I Dated a Deadly Auditor

by Grace, Viola

  “No, but I like to plan for any eventualities. That includes stocking the caves around here with supplies in case anyone gets stuck or feels like they want to fuck in a cavern.”

  Gorith looked at her. “Does that happen often?”

  “Twice so far. They appreciated the water and snacks.”

  He stood next to the fire with her, and he was looking over her shoulder. “That looks deep.”

  She snorted. “That’s what she said.”

  He looked at her in shock and started laughing. “Wow.”

  Her cheeks caught fire. “Sorry.”

  “So, you aren’t authorized for sex? I didn’t know that it was necessary.”

  “With actives, and I know you know this. It is important to be able to tell someone when they are hurting you, for pain or pleasure. I can’t feel either.” She held up her right hand. “I can give manual or oral, but that’s about it. Even then, I have burns on my skull, so I can’t take direction.”

  He slowly reached out and took her hand. “Why did you do it?”

  She flexed her fingers against his but didn’t pull away. “I had to restart with no identity, no people to claim me, and no chance to start over as I was. My body was stunted for someone else’s fetish, I needed time to learn to move in the world, and the only thing I could think of was a catastrophic injury. Fire would cleanse me, make me unrecognizable, and give me time to heal and grow. So, I went looking for fire.”

  He shuddered. “I would have taken care of you.”

  She swallowed. “I would have killed myself if things had continued like that. Your touch was hollow. I know it was for work, but each time you touched me, part of me died.” She sighed. “Have you seen the ancient primate experiments? I had to watch them, and I include them as part of the training for the escorts.”

  “No. They don’t ring a bell.”

  “When a primate is denied contact, they shrivel and get weak, eventually letting themselves die. They need contact with other equivalent beings. Physical contact. If they are left on their own, they will feed themselves for a time, but they can’t feel touch; they just wither. I was halfway to withering when I heard a rumour about the government moving against the family. That got me moving, and I made my plan.”

  He pressed a kiss to her knuckles then turned it and pressed a kiss to her palm.

  She looked at him and asked, “Are you sure you want to hear this?”

  He nodded. “I have wondered at the mechanism of your escape.”

  “Uh, I bribed one of the Muratin brothers, who blocked me from everyone’s senses as we crept out. He wanted to sell me to another crime family, but he also had to stop to take a piss, so I got out of the car at a gas station and hid in the shadows, creeping toward the warehouse district.”

  He kissed her palm again and then kissed her wrist, drawing a small pattern in a way Harmik had never done. She shivered. “What are you doing?”

  “Touching you in the way I have dreamed of for years.” He lifted his head and smiled slightly. “If this is the only place you can feel the touch, then this is where I shall deliver it. Now, what happened next?”

  “Um, I ran along the river to the waterfront and found what I was looking for. There was a plasma active who was immolating and setting the building on fire around her. The emergency services were arriving, and I crept into the building through a window and walked toward the edge of the fire. I covered my face with my hand and rolled into the silvery flames and started screaming. That part didn’t need any subterfuge.”

  His hand tensed slightly on hers. He had worked to the middle of her forearm. “What then?”

  “Healers and doctors and life support. The silver plasma didn’t burn my lungs, so they just had to force intravenous lines, and thankfully, I had one good arm.” She chuckled. “Then, I started growing, and they looked at my dental situation and figured out that I was older than I looked. Finally, they asked me how old I was, and I told them. Twenty-one.”

  He blinked. “You gave them your actual age.”

  “I did. My family never did DNA scans, and I am the only active in the bunch. There is nothing to tie me to anyone.” She smiled. “I said I was a runaway, that I had no memory of my origins. I chose a name, was set up with identity papers, went to a lottery counter, and bought a ticket. I won thirty thousand dollars, repaid the government services, and found a place to live that was respectable. From there, I enrolled in courses to get me my high school diploma, so I could enter college.”

  His tongue tickled the inside of her elbow. “You won the lottery again?”

  “Partially victim’s services, a part-time job or two, and grants and bursaries for excellent grades. The lottery was only a jumping-off point, and I kept the win low enough to not raise many eyebrows.” It was getting hard to concentrate. The few nerves that she did have were running riot.

  “Uh, I graduated and got a job with a corporate trainer, and on one of the assignments, I was at Z-Tech. That is where I met Zera, and she recruited me to learn and develop a training program for the escorts. Analytics is a sub-activation.”

  He was nearing her shoulder. “And the hair?”

  “Ah, that was just for fun. It is artificial. The back of my skull got burned as well. It also means that I haven’t been leaving any DNA around. My skin was a fake graft, and my hair is implanted.” She blinked. “Huh. I just thought of something. If I get healed, my hair is going to fall out if the other stuff grows back.”

  He kissed her neck. “I miss the blue and black.”

  She blinked. “It never went along with this body. I was always just bald and fucked up.”

  He sighed and stroked a thumb across her lips. “You have shown surprising strength and ingenuity. No fuckups here.”

  She smiled. “Thanks for that.”

  “However, you have open wounds on you, and this is not a great environment for you. So, if you will come with me, I can fulfill the rest of the contract by holding you while you sleep.”

  She snorted. “It took a lot of adrenaline to get me up here. I am pretty sure I can’t get down until morning.”

  “If you will allow me, I will carry you down.”

  She watched as his energy tendrils came out of his back and started to move and flex restlessly.

  “Uh, I thought you had to be mad before they came out.”

  He smiled. “No, they are always working with me. Will you let me carry you?”

  She looked at his earnest expression and nodded. “Okay. I apologize for any blood that gets on you.”

  Gorith nodded. “I will send you the cleaning bill.”

  She smiled and got to her feet. She didn’t even take a step when he picked her up. His tentacles stomped out her little fire, and they were suddenly in darkness with only the starlight outside. He walked to the mouth of the cave, and then, they started descending the side of the rock face. He held her firmly but not squeezing as his tentacles walked them down the hill.

  When they were on the ground, she expected him to let her go, but he didn’t. He walked her to the first aid station, and the chime rang. The medic came out and saw her. “Ah, my frequent flier. Patron, please, set her down. I will deal with her.”

  Gorith sat her on the med bed and held her hand.

  “Patron, I really need her to lie down.”

  “She has a wound on her back.”

  The medic blinked. “Oh.”

  “And her legs.”

  She blushed. “Sorry for taking up your time, medic.”

  Gorith kissed her hand. “It is his job, Tirra. He chose it.”

  She blinked. “Oh, shit. I left my mask in the cave.”

  He smiled. “I can get it in the morning.”

  “I have a date in the morning.”

  His eyes hardened a bit. “Do tell.”

  “Um, Harmik has made an appointment for me to see Khytten again.”

  His eyes softened. “Ah. I will have to wrangle an invitation myself.”

  �
��Oh, right. You know Salat, too.”

  “Yeah, we trained together.”

  “You... oh. That kind of training.”

  “Yes. That kind of training.” He held her fingers while the medic quietly worked. “I am a little more personable, so I got to do a few undercover jobs before I blew my cover.”

  “Blew your cover?” There was a burning in her back as the medic worked.

  He smiled. “I had to surrender my active agent status after a slight altercation during the bust that took down the crime family. Also, I was exposed as an agent, so there was no returning to active duty. I ended up in public service.”

  “Oh.” She inhaled sharply as the medic held her skin together with his palms, and she felt the burn as he created a biological graft between severed muscle and skin.

  Once her back was done, she felt cool swabbing as blood was removed, and the medic urged her to lie down now that there wasn’t a hole in her.

  The legs were treated, and the medic sighed. “I suggest you don’t do anything strenuous and stop climbing rocks in evening wear.”

  She was eased up, and instead of letting her stand, Gorith picked her up again. “Nothing strenuous. Got it.”

  She didn’t know what to do with her hands, so she simply said, “Thank you,” to the medic as Gorith carried her out.

  The rain had stopped, and the pathways between buildings glowed softly. He walked to the guest house, and she said softly, “Where are we going?”

  “To my room. I have dreamed of having you in my bed. If all I can do is hold you, that is what I want to do.”

  She ducked her head, and when he elbowed his way into his quarters, she looked and was surprised that there was a living area and a separate door for the bedroom. “Huh.”

  “What?”

  “Um, I haven’t actually been in the guest quarters before. Harmik comes to my room when he wants to cuddle.”

  “That is all you two do?”

  “Sure. He knows that my skin is basically parchment and tears easily. Screwing me would get him banned from the BD Corp and probably kill me.” She sighed. “I can head back to my place if you think that holding back will be a problem.”

  He snorted and walked into the bedroom, kicking the door shut behind them. He set her on the bed and knelt to remove her heels. “You climbed a rock face in these?”

  She sighed. “I am hard on shoes. And clothes.”

  “Can you take a bath?”

  “Um, as long as I don’t soak too long. I am better with a gentle rinse.”

  “Then that is what it shall be. Your dress is also shredded. I think the blood is holding it on.”

  She chuckled. “That happens. I might have to soak it off.”

  “In that case.” He lifted her and carried her to the bathroom, where he set her inside the soaker tub and got the handset from the wall. He took the time to get the temperature correct and eased it over her back and shoulders.

  She watched the water turn scarlet as he worked. “Oops.”

  “Yeah. Oops.” He sighed. “My shirt is trashed.”

  “Serves you right for wearing white. I seem to recall you as being dashing in navy blue. It matched your eyes.”

  He chuckled. “I am flattered you noticed.”

  “I spent a lot of time glaring at you.” She leaned her head on her knees, and he set the spray aside, and her dress relaxed.

  “There we go.” He helped her to stand and eased her dress from her, pausing when he realized. “You aren’t wearing anything under it.”

  “No, but hey, you have your answer.” She swayed, and he got the spray again and rinsed her bare skin carefully. Her lower abdomen and groin were whole, as were her inner thighs. She had pulled herself in tight, and the plasma had wrapped around her. She had protected as much of herself as she could. Peeing through a catheter for the foreseeable future had not appealed to her. She kept the important bits intact.

  She swallowed as the tepid water washed over her. When the water ran clear, he washed his bare arms and quickly got her a thick and fluffy towel. He patted her skin gently and didn’t miss an inch.

  “Um, where did your shirt go?”

  “Floor. Don’t need it. You might not be able to feel me, but I can feel you.” He smiled. “I can leave you for a minute to get ready for bed.”

  She swallowed. “Um, okay.”

  He left her alone, and she went through the motions—used the toilet, washed her hands and face. Brushed her teeth and wrapped the fluffy towel around her before she exited the bathroom. He was talking on his com, and there was a feral grin on his lips. She didn’t know who he was talking to until there was the squall of a baby in the background.

  She called out, “Good evening, Salat.”

  There was a laugh from the other end of the com.

  The bed was turned down, so she dropped the towel and climbed between the sheets, getting comfortable and clutching her pillow. Gorith walked into the bathroom, and his voice continued to rumble through until she nodded off.

  He moved against her back and wrapped himself around her. She was tall for a woman, but he was huge. He overlapped her on all sides and pressed her lightly back against him. He groaned as he touched her. “This is a delightful torture.”

  “I... oh.”

  He slid his fingers between her thighs.

  “I thought we were just going to cuddle.”

  “You cuddle your way; I will cuddle mine.”

  His fingers touched her, parted her, and slipped against her when he opened her folds. He inhaled. “You are wet.”

  “Must have missed a spot out of the shower.”

  He chuckled and licked her neck. “Nope. This is dry. And this spot here.” He flexed his fingers and slid two inside her. “This is inviting.”

  Her head jerked back in surprise at the feeling, and then, he pulled his fingers from her and circled her clit before dipping back inside. She gasped, and he continued to lick and nibble at her neck as his fingers engaged in slow torment.

  Her breath came faster, and she was making a desperate whining noise that picked up in intensity and frequency as she got closer to the edge. He continued the slow dip, withdraw, and circle until she arched and gripped his wrist, moaning long and low as he kept moving his hand. She was panting as he continued until he finally let her relax.

  She slumped and watched as he withdrew his fingers and brought them to his lips. When he lapped at his fingers, she blushed and closed her eyes.

  “That was beautiful. I had no idea you made such tiny sounds before you came.” He chuckled. “Any critiques?”

  “You have big fingers.”

  He laughed and wrapped his arms around her carefully. “Noted.”

  She smiled slightly and rested in his arms. It was definitely different than Harmik’s cuddle nights. No popcorn.

  Chapter Seven

  She heard a knock at the door and sat up, the sheet fell to her waist, and she snatched it up again, hiding her patchwork skin.

  Gorith came in wearing snug-fitting boxer briefs and nothing else. That explained the softness she had felt when grinding back at him late in the night or early in the morning, she forgot. He did have very talented fingers, and he didn’t touch her anywhere other than safe areas. It was amazing what he did with that twenty percent.

  He looked at her and smiled. “This just came for you. Salat sent it over.”

  She stared. “Salat is sending me clothing?”

  “He draws comics, and I am guessing he sees you as a character. He would like to see you dressed as he envisions.”

  “Where did he get my measurements?” She took the bag.

  He laughed. “Probably from Zera. She is very keen on sharing her knowledge of her escorts with interested parties.”

  Pleaselettherebeunderwear.Pleaselettherebeunderwear.Pleaselettherebeunderwear.

  She opened the bag and looked around. She slumped.

  Gorith chuckled. “Aw, looking for underwear?”

&nbs
p; She looked at him with narrowed eyes. “Yes.”

  “Don’t count on it. Salat is a bit of a stickler for the clean lines of a bodysuit.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “You aren’t going to give me privacy for this, are you?”

  He grinned. “Nope. You might need help.”

  “Jackass.”

  She flipped the sheet back and opened the garment bag completely. “Oh. Wow. Yeah, I can see the appeal.”

  She smiled and withdrew the dark blue suit. It went on easily, and when she did the closure, it was a very faithful fit. No wonder there was no underwear. There was no room. Boots were in the bag, and she pulled the thigh-high boots on over the suit. She finished getting dressed and smoothed her hands over the reinforced fabric, liking the high collar.

  She turned to look at Gorith, and his mouth was open. His shorts were also in danger. That tent was under extreme pressure.

  “Uh, I am not sure that this is your taste.”

  He nodded. “It definitely is. I would put you in less, but this is also good, too.”

  She checked the time. “Well, I have to get some breakfast and check on the roster for incoming guests. By the time I finish that, Harmik and I and you, I guess, will be heading over to Salat and Khytten’s.”

  “You will be at the restaurant?”

  “Um, yes.”

  “Save me a seat.” He walked up to her and kissed her.

  She closed her eyes and smiled as the heels on the boots had the effect of elevating her.

  She opened her eyes as he leaned back, and he murmured, “See you at breakfast.”

  She nodded and left his quarters. She walked straight to the restaurant and got some coffee. Harmik was there, flicking through morning news reports, and he stared at her as she got her coffee. “Did he dress you in that?”

  “No, it was sent over by Salat. He is being nice enough to allow access to Khytten, so I thought I would humour him. It is surprisingly comfortable.”

  He blinked with understanding. “He is making you into a comic character.”

  “I suppose.” She sipped at her coffee. Theeda—the morning server—came by and took her regular breakfast order.

  “You are looking great this morning, Ms. Argent. Have you actually gotten some sleep?”