Hells Gate: Santino (2 page)

Her stomach turned at the sight. But the fascination of watching another man lovingly take off a woman’s shoe, rub her feet, and then pull her big toe into his mouth to suck on it was overwhelming. It was almost like witnessing a bad accident. She couldn’t turn away. The woman’s eyes were closed and a satisfied smile plastered on her face. April wasn’t sure what the appeal was. While she watched, she felt something touch her leg. She jumped when she saw a man tracing the outline of her foot along her shoe.

“I didn’t mean to startle you.” He looked up from the sectioned-off area where the foot fetishists were. “But you have such beautiful feet.”

“Umm…thanks. I think.” She tried to pull her foot away, but he held it firmly in place.

“I mean that with all sincerity. I can always tell when a woman has adorable feet. Why don’t you step inside and I’ll show you how much I can worship them and you?”

“I appreciate the offer, but I’m fine, thanks.”

The man frowned, showing the little lines around his eyes. “It’s such a shame.
Maybe next time, when you feel a little more comfortable here.
No one will do anything that you don’t want them to. If you desire a more private demonstration, there are rooms in the back and downstairs.”

She gave him a half-smile and pulled her foot away from the stranger. “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Cindy reappeared by her side holding a drink and a bottle of water for her. April took a swig and then observed the people on the dance floor, who were swaying to the haunting music. Cindy was right about one thing. No one cared what they looked like. This was an escape from the real world.

“Looks like you made a friend.” Cindy waved toward the man, who was still eyeing April’s feet.

She glanced back at the stranger kneeling on the floor. He smiled at her again. She didn’t return the gesture. A spike of disgust rolled in her thinking about anyone touching her feet. “I don’t think so. Look, are we going to see this guy that you’ve been going on about? If not, I really want to go home.”

“You can’t be serious. We just got here.”

“Cindy, this place just isn’t for me. Either we go to the kissing guy or I’m taking a cab back to my apartment.”

Her friend took a swig of her drink. “Come on. I was talking to one of the girls at the bar, and this guy is even more popular than what Cleo was telling me. So please don’t run off when we’re so close.”

“Fine.
I’ll stay. But next time we do something that’s more my speed.”

“Sweetie, your speed is going to a crochet class and watching paint dry.”

“Crochet is great, and there’s more to me than that. I do appreciate you getting me out of the house and taking my mind off of things. These past few months have been hard. Mom was…”

Cindy squeezed her arm. “I know. No getting teary eyed. You’ll make your makeup run. Maybe we’ll have enough time to see this guy. Come on.”

April nodded. Cindy was doing her best to get her mind off her mother. The shock of having her die suddenly in the car crash had shaken the secure world that April had lived in. For the first couple of weeks, it was difficult for her to go to work. Everywhere she looked she saw the capacity that she could be killed without a second thought. It could be a windy day and a traffic light could fall on her while she crossed the street. A bus could veer off the road because the driver was checking out some hot runner. Or she could be caught in the middle of a drive-by shooting because she had inadvertently wandered into a drug deal gone wrong. All kinds of horrible ideas on how she could die sprang into her head. It was so bad that she started having panic attacks when she went outside. Cindy had come over then and helped her through those so that she wouldn’t lose her job. Now she was just doing the same thing by being a good friend. April was grateful for all the attention Cindy had given her.

Cindy dragged through the club. Other people were headed in that direction as well. From what the foot fetish guy had said, there were private rooms below, where the more serious fetishist went to be alone. She hoped it was less noisy. The music made her head pound. While they passed the people in the club, some of them looked at April as if she was going to be their next meal. Dread washed over her.
This club isn’t normal
. More and more of them were undressing her with their eyes. Some of them licked their lips or smiled, exposing long fangs. Some of their eyes were silver or had
slitted
pupils. Other patrons had completely black eyes and their facial features seemed a little out of the ordinary. The shape of their face was too angular. Or they had pointed ears that couldn’t have been prosthetics.

Why did I let her talk me into this?
Her feelings went beyond the physical reactions she had to some of the dancers she saw in the club. An age-old instinct to run back into the light had awakened inside of her because here the shadows were unforgiving. If she was caught unaware, then she was going to be the next thing on the menu.
I’m losing it. These are just ordinary people. The fangs, the eyes, the weird-shaped faces, and different-colored hair are all
fake
.
All of them were regular people who were pretending to be something else to fit into the fantasy world they had created for themselves
.
I’m no better. I want my world to fall away for a little while so I can pretend to be someone else. Everyone must want that sometime in their life and here they can do that. All be it, it’s a very strange place, but to each their own.

They wound through the downstairs hallway, passing curtained doorways and rooms with bars on them for doors. Others had regular doors. She wondered what was going on behind any of them, although her curiosity got the better of her when she came to one doorway with a line of women waiting outside of it. April assumed it was for the bathroom until she remembered that they had passed that on their way down the stairs tucked into the back corner.

“Cindy, what are we waiting for?” April asked.

The line moved slowly. Women who went in the room came out after a couple of minutes. All who emerged were unsteady on their feet. They were paler than they had been going in. One woman staggered into her. April wrapped her arms around her to catch her.

She was in a daze and smiled dreamily.
“Thanks, babe.
You’re going to love it when he kisses you. It’s like he moves through you. He learns you from the inside out and presses all the right buttons.”

April helped her up. Fear
trembled
her nerves. She drew in a sharp breath and tried to remain steady while assisting the woman. “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind. Do you need any help? You look like you’ve had too much to drink. I’m sure someone could call you a cab.”

The woman waved her off. “I’m fine.
Just fine.
Don’t need to worry about me.” She continued to stumble down the hallway and headed back up into the club.

“Don’t you think that someone should help her?” April asked Cindy.

Cindy giggled. “Don’t worry about it. He doesn’t hurt you.
One kiss.
That’s all he wants. You’ll love it. Like I said, all the girls who come out of here say that it’s the best experience of their lives. It’ll be fun. And you don’t need to worry about her. Cleo told me that if you get into any trouble here, the club will make sure you get home okay. If not, then I think there are rooms here you can spend the night. This whole place is set up to for you to have a safe experience. It’s fine. Stop being such a worrywart.”

April rolled her eyes, but she didn’t respond. The line moved a little faster. One by one women before them were ushered into the room. Right when Cindy was about to go in, a man appeared in the doorway.

The bouncer’s body was muscular. His dark eyes matched the color of his vest. His nipples were pierced with large, thick metal hoops. A row of metal spikes jutted from the top of his bald head. Knee-high black boots with white laces hugged his legs. Tight leather shorts encased his cock. Cindy tried to peer around the big man, but he blocked the entire doorway.

He held up his hand. “Wait here, please.”

“Oh, come on. We’re just trying to have a little fun. Won’t you let us in?” Cindy giggled.

April couldn’t believe that someone had an obsession for just kissing. Then again, the man upstairs was so enthralled with her feet he was ready to do anything to take her shoes off. She was a little leery about kissing a stranger, but Cindy always said she had to take a few risks, and this was one for the books.
If he’s kissed that many women, I wonder what else he’s done with them.

“I’m sorry. But you have reached the end of the line. It’s too late, and he’s done for the night.”

“But we waited all this time. Look, if you won’t take me in, at least take my friend. She’s the one who needs this the most.”

“I’m sorry, Ma’am. But I am not the one who makes the rules.”

The guard backed into the room and put a rope across the doorway so no more could enter. Several women behind them groaned. Others filtered past them as the line broke up. April glanced at them and then peered around the bouncer. A cloaked figure, shrouded by the fog that wafted from the room, leaned against the wall. It appeared his arms were crossed over his chest. His face was hidden, but from the angle he was at he had a clear view of the hallway, observing everything that was going on. She could feel his eyes on her even through the mist.
Could that be the mystery man everyone is so anxious to lock their lips with?

Cindy was about to respond when the cloaked figured stepped forward. He didn’t come all the way into the light so that he was visible, just enough to make
himself
heard. “I’m finished for the night. But I would appreciate it if you would come back next week.
Aldon
, will you please give these lovely ladies wristbands so they may come to the front of the line.”

His voice was soft, yet caressed her skin like soft velvet. However, there was a dark undertone to it. She wondered what it was he truly wanted from them. All the while he didn’t take his gaze from her. April could feel his eyes penetrating her soul. She shifted and glanced at the floor.

“Are you sure about that?” the bouncer asked.

“Quite.”

He sighed, and then handed Cindy and April two yellow wristbands. “Come back next weekend. When you do, return to the front of the line.”

Cindy grabbed the bracelets and held them to her chest. April held her breath and then gazed back into the fog, trying to see the man in the thick vapor. But as the dense haze floated by the door, he disappeared like a ghost. Part of her was disappointed since she had come to the club and didn’t get to at least see the man Cindy had raved about.
I bet his lips get awfully tired from kissing all those women. If he kissed someone for two minutes at a time and say, thirty women a night, it would be hard to pucker up by the time the place closed.

Her friend tugged on her arm. “Come on. Let’s go back into the main room so we can dance the night away.”

April sighed.
“Really?
I’m not much into dancing.”

The other woman frowned. “We’re already here. Now we can come back next week and be first in line.”

“I’m not sure that I
want
to come back.”

“But you have to.”

“Yes, you really should. He doesn’t just give out free passes like that. Actually, I think this is the second time that he’s done it.
Ever.”
Aldon
tugged the curtain across the door as it got stuck on the
rod
.

Cindy eyed her. “See. That means we’re special.”

“Fine.”
April stuck out her hand for one of the wristbands. Cindy held one out to her and then pulled it away. A surge of irritation went through her. She snatched at the thin strip of plastic and caught it the second time. Shoving it in her purse, she began to walk away when the bouncer grabbed her arm.

“A word of advice.”

“What?” she snapped.