Page 15 of My Date is a Polymorph (Blind Date Corporation #20)

Hever and Krix were wandering through the gathering, accepting congratulations. Lalli walked over and said, “Congratulations, you are both glowing with happiness. The dress was Khassi?”

Hever nodded. “She did me a huge favour, and I can’t believe the details she put into it, but yes. She even put my favourite colours in it.”

Lalli smiled at the black, deep green, crimson, and snowy white with accents of gold. “You look like the embodiment of the holidays. Perfect for the turn of a new year. Everything bright with promise.”

Krix smiled. “Thank you. You have a way with words.”

“Oh, yeah. Misspent youth in a library.”

Hever smiled. “She was my first friend when I joined Mom in her travels. She explained to me about the world and looking different and what it meant to others. When we went to Sethir, I knew what I had to do because she had warned me what would happen.”

Lalli smiled. “People can be funny if you look different.”

Hever blinked. “How many tattoos are you up to?”

“Forty-seven. I have to go back for a few more.”

“Oh, are you putting it off?”

Lalli chuckled. “You know me so well. Well, congratulations on your big day. Your mother is every inch the mother of the bride.”

“She is very happy. Nautilus is just adding to the glow.” Hever looked over and smiled. “She also finally feels like part of her own family, so that is an excellent side effect.”

Krix frowned. “She had issues?”

Lalli said softly, “She is the only single family member, the only one without a physical activation, and the only one that had no children. It kept her apart. Then, she adopted Hever—and I am still laughing at that name by the way—and she got a little acceptance from her family. Hever changed to be more human-looking, got her facial surgery to make her resemble her mother a little more, and that was more acknowledgement that Veradil and Hever were family.”

Krix blinked. “Ah, I heard it from Hever but never really thought that it was an ongoing situation.”

Hever smiled. “It is an ongoing issue. Lalli’s people were some of the first I met. She explained how things worked in the outside world, and it was eye-opening. So, she was my first teacher.”

“Yup. We sat at the shoreline, and we talked about what outside people were like, and we became pen-pals, and when she settled back in Aksalla, she invited me, and I brought my other buddy.”

Hever chuckled. “She’s not family; she’s a friend. A good friend. What are you doing next week?”

“Back at work. Klauz keeps glaring at me.”

Hever laughed. “You always liked cooking. It’s fun that you have made a living doing it.”

“Not for much longer. Klauz found out about my moonlighting, so now I am getting busted down to casual.”

“That puts your visa on the line.”

“Yes, well, hopefully bodyguarding for the BDC might make up the difference. If not, pen-pals it will be... again.”

Hever hugged her, and Lalli returned it. “If it comes to that, let me know, I might be able to pull some strings.”

“Nope. You know me, by the book or nothing at all. I have hogged the happy couple long enough. Continue your rounds.” She grinned and released the hug.

“Fine, but if you have visa issues, let me know before you leave. We can have one last meal at Klauz’s.”

Lalli nodded. “That I will do.”

“Is Breena nearby?”

“Playing with the kids.”

Hever’s face softened. “Of course. Come on, Krix. Time to say hello to the little ones.”

Lalli nodded and continued wandering around in search of food. She ran into a familiar person at the buffet. “Hey, Cabree, right? Have you considered a vacation?”

“Yeah, but if you work with Zera, don’t tell her that I got the idea from you. She’s gonna flip.”

“Oh, so you have always been at a fixed location?”

“Something like that.” Cabree smiled. “I have been looking at cruises. There is a lot of sun. I think I would really enjoy that, so I booked a trip.”

Lalli grinned. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you. It feels like forever since I have made a decision for myself.” Cabree chuckled. “I want to see bits of the world, and the cruise seems like the way to do it.”

They stood and talked for a few minutes while the party went on around them.

Klauz walked up and tapped Lalli’s shoulder. “May I have this dance?”

She frowned. “Why?”

“Because it is traditional for folk who know each other to dance at these celebrations.”

She looked to Cabree. “Please excuse me.”

Cabree nodded. “No problem. I am going to damage this buffet.”

Lalli nodded and let Klauz lead her to the dance floor.

They were moving to the music when he said, “Why didn’t you tell me you were an active?”

“I didn’t know it was something I had to declare.”

“I didn’t mean that. I mean, I have always gotten along with you.”

“As a friend.”

“What?”

“We have associated as friends. Nothing more. I have picked up the slack so you could have a guilt-free time playing with Drin, and then Zera came to me with the option to be a bodyguard. It is more my speed.”

“So, you really protect people?”

“Just two of them.”

“Do you wear a mask?”

“Nope, just the lenses and a suit. It’s a nicely tailored suit but a suit. It’s wired to blur my image.”

“But you are strong enough to flip Ekron.”

“Yes, I used his strength against him. Are you understanding what I am saying?”

He blinked slowly. “I believe I am. That is your activation?”

“One of them. My people cultivate three. One for public, one for family, and one for private. The physical manifestations are cultural, not activation-based.”

They moved easily around the dance floor, used to moving around each other in the kitchen.

“If I got Drin’s agreement, would you consider a relationship?”

She blinked. “Wow. You said that from your diaphragm. No. I don’t fuck where I work.”

He sighed. “Well, that answers that question. So, what if I fired you?”

“I would be out of town within three days. Visa requirements. I would also demonstrate one of my other activations. You would not enjoy it.”

“Really?”

“How many pieces can you be in and still breathe?”

He grinned. “Message understood. I just haven’t felt something like this before.”

“And being with Drin doesn’t build self-control.”

“It is driving me nuts that I don’t know what you want.”

“Oh, I want life, to serve those around me, and to be able to afford the good vanilla beans.”

He laughed. “Modest goals.”

“Who needs flash. Trust me, if you saw me at home, flashy is definitely what is going on under this fabric.

“Hyreno?”

“Hah. No. Nice guess. I am covered in tattoos from neckline to ankle. It’s tradition.”

He suddenly caught on. “Oh. Wow. I didn’t think your people left home.”

“We don’t. Hever invited me to leave and helped me and my friend get study visas, so we came here and have been here since. I tried for the teams, but I do better in the kitchen.”

“But you are...”

“Yes. But my friend and I are extra children. We were allowed to leave but still have to go home to get our tattoos updated.”

The music had changed, and they were moving to a different beat.

He frowned. “How many tattoos are you up to?”

“I am wearing forty-seven. I need three more for my bodyguarding work.”

He sighed. “Huh. Well, you are out of my league.”

She laughed. “I know.”

He grinned and dipped her before righting her, and the music wound to a close. Drin and Ekron were watching, and Drin’s rainbow eyes were glowing. They walked over to them, and Lalli let go of Klauz. “Tag, Drin. You are it.”

Drin blinked. “I can’t move like that.”

Ekron muttered, “Not with clothes on.”

Drin blushed and looked unhappy, so Lalli acted.

The crack of Lalli’s hand against Ekron’s cheek hit him and sent him staggering sideways.

Drin looked at her and smiled. “Wow. You are carrying out my dream.”

Lalli looked at the stunned Ekron. “Playfulness in private is fine, but this is a public function and celebration of joyous unions, so respect the partner you stand with. So, either take Drin out to dance, or grab a mirror and have your favourite partner with you, but you will speak respectfully about your partner and her needs, or I will come back and test my heavy-hitter status. Are we clear?”

Ekron rubbed his jaw. “You didn’t pull your punch.”

“Aw, honey. That was a slap. Do you want a punch? It can be arranged.”

Klauz smiled. “Drin, would you care to dance?”

Drin left, and they started slowly on the dance floor. Lalli smiled, and Ekron rubbed his face. “I didn’t mean anything.”

“You referred to her sexual performance in front of a female she doesn’t know.

She had no idea if I would sneer or rebuke her or swoon against you.

She has five partners, no husband. Vikor is a mate, but that is a different thing.

She is at a social disadvantage the moment you leave your bubble.

Other women are the danger to her. Remember that.

They won’t all be family who are just relieved you don’t wear your socks out with lotion anymore. ”

Ekron blinked. “Wow. You are blunt.”

“Yup. Frankly, I am surprised you aren’t ogling the wedding dancer.”

“She’s Sethir. It wouldn’t be right.”

Lalli looked at him. “Aha. You do understand decorum after all.”

He blushed. “Right. Got it. Manners matter. She doesn’t move as easily with him as you did.”

“She hasn’t been spinning past him in a kitchen for a few years.”

“Oh. Right.”

“Yeah, moving around with knives and hot food gives a certain body awareness.”

He nodded. “That I can understand. So, you don’t think he’s the one?”

“He is not for me. My people know when we met the one, similar to the Bennari. We just know.” She smiled. “Now, I am going to return to the buffet. Smacking national treasures builds an appetite.”

She headed off to the buffet as the evening continued, building to the end of the year and the beginning of the next.

Worro and Keera were close, and Keera looked gorgeous and delicate in the dress Khassi had made.

Hever and Krix were more animated, but Hever tried to dance with the dancer who was rocking and moving rhythmically for her last hour.

The beads clashed and shivered in the shoulder-to-ankle dress, sashed with a bright wave of shimmering metal around her hips.

She danced with Hever, and Worro urged Keera to join.

So, the two brides began to dance as the music changed tempo, and the Sethir gathered and began to toss gold coins around the feet of the dancers.

Lalli watched the crown prince of the Sethir tossing a handful of gold at the feet of the ladies who were measuring the stars with their arms and stepping carefully to give the dancer a break.

When they finished the songs, the men and ladies of the Sethir applauded, and the brides helped the dancer collect the coins.

The coins were stored, and the dancer continued until Hever stared up at the stars with her husband, and he held her in his arms. The gathering counted down, and then Lalli watched Breena lift her arms to the sky as fireworks sparked, and she sent tendrils of snow and magical glitter through the air and around the happy couples.

It was a glorious end to an enchanting night.