Note: When I started this story it was 2002 (I think most of Season 2 was watched during the majority of this story, but not much after that). Any events that have happened in Smallville since then do not exist in this story. Sorry, but most of this story was written or outlined before current events and I really don't want to rewrite. Sorry, but thats life. Also I managed to miss more than a season during a move and haven't caught back up. Right now my life is complicated, but the story is finished and just awaiting my final read-through and editing.

Chapter 8: Seduction

Hours later Chloe lay curled up next to Lex; tipsy on the Yellow Birds he had made for her. There was orange juice covering up the taste of a slick sweet alcohol and it was just about the best drink she had ever tasted, though it may have had more to do with the company she was keeping than the drink itself. She knew the drink contained alcohol and she was underage, but she had watched him make the drink and there was only a little splash added. Anyway, it wasn't the first time.

Lex had deliberately added just enough alcohol to inebriate the underage girl, knowing the orange juice already contained the white rum. After the third little drink he added a drug that would help loosen the girl up even more, though he did not want to forget anything thatwould happen that nighton that night. So he ordered up a picnic dinner from the kitchen staff before sending everyone home for the night. The atmosphere was perfect for an indoor evening on a living room floor. The more time passed, the more she opened up to his sympathetic ears.

"And you know I hated him. Hated him more the I ever hated Clark for choosing Lana over me.'' Chloe giggled a little, no longer caring that Dr. Jenson was the devil incarnate. Lex had listened to every word she said and seemed equally angered that the man had unfairly judged her works. She felt she was no longer waging a one-woman war against the world.

"Clark didn't even get the bitch in the end…Pete's the one making out with her now. And I even went to visit the boy, but his mom told me he was on a fishing boat somewhere." Lex was barley able to keep up with Chloe's rapid topic changes.

"Pete and Lana?" Lex's brow furled a little. Somehow his research into Clark's friends had missed that titillating bit of information. He'd have to berate the investigator, maybe hire a new one who did more comprehensive research.

"Yep!" Turning slightly Chloe looked up into Lex's face. It seemed so beautiful in the dim light of the Tiffany lamps.

Lex returned the girls gaze, feeling old and evil. Chloe was an innocent in his battle with Clark, but then innocents were always the ones best used for revenge. The goody-two-shoes had always been overly protective of his friends and Lex had seen on more than one occasion how badly he reacted when he couldn't play protector properly. Especially since she had come looking for his help and he was not there for her in the first place.

Do it. That angry bitter voice was back. Lex didn't really feel like fighting it anymore. It was becoming so strong, and the parts that had always fought the anger were burning away. Do it.

Lex leaned down and gently kissed Chloe. His left hand cupped the back of her neck, keeping her in place. His other hand stroked her sholder.

Her eyes widened briefly then grew heavy with pleasure. She knew this was wrong. She didn't know Lex very well, but right now she didn't care, tomorrow would be soon enough to regret her actions tonight. Anyway, the man certainly knew how to kiss.

He could feel her relaxing. It would be a gentle seduction, he thought. He didn't want to scare her away before he had taken what he wanted.

Chloe woke up the next morning feeling disoriented and sluggish. She was lying under a mound of covers, cocooned in black satin sheets. She snuggled deeper, thinking this was a nice warm dream. She felt a little hung over, satisfied, and sore.

The sunlight kept penetrating her pleasant dream. She shifted over on her side and blinked drowsily at the naked man standing near the window. He was holding the heavy blue velvet curtain back from the window.

"Lex?"

Turning he stared at her for a long moment. Chloe quickly became uncomfortable in the silence. Nervously she laughed, pulling the sheets closer to her chin, feeling shy and embarrassed.

"Huh. Who'd of thought we'd ever end up together?"

Lex snorted but never said a word as started getting dressed. Chloe was starting to feel a little scared about his silence. It had been perhaps the single most memorable and wonderful night of her life and this wasn't how the day after was supposed to be. He was supposed to smile and say nice things to her at very least.

"Umm, Lex, is something wrong?"

He frowned and then glanced down at his shirt cuffs, meticulously straitening them. He tuned away and opened the door, then paused. Lex stared intently at the harlequin black opal ring on his finger.

With a jerk he tore the ring off and threw it at Chloe. It landed on the blankets, near her chest.

"It was a lovely night, though your inexperience was unexpected. That should be enough to satisfy whatever needs you have now. I would like you to be gone by the time I get back. Loui will drive you back to town."

With that he left, closing the door softly. Chloe gasped, her eyes wide and sightless, her mind numb with shock.

Lex stopped a few feet down from the door, part of him wishing Chloe would get mad and come after him. But she didn't and the last part of him that apposed the bitter angry voice died in that moment.

He still felt a little numb about her innocence. He hadn't thought anyone her age could have been untouched. With such a passion for investigative writing it was surprising that she hadn't applied the same to some relationship.

A grim smile suddenly crossed his face. Oh well, it wasn't like he was loosing all that much at this point. His conscience started dying a long time ago and there wasn't much left after the incident with Clark.

He was a bit wistful, though, remembering the days when he had been truly happy. But the cold numbed the pain. The cold was safe, nothing could hurt him now, if he didn't care, he didn't hurt.

Pushing away from the wine red wall Lex continued down the hall, planning his day. He needed to call the investigator who was trying to keep track of Clark (though the man wasn't doing too good of a job) and tell him to increase his efforts. Lex wanted to know how Clark reacted when he got the news from Chloe. She might not tell Clark about the incident herself, but Lex would make sure the news reached him somehow. Soon.

If the world wanted to believe he was a villain, then a villain he would be. He would be the worst villain the world had ever seen.