Survivor Reborn (Kieran Grey Psionic Hunter) Page 7

  “Here, like this.” Emmy took the bra from me. She wrapped it around my waist backwards, with the back clasp in front of me. After hooking it together, she spun it around my waist so it was on like it was designed to be. “That way you can see the clips. Now slip your arms in and lift it up. That’s not the only way to put one on, but it works for now.”

  I did as she told me. The bra settled on my shoulders, but I poured out over the cups. Emmy reached up pulling the left cup out without a word. She put her hand inside moving my breast without making it sensual, then repeated the process on the other side. Just like the panties, I felt the bra settle under my shields. It was comfortable against my skin, gently pushing my breasts up and together. The effect of the bra gave me even more cleavage.

  Emmy ushered me to the other side of the bed where the outfits lay. I stopped when I caught my reflection in the mirror. I stood there in my underwear and makeup. My reflection looked like I should’ve been in some men’s magazine. I looked sexy. I didn’t look this good yesterday, did I? My thoughts were turning bad until I realized that I was thinking that about myself. In my old life I could only fantasize about having a girl like I am now.

  There were five outfits on the bed. Emmy pointed at each one in turn pulling my attention back to the task at hand. “Tomboy, casual, preppie, business casual, and flirts-a-lot. I want you to wear whatever you would be comfortable in. However, I want you to keep in mind that you are meeting a very important person today. The Vampire Council is sending one of their personal envoys to see you. It is a great honor, but not really a formal occasion.” She had lingered between the preppie and business outfits. I think she was giving me another hint.

  “I wore a suit for years. Besides, if I’m meeting someone important, giving a good first impression is a good idea.” I moved in front of the light gray business suit. Emmy nodded then looked puzzled.

  “Now you have to choose, pants, or the more feminine miniskirt.” She asked holding each up in her hands with the skirt up a few inches higher.

  I think she really wants me to dress up more like a girly girl. Why not? I’ll probably end up in a skirt someday anyway. Besides, at least it would cover my ass. I do not want to get shot there again. Of course with my luck I’ll get shot in the leg just beneath the hemline of the skirt. I just can’t win. Yes, the pants would cover my ass too, and more, but they’re not as feminine as the skirt. I want to dress feminine for Emmy, since that’s what it appears she wants. Christ! When did I let my life get so weird?

  “Let’s try the skirt.”

  She brightened up again. She really did want me to be feminine.

  “Good. Put this on first.” She handed me a light lavender blouse.

  After putting on the blouse, she helped me step into the skirt. She zipped the skirt up in back then handed me a darker gray belt. While I put on the belt she made small adjustments to the blouse. I had left the top two buttons undone. More out of old habit with the dress shirts from my old self than anything. I always left the top two buttons undone unless I was wearing a tie. Emmy reached for the buttons. I expected her to button the others up all the way like hers was. Instead, she undid the next two buttons down. My bra was barely still covered unless I bent over. Cleavage was now well on display through the open blouse. I shot a questioning glance at her.

  “You have a great body. There’s no harm in advertising just a little.” She seemed so pleased with herself. She handed me the jacket that matched the tight skirt. The jacket was not as tight as I had expected. “The suit jacket is cut a little wide. That way you can have a holster on underneath without it showing through as much,” she explained before I could ask.

  “One last decision, shoes. Since you are going for an impression I would not suggest the sneakers.” She opened the lids of the three shoe boxes.

  Sneakers, flats, and heels. I had a feeling that the heels would look good with the outfit. I’ve never worn heels before, and always heard that they were hard to learn to walk in. Let’s find out. I picked up the heels. Emmy’s smile widened. Guess I made the right choice.

  “How do you walk in these? I’m willing to try them, but no promises.” Emmy helped me put the heels on. I was instantly four-inches taller.

  “Hold on to me and walk slowly at first, one foot directly in front of the other like you’re walking a tightrope.” Placing my hand on her shoulder I took my first step.

  My new body took over. My balance shifted, my hips swayed, and I was soon walking in heels like I did it every day. I walked away from her and around the room. Slow at first then faster. I even tried light running. My body reacted for me.

  “Kieran wore heels a lot at work. She had to dress up all the time for meetings and such. Go ahead and pull your hair back. If you only pull the top of your hair back it will stay out of your eyes, but still help frame your face. It’s a very pretty look on you.” She handed me a gold barrette.

  I pulled the hair from the top of the ears to the top of my head into a ponytail using the same instinct that had made my ponytail the day before, only this time letting the lower part of my hair remain naturally falling around my shoulders.

  Well, let’s see how I look. I turned in front of the mirror. I look good, real good. The suit was classic business, even though the skirt was somewhat short stopping at just above mid-thigh, and the decorative slit on the side of the skirt showed quite a bit of thigh. Overall, I showed a good amount of cleavage and leg. I stepped closer to the mirror. The combination of the blouse and the makeup made my violet eyes glow, really glow. They glowed a bright, deep electric violet, even more than they did yesterday.

  “Kieran always wore those same earrings. They look good on you, but we can change them if you wish.” I shook my head. I hadn’t even thought of them, or the little bear I could feel resting in my bellybutton. They look good, no sense in changing them if I don’t have to. I want to keep this all as simple as possible. There’s already too much to adjust to as it is. Emmy continued, “Alright, one final touch then.” She reached around from behind me, lowering a necklace in front of my eyes. The necklace had a small heart pendant on it. The hollow heart was gold with three diamonds on the left side. She hooked the necklace then stood behind me smiling at my reflection. “There now, you look absolutely great. One last thing, a piece of sisterly advice, you are a lady and you are wearing a skirt, remember don’t cross your legs and keep your knees together when you sit down so you don’t flash your panties to the world.”

  THUD! THUD! THUD!

  The doors rattled with each impact. We both jumped a little. Then the doors began to cycle open with their grinding noise. Marsala stepped into the doorway, filling the opening with his back to us.

  “Everyone decent?” he asked over his shoulder.

  “Come on in Marsala. See how well our little Kier-Bear cleans up.” Emmy turned me to face the doors.

  “Kier-Bear?” I questioned Emmy over my shoulder.

  “I called you that for years. Do you mind?” She looked worried all the sudden.

  “I don’t mind at all,” I was reassuring her again. I really didn’t mind the nickname, I’ve had worse, much, much worse.

  “Well I defiantly approve.” Marsala entered the room with one giant step. He stood there looking me up and down.

  I knew what he was thinking about, because I’d had thought the same things about myself as well.

  If I was not me, I would want to ask me out. Not that I would expect me to go out with myself. And really I’d be too shy to ever ask anyway. But, it’d be nice if I said yes just once. Okay, I’m confusing myself again.

  “Sorry to interrupt. Doc wants to see you in his office Dr. Grey. He seems . . . upset. I believe he found out Kieran is . . . awake.” He held his hands out, palms up in a gesture that said sorry.

  “Shit! He wasn’t supposed to be back for another week. I have to go, can you explain it to her?” Emmy grabbed her lab coat as she rushed for the door. “You really do look great, Sis.” She
blew a kiss to me and ran out the door.

  “What’s going on?” I asked Marsala before Emmy had cleared the doors.

  “Only Dr. Gray, Tanaka, and myself know about the mind switch,” Marsala explained. “Everyone else thinks that Dr. Grey forced you out of your coma. Forcing someone out of a coma like the one Kieran was in, usually does not restore memories or personality. That is why everyone thinks you just have amnesia. Sometimes the person even comes out of it with the mind of an infant. They have to learn everything all over again. To bring back someone with psionic powers is especially dangerous. They could hurt, or even kill many people accidentally, just because they did not know how to control their abilities. That’s why it is not allowed.

  “Doc is the head of this Archive. He is Dr. Grey’s boss. He believes that she brought Kieran back from her coma without his permission, and is . . . slightly displeased. He does not like being lied to, or not informed. I do not believe he will do anything more than yell at Dr. Grey. However, he will defiantly chew her out for not getting permission first. But don’t worry, she can handle herself.

  “As for you, you get the pleasure of meeting Master Yuric today. Yuric is a special envoy sent by the Vampire Council. He is coming specifically to see you. Whatever he has to say comes directly from the Council themselves. He is a very old and powerful Master Vampire. To be polite, bow your head when you are introduced. Also, only shake hands if he initiates the handshake. Master Vampires do not always like to be touched.

  “More than likely he will bring you a gift or two. Gifts from the Council must be accepted graciously, regardless of what they are. Gifts could be anything, and I do mean anything, including the corpse of a former enemy, or the severed genitalia of an ex-lover, or you could simply receive flowers. Whatever gift he may have for you, please accept it graciously and act happy to receive it. It is a great honor to receive any gift from the Vampire Council. It is also very rude to refuse a gift. The last time I can remember anyone refusing a gift, he was tortured to death for the insult. That was centuries ago.” He was still looking at me like I was a piece of meat. Just then I realized that he was not wearing his glasses. His eyes were bright liquid gold. It was like someone had poured melted gold in his eyes to create the irises. The look fit him perfectly.

  “Sounds like I don’t have much choice.”

  “No, you don’t really. We should meet Dr. Grey at her office. Are you ready to go?” He bowed offering me his arm. It was corny, but I reached up took his arm anyway as best I could for our differences in size.

  “Yes, I think I am ready.” I sure hope I am.

  Chapter 5

  We walked down the large, well lit, octagonal corridor. Actually, I half ran while Marsala shuffled beside me. He had to duck down each time we passed under a bulkhead support. If he didn’t, he would hit his head. It was awkward, but we had a rhythm between us. I would take five steps to his one.

  A worker passed by us pulling a flatbed full of large boxes. I had to look twice, then I stopped and got down on my knees to look under the flatbed. There were no wheels. The thing just floated in midair holding up the boxes.

  What the hell is going on?

  “The Archives hold some of the most advanced technologies in the world,” Marsala explained. “That is a hovercart. It has a special engine that uses oscillating frequencies to work against gravity. It allows us to move extremely heavy loads across a variety of terrains effortlessly. There are other things in the Archives that are much more impressive. You will see them all in time.”

  He helped me back to my feet. I looked back over my shoulder at the hovercart again. Hover technology? What could possibly be more impressive than that? I felt like I was trapped in some sci-fi movie, but R2 hadn’t popped up yet with 3PO and the wookie.

  Marsala offered his arm to me again. I took it and off we went.

  “Can I ask you a personal question?” I waited for the giant to nod then asked, “Given your, uh, size . . . just exactly how do you use that tiny bathroom?”

  He laughed a roaring chuckle that vibrated through the very ground at my feet. “That bathroom is for visitors. Mine is in another room down the hall. It is more, shall we say, accommodating to one of my stature.”

  A bathroom sized for a giant? Thank god I’m not the maid!

  “Have you eaten yet? We may not have time to stop if Yuric has already arrived.” He ducked again trying not to trip me in the process.

  “No, but I can get by on a light snack, at least I think can. Is there a vending machine around here?” I had to hold on to his arm a little harder, as my balance shifted on the heels. He reached behind him with his free hand. After digging for a second he held out a ration cube to me. The small lavender cube was incredibly tiny in his oversized fingers.

  “This will last you about six hours. It could last a lot longer depending on how much, and in what ways you use your shields.” I popped the cube in my mouth. “With a normal human, one ration cube will last for a full twenty-four hours. With you it depends. It’s like you have an extremely high metabolism. Your shields draw their power from you, whether from the food you eat, or from your body itself. Your body uses every last bit of material from the foods you eat, leaving very little waste product behind. You can eat anything, and never gain a pound. However, if you do not eat regularly, you will become tired and weak.”

  We turned into a smaller hallway. Marsala was too big for us to walk side by side. Since I didn’t know where we were going, I let him lead. He had a permanent stoop to his walk now with the lower ceiling. Whenever we passed someone, they just moved to the side and let him pass. No one stared at him, no looks of shock or horror. He was just another person in the hallway. Some people even waved saying good morning. The hallway ended and split. Marsala turned down the right hall. He took a few steps, then stopped in front of the first door he came to.

  Above the touch pad was DR. AMELIA GREY in raised black letters. Marsala touched the pad activating the sliding door. I half expected him to let me in first–ladies first and all. Instead, he had to lean down and turn sideways to get through the seemingly small door. Once in, he sat by the door on the couch under the window to the hallway. He motioned me to come into the room. The room was small enough he had to be first in and last out, or else he simply did not fit.

  It reminded me of the offices my college professors had. Books and manuals stacked on shelves and in piles everywhere. Papers strung about the room like a blanket covering the mismatched furniture. Half-drunk cups of different flavors long forgotten were spread here and there amid the chaos. I’d expected the office to be neater for some reason. Marsala thumbed the door closed behind me. I stood in the center of the room not sure where to try to sit, since Marsala took up the entire couch.

  “What’s the deal with the doors in this place? Some are normal, but others do that sliding thing.”

  He let out a light chuckle. “The ‘sliding thing’ allows the doors to be pressurized and hermetically sealed in the event of an emergency. There are a number of experiments happening throughout the Archives that could be lethal if they lost containment. It’s a safety measure.”

  Well, that’s . . . oddly disturbing.

  “Marsala, why did Tanaka come to wake me up yesterday and not you?” I’d been wondering about that for a while now.

  “Dr. Grey figured that waking up in Kieran’s body would be a shock to the system. She figured that Tanaka was a better choice, in order to not traumatize you any further. I am quite unique, in case you didn’t notice.” He pointed to himself smiling. Then the smile faded, replaced by a look that was not pleasing.

  “We need to talk about something,” he said quietly.

  Oh great! In my experience, a conversation that starts like that never ends well. Usually it means I’m getting dumped again.

  “I am a liaison to the Vampire Council. I report on the happenings within the GCP to them. I answer any of their questions fully and honestly.” He seemed to be stalling. />
  “Just tell me.” I settled for leaning my hip on the edge of the desk instead of finding a seat amongst the chaos and clutter. I cradled my breasts again when I crossed my arms, still not quite sure how to keep from placing them on display when I did.

  “You have only told Amelia and myself about another power you have.” It was the first time he’d ever used Emmy’s first name. I have a bad feeling about this. “You have the ability to see without seeing. It is hard to explain. Earlier, I hid your glasses in this office. I want you to find them and put them on. The trick is I want you to do it without using your eyes.”

  I was confused, and I let it show on my face. He reached behind him pressing a button next to the window. The glass tinted and darkened instantly to a solid black. Then he turned off the lights. The room was swallowed in darkness.

  “Listen to my voice and try to imagine what I am telling you. Let your hands fall to your sides. Then feel the shields around your hands. Use your shields like a sonar, like echolocation. Expand your hands pushing your shields out, not to move an object, but rather to feel the object. Feel the room around you. Use your shields to see.” He was using that soft voice of his again.

  I did as he said, dropping my hands. The first time I tried nothing happened. No surprise there. I kept trying. On the fifth time a bubble expanded from my right hand. Inside of the bubble I could see everything on the edge of the desk as if it was bathed in a violet glow. The color reminded me of my eyes. I focused, pushing the bubble out. I could see the desk now, then the shelves, and finally Marsala sitting on the couch. He had his glasses on.

  Watching me in the dark no less!

  I had the entire office bathed in a violet light that only I could see. I slowly looked around the room. When the bubble began to fail, I closed my fist and opened it again. It threw out another bubble. Everything was brighter now. It was as if the lights had been turned back on.