It infuriated Sif that people didn't appreciate the menace of a bunnygirl bar.
Oh sure, bunnygirls weren't the most dangerous fey. They weren't holstaurs who could turn a man into a brainless stud with their milk. They didn't have brainwashing pollen like alraunes, nor did they have a penchant for potions like goblin maids.
But they were still dangerous.
Insidious.
For though true, bunnygirls had no innate magic to corrupt a man, they were still fey.
Still dangerous.
Even if they were unbelievably dumb.
From his window in the
Pig and Blanket
inn, he scrutinized the
Hopalong House
across the street. A business, they said. He scoffed. As if. Bunnygirls were smart enough to run a business. Their only claim to fame was being easy.
No.
There was more to this. And as a ranger of the Amber Wolf, it was his job to ensure that monster girls weren't taking advantage of humans and corrupting them.
And
Hopalong House
was surely doing that.
The proof, however, had been a little hard to obtain.
He frowned, glaring at bunnygirl bar. He'd been staking the
Hopalong House
out for several days, interviewing men and women, recording everything he could find. Stories of straying wives and husbands. Of money splurged at the bar and changes in people who'd become 'special customers.'
He shook his head. Yeah, he bet they were special. But the thing was that though the customers went home in the evenings, they always came back. So there were no kidnappings. No deaths. No people vanishing and turned into brainwashed husbands or studs. Seemingly nothing that would warrant attention. But he wasn't fooled. Those dumb bunnies were up to something. Not that he should need proof. In the villages and countryside people still remembered the old warnings. The dangers of the fey and the way they preyed on people. But the city was different. More... cosmopolitan, as the captain of the guard had patiently explained when Sif brought up his concerns.
"
Hopalong House
is a very popular business, and we're very interested in supporting new venues from our fey neighbours," the captain said. "If we were going to kick them out just for being fey, we'd have to do the same to the holstaurs, the goblins, the doptarines, and more. Would you have us do that?"
"Yes, frankly," Sif had snapped.
The captain had given him an expression of forced politeness, and Sif realized that he had not been the first ranger the captain had been forced to deal with.
"Tell you what," the captain had said patiently. "You bring me some evidence of illegal magics, and we'll talk. Until then,
Hopalong House
is going to remain open. And unmolested," he'd added in a warning tone.
Sif had wanted to grab the man and shake him until he saw sense, but had resisted the impulse. He knew the bunnygirls were up to something, and assaulting the captain of the guard would have gotten him banished from the city, leaving the populace to their fate.
No worse than they deserved, he thought bitterly. Especially with how busy the bar was.
Sif had managed to drag one of the 'special' customers into an alley and worked the man over. Sadly, aside from some obvious extreme inebriation, Sif hadn't found any residue of magic or intoxicants. So it was something else those bunnygirls were doing. Some other way they were enticing customers to return again and again, and he sincerely doubted it was for the food. There had to be a trick. Had to be a spell! And it was up to him to find out what.
A whistle made him turn back to his room's lone table, where he'd assembled his alchemical array. A greenish potion hissed out a burst of steam, and Sif lifted it free of the burner, giving it a speculative shake. He grinned as the bubbles settled. Perfect. He wasn't sure just how those bunnygirls were drugging men, but this antidote would up his resistance to magic intoxicants. Between it and his natural resistance to fey magic, he'd be safe. He downed the potion, grimacing at the bitter aftertaste, then nodded to himself and rose. Well, he'd not learn anything more from the outside.
Time to enter the belly of the beast.
He made his way out of the inn and crossed the street, the music piping from within the
Hopalong House
in a trilling jig. He pushed open the door and stepped inside.
The interior of the bar was lit by the low glow of lamps hanging from the rafters. It was tight inside, with booths filling the walls while a smattering of tables fanned across the floor before a stage. Men and a few women crowded the seats, though Sif couldn't help but notice that though the bar didn't lack for customers, they seemed to have at least one server for every patron.
Sif stared. He'd never seen so many bunnygirls. Or in such... revealing attire. All were dressed in fishnet stockings that hugged plump thighs, while corsets cinched around waists, lifting the ample orbs of breasts. Long and floppy ears bobbed as the eager girls laughed or snuggled against the patrons, urging them to drink or gossip or just talk.
And the smell...
What was that smell?
Sif's nostrils flared as he inhaled deeply. It wasn't... unpleasant. But it was strange. Potent. Something beyond the aroma of too many bodies, ale and cheap fried food. It was also a bit familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.
What was it?
"Table for one?"
He snapped back to the present and looked to the side, finding a bunnygirl beaming at him from a stool behind a podium. Somewhat short, plump in a pleasing way, her brown hair was styled into a ponytail that hung over her shoulder. Her eyes were bright and her floppy rabbit ears perked up at his presence.
"Sorry?" Sif asked.
She giggled, ears and chest bouncing with her mirth, and Sif hid his grimace at the playfully feminine display. He knew too well it was merely a ploy by a fey creature to tempt humans, after all. "Are you sitting alone? Or with a party?" she asked.
"Oh. Alone."
"Sure thing," she said, though the sparkle in her eye made him frown. Like his answer revealed something. "Right this way!"
She hopped off her stool and spun before him, the cotton ball of her tail wagging with the rocking of her hips as she led the way. Sif followed, tense, as she brought him to a booth just off the stage where what appeared to be a bawdy strip show was taking place.
"Take a seat," she chimed with an inviting gesture.
"Thanks," he said, sliding into the booth.
"Here you go!" she said, slipping him a menu. "My name is Cherry, and I'll be your server. It's my job to make sure you have just the bestest, most wonderful time here at the
Hopalong House
! We have some really delicious drinks tonight! Especially the Peach and Fizz wine," she chirped, pointing at the particular item on the menu.
"Is that right?" he said, his eyes roaming about the common room. A nearby table had a pair of men being fawned over by two bunnygirls each, who were giggling and leaning against the patrons adoringly. Sif narrowed his eyes, looking closer. The two men looked quite drunk. But was that all? Perhaps enchantment? Could be...
"I'll have what they're having," Sif said.
"That's such a good choice!" Cherry chirped, taking the menu. "Be right back!" she said, bouncing away.
Once more on his own, Sif peered about the bar. It wasn't a particular well-maintained place. The walls were splintering. The floor sticky with spilled drink. Honestly, it looked like the servers were far too busy entertaining the guests than cleaning up. By all rights, the health inspector should have closed down the place long ago, if the health inspector probably wasn't another of the 'special customers.'
Sif felt a smirk work across his face. Oh yes. There was some sorcery going on here. He just needed to find out what...
"Here we are!"
Sif started as he found a platter of potatoes and bottle of wine placed before him. Cherry beamed down at him as she popped the cork and filled a glass for him, a scent of peaches wafting to him.
"Thanks," he said.
"No problem, master," Cherry said, before dragging a chair up beside him and plopping down.
He gave her a confused look. "Do you... need something?" he asked.
"Nope!" she said, squirming happily, her floppy ears twitching. "But our guests must never be long without a server. Just one of the things that makes the
Hopalong House
special!"
"Is that right?" Sif grunted, but supposed he didn't really mind. In fact, this could be handy, in case he had some questions he needed answering.
Turning back to his food, Sif picked up his fork and warily tasted the spiced potatoes. Hmm. He couldn't detect any drugs or enchantments in it. He eventually swallowed, then glanced at the glass of wine. Ah, of course! He should have known. Fey loved to enchant alcohol. Likely brewed from the fruit of an alraune to make men extra suggestible. He lifted the glass and very carefully took a tiny sip.
...Huh.
He moved the glass away, frowning at it, then took another sip. No. Not drugged. Not even very good. What the hell, then? He again glanced over at the other table where the men were being amused by their bunnygirl servers.
