The Apache dancer was tan, muscular and beautifully hung. He was dancing only inches from her, his long powerful body twisting and swaying to the loud rock music. Kelly White grinned at him and stuffed a five dollar bill into his g-string. A few drops of sweat fell on to her skin. Her cheeks felt hot and her cunt throbbed deliciously. Smiling, he rolled his hips in time to the music, small rivulets of sweat running down his face and chest. Although Kelly found him attractive, he really wasn't her type. Too skinny. He winked at her for the tip, danced a few more minutes, then gracefully stalked back to the stage.

The crowd of horny women behind her screamed with approval.

Kelly shook her head smiling, and glanced at her watch. It was almost midnight. Picking her purse up off the floor, she placed it on her lap keeping it out of view. Looking across the table, she watched the girls. Brenda, her best friend, sat across from her drinking straight vodka and tossing her bleach blonde hair back and forth in time to the music. Her pink lipstick was smudged from too many male stripper kisses.

Brenda was the first of Kelly's friends to get married and at a very young age--so Kelly thought--thirty-one. Now, two years into her friend's new marriage, Kelly could see the disillusionment showing on Brenda. It wasn't anything she could definitely point to, but there were signs, like how she'd begun to neglect her hair and nails. She used to be so meticulous with both, but now more and more time passed between visits to the salon. Was that due to anger with Steve her husband, or was it just a result of finally getting what Brenda had wanted? Kelly didn't know.

Penny, Kelly's friend from work, was an attractive, petite brunette who was usually very mild-mannered. Not tonight though. Once Penny had a few drinks in her, she'd groped every dancer she could get her hands on. When Brenda and Kelly told her to calm down, she'd shouted, "You only live once, you know!" and ordered a few more drinks.

Kelly wondered if she was being unfair to Brenda about her marriage. Maybe she was just jealous. What about me? Don't I want to get married some day? That was a hard question to answer. She definitely wanted to marry, but certainly not just for the sake of it. Nothing was sadder, in her experience, than someone who had married for the wrong reason. She was starting to think she'd end up an old maid, just like her aunt Sarah. I need to get out of here; this place is starting to depress me.

Kelly sighed. She knew the girls would be mad about her leaving, but she had an important meeting tomorrow and needed to get some sleep. Looking around the table, she rehearsed a few excuses in her head. Her friends wouldn't believe them, of course. They always teased her on how driven she was.

Kelly leaned across the table so she could be heard over the music. "I have to go!" she shouted.

Brenda's mouth dropped open. "What? Kelly, we just got here!"

Kelly slowly eased herself off her chair trying not to block everyone's view of the show. I need to get out of here before she talks me into staying. "I know, I know. I'm sorry, Brenda, but I really do have to go."

Penny squinted at her with bloodshot eyes. The alcohol had aged her face ten years. "What do you have to do that's so important?" she slurred. The waiter walked by and she leered at him, her sexual aggression taking a disturbing turn.

Kelly pushed down her annoyance. Why did I come here anyway? She hated strip clubs. "I have to work tomorrow, Penny. I have to get up in the morning."

Penny pouted. She made a sweeping gesture to Brenda then herself. Kelly caught the scent of cheap perfume and sweat. "We have to work tomorrow too, and we're staying."

"Well, that's great for you guys, but I have a meeting in the morning." Kelly slung her purse over her shoulder. She ignored the harsh looks coming from a nearby table of middle-aged women trying to see around her. She drank down the rest of her red wine and waved. "I'll talk to you guys later."

Brenda didn't look at her. Her attention was riveted on the Apache as he danced with a member of the audience. "Sure, Kelly. Talk to you later."

Kelly made her way outside the auditorium to the lobby and bar area. The furniture and walls were decorated in rich colors of red and gold, illuminated by wriggly sticks of neon lights high overhead. The carpet reminded her of a movie theater, decorative but well worn. Posters of handsome dancers in their various signature costumes lined the walls. She paused by one of the posters depicting a man dressed as some kind of S&M demon. He wore a leather outfit and held a nasty looking bullwhip coiled in his hand. He was very good looking in a dark and sinful way. The caption above his head said "BAAL the Incubus". An incubus, now there's an angle. A quiet, sexual thrill filled her and for a moment, Kelly thought about staying for his performance. No, I need to go.

Two of the dancers who'd already been on were standing at the bar having a drink. They were shirtless and both wore faded jeans. Kelly knew from experience that the club paid them to mingle with the patrons after the show. They tried to catch her eye, but she ignored them.

Outside the night was hot and dry. A few white clouds lazily drifted across the full moon's path. Pulling her keys out, Kelly walked quickly to her car. This is what my life has come to. Strip clubs. What she really needed was a date, not these fantasy lovers. For a moment she toyed with calling her ex-boyfriend, Jake. They'd been broken up for over a month now and she was starting to find herself calling him every time she had a few drinks in her. He was always nice of course, but distant. Who was she fooling? She knew it was over. He hadn't even been that good in bed, what was she doing missing him?

No, I am not going to call him. It's over and that's it.

As she reached her car, something small and shiny on the pavement caught her eye. She stopped and bent over to get a better view. It sparkled in the moonlight and grew brighter with every flash of the neon Incubus Nights sign above. She picked it up and studied it.

It was an amulet so strange she was sure she'd never seen anything like it. The chain was simple gold, and the thick links suggested a man's necklace. The amulet itself was very odd though. It was bronze with a naked woman in the center and a pentagram engraved over her. Strange writing was carved all around it. Just holding the thing gave her the chills. She wished she could read what it said.

Kelly looked up and around for any clue as to who might have dropped it. The parking lot was deserted so she put the necklace in her pocket, jumped into her car and drove home.