by Viola Grace
“Armor in clothing?”
He grinned. “The modern era is a wonderful place. Consider it a uniform to get you in touch with your inner self.”
The goddess was whispering something to her that she wanted Serene to pass along. She checked her watch. The half-hour was almost up. She got to her feet, “Well, I have to get back to work, so I just have a message from one of my occupants.”
The goddess had been very specific on how to deliver the message. Serene walked around the corner of the table and leaned toward the Boss. When she was inches from his ear, she whispered, “Six days and seven nights.”
His pupils went black, and his body locked. She moved away from his grasp and headed back to her office. She was settled and working when the building began to tremble. She went about her tasks, and it was a surprise when Etta arrived. She had a measuring tape around her neck and a triumphant grin on her expression. She even brought a stool for Serene to stand on.
“Come on. If you are going to be accompanying the Boss places, you had better get a better wardrobe. I have been waiting for this since you were hired.”
“You... you’re like him?”
Etta shrugged. “Same origins, but like you, I have to live the human life over and over. It’s fine. She always comes to the humans who take her when they are in need, and she makes us stronger and able to survive once again, so we take on her trade.”
“Who was she?”
“A weaver who was abused by her father. Goddess kept her from any additional effects, but she lived the rest of her life untouched by men.”
“Wow. That is so sad.”
Etta grinned. “I never said untouched by women. This life has been a lot of fun. Now, up on the stool so I can get a measurement for a hemline. As well as everything else.”
Serene made a face but got to her feet. She stepped up on the stool, and Etta got to work. The tape whipped around, and she muttered a few times. “Do you have to choose the least flattering bra?”
“Well, I like to keep them contained and out of the way.”
“Hmph. That has to change, or you are going to wreck my new designs. I think some are going to fit as-is. I will have to take up the slit on the skirt. It’s a good thing that I have been planning for this.” Etta was cheerfully humming to herself.
Neil popped his head around. “You still need that lift, Serene?” He was unfazed by her standing on a stool with her arms out.
“Oh, please.”
“Etta, is this your case out here?”
Etta had a smug expression. “Yeah. Could you bring it in?”
Neil brought it around and set it on the desk. “Serene, are you going to be at the company workouts?”
Serene made an expression of disgust. “Yes.”
He laughed. “Well, looking forward to seeing you there, and don’t worry. If you need help, we will just carry you.”
“If you find a way to do crunches for me, we have a deal.”
He snickered and left the room.
Etta opened the case and pulled out a dress in a fabric that looked exceedingly faithful to whatever it touched. “You will need a slip with this, so it is a good thing that I brought one.”
Etta paused for a moment and then said, “Hand me your bra.”
“What?”
“Did I stutter?”
Serene unclasped the back and pulled the bra off, one arm at a time until the apparatus slid out of her sleeve. “Why do we have to do this now?”
“Because.” Etta smiled brightly, scowled at the plain nude fabric, and it changed in her hands, becoming something lacy with cups that would simply support and not compress.
Something happened to the fabric under her skirt. “Did you just make my underwear match?”
Etta giggled. “The goddess of textiles doesn’t get to work on folk like you very often. Don’t get me wrong. I like making the costumes for the games and conventions, but it is always working off someone else’s design. Dressing you? These are my designs.”
Etta sent her into the ladies’ room with everything, and when she came out in the silky, soft wrap dress, Etta frowned. “C’mere.”
The hairpins were plucked from her bun, and Etta muttered, “I have never seen hair with an armory in it before. Aha. It’s loose.”
She untwisted the bun, and Serene stood while her hair cascaded to the middle of her back.
Etta stood back and looked shocked. “Oh my. I completely get it now.”
Serene was embarrassed. “Get what?”
“Oh, nothing. Nothing, my queen. I will get out of your way. I have alterations on a few things to do. You do need new shoes, though.”
“Yeah, I also need a replacement car. We can’t have what we want all the time.” She smiled. “Can I get back to work now?”
Etta paused and blushed. “Can I have a hug?”
Serene blinked and smiled. “Of course, but then, get out of my office and take your instruments of torture with you.”
“Deal.” Etta opened her arms, and Serene walked into them.
She stood with Etta in her embrace until the seamstress smiled at her. “Thank you. I feel better.”
“Um, I am glad. Now, instruments of torture, you, gone.” She smiled and returned to her desk. Two more hours before she had to report... again.
Chapter Nine
She got to her feet two minutes before the alarm sounded. Her practical heels clicked on the stone flooring, and she approached the meeting room. He wasn’t there.
She checked her phone, and the alarm went off. Meeting changed to Boss’s office. Shrugging, she walked past the bullpen and headed for the steps to the third floor. The clicking of fingers on keys came to a sudden stop as she reached the landing and continued to walk up the glass-walled staircase.
Okay, so there was a bit of a swing in her hips as she reached the third floor and headed for the Boss’s office. Now that she knew what was going on, she could see the throne room effect from the hallway. Everything led to him, and he could see it all if he wanted to. She walked to his office and knocked.
“Come in, Serene.”
She walked in, and the feed from the monitors in all the public spaces was replaying her little strut to his office.
He looked up at her, and his eyes were a frightening mix of gold and crimson. “Are you pleased with yourself?”
She walked toward him and set her notebook down on his desk. “A little bit. Yeah.”
She trailed her fingers along the edge of his desk and walked around it until she was next to him. She pushed on his chair, and his scowling face was glaring at her.
Absentmindedly, she hiked up her skirt and knelt on his chair, straddling him. “So, doing exactly as you want makes you mad. Good to know.”
She cupped his jaw and kissed him. It was a sweet kiss that rapidly turned carnal when he got involved. His hands cupped her hips, and his tongue devoured her. She squirmed against him, and he chuckled before leaning back. His eyes were now his normal golden brown.
“That was clever. How did you know it would work?”
“I didn’t. She did. She also gave me a very graphic display of what usually came next. That is pretty much a few levels above where I currently am.”
He trailed his fingers down her neck and into her now-visible cleavage. “What level are you at?”
She shrugged. “Five? Still a few away from my first boss battle.”
He sighed and then cocked his head. “Allow me to help you level up.”
He lifted her until she was sitting at the edge of his desk, her thighs still spread by their position on the chair. She took her lower lip between her teeth as he settled and parted her even further. He touched the tie at her waist, and the knot slithered loose. She was covered by the slip and very thankful for it at that moment.
“How very old fashioned of Etta, I must remind myself to send her my compliments. Later.” He stroked the silk of her slip,
exposing the lace of her bra. There was a happy sound that came from his throat. His hand caressed her down to her thigh, and then, it pulled the silk up again.
He rolled his chair forward, which had the effect of flexing her knees and widening the space between her thighs.
Oh, boy.
The goddess inside her kept her calm as he started with his fingers, easing the lace aside and gently stroking, and the goddess inside her had to hold her down when his tongue entered the equation.
Her body arched violently, and she whimpered as his tongue taunted her with the promise of fire. He lifted one of her feet, flicked off her shoe, and put her foot on his shoulder while the flame grew. She gasped for air and shivered, sweat coating her and her hips lifting to meet the onslaught.
A low choked cry came from her lips when her world caught fire. Her hands slammed to his desk, and in a flash, she burned... and it was amazing.
She lay limp and fought to control her breathing. When he lifted her and settled her against his chest, she closed her eyes and listened to his heart pound.
She was still kneeling, but her underwear was back where it started.
He sighed and said, “And when those two wed, the couple closed in the chamber, and it remained closed for six nights and seven days. Feasts were arranged for them, but they did not emerge.” He pressed a kiss to her temple. “We are going to have to arrange some time off for that.”
She let out a startled burst of laughter and looked up at him. “I think you have a week off late July.”
He licked his lips. “I don’t think I am going to make it.”
Serene stroked his jaw. “I have faith in you, Boss. Why do I call you that, by the way? I know your name, it is on your accounts.”
He chuckled. “Many years ago, I read of a spell to make a specific name turn into a specific thing. When we started this business, the Boss was the end of the game, so I worked the compulsion on my name. Folks don’t even know they are doing it.”
She finally saw part of him that should have been obvious. “You are just a giant nerd, aren’t you?”
He kissed her, and she tasted herself on him.
When he left a quarter of an inch between them, he whispered, “Yes.”
She giggled.
He pressed his forehead to hers. “You seem to have overcome your fear of contact with me.”
“Not to feed your ego, but it was like facing a burning coal. I had to think so hard where to put my hands that I freaked myself out.”
“My smugness is huge right now.”
“Oh, is that what you are calling it? Most guys go for a sword name.” She clapped her hand over her mouth. The goddess was laughing, and Miyuki was horrified.
He narrowed his eyes. “You are pretty cocky for a girl wearing next to nothing.”
“So, what is this meeting about?”
He caressed her hips. “How was your day?”
She started laughing, and he held her as she collapsed against him. When she had wiped the tears from her eyes, she croaked out, “Unexpected.”
“It will get easier. Just listen to what they are telling you. They have been through other lives before.”
“Yes, but in each of the major themes, your personal collection of men were womanizing idiots.”
He froze.
She sighed. “Am I in the current competition?”
“No. I called a halt to the arrangements on Friday.”
“Wait, were a few with some of the models?”
She lifted her head and glared at him. When she caught the look of embarrassment on his features, she pushed to get free. “That’s it, no more fun and games until you get a full STD panel.”
He held on, and she made two fists, punching him in the chest as she shoved herself back. She tied her dress closed, whipped off the shoe that she was wearing, and sprinted for the stairs, sliding down the banisters before making it to her office and grabbing for her sneakers and purse. The goddess did something to trap him on the third floor for a few minutes, but it wasn’t going to hold.
Neil must have been in his office because he came by and asked, “Did you still need a lift home?”
The building was shaking.
Serene nodded. “Yes. Immediately, if not sooner, please.”
Neil looked at the floor above, and he nodded. “Let’s go.”
Neil tucked her into his truck, and they roared into traffic. “So, what happened?”
She blushed. “We were having a perfectly nice... uh... chat. Then, I asked him if there were current mistresses, and he agreed there had been.”
“Idiot.”
“And I asked if he was with some of the character models, he said yes, so I told him that I wasn’t going to touch him again until he got a full STD panel.”
Neil’s shoulders were shaking. His voice was strangled. “Let me guess, you got out of there and sprinted back to your office, sans shoes.”
“Yep.”
“Oh, I am guessing that that didn’t go over well. He has been looking forward to you for a long time.”
She had to ask, “Right. What is your deal?”
“I have already made contact with my once-wife. Now, I have to reel her in.” He smiled. “I am guessing that celibacy from this point onward is recommended.”
“I would say so.”
Neil chuckled. “I am shocked that he isn’t blowing up your phone.”
She blinked. “Shit. I left it in his office.”
“Okay, then brace for it.”
The truck indicated an incoming call. Neil muttered, “Stay away from the screen.”
He used the steering controls and answered. “Hello, Boss.”
There was a heavy growl. “Where is she, Neil?”
“Halfway home, Boss. She’s safe and buckled in.”
“Serene.”
She answered with the clever. “Uh-huh?”
“My office, seven-thirty tomorrow morning.”
“Um, no.”
Neil was grinning.
“What?”
“The busses in my area don’t start until six-thirty, and it takes me an hour to get into work.”
“So?”
“I am not leaving the house at six to walk to the stop just so I can be nauseous for an hour wondering what the hell is going to happen.”
There was silence for a moment. “Fine. Come in for eight, and we will talk then.”
The call disconnected, and Serene looked at Neil. “I don’t think he’s gonna wait until tomorrow.”
“You are as intelligent as I remember.” He chuckled.
“Wait, you knew me? Her? Us?”
“I did. You get closer with every day. The Boss was devoted to you, and his primary self was second in our pantheon. It was you and his writing. That was his existence. When we were split, he went mad for a time, as we all did. Then, settling into an immortal life among humans taught us about the frailty of life and love. Then, we went looking for our queens. It was nearly impossible until technology created a global connection.”
His driving was smooth; it was as if cars moved aside at his approach.
“So, you have been waiting for technology to evolve?”
He grinned. “We, and other forgotten gods, have driven for technology to evolve. With the population so expanded, it was the only way.”
“Wait, other forgotten gods?”
“Yes, it is now a business model.”
She stared at her neighborhood in surprise. Whatever else he had said would have to be absorbed later. For now, she was home, and nothing looked as good to her as a door that would lock.
“Thanks, Neil. See you tomorrow.”
He grinned. “And workout on Wednesday. I am looking forward to it.”
“I will pick my baggiest sweats.” She smiled. “Thanks again.”
She got out of the truck and waved before heading into her house. She had a moment of panic when h
er keys eluded her, but then, she found the carabiner at the bottom of her purse and was in the house moments later.
She exhaled a slow breath with her heart pounding a mile a minute. It was when she inhaled that she realized she smelled like him. “Oh, this is going to be rough.”
Chapter Ten
A long and quiet night spent watching people in fluttery costumes running around the screen was just up her alley. She had had to dig out an old alarm clock and set it, or when she was going to get into work would be anyone’s best guess.
She left the bedroom television on, the sound down low, and fell asleep.
She felt a hand stroke her hair and a kiss on her forehead. An arm wrapped around her, and she was so nice and warm...
A cheerful chime sang next to her, and she sat up with a groan, silencing her phone. She paused and looked. Yup. That was her phone, next to a glass of water and a blueberry muffin.
There was a post-it on the glass. Good morning. You shouldn’t leave your television streaming, it could let all kinds of things in. Your phone is charged. Eat the muffin, drink the water, and I will see you at eight.
She looked over at her second pillow, and there was a Boss-sized dent in it. She looked down, and her PJs were gone, folded neatly on her desk. She couldn’t remember if she had them on when she went to sleep or not.
She went to get dressed, and her clothing was gone. All of it. Even her sweats. The only thing left was some garment bags with Etta’s spider logo.
Serene grimaced and opened one of the bags. She couldn’t help but smile. The dress was great. The bright red dress had a cowl neckline and a tight skirt. The underwear matched the colour. No slip with this one; it was meant to hang on. It was loose to the waist and then ridiculously fitted. She braided her hair but groaned when she saw that he had raided her bathroom as well. No hair tie. Walking through her house, she noted that the entire contents had disappeared. If she didn’t know where they had gone, she would have been panicked instead of angry. She did have a new set of shoes in the front entrance, and a purse had been loaded with her possessions and keys. It was a bit of a surprise to see both of them in her standard black.
