Aurelia watched the three men sitting nervously in her receiving room. The room, decked out in soft blues and greens did much to give a feeling of comfort and ease. It gave no indication of the activities that occurred within. There was also a small mirror, framed in silver, on the wall opposite of the quiet men. Of course, it was one-way; Aurelia always liked to observe her guests before saying hello. It gave her a chance to think about her approach beforehand...because few people knew what Aurelia's business was. She preferred it this way. It was how her little enterprise, called Elysian Fields, survived. As she considered them, each man fidgeted and looked around, curious and disconcerted at their surroundings. Aurelia decided to give them a few more minutes to ponder before beginning.
She motioned her second-in-command, a young woman named Flora, over without looking in her direction.
"Yes, Aurelia?" Flora asked. Aurelia always needed something done, whether it was help serving customers or tasks that required a more discreet touch. Flora reveled in the confidence Aurelia had in her.
"Please go upstairs and see that our gods start preparing the lady for her night," Aurelia directed. "I need to give her chosen gentlemen their instructions."
Flora nodded and hurried away. Aurelia took one last silent look at the men and opened the door connecting her office to the receiving room. All three men looked up in unison at her. Questions were in their eyes but none of them spoke. Aurelia saw a hint of interest in at least one man's eyes; she hoped he wouldn't be too disappointed that she wasn't the lady of honor tonight. The lady who had invited him hoped for his undivided attention later. Oh well, if he became a problem, one of her gods could escort him out.
"Good evening, gentlemen. My name is Aurelia and I'm your hostess this evening. I know you must be very confused as to why you're here. However, I must remind you that we have done what we can to inform you of that very reason before your arrival. Though I could not give you specifics, the information sent to each of you should have given you some idea. Before you could even set foot in here, I needed you to complete a full profile including an STD check. I do not let just anyone in here, gentlemen. I can only assume that, since you all completed my paperwork and showed up, that you are interested in what awaits you."
The men didn't nod right away but nod they did after a few moments. Aurelia wasn't telling them that she knew much more about them than they thought. Thanks to the questions on the profile she sent them, she was able to do a thorough check on each. She knew one was a soldier who was often away from home. Another was a man in a throuple that was quickly unraveling due to jealousy. Finally, the last was a doctor in a nearby city who had recently divorced. It was amazing what people would post on social media. Aurelia was thankful that she could be informed about her guests without bringing in private investigators.
"Excellent. Gentlemen, I welcome you to Elysian Fields. Our time is short as the entertainment is set to begin soon. I do have some final instructions for you before we go inside. First, you have been invited here not by me but by a woman who knows all of you. You may determine who our mystery woman is yet I ask you keep it to yourself if you do. Frankly, I caution you to not think about it too hard; the lady has gone to great lengths to conceal her identity."
"I still don't understand why we're here. What does this woman want?" one man asked. Aurelia knew the man to be the soldier thanks to a little system she created to ensure anonymity. Each man had a colored band around his wrist - a color that was paired with each man's profile in Aurelia's office. The soldier wore red; the polyamorous man wore green, and the doctor wore blue.
"I agree. How do we know that this woman isn't trying to blackmail us or hurt us in other ways? Without knowing who she is, we can't be sure of her motives." The question from the doctor was logical; Aurelia would have expected no less.
"Patience, my dears. All will be revealed. However, to answer the kind doctor's question, I do not accept clients with a criminal background; they also must provide a psychological evaluation from the therapist I have on my staff. Refusal to submit to the evaluation results in banishment from my club. Also, gentlemen, rest assured that, if I discovered such a crime within my client network, I would bring down the full force of the law. The men nodded, a sense of relief permeating the thick air.
"In the meantime, let me explain your wristbands. The meaning of those bands are known only to myself and you. By the various colors, I know your name and the pertinent information provided to me by you. Beyond that, my staff will only identify you by your bands and your given names for the night."
Aurelia turned to the soldier who was standing in the at-ease position, though it was very clear he was anything but. He was tall, blonde-haired and blue eyed. His body was lean and corded - the proverbial caged tiger. He wore a conservative blue button-down shirt. Also, to Aurelia's delight, he wore form-fitting jeans that revealed a nicely sized bulge. Aurelia could only wonder at the size of the man when he was aroused. "Sir, your name for the night is Mars. I'm sure, if you have any knowledge of Roman mythology, you can figure out why." He shifted his feet but he didn't ask. Aurelia could swear though that his posture became straighter and more proud as he thought. That was a good sign. Used to taking orders, this man would follow her rules, even if he didn't like them.
Aurelia turned to the polyamorous man. He was shorter than the soldier but not by much. He had broader shoulders, a flat stomach and muscles that proved he was just as strong. He also had blue eyes set underneath messy dark blonde hair. The graphic t-shirt with a large red "Transformers" logo and his dark jeans were a bit too casual for her liking but she had no control over that. Her job was to get clothes off, not put them on. She could, however, admire the biceps highlighted by the short sleeves. Casual he may be but he did wear it well.
"Sir, your name for the evening is Caelus. Admittedly, this is one of the lesser known Roman gods but, as my lady told me, you tend to be of a rather academic bent. When she knew you, you were very much into reading and philosophy. I suggested this name to fit her description of you." Again, Aurelia saw the straightening of the spine and a quiet dignity settle on the man. It was a transformation she always loved to see. She suspected he was shy outside of the club but had a feeling that he'd be unrestrained when making love. The shy ones always were.
Finally, Aurelia approached the doctor. Again, the blonde hair and blue eyes, height to be envied, and a tight, powerful body defined this man. Obviously trying to hide within his clothes lest he be recognized (unlikely), the doctor wore a large orange hoodie and faded jeans. His only concession to vanity were the expensive white sneakers he wore - a status symbol if nothing else. A Syracuse University baseball cap sat on the table beside him. All he needed was a pair of sunglasses and one would think he was a celebrity dodging the paparazzi. He must have felt he had a lot to lose by coming, but he had nevertheless. The curiosity must have been too much.
"My lady certainly has a type," Aurelia thought sardonically.
She continued, "Sir, you shall be known as Adonis for tonight. As I told Mars, if you have any background in mythology or even pop culture, you should know who he was and why you might have that name." The man's face, unlike the other two, flamed bright as he realized the connotations. He was no less pleased; his demeanor said as much. It was clear, however, that he was not as convinced of his appeal as the other two were. Aurelia thought it was an odd reaction but, then, she didn't see many men blush these days.
"Now, gentlemen, we are going upstairs where our lady awaits. I will give you further details when we arrive." Aurelia opened the door of the receiving room and ushered the men outside. They entered a corridor leading to a large ballroom, rich in color and design - subtle purples and stark black. However, the room was anything but refined as the men got their first eyeful of the patrons who usually came to Elysian Fields. Men and women in different states of undress wandered around as they observed. Some couples were quietly exploring each other in the shadows while other couples were loudly sporting in the center of the room. There were a few groups finding bliss together as well. It didn't matter if it was couples or groups, single or married, straight or LGBTQ+ - all were welcome at Elysian Fields.
