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Val shakes her head clear. “Shower. Then luncheon. Then talk. Then if there’s time, quantum mechanics and portal theory.”
“No more orgasms on your daily task list for today?” She loves her damned checklists.
She pauses. “Correction. Orgasms between luncheon and before our talk.”
“I can arrange that. Now go.” I shoo her through the portal before I re-arrange her schedule completely.
Chapter Thirteen
LUNCHEON
Valiana
Torben is right.
No one notices I’m late. They are all taking a tour around the house. I hear them upstairs and they are just coming down as I exit the kitchen.
Torben played host to distract from the fact I wasn’t here. That he would do that for me makes me feel emotional.
I tamp down my rising . There are a whole lot of strangers and I can’t break down now.
I was just making sure the food was ready and peaked out and was on my way back into the kitchen when announces me.
“And here is Miss Valiana Seitta. She completely and thoroughly owns this house.”
I feel my face flush red. Why did he have to go and say that? It makes butterflies flutter in my stomach.
The guests seem to take it in stride. A gargoyle with his wings tucked back and wearing a custom tailored suit is the first to come over and greet me. “I am Edris Otori, but please call me Eddie.”
“I can do that.”
“You have done marvelous work here simply marvelous.”
“Oh, I didn’t do much—” I start to say.
A woman with little nubs for horns and hind legs clops next to me and introduces herself as Issa. “You do not have to be so modest. Even I can tell that your presence here has been—” She doesn’t quite finish the sentence with words. Instead, she gestures her hand all around her, and ends with a large sigh. “You know?”
I relate to that sentiment so much.
More from the Chamber of Commerce introduce themselves. A naga, a faun, a harpy and a Firebird.
Torben introduces me to him personally. “This is Lucky. He is an old friend from the old country.”
I’m surprised by Lucky’s generally human features. He has a sharp jawline and cheekbones that could cut glass. If I were to look just at his face, I would have thought he were human.
There is no hiding Lucky’s brilliant wings that resembles the corona of the sun. They’re as big as sails when extended, and seem to create a natural border between him and anyone else. Black shirt tucked into black jeans with black leather boots. I’m getting a sense of his vibe, namely, stay away.
I take it as a compliment that he extends his hand in greeting. “Pleasure to meet you.”
Torben continues. “Lucky is an artist and he stays with a Firebird community on Nusku Island. It is located in the middle of the lake there.”
Lucky brushes a hand through the feathers along his crown that flop over his face like a fiery mohawk. “We would be able to visit there however the lake is still quite frozen.”
Mayor Eddie overhears the conversation. “Yes, the sirens are deep underwater because of that. But I have a shell here,” he says, patting his jacket pocket, “so they can at least listen to a recording in case there is any matter they need to address.”
“Oh Eddie,” Issa tha faun says, “we weren’t really supposed to be talking business anyway.”
“I know, I know, but I just didn’t want them to feel left out.”
