Crazy Seduction(erotica)

“Nate Walker, freelance creative copywriter,” he returned. He shook Sigrid’s hand and nodded to the lawyer who was holding herself back a little as she looked to Nate.

Camila locked the door and activated the privacy rune once more.

“Explain,” was all Mahati said as she looked to Camila.

The CEO sighed then began. She explained how Siobhan Whelan had discovered Nate had been unaware of his true nature until the previous October. At that time Oletha Thanemark had tried to abduct him. She’d attempted multiple times since the first. Siobhan invited him to visit yesterday, but Oletha managed to capture him. She was almost successful in kidnapping him, but they found her location and retrieved him from the yacht when she attacked Camila.

“How does this make him like Henry?” Mahati asked with a frown. “Aside from his lack of knowledge of his true nature?”

“The easiest way to prove it would be a demonstration. Nate, we wouldn’t normally ask you to do this but could you show Mahati your true self?” Camila sighed as she pressed the button to close her blinds.

He looked into her eyes and saw she was serious, so he stood. He moved to the open space before the couch and smiled at the group. All eyes were on him. He closed his eyes and triggered his glamor to drop.

Roy gave a frustrated growl as he turned to Camila. “Dammit! Could ya not tell the lad to wear something underneath th’ glamor! Between him and Henry!”

Nate looked down, and there it was. His Incubus junk. Big, jet black, ridged, flared and exposed for all to see. He spun to turn his back towards them and opened his wings.

“Wings!” Mahati gasped, struggling to recover from the peep show.Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

“Yes. Incubi haven’t had wings for thousands of years. Before you ask, there has never been a case of a random activation of the dormant genes. He’s been pulled from that era, as Henry was,” Camila said and looked to Nate. “Thank you. You can switch back.”

He looked at her nervously over his shoulder. “I- uh, need the picture.”

“Sorry.” She stood and walked over with the page and held it up before him as he concentrated. This time it took four attempts as he was nervous. “You’ll get the hang of it,” she said gently as he gave her an apologetic look.

Mahati had recovered some of her haughtiness and stared down her nose at Nate. “While startling, this doesn’t prove he was involved with the witch. Did she raise him too?”

Camila looked to Nate to answer that, and he turned to the lawyer. “I have regular parents- human parents… I was adopted. I think I met the woman you’re talking about once. She showed up the night I discovered what I was. She walked right up to look me in the eye. She looked disappointed and pissed off then walked away. That’s the only time I recall seeing her.”

“Your glamor has a non-standard transition which means it wasn’t given to you by the Fae. Did you ever try to trigger your glamor before that night?” Mahati asked.

He shook his head. “I didn’t know I had a glamor. When Oletha tried to get me to trigger it, I felt this terrible feeling of fear and panic. She said someone had placed a strong compulsion spell on me to resist using or even looking for it.”

Camila shared a look with Roy whose face held a frustrated scowl. Mahati noticed. “You two have experienced this?”

“Aye, tis th’ witch,” Roy grumbled, his agitation bringing out his accent.

“It’s one of her trademarks. Using fear to compel people to do, or in this case, not do something,” Camila stated with a grim expression. “It’s not pleasant to experience.”

“We must inform the Hidden Races Council immediately! You should have notified me-” Mahati began to raise her voice.

“We just did! We only just rescued Nate from the Marquise last night!” Sigrid stated.

“And I called you last night on my way to the marina,” Roy stated, holding her eyes with his.

Nate shifted uneasily in his chair. “Is there some danger involved in not immediately calling them? Are they going to send assassins after me?”

Everyone began to speak, trying to ease his fears until Mahati raised her hand for silence.

“No, you are not in any danger, and they will not assassinate you. I apologize if I gave you that impression. I am concerned that these three take on too much authority in issues that should be managed by powers greater than them.” She raised her hand again to stop the protests. “When dealing with entities such as Baba Yaga and Queen Mab, two of the most powerful witches in existence, one leaves the decision making to the authorities-”

“Sometimes those authorities don’t make decisions, but instead, react, following practices which are short-sighted and cruel when viable alternatives exist!” Camila insisted. When Mahati opened her mouth to argue, Camila raised her hand to stop her. “Let me finish.” The lawyer glared at her but nodded stiffly. “If we hadn’t intervened in Stanley’s case, tell me, what course of action do you think the Council would have taken? What outcome do they typically utilize? Would they have shown compassion to a young man whose whole world was turned upside down? Who discovered his grandmother wasn’t related to him and he had no real family? A young man who just wanted to work on computers and have some friends? A young man who wasn’t a threat to anyone! A young man like Nate.”

Mahati sat with arms crossed, breathing hard and nostrils flaring with her frustration.

“Think about it, please,” Sigrid asked gently and intense brown eyes locked on the blonde’s earnest blue eyes.

Nate glanced back and forth between Mahati and Camila. He was confused, so he caught Mahati’s attention. “Pardon me if this sounds rude, I don’t mean to be, but I’m truly confused here. As a lawyer, who’s your client? The Council or VRL?”

Camila’s eyes showed her pleased surprise while Mahati’s narrowed with anger.

“It looks like you took that as criticism. I’m sorry. You’re talking about my continued existence, so I thought maybe I should ensure I had fair representation… if that’s even allowed,” Nate continued.

Mahati huffed as she realized his question was honest and she was in a spot.

Camila took the opportunity of that moment of silence to launch her second attack. “The Council appointed your firm to us. We didn’t choose your firm. Nor have we signed any contracts, yet, so legally we aren’t your client. I didn’t refuse as I generally support their efforts to keep us all safe. However, I don’t agree with all of their decisions or practices. Frankly, I would welcome some intelligent oversight and review on those policies. I also wanted to see if you would be a good fit. That said, I believe we would all be more comfortable if our external legal counsel was in our corner.

Mahati blinked in surprise. “Are you firing me?”

“Just the opposite. I’d like to offer you the job of VRL’s external legal counsel. I’ve done my research. Your mother’s firm is highly respected, and your certifications are excellent. As you said, you don’t have ‘in the field’ experience, but I believe you would be a quick study. You can call on our Mr. De Hann for any questions you may have as well. I’ll offer you the same terms I gave Walter Zhao. I have a contract you may take with you and review. It comes with just one condition.” She slid a large sealed envelope across her desk to the lawyer.

Mahati’s eyes narrowed once more. “What is this… condition?”

“I’d like you to shake Marisa’s hand.”

Mahati frowned. “Why?”

“She’s a seer, untrained but powerful. She sees potentials. Her read from you will tell me if I should trust you. I already feel good about this decision but as this affects more than just me, a second opinion is required.”

“I don’t want to know my future!” Mahati gasped in outrage.

Camila shook her head. “From what she’d told me, her talent doesn’t work that way. I’m only looking for her overall impression of you. I’m just going to ask her to answer one question. Should I accept you as VRL’s legal counsel, yes or no?” Camila explained.

Mahati was looking very defensive. She plucked the envelope from the desk. “Let me read the contract. I don’t know if I’m even interested. You seem to be a focal point of chaotic events.”

“May you live in interesting times,” Nate murmured to himself, but Roy heard and smiled.

“Aye, it has its ups and downs,” the big man agreed.

Camila leaned forward and caught Mahati’s eye. “Can we agree to hold off on reporting Nate’s existence to the Council until you’ve decided on the contract? I’ll need time to find alternate counsel should you reject the contract. I should inform you that other law firms are approaching us with offers to use their services.”

Shaken by the direction the conversation had taken but struggling not to show it, Mahati nodded stiffly to Camila. “I’ll let you know tomorrow. Until then Mr. Walker’s- special circumstance can remain unreported.”

She stood, nodded to the group and left.

Once the door was closed and locked once more, everyone let out a sigh of relief and smiled at each other.

Except for Nate who still looked worried.

“Why does it feel like I’m jumping from the frying pan into the fire?” he said.

Sigrid smiled at him. “It only seems that way because to you the council seems like a great big unknown. We got Henry through this. We’ll help you with this as will he.”

Nate nodded to her, feeling a little better. “How is he doing?”

“He’s a little weak from blood loss, but I have someone watching over him. He’ll be back to full health in a couple of days. I’ll take him back to his condo tomorrow.” There was a buzz at her hip, and she lifted her cell to see a text. “Ah! Speak of the devil. One sec.” She typed out a quick reply and smiled at them when she put the phone away. “Henry woke up hurting from the beating he took last night. I told her to give him some pain meds.”

“I think I should set him up with some self-defense training,” Roy said with a frown.

“Maybe Nate would like that training too?” Camila asked.

Nate held up his hands. “Hey, I’m a lover, not a fighter.”

Roy rolled his eyes while Camila chuckled.

“Ok, Mr. Lover. What do you do for a living when you’re not wooing the ladies?” the CEO asked.

Nate smiled. “I’m a freelance creative copywriter.”

“Freelance by choice?” Sigrid asked with a raised eyebrow.