Chapter Five
"What?" Jack asked a little apprehensively as she looked at Riddick. "Nothing, you're just so adorable" She raised a dark honey eyebrow and her mouth formed into a sexy little pout. "I wanna take you out tonight" She could only stare at him. "I don't think that's a very good idea" Riddick was still chuckling. "Why not?" "Well, for one Peter Lector is still looking for me" Riddick shook his head. "Don't worry about him, come out with me?" As if in a stupor, she nodded and Riddick grinned and turned out of the room.
As soon as Jack was sure Riddick was gone, she rushed to find Artemis. She was sitting on what might have been a porch with a smoking cigarette between her fingers, puffing on it lazily into the cold air. Jack pulled the door open and Artemis looked over her shoulder with her startling clear dark blue eyes. "What can I do for ya darling?" She asked languidly. "Riddick said he wanted to take me out tonight," Jack said a little breathlessly. Artemis grinned showing the perfect teeth. "Good job lass, what do you need me for?" Jack paused for a minute. "I need you to make me beautiful"
When Artemis only stared at Jack, she continued nervously. "Well I hear that you do make-up and stuff like that and I was wondering if-" Artemis cut her off with the raising of a tapered finger. "Sure, but I'm used to working with people a lot more dreadful then you" Jack didn't know to if she should smile or not, but waited for Artemis to continue. "But I'll do it" She said as she stubbed out the cigarette out and rose from the chair and eyed Jack up and down slowly. "I know exactly what we need to do, all we need is a car" Artemis started back into the warm apartment when Jack stopped her.
"Um, I don't have a lot of money, and by not a lot I mean none, at all" Artemis laughed and shook her head. "Don't worry about it, I got connections" She took Jack by the hand and nearly dragged her through the glass panel door. She trotted to keep up with Artemis's strides that ate up the ground and Jack was very impressed that someone could actually move that fast in heels like ice picks. "We're going out Rich" Artemis called before going through the front door and Jack in tow and slammed the door behind them so that some of the scarce pictures rattled on the walls.
Artemis hailed a cab that nearly plowed into the cold sidewalk to pick her up. She typed the address into the little computer so fast that Jack didn't have time to read it and soon the cab began moving, jockeying for positions in the traffic that was clogging the streets. Artemis instructed Jackie to relax but she doubted she could, she was too nervous about where they were going, what was going to happen when they get there and everything else that it implied.
About 10 minutes of the gentle hum of the car, they pulled up in front of a building Jack thought she had recognized but couldn't remember. Artemis slipped the money into the little tray that popped out and the doors swung open as if they were on springs. As Artemis climbed out of the cab and onto the sidewalk, Jack noticed a long thick scar long healed crossing Artemis's back. She made a mental note to ask her about it sometime later. As Artemis opened the door of the glossy building Jack's eyes went as wide as dinner plates.
"Wow," The single word escaped her numb lips. Clothes were hanging on silk covered hangers on stainless steel racks. Soft music was playing from invisible speakers hidden in the high walls. It was a combination of a cello and a high, sad sounding Irish flute. Artemis went straight to a purple-gray top that was almost a toga. She immediately shoved it into Jack's arms and for a minute, Jack continued shoving it right back. It was definitely something she would never ever wear, something she would never think of wearing. "Jack come on, just try it and if you don't like it we'll find something else for you ok?" Artemis said and Jack nodded reluctantly.
In the slim dressing room, Jack eyed herself in the mirror that was glaring with the bright lights around the small space. The top slipped over her like water and the front dipped into a deep V, giving a peek of her small breasts that Jack grew more disdainful of every day. The sides however, were a very different matter. For one thing, there weren't any. The material slinky sleek material had been shorn away and stitched so that her lithe sides were exposed to anyone who passed by, she ran her fingers over her ribs which she could plainly see and sighed, damn it, the top did look good on her.
She stepped out of the dressing room and flinched under Artemis's inspecting gaze. "You look amazing," She said at a instance and Jack let a sigh she didn't know she was holding in. "We need to get you some jeans, shoes, and of course your hair and make-up" Jack was about to open her mouth to protest. "Oh shut up," Artemis said a little hotly. "You'll do as I say," She said with a thin smile as she pointed a smile to Jack and beckoned her to follow her to the racks and rows of jeans.
Half an hour passed and Jack was laden with jeans and a pair of shoes that she doubted she could ever stand comfortably in. She decided that as soon as the night was over and Artemis had gone back to where ever she had come from, Jack was going to take a mallet to them. Artemis directed her up a long spiral of a staircase while she disappeared through a dark doorway. Jack climbed the stairs and settled onto a couch that was as uncomfortable as it was exquisitely beautiful.
People were milling about and they didn't pay any attention to Jack which was pretty much fine with her. She didn't know how long she sat there for but Artemis emerged from the long shiny hallway wearing thin white gloves that a hairdresser wore and motioned for Jack to follow her. Jack's feet were being to ache dully but she was determined not to complain. Artemis sat Jack into a sleek black chair, pulled out an assortment of gleaming metal instruments, and made Jack gulp. "Oh do grow up," Artemis said with a laugh as she ran her free hand through Jack's hair.
"You're hairs really fine," She said and picked up a toothy comb. "You don't dye your hair do you?" She asked and nodded when Jack shook her head. "I didn't think so, well that's gonna change today I suppose".
She barked at an assistant to bring a bowl of dye in a color Jack didn't recognize and waited impatiently until the mousy little thing brought it to her side. She dipped the thick brush in the dye like an artist getting ready to create a masterpiece. The smell almost made Jack's eyes run but the smell didn't seem to bother Artemis, or if she did she was good at disguising it. While the color was still setting in her hair, Artemis pulled out a pair of gleaming silver scissors and began to cut great layers of her hair off, giving it a chopped funky look.
After waiting about an hour while the dye set and Artemis perfected the cuts, Jack leaned back and began to worry about the night to come. What did he mean when he said he wanted to take her out? It couldn't be a date, men like Riddick weren't into her, they wanted loose easy women and in the back of her mind, she felt ashamed of comparing Artemis, especially when she was helping her so much.
When she had her hair thoroughly washed and conditioned, she inspected herself in the mirror. Her hair was 5 different shades of blonde and it was cut in a choppy funky way and she loved it absolutely. "I bought you something," Artemis said as she moved to retrieve something from her purse. Jack looked away from the mirror long enough to stare at Artemis. "You don't need to get me anything. If anything I should be getting you something, you're making me feel bad about all this" "Shush," Artemis said and handed Jack a thick black necklace made of onyx. "Wear it with the shirt and jeans tonight, you'll kill him. Not that you won't anyway, you look fantastic"
They walked out of the store, Jack receiving stares all the way from men and secretly loving it. She was still wearing the slightly baggy shirt and ripped jeans, but they didn't seem to care at all. They walked back to the apartment, both of their arms filled with bags and little boxes. "Now go straight into that thing he calls a bathroom and get dressed and do the make-up exactly like I told you ok? Smoke on the eyes fire on the lips" Jack nodded and still couldn't believe all this was happening so fast.
Jack did as Artemis said and pulled in the new clothes and put the make-up on first so not to flack any of the make-up onto the new precious clothes. She could hear Artemis chattering with Riddick and her heart began racing in her chest. She slipped the shirt and struggled into the jeans that gripped to her skin and tiny but. She played with her hair so it fell the way she wanted and open the door slowly before perching herself on the ice- pick heel shoes.
Riddick and Artemis were talking in the hallway and Jack was glad that his back was to her. Over his shoulder, she could see Artemis and raised a questioning eyebrow. When Artemis only grinned, Riddick turned and his mouth fell open so far that it nearly touched the floor. "Holy shit," Was all he could manage to get out and Artemis grinned even wider. "What the hell are you wearing all that fucking paint on your face. Go wash it off, if I wanted a hooker I'd go to Mai Street"
"What?" Jack asked a little apprehensively as she looked at Riddick. "Nothing, you're just so adorable" She raised a dark honey eyebrow and her mouth formed into a sexy little pout. "I wanna take you out tonight" She could only stare at him. "I don't think that's a very good idea" Riddick was still chuckling. "Why not?" "Well, for one Peter Lector is still looking for me" Riddick shook his head. "Don't worry about him, come out with me?" As if in a stupor, she nodded and Riddick grinned and turned out of the room.
As soon as Jack was sure Riddick was gone, she rushed to find Artemis. She was sitting on what might have been a porch with a smoking cigarette between her fingers, puffing on it lazily into the cold air. Jack pulled the door open and Artemis looked over her shoulder with her startling clear dark blue eyes. "What can I do for ya darling?" She asked languidly. "Riddick said he wanted to take me out tonight," Jack said a little breathlessly. Artemis grinned showing the perfect teeth. "Good job lass, what do you need me for?" Jack paused for a minute. "I need you to make me beautiful"
When Artemis only stared at Jack, she continued nervously. "Well I hear that you do make-up and stuff like that and I was wondering if-" Artemis cut her off with the raising of a tapered finger. "Sure, but I'm used to working with people a lot more dreadful then you" Jack didn't know to if she should smile or not, but waited for Artemis to continue. "But I'll do it" She said as she stubbed out the cigarette out and rose from the chair and eyed Jack up and down slowly. "I know exactly what we need to do, all we need is a car" Artemis started back into the warm apartment when Jack stopped her.
"Um, I don't have a lot of money, and by not a lot I mean none, at all" Artemis laughed and shook her head. "Don't worry about it, I got connections" She took Jack by the hand and nearly dragged her through the glass panel door. She trotted to keep up with Artemis's strides that ate up the ground and Jack was very impressed that someone could actually move that fast in heels like ice picks. "We're going out Rich" Artemis called before going through the front door and Jack in tow and slammed the door behind them so that some of the scarce pictures rattled on the walls.
Artemis hailed a cab that nearly plowed into the cold sidewalk to pick her up. She typed the address into the little computer so fast that Jack didn't have time to read it and soon the cab began moving, jockeying for positions in the traffic that was clogging the streets. Artemis instructed Jackie to relax but she doubted she could, she was too nervous about where they were going, what was going to happen when they get there and everything else that it implied.
About 10 minutes of the gentle hum of the car, they pulled up in front of a building Jack thought she had recognized but couldn't remember. Artemis slipped the money into the little tray that popped out and the doors swung open as if they were on springs. As Artemis climbed out of the cab and onto the sidewalk, Jack noticed a long thick scar long healed crossing Artemis's back. She made a mental note to ask her about it sometime later. As Artemis opened the door of the glossy building Jack's eyes went as wide as dinner plates.
"Wow," The single word escaped her numb lips. Clothes were hanging on silk covered hangers on stainless steel racks. Soft music was playing from invisible speakers hidden in the high walls. It was a combination of a cello and a high, sad sounding Irish flute. Artemis went straight to a purple-gray top that was almost a toga. She immediately shoved it into Jack's arms and for a minute, Jack continued shoving it right back. It was definitely something she would never ever wear, something she would never think of wearing. "Jack come on, just try it and if you don't like it we'll find something else for you ok?" Artemis said and Jack nodded reluctantly.
In the slim dressing room, Jack eyed herself in the mirror that was glaring with the bright lights around the small space. The top slipped over her like water and the front dipped into a deep V, giving a peek of her small breasts that Jack grew more disdainful of every day. The sides however, were a very different matter. For one thing, there weren't any. The material slinky sleek material had been shorn away and stitched so that her lithe sides were exposed to anyone who passed by, she ran her fingers over her ribs which she could plainly see and sighed, damn it, the top did look good on her.
She stepped out of the dressing room and flinched under Artemis's inspecting gaze. "You look amazing," She said at a instance and Jack let a sigh she didn't know she was holding in. "We need to get you some jeans, shoes, and of course your hair and make-up" Jack was about to open her mouth to protest. "Oh shut up," Artemis said a little hotly. "You'll do as I say," She said with a thin smile as she pointed a smile to Jack and beckoned her to follow her to the racks and rows of jeans.
Half an hour passed and Jack was laden with jeans and a pair of shoes that she doubted she could ever stand comfortably in. She decided that as soon as the night was over and Artemis had gone back to where ever she had come from, Jack was going to take a mallet to them. Artemis directed her up a long spiral of a staircase while she disappeared through a dark doorway. Jack climbed the stairs and settled onto a couch that was as uncomfortable as it was exquisitely beautiful.
People were milling about and they didn't pay any attention to Jack which was pretty much fine with her. She didn't know how long she sat there for but Artemis emerged from the long shiny hallway wearing thin white gloves that a hairdresser wore and motioned for Jack to follow her. Jack's feet were being to ache dully but she was determined not to complain. Artemis sat Jack into a sleek black chair, pulled out an assortment of gleaming metal instruments, and made Jack gulp. "Oh do grow up," Artemis said with a laugh as she ran her free hand through Jack's hair.
"You're hairs really fine," She said and picked up a toothy comb. "You don't dye your hair do you?" She asked and nodded when Jack shook her head. "I didn't think so, well that's gonna change today I suppose".
She barked at an assistant to bring a bowl of dye in a color Jack didn't recognize and waited impatiently until the mousy little thing brought it to her side. She dipped the thick brush in the dye like an artist getting ready to create a masterpiece. The smell almost made Jack's eyes run but the smell didn't seem to bother Artemis, or if she did she was good at disguising it. While the color was still setting in her hair, Artemis pulled out a pair of gleaming silver scissors and began to cut great layers of her hair off, giving it a chopped funky look.
After waiting about an hour while the dye set and Artemis perfected the cuts, Jack leaned back and began to worry about the night to come. What did he mean when he said he wanted to take her out? It couldn't be a date, men like Riddick weren't into her, they wanted loose easy women and in the back of her mind, she felt ashamed of comparing Artemis, especially when she was helping her so much.
When she had her hair thoroughly washed and conditioned, she inspected herself in the mirror. Her hair was 5 different shades of blonde and it was cut in a choppy funky way and she loved it absolutely. "I bought you something," Artemis said as she moved to retrieve something from her purse. Jack looked away from the mirror long enough to stare at Artemis. "You don't need to get me anything. If anything I should be getting you something, you're making me feel bad about all this" "Shush," Artemis said and handed Jack a thick black necklace made of onyx. "Wear it with the shirt and jeans tonight, you'll kill him. Not that you won't anyway, you look fantastic"
They walked out of the store, Jack receiving stares all the way from men and secretly loving it. She was still wearing the slightly baggy shirt and ripped jeans, but they didn't seem to care at all. They walked back to the apartment, both of their arms filled with bags and little boxes. "Now go straight into that thing he calls a bathroom and get dressed and do the make-up exactly like I told you ok? Smoke on the eyes fire on the lips" Jack nodded and still couldn't believe all this was happening so fast.
Jack did as Artemis said and pulled in the new clothes and put the make-up on first so not to flack any of the make-up onto the new precious clothes. She could hear Artemis chattering with Riddick and her heart began racing in her chest. She slipped the shirt and struggled into the jeans that gripped to her skin and tiny but. She played with her hair so it fell the way she wanted and open the door slowly before perching herself on the ice- pick heel shoes.
Riddick and Artemis were talking in the hallway and Jack was glad that his back was to her. Over his shoulder, she could see Artemis and raised a questioning eyebrow. When Artemis only grinned, Riddick turned and his mouth fell open so far that it nearly touched the floor. "Holy shit," Was all he could manage to get out and Artemis grinned even wider. "What the hell are you wearing all that fucking paint on your face. Go wash it off, if I wanted a hooker I'd go to Mai Street"