Chapter 11

"Hey, Kody?"
"Yeah?!?" Kody replied from the other room.
"It's time for you to go down to the dining hall to sing." Kody stepped out of the bathroom.
"I can't believe I'm doing this. And you! You signed me up without even telling me!" Duo moved to take her into his arms.
"You have a wonderful voice. You'll be fine. I'll be down in a bit." Dup kissed her softly and she turned to leave.

*~*~*

Kody wore blue tonight, a sequined gown that hung off her bared shoulders on this spaghetti straps and shimmered in the spotlight like a star sapphire.
At the close of her set, she nodded her thanks to the hotel's band, and stepped off the stage.
Her brow creased as she scanned the smoky, dimly lit room. She checked every table, every booth, but he was not in the dining room.

Where is he? thought Kody, annoyed. He promised he's be down in a bit.
With a sigh, Kody approached a shapely brunet in a lime green mini dress (A/N: My little cousin Erin loves lime green, so I put this in for her) and matching headband who was sitting at the bar in the back of the club.
"Hey, Hilde."
"Great set, honey." She smiled and winked. "Always a pleasure to hear you sing. You're the best."
Hilde was a new friend she has just met before her first set. Hilde was in her mid-twenties. A salty, street wise woman who always spoke her mind.
"Hilde...you've never heard me sing before tonight..."
"I know. But you are good," replied Hilde as she took a sip of her drink.
"I'm just doing this because Duo signed me up for it without asking me. He should be down soon. You haven't seen him have you?"
"No sorry, I haven't."
"Good evening, sweet thing."
Kody jumped. A masculine arm snacked its way around her waist and jerked her against a barrel chest covered by a cheep disco shirt. Looking up, she found a rough looking white guy drooling over her. His eyes were glazed and bloodshot.
He's high.
Recognizing a user was a new skill thanks to Hilde.
"Get your hands off me."
She tried to infuse her voice with as much outrage as she could muster, while still keeping her volume low.
He laughed.
"I said let me go." She tried to push away.
"I got what you need baby. We can go somewhere _private_ to enjoy it. That's what you want, baby, isn't it?" he slathered in her ear pressing his lower body into her.
Kody felt her stomach turning.
"Hey Jackass!" came the loud voice next to them. "Shove off or I'll call a bouncer to break your arms."
The man looked up, into Hilde's hard eyes. The communicated one thing. She had actually seen a man's arms broken, and she'd take great pleasure in seeing it done again - to him.
The guy released Kody instantly.
"Chill out. Chill out. Just wanted to extend the invite to sexy here."
"Get. Lost. Now." Hilde demanded.
And the guy did.
With relief, Kody sat down on the stool next to Hilde.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome honey, but you need to learn to deal with these creeps." Kody looked at her watch.
"I wonder what's keeping Duo."
"Kody," said Hilde firmly, "Duo, he's the sort who'll tear your world to shreds. I'd know, I've met him before when I went to visit Quatre."
"You are dead wrong about, Duo." Kody replied, pride adding a slight sharpness to her tone. "He's got real feelings for me. He told me so." Hilde's eyebrow rose skeptically at that, but Kody ignored her. "And you have no idea how sweet Duo can be. How generous..."
Kody touched the diamond choker at her throat.
"Expensive jewelry isn't that only thing he's hooked you on, is it?" asked Hilde, eyeing Kody's shaking hand.
"Duo would never get me on drugs! It was that Disco Johnny. He scared me."
Turning from the bar she headed for the bathroom to change for her next performance, continuing to scan the crowd for a sign of Duo as she went.

*~*~*

Kody appeared onstage dressed in red. Her gown was a valentine of velvet, seductive yet sophisticated, with halter straps that bared her tan shoulders, a soft bodice that carried her hourglass curved, and a high slit in the long scarlet skirt that gave a tantalization glimpse of smooth shapely legs.
Kody Maxwell had to admit, she hadn't enjoyed singing this much in months.
Hilde and her band were hotter than ever tonight and her voice was in top form, skipping like a smooth stone over a sea of pastel gowns and black dinner jackets.
From the stage, her dark gaze scanned the audience. Then she saw him, sitting on a bar stool in the back - that guy she knew so well. That guy named Duo.
Hungry violet eyes devoured her in as sizzling tingles of electricity bursting bubbles of heat...
After her set Kody moved off the stage towards him.
"Hey there handsome." Kody stopped before him.
"Do I know you?"
"I don't believe so," replied Kody, playing along with that she thought was a game.

*~*~*

Hours later, Kody was giggling as she drained yet another flute of champagne and glanced out the limo window.
"So, Mr. Maxwell," Kody continued, with the game. "If you're a fighter, what's your area of concentration?"
"The seven deadly sins."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. And do you know what that makes you?"
"What?"
"Homework."
Kody felt like a movie star as they pulled up to the club. The door of the limo opened to a red carpet. Duo stepped out first, gallantly holding out a hand to her.
Kody threw her head back and laughed at how intoxicating getting the star treatment felt. In the club entrance they waiting in line to pass into the main room, and Duo pulled her close.
"You are such a luscious beauty," he growled in her ear.
Kody laughed again and ran her hands along the soft material of his blazer.
"Like what you feel?" asked Duo.
"Can't complain."
"Staying in shape. It's my passion. Or was. Now that I've found you. You're my _new_ passion."
Kody was silent. But Duo didn't care. Before she knew it, he was brushing her lips with his own.
The kiss was sweet and tender at first, and Kody enjoyed it, responding in kind. But then the kiss changed. Duo's tongue began to push hard against her lips, forcing them to part for him.
His arms were holding her so tightly, she could hardly move as his tongue plunged deeper inside and began to ravage her mouth. This moment of unvarnished sexual aggression in such a public place unnerved Kody. She broke away and stepped back.
"Let's go inside," she said quickly.
Kody's eyes grew wide at the spectacle that greeted her in the huge main room. A mirrored disco ball spun high above, shattering the wildly moving spots into dancing laugh while confetti and bubbles fell on the pulsing crowd like star dust.
"C'mon!" shouted Duo over the blasting music. "You look a little nervous, Kody, my darling." Duo murmured in her ear as he handed her a champagne flute. "Drink up."
"I think I've had enough."
"Nonsense." Duo pushed the bottom of the flute, forcing the edge to her lips. Feeling silly about protesting she drank.
Cocaine was being consumed around her as freely as alcohol, and some of the couples were so high they began to have sex on the dance floor.
Duo lead her through the crowd until they found a spot in the shadowy corner. He pulled her close to him.
"What an exotic creature you are," he whispered pressing intimately against her.
"Duo, what's gotten into you?"
Duo ignored her, his lips caressed her neck, and they moved lower to sweep across her cleavage.
"Duo, I think you'd better slow down-"
Duo didn't react well to Kody's resistance. He brought his head up to face her, and for a moment, a glittering chill flashed over his features. But then he blinked and the look was gone.
"You need to relax," he purred as he dipped two fingers into his blazer's breast pocket, then pulled something out. "This should help."
"What is it?" she asked eyeing the pill.
"Just a downer. A 'lude"
Annoyed, Kody snatched it from his hands and gulped it down, chasing it with the rest of her champagne.
"Good girl," Duo murmured in her ear after pulling her body against his again.
But the lights were swirling around her now as she slowly felt her anxieties falling away. The little pull was changing her world.
The pounding throb of the disco became a part of her pulse, the mirrored ball above a hypnotic jewel.
She didn't even feel the need to protest when Duo backed her against the wall and tugged her velvet gown high above her bare thighs.
"That's right, my dear, open your legs for me," coaxed Duo as he pressed himself in to her. "Yes, darling, the party's just beginning..."

*~*~*

Kody came storming through the hall to the ballroom and up to Hilde. Her face was soaked with tears.
"Honey, what's wrong?"
"You were right," Kody sobbed, "You were right about Duo! He's a monster!"
Hilde took Kody into her arms and rocked her gently. Although Kody was only a bit younger than Hilde, she still was happy to have her as a friend.
"You don't have to sing. Go rest." Hilde said softly.
"No, I want to. It'll get my mind off Duo."

*~*~*

Kody and the band had taken a short break and were sitting at a table beside the bandstand when she spotted Duo on the other side of the crowded room.
She was about to rise and ask Hilde if she would leave to get away form Duo when she noticed something...
He wasn't alone.
A beautiful brunet was stepping up to him The young woman turned to quickly for Kody to see her face, but it was clear enough that she was no mere acquaintance. Duo's arm wrapped itself possessively around the girls tiny waist - and his mouth began to whisper in her eat in an obviously tender way.
A vile knot formed in Kody's throat as she watched Duo and his date move towards a cluster of club members in the corner of the room.
She glanced at Hilde and saw her starring at her. Obviously, Hilde has seen Duo too.
Despite her best efforts to control her emotions, Kody felt eyes filling with tears.
Damn it, she cursed silently. Don't you cry over him. Don't you dare!
Rising quickly she fled out a side door. Her head was spinning and she knew she needed either some fresh air - or a loaded gun.
But the sad truth of it was, if a fun were placed in her hands right now, Kody honestly didn't know whether she would point it at Duo, or at herself.

*~*~*

Kody flung open the door to their - her honeymoon suit just moments after leaving the ballroom, and there on the bed, in black silk boxers, was Duo Maxwell...


...sound asleep.