Home for Horny Monsters Ch. 104

"Oh, I've tried," Lily had admitted. "But when he figures out it's me, he makes me change back. Something about morality and scruples. Why? Is there someone you're curious about?"

Back in the present, Beth felt a tail snake up her leg before ripping the covers away. Groaning in protest, she tried to take the blankets back, but Lily was too fast.

"The Director wants to see you for breakfast this time." Lily handed over another envelope. "Oh, and apparently he apologizes for standing you up last night. Something about Order business."

"Was he at our door?" Beth asked with a yawn.

"Nope. Sent a lackey." Lily sighed and opened up the closet. "So what are you wearing for your big date? Something that accentuates your hips? Or will you be all business in a bikini?"

Beth slid free of the bed and pushed Lily out of the way. "I can dress myself, thanks."

"But of course, dahling." Lily sashayed out of the room. "I'll be out here trying to find something to watch on the telly."

Beth looked through the outfits in her closet and picked a simple white dress that paired well with a pair of brown dress sandals and a paua shell necklace she had brought. She turned on the faucet in her shower and jumped in, shivering beneath the cold spray. It helped bring the morning into focus, and she washed the sex out of her hair. With a wave of her hand, the water leapt off her body, and she stepped out of the bathroom completely dry.

Slipping into her outfit took only a minute, and she stepped out of her bedroom into the suite and stopped. Lily was standing in the kitchen, her fingers pressed into the granite so hard that it had cracked. Standing on the other side of the counter was Kisa with a serious look on her face.

"What happened?" Beth asked.

Lily didn't respond. Kisa cleared her throat and then sat on one of the stools.

"They attacked the house last night," she began. "Or tried to, anyway. Don't worry, everyone is okay. Jenny let them off with a warning."

"Then what's the problem?" Beth asked.

"The Captain tried to kill Mike at roughly the same time." Kisa sighed. "Apparently that douchebag was trying to kill the princess and frame Mike for it, but took the opportunity to shoot him, too."

"He was shot?" Beth took a step forward, but Kisa waved her back.

"He's fine, because he's Mike." The catgirl chuckled. "But now we suspect that the Director was in on it, which doesn't make sense. The Order seemed to have no idea who the Captain even was. So either the Director is keeping secrets from the Order, or there's something else going on here."

"Damn." Beth fiddled with the shell necklace, twirling it with her fingers. "My bet is on the secret agenda. He was supposed to have dinner with me last night, but cancelled at the last second. Now we're having breakfast."

"He probably wants to cut a deal." Kisa slid off the stool. "As far as anybody knows, the Order team was wiped out and Mike died. And we're going to keep it that way for a little bit longer, if we can."

"But what of the merfolk?" Beth frowned at the idea that she may be dragged out to sea and charged with regicide.

"Leilani and Mike have gotten rather close, apparently." Kisa laughed. "Like we should expect anything different. She said that without evidence, the council will wait at least a couple of days before coming for you. But if that happens, you are to remind her mother about the green flash incident."

"The green flash incident?" Beth was familiar with the phenomenon. On a clear day, it was possible to see the sun turn green for just a second at sunset, a trick made possible by the refraction of light through the atmosphere so close to the equator. "What does that even mean?"

"It's code for something meant to keep you out of hot water. But it's highly likely that you're in danger."

"That's nothing new." Beth looked at Lily. "Are you okay?"

"Mike doesn't want her coming after him," Kisa explained. "And she didn't like it."

"Of course I don't like it," Lily snapped. "It seems like every asshole here wants a piece of him, but nooooo, he's just going to ignore that and go looking for a dragon instead! It's bad enough I lost a bet with Lala over this, but now I'm stuck here playing babysitter!" She took off her tracking bracelet and tossed it to Kisa. "Fuck it. My talents are wasted in this room. Kitty cat, you get to be me from now on."

"Wait, what?" Kisa's eyes grew wide as Lily walked to the balcony, her body rippling as she transformed into a vaguely familiar man dressed as one of the attendants.

"I'll keep your sweet ass out of the fire," Lily declared in a man's voice as she pointed at Beth. "You keep that asshole distracted while I dig through his shit."

"Lily, wait!" Beth didn't get to say much more. The succubus walked out onto the balcony and jumped over the edge. "Won't somebody see her?"

"Nah. There's a hole in the surveillance right there." Kisa took a banana out of the fruit bowl and started to peel it. "I scoped it out after my first trip here and told her about it in case we needed an escape route."

"I thought the portal was the escape route?"

Kisa shrugged. "It's always better to have more than one," she said. "Oh, and Tink isn't coming back any time soon. She got pretty defensive about the kids so has gone home to, and I quote, 'sharpen hammer for ass ramming.'"

"How do you sharpen...nevermind." Beth sighed as she moved toward the door. "Anything else I should know?"

Kisa shook her head. "That's it for now."

Beth nodded, then moved toward the door. "Well in that case, I guess it's time for me to do my part. See what I can get out of the Director before somebody tries to take me out."

"This vacation isn't exactly relaxing," Kisa declared, then kicked her feet up on the table. "If you need me, you know where to find me."

"That I do," Beth replied as she opened the door to go have breakfast with the enemy. "That I do."