Smoldered Flames: Part I of the Edonia Series
Chapter 24

Cassius

“What kind of Alpha leads his people blindly? An Alpha like that isn’t worth following.”

Valeri’s words echo in my mind, the music blaring distantly. I tried to follow after her, but Valeri was soon lost in the crowd. A pair of dainty hands grasp my arm, turning me around. I’m met with a seductive pair of eyes.

“Dance with me, baby.” Jillian purred, dancing to the beat.

I return her smile with my own. “Lead the way, beautiful.”

Time was meaningless as we danced to the hypnotizing music. Jillian’s small hips swayed against my pelvis, teasing my dick. But I stayed limp…as usual. All I could think about was the feeling of disappointment I felt from Valeri. I received flashes of her riding Daxter, dominating him. My blood boiled when I heard his groans of pleasure from outside his room, and Valeri’s moans of encouragement. It made my cock engorged with a need to release.

My body stops moving to the music and a strange wave of curiosity takes over me.

Jillian notices my stillness. “Are you okay, Cass?”

A flare of pain to the back of my head and I succumb to darkness.

(??????)

I observe the sea of people writhing to techno beats for hours. It was almost midnight and I couldn’t get that mysterious Leather Woman out of my head. Her thick lashes withheld a captivating brown eye full of secrets. I wanted to explore the hidden worlds within the orb. She reminded me of someone… I just couldn’t quite place a finger on who.

“Hey! Bartender!” someone slurred, slamming an empty glass.

I repressed the growl of annoyance with a smile. “What can I get ya?”

The man’s eyes cross slightly. “I’ll takethemoonon therocks…” he said, his words blurring together.

I sighed. “No, Mr. Donohue. You are cut off.”

Mr. Donohue was one of our regulars. His eyebrows furrowed together. “Whatdoyamean, no? Giv’mey adamn refill, damnyou!”

Lotus stands nearby, ready to escort anyone who disrupts the liveliness of the club. I nod to Lotus and he taps Mr. Donohue’s shoulder.

He fights the bouncer. “Get’cha hands off’meh! I paid goodmoney to see those dancers! I wanna see’em!”

I shake my head. “You know the rules, Mr. Donohue. We will see you next week.”

Lotus guides the grumbling patron to the back of the club. There, Lotus will document the incident and warn that Donohue couldn’t come back until next week. Usually our clients are good about keeping the peace and enjoying their nights. But there are some who are a tad bit hotheaded like Mr. Donohue, and we give them no choice but to break away from Sinful Maestra. Lady Helena’s word was law here.

The midnight bell echoed throughout the club. The crowd began to migrate towards the bar while the dance floor opened. A huge four sided dais is raised from the floor with a woman dressed in a long flowing hooded cloak at its center. A blood red mask hides her identity, and ram horns protrude from the hood. She raises her head and my heart stutters. A soulless eye socket is all I see from the mask, and my blood runs cold. Lady Helena had returned to us.

Her gloved hands raise slowly and smoke billows around her. Haunting melody begins to play and aerial dancers swing from silk dance ropes. They wear scant clothing with decorative feathers as they sway through the air like ghosts. People gasp as the alluring dancers come close and caress a face here, enticing another there.

Glass shatters from the tall windows and figures dressed in hunter green swing down to the floor from ropes. People began to scream and try to run out of the two main doors. Some even attempt to hop over the bar void and run into the kitchen. The figures in dark green have their guns pointed at Lady Helena.

“We have a warrant to search the premises!” one of the dark green soldiers shouted.

Lady Helena never revealed an ounce of emotion, but a wave of fury hit my heart like a ton of bricks. I bent slightly in reaction to it. What is this? Some of the others employed here felt the same. Even Lotus eyes twinged some.

“On what grounds?” her heavily graved voice asked.

“I think you know,” another person spat.

Someone walks closer to the dais and hands her a piece of paper. “On the grounds of kidnapping and harboring hybrids.”

“Since when have Hunters ever cared about hybrids?” Lady Helena growled. She looks closer at the warrant, then glances at the Hunter closest to her. “Ah, I see it here. This isn’t about hybrids. This is about the missing pack of wolves. You’ve finally come up with a lead, eh? Tell me, what led you to my place of establishment?”

The first Hunter growls. “On the grounds of a missing werewolf last seen at this establishment. His name was Lenny Caster.”

Lady Helena cocks her head to the side. “Do you presume he is deceased?”

“No I-”

“You said “was” which implies he existed at some point, but is no longer with us.”

“But-”

She holds up one finger. “But, I’m sure you meant “is”, which simply means the missing person is still present, and not presumed deceased. Am I correct?”

“Yes, but-”

“I have a few people who can give you the information you seek about your missing Lenny.”

She turns that abysmal eye socket to me. “Jacques, do you remember the person they are looking for?”

Of course I did. As a bartender it was my job to take every face and their drink to memory. “Yes, Mistress. He was here on the last day of Auguste. The moon was half full that night.”

“How are we to believe he was here?”

“Because that night was Unlimited Drink Night for all of our patrons. If anyone knew LEnny, they’d know he could drink like a fish out of water.”

A few chuckles swept throughout the crowd, and a few nodded their heads in agreement.

“We eventually had to remove him from the premises because he started messing with the dancers. Lotus and Brute can back up my claim.”

Lotus and another tough looking bouncer step forward and attest to my story.

A wave of triumph entered my bloodstream, and I could feel the smile Lady Helena hid.

“Well boys, there you have it. Any questions?”

“We still have a search warrant, Lady.”

“I will abide by this so-called search warrant, but on one condition.”

“You’re not in position to ask-”

“Oh yes I am. Tell me, how many other establishments have you busted through, demanding they let you search it? ”

The Hunter says nothing.

“Or is it because I am a female owning a successful establishment?” she purred.

Lady Helena steps down from the dais and walks towards the Hunter. “Tell me, Joseph. When was the last time you’ve been…Punished?” she asks softly.

He sputters out a reply. “I-, well I-...Umm.”

She leans forward. “I’ll prove to you that Sinful Maestra doesn’t harbor hybrids nor your precious wolves. Just tell your little soldiers to leave my premises, and you will be rewarded. Delay doing so, and I won’t be so nice.”

Joseph the Hunter clears his throat. “You heard the lady. Clear out!”

“But boss-” another Hunter says.

“No if’s, ands’, or buts, maggot! Do as I ordered!”

Soon both Hunters and the crowd clears out. It looks like we’ll be closing early. What a buzzkill. I start to clear the void of drinks and clean up my area. As I head to the back of the kitchen, I hear my name being called. I turn to see Lady Helena walking up to the bar.

She beckons me over. “I need you, Beta.”

I put the tray down. “What can I do for you, Mistress?”

“You are to be my witness. Come with me, please.”

She leads us to an elevator sleek with steel. Before we enter, she turns towards the Hunter and I.

“Do you have a knife, Joseph?” Lady Helena asks.

“I do, Mistress.” he answered. Joseph removes a standardized pocket from his weapon belt.

Lady Helena held the small knife. “Thank you. Next, you will take a Blood Oath. everything that you witness through your six senses, every thought that you have from this moment forward will not be uttered from your lips. It shall not be whispered by your thoughts to others. Your hands will not form the words of what your senses have witnessed. The only words you will speak on is the matter with those that you are searching for. Are we understood?”

Joseph nodded. “I understand, Mistress.”

“Very well, Jacques is here as a witness. Cut the palm of your hand and we will begin the process.” He and Lady Helena both sliced their palms and she had him repeat the Blood Oath.

Lady Helena pulled out a white glistening key and placed it into a key slot. The doors open to reveal cream colored lights. We enter the elevators and silence ensues. Soon, we descend to the third floors and the doors reveal a long hallway filled with white doors.

“Welcome to the world of Crème brûlée.” Lady Helena purred.

The banging of bed frames and walls echoing down the lengthened hallway. Lady Helena opened each vanilla hued door that revealed human males thrusting females or the opposite. Alluring females fucking one another. Bright lights beam down on white marbled floors. We walk further down the hall until a large room reveals naked bodies writhing against one another like an ancient mating ritual. Their sweaty bodies blending well with the smell of sex, and my cock stirred with lust.

Soon we did this with two other floors. The fourth floor was labeled “Strawberry Cream”. It involved the average BDSM scenes and fantasies. Humans and Otherworldly beings visited here, because it was a given that interspecies relationships weren’t approved of.

The last floor we visited was called “Cherry Pie”. Here, the darker side of BDSM and fantasies played out. Every species often visited this place to fulfill their most primal, dark side, and Sinful Maestra was a safe place to do such activities. Our clients pay good money for secrecy.

We go back to the main ground and Joseph’s face is flushed with unfulfilled desire. Lady Helena cupped Joseph’s dick and her other arm against his throat before slamming him against the wall.

“I can feel your desire. It brushes against my skin like a cloud of smoke. Tell me, Hunter. What flavor do you have a craving for?” she asked sweetly…softly.

Joseph gulped. “I want…I want a slice of Cherry pie, Mistress.” His eyes begin to glow with an orange hue. He was a demon. What on Earth are demons doing in the ranks of Hunters?

Lady Helena turned to me. “Thank you, Jacques. You are dismissed.” She then grabs the young Hunter and enters another hidden elevator.

A/N:

Hello loves! Sorry I had everyone wait almost a week for an update! I had a small case of writer’s block and decided to take a five day sabbatical. My mind is now refreshed, and my fingers are itching to write!

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