Chapter 8
*********
Roger walked to Kirei's room, but his thoughts were full of his sweet Dorothy. She had not been herself at all the last few days, and neither he nor Kirei could ferret out the reason. He wondered if the stress of school and work had worn her down (he'd told her she didn't have to work, but she had insisted, not wanting to mooch.) Perhaps she had picked up a virus?
The negotiator stuck his hand into his jacket pocket, pulling out two small boxes. He opened them, admiring the gleaming gems inside. Roger HAD listened to Kirei, but got jewelry, not roses, and for both his girls. He wondered if he should return to the redhead with the gift, but decided against it. If she wasn't feeling well, it was more important that she rest and recover. Dorothy was more precious than any glittering trinket. It could wait til she felt better. He put the boxes back. Roger also decided not to say anything to Kirei about her packmate not feeling well. Knowing her, she'd insist on staying home with the android. Kirei needed to get out. She needed some fun.
He knocked on the bedroom door.
"It's me."
She opened it, already dressed for the evening. Roger's eyes widened in dismay--it HAD been too long since the shapeshifter had gone anywhere special! She'd forgotten how to dress for an evening out.
Kirei had chosen a sober, modest, high-necked business-suit. Every button was buttoned, concealing her from neck to knees. Her shoes were sensible flats. Her hair was skinned back into a tight bun. She didn't seem to be wearing any make-up.
She looked like a poster-child for the Salvation Army.
"Snowy, that's not appropriate--I will NOT let you embarrass yourself publicly that way!" He frowned.
She looked down at herself. "Wrong color stockings?" she asked, glancing down at the opaque black hose on her legs.
The young man sighed. Both his girls were behaving so strangely--was this one of those mysterious pack things?
"This is my fault," he said, kissing the crown of her dark head, then heading to her closet. Roger rummaged through it, finally pulling out something sleek and velvet. "Put this on," he ordered. He went through her shoes next, choosing a delicate pair of heeled satin pumps.
Roger watched her change, telling her how to do her hair, her make-up, guiding her transformation.
"Now that's the way I like to see you," he purred, admiring the results of his prodding.
Kirei's hair was still tied up, but softly, as if it would tumble like a waterfall of curls at the slightest touch. Delicate tendrils framed her pale face, setting off her now smoky eyes and rosy mouth.
The midthigh-length dress was one Roger had bought for her. It was a favorite of his, both for the elegant way it looked on her and the ease of removing it. The bodice was a deeply (yet discreetly) cut heart-shape, with delicate shoulder straps that criss-crossed the even deeper cut back (leaving the wearer essentially naked from nape to waist.) The whole thing was an inky stretch velvet that gently followed every curve. Sheer black stockings and the dainty pumps completed the outfit.
Kirei looked at their reflections in the mirror, her eyes fixed on Roger's expression. His pride in her appearance shone in his face. What was going on? She couldn't take it anymore. She had to know the worst.
"Roger..."
He interrupted her. "One last touch," he said, pulling out a small black box from his jacket pocket. He opened it to be sure it was the right one, then showed it to her.
Kirei gasped. Inside was a pair of what seemed to be tiny platinum and diamond bracelets, cast in the shape of delicately feathered and coiled ferns. The tiny round gems glistened like dew on them. A single tear-shaped diamond hung on one.
"These are earrings," explained Roger as he carefully slipped them on her. They coiled softly around the top and bottom of her ears, framing them like lace. The single large diamond trembled from one lobe like a water-drop, catching the light like a prism.
The negotiator stepped back, watching the rainbow twinkles on her face. He reached out to stroke the side of her cheek with his fingertips. He smiled...the jewelry gave her an elvish look.
The phrase "lovely consolation gifts for our departing players" rolled through Kirei's mind. She blinked hard, twice. She had to know...
"Roger, please..."
He bent down and softly kissed her mouth, hushing her. She kissed back passionately (please don't throw me away Roger please, she cried silently.)
For a moment they clung to each other. Then Roger put his warm hands on her shoulders and firmly pushed her away. He was breathing hard; it took him a moment to compose himself. He wiped her lipstick off his mouth and stepped back from her.
"I have to go, little one. Dastun will be here shortly to pick you up. Have a good time."
He left abruptly.
Kirei was more confused than ever.
~~~~~
About five minutes later Norman appeared at her door, holding her black evening coat.
"The major is in the living room, Miss Snowy," he announced. He could not help noticing how unhappy she looked as he helped her slip on the velvet coat.
"Is everything all right, Miss Snowy?"
Her mouth tightened for a moment; she then asked if Roger had said anything before he left.
"Only that you looked especially beautiful tonight...and, if you don't mind my saying so, he's absolutely correct." The elderly butler handed her her little satin purse and smiled.
Weakly, she smiled back. "Thanks, Norman."
~~~~~
Dastun was standing, gazing out the great windows when she quietly entered the living room. He saw her reflection in the glass and turned towards her. "You look lovely, Miss Snowolf," the major said. He smiled with genuine pleasure.
"So do you," replied a very surprised Kirei. She hadn't expected him to look so good. Dastun was dressed in an elegant dark evening suit, beautifully cut to show off his powerful frame. The major wasn't a handsome man, but he fairly radiated with an exuberant masculinity.
Norman watched as the pair left. He shook his head to himself. If the dark-haired shapeshifter had been his girl, he would never have agreed to this. Roger was asking for trouble.
*********
Roger walked to Kirei's room, but his thoughts were full of his sweet Dorothy. She had not been herself at all the last few days, and neither he nor Kirei could ferret out the reason. He wondered if the stress of school and work had worn her down (he'd told her she didn't have to work, but she had insisted, not wanting to mooch.) Perhaps she had picked up a virus?
The negotiator stuck his hand into his jacket pocket, pulling out two small boxes. He opened them, admiring the gleaming gems inside. Roger HAD listened to Kirei, but got jewelry, not roses, and for both his girls. He wondered if he should return to the redhead with the gift, but decided against it. If she wasn't feeling well, it was more important that she rest and recover. Dorothy was more precious than any glittering trinket. It could wait til she felt better. He put the boxes back. Roger also decided not to say anything to Kirei about her packmate not feeling well. Knowing her, she'd insist on staying home with the android. Kirei needed to get out. She needed some fun.
He knocked on the bedroom door.
"It's me."
She opened it, already dressed for the evening. Roger's eyes widened in dismay--it HAD been too long since the shapeshifter had gone anywhere special! She'd forgotten how to dress for an evening out.
Kirei had chosen a sober, modest, high-necked business-suit. Every button was buttoned, concealing her from neck to knees. Her shoes were sensible flats. Her hair was skinned back into a tight bun. She didn't seem to be wearing any make-up.
She looked like a poster-child for the Salvation Army.
"Snowy, that's not appropriate--I will NOT let you embarrass yourself publicly that way!" He frowned.
She looked down at herself. "Wrong color stockings?" she asked, glancing down at the opaque black hose on her legs.
The young man sighed. Both his girls were behaving so strangely--was this one of those mysterious pack things?
"This is my fault," he said, kissing the crown of her dark head, then heading to her closet. Roger rummaged through it, finally pulling out something sleek and velvet. "Put this on," he ordered. He went through her shoes next, choosing a delicate pair of heeled satin pumps.
Roger watched her change, telling her how to do her hair, her make-up, guiding her transformation.
"Now that's the way I like to see you," he purred, admiring the results of his prodding.
Kirei's hair was still tied up, but softly, as if it would tumble like a waterfall of curls at the slightest touch. Delicate tendrils framed her pale face, setting off her now smoky eyes and rosy mouth.
The midthigh-length dress was one Roger had bought for her. It was a favorite of his, both for the elegant way it looked on her and the ease of removing it. The bodice was a deeply (yet discreetly) cut heart-shape, with delicate shoulder straps that criss-crossed the even deeper cut back (leaving the wearer essentially naked from nape to waist.) The whole thing was an inky stretch velvet that gently followed every curve. Sheer black stockings and the dainty pumps completed the outfit.
Kirei looked at their reflections in the mirror, her eyes fixed on Roger's expression. His pride in her appearance shone in his face. What was going on? She couldn't take it anymore. She had to know the worst.
"Roger..."
He interrupted her. "One last touch," he said, pulling out a small black box from his jacket pocket. He opened it to be sure it was the right one, then showed it to her.
Kirei gasped. Inside was a pair of what seemed to be tiny platinum and diamond bracelets, cast in the shape of delicately feathered and coiled ferns. The tiny round gems glistened like dew on them. A single tear-shaped diamond hung on one.
"These are earrings," explained Roger as he carefully slipped them on her. They coiled softly around the top and bottom of her ears, framing them like lace. The single large diamond trembled from one lobe like a water-drop, catching the light like a prism.
The negotiator stepped back, watching the rainbow twinkles on her face. He reached out to stroke the side of her cheek with his fingertips. He smiled...the jewelry gave her an elvish look.
The phrase "lovely consolation gifts for our departing players" rolled through Kirei's mind. She blinked hard, twice. She had to know...
"Roger, please..."
He bent down and softly kissed her mouth, hushing her. She kissed back passionately (please don't throw me away Roger please, she cried silently.)
For a moment they clung to each other. Then Roger put his warm hands on her shoulders and firmly pushed her away. He was breathing hard; it took him a moment to compose himself. He wiped her lipstick off his mouth and stepped back from her.
"I have to go, little one. Dastun will be here shortly to pick you up. Have a good time."
He left abruptly.
Kirei was more confused than ever.
~~~~~
About five minutes later Norman appeared at her door, holding her black evening coat.
"The major is in the living room, Miss Snowy," he announced. He could not help noticing how unhappy she looked as he helped her slip on the velvet coat.
"Is everything all right, Miss Snowy?"
Her mouth tightened for a moment; she then asked if Roger had said anything before he left.
"Only that you looked especially beautiful tonight...and, if you don't mind my saying so, he's absolutely correct." The elderly butler handed her her little satin purse and smiled.
Weakly, she smiled back. "Thanks, Norman."
~~~~~
Dastun was standing, gazing out the great windows when she quietly entered the living room. He saw her reflection in the glass and turned towards her. "You look lovely, Miss Snowolf," the major said. He smiled with genuine pleasure.
"So do you," replied a very surprised Kirei. She hadn't expected him to look so good. Dastun was dressed in an elegant dark evening suit, beautifully cut to show off his powerful frame. The major wasn't a handsome man, but he fairly radiated with an exuberant masculinity.
Norman watched as the pair left. He shook his head to himself. If the dark-haired shapeshifter had been his girl, he would never have agreed to this. Roger was asking for trouble.