A few moments after Hannah and Leira were back on board, the ship lifted off of the water. They were greeted by Conna and Astra who guarded the prisoners in the loading area. The man Leira had shot laid on the deck where Hope was tending to his wounds. The mermaid couldn't even look at him. Instead, her eyes settled on the other survivors. While she had intended to ask questions, she was far too angry to get more than a few sputtered noises out.
“Care to explain what the fuck happened?” Hannah asked, making a guess of the question Leira wanted to ask.
Liddy came down the stairs and sat on the steps, “I would also like to know what happened.”
“Well,” one of the men spoke up. “So, nobody was told Leira was being sold off. So there was a big fight over it. Lots of people got killed. At least, they died eventually. That man denied any involvement just so he wouldn't have to spend money on doctors. Once we found out, though, people got really angry. I didn't lose family, but we were all really close. Should have been settled quickly with all of us against him, but he shot some folk who tried to turn him in.”
“With so much suffering, there was nobody to go fishing to bring in money. People were getting desperate and trying to leave. They didn't get far with the wounded, and they didn't want to leave them behind. Things seemed to settle down after that. Those who were left tried to carry on. The first catch of fish went upstream into town to sell, but they never came back. He thought they had fled with the food. Ordered everything to be locked in the hall so nobody else could steal any.”
“People didn't want to go without, so they started turning on each other to get on his good side. There was a big fight and lots more died. Only this time they didn't stay dead. They would get up, no matter how hard you hit them or what you stuck them with. We sent runners to nearby villages as well as the town upstream for aid. Never knew if they made it or what, but a while later we heard a lot of screaming as people were being torn apart by those things. Some more time passed and we heard another fight. This one people actually made it to the hall with supplies and weapons. Their first group weren't prepared. Even so, only three men and their Emberborn made it in.”
“They stuck it out with us until we heard all the gunfire when you all got here. They wanted to signal or make a run for it. He wouldn't let them, so he shot them. That's when they stood up and that thing formed out of one of them. Then you got there.”
His story, poorly delivered due to his own personal trauma, left everyone silent. Months of pain, suffering, and death created the monster and its walking corpses. All because someone thought a living person was something that could be sold.
****
“Listen, you shit-guzzling pig!” Ving yelled loudly into the radio. “I don’t give a damn what you have been told to tell me! Find the person who told you to tell me, and tell them to talk to me for you! You follow me?”
The radio was silent for a moment as Mari walked in. “So that sounded diplomatic and entirely straightforward.”
“Don't tell me to calm down,” Ving grumbled.
“Seriously? When have I ever been the voice of reason? You’re banging the girl who usually tells me to settle down or whatever. Try threatening to rip off his dick and shove it up his ass. That’s a classic.”
“Done and done, and already moved on to new material. I wonder if…”
“Hail, inbound merchant vessel,” a new voice on the radio spoke.
“Receiving your hail. A pleasure to be receiving you,” Ving answered in a kind and polite tone she reserved for clients.
“I understand there is some kind of misunderstanding with my controller?”
“Oh, yes, he was most dreadfully rude. Entirely failed to clear my ship for landing.”
“Ah well, you see the city is closed to any traffic in or out for the time being. Security is quite important to us.”
“Well, I would be happy to accommodate any measures that would allow us to land. Surely your underling has made the name of our vessel and the nature of our services clear to you. I would greatly enjoy any… appropriate compensation you felt befitting a man of your stature.”
Mari cocked an eyebrow at Ving who shrugged in response as they waited.
“The nature of your services… would they involve an extended stay here at the capitol?”
“Most likely, a week at the very least.”
“Then please make a low altitude approach.”
“For you, sir, I will practically be on my knees.”
A startled cough came over the radio before, “Understood, Landing Control out.”
“So, do you feel better or worse?” Mari asked Ving as she returned to the controls.
“Ask me afterwards. I’d feel better if I wasn't imagining the last controller being who I get on my knees for.”
****
The sight of arriving at the capitol was probably made more impressive by the low altitude approach they had taken. The tall buildings, only describable by the word ‘skyscraper’, shattered the perception of what was possible. Lights shone over all of them from the tops to the busy streets below. Some buildings were even massive enough to admit their ship right inside, had they the money for that kind of privilege. Instead, they were directed to dock low near some warehouses. Liddy wasn't happy about the location, but it was better than not being able to dock at all. She turned to everyone who had been on deck to observe their entry.
“Alright, everyone. Take some time for yourselves, go shopping or whatever. I’m going to try and get us a better location for working. A few things to make everyone aware of. Firstly, this is a big city, so stay safe. Nobody goes anywhere alone and watch for pickpockets. Next, whatever this lockdown was about is still going on, so don't mention how we just arrived. Lastly, brothels aren't illegal here so we actually have competition. Keep an eye out and see what we might need to do for attention. Go have fun, spend all that money you have been making, and be ready to work tomorrow.”
With her speech over, the girls excitedly conversed as they went about getting into the city. The only one quiet was Leira, sitting on the bench on deck looking at her feet. Liddy sat down next to her.
“Alright?” she asked softly.
“I don't know,” she replied. “I feel like I don't know how I should feel. Whatever I thought was the real story isn't really what happened. But parts of it were. I just feel like knowing the real story should have settled things, not messed them up.”
“Give it time. Spend some of that thinking about it, and spend the rest thinking about other things. Deal with it in small bites. Don't try to get it all sorted at once.”
“I guess. Is it alright if I stay on the ship?”
“Of course. Take as much time as you need.”
Leira stood up and went to into the ship while Liddy waited with Ving for whomever she talked to on the radio.
*****
Hannah walked down the ramp to the docks, her bum stinging from the slap Ving delivered after their parting kiss. She was sure her tight leather skirt made it hurt more. Mari held her by the arm.
“So, she's changed more than a little bit,” Mari happily whispered.
“Yeah, I think she's finally got her head in a better place.”
“Between your legs?” Mari giggled.
“Yes… but also metaphorically. Whatever was bothering her seems less important than what's making her happy. It’s fun to have her enthusiastic about life and not just doing whatever because she was told.”
“Sad she has to stay at the docks and can't come with us?”
“Nah, she should enjoy herself settling the bribe she promised, and now we get to have some fun like the old days.”
“It feels like forever. What should we do?”
“Let’s check out one of the local brothels. See what makes them special.”
“And hijack clients?”
“I said like old times. We are going to cause trouble.” Hannah gave Mari a wicked smile as they trotted into the busy streets.
****
“Are you sure you wouldn't rather go with her?” Emma asked Easy as they watched Hannah and Mari disappear into the crowd.
“They need some friend-time,” Easy explained. “Besides, if you two are learning magic stuff, I am totally going to come with. I’d be happy to get a book on flight or something.”
“Well, none of us has time for lessons, so books are what we are going with as well,” Vile commented as she flashed a bit of fire in between her fingers. “That's how I learned in the first place. I’m glad you are both here, though. I’ve never been in crowds like this before.”
“None of us have, but I suppose being on the farm you wouldn't have much experience with a city.” Emma wasn't sure she was much better suited since even her experiences were in much smaller cities.
“Where were you before that?” Easy asked.
“A village in the forest, kind of a refuge. Is it just me or are people staring at us?”
Easy had noticed, “A fairy and demon are walking down the street without collars. Sexy as fuck and not acting like slaves. Yeah, people are looking.”
“What about me?” Emma asked in a huff and fake pout.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn't see you there, short-stuff,” Easy retorted earning a stuck out tongue from the elf.
“Don't play that game with me, girl! Mine is longer and you know it.” Easy stuck out her own tongue, not as much as she could, but enough to win the little game.
****
Both Ving and Liddy were left disappointed. Liddy didn't get a better docking assignment that would have helped business, and Ving had only started to unfasten the man's trousers before he covered her hands with his load.
“We need to start bribing more important people…” Liddy stated flatly.
“I need to wash my hands, this is too sad to lick clean, even if he had been eating sweet fruit all week.”
“My bed after?”
Ving thought about it for a moment and decided Liddy would be the finest way to forget a disappointing man.
****
Hannah and Mari didn't need to travel for long before finding their way into the entertainment district, sensibly located near the docks. They prowled around looking for a popular establishment that doubled as a brothel.
“Mari, I think if we had just moved here years ago we would have been running one of these places by now.”
“Nah, you would hate the tediousness of it all and I… well… I probably would be fine with working on my own.”
“Maybe. But we would have avoided a whole lot of trouble.”
“You are right. Life would have been really boring,” Mari quipped with a silly smile.
“Yeah, no girls in our beds, no shooting things, no money to roll around in.”
“Speaking of money, I think we left ours on the ship.”
“I wonder how much these girls make,” Hannah asked as they stopped in front of a place called ‘The Guilty Pleasure’.
“Quite a lot,” a voice informed. “A woman like yourself would earn even more.”
The girls turned to face a man in a fine suit, eying them fully. Hannah adopted a naive look on her face as she shied away.
“Oh, I’m not sure I could really work in a place like this. I mean, it sounds fun but…” Hannah let her words hang, to let the man finish them how he wanted.
“Girls like you two would make a lot of money having this kind of fun,” he said, trying to appeal to her greed.
“It can't be that much, can it?” she countered. “I mean if you and I went somewhere private and… did things… you would just pay me money?”
He smiled, the idea of luring a woman too coy to say the word ‘sex’ into working for him after he had his fun was a rare treat. “How about we go up to my office and I show you how much I can ‘give’ you?”
Hannah looked shocked for a moment before turning to Mari, who shook her head no. She paused before turning back to the man and nodding yes. Mari feigned trying to stop her as he lead her away before watching them enter the brothel. After a moment she smiled, and skipped as she entered to find herself some fun.
****
Ving slowly relaxed after her back-arching climax subsided, Liddy gave a final nip on her breasts and withdrew her fingers from between her legs. She remained partially on top of Ving, letting her blonde curls collect sweat from the heaving chest.
“Satisfied now?” Liddy asked with a grin as she ran her hand across Ving’s belly.
“Finally. I’m not sure if I prefer men or women anymore, but competence is always a winner.”
“Well, that's for certain. At least they told us why the city was closed.”
“Seems a bit extreme for a manhunt, but I suppose if you piss off the wrong people, it’s going to happen.”
“I just hope the heightened security doesn't cause issues for any of the girls off the ship.”
****
“I said!” the guard yelled. “Your kind isn't welcome on this street!”
Easy regarded the brawny man, who seemed to be doing his best to ignore the towering figure of Vile. “Customers? It’s a market.”
“I think he means women,” Emma suggested.
“No, there are women in those shops over there and all over the place really.” Vile made an effort to observe her surroundings.
“Look, sir, we aren't even shopping here today. We are heading to the college library.”
Confused and angry, he shouted again, “Don't play dumb with me!”
“How dumb are people who usually go to the college to buy books?” Easy asked, trying to sound even more confused.
“I would presume that if we were ‘playing dumb’ we would be significantly more convincing,” Vile assessed.
“I concur. If we were ‘playing dumb’, we would just shout nonspecific requests under the assumption that our vernacular monotony would infer our desired interpretation.” Emma adopted the tone and pose of a disinterested aristocrat as she delivered her observation.
The guard stood staring dumbly like he had been hit in the face with a fencepost. His partner, however, seemed to have caught onto their act and cocked a smile.
****
Hannah almost rolled her eyes at the overtly-erotic art the man had hanging in his office. Paintings of women in vulgar acts that utterly failed to arouse her. Not that the acts were too vulgar for her, she noticed most were things she had enjoyed doing, and the others were things she might want to try -- but none of their faces seemed to enjoy it. Every woman seemed as though the model who had posed for them lacked enthusiasm for the task.
“Ah yes, I suppose they can be a bit intimidating,” he said, totally misinterpreting her reaction.
“Women really do those things here?”
“Indeed, every woman pictured works for, and posed with me for the paintings.”
“And they get paid a lot to do these things? I mean, I like the idea of making money, but I’ve never had a man hand me money before sex. Or after, or whenever… How do you do that?”
“Before typically, some regular clients prefer during, and some respected regulars pay after.”
“I know I don't work for you, but you brought me up here to try me for yourself. Does this mean you are going to pay me?” Hannah tried to feign the false confidence a girl trying not to get in over her head would attempt.
“Certainly,” he said as he handed Hannah a drink, before going behind his desk to move a painting.
As he dialled in the combination on his safe, she dumped the drink into a tacky chalice that was sitting on a table. Not that she suspected he would drug her, but it was always better to play it safe. He opened the safe and stood aside, taking out an empty money bag to show off the stacks of bills it had been covering. Tossing the bag on the desk, he smiled a wicked grin as Hannah got closer and looked in awe at the money. He put his arm around her waist and held her close, looking down at her cleavage, looking forward to when he would release it.
“It’s simple. Do what a man tells you, you get the money. If you want some of that, I want your breasts exposed.”
Hannah looked up at him in shock for a moment before looking down at her breasts. Pausing a moment, before putting her hands around the edge of her blouse and pausing again. She looked up one last time and lifted her shirt up and over her head.
“Bra off,” he commanded, holding a wad of bills in his hands.
This time she kept focus on the money in his hands as she undressed further. She knew the game. Entice and overpay to get her in, then sucker-punch when she's committed. Well, she knew the first half of his plan would go to plan. He handed over the bills and began to handle her breasts while she counted the cash. It was about as much as a few minutes of entertainment in the lounge would cost, but most other women would see it as a full day's work. He pushed her to slightly rest her bum on his desk as he went low to lick her nipples and suck on them. She held his head close with one hand and moaned softly while bracing herself with the other. His hand worked up between her legs that she tried to keep closed without too much effort.
“Spread them,” he commanded again, this time showing more bills.
As she wondered when he would get to taking them from the safe, she took the bills and let him push her legs apart. He began to massage gently between her legs while continuing to move his mouth over her breasts. Hannah gasped sharply and shuddered when he started putting pressure on the right spot. Thankfully the man at least knew what he was doing with a woman, and the whole game was actually pleasing to play.
“Could you bite them?” Hannah asked, thinking of something devious. “My, nipples, I mean. I like them pinched and…”
She stopped talking the moment he bit down on them. Moaning harder now, not even falsely, Hannah smiled, feeling a finger worm it's way under her panties and inside her. A funny sounding giggle escaped her lips as she tried to moan at the same time while admiring her own plan.
“Now it’s your turn to put your mouth to work,” he said, pulling her bum off the desk and pushing her to her knees.
He pulled off his trousers to reveal his manhood. It had an odd curved shape to it, but Hannah smiled since she’d always enjoyed them this way. The curve tended to hit the right spot when she got taken from behind with it. A quick smile flashed across her face as she knew the next step in her game would be that much more pleasing. Greedily, she grabbed another wad of bills from his hand as she took him in her mouth, eager to get him ready for the next step. Although harder to fit comfortably down her throat it worked out since she was trying to play a girl without that level of experience. He withdrew it to slap her in the face with it, asserting his dominance, before having her open up wider to accommodate his testes. Making her gently appreciate them with her mouth and tongue, while Hannah used her hand on the curved shaft.
Ready to move on, he pulled Hannah up back to sit on the desk. Passing over another wad, she held it with the rest in her hand and looked about for a better place to put it. He picked up the empty money bag from the desk and held it open, Hannah saw him fasten the clips to close it after she put the bills in and knew her plan would work.
“Wait,” she said, taking the bag back. “I got an idea.”
She took the bag and tested the clasps on each handle before letting the springs close them. Then she placed one on her left nipple, letting out a pained gasp before a soft moan. Doing the other, the money bag now hung open between her breasts. Backing him up, she turned around to bend over the desk and let the bag tug on her nipples as it swayed below her.
“Oh yes, now please, make me earn it, sir,” she moaned.
Lifting her skirt out of the way, he pushed inside Hannah and she let out a yelp as the curved cock hit her right where she liked it with each thrust. Then Hannah moaned a pout.
“Oh, it's not heavy enough,” she complained.
Then, after reaching behind himself, he leant over her to whisper in her ear. “I will make it heavier.”
The stack of bills added a pleasing weight to the bag hanging from her breasts, but nowhere near her limits. As he kept thrusting, Hannah would beg for more. He would respond with comments like ‘you’re a paid slut now’ and ‘it’s good you don't want your dignity, I'm going to be selling it’. If Hannah was going to be honest with herself, it was actually arousing to hear those words. She always felt her best when others thought she was at her lowest. Made proving them wrong all the better. With each comment, though, came another stack of bills. His thrusting became more forceful as he thought to break her before his safe was empty. Yet each time he took a moment to catch his breath, she would wiggle her bum and ask for more weight in the purse. Hannah loved that each thrust made the clamps tug harder and harder on her until they suddenly slipped off as another stack landed inside. She screamed and suddenly climaxed hard as the bag hit the floor. Unable to wait for her to finish, he pulled out and put her back on her knees so he could push his seed onto her face. Still moaning and gasping for air, she felt it covering her and falling into her open mouth as she moved her hands behind her to pick up the bag. He was groaning hard until he was finished.
Then he stumbled back a few steps to fall into his chair that had been pushed aside. As he worked to catch his own breath, Hannah grabbed a kerchief to clean off her face before adjusting her underwear and fixing her skirt. She looked in the safe to see it had been almost emptied, contemplating taking the rest of it while he was distracted. Resisting the temptation, she picked up her bra and shirt instead before simply leaving the office in a brisk but stealthy step. As she replaced her bra back on her chest, she thought she might have heard him ask after her but she was already in the hallway.
****
The tall marble pillars struck a sense of awe into Hope as she and Astra escorted the prisoners into the cathedral. The whole hall was filled with them leading to the altar, where priests readied themselves for mass. She had no idea the church had been doing so well as to be able to construct such a place inside the capital city. Marvelling at the beautiful stained-glass windows and the mosaics on the floor, Hope waved over some men-at-arms to take the prisoners off her hands. That was when the priests noticed her and beckoned her to the altar.
“I suppose there is good reason for this. Mass will be starting soon,” the shortest of the priests spoke.
“Indeed, that would be this.” Hope handed over the warded container she had been holding.
“You recovered a relic?” another asked in an incredulous tone.
“No, sadly not. I just needed the container to keep the crime of these men in check.”
“And that would be?” the short priest asked as he snatched the container.
“A necroform,” Hope stated with an almost cheerful casualness.
The word caused the priests to startle and jump, almost dropping the container. Hope had made sure it was secure enough to handle a drop, but hid her smile at their reaction with a gasp of panic.
“Please!” she shouted. “If you cannot be trusted to guard this properly, I will have the cardinal remove you all.”
Whatever pretension the men may have had was gone, and now Hope could begin to explain exactly what happened.
****
“Down that hall to the end,” the clerk behind the desk directed, without looking up at Easy.
She shrugged and walked down the hall, followed by Vile, whose heavy hooves finally got the man to look up. Emma smiled as she looked at the shocked expression on his face.
“Is there a problem?” Emma asked.
“She’s not here to usher in the end times is she?” he asked, slowly breaking eye contact with Vile to look at Emma.
“Nope, just another Emberborn, like me.”
“Oh, well I suppose that's a good thing,” he paused to look back at Vile again. “Though if she is a demon here to bring the apocalypse, then could you give me a bit of notice? There are some staff members I would love to throttle before the end.”
Emma giggled. “Sure thing. Always happy to satisfy the desires of a man.”
After the moment needed for his brain to process her words, his vision snapped back to Emma, who flashed a smile before skipping down the hall to catch up with Vile and Easy.
****
Whatever the man was thinking when Inky handed him the list of munitions she wanted to buy, his assumptions were gone once he saw the list.
“That's… a lot…” he mumbled as his eyes scanned down the list.
“We do a surprising amount of fighting. I like to be prepared,” she replied.
“Well, I see that. When do you need this by?” he asked as he looked up from the list.
Inky let him take a moment to admire her chest, leaning forward a bit to help, before answering. “As soon as possible.”
“Well, with the lockdown, I have my boys shipping orders all over the city to paranoid aristocrats. They won't be free for a few days at least.”
“Far too long, I would very much appreciate a higher priority. My girls can help. They enjoy taking heavy loads.”
“Hey, boss,” a brawny man came in from the back room called.
“Yes?”
The man eyed all the women quickly before answering, “You asked me to point out to you when a woman was getting suggestive.”
“Yes, so?”
“Well, she's doing that right now.”
The man seemed genuinely surprised, looking at Inky in the face this time before looking back to his worker, who just nodded enthusiastically to convince him. He looked back at the list, a natural reflex of his when he needed time to think but look like he was doing something. The big man rolled his eyes at his boss' ineptitude while waving over two of his friends who had been shifting crates in the back.
“Really?” the boss finally asked, still unsure.
“Yes,” Inky answered, giving up on the subtle approach. “The way you have been eying my breasts would suggest you want to do more than that.”
Inky unclasped her bra to reveal the tanned breasts it had been hiding. The man reached forward to touch them with his hands as if he wasn't quite sure any of it was really happening. She then turned to the three men excitedly looking around the room. Inky waved them into the back room and signalled Conna to lock the door before she joined Foxy, Tara, and Laurel in the back room.
Conna flipped the sign as she locked the door and dashed off past Inky, who was now almost regretting being the one to take care of the boss. In the back, she could already see one of the men feeling up Foxy as she leant back against his chest. Tara was on her knees, unfastening the heavy trousers while Laurel was enjoying a much more competent fondling of her breasts. Trying to decide where to involve herself, Conna started to strip out of her uniform and simply enjoy the sights until she was tagged in.
Foxy was thrilled that her fur hadn't turned any of the men away, though she already knew men were much more tolerant of anything if it got them laid. The man behind her nuzzled her neck as he gripped her breasts. She fumbled with his trousers with her own hands behind her and was soon rewarded with his hardness between her legs, pressing against her underwear. Her tail swept between his legs and wrapped around one of them as best as she could.
Tara loved the feeling of her breathing controlled by the presence of a man in her throat. Holding her breath as long as she could, until finally pulling away to gasp for breath. She didn't need his hands on her head or holding her hair but it added to the thrill. With her owns hands free, she had stripped herself, knowing he wouldn't be able to last for long before wanting to penetrate another part of her. Until then though, she enjoyed being naked on her knees, unable to breathe.
Laurel didn't waste any time while being held up against the wall, her breasts in the face of the man, she moaned for more. He yanked her underwear off, the clasps separating so they wouldn't tear, then lowered her and pinned her to the wall as he slid inside her. She could see Foxy next to her, facing the wall with her hands trying to grip it as she was accommodating the forceful penetrations of a man. Reaching out to touch the furry hand, Laurel got a smile from the fox as she held her by the hand tightly.
Meanwhile, Inky, who had finally seemed to have made it clear to the man she was willing to have sex, laid on the floor as he fumbled to thrust his way inside her. Leaning down to kiss, he felt her legs wrap around him as she was determined to enjoy the experience despite his lack of skill. Then, rolling him over, she pinned him to the floor and made it clear he was to stay there. He laid there watching the dark-skinned beauty work her body back and forth on top of him, as she moaned in pleasure at finally having him where she wanted. She slapped his hands down when he tried to grip her hips or breasts and simply made him watch as she bounced her hips up and down on him.
Tara was happy to see Conna sit on the face of the man she had just begun to straddle. With him inside her, she reached out to touch her friend, who leant back to let her breasts be massaged. Their man laid on the floor, watching the woman moving her hips over his face being touched by the woman grinding her hips to get him deeper inside her. It was like a dream come true for him, and as he saw Conna turn to kiss the woman whose lips had been wrapped around his shaft, he couldn't last any longer and groaned. However, the girls were not finished, and Tara kept her hips moving even as she felt his seed flowing inside her body.
As the man had finished filling Laurel as he climaxed, he pulled out and saw Foxy move herself over to lick her clean while still being rammed from behind. The sight was too much for him to handle, and the Fox felt her partner finish as well, yanking on her tail as he did so. She howled as suddenly her own climax was brought about and collapsed to the floor, unable to finish cleaning Laurel.
Inky, more from listening to her girls being satisfied than from the man inside her, felt a small shudder of pleasure in her own body. Of course, she couldn't just leave the man unsatisfied, so she picked up the pace to quickly finish him off. He was almost surprised when it happened, as if he hadn't known what to expect. That's when Inky realised the man, who was old enough to have started balding, had been a virgin without any experience at all.
****
Emma was annoyed that most of the books she wanted to look at were all on shelves too high for her. Vile was in an entirely different aisle, and Easy had flirted up a clerk to do the looking for her. Mid-climb on the shelves she thought about finding someone to flirt with herself when she felt a hand moving between her legs. She was startled but kept a grip on the shelf she was hanging on while she looked behind her. Nobody was there as she felt the hand massaging her womanhood.
Emma let go of the shelf and dropped down to the floor, and the hand seemed to have stopped. She looked around for any sign of who or what may have been touching her. Again, she felt a hand touching her, this time her breasts felt like they were being gripped. She could see her breasts moving as an invisible hand squeezed them. Far from being aroused, Emma was furious. She reached down to try and pull the hand off her. As she touched it, she could barely feel it but its semi-tangible nature was enough. A simple thing to make someone cough, though doing it through a spectral hand was new. A sudden cough from above was all she needed to know it worked. The hand disappeared from her chest as she looked up to see a man ducking away from the edge of the stone bookcase.
She didn't wait for her tall friend or the one with wings, Emma climbed the stonework shelves to get atop, where she found a man lying prone and trying to put himself back down his pants. While she didn't have much weight on herself, neither did he. Emma grabbed him by the tunic and pulled hard to bring him over the edge. While Emma landed on her feet and recovered quickly, the man she dragged down with her landed with a heavy thump on the stone tile floor. As he groaned, he looked around in time to see a tiny foot drive into his face. He let out a pitiful yelp and curled up into a fetal position as he begun to weep and whimper.
Emma reached down to grab him by the neck and make him look at her. Through the blood coming from his nose, he started to stammer.
“No, I didn't do…” He was cut off as Emma made him uncurl and lay flat.
As she kept her hand on his throat to keep him quiet, she struck her fist down into his groin. He tried to wail in pain, but Emma wouldn't let him. She leant in close to hiss a venomous whisper.
“Don't you dare try and deny anything. I know what you did and I am not going to let you go. You worthless, piece of shit. Do you even know what you did wrong?”
“Please,” he gasped as Emma finally let him make noise. “Take it, just don't hurt me anymore…”
He reached under his shirt to pull out a necklace with a ring on it. The brass metal had the image of a hand in it made from pearl. She yanked it off his neck.
“I don't care about this,” she continued to whisper. “You think that if you just give me something that I will go away? That somehow what you did was so trivial that I could just forget it if you gave me some magical trinket?”
“I’m sorry! I should have found someone el…” His excuse cut off by another strike to his genitals.
“No.” Emma hissed, exasperated. “You shouldn't have done it at all, to anyone, ever! I don't care what sad, pathetic reasons you think justify this. You haven't the right to lay hands, real or spectral, on anyone unless they knowingly give it to you.”
Vile suddenly stopped as she noticed the altercation while walking between the aisles. She stomped up to where Emma was and exchanged glances with Emma.
“Okay, fine, I’m sorry. I won't ever…”
“Damn right you won't ever,” Emma hissed with finality.
She made him clasp his hands together and hold them to the side on the floor. Emma nodded to Vile, who lifted her mighty hoof and brought it down hard on the hands, shattering the bones within.
“Now you won't ever be touching someone like that again. Anything else to say?”
“No, please stop! Take my spotter stone but please stop hurting me,” he croaked as he tilted his head to show off an earring that looked like an eye.
Emma yanked it out of his ear and instantly knew she had the eyes of Vile on her. Then two more sets behind her were watching, and she turned to see Easy with her new friend, both frozen in surprise. His hand remained on Easy’s breast until she rushed over to speak with Emma.
“What happened?” Easy asked.
“Filth with a magic hand thought I was an easy mark. Probably still doesn't know what he did wrong.”
Emma could feel the eyes of the other man leave her a moment before coming back. He hushed them and urged them to get up. He directed them through the stacks to a door marked for staff, and nodded at the broken man Vile was holding. They tossed him in and shut the door as he was finally able to scream in pain. The door shut out the sound the moment it was closed.
“Thanks,” Emma said, still trying to contain her anger.
“Sure, we soundproofed it for other reasons,” he said, while looking at Easy. “But I think now really isn't the time for that. We always wondered what the twerp was doing here so often. I will report him when I ‘find’ him after closing. You girls really don't want to be around to deal with that headache.”
“Thanks,” Easy said this time.
****
As Mari watched her friend go up the stairs to be ‘interviewed’, she went off towards the bar. A little disappointed that she wasn't invited to join them, but separating a girl from her backup was a classic way of making them easier to manipulate. As a result, she didn't want to get too deep into the club in case she had to make an exit when Hannah was finished. So she sat on a stool where she could still see the door and stairs and waved for a drink. The bar seemed to be full of men who hadn't quite mustered the courage to get themselves deeper in the club so she stood out. The beautiful woman behind the bar came over to take her order.
“What can I get for you, m’lady?” she asked.
Mari checked her out. Rainbow-coloured hair with a side shaved, just like her own head. Covered in almost as much ink as she was, and clearly had her share of piercings on her face and breasts.
“I can think of something I'd love to taste, that's for sure,” Mari replied, not trying to hide how impressed she was with the woman.
“I’ve heard that line hundreds of times, but I think I actually appreciate it this time.”
“Yeah, sorry, I’m usually more original, but you kinda caught me off guard. You must be expensive.”
“Actually, my father has forbidden me from serving clients anything more than drinks. Doesn't want to ‘spoil’ me before he can auction me off.”
“That why you have so much ink and metal?”
“Yeah, started out just doing it where he couldn't see, and then just didn't stop. He’s not a fan of inked girls now, because they all remind him of me.”
“Probably why he took my friend and not me up for an interview.”
“Ah, that's how he ended up with me in the first place. Maybe I will get a sibling.”
“Nah, she's got a stone, plus she's not gonna work here.”
“So sure are you? He has a way of making women work here. Then acts all moral when he tells me not to see clients. Like he doesn't know I know he wants to sell me.”
“So don't get paid for it. Just find a guy and fuck him.”
“Followed all the time. Not likely to get a man alone.”
“What about a woman?” Mari cocked an eyebrow.
It was her turn to show a shocked expression, “You mean you? No payment?”
“Nope. At least unless you really wanted to piss him off by paying me for sex,” Mari suggested, trying to make it sound like a joke.
“He tells me to have fun with the girls here, so it prolly won't bother him that much.”
“That's because they work for him. Paying someone else, though, well, maybe not, I guess…”
The woman thought about it a moment while Mari eyed the overflowing tip jar stuffed with bills. That's when her hand was taken, and she was brought into the storeroom behind the bar and pushed past the crates into a small bathroom. She hit the switch that ignited the lights and locked the door. It was small, dingy, and smelled of cleaning chemicals, but it wasn't the worst place Mari had used.
“You and your friend ever do this?” the woman asked as she eyed up Mari.
“Never,” she replied honestly.
Mistakenly assuming her answer meant she had never been with a woman, the barmaid took a gentle hold of her cheek and leant in for a kiss. Mari picked up on this quickly and played along, knowing better than to spoil the tantalising illusion for her playmate. Slowly she opened her mouth wider to accept the penetration of her tongue. As unsure as she could manage, she gripped the woman by the hips, pulling her closer. Their breasts pressed against each other, separated only by clothing, what part of their breasts were actually covered at any rate. Soon, Mari had her tongue wrestling with the barmaid's with enthusiasm as they took turns exploring the other's mouth.
Under her skirt, Mari felt the pressure of a hand pushing against her, surprised to find it bare and exposed. She felt the penetration of a single digit and stifled a request for more. Instead, she simply returned the favour and felt up between the barmaid’s legs while gripping her breast with the other hand. The woman lifted her leg onto the sink to afford Mari easier access while she started to push down on her head. Taking the hint, Mari put her knees to the floor and her head under the short dress to nuzzle and lick the wet womanhood she found. Pulling the underwear out of the way, she let her tongue inexpertly explore while a pair of hands pushed on her head.
It was fun for Mari to tease the woman for a short while before putting her talents in play. She slid a pair of fingers inside while expertly flicking her tongue over the exposed clit before taking long and slow licks to change the pace. Switching gears with her tongue to keep the woman off balance, Mari found the spot inside her that turned her hard moans into high-pitched wails. Suddenly her fingers were trapped in a clench as she screamed in tears with her climax.
“How was that? Are you alright?” Mari asked, knowing the answer.
The barmaid didn't really reply except to strip herself out of her clothing. Mari did the same, and found herself pinned under the naked woman once she had finished. Again they kissed while their breasts crushed against each other, this time without clothing. Mari felt more vigorous attention paid between her legs as she was penetrated by three fingers working roughly inside her. Although not quite hitting the spot, it was rough enough for her tastes. Mari wrapped her legs around the thighs of the woman on top of her, and used both hands to tightly grip the breasts pressing into hers.
The kiss stopped as she got up and adjusted herself to straddle Mari, putting her face again between her legs. Then resuming the rough penetration, learning four fingers fitting just as well, she moaned as the tongue explored her again. The sight of the woman below her, massaging the inked breasts before yanking on the piercings, spurred her to try fitting her whole hand inside to see how much she could take. Mari yelped as the fist slowly pushed its way inside and screamed at the sudden climax. Yet the barmaid wasn’t finished. Grinding her hips harder, she ripped her clenched fist out of her before pushing it back inside. She could see the skin bulge where her fist travelled deeper into Mari and how quickly the bulge was gone as she yanked it out. Her own body quaked again as another climax ripped through her harder than before.
She stopped, drained by her efforts, and slumped to the side. Mari sat up and leant over for a kiss. Their lips locked for a much more tender exchange of affection. She pulled the barmaid onto her, so her naked body and breasts once again pressed against hers.
“I don't care if my father knows we did this. That was amazing.”
“Let me leave, wearing your clothing. Walk me out naked. You can keep your underwear if you need to keep anything.”
The barmaid giggled. “Alright.”
Although it was tight on the chest, the barmaid's corset and the dress fit her well enough. She walked out holding her own clothing, followed by the nearly-naked woman, still out of breath.
“Oh, how do I let him know I paid you?”
“Oh, just let me walk out with the tip jar. That should make it obvious.”
The barmaid turned around and grabbed the jar to pass it over before realising just how much was in it. Mari put her clothing on it to keep the bills from falling out and turned to face the door. As the barmaid stumbled with a few words -- trying to find a way to go back on the deal due to all the money she had just given away -- Mari heard a voice calling. She turned to see Hannah trotting down the stairs and the boss in close pursuit. She jumped away and joined Hannah for their escape when the man called out to his bouncers.
“Now wait just a minute! You were here for a job!”
Hannah eyed the slab of muscle coming in from her left. “And I did the job, getting well paid in the process.”
“Yes but… why are you…” His eyes drifted to Mari before he spun around to see his daughter.
She stood confused, naked save for the small bit of material hugging her hips, showing off all the ink and piercings he was evidently ignorant of. When he turned back, he saw his man clutching his throat, coughing on the floor.
“We did a job, and we got paid. You want to hire us again, you can come to our ship. The Lucky Harlot is always welcoming of those who can afford our rates.”
Hannah turned and left, seeing another two bouncers, wary of getting in her way. Mari blew a kiss to the barmaid before turning to follow Hannah out. Once down the street, the girls turned to each other and burst out laughing.
