Hotbloods 6: Allies

I was about to move toward the glass foyer when I saw Bashrik nudge Angie in the arm. She shot him a tense look, shaking her head sharply, but he nodded at me in response. It appeared the two of them were having an entirely silent argument—the kind only couples could have. Right now, it wasn’t clear who was winning.

“Why don’t you go with her, Ange?” Bashrik said pointedly, drawing everyone’s attention toward them. Now, there was no way she could refuse. “It doesn’t seem fair to let her go on her own.”

Angie glared at him. “Fine, I’ll go, but I’m not doing the con.”

“Glad to have you on board,” I said brightly, before moving off. I watched her fire death stares back at Bashrik over her shoulder, but the battle had been fought and he had come out the victor.

Together, we strode through the large double doors, into the glass foyer. At the back of the room, there were several other doors, manned by uniformed ladies. Alien women were walking in and out, entering in one outfit and exiting in another. Steeling myself, I wandered toward the central door and pushed through into the room beyond. The uniformed staff gave us both a little bow as we passed, evidently thinking nothing of our presence here.

A powder room lay on the other side, but the juxtaposition was astonishing. Where the outer foyer was clinical glass and metal, this room was elegant and refined, with marble pillars and statues, the whole place fashioned like an old-timey theater’s lounge. Females of all species primped and preened in front of vast mirrors, applying makeup from devices on the vanities, evidently for the use of anyone who came in.

Nobody paid us any attention as we entered, but I knew they soon would. Grabbing Angie’s hand, I pulled her into one of the changing rooms that lined the nearside wall. If we wanted to steal some clothes, we’d have to be patient.

“Whatever will you do with your gown, Marguerite?” a woman asked from one of the neighboring cubicles.

“Goodness, Ganymede, I am simply going to toss it. I have worn it now. Whyever would I wear it again?” a second woman replied, from the other side.

“Quite right, my dear. I thought I might do the same. The fabric is never the same once it’s been worn, is it?”

“Precisely. Where are you off to after this, anyway?” the one named Ganymede asked.

“Kefir and I thought we might indulge in a vacation on the shores of Vitande.”

“Vysanthe?” Ganymede gasped.

Marguerite laughed shrilly. “Goodness no, Ganymede! I said Vitande. It’s one of the smaller moons of Phnossos. Imagine it… a vacation to Vysanthe!” She howled with laughter. “I make it a point to never fly within a solar system of that vile place. They have no class, no fashion, no respect for anyone other than themselves.”

“I do enjoy opaleine jewelry, though,” Ganymede lamented.

“Indeed, we all do, my dear, but opaleine does not come from there. It is simply exported from their pilfered supply!” she retorted in a stage whisper.

“No!”

“Yes!”

“How positively vulgar!”

“Well, they are vulgar, aren’t they?” Marguerite remarked. “Those queens are a law unto themselves! Last I heard, one sister had all but eviscerated the other one, but needed more soldiers to deal the final blow—cities crushed, citizens dead, and they have the cheek to ask for allies!”

“Well, I hope they destroy themselves,” Ganymede agreed. “Imagine dragging the rest of us into their petty squabbles!” A snort echoed from her cubicle.

“With any luck, the planet will simply give up and blow itself to smithereens,” Marguerite added, cackling.

“Are you ready to go, Gany old pal?”

“When you are, Marg!”

I heard the cubicle doors open and listened for the sound of the ladies walking across the powder room floor, toward the entrance. Ducking down to peer out of the keyhole, I watched them open the far door and head back out into the foyer, giving us the opportunity we needed.

“Come on, it’s time I got dressed up,” I whispered, letting us both out into the now-empty room.

I dove into one of the cubicles, snatching up one of the gowns that had been left behind. There were stilettos, too, which I really hoped would fit. It would only be a matter of time before the uniformed staff came in to remove the dresses and clean around the place, and I wanted us to be out of here before they had the chance to put the pieces together.

The dress I’d picked was a flimsy, floor-length gown made from a thin, silky material that moved like water across my body, changing its shape to fit me. It was an emerald green that complemented the new shade of my hair. I pulled off my boots and switched them for the uncomfortable heels, fastening their magnetic straps and feeling like I might topple over at any moment. Regardless, I dressed quickly, folding up my normal clothes, and undoing my braid as I exited the cubicle with the pile in my arms.

Angie was waiting beside the large mirrors on the opposite wall, brandishing a makeup device. It was similar to the one I’d used before the garden party at Brisha’s palace, but I still wasn’t sure I entirely trusted them. With Angie watching, I lifted the device to my face and let it work its magic. Removing it once the device had beeped, I looked at my reflection in the mirror, seeing a young woman I barely recognized.

“You look good,” Angie said unexpectedly.

“Sexy enough?”

She nodded, smirking. “Oh, yes. You’re going to detach some retinas when you head out there.”

“Speaking of which, we should probably be careful on our way out, in case the staff realize what we’ve done,” I said anxiously, glancing at the door. “I mean, they probably won’t bat an eyelid, but I don’t want to risk it.”

“Leave it to me. I’ll do the distracting!”

She hurried off to the entrance of the powder room. Tucking myself behind the door, I heard Angie’s raised voice.

“I think it’s appalling that I go into a powder room to spruce my face up for my husband, and there is no green shadow! How am I supposed to celebrate my emerald wedding anniversary without an emerald eyeshadow?” she bellowed. I heard the staff member try to protest, but she was on a roll. “No, it simply isn’t good enough! I demand you find me some emerald shadow immediately. I can’t even begin to select my outfit before I have the right face on!”

Seizing the moment while she was mid-rant, I slipped out of the entrance and walked toward the glass doors, keeping my gaze dead ahead. With Angie continuing to rant and rave, nobody was looking at me as I walked through the foyer.

“Of course, miss,” I heard the staff member mumble behind me.

“Oh, forget it! I shall use the device on my ship!” Angie said, and soon her footsteps sounded on the floor behind me.

We waited until we were far enough away from the doors before hunching over with relieved laughter. I was amazed that we’d managed to get out without causing any suspicion. They certainly wouldn’t forget Angie in a hurry, but not for any theft reasons.

“Nice work,” I commended her.

“Nice dress,” she fired back, grinning. “Here, give me those clothes. We don’t want them ruining the look.”

“Lauren would be so proud of us, figuring things out without her,” I joked. Angie’s face instantly fell, and I wished I could take the words back.

“She’d tell you off for ruining your ankles in those heels,” she murmured. “God, I really miss her.” It was a step in the right direction, toward us patching things up, and I knew we both needed to apologize for being so curt with each other lately. But the moment came and went, and neither of us said a word.

Regret gripped my chest, but I could only deal with one thing at a time. Right now, I needed to be someone else. The role of irresistible seductress loomed over me, and it had to be the greatest performance of my life. Our future rested on it.





Chapter Seven





Navan’s jaw hit the floor as I pulled myself together, sauntering over to where the rest of the group stood. I was determined to play the part, despite my nervousness. It appeared nobody quite knew what to say. They were so used to seeing me in my everyday clothes that this was a shock to the system.

“Ready?” I asked, fluttering my eyelashes at Navan.