Free Fire Baptized by Kenya Wright

school through college, they flung dirt at me for fun, hurled rocks at my back, and did anything else their evil minds could imagine. Since there were always crowds of Purebloods around when I was bullied, I never defended myself. My control of fire was all I had. It was best to keep it a secret and use it as a surprise attack.
    Not in the mood for any Earthie crap, I decided to just get the situation over with as quickly as possible and said, “Look. I’m clean and I don’t even want a lap dance. I just have some questions that I want answered.”
    “You can ask me anything as long as I’m dancing. Pike is the bouncer tonight.” She gestured toward the front door. A tall Shifter layered in muscle and aggression glared at us. Star chomped on her gum and said, “He’ll trip if I just sit at the table. What I want to know, Mixbreed, is if you can even afford me.”
    I looked her up and down and smirked. “I doubt you’re expensive.”
    Ray cleared his throat. “Okay, ladies, so it seems we got off—”
    “You got a rich daddy here to pay for your entertainment and make you feel safe and special for a few minutes.” She bent down to me. “But we both know that if we were outside this place, you’d run the other way.”
    The candle’s flame on the table rose several inches. I gave her a wide smile, showing her all of my teeth. “I would like to test that theory. Just you and me in the back of the building where nobody can hear you scream.”
    She jerked back.
    Ray cleared his throat. “Let’s finish this quickly. I have enough cash to cover the dances.”
    Star’s eyes bore into mine for several seconds. I’m sure she was used to Mixies backing down.
    Not happening.
    I checked the candle’s light. If she messed with me, I would burn her a little. The candle was close enough that it might look like an accident.
    I glared at her, until she uncrossed her arms and said, “Lap dances with my top on is forty. Without my top, it’s eighty.”
    “It doesn’t matter,” Ray said to her. “As long as you answer our questions, we’ll pay.”
    “Then no top,” she said. “Where’s the money?”
    Ray placed a pile of hundreds on the table.
    “Ask me what you want.” She stuck her gum on the edge of my table and stepped in front of me. Her perfume crashed into me, smelling like the discounted stuff sold in the dollar stores on Rooster Way. Star scratched her stomach, stretched out her arms, and climbed on my lap, straddling me.
    Argh! I flinched, my thigh muscles almost collapsed from her weight.
    She leaned into me, positioning her breasts directly in my face.
    I stifled a groan, already wanting the lap dance to end.
    “Were you here last night?” I asked. Her breasts bounced up and down in front of me.
    “Yep.” She shoved her crotch into my lap, rubbing back and forth.
    The result was a rhythmic pounding to my midsection. The pressure felt foreign to my thighs. I gritted my teeth. This is not worth eighty dollars. She should be paying me. My thighs would be raw and scarred by the time she finished. I scooted over to the side and she followed my movement, her breasts squashing my face.
    “Did you see Carmen last night?” I resisted the urge to push her off me.
    “Who?” She scrunched her face in confusion.
    “I think her stage name is Iron Dove,” Ray added.
    “Sure, I saw her.” She bounced, damaging my thigh muscles.
    I yanked my head back, looked around the club, and saw all of the guys staring at us.
    “Did Iron Dove leave with Larry last night?” Ray ogled Star’s bouncing breasts. He caught me glaring at him and directed his attention to her face.
    “I think so. Why?” Star stopped moving, balancing all of her weight on me. “Are you spying for his wife?”
    “What? No,” I said.
    “Sure. I bet that crazy bitch got you spying on him.” Star placed her right her arm in front of Ray’s face. Dark jagged scabs covered her elbow.
    I shuddered in disgust.
    “See what that bitch did