Lottery King 2, page 13
“I came so hard,” Poppy giggled.
“Yeah, me, too,” I sighed.
“Ooh, I’m dizzy,” Poppy laughed and grabbed onto my shoulder for support.
“Damn, I fucked you silly,” I laughed with her.
With a quick movement, I scooped Poppy up and walked over to her bed. I settled her comfortably on the blankets before I climbed over the top of her to settle on the other side of the bed.
“Mmmm, I’m gonna sleep so well,” Poppy murmured in a tired voice.
“Good,” I hummed, and I snuggled up next to my lover.
Poppy rolled over, rested her head against my shoulder, and smiled contentedly as she yawned. Love swelled inside my chest as I watched her breathe steadily for about two minutes before her entire body relaxed into sleep.
I sighed as I relaxed back into the pillow, and I stared up at the textured ceiling as the events of the last forty-eight hours washed over me.
It was still hard to believe that I’d jetted halfway around the world, toured through a bit of Athens, Greece, and been nearly mauled by a mob of fangirls. I stifled a chuckle at the insanity of it all, and then I remembered the reason I was in Greece in the first place.
The graffiti of the broken crown on the pile of bones flashed in front of my mind, and I took a deep breath as tension worked its way into my muscles. I wasn’t sure if the symbolism of the broken crown was trying to say monarchies were inherently broken, or if it was a threat to the king, but I didn’t like either option. I was determined to be a good ruler, and I had no intentions of forcing my will upon my people. I wanted to hear what my representatives had to say, what the people’s concerns were, and use those things to make informed decisions and policies.
I could understand that a lot of people were anxious or worried about what kind of ruler I’d be. I’d only been in the position for about a month, and I hadn’t had much opportunity to demonstrate the kind of monarch I planned to be. But most of the paranormal species around the world probably knew I’d executed two women in my dining room. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if the details of the situation had been muddied by rumors and fearmongering as the news spread around the world.
I sighed heavily and pushed all thoughts of political problems aside for now because what I needed was a good night of sleep. There would be time over the next several days, months, and hopefully years to show the people who I was, and what I stood for.
My eyelids suddenly felt like they had ten-pound weights on them, and I succumbed easily to sleep a moment later.
“Good morning,” Poppy whispered softly in my ear the next morning.
“Mmm,” I breathed, and I opened my eyes. “Morning.”
“How did you sleep?” Poppy asked with a loving smile, and she draped her leg over mine.
“Really well,” I said, and I realized I felt fully rested and ready to start the day. “How did you sleep?”
“Very well,” Poppy replied, and she leaned over to kiss my cheek. “I’ve been up for a while already.”
“Oh, yeah?” I asked with interest as I realized Poppy was already dressed for the day.
“I’m really excited,” Poppy admitted with a shy giggle.
“About what?” I asked with humor in my voice.
“Dress shopping.” Poppy lit up like the sun as she bounced out of the bed.
My teal-haired lover was wearing another pretty sundress with a beautiful monarch butterfly pattern all around the hem that faded up to a crisp white around her narrow waist. Her hair was up in a tight and smooth bun on the crown of her head, and she was wearing a pair of glittery orange sandals.
“Do you think you’ll find your dress today?” I asked as I climbed out of the bed.
Then I realized all my things were across the hall, so I picked up my discarded clothes from the night before.
“I don’t know,” Poppy admitted with a dreamy look. “I have a pretty distinct image in my head, and I’m not about to settle for just anything.”
“Good.” I smiled. “I don’t ever want you to settle… on anything. You deserve everything your heart desires.”
“So do you,” Poppy said, and there was a significant look in the purple depths of her eyes. “Whatever you desire… whoever…”
“I– ugh,” I almost choked on my surprise.
“I never expected to be your one and only, Michael,” Poppy said simply, and love flowed off of her like heat from a bonfire. “You deserve more love, affection, and companionship than I can give you by myself. Besides, traditions and all that. You are the king, after all.”
“Did you…” I mumbled as love mingled with the surprise in my head. “Did you have someone in mind?”
“I believe you do,” Poppy giggled, and she gave me a pointed look. “Not that my opinion should matter much in this, but Lady Helena is an intelligent woman. I think she could give you some perspective that I can’t.”
“Hmm,” I hummed thoughtfully because I really wanted to know what else Poppy thought.
“And she is a beautiful woman,” Poppy said casually as she smoothed away the nonexistent wrinkles from her dress.
“She is,” I agreed with a laugh as the image of her naked breasts in the sunlight flashed across my eyes. “Go on, say it.”
“Say what?” Poppy asked, and her face flushed bright pink.
“Whatever it is you were thinking,” I clarified.
“Oooh,” Poppy breathed, and she walked over to me. “I was thinking… goodness. I was thinking how hot it would be to watch you fucking her, and making her cum, and giving her your seed.”
“Jesus,” I gasped as a forceful wave of desire slammed through me. “You’d want to watch?”
“Only if you wanted me to,” Poppy stuttered, and she blushed even harder. “I thought you might like that, but if not–”
“No!” I almost shouted the word to stop her, and then I chuckled as I forced her to look up into my face. “Just the idea of that turns me on.”
“Ooooh,” Poppy breathed, and then she devolved into a fit of giggles.
“But maybe I should find out what Helena thinks of the idea, first,” I laughed.
“That’s a good idea,” Poppy said breathlessly. “It’s a good thing I’ll be entirely distracted with dress shopping today, and you can get to know Helena better.”
Poppy winked slyly at me before she danced right out of my hands, and she was at the door before I could form another thought.
“Come on!” Poppy grinned. “I’m starving.”
“Me, too.” I smirked.
Poppy giggled even louder as she stepped out into the hallway, and I stood up before I realized I was still completely naked. Poppy was halfway down the long corridor when I dashed across to my door. I dressed quickly in light cotton trousers and another cotton button-down. The breathable fabric was ideal for Greece’s climate, and it didn’t make me stick out like a sore thumb tourist among the locals.
Once I was dressed, I strolled down the corridor and found Poppy, Helena, and a huge breakfast spread on the back veranda. The smells of fried meat, cooked eggs, and roasted potatoes welcomed me onto the patio.
“Good morning, your majesty,” Helena murmured in a sultry voice.
Poppy avoided eye contact with me like a guilty child, and her cheeks were still a very thorough shade of pink.
“Morning,” I replied, and I arched an eyebrow at the two ladies.
The sense that I’d missed an important part of the conversation was strong as I sat down between the gorgeous harpy and my fae lover.
“How did you sleep?” Helena asked as she stirred some sugar into her coffee. “I hope you found the rooms to be comfortable.”
“They’re lovely,” Poppy answered, and she took a long swallow of her water. “Thank you.”
“Yes, we found the bed was very comfortable,” I said, and I watched Helena’s caramel eyes for any kind of reaction to the hint that Poppy and I had shared our bed last night.
“Mmm,” Helena hummed, and the sound was somehow casual and seductive all at once. “I’m pleased to hear that.”
“Lady Helena,” Poppy said in her normal voice.
“Please,” Helena chuckled. “Call me Helena. There’s no need for such formalities when it’s just us.”
“Okay.” Poppy smiled. “I was wondering if Rune and I could borrow a car for our shopping trip today?”
“Of course,” Helena said. “Mrs. Baros informed me that Nyxx has already selected four guards to accompany you.”
“Good,” I said with a nod. “She’s so good about staying on top of things.”
“Your guards are quite loyal,” Helena observed. “From the sounds of it, Nyxx would not allow anyone from my staff to give their own recommendations on the local allotment of guards. She insisted on vetting them herself.”
“They are loyal,” I agreed with an appreciative smirk as I imagined the shadowy woman stoically interrogating her options.
“Well, I’m just dying to get to the shop,” Poppy said with barely-contained excitement.
“Wait, before you go,” Helena said. “I have some exciting news, too.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“It seems that word of your arrival in the city has caused more of a stir than we thought,” Helena said. “A city-wide celebration has been organized for tomorrow.”
“A city-wide celebration?” I mumbled in shock. “For me?”
Chapter 8
“There may be discord and extremists in the city,” Helena grumbled, and then she smiled. “But there are far more people who are eager to celebrate the beginning of your reign and your presence in our city.”
“What kind of celebration will it be?” Poppy asked with excitement.
“A huge one,” Helena laughed. “Here in Athens, members of the Eternal Realm don’t do anything small.”
“That sounds really cool,” I said, and I tried to imagine a party the size of Athens. I couldn’t quite get my head around the idea that I would be the guest of honor at such a huge party. “Oh, and it could be a good way to learn more about that activist group. Is their leader’s identity known?”
“No.” Helena frowned. “Whoever it is has managed to keep their identity out of the light.”
“Hmmm.” I stroked my chin as I thought about that.
“So… Can I still go shopping?” Poppy asked with curiosity in her purple eyes.
“Yeah, of course,” I chuckled.
“Yay!” Poppy squealed with delight as she popped out of her seat. “I love you, have a good day!”
Poppy stopped only long enough to give me a firm kiss before she danced back into the house. I smiled after her, and then I turned back to look at the gorgeous Grecian harpy. We had the whole day ahead of us, and I was excited to spend some time alone with Helena.
“What would you like to do today, Michael?” Helena asked, and she leaned back in her chair.
Nothing polite, that’s for sure.
I cleared my throat and pushed that thought aside as I allowed myself the guilty pleasure of a long stare down and back up Helena’s alluring figure.
Lady Helena’s tawny feathers looked so soft in the morning sunlight, and I wondered what they’d feel like under my fingers. She wore a white halter top that made her tanned skin look like it was glowing. The thick straps looped behind her neck, and the front closed with a gold clasp between her ample breasts. She wore a matching fitted skirt that hugged over her hips like an extra layer of skin. It rested at the top of her thighs, and I suspected that I’d get a full Fatal Attraction moment if I was patient enough. A pair of ocean-blue sandals were strapped around her dainty ankles, and there was a single loop around her big toes.
“Um…” I sipped my coffee as I tried to remember what Helena’s question had been, but all I could think about was how I wanted to find out if she had any tan lines on that sexy body of hers.
“We could do some shopping,” Helena suggested.
“Oh,” I breathed as my brain started working again. “Right. Shopping in Athens, that sounds pretty awesome.”
“And I can show you more of the city,” Helena added with a pleasant smile.
“And some more of the people, too.” I drank the last of my coffee and quickly finished the slice of fried ham on my plate.
“Excellent,” Helena said with pleasure. “I need to speak with Mrs. Baros for a moment, but then I’ll meet you out front?”
“Yeah, sounds good.” I nodded.
We stood from the table, and Helena’s tawny wings stretched out in a brief ruffle of feathers as I moved to open the door for us. Once we were inside, Helena smiled and disappeared in the direction of the huge dining room, and I walked toward the front door.
Nyxx was waiting by the entrance in her physical form.
“Good morning,” I greeted the full-figured shadow nymph.
“Your majesty,” Nyxx replied in that rasping voice of hers, and her dark head nodded in a respectful manner. “Will you be venturing into the city today, your majesty?”
“Yes,” I confirmed. “Lady Helena is going to show me around a little bit.”
“I have a team of guards ready to accompany you, your majesty,” Nyxx reported. “And I sent Ena as the head of Lady Poppy’s security duty.”
“Thank you, Nyxx,” I said. “I’m grateful for the job you do.”
Nyxx didn’t say anything as she nodded dutifully, and then she started to fade into the shadows.
“I will be nearby the entire day should you need anything, your majesty,” Nyxx said, and then she disappeared into the shadows.
“Thank you,” I said, and I knew she’d heard me.
I paced idly around the entrance hall for about two minutes before Helena came around the corner with a relaxed expression that melted into a bright smile when her caramel eyes landed on me.
“Everything taken care of?” I asked.
“Yes, let’s go,” Helena said.
We walked down the front steps of Helena’s mansion together to find James and the town car waiting for us in the long driveway. The attractive white-haired man held the door open for us, and while he walked around to the driver’s seat, I leaned toward Helena.
“Is James a fae… or a witch?” I asked.
“He’s a siren, actually,” Helena answered with a friendly smile at her driver.
I nodded thoughtfully as I tucked the information into my mental catalog of species and the physical traits I’d personally encountered. It made me wonder how many paranormal people were part of the human world, and I wouldn’t have been surprised to hear many celebrities were.
I leaned back in the seat as James pulled the town car out onto the street. The oddity of everything washed over me again, and I had to remind myself this wasn’t a dream. I really was riding in a wildly expensive car with a gorgeous harpy and her siren driver in the middle of one of the oldest cities in the world in the beautiful Mediterranean. Even after a month of this being my world, I sometimes still expected to wake up from it all and find it had been the most insane acid trip in the history of acid trips.
“I was thinking we could start at Voukourestiou Street first,” Helena suggested. “Then we can go from there.”
“Whatever you think is best,” I said.
“James?” Helena leaned forward.
“Yes, Madame,” James replied with a polite nod. “Voukourestiou Street, here we come.”
“Did you have anything in mind that you were looking for?” Helena asked in a conversational tone.
“I’m not sure,” I admitted with a smirk. “I will admit… I’m still getting used to just being able to buy anything and everything I want…”
“Ah,” Helena hummed with understanding. “All that fortune is burning a hole in your pockets, isn’t it?”
“Maybe,” I laughed. “It’s nice to be able to give myself the finer things in life for once, and for the people I care about, too.”
Helena smiled softly at me, and then we fell into a comfortable silence for the rest of the short drive into the middle of Athens.
The city was gorgeous, and the buildings somehow looked ancient and modern all at the same time. The streets were busy with tourists and locals going about their days, and bright green foliage sprouted up in every available spot. I wondered where the Parthenon was as we drove through the hilly city, but the landscape was much less flat than I’d pictured in my head, so I couldn’t spot it anywhere.
I knew it was probably the number-one tourist trap in the entire city, though, and I was content to skip it to avoid looking like a tourist myself. Besides, there would be many more opportunities for me to come back to Athens in the future. This wasn’t a once-in-a-lifetime kind of trip for me, as much as my mind tried to scream that it was.
The streets were often laid in brick, and the buildings were close together as we approached Voukourestiou Street. The Louis Vuitton and Prada signs caught my attention as James parked the car in the middle of the divided street. Plants with lush greens were dotted down the center of the road like the yellow double lines in the states.
Several paranormals walked casually down the street, too, and I was surprised to find very few humans walking around in the area.
“Thank you, James,” Helena said as the driver opened the door for us. “We’re going to stroll for a while.”
Nyxx slowly materialized out of the shadows beneath the town car, and she blinked her odd white eyes at me.
“I can task one of the guards with communicating between us and your driver, Lady Helena,” the shadow nymph offered.
“That will be wonderful,” Helena agreed.
“Thank you, Nyxx,” I said.
The shadow nymph nodded once before she faded into a small puddle of darkness once more.
“I’ll go park the car nearby, then,” James said.
After he drove off, I noticed a group of shadows nearby with curious white eyes in their depths, and I gave a discreet nod of gratitude to my hidden guards.
“Let’s start here,” Helena suggested, and she pointed at the glass front of a store beside Prada.
“Sounds good to me,” I said, and I offered my arm to the Grecian beauty.
“Yeah, me, too,” I sighed.
“Ooh, I’m dizzy,” Poppy laughed and grabbed onto my shoulder for support.
“Damn, I fucked you silly,” I laughed with her.
With a quick movement, I scooped Poppy up and walked over to her bed. I settled her comfortably on the blankets before I climbed over the top of her to settle on the other side of the bed.
“Mmmm, I’m gonna sleep so well,” Poppy murmured in a tired voice.
“Good,” I hummed, and I snuggled up next to my lover.
Poppy rolled over, rested her head against my shoulder, and smiled contentedly as she yawned. Love swelled inside my chest as I watched her breathe steadily for about two minutes before her entire body relaxed into sleep.
I sighed as I relaxed back into the pillow, and I stared up at the textured ceiling as the events of the last forty-eight hours washed over me.
It was still hard to believe that I’d jetted halfway around the world, toured through a bit of Athens, Greece, and been nearly mauled by a mob of fangirls. I stifled a chuckle at the insanity of it all, and then I remembered the reason I was in Greece in the first place.
The graffiti of the broken crown on the pile of bones flashed in front of my mind, and I took a deep breath as tension worked its way into my muscles. I wasn’t sure if the symbolism of the broken crown was trying to say monarchies were inherently broken, or if it was a threat to the king, but I didn’t like either option. I was determined to be a good ruler, and I had no intentions of forcing my will upon my people. I wanted to hear what my representatives had to say, what the people’s concerns were, and use those things to make informed decisions and policies.
I could understand that a lot of people were anxious or worried about what kind of ruler I’d be. I’d only been in the position for about a month, and I hadn’t had much opportunity to demonstrate the kind of monarch I planned to be. But most of the paranormal species around the world probably knew I’d executed two women in my dining room. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if the details of the situation had been muddied by rumors and fearmongering as the news spread around the world.
I sighed heavily and pushed all thoughts of political problems aside for now because what I needed was a good night of sleep. There would be time over the next several days, months, and hopefully years to show the people who I was, and what I stood for.
My eyelids suddenly felt like they had ten-pound weights on them, and I succumbed easily to sleep a moment later.
“Good morning,” Poppy whispered softly in my ear the next morning.
“Mmm,” I breathed, and I opened my eyes. “Morning.”
“How did you sleep?” Poppy asked with a loving smile, and she draped her leg over mine.
“Really well,” I said, and I realized I felt fully rested and ready to start the day. “How did you sleep?”
“Very well,” Poppy replied, and she leaned over to kiss my cheek. “I’ve been up for a while already.”
“Oh, yeah?” I asked with interest as I realized Poppy was already dressed for the day.
“I’m really excited,” Poppy admitted with a shy giggle.
“About what?” I asked with humor in my voice.
“Dress shopping.” Poppy lit up like the sun as she bounced out of the bed.
My teal-haired lover was wearing another pretty sundress with a beautiful monarch butterfly pattern all around the hem that faded up to a crisp white around her narrow waist. Her hair was up in a tight and smooth bun on the crown of her head, and she was wearing a pair of glittery orange sandals.
“Do you think you’ll find your dress today?” I asked as I climbed out of the bed.
Then I realized all my things were across the hall, so I picked up my discarded clothes from the night before.
“I don’t know,” Poppy admitted with a dreamy look. “I have a pretty distinct image in my head, and I’m not about to settle for just anything.”
“Good.” I smiled. “I don’t ever want you to settle… on anything. You deserve everything your heart desires.”
“So do you,” Poppy said, and there was a significant look in the purple depths of her eyes. “Whatever you desire… whoever…”
“I– ugh,” I almost choked on my surprise.
“I never expected to be your one and only, Michael,” Poppy said simply, and love flowed off of her like heat from a bonfire. “You deserve more love, affection, and companionship than I can give you by myself. Besides, traditions and all that. You are the king, after all.”
“Did you…” I mumbled as love mingled with the surprise in my head. “Did you have someone in mind?”
“I believe you do,” Poppy giggled, and she gave me a pointed look. “Not that my opinion should matter much in this, but Lady Helena is an intelligent woman. I think she could give you some perspective that I can’t.”
“Hmm,” I hummed thoughtfully because I really wanted to know what else Poppy thought.
“And she is a beautiful woman,” Poppy said casually as she smoothed away the nonexistent wrinkles from her dress.
“She is,” I agreed with a laugh as the image of her naked breasts in the sunlight flashed across my eyes. “Go on, say it.”
“Say what?” Poppy asked, and her face flushed bright pink.
“Whatever it is you were thinking,” I clarified.
“Oooh,” Poppy breathed, and she walked over to me. “I was thinking… goodness. I was thinking how hot it would be to watch you fucking her, and making her cum, and giving her your seed.”
“Jesus,” I gasped as a forceful wave of desire slammed through me. “You’d want to watch?”
“Only if you wanted me to,” Poppy stuttered, and she blushed even harder. “I thought you might like that, but if not–”
“No!” I almost shouted the word to stop her, and then I chuckled as I forced her to look up into my face. “Just the idea of that turns me on.”
“Ooooh,” Poppy breathed, and then she devolved into a fit of giggles.
“But maybe I should find out what Helena thinks of the idea, first,” I laughed.
“That’s a good idea,” Poppy said breathlessly. “It’s a good thing I’ll be entirely distracted with dress shopping today, and you can get to know Helena better.”
Poppy winked slyly at me before she danced right out of my hands, and she was at the door before I could form another thought.
“Come on!” Poppy grinned. “I’m starving.”
“Me, too.” I smirked.
Poppy giggled even louder as she stepped out into the hallway, and I stood up before I realized I was still completely naked. Poppy was halfway down the long corridor when I dashed across to my door. I dressed quickly in light cotton trousers and another cotton button-down. The breathable fabric was ideal for Greece’s climate, and it didn’t make me stick out like a sore thumb tourist among the locals.
Once I was dressed, I strolled down the corridor and found Poppy, Helena, and a huge breakfast spread on the back veranda. The smells of fried meat, cooked eggs, and roasted potatoes welcomed me onto the patio.
“Good morning, your majesty,” Helena murmured in a sultry voice.
Poppy avoided eye contact with me like a guilty child, and her cheeks were still a very thorough shade of pink.
“Morning,” I replied, and I arched an eyebrow at the two ladies.
The sense that I’d missed an important part of the conversation was strong as I sat down between the gorgeous harpy and my fae lover.
“How did you sleep?” Helena asked as she stirred some sugar into her coffee. “I hope you found the rooms to be comfortable.”
“They’re lovely,” Poppy answered, and she took a long swallow of her water. “Thank you.”
“Yes, we found the bed was very comfortable,” I said, and I watched Helena’s caramel eyes for any kind of reaction to the hint that Poppy and I had shared our bed last night.
“Mmm,” Helena hummed, and the sound was somehow casual and seductive all at once. “I’m pleased to hear that.”
“Lady Helena,” Poppy said in her normal voice.
“Please,” Helena chuckled. “Call me Helena. There’s no need for such formalities when it’s just us.”
“Okay.” Poppy smiled. “I was wondering if Rune and I could borrow a car for our shopping trip today?”
“Of course,” Helena said. “Mrs. Baros informed me that Nyxx has already selected four guards to accompany you.”
“Good,” I said with a nod. “She’s so good about staying on top of things.”
“Your guards are quite loyal,” Helena observed. “From the sounds of it, Nyxx would not allow anyone from my staff to give their own recommendations on the local allotment of guards. She insisted on vetting them herself.”
“They are loyal,” I agreed with an appreciative smirk as I imagined the shadowy woman stoically interrogating her options.
“Well, I’m just dying to get to the shop,” Poppy said with barely-contained excitement.
“Wait, before you go,” Helena said. “I have some exciting news, too.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“It seems that word of your arrival in the city has caused more of a stir than we thought,” Helena said. “A city-wide celebration has been organized for tomorrow.”
“A city-wide celebration?” I mumbled in shock. “For me?”
Chapter 8
“There may be discord and extremists in the city,” Helena grumbled, and then she smiled. “But there are far more people who are eager to celebrate the beginning of your reign and your presence in our city.”
“What kind of celebration will it be?” Poppy asked with excitement.
“A huge one,” Helena laughed. “Here in Athens, members of the Eternal Realm don’t do anything small.”
“That sounds really cool,” I said, and I tried to imagine a party the size of Athens. I couldn’t quite get my head around the idea that I would be the guest of honor at such a huge party. “Oh, and it could be a good way to learn more about that activist group. Is their leader’s identity known?”
“No.” Helena frowned. “Whoever it is has managed to keep their identity out of the light.”
“Hmmm.” I stroked my chin as I thought about that.
“So… Can I still go shopping?” Poppy asked with curiosity in her purple eyes.
“Yeah, of course,” I chuckled.
“Yay!” Poppy squealed with delight as she popped out of her seat. “I love you, have a good day!”
Poppy stopped only long enough to give me a firm kiss before she danced back into the house. I smiled after her, and then I turned back to look at the gorgeous Grecian harpy. We had the whole day ahead of us, and I was excited to spend some time alone with Helena.
“What would you like to do today, Michael?” Helena asked, and she leaned back in her chair.
Nothing polite, that’s for sure.
I cleared my throat and pushed that thought aside as I allowed myself the guilty pleasure of a long stare down and back up Helena’s alluring figure.
Lady Helena’s tawny feathers looked so soft in the morning sunlight, and I wondered what they’d feel like under my fingers. She wore a white halter top that made her tanned skin look like it was glowing. The thick straps looped behind her neck, and the front closed with a gold clasp between her ample breasts. She wore a matching fitted skirt that hugged over her hips like an extra layer of skin. It rested at the top of her thighs, and I suspected that I’d get a full Fatal Attraction moment if I was patient enough. A pair of ocean-blue sandals were strapped around her dainty ankles, and there was a single loop around her big toes.
“Um…” I sipped my coffee as I tried to remember what Helena’s question had been, but all I could think about was how I wanted to find out if she had any tan lines on that sexy body of hers.
“We could do some shopping,” Helena suggested.
“Oh,” I breathed as my brain started working again. “Right. Shopping in Athens, that sounds pretty awesome.”
“And I can show you more of the city,” Helena added with a pleasant smile.
“And some more of the people, too.” I drank the last of my coffee and quickly finished the slice of fried ham on my plate.
“Excellent,” Helena said with pleasure. “I need to speak with Mrs. Baros for a moment, but then I’ll meet you out front?”
“Yeah, sounds good.” I nodded.
We stood from the table, and Helena’s tawny wings stretched out in a brief ruffle of feathers as I moved to open the door for us. Once we were inside, Helena smiled and disappeared in the direction of the huge dining room, and I walked toward the front door.
Nyxx was waiting by the entrance in her physical form.
“Good morning,” I greeted the full-figured shadow nymph.
“Your majesty,” Nyxx replied in that rasping voice of hers, and her dark head nodded in a respectful manner. “Will you be venturing into the city today, your majesty?”
“Yes,” I confirmed. “Lady Helena is going to show me around a little bit.”
“I have a team of guards ready to accompany you, your majesty,” Nyxx reported. “And I sent Ena as the head of Lady Poppy’s security duty.”
“Thank you, Nyxx,” I said. “I’m grateful for the job you do.”
Nyxx didn’t say anything as she nodded dutifully, and then she started to fade into the shadows.
“I will be nearby the entire day should you need anything, your majesty,” Nyxx said, and then she disappeared into the shadows.
“Thank you,” I said, and I knew she’d heard me.
I paced idly around the entrance hall for about two minutes before Helena came around the corner with a relaxed expression that melted into a bright smile when her caramel eyes landed on me.
“Everything taken care of?” I asked.
“Yes, let’s go,” Helena said.
We walked down the front steps of Helena’s mansion together to find James and the town car waiting for us in the long driveway. The attractive white-haired man held the door open for us, and while he walked around to the driver’s seat, I leaned toward Helena.
“Is James a fae… or a witch?” I asked.
“He’s a siren, actually,” Helena answered with a friendly smile at her driver.
I nodded thoughtfully as I tucked the information into my mental catalog of species and the physical traits I’d personally encountered. It made me wonder how many paranormal people were part of the human world, and I wouldn’t have been surprised to hear many celebrities were.
I leaned back in the seat as James pulled the town car out onto the street. The oddity of everything washed over me again, and I had to remind myself this wasn’t a dream. I really was riding in a wildly expensive car with a gorgeous harpy and her siren driver in the middle of one of the oldest cities in the world in the beautiful Mediterranean. Even after a month of this being my world, I sometimes still expected to wake up from it all and find it had been the most insane acid trip in the history of acid trips.
“I was thinking we could start at Voukourestiou Street first,” Helena suggested. “Then we can go from there.”
“Whatever you think is best,” I said.
“James?” Helena leaned forward.
“Yes, Madame,” James replied with a polite nod. “Voukourestiou Street, here we come.”
“Did you have anything in mind that you were looking for?” Helena asked in a conversational tone.
“I’m not sure,” I admitted with a smirk. “I will admit… I’m still getting used to just being able to buy anything and everything I want…”
“Ah,” Helena hummed with understanding. “All that fortune is burning a hole in your pockets, isn’t it?”
“Maybe,” I laughed. “It’s nice to be able to give myself the finer things in life for once, and for the people I care about, too.”
Helena smiled softly at me, and then we fell into a comfortable silence for the rest of the short drive into the middle of Athens.
The city was gorgeous, and the buildings somehow looked ancient and modern all at the same time. The streets were busy with tourists and locals going about their days, and bright green foliage sprouted up in every available spot. I wondered where the Parthenon was as we drove through the hilly city, but the landscape was much less flat than I’d pictured in my head, so I couldn’t spot it anywhere.
I knew it was probably the number-one tourist trap in the entire city, though, and I was content to skip it to avoid looking like a tourist myself. Besides, there would be many more opportunities for me to come back to Athens in the future. This wasn’t a once-in-a-lifetime kind of trip for me, as much as my mind tried to scream that it was.
The streets were often laid in brick, and the buildings were close together as we approached Voukourestiou Street. The Louis Vuitton and Prada signs caught my attention as James parked the car in the middle of the divided street. Plants with lush greens were dotted down the center of the road like the yellow double lines in the states.
Several paranormals walked casually down the street, too, and I was surprised to find very few humans walking around in the area.
“Thank you, James,” Helena said as the driver opened the door for us. “We’re going to stroll for a while.”
Nyxx slowly materialized out of the shadows beneath the town car, and she blinked her odd white eyes at me.
“I can task one of the guards with communicating between us and your driver, Lady Helena,” the shadow nymph offered.
“That will be wonderful,” Helena agreed.
“Thank you, Nyxx,” I said.
The shadow nymph nodded once before she faded into a small puddle of darkness once more.
“I’ll go park the car nearby, then,” James said.
After he drove off, I noticed a group of shadows nearby with curious white eyes in their depths, and I gave a discreet nod of gratitude to my hidden guards.
“Let’s start here,” Helena suggested, and she pointed at the glass front of a store beside Prada.
“Sounds good to me,” I said, and I offered my arm to the Grecian beauty.
