Disclaimer: Sol and I still don't own DMC or any of its related or affiliate companies or characters. We just like to pull them out and play with them.
A/N from Luna: Okay, again, a chapter written by me. It's a bit longer than the previous, I think, but not much. The really long ones are coming later. Also, seeing as I've never really had a burning desire to go and watch people strip, please keep in mind I'm creating this whole environment, so any discrepancies with real life let's just call artistic license and leave it at that, okay? The whole dancing scene is completely fabricated by me, with no real intention to completely mirror life, as, frankly, I've never had the particular need to research it, and, well, it works for the story. Anyway, this extraordinarily long author's note is finished, read on, and enjoy. Please review? Only if you want to, though.
Chapter Three
Dante burst through the door of Devil May Cry, speaking excitedly before he was even fully inside. "Vergil! You'll never guess who I found!"
Vergil looked up from his book, his expression bored. "Who?" he asked carelessly.
"Those two girls from yesterday! The angels! Come on, I'll show you!" Without waiting for a response, he grabbed Vergil's arm and dragged him out the door, running down the street in the direction he came.
Vergil followed reluctantly, in no hurry to go anywhere that could have gotten Dante so excited, but unwilling to allow himself to be thrown to the pavement either. He groaned inaudibly when he saw where they were headed, the flashing neon lights of the marquee assaulting his vision most unpleasantly, but still allowed Dante to drag him into the strip club.
When they entered 'Midnight Fantasy', the stage was empty during that awkward time between acts. As they were taking their seats, the house lights dimmed again and the DJ's voice came over the speaker system, announcing the next performance. "I just want to take a moment to thank all of the men who have been so very patient this evening. And now, for your pleasure, I present, the woman you've all been waiting for, our very own Lady Emerald!"
A rousing cheer erupted from the men scattered around the room, but it quieted as soon as the first, wavering note from a viola spilled into the air.
The darkness of the room remained as a throbbing, seductive beat started under the strains of the viola, the music flowing out of the speakers, threading its way through the room and effortlessly holding the crowd of men in thrall. The stage lights slowly brightened, revealing a motionless figure in a semi-relaxed position against the middle pole, one hand wound around the pole above her head, the other barely brushing her white-stocking encased thigh. Her temple rested gently against the silver pole, her eyes closed. A startling crash echoed from the speakers, the deep, resounding tones of a bass drum seeming to break a spell, as her eyes opened and she threw herself into motion, beginning a writhing, seductive dance.
Dante found himself drawn into the spell she was weaving with her movements, his eyes following her every move. When she jumped and wrapped her hands high up on the front pole, effortlessly hoisting her body into the air, he drew in a sharp breath. She wrapped her legs around the pole, locking her body to it, before releasing her hands and allowing her entire torso to fall slowly back, her spine arching. Her dark mahogany hair pooled on the stage at the apex of her movement, her neck fully exposed, the pulse clearly visible pounding beneath the skin. Agonizingly slowly, she raised her hands to her chest and, even more slowly, began releasing the buttons holding the shirt to her, revealing a white, lacy bra beneath.
The shirt slipped off her shoulders and down her arms, fluttering to land softly on the stage beneath her, and she seductively ran her hands along the edges of her lace-covered breasts, down her stomach, and across the plaid skirt covering her hips, before running them back up her body to tangle in her messy curls.
She arched her body, grinding her hips into the pole between her legs, her mouth opening in a silent gasp, eyes long-since fluttered shut.
Dante managed to tear his gaze from the lithe body on display in front of him, glancing at his brother. To say he was shocked at the expression that met his eyes would be a severe understatement. Never, not even when they ordered the pizza that would serve as their first meal in two days after being on a case, had he seen an expression of such hunger as currently consumed Vergil's eyes. The blatant desire flooding his older brother's face was all the more surprising for having been triggered by a stripper, considering Vergil's distaste for the profession.
A smirk slipped onto Dante's face, but his attention was pulled from his brother back to the stage when Lady Emerald began to arch upward slowly, bringing herself back flush to the pole. She wrapped her hands around it, twining her arms in a lover's embrace, before letting all but one hand unwind, propelling herself in a circle around the pole as she lowered herself back to the stage, all her weight supported, seemingly by that one hand. A knowing smile curved her lips, as she continued her dance, adding to the mystique her performance had already produced, making her all the more desirable.
As her hands moved to release the fastening of her skirt, she worked her way to the floor, batting her smoky lashes languidly at a group of tables occupied by nearly fifteen men. Her mouth opened slightly again, her tongue curling up to touch her teeth as she contorted her face into an expression of relentless desire and immense pleasure. This garnered the cheers she had been aiming for, and more money joined that already on the stage, as she stood, the skirt sliding down off her hips to pool on the stage, revealing a garter and panty set that perfectly matched her bra.
Her dance ended all too soon, to the rousing disappointment of most of the men in the room, and the stage lights dimmed, leaving her in the same provocative pose she was in when the lights came up, only this time with fewer clothes. As soon as the stage was dark, the back row of house lights came up, leaving the stage area black so she could collect her clothing and money and leave, before the forward house lights came on. When the stage was again light enough to see, it was empty.
Adara felt a wide smile creeping onto her face as she walked off the stage and into the back room, stacking the bills she had gathered from the stage carefully, making all edges even. She sighed and sat down, quickly removing her shoes, massaging her feet gingerly. She cringed in anticipation of the blisters she could feel already forming, but put her feet back onto the floor, releasing the clasps of her garter so she could slide the silk stockings off her legs.
She quickly changed into her street clothes, a loose pair of sweats and a wife-beater, almost identical to her sister's. She sighed in satisfaction as she sat back propping her feet up on the edge of her vanity. Getting into a reclining position, she began counting the cash she had made that evening.
A familiar voice drew her attention and she groaned as her eyes fell on Dante, speaking to the bouncer guarding the back door. She shook her head, but resolved to take care of this problem once and for all. "Let him in Leon," she called.
"Are you sure, Dar?" the redhead called back. "What about the other one?"
"What other one?"
"My brother," Dante responded.
"Yeah, let them both in, Leo. I might as well take care of it now."
The bulky man nodded and stepped back. "All right, you can come in. But you better be respectful of that lady, or you'll answer to me."
A fond smile curved Adara's lips when she overheard Leon's words. Despite his frightening appearance, Leon was a teddy-bear, and one of the few people she truly trusted. The smile faded when the two silver-haired men moved into the room and made their way toward her. "Sit down," she invited perfunctorily, indicating the empty chairs lined up along the row of mirrors. When they were seated, both facing her, she cocked her head at them curiously. "Well, you're in, what did you want with me and my sister?"
Before they could start, Liara came in, raising her eyebrow curiously when she saw the two men sitting with her sister. "Dar?" she asked, pausing in the doorway from the main room of the club.
Adara gifted Liara with a rare, genuine smile, and gestured for her to come closer. "Come on, sit down. These two were just about to explain why they were here."
Liara shrugged slightly, but pulled up a chair beside Adara's anyway. "So, who are you?" she asked, not one to dance around a subject.
Dante opened his mouth to respond, but they were interrupted again, this time by the manager coming into the room with an envelope.
"Emerald!" he called excitedly.
"I've told you a thousand times, if I'm not dancing, call me Adara," she stated, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "What is it Marc?"
"I have something for you."
"Yeah?" she asked, her voice turning curious, all irritation leaving it. "What is it?"
"Your tip for the night from Mister Franks. He said he particularly enjoyed your performance tonight."
Adara grinned. "I had hoped he would be here!" she exclaimed, jumping up and running over to Marc. "He said he might be coming by tonight, I picked the dance especially with him in mind. He always does love it when I dress in white." She snatched the envelope out of his hand, opening it and quickly counting the considerable stack of bills inside. She let out a low whistle, her eyebrows going up.
Liara got up and moved to look over Adara's shoulder at the contents. She let out an identical whistle. "Damn…" she murmured lowly, looking at Adara in surprise. "He must have really liked your dance. How the hell do you manage it, Dar?"
Adara merely smiled. "I'm not sure. I guess he just likes me."
"I'd say so," Liara responded, shaking her head in disbelief. "I just can't believe you managed to get a guy with money who likes to watch you dance. What I wouldn't give for that. What does that bring your total to tonight?"
"With the four twenty-five I got on the stage, almost two thousand."
"Damn…" Liara muttered again. "I'm jealous."
Adara rolled her eyes. "Don't be. It's just a job, besides, we pool everything anyway."
The manager left and Liara and Adara moved back to their seats, ready to resume the discussion.
This time, the interruption came in the form of another group of dancers entering the room and preparing for their own sets.
Adara groaned in frustration. "Look," she said to Dante and Vergil, "it doesn't look like we're going to be able to get any talking done here. Do you two have somewhere quiet we can go where we won't be interrupted?"
"Of course," Vergil stated quickly, preempting whatever Dante was going to say. "We can go to our office."
"Good. Just give us a minute to clean up, and we can go."
Adara and Liara quickly replaced their chairs and tossed make-up into their purses. Adara hung up her night's costume, replacing it in her locker before returning to shove her feet in her comfortable sneakers. The two turned off the lights above their vanities and gathered the last of their things, following the two men out the back door, Adara hugging Leon briefly on the way.
"See you tomorrow night, Leo."
"'Night, Dar," he responded, shutting the door behind them as the four made their way out to the darkened street.