FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 12.

Ruth and Jessica broke the kiss as they heard the ambulances engine start up with a rattle in the driveway. They looked at each other and Ruth opened his mouth to speak, but Jessica beat him to it. "You are happy love...aren't you?" She queried, watching him carefully for his reaction.

"Triplets love...how could I not be happy!" he said, kissing her again, to make his point.

"That was more than I could have hoped for love, myself. We may have to move though, much as I don't want to. We could make one of the spares into a nursery, but unless we extend we haven't enough floor space for three more bedrooms. You know how much space we take as hatchlings until we get up onto two feet!" Jessica said, ever practical even in her exhaustion.

Ruth laughed, then yawned heavily, wincing as his neck moved. "If all went well in Australia love, I think the company will want me nearer to Liverpool anyway. Fancy another project to keep you busy, or a ready to move in property?"

Jessica watched his wince, while half listening to his words in her own haze of tiredness. She reached over and peeled the bandage away from his neck wounds, and started to apply the healing saliva that they truly needed, in long sensuous licks. "Mmm, well we will wait and see, but before we decide on what to look for, we need to find out what you are offered. One thing though...Don't take London or Australia. I am a Brit through and through, but I don't want to move back within reach of my family either; that means staying out of the South east."

Ruth looked down his snout at his mates attentions, not interrupting the vocalisation of her thoughts. He knew of course of her family history...how could he forget the reaction of her parents when she took him to meet them, and showed them the rings and what they meant. The series of questions he underwent at the time made him think he was under arrest, and the look on her face as they turned their backs on them and removed her portrait from above the fireplace. Then the declaration that for mating with a common orphan, she was no longer welcome on the families properties; would stay with him for life. That was why he had kept his eye on the job positions in the north, and had moved them up here at the first opportunity.

"Don't worry love. I told Clyde in Australia that I would do set up only, if his company awarded the contract to Overland, but I wouldn't be moving over there. I know you want to stay in the UK and away from the south, so I will continue to push for replacing Felix up here in the north if all goes well," he said quietly, and shifted his hips to try and get comfy. His deflated shaft was aching something awful, and he could feel his bladder telling him that he needed to do something about it soon, before he dropped into a much needed sleep.

Jessica felt him shift under her as she continued to lick at his neck wounds, listening to his words and occasionally pausing in agreement. "You okay love?" she queried, as he was refusing to settle.

"Ahem, well you did damage something else love, and it is causing me some discomfort, also I need to go as well, which will cause me some difficulty as well I fear," he said shifting more.

Jessica sat up straight, suddenly remembering exactly what she had done. "Oh shit, I am sorry about that, your horn is badly out of shape as well. Do you want a hand with the repair on your shaft...and the other need," she queried, winking at him.

"Just get me to the en-suite, and we will see what the damage looks like first!" Ruth laughed, playfully swiping at her arm as she slid to the floor, wincing herself as she jarred her bruised back. She walked around the bed and helped him to stand as he weaved, still suffering from a lack of blood pressure.

Carefully they wobbled together into the attached bathroom, and Jessica parked Ruth in front of the appliance, leaning him against the sink for support, and watching as he winced in the effort to retrieve his hose from its home. "You want a hand love?" she asked, as it was obvious he was struggling.

"Ahem, my cavity seems to be stuck together...I don't want to wet myself internally, as my shaft is still raw... Could you try and break the seal of whatever it is... I am struggling to bend," Ruth said sheepishly, as Jessica knelt next to him.

She ran a talon gently into his slits lips, wrinkling her nose as a foul smell belched out of the cavity of stale blood, and semen. His glans tip appeared with the vacuums release, and she gently pulled his flaccid shaft free of its confines, pointing it at the bowl for him, frowning at the marred scales, that were heavily stained with blood. "Release love, and I will guide you... then we must shower you, or you will get infected. I can't heal you as you are."

Ruth almost vocalised, as he felt the warm air of the bathroom hit his damaged shaft. 'Bollocks that hurts,' he thought, as he felt Jessica gently pull it from its home, feeling as the torn and ruffled micro-dermical scales kept sticking to his contaminated skin within the his protected area. He heard her tell him to release, and he relaxed his bladder muscles, groaning as what felt like liquid fire pulsed down his tube, evacuating into the bowl under his mates steady guidance.

Jessica watched in concern as small lumps of coagulated blood spat out of his eye, with the urine, but was relieved to see that there was no fresh staining in the liquid that followed. Ruth was groaning in pain above her, and she could only imagine what it must feel like. As he sputtered to a halt, she licked at his tip with copious saliva to numb it slightly, and parted his eye to examine for damage, starting slightly at what she observed. "Ruth hold still darling please...I must get my scaling kit from the cupboard."

Ruth nodded, leaning heavily on the sink as she stood and left him unsupported for a moment, his tip was throbbing mercilessly, and it was all he could do not to bend and retract his shaft back into its housing. Jessica went behind him and opened the grooming cupboard, and pulled a little box of scale and talon files out from behind the buffing gear. She quickly selected the crimp tweezers that were normally used for fine pressure detailing from it, and returned to her knees beside the bowl, flushing the cistern to clear the waste water. She spat on his glans again, and parted his eye as he winced, and gently used the tweezers to pull the embedded piece of decorative china that was in his urethra free of his tube, making him grunt in pain, as the blood started to flow freely again. She quickly checked for more in the tube, then licked at the acid tainted blood carefully until it healed properly under her ministrations.

Ruth sighed, as the throbbing died down a little, then groaned, as the attention she was giving him started the unavoidable stiffening of his sorely abused shaft, stretching at the split and torn scales as the flesh swelled from within. Jessica quickly rolled his scale-skin roll back carefully, exposing his glans fully, and removed a further five pieces of china, including a complete hand off a decorative miniature otter, from where they had been trapped, agitating his glans within his fore sheath. She was aware of the swelling that was occurring in front of her snout of course, as she licked at the angry and salty flesh until its shades of red started to fade back to a normal colour, wincing for him as the flaking scales around her inflicted puncture wounds started to break open and bleed again.

"Ruth...try and hold off for a moment darling, I know it must be difficult, until I have cleared the dry blood off in the shower. I don't think you can afford to lose any more blood for the moment," she said standing and flicking the water on in the double booth against the wall, adjusting it until it was only at around fifty degrees Celsius, then helped him into the dragon cool flow, propping him against the wall before closing the door behind them and kneeling next to his semi erect crotch.

Ruth nodded at her quiet concern, and to his disgrace pictured Janice in his mind, which slowed if not completely put on hold his inflating shaft...There was no denying that she was a sexy bitch...but what she had done was unforgivable, and that was enough to cool his ardour for the moment.

Jessica cupped her hands around his shaft, allowing them to fill with the water, then gently massaged the damaged scales, easing at them gently as the wounds re-opened, trying to ignore the hissing Ruth was emitting from above her. As the coagulated blood was soaked away, she picked up the tweezers again, and started to pull the micro scales that were badly damaged free of the shaft gently, allowing them to wash down the drain. "Step forward please love, free of the flow for a few minutes," she said, as his shaft cleared in colour, back to it's smooth pinkie white.

Ruth complied, and the pain eased as she started to lick at the new blood that was spotting in beads from his flesh. Sighing in relief he looked down as she healed the damage she had inflicted earlier...Although it had heightened his sensations at the time, this aftermath was something he would avoid at all costs in the future. As he regained full flexibility in his scale-skin, her attentions were also activating the now unavoidable signals from his brain, and his shaft grew to full size, his balls slipping free and hanging loose in the steamy air of the enclosure.

She grinned up at him through the mist, and pushed him silently back under the spray from the head. "Well as you are now fully inverted love, I think I should finish your toilette for you before we create any more mess... then we can switch positions," she winked, and started to clean the foul slime that had congealed within his cavity off him with her fingers, as the water sluiced down him on rivulets. Then, starting her tonguing again she cleaned around the base of his shaft, tickling at his orbs, then sampling the fresh and clean saltiness that was emerging from his tip.

Despite him knowing it was a cleaning ritual, and despite the knowledge that she would be sore still, he bent slightly and tapped her on her shoulder, then slipping his hands under her wing joints, eased her upright to him in a silent kiss. Dropping one hand down he angled his straining shaft lower and found what he was feeling for with his tip, slipping it gently inside her with a single fluid glide.

Jessica moaned into his kiss, resisting the urge to bite down on his tongue as it wrestled with hers in her mouth, as she felt him glide his shaft into its second home. She winced slightly as his glans contacted her cervical wall, but he withdrew slightly as soon as he realised her discomfort. "I suppose a bit more seed won't harm the eggs love..." he breathed the words into her mouth quietly.

"No...you can baste them whenever and wherever you wish darling," she replied, equally as whispery in tone, as he started to ease into a gentle rhythm, slowly and gently pulsing within her cave, never again touching her now fully contracted cervix. The position they were in, fully upright was causing his shafts ridges to tease at her clit with each withdrawal, bringing her close again to her peak. Gently, as her breathing speed increased, she turned her head sideways, and took him into a full French kiss, as her walls started to contract.

Ruth accepted her full kiss, and he paused at three quarter depth, allowing his mates pulsing walls to ripple along his shaft, pushing him into his own ecstasy as his nuts contracted and released his seed into his heart-mates being. Maybe it was exhaustion, maybe it was the still low blood pressure that they were both suffering from, but the release for both of them was quick, and not as prolonged as usual, and they broke the kiss panting quietly, smiling into each others eyes.

Ruth slipped his healed shaft free of her, and then slowly revolved them on the floor until she was under the shower jets fully, and with a groan he slipped down to his knees, pausing to lick at the still raw wounds evident on her nipples, before placing his snout at her recently vacated spot. They were still agitated from before, that much was obvious, but apart from his oozing cream that was slowly making its way out into the central stream of water that was running from between her bosoms above, what was more obvious was the damage that he had obviously done to her lower ring with his pain play.

"Jessica darling...when was the last time you passed solids?" he asked quietly, aware that it would sound unusual to her.

"Why dear...last night...I was going to use the toilet again before we settle for sleep, as I can feel I am a little bloated," she replied, looking down at him with a puzzled expression.

"I am afraid dear that I may have done some damage in our session earlier that was not healed at the time... The wounds will have to be re-opened somehow, and that may be the best way while we are here in a sterile water environment. I can heal them then, properly..." he looked up at her quizzical face, a range of emotions gently passing across it for those that could read then to understand.

"Are you sure about that sort of play Ruth...It takes it beyond our watersports you know...I could always use a salve on myself after I finish."

"No play Jessica...just do it here and it can be shunted aside for transfer to the bowl when you are clean. You know that we can heal ourselves more effectively than any salve can. Much as I like your taste from our tainting sessions, I know that that type of play is not in my list of things to do... The rest of you tastes so much better," he replied as he looked up at her, gently tonguing at her vaginal lips as his seed was still leaking gently.

Jessica sighed, harrumphing a gust of breath into the mist above him, and nearly jumped at the curl of smoke that drifted up to the extractor fan in the ceiling. 'The idea must be getting me hot!' she thought as she made up her mind. "Lie flat on your belly then dear, and allow me to turn and hoist my tail to rest on your head. I am afraid I can't release without squatting to a certain extent. Cup your hands under me, then lay my waste aside to avoid messing the floor to much. I am fibre rich at the moment, so they should be of solid form."

Ruth flattened himself as she repositioned, but due to restricted length in the shower stall, he had to raise his own ass and tail with his legs to avoid crushing himself against the wall. The cool tiles kissed his ring, as his mates hoved into position about six inches from his snout tip. He rested on his elbows and held his cupped hands out to receive her most intimate of gifts. "You sure about this Ruth?" she queried from above, as she turned the water temperature up to eighty degrees C, to ensure complete sterility.

"Yes Jess, but please hurry, as I am a little cramped here," Jessica looked over her shoulder as she started to relax, and grinned, thinking naughtily that she should have affixed one of her suction toys to the wall, where her mates ass was now pressed. 'Well I haven't penetrated him yet with anything other than my tail...that will have to come!' she thought as she felt a bubble of gas slip free, as her waste moved to exit in this weirdly feral position she had been forced to adopt.

"Here it comes love..." she said as her bladder started to release it's contents forward into the plughole, and winced and swore under her breath as her rear gate opened fully for the first time since its damage. She could feel the skin tearing again, as her first firm log eased out...

Ruth watched her muscles moving, and sniffed as a cum scented micro-fart ruffled her rings scales as it escaped her sealed demesnes. He smiled, knowing it was what he had left behind from when he had surprised her earlier in his entrapment of her. Her ring started to expand in front of his eyes, as her first log began to ease its way out slowly into his hands. New blood and skin tears appeared with it, as she expanded with the pressure from it's size. Her bladder released and sprinkled the tiles around the plug as he watched. The log dropped free into his hands and he placed it to the side, quickly re-cupping for the three that followed in quick succession, until a much smaller round one dangled free, and a blast of much more pungent gas followed it. He snorted, and placed the last pellet with the others, then realised that for some reason he had regained a full erection again, and questioned his brain as to why. Almost, he reached for the smaller pellet, but then he felt Jessica shift above him, and she announced that, that was all.

He remained crouched on all fours as she turned into her previous position, hiding his unexpected embarrassment. She looked down at him, trying to judge what he had thought of the experience, but her ring was really stinging now, so remained silent, as he started his cleansing licks at it, after he had massaged the area clean with the near scalding water. "That is fine now Ruth, I feel much better. Come, join me for another cuddle before we clean the enclosure, and head for bed. I am almost too tired to stand."

Ruth stood sheepishly, revealing what his position had hidden, and Jessica raised an eye-ridge. "You found that erotic...yes?" she asked, surprised at her mates base reaction.

"Yes," he answered, not sure if he should look her straight in the eye.

"Then we shall experiment at a later date if you wish...when we have more room. A wet room is going to have to be first on my list for the new house. It will aid in washing the hatchlings as well," she reached down and massaged him gently until he sputtered and showered them both with the last weak offering he could produce for the time being, then let his spent shaft withdraw back into his smooth cavity, admiring the play of the water as it rippled over his still prominent belly muscles, washing the latest wasted seed down into the drains. She almost giggled at his questioning look, and the neat stack that he had made to avoid unwanted trampling a problem. She quickly ensured that his seed was free of her belly scales, then turned the water off, opening the door, and bending to scoop up the waste, dropping them into the toilet and flushing, then rinsed her hands under the tap.

"Come, let us dry off, then go to bed. You may end up in work tomorrow, and it is after midnight now...we both need to recuperate..."

Ruth stepped clear of the enclosure, and reached for the fluffy towel she handed him, and started wiping himself dry, playing close attention to his cavity as well. The hot water had done a wonderful job of relieving some of the stiffness from his bruised muscles. He yawned heavily and followed Jessica into the bedroom, before collapsing onto the sheets next to her. She nuzzled her snout into his neck, and he gently placed a hand on her belly as they drifted off into an exhausted sleep...

****

'B...B...BE...BEE...BEEP! B...B...BE...BEE...BEEP! B...B...BE...BEE...BEEP!'

Felix groaned heavily, and rolled over bleary eyed, causing his mate, Charity, to mutter imprecations under her breath at him, as he batted around on the side table for his phone, that was telling him there was a message waiting.

'B...B...BE...BEE'

'Smack!'

He hit the button finally silencing it, and slowly focused his feline eyes on the clock. "Fucking six am!. Who the fuck is messaging me at this time?" he muttered, as he reached for his glasses case. Charity turned away from him, and tried to ignore his swearing. She did not approve, but had learnt in their thirty nine years of partnership, to put up with the early morning disturbances.

Felix placed his glasses on his long nose, then hooked them around his tufted ears, and picked up the phone, opening the email with a grunt. "Ha!" he exclaimed triumphantly. "The bloody boy did it...he got the contract!"

"What contract dear...and who?" Charity asked, giving up and turning over to look up at her Abyssinian mate, who was still reading the rest of the details included on the file.

"What...Oh Ruth. I sent him to Australia a few days ago to try and nail a tasty contract for us here concerning the northern office. Head office requested him...You know that dear I told you at the time, as I was going to have to break into his holiday..." he paused as she interjected.

"You didn't tell me dear...I remember his name coming up, but it was something to do with Jones and a rabbit I think," she sighed, thinking of all the other things he assumed she knew.

"Oh...well anyway. I sent Ruth to Australia, after head office wanted him to go. It's over a merger contract and exchange of services...big thing for our office if he gets it, and it will mean he comes on board to work and train as my replacement when I retire next year. Jones is too stuck in his ways, and will just carry on as the jack of all trades, covering where he is needed. Well anyway, the buggers done me proud, and nailed it! Two hundred and fifty million in revenue for the company minimum. Good job I am on final salary and not aggregate pension love...we can move to Spain now if you want when I hang up my jacket for the last time next year!"

Charity smiled up at her mate, stretching languorously, slipping the duvet down to expose her trim, figure hugging night dress. Her mind was running though the figures that she assumed her mate was going to get as the office manager that would be handling the volume of work...£100k plus rolled past the inside of eyelids, and she purred loudly, attracting his attention.

Felix looked down at his Persian mate, a sudden worried look phasing across his face. "Er dear...it's summer, so I know it can't be Christmas...I haven't forgotten our birthday's again have I?" he queried, knowing that for the last few years since they had both turned fifty five, what she was doing had been for special occasions only...

"I think a promotion and salary increase counts as special my love...Don't you?" she slipped down the bed, peeling the nightdress off over her head. Boy was she proud that she had regained and held her figure after the kittens had been born, and left the house.

Felix gulped, but couldn't ignore the swelling that was being elicited from his sheath, and started to unbutton his pajama pants, placing the phone back on the table. "Ahem...I have to be in London for thirteen hundred dear, and so does Ruth. They have booked us in at the Draheal heights plaza, for a couple of nights... We are to bring our mates, as it looks like it will be at least Wednesday before we will be home... I suppose that I have time though before I let Ruth know, he must be terribly jet-lagged."

Charity looked up at him coquettishly, lying on her back with her arms and hands curled over in a submissive position, as he slipped his pants off, discarding them to the floor in a heap. He straddled her stomach, and bent for a kiss, before positioning his spiky tipped seven inches at her entrance, purring though their locked lips, as he slipped it smoothly in. "That does feel good again love...maybe we can do this again, while the bed linen isn't mine to wash..." she whispered winking, then groaned as he started his gentle rhythm, his purr joining with hers in a harmony that only a long time feline mate-hood could form...

****

'Bbbrrbbrrbbrr'

Something was nibbling at the corners of Ruth's consciousness...He couldn't put his finger on what it was, but it was enough to start his mind into a cycle of awakening. He cracked his eyes, but the drawn curtains were not admitting any sunlight, as the sky was overcast this morning. He shifted slightly, smiling as he realised that Jessica was still breathing heavily, head rested on his neck, each warm gust ruffling his scales under his chin. His hand was still resting on her belly...and all was right with his world.

'bbrrbbrrbbrr'

There it was again...'What the hell is it', he thought, and glanced at the clock on the dresser, as Jessica started to stir, and nibbled at his chin horn in play. It read eight am. "Jess love...can you hear something?" he asked quietly, tilting his head, and pecking her on the nose horn with a kiss.

'bbrrbbrrbbrr'

Jessica cocked her head for a second, then sighed. "Your phone love...It's still in my pouch somewhere downstairs...someone must want you dear," she shuffled up slightly and took him into a proper kiss.

The house phone, mounted on an extension on the wall next to the bed started to ring then, and Ruth cursed quietly, as he broke the kiss and reached for it... "Hello?" he answered.

Jessica grumbled as he broke the kiss, then grinned and slid down his chest to deal with the problem that he always suffered from in a morning...today was no exception! She started to lick and tease at his erection, as he answered the phone, deliberately playing sensuously at his glans...

"Hello Ruth...It's Felix. Been trying your mobile, but to no avail, so I rang your home number... Not interrupting anything, am I?" He asked.

"Harrumph!" Ruth groaned, trying to concentrate on his boss, half heartedly swatting at Jessica, as she ducked and swallowed his cock.

"Ruth?...You alright?" Felix asked, as Jessica stifled a giggle, tickling at his glans with her vocal cords.

"Y...Yes Felix...Just woken up...S...Still tired from the fllllliiiiiiiiiggggggghtttt!!!" he tensed, struggling to speak, as Jessica started spiraling his shaft with her tongue.

"Hmmmph, you sure? Anyway, go grab a shower and pack yourself and Jessica a suitcase. You got the Aussie contract, and the company want you and I in London by thirteen hundred...They booked us into the Draheal, so I am to bring Charity, and you Jessica, as they anticipate us being in the capital for a few days at least."

Ruth gave in, and groaned as he blew his load down Jessica's throat, muffling the phones microphone as he did.

"Ruth?"

"Y...Yeeeesss Feeeeeleliiiiixx! Thirteen hundred..." Ruth gasped, as he glanced at the clock again. "Felix, can you stall them until fifteen hundred mate... I can't fly at the moment, I was injured. We haven't got a car, so will have to come by train. It will give me time to check in and get Jessica settled with Charity before the meeting that way."

"Injured...you sure you are alright?" Felix asked concerned.

"Yes...yes, just bruises and a busted horn...Jess is just massaging meeeeeee!" he squealed as she nipped at his deflating cock in retaliation for calling her attentions a massage!

Felix shook his head on the other end of the phone. "Very well, I will stall them...you have just doubled the companies turn over after all. Get you arse to H.O. as soon as you can, and I will see you there. Charity will wait in the lobby for you and Jess at the Draheal. Amy can cover for you, as Jones is covering me... Can she cope?"

"Yes...but she will just take messages...Tell her to message me if something urgent comes up." Ruth shoved Jessica off the end of the bed with his feet when her teeth were clear, causing her to squeal in indignation.

"Ruth are you sure you are alright? I am hearing some funny noises..." Felix queried again.

"Yes Felix fine, Jessica just dropped something on the floor. Now I will see you at around fifteen hundred...goodbye!" He hung the phone up, and braced himself as Jessica launched herself off the carpet, landing on his chest heavily and pinning him to the pillows.

"Now what was that about? Can't they leave you alone for even one day?" she asked, forestalling his answer with another ardent kiss.

"Jessica...I got the bloody contract...We have got to be in London in six hours!" he said between their locked lips, tickling her under her breasts until she released him.

Jessica sat up, "We?"

"Yes we. Felix and I...and you and Charity are coming along for the ride. They have booked us into the Draheal, as we will be down there for a few days for conference."

Jessica beamed, and glancing at the clock, reached a hand under her belly, slipped it into his cavity to chase his freshly spent shaft. "Then we have time for a quickie love..." she started to massage, and smiled as he responded in the only way his body could.

Ruth grinned at her, and shuffled her down, allowing his emerging glans to slide straight into Jessica's waiting cave, before starting a gentle rocking motion with her. "I will have to save some for later love...at the hotel!"

Jessica bent and kissed him again, and started panting, as his ridges started to work their magic on her...

****

One hour later they emerged from the en-suite, after Jessica had salvaged and filed into shape what she could of his damaged head horn. They had showered fully then, cleaning all trace of the mornings play, and the filings away down the drain. "Go get some breakfast on love, while I pack us a few days formal dress in the cases. I will reserve us some first class seats on the train as well," Jessica said, as she stepped into a thong.

Ruth nodded, and left the room naked, strolling down the stairs. He was still a little stiff in his muscles, but nothing that was calling for his attention at the moment. Walking into the kitchen, he looked morosely in the fridge, and then quickly scanned the contents of the cupboards, deciding that nothing would really work as a meal to start what would be a long day. He called up the stairs to Jessica. "Erm, Jessica...we haven't got anything in."

He heard Jessica curse, "Erm, I was going to do a restock yesterday dear, but things kind of distracted me...We will grab a sub on the way to the station. Come back up and get dressed, I will order a cab."

Ruth smiled to himself, and grabbed his luggage case from the foot of the stairs where it had been discarded, then grabbing Jessica's pouch, he rejoined his mate in the suite. "You had better get the glazier to come while we are away, and replace the busted pane at the front. The mess will have to wait."

Jessica nodded, and dialled for a cab ordering it to arrive in fifteen minutes. She then dialled up the local directory, and selected the first glazier that was suggested. Ruth stood admiring the play of the early sunlight that was now breaking through the cloud cover, where it caught her across her exposed scales. She had chosen to wear a semi formal, half length summer dress. It was a light flower pattern, that accentuated her curves, but was totally unsuitable for flying...but then again neither of them would be doing any of that for a few days at least!

He went to the wardrobe, and selected a formal black, scale tight tailored suit, and a crisply pressed, pale pink shirt. He fetched an azure blue tie from the drawer that matched his eyes, to complete the look. Jessica turned and looked him over, then walked over and straightened his tie, planting a kiss on his snout with a curl of her lip. "You look great love...that should impress the bigwigs down in London. I will pack up a few semi-formal changes for you and me, so we can dine out while we are at the companies leisure," she said, kissing him again, and eased past him to raid his wardrobe. Her case was already packed on the bed. "Ruth darling, empty your case out will you, so I can repack."

Ruth tipped the case out onto the bed, and shovelled his dirty clothes and linen suit into the laundry basket...then surreptitiously slipped round to Jessica's side of the bed, and collected her holiday clothes from the floor, and popped them in as well before she turned around. Jessica looked at him quizzically, but didn't say anything when she observed him hastening the remake the rumpled sheets on the bed. She knew what he had done, and it was just one of the other things she loved about him. Although she did the washing/ironing and cleaning, being the housewife... She was very much a floor to washer direct, type of person in the private rooms. She would never complain though about a tidy mate though! She smiled as the crunch of gravel sounded outside on the drive, followed by a horn. "Taxi's here love. I will be a few minutes, so can you go tell him to wait for a few minutes please."

Ruth nodded, and finished folding the sheets on the bed back neatly, then left the room as Jessica neatly folded a few changes of clothes for him into the case. "Jessica...could you put my notes and the memory cards back in on the contract...I may need them," he called back as he started descending the stairs.

"And your phone in your pouch..." Jessica's disembodied voice followed him down into the hall, as he grinned. He opened the front door, and walked out to the waiting car, and knocked on the window.

A middle aged female otter pressed the button on the winder, and the window retracted into the door. "You ready sir?" she asked politely, beaming at him through the space.

"Will be in a few minutes. My mate is just finishing the packing... We only got warned about this business trip just over an hour ago. Can we stop at the Meat-treat sandwich trailer on the way to the station, we haven't eaten yet," Ruth asked, thinking the smile on the otters face must have meant she was very attractive in her youth, she was looking a little harried though.

"No problem sir, but you don't mind if I start the meter do you? Your journey is only a short one..."

"No be my guest. I know she won't be long." The otter smiled and pressed the button on the device attached to the centre console of the car.

Ruth strolled back to the house, opening the door to be greeted by the site of Jessica struggled and cursing down the stairs with the two cases. He immediately jumped to help her, grabbing them both off her, as she thanked him, then she went to check the back door was locked as he carried them out to the waiting cab. The otter jumped out, and popped the boot, helping him secure them before opening the back doors as Jessica closed and locked the front door.

"I called next door Ruth, and gave the Oaks an accident story... They will let the glaziers in if they need access." She pinned a note on the door with a bit of blue tack, then joined him at the car pausing as she spotted the driver. "Hermione?" She asked, as she went to take her seat.

The otter looked up at her with half a grin as she took the driving seat again. "Ah...Yes Jessica...I am sorry that I didn't come to collect my order...things changed a little for me at home," she turned the key in the ignition, and the diesel rumbled into life. "I will admit to trying to shunt this job onto someone else when it came in, but I was the only one in the office."

"The order is neither here nor there. What are you doing driving a mini-cab? I thought you and Geoff were happy and secure at home... When you vanished I just thought you had gone on that long cruise you were always talking about taking," Jessica said in a concerned voice.

"Geoff was made redundant... I have had to start working while he tries for another position elsewhere. We have a couple of months leeway on the mortgage, but every penny helps, or we could lose the house. The kids haven't any spare to help at the moment with the downturn, so we are just hoping that things get better soon..." Hermione sniffed, trying to control her emotions as she was driving steadily towards town.

Jessica looked at Ruth, and nudged him. He realised what she was hinting at and asked the question she was prompting him about silently. "Ahem, Hermione. What did Geoff do?"

"Logistic controller for Stockport council's elderly transport buses," she sniffed again, glancing in the mirror at Ruth.

"For how long, and on what salary?" Ruth asked, causing her to look up sharply.

"Why?" the otter asked.

"A possibility...just that at the moment, oblige me as the mate of a friend..." Ruth wheedled gently.

"Well he started driving for them as a granny mover about eighteen years ago...worked himself up the tree, and he has been manager for three years now. He was on about sixty thousand, which was more than enough to support us both with some spare..." She blushed, her eyes flicking towards Jessica, who smiled back into the mirror.

"What happened to his job?" Ruth continued.

"Privatised... The subcontractors took all the drivers on, but binned the managers in the changeover. He got a good settlement figure, but it only covered the cost of the cruise and the credit cards. We had made a none refundable deposit of four thousand on that, so we are still going to sail in a weeks time. I just hope we still have a house to come back to."

"Pension?"

"Not for another eleven years, then if the bastards down in London don't wreck the pot he should be final salary!" Hermione, slowed and pulled up outside the breakfast trailer.

"You stay and talk with her Ruth...Full Monty do for you?" Jessica said as she opened the cars door.

"At the hotel later love...not in town!" Ruth quipped, as she took a swipe at him before stepping out. A smile broke through on Hermione's face, like a sunbeam after a storm, at the byplay.

Ruth turned back to the otter. "Look I can't promise anything, but if your husband is willing to switch to inanimate transport, and the meeting I am heading for goes well in London, Overland will have to recruit a replacement for me in around six weeks or so. I don't know of anyone in my office with the experience, as I don't have a deputy, but I will have a word with Felix at area, and put a word in. I am guessing that from the cost the cruise is a long one..."

Hermione started tearing up again, grasping at the hope of salvation... "Seven weeks Mr Ruatha...and thank you...thank you..."

"Thank me if it happens, but keep looking for the moment. It will be a twenty percent pay increase as well assuming he does get my job. I will be moving to the regional office, to train as Felix's replacement."

Jessica stepped back into the car then, and handed a huge sub to Ruth, taking a bite out of hers as well. Hermione was teary, but smiling, so she knew that the talk had been positive. "We have to catch the ten fifteen Hermione, so we are up against it...I gave your order away to another anyway, but I will see if I can get you another on the house before you sail...Seven weeks together alone means you will have plenty of time to play, just don't tell the others," Jessica said grinning as she daintily tried to clear the sauce that was trying to drip on her summer dress.

Ruth lent across and licked at the errant drip, grinning as Hermione pulled off away from the curb, not able to respond yet to Jessica's offer. "T...Thank you Jessica...Ruth...I will try and call in on Friday." She glanced at the dash clock, which read ten oh one, and naughtily stamped on the accelerator to side take a learner who had stalled at the lights with a grin, then pulled up outside the station with five minutes to spare.

Ruth and Jessica cleaned each other as they finished the subs, and then stepped out onto the rank, as Hermione hurried to pop the boot for the cases again, handing them to the dragons. Jessica reached for her pouch, but Hermione stopped her... "For the hope and the gift, the trip is on me...it was only £20 anyway. The toy is ten times that, and you have already given mine away!"

Jessica nodded, and pecked the Hermione on the nose, "You will have to tell me if it works as well... I want to train Ruth that way soon as well. We are going to start swinging as soon as the eggs are settled to grow."

Ruth glanced at Jessica with a query in his eyes, but she shook her head, indicating with body language that she would tell him later what she had in mind. Hermione looked up in shock. "Pregnant?" she queried.

"Triplets," Ruth answered proudly, "but only just fertilised..."

A train squealed to a halt in the station behind them, and Jessica glanced at the clock on the wall. "That's ours...Come on or we will miss it," she started to head to the collect booth for the tickets, and Ruth picked up his case.

Hermione took advantage of him bending down and kissed him on the snout. "I will look forward to instructing you as well Ruth, if everything turns out well," she whispered and winked, smoothing her blouse flat, showing that although she had spread a little with age, she still had the underlying litheness of an otter, just with a little additional padding. She then jumped back in the cab before he could answer, patting his smooth ass through his trousers as she shut the door.

Ruth shook his head, and joined Jessica in the rush for the train. "What were you two on about?" He asked as they jumped onto the carriage as the doors hissed closed.

"You will find out soon enough love...Something new for you that came to me last night in the shower," Jess said, as she found the seats, the whistle blowing out the all clear from outside as the train started moving.

Ruth looked at her for a clue, but she studiously ignored him. There was no way the otter was talking about scat play, so what was she on about? He shook his head, and put the cases in the rack by the carriage door, then joined her in the first class seat. "This is the direct, so we should be in London in less than three hours with luck," Jess said as he settled, and pulled out a electronic reader from her pouch, opening a book file.

Ruth sighed, retrieving his phone, noting it's battery was flat, so he docked it on the tables port for charging. He yawned and lent back closing his eyes to fight the jet-lag tiredness that was starting to engulf him. He had never been able to read on the move, due to motion sickness anyway... He hadn't noticed it while on the plane due to no reference points for some reason. Closing his eyes, he started to snore gently.

Jessica glanced up at him with a smile as his snore rippled out of his nostrils, and gently pecked him on the cheek without disturbing him, before returning to her electronic novel with a gentle shake of her head... 'If only he knew what I was reading about,' she thought, as she resumed at a passage that included an interaction between a female dolphin and a tiger...

****

Felix pulled up into the valet parking bay of the Draheal, and waited as the uniformed pole-cat opened the doors for Charity first, then him. The wolfhound bell hop loped down the steps and loomed over them all, as he approached the cars boot for the luggage. Felix flicked the remote, and the tail opened for the dog to retrieve the cases. Felix glanced at the dash clock before stepping out with a stretch. Four and a half hours with the traffic they had hit, but he still had thirty minutes before he was due at headquarters. "Park her up for me would you, but could you hail a cab. Just going to get my mate settled in the room, then I must be at the city airport business park by thirteen hundred," he directed the pole cat as he replaced Felix at the drivers seat.

"No problems sir...one will be waiting in ten minutes." The boot lid thumped down and the wolfhound started up the stairs to the lobby reception with their cases. Felix pulled a fiver out of his wallet, and passed it through the window to the polecat with a thanks, then followed Charity up to check in.

"F and C Yucsum. You should have a reservation made earlier for us by Overland..." he said, to the echidna, who was sitting in the receptionist chair.

She paused, "Spelling sir?" she queried politely.

" Y U C S U M," Felix said sighing, knowing that retaining his breeds original Yemanese surname always caused him problems in England, despite the fact that none of his ancestors had lived over there for nearly three hundred years!

"Ah, I have you sir...you are in in the silver suite on the thirty second floor...It says here that you are expected to arrive with a Mr and Mrs R. Ruatha as well..."

"Yes. They are dragons, and are running a little late on the train...One of them has an injured wing, so they couldn't fly down. My mate Charity will be awaiting them in the bar when they arrive in an hour or so. Mr Ruatha will need a cab immediately to follow me to the airport as well." Felix said, impressed that the company had booked a suite for him...and not a cheap one at that!

"Very well sir, I will book them in now sir, and get the concierge to pass them the key directly when they arrive...they are in the gold suite opposite yours..."

Felix looked down his elegant nose at the receptionist... "The gold suite? Are you sure that our rooms have not been mixed up?" he asked, slightly confused.

The receptionist looked at the screen again. "Yes... Mr Ruatha and his mate have been assigned the gold suite, at the booking agents request... The only real difference between the two is the decoration, and the fact the the gold suite overlooks the river, rather than the city. Do you want to request a different suite on another floor?" the echidna asked politely.

Felix shook his head, grinning internally at the minor snub that H.O. had given him, but pleased that Ruth should have been given the better location...after all he was the one that won the contract. "No that's fine...just unexpected..." His phone started buzzing, and he picked up the message. "Ah, Mr Ruatha is just pulling into Euston, they should be here in about forty five minutes."

He turned to Charity, and handed her the suites swipe card. "Go and get yourself settled in dear and unpacked, I really must get to the H.O and explain Ruth's delay. I will message him to say that you will meet Jessica in the bar at three. I am afraid I have no idea when we will be back today, so if we haven't shown by seven, I suggest you eat with her, and we will grab something at the office."

"Very well dear, I will see you later then," Charity kissed him gently, and turned to follow the wolfhound who had been waiting patiently with the cases next to the lifts.

Felix followed her, then slipped a tenner to the dog with the instructions to make sure that she was settled comfortably before he left the suite.

"Thank you sir, I assure you I will," he tilted his cap with a free hand, then picked the cases up effortlessly as the lift chimed its arrival.

Felix nodded, then rejoined the polecat at the front entrance, where he was holding a cab for him. "Thank you," he said, stepping into the open door, then turned to the driver. "Overland, head office please at the airport business park," he glanced at the dash clock which was reading twelve forty seven. "Double your fare if you get me there for thirteen hundred."

The grizzled looking beaver behind the wheel, with one of his buck teeth missing smiled into the mirror. "I will do my best sir...I will do my best!" Then pulled into the traffic flow without looking, causing a lot of annoyed hooting and a few screeches of brakes. Felix smiled, and gently grabbed hold of the luggage handle as surreptitiously as possible!

****

Jessica looked up from her reader as the train slowed for the third time. The intercom chimed to announce the imminent arrival at Euston. Ruth snorted, and she gently kissed him until his eyes cracked open with a gentle smile forming on his lips. "Nearly there love..." she whispered as he turned to take her lips into a full kiss.

He broke the kiss, licking at her snout tip gently while grumbling. "I had better let Felix know our eta," he reached for his phone, noting the time before typing a quick email off and pressing send. Turning again, he stretched in the seat, and reengaged Jessica in another longer kiss, as the metal on metal squeal of the trains brakes sounded through the carriage.

The phone vibrated, and he was forced to withdraw again to read the incoming message. "Ah, we are already checked into the suite next to Felix and Charity. As soon as we get to the Draheal, I am to follow him to the H.O. Charity is meeting you in the bar at three."

"Sounds good love. What should I be looking out for...I have not met Charity yet."

Ruth thought for a second. "She is a Persian, we did bump into them a few years ago at that fundraiser...you know Felix of course."

"That was his mate? I thought she was a secretary or something...she seemed rather to hang around in his shadow."

"Yes, she is rather shy in public, but has been told to watch out for you. Be gentle with her please. They have been mated for over thirty nine years, and she has been rather sheltered from what I can gather on the office grapevine. Not the usual type of housewife that you deal with..." he grinned at her as the train juddered to a halt at the platform.

Jessica mock slapped him, grinning back. "I find that it is the quiet ones that you have to look out for...I will be gentle though," she kissed him again as he stood to collect the cases.

They disembarked and went to the rank to grab a taxi. "Draheal heights hotel please," he asked the tall rat who had opened the luggage rack on seeing them approach his car.

The cabbie looked up at them, "No problem sir...about forty five minutes though at this time of the day."

"That's fine, I was anticipating that. When we get there can you hold on the meter, while I get get my mate settled in. I need to get to Overlands offices on the airport business park as soon possible."

"Will do sir...I will try and get you there as fast as I can." The cab puffed a large cloud of diesel smoke out behind it with a rattle as it pulled away from the curb. Ruth sat back, and Jessica lent against him. It had been nearly seven years since she had visited the capital. Sighing, she hoped that none of her extended family recognised her after all this time...after all, it was where they came for work and leisure...

Despite heavy traffic, the rat knew his way around the worst of the jams, and they arrived at the Draheal in forty minutes. He jumped out and opened the tail slide of the cab as the valet opened the doors to Ruth and Jessica. The wolfhound loped down the steps to retrieve the cases, raising his cap as he acknowledged the two dragons as they emerged. "Ah Mr and Mrs Ruatha I presume, I have your suites cardkey already, and will take you straight up."

Ruth nodded his thanks as he stood up straight. "What suite are we in?" he asked.

"Gold suite sir, on the thirty second floor," the wolfhound replied, hefting the cases easily as they were passed to him by the rat.

"That sounds fine. Jessica will come up with you now, but I will join her later. I must get to the meeting as soon as I can. I am an hour later than I would like to be already." He turned and kissed Jessica, ignoring the public aspect of the gesture. "I will see you later dear...I got the impression that we may be late, so just eat with Charity if we don't re-appear. We will join you in the bar later."

Jessica pinched his ass through his suit with a grin. "Don't be to late darling...I intend on making this a continuation of our holiday nights."

He grinned back, but caught sight of a well dressed brown dragon looking at them, before it turned and walked away quickly, realising he had been spotted. "Ahem, who is that?" he asked the polecat who was still holding the cab door open for him, gesturing at the retreating draconic figure.

The pole cat glanced up as the strange dragon turned the corner. Jessica also followed Ruth's gaze. "I don't know sir...I have seen him around before, but he has never stayed as a guest. I see him at some of the functions though mixing with the others business people in the rooms."

"I was just wondering why he was interested in us...probably nothing. Right I am going to be even later," Ruth reseated himself in the cab. "I will see you later love."

Jessica looked distracted, but kissed him again through the window, before turning and following the waiting wolfhound. The cab pulled away from the curb with a rattle and a cough.

As she reached the lobby she turned.and beckoned to the polecat. "If he shows up again...don't give him our names...I have a feeling he will ask. Also spread it amongst the others that should any strange dragons show up instead of him, I want to know about it. Twenty quid for each of you on the doors here if we go undisturbed...and don't mention it to my mate either."

"Ahem...you are not wanted for anything are you ma'am...we have a reputation to uphold here at the Draheal..." the wolfhound said, as he had paused with her by the door.

"No... I was born a member and heir to the Giles family... But when I mated with Ruth over ten years ago, they disinherited me as he is a commoner. I just don't want to get tied up with them again now I am back in the capital. I didn't recognise that strange dragon, but my cousins are all younger than me and not fully mature when the rift occurred," she said flatly, looking around again for observers. "As you can gather my mates colour is rather unique, and with me being a full emerald, we don't exactly blend in."

"Ah, well in that case we will deflect queries if we can... However we can't stop foot traffic from the street. We will let you know if someone asks directly." The polecat said, and the wolfhound nodded.

"Well that is all I can ask," Jessica looked up at the lobby clock which read twenty to three. "Come on, lets get me into the suite, I have a Persian to meet in twenty minutes in the bar."

The wolfhound nodded, and led her across the marble floor to the lifts.

The lift opened onto a hallway carpeted with a plush red Wilton carpet, interwoven with gold and silver ribbons. Only two heavy wooden doors opened off it, one with an embossed silver plaque and one with a gold. Jessica whistled under her breath, as the wolfhound placed a scan card against the gold plaque, and a beep sounded as the door swung open under it's own power to reveal a tiled anti-chamber, the size of their bedroom suite at home. She turned to the wolfhound, "How much does this suite cost a night? It has been a long, long time time, since before I met Ruth that I have stayed in anything like this..."

The wolfhound grinned at her, "You should see the presidential on the floor above! This one is £1200 a night...the silver opposite £1000. Someone must think that your mate and his colleague are important."

Jessica whistled again, but then giggled as he completed the sentence. "Ha, Felix is Ruth's boss at the moment, but Ruth just won a major contract for the company they both work for. Now then, you had better show me what is where in here."

The wolfhound grinned toothily, moving out of the anti-chamber into the main lounge which had two further doors opening off it. The decoration was something to behold...if a little on the strong side, being in deep reds and gold. One wall of the lounge was a long full height window, with extended views down the Thames, taking in the London eye, Battersea, and of course The Houses of Parliament and Tower bridge. The reinforced plate glass was polished so clear that it looked as if she could step straight through into a launch glide. A small bar was wrapped around a corner of the room that appeared to be fully stocked.

The three, four-seater sofas were upholstered in red leather and arranged in a horseshoe, with a deep gold embroidered rug on the tiled floor under a solid mahogany coffee table in the middle. A fifty two inch flat screen was mounted on the wall along with a state of the art surround sound system. The wolfhound moved across the lounge and opened the door on the wall opposite, revealing the bedroom suite. The bed was enormous circular affair at least fifteen feet in diameter, and was piled high with heavily stuffed and brocaded pillows and cushions. There was no window, but recessed up-lighters warmed the red and gold room with a soft, but muted light. A forty two inch T.V. was mounted on the wall opposite as well. The wolfhound clapped once, and two spots in the wall behind the bed sprung into life for reading purposes. He clapped twice, and all the lights in the room dimmed to nothing slowly, until just the regulation emergency one glowed gently above the doorway.

Clapping a third time, the lights came up again, and he set the cases next to the built in wardrobes, then grinned as he slid the end robe open, to reveal a concealed door to the en-suite, which was a marble tiled shower room with bidet, marble dressing table, six foot mirror, toilet, and a full set of chrome nozzles poking from the two walls in the corner, underneath a fourteen inch square shower head. He pointed out the controls on the wall next to the doorway, suggesting that they just experiment until they found a setting to suit. Jessica nodded with a grin, and followed him back into the lounge, where he opened the other doorway, which revealed a second much larger wet-room, the main difference being the eleven foot long built in whirlpool bath, that was built into the wall and floor on one side. The wall opposite was a continuation of the sheet glass and view on two sides, wrapping around the corner of the building. The wolfhound winked, "The glass here and in the lounge is one way reflective, so privacy from other avians is not an issue Ma'am."

Jessica winked back, "I am thinking that the bath is big enough for more than one...so that could be useful."

The wolfhound tilted his head to one side in agreement. He left the bathroom with Jessica in tow, returning to the anti-chamber. "The phone and wireless net points are included in the service charge, however the room service and bar is chargeable. There are currently one hundred and twelve free channels available on the T.V, and eight mixed species pay per view...Including dragons, if you catch my drift."

Jessica grinned at him, and reached for her pouch. "We have never been a couple who are into that type of thing, so I doubt that that service will be required, however I shall bear it in mind." She handed a ten pound note to the politely waiting dog. "Remember, please do not reveal who we are to any querants, and I will ensure you are not forgotten when we check out. Let me know discreetly, without telling Ruth if any should materialise though. Our privacy is important to me, especially where my estranged family is concerned."

The wolfhound nodded, "Thank you Ma'am. The Draheal prides its self on being discreet in all circumstances," he tipped his hat, handed the electronic scan card to Jessica, and left the room, the door closing gently behind him.

Jessica slipped the card into her pouch, and glanced at the ornate clock on the wall above the side table. "Shit!" she cursed, as she realised she was ten minutes late, and opened the door quickly calling for the wolfhound to hold the lift, before descending to the lobby with him, and walking into the bar, scanning the patrons for a Persian. There were three, but two of which were definitely a young couple. The third, who was sat in a corner sofa next to the window, nursing a glass of white wine, stood as she entered, and Jessica headed over with a smile on her face to greet her.

"Hello, you must be Charity...Felix's mate. I am sorry I am late, but the tour of the suite took ages!"

Charity laughed, "It is rather overwhelming...it's bigger than half our house at home. You must be Jessica, nice to meet you. I assume that as we are both business widows for the rest of the day, and that our mates were planning on us entertaining each other for the afternoon. Show your room card at the bar and everything is half price by the way."

Jessica laughed at the affable cat's wit, and after nodding towards the barman, took a seat as he came over to take her order. "Then we will have to take advantage that then..." as the horse arrived with a note pad, and Charity laughed.

****

The cab pulled up at the H.O. building on the wharf, and Ruth paid and tipped the driver. He shook his head at the dirty, soot stained concrete and glass structure that towered six floors above him. It was just a frontage, attached to the main part of the high bay warehouse building behind it. "What a difference to Austran's," he muttered as he manually opened the doors into the beige dura-carpeted reception area.

The guinea pig receptionist looked up from filing her claws as he entered. "Ah Mr Ruatha I presume. They are waiting for you in the conference room on the forth floor." She gestured to the battered lift in the corner.

Ruth nodded, and walked over, thanking the bored girl in passing. He stepped into the lift, which stuttered and jerked with a squeak of metal on metal as it started it's assent. The baleful glare of a CCTV camera stared out of a cracked security housing in the corner. Stepping out when the doors opened, he was greeted with the sight of a white unadorned internal door in front of him, with 'Conference room' stencilled in black writing on it. Ruth sighed, and knocked before entering when a voice sounded from inside.

"Ah ha...Our employee of the year has arrived." A portly old Eagle greeted his arrival, in the room by waving a glass of amber coloured liquid towards him. "Grab a drink Ruth, and take a seat...I was sorry to here about your injury...nothing serious I hope?"

Ruth smiled, and grabbed a glass of water from a soda dispenser on the Formica covered table in the corner. "Nothing serious Mr Jupiter. I had some bad turbulence on the internal flight in Australia, and was caught standing. Just a busted horn and tail ridge, and some bruising on my wings and shoulders. Should be fine again for flight in a week or so."

"Very well...It's your brains that we need over the next few days, not your muscles anyway. Take a seat next to Felix there and we will begin."

Ruth nodded towards the other collective occupants of the room. There was one hawk who he recognised as the deputy director Graham, three plain dragons of a neutral brown colouring, a couple of well dressed dogs, and Felix, who was seated next to other head of the table...The only other empty chair. He sighed internally, realising he had been given equal status to Mr Jupiter for the purposes of the conference. He took a seat in the plastic covered directors chair, and settled himself, pulling the files out of his case and placing them on the scuffed laminate table in front of him.

"Now that you are settled, I believe you know Mr Graham. The others here are our senior shareholders or their proxies, who may ask questions, but will remain anonymous." The dragons and the dogs nodded, "Of course you know Felix from northern. Now we received notice from Australia yesterday that the contact had been awarded with a few of the stipulations that were not in the original brief. Nothing to worry about, but we would like your impressions before we sign on the dotted line ourselves on the paperwork when Austran's representative..." he shuffled a few pieces of paper in front of him for a second, "A Mr C. Everidge arrives here next week with the contract..."

Ruth coughed, and nearly spat a mouthful of water out.

"Problem Ruth?" Mr Jupiter asked, his head crest raising slightly.

"Ahem, you said that Clyde was coming over yes?"

"Yes, if that is the C in 'C Everidge.'"

"I hope he is not coming to this office then," Ruth said, staring at the Eagle and the shareholders who were looking at him funnily.

"Why, what's the problem?"

"Respectfully... it's a mess sir. The winter offices that I was received at in Cairns were modern, landscaped, marble tiled, clean, had real wood, a real bar and overlooked the coral sea. If Clyde pulls up outside here, and is welcomed as if this is the Head office of the company, he would probably turn the cab around and head back to the airport without getting out." He never broke his gaze from the eagles at any point in the declaration. Felix gently moved his chair away from Ruth's with a look of exasperation on his face, expecting a shit storm to envelop his colleague in short order!

Mr Jupiter broke his eye contact, and shook his head, turning to the shareholders who were looking a little sheepish. "You have a point Ruth. I have been trying to get the money from these guys for years to upgrade here. When I founded the company forty years ago, I built this place from scratch, and I know more than most it it doesn't reflect the companies status now. However when I needed investment to expand into the multi office operation we are now, I sold shares when the banks refused to lend. I am no longer in a position where I can suddenly spend a few million on moving us, or rebuilding here on this site."

One of the dragons who was sitting closest to Mr Jupiter cleared his throat. "Should the contract be signed, I am sure we could take a vote and release the funds for a rebuild...The companies fortunes would of course be rather improved by it." The other holders around the table nodded in agreement. "However that does not solve the immediate problem as to how we get that contract finalised."

Ruth looked at Felix and nudged him. He looked up and realised what he was being prompted about. "The northern offices may be leased, but they are modern and up to date. I am sure some furniture could be purchased, and a boardroom created out of the administration room for the purposes of welcoming Mr Everidge," he said, looking at the other occupants of the table. "For that matter Ruth's office building has that same option as well."

"Ah the northern office...that is something that will come up in the discussion anyway. It seems that the Austran have decided to shift the traffic through John Lennon, and not Manchester Airport. They have also opted for Liverpool Docks as the main point of import as well," Mr Jupiter stared at, then winked slightly at Ruth, his cere at the base of his beak curving upwards slightly, which was the closest he could come to a smile.

Ruth looked down at the table, shuffling his feet slightly. He knew that he had angled for the contract coming in through the northern office, and Mr Jupiter knew that as well! Felix was staring into the middle distance, studiously staying quiet, still not sure of rooms atmosphere.

"It seems that the northern office will need to relocate from Warrington to Liverpool or Knowsley at the very minimum when the contract goes live. I would suggest an integrated building combining the storage and offices like this one would suit... One that is built to purpose so to speak." Mr Jupiter continued, looking at the senior dragon who had spoken before.

"Why don't we relocate the Head office to north, to save the costs of two new builds..." The dragon asked.

Ruth cleared his throat again, interrupting, "With respect...the contract from Austran is for all the European traffic as well. That traffic may be landing and arriving at Liverpool, but it will still need to be routed via Felixstowe and Folkestone. The office here in London will still be needed, and it also looks better for future business if the company has a London address for correspondence."

Mr Jupiter nodded in agreement, leaving the shareholders to look at each other uncomfortably. "Well we can take a second vote on that at the next general meeting in two weeks. I suggest that as Mr Ruatha and Mr Yucsum are agreeable, you host Mr Everidge at the Warrington office for the purposes of the contract signing."

"Agreed then...I will join you up in Cheshire and get admin to send a note to Austran to route him via Manchester Airport, not Heathrow. Are either of you able to accommodate him, or should we book a room at the local Hilton for him?" The eagle said, his crest settled again.

Felix looked at Ruth with a shrug. "I only have a two bed bungalow now the kittens have gone... Have you got room Ruth, as you know him already?"

"I do have room, but due to an accident in the lounge yesterday, the house is a bit of a mess. Personally due to a change in my situation with Jessica, I would prefer it if he was accommodated at the Hilton. He is a kangaroo, and is actually taller and more powerfully built than me, Jessica is rather delicate at the moment..."

"Change in situation?" Mr Jupiter interjected.

Ruth looked a little sheepish, and cleared his throat nervously, "We are newly expecting triplets. They were only conceived yesterday," he blushed, and bowed his head as all the eyes in the room focused on him, and then the congratulations began. The senior of the dragons also shuffled through his paperwork, then smiled to himself, but Ruth didn't notice.

Mr Jupiter held up a wing to halt the back patting, "Well that explains one of the caveats that is here in the contract. Austran requested you Ruth as the Australian head of our operations, but there is a note by it that you had turned the option down with your contact due to familial issues. I gather that the children were well planned then... Anyway the amendment also says that as long as you agree to set up the offices over there, they are willing to accept a recommended alternative who is suitably trained to run the operations."

Ruth nodded, "Jessica would not countenance a foreign move, so when Clyde asked me if I would work with him, I agreed only to set up. I knew what my mate and I had agreed to...and were trying for when Felix interrupted my holiday."

"Ah yes, I apologise about that, but I considered that the most senior avian outside of my self and Lionel here," Mr. Graham nodded, "That you, with your education and record within the company were our best option. I am exceptionally pleased that we were proved right."

Ruth nodded, as the shareholders looked through the contract again. "Now, about the contract gentleman. The most obvious thing that strikes me is the move of the airfreight to Speke and not Manchester. Where did that come from?"

"I suggested it sir. I considered that the cheaper landing fees would save Austran money, and it would also enable us to build a single handling site on Merseyside for both the sea and air traffic. Road and rail links are just as strong, and it should save us money in the long run. For the short term there are several bonded warehouse options available for immediate lease in the area until suitable premises can be found or built." Ruth tapped his phone to indicate that he had researched the probabilities.

"Right, well give those files to your admin department Felix, so the enquires can be made in advance, should everything go well next week..." Ruth turned and mated his phone with Felix's quickly for the information transfer, as Mr Jupiter continued, "According to the details the airfreight would start to arrive after twelve to fourteen days...the sea freight in six to eight weeks. I would imagine a facility should take around six to eight months from planning to completion. What size had you worked out to be sufficient Ruth?"

"Assuming the closure of the Warrington site to merge with the new facility, around 220,000 square feet, in a high bay racked format, with the option to expand in the future should suffice. I would suggest that we look for around a ten hectare site with main road access at the minimum. However I would also suggest that if one can be found with rail access, it would be a benefit as well, due to a lot of the traffic being re-routed to continental Europe. The most cost effective way to move it in bulk would be via train container, for repacking at Felixstowe or Folkestone," Ruth said, looking up at the table, who's occupants were nodding in agreement.

"Now gentleman that the main aspects have been talked over. Can I suggest that we adjourn for the day for a meal? The remaining aspects to be discussed are more internal than to do with investments." Mr Jupiter said, looking around the table.

"There is one more thing that we are concerned about Mr Jupiter." The senior shareholding dragon at the table said, looking directly at Ruth.

"Go ahead then...I assume that us all meeting at the same time again, may be difficult for the next few months..." Mr Jupiter said.

"Mr Yucsum is down for retirement next year, unless he options to extend past sixty like yourself Mr Jupiter..." Felix shook his head. "Then the question of his replacement is going to be of an urgency by the time any new facility is ready to open. As you know we generally don't interfere with the companies day to day running, but you Mr Jupiter are also rapidly approaching seventy five. After today, I would be suggestive that as Mr Graham will be replacing you in a couple of years, that Mr Ruatha should replace Mr Graham. However for the time being I believe that Mr Ruatha should replace Mr Yucsum until the new operations centre is running smoothly. I would call for a vote on that now if you are happy with that?"

The eagle looked at the hawk sat next to him, who nodded. "It will piss a few of the lads off down here in London, but I can see no issues other than that," Mr Graham said quietly.

"Then take your vote... All in favour?" All the occupants of the table slid their index fingers/feathers forward. "Settled then, congratulations for a second time Ruth. We can discuss replacing you in the Cheshire south office tomorrow, but assume that with immediate effect you are to relocate to Felix's office whenever you are not in the antipodes setting up the re-training centre for Austran. That will have to be scheduled as well, as they have agreed on the concession that you asked for and are splitting the costs in extended credit for the office that we will have to establish over there."

Ruth looked at Felix, who patted him on his back with a smile. "I accept with thanks on Felix's approval...however I will have to discuss with my mate on taking the position down here in the future. Jessica has a general dislike of the south east for personal reasons, so I could only accept that, if she is agreeable."

The senior dragon stared at him again, but nodded along with Mr Jupiter. "Then we shall take our leave then for a meal. I think the company could stand a MC D's..." The dragon was punched by one of the other share holders, as everyone else grinned. "Very well, it's Monday so they should be quiet, I will see if Jool's steak house can accommodate us as a party." He picked up a phone from his pouch and dialled a number, talked for a few minutes then hung up. "They will have a table in forty minutes...As we can't all fly I suggest that a local cab company is called."

Mr Jupiter nodded, and retrieved his own phone before making a quick call. "They will be here in ten minutes with a couple of Mercedes minibuses. May I suggest Felix and Ruth that you notify your mates that you will be late to return to your hotel. My mate has learnt over the years not to expect me in, and we eat separately."

Ruth and Felix nodded in unison and sent the messages on their respective phones as the rest of the room started to pack the paperwork into their briefcases. Then they filed out and took turns in the lift to descend back down to the reception. The place was dark as it was past six, and apart from the evening sunlight filtering in through the dirty windows, no lights had been left on by the absent receptionist. The two minibuses pulled up in convoy outside, and they all boarded, with Felix ending up in the opposite bus to Ruth for the drive into the city for the meal...

****

Jessica had, had a few rounds with Charity in the bar, talking about inanities before they agreed mutually to meet again later for a meal if their mates showed up, as Jessica hadn't unpacked yet. The Persian had decided that she would investigate the shower room, as theirs was set up similarly from what she could gather. She was just about to collapse on one of the sofa's to connect to the net when the phone blurbed at her, and she opened the message that confirmed that Ruth and Felix wouldn't be joining them until later.

She pouched her phone again with a huff, considering if she should resort to a play in the shower with her toys by herself, but then thought she would knock on the suite opposites door first to find out if Charity was still feeling sociable enough to eat together. She opened her suites door, only to find Charity about to knock on the other side herself.

Jessica grinned, "I gather we both got the same message then?" She waved her phone.

Charity laughed, "Yes, but I can't see why we can't still eat together. How about we meet in around forty five minutes to give me time for that shower. Having played around did you know that those nozzles are fur dryers as well?"

Jessica laughed, "No I didn't, and forty five minutes should be fine. I will knock at seven. I was just going to place a few orders for my customers from my suppliers anyway, so we each have the time to do what we need."

"What do you do for a living? I thought you just kept house for Ruth, like I do for Felix."

Jessica looked awkward wondering after Ruth's warning if she should reveal all or not, "Well, the products that I deal with are not conventional, but I will tell you over the meal, it is a home business though, so I still keep house."

Charity questioned her with her brilliant blue eyes, but nodded as she knew that no matter how good the dryers were, her long fur would take a long time to groom straight...After all she had promised Felix some more fun later. "Okay, I look forward to you revealing the mystery then over a few more glasses of wine." She turned and waved her pass card over the suite opposites plaque, the door opening silently, then closing behind her.

Jessica shook her head before returning to the sofa in the reception area of her suite and sitting down. "Do I tell her, or do I make something up?" she muttered to herself, before opening her email app on her phone, and placing the promised order for Hermione. They were in stock at the warehouse in her size, so she should have it waiting in her drop box at the house when they got back later in the week.

She opened her private representative updates while she was on, and whistled at one of the new products. "That will do nicely for my plans with Ruth!" She exclaimed aloud, slapping her thigh, and ordered it as a sample, observing that her supplier still held the caveat that should a 'Demonstration of use,' film be supplied by the receiver, the representative would have the samples cost refunded in full. She grinned, wondering if Ruth would co-operate if she moved the camera's from the 'Try before you buy' bathroom at home, into the tiled shower enclosure in their suite.

She glanced at the gold stucco clock on the wall by the T.V. and decided she had time enough in the thirty minutes available to rinse the train and cities dirt from her scales, and to try that rather interesting shower arrangement out herself.

****

Ruth found himself sitting opposite the only talkative member of the shareholders, who although he kept looking at him directly, remained silent as he typed information into his phone. The others in his cab were the two dogs, another of the dragons and Mr Graham. They were all busy with their devices, so Ruth just sat back and watched the city streets going by. He couldn't get over the feeling though that there was something more to the dragon opposite, but he wasn't going to say anything that could effect the position that that individuals impromptu vote had put him in.

The drive look twenty five minutes, even though they were past the worst of the rush, and as they pulled up outside a well appointed restaurant frontage in Soho, Ruth grinned to himself as the overhead sign was of a dragon tearing into a rare steak with gusto. This was obviously a dragon run joint. The proprietors name was emblazoned over the doorway, but due to some bunting, all he could make out was Jools J Gi... with the remainder of the surname obscured.

As they disembarked Felix cast him a very funny look, tapping his phone, but remained silent as they were in crowded company. Ruth nodded, and he quickly reached for his to check exactly what the problem was, thinking he had missed an incoming notice from Felix, but the inbox was clear of unread messages. He looked up, and Felix shook his head, slipping a finger inside his other closed fist, winking. Ruth's heart sank, and checked his phones settings, realising that they were on general, and not specific...Every file in his device had been transferred to Felix's, and he looked up with shock on his face. Felix shook his head, but curled his lip up in a grin, nodding immediately afterward. Ruth got the distinct impression that he would have some none business questions to answer on the private ride to the hotel after the meal.

The brown dragon who had been examining Ruth's every action had observed the silent byplay, but had no reference points to base a conclusion from, so he clapped his hands to get the full groups attention, and led them in through the entrance, where a pale blue dragon in a chef's apron greeted him with enthusiasm, then led them to a table at the side of the establishment, with a waiter in tow who placed menu's in front of all of them. Ruth found himself sandwiched between Mr Jupiter and Mr Graham, while Felix was seated further down the table with the two dogs. He resigned himself to small talk for what turned out to be an excellent meal, keeping an eye on Felix, who didn't look up from his tuna steak once it had arrived.

The senior dragon looked up as everyone finished their desserts and cleared his throat. "Now gentlemen we are in Soho and the night is still young. For those that wish to, I could introduce you at my club, should you wish for any entertainment of the female type. They are very discreet."

Ruth looked up at Felix, who looked uneasy, but he was saved from embarrassment by Mr Graham who was shaking his head, and opened his beak before Ruth could speak. "I am sorry, but as has been offered before, I will decline. I value my home life to much gentleman."

Ruth took advantage of his silence, "Much as the offer is appreciated, I am afraid that I am dead on my feet. I only arrived home in the early hours yesterday and am still suffering terribly from jet-lag. Much as I appreciate the female form, I am afraid any efforts on my behalf would be wasted."

Felix raised his hand then. "And I gentlemen am to old..."

"Nonsense Felix!" Mr Jupiter exclaimed, "I am fifteen years you senior, and I am going to take advantage of the generous offer."

"With respect Mr Jupiter, the email alert telling me of this meeting woke me and my mate at six A.M this morning. Although my spirit may be willing on another day, my body is doing the same as Ruth's there and telling me no." He yawned openly to emphasise his point.

The brown dragon turned to face Ruth directly, but directed the first part of his reply to the others who had deferred. "Lionel I know of your beliefs and respect them, so I was expecting that reply. Mr Yucsum, you must meet up again with us soon, but I imagine that when I reach your age, I may not have the energy that the irrepressible Mr Jupiter here has." Felix grinned, and Mr Jupiter laughed openly at that quip. The dragon continued after Mr Jupiter had quietened a little, and Ruth who couldn't escape the gaze of the dragon thought that maybe the eagle had been drinking a little to much of the amber liquid that his glass never seemed to empty off. "Mr Ruatha, or should I say Ruth as you are now part of the senior team that the shareholders are going to be dealing with?" Ruth nodded, "Well Ruth then, I must admit that I had forgotten that you had only just got back, and if what you revealed earlier about your mate expecting as of yesterday is true...you can't have had much rest then either."

The rest of the table snorted in amusement as Ruth went red under his white scales, nodding at the male on male jibing, but accepting it silently as was only to be accepted. "As I said, I do appreciate the offer, but this time I must firmly say no."

The brown dragon hesitated, then nodded. "Very well. The bill here will be settled then and just the six of us will walk around the block. I assume that you and Felix will share a cab back to the Draheal and that you Lionel will fly home?" Lionel nodded alongside Ruth, "Well until we meet again then Ruth...maybe next time you will have more energy." The brown dragon turned to summon the waiter, who presented the bill.

Ruth and Felix stood gathering their jackets. They shook hands with Mr Jupiter, Mr Graham and the brown dragon, then left the restaurant looking around for an empty cab. Mr Graham followed them out and, and after nodding towards then, straightened his wings and launched himself into the night sky with a puff of city dust. A cab with it's light on came around the corner, and Ruth hailed it just as the rest of the group filed out noisily. Felix climbed in first, then Ruth followed him, seating himself opposite. He closed the door and instructed the cab to take them to the Draheal.

Felix looked up at Ruth the questions he was dying to ask, hanging on his lips..."The complications of an open relationship Felix..." Ruth began as the cab pulled away from the curb and Mr Jupiter waved from the pavement.

****

Jessica walked hesitantly out of the shower room, looking over her shoulder just in case it held any more surprises. She was going to have to have a word with that bloody wolfhound! She just hoped that Charity had been able to cope...the things that some of the nozzles did without warning were...strange but rather enjoyable! She just hoped they adjusted thenselves somehow to body size, or Charity would be struggling to walk!

She quickly dressed into one of her evening gowns, a pale, lemon yellow silk affair that was strapless and floated just above her ankles. No bra and the tiniest of wafer thin emerald coloured thongs completed the look. She knew full well that if a light lit her from behind she would appear naked underneath, such was the thinness of the silk. She quickly grabbed a matching yellow silk clasp purse and transferred her money, suite entry card and phone into it before checking her appearance in the mirror, and opened the suites door. It was still five minutes before she was meant to meet the Persian, so she decided to go down to the lobby.

The lift opened on the ground floor, which was much busier with a large assortment of species and couples milling around the entrance to the bar and restaurant. The wolfhound spotted her, and headed in her direction, summoning her to one side. "Ma'am, we have had three queries as to who you are. One was the brown dragon you saw outside...one a collie dog, and then a bear that tried to intimidate us. We refused to reveal each time, and all of the querants are no longer in the building. However as you can see, we are rather busy and I can't guarantee that someone will try you directly, if you return to the bar. I suggest that if you value your privacy, you return to your suite after you have eaten."

"Thank you my friend, thank you. No doubt we will be accosted at some point, but the longer it is put off, the better." She looked up as the lift chimed and Charity emerged into the lobby looking around. She was wearing a modest, shoulder covering blue dress of light cotton. Her foot paws were in matching blue slippers.

She looked around, and spotted Jessica with the wolfhound and headed over. "Young man, that was an evil trick to play on a lady!...I have a mind to report you to the manager..." she winked saucily at him to take the sting from her jibe.

The wolfhound and Jessica looked at each other..."Shower!" They said in unison, then all three of them started laughing.

Jessica patted the wolfhound on his shoulder, then gathered the still grinning cat around hers, and steered her towards the restaurants reception area. "Hungry...or do you want the light menu?" she inquired.

"I am rather hungry...I haven't eaten since breakfast. I know dragons tend to only eat twice a day, but us smaller species tend to browsing...so my stomach is running on empty."

Jessica grinned, and showed her swipe card to the Maitre-dee who was welcoming all the arrivals at the desk. "Ah...that suite has a table for six reserved at all times," He clapped his hands and a stoat waitress came over. "Gold suites table please..." He instructed, pulling two menus out from behind the desk and handing them to Jessica and Charity.

The waitress led them over to a gold decorated, mahogany table in an alcove to one side of the main dining area. The next alcove was decorated in silver, and Charity reached for her card, showing it to the demure stoat who was escorting them. "You may as well cut your waiting queue and give my table to someone else...I will be eating with Jessica here tonight."

The stoat nodded, as she pulled the chairs out from under the table for them to sit, "Thank you, I will inform the Maitre-dee. Can I get you something to drink while you peruse your choices?"

Jessica looked at Charity, trying to disguise her amusement at the false southern posh accent that the obviously Eastern European stoat was trying to imitate. "I will have a large white please..." Charity nodded, "Make that two please."

"Ah...what house would you like it from Madam?" the stoat asked.

"Well I am not eating red meat tonight are you Charity?" she shook her head. "Then ask the bar to suggest something to go with white meat or fish please." Jessica said with a smile. The stoat nodded and withdrew from the alcove to fetch the required beverages.

Jessica picked up her menu with Charity and decided on the chicken and ham broth to start, followed by the three bird roast to follow. Charity went for the salmon pate start, and breaded plaice for the main. The waitress arrived with the ordered glasses of wine and took the orders on an clean white note-pad. "Would you like a bottle to accompany the main meal?" she queried with a raised brow.

Charity looked up at Jessica who nodded in response. "Do you have a Chateau de Rayne-Vigneau 1986 in your cellars?" Jessica looked at the cat with more interest as she rolled the name off her tongue silkily.

The stoat smiled, "An excellent choice madam, I will bring it to temperature while you are eating your aperitifs," she withdrew bowing.

"I gather wine is your beverage of choice then Charity?" Jessica said.

"When we travel, Felix and I tour wine producing areas. That one is one I remember from Bordeaux... His pension is secure with the company, and since the kittens left and we downsized his salary allows us the luxury of decent vintages at our table at night. I dread to think what that is costing here, but the company are paying for the stay... I take that as including whatever we consume within reason for our meals." She sipped at her glass and smiled. "They have have a good bar-keep, this is a Chenin Blanc from South Africa, if I am not mistaken."

Jessica nodded, what she could remember about fine wines from her pre-Oxford days could be scribbled down on one of the waitress's note papers. Ruth was not a huge fan of the grape, except in distilled form, so they had never indulged in fripperies when drinking wine. They did splash out a little when buying malts though for themselves and guests. She would have to pick the Persians brains later, as she expected that she would have to be catering for more diverse house-guests in the future, now that Ruth was going to be training for the regional management.

The stoat reappeared carrying two small salvers, and placed them in front of Jessica and Charity, then withdrew after checking if all was well.

"Now Jessica, you promised me that you would tell me what you did to fill your day times, when not keeping house," Charity said as she daintily spread a smear of the pate across her french toast as she was speaking, but not breaking her gaze with the dragons.

Jessica took another sip of her wine wondering if she could deflect...but decided to risk it, rather than lie to her new friend. She took a spoon full of her steaming broth, then opened her mouth to begin... "I am the local sales representative of a company that retails, demonstrates and holds parties for the sale of devices aimed at housewives other occasional needs..."

Charity looked up from her toast, "What devices? I am surprised I have not come across you in the classifieds. I attend Tupperware and Lakeland home parties quite regularly."

"Erm, the products I sell are not used for keeping house in general...they are more along the lines of things that Ann Summer's retail..."

Charity went a funny shade of pink under her fur. "So therefore is the reason you do not advertise... Do you do much demonstrating?" She took a rather larger draft of her wine than was polite, swallowing it straight away rather than rolling it as was normal.

"I do not advertise, as the trade relies on word of mouth for most of its trade. Obviously the company I represent direct mails to households that they believe have the income to purchase such items... They are at the top of the market, and the items they manufacture can only be purchased directly from the representatives. And yes I have bi-monthly meets that I demonstrate new items in the range to prospective purchasers. For the most part though, the older products instructional videos provided by the purchasers are used...they tend to be more in depth so to speak than the ones the ones the representatives can produce...especially as the species vary so considerably in size." Jessica drained the remainder of her wine, trying to look anywhere except at the cat, then continued to spoon her broth into her mouth in the pregnant silence that had enveloped the alcove.

Charity smeared pate on her last slice of toast before resuming speaking with a totally neutral expression on her face, "I will admit that was not what I was expecting... Do you enjoy what you do?"

Jessica finished the last spoon of her broth before answering, "Yes...yes I do. I am rather highly sexed by nature, and with Ruth working long days I ended up at a party while we were still down around Oxford. I take my mating vows seriously Charity, but I needed more. When the representative who's parties I patronised learnt of my incipient move to Cheshire with Ruth, she asked if I would like to contact the head office and see of there was room for another rep. up there. It turned out there was none, and upon finding out I was a dragon and an experienced customer, they were only to delighted to sell me the franchise. We slipped some extra into our mortgage fund in the purchase of Underhill, and the rest as they say has become my life."

"Doing well?" the cat asked, still not breaking her gaze.

"Let me just say that my income maybe less than Ruth's, but it is around twice the average. When you consider that apart from paper and computer work...and research," Jessica openly blushed for the first time then. "I only only actually work two days a month, though the house has some unusually outfitted rooms which cost a pretty penny; Then yes I do more than well enough."

The stoat reappeared then with a wine waiter in tow, and cleared the table and left as the wine waiter presented the requested bottle to Charity, then poured a sample into a fresh glass for her to taste. She nodded, and the waiter bowed and poured a three quarter glass for her, and then another for Jessica, before leaving the wine in the table in a battery powered temperature controlled stainless steel bucket. The stoat waitress returned with their main courses, presenting them with a flourish, then leaving them to themselves again.

Charity looked at her plaice, then reached for and drank the freshly poured wine in one draft, then reached for and poured herself another full glass. Jessica held her tongue as the emotions that were playing across the cats face were still unreadable as she drained the second glass, before pouring herself a third, then started eating the fish with delicate bites. The one thing she could take relief from was that neither anger nor distaste were amongst them. She sampled her own glass, deciding that the taste was to her liking, then started eating her perfectly cooked slices of meat herself.

Charity paused with the fork on the way to her mouth for a second, then finished the movement smoothly, absentmindedly continuing to feed herself daintily fork by fork, bite by bite as the unexpected information Jessica had revealed, permeated her braincells like a slowly seeping flood. She knew that the kind of things that Jessica sold existed, but she had never had any need to either participate in the use of them, nor meet someone who was so obviously unaffected by the demonstration and use of them on a daily basis. She and Felix were so old fashioned in that way... Her virginity had been intact right up until the wedding night, and so as far as she knew, had his. She was beginning to wonder if she had missed something...

She realised that she was just playing with the remaining crumbs on her plate, and placed the knife and fork in the correct finished position, then reached for and drained the remainder of her wine again, before looking back up at Jessica opposite. "Do you want the remainder of the bottle?" she asked politely. Jessica shook her head, indicating that her glass was only half empty. "In that case I will finish it, as it is not suitable for desserts." She poured the remainder of the bottle into her glass, then sipped at it steadily until it was once again empty, as Jessica finished her heavier meal opposite in silence. She was developing a slight fuzz in her head from the alcohol, but was not worried as she was more than used to splitting a bottle or two between herself and Felix in a night.

The stoat rematerialised as Jessica's fork was set on her plate next to her knife. "Desserts?" she enquired. Jessica and Charity both nodded, and the waitress cleared the table, returning a few minutes later with the respective menus. "Do you have dessert wines?" Charity asked quietly as she was handed the menu.

"Yes Ma'am," the stoat replied.

"Mmm, Jessica will you be going chilled or baked with dessert?"

"Baked probably..."

"Then let's see if you have a have a Chateau Rieussec Sauternes 2005 in your cellar please. Well chilled of course. We will peruse the menu while you check if that's possible," Charity said, her voice not quite so polite in tone this time, but Jessica surreptitiously made a tipping motion with her hand out of the Persians line of sight. The stoat nodded with a smile as she noticed Jessica's signal.

"I shall check with the bar now madam," she bowed and withdrew to leave them to read the menu's. She reappeared about five minutes later and with a smile announced that they did.

Charity nodded. "I will have the Strudel. Cream not ice cream please, and make sure it is steaming. We will have the Rieussec alongside it then."

Jessica winced at the cats sudden lack of manners and the tartness of her tone, "I will have the chocolate volcano cake please, with cream as well thank you," she said politely, glancing at Charity, who seemed to still be deep in self reflection.

The stoat nodded, and withdrew again from the alcove. The wine waiter appeared with the ordered wine, beads of condensation forming on the bottles neck, and a light mist rising from the ice in the chiller bucket it was enclosed within. He reached to open it when Charity looked up at him. "Are our desserts here already?" she snapped harshly.

"Erm, no madam..."

"We only ordered them a few minutes ago, so they will be at least fifteen minutes with what the dragon ordered...Don't try and serve that wine until we are ready to consume it! Now get back to your station and take it with you until we are ready!" Her voice was raised enough that a few of the patrons out on the main dining floor, looked up at the disturbance.

The wine waiter paused for a second, then nodded, and returned the way he had come, taking the bucket with him. Jessica almost defended him, but the look on the cats face was still unreadable, so she remained silent, as she didn't want to provoke another potentially embarrassing outburst. She finished the remaining wine from her main course, waiting and hoping that Charity would break the silence.

The main waitress returned with the desserts, with the chastised wine waiter in tow. She placed the gently steaming puddings on the table, as the wine waiter popped and then poured the requisite sample for Charity, who nodded her head in silent approval after her taste, for him to complete his duty this time. They both withdrew as Charity cracked the pastry on her strudel, inhaling the scent of the spices as they rose on the draft of steam to her palette. Jessica poked the hole in the top of her cake, and smiled in childish joy as the semi-liquid chocolate bubbled out on its own accord to cover the firm, but moist sponge.

Charity took a small spoonful of the delicious dessert...a small echo of an idea forming within her feline brain. She took draft of her icy wine, then turned to face Jessica fully again. "What does Ruth think of your extra mateship activities?" she asked quietly.

"He of course knows of them, he did a fair amount of the D.I.Y. involved in retrofitting our house alongside me. We have occasionally viewed some of the demo videos together as well, though I am lucky in the respect that he needs no stimulation of the mind or body to please me whenever he is available," Jessica answered, after a thoughtful pause, allowing herself to clear her mouth of the chocolate as well.

Charity took another spoonful, then finished the wine in her glass, pouring another before she continued. "Do you play with Ruth, with your toys?" she asked quietly, sipping at the refilled glass.

Jessica did a double take, it was not the question that she was expecting next, "Erm no...he has never asked. He is quite happy with the attentions that I give him with my body for the moment, though as I become egg-bound, my drive will drop, so I am intending on training him to harness shortly."

Charity raised her eyebrow, then drained her glass again. "So while you enjoy yourself with others, he remains loyal in the relationship to you alone? What does he get out of it?" she asked sarcastically as she poured another glass from the rapidly diminishing bottle.

"Until recently, he gets as much sex as most males could want from me whenever and wherever he wishes, including any possible taboos that he can possibly think off. Myself, I have never, since the first night I met Ruth played with any other male in intercourse..."

"Until recently?" Charity interrupted.

Jessica shook her head, this was going further than she wanted, and she hoped it wasn't harming Ruth's work chances. "I opened the relationship to Ruth's options when his receptionist started causing him trouble, and actively encouraged him when he was taken from me to Australia. I was his one and only, if you catch my drift, but he was the last of a very long list for me, which I am not proud of now."

"So you encourage him to have affairs because you whored around when you were younger?" Charity asked, placing her fork down on the cleared dessert plate, then draining her glass again. She reached for the wine bottle, and tutted, as she realised only dregs were left, but she poured them anyway.

Jessica almost reached across and slapped her, but restrained herself. "Ruth does not, and will not have affairs. The only personage he has been with more than once, is Amy, and the second time was with me in a menage a troix. Now that I am pregnant we have made the decision that any future play will be as a couple only."

Charity's blue eyes looked up, but for only a few seconds, before she returned to finishing her glass, mulling over what she had learnt in the last couple of hours in her fuzzy mind. She hiccoughed, and the stoat reappeared to clear the table again. "Coffee?" the waitress enquired.

Charity looked up weaving a little in her seat, "Double espresso I think for me...I think I may have had a little to much wine," she hiccoughed again.

Jessica shook her head gently, "Just a latte-mocha please for me, then I will help her up to her suite."

The stoat nodded with a smile and left, returning a few minutes later with the required coffee's. She turned to leave, but Jessica stopped her with a query, "The bill...is it added to the room for checkout?"

"It can be Ma'am," she replied demurely.

"Then do so, but if it is not to difficult, could you split it across both tabs. I have a feeling that wine Mrs Yucsum has been ordering for us, is not the general selection." Jessica said with a grin.

The stoat grinned, "Ah yes, that should not be any trouble."

"Very well, when we have left for the suites you will find something for your patience under the cups."

The waitress smiled, and bowed. "Thank you."

Charity was staring into her cup, ignoring the conversation between her eating partner and the stoat, but she had made her decision, and she hoped that it would not offend... She also hoped the espresso would clear her mind enough to enjoy what she was going to propose later.

Jessica looked over at her silent dinner mate, and sipped gently at her mocha, awaiting the cats next move.

****

Ruth finished explaining roughly what had gone on, on his Australia trip...outside of the business of course. Felix sat silently, contemplating his junior colleague, running what he had absorbed though his mind.

"So let me get this straight," he began, as the cab rumbled away, the driver studiously ignoring them, but Ruth had a feeling he was listening carefully. "Jessica pushed you into a sexual encounter with Amy your secretary first, after you told her that you were having trouble with her at work...A situation I can well believe after Jones rang me in a panic." Ruth nodded. "Then after your holiday was interrupted, she kept pushing you via emails...which I have also read as you shunted them as well...to have more extra mate-ship sex while you were away with strangers. One of those encounters went wrong, and you are now an expectant father with a suicidal bitch in Australia who essentially raped you!"

Ruth nodded again, hanging his head to hide his shame. "Then to top it all off, you get get home, tell Jessica, she leaves you, then comes back and you destroy your house, and get her pregnant as well!" Felix was grinning now, as Ruth looked up out of the corner of his eye. "You lucky, or should I say unlucky bastard!" He finished laughing.

Ruth grinned, chuckling quietly along with his boss, as he was still unsure what Felix was getting at. "I suppose in many ways I am..." he said quietly.

"You know Ruth; Charity is my one and only. Never ever had anyone else, but up until I turned fifty, I was I'll admit tempted to sample other wares, but I never did. After that my libido and hers have slowed down to special occasions only, though I could put up with more still than her." He smiled up at him. "You have a mate that gave you free rein, and when an accident happened, had the common sense to realise that it wasn't your fault. What are you going to do now though...I have a feeling your leash has been tightened up since yesterday."

Ruth smiled, "It has and it hasn't mate. Now she is pregnant, and therefore safe from further accidents, she wants to start swinging so she gets some flesh variety again. She can also supervise in person my access, and prevent more sabotage."

The cab pulled up in the turning circle of the Draheal then, and Ruth reached for his pouch. "Ah ah Ruth, companies paying," Felix waved the company credit card at him. Ruth grinned, as it was passed to the driver, and he processed it with his mobile device. The wolfhound from earlier loped down the steps and opened the cab door for them with a bow.

"Thank you," Ruth said as he stepped out into the night air.

Felix followed him, stretching with a few clicks from his spine as his age worn cartilage popped back into position. He reached up and patted Ruth on the shoulders. "Don't worry mate...I will keep this confidential... Now I believe that as we are at the companies expense, Charity will consider this a special occasion," he winked.

Ruth laughed, and followed Felix up the steps to the foyer with the wolfhound in tow. "Ahem, sir's," the wolfhound said from behind them. They paused and turned to look at him quizzically, "Your mates are still dining, but are on the coffee's. You may wish to take a seat over there in the lounge area for them to finish..."

"Thank you for that, I believe we will," Felix said. "Could you get us a couple of coffees?"

The wolfhound nodded, and went to the reception desk as they settled into a couple of overstuffed leather sofa's. The coffees arrived a few minutes later, and they relaxed in silence waiting for the women to appear. They were just finishing, when Jessica and Charity emerged from the restaurant hand in hand, with Charity leaning slightly on Jess.

Felix jumped up to assist his mate, a concerned look on his face, and Ruth stood with a query on his face. "She's alright Felix, it was an excellent meal with excellent wine. I only had one glass from each bottle though as she was a little distracted when she asked about what I did, and my relationship with Ruth."

"Each bottle?" Felix queried.

"Two, a large house with the starter, one bottle with the main, and one with dessert...she has also just had a double espresso though."

Felix shook his head, "More than she has had for a while then. Let's get her up to the suite then and settled for the night. She will regret this tomorrow though." Jessica looked over at Ruth, and mouthed 'It's okay' to him silently as they steered the Persian gently to the lifts.

As the doors closed behind them and it started it's assent, Charity straightened. "Felix, do you love me?" she asked out of nowhere.

Felix looked shocked, "Of course I love you dear!" he assured her.

"Have you ever got bored of me, or wished for more?" she persisted.

"I have never wanted more than you my dear, you know that..."

"What about now?" she asked. Ruth and Jessica glanced at each other, politely ignoring the two older cats. She winked at him, as Felix was stuttering, wondering where the question had come from. The lift opened on suites their shared hallway.

"I...I...I," he started.

"Good...your hesitancy confirms what I thought. Felix tonight you will get what I promised...I however fancy a bit of dragon for my nightcap!" she reached a finely manicured hand out, and fondled at Ruth's pants with a giggle. "I am sure that you do to..."