"Easy for you to say,"
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, Kali and I are an item now... and it seems to reduce the effect I have on people. I’ve noticed I don’t nearly have the following I used to, so I think you’re safe for now."
"That’s a relief. I’d hate to put Yemaya through another episode like the last."
Cammie smiled slightly.
"I think she can handle it. Here they come. We’ll just pretend nothing ever happened."
Dakota nodded, more than willing to forget the night she had practically thrown herself at Cammie. Yemaya’s explanation about the Cambion had made it easier to understand what had happened but it still bothered her. Tonight, however, there was something different about the succubus. The journalist was attracted to her but it wasn’t so overwhelming. More importantly, she no longer felt the urge to engage in a threesome or in S&M behavior.
Sensing her thoughts, Cammie laughed and led her to a table in a darkened corner. Yemaya and Lilith joined them while Agra followed carrying their drinks.
"Hey, Cammie, Dakota. Hi Yemaya. That was a great show last month. I never got to thank you for the tickets. Our whores loved it."
"It was my pleasure. I will make sure they get an invitation to the next one."
"Thanks. Drinks are on the house... boss’s orders."
Placing them on the table, she winked at Lilith and left.
"Are you sure you own this place?" teased Dakota.
"Sometimes I wonder. The longer I’m here the fewer decisions I get to make... except for paying bills. I definitely get to take care of those."
"One of the benefits of being the boss," Cammie said. "So, what are you two going to be doing now that the tour is over?"
"I think we will probably try to take a break. It has been awhile since Dakota and I have actually had some quality time together."
"Yeah, all of our attempts at relaxation seem to get interrupted by some sort of crisis. Maybe this time we can make it past a couple of weeks without something happening." Dakota added.
"I know what you mean. I’m not sure I even know the meaning of vacation. One of these days I’m going to just disappear and let Agra and Kali take over for a few months," promised Lilith.
"Right," smirked Cammie, rolling her eyes dramatically. "You could no more do that than they could give up their whores."
Lilith shook her head in disgust.
"I can’t even get a little respect from my clientele."
In an unusual gesture of affection, Yemaya patted the demoness’s hand sympathetically.
"Trust me. I know the feeling." She said, glancing toward Dakota.
"What?" asked Dakota giving her an innocent smile. "How’d I get drawn into this?"
Laughing softly, Yemaya leaned over and gave her a quick kiss.
"I’ll make it up to you... later," she promised, her voice low and husky.
Dakota shivered and then blushed as Cammie and Lilith stared at her curiously.
"Ummm... I think I need to pee!" she blurted out and then turned bright red. Jumping up she dashed toward the bathroom.
"She’s a gem," commented Cammie, smiling at the rapidly retreating figure.
"Yes... she is," Yemaya replied quietly.
Before Lilith could say anything, she saw Agra take out her cell phone. Within seconds it was obvious the barkeeper was getting angry with whomever she was talking. When she slammed the phone on the counter causing several customers to jump and glance nervously at her, the club owner decided she had better see what was up.
"Excuse me. I think I need to talk to Agra."
Yemaya and Cammie nodded understandingly. Agra’s unusual display of temper had caught them both by surprise considering the barkeeper’s normally happy demeanor.
"I hope it is not bad news," Yemaya said, feeling the hair on her neck and arms standing up. The air in the club pulsed with an unknown but very noticeable energy... at least to the Illusionist.
"Oh. You can be sure it’s worse than that, Agra is easy going. It takes a lot for her to act like that, especially here... and if she’s that angry something big is up. If you’ll excuse me I think I’ll wander over and see if I can calm her down a bit. That’s one of the other benefits of being a Cambion... not only does everyone love me, but I can soothe the savage beast... so to speak."
"Good idea. We can chat later."
Walking quickly to the bar, Cammie passed Dakota, who was wiping her hands on her pant legs. Yemaya watched as the Cambion took the journalist by the arm and leaned down to whisper something in her ear. The blush returned to Dakota’s face and she smiled, sheepishly. When Cammie glanced at Yemaya, she winked and then moved on.
Standing up at her lover's approach, Yemaya pulled Dakota's chair closer to her own.
"Hey. Are you feeling better?"
"Yeah. Sooo... what’s up? Where’d everyone go?"
"Well, Lilith went to talk to Agra who just received a phone call. Apparently something is up. Cammie decided to make sure everything is ok by interjecting her ‘soothing’ nature into the situation... and you seem to be flustered over something she just said," teased Yemaya.
"Oh."
Arching her left eyebrow, the Illusionist leaned back in her chair, crossed her arms and smiled faintly.
"Oh?"
"Oh. I mean... Cammie was just offering me some advice."
"Really!"
"Yeah, really."
Yemaya didn’t comment but just stared at Dakota, amused at how uncomfortable she looked fidgeting in her chair and tearing her paper napkin into little pieces.
"Oh... okay... she said you were hot. Sheesh! Like you don’t know that already... and now that love goddess seems to be lusting after you."
"Love godde..." bursting into laughter, Yemaya almost fell out of her chair. "Demoness, maybe, and she definitely is not lusting after me. Kali is more her style."
"Uh huh." Dakota's pout looked pitiful.
"Aw. Poor baby." Leaning over she gave Dakota a passionate kiss, drawing it out until her lover was breathless. The sound of applause caught them by surprise. Separating, they looked around and found they were now the center of attention. Picking up her glass, Yemaya acknowledged the attention with a smile and wink. Dakota tried to look composed but failed miserably.
CHAPTER 6
MARGO WASN'T THRILLED about having to take a month off from work but she didn’t dare defy her bosses. Although the infection wasn’t directly related to her sexual activities, she could possibly pass the bacteria on to one of her clients. There were strict rules against working under such conditions. The doctor had given her a prescription for some antibiotics and told her to take it easy for a few weeks. Once she was cleared by him, he’d notify Agra and then Margo could get back to earning a living... not that she wasn’t getting a paycheck. The benefits of working under the protection of the Sisterhood were that her bosses made sure their whores were well taken care of. Of course, the whores had to obey the rules. If they didn’t, they were given their savings and banned from the group. Few of the "sisters" women were willing to give up the protection, full health coverage, a savings program and the freedom to come and go as they wished.
Bored from inactivity Margo decided to meet up with a couple of friends for a late night coffee. She had been trying to convince them to leave their pimps but Sylvie and Marcy were afraid. Sylvie’s boss was one of the most dangerous pimps.
Freddie was a smooth talking black man with no regard for women. As far as he was concerned, they were meant to service men without complaint. Their sole purpose was to make him rich, and if it took getting physical with the bitches to keep them in line then he had just the right people to enforce his interests... and they had no qualms about using extreme measures if one of them objected.
Candy was his newest acquisition and Margo was concerned about the rumors circulating about her refusal to work one night shortly after recovering from the flu. Fearing for her life, she finally gave in to his goon
s’ threats, but made the mistake of objecting to being slapped around by a client and not collecting her pay. Several whores had hinted that Freddie’s right hand man, Toby, had bragged about teaching her a lesson. He had boasted that he would make an example out of her in case the other whores got any ideas about complaining or leaving the stable.
Margo was taking a short cut home from a shopping spree when she saw the young girl lying in the shadows. Checking the area to make sure it was safe, she hurried over and knelt next to the body. If she hadn’t recognized Candy’'s clothing, she wasn’t sure she would have known the woman’s identity. Her badly beaten and bruised body was left in an alleyway near the whore’s local strip as a warning. Pulling out her cell phone, she quickly dialed a number while stroking the injured woman’s hair.
"It’s okay, baby," she murmured, keeping her voice low so she wouldn’t attract too much attention. "Hello? Miss Agra... this is Margo. I needs your help."
Quickly outlining the situation and her location she listened carefully to Agra's instructions, unconsciously nodding her head in understanding.
"Okay... but hurries up, please. If Freddie or his goons show up, I’m dead. He don’t like no interference with his hos... yes ma’am... thirty minutes... ok but I’m gonna try and get her out of sight just in case. This guy is trouble. No one crosses him... I’m scared, Ms. Agra... hurry please."
Hanging up, she looked up and down the street, checking to see if anyone was in the area. After making sure they weren’t attracting attention, she stood and grabbed Candy by her arms and pulled her further into the shadows. Candy moaned softly. Nervously, Margo put her hand across her lips and told her to hush. Then, sitting on the cold asphalt she waited for help to arrive.
CHAPTER 7
LILITH MOTIONED FOR Agra to join her in her office. It was obvious the bartender was extremely angry. She could feel waves of violent energy emanating from the angry demoness. Although humans were usually oblivious to this particular frequency, the potential to do damage to a few sensitive people still existed. Lilith suspected that Yemaya might be one of the more susceptible humans, not to mention several of the customers looked extremely worried at her unusual behavior.
"What’s up?"
"It’s Margo. She may be in trouble. I need to take off for a few hours."
"Then go! I’ll cover for you."
"Thanks. I’ll let you know more when I get back."
"Good... and take Kali. You may need her."
Lilith knew Agra could handle almost anything on her own, but Kali’s presence would help to keep the angry demoness from over-reacting. In her present state, it wouldn’t take much to send Agra on a rampage and then there would literally be hell to pay.
The last time she had lost control was 1908. Kali and Agra had been traveling through Europe and Russia searching for a new city to relocate. In those days it was important that they move every twenty or thirty years in order not to arouse suspicion about their eternally youthful appearances. They had just left London for Siberia when they received word from one of Dis's minions that several of their whores had been killed in an 'accident' in New York City.
Agra had grown fond of this particular Sisterhood, and especially Marylou, its oldest prostitute. At 52, she was too old to hook and had grown weary of her life on the streets. When Kali discovered her sleeping in a small cubbyhole under an alley staircase, she offered her a place to stay at a rented boarding house on 47th Street. Too tired and disillusioned by life to argue, Marylou had agreed without question. For her it meant warmth and safety. After introducing her to Agra, she was assigned a small room in the attic and then given a few menial tasks to see if she fit in with the rest of the "sisters". It was only a matter of time before the demonesses discovered the old whore had a knack for settling petty disputes amongst the women in the Sisterhood. She was also a natural leader and knew how to work the girls and organize their routines without appearing bossy. When she approached Agra with her recommendation of establishing a specific code of conduct, the demoness listened quietly, liking most of the woman's suggestions. In five years, the Sisterhood grew, attracting more than sixty members. Marylou assumed the role of Madame and ruled the stable with a gentle fist. Another ten years passed quietly with the whores settling into an almost normal existence. Then in 1907 the day came the demonesses always dreaded. Agra had just returned from the bank when Marylou knocked softly on her office door.
"Come in," the demoness said, smiling fondly at the elderly Madame. Leaning heavily on her cane, the old whore shuffled slowly into the room and plopped down on the thickly padded chair near the small fire that always burned in her Mistress's office.
"What can I do for you?"
"Are you real busy, Ms. Agra?"
Shaking her head no, she had given up long ago trying to get Marylou to drop the Ms. part of her name.
"No. I always have time for you. What's up?"
Marylou hesitated. Agra could tell by her fidgeting that she was uncomfortable.
"Have you looked in a mirror lately?"
"No. I don't have much use for them," replied Agra. "Should I?"
"Not really. It wouldn't help anyway," sighed the elderly woman. "Look, I've known you and Ms. Kali for almost seventeen years and it's been the best part of my life so don't go thinkin I'm just tryin to get rid of you two. It's just that... well... some of the older whores are talkin about how you don't look a day older than when they first met you."
"I see. And you think this is going to be a problem?"
"It already is. There's talk amongst the younger whores now that you ain't 'normal'. I don't know why that should make much of a difference since they have better lives now than before. Mind you, the older girls don't care none but you know how people are... especially youngins. They asks questions and wants answers."
"What do you suggest?"
"Ain't my business to suggest, Ms. Agra. I'm just letting you know there's talk. One day, someone's gonna say something to the wrong people and then there's gonna be trouble for you. I don't like thinkin about that."
"I'll talk with Kali and then get back to you. Thanks, Marylou."
Nodding her head, the faithful old Madame heaved herself from the chair and walked tiredly from the roam, closing the door softly behind her. A few days later, the two demonesses called her back into their office. On Agra's desk was a stack of papers and a large brown envelope.
"Thank you for coming," said Agra, motioning for Marylou to sit down. Kali handed her the documents and asked her to read them. The two sat silently as their Madame slowly read each paper and placed it in a neat pile on the small table next to her. When she was done, she looked first at Kali and then at Agra. Tears trickled down her cheeks and dripped onto the two shaking hands clasped on her lap.
"I don't know what to say," she choked out, her voice barely above a whisper.
"There's nothing to say. Kali and I have decided it's time to move on. We want you to take over ownership of the Sisterhood. All the funds have been transferred into your name and our attorney has copies of the deed. He will take care of any legal or financial issues, should they arise, but you have final say in anything pertaining to the Sisterhood or the property. You've been running the stables for a long time now. We know you'll take care of our whores."
"Where will you be goin? Surely, you'll come back and visit now and then."
"Don't worry, Marylou. If you ever need us, we'll leave instructions on how you can get in touch with us. Now, Kali needs to go over some final instructions. Tonight will be our last night here."
"So soon! What will I tell the girls?"
"Whatever you want? I think they'll accept anything you say, but please let them know we'll miss them... especially the older ones."
"I will," Marylou said sadly.
The next few hours were spent going over financial details and instructions on whom she was to call if ever there were problems. After they were satisfied that Marylou understood everything, they
bid her goodnight... not goodbye. The next day, their rooms were vacant. Nothing was left behind to indicate that they had ever existed except for a small golden amulet with the Marylou's name engraved on the back. Recessed deep within its heart was an oval shaped, blood red stone with a black center that resembled a cat's eye. When Marylou touched the gem with her finger she felt a small electrical current and jerked away, startled.
"Don't be afraid, my old friend," whispered Agra's voice in her mind. "If ever you need us, just touch the stone. We will come."
Marylou smiled, comforted from the knowledge her two friends would always be near, believing they were guardian angels. Kali and Agra chuckled at the irony.
Lilith - TI3 Page 23