Page 83 of Peacock Me Like a Hurricane

Sidestepping the animated group of droids who are too engrossed in their gaiety to notice him, I sidle up to the man of the hour.

“Quite the spectacle, isn’t it?” I murmur, watching as our housemates check the signage we made for the magickal rooms. Their curiosity is piqued by the promise of otherworldly delights, but I know Deli has bigger plans than just fun and games. These rooms, with their illusions and whispered wonders, serve a greater purpose than entertainment. They are a ruse, a clever redirection from the true heart of tonight’s gathering.

She wants to keep people from being shitty about Taurus and this will help.

As the artist joins me for the tour of our dry-run, his eyes briefly meet mine with a silent plea for reassurance. I nod subtly, a gesture that goes unseen by others but understood by him. This is his chance to stop drowning in his own depths and start swimming towards the shore. If the magickal rooms keep the bulk of the guests enthralled, then perhaps he can find space to breathe, to be among us without the crushing weight of expectation.

“Let’s hope it works,” he mutters as he steps away from the pool house to be part of the group.

The Cat Convinces The Bird To Leave The Nest

DELILAH

“You are planning a party for everyone that you hate and you want me to attend?”

I look at him in frustration. “Why iseverysinglemale in my life being a first-class asshat today?”

Stomping my foot, I stride to the bar and pour a martini. I down it in a gulp and try not to lose my temper. What happened to wanting to go out on the town and show everyone? Didn’t he want to be all ‘here we are world!’?

I guess he was game until it became real.

He blinks, looking confused. “I’m sorry, what?”

I might have overreacted to his question. I spent most of my day arguing with clones and droids about damned near everything, and I hoped that he’d be easier. From making the rounds with all of my mates and lovers to share my pregnancy announcement to joining the party planning meeting at my house, I’ve been disagreeing with men all day.

Wilde and Sari pretended to be supportive, but I don’t trust it. Constantine was also overly enthusiastic, but it didn’t make it to his eyes. Shea acted like it didn’t matter because he’s upsetover the ‘peach incident’ and Mercury was more interested in role-playing pirates. After that, I had the party discussion at my house that made me want to tear my hair out.

I’m over men humoring, patronizing, and reminding me of things I am aware of.

“Every single male in my house, all the other idgits, and now you, are making me want to strangle someone. All of you have stopped conversations to make sure I haven’t taken leave of my senses... It’s making mecrazy. Everyone is talking to me as if I’m a slow child. This wasn’t my idea, but I got on board—ofcourse, I’m bloody sure. I said it, didn’t I?”

My shout sends the ferret on my shoulder skittering across the floor. Neither of us noticed his departure because we’re too busy arguing about damned near everything, and I hoped that he’d be easier.

“Woman, how am I supposed to know what you came up with? This is the first sodding time I’ve heard of the damned thing!”

I glare. “You never talk to me like that. What’s crawled up your ass?”

“Nothing!” He crosses his arms over his chest. “Except that I left for two days and I don’t see a shred of evidence that you missed me, much less pined. I’m feeling unloved.”

My brain feels like it might explode.Thatis why he’s being an ass? Goddesses save me from the fragile egos of the clones and droids. Hopefully, they do it before Imurder them.

“I can’t knit, but I missed you! I pined! Happy?” I pour another drink, trying hard not to scream and push this silly argument onto another plane of anger.

Snorting, he shakes his head. “You did not. There’s not a chocolate wrapper in sight and no ice cream tubs—only party plans.”

I roll my eyes and huff. “I had ice cream, but I put the bowl away.”

His eyes widen and he looks shocked, clutching his chest as if that damned weak ticker he touts is going to give up the ghost. “You cleaned up after yourself? Holy hell, you missed me.”

Crossing my arms over my chest, I glare at him. I’m notthatbig a slob. “Don’t make a big deal. Dirty dishes draw bugs and I hate bugs.” I’m so busy justifying myself that I miss the small rodent crawling all over the room from floor to ceiling as he explores the new area.

Taurus’ lips quirk as he gets comfortable. He peels off his clothes and chucks them in the dry-cleaning bin inside the closet. Moving to his nightstand, he puts his phone, cuff links, money clip, watch, and other sundries in the decorative bowl Hex added to help us keep our things in one place.

I’m not accusing anyone, but the re-organization of the room and its conveniencesmighthave occurred after Taurus lost a set of important keys. What awful thing they belonged to, who in the hell knows, but during one of our more aggressive intimate sessions, they went missing. He convinced himself for days that Aradia ate them. We knocked the chair across the room when we weren’t paying attention, and there they were.

Hex came over to do a subtle assessment of our space and had everything settled by the evening. I’m not sure Taurus noticed. He used the bins, baskets, bowls, hampers and hooks Hex installed in various locations without being told to.

Perhaps Theodora does similar things.

---