CHAPTER 7


 

 

 

THE NAME OVER the entrance read Lilith's Den. The sign boldly displayed on the door read PRIVATE CLUB, WOMEN ONLY... ALL UNAUTHORIZED MALES WILL BURN IN HELL!

Damn, I like this place already, Dakota thought. Folding the small paper with the club's address on it, she tucked it into her coat pocket. From the number of cars in the parking lot, it was obviously a popular hangout. Hopefully, the owner wasn't one of those people that posted a sign and then let guys in if they were accompanied by a woman. She had seen that too many times and was always disappointed.

Shivering slightly in the cool night air, she walked rapidly toward the door and pushed it open. A blast of warm air welcomed her. Stepping inside, she was greeted by a large woman with several tattoos on her forearms and shoulders.

"I.D., please," she demanded in a gravely voice.

"Sure," replied Dakota, pulling her license from her wallet. "I'll take that as a compliment," she added, jokingly.

"It's policy. No I.D. ... Not allowed in. Boss's orders. Thanks."

Handing the license back, she motioned toward a side door.

"You can check your jacket there. It's mandatory. The boss thinks it's safer and friendlier that way. No surprises, if you know what I mean."

"No problem. It beats having to worry about it."

After checking her coat, she wandered down the hallway and into the main room. Gray swirls of smoke floated randomly around the bar, giving it a mysterious atmosphere. No smoking signs were posted on the walls. Dakota realized the haze was produced by machines concealed in the ceiling to enhance the laser lights flashing around the wooden dance floor on her right. Several couples were gyrating to the fast beat of techno music. To her left was a long black enameled bar lined by women talking loudly in an effort to be heard over the cacophony of music and the voices of the occupants at the tables. No where in sight was there a male.

So far so good,she thought. Walking to the bar, she pulled out some money and waited for one of the two bartenders to notice her. After a few minutes, a young woman stepped in front of her and smiled.

"So, whatcha going to have?"

"Corona and lime. Thanks."

"One Corona and lime coming right up."

Watching the woman walk to a nearby refrigerated locker, the journalist was intrigued by the bartender's appearance. Short red hair, highlighted with purple tips and combed into a spike, she was about Dakota's height but not quite as heavy. An orange tank top and brown jeans emphasized her slender physique. A chain link belt finished off the wardrobe. Bringing the beer back, she popped the top and stuffed a lime slice into the top.

"Here ya go. Three bucks."

Dakota gave her four and took a sip from the bottle, glancing around the room at the activity.

"Nice place. You ladies are serious about the 'no guys' thing."

"Yeah. That's one thing Lilith is adamant about. It makes for less trouble."

"Is it always this busy?"

"Fridays usually are. If you're looking for a quieter place, I'd suggest you come on Thursday or head on down to Lazy Susan’s. She has a few pool tables and caters to the country western crowd."

"Not my style. This is perfect."

"Good! Soooo... what's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this? I can't believe you're cruising. A looker like you has to be taken."

Laughing, Dakota switched her gaze back to the bartender just in time to catch a small, fiery glint in her dark brown eyes.

"That is sooo cliché."

"Yep, but it's a good starter and always works."

"I can imagine. Actually, a friend of mine left me a copy of an ad about this place. I decided to check it out?"

"By yourself? Why didn't you bring her along?"

"Rhonda? She's as straight as they come... not that she isn't cool. She just isn't a night person."

"Well, I can't believe you're unattached. Oh... by the way, my name's Agra."

"Hi. Mine's Dakota. Agra, eh? That's an unusual name."

"It's a nickname. My real one's too long to pronounce and too odd to remember," Agra laughed. "Dakota is a nice name. So, Dakota, are you or aren't you?"

"Attached? Definitely!"

"Well then, where's the lucky lady? She can't be dumb enough to let a good looking woman like you run around a place like this all by yourself. Too many cats on the prowl looking for kittens to gobble up."

"This kitten has both teeth and claws... and my significant other doesn't control what I do or where I go."

Agra raised her brows questioningly.

"I mean she’s not the controlling type. The relationship wouldn’t work if she was."

"Ah! An independent woman and in a relationship. How refreshing! Oops! Gotta get someone a drink. Be back in a few."

Waving goodbye, the bartender left to serve a woman at the end of the counter. As Agra leaned over the bar, the woman leaned in, their heads almost touching. Long, straight black hair swung forward, blocking both of their faces as they engaged in a quiet conversation. After a few seconds, the woman turned to look at Dakota. The journalist gasped. Pitch black eyes gleamed brightly in the dimly lit room. From a distance the woman reminded Dakota of Yemaya, tall, dark and sensual looking. Picking up her drink, Dakota moved to take a seat at a nearby table.

"I wonder if she's family," Dakota mumbled to herself.

"Do you always talk to yourself?"

Turning her head, she stared at the woman who had been sitting in the corner. Eyes the color of polished onyx reflected the flickering light from the candle sitting on the table.

"Always," Dakota murmured. "It's a bad habit of mine."

"I see. We have something in common then. I'm Lilith, the owner of this place."

"Oh. Hi. I'm Dakota."

"You seem distracted. Are you okay?"

"I was just thinking."

"That's never good in a place like this. You're supposed to forget all of your troubles here. Anything I can help you with?" asked the woman, sitting down at the table.

"Not really. And actually I was just thinking about you. You remind me of someone. It caught me by surprise," confessed Dakota, embarrassed.

"Ah. Well, I hope it's someone you like."

Laughing, Dakota smiled for the first time.

"Oh, definitely!"

"Good. From your smile, I can tell it's more than just friendship. Does she reciprocate?"

"Completely!" Dakota smiled, thinking of just how well Yemaya reciprocated.

"I see. So where is she, if you don't mind me asking? You're too cute to be in a place like this on your own. Some of these women are very predatory."

"That's the second warning I've gotten since I walked in here. Is there something going on I should know about?"

Chuckling softly, Lilith shook her head.

"Nothing beyond the norm. I just like to look after my customers, especially newcomers. We get a lot of young women who go looking for a little excitement and then get more than they can handle."

"Believe me, excitement is the last thing I need in my life. I'm just here for the ambiance of being surrounded by women, nothing more."

"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.

"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.