Sparkling Fire and Smokey Sighs (READ DISCLAIMER)

7: Such Wanton Gambols

"You're joking," Kim said. "You are joking, right?"

"Afraid not," Shego said as she started the landing sequence.

"But we don't have the time!" Kim said.

"We need 4 more hours to get to Hong Kong," Shego said. "The conference doesn't start for another 11. So yes. I am getting some proper relaxation and bathing in before we leave and unless you or your buffoon friend wants to try to fly this thing, we're stopping."

"Drakken could fly —"

Shego burst out laughing.

Kim let out a disgusted groan. "We're not stopping!"

Shego had stopped laughing and was staring Kim down with an expression akin to pleading. "Don't make me do this," she said.

"Do what?" Kim said. "Look, we are not stopping and there's nothing you can say to change my mind about it."

"Ugh. Fine," Shego said.

Kim felt a momentary wave satisfaction. Then her heart skipped a beat.

"No," she said. "No! This is so not fair! Only Ms. Go knows the puppy dog pout!"

Shego jutted her lower lip even further and trembled.

"Okay! Okay! I give in," Kim said, averting her gaze, "but only 6 hours. Then we leave."

"Sweetness," Shego said as she maneuvered the jet down. "Let's go, cretins! Time for some pampering."

Kim twisted away from Shego and propped her head up with a hand over her mouth as her teeth grabbed her lower lip. Her entire body was covered in goosebumps, and she desperately wished to stop thinking about lips and pouts and wanting to bite them.

Three minutes later, the evening light streamed into the jet and the four of them walked out unto a helipad. A gigantic white building nestled in the side of a mountain spread out before them, surrounded by forest and kissed golden by the setting sun. The walkway gently curved up to the building and was lined with a tile mosaic. Elegant lines wove up and down it's length that somehow blended almost seamlessly with the forest around it. Two clear streams ran along the edges, carved into the stone and broken only by tiny stones set along it's path.

"Welcome to India's Klaba Īvila," Shego said, "one of the world's most exclusive spas and resorts for supervillains."

"Honestly," Kim said, her legs still twitching as they supported her weight, "why is there an entire villain industry I don't know about?"

"I really figured the villain convention would have tipped you off," Shego said, "but you don't get to serve villains and stay in business by being loud about it."

"There's no invasion robots," Ron said. "I think this is the biggest building I've seen not, you know, crushed."

"I guess they couldn't hit everything," Kim said as they walked towards the building, "just the major cities."

Inside, the resort was even more opulent, with marble statues, exotic plants, and intricately tiled flooring decorating the entrance. Shego walked up to the reception and was greeted like an old friend. Shego handed the bubbly woman a card from inside her catsuit. A moment later, she turned and pointed two fingers at Drakken and Ron, who were still gazing at the ceiling's painted mural.

"You two," she said, "buffet." She pointed to the right wing of the building. The pair gave Shego a sideways glance before trying to push each other out of the way in their rush. "And you," Shego said, turning to Kim, "are with me."

Kim shivered as Shego's predatory grin made a comeback.

"Fine," Kim said.

The walked into the left wing. Most of the rooms were empty or had closed doors, but there were a few scattered people. Kim did a double take when she thought she saw Duff Killigan, but they had already passed the doorway when she glanced back.