InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ As Deemed By Fate ❯ Ember ( Chapter 2 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Jade Catseye 
Chemistry Complicates...
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Comedy | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 09.01.2004 | Updated On: 09.29.2006 | Pages: 4 | Words: 6.4K | Visits: 1.7K | Status: Work In Progress
Chemistry Complicates...
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Comedy | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 09.01.2004 | Updated On: 09.29.2006 | Pages: 4 | Words: 6.4K | Visits: 1.7K | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, Beyonce's "Naughty Girl", or Brittney Spears' "Toxic".
AN: Wow, the response to this story is amazing. Thank you so much guys for you feedback and thoughts on my knew fic, especially to LewdaKris, who gave me some interesting insight on the mind set of a stripper. Oh, and to answer one reviewer's question about if this story was going to demons and such, no. Everyone is human in this fic, including Inuyasha, who I decided would keep the silver hair and golden eyes since he's just so sexy with those features. ;) ::throws wild flowers and candy to reviewers:: Thanks again for all the reviews. Since I'm in college, updates are going to be a little slow. Just bear with me. Anyways, enjoy the chapter!
Title: As Deemed By Fate
Rating: R (for obscene profanity usage, content, and some limey situations)
Pairing: Kik/Inu/Kag
Summary: AU. Man is incomplete until he marries. Inuyasha believes his fiancé Kikyo will make him whole, or did until he met Kagome, an avid exotic dancer that instantly complicates things. Temptation has never been so hard to resist. Inu/Kag
Chapter Two: Ember
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Ember
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The instant he stepped inside of the club, Inuyasha was immediately taken aback by the verve of the atmosphere and the sheer enormity of the place. The entire nightclub was constructed in a fashion akin to an arena set in gladiator times. Stone pillars supporting the dome shaped arc of the ceiling circled the spherical shaped club, a torch with a single, burning flame in the middle of each column. In the center of it all was the dance floor, which was encircled by three different levels of floors that all held candlelit tables and booths for those who weren't into the dance scene. It was a perfect blend of both modern and ancient eras that only added to the dynamism of the nightclub.
Exotic strobe lights bathed the interior in various hues of color that were constantly rotating along the floors and ceiling and against the walls, causing Inuyasha's vision to become momentarily distorted and took a few seconds for him to adjust. The boisterous atmosphere blared with deafening music, the walls vibrating in effect. The air was hot and heavy and reeked of lust ridden people on the dance floor, gyrating and grinding against each other to the beat.
Miroku motioned for Inuyasha to follow him since words were not necessary or audible with the ear splitting music pumping out of the ten foot amps. They stood at either side of the stage that was centered in the middle of the dance floor, black curtains drawn so that it was impossible to tell what was going on behind them. Inuyasha trailed after the part time monk; past a sizeable bar that was big enough to house every liquor known to man with a scantily clad bartender dressed in a bunny get up pouring a man Bacardi into a shot glass while he openly observed her half covered breasts unabashedly.
They weaved in and out of people until they came to a rather large table that had an excellent view of the club where his friends sat drinking and talking loudly, oblivious to the fact that Miroku had returned with Inuyasha until Kouga stood and shouted his name, alerting everyone at the table of their arrival.
"Hey people, shit face has finally arrived!" He drunkenly raised his drink, which sloshed onto the table. "Happy fucking birthday!" He yelled, too intoxicated to notice that the music had died down moments ago and there was no real reason to shout any longer. "I'll go get you a drink!" Kouga staggered off toward the bar, stumbling occasionally into bystanders.
Inuyasha wrinkled his noise at the man in disgust. "Ayame, how the hell am I supposed to enjoy my birthday with your drunken idiot of a boyfriend is here making an ass out of himself and us?"
"You know Kouga," Ayame replied rolling her eyes, "loves his drinks to death. Now he's got poor Shippou involved in his world of liquor." She pointed to the opposite end of the table where the red headed youth lay unconscious face down on the table, his right hand still clenching a glass of something that probably wasn't apple juice.
"I didn't know they lowered the legal drinking age to 19," Inuyasha observed wryly taking a seat beside Miroku.
"Somehow we found ourselves unable to turn down those big, adorable green eyes of his," Sango said, her own shifting around nervously as she pried the drink from his hand and placing it in front of her just in case anybody had any thoughts that he was underage.
"Tell me again why you all brought a little kid to a strip club?" Inuyasha inquired, his gaze traveling across the recently abandoned dance floor where uniformed men were beginning to set up chairs in front and bring out a dispensable runway to align with the center of the stage for the show.
"I ain't no kid," Shippou mumbled picking up his head rather sluggishly from the table top, his manners clearly indicating the extent that the alcohol was effecting his motor skills and judgment. His head bobbed unsteadily as though it were floating on water before slamming back down on the table.
He was down and out for the count.
Miroku leaned over to whisper into Inuyasha's ear, just incase their friend was still conscious. "We figured he would pass out after a couple of drinks and would miss the show altogether, hence saving him from the indecent exposure of attractive, half naked ouch!" He rubbed the side of his head where his girlfriend had just chucked a bowl of peanuts. "But they all pale in comparison to you, my delicate flower. You are the epitome of loveliness and beauty. Your eyes are like-"
"Save it houshi," Sango growled, another bowl of peanuts in hand just in case she had reasonable cause to launch it at her perverted boyfriend once more. "The only reason I came here was because it was Inuyasha's birthday and so I could make sure that you keep your wandering hands to yourself. I don't understand why we had to come to a strip joint for his birthday."
"Sango dearest," Miroku pleaded reaching to take her hands with his but stopping when he saw the murder flashing in her brown depths, "this club is becoming the hottest spot in all of Japan. This place is harder to get into than a UN conference. It's used as a dance club until 11:30 when the shows begin. And the girls who work here aren't really strippers, but amazingly talented dancers who just happen to be dressed in scanty attire. I've heard that the show they put on here could rival renowned dance companies."
"If you've seen one strip joint, you've seen them all," Inuyasha said stifling a yawn. "Can you just give me my presents so I can leave?" 'And return to my lonely condo since I was kicked out of my own damn house.'
"He's only being a grouch because his fiancé is accusing him of sleeping around," Miroku casually informed the others at the table.
"Hey, I told you that in confidence!" The golden eyed man snapped.
"Oh, it's ok Inu," Ayame cooed. "I'm sure it was merely miscommunication on her part. Kikyo will come to her senses sooner or later."
"Keh. Whatever." He folded his arms, his brows tugging downward into a scowl. "Presents please?"
Sango shook her head. "No gifts until the cake arrives and we sing happy birthday after the first show."
"Damnit." Frowning, he glanced at his Rolex. It was 11:29pm. "How long is this going to take?"
"Stop being such a cold fish Inuyasha." Lurching slightly, Kouga placed a glass of gods knew what in front of the impertinent man and unsteadily tottered over to his seat beside his girlfriend before plopping down. "Winner gets five hundred yen. Cheers man!" Grinning, he lifted his glass in the air and waited for him to follow suit.
Sighing, Inuyasha lifted the glass into the air and brought it to his lips, waiting until Kouga closed his eyes and tipped his head back to let the liquid slide down his throat before hastily dumping out the contents under his seat and slamming the glass down on the table like he had drank the entire thing in a matter of mere seconds. 'Somebody can clean that up later.' "I beat you," he smirked wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
Confusion distorted the Kouga's features for a moment as he tried to fathom how the mutt face had drank a cup's worth of vodka in less than ten seconds. Unfortunately, for him the effects of too much liquor streaming within his system blurred his perception of things and made the obvious not so evident. Grumbling, Kouga accepted his loss and rummaged in his pockets for the money then threw it across the table. "You got lucky dog breath."
Shrugging, Inuyasha pocketed the cash and hid a triumphant grin. He would be sure to bring a twelve pack of Corona the next time they had one of their gambling get-togethers.
Wagering against an impaired Kouga always produced fruitful outcomes, well for him at least.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen."
Everyone turned to the bald young man standing atop the stage with a microphone in hand.
Inuyasha turned up his nose. "Please tell me that that hideous abomination is not the owner of this place." A sharp and painful jab to his ribs from Sango shut him up, his glare going unnoticed.
Bristling, Inuyasha slouched in the chair and crossed his arms stubbornly. When would this night from hell end?
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"Suki, would you get in place and stop wriggling your ass in front of my face," Momiji said distastefully at the twenty two year old woman who has peeking out from behind the curtain into the audience like some over eager schoolgirl.
Pouting, Suki subtly positioned the curtain back in its original place and glared at the other woman as she returned to her spot. "I was just scanning the crowd for the filthy rich bastards." She slid her hand across her buttocks and down her thigh sensually, a sly smile curving at her lips. "They get an extra little something, for a price, that is."
"Slut." Kagome stuck out her tongue at the feline clad female.
"If the title comes with the bread, I'll take it as such, proudly."
"And it suits you well," Momiji muttered beneath her breath.
The sudden dimming of the lights alerted everyone backstage that it was almost time.
"Come on, baby," Suki whispered more so to herself than anyone else, vigorously rubbing her hands together in her customary psyching and good luck ritual she did before every show, "mama needs a new pair of shoes, this months rent, and a down payment on my new car I still have on layaway."
Kagome watched from the sidelines as the thundering sound of music abruptly shattered the silence, the resounding echo of Brittney Spears Toxic filling the air with her sultry voice and upbeat tempo, the volume of the music rocking her very soul. Her eyes strayed from the performance she had seen a hundred times, literally, to the audience, curious as to whom the said birthday boy, or man, was, though the blaring lights that were all focused on the stage made it extremely difficult to discern the faces of the crowd.
A flash of white amidst the ocean of silhouettes caught her attention. Squinting as far as her sight would allow, Kagome leaned out and tried to discern exactly what it was. 'That seriously can't be some guy's hair,' she thought, a slight frown marring her features, unless that's some old guy. 'Great. That's just what I need. Now, I'll have toothless, debauched old guys to deal with.' With a heavy hearted sigh, Kagome backed away from the curtains and accidentally backed into somebody else.
"Oh, sorry about-"
"Damn little girl, watch where you're going." Mizuki snapped, her black eyes burning with obvious contempt.
"It was just an accident," Kagome shot back. Ever since she had been hired two months ago, or more importantly had become the object of Hiten's desires as Suki boldly put, some females couldn't accept that she was a good friend of the man who ignores their attempts of seduction and flirting or because she was a better dancer than any of the other girls. "What is with you Mizuki? If you're pissed because Hiten doesn't acknowledge your presence, take that up with him because I don't want to be caught up in all of your drama. I have more important things to worry about than you and your ego."
A fleeting expression of shock flitted across her face before twisting into anger, her grip tightening on the whip in her hands. "Listen here bitch; you don't know shit about me. I've made it clear since day one that I've wanted nothing to do with you, but have stomached your presence for the sake of this job since you're fucking my boss."
Instantaneous anger flared within Kagome. This chick was really beginning to grate on her nerves. "One, I wouldn't want to know anything about you, seeing as though your attitude can rival that of a foul boar. Two, there is nothing going on between Hiten and I, so you can take your preconceived notions about us and shove them where the sun don't shine. Got that Temptress?" She inwardly flinched at the sudden snap of the whip not two inches beside her.
The other woman took her black whip in both hands, her face flushed with undiluted ire as she twisted the leather whip with frightening strength. Kagome gulped nervously as Mizuki stepped up in front of her face. "I fucking swear, you little bitch, that if I didn't need this job so bad, I would take this and strangle you to death."
Swallowing the fear that had arisen in her throat, Kagome met her gaze challengingly and stood her ground with false bravado. "You hate me so much that you would actually attempt to kill me?" she asked calmly, effectively masking the subtle hints of panic in her voice, since that was likely to set the psycho chick off.
"Attempt?" Mizuki let out harsh bark of laughter that conveyed no joviality whatsoever. "Who said anything about attempted murder?" Her bottomless pits of blackness darkened even more, making the threat anything but empty.
Try as she might, there was no stopping the trepidation that bloomed and tightened in her chest. Gods, what she wouldn't give for a can of mace right now, or maybe some self defense lessons. 'Note to self: Sign up for jui jitsu lessons tomorrow.'
"What's going on here?"
Kagome almost wilted in relief at the sound of her friend‘s voice. "Mizuki here was just giving me some words of encouragement. Right?" She smiled with sickening sweet innocence to the stiff female that stood before her.
A tic began to spasm erratically in Mizuki's jaw as she restrained herself and slowly backed away, her fierce gaze never leaving Kagome's. "Oh this isn't over girlie. You just wait, you'll learn your lesson soon enough. And next time you won't have your little posse around to stop me."
Suki growled and stepped in front of Kagome to defend the girl who was like a little sister to her. "You'd better step off whore, before you catch my fist down your throat. I don't know who you think you are, walking around like you're the shit, you fucking loser. Hiten is never going to notice you. You're never going to become a better dancer than Kagome. Get the fuck over it already." The small female took an intimidating step towards the fidgeting woman in the leather getup. "And if I ever hear about you threatening her or any other female here, I am personally going to beat you black and blue and leave tread marks permanently indented on your ugly mug. Got it?"
Mizuki, even being nearly a foot taller than the other woman, was clearly not a match for this formidable opponent. Mumbling something incoherent, she took her leave, throwing one last glare to Kagome, before striding off for the stage since she was up.
Letting out the breath she hadn’t realized she‘d been holding, Kagome gave her friend a watery smile. "Thanks Suki. I owe you big time."
"Don't worry about her. She's a natural born bitch with an innate desire to attack those who are prettier, classier, and more talented than she, which is basically most of all the females, save for those she's already killed off."
"Geez, you make her sound like some kind of wild beast," Momiji chuckled while counting her tips.
"That's what she is," Suki commented evenly and pulled out the cash from various parts of her outfit.
"So, how's the crowd?" Kagome questioned changing the subject.
"Very, very nice," Momiji answered grinning and brandishing her wad in front of the girls face.
"Except, for that fucking asshole of a birthday boy," Suki grumbled, her lips curling in a snarl. "He didn't even tip me, at all. Even after I pulled every fancy move I had. Cheap bastard."
Her company laughed at the woman’s misfortune. "I'm so glad I worked on the dark haired guys, especially the one with short hair, though his girlfriend didn't look very happy about it."
"I knew I shouldn't have taken him. He was hot, but his face was all scrunched up like he didn't want to be there. I thought I could easily change his mind," Suki complained, crossing her arms.
"I guess you thought wrong," Kagome teased.
Suki glared at her. "I bet you can't do any better. The guys like a stone wall: unmoving and impenetrable."
"So what does he look like?" Kagome asked out of curiosity.
"Why? You plan on hooking up with him instead of Hiten?" Momiji inquired slyly.
She rolled her eyes. "I'm not hooking up with anybody. In fact, that's the last thing on my mind. I have more important things to concentrate on, like my schoolwork and how I'm going to help pay for my mother's chemotherapy treatments and the mortgage."
"Kagome," Suki started, her eyes all seriousness, "listen to me when I say this: If you can secure Hiten or that stubborn ass out there, you won't have to worry about paying for any of that because you'll have a man for all of that."
She opened her mouth to retort but was silenced with a hand. "For once, stop being so obstinate and forget your pride. You can't survive in this world being naive. Take my advice and go for one of these guys. You have the looks and the smarts, so use them to your advantage and go out with the bastards."
Kagome sighed. "I completely understand where you're coming from, but I wouldn't feel comfortable going out with a guy because of his money or status." Throwing her hose over her shoulder, she clasped her hands together and looked toward the Heavens, her blue eyes becoming distant and shiny with mock hope. "When I meet my soul mate, it will be love at first sight. He will have beautiful, long tresses, a body to die for, and the face of an angel. He will be head over heels in love with me and will never betray my love. We will live happily ever after and have four adorable kids in his house on the countryside."
Both females snickered at her heartwarming soliloquy.
"I'd love to stay and chat ladies, but I've really got to go make this money," Kagome said upon hearing the conversion of one song into the next, signifying the end of the second groups performance, and the beginning of her solo.
"Knock em dead, girl," Momiji winked.
"And remember my proposition! Money, don't grow on trees," Suki called after her.
Kagome rolled her eyes as she got into position, a smirk teasing the corners of her mouth.
Sometimes, her friend’s resolve to see her hooked up with some rich snob was downright scary. Maybe, if Suki practiced what she preached and stopped worrying her half to death about it, she would become heiress to a multi million dollar fortune. The dimming of the lights served as a cue that her time was near. Wiping the smirk off of her face, Kagome sobered up and mentally prepared herself to shut out everything except her music, which had already begun playing in the background. It was time.
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For some odd reason, Inuyasha was unable to fully enjoy himself, even in the midst of his best friends and half naked women shaking their assets in front of his face. But this didn't come as a surprise to him. He was getting married in a month to a woman whose beauty and intelligence surpassed every female in Tokyo. He shouldn't be at a strip joint ogling the goodies of these females; however voluptuous and mouth watering they were, but those of his fiancé. The thought did little to reduce the guilt steadily building within him for betraying her trust.
His mental reverie was momentarily disrupted, when the flashing lights that had been bouncing off of the walls were suddenly turned off, cloaking the entire club in a blanket of darkness. Howls and hoots erupted from different sects of the audience, the men all knowing what was to come. His interest mildly piqued at what the fuss was all about, Inuyasha turned his head toward the stage.
"I've heard that this last routine is the show stopper," he heard Miroku yell over top of the music that had just begun to play, with barely contained enthusiasm beside him. Even with the thick blackness of the room, Inuyasha could see that the man was practically bouncing up and down in his seat. "Her name is Ember and she does a solo performance and has the body of a goddess with long, slender legs and luscious curves that I would love to caress-no I mean others would-"
Inuyasha winced as his friends chair was harshly yanked backwards; resulting in him lying sprawled in unceremoniously in a twisted position that looked none too comfortable.
"I knew I shouldn't have let you throw this party at a strip club, considering your lecherous mind," Sango hissed loudly on the other side of the fallen monk.
I'm feelin sexy
I wanna hear you say my name boy
If you can reach me
Smirking, Inuyasha opened his mouth to add on to her remark about his lechery, but the biting retort that had been dancing on the edge of his tongue, slipped to the back of his throat and became wedged within his esophagus as the thick, black curtain parted, leaving a firefighter clad woman stretching on the floor of the stage. Soft, red rays of florescent light focused on the beauty before the audience as she languidly rose from her the horizontal position with the tempo of the music.
You can feel my burning flame
Inuyasha took in a sharp breath as her face into view, his golden eyes widening slightly. 'No wonder Miroku was so excited to see this last routine,' he thought, already feeling his blood ignite into flames as her body arched upward to the rhythm and came skillfully to her feet. His jaw went slack as he got a glimpse of her face.
I'm feelin kind of n-a-s-t-yI might just take you home with meBaby the minute I feel your energyYour vibe's just taken over meStart feelin so crazy babeI feel the funk coming over meI don't know what's gotten into meThe rhythm's got me feelin so crazy babe
A seductive grin uplifted the corners of her lips, a teasing glint flashing playfully in her smoky, blue eyes. Her dark mass of wavy tresses flew freely around her lithe form as her body swayed seductively to the sultry pulse of the music. Flinging the fireman's hat to the side, she strutted confidently to the left side of the stage, a taunting yet strangely mesmerizing smile making her seem all the more stunning.
Inuyasha tried to stare at something else other than her attractive facial features or the smooth planes of her toned stomach or fullness of her breasts, but his eyes refused to budge and remained glued to the dancer named Ember, who had somehow entranced him with her beauty and graceful movements.
Tonight I'll be your naughty girlI'm callin all my girlsWe're gonna turn this party outI know you want my bodyTonight I'll be your naughty girlI'm callin all my girlsI see you look me up and downAnd I came to party
His mouth went dry when she unraveled the hose that had been wrapped around her torso, like red stripes on a candy cane and swung it around one of the poles on the left side of the stage. Inuyasha nearly fell back in his chair when she began grinding suggestively against the pole in a manner that had every man in the audience standing to their feet with loud, evocative catcalls and started tossing their money like crazy.
You're so sexy, tonight I am all yours boyThe way your body moves across the floorYou got me feelin n-a-s-t-yI might just take you home with me
An animalistic growl ripped through his chest when his view of her was cut off, as people stood to see what was going on in the left hand side if the stage. Inuyasha was ready to get up and start throwing people away from the stage so he could see what she was doing, when he felt the pressure of a hand grip his forearm. Whipping his head around, he turned to glare at Miroku. "What?!"
A knowing grin lit up the monks features. "Have patience my friend. Your time will come soon enough."
Inuyasha felt his face heat up in embarrassment and guilt at his actions. Here he was just about ready to kill somebody for getting in the way of some stripper, when he was about to get married in less than a month. Wincing as the volume of cheering increased and restraining himself from getting up to see what was going on, Inuyasha clenched his jaw and sat stiffly in the chair. He needed to control himself; he would control himself. After all, there was nobody more perfect or more attractive than his Kikyo. Unfortunately, the mental assurance did nothing to quell the urgency within him to see the raven haired beauty.
Besides, it was about time he had a little fun. It wasn't like he was going to screw or fall in love with some random chick at a strip joint.
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'Sink to floor in split. Smile seductively at hormone raging men. Lay back. Straighten legs in air. Bring them back down. Arch upward. Take off jacket. Throw into audience. Wink suggestively and slowly stand to feet.' Even though she knew her routine in and out, she always liked to repeat it like a mantra in her mind, to stay focused and not get deviated from her performance by the crude shouts of the crowd.
Blowing a kiss to the audience, Kagome sauntered over to the center of the stage that let out to the runway, where, inevitably, would lead her to the star attraction for the night. Briefly remember what Suki had said about the birthday man, being gorgeous, but a bit of a tight wad, made her grin inwardly. There was nothing she liked more than a challenge, especially a cute challenge.
With her mind made up and her provocative smile in place, Kagome boldly sashayed out onto the runway and almost faltered when a drunken maniacal fan of hers, flung himself onto the runway in a desperate attempt to get her attention, momentarily obscuring her view of her intended target. Inwardly laughing as his red haired girlfriend tried to yank him back to his seat, she took the time to pause during her routine to bend down and drop a kiss onto his cheek.
The man with icy blue eyes blinked for a moment, as if trying to process what had just happened through the haze of intoxication. Whooping loudly when it finally sunk in that the star of the show had bestowed him with a kiss, he gave her a lip splitting grin and tossed her a wad of cash which she expertly caught and tucked into her brassier. With a wink, she glided easily back to her routine, which was now coming to an end.
Baby the minute I feel your energyThe vibe's just taken over meStart feelin so crazy babeI feel the funk coming over meI don't know what's gotten into meThe rhythm's got me feelin so crazy babe
'Spin. Somersault into another split. Tumble to edge of runway and come face to face with target and-.' All coherent thought ceased, as she locked gazes with him. Honey coated eyes that held flecks of amber stared back at her heatedly from beneath white bangs, their intensity and animalistic hunger stirring something deep within her being. The ions in the air suddenly became charged as they gazed into one another's eyes, the tension before them virtually cackling with electricity.
Dimly hearing the music still playing in the background, Kagome forcefully brought her focus back to what she was supposed to be doing, although the desire to reach out and touch a strand of his silky white hair was intensifying.
Tonight I'll be your naughty girlI'm callin all my girlsWe're gonna turn this party outI know you want my bodyTonight I'll be your naughty girlI'm callin all my girlsI see you look me up and downAnd I came to party
Even though her heart was pounding a mile a minute beneath her ribcage, Kagome went through the rest of her movements, which became difficult to execute due to a sudden case of self consciousness that no amount of concentration could subdue. She felt his eyes on her as she did intricate twists and turns and spins in front of him.
I love to love you babyI love to love you babyI love to love you baby
Growing angry at her lack of control over her body, which didn't obey her command to stop blushing furiously under his penetrating gaze, Kagome threw herself single-mindedly into the last few moves of her routine to rid her mind of his striking features and the shape of full lips and the burning passion smoldering in his molten pools of liquid gold. She could smell the musky scent of his cologne that clung to the air around him, the smell invading her nostrils and giving her a heady sort of feeling to the point where she found herself almost giddy.
Tonight I'll be your naughty girlI'm callin all my girlsWe're gonna turn this party outI know you want my bodyTonight I'll be your naughty girlI'm callin all my girlsI see you look me up and downAnd I came to party
Unfortunately, her last move ended up with her being inches away from his face, a place where she really didn't need to be in her current state of mind. Panting slightly from the exertion, Kagome kept her current position until the lights dimmed and the music finally died away. Breathing an inaudible sigh of relief, she moved to get up when his hand shot out and grasped her wrist before she could get up from her crouched position.
Even with the pitch blackness blanketing the club in a cloak of darkness, Kagome could see his golden eyes shining back at her with a predatory glint that sent tremors racing down her spine. He leaned in closer to her so that his nose brushed against hers tenderly, his eyes never leaving hers. She shivered involuntarily, as his warm breath lightly caressed her face.
"Here. You earned this," he murmured softly into her ear as he tucked a roll of bills into the side of her low rise thong, his warm fingers lingering longer than necessary as they nimbly skimmed the smooth planes of her hip, all the way to her stomach and grinned when her muscles contracted and trembled under his touch.
The feelings his fingers were evoking within her snapped a flushed Kagome out of her lapse of sanity just as the lights came back on. Abruptly standing to her feet, she tore her gaze from his amused golden eyes and plastered a fake smile on her face for her audience as they applauded and whistled. Even as she made her way back upstage, collecting her little bundles of yen that the men had so gratefully thrown at her and blowing kisses to her fans, she could still feel the strange mans heated stare on her, whether by instinct or women's intuition.
"Give it up for Ember!" Maten yelled into the microphone, while stepping back onto the stage to stand beside her. "Isn't she great? Regrettably, there wont be an encore presentation following."
Kagome resisted the urge to jump up and down in joy. As much as she loved to dance, she would much rather be curled up in her bed beneath her warm covers.
"Fortunately for those that are VIP, you will be able to get up close and personal with this beautiful gem and many others at the after party that will be held in the back."
Kagome's high spirits sank. 'So much for going home early. No doubt the after party will be held in honor of that guy's birthday.' Her eyes darted briefly to end of the runway where the white haired man sat talking with his friend beside him, and, as if sensing her gaze, turned his head toward her, his eyes instantly connecting with on her own. Heat blossomed in her cheeks and made an outbreak of butterflies within her stomach as she caught the flicker of mischief and keen interest that was written so boldly on his face, further inciting her anger at both him and herself for responding to his cheap attempts at flirting.
Without so much as another word to Maten or anybody else for that matter, Kagome turned on her heels and marched backstage. 'Who does that guy think he is?' She thought gritting her teeth in annoyance, her grip tightening on the cash in her hands. 'Cocky bastard thinks he can get a rise out of me just because I work at a strip club. The nerve of him, grabbing my wrist and touching me like that. Doesn't he know that it's against company policy to touch any of the dancers?'
Growling, she walked back to the dressing room where Suki and Momiji had already changed back into their street clothes. Disappointment overshadowed the anger that had been instigated by a certain someone. "You guys are leaving now?" Kagome asked not bother to conceal the sad note in her tone.
Momiji gave her a sympathetic look. "Oh, Kagome, I would stay, really I would, but I really hate paying extra charges to the babysitter. Besides this is my early night, my only one."
"Don't worry Kag, I'm sure that it wont be so bad," Suki said with a impish grin as she slid her purse strap over her shoulder. "Just put up with those ignorant assholes for another hour or so and then you can go home. Oh, and try not to focus on the time, it'll make things go by slower. Believe me, I speak from experience."
"But-"
"Oh cheer up, hon." Momiji kissed her on both cheeks taking her leave. "Everything will be fine. I'll see you tomorrow."
"And if anybody gives you any shit, you call me and I'll come back down here in a flash and teach them a lesson they'll never forget," Suki winked and followed the other woman out. "Oh, and Hiten told me to tell you that you'll be serving the birthday guy his cake tonight. Ciao, darling."
Kagome plopped down in her chair and allowed her forehead to fall onto the vanity dresser with a solid thump. It was going to be a long night.
TBC
AN: Remember to drop this humble authoress a review and tell me what you think. And remember if you want updates on when I update on any of my stories, go to my page and click on the link to sign up. Love ya!
AN: Wow, the response to this story is amazing. Thank you so much guys for you feedback and thoughts on my knew fic, especially to LewdaKris, who gave me some interesting insight on the mind set of a stripper. Oh, and to answer one reviewer's question about if this story was going to demons and such, no. Everyone is human in this fic, including Inuyasha, who I decided would keep the silver hair and golden eyes since he's just so sexy with those features. ;) ::throws wild flowers and candy to reviewers:: Thanks again for all the reviews. Since I'm in college, updates are going to be a little slow. Just bear with me. Anyways, enjoy the chapter!
Title: As Deemed By Fate
Rating: R (for obscene profanity usage, content, and some limey situations)
Pairing: Kik/Inu/Kag
Summary: AU. Man is incomplete until he marries. Inuyasha believes his fiancé Kikyo will make him whole, or did until he met Kagome, an avid exotic dancer that instantly complicates things. Temptation has never been so hard to resist. Inu/Kag
Chapter Two: Ember
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Ember
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The instant he stepped inside of the club, Inuyasha was immediately taken aback by the verve of the atmosphere and the sheer enormity of the place. The entire nightclub was constructed in a fashion akin to an arena set in gladiator times. Stone pillars supporting the dome shaped arc of the ceiling circled the spherical shaped club, a torch with a single, burning flame in the middle of each column. In the center of it all was the dance floor, which was encircled by three different levels of floors that all held candlelit tables and booths for those who weren't into the dance scene. It was a perfect blend of both modern and ancient eras that only added to the dynamism of the nightclub.
Exotic strobe lights bathed the interior in various hues of color that were constantly rotating along the floors and ceiling and against the walls, causing Inuyasha's vision to become momentarily distorted and took a few seconds for him to adjust. The boisterous atmosphere blared with deafening music, the walls vibrating in effect. The air was hot and heavy and reeked of lust ridden people on the dance floor, gyrating and grinding against each other to the beat.
Miroku motioned for Inuyasha to follow him since words were not necessary or audible with the ear splitting music pumping out of the ten foot amps. They stood at either side of the stage that was centered in the middle of the dance floor, black curtains drawn so that it was impossible to tell what was going on behind them. Inuyasha trailed after the part time monk; past a sizeable bar that was big enough to house every liquor known to man with a scantily clad bartender dressed in a bunny get up pouring a man Bacardi into a shot glass while he openly observed her half covered breasts unabashedly.
They weaved in and out of people until they came to a rather large table that had an excellent view of the club where his friends sat drinking and talking loudly, oblivious to the fact that Miroku had returned with Inuyasha until Kouga stood and shouted his name, alerting everyone at the table of their arrival.
"Hey people, shit face has finally arrived!" He drunkenly raised his drink, which sloshed onto the table. "Happy fucking birthday!" He yelled, too intoxicated to notice that the music had died down moments ago and there was no real reason to shout any longer. "I'll go get you a drink!" Kouga staggered off toward the bar, stumbling occasionally into bystanders.
Inuyasha wrinkled his noise at the man in disgust. "Ayame, how the hell am I supposed to enjoy my birthday with your drunken idiot of a boyfriend is here making an ass out of himself and us?"
"You know Kouga," Ayame replied rolling her eyes, "loves his drinks to death. Now he's got poor Shippou involved in his world of liquor." She pointed to the opposite end of the table where the red headed youth lay unconscious face down on the table, his right hand still clenching a glass of something that probably wasn't apple juice.
"I didn't know they lowered the legal drinking age to 19," Inuyasha observed wryly taking a seat beside Miroku.
"Somehow we found ourselves unable to turn down those big, adorable green eyes of his," Sango said, her own shifting around nervously as she pried the drink from his hand and placing it in front of her just in case anybody had any thoughts that he was underage.
"Tell me again why you all brought a little kid to a strip club?" Inuyasha inquired, his gaze traveling across the recently abandoned dance floor where uniformed men were beginning to set up chairs in front and bring out a dispensable runway to align with the center of the stage for the show.
"I ain't no kid," Shippou mumbled picking up his head rather sluggishly from the table top, his manners clearly indicating the extent that the alcohol was effecting his motor skills and judgment. His head bobbed unsteadily as though it were floating on water before slamming back down on the table.
He was down and out for the count.
Miroku leaned over to whisper into Inuyasha's ear, just incase their friend was still conscious. "We figured he would pass out after a couple of drinks and would miss the show altogether, hence saving him from the indecent exposure of attractive, half naked ouch!" He rubbed the side of his head where his girlfriend had just chucked a bowl of peanuts. "But they all pale in comparison to you, my delicate flower. You are the epitome of loveliness and beauty. Your eyes are like-"
"Save it houshi," Sango growled, another bowl of peanuts in hand just in case she had reasonable cause to launch it at her perverted boyfriend once more. "The only reason I came here was because it was Inuyasha's birthday and so I could make sure that you keep your wandering hands to yourself. I don't understand why we had to come to a strip joint for his birthday."
"Sango dearest," Miroku pleaded reaching to take her hands with his but stopping when he saw the murder flashing in her brown depths, "this club is becoming the hottest spot in all of Japan. This place is harder to get into than a UN conference. It's used as a dance club until 11:30 when the shows begin. And the girls who work here aren't really strippers, but amazingly talented dancers who just happen to be dressed in scanty attire. I've heard that the show they put on here could rival renowned dance companies."
"If you've seen one strip joint, you've seen them all," Inuyasha said stifling a yawn. "Can you just give me my presents so I can leave?" 'And return to my lonely condo since I was kicked out of my own damn house.'
"He's only being a grouch because his fiancé is accusing him of sleeping around," Miroku casually informed the others at the table.
"Hey, I told you that in confidence!" The golden eyed man snapped.
"Oh, it's ok Inu," Ayame cooed. "I'm sure it was merely miscommunication on her part. Kikyo will come to her senses sooner or later."
"Keh. Whatever." He folded his arms, his brows tugging downward into a scowl. "Presents please?"
Sango shook her head. "No gifts until the cake arrives and we sing happy birthday after the first show."
"Damnit." Frowning, he glanced at his Rolex. It was 11:29pm. "How long is this going to take?"
"Stop being such a cold fish Inuyasha." Lurching slightly, Kouga placed a glass of gods knew what in front of the impertinent man and unsteadily tottered over to his seat beside his girlfriend before plopping down. "Winner gets five hundred yen. Cheers man!" Grinning, he lifted his glass in the air and waited for him to follow suit.
Sighing, Inuyasha lifted the glass into the air and brought it to his lips, waiting until Kouga closed his eyes and tipped his head back to let the liquid slide down his throat before hastily dumping out the contents under his seat and slamming the glass down on the table like he had drank the entire thing in a matter of mere seconds. 'Somebody can clean that up later.' "I beat you," he smirked wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
Confusion distorted the Kouga's features for a moment as he tried to fathom how the mutt face had drank a cup's worth of vodka in less than ten seconds. Unfortunately, for him the effects of too much liquor streaming within his system blurred his perception of things and made the obvious not so evident. Grumbling, Kouga accepted his loss and rummaged in his pockets for the money then threw it across the table. "You got lucky dog breath."
Shrugging, Inuyasha pocketed the cash and hid a triumphant grin. He would be sure to bring a twelve pack of Corona the next time they had one of their gambling get-togethers.
Wagering against an impaired Kouga always produced fruitful outcomes, well for him at least.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen."
Everyone turned to the bald young man standing atop the stage with a microphone in hand.
Inuyasha turned up his nose. "Please tell me that that hideous abomination is not the owner of this place." A sharp and painful jab to his ribs from Sango shut him up, his glare going unnoticed.
Bristling, Inuyasha slouched in the chair and crossed his arms stubbornly. When would this night from hell end?
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"Suki, would you get in place and stop wriggling your ass in front of my face," Momiji said distastefully at the twenty two year old woman who has peeking out from behind the curtain into the audience like some over eager schoolgirl.
Pouting, Suki subtly positioned the curtain back in its original place and glared at the other woman as she returned to her spot. "I was just scanning the crowd for the filthy rich bastards." She slid her hand across her buttocks and down her thigh sensually, a sly smile curving at her lips. "They get an extra little something, for a price, that is."
"Slut." Kagome stuck out her tongue at the feline clad female.
"If the title comes with the bread, I'll take it as such, proudly."
"And it suits you well," Momiji muttered beneath her breath.
The sudden dimming of the lights alerted everyone backstage that it was almost time.
"Come on, baby," Suki whispered more so to herself than anyone else, vigorously rubbing her hands together in her customary psyching and good luck ritual she did before every show, "mama needs a new pair of shoes, this months rent, and a down payment on my new car I still have on layaway."
Kagome watched from the sidelines as the thundering sound of music abruptly shattered the silence, the resounding echo of Brittney Spears Toxic filling the air with her sultry voice and upbeat tempo, the volume of the music rocking her very soul. Her eyes strayed from the performance she had seen a hundred times, literally, to the audience, curious as to whom the said birthday boy, or man, was, though the blaring lights that were all focused on the stage made it extremely difficult to discern the faces of the crowd.
A flash of white amidst the ocean of silhouettes caught her attention. Squinting as far as her sight would allow, Kagome leaned out and tried to discern exactly what it was. 'That seriously can't be some guy's hair,' she thought, a slight frown marring her features, unless that's some old guy. 'Great. That's just what I need. Now, I'll have toothless, debauched old guys to deal with.' With a heavy hearted sigh, Kagome backed away from the curtains and accidentally backed into somebody else.
"Oh, sorry about-"
"Damn little girl, watch where you're going." Mizuki snapped, her black eyes burning with obvious contempt.
"It was just an accident," Kagome shot back. Ever since she had been hired two months ago, or more importantly had become the object of Hiten's desires as Suki boldly put, some females couldn't accept that she was a good friend of the man who ignores their attempts of seduction and flirting or because she was a better dancer than any of the other girls. "What is with you Mizuki? If you're pissed because Hiten doesn't acknowledge your presence, take that up with him because I don't want to be caught up in all of your drama. I have more important things to worry about than you and your ego."
A fleeting expression of shock flitted across her face before twisting into anger, her grip tightening on the whip in her hands. "Listen here bitch; you don't know shit about me. I've made it clear since day one that I've wanted nothing to do with you, but have stomached your presence for the sake of this job since you're fucking my boss."
Instantaneous anger flared within Kagome. This chick was really beginning to grate on her nerves. "One, I wouldn't want to know anything about you, seeing as though your attitude can rival that of a foul boar. Two, there is nothing going on between Hiten and I, so you can take your preconceived notions about us and shove them where the sun don't shine. Got that Temptress?" She inwardly flinched at the sudden snap of the whip not two inches beside her.
The other woman took her black whip in both hands, her face flushed with undiluted ire as she twisted the leather whip with frightening strength. Kagome gulped nervously as Mizuki stepped up in front of her face. "I fucking swear, you little bitch, that if I didn't need this job so bad, I would take this and strangle you to death."
Swallowing the fear that had arisen in her throat, Kagome met her gaze challengingly and stood her ground with false bravado. "You hate me so much that you would actually attempt to kill me?" she asked calmly, effectively masking the subtle hints of panic in her voice, since that was likely to set the psycho chick off.
"Attempt?" Mizuki let out harsh bark of laughter that conveyed no joviality whatsoever. "Who said anything about attempted murder?" Her bottomless pits of blackness darkened even more, making the threat anything but empty.
Try as she might, there was no stopping the trepidation that bloomed and tightened in her chest. Gods, what she wouldn't give for a can of mace right now, or maybe some self defense lessons. 'Note to self: Sign up for jui jitsu lessons tomorrow.'
"What's going on here?"
Kagome almost wilted in relief at the sound of her friend‘s voice. "Mizuki here was just giving me some words of encouragement. Right?" She smiled with sickening sweet innocence to the stiff female that stood before her.
A tic began to spasm erratically in Mizuki's jaw as she restrained herself and slowly backed away, her fierce gaze never leaving Kagome's. "Oh this isn't over girlie. You just wait, you'll learn your lesson soon enough. And next time you won't have your little posse around to stop me."
Suki growled and stepped in front of Kagome to defend the girl who was like a little sister to her. "You'd better step off whore, before you catch my fist down your throat. I don't know who you think you are, walking around like you're the shit, you fucking loser. Hiten is never going to notice you. You're never going to become a better dancer than Kagome. Get the fuck over it already." The small female took an intimidating step towards the fidgeting woman in the leather getup. "And if I ever hear about you threatening her or any other female here, I am personally going to beat you black and blue and leave tread marks permanently indented on your ugly mug. Got it?"
Mizuki, even being nearly a foot taller than the other woman, was clearly not a match for this formidable opponent. Mumbling something incoherent, she took her leave, throwing one last glare to Kagome, before striding off for the stage since she was up.
Letting out the breath she hadn’t realized she‘d been holding, Kagome gave her friend a watery smile. "Thanks Suki. I owe you big time."
"Don't worry about her. She's a natural born bitch with an innate desire to attack those who are prettier, classier, and more talented than she, which is basically most of all the females, save for those she's already killed off."
"Geez, you make her sound like some kind of wild beast," Momiji chuckled while counting her tips.
"That's what she is," Suki commented evenly and pulled out the cash from various parts of her outfit.
"So, how's the crowd?" Kagome questioned changing the subject.
"Very, very nice," Momiji answered grinning and brandishing her wad in front of the girls face.
"Except, for that fucking asshole of a birthday boy," Suki grumbled, her lips curling in a snarl. "He didn't even tip me, at all. Even after I pulled every fancy move I had. Cheap bastard."
Her company laughed at the woman’s misfortune. "I'm so glad I worked on the dark haired guys, especially the one with short hair, though his girlfriend didn't look very happy about it."
"I knew I shouldn't have taken him. He was hot, but his face was all scrunched up like he didn't want to be there. I thought I could easily change his mind," Suki complained, crossing her arms.
"I guess you thought wrong," Kagome teased.
Suki glared at her. "I bet you can't do any better. The guys like a stone wall: unmoving and impenetrable."
"So what does he look like?" Kagome asked out of curiosity.
"Why? You plan on hooking up with him instead of Hiten?" Momiji inquired slyly.
She rolled her eyes. "I'm not hooking up with anybody. In fact, that's the last thing on my mind. I have more important things to concentrate on, like my schoolwork and how I'm going to help pay for my mother's chemotherapy treatments and the mortgage."
"Kagome," Suki started, her eyes all seriousness, "listen to me when I say this: If you can secure Hiten or that stubborn ass out there, you won't have to worry about paying for any of that because you'll have a man for all of that."
She opened her mouth to retort but was silenced with a hand. "For once, stop being so obstinate and forget your pride. You can't survive in this world being naive. Take my advice and go for one of these guys. You have the looks and the smarts, so use them to your advantage and go out with the bastards."
Kagome sighed. "I completely understand where you're coming from, but I wouldn't feel comfortable going out with a guy because of his money or status." Throwing her hose over her shoulder, she clasped her hands together and looked toward the Heavens, her blue eyes becoming distant and shiny with mock hope. "When I meet my soul mate, it will be love at first sight. He will have beautiful, long tresses, a body to die for, and the face of an angel. He will be head over heels in love with me and will never betray my love. We will live happily ever after and have four adorable kids in his house on the countryside."
Both females snickered at her heartwarming soliloquy.
"I'd love to stay and chat ladies, but I've really got to go make this money," Kagome said upon hearing the conversion of one song into the next, signifying the end of the second groups performance, and the beginning of her solo.
"Knock em dead, girl," Momiji winked.
"And remember my proposition! Money, don't grow on trees," Suki called after her.
Kagome rolled her eyes as she got into position, a smirk teasing the corners of her mouth.
Sometimes, her friend’s resolve to see her hooked up with some rich snob was downright scary. Maybe, if Suki practiced what she preached and stopped worrying her half to death about it, she would become heiress to a multi million dollar fortune. The dimming of the lights served as a cue that her time was near. Wiping the smirk off of her face, Kagome sobered up and mentally prepared herself to shut out everything except her music, which had already begun playing in the background. It was time.
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For some odd reason, Inuyasha was unable to fully enjoy himself, even in the midst of his best friends and half naked women shaking their assets in front of his face. But this didn't come as a surprise to him. He was getting married in a month to a woman whose beauty and intelligence surpassed every female in Tokyo. He shouldn't be at a strip joint ogling the goodies of these females; however voluptuous and mouth watering they were, but those of his fiancé. The thought did little to reduce the guilt steadily building within him for betraying her trust.
His mental reverie was momentarily disrupted, when the flashing lights that had been bouncing off of the walls were suddenly turned off, cloaking the entire club in a blanket of darkness. Howls and hoots erupted from different sects of the audience, the men all knowing what was to come. His interest mildly piqued at what the fuss was all about, Inuyasha turned his head toward the stage.
"I've heard that this last routine is the show stopper," he heard Miroku yell over top of the music that had just begun to play, with barely contained enthusiasm beside him. Even with the thick blackness of the room, Inuyasha could see that the man was practically bouncing up and down in his seat. "Her name is Ember and she does a solo performance and has the body of a goddess with long, slender legs and luscious curves that I would love to caress-no I mean others would-"
Inuyasha winced as his friends chair was harshly yanked backwards; resulting in him lying sprawled in unceremoniously in a twisted position that looked none too comfortable.
"I knew I shouldn't have let you throw this party at a strip club, considering your lecherous mind," Sango hissed loudly on the other side of the fallen monk.
I'm feelin sexy
I wanna hear you say my name boy
If you can reach me
Smirking, Inuyasha opened his mouth to add on to her remark about his lechery, but the biting retort that had been dancing on the edge of his tongue, slipped to the back of his throat and became wedged within his esophagus as the thick, black curtain parted, leaving a firefighter clad woman stretching on the floor of the stage. Soft, red rays of florescent light focused on the beauty before the audience as she languidly rose from her the horizontal position with the tempo of the music.
You can feel my burning flame
Inuyasha took in a sharp breath as her face into view, his golden eyes widening slightly. 'No wonder Miroku was so excited to see this last routine,' he thought, already feeling his blood ignite into flames as her body arched upward to the rhythm and came skillfully to her feet. His jaw went slack as he got a glimpse of her face.
I'm feelin kind of n-a-s-t-yI might just take you home with meBaby the minute I feel your energyYour vibe's just taken over meStart feelin so crazy babeI feel the funk coming over meI don't know what's gotten into meThe rhythm's got me feelin so crazy babe
A seductive grin uplifted the corners of her lips, a teasing glint flashing playfully in her smoky, blue eyes. Her dark mass of wavy tresses flew freely around her lithe form as her body swayed seductively to the sultry pulse of the music. Flinging the fireman's hat to the side, she strutted confidently to the left side of the stage, a taunting yet strangely mesmerizing smile making her seem all the more stunning.
Inuyasha tried to stare at something else other than her attractive facial features or the smooth planes of her toned stomach or fullness of her breasts, but his eyes refused to budge and remained glued to the dancer named Ember, who had somehow entranced him with her beauty and graceful movements.
Tonight I'll be your naughty girlI'm callin all my girlsWe're gonna turn this party outI know you want my bodyTonight I'll be your naughty girlI'm callin all my girlsI see you look me up and downAnd I came to party
His mouth went dry when she unraveled the hose that had been wrapped around her torso, like red stripes on a candy cane and swung it around one of the poles on the left side of the stage. Inuyasha nearly fell back in his chair when she began grinding suggestively against the pole in a manner that had every man in the audience standing to their feet with loud, evocative catcalls and started tossing their money like crazy.
You're so sexy, tonight I am all yours boyThe way your body moves across the floorYou got me feelin n-a-s-t-yI might just take you home with me
An animalistic growl ripped through his chest when his view of her was cut off, as people stood to see what was going on in the left hand side if the stage. Inuyasha was ready to get up and start throwing people away from the stage so he could see what she was doing, when he felt the pressure of a hand grip his forearm. Whipping his head around, he turned to glare at Miroku. "What?!"
A knowing grin lit up the monks features. "Have patience my friend. Your time will come soon enough."
Inuyasha felt his face heat up in embarrassment and guilt at his actions. Here he was just about ready to kill somebody for getting in the way of some stripper, when he was about to get married in less than a month. Wincing as the volume of cheering increased and restraining himself from getting up to see what was going on, Inuyasha clenched his jaw and sat stiffly in the chair. He needed to control himself; he would control himself. After all, there was nobody more perfect or more attractive than his Kikyo. Unfortunately, the mental assurance did nothing to quell the urgency within him to see the raven haired beauty.
Besides, it was about time he had a little fun. It wasn't like he was going to screw or fall in love with some random chick at a strip joint.
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'Sink to floor in split. Smile seductively at hormone raging men. Lay back. Straighten legs in air. Bring them back down. Arch upward. Take off jacket. Throw into audience. Wink suggestively and slowly stand to feet.' Even though she knew her routine in and out, she always liked to repeat it like a mantra in her mind, to stay focused and not get deviated from her performance by the crude shouts of the crowd.
Blowing a kiss to the audience, Kagome sauntered over to the center of the stage that let out to the runway, where, inevitably, would lead her to the star attraction for the night. Briefly remember what Suki had said about the birthday man, being gorgeous, but a bit of a tight wad, made her grin inwardly. There was nothing she liked more than a challenge, especially a cute challenge.
With her mind made up and her provocative smile in place, Kagome boldly sashayed out onto the runway and almost faltered when a drunken maniacal fan of hers, flung himself onto the runway in a desperate attempt to get her attention, momentarily obscuring her view of her intended target. Inwardly laughing as his red haired girlfriend tried to yank him back to his seat, she took the time to pause during her routine to bend down and drop a kiss onto his cheek.
The man with icy blue eyes blinked for a moment, as if trying to process what had just happened through the haze of intoxication. Whooping loudly when it finally sunk in that the star of the show had bestowed him with a kiss, he gave her a lip splitting grin and tossed her a wad of cash which she expertly caught and tucked into her brassier. With a wink, she glided easily back to her routine, which was now coming to an end.
Baby the minute I feel your energyThe vibe's just taken over meStart feelin so crazy babeI feel the funk coming over meI don't know what's gotten into meThe rhythm's got me feelin so crazy babe
'Spin. Somersault into another split. Tumble to edge of runway and come face to face with target and-.' All coherent thought ceased, as she locked gazes with him. Honey coated eyes that held flecks of amber stared back at her heatedly from beneath white bangs, their intensity and animalistic hunger stirring something deep within her being. The ions in the air suddenly became charged as they gazed into one another's eyes, the tension before them virtually cackling with electricity.
Dimly hearing the music still playing in the background, Kagome forcefully brought her focus back to what she was supposed to be doing, although the desire to reach out and touch a strand of his silky white hair was intensifying.
Tonight I'll be your naughty girlI'm callin all my girlsWe're gonna turn this party outI know you want my bodyTonight I'll be your naughty girlI'm callin all my girlsI see you look me up and downAnd I came to party
Even though her heart was pounding a mile a minute beneath her ribcage, Kagome went through the rest of her movements, which became difficult to execute due to a sudden case of self consciousness that no amount of concentration could subdue. She felt his eyes on her as she did intricate twists and turns and spins in front of him.
I love to love you babyI love to love you babyI love to love you baby
Growing angry at her lack of control over her body, which didn't obey her command to stop blushing furiously under his penetrating gaze, Kagome threw herself single-mindedly into the last few moves of her routine to rid her mind of his striking features and the shape of full lips and the burning passion smoldering in his molten pools of liquid gold. She could smell the musky scent of his cologne that clung to the air around him, the smell invading her nostrils and giving her a heady sort of feeling to the point where she found herself almost giddy.
Tonight I'll be your naughty girlI'm callin all my girlsWe're gonna turn this party outI know you want my bodyTonight I'll be your naughty girlI'm callin all my girlsI see you look me up and downAnd I came to party
Unfortunately, her last move ended up with her being inches away from his face, a place where she really didn't need to be in her current state of mind. Panting slightly from the exertion, Kagome kept her current position until the lights dimmed and the music finally died away. Breathing an inaudible sigh of relief, she moved to get up when his hand shot out and grasped her wrist before she could get up from her crouched position.
Even with the pitch blackness blanketing the club in a cloak of darkness, Kagome could see his golden eyes shining back at her with a predatory glint that sent tremors racing down her spine. He leaned in closer to her so that his nose brushed against hers tenderly, his eyes never leaving hers. She shivered involuntarily, as his warm breath lightly caressed her face.
"Here. You earned this," he murmured softly into her ear as he tucked a roll of bills into the side of her low rise thong, his warm fingers lingering longer than necessary as they nimbly skimmed the smooth planes of her hip, all the way to her stomach and grinned when her muscles contracted and trembled under his touch.
The feelings his fingers were evoking within her snapped a flushed Kagome out of her lapse of sanity just as the lights came back on. Abruptly standing to her feet, she tore her gaze from his amused golden eyes and plastered a fake smile on her face for her audience as they applauded and whistled. Even as she made her way back upstage, collecting her little bundles of yen that the men had so gratefully thrown at her and blowing kisses to her fans, she could still feel the strange mans heated stare on her, whether by instinct or women's intuition.
"Give it up for Ember!" Maten yelled into the microphone, while stepping back onto the stage to stand beside her. "Isn't she great? Regrettably, there wont be an encore presentation following."
Kagome resisted the urge to jump up and down in joy. As much as she loved to dance, she would much rather be curled up in her bed beneath her warm covers.
"Fortunately for those that are VIP, you will be able to get up close and personal with this beautiful gem and many others at the after party that will be held in the back."
Kagome's high spirits sank. 'So much for going home early. No doubt the after party will be held in honor of that guy's birthday.' Her eyes darted briefly to end of the runway where the white haired man sat talking with his friend beside him, and, as if sensing her gaze, turned his head toward her, his eyes instantly connecting with on her own. Heat blossomed in her cheeks and made an outbreak of butterflies within her stomach as she caught the flicker of mischief and keen interest that was written so boldly on his face, further inciting her anger at both him and herself for responding to his cheap attempts at flirting.
Without so much as another word to Maten or anybody else for that matter, Kagome turned on her heels and marched backstage. 'Who does that guy think he is?' She thought gritting her teeth in annoyance, her grip tightening on the cash in her hands. 'Cocky bastard thinks he can get a rise out of me just because I work at a strip club. The nerve of him, grabbing my wrist and touching me like that. Doesn't he know that it's against company policy to touch any of the dancers?'
Growling, she walked back to the dressing room where Suki and Momiji had already changed back into their street clothes. Disappointment overshadowed the anger that had been instigated by a certain someone. "You guys are leaving now?" Kagome asked not bother to conceal the sad note in her tone.
Momiji gave her a sympathetic look. "Oh, Kagome, I would stay, really I would, but I really hate paying extra charges to the babysitter. Besides this is my early night, my only one."
"Don't worry Kag, I'm sure that it wont be so bad," Suki said with a impish grin as she slid her purse strap over her shoulder. "Just put up with those ignorant assholes for another hour or so and then you can go home. Oh, and try not to focus on the time, it'll make things go by slower. Believe me, I speak from experience."
"But-"
"Oh cheer up, hon." Momiji kissed her on both cheeks taking her leave. "Everything will be fine. I'll see you tomorrow."
"And if anybody gives you any shit, you call me and I'll come back down here in a flash and teach them a lesson they'll never forget," Suki winked and followed the other woman out. "Oh, and Hiten told me to tell you that you'll be serving the birthday guy his cake tonight. Ciao, darling."
Kagome plopped down in her chair and allowed her forehead to fall onto the vanity dresser with a solid thump. It was going to be a long night.
TBC
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