Kierra

Not floating, hanging. Hanging by hooks attached to her back. Dangling there looking peaceful and serene. The smell of blood is there, but not as much as you'd think.

Blinking at the girl hanging there, she looks much like the one who'd come into the bathroom just minutes before. Sibling?

"Oh, by the way, Benjamin, you have a couple admirers in the lady’s room. I believe they want you to join them in some activities. You know, sharing activities."

I look at him with a raised brow, grinning. Have to bite my lip when his shoot up, expression almost devilish. Slipping thumbs into my pockets, I look back out over the room.

The sounds and smells of sex are heavy. What I'd thought a writhing mass in the middle of the room has just found its winner, the woman stands with a smile while helping her female opponent up with words of praise. Least I think that's what it is. Hard to tell when they become lip-locked and you're curious, wanting to look and watch, but unable to get yourself over the embarrassment so you only get glimpses.

I'll look, but I won't look down to actually see what's happening in its entirety. Considering I can't even watch porn without turning red or looking away, I'm so in the wrong place. Getting the smell off of me later is going to be the fun part, and I haven't touched anything.

"Hey, Benji? How do they keep from spreading stuff around? Lots of fluids getting exchanged."

Before he can answer, I turn to look at the man chuckling behind me, peeling gloves off of his hands and disposing of them in a cleverly hidden trash can.

"You must be really new to ask that. Lady Sapphire should have told you. Before you can get down and dirty with anyone here, your consent contract has to be signed and an 'audition' with Master Percival is completed. Safety measures are taken, condoms are always used."

This newcomer is quite a sight, so excuse me while I gawk a bit. Covered in tattoos, which is nifty, but he also has implants. Not sure if there is a specific name for these ones, but they're on his head.

Around six-foot-four, brown eyes, bald, yet has a thin mustache. Priorities. Handsome for an older gentleman, even covered in ink. Not fully, there's still a lot of clean skin, but his scalp is colored in art.

The protrusions on his head look like they're supposed to pop from the tattoo itself. Can't tell what it is from here though. Shortness an all.

"She neglected to mention, yes, but she was also called away while giving a tour, so it's hardly her fault."

Last thing I need to do is get management in trouble, that'd be all sorts of awkward. Tall and wiry, the guy nods and sits on a high stool. I say sit, but it's more like leaning with his butt on it.

Dressed in a shiny black kilt-like thing, it reaches his lower legs. They themselves are encased in black buckle up boots going up under the man-skirt, can't see them going much higher, but who knows in this place.

"So what pleasures do you come seeking? Punishment maybe? You don't seem the type to bow down for any man, let alone let him punish you. So that's out. Hmm...let's see."

Standing, he moves in close and makes a circuit around me. Benjamin takes a step back, smirking, so I take it he knows the guy. Not sure if that's comforting or not.

A lock of my hair is lifted, so my head turns to follow the end of his progress. He's looking down my frame yet lingers more on the skin he can see. My scars.

"A lover of pain, I think. Giving to, I would imagine, if those marks on Benjamin are yours. Stance is too masculine to be a fainting waif. You carry yourself in a way that states you could care less what others think, yet there's a softness there. A little girl still unsure of the world, you put forth a hardass visage to keep yourself protected."

Visage huh? I raise a brow at him, a smirk forming. Not just a visage buddy. He squints at me, drawing back to stand next to my Vampire.

"I imagine you have a mean streak as well, don't you? So which are you? Sadist or masochist? Maybe a combination?"

He eyes over me again but waits for my answer. I shrug, unsure where he's going with all of this.

"Depends on the situation for sadism, but a masochist for sure."

He smiles, looking like he knew I would answer that way. This guy is a bit weird. Holding out a hand, he finally introduces himself.

"I'm Stag, and you've wandered into my little piece of hell. I give others pain for a living and I'm very good at it."

His candor makes me smile, so I give him my hand. He squeezes while watching my face, increasing the pressure steadily. Bare upper-body has heat coming off it almost as if he were an animal in disguise.

Too damn hot in here, period. Eye contact with him is kept as I start showing him my own strength. Don't think he'd like the idea of a small chick like me being able to overpower him, so have to be careful.

Just because I know I could crush his hand as easily as if it were an old orange, doesn't mean he needs to know. I do smile though when increasing my own grip, stopping just shy of pinching off nerves.

Stag's eyes widen, but he smiles, giving my hand a firm shake then letting go. When someone is gripping your hand that way, it can be hard to get a grip on them due to the way the hand morphs from pressure. So being able to get past that to give just as much that's being given, I think, is what shocks him. Then again, I could be overthinking it.

"Got your hands full with this one, bud. Has a sense of humor though, which is always a bonus."

Putting my hands in my pockets, I look at them curiously. Both of them smiling has me rolling my eyes. Brown eyes glance around the room before he motions us back further into his 'hell'.

A sectioned off room where blood seems to be the theme. Body modifying actually, either way. Tattoos, branding, scarification, and piercing photos are set up around the room, as well as suspension. What others would consider hell, this guy does professionally. Nifty.

"Can we get the room guys? Got some private business to attend to."

His question has me looking from a colorful picture to him and Benjamin. My undead buddy inclines his head to me, which piques my interest. While the few people milling around back here skedaddle, I move closer to the hanging woman.

"Don't worry about Tracie, she's in a trance."

I cock my head while looking at her, she does seem to be out of it. Eyes closed and face passive. Alrighty then. Walking over to the guys, we settle down in the plush set up.

Looking at them curiously, Stag leans forward in his seat and directs a hard look to the Vampire. The tattoo on his head is of a deer, a stag. Heh.

"Well, you said she could do something, what, exactly, can she do?"

Giving a look of surprise, I look to the man next to me.

"What's going on?"

Benjamin leans forward, mirroring the human. His blue-green eyes direct as they look from me to the other man.

"She could go below without too many questions and be able to weed out specifics. Really, the less you know, the better. Plausible deniability."

Stag looks unconvinced and unhappy. Was wondering how we'd get below, guess Benji had an inside man all along. He could have mentioned this sooner instead of letting me think we were coming in totally blind.

"Once you go beyond that door, you're on your own. There are those I have to protect, I can't endanger them for some two-bit whores."

I can feel my expression turn stormy, my wrist gets grabbed as I growl at the man.

"Those 'two-bit whores' are kids who've been taken against their will and thrown into a fucking flesh market. You protect yours, leave the others to me."

Benjamin grips my wrist as I stand, glaring at them both and ready to storm the place. Looking away, I take a deep breath and close my eyes. Not sure if I turned away in time or not to hide the color change, but it doesn't matter.

"I just need to get down there, then I'll know what to do once I get a look around. Just in case, is there a back door to this place?"

Slipping the sunglasses over my nose, I look back over to the artist who's looking at Benjamin. Sighing and slumping in his chair, he nods.

"It's the door they use to bring them in and take them out. I'll point it out to you before you head over. Are you sure about this? Why do you care?"

I nod, looking him in the eye even though he can't see mine.

"Someone needs to. Others may be able to do a better job, but I'm what they've got. Not sure how this will go, but I'll try to keep this place out of as much as I can. Do the others know what's going on?"

Standing, Stag nods. We're in a darkened corner, lighting not reaching back this far. He looks out into the main area, following his gaze finds the Master and Lady talking to a couple near a bench.

"Just as I do, they have those they have to keep safe. They won't be able to help, but they can look the other away. Sapphire likes to act as if nothing is going on, but I know it weighs heavily on Master Percival. He made this place a retreat for those who need it, then those men came in and twisted it into something foul. Threatening and blackmailing us into our silence."

I look to Benjamin, but he motions me forward. What? Just because I'm female I have to be the nursemaid? Giving him a cross look, I go to the tall human and stand next to him.

"It won't be overnight, but I will change things. Just let the others know that there may be some backlash from others. I won't bleed anyone inside, but once outside they're fair game."

He looks down at me, jaw clenching. Still looks unconvinced, so I elaborate a bit more.

"The police. These aren't the dark ages, you guys won't be persecuted for who you are, but there will be questions asked more than likely if a missing persons report comes up."

It takes Benjamin and I a couple more minutes to convince him, then we finally get a plan going. The owners will be kept in the dark as much as possible, Stag himself isn't told everything since he doesn't know that we aren't human, none of them know about the supernatural. He thinks us vigilante, I think. Not sure what all Benji has told him.