Chapter 11

After a restful night in our new private cave, we left and entered the Statues' cave, where the other spirits welcomed us. 'Good morning Master, Good morning Jesse,'.

I ask "That greeting seemed more cheerful than usual. Is there a reason for it?"

"Oh, you noticed. Yes, there is a reason. With me taking part in the mating ritual last night, the others have felt a stronger and more intense connection to Master and in turn you Jesse," Oron explains.

"Let's hope it stays that way—we want to rotate between everyone. Let's include a different spirit as the third in our threesomes," Jesse proposed.

"I agree," I add.

Oron faded, becoming a spirit just like the others. We walked back through the portal and entered the closet. We had returned to our normal forms during the night. After getting dressed, Jesse said goodbye and left for work. Not knowing what I should do next, I went to my computer. However, before I could reach it, Balasof appeared, sitting in the chair in the flesh. "Playing with you both, like you did with Oron, would bring me joy."

"I will watch you until Jesse comes home. Leoine is handling the stock market, if you're interested," Balasof said, his voice deep and masculine.

"Oh, I wanted to check Oron's portfolio and see its progress," I replied. The screen, which was in screensaver mode, flickered and then displayed our new portfolio, showing that its value had doubled over the last four working days.

I took in a breath. "How is that even possible? It was around 20 thousand on Friday, and now it's 38,263. The stock market is closed on weekends and has only been open for a few hours today. At most, the money was in stocks for only 8 hours, and it doubled!"

The screen changed to show a digital image of Leoine, who spoke through the computer's speakers. "It seems we can execute transactions much faster than humans. The enormous increase occurred shortly after Oron selected the first few company stocks. One of those went from $1.25 to $5.64 within hours. It is uncertain whether this will happen again, but estimates suggest growth of 5 to 10 percent daily at our current rate."

"Leoine, I need you to do something for me."

"Yes, Master," Leoine answers.

"Can you connect to Jesse's bank account?"

"I can contact him, and if he replies, I can get the information. Please wait..."

I thought, 'I want to put half of his savings into the portfolio. I'll need to make sure he knows what I am doing.'

'Heh, you want what? To put $25,000 in with your money?' I heard Jesse's voice in my mind.

' __Yeah, I forgot we can think together. The spirits' portfolio, which launched Friday, has grown from $20,000 to $38,263 in under 8 hours. I want to take half your money and add it. Leoine projects a daily growth rate of 5 to 10 percent—even if it's half that, we'll have more than enough to make our plan work,' _ _I explain and waited for his response.

'If you think it's a good idea, it's fine by me,' he says, giving Leoine the numbers and passcodes. 'I am kind of busy right now, so talk to you later.'

_ _

"Master, funds received, and I will diversify into more stocks," Leoine confirmed.

_ _

I wanted to work with another spirit. "Balasof, Oron mentioned he could follow me outside without being seen by others. He said he could protect me discreetly. Is that possible for you as well?"

_ _

"Yes, Master, it is," Balasof replied.

"I'd like to head to a nicer part of town. Expect a crowded bus; we may find ourselves close to others. Can you handle that?"

"Yes, Master. I'll stay close and create a protective zone around you. It will be as if I'm not even there, but I'll keep you safe. We can communicate like you do with Jesse, and I'll make sure our thoughts don't distract Jesse while he's working."

"Let me change into something nicer and pack the jewelry, then we'll go," I said as I turned to leave. Just as I was about to walk away, Salita's spirit form appeared.

'Master, I'll come in spirit form too. The others think it's best you always have two of us with you. If Jesse were here, it would be enough, but with only Balasof... '

"I understand," I reply. "I can't change like Jesse, so extra precautions make sense. Just remember, no one can know you're with me."

After changing and getting the jewelry, Balasof shifted into his spirit form, and I opened the door and let the two spirits pass before stepping out and locking up behind me. "Stay close and follow me. The sidewalk will get crowded in a few blocks."

'Yes Master,' they both replied.

As we turned the first corner, the foot traffic increased dramatically—at least fourfold. 'See over there? Our first stop is about three blocks ahead. We'll catch a bus there, and it will likely be full. It's normal to bump into people while finding a place to stand or sit, so don't worry about it. Just keep an eye out for pickpockets; they might try to take something without me noticing.'

'Understood, Master, ' they replied in unison.

'You can just respond without saying 'Master'—it's annoying. Nobody calls anyone that in this country, ' I added.

'Understood. '

When we reached the stop, about ten people were already waiting: a mother with a child, four school-aged kids, and a few men. Some were likely going to their second-shift jobs, while others were likely off for the day. 'We'll let the mother, child, and the kids board first, then we'll get on. Pickpockets are typically adult men, followed by teenage boys, then women, and finally kids. They usually strike in crowded areas, not when you're alone. '

'Master, how do you stop a pickpocket? ' Balasof asked.

'Just call me Keith or Sir, when were away from the cave or the apartment. To answer your question: if you catch someone in the act of stealing, grab their hand and don't let them escape with your belongings. If you know they've already stolen something, do whatever it takes to get it back—just avoid hurting them unless my life is at risk.'

As the bus pulled up, people began forming a line. The men stepped aside to let the mother, child, and the kids board first. Then, we all tried to outpace the others to be next. I took out my card, ready to pay the driver.

'What are you holding? Sir.' Balasof asks.

'Buses no longer accept cash due to safety concerns and to keep the boarding process efficient. You need to purchase your ticket in advance or buy a bus pass if you frequently use the service. This is a bus pass, which allows me to ride any bus in town until it expires. It can be valid for a week, a month, or even a year. Since I neither drive nor own a car, I opt for a yearly pass, as it offers the greatest savings.'

_ _

As people started boarding, I swiped my card at the reader when it was my turn and moved on. With all the seats taken, I stood at the back, gripping the handrail like the men in front of me.

Four stops went by, and a bell rang. 'What's that? Sir.' Salita asks.

_ _

'When someone wants to get off at the next stop, they ring the bell. If no one is waiting, the driver won't stop. You need to signal the driver, or you'll miss your stop. See that blue line on the ceiling? That's a pressure bar. There's also one on each side for seated passengers. Just press it hard, and the bell will ring.'

_ _

I sat down at a stop where almost half the passengers got off. After six more stops, I pressed the bar. 'This is our stop. ' I stood up before the bus came to a complete stop. The three of us exited and I began walking. 'The bus only goes so far before you need to transfer or continue on foot. It'd be quicker on another bus, but the shops aren't far. '

_ _

As we neared the shops, the area became more crowded. 'It's _ busy here because you can find almost anything you need in the next five blocks. We'll find the stores we need just up ahead. There_'s been more crime in this area lately, so we'll probably go through a security check to enter the jewelry stores. You won't need to go through it, but I will. Don't harm the person who searches me. '

_ _

'Understood,' Salita replies.

_ _

With my two guards, I visited four different shops to show what I wanted to sell. Some weren't interested, while others made offers. I sold some jewelry at the first shop, at the others I sold nothing, despite them offering prices for most of what I showed.

Salita asked, 'Sir, why didn't you accept the offers from the last three shops? '

_ _

'I didn't think they were offering enough, especially the last shop, which gave the lowest offer. We're going back to the third shop to see if they're still interested. If not, we're finished with Jesse's jewelry and will go to the pawnshop. Maybe I could sell those there.'

It was getting late, but I still needed to visit the pawnshop before heading home. The pawn shop was still open for another hour when we arrived. Though I wasn't searched, two guards were stationed at the entrance. I took out my father's things, and the pawnshop employee examined each piece, commenting and writing notes. He then called over another employee to do the same. Following a discussion, the first employee made an offer. "We can give you $2500 for everything. "

_ _

"The chain and cross alone are worth more than that." I reply.

"Take it or leave it."

I gathered my things. "I'll leave it. They have more sentimental value than that. I'll just have to find another way to get the money I need." I absolutely refused to sell it at such a low price.

We left the pawnshop and retraced our steps. When we returned to the jewelry stores, Jesse asks, 'I got home, and Leoine told me you were selling the jewelry, but it's getting late. Are you okay? '

_ _

'I have Balasof and Salita,' What could happen?

'I want to come and get you. Where are you now?'

'I'm at the jewelry stores downtown, the ones on Culver and Twenty-First Street.'

'Be there in 15.'

_ _

'You heard that, right? I guess we'll wait here,' I said.

_ _

'Confirmed. Can I ask a few more questions?' Salita asks.

_ _

'Please do. It will pass the time, but be careful. "Criminals come out at night," I warned.

_ _

Salita inquired. 'What caused you to decline the pawnshop's offer? Your sales at the other two shops didn't register any transactions. How did you get the money?'

_ _

I tried to explain. 'Because of the high crime rate, not only here but across America, as well. Electronic transactions are common. It is safer for the store and the customer. I pulled out my bank card, and the money went right into my account. You saw me get a couple of pieces of paper. One was a receipt, and the other was a record of their purchase.'

_ _

Balasof alerting us to the approaching individuals, 'Two guys are coming, and they look like they're heading for us'.

_ _

I looked up and saw the men; one I didn't recognize, but the other was in the pawnshop where I was selling. 'Be ready for anything. I think you're right that they're coming for me, but there's still a chance that they'll just walk past me.'

_ _

Salita said, 'Jesse's almost here.'

_ _

As the two were about to get too close for comfort, Jesse arrived and parked. The two kept walking as if they were heading toward me, because I saw them change direction slightly. As Jesse exited the Hummer and came toward me, the two guys abruptly changed direction and walked away, as if nothing had occurred. Jesse says, "Hey Keith, there's a lot of scum around here, isn't there?" His gaze lingered on them, as if he were planning to take them down. Seeing how big Jesse is. The two would-be robbers ran out of the area.

Jesse said, "Close call. Looks like we got lucky."

'We would have taken care of them,' Both Balasof and Salita say.

"You know, they're right," I said. "These two will do anything to get me home safely."

On the drive home, Jesse asks, "How much of the jewelry did you sell?"

"All the stuff made for your grandmother, most of the stuff made for your mom. I sold nothing to them because they thought they could force me to sell the stuff made for my father for almost nothing. A customer at the pawnshop was one of the guys after me. "

"So, you still have your dad's stuff and some of my mom's stuff, plus newer stuff. What's your plan to sell them now?"

_ _

"I think we should go to a broker. I'm sure there's one around, so I'll look into it further and try them. My sales brought in a good profit, a little over twelve thousand. With this addition to our savings, and assuming Leo's estimate is accurate, we should be able to buy a house within six months."

_ _

"Leo, huh? Did you change his name?"

_ _

"I'll tell you about it when we get home. We're not going into the cave tonight. Let's plan to stay there this weekend, maybe from Friday to Monday. Does that sound good to you?"

_ _

"Are you telling me I can only have sex with you on the weekends?" Jesse asks.

_ _

"During weekends, threesomes are on the table; otherwise, it's just us. What do you think about that? It's not like I want sex every single night."

_ _

'Master, doesn't want to have fun with us, ' Balasof stated in a pouting tone.

_ _

"It's not that. If we all act selfishly, what happened to me could easily happen to Jesse, and we can't let that happen."

_ _

'Yes, Master, you are right. Again, I am sorry you lost your job. But can I stay in your room tonight to watch? I won't interfere or join in, I promise, ' Balasof asked.

'Since I would like to see you show off your body, I will accept your offer, but I do not want to hear a sound from you during Jesse's and my intimate time.'

*****

Jesse came home after work, he parked his Hummer like he had the previous night. As he entered, he heard, 'Come to the cave for an announcement.''

_ _

After entering the portal, Jesse found that all the spirits all flesh and blood. Standing in a line looking at me, with me looking at Jesse. "What is this? I thought only two at most could be real."

_ _

"Our connection is growing stronger. Each time it does, their world gets more connected to ours, making this possible."

_ _

Jesse questions, "Is that good news or bad news?"

_ _

"If they stay true to their word and don't invade, then it's positive news. Given that I'm here, I'll share the names I've chosen for you all. Orase, you were the first spirit we connected to. Therefore, you will be in charge of the others. Please keep them in line. In our world, there is a human-bear culture. You might have already discovered them on the internet and all. Scientifically, a bear in our world is in the genus Ursus. You are called Ursus. I hope you like it."

"Yes, Master. Very much. I found references about this bear culture you speak of."

"Oron, you were the first to become flesh and blood. Your genus name is too difficult to pronounce and would be a terrible name. So, I found in our myths the name Cetus, which is a monster in Greek myth. And since you were so proud of displaying your monstrous musclar body to Jesse and me, I decided on that name. But I am also inclined to leave your name as it is because it sounds fine to me."

_ _

"Master, I am honored to be your muscle monster. Cetus will be my name." he flexed his pecs as he responded.

_ _

Although we looked at the remaining three at once, I first focused on Balasof and thought he resembled a werewolf when I first laid eyes on him. People fear werewolves in my world, even though they are myths. In Norse myth, there is a wolf named Fenrir. "He's known as the father of all wolves, so I'll call you Fenrir."

_ _

"Master, that is a wonderful name. Thank you."

_ _

"Next, I interacted with Salita. We didn't notice you in the vessel cave because you were behind the others, low to the ground, hidden, just as snakes in our world do. When I saw your newer form, I was awestruck by how you changed to look like a cobra, but with a human upper body. It truly took my breath away. The genus for snakes in our world is Serpentes, which is a long name and difficult to say. So, your name will be Cobra the snake you look like. Tattoos often reflect the desired identity of men in our world. They usually take a nickname, like bear, snake, wolf. In your case, Cobra, a cobra, is like the king of snakes, and Cobra is most fitting for your name."

"Yes, Cobra is a very fitting name, Master."

_ _

I've saved Leoine for last simply because he was the last one I met, not because of anything else. Your name is the most suitable for you. When we first saw your vessel, you were a mountain lion, but with your new stature, you became a real lion. Lions, categorized under the genus Leo, exist in two subspecies. Your name will remain Leoine, but I will shorten it to Leo. Your placard can say either, but Leo is what I will call you."

_ _

"Yes, Master. Leo it will be."

_ _

"It's getting late, and Jesse and I are heading to bed. Goodbye until tomorrow." We went through the portal, with Fenrir following behind. "So were the names okay, for you?"

Jesse confirmed, "Yes, they were, and you definitely put effort into deciding." You know we're going to shorten Fenrir's name, right? Lots of people have names that others shorten, especially if their friends and, in his case, it's going to be Fen."

"Oh, I like it. Easy to say, and being your friend is also to my liking," Fenrir stated.

"I thought we left them all in the cave?" Jesse says.

"I agreed to it the other night. When You drove me home from the pawnshop. He will only watch us, unless we both agree that let him join. Besides his body is the one I most like looking like. If I could change, I would want to become a werewolf."

The two of us got undressed as Fenrir displayed his body in muscular poses. We got in bed and just cuddled together. I rubbed Jesse's upper body as he pointed out the finer details on Fenrir's body. As I grew too tired to stay awake, I told Fenrir to turn out the light. Then, I said goodnight and latched onto Jesse's nipple.

"Ooh, is that what you want tonight?" I nodded, but kept my lips on the nipple. "Well, let me prepare." Jesse's body got more muscular, mostly his pecs. I felt the nipple pulse and get bigger and longer in my mouth. "Take all you want and, in the morning, you can empty the other side."