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Elysium: The Chair

By: SecondCircle



Author's Note: 

This is kind of a long one, but let her dance, and you'll not be sorry. Thanks. 

****

The Arrival

****

The anticipation was the worst part. I couldn't decide if I was excited or nervous, but I definitely felt uneasy. The chair I sat in was surprisingly comfortable, given its lack of arm rests. There wasn't much to do but wait. 

I stared up at the wall and studied the huge painting above. It was really strange. A tangled web of vines and thorns covered one corner of the piece. A large shiny cocoon hung down to droop against a nondescript surface. The cocoon was split open, with strings of shiny film stretching from the lips of the thing. From this opening a woman was sliding free. Her arms were stretched wide and her breasts rested naturally apart. Her red hair fanned out behind her head. 

It was beautiful, but disturbing. It must have been her eyes, those golden slits that seemed so otherworldly. They were like the glazed unblinking stare of a reptile. The wet wings that she lay upon looked thin and veiny like those of a bat. Her skin looked smooth and tender, but the color was too pale, almost translucent. Gazing into the eyes of the woman in the painting was not helping my anxiety. 

"Did you see all those cages and glass rooms down at the dance floor?" 

We looked at Freddie. He had almost had to yell over the loudly echoing music in the building. 

"That stuff was crazy," I said, remembering the chaos of the ground floor. 

I could still hear the booming of the music below, even from twenty stories high. The sounds of the ensuing party bounced through the cavernous belly of the club. The interior of the building was hollow. One could stand on the ground floor and look up twenty stories to the ceiling the gigantic chandeliers that hung above. It had been only a few minutes since I had done just that, and it had been a humbling sight.

"There was one platform with a glass cube or something on it," Andy chimed in. He leaned forward in his chair. "Did you see it? There were like eight people in that thing and they were all fucking naked and oiled up, man."

I nodded as the images surfaced in my head. The swirling laser lights and strobes broke the darkness of the dance floor, creating an eerie atmosphere. The crowd swayed and bounced to the thunderous beat. The glass above the swarm was illuminated by pink and blue hues of light. The bodies that had writhed across each other within were glistening wet and naked. 

Yet like everything in the club, what was beautiful and arousing was also unsettling. I recalled the women in that glass container, all of whom were completely hairless. No hair. No eyebrows. Strange cryptic markings were on various parts of their body. The men were much the same, though I tried to blink away the images of their dangling pierced cocks. 

Freddie and Andy were sitting across the wide corridor from us, leaning close and chatting. I glanced over at Michael, who was busy texting on his phone. Grinning, I leaned in so that he could hear me. 

"Stop texting Emily." 

Michael glanced up, his hands falling to his lap. He wore the same somber expression that he had the entire drive. 

"I think she's pissed, man," Michael said. "We were supposed to have a night out to ourselves and go see a movie."

My smile grew as I shook my head. "She's always pissed, and it's always your night out. Loosen up, man. Have a little fun tonight."

Michael was staring at Freddie, who was laughing at something Andy had said. 

"He told you to get me to come along, didn't he?" 

I looked at Michael. "No, he wanted to leave your grumpy ass behind. I wanted you to hang out with us."

He gave me a sarcastic grin. "A long ass drive to a strip club? That's the best way to hang out?"

Freddie suddenly flopped down beside Michael. He flashed him a smile.

"I've told you, it's not a strip club." Freddie grabbed him by the shoulder and shook him playfully. "It's the most notorious nightclub on the coast! Have you not fucking looked around since you've been here? This place is a party paradise."

"It's an STD factory," Michael said. "I think I bumped a girl downstairs and got high from her sweat." 

Freddie and I burst out laughing. 

"And I thought you said our room was on the third floor or something?" Michael asked. 

Freddie held up a hand and turned in his seat to face him. "That's where we are sleeping. But we are guests of honor tonight, brother. Through those doors...."

Freddie motioned toward the gigantic wooden doors at the end of the wide corridor. Looking up at the huge entrance made me feel small. The guard in the black suit was still standing motionless by the keypad on the wall.

"That is where we are partying tonight," Freddie continued. "With the rich and the famous, not with that common rabble down there on the dance floor. The Ballroom is strictly V.I.P. and we've got passes."

"Lucky bastard," I chimed in. 

Freddie's brown eyes glared playfully in my direction. "Easy, Tate. We're all lucky. I should have made your ass pay for this trip with all that settlement money you got."

I grinned and threw him a bird.

"Can you do me a favor, Mikey?" Freddie said with a big smile. "It's my birthday, so cheer the fuck up and have some fun! Quit worrying about Mrs. Menstrual and chill with the gang for a night."

Michael shook his head, but I saw a smirk forming on his face. 

"She hates your guts," Michael told him. "You know that right?" 

Freddie winked at him. "Of course, sugar. She thinks I'm a better lover."

I smiled. I had seen Freddie in a better mood, but I couldn't remember when. He'd done nothing but blab about Elysium for two weeks. I glanced at my phone and checked the time. We'd been waiting outside the doors for several minutes. I began to wonder if Freddie had the "hookup" he'd been bragging about.

"Dude," Andy called to us, "I just saw a guy piss off one of the balconies down there!" 

I hadn't even seen him leave the corridor, but he was headed back from the walkway of the floor we were on. He approached with a smirk and twinkling green eyes. 

"Two security guards jerked his ass up quick though," Andy said. "Apparently copious amounts drugs and sex are allowed here, but pissing off the balcony onto the dance floor is a no go."

"Well, remind me that when we get to the room later on," I said chuckling. 

Michael made some quip about the club, but we all turned when we saw the gigantic wooden doors open. A young oriental woman emerged and strutted toward us. The white dress she wore seemed to be painted on her body, capturing her every subtle curve. It was long and elegant, but still provocative. Her shoulders were bare and there was a slit in the dress that rose all the way to her rib. 

I choked back a laugh when I saw the slack jawed expression on Andy's face. I couldn't really blame him though. This girl looked flawlessly beautiful. When she came to stand before us, it was hard not to eye the shapes of her nipples beneath the white fabric of her dress. She gave us a perfect red lipped smile.

"Good evening, gentlemen. My name is Mia, your hostess. I apologize for any inconvenience," she said. "For security purposes, we confirm any black key cards with our database. If you'll follow me, I'll show you to your stage."

As Mia turned and headed back toward the doors, the four of us exchanged glances. I did not miss the nervousness in Michael's eyes.

Freddie held out his hands. "What'd I tell you? We're in boys."

"Did she say she checked all black key cards?" Andy asked. "Or did she check your key card because you're black?"

"Hey, easy with that shit man," Freddie said with a grin. 

Michael sighed. "So we are doing this. This is happening."

I nudged him with my elbow. "C'mon. Can't be that crazy."

****

The Ballroom

****

I changed my mind as the four of us stepped through the threshold. 

Freddie told us it was called The Ballroom. Apparently, it had been an actual ballroom at one time, seated atop the building's twenty stories. The room was a lot bigger than I would have thought. I'd been to smaller basketball courts. My eyes went up and up, but I never saw the ceiling in the darkness above. Only the multicolored lights gleamed there like stars against a black void of space.

The whole place was awash in an ethereal mixture of glowing light. Hues of lush pink, icy blue, neon green, and haunting purples enveloped everything. A thin fog coated the carpeted floor. With every step the floating waves swept about my feet. I felt instantly at ease. The atmosphere was so soft, so alluring and comfortable. A heavy beat thudded around us, but the music was quite slow, gentle, and erotically soothing.

"Holy. Shit."

We were all thinking it. Andy had merely voiced it. 

There were round tables, long rectangular tables, luxurious cushioned booths against every wall, large glowing stages, and a huge bar on one side of the room. All were packed with people. These were not the wild and rowdy bunch we had seen downstairs though. Many wore suits or beautiful gowns. Others wore casual attire, but everyone was dressed for the occasion. It was like a cocktail party. Everyone chatted silently, or turned their eyes to any of the stages about the room. 

I was in shock. Freddie was right, this was no strip club. As we followed Mia, weaving through the tables, I soaked in the scene around us one bit at a time. We passed one table in particular with two half clothed people on top of a table. The woman was on her hands and knees with her dress pulled up past her hips. A younger man was behind her, naked from the waist down, thrusting against her pale ass cheeks. The people around the table looked on.

"They... those two work here, right?" I heard myself say. 

It was Mia who answered with not so much as a glance toward the table. 

"No, they are patrons, probably partaking in a little drinking game that has grown quite popular here."

"I wanna play," Freddie said over his shoulder to us with a grin.

My attention was drawn toward a round stage. The people seated around the platform were in a trance, a spell no doubt woven by the two women dancing above them. I blinked to make sure I was seeing things right. The two women appeared to be twins, and both of their slender bodies were coated with black liquid latex. They writhed around one another like two snakes coiled in a tight embrace. As they did, their hands would slide and caress the other's body. 

Then, I saw one of the girls reach around to her sister's chest and clench a handful of her latex coated breasts. The woman pulled until the rubbery film stretched tore free of her sister's chest. As we walked on, the girls on the stage continued to dismantle the other's attire. 

I saw a group of men seated at a booth, surrounded by women who were barely clothed. I knew I recognized one of the guys from television, but I couldn't place him. The table in front of them was covered in glasses and large bottles. The surface of the table was mirrored, and I had no doubts as to what the lines of powder were in front of each man.

"Here we are gentlemen."

The four of us stood before a large square stage. The first thing I noticed was the pole mounted at its center that extended into the darkness overhead, where I lost sight of it beyond the glaring colored lights. The surface of the stage glowed a light blue color, and pulsed brightly and waned to dim in constant intervals. The stage was empty. I saw the other patrons chatting and laughing while drinking from tall slender glasses.

"You'll be here at Stage Three," Mia told us politely. "One of our staff should be over in just a moment if you would like a drink or any of our specialty items from the menu."

She motioned with her milky smooth arm to our seats, though it wasn't hard to figure out the four empty chairs at the corner of the stage were ours. 

"If you have any questions, or if you should need anything, just tap the red phone icon on your menus."

Mia waited patiently with a thin perfect smile as we took our seats. Michael and I took two of the tall chairs to the left of the stage's corner, while Freddie and Andy seated themselves on the other side. 

"Thank you for spending your evening with us in The Ballroom, gentlemen," Mia said. "I believe you have arrived in time to see The Animals perform. Enjoy your evening."

Mia took her leave and almost instantly, Freddie patted the unlit stage surface in front of him.

"Damn! Stage seats, bro!" He said to me excitedly. "I knew Pop had the hookup but I didn't expect to have stage seats!" 

I glanced about the room around us, drinking in the atmosphere. The place was like something out of a dream. Normal rules seemed frail in this room. The outrageous and the extreme seemed not only acceptable, but commonplace. 

"The Animals," Michael thought aloud. "You think that's like a band or something, Tate?" 

I shrugged and leaned on the unlit perimeter of the stage. "I never heard of 'em. But our band never really worked gigs on the coast. Especially not any places like this."

"We need some drinks," Freddie said clapping his hands together. "Where's the menus she was talking about?"

"Um, here," Andy said. 

He was staring straight down. Andy made swiping motions with his fingers, his eyes glued to a screen.

"Aw, that's just ridiculous." Freddie grinned and leaned over the surface of the stage's outer edge. 

I looked down. When I saw the glossy black square, I tapped it and the screen came to life. I was amazed to find myself tapping and swiping through a digital menu built into the countertop. I mentally voted The Ballroom as the best club that Freddie had ever dragged us to. 

"They got Cubans here," Freddie said. 

Within minutes, Freddie had ordered our drinks and a huge cigar for himself. He didn't waste the opportunity to flirt with the voluptuous waitress who had only worn pasties in the shape of leaves over her nipples and crotch. She hadn't seemed to mind his palms on her ass and thighs as she bent to deliver our drinks. I noticed how Michael tensed when the woman leaned over him, her breasts inches from his stubbled cheek. I also noted the way he shifted in his seat and adjusted his pants when she'd gone. 

Watching him, I chuckled. Michael glanced over at me.

"You seem kinda flustered, Mike," I said.

"Look, it's just a bit weird being here," Michael said. "You guys would probably feel the same if you were married."

I smiled. "Don't play the married card, man, let it go. You're not doing anything wrong."

"I know, I know, it just still feels wrong." He took a drink and set his glass back down with a wince. "Few more of these and I'll be fine."

"You better be, Mikey," Freddie teased. "Quit acting like an old man, dude, you're twenty eight. You won't be old for a whole 'nother two years."

I ignored the clever jab from Freddie that my age was considered old. I furrowed my brow when I saw Andy. He was turned around in his chair staring at the table behind us. I easily recognized the opened mouthed expression on his face.

"Andy, what are you doing?" I asked him. 

He didn't turn when he spoke. "This guy is getting a blowjob from that waitress chick back here."

I peered around to see that he was correct. Though it was a bit dark, I recognized the waitress with the leaf pasties. She standing beside an older man who was still seated in his chair. He was pushed away from the table, and the waitress was bent completely over with her bare ass in the air. I couldn't help but eye those long tight legs while she swayed her hips slowly from side to side. The waitress was curling her hand up and down the man's shiny dick while she polished his pink head with her lips.

"Must have been a good tip," Freddie said turning back to our stage. He glanced at Andy, who was still gawking at the scene. "Dude, stop staring. You're being weird."

Freddie was about to say something to me when he was interrupted by the sudden burst of volume of the music.

The light across the room became a dim red glow. We all turned and I saw them emerging from between every table. There were about two dozen of the wild looking people, men and women alike, all dressed similarly. 

Their hair was a mess atop their heads, frizzy and tangled. The people were half naked, wearing different types of shredded cloth. The exposed parts of their bodies were smeared with paint or dirt to give them a muddy appearance. 

As two of the women strutted behind us, I caught a glimpse of their eyes. They were so creepy. Shades of black had been smeared around their eyes. The finishing touch was the contacts. The women's eyes glowed bright yellow. I felt a hand sliding across my shoulders, and when I looked back I was staring into the feral gaze of a frizzy haired woman with dark skin. She snarled down at me, at which point I saw a set of sharp teeth. They had to have been prosthetic, but the fangs gleamed with salivation. 

The beating of the drums was sluggish and heavy, broken by the hiss of a cymbal. For several moments as the women stalked among us stage side, it was the only sound we heard. Then there came the rhythmic thrumming of a bass guitar, chasing the pounding of the drums. An air of darkness and danger traveled with that heavy melody, and the room drowned in the blood red light.

One woman slid onto the stage on her stomach. Her hands clawed slowly across the glowing red stage, her movements matching the rhythm of the music. Her long black hair was in tangles. She wore only mesh leggings that were designed to look like vines climbing her pale legs. 

I shot a glance at Michael to gauge his reaction. The feral woman was slithering his way. He was enthralled by her movements. I followed his gaze to the peak of her round ass, which now rose in the air atop her spread legs while her torso lay flat on the stage. Her yellow eyes searched the people by the stage until her gaze fell on Michael.

The vocals began. It was the voice of a woman, deep and lovely, but eerily delivered. The voice laced itself into the booming of the drums and the bass, becoming a perfect contrast to one another. The singing was almost a moan or a single whispery breath. The sound of it alone made my pants a bit tighter. 

The other woman, who wore nothing but cheetah printed body paint on her legs and back, was standing before Freddie, eyeing him like a piece of meat. Freddie stroked his thin black goatee and smiled up at her. She extended one long brown leg and draped it over his shoulder in an amazing display of flexibility and balance. 

"Holy shit," I said to myself. I couldn't even hear my own words over the deafening bass in the room.

Freddie's hands were already on her leg. He rubbed his hands down the length of her thigh. Her caramel colored flesh was nearly a perfect match for Freddie's skin tone. A slight grin formed on my face when I noticed his eyes staring straight into the feral woman's crotch. 

Michael had his eyes full of pussy too. Looking over, I watched the slender woman on the stage slowly open her legs wide like a spider, her feet pawing at the air. Her wild yellow eyes bored through Michael, while he stared straight ahead at the bare mound of pink flesh between the woman's thighs. I felt my dick nod against my jeans. 

The girl was right in front of us.

I imagined that I could feel the heat from those luscious lips. The woman knew we were under her spell. She stuck out a long pointy tongue and swirled it around her middle finger until it glistened. She then slid it down her flat stomach and between her fleshy lips. 

The music exploded into a faster tempo. Thrashing guitars broke the steady bass tempo as the feminine vocals rose to a scream that shattered the air. The lights went absolutely crazy. Yellows and whites and greens swarmed across everything in the room. 


Elysium: The Chair



The two women flew into motion. The pale women in the vines flipped around on the stage and tensed like a cat trapped in a corner. The dark skinned cheetah scrambled to the stage and hunkered low, stalking the other. 

The vocals screamed and the dark woman pounced. 

The guitars thrashed as we watched the conflict in shock. The pale woman was caught by her black hair and flung down in her back. As soon as she dropped she was writhing and rubbing herself, tossing her head from side to side. 

The darker woman swung her legs over the head over the other. 

Michael and I exchanged glances. I couldn't place his exact emotion, but he seemed somewhere between shocked and impressed. 

The women's bodies were inverted. The term "sixty nine" darted through my mind. The dark woman on top tore open the pale girl's legs, rising up like a cobra while her hands slid up to the girl's calves.

The music crashed into a riff of machine gun fast thrashing. The predator dove between those pale legs and feasted on the hot flesh there. I was bummed that I couldn't see the action between her thighs. The two were turned away from our corner of the stage. 

Every few seconds, the cheetah woman would lift herself up, wipe her mouth dramatically, and pretend to pick her fangs. She hungrily eyed the men in front of her, putting on quite the show. 

We watched in pure awe while the song continued to drown out all but thought and the lights circled the room. The Ballroom was coordinated chaos for several minutes. I was blown away. I found myself wondering how much money was invested into the place. Already my head felt light and hazy. The tall slender glass in my hand never seemed to empty. 

All the while, I grew harder watching the action on the stage and around the room. Yellow hungry eyes cast seductive glares. Bare flesh slid together in a dance of sex and sweat and body paint. Fangs were bared and tongues lapped at the air as the dancers emitted moans and growls that were lost in the blaring music. 

I rubbed my face and blinked my eyes, trying to get a grip on what I was watching. The two dancers on our stage were lying on their backs with their legs intertwined. Their bare crotches slid against one another as they rolled their hips and fucked right in front of us. 

The women clawed at the stage and tore at their hair. 

The guitars wailed. 

When at last the lights lifted and the music began to wane, I felt like I had climbed from a plane crash after plummeting from the sky. The rush was over but adrenaline still swam in my veins. Blood still filled my dick, which was trapped between my jeans and my thigh.

****

The Rumor

****

Freddie watched the two dancers as they strutted from the stage to join the rest. His face barely held back his smile of joy. His brown eyes were wide when he turned to us. 

"Oh... my... god, man," Freddie said. 

Andy slapped the stage and held his hands wide with a solemn expression on his face. "Best fucking thing I've ever seen in my life."

Freddie rubbed his bald brown head and laughed. "Oh man, they were... that was freaking awesome."

I looked at Michael. He was still staring blankly at the stage.

"Uh, The Animals are not a band, dude," I said. 

He looked at me and shook his head. Michael's only response was a laugh. 

I watched the dancers exit the room through a door near the corner of the room beside the bar. A gentle song began to play, much quieter than the thrashing of the previous jam. 

"I want a cheetah now," Freddie said. "Tate, you gotta put a cheetah on my leg or something."

"Right," Michael scoffed. "Alcohol and tattoos. Best combination ever."

"I don't work after hours, man," I said chuckling. "Shop's closed."

"Did I not tell you this place was awesome?" Freddie said, looking back and forth at us. 

"It is pretty intense here," Michael agreed. 

"Wow." Andy was fixing his collar on his striped shirt. "I think we've made a believer out him."

Freddie drained his glass and was already tapping the screen of his menu. "I don't see how she pulls all this off. Chick has to be rolling in cash. No telling what she brings in a night."

I gave him a look. "The dancer?"

"He's talking about Bloody Mary," Andy told me leaning over the stage. "She's like the owner or something."

Freddie glanced around the room. He shook his head. 

"I haven't spotted her," he said. "Supposedly this is where she hangs out during the night."

I turned in my seat, giving the women in the room a once over. There was no one that stood out to me, but I didn't even know who I was looking for. My head swam as I checked out the gorgeous women in the room, employee and patron alike. My pants already seemed tighter, and some of the sights in the room weren't making them any more loose.

"And, uh, why is she called 'Bloody Mary'?" I asked. 

Freddie shrugged. "Name that stuck, I guess. I've heard several. Bloody Mary, Black Widow, The Queen, take your pick."

"Yeah but how did she earn them?" Michael elaborated. 

"I don't know man." Freddie took his time relighting the Cuban cigar, puffing until he got a steady burn. "I know a lot of officials and politicians and shit don't like her, obviously. But just as many are probably in bed with her business. Guess that's how she gets away with all this."

He puffed the cigar and leaned forward. 

"You always hear it said that you can get anything here. That anything is possible. I mean Dad told me a lot about The Ballroom, but supposedly there's like, more to this place. You know that girl I dated that used to work at that bar on fifth?"

Michael rolled his eyes and smiled. "Yeah, Erica, the crybaby. We remember."

Freddie ignored him. "She was telling me about like these contracts you could get. Supposed to be for reserving rooms but it's not the same as downstairs. You have to negotiate them through Bloody Mary, no one else. She said you can get anything you want. She was telling me that she heard of crazy shit. Sex stuff, drugs, underground fetish things, and all that. She even heard of people disappearing here."

"Oh cool," Michael said chuckling. "We could get murdered here, too?"

"Nah, that's bullshit," Andy said. "There's too many myths about this place. Most of that shit is made up."

I was intrigued. It seemed like Club Elysium held all kinds of secrets. I'd never heard of a place that could get away with as much as I'd already seen. Freddie was smoking a Cuban cigar, for crying out loud, and I'd already watched two girls fuck each other on stage. There certainly seemed to be more to the place, and I did recall seeing the name on the news more than once, but I'd never given it any thought.

"Sounds like a fairy tale to me, Freddie," I heard Michael say. 

Freddie held out his hands. "Yeah, so is all this, but it's happening!"

"So Bloody Mary is a genie, granting wishes," Andy said, managing the most serious face he could and staring straight at Freddie.

"Yes. I mean, no...." Freddie grinned. "You're missing the point."

"I think the place is crazy enough," Michael said. 

His eyes narrowed. I realized he was looking down at the glowing screen of his menu. The one in front of me was lit up as well. 

"We're stage three, right?" I asked. 

"Yep," Andy answered. "According to this, showtime for stage three is in thirty seconds." 

I shook my head and smiled as Andy brushed the front of his short brown hair with his fingers. He licked his thumb and smoothed out his small eyebrows, exaggerating the motion.

"Guess we better get ready, boys," he said. 

"Damn I need another drink, man." Freddie searched for the waitress peering over the tables. 

"So, what, each stage has it's own show?" Michael said. 

No one had time to give him an answer. 

****

The Show

****

The lights dimmed slowly until the room was cloaked in complete darkness. Strange sounds silenced the chatter in the room. To me, it sounded like the warped and whispered blurb of a faulty cassette tape. That sound made my arm hair stand on end in the dark. Looking over, I could barely see Michael beside me. 

At once came the gentle tap of a drum, and the soft hiss of a cymbal. On top of this relaxing beat was the strumming of a bass guitar. The riff that was played was equally as gentle, its notes rising, falling, alternating, and repeating. I thought I could feel my body settling and growing warm from the soothing hum of the music.

I saw the stage first. It began to glow dimly, then grew brighter. My eyes were sucked into to the rich blue color that cast its ghastly light over the faces around the stage. Beyond was darkness, where shapes of the other patrons loomed like shadowy phantoms.

As the gentle tune continued, I noticed the faces across the stage looking up and pointing toward the ceiling. I followed their gaze. I had to sit back in my chair to see them, and I could barely make out the figures above.

There were two of them, both were female, and they were sliding slowly down the metallic pole that undoubtedly reached to the ceiling somewhere above. I watched them descend and admired their bodies in the blue glow. Both gripped the pole with a single hand and two thighs. The way they rode the poles down reminded me of children on a swing set with their legs together and kicking slowly. 

When they neared the bottom, I could see that their hair was blond and pulled into pigtails. The two of them wore matching attire, small frilly skirts and white blouses tied above their bare stomachs. I eyed their legs in particular, which were wound from ankle to upper thigh with some kind of string or ribbon. Two heels clicked on the glowing stage as the first girl touched down. 

I gasped, when she whirled to face our side of the stage.

The blonde wore a mask, depicting a pale face, smiling red lips, and blushed cheeks. The eyes were rimmed with painted lashes, which helped to give the expression an air of sweetness and glee. 

But they had no eyes.

Only empty black holes stared back at us from their smiling masked faces. Any whimsical emotion was robbed by those dark hollow pits. Both of the masked doll faced girls were on the stage now. They pranced about, taking small choppy steps that made their frilly skirts bounce. 

I looked over at Freddie. He mouthed the words "what the fuck" before turning his eyes back to the stage. 

One of the masked blondes made her way to the corner of the stage down the way from us. She was holding something in each hand but I couldn't make out what it was in the gloom. She stood straight and stiff, and I blew out air when she bent at the waist. The little skirt rose and I saw her tight round ass. Her ribbon laced legs looked so long and smooth in the blue light. 

My dick nodded uncomfortably in my pants. I shifted, watching the blonde place something at the corner of the stage. She rose up quickly, holding her arms straight by her side and flaring out her hands like a ballerina. The movement was beautiful, but jittery and unnatural and... eerily wrong.

The girl whirled. Her hollow eyes seemed to stare in our direction. She pranced across the stage, moving like a doll that had just learned to walk on those luscious legs. I noticed the other girl behind her on the other side of the stage, mimicking the exact actions of her counterpart in perfect synchronization.

When she came to stand above us at the corner of the stage, we were looking up her long legs under her skirt. I could make out the outline of her tight mound beneath the sheer panties she wore. I had to shift in my seat and swallow the moisture in my mouth at the mere sight. Again the girl bent all the way over, keeping her legs straight. Then I saw what was in her hand.

It was a long purple dildo. 

There was a large suction cup on the bottom of the thing, and she pressed the base firmly against to stage, right at the corner between Freddie and I. When she released it and rose up, the clear dildo wagged but stood straight. 

I exchanged glances with Freddie. He had an amused expression on his face. We watched as the two masked women stepped to opposite sides of the stage, and as though they were puppets pulled by the same strings, they struck a pose and waved a single hand to the sky.

Three spotlights flashed overhead. Each of the lights were a bright icy blue or white color, and circled one another against the velvety curtained wall beyond until at last, the three spotlights came together above us. 

There, on the pole some twenty feet in the air, was another woman. 

Another layer of music was added to the soothing tune that played. It was the grinding of a rhythm guitar, but it sounded so distant, so muffled. It harmonized with the humming of the bass guitar, playing the same notes while adding a bright raspy echo to the song. It seemed to herald the appearance of the woman above. 

Down she slid, more gracefully than her doll faced hostesses had before her. One of her legs was hooked around the pole while her arm was wrapped above, hugging it close to her shoulder. Her head lay beside the pole, her eyes cast down as though she were saddened. All the while, she tapped the metal bar in time with the beat using her free foot. The woman wore a great sprawling robe sparkling in the spotlight, cascading down like a moonlit waterfall. She twirled a single feathered strap of the robe along with the raspy thrash of the distant guitar. 

The woman touched down and drifted from the pole to stand before us. Her head nodded slightly while she swayed to the music like a tree in a breeze. Still she swung the strap in her hand. Feathers lined the hem of her great robe and up to nestle her smooth pale face, like a fancy boa or scarf. 

Still her eyes were cast at the floor. Glossy black hair hung perfectly straight beside her cheeks. The ends of her hair seemed to simply fade into nothingness. I could see her pale body beneath the robe. She wore some sort of lingerie. 

Something flashed below me. I glanced down the black screen of the menu, where a single name glowed in shimmering letters. 

Lilah. 

My eyes shot back up to soak in the view. Her arms were slowly lifting, the sparkling robe fanning out like the wings of an angel. Lilah tilted her head to one side, then eased it back and rolled it to her other shoulder as though basking in some unseen glow of comfort. Her eyes were still closed as she swayed to the music. 

I was nearly startled to see the two masked women step behind her and slide the robe from her shoulders. 

Lilah was absolutely stunning.

Her pale skin gleamed in the bright spotlight. A purple camisole top hugged her bulging breasts tightly in its lacy cups, creating a pleasant line of cleavage. A sheer fabric flared beneath the cups, split down the middle to expose her stomach. I sighed through trembling lips as I eyed the curve of her narrow waist the wide berth of her hips. 

Lilah twisted her huge platform heels on the stage, slowly swinging her hips from side to side. She rubbed her neck with both hands and rolled her abdomen, a movement that was so alluring. I watched her move, admiring the G-string panties and eyeing the small piece of fabric that cupped her pussy. Her thighs... they were so thick and smooth. Each leg was wound with the same ribbon that I'd seen on the masked blondes. The ribbon crisscrossed up to her upper thigh like the intertwined patterns of two candy canes. It accented her pale fleshy thighs in such a way that made my mouth water.

Then her eyes opened and my world fell away. 

Icy blue orbs stared in my direction. They were so big I thought I might drown in them. Dark sweeps of black and smokey grey shadowed those eyes, sucking me in like the pull of a black hole. Long curled lashes fanned the air when she blinked, speckled with glitter that shined like diamonds. If her irises were any lighter shade of blue, they would've been white.

I was petrified, frozen in Lilah's ice cold gaze. Her round face was so pale. Her lips were an astonishing shade of deep red, pursed and full. The black curtains of her hair hung around her cheeks like the drapes of a funeral dress. Lilah's expression was one of beautiful sadness, distant and carefree.

The rasping of the guitar faded. Only the strum of the bass and the tap and hiss of the drums remained. She didn't dance to the music. The melody moved her. It controlled the twist of her legs. It spun her hips in slow circles and lifted her arms into an unseen breeze. There was no beat of the drum, no strum of a thick string that was not accented by the enticing movement of her body. 

God, she was perfect. I couldn't help thinking that she had been made just for me. Every single piece of her was proportioned exactly the ways I found attractive. It hurt me inside to look at her, but it was agonizing to look away. When her big eyes fell over me, my body grew weak and my mind went blank. 

Lilah walked in a circle, the pole in her fingertips. With her every step she would give the tiniest flick of her platform heels. My dick strained in my pants when I saw the way it made her ass cheeks jiggle. Higher her hand climbed on the pole. I thought her nipple would slip free of the tiny cup that concealed it. 

With not so much as a hop, Lilah pulled herself into the air on the pole, her feet lifting gracefully. Her body swung until her backside wound around the pole. She seemed to slither round and round as though her body were a ribbon encircling the metal. When Lilah descended to the stage, she pulled her thighs upward and bent her legs beneath her.

Then she was on her knees. Her black hair drifted weightlessly before her face, caught in the breeze of a dream. Lilah was squatting low with her legs spread and her hands planted on the stage. The pose drew her arms close and squeezed her breasts together. 

She was staring right at me. 

My mind's first impulse told me to look away. My eyes did not respond. Trapped in the trance of her frosty gaze, I watched her start a slow crawl toward me. Her shoulders rose and fell like those of a stalking tiger. Her round ass waved behind her. 

The fog rose and the lighting began to change. The stage remained a pulsing blue, while hues of pink and purples danced across the room in a myriad of patterns. The colors glowed as rich as a watercolored sunset sky. A voice crept over the dark humming tune. The lyrics weren't sung, they were whispered and moaned seductively. 

Lilah crawled from the ethereal fog. Her long sparkling lashes fanned the air while her large eyes watched me. She came to squat at the corner of the stage, right between Freddie and I. She was close enough to reach out and touch, and the sensation in my veins was torturous. I soaked in every inch of her pale flesh, every perfect curve of her body. Her head lowered... slowly....

Lilah flipped her black hair over her head and arched her back. Her arms bent behind her. My eyes traveled from her smooth neck, down the line of her cleavage, across her bare stomach, and to the puffy flesh beneath the small patch of fabric on the G-string.

The words in my ear startled me. They were louder than Freddie should have spoken them. 

"She's gotta have implants or supplements or something, bro. Those titties are entirely too perfect to be real."

I didn't look at him. When my eyes met Lilah's again she was staring right at us from between the black curtains of her hair. Though she had the same indifferent sorrowful expression, I knew she had to have heard Freddie. My skin grew unbearably warm with embarrassment. 

Lilah's hands moved from behind her back and crossed to each shoulder. Her head rolled and her hips twirled slowly to the deep thrum of the music. Her fingertips danced down her arms, pulling the straps of her camisole with them. Her hands continued down her rolling stomach, sliding down her thighs, and finally to the stage. 




Elysium: The Chair



She leaned forward, her beautiful eyes locked on Freddie, and twisted her shoulders ever so slightly. Her huge breasts wobbled beneath her from just that movement. My mouth fell open watching her tits free themselves of their cups. With a several heavy shakes, the camisole fell from her body to the stage, its straps racing down her arms. 

Lilah rose, still twisting her shoulders back and forth. 

"Oh my god," I heard myself say.

I had never seen a pair of breasts as large and perfect as the ones that wobbled freely on Lilah's chest. They were not the hardened attempts of plastic surgery, nor sagging natural mounds of flesh. They were the thing of men's dreams. 

"...fucking hot," was the only words I made out when Andy spoke. 

The pink lights cast an alluring glow on Lilah's exposed flesh, the tops of her round breasts gleaming. They drifted back and forth to the tapping of the drums and the repetitive snap of the bass strings. Her eyes found mine through the neon swirls of fog. My cock swelled. I bit down hard on my tongue. 

Those fucking eyes... and that face.... Lilah was gorgeous. Her eyes were those of a doll, so big, round, hypnotic. She was the irresistible merger of girlish innocence and voluptuous elegance.

I noticed her full lips moving. Just to see them parting, pursing, and closing sent my mind spiraling into imagination. I realized she was mouthing the moaning words of the song, while her breasts swung to the beat. 

"...I'm on my way down now, I'd like to take you with me...."

Huge frosty eyes gripped me in their gaze. Glossy luscious lips beckoned me. I would have died for just a taste, just a touch, just for her to pull me into the depths of the haunting fog and drown me.

Lilah's hair flipped around and there came a thunderous crash of guitars. The drums disappeared, leaving only the riff of the strings, which now bellowed like a cosmic groaning ghoul. She pawed toward me. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as she herself crawled. 

I watched her hand slide down across her stomach. Sweat coated my brow. Lilah's fingers crept behind the fabric that cupped her pussy. I lost sight of them. I couldn't breath. Her eyes loomed up before me. The icy wheels of her irises seemed to spin.

Her hand emerged in my peripheral vision. Her red lip fell open. The guitars boomed all around, fanning the flames of the tension I felt. Lilah slid two shiny fingers into her mouth, closed her lips over them, and slid them back slowly. 

"Oh...." The word fell away from me unheard, lost in the deafening crunch of the guitars.

Lilah floated closer, her shimmering hair waving beside her face. She leaned toward me with one arm planted beneath her and the other reaching for me. It was the cold hand of a ghost that pulled me in. They were the red lips of the devil that closed on mine. Our eyes were open. She watched me fixedly, basking in the way I went limp beneath her.

Then I felt it. Her lips opened. Her warm tongue gently pushed something tender and round into my mouth. I was stunned. Lilah rolled her tongue, kissing me while prodding the object further inside my mouth. Then our lips closed. She lingered, allowing me to soak in the softness of her kiss. 

Then she was drifting back into the thin veil of fog, her eyes still watching me as she stood. The tap and hum returned as the booming guitars ceased. I became aware that my friends were watching me. Feeling my skin grow hot, I plucked the cherry from my lips and set it down next to my drink.

Freddie and Andy exchanged looks of shock. Michael was watching me with wide eyes and raised brows. I licked the roof of my mouth. The taste was still there... her taste. I acted relaxed, but I was having trouble calming myself. I wanted to adjust the bulging erection in my pants, but I feared that if I touched it I would explode. It was hard to believe the effects of that woman's mere kiss. 

"I think she likes you, Tate!" Freddie was grinning from ear to ear. He reached over and clapped me on the back. 

The four of us watched as Lilah slowly strutted across the stage. Her thumbs were hooked in the G-string, sliding back and forth. My hands started to tingle as I saw the pop and squeeze of her ass cheeks while she walked. 

Down she sank, still swinging and twisting to the music. From across the stage, the sight of her squatting above her platform heels was no less enthralling. Lilah would rake her fingers through her hair and twirl her head. She squeezed her bulbous breasts and shook them gently for the patrons in front of her. 

"Oh, shit," Freddie said suddenly. "I know what these are for!"

He was right. Lilah was positioned over the corner of the stage across from us. Her fingers landed upon the wagging purple object beneath her. I stopped breathing. 

The sound of guitars exploded through the air again as part of the dildo disappeared into Lilah. Strobes flickered against the fog while the spotlights circled randomly. She flipped her hair around quickly and arched her back. I adjusted in my seat, uncomfortable not being able to see her well. I eyed the fake cock that was standing on our corner of the stage, silently praying that she she would use everyone. 

I realized that one of the masked women had climbed onto Michael beside me. While she thrust her hips up into his lap, he remained rigid beneath her. Her movements were so erratic and strange. It was a disturbing sight. Her eerie doll face twisted this way and that. Her spine contorted in ways that made her look like an eel. Michael seemed as enthralled as he was repulsed. 

Lilah's movements were fluid. She had sank to her knees. Her pale ass clenched and rolled over the stage. The people watched her like zombies, amazed and hypnotized by what they saw. I traced the rolling arch of Lilah's spine to her shoulders. 

She was staring at me. 

Those big eyes peered across her shoulder while she popped her ass on top of the purple cock. Lilah gave me a subtle and sexy bat of her curled lashed and my breath fell from my quivering lip. I cut my eyes over at Freddie and Andy to see if they noticed, but they were busy enjoying the show. 

Within minutes, Lilah had ridden yet another dildo. She was bent before the audience, her ass bouncing high into the air with her thighs spread beneath. Her breasts and her cheek were against the stage. I marvelled at the sloping arch of her back.

Lilah was watching me. 

From beneath the veil of her hair, she stared in my direction. Her cool expression was one of sexual serenity. The mounds of her ass rolled up to her back and snapped down, again and again. The way her every slightest move synchronized with the eerie melody was tantalizing. 

Watching Lilah was like being trapped in a dream. Time itself seemed to slow and tick to the same tune that moved her. All else became a blur of colors and faces. I was so hard that my dick ached. The masked dancers were making their rounds about the stage. I briefly saw Andy mouthing the tiny tit of the pigtailed blonde in his lap. 

I looked up and she was there, standing above me on the stage. Lilah's hips gyrated. Her thighs were slick with sweat. The flesh looked so tempting, so delicious. 

While the guitars groaned, the drums hammered like a machine gun. In a flash Lilah was squatting between Freddie and I. The G-string had long been pulled away, revealing her pink furls of flesh. With a twirl of her head she whipped her hair around and ran her tongue up her palm. Her heavy, perfect breasts jiggled while she slid her hand through the crease of her pussy. 

The dildo split her lips with ease. With legs spread and heels planted, Lilah reclined on stiff arms. I rubbed my face and blinked hard when I saw her body wind into motion. Lilah's abs and hips rolled like a flag caught in a breeze. I had to reach down and adjust my choking cock in my pants. My face was only feet away from her crotch, where her lips slid and swallowed the purple shaft. I had never seen a woman move so skillfully, so gracefully, especially not one with a dick inside of her.

Freddie's hand appeared. I was shocked to see him reach out and grope her thighs. Lilah seemed oblivious. His brown hand squeezed her flesh while she stirred the dildo into her pussy. I couldn't help but feel a hot flare of anger seeing him fondle such a beautiful specimen like a piece of meat. Freddie wore his signature grin while he slid his hand beneath her and prodded between her ass cheeks with a finger. 

I had learned to tolerate Freddie long ago. Why did I suddenly feel like punching him in that moment? Was I that taken with this woman? With every beat of the drum, her hips would snap and roll gently away. Glancing up, I saw the drapes of her black hair hanging from her tilted head. 

Lilah stared directly at me.

Her lips fell open, over and over. I couldn't hear it over the blasting guitars, but I knew she was moaning. Either her body made the melody, or the melody powered her body. I couldn't tell. She fucked the fake cock in a way that was poetic and beautiful, literally turning sex into a seductive dance. The way her eyes would narrow every time she moaned was enough to drive me crazy. 

The music was silenced for but a few seconds. In a flash Lilah became a windmill of motion, twirling and turning about. As the strobes blinked for a few seconds, her movements became obscure.

Again the tune bellowed, and she was straddling the corner of the stage!

Her legs were draped over the sides. One thick thigh was practically in my lap. Her ass dropped and I was in awe when the fake cock slipped right into her without err. I was then watching her ass cheeks pop up and down, her pussy engulfing the rod repeatedly. My eyes darted over every last inch of her pale flesh. I ignored the groping brown hand sliding over her back. Huge round breasts bounced beneath her, their nipples grazing the stage. 

Eyes like ice watched me under shadowy brows. The eyes of a doll. The eyes of a ghost. 

The once moaning voice was a enraged scream. The drums fired faster, and so did Lilah's hips. Her mouth opened and those eyes rolled. My cock was ready to burst in my jeans. The masked doll faces appeared behind Lilah, scrambling and clawing for her. A hand clutched her by the hair of her head. A pair of long legs straddled her back. An arm raised high in the air and a knife flashed in the pink lights. Strobes flashed frantically. The fog grew thick and blue. Lilah's image was fading, flickering before my eyes like a dying candle.

The room went black and utterly silent. 

I blinked, trying to get a hold of my senses. I could hear the steady gasp of my breath. Looking around was useless. I couldn't see a fucking thing. I heard the mumblings of people behind me. My heart felt like it was in my throat and pounding like a drum in my ears. 

The lights in the room rose. Gone were the blues and the pinks of the show. A haze of greyish fog still drifted into the air. The stage was vacant. There were no purple appendages, no eyeless dolls, and there was no Lilah. 

She was gone. 

Applause rose like a wave crashing against a cliff side. People around the room stood and cheered. I looked around in a daze, feeling like I had just climbed from the seat of a roller coaster. My cock still throbbed in my pants. A gentle tune drifted into The Ballroom as the patrons returned to their seats. 

Freddie sat down. "Oh! Oh, fucking insane dude. That chick can dance!" 

His hand slapped the stage to emphasize his last word. I stared at him blankly, remembering how offending I had felt seeing him touching Lilah. Now, it seemed foolish. I grabbed my glass and drained the remaining whiskey.

A hand fell on my shoulder. Freddie was right next to me. I could see the glaze of alcohol in his eyes. 

"Dude. She took a cherry out of her cunt and put it in your mouth."

I cracked a smile and nodded. The tiny fruit still sat beside my menu screen. 

"Wonder how long that was there," Michael said chuckling. 

Freddie pointed at him and leaned back in his seat. "Ah! Look at this guy! I told you that you'd come around, you stubborn fucker! How was that lap dance you got?"

Michael furrowed his brow, rubbing two fingers against his thumb. "Uh, interesting. I might need to wash my hands."

Andy jumped from his seat, adjusting his pants as he did. "Y-yeah. Bathroom sounds good."

Freddie looked at him. "Why? What happened to you?"

"Don't worry about it."

As Michael left with Andy on his heels, I exchanged glances with Freddie. The two of us burst out laughing. There was a flash in Freddie's eyes as he looked past me. 

Turning, I saw a few older women at the table behind us chatting and staring our way. When they saw our attention was on them, one of them spoke.

"Hey, do you boys like to party?" The woman asked with just the tease of a smile. 

She was itching her nose, but doing so pointedly. I spotted a white powdery substance on their table. Two of the women were eyeing Freddie with more than a little interest. 

"How did you guess?" Freddie answered. 

He rose from his seat with a smile. I sighed. 

"Tate, I know you're in."

I grinned at him and stood. "I'm just gonna chill at the bar and unwind for a bit."

"Aw, c'mon man!"

"Pass, dude. Tell Michael I'm at the bar."

****

The Proposal

****

I took a seat on one of the stools at the bar, which was luckily one of a few left during the "intermission". After ordering myself a drink, I lit a cigarette and watched the congregation at the bar. I'd never seen so many people of all different ages in the same social setting. The Ballroom was like an oasis for the rich or privileged. The place held an air of class and sophistication, like it was a secret society or something. 

Of course, that veil fell away as the night wore on. The Ballroom was the place for indulgence of all that was forbidden, the very embodiment of temptation, or at least it seemed to me. The place was amazing, but it was unnerving to see some of what went on behind the great wooden doors. 

I could see my friends sitting at the table beside our stage. They seemed to be having a great time. I briefly wondered where that would lead. It was a thrilling thought, but for some reason I had little interest in the matter. 

It was Lilah. I couldn't stop thinking about her. Her body still moved in my mind. Freddie had said she was a great dancer. The words didn't do her justice. The woman was a painting that moved. She was a dream so potent and marvelous it made the real seem lifeless. 

I turned when a woman took the stool beside me. 

"Martini. Filthy," she said to the bartender nearest us. 

I caught a few side glimpses at the raven haired woman. Sipping my whiskey, I wondered whether or not to greet her. She opened a small blue pocketbook and retrieved a long black cigarette. I'd never seen one like it. Her martini arrived and she smiled brightly at the tall handsome barkeep.

I looked out across the floor toward my friends. They seemed to not notice my absence at the moment. The whiskey was starting to make me pleasantly warm and numb. Maybe they wouldn't miss me for another glass after I finished the one I had.

"You mind if we share this one?" 

Her smooth voice startled me. I looked at the woman beside me. My lips moved, but for a few seconds I couldn't force out any words. She was beautiful, that was for sure. She was much older than I, though she wore it extremely well. Elegance radiated from her. The gown she that she wore was the color of twilight in a morning sky. I kept my eyes on hers, doing my best to ignore the gap between her tan breasts where the gown draped low, nearly to her naval.

"The ashtray?" She prompted. 

"Oh! Yeah... no, go ahead," I stammered. "Here, here I got it."

I grabbed my lighter from the bar and flicked open the lid, then struck the wheel. The woman smiled and leaned in to the flame, puffing life into her cigarette. This time, my eyes did wonder to her bare sternum and the swells of her breasts. Her skin showed signs of aging, but was not at all unsightly. The flesh seemed seasoned, natural, and sexy.

"Such a gentleman," she teased. 

"Where?" I looked behind me, then turned back to her grinning.

She chuckled. "I'm sure there's plenty of them. Although, usually the ones in here aren't so... decorated."

Her dark eyes were on my forearms. I realized that my long sleeves were still pulled up to my elbow, revealing the tattoos that wound up my arm. Pulling them down, I cleared my throat.

"Sorry," I said. "Got a little stuffy."

Her face lit up with a polite grin. "You don't have to hide them. They suit you. You just didn't seem like the usual men I see in here."

"Oh, are you a regular?"

She shrugged and made a face. "You could say that."

"It's my first time." I shook my head, looking out over the floor. "Is this place insane or what?"

"Quite the scene, huh?"

"I've never been anyplace like it." I sipped my whiskey and motioned to the bartender for another. "It's amazing the things they can get away with here."

"Oh, it can't be so bad, can it?" The woman had spun on the stool and crossed her long legs beneath the gown. She held the black cigarette up beside her with her elbow propped on the bar.

"No, no, I mean it's awesome, but what other place has all this under one roof?" I said. "And everything is just out in the open. Seems like if the right people saw this place it'd be shut down."

She flicked her ashes. "Some of the 'right' people aren't exactly right themselves. You might even recognize a few yourself, if you looked hard enough. And why condemn an establishment that lets us be ourselves and be free, while keeping all the so called illegal acts or dangerous habits under one safe roof?"

I smiled. "You've got it all figured out. My buddy says that the owner is in bed with the right people. Or vice versa."

The woman's dark eyes flashed. "The owner?"

"Yeah, this woman called Bloody Mary," I told her. 

She grinned and took a drag of her cigarette. I looked at her while she stared at me in silence. There was something about her, a commanding sense of superiority. She seemed so at ease, so content, and so confident. I blinked as the obvious occurred to me. 

"Uh... you're... her aren't you?"

The woman brushed her hair over her shoulder, exposing the gentle slope of her neck. Her smile grew and her eyes twinkled. 

"Well, I don't own the place," she said. "And I'm not usually called Bloody Mary. At least, not directly."

I grew warm with embarrassment. "I'm... I'm sorry I didn't... mean to offend you or anything I just--"

"Oh hush, sweetie." She waved a hand at me. "I've heard so much worse. We're just chatting. And you can call me Mary."

I breathed a sigh of relief, then held out my hand. "I'm Tate."

Her delicate fingers took mine and she dipped her head. 

"Welcome to The Ballroom atop the luxurious Club Elysium, Tate."

Mary's words were as smooth as molasses. She had a kind smile and spoke very politely. I felt at ease beside her. 

"How are you enjoying your night?" Mary asked. 

I threw up my hands. "It's incredible. I probably won't ever go to another nightclub."

"That's nice of you. We appreciate your business. Big spender, too. Your first trip and you land passes to the Ballroom?"

Under the scrutiny of those dark eyes, I grew somewhat timid. 

"It's uh, it's my friend," I admitted. "He got free passes from his dad. See the guys over there at stage three? The handsome ones in the suits?"

Mary nodded, peering over the tables. "Uh-huh."

"My friends are the three dorks at the table next to them. The ones in the polo shirts hitting on those women there."

Mary tossed back her head and laughed. It was a hearty and beautiful sound. 

"The black guy is my friend Freddie," I added. "He's the one that got our passes. His dad is the founder of--"




Elysium: The Chair



"Blue Rhythm Records," Mary finished. "I thought he looked familiar. I remember when his father used to come here not so long ago. Your friend is a handsome one."

"Yeah, do me a favor and don't remind him," I scoffed. "Guy's got a head big enough to have its own gravity."

"And he pulled you boys here, I suppose?"

"Yep. But I can't say I'm disappointed."

I turned to face Mary. Talking to her was exciting and new, but felt like chatting with an old friend. 

"How do you pull this off?" I asked her. "I mean you took a hotel and turned it into a nightclub, a rave party, a beach resort... and everything else."

"Rooms are still open for reservation," she said. "Technically it's still a hotel. And a beach resort in the summer. We just added a little spice to the place. People need somewhere to let themselves go, and have the comfort of knowing they can stay the night. We can't accommodate everyone that visits, but we still do our part."

"That was a pretty good idea," I said nodding. "My friends and I got rooms downstairs. But, I mean, how do you hold it all together?"

"We have quite the checkbook, Tate," she said blowing a plume of smoke over her shoulder from her pursed bottom lip. "And I'm in bed with the right people."

I smiled. 

"Maybe local authorities like that we say... keep the guns off the street," Mary explained. "If people are here, they're not out there doing the same things in public. That could be a tiny plus."

I swirled the whiskey in my glass and took a sip. I couldn't even feel the burn now. Looking out at the tables, I spotted Freddie with his arm around one woman, while another was sitting in Andy's lap. Even Michael seemed to be enjoying himself. It was hard to believe that I was having drinks with the key architect of our great time. I thought about our conversation earlier.

"What about all the rumors?" I asked. 

Mary blinked. "I thought that's what we were talking about? The notoriety."

"I'm talking about... the uh, suites?"

I saw something change in her eyes.

"What about the suites?" Her glossy lips closed on the butt of her cigarette, her unblinking eyes watching me closely.

I dared to lean closer. "Well, people say there's like, special rooms or something, different from the lower floors. Rooms that have to be reserved through you, and you only."

"Is that what they say?"

I prodded further. "Supposedly, you can get whatever you want, do whatever you want in the suites." 

"Now that does sound intriguing." Mary sipped her martini. "What would you do with such an opportunity, Tate?"

I studied her. It seemed almost like she meant to make me an offer. She certainly hadn't denied the rumors. I shook my head.

"I don't know," I admitted. "Just sounds like a fantasy to me. Too good to be true, you know?" 

Mary uncrossed her legs and leaned so close that I could taste the sweetness of her perfume. She placed a hand on my thigh. It was like being touched by a goddess.

"I know exactly what you mean." Her caramel smooth voice was hushed and slow, but excited. "That, Tate, is why I make it my business to make fantasies come true."

I stared at her. Something stirred inside of me. Was it fear? Uncertainty? Was I nervous? Or was I glad?

"So... it is true," I said. "You're like a genie?"

Mary laughed her melodic laugh. 

"I've never thought about it like that," she said, still chuckling. "But yes, I suppose I have a knack for giving people what they want most."

I blinked. "Well... what all can you do?" 

"What is it you want?" She asked in kind. 

There it was again. She wanted me to make a request. I could almost see it there, peeking out from the darkness of her eyes. Behind my own swirled a glowing blue fog, where a body rolled and swayed.

"So you could do anything?" I asked the question as though I were skeptical.

Mary stared at me quietly. A pair of blue eyes haunted my mind. I started to really wonder. Could it be that simple? I would give anything for that feeling again, and more.

"Give me her. The girl that performed at stage three."

She blinked at me and grinned. "Delilah?"

"Is that too much?"

Mary laughed and flicked her ashes. "It's not the usual request. You must have been quite taken with her."

I sighed. "I feel like an idiot."

"Not at all," Mary said. "Lilah has a way with people, that's for sure."

"I've never seen anyone like her. The way she moves is unreal. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it. She's like a drug."

Mary smiled. "Some of our people have taken to calling her Dollface. It fits her well I think."

"Yeah, it does." Lilah's sad innocent face flashed in my mind. I recalled her delicate eyelids that opened so slowly, as if careful not to let tears slide out. Great blue discs stared back, dreamy but focused on a world I couldn't see.

"She's... perfect. Like you built a beautiful woman in a lab somewhere. And the way she dances...."

Mary nodded. "A marionette. Whatever master pulls her strings is divine indeed."

The booze must have gotten to my head. My mind was a fog. Hues of blue and pink flashed behind my eyes. I blinked hard, but she crept forth like a silent predator. Heavy breasts hung beneath her. Large spongy nipples brushed the stage. There was an ache in my body. I wanted to grab her and crush her in my arms, too feel her against me. 

Those big mesmerizing eyes gazed back at me....

"C-can you do it?" I asked.

Mary shrugged. "She hasn't done private shows in quite a long while."

"I don't want just a show."

"Honey, you don't understand," Mary said. "Everything Lilah does is a show."

She snubbed out her cigarette in the ashtray. For a minute, she stared out into the sea of tables tapping her long nails on the bar. I licked my dry lips, watching her and awaiting her answer. Finally, she leveled a serious gaze at me. 

"Maybe I can pull her strings," Mary said. "I'm warning you though. Suites are costly, and Lilah won't be cheap either."

"It's not a problem," I said quickly. "I was in a crash not long ago. Wound up with a decent settlement."

Mary sipped her martini. Her eyes seemed cold but burned at the same time. She flashed me yet another perfect smile. 

"Before you leave tomorrow, come see me at my office. Ask for Mandy at the bar downstairs. She'll be expecting you. We'll make the arrangements.

****

The Chair

****

What the hell was I doing?

It had been weeks since our night at The Ballroom and I still hadn't found the answer. There had been plenty of time to turn back. Not a day went by that I didn't think of Elysium. I still couldn't believe I was standing in that room.

My bag still lay on the huge bed with satin sheets. I hadn't touched it. Standing alone near the finely crafted footboard, I was unsure of what to do. The guy had shown me in and told me to wait. Would Lilah come walking through the door? 

I rubbed my shaking hands together and took a breath. It felt like my inside were frozen. I'd never done anything like this in my life. Mary had the money. I'd paid for what was to come. For sex. I couldn't stem the tide of shame that ebbed inside of me. I could call it what I wanted, but I was paying for sex like some pitiful lonely guy.

It wasn't that simple though. I had to do it. Her spell was too intoxicating and I needed release. Several times I'd laughed at how fucking ridiculous that was, but it was no less true. It was like Lilah had mind fucked me but not let me climax. I'd seen her curves in the ink I etched into people's arms at work. Her eyes stared back from every mirror like a ghost. Her body writhed behind my eyelids when I closed them at night.

I glanced around the luxurious room and wondered how it would go. It certainly didn't seem like a room I would find Lilah in. It had a classical kind of feel to it, like the room had been pulled from the previous century. Aside from that, it didn't even look like a suite. Was I supposed to undress? No, maybe not. I wanted that to happen with Lilah. Besides, I didn't want that Simon guy to come back and see me butt naked on the bed. Or would it be Lilah?

I ran my hand through my hair and tugged at the strands between my fingers. Just thinking about her body being close to mine was making my heart turn flips. I had to be kidding myself. There was no way I had the endurance for a sex vixen like Lilah. What the hell was wrong with me? I'd never been like this for any girl! I felt like an addict without a fix. 

Scanning the room again, I saw a decanter on a table against the wall. Fumbling for the tumbler I poured myself a generous amount of the liquor. I could smell the stuff even before I raised the glass to my lips. Two sips was enough to make me cringe. I felt its fiery trail as it hit my stomach like a bomb. I took another draw of the alcohol then paced the room.

Already my skin had grown warm but the nervous chill hadn't melted away. Still, I breathed a little easier. I squeezed my eyes shut and let my mind go blank. No guilt, no worry, no nerves....

But her face was still there. Big eyes and great round nipples stared back at me. 

I shook my head and looked over at the bed. I needed to freshen up. For some reason, I couldn't see my bag. My eyes wouldn't focus. I saw the satin sheets, but they slid away when I tried to stare at them. 

I took a step forward and nearly fell to one side like the world had shifted beneath me. I blinked but my vision grew foggier. I opened my mouth to speak, to say anything, and managed only a gasp. Too heavy. I was too heavy. 

My legs folded and the world flew away. It only felt better when my eyes closed.

****

My eyes opened but I could not see. Darkness was everywhere. I was sitting down, that much I knew. Slowly, my brain tried to pull everything together.

When I tried to move my arms, I realized something was wrong. I pulled, but my wrists were tied behind the chair. 

Panic seized me. Looking around frantically to no avail in the dark, my mind began to spin like a top. My chest heaved as my breathing became erratic. I tried to extend my legs but found that my ankles were tied as well.

I jerked forcefully, trying to move the chair. It didn't budge the slightest bit. 

"Shit!" I gasped. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" 

I bucked wildly in the chair. I could raise my hips to an extent, and my knees were able to move side to side. But I was strapped in. Twisting my wrists, I could feel the tight leather on my skin. When I squirmed in the chair, I realized two things. The chair itself was metallic, and was cold where it had been absent the warmth of my body. I noticed this because I was completely naked. 

"Oh, fuck."

The words hissed across my trembling lips. My flaccid cock rested between my bare hairy thighs. I was stunned. What the fuck was going on? I tried to recall what had happened in the room. I was in the suite. Was it the drink? 

"Hello!" I screamed. 

My voice didn't carry far, but echoed loudly. I must have been in a small room. There wasn't the smallest shred of light. Dread was wrapping its cold fingers around my neck. I was losing it. I could hardly breath. I jerked one more time with all the might I had. It was useless. 

I tried to calm down. Taking steady breaths, I let my naked body relax. I started to sift through my thoughts, the memories of my conversation with Mary, and the rumors my friends had talked about. Something Freddie had said so many weeks ago came to mind. 

He had mentioned people disappearing at Elysium. 

"Let me out!" I screamed to no one.

Fear and reality began to set in. I started to honestly wonder if I would die soon. I couldn't believe it was happening, or how stupid I had been. 

A sound boomed, two quick and heavy beats of a drum. I froze. 

Then came three more drumbeats, decreasing in tone. 

Light and sound exploded all around me. There was a humming bass beat, throbbing like some warped moaning alarm. The heavy drum pounded slow and hard beneath it. I heard a scratchy whine, like screen static, synthesized and laid atop the throbbing baseline like some hellish remix. 

Colored lights swarmed the room, rich purples and glowing pinks. Green lasers flickered and panned about with mechanical precision. I could see the room I was in. Even with all the lights, much was still hidden in the darkness where their tendrils did not touch. I couldn't make out the exact origins of the lights, but I could see that the room was mostly bare, just four walls and my chair. 

I was frozen in the metallic chair, marveling at the display of lights that flickered, swooped, and pulsed to the booming music. The throb of that bass was enough to rattle my head. I could feel the vibrations in my teeth. The music had a deep foreboding tone. It sounded like it was squeezed through the teeth of some giant groaning machine.

There was movement in the corner of my eye. My head snapped around. I could barely make anything out in the flickering gloom. 

Lilah stepped into view. 

She had walked around the chair from behind me. I couldn't see her face yet but I knew it was her. Several of the lights chased erratically after her pale form, never quite settling on her body. She stepped slowly in front of the chair, her back still turned to me. Lilah was taking the stage, I realized. 

My heart sailed. Relief flashed in my head before fluttering away into nonexistence. I squinted, desperate for a better look at the phantom that had haunted my thoughts for so long. Sweetness surfaced on my taste buds. It was like another cherry had been tongued into my mouth. 

The lighting settled in the room as the hushed voice moaned the first verse of the deafening song. In the eerie purple and pink glow, Lilah twisted gently to the tune. Black curls bounced down her shoulders. I traced the smooth crevice of her back from her shoulder blades to the flare of her hips. Her every curve glared with color in the neon lights.

The trance had already set in. I had planned to talk to her, flirt a little maybe. I was hardly able to blink as the music brought her to life.

With every pulse of the bass tone, Lilah's round ass swung like a pendulum, her long legs twisting like snakes on tall platform heels. Her movements flowed like hot caramel. The revealing outfit and fishnet stockings she wore burned a bright green or yellow under a blacklight glow. The bands around her uppermost thigh appeared so snug that they caused her ass cheeks to bulge. From where I sat, it looked like Lilah was wearing a neon one piece bikini of some kind. It clung to her ass and wound around her sides, so tightly it looked painted on. 

My cock was stirring, nodding and growing to the beat of Lilah's music. Just looking at that ghost white body in its skimpy neon adornments awoke an ache deep inside of me. Reaching for the unseen heavens with both hands joined over her head, Lilah spun slowly, propelled my her snaking abs and thrusting hips. When at last she faced me, her eyes were closed. I saw only her glowing yellow lids. 

My dick jumped and I had to shift in my seat when I saw her breasts. The things were larger and more perfectly round than any I'd ever seen in my life, but wobbled and swayed beneath the tight bikini as she danced. My knees opened and closed as I struggled to gain control of myself. I pulled against the leather restraints on my wrists, not in any conscious attempt of escape, but rather straining just as my hard shaft was between my thighs. 

All at once, strobes fired from the corner of the room as the bass and drums fell away. A freaky snapping of guitar filled the air. Lilah's big eyes flew open. Those haunting blue discs were aimed directly at me, piercing through me and swallowing me further into her spell. The voice was now high pitched, creepily mocking that of a child's.

"Then I got my wings and... I never even knew it... when I was a worm... thought I couldn't get through it...."

Oh, those candy apple lips! They pursed and puckered seductively as Lilah mouthed the lyrics of the song. Her eyes glowed forth from beyond the blinding flashes of the strobes. Green fingernails pricked and pinched her flesh in places as she caressed the gentle slope of her stomach to the flat of her crotch. 

I was zombified. My mouth hung open, yearning for a taste. My eyes burned but I could not blink and miss even a split second of the show before me. All that moved was my throbbing cock, which bobbed below in plain view. I'd seen sultry strippers and drop dead dancing vixens in clubs before. None compared to the glowing woman writhing before me. 

The music returned to its pulsing bass groan. Lilah stepped closer. It was almost too much to handle seeing her body come toward mine in the pink and purple blacklight glow. I could see the points of her nipples under her neon bikini. Somehow, the fabric stayed glued to the swells of her flesh without any straps or strings.

Lilah reached up with one hand, then another. Suddenly, her body lifted gently into the air. She was floating before my eyes, twisting slowly like a wisp of smoke. 

How the hell was she doing that? I searched the darkness overhead and found my answer wrapped around her pale arms.

Chains! 

I hadn't seen them before. Black chains dangled from the ceiling. They were everywhere. Lilah held herself suspended in the air right in front of me with such ease. There wasn't the slightest sign of struggle on her lovely face, yet her abdomen rolled and twirled while her closed legs gently fanned the air like the tail of a mermaid.

Her bright blue eyes looked down on me. Her curled lashes fanned the air slowly. The woman floated like an angel, but eyed me like a devil. Lilah lifted her legs up before her, her knees bent while her pelvis rocked and twisted. I shuddered when her knees split and her thighs spread wide. I could see her tight mound beneath the bikini in the glowing blacklight.

My fists clenched as I watched. My cock seemed to pulse with the music. I could feel my heart pounding almost painfully in my chest. I didn't care about my nudity. I wished I could rip free of my restraints and stroke myself to Lilah's dance. I wanted to show her how hard I was, how much I wanted her. I worried how much longer she would keep me restrained. 

Suddenly, the song changed and there was the most hideous grinding sound, like the squalling of tires and the shredding of metal on blacktop. It was the interlude to the new song. The beat slammed into gear, yet another bass driven thrumming jam. 

Lilah's platform heels came down hard in time with the beat, slamming into place on the armrests of the chair. She was standing above me, twisting and snapping her ass from side to side. I was shocked at the impossible way she balanced herself on the small metal arms of the chair. 

Her milky smooth legs were right in front of me. The fishnet glared brightly over her flesh. Looking up, my breath was stolen by the luscious sight of her crotch just above my head. I could even see the plump bottoms of her ass cheeks jiggle as her body snapped and swayed to every violent pounding of the drums. I writhed in my chair. I felt like I had a gaping hole inside of me, a craving that so badly needed sating. Sweat had formed across my brow. 

Lilah squatted. She held her back straight and flipped her black curls over her head. I groaned loudly, but I couldn't even hear myself. I could only watch while she shook her huge round breasts. They bounced from side to side. I didn't try to understand how that was possible in such a tight bikini. 

Until she was tearing it away. 

I blinked against the lasers and the brilliant purplish glow. Lilah's green nails dug through the glowing material and pulled it away from her flesh in long strands. A piece snapped away and she flung it aside. 

"... make us feel so hollow... we love... in vain, narcissistic and so shal-low...."




Elysium: The Chair



Lilah's eyes fell to mine. They were... shining! Her huge blue eyes were so bright! She had to be wearing some sort of blacklight contacts. The logic didn't register in my head at the time. I was held firmly in a trance under those eyes. 

She raked her nails into her chest, dragging stringy shreds of her bikini with her. I didn't know what to think. It ripped free and a single breast wobbled free. Its wide pink areola and fat tip of her nipple gave the impression that her breast was to the point of bursting. 

My mouth was watering. Lilah's body was right there. Her huge breasts, her fishnet coated thighs, her barely hidden pussy... it was all right in front of me. I wanted so badly to squeeze all that flesh in my palm. I could hardly bear to look at her smooth doll's face with her candy green lips and glimmering eyes. My hips were heaving upward toward her crotch instinctively. My arms flexed to no avail. I blew out a long breath of air. 

Lilah stood impossibly fast. As she did, a heavy guitar riff blasted into the air, groaning like a hellish foghorn. 

"Lots of pretty, pretty ones... that wanna get you high...."

Lilah violently swung her black curls round and round to the thrash of the guitars. Her wide hips darted left, then right, swaying and snapping in perfect rhythm. I was in awe that she could move so wildly wearing platform heels and standing on only those armrests of my chair. It was insane. The blaring metal crunch of guitars seemed to send jolts into Lilah's body, and my dancing Frankenstein came to life.

"But all the pretty, pretty ones... will leave you low, and blow your mind...."

The music calmed again to a pounding beat. Lilah flipped her hair back. Black wavy strands clung to her green lips and pale cheek. Her eyes peered down at me seductively. I watched as she grabbed two chains overhead and lifted herself into the air. 

Before I knew it, her legs came to land on either side of my head. I was staring right at the outline of her pussy nestled between her thick thighs. 

"Oh my god...." I couldn't even hear myself speak.

I bit down hard on my lip. Lilah somehow held herself steady with one hand on a chain high above. Her free hand roamed across the strange material covering her crotch. I stole a glance upward at the peaks of her breasts, and the ghastly eyes that peered over them. 

Lilah took hold of the material and pulled. Like before, I watched in confusion as she tore the stuff away in long strings. Then I understood when the smell hit me. It was liquid latex. She was literally ripping it away from her flesh and revealing herself bit by bit 

"Oh, wow," I said. "Oh, man... wow."

Grabbing her crotch, Lilah made a rubbing gesture like she was stroking her pussy, then clutched the last of the latex and ripped it away. My cock strained below at the sight of her bare budding lips. 

"Oh god!" The words escaped me in a lust filled gasp.

Her hips rolled and her thighs walked over my shoulders in a motion not unlike a caterpillar. Lilah's swollen lips inched closer and closer. My breath was nothing but short gasps of air. A tangy but pleasant odor hit me just before my face became buried in her pussy.

I couldn't restrain myself. I shook my head from side to side and swirled my tongue into a deep naughty kiss. My eyes rolled as I tasted her velvety flesh. Her skin was smooth and hairless. I could feel the round cushions of her ass cheeks on my chin. 

The guitars raged again. I felt Lilah fly into motion.

Lilah locked her thighs around my head. My eyes widened when I saw her body fall backward fast. Her entire curvy form was then inverted in the chair atop mine. I could only guess how she was bracing herself below. I didn't care. I prodded her hole with my tongue and curled it back tasting her pussy. I couldn't help but moan into her flesh, drunk on the slow poison of desire she had been drip feeding me. It coated the insides of her pussy. I wanted to devour her. 

Staring down her smooth stomach, which was still flecked with bits of latex, I watched her upper body twist. I groaned louder and pressed my face deeper when I saw those huge titties bouncing from side to side, one pale and bare, and the other still coated in latex.

The soaked pussy rushed away. Lilah was suddenly standing on her hands like a gymnast and tumbled away from me. The dexterous doll landed gently on those tall heels and flipped her black curls, her bulbous breasts jutting forward and her back arching in a sexy pose.

"Oh, ho-holy shit!" I shook my head in disbelief and smiled.

Lilah leveled her frosty gaze at me.. She strutted to me, flicking her heels to the thumping drums. Her hips twisted and her breasts bounced gently. 

The crashing guitar riff faded and left only the thump of bass and drums. Lilah reached the chair and bent low. Her face came only inches from mine. I couldn't move. I couldn't breath. When her glossy green lips drew closer, there was an overbearing tension that fell over me, an accumulating charge of energy waiting to strike between our lips. I found myself spiraling down into her spectral blue eyes. Her hot breath fell over my cheeks and my bottom lip quivered.

I heard a metallic snap. Then another. Lilah's long lashes batted. Her eyes focused on my mouth. My insides felt like a hollow rubber tube being pulled apart at the ends. Her soft lips brushed mine. I leaned in just as she leaned away. 

Lilah grabbed the arms of the chair and pulled. I blinked in shock when they came free. She flung the armrests away and they clattered across the floor. I saw her toss two small objects into the dark, pins, I realized. I adjusted in the chair, taking advantage of the space I was now afforded.

Lilah moved to my side before swinging a single leg over my lap. Her arms moved to my shoulders. Our eyes were locked. My cock brushed her thigh and jumped at her touch. I wiggled in the chair, frustrated that my legs and wrists were still held in place. Down her hips lowered. She was poised like a bird squatting to fly. 

Soft moist flesh slid against the sensitive underside of my cock, pushing it back flat against my pelvis. I shuddered. Lilah took her seat in my lap. Her hips rolled rhythmically and I cried out when her lips slid across my shaft. I wasn't even inside of the woman yet and I felt my dick about to burst. Slowly, torturously, Lilah ground against me, coating my pulsing erection with her juice. Her shoulders remained practically motionless, but below her body gyrated like a machine.

I wasn't sure how much I could take. I tightened my fists. The muscles in my legs strained. Lilah watched me with those big eyes. I couldn't gauge any emotion in her face. I was part of her dance.

My eyes went wide. I was suddenly gliding inside of her. Lilah's warm hole was swallowing my dick. My mouth fell open, though I had no honest clue if I was screaming or not. She buried my swollen sex into hers and continued her dance. Electricity raced through my veins. The velvety walls of her pussy hugged my shaft tightly and kissed my engorged tip with her every move.

Guitars blasted and Lilah's body rocked faster. She sank closer onto me and cradled my head close. Her bare pillowy tit bounced against my cheek. I felt her fingers tugging my hair. I was able to twist my head to mouth her spongy nipple into my lips. My face sank against the fleshy breast. I was lost. 

My hips were starting to buck reflexively, tossed by the swell of my building orgasm. I bit and sucked hard on the nipple in my mouth. My breath escaped through hiss after hiss against Lilah's big breast. She seemed not to mind, but the music was furious and her actions mirrored the blasting rhythm. Her thighs opened wider, driving me deeper with each thrust. Her heels were planted on the floor. Her stomach rolled and her pelvis shot like a piston over and over. My cock suffered the barrage of sensations from her twisting pussy. 

My head flew back. I thought my fucking eyes would shoot out of my skull. I felt my dick turn to stone inside Lilah. She never stopped. My cock burst, spilling cum inside of her. I screamed before my jaw locked and my teeth clacked together. Again I shot into her. Lilah continued to thrust violently against me, watching me calmly. I jerked against my restraints.

Her hand cradled my cheek as my body thrust, jamming my third shot of cum deep into her pussy. Those shining ghost eyes looked on. Lilah beat me back into the chair with several thrusts of her ass. Spasms rippled through my body. My eyes rolled and glazed. My world was a blur of intense ecstasy and swirling lights and lasers. Lilah rode on relentlessly. She squeezed the final drops of my cum from my cock. 

Then her lips were on mine. The deafening music seemed so distant. The drums warped into two heartbeats. We were alone inside the drapes of her black curls. Her eyes were shut. Only her flaring lashes and her sparkling green lids were visible. I shut my own eyes and melted into her. Two heavy breasts were crushed against my hairy chest. Our mouths opened slowly and our tongues danced.

I could have died when her lips peeled away from mine. With a spring of her leg, Lilah climbed off of my lap. My spent cock slipped from her lips. I felt several warm drops on my thigh, but my eyes were fixed on Lilah. My arms were sore when I brought them around the chair to my stomach.

My arms were free! 

I blinked and rubbed my wrists in confusion. Lilah must have unfastened the straps that held me, but how? I hadn't even noticed. Was she really that good?

I had little time to think about it. The marvelous woman had spun and was straddling me once more, but with her back to me. I eyed her round ass when she bent at the waist and lowered herself over me. Two fingers appeared between her thighs. Lilah stroked her mound and slid a finger between her open pussy lips. I felt drained and empty, and yet my leaning cock nodded. Glistening fingers took hold of my shaft.

I braced myself. Lilah carefully stirred my half limp dick into her puckered sex. A surge of energy rushed through me as I watched my cock slide into her. She pressed herself down to my waist. Then she was leaning back. 

Her back eased onto my chest. Her head nestled into her black hair on my shoulder. Lilah's eyes opened wide and I all but gasped. Our faces were turned toward one another. Our lips touched gently, not kissing, but breathing each other in. I felt her arm curl around my head. 

When my hands slid around her waist, my cock throbbed inside of her. I sank into an ecstasy so deep that my mind went completely blank. I squeezed her close and shuddered. I explored the smooth slopes of her body. I grabbed a handful of her breast and kneaded the soft flesh. Within seconds, I realized I was pulling away strands of latex. I watched the substance tear free of her huge round breast to reveal her stiff nipple. 

Lilah twisted her ass across my lap. My cock bent and slid inside her pussy. Our cheeks touched. Her tongue slithered out and lapped at my lips. I pressed my mouth to hers and groped her tits while she danced on my cock. The glow of her eyes was mesmerizing. I couldn't remember ever being so passionate, so hypnotically intimate with any other woman. 

"You're so beautiful." I breathed the words against her glossy green lips. "You're so fucking amazing."

I didn't know if she heard me, over the increasing ferocity of the music, but I had to tell her. I longed to hear the sound of her voice. I knew by now she'd probably never speak. Lilah's eyes spoke plenty. As the guitars thrashed, a wailing lead over the thundering rhythm, Lilah swirled her plump ass cheeks around my lap, her body waving like an eel, and kissed me slowly. 

I wanted it to last forever. I wanted to crush her in my arms and never let her go. I would gladly have suffocated in her kiss. The moist flesh of her pussy was coaxing more cum into my shaft. My swelling tip was hypersensitive in her devilish embrace. I pulled her close, clutching her breast with one hand and her crotch with another. My body tensed. I'd never gone twice, but my cock poured itself into her.

We kissed as my dick pumped. The song was spiralling to its end. Lilah stopped her movements. The two of us were frozen together. I felt her warm gentle breath on my cheek. Her large shining eyes opened. Her lips barely parted from mine. 

The room went black. 

I felt Lilah slide quickly away. I clawed for her in the dark but I lost her. Cool empty air hit my slimy cock, and my body felt twice as naked in the places where Lilah's skin had touched mine. 

"L-Lilah, no!"

My voice reverberated in the room. There was no answer. I held my breath and strained to hear anything at all in the dark. There was nothing. 

Bright light filled the room. I was squinting at the bare walls and floor. Frantically I looked around. I stood quickly and nearly toppled forward to the floor. I caught myself awkwardly on my fingers and looked to realize my ankles were still strapped to the metal chair. 

I searched the small room. The black chains dangled unmoving, puppet strings that had made my angel fly. Several lights were bolted to the walls near the corners. Their glass lenses were dim and lifeless. 

There was no sign of Lilah. 

****

Dollface

****

"He was thrilled," she said. "Of course, you know that better than I, don't you?"

Mary paused for a moment, admiring the motionless figure before her. She knew the beautiful woman wouldn't answer her. Mary tapped her chin thoughtfully, staring into the mirror at the two black haired beauties. Her eyes wandered over Lilah's face, envying her smooth flawless skin. The younger woman's eyes were slightly downcast. She always held the most lonely looking expression. Mary couldn't help but feel saddened for her.

"Lilah, I wanted to tell you that you mean so much to me, and you mean so much to Elysium."

Lilah didn't respond. 

Mary chuckled. "I wish I could've been there. I can only imagine the marvelous show you put on for him. We should schedule private sessions for you more often, sweetie."

Lilah did not move. 

"You're an amazing thing, you know?" Mary pet the straight black hair that fell over the young woman's shoulder. "A wonder of the world in such trying times. I can't believe it's been so long. You've been with us since the very start. So lovely and full of... life. I just... sometimes I wish it could've been...."

Mary paused. She gave a tiny shake of her head. She couldn't face the memory. 

"Lilah?" 

Still nothing. 

Mary licked her lips and sighed. She put on her sweetest smile and looked at the girl in the vanity mirror. 

"Dollface."

Lilah's eyelids flew open. Her large beautiful blue eyes gazed back at Mary in the reflection. She'd seen those glass like eyes a thousand times, but even Mary had to take a breath under that piercing glare.

Her smile grew wider. 

"I'm keeping that room just for you," Mary told her. "It'll be yours. And then you can do as many private dances as you'd like. I think it will work out well. Dance the main stage and they'll come to your... dollhouse. Would you like that?"

Lilah's only response was a single blink of her eyes. 

Mary patted her shoulder and stood. She turned and headed for the door to the dimly lit dressing room. Pulling the swooping curtains away from the doorframe, Mary stopped. She looked back toward the vanity table once more. Lilah was aglow in the many bulbs that ringed the mirror. From across the room, her unblinking blue eyes stared lifelessly back at Mary. 

Mary opened her mouth, but stopped short. There was nothing more she could say. Nothing that would do any good. Her eyes went to the panel on the wall. Dragging her finger on the screen, she selected what she was looking for and moved to slider at the edge of the screen. She managed a weak grin when she heard the soft music overhead. A woman's voice, as airy and light as the song of a nightingale floated into the air. Mary stood for a moment, tapping her nail on the wall to the slow punch of the beat. 

Glancing up, she saw Lilah guiding a brush through her shimmering black hair. The young woman's head gently swayed. Mary took comfort in that sight.

She stepped from the room. The large man standing in the hall looked up at her, silently inquisitive. She nodded to him and walked on. From down the hall, Mary heard the door closing, the jingle of keys, and the click of a lock. 

****

Thank you so much for sticking with it til the very end. Look for more Elysium tales if you enjoyed it. More are soon to come. 

SecondCircle 



Elysium: The Chance



This is a slow burning story, but she'll burn bright. Cast your vote and leave me your thoughts. I cherish it all and grow. Thank you for reading, and for opening the doors to Elysium. Hope you guys enjoy. 

All characters are above age 18.

****

Reflection

****

"They were right about you."

I could still hear the rain over the blaring radio. It was really coming down outside. I hated it. I fucking hated it deep in my gut. It couldn't be helped. Everything was making me sick. Usually I liked a good rain storm. I'd sit inside and catch up on TV shows, play some scales on the SG, or anything else I wanted to do while I had the place to myself.

Anything else I wanted to do. 

The words used to excite me. Now they felt like a knife twisting in my stomach. And the rain? It felt like a cliche, a stupid tired cliche. 

I reached for the bottle again. My trembling fingers almost knocked it from the sink. The smell didn't bother me anymore, but the burn still blazed its trail to my gut. Rum was my comfort drink, but I wasn't comfortable anymore. I just wanted to stop feeling. After two more desperate sips, I coughed and nearly choked on the spiced alcohol. My eyes rose to the mirror again. 

Searching the reflection of the girl I saw there, all I could hear were the voices. I couldn't hear the guitars on the radio. Even the rain seemed to fade. I blinked when I felt the tears again. God dammit, I'd always thought I was so pretty. Why the fuck did this happen? I loved my long hair. My eyes... they looked amazing. Looking in that mirror had always been so thrilling. 

Until the voices. 

"They were right about you," I whispered to the girl in the mirror again. 

The voices only got louder. 

It was Joey that I heard mostly. That made it hurt even more. We'd been friends for as long as I could remember, and right like that we were done. Living together was great. I had worked nights and he had days, so during the week we each kind of had the place to ourselves in turn. We'd hang out like old times on the weekends, mostly get the band together to jam in the garage. It was so cool. 

I'd fucked all that up. And I never even got to tell him the truth, the real truth. 

I had to go through with it. I had to. First I had to stop fucking crying. I'd already reapplied eyeliner twice. One day I'd remember to buy the stuff that wouldn't run. 

One day. I glanced down at the bottle. The knife twisted yet again, and I swallowed the lump in my throat.

I traced my eyes in black. The shadow looked pretty good. I'd learned how to do the "smokey eyes" from the internet. I touched up the foundation on my cheeks, but my eyes still looked puffy. Anyone could tell I'd been crying. There wasn't a whole lot I could do about that. Studying my smooth face in the mirror, I sighed with a quivering lip. I wanted to use lipstick with the skirt I was wearing, but I always thought I looked like a clown when I tried to wear lipstick. Gloss would do. I loved the taste anyway. 

Standing up straight, I examined my body. My hair was straightened and fell over my shoulders. I always tried to keep it over my chest, especially if I was going out. The dress felt amazing on my slender body, and accentuated my curves. I allowed myself the faintest twitch of a smile. My legs looked amazing. I wished I could see more of them in the mirror. The heels would match. I needed to stop worrying. 

I smoothed the silky black dress over my flat stomach. The voices were getting louder. Doubt was eating me alive. That clenched jaw of my father's kept flashing in my head. I touched my cheek tenderly at the memory. The sound of Joey's screams and the windows rattling as he slammed doors echoed in my mind. The rabid way he looked at me... it hurt so fucking bad. 

Before I even realized it, I was gulping rum again. I squeezed my eyes shut, maybe against the burn or maybe to block out those angry faces. It didn't matter. They were still there. I set the bottle down on the sink and glanced over at the pills near the faucet. There was one more way to be truly numb. I just didn't want that. I wanted things to go back to the way... no. That wasn't true either. 

I felt like tearing my hair out, but I swallowed all of the frustration. I had to try to give this a shot. It was what I wanted. It was who I was. If this failed, I didn't know what would happen. I had to try. I'd go out and enjoy myself. Maybe I would meet someone, someone who saw the real me. 

I glared at the mirror. Fuck Joey, fuck Dad, and fuck work. I didn't need any of them. I was beautiful. The woman in the mirror had no time for nagging voices and naysayers. I looked sexy as hell. I was going to meet someone and have the time of my life. Probably even have sex with them. Why not? I could be a whore if I wanted to, and that's what I wanted to be. 

I sniffled for the last time, took a swig of rum, and turned from the sexy girl in the mirror. I headed into my bedroom across the hall and found my little purse. Just as I was about to head toward the car, the voices welled up inside and started to choke me. Swallowing hard, I glanced back into the bathroom. I hesitated. Then, I stepped inside and snatched the bottle of rum and the little container of pills. 

With a breath, I straightened my dress and found my keys. 

****

Exposure

****

People were already staring. 

The little cocktail bar I'd picked out was right on the street, so I had to park my old Camry in the back. Which meant I had to walk around the block to the front door. The sun hadn't even gone down yet. I'd kind of jumped the gun on the evening, but I couldn't stand sitting at home with myself anymore. 

Every second I was outside felt like I had a prison tower spotlight shining on me. I tried to keep my eyes down and avoid looking at other people, but that was useless. The sidewalks and streets were already crowded; after all, it was Friday night. I prayed I didn't fall wearing my heels. I prayed that the drizzle would hold off and not screw up my hair. Mostly, I prayed people would stop staring. 

It was just little odd glances at first. A girl passing me on the sidewalk did a double take. Then an older guy wouldn't stop turning and looking at me as I walked behind him. My skin felt hot even in the cool evening air. The alcohol had my head feeling light and a little dizzy. I had to shake all the feelings away. I had to power through this. 

I got a brief lift of confidence when a guy held the door open for me. Still, I found it terrifying to make eye contact with him, though I could feel him staring at me. The cocktail bar was dim and quiet, except for the chatter and laughter from the patrons. Taking a breath, I eased toward the four sided bar in the middle of the room. 

To my dismay, it was already starting. I passed a few tables and booths as I stepped along timidly. A beautiful blonde woman stopped talking just to look at me. I could see the disgust on her face. Her friends turned to see me, and one of them stifled a laugh. A handsome man and his date both cocked an eyebrow up at me and hid their smiles in their drinks.

It seemed like everyone had noticed me. I blinked away the stares and walked more briskly toward the bar. I refused to let them get to me... but they were. Nothing felt right. Already I wanted to flee, to run to the car and drive home. I knew there was nowhere left to run though. I had sworn to go through with this, and I had to try. I'd just have a few drinks, see how things went, and go home. Just an hour or two maybe. 

There were several stools at the bar. I took a seat at one of the corners. The place was so elegant and classy. The bar itself was fixed with some sort of lighting underneath the glass that gave the surface a bright milky glow. Two bartenders drifted about, chatting with a few patrons and fixing drinks. Everyone was dressed to impress. The men were all so well groomed and each wore suits and fancy shirts. Every woman I saw wore a dress of some kind. 

Even sitting at the bar, I felt out of place and ill dressed. Compared to these people, I probably looked like a smudge of black grease on a white tile floor. I crossed my arms in front of me. My eyes darted around at the faces at the bar, gauging their mood and trying to see if anyone took particular notice to me. Each passing second made me less comfortable in my own skin. My face felt flushed. My heart was thrashing on an icy tide in my chest. 

"How are we tonight?"

I glanced up at the woman behind the bar. She offered me a warm smile, but even so I found it hard to hold her gaze. 

"Uh, f-fine," I replied weakly. 

"Can I get you something?" She asked. 

I hesitated, trying to think of what was plausible for me to drink. 

"A... a martini, please."

"Alright, just need some ID if you don't mind."

I fumbled in my little purse for my driver's license. My fingers wouldn't stop shaking. I cursed myself for choosing black fingernail polish. It looked so tacky. Finally, I offered the woman my license. She leaned and glanced at the card. Then she peered more closely. I saw the way she studied me before she turned to make my drink, and I realized I made a mistake. 

With a sigh I stuck the license back in my purse. How could I be so stupid? Why didn't I think about that before? I tried to calm my nerves and just sit still while I waited. There were a couple new gazes leveled at me from across the bar. I crossed my legs, adjusting my skirt when it slid up my thighs.

When I lifted my eyes, I saw a woman sitting a few stools down from me. Something inside of me fell apart when I looked her over. She was everything I wanted to be. Her hair was black like mine, but hung in bouncing curls that I could only dream of imitating. The woman wore the vivid colors of a peacock, sharp greens and blues, speckled with gold and all traced in bold black. Feathered earrings dangled past her smooth jawline. My god, she was gorgeous. She was probably twice my age and still looked radiant and voluptuous. Beyond the drooping neckline of her blouse was a dark line of cleavage slicing down her tanned flesh.

There was something else about her... something intangible. The raven haired beauty was sitting with seemingly not a care in the world, oblivious to anyone around her. She wasn't even doing anything, not reading, not chatting with anyone, not looking at a phone... the woman just calmly sipped her drink and watched the other patrons. Maybe she was waiting on someone. Maybe she was alone in her own thoughts. Either way, she seemed so at ease.

The woman turned and our eyes met. For several seconds I couldn't breathe. I wanted to look away. I couldn't. Her dark eyes had found me and held my gaze firmly. She had such a lovely face, fierce and feminine, but so delicately beautiful. It hurt to look at her. I wanted so badly to look like her, to be her. Something in her eyes changed as she watched me. A smugness covered her expression, as I noted the little tilt in the corner of her lips.

"Your martini, uh... ma'am," the bartender stammered. 

I didn't even look up at the woman when she placed the drink in front of me. Her words felt like another twist of the knife as it burrowed deeper. My head was swimming already. I could hardly stand the sight of the martini. I was practically sweating rum already. Everything was beginning to overwhelm me. I heard a burst of laughter behind me. They were laughing at me. I just knew they were. Everyone knew. My eyes flitted up to see the dark haired woman down the way still watching me from the corner of her eye. 

A man took the stool beside me. The discomfort fled like fluttering moths as I tried to act normal. He was a handsome guy about my age. He was blonde, impeccably well groomed, and staring right at me. I couldn't ignore him. He was sitting right there!

"Uh, hi," I said offering him a smile. 

His blue eyes studied me. "Hey."

My heartbeat was bellowing in my ears. He was going to talk with me! And he was so cute! I thought of the best teasing chat I could. 

"I-I already have a drink," I stammered, "But you can buy me another one if you like."

Fuck that sounded too flirty and ridiculous. I could have melted under his crystal gaze. A million thoughts and worries zipped through my head. 

"Maybe, heh, maybe another time," the blonde said. "I uh... I actually came over here because my friend Steven over there wanted me to ask you something. He's too chicken to do it himself though."

I allowed myself a grin. Brushing my hair from my eyes, I turned toward the blonde. Maybe things were looking up. 

"What did your friend wanna know?" I asked with a sly smile. 

The handsome man smiled and said, "Well, see, we have this friend who we owe a prank."

I felt like a rug had been jerked from under my feet.

The cute blonde continued. "This guy James spiked the punch at Steven's wedding and gave everyone the shits that night. Kind of messed up. We were wanting to top that. Steven and I were wondering if you might help us set him up. Maybe we could set up like a get together and tell him that we've got him a fine ass date. He'll shit himself if everyone sees a tranny flirting and kissing on him all night. Something like tha-"

"I'm not interested," I snapped. 

The blonde leaned back. "I mean, we could pay you a lot-"

"I said I'm not interested."

I stared into my drink trying to ignore the guy's very presence. My whole face felt hot. Anger bubbled inside of me, and as the knife twisted deeper, the sickness inside of me grew. Finally, the man stood.

"You know there's a fucking queer bar a few blocks down on Second," he spat. 

I was alone at the bar again. I fought really, really hard to keep the knot down in my throat. The tears were another matter. It wouldn't be long. I shot a glance at the beautiful woman in the peacock colors. There was no way she hadn't heard the exchange, but she wasn't looking my way. I still saw that smug little grin on her pretty face. My heart sank as I stared at her. I was so fucking stupid to think that good looking guy would treat me like he'd treat her. I'd never measure up to that woman. 

I had to do something. I needed to get away from that bar. In seconds I had risen from my stool and was hurrying toward the restrooms. The tears were about to explode forth. I wouldn't let them see that. The faces watched me but I couldn't look at them. I knew they were laughing at me, talking about the freak in the dress and heels. 

When I reached the archway where the bathrooms were located, I balked. Which one? Which one could I go to? I almost took a step toward the men's restroom, but I could feel the eyes at the booths behind me. If I went into the men's room, it'd make everything worse. But everyone knew! They fucking knew! What would they say if they saw me go into the women's room?

"That one's yours." 

The girl that passed me was pointing to the sign on the men's room. I looked at her. She wore a grin and her two friends chuckled. Watching those perfect bodies saunter through the door broke my heart. I felt warm with shame and embarrassment. 

I was a fool. Turning from the restrooms, I kept my head down to hide my tears behind my hair. I walked as fast as I could toward the entrance. I didn't dare look up at any of the cruel strangers that watched me leave. 

Outside, I all but ran down the sidewalk. It was so cold. The people there watched me too. I didn't care. It was over. It was all over. Just as I reached my Camry in the lot behind the buildings, my ankle twisted and I collapsed to the wet pavement. My sobs were heavy now. I could hardly catch my breath. Anger and pain swirled into a volatile solution inside of me. I jerked the designer heels from my feet and with a scream, I flung them into the darkness beyond the parking lot. Once I had loved wearing them so much... that was all over now. 

My dress clung to my side where I had fallen. It was wet and filthy. On cold bare feet I trotted to my car. I fumbled for my keys in my purse and through blurry eyes I found the one to the Camry. Sniffling, I jerked open the car door and fell into the seat, slamming the door shut as hard as I could. 

For several seconds, I held my face in my hands with my body heaving and cried. The voices were louder than ever. My father's angry eyes and cruel words. Joey yelling. All those damn smiling faces turning and snickering. 

I screamed. 

It was the purest emotion I'd ever felt. Raw despair and rage blasted from my lungs. As my cry ceased, I saw the person staring back at me in the rearview mirror. His long black hair clung to his face. His eyes were red and his cheeks were streaked with black tears. He was ugly. Just a stupid guy. 

I cried out louder and batted at the mirror. I tore at it until the mirror broke away from the windshield and I hurled it into the dark floorboard. My chest rose and fell. My hip throbbed. My brains were scrambled. I couldn't focus. I didn't know what to do, where to even go. 

A horrible thought crossed my mind. I reached into the back seat and found the bottle. As I twisted the lid off, it tumbled out of sight. I wouldn't need it anyway. Still sobbing, I turned the bottle up and took several long pulls of the rum. I coughed and almost vomited once, but immediately put the bottle back to my lips and drank deeply. I welcomed the disgusting burn. 

I tore open the little purse and found the smaller prescription bottle inside. Holding the rum between my smooth bare thighs, I clawed to pop the lid on the pills. Half of them spilled out into the car when it finally opened. I stabbed the keys into the ignition and turned the engine over. I didn't bother with the seatbelt. It wouldn't matter.

I stared down at the tiny container in my hand. There was still plenty. I sniffled, wondering if I truly had it in me to take the plummet. I didn't have it in me to do anything else. 

The knock at the window startled me so badly I jumped, nearly spilling both the rum and the bottle of pills. 

What? Someone was hunkered over my window, peering through the tinted glass. I was so shocked to see anyone there. There I sat, a total mess, with liquor in my lap, my skirt pulled to my hips, and pills in my hand. I didn't know what to do. 

The figure knocked again, more urgently. Without thinking, I pressed the button and the window slid all the way down. 

The woman. That gorgeous older woman from the bar. Her dark eyes searched my face through the drizzling rain. I was speechless. A bright smile spread on her face. 

"Excuse me, sweetheart, I'm sorry to bother you but... you look like you could use a ride."

Her voice was smooth and sweet, as beautiful as a melody. Confusion swirled in my dizzy head. I remembered her face. That grin. She was just another voice, another cruel joke. 

"I'm f-fine," I replied. 

In a flash the woman was in the window! 

Half her body was suddenly in front of me. The engine died and in another instant, she was standing outside again.

"What... what the fuck are you doing?" I cried, shocked and outraged. 

I shoved open the car door and clumsily climbed out. The bottle of rum hit the pavement and rolled. The black haired woman took a few steps back with her hands up. She looked completely calm. 

"Give me my fucking keys!"

I lunged at her, clawing for her hands. I knew I could overpower the woman, but I stumbled. 

"What the hell are you doing! Give them back!"

The woman reacted quickly, looping her arms around mine as I flailed and jerked. Our bodies were suddenly pressed together. I wrestled to pry away from the cool fur of her long coat. I cried out and sobbed, cursing at the beautiful thief. I felt her lips against my ear. 

"Shh, shh, I'm not going to hurt you, I'm not going to hurt you," the voice whispered in my ear. "It's alright, honey, calm down, calm down, it's okay."




Elysium: The Chance



The voice was so soothing. My body was already so weak. I couldn't stop sobbing. It was the worst day of my life. 

"You're okay, sweetheart," the voiced cooed. "You're okay."

Sweetheart. She called me sweetheart. Only my mother had ever called me that. Something broke deep inside of me and I sank into the woman's arms. The voices were but whispers now, still snickering, but they were fading. 

"They... they w-were right... about me," I gasped between sobs into the fur coat. "They were... right ab-about me!"

"Shh, no, you're fine, you're just fine sweetheart."

****

The Stranger and the Truth

****

It was dark. I was warm. So warm. 

I blinked my eyes and rolled my head. My neck ached as I leaned forward in the seat. The road in front of my eyes was dark. The engine hummed gently. I heard the faint sounds of music all around. Jazz... maybe, I couldn't really tell. My hair clung to my face in strings.

This was not my car. 

I looked around slowly, trying not to draw attention to myself... and trying not to move my throbbing head. The car I was sitting in looked new. Everything was so modern, clean, and luxurious. The screen on the dash glowed dimly. My eyes found the driver in the gloom beside me. 

Her. It was the dark haired woman from the cocktail bar. It was coming back to me. I cut my eyes over and studied her. She still looked regal, but the screen on the dash cast an eerie light on her beautiful face. I was more than a bit nervous waking up in this stranger's car. The lady had taken my keys, I had screamed at her, but everything else was a blur of hurt and rain. My head hurt too much to try to piece together how exactly I'd gotten in the vehicle with her.

"I figured you'd be out for a while longer," the woman suddenly said. 

I tensed. She wasn't even looking at me. The lady's shadowed eyes were fixated on the road ahead. I didn't know what to say or do. She seemed perfectly calm and harmless, yet I couldn't decide if that made me feel better or worse. 

"If you're tired, you can rest, sweetie," the stranger told me. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Sweetie. She kept calling me stuff like that. I licked my dry lips and built the courage to speak. 

"Where are you taking me?" I asked with a cracked voice. 

"Away from where you were," she said slyly. "I got the feeling you really didn't want to be there anymore."

The woman glanced over and gave me a warm smile. 

"I'm Mary," she told me. "I don't think I caught your name."

I stared at her beautiful face, captivated by the way her dark eyes twinkled like stars in the faint light. "Um... it's Shannon."

Mary grinned again. "That's a lovely name. Your mother's choice?"

My mouth fell open before I could hide my surprise. 

"Just a lucky guess." Mary chuckled. "I'm good with things like that."

"I'm sorry, where are we going?" I asked again. "And where is my car? My keys?"

She nodded calmly. "Your car has been taken care of. Listen you don't have to worry about a thing, you're fine. I'm taking you to a place I own out on the coast."

"Why?" Anger crept into my voice. "What do you mean that it's taken care of? What is going on?"

"I saw everything that happened."

I grew silent again. Terrible flashes of the faces at the bar flooded my head. The handsome guy and his digusted face, the confusion and shame in front of the bathrooms... I wanted to forget it all but it hurt so bad. I glanced at Mary, but I couldn't meet her eyes.

"I want to help you," Mary said softly.

I scoffed. "No one can help me. Look at me."

I felt like an idiot. I was in a luxury car with a gorgeous woman. Next to Mary, I felt frail and hideous. I pulled my dirty dress as far down my thighs as I could, then crossed my arms in front of my chest. I once felt so aroused wearing those clothes, but I wanted nothing to do with them now. Wiggling my bare feet in the floorboard, I recalled throwing my heels. That only made me feel worse. 

"Was that your first time dressing in public?"

I hesitated. Then I closed my eyes and sighed. It wouldn't make a difference if I told her. Besides, Mary already knew.

"No," I answered. "I... I've been out before. Mostly small stuff. Little trips to the gas station, getting something at a drive-thru, things like that. I was always in situations that I could get away from if I had to, you know, if anyone noticed me. It started as just a secret of mine. A fantasy. I had the house to myself most of the time during the day and... it's just, what I did. I was stupid to go to that bar. I was stupid to go out at all. I screwed everything up."

I ran my hand through my messy hair. 

"You... don't have a lot of clothing or accessories, do you?" Mary asked. 

I looked at her. 

She put up a hand. "Sorry, I didn't mean that to be rude... but it is true isn't it? You don't seem too... experienced at this."

Mary was right. Part of me knew I could never make myself look the way I dreamed. I knew it when I left for that cocktail bar. 

"You said something," Mary said. "When I took your keys, you said 'they were right about you'. What did you mean?"

I shook my head and stared blankly out the windshield. "Everyone. They were all right about me. My dad, my best friend Joey, the people at work... they were all right."

Mary looked at me. "Right about what?"

I hesitated. I couldn't even admit it all to myself. Searching the beams of the headlights in front of me, I felt a painful swell in my chest.

"Honey, I'm only a stranger," Mary said. "You have nothing to fear from me like you do with them."

It was the weirdest logic I'd ever heard, and yet made so much sense. The sadness left me hollow and numb. There was no point to being shy or ashamed. I had to tell someone. I couldn't stand living with myself anymore. I took a breath.

"Like I said," I started, "I don't usually do this kind of thing. I live with... I lived... with my best friend Joey. We've known each other since we were little. W-we went to school together. We started a band together- which is kinda why I grew my hair out to begin with."

I smiled weakly at the memories.

"It was so awesome," I went on. "We got a place together and lived there for a couple of years. Joey worked day shift, though, and I usually worked nights. That worked out pretty cool because it was like you had the place to yourself during the week. Then on the weekends we'd hangout and party or whatever we wanted. It was great. Joey was so fun to be around.

"During the day... that's when... when I started to do things. It was just videos. Then it was a pair of panties that one of Joey's girlfriends had left behind. They felt so... silky a-and... It was harmless. Then Joey's girlfriend would leave some stuff at our place, you know, clothes and makeup and things like that."

Mary nodded slowly. "So you started dressing."

I closed my eyes. "Yes. I'm so small and... everything just felt so good. It was just a fantasy. Just something I did when I was alone. I don't know why, but it was such a thrill.

"I still remember the first time I touched a girl, I rubbed her through her pink panties. It was so silky smooth. She... got so wet th-that I felt it through those panties. That's all I felt when I... when I wore a pair for the first time. I was so turned on I could hardly touch myself.

"From that point, I wanted to feel like a woman. I wanted to look like one, to dress like one, to feel a draft up my skirt on my panties... to feel pretty... sexy. It's so different in the mirror though. Out there, I just... I..."

I grew quiet. I couldn't believe the things I was telling Mary. I'd never talked to anyone about anything like that. It was embarrassing, but it was also a huge weight to lift from myself. Cutting my eyes over at Mary, I noticed that she seemed unaffected by anything I told her. She simply listened quietly as I spoke. There was no judgment there, and I felt no fear. Truthfully, I felt nothing at all. 

I looked down at my dress absently. "I started going out. I don't know what I was thinking. For some reason I w-wanted to be in public... dressed like a woman. To be seen. I'd go to the gas station. I'd go to the movies by myself. I don't know why. The house wasn't good enough.

"I was getting gas one time. I was dressed in a skirt and heels and everything. My Dad and his friend pulled in right beside me with their bass boat. He recognized my car. Thought the girl pumping gas might be some girlfriend of his son's."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. 

"He realized it was me."

The memories were like nightmares. I remembered the emotions more than images. I still felt the shock and recalled how I tried to hide. I'd tried to jump in the car and leave. My dad had seen me. His friend had seen me. They were right fucking me beside! Even sitting in Mary's car, my heart raced like it did that day. Fear wrapped my body like a suffocating blanket. My father's confusion was written all over his face as he'd stared at me through the window of my Camry. I'd watched that confusion melt into bitter anger and disgust. The boat had nearly careened into another car in the street when Dad had tore out of the lot in his truck. 

"How did he react?" I heard Mary ask.

I sniffled and shook my head. "He didn't talk to me for days. I tried calling. Then he showed up at my house, saying he wanted to talk, but all he did was curse at me. He told me my mother would roll over in her grave if she knew her son was a fucking fagget. He told me that I was stupid for joining a band and acting like a girl, that men weren't supposed to have long hair and wear things like that. 

"When I tried to explain everything, Dad got so mad. He hit me in the face three times and walked out the front door. I tried to stop him and he hit me again, got in his truck and left. Haven't seen him since."

I wiped my eyes. I felt the anger and hurt building again. I felt the twist of the knife in my gut. Yet as I looked at Mary, who was listening silently to my story, I realized how good it felt to rant, to tell someone the whole thing. I trembled, knowing that my tale only grew worse.

"My Dad told everyone, I guess," I spat. "I think that's how Joey found out. He came home one day and he was so mad. Joey was just... just screaming at me and packing up his things, a-and making fun of me and cursing at me..."

The reel played in my head. Joey had thrown the front door open wide and stormed inside, never bothering to close it. His girlfriend had been with him, but she'd stood outside on the porch listening. I remembered knowing... just knowing that he'd found out about me, before we'd ever spoken a word. 

"I should have fucking known, man!" He'd screamed at me. "All that wierd fuckin' shit you were into? And wearing fucking eyeliner at rehearsal and painting your fucking nails? Jesus, you wanted to play that 'sexy suicide' game that night... what did you want to do, suck someone's cock?"

I'd pleaded. "No, it's not what you think!"

"How many guys did you fuck?" Joey had yelled. "How many of Jessica's fucking clothes did you steal? Were you always a queer? God, man, all those times we'd changed in front of each other! You were a queer the whole time! Not even that, you were a fucking sissy! A goddamn crossdresser!"

I could still see the rage in Joey's face. I could still feel the fear and dismay tightening like a knot in my chest. His girlfriend's stupid grin as she stood on the porch giggling at me, the way he'd shoved me aside, the way the house shook and the windows rattled when he slammed the front door, the way...

I blinked. 

I saw nothing but the road rushing beneath the headlights of Mary's car. I felt nothing. I was hollow. The black of night slipped around the vehicle. This woman could have been carrying me to my death. I didn't care anymore. The void I'd found myself in was quiet and comforting.

"Joey left?" 

Mary's smooth voice surpised me. I looked at her, then after several seconds I finally nodded.

"Yeah," I said. "He screamed and yelled, called me a queer, and left. Moved all his stuff out. Since... since he left, it's been hard covering the rent, and his room's just empty. No one in the band wants to talk to me. Joey put all this shit on Facebook, saying I wear panties and fucked guys and that I wanted to fuck him and other bullshit, a-and..."

I felt my teeth grinding together. Tears stung my eyes.

"You miss him, don't you?"

Part of me wanted to scream in Mary's face. I wanted to hit her, to claw those pretty eyes from their sockets, to jerk those curls right from her scalp. The emotions simmered, and as I turned a tearful glare at Mary, the rage inside of me melted away. She was right. Joey's smile and smooth dimpled cheeks surfaced in my mind. I'd never see that again. Something deep inside split open and hurt spilled into my every vein.

"I miss him," I agreed. My thoughts spun. "Now, everyone knows about me. My boss knows... he already wanted to fire me, now he's looking even harder for a reason. I can't go anywhere."

I motioned to my dress and went on. "I thought that if this... is what I was, I'd have to give it a shot. I thought that maybe... if I c-could find someone, anyone, that saw me for who I was, maybe they'd think I was beautiful and I could start fresh."

I hung my head and held myself tightly. I stared out the window. 

"I'm so stupid," I muttered with a sob. 

"No you're not," Mary said. 

The softness in her voice was gone. Her defiant tone made me look at her. 

"You wanted to find someone." Mary met my gaze and grinned. "You did."

I studied her cautiously. I thought surely I had heard her wrong. "You?"

"Yes," Mary answered. Then she made a funny expression. "Well, yes and no. I'm not exactly what you were looking for. But I'm the one who can give it to you. I can help you."

I shook my head. "You can't help me."

"You're so sure?" She said smiling. "Shannon, I understand everything you're going thr-"

"How could you?" I blurted. "How could you possibly understand! Just because you listen to my fucked up story, you think you know how it feels? Do you know what these urges are like? Do you know how it feels to be what I am? I don't even know what the fuck I am!"

Mary sighed. Then, she offered me one of her perfect smiles again. 

"You want to be hidden," Mary said. "You want to go out on the town and blend in, to disappear like everyone else in the crowd. You want the thrill of being dressed, and to look so good that no one even notices. But at the same time, you want to be seen. You want to be beautiful in someone's eyes. You want to be so beautiful that they will all look your way. You want to be hidden, but you want them to see you."

I stared at her. Whatever words I was about to say evaporated in my throat. I never thought it could be summed up into words so plainly. The thrill of going out in public, the fear of being exposed, the feeling of people's eyes on me... 

Mary knew. 

I felt her hand on my smooth thigh. I shifted slightly when I felt my cock stir. It was just a nod, but I felt it pressing against the panties I wore. In an instant, I forgot about the voices. The pain seemed like it was draining away. 

"I can help you," Mary said soothingly. "I can give you what you want."

I glanced over at her and shook my head. "H-how?"

I saw Mary's dark eyes glisten when the smile spread on her face. Her hand caressed my thigh. My heart skipped a beat when her finger brushed the hem of my dress. 

"There's a place I own," Mary explained. "It's where I'm taking you. There's everything you'd ever want there. Music, dancing, rooms to stay in, a restaurant, a pool, a sauna... whatever you can think of. And if I don't have it..."

Mary looked at me. Something flashed behind her eyes.

"...I can get it for you," she finished. "It's a little specialty of mine. One that few people know about. I want to give you that chance. I want to help you."

My mind started to race. What was she telling me? Could she make me look beautiful? Could she find me someone to share my secret with? A girl? A guy? How was it even possible? What was this place she owned? I realized that I'd talked at such length about myself, but I still knew very little about Mary herself. She seemed incredibly rich. Her car alone was proof of that, for crying out loud. But who was she?

"I can give you whatever you want, Shannon." 

It was as if Mary could hear me think. I started to lose my breath. Suddenly, I had a chance. The thrill of just the possibility was intoxicating. I imagined what it would be like... another person's hand sliding up my leg, under my skirt, caressing my cock through my panties. Kissing another person as they...

"You can... do anything?" I stammered. 

"Anything and more," Mary said. "I should warn you. It won't exactly be free..."

"I can pay you," I lied. "I promise, I can pay you whatever you want."

Mary grinned. Looking ahead to the road, I saw the lights of a city in the distance. 

****

Clint

****

I'd been to Elysium many times. I'd never been as nervous as I was that night. 

I stood on the second floor looking out on the dance floor. It was fucking huge. That's all there was to it. What had once been a lavish hotel lobby was now a gigantic party pad, where at least a couple hundred people danced to the tune of blaring music. Damn, I had some great memories on that dance floor. My buddies used to come to Elysium in college, and every visit was like some psychedelic dream. I knew how crazy that floor was when things were in full swing.

It was dark down there. Well, if you didn't count the crazy ass lights that flashed repeatedly. Lasers cut across the crowd, strobes blinked, and spotlights whirled. I heard the sound of a siren, and the crowd went nuts. I glanced across the way at the balcony that overlooked the crowd. I spotted the booth where the DJ worked his magic. The booth was on the same floor that I was standing on, and I got a good look at why the people were going crazy. 

I remembered how it worked. The siren usually meant that a performance was about to happen. I spotted the blonde among the dancers that surrounded the DJ. She was some rapper chick, a really famous girl. I'd never heard her music, but the crowd was going berserk. I did recognize her from television. Already she was waving her hands over the crowd, pointing at them, and spitting a series of rhymes into the mic that she pressed to her lips. 

The beat tapped for a few seconds. Then all at once the lights flashed like a lightning bolt had struck inside the club. The bass dropped. It seemed like a bomb had went off. I couldn't deny the rush I got from the scene. Hell I wanted to jump off the rail right into the crowd. I didn't even like rap that much. The bass seemed to rattle all twenty something stories of the building. The blonde rapper chick was rattling of rhymes at a cyclic rate. She had the crowd jumping, screaming, and clapping, all while the DJ worked his magic on the tables.

"Your first time?" 

I glanced over at the girl beside me. She had just appeared. 

"No, I've been several times," I yelled over the music. "It's still awesome, though!" 

The girl nodded and smiled. "You alone?" 

I was surprised at the direct question. Chuckling to myself and rubbing the stubble on my chin, I offered her a smile. 

"No, I'm waiting for some people!" I told her. 

"Oh, bummer!" She yelled back. "There's a bunch of us getting together at the fifteenth floor! We've rented a whole row of rooms up there! We're having a big party for my sister!"

The girl leaned close and pointed upward. My eyes scanned the interior walkways that rimmed each floor. I couldn't even count which one was the fifteenth level. 

"If you wanna come, it's basically that whole wall of rooms on that side!" She said in my ear. "It's gonna be crazy!"




Elysium: The Chance



I nodded. "Sounds awesome! Tell you what, I'll see if my friends want to come!"

"Great!" 

Just like that the girl was swept into a group of her friends. She waved to me as the group bustled around the walkway. 

"Bye, girl whose name I don't know," I said to myself. 

I shook my head and grinned. Elysium had some of the craziest characters. Again I craned my neck and looked high up into the belly of the massive club, scanning the higher floors for signs of a party. I scoffed. Signs of a party, the whole place was a party! Constantly! It still seemed pretty intriguing. The higher floors were always host to crazy things. I knew what the suites on the seventeenth and up costed... and what they were for. 

I pulled my phone from my jacket pocket and checked the time. They'd be here soon. I glanced back to the floor below, squinting toward the corner under the overhang. I saw my booth there among the others. It was roped off, and attended by a huge man in black clothing. It was as good a time as any. 

Rounding the second floor walkway, I made my way to the great set of steps that poured down to the dance floor. Even as I descended I had to wade through miniskirts and flashy collared shirts. The smell of perfume and pot filled my nose as I stepped onto the floor of gyrating bodies. I slipped through the edge of the crowd and came to the booths in the corner. It was as close to secluded as one could come on the main floor.

The bouncer in the black suit watched the people blankly. When I approached, he regarded me with a look of what I though was disgust. With a sigh I dug in my pocket and produced the glossy blue key card. 

"Sorry, I almost forgot," I said offering him the card. 

The huge man made no move to take the card and swipe it in his handheld. He just looked me up and down. 

"There's no need for that, Mr. Cooke."

Even over the dubstep I recognized the voice behind the bouncer. He moved to the side, unhooking the velvet rope as he went. The plush leather booth was large and circular, nestled beneath the overhang of the second floor around a solitary table. A dim light above cast a yellow glow over the scene, making the booth glow like a campfire in the wilderness of the dark laserlit dance floor. 

I saw a familiar face seated in the booth. As elegant as ever, wearing a crimson and violet streaked gown, the raven haired woman grinned up at me. 

"Mary?" I said surprised. "I didn't expect to find you down here. Are you here to party with us tonight?" 

Mary pursed her lips and blew whisps of smoke into the air. 

"Easy kiddo," she replied. "Just thought I'd check on you. You know, make sure you get aquainted. I've got some business topside that needs attention."

She was lounging with an elbow on the table, a black cigarette held high, and her long legs crossed. The slit in her gown split all the way to her upper thigh, where her smooth flesh gleamed. I smiled and took a seat across from her. 

"Busy boss lady," I mused. "The Ballroom, right? You could always take us all with you."

Her dark eyes flashed. "For the right price."

I smiled. "We should be fine down here, Queen Bee. Don't worry, I'll buy another black card soon."

"How's your father?"

There it was. That's what she wanted. 

"Good, I guess," I said with a shrug. "Couldn't really say how he's doing at work." 

A young woman breezed by our table and set down a tumbler, a martini glass, and two other tiny glasses. She disappeared just as quickly. I studied the red fluid in the shot glasses. 

"He seemed rather upset the last time we spoke," Mary said, gazing toward the dance floor. "I wasn't sure if I should be concerned or not." 

I sipped from the tumbler. Scotch. It was hard to keep my eyes from dropping to her chest. Those bouncing black curls spiraled right down to her dark line of cleavage. The subtle signs of age on her skin only made her more attractive. I'd been around plenty of women, but beside Mary I felt weak. There was something about the way she spoke, or the way she carried herself. She was teaming with confidence. Knowing who she was made all the difference, too.

"Edward seems more and more contemptuous every time we speak," Mary went on, turning her alluring gaze back to me.

"Well, I can't imagine you've made his job easy this year," I said. "You've made more work for him, and want him to ignore the most of it."

I regretted the words as they finished leaving my mouth. Her facial expression didn't change, but something in her eyes darkened. For several seconds, she only glared at me. I wasn't smiling anymore. I was thinking of my father. 

The light returned to Mary's face. 

"I have faith in his capabilities," she said flicking her ashes. "It's why I supported him in the election."

"A phone call couldn't hurt."

"He'd have to answer first."

I gave her a nod, then cleared my throat. I needed to change the subject.

"So I'm still expecting company right?" I said with a grin. "Are they here?" 

Mary nodded slowly. "She's coming."

I sat forward. "Wait, she? I thought it was supposed to be a couple!"

"Do you doubt me, playboy?" She asked with a sly grin.

"No, of course not," I sighed. Leaning forward I lowered my voice and added, "It was supposed to be a couple, like... swingers or something. A woman... a-and... a man?"

She lifted an eyebrow. "That eager for the forbidden taste, Clint?"

Mary mimicked my actions, leaning close to the table. My gaze flitted across her breasts when they brushed the tabletop.

"Oh, whatever would your father say?" She hissed sarcastically. 

Mary uncrossed her legs and sat back, snubbing her cigarette in the ashtray. She rose from the booth. Her dark eyes fell to mine. She offered her hand and I took it delicately, standing beside her. The older woman leaned close until I could smell the cherries in her breath. My pulse quickened. Mary placed a soft palm on my stubbled cheek. 

"Don't worry, handsome," she told me. "I haven't forgotten your request."

The kiss caught me by surprise. Our lips touched. The crotch of my pants tightened. My fingers brushed the silky gown at her waist. The single second was electric. Then just as quickly our lips parted and she motioned toward the crowd. My eyes followed her fingers. The dancefloor was dark. Lightning strikes of strobes and lasers still blinked. I squinted. At first I couldn't see what she was talking about. 

Then, the fabric of my world was torn away. Time seemed to crawl. The crowd faded from my mind. Sounds became an echo. 

I saw her, and little else mattered.

****

Shannon

****

It felt incredible. And terrifying. 

The dress hugged my body like a silk glove. My legs weren't rigid or wobbly. Instead, I was gliding in the beautiful breakneck heels. My hair was so full. I could feel the curls bouncing around my shoulders. For once I held my chin high.

All I could see of the crowd were flashing faces in the darkness. I'd never seen a crowd quite like the one at Elysium. There had been a time I dared not waltz right through this many people dressed as I was. The sea of bodies parted in front of me. 

They were already staring. 

Fluttering wings took flight in my chest. It was hard to breathe. I could feel their eyes on my skin, my arms, my long bare legs. I steeled myself and kept going, but I could not ignore their gazes. A shirtless guy turned to see me and never stopped watching. Another man raised his eyebrows and looked me up and down. Two girls that were dancing on one another saw me. Both of their mouths fell open. I smiled. 

I felt beautiful! 

A rush of warmth swept through my body. They were all watching me... me! More than one pair of male eyes lingered hungrily on my lips, the hem of my skirt, my thighs... God it was amazing. Envy seeped from the glares of other women. 

Other women. 

I had to focus. The booth was over in the corner. The warm yellow glow guided me. Past the bobbing heads of the dancers all around, I spotted a familiar face. My heart sailed when I saw Mary. I wanted her to see me so bad! I hadn't seen her since we arrived. I would have to resist the urge to run and fling myself on her, and cover her with kisses, and thank her so...

I took a breath. He was there with her. I could hardly see him, but he was there, just like she promised. The last few bodies split away. I stepped between the few tables at the edge of the dance floor. That old shyness bubbled to the surface. It was hard for me to look up at them. My skin felt hot. 

Sweeping my curls over my shoulder, I met eyes with Mary. A smile broke out on my face. Mary was beaming. No one had ever looked at me like that. The pride practically poured from her dark eyes. She put her hands on my arms, taking in her creation.

"You look absolutely stunning," Mary told me with a big grin. 

I knew I was blushing. She pulled me close and hugged me. I felt the twist of her head. Her lips were on my ears when she whispered to me.

"Tonight is your night, sweetheart."

Mary broke our embrace and turned. 

"Shannon this is-"

"Clint."

The man cut her off and extended his hand. The rush of cold breath hung in my chest. My gaze traveled up the sleeve of his blazer to his face. I blinked several times. Absently, I lifted my hand. 

He gently took my hand by the fingers.

"Wow," Clint said with a smile. "I knew Mary had beautiful friends, but there's just no words to do you justice."

My knees grew wobbly at last. I lowered my head, grinning bashfully. The feeling was overwhelming. His icy grey eyes stole my breath. 

"I see you two will be just fine," I heard Mary say. 

I glanced over just in time to see her give me a wink. Mary strutted away into the darkness of the dancefloor, with a gigantic body guard on her heels. Something inside of me wanted to call out to her, as if being set free was more terrifying than being contained. 

"Shannon, right?" 

I turned back to Clint. My tongue felt like a ball of cotton. I only nodded. 

Clint motioned to the plush seat of the booth. "Would you like to stay awhile? I'd hate for you to slip away from me."

Grinning, I took a seat at the table. I watched Clint through my brows. God, he was gorgeous. He made a casual suit look so natural. I felt the silky fabric of my panties restricting the swell of flesh below. I tightened my legs beneath the table as much as I could. 

Something twisted my gut. Maybe it was his perfect blonde hair. Maybe it was the confident smirk on his face. A silent warning swept my entire body in the shape of a tremble. It all seemed too familiar. 

"Um, Shannon you look amazing," Clint told me. 

I licked my glossy lips. "Thank you."

"Is this your first time at Elysium?"

"Yeah, this place is crazy," I said, craning my neck to look at the lights above. "And huge. I can't believe they still take reservations."

"They... make... a... killing." Clint sipped from his drink. "Mary is a pretty savvy business woman. Don't let her sweet talk fool you."

"She's great," I added. "She helped me through some rough times recently. I... don't know how I'm ever going to thank her. She's a good person."

There was a glimmer in Clint's eyes when I said the words. He smiled. 

"Mary's cool, but I'd rather to talk about you. You've got to be married, right? Surely someone like you can't be alone."

"No, no, I'm... I'm single." I thought about Joey, and I lied. "There was a guy that I was seeing, but he's kind of an asshole."

"He's an idiot. So... you mean you're alone tonight?" 

I grinned but studied Clint. Something about his expression was off. The compliments were more than I'd ever received, but they seemed too thick... too stressed. Why was he asking me these questions? I could see something in his eyes. Concern? Worry? Did he know? Jesus, I couldn't even tell who I was! How could he still know?

"I'm by myself," I told him.

"Not anymore. You like dancing?" 

"I... I'm not very good at it." 

Clint chuckled. "I'm not either. I'll make you a deal. I'll buy us enough drinks that we don't care how bad we dance."

I smiled and pointed to the martini glass. "Is this for me?" 

"Yeah, but that's not gonna be enough for us," Clint replied. He turned and put a hand in the air.

My mind raced. There was something nagging me. I couldn't focus, couldn't keep the worry down. Clint was so perfect... it was too good. Was he trying weasel out of this? Get me drunk and leave? 

I blinked the thoughts away. I was being unreasonable. My own nerves were eating me alive. I had to chill out. For crying out loud, I looked incredible! Clint looked incredible! Why couldn't I just enjoy this? 

With a shaking hand I took the martini and sipped. I wanted to gulp it down, but that would have seemed odd or desperate. So many feelings tumbled over one another. A tiny surge of confidence pumped in my veins. I'd seen my reflection and it fooled even me. My whole body, however, was chilled to the bone from fear. It was like at any moment I would fall to pieces. 

As a pretty waitress set more beverages on our table, I watched Clint. I couldn't have picked a better guy from a magazine. He was so sleek and sexy. I was really having trouble sitting still. Where uncertainty froze me to the core, one glance at Clint melted it all away. It was all overbearing. I couldn't do a thing about the blood flow. A dreamy gaze at the stubble on his jaw or those glistening eyes made my panties bulge. That in itself was driving me fucking crazy. That silky fabric... the thong between my ass...

"I'll be honest," Clint told me, "Mary hinted that you might have brought someone with you."

I blinked at Clint. "No, I... like I said, I'm alone."

I saw the twitch of his expression again. 

Why was he pressing this? 

"Just, uh, something she said in passing," he said. 

My martini was gone. With a deep breath I swapped glasses. Something was definitely wrong. 

"I've got the perfect idea for us." Clint grinned and sat forward. "I ran into a girl earlier. She was talking about this big party they are thowing on the upper floors. Sounds like her sister or friend had a birthday and they've rented a bunch of rooms up there."

No... he was already trying to get rid of me. He had met a girl already. He was thinking of her. I felt like screaming. God damn it, Mary had made me look gorgeous! It still didn't help! 

"I was thinking, if you wanted to we could head upstairs," Clint went on. "You know, see what's going on up there. If you don't mind getting a little rowdy and letting your hair down, that is."

The knot hardened in my throat. My jaw was already tightening near my ears, and I knew I wouldn't be able to hold back the despair. Part of me hoped that Clint was sincere, that we'd go upstairs and have a great time. That was too good to be true. I knew it. He'd get lost in the crowd and leave me. He'd find that girl and fuck her in a bathroom somewhere. Clint could see through the makeup and the pretty hair. He could hide it and be nice as much as he liked, but I knew what he was thinking, what everyone thought. I was disgusting. They were right about me. 

"Shannon?" 

I blinked, realizing I must have been staring. Clint ducked his head into my gaze. His handsome face reflected my fears. He was confused... worried...

"Shannon, what do you think?" Clint asked. 

The moisture stung my eyes. I shook my head and replied, "No, I'm... I'm sorry, I have to go."

I couldn't look at him. In an instant I was up and weaving through the crowd. Clint was calling my name. I was grateful when the music exploded into a loud chorus of singing, samples, and fast paced bass. Swirling lights swarmed the crowd of faces. Fog rolled up from the floor. Good. I wanted to be hidden again. With no idea where I was going, I simply headed for the huge staircase that climbed to the second floor. 

I nearly tripped on the steps, but I kept my heels underneath me. One man looked at me as if I were a drunk. It had started all over again. Soon they'd all be staring and laughing. All Mary could offer was a pipe dream. I could never realize my fantasy. Where the fuck was I going? Maybe I'd find an elevator and look for the party upstairs that was so special to Clint. Just get drunk and not have to...

A hand took my arm and I spun. Clint was there. 

"Hey! Are you alright?" He called over the music. "What happened?"

I half turned away from him but he didn't let me go. 

"You tell me!" I snapped. 

"What did I say?" 

I shook my head. "I'm obviously not who you wanted to see tonight!"

"Are you kidding?" Clint was grinning. "You look amazing! You're exactly the one I wanted to see tonight!"

I wouldn't let him see me cry. I stood firm. Crossing my arms, I glared toward the dark misty crowd below. 

"Shannon, I've just started getting to know you," Clint said. "If you don't have drinks with me tonight, I'll be drinking by myself over at the bar and the bartender will be asking all these depressing questions. Then I'll have to give him the 'hottie walked out on me' story and all that. Which will lead to me driving home listening to all those sad love songs that I'll finally understand..."

I looked at him. Clint was bantering playfully. That sparkle was in his eye, and it pierced me deep. He flashed me a grin, one so perfect that it hurt me to see. 

My curls bounced when I shook my head. "You don't want someone like me." 

"How can you say that?" Clint motioned to the people. "Every-fucking-body wants you. I thought I was going to dive into the dancefloor fight three guys before you ever sat down with me! Everyone down there wants you or wants to be you. And I am the lucky idiot that wound up on a date with you." 

Date. The word lifted my heart like wings on the wind. Clint didn't know. I felt dumb and ashamed. I'd certainly done a wonderful job of making a scene. 

"We don't have to go to that party. Will you come back and sit with me?" Clint asked. "We can just chit chat. Anything you wanna talk about."

"I can't tell you," I said in defeat. "I can't."

"Why?" 

I was so tired of being scared and feeling hurt. Turning a cold gaze on Clint, I stepped up close to him. When I breathed him in, his sweet scent alone had my heart racing. I licked my lips. Anything could happen, and I steeled myself. 

Grabbing Clint's hand, I forced it under my skirt to my panties... or, the throbbing swell in my panties. 

I felt his body tense in surprise. 

With what willpower I had left, I forced my watery eyes to stare into his. I watched his lip fall open. Slowly, I pulled my hand from his, waiting for him to jerk away from me. I prayed that he didn't. Keen awareness fell over me. The club was so damn loud. People walked about behind Clint, the ones who would witness him punching me or storming off in disgust. We were right there, for all to see.

That instant dragged on. My heart was about to explode in my chest. Clint blinked. His eyes found mine. It was as if I were clutching him for dear life with my heels over the edge of a cliff, waiting for him to shove me away into oblivion. It was my one beautiful chance. Even in that moment, I couldn't breath right, not with Clint palming the bulge in my panties. I searched his face... his cute stubbled face... pleading silently. 

Clint's eyes fell. He smiled. He chuckled a bit. I froze as my heart began to shatter.

He glanced up again and pressed his lips into mine. 

I was stunned. Clint held his lips against mine, allowing the two of us to soak it in. Warmth flooded my skin all over. I could have fainted. He was kissing me! God he was kissing me! Clint slid his free hand around my neck and cradled my head. 

We were moving backwards. My shoulders touched the wall. Clint tilted my head and our lips opened together. I gasped before his tongue found mine. His hand still gripped my panties, and he started to grope at the flesh in his palm. Instinctively, my hips thrust against him. My hands found his shoulder blades.