Drifting towards the back of the building I feel as if we always end up in these sort of places, or at least I seemed to. Helen informs me that these sorts of clubs are popular in the less regulated areas as people needed a way to let of steam, I suppose if we were looking for a drug dealer this might be the best place to look. The depths of depravity seemed to be a lonely life for most individuals, I didn't pretend that there wasn't a time I might belong here as well.
Perhaps the advice on finding the tavern was a more difficult method of coming straight to the source. Eyeing the passing trays of drinks, I'm only reminded of the fact I have my own issues with temptations. Running a hand through my hair, it's enough to take the edge off of my tension and focus inwardly on not allowing myself to succumb to the allure of sin.
I fuss with my shirt, attempting to close it after having the top buttons popped. "Do they pay for shirt repairs?" I grumble, receiving a questioning look from Kestrel who seems to wonder why I was still speaking. It amused me slightly, my husband had been asking that same question for quite a few years and hadn't found the answer either. I was a prince, my silence hadn't been commanded much in my formative years.
The sickly smell of death wafts into my nose and I do my best not to gag, not wanting to risk warning my companions of what was lurking around us. Not even one hundred feet into this place and the smell was almost overwhelming, I flick my gaze around and I begin to see what the clerk was talking about. It wasn't the wraiths that smelt so horrid but the people, wraiths in their own rights given their various states of decay.
In the depths of the shadows, sunken in eyes stared into healthy, gyrating bodies as if hoping to drink in the youth. Beverages that looked questionable passed dry, cracked lips as these corpses watched almost in a daze, too malnourished to participate beyond observation. Yet, the people leaving seemed in perfect health.
I wish to hang back, to observe, but Kestrel pushes me on towards the rear room. My hand slips up, fingers slowly circling around my throat as I wonder if that was my future now that I'd been exposed. Would I, too, fall into this cycle if I continued to chase my vices and indulge in my desires?
Beyond dangling glass beads formed to look like curtains in a rain shower, we pass into a rear room with a woman sitting on a throne. Her legs crossed dawning thigh-high black patent leather and her chest was compressed by a corset in similar shimmery material. The gloved hand rested casually on a remote as she flicked through the news, the odd colored eyes never drifting as she almost seemed displeased that we were here, given the slight wrinkle of her fine, thin nose.
The heavily made up face was painted into abstract perfection with sweeping eyelashes and large swaths of glitter dabbled with various shades of red. Tapping her foot, clad in heels beyond my comprehension, she finally addresses us with an eye roll when we all pile into the room. "Echo. I told you to get lost. I'll do no business with your kind."
"I need information." Echo responds shortly, wearing the same expression of disgust. Leadership came in many roles, in my youth I'd often thought that 'Alpha' got what he wanted due to his harsh nature. But seeing Echo's attempts at commanding space, there surely was more to it than simple tone.
"Of course you do. Because all you mythical's do is take and expect us normies to hand it over because... what.. you'll kill us?" Her voice is deep, low, rolling in a drawn tone of false seduction. "Please, I've got my own guard dogs for the likes of you. Come back with some sort of offer that interests me or don't come back at all. Either way, get out."
Echo flashes her teeth and Kestrel clears his throat to interrupt the boiling female. "We've got someone that might interest you." Shoving me forward, I raise an eyebrow at him in disbelief. Was the plan to offer me? Surely my open reputation would insist I was more trouble than I was worth. People had a horrible way of dying when they got too close to me. "The Good King. He can help track the wraiths that are slumming up your business."
Classy glances me up and down one time with a slow turn of her head. "Why would I have any use for that? Business is good, as you can see by the crowd. I'm not nearly as concerned with the drug as you are. We who live in the dark prefer to keep to ourselves, I don't need a reputation as your informant, considering your appalling methods. No, I have no interest in your King." She waves us off, dismissive.
Helen and Echo murmur amongst themselves, it's only Kestrel who stares at me now with the piercing two-toned eyes, one so like Caspian that it nearly made my skin crawl. "I regret to inform you, Nicolas, that my suppressant is wearing off. If you'd like to survive this evening, I suggest you do something." The false act of a modest human being was a good one, I'd admit. At times, I believed he was a good person trapped in poor circumstances. It was only in these glimpses I was reminded that Kestrel truly was the embodiment of evil, the vessel for the destroyer of the planet.
"And what will you do when they call off these drugs and there are no more suppressants for you?" I challenge him under my breath, irritated that I have to look up to meet the steel gaze of the surfacing creature beneath.
"Hunt." He tells me through his teeth. "I know what I am."
"Falling right into your father's footsteps then, good life goals for a budding young psychopath." I spit, heading the warning of Tyr all to soundly in these moments of reveal. My own wolf had been frustratingly tame, much as I was relieved for its cooperation. Dealing with the reality that my home life was all that it sought to ruin was a painful hit. "All three of you need to get a grip, you're acting like wild animals." I should know, I'd only just begun to not exhibit the characteristics of one.
The crisp snap of fingers clicking together causing us all to pause. Guns drawn, pointed at us from various angles, I'm well aware we have overstayed our welcome. "You." The gloved hand lazily points towards me. "You can stay. The rest of you get out. Now. I'm not going to ask again."
"If you want him then you have to give us the intel that we came for." Echo presses, lips pulled into a thin line of concrete will. Classy smirks, unsheathing her own gun from a holster on her hip while Helen quickly moves to shield Echo from the irritated woman.
"No no, thank you for your hospitality. We'll go. Nic." She gestures to me with a tilt of her head and then narrows her light eyes at Echo. "This is why we brought him, don't ruin this for your pride."
I can only stand, half dumbfounded and half satisfied, as the blond Viking lord is forced to swallow back her massive ego. The wolf in me begs for a snide remark but, I had enough sense to keep my mouth shut as the group is ushered out the curtain. By the looks of their fading bodies through the swinging beads, they were being taken off the premises.
If there was ever a chance for me to run, it would be now. I was sure a place such as this had some sort of back exit, a means of escape that would be unseen from the road. How long would it take me to get to the tavern and get to help before they realized I'd slipped them? How long until they called X to send my family a care package as punishment for my betrayal?
Deflated, I turn to face Classy but she is not looking at me, she's watching the news while her foot lightly bounces in it's crossed position. "Sit." She commands, pointing to a chair as she places her gun on the stand beside her. I don't bother with a retort, following her command. It's talk of my wedding, it seems to be the only thing the mainstream news wanted to gossip about.
The guest list. The renovation. My honeymoon and sexuality. I suppose in a way this was my fault, I had been trying so hard to make it political, to gain favor in some of the upper classes which would mean votes and support, it seemed much more of an upward trend than two people renewing their vows. I frown at the talk show host, babbling on about my absence.
What did they expect from a king? What did anyone expect from someone who obviously just wanted attention? I wrap my arms around myself with a sigh, perhaps it would be kinder for her to shoot me now if it wouldn't harm Verando in the process. Finally, she clicks the button and turns around to face me. "Why're you helping them?"
"I'm a prisoner," I tell her point-blank. "Why did you help them?"
With a small smile, she shrugs one shoulder. "I suppose a similar reason. I like money, I needed protection, funny how that goes south. Do you like money, Nicolas?"
What kind of question was that? "I'm sure we all enjoy the comfort it provides."
"Have you ever not had money?" She raises an eyebrow, tapping her long, manicured nails on the arm of her throne.
"No." I sigh. "I've been in combat, I've been on tour with the army, but I've not done without much monetarily." With the support of our local cities, I hardly ever went without even if our men did. Sure, I was on the front lines, but I always had a bed when others weren't so lucky. I considered it a fair trade at that point. My body was not equipped for the harsh elements. Even in school, harsh as it was, comforts were maintained in our off time. "I think my debt has been purely emotional and physical."
Considering this, she nods, pursing her full lips. "I'd agree. I've been dealing with those idiots for months now, you can see why humanity isn't quite so pleased with this whole reform." She gestures to the building around us. "Mythical thugs aren't necessarily appreciated."
"You need to report them," I respond simply, only to earn a scoff.
"How did that work for you in all your adventures? This is not the government, honey. The government is trying their little hearts out trying to set this straight and do it quietly. There aren't enough of them left to solve this, this is gang wars baby. You're in my territory, you're not my king here and they don't control what happens in my city. We're dealing with people." It made little sense to me. Why would people want to sabotage their own happiness? Why would they want to return to this life when they could join a society?
I consider her words, chewing them over slowly to assure that I understood her intent. "What, this is the mafia?"
Folding her hands in her lap, she leans very slightly forward, tilting her nose down to give me the full effect of those odd-colored eyes. "This is war, honey. This is man on man, you've done it, you've succeeded in getting the government on your side. It's a power struggle to see who controls the underworld and there's a whole lot of money to be won down here. Your friends out there?" Sucking her teeth, she plops back against her chair and taps her nails once more. "They're gunning for the top spot, along with your hero pals."
"What do you want me to do about it?" If it was man against man, I sincerely struggled to see where my involvement could play. I could attempt to call off the magic users, make more speeches, show a display of strength, but at the end of the day, it never felt like enough. I deflate just slightly, isn't that what Verando had been telling me all along?
Holding up her palms, Classy reclines onto her elbow like a cat satisfied with its squirming kill. "You tell me. Why are you here, Nicolas?" Collapsing her fingers, she glances at the ground for a moment before taking a slow breath and finally meeting my gaze once more. "I may be human but I don't come without my own enhancements. You see, you and I aren't so different if certain aspects are equalized." Reaching into her gun holster, she grips a little bag between her fingers and lifts it so I could see.
"Did you know humans can take enhancers?"
I nod. "That's why we're here. They want me to help them hunt for humans gone rogue on enhancers."
"That's why they're here, they're playing both sides so that they get a check when they pick up my tweakers once the juice burns them out. That's the thing about magic, do too much and it fries you up from the inside. Then you have to come to Classy for a reset." My interest piques and I tilt my head to regard her curiously, taking a slow inhale as she rolls the bag back and forth through her fingers.
"You are resetting people burnt out on enhancers? How?"
"I don't think I want to reveal all of my secrets just yet. We aren't quite friends, though I do think you have potential. You see, Nic. The enhancers give me the ability to see. Without them, I'm completely blind. But with them..." Her eyes graze over me once more. "I can see a person's moral contract. I can see what you want most of all."
That would explain why her business was successful in the midst of a crisis. She offered something no one could refuse, a taste of what you truly wanted. "Desires, honey. I can see your desires, and yours are quite interesting."
"I don't think you can give me what I truly desire," I remark, sensing where this conversation was going. Her heels slamming on the ground with a loud clap, she spreads her legs and reveals the ample leather thong.
"Oh don't doubt that I have exactly what you've been thinking about. We are not all as we appear. But, I'm not a fool. I understand I'm not 'who' you desire. So, I'd like to make a deal with you." My lips part and she raises her hand with a hard look to silence me. "Not the kind you're used to. I'm a giver Nic, I have no interest in your ass. I've had more bitches in my life than I care to count. I'm going to give you a choice."
Rolling my eyes, I don't dare admit that I'm intrigued. "Why would you do that?"
This answer seems to please her as she shrugs once more, her slender shoulders rising and falling. "I want you to think of me fondly. I want to earn your trust because I don't think you agree with this shit, I don't think you want this, and I don't want to give up my enhancers. Neither do you."
Pulling my eyebrows down in rebuttal, she waves me off. "You want two things. I'm going to give you an option, you're a smart man Nic, I have no concern that you could figure out either and I'm willing to give you the answer to one of your desires. You can have the tweaker you're looking for, I'll give you his location and you can be done with it. Or. I can answer your other question."
"My other question?" I challenge.
She nods. "I don't have all day honey."
The answer seems so obvious, I want to capture the man we'd come to hunt, I want to get this over with so I could go home. But. When I consider going home, the fog returns, and I know what difficulties await me the moment I walk into that door. I had enjoyed my moments of clarity, much as I hated being a captive. I was in no rush to go home because I liked feeling in control. Verando's scent alone was enough to trigger me to do the insane.
"My other question." I sigh. "Does this get better?"
With a giggle, Classy sits up once more. "Desires, baby. I'm not a mystic."
"Read me, then. You know what I want to know. Does it end here? Will I ever get past this desire? Am I still a submissive?"
Her eyes flash for only a moment, she slowly stands and stretches, towering over me in her massive platform heels. "Let me give you a secret, no powers required, from one bad bitch to another. Sexuality is not a constant, there are no rules that say where you fall and align, the only one who decides that is us and the person above or below us. Looking at your contract, baby you have never been a submissive, and trying to be something that you're not isn't going to work in this new body."
Scanning me a few times, searching my person for some sort of clarity, she seemed to see that I wasn't thrilled with her answer for it only seemed to pose more questions. I wasn't the only one that my happiness was tied to, I could be as versatile as I wanted but with nobody to enjoy it with, could I ever find the peace I was searching for?
Striding over to me, she sets her hand lightly on my shoulder with a gentle squeeze. "I think you're just going to have to come back if you want the rest of my answer." Placing the baggie in my lap, she strides over to the wall and presses a button to reveal a side door. "You need those enhancers more than I do. You can go out the side door if you want?"
I expected to be upset with her answer, or lack thereof, but I oddly felt at peace with it. Maybe it was part of her ability or perhaps I was horrified of what the answer might be. But I'd found some clarity in her words. Where I should hand the enhancers back, I shove them into my pocket instead. "Thank you, Classy. No, I think I should go out the front, I have some work to do. I won't hurt the human overwhelmed by the enhancers, I'll make sure he gets to safety."
Her full lips turning up in the corner, she gestures to the curtain to guide me to the exit. "I was hoping you would say that. This has been very interesting, Nicolas. I look forward to meeting you again."