Primal Impulse (COMPLETED!)

3. Welcome

    I got up and peed. I was still half asleep and started to undress after that, heading for the shower when I heard a squeak. I turned around to see a flash of Stacy leaving the bedroom. I forgot she would be here in the morning. I bet she was pink right now and that thought made me grin. Torturing Stacy always put a smile on my face.

    I was dressed and in the office when I got a call. Ted had told me the girls had come down with something and none of them could work tonight. I was afraid something like this would happen. We couldn't throw men in there, tonight was a big bachelors' party so it had to be girls. I started to walk my halls and grabbed the first three pretty girls I found.

    "I'm giving you girls a change of scenery. Tonight I need you to go to Club Bare and dance. Ted will help you get set up. I'll be there shortly." The girls looked nervous, but did as I ordered. I still had one more girl to find.

    I went to my room and changed clothes into ones better suited for the club. Walking out of the closet and into the sitting room, I found Stacy vacuuming. I put a hand on her elbow and she stopped, switching the thing off.

    "I need you to come with me." I said smiling from ear to ear.

    When we arrived, the club was looking a little restless. The patrons were expecting girls hanging from the ceiling, but only got empty boxes. I pulled Stacy behind me, straight to Ted's office.

    "I got the last one. Where are the rest?"   
    "Upstairs getting changed. Can any of them dance at all?"

    "Not sure, but I have a way to spin this." I nodded for Stacy to follow Ted and headed to the Dj booth. I cut the music and heard a few mouthy protests. I needed to fix this fast.

    "Welcome to Club Bare. I am sorry to say, but we have fresh meat tonight. Hand picked by the owner himself, we will be introducing four new girls to you, so please, show them a proper welcome." I wiggled my eyebrows at the crowd and grinned. God I hoped this worked.

    Right on cue, Ted lowered the cages and I let the Dj start the music back. I stepped off stage and watched the girls begin to dance. One was really good, but the rest just looked a nervous wreck. My eyes sought out for Stacy between the three messes, but I didn't see her face. I checked back to the one that was tearing it up in the cage and my face fell flat. Stacy was a pro. Something was wrong.

She should have been blushing bright red through the flashing lights and lazers.  Her outfit was close to none and moving in any sort of way in front of all these people should have mortified her.  She should have been cowering down, begging me with her eyes to take her away.  I picked her because this was the ultimate embarrassment.  Her reaction to this situation should have made my week, but instead it was my reaction that changed the night.

    I sought out Ted in the office. "What did you give her?" My voice was solid and a little angered.

    "Who? That last girl? She was a blubbering mess. I gave her a little something to calm her down, loosen her up."

    My gaze flickered to the screen and watched as she drew a crowd. "Give a little bit to the others too. Not as much, just enough to get them to dance better. I don't want one side of the club crowded. Could start a fight."

    Ted nodded to me and I took his seat when he left. I watched Stacy on the screen, feeling the need to have her dance like that for me in private. I got up after a few minutes and headed to the bar. I needed a drink to calm my inner thoughts. Rudy set down a drink in front of me and I slammed it back without asking what it was. I watched Stacy a little more before deciding I couldn't. This was not the outcome that I had wanted. I was getting possessive and I didn't like that.

    I cut out and headed to the private room. I saw many familiar faces. I found it was important to pay attention who went to my private room. Most of the people here were business people, and all of them were wealthy. I walked around greeting them, but almost stopped when I saw my Grandpap.

    "Stoic, nice to see the owner in the crowd. How is everything going for you?"

    Even though I knew how he was, I still couldn't help but to be honest. "I hit a rough patch it seems. Not to many people want to do business with a newling and one that came from Ruth as well. Most of her contracts were forced and some of them fell through when she died."

    "It's to be expected. You just need to build your name, get in good standing with a few tycoons and the rest will follow. Elex worked on this himself for a long time to get where he is now. It helps when you do honest business too."

    "How is m- Elex? I haven't seen him in about a week now."

    Grandpap raised an eyebrow at me. That was the first time I had slipped. Ever. Grandpap wasn't an easy one to fool. You had to be made of stone and show no emotion and even then that man still had an idea of what you were doing. It amazes me that my Mother and Father got away with what they did.

    "Talk to him yourself. He is here. We came to do a deal, but the other party never showed. This is the first time I have been here, and I have to say, I like it." His eyes traveled around the room and landed back on me, giving me silent approval.

    "Good, I hope to see more of you then." I shook his hand and went to find my father.

    Just a filler, but a house is built from the ground up, and I have to lay some ground work for scenes to come.