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2.2

As a council spectre, Montes had seen and done it all. But even with years of clandestine operations under his belt, the T'Soni estate still came as a surprise. A pleasant surprise, to be exact. Lady Benezia's home was pretty damn big.

Even with her wealth and status as a CEO, the matriarch didn't live on the Presidium. That level of prestige was only afforded to diplomats and dignitaries. So a couple centuries ago, Benezia commissioned the construction of her current estate. A three-story mansion built with classic Thessian architecture, possessing all the comforts and amenities an asari noble could hope for. If what Montes had read about the place was true, the T'Soni estate even had a fully functioning hot spring bathhouse that ran on its own water system, independent from the Citadel's.

As Montes made his final approach in his Lantius skycar, he could see that the external structure of the mansion wasn't even made from the same metallic material as the rest of the station. Benezia apparently had real marble slabs shipped in from her homeworld and hired skilled asari masons to dress and shape the exterior of her home. It looked almost like a temple, with smooth steps and grand pillars lining the outer walls. Hell, Montes could even spot a real, working fountain.

Montes had never been the type to "ooh" or "ah" over that kind of decadence, but even he had to admire Lady Benezia's conviction in the blatant expression of her own elite status. Through the skycar's window, Montes could see a small group of asari awaiting him in the estate's wide open courtyard. A greeting party, just for him.

She really pulled out all the stops, didn't she?

Montes felt a grin tugging at his lips. He punched in the directions for a smooth, automatic landing and sat back in his seat. As his skycar floated down into the T'Soni courtyard, the man took one last moment to check himself in the vehicle's holo-mirror. Montes had to look presentable. He was a government agent, after all.

Hundreds of creds spent on a new haircut. Thousands spent on his - admittedly very nice - new suit. The preparations for tonight's little date had put a decent dent in his wallet. But Montes cared little. The opportunity to enjoy a woman like Benezia again was priceless.

The skycar touched down gently. As the drive core powered down, Montes saw three asari approach his vehicle. He recognized the tallest as Benezia's chief bodyguard, the huntress Samara. The other two looked younger, probably maidens employed as T'Soni's house staff.

There was a hiss as the skycar opened up, the sloped windshield rising away from the cabin. Montes gave his greeting party a small wave and put on his best charming smile.

"Spectre Montes." Samara greeted him, though not particularly warmly. The matron huntress gave him a quick once-over, her beautifully striking face remaining still as stone. Only the woman's bright, blue eyes afforded any emotion. Montes could tell that Samara hadn't expected to see him again. The huntress gestured towards one of the maidens, a short young woman who wore a red vest. "Kalise will park your vehicle."

Montes nodded, stepping out of the skycar. He turned to take a look at his ride. A Lantius Model X300. Not exactly a luxury sports car. The spectre might have felt the small sting of embarrassment had he not known that a very well-endowed matriarch awaited him inside that mansion.

"If I'd known that Benezia was going to roll out the red carpet, I'd have brought a nicer car." Montes joked to the three asari. They said nothing in turn.

The valet that Samara called Kalise stepped forth and sat in the driver's seat. She punched in commands on the control bar and a moment later the skycar closed back up. There was the soft boom and hum of the drive core coming back online and soon enough the skycar was back in the air. Kalise flew off in the Lantius leaving Montes with Samara, the other asari, and an awkward silence.

The spectre made another attempt to break the ice. He gestured towards the T'Soni mansion.

"Big place." He said.

"You should see the mansions that belong to the sitting members of the Council." Said the unnamed maiden, a comely young woman with dark blue skin and pale pink facial markings across her cheeks and brow. "The T'Soni estate is downright humble in comparison."

Samara gave the maiden a look that shut the poor girl right up. With a silent crane of her head, the chief of security sent the other asari retreating back into the house. Then she turned her eyes back on Montes.

"It's Samara, right?" Montes asked, making another attempt at smalltalk.

"Samara Costias." The chief of security formally introduced herself with a short bow of her head.

Montes grinned, offering his hand. The matron gave it an odd look but eventually took his hand with her own. Montes didn't give her a firm shake, though. Instead, he brought her hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. She withdrew her hand quickly and his grin turned into a wry smile.

"Samara Costias." He repeated, sounding her name out. He liked the way his lips felt when he said it. It was a regal, queenly name. Something was common among her people, Montes noted. "Sorry for not bothering to ask for your name the first time we met. I normally have better manners than that."

"You were… preoccupied." Samara reminded him, a subtle look of concern falling across her stunning face. But an instant later it was gone, replaced once more by her neutral, stony expression. "And I wasn't your guest, Spectre. Lady Benezia was."

Perhaps it was beneath him to get a sick kick out of Samara knowing exactly what he and her boss did together that other night. But it thrilled him all the same, knowing that this gorgeous woman sat in his living room and listened for hours while he fucked the brains out of the lady she was sworn to protect.

"Right. I suppose I'm the guest tonight, though. Tell me, Samara. How does your boss treat her guests?" Montes asked. He stepped past the huntress to take a closer look at the marble fountain. It was an opulent piece, with carved statues of nude asari posed to pour jugs of water upon each other. Montes took it as a good omen for his immediate future.

"If I know Lady Benezia, she'll be as warm and welcoming a host as you were, Spectre." The huntress answered from behind him, her tone cold and direct.

"Hmm." Montes turned back to face Samara, unable to keep the daring smile off of his face. The matron's face remained still as stone, but that was expected. "I guess this'll be an interesting night then, won't it?"

There was a moment of silence between them. Montes could have sworn he saw the corner of the huntress' lips curling upwards. But then she spoke in her cold, serene voice.

"If you would follow me, Spectre." She beckoned him, starting towards the mansion's marble steps. "Lady Benezia is waiting for you in the lounge."

Montes followed, his eyes glued firmly upon the woman's lovely behind, entranced by the wonderful way it swayed as she walked. Predictable? Sure. But he was only a man.

"She's got a lounge…" The spectre muttered. "Of course she's got a lounge."

---

He was here.

Gabriel Montes has entered the sanctity of Benezia's own home. Now, Samara was bringing him to her. Benezia's own loyal guard leading that beast of a human to his prey. It was her own damn fault, the matriarch chided herself. She had demanded he meet her own her own turf, a stupid power play to make the man act on her terms rather than his own. But all she accomplished was inviting that brute through her front door.

Benezia felt a stirring inside her, a quivering deep in her belly. She too felt a shiver that danced across her skin. But rather than a chill, this shiver came warm, almost bubbling, as if steam was being blown over her body. The centuries old asari couldn't place it. Was it a sense of dread? Anxious fear of what Montes would do to her? Or was it a thrill? Was it some terrible, shameful excitement?

Perhaps Benezia was simply halfway drunk. The matriarch swirled the dark red liquid in her glass, watching it swish and slosh about. Thessian honeywine it was, from some village deep in the Kastani valley. It was an absurdly expensive bottle, supposedly pressed and fermented by lonely, tortured souls. Benezia doubted their torture was anywhere close to her own. She swirled the wide, round glass once more and took another sip. The sweetness hit her tongue and the aroma filled her nostrils.

That very moment, Samara opened the lounge door and led Benezia's torturer into the room. Montes strolled in behind her loyal security chief with infuriating confidence, wearing a vexing smile and a tailored, black suit.

"I must say, T'Soni…" The human spoke in that low and deep voice of his, stepping past Samara to venture further into the room. He took a moment to absorb the elegance of the Thessian culture that surrounded him. "You've got yourself a very nice place."

His eyes traveled along the walls, along the painted murals of Thessian triumphs and asari beauty, along the painstakingly hand-chiseled pillars and sculptures of pale stone. He took in the extravagance of the T'Soni estate before his eyes finally settled on T'Soni herself.

Benezia could see the clear desire in the man's eyes. It brought about a new wave of those damnable shivers. He was like some starving beast eyeing a slab of meat. A slab of meat that was wrapped in a tight, lavish dress.

Why had she even worn the dress? A form-fitting, sleeveless gown of white and gold silk, flowing down to her ankles. There was a split up the left leg, all the way to the thigh. Hugging her hips and her bust, it exposed even less skin than the scant number she wore on their first night. But it was also more expensive. And just as likely for Montes to rip to shreds. Why had she put it on? To please him? To show that she didn't fear him?

The matriarch had no answer for herself. Centuries of life that she had experienced and yet she could hardly understand her own mind.

Understanding. That was the great lie that the asari told themselves. That they understood the galaxy, that they were wise oracles who could lead the other races into a future of knowledge and enlightenment.

The only thing Benezia understood about the galaxy was that power ruled, not enlightenment. The other species, the krogan, the turians, the humans, they would turn her people into a race of whores if they had the chance. But the humans especially. There was no greater proof of their lechery than the man who stood before her.

Benezia took another sip of wine, regarding Montes with cold, hardened eyes. He had groomed himself considerably since their last meeting, she could clearly see. His black hair had been cut short and combed, his beard trimmed down to but bristles on his jaw and chin. And his suit, doubtlessly a recent purchase, was tailored to his large, powerful body. Perhaps he thought that tonight was a special occasion. Another victory over Lady Benezia for him to celebrate.

"This is what centuries of success in the corporate realm gets you." Benezia finally answered. To Montes. To herself.

"That's one of the perks of having a thousand-year lifespan." Montes muttered, his eyes falling off of Benezia for a moment. He moved towards a carved statue of the goddess Athame, admiring it. Or rather admiring its nudity. "I can't imagine having that much time on my hands."

"It would be rather difficult for a human to fathom, I'm sure." Benezia spoke snidely. Her contempt was clear enough that Samara, normally so reserved and nonjudgmental, gave her charge a look of quiet concern.

Benezia had more that she wanted to say, but held her tongue. The last thing she needed was her chief of security getting involved in this bloody mess. There was no point now, what with Benezia having already sworn that damned oath.

"Should I have Maris send up some hors d'oeuvres?" Samara politely asked. She was a good woman, hardworking and loyal. But Benezia just wasn't in the mood to see her face or hear her voice.

"That won't be necessary, Samara." Said Benezia. The matriarch gave a small nod towards the door, dismissing her bodyguard.

"Yeah," Grinned Montes, the edge in his voice cutting deep. He turned from the statue of Athame, giving his host a wolfish leer. "I don't think either of us will have time for snacks."

There was a coiling in Benezia's belly again. Another shiver ghosted across her skin as she felt Montes' hungry eyes draw up her body. Samara remained still by the lounge door, her sharp eyes fixing on Montes then on her charge. A look of scrutiny briefly flickered across the huntress' face, but the woman said nothing.

"Leave us." Benezia ordered this time, her voice clipped and short. "I am not to be disturbed with business calls."

"As you say, Lady Benezia." Samara gave a small bow and left, closing the door shut on her way out.

Now Benezia had no company but Montes, his hungry eyes, and his beastly lust. There was a heavy silence between them, thick with his open desire and her own unwanted, shameful anticipation.

Benezia rose then from her cushioned seat, slowly gliding forth on her bare feet to close the distance between them. The matriarch swirled the honeywine in her glass…

…And threw it into the human's chest.

The glass clattered and cracked upon the glossy, stone floor. The deep red splashed and splattered onto Montes' coat, thousands upon thousands credits worth of Thessian honeywine dribbling down his front and onto his trousers and shoes. The man's arrogant smile faltered as he looked down at the mess of his ruined suit. Then he turned his gaze back onto Benezia, one eyebrow raised.

Benezia snorted, her cheeks flushed dark blue thanks to the wine she had already drank. The Lady of House T'Soni put on a nasty smile.

"I hope that suit was expensive." She spat. Her blood was up and hot. Her anger, just before having been cold and sharp, was now boiling and bubbling. Benezia thought that she could maintain grace and dignity through this ordeal with Montes. But now, with him standing in her very home? She had no control. Her anger, her passion, it needed to be let out. So she might as well unleash it on him.

"It was." Montes answered, shockingly calm. It made Benezia seethe. She didn't want the man to be calm. She wanted to see him angry, to see him lose control. She wanted to see that he was no better than her. Instead, the human wore an amiable grin. He swiped his hand down the front of his coat, ridding himself of some excess wine. "I suppose this is fair after the stuff with the dress last time."

"I already agreed to your terms!" Benezia suddenly shrieked, all of her emotions erupting forth. Her cheeks were burning hot, as was her neck and the skin around her ears. She stepped up to Montes and shoved him, her hand punching out to slap against his firm chest. "I even swore the bloody Osa'Omasi oath! I'm yours, you bastard! You already won! Why do you insist on taunting me?"

Montes didn't look impressed. Instead he looked quite amused and giddy at Benezia's state of fury. The glimmer in the man's eyes, like he was close to laughter, it enraged Benezia. He took a step back and she watched him remove his coat, revealing the now-stained white dress shirt beneath. He folded the ruined suit over his arm and tossed it onto an empty seat. Then he chuckled, low and deep.

"Because it's fun getting under your skin, Nezzie." He admitted, smiling. "I don't know if anyone's ever told you this, but you're an incredible fuck when you're angry."

His words struck Benezia down to her soul… And her core. For a time, the matriarch was shocked into silence. The audacity of this man… The absurdity of his actions, his torment of her…

Benezia couldn't understand him, didn't want to understand him. The asari felt her cheeks burning with rage and humiliation… And something else as well, something unspeakable.

"You're a brute. A thug." Benezia spat, fuming.

Montes chuckled again, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt to expose his thick, disgustingly hairy arms. Arms that could grab her and toss her any way he pleased. Arms that could easily hold her down so that he could have his way.

"That's why I'm good at what I do." The man said, approaching her slowly. "I wouldn't be where I am today if I was soft. And let's not pretend you're so innocent, sweetheart. CEO on the fucking Citadel? You can't tell me you've never been a ruthless bitch."

Montes was close now, looming over Benezia with his bulk. The scent of wine mingled with his heavy, human odor. It made Benezia's head spin. She planted one hand flat on the man's chest, keeping him at arm's length. His body was as firm and warm as she remembered it. Human blood ran hot, she knew. Then she shot him a withering glare.

"That's nowhere close to being the same!" Benezia shouted, uncaring if her voice carried outside the lounge walls. "I never had to blackmail anyone into my bed!"

Montes gave a snort and moved Benezia's hand aside, closing in on her. The matriarch moved back in turn, retreating in the face of the human's charge. He forced her on the backfoot until she felt her bare back press against one of the lounge's marble pillars. Benezia gasped then, feeling the shock of cold stone on her skin.

"I'm just willing to go the extra mile to get what I want. And it worked out pretty well for me." He growled.

She was trapped. Montes stood before her, over her, his looming mass radiating heat and want. The human odor was thick in the air now, drawing a weak moan from Benezia's lips as she took it in. His hands found her waist, those dirty human paws coming to rest on her hips. His lips brushed against hers just so.

Montes spoke again, low and quiet, his words rumbling deep in his chest.

"It's like you said: You're mine. You swore an oath, Nezzie." Montes gave her a sordid smile. His hands began to ride up her flanks, his thumbs brushing the underside of her breasts. "Tonight we're gonna see what those words are worth. It's time you gave me what I came here for."