I waited for him and the petite Nicole to move off, and I got back to my workout. I’d have to remind Hali humans didn’t have healing magic, and no breaking of bones or major contusions during training allowed. Her instruction of me had been rather intense, including healing magic.

  Janice was a badass. But even holding back my strength and speed to human normal I was more than up for the task of holding her off. Five years of intense and daily martial arts training was a lot, even for a human, and for a demigod that was even more effective. I’d compare myself to a human who was hardcore about it for twenty years, and that had true mastery over several martial arts. Janice wasn’t far behind though, and it was far from easy. I’d found out she’d only had two years of intense training, but she’d also practiced and trained religiously for just as long as I had.

  She was willowy, graceful, and fast. She adapted quickly each time I changed up to a different style, and it was actually a lot of fun as Levi, Hali, Aurora, and Dawn looked on.

  Janice stepped back, “More than good enough, for the level of classes we offer. The early morning class will be intermediate level. The late morning class is more advanced, there’re a few blackbelts and competitors in the class, but you’ll handle them easily. The afternoon class is a beginner class, lot of kids and teens. The only question is if you can teach as well as you can fight.”

  I nodded, “I think the blessing will help there, and Hali is a good teacher and will assist me.”

  Janice replied, “True, we’ll give it a go. Thank you, too. Don’t depend on the blessing too much, their needs often outpace their ability, that’s why they’re here.”

  I laughed, “Good point. I think I can focus on the situational, and not their end goals.”

  Janice smiled, “If you ever need to talk about it, let me know. The abilities are a little different, both easier and harder than the blessing in different ways, but it’s similar enough my insights could help if you’re struggling.”

  “Easier?”

  Janice replied, “I can turn it off a lot easier, since it’s my power, and not what amounts to a semi-controllable ward in working function if not in power and purpose. There are also more subtleties, I can target only one person, or a few, I don’t have to deal with everyone in range if I don’t want to. Easier that way. Harder because as her daughter my personality is highly informed by her mantel. Much the way daughters of pleasure can’t help spreading their legs, I find it extremely hard to resist easing anyone’s burdens that seeks it from me. Not too different I imagine, if you feel the calling to be her champion then you’re naturally aligned that way as well if not through parentage, but harder by some small degrees.”

  I got it, there was a need there for me too, but there was also a selfish component to my side of things. I chose the path because of my passion to build a warm home and contented atmosphere, to give my mates what they needed to feel valued as I added them to my family. That isn’t to say that Janice didn’t take similar joy in a more intense way when it came to serving her family, but she’d also feel the general need to help much more strongly, even outside the influence of her power. Nor did my driver make me truly selfish, because it was a wish on behalf of others, nor did it lessen the impact or truth that I’d lift others up if I could.

  I was similar that way. Disciplined, focused, stubborn, but also of a win-win mindset in lifting others up. I wasn’t a selfish person at all, if that made sense, but neither was I naive. It was as she said, a matter of small degrees of difference. The difference between the appeal of a favorite and second favorite meal, for instance, which would make her struggle to resist being taken advantage of a bit harder than mine.

  “I think I get it. I actually think working here will be a great help in mastering the blessing. We’ll see, I may have a few questions tomorrow at the barbeque.”

  Janice said, “Weather service is calling for rain.”

  I laughed, “Never happen, those people are half wrong all the time anyway. No one will be surprised when it’s a bright sunny day instead.”

  That was a major advantage of being a demigod of storms. There was no way that humans would think of magic or the supernatural, when a storm broke or a flash storm hit, meteorologists were wrong all the time. Hell, I figured there was a good chance I wouldn’t even have to use my power, and they were wrong already, in truth.

  We talked for a just a bit longer, as she went over the mixed martial arts style she was teaching. There’d be a transition phase where I’d need to get to know the students’ abilities, but it’d be best if I taught the same style.

  Chapter Nine

  The counter in the center building only had one person behind it when we headed over there. Allison the tall light blonde with warm brown eyes had legs that went on forever, and she looked fantastic in short pink jean shorts and a light blue sheer blouse that only managed to be opaque over her nipple area. She also had a stunningly beautiful face, a classical beauty similar to my Hali just with lighter skin.

  I suppressed the disappointment that Katerina wasn’t there, and then the twinge of jealousy at the idea she could be giving a happy ending to some shmuck in the back rooms. That, and enjoying doing so. Maybe this would be harder than I thought, there’d been little jealousy in the vague idea she was out fucking people, but the certainty of it was more… immediate. There was also the idea that she was compatible and the hope of adding her as one of my mates that drove that slight jealousy. I pushed it down though, she could do whatever she wanted until she was mine. I had no right to object, and she was far from mine at that point.

  Lastly, I wasn’t just there to hunt for a mate. I was multitasking and life was complicated. I really did want to form tight connections, friendships, and an ally relationship with these people. That included Allison, so the disappointment and small stirring of jealousy was easy to push down. It was also not so incidentally, another plus for my blessing. The primary reason I chose it might be family, but it would help in my secondary objectives in befriending and being there for allies.

  Allison gave me a wide smile, which I returned honestly. She was pretty content with her life, for the most part. Although I felt the wistful need to hug her, but I ignored it with effort. She was probably just a toucher, and wanted to make friendly connections with others, but we weren’t there yet. It was both easy and difficult. Easy because it was a social rule, hard because I really wanted to hug her and make her feel that warmth and connection she wanted.

  I’d also be lying if I said there wasn’t a shallow attraction there. The young woman was gorgeous and I got the idea she was a seriously wild fuck in the sack, but her heart was already taken and it’d feel too weird to fuck her, plus unlike Katerina she wasn’t a potential mate. Or at least, if she was, she was already claimed by another in her heart, so it didn’t matter.

  She grinned, “Looking for Katerina?”

  I said, “Just come by to say hi on our way out, if you’ve got a few minutes.”

  She smiled, “More than a few, my next appointment isn’t for an hour. We didn’t really get a chance to chat yesterday, though after shooting the breeze with Hali for an hour I already feel like I know you.”

  Hali said, “Good to see you again.”

  “Good things, I hope?”

  Allison laughed, “The best. She obviously totally adores you,” she winked cutely at Hali, then said, “Katerina will be sorry she missed you, but she’s not even here right now. Down at town hall, taking care of an issue.”

  I ignored the real question I wanted to ask, clarification on the miss me comment, but I pushed that down and went the other way.

  “Serious issue?”

  Allison snorted, “Not really, just annoying. Every once in a while, the queen of the gods tries to shut us down, or ruin our lives, she hates Levi. Katerina is our fixer, she’ll take care of it.”

  Right, I tried not to think that through and wake up that jealousy again. No doubt she was using her warm and talented mouth on our public servants to cut through the red tape. It also occurred to me then if I did ever claim her as a mate that I’d be inconveniencing the business. Not only would Allison be the only one on staff offering happy endings, but they’d have to find a new fixer. I pushed it down, it’d work out or it wouldn’t, and having Katerina would be worth it. Her past really didn’t matter to me, only her future where she was mine. It was the present that was causing that twinge, but I could live with it, for a while anyway.

  Plus, Levi had practically thrown her in my direction, if I could woo the woman. So, clearly, he wouldn’t be put out if they had to work out a new arrangement that way.

  Hali asked, “How’d it go last night?”

  Allison giggled, “Better than I’d hoped. I wound up being the reluctant,” she winked on the word reluctant, just in case we didn’t pick up the obvious that it was a game to thrill the men there. There was no pause in her sentence as she continued, “centerpiece for the whole board of directors,” she turned to me, “I work as an escort at night sometimes. Pay is good and I like it, plus it avoids complications in more intimate friendships.”

  I nodded, “I don’t imagine that’s easy?”

  Allison shrugged, “There’re drawbacks to every power and blessing in our world. I try not to get involved with friends, since it never ends well, though that can be difficult at times. It’s very tempting when adding even the minor affection of friendship to the temptations of what I am,” she winked in a flirty way, “Just ask Katerina when it comes to you.”

  My mind automatically translated involved, to have wild sex for the pleasure of it. It was also a surprisingly subtle message for the blonde bombshell, and pretty much told me she wanted me but was resisting for similar reasons I was, if a lot stronger of a temptation than I was dealing with. I mean, she was really hot, but so were nereids. I just had a healthy male libido to control but also the experience of the downsides of shallow sex to firm up those principles, whereas for her sex and pleasure was a way of life.

  Of course, she wasn’t a nereid, and I got that the temptation could get a lot worse by being able to form a true friendship based on respect and affection.

  I also caught the point that I had Katerina feeling conflicted. Apparently, I’d made more of an impact on her than I’d known yesterday, but she was conflicted about being friends and giving me happy endings, because as Allison said that hardly ever works out. I’d have probably agreed, if I didn’t have deeper hopes for us.

  “I get it. I’m dealing with my own temptations right now.”

  She grinned, clearly delighted, “I’m tempting you? I thought you were hung up on our Katerina.”

  I chuckled, “Those conditions aren’t mutually exclusive, and yes, that too on a shallow level. But I meant my new blessing from Hestia, which I’m just starting to learn to control.”

  She pouted, “Good point on the first. But you can’t say that second part and not give details. Congratulations by the way, I hadn’t heard you’d become a champion yet.”

  I felt a little weird about telling her the truth, because of what it implied, that she was starved for true and non-sexual affection and friendship in her life outside of this place and the few people in it. But she’d asked for it, and she was being very frank with me as well.

  “I feel the need to hug you, and to touch you. In a platonic way.”

  She blushed furiously, obviously more than intelligent enough to pick up that subtext, “I see,” then quickly changed the subject, “So, you really want to be friends with the sluts?”

  “Why wouldn’t I? You’re very pleasant, and I’m enjoying the flirting even if we don’t play together because of that friendship I hope to form.”

  She shrugged, “Not many do, this place is rather unique that way, actually.”

  Hali said, “Evan is unique, and daughters of pleasure aren’t all that different from Nereids in their… physical needs anyway. So he’s very accepting and familiar with the concept despite the narrowmindedness of part of human society.”

  She tilted her head, “What’s the qualifier about?”

  Hali laughed, “You’re a much better conversationalist, with a brain between your ears. The point is though he’s not one to judge your behavior, not even subconsciously.”

  Allison grinned, “Good to know. You’re both going to the barbeque?”

  I nodded, “You’ll be there?”

  Allison said, “Yes, me and Levi’s whole family, everyone but Katerina unfortunately. Those two are like fire and water. I can be a bit flirty,” she added almost nonsensically, and it took me a minute to connect it back to the last subject.

  “I can bear the temptation, and I’ll even enjoy it. Maybe we can get dinner some night, the three of us, get to know each other better? Sometime that you don’t have a date to be on.”

  I was a man, a young one with a healthy libido, and not a rock. No doubt I would be tempted, but I had Hali to take care of that for me and could bear it. She really was a delightful person, upbeat.

  She tilted her head cutely, “Is that the blessing talking?”

  I shook my head, then nodded, “I wanted to start a friendship with you and everyone else here before I got the blessing. But yes, it is prompting me to do it, but it isn’t something I wouldn’t have been doing anyway. Without it I may have waited a bit longer before making the offer. We can do a group thing instead, if you’d rather, similar to the barbeque. Or go slower than that, and just chat and get to know each other here.”

  I felt a little wishy washy after saying all that, but that last was what Katerina wanted, and I couldn’t help myself. I was a confident man, but clearly I wanted the woman comfortable, so I was giving her all the options. Point being, I’d have to watch that tendency stemming from the blessing, because it could give the false appearance that I wasn’t confident which women hated. On the good side, I’d sounded my usual confident self while saying it, like it was no big deal. And it wasn’t.

  She smiled, “I’ll give it some thought.”

  I translated that to her being wary. She wanted the friendship, but she was obviously used to those kinds of things eventually failing. She was probably afraid I wouldn’t be able to resist her after a while, and if I couldn’t then she would fall into my bed, and then things would get crazy and blow up. That wasn’t going to happen though, she’d be a fun flirt and was hot, but not everything was about sex. I was probably thinking too much.

  Definitely thinking too much.

  Living alone save monsters for five years had as I’d mentioned, made me introspective. Working on controlling the new blessing was exasperating that tendency, as I measured all my impulses against my old social filters.

  Also, and not so incidentally, the fact I was clearly trying to start a friendship with Katerina while fucking her, was probably sending Allison mixed signals as well. But it didn’t seem prudent to clue her in to the reasons why on that. Why it was an exception. Katerina wasn’t ready to hear it and I didn’t want it getting back to her. Assuming of course, that the intelligent brown eyed blonde hadn’t already figured out what I was up to.

  Lastly, she was probably trying to figure out what was in it for me, after all an alliance with her wouldn’t make me or my family any safer. She’d be more than worthless in a fight.

  The answer of course was for the pleasure of her company. Just because she was a daughter of pleasure didn’t mean that physical pleasure was all she had of value to offer me. I wasn’t mercenary enough to only make friends that had strategic value, and on top of that she was clearly an important person to Levi and his family. Then there was the practical idea she could be a good ally in business, such as… taking care of and helping to woo clients, though I wasn’t sure that’d even be a thing yet, since I didn’t know ultimately what kind of career I would pursue for our family.

  It was all far too complicated, and a part of me wished I could just claim Katerina and make her mine, but that would blow up in my face.

  Hali teased, backtracking the conversation, “His hugs are pretty awesome.”

  Allison blushed, “Be nice.”

  Hali grinned, “I’m always nice.”

  I snorted in incredulity, which made them both break down in giggles.

  We said our goodbyes then, I could get to know her a bit next time we chatted. Clearly that conversation had been about putting our needs and goals on the table. It would also be a relief to get out of there and only have to deal with Hali’s needs bombarding me. As with all new things, initially allowing those needs to flow through me while consciously ignoring it was exhausting in and of itself, never mind the control over my actions I had to maintain.

  Seeing Katerina walking toward the building hit me hard, and I imagined my smile was wide when she saw me as well. She looked like perfection. Her exotic Italian beauty, and her dark brown hair was up in a bun revealing the delicate curve of her long neck. Her lovely hourglass body was sheathed in a professional looking white dress. A dress that had a ton of sex appeal and revealed quite a bit of her rounded C cup cleavage. She also had on three-inch red heels.

  She looked incredibly confident as she smiled back at me, and she walked with a bold seductive grace that naturally drew my eyes to her incredible curves. Tighter than my Hali’s but still on the lush side.

  Just like yesterday, the most apropos adjective that came to mind was magnificent. I felt a deep surge of lust, and a need to claim her for myself which I pushed down. That would only happen on her terms, she was an extremely strong woman.

  Like with Allison, the blessing engendered a deep desire to wrap her up in a hug, which told me she was starved for affection as well. I imagined that most daughters of pleasure were. Don’t get me wrong, for them empty sex was fulfilling if only in that way, but that didn’t mean other areas and needs of their womanhood were going unanswered because of it.

  There was also a situational need in me directly which made that desire in me even stronger. She wanted my friendly affection personally and more than that. I had made far more of an impact on her than I’d thought yesterday.