Page 25 of Wrapped in Their Arms

“Oh please.”Lupinrolled his eyes dramatically.“Youthink you’re the first womanI’veworked with?Honestly, my dear,I’maprofessional.AndasIsaid before,I’ma eunuch—no interest in your bits whatsoever.Nowstrip.”

There was no way around it—cheeks burning with embarrassment, she slipped off her plain beige bra and panties and stood there, utterly bare.

She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been completely naked in front of anyone other than her doctor.Evenwhen she’d been withBranson, her ex, she’d insisted the lights stay off.Hehadn’t minded.He’dhardly ever looked at her anyway—he only wanted to use her body for his own selfish pleasure and then roll over and go to sleep.

Still shielding her chest with one arm, she tried to keep some semblance of dignity as she stood there, nude and trembling.

“No, no—none of that,”Lupinsaid impatiently.“Ineed to see your form for the scanner.Nowover here, please.”

He motioned toward a piece of tech that looked like a 3D viewer crossed with a dressing room mirror from hell—angled panels of gleaming metal and mirrored glass, with a blinking red light which began scanning her up and down immediately as soon as she stepped awkwardly into position.

The image that appeared on the screen made her flinch.

Dios, is that really whatIlook like?

Her hips were wide, her thighs were soft and her breasts sagged more than she cared to admit.Stretchmarks laced the sides of her belly like silver spider webs.Herarms weren’t toned.Herskin looked tired.Herstomach was too full and round—a soft curve that used to be flat back in college…but of course, that was years ago.

I used to be thin.Iused to be cute.Whatthe hell happened to me?

Lupintskedbehind her.

“Well, you need a bit more work thanIthought.Butnever you mind, my dear—I’veseen worse,” he said briskly.“Justwait—we’ll get you into shape.Nowthen—into the pool.”

He gestured toward the enormous circular basin of glossy black liquid.

Noelle turned toward it, heart sinking.Thepool took up the entire far wall of the “spa” and looked less like a luxury feature and more like an alien tar pit.Thesurface shimmered faintly under the overhead lights, as though it were breathing.

“Uh…”Shestepped forward warily.“Whatisthat stuff?”

“It’s theRejuvenationPool, of course,”Lupinsaid with a wide grin.“It’sthe centerpiece of your transformation.Comeon now—let’s not be difficult.”

“I…Ican’t really swim,” she admitted.“Well—not very well.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that.It’squite shallow,” he said with a dismissive wave.“Comealong—your fertility treatments won’t take otherwise.”

“Mywhat?”she demanded, turning her head to look over her shoulder at him.“Wait, what are you talking about?Idon’t?—”

“In you go!”he interrupted cheerfully—and before she could stop him, he gave her a sharp little shove between the shoulder blades.

Noelle shrieked as she lost her balance.

“Hey, wait!No?—”

Her arms windmilled wildly, but it was no use.Shestumbled forward and fell face-first into the inky black surface… and immediately discovered that it wasn’t water at all.

The substance enveloped her like warm glue—thick, dense, and heavy.

It smelled faintly of sulfur and metal and something strangely sweet underneath, like decaying fruit.

Noelle’s mind screamed in horror as the alien stuff sucked her in.

OhGod, it’s not water—it’s like oatmeal.No, not even that—like pudding made of tar.Whatthe hell is this?

She broke the surface with a gasp, sputtering and wiping the clinging black goop from her face.Itstuck to her skin like melted plastic, oozing down her shoulders and clinging to her hair.

The pool wasnotshallow.Shewas standing on tiptoes just to keep her chin above the surface, and she could feel the stuff sucking at her legs like it was alive and it wanted to drag her down again.

“Hey!”she shouted up atLupin, who was watching from the edge.“Whatthe hell is this?Letme out of here, youhijo de puta!”