“I heard we were supposed to be meeting Marc,” Kinzer said.
“Marc doesn’t handle any of the exchanges. What brings you here today?”
“We’re looking for a good time, and we heard you could set us up.”
“That, I can do. I should ask, how much of a good time are you interested in having?”
Kinzer eyed Maggie’s purse. She opened it quickly and pulled out a wad of cash he’d taken from Dedrus and Treycore’s place. Fortunately, their work as strippers left them with tons of cash tucked away, much of which Maggie and Kinzer had used to survive the past few months.
“Oh… I see…” Darren’s smile grew, then quickly returned to its original position—like he was trying to keep himself from seeming overly excited. “Well, I don’t think we’ll have a problem with satisfying you here. I’m certain you’ve heard about our lovely accommodations from your friend who referred you to us.”
“We have.”
“You and your… girlfriend, together? Or would you like me to find you separate accommodations? Either way is fine with us. We want to make sure you’re comfortable.”
“Together,” Kinzer said.
Darren smirked. “Kinky.”
He said it like he wasn’t all that impressed, but like he needed to sound so to make customers believe he actually cared. He stepped around a desk and picked up a bright green phone. It was the brightest color in the room.
Darren waited a moment before saying, “Get Raya up here. We have some new customers.”
He hung up and walked back to his guests.
“Raya is our little Madam. She’ll be the one who sets you up with whatever suits your fancy. Raya can size up your interests pretty well, so I assure you she’ll find something that suits you.”
“That sounds perfect.”
Darren approached a bar on the side of the room.
“Care for some wine? Bourbon?”
“Got scotch?”
“Absolutely. And for the misses?”
“Scotch is fine with me as well.”
He fiddled with his bar, retrieving bottles and glasses, idly chatting with them about how long they’d been together and where they were from before handing them their drinks.
The door to the room opened and a woman stepped in. Her crimson hair was tied on top of her head. She wore a dress, nearly the same green as the phone, with multiple folds and creases from thick rolls in her engorged body, which stretched the fabric. It appeared to have been made to curve with her uneven figure.
She approached them with a big smile, but her eyes, matching her dress, suggested the smile was to conceal an impulse to attack.
“Is this the lovely couple?” she asked, her voice soft and melodic.
“Yes, Raya,” Darren said, calm and collected as ever. “See if you can find some treats to their liking, will you?”
“Absolutely. Follow me.”
They looked around for a place to set their drinks.
“Take them,” Darren insisted. “This is a party for you. Enjoy yourselves. Make yourselves at home. I want you to feel comfortable.”
Considering their motive, Kinzer thought it was like someone inviting a vampire into their home. However, in this case, the inviter was the one who held the most power.
Raya escorted them from the room and led them down the hall that perpetuated the illusion they were in some otherworldly place.
