The guy shoved me back, but I held up a hand to the ladies.

  “Just… if I may?” I said, and threw a fist at the dude. He caught it, tossed it aside, and hit me with a fist to the side of the head that sent me staggering. Again, I came back in.

  This time, he took the punch, stared at me with rage building up in his eyes. He was about to hit me again, when a fist came into his gut and Ria was there, lowering him to the ground. As he whimpered, she turned to me and shrugged.

  “Sorry, I just… figured we were in a hurry.” She gestured to the strip club. “Shall we?”

  A couple of other men emerged from the shadows, along with one crazy looking lady wearing bright pink plastic instead of clothes. None of them moved closer though, after seeing the guy on the ground.

  Not sure if I should feel like my masculinity was in question because I’d had a woman take over my fight or if I gave a shit, I followed her up. Seeing her ass in that dress and the humored but still playful and evocative look from Meher, I decided I definitely didn’t care. As Ria had said, we were in a hurry.

  Plus, gender norms be damned. It was kind of hot having a badass demon as a body guard.

  What we entered into was in no way your usual strip club. I wasn’t opposed to going to strip clubs per se, but with all the access to live-cam action and whatnot via my holo-display, along with some very interactive VR I’d been able to get my hands on… the idea of a strip club didn’t seem necessary. It had been a while since I’d had my dick rubbed, before meeting Ria, but a place like this was so sketchy, it hadn’t held much of an appeal.

  Now that I was here, though, I kind of got it. This place had that dirty, smells-like-fried-chicken and ribs vibe, but the lights were strobing as a heavy metal band covered songs from long ago. Several stages surrounded what I saw was a dance floor where anyone could strip, including guys—which I didn’t have an interest in looking at, while on the three stages surrounding the dance floor professionals worked the poles and showered it up, putting on the shows.

  It was more like an orgy fest in the middle of a rock concert than a strip club. I’d been missing out! While medical advancements had done away with STDs and made pregnancy prevention easily manageable, neither was necessarily true in a place like this.

  “Remind me again why we’re here,” Meher said, looking very much out of place in the club.

  “There,” I said, indicating Barbie as she moved behind a curtain. We tried to follow, but a large bouncer stepped in our way.

  “Men only,” he said, arms crossed.

  I gave Ria and Meher an ‘I’ll be right back’ nod, then stepped though the curtains into a dark room, looking for any sign of Barbie.

  “Have a seat,” her voice said, and I noticed a side room with a couch. Figuring why not, I made my way over, checked it for nastiness, and sat.

  Barbie stepped out from behind another curtain, wearing a Red hood and cloak, but otherwise only in her panties. She was an attractive woman with stark blonde hair, nipples so light they were almost the same color as her perky little breasts, and from what I could tell by her skimpy panties, was either well-trimmed or cleanly shaven downstairs.

  “Welcome to your fantasy’s—” She froze, green eyes landing on me. “Fuck.”

  “I’m not here as your boss,” I said, hands out to show I wasn’t trying to grope her, either. “Just to talk.”

  “What…?” She glanced around, back toward the way we came in. “Fucking Joel. Did he say something? He told you, didn’t he? That piece of shit. That fucking maggot-licking wall fucker.”

  “Barbie—”

  She rushed forward, hand on my mouth, bare breast grazing my forearm. “Shh. Here I’m Bubblegum.”

  “Bubble…” I couldn’t say it. “Listen, Joel didn’t say anything. Actually, I wanted to talk with you, saw you coming in here and didn’t know a thing. Honestly.”

  “You’re saying… you followed me?”

  “It’s not like that.”

  She pulled back, arms folded over her chest, and then shrugged. “So what, you want a lap dance? More?”

  “Fuck. Come on.”

  “It’s kinda weird, being your subordinate at the diner and all, but…” She moved toward me, starting to sway with the music, arms up and cloak back so I could take her in. Damn, she was gorgeous, the way the shadows danced across her curves accentuating this fact. I shook my lust clear as best I could.

  “I meant, come on like ‘No, of course not.’” I sucked in a deep breath. “Sorry.”

  She stopped, glared, arms still up. “What?”

  “Talk. Ba—Bubblegum… I need to talk to you about something.”

  “Dammit, Drake. Can’t it wait?”

  “Everything okay in there?” a voice said, curtain starting to move.

  “Go along with it,” she hissed, and quickly turned, sticking her nearly-bare ass on my crotch, moving it up and down. The red robe fell over her so I couldn’t completely see what was happening, adding a bit of sensuality to the whole affair. When the large man from earlier popped his head in, she shot him a glare and said, “Working, Al.”

  He nodded, backing out of there.

  “Just… talk then,” she said, moving the robe aside pushing up against me more. Shit, I was pretty sure I could feel her butt cheeks on each side of my cock, which was quickly hardening. She leaned back. “Keep your voice down, and just ignore this. I don’t wanna get in trouble.”

  “Ignore it.” I nodded, as if that were possible.

  She glanced back, bit her lip, and said, “Mr. Bossman, you’re having fun?”

  Was that part of the act? I couldn’t be sure. But I went with it. “Oh, yeah,” I said, then leaned into her ear, lowering my voice. Not too much, of course, or there’d be no way to be heard over the music from the main room. “We’re forming a team, and I think you’d fit in…” Warm tingles of pleasure ran through me as she slid her ass around my cock.

  “Fit in?” She chuckled. “Oh, you’re naughty. Shouldn’t it be the other way around… you, fitting into me?”

  I frowned. “No, I mean, you’d be a good fit for the group. Are you interested?”

  She turned then, throwing off the hood and robe, dancing for a moment in all her splendor, before kneeling down, burying her face in my crotch as if she were nuzzling my cock. When she looked up, she shrugged. “What, like a heist or something? Going to rob somewhere?”

  Her eyes went wide and she backed away, suddenly defensive. “Shit, not this place? You’ll fucking get us killed.”

  “Relax,” I said, stepping up and holding my hand out to her. “It’s nothing like that.”

  “What then?” she hissed, stepping back over to me. “Fifty credits and… I’ll take care of that. Hundred, and it’ll be with my mouth.”

  “Holy…” To be honest, the thought actually crossed my mind. But after what I’d just had in the woods by my house, paying for it like that didn’t make a lot of sense. “Sorry, but… can you hear me out?”

  She groaned, rolled her eyes, and said, “This is serious?”

  I nodded.

  “And you don’t want the…” She stuck her tongue in her cheek, making a dick sucking motion.

  I cocked my head, hoping she’d let me go without actually answering that.

  She sighed. “Here’s the deal. I just started my shift, so can’t exactly take a break yet. Maybe two hours?”

  I shook my head. “No time.”

  “What the fuck is this?” She shook her head. “I’m not sure, boss. I mean—”

  “Don’t call me that. Not anymore?”

  Her eyes took on a horrified, pissed look. “Are you fucking firing me for this?”

  “No, no, no,” I waved my hands. “Dammit, you’ll understand if I… Well, I need to show you.”

  Her eyes darted to my crotch.

  “Not that,” I elaborated. “I need to show you what’s going on. Find a reason—any reason. There are two women I came here with, and one of them will need to talk to you.”

  “Women?” She considered me. “Fuck it. Bathroom.”

  “Bathroom?”

  She nodded, stepping away, kneeling to get the robe. “Yup. Women’s bathroom—not the main one, though. There’s a special one back behind the buffet not many know about. Bring them there, and we can see what’s what.”

  I nodded, somehow not surprised at all that this place had a buffet. “Thanks. You—you won’t regret this.”

  She gave me a nod, then shooed me out.

  We were making progress, and that was enough to put a smile on my face. When I passed Al the security man, he nodded knowingly, clearly assuming that smile was for something else. A fact that wiped my smile away as soon as I’d passed him.

  Maybe this was a bad idea, I don’t know, but at least we were making progress. I’d let the other two ladies decide if Barbie—or Bubblegum—was a good fit.

  9

  To my surprise, I found Ria already at the buffet, more than happy to be stuffing her face with jalapeno poppers.

  “Have you tried these?” she said, trying to stuff one in my mouth. “There’re amazing!”

  I laughed, took it, and considered. Jalapeno peppers from a strip club? An orgy strip club, no less. But then again, it hit me that I was damn hungry. I took a bite and the cheesy, greasy goodness was like heaven.

  “Right?” she said, grinning and licking her fingers.

  “Where’s Meher?” I asked, and Ria grinned, pointing up at one of the stages, where Meher was clearly uncomfortable as she held the shower head for a lady who was cleansing herself.

  “They pulled her up, and I kind of helped push her along.” Ria laughed. “It’s too much fun, this world of yours.”

  “I wouldn’t call all of this the most fun part,” I said, glancing around. Then again, who was I kidding? It all depended on your tastes, and for many humans, this was clearly doing it.

  “Show us your tits!” some sports-jacket-wearing asshat called out next to me, shouting at Meher.

  She took a step back, not sure what to do with the shower thing, and I was about to step up to the dude. Suddenly, someone hopped up on stage and took the shower head, giving Meher a gracious out. I was surprised to see it was Barbie, fully clothed.

  She turned and said, “You want tits?”

  “More tits! More tits!” the guy started chanting, a guy next to him joining in. It struck me as ridiculous, considering the fact that there was another stripper right there showering, others on the dance floor without shirts and, in some cases, without pants.

  “Get your money’s worth!” Barbie shouted, and pulled up her shirt to let her little breasts shake, and at the same time sprayed the guy with the shower.

  He sputtered, stepped back, and then cheered, both fists in the air.

  I laughed, watching Barbie give me a nod to the side as she motioned another woman up to take over.

  “That’s her,” I said to Ria.

  Ria glanced up from a plate of cheese sticks, some red sauce on her chin. “What?”

  “Just, bring the food,” I replied, guiding her around the corner of the stage, to where Meher waited and Barbie was joining us.

  Barbie eyed the three of us, frowned, and laughed. “You inviting me to the back room for an orgy, boss? Because that would be wildly inappropriate.”

  “But does that mean you’d turn it down?” Ria asked, licking red sauce from the side of her mouth.

  A glance her way lasted an extra beat, and then Barbie shrugged. “I haven’t made up my mind on that, yet.”

  “Not what’s going on here,” I said, but with a glance from Meher, realized it kind of was. “Well, not exactly.”

  “Not exactly?” Barbie chuckled, glancing around. “Make it quick, before I get into trouble.”

  “Have you got somewhere I can show you something?” Ria asked, finally setting her plate down on the edge of the stage. “If you want to make it quick, this’ll be the best way.”

  “Shit,” I said, glancing over toward the hallway behind us.

  Barbie nodded, leading us to the bathroom she had said for us to meet her at. Other parties passed, laughing. Then a couple went by where the woman’s hands were down the guy’s pants. A drunk guy shouted, “Mitch!” at us, but seeing that I wasn’t his buddy, kept going.

  We pushed into the bathroom and Barbie slid the bolt shut behind her. A cautious glance my way, and then she adjusted her skirt, realizing it wasn’t straight. “Prices are more when multiple people are involved.”

  “I was serious before,” I explained. “That’s not what this is.”

  “Sure, boss. I get it—you find out your employee is a stripper at one of the sleaziest places in town, figure you can act out some fantasies because she won’t want it getting around. So normally I don’t do this, but… we can make it happen. Question is, what’s the right price?”

  “No,” Ria said, and suddenly her illusion was gone so that her horns and wings were in full view. “Question is, will you help us? And even if you’re on board, do we want you?”

  Barbie had been looking down at her outfit, eyes slowly raising to take in Ria in all her splendor. For a long moment she stared, then grinned wide. “Hot. Okay, I can go back and find my Red Riding Hood getup, if you all—”

  “It’s real,” I said.

  Ria nodded, a glow forming from her horns as she moved her hand through the air, making a small light trail her fingers.

  “What the…?” Barbie started.

  Next, Ria nodded for Meher, who had stepped between Barbie and the door. Meher looked excited as she took her stance and thrust her arms forward, a wave of blue shooting out and hitting the far wall to ice it over.

  Now Barbie was starting to look worried, her smile gone, eyes moving to me. After a moment she said, “Well, where’s your trick?”

  “I don’t plan on using any, just… the truth.” Stepping toward her, but not so close as to seem imposing, I said, “You’re badass. And that’s what we need.”

  “Huh?” She took a step back, turning on Meher with fists at the ready.

  “We’re forming a team. A team of…” I hesitated, looked at Meher, and then said, “A team of superheroes.”

  “Ugh,” Ria said, shaking her head. “Can we not use that term?”

  “Whatever we call ourselves,” I said, pulling back from that, “the point is we’re getting a team together to fight evil fucks who are coming to take over our world, or kill us all—right?”

  Ria nodded. “Close enough.”

  “And I’ve seen you in action at the diner for, what? Five years now?”

  “Six,” Barbie replied, fists relaxing.

  “Six years! Plus this place,” I gestured around at the building, “lead me to believe there isn’t much you can’t handle. Am I wrong?”

  She eyed me skeptically. “What’re you really selling?”

  “A chance to be part of something big. And… to do that.” I gestured to the ice.

  “Not that exactly,” Ria corrected me. “I have certain powers I can give, but only one of each.”

  “Powers?” Barbie eyed her, then scoffed. “You’re giving out powers. Fine. Prove it.”

  Ria arched an eyebrow. “What sort of power do you think best suits you?”

  “Something sexy,” Barbie said.

  “Did I hear right that your stripper name was Bubblegum?”

  Barbie nodded.

  “Pop, bitches.” Ria definitely had something in mind, but first we had to get Barbie primed, and so I stepped forward, hesitantly.

  “There’s just… one thing we have to do to get you ready,” I explained. “To open you up, in a sense, to the power.”

  Barbie scoffed, then got the drift. “You’re serious?”

  “Ria?”

  Ria sighed. “We really have to find a way of not having to explain this every time,” she said and then gave Barbie the quick version.

  “I see,” Barbie said, then laughed, pushed herself up onto the counter, and spread her legs. “Well, nothing in what you all just said implied I had to do anything other than simply sit back and let it happen, so… go ahead, boss. Give me a good tongue lashing.”

  “I…” Damn, no panties, her pristine pussy was there, ready for the taking. Then again, this was a strip club. The idea of going down on her when I had no idea where she’d been rubbing it that night was a bit unsettling.

  “Relax,” Meher said, clearly not doing a great job of hiding how humorous she found the situation. “She just started her shift, remember?”

  “And…” Ria waved a hand in front of Barbie, then nodded. “Yup, clean. Eat up—it’s your turn at the buffet.”

  I chuckled nervously, as if they were all playing around. But Barbie reclined further, giving me easy access. Honestly, there might have been a few times during late shifts at the diner when I had imagined throwing her onto the counter and diving in for some pussy pie, so without further ado, I brought myself back to those moments and went for it.

  First I lifted her leg and kissed her inner thigh, moving my lips along her leg until I reached her pussy. As my tongue worked around her lips, teasing her, I learned where she got her stripper name—she smelled, at least downstairs—distinctively of bubblegum.

  It made eating her out that much more pleasurable, and soon I was lapping it up, finger teasing her asshole. Ria came up behind me, grinding her crotch against my head and pushing me in as she leaned in to pull Barbie into a kiss that passed on a power, and just when I thought I’d suffocate in pussy, Barbie clenched her thighs around my head and grabbed my hair, pulling.

  Every instinct said to pull away, to shout in pain, or punch something, but instead I pulled deep and went with it, rolling my tongue around her clit and not letting up. She moaned, pulled me away, and then sat there, staring at me with a look of excitement, breathing heavily.

  Finally, she shifted back while Ria helped me to stand.

  “Did it… work?” I asked. “The power transfer, I mean.”

  “Let’s find out,” Ria replied, waiting for Barbie to go into the stall for some toilet paper to wipe herself clean.

  When Barbie was done, she flushed and emerged to stare us all down. “Now, is this serious? Because if we ended it here and I got some good head but nothing more, I wouldn’t be let down. You all can leave now and no hard feelings.”