Chapter 2

An hour passed, followed by another. Dana played on her phone while Lily amused the bikers, playing pool with them, eating their food and drinking whatever they brought her. She was tilting around the room like a barmaid out of control, and Dana was starting to wonder what would happen if the succubus got good and drunk. Would her wings and tail poof into existence? Would she attack someone?

Maybe she should have thought this plan through some more.

“So what’s the deal with you and your friend?” Paul Bunyan was back, his dark eyes narrow.

“What do you mean?” Even though he had surprised her, it was easy for her to remain calm as if nothing had happened.

“I’ve seen you watching her.”

“It’s a free country. Lots of people are watching her.”

“Not like you are. I can see it in your eyes, you know this woman. Are you friends? Or maybe she’s your girlfriend, and she does this to make you jealous.” He picked up a bottle of beer from under the counter and took a sip off of it. “I’m only asking because I’m the one who has to clean up if the two of you start making trouble.”

“How considerate.” Dana looked at Lily, then back at the bartender. Would it make things worse if she told him they were trying to find one of his regulars? Naturally, the reason why would have to remain a secret. The man, Ray Scotes, was in possession of a magic item that Dana intended to take from him. No, the truth wouldn’t work here, but Lumberjack Holmes was going to need a solid answer that made sense.

Dana leaned across the bar, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Okay, I’ll tell you, but you have to keep your mouth shut. Yes, I know her.”

Paul Bunyan’s lip curled up, but he remained quiet.

“So, it’s like this. My friend there, is… well, she’s my girlfriend.”

The bartender nodded. “And?”

“Well, we kind of have this arrangement. Once a month, we drive down from Wyoming and find a hole in the wall with a couple of horny guys. See, I’m into women, but my girl? She still loves herself a good dicking.”

“She seems the type.” Dana could smell the arousal on him now like a fine spice, see how he licked his lips. He probably wondered what his chances of an easy lay with Lily were, and Dana wondered a little herself. Lily, ever impulsive, had come along on this trip to help, but Dana was starting to wonder what that help would look like.

“Yeah, well, even though I’m not into guys, it gets me all hot watching her flirt with them, seeing them lust all over her.” Dana picked up a nacho and bit a piece of cheese off the front. It was like swallowing a wad of soggy paper. “We aren’t gonna cause any trouble, that’s not where the thrill is. My girl is going to get some of your patrons off and then the two of us are gonna go back to our hotel, and I’m going to eat her out while she tells me all the dirty things they got up to.”

Paul grinned. “Sounds hot.”

“Oh, it is. After I eat her out, I pin her to the bed and ride her face until she begs me to stop, just to remind her that she’s my bitch. We’ve done this every month we’ve been together. Helps keep things fresh.”

“You two ever wonder how hot a threesome would be? Why fantasize about seeing her with a man when you could watch it live?” She could almost smell the desperation in his voice. Was this the world that Lily lived in? Were all men this easy to manipulate?

No, it wasn’t that. She had met plenty of men throughout her life that had treated her with respect and kindness. She thought of Mike, the man she had been killed for. The necromancer Daryl had turned her into an intelligent zombie for the purpose of breaking into Mike’s house and stealing something from him. Daryl had made sure that Dana could never be properly killed, her soul locked on this plane of existence and away from the love of her life, her dearly departed Alex.

Consumed by hunger, she had broken into the house, only to encounter the strange creatures living within. They immediately came to her aid, finding a way to stave off her decomposition and allow her to think for herself. While she was busy considering if Daryl would actually turn her back to normal, or even let her die properly, Lily had gone after the man and killed him.

No. Not all men were easily manipulated. This one though?

“Maybe for our second anniversary or something. Not tonight.” She spun around in her stool. “Now if you don’t mind, the brain is the most sensitive erogenous zone and you are cock-blocking me.”

Paul Bunyan was clearly disappointed but said nothing as he walked away. Janice moved in and out of the kitchen with some burgers for a couple of older men who were content to watch ESPN on the solitary TV over the bar. Lily was now in the corner of the bar with the bikers. One had his arm draped over her shoulders, his fingertips lightly brushing her breasts.

“Excuse me, boys,” Lily proclaimed loudly, slurring her words. The rest of the bar had lost interest in her shenanigans, but Dana was still paying attention. “I need to visit the ladies room.”

“Need any help?” one of the bikers asked.

“Heh. Maybe in a bit. I just need to… freshen up.” She slid a hand up the man’s chest and then yanked his hair, tilted his head back, and planted a kiss on him. His buddies cheered them on, and Lily gave them a little wave as she stumbled across the bar and vanished into the bathroom, but not before giving Dana a look.

Dana waited a few seconds and then followed, pushing open the bathroom door. The ladies room smelled like it had been recently cleaned, but looked like it needed to be condemned. The sinks were badly chipped, just like the floor, and neither of the stalls had doors.

“Jesus,” Dana muttered, her eyes settling on Lily, who sat on one of the sinks with her legs crossed and a smug look on her face. Gone was the flush of drunkenness, the demon’s eyes glowing with hunger.

“I’d prefer you keep that word to yourself, deadhead.” Lily turned to look in the mirror, her hair and makeup magically redoing itself. “So, we’re not going to find Mr. Scotes here tonight.”

“Oh? Why not?”

“Because he hasn’t been in for weeks. Now, one of these guys is close friends of his, but I’m going to need a few minutes to get the info we want out of him, if you know what I mean. You’re welcome to come if you want.” Lily wiggled her eyebrows. “Pun intended.”

“That’s so funny, I’ve come back to life and forgotten to laugh.” Though she and Lily certainly weren’t a couple, what she had said about men had been true.