“Aw.He adores you.I knew he would, Michael.Say, have you considered registering for wedding presents?Perhaps I should have a talk with Corvin and yourself about that?”
“Nope, we’re not doing that.We’re thinking about asking every guest to donate to a local library, but Mom won’t have it.She’d adopt Corvin if he let her, and she’s determined to spoil him.She keeps saying it’s a siren thing, but honestly, I think the gift giving is more for mermaids.”
Peter’s eyes glazed over.He’d known a merman once, and the merman had been made of one part shiny scales, three parts filthy jokes, and two parts opinions about Peter’s sailing skills.
Come to think of it, he did throw a bottle at me that one time.Maybe he meant that as a gift?
“Understandable,” Peter said.“Perhaps we should go to the library?To surprise your Corvin, of course, and so he can show me what types of books should be donated.I’ve not seen much of him since our little outing to Morrowvale.”
Really, Michael had to give Peter that.It wasn’t an unreasonable request, and Peter loved seeing Michael and Corvin kiss and touch; all that wonderful intimacy.
Michael tilted his head.“If it’s because of everything that happened there, you don’t need to worry about Corvin, honestly.And I need to get this done.”He tapped the file he was reading with his index finger, and it took all of Peter’s control not to roll his eyes.
Peter considered telling Michael the file didn’t matter and that they needed to go see Corvin now.Peter needed to see the two of them be sweet to one another.He needed to see them love each other.It was soothing.It was better than watching puppies play.But that was highly inappropriate, and Peter worked exceedingly hard to not be inappropriate, ever.Or mostly.But mostly ever.
He struggled for nonchalance and pulled off a nod.“If you say so, Michael.Let me know if anything changes in regard to your caseload.”
After a quick nod from Michael, Peter stormed back to his office.The spreadsheet was still there when Peter opened his laptop back up, but Peter closed its window posthaste and opened Photoshop instead.
What he couldn’t see in real life, he could at least create there.Pasting Michael and Corvin’s heads on two baby-oil-slicked muscular bodies with not a stitch of clothing on them wasn’t as good as seeing the real thing, but it would have to do for now.
2
Peter
Around4p.m.,wheneven Photoshop couldn’t keep him from grinding his teeth and feeling jittery, Peter decided he needed a willing vein.He threw on his suit jacket and headed back out of his office.
His mood had been noticed, clearly, if the way people were avoiding him was any indication.Peter didn’t mind, although he would have liked to glower at some of the new lawyers fresh out of law school.One of them was a succubus, and Peter hadn’t glowered at a ’cubus in a long time.Plus, the fresh legal meat always had to be broken in properly.Peter made a mental note to schedule a performance review with the succubus.
Once he was behind the wheel of his black Mercedes, Peter drove straight to Madame Celeste’s Boudoir, which sounded like a brothel because it was one.It also catered to supernaturals like Peter, thus avoiding the need for compulsion and all that tedious stuff.Peter had nothing against compulsion for the most part, but he liked to drink from someone who was willing, even if they were only willing to get paid.
Celeste’s building was an unassuming townhouse with a private underground parking lot and good security.The latter served both the people who worked for Celeste and the patrons, ensuring their supernatural identity remained on the confidential side of things.
Peter, in fact, had played a part in helping Celeste get the security by sharing some of his contacts with her.He’d also helped her purchase the building, thus allowing her to build something secure in the first place—not an easy feat in that particular line of business.
Parking was divided into two areas, one for employees and one for clients.At this time of the afternoon, there weren’t many cars there yet, and Peter was able to snag a spot right by the elevators.
A troll attended the elevator and pushed the button for patrons.Peter ignored him.Trolls weren’t susceptible to his moods, so the effort would’ve been wasted.
“Welcome to the Boudoir,” the troll said in his low voice as the elevator arrived on the first floor.The efficiency with which the place was run was refreshing, and Peter could appreciate it even in his generalized state of crankiness.Celeste was an exceptional entrepreneur, and the Boudoir was her vision—one she had easily brought into existence with a little help from Peter where legal and other…hands-on matters were concerned.
The first floor of the Boudoir was the place for mingling.It reminded Peter of the plush coffee houses he had frequented on the Continent back in the late 1800s, though Celeste had gone above and beyond to make sure everything was stylish, fancy, and in keeping with the times.There was gold and black, purple and red, and shades of blues and oranges.Things smelled nice too, in part because of flowers, in part because Peter had put Celeste in touch with a good witch.
Here, those patrons looking for a sexual experience could find one of Celeste’s employees willing to take them on and blow their…minds.The interconnected rooms were large, but offered tables and couches made more intimate by tasteful dividers in light gold and shimmery silver.There was just something welcoming in the way everything had been put together, and Peter knew some people came here just to grab an after-work drink and talk to the variously skilled sex experts in Celeste’s employ.
“Peter, darling, so good to see you again,” Celeste said when she saw Peter walk toward her.
Celeste was mixing a drink behind the bar, but she stopped to step out and greet Peter.She wore what Peter knew to be her before-happy-hour attire: navy pants, dangerously high heels, a cream blouse with a star pattern, and not nearly as much makeup as she put on after happy hour.She’d trimmed her beard back since Peter had last been here, showing off her angular jaw.
“Celeste,” Peter said, allowing her to kiss both his cheeks, her beard slightly irritating on his smooth skin.It was a little awkward, given that her heels made her several inches taller than Peter.
Celeste’s eyes twinkled.“I am so glad you came in today.I have something you will like.”She cocked her head.“That is, assuming you’re here to play?I can never tell with you.”
“All I’d like is a willing blood donor,” Peter grumbled.
Celeste slapped his shoulder and rolled her eyes.“That mood, huh?Did I tell you some of my birds have taken to calling you the hangry vampire?”
“I don’t get hangry,” Peter said, but he glanced around just in case any of the employees were within earshot.
