Finding Jessie

So now I needed a solution to this whole mess. Just break the spell on Jeselaflia, right? Not so simple. To do it I needed her to give herself to someone other than me. Not so easy since one, she's very shy, two, the fidelity spell, and three, sharing her with someone is most definitely NOT something I wanted to happen!

When I had recovered my senses, I opened a portal to my private island, grabbed the writhing body at my feet, and stepped through. Kain had started to recover as the portal closed, so I set him on his feet.

"What... hap ... happened?" He asked, between gasping breaths.

"I punished you for hiding Jeselaflia from me," I responded. I let him recover before continuing. "However, I've decided to accept your contract, assuming it's viable. I want Jeselaflia back, as soon as possible. I just didn't want to kill you in my office." We continued talking while I began leading him to my vault. "I'm also assuming you want the standard contract?"

"Yes, with the choice of method addendum," Kain stated flatly, but his energy was vibrating so fast, if I hadn't been looking at him I'd have thought he was giddy.

"I'm assuming you have the full payment, including the standard increase for your station as a planetary emissary and the addendum increase?"

"Of course. Nine hundred fifty thousand platinum pieces worth of magic quality gems." He again stated flatly.

I accepted the preferred pouch, then reached in to pull out a random gem for examination. Normally I wouldn't have touched any of them without casting a detection spell to be sure they weren't trapped, but Kain needed me to kill him for his plan to work. Finding that one, and several others to be of exceptional quality, I replaced them into the pouch and handed it back to him. "Terms?" I asked.

"Execution by your hand using the blade of your choice, excluding your 'Morganty Dagger'."

I smiled inwardly at his exclusion and his lack of specifics. The Morganty Dagger is an exceptionally dangerous weapon that can feed on the soul or spirit of anyone it cuts. It doesn't just weaken you, it's capable of consuming you. It is the essence of utmost evil, and even I wouldn't use it on a sapient being.

"Method?" I asked, continuing the verbal contract.

"Sleep spell, followed in rapid succession by a single-stroke decapitation," Kain replied.

"Target?" I asked as we approached my vault.

"Lemminkainen Yllawynn, current emissary to planet Velkshtrum," Kain stated, finishing his requested contract.

My vault on this planet is a simple affair, basically, an extra-large portable hole aligned with a wall and covered by an illusion. Oh, and one other thing ... I walked through the illusionary wall, and thereby deactivated the temporal stasis field in the vault. Unless I'm in the vault, time doesn't exist inside it. Anyone attempting to enter is trapped between tics of the clock, just waiting for my return.

As expected Kain followed me into the vault. I pointed saying, "Put the payment on the shelf, I accept your contract as stated."

While Kain set the payment on the shelf, I took a step back out through the vault door. "Lemminkainen the unwise," I mumbled to myself as I hurried away. "Future apprentices will hopefully learn from your mistakes. I accepted your contract as stated, but you failed to specify a time frame. I will kill you, but not until I free Jeselaflia from your spells.

Now that he was trapped, I could set my mind on rescuing Jessie. Because I was alone, I didn't need to bother opening a portal. Once I was far enough away from the house to avoid the dampening fields, I simply teleported back to my office.

I hurried over to the glass wall, while absentmindedly returning my desk to its proper location. As expected, Jessie was surrounded by hopeful suitors. A half-dozen men, and even a pair of women, wanting to buy her drinks, and otherwise vying for her attention.

I picked up my headset (multi-channel Bluetooth) and told Toni, one of the nine bartenders, via an earbud, to thin the crowd. I also instructed her to make any drink accepted by Jessie to be 'EX-tra smooth'. As soon as I had given the instruction she actually turned to look up at my office. She couldn't see me because of the one-way glass, but she knew I was standing there.

"You sure, Boss Man? I've never known you to use the stuff."

I knew without a doubt that I would have to influence the situation for it to progress to infidelity. Jessie had been instructed to have a drink or two, then dance with whomever she wanted until Kain retrieved her, or until someone she knew picked her up instead. That was helpful, but being shy and normally loyal on top of the fidelity spell meant no one was getting lucky without my help. I also knew I wouldn't be able to allow anyone to touch her that way without killing them. I was going to need a distraction of my own.

It just so happened that I already knew that Toni could be very distracting! Five feet, four inches, jet black curly hair, bright blue eyes, bee-stung lips, and a body designed for a porn star. She and I share a mutual attraction and flirt endlessly, but she's always refused to join in anything physical. When I pressed her she always said that until I was ready to accept her completely, she would stay off limits. Truth be told, I wanted to spend a lot more time with her.

"It's not for me," I began. "I'm going to do my best to get her laid tonight. I thought you might like to join me while I watch."

She demurred slightly then asked with a little hope in her voice, "Just you and me, or a group thing?"

"Just you and me Kitten."

She immediately flashed a huge grin in my direction. "You know I'll do anything for alone time with you, Boss Man. What time do I get off work?"

"Make it happen slow. I don't want her to notice anything wrong, or worse pass out. Add a little at a time. A couple of hours, give or take. As soon as you see her leave, you can join me."

"Who's the lucky guy?" She inquired as if she was still worried that she wasn't getting me all to herself.

"I haven't decided yet. She'll be doing some of the choosing, but I promise you, we will be alone until she's done with sex for the night." I said it to reassure her, and because I never lie. My word is my bond. By making my promise to Toni, I could no longer leave her to go kill the man who would be seducing Jessie. Still, my anxiety level was through the roof, and to think that less than an hour ago I was bored. Lemminkainen was going to pay, I was going to extirpate him very soon.

I was anxious and angry, but Toni made me smile again as she grinned even wider, then bit her lower lip, before turning to finish the drink she had started. "You know Boss Man," she said with more than a little bit of longing in her voice. "I'm your girl. You do know you can have me every night if you want, right?"

"I know Kitten, and you should know that you're at least my second or third favorite employee," I responded teasingly.

Toni's mouth dropped open, then pouted as she looked up at me again. "Why are you so mean to me?" she asked as she set the finished drink in front of the poor guy three stools down from Jessie. The guy was starting to get crowded out by Jessie's admirers. Toni raised her hand drawing my cooler's attention and pointed. (The cooler is the head bouncer, directs and keeps the other bouncers from getting too rough.) He immediately nodded, tapped his own earbud, and ordered several bouncers to clear out the overflow.

I continued to watch from my window, and listen through Toni's ear bud, while she waited on another customer. Once Jessie was free of suiters, Toni greeted Jessie. "Hi. Sorry about that. The crowd here can get a bit aggressive. You're obviously new. My name's Toni, what can I get you?"

"My name is Jeselaflia, but how did you know I was new?"

Toni laughed. "Because, you look scared to death just being here and your accent gives you away. It sounds a lot like my boss's. Where are you from?"

Jessie blushed. "Ar ... um, you've probably never heard of it. Am ... am I supposed to tell you?"

"Wow! You really are new around here! No Jeselaflia, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I've got to say you've got a beautiful name, and I love your costume! That dress is gorgeous! Your contacts and ears look real too! Anyway, I've got to get back to work, but don't be scared, there are plenty of bouncers, and I've got your back. If you need anything at all just ask. Speaking of which what can I get you to drink?"

"I don't suppose you have Elverquisst?" Jessie tentatively asked, so I quickly told Toni that I have some in my private stock.

"I think we have some in back," Toni replied conspiratorially. "Normally I'd just tell you we didn't have it, but I like you. Give me a few minutes, I'll go get some." With that, she told the other bar tenders that she needed to get something out of the back and headed for my office.

When she arrived, I had her sit down, as I leaned on the front of my desk. "Toni, I need you to swear that you won't tell anyone about what I'm going to show you."

She smiled saying, "I swear Boss Man. Whatever you say, I do."

I reached behind my back, slid a tall slender bottle from behind me, and watched Toni's eyes widen. The delicate crystal bottle was alight with a ruby-colored glow from within. "This is Elverquisst. This bottle is literally priceless. You can't find this liqueur anywhere else on the entire planet." I waited about a minute to let her stare and hopefully comprehend what I had just said.

Afterward, I opened the bottle, poured her a very small glass of the glowing liquid, and handed it to her. "You sip this, you don't want to miss a drop of its flavor, not to mention that it's very strong." She stared at her glass for several moments with an expression of wonder on her face, then took a tentative sip.

"Mmmm. Oh my god! That's ... Oh my god, that's fantastic!" She took another sip. "What are those flavors? They seem to change as you roll it around on your tongue!"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." What she was tasting was a magically fermented blend of rare summer fruits found only on Arda. Elverquisst is highly prized on Arda, everywhere else it's priceless as I said. I slipped the protective sleeve back over the bottle. "You have to serve this in the opaque sherry glasses because the Ex or anything else you mix in it will dim the glow too much not to be noticed. Tell her that you're sorry but the bottle accidentally got stored too close to a light source. Then tell her that because of the error, you'll give her the first glass on the house, but that any more will be two hundred a glass."

"I'm sure you could ask ten times that if you gave a sample to all the rich clientele out there. That stuff is the best drink I've ever tasted!" Toni said.

"Even better than my White Russian?" I teasingly asked, eliciting a deep blush. "Maybe I'll have to stop calling you Kitten."

She actually looked crushed, before saying. "Um, Lauflorian, Sir, I actually like you calling me that. I'm the only one at the club with a pet name. It makes me feel special."

"I know Kitten, that's because you are special." The statement was rewarded with a room-illuminating grin. "I never would have shown you the Elverquisst if you weren't. Now get back to Jessie. If things go like I think they will tonight, you're going to find out a lot more about me and the world you live in."

I returned to my post at the window. Jessie seemed to be trying to politely reject a couple of men who were clearly trying to get her to dance. Then a tall man in an elf costume, as in the movie 'Elf', pushed past them. Toni reappeared about then, so I could hear him trying to claim that he was with Jessie. To which the confused Jessie responded, "No, you're not. I don't know you." Much to the delight of the first two.

Toni jumped in with, "Why don't you guys just let a girl have a drink in peace? Run along and bother someone looking for attention."

"Listen up Bitch," began the alpha of the group. (Not the Elf costume wearer.) "Just get my girl and me a drink. Then fuck off!"

Toni held her hands up in mock surrender and took a step back. The bouncers already watching Toni's station moved in on her signal. She held up three fingers, then lowered two, giving the alpha the bird. All three were grabbed and were being pulled away as I quickly changed channels and told them the Elf could stay as long as he left the lady alone. Then I instructed that the other two needed escorting to the back exit, after being told 'forcefully' to never come back. I then pressed a button on my CCTV console that conveniently recorded a loop of the rear alley, while continuing the normal time stamps.

I switched back to Toni's channel, just in time to hear her finish explaining the problem with the Elverquisst. Jessie looked disappointed but nodded her acceptance of the situation. A few moments later Toni set a glass in front of the shy Elf.

After a few sips, Jessie started to scan the club for the first time. She actually blushed several times as she noted various women dancing in ways that were akin to having sex standing up. It was obvious she had never been exposed to such openly wanton behavior. She quickly finished her drink, without really tasting it. When she noticed the glass empty she turned back to the bar and was surprised to find Toni setting a replacement in front of her. Both women smiled at each other as Jessie accepted the glass and returned to watching the dancers.

Toni served several other guests without ever taking her eyes off Jessie. "You still their Boss Man?"

"Of course, Kitten."

"Our lady Jeselaflia is way out of her depth! I'm going to have to speed up the process if you don't want her to bolt before she's ripe."

Hesitantly I said, "Only a little, and only if you really think so. She was told to have a few drinks, and then dance until someone she knew came to get her. I think she will probably do just that."

"You're the boss, but I've seen this a thousand times. If I'm not mistaken she's cherry."

"I doubt that," I replied out of shock, and the fact that Jessie had to be about twenty years past consent. (Elves reach consent at sixty the Human equivalent of fifteen, I was guessing Jessie at eighty, plus or minus, the Human equivalent of nineteen to twenty-one. After maturing, our aging slows significantly allowing us an average twelve-hundred-year life span.) I couldn't conceive of Kain not taking advantage of the situation to get even that way. I didn't want to think about it, but I was assuming he was bedding her daily.

"Bet me!" Toni said, looking up at me confidently wearing a radiant grin.

"What's the bet?" I asked.

"Favors. If you win, you get any 'huge' favor you want. If I win, you grant me one 'huge' favor instead."

Still cocksure of Kain having deflowered Jeselaflia years ago, and granting a favor not being anything I couldn't manage, I agreed. I couldn't help but chuckle at Toni's exuberant response.

Clapping loudly, and entering into a very enthusiastic happy dance, had all the nearby bartenders and patrons pausing and smiling at her joy.

"Toni, you seem very happy," said Jeselaflia.

"I am!" Verified Toni. She then leaned over the bar conspiratorially saying, "Jeselaflia, you've just made my day! All your drinks are on me!"

"Me? Why, what have I done?"

Toni raised up slightly in order to look in my direction, but appeared to be getting closer to Jessie's ear. "It's what you haven't done that has me so excited!" She then pulled back and set to work fixing Jessie her third (and I suspected strongest) drink. "Here, drink up and go dance! Have some fun!"

Jessie glanced around nervously. "How am I going to dance? I don't know how to dance like that, and no one has asked me yet. Accept those rude ones."

Toni laughed. "Just go out there and move to the music. I'm sure you'll do fine and you'll be joined soon enough."

"What if those men come back?"

"They won't," Toni explained confidently, "but if you get scared just come back here to me."

Jessie took her drink and swallowed it without tasting it. I shook my head at the sheer waste and sighed. "Watch her if you can Kitten. She really loves to dance."

Toni had set about waiting on the others at her station but said. "Already swallowed up by the crowd from my angle, plus I'm going to need the tips to pay off the four hundred I already owe." She stopped to look up at me. "So, are you going to tell me, or do I need to waste my favor on finding out?"

"Finding out what, Kitten?" I asked, even though I suspected I already knew.

She shook her head and looked down. "Playing coy isn't your thing Boss Man. I saw it in your eyes when you mentioned Jessie instead of Jeselaflia. I've heard it in your voice since she walked in, and she has the same untraceable accent that you do. I'm asking you what she means to you?"

"Everything," I stated simply, in a rare moment of openness. "But don't worry Kitten, you're still very special to me and I think you know that."

"If she means everything to you, then why are you trying to get her to give up her virginity?" Toni asked.

I paused for several moments before answering. "It's complicated. Maybe, after tonight's events, I'll tell you, but I can't yet."

Toni didn't say anything else to me for quite a while, simply going about her job. Even though she wasn't quite as jovial as she had been during her happy dance, she still gave off a lot of happy energy. I was glad jealousy wasn't going to be much of an issue.

Four songs later Jessie returned to the bar breathing heavily and trailed by a guy looking like Clark Kent. "Toni, can I have some water please?"

"Rum and coke, for me," added Clark, as he moved up close to Jessie and put his hand on the small of her back. Jessie gave him a sidelong glance but didn't pull away from his touch.

"You look like you enjoyed yourself," observed Toni. "I'm glad to see you're no longer scared." Setting the water in front of Jessie and a moment later placing a rum and coke in front of Clark.

Jessie tried to hide her blush by taking a drink. It was several awkward minutes before Jessie could look up at her suitor. The two made small talk until they finished their drinks, then went and danced for several more songs. I wanted desperately to break them up, as I watched Jessie allow Clark to pull her closer and closer together until they were dancing almost as brazenly as the dancers Jessie had blushed at earlier. I had to admit they looked hot together, although it had nothing to do with him. Watching Jessie enjoy herself was arousing all on its own. Jessie had managed to combine her elven grace and dexterity with the driving beat of the music. Her fast, fluid motions were mesmerizing. Although I suspected, many were watching in hopes of catching more than just the occasional flash of 'side boob' or hip. As the couple returned to the bar Jessie seemed to be staying closer to Clark than she had on the last trip.

"Same as last time?" Toni asked as Jessie took a stool. Clark moved right up against Jessie's back and started to gently run his fingertips up and down her arms.

"Just water for me," said Clark. "I've got to drive."

As Toni set two tall glasses of ice water in front of them, I asked. "How much have you given her?"

Turning around to work her next order, Toni responded, "If she drinks all of that glass she will have had enough to make a seventy-year-old nun willing to get touched. If Clark Kent can't get in her paints now, no one can."

"I'm afraid the answer is still no one," I suspected. "Unless I give him a few more advantages no one else will have."

As soon as Jessie had cooled down, she motioned for Toni. Leaning forward as if to whisper she hesitantly asked, "Toni, where can I ..."