“What?” Lilith asked, blinking at him a couple of times, then realization dawned on her, and she shook her head, hastily trying to correct him. “Oh no, this had nothing to do with the invitation. I think there were good odds of it coming to light even if we hadn’t gone to the convention, so it isn’t your fault either way. It’s an unpleasant situation that isn’t even their fault, in my opinion.”
Osmar let go of his nose and examined her skeptically for a couple of seconds, looking like he was debating on what to say, then asked suspiciously, “You aren’t just saying that to make me feel better, are you?”
Lilith couldn’t help a smile due to the way he was looking at her, and she shook her head slowly as she let out a sigh. “No, of course not. I think that what happened in Las Vegas made it more obvious, but it appears to have been inevitable. I’m… afraid that Shadowmind was involved.”
“Ah.” Osmar paused, tilting his head as he considered her words, and Lilith could practically see him putting the pieces together as his jaw clenched, then he nodded sharply, sitting up straight. “I think I understand, and I will keep my suspicions to myself, you have my word on that.”
“Thank you,” Lilith said, relaxing ever so slightly, relieved that he seemed to have figured out some of what was going on, so she didn’t have to say it outright. Besides which, she didn’t want to invade their privacy, but with some of the heroes spreading word that Lilith had met Shadowmind, she thought people could draw conclusions both reasonable and unreasonable.
“Either way, let’s get on to the primary subject of the meeting, shall we?” Osmar said briskly, sitting up straight as he looked at her. “First of all, my superiors have directed me to give you an official apology on behalf of all of SuperNet that you were drawn into Destruction Corps’ trap in Las Vegas due to our actions. We had no way of knowing that they were behind the convention, but even so, we put you in unnecessary danger.”
Lilith’s eyebrows rose a little, and she nodded after a moment, smiling at him as she replied slowly. “That… is something of a surprise, if I’m being honest. I didn’t think you were responsible at all, they just asked you to pass along the email. I made the decision to attend myself. But thank you.”
“Ah, but I’m not finished,” Osmar replied, smiling wryly as he continued. “Considering the mistake on our part, they’ve asked me to do a few things to help you. I’ve been talking to different groups over the past week, and I think I have several attractive sponsorship offers that you might be willing to take. Nothing exceptional, mind you, because that sort of offer always comes with strings attached, like appearing in advertisements or something of the sort. I didn’t think that you’d want anything like that, so I didn’t look into those types of offers much. If you change your mind, I have a few prospects, though.
“On a slightly different front, we’ve been getting a lot of interview requests from different news organizations, since they know you’ve been in regular contact with us,” Osmar continued, even as Lilith’s curiosity grew a little more. She wasn’t enormously interested in the sponsorships, but it was something that might not be a bad idea. Being cut off from Circe’s manufactories wasn’t something that made her happy, and she wasn’t sure what the best approach to keep her income up would be, considering how many people were watching her financial moves. But she set that aside as Osmar spoke. “I’m willing to help weed out the groups that will twist whatever you say into the messages they want to send, if you want me to, and I know a few excellent media advisors that I could put you in touch with. If you’re going to be in the public eye as much as you seem to be, you’re going to need to manage your image so you convey what you’re wanting to convey.”
Osmar paused to catch his breath, studying Lilith’s face, then continued. “Finally, and this may be more useful than I thought it would be before this meeting, I’ve also put together a list of therapists certified to work with heroes, who’re suitably discreet. You’ve been through a lot of conflict in the last two years, and that can have negative effects on anyone. Having someone who can help you work through your issues can be very, very important. A lot of people forget that being a hero doesn’t mean that you don’t have to deal with stress and other emotional problems, so it’s rather important. Oh, and if you’d like an introduction to Leisure, I’d be happy to not only make it happen, but also would take care of a single session with her if you’d like.”
Lilith paused with her mouth halfway open, thinking for a few seconds. A part of her shied away from the idea of a therapist, yet at the same time, she knew enough about them that it might be a good idea. Having someone to talk to about everything she’d been through… that might be a good thing, so she decided to mull it over. Instead, she focused on the last option, frowning as she asked. “All of that is appreciated, but… Leisure? I’m not sure who that is.”
Osmar blinked, looking incredulous for a moment, his mouth opening, then he shut it as he sat up.
“You don’t… oh, of course. I suppose I shouldn’t expect everyone to know about her,” Osmar said, looking chagrined. “Sorry, sometimes I think everyone knows what I do, and Leisure is so popular among heroines that I thought you’d know about her already.”
“I’m afraid not.” Lilith told him, a hint of amusement welling up inside her again as she explained. “I’ve had enough things to study that I don’t keep track of all the heroes in the city, let alone other businesses. I’m guessing she’s the owner of a business that caters to heroines, then?”
“Not quite, but somewhat,” Osmar said, tapping a finger on his desk as he thought, then continued. “Leisure is an independent superhuman, not a hero or villain, and she owns her own spa, located in the southern section of Paragon City. Her power allows her to encourage healing in those she touches, and she also can bypass most superhuman durability with her biokinesis, allowing her to properly relax muscles in virtually any super. That’s her primary business, which is for both men and women, but she also has specialists who help heroes and heroines figure out the best approach to managing their appearance when they could be going into battle. I think she just started another spin-off to help design suits that are both attractive and distinctive at the same time. Really, she has a lot of aspects to her businesses, which makes it hard to get personal time with her, but that’s why I’m offering to introduce you. That’ll allow you to get in easily, and as I said, she can help almost anyone relax, which might do you good.”
“Hm… that might not be a bad idea,” Lilith admitted, a little amazed and startled by the breadth of businesses that the woman seemed to be running. It made her intrigued to meet her even if the idea of the woman’s powers weren’t interesting, which they were. “I’ll have to consider that for a little while before making a decision, along with the offer of therapists. You may have a point, but I don’t want to commit to anything without careful consideration.”
“Entirely agreed,” Osmar replied instantly, nodding at her. “I mostly recommend the therapists because you have been through so much, but if you aren’t comfortable talking with them, I’ll drop the subject. In the meantime, would you like to look at more details on the other two offers? As I said, I got several sponsorships that you might like the look of.”
“Why not?” Lilith asked, and she smiled, adding, “And maybe you could even introduce me to some more heroes in the area. I’ve realized that I’m a little… lacking, in that regard. I know a handful of the members of Ocean Shield, or used to, since they might have recruited more since I was there, Blooming Orchid, the Sentinels, and a handful of heroes I met in Vegas before everything went wrong. I find it a little concerning that I know barely more heroes than four times the number of deities I’ve met.”
“Oh, that I can most certainly do!” Osmar said, his face lighting up with enthusiasm. “I know plenty who’d like to meet you! Now, let’s get to the sponsorships, shall we?”
He clicked a button on his keyboard, waiting a few seconds, then used the mouse t
o select something else and turned the monitor to face Lilith, revealing a screen with a dozen logos and business names. Lilith settled in for a rather long explanation.
Chapter 17
Sunday, August 24th, 2031
SuperNet HQ, Paragon City
“And… I think we’ve wrapped everything up that we needed to,” Osmar said, taking the last of the documents and scanning it quickly, his movements practiced and easy. “Assuming that none of the businesses have changed their minds since Friday, which I sincerely doubt happened, I’ll have confirmation for you tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Osmar,” Lilith said, pausing and stretching. “When do you think Edna will get in contact with me?”
“Tuesday at the latest,” he replied instantly, lowering the document to look at her and smiling with what she thought was a hint of regret. “I’d say Monday, but since Ivanova is arriving tomorrow, I’m expecting a lot of disruptions, and it’s going to be an all-hands thing. That’s why I’m in today, honestly… most of the time I don’t work on Sundays.”
Lilith nodded, a smile playing across her lips as she did so. She couldn’t say that she was surprised, with everything she’d heard about the preparations that the Sentinels were making, let alone how many heroes were in the city. She’d even seen a few dozen supers in unfamiliar outfits taking a look at the manor since Friday, which she assumed were other heroes scouting her home. Hopefully they weren’t planning to be hostile, but she wasn’t going to waste time worrying one way or another. If they attacked, that was just how it went.
“I don’t blame you. I spent a good part of Friday helping Decarin put together comm units to help the various heroes coordinate better, and from what he said, that’s going to only cover about a quarter or so of the heroes that’ve shown up. Are there really over eight hundred heroes from out of town?” Lilith asked, glancing out the window at the city skyline. It looked so peaceful to her.
“At least that many. I’d say we’ve got a couple dozen from most of the states, plus tons of smaller teams have come here together,” Osmar said, shaking his head slowly as he let out a soft sigh. “Charities, those who’re almost on their deathbeds, and those who just want to watch the fun… there’s no end to the number of people who’re drawn by Ivanova. God knows why she’s coming, I certainly don’t! We have when she’s going to land, where she’s staying, and that’s it. I swear, I’ll be a nervous wreck by the end of this.”
Lilith studied Osmar for a moment, briefly concerned about him, then her worries eased as she saw the slight smile on his face. It took her a few seconds, then she laughed softly.
“Somehow I doubt that. You seem to be enjoying this,” Lilith replied, trying to keep her tone teasing.
“Well… yes, of course,” Osmar conceded, and gestured outside. “I mean, outside of conventions, how often do you get to see this many heroes all at once? Better, how often do you get to see them when they’re not performing carefully rehearsed public appearances? This is amazing, even if it’s exhausting. I intend to take several days off after all of this, just to relax after all of the excitement.”
“Mm… do you expect anyone to attack her?” Lilith asked, her thoughts shifting to Ivanova.
“Yes,” Osmar said instantly, his smile fading. “The biggest question is whether we’ll be able to stop them first, or if her bodyguards are going to have to do their job. I dearly hope it won’t be them.”
That surprised Lilith a little, and her eyebrows rose as she looked at him, tilting her head curiously. He seemed to understand what she was meaning, at least, and he sighed, setting the documents down.
“The issue is that no one wants to offend Dracula. He’s powerful, so powerful that even if he didn’t rule a country, his wishes would influence international politics. More importantly, no one knows what he wants. He isn’t a hero, he’s not a villain, he’s just… Dracula,” Osmar explained, frowning unhappily. “So when he sends his wife on a trip, the single most powerful healer in the world, everyone takes note of it. Certainly, her guards are powerful. I doubt any single villain who isn’t Class S could get past them, and they’d probably be able to stop even some of those, but do you think any country wants to fail to provide security for her? It would be a massive blow to their reputation, and with Dracula’s unknown goals… well, it’s one of those things that I don’t want to see. I’d put her in the same league as if the President came to visit, if not even more important than that.”
“I… understand, I think,” Lilith replied, though internally she was a little shocked. While she’d gone through quite a few programs trying to explain things like this, they hadn’t prepared her for how convoluted the world could be. “It’s that even allowing them to reach her bodyguards would be a failure.”
“Essentially, yes,” Osmar agreed. As he spoke, Lilith’s gaze drifted to the clock, and she paused for a moment, wondering where the time had gone, then pulled herself out of the chair, gathering her purse as she did so.
“Ah, my apologies, I didn’t realize what time it was. I’m pretty sure we’ve gone well over the time allotted for my appointment,” Lilith told him apologetically, wondering how she’d been here for an hour and a half already.
“It isn’t a problem! I made sure I had plenty of time available for paperwork, so it isn’t like you’ve kept anyone else waiting,” Osmar assured her, grinning. “Besides, like I told you, I had to try to make things up to you. I’ll see if I can’t arrange to introduce you to a few people next week, though, and I hope that you consider the therapists.”
“I will, I promise,” Lilith said, smiling wanly. “Sadly, I think you’re right, that I need it. I’ll get back to you once I’ve made a decision.”
“Good! I hope that everything works out for the best,” Osmar said, offering a hand, which Lilith took, shaking it firmly.
“Same here,” Lilith agreed, and turned to the door. She saw a hint of red through the frosted glass but didn’t think much of it. Most likely it was another hero here to meet with Osmar, even if he’d cleared his schedule.
Lilith opened the door… and she caught only the briefest glimpse of a woman with blood red skin before she lunged at Lilith.
The woman was a blur, and Lilith instantly reacted, dropping her purse instinctively as she tried to dodge. Before she could even register what had happened, she was yanked out of the room, spun, and slammed into the wall, the air blasting out of her lungs. One of her wrists was in a grip that felt like an iron clamp, and she was pinned to the wall, another body pressed against her own to immobilize her… and then Lilith heard her purse hit the floor.
“Mm… so you’re Lilith,” the woman said, her voice a throaty, seductive purr, and she inhaled slowly, her face less than an inch from Lilith’s own. Lilith belatedly tried to figure out what had just happened to her, even as she felt a blush rise in her cheeks.
“Daemonia! What are you doing?” Osmar demanded, stepping out from behind his desk quickly, but the door finished swinging shut before he was done, leaving Lilith with very little to look at other than her assailant.
Daemonia was much like Lilith had expected from the pictures she’d seen of the heroine. She had deep crimson skin almost the color of fresh blood, but her lips glistened with a bright teal lipstick as she smiled at Lilith. She had beautiful facial features, but her glowing red eyes were slightly unnerving, with the vertically slit pupils, and Lilith could see a long tail swaying behind her. Well, she could see it occasionally, as the wings covered in black feathers blocked much of her line-of-sight past Daemonia, as did the long, sleek black hair the woman had.
“What are you doing?” Lilith asked, barely able to keep her voice from trembling. She’d never been overpowered like this before. Even against Eve she’d been able to see what was coming and dodge. This time, the woman had been a blur she couldn’t track, like Spark moving at full speed.
Daemonia smiled, and Lilith suddenly became very uncomfortably aware of how the heroine’s body was pressed again
st her. The heroine was much more endowed than Lilith was, she felt the heat in her cheeks intensify at the pressure, and a part of Lilith’s stomach flip-flopped at that smile. It was like something had reached down inside her and flipped a switch, as her body began heating as the woman pressed her breasts against Lilith’s own.
Before she could respond, Osmar yanked open the office door and put a hand on his hip as he snapped, sounding upset for the first time since Lilith had met him. “Daemonia! Unhand Lilith, right this instant! This is completely inappropriate for someone of your standing!”
“Shh, Osmar. I’m just introducing myself to Lilith,” Daemonia replied, not looking away from Lilith’s eyes at all. Lilith noticed a few other people poking their heads out of other offices and winced internally… but she wasn’t sure what she should do. Daemonia was so much stronger than her it was ridiculous, and she doubted she could throw her off, not like this. The heroine smiled, trailing her free hand down Lilith’s cheekbone as she spoke gently. “Hello, Lilith. I’m Daemonia, as you heard, and I was curious if you’d join me for dinner tonight. And maybe more than just dinner.”
“W-what?” Lilith asked, her eyes widening enormously, and she felt even more off-balance than she had after the conversations with Archon and Emily. Yet despite that, she almost said yes anyway. She practically had to bite her tongue to avoid it, and that was when Lilith saw Daemonia’s expression change. Oh, the woman still looked supremely confident, but there was something in her eyes that shifted, and the hand gripping Lilith’s wrist loosened slightly.
“Dae—” Osmar began, sounding frustrated, but in that moment the heroine raised a finger to him.
“I said shh. And there’s no need to ask me to let her go,” Daemonia said, releasing Lilith as abruptly as she’d grabbed her. “No, I see that we need to take a step back and see if we can’t put some solid ground beneath Lilith’s feet. While catching someone off-guard is an excellent way to see their true nature, sometimes it isn’t for the best.”
Queen's Journey (Lilith's Shadow Book 5) Page 11
