Fic: A Little Evil Comes A Long Way (Kahlan/Cara) 3/33
Title: A Little Evil Comes A Long Way
Author: raug_moss
Pairings: Kahlan/Cara
Rating: NC-17
A/N: modern AU
Chapter 1, Chapter 2
Chapter 3
She’s dressed in jeans, a white tank top, boots and her leather jacket as she walks beside Dahlia.
After they leave the building she looks around, trying to memorize her surroundings because quickly trying to become familiar with her whereabouts is something she’s always done and will continue to do no matter what. It’s like that habit has become part of her bloodstream.
It reminds her of her past and for a moment she completely blocks out Dahlia’s babbling as images from days long gone flash through her mind. She unconsciously rolls her shoulders and pushes these unwanted memories back to where they’ve come from. Now she is here, with family, and she will make this work. It’s the only life she has and there’s no use in wasting it.
“Have I thanked you yet?” she asks quietly. Dahlia, who’d been about to raise her hand to flag down a cab lets it fall to her side again.
“For what?”
“For letting me stay and for welcoming me so warmly.” Kahlan has already pushed the fact that this warm welcoming had taken place with Dahlia being almost naked to the back of her mind.
The dark-blonde smiles cheekily. “No need to thank me cousin. I’m truly happy to finally have some company.”
Kahlan raises her eyebrows, her next words clearly written across her face, but Dahlia raises a hand to stop them from leaving her mouth.
“Company that I’m not sleeping with.” She adds.
Kahlan grins and nods as they both return to the task of finding a cab.
Usually Dahlia rides with other colleagues to the club but this time none of them have to work, which leaves Kahlan shivering in the cold as they scurry down the street.
It actually is surprisingly cold for this time of the year, but she’s always been a girl for hot chocoa and a warm coat instead of bathing suits and the beach. Besides, the city is more bearable in the cold months anyway. The smell is reduced to a constant nuisance in the background rather than a suffocating thickness that coats both mouth and nose.
Kahlan sighs and looks around.
The sun had set hours ago and the stars above are barely visible as they arrive at Dahlia’s workplace after eventually finding a cab.
A strip club.
Kahlan smiles at the thought. She’s never been in such an establishment and didn’t think them to be very pleasant. But Dahlia had assured her that the women work there of their own free will. Apparently the owner was a nice man who took good care of his employees. A rarity in this city.
Before Kahlan can mentally prepare herself for what is going to happen she is unceremoniously dragged toward the club.
“Hey Dahl,” a man with the biggest biceps Kahlan has ever seen greets them. His head his bald and his red shirt, with the logo of the club on it, stretches across his broad chest to the point of tearing apart.
“Hey Bruce. I’d like you to meet my cousin Kahlan.”
The man grins and leans forward. “She gonna work for us? Cause she sure as hell could make a small fortune with that face and body.”
Dahlia turns and looks at Kahlan, but the glare she receives bans every thought the dark-blonde might’ve just had from her mind.
“No, she really doesn’t like attention.” Dahlia says instead.
“Well then, see you later.” Bruce turns to Kahlan. “Enjoy yourself.”
“Thanks…” Kahlan follows after her cousin as she is lead past the bouncer.
Inside it’s almost too dark for her to see anything. So she follows Dahlia through a small foyer, where she gets rid of her leather jacket for the time being, and they make their way to the dance floor of the club.
There are two bars on each side of the large room with several elevated stages scattered all over the place where scantily clad women present their assets.
“Just wait at the bar!” Dahlia calls over the noise of the music. “I have to go change.”
Kahlan nods and makes her way through the throng of people toward one of the bars. She finds a place on the side where no one can actually bump into her and takes a moment to look around.
A low beat pulses through the entire club and makes her chest vibrate. Most people have gathered around the stages where the strippers are doing their job, while others are at the bar getting drinks. Surprisingly the crowd is very mixed, men and women alike seem to enjoy the atmosphere as well as the display of naked skin.
It doesn’t take Dahlia long to reappear beside Kahlan. She’s now wearing a dark shirt with the name of the club in red letters across the front and back. Along with black shorts and a red miniature apron that only surrounds her waist she’s clearly distinguishable as a waitress.
“So what do you think?”
Kahlan cocks her head to the side. “It’s nice. Seems like a decent place.”
There isn’t much time for them to chat because Dahlia needs to take orders and make her way through the crowd with drinks in both hands. The waitresses mostly take care of the tables that spend the most money on the strippers, simply because when they don’t have to get up to get drinks by themselves they can keep stuffing bills into thongs and bras.
When Dahlia has a moment to breathe, she moves to the bar and orders Kahlan the promised drink. There isn’t much alcohol in it and it tastes delightfully sweet.
“Thanks!” Kahlan shouts. Dahlia nods and pats the brunette’s shoulder.
“Try to enjoy yourself a little!”
Kahlan raises her eyebrows and sips her drink thoughtfully as she sits at the bar after Dahlia has returned to work.
A few men try to engage her in conversation but the icy glares she sends their way make them scurry off pretty quickly.
She tenses when a hand settles on her lower back and then moves from there around her side to rest on her thigh. She turns, a scowl already in place, and finds herself looking into the beautifully sculptured face of a platinum blonde woman. Blue eyes, a shade lighter than her own, sparkle playfully.
The woman is wearing a black low-backed dress that snugly hugs all of her feminine curves. Her bloody red lips are curled into a smile. “Care to dance?” she asks, leaning into Kahlan so that her lips are close to the brunette’s ear.
It’s the best offer she’s gotten all night, so Kahlan simply nods her assent, downs her drink in one gulp and lets the woman grab her hand to lead her toward the dance floor.
She spots Dahlia in the distance and gets a silent ‘Go girl!’ from her. Kahlan shakes her head, smirking.
When the woman turns to her and pulls her closer Kahlan tenses again, squaring her shoulders instinctively.
She isn’t really used to that much physical contact and actually has to stop herself from jerking away when the woman rests her hands on her hips.
The warmth of a body so close to hers is very pleasant though and Kahlan soon relaxes into the loose embrace. The song that’s played is fast, but they don’t really move according to it. A slow grind to the beat seems to be just the right thing. The perfume the woman is wearing is very appealing Kahlan notices and she leans closer simply because she can. Because it is welcomed.
The feeling is not alien to her, just forgotten underneath a mountain of other more painful memories.
Lips gently graze the side of her jaw as they sway to the music and Kahlan isn’t entirely sure where to put her hands. Because as soon as she moves them a fraction she can feel the skin of the woman’s back underneath her fingertips. And she still doesn’t even know her name.
This is the closest she’s come to a kiss, let alone more than that, in a very long time and it admittedly frightens her. She is usually not one for panicking.
Although she comes very close to it when the woman’s hands move from her hips to sneak underneath her tank top up her back. She gently grabs the platinum-blonde’s forearms and pushes them away. Something like fear is shining through Kahlan’s blue eyes as she steps back, earning her a questioning look.
“I have to go!” she shouts over the music puts on a strained smile. “Thanks for the dance.”
And with that she turns to find Dahlia serving drinks at a table nearby. She can almost feel the stare that is aimed at her back.
She ignores it and moves swiftly through the club to poke her cousin’s shoulder to get her attention.
“I’m gonna head home!” She shouts.
Dahlia cocks her head to the side but nods.
“See you tomorrow!”
She gets her jacket back in the foyer and then leaves the club with a smile from Bruce being sent her way. She waves a hand at him and then looks around.
She can remember from which direction they’d come and simply walks down the street. Her skin feels overheated and she simply needs the cold air of the night to bring her heartbeat down to a normal rhythm..
She knows that she’s just bolted from the club like she’d found a dead animal in a pond of festering acid, but she simply couldn’t handle either the proximity of another person nor the touches that had made her heart beat uncomfortably fast.
She rolls her shoulders and pulls the leather jacket tighter around herself. What a failure.
She really didn’t need her own deficiencies thrown into her face. There are many things she’s good at, some would even say fantastic, but how to handle the advances of another human being seems like a book of seven seals. There’d been a time when everything had been simple and normal but now...
Kahlan decides not to ponder on it much longer and to simply file it aside as a miserable experience. Albeit it hadn’t felt too bad to be touched.
Kahlan takes a deep breath and exhales noisily.
“Why does it have to be so difficult?” She asks, looking up at the pitch black sky. Of course no one bothered to answer her.
Chapter 4
Author: raug_moss
Pairings: Kahlan/Cara
Rating: NC-17
A/N: modern AU
Chapter 1, Chapter 2
Chapter 3
She’s dressed in jeans, a white tank top, boots and her leather jacket as she walks beside Dahlia.
After they leave the building she looks around, trying to memorize her surroundings because quickly trying to become familiar with her whereabouts is something she’s always done and will continue to do no matter what. It’s like that habit has become part of her bloodstream.
It reminds her of her past and for a moment she completely blocks out Dahlia’s babbling as images from days long gone flash through her mind. She unconsciously rolls her shoulders and pushes these unwanted memories back to where they’ve come from. Now she is here, with family, and she will make this work. It’s the only life she has and there’s no use in wasting it.
“Have I thanked you yet?” she asks quietly. Dahlia, who’d been about to raise her hand to flag down a cab lets it fall to her side again.
“For what?”
“For letting me stay and for welcoming me so warmly.” Kahlan has already pushed the fact that this warm welcoming had taken place with Dahlia being almost naked to the back of her mind.
The dark-blonde smiles cheekily. “No need to thank me cousin. I’m truly happy to finally have some company.”
Kahlan raises her eyebrows, her next words clearly written across her face, but Dahlia raises a hand to stop them from leaving her mouth.
“Company that I’m not sleeping with.” She adds.
Kahlan grins and nods as they both return to the task of finding a cab.
Usually Dahlia rides with other colleagues to the club but this time none of them have to work, which leaves Kahlan shivering in the cold as they scurry down the street.
It actually is surprisingly cold for this time of the year, but she’s always been a girl for hot chocoa and a warm coat instead of bathing suits and the beach. Besides, the city is more bearable in the cold months anyway. The smell is reduced to a constant nuisance in the background rather than a suffocating thickness that coats both mouth and nose.
Kahlan sighs and looks around.
The sun had set hours ago and the stars above are barely visible as they arrive at Dahlia’s workplace after eventually finding a cab.
A strip club.
Kahlan smiles at the thought. She’s never been in such an establishment and didn’t think them to be very pleasant. But Dahlia had assured her that the women work there of their own free will. Apparently the owner was a nice man who took good care of his employees. A rarity in this city.
Before Kahlan can mentally prepare herself for what is going to happen she is unceremoniously dragged toward the club.
“Hey Dahl,” a man with the biggest biceps Kahlan has ever seen greets them. His head his bald and his red shirt, with the logo of the club on it, stretches across his broad chest to the point of tearing apart.
“Hey Bruce. I’d like you to meet my cousin Kahlan.”
The man grins and leans forward. “She gonna work for us? Cause she sure as hell could make a small fortune with that face and body.”
Dahlia turns and looks at Kahlan, but the glare she receives bans every thought the dark-blonde might’ve just had from her mind.
“No, she really doesn’t like attention.” Dahlia says instead.
“Well then, see you later.” Bruce turns to Kahlan. “Enjoy yourself.”
“Thanks…” Kahlan follows after her cousin as she is lead past the bouncer.
Inside it’s almost too dark for her to see anything. So she follows Dahlia through a small foyer, where she gets rid of her leather jacket for the time being, and they make their way to the dance floor of the club.
There are two bars on each side of the large room with several elevated stages scattered all over the place where scantily clad women present their assets.
“Just wait at the bar!” Dahlia calls over the noise of the music. “I have to go change.”
Kahlan nods and makes her way through the throng of people toward one of the bars. She finds a place on the side where no one can actually bump into her and takes a moment to look around.
A low beat pulses through the entire club and makes her chest vibrate. Most people have gathered around the stages where the strippers are doing their job, while others are at the bar getting drinks. Surprisingly the crowd is very mixed, men and women alike seem to enjoy the atmosphere as well as the display of naked skin.
It doesn’t take Dahlia long to reappear beside Kahlan. She’s now wearing a dark shirt with the name of the club in red letters across the front and back. Along with black shorts and a red miniature apron that only surrounds her waist she’s clearly distinguishable as a waitress.
“So what do you think?”
Kahlan cocks her head to the side. “It’s nice. Seems like a decent place.”
There isn’t much time for them to chat because Dahlia needs to take orders and make her way through the crowd with drinks in both hands. The waitresses mostly take care of the tables that spend the most money on the strippers, simply because when they don’t have to get up to get drinks by themselves they can keep stuffing bills into thongs and bras.
When Dahlia has a moment to breathe, she moves to the bar and orders Kahlan the promised drink. There isn’t much alcohol in it and it tastes delightfully sweet.
“Thanks!” Kahlan shouts. Dahlia nods and pats the brunette’s shoulder.
“Try to enjoy yourself a little!”
Kahlan raises her eyebrows and sips her drink thoughtfully as she sits at the bar after Dahlia has returned to work.
A few men try to engage her in conversation but the icy glares she sends their way make them scurry off pretty quickly.
She tenses when a hand settles on her lower back and then moves from there around her side to rest on her thigh. She turns, a scowl already in place, and finds herself looking into the beautifully sculptured face of a platinum blonde woman. Blue eyes, a shade lighter than her own, sparkle playfully.
The woman is wearing a black low-backed dress that snugly hugs all of her feminine curves. Her bloody red lips are curled into a smile. “Care to dance?” she asks, leaning into Kahlan so that her lips are close to the brunette’s ear.
It’s the best offer she’s gotten all night, so Kahlan simply nods her assent, downs her drink in one gulp and lets the woman grab her hand to lead her toward the dance floor.
She spots Dahlia in the distance and gets a silent ‘Go girl!’ from her. Kahlan shakes her head, smirking.
When the woman turns to her and pulls her closer Kahlan tenses again, squaring her shoulders instinctively.
She isn’t really used to that much physical contact and actually has to stop herself from jerking away when the woman rests her hands on her hips.
The warmth of a body so close to hers is very pleasant though and Kahlan soon relaxes into the loose embrace. The song that’s played is fast, but they don’t really move according to it. A slow grind to the beat seems to be just the right thing. The perfume the woman is wearing is very appealing Kahlan notices and she leans closer simply because she can. Because it is welcomed.
The feeling is not alien to her, just forgotten underneath a mountain of other more painful memories.
Lips gently graze the side of her jaw as they sway to the music and Kahlan isn’t entirely sure where to put her hands. Because as soon as she moves them a fraction she can feel the skin of the woman’s back underneath her fingertips. And she still doesn’t even know her name.
This is the closest she’s come to a kiss, let alone more than that, in a very long time and it admittedly frightens her. She is usually not one for panicking.
Although she comes very close to it when the woman’s hands move from her hips to sneak underneath her tank top up her back. She gently grabs the platinum-blonde’s forearms and pushes them away. Something like fear is shining through Kahlan’s blue eyes as she steps back, earning her a questioning look.
“I have to go!” she shouts over the music puts on a strained smile. “Thanks for the dance.”
And with that she turns to find Dahlia serving drinks at a table nearby. She can almost feel the stare that is aimed at her back.
She ignores it and moves swiftly through the club to poke her cousin’s shoulder to get her attention.
“I’m gonna head home!” She shouts.
Dahlia cocks her head to the side but nods.
“See you tomorrow!”
She gets her jacket back in the foyer and then leaves the club with a smile from Bruce being sent her way. She waves a hand at him and then looks around.
She can remember from which direction they’d come and simply walks down the street. Her skin feels overheated and she simply needs the cold air of the night to bring her heartbeat down to a normal rhythm..
She knows that she’s just bolted from the club like she’d found a dead animal in a pond of festering acid, but she simply couldn’t handle either the proximity of another person nor the touches that had made her heart beat uncomfortably fast.
She rolls her shoulders and pulls the leather jacket tighter around herself. What a failure.
She really didn’t need her own deficiencies thrown into her face. There are many things she’s good at, some would even say fantastic, but how to handle the advances of another human being seems like a book of seven seals. There’d been a time when everything had been simple and normal but now...
Kahlan decides not to ponder on it much longer and to simply file it aside as a miserable experience. Albeit it hadn’t felt too bad to be touched.
Kahlan takes a deep breath and exhales noisily.
“Why does it have to be so difficult?” She asks, looking up at the pitch black sky. Of course no one bothered to answer her.
Chapter 4