A PubClub Ongoing, this "chose your own adventure"-style story is exclusive for members of my Publisher's Club--at least until it is complete and collected. Update: The story, weighing in at 12k words, is now available on itch.io! If you are a fan of Greek mythology, I hope you will enjoy this take on these two women who appear in the Odyssey.
Here is a sample for those curious. This is when Circe first starts to realize that her evening might be going in a different direction than the one she had envisioned...
Circe's roommate got up as covertly as possible and vanished out the back door to the lobby. The show continued, but she did not return after several punchlines.
Just as Circe began to worry, Kay finished their set, and the house band started to play. Deciding to look for Calypso, she got up from the table and went out to the lobby, where she caught a glimpse of her roommate headed upstairs. Circe followed her up to the mezzanine, but Calypso stopped moving just after stepping onto the landing and began to look around. Circe could not resist the opportunity and snuck up close.
"Looking for me?" she asked. The action earned her a punch to the arm as Calypso whirled around.
"Ack! Circe! No, I was looking for Daphne; she texted to say she was here."
"Why didn't she join us, then?"
"Blame my touch of theatrics," said another voice from further down the mezzanine.
When Circe turned to see who had spoken, she found herself looking a tall, slender woman whose silhouette evoked a whip-like tree swaying in the breeze. Some of her chestnut brown hair was up in braids that swept back to her neck like a tiara; the rest hung loosely past her bared, pale shoulders. Her aesthetic was very much earth tones as a mottled green button-down dress and matching calf-length boots bookended dark brown leggings.
The woman Circe knew as Daphne came over to hug Calypso and kiss her on each cheek. Her gaze was appraising as she turned to look at Circe. Her arm, however, remained around Calypso's shoulders. "It's good to see you again, Circe."
"Same." Circe waved and then found herself being hugged. Daphne, she noticed, smelled like a batch of fresh cut herbs drying in the sunshine. Her lips were soft and warm as they brushed each of Circe's cheeks. All of a sudden, memories of them dancing together rushed back to the forefront of Circe's awareness, and she could feel her face heating a little as she recalled the sensations of Daphne pressing against her. How could she have forgotten that?
Wrapping her arms around Daphne, Circe followed up the quick kisses of greeting with a deeper one of longing. From the way Daphne stiffened, she was surprised by the move. Then she laughed and returned the affection with enthusiasm. Her hands came up to cradle Circe's chin as she leaned back. Despite that, Circe kept the kiss going and yet also never felt her heels leave the floor.
Had she always been this bold? Between the kiss with Calypso on stream, and now pretty much making out in public with someone she had met twice, Circe had found a new level of giving no fucks about what other people thought of her.
Finally, they stepped apart. "Wow," Daphne whispered in her ear. "Now I really regret not giving you my number..."
"There'll be time enough for that tonight," Calypso said, rising on tiptoe to come between them. "For now, let's head back to the apartment and--"
"Why don't you two come over to my place instead?" Daphne suggested, speaking over Calypso. "I've got all this food from the last Nymph's Night In. What d'ya say?"
"Sounds good," Circe said, agreeing not because she wanted food, but because she wanted to know more about this mystery woman who seemed into her.
To Circe's surprise, Calypso also agreed. "Actually, yeah, that works out. I think I left my box of Copics at your place the last time we all hung out."
That settled, Daphne put in for a ride and the trio headed down to the lobby. Calypso and Daphne chatted about the upcoming con while they waited, which gave Circe a moment of much needed alone time.
The evening had been all over the place, and her thoughts were just as scattered. What had started as a friend date with Calypso, had become a set-up with Daphne. Why? Because, apparently, they had hit it off while she was drunk one time. Sure, but was this building towards some kind of send off? A threesome? Who knew with her roommate and her nights out.
Then there were the oddities with her height. Ever since that kiss with Daphne, it felt like each stride went further than it had before. Maybe it was just her, but it also felt like the hem of her skirt was hitting her thighs in a different place than she remembered. She wished she had time to duck into the restroom to take a look, but there was no telling when their ride would arrive.
Calypso stepped outside, and Daphne called Circe over. She put her arm around Circe's shoulder, pulling her close enough that they could whisper.
"I have to ask," she said with a slight edge to her otherwise musical voice, "are you into me or not?"
"I might be..." Circe replied with a coy pause, arching an eyebrow and crossing her arms. "The night is young and who knows what will happen?"
Interested? Check out the story on itch.io