"I understand Sigrid is going to be taking you over to a condo building at lunch to check out an available unit. All of the units on specific floors in that building are sold to people like us. This is done in every building we share with Humans as a precautionary measure. The buildings have a mix but the floors are not intermixed. Even numbered floors are for Humans. Building management in these buildings is always run by someone from the Hidden Races and they ensure this division is maintained. There are many buildings in the city like this. If this one doesn't appeal we can try to find another. I'd like to exhaust those options before risking you staying in a non-controlled building.""I lived in the attic of an old cottage in a swamp. I think anything with actual working electrical outlets will be fine," he said with a small smile. "I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am for your support and guidance. I'm completely out of my element.""Outside of ensuring you switch back to
"I just wanted to touch based to let you know I'm going to need to make some rather expensive purchases in very short order. The deadline for replacing all of the faulty and outdated equipment is extremely short. I need to know if this is going to present any issues for your department," he explained."Ms. Villamor spoke to me this morning to fill me in on the project. I have been authorized to support any and all purchase orders you submit to the department... as long as it pertains to technology and software for VRL," she finished with a coy grin.He smiled in return. "I guess I'd better cancel that beer fridge and foosball table order. I do have a more immediate requirement though. I have no computer of my own and I need to pick one up this morning. Is there a company credit card I can use for that?""Ah, yes. I can take care of that immediately." She placed her thumb against a desk drawer and there was an audible beep and click. She pulled the drawer open and looked inside to pull
Stanley signed his PC out and followed her out of his office. Siobhan smiled and gave him a wave as he left. He waved back then followed Sigrid out of the building.They took a subway and transferred to the path train to Jersey City. The building was apparently right on the Hudson and had a view of Manhattan. When they walked up to the building Stanley looked around at the neighborhood. He saw a lot of expensive looking cars and well-dressed people in them. He looked questioningly at Sigrid."What?""I might have lived in an old cottage with no electricity in a swamp but I'm not so sheltered that I can't recognize real estate which I can't afford," he said. He was puzzled why Sigrid was taking him here as she knew how much he made."Normally, that would be the case but I had a talk with Camila last night. In light of your special circumstances and nature, if you find the unit satisfactory VRL will purchase the property as an investment. You will then be able to live in it at a reasona
They walked out into the open living room and Sigrid looked at Stanley. "So, what do you think?"He blinked at her. "I think it's really nice and has everything I could need. But you know I don't need something this nice-"Sigrid held up her hand and turned to the property manager. "Let's go back to your office to work out the details." The man nodded with a smile.Stanley took a final look around at the condo he would need to furnish. It was so much nicer than his room in the attic and it made him feel like a grown up. Of course, he had no idea how to furnish a condo... or cook a meal... or wash his own clothes as these were things his Baba had insisted on taking care of. Something else to learn. So much for feeling like a grown up.The thought of the old woman also dimmed his spirits. He missed her, gruff as she was.As they made their way back downstairs to the main floor Stanley's mind went back to the myriad of things he had yet to do to replace VRL's sick network. How was he sup
Paloma nodded getting her bearings. She looked up suddenly. "Stanley!""-is fine. We took him home last night and met his Baba." Camila frowned as that encounter still haunted her."Baba? Is that a term for 'Grandmother'?" Paloma asked missing her mother's expression."Yes, she was... his grandmother. She was also Baba Yaga," Camila fixed her eyes on her daughter and saw the shock and fear there. Good. She was pleased Paloma recognized the danger."Stanley is related to Baba Yaga?" Paloma squeaked."I believe she... adopted him. For what purpose, I don't know. She mentioned he was somehow involved in a long-term plan that we disturbed." Paloma gasped in fear but Camila raised her hand to calm her daughter. "Stanley convinced her not to hurt us."Camila watched her daughter's eyes, pale blue since her transformation, begin to glow at the mention of Stanley's rescue. "Don't!" she barked.Paloma blinked back at her in confusion."He's part of something Baba Yaga is cooking up! I don't wa
"Take a deep breath and release it. Good. One more. Good. Alright, let's begin," the Fae sighed out a string of words that Paloma heard but as quickly as they touched her ears they were gone. The Fae reached out with her mind to gather up the wisps of binding. They proved to be difficult to grasp initially due to their frayed edges. She concentrated harder and finally managed to lock on to the damaged spell. She began to tug, expecting to follow the remnants down to their source in the core of Paloma's being. Instead they pulled up towards her with almost no effort at all. The shreds of magic came faster and faster as she pulled and she never once dipped into Paloma's core.Suddenly it was over and nothing of the original binding remained within the young woman. The tattered remains in Heriahn's grasp simply... melted away. She caught the briefest glimpse of the ends of the ethereal strands and saw... charring? She looked at Paloma who opened her eyes."Are we going to start?" she ask
Marisa hugged her and watched her leave.When she was alone she looked to the mirror at the new person she was to become. "Marisa." She liked the name. She'd even wondered what it might be like being a blond. She frowned. She hadn't expected it to be permanent.She reached inside and disabled the glamor. There was no transition. No glittering curtain of sparkles. The glamor just stopped and she was looking at the new coloring of her Succubus form. Frightened, she reached for the glamor again and it snapped back into place. It was so easy! Before there had been a momentary effort to switch and there was always a delay in the removal as the glamor dissipated. Now the change was instant and effortless! She looked inside again at the spell and discovered it wasn't alone. There was another dormant spell waiting for activation. She touched it with her mind and suddenly recognized it! It was the shield spell that Heriahn had tried to protect herself with. The Fae's shield had been useless ag
She gave him an innocent look. "I did? I don't recall ever saying that." She gently tossed the garment in his direction and it opened and settled over his head like a parachute. He pulled it off but not before he picked up her delicate and pleasing scent from the garment. He blushed strongly and she looked at him questioningly again. "What?"He looked away, embarrassed. "You smell pretty too," he muttered.It was Sigrid's turn to blush as he caught her by surprise. She became flustered and shooed him towards the guest bathroom. "Go get changed and be careful with that! It's one of my favorites." She realized it really was and wondered why she'd loaned that particular one to him.Stanley went to the bathroom and took off his clothes. He set them on the toilet seat with the robe and took a deep breath. He calmed his mind and thought of the instructions. Twist one way then all the way back. He felt no difference but when he opened his eyes the stranger was looking back at him in the mirr