Dei trailed along at the rear of the party as they descended into the depraved den, careful to keep her tail from brushing the floor. Something about the golden light that gleamed off the matron's body made the glass surfaces seem sticky, like honey. Her eyes swiveled from side to side, taking in glimpses of the both literal and figurative orgy of species on display from the top of the stairs to the grand chamber behind the crimson doors. Memories stirred beneath the surface of her thoughts, occasionally breaking that surface when a particular act or decoration struck a bit too close to home. The scene surrounding her was nothing new in any sense but its sheer scope of species variety. In Dei's experience, such whore pits were more commonly filled by mostly a world's native inhabitants with perhaps a few off-worlders for flavor. This place, by contrast, was a veritable zoo.<br/><br/>She felt eyes on her from all around the room, and twisted her head like a turret, trying to spot them to little avail. She could feel them tracing the lines of her lithe, athletic body, stripping her of her already minimal dress, hungering for her flesh like wild beasts. The familiar feelings of disgust tingled at the base of her spine, rippling upwards toward the back of her skull. Shutting her eyes, she took a deep breath, inhaling some of the smoke and perfume that filled the air of the den.<i>Remember,</i>she told herself,<i>you're your own woman now.</i><br/><br/>She cracked her eyes, slowly sweeping them around the room again, more casually this time.<i>You're in control of your own destiny now.</i>There, one of her hungry admirers. She could see him now, some manner of taurian quadruped, watching her with eyes like a man dying of thirst in the midst of an ocean.<i>Whatever happens here, it's your choice. They can't make you do anything you don't want.</i>Her gaze flicked toward the golden woman.<i>As long as you don't accept any funny drinks,</i>she appended.<br/><br/><i>You're in control,</i>she repeated. More of the eyes watching her around the room became clear to her as she stood there, the tingling discomfort in her spine ebbing away, replaced by a warm feeling of satisfaction.<i>You're in control, and they're hungry for you.</i>She smiled, the corners of her mouth turning up to reveal a glimpse of predatory teeth. Just like that, her apprehension of this place died down to a practical level of wariness. The disgust for her surroundings was replaced by intrigue, curiosity, perhaps even a hint of desire. No longer was this a place of fear, but an opportunity. One way or another, she could establish herself here, on her terms.<br/><br/><i>It won't be like before,</i>she thought, and that thought filled her with more warmth than all the carnal desire around her.<br/><br/>"Hey, Goldie, I didn't catch your name."<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>