Kyra

Chapter Forty-One

Feeling like an idiot, Ares had jumped at the opportunity to meet with Kyra the very second she'd mentioned it. There'd been no let me check my schedule, no I'm busy right now, give me a minute. No nothing. She'd sent the coordinates over and he'd portal jumped there immediately. Waiting, he sat alone in a mortal world bar staring at a funny looking carpet.

He spotted Kyra coming from a mile away. She blew the other women in this pub right out of the water, even when she didn't look like Kyra. And God, she didn't look at all like herself right now.

Instead of the gladiator sandals he fantasised over, she wore black heeled boots. Gone were her skirts, replaced with skinny jeans. Gone was her metal breastplate. Instead, she wore a tight, white shirt with a jacket.

"Hello Ares," She gave him an overly sweet smile, slipping into the seat across from him. "Good to see you."

A frown etched itself into the contours of his face. "What are you doing?"

"Keeping up appearances," She murmured. "It's going to look weird to the humans if I pull the chair out and say nothing to you."

"The humans won't look over here."

Not when they were drinking, minding their own business.

Kyra looked him up and down, pursing her lips. "I assure you they will."

"And why's that?"

Do you find me attractive, little Amazon?

She brushed her hair over her shoulder, still situating herself. "Tone it down on the arrogance, yeah? We've got important shit to do."

Leaning back in his chair, he took his time looking her up and down. "What the fuck are you wearing?"

"I'm doing great. Thank you."

"I don't like it."

"Because your approval was my top concern." She shuffled, evidently not used to so much coverage. "I'm fitting in."

He could see that. It wasn't that she looked bad in mortal clothes. She just didn't look like Krya.

"I want my Amazon back."

He watched her fight back a smile.

"I thought you'd have liked skinny jeans."

"I get to see everything with your damned miniskirts. Bring them back."

"It's called fitting in. Going incognito."

Which she wouldn't have to do if they'd met anywhere but here.

"Why are we here?"

"You put my Amazons on edge so the fortress is a no go."

"What about my—"

"I'm not hanging around your compound. You know I don't like it. And I'd like to get shit done without—" She coughed, stopping herself. "Without Erika being a pain or—"

"Without avoiding awkward looks with Leda?"

Her cheeks reddened. "Shut up."

Those two women still weren't talking. Sooner or later, they'd hit a point where they'd left it too long and likely never would again.

"Never thought you were the type to beat around the bush."

"I'm not," She answered cordially. "But it's awkward so I'd rather not."

"We could've met in my office or my chambers."

"Yes, but I'd like—" She drifted off again, catching herself.