Chapter Six #2
He ruffled her hair, and she hissed at him. Actually hissed.
Kern and Rhymbia were staring at them when Eudora looked at them. She sighed. “What?”
Rhymbia laughed. “You two are so cute! And he’s scary good-looking.”
“Yup. I know. He knows. Hostesses at restaurants know. The people who get him coffee know. The night guard at the office knows. His brother knows and thinks it is fucking hilarious.” She ticked them off on her fingers.
Kern’s eyes glowed, and he laughed.
Eudora looked at Sern. “Can you take a basilisk gaze?”
“Yes.”
“Cool. I can too. No need to wear the lenses while drinking cocoa, Kern.”
Kern blinked. “You are a special beta?”
“Sort of. I am the same kind of beta as Persephone’s sister-in-law. Different flavour, but same general type.”
Rhymbia said, “What kind of beta?”
“Um, strength? It isn’t as useful as you think.”
Rhymbia blinked. “How strong?”
“Whatever I need.”
Rhymbia smiled. “I could have used that a time or two.”
“You had it when you wanted it. Still do, for that matter.”
“Oh. Right.” Rhymbia blushed. “Forgot about that. Wait, how do you know?”
“The knowledge that comes is more useful than the strength. I can see energy signatures and know what they do.” She pointed to Sern. “I can also spot his folk at a distance.”
He smiled and lifted her hand to his lips.
“So, are you finished arguing about my underwear?”
“We are. Though it is a topic I would like to revisit.”
She glared at him. “No.”
“You chose it all?”
“Yes.”
“Then, I now have an idea of your taste.”
She laughed. “Not really. It was just clothing that fit under the dresses I had to wear.”
He snorted. “Likon provided images.”
“Of course he did. Panty photos are up his alley.”
Sern chuckled. “They were very pretty.”
“Thanks. I don’t think they are your size.”
“Likon is going to have them boxed up for you.”
“Great. I don’t have anywhere to put them.”
Sern frowned. “What?”
“My apartment is subsistence level only. There isn’t room for much. Ask Den. He was over to help set up my equipment. That’s what led to burger night.”
“Ah. Right.”
“It’s a studio. The bed and desk are in the same room. One small dresser and a teeny closet that does not have room for designer gowns that conceal everything.”
Sern nodded. “I saw a few of those as well. Fortunately, Pandora has a flair for the dramatic, and she wants to highlight you as much as possible.”
“I have no objection, but once they are fitted to me, not a seamstress in town will be able to alter them. I have a very specific figure.”
Sern smiled. “I am aware. You had the gym at your feet.”
“Yeah, it made walking to the change room weird.”
Rhymbia laughed. “I have really missed you at all the formal stuff. You made it fun and a safe place to be. All the noobs were in your orbit, and even some of the newly single ladies.”
“I have a fun aura.” She smiled.
Sern took her hand and squeezed. “You really do. Magnus is writing up the paperwork. When he’s done, you sign it, and it’s done. The judge we saw is waiting for it.”
Eudora winced. “Vasuki’s uncle.”
Sern chuckled. “Caught that, huh?”
“I have known Judge Hall for a while. He’s very proud of the matches that his family is making. It is a very interesting time for local society.”
Kern smiled. “I’ll say. My mother is in a tizzy at every event and charity lunch. So many new faces, and she’s trying to sort them all in her mind. She missed you as well.”
“Oh, boy. Is she going to be there Sunday?”
He grinned. “She wasn’t, but knowing that you are going to be there, she is probably going to break protocol and make her way there. She really likes you.”
Eudora grimaced. “Right. Wow. This is going to be less an auction and more a reunion.”
Sern grinned. “I am looking forward to it.”
Rhymbia smiled. “You are attending things with Miss Congeniality. She draws a crowd.”
Eudora snorted. “Nice. Classy. We can’t all start a preggo fight in the middle of cocktail hour.”
Rhymbia grinned. “And I won!”
They sat around chatting for an hour more, and then the documents were ready, and Sern and she read them over before signing.
That was it. The agreement was set, and when it was all signed, she hugged Likon and said, “Next time, be more direct. If you want a lover, find one. Don’t bother going for a roommate first. You don’t have the patience for it. ”
He looked at her and blinked slowly. “If I had seduced you, what would your response have been?”
“If I were frisky? I would have tossed you to the couch and pinned you. The rest, we will never know, and that is for the best. I think I would have chewed you up like a lawnmower.” She patted his arm.
Likon stared at her and nodded slowly. “I think you would have.”
She grinned.
Likon jerked his head toward Sern. “What about him?”
“Oh, I think we might get there eventually. Besides, he looks sturdy.”
Sern chuckled. “Indeed.”
She grinned and looked at the stack of documents. “Ready? I have to spend tomorrow remembering makeup and how to do my nails.”
Rhymbia perked up. “Do you want a spa day?”
Eudora frowned. “A what?”
Rhymbia bit her lip and texted frantically. When the text was answered, she got up and made a call.
She wandered out of the room, talking slowly, and Kern filled in, “Theo’s sister and her wife own a spa.”
“Oh. Uh. That seems rather involved.”
“It appears that Rhymbia wants to adopt you, so get used to it. You seriously have never had a spa day?”
“Um, I know it is a standard thing, but having strange people touching me has never been high on my priorities.”
When Rhymbia came back in, she looked disappointed. “They are packed because of the Sunday event. Sorry. I wanted to do something fun.”
“No problem. I am not good with the idea. I am just glad my money unlocked today. Now I can get some gear for Sunday and be halfway presentable.”
Sern said, “I will have your possessions put into storage.”
“There should only be about one wardrobe box and three small ones.”
Likon frowned. “There has to be more.”
“No, I kept the clothing to a minimum and had some stuff altered so I could wear it again. Oh. There is probably a box of toiletries and makeup in the bathroom. Four boxes and a wardrobe box, and I don’t have room for any of it.”
Sern took her hand and squeezed it. “I will store it. Most of it. You are getting the underwear. They may be handy.”
She snorted. “Well, this has been an exhausting few weeks, and now I know I can destroy Nelson and call it self-defense. It is giving me a warm, fuzzy feeling.”
Likon said, “I will have it delivered. Where are you living?”
“None of your business. If there is a chance of Nelson learning it, I don’t want it spoken out loud.”
“But Copperwell knows it.”
“Sure. His brother was at my place, setting up a work computer. You owned my normal rig. I needed a home setup.”
He frowned. “You could have taken it.”
“And Nelson would have had me arrested immediately. He wanted me down with nothing so that he could sweep in like a hero or blackmail me into bed. I am not sure which.”
Likon stared. “You... you aren’t kidding.”
“He suggested our arrangement, right? As a way to keep the ladies at bay? It had to be me, right? Why do you think that was? It had to be me, and I had to be helpless, at least on paper. When our agreement broke, and it would break, he would be there to crush me and then offer his hand in comfort.” She looked to Sern. “Are you ready to go?”
He nodded. “I am. Magnus, I will do the filing.”
“Yes. We can transfer the clothing tomorrow.”
Eudora shrugged. “As long as I don’t have to see it. Ask Den how small my apartment is.”
Sern looked at her, smiled, and sent a text, then paled. “He had to turn sideways through the door?”
“Yup. And I was able to make my bed and eat dinner two feet away. It’s too small for anything.”
Likon asked, “Then why did you get it?”
She tapped him in the forehead. “Because a friend offered it for free when Nelson froze my account. That was before I left, by the way. I knew that Arwell was involved in shelters, and when she learned about my situation, she offered the apartment for six weeks. That should have been enough time to sort things. Now, I need one more complete paycheque, and then I will have enough for a tiny, crappy apartment, but it will be mine.”
Sern looked at her and nodded. “That’s fair.”
She sighed. “Great. If I have to see one more lawyer without canapes being involved, I think I am going to scream.”
Sern grinned. “Hungry?”
“A little. Self-control does not come naturally.”
Kern snorted. “That seems to be an affliction of enhanced betas.”
She looked at him and flared to power, showing him what she was hiding. “I keep saying, I am not an enhanced beta.”
Rhymbia’s eyes went wide, and with the exception of Sern, the men were shocked.
She looked at Sern, “Too much?”
“Perfect. Just perfect.” He leaned down and brushed his lips across hers.
She blinked in surprise. “Oh.” Curls of heat ran through her at the light contact.
The room flared green, and there was a chuckle. “Oh, wow. That’s a match.” Kern’s voice was dark.
Rhymbia sighed. “That is so sweet and so scary.”
Magnus was covering his eyes. “Which one is scary?”
Kern said, “Both of them.”
Coming from a basilisk, it was a compliment. She leaned back and smiled.
Likon was stunned, and she carefully turned him away from Kern’s glowing gaze. “Don’t look into the light.”
Kern snickered and put on his lenses.
Sern took the document packet, verified that everything was in there, and slid it toward Kern. “A witness, please.”
Kern nodded and signed the documents one after another. He also scribbled a descriptor of his relationship to those named. Sern looked and nodded.
“Right. We will leave you to it. I would also call your other mates because she’s in a silent heat right now.”
Kern sighed. “Squealer.”
Rhymbia laughed.
Sern ushered Likon and Eudora out of the house and nodded to the other alpha. “You all right to drive?”
“Yeah. What is that green light?”