Free Dirty Eden by J. A. Redmerski Page B

you don’t mind.”
    The red-haired man looked around the tavern once more to make sure no one else was listening, and then took me by the shoulder.
    “Lilith’s boys are everywhere, and it’s their job to kill every queen.”
    I was no less confused.
    “...Oh, and to kill every man that comes from the Outside whose job it is to give up his seed to her.”
    My eyes grew wide. My heart thudded in my chest and then made its way to my stomach. I felt incredibly dizzy.
    The red-haired man helped me to the table where the dog under it still lay chewing on leftover bones. The other two men went back to their drinking.
    “Explains why you’re runnin’ around with the little demon.”
    “He’s supposed to be helping me.”
    “Well, I don’t know anything about that,” the red-haired man went on, “but I can tell you to watch your back everywhere in Creation. Keep your head about you. Be careful trusting women and you’ll need help getting into the fortress.”
    Creation? My head? I pressed a hand to my chest, searching for my heartbeat. “Creation?” I said aloud.
    “Oh boy, you really are from the Outside.”
    A barmaid sauntered over. She may have once been a beautiful woman. Now, scars and needle marks in the bends of her arms fouled her. Her eyes were bright like emeralds, but tired and corrupt. Her plump breasts spilled out over her top, revealing every freckle and mole though they were strangely attractive.
    “Why did you come to Fiedel City anyway?” said the red-haired man to me, expertly changing the subject. He swilled down his drink and gorged the greasy meat on his plate in-between words. He eyed me with a be-careful-what-you-say sort of look.
    “I guess I...uh...needed to get away from home, see what else the world has to offer.”
    “So you chose Fiedel City?” The red-haired man faked a dubious look in his short glance. “If you haven’t already noticed, this isn’t exactly a place to stretch your wings.”
    “You want anything?” the barmaid asked. “Anything at all....” She traced her tongue along the length of her painted lips.
    “We have everything we need here,” said the brown-haired man from the bar. “Ale, the finest food in the North, and plenty of women!”
    For a moment, I hoped no one saw the disgusted look that manipulated my face. The ale tasted like horse piss — I was positive that’s how horse piss tasted — the food...well, it had no right to be called food, and the women....
    “Too small,” the red-haired man said. “Fiedel City is a speck on the map compared to the other cities. Blink and miss it, y’know. And there ain’t much magic anymore.”
    “Well, I’m only passing through,” I said. “Not that I don’t enjoy your city. It’s...nice.”
    All of the men laughed.
    “You keep telling yourself that,” said the red-haired man.
    The barmaid was now sitting on the edge of the table; dress pulled up the thigh, a mug of ale in one hand.
    “Go away woman,” said the red-haired man. He put his thick, rugged fingers in his mouth, then suckled the juices from the meat and tossed the bone onto the floor. The black mutt underneath the table lapped at it, growled and then carried it off to a more private spot near the far wall.
    The barmaid stood up and leaned over me, pressing her enormous, jiggling breasts into view. “Name’s Charla,” she said with the flick of her tongue. “I’ll check back with you later.”
    She brushed her hand under my chin, winked and walked away into the crowd.
    I was oddly attracted to her and though she faintly stank like sex, it mattered about as much as the horse piss ale: it still hit the spot and the rest was beside the point. I watched her go until the ale and spit shower shook me from my horny daze.
    “There are some magics left here,” slurred Morris, hovering over me now. “Ronan in Big Creek says so.”
    My curiosity was only mild. “What kind of magic?” I said, wiping the spit from my cheek.
    “Oh no!