Chapter 10: Mr. Wonderful

Jeffrey had slept peacefully the night following Shar's success; this first since he'd 'received' Wilbur Winquist's vid-call. The blankets were warm and soft, cushioning his body in a cocoon of pleasant heat. Behind him, above the covers as he was already fairly insulated, lay Shar, spread out comfortably over half the bed, his various limbs thrown willy-nilly over the mattress. To Jeffrey's left lay Cyilume, curled tightly like a dozing cat, her chest rising and falling in a peaceful rhythm. Jeffrey suspected that, if this had been earth, sunlight would be streaming through the curtains by now. He'd overslept. But it was terribly comfortable, lying like this. What was a few...more...seconds. It wasn't as if he had to rise and make breakfast for anyone. He winced, even as he thought it, gritting his teeth and rolling over on his side to face Shar. She won't stay mad, he'd said. Jeffrey didn't believe she (he?) would. McKale was impulsive; he/she didn't hold grudges. With that in mind, Jeffrey was fairly sure that if McKale had intended to fire him, he/she no doubt would have done so by now. But still, there was certain emptiness to the apartment without him/her there, even with the accompaniment of Shar and Cyilume. It seemed wrong, somehow. That by bonding Shar he'd replaced McKale with him and Cyilume. Suddenly, a loud bang ripped through the air, and noisy footsteps sounded from outside the bedroom. Jeffrey shot up, jolting Cyilume and Shar awake. "What's happening? What's going on?" Cyilume's eyes widened and she leapt up into Jeffrey's arms. Shar, too, rightened his upper body, twisting himself toward the door. His ears perked forward, but he looked...unphased. Before Jeffrey could wrestle out of the blankets and stand, the bedroom door was flung open, revealing an eagerly grinning McKale who was not a little ruffled looking. "Jeffrey!" she bounded into the room. She stopped suddenly, planting her feet firmly on the ground and nearly falling tit of teakettle with the action. Her gaze snapped between Shar and Cyilume. Jeffrey eyed them as well, before easing out of the bed and standing attentively beside it. He attempted to smooth the wrinkles from his night-clothes, with no avail. He turned to his bonds,” I will be back shortly. Don't leave the room until I return." He tried once more to straighten his clothes, and slipped out the door with McKale following behind him. Once in the living room slash kitchenette, the door shut tightly between them and the dragons, McKale was instantly transported back to a state of exuberance. "Oh, Jeffrey, I've met the most wonderful man! He's kind, and dashing, and witty, and he simply adores the Victorian look,” she fluffed her skirts a little,” He’s dashed wonderful Jeffrey. None better in...Where are we?" All semblance of color had left Jeffrey's face,” Star City, Miss." "That's the place!" she snapped her fingers,” None better in Star City!" Jeffrey cleared his throat,” Is this extraordinary person Yaidom, perhaps?" "Yaidom!" McKale's face twisted horribly,"Oh certainly not. That's a dashed rummy man, Jeffrey. He's horrid and crude and I certainly don't ever want to have anything to do with him,"she wrinkled her nose,"Oh no, Jeffrey. I'm talking about Bress! That lovely man who's always wandering about with that horrid Yaidom fellow. I dashed well don't understand why." "Not...Yaidom?" Not by Mr.Winquist's request then. Jeffrey's chest tightened. She'd gone and done it out of her own free will. That was good. Very good. Not forced into carnal relations. Very good. His mouth felt dry. "Goodness no, Jeffrey. Anyway, I'm going to see him again tonight, that's Bress, Jeffrey, not Yaidom, and I need you to help me into a corset. Bloody hard to get into one yourself, what? Not that you'd know, of course, having never worn a corset yourself,” she raised an eyebrow,” You haven't, have you, Jeffrey?" "No, Miss, I have indeed never worn a corset." "Thought so,” she skipped merrily (skipped!) toward the door,” Can you come down at, say, six-ish, Jeffrey old-chap? I'm to be out at eight." Jeffrey nodded,” Very well, Miss." "Toodle-pip, Jeffrey!" "Good-bye, Miss." .:.:.::.:.:. Cyilume peeled her ear off the door and turned to Shar,"Did you hear that?" Shar nodded his head. He had. Every word of it, and not only that, but he received a few inklings of Jeffrey's...feelings about the situation as well, wiggling toward him through their bond link. Shar flattened his ears and crawled off the bed, sitting at the edge of the mattress with his hands folded over it. "Well, what does it mean? You're the one with the observational skills. What's going on?" "Besides the obvious?" "Obviously,"Cyilume fluffed her tail, frowning. Shar failed,” The plan didn't work out precisely as I had hoped. McKale isn't getting anywhere with Yaidom, but apparently there's someone else in the picture. That would be 'Bress'." "Mr. Wonderful,"Cyilume rolled her eyes,” And he's got connections with Yaidom." "Yes." "So...McKale might be able to get Yaidom to Winquist through Bress?" she clicked her tongue off the roof of her mouth,"Aweful lot of names." "Exactly,” said Shar. "So McKale will still have her watch?" "Yes." "Good!" Shar blinked,” Good?" "Yeah! I know you and Jeffrey don't like it, but I do. Just imagine the things you could learn! The things you could see!" her eyes sparkled, a decidedly disturbing occurrence,"I want to keep the watch." Shar let out a low hum,” It’s dangerous, Cy." "No it's not! It's interesting. And anyway, you heard what Jeffrey said happened when he and McKale used it. As soon as they got in a bit of trouble, they just reset the watch and poof, back in merry old London. It's not dangerous." "Jeffrey doesn't approve-" "I'm sure Jeffrey doesn't approve of a lot of things, but that doesn't mean we have to agree with him." "No,” said Shar,"But I do in this case." Cyilume sighed and rolled her eyes,” You two!" Shar's gaze drifted toward the door,” Jeffrey hasn't come back yet." Cyilume blinked,"McKale's already gone, and he can't very well be talking with anyone...oh." They exchanged a glance, and quickly scampered out the door. .:.:.::.:.:. "I take it my plan did not go as well as expected." Jeffrey shook his head, stroking Shar's ears,” She’s become adamantly besotted with Mr. Yaidom's partner. It's my fault, of course, I hadn't informed you of him. I did not believe he was important." "Well you know better now, don't you?" Cyilume snorted, swatting boredly at her sibling's tail,” So, what are we going to do?" Shar licked his lips,” I should be able to come up with something." "Oh, yes, that worked so well last time,"Cyilume rolled her eyes. Shar did not respond, and Jeffrey continued to pet him. After a moment of silence, he spoke up again. "Perhaps,” he started, brow furrowed,” Or...perhaps not..."he looked up at Jeffrey, then down at Cyilume. "Out with it you!" she nipped Shar's tail. Shar let out a shaky sigh,” Perhaps we can distract McKale with another prospective partner." "Have someone safe out-do Bress, you mean?" Shar nodded. Jeffrey pursed his lips,” Miss...Mister..."he cleared his throat and tried again,"Mr.Winquist was not incorrect in referring to McKale as...promiscuous. My employer will probably extract his...her...self from the relationship before it becomes serious." "But will she do it before she's got Yaidom?" Jeffrey's hand stilled,” No I don't believe so, even if he/she does lose interest there is the possibility McKale will stick with Bress until he/she's completed Mr.Winquist's assignment." "Case closed, then,” said Cyilume,"Now all we have to do is fine someone to play the role of lover-boy." "A lady would suffice as well,” said Jeffrey,"McKale has never been picky about the gender of her partners." "Well we don't very well have a lady to work with, do we?" "Nor do we have a gentlem-" Jeffrey stopped. Both Shar and Cyilume were staring at him intently. They weren't grinning, per say, but they're already glowing eyes were giving off an eerie sort of light that sent a cold shiver down Jeffrey's spine. "No,” he said. "You're the only person we've got, unless you want Shar running about seducing your employer,"Cyilume flicked her ears back,” And he's much too young for that." Shar nodded in agreement. "No,” repeated Jeffrey,” I simply cannot. It is improper, indecent. The prospect is completely against proper employee-employer conduct. I will loose my job, and no doubt my home, if I attempted to do such a thing." "Jeffrey." He turned to Shar. ~No you won't. ~ Jeffrey frowned. .:.:.::.:.:. "Ooh, this looks like a nice place,” said McKale, clinging to Bress' arm. He led her into a well furnished restaurant, the walls coated with wood-like wallpaper and paper vines that trailed from ceiling to floorboard. The place was gently lit, so only a flicker of artificial light (McKale was forced to suppress a shudder, but the rest of the place was nice enough) illuminated the interior. They were escorted to a table for two by a kindly, humanoid, waiter. A rather tall fellow, with a narrow face. Reminded McKale of Jeffrey. Bress pulled out a chair for McKale, and she promptly sat with a humble 'thank-you' in return for his efforts. The waiter flicked open a notebook and asked if he could get them anything to drink. "Wine, if you would. Red,” answered Bress. He shot McKale a dashing smile from across the table, which she quickly returned. The waiter bowed his head and left them. "So, you're interested in bonding a dragon, are you?" Bress nodded, chuckling softly,” It was Yaidom's idea, of course, but I thought it would be interesting. He's yet to make up his mind as to what clutch he wants to bond, though,"Bress sighed,” We’ve been wandering Star City for years waiting from him to make up his mind." "Sounds horrible, monsiuer,"McKale reached across the table to clasp his hands in hers,” Why don't you leave him?" "Can't, I'd be out of a job. I work for Yaidom." "Oh,"McKale blinked,” Are you a valet?" Bress frowned, shaking his head,” Archivist and second in command." "Second in command?" "Yes, well, it's nothing important,” he brought her hands to his lips,” Have I told you you look beautiful tonight?" McKale blushed,” You’re such a charming gentleman, Bress, I've never met the likes of you before." "Nor I you." The waiter returned and poured them each a glass of wine. McKale noted that he had long, pale hair, tied back with a black ribbon. "Remarkable,” she said once he'd left. "Hm?" "The waiter. He looks just like Jeffrey, that's my valet,” she turned her attention back to Bress,"He's recently bonded a dragon as well." "Has he? Synth 11, was it?" "Synth? Oh, dear, I don't really know much about this bonding thing." Bress sipped his wine, smiling,” I’d be more than happy to tell you anything you wish about it." "Oh, well, I'm not terribly curious. I've never much been interested in it myself?" "No?" Bress was grinning now,” I’d give anything to bond a dragon, now that I've got all my information set straight." "You didn't want to before, monsieur?" "Not really. I didn't abhor the idea, but it wasn't for me,” he tapped his temple,” I have a great many secrets, you see. I don't like the idea of being forced to share them because of a telepathic connection." McKale stiffened,” Does that happen?" "Only if you allow it, I'm sure. And besides, you're getting into a lifelong friendship when you bond a dragon. It's not as if they're going to go off and reveal anything you really don't want them to." "Hm,” McKale chewed her bottom lip. "How is..What’s your valet's name?" "Jeffrey." "How is Jeffrey finding the life of a bond?" McKale nursed her glass of wine before folding her hands in her lap,” I don't really now, monsieur. I...left him when he brought the dragons home. Dashed rummy thing to do, I know, but I was never terribly keen on sharing my home with uninvited strangers." She had secrets of her own, after all. "He didn't tell you he was doing it?" McKale shook her head. "So if you've left him, where are you staying?" "I'm renting a second hotel room, on the first floor." "You know, if you wanted, to save money, you could come board with me...and Yaidom." "Oh! Well-." "May I take your order sir, ma'am?" "Oh, indeed yes,"Bress lifted his menu,” We’ll have the..." McKale sucked her lips into her mouth and stared down at her hands.