~ You can Run, but you can't Hide ~

Chick-a-tee-in-ur-face

Disclaimer: SM does not belong to me.

Chapter Five: The Ruby Star

He walked in wearily his head lowered but his senses were alert. He gazed across the room swiftly before spotting a table half hidden in the shadows and hid himself quietly there. He felt the anticipation in the air as other tables occupied by burly men pounded their fists on the table in a slow rhythm, girls barely even old enough to have left their homes wrapped themselves around each of their companion whispering soft words into their ears. He eyed one of the girls come from behind a bar heading his direction swaying her hips wearing hardly anything but a small boob tube covering her chest and a tight leather mini skirt which barely even reached her upper thigh. Her dark brunette hair was put in a ponytail swayed to the sides of her face as she walked. He looked her over his gaze lingering on the flat smooth skin of her belly and noticed her slender legs.

"Can I help you?" She asked him huskily leaning over the table that he could see her cleavage, her face only inches from his own. Her dark eyes boring into him, seducing him.

He gave her a boyish laugh. As much as he was tempted he was there on business and it was getting late. "When I feel the need for your help, I'll call." He replied, his gaze not leaving hers.

She smiled at him, a supercilious smile. "Remember, if you need anything and I mean anything I'm just behind the counter. I'm known here as Avery." She winked at him and turned to leave making sure she had his attention, she moved slowly and seductively her fingers running down the side of her thigh.

He sighed running a firm hand over his short blonde hair. The lust in his green eyes burned and while he waited for the stage curtains to open he found his gaze wandering behind the counter catching the eye of Avery who smiled at him. Then the curtains opened and in the spotlight a tall, slim dark haired woman stood alone. All his lust diminished as desire took it's toll as he watched the raven haired beauty sing, her voice so sweet and she danced gracefully. He watched the way her body moved and found that he had been holding his breath in. He let it go slowly taking in everything. Her violet eyes glowed with an inner light.

What she wore was something he didn't expect for the place she worked in. Her small red crimson top clung to her breast stopping short just above her belly. Her sleeves were made of a thin transparent material that moulded into her arm every time she moved it. Her pants started just below her navel hugging her hips and was made with the same thin material but not transparent. It too moulded to her legs as she moved. Around her curved ankles the pants seemed to tighten letting the excess material flair around them. Her waist length hair was half done up and pinned in place, small tendrils curled styling her oblong face. Something shiny caught his eye as he watched her move on the stage. Her small pin reflected the light all around her but that was all he could make of it.

He half saw in the corner of his eyes a dark figure shimmering into the empty seat next to him which kept him completely covered by the shadows. "Nothing certain yet sir." He replied tearing his gaze away from the stage to face his superior.

"This is not good enough, you need to work faster Jason. Nathan has already confirmed and I still have to see Zach."

Jason nodded in understanding. "I should have it confirmed by tonight."

"Good." His companion replied softly. "Then all is going well."

"Have we located the fifth one sir?" Jason asked suddenly. He saw the eyes of his companion flicker with steel and saw the grim line of his lips.

"Not yet." He said. "Make sure you have it confirmed with the name and details of the owner by tonight." Then he shimmered away leaving his seat once more empty. Jason nodded his head in compliance his gaze returning to the stage.

* * *

She had finished a song and paused for the applause, perspiration running down her forehead and her voice was beginning to sound hoarse. 'One last song.' She kept reminding herself and kept her smile in place panting slightly which became evident by the rising of her chest. She had noticed a dark figure in the back corner eyeing her since the beginning of her show and which made her self conscious. Especially since she caught sight of Avery flirting with him earlier and now Avery was giving her the death glare. She gulped nervously. In the background her mind told her that her music was beginning and she waited for her cue taking no notice of anything but focusing on her song. She began to sing softly:

"Are you looking for a steady thing...

Are you looking for what love brings...

I'm still young and are you ready babe...

I'm still looking for some better days."

"I don't want to give you everything...

I just want to make you feel pain...

You ain' trying to give me everything...

Just throw it away."

"Don't assume cause I'm a woman that I'll fall in love...

Don't expect a million needs to be to care of...

Don't want to hear, you got what I need...

Cause how would you know before we speak."

"You've got to understand my side...

I've had a crazy crazy life...

Nobody came along to open up my eyes."

"You better take what you can get...

Don't even bother with my heart...

If I get a feeling I won't let you inside."

"I ain't looking for a steady thing...

I ain't looking for what love brings...

I'm still young and are you ready babe...

I'm still looking for some better days."

"I don't want to give you everything...

I just want to make you feel pain...

You ain' trying to give me everything...

Just throw it away."

(Lyrics by Pink)

After her song she flashed a brilliant smile bowing while the velvet curtains closed around her. She heard the cheers and applause and felt her heart soar. She quickly left the stage making towards her dressing room which had the single name RACHEL BEVERLY.

Just as she had closed the door she heard a soft knock and went to open it. "Rachel Beverly?" A masculine voice asked her. 

"Yes, can't you read the sign on the door?" She said impertinently. She was tired and thirsty and her voice ached for water.

"May I?" He asked politely ignoring her comment.

Rachel stood back opening the door for him letting him in. He was quite tall and stood with an air of confidence. His blonde hair and green eyes set in his handsome face completely escaped her attention as she caught a gleam of menace and of a hidden fear deep within his eyes. She eyed him suspiciously.

"My name is Jason Flame heart and I work for a very prestigious company. The Gemstone Music Studio and I'm looking for some new talents."

All of Rachel's suspicions disappeared as her face lit up with the news. Jason just smiled back at her and continued. "Not only do I think you have the talent Miss. Beverly.."

"Please, call me Raye." She said hastily. "And do sit down."

"Thank you." Jason sat on one of the leather chairs she had in her room and watched the growing anticipation in her features as she sat opposite from him.

"As I was saying, not only do I think you have talent, but I believe you have what it takes to make your album platinum and your name will be known world wide."

Raye gasped a single delicate hand covering her lips. Her violet eyes darted to the floor. Jason sat for a while longer just watching her before getting up. "Here." He handed her a card. "My information is on that card, if you have any more enquiries but please  don't delay to make your mind up."

"Thank you Mr. Flame heart. You don't know what this means to me." Raye said.

'You have no idea.' Jason thought while smiling at her desire still burning at the back of his eyes, then left her to the privacy of her room. 'Mortals are such gullible fools.' He smirked finding a dark patch of shadows before shimmering away into the dark realm of his world.

Raye was stunned, speechless to be exact. She kept staring at the card in her hand afraid that if she looked away it would disappear and she would wake up finding that she had just been dreaming. In the distant outside her doors she could hear some noise and a loud crash before some yelling. Raye looked expectantly at the door. Then Avery in a rush of wind slammed her door open a dark glare on her face.

"You slut." She spat out angrily. "Get out. Get out before I drag you out to the streets by your hair."

"But Avery I-" Raye stammered shaking.

"Now." Avery side stepped leaving enough room for Raye to just get through tearing down the sign with her name off the door. People passing by stopped to see the spectacle and felt pity for the young brazen child.

"Avery please." Raye pleaded tears streaming down her cheeks. "I don't have anywhere to go, I haven't got a home, and this place is my only home. Please don't make me go." She sobbed her eyes blurry as she dropped to her knees.

But Avery stood firm for she was vain. To have been publicly rejected was a blow to her reputation but to have been rejected for a child with little experience and of what she believed to be of lesser beauty was an even greater humiliation. "You had best be out before the count of ten." She said through gritted teeth, then started counting. "One...two...three..."

Raye scrambled up to her feet, grabbing her few possessions in the room and made a dash through the door. "Four...five...six..." She collided into someone but pushed past him and kept running all the while hearing Avery's cold voice counting. "Seven...eight...nine..." Then she was out the door.

The cold breeze made her shiver for she was still dressed in her thin outfit. She scrambled along the road still in tears shivering even though she had put on her cloak, but the cloak offered no protection from the wind as it was worn and there was a few holes she had carelessly stitched but had come undone. She walked on for miles not knowing in which direction she was heading, then it began to rain. Cold, wet and weary Raye fell to her knees, with no strength left in her she collapsed hitting the ground hard, blackness surrounded her vision.