As always, The Twilight Saga, and everything related, belong to S. Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter 10

I should go to Atlanta. I want to see her again. It's like I'm addicted to this creature. But she didn't invite me. She told me she was going, but didn't ask me to come see her there. She said we would talk Friday. The last time I went somewhere I wasn't invited, I got the shock of a lifetime. Now I have a ton of unanswered questions and I am forced to wait it out.

~T.I.C.K.~T.O.C.K.~

In the short time since I met Izzy, I find that I have changed. For the first time, I have the urge to fuck. Not just the act of sex, but to indulge in it with a particular person. I get horny, on occasion, all though more frequently as of late. I have not, however, felt desire for a specific being. Human or vampire. I have never been tempted to behave so badly.

I've also found myself looking forward to particular events. Ones that, for the first time in so long I can't recall, make me happy. That's it, wrapped in one sentence; Izzy makes me happy. I long to be around her. She is frustrating, and mysterious, but I love the challenge. I think, although it makes me crazy, I like that I can't hear her thoughts. It's something new and unusual, and it's part of what captivates me.

Another thing that's changed; I don't have as much patience...

She said she would be here, but she didn't say what time. I look at my phone, Almost ten, where the hell is she? Liz has already done one set. I thought for sure she would be here when Liz danced.

John announces the changing of entertainers again, "A round of applause for Falon and Dixie," Alice actually does a curtsy, and I laugh without holding back. "Now, gentlemen, please give Christina and Liz your undivided attention."

Liz looks stunning as usual, and I realize what I like about her is the classical dance training she utilizes when she dances here. I can tell she has put in years of hard work to be this good. "I'll be back," I say to Jasper.

Since Izzy isn't here to show her any attention, I'm going to sit at the catwalk for her. I take my seat and Liz smiles at me. As I've seen Izzy do, I tent a bill and place it on the edge of the stage. Liz is not dripping with sex. She is sensual and erotic, but she doesn't show any one particular person attention. Instead, she gives her show in the neutral center of the stage.

I sit back and prop my ankle on my knee to enjoy her show. A few minutes later the chair next to me moves and I look up to see Izzy smiling at Liz. What the hell is that she's wearing? She pulls the chair far back, sits and then props her black heals on the edge of the platform, leaning back in her seat.

My eyes move from the heals, up the sides of her black jeans, the wide laces run through hooks. I linger on the sliver of skin I can see at her waist. Then I look over the black corset. It pushes her breast up and out in a delightful way, and leaves her shoulders, collar bone, and neck exposed. Her hair falls in waves, and it's the most natural I've ever seen it. Her lips are shiny, but not an unnatural color. Then I look in her eyes and she is staring back at me. Watching me look her over. She smiles, only slightly, "Edward."

I am dumbfounded and all I can think to say, "Is that boning?" I point to the corset.

"Yes. It's a custom made corset, and I requested the boning."

"Your taste is impeccable."

"Thank you," she says. Her voice is sweet and warm. Then she looks down at the bill I've placed on the stage and ticks her tongue against her teeth.

Shaking her head, she reaches into her pocket and pulls out a money clip. There is a small fold of bills tucked in it. The thing that catches my attention, is the black card stuck behind them. She pull a fifty from the fold and then tucks the clip back into her pocket. Curious and I can't help but ask, "The black card?"

She doesn't even look at me, "Surely you don't think your the only one who has one of those." She tents the bill and places it on the stage.

I want to know how she can have a card like mine, but decide not to pry. I don't like it when people ask about my money.

She gets up and walks over to the DJ stand. I can hear her ask for a particular song, and he agrees to play it next. She sits again, and pulls her chair closer to the catwalk. "Edward?" she purrs.

"Yes, Izzy."

"You don't think my Liz is worth more than a twenty?"

I don't have an answer for this, so I pull out my wallet and drop a fifty on the stage. Izzy giggles, and she sounds like a girl. She pulls her money clip out and slides another bill from the fold. She tents the hundred and sets it on the stage next to my fifty.

"I see your game," I chuckle. Then pull a hundred and set it on the stage too.

"That's much better," she says as she looks at me with the most amazing smile. It reaches her eyes and they twinkle. A new song starts and she grabs a small bag from under her chair, that I had not noticed before. She reaches in and pulls out a tiny bundle of cotton tied in string, then sets it on the stage.

Liz prowls over with a very happy look on her face. She stops in front of Izzy, and picks up the bundle. "Thanks Izzy." She unwraps the thing and sticks it in her mouth.

"Your welcome babe. You know you look so much cuter with something in your mouth." Liz laughs and I realize she is quoting the Nickleback song that is playing.

Liz winks at her, and then shows Izzy how much she appreciates the chocolate, by dancing only for her. I'm sitting right next to her, but I feel like an outsider looking in.

When the song is over, Liz leans down collects the cash in front of us, "Thanks guys."

I nod at her and Izzy says, "I'll see you at home later." Then she turns to me, "So, you have questions?" She gets up and I follow her as she walks into the glass room. She sits on the couch and pats the space next to her. As I sit down I can see through the glass window that Alice is sitting next to Jasper, smiling wide at me. She's all yours, Alice's bell of a voice tinkles in my head.

I look at Izzy and I don't know where to start. I have so many questions. I glance at Alice and my first one seems simple enough, "Is Izzy your real name?"

"Yes, why?"

"Well Alice goes by Dixie, I wondered if Izzy was a stage name."

"It is a stage name, in simple terms. My parents named me Isabella. My clients know me as Izzy. My friends call me Bella."

"Oh," I say feeling disheartened.

"You can't address me as Bella, because I never see you outside of where my clients are. If we were to say, go for coffee, then you could call me Bella."

"Are we friends then?"

"Edward," her tone sounds almost scolding, "I think you know I want a little more than that, but yes, it's a start. Alice calls me Bella when were outside of work. Next."

Great now she is adding more questions to my already overwhelming pile.

"Do you have a split personality disorder?"

This question causes her to laugh so hard, she folds in on herself. "Oh..." she chokes, "God, I can see where you might think that. Not many people here have ventured to Jersey." She takes a breath and calms herself. "No, I'm not a nut job. You probably wouldn't even be here had you seen me in Atlanta. I learned quickly that clients pay for a fantasy. The best paying one is the Dominant. The richest most powerful men and the occasional woman, are usually the ones who indulge in that kind of play. But that roll is exhausting. Since I can't really break from it here, I travel out of town to get away from it for awhile."

OK, that actually clears up a lot.

"So here, your a whips and chains girl, in New Jersey your what?"

"They like their eighties glam rock up there. Well at least in that bar. I only give them the show they want. It's fun though, getting into the tart persona."

"And what about Atlanta?"

"I think you'd have to see it to believe it. Best I can describe it, is a hip hop club girl. Can you imagine dancing for someone like Little John. Never mind, forget I asked," she shakes her head. "Um, it's mostly rap and dance music there. I get to play the 'you want this, but don't touch or I'll bitch slap ya' persona. I've actually worn Uggs on stage, and they ate that shit up."

"You said that you make most of your money from the clients at the Hot Box. I don't understand, because you didn't actually get paid for anything on Wednesday that I saw."

"I get bookings from the shows I do there. The Hot Box is a place for like minded people to socialize. What happens there is mostly for show. The more intimate things of the S and M lifestyle stay at home."

"Is that your kind of lifestyle? Do you enjoy it?"

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the power and the control, but no, it's not my lifestyle. If you understand the roles of sub and dom, you know that it's about give and take. I take care of my subs, as far as they will let me. I understand that it's their lifestyle, and I just help them indulge. Aside from that, I don't live like a dom."

"Do you have sex with any of them?"

"NO!" She gives me the pissed off look that I find so adorable. "On a very rare occasion, when a sub is in need, I'll let them touch me," she looks down at the floor, "but there is never an exchange of bodily fluids. Most of them are already having their sexual needs met elsewhere."

"Oh. If it's not a lifestyle choice, how did you get into it?"

"It's very long story. Let's just say I was approached by a client in another club, and after doing extensive research, I developed the persona. It took a long time to work up to where I am. You have to develop respect and trust, before that community will accept you."

"And you do it for the money?"

"Entirely. I enjoy sex and most things related. I learned very early on that sex sells. Since I am an open and straight forward person, I was able to turn it into a very well paying career."

"Is there anything you regret?"

"Honey, my car is paid for. My house is paid for. I want for nothing. Well almost nothing. The things I do want for money can not buy. I could retire now if I wanted to. I want to live more than comfortably for the rest of my life, so I keep at it. Do I regret anything I've ever done? Some bad investments maybe, but aside from that, nothing. I've never done anything to compromise my morals. I've never had sex for money. My clients pay for the fantasy, and pay well." She shrugs.

We just sit for a long time looking at each other, it's not an awkward silence. It's as though we might both feel like the predator, sizing up the prey. Finally, "I would like to dance for you, for the fun of it. Would you like that Edward?" she asks

"Yes, I think I would."