The Interview—By: Shannon

Kelsey had been working for the same music magazine for almost five years as a journalist, but she had done more secretarial work than journalistic work in that five years. The editor seemed to think that women didn't have any idea how to write about musicians, especially rock musicians so he sent the male journalists out on all the good assignments. Writers that had been with the magazine for a year or two were being sent to interview bands like Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones while she filed and typed.

When she had gone to her editor and asked to be assigned to interview one of the big groups, she was always told that someone else had already been given the assignment because of his expertise in the band. She had been told that if she didn't like it, she could always go and look for a job at another magazine.

One day her editor called her into her office and she was sure she was going to get yelled at for something. She rarely if ever did anything to deserve the tirades and lectures she received, but that never stopped her from getting them.

"You wanted to see me sir," she said opening the door to the editor's office.

"Come on in. What do you know about the band KISS?" he asked as she sat down. Her heart stopped. KISS was one of her favorite bands, though she was pretty sure that no one at the magazine knew it. KISS was not a band that was too well liked by the magazine because of their appearance and their music. Sex, and other controversial topics were the subjects of many of their songs and their make-up and reputation, while it made them popular with teenagers, didn't make them popular with the establishment.

"I know they're a rock band who wear make-up and play loud," she said. Her heart was beating wildly. Would she actually get to do an interview?

"Well, we're doing a feature on bass guitar players next month and we need someone to interview their bassist, Gene Simmons," he said. Kelsey felt the corners of her mouth threaten to curve into a smile and quickly schooled her expression.

"Who are you sending?" she asked innocently.

"We want to send you," he said giving her a benevolent smile. She wanted to smack him for his patronizing attitude but she also wanted to thank him! Here was her chance to interview someone famous and it was someone she really liked.

"Me? Thank you sir. When is the interview?" she asked.

"Here's his number and a little information about him. Read it over. Most of it is information that has appeared in most magazines so I want to make sure we get a fresh new perspective of him," he said. Kelsey didn't miss the fact that he rolled his eyes. Obviously he thought he was dumping an undesirable assignment on her. If he only knew she thought with a mental smile. "Call him and set up the interview. The band is finishing touring for their new album, 'Destruction'," he said. Kelsey bit her tongue to keep herself from correcting him. 'Destroyer' you idiot, she thought to herself.

"Thank you sir," she said taking the file and glancing through it. "I won't let you down," she said.

"Good," he said and then picked up his phone, dismissing her without a thank you or even a handshake. Kelsey took the file back to her desk and began going over it.

Gene Simmons, born Chaim Witz, was born in 1949 in Haifa, Israel. He moved to America with his mother when he was 9, changed his name to Gene Klein and lived in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York. He had played with several bands, including Wicked Lester, before forming KISS with band mate and singer Paul Stanley. He was called The Demon because of his make-up and stage personality.

Kelsey continued to read over the material contained in the file and found most of it to be superficial and standard. She wanted to do an in-depth article about the real Gene Simmons. What was it that made him tick and what was it about him that drove women crazy?

She began writing out the questions she was going to ask, giggling to herself about some of the questions she'd like to ask, but knew she never would. Questions about the length of his tongue or his seemingly endless sexual hunger. It was said that he could seduce any woman. He was quoted as saying 'I fuck anything that moves and if it doesn't move, we work something out'. She picked up her phone and dialed the number and was surprised when a man answered the phone.

"May I speak with Gene Simmons please?" she asked using her seductive phone voice.

"Can I ask who's calling?" asked the person on the other end.

"This is Kelsey O'Connell from Hard Rock Magazine calling to set up an interview," she said.

"This is Gene," he said. Suddenly Kelsey was flustered. She didn't think he'd answer his own phone. "They told me someone would be calling, but they didn't tell me it would be a woman," he said.

"Is that bad?" she asked, wondering if he would rather be interviewed by a man.

"No, that's good," he said. She could hear the smile in his voice. "When would you like to meet for the interview?" he asked.

"Whenever is most convenient for you. I know you're just finishing up with the 'Destroyer' tour this week and I imagine you're pretty exhausted," she said.

"Actually, we'll be getting ready to go back into the studio soon so I don't have time to rest. How about tomorrow?" he asked. Kelsey smiled.

"Tomorrow is fine. What time works best for you?" she asked.

"Late afternoon. I like to sleep late. Say, around 2:00," he said with a laugh.

"Not a problem. Where would you like to meet? Do you want to meet here?" she asked.

"I'd prefer to meet somewhere a bit more private. It's easier to talk if there aren't any interruptions," he said. There was something in the tone of his voice that told Kelsey he was thinking about more than just the interview. "Would you like to meet at my house?" he asked.

"Sure, that's fine. I'll need the address," she said. He gave her the Beverly Hills address, she thanked him and then hung up. She looked down at one of the magazines in the file with a group picture on it and studied his face.

It was impossible to tell what he really looked like without his make-up and, as far as she knew, he and his fellow band mates, Ace, Paul and Peter were never seen in public without make-up. She could probably find an old picture from his Wicked Lester days, but she kind of liked the mysteriousness of his stage persona.

The next morning she made sure she had her pen, pad of paper and her small tape recorder and then set to finding an appropriate outfit to wear for the interview. She smiled and decided on the short leather skirt, tight, low-cut shirt and high heels. She checked her image in the mirror and smiled.

"Knock 'em dead," she told her reflection.

The house she pulled up in front of in Beverly Hills was nice but it certainly didn't fit in with Gene's Demon character. She walked up the front steps and knocked on the door and waited. A moment later the door opened and she looked up at the man that answered the door. He had long black hair, brown eyes and stood over 6' tall.

"Kelsey?" he asked. She nodded and held out her magazine ID card. He smiled and motioned for her to come in. Kelsey looked around for a moment, amazed at how...normal the house was. She followed the man into the living room and sat down where he indicated she should. "Can I get you something to drink?" he asked.

"Water is fine," she said. He smiled and left the room and Kelsey figured the man would go and get Gene so she could start the interview. A moment later, he came back with a glass of water and handed it to her. He then sat down on the couch next to her and Kelsey tried not to seem surprised. When she hesitated he laughed.

"You're waiting for Gene, aren't you?" he asked. Kelsey nodded and he laughed again. "You got him," he said. Kelsey's jaw dropped for a moment. This was Gene Simmons without make-up, the Gene Simmons few outsiders EVER saw. "You seem surprised," he said, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"I am," she said.

"As long as you don't have a camera, I didn't think it would be necessary to dress up. I wasn't sure if you were bringing a cameraman," he said.

"Nope, just me," she said.

"Good," he replied. "I must say I was surprised when I was told that Hard Rock Magazine wanted to do an interview with me," he said. "I didn't think we were their type of band."

"Well, they're featuring the country's top bassists and that includes you," she said.

"That's why they sent you, isn't it?" he said. Kelsey looked at him for a moment. There wasn't much that got past this one.

"What do you mean?" she asked innocently.

"I don't miss the fact that all the articles in Hard Rock are written by men. No one wanted to do it, right?" he said.

"I'm not sure to be quite honest. My editor told me I was being assigned this interview," she said.

"Did you do something wrong?" he asked with a laugh. Kelsey couldn't help but laugh too.

"I must have. But if I did, I'm glad I did because I've been KISS fan since your first album," she said.

"Really?" he asked.

"You seem surprised," she said.

"Well, let's just say that we don't have many fans in the 'establishment'," he said.

"I don't consider myself part of the establishment," she said. "That's probably why this is my first interview," she said.

"You'll do fine. I don't bite, unless you want me to," he said with a wicked smile. Kelsey felt her face flush and quickly pulled her notebook from her bag so she could begin the interview. She didn't want to waste his time.

"Are you in a hurry to get done?" he asked.

"No, I just don't want to waste your time," she said.

"You aren't. Take your time," he said. She smiled and turned on the tape recorder and began reading off the questions she had written. She asked him about why he chose bass and about his Demon personality and then she asked questions about what he wanted to do with the band in the future.

"If you could do anything you wanted and money was no object, what would it be?" she asked.

"I'm already doing it. I love getting up on stage and playing to thousands of screaming fans. It's an adrenaline rush, not to mention an aphrodisiac. That and you can't beat the hours," he said with a laugh.

"I bet," she said still trying to get a glimpse of the legendary tongue.

"Why don't you ask me the questions you REALLY want to ask me?" he asked. Kelsey's face flushed again. She had actually written some of them down.

"Can I see your tongue?" she asked. He laughed and she felt momentarily stupid.

"I knew you would," he said.

"I'm sorry. That was rude of me," she said apologetically.

"No, it wasn't. Don't be sorry, it's my trademark," he said. A second later he was wiggling his tongue around just for her. She tried to act nonchalant about it but couldn't help but stare.

"How long is it?" she asked.

"Long enough to make you my new best friend," he said. Kelsey's eyes widened and then she felt herself growing warm at the thought of what a tongue that long and that talented could do. He smiled at her making her grow even warmer.

"Rumor has it you like women...a lot," she said never taking her eyes off his.

"I love women. What's not to love?" he asked. "They're soft, wet, tasty and they smell nice," he said. Kelsey smiled.

"You call yourself The Demon and yet women throw themselves at you. Why do you think they do it?" she asked.

"Deep down in every woman's heart, she wants a bad boy, someone who will take charge or just take her. That's where I come in," he said with a smile.

"Every woman?" she asked.

"Of course. Especially the straight-laced ones," he said.

"Why? What do you think attracts them to you?" she asked.

"I am their rebellious side. I am their way of saying 'fuck you' to the world without them actually having to say it. I'm their deepest, darkest fantasy," he said.

"And what's your idea of the perfect woman?" she asked.

"The one that's with me at the time," he said with a laugh. Kelsey was amazed. He certainly wasn't shy about his sexual views. "Any man will tell you that there is no such thing as a perfect woman, but every woman has something desirable about her. I don't like women with no meat on their bones because I don't like fucking a skeleton. She has to have nice boobs and a nice ass. A pretty face is just an added bonus. I do prefer a woman with a few brains in her head though," he said.

"I see," she said. "So you've slept with a lot of women?" she asked.

"I'm a slut," he said. Kelsey laughed having never heard a man use that word to describe himself.

"So it isn't hard to seduce you," she said. She could feel him leaning closer to her.

"Not at all. A short skirt or a tight shirt will give me a hard on if I think she wants me," he said. Kelsey swallowed and then cleared her throat. She was finding it harder and harder to concentrate on the interview.

"Have you ever met a woman who didn't want you?" she asked trying not to look down into his lap. Could she be that obvious?

"Not so far," he said giving her another smile. His voice was lower and softer and had taken on a seductive tone that Kelsey found quite intoxicating.

"What's your idea of a perfect date?" she asked.

"I don't know. It all depends on the woman. I want to do what she wants to do. I like to make her feel special and that has nothing to do with sex," he said. "What's YOUR idea of a perfect date?" he asked. Kelsey was caught off guard by the question, having not been prepared to answer any of her own. She thought for a moment.

"I would have to say a nice quiet dinner at home, a long walk on the beach or sitting at home watching a movie. Pretty boring huh?" she asked wondering what he thought of her 'perfect' date.

"Not boring at all. I actually prefer those dates to going out because you can actually talk. There are no interruptions. There's no need to put on a show for the public. You can be yourself and that's great. Besides, having sex on the beach is one of the most erotic things I can think of, but you have to watch where you get sand," he said. Kelsey burst out laughing and she pictured rolling around in the surf naked with Gene and her laughter died. She cleared her throat.

"Perfect," she said. She shut off her tape recorder and began packing her things up. She wished she could make an excuse to stay longer, but she couldn't think of one and her editor would be looking for her. She thanked him for taking the time to do the interview.

"Would you like to join me for dinner and a walk on the beach?" he asked. Kelsey was shocked by his invitation but she certainly wasn't going to turn it down.

"I would love to," she said. He smiled.

"Good. Let me grab a jacket and we can go," he said. He ran up the steps and a moment later reappeared with a jacket slung over his arm. "Let's go," he said.

They climbed into his car and headed out toward Santa Monica. He asked her about her job and she began telling him a little bit about it. She tried to stay positive about it, but it was difficult.

"So how long have you been a writer with the magazine?" he asked.

"A little over five years," she said.

"Five years and this was your first interview?" he asked incredulously. "Where did they have you hidden?" he asked.

"I mainly do filing and secretarial work. Many times the other writers will bring me their stories so I can proof read them and type them up for the editor," she said.

"So they did send you because no one else wanted to do it. I'm glad they did," he said. Kelsey smiled. So was she. Not only did she get a chance to interview one of her favorite musicians but she was now going out on a date with him.

"So am I. I just wish my editor would give me a little respect. He treats me like I'm stupid and has no confidence in my ability," she said.

"Why don't you go to another magazine?" he asked.

"Because Hard Rock really is the best," she said with a sigh. "Besides, I've tried".

They stopped at a small restaurant near the beach and they sat down for a quick dinner. Kelsey asked him about what it was like on tour and he told her about the different problems and funny stories about his experiences on the road.

When they finished eating they drove farther up the coast to a dark, secluded beach. The sun had set already and only a dark red streak across the horizon was left. They got out of the car and walked down to the beach. Kelsey had removed her shoes so she could walk in the sand. She continued to tell Gene about her frustrations with her job as they walked in the dark. He put his arm around her shoulders and she stopped for a moment.

"I'm sorry. I'm probably a downer, aren't I? All I've done is complain when I should be thankful since the magazine did give me the chance to meet you," she said. She looked up at him and he was looking down at her smiling.

"You're not a downer. Everyone needs to vent sometimes," he said. He pulled her against him and Kelsey could feel the heat from his body through his clothes. "Are you cold?" he asked.

"Not really," she said wrapping her arms around his waist. "Why?" she asked.

"Because you're shivering," he said rubbing his hands up and down her back. Kelsey felt herself growing warm now that her body was pressed up against his. Even though they were outside and there was a nice breeze blowing off the ocean, Kelsey found it hard to breathe. She looked up at him, unable to respond now. Her body was warm all over and she was pretty sure he knew what she was thinking. He leaned down and put his hand on the side of her face and softly traced her lips with his tongue.

Kelsey's body tingled all over. She forgot that she was cold or nervous and concentrated on Gene's hands and tongue. He teased her lips and she couldn't help but moan softly. She began teasing his tongue with her own tongue and he suddenly pulled her even tighter against him. She could now easily feel his arousal.

She ran her hands down his back to his butt and pulled him against her and smiled when he groaned. He shoved his tongue into her mouth and she began sucking on it. She ran her hands through his hair and felt him starting to pull up her skirt. When he had it pulled up all the way he ran his hands across her butt and she felt him smile against her lips.

"You came prepared," he said with another smile.

"Panties just get in the way," she said kissing him.

"My thoughts exactly," he said. His lips devoured hers and suddenly she felt his finger between her legs. She spread them so he could slide his finger inside and she moaned. She desperately wanted it to be something else but wasn't sure if the beach was such a good idea. Not just the sand but the police patrolled the beaches at night for people doing exactly what they were doing. "Why don't we go somewhere a little more comfortable," he said reading her thoughts.

"Sounds good to me," she said in between kisses. He pulled away from her and slowly pulled her skirt back down. Taking her hand in his they walked back to the car. She wondered if they would do it in the car but didn't really care at this point. She just wanted to have her hands on Gene.

He opened her door for her and she climbed in. Once he got in he started the car. Kelsey leaned over and put her hand on his thigh as they pulled away from the beach. He turned to look at her and she could see the desire in his dark eyes. She slid her hand up to the bulge in his pants and began massaging him. He moaned and tried desperately to pay attention to his driving.

"Do you want me to stop so you can drive?" she asked.

"No," he said. "I want you to tease me until I can't stand it anymore," he said. "Hopefully we'll make it back to my house and I don't have to pull over and take you right here."

Kelsey continued to stroke him and tease him. She kissed his neck and ran her hands over his chest and up his legs. At a stoplight she pulled up her shirt and he turned to look at her. He reached out to touch her breast and the car behind him honked to tell him the light had turned green. He growled and turned his attention back to the road although Kelsey didn't put her shirt down. She pulled her skirt up and Gene put his hand between her legs and began to stroke her.

She didn't think she'd be able to wait until they got back to his place. She wanted him so badly that her body was aching.

"Pull over," she said. He smiled and turned down a dark street and shut the car off. Kelsey unfastened Gene's pants and straddled him, being careful not to sit on the horn.

It was a tight squeeze between the steering wheel and Gene so he leaned down and moved the seat back. Once she was in position, she slid his cock inside her, gasping at the intensity of the sensation. He lightly ran his fingers over her nipples before taking one of her breasts into his mouth and sucking on it. He thrust up and Kelsey cried out and at the same time hit her head on the roof of the car.

"Ouch!" she said.

"You okay?" he asked continuing to thrust but not as hard.

"Yeah. There's not much head room in this car," she said.

"Then let's wait until we get back to my place. It's not far," he said. Kelsey didn't want him to stop what he was doing, but she really wanted to get back to his place so they could continue. She slowly pulled it out and then climbed off of him and sat back in her seat.

Gene carefully fastened his pants and started the car. They made record time getting back to his house and they hurried into the house. Once inside he pulled her to him and began kissing her lips, neck and throat. He pulled her shirt off and then pulled her skirt off so she was completely naked except for the stockings and garters she wore.

"I think more women should dress like this," he said looking her up and down approvingly. Kelsey posed for him for a moment and then laughed.

"Now it's your turn to take something off," she said.

"Why don't you help me," he said with a smile. Kelsey slowly pulled off his shirt and then reached for his belt and unfastened it. Now that they were alone and in his home she was nervous again. It was obvious Gene had had many lovers and she wondered how she compared to them.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" she asked. He kissed her.

"Sure," he said.

"How many women have you been with?" she asked, her hand poised on his zipper.

"Enough to know you can't compare them with each other," he said looking at her. "Each woman is different," he said.

Kelsey was surprised. He had read her mind again. She looked down, momentarily embarrassed and was surprised when he lifted her chin up to look at him.

"Every woman is special in her own way. Don't compare yourself to any of the other women I've been with. I won't," he said with a smile. Kelsey smiled and then unzipped his jeans slowly bringing them both back to why they were there. Once they were both naked he took her hand and led her up the stairs to his bedroom. The bed was HUGE, certainly big enough for five people.

He picked her up and laid her on the bed and then walked over and flipped a switch turning on the gas fireplace. The light from the fire cast irregular shadows across his face and Kelsey could easily see the Demon, even without the make-up.

"So did you get the answers to all your questions?" he asked as he climbed on top of her. He ran his tongue up her body and she felt her body starting to tingle again.

"Almost all of them," she said running her fingers through his hair.

"Which one didn't I answer?" he asked sucking on her nipple.

"Are you as good as you say you are?" she asked. He stopped and looked up at her, a wicked smile slowly spreading across his face.

"I'll let you be the judge," he said as he slipped inside her. She moaned and wrapped her legs around him. "So good so far. Is it alright?" he asked with a smile.

"For a moment there I thought I was in bed with Paul," she said with a laugh. He smiled a truly wicked smiled and leaned in really close.

"I guess I'll just have to show you who you're in bed with," he said.

"Show me that tongue again," she said.

Gene stuck his tongue out and began caressing her lips with it and then held her arms above her head. He pulled out and when she tried to reach for his tongue with her lips he stayed just out of her reach. He wiggled his tongue at her and she tried again but he held her down.

"Is this what you want?" he asked. She nodded her head and tried again but he stayed just out of her reach. "You see, Paul is a lot nicer than I am and he probably would have given in by now. But I'm not Paul," he said.

Kelsey was ready to beg, but she didn't want to. She figured Gene had probably been begged by hundreds of women and she was determined NOT to beg. He lightly caressed her with his tongue and Kelsey felt her willpower melting away. She wanted him so badly, but she didn't want to beg. She wanted to play hard to get...well, as hard to get as she could, seeing as how she was in bed, naked with him already.

She could see the hunger in his eyes and knew he wanted her. Would she be able to hold out until he gave in? He ran his tongue down between her breasts and she moaned. Wouldn't it just be easier to beg? She was battling with herself internally. She really wanted Gene, but she didn't want to beg. How many women had made HIM beg?

"Are you the strong silent type?" he asked flicking his tongue over her nipples. She fixed her eyes on his and smiled.

"Maybe," she said. He smiled and let go of her hands. That was what she had been waiting for. She got up off the bed and ran out of the room. She wasn't expecting to hear Gene so close behind her. She laughed and ran down the steps hoping she wouldn't trip and fall. She ran, not knowing where she was going and ended up in a small dark room.

"You're trapped now," he said. She looked around and realized she was in a room with a hot tub. She backed into the room and he turned on a set of lights in the hot tub and then turned on the water jets. She backed up to the hot tub and down the steps until she was in the hot bubbling water. Gene followed her down until they were both in the water. "Why did you run away?" he asked caressing her shoulder. Kelsey felt a shiver run down her spine despite the hot water.

"You didn't think I was going to make it easy for you, did you?" she asked with a sly smile.

"I see. You're making me earn it?" he asked.

"You could say that," she said.

"You mean the interview wasn't enough?" he asked, a sad, puppy-dog look on his face. Kelsey couldn't help but laugh at the expression on his face.

"The interview wasn't for me. That was for the magazine," she said.

"But this is for you," he said stroking his cock. Kelsey smiled and stepped closer. She took his hands and put them on her breasts and then took his cock in her hands and began to stroke it. Gene leaned his head back and moaned. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him against her. The feeling of his wet skin against her own wet skin was enough to drive her wild. Gene sat down and Kelsey straddled him. She felt the head of his cock and he slowly slid it in.

"There's more head room here," she said with a laugh. He smiled and nibbled on her throat as he began to thrust deeply into her.

Kelsey could understand why women wanted him the way they did. Gene seemed to know exactly where to touch her to make her go crazy. His hands found her most sensitive spots and caressed them as he continued to fuck her. She began moaning louder and louder until she was screaming his name.

When she finally came she was exhausted. Moments after she came, he came, gripping her hips and forcing himself as deep inside her as he could.

Kelsey rested her head on his shoulder, her breath coming in ragged gasps. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. After a while the jets turned off and Gene carefully picked her up and carried her out of the hot tub. He set her down and grabbed a robe for her to wear and wrapped a towel around his waist. After she put the robe on he picked her back up and carried her up the stairs to his bedroom. He carefully lay her down on the bed and pulled the blankets back before removing the robe for her. He took his towel off and climbed in next to her. She curled up against him and they both quickly fell asleep.

"Hey Gene, whose car is that in your driveway?"

Kelsey snuggled down under the blankets and felt Gene pull her tighter against him.

"Gene? Are you up here?" asked the voice. Kelsey recognized the voice, but she couldn't tell who it was. The bedroom door opened and someone walked in. "Gene...oh, sorry man. I didn't realize you were still sleeping," he said. Kelsey looked up to see someone standing in the doorway. She guessed it had to be Paul Stanley by the voice and hair.

"We were going to be getting up soon anyway," said Gene kissing her shoulder.

"I'll be downstairs," said Paul walking out and shutting the door. Kelsey rolled over and looked at Gene.

"What time is it?" she asked rubbing her eyes. He leaned over and looked at the clock.

"It's 1:30," he said. Kelsey sat up, panicking.

"What? How could it be that late??" she asked getting out of bed. "My boss is gonna kill me," she said looking for her clothes. Gene got out of bed.

"We were up pretty late. You want me to call him and talk to him?" asked Gene.

"No. I'll just tell him I had car trouble or something," she said still searching for her clothes. "Where are my clothes?" she asked.

"Probably still downstairs. I'll go get them," he said with a smile. He put on some shorts and left the room. A few minutes later he came back carrying her clothes. "Would you like a different shirt to put on?" he asked handing her clothes to her.

"Um, yes. Thank you," she said. He went to his closet and pulled out a black button-down shirt and handed it to her. She quickly put it on and looked at herself in the mirror. She pulled a comb out of her purse and tried to make herself look presentable. "Thank you for the interview and a wonderful evening," she said smiling. He pulled her to him and kissed her.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. I had a great time too," he said. He walked her to the front door and then she hurried off to her car.

Kelsey broke the land speed record getting to the office and tried to walk in inconspicuously. It didn't work.

"Where the HELL have you been?" demanded her editor.

"I overslept," she said, deciding not to lie.

"I can see that! Did you get the interview?" he asked. It was obvious to Kelsey by the tone of his voice that he assumed that she didn't.

"Yes. I just have to type it up," she said.

"Well hurry up! We have deadlines here," he said and stormed back into his office. She sat down at her desk and turned on the tape player and began to type out the questions and answers Gene had given her.

"So what was it like to interview Gene Simmons?" asked David, one of the other writers.

"It was a religious experience," she said with a smile. David's eyebrows raised for a moment.

"Religious? How was it religious?" he asked.

"I spent the evening worshipping the God of Thunder," she said.

"Ookaaay," he said shaking his head and walking away. After about an hour she heard some whispering and looked up to see Gene walking toward her desk in full make-up. She smiled and felt her face flush because everyone was watching her.

"Good afternoon," he said.

"Good afternoon Gene. What's up?" she asked.

"Well, you forgot your shirt at my house, and I wanted to give it back to you, but I thought I'd wait until there wasn't anyone else around," he said in a whisper. "I also wanted to give you these," he said handing her an envelope. She opened it and smiled. "There's two tickets and two backstage passes for tonight's show. Bring a friend and then we can go out afterwards. The limo will pick you up at your place at 7:00," he said loud enough for everyone listening in to hear.

"Okay. Thanks!" she said getting up. She quickly wrote her address on a piece of paper and handed it to him. "I'll see you tonight," she said. He pulled her to him and kissed her passionately before turning and walking out. He turned to glare at her editor as he walked past him. Kelsey wiped the black lipstick off her lips and smiled as he turned to wave before walking out the door.

"Worshipping the God of Thunder?" asked David suddenly next to her. She smiled and sat back down at her desk.

"Let them wonder," she thought to herself. She was excited because not only would she see the concert tonight, but she would get to go backstage. Kelsey picked up the phone and called her friend Shannon.

"Shannon, how would you like to go see KISS tonight and go backstage?" she asked.

"Stop playing with me. You know how much I want to go to that concert and see Paul, but it's sold out," she said.

"And what if I told you I had tickets and backstage passes?" said Kelsey.

"I'd ask who you had to blow to get them," she said. Kelsey began to laugh.

"No one, but we are special guests tonight...unless you don't want to go," said Kelsey teasingly.

"Girl, I am so there! What time are you picking me up?" she asked.

"Meet me at my house. The limo will be there at 7:00," she said.

"Limo? How on earth did you manage this?" she asked.

"I have friends," said Kelsey.

"Yeah, well I wanna meet these friends," said Shannon.

"I think that can be arranged. Listen, I have to go but I'll see you at my house by 7:00," said Kelsey. She hung up the phone and got back to work on her story.

Her editor came over to her later in the day and watched as she typed. She wondered what he was thinking and decided that she didn't care. He probably wouldn't like her story either since some of the material was certainly controversial. Hard Rock Magazine didn't make a habit out of talking about someone's sexual encounters, but her editor did say he wanted a fresh perspective on Gene Simmons and Kelsey knew she had never seen anything like this on him in any magazine.

She finished typing and took the copy to her editor and handed it to him. She went back to her desk and waited for the comments that were sure to come. After about ten minutes, her editor came over to her desk.

"What is this shit?" he asked dropping the article on her desk.

"It's the interview you wanted me to do," she said. She decided she was not going to let her editor intimidate her anymore.

"I wanted an interview on the bassist from KISS, not his sexual habits," he said leaning in and yelling.

"Well, if you took the time to meet him or even get to know him, you'd realize that this is who he is," she said pointing to the article.

"Oh, so you two are close now," he said.

"Yes," she said with a smile.

"Well I don't see KISS staying around very long. Their gimmicks won't keep them popular when the tastes in music change," he said.

"Are you going to print my interview?" she asked bringing the subject back to her interview.

"No. I'll send someone else over to do an interview," he said and walked away. Kelsey tried to stay angry but she couldn't. She felt the tears stinging her eyes and just wanted to get out of there. She grabbed her purse and left for the day. It wasn't quite 5:00 yet but she didn't care. She didn't care if she got fired. She wasn't going to be treated like that anymore and if it meant quitting her job and getting a job somewhere other than a magazine and doing something other than writing, then that's what she'd do!

Shannon arrived at her house at 6:00 and they had something to eat while they waited for the limo. Kelsey didn't tell Shannon that she had interviewed Gene or what her editor had said about the article. She didn't want to think about it right now. She was going to a KISS concert and going backstage and she would see Gene again. Nothing else mattered right now. The limo arrived and they climbed in and headed to the show.

"Who gave you the tickets?" Shannon asked.

"Someone got them for me through the magazine," she said. It wasn't entirely a lie. It was because of her job at the magazine that she got the tickets.

When they arrived at the show, they were escorted to their seats in the front row right in the center of the stage.

"We're close enough that Paul can sweat on us and Gene can spit blood on us!" said Shannon.

"This is gonna be so cool! A sold out show and we have front row center seats!" said Kelsey. She was so excited. She had wanted to go to one of the concerts when they had come through California before, but she was never able to get tickets. Now she had an 'in' with the band. She laughed to herself.

"What's so funny?" asked Shannon noticing the smile on Kelsey's face.

"I'm just excited about the show! We FINALLY get to see KISS in concert! Live and loud!" she said.

"You better thank whoever gave you those tickets. Give them whatever they want. Hell, I'LL give them whatever they want," she said. Kelsey laughed again.

The concert started and Kelsey and Shannon sang every song as loud as they could. Gene looked down at Kelsey and stuck his tongue out at her. She stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed. Kelsey wondered if Shannon would notice that Gene seemed to be spending a lot of time in the center of the stage and making lots of eye contact with her, but then she realized that Shannon's attention was focused on Paul. Nothing existed except the music and Paul. Kelsey could tell Shannon was in heaven and wondered if she would faint when she met Paul.

When the final encore was over Kelsey and Shannon showed their backstage passes to the security guards and they were taken back to the dressing room area. They were led past groups of waiting fans to the actual dressing room.

"Wait here. It might be a few minutes," said the security guard. Kelsey thanked him and Shannon began looking around the room looking in things.

"You know if you get caught you'll get thrown out and you'll never meet Paul," said Kelsey. Shannon stopped for a moment.

"I know, but I'm curious about their off-stage personalities. Aren't you?" she asked as she continued to poke around in the dressing room.

"Of course, but you're not going to find out much from what's here," she said. Shannon finally contented herself with sitting in one of the make-up chairs. After about a half an hour the door opened and Paul, Gene, Ace and Peter walked in. Shannon stood up and stared, unable to speak. Kelsey smiled as Gene came over to her and kissed her.

"Did you enjoy the show?" he asked.

"We loved it! Didn't we Shannon," she said. Kelsey looked over at her friend who was staring at her in awe. "We had a great time. Thanks so much for the tickets and the passes. This is my friend Shannon," she said introducing her stunned friend. She leaned in close to Gene. "She's a big fan of Paul," she said. He smiled.

"Well, I'm glad because I wouldn't want to have to divide my time between the two of you," he said with a wicked smile. Gene leaned over to Paul and said something while Kelsey talked to Ace. She had briefly met Paul when she left Gene's house earlier that day and now she was getting a chance to talk to the others.

"So what did you think of the show Shannon?" asked Paul. She finally found her voice and smiled.

"It was fantastic! I hope you guys are gonna make another record soon," she said moving closer to Paul.

"Of course. As a matter of fact, as soon as we're done with this tour, we'll be going back into the studio," he said.

"Hey, are you moving in on my woman?" asked Gene putting his hand on Ace's shoulder.

"I don't see your mark on her," he said. Gene lifted Kelsey's long hair and pointed to a bite mark on her neck.

"You just didn't look hard enough," he said with a smile. Ace smiled and gave Kelsey a kiss on the cheek.

"Maybe we can talk later," he said and walked away. Kelsey looked up at Gene. He was certainly intimidating in the platforms and makeup.

"He'll never learn," said Gene with a laugh.

"You guys hungry?" asked Peter finally prying himself away from a woman who had managed to get into the dressing room area. She was being led away by security screaming something about how she WILL find him and he WILL love her. He sighed and shook his head sadly. "Should we head to the party?" he asked.

"Yeah. You guys wanna ride with us?" asked Paul. Of course, both Kelsey and Shannon agreed right away. They followed the guys out to the limo and everyone piled in.

"What did your editor think of your interview?" asked Gene as the limo pulled away from the concert hall.

"He hated it," she said looking down at her hands.

"Why?" he asked.

"He said he wanted an article about you, not your sexual desires," she said, anger clouding her mood.

"But my sexual desires ARE me," he said with a wicked smile. "He's not going to print it?" he asked.

"No. He's going to be sending someone else to interview you," she said.

"Wait, you interviewed him?" asked Shannon pointing at Gene.

"Yeah, that's how we got the tickets and passes," said Kelsey with a smile.

"That is so great! You are so lucky Kelsey," she said.

"Hey, what about me?" asked Paul. "Would you rather have Gene?" he asked playfully.

"No! Besides, I think Kelsey's got that 'bass' covered," she said laughing at her own joke.

"What magazine do you work for?" asked Peter.

"I work for Hard Rock Magazine," she said.

"They suck! They won't print any articles about us or even acknowledge that we exist," said Peter.

"You should have heard what my editor said about you guys," she said.

"What did he say?" asked Ace.

"He said KISS won't be around very long and that your gimmicks won't keep you popular when the tastes in music change," she said.

"Hell, that's what the first reviewers said about us in '73 when we were opening for other bands. Now look where we are," said Ace.

"We'll set him straight," said Gene. Kelsey saw the look on Gene's face and wondered what he meant by that comment.

"You're not going to kill him are you?" she asked. Gene smiled an evil smile.

"No...not kill him," he said.

The limo came to a stop and the doors were opened. Gene got out and then offered his hand to Kelsey and Paul did the same for Shannon. There was a large tent set up and hundreds of people milling around.

"What's the party for?" asked Kelsey.

"It's our way of thanking our promoters, sponsors and staff," said Peter.

"It's basically an ass-kissing party," said Gene. Kelsey laughed.

"You don't sound thrilled about that," she said.

"I didn't kiss anyone's ass to get where I am today and I don't intend to start kissing ass now," he said. Kelsey laughed. That was certainly one of the things she found so attractive about Gene. He knew what he wanted and he'd do anything but kiss someone's ass to get it. He didn't put on an act to impress people. What you see is what you get.

"But he'll kiss something else if you ask nicely," said Ace as he walked past Gene and Kelsey. Everyone laughed and walked into the party. There were photographers there taking pictures so the guys posed for quite a few shots before heading over to the food table.

"Hey, you guys should go over and introduce yourselves to the president of Mercury records and his wife," said their manager. Gene rolled his eyes, Paul sighed and Peter and Ace made gagging sounds as the manager walked away. It was obvious that none of them wanted to talk to any executives, but it was just as obvious that they knew they had to at least be polite if they wanted to remain on Mercury's label.

"Would you ladies excuse us for a minute," said Gene. Kelsey watched the four of them walk over and wait to be introduced to the president and his wife. They towered over the elderly couple and Kelsey could tell Gene was enjoying the fact that he was intimidating them.

"Are you enjoying the evening so far Shannon?" asked Kelsey.

"I can't b