Chapter Seven

Cassandra was disappointed that she couldn’t ride the keffo to the city. As Yasku had outlined in the contract, if he chose to fly, she would be with him. Nessa was waiting for them near the spa that Yasku had contacted.

“Cassandra, you look a little sleepy.” Nessa was smiling.

She sighed as Yasku walked toward her friend but didn’t set her on her feet. “It was an early morning.”

“So, you don’t need the singles gathering.” Nessa chuckled.

Yasku said, “She will be here as my consort. You are aware that I have attended each event. She will just simply be with me.”

Cassandra smiled. “I got a full-time job.”

Nessa chuckled. “There are benefits.”

“I am sure they will make themselves known soon.”

Yasku grinned, showing teeth. “You are disgruntled, Cassandra. One of many facets of your personality that I am learning.” He set her on her feet and wrapped his arms around her. “Come on, have a relaxing day, and there will be an outfit for you when you are done.”

Nessa grinned when Cassandra was held until she gave a kiss to Yasku, and then, Cassandra looked around as they walked down a hedge-lined path that brought them to arched doors.

Staff in uniforms opened the doors, and the greeter at the spa looked like she would be wagging her tail if she had one. “Overseer Yasku, thank you so much for choosing our facility for your consort and her companion.”

Yasku said, “You will get your welcome if you do not cause my precious consort to say an unfavourable word. I want her relaxed, and I will bring her a gown for this evening to present her to the local community.”

“Yes, Lord Yasku. Of course. Nothing but the best.”

Cassandra looked at him. “Body, hair, nails?”

Yasku smiled. “And snacks. We will have proper dinner when you are all glossy and buffed.”

“Thanks for that. Any preference for colours?”

“Whatever you like, kit.” He lifted a hand and kissed her knuckles.

“You read way too much about human customs.”

He chuckled as he kissed her cheek. “Whatever it takes to make you comfortable, Cassandra.”

She wrinkled her nose, and he left. Nessa linked arms with her. “Come on. Spa day. Let’s go.”

Cassandra smiled, and they followed the greeter to the locker room, where they got robes and slippers. From there, it was off to a massage, side by side.

Cassandra knew Nessa wanted to ask. “What?”

Nessa chuckled. “So, you actually had sex with him?”

Cassandra paused. “He had sex with me. It was consensual, but it was definitely not something I can compare to past encounters.”

“More feathers?”

“More biting. It was at that moment that I keyed into how big Yasku is.”

The massage therapists chuckled softly, and Cassandra’s said, “If he had approached me, I would have cried. It is an honour, but he is terrifying.”

The other worker said, “And irritated. Constantly in a bad mood.”

Nessa grunted as a knot was massaged out of her. “I heard that, too. I obviously haven’t been around him much, but he seemed chipper last night and positively giddy today.”

Cassandra blushed and tried to remain relaxed. “I have no idea what could have happened to change his demeanour.”

Nessa snorted. “You do know you have fingerprints all over your thighs and ass, right? A few on your waist and shoulders.”

Cassandra looked blandly at her. “Your point?”

Nessa laughed. “Nothing. Are you comfortable?”

“Yeah. He did another thing, and now the slight ache of the bruising is the least of my worries.”

Nessa blinked. “What did he do?”

Slow licking across her breasts and down her belly... “It’s personal.” Her skin still tingled at a light touch. Fortunately, the masseuse was no-nonsense. All the moves were strong and weren’t setting off her tingling skin. Stupid nanites. He had embedded them inside and outside. She was wrapped in his custom tech.

Nessa nodded. “Right. Well, I am grateful to the overseer for his generosity.”

“I will let him know.”

The massage continued for another half hour, and when they were both limp, they were bundled up in their robes and walked to the sauna. It was actually just called the hot room.

Cassandra sat back, naked, with her legs stretched out in front of her. Nessa was occasionally staring, as were the other women in the hot area.

“So, he was all over you.”

Cassandra chuckled. “Yes, but he was pacing himself. This was just intense foreplay.”

“Geez.”

“Yeah. It’s okay. I am in training to take all of him. It seems likely.”

“Do I want to know?”

“Probably not.” Cassandra chuckled.

“Are you all right? I mean, he’s a big guy.”

“I am fine. He knows what he is and acts accordingly. Giving me an internal hemorrhage would have made me the shortest-lived consort in history.”

“Oh.” Nessa swallowed. “I somehow hadn’t considered the practicalities of the thing.”

“Well, you were exempted because you were a caregiver. You can expect that a Hmrain will come knocking, so to speak.”

Nessa shrugged. “I will avoid him when he shows up.”

Cassandra chuckled. “Good luck with that. I don’t think I will be allowed to assist you.”

“I don’t remember you needing to be allowed to do anything.”

She let out a sigh from the depths of her soul. “I think I can rest now. Taking care of other people is tiring, and he will make sure that my needs are met while his needs are met, so the rest is just figuring out what is fun on this world. The keffo are great, and I put the acquisition of horses into my contract. If they get along with the keffo, they are going to be another roaming species here.”

“You wrote horses into your contract?”

“Sure. You can put everything into them, and the Hmrain will cross out what he objects to.”

“What can they put into it?”

“Anything. Body mods, preferred dress. Cohabitation regulations. Whatever.”

“Body mods?”

“Yeah. Piercings, hair colour, tiaras, heavy weapons; they aren’t shy about preferences.”

“Oh. Do I have a say in it?”

“Sure, but they will try and convince you. I am thinking about getting a tattoo, but I have to run it past him. It might not even take.”

“He would let you?”

“Probably. It depends on what is considered formal wear.” She smiled. “I want to get a stylized earth and put it on my hip or maybe mid-back.”

Nessa blinked. “Why?”

“So he can remember where I am from, and so I can remember. I get the feeling that I am going to change a little.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, it just happens with Hmrain exposure. I met a human at the mine when she and her Hmrain were there for some minerals for a project they had going on. She was pierced to hell and back because that was her Hmrain’s thing, but he built her her own set of wings that are functional. Her skin is also bulletproof.”

“Geez.”

“I don’t think that is going to happen for me, but my body feels a little peculiar, so something is going on. Maybe I will end up with that fine fur all over me.”

“What does his skin feel like? I have wondered.”

“Velour.”

“Nice.”

They giggled.

An attendant came to get them. They showered, got fresh robes, and then ushered off for hair, nails, and makeup.

The stylists were cheerful and friendly until they asked, “So, are you here for the gathering at Yasku’s palace?”

Nessa paused. “Sort of.”

The crimson woman smiled at Nessa. “You are that new species, right? Urthers?”

“Yes.”

The hairstylist assigned to Cassandra pulled her hair back and paused. “Lady, are you comfortable?”

The other woman snorted. “Lady? She’s not here yet.”

Cassandra looked over. “Your friend just saw some of the marks Yasku left on me last night. I am definitely his consort. If someone else were in bed, I would have noticed.”

The stylists went quiet.

Cassandra shrugged. “Well, since they won’t talk to us now, Nessa, what happens during the party tonight?”

“Uh, starting at six, the ladies go to the quarter of the town that is not that of their species. There is food, music, and dancing, and after an hour, we move on to the next zone. The men stay, and the women move.”

“So, opposite to human speed dating.”

“Yes, but the guys have to show that they can be hosts and providers. They set up stalls and teach their traditional dances. The idea is that a spark will happen at one of these events. When the first hour is over, we move on and move on again. The last hour is ours to choose.”

The hairstylist working on Cassandra said, “Lady, a hair treatment was requested for you.”

“Of course. I wasn’t going to get away with a short cut for long. At least I don’t need to put it in a helmet anymore. Do what you need to do.”

The stylist nodded and said, “Can you come with me? That machine is over there.”

Cassandra got up, and they went to the machine that she had seen versions of before. It was a protein extruder.

It took a few minutes to settle her, but when the stylist activated it, she murmured, “Please excuse my lack of recognition. We weren’t expecting him to choose someone from the new species.”

The machine hummed as it began to work. “My people have a higher Hmrain compatibility rating. It is partially why the number of Hmrain increased so dramatically. A bunch of those who had gone dormant are rising, and those who had decided to live quietly on their worlds are seeking out my people for the possibility of a compatible mate. They want families as well, or they want to create children to watch over their worlds so they can pursue their own interests. Not a clue, but it’s happening. Six years ago, there were only twenty-four recorded Hmrain, and now, I hear of closer to sixty.”

“They have been stopping by more frequently. A lot of their tech runs on khimerion.”

“Which is Yasku’s sole domain. Well, that explains why there is so much secrecy around the mine.”

The stylist chuckled. “Lord Yasku wanted it in blue, black, and silver.”

“Of course he did. He wants me visible from the air. It’s no trouble.”

“From the... oh.” She chuckled.

The machine hummed quietly, working on her strand by strand. There was a tingle on her scalp, and she suspected the dyeing mechanism had been added.

A woman approached her, and she heard a gasp and a clatter. “Circe!”

Cassandra didn’t move her head, but her eyes locked onto the older woman. “My name is Cassandra.”

The stylist was shocked. “Marta, clean that up and get out of here. Lady Cassandra is being generous with her calm.”

Nessa called out from the edge of the salon. “Marta? Oh, boy. Is Ginelle with you?”

The older woman jolted and muttered, “Yes, she is in the nails part of the spa. Do I know you?”

Nessa laughed. “No, but I know you. I heard all about you over a very long winter.”

Marta looked from Cassandra to Nessa. “That is where you went?”

The stylist hissed. “Speak respectfully to the lady. She’s the consort of Lord Yasku, and you know what that means, right?”

Cassandra murmured, “I won’t drink anything she brings me.”

The stylist nodded. “Of course.”

“And don’t let her touch anything I am going to consume. She can’t be trusted. I also wish for a new manicurist if Ginelle was assigned to me.”

“Of course, my lady. I will be back in a moment.”

The stylist was gone for two minutes and returned with a new cup of tea. “Here you are, lady. Untouched by their hands.” She set the tea down and went to the machine. “And you are done.”

Cassandra stepped out and felt the heavy weight of hair against her back. “This will take getting used to.”

The stylist nodded. “I can imagine. Now, if you wish to take a seat next to your friend, the braiding can begin.”

“The what?”

“The overseer has designed a braid pattern for you, and we are going to do the braiding while your nails are done. I did not realize you were the consort as your hair was short, and you were not alone.”

“Are consorts usually alone?”

“When their overseer is not with them, I have heard there are bodyguards.”

“She is family. When my biological family chose to break the behavioural contract that would have taken us safely through years of waiting, I left them and found people who would accept my help.”

Nessa’s hair was in soft curls. “And me and the girls definitely appreciated Cassandra’s help. We would have been dead without her.”

The stylist said, “Marta and Ginelle are your biological family.”

“Marta is my birth parent. Ginelle is my brother’s partner.”

“Oh.”

Nessa chuckled. “She needed someone who would cherish her animals as much as she did, and we had eggs with our rations for the whole time until the communicator announced that shuttles were coming for us. We got her chickens and horses and headed for the shuttle that was waiting with space for them. They had room for us all, and we were off to safety before a storm hit.”

The manicurist pushed a table toward them and smiled. “Lady Cassandra?”

“Please work on my companion first. I think the braiding will take a while.”

Her stylist chuckled. “True. There will be three of us working on it.”

Nessa said, “Well, I am ready.”

The manicurist smiled and settled in front of her. “Then, off we go. Do you have a preference for colour?”

“Red, please.”

“Easy. Just relax, miss.”

Cassandra watched as Nessa’s fingertips were attended to. When it was her turn, the esthetician just moved over and got to work. Silver nails with blue and black feathers were completed as the hair was braided. The stylists asked her and Nessa how they managed to survive, so Nessa tried to explain horses and chickens.

“Cassandra came to us with all the food for her beasts, and when they ran low, she got more from somewhere.”

The stylist asked, “Lady, how did you know to put it aside?”

“I have always had an instinct for disaster. I knew what was coming and what I would need. When it happened, I was ready.” She smiled. “And then, I was in the mines, and then, I was here with more money than sense, and Yasku won’t let me spend it.”

The stylist chuckled. “Not a bad situation to be in.”

“I guess not, but after paying off what was left of Nessa’s and the girl’s bonds, I want to buy them something. Homes, education, something for their children.”

The manicurist finished. “That is your primary concern?”

“Sure. Once you are free and have a few million credits left over, it is proper to share it with the family you have chosen.” She kept her head still. “I need to know what to buy for a baby here. What is traditional, and have I missed too much of its life to provide a gift?”

Nessa looked toward her. “The baby in question is Andra.”

The stylists paused. “Oh. She’s sweet. She’s in your family?”

Nessa smiled. “Yes, she is. I am Andra’s aunt by blood, and Cassandra is by choice. She named her daughter after Cassandra. We knew she was still out there looking over us.”

The braids were done, and the stylists flexed their fingers. Cassandra and Nessa were walked to the makeup area, and then, it was on.

The masks that were applied to their skin matched their dresses. Yasku had provided clothing for both of them. That was the last step.

Betsy was her makeup artist and did a focused job on the mask. “You are looking amazing, Auntie.”

“Thank you, Betsy. Why are you here today?”

“I did an apprenticeship, and once it was known that the consort was getting her makeup done, they called me.” Betsy grinned. “I am not afraid of what you will do.”

Cassandra didn’t smile while Betsy worked but whispered, “You sure you want to go with that?”

Betsy laughed. “I am confident.”

Nessa was done early, and she whistled. “Wow. Cassandra, you look like a work of art.”

“I bet Yasku will destroy it in under three minutes,” Cassandra smirked.

Betsy snorted and stroked a clear substance along Cass’s lips, and when she was done, she misted the rest of her art project with a fixative. “That should see you through the most intense make-out session.”

“You have no idea.”

The dresses were put on, and Nessa looked lovely. She was wearing dark red, and her mask was gleaming with the same colour. Her hair was up and twisted, and she looked like a movie star. The shoes were low but looked comfortable.

Cassandra was tied into her outfit; straps and straps and bits of cloth covered her important bits. The only thing that stopped Cassandra from hyperventilating was a length of fabric from under her navel to the ground and a matching one behind her. Four inches of skin were visible from each thigh. The boots that covered her to her knees were a nice touch.

“Well, Yasku isn’t going to make any headway tonight.” Cassandra looked at her clothing in the mirrors. “I am guessing his claws will get caught in all the straps.”

The ladies of the spa and salon came forward and were smiling at her. They were admiring their handiwork.

Kiddel entered the space and said, “Lady Cassandra?”

She turned and faced him. “Hey, Kiddel.”

He gawked and said, “Oh, my. Lady, you look stunning. The overseer is going to sweep you away for privacy the moment he sees you.”

She crossed her arms. “He had better not. I want to see how these gatherings work.”

Kiddel nodded. “I am sure you two can discuss it. You look... fascinating.”

“Thank you. I think I look like an expensive fashion doll with a post-apocalyptic theme.”

Nessa grinned. “End of the World Bar—”

Cassandra held her hand up to stop her, and Nessa and Betsy laughed.

Kiddel asked, “Lady, would you and your friend come with me? There is an early dinner at the city residence waiting for you.”

Cassandra nodded and turned to Betsy. “Do you want to come?”

“Another time. I have to gear up for this evening along with all the other singles in the city.” Betsy grinned. “Have a great time.”

Kiddel extended his arm to her, and Cassandra put her hand on his wrist. Nessa was chortling. “This is going to be fun.”

They left the spa, and Cassandra felt the breeze on all the exposed skin. Having hair again was odd, but it was confined, so she wasn’t too distracted.

One by one, people noticed her. Their reactions to her clothing were amusing. Humans were scandalized, and the other species were amused. Some were even encouraging.

Nessa began a queenly wave, and many folks laughed and waved back as they made their way through the city toward the very large building in the centre. Cassandra sighed when she realized the city house was an actual palace.

They walked to the gate, and the guards straightened and opened the doors. They walked down the path, up the stairs, and into the cool expanse of the inner hallways.

Nessa fell in behind her. “This is way above my pay grade.”

Cassandra snorted, and Kiddel escorted her into the room where three Hmrain and a woman with serpentine scales sat and negotiated. They all fell silent when the trio walked in.

Yasku got to his feet and walked over to Cassandra. “You look...”

“Like six hours of buffing?”

His gaze was moving over her in wonder. “No, you look like my consort.” He reached for her and pulled her against him. “I may have you dress like this twice a week.”

She was pressed against the woven leather shirt that he preferred with his leather leggings. “The leather is nice, but I miss the feel of you.”

The kiss was sudden, and she was pulled up against him while he expressed a little of the mood he was in.

His palm covered her mostly naked back, and he paused. “Cassandra?”

“Yes, Yasku?”

“Do you have wing buds?”

She paused. “No. Why?”

“Because you have wing buds.” He said, “I have a scanner.”

He walked off and took her away. She lazily kicked her legs as she called out, “Sorry, Nessa.”

They headed to a corner of the palace, and Yasku kicked everyone out. He set her in the scanner, and it started to hum around her. Wing buds? Wtf?

* * * *