Chapter 8

The air was thick with excitement. We managed to secure seats that provided not only a great view of the UFC match, but a clear, panoramic view of the crowd.

The star of the evening passed close by me on his way to the ring. I was thrilled when his eyes met mine and he gave me a curt smile and a nod.

I reveled in the excitement of the roaring crowd when the fighter entered ringside. I was a huge fan of the UFC and although I held our true mission firmly in my mind I saw no harm in enjoying the match while we were there.

Guilt swept over me as I stole a glance at Shen’s tortured face searching the crowd. I would have joined in the search, but he’d provided only a vague description of what Stevenson looked like. So, I settled on enjoying the match while staying alert in case he suddenly needed me.

Shen couldn’t take his mind off Dao-Ming long enough to appreciate the match. He was only vaguely aware of the roars from the fans as he searched the crowd for Stevenson. He remembered his uncle’s description of the man he sought.

He is a tall man with skin as black as the night. He carries a scar on his right cheek and a droopy right eye. We believe he is closely tied in with the vampire ring. He is a very powerful man and can tell you what you need to know.

He will be able to connect you with the leader of the trafficking business but move cautiously nephew. This Stevenson is a snake and is not to be trusted. I am sad to say that he is the only connection we have been able to uncover. So go, my nephew, and use caution. There are many hidden things about these men. I hope you discover none of them. Get in and out as quickly as possible.

Two Caucasian women dressed in clothing that shouted their profession approached. As we’d done earlier in the day with the two young women we’d met on the street, I invited them to sit with us in the hopes they may be useful in finding Dao-Ming. It was a common tale that the underground trafficking rings of the country controlled this type of woman. Perhaps the ring we sought operated these girls. Mia, the taller and more voluptuous of the two, planted herself next to me with aggressive confidence. Shen sensed my motive and did his best to play along as the smaller of the two females nudged as close to him as she could without sitting in his lap.

A young Chinese girl standing amongst a small cluster of men across the crowded arena caught my attention. She wore a sad look on her face as one of the men slipped a hand beneath her blouse and another fondled her from behind. I wondered if I was the only one in the crowd who noticed, or even cared. As I watched her intently, a man stepped away from the group, allowing me a view of the man who stood behind him. I nudged Shen and nodded my head in the man’s direction. I wasn’t sure, but I got the sense he might be the man we sought. Shen’s body tenses as he recognized him immediately. It was Stevenson. He fit his uncle’s description perfectly.

Shen was only mildly aware of the flirtatious woman at his side or the fighter’s victory, as he kept his focus on Stevenson. This man was his only link to Dao-Ming and he didn’t want to lose it. The match ended and the crowd pushed its way onto the street. We stepped into the flow of moving bodies along with the two girls and were swept effortlessly outside.

We had trouble keeping track of Stevenson as the crowd from the match blended with the sea of tourists. When he disappeared around a corner Shen tried his best to push his way ahead through the blanket of chaos. The results of his efforts were minimal. He heaved a disappointed sigh.

“We lost him,” he said.

“Which way was he heading when he disappeared?” I asked.

Shen crooked his head toward the direction Stevenson disappeared.

Since my height allowed me to look above most of the heads in the crowd, I did my best to look for signs of Stevenson in the direction he indicated while my body shuddered in sheer delight as the heat of Mia’s breath grazed my ear.

“Do you have a room where we could go?” she asked seductively.

Thoughts of my promise to myself to conquer the way my bodily urges controlled me fleeted through my mind. I knew I should resist; not just for Shen’s sake, but because of Jessica. Prior to meeting Jess, I took advantage of most offers that came my way with minimal thought of the consequences. It was two years since I’d made the effort to commit to a monogamous relationship and I’d managed to be faithful while pouring my wandering energy into my training. Lately, her incessant urging for marriage caused a strain between us. I cared for her in my own way, but did I love her in a way that one should love another to bond with us for a lifetime? I didn’t feel ready for marriage. It was so final. Everyone I knew who was madly in love prior to marriage was now fighting profusely and heading for divorce court. This was another reason I hesitated. Why ruin a good thing? It was a good thing, wasn’t it?

My resistance started to break down as Mia’s body rubbed against my engorged manhood. This was too much for any man to resist. I shot a look in Shen’s direction, but he seemed not to notice. All his attention was focused on the spot where Stevenson had faded into the crowd. I finally suggested we all stop for a drink. Perhaps that would give my fickle body time to cool down and focus on something other than the soft, sweet, flesh that so brazenly offered itself to me.

As luck would have it, we spotted Stevenson standing alone by a slot machine in the casino we’d chosen to stop in. Sensing the tension rising in him, I looked to Shen for direction.

He was clearly suspicious of Mia.

“I hope you will forgive me, my friend, but I just remembered I have something to do for my uncle and it is getting late,” he said. “I will meet you back at our room. I should not be more than a few hours. Okay?”

Mia and her companion looked at me expectantly. She seemed a little too interested in what we were doing. I knew what he was asking of me and only hoped I could ignore my conscience and play along. It was obvious what I was expected to do. I groaned in frustration at my own weakness and all too easy willingness to oblige.

“No problem” I said. “We’ll find something to do to occupy our time.”

The girls giggled and nuzzled closer to me while we watched Shen agley dart through the crowded mass of people in the direction of Stevenson. I put an arm around each girl and headed off toward our hotel while forcing Jessica’s image out of my mind. I couldn’t think of her now. Something was up. I could feel it in my bones. I needed to do what I could to help find Dao-Ming. If that meant entertaining these all too eager females, then so be it. Perhaps something useful would slip from their luscious lips to help us in our quest.