"Well, you look like you can take care of yourself. Soooo, Dakota, what do you do for a living, if you don't mind me asking?"
"I'm a journalist, an investigative journalist."
"Really! How exciting! Have I read any of your reports?"
"Probably not. I freelance for a magazine called Illusions and Magic... and a few others. Most people have never heard of it unless they're into that sort of thing."
"Well, actually, between you and me, I have a subscription," Lilith confided. "You’re not planning on doing one on my place are you?" she asked casually. Lilith stared into the Dakota's green eyes as if trying to read her thoughts. Had the journalist not experienced the dark intensity of Yemaya's gaze, she would have been unable to withstand this woman's scrutiny. Realizing they were both staring, the two lowered their eyes simultaneously and then chuckled.
"Miss Lilith, do you want another drink?" asked Agra, interrupting the conversation.
"Please, Agra, and another Corona for Dakota, on the house."
"Sure thing. You warning her not to get picked up by any strangers?" teased the bartender, winking at Dakota.
"Oh I think she can take care of herself. Besides, I hear you have already warned her."
"Just doing my job, boss. Can't have new clientele being harassed now can we?"
"No, we can't. Thanks Agra. Now where were we... oh... the magazine. You've been doing an exposé on the Illusionist. Rumor has it you and she might be an item. From your comment about me reminding you of someone, I take it you were talking about her."
"I would never have taken you for someone that listens to gossip."
"You'd be surprised what you can learn when you open your mind to all possibilities. Some gossip has value and besides. That’s usually what you hear in bars, isn’t it?"
'I suppose so. Anyway, to answer your question, you do remind me of her. She's tall and dark, like you, and somehow I think you might be just as dangerous as she in your own way," Dakota observed, sipping her beer.
"Dangerous? I'll take that as a compliment. So, what's she like? I hear she's very beautiful and quite mysterious."
"All of the above. I'm still trying to figure her and her illusions out. One day, I'm going to discover her secrets."
"And then what?" Lilith asked, leaning back in her chair. She sensed that Dakota could be very determined when she wanted to.
"And then, I don't know. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."
"Well, good luck. Look, I need to circulate. Thanks for coming in and I hope you have a good time. Let me know if you need anything."
"Thanks, I will."
Getting up, Lilith motioned to Agra to bring Dakota another drink. As she strolled away, the journalist couldn't help but admire her graceful movements, or notice the hot glances she received from other women in the room. The red tank top and tight black jeans emphasized her long, sleek figure and sensual grace.
"She likes you." whispered a soft voice in her ear.
Jerking around, Dakota found another woman standing slightly behind her. Silver hair and amber brown eyes were an unusual combination. Smooth, pale skin was enough of a hint that she was not the outdoorsy type. Still, if she looked as good without her clothes as she did in them, she would be hot, thought Dakota. Realizing she was staring and wondering where that thought came from, Dakota smiled sheepishly.
"Lilith or the barkeep?"
"Lilith, definitely, but probably Agra, too... and hi, my name is Cammie."
"Hi. Mine’s Dakota."
"Dakota... nice name. Do you mind if I join you?"
"No, not at all. This is my first visit so I really don’t know anyone. Everyone seems extremely friendly so far."
"Well, it’s a great place to hang out. Most of the women are here for a good time, although there are a few predators that pop in once in awhile, but you look like you can handle them," Cammie chuckled.
"In a heartbeat," replied Dakota beginning to wonder about some of the clientele. All of the warnings, blatant and subtle, were beginning to make her a little anxious. "So, what brings you here? You can’t be one of those predators everyone keeps talking about."
Cammie laughed softly.
"Trust me. I don’t need to hunt for women. They find me easily enough."
"I can believe that," Dakota grinned and then wondered about her own boldness. "So, back to the original question."
The conversation was interrupted when Agra brought over two drinks and sat them on the table.
"Hey, Cammie. Good to see you."
"You too, cutie. How have you been?"
"Samo, samo. You know how it is."
"Yeah. You hear anything about your girls?" Cammie asked, lowering her voice slightly.
"Not yet. I put the word out on them but they seem to have just disappeared."
"Well, I’ll keep an ear open, too. Hopefully, they'll show up soon."
"Thanks. Kali and I would appreciate it... oh... the boss sent these over and said to enjoy."
"Tell her thanks."
Dakota sat quietly listening to the exchange. Instinct told her there was a story behind the conversation. When the bartender left, Cammie turned her full attention on the woman in front of her and smiled. The effect was almost devastating, causing Dakota’s hand to shake as she sucked in a deep breath, struggling to collect her thoughts. Picking up the beer she took a quick sip, hoping it would calm her unusual reaction a little.
Whoah, she thought, wondering what had just happened.
"Ummm... something happen to Agra’s daughters?" she asked, unable to think of anything else to say.
"Daughters? Oh, you mean her girls. No, just some of her and Kali's friends. Are you okay? You seem a little flushed."
"Oh. Yeah. I’m fine. Just a little dizzy, I think. Must be the beer."
"That’ll do it. So, what’s a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?"
"What's with you guys? First the bartender, then Lilith and now you."
Cammie’s laughter made Dakota feel suddenly warm. Clamping her legs together, she resisted the urge to press her hand to her pubic area.
It must be jet lag.
"It does make you wonder, doesn’t it? They just like to look out for their customers," Cammie said.
"And you?"
"Let’s just say I like to help them out sometimes. We have a long history together so we cover each other’s back, so to speak."
"Just the back?" Dakota asked coyly, and then blushed, appalled at her brazen question.
Where in the hell did that come from? She thought.
Cammie sat and looked at her for a few seconds without replying. Her brown eyes gleamed, speculatively.
"Just the back," she finally replied.
"Gosh. I’m so sorry. I don’t know where that came from," Dakota said, turning a darker shade of red.
"Don’t worry about it. It’s a fair question and I’m used to them by now."
Reaching over, she squeezed Dakota’s hand. The contact re-ignited the warmth causing the journalist to swallow, nervously. Staring blankly at the hand covering hers, she wasn’t sure what she should say or even if she could say anything. Finally, shaking her head slightly, she looked up, making eye contact with honey brown eyes. The heat between her thighs increased. Shifting uncomfortably, she crossed her ankles and flexed her leg muscles. If she had been alone she would have rubbed herself.
If I was alone, I wouldn’t be feeling like this, Dakota thought.
"I... uh... I think I need to go. I may be coming down with something," she murmured. I know I am!
"I understand. Maybe another night. Do you want me to drive you home?"
"No. My car’s outside. Thanks, though. I’m sure it’s nothing. It was nice meeting you," Dakota stammered,"and I’d like to see you again... maybe when I feel better."
Both women stood simultaneously. Cammie walked Dakota to her car. Once she was seated, Cammie leaned down and kissed her gently on the cheek.
&
nbsp; "Don’t worry about it. It happens all the time," she whispered and walked away.
The journalist's heart was pounding so hard she could hear it. Feeling weak, she sat for a few minutes, confused and finding it difficult to breathe. Finally, almost in a daze, she started the car and drove slowly back to her apartment. Quickly undressing, she crawled into bed, pulled the cool sheets over her heated body and fell asleep, foregoing a badly needed cold shower.
CHAPTER 8
TWO DAYS LATER, Dakota watched nervously as the plane glided toward the landing strip. Crosswinds were gusting at 20 knots creating hazardous conditions for the small charter jet. The journalist knew Yemaya’s pilot was extremely capable but could still imagine the petite woman fighting the controls to keep its descent as smooth as possible. Finally, as if in a last desperate effort to force the plane onto the strip, she saw it drop, rise slightly and then drop again, the rear wheels making contact with the tarmac. The nose finally settled causing the plane to fishtail a few times before slowing and coasting to a halt near the terminal. A small door on the side of the plane opened inward and steps were lowered to the ground. When the pilot stuck her head out, she saw Dakota standing next to her Jeep and waved. Then she backed inside and Yemaya stepped out, ducking her head to avoid bumping it against the airframe.
Seeing Dakota, she smiled and gave her a thumbs up. Laughing, the journalist hurried across the tarmac and pulled her head down for a quick kiss.
"That was scary," she said, her voice quivering slightly.
"If Sharon had not been the pilot, I would agree," Yemaya said, calmly. "So, how is your grandmother?"
"Better than ever. I’m amazed at how well she’s doing. I think Mari and Grandma Dakota have something to do with it."
"Could be... or maybe she is just not ready to leave yet?"
"Well, I don’t care what it is. I’m not ready for her to leave either. By the way, she’s looking forward to meeting you. Seems Mom’s been telling her a few things about us. I told her we’d probably be back in a few weeks. I hope that’s okay."
"I see no problem at the moment visiting them. Pick out a date and I can have Sharon reserve the plane. Seeing Tee again will be fun. Besides, I am looking forward to hearing some of her stories about you," Yemaya teased.
Rolling her eyes, Dakota slapped her lover’s arm. During the ride back to the apartment, she described her visit to the nightclub and her encounter with Cammie.
"I really can’t believe how easy it was to talk to her. You’d have thought we were long lost friends."
"It happens like that sometimes. You meet someone and feel the connection."
"Could be. But this is different. If you’re up to it later tonight or tomorrow, maybe we can drop in for a few drinks. I think you’ll find it a pretty interesting place."
"Sounds like a plan."
* * *
Agrat-bat-mahlaht was livid and the air crackled with uncontrolled electricity from the anger she was unsuccessfully attempting to control.
"What do you mean she has disappeared?" she demanded, turning to glare at her business partner and long time friend seated in the recliner near the fireplace.
"Like I said, she’s gone, vanished, pfffft. You know!" replied the dark haired woman, unimpressed by Agra's fiery theatrics. She had known her too long to be disturbed by the colorful fireworks popping noisily in the background. "None of the girls have seen her for several days."
"No one just disappears like that, at least not from the Sisterhood. First it was Jennie, then Sasha and now her. Who saw her last?"
"Kiera."
"Get her in here!"
Taking out her cell phone, Kali quickly dialed a number.
"Shandra, tell Kiera the boss wants to see her... no, it won’t wait. If she’s not here in fifteen minutes, she can kiss her next pay check goodbye... Good."
Snapping the lid shut, she grinned wickedly, her lavender eyes Twinkling.
"They do love their money."
"It’s the only security they have. Too bad they can't take it with them," replied Agra, sarcastically.
"Don't be so overly dramatic," Kali chastised. "You know that's not true, at least the first part."
Picking up her glass of wine, Agra sat on the sofa across from her companion, crossed her legs, leaned against the backrest and closed her eyes. "We’ve been doing this too long, Kali. No matter how hard we try, we can’t protect all of them all of the time."
"I know. Sometimes, I feel like we've wasted our lives trying to win a battle we're destined to lose."
"Yeah. Me too. Then I think about those we saved and it makes all of this worth it, doesn’t it?"
"I suppose," Kali agreed, somewhat reluctantly.
A knock on the door interrupted their musings. Getting up, Kali walked over and opened it, motioning for the plump, black woman to enter.
"Thanks for coming," Kali said.
"Like I hads a choice. I can’t be affordin’ to lose my pay," Kiera grumbled, glancing toward Agra, hesitantly.
"If you started saving some of that money, you could," Agra replied, coolly. "We pay you plenty."
"Oh, I ain't complainin’, Miss Agra," the woman quickly explained, not wanting to anger her boss. "I’m just a mouthing off a little. You know I be that way."
"Yes, I do. It's a habit I'd work on correcting," advised Agra. "Tell me, when was the last time you saw Belinda? No one’s seen her in several days."
"Thursday afternoon. She said she was gonna see if she could make a few extra bucks on the side... not that you don’t be payin’ her plenty, but she saw this real cute dress she was wantin’ for her wardrobe and was afraid someone would get it before she gots enough money saved."
"So, why didn’t she just call me?" Agra asked, frustrated at hearing one of her whores had ignored a basic rule of the Sisterhood. "She could have borrowed the money from me if it meant that much."
"I guess she thought you’d be lecturin’ her about wastin her money... kinda like you does me sometimes."
"Are you or the others unhappy with our arrangements?"
"Oh no, Miss Agra. You pays us well... and no one else ever cared enough to gives us medical coverage or the protection you does. Shit, you even gives us a savins account soes we can get off the streets if we want to. I might be able to retires in a few years now. Miss Kali and you be like family. We ain’t never had no women pimps before, you know."
"Then why do you still take unnecessary chances? The rules we made are for your protection."
Kiera shrugged. It was true what Ms. Agra was saying. Still, old habits were hard to break.
"It’s just the way we is. Before you come along, we never had noone who cared much for us... not like you. We was out for our selves ’cause that’s all we had... the pimps... they took most everything we made. The last few months are like a dream, you know? I guess we just feels it ain’t gonna last and then we has to start all over again. Some of the pimps on the street... they been hasslin’ us and sayin they was gonna get you two sooner or later. Talk is it's gonna be sooner and then the Sisterhood ain't gonna be no more."
When Agra lunged to her feet, Kiera jumped back, startled at how quickly her boss moved.
"Who’s making these threats?"
"Just some small time pimps... we knows it was all talk so we didn’t say nothing."
"I don’t care how small the talk is. No one threatens my whores. I want to know who they are. One of them might have grabbed Belinda... and even if they didn't, I won't tolerate intimidation of my girls by anyone."
Kiera looked hesitantly at Kali and then back at Agra.
"Chicklet, mostly. He’s the main mouth."
"Chicklet?"
"Yeah. He’s a mixed-breed that hangs out on the strip near the bars. Thinks he’s a real tough guy but he’s all talk. Always chewing gum... poppin’ chicklets."
"How many whores work for him?"
"A dozen... maybe more."
"You ever hear any complaints from th
em?"
"Nah. Likes I said, he’s all mouth but he gots game. He takes half their money but he make sure they gots good protection. If anyone roughs up his hoes, he hunts 'em down and they pays double. Then he splits it fifty fifty with the hen house. Most of his hoes chose him up cuz he takes good care of 'em... better than the pimps on the east side."
Lilith - TI3 Page 5