Ladies of the Night Part 6
The outskirts of Brimstone echoed with the roars of a wild motorcycle riding through the night. Carmen and Lilith zoomed all around the winding road of a towering cliff side, still screaming and cheering along the way. The wind breezed through their hair as they road through the cool night air. Their crazed smiles never ceased after they left Dante's. At the top the motorcycle putted to a creasing halt, finally out of gas. Both Carmen and Lilith jumped off the dead motorcycle, still thrilled about their wild ride.
"You have officially made this," Carmen said estatically. "the best girls night I've had in a while."
"Likewise, Carmen." Lilith gratefully said.
The women tossed their helmets off to the gravel road. Lilith paused. Her lavender eyes enchanted by the luminous light of the pale moon. Her feet guided her hypnotically to the edge of the cliff like she fell for the moon's siren call. She swatted a seat onto the soft green grass, eyes still fixated towards the full sphere that hung in the starlight sky.
"Amazing." Lilith whispered. "I never realized that the moon was that big. It's truly beautiful."
Carmen quietly lingered over to her demon friend and planted a seat next to her. Her eyes were fixed to the succubus. She was shocked to see how such a beautiful creature could be so captivated by something as simple as the moon. But perhaps Lilith deemed this grand sight a true spectacle outside her natural home. Her home, a world full of darkness, shadows, and flames. Never to be graced by the gift the moon gives. Lilith's beaming adoration was enough for a smile to curl on Carmen's face, happy that she was able to give a friend something she, or her species, would never have in a lifetime.
"Hey, I thought we could share this." Lilith then pulled out a large glass bottle from her purse, shaking the liquid contents inside. "I fenced it from the boss' secret hiding area."
"You mean his sock drawer?" Mrs. Gravely chuckled. "That's the same place he always uses whenever he tries to hide something that he doesn't want anyone to find."
Lilith's thumb popped off the bottle's cork. She quickly sucked down a small amount of booze and handed it off to her human companion. "Here, have a sip of this. Careful, it's a little strong."
Carmen shrugged and gladly the bottle. The booze was odd. It was odorless and transparent. Shrugging once more she took a sip of the contents. To her a little strong was exaggerated. The powerful booze burned down her throat like she swallowed fresh lava. She almost coughed it out but managed to keep it down before she handed it back to the succubus.
"Strong, huh?" She choked.
"Well what do you expect when this stuff was brewed straight from Hell? Just keep drinking, it'll water down."
"Okay, despite some strong alcohol, I'm honestly having a lot of fun with you. Everybody I know says I'm no fun. Heh, that's kinda true. I mean I took my daughters to a board meeting thinking that would be fun."
"Rubbish! You're loads of fun, love. To be honest, I've sort felt a bit envious of you. You've got a fancy house, a hot talk show job, a darling husband, and a couple of twee girls. There's some folks that sell their souls for that life."
"Thanks. But I can't tell you're saying that to be supportive, or kissing my ass because I'm your boss' wife."
"Maybe it's both." Lilith teased, and they both laughed. The two continued staring at the glowing moon. "I think this is the part where friends start sharing secrets."
"That time, huh?" Carmen muttered.
"Let's make this a drinking game. We'll take turns asking deep questions and then we'll take another sip."
"Okay, I'll start." Carmen thought hard about a question then finally asked. "How long have you been working for Lu?"
"Not too long for the likes of me, but it can be considered a very long time for the likes of you? Age and time escapes those who have an extensive life. But I didn't start out as a secretary. No, life for me wasn't all tea and sugar. There was a time where succubi and incubi where viewed upon as second class citizens. You can't imagine being told that all we were only good, or all you'll ever be good for was for shagging. Makes it rougher still being told that as a child."
"Oh my, that's terrible."
"Fret not, love. That was the old days. Now that Lucifer is king, our lives have been smashing."
Lilith sipped from the bottle and passed it again to Mrs. Gravely. Upon noticing what was on her queen's left hand she asked her question. "I see you still keep your first husband's ring on. Would you like to share something about him, or is that subject still too touchy?
Carmen fell silent. The subject was sensitive to her but she never minded. "Doug was... just amazing. We were married for almost nine years. Nine happy, wonderful years. He was part time music teacher at Rosie's school, and part time band instructor at the high school. He loved music, no matter what genre."
Carmen's second sip didn't burn as much as last time but the hellfire-tasting booze was still strong enough to maker her flinch. Lilith then asked. "Do you still love him?"
"Absolutely," Carmen proudly said. "Now and always. As much as I love Lu, now and always."
"Wish I had someone who could love me the same."
"You will. I'm sure there's someone for you out there. I mean look at you. In the right light, you are looking so hot right NAH! Not again!"
"Sorry. It's the pheromones."
Carmen then chuckled. "Point is you will find someone. It may take time but you will. So, my question. That pheromone thing you did earlier at Dante's. Have you ever used it on Lu before?"
The bottle was passed to Lilith now. One big sip later and she admitted. "Actually he seems to be the only thing that's immune to my charm. I've tried asking for a raise that way before but he wouldn't cave. Alright, my turn for a question. Even before you've met all us, did you ever believe? Did you ever think there was a heaven or hell, or even God, before all this?"
The bottle ended back to Carmen. She downed another sip, this time the burning sensation felt more eased. "Well, I admit that I've never considered myself religious or associated with any religion, but I guess I was sorta spiritual in some way. Part of me wanted to believe that there was someone watching over us, but part of me kinda saw reality and thought if He was real why let so many suffer, you know?"
"Yeah I hear ya. I come from a realm where God's merely lost hope. Nobody's ever seen him, except for the boss and Legion of course."
"Well, if you did meet God, what would you ask of Him?"
"A chance to love someone without hurting them..." The succubus sadly uttered. "A chance to bare children too."
Lilith took the bottle from Carmen's hand and drank a large portion of its contents. A small tear leaked from her eye to which she immediately wiped away with her wrist. Carmen looked at her friend, saddened by her shocking revelation. She gently placed her hand on Lilith's shoulder, comforting her in her sorrow.
Lilith immediately perked back into her peppy attitude. "Well there I go being a Debby Downer again. The night's still young and we gotta spice things up a bit; and I know just the place."
"Where?" Carmen asked.
"Down the Inferno there's a club called the Babylon. Mephistopheles used to own the joint."
"Mephistopheles owned it?" Carmen gulped. The mention of that name made her spine shiver.
"Used to. Not anymore. Place is a bigger hit now with the boss owning it. Let's go!"
"How are we gonna get there? The house is miles away?"
"Oh there's always more than one way to get to Hell."
Lilith pulled out her cellphone and started texting rapidly. After her text was sent, a fiery portal opened behind them on the gravel road. Out hopped a yellow, banged up taxi car that huffed and puffed on arrived before coming to a shrieking halt. In the driver's seat was a skeleton cabby wearing a black beret and had a missing lower jaw. The living skeleton looked over to the girls with molten charcoal he had in his eye sockets. A quick nod from him was the only greeting he could give. Lilith pulled Carmen by her wrist once again and the two inside the rusted vehicle.
"Hello, Charon!" Lilith welcomed. "One trip to Babylon, if you please."
Suddenly the cab powered off. The cabby dropped his keys into the vehicle's next seat, not wishing to drive at all. The sliding window that separated the three slid open and the cabby laid out his bony hand.
Lilith rolled her eyes and moaned. "Ah, always wanting for tips first."
Reaching back into her purse she pulled out a twenty dollar bill and gave it the cabby, enough to cover both of them. The cabby snatched the bill, slapped the keys back into the ignition, and pressed his bony foot onto the gas petal. The cab's engine popped alive and it rolled back into the fiery portal.
One short trip later and, much to Carmen's astonishment, they were already outside a large building, deep in the depths of the Inferno at the heart of its capital city, Dis. The building was moldy and very crooked, it looked as though four building blocks were poorly stacked on top of each other, and flashy neon lights lit up the darken abyss surrounding it. Loud techno music boomed inside its walls that the whole building shook from each electric beat.
Lilith thanked their cabby and hurried herself and her friend out the cab. They ran up the creaky stairs and entered the eerily, flashing clubhouse. Inside appeared and felt adversely from the outside. The interior was very clean, polished, and its lighting flashed different hues of lively colors. At its core was a crowd out quite literally colorful people. The numerous human looking succubi and incubi and their colorful skin tones blended perfectly with the all the flashing lights as they danced wildly to the demonic D.J.'s vibes.
Mrs. Gravely stared in awe at the partying crowd until Lilith coaxed her again to join the fun. She knew she hadn't done anything like this since she was in college but she couldn't resist dancing along with the demon folk. She felt younger and livelier thanks to her fun-loving friend, and the two continued to dance on through their best night ever.