I Dated a Mad Scientist by Viola Grace
Chapter Five
He drove them through downtown to another parkade and pulled in. The attendant straightened when they saw Krizt, and they pulled in on a secure level.
“Why the security?”
“You will figure it out when you run into your first un-activated bigot who wants to target you.”
“Uh, been there, done that.”
“Ah, but they thought they were after a human. When they know you are an active, they come harder. The security is worth the money for a bit of peace of mind.” He unbuckled and came around to open her door.
He took her hand and led her to the elevator, where another guard nodded. “Dr. Krizt, you are here early.”
“My assistant has had some trouble of late, so I am taking her for a late lunch.”
“Well then, miss. You are in for a treat.”
She was curious now. “Thank you. The last few weeks have been one surprise after another.”
Krizt led her into the elevator and pushed a button for the twentieth floor of a twenty-four-story building.
“This is a lot of security for a restaurant.”
He chuckled. “You will see why.”
She looked at the hand he was holding, and he simply waited until they reached the floor. When they stepped out, she saw a gathering of actives that she had never imagined. The restaurant was a series of deep booths, each one had its own server, and each booth had a physically manifested active holding court.
The hostess came forward with a bright smile. “Dr. Krizt, you are here early.”
“I am hearing that a lot today. So, Carly, this is my assistant, Arcady, and she needs something to eat.”
The hostess smiled. “Pleased to meet you, Arcady. Are you going to become a regular?”
Krizt answered before Arcady could. “Yes, we are.”
Carly looked between them and saw the joined hands. “Right. Holy cow. Okay, this way, Dr. Krizt, Arcady.”
They walked past a few folks who nodded to Krizt. Arcady observed. “So, you are a regular here.”
“I am. I also live in the building, so it’s convenient.”
Arcady blinked as she was urged into the booth overlooking the city instead of looking into the restaurant. She sipped carefully at the glass of lemon water that Carly returned with and looked out over the city. “So, Researcher Krizt, what first brought you to a place like this?”
“My brother.”
“He’s a foodie?”
“He’s the chef.” Krizt smiled. “And the owner.”
“So, you have siblings.”
“Three. I know you have at least the one.”
“A few, but I don’t speak to any but Thomas,. Are all your siblings actives?”
“Yes. Ah, here is my brother.”
A man who was a lovely shade of mauve with black hair and wearing chef’s whites came around the edge of the booth and grinned. “Bro, I hear you aren’t eating alone today.”
Arcady looked at him and smiled politely. “No, he isn’t.”
The chef looked her over, and his stunned expression was either gratifying or confusing.
“Klauz, this is my assistant, Arcady.”
Understanding dawned in his expression, and he took Arcady’s hand. “Finally. Whatever your wish is, is my command.”
“I don’t have a particular wish as I haven’t been myself lately. Any suggestions?”
His eyes flicked black, and he nodded. “I will bring you a few things. Leave yourself in my hands.”
Krizt said, “Hey, what about me?”
“You get your usual, and you’ll like it.”
She smiled at Klauz. “Ah. Definitely siblings.”
He kissed her knuckles, and Krizt growled. Klauz grinned. “Lovely to meet you, and I will return in a moment with something to stop that gnawing hunger.”
He departed, and Arcady knotted her fingers in her lap.
Krizt said, “Come closer, Arcady.”
She looked at him, and his fangs were showing more than was normal for him. “I dunno...”
He leaned to one side and hauled her against him.
She whispered, “You were supposed to say I don’t bite.”
“But I do. You have seen me do it. You know I do it. It gets your blood hot when I do it.” He murmured it against her ear, and her body took in his heat, the rush of air against her ear, the pounding of her heart, and the sudden ache between her thighs. He wrapped an arm around her, and his fingers were under her breast.
She suddenly diverted. “Do you just have brothers or some sisters?”
“We are two sets of twins. Two brothers. Two sisters.” He sighed. “Our sisters are married to another set of twins in Hyreno.”
“Oh. Water breathers.”
“Correct. Yven and Yvell are researchers for the energy program in Hyreno. They got into studying power when they were young and met their husbands at a symposium for hydro-thermal containment.”
“And Hyreno has a one hundred percent active population policy. So, they actually dismiss children who don’t develop an activation.”
“Incorrect. They transport the teens to a creche on land and give them the best education possible. Even the ones who develop a non-aquatic activation have to leave. It is too dangerous.”
She paused. “Wait. That is some of your research. You are looking into body mods that will allow water breathing for those not born to it as a contained alteration.”
He chuckled, and his hand moved to her waist. “Correct. I am trying to figure out where I would put gills on you if you were amenable.”
“I barely know how to swim.”
“I will show you the project, and you can judge again.”
Klauz came back and raised his brows at their proximity. “That was fast. I guess he is tired of holding back. Here, Arcady. This will give you enough strength to get through the rest of what I have planned.”
“Wait. What do you mean holding back?”
Klauz grinned. “His emotions regarding you are... tense... to say the least. We are lightly linked, but I can tell that much.”
“Zip it, Klauz,” Krizt murmured. “I am beginning to regret bringing her here.”
“Aw, come on, Krizt. I am just having fun with you.”
Krizt looked at him seriously. “Since when was fun part of my repertoire?”
Arcady cleared her throat. “I don’t know. You have your moments. What is this?”
“Strawberry-orange sorbet. You are a little vitamin deficient.” He winked and left them.
She glanced at Krizt and said, “Thank goodness, I thought he was going to watch me eat.”
Krizt silently pointed to his right eye. It had changed colour. She sighed and broke the quenelle in half and then covered her mouth as she fought brain freeze. Krizt turned her head, and to her shock, he kissed her, the warmth of his tongue pressing against the roof of her mouth. The pain went away.
She pressed her hand to his shoulder, and he withdrew and sat back. Her body was humming in surprise and interest. She blushed as she looked away. He had a really long and strong tongue.
She took a much smaller second spoonful and sighed. She murmured, “Thanks for the rescue. I hate brain freeze.”
He chuckled. “I know. It hit you once at work, and you were irritated for hours.”
She blinked and thought back. “That was in my first week when Stonaric brought in slushies.”
“Correct.”
“Ah. So you have been paying attention for a while.”
“Well, I don’t have your talent for anticipation, so I have to make do with direct observation.” He sighed. “Once I knew how much you disliked it, I researched the sensation, and warming the roof of your mouth was the fastest remedy.”
She finished the small item, and she did feel a little brighter after it. Her body took it in quickly. The waitress came by with a smile for Krizt and a confused look at Arcady. She asked Krizt, “Will you want your usual, Doctor?”
Arcady clued in rapidly. “Yes, he will.”
The waitress blinked. “I will get her.”
Krizt sighed. “You don’t need to watch me eat.”
“Yeah, I kinda do if I eventually want to be under your teeth.” She leaned up against him, her elbow on his shoulder and her breasts against his chest. She kissed him and nipped him lightly with her extended canines. “Because you will be under mine.”
He shuddered and turned his head as a middle-aged woman arrived, and Arcady recognized her. “Hey, Molly. Is this your regular gig?”
Molly smiled. “Yeah, when the doc needs it, I do takeout.”
Krizt moved to the edge of the table nearest Molly, and she extended her arm to him. He bit down carefully and drank. Arcady watched his neck flex as he swallowed, and she slid her thighs together slightly while he drank. Three minutes later, he had what he needed, lifted his head, and Molly nodded as her body closed the wounds.
Arcady waited for him to return to her, and when he did, she startled him by straddling his lap and pressing him into the back of the booth. She kissed him, and he was surprised, but when she started rocking against him as the kiss went on, he slid a hand under her skirt and pressed his fingers against the wet surface of her panties. She gasped silently and shook as his digits slipped inside the lace and moved rapidly over her clit, occasionally dipping inside her.
She tried to move off him before she came, but he wrapped an arm around her hips and held her against him. Her moan turned into a squeak while his tongue dueled with hers. He withdrew just in time to avoid the snap of her teeth. Her groan was stifled against his jacket, and her channel gripped his fingers tight.
The person clearing their throat behind them was a distraction from her pleasurable daze.
She didn’t look, but Krizt did.
“Doctor, the chef says while he really appreciated the sentiment, don’t do that again while he is handling a knife.”
She blushed and murmured, “Does he watch all the time?”
“I believe it is a bit of revenge for some past exploits.” He chuckled. “I have done the same to him and been surprised by the results.”
He pulled his fingers out from under her skirt, and he sucked the digits slowly. She blushed. Other patrons had done the same, and it always heated her face. She tried to remove herself from his lap, but he kept his arm around her hips. “Um, I am sorry for the impulse that brought me here, but your brother is about to come around that corner.”
“He’s cum in many places but rarely around corners.” Krizt chuckled.
Klauz arrived with her next course, and he looked at her ruefully. “You seemed like such a nice girl. Jumping on him like that with no warning. One would think you had some kind of sexual interest in my brother.”
She tried to get down from Krizt, but he held her fast. She settled for turning her torso toward Klauz. “Yes, one would think. Well, you were right. I certainly felt better after the quenelle.”
He explained the next course, which was some microgreens and risotto.
She poked Krizt in the shoulder. “If you will insist, either hold the plate or turn so I can use a fork.”
He sighed, lifted her, and turned her around so that she was facing the table. “Better?”
“It is disturbing how easy that is for you.”
Klauz blinked and nodded. “Just keep any interactions out of my eyeline.”
Krizt looked at him. “You could just try not to pry. I don’t want to lock you out, but I will.”
“Oh. It’s like that.”
“It is.”
She mumbled around a mouthful of risotto. “It might be. This is really nice.”
Klauz blinked and laughed. “Thank you. Your next course is underway.”
She held a hand in front of her mouth. “How many are there?”
“As many as you need.”
She blinked and swallowed as he left. “Yikes.”
Krizt leaned toward her and whispered in her ear, “Why, yikes?”
“You have seen me in action when I had food that I liked in front of me, and this food is really good.”
“He will keep the portions small. He likes people to hang around.”
“So, why are the actives in the booths and the humans in the centre of the room?”
“Ah, that was one of Klauz’s brainstorms. The actives here all have a physical manifestation, and the humans pay exorbitant prices to eat dinner and look at them.”
“How exorbitant are we talking? I haven’t worked in a few weeks.”
“You have been on sick leave with pay. Don’t worry about it.” He pressed a kiss to her temple.
She turned to him. “You are very affectionate.”
“We are not at work, and I have you on my lap. I am feeling very affectionate.” His hand moved slowly up to her left breast.
She squeaked. “That is not all you are feeling.”
He was right-handed. She knew that he was good with his hands; it just felt weird to have his dexterity used on her.
“My brother is an excellent chef. It would be a shame to mess with his planned menu.”
She turned around and stared at him. “Don’t you give me that serious face. You are having fun.”
His lips quirked. “How can you tell?”
She felt something. “Wait, is that your tail?”
He covered his mouth with one hand to stifle his grin. “If I say no, are you going to make a run for it?”
She looked at him, looked down, and then she bolted. She got three steps before a blue cable caught her around the waist and pulled her back against him. She touched the cable, and it was warm and smooth. The heat was distracting.
“Um, just looking for the ladies’ room.”
He muttered against her ear, “You have been in a tank for days. There is nothing in your system to process.”
“Uh, I am pretty sure that my tissues managed to absorb a lot of fluid. It has to go somewhere.” Speaking frankly with him was the only way to get through to him. “Where the hell did that thing come from, by the way?”
“I can show you later.”
It loosened and slithered off her.
“If you like, the restrooms are to the left along the wall.”
She nodded. “Thank you.”
“Consider yourself on break and be back in less than ten minutes.” He was stern. “You are still recovering, and I don’t want you out of my sight.”
Arcady made a face at him and flounced off to the restroom. If it was her only option, she was going to take it.
She headed into the restroom and found a private cubicle. She attended to the necessary, and after she washed her hands, she sat on the couch and made a call.
Her brother’s face came up, and he looked surprised. “Hello?”
She blinked and then remembered her change in pigmentation. “Hiya, Thomas. Just wanted to let you know that I am still alive and doing fine, more or less.”
“Arcady? Where are you, sis?”
“I am still under observation to make sure that my recovery isn’t deceptive. I don’t want to push things until I know that I am not going to keel over.” Her smile faltered. “You don’t look happy to see me.”
“Oh, of course, I am. There was just such a fuss when you were attacked. I haven’t considered what would happen when you resumed your daily life.”
She paused. “You aren’t happy to see me.”
“No, Arky, it isn’t that. The doctors just said that you were dying. I contacted the contractor and started some renovations here when the lawyer told me you had made me your sole heir.”
Arcady paused. “Oh. The money. You are after the insurance money, and now that I am alive, you can’t have it. Right. I will call you when I have figured out what to do with it.”
She had a suspicion and checked her accounts. “You cleaned out my bank. You asshole.”
“We needed the money, Arky. You know that.”
“I have been working my ass off to get you that money. You just waited until I was out, and you took it. Nice. Did you even bother to send me flowers while I was in my coma?”
The shamed expression on his features was all the answer she needed. “Right. I am going to talk to my bank and explain that as they had no death certificate and my company insurance covered my stay in hospital, you willfully engaged in fraud and theft.”
His eyes went wide. “Now, Arky, be reasonable.”
She shut him down and disconnected the call. She was fuming. She got up and paced, then contacted her bank. After five minutes, she managed to get them to put a freeze on her accounts until she could get a peacekeeper writ to confirm that she was Arcady. The change in appearance was going to be a pain in the ass.
