“No offense, but I don’t think he swings that way,” Eloy had commented.
At Loken’s blank stare, Raaum had elaborated. “Barnard prefers women.”
“Ah. How fortunate that I’m a highly capable shapeshifter.” Pleased at their blank looks, he’d said, “I can accommodate his tastes. It won’t be a problem.”
Neither had looked convinced, but they hadn’t pressed. Shapeshifting wasn’t listed on his evaluation, but he wouldn’t let this chance to be an active part of Maganti’s downfall pass him by.
This was the first time they’d seen his shapeshifting abilities in action, as he stood in the bathroom doorway with the confidence of a wolf among sheep. “I hope this is passable,” he said coyly, batting his eyelashes at Eloy to see if it made him uncomfortable.
Loken enjoyed changing genders for many reasons, but the highest on the list was the reactions he received when they learned who he was. Scandalizing uptight members of the court was his favorite pastime. Of course, it ‘forced’ his father to discipline him for bringing shame to the royal line; it was unbecoming of a man to ‘act in such a fashion.’ Luckily, his mother had taken him aside at a young age and made it clear that, as a changeling, his ability to change forms was as natural to him as spitting venom was to an idreack.
“Can the idreack survive without its venom?” his mother had asked pointedly. “No. I will speak to your father. I won’t have my son living a half life.”
His not-father had no choice but to allow his changeling son room to grow when King Balan, Loken’s uncle, ordered it so. In hindsight, Loken knew the King was less worried about Loken’s health and more worried about his viability as a spy.
After all, it was King Balan that had orchestrated Loken’s kidnapping as a babe and silenced the tongues of those that knew. It was King Balan that had ordered Loken raised in ignorance, on a planet that would never welcome him if they knew the truth of his monstrous heritage. It was King Balan that ordered—
Loken forced the thoughts away. Needless to say, his changeling abilities were an important tool for the work he did. There were places a woman could go, things a woman could do, that a man could not. Of course, on the other hand, there were many downsides as well, difficulties unique to the female gender. As a channeling, Loken saw each form as another blade in his arsenal, and like with all weapons, it required regular practice to retain mastery with.
“It'll do,” Raaum said, whacking Eloy to get him to focus on something other than Loken’s new ‘assets.’
He never did anything in half measures, so his chosen form for this mission was crafted to be alluring, delicate, and striking. Thin and of average height with long, brunette hair that was styled with a slight curl, cascading freely down his shoulders. Though he kept his eyes the same shade of green, he had changed the structure of his face, not wanting to alert Barnard to who he was—if his feeble, human mind could even conceive the truth.
As Eloy gave him a device to fit snugly inside his ear, Raaum handed him a pearl necklace. Luckily, it went well with his forest green, v-neck dress.
“The camera is in this pearl,” she said. “Don’t take it off for any reason. If the video or audio cuts out, we’ll assume you need to be extracted immediately.”
Loken rolled his eyes. “However I may look, I assure you that I’m no damsel.”
Raaum gave him a flat look.
Eloy barked a laugh in the background and fell silent when Raaum rounded on him. Satisfied with his apologetic look, Raaum turned back to Loken.
“Go. We’ll be waiting.”
He slipped from the room and headed down to the hotel’s restaurant. Loken’s task was to catch Barnard’s attention and retire to his suite together. From there, he had to find a way to leave the door subtly ajar so that, at his signal, Raaum could slip into the suite to collect the information ALPHA sought.
Of course, in order for Raaum to do so, Loken had to distract Barnard. Raaum had been adamant that this was a stealth mission. If they were revealed, any information gathered could be rendered useless. Loken had assured her he had the means to keep Barnard occupied. He may have given her a suggestive look to mislead her into thinking he intended to bed the man, earning him a disgusted look from Eloy.
As soon as he entered the room, he saw his target nursing an amber drink alone at the bar.
Perfect.
Loken didn't so much as glance at Barnard and instead let the click of his high-heels (what a ridiculous constraint for women; he’d had to practice in them for over twenty minutes) announce his presence. Taking a seat, he carefully left a chair open between himself and Barnard.
Always let them come to you.
He gave the bartender a sweet smile, feigning uncertainty when asked what he'd like to drink. This wasn't a role he typically played—shy and uncertain—but it was what their sources claimed Barnard enjoyed in a woman. Profiling was something he excelled at, and once he’d figured out what a target wanted, all he had to do was fit their narrative—to fit that niche of their desires. So although he kept in mind what ALPHA knew of Barnard, he intended to conduct his own investigation and adapt as necessary.
“So, new to New York, miss?” the bartender asked.
“It’s my second time here,” he replied. When crafting a new identity, Loken knew from experience that it was best to create as few outright lies as possible; the best lies held shreds of truth.
“Are you and your husband here for business or pleasure? Here. An apple martini on the house.”
Loken forced a laugh but was terribly unimpressed with the bartender’s transparent interest. “Oh, I don’t have a husband,” he replied, feigning embarrassment, as if the misunderstanding was somehow Loken’s fault. “I’m here alone.”
“Well, I get off at ten. Maybe I could keep you company. New York can be a pretty scary place for a girl on her own.”
He sipped at the drink as he considered what to say. It was far too sweet, but pretending to enjoy it was easier than pretending to enjoy the bartender’s witless flirtations.
“Hey, man. Can't you see she's not interested?”
Loken had to admit that he was startled when Barnard spoke up and eyed the bartender distastefully. That he felt the need to defend Loken hadn’t been indicated by ALPHA’s report on him. Interesting.
Just as the server was about to reply, Barnard dismissed him. “Why don't you refill our drinks and leave us be?”
Infuriated though he looked, it was a testament to Bernard’s influence that the bartender didn't object. He merely gave them fresh drinks and walked down to the opposite end of the bar.
Loken gave Barnard a shy smile, pleased by this turn of events, and pretended to give him a once over. Of course, Loken had already studied his photo earlier. His brown skin, dark eyes, and short hair were much more alluring in person, but Loken was never one to be fooled by charm. “You didn't have to do that.”
“It was no trouble. Creeps like that deserve worse. Name’s Hiram.”
“Layla.”
He smiled like he’d been given a gift. “You should stand up for yourself. You don’t want some guy hittin’ on you all night? Tell them to get lost.”
Loken recalled a distinct lack of hitting. What did ‘hitting on’ mean in this context? Despite not understanding, he smiled shyly and said, “I don’t like to come across as rude.”
“It’s not rude. Everyone has the right to enjoy a quiet evening. Here. How about we practice?” He stood, drink in hand, and pointed to the seat beside her, “Is this seat taken?”
Loken faked a laugh.
Barnard continued to stand. “Should I get lost?” he prompted, never losing his smile that promised a night of endless pleasure.
This man was no low-level thug; he was a charismatic asset to Maganti’s criminal empire. No wonder ALPHA had targeted him.
“No,” Loken said at last, pretending to find it difficult to voice his desires.
Barnard grinned and took a seat. “That wa
sn’t so hard, was it? And now that we’ve established that you know how to say no...you ever seen New York from a grand suite in this hotel?”
Loken ducked his head at the advance, as if flattered but flustered. The mission was going quite smoothly. Brushing a lock of hair behind his ear, he uttered a shy, “No.”
“Would you like to?”
‘Layla’ wasn’t made to be a complete pushover, so Loken replied, “I haven’t finished my drink.” It wasn’t an outright refusal because he knew that men like Barnard did not handle rejection well. Men accustomed to getting what they wanted did not like to be denied. On the other hand, he didn’t want to make it too easy. The conquest was as thrilling as the victory to many men, and Loken didn’t want him losing interest too quickly.
Barnard smiled at the unexpected answer. “We wouldn't want that, now would we? Tell you what, you finish that, and you can have another upstairs.”
Oh, how generous of you, he thought mockingly, even as he gave Barnard a gratuitous smile. “So, what brings you to New York?” Loken asked as he nursed his drink. Rushing to this man's hotel room would progress the mission, but Loken wanted to do a little information gathering of his own.
“Business for a friend.”
That was likely a very true statement. “That’s kind of you. Do you do work for him often?”
“Yeah. Me and him, we go way back.”
So, if I hurt you, will Maganti bleed?
He imagined bleeding this man of all his secrets, and it brought a genuine smile to his face. “You’re a good friend,” he observed, as if the loyalty impressed him.
Barnard practically preened at the compliment.
Oh, this was too easy. Loken picked up his drink, quickly finished it, and stood.
The fool caught his meaning and was all too willing to lead ‘Layla’ to the top floor of the hotel, unaware of the danger. It really was a shame, Loken mused, that he wasn’t allowed to harm Barnard. It would be all too easy. Was ALPHA’s wrath worth invoking over this man? Unlikely. He had to pick and choose his battles with his commanders, and it was Maganti’s head he wanted.
It was dangerous to let wounded pride drive him, but he didn’t bother resisting the reckless impulse.
Barnard paused outside a door at the end of the hallway and swiped his card through the keycard lock. Loken had studied the technology on their hotel room door earlier that day, tailoring a familiar spell to fit the foreign technology.
As he slipped into the room after Barnard, he placed his hand discretely over the keycard lock and enspelled it to remain unlocked. When he shut the door, Loken gave Barnard a shy smile, but before he could ask for the promised drink, the man was upon him. Dodging would have been easy, but it would have required reflexes superior to a human’s—and it would have broken the illusion that ‘Layla’ was attracted to Barnard.
Rough hands roamed Loken’s body, but it was the kiss that he focused on, attempting to convey false-promises of what was to come. Stubble grazed his skin as Barnard plundered his mouth with as much finesse as a viln cub. Before the urge to stab overcame him, Loken took the initiative of locating Barnard’s phone. Disappointingly, it was in his pants’ pocket, and Loken had no interest in separating those from Barnard in order get his phone.
Think.
Loken broke the kiss by pulling back. Forcing a smile, he said, “You said something about a drink? And a view?” Hopefully, the barbarian would take not offense at the teasing tone because Loken’s patience was running thin.
No doubt Eloy was having a good laugh.
Barnard’s smile returned. “You got it.” As he wandered off to the minibar, Loken took a moment to reign in his temper.
Raaum’s voice spoke in his ear. “I’ll slip in when you two go out onto the balcony. Make sure to leave his phone behind.”
“You sure you’re okay in there?” Eloy surprised him by asking. It was irritating...and somehow touching. “If you need to get out, get out.”
No. Loken was a professional. The mission was more important than his discomfort. Besides, did they think this was the first time he’d ever seduced a mark? He was far from innocent.
Unable to comment on their remarks, he focused on the present and smiled as Barnard returned with a drink. Loken supposed there was a fifty-fifty chance that it was drugged, but he wasn’t concerned. Apart from the high-dose tranquilizer that ALPHA had used, earthen drugs didn’t seem effective against him. Though, if he failed to act accordingly, Barnard could become suspicious.
What to do…
Loken gambled, betting that Barnard wouldn’t feel the need to drug a seemingly willing woman. As he drank, he continued to contemplate how to part Barnard from his phone.
Then, it came to him.
Sending a thanks to Danika for letting him investigate her phone—giving him a better understanding of their various functions—he set his drink down and took off the shawl across his shoulders. “How about some souvenirs to remember me by?” Loken asked coyly.
That got Barnard’s attention, and he was all too willing to snap photos while Loken—giggling and feigning being tipsy—began to strip. When he’d removed everything he could without taking off the dress itself, he closed the distance between them and kissed Barnard passionately enough to make him discard his phone on a desk.
Loken pulled back and batted his eyelashes. “Show me the balcony?”
It certainly wasn’t what Barnard wanted to hear, but he didn’t dare deny a woman he thought he was so close to talking into his bed. “You got it.”
They headed into the other room and out onto the balcony. The air was chilled, and Loken used that as an excuse to keep Barnard close as he stared at the view of the city.
“Raaum is in,” Eloy said into his ear. “Three minutes until she’s out.”
Meaning he had to keep Barnard busy until then. Unlike Loken, the human seemed affected by the cold and would likely wish to go back inside soon. With a resigned mental sigh, Loken pressed close to Barnard and gave him a reason to stay, hands caressing and enticing. It wasn’t pleasant being felt up by this idiot, but it was far from the most questionable thing he’d done to ensure the success of a mission.
Through it all—every brush of skin on skin, every swipe of Barnard’s tongue against his—Loken counted down. Finally, when Raaum should have been done inside, he pulled back. “Give me a minute and then follow me inside.”
As expected, the sultry look Loken gave him had Barnard eager to comply. Loken went inside and closed the balcony doors behind him. As he did, he saw Raaum slip from the room silently, Barnard’s phone exactly where he’d left it.
Mission complete.
Loken gathered his garments and teleported straight to their hotel room, leaving Barnard behind without regret. He returned before Raaum, as expected.
Disappointingly, Eloy didn’t startle at his sudden appearance. “You alright? That guy was more handsy than an octopus.”
Though he didn’t grasp the comparison, Loken dismissed his concern with a roll of his eyes and returned to his normal Evoir form. “Ready to go?”
Eloy didn’t pry and quickly began to pack. As he finished, Raaum slipped into the room. “Let’s move, boys.”
Loken grinned and teleported them back to the forest outside the ALPHA compound.
As soon as they arrived, Eloy doubled over and groaned. “That’s never going to not make me sick.” He spat on the ground and stood. “Next time, we take a plane. Like normal people.”
“Sounds dull,” Loken drawled, riding the euphoria of a successful mission. “If we’re done here…?”
“Locke, wait,” Raaum said, joining him on the way back to the compound. “We usually grab dinner together after a mission. Any time you join us for one, you can join us for the other.”
That was unexpected. He glanced quickly to Eloy to assess how he felt about the invitation but found nothing except an expectant look.
“I gotta give credit where it’s due. You did gr
eat.”
Uncomfortable at the hospitality (extended for reasons he didn’t understand) and praise, Loken said, “Thank you, but not tonight,” and teleported to his room.
Euphoria subdued, he debated what to do with the rest of his night. It was late, so Danika wouldn’t be in the lab. He knew where to find her, but Loken couldn’t show up without purpose to her apartment.
Well, he reasoned, hadn’t she promised him a history lesson? Knowing women, she’d be upset at his absence from the lab today—despite that he’d been out on official assignment—and he had the perfect answer to that.
Pulling his tablet from his voidspace, he searched for the perfect ‘apology’ gift. Though certain he could find her a suitable gift online, he needed something now. As he’d personally witnessed how much she enjoyed Smaug, he scrolled through earthen animals, looking for something small and smart as a good basis to work with. Finally, he found the perfect specimen, and twenty minutes later he teleported directly into her apartment.
Danika was sitting at the dining room table, oblivious to his arrival, and using hand signals to communicate with an elderly man on video chat. Loken frowned at the man who frowned back and furiously signaled something to Danika.
“What?” Danika whipped around and jumped at seeing Loken. “Oh.” She turned back to the man and signed something frantically. “No. No!” She gave an exasperated sigh and continued to sign as she slowly enunciated each word. “Love you too. Tell mom I say hi. Night.”
Closing her laptop, she turned back to face Loken, but her narrowed eyes quickly widened. “I don’t even know where to start. Is that my dress? And—” She leaned closer, peering at the bird on his shoulder. “Did you make a toucan? Is that a toucan? I didn’t know they could be so small.”
“It’s a green aracari, so yes; it is in fact a toucan according to what I read. His name is Zree.”
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