Page 38 of Ondine: Vol. 2

“What does it look like to you?”

I lean forward in case I miss her answer.

“That stain on the wall looks like a lion. It’s throwing me off.”

She has the sweetest voice.

“I took it last summer when I went to Greece.”

“I’ve never left the state,” she says quietly.

I want to ask why. I want to ask about her family. Where she’s from. Where she went to school. Who her friends are.

But that’s not part of my assessment.

And I’m worried if I start down that road I won’t be able to stop.

“I usually take portraits,” I say and I don’t know why.

“Are you any good?” She teases.

I shrug.

“Maybe you can take my photo sometime.”

I drop my head because I can’t stop myself from smiling. And I can’t let her see. I shake my head and finally look up to see her quite satisfied she befuddled me.

I do myself a favor and get started. I tell her about the Clinic and what she can expect. I tell her how I will give her everything she needs to ensure she has the most comfortable experience.

She listens but her attention is split between me and my photographs. I wonder if she likes them. Maybe she hates them.

It suddenly becomes very important that she likes my office.

“Do you want to get started?” I ask.

“Oh, the assessment. Yes. Let’s.”

I get my tablet out and lay in my lap. My legs crossed. I put on my pair of glasses and look up at her.

“Tell me, Ondine, what are some of your sexual fantasies.”

Her eyes blow wide and she sputters. “I thought you were going to ask me what materials I like or smells…”

It’s the beta part of her that finds these questions alarming. I hardly ever have an omega that blinks twice at a question like that. It’s nice to know I can befuddle her back, even if I am just doing my job.

“You want to have a scent test? Scent tests can be very traumatic to omegas, who are highly sensitive to scents. It’s exhausting and emotional. I like to avoid them unless necessary. I don’t want to cause you any undo grief.”

They are quite literally emotionally taxing. But I would usually do it for a new omega, but if I can deter her, I would prefer my method.

“Yeah, I was nervous about it, actually. If we can avoid it…”

“Let’s try. So, describe a sexual fantasy of yours.”

She shifts in her chair. She toys with her lips. She doesn’t meet my eyes.

Then suddenly she does. “I think about being watched.”

I type it into my tablet, keeping my completely professional outlook.