A/N: Mantra: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, only my own characters and my own original ideas in this story.

Chapter 19

Early the next morning Iolite called Mai and Tea. She had been up all night, which wasn't unusual, but instead of working on the computer or walking the grounds she had formulated a plan of revenge. Her two new friends would hopefully help her get back at Ryan and Seto Kaiba in the same breath. She had had enough of being abused by the two men. Each pleading their feelings were noble, but both looked at her with ill intents.

Ryan e-mailed almost constantly. He felt so sorry for his behavior and, she smirked, might actually be remorseful. Kaiba, however, had made no attempts at contact. She wondered how he was doing, what he was doing. Hell, she wondered where the hell he was! She was fatigued by the whole ordeal the men, and she used the term loosely, were putting her through. Who the hell did they think they were toying so cruelly with her? It was time that she became the master of this game. That is where her friends would help.

"Come on in!" She called out when she heard the knock on her bedroom door.

The door opened to Mai with Tea in tow. Neither could get over the renovations in the bedroom. It went from darkness to light in a bare week. It almost seemed like Kaiba had never occupied the space.

"Hey! How are you doing?" Tea asked, knowing that her friend had been upset since Kaiba had pulled his disappearing act.

"I'm a lot better now that the two of you are here." She admonished.

"What can we help you with hon'? It sounded so important on the phone, has something come up?" Mai asked.

"Well," Iolite started, beginning to feel her cheeks burn, "I actually need a little expertise. I know you and Joey have been dating for a while and you probably dated before him as well. What I guess I'm getting at is..." She stammered, not really sure how to ask. "How do I go about encouraging a man?"

"What?" Mai asked, her eyes snapping wide open.

"What I mean is, I'm not very good with this relationship thing. What little experience I have had hasn't done me any good..."

Tea and Mai were dumbstruck by the tenacious blonde before them. Had she finally realized she wanted Kaiba?

"You want me to tell you what exactly?" Mai asked, smiling, knowing that Kaiba would be coming home panting after his Princess once she turned on the charm.

"Well, to put it quite bluntly, how do I seduce a man?"

"I can't believe I'm hearing this right!" Tea practically screamed.

"Oh hush Tea," Mai reprimanded the giddy girl who was turning red from embarrassment. "I can help, but I feel a bit like Samantha from Sex in the City for some reason."

"I wish I knew more, but growing up the way I did robbed me of Mother/daughter talks. My Dad was hardly the one to talk to about sex and who would want to ask their bodyguard about the birds and the bees?!"

"Well, the cavalry is here!" Mai announced. "Now, where do I begin?"

An hour later Tea and Iolite were visibly stunned. All throughout her talk the two girls were awestruck at her tactics and ideas. Tea murmured more than once "I don't need to hear this" when Mai spoke of Joey.

"OK then," Iolite finally announced when Mai started getting too graphic.

"This wasn't a bad idea Tea," Mai smiled at the shrinking girl, "maybe you could use some advice for Yugi."

"Oh please," Tea stammered. "He still hasn't tried to kiss me yet! I can't imagine going after him."

"A girl never has to go after a man, he'll usually come to her if she casts the right bait."

Mai looked Iolite up and down, "Now we have to prepare it."

The three girls retreated into the enormous closet and looked over Iolite's wardrobe.

"Kaiba really liked you in that black dress." Mai commented.

"I don't think that's in the running anymore, I lost enough brain cells suffocating in it last time. I don't think I have anything that fits the 'come-get-me' category of clothing."

"No biggie," Tea smiled, "this is my part. Let's go shopping!"

Hours passed as they dove in and out of every store. Slowly they began transforming Iolite's wardrobe to fit a vixen. A majority of money was sunk in Victoria's Secret. She also bought dresses, shoes, make-up and anything else her two friends threw her way. The security guards that flanked them were exhausted. With their treasures tucked under their arms the three raced back to the mansion for dinner and to prepare a seductress.

Raine and Mokuba were in the living room when they entered the mansion. The two watched as the girls bounded up the stairs with their bags.

"I know you've been talking to my big brother," Mokuba stated flatly to Raine. "Has he said anything about when he's coming home?" The small boy's voice was emotionless. Raine knew he missed his older brother, but he also knew as time passed he was growing more attached to Iolite. He, like Raine, didn't like seeing the Princess's feelings treaded on.

"He hasn't mentioned it to me." Raine acknowledged.

"Do you know where he is?" Mokuba continued, wishing he could have convinced his brother to come home during any of their numerous conversations.

"I've been instructed to tell no one that information, not even you, I'm sorry Mokuba." Raine felt for the boy, but his strict instructions given by Kaiba forbade the information to be told to anyone, except in dire emergency.

"I wonder what the girls are up to." Mokuba shrugged as he turned his attention back to the game of chess he and Raine were playing.

"I don't know, but I'm sure your big brother won't like it." Raine frowned, Iolite had been acting weird all day. She had demanded he stay behind and play with Mokuba instead of guard her. He was annoyed, but when she mentioned she needed to buy 'feminine products' he obliged her, almost eagerly, now he regretted that decision. He had a feeling the 'feminine products' she purchased were going to cause heaps of trouble.

"I can hardly believe how much money we spent today!" Tea tossed herself onto the big bed. "I don't think I've ever seen sales ring up that high before."

Iolite tossed a bag at the girl, "this is something Mai and I picked out for you."

Tea opened the bag and saw a blue satin slip dress. She gasped. "This was the one I was looking at. It's so expensive...I couldn't..."

"You already have Tea," Iolite said warmly. "I'm royalty and that still has a few perks. I want you to enjoy it...ask Yugi somewhere special and wear that. I bet you get that kiss." She smiled at Tea's wide-eyed innocent reaction.

"Thank you so much!" She hugged Iolite, then rushed to try the dress on.

"I bought you something as well," she handed Mai a bag. "I suggest you open it when Tea isn't around. I think you've shocked her with enough Joey stories today, I don't think she'll enjoy seeing what he'll be taking off of you next."

Mai smiled as she took the bag Iolite handed to her. "You know you didn't have to do this."

"Yes I did. The two of you have put up with me all day and I know what a pain I've been. I really appreciate you both."

"I only hope we helped. Now," Mai smiled pulling a deep violet camisole set from a bag, "let's get you ready."

About two hours passed from start to finish. When Tea and Mai were done with her she looked even more radiant than usual. They didn't apply much make-up, only accentuated what was God given, her hair was left loose to tumble around her in gentle waves and the 'little black dress' she wore was just that. She pulled on a pair of thigh-high silk stockings and stilettos. She looked confident, but when she gazed in the mirror she gasped.

"That's not me at all," she said in horror.

Mai understood her apprehension, "when he takes one look at you all the fighting words will disappear. He'll be putty in your hands. Now, you're armed mentally and physically go for it Princess."

"I hope this plan of ours buys you enough time to get away." Mai giggled as she slipped beneath the covers of Iolite's bed, turning her back to the door and letting her hair tumble, it could pass for Iolite's if the room stayed dark. Meanwhile Iolite donned Mai's coat and snuck out with Tea. No one would recognize her all dressed up, especially wearing heels. They easily slipped into Tea's car unnoticed and headed into Domino.

"Where exactly am I taking you? I didn't think you knew where Kaiba was staying."

"I don't," Iolite admitted, already feeling bad because she had semi-tricked her friends. "It isn't him I want to see."

Tea's eyes bugged out of her skull as she slammed on her brakes.

"What are we doing then? Please say you're kidding and that we're driving around until we find Kaiba!"

"Hardly," Iolite admitted, "I have someone else I have to see Tea. Please just do this for me. I need to do this, I can't explain it right now, just trust me."

She looked at her friend, not understanding what was going on. "Take me to the Four Seasons Hotel. I'll tell you everything in the morning. Please Tea, before I lose what little nerve I have left."

If Iolite hadn't sounded so desperate Tea would have balked and turned the car back towards the mansion, but she took her there instead.

"How will you get home?" Tea asked as Iolite left the car.

"Don't worry Tea, I'm safe here I promise." She closed the car door and entered the hotel through the rear entrance, like she had with Kaiba a little over a week ago.

She took the same route, avoiding checkpoints and security. She made her way to the familiar door, the same one an angry Seto Kaiba had dragged her through. She swallowed hard and closed her eyes, willing her fist to knock on the door. Her gumption was ebbing as her hands started shaking. What was she thinking? Once she entered this room it wasn't going to be a question of when Kaiba would want to see her again, he'd throw her out over the phone because he would never forgive this. She heard herself knock, more than felt it. A few moments passed before the door was yanked open.

"Do you have any idea..." Ryan's voice trailed off as his eyes devoured the woman standing before him. As an after thought he murmured, "...what time it is...?"

"Can I come in?" She asked the man standing before her in his pajama pants only.

He moved aside letting her glide into the room. She stood still, trying to will breath to be drawn. It wasn't the butterflies Seto set off, just an empty pit of dread. How come her plan to hurt Seto by using Ryan wasn't turning out to be so wonderful. Where was the satisfaction she was sure she would feel? She seductively removed Mai's jacket and tossed it over the back of the nearest chair. Her back was to Ryan, she could feel his eyes on her. Slowly she turned to face him, a doe-eyed look on her face.

What was part two? The part where, after their intimacy, she told Ryan she had thought of Seto the whole time... Kill two birds with one stone...destroy Ryan's ego and Seto's in the same breath. 'The Seto Kaiba', she was sure, wouldn't tolerate adultery.

She was aware he was staring at her, he was waiting for her to say something. She didn't have the nerve and suddenly she wished for a parka not a dress. Especially not this dress, which barely reached mid-thigh, and she had never shown this much cleavage before, ever.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, not really caring for the reasons. He slowly, as if stalking prey, started approaching her. He could smell the soft perfume she wore, caught the ragged way she was breathing, she had never looked at him that way before. Could this be a dream? Had she forgiven him and now realized that they really did belong together? Whatever the reason, she was here, and he wanted her more than the air he was breathing.

She bit her bottom lip then looked up at him. "I'm here to give you what you always wanted...me."

A/N: So, how is that for a cliffhanger? What do you suppose will happen next? Will Seto barge in? Will 'something' happen? Well, what do you think? Please read and review...it's the only way I know I'm doing a good job! It's also inspiring, I get the next chapter going faster if I know you're all out there waiting...

Frosty: How is that for being bad? She's getting herself in deep stuff at this point. I'm almost caught up on my work, I have no social life anymore, but I'll be prepared for next week's classes anyway. Why are you off from school today? Anything good? My 'vacation' away from school was hardly for wonderful reasons. Hopefully yours is better. As for the chapter being filler...it actually wasn't. I had to show how Kaiba was subtly changing. He's beginning to realize he has feelings for her.

Solo-girl: Never said he wasn't hot...Kaiba was bad, but like you said he redeemed himself. (I wonder if Iolite will be able to redeem herself)...I liked his realization, at least Tanya the whore was good for something. I can't wait to write about when Kaiba sees her 'changes' in his room...that should get a laugh or two!

Tenshi: Ok, so she's actually screwing things up further. However, if they lived happily-ever-after would it be as much fun to read? Am I twisting things enough? Lol

WhitejellO: I'm so glad you got the purpose for the last chapter! My friend was ready to throttle me for it. But, I ask you, would Seto Kaiba simply fall for anyone? You and I both know it would take something like that to make him figure it out. I don't think it would sound as convincing if he suddenly, like you said, professed his love. As for Mokuba and the 'change' thing...you inspired that when you commented about how you didn't see his room the way I originally described it. Thank you for the idea! I made the room brighter...you like?!

Blackcoat: thanks for the review, I'm glad you loved it. I think I updated it soon enough for you right?

Mariks1andonly: Brilliant work, good writer? Thank you sooo much for the compliments! You are too kind! I'm glad you loved the chapter, hope you like this cliffhanger!