Helena Hanson, her shoulders slumped with the familiar weariness that followed a long shift, walked towards the employee parking lot. As she reached her car, a flicker of movement in her peripheral vision caught her attention. She turned her head sharply, just in time to see a figure, impossibly graceful, melt behind a large, overgrown azalea bush near the edge of the lot. A knowing smirk touched Helena’s lips. This wasn’t the first time she had glimpsed the edges of the unseen world. She walked slowly towards the bush, her voice calm and steady. “Do not be worried,” she said, her words carrying a quiet confidence. “I have seen the hidden world in the Everglades.” She had assumed it was one of the delicate fairies she occasionally encountered, but the figure that stepped out from behind the foliage was unlike anything she had ever witnessed.

  The girl was like a living embodiment of a fantasy illustration. Her goth aesthetic was striking, the intricate leather clothing she wore accentuating a lithe, almost ethereal form. High cheekbones sculpted a face of otherworldly beauty, framing eyes the deep, mesmerizing shade of violet. Her medium-length hair was a stark white, dramatically streaked with vibrant red. Helena gasped softly, her breath catching in her throat as she noticed the subtly pointed tips of the girl’s ears, peeking out from beneath the strands of white and red. "You are an elf," she whispered, the realization dawning with a sense of awe.

  Maerisa smiled, a serene and ancient expression. "Yes, I am. And you are very special, Helena Hanson. Normally, humans cannot perceive us so clearly." Helena shook her head slowly, still trying to reconcile the reality before her with the world she knew. "I have seen things… many things. When I was younger, I thought it was just my imagination, tricks of the light. But I know now. It is a hidden world, existing just beyond our own." "And you never told a soul about it?" Maerisa asked, her violet eyes filled with a gentle curiosity. Helena shook her head again. "No. The fairies… they looked so fragile, so vulnerable. I kept it to myself, a secret treasure."

  Maerisa’s smile widened, a soft, ethereal glow emanating from her. A tiny spark of light flickered out from the shadows beneath a nearby oak tree, flitting through the air until it hovered in front of Helena’s face. Helena’s lips curved into a gentle smile. "It is you again," she whispered, her voice filled with a quiet affection. "She told me you saved her some time ago," Maerisa said, her gaze shifting to the tiny point of light. "Her wing was broken, but you mended it with such care." Helena held out her hand, palm up, and the tiny light, now clearly a miniature winged being, no bigger than three inches tall, landed delicately on her outstretched fingers. The fairy was exquisite, her wings like spun moonlight, shimmering with iridescent colors. Her features were delicate and elfin, her eyes like tiny, sparkling sapphires. "She needed help," Helena murmured, her voice soft, "so I did what I could." "And you feed them too," Maerisa observed, a knowing smile in her violet eyes. Helena nodded, a hint of shyness in her expression. "Just berries and other fruits. A little piece of chocolate from time to time too. They seem to like that."

  Maerisa nodded, her gaze becoming more serious. "Tell me, Helena Hanson, what did you see in the cell of the human named Alex?" Helena’s smile faded, a shadow crossing her beautiful features. "There is only badness in those cells," she whispered, a shiver running down her spine. "A heavy darkness. Black slime… a sense of death clinging to the air." "Do you like your job?" Maerisa asked, her violet eyes piercing. Helena smirked, a hint of cynicism in her expression. "Not particularly. It pays the bills… why?" Maerisa’s smile widened, a sense of purpose radiating from her. She stepped forward, her movements fluid and graceful, and pressed a sleek, unfamiliar phone into Helena’s hand. "There is a number pre-dialed here. Call it if you want a chance at true happiness, Helena Hanson."

  "Oh, and one more thing," Maerisa added, her voice dropping to a soft whisper. She murmured another melodic incantation, her breath carrying an almost invisible shimmer, and blew a gentle kiss towards Helena. A faint wisp of pink smoke, carrying a subtle, floral scent, drifted towards the police officer and seemed to dissipate as it enveloped her. "You can now understand what she is saying," Maerisa whispered, her violet eyes twinkling. Then, as quickly and silently as she had appeared, the beautiful elf vanished back into the shadows of the azalea bush.

  Helena stared down at the tiny fairy still perched on her hand. The fairy tilted her head, her sapphire eyes regarding Helena with a curious intelligence. "Hi," she chirped, her voice a delicate tinkling sound, like tiny bells. "I am Butter-blossom." Helena gasped, her eyes widening in astonishment as she clearly understood the fairy's words. The hidden world had just become a whole lot more real.

  ---

  Julie had listened intently as Hank and Elowen unveiled a reality far beyond her wildest imaginings. The more they spoke, the more she grasped the immense secret Hank was entrusting to her, a secret that intertwined the mundane world she knew with a vibrant, hidden realm of magic and ancient beings. She finally sank back into the offered chair, her gaze fixed on Hank, her mind a whirlwind of disbelief and a burgeoning, undeniable curiosity.

  Elowen smiled knowingly, a gentle understanding passing between her and Hank. She leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, her touch light as a butterfly's wing. "I will leave you now, Hank. The choice, as always, is hers," she whispered, her voice barely audible. Hank returned her smile with a warmth that spoke of a deep and ancient connection. Elowen stood with an ethereal grace and walked towards the corner of the office. With a soft murmur of a few elven words, she seemed to shimmer and then vanish, leaving no trace of her presence.

  Julie looked at Hank, her initial shock slowly giving way to a hesitant intrigue. "What now?" she asked, the question hanging in the air between them. "That is entirely up to you, Julie," Hank replied, his gaze earnest and open. "If you want to walk away from this, I won't stop you. I want you to choose this freely, with your heart. And if you don't… well, I will have to live with that."

  Julie stood up, her legs feeling strangely unsteady. She walked back to the window, her gaze drawn upwards. On the rooftop across the street, bathed in the soft glow of the afternoon sun, stood Elowen. And beside her were not one, but three other elves, their beauty as striking and otherworldly as Elowen's. A sense of wonder, mixed with a strange stirring within her, washed over Julie. She turned back to Hank, a new question forming on her lips. "Courtney… she is one of your girls, isn't she?"

  Hank nodded, his expression softening with affection. "Yes. And so is her trainer, Doria." A subtle smirk played on Julie's lips. "Beautiful woman," she mused, a hint of playful observation in her voice. "A little older, but have huge…" She caught herself, a slight blush rising on her cheeks. Hank's own lips twitched, a knowing smirk mirroring hers. He was intimately familiar with the impressive proportions of Doria's breasts, the countless sensual explorations they had shared. "Yes," he agreed, his voice low and appreciative, "and she is a wonderful woman."

  "Isn't she married?" Julie asked, a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. Hank shook his head. "Technically, yes. But she is in the process of filing for divorce. Her husband was arrested for solicitation of a hooker," he explained, a hint of wry amusement in his tone. Julie's smirk widened. Just as she was about to voice another question, Hank's phone rang, the unexpected sound cutting through the quiet office. He picked it up, his brow furrowing slightly as he noted the unfamiliar number. "Hello?" he answered.

  "Yeah… uhm… hi," a hesitant female voice replied on the other end. "I was given this phone and this number to call if I wanted… true happiness." A knowing smirk spread across Hank's face. "Who gave you the phone?" he asked, his curiosity piqued. "This is going to sound absolutely crazy," the woman admitted, a nervous laugh in her voice, "but an elf girl did. Kind of gothic in her looks." Hank's smile deepened. "Her name is Maerisa," he supplied. "You know her?" the woman asked, a hint of surprise in her tone. "Yeah," Hank chuckled softly, "it's a long story. So, I take it you know of the hidden world of elves and fairies?" He heard a soft, disbelieving chuckle on the other end. "Yeah, I've seen it since I was a child," she whispered, a sense of wonder in her voice.

  Hank nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face, absorbing the weight of her words. "So, true happiness?" he began gently, his voice carrying a note of genuine interest, "you're looking for something more than what you have now. A chance for a different kind of life, perhaps even happiness." A soft sigh, tinged with a deep weariness, echoed through the phone line. "Yes," she replied, the single word laden with unspoken frustrations and a yearning for something better. "I work a dead-end job, surrounded by negativity, guarding people who've done terrible things. It… it wears you down. I just want a chance to feel something else, something… good."

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  A warmth spread through Hank at her honest vulnerability. "I understand that feeling," he said, his voice low and empathetic. "What is your name?" he then asked, wanting to connect with the person behind the voice. There was a brief pause, a moment of hesitation before she answered. "Helena… Helena Hanson," she finally replied, the name carrying a hint of cautious vulnerability. "It's nice to talk to you, Helena Hanson," Hank responded, his voice warm and welcoming. "I'm Hank Avery."

  He then continued, his tone becoming more inviting, a sense of the extraordinary possibilities that lay ahead coloring his words. "If Maerisa gave you that phone and told you what she did, it's because she saw something in you, Helena. Something special. I would like to extend an invitation to you. To come here, to San Diego." A note of surprise, mixed with a burgeoning hope, entered Helena's voice. "San Diego?" she repeated softly.

  Then, a faint, delicate jingling sound, like tiny bells, drifted through the phone line. "What was that?" Hank asked, a smile creeping into his voice, a sense of the unexpected nature of his life ever-present. A light, airy chuckle followed. "That's my friend," Helena explained, a hint of wonder in her tone. "She's a small fairy. Her name is Butter-blossom. She told me to tell you she wants me to find love too, and that she'll be by my side forever." Hank chuckled, shaking his head in delighted disbelief at the sheer fantastical nature of it all. "A fairy?" he repeated, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "Yeah," Helena confirmed, a touch of pride in her voice, "I kind of saved her life once. She had a broken wing. I found her on the ground and… well, I fixed it." Hank's smile softened with understanding and a growing sense of the interconnectedness of his extraordinary world.

  After Helena had expressed her need to consider his extraordinary invitation, a silence settled in the office as Hank ended the call and turned to face Julie. A curious smirk played on her lips, her intense green eyes studying him intently. "Another girl for your… collection?" she asked, the word "collection" carrying a playful yet slightly challenging undertone.

  Hank chuckled, a low, amused sound. "To be honest, Julie, I have absolutely no idea what Maerisa is doing. She's properly playing matchmaker now, it seems. Though I do think this woman, Helena, is different. She already knows about the hidden world you've just glimpsed. Apparently, she's been seeing it since she was a child." Julie's eyes widened, a sense of wonder replacing her earlier skepticism. "Incredible," she whispered, the reality of the fantastical world still sinking in.

  Hank nodded, his gaze softening as he focused on Julie. "Julie, I want to offer you something real, something meaningful. As I said, I like you a lot. More than just a little, actually." She returned his gaze, her smirk softening into a thoughtful expression. "Hank, I like you too. There's no denying that. But seven others… how will we ever have time for ourselves? For a real connection?"

  Hank smiled, a reassuring warmth in his eyes. "We make the time, Julie. We prioritize what matters." She chuckled, a playful challenge returning to her voice. "Take the time, huh? So, if I asked you to take me up to your bed right now and… well, and make me one of those priorities?" Hank's chuckle deepened, a spark of desire igniting in his own eyes. "I absolutely would, Julie. The only slight complication is that Tiffany is up there. Not in my bed, but in the apartment. She'll be there until Friday."

  "Tiffany," Julie repeated, her brow furrowing slightly. "Is she one of them?" Hank nodded. "She is. She's going back to Seattle on Friday to pack up her life there, and she's coming back here on Sunday to live with me. Or rather, with us. All of us. We'll all be living here, spread across three floors." "All seven are here now?" Julie asked, a hint of surprise in her voice. Hank shook his head. "Constance lives on the top floor, with Lily, her daughter." Julie's eyes widened in realization. "Wait a minute…" she said slowly, a dawning understanding in her voice. "Constance? She's a friend of my mom's." Hank smirked, a knowing look in his eyes. "Wait…" Julie repeated, her voice dropping to a surprised whisper. "She's part of this?" Hank nodded again. "She will be the one I officially marry. And I'm adopting Lily."

  Julie looked at him, her mind racing. "Who else is here?" she asked, trying to keep track of this rapidly expanding reality. "Tiffany is on the eighth floor. Doria is on the seventh. Michelle is at her own apartment right now, packing. She's getting ready to move in too. Then there's Kamilla. She's also preparing to relocate." Hank paused, counting in his head. "That's only five," Julie pointed out, her brow furrowed. Hank nodded. "Courtney and Sandra are on their way from Miami. They're driving a U-Haul all the way. They're transferring to San Diego University, and they'll be living here as well." A knowing smirk touched Julie's lips. "Sandra too?" she asked, a flicker of something akin to… curiosity? She had to admit, Sandra was undeniably attractive. "Who else?" Julie pressed.

  Hank shook his head. "None… officially part of our… family. But," he added, a thoughtful expression on his face, "according to Constance, there are three other women here in the office who have expressed interest. I'm just not entirely sure if I want to pursue that right now." Julie walked over to the vertical blinds by the window and idly flipped one of the slats down, peering out. She could see the office was beginning to empty, the workday drawing to a close. "Are they on this floor?" she asked, her gaze returning to Hank. He chuckled softly. "Yeah," he confirmed. "You met Gloria when you came in. She was the one who showed you in." Julie's eyes widened slightly. "The brunette with the red stripes?" Hank nodded. "Who else?" she pressed, a playful demand in her voice. "You promised me you'd tell me the truth," she reminded him, a hint of a smile playing on her lips.

  Hank nodded, a warmth spreading through him at her directness. "The young girl with the long blond hair," he revealed. Julie looked out the window again, spotting the woman he described. She was undeniably beautiful, her long blond hair catching the fading light. "She's not a natural blond," Julie observed, a keen eye for detail. Hank laughed and shook his head. "No, she normally has dark hair. Her name is Bonnie." "And the third?" Julie prompted, her curiosity fully engaged. "Dark curly hair with purple stripes," Hank replied, a smile in his voice. A knowing smirk touched Julie's lips. "Are they sisters?" she asked. "No, cousins," Hank clarified. "Her name is Violet."

  Julie watched as the last of the office lights flickered off, the hum of the ventilation system the only sound breaking the comfortable silence. Even the three women Hank had mentioned, Gloria, Bonnie, and Violet, had seemingly departed for the night, leaving them alone in the softly lit office. She turned back to Hank, a newfound resolve hardening her gaze, the swirling storm of confusion and skepticism finally beginning to settle. "Okay…" she said, her voice a low, husky murmur that resonated with a decision made.

  Hank, who had been watching her intently, his expression a mixture of anticipation and gentle understanding, leaned forward slightly. "Okay… what?" he asked, his voice a soft invitation for her to elaborate.

  Julie moved with a newfound confidence, her steps deliberate as she walked towards him. She stopped directly in front of him, her gaze locking with his. Then, with a slow, sensual grace that belied her earlier uncertainty, she reached out, her hands resting on his shoulders. In the next moment, she settled onto his lap, straddling him, her body molding against his with a familiar ease that surprised them both. "Okay," she whispered again, her breath warm against his ear, the single word now carrying the weight of her acceptance, her surrender. She leaned back slightly, her intense green eyes searching his, holding his gaze with a newfound vulnerability and a burgeoning desire. "But I want a room on your floor, Hank," she added, her voice a soft plea, a silent claiming.

  A slow, knowing smile spread across Hank's face, his eyes darkening with a mixture of desire and affection. He reached up, his hands gently framing her face, his thumbs stroking her cheekbones. "Officially," he murmured, his voice a low rumble, "I will reside on the ninth floor, in Constance's bed." A playful smile touched Julie's lips. "What happened to 'we take our time'?" she teased, the earlier tension dissipating, replaced by a growing anticipation. Hank's smile widened, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Ah, yes," he chuckled softly, "officially. Unofficially… I intend to reside in all of your beds, Julie Rinholt. One after another."

  A shiver ran down Julie's spine, a thrill of excitement coursing through her veins. "Ask Constance if I can have a room on your floor," she whispered, her fingers now tracing the line of his jaw, her touch becoming more possessive. And then, the moment she had unknowingly been moving towards, the unspoken desire that had simmered beneath the surface finally erupted. For the first time, she leaned in, her lips finding his with a soft sigh. The kiss began tentatively, a gentle exploration, but quickly deepened, becoming more urgent, more passionate. Her fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, her body pressing more firmly against his. His arms wrapped around her waist, holding her tight, his own desire mirroring hers. The kiss was a silent acknowledgment of her acceptance, a merging of their long-held attraction, a promise of the extraordinary journey they were about to embark on together. In that shared breath, surrounded by the quiet intimacy of the darkened office, Julie knew, with a certainty that resonated deep within her soul, that she belonged here, with Hank, no matter how unconventional their life might be. The desire to be near him, to be a part of his world, outweighed any lingering doubts or reservations. She wanted him, completely, and she was finally ready to embrace whatever that entailed.