Scene Setters
Ednin checked her phone, a slow smile spreading across her face as she read a text message from Zed.
-He's coming, she announced, glancing meaningfully at Nyx, the disheveled Maverick, and the hyperactive Deb.
Ednin released Maverick's wrists, allowing her limp arms to fall to the sheets as she straightened her clothes.
-Everyone, tidy yourselves up, we can't have him walking into a disaster zone, she ordered.
Carla quickly gathered the scattered silks and towels.
-We need to make sure they look properly humbled before he arrives, Carla noted, glancing at the shivering Maverick.
Liv sprang up, trying to fix her tank top while laughing.
-Humbled? More like beautifully broken! she joked, tossing a damp cloth toward Maverick.
-We should prepare the kneeling cushions, Kiku suggested softly.
Deb scrambled off the bed, throwing her discarded feather whip onto a nearby chair.
-Cushions! Yes! Let's make it extra fancy so he feels like royalty! she declared as she rushed to help Kiku.
She paused to grab a handful of glitter from a nearby vanity tray, dusting it haphazardly over the rumpled bedding.
-Everything needs to sparkle for him! she called out.
-He's not going to be here long, Ednin warned, so we have to make it count. He'll be going back to Alice and Betty tonight.
Maverick stayed sprawled on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
-Alice and Betty? So he's just rotating through the collection like clockwork, Maverick muttered.
Nyx jumped up to shake out her hair and straighten her black gear.
-Well, if he's moving fast, we better make sure we give him a performance worth remembering! Nyx declared.
Carla placed a fresh set of velvet kneeling pads on the floor, arranging them in a perfect semi-circle near the center of the room.
- Maverick and Nyx need to prove they belong in the rotation, Ednin said.
-You girls have a rotation with him? Liv asked curiously.
Ednin scoffed as she surveyed the room.
-Of course we do, sweetie; everyone works for their place in his life, she explained. You don’t just break in.
-You think Jazz is trying to wiggle her way into the rotation? Liv asked Kiku quietly.
-Jazz doesn't wiggle; she commands, Kiku replied.
Liv snickered.
-True, but every queen wants a seat at the main table, doesn't she?
Liv winked at Kiku.
-Observation is her greatest tool, Kiku noted. She knows exactly which buttons to push.
Nyx paced the room.
-Let her try! If anyone's commanding the spotlight tonight, it's gonna be us, Nyx said.
-Simmer down Nyx, Ednin said with a laugh. You've done great but it's just your first day here with us, she said as she pinched Nyx's cheek. Confidence is good, but humility is what earns you a permanent spot, she reminded Nyx.
-Besides, being a newcomer means you still have that delicious, nervous energy he loves so much, Carla added.
Ednin smiled at Carla's comment.
-You're kind of a newcomer too, darling, it's been less than a week, Ednin reminded her.
-A week of learning from the best is better than years anywhere else, she murmured, stepping closer to Ednin's side.
-You're a quick learner, Ednin said before pulling Carla in to kiss her.
Deb squealed.
-Ugh, get a room already! You're totally distracting me from my beauty prep! she cried out.
She grabbed a lip gloss from the vanity and started applying it with aggressive precision.
-Talk about motivation; maybe we should start kissing more often if it keeps things this spicy! Liv laughed.
Kiku adjusted a cushion one last time.
-Focus, Liv; the bells could ring at any second, she cautioned.
-Wouldn't it be wonderful if he walked in to us all paired up? Liv said as she pulled Kiku close for a gentle kiss.
Liv yanked Kiku toward the nearest velvet cushion, stumbling slightly with a giggle.
Kiku sank down beside her
-Professionalism is key right now, Kiku said.
-Remember Kiku, Liv replied. We're here to relax. You don't always have to be on babe, she added as she played with Kiku's hair.
Kiku sighed.
-Relaxation is relative when perfection is expected, she murmured.
Deb stopped her frantic lip-gloss application and pointed a finger towards the doorway.
-Shhh! Did you hear that?! Deb asked. Is he here??
-Speaking of relaxing, Ednin said as she pulled away from Carla to address Deb. Relax girl, he'll be here soon enough.
-Is it him? Tell me it's him! Liv whispered to Kiku.
Kiku settled into a poised, seated position on her cushion.
-Deep breaths, everyone; composure is our best asset, Kiku said.
-He's done a number on you two hasn't he? Ednin asked Liv and Kiku. You're more interested in him coming than Jazz.
-They're just hungry for the real thing, unlike those two professional shadows, Deb teased, nodding toward Maverick and Nyx.
Carla leaned her head against Ednin's shoulder, peering toward the door.
-The anticipation is half the fun, isn't it?