Mike was so surprised to see Stardust there in front of him, that he sat unmoving with his mouth open for several moments. It took an ear-splitting whistle of appreciation from the table next to him to jar him out of his shocked freeze. He managed to close his mouth, but he couldn't take his eyes away from the stage - away from the man on stage. Mike had thought the other man was beautiful during their first meeting but seeing him now with his creamy skin dusted with gold glitter and sultry dark makeup enhancing his golden eyes, he was in awe.
Stardust's, or Glimmer's, lithe body moved in sensuous waves, hips rolling, spine arching as if in the throes of a climax. His long-legged stride carried him to the front edge of the stage, where he ripped open his shirt. Glimmer spun around in a slow circle as he shrugged out of the mock Air Force uniform top and tossed it to the side, leaving him in nothing but his boots and those little shorts. But a heartbeat later they came off too, Glimmer's hands sliding over his hips and ass before he unzipped and shimmied out of the shorts, revealing a pair of skimpy dark-blue square cut briefs. The underwear decorated with sparkling rhinestones over his groin somehow managed to be even smaller than the miniscule shorts he'd discarded, the sheer material giving the club patrons a tantalizing peek at the bare skin beneath.
With that sheet of black hair swinging against his back, Stardust returned to the pole. He made it appear effortless to climb and spin and hold himself suspended, but the lean muscles revealed the strength required to clasp the pole and hold his entire body up with nothing but his thighs and core strength. Mike watched the raven-haired man's every move, completely enthralled with his glowing, seductive presence.

****

As Aiden reached the middle of his performance, he gracefully dismounted from the pole for more floor work. Now was the time to really get the club patrons riled up, teasing and flirting until the cash in their pockets ended up at his feet. Looking out over the cheering and whistling crowd, he noticed a pair of broad shoulders a few rows back. Something about the build was familiar, but that section of the club was in shadow, preventing him from seeing the person's face. He was about to mentally shrug and move on, when the strobe lights flashed over that area, giving Aiden a quick glimpse of a hard, clean-shaven jaw, skin tanned by the sun, and a sharp haircut. It was enough for recognition to hit.
Aiden let his lips curl in a grin. The set of shoulders belonged to the beefcake from the firehouse. The poor guy looked uncomfortable, sitting with his neck stiff and back ramrod straight. But despite his apparent discomfort, his eyes were locked on the stage, following Aiden's every step. Aiden kept dancing but instead of casting suggestive glances over the patrons as he usually did during a performance, he watched Zielinski. Aiden knew the exact moment the other man realized Aiden was staring at him, because he immediately averted his gaze. Aiden chuckled to himself and looked away too, whipping around to strut back over to the pole.
He rolled his hips and dollar bills flew onto the stage before he even laid hands on the pole. He grasped the cool metal with one hand and walked around it, lifting up into a fireman's spin before transitioning into attitude. Still spinning, he brought his knees together, legs bent and toes pointed, sitting back into chair before landing lightly, feet spread wide so he could bend over and twerk. The audience roared with approval. Aiden grinned, flipping his hair back as he straightened. Gliding away from the pole to the right side of the stage, he paused for patrons to slip money in the waistband and leg holes of his sheer briefs. Each patron who slipped him singles was rewarded by Aiden standing right in front of them so they could watch him make it clap up close and personal.
When there was about a minute left of the song, Aiden gracefully ran back to the pole for one last combination of spins and flips. He grabbed onto the pole, pulling himself up near the top before flipping upside down into an inverted split. The crowd was still cheering when he rolled it to a Superman, one arm stretched forward, both legs extended in a straight line behind him. He slowly spun with the pose until he was just above the floor and then flipped over, landing in a split. Aiden eased to his back and rolled around, sweeping his hands through the money scattered across the stage and gathering it up to rub it over his near naked body. Building to the end, he threw a handful of money up in the air, letting it flutter down around him, which of course inspired the people near the stage to throw their own cash, adding to the rainfall of dollar bills.
Aiden rose up onto his knees, and crawled to the center of the stage. Lips parted in a sultry smile, he popped up into a squat, bounced it twice with his knees coyly pressed together, then flashed his legs open wide. He stayed in that pose, snapping his right hand up for a sharp salute when the final beat of the music hit. The Flirtatious Fox exploded with applause. Aiden winked at the crowd, unabashedly reveling in the cheers and loving the admiring whistles. But like the song said, what he truly loved was the money that continued to rain down around him. It was still falling when he got up, bowed, and sauntered backstage.
"Nice job," the director said.
Aiden grabbed the bottle of water he'd left there and sucked back a huge gulp. It was hot under the stage lights. "Thanks." He waited in the wings as his money and the parts of his costume he'd discarded were collected by a member of the staff. When they brought it back and handed everything over, Aiden thanked them and gave them a tip.
In the dressing room, he tucked his cash into his boots. He made a quick stop in the bathroom to freshen up, then returned to the mirrored vanity in the dressing room to reapply his deodorant, gulp down more water, and change into another outfit. This one was a sleeveless black leotard, with red military piping, gold decorative buttons and a deep V to show off his chest. Black gloves and an officer's hat finished the look, giving it a Dom vibe, which suited him just fine.
"Gonna hit the floor and see what the crowd is like tonight," he said to the house mom.
She handed him a snack bag of mini-pretzels, which he gratefully accepted.
"It's wild out there. Have fun."
Aiden nodded. He took a few minutes to eat before he left the dressing room. The second he strolled out into the club, several regulars called out to him. Aiden waved and blew flirtatious kisses to everyone. But he didn't want to get sidetracked before he reached his goal, so he didn't stop to chat with any of his fans as he headed to the section three rows back from center stage. When he reached the group Zielinski sat with, they all perked up, looking excited and eager that he was among them. A guy in the first seat spoke up, his eyes bright and face flushed from alcohol.
"Hello, darlin'. I love your work."
"Thank you," Aiden said. He smiled at them all. "And thank you everyone for coming out tonight. How many of you were members of our armed forces?" Nearly the entire group raised their hands. Aiden cocked his hip and gave them a saucy salute. "Thank you for your service."
He strolled down the line of patrons, giving each of them a moment of his attention, asking if they were having a good time, signaling the server to come over and freshen their drinks. A woman with short, dark hair and warm brown skin stared up at him with heart eyes, so he paused and flirted with her for a moment before moving on. Finally, he made it to where Zielinski sat, looking as if he were in a game of Duck, Duck, Goose and desperately hoping he wouldn't be picked to be the goose. Aiden stopped and smiled down at him.
"And who is this? I don't think I've seen you in here before."
The happy drunk from the first table spoke up again.
"That's Mike. He's new in town. We had to drag him out tonight but I bet he's glad he came now," he said loudly, ending with a boisterous laugh.
Aiden put a hand on his bare chest, smiling as if he was delighted. "Ah, a newbie! Welcome to St. Louis. I should welcome you properly." He cast an expectant glance at the patrons closest to him and they reacted predictably.
"Get him a lap dance!"
Cash immediately appeared, waving from several hands, all passed down to contribute to Mike's lap dance. Aiden took the bills and slipped them into his boot. When he looked back up, a ruddy flush had appeared on Zielinski's cheeks.
"You up for a dance, soldier?"
Bright green eyes focused on his for a long moment before Zielinski gave a tight nod.
"Good," Aiden put both palms on his thighs, slowly caressing his own skin. "Just one rule. No touching."
Zielinski gave him another one of those tight nods to show he understood.
The next song started and Aiden began to dance, rubbing his palms over his body in sensuous sweeps as he swayed his hips from side to side. He moved in close, teasingly trailing his fingers up Zielinski's thighs, feeling the firm muscle beneath the slacks. Aiden straddled the big man's lap, lowering himself until he felt the heat of those muscular thighs against his bare skin. He had a reason for instigating this lap dance and he got to it as soon as he and Zielinski were face to face, close enough that they could speak low without the others hearing them.
"I didn't think I'd see you again so soon," he said as he lightly touched a hand to the perfectly broad chest in front of him.
"They're my co-workers," Zielinski said with a slight head tilt toward the people seated next to him. "They wanted me to come out."
Aiden kept dancing, moving on autopilot while he spoke. "But you didn't want to come." He said it as a statement not a question. Zielinski answered anyway.
"Not really."
"Strip club isn't your scene?"
"I don't have a scene. I usually stay in."
Aiden continued with his questions, and their eyes stayed locked through what had become part lap dance - part interrogation. Zielinski's voice remained even with each response, but the flush still on his face gave him away. And when Aiden braced his hands on those broad shoulders, using them as leverage so that he could tease with body rolls, he brushed against more proof that Zielinski was affected - a thick, hard length hidden by those crisp business slacks. Aiden raised a brow, and let the tiniest hint of a grin curl his lips. "Impressive." He shaped the word with his lips but didn't speak it aloud. Still, that flush deepened on Zielinski's cheeks and Aiden felt his shoulders tense beneath his palms. Aiden backed off and returned to his questions, learning what he could about this man that he might be working with soon.
"And you're looking to change that with our mutual friend?"
"Maybe. I haven't decided yet."
"What made you want to become a superhero?"
For the first time Zielinski didn't respond.
"Too much to explain during a three-minute lap dance?"
"Something like that."
"Strong wants you. He doesn't reach out to anyone unless he really wants to partner with them."
"That's good to know."
"Hmmm... But what do you want?"
Zielinski swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing. But the song ended before he could answer.
Aiden leaned in close to whisper in the other man's ear. "Hope I see you again, soldier. Here or at the firehouse." He pulled back, speaking louder for the benefit of his friends. "Welcome to St. Louis. I'm sure you'll love it here." He swung his leg over Zielinski's lap to stand up straight, then strolled off, leaving longing glances and piercing wolf whistles in his wake.
 
* * *
 
After leaving Zielinski and his friends behind, Aiden roamed the club floor for another hour, giving two more lap dances, sitting with groups to add to their party vibe - which led to a bigger bar tab, and chatting with people who just wanted someone to talk to. At the end of his shift, he made his way back to the dressing room.
Here the music was muted, thanks to the soundproof blankets hanging on the walls. The carpet was old but free of tears or holes, and a ceiling fan whirred overhead to keep the scent of dozens of body sprays and perfumes from becoming too cloying. A stand of metal lockers, its tan factory paint covered with doodles and rude messages written in Sharpie, stickers, and pictures of patrons who were shitty tippers stood in the far corner. Mike went over and unlocked his locker to grab his backpack.
He peeled off the black body suit and boots, then stood there in his briefs to let his skin breathe for a few moments before he changed into a pair of black joggers and a crop top t-shirt. He sighed with relief when he slid his feet into the cushioned comfort of his tennis shoes. After nearly twenty years of dancing, his feet were a mess of almost constant soreness, and the boots and pleasers he wore on a near nightly basis didn't help.
Once he was dressed, he sat down at his assigned spot on the long vanity table to remove his makeup and tie his hair back. He'd just wiped the last of the glitter from his eyelids when the dressing room door opened. A moment later someone called his name.
"Hey, Glimmer, you've got company at the front door."
Aiden turned to look over his shoulder at the club staff member. "Who is it?"
"It's Steve. And he's got The Look."
At that answer, a chorus of sympathetic groans from the other dancers rolled through the room. The Look was one they all knew. It was the tell-tale expression of a man who was ready to push for the dancer they were dating to quit the stage. Aiden shook his head, disappointed but not surprised. "Right on schedule," he muttered to himself. "Thanks. I'll be right out."
He quickly braided his hair, snapping an elastic band around the end of the braid. Then, he shrugged into a light jacket and grabbed his bag. He said goodnight to his fellow dancers, kissing a few cheeks and smacking several sequined covered butts as he left the dressing room and walked down the narrow hallway that led to the front of the club. Near the entrance, a tall, broad shouldered red-head waited for him.
"Steve. How are you, sweetheart?"
"I'm good. Can we talk for a minute?"
"Sure. Let's go outside." Aiden led the way through the small lobby, giving the bouncer a nod on his way out. Management didn't like it when their dancers were involved in disputes inside the club. Romantic conflict was bad for the club's vibe, and it reminded the patrons that the dancers weren't actually as available to them as they pretended to be.
Once the club door closed behind them, Aiden walked a few steps away from the building, but still within shouting distance of the bouncer if things got out of hand. He turned to his probably soon to be ex-lover with his best smile. "What's up?"
Steve stepped closer and took hold of his hand, looking down into his eyes with a loving gaze. Aiden wanted to groan but managed to remain silent. They were really about to have what Steve clearly wanted to be a romantic conversation, outside of his place of work while a group of people across the street engaged in dueling chants of Show us your tits! Show us your dicks! with the tarts hanging out on the balcony above them.
"Aiden, baby. I'm ready for us to take the next step in our relationship."
"Oh yeah? And what step is that?"
"You and me together."
"Aren't we already together?"
"Yeah, but I don't want either of us seeing anyone else."
"So, you want to be exclusive." It wasn't a question. Aiden knew from experience what Steve wanted. He was just waiting for him to come out and say it.
"Yeah. And I want you to quit this job."
And there it was. "Oh, I see. What you actually mean is you don't want anybody seeing me. Or more precisely, seeing my body on stage."
Steve flashed a cajoling smile, one that Aiden was used to seeing. He usually gave in to the harmless requests that accompanied that smile. That wouldn't be happening tonight.
"I just want you to be mine, baby," Steve said with a light squeeze to Aiden's hand.
"And I want to keep dancing. You know that."
"But-."
"No buts." Aiden kept his voice soft as he cut in. "I made it clear when we started seeing each other that I love my job and I'm not going to give it up for anyone or anything."
"Not even this?"
Steve dropped his hand to pull a square, black velvet box from his pocket. He opened the lid, revealing a ring with a wide platinum band and an impressive inset canary yellow diamond flanked by white diamond chips. The ring was gorgeous, sparkling brightly against its black velvet backdrop. But as far as Aiden was concerned, it might as well have been a pair of jeweled shackles.
"Steve," he started gently. "You're sweet. And I appreciate the gesture. But this isn't what I want."
"But-." Steve's forehead crinkled with a frown as he began to realize this wasn't going the way he'd obviously hoped for. "I love you."
"I don't feel the same way," Aiden said, turning him down with kind firmness.
Several increasingly uncomfortable moments of silence followed his statement. Steve's expression morphed from hopeful, to disappointed, and finally to anger. Aiden braced himself in case that anger exploded verbally or worse, physically.
"You might be gorgeous, and hot in bed, but the truth is you've got a heart as cold as ice."
The insult set off a spark of anger in his gut, burning away his determination to be gentle during this break up. "I'm not cold," he snapped. I just know what I want. And quitting my job because a man wants to take ownership of me isn't it."
"Fine," Steve bit out from between lips tight with anger. He snapped the ring box closed and shoved it back into his pocket. "I won't bother you again."
It was on the tip of Aiden's tongue to say something placating and soothe Steve's feelings. But he knew if he did, it would only give the man hope to try again, and they'd be right back in this uncomfortable situation in a few weeks’ time. He kept his mouth closed. Steve stared at him for a long moment before he whipped around and stormed off to the parking lot.
Aiden watched him go with only a little regret. They'd had fun together, but he wasn't surprised their relationship had ended this way. They always ended this way. The guys he dated always wanted him to quit dancing and they were never able to fully give him what he wanted. He needed to take a break. Or better yet, swear off dating the type of guy that for some reason he was always attracted to even though they could never match up with him on what he wanted in a relationship.
Aggravated with Steve and all the guys who'd come before him, Aiden made a snap decision. "I'm done with dating guys like Steve." Satisfied with his declaration, Aiden sighed and moved to lean back against the wall behind him. He was prepared to wait a few minutes to make sure Steve had actually left the premises before he went over to his bike. But at the soft scrape of shoes on asphalt he realized he wasn't alone. He whipped his head to the side to see who was out there with him. Zielinski stood a few feet away, half-hidden in the shadows.
"Eavesdrop much?" Aiden snapped as he straightened again.
"I wasn't," Zielinski said. "Or, I didn't mean to. I'm waiting for one of my co-workers since he had too much to drink and I agreed to give him a ride home."
"And you got a free breakup show for your trouble."
"I'm sorry your relationship ended."
Aiden shrugged. "No need to apologize. Breakups happen."
"You don't seem torn up about it."
"Because I'm not. I like to have a good time. When the times are no longer good, I end it."
"Hmm."
Aiden felt the censure in that green gaze, the color somehow still clearly visible in the shadows where they stood. "Whatever. My life. My rules." He looked out to the parking lot. Steve's car was gone which meant he was free to go. "See you around, Beefcake."
He started walking down the street to the crosswalk, headed to where he'd parked his bike when a furious yell came from the alley he'd just passed.
"Stop! What are you-? No! Stop!"
Aiden didn't have his mask or his sai, but he didn't need either to fight if someone was being attacked. He turned back and ran around the corner just in time to see a tall, heavy-set man dressed in a plain brown sweatshirt and cargo pants, with his hair covered by a gray skullie, backhanding one of their club's cocktail servers across the face. The young man cried out in pain and fell to the ground.
"You're gonna regret that," Aiden snarled before he dropped his bag and charged forward. The guy spun around to face him, but Aiden was on him before he could get his guard up. He didn't go for the obvious punch, instead he swooped in close and jumped up to hit him with a headbutt. The guy yelled out with his own cry of pain, a sound that was immensely satisfying to Aiden. But the mugger didn't back down after the nose-crunching blow. He squared up, so Aiden got ready to fight.
 
* * *
 
Mike stood outside in the warm late summer night, his ears buzzing as they adjusted to the absence of bass-heavy music thumping against his eardrums. His co-worker had been pretty green around the gills when he'd rushed to the bathroom, so he expected to be there waiting for a while. Running into Stardust again when he'd exited the club was unexpected. He looked different from the first two occasions he'd seen him. Gone were the tight pants and weapons of his superhero outfit and the makeup and exotic costumes from his time as Glimmer. Instead, he appeared relaxed and casual in sweats and sneakers. But his mood had taken on a hard edge, no doubt attributed to the breakup he'd witnessed. His unintentional role in the scene as an eavesdropper probably hadn't helped. Realizing the situation must be awkward for the other man, Mike didn't try to prolong their conversation. Besides, lap dance aside, they hardly knew one another. 
Stardust walked off but barely thirty seconds after his departure, there was a cry of pain, followed almost immediately by sounds of a scuffle. Mike instinctively jumped into action and ran toward the fight. He might not be a superhero yet, but he wasn't going to sit there and do nothing while someone was hurt.
He made his way around the side of the Flirtatious Fox to where the noises were coming from. A slim young man huddled on the dirty, uneven pavement; torn dollar bills scattered around his feet. He'd obviously been assaulted and mugged, but Stardust was there fighting off the assailant in the narrow space between two buildings. The dancer had the upper hand with swift punches and elbow strikes, until the attacker got in a punishing blow dead center on his chest and sent him stumbling back.
Without even thinking about it, Mike activated his power. Twin beams of bright green energy blasted from his eyes, knocking the assailant off his feet and throwing him back several paces before he could land another hit on Stardust. The beams also clipped the side of the building opposite, tearing loose a few bricks before Mike blinked and stopped the blast.
He rushed over to check on Stardust and the victim. "Are you guys okay?"
"I'm fine," Stardust said. He kneeled down to help the other guy sit up. "How about you?"
Mike stayed alert while Stardust checked on the victim, who he recognized as the camouflage wearing cocktail server, in case the guy came in for another attack. But he was nowhere to be seen. Apparently, he'd done the smart thing and taken off when he realized the odds had turned against him.
The young man gingerly touched his bright red cheek. "Going to have to go heavy on the makeup to cover the bruise I'll probably have, but I'm okay." He started trying to gather the money at his feet but it was torn into so many tiny pieces, there was no way to salvage it. "Damnit! That guy yelled that I shouldn't make money peddling sin and ripped up all my cash." He flopped back to the ground in frustration. "An entire night's tips. Gone."
Stardust opened his backpack and pulled out a thick stack of bills folded and held together with a rubber band. Without a moment's hesitation, he held the money out to the young man. "Here."
"What?" The server slowly sat back up; his eyes wide. "I can't take that. That's your money and it's way more than I made tonight."
"Yes, you can. I know you're new and you're working your way up the ladder in the club. I remember those days and how tough they can be. Take it. And don't worry about paying me back." He took hold of the server's hand and pressed the money to his palm.
After several seconds of prolonged silent shock, he finally let his fingers close over the money. "Thanks, Glimmer. This means a lot."
"You're welcome."
They exchanged a hug, the blond's face tucked into Stardust's chest. When they parted, the guy smiled up at Mike.
"Thank you for helping too. A round of drinks on me next time you're in the club."
"No thanks necessary," Mike said politely.
"We'll watch you walk to your car," Stardust said as he helped him to his feet.
The server grabbed his bag and brushed himself off, giving Stardust one more quick hug before he left.
Together, Mike and Stardust walked to the end of the alley, both of them watching the young man make his way across the street to a small, beat-up pick-up truck. The old Ford pulled out of the lot, the kid honking twice when he drove by. Before Mike could say anything, Stardust turned and looked up at him.
"I could have handled that by myself."
Mike sucked in a sharp breath, ready to tell Stardust off for his ungrateful attitude. Before he could say anything however, Stardust continued.
"But I appreciate you stepping in. Thanks."
It was obvious that the thanks was grudgingly given but Mike accepted it without complaint. "You're welcome."
Something caught Stardust's attention, as his gaze flicked to the side.
"I think that lost little duck is looking for you," he said with a nod at the club door.
Mike looked over at the front of the Fox. His co-worker stood there, one hand braced on the wall, peering across the street to the parking lot, clearly looking for his ride. Mike turned back to Stardust to say goodbye, but the other man had already taken off, strolling down the sidewalk without looking back. At the crosswalk, he jogged across the street to a motorcycle parked in the first row of the parking lot. As he watched, Stardust climbed on the back of a black and gold bike, bouncing once as he kickstarted it to life. He slowly drove off the lot, then went roaring past the Flirtatious Fox on his way out of the Playground. Mike stood there, watching the single red tail light until it disappeared around the corner.
What a strange night this had turned out to be. Seeing the superhero he'd met yesterday on stage tonight as an exotic dancer, getting a lap dance from him, then helping him fight off a mugger. Maybe the universe was telling him that he was indeed meant to work with the members of the ACG. Mike shook his head and went to collect his co-worker.

The next morning, Mike stood in the large atrium at his new place of employment. He lingered near the back of a group of his co-workers, listening with half an ear to their conversation. The area where they congregated was beautiful, with a quietly tinkling fountain, plants with thick green leaves in colorful pots, and big arched windows looking out onto a wide, deep green lawn that led to a copse of trees. Every morning, the Marin's Outdoors employees gathered here, networking while drinking a professionally acceptable morning drink.
Marin's Outdoors main business was selling hunting and sporting gear, but they also hosted camping trips and other wilderness events. The morning social hour was a time for the people in different departments to bounce ideas off each other for joint projects that would benefit the company as a whole.
Mike held a mug of coffee, taking prolonged sips as a way to avoid actively participating in the conversation, which had shifted from work to discussing going out to an exotic dance club that evening. His tactic worked, up to a point. Eventually his co-workers turned their sights on him, pulling him directly into the conversation.
Gina, a petite Afro-Latina woman with a short, wavy haircut, and a diamond stud earring in each ear was the most excited. "Come on Zielinski you've got to join us. The Flirtatious Fox is one of the best exotic dance clubs in the Playground."
"The Fox has lots of variety so you'll definitely see someone you like," chimed in a guy from finance. 
"And it's For the Troops night. Former military get in free and drinks are half-off."
The last wasn't exactly a selling point. They made good money at Marin's and he didn't need the discount. But maybe he should go. He hadn't done any socializing since moving to St. Louis and he did want camaraderie. If it turned out that he couldn't find what he was looking for with Strong's superhero team, maybe he could find it here at work instead. Several of his co-workers were also former military so they had that in common. He looked down at the brown leather glove covering the hand that held his coffee mug. And he was willing to bet that at least some of them were hiding scars under their clothes, just as he was.
"All right. I'll meet you guys there."
Gina clapped him on the back. "Yeah! I knew you were good people."
Thanks to practice, Mike didn't flinch at the uninvited touch. He did however, subtly shift out of range to make sure he wasn't touched again. "It sounds like it'll be a good time," he said politely.
Soon after he agreed to join them, the morning coffee break ended. Mike returned to the marketing floor, greeting the administrative assistant he shared with two other employees as he passed the man's covered but organized desk on the way to his office. The office he'd been assigned was small but nice. Thick, gray carpet covered the entire floor. An L-shaped bamboo wood desk was the focal point of the room while bamboo shelves and wood fronted filing cabinets took up most of one wall. The office had three large windows with a decent view of downtown St. Louis. He hadn't brought many personal items in yet, but the framed poster-sized nature shots that had come with the office gave it somewhat of a lived-in feel.  
In his current position, he handled the influencers and other signed talent contracted to represent Marin's on social media. It was decent work, but a far cry from the Army life he was used to. Adjusting to wearing slacks, a dress shirt, and a tie every day was a big change. Mike knew he was lucky to have found such a good position so soon after leaving the Army. He hadn't wanted to return to his home state of Oklahoma, so when a friend mentioned they had a contact in St. Louis who hired veterans, he'd immediately applied. Then, deciding St. Louis would be a good place to live whether or not he was offered the job, he'd made the move to the city on the river as soon as his discharge was complete.
A little over a month had passed since his move, but he still didn't feel settled in. He'd joined the Army as soon as he'd aged out of the foster care system at eighteen, and remained enlisted for ten years, so it stood to reason that he was lost without that familiar structure.
Determined not to waste office hours dwelling on his personal life, Mike turned on his computer to get started with work. His first task of the day was to review his stable of influencers' social media feeds, check to be sure there wasn't anything controversial attached to their names, and that Marin's products were featured as scheduled. He was diligent, carefully going over a full day's worth of Instagram posts, TikTok videos, and Twitter profiles for a half-dozen influencers, looking for red flags. Thankfully, nothing negative caught his attention. There were only pictures and videos of attractive people in front of idyllic campsites, artfully splashed with mud while straddling four-wheelers, or paddling canoes across serene lakes. Even his one problem case had been on his best behavior lately. It had been nearly two weeks since he'd had to ask the popular outdoorsman to remove a post that didn't align with Marin's brand.
Once that task was finished, Mike moved on to reviewing submissions for people who wanted to collaborate with Marin's. There were a lot, the coming fall and cooler temperatures inspiring many social media personalities to think of outdoor activities and working with a company who could sponsor them. Mike worked quickly using a Yes, No, Maybe system. The Yes and No submissions received one of the two form emails he'd created to speed up the response process. The Maybes he flagged to review their platforms in more detail before making a decision.
For the rest of the morning, he tackled the remainder of his task list with the same smooth efficiency. He was so focused that he almost worked through lunch. He might have done so if his phone hadn't rung with an inter-office call, taking his attention away from his computer.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Zielinski. It's Gina. Wanted to give you the details for tonight."
Mike grabbed a pen and memo pad. "Okay, shoot."
"We're meeting at seven in the Fox's parking lot. It's toward the front of the Playground on Mars Street."
Mike jotted down the information Gina gave him before asking a question. "What's the Playground?"
"Oh, goodness. You're so new," Gina said with a friendly laugh. "The Playground is the red-light district in East St. Louis. It's on its own little island, where adults can go to get up to all sorts of fun and shenanigans. Pretty much everything is legal and it's all play all the time. That's how it got the nickname the Playground."
"I see."
Another laugh. "You'll definitely see when you get there," she teased.
She finished giving him directions, telling him which highway exit to take. Once they hung up, Mike went to the break room to get his lunch. He returned to his office, eating the contents of his protein box while he stood at one of the large windows. It was a clear day, and the early afternoon sun glinting off a massive, amber-glass sky scraper drew his eye to the tall building and the giant gold P perched atop it. The building housed Pruitt, Inc., a large corporation based in the Gateway City. Spread out on the grounds surrounding the golden tower on the hill were smaller buildings for the company's manufacturing plants, distribution, and other facilities.
It was a huge campus. Taking up that much real estate in the middle of a major city must have been expensive and had more than likely displaced lots of businesses and homes. Pruitt products were everywhere in the country and the resulting jobs and corporate taxes had bumped the aging city on the river to a level of prosperity that hadn't been seen in decades. Still, even as a new resident, Mike was aware that many St. Louisans weren't completely happy with Pruitt's invasive presence in their city. He'd seen the anti-Pruitt graffiti and heard people complaining about the company while he was out and about.
Finished with his lunch, Mike turned away from the window and thoughts of giant corporations. He had a lot of work to complete before he could go off to play tonight.
 
* * *
 
Around six-thirty that evening, Mike finally walked out of Marin's. He crossed the nearly empty parking lot to his dark gray Chevy Blazer. Inside, he took off his tie, tossing it on the passenger seat before he put the vehicle in drive and headed for East St. Louis. As he drove over the Eads Bridge into Illinois, the Gateway Arch shone silver and orange in the light of the setting sun. His tires whirring on the pavement, he looked over the guardrails at the wide expanse of water below him. It was a muddy brown, gently waving in the wake of the traffic on the river.
After exiting the bridge, he drove a few miles down a dark street with squat brick buildings on either side. They were plain, missing the charm of many of the older buildings in downtown St. Louis. Then he turned a corner. He came to another bridge, this one stretching over a lake and leading to a small, man-made island. At the end of the bridge was a sphere of colorful lights, beckoning him closer. The closer he got, the brighter the lights became. A digital billboard stretched over the bridge at the mid-way point. On top of the sign in bright red neon letters read Welcome to the Playground! And on the display, a woman with a white fur coat opened to reveal the red lingerie beneath swung back and forth on a wide swing. She leaped off, arms stretched forward as if she was reaching for someone to catch her. The image faded to black before she was caught. Mike drove beneath the sign just as the display began to repeat.
And then he was in the Playground. Up close, the kaleidoscope of colors separated into distinct signs, every one of them bright and determined to catch his eye. Mike drove slowly, exactly at the speed limit so that he could take in everything the red-light district had to offer - which was a lot more than strip clubs. A sign with old-fashioned flashing bulbs as a backdrop to pinup art of a woman kneeling in black stockings, coyly looking over her shoulder, offered live peep shows. Above a building with a glass front a giant green pot leaf glowed, advertising the smoke house below. A deck of cards lit to give off the effect that they were shuffling from one end of the sign to the other identified one of the many casinos he passed. There was a white stone building with tall narrow windows, all lit by a red light, with a bright purple sign proclaiming it as Madame Blyth's Bordello.
He passed a cybersex chat cafe, a tantric massage parlor, and an outdoor boxing ring sheltered by a pavilion. There was a corkscrew water slide inside a giant glass tower, and they even had go-kart racing on a neon-lit track that swirled above the island like a life-sized Hot Wheels race set.
By the time he reached his destination, Mike was nearly on visual sensory overload. But he still admired The Flirtatious Fox. The building's exterior was constructed from pristine white brick. A black and gold marquee with a digital display of exotic dancers flashed over the entrance. Above the marquee, a red and white neon fox perched, its tail flicking back and forth, the right eye blinking closed in a saucy wink.
Mike parked and got out of his SUV, making his way across black asphalt to where his co-workers had already gathered in a group on the sidewalk. He was the only one still dressed in his work clothes. If he'd gone home to change, there was a big chance he wouldn't have come back out. Removing his tie was the best he could do for a casual look.
"You made it!"
"What do you think of the Playground so far?" Gina asked.
He looked around at the dizzying display of lights and entertainment and crowds of people walking the streets. "It's a lot more than I expected."
"Come on inside," she said happily. "There's even more good stuff to see."
They herded him across the street to the Flirtatious Fox, through the gold framed doors, and into an explosion of color and sound and beautiful people. The club floor was a glossy dark red, the ceiling painted gold with flecks of glitter to make it sparkle. In the center hung a huge stained-glass globe, the light within it casting colorful reflections all around the room.
At the moment, the Fox's dancers were in the middle of a group burlesque routine. They swept through the crowd, shimmying so that tassels on breasts and chests swung in delighted patrons' faces. High kicks flashed secret places barely covered by the tiniest of thongs. Go-go dancers in boots and lace briefs dipped and twirled in gilded bird cages scattered throughout the club.
"Let's sit over there!"
Gina spoke loudly so that the group could hear her over the music and cheering crowd, pointing out a section three rows back from the stage with several empty tables and chairs grouped together. They agreed but stayed where they were until the music ended. A shower of gold confetti rained down, the audience clapping and whistling as the performers took their bows before disappearing backstage in a swirl of color and glitter. Then their group headed for the spot Gina had chosen.
As soon as they settled in, a cocktail server came over to take their drink orders. The young man was dressed according to the theme for the night in green camouflage booty shorts, combat boots, and Army green tape over his nipples in an X. He efficiently took their orders, clearly at ease in his bare skin. Mike remembered a time when he'd been comfortable going without a shirt in public. Those days were over for him.
Their group talked and Mike easily joined in, appreciating that they were making the effort to get to know him and include him in their social group. It wasn't long before the server returned and set Mike's glass of rum and Coke in front of him. Mike had just taken a sip when the DJ's voice boomed throughout the club.
"And now, patrons of The Flirtatious Fox. The act you've all been thirsting for. Please welcome to the stage the titillating, tantalizing, and always tempting...Glimmer!"
"Yes, we're right on time," Gina said as she excitedly straightened in her seat. "I love his performances."
Eli put his drink down on the table. “Hell, I'm straight and I love seeing this guy dance." He leaned over to look at Mike. "What about you Zielinski?"
"I'm bi."
"Then you should like this performance."
"If he's Mike's type," someone put in.
"Glimmer is everybody's type," Gina said with a laugh.
The music changed to the slow, sultry bass beat of a popular hip-hop song. The red velvet curtain parted and a slim Caucasian man stepped through it, gliding onto the stage with a long-legged stride. He was dressed in a sexy version of Air Force dress blues. A pale blue shirt tied in a knot above his navel revealed a narrow waist and hard abs, the short sleeves rolled up over lean muscled arms. Tight, dark-blue shorts rode low on his hips and cut high on his thighs. Shiny, black over-the-knee boots, and a brimmed service hat pulled down low to shield the upper half of the dancer's face completed the look. 
The man started dancing, and Mike overheard a low conversation between Gina and the woman next to her.
"God, I would love to peg him."
"Does he like women?"
"In my fantasies he does."
The dancer gripped the pole and jumped up to swing around it, removing the hat and tossing it to the side. He flung his head back and a sheet of ink-black hair spilled down over his shoulders, flaring out like a silken flag as he spun. When he raised his head back up and looked out over the crowd, Mike's mouth dropped open. His heartbeat paused before it picked up speed double time.
Even from three rows back he recognized those eyes. Tiger's eyes. It was Stardust, the man he'd met yesterday at the firehouse.

Hello! It's time for the next book in the Arch City Guardians series! Dr. Z and Stardust are two reluctant superhero partners thrown together to stop a group of villains in the red-light entertainment district. Check out the first five chapters of DR. Z here on the blog or download a preview booklet below!

"I like this bad guy. He's big, dumb and hung."
"Stardust!"
The stern voice cracked like a whip into Stardust's ear piece.
"Yeah, boss?"
"Stay on task."
"You got it, boss."
"And don't call me boss."
Stardust grinned but didn't respond as he got ready to fight. He, Frost, and Sonica had been sent to take down a group of people rampaging up and down the Delmar Loop, one of St. Louis's entertainment districts. It was a busy Thursday the first week in September, when nights were the perfect temperature to sit outside, and the street was filled with people who'd come out to have a beer and listen to music. Now, they were panicked. Screaming and running to get out of the way as five men caused indiscriminate destruction in front of the shops and restaurants.
Stardust took in the scene. Tables flipped on their sides, food and drink spilled on the sidewalk, plates shattered, and cups crushed beneath fleeing feet. Several shop windows were broken, with their displays and merchandise tossed into the street. One of the rampagers was naked, with the exception of a face mask, a pair of thick white athletic socks, and mountain climbing boots. The naked man yanked back and forth on a lamp post, which despite his efforts, wasn't coming loose from the ground. Still, he continued mindlessly yanking. Stardust shook his head in disgust at the pitiful sight.
Sonica took charge. "Frost, you get the two at the other end of the street. I'll grab the two in front of Iron Age and check inside the building to make sure there aren't more of them in there causing a ruckus."
"Got it," Frost answered.
"Guess that leaves me with Mr. Nakey," Stardust said, already looking forward to the fight.
"You both be careful," Sonica said before she teleported away to the legendary tattoo shop.
Frost took off in the opposite direction in a swirl of cold air, whooshing down the street on an ice slide they created with their powers.
With his partners after their targets, Stardust walked up to his own. He kept his hands loose at his sides, easy and non-threatening. The multicolored lights from the Blueberry Hill sign above the naked man reflected off his pale sweaty skin. Stardust couldn't see the guy's face thanks to the mask he wore, but he could see his blue eyes, cracked open wide and rolling in their sockets. The wild eyes were a clear sign that he'd overdosed on Croton - a drug that increased a user's physical capabilities and blocked fear receptors but caused mindless rage and massive heart attacks after prolonged use. His assumption that the guy was on Croton wasn't an official diagnosis, but anyone who stripped naked in the middle of a busy entertainment district and tried to rip a lamppost out of the ground had to be on something.
"Hey, big man!"
At the sound of Stardust's voice, the naked man stopped his attempted vandalism, and turned to face Stardust, giving him a good look at his mask. It was acid yellow, with blood-red slash marks across the mouth and eyes. The mask was clearly meant to instill fear. But seeing this guy standing there bare-assed naked, with his dick literally swinging in the wind, Stardust wasn't at all intimidated.
"I don't know how far gone you are in that Croton rage but I can help you if you let me." He stepped closer. "Don't get me wrong, I like to fight. But you probably just want to put your pants back on and go home, right?"
Naked guy threw back his head and roared before stomping toward him, fists clenched, veins bulging in his forearms.
"Guess not."
The guy was huge. He had a foot and a half in height and at least thirty pounds on Stardust. But this was one occasion where he didn't care about size. Stardust pulled his sai from their thigh holsters. He twirled them around to grip them by their handles, pommels up, blunted blades held against the inside of his forearms.
As the naked behemoth charged, Stardust sprinted forward to meet him. Just before they crashed into each other, he jumped up in the air, flipping over naked guy's head to land behind him. Spinning around, he punched out with his sai, hitting the man in the kidneys. The rampager roared with pain but didn't go down. He turned to face Stardust, swinging with massive fists. Stardust wore his own mask, but he still preferred not to get punched in the face. He dropped down to avoid the hit, sweeping his leg out in the same motion to kick at naked guy's ankles. The man stumbled and fell in the middle of the street. But to Stardust's unpleasant surprise, the big man had speed too. He rolled and leaped back to his feet.
Although he was impressed at the move, Stardust sighed in annoyance. "You should have just stayed down, man."
The naked berserker finally spoke.
"I don't stay down."
"Oooh! A challenge." Stardust spun his sai again. "I accept."
They rushed at each other once more. This time, Stardust met him head on. Before his opponent could strike, Stardust double-punched with his sai, hitting him dead center in the solar plexus each time. When the big man doubled over in pain, struggling to catch the breath that had been knocked out of him, Stardust jumped up with a flying high knee, catching him on the chin. He caught a glimpse of those wild eyes rolling back in their sockets before the berserker crashed to the street, landing flat on his back. This time, he didn't move. 
"Guess you were wrong about not staying down," Stardust mocked as he straightened from the defensive pose he'd landed in. After sliding his sai back into their holsters, he put a booted foot on the big man's shoulder, rolling him over to his front so he could restrain his hands behind his back. Once the guy was secured, Stardust turned his attention to the people who were standing nearby.
"Everything is all right, everybody." He looked toward a trio who appeared relatively calm. "Can you help right some of the tables and chairs?"
An older woman in the group snapped out of her shocked daze.
"Yes. We've got it."
She started directing those around her to help the staff put the sidewalk dining to rights. Stardust left her to it, moving on to see if anyone had been seriously hurt. Thankfully, there were only a few people with minor injuries and no one with anything major. Mostly scrapped palms and knees from falling on the sidewalk or cuts from broken glass. The rampagers hadn't seemed set on personal harm, only destruction of property.
Stardust made his way back over to Naked Guy, who was still out cold in the middle of the street. Frost walked up at the same time, leading the two rampagers they'd been tasked with subduing, both with their wrists restrained in manacles made of ice. Neither of them struggled, but they shivered violently, teeth chattering, lips nearly blue from cold. Cold wind and icy vapor swirled around Frost as they looked down at Stardust's felled opponent.
"Should we try to dress him?"
"Pffft. I didn't tell him to take his pants off. That's on him. Besides, he'll get a nice orange jumpsuit to wear when he's booked at the county jail." Stardust crossed his arms over his chest, fingertips tapping his bicep. "But I suppose I should get him out of the middle of the street."
"It's what a hero should do."
Stardust cut his friend a quick side-eye. Frost didn't react, either because they were sincere, or because they were trying to get Stardust's goat. It was hard to tell with them sometimes.
Stardust rolled the man back over to his front then bent down to thump him on the forehead and wake him up. His powers didn't include super strength, so he wasn't about to drag this hefty bastard up onto the sidewalk. After a second forehead thump, the man came to yelling, cursing, and straining to get free. Unfortunately for him, the cuffs around his wrists were made to hold enhanced strength individuals, so even hopped up on Croton, he wasn't getting loose.
"Hear those sirens? That's the police coming to get you. You'd better get out of the street if you don't want them to run you over." At Stardust's warning, the man sat up, scooting backward on his naked rear end across the concrete until he reached the curb. Stardust followed to make sure he didn't try to make a run for it as the sirens grew closer.
The approaching sirens were also the cue for Stardust and his crew to get out of there. Their group didn't have any type of official working relationship with police, and could be charged with vigilantism.
Sonica popped in, dusting off her hands as if she'd just finished a tough job. "Already dropped mine off at the police station. We've done all we can do here. Let's go."
"You're right," Stardust agreed. "I'll see you two back at the firehouse."
Sonica nodded and put her hand on Frost's shoulder to teleport them both away.
Stardust jogged up the street to where he'd left his motorcycle. Throwing a leg over the sleek black machine, he started it up, the bike roaring to life with a throaty rumble. He pulled out of the space and took off, zipping through the city streets, the air rushing over him, whipping the tail of his heavy braid of hair back and forth. The mask he wore identified him as Stardust, while hiding his true identity from everyone he passed.
As he approached his destination, he turned right and sped down a side street. Up ahead was the brick wall of a dead-end alley. Stardust headed straight for it. Just when it seemed as if he would crash, the wall rippled and he passed through without incident. The "dead end" was a mirage, a visual barrier created to hide the headquarters of the Arch City Guardians - the group of heroes who'd banded together to protect the citizens of St. Louis. As an extra precaution against unwanted visitors, if you got too close to the mirage, a sonic alarm went off. Unless you were wearing the tech that muted the alarm, you'd be hit with the extremely unpleasant sensation of what felt like several giant mosquitos buzzing at the back of your skull. The sound was too high-pitched for regular humans to realize they were hearing anything, but the uncomfortable sonic vibrations made people instinctively turn around to avoid them nonetheless.
Past the barriers, Stardust pulled into the small parking lot next to their headquarters, killed the engine and hopped off his bike. The headquarters was an old firehouse, decommissioned nearly a decade ago, and recently purchased to serve as the center for the newly created superhero team. Constructed from tan brick with white stone accents, the building was longer than it was tall. Multiple satellites and electronic towers were mounted on the roof. Thanks to Bulldozer, a member of the ACG team, the grounds were in immaculate condition, with mature greenery, and not a single crack in the driveway. The two wide fire truck doors were down, so Stardust entered through the pedestrian door.
Inside, where firetrucks were once parked, two men sat at a U-shaped trio of tables that held a multitude of computers, monitors, and other tech equipment. The younger of the two men sat directly in front of the largest computer screen in the center, the overhead lights shining on his bright blue hair, while the older was off to the side, typing onto the electronic pad he held. Frost and Sonica were already there, sitting in two of the club chairs set up in front of the command center.
"That wasn't so bad," Stardust said as he took off his mask and plopped down on one of the three remaining chairs.
Caleb spoke up first, brushing the blue strands of hair back from his forehead. "More Croton freaks. But you guys stopped them before they could do too much damage or seriously hurt anyone."
Strong gave an approving nod. "Nice work."
"Thanks."
"Blaze is going to be furious when he hears what happened. He fought so hard to keep that drug from hitting the streets."
They started discussing the drug that was steadily taking over the city. Caleb brought up a map of the city on one of the big viewing monitors to highlight areas where Croton incidents seemed to be the most widespread when an alarm went off, signaling that someone was approaching their headquarters. They all turned to look at the outside camera feed on one of Caleb's giant monitors. A dark SUV was driving down the street at a steady pace, headed straight for the barrier.
Stardust frowned in confusion. "What are they doing? Shouldn't they have turned back by now?"
"They're invited and were told to signaling continue past the auditory defense line," Strong answered.
Stardust and the others settled back into their chairs at Strong's announcement that the person approaching was expected. The conversation switched to a mundane discussion of the weather while they waited for Strong's guest to arrive. They heard the faint sound of a truck door closing, then a few seconds later, the front door opened. Stardust looked back over his shoulder to get a look at their visitor.
A Caucasian man walked in, tall, broad in the chest, thick in the thighs, biceps bulging beneath the thin material of a forest-green, long-sleeved T-shirt. He had dark brown hair cut short with a neat side part. His jawline was firm and clean-shaven, a perfect fit to his strong nose and sharp, bright green eyes. But his mouth... Stardust stared a second too long at full lips with a pronounced Cupid's bow - a spot of softness in that otherwise hard face.
"Who's the beefcake?" Stardust faux whispered.
He didn't get an answer, but when the mystery man walked up to Strong to shake hands, Stardust immediately recognized the similarities in their precise bearing and movements. This guy was military too.
"Mike, it's good to meet you in person," Strong greeted him. "Welcome to the Arch City Guardians headquarters." The older Black man turned to his team. "Everyone, this is Mike Zielinski. Former Army medic and newly relocated to St. Louis. I've invited him here to take a look at our operation. Mike, this is Caleb, our tech specialist. Sonica, Frost, and Stardust are field members. Helios is across town helping Ignite with a building fire and we have a few other heroes who aren't here right now as well."
Zielinski briefly made eye contact with each of them in turn. "Good evening," he said crisply.
Stardust ran his gaze over Zielinski during Strong's introduction. He assumed the other man was enhanced and wondered what his powers were. Maybe he was a super soldier like Lieutenant Strong. Going by his height and muscular build, that was definitely a possibility. When Zielinski made eye contact with him, Stardust pursed his lips and silently blew him a kiss. The Army man didn't react, other than a slight stiffening to his already stiff posture. The restrained reaction intrigued Stardust. Was the man shy or impossibly uptight? If Mike Zielinski was going to be sticking around, Stardust wanted to find out the answer to that question sooner rather than later.
After the brief introductions, Strong and Zielinski disappeared into Strong's office behind a closed door, and Sonica popped into their quiet room to lay down. Stardust turned to Frost. "What do you think?"
"What do I think about what?"
"About the possibility of adding a new guy to the team."
Frost shrugged. "Doesn't bother me."
"Might throw off the group dynamic. We've already got one uptight superhero."
"I'm not uptight. I'm reserved."
"If you're not uptight, then how did you know I was talking about you?"
Frost narrowed arctic blue eyes. They brought a hand up, ice and snow quickly swirling into a small ball in their palm. Once it was solid, they flung it at Stardust.
Stardust quickly twisted in his chair, snapping a leg up to kick the snowball away before it could hit him. It went flying across the room, sailed over Caleb's command center, and hit the opposite wall with a wet splat. Both of them looked at the slush sliding down the wall, then at each other, before they burst out laughing.
"Hey!" Caleb snapped. "If you two damage any of my equipment, I'll put the emotional suffering of every fan disappointed in the latest Star Wars movie into your heads."
The threat was enough to have both of them straightening up in their chairs and apologizing.
"Sorry, Caleb."
"Won't happen again."
After Caleb's reprimand, they sat there and quietly speculated about the possible recruit for a few minutes before Frost pushed up from their chair.
"I have to go. I have an appointment to keep."
Caleb nodded in acknowledgement without taking his eyes off whatever he was looking at on his screen. "We should be fine for the rest of the night. Don't forget that we have an official meeting coming up soon. Everyone needs to be there."
"It's on my calendar. See you guys later."
After Frost left, Stardust cast a quick glance at Strong's closed office door. "I think I'll stick around for a little while longer."
Caleb nodded again, his fingers now flying over one of his three keyboards.
Stardust settled back in his chair to wait for the meeting to end.
 
* * *
When Mike walked into the headquarters for the Arch City Guardians, he took the time to look around. The building was an old firehouse the heroes had taken over for their use. It was impressive, but clearly still in the early stages of use. For one, it was too neat, missing the personal clutter of a broken-in headquarters. But the bones of a good set up were there. The technology was in place and top of the line, apparently run by the young Hispanic man with the royal blue hair. There were several club chairs facing the main command center. To the right, a vending machine, open shelving, and a locked cabinet took up the wall in the front of the room. In the back area, a small gym had been set up, with three treadmills, a couple of bikes, a multi-purpose weight machine, and a thick blue floor mat for sparring. On the loft above, there was a small kitchen area, with a long table taking up most of what he could see of the space. And on his left were several small offices, all with their lights off and doors closed except one.
After everything Mike had learned about Strong and his history, he'd expected to be greeted by the organized, high-tech set up. He hadn't expected to walk in and come face to face with the most beautiful man he'd ever seen in his life.
Slender and elegant, the man lounged in one of the club chairs, an arm tossed across the back, one leg crossed over the other at the knee. Skin tight liquid-latex black pants with a holographic gold shimmer on the fabric clung to those long legs. Black boots embellished with thin gold chains laced up to his knees, and an intricately tooled leather holster was belted around his waist, with straps to hold a pair of gold sai buckled around his thighs. A cropped jacket made from the same material as those sinful pants opened to a smooth, bare chest. Black half-palm gloves partially covered delicate hands, and a gold face mask dangled from his fingers. The man's hair was as dark as a country night sky, confined in a long braid that reached to his narrow waist with shorter strands framing his face, while his skin was pale as moonlight. His lips were a rosy pink, the top lip slightly fuller than the bottom, making them appear as if they were just shy of pursing for a kiss. And his eyes. Set beneath gently arched brows and framed by long, thick lashes, they were a shocking intense gold, like a tiger's eyes caught in sunbeams.
He was gorgeous. The name Stardust suited him, as he appeared to be touched by ethereal starlight. Mike didn't let on that he was affected by the other man's beauty, however. He ignored the beefcake comment, greeting him politely along with everyone else.
"Good evening."
"Come into my office and we'll talk," Strong said.
Mike followed the retired superhero across the room to the one office with its lights on. Strong closed the door but left the blinds on the big window facing the main area open. The older man gestured at one of the two chairs in front of his desk.
"Have a seat." He went around to sit in his own chair once Mike sat down. "I'm glad you came in."
This was their first time meeting face to face. They'd been put in contact through a mutual acquaintance in the military. After a couple of phone conversations, Mike had agreed to come in for an in-person discussion. Lieutenant Strong's appearance fit what Mike had expected. Other than the slight bit of salt to his dark, low-cut hair, the lieutenant barely looked old enough to have retired. He was handsome, with an unlined, medium-brown complexion, dark eyes that were clear and direct, and a solid build with upright military posture. The former superhero turned director gave off an aura of calm competence, the type of demeanor that would have instilled unfailing loyalty among his soldiers. Mike liked him on sight.
"I'll be upfront with you, Lieutenant. I didn't have any plans to become a superhero. Receiving my powers was unplanned and unexpected. I'm still getting used to the fact that I'm an enhanced human."
"That's understandable. There are many people with powers who are at first reluctant to become a superhero. And not everyone who has special powers chooses to become a superhero. But there are many others who are unable to ignore the chance to do good with the powers they have and eventually overcome their initial reluctance."
Mike acknowledged Strong with a brief nod. He did have power. Only recently acquired, and one he hadn't asked for. Honestly, he'd give it back if he could. But according to the top secret doctors he'd seen, the change was irreversible. And since he couldn't give it back, he might as well do some good with it, as the lieutenant said. "I didn't plan for it but now that the opportunity has presented itself, I'm willing to put in the work."
Strong leaned forward in his chair, hands folded together on his desk top. "Perfect. We've only been a team for about two months but we're coming together well and doing good work. I believe you'd be an amazing asset to add. Your military training will help our missions run more smoothly out in the field. Especially on ops where our more experienced members are otherwise occupied."
"And you'd have an in-house medic."
Strong smiled. "That too."
"What about privacy?"
"Identities are as secret as you choose to have them. You'll be assigned a code name of course. Some of the team are open to the public with their alter egos. While others are private with the public but open among the group. It's completely your choice which way you go. In addition, Caleb has implemented various protocols to keep the team and those closest to us safe."
"That's good to know." It was good that they were protecting the members and their families, but that wasn't a concern for Mike. He didn't have anyone close enough to be concerned with keeping safe. Orphaned at nine, the Army was the only family he'd had for most of his life. Strong must have recalled that piece of information from his file because he leaned back in his chair, his voice taking on a more personal tone.
"I think it would be good for you to belong to a group again."
It was true that Mike missed the camaraderie of being part of a team after being reassigned from his original Army unit. He would like it if he could find another team to bond with. But he had a few more questions before he made his decision.
"Why did you form this group?"
"In general, because I've had a sense for some time that things are changing in St. Louis. More specifically, we had an incident two months ago, where one of the local superheroes almost lost his partner in a villain attack. I'd already decided that the heroes could serve the city more efficiently if we worked together, but that situation pushed me into getting the ball rolling."
"That makes sense," Mike agreed with a nod. "A team can always accomplish more and achieve better results than individuals working on their own."
"Exactly."
"Who is your team leader?"
"We don't have one yet. I've been watching to see who is a good fit for leadership roles, but ultimately it will be up to the team to choose. I've also been feeling things out, rotating partners to see who works best with who. We have a meeting coming up where we'll solidify roles and address a few more housekeeping items."
"And does your team have any official government sponsored backing?"
"Officially? No. Especially not in St. Louis proper, where other parties have tightened their influence on local government."
"You don't take orders from any government arm?"
"No, we do not. We serve the people directly and that will always be our mission. Does that work for you?"
Mike nodded. "Yes, that works for me."
Strong smiled. "Another reason you'll be a good fit with us."
Mike thought so too. In fact, he was eager to join up but wanted to take some time to consider all the angles before giving Strong his answer. "I'll think about all of this and get back to you."
Strong rose and extended his hand and Mike followed suit. They shook hands, concluding their meeting.
Out in the main area, the room had cleared except for Caleb typing away at one of his computers, and the elegant tiger, who was still lounging in his chair. The man barely moved at Mike's appearance, other than a slight tilting of his head towards the now open office door. Still, Mike had the feeling that the other man had been waiting for him.
"It was nice to meet you both," he said in their direction.
Caleb looked up from his computer with a distracted smile. "I hope we see you back soon."
The tiger gave him a quick two fingered salute. "Bye, Beefcake."
Again, Mike ignored the beefcake comment. "You have a nice night."
 

DR. Z is available on Amazon and in Kindle Unlimited October 15, 2021. Sign up for my newsletter to receive notification when it’s released. And don’t forget to check out the Arch City Guardians page on my site for lots of fun superhero extras!

“Babe, I’m going to Wal-Mart.”

Danny started answering before he looked up from his tablet. “Okay, get me some...” he trailed off once he raised his gaze from the screen and got a look at what his tall, ridiculously fit and muscular husband was wearing.

Jordan was dressed in a white, short-sleeve T-shirt, light gray Jersey shorts, and low-top athletic shoes. The outfit should have been nothing more than super casual run-around clothes. But the tee was soft and tight on his torso. His firm, rounded pecs pressed against the white cotton, and his nipples - stiff from the air conditioner - were plainly visible. The shirt was slightly loose and rumpled over Jordan’s tight waist and hard abs. But the shorts... The shorts were obscene. Not only did they cling to his muscular thighs, but Jordan’s dick print was on full display behind the thin material. Danny didn’t even have to squint to see the outline of the head of his cock. His man was a show-er and a grower and right now he was putting on quite the show.

“Get you some what?” Jordan prompted.

Danny shook his head - snapping himself back to their conversation. “Actually, I’ll come with you,” he answered as he put his tablet aside and stood. No way he was letting his husband out of the house dressed like that on his own.

Jordan’s eyebrows scrunched in confusion once before he shrugged. “All right. Let’s go.”

Together they left the apartment, taking the elevator down from their private floor to the street level where Jordan’s auto body shop was located. They went around to the side parking lot and got in his Camaro.

The ride to Wal-Mart was quick, and in about fifteen minutes they were turning into the parking lot for the giant shopping center. After they parked and got out, Danny walked hand in hand with his husband. As they went through the crosswalk, a woman leaving the store walked toward them. Her eyes widened when they landed on Jordan. She ran them appreciatively over his entire body in a glance so fast Danny would have missed it if he hadn’t been looking directly at her at that exact moment. After the stealthy perusal, she looked at Danny and gave him a nod. That nod said multitudes without the woman ever opening her mouth.

I’m checking him out but respectfully. Damn your man is hot. Congrats to you. You deserve it.

Danny nodded back. I know it. Thank you.

Music is important to my writing process. But it’s got to be the right music. I choose songs that help set the mood for different scenes when I’m writing. If it’s an action scene, something fast with lots of bass works. Love songs or sweet instrumentals are perfect for romantic scenes. And of course, for the sexy times I have to have those songs made to be played for the chill part of Netflix and chill.

Since BLAZE was inspired by my love for Batman, I wrote to a lot of the songs from the Dark Knight trilogy soundtracks. I love Hans Zimmer and that soundtrack especially is one of my favorite works from him. I’m Not a Hero and the main theme from Dark Knight Rises were the songs I had on repeat the most often as I wrote Danny and Jordan’s story.

Angel by Savages also made it onto the list. It’s a cool, smooth song to listen to. I had to have at least one that mentioned angels, since that was Jordan’s nickname for Danny from day one. The cookout scene songs were fun! They brought back memories of my summers hanging out with my friends. Obviously, St. Louie by Nelly was on the list since the Arch City Guardians series is set in St. Louis.

This playlist is available on Spotify. If you’re like me you can’t listen to music and read at the same time. So weird, because I struggle to write without music! But I hope you’ll check it out and let the music give you the same vibes I had as I wrote Blaze and Danny going through the adventures of danger and rescues and falling in love.

Happy Listening!

Love,
Christa

BLAZE - Arch City Guardians #1 is available on Amazon in Kindle Unlimited!

How the Arch City Guardians would react to the winter storm.

Amina: Bundles up in a high-tech weather proof snow suit that still allows ease of movement, thick boots, and gloves and hits the streets. Snow doesn't stop crime.
Blaze: Grudgingly gears up to go out. Returns home early because Danny calls worried about him being out in the bad weather.
Bulldozer: The cold affects him the most. Makes him move slow and sluggish and hurts his bones. Stays indoors close to a heat source.
Caleb: Looks up from his computers, blinking in confusion. There's a snow storm?
Dr. Z: Is prepared with winter gear, heat packs, and grit. Stays out to help until it's no longer safe to do so. Goes back out as soon as he's able.
Frost: Disappeared at the first mention of the winter warning and no one has seen him since.
Helios: Flies over the city looking for rough sleepers and animals. Gets them to shelter and uses his solar power to warm them up.
Ignite: Completely unbothered since he can keep himself warm and safely start fires to help others.
Sonica: Uses her sonic scream to blast the snow off the roads so cars can navigate safely. Teleports back to her apartment for frequent hot cocoa breaks.
Stardust: Are you kidding? Liquid latex and freezing temperatures don't mix. He's not going out in that.
Strong: Secretly loves the snow. After he makes sure the team is all safe and accounted for, he ducks out to make snow angels with his wings.

Learn more about Blaze from the Arch City Guardians!

In the dark of night, Blaze wages war against St. Louis’s criminal masterminds. Once the sun rises, he’s Jordan Wells, quiet custom body shop owner. Jordan has accepted that it’s his destiny to walk alone in the shadows… until he meets Daniel, a sweet, untrained submissive. Jordan dreams of dominating the young man, of finding respite from his harsh life as a lone vigilante by losing himself in Danny’s loving submission.

Danny Griffin is thrilled to attend an exclusive D/s club, where he meets Jordan, an experienced Dom. Jordan appears to be the perfect man to help him explore his submissive fantasies. But Danny is also attracted to Blaze, the elusive hero who is always there when he needs him. When Danny discovers Blaze’s secret, he hopes that he can have the best of both worlds.

The passion between the hero and his lover is electric but Jordan knows that in order to keep Danny safe, he should let him go. Unfortunately, he can’t seem to tear himself away from his lover’s gentle smiles and soft kisses. Can Jordan risk a relationship with Danny when his life as Blaze is rife with danger?

Hello! I'm here today to put BLAZE in front of your eyeballs. If you haven't read my sexy superhero romance, you can check out the first four chapters on this blog post below.

If you enjoy this sneak peek at Danny and Jordan's romance, you can check out the rest of their story on AMAZON. It's $3.99 to purchase and free to read with your Kindle Unlimited subscription. Tell all your superhero loving friends so they can get some of that smexy superhero goodness too. Happy Reading and Happy Friday!

Danny tapped a nervous beat onto the steering wheel with his thumbs as he turned into a small parking lot. The yellow glow of street lamps lit the night, moths drawn by the light flitting beneath them. This lot was unattended and several blocks down from where he planned to go. But cars weren’t allowed to park on the old cobblestone streets in this section of downtown St. Louis, and the lots closer to the club where he was headed were outrageously expensive.

Since his used Altima wasn’t worth stealing, and he didn’t mind the walk, he should be okay parking this far away. Danny pulled into a spot near the front, and stepped out onto the cracked asphalt. After locking the car, he tucked the keys into his shimmery, iridescent blue fanny pack, zipped it up, and set off.
Butterflies swooped and fluttered in Danny’s stomach as he walked. Tonight would hopefully be the start of a new and long-desired chapter in his life. He was about to check out one of the local BDSM clubs for the first time. After a year of researching and role-playing as a submissive online, he was ready to see the lifestyle up close and personal.

He hoped he looked okay. He’d gone for what he’d jokingly labeled a soft BDSM look when choosing his outfit earlier that evening. A sheer white tank top with gold ribbons sewn on in a pattern that mimicked a chest harness, tight black booty shorts, and glittery-blue, ankle-low combat boots. His artists’ soul enjoyed color too much to go with the all black style he often saw in fetish pictures online. There was a cute little choker he’d wanted to add to his outfit, but worried that it might give off the impression he was already in a relationship, he’d chosen a short gold chain with a handcuff pendant instead.

As Danny passed low brick buildings with their windows dark and doors locked for the night, he reassured himself that he would be fine. The D/s community was welcoming. No one would laugh at him for being a newbie. He hoped. It might have been helpful to bring a friend along but this was something he preferred to do on his own. He wanted to walk into The Stocks without worrying about making sure his friend was comfortable. Or worse, being judged by them. That would be too much stress for his first public foray into kink life.

His head down, Danny focused on his footsteps, one foot in front of the other, determinedly taking him to the place where he’d finally connect with others who had the same interests as him. The streetlights reflected off the shine of his boots, the twinkling glitter making him smile despite his nerves. When the glitter abruptly dulled in sudden darkness, Danny looked up in surprise. The street light above him was out, and so were the next several, all the way until just before the club.

Hello and Happy Friday! Well, I hope it's Friday. The days are all running together for us by this point. This week I wanted to share a look at Danny and Blaze's First Kiss! This was one of my favorite scenes to write and one of the first bits that popped up in my head when I came up with BLAZE's story. I hope you like it!

Danny tucked his sketch book away in his bag, stood up, and stretched his back. It was time to go. He went down the narrow staircase, through the main bar, and out onto the street. As he strolled down the sidewalk back to the Metro Link station, he thought about the different ways he could use the buildings to set the scene for his comic. The street was well-lit with people about, so Danny didn’t pay too much attention to his surroundings while he walked. He quickened his steps a little as he passed an alley, but didn’t otherwise stop thinking about his work. Until a familiar deep voice floated out to him on the warm, humid breeze.

“You don’t have your weapon out.”

Danny stopped and turned around. Blaze stood just outside the alley he’d passed. Danny was surprised to see the hero, but nonetheless retraced his steps to join him. He shrugged with a sheepish smile once he reached his side in the alley. “Busted. My head was so filled with art plans I didn’t even think about protecting myself. But maybe I don’t need to.”

“Why not?”

“Because maybe you’ve decided to be my personal protector.”

Blaze moved, prowling forward, backing Danny up against the wall behind him and crowding in close, until Danny’s vision was filled with the sight of a broad chest covered in tight black leather. That chest was so wide, and thick with muscle. The B cut by the lightning bolt rose and fell with each inhalation, daring him to reach out and touch it. He barely managed to resist the temptation. Danny dragged his gaze up to meet Blaze’s eyes. As always, they were shadowed by his helmet.

“Maybe I have,” Blaze said.

He’d lost the thread of the conversation and it took him a moment to grasp it and come up with an intelligent answer. “Oh.”

“Would it bother you to be under my protection?”

“No. It’s comforting.”

Blaze braced his palms against the brick wall on either side of Danny’s head, caging him in. The lightning grew closer, flashing in the sky behind him.

“Is that all you want from me? Comfort?”

Danny ran his tongue over lips gone dry from his rushed breaths. “What do you mean?”

“I see the way you react to me. Your pupils are blown. Your pulse speeds up. And you lick your lips.”

A gloved finger touched the center of his bottom lip, gently tugging it down. Danny trembled as he fought not to lick his tongue out again and taste the leather of Blaze’s glove.

“What else do you want from me, Danny?”

Danny was too overwhelmed, his head too filled with Blaze to answer. The warm scent of leather and his skin. The power radiating from him. The commanding presence that urged him to drop to his knees and submit. Blaze slowly pulled his finger away but he didn’t move out of Danny’s space. He leaned in, his intent clear.

Although he had plenty of warning, Danny gasped as their lips met. Blaze kissed him with fierce passion, dominating his mouth, demanding Danny submit and let him take control. And for several moments of blissful surrender, Danny gave in to the demand, returning the kiss with equal passion, while letting Blaze lead. But he was a one-man kind of guy. He couldn’t kiss Blaze hours after he’d kissed Jordan. Besides, he didn’t know this man. Had never even seen his face. He shouldn’t be making out with him in dark alleys. As much as he hated to do so he tore his lips away and turned his face to the side.

“I shouldn’t... We should stop.”

I wonder what happens next. *smarmy eyebrow waggle* If you'd like to see what happens next in that alley, check out Danny and Jordan's sweet, sexy, and action-filled story in BLAZE, available now on Amazon and Free to read with your Kindle Unlimited subscription. And if you enjoy BLAZE, I would very much appreciate it if you left a review on Amazon or Goodreads.

Thank you for reading!
Love,
Christa

Here's a nerdy little tidbit for ya!

This morning, I came across a tweet asking if Batman is capable of being in a non-toxic, non-star crossed relationship. I love that broody bastard so of course I had THOUGHTS.

I don't think Batman is capable of a healthy relationship. I think he's so emotionally damaged & hard that one - he doesn't want a relationship and two - he would have to overhaul his entire psyche to make it work.

Like, I laughed at the bit in Superman/Batman: Public Enemies where Superman says he's late b/c he had to kiss Lois or something and quips Batman wouldn't understand. And Batman comes back dryly with, "You're right. I don't." Because he just doesn't comprehend romantic emotional attachment. The delivery is funny but it's also sad that all Bruce has is constant vengeance. Nothing else really matters to him. Can you imagine trying to date that?

I mean, I'd fuck Batman. Clearly. But date him? I'm exhausted just thinking of the emotional labor I'd have to put in with him. No partner will ever get past Batman to fully connect with Bruce.

I mentioned that Blaze is my own Batman inspired hero. And I gave him sweet lil' Danny as a romantic interest instead of a Catwoman inspired badass because I felt the man needed the lover, not the hero/vigilante. That's the only way he can find love - by putting that hard part of him aside so that he has room for it.

So what do you think? Can the Dark Knight find love or is he doomed to be forever alone?

You’ve seen the internet talking about The Untamed (available on Netflix and YouTube), and you kinda want to check it out, but you have no idea what’s going on. Fear not, gentle viewer, I’m here to help you.

What is The Untamed and where did it come from?
The Untamed originated as a Chinese boys love (BL) novel, written by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu. The original title is Mo Dao Zu Shi (loosely translated to Grand Master of Demonic Cultivation), shortened by fans and in social media hashtags to MDZS. The author has two other stories that round out a trio of fantasy BL novels. MDZS seems to be the most popular of the three books and is currently the only one with both an animation and live version.

Who the heck are all these people and where did they get those amazing robes?
The Untamed has a big cast and they’re all introduced pretty quickly so it can be a little tough to figure out who is who. The two main characters are Wei Wuxian - who wears black, and Lan Zahn - who wears white. You’ve probably seen fan or official promo art for them. The majority of people are grouped into one of five big clans, identified by the color of their robes.

The Jiang Clan of Yunmeng
They are identified by their purple robes, although in the live version, they often mix in blue and a pretty sea green as well. Their family seat is Lotus Pier. They are a modest and well-respected clan, and their home has a beautiful and cozy feel to it.

The Lan Sect of Gosu
They are identified by their white robes, sometimes alternated with sky blue. They live in the mountains of the Cloud Recess. They are a strict clan (with 3,000 rules!) dedicated to studies. Cultivator students from other clans come there to learn and train.

The Wen Clan
This group is the big bad for the first half of the show. Their colors are red and black and they live in Sun Scorching Palace in Nightless City (named so because it’s so big the sun never sets on it. Brag much?).

Jin Clan of Lanling
These are the hoity toity rich bitches. Identified by yellow, gold and cream robes. They’re the second biggest of the main cultivating clans and live in Carp Tower. It’s gorgeous with open airy rooms, decorated in white, green, and gold.

Nie Clan.
They’re the newest of the main big clans. They’re smaller and a little rough around the edges. Their family home is Unclean Realm (I’m sure there’s something I’m missing in translation because the place is immaculate) the clan colors are a very pretty gray and silver and they use big blades instead of swords.

So that’s the who! And now, the what the heck is happening.

The Setting: Takes places in ancient fantasy China. In this world, demons, ghosts, etc. are a common occurrence. The nobility / upper class clans are cultivators – sorta like warrior exorcists – who fight these demons.

The Plot: As you may have noticed by the fandom’s screeching and fan arts, Wei Wuxian and Lan Zahn are the main protagonists. At the start of the show, Wei Wuxian is reincarnated in the body of Mo Xuanyu. Mo sacrificies his life to bring Wei Wuxian back from the dead in order to get vengeance against Mo’s enemies. The reason he picked WW for this is because in his first life, Wei Wuxian was a powerful demonic cultivator. The reason WW died? Because he was a powerful demonic cultivator and jealous hos were trying to steal his shine.

At the start of the show, Wei Wuxian has been dead for 16 years. When he’s resurrected, he wears a mask to conceal his identity from those who still hate him. Unfortunately, he’s thrown right in the middle of a dangerous mystery. Someone is manipulating ghosts and demons to harm people. As he tries to help a group of young cultivators fight these demons, Lan Zahn, a close friend from his old life, recognizes him, even behind the mask. The two start tackling the mystery together. But before they make much progress, Wei Wuxian passes out.

As he sleeps, he dreams of his first life, and the show turns into a big flashback where we see Wei Wuxian and his siblings attending the Lan sect cultivation school. It follows the time afterward, where we see all of the trials and tribulations that lead to Wei Wuxian’s powerful rise, fall, and death, as well as the growing close relationship between him and Lan Zahn.

When Wei Wuxian wakes from his coma, we are back in the present and they start working to uncover the mystery. This also leads them to discover events which lead to Wei Wuxian’s banishment, the cultivating world turning against him, and his eventual death.

And that’s what the show is about! But this wrap-up hardly does The Untamed justice. I’ve shown you the what. Next time I’ll show you why you should watch this amazing Chinese drama.

The Untamed is available on Netflix and YouTube.

Thanks for reading my The Untamed watch guide! If you'd like to check out my published work, pop on over to my Amazon page where I have lots of m/m romance, including BLAZE, book one in my superhero series!
Love,
Christa