31. Karina

"You there!" A man calls, skin as dark as night, his sights set on a short woman beside me. "Come."

The club is full tonight. The dark elf"s desire for human females is relentless. Every night, more come to quench their thirst for flesh. Scantily clad female slaves glide around the room, their delicate bodies decorated with silk and lace. They weave between the guests as they indulge their every desire.

This is Eros, a sex club, and I am one of the lucky ones, well, as fortunate as a human slave can be. You see, I am in the favor of the King. But there is a price for that.

There is always a price. That's what keeps this place ticking.

The air here is heavy and thick with the scent of sweat and lust. It clings to my skin as I sit at the jinrayaha. My fingers dance over the keys with practiced precision. The sultry notes echo through the dimly lit room, adorned with sensual artwork and velvet drapes.

"Those fingers of yours can sure weave magic," a half-drunk voice behind me says.

I turn my head a little to see a slimeball of a dark elf with his tongue almost touching the floor.

"How'd you like to weave some magic on me?" he laughs, thinking I have never heard that one before.

Then I notice his friend hurry over. I continue to play.

"Marus, don't," there is an urgency in his friend's voice.

"What are you talking about? I was just getting started. I think she likes me," Marus states.

The friend does him a favor and whispers into Marus' ear. The blood drains from Marus' face as his eyes flick toward me.

"I shall take my leave," Marus tells me. I ignore him. The position I have worked hard to gain affords me that.

"Fuckin' King…" I hear Marus mutter as he shuffles drunkenly back to his table.

It's like this when the King isn't here, their leering eyes picturing me as their plaything. Yet, when the King is here, those eyes tend not to notice me. That's the fear the King brings.

Fear of his wrath keeps their desires at bay.

I love to play the jinrayaha. Through it, I tell my story, my hurt, my worth, and play a tune of my future, far away from here. I look out and watch them dance, and even though I am in this vile place, I still get a chance to play and watch how my music brings pleasure, even if it is born from pain.

But tonight, music can't be on my mind.

The King will be expecting an update. Soon, his goodwill with me will run out with me, and that place is a place of dread. I know what he is capable of, and I need to avoid that at all costs.

I lower the tone of my playing and focus on the conversations around me.

"Did you hear about Lady Syliria?" a tipsy voice slurs nearby. "Apparently, she"s pregnant, and it"s not her fiancé"s child."

"Ha, that poor bastard," another voice chuckles. My interest wanes; this gossip is hardly worth the King"s attention. My ears remain vigilant for anything more worthwhile.

"Beautiful as ever, dear," Lord Kilthar murmurs as he passes, his eyes raking over my body like a predator sizing up its prey. I suppress a shudder and offer him a coy smile.

"Thank you, Lord Kilthar," I reply, my voice laced with false sweetness. He chuckles and moves on, leaving me to wade through the sea of lascivious stares. He is a regular and comes across as kind and somewhat inept, but behind closed doors, he likes to tie girls up and inflict them with painful horrors that have left more than a few girls scarred.

Around me, these scantily clad human slaves continue to dart between the guests, offering drinks and themselves. Their glazed expressions betray the emptiness within, their spirits broken by these dark elves. It"s a stark reminder of what could have been my fate had it not been for the King.

Focus, Karina, the night won't last forever, and you have uncovered nothing yet. The seriousness of that thought ties a knot in my stomach.

"Did you hear about Lord Valyra"s new slave?" one dark elf whispers to another. "Quite a feisty one."

"Indeed, but she"ll be broken soon enough," comes the reply, "I hear his cock is like a rod of justice!" and they all howl with nasty laughter.

Poor girl. Nothing but a piece of well-dressed meat on a slab. I bite back a snarl and turn it into a sultry smile, but my fingers strike the keys with a bit more force, turning my anger into musical notes.

"Hey, Karina," I turn to see Molly, one of the girls. A pretty one with striking pale blue eyes and long blonde hair. She looks like she's been stealing drinks again, which only ends in trouble.

"You okay?" I ask her.

"Not really. I'm booked in with him," she says, pointing over to the corner at a dark elf sitting alone at a corner table sipping on a drink. He's trouble; he doesn't come in that much, but there is always trouble when he does.

"Keep your wits about you, be careful," I tell her.

"Oh, I will. I've had enough of their crap. If he plays ball fair enough, if not," Molly opens her mouth, and a small razor blade is on her tongue.

"Don't do anything silly," I urge her.

"Wouldn't dream about it!" she says as she does a girlish twirl, snaking her arms and hands in the air as she moves across the room towards her fate.

Don't think about it. She'll be okay. It's just for her protection. She won't use it. And even if she does, you have to worry about yourself, girl.I lock that conversation away in the depths of my mind.

As the chat and laughter swirl around me. My music washes over the room like a warming breeze, igniting the senses and desires of those in the club. But not mine. Tonight, I must gather information for the King.

I notice a table with some new guests. I position myself on my stool as close to them as possible. Two dark elves that have a touch of nobility about them.

"Where are our drinks!" One of them shouts, sticking his nose into the air and darting his ugly eyes about the room. One of the girls hurries over with a tray.

"What took you so long, woman?" The other one barks at the frightened girl.

"Sorry, sir, won't happen again," the girl bites her lip and places their drinks before them.

"You can be sure of that," the dark elf barks as he grabs the girl and pulls her over his knee. He raises his hand and brings it down firmly on her ass. I can only imagine the sting.

"Oh, Casper! You're such a hoot!" the other claps his hands and bounces up and down excitedly.

"Let that be the first of many lessons you will learn this evening," Casper says as he pushes the girl from his knee. She falls to the floor but quickly picks herself up.

"Yes, sir," she says.

"More drinks!" The other dark elf calls out to her. She hurries off, another girl with a long night ahead of her.

I decided to give these two my ear for a while. I haven't seen them before, but they look like informed elves about town with just the right amount of self-entitlement.

"I think she enjoyed that, my man," the dark elf tells Casper.

"They always do," Casper says, slipping on his drink. "Now, tell me, Kassus, what are these rumors I have been hearing?"

"Ah, I thought there was a reason for this unexpected treat," Kassus replies.

I smile softly, a wicked gleam in my eye as my ears pick up. I could be on to something here.

"Well? It seems Gusa"s been gathering support," Kassus" tells him, his voice low, almost a whisper. There must be something in this.

"Really? From whom?" Casper replies.

"Can"t say for sure, but if he keeps bolstering his numbers and winning favor like this, things could get interesting," Kassus replies.

"Interesting" is an understatement. This tidbit of information is precisely what I need for the King.

Then, an interruption. "Gentlemen, I would like to apologize for earlier. Having such noble elves as yourselves in our humble club is an honor. In light of that, I would like to show you to one of our VIP areas." It's Handle, one of the Eros Managers.

Damn him, I would like more, but I will settle for what I have heard.

"This evening just gets better," Kassus says.

"Make sure that girl is reserved," Casper tells Handle.

"Of course, she is ours to do as you please," Handle replies.

"Excellent! Come, Kassus, and we shall talk further of this matter over a cold drink and some warm pussy," Casper says.

Kassus claps again with delight as they disappear through the club to the VIP rooms with Handle.

I return to my music, knowing that tonight has been a success. It's getting late. Soon, another night will be over, and these filthy elves will stumble home to their wives, and we, the girls, will be left alone to dream.

Yet, I'm intrigued. Who is this Gusa, and why exactly is he gaining support?

It seems I have a tale for a King.