CHAPTER 1
His icy blue eyes scanned the crowd as he leaned against the back wall of the night club. He wasn't looking for anything in particular, just watching the disgusting displays of intimacy between people on the floor. But what could he expect? It was a night club and that's what people came here for. And he had to keep watch of what was going on; at least some of the time. It was HIS night club after all.
His brown brow rose over his left eye though as an unexpected familiar face entered the club. A young blond male. He almost chuckled to himself. Tonight was going to be interesting.
Joey Wheeler entered the Blue Eyes Night Club and headed straight for the bar. Today was his twenty first birthday and he planned on getting smashed. What he didn't plan on was a cold familiar icy voice whispering in his right ear.
Joey turned from the bar and came face to face with none other than Seto Kaiba. Joey wanted to disappear now more than ever.
Seto moved from the wall and through the crowded room of bodies. He stood behind Wheeler at the bar, leaning in close to the blond, and whispering in his ear, "So pup...what brings you here? To my night club? Did you at least wipe your paws before entering?"
Seto smirked as Joey turned to face him. The look on the blond's face was priceless. If only he had a camera for every time Wheeler made a face...
"Speechless I see," said Seto as he pushed Joey back onto a bar stool.
"Kaiba..." growled Joey through gritted teeth.
"Don't worry Wheeler. I don't plan on causing problems within my own club. Please go about your business. Next time just make sure you get on all fours and beg me for entrance before coming in."
Joey's fist was flying through the air before he could even stop himself. Not that his fist connected with anything but Kaiba's firm palm.
Seto used Joey's momentum to slam the blond's fist down into the top of the bar, feeling the bones crunch beneath his hand.
"That was a stupid thing to do," said Seto, releasing Joey," Now I suggest you leave before I have you removed."
Joey cradled his hand to his chest, grimacing in pain. His eyes meet Kaiba's in a brief glare before he stood and left the club. All he wanted was a drink for his birthday and instead he was now walking home, with a likely broken hand and his 'tail between his legs', no pun intended.
Seto watched the blond leave, wondering what had possessed Wheeler to come here in the first place. He glanced down at his watch. It was still early, but his midnight appointment would be arriving soon. He headed for the back door which said DO NOT ENTER and went through.
He walked down the narrow hallway before him. Passing doors on either side of him; behind which customers could entertain themselves, for a price.
He went through another door at the end of the hall, closing it behind him. Before him was a room of his designing. A king size bed against one wall, its black curtains closed around it. A loveseat and couch along another wall, and various other furnishings.
He walked over and plopped down on the loveseat, letting his head fall back to rest on the back of the seat. Starring at the ceiling he let his mind wander, relaxing and readying himself for the long night ahead.
Midnight came and went as Seto sat waiting for his appointment to arrive. He hated when people were late and hated it more when they didn't call to say why or at least to cancel. A knock on the door made him look up.
"Come in," he said, sitting upright on the loveseat.
"Um sorry to bother you Mr. Kaiba, but your one o'clock appointment is here. Should I send them in?" asked the employee.
"Yes. And find out what happened to my last appointment. I don't tolerate being stood up."
"You sent him home."
"What?" said Seto confused.
"Your midnight appointment? You sent him home after he tried to punch you."
"You mean Wheeler?" spluttered Seto, almost falling on the floor in shock.
"Yes sir. He came up to the bar to check in."
Seto sat there, wide eyed and shocked. Now why in the hell would Wheeler make an appointment with him? Unless...unless Wheeler didn't know.
"Send in the one o'clock," said Seto calmly. Tonight was interesting indeed.
Joey sat on his bed hours later; hand wrapped and pain medication coursing through his system. This had to be the worst birthday ever. He took a drink of the beer he was holding and looked up at the window. The moon shone in, brightening the dark space he sat in.
He set his drink on the bedside table and lay back on his bed. He stared at the ceiling. Here he was, twenty one, no job, living with his father, no plans for his future, and now having to nurse a broken hand. This wasn't the life he wanted nor where he thought he would be at this point in his life.
Joey turned his head to look at the clock. Its bright red numbers proclaiming it was almost five in the morning. He sighed. What was he going to do?
Seto closed the door as his last appointment left. It was a little after six and he was exhausted. He fell into his bed pulling the curtains on it closed. He was almost asleep when someone knocked on the door. He groaned as he got up to open the door.
"What?" he asked, blue eyes glaring as he cracked the door.
The only reply he got was the door slamming back into his face. He stumbled backwards, blood flowing freely from his nose. He regained his footing and stared, appalled, as his last appointment stood before him, smirking like a crazed idiot.
"What the hell?" said Seto.
"Opps, I'm sorry. I didn't hurt you did I?"
Seto growled, wiping blood from his nose with the back of his hand. "If you'd hurt me Mycle I'd be crying."
"Good. Now I was wondering why tonight wasn't as...let's see what's the word...pleasurable, as the last few times I've been here."
Seto moved to sit on the edge of his bed, keeping his eyes on the black haired man. "Maybe because I was tired. I had four female clients before you. Women are harder to satisfy, thus I must put out more effort. Now why don't you tell me why you decided to use my own door to bash my face in."
Mycle stood in the doorway; his black hair spiking off in different directions while his golden eyes pierced back into Seto's icy blue ones. "I guess I don't know my own strength. I do hope this poor door is okay," he said chuckling.
"What do you want Mycle?" growled Seto, his patience was thin enough already.
"To drink," Mycle replied nonchalantly.
"Absolutely not," said Seto firmly, eyes blazing, "Go find some side street gutter whore to sink your fangs into. I will not be one of your play toys. Now leave before I rescind my invitation to you."
Mycle snarled. "Fine, but one day you will give in my blue eyed pet." With that Mycle left.
Seto got up and shut the door, sighing in tiredness. He walked into the bathroom to clean his face. When he finished he stared at himself in the mirror. His nose had not been broken, but he now had two 'gorgeous' black eyes. Just what he needed. He walked back into the room and once again collapsed onto the bed. He let the nights exhaustion take over and soon was fast asleep.
Joey rummaged through the fridge looking for something to eat. He gave up looking as nothing seemed to appeal to him or required the use two hands instead of his one. Agitated now, he went back to his room; slipping on his shoes and grabbing his wallet he left the house.
Seto awoke to a gentle touch moving his hair back from his face. His blue eyes meet green ones and he groaned.
"Why are you here?" he asked, sitting up.
"Because I find it entertaining to watch you sleep," came the sarcastic reply.
"Jade, don't make me make you leave," said Seto.
"Make me? Don't make me laugh is more like it," said Jade as she made herself comfortable on the bed next to Seto, "So what is it that you have done to piss off my brother?"
"Apparently I didn't piss him off well enough."
"Why's that?"
"Because he sent you to bother me instead of Shay."
"Shay, for one, is no longer with us. And two, I came of my own free will. And three you must not have pissed him off enough if all he did was blacken your eyes."
"So Shay finally got dusted."
"More or less. Her own fault, but whatever."
Seto lay back down again. It was noon and he was still tired. He needed another four hours of sleep which he had a feeling he wasn't going to get anytime soon.
Jade looked down at Seto. To be so young and yet so old, for someone whom she considered still a boy, intrigued her.
"Why do you do it?" she asked.
"Do what?"
"Hurt yourself?"
"Meaning?"
"If you don't know what I mean I'm not going to bother explaining. I know you aren't stupid."
"No I'm not; I'm tired and would like to finish sleeping."
"Then sleep, I have things I must attend to anyways," she said, removing herself from the bed and walking towards the door. She paused, turning to look back at the brown haired boy, "You know, if you ever need me...just whisper my name." And then she was gone.
Seto lay there wondering why she would say that or why he would ever need her.
Joey sat once again at the bar of the Blue Eyes waiting for his appointment. He'd missed the one on his birthday and had somehow managed to get them to let him reschedule. It was five till midnight and he couldn't wait to see who his partner for the next hour would be. He just hoped his hand would be okay. It had only been two weeks since his birthday and it wasn't quite fully healed.
"Wheeler," said the bartender, "Go through that door back there and then to the door at the end of the hall."
Joey didn't have to be told twice. As he walked towards the door at the end of the hall, someone came out. A tall spiky black haired man with gold eyes. As Joey passed the man a cold feeling passed over him, but he shook it off as he entered the room closing the door behind him.
Hearing the door close, Seto walked from the bathroom back into the bedroom. His eyes widened and one word escaped his lips.
"Wheeler?!"
Joey's jaw dropped at the sight of Kaiba. This had to be some kind of joke.
"Kaiba...is this one of your sick twisted jokes?"
Seto glared. "Sick jokes? Are you insane Wheeler? And what are you doing here? Get out; I have an appointment as of right now. So leave."
"I'm your appointment you two faced idiot," said Joey.
"You? Cute Wheeler, but you had your chance two weeks ago I believe."
"No I had one, but I didn't know it was with you. I thought I'd be getting a pretty girl, not an ugly slime ball."
"One more word Wheeler and I'll turn you into a girl."
"Kaiba I believe that's the lamest come back I've ever heard you say."
"My patience is running thin Wheeler. So you have two options. One, you leave before I break your other hand or two, you get naked so I can fuck you and be done with it."
"How about you set me up with one of your nice girls and we can pretend this never happened."
"You really are a stupid dog."
By this time both boys were standing mere inches from one another, the tension between them could almost blow up the room.
"Quit with the dog comments Kaiba, they're getting old."
"Do you not realize that any sexual appointments made here are preformed by me and me only? All the other rooms out there are for customer use while they are here with a partner or partners. Anything other than that must be approved by or preformed by me," said Seto, his tone cold.
Joey stood there starring stupidly at Kaiba. "Oh..." was all he could manage.
Seto, now irritated, said, "Get out Wheeler."
Joey stood there a moment; this was not what he had expected. Without a word he turned and left the room.
Joey sat on the bench in the park next to his house. He wasn't sure what to think about what had just happened between him and Kaiba. It was definitely an awkward moment. If he'd known he was going to be set up with Kaiba he never would have made the appointment, but he hadn't known.
He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't see his attacker until he was thrown and pinned to the ground.
"Get off," he yelled as he swung his free good fist at his assailant. His fist didn't connect with what he thought was a face; it felt like he'd just hit a concrete wall. He yelped in pain, knowing he'd hurt his only good hand.
His attacker's hands wrapped around his throat and Joey felt a coldness begin to overtake him. His brown eyes meet gold ones and his body went stiff.
He'd seen those eyes before. Tonight in fact. At Kaiba's club, in the hallway. He felt fear run through his veins as the man with the golden eyes bit into his neck.
No...thought Joey before passing out.