Jodi_ByTheLight

by JenniferLitteken

  “I updated him this afternoon.”

  “At least there will be one more on our side.”

  Barrett grinned. “You ready, Spartacus?”

  “Fuck off.”

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” Barrett grabbed the door handle and stopped.

  “Don’t forget your helmet.” Barrett’s eyes bore into him. “And be careful.”

  “I always am. See you inside.” With that Damon was out of the vehicle and headed toward the front door.

  After clearing his way through the bouncer, Damon entered the Beaver. The second he stepped through the gold doors of the lobby and into the main area, his senses went on high alert.

  It was crowded, mostly men, but there were some women huddled together in groups at tables and lounging areas. The noise level was a constant drone as voices mingled with late nineties music. As he headed toward the bar, one of the strippers making the rounds reached out and touched him, raking her fingertips across his bare chest.

  Damon grabbed her hand and pulled it away from his skin. Her eyes grew wide and he quickly shot her a grin while trying not to cringe at her touch.

  Damon swallowed hard, forcing himself not to step away from the girl. She smelled of cigarettes and Mexican food.

  “I’ve got to be on stage for my dance in a few songs. But after that I’m free if you’re interested in a lap dance, honey.”

  “What’s the price?” Damon focused on controlling his breathing. He couldn’t stand for someone to be so fucking close to him. Unless it was Ava.

  “Fifty bucks.” She purred while entangling her fingers with his. He forced himself to stay still.

  “For one dance? That’s a lot of money for a five-minute dance.”

  She pulled back and looked into his face before letting her eyes travel downward toward his crotch. When she lifted her gaze back up to his, she grinned. “How about I make you a deal?”

  “What kind of deal?” Damon looked away as a prettier stripper walked past, ignoring the one holding on to him. The less interested he seemed the better deal he’d get.

  “For one hundred dollars I’ll give you a lap dance for thirty minutes.”

  Despite the confident smile she wore, he could see the fear brimming in the back of her eyes at the possibilities of his refusal.

  “I don’t know; that’s a lot of money.” He started to look away, but she grabbed his hand and held it to her chest.

  “I’ll use the lap dance room at the end. It’s more private so if there’s anything else you might be interested in, I’m sure I can accommodate you.”

  It was exactly the room he wanted, but he didn’t want to seem too eager. He stared at her for few seconds as if considering. Then he grinned. “I think you’ve got a deal.”

  Her eyes lit up before fixing her face into a sexy pout. He doubted she’d made that kind of money in thirty minutes with just dancing.

  “I’ll be at the bar. When you’re done dancing, come find me.”

  The stripper pressed herself flush against his body before strutting away.

  Damon winced. If Ava caught that girl’s perfume on him, she was going to give him hell. He made a mental note to run by Jeff’s and grab a shower before going out to Granny’s.

  The last thing he needed was to catch Ava’s fury on the last night he could be with her.

  ***

  Ava whipped the Crown Vic into the parking lot at the back of the Beaver Tail. She circled the place a few times, but finally found a parking space. Unfortunately, it happened to be two spaces away from the back entrance, not exactly inconspicuous.

  Granny straightened her pink velour jumpsuit before reaching for her white plastic purse. She looked like a geriatric Easter Bunny.

  “Are you ready?” Granny gave her an encouraging smile.

  Ava nodded and glanced down at her white sweater, jeans and boots. “I suppose.” She tapped her thumb against the steering wheel.

  “Remember, we’re just making a delivery.” Granny reached down and pulled up a black bag from the floorboard.

  “As soon as we get in, I’ll distract them. You go find Jayden and get him out.” Granny handed her the large white purse. “You take my purse. I’ve got a knife and some bolt cutters. Didn’t know if they would tie him up with ropes or chain him.” Granny’s face creased, worry marring her usually serene expression.

  Ava reached over and patted her hand. “It’s okay. We’re going to get him out of there.”

  Granny gave her a brave smile that didn’t exactly reach her eyes. Who knew what kind of situation they were about to walk into? Ava knew with werewolves it was best to expect the worst.

  With the white plastic purse slung across her shoulder, Ava walked beside Granny to the back entrance. She wrapped her arms around her as the cool night air brushed against her skin.

  Ava hesitated as she drew near the backdoor. Standing in front of the door was the bouncer, a huge man with his bald head shining against the security light. Granny grabbed her elbow and urged her forward.

  “Can I help you ladies?” The bouncer didn’t budge.

  Granny smiled wide. “I’m here to drop off some orders for the dancers.”

  “Sorry. This entrance is not for visitors.”

  “I don’t think you understand.” Granny’s lips pulled into a pucker while her eyes narrowed. Ava caught a whiff of White Diamonds as the old lady tilted her head.

  “I don’t think you understand. This door is for the dancers only.” The bouncer stuck his thumb over his meaty shoulder. “If you’re not here for amateur night, then you can’t get in.”

  Granny inhaled slightly, before she relaxed her stance. “Well, why didn’t you say so?”

  The bouncer cringed. “Don’t tell me you’re here to strip.”

  Granny propped her hands on her hips, her face set in a schoolteacher scowl. “Are you trying to tell me I’m too old? Is that what you’re saying? Because there are laws against discriminating against senior citizens. Did you know that?”

  “Umm, it’s not that…” He dug the toe of his shoe into the dirt, his weight shifting, apparently at a loss for words.

  “Are you trying to discriminate against me because of my age?” Granny wagged a boney finger dangerously close to his chest. “Is that what this is about?”

  “I didn’t mean…” He ran his large palm back and forth across the nape of his neck, glancing at Ava for help.

  Ava bit the inside of her cheek, trying not to grin. The guy outweighed Granny by two hundred pounds. It didn’t matter. Granny was more intimidating.

  “Well, just so you know, it’s not me that’s planning on stripping. It’s her.” Granny jerked her thumb toward Ava.

  Ava’s stomach lurched.

  The bouncer sighed, obvious relief spreading across his face.

  “But…” Ava inhaled sharply at Granny’s poke in her side.

  “Now if you don’t mind, I’ve got to get her changed.” Granny shoved Ava in front of her as the bouncer stepped aside, opening the metal door.

  “So what’s your name?” The bouncer gave Ava a wide smile, showing way too many crooked teeth.

  “Av…” Granny gave her an elbow to the side. Ava rubbed her bruised ribs and glared at the old lady.

  “He means your stage name.” Granny shook her head and turned back to the bouncer. “Not sure. Got a red thong and some pasties.” The old lady patted her bag as she gave the bouncer a thoughtful look. “What kind of names have the amateurs been using tonight? We don’t want to take someone else’s stage name. We want to be unique.”

  Ava wrinkled up her nose, her stomach churning faster than ever.

  “Well, I’ve seen a few use astrological signs, like Aquarius and Taurus. Another girl came in using a name from a cartoon movie.”

  “What do you think? What name suits her?” Granny touched the bouncer on the arm as they stood there together looking at Ava from head to toe.

  The bouncer’s grin widened. “With all that bea
utiful black hair, and a red thong, I’d say she looks like Little Red Riding Hood.”

  Granny snapped her fingers.

  “That’s perfect. All we need is a hood.” Granny clapped her hands together.

  “I bet one of the regular girls would let her borrow something.” The bouncer didn’t take his eyes off Ava. She glared. Unfazed, he gave her a wink.

  Grabbing Granny under her elbow, Ava gave her a tight smile. “Come on, Granny, we need to hurry if we’re going to get me ready in time.”

  The old lady nodded and gave the bouncer a grateful smile as Ava hurried her though the door. When she heard the steel door slam shut she stopped in her tracks.

  “What?” Granny frowned.

  “I am not stripping.” Ava spat out the words.

  Granny shrugged. “I didn’t intend for you to. We just needed to get inside.” Granny gave her a thoughtful look. “But we do need to get you in costume.”

  “For what?”

  Granny waved her hand dismissively. “In case the bouncer comes inside. If he asks why you aren’t dancing just tell them you’re still waiting your turn.”

  Ava rolled her neck from side to side and inhaled deeply. “Okay, that makes sense.” Ava glanced down the hall to the nearest door. She nodded.

  “I’m guessing from the noise level this is the where the strippers get ready.” Ava lifted her ear from the door and looked to Granny.

  Granny nodded and turned the knob.

  The dressing room was crowded with dancers who were either walking around in their bra and panties or topless. All the girls were heavily made up, with smoky eye shadow and bright red lipstick.

  Some of the girls were tall and thin, like trained dancers, while others were petite and curvy. But all seemed to have one commonality. They were all comfortable with their naked bodies.

  Ava expected everyone to stop and turn when the door opened, but they didn’t. Instead they kept on inhaling cigarettes with one hand while applying eye shadow with the other. Apparently, stripping required a girl to be skilled at multi-tasking.

  “Come on in, ladies.” An older lady gripping a clipboard pushed Ava forward.

  She was surprised that the deep voice belonged to an attractive older lady. Slim and trim, she wore a business suit and her blond hair was molded into a loose bun at the nape of her neck. A cigarette dangled out of the corner of her mouth.

  The woman looked Ava up and down and frowned. “Don’t tell me you’re getting cold feet.”

  “What? No, I…”

  “We left her red cape at home.” Granny stepped in front of Ava and gave the lady a confident smile. “We were wondering if you had one back here we could borrow.”

  “She plans on wearing something other than a cape?” The woman lifted her aggressively plucked eyebrow. “You know the rules. The cookie jar has to be covered.”

  “Cookie jar?” Ava frowned.

  The woman in charge lifted her bored eyes to Ava. “Your vagina, pussy, beaver. Whichever term you prefer.”

  Ava closed her eyes and silently wished for a quick death.

  “No need to worry. We’ll have her cookie jar all wrapped up.” Granny patted her bag. “I’ve got her thong and some pasties in here. She’s little Red Riding Hood, you know. Just need a red cape.”

  “Fascinating.” The woman lifted the cigarette out of her puckered mouth with two long fingers. She exhaled her smoke. Ava coughed and waved the smoke out of her face.

  The woman pointed toward the corner of the room. “Look in the closet. One girl was a vampire last Halloween and I think she had a red cape.” Ava started in that direction when the woman’s gruff voice made her hesitate. “Just be sure you put it back.”

  “I will.” Ava narrowed her eyes. What the hell was she? The cape police?

  Granny slid up beside her as Ava absently searched through the costumes. “I take it she’s gone?”

  “Yeah. She gave me this waiver for you to sign.” Granny shoved the paper under Ava’s nose.

  “Waiver? Why would I need a waiver?”

  Granny shrugged. “In case you get hurt, you won’t sue the club.”

  Ava turned and faced the old lady. “Get hurt doing what?”

  “That.” Granny pointed a finger at a passing dancer wearing platform heels.

  Ava wrinkled up her nose. “How many dancers have gotten hurt wearing those heels?”

  A passing stripper stopped in front of Ava. “Why this month alone, we’ve had two girls break their foot when they slipped on something on the stage. Hell, even my insurance won’t pay for me to have these bunions removed.” While balancing on one leg, the stripper lifted a long limb and shoved her deformed foot in Ava’s face.

  Ava’s eyes widened and she leaned back.

  The stripper straightened and shrugged. “If you don’t sign it, you don’t get to dance.” With that she strutted away on her platforms.

  “I’m not stripping.”

  Granny ignored her and continued to dig through the rows and rows of costumes. She stopped and pulled out something red. “What about this?”

  Ava held out the red cloth and shook her head. “That’s a cape but it doesn’t have a hood.” She pointed to the blue shiny material next to where Granny had picked up the cape. “Probably goes with the Super girl costume.”

  Granny shoved the cape back on the rack and continued to sort. She paused and pulled out something else. “Here.”

  Ava held the long red cape in front of her. “I don’t think Little Red Riding Hood’s cape was that long.”

  Granny snorted. “Well it’s the best we can do. Besides there’s enough material to cover your whole body while you’re searching for Jayden.” Granny’s voice was but a whisper.

  Being covered sounded good to Ava. Sighing, she held her hand out to Granny. “Fine. Give me the rest of the costume.”

  The old lady smiled as she hurried her over to a private corner with a dressing screen. Ava stepped behind it and began to change.

  “Are you finished yet?”

  “Are you sure you can’t find something else for me to wear instead of these pasties?” Ava glanced down at the red circles covering her nipples. She sniffed. They really did smell like strawberries.

  “Don’t they cover your nipples?” Granny’s head peeked around the screen.

  Ava cringed. “Yes, they cover my nipples.”

  Granny shot her a frown. “Then what’s the problem?”

  Ava gritted her teeth. “They don’t cover anything else. I’m completely naked.” Ava held her hands out and looked down. “Not to mention the fact that I’m afraid to take a step in this edible thong. It feels like it’s going to rip in two every time I move.”

  Granny smiled. “That I can assure you won’t happen. In fact there’s a money-back guarantee that those panties won’t rip, not until someone actually takes a bite out of them.”

  “That’s comforting.” Ava closed her eyes and rubbed her pounding temple.

  “Here, take one of these.” Granny held out a small mint.

  Ava narrowed her eyes at the lady. “What is it? Arsenic?”

  “Just something to help you relax. Don’t worry. I take one all the time when I have to host a sex party.” Granny smiled

  “It’s not a roofie is it?” Ava lifted her brow.

  “No. I wouldn’t even know where to get that.” Granny paused and lifted her finger to her lip. “Although, my friend, Ester, has a grandson who is a drug dealer. I bet he could hook me up with some hoofie.”

  “It’s called roofie, not hoofie.” Ava cringed, the throbbing in her head getting louder. She shoved the pill back into Granny’s palm. “I’m not taking it.”

  Granny shrugged and slipped the tablet back in her purse.

  “All right, here’s the plan. Keep the girls busy with your edible whatever and I’ll go look for Jayden.” Ava grabbed the cape and wrapped it around her like a cocoon.

  “Good luck.” Granny gave her an encouraging squeeze on th
e arm before walking to the middle of the room. Putting two fingers between her lips, she whistled. The screeching noise halted the movement in the room as all the dancers turned to look at the old lady.

  “Listen up, girls. I’ve got everybody’s order from the sex party!” The excited girls immediately descended on the old lady like buzzards on road kill. A few of the girls didn’t gather in the center of the room, obviously college girls here for amateur night. Instead, they took the opportunity to seize seats at the coveted makeup tables and brushed eye shadow over their lids and swiped lipstick across their lips.

  Opening the door, Ava peeked out. Thankfully, the hall was empty. Slipping out the door, she made her way down the hall. The carpet was pink and the walls were deep red with gold crown molding at the ceiling.

  Ava looked back over her shoulder to make sure no one was following her. Picking up her pace, she stopped when she reached the door at the end of the hall.

  She reached for the doorknob, expecting it to be locked. To her relief, it turned. Slowly pushing the door open, Ava groped for the light switch on the wall in the darkened room. When her fingers brushed the plastic tip, she held her breath and flicked the switch.

  Her heart lunged. Tied to a chair in the corner of the room was Jayden, his head hanging limply on his chest. His blond hair was matted with blood from where they had beaten him. His arms, bruised and cut, were tied behind his back while his legs were tied to the chair.

  Ava took a step closer, Jayden jerked his head up and it was then she saw his face. His right eye was swollen shut and his left barely open. He glared at her with a hatred so intense it actually made her stomach hurt.

  Swallowing hard, Ava held up her hand and removed her hood. “Jayden it’s me, Ava. I’m here with Granny to get you out.”

  His eyes went from hatred to confusion to relief as she stepped closer. “Ava, you need to leave now. They’re looking for you.”

  Kneeling at his feet, Ava reached into the large plastic purse and pulled out a knife. “I know. I’m not alone. Damon’s out front in the club and Granny’s with the strippers.”

  His head jerked over to her. “Damon let you and Granny come?” He gritted his teeth and shook his head. “I’m going to kick his ass.”