Chapter 17: Right Place, Wrong Time

Each resounding clatter of iron weights slamming down made Lorelei recoil, it reminder her too much of the sound of gunfire. Even after five years, it was no less discomforting. It was one of the reasons why she didn't like working out, although she didn't mind running, or doing a bit of cardio if Marci was with her.

Her legs were burning after running on the treadmill for several miles. Her pink skin was lathered in sweat, her short black hair clinging to her scalp. The cool breeze of air conditioning was such a relief during the excursion, and when she was finished, Lorelei sat in front of it just to cool down. Her tail curled limply in the air behind her.

The white tank top left her arms bare, and she looked down at the university logo on her chest, it spread wide across her bosom, providing her a hint of modesty. She wished she could get something a little more feminine, or perhaps a different color at least. Sadly, she didn't have the money to get new clothes, and thus had to make due with the university standards.

A spandex-like material made up her gym shorts, and it somehow didn't stick to her skin after sweating it out on the treadmill. There was a small v-shaped slip in the back so that her tail wouldn't be restrained. While the shorts were specifically made for wolfkin, it worked well enough for her, except that her tail was much thinner than that of a wolfkin, so it exposed some of her backside, especially when she bent over.

Lorelei was at least happy about not having to wear a skirt, she wondered why humans loved them so much. Maybe it was because they didn't have tails?

Every so often she would pause her workout so that she could spy on the first floor below. She would hop over from her treadmill to the guardrail looking down on the central chamber of the gymnasium to see if Theo had arrived. Most of the weight stations were located on the first floor, while all the treadmills, yoga centers, boxing bags, and assorted bikes were strategically placed on the second.

There were dozens of barbell stations down below, and even more specialized weight machines crowding the ground floor. Each time she peered over the railing, nimbly choosing the one angle next to a pillar that was hard to spot from below, she hoped to see Theo there.

And yet, he still wasn't here! He never showed up to the gym, which was highly unusual, given his workout ethic.

Lorelei worried about him. On those few days where he couldn't get in a workout, he was noticeably more agitated when going to class.

Chewing her inner lip, Lorelei pushed herself back from the railing, and returned to the yoga matt alongside her chosen treadmill. She fought the urge to simply walk away, electing to jog at least another quarter mile before taking a shower.

The second floor of the gymnasium was sparsely populated tonight. Only a single wolfkin was nearby, sparing against a punching bag on the other side.

Lorelei couldn't help but notice the gang of athletes still standing near the front entrance, trying to lure students to sign up for intramural sports. They even tried to tempt her when she first entered, even offering a bonus if she were willing to wrestle in foxy boxing that night, to which she turned them down. There were other intramural's she had considered before, although Lorelei hadn't made the leap.

She knew she would do decent in the sharpshooting competitions, if only she could get over the snap of discharge without being reminded of the war. It wasn't bad enough that she suffered from panic attacks, but it certainly wasn't comfortable.At the very least, the uniforms for that sport weren't ludicrous or salacious, unlike everything else.

The women's swimming uniform was a single ensemble that covered over the groin, and extended upward with two tiny straps that ran up the chest, barely covering nipples. The track and field sports were barely any better, the female athletes having to wear padded bustiers, and short skirts.

Lorelei wasn't comfortable showing so much skin to just anybody. Theo maybe, but not just anybody else, and certainly not a large crowd.

Lorelei watched the wolfkin throwing punches for several seconds, she had good posture, but her hooks were a bit shallow. After a while, Lorelei decided to clean up, and left the nearly empty floor behind. She strolled down the stairway, having to clutch the railing with each step, her legs sore after running for so long. She made her way to the women's locker room on the first floor, ignoring the glares from some of the other students, and swiftly entered the private sanctuary.

It didn't take long for her to find the locker with dandelion stickers. She withdrew a towel, then disrobed from her sweaty gym clothes; stashing the sticky shirt and shorts into the locker before grabbing a towel, and turning around to walk toward the shower.

The floors were heated, a luxury Lorelei never knew she needed, and now loved dearly. She held onto the lip of her towel, keeping her body wrapped tight, as she walked to the enclosed shower stalls.

Several women were on their way out when she arrived, among them was a small woman that looked remarkably like she belonged in the Darling Blossom. Her lovely dark skin, and glowing green eyes, made Lorelei somewhat jealous; that and her nearly perfect womanly figure. Her narrow face, comely cheeks, and full lips barely did anything to distract from her soft perky breasts, and child bearing hips; making her stick out, even among the other women in the crowd.

The woman noticed the Redever passing them by, and shot her a knowing look.

Lorelei did her best to ignore the group, not wanting to attract any unwanted attention, and chose a stall close to the entrance. She closed the plexiglass door behind her, placed the towel on a hanger, and gently twisted the knob for hot water. She preferred it at the highest setting, her skin thriving under the scorching hot shower.

Lorelei let out a deep sigh as she stepped under the overhead raining faucet. The pressure was a bit uneven, but she figured it was due to the pipes running through the building. A light shroud of steam soon wrapped around her, rising above her supple hips, and smooth stomach. Condensation coated the door, making it so anyone looking at the plexiglass would see a pinkish blur. Lorelei felt the water streaming down the curves of her giving breasts, coursing along her stomach and thighs.

It was glorious. Even her tail hanged loosely toward the floor.

After washing her body, she soaked her hair, using the complimentary shampoo to rejuvenate her tangled locks. She wasn't in a hurry to leave, enjoying the shower for several minutes before reluctantly twisting the knob the other way. When she was done, Lorelei left the shower, padding herself dry before wrapping herself in the soiled towel.

The floors were wet until she got away from the shower stalls, making each step a shallow slap. She made her way to her locker, stashed the towel in a bin, and had just started dressing herself when a voice called out to her.

"Hey!"

Lorelei froze. The voice came from behind her. She turned around to see a taller woman in tight pants striding toward her.

"Hi," Lorelei spoke nervously.

The woman was tall, physically fit, and sported a false smile. Her short dark hair was combed to one side, while her face reminded Lorelei that of a predator.

"You changed your hair." The woman reached up, running a hand through her own curls. "I like it. I haven't seen you since orientation."

"Oh..." Lorelei nodded, unsure what else to say. Had she met her before? She wasn't sure she had. As for her hair, if trimming it down a bit counted as a hair change, then that would mean she was referring to how it looked when Lorelei first came on campus months ago. "Thank you...?"

"My name is Lucy. We haven't spoken before, have we?" The woman offered her a curt smile.

"No. But you know me?" Lorelei kept an arm wrapped across her chest, wishing this conversation could wait for a bit.

Lucy chuckled lightly. "Of course. Not like there are many Succubi on campus. I believe you're the fourth I've seen so far, and the only freshman. Kinda hard to miss."

"Hmm," Lorelei felt a lump in her throat.

"I've been meaning to ask you something," Lucy continued. "Are you free tonight? I was thinking about going out tonight, and I thought we might be able to catch up over drinks."

"Oh! Um, I can't tonight. Tomorrow night, maybe?" Lorelei wasn't sure what to make of this conversation.

"Perfect. I'll meet you at the campus bar. Say around nine?"

Lorelei nodded.

Lucy seemed pleased, "Great. Then I'll see you tomorrow."

"Wait," Lorelei had a hard time reading this woman. "Why do you want to hang out? I don't believe we've been formally introduced, until now."

There was a flicker behind the woman's eyes. "Honestly I wanted to apologize, for the behavior of a certain someone that's been stalking you," Lucy groaned.

Lorelei froze at that. "What?"

"My stupid girlfriend Laura, she gets infatuated sometimes, and does tings without thinking. I am sorry about that. And I really hope she didn't try the 'lets have a threesome' approach." For the first time, Lorelei saw real annoyance and frustration in the woman's posture.

Lorelei sighed, realizing she didn't want to be half naked in front of this woman, and turned around to grab her uniform undershirt. "She did mention something about that, now that you've mentioned it," Lorelei held back a muffled curse.

Lucy rolled her eyes, "So just please don't worry about it. But let me buy you a few drinks to make up for it though."

"Sure... I guess that's not a bad idea." Lorelei grabbed a belt for her skirt, and started putting on her bustier.

"Good, then I'll see you later!" Lucy offered her a wave, before deciding to walk away. "Nice tits by the way," she teased softly, just loud enough for only Lorelei to hear.

Blushing, Lorelei finished putting on her clothes, then made her way back to the main lobby, leaving Lucy behind in her thoughts. She texted Marci almost immediately, making sure she had an ally. She wondered if she could just find a way out of it, but… free drinks were never something to scoff at.

Walking outside, Lorelei took in a breath of fresh air, before feeling the earth rumble beneath her feet. She looked up to the clouds, then let her eyes wander to the hulking shape in the distance. She recognized the iron slab as a Dreadnaught, the human equivalent of a Behemoth. While not a bipedal war machine, the vehicle was driven by two side sponsored treads of grinding steel, and its bulk supported a massive cannon capable of firing shells that could level entire city blocks. Dozens of other laser based weapons coated its armor, and inside it was capable of carrying a small army if necessary.

The weapon was used several times during the war, often to combat Redever Behemoths, or discharge battalions of elite troops behind enemy lines. They were tough, solid, and fearsome to gaze upon. The size of a small warehouse, the vehicle was making its way past the outer walls of the university, clearly advancing toward the walls.

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As soon as Lorelei left the locker room, Lucy pulled out her phone, and typed out a text to her nameless employer.

<i>>> Made contact, will keep in touch.</i>

She then opened the locker with Dandelion stickers, happy that the Redever forgot to lock it before she left, and searched its contents. There was nothing interesting inside, at least nothing her employee wanted her to find, but Lucy did notice a tiny brass coin with a heart shaped icon. It was newly minted, as there wasn't a scratch or blemish on it, and it seemed to have been inserted through the small grill in the top of the locker door.

Curious, she returned the coin, noting to herself to do some research on its meaning.