk.”

  The shrieking girl now whimpered as she stood shaking by the wall with her hands covering her eyes to block out the bloody horror. She was naked beneath a traditional druidic cloak of pale blue open down the front. Bianca wrapped her arm around the distraught girl’s shoulders and gently steered her into the waiting arms of Madam Lo.

  “There, there, sweetness,” the madam said, pulling the girl into a warm hug and stroking the back of her head. “I’ll look after you.”

  Bianca pulled a blanket from the end of the bed, with only a few spots of blood splashed on it. “Wrap her in this and give her some hot sweet tea if you have any. She’s going into shock.”

  Madam Lo nodded and took the blanket as she continued to soothe the young girl. “Shhh, shh, shh, I know,” she said, wrapping the druidess up and leading her out of the room. A crowd gathered at the doorway, gasping and gawking at the bloody scene.

  Vultures. “Can’t you get them out of here?” Bianca said to Mistress Luna.

  The vinyl clad mistress turned and held her arms out. “Everyone leave,” she commanded as she shuffled the people out. “Back to your rooms.”

  “Don’t let anyone leave the premises, though,” McManus cal
led after her. “I want them all for questioning.”

  The body lay on its back, with feet still on the floor, pants around his ankles and flaccid penis lying against one leg. His face was frozen in blood-speckled terror. This man had died badly.

  “So what do you think?” McManus asked when they were alone.

  “It’s definitely the killer. There’s the same dark magic remnants.”

  “How can you tell? You don’t have any of your equipment.”

  “I told you, my family are sensitive. The devices just enhance my ability.” Or at least used to until Kedrax, she thought. “Besides, the signature is fresh, strong, and far too familiar not to recognize.”

  “I think Jimmy was killed because he knew something.” McManus ran a hand over his head.

  “Or they’re still tying up loose ends after we broke into the magic shop,” she said.

  McManus nodded. “We’ll have to question everyone who knew him, starting with the girl.”

  “You could try the video,” Madam Lo said from the doorway.

  “What video?” McManus asked.

  “How’s the girl?” Bianca said at the same time.

  “I’ve left her in Luna’s capable hands,” she said, and pointed to the camera mounted near the ceiling. “And we keep them in all the rooms.”

  McManus shoved his hand in his pockets and arched his eyebrows skeptically.

  “For security,” she said.

  “And if you happen to catch the odd senator or prominent citizen in a compromising position, it wouldn’t hurt.”

  Madam Lo’s brow creased as she placed her hands on her hips. “Our house runs on a solid reputation of discretion and confidentiality. It would be counterproductive to blackmail our clients. Besides, they’re made aware of the cameras before they participate in any bedroom sport. Some even request copies.”

  “Sorry,” he said, holding up his hands. “Let’s take a look at that footage.”

  “This way.”

  Bianca followed the succubus back to the reception area, through another door and into an office. The madam sat down at a desk and tapped the keyboard in front of a computer screen with long manicured nails, then looked up at them.

  “This is Room 113, Myfanwy’s room.”

  Bianca moved around so she could look over the madam’s shoulder. “She’s the druidess who found the body and the victim’s girlfriend, right?”

  “Yes. As you can see, this is in real time.”

  “Can you go back to when Jimmy arrived?” McManus asked.

  The madam’s talonlike nails flew expertly over the keys. “Luna said he arrived about twenty minutes ago.”

  The computer screen flicked to a black and white image of a man entering the room.

  “That’s Jimmy,” McManus said, bending over Madam Lo’s shoulder for a closer look.

  Bianca tried to ignore the way his hand rested on the madam’s shoulder with a casual familiarity, and keep her attention on the computer screen, but she found her gaze drifting back to them.

  She shook herself. It was none of her business if McManus and this woman were lovers. She refocused on the screen as a whistling Jimmy sat on the bed, totally oblivious to the fact that he was about to die. He flicked off his shoes then stood up, unbuckled his belt and pushed down his pants. His erection stood out proudly, and he continued to whistle as he squeezed the tip between his thumb and forefinger. Suddenly, the whistling broke off and he just disappeared.

  “What the fuck . . .” McManus said, peering closer at the screen. “What happened to the video? Has this been edited?”

  “No, look,” Bianca said, pointing to the timer in the bottom right hand corner. “It’s still running.”

  Madam Lo took the video back a couple of minutes and let it go. They watched Jimmy unbuckle his pants, drop them, and fondle himself again. Then Lo slowed the video to frame-by-frame. Jimmy’s head snapped up with his face twisting from a grin to utter terror.

  Then poof, he was gone, and just like that the room was empty.

  The video continued to play, showing an empty room.

  “Can you fast forward it a little?” McManus asked.

  Madam Lo took it to where Myfanwy entered the room, then slowed it as the girl looked around, frowned and placed her hands on her hips. The witch sat down at the dresser and started bushing her long raven hair.

  Then, abruptly, Jimmy’s body appeared on the bed just as they had found him. The blood was dark splashes on the bed and plants in the black and white video. Myfanwy leaned into the mirror, then spun and jumped up so fast she sent the stool over on its side as she raised a shaking hand to her lips and screamed.

  Less than a minute later McManus’s image rushed into the room and Madam Lo hit the pause button, looking at them both in surprised confusion.

  McManus looked at the druidess who sat with Mistress Luna on a lounge chair in the corner of the office. “I think we better get that girl out of here and into protective custody.”

  Bianca shivered. Sin Town had been even worse than she expected. She just wanted to go home and take a really, really long shower and wash this filth from her skin.

  “We’ll get her a safe house.” McManus removed his jacket and wrapped it around Bianca’s shoulders. “And I know just the place to go. Someone owes me a favor and it’s about time I collected.”

  21

  No One Can Hear You Scream

  Myf flicked the channel on the TV. An image of a lion stalking an antelope appeared. She flicked again. A daytime soap. Flick. Music videos.

  Flick. Flick. Flick.

  The woman came out of the bathroom dressed in a fluffy white bathrobe.

  “Ah, that’s better,” she said, fluffing out her pale hair with her fingers. “That bath is wonderful. You should try it.”

  “No thanks.” Myf flicked the channel.

  “I can’t believe McManus got us this room. Would you like something, Myfanwy? I can call down for some room service.”

  “Call me Myf, and no thanks.”

  “Right, Myf.” She looked around uncomfortably and tugged at the robe. “I’ll be glad when McManus gets back with my clothes.”

  Myf put down the remote and stood up. “I think I need a smoke. Do you mind if I go outside?” she asked. “Sorry, I can’t remember your name.”

  “It’s Bianca, and yeah, that should be fine.”

  Myf dug into her bag, frantically looking for the half a pack she had left, and let out a sigh of relief when she finally found them squashed in the corner under everything else. She slid the glass door and went out onto the balcony, leaving it open behind her. The wind this high up was chilling. She pulled her jacket tighter and placed the cigarette between her lips.

  Out of nowhere a fresh wave of grief washed over her again. It kept taking her by surprise.

  Jimmy.

  He might’ve been an asshole sometimes, but he was her asshole, and now he was gone. Her hands shook so much she had difficulty getting the lighter to work. Finally, the flame held. The tip of the cigarette glowed and nicotine-laden smoke filled her lungs.

  She exhaled slowly and glanced at the woman inside flicking through a magazine. With her pure cream complexion and whiter than white hair, she’d be very popular at Madam Lo’s. Especially dressed in that skanky goth outfit she wore earlier. The perfect mix of innocence and depravity that Madam Lo’s clientele would eat right up. Maybe even more popular than Lili.

  Myf dragged deeply on the cigarette and closed her eyes. Too bad it was just tobacco because right now she could really use a splif.

  She frowned. The air changed suddenly, becoming colder and darker. She opened her eyes to find the night had taken on a strange hue, like a crimson scarf thrown over a lamp, muting the light with tinges of red.

  “What’s happening?” she asked the woman. I wis
h I could remember her name.

  The woman ignored her and continued to flick through the magazine.

  “Hey!” she said.

  The woman glanced up from the magazine, her eyes going wide, darting one way then the other, searching. “Myf?” she said, standing.

  “I’m right here you stupid woman,” she said, and tried to walk back inside, only she couldn’t move.

  “Myf?” The woman’s voice rose higher. “MYFANWY?”

  A strange mist appeared just off the balcony and drifted toward Myf, growing thicker as it poured onto the floor, obscuring her shoes. The air filled with a faint buzzing noise. As the mist continued to thicken, the noise increased, crystallizing into voices. Total and utter terror solidified into a hard cold knot, twisting her insides.

  The witch’s name suddenly popped into her head. “Bianca!”

  But the woman continued searching, unseeing and unhearing. Impending danger settled in the pit of Myf’s stomach, cold and cramping like menstrual pain with nails in it. Something moved in the thickening fog.

  The swirling mist solidified, becoming a white robed figure. The surrounding air became a grayish muted backdrop, almost fading from existence. The hood of the robe obscured any features within dark shadows, and it was impossible to tell if it was male or female. Even the long fingers holding a black chalice were no help.

  Dark energy flowed from the figure, especially the cup. The almost inaudible chant grew steadily stronger from somewhere in the hood, except it wasn’t a single voice, it was multiple, all harmonized into one monotonous intonation.

  The figure floated just off the ground, using the mist to glide across the ground.

  “Hello,” she said, hoping the thing would answer, yet dreading it at the same time.

  It just kept chanting as it floated toward her. And it was definitely not friendly.

  Goose bumps rose on her skin. Her hair stood out as if charged with electrical energy. She turned and tried to run, but her feet felt mired in mud. She screamed.