Chapter 24

Darcy hired Trevor and his girlfriend, Alana.

They were shocked when Darcy told them the Mads were part of the job and theirs for personal use. He showed them how to use the database and set up their pay account and employee page that listed their entitlements.

Speeder had made an opening hours sign and put it out the front. They also found the new employees were a fountain of knowledge. During a lull, Darcy had sent Sam to fill their lunch orders. The rest of the staff restocked their displays and made sure that their cupboards were set up how they liked them, in between serving the odd customer.

They happily chatted about what was going on in the city while they worked and talked about the Anniversary Ball. They all wondered what the Queen looked like in real life as none of them had ever seen her, just pictures of her.

Darcy went outside when he heard a man yelling.

The man spied Darcy and he then yelled as Darcy approached, “Hey, I thought this store was open.”

“It is,” Darcy replied politely.

“Well, why the fuck can’t I enter the premises?” the man said angrily.

“Oh, sorry, the anti-theft spell is turned on. Would you like me to turn it off to see if that is what is stopping you?”

“Fucking magicians,” the man swore and stormed off.

Sam walked up with a box of food and looked after the man then back at Darcy, “Is that true?” he asked.

“Of course, I don’t want thieves in the store. Also, people who try to shortchange your or attempt, spur of the moment theft, will find they can’t leave. The spell is standard on all of our stores. It works both ways, we can’t shortchange them, and we can’t promise what we can’t get or don’t have if you check the database first you will know what to tell the customer.”

“So it doesn’t matter if the thieves bad mouth your business, the customers soon learn that you deal fairly with them. I like that but you may wish to put a sign explaining it. Ready for some lunch?” Sam asked.

The four employees got their first experience of watching Darcy and Speeder eat. Alana said, “So you’re both Mages aren’t you.”

“Something like that,” Speeder replied.

“Do you use spells to make people buy your stuff?” Trevor asked.

“Hum, no. That isn’t an honest way to do business,” Darcy said. “They either want it or they don’t.”

“Well, you’re the exception rather than the rule,” Alana replied.

“We are rather exceptional people,” Darcy replied.

Ginny looked at Speeder, “So are you just as hot as a man?”

“Pardon?” he asked.

“You’re both shifters, but you’re different I think you’re a Dog-shifter. I’d say you both spend more time as male than female,” Ginny said.

“You can tell that,” Darcy asked.

“Yep, your mannerisms are just a bit off. Most blokes wouldn’t be able to tell because they have to get their eyes off your breasts first,” Ginny added with a grin.

“I like her, she is very astute. I think she is gifted too,” Speeder said.

Darcy chuckled, “Speeder, you should know me better than that.”

Speeder looked at the four employees again, “Damn, how do you find them?”

“I think they find me,” Darcy replied thoughtfully.

“Who finds you?” Sam asked.

“Magical people, I seem to draw them to me. One of my gifts I suppose,” Darcy said nonchalantly.

“You’re saying Ginny is magical?” Sam asked with interest and some amazement.

“No, I was saying you are all magical being. Novices at this point, but you all have potential,” Darcy said as he cleaned up his lunch. “Don’t look now but I think someone spilt the beans that we are open for business.”

Four Autos had pulled up. They hurriedly cleaned up and fronted their counters. Darcy ended up playing stock girl again. They finally got the last of the customers out by five thirty. Sam had to chuckle when he realised the spell stopped new people entering the store at five on the dot. He was glad because his feet were killing him.

“Wow people, that is was what you would call a fantastic first day,” Darcy said. “Just to finish your day on a high note, I have a present for you.” Darcy then initiated his four new Novices and promised lessons over the coming days.

He and Speeder were finally able to relax. “We haven’t even looked upstairs yet,” Speeder said.

“Nope, How about we do that, then I’m going to recharge you and then we will go find food,” Darcy said.

Speeder chuckled, “We could always reverse those first two options.”

“True, but lets at least look first,” Darcy replied and took Speeder’s hand. They weren’t impressed that the interloper Renaldo had accessed the flat but he must not have had the time or the intent to move in. The boys guessed that he used it to entertain female guests.

Darcy only took a couple of minutes to clean the place up and Speeder made the bed with their sheets. When she felt the hands slide around her tits, she wiggled and something hard pressed into her backside. She was bent over tucking in the sheet when Darcy had spied her.

Darcy changed form and stripped off. He was happily nibbling on Speeder’s neck when she giggled and Darcy felt her shorts slide, so he made sure they made it to the floor. He urged Speeder onto the end of the bed and wasn’t surprised to find her wet and willing.

He laid kisses down her back and gently slid his fingers into her while his other hand played with her nipple and breast. She was soon humping his hand and he knew she wanted more than fingers to satisfy her need. Moving back a little, he eased his cock into her. She sighed as he worked it in and out, getting a little deeper on each thrust.

“Faster, harder and faster Darcy,” she requested. So Darcy did as she wished. They were both a bit surprised by how fast they came. It was a big hit, as Darcy hadn’t had a lot of time to meditate and they’d had a busy day. Speeder’s gripping of his cock and her shuddering on him, only made him come that much harder.

Speeder collapsed onto the bed and then changed to Dog. Darcy had to chuckle because he hadn’t even taken her shoes off. He did that now, lay down beside his friend and gently stroked his sleek black coat. After Speeder came around, Darcy got him to change back to female form for him and into the shower.

They put on a glamour to make them look older being mid-thirties and dressed more nicely to go out for dinner. Darcy thought Speeder looked fabulous in the emerald green, knee-length dress with a black, knitted shawl and strappy, low-heeled shoes. Darcy wore a light-weight grey suit with short sleeves but long pants.

They also took the opportunity to look at the businesses that were near them. On the next block from the Emporium, was a large shopping precinct. Stores and cafés were around the perimeter of the open plaza that faced the same main street theirs did. They were permanent stores and a large sign indicated markets were held every three days in the plaza.

It was market day tomorrow, so Darcy suggested they try to find time to attend and stock up on some staples. They also spent a little time examining the complex across the road that housed the Palace. The main building was on a small hill and they could determine that several outbuildings were behind it.

They could see where people had been busy putting up several pavilions in one of the front gardens for the guests expected in four days’ time for the Ball. Speeder commented, “So how do we get an invitation?”

“We’ll just turn up, how are they going to stop us?” Darcy said.

“What if they put a spell on the proceedings? Speeder asked.

Darcy gave him a look and Speeder grinned at him. “Darling, I don’t have a thing to wear to a ball,” Speeder offered and batted his eye-lids.

“That door is still open, they might have a suggestion,” Darcy said and steered Speeder to a ladies dress shop. He escorted her inside and they had a look around at what was on offer. Bolts of cloths lined two walls and other shelves held commonly used items for the purpose of sewing and decorating clothes. A couple of racks held several dresses.

“Oh, goodness, I’m sorry we are closed. That useless girl, I told her to flip the sign and close the door,” the woman said in irritation.

“Sorry, we are new in town, Honey was just saying she didn’t have a dress for the Ball,” Darcy replied.

“You left it until now?” the woman replied shocked.

“Yes, we weren’t sure if we could make it in time but we did. Honey doesn’t like lots of frills and stuff, so what would you suggest?” Darcy asked.

“Look this is very short notice and she is very tall, about the only thing that I have that we might be able to adjust in time is a red dress. I could possibly add a flounce to it to make up for her height. She has an exceptional figure that could just about wear anything,” the woman replied.

“Can she try it on?” Darcy asked sweetly.

“Come this way,” replied the woman, as she doubted they would go anytime soon and decided, what the hell, the money wouldn’t hurt.

A rail held several dresses getting last minute adjustments and Darcy looked at the styles the women were aiming at. A second rack held three more dresses that had been hung more haphazardly on it. Darcy looked at them and pulled out one that was a royal blue a lot like his Benitoite gem.

“Is this dress owned?” Darcy asked.

“No, they were not up to the standard that the purchaser requested,” The woman sighed. She hated dealing with the rich, as they were such coin thrifts. She refused to even start cutting a pattern unless she had a quarter of the agreed cost these days.

“So what was wrong with this one?” Darcy asked.

“The woman wanted me to add beading and then baulked at the added expense for what she requested and left in a huff,” the woman replied.

“How hideous,” Darcy replied.

“Apparently someone has decided beads were it this year,” she informed him.

“Ah, I see the vagrancy of fashion. Honey, I don’t like that one, can you put this one on please,” Darcy asked. Speeder slipped off her dress and stepped into the blue one. Once the cups of bodice held her tits, Darcy did up the buttons on the back.

Darcy walked around Speeder and touched the dress in several spots and it adjusted itself to Speeder’s figure better and lengthened it sufficiently to swirl around her ankles. He then stepped back, “Yes that is much better. How much?”

The woman looked at Speeder in shock, “Wow, I couldn’t have made it fit that well. The bitch who ordered it is going to be green with envy seeing Honey in that dress. It never suited her half as well.”

She and Darcy negotiated the cost while he got Speeder out of the dress. Darcy also asked if she had more of the same material. She said she had some but not enough to really make anything from it, as it was all just pieces. Darcy asked for the scraps so she put them in a bag for him and handed him the dress.

He made his pack appear and put the package and the dress in it. The woman watched horrified as he stuffed the dress in it. Darcy grinned, “Don’t worry it will come out looking as if it was just pressed.”

She didn’t quite believe him. Darcy asked if the ladies wore shoes or slippers for dancing and was pleased it was the latter. He also asked what the men were wearing this year and the woman said bowties, cummerbunds and tails were in. Darcy spied a roll of white satiny looking material and asked if he could have it too.

The woman watched in amazement as the whole role disappeared into the pack. While she had dealt with Mages before she had never seen a pack similar to this one. Darcy also asked her not to mention them or it until after the Ball. The woman wasn’t sure why but she agreed. At least they paid the bill without quibbling.

They thanked her and left.

They found a nice restaurant and ordered two main meals each after an entree and a soup.

They even had dessert and coffee before finally heading home and to bed. Darcy cheated and just blinked them. Well-fed, they crawled into bed and dropped into a dreamless sleep. As usual, Darcy woke several hours before Speeder and used the time to turn the white material into a suit.

For Speeder, he made a short jacket that cupped over her breasts and cut high on his back to go over her dress and slippers and a cummerbund and bowtie for his suit. He used the leftover material from the dress to fashion a shirt for himself.

Pleased with his efforts, he changed form and dressed for the day. She went and checked on the grounds and then went to find them some breakfast. The market stalls were being set up and the bakery was open so she headed there first.

The baker was a little taken aback by Darcy cleaning out many of his selections in the display cabinets so that he had to restock a lot earlier than normal. Darcy then went to find other items she wanted and happily went home an hour later.

She soon had hot kaffe ready and knew the smell would entice Speeder out of bed. She was amused when a bleary-eyed naked Speeder zeroed in on the kaffe. She was surprised to be accosted as she set the table. She let Speeder have his way before she sent him off to shower while she finished getting breakfast and had to go for a quick wash herself.

Finally, they had breakfast and headed to the shop. It was another busy day, and they had to take lunch and kaffe breaks in shifts due to the constant stream of people. Since Darcy had stocked the worker’s lunchroom with kaffe, pies and pastries, this wasn’t such a hardship.

The stream of customers eased a little over the next two days but they were still going through stock at a faster rate than Darcy had anticipated and he had to order more. He was finding his new staff was efficient and they worked well together.

On the day before the ball, Darcy had to shift the last of the Autos out the front so it looked like they did have some to sell. He was relieved when the special order he had requested turned up just before five that afternoon so they had stock for the following week. He waved it around the back.

The high side walls and the sheds hid most of its activity. Now that he had eight of the bays empty again, he could fill them. Anyone watching would have been surprised when the side of the Flatbed opened and eight boxes 2.5m cubed were floated out and placed in each of the bays. The bays were deep enough that an Auto or a trailer could be parked in front of the box.