Harem House Chapter 50 Part 1 (Patreon)

Katelyn held Arthur’s hand, with Kat on his other side, as they left the fairgrounds behind them. The lights behind them shut off, and an eerie air hung over the deserted Ren Faire at night. Its Halloween decorations had nothing on the sense of trespass that arose within her on seeing everything boarded up and covered with canvas in the dark. 

The remaining cars in the lot at the end of the adults-only event were few and far between, scattered like seeds in the grass. Of the crowd that came for the shows and contests, few stayed until the end of the night, the way the harem and their friends had. The bonfire dance had been fun, but it was easy to lose track of time when dancing. 

Meanwhile, Rani had been running around like a rabbit, talking with people, chatting them up, and making plans. She only grinned when Arthur asked if anyone had taken her up on the orgy invitations. 

Manasa met them at the bus, offering Rani her phone first. Rani took it and immediately started texting as she boarded. The others climbed in behind her, taking their seats. Rani shot straight to the back of the bus. Selene followed her, pulling Yvonne along. They sat beside the stripper pole in the back. Katelyn sat beside Yvonne, with Arthur on her other side. Kat sat on his other side. Kelly sat across from Katelyn, with Mindy across from Arthur. Then Mark, Maria, Brad, and Jen spread out across the remaining seats. 

Katelyn chuckled at the sight of everyone and the effects of the day on their costumes. Some, like Kelly, had added to their ensembles as the day continued. Others had lost some of their accessories, like the flowers they started with at the beginning of the day. Or, if not lost, then they’d stashed them in their purses for safekeeping. 

Rani’s costume had remained the same; her gold chains, ruby jewelry, and red-and-gold veils made the perfect djinn costume. Selene’s Elven slave costume had ditched the silk scarves and was now entirely chainmail, from the collar to the bracelets, anklets, waist chain, and bikini. Kelly’s pirate outfit now had a tricorn hat to complete the look, which paired with her corset, jacket, off-the-shoulder peasant top, and asymmetrical skirt. 

Mindy’s goth witch ensemble was still sexy as fuck: tall boots, fishnet-clad thighs, a skirt that was essentially two panels of fabric, one in front and one in back, and a corset. Kat’s jungle outfit, the brown one-strap crop top and tattered miniskirt, was still just as mouth-watering as it had been in the morning. Arthur had added bracers to his loincloth, and the girls had each added their matching ‘Sisterhood of Excalibur’ tattoo in different locations. 

Yvonne had exchanged her Cinderella costume for a white chemise that was see-through under the bright bus lights, teasing her powder-blue mesh lingerie set. The ensemble obscured the details just enough to hide her areola and bush, but it teased anyone who looked at her. Katelyn wondered if she’d brought a change of clothes, but guessed that she hadn’t. She was sure that between the six girlfriends, Jen, and Maria, they could put together an outfit of extra clothes for Yvonne to wear home tomorrow. 

“Wow,” Brad said, settling onto the bench. “I’m exhausted.” His Renaissance-era Nightwing might not have won him the costume contest, but he’d still won the blue ribbon at the kilt contest. 

“Don’t tell me you’re too tired for an orgy?” Jen asked. Her Renaissance-era Huntress costume matched Brad’s vibe, but her cloak kept her modest. 

Mark laughed. “We’ll pound some Redbull.” His peasant costume had seen better days, but the cheap material wasn’t made to last. “Gotta stay up all night, right?” 

Brad chuckled, glancing nervously at Jen. “You’re sure you’re alright with doing that?” 

“Are you kidding?” Jen asked. “When else are we going to have this opportunity? This is the best possible scenario for trying something like this.” 

“You have a point,” Maria said, agreeing with her. Her peasant costume matched Mark’s, but she proudly displayed the blue ribbon from the cleavage contest smack-dab between her breasts.

“It’s like an extended version of being safe to explore within the harem,” Mindy said. 

“Right,” Maria agreed. “What she said. Except we don’t have a harem. We have a—what do we have?” 

Mark and Brad looked at each other and shrugged. “Open minds?” 

“Open minds,” Jen agreed. “We could always start a harem, though, if you wanted to try poly.” Jen hooked Brad’s arm around her as she spoke. 

Brad laughed, but when Jen didn’t, he stopped. “Wait, are you serious?” 

Jen shrugged. “Let’s see how tonight goes.” 

Brad blushed and glanced toward Arthur. “I’m not trying to copy Arthur or anything. I’m not like, Arthur-lite, you know?” 

“No one thinks that,” Arthur said, shaking his head. 

“A lot of people think that,” Maria said, countering Arthur’s point. “But who gives a shit what people think, right? You’re your own man. Do what you want. Who you and Jen date is your and Jen’s business. No one else’s.” 

The bus started, and the group lurched slightly as it rolled over the bumps and rocks in the field. Mark took the opportunity to change the subject. 

“I know what we need to pump up our energy,” Mark said, giving Maria a knowing smile. 

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Maria asked, grinning like a madwoman. 

Katelyn braced herself for whatever perverted exercise they were about to suggest. 

“Karaoke!” Mark and Maria exclaimed together as they high-fived. 

Katelyn relaxed. Karaoke was something she was on board with. Not that she was averse to the perverse, but she knew Kat wouldn’t like it. Besides, they were on their way to an orgy, and they’d been doing sexy things all day and night. They didn’t need to squeeze in another quickie, or Arthur might die of desiccation. 

“Oh, I’m in,” Arthur said, standing. “Selene, do you want a duet?” 

“Yes, Sir!” Selene said. 

“Got a song in mind?” Arthur asked. 

“You pick, Master!” Selene said, jumping from her seat. 

Arthur laughed, looking ahead to choose a song from the karaoke options, while Mark and Maria queued up their duet first. He stopped, unlocked his phone, and handed it to Katelyn. 

“Here, I started a page on the spreadsheet for you. Go down the list and mark an option for each activity. The options are ‘favorite,’ ‘like,’ ‘interested,’ and ‘no.’ Favorite is for things you love, like is for things you enjoy, interested is for things you want to try, and no is self-explanatory.” Arthur pointed to the screen, and Katelyn saw what he meant. It was the list of kinks they’d discussed earlier, but in a different order. Each item on the list had four columns beside it with check-mark boxes to click. 

She read the first few options and nodded, remembering what they’d discussed while eating dinner at the lake. Her mind hadn’t changed, even if Arthur and Kat had distracted her with pleasure during the conversation.

“Thanks! I’ll review it, and don’t worry, I’m completely sober, and I won’t let Kat or Yvonne finger me while I do it,” Katelyn grinned at Arthur. 

“I’m not doing that anyway,” Kat said, her face scrunching in adorable consternation. “Don’t be gross.” 

“Love you too, Pussycat,” Katelyn said, blowing her a kiss.

Kat turned away with a huff, watching the front of the bus.  

Yvonne said nothing, but blushed and turned away, watching Rani rather than risk a glance at Arthur.

Arthur chuckled, patted Katelyn’s head, and stepped toward the karaoke screen with Mark and Maria. Selene swung past, joining him toward the front, leaving Yvonne on her own beside Katelyn. 

“You wanted to see this, right? Want to add a tab for yourself?” Katelyn asked. 

Yvonne glanced at the screen, then at Katelyn. “If you’re okay with me seeing yours, yeah,” she said. “But I don’t think I should add my own. I don’t know what I’m doing, to be honest. If I do nothing, he thinks I’m not interested. If I do too much, I’m ignoring his no, and that won’t work. So, I don’t know what to do. I’m screwed no matter what. Or not-screwed. Ha.” There was no laughter in her ha.  

Katelyn put her arm around Yvonne. The poor girl needed it, and Katelyn knew what it was like to be the only one sad in a group of happy people. She’d been where Yvonne was before, too. An outsider looking in at the harem, with its smiles and happy times. It worked out for her, but she’d had Kat and Kelly helping her. 

Still, it wasn’t a one-to-one comparison. Yvonne’s situation with Arthur was different. She’d known him longer, and he’d formed his opinion of her well before whatever mistakes she made. Even with her apologies and efforts, and everything forgiven, Arthur still had his hang-ups. They couldn’t force him either. It was up to him to overcome them. In the meantime, they could only help. 

So how could Katelyn help Yvonne? She could at least cheer her up and show her what it meant to be part of the harem. After all, if every item on the list received a no from Yvonne, then she’d know she didn’t actually want a relationship with Arthur. She just wanted to win in the face of rejection.

“Do you like this stuff?” Katelyn asked. “The kinky stuff?” 

Yvonne blushed. Katelyn waited patiently for an answer. 

“I’m kink-curious,” Yvonne said. “I read a lot of dark romance, but Arthur wasn’t into it when I practically begged him to take me and have his way with me.” 

Katelyn nodded. She could see why that wouldn't work. “Any particular favorites?” 

“A few,” Yvonne said. “But it’s nothing I’ve tried in real life. Not everybody is lucky enough to find someone trustworthy and capable.”  

Katelyn followed Yvonne’s gaze toward Arthur and understood. They were pretty lucky when it came to him.  

“Well, you can watch me input my answers,” Katelyn said. “And I’ll try to guess by your expression what your answer would be, okay?” 

Yvonne snorted. “Sure.” 

Kelly grinned across the aisle, turning to watch as Mark and Maria started their duet. She cuddled Mindy, letting the younger woman rest against her under her arm. Mindy hugged Kelly’s arm like a teddy bear, holding Kelly’s forearm between her breasts and resting her cheek against Kelly’s shoulder. 

Katelyn didn’t recognize the title of Mark and Maria’s song, but she put it together that it was from a musical about Bonnie and Clyde. She needed to expand her musical soundtrack repertoire if she was going to date Arthur. If it wasn’t pop, hip-hop, rock, or country, she probably hadn’t listened to it in a while. 

Katelyn reviewed the checklist, moving through the items as Yvonne watched her. Occasionally, Yvonne blushed or made a noise of surprise or agreement with Katelyn’s choices. For all its usefulness in the future, she was glad they discussed it first. Clicking the buttons on the spreadsheet made it feel too robotic, as if she were picking items from a sex menu for later delivery. She much preferred the organic method of talking through everything and asking her questions for context. 

Arthur and Selene took the microphones after Mark and Maria, and the pair of them sang a sweet duet from another show that Katelyn didn’t know. It sounded older. She’d have to see if she could find a full soundtrack for Annie Get Your Gun. They probably had it on Spotify. It was amusing enough to keep everyone’s attention, though—everyone but Katelyn and Yvonne, who reviewed the list. 

“Wow, that list is thorough,” Yvonne said when Katelyn finished and reviewed her answers to make sure she hadn’t misclicked anything. “Does Arthur really do all of those things?” 

Katelyn blushed slightly. “Oh, yeah. Depending on the partner, I guess.” 

Yvonne swallowed, glancing at Arthur, then looking away. “Fucking damnit. I can’t stop picturing him tying me up. To be wrapped in rope and left helpless, letting him do whatever he wanted to me? It’s hot as fuck.” 

“I’m not as into the immobilization stuff, but more power to you. It’s good that we have variety in the harem,” Katelyn said. “Are you sure you don’t want to fill it out?” 

Yvonne groaned. “Is it overstepping?” 

“No,” Katelyn said. “It’s letting Arthur know what you’re into, and what you want to consent to. Does he know that you’re into being tied up?” 

“No,” Yvonne said. “We haven’t discussed it anyway.” 

“Well, it’s not as if the knowledge will force Arthur to do anything. It’s just a tab on a spreadsheet. He might not even know we’ve added it until the next time he reviews it and notices a new tab he didn’t put there,” Katelyn said. “What he does with the information is up to him, right?”  

Yvonne sighed, holding out her hand. “Give me the phone.” 

Katelyn giggled, duplicating the tab. “What do you want your harem name to be?” 

“My what?” Yvonne asked. 

“Well, the tabs are all named after our harem names,” Katelyn said. “I’m Pet. See? Kelly is Wifey, Kat is Brat, Rani is Concubine, Mindy is Whore, and Selene is Slut.” 

Yvonne closed her eyes and exhaled a long, slow breath. “What’s even left?” 

Katelyn shrugged with one arm, leaving her injured shoulder unshrugged. “What kind of submissive are you?” 

Yvonne shrugged. “What are the options?” 

“Well,” Katelyn tapped her lips with her finger, thinking of types of submissive people. She had the harem to draw from, with each woman slightly different from the others. “I don’t know. Make something up? What do you want Arthur to call you, and what do you want to call him?”

“What do you mean?” Yvonne asked. “You don’t call him the same thing?” 

Katelyn laughed. “No. I call him Big D; Kat calls him Sir; Kelly calls him Hubby or Mister; Mindy calls him Boss; Rani calls him her King, and Selene calls him Master. Well, everyone uses Sir and Master sometimes, but typically those are his nicknames.”  

Yvonne considered her options. “Do you think he’d like it if I called him my prince?” 

Katelyn had no idea. It was a step down from king, but if it had a meaning between him and Yvonne, then he’d probably approve it once he approved of Yvonne. “No idea, but Prince is a step down from King, isn’t it?” 

“But Rani calls him King. I can’t also call him that, right?” Yvonne asked. 

“Maybe focus on you for now,” Katelyn said. “What pet names do you enjoy being called?” 

Yvonne frowned. “I’ve never gotten to that stage with anybody. I don’t know. Maybe Prima? Short for prima donna?” 

“Isn’t that an insult?” Katelyn asked. 

“No, it’s—” Yvonne huffed. “Never mind. I’ll figure something out. Just put ‘damsel’ or something for now.”

Katelyn typed in “Damsel” and handed the phone to Yvonne. Yvonne stared at it, then started filling in the checkboxes, changing the answers duplicated from Katelyn’s screen when necessary. Katelyn peeked over her shoulder as she filled in the list, and Yvonne didn’t stop her. It was only fair since she’d watched Katelyn add her kinks to the list. 

She’d just marked ‘rope bondage’ as ‘favorite’ when the screen changed on her. Just as she was about to click ‘favorite’ on the next item, her thumb pressed down on ‘accept call’ instead, and the video call started. Startled, Yvonne nearly dropped the phone. 

Katelyn rushed to catch it, but Yvonne caught it first, and they both held it, staring at the screen and into Lori’s face. 

“Well, it’s about time you—” Lori said, then stopped mid-sentence. “Yvonne?” 

“Uh,” Yvonne gulped, looking up for help. Arthur was sitting at the front of the bus cabin, waiting with Selene in his lap while Mark and Brad sang a duet. The music was loud, making it difficult to hear Lori beyond the few inches from the phone where they sat. Kelly hadn’t even noticed, and she was sitting across the aisle. 

“Hi,” Yvonne said. “What’s up?”  

“Hi,” Lori said, unimpressed. “Where’s Arthur? Why are you answering his phone?” 

“He’s, uh, busy with karaoke,” Yvonne said. 

“Can you pass the phone to him?” Lori asked. “I need to talk to him.” 

“Hi!” Katelyn said, joining in when Yvonne froze with indecision. Katelyn understood why. She was on a tightrope with Arthur, and handing him the phone while his ex was waiting on a video call was not the way to get into anyone’s pants. “I’m Katelyn, Arthur’s girlfriend. We’ve met before.” 

Lori scrutinized Katelyn on the video, narrowing her eyes. “What? The music coming through is really loud. Can you speak up? Who are you?” 

“I’m Katelyn!” Katelyn said louder. “Arthur’s girlfriend!” The louder she was, the more attention she drew. Kelly, Mindy, and Kat looked over to see what was going on and saw Katelyn holding Arthur’s phone, talking to it as if it were partially deaf. 

“No way,” Lori said, scoffing in disbelief. “He picked you?” 

“Wow,” Katelyn said, staring at the phone. “You’re a jealous bitch, aren’t you?” 

“No! Sorry! That’s not how I meant it!” Lori said, but it was too late. Kelly took the phone out of Katelyn’s hands to see what was happening and scowled the moment she recognized Lori’s face. 

“You called Lori?” Kelly asked, surprised. She ignored Lori and glared at Katelyn. 

“No,” Katelyn said, waving her hands in front of her. “She called us. We were in the middle of something else, and the video call happened, and the wrong button got pressed, so it answered it.”  

Kelly narrowed her eyes at the screen, then glanced at Arthur. He hadn’t noticed what was happening yet, but he would soon if Kelly didn’t sit down. She looked the other way and spotted the bathroom. Kelly turned into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. 

Katelyn looked at Yvonne, then at the others. “Well, uh, it’ll probably be fine.” 

“She looked pretty pissed,” Yvonne commented. “I’d hate to be Lori right now.” 

“She’s safe,” Katelyn said, nodding. “Not even Kelly can punch someone through a phone.”

~~~

Kelly glared at the screen in front of her as she sat atop the closed toilet. There wasn’t much space in the bathroom, but the insulation protected it against noise from the cabin. Or perhaps vice versa. It wasn’t soundproof, but she and Lori could hear each other better here without the risk of being overheard. 

“What the fuck is going on?” Lori asked, trying to see as the ceiling and lighting changed. “Kelly?” 

“Why are you calling him?” Kelly asked, glaring at the screen. “He’s been through so much these last few days. The last thing he needs is you calling him up out of the blue and harassing him.” 

“What are you talking about?” Lori asked. “What happened? Is Arthur okay?” She looked concerned, but Kelly didn’t trust it. The blank wall background suggested she was in a dorm of some kind; the exposed concrete brick was a dead giveaway, and sloppy beige paint did nothing to make it feel more homey. As for Lori, she had her hair down, her makeup done, and her V-neck was unnecessarily low. Kelly doubted she was wearing a bra either, going for an ‘at-home in my PJs’ look that was far too casual for calling an ex unless it was to be more intimate. 

“What the fuck do you care?” Kelly asked, trying and failing to keep her temper in check. “You don’t give a shit about anybody but yourself.” 

“Kels,” Lori tried. 

“Don’t call me that!” Kelly snapped. “Seriously, Lori, why are you bothering Arthur?” 

“I wanted to talk to him, and he hasn’t replied to my texts,” Lori said. “What was I supposed to do?” 

“Take the hint? You dumped him,” Kelly said. “You don’t get to harass him because he decided not to respond to you. If he wants to talk to you, he’ll get in touch. But he doesn’t. He’s moved on.” 

“With Katelyn?” Lori asked. “Did you introduce them or something? I thought she was dating that other guy–what was his name, Sean?” 

“She was,” Kelly said. “He cheated on her, so she dumped him. It was a whole thing.” 

“So now she’s dating Arthur?” Lori asked. “What about you? I thought you two went on a date a few weeks ago? Did it not go well?” 

“It went great,” Kelly said. “Not that it’s any of your business.” 

“I can’t care about you or him–is that it?” Lori asked. “I can’t be happy for him?” 

“No, I don’t think you can,” Kelly said, knowing how much that would hurt Lori. “You’re mentally incapable of happiness. If you gave a damn about Arthur, you wouldn’t have left in the first place.” She didn’t care. She wasn’t handling Lori with kid gloves. Not with everything Arthur had been through. The gloves were off, and she was clenching her fists. 

“Ow,” Lori said, swallowing. “That hurt, Kels.” 

“I told you not to call me that. You lost that privilege,” Kelly said. 

“Fine,” Lori said. “Christ. Why are you in such a bad mood? Because he picked Katelyn over you?” 

“You’re an idiot,” Kelly said, sighing. “He didn’t pick Katelyn over me.” 

“Oh, so she was lying to cover for you going after my ex the minute after I left?” Lori asked, sitting straighter. Of course, that narrative fit her expectations better than Katelyn dating Arthur. “I knew you always liked him. All that ‘no, I’d never, I’m not even sure if I like guys’ was just bullshit after all.” 

“It wasn’t bullshit, you miserable cow—” Kelly cut herself off, taking a deep breath in and out before she let Lori rile her up and make her throw Arthur’s phone against the wall. If it were her phone, she’d have smashed it into bits already. “Why are you calling him?” 

“I wanted to talk to him!” Lori said. 

“About what?” Kelly asked. “What could be so important that you need to talk to him this badly?” 

“About Thanksgiving!” Lori snapped. 

That took Kelly a second to process. Thanksgiving hadn’t even been on her radar.

“What about it?” Kelly asked. 

“I wanted to ask Arthur if he was okay with me coming for Thanksgiving,” Lori said. “I'm trying to finalize my travel plans.”

“Why would you come for Thanksgiving?” Kelly asked. “You broke things off with him and went no contact for months! Of course he doesn’t want you at Thanksgiving!” 

“His mom invited me!” Lori said. 

“Deb?” Kelly asked. “There’s no way Deb invited you to Thanksgiving without running it past us.” 

“She invited me over the summer,” Lori said. 

“What?” Kelly asked. 

“She calls me every Sunday, at least she used to, and sometimes I answer instead of letting it go to voicemail.”

“Why?” Kelly asked.

“You’ve met her now that you two are dating, right? You know how she is.” 

Kelly grimaced. Of course, Lori would figure out how to make Deb’s personality sound like a negative. “If you say anything bad about Deb, I swear I’ll fly over there and kick your ass.” 

“Whoa, calm down,” Lori said. “I’m not saying anything bad about Deb. I like Deb; she’s like…” 

“She’s what?” Kelly asked, snapping at her again. 

“She’s the best mom I’ve ever had, okay?” Lori said. “The only mom who ever gave a damn about me, anyway. Is that what you want to hear?” 

Kelly paused. Tears filled Lori’s eyes, but she didn’t let them fall. She wasn’t a crier. Kelly had only seen her cry once, so she swallowed her anger. Lori wasn’t Lynn. She wasn’t trying to be manipulative. Kelly had to repeat that to herself several times before she calmed down enough to listen. 

“She’s just a lot, you know? Her personality is like a tidal wave sometimes, and very… I don’t know,” Lori said, failing to come up with the term. 

“Motherly?” Kelly asked. “Loving? Doting? One of the most awesome women you’ve ever encountered? Pick one.” 

“Okay, okay, I get it. You love your new boyfriend’s mom. That’s great,” Lori said. “Glad she can be a surrogate for your shitty homophobic mom.” 

“Oh, fuck off,” Kelly said. 

Lori frowned, clearly having tried to commiserate, only to be met with rejection. Kelly didn’t feel guilty, though. The last thing she’d do is let Lori try to be chummy. 

“We have shitty moms in common,” Lori said. “Though I’d wager mine was worse than yours is. I’d take homophobic over addict any day.” 

Kelly didn’t rise to the bait or take the bet. She wasn’t going to play the ‘who has a shittier mother’ game. Not with someone whose mother was dead. Lori had some horror stories about the moms she’d had in foster care, but not all of them were terrible either. She’d had good and bad over the years, while Kelly was stuck with hers.

“I take it you don’t want me at Thanksgiving then?” Lori asked. “Should I tell Deb that something came up?” 

“Honestly, Lori? I never want to see or hear from you again,” Kelly said. “You’re despicable.”

“I didn’t do anything to you!” Lori shouted at the phone.

“You threatened me when I threatened to tell Arthur,” Kelly said. “And you would have followed through.” 

“You can’t know that!” Lori said, still shouting. “You haven’t told Arthur about my freak-out, have you?” 

“No,” Kelly said. “I promised you I wouldn’t, but don’t push me. I swear, Lori, you have no idea the things we’ve been through these last few weeks. You left. You have no right to Arthur or Deb.” 

“I left, sure, but I had to take the opportunity, and I made the decision that was best for me, my career, and others in the long run. Arthur gets it,” Lori said. “He doesn’t hate me for that.” 

“You got scared, ran away, and crushed his soul,” Kelly said. “Of course he doesn’t hate you, but you broke him, Lori. He wasn’t the same for months after you left, and he’s just getting back on his feet, and you want to, what, come over for Thanksgiving and see if you can rekindle something with him for the weekend? Fuck you.” 

“I’m not trying to rekindle anything with him,” Lori said. 

“Bullshit,” Kelly said. “Your first time with him was on Thanksgiving. You think he’s going to forget about that with you sitting across from him?” 

Lori frowned. Yeah, Kelly remembered that the moment she mentioned Thanksgiving. Of course she did. She was the one Lori told about it when it happened. 

“I wasn’t trying anything,” Lori said, crossing her arms. “I don’t want a long-distance relationship, remember?”  

“Sure,” Kelly said, not believing her for an instant. “But Arthur’s your ex, not your booty call. How are you doing on your own? Huh? Do you like it over there, where you get to start fresh without any friends holding you back? Have you played the field to your heart’s content?” 

“No,” Lori said, cutting Kelly off. “I haven’t. I’ve been focusing on my schoolwork, not my dating life. Besides, the guys here—well, that’s not important.”

Kelly snickered. “What? The guys don’t compare? You’ve realized how good you had it with Arthur? What a catch he is, compared to the drivel that’s out there?” 

“I haven’t been dating,” Lori said, frustrated now. “I’m focusing on my work.”  

“Yeah, Arthur did that too,” Kelly said. “He threw himself into work and classes after you left and practically worked himself to the bone.” 

“Oh, please, a month after you were back on campus and he was taking you out to that old-timey diner,” Lori said. “He’s just fine, and you and he are dating now, right? So what does it even matter? You got what you wanted! Has he gotten you pregnant yet? You were the one who wanted the life he was offering, right? Are you gonna settle down and start that family you always wanted? Does he know how badly you want to play housewife? Did he give you that ring he’s been keeping in the nightstand? Are you planning the wedding already? You can just use whatever you planned for mine and put yourself in, right?” 

Kelly ground her teeth. “Goodbye, Lori. Tell Deb I told you that you’re uninvited to our Thanksgiving. Because you’re not invited anymore.” 

“You can’t do that,” Lori said. “Deb’s the one—” 

“Deb might’ve invited you, sure, but it’ll be at our house this year,” Kelly said. Lori’s surprised face gave her instant satisfaction. “That’s right, Arthur and I are moving in together. I’ll send you some pictures.” 

“You bought a house?” Lori asked, unable to hide the shock in her voice. 

“We’re renting it from his parents,” Kelly said, sighing. “Goodbye, Lori. I hope you find whatever you’re looking for out there on the West Coast. But leave Arthur alone. You left everyone back here. You cut contact first, and you spent weeks dodging my calls and texts. We’re done here. I’m blocking you on his phone after this.” 

“Kelly, wait! I’m sorry! Don’t—” 

Kelly ended the call. She followed through on her threat, too. She blocked Lori’s contact. Tomorrow, she’d tell Arthur she did it and why. Not tonight. He might consider it an overstep, but she wasn’t trying to control him. She was looking out for him.

Kelly let out a long, exhausted breath. She needed coffee. Whatever Rani’s plans were for the evening, she hoped they involved a coffee pot. An espresso machine would be delightful, if possible. And steak. She wanted to sink her teeth into a delicious steak. Granted, she preferred the crispy sensation of a well-done steak, which infuriated more than one waiter, but she didn’t care. 

A knock at the door made her lift her head. 

“Kelly? Are you okay in there? We’ve been at the hotel for a while. We were trying to give you your privacy, but if you need toilet paper or something, I have a roll of it.” 

The door muffled Arthur’s voice, but she recognized it instantly. 

“Yeah! Sorry!” Kelly said, standing up. She didn’t bother flushing the toilet or washing her hands. She wasn’t going to lie to him or pretend she was using the bathroom. Honesty was always best. Besides, the others might have told him what she was doing and why she went in. 

She opened the door, and Arthur stood waiting for her. The others had already moved off the bus. She hadn’t registered when they stopped moving. Apparently, they’d been parked for longer than she realized. When had the music stopped? When had the others departed? She didn’t know. Her mind was abuzz. 

“Is everything okay?” Arthur asked. “It was muffled, but you sounded pretty angry with whoever was on the phone.” 

“Yeah,” Kelly said. “I just needed to take care of something, but it’s okay. I took care of it. You don’t have to worry.” 

“Okay,” Arthur said, trusting her. “Are you ready to join the others?” He offered her his elbow. “Rani said she booked a conference room, so we’re meeting everyone there before we head up to our rooms.” 

“Oh,” Kelly said, surprised. “Wow, she’s going full event planner on this, isn’t she?” 

Arthur laughed and scratched the back of his neck. “Yeah, I guess it’s important to her.” 

“Well, if it doesn’t go well, you won’t let her throw another one, right?” Kelly asked. “That’s a lot of pressure.”

“Yeah,” Arthur answered. “I’m not trying to pressure her, though. I’m just still not sure about this, but I’m keeping an open mind.” 

“Don’t worry,” Kelly said, patting his arm after she looped her arm through his. “We’re with you, and we’ll take care of everything tonight. Even you.” 

Arthur grinned and kissed her after lifting her chin. “Thanks for looking out for me and everyone the way you do. You even took Yvonne under your wing tonight.”

“She needed someone other than Selene to talk her through things,” Kelly said. “I hope that was okay.” 

“Yeah,” Arthur said. “Where did you two land on things?” 

“She’s backing off, for now,” Kelly said. “And she regrets trying to push you and seduce you with the wet chemise contest.” 

“Was that why she did it?” Arthur asked. “To seduce me?” 

Kelly nodded. “Yeah, I know you’re still figuring things out between you and Yvonne, but just in case you ended up liking her, I encouraged her to get to know the rest of the harem. No point in her trying to date you if we veto her, right?” 

Arthur sighed. “I guess that’s for the best. It’s not my fault things don’t click if she and the girls don’t get along, right?” 

“You sound like you’re assuming we won’t get along with her,” Kelly said, tilting her head. 

“Well, she’s tough to get along with,” Arthur said. 

“So is Kat,” Kelly said. She chuckled. “So am I, sometimes, when I get in one of my moods. But from what you and the others have said about your lunch with her, the only reason you found her tough to get along with was that she was trying to cause friction, right? She thought you were flirting that way?” 

“Yeah,” Arthur nodded. 

“So, you know she’s interested,” Kelly said. “And we know you find her attractive.” 

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Arthur said, waving his hands in front of himself to deflect. 

“Arthur,” Kelly said, stopping him from walking forward through the bus. “It’s okay if you’re interested in Yvonne; you know that, right?” 

“What?” Arthur asked, confused. 

“No one in the harem is going to be mad at you for looking at other women or desiring other women, sexually or romantically,” Kelly explained.

“Well, Kat might,” Arthur countered. 

“No, she won’t,” Kelly said. “Not really. She’ll protest, sure, but if you’re happy with whoever it is, then she’ll be content. I’m happy the way things are, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not a sin or a crime against any of us if you’re attracted to Yvonne. Forget your social conditioning, the way we have. We won’t yell at you, or get offended, or try to push her out if you like her. We’ll get to know her, give her an honest evaluation, and vote on it, like we did Katelyn.” 

Arthur paused for a moment, considering her words. “So, I have the harem’s permission, is what you’re saying?” 

“Well, we haven’t voted on anything,” Kelly said. “But yeah. You’re allowed to express your desires, just like us, right? No shame. And you have my permission to show interest in Yvonne. She’s hot.” 

Arthur nodded. “Thanks,” he said. “I think I needed that.” 

Kelly smiled. “I know.” She kissed him, slow and tender, letting his lips part hers as their firm bodies pressed against each other and her soft chest spread across his rigid muscles. “Now come on, if we don’t catch up to the others, who knows who Rani will invite to the orgy tonight. I’d rather not have her going door to door through the hotel.” 

Arthur laughed and led the way off the bus.

~~~ 

Rani walked into the hotel ahead of the others. They were still unloading their luggage and milling about outside while Kelly was still in the bathroom. She’d heard Kelly arguing with someone, but the words were too indistinct with the music and the intentional sound reduction. 

The hotel was well-lit and had a parking lot half-full of cars. It was a cookie-cutter hotel with a gray stone facade just off the highway, but not the closest hotel to the Faire. That was probably why it was half-empty. She hoped that was the reason, anyway.  

It wasn’t a grand hotel or even a resort hotel like the one they’d been to before. One of these days, Rani would take the harem to an actual hotel. Kat could protest all she wanted, but a day at a classy spa was happening—her treat. Rani didn’t mind dressing down and ‘slumming’ it when at school, but spending the day dripping with gold and rubies had been a blessing. That, and her secret was out with the harem now, so she didn’t have to hide it. She hoped it wouldn’t come back to bite her. Kat had been weird about it, but they’d worked through it. She hoped that was the worst of it. 

No valet met her in the driveway. No bell service met her at the door. The hotel was small, so Rani didn’t expect much. At least they cooperated with Manasa over the phone, as Manasa explained. The poor girl behind the counter looked flustered as fuck when Rani walked in. She didn’t blame her, though. Even if she had Ren Faire customers on weekends, Rani’s outfit was overboard. 

A couple ahead of her in line had also dressed for the Faire, having come from the adult-only event. She decided to say hi while one of them made arrangements with the concierge.

“I love your costume,” Rani said. “Poison Ivy, right?” 

“Yeah.” The red-headed woman in front of her turned and nodded. “Thanks!” 

“Iconic,” Rani said as Harley Quinn handed Ivy a room key. They stepped aside, exhausted. 

“Can I help you, Miss?” the attendant behind the desk asked. She was young for someone working the night desk, but Yvonne supposed that people in their twenties didn’t mind strange sleep schedules. 

“Yes, I’m checking in, and I believe my assistant booked the conference room for a small get-together as well?” Rani asked. She’d been surprised to find that the hotel even had a conference room and a pool, but she was glad for it. 

“The name on the reservation?” the concierge asked. 

“Shah,” Rani said. “Everything should be under Rani Shah.”

“Oh,” the concierge nodded. “Of course! Welcome, Miss Shah! Everything is prepared. You’ve booked the entire top floor, so that’s eight rooms, and we have reserved conference room A for you. We set it up according to your assistant’s instructions. I’ll just need your ID.” 

“That is perfect, thank you,” Rani said, sliding her State ID to her. The woman looked at it, and then at her, nodding. She made a copy, then passed it back to Rani. 

“And here are your room keys,” the concierge said. “Is there anything else I can do for you tonight?” 

“You have a hotel safe, correct?” Rani asked. 

“Yes, miss,” the concierge nodded. “And there are safes in every closet in the rooms.” 

“Oh, that’s convenient. Thank you very much.” Rani offered the young woman a tip. She knew it wasn’t customary, but she wanted to drive home the level of discretion she was willing to purchase tonight. 

The woman looked confused at the hundred-dollar bill. “Oh, you don’t have to pay a deposit or anything; it’s all done on the credit card.” 

“No,” Rani said. “That’s for you, just a thank you for being so sweet and accommodating.” 

“Oh!” the concierge said, surprised. “Thank you!” She took it, and it vanished before Rani could even track it, making her smile behind her half-face veil. 

“Oh, and luggage, you have trolleys, correct?” Rani asked, unable to help but recall the last time they had used luggage trolleys in a hotel. It brought a smile to her lips, even if she suspected it wasn’t on the menu tonight. 

“Yes, Miss, they’re by the front door.” She pointed to the trolleys by the entrance, tucked just out of sight so Rani hadn’t seen them on her way in. 

“And I’m assuming you don’t have a kitchen, restaurant, or bar, correct?” Rani asked. 

“No.” The concierge looked sad to have to deliver the news. “Though there is a bar down the road that’s still open. Unfortunately, they stop serving food at midnight, so you’ll have to hurry.” 

Rani waved the concern away, her bracelets jingling. “That’s okay. Do you have vending machines and snacks?” 

“Yes, we do!” The concierge said, gesturing past her desk and around the corner, behind the front desk. “There’s a convenience center; it’s done through the app, or you can pay with card or cash; it’s like a miniature convenience store. We’ve got razors, shaving cream, shampoo, deodorant, phone chargers, snacks, soda, tea, and other necessities just in case you forgot any.” 

“Condoms?” Rani asked. 

“Uh,” the concierge stuttered in surprise. “Uh, yes, we carry those as well.” 

“I’ll take them all, and your snacks, and sodas,” Rani said. “Can you have someone move them to the conference room, or is it just you here this late?” 

“Uh, I’m the only one working the desk, but–” 

“That’s okay; my girlfriends and I can handle it,” Rani said. “Thank you!” 

“Oh, you’re welcome!” 

She nodded her thanks again, took her keys, and pushed a trolley outside, taking it to the bus for Manasa. Then she led the procession inside. Selene, Kat, Katelyn, Mindy, Mark, Maria, Brad, Yvonne, and Jen filed in behind her with their suitcases. 

“Put your bags in your rooms, then go to the conference room,” Rani said, passing out keys. “I’ll go over the layout later. Just keep your bags out of the way.” 

They nodded. Brad took a trolley and loaded their bags, then he, Mark, Yvonne, and Selene went upstairs via the elevator. The others, Katelyn, Kat, Mindy, Maria, and Jen, shuffled into the conference room. Rani remained in the lobby, waiting for the others. It surprised her to learn that the bus had arrived at the hotel first, but the others might have been waiting for them in the parking lot.  

Dave, Iris, and Faith were the next to arrive. Rani grinned at the sight of the Unseelie Queen Nicneven out of costume. Her change was less dramatic than Iris’s. Her white wig was gone, with short, cropped black hair replacing it. The bob cut left chin-length blades of hair on one side and a buzz on the other. Her black denim booty shorts and tank top looked good, too. Silver dangling earrings and a black netted choker completed the ensemble. The goth aesthetic was a nice touch and seemed to fit both the actress and her character. 

Arthur was going to love her. He’d mentioned a thing for Goth chicks at one point, right? If not, then Rani would volunteer as tribute. She was enjoying the eye candy of the slim, busty beauty. 

“Glad you could make it!” Rani said, hugging Iris. “Faith, right? It’s nice to meet you.” 

“You too,” Faith said, letting her eyes rake over Rani from her gold anklets to her red strapless bikini top. 

“We’re in the conference room,” Rani explained, gesturing to the door just down the hallway. “We’ll get the introductions and everything out of the way first, then make our way upstairs.” 

“Gotcha,” Dave said, looking around nervously. He leaned in, whispering. “Are you sure Selene’s okay with me being here?” 

Rani nodded. “Both she and Arthur have given their approval to your being here,” Rani said. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t be. I gave Arthur and the others full veto power. Besides, you’ll have your own room, and Selene will be in Arthur’s room all night. You won’t even cross paths. Heck, you won’t even see much of me either once things get going. Arthur keeps me on a pretty tight leash.” She tugged at her looped gold chain collar to illustrate her point, tightening it against her throat.  

“You do as you’re told, huh?” Iris asked, teasing her. 

Rani chuckled. “Oh, honey, you have no idea the kinky shit we get up to. And why not? It’s always a pleasure to serve my king.” 

Dave chuckled, shaking his head as he, Iris, and Faith turned toward the conference room. “I told you,” Dave said. “This is going to be crazy.” 

Iris patted his arm. “Don’t worry, Babe, whatever you’re comfortable with. Consent is king, remember? Just follow my lead.” 

“Yes, ma’am,” Dave said, following Iris and Faith down the hall. They chatted on their way into the conference room, where the others greeted them. 

Mark, Brad, Yvonne, and Selene arrived shortly after, but Rani stopped them since they had the trolley. 

“Hey, would you four mind doing me a favor?” Rani asked. 

They looked at each other, then Brad, Mark, and Yvonne looked at Selene. 

“What do you need, my queen?” Selene asked. 

Rani produced her credit card and handed it to Selene. “Take that trolley and buy as many snacks, drinks, and condoms as you can from the convenience center. There should be a table set against the wall in the conference room where you can set them up.” 

“How much do you want to spend?” Brad asked. 

“Whatever they have is fine,” Rani said. Fuck, it felt good not to have to pretend anymore. 

“Uh, okay,” Brad said. “Are you sure?” 

“She’s sure,” Selene said, winking at Rani. “Come on.” She led the way while Brad pushed the trolley and Mark and Yvonne walked behind them. Rani watched Selene go, enjoying the peek of her cheeks out of her bikini with every step. Fuck, she was glad they were in a harem together. She still had her reservations about Yvonne, but the girl was hot. And the bright fluorescent lights in the lobby did wonderful things to her translucent chemise. 

They made their way back with the trolley loaded. Brad pushed ahead as Selene returned Rani's card to her. 

“Are you sure I’m allowed in the conference room?” Yvonne asked Rani, rather than Selene, who was pulling her along. “Arthur was pretty clear he didn’t want me taking part tonight.”

“It’s still good for you to know what’s going on,” Rani said. “And you can still participate without coming into Arthur’s room.” She watched Mark and Brad enter the conference room. “There are other options.” 

Yvonne followed her gaze and grimaced. “Did you have to pick guys exclusively from a list of guys I know?” 

Rani chuckled. “Well, Dave’s in there too, so yes.” 

Yvonne sighed and shook her head. “You and I should hang out sometime. I feel like I owe you dinner or something after what I put you through Monday night.” 

“I’ll have to ask Arthur, but so long as we don’t get up to anything too intimate, I’m sure he won’t mind if you take me out on a date,” Rani said. 

Yvonne’s eyebrows reached for the ceiling. “What? Oh, no, I wasn’t. I mean, I guess I was, but I didn’t mean it like a date, date, just an informal thing.” 

“Oh,” Rani said, not sure if she was disappointed or relieved. “That makes more sense,” she chuckled. “I tell you what, model for me once and we’ll call it even.” 

“Model for you?” Yvonne asked, confused. 

“Rani’s taken some photography classes,” Selene said. “She’s fantastic.” 

“It’s a hobby,” Rani said. “I just did a mid-term project with Arthur as a nude model, so I’ve got lots of hot photos of him if you want to see them later.” 

Yvonne turned bright red, which made Rani laugh. It was like watching a cartoon as the blush rose from her exposed neck and spread upward, reaching the top of her forehead. She half-expected steam to shoot out of her ears and a whistle to blow, but nothing so ridiculous happened. What happened was that Arthur and Kelly appeared on the other side of the sliding glass doors to the lobby, and Yvonne vanished in a puff of panic. She disappeared into the conference room before Rani even realized she’d moved. 

Selene followed Yvonne, not having seen Arthur and Kelly, but probably thinking Rani had pushed her too far. She’d only meant to tease the poor girl. She wouldn’t show anyone those photos outside of the exhibition, and that was with Arthur’s permission. Rani was still shaking her head as the doors slid open and Arthur and Kelly entered the lobby, arm in arm. 

“We’re in conference room A,” Rani said. Technically, they only had one conference room, but calling it ‘Conference Room A’ made it sound more official, she hoped. “Some of our guests have already arrived. I’ll join you when the others are here.” 

“Okay,” Arthur said. “Anything you need me to do?”  

“Nope!” Rani said. “But I had a question: are you okay sharing some of the gear from your trunk?” 

Arthur’s face told her his answer before his lips parted to speak. “No,” Arthur said. “I don’t want to let others use that gear unless I’m confident they know how to use it. I don’t want anyone to get hurt.” 

“Okay,” Rani said, accepting his answer and his reasoning. “That’s a great point. I should have thought of that.” 

“No harm in asking,” Kelly said. “Speaking of which, why are you alone?” Kelly asked, looking around. “Where’s Manasa?” 

“She’s taking care of some final preparations,” Rani said. She sighed when that didn’t appease Kelly. “I’m also under the cameras.” She pointed at the camera. That also did not appease Kelly. “The concierge is right over there,” Rani pointed. 

Kelly raised one eyebrow. 

“Fine, send somebody out to stand with me,” Rani said. “You and your precious buddy system.” 

“Good girl,” Kelly said, patting Rani’s butt as she and Arthur turned aside and walked behind her to the conference room.  

Rani’s face warmed at Kelly’s ‘good girl,’ and she squeezed her thighs together. Damn, she was glad Mistress Kelly was back. 

Selene poked her head out a moment later and trotted down the hallway to Rani’s side, where she stood at attention. “Reporting for duty, my queen!” 

Rani chuckled. “We’re just making sure people in our party know where to go,” she explained. “And maybe gatekeeping, if we have to. If anyone gives you a bad vibe or if an unexpected guest arrives, let me know, and I’ll handle it.” 

Selene nodded. “Anyone we should look out for?” 

“You’ll know them when you see them,” Rani said, chuckling. 

Sure enough, Evie and Katie walked in next, making Selene laugh. Evie in her white corset, cape, and booty shorts—Katie in her black corset, cape, and briefs. 

“Conference room A,” Rani said. “Down the hall on the right. You can’t miss it.” 

“Awesome,” Evie said, offering Rani a fist bump. She bumped it. 

“Damn, Selene, right? I swear every single one of you in that polycule is a drop-dead hottie,” Evie said, elbowing Katie. Katie blushed and looked at the floor. 

Selene grinned. “Thanks! But I love your costumes, too! Jen said that you were dressed as comic book characters?” 

“White Queen and Black Queen,” Evie said, gesturing between herself and Katie. “Emma Frost and Selene Gallio, yeah. You’re not a comic fan?” 

“No, not really,” Selene said. “I’ve read a few, but I’m more into manga. Jen’s a huge comic nerd, though. You three will hit it off. She’s dressed as a Ren Faire version of Huntress, and Brad is a Ren Faire version of Nightwing.” 

“Oh, nice. Thanks for the tip,” Evie said, winking and sauntering past her into conference room A. 

“Who does that leave?” Selene asked. 

“Just four more,” Rani said. “And Manasa.” 

“Wow,” Selene said, glancing back at the conference room. “Five more? That’s quite the crowd.” 

“I know, right?” Rani asked, smiling. “Not bad for our first orgy, and some major hotties. Arthur can really pull.”

Selene chuckled, moving back and forth from her toes to her heels as she waited for the next group to arrive. Hallie and Cynthia didn’t disappoint, arriving together and in costume. They were without the rest of their group, though, as planned. They saw Rani, waved to her, and then joined her after a polite hug. 

“We’re starting in conference room A,” Rani said. 

“Oh, wow,” Hallie said, trembling with nerves, which did interesting things to her jiggling curves. 

Selene tried not to stare. She failed. Rani didn’t blame her. 

“We’re starting in a conference room?” Cynthia asked, surprised. 

“Just icebreakers,” Rani said. “We’ll go over the rules, make sure everyone’s on the same page, and then we’ll head upstairs.” 

“Oh, okay,” Cynthia said, patting Hallie on the back to calm her down. “That makes more sense.” 

Rani chuckled. “Feel free to head inside. We’re almost all here.” 

“Okay,” Hallie said, still jittery. “See you in there?” 

“Of course!” Selene said, cheerful as ever. “Can’t wait!” She winked at her, and Hallie blushed and looked at Cynthia. 

“It’s okay to be nervous,” Rani said. “There are snacks and sodas inside; help yourselves, and just embrace the normality while it lasts.” 

“Okay.” Hallie gave her a small smile, took Cynthia’s hand, and they strode into the conference room with the others. 

“Who are we waiting on now?” Selene asked. 

“Ana and Ellora, the tattoo artists,” Rani said. “Ana’s been curious all day, so it was an easy sell.” 

Selene’s eyebrows raised. “You convinced them?” 

“It wasn’t difficult,” Rani said, chuckling. 

“You make it sound like all you had to do was ask, and people signed on,” Selene said. 

“Nah, I chatted up plenty of people at the bonfire who said no. The others had a few strikeouts as well, but fuck ‘em. We’re here to have fun,” Rani said. 

Ana chose that moment to walk through the doors and prove Rani’s point for her. 

“Hey!” Rani said, waving. 

“Hey!” Ana said, returning the wave as she approached. “Rani, this is Kari, a close personal friend of mine and Ellora's. We both vouch for her. Kari, meet Rani.” 

Kari looked familiar to her, but she couldn’t place the face. “Do you work at the Faire, too?” Rani asked as she shook Kari’s hand. 

“I’m one of the belly dancers,” Kari said, explaining. 

“Oh, that’s why you look familiar!” Rani said. “I loved your show.” 

“Thanks!” Kari said. “I love your costume.” 

“Ellora sends her apologies,” Ana said. “But she chickened out at the last minute. I’m sorry; I know you said Arthur gave you the green light when you told him she’d said yes. Is he still going to be okay?” 

“Oh, he’ll be fine,” Selene said. “He respects everyone’s ability to withdraw consent if they need to.”

“Really?” Ana asked, surprised. 

“One hundred percent,” Rani assured her. “Arthur is more obsessed with consent than Selene is with him, and she’s got a tattoo about it.”  

“So do you!” Selene said, laughing with her. 

“Well, it sounds like it’s Ellora’s loss,” Kari said. “When Ana told me where she was going, I couldn’t believe it! I had to see it with my own eyes.” 

“Seeing is believing,” Rani said. “We’re in conference room A. We’re gonna chat and then head upstairs.” 

“Gotcha,” Ana said, grinning. “Good to see you again, by the way,” she said to Selene.  

“You too!” Selene said, gesturing to the tattoo on her stomach. “It still looks great, by the way!” 

“Good!” Ana said. “It should be set by now for sure. It’ll fade in a week or two.” 

Selene frowned. “I wish I could convince Arthur we should make these permanent.” 

“Just take lots of pictures,” Kari said. “Take a bunch from different angles, and any tattoo artist worth their salt can reproduce it.” 

“Or call me,” Ana said. “It might be a drive, but I can hook you up at my shop. I’m not precious about my henna designs, but I know them better than other artists, and most artists won’t do someone else’s custom designs.” 

“That’s fair,” Rani said, nodding. “We just have to convince Arthur.”

“I’m sure we’ll think of some way to convince him to do whatever we want,” Ana said, chuckling. “Come on. Conference room A, you said? We’ll see you in there.”

“See you in there!” Rani said, cheering them on. 

“Is that everyone?” Selene asked, looking over as Manasa came through the door, pushing a trolley laden with the infamous traveler’s trunk, Rani’s duffel, and several other supplies. 

“Fuck yeah!” Rani said, nodding. “Let’s go. We can fit the luggage in the conference room, right?” 

They could not. Manasa ran it upstairs, then joined them in the conference room. She was the last to arrive, but Rani and Selene waited for her, then entered the crowded room together.