by Viola Grace
Over the next few days, her body was loaded with minerals and supplements, and then, an electric pulse fused them to her biology. The texture of her skin changed, and her hair went white. When she was finally pulled from the tank, she felt better, energized, and her hair had bleached to white; her eyes had gone from blue to a startling purple.
Krizt put her on a bathing station, and Zera helped wash the tank fluid off her.
“Well, you look different. After you pass your physical, we will have to update your stats.” She sprayed Arcady’s skull. “I have never seen hair so white. It has a pigment in it, but the pigment is white.”
Arcady sighed. “With my luck, it glows in the dark.”
Krizt suddenly got very interested in a tray of instruments that had been used to remove all the ports in her skin.
Arcady looked at him as he got very busy. “Please, tell me it doesn’t glow in the dark.”
“Not generally, but there are reactive filaments. If you get injured again, it will light up like a beacon.”
She looked at him. “We did not discuss that.”
“I can deactivate the gene that makes it glow. It will mean more time in the tank.”
She lifted her limbs and looked at the hairless and smooth surface. “You already have customized me to your preferences.”
Zera snorted. “Which is not an option we are offering to our other patrons. Ever.”
Arcady slowly pulled her hand up and checked the fangs. “Mild hypnotic?”
He grimaced. “The teeth and the venom sacks are in place, but the actual substance is currently a pheromone-laden saline. It will just mark your target for later destruction.”
“Destruction? Like a degenerative element?”
“Later, like if you bite them in defense, I will tear them apart.” He picked up her hand and kissed it.
Zera stroked her hair and helped her to sit up. “He was very upset that some of your attackers got away from him, so this is his way of tracking anyone who is around you while you are in pain. It comes out of your skin to a lesser degree.”
“Like a puffball mushroom? Great. As long as I don’t go off when someone bumps into me. That would be awkward. Or when I am on a date.”
He shook his head. “Pleasure will produce a different marking. I won’t kill any of your lovers, but I do reserve the right to investigate them at my leisure.”
Zera sighed. “Krizt, we talked about this. Her body, her choice, and if you are unable to provide her with what she needs, you have to let her find it somewhere else.”
Arcady muttered, “And sex will only be on designated dates until determined otherwise. That is in my contract.”
Zera snorted. “A new contract has to be put in place, considering your new appearance and damage resistance. It will increase your patron base.”
Krizt growled.
“Okay. So now that I am clean, can I get dressed?”
Zera brought out a garment bag. “If you can dry off and stand up, you can get dressed.”
She nodded, and her body tingled. What she really wanted was to have a few minutes alone and test out if her skin was still sensitive.
“You are also between contracts right now, so your social life is your own.” Zera chuckled. “Just saying.”
“Which means that I am not entitled to use of the wardrobe that Seventeen has.”
Zera paused. “You were injured on a work night.”
“But I was not on duty. I was out of the company vehicle when they hit, or at least that is what the news reports say. According to the news, I was just a devoted lab assistant who worked late on a regular basis, and they drew the wrong conclusion before they attacked.”
Zera glared at Krizt. “You let her see the news?”
He shrugged. “She threatened to get out of the tank if she couldn’t see the news.”
Arcady eased to her feet and held the table for balance. “I did. I hate not knowing what is going on around me, and I managed to get Krizt back to his regular schedule when he wasn’t playing nanny to me.”
“And Z-Tech thanks you for your efforts.” Zera smiled. “You are a valued employee, and Z-Tech and the BDC take care of their own. I will set up a hotel room and a security bot for you so you can get some fresh air.”
Arcady walked over to the garment bag and opened it. The dress was a simple business dress in a rich green, and the black lace underwear was more of an idea of propriety than an actual proper thought. She pulled the black lace into place and winced as her sensitive skin could feel every thread in the panties. The bra was just as bad. She glared at Krizt. “I thought you said my skin was sturdier.”
He nodded and smiled. “And exceptionally sensitive. Since the hair follicles had to be eradicated due to the increase in tissue density, the surface cells had to become more reactive to contact.”
“Wonderful.” She reached up and got the dress off the hanger. She slipped the dress on and worked the closure until the dress was secure. She pulled her waist-length hair out, and it cascaded around her.
Zera smiled and stroked her cheek. “You look wonderful. There is a glow of heat to your cheeks, your hair is snow, and your eyes are bright amethysts.”
Krizt sighed. “Zera, you stated that I would be able to run final scans. Stop trying to seduce her.”
“What is my birth control situation?”
Krizt chuckled. “Still active and effective for another three years, one hundred and fifty-eight days.”
“That is weirdly specific.” Zera smiled.
“Uh, yeah, and something only me and my medical files have in them.” She looked at Krizt. “That’s a little creepy.”
“You have known me for eight months, and my delving into your medical files is what you consider creepy?” He grinned. “You have selective tolerance.”
“There are some things that I consider absolutes. My medical history is one of them.”
He scowled. “I didn’t know that.”
“You have known me for eight months, and you haven’t noticed that I haven’t discussed anything remotely related to a hangnail.”
He chuckled. “You did let me know when you were sore.”
Zera sighed. “You didn’t take my advice, did you?”
“Not the first time. No. I was too exhausted.” She shrugged. “I did learn quickly after that.”
She had a thought. “Isn’t it weird for me to be considering screwing him while I work for him?”
Zera shrugged. “You considered it before; you just couldn’t act on it.”
“True.”
The grin on Krizt’s face was terrifying in its enthusiasm.
Zera snorted. “There is a consensual relationship form. You will both be subjected to two-month reviews to make sure that the interaction doesn’t interfere with your workload. If you can keep that up for a year, you no longer require the checks.”
“Oh. Okay.”
Zera got thoughtful. “Of course, you are technically an experiment yourself now. You are only the second living being to have been given that grafting and the only one in the capitol.”
“Oh, no. I am not going to be locked into a room here every night when he goes home.”
Zera smirked. “I was thinking more of a custody arrangement. Just until you stabilize. Trust me, I am not losing you as an escort. Your particular brand of date appeals to some men and women who just want a friendly date and a day of normal.”
Krizt frowned. “What exactly do you do?”
“Seventeen is a master of the girlfriend experience. She acts like a long-time lover, does the whole tell me about your day thing, and then has sweet and sometimes amusing sex with her partner.”
“I only had a tickle fight with two of them, and one doesn’t count. We were getting a couple’s massage, and she was slippery.”
Zera shrugged. “Sex with me is rarely lighthearted. There are some jokes and innuendo, but it is far more savage.”
She shrugged. “Savage doesn’t really
describe my dates. Enthusiastic, yes, but savage... nope. I just make people feel good and then go home.” She made a face. “Well, I did.”
Zera smiled. “One of the hotels is willing to put you up for an open-ended stay.”
Krizt shook his head. “I have room for her.”
Arcady stared at him. “Uh, I don’t think that would be appropriate.”
He snorted. “I have a large place, and there are guestrooms. That way, I can make sure you are stable, and we can discuss further alterations.”
Her hand flew to her forehead, and she slumped in relief.
Zera laughed. “Horns?”
“It was discussed—I think—as he brought me in. He mentioned horns like his, and I suggested one ridge running down the centre. Just to drive home the fact that I am an active.”
Krizt sighed. “Unfortunately, the purple eyes and white hair now do that for me.”
“We can revisit the horns later, Researcher Krizt.” She smiled at him.
She got out some of the flat-soled shoes that had been in the bottom of the garment bag, and she slipped them on. She stretched and bent from side to side. When she straightened, she looked at Zera. “What time is it? I need to update my employee photo.”
“It is just after one. Your com was intact, so we can stop, and you can grab some lunch.”
“Great. Researcher Krizt, I can be back at work tomorrow morning.”
He walked over to her and stared down at her. “You are to take a long weekend to get used to things and replace some of your items that were destroyed.”
Zera grimaced. “He did get all your makeup.”
“Dang. There’s a couple of hundred bucks.”
“And your wardrobe. We are salvaging some of the quilts, but they are in the hands of restoration experts, and it will take some time.”
She swayed, and Krizt caught her. “Everything? The bastards destroyed everything?”
Krizt was sincere when he said, “I can have a chat with him down at the peacekeeper station, and you can watch.”
Zera’s eyes opened wide. “Not a good idea. She is just getting used to her body. She doesn’t need to see what you can do yet.”
Krizt looked bashful. “Right.”
“Uh, what am I not getting here?”
Zera smiled and shrugged. “Let’s just say that when your alarm went off, I called him for a reason. At least you didn’t get blown up. That happened to Eleven, and she had to leave the city.”
“Why?”
“Because her patron had need of her, and there was a price on her head. Neither of those situations applies to you. Your patrons await your recovery. Well, now that they know who you are.”
“So, what was the reasoning for bringing them to my hospital room to gawk at me?” She crossed her arms, but Krizt still had an arm around her.
“Ah. They need to understand that the escorts take risks. It isn’t something that is understood. Their privacy is guarded, their anonymity is assured, but the escorts are taking the risks. I am striving to increase the level of respect for those who take these risks.”
Arcady blinked. “I need to go see my brother.” She looked to Zera. “Please, tell me he wasn’t involved.”
“Not directly, no, but when he thought you were a plain old prostitute, he shared that concern with the guy who targeted you. He is going to be dealing with a lot of guilt.”
Krizt asked, “Is your brother an active?”
She shook her head. “No, I am the first one in our family.”
“So, there will be a lack of understanding as to what you experience.”
“There always was, but he tried. He was the one who encouraged me to take the job here.” She smiled. “He made sure I wasn’t late. Well, since I have some time off, I may as well go to see him.”
Krizt’s arm stopped her from walking out the door. He pulled her back against him with a thud. His hand was flat on her belly, and she was pressed against his groin. Her backside was left in no doubt that he was not quite as calm as he appeared.
Zera snorted and said, “We will wait on the photo until you look less tired. Today, I am ordering you to go and get something to eat and some actual rest.”
Arcady made a face. “Right. I am hungry, but I have no idea what to eat.”
Krizt chuckled and nodded. “I can help with that. Zera, I am taking a late lunch.”
Zera snorted. “Of course. Take tomorrow as well. I can have Lipak take over maintenance of your ongoing projects for a day or two.”
Arcady slowly turned to look up at Researcher Krizt. “You really don’t need to keep tabs on me.”
“Of course, I do. You are my current and ongoing experiment.”
She was relieved. “Oh. Right. Of course.”
Zera snorted. “You are more relieved to be an experiment than a love interest?”
“Yeah. He is careful not to mess with the experiments.”
Krizt sighed. “She is correct. I do. With that in mind, does my little experiment want something to eat?”
She pinched the bridge of her nose. “I am not that little.”
“We are examples of sexual dimorphism at its best. You are above-average height for a female, but not by much. I am also above-average height for a male by a bit more. Nearly a foot more if I bend my head and you count from the horns.”
She blinked. “Whatever. Still not little.”
He chuckled. “Fine. Let’s go to lunch.”
His hand at her back propelled her out of the lab. They stopped at his office so he could switch his lab coat for a suit jacket.
She touched her hair as they left the lab level and frowned. “How is my hair dry already?”
“It sheds water. Your skin has changed, so your hair had to change.” They were headed for the parking area.
“I am going to have to figure out how to put it up, or it is constantly going to be getting in the way.”
He grinned. “I can help you with that.”
She snorted. “I bet you can, and what you don’t know, you can figure out.”
He walked to his SUV and held her door open for her. “Of course. I am a researcher.”
Arcady just sighed and got in the car.
Chapter Five
He drove them through downtown to another parkade and pulled in. The attendant straightened when they saw Krizt, and they pulled in on a secure level.
“Why the security?”
“You will figure it out when you run into your first un-activated bigot who wants to target you.”
“Uh, been there, done that.”
“Ah, but they thought they were after a human. When they know you are an active, they come harder. The security is worth the money for a bit of peace of mind.” He unbuckled and came around to open her door.
He took her hand and led her to the elevator, where another guard nodded. “Dr. Krizt, you are here early.”
“My assistant has had some trouble of late, so I am taking her for a late lunch.”
“Well then, miss. You are in for a treat.”
She was curious now. “Thank you. The last few weeks have been one surprise after another.”
Krizt led her into the elevator and pushed a button for the twentieth floor of a twenty-four-story building.
“This is a lot of security for a restaurant.”
He chuckled. “You will see why.”
She looked at the hand he was holding, and he simply waited until they reached the floor. When they stepped out, she saw a gathering of actives that she had never imagined. The restaurant was a series of deep booths, each one had its own server, and each booth had a physically manifested active holding court.
The hostess came forward with a bright smile. “Dr. Krizt, you are here early.”
“I am hearing that a lot today. So, Carly, this is my assistant, Arcady, and she needs something to eat.”
The hostess smiled. “Pleased to meet you, Arcady. Are you going to become a regular?”
Krizt a
nswered before Arcady could. “Yes, we are.”
Carly looked between them and saw the joined hands. “Right. Holy cow. Okay, this way, Dr. Krizt, Arcady.”
They walked past a few folks who nodded to Krizt. Arcady observed. “So, you are a regular here.”
“I am. I also live in the building, so it’s convenient.”
Arcady blinked as she was urged into the booth overlooking the city instead of looking into the restaurant. She sipped carefully at the glass of lemon water that Carly returned with and looked out over the city. “So, Researcher Krizt, what first brought you to a place like this?”
“My brother.”
“He’s a foodie?”
“He’s the chef.” Krizt smiled. “And the owner.”
“So, you have siblings.”
“Three. I know you have at least the one.”
“A few, but I don’t speak to any but Thomas,. Are all your siblings actives?”
“Yes. Ah, here is my brother.”
A man who was a lovely shade of mauve with black hair and wearing chef’s whites came around the edge of the booth and grinned. “Bro, I hear you aren’t eating alone today.”
Arcady looked at him and smiled politely. “No, he isn’t.”
The chef looked her over, and his stunned expression was either gratifying or confusing.
“Klauz, this is my assistant, Arcady.”
Understanding dawned in his expression, and he took Arcady’s hand. “Finally. Whatever your wish is, is my command.”
“I don’t have a particular wish as I haven’t been myself lately. Any suggestions?”
His eyes flicked black, and he nodded. “I will bring you a few things. Leave yourself in my hands.”
Krizt said, “Hey, what about me?”
“You get your usual, and you’ll like it.”
She smiled at Klauz. “Ah. Definitely siblings.”
He kissed her knuckles, and Krizt growled. Klauz grinned. “Lovely to meet you, and I will return in a moment with something to stop that gnawing hunger.”