"Dammit," Deirdre breathed. "I didn't know places like this existed."
"Oh they do, trust me. You still doing alright? These meetups can be kind of...shocking..."
"Tell me about it," she said somewhat sarcastically as we passed a booth two men and two women were eating and penetrating each other in both gay and straight variations.
We were at the Spring Formal, a party put on by the same people who organized the Halloween Bash. At least slightly inspired by Those Abhorrent Books, it gave kinky people in Minneapolis and the surrounding community a chance to dress up in formal wear and get their kink on in a semi-public venue. The organizers had rented a hotel for a weekend - I had my suspicions that it was donated by one of the attendees - and the lobby and bar area was a place for guests to mingle in expensive clothes. And fuck in and out of those expensive clothes if the mood struck them.
The rooms above were for those who wanted more privacy... which wasn't many, or sleep.
I had a two-night reservation here. I'd remembered the Spring Formal while Deirdre and I were in the attic a few weeks ago, and after a few text messages and one meeting she agreed to go and observe.
Sienna, surprisingly, hasn't been jealous at all, or if she was she didn't show it. She said it was healthy for me to get back in touch with my sexual side, and since she was on her period this weekend, she wouldn't begrudge me going.
Not that I would've brought her. I did feel somewhat - ok a lot - protective of her, and I didn't want her fucking in public - even just me - at such a young age. Someone might recognize her, and then her life going forward would be complicated. Me, I had a more or less disposable job, and a union behind me at my other job.
My teaching career was on hold for another quarter pending the outcome of the investigation - also in a holding pattern - and if the pencildicks in HR screwed me over for semester three, they were going to be dealing with a union lawyer so rabid he made honey badgers look like housecats. So I kept working at the bank and trying to spend as little as possible and wondering when my life would get back to normal and if someone would try to kill me again and if they'd be more direct this time.
We'd passed two guards on the way in, and I hoped they were armed instead of just standing there looking impressive in expensive suits. In case they weren't, I was carrying my Glock. While that might be difficult to explain to Deirdre later, three people who should've been here weren't, and I'd now seen three attempts on my life. I didn't give a shit about "difficult to explain."
Dress code was formal, and was insisted upon. Like almost all the other men here, I was wearing a tuxedo and a leather mask, Deirdre a dress and a lace mask. While I was in formal, boring black and, she was almost patriotic in her coloring. A brilliant blue knee-length silk dress showed off every curve she had, perfectly complimenting her blue eyes, pale skin, and vibrant red hair. That mane was mostly piled up in a messy bun, a few strands artfully escaping to frame her face, most of which was hidden behind lace that looked less like a domino and more like a belly-dancers veil.
She was easily one of the most beautiful women in the room.
Standing at the bar, I scanned the crowd for people I knew. It was hard to tell in a sea of identical clothing and face masks, but I did spot the giant Phillip from the Halloween Bash, and the tiny blonde on his arm must be Anya. I idly wondered if she was still wearing her bunny tail. Aside from them, nobody.
Just because I didn't recognize anyone didn't mean they didn't recognize me. I jumped a little at a tap on the shoulder, turned to my right to see a couple had moved to the bar next to me. He was medium height, with a craggy, oval face that looked like it lent itself well to either smiling or ranting. The leather mask he was wearing was rich and brown, matching the color of his almost boyish haircut.
Next to him was a slightly taller - probably heels - aristocratic looking blonde woman wearing a tight black dress and a set of diamonds that probably cost more money than I'd earn in my lifetime. Her mask was a rich white leather that swept up high at the corners of the eyes in a style somewhere between Cat and Spock. A thin, expensive leather collar circled her slim neck, attached to an equally expensive leash held in the mans left hand. She stood perfectly at ease by his side, holding a costly black handbag.
"Professor." The man's voice was smooth and rich.
I took a sip of my Wild Turkey. "Senator."
The masks were to maintain anonymity, everyone wore door-issued name badges with their preferred pseudonyms. Unlike the Halloween Bash where the goal was to fuck as much as possible and costumes might provide a shield against ones real identity being compromised, the Spring Formal was a chance to get out and socialize with your fellow kinksters - and fuck as the whim took you. Maybe develop some real life connections, if you both wanted.
"You have my sympathies about your friends. I heard there's some continuing unpleasantness surrounding that?"
I nodded, grimaced at the memory, took another drink, and grimaced at the alcohol. How did Jessie drink this so readily? "It continues."
"Would you like any help with that?"
I gave him a rueful grin. "Not sure what you could do, but I've got it under control."
"You don't like to ask for help, do you?"
"Not one bit."
He shook my hand and I felt paper press into my skin. "They were friends of ours too. Nina and James especially, he did some invaluable security work for me."
"They're missed by everyone who knew them." I examined the paper, two tickets, done up in red and black themes with an address I vaguely recognized, somewhere on the Minnesota-Wisconsin border. "What are these?"
Senator smiled warmly. "Open-ended passes to a...facility...I think you...and your date... might appreciate. A small token of our appreciation for everything you've done for this community, and gratitude for the friendship you showed the dearly departed. If you need anything, the proprietor knows how to contact me. Don't hesitate to ask. Miss."
He tipped an imaginary hat to Deirdre and then he and the blonde cut through the crowd like an ice-breaker cutting through arctic seas.
"Who was that?" Deirdre squeezed my arm to pull my attention away from the couple. I shook my head and turned back to her. "What's up?"
"Who was that?"
I recalled all my memories of Senator. "I have no idea. Spent some time with him previously. Know he's ridiculously wealthy, but I don't even know who he is. No clue what his name might be."
"Is he actually a senator?"
"I've looked through pictures of senators from the past forty years of government and can't find anyone who looks like him. Maybe he's just some rich kook who wishes he'd gotten into government?"
We ended our way through the crowd to a both along the wall and sat, sipped our drinks. "What did he mean about unpleasantness around your friends, what you'd done for the community? It sure seemed like that guy knew you."
I contemplated the inquisitive redhead over the rim of my glass. She sure did want to know a lot about a man with more fuck-you money than most small nations. "No comment." I changed topics without giving her time to respond. "You bring your paperwork?"
