Terra #2
“Yeah—you know what that guy looks like? Like a bull,” Crystal said. “But with a man’s body. You know that one from all the Greek stories? What do you call it?”
“A Minotaur,” Terra said. She had always loved Greek Mythology—she used to read it for fun when she was younger.
“A mino-what?” Candy asked, frowning.
“A Minotaur,” Terra repeated. “You know—a bull’s head on a man’s body? That’s what it’s called.”
“Oh, right…but his face isn’t completely like a bull’s. I mean, his nose and ears are kind of like a bull’s, but his eyes are almost human.” Crystal shivered. “That’s what makes him so creepy—the almost part.”
“I know—if he was all bull or all man, it would be one thing but he’s like…half and half, you know?” Candy made a face. “Ugh!”
Terra was just about to ask when they’d had time to get a good look at the big Monstrum’s face when a new voice cut through the girlish chatter and the thumping music from the stage.
“All right, girls—I need a volunteer.” It was Marty, the Club Manager—the same one who had hired Terra six months ago when she had come in looking for a waitressing job.
He was a big guy—which was good, since he sometimes doubled as a bouncer—with a shiny bald head and a diamond earring in one ear.
Tonight he was wearing his usual uniform of tight jeans and a black muscle shirt that showed off his bulging biceps.
“What is it, Marty? What do you need?” Crystal fluttered her long, fake lashes.
“And how much does it pay?” Candy demanded.
“New group just came in—bachelor party,” Marty said shortly. “The groom-to-be wants to treat his friend to a lap dance and he says he’ll pay double the usual rate.”
“Me, me! I’ll do it!” Candy exclaimed.
“No, me—I’m sure he’d rather have a redhead,” Crystal protested.
“Before you get too eager, let me tell you who the customer is—it’s the Monstrum guy in the back—the one with horns,” Marty told them.
“Eww!” Both girls drew away at once, clutching at each other. “No way, Marty—find somebody else!” Candy made a disgusted face. “I’m not an animal-fucker!”
“He’s not an animal and nobody said you had to fuck him.” Marty sounded exasperated.
“But he looks like an animal—like one of those Mino-things!” Crystal exclaimed.
“Minotaur,” Terra reminded her. She looked at Marty. “How much did you say they’re offering?”
“Double the usual rate. And a nice tip if you show his friend a good time.” The manager raised his eyebrows. “You up for it, Terra?”
Terra took a deep breath. Was she up for this? Not really, she admitted to herself. But she needed the money. Her car needed that new alternator, and her savings account was about to have a negative balance once she paid for it—she couldn’t afford to be picky.
Plus, at least the lap dance wasn’t for Viktor Orlov.
Orlov was an older guy who had been pestering Terra lately.
He came to her shows regularly and had gotten so handsy during the last lap dance she’d given him, that she refused to dance for him again.
She’d been relieved when she looked out into the crowd and hadn’t seen his distinctive black hair with a white stripe on one side.
The other girls giggled and said the stripe made Orlov look like a skunk but Terra didn’t think there was anything funny about him.
He had a cold intensity that gave her the creeps.
“Well, are you up for it?” her manager asked again.
“Yeah, I’m up for it,” she said, keeping her voice even. “At least he’s not Orlov.”
“You oughta be nice to Mr. Orlov.” Marty pointed a finger at her warningly. “He spends a lot of money in here.”
“Right, I know,” Terra said impatiently. “So what about the minotaur guy? Do you know his name?”
Marty shook his head.
“Sorry, no. But it’s not like you can mistake him for anyone else.”
“Yeah—he’s the only Mino-thingy in the club!” Crystal exclaimed and she and Candy dissolved into giggles.
“You two behave, I’m sure he’s a nice guy,” Terra said, pointing at them. “He probably feels just as uncomfortable being here as you two are seeing him in the club.”
She hoped the big Monstrum was a nice guy, anyway. Otherwise, this might turn into a sticky situation.
“Yeah, right!” Candy sounded skeptical. “Just be careful, Terra—don’t let him poke you with his horns!”
“I’m sure that’s not the part he wants to poke her with!” Crystal said and the two of them dissolved into helpless giggles again.
Shaking her head, Terra followed Marty past the stage and down into the audience. This was either going to be the best or worst lap dance she’d ever given, she thought. But either way, it was certainly going to be memorable.
She just hoped the Monstrum warrior wasn’t going to be a grabby asshole because by the looks of him, she might not be able to get away if he got out of hand. He was truly huge, sitting head and shoulders above the human guys around the table with him.
His horns reminded her a bit of a Texas Longhorn, sticking out from either side of his head with at least a five-foot span.
Geeze—he must have to turn sideways to get through doors! Terra thought.
His face, now that she was closer, did seem a bit long—especially around his nose which had a broad bridge and was flat at the end. His ears, which stood out from his head, were also distinctly bovine. But his mouth and eyes were human and filled with intelligence.
He was wearing an expensive looking long-sleeved button-down shirt that was fitted to his large, muscular body, and tight black trousers. Terra wondered if he had hooves like a bull or feet like a human man, but it was too dark to tell in the shadows under the table.
She also wondered what he was doing here with a group of human guys—all of which were dressed in suits and ties that were pulled askew. They looked like a bunch of drunk businessmen—all but the Monstrum who didn’t seem to fit in with them at all, despite his starched white shirt.
“Hi there, folks—didn’t I tell you I’d find you a girl?” Marty asked, giving the group at the table a wide, the-customer-is-always-right grin.
“You sure as hell did! You found someone for my friend here?” the groom-to-be demanded. He was easily distinguishable because he had a sign hanging around his neck that said, “Dead Man Walking! Getting Married Tomorrow!” in scrawled, barely legible handwriting.
“Sure did—this is Bunny, one of our best girls,” Marty told him. “She was eager to come meet your friend, Mr.—?”
“Taurex,” the big Monstrum finished for him. Dear Lord, his voice was deep! Terra could feel it in her bones.
“Mr. Taurex—this is Bunny,” Marty said, making the introductions. “She’s going to take real good care of you.” He shot a glance at Terra as if to say, “Aren’t you?” Clearly, he wanted to be sure she wasn’t backing out now that she’d seen the big Monstrum up close.
To be completely honest, Terra considered it for a moment.
Now that she could really see him, it was obvious he was absolutely enormous.
It wasn’t easy to judge sitting down, but she thought he might be almost eight feet tall—by far the largest customer she’d ever danced for.
He made even the professional wrestlers who came into the club sometimes look tiny.
But then she thought again of her car’s alternator and the fact that she hadn’t bought groceries yet this week and nodded.
“Hi there, Mr. Taurex,” she murmured, stepping up to him. “Just relax now and let me show you a good time.”