Ladies of the Night

The new sheriff settled in, and just like the mayor warned, his job was a bore. He monitored the roads, but there never seemed to be any trouble. Sometimes he would be called upon, but it was always for simple favors. He was beginning to feel useless.

It had only been a few days and he was yearning for some action. The only thing he noticed that was out of the ordinary was the odd amount of men who disappeared without a trace. They seemed to vanish into thin air and were always last seen at the brothel. It wasn't an unusual for men to delight in the sin of the flesh but the disappearances were concerning.

The sheriff tried to ignore his suspicions.

“Stay away from that brothel, it's not worth the trouble” He could hear the mayor's voice echoing in his head. It had been the only advice given to him, The least he could do was listen to it.

The sheriff tried for days to ignore the brothel, the disappearances, and the sickly sweet aroma he always smelt as he walked past. The temptation to see what was inside and what secrets it held was overwhelming. It wouldn't be unusual for a sheriff to look inside, and maybe it would give him the much needed action he craved.

He waited until night to enter the brothel. The front room was dark, only lite by a few candles. There were seats to lounge in and red drapes adorning all the walls. An even thicker curtain hung in the doorway blocking sight into the back. There were noises, but nothing that would raise any concern in a place like this.

“Well hello sheriff, how can I help you?” the sweet voice came from behind the counter. It was a woman who was wearing a flashy red and black dress. Her corset pushed her bust up high making it appear bigger than they were. Her shoulders were almost bare, only covered by a thin shall. When she came out from behind the counter he saw her dress was hiked up to show off her stockings.

He smiled kindly as she approached him. As she got closer he could smell her. She smelt of a musky rose, but there was something else. It was familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.

“Why ma'am I was just looking around. I was just curious is all.” His voice sounded unsure, his mind still focused on the odd scent.

“You’ve never been to a place like this before, I can tell by the blush on your face. I’d even say that you’ve never seen a real woman before,” She brushed up against him, placing her hands on his chest, “I’ve never had a law man before. I’d give anything for a taste.”

Her head moved closer to his neck until the sheriff could feel her breathe. The atmosphere was intoxicating. It wouldn't have been hard for him to give in to his desires, but he still smelt it. It was a strong copper scent, a scent he smelt so many times before. He pushed her away and followed the scent towards the thick curtain blocking the back.

“Stop, you can’t go back there yet” The woman yelled in a panic.

“Why does it smell like….” he didn't even finish his thought before pulling open the curtains and seeing the giant red puddles all over the floor “Blood!”

There was a trail of blood leading from where he stood to the limp body at the end of the hall. There were three women huddled over him and in unison they all turned to face the sheriff. Their mouths were covered in blood and their eyes were black as coal.

He stood there in shock for a moment before he tried to reach for his revolver.

“I would think through your next move very carefully.” The women from behind stated. Her voice changed, it was no longer sweet and naive, but now had a deep mature tone. “We really don't want to have to replace the sheriff yet again. Didn’t the mayor warn you to stay away?”

“Is he dead, did you killed that innocent man?" The sheriff was still fixated on the dead man's body. It was ripped apart like wild animals had gotten to it.

“Innocent, no man who comes to a place like this is innocent, including you sheriff.” The woman got in front of him, in the candle light he could see that her face had changed too. She had long fangs and her eyes covered in a black haze. “Besides, he was a criminal. Did you not ever wonder why this town stays so safe? We provide an important service, not only do we contribute to this town's bustling economy, but we get rid of all the scum that threaten it.”

“Threaten it? You women are murderers, no you're monsters!" The man's voice was full of fear. His hand tightly on his hip, grasping his revolver.

“I don't think you know what a monster is. A monster is a man with a gun who thinks he can make the law because he has some stupid title. A monster is a mayor who would rather see the town burn then give up any of his money to the poor. A monster is someone who stands in our way of making sure this town stays safe for those who can't do it themselves.”

With every word he could feel the pain within her voice.

“There's other ways to protect. You don't always have to kill.” His voice came out like a whisper, like he was trying to convince not only her but himself.

"You are just like everyone else who comes in here. A lonely pathetic man that has to pay for the company of a women because his personality matches that of a lame horse. Absolutely useless!" The women laughed at the sheriff. The sheriff could see the sharp fangs with in her mouth.

He pulled out his revolver and pointed it towards the women.

"You wont shoot me sheriff, your too tight laced," she approached his gun with the confidence of the mad, "if you even think of harming me, my girls will make sure you don't leave alive."

The sheriff cocked his hammer and steadied his aim.

The expression on the women softened, this sheriff meant business.

"Since you didn't shoot on sight, I'll give you a choice. You can go back and be our little actor, playing sheriff. You will have a comfy little life helping all the town folks with there needs." She pointed to the corpse on the floor, "or you can join the man on the floor over there.”

The man put his finger over the trigger. He was shaking with fear and anger. The two emotions at odds. The two options: life or death. Either way all he would see was red.