Vanguard Gala Pt. 1

The water cascaded over you, hot enough to leave your skin tingling as steam billowed around the shower stall. You leaned against the cool tiles, letting the heat soothe your nerves, though your mind remained a chaotic storm of doubt and frustration. The Vanguard Gala loomed like a monolithic challenge, and despite all the careful planning, you felt the weight of impossibility pressing down on you.

Damian Kane wasn’t just some smug playboy like Marcus Chase; he was a stone wall of hypermasculine arrogance, the embodiment of everything Aphrodite seemed to revel in throwing at you. How could you possibly charm someone so cold, so dismissive of anything soft or feminine?

The plan felt flimsy at best. The idea of getting his attention through intellect and subtle seduction was laughable when you didn’t even feel like yourself anymore. You swallowed hard, shaking your head under the stream of water. Focus, you thought. One step at a time.

After rinsing off the shampoo and conditioner, you shut off the water and stepped out of the shower, wrapping yourself in a plush towel. You took a moment to glance at your reflection in the fogged-up mirror. The woman staring back at you wasn’t a stranger anymore, but the reality of your situation still stung.

Drying off quickly, you began the process of transforming yourself for the evening. Every piece of clothing felt like another layer of armor, even if it left you feeling exposed.

You started with a lacy black bra, perfectly fitted to your cursed B-cup breasts. Its delicate straps and scalloped edges felt luxurious against your skin, though you didn’t linger on the thought. A matching pair of black panties completed the set, hugging your hips comfortably and setting the tone for the evening’s outfit.

From the wardrobe, you carefully selected the deep emerald green dress with its high slit. The rich, jewel-toned fabric clung to your body like a second skin, accentuating your curves without being overly ostentatious. The slit ran daringly up one thigh, offering a glimpse of leg as you walked.

You slipped into your gold metallic heels, their shimmering straps wrapping around your ankles and adding an extra touch of glamour. The stiletto design added height, forcing you to stand straighter and carry yourself with more confidence, even if the thought of walking in them all night was daunting.

You chose simple yet elegant pieces to complete the look. Around your neck, you fastened the gold chain necklace with a small pendant, its subtle gleam drawing attention to your collarbone. For earrings, you opted for the teardrop earrings with just the right amount of sparkle to catch the light without overpowering the rest of your ensemble.

With practiced precision, you applied foundation for a flawless finish, added a touch of blush for color, and carefully blended eyeshadow in neutral tones to make your eyes pop. A swipe of eyeliner and mascara brought definition, while a bold red lipstick completed the look, striking a balance between elegance and seduction.

After drying your hair, you styled it into loose, cascading waves that framed your face beautifully, softening your overall appearance while maintaining an air of sophistication.

As you slipped the last earring into place and gave yourself one final once-over in the mirror, the nerves began creeping in again. Damian Kane was a predator in his own right, and you were walking straight into his den, armed only with the curse’s enhancements and a hastily crafted plan.

What if he saw through you? What if you stumbled? Or worse, what if you failed altogether?

You took a deep breath, gripping the edge of the dresser to steady yourself. “One step at a time,” you repeated under your breath.

Liam poked his head into the room, already dressed in a sharp black suit. “You ready?” he asked, his tone light but his eyes watchful.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” you replied, turning to face him.

He gave you a once-over, a teasing smile tugging at his lips. “You clean up nice.”

“Shut up,” you muttered, grabbing your clutch.

You and Liam made your way into the bathroom, your nerves mounting with every step. The gala was right around the corner, and you were about to face the most intimidating trial yet—Damian Kane. The plan had to be perfect, and you both knew that Hermes was the one who could give you the edge you needed.

"Okay, let's just get this over with," you muttered, trying to ignore the ever-growing tightness in your chest. You couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to get even weirder.

Liam, ever the optimist, gave you a quick wink and placed his hand on your shoulder. "Just focus. We've got this. Now, let's get Hermes in here and see what magic he can cook up for you."

You nodded, still feeling skeptical, but you went along with it. After all, you didn’t have many other options.

You moved toward the bathroom sink and hesitated for a moment before stepping forward to the toilet. Taking a deep breath, you looked at Liam. "Ready for this?"

He grinned, already amused by the whole process. "As ready as I’ll ever be."

With a **** sigh, you flushed the toilet, your voice steady but nervous. "Hermes... Hermes... Hermes..."

For a moment, nothing happened. The air felt still, and you couldn’t shake the sensation that you were about to have your whole world turned upside down. But then, the mirror in front of you began to ripple and shimmer like the surface of a pond disturbed by a stone.

And there, in the reflection, stood Hermes.

True to form, the god of mischief and messenger of the gods appeared lounging lazily in the mirror, his typical easygoing demeanor on full display. A lazy grin spread across his face as he stretched his arms behind his head, clearly unfazed by the sudden appearance.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't my favorite troublemakers," Hermes said with a lazy smirk, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "What’s up, folks? You need another little boost for your charm, or are we here for something more fun today?"

Liam chuckled, already easing into the conversation. "You know, it's always nice when you make an entrance, Hermes. You really know how to spice things up."

Hermes shot Liam a playful look, his grin widening. "Oh, trust me, Liam, I know. You’ve been hanging around long enough to know exactly what I can bring to the table."

You crossed your arms, rolling your eyes, but deep down you were trying to focus. You had to keep this conversation on track—Damian Kane wasn't the kind of guy who could be swayed by trivialities. "Alright, Hermes, we need your help," you said, trying to keep the irritation from your voice.

Hermes turned his attention to you, his eyes narrowing for a moment before he offered you a slow, appreciative glance. "Oh, wow. Look at you," he said, giving you a once-over that left you blushing despite yourself. "You're absolutely killing it tonight. I mean, damn, you're looking fine. Is that a new look, or are you always this smokin'?"

You immediately felt heat rising in your cheeks, and you quickly shot back, "Stop, okay? Focus." You were flustered, embarrassed, and pissed off that it was Hermes who was making you feel this way, of all people. You felt your frustration growing, but tried to control it. "We don’t have time for compliments. Just give me the spell I need. We’ve got a big night ahead of us."

Liam raised his hands in mock surrender, laughing lightly at your reaction. Hermes, for his part, only grinned wider, clearly enjoying your discomfort.

"Alright, alright," Hermes said, clearly entertained but returning to the matter at hand. "What do you need? Another persona spell, I assume? Just tell me who we're targeting this time, and I'll see what I can do."

You looked at Liam, then back at Hermes. "It's for Damian Kane. The CEO. We need something that'll make him take me seriously. Something that’ll appeal to his... preferences."

The moment Damian Kane’s name left your lips, Hermes’ entire demeanor changed. His usual laid-back attitude vanished, and his eyes flickered nervously, darting from you to Liam before he leaned forward, his tone suddenly far more serious.

“Damian Kane?” Hermes repeated, his voice low. "Are you sure you want to go down that road?"

You stared at him, confused. "Why? What's wrong with him?"

Hermes exhaled sharply, his hands clasping behind his head as if trying to figure out how to avoid saying what needed to be said. "It’s not about him. It’s about Ares."

Liam frowned, looking between you and Hermes. "Ares? What does he have to do with the spell?"

Hermes shifted uncomfortably. "Ares can sense that kind of magic, you know. The kind of magic where you're trying to shift someone’s perception. He can smell it from miles away. I really don’t want to be on his bad side."

You and Liam both stared at Hermes, the tension in the air thick. "Wait, so you're backing out?" you asked, incredulity dripping from your voice.

Hermes gave a sheepish shrug. "It’s not that I’m backing out exactly, but you have to understand—Ares doesn’t play around. If I help you with this, he’ll know. And I’ve got enough on my plate as it is without Ares coming down on me."

The realization sank in like a weight, the frustration from earlier flaring up again. "So, you're telling us you can’t help?"

"I could help, sure," Hermes said, his expression regretful. "But at what cost? You think Damian’s bad? You don’t want to see Ares when he’s angry."

Liam let out a long sigh, his own concern evident. "So what do we do now?"

Hermes met your gaze, his face softening for a moment. "I can give you something... subtle. Something that won’t raise too many alarms with Ares. But no promises, okay? If I were you, I’d start thinking about other ways to play this one."

You nodded, disappointment flooding you as you realized how much of a gamble you were making. If Hermes couldn’t help you fully, the chances of succeeding with Damian seemed slimmer than ever.

"Just give me what you’ve got," you said, trying to push the worry aside. "I’ll take whatever help I can get."

Hermes held up his hands, a playful glint in his eyes. "Don’t say I didn’t warn you." Then, with a quick motion, he snapped his fingers, and you immediately felt a shift in the air around you—a subtle, magical pull that tugged at the edges of your consciousness.

"Good luck," Hermes said with a wink, before his figure began to fade from the mirror. "You’re going to need it."

The mirror returned to its normal state, and you were left standing there with Liam, both of you processing what had just happened.

"Well," Liam said with a sigh, glancing at you, "I guess we’re on our own after all."

You gave him a nod, still feeling the weight of uncertainty pressing down on you. The night ahead had just gotten a whole lot harder.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Readers! I once again need your help! So this trial is going to be much longer, as it is a much more difficult trial. I needed to hear your opinions on how much "time-skipping" I should do! I could do it the same as the previous trials where I go through each and every event. But, in this case, there will likely be a lot of events/galas/etc that you will attend! I do not want chapters to be repetitive or boring, but I also want to know just how in-depth you want to go through the trial.

So you have 2 options to vote for:
A) We go through each event one at a time
B) I skip through some of the events. I will recap the progress, the changes, major points, and only "zoom in" on the important developments and events.

Thank you once again! And I am very thankful for each and every one of you reading!