“How’s your work going, Ner?” Paula asked.
Ner put a hand over my shoulders and I scooted closer, reveling in the fact he seemed to crave the constant touch as much as me.
“I’ve learned a lot. The restaurants in America are run differently and seeing it from the position of a waiter gave me a great insight. Santiago let me take a peek at some paperwork and invited me to the meeting with the owner on December twenty-fourth.”
“But that’s Christmas Eve.” Paula grimaced and put her drink on the glass table nearby with a clank.
“The restaurant is open, and it’s usually quite busy.” Ner shifted in his seat.
Then it dawned on me. “That’s the day of the festival.”
“I know. It’s such a huge opportunity, I couldn’t say no. But I should still make the concert, especially yours.” He kissed me on the cheek, but worry had already taken root in me. The festival had been his dream, and he was risking missing it. It was time for a change of subject before I voiced my opinion.
“Are you native to Florida or did you move here?” I asked the girls.
“We’re here for the weather,” Penny said.
“And out of spite,” her sister added. “It’s not the safest place for preternaturals with the return of ‘The Ultimate Drug’ bill having a huge support in the area.”
“You’d think the ‘cure’ being banned decades ago would erase all our problems but nope. It’s like our parents fought for nothing. And got less than half of what they asked for.”
The ‘Cure’ taken intravenously would prevent shifters from turning into their non-human form. But it had been so strong, it had fatal results for many non-shifters who’d taken it.
“I’m so sorry. Is there anything I can do to help?” I’d been so lost in my own world for the past several months, I hadn’t checked on the causes I’d been donating to. Wearing the Cryptid Alliance pin was not enough to show my support of the ones who used the logo first—the rebels who protested against suppressing preternatural appearance and abilities in the seventies.
“We advocated for closing the purity centers and succeeded with a few, but too many are still left.” Paula grew serious, putting her drink aside. “Sometimes latent monster genes manifest in a child of human-looking parents. Some of them are so horrified, they send their child to be tortured in those clinics. They force monsters to hide their abilities and shifters to block shifting. They use electric shock in collars, helmets, or even connected to their wings, tails or genitalia.”
“That’s horrible.” My stomach churned. “How come I’ve only heard rumors of this and never seen it on the news?”
“They’re well hidden and the government doesn’t want the population to see the brutality on the TV. No one wants to hear about kids being tortured, so the media feeds people with stories of good citizens hiding who they are so the normies would feel comfortable around them. No offense, Rick.”
“Oh, none taken.” I was horrified and well aware of my privilege.
“Yeah, we’re monsters after all. And reclaiming the word feels great.” Paula linked hands behind her head, stretching her long legs.
“We’re in our element now, but it was a long way to get here.” Penny waved her pink fingernails at us. “Once puberty hit, no one knew which box to shove us in anymore.”
“How so?” I asked, but I suspected the answer had to do with their appearance.
“The species of dragon we’re descended from has a mix of equipment,” Penny said. “So we have a cock and a vulva.”
“Breasts and a womb,” Paula added. “So we were boys until puberty when our boobs started to grow.” She ran a finger between her breasts, drawing my gaze to them. “You can touch them if you’d like.”
“I’m flattered, but no, thank you.” I swallowed and looked up.
“You don’t have to be shy around us.” Penny played with her sister’s tail as it wiggled in the air.
“He’s respectful, Penny. Not like you’d know what that means.” Ner chuckled, rolling his eyes.
“It’s not you. I’m attracted to people of all genders, monsters included, but right now I want Ner.” I reached for his hand and squeezed it. “I want him so much and so intensely, there’s no space for anyone else at the moment. Sorry.” I swallowed. The daiquiri was strong, and it was making me say things I should be more careful about. “I don’t feel like sharing.”
“Oooh, someone’s gonna be tentacled down today, baby.” Paula jumped out of the jacuzzi and twirled as she reached for her robe.
“Oh, shut up.” Ner laughed, splashing water at her.
I grinned. “A man can hope.”
“Ooooh, spicey!” Penny followed her sister out. “We’ll leave you to it, then. Unless we can watch?”
