Disclaimer: I don't own nothing of any value except my whacked out plot
ideas.
Chapter 9: Bad Girl
The sky was streaked in colors of amber, crimson, and gold following the slow setting of the sun. Another day had ended and night would soon fall upon the city, bringing out the thoughts and fears that most preferred not to speak of during the day. Night signified the absence of security because what dangers could lurk during the day? It was a whole new game now and the players were just crawling out from underneath the rocks they crawled under, ready to play. All the dark thoughts you hide away slowly surface in your mind, taunting, teasing, and luring out the unspeakable acts your most primal-self wanted. Courses of action would be taken and consequences thrown out without leaving any sense of morality. Morality? It was some distant thought that sounded so vaguely familiar.
In the car, Shan Cai clutched the steering wheel tightly, paying heed to the road ahead of her and not the person besides her. Her mind replayed her previous actions, contemplating where she had gone wrong. What had sparked that sudden outbreak in her that made her lose it completely, practically spoiling all she had done? Patience was something she had trained herself well in, but that man had driven it all to hell with his single touch.
"Do you mind if I turn on some music?" Mei Zuo inquired fingering the knobs on the radio.
She shook her head briefly, giving him a faint smile. "Go ahead."
The silence was almost deafening. He would have given his right arm to break that unbearable silence that consumed them the moment they got in the car. He snuck a quick glance, noticing the way her lips remained firmly pressed into two thin lines and the blank unreadable expression on her face. In a way, she reminded him a lot of Lei. Right now they could have passed for twins.
Taking a chance, he spoke up, trying to ease over the tension that was apparent in the air. "So, do you have anywhere in mind for tonight? Dancing? Drinking? I do know of a couple of new clubs I've wanted to go try out."
She cocked her head to the side trying to figure out what the hell he was talking about. Being lost in her own thoughts, her mind barely registered the one-sided conversation going on.
Oh crap, what the hell was he talking about? I love that awkward silence that ensues moments after the speaker realizes the listener was not paying attention to one word uttered from his mouth. Need to cover it up quickly. Just nod your head and pretend that there is something extremely interesting with the road.
"Uh huh."
Good, I think he accepted that answer. I'm not the one to blame here. Being stuck in a car with him is the last thing on my to do list. Anything that comes out of Mei Zuo's mouth is most likely some asinine words meant to seduce me into his predatory clutches. I've done my homework on this one, though. This one is going to be a pushover. Oh god, he's stopped talking. Fuck, now I have to come up with something.
"This is my place. I'm just going to run up and change. Maybe we can decide upstairs." The car came to a slow halt as the gates to the parking garage rose.
"Yeah, sure," he happily replied undoing his seatbelt.
He had no clue what he was getting himself into.
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She plunged her face into the pool of water, almost wishing she could drown herself in it. She lifted her head up, droplets of water streamed down her face and neck. The face that stared back at her in an almost mocking tone frowned. Mascara stained her cheeks, falling down in two long streaks against her skin, almost like blackened tears. She pulled an innocently white towel from the rack and proceeded to rub the offending marks from her face. Her hands trembled before the object slipped from her hands. Slowly, they made their way to the edge of the counter, gripping on for dear life to support herself.
Get a grip, Shan Cai. Closing her eyes, she deeply inhaled and exhaled in an attempt to release all of the tension building inside of her. I can do this. You can handle this. You've waited this long, and now is not the time to get freaked out over something like that. The bastard tried to grope you. You put an end to it. End story. This is nothing to me. Christ, look at me. I've got to get myself cleaned up. I promised myself a long time ago: I will burn in hell for this, but I won't be the only one.
Eyeing a brush on the side, she picked it up and violently began untangling the knots in her hair with a ferocity that seemed as if she would pull out most of her hair. It was a mechanical process now. From the tease of the mascara wand accentuating her thick, dark lashes to the meticulous smear of bright red that crossed her pink lips, it was all a routine. This was who she was. She had trained herself so long to become this, heartless, cruel girl, a real bitch. She lightly slapped her cheeks to awaken herself from the urge to kick the prick out of her house and spend the rest of the night getting pissed drunk in the darkness of her own apartment. No, she couldn't do that. All she needed was a little more time to find the truth. She would know the truth and then all the torment and hatred in her heart would dissipate into oblivion.
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Mei Zuo lingered in her living room inspecting her domicile and all of its contents. It was nothing like he imagined. Generally the women's homes he had passed through were swamped with sentimental knickknacks, photographs, or decorations that obviously were of the female persuasion. Barren. That would be the only word to describe her apartment. In a way, it somehow reminded him of the surroundings of another member of F4. At least she had a couch. That was a good sign. She did have enough courtesy to provide a place for guests to sit.
"I'll be ready in about five minutes," a voice yelled out over the sloshing of water running from the tap.
"Okay."
He wasn't so sure if she was the same girl, the one that plagued his dreams. Perhaps, she was just a replacement bearing an uncanny resemblance. Maybe he just wanted her to be that girl so badly he had transferred the desire to this poor girl. On the outside, it was an undeniable resemblance, but at the same time she exhumed a completely different attitude.
He shook his head trying to free his mind of such ponderings. Who was he to care who this girl was? If she were, then that would be good. If she weren't, then she would just be another good notch to add on the bed. Better yet, he would be able to rub it in Ximen's face that he had been the one to beat the lady's man and he could run with the young ones. It irked him to no end the countless jabs he had been forced to take in reference for his tastes in more refined women, generally of the married or pre- midlife range.
Hey, they do say things only getter better with age.
His revelry was quickly extinguished at the sight of the woman who stepped out of the bedroom. She flipped her hair over her shoulder in an attempt to push it out of her face as she bent down to put on her heels. Her line of vision was completely focused on the straps of her shoes, giving him ample opportunity to appraise the beauty before him. He could feel his mouth begin to water like a dog waiting to be fed its dinner. She was so close, yet so far at the same time. His eyes roamed from the creamy exposed skin of her legs up to her thighs, trailing to her flat stomach and perky breasts, which shifted slightly with every tug her arm made on her shoes. It was all too easy to sneak a peak with the deep V in the front of her dress. All of this perfection was enclosed in a tiny form fitting black dress. No, it wasn't just any dress. It was the infamous little black dress that all women kept somewhere in their closet as arsenal to catch a man.
She lifted her head after successfully catching his indecent leer at her chest. She shot him a dirty smirk, which almost made him choke on his own breath. He quickly composed himself and returned the challenge with a smile.
"Shall we go?" he asked, gesturing her to take his arm. He watched every curve of her body as well as every inch of her move within that dress, coming towards him.
"Just give me a second. I need a little help. Do you mind?" she asked, turning her back to him, revealing the opened zipper in the back. Shan Cai raised her hand up successfully pulling all her hair up and out of the way to allow him access. Her head remained slightly turned backwards, watching him for his next move.
His fingers trembled slightly, which he quickly shook off, cursing himself for acting like a hormonal teenager praying to get laid for the first time. "Would I be a gentleman if I refused to help a lady in distress?" he chuckled. His face moved inches from her neck and he deeply inhaled her scent, blinding him of his sense momentarily. Slowly, his fingers trailed down her bare back until they reached the zipper and the contraption was slowly dragged upwards, concealing her exposed flesh. "All done."
"Thank you," she purred. Her hair fell back down in waves of raven tendrils. "You have very good hands," she complimented.
"Well, I take pride in having a gentle touch."
"Really? I'll keep that in mind. I may also remember that you know how to work this zipper. If you can close it up, than surely you can open it later for me."
"Is that an invitation?"
"No, more of an acute observation."
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The music was thumping in the background as hot, sweaty bodies grinded against each other to the music. The lights were dimmed down low enough to allow limited access to what was going on around. The glaring neon lights that glimmered around the room briefly illuminated patches of the room with its gaudy colors. The room was hot, stifling even. In the middle of all the chaos of bodies slamming against each other and drinks being knocked out of the hands of their owners, Mei Zuo lead Shan Cai inside.
Mei Zuo looped his arm around Shan Cai's waist, making sure that he would not lose her in the crowd around them. It was relatively early in the night and already the party had started getting into full swing. "Do you want something to drink?" he asked, moving his lips a few centimeters from her ear.
She nodded her head and pointed towards an empty spot at the bar. Finding herself a seat, she motioned for the bartender to come to her. The young man behind the bar quickly had his attention caught by the woman and bounded over.
"What can I get you?"
"Sex on the Beach," she stated without blinking.
"Anything for you."
"I'll have a gin and tonic." Mei Zuo once again looped his arm around her waist possessively and glared at the man who seemed to have his eyes glued down the front of Shan Cai's dress.
"A little possessive now, aren't we?" she asked, turning her head around to see him scanning the room, trying to ward off any other potential competition vying for his date's attention.
"I'm just making sure no one tries to steal my date?"
Who said this was a date?"
"Isn't it?"
She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek near his ear. "Depending on the way the night ends, I'll tell you what I think."
His mind raced with the hidden innuendo in her words. He was almost shell shocked by the implications she was making. In was unnerving to feel that little loss of control over the relationship. Generally he was the one in complete check of his emotions, deciding how things would be. Now the ball was on her court, and he was playing by her rules.
"So, why sex on the beach?"
"That's my favorite position," she whispered back to him. She spun around and grabbed her drink, taking a long sip of the concoction. A smile played at her lips in satisfaction of the maker's skill.
He was about to say something in response to her last statement, but by his own bad luck, someone interrupted him from suggesting they take a trip down to the beach.
"Mei Zuo!"
Mei Zuo's head spun around trying to locate the owner of the shrill voice. His eyes settled on the woman approaching him with the flaming red dress and breasts that definitely weren't sculpted by the hands of god. He knew for a fact by the way they moved. "Hey, Vivian."
She latched onto his arm, sparing a vindictive look towards Shan Cai who seemed a bit more interested on the dance floor than Mei Zuo's choice in lady friends. "I haven't seen you here in a while," she whined, slapping him playfully on the thigh. "I've missed you. It's no fun when you don't come around."
"I've been busy," he nervously replied, trying to gauge Shan Cai's reaction towards the woman who seemed to find herself attached to him suddenly. He studied the blank look on her face and felt a twinge of disappointment in not seeing a trace of jealousy. Normally, his dates would have started a catfight at the mere chance meeting of him and a past acquaintance. "I only decided to come since I wanted to bring Shan Cai around to some clubs."
At the mention of her name, Shan Cai cocked her head in the direction of Mei Zuo and his companion. When she first noticed the desperate girl trying to instigate some sort of territorial warning over Mei Zuo, she had zoned out on the movements of the dancers on the dance floor. She put on her best genuine smile and extended a hand out at the woman. "Nice to meet you," she politely offered. "I'm Mu Ye Shan Cai."
Vivian looks at the hand in disdain and chose to ignore it. Instead she redirected her attentions towards Mei Zuo, pulling him out of his chair. "Mei Zuo! Come dance with me. I love this song." Not giving him a chance to protest, she forcefully pulled him out onto the dance floor and pressed her body up against his. Her arms snaked around his neck, trapping him in her grasp.
Helplessly he looked back at Shan Cai for a little help, but she just blankly spared him a glance before shrugging her shoulders and continuing to nurse her drink. She turned her attentions towards a man who walked over to talk to her as soon as her supposed date disappeared.
Shan Cai looked towards Mei Zuo from the corner of her eye and sighed. It was going to be a long night, and she for one was not in the mood to start a petty catfight over her date. The pressure and weariness of the day was finally settling into her bones. For a while, she considered ditching Mei Zuo and heading back home for a long hot soak in the tub followed by passing out in her warm bed. She laughed to herself, thinking about the look that Vivian woman had given her at the threat of Mei Zuo being with another woman. Green was not a color that looked good on her.
Go ahead and have him slut. It's not like a give a damn.
"Excuse me, miss," a voice said from behind her, followed by a light tap on her shoulder. "I couldn't help but notice you sitting her all by yourself. It's such a waste to let you sit out on all the fun. Do you want to dance?
Oh, two can play this game.
She looked over the young man offering her a brief moment of liberating fun and nodded her head. Her hand slipped into his, allowing him to lead her through the crowds to find an empty spot to dance in. The music switched over from the fast paced techno music into a much more laidback reggae tempo. Shan Cai felt her arms reach around her partner's neck and allowed the music to take her away. All inhibitions left her as well as her sense of time and place. For all she knew, they were the only ones out there.
With each beat, she felt her body being taken control by an outside force. It was almost like the part of her that wished she wasn't in the position she was forcing herself into, screamed to allow her to be herself and just have fun. She didn't care what this guy's name was, but he was about to get the thrill of his life.
Slowly, she pulled him closer to her body, brushing her bosom against his chest. Her hands skimmed over his chest almost as if she were worshipping every fine curve, muscles, and twitch of his skin. They dipped down lower and lower until she reached the waistline of his pants. Fingers looped through the belt loops and his hip was pulled against hers. She held onto him swaying with the music, until his movements began to become more fluid like hers. They joined together in the same rhythm of swaying, finding a compromise in their movements. She laughed to herself when she heard him exhale a small groan. Deciding to heat things up a bit more, she turned around, letting her back lean against his chest. Her rear bumped against the front of his hips with a coordinated thrust that exhibited an erotic mimicry. Through the eyes of their audience, the couple seemed to be engaging in an almost sexual act in public. She didn't shy away from that fact. Shan Cai only reveled in the rush of power having so much control over the weak minded. She spun around once more to go back to a frontal position. Being a bit more daring this time, she looked up at him with heavy-laden eyes, giving off a hint of desire in them. Placing her arms around his neck, she teasingly kissed him on the lips, like a feather brushing over the sensitive skin. Her lips slowly trailed down to his neck, where she began gently sucking on his neck. When she pulled away, she admired her work. Her tongue darted out of her lips and slowly licked at the bruised skin in an excruciatingly slow manner. The entire time she did this, she kept her eyes on what was behind him, Mei Zuo. Her actions were like a sort of bait to him to see how far he would let her go before he lost all control. Already when the dance had begun she could see Mei Zuo's lips that always seemed to be in a perpetual smile fall into a thin line. She took it another step further and raised her thigh, rubbing it up his thigh. Her dress rode up along with her leg, exposing more of her legs for the world to see. The next thing she did was to straddle one of his legs and begin to ride it in a rather indecent manner. A devilish smile played on her lips as she tossed her head back in feigned pleasure at the gesture. Her dancing partner only returned the favor by taking advantage of her exposed neck and began kissing her neck to her shoulder, gently nipping, sucking, and kissing every inch of her flesh available to him. Her movements continued in its snakelike fluidity with her limbs wrapping around him, drawing him into her.
As quickly as the song begun, it ended. The trance that Shan Cai seemed to have allowed herself to be sucked into ended and the smile dropped from her face. She slid herself off of his leg and pushed him away from her. Patting him on the shoulder, she dismissed him with her hand. "Thanks for the dance." With enough said, she walked away, leaving a rather aroused and disheartened partner behind.
Mei Zuo stood dumbfounded. A storm of emotions welled up inside of him mixing into what felt like anger, hatred, joy, lust, and jealousy. All were a dangerous combination to juxtapose.
"Disgusting," Vivian venomously spat. She rolled her eyes at the show Shan Cai had put on. "If I were you, I would be a little more picky about the type of people I associate with. How much trashier can you be?" she snorted.
He didn't even know how the words left his lips, but they were said and the damage was done. "Why don't you look in the mirror?"
His hand reached up to feel the hot sting of her hand connecting to his face. He stretched his jaw to try to determine whether that snap he had heard was anything serious. Forgoing the path to seek some kind of peaceful reconciliation with Vivian, Mei Zuo ran off the dance floor in search of his real date. He found her moments later gulping down her second drink.
Brown eyes peered over the glass at his approaching form. "Where did Vivian go?"
"She went to go find some other victim for the night," he joked. "I saw your moves out there. I never would have imagined you had that in you. I always thought good girls like you didn't dance dirty."
Her fist clenched the fabric of his shirt pulling his face mere inches from hers. "Everyone just assumes I'm a good girl. If you want to know the truth, I like to be naughty once in awhile." She licked her lips and tilted her head ready to conquer him.
His heart pounded through his chest. Never in his life had he ever been seduced like this. She was driving him mad and the anticipation to taste her was overwhelming.
Ring.
"Huh?" he asked as he watched Shan Cai push him backwards.
She pointed towards his pants pocket. "Your phone."
"Ugh," he grunted in disappointment. He raised the phone to his ear and irately yelled at the person on the other line. "Who is this?! What? Hold on. I'll be right there!" He hung up the phone and muttered curses under his breath. With a hopeful look on his face, he informed his date of a change in plans. "The guys just called. I need to get down to the pub we always hang out at and pick up Ah Si. He's gotten himself into a bit of trouble."
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"Give me another beer!" Ah Si barked at the bartender, slamming an angry fist onto the counter. His fist grabbed a handful of the bartender's shirt as he pulled the poor man closer. "What are you looking at?" he slurred.
"Nothing," the bartender stuttered back, grasping his collar, trying to loosen the deathlike grip of his customer. It was one thing that the young master tipped well, but it was another to have your life put on the line for looking at him funny. "I swear I wasn't looking."
"Calm down, Ah Si!" Ximen yelled, pushing them apart. "Just get up and leave with us now."
Lei proceeded to take the bartender to the side, shaking his head. He whispered a few words into his ear. "This is for your trouble." Slipping a rather large wad of bills into the bartender's shirt pocket, he patted the new bulge in his chest. "Tell the others he has been cut off for the rest of the night." He turned to see Ximen working on getting Ah Si to calm down.
Whoever it was that gave him that black eye is going to have hell to pay. He won't even tell us who it was, but I have a feeling some game of vengeance will come into play. The day Ah Si learns his childish games are a waste of time, will be one day too late. All I am in his game is the clean up crew.
He rubbed his temples trying to focus on the task at hand. How would he and Ximen manage to get Ah Si into a car back home? Even with Mei Zuo on his way, it would be a grueling task to tame the wild beast.
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Dao Ming Si stumbled into the dimly lit booth, slamming his head against the wall. "Fuck, Ximen!"
"Do you even know what the hell you are doing? I'm not going to spend another night trying to explain to the cops why we weren't fast enough to drag your drunken ass out of the club before they came. I know that look on your face, and I'm not going to help you fight your way out of here. Do you realize that Xiao Zi is probably on the phone right now, talking to your mother about your behavior tonight?"
"I could care less what she tells that bitch. She's no better than the rest. She's just another one of my mother's spies, keeping her updated on what I'm doing.'
His head with swimming with vague recollection of what had happened earlier. The annoying high-pitched squealing of Xiao Zi echoed in the deeper recesses of his mind.
Ximen slapped his palm against his forehead, knowing that Ah Si's drunk ramblings would probably make less sense tomorrow, when he received a very nasty threat from his mother about keeping up the family image. He wouldn't only have to deal with the painful bruise on his face and a very bad hangover, the headache from his mother's lecture would only add to his list of ailments. "Come on, we need you to sober up a little before we take you home."
"Whatever. You just want to ditch me so you can get your Monday night fuck. Although it's not much different from Tuesday, Wednesday, and the rest of the week's fucks."
"I know you're drunk, but I swear to god if you say something like that to me again I won't regret beating the crap out of you," Ximen hissed in retaliation. His normally cool demeanor was broken for that split second before he composed himself from the little outburst. "I'm just trying to save your ass."
"You both need to calm down," Lei interjected, seating himself across from their inebriated friend. "So, tell us how you got that?"
"It was a cheap hit." He blushed slightly from the memories of his earlier encounter with the body that caused so much damage to his own. He shook his head, trying to shake off the heady feeling of the alcohol coursing through his system.
"Well, that guy is in for a whole lot of trouble tomorrow. I assume the red tag has been sent out already. I heard your butler mention that you were completely unconscious when they found you after the fight. He wouldn't breath a word about who did it." Ximen picked up his glass and took a small sip of the clear liquid. His eyes roamed the room in search of a better focus point, preferably of the female persuasion rather than Ah Si's banged up face.
Yeah, it would be business as usual. Red tag at 8, beatings until noon, and then a quick break for lunch. We really aren't that much different. For me, it's the Monday hook up, Tuesday through Saturday trysts, and Sunday the breakup. Somewhere in the middle of all that, there's some meaningless sex, a few gifts exchanged here and there, and finally a nice slap in the face ending the entire charade. Yes, we aren't that much different, my friend.
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I wanted to touch her, feel her writhing under my body. Images of her screaming my name in ecstasy as I drove both of us to newfound heights of passion flashed in front of me. She would be flexible, and her body taught and lithe. I can tell from the way she danced. Girls who can move like that have special talents, ones I wouldn't mind testing out.
She is bad...
And it makes me want her more.
Mei Zuo clenched his hands on the steering wheel of the car as he swerved through traffic. He shook his head, trying to pull his mind out of the gutter it had fallen into. The enticing invitation so generously offered moments ago, made his head spin. He probably could have had her there and then, sealing the deal. However, the gods had something else in mind for him. He had flat out told a beautiful woman in her face that he would have to leave her early to take care of his drunken friend in need.
And why did I pass up the chance?
F4.
The things I do for friendship.
"I hate the way clubs leave you smelling of alcohol and smoke," Shan Cai flippantly commented. She tugged at her dress that seemed to keep riding up her thighs. Bending forward, she popped open the glove compartment and pulled out a bottle of perfume. Opening the cap, she rubbed the sweet smelling liquid over her wrists and dabbed some on her neck. "The smell always gets to me. I hope you don't mind. I'd hate to offend you with so much perfume on."
Mei Zuo inhaled the intoxicating scent once more. It was the same scent he cherished from so long ago. As long as he tried he could never find the scent that matched this one. The most prominent of the intermingling smells being that of lavender. "What is that perfume?"
"Oh this," she laughed putting it back into the compartment before shutting the lid. "I've been wearing this since I was old enough to wear make up. It was my mother's favorite perfume. Whenever we went to Paris, she would always have to stop off at a little perfumery and buy it. I think they discontinued it a few years back. It's very rare to find it nowadays. It was then that my father begged the maker to make it for him every year, explaining how much my mother loved it. He agreed, after seeing how much he loved my mother and said he would make ten bottles a year. One would specifically be for my mother. Now that she's passed away, I special order it. It's a mix of floral scents, and I guess that's where the name comes from, 'Fields of Heaven'."
A wide lazy smile spread across her face as she closed her eyes, probably falling into a spell of childhood memories. The scent was comforting to her, a true reminder of where she came from and who brought her into this world. For a brief moment, the hole in her heart healed.
"It lives up to its name."
With those words uttered from his mouth, the wounds were reopened. She kept the smile on her face warding off nay further questioning from her companion, but inside, her hatred began to seethe once again. She berated herself for even exposing that tiniest bit of information about her true self. For the most part, the name of the perfume was true, and the story of her father begging the maker to make the special scent true. However, the rest of it was pure fabrication. The perfumery wasn't found in Paris or any romantic, exotic spot. It was more like the small perfume shop in her little town, where the maker made his own perfumes in the back room, gathering his materials in the wild vegetation growing near the fields of the beach.
It was a small mistake on her part, but one that she would learn from. It was never the best idea to get too comfortable with the enemy.
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Ximen's eyes remain transfixed on the bar hoppers, briefly falling on the opening leading to the entrance. He glanced down at his watch, realizing that Mei Zuo should have been there by now.
Speak of the devil.
As always, Mei Zuo made his entrance. It was almost instinctive for those beneath F4, which included pretty much everyone on the face of the planet, to part for them. The circumstances were no different when Mei Zuo entered. Like Moses parting the Red Sea, people moved to the sides allowing him his showy entrance with all the fanfare that came with such power. Women stopped and stared with their hungry eyes, sizing him up against their own dates, seeing Mei Zuo as the alpha male they had been waiting for all along. Their dates' chances crumbled, along with any hopes of ever being the one in the women's eyes. Men glared, clenching their fists at the arrival of new competition. However, they held back from smashing in the face of pretty boy, realizing that no matter what, they would never come close to what he had. To sum it up, Mei Zuo had what they all wanted and needed: the car, the clothes, the hair, the credit cards, and the looks.
Lei and Ah Si turned their heads towards the source of the silent murmurs buzzing around them of the new arrival. Upon finding it to be Mei Zuo, they normally would have laughed lightly as done by Lei or snorted in disdain, an act well known for by Ah Si. However, their eyes remain transfixed in that direction. It wasn't the man they were opening gawking at. It was the woman on his arm.
If her innocent demeanor left their minds in a swirl of desire earlier, the little black dress she donned did so much more for them now. She walked with that air of confidence surrounding her that you could only stand by and watch in fascination. Her every movement came as smooth as water sliding through your fingertips. Beneath her guarded long eyelashes, she looked up and smiled. All resolve F3 had possessed moments ago shattered. The curl of her red full lips into that seemingly harmless smile was the killer.
"Shan Cai."
They walked towards the private table in the back of the bar ignoring all looks coming from the other patrons in the establishment. Both glided across the room with a dignified grace and haphazard smiles on their faces. They owned the room as the power couple. No one dared to approach the unapproachable.
"Hey, what's up?" Mei Zuo pulled out a seat like the gentleman he was for his date. He then proceeded to take his own seat, completely ignoring the looks F3 shot him. In return, he merely shrugged off the glares of accusation for breaking their little agreement to stay away.
"What are you two doing?" Ximen asked. The look he shot Mei Zuo spoke volumes of what he really wanted to say.
Traitor.
Shan Cai took note of the tenseness overtaking the table, and moved in quickly to try to pacify the situation. It was to her benefit to calm them down in order to really grasp the situation itself. She could already see a weakness in their friendship involving a certain person, herself. Now would not be the time to instill dissidence in the unit. That would come much later. If she moved to strike now she would put herself in the vulnerable position of being found out.
She placed a hand over Ximen's on the table and put on her innocent face. "Oh, Mei Zuo was being such a good friend to show me around the city. He showed me one of the clubs he frequents since I asked him to. The music was pretty good, and I met some nice people out on the dance floor. He even seemed to find himself someone at the same time," she smiled, elbowing him in the ribs and giggling. "Vivian? Was that her name?" She looked towards Mei Zuo for verification, feigning obliviousness towards what had really happened earlier.
"Yeah, it was," he responded dryly. He furrowed his eyebrows a little, confused on what was going on.
This is just odd. One minute she's all bad girl, and the next she's pretending like nothing happened. What is with this good girl act she puts on or was what I saw in the club an act, too. Who is she?
Ximen nodded, accepting their story.
Shan Cai grinned to herself, knowing how to push the right buttons after sensing the strange interest and mild jealousy that seemed to play over Ximen and Ah Si's faces at the mere mention of her chosen company when going out. Hua Ze Lei remained impassive as always. He would be a little tougher to crack.
"I didn't think you would be here, Ximen. What happened to your date I helped you pick out earlier?"
"You met up earlier?" Mei Zuo inquired, suddenly interested in the little exchange Shan Cai had earlier. He glared back at Ximen with the same accusatory glare his friend had had the courtesy to bestow on him moments ago.
"Oh yes. We had an interesting little conversation today about philosophies." She turned towards Ximen with a knowing smile on her face. She winked, giving him the signal of keeping their findings a secret. "Actually now that I've really thought about it I wouldn't mind really testing out your theory sometimes soon. There are a few interesting positions and styles I've yet to try. The only thing I require is to have complete control." Her hand slowly slithered beneath the table, sliding ever so slowly up Ximen's thigh, enticing him of what would perhaps come to him if he went along with her.
Ximen swallowed hard, trying to fight the bulge in his pants at the northward movement of her hand. His hands clenched against the table while he grabbed his drink, swigging the rest of the cool fiery liquid down his throat. He smiled. "I'd be up for something new anytime." His breaths came short in a futile attempt to tame his raging hormones.
"Great!" she squealed clapping her hands together, and at the same time removing her hand from Ximen's vicinity. She inwardly laughed on seeing the look of disappointment flash through Ximen's eyes at the removal of her hand. Her attention moved away from Ximen towards Dao Ming Si. Her eyes narrowed on seeing her handiwork on his face. "Oh," she contorted her face into a wince. "You should really put some ice or something on that. It's really getting swollen." She reached forward, prodding the tips of her fingers across his bruises.
He sat dumbly, watching her fawning over him, acting motherly towards him. It baffled his limited brain processes. Perhaps if he was sober, he could have truly took notice of the schizophrenic woman in front of him.
"Does it hurt?"
"Not really."
"You should be more careful about watching your opponents when you fight. You get too easily distracted."
Lei stared closely, recognizing the strange connection the two were having and seeing a deeper meaning in the light conversation. He finally spoke up, making his presence known. "Did you see his fight today?"
"Yes," she grinned. "It was rather exciting, I must say. It was kind of fun to watch the sparring. Dao Ming Si was kind enough to allow me to stay and watch."
"So, you saw who did this to him?" Ximen interjected. "Who was it? We're all dying to know."
She shook her head. "I don't know their name. It was a pretty cheap shot that person took. Although the lack of concentration on Dao Ming Si's part made him an open target."
"I can't believe that," Mei Zuo shouted in shock. "I've never seen him miss a hit in my life. Whatever he did to distract you must have been pretty harsh."
"Will you all shut up already about it?! I don't want to talk about it anymore!"
"So says the drunken man who had the shit beaten out of him."
"You don't seem that drunk to me," Shan Cai observed, looking at him closely. "Maybe a little buzzed, but nothing too serious." She looked around the room, absorbing the people, sights, and sounds around her. "This is a pretty nice pub. I would have liked to stay and try a few drinks, but I should be getting home. It was nice seeing you gentlemen again. I'll see you around."
She rose from her seat, ignoring the fact that they all rose from their seats at the same time, as was the protocol when in the company of a lady. Shan Cai bitterly laughed to herself, wondering if they would treat her in the same way after knowing the hell she was going to put them through. "Dao Ming Si, do you want a ride home? These three look like they can go a few more hours here, but that look on your face tells me otherwise. Come on, I'll take you home." She grabbed his arm, wrapping her own around his and pulled him form the chair. Her tiny frame managed to support his larger figure as she guided him out of the bar. "Oh, thanks for showing me around, Mei Zuo." She nonchalantly waved, taking in the apparent sensation of disappointment he must have been feeling.
Mei Zuo watched in horror as his date left with another man. This may have been his one shot with a girl like her, and he screwed it up.
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So, this is how the other half lives. It's utterly disturbing to know how the wealthy have the propensity to drown themselves in personal possessions and facetious ideals of upholding the family name. It was laughable that they wanted this life for me. I would have been another drone in my own servitude of status surrounded by falsities and Tiffany's crystal scattered randomly amidst the eighteenth century European art.
Shan Cai's eyes absorbed all the findings in Dao Ming Si's room. She paced back and forth with her wandering fingers gracing all the objects prominently displayed around the room as decoration. She fought to contain the disdain and sheer disgust at the lavish furnishings. Slender fingers glided across the softest sheets she had ever touched in her life, as she sat down on the bed.
"You're still here," Ah Si half-heartedly exclaimed. His lean muscular body moved in a catlike manner, stalking its prey. He slunk over to an armchair, finding it to be safer to stay a good distance away from the tiny girl who had knocked him unconscious earlier. "I thought you would have left already."
A sly grin appeared on her face, making it known a plan was being formed. "I was hoping to talk to you about what happened earlier. I'm not mad at you anymore," she barely whispered.
"Why did you do it?"
"There were some men."
Her fingers trailed across the sheets tracing small concentric circles in their wake. Slowly, she leaned backwards falling onto the bed letting her hair that she had set free from its confines fan around her body. "You bed is really comfortable," she purred, rolling onto her side. The bottom of her dress rose up with every move she made crawling across the bed, testing the firmness of the mattress. Her arms stretched around her, grabbing at the sheets in fistfuls while her back arched up. "Why don't you come over here? I promise I won't bite." She raised her hands in surrender, moving aside to let him take the space beside her.
He obediently complied with her command, being drawn in by the siren herself.
"My body is a little stiff from this afternoon still. Do you think you could help me here?"
Dao Ming Si's eyes flew open at the sight of the alluring girl on his bed. For all those times everyone else doubted his sexual orientation, this would have proved them all wrong. This clearly was an invitation to take things a little farther. He got up and tossed the towel he had been using to dry his wet hair onto the floor. His legs fell on either side of her trapping her in the middle. "I think I can loosen you up a bit."
Her body languidly rolled over allowing her to rest on her stomach. She pillowed her cheek on her hands; letting his hands roam over the bare skin of her back. "Ah! That feels good," she moaned. "I love a man who can make good use of his hands."
"Good for me then, since I know a few more tricks with my hands."
"I bet you do."
"So, how is your face?" She giggled into the sheets. Another long drawn out moan ensued as his hands worked at a rather stubborn knot.
"It could be better. Why didn't you tell them you did it?"
She sighed deeply, trying to come up with a reason why she didn't take the chance to openly humiliate him. "Just think of it as a one of the many things I will be doing to make up for what I did to you. What happened between us shouldn't have happened at all. We were both lost in the adrenalin rush and got a little carried away. You put me in an odd position, bringing back some memories that weren't pleasant. Worse that that, I let myself enjoy it." Her body rolled over to allow her eyes to roam over his body that lay above hers.
Dao Ming Si swallowed that lump in his throat. His legs were weakening in the position of hovering above her body. "I liked it, too."
Slowly, she slid out from under him, and knelt before him with certain timidity. Her hand cupped his cheek, stroking over the skin with her thumb. She watched him half close his eyes, leaning into her touch willingly and allowing himself to succumb to her wiles. Hungrily, she licked her lips and chewed on her bottom lip, contemplating her next move. If she raised her other hand up, she could have snapped his neck in two.
"Let me make it all better," she barely whispered leaning in and placing a kiss over his eye. Her lips trailed down his face, worshipping every cut and bruise, giving each one individual attention.
Each kiss burned like fire and ice. While each gentle caress of her lips against his skin was cool to the touch and soothing the pain away, a certain fire ignited within him, fueling the flames of lust already building up. He wanted to take her, claim her as his, but the idea seemed impossible. At that moment, he came to the conclusion.
Nothing matters in this world, except getting her.
Shan Cai smiled to herself, knowing how she was affecting his body by his physical response to her. She nudged herself closer to him, finding herself situated in his lap. The great Dao Ming Si was within her clutches, brought down to the level of a harmless child in her arms. She clenched her eyes closed and forced a single tear to stray down her cheek for added effect to what she was about to do.
The hand that clenched his shirt gradually loosened, and she pushed herself away panting slightly heavily. She watched him wipe away her tears that had fallen on his face. Her own hand lifted to touch her bruised lips caused by her own seemingly reckless kisses. She lowered her voice to add to the intensity of her faked remorse. "We can't do this," her voice quivered. "Oh god, what have I done!" Her eyes widened. "I shouldn't have...Xiao Zi..."
"Shh!" he coaxed, reaching out for her, but quickly retracted at seeing her recoil from him. The look of guilt was expressly on her face. "Don't you want this as much as I do?"
She hurriedly gathered her purse from the table. Her actions were disjointed and frantic, as if she were lost in her own world. She made a move for the doorway, but was blocked by Ah Si's body.
He was almost desperate, like a lost child searching for some sort of answer to his question. "I don't love her. I think I might with you, or I might have already."
Her eyes softened at those words. She leaned upwards into him but kept her lips a few centimeters away from his. As she moved forward, her lips barely graced his and they moved against them pleadingly. "You and I don't matter. The small infatuation I have with you is where we end. I could have loved you, perhaps with time, but it doesn't matter, though. I won't betray Xiao Zi."
Her tiny body maneuvered around his, finding escape under his arm blocking her. To complete the ruse she had just finished, she ran down the hallway towards the exit without looking back.
Dao Ming Si, you're right where I want you.
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A/N: By now you've probably gotten over that initial shock that I actually updated this story. I know. I am too. I've been dabbling here and there trying to revive this fic. When will updates come? I have no clue? What about OUD, you ask? Well, I'm completely lost. Last Resort has ideas floating around. I've even thought about giving up this whole spiel all together. However, after the thought of telling readers that brief thought in my head, I cringed at the danger of e-mail death threats. Don't worry, I may be slow, but I will finish these fics one day. I start school in about a week and a half, so I'll be all set for another semester of losing myself in the land of academia. The joy of school.
Chapter 9: Bad Girl
The sky was streaked in colors of amber, crimson, and gold following the slow setting of the sun. Another day had ended and night would soon fall upon the city, bringing out the thoughts and fears that most preferred not to speak of during the day. Night signified the absence of security because what dangers could lurk during the day? It was a whole new game now and the players were just crawling out from underneath the rocks they crawled under, ready to play. All the dark thoughts you hide away slowly surface in your mind, taunting, teasing, and luring out the unspeakable acts your most primal-self wanted. Courses of action would be taken and consequences thrown out without leaving any sense of morality. Morality? It was some distant thought that sounded so vaguely familiar.
In the car, Shan Cai clutched the steering wheel tightly, paying heed to the road ahead of her and not the person besides her. Her mind replayed her previous actions, contemplating where she had gone wrong. What had sparked that sudden outbreak in her that made her lose it completely, practically spoiling all she had done? Patience was something she had trained herself well in, but that man had driven it all to hell with his single touch.
"Do you mind if I turn on some music?" Mei Zuo inquired fingering the knobs on the radio.
She shook her head briefly, giving him a faint smile. "Go ahead."
The silence was almost deafening. He would have given his right arm to break that unbearable silence that consumed them the moment they got in the car. He snuck a quick glance, noticing the way her lips remained firmly pressed into two thin lines and the blank unreadable expression on her face. In a way, she reminded him a lot of Lei. Right now they could have passed for twins.
Taking a chance, he spoke up, trying to ease over the tension that was apparent in the air. "So, do you have anywhere in mind for tonight? Dancing? Drinking? I do know of a couple of new clubs I've wanted to go try out."
She cocked her head to the side trying to figure out what the hell he was talking about. Being lost in her own thoughts, her mind barely registered the one-sided conversation going on.
Oh crap, what the hell was he talking about? I love that awkward silence that ensues moments after the speaker realizes the listener was not paying attention to one word uttered from his mouth. Need to cover it up quickly. Just nod your head and pretend that there is something extremely interesting with the road.
"Uh huh."
Good, I think he accepted that answer. I'm not the one to blame here. Being stuck in a car with him is the last thing on my to do list. Anything that comes out of Mei Zuo's mouth is most likely some asinine words meant to seduce me into his predatory clutches. I've done my homework on this one, though. This one is going to be a pushover. Oh god, he's stopped talking. Fuck, now I have to come up with something.
"This is my place. I'm just going to run up and change. Maybe we can decide upstairs." The car came to a slow halt as the gates to the parking garage rose.
"Yeah, sure," he happily replied undoing his seatbelt.
He had no clue what he was getting himself into.
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She plunged her face into the pool of water, almost wishing she could drown herself in it. She lifted her head up, droplets of water streamed down her face and neck. The face that stared back at her in an almost mocking tone frowned. Mascara stained her cheeks, falling down in two long streaks against her skin, almost like blackened tears. She pulled an innocently white towel from the rack and proceeded to rub the offending marks from her face. Her hands trembled before the object slipped from her hands. Slowly, they made their way to the edge of the counter, gripping on for dear life to support herself.
Get a grip, Shan Cai. Closing her eyes, she deeply inhaled and exhaled in an attempt to release all of the tension building inside of her. I can do this. You can handle this. You've waited this long, and now is not the time to get freaked out over something like that. The bastard tried to grope you. You put an end to it. End story. This is nothing to me. Christ, look at me. I've got to get myself cleaned up. I promised myself a long time ago: I will burn in hell for this, but I won't be the only one.
Eyeing a brush on the side, she picked it up and violently began untangling the knots in her hair with a ferocity that seemed as if she would pull out most of her hair. It was a mechanical process now. From the tease of the mascara wand accentuating her thick, dark lashes to the meticulous smear of bright red that crossed her pink lips, it was all a routine. This was who she was. She had trained herself so long to become this, heartless, cruel girl, a real bitch. She lightly slapped her cheeks to awaken herself from the urge to kick the prick out of her house and spend the rest of the night getting pissed drunk in the darkness of her own apartment. No, she couldn't do that. All she needed was a little more time to find the truth. She would know the truth and then all the torment and hatred in her heart would dissipate into oblivion.
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Mei Zuo lingered in her living room inspecting her domicile and all of its contents. It was nothing like he imagined. Generally the women's homes he had passed through were swamped with sentimental knickknacks, photographs, or decorations that obviously were of the female persuasion. Barren. That would be the only word to describe her apartment. In a way, it somehow reminded him of the surroundings of another member of F4. At least she had a couch. That was a good sign. She did have enough courtesy to provide a place for guests to sit.
"I'll be ready in about five minutes," a voice yelled out over the sloshing of water running from the tap.
"Okay."
He wasn't so sure if she was the same girl, the one that plagued his dreams. Perhaps, she was just a replacement bearing an uncanny resemblance. Maybe he just wanted her to be that girl so badly he had transferred the desire to this poor girl. On the outside, it was an undeniable resemblance, but at the same time she exhumed a completely different attitude.
He shook his head trying to free his mind of such ponderings. Who was he to care who this girl was? If she were, then that would be good. If she weren't, then she would just be another good notch to add on the bed. Better yet, he would be able to rub it in Ximen's face that he had been the one to beat the lady's man and he could run with the young ones. It irked him to no end the countless jabs he had been forced to take in reference for his tastes in more refined women, generally of the married or pre- midlife range.
Hey, they do say things only getter better with age.
His revelry was quickly extinguished at the sight of the woman who stepped out of the bedroom. She flipped her hair over her shoulder in an attempt to push it out of her face as she bent down to put on her heels. Her line of vision was completely focused on the straps of her shoes, giving him ample opportunity to appraise the beauty before him. He could feel his mouth begin to water like a dog waiting to be fed its dinner. She was so close, yet so far at the same time. His eyes roamed from the creamy exposed skin of her legs up to her thighs, trailing to her flat stomach and perky breasts, which shifted slightly with every tug her arm made on her shoes. It was all too easy to sneak a peak with the deep V in the front of her dress. All of this perfection was enclosed in a tiny form fitting black dress. No, it wasn't just any dress. It was the infamous little black dress that all women kept somewhere in their closet as arsenal to catch a man.
She lifted her head after successfully catching his indecent leer at her chest. She shot him a dirty smirk, which almost made him choke on his own breath. He quickly composed himself and returned the challenge with a smile.
"Shall we go?" he asked, gesturing her to take his arm. He watched every curve of her body as well as every inch of her move within that dress, coming towards him.
"Just give me a second. I need a little help. Do you mind?" she asked, turning her back to him, revealing the opened zipper in the back. Shan Cai raised her hand up successfully pulling all her hair up and out of the way to allow him access. Her head remained slightly turned backwards, watching him for his next move.
His fingers trembled slightly, which he quickly shook off, cursing himself for acting like a hormonal teenager praying to get laid for the first time. "Would I be a gentleman if I refused to help a lady in distress?" he chuckled. His face moved inches from her neck and he deeply inhaled her scent, blinding him of his sense momentarily. Slowly, his fingers trailed down her bare back until they reached the zipper and the contraption was slowly dragged upwards, concealing her exposed flesh. "All done."
"Thank you," she purred. Her hair fell back down in waves of raven tendrils. "You have very good hands," she complimented.
"Well, I take pride in having a gentle touch."
"Really? I'll keep that in mind. I may also remember that you know how to work this zipper. If you can close it up, than surely you can open it later for me."
"Is that an invitation?"
"No, more of an acute observation."
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The music was thumping in the background as hot, sweaty bodies grinded against each other to the music. The lights were dimmed down low enough to allow limited access to what was going on around. The glaring neon lights that glimmered around the room briefly illuminated patches of the room with its gaudy colors. The room was hot, stifling even. In the middle of all the chaos of bodies slamming against each other and drinks being knocked out of the hands of their owners, Mei Zuo lead Shan Cai inside.
Mei Zuo looped his arm around Shan Cai's waist, making sure that he would not lose her in the crowd around them. It was relatively early in the night and already the party had started getting into full swing. "Do you want something to drink?" he asked, moving his lips a few centimeters from her ear.
She nodded her head and pointed towards an empty spot at the bar. Finding herself a seat, she motioned for the bartender to come to her. The young man behind the bar quickly had his attention caught by the woman and bounded over.
"What can I get you?"
"Sex on the Beach," she stated without blinking.
"Anything for you."
"I'll have a gin and tonic." Mei Zuo once again looped his arm around her waist possessively and glared at the man who seemed to have his eyes glued down the front of Shan Cai's dress.
"A little possessive now, aren't we?" she asked, turning her head around to see him scanning the room, trying to ward off any other potential competition vying for his date's attention.
"I'm just making sure no one tries to steal my date?"
Who said this was a date?"
"Isn't it?"
She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek near his ear. "Depending on the way the night ends, I'll tell you what I think."
His mind raced with the hidden innuendo in her words. He was almost shell shocked by the implications she was making. In was unnerving to feel that little loss of control over the relationship. Generally he was the one in complete check of his emotions, deciding how things would be. Now the ball was on her court, and he was playing by her rules.
"So, why sex on the beach?"
"That's my favorite position," she whispered back to him. She spun around and grabbed her drink, taking a long sip of the concoction. A smile played at her lips in satisfaction of the maker's skill.
He was about to say something in response to her last statement, but by his own bad luck, someone interrupted him from suggesting they take a trip down to the beach.
"Mei Zuo!"
Mei Zuo's head spun around trying to locate the owner of the shrill voice. His eyes settled on the woman approaching him with the flaming red dress and breasts that definitely weren't sculpted by the hands of god. He knew for a fact by the way they moved. "Hey, Vivian."
She latched onto his arm, sparing a vindictive look towards Shan Cai who seemed a bit more interested on the dance floor than Mei Zuo's choice in lady friends. "I haven't seen you here in a while," she whined, slapping him playfully on the thigh. "I've missed you. It's no fun when you don't come around."
"I've been busy," he nervously replied, trying to gauge Shan Cai's reaction towards the woman who seemed to find herself attached to him suddenly. He studied the blank look on her face and felt a twinge of disappointment in not seeing a trace of jealousy. Normally, his dates would have started a catfight at the mere chance meeting of him and a past acquaintance. "I only decided to come since I wanted to bring Shan Cai around to some clubs."
At the mention of her name, Shan Cai cocked her head in the direction of Mei Zuo and his companion. When she first noticed the desperate girl trying to instigate some sort of territorial warning over Mei Zuo, she had zoned out on the movements of the dancers on the dance floor. She put on her best genuine smile and extended a hand out at the woman. "Nice to meet you," she politely offered. "I'm Mu Ye Shan Cai."
Vivian looks at the hand in disdain and chose to ignore it. Instead she redirected her attentions towards Mei Zuo, pulling him out of his chair. "Mei Zuo! Come dance with me. I love this song." Not giving him a chance to protest, she forcefully pulled him out onto the dance floor and pressed her body up against his. Her arms snaked around his neck, trapping him in her grasp.
Helplessly he looked back at Shan Cai for a little help, but she just blankly spared him a glance before shrugging her shoulders and continuing to nurse her drink. She turned her attentions towards a man who walked over to talk to her as soon as her supposed date disappeared.
Shan Cai looked towards Mei Zuo from the corner of her eye and sighed. It was going to be a long night, and she for one was not in the mood to start a petty catfight over her date. The pressure and weariness of the day was finally settling into her bones. For a while, she considered ditching Mei Zuo and heading back home for a long hot soak in the tub followed by passing out in her warm bed. She laughed to herself, thinking about the look that Vivian woman had given her at the threat of Mei Zuo being with another woman. Green was not a color that looked good on her.
Go ahead and have him slut. It's not like a give a damn.
"Excuse me, miss," a voice said from behind her, followed by a light tap on her shoulder. "I couldn't help but notice you sitting her all by yourself. It's such a waste to let you sit out on all the fun. Do you want to dance?
Oh, two can play this game.
She looked over the young man offering her a brief moment of liberating fun and nodded her head. Her hand slipped into his, allowing him to lead her through the crowds to find an empty spot to dance in. The music switched over from the fast paced techno music into a much more laidback reggae tempo. Shan Cai felt her arms reach around her partner's neck and allowed the music to take her away. All inhibitions left her as well as her sense of time and place. For all she knew, they were the only ones out there.
With each beat, she felt her body being taken control by an outside force. It was almost like the part of her that wished she wasn't in the position she was forcing herself into, screamed to allow her to be herself and just have fun. She didn't care what this guy's name was, but he was about to get the thrill of his life.
Slowly, she pulled him closer to her body, brushing her bosom against his chest. Her hands skimmed over his chest almost as if she were worshipping every fine curve, muscles, and twitch of his skin. They dipped down lower and lower until she reached the waistline of his pants. Fingers looped through the belt loops and his hip was pulled against hers. She held onto him swaying with the music, until his movements began to become more fluid like hers. They joined together in the same rhythm of swaying, finding a compromise in their movements. She laughed to herself when she heard him exhale a small groan. Deciding to heat things up a bit more, she turned around, letting her back lean against his chest. Her rear bumped against the front of his hips with a coordinated thrust that exhibited an erotic mimicry. Through the eyes of their audience, the couple seemed to be engaging in an almost sexual act in public. She didn't shy away from that fact. Shan Cai only reveled in the rush of power having so much control over the weak minded. She spun around once more to go back to a frontal position. Being a bit more daring this time, she looked up at him with heavy-laden eyes, giving off a hint of desire in them. Placing her arms around his neck, she teasingly kissed him on the lips, like a feather brushing over the sensitive skin. Her lips slowly trailed down to his neck, where she began gently sucking on his neck. When she pulled away, she admired her work. Her tongue darted out of her lips and slowly licked at the bruised skin in an excruciatingly slow manner. The entire time she did this, she kept her eyes on what was behind him, Mei Zuo. Her actions were like a sort of bait to him to see how far he would let her go before he lost all control. Already when the dance had begun she could see Mei Zuo's lips that always seemed to be in a perpetual smile fall into a thin line. She took it another step further and raised her thigh, rubbing it up his thigh. Her dress rode up along with her leg, exposing more of her legs for the world to see. The next thing she did was to straddle one of his legs and begin to ride it in a rather indecent manner. A devilish smile played on her lips as she tossed her head back in feigned pleasure at the gesture. Her dancing partner only returned the favor by taking advantage of her exposed neck and began kissing her neck to her shoulder, gently nipping, sucking, and kissing every inch of her flesh available to him. Her movements continued in its snakelike fluidity with her limbs wrapping around him, drawing him into her.
As quickly as the song begun, it ended. The trance that Shan Cai seemed to have allowed herself to be sucked into ended and the smile dropped from her face. She slid herself off of his leg and pushed him away from her. Patting him on the shoulder, she dismissed him with her hand. "Thanks for the dance." With enough said, she walked away, leaving a rather aroused and disheartened partner behind.
Mei Zuo stood dumbfounded. A storm of emotions welled up inside of him mixing into what felt like anger, hatred, joy, lust, and jealousy. All were a dangerous combination to juxtapose.
"Disgusting," Vivian venomously spat. She rolled her eyes at the show Shan Cai had put on. "If I were you, I would be a little more picky about the type of people I associate with. How much trashier can you be?" she snorted.
He didn't even know how the words left his lips, but they were said and the damage was done. "Why don't you look in the mirror?"
His hand reached up to feel the hot sting of her hand connecting to his face. He stretched his jaw to try to determine whether that snap he had heard was anything serious. Forgoing the path to seek some kind of peaceful reconciliation with Vivian, Mei Zuo ran off the dance floor in search of his real date. He found her moments later gulping down her second drink.
Brown eyes peered over the glass at his approaching form. "Where did Vivian go?"
"She went to go find some other victim for the night," he joked. "I saw your moves out there. I never would have imagined you had that in you. I always thought good girls like you didn't dance dirty."
Her fist clenched the fabric of his shirt pulling his face mere inches from hers. "Everyone just assumes I'm a good girl. If you want to know the truth, I like to be naughty once in awhile." She licked her lips and tilted her head ready to conquer him.
His heart pounded through his chest. Never in his life had he ever been seduced like this. She was driving him mad and the anticipation to taste her was overwhelming.
Ring.
"Huh?" he asked as he watched Shan Cai push him backwards.
She pointed towards his pants pocket. "Your phone."
"Ugh," he grunted in disappointment. He raised the phone to his ear and irately yelled at the person on the other line. "Who is this?! What? Hold on. I'll be right there!" He hung up the phone and muttered curses under his breath. With a hopeful look on his face, he informed his date of a change in plans. "The guys just called. I need to get down to the pub we always hang out at and pick up Ah Si. He's gotten himself into a bit of trouble."
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"Give me another beer!" Ah Si barked at the bartender, slamming an angry fist onto the counter. His fist grabbed a handful of the bartender's shirt as he pulled the poor man closer. "What are you looking at?" he slurred.
"Nothing," the bartender stuttered back, grasping his collar, trying to loosen the deathlike grip of his customer. It was one thing that the young master tipped well, but it was another to have your life put on the line for looking at him funny. "I swear I wasn't looking."
"Calm down, Ah Si!" Ximen yelled, pushing them apart. "Just get up and leave with us now."
Lei proceeded to take the bartender to the side, shaking his head. He whispered a few words into his ear. "This is for your trouble." Slipping a rather large wad of bills into the bartender's shirt pocket, he patted the new bulge in his chest. "Tell the others he has been cut off for the rest of the night." He turned to see Ximen working on getting Ah Si to calm down.
Whoever it was that gave him that black eye is going to have hell to pay. He won't even tell us who it was, but I have a feeling some game of vengeance will come into play. The day Ah Si learns his childish games are a waste of time, will be one day too late. All I am in his game is the clean up crew.
He rubbed his temples trying to focus on the task at hand. How would he and Ximen manage to get Ah Si into a car back home? Even with Mei Zuo on his way, it would be a grueling task to tame the wild beast.
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Dao Ming Si stumbled into the dimly lit booth, slamming his head against the wall. "Fuck, Ximen!"
"Do you even know what the hell you are doing? I'm not going to spend another night trying to explain to the cops why we weren't fast enough to drag your drunken ass out of the club before they came. I know that look on your face, and I'm not going to help you fight your way out of here. Do you realize that Xiao Zi is probably on the phone right now, talking to your mother about your behavior tonight?"
"I could care less what she tells that bitch. She's no better than the rest. She's just another one of my mother's spies, keeping her updated on what I'm doing.'
His head with swimming with vague recollection of what had happened earlier. The annoying high-pitched squealing of Xiao Zi echoed in the deeper recesses of his mind.
Ximen slapped his palm against his forehead, knowing that Ah Si's drunk ramblings would probably make less sense tomorrow, when he received a very nasty threat from his mother about keeping up the family image. He wouldn't only have to deal with the painful bruise on his face and a very bad hangover, the headache from his mother's lecture would only add to his list of ailments. "Come on, we need you to sober up a little before we take you home."
"Whatever. You just want to ditch me so you can get your Monday night fuck. Although it's not much different from Tuesday, Wednesday, and the rest of the week's fucks."
"I know you're drunk, but I swear to god if you say something like that to me again I won't regret beating the crap out of you," Ximen hissed in retaliation. His normally cool demeanor was broken for that split second before he composed himself from the little outburst. "I'm just trying to save your ass."
"You both need to calm down," Lei interjected, seating himself across from their inebriated friend. "So, tell us how you got that?"
"It was a cheap hit." He blushed slightly from the memories of his earlier encounter with the body that caused so much damage to his own. He shook his head, trying to shake off the heady feeling of the alcohol coursing through his system.
"Well, that guy is in for a whole lot of trouble tomorrow. I assume the red tag has been sent out already. I heard your butler mention that you were completely unconscious when they found you after the fight. He wouldn't breath a word about who did it." Ximen picked up his glass and took a small sip of the clear liquid. His eyes roamed the room in search of a better focus point, preferably of the female persuasion rather than Ah Si's banged up face.
Yeah, it would be business as usual. Red tag at 8, beatings until noon, and then a quick break for lunch. We really aren't that much different. For me, it's the Monday hook up, Tuesday through Saturday trysts, and Sunday the breakup. Somewhere in the middle of all that, there's some meaningless sex, a few gifts exchanged here and there, and finally a nice slap in the face ending the entire charade. Yes, we aren't that much different, my friend.
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I wanted to touch her, feel her writhing under my body. Images of her screaming my name in ecstasy as I drove both of us to newfound heights of passion flashed in front of me. She would be flexible, and her body taught and lithe. I can tell from the way she danced. Girls who can move like that have special talents, ones I wouldn't mind testing out.
She is bad...
And it makes me want her more.
Mei Zuo clenched his hands on the steering wheel of the car as he swerved through traffic. He shook his head, trying to pull his mind out of the gutter it had fallen into. The enticing invitation so generously offered moments ago, made his head spin. He probably could have had her there and then, sealing the deal. However, the gods had something else in mind for him. He had flat out told a beautiful woman in her face that he would have to leave her early to take care of his drunken friend in need.
And why did I pass up the chance?
F4.
The things I do for friendship.
"I hate the way clubs leave you smelling of alcohol and smoke," Shan Cai flippantly commented. She tugged at her dress that seemed to keep riding up her thighs. Bending forward, she popped open the glove compartment and pulled out a bottle of perfume. Opening the cap, she rubbed the sweet smelling liquid over her wrists and dabbed some on her neck. "The smell always gets to me. I hope you don't mind. I'd hate to offend you with so much perfume on."
Mei Zuo inhaled the intoxicating scent once more. It was the same scent he cherished from so long ago. As long as he tried he could never find the scent that matched this one. The most prominent of the intermingling smells being that of lavender. "What is that perfume?"
"Oh this," she laughed putting it back into the compartment before shutting the lid. "I've been wearing this since I was old enough to wear make up. It was my mother's favorite perfume. Whenever we went to Paris, she would always have to stop off at a little perfumery and buy it. I think they discontinued it a few years back. It's very rare to find it nowadays. It was then that my father begged the maker to make it for him every year, explaining how much my mother loved it. He agreed, after seeing how much he loved my mother and said he would make ten bottles a year. One would specifically be for my mother. Now that she's passed away, I special order it. It's a mix of floral scents, and I guess that's where the name comes from, 'Fields of Heaven'."
A wide lazy smile spread across her face as she closed her eyes, probably falling into a spell of childhood memories. The scent was comforting to her, a true reminder of where she came from and who brought her into this world. For a brief moment, the hole in her heart healed.
"It lives up to its name."
With those words uttered from his mouth, the wounds were reopened. She kept the smile on her face warding off nay further questioning from her companion, but inside, her hatred began to seethe once again. She berated herself for even exposing that tiniest bit of information about her true self. For the most part, the name of the perfume was true, and the story of her father begging the maker to make the special scent true. However, the rest of it was pure fabrication. The perfumery wasn't found in Paris or any romantic, exotic spot. It was more like the small perfume shop in her little town, where the maker made his own perfumes in the back room, gathering his materials in the wild vegetation growing near the fields of the beach.
It was a small mistake on her part, but one that she would learn from. It was never the best idea to get too comfortable with the enemy.
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Ximen's eyes remain transfixed on the bar hoppers, briefly falling on the opening leading to the entrance. He glanced down at his watch, realizing that Mei Zuo should have been there by now.
Speak of the devil.
As always, Mei Zuo made his entrance. It was almost instinctive for those beneath F4, which included pretty much everyone on the face of the planet, to part for them. The circumstances were no different when Mei Zuo entered. Like Moses parting the Red Sea, people moved to the sides allowing him his showy entrance with all the fanfare that came with such power. Women stopped and stared with their hungry eyes, sizing him up against their own dates, seeing Mei Zuo as the alpha male they had been waiting for all along. Their dates' chances crumbled, along with any hopes of ever being the one in the women's eyes. Men glared, clenching their fists at the arrival of new competition. However, they held back from smashing in the face of pretty boy, realizing that no matter what, they would never come close to what he had. To sum it up, Mei Zuo had what they all wanted and needed: the car, the clothes, the hair, the credit cards, and the looks.
Lei and Ah Si turned their heads towards the source of the silent murmurs buzzing around them of the new arrival. Upon finding it to be Mei Zuo, they normally would have laughed lightly as done by Lei or snorted in disdain, an act well known for by Ah Si. However, their eyes remain transfixed in that direction. It wasn't the man they were opening gawking at. It was the woman on his arm.
If her innocent demeanor left their minds in a swirl of desire earlier, the little black dress she donned did so much more for them now. She walked with that air of confidence surrounding her that you could only stand by and watch in fascination. Her every movement came as smooth as water sliding through your fingertips. Beneath her guarded long eyelashes, she looked up and smiled. All resolve F3 had possessed moments ago shattered. The curl of her red full lips into that seemingly harmless smile was the killer.
"Shan Cai."
They walked towards the private table in the back of the bar ignoring all looks coming from the other patrons in the establishment. Both glided across the room with a dignified grace and haphazard smiles on their faces. They owned the room as the power couple. No one dared to approach the unapproachable.
"Hey, what's up?" Mei Zuo pulled out a seat like the gentleman he was for his date. He then proceeded to take his own seat, completely ignoring the looks F3 shot him. In return, he merely shrugged off the glares of accusation for breaking their little agreement to stay away.
"What are you two doing?" Ximen asked. The look he shot Mei Zuo spoke volumes of what he really wanted to say.
Traitor.
Shan Cai took note of the tenseness overtaking the table, and moved in quickly to try to pacify the situation. It was to her benefit to calm them down in order to really grasp the situation itself. She could already see a weakness in their friendship involving a certain person, herself. Now would not be the time to instill dissidence in the unit. That would come much later. If she moved to strike now she would put herself in the vulnerable position of being found out.
She placed a hand over Ximen's on the table and put on her innocent face. "Oh, Mei Zuo was being such a good friend to show me around the city. He showed me one of the clubs he frequents since I asked him to. The music was pretty good, and I met some nice people out on the dance floor. He even seemed to find himself someone at the same time," she smiled, elbowing him in the ribs and giggling. "Vivian? Was that her name?" She looked towards Mei Zuo for verification, feigning obliviousness towards what had really happened earlier.
"Yeah, it was," he responded dryly. He furrowed his eyebrows a little, confused on what was going on.
This is just odd. One minute she's all bad girl, and the next she's pretending like nothing happened. What is with this good girl act she puts on or was what I saw in the club an act, too. Who is she?
Ximen nodded, accepting their story.
Shan Cai grinned to herself, knowing how to push the right buttons after sensing the strange interest and mild jealousy that seemed to play over Ximen and Ah Si's faces at the mere mention of her chosen company when going out. Hua Ze Lei remained impassive as always. He would be a little tougher to crack.
"I didn't think you would be here, Ximen. What happened to your date I helped you pick out earlier?"
"You met up earlier?" Mei Zuo inquired, suddenly interested in the little exchange Shan Cai had earlier. He glared back at Ximen with the same accusatory glare his friend had had the courtesy to bestow on him moments ago.
"Oh yes. We had an interesting little conversation today about philosophies." She turned towards Ximen with a knowing smile on her face. She winked, giving him the signal of keeping their findings a secret. "Actually now that I've really thought about it I wouldn't mind really testing out your theory sometimes soon. There are a few interesting positions and styles I've yet to try. The only thing I require is to have complete control." Her hand slowly slithered beneath the table, sliding ever so slowly up Ximen's thigh, enticing him of what would perhaps come to him if he went along with her.
Ximen swallowed hard, trying to fight the bulge in his pants at the northward movement of her hand. His hands clenched against the table while he grabbed his drink, swigging the rest of the cool fiery liquid down his throat. He smiled. "I'd be up for something new anytime." His breaths came short in a futile attempt to tame his raging hormones.
"Great!" she squealed clapping her hands together, and at the same time removing her hand from Ximen's vicinity. She inwardly laughed on seeing the look of disappointment flash through Ximen's eyes at the removal of her hand. Her attention moved away from Ximen towards Dao Ming Si. Her eyes narrowed on seeing her handiwork on his face. "Oh," she contorted her face into a wince. "You should really put some ice or something on that. It's really getting swollen." She reached forward, prodding the tips of her fingers across his bruises.
He sat dumbly, watching her fawning over him, acting motherly towards him. It baffled his limited brain processes. Perhaps if he was sober, he could have truly took notice of the schizophrenic woman in front of him.
"Does it hurt?"
"Not really."
"You should be more careful about watching your opponents when you fight. You get too easily distracted."
Lei stared closely, recognizing the strange connection the two were having and seeing a deeper meaning in the light conversation. He finally spoke up, making his presence known. "Did you see his fight today?"
"Yes," she grinned. "It was rather exciting, I must say. It was kind of fun to watch the sparring. Dao Ming Si was kind enough to allow me to stay and watch."
"So, you saw who did this to him?" Ximen interjected. "Who was it? We're all dying to know."
She shook her head. "I don't know their name. It was a pretty cheap shot that person took. Although the lack of concentration on Dao Ming Si's part made him an open target."
"I can't believe that," Mei Zuo shouted in shock. "I've never seen him miss a hit in my life. Whatever he did to distract you must have been pretty harsh."
"Will you all shut up already about it?! I don't want to talk about it anymore!"
"So says the drunken man who had the shit beaten out of him."
"You don't seem that drunk to me," Shan Cai observed, looking at him closely. "Maybe a little buzzed, but nothing too serious." She looked around the room, absorbing the people, sights, and sounds around her. "This is a pretty nice pub. I would have liked to stay and try a few drinks, but I should be getting home. It was nice seeing you gentlemen again. I'll see you around."
She rose from her seat, ignoring the fact that they all rose from their seats at the same time, as was the protocol when in the company of a lady. Shan Cai bitterly laughed to herself, wondering if they would treat her in the same way after knowing the hell she was going to put them through. "Dao Ming Si, do you want a ride home? These three look like they can go a few more hours here, but that look on your face tells me otherwise. Come on, I'll take you home." She grabbed his arm, wrapping her own around his and pulled him form the chair. Her tiny frame managed to support his larger figure as she guided him out of the bar. "Oh, thanks for showing me around, Mei Zuo." She nonchalantly waved, taking in the apparent sensation of disappointment he must have been feeling.
Mei Zuo watched in horror as his date left with another man. This may have been his one shot with a girl like her, and he screwed it up.
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So, this is how the other half lives. It's utterly disturbing to know how the wealthy have the propensity to drown themselves in personal possessions and facetious ideals of upholding the family name. It was laughable that they wanted this life for me. I would have been another drone in my own servitude of status surrounded by falsities and Tiffany's crystal scattered randomly amidst the eighteenth century European art.
Shan Cai's eyes absorbed all the findings in Dao Ming Si's room. She paced back and forth with her wandering fingers gracing all the objects prominently displayed around the room as decoration. She fought to contain the disdain and sheer disgust at the lavish furnishings. Slender fingers glided across the softest sheets she had ever touched in her life, as she sat down on the bed.
"You're still here," Ah Si half-heartedly exclaimed. His lean muscular body moved in a catlike manner, stalking its prey. He slunk over to an armchair, finding it to be safer to stay a good distance away from the tiny girl who had knocked him unconscious earlier. "I thought you would have left already."
A sly grin appeared on her face, making it known a plan was being formed. "I was hoping to talk to you about what happened earlier. I'm not mad at you anymore," she barely whispered.
"Why did you do it?"
"There were some men."
Her fingers trailed across the sheets tracing small concentric circles in their wake. Slowly, she leaned backwards falling onto the bed letting her hair that she had set free from its confines fan around her body. "You bed is really comfortable," she purred, rolling onto her side. The bottom of her dress rose up with every move she made crawling across the bed, testing the firmness of the mattress. Her arms stretched around her, grabbing at the sheets in fistfuls while her back arched up. "Why don't you come over here? I promise I won't bite." She raised her hands in surrender, moving aside to let him take the space beside her.
He obediently complied with her command, being drawn in by the siren herself.
"My body is a little stiff from this afternoon still. Do you think you could help me here?"
Dao Ming Si's eyes flew open at the sight of the alluring girl on his bed. For all those times everyone else doubted his sexual orientation, this would have proved them all wrong. This clearly was an invitation to take things a little farther. He got up and tossed the towel he had been using to dry his wet hair onto the floor. His legs fell on either side of her trapping her in the middle. "I think I can loosen you up a bit."
Her body languidly rolled over allowing her to rest on her stomach. She pillowed her cheek on her hands; letting his hands roam over the bare skin of her back. "Ah! That feels good," she moaned. "I love a man who can make good use of his hands."
"Good for me then, since I know a few more tricks with my hands."
"I bet you do."
"So, how is your face?" She giggled into the sheets. Another long drawn out moan ensued as his hands worked at a rather stubborn knot.
"It could be better. Why didn't you tell them you did it?"
She sighed deeply, trying to come up with a reason why she didn't take the chance to openly humiliate him. "Just think of it as a one of the many things I will be doing to make up for what I did to you. What happened between us shouldn't have happened at all. We were both lost in the adrenalin rush and got a little carried away. You put me in an odd position, bringing back some memories that weren't pleasant. Worse that that, I let myself enjoy it." Her body rolled over to allow her eyes to roam over his body that lay above hers.
Dao Ming Si swallowed that lump in his throat. His legs were weakening in the position of hovering above her body. "I liked it, too."
Slowly, she slid out from under him, and knelt before him with certain timidity. Her hand cupped his cheek, stroking over the skin with her thumb. She watched him half close his eyes, leaning into her touch willingly and allowing himself to succumb to her wiles. Hungrily, she licked her lips and chewed on her bottom lip, contemplating her next move. If she raised her other hand up, she could have snapped his neck in two.
"Let me make it all better," she barely whispered leaning in and placing a kiss over his eye. Her lips trailed down his face, worshipping every cut and bruise, giving each one individual attention.
Each kiss burned like fire and ice. While each gentle caress of her lips against his skin was cool to the touch and soothing the pain away, a certain fire ignited within him, fueling the flames of lust already building up. He wanted to take her, claim her as his, but the idea seemed impossible. At that moment, he came to the conclusion.
Nothing matters in this world, except getting her.
Shan Cai smiled to herself, knowing how she was affecting his body by his physical response to her. She nudged herself closer to him, finding herself situated in his lap. The great Dao Ming Si was within her clutches, brought down to the level of a harmless child in her arms. She clenched her eyes closed and forced a single tear to stray down her cheek for added effect to what she was about to do.
The hand that clenched his shirt gradually loosened, and she pushed herself away panting slightly heavily. She watched him wipe away her tears that had fallen on his face. Her own hand lifted to touch her bruised lips caused by her own seemingly reckless kisses. She lowered her voice to add to the intensity of her faked remorse. "We can't do this," her voice quivered. "Oh god, what have I done!" Her eyes widened. "I shouldn't have...Xiao Zi..."
"Shh!" he coaxed, reaching out for her, but quickly retracted at seeing her recoil from him. The look of guilt was expressly on her face. "Don't you want this as much as I do?"
She hurriedly gathered her purse from the table. Her actions were disjointed and frantic, as if she were lost in her own world. She made a move for the doorway, but was blocked by Ah Si's body.
He was almost desperate, like a lost child searching for some sort of answer to his question. "I don't love her. I think I might with you, or I might have already."
Her eyes softened at those words. She leaned upwards into him but kept her lips a few centimeters away from his. As she moved forward, her lips barely graced his and they moved against them pleadingly. "You and I don't matter. The small infatuation I have with you is where we end. I could have loved you, perhaps with time, but it doesn't matter, though. I won't betray Xiao Zi."
Her tiny body maneuvered around his, finding escape under his arm blocking her. To complete the ruse she had just finished, she ran down the hallway towards the exit without looking back.
Dao Ming Si, you're right where I want you.
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A/N: By now you've probably gotten over that initial shock that I actually updated this story. I know. I am too. I've been dabbling here and there trying to revive this fic. When will updates come? I have no clue? What about OUD, you ask? Well, I'm completely lost. Last Resort has ideas floating around. I've even thought about giving up this whole spiel all together. However, after the thought of telling readers that brief thought in my head, I cringed at the danger of e-mail death threats. Don't worry, I may be slow, but I will finish these fics one day. I start school in about a week and a half, so I'll be all set for another semester of losing myself in the land of academia. The joy of school.
