"Don't go exploring alone until…until you know what you'll find," Nireas said.
I frowned at the riddle, but he turned away from me again, knocking on the door.
"What?" a sharp male voice snapped from inside.
"New girl," Nireas said, shooting another frown over his shoulder.
"Send her in."
The door swung open, and my eyes fell to the floor after one brief glance. There was a feminine gasp, but this time, it was from the woman splayed out on a cluttered desk, her blouse hanging open to reveal bouncing breasts as the older man bucked forward between her hips.
This is what you came here for, I reminded myself. You knew. Don't balk or they'll send you away.
I forced my gaze up again and found everyone staring back at me. Nireas slipped away, his long dark tail dragging behind him, flicking and bumping against the heel of my boot once. Inside the office, the man carried on, his focus dropping back down to the woman on the desk. He was just shy of middle-aged, with grey in his hair and beard and crow's feet at the corners of his eyes, and his belly was round as he slapped into her thighs, grunting with renewed effort.
The woman squealed behind sealed lips, her eyes widening on mine and something…playful in her stare, like she knew how ridiculous the scene was. She was pretty, as far as I could tell with her head staring at me upside-down, and her thighs bracketed around the broad waist of the man. Her long dark brown hair was braided, and its tail thumped against the desk in time with their coupling, drumming faster until the man bellowed, hands gripping her breasts as he crumpled forward.
"Ungh. Good girl, Myra," he breathed, releasing one breast to pat it gently before pushing himself back up.
His brow was sparkling with sweat now, and he fell back into his chair with another exhausted heave of breath, hands fumbling his pants up but not bothering to tie them shut.
Myra, the woman, sat up on the desk and laughed lightly, pulling her blouse up to her shoulders but not buttoning it. "Gimme your hanky, you louse, I know you have one on you."
Mr. Reddy snorted and drew a scrap of fabric from his pocket, passing it to her. I let my eyes drift away as she stood, reaching to wipe between her legs as her skirt fell around her.
"You're the girl Mr. Douthwaite sent," Mr. Reddy said, leaning around Myra's soft frame to squint at me.
I nodded and braved his gaze, knowing my face was flaming but determined to learn to be as casual about such a scene as everyone in this theater appeared to be. "Hazel Nix."
He nodded slowly, glancing at Myra. "Out," he said to her.
"I'm on my way, aren't I?" she answered, laughing.
"Faster then, hussy," he said, lips quirking slightly at her.
She turned to me and rolled her eyes, tossing back the scrap of fabric he'd offered her. It landed with a wet slap on his lap, and he growled as she ran for the door, breasts still hanging between the open flaps of her blouse.
"Shut the door," he said to me.
Mrs. Elliston, who'd come to clean our flat every other Wednesday, had once told me it was God's gift to women that He didn't let men's desires rise again when they'd just been satisfied, otherwise women would never get a chance to learn that our feet were for standing. I took it as a small reassurance now that I was alone with the man.
I turned and pushed the door shut, the hinges creaking as it closed with a small click.
"Douthwaite told me about you," Mr. Reddy said.
I turned to face him. His eyes were a bright green, and as his head tipped, I noticed the slight point to his ears. He looked human, but not quite.
I dipped my head. "He said he would."
"You could pass," he suggested.
I pressed my lips together and shook my head slowly. "Not for…not for long."
Mr. Reddy leaned forward. "So…what is it? Witch blood? Elf with clipped ears? Or was your father a werewolf and you get a little rowdy on full moons?"
What are you? I wanted to say. I had sworn to Pa to never tell anyone, not unless it would help me hide. But that's what Mr. Douthwaite said I would do here—hide where I was safe.
"My mother was a nymph," I said. "She left me at my father's door."
Mr. Reddy nodded slowly and hummed. "Flighty little creatures. Very commitment averse. Incredible fucks."
My jaw clenched.