As he lay in the dark reviewing the events of the day, images of Pitannah drifted in. He recalled the shape of her legs and the outline of her body in that fitted uniform. The way her violet eyes sparkled when she laughed at one of his jokes. And the pained look on her face when he asked about her father.
He rolled onto his side in an effort to shake the images loose.
Why was he so preoccupied with her? Was it because of his connection to her father?
He snorted. His urge to trace every inch of her delectable body with his tongue had absolutely nothing to do with her father.
He needed to get her out of his head. He couldn’t just fuck her and disappear the next day. There were so many things wrong with that idea he didn’t know where to start. He flopped onto his back again and stared at the ceiling.
Although…the first part of that idea held considerable appeal.
He sighed. It was going to be a long night.
Seven
“Tonight’s the night.” The three words kept repeating in Pitannah’s head as she worked. She’d deliberately taken the early shift so she would have plenty of time to get ready for the first night of competition. But even then, she still opted to be one of the last contestants.
With a few hours to spare before she even needed to start working on her makeup, Pitannah slipped into the back of the cabaret. Being Quantum staff did have its advantages. She wouldn’t be able to claim a seat down below, but she could stand in the back for a while.
Watching some of the acts calmed some of her nervous energy. It gave her a chance to see which parts of the stage worked best with the lighting and to get a sense of what level of competition she was up against. The acts that came and went in the short time she watched had huge variations in theme and experience. Some were comical while others were brash and flat out raunchy.
With luck, her routine of classic burlesque would stand out in a positive way.
The area closest to the stage had been reserved for VIPs. Those lucky viewers had their choice of plush lounge chairs or intimate dining tables. There were three levels of balconies above the main floor. All of them curved around the stage giving every seat a unique perspective.
The judges sat just behind the VIP area with an unobstructed view. Pitannah had no trouble picking Ruby out of the group. Not so much because of her fabulous gown, although the bright green and silver creation was stunning. Especially when any of the spotlights swept close to her.
It was Vordol’s broad shoulders that drew her eye. She couldn’t remember seeing any other man wear basic black suits so well. While the fabric was likely high quality there was nothing frivolous about his style. But damn it looked good on him.
He lingered near Ruby, ever vigil. Even from where she stood she could tell he watched more of the room around them than the acts on stage.
She should ask him what he thought of burlesque. Surely, he wouldn’t be one of those people who looked down on it—or worse, made fun of it. Would any of the acts stand out to him? As in, genuinely draw him in enough so the memory lasts for days, maybe even weeks.
She wanted that.
She wanted him to remember her act and to remember her. Even if he didn’t know who was really on stage.
Determined to make that happen, Pitannah hurried to her room. While she waited for Daloya and Trenna to arrive, she activated the hair rods and double checked her costume. She mentally reviewed her routine and made a couple of adjustments until a ping at her door interrupted her. Pitannah checked to make sure it was one of the girls before admitting them.
Daloya entered in a breathless rush. “I can’t believe it’s finally here. Are you excited? I’m excited.” Daloya grabbed Pitannah’s hands “Are you nervous? Don’t be nervous. You’ll be great! Oh my God this is so exciting!” She pulled Pitannah into a crushing hug.
“I’m okay. I think.”
Daloya released her. “How are you just okay? This is so exciting!”
“I’m trying to not get overly emotional about it,” Pitannah admitted.
Daloya’s eyes widened. “Oooo. Right. Gotcha.” She took a deep breath and exhaled. “Okay. Calm. That’s what you need right now.”
“Actually, what I need right now is help with these.” Pitannah pointed to the hair rods. “You know I’m no good with them.”
“I can do that.” She pushed Pitannah into a chair and went to work with the heated curl sticks.
Pitannah had always envied Daloya’s ability to turn anyone’s hair into a virtual work of art. The extent of her own skill was limited to simple braids or the use of bands or clips to simply keep her locks out of the way.
Trenna arrived right after Daloya added the last roller. “Good timing. Do you want to do your makeup here or backstage?” Trenna asked.
Pitannah looked at the clock. “Backstage was pretty crowded. Why don’t we go ahead and get going in case we have trouble finding space?”
“Better early than late,” Trenna said.
“Exactly.”
The girls gathered up the things they needed, including her props, and headed to the cabaret. Since they were all Quantum employees, they were able to take back passages—made the walk quicker.
As expected, backstage bubbled with a mad sort of chaos. The crowd remained thick even though more than half of the competitors had already left. Pitannah checked in with the contest coordinator and turned in the music she would use for her performance. There were only a handful of dressing rooms but tables had been left in unused corridors and nooks along with lights and mirrors. They claimed an out of the way space then activated her dressing screen hologram to gain some privacy.
Trenna made quick work of Pitannah’s makeup, Daloya removed the curl makers, and Pitannah applied her pasties and slipped on her garters and stockings. Like a well-oiled machine the three worked around each other without incident.
Once Daloya was satisfied with her handiwork, she encouraged Pitannah to take a look. Pitannah’s mouth fell open. She blinked in surprise. “You used to be damn good but now you’re just amazing. I can’t believe you did all of that in just a few minutes.”
“Does that mean you like it?”Daloya asked.
“I…” Pitannah touched the mirror and then her hair. She had trouble believing the woman in the mirror was really her. She had dreamed so many times of having a chance like this. A chance to be on a real stage in front of more than just a handful of strangers. A chance to really shine.
“You’re beautiful,” Daloya declared.
“And sexy,” Trenna added with a wag of her brows.
“Oh, wow, guys. I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you love it?” Daloya suggested.
“And you love us and can’t live without us,” Trenna added.
“Yes, yes, and most definitely, yes” Pitannah exclaimed as she grasped the girls’ hands.
“Now, let’s get you into that corset,” Daloya said.
“Right.” Pitannah took the under-bust corset from her bag, put it around her waist, and secured all the hooks. She made sure it was in place before giving Trenna her back to tighten the laces. After slipping into her shoes she made a couple of turns so the girls could check everything from top to bottom.
Daloya straightened the line on the back of her stockings then gave her a thumbs up. “I think you’re ready.”
One of the stage hands called out, “Contestants in group nineteen must report to stage left in fifteen galactic minutes.”
Pitannah grabbed the gray robe with feather edging and pulled it on.
Trenna handed her the black mask. “You got this, Ginni Fizz. Make us proud.”
“I will,” Pitannah promised. She put the mask into place.
“Gorgeous.” Daloya clasped her hands together and practically squealed. “I can’t wait.”
“I’ll carry your hologram projector to the stage for you,” Trenna declared.
“I’ll pack up this stuff and take it with me so you don’t have to
worry about anything getting lost before tomorrow. I’ll leave your street clothes over there, though.” Daloya pointed to a darkened corner of the room.
“You guys are the best.”
Trenna pointed at her. “You need to forget about us and turn on the sexy.” She folded the screen then turned to face her. “Think of someone tall, dark, and sexy. Oooo—like that bodyguard friend of yours. That ought to get you in the mood.”
“That’d do it for me,” Daloya added without looking up from her task.
Pitannah’s entire body warmed as she conjured a picture of Vordol waiting for her on one of the lounges in front of the stage. Except in her fantasy he was wearing nothing but a pair of fitted briefs so she could see every ripple of muscle as well as the outline of his considerable erection. She fanned her face with her hand. “Okay. Let’s go.”
“We’ll see you after,” Daloya reassured her. “Go knock ’em dead!”
Pitannah led Trenna to the area they were told to check in. Once she’d been marked off the list and her projector turned over to the stage crew, she gave Trenna one last hug and watched her hurry away to join Daloya out front.
While she waited for her turn she went through her breathing and relaxation techniques to keep her nervousness at bay. By the time she set foot on the stage she had relaxed into her Ginni Fizz persona and was ready to rock Vordol’s world. Her music began and she moved into the spotlight. She rolled through her routine as if it were second nature.
The feathers along the edges of her robe bounced and swayed around her ankles as she strutted about the stage in time with the beat. When she slid her arms out of the sleeves and allowed the garment to slide down her back, the feathers along the neckline caressed her skin unexpectedly and heightened her own reaction to the dance.
The glittery threads in the material caught the light when she used it to shield herself from the audience. After a few more beats—and with encouragement from the audience—she tossed it aside. Excitement thrummed in her veins.
She longed to see Vordol’s face but he was hidden by the shadows of the upper balcony.
She eased her first glove off and dangled it before an older gentleman sitting close to the stage. Just when he moved forward to grab it she tossed it over her shoulder and gave him a wink. He grinned and clapped wildly. With a shake of her tush, she moved to another part of the stage. Using her teeth, she snagged the fabric at the tip of her finger then slowly drew her hand out and let the glove fall to her feet. She closed her eyes and drew her hand down the front of her body as if it were the most divine feeling in the universe.
The whistles and cheers from the viewers spurred her onward.
She pranced to yet another part of the stage and danced with the music. When she smiled and batted her eyes at one of the men in that section he flopped into his seat with a goofy grin and a dazed look in his eye. Pride swelled inside her chest. Obviously, she had managed to connect with at least part of her audience. That should help her score tremendously.
Next, she slowly lowered the straps of her bra from each shoulder. She ensured she made eye contact with someone on each side as she did. Then, with one hand in the front to keep the lacy garment in place, she reached around the back to release the closure. She teased the audience further by crossing her arms over her breasts even as she pulled the bra loose and let it drop onto the stage.
After moving through the steps perfectly choreographed to match her music, she extended her arms out to the side and ended her routine with a shimmy that allowed her tasseled pasties to dance free.
The audience erupted into applause.
When she took her bows she looked to where Ruby and the other judges sat. Vordol had moved out of the shadows and—based on his expression—she had succeeded in catching his attention.
His smoldering look sent a ripple of awareness through her body. What wouldn’t she do to get him to look at her that way every day?
She blew a kiss his way then skipped off the stage.
Eight
The woman in the black mask mesmerized Vordol. Her dance had been seductive and sensual. Every move flowed and by the end of her performance, he ached to have her standing in front of him, stripped bare—for his eyes only. He hadn’t wanted a woman so much since he’d been a randy teen.
He looked over Ruby’s shoulder at the contestant’s name. Ginni Fizz. Had to be a stage name.
But who was she?
“Stunning. Simply stunning,” Ruby declared. “That young lady has talent.”
Vordol murmured his agreement along with several of the other judges.
“What do we know about her?” Ruby asked her assistant.
The contest assistant scrambled to find the correct candidate file. “Not much, I’m afraid,” she reported. “She lists Zeta Orionis as her home planet and we have a generic comm box as her point of contact.”
Vordol smiled. A mystery woman. This night keeps getting better and better.
While the judges keyed their scores into their communicator pads, Vordol sent a comm to Solir asking for any intel he could gather on the mystery woman. He sent a photograph—one he snapped at the end of her routine despite the contest rules about no cameras—and what little information the contest assistant had shared.
Something about the woman drove him to find out who she was. Although, why he was making the effort baffled him. All that could come of it would be drinks at the bar and maybe one night in the sheets. He didn’t do relationships. Then again, the mystery woman might not, either.
Could he get that lucky?
He discretely adjusted his crotch and made an effort to shake the image of Ginni Fizz’s mostly bare form out of his mind. As they cleared the stage for the next act he prayed for a multi-tentacled Oronati in drag to distract him from the lure of the mystery woman.
Pitannah waited below stage while the workers gathered her costume pieces and her projector and brought them to her.
One of the contest assistants, a woman, handed her robe to her and whispered, “Well done.”
Pitannah smiled. “Thank you.”
“If you are missing any costume pieces check back with us after the show. Sometimes things fall off stage. If we find it later it will be added to the contestant lost and found. We just can’t search for it right now.”
“Understood.” Pitannah searched through the pile they handed her. “It looks like you got everything, though. Thank you.”
“Excellent. You can follow this path back to the dressing rooms and then out the main entrance. Finalists will be announced a few hours after the last contestant. It will also be posted on Quantum Network later.”
“Okay. Thank you.” She rushed back to the space she had previously used. Thankfully, it was empty. With a mix of relief and sadness, she changed into a comfortable pair of pants and top. Would she have another chance in the spotlight? If she made it into the next round she would. She had given it her all on the stage tonight. Hopefully that would be enough.
She wiped the glitter off of her face and arms. There was nothing she could do about the heavy stage makeup without making a bigger mess, so she took her hair down then pulled it into a simple bun at the back of her head. After stowing her costume in her bag, she grabbed her screen and slipped through the crowd to get out of the backstage area as quickly as possible.
Despite the adrenalin still pumping through her system, she resisted the urge to head into the cabaret and wait for results. When she reached her room, she barely had time to wash off the makeup before the girls knocked on her door.
“Oh my God, you were fantastic!” Daloya declared excitedly.
“Girl, you should have seen the crowd reaction,” Trenna added. “They were captivated. Enthralled, even.”
“Really? So you think I have a chance?”
“Based on the acts we saw while we waited for yours, you had better make it in or I’m going to say this thing is rigged,” Trenna told her.
“The lady backstage said resul
ts would be posted on Quantum Network in less than an hour after the last contestant.”
Daloya raised her hand. “I vote for a watch party.”
“Agreed,” Trenna nodded.
“You know I’m gonna just pace until then.”
“Fine. We’ll eat. You pace,” Trenna told her. “I’ve got munchies in my room if you don’t have anything. Do you have drinks at least?”
Pitannah gestured to one of the cabinets. “Help yourselves.”
The girls turned the viewer to the correct channel then dug through what little food she kept in her room. Pitannah paced for a few minutes, and then pulled out her bags so she could put her things away. She needed to do something to keep her mind off the possible results.
What if she didn’t win? What if she did win?
What did Vordol think of her act? Did he even see it?
Pitannah listened to the MC’s closing comments with only half an ear. She had far too much nervous energy to concentrate on any one thought.
She had just started to clean off her desk when Trenna announced around a mouth full of food, “Here we go.”
All three girls turned and stared at the vidscreen. Scores and names began to roll up the screen, lowest to highest. They kept watching but didn’t see her name. As the list grew longer and longer, Pitannah moved closer to her friends and grasped their hands.
Finally, Ginni Fizz appeared. They had given her a score of 9.8 out of ten.
Food wrappers and containers flew about the room as Trenna and Daloya bounced up and down on the bed. It took a full minute before Pitannah snapped out of her stunned state and joined in their celebratory cheering, dancing, and all around giddiness.
Holy crap, she’d done it.
And she had made it into the top five, too.
Now what?
Nine
Pitannah worked the early shift again. She was a little more blurry-eyed today after staying up late with the girls. She regretted not partaking in any celebratory drinking. If she had, she might have been able to sleep. As it was, she tossed and turned all night worrying about her next costume and how she could tweak her routine to make it just a little different.
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