Read Online Release In The Dark (DARK erotic romance series) by Natalie Kristen - Free Book Online
Authors: Natalie Kristen
Ads: Link
eyes
betray their fear.
“ Ana!” Pam whispers
urgently. “Let's go!”
I let her tug me into line
behind the dwindling row of girls. I am at the very end of the line.
Kylee is just one girl ahead of me, and Pam squeezes herself in
somewhere in the middle of the line. I am lined up behind that tall
brunette, Jennifer Young. With a start, I realize that we are lined
up in alphabetical order according to our last names. The roll call
each morning at breakfast—that was to let us know our places
during the night performance.
Ducking through the small door,
we emerge into the shadowy, flickering, deafening depths of the Pit.
Loud, booming music, pungent
cigar and cigarette smoke and red strobe lights assail my senses.
As I move along the edge of the
stage to stand in a silent, nervous line at the steps, I blink
against the blinding lights on the stage to see a small, rotund man
dressed in a white tuxedo and pink top hat strutting across the
stage. His face is thickly powdered and blue and red eyeshadow
shades his hooded eyelids.
“ ...it is going to be a
mind-blowing, breathtaking experience for all. I am your host this
evening, Mr Toni.” His high-pitched voice pierces through the
booming music and echoes round the Pit. “The beautiful
beauties of the Red Lantern have arrived for your exquisite
entertainment. Please give a round of applause for these luscious
ladies of the Red Lantern!”
Mr Toni raises his arms and
claps loudly, but only a few slow, scattered claps are heard round
the Pit. I turn my head and squint at the booths. All of them are
occupied. The Pit is drenched in the stench of expensive cigars and
liquors, and I can see the red glow from their cigars and cigarettes,
and hear some low, gruff voices. The patrons of the Red Lantern are
all men of influence and power, military and business leaders. I can
see their shadowy figures and hear some low murmurs, but I can't make
out their faces or their words.
Undaunted, Mr Toni soldiers on,
laughing at his own jokes and performing a funny, awkward dance on
stage. He even does a couple of magic tricks with smoke and mirrors.
As Mr Toni pushes the show
towards the inevitable climax, I stare up at the glowing red lanterns
overhead. The shadowy booths in the Pit, visible only through the
dim red lights strobing across the entire floor, are in stark
contrast to the brightly illuminated stage. The stage is an
explosion of light, sound and spectacle with pulsing neon lights and
swirling multicolored smoke. I can't hear my own heartbeat above the
deafening music, let alone any conversation in the darkened room.
I rub my arms absently, feeling
the rough patterns of my painted costume. Even in the dim lighting,
all our costumes seems to glow and change colors, creating a surreal,
hypnotic effect.
“ And now, I present to
you—the Pillar of Passion!” Mr Toni declares with a
flourish.
All the lights dim at once. The
column start to rise from the middle of the stage, the water swirling
ferociously within it to create a spinning whirlpool. Zigzagged
lines of light strike the pillar, and the sound of thunder accompany
the rising of the column. Lights change the color of the water from
green to blue, then orange and red, as the whirlpool churns with
greater intensity. Water splashes from the top and flows down the
glass wall like a waterfall.
Once the column reaches its full
height, the lightning and thunder cease, and the lights in the Pit
dim further. The column is lit up like a lava lamp, with glowing
bubbles streaming steadily to the top.
“ Let us now welcome our
first bathing beauty, Kara!” Mr Toni smiles broadly and waves
Kara up.
Kara climbs the steps and stands
with her head bowed beside Mr Toni. The harness has already
descended, and Mr Toni helps her into it, all the while smiling and
cracking jokes.
He gives the wire a tug, and
blows a kiss to Kara as she is being reeled upwards. “Swim,
and be free, my love!” he calls out, spreading his pudgy
betray their fear.
“ Ana!” Pam whispers
urgently. “Let's go!”
I let her tug me into line
behind the dwindling row of girls. I am at the very end of the line.
Kylee is just one girl ahead of me, and Pam squeezes herself in
somewhere in the middle of the line. I am lined up behind that tall
brunette, Jennifer Young. With a start, I realize that we are lined
up in alphabetical order according to our last names. The roll call
each morning at breakfast—that was to let us know our places
during the night performance.
Ducking through the small door,
we emerge into the shadowy, flickering, deafening depths of the Pit.
Loud, booming music, pungent
cigar and cigarette smoke and red strobe lights assail my senses.
As I move along the edge of the
stage to stand in a silent, nervous line at the steps, I blink
against the blinding lights on the stage to see a small, rotund man
dressed in a white tuxedo and pink top hat strutting across the
stage. His face is thickly powdered and blue and red eyeshadow
shades his hooded eyelids.
“ ...it is going to be a
mind-blowing, breathtaking experience for all. I am your host this
evening, Mr Toni.” His high-pitched voice pierces through the
booming music and echoes round the Pit. “The beautiful
beauties of the Red Lantern have arrived for your exquisite
entertainment. Please give a round of applause for these luscious
ladies of the Red Lantern!”
Mr Toni raises his arms and
claps loudly, but only a few slow, scattered claps are heard round
the Pit. I turn my head and squint at the booths. All of them are
occupied. The Pit is drenched in the stench of expensive cigars and
liquors, and I can see the red glow from their cigars and cigarettes,
and hear some low, gruff voices. The patrons of the Red Lantern are
all men of influence and power, military and business leaders. I can
see their shadowy figures and hear some low murmurs, but I can't make
out their faces or their words.
Undaunted, Mr Toni soldiers on,
laughing at his own jokes and performing a funny, awkward dance on
stage. He even does a couple of magic tricks with smoke and mirrors.
As Mr Toni pushes the show
towards the inevitable climax, I stare up at the glowing red lanterns
overhead. The shadowy booths in the Pit, visible only through the
dim red lights strobing across the entire floor, are in stark
contrast to the brightly illuminated stage. The stage is an
explosion of light, sound and spectacle with pulsing neon lights and
swirling multicolored smoke. I can't hear my own heartbeat above the
deafening music, let alone any conversation in the darkened room.
I rub my arms absently, feeling
the rough patterns of my painted costume. Even in the dim lighting,
all our costumes seems to glow and change colors, creating a surreal,
hypnotic effect.
“ And now, I present to
you—the Pillar of Passion!” Mr Toni declares with a
flourish.
All the lights dim at once. The
column start to rise from the middle of the stage, the water swirling
ferociously within it to create a spinning whirlpool. Zigzagged
lines of light strike the pillar, and the sound of thunder accompany
the rising of the column. Lights change the color of the water from
green to blue, then orange and red, as the whirlpool churns with
greater intensity. Water splashes from the top and flows down the
glass wall like a waterfall.
Once the column reaches its full
height, the lightning and thunder cease, and the lights in the Pit
dim further. The column is lit up like a lava lamp, with glowing
bubbles streaming steadily to the top.
“ Let us now welcome our
first bathing beauty, Kara!” Mr Toni smiles broadly and waves
Kara up.
Kara climbs the steps and stands
with her head bowed beside Mr Toni. The harness has already
descended, and Mr Toni helps her into it, all the while smiling and
cracking jokes.
He gives the wire a tug, and
blows a kiss to Kara as she is being reeled upwards. “Swim,
and be free, my love!” he calls out, spreading his pudgy
Similar Books
