The entrance was surprisingly boring in appearance. A flat metal door, marking the centre of the cylinder’s protruding into the white corridor. An electronic display under a white L1 showed the simple word ‘Occupied’. Scratching his head, John wondered whether he was supposed to just wander in. Ultimately, he decided to knock first.

Ten seconds passed, and he raised his hand to repeat the motion. Just before he could knock again, the door opened and John was greeted by one of his companions for the night. “Evening,” Magnus said in his usual, shortly worded fashion and welcomed the Gamer to step in with a wide gesture.

“Evening. Thanks,” John returned the greeting, then entered quickly. Immediately, he felt right at home.

The private chambers’ design must have been what gave the Little Whirl its name. Every piece of design was placed to create the illusion of a swirl around the platform with the stripping pole in the centre of the room. Although the space was fairly limited, it was well used. The platform was big enough for one girl at a time to work her art. A bar at the left-hand side smoothly curved along the wall, while the right-hand side held a staircase that rose up to the high ceiling and a second story. Presumably the sleeping quarter were up there.

Aside from that, there were twelve chairs spread across three tables equally spaced out around that central stripping pole. The closest of which was where John’s friends were sitting in the proper lighting of the room. As the receptionist had promised, no twilight was hiding anything. The walls, floor and ceiling were all painted to further increase the whirl effect.

“There he finally is,” Maximillian spoke up when the Gamer sat down in the remarkably comfortable armchair. “Pardon me, I would give you a hand, but, as you can see, both of them are rather preoccupied.”

Indeed, sitting on the former king’s good leg, was an ebony woman with chin-length black hair and bright blue eyes, contrasting her red choker intensely. Wearing a cropped top and hot pants, she showed off what John felt was best described as a dancer’s body. Lean, with her feminine bits not too large or heavy to cause any hindrances during the swaying, swinging motions.

Regarding Maximillian’s hands, one was working on her breast’s through the clothes, the other had slid into her pants and was groping her naked butt. As per the colour of her choker (and the giant smile on her face), the lady was more than fine with this treatment. A second lady in the room was working on the bar, a white collar showing that she was averse to any sexual action during work hours.

On the looks side, she was tall, blonde and green eyed, with a curvy hourglass figure under a sleek, white dress beset with silver embroidery. If there was one thing that ruined her looks for John, it was that her jawbones were a tad too pronounced. Something that she counteracted by putting her hair into voluminous locks.

“Rather than give me respect, you plunge your fingers into places you really shouldn’t. What else is new?” John stated in a careless tone as he leaned back. Next to him Magnus also sat down. “Thanks for actually tagging along, by the way,” he said to the eldest Magus child. “Didn’t really expect it.”

“As long as you pay.” Magnus shrugged and smiled weakly after a few seconds, signalling that it was supposed to be something like a joke. For the occasion of the night, the equally lean and muscular Fateweaver had bound his dark brown hair into a ponytail. Just like John and Maximillian, he was wearing a suit. The poorest of quality between the three, but still pretty good compared to the average. Reaching down to the table, he picked up an almost empty glass, eliminated the almost part of the description with a quick gulp, and then placed it back down loudly. “3 shots, tequila,” he then suddenly decided, looking over to the bar lady. “If you would, Nina.”

“Sure,” the blonde replied in a friendly tone. In the time it had taken John to get there, they must have already broken the ice. Not a surprise, given Maximillian being a charismatic fellow and these ladies getting paid to be open to advances, up to a certain point.

“Don’t know if I ever had tequila,” John reported, trying to think back. “No, wait, I definitely had some during a black-out, so I have no idea what it tastes like anymore.”

“It’s absolutely horrible stuff,” Maximillian reported and turned to his escort for the night. “What do you say, Aletra?”

“I say your friend shouldn’t be so stuck up about where your hands are,” the ebony lady responded with a wink in John’s direction. “Maybe he would be less cranky if he called somebody for himself?”

“I don’t think he is physically able to not be cranky,” Maximillian reported, and the two of them leaned closer for a kiss. There was no love in the gesture, only the heat of the moment. Not that John was bothered by this in the slightest. “Everything went well, by the way?” the gravity mage asked almost nonchalantly.

“All as I wanted it to be,” John confirmed, just as a tablet was placed on the low table. “Cheers, Nina,” he thanked her, using her name just to help him remember it. Although he had no reason to believe that he would become a regular of the establishment, it would be awkward if he kept calling her ‘you’ the whole evening. Same for Aletra.

With some respect, he raised his shot glass and looked at the translucent liquid inside. Then he glanced over to the salt and the lemon slices. “Alright this is how… Magnus, seriously?” Maximillian started his explanation when the Fateweaver just raised his glass without any tone and threw down the alcohol without a single word. “I told you earlier to respect the drinking customs!”

“I don’t like lemons,” Magnus answered. Neither were using a tone that made John think there were actual hostilities. “Also told you that earlier.”

“I could give you oranges instead,” Nina suggested, leaning onto the Fateweaver’s chair. “Would mean you have to drink another tequila though.”

“He paid already,” the Fateweaver gestured at Maximillian. “I’m all in.”

“Get me a second one as well,” John stated, quickly picking up the shot for himself and drinking it without any of the ritual. The disgruntled face Maximillian showed at that was half the reason why he did it. “You look like I just burned your flag,” the Gamer giggled, then suddenly shook his entire body as the strong alcoholic taste spread through his mouth and then his body as a wave of heat. Nina picked up both empty glasses and went back to the bar.

“You might as well have!” Maximillian retorted. “Traditions are important!”

“Sometimes I forget that you’re such a conservative,” John bantered right back. “Between you not fusing with your elemental and being such a MILF hunter.”

“I am sorry that my views are not as easy as ‘all tradition good, let’s never be an individual’.” Maximillian rolled his eyes. “Then again, you are quite a bad liberal, freeing the slaves and all that.”

“How is that anti-liberal?” John asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

“Let’s see, Aletra, who won the civil war here in the USA again?”

“You better not ask me that because I am black,” the same prefaced her answer in a joking tone.

“I am asking you because you’re a smart young lady,” Maximillian flirted right back, moving his hand over her round ass. A detail John only noticed because he was looking at the same and reminded again who he was and where a good portion of his blood spent its time.

“Good save,” Aletra giggled and ran a hand through the king’s hair. As suggested, he had cut it to a sensibly short cut since they had met on John’s birthday. It definitely looked much better. “That would be the Republicans.”

“Good girl,” Maximillian traced his hand down the ebony dancer’s midriff. “The Republicans, who you would generally call conservatives, right?”

“Maximillian…” John used the gravest tone he could, like he was the bringer of the worst news ever conceived, “…conservatives… they conserve the values of a society… its in the name… they were acting either in a liberal or a Christian fashion when they did that.”

“So, you’re being a conservative just for USA values?” the king shifted the goalpost right under John’s nose. The grin with which he did that made clear that he knew exactly what he was doing. Although it could also have been related to the fact that he was now running a hand over Aletra’s crotch.

“If you want to frame it that way, sure,” John answered with a shrug. “I don’t exactly care about what label you slap on me. I just find the idea that getting rid of slavery is an anti-liberal position to be remarkably stupid. Then again, what do I expect from you of all people?” He threw his hands into the air in an overacting fashion to take the bite out of those words.

“Just pulling your panties, buddy,” Maximillian responded, quite clearly distracted by the fact that he was actually pulling both Aletra’s pants and panties. “Looks delicious and smooth down there,” he whispered, which was still loud enough for everyone to hear. The only other noises in the room were the pouring of drinks and soft classical music in the background.

“That does it.” John slammed his hands on the armrests. “Okay, why do you have a hot lady in your lap but Magnus and I have to play the voyeur?”

“Because I’m a king and you’re just a president,” Maximillian laughed and pulled Aletra closely against himself. In a stage whisper, he stated, “Listen to him, he thinks he’s people. Describes you as just hot. Like one word is enough to describe such a fantastic piece of chocolate brilliance. Only emperors get more than kings.”

“You’re not even a king right now, you went on ‘vacation’ on your own accord. You have less official power than Magnus here,” John reminded his opposite in a dry tone, pointing at the silent Fateweaver, just as the tequila arrived. “Since you’re so high and mighty, do show me how it’s done now.” He raised his finger warningly. “And then I demand access to my own sexy lap warming escort!”

“I am fine if you call me a slut, Mister Newman.” Aletra turned towards him, to Maximillian’s temporary disgruntlement. “I saw the videos, I know you like doing that.” she moaned suddenly when the king she was sitting on reached into her pants and rubbed her clit with a few skilful movements. Not as good as John, that the Gamer just felt free to assume, but probably pretty good regardless.

“If you want to be called a slut rather than whore, I suggest you be a bit more attentive to who called you.” Maximillian used the same deep tone that John got into whenever he was playing the dominating part. It was basically the male counterpart to women putting on the sultry tone and was instantly recognizable as being not too serious. “You know what to do,” he stated, raising the other hand to her mouth.

Her tongue was surprisingly long, as John found out while it travelled over the back of Maximillian’s hand. “You put salt on the back of your hand,” the king said, while Aletra did it for him. Using cinnamon instead, Magnus pulled along. John also mimicked the motion, once the shaker was back on the table.

With a fair bit of annoyance, to be sincere. He really wanted to have a woman to do these things for him himself. Preferably Eliza, she was the most satisfying to use in such a manner. Literally any woman would have done it though, from his harem or not. The whole thing that irked him was that Maximillian was showing off. Went right into his pride.

“Then you grab the lemon or lime or orange,” Maximillian continued, the ebony lady still moving for him, her motions slightly dulled by a genuine gasp leaving her lips. The entire time, the king had continued rubbing her clit, something that now reflected in a certain dullness in her blue eyes. “Preparations done, you do it in the following order: lick salt, drink shot, eat citrus. Alright?” Nods all around. “Cheers!”

““Cheers!”” John and Magnus echoed, everyone raising their glass and following the procedure. The quick exchange of extreme flavours was quite interesting. Salty, then the strong alcohol, lastly the intense sourness. John welcomed the last quite eagerly. While he wasn’t too fond of the taste by itself, it was much preferable to the shot.

“I don’t like tequila,” John decided at that moment, as the window warning him of ‘light tipsiness’ opened. “Can I get some sort of mixed drink?” he asked Nina, who had spent the entire scene leaning onto Magnus’ chair.

“Sure,” she answered. “Anything specific?”

“Nothing too out of the ordinary, otherwise I don’t care.” John shrugged, just wanting something to drink.

“What about you, hon?” the blonde asked Magnus, bowing forwards so her tight dress created a very in-depth view of her cleavage. At least to where the Fateweaver was sitting. “Another whiskey neat?”

“Water, tall glass,” Magnus answered after shaking his head. “Shouldn’t get too dehydrated. I want to function in the morning.”

“Good thinking,” Nina agreed with a complimenting smile. “What about you?” The request went to Maximillian, who was once more making out with Aletra.

“Just a beer,” he answered hastily, clearly having found his drink of choice somewhere around the lady’s tongue. Only when John hammered on the table did the king pull his attention away. “Okay, okay, relax, buddy.”

“You don’t get to tell me to relax while you show-off in this manner.” The Gamer pointed at the gravity king in a playfully threatening manner. “Do not forget who I am, Maximillian, or I will ruin every woman you will ever touch by claiming her myself. You know I can. I’m a sex god without the mechanical classification!”

“Fine.” Maximillian rolled his eyes, although they both knew perfectly well that John was right. “You have your phone with you?” That was a clear yes, the Gamer just had to pull it from his inventory. “Connect to the wireless and it will install an app. You can use that to fill out a preference sheet and whoever fits the best and is available will come here. We can call one girl for everyone that is here plus one.”

“Alright… so, Magnus, you also calling someone?” John asked as he followed the instructions.

“Already did,” the quick answer came, and John looked up from the download bar. Just in time for Nina to place down the drinks they had ordered.

“Not too often somebody specifies one of us few white choker girls,” the blonde stated, putting the beer in front of Maximillian. “All he checked was that and good conversationalist.” The water landed in front of Magnus.

“I can believe that,” John confirmed the first statement, immediately checking for black and red himself. For a little while, he looked over the list. It was quite detailed and allowed for high variance. Too much variance to fill it all, as he found out as he confirmed some boxes for testing purposes and saw the number next to the word ‘Available’ change with every decision. More than a few times, it dropped to zero. Not that he was too picky. The only two details he actually added were a request for a girl with an at least nice booty and at least slightly submissive tendencies. For everything else, he was willing to be surprised.

Of course, picking a woman that way was objectifying, but John had three retorts should a reporter accuse him of that in the coming days. One, he was a dominant sadist, he liked objectifying women (to a degree). Two, he didn’t go to a strip club to be a virtuous person. Three, nobody forced those girls to work there. Most of the job description was selling their bodies, be it only visually. If they wouldn’t have liked it, they could have left.

John looked at what he had been given. It was a clear liquid, sparkling, with some ice cubes in it. A questioning look caused Nina to quickly inform as to what he was looking at, “Gin and tonic.”

“Ah, well, I think I like that?” John wondered, picked up the glass and took a sip. It was quite bitter, had a sweet note and went down with the typically alcoholic aftertaste. A whole lot weaker than the tequila though and the tonic did a good job masking it with its own aftertaste. The fact that it was ice cold also helped. “Yup, I like this,” John decided, then leaned back and turned to Magnus. “Really surprised you came along on a trip to the red-light district if you aren’t looking to get laid… especially with the two of us.”

The words were underlined by the fact that Aletra’s orgasming moans were muffled by her ongoing kiss with Maximillian. Although the night had barely begun (at least for John), it was already quite clear it would be more than just three guys sitting together and drinking. Not that he had really expected it would be only that.

“I’m going to work for you for years. Might as well get along.” Magnus shrugged and looked into his glass. “I’m just not looking for quick fun. I’m not like you two. I just want a simple relationship with one woman. That’s it.” Nobody in the room made fun of that.

“Absolutely respectable.” John nodded, serious for the first time since he had entered the room. “Proper, even, if I’m being honest. Max and I, we’re just…” He didn’t want to say anything that sounded arrogant, but he failed to find a better word than the one that he eventually said, “…special, I suppose.”

“To be fair,” Maximillian weighed in, ending his make-out session for the moment, the post-orgasmic Aletra laying on him, “I’m eventually going to marry and, when I do, I am going to heavily reconsider this entire ‘fucking more than one girl’ business. All depends on who I settle with and whether I actually grow up to be a rational person.”

“Well, we can immediately discount that possibility,” John joked. He didn’t even feel the need to voice that there was nothing that could ever make him give up his harem. The polyamorous web of relationships felt absolutely natural to him. “Anyway, if you were already resolved, then no harm done, I suppose.” He looked at the app again. “So, are we going to request an actual stripper as well, or are we just going to fumble around?”

“Stripper,” Magnus responded immediately, causing John to shoot him a brow-raised glance. Letting out a noise that was half scoffing and half laughter, the Fateweaver stated, “Just because I want a dedicated relationship doesn’t mean I’m not a man in a strip club.”