The Demon King of Lust

Chapter 26

The stage lights dim as the previous dancer exits the stage. She slips past me with a polite smile and I take my place just behind the semi-transparent white screen at the back. Because it's dark, the audience can't see me just yet, but when the lights behind me come on, my silhouette will be cast in shadow against the screen.

Performing is always a rush, and my heart starts to thump a bit faster as I hear the DJ introduce me. I take the 3-foot-long black silk rope and pass it behind my back to my other hand, strike a pose, and wait for my music.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our next dancer to the main stage—the red vixen herself, Scarlett."

Rihanna's "S&M" starts to play and the lights shine, illuminating my shape from behind. The crowd hoots and hollers and I can't help but smirk to myself.

I slide my hands up and down my body to the rhythm, the electronic hum of the music sending vibrations through my legs. I roll my hips, slowly dragging my arms higher up my body. The first verse starts with the crack of a whip and with a swift move I snap the rope between my outstretched arms.

The room cheers at the move and I step out onto the stage, crossing one leg over the other, my boots hitting the floor on every other beat.

I love dancing on the main stage. It's the best spot in the house and all eyes in the room fall on me. The dancers rotate out quickly—one or two songs apiece—but we get to pick the music and try out more creative routines here.

I make my way to the front, where Kieran and his friends are perched along the rail. This dance starts with floor work, so he's in the perfect spot for a hell of a show. His eyes are alight and he's grinning like a kid on Christmas. I raise my arms straight, the rope slack between my fists. With a couple of twists and a bend of my elbows, I wrap it around my wrists, simultaneously sliding my feet apart until I land in a front split.

A few whoops come from the crowd as a few bills are thrown on stage.

"Get it, babygirl!" Kieran shouts, his voice cutting through the rest.

The black-haired girl next to him licks her lips as her eyes trace my curves.

Oh yeah—this one definitely likes girls.

I unravel the rope and fling it behind me, then flip so that I'm laying with my body parallel to the front edge of the stage. I arch my back, extend a leg in the air, and lower myself to the floor. My hips buck up and down to the music, then I pull my body in upward so that I'm resting on the balls of my feet. I bounce my backside up and down against the heels of my boots. My eyes meet Kieran's and he fans himself with a stack of bills.

I smirk and crawl toward him like a cat ready to pounce. He licks his lips and holds out a handful of fives. I lean in to grab them so he gets a good eyeful of my cleavage, then tuck the money into the waistband of my underwear—the easiest place to put them so they don't go flying when I'm going to be using the pole. He wipes his brow and pulls his lips into the shape of an 'o', letting out a harsh breath as he pretends to collapse backward into his seat.

I turn to the other patrons, taking several wads of bills and stuffing them into my undies. I shift into a standing position and bend down, unhooking my skirt at the sides and whipping it off toward the back of the stage.

I lean back so that the pole sinks into the indentation of my spine then roll against it. I take a few steps around the circumference, then throw myself into the first spin.

Pole has become second-nature to me, my legs and arms naturally flowing from one move to the next. I whirl around with ease, my legs twisting and crossing.