CHAPTER 8

Karma was a bit disappointed when they arrived, spotting Jonatha; Jake and Phil congregating in a corner of the large conference room; all of them laughing at something. "What'd we miss?"

"Holy shit!" Phil exclaimed when he turned to her; blinking.

Karma echoed that sentiment, staring back at him. "Uh… Punk?" She asked hesitantly, using his nickname.

Phil frowned slightly. "That Shane guy, he made us come early so we could… be made over." He closed his eyes, looking pained.

Karma would be the first to admit; Phil looked a lot better 'made over'. His hair had been trimmed; his facial fuzz reduced to a mustache and goatee opposed to the horrendous beard he had been sporting and whatever shampoo they had used on him was awesome; he didn't look greasy.

Jacob had had his hair cut, much like Chris', only it was still it's natural color with no highlights. He just shrugged at her arched eyebrow.

Then there was Jonny.

"Say one word and I will KILL you." She threatened dryly.

"Is that um, pink?" Chris asked, clearing his throat and draped an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders.

"It's fucking magenta."

"Well…"

"Seriously, I will make you eat my picks until you die."

Jonatha's long black hair had been… destroyed. In an attractive manner, but destroyed. The volume was almost reminiscent of 80's hair; liberally streaked with magenta. Her make-up wasn't so heavy handed and evil looking, but more of a "emo" look.

She looked pissed.

"At least they left your clothes alone." Karma offered; surveying the black bondage pants and striped sleeveless, midriff baring sweater.

"Only because I broke a finger."

"It was ACCIDENTAL." Jake said loudly.

Jonatha snorted, giving Karma the 'up and down'. "What the fuck happened to you?"

"A gay man."

They all looked anywhere but at each other.

"I think she looks…"

"Hot." Chris finished, shooting Phil a back off look.

"Alright folks, five minutes!" Shane called over, oblivious to the band's tense mutterings.

"Karm, where's your guitar?" Jonatha demanded as she pulled her Mexican Fender from its case; arching an eyebrow.

"No idea." She sighed, flexing her fingers wistfully.

"She's strictly a singer now." Chris said proudly.

Karma rolled her eyes.

"Oh jeez, how wonderful." Jacob snorted, shaking his head. "We haven't even really done anything since coming here and already the band is being torn to shreds."

"Her case was carried out onstage with the rest of our equipment." Phil volunteered, keeping his eyes away from Karma as Chris was still eyeballing him. "Shane said something about a press thingy?"

"Yeah, we'll just go out onstage, he'll introduce, some talking and-"

"Just him, right?" Karma interrupted.

"I don't know, maybe us, why?'

"Chris, you told him I can't speak in front of a lot of people or I get sick, right?'

"Uh…"

"THREE MINUTES PEOPLE!"

Jonatha tailed Karma as she wound her way through the room until she was standing in front of Shane, folding her arms over her chest with an amused grin. Ask Karma to perform in front of a million people and she'd probably do fine, ask her to SPEAK to a million people and she'd turn deathly white and hurl her coffee over you.

"Shane," Karma tapped his shoulder; wondering if he was attached to that damn cell phone. When he held up a finger and mentioned his fucking interior decorator, she scowled; wondering if he was serious. After five seconds, she took the phone from him and snapped it shut; ignoring his open mouth. "I can't speak in public, I will PUKE." She told him point blank.

Shane arched an eyebrow.

"Sing, dance, do something lewd; yes. Actually SPEAK, no."

Jonatha smacked her face when Shane's eyes dropped down and then slowly came back up on her friend, then sniggered when Karma did a slow turn. "Yes, yes, she's sexed out. Did you hear a word she just said?"

To his credit, he didn't looked remotely abashed; just smiled. "Yes, I heard every word." To Karma: "You'll be fine, precious. You'll only have to say a few things, nothing big. Chris will do most of the talking, and myself of course."

Karma had to restrain Jonny when Shane actually waved them off and presented his back to them. "No, no, prison time is not worth it!"

"The pompous little shit!"

Shane was already talking to the room at large. "Alright people, these are my next big stars, let's make the magic happen. Where are my magicians?" He looked around, beaming when he spotted Maggie and Matthew. "You two did FABULOUS!"

"Don't we always?" Matthew batted his eyelashes, giggling when Maggie told him to stop being such a slut and then glanced at Chris who was now standing with Karma; who seemed to be hissing profanities at him. "Maybe she should take a valium."

Karma heard that and flipped him off, accepting the cigarette Phil passed her and lit it up right then and there; not giving a shit right about now. "Chris, I will fuck you up for this." She informed him sweetly. "And I don't mean in the 'I'll fuck you so good you see stars' sense either."

Chris could only sigh.

***

Somehow, Karma got through the 'speaking' part without losing her cool or last meal. Though once it was over; she did have to slip offstage to breathe; looking so sick and pale that Maggie took pity and let her have a few hits from a cigarette and a sip of coffee before returning onstage.

Once the music started, the world seemed right again and it was like they were back in New York; just doing another gig and having a good time. Even Jonatha was trying not to smile as Jacob opened the song on keyboard; one of their original songs, which was awesome.

Karma felt awkward though. She didn't know what to do with her hands now that they were free; more than used to having the comfortable weight of her Stratocaster in her arms. She sang with Chris; praying she didn't flubbed anything.

Phil watched from his place behind the drums as she sang; wincing when the new guitarist missed a note. To someone who wasn't familiar with the song; it probably wasn't noticeable. He wasn't surprised when Karma whirled around from her spot; her green eyes flashing.

Letting Chris handle the singing all by his lonesome –and truthfully, she was more than relieved to do so- Karma glanced around for her guitar case; nodding gratefully at Phil for letting her know it was out her. Once she had it strapped across her shoulder and upper torso; she shooed the amateur aside and showed him how it was done.

Automatically, Jonatha walked over so they could play face to face; grinning at each other.

From the wings, Shane was shaking his head; frowning. "This isn't going to work! They're ruining my show!"

Matthew rolled his eyes, busy bobbing his head. "Are you insane? Look at her go!"

Magge chewed her lower lip thoughtfully. "Why can't she do both?" When both men looked at her, she sighed exasperatedly. "Sing AND play guitar. If she wants to play guitar and you let her Shane, she'll be more likely to do other things you ask."

Shane considered that. "She'd outshine Chris though."

"Your point?"

He didn't really have one.

When they got backstage, Karma was flying high, and so was everyone else. She knew Shane was probably going to ream her out but she didn't care. She LOVED playing her guitar, especially when the amps were cranked; the crowd was jumping. It was a drug and she was hooked.

Apparently Chris was remembering just how hot they could be together because she suddenly found herself being smothered by a scorching kiss; returning it explosively.

"This is it, admit it." He growled against her lips; kissing her again before she could answer; feeling her body melting into his.

Shane waited patiently until they came up for air. "Okay, Karmie, maybe I was wrong. You can still play guitar AND sing, how about that?"

"Sure, whatever." She was more focused on Chris; busy undressing him with her eyes.

***

Soon they were traveling all over Europe; where Shane said: 'Europe is the best place to start a career, people make it in Europe quicker than the States'.

It was astonishing to say the least.

Contracts had been signed, percentages and salaries agreed on, and then came the work.

Every night it was a new place, a new gig; new faces. Life was a whirlwind. One night they'd be performing, the next signing autographs at a sponsor hosted event, sponsors Shane had gotten them. Within six months, they were becoming known; opening at high profile clubs and preparing to cut their first CD, which Shane kept reminding them "we're going to try to get a single out in the US."

He was literally pushing them in the world's face with radio interviews; magazine covers, any connection he had; he used. And the world was finally beginning to notice them.

Karma had fallen into a habit of staying dressed as her 'stage' self all of the time, much like Chris had; falling into the lifestyle reluctantly but there wasn't all that much choice. It was either a shoot here, an interview there… Shane was constantly reminding them that even though they weren't known so well in America, here in Europe they were famous and they needed to look the part.

The part about being really well known sunk in when some guy actually got onstage one night and mauled Karma.

***

"You alright?" Jonatha asked softly, daubing antiseptic to the fingernail cut on Karma's cheek. "That fucking creep…" She shook her head; knowing Chris was down in the hotel bar with Phil and Jake; giving the girls some alone time.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Karma winced, rolling her eyes when her friend blew on the cut. "Funny."

"Well, it won't scar and I'm sure Mattie will have fun covering it."

"I bet he will-" She broke off when Shane let himself into the hotel room. "You really need to stop getting keys to our rooms, it's creepy."

"I need to introduce you to someone." He said flatly, walking over to grip her chin; studying her face. "I'm sorry about this, Karma, really sorry."

Jonatha mouthed 'wow', wondering if it were possibly that Shane might be human. Then her jaw dropped, alongside Karma's when a large, very well built man stepped into the room; his hard brown eyes automatically taking them in before scanning the room.

Shane glanced over his shoulder, smiling when he turned back to them. "Karma, I'd like you to meet your new bodyguard, Dave Batista. David, this is Karma."

David nodded at her.

Karma could only gawk at him.