Page 16 of All for the Beast

She fiddled with her fingers as Gerri gathered her things. Then she stood still, that soft smile ever-present on her lips.

“I think I’m going to stay,” Katy muttered. “But only if you can give me a way to contact you for emergency purposes.”

Katy wanted to have a way out if things started to go south. Like if she didn’t want to stay for the full six weeks, if her parents needed her, or if a few rolls in the hay with the great big shifter turned sour.

Gerri reached into her purse and pulled out a card. It was clear that she had been through such situations before.

“This is only for emergencies,” she stated. “It takes a lot of energy to send messages through the universe, so please, make sure you know you need to use it before you do. Got that?”

Katy nodded frantically, biting her lip. Her heart raced a mile a minute.

Gerri must have noticed because when she stepped forward, she wrapped her hands around Katy’s face and then tilted it down to plant a tender kiss upon her forehead. No one beyond Katy’s parents would do that to her, and even then, they weren’t exactly the expressive type.

When their eyes met, Katy felt a gravitational pull in her chest.

“You are much stronger than you think,” Gerri murmured. “Give yourself a chance to dare, Katy. I know you won’t regret it.”

All Katy could do was nod, and finally, Gerri let her go and departed out into the deep blue Nova Aurora night.

She felt a surge of confidence as she walked back to the dinner table where V and his parents stood the way a knight stands for a queen.

Katy wasn’t expecting it and felt a little flustered, taking her seat next to V again.

“My apologies about that. Gerri and I needed a moment to discuss a few Earth matters.”

The dinner continued on without a hitch, with conversations returning to that of the ongoings in the region, the lack of tourism, and then Katy citing her own experiences on cruise liners. She had to remind herself a few times that she was quite literally out in space with everyone she knew or had ever known hundreds of lightyears away.

It both frightened her and exhilarated her.

After the meal was finished, V offered to show Katy around his parents’ property, both the interior and exterior. His parents retired for the evening, bidding them both a good night and disappearing into their own wing of the mansion.

The massive luxury manor was a blend of historically gothic high ceilings and torches lighting the hallways with modern, space-age windows, decorum, accents, and flair. Every now and then, Katy wanted to tell V that she felt as if she was in a Stanley Kubrick film, but she wasn’t sure if he would understand the reference.

They first explored the indoor pool area, the home theater, a game room full of Earth-like arcade video platforms, a library with shelves upon shelves of books that nearly reached the ceiling, and even an indoor basketball court. Katy had only seen anything remotely close to what V was showing her on reality television or when she was playingThe Simsas a kid.

“Now, we’ve got the night to explore,” V said.

They moved into the kitchen, which was also big, modern, and metallic, where V was opening what looked like a hidden door to the outside world.

They entered the cool night air, which felt refreshing and brisk to Katy’s swirling mind. V stood next to her and looked down, his eyes shining in the dark.

“Where to first, milady?”

Katy tried to suppress a shudder but failed.

“How many options do you have?” she said, smirking.

“Well,” V began. “We’ve got the pool, of course, a jacuzzi, a swim-up bar, a normal dry bar, a garden, and a greenhouse a ways back. The lady’s choice.”

His teeth glistened under the crescent moon, which appeared as yellow as a cat’s eye. Katy crossed her arms to shield the increase in her breathing.

“Let’s see where the wind takes us,” she whispered.

V nodded, then stepped forward, his arms behind his back yet again. It was an interesting gesture that she made a note to remark upon later.

“I’m surprised you don’t live here yourself,” Katy said as they moved toward the pool.

“Why is that?”

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