Zahra Unveiled

by Trace Komoros

  “Try it, Sari. Just know that if you do, you’ll get as good as you give.”

  THE NEXT MOMENTS WERE a blur as Sari divested me of my clothes in short order. I’m pretty sure I heard tearing noises as she did. Somehow, she got out of her clothes, too—it occurred to me somewhat belatedly that she probably just had to unseal them. Then her mouth was on me, hungry and demanding, as she went straight for what she wanted.

  I gasped and shuddered as she put her tongue to wicked use, then wrapped my legs around her shoulders and flipped her onto her back. I kept her pinned as I settled over her face then dove in to return her attentions in equal measure. I didn’t miss the flash of shock that spiked through her emotions, or the greed when she realized I’d just given her full access.

  My vision dimmed as she latched on with her mouth, her tongue doing wicked things to my clit as she sucked on it. I rode her face while I tormented her, using my teeth on her clit as I plunged two fingers deep into her pussy with no warning. She bucked underneath me, which spurred me to work her harder and faster.

  It became a race to see which of us could get the other off first. Both of us enjoyed the hell out of it, neither giving quarter nor asking for it. With our emotions as heightened as they were, it didn’t take long before we were writhing against each other, shaking and shuddering as we both hit the big “O.” Once I could move, I rolled to the ground beside her.

  “Damn, woman. Are you always this greedy?” My smile was evident in my voice.

  She nudged my shoulder with her leg. “Got a problem with that? We can go for round two if you do.” Her sensual threat was clear.

  My chuckle came out throatier than intended. “Not if you want me capable of sparring with you in...” I managed to look at my wrist holo, “...less than fifteen minutes.”

  “Oh, damn.” Sari shook her head as she sat up. “Yeah, I didn’t think that one through very well.”

  I laughed at her chagrined expression.

  She swatted my hip. “Come on, we both need to clean up then head into the shop. Oh, and don’t bother to put your clothes back on. Well, what’s left of your clothes.” She wrinkled her nose. “I was in a hurry, and they were stubborn. Plus, you wear my creations from now on.”

  It was a rather possessive comment, but I sensed that she meant nothing more than the simple fact that the outfits she’d created for me were far better protection than the clothes she’d torn.

  I brought my knees up and put my feet flat on the ground, then sat up and continued the motion until I was standing. I held out a hand, which she used to pull herself up and into me. Her hands took the long and leisurely path across my curves before she slid them around my neck, laced them together at my nape, and pulled me down for a kiss. When she let go, it was to turn and walk back into the house.

  “Meet me in the living room in five minutes. Oh, and Zahra?”

  “Yes?”

  “Thank you.” She blew me an impudent kiss as she walked through the door.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Zahra

  FIVE MINUTES LATER, I was in the living room as directed. Sari led me down the hallway that held the portal to her shop. The topsy-turvy feeling and spinning kaleidoscope of colors I experienced while we stepped from one hallway into another was no less disorienting the second time through. From there, we padded through the showroom into the fitting area.

  Once the door sealed behind us, Sari spoke the command sequence for ASA to display the new outfit. As before, it shimmered into being in front of me. I gasped. While I’d expected something similar to the emerald-and-black one she’d presented the day before, although maybe in a different color, she’d had other ideas.

  Delicate, curling vines outlined the bust, with a thicker one on the outer edge of each side running up to form a halter neck. A couple of smaller vines with strategically-placed leaves wove their way through the center of each cup. More vines trailed down the front, forming a center line that ran to a point that would hit just above my pelvis before it fanned out over my hips and down my upper thighs.

  As the outfit rotated, I saw that the same vine-work extended from the hips and swept around until it dipped into a deep vee above the ass, with scattered tendrils running a few inches down the back of each leg. The vines shimmered and changed colors between silver-tinted shades of green, blue, and purple, depending on the viewing angle. It was a stunning effect: ethereal and sensual at the same time.

  I was so engrossed in the intricately-detailed work that I almost didn’t hear Sari's command for ASA to display the footwear. When it appeared, my jaw dropped. Others might have paired the outfit with shoes that blended into invisibility, but Sari chose to make a bold statement with low-heeled thigh-high boots in the same color-changing material.

  She chuckled gleefully at my reactions. “Go on. You know the commands. I want to see how this looks on you.”

  I stepped forward as the outfit stopped rotating, fingers twisting in my unique code and gestures, then stood still as I finished the command sequence that told it to wrap around me. The vines felt like they were moving as the outfit molded to my curves and sealed shut, causing shivers to run under my skin. Once I had the boots on as well, Sari changed the walls to their mirrored state.

  “Fucking gorgeous,” she whispered as I stared at myself in shock.

  I had never in my life imagined that an outfit could combine so many of the things I loved without being an over-the-top, mish-mash of styles. Sari had done it and made it look as though it was a single, seamless design. The prismatic effect on the colors—my favorites—created the illusion that the vines were living, moving entities that chose to cling to me. The overall look was reminiscent of some of my favorite high fantasy book covers, and the outfit as a whole conveyed an earthy yet ethereal sensuality that I couldn’t accurately describe.

  “Sari,” I whispered, stunned, “how the hell did you know?”

  “That was my vision of you, Zahra,” she softly replied.

  I met her gaze in the mirror and dropped my ingrained social mask long enough for her to see all the emotions running through me right then. “Thank you.” The words conveyed so much more than just simple “thanks.”

  “You’re welcome. Thank you for allowing me to create this for you.” I realized Sari was just as affected when I felt the emotions underlying her reply.

  I watched myself in the mirrored walls as I moved around to test the fit, appreciating the subtle nuances of the outfit. Sari gave me a few more minutes to get used to the boots then lightly clapped her hands to bring me back to the matter at hand. “Ready to spar?”

  “Not quite. Needs an adjustment here.” I pointed to my left side. “Something feels like it’s not quite flat or smooth.”

  She approached and ran a finger over the area I’d indicated, the material moving under it. “Better?”

  I twisted and shrugged to test the adjustment. “Seems to be.”

  “Any other spots before we get started?”

  “Not that I can feel.”

  “Good.”

  She launched a snap kick as she spoke. I barely dodged it, once again blindsided by her flowing movements and fiendishly quick transitions. She followed it with a flurry of blows and kicks that kept me on the defensive although I managed to counter most of them. We broke apart during the natural rhythm of sparring. I used the split second for a mental note to self: read her emotions for tells, since she was so damn good at hiding the physical ones.

  Moments later, as I was about to fall for her feint, I realized she meant to take me down. Acting on the flash of intuition, I stepped into her punch, grabbed her hand, and hooked her ankle with my foot as I stiff-armed her in the chest with my other hand. She staggered, and I quickly let go before she turned my hold against me. She didn’t fall, but it gave me an opening to go after her.

  I feigned setting up a back kick but snapped around and caught her with a right cross to her solar plexus. It landed solidly, and she lost her breath. She r
etaliated in spite of it and landed a hard punch to my stomach while her knee came up between my legs before she dropped it, her foot raking my shin on the way down.

  Huh. Funny, that didn’t hurt the way it should’ve. The thought distracted me enough that she got in close and put me in an arm lock before I realized what happened. I countered it, although it was at the expense of some pulled muscles as I twisted to unlock then dropped in a desperation move. She went for the pin since I was on the ground, but I caught her with a foot to the midsection and shoved her away.

  I regained my feet as she came at me, our hands and feet in constant motion as we dueled. The tempo picked up, although I didn’t consciously notice: I was too busy countering her blows and looking for openings to launch attacks. Finally, when we were both breathing heavily, she called, “Hold!”

  We broke apart. My chest heaved as I sucked in air and sweat trickled between my breasts. My elbow throbbed from a strike I'd landed on her head, my muscles burned, and the ones I’d pulled had started to seize up. Sari was also sweaty and disheveled although less so than I.

  “I think,” she spoke between huffs, “that’s enough for today.” She stopped to breathe deeply. “This was supposed to be sparring for a fitting, not a training session.”

  I chuckled, the sound thin and weak due to lack of air. “Well, we know the outfit passed the test.” I winced as I gently stretched and rotated the arm I’d abused during my desperation move.

  “Problems?”

  “Just some pulled muscles.”

  Sari walked over. “Unseal and let me see your arm, please.”

  I complied and flinched as her fingers gently prodded the sore spots. I hissed as she found the worst one.

  Sari clapped her hands sharply together then gently stretched my arm out, supporting it as she called, “ASA, scan section one-ten, quadrant H.”

  “What—?” Before I could ask the rest of my question, the same web of light I’d experienced during my initial measurements wrapped around my arm and shoulder. Moments later, Sari lowered my arm to my side as it faded. She tapped her wrist holo, apparently looking at the scan results.

  “Scans say no major tears or any other significant damage. Good. Go ahead and reseal.” She tapped something else into her wrist holo before she looked up at me. “The jar of sore muscle remedy is still in your room. It’ll help keep your muscles loose if you use it. Your emerald outfit is also there if you want to change, although you can set the biometrics in this one to clean and dry both the outfit and you if you prefer.” She gave me a slow once-over from head to toe and back again then winked. “This would make quite an impression when you go out for dinner tonight.”

  I chuckled. “You’re evil. I don't want to seduce the man tonight, just talk to him.”

  “Seduction is talking, just in a different way.” She gave me a cheeky grin.

  I shook my head and grinned. “Evil. You’re all but throwing me at him, and Lumi tells me to be careful with him even while she encourages me to embrace multiple partnerships. The two of you are enough to make my head spin.”

  Sari touched my hand as her tone and expression turned earnest. “I know Gavin far better than Lumi does. You have my word that you’re one hundred percent safe with him. Whether you do or don’t go to bed with him tonight—or any night—is your choice. Neither Lumi nor I have a problem with it, or with you developing an intimate relationship with him along with the one you have with us.” A roguish twinkle lit her eyes as she added, “And since we’re on the topic, the two of us have no objections to all of us being together at the same time, either.”

  I blushed. “Geez, Sari. Be a little blunter.” I realized, too late, that I’d inadvertently thrown a challenge. The look of pure devilment on Sari’s face confirmed it.

  “Since you asked, Zahra...Lumi and I would thoroughly enjoy being part of some of your sexual romps with Gavin. I, for one, would love to team up with him to drive you and Lumi out of your minds with pleasure as we wring more orgasms from your bodies than you ever thought a woman could achieve in one session.”

  My mouth went dry, and my brain went blank, but the rest of my body had no problem whatsoever with that idea. Sari knew it, too, as her expression attested.

  “Let’s go back to the house so you can get ready for dinner.” She gestured, and the door to the fitting room opened. We walked out as she continued, “You’re welcome to stay here again, but if you’d rather go back to your place I’ll have your gown and whichever outfit you don’t wear tonight sent over by secure courier. Just let me know when you’ll be there to receive them.”

  “Thank you. I think I’ll stay at my place tonight since there are a few things I need to do there. I’ll screen you when I know what time I’ll be home.”

  By this time, we’d reached the portal. Our conversation stopped as we went through it. When we came out on the other side, I headed for my guest room while Sari went a different direction.

  Chapter Thirty

  Zahra

  FORTY-FIVE MINUTES after I’d walked into my guest room, I was ready to head out. During that time, I’d enjoyed a mineral-salt soak in the tub, treated my arm with some of Sari’s remedy, dressed, and then tamed my hair. As tempted as I was to wear the new outfit, a deep-seated instinct told me to hold it in reserve. I’d gone with the emerald armor instead, although I’d chosen the boots instead of the shoes to add some oomph.

  When I walked into the living room, Sari was curled up on one of the couches with a half-full snifter of dark amber-colored liquid in hand. The distinctive scent of whiskey reached my nose as I drew closer, although there was something else with it. I sniffed, trying to figure out what it was.

  “Cinnamon.” Sari’s voice broke the quiet.

  “What?”

  “That scent you’re trying to identify. It’s cinnamon.” She held out the glass. “Would you like to try it?”

  I took the glass and sniffed, then cautiously sipped. The cinnamon enhanced the smooth burn of good whiskey. I took another sip then handed the snifter back. “That’s good stuff.”

  “One of my go-to drinks on the occasions I choose to indulge.”

  I made a mental note to find out which brand it was. It would be a good gift idea.

  She set the glass on a nearby end table before she stood and twined her arm through mine—thankfully, the one I hadn’t damaged—and walked me to her front door. She stopped and turned me to face her.

  “Be safe, Zahra. If you need anything, screen me or come here.” She paused. “Remember, you have house access rights so feel free to come and go at any time. The guest room you used is now your room, and you’re welcome to keep some things in it for when you’re here.” She pulled my head down as she stood on tiptoe to kiss me. “You tall people. I swear.” She swatted my shoulder as she settled back flat-footed. “Now go, before I make you late for dinner.”

  I BRISKLY WALKED TO the hoverboard kiosk down the street. Zanto’s was far enough away from Sari’s that walking there wasn’t practical, but it wasn’t so distant that I needed to take one of the faster modes of public transport. I grabbed a ‘board and hopped on, zipping through the side streets as I headed toward my dinner date with Gavin.

  Fifteen minutes later, I’d returned my 'board at a different kiosk and was walking up the sidewalk toward Zanto’s. I turned left when I reached their walkway and took the last couple dozen strides to the main entrance. The door opened as I got there, and three men filed out. The last one held the door for me.

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” He hurried off after I’d walked in, the door closing behind me.

  Once inside, I gave my name to the young man who stood at the hostess station and informed him that I was there to meet Gavin for a six o’clock reservation.

  “Yes, I see that Gavin’s booked a particular table. He hasn’t arrived, yet, but if you’d care to be seated...”

  A soft door chime accompanied a deep voice that spoke from behind me.
“Zahra, I see I’m just in time. Shall we let the young gentleman seat us?”

  I half-turned to answer Gavin while still paying attention to our host. “Great timing, Gavin. Yes, let’s.” I gestured for the host to lead the way.

  I felt Gavin’s body heat as he walked behind me, although he didn't crowd me. Once we arrived at the table, it was immediately apparent why he’d chosen this one. It was set into enough of a nook to have some privacy, while still open enough to allow multiple exit points in the event of an emergency. I noticed that the acoustics seemed to be less active in this spot as well.

  Gavin held my chair for me as I sat, then took the one across from me. I chuckled under my breath, not used to such manners. Our host poured glasses of ice water and set them on the table, then left us to peruse the menu. I glanced at it briefly then looked at Gavin, studying him as intently as he did me.

  He spoke first. “You’re a mystery, Zahra. Who are you, and where did you come from?”

  I shrugged. “I’m just me, Gavin. I keep to myself and don’t volunteer a lot of information to others, but I’m not all that mysterious. Although since I didn’t grow up on Stratis, I suppose it might seem as though I am.”

  “Where did you grow up?”

  “In Valewood, on Aristan. For a while, at least.”

  “It sounds like you moved at least once between then and when you came here.”

  “I did.” I didn’t offer any more information about that time. I wasn’t ready to go there.

  “I grew up here but have traveled extensively. I don’t think I ever went to Aristan, though.”

  “Aristan, or at least Valewood, is largely comprised of high society-type people. Some are supers, and some are...other. Besides a few minor differences in appearance, I never quite understood why they were considered that way. I guess it had something to do with their powers.”