Read Online Fire Baptized by Kenya Wright - Free Book Online

their knees and crawled toward me. Their breasts swayed like large pendulums. I looked at Ray. “Okay. What are they going to do?”
    He smiled as they crept near me, and then leapt in my direction. Before I could tell them that I didn’t have any money, their oily boobs were in my face, suffocating me. I gasped for air as their chests crushed the sides of my head, surrounding me with cheap perfume.
    Cursing, I wrestled away. “Hey! I don’t have any money.”
    They immediately pulled back, scowling at me.
    “No money?” they said through clenched teeth. Blue flares of light flickered, and smoke exploded, until one pissed off Water Witch remained, hands on her hips. A fierce glare plastered on her face. “If you don’t have any money, then get away from the stage.”
    “It takes up all my energy to cast a detachment spell,” she whined. “Fucking Combo Trash.”
    Ray laughed and flung a napkin my way as she stormed off.
    “Well that’s excellent customer service.” I wiped rose oil off my cheeks and scanned the club. It was mainly filled with Shifters and Witches.
    “Why are we here, Princess?” Ray took off his sunglasses. “And the stripper is right. If you don’t have money, you shouldn’t be sitting around the main stage. Let’s at least go to the back.”
    “Fine.” I jumped off the stool, grabbed a popcorn bucket, and headed to the back. “And I prefer to call them exotic dancers.”
    I arranged myself in the plastic chair, slipping into a comfortable position. Smoke floated by the table and I waved it away.
    “Strippers or exotic dancers. It doesn’t matter.” Ray followed me. “Both take their clothes off for pocket change.”
    “You don’t like strip clubs?”
    “No. Too much bad history with them,” Ray said and then asked again, “Why are we here?”
    “You know why you’re guarding me, right?”
    “The two murders.” He nodded.
    “Well, both women were exotic dancers at Goldie’s. I went to the last victim’s place, earlier. Her son said, that his mom hung out with a guy named Larry. I’m hoping Larry is a regular here, and that he was with her last night. And if I’m really lucky, maybe he killed her.”
    “That’s logical thinking.” Ray nodded again. “But you do know that you’re not a detective?”
    “I’m aware of that.”
    “So you haven’t completely lost your mind?”
    “Nope.” I watched an ebony-skinned waitress come to our table. “I know where my mind is; I just don’t always bring it along.”
    The waitress wore tiny, gold-sequined shorts that displayed her long legs. She was extremely tall, maybe even taller than MeShack, and he was six-foot-six. A short, curly afro surrounded her face.
    “What can I get you this evening?” She leaned on the table and focused her brown eyes on Ray. Amber light flashed on her crescent moon brand. Shifter.
    “Do you know a guy named Larry?” I said, bringing her focus to me. “My friend told me Larry hung out with a dancer named Carmen.”
    “You mean Iron Dove?” She smiled, showing straight, pearly white teeth.
    I nodded in agreement.
    She leaned down, resulting in Ray having an excellent view of her ample cleavage. “That’s Larry over there.”
    She pointed to a pot-bellied man, holding a cigar in his mouth.
    The man looked our way and winked at me.
    Interesting. Is the wink a glint of recognition?
    A Santeros hat covered his head, hiding his brand. I moved closer to get a better glimpse of him. A dancer sauntered over with blonde cornrows that hung to her waist. Larry motioned her over. A rock ballad came on. She peeled off her halter top and climbed into his lap. With each pounding of the song’s hard-hitting drum, the blonde bopped in front of him.
    Even more interesting.
    His friend, Carmen, was missing. But Larry didn’t seem worried about her absence. On the other hand, she was an addict and probably disappeared a lot. Maybe he assumed she was getting high.
    Larry, are you friend or foe?
    I