by Dante Steel
“Remember, Vampire War wasn’t designed for you and me but for gamers. Gamers don’t need food and drink.”
“Yes, but… Fine. Whatever.” She sighed and sat back down as a bar wench NPC brought over more food for them.
Gary ate up every last morsel and glanced at the door for the hundredth time.
“Why do you keep doing that?” Elena asked suspiciously.
“Doing what?” he asked, trying to seem and sound innocent.
“Looking at the door. Why? Are you expecting someone?”
“Come on.” He shrugged. “You know we play with Nicoletta and Olivia a lot.”
“Yes, but… Are you serious?”
“What are you talking about?” he asked, confused.
“You. You don’t want to cross over.”
“I never said that,” he protested.
“Oh, excuse me. You don’t want to cross over until you can make sure that your entourage of girls all know about the portal to the new issue. Is that it? You can’t be happy with just me. You have to have them too, am I right?”
“Elena, I—”
“Look.” She slapped her hand onto the table. “I’m not going to play games with you. That’s not who I am, okay? Either we’re together, or we aren’t. Black or white.”
“There’s fifty—”
“If the next words out of your mouth are ‘shades of gray,’ I’m going to find a whip and whip your ass.”
Gary smirked. “I just might like that.”
She blinked a few times, almost laughed, and shook her head. “No. No. You aren’t going to make jokes and make me smile and forget why I’m angry with you in the first place.”
“They’re your friends too,” he protested.
“So you admit they’re the reason why you’re delaying!” she cried.
“No. Well, maybe,” he hedged, “but you can’t deny that we’re a team. The four of us work best together.”
“Look, Gary, maybe this all is a mistake. I honestly… I don’t know what to think or do or feel.”
“I get that. When I first came into the game, I didn’t realize what had happened. I was so afraid and unsure and worried and—”
“Don’t be a fool. This has nothing to do with that. Gary, you better start respecting me or else…” She shook her head and stormed off.
Well, I doubt that could’ve gone much worse.
Chapter Four
Gary stared at Elena’s retreating backside. She was beautiful, front and back, through and through. Even when furious with him, she was all fire and heat and hotness.
And he understood why she was furious with him. Clearly, she wasn’t on board with the idea of sharing him. If he said the word ‘harem’ to her now, she was liable to chop off his balls and shove them down his throat.
He wouldn’t dream of doing anything to her or with her without her consent. If she wasn’t ready to share him, then he couldn’t be with her. Not yet. Maybe ever.
The thought made him want an ale or five.
Elena stormed out. The doors of the tavern slammed open and then shut with a bang. Not a minute later, the doors opened up again, and a black-haired, dark-eyed Hispanic strolled in. Her face might not be quite as heart-shaped as her real face but there was no mistaking Nicoletta ever.
Gary swallowed hard and hoped the two hadn’t crossed paths, not with Elena in such a foul mood. He was so glad to see Nicoletta, and yet, he was also confused. Maybe he shouldn’t be with any of the three. He didn’t want to hurt any of them, and he was afraid he would do just that.
Nicoletta hesitated by the door, spotted him, grinned, and sauntered over. She was curvy with a perfect ass made for grabbing. Although he wanted to reach over and slap that shapely ass as she went to sit next to him, he didn’t, opting to behave for once.
“Hey,” she said. “I’m sorry I didn’t play yesterday. I was busy. Did you miss me?”
“I didn’t even notice you were gone,” he teased.
“Liar,” she retorted. “You know I’m the reason why you breathe.”
“Maybe.” He bit his lip and glanced away.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Nothing at all,” he said.
“We need to celebrate. Where are the others? I mean, come on. We faced the great Smaug and lived without having any levels stripped! We deserve to be a tier above superheroes. What should we be called? Fanasticoheroes?”
“That’s ridiculous.”
She giggled. “Maybe. Amazingheroes?”
“Nope. Nothing can top superheroes, and you know it.”
“True, true.” She sighed and ducked her head. “Regardless, we need to drink and be merry. If the others aren’t here, well, we can celebrate without them.”
Gary shrugged and then nodded. “Sure. What do you have in mind?”
“What is with you?” she asked. “Come on. Out with it. I know something’s up.”
“Nothing is up but the roof,” he muttered.
“What are you, five? That joke is terrible.” She eyed him. “Did something happen yesterday? Earlier today?”
“Nothing,” he said.
“Were you able to celebrate some with the others?” she asked carefully.
Gary stiffened and wouldn’t look at her. “Why would you ask that? What makes you think that?”
“I think that something happened. I think you need to start talking. Please, Gary, don’t shut me out. I know something is going on.”
“Yeah, well, maybe the last time I tried to confide in you, you didn’t believe me.”
She jerked back, a hand flying to her chest. “What, are you referring to the time you told me you were in the game? Can you honestly blame me for being suspicious? I mean, seriously, chico. No one would have believed you.”
“You, well, you wouldn’t have believed me enough to…” Realizing his mistake, he shifted away from her.
“Enough to what, Gary?” she demanded, grabbing his chin and turning him to look at her. “Please. Allow me to help you because something is clearly bothering you. Was it Olivia? Did she say something to upset you?”
“It wasn’t either of—”
“Elena then. What happened? She doesn’t want you after all?” Nicoletta pursed her lips and then gave him a tight smile. “Well, maybe you shouldn’t expect all of the women you know to fall at your feet. Some are more desperate than others—”
“You shouldn’t talk about Olivia like that,” he said mildly.
Nicoletta ignored him. “If you can’t tell me the truth, I’ll just have to call Elena and see if she’ll tell me.”
“Call her?” Gary asked.
“Yeah, outside of the game.” Nicoletta winced. “I know you can’t do that, that you’re stuck in the game, that you might consider my calling her cheating, but it’s not since you could just tell me yourself if you wanted to… but you won’t, will you?”
“There’s nothing to tell.”
“You’re lying to me,” she said angrily. “There’s nothing I hate more than liars.”
“Not even fire?”
“I don’t hate fire,” she said. “I respect it entirely too much because of my fear. That is an entirely different thing than hate.”
“It’s… Look,” Gary said, glancing around. The last thing he needed was for Elena to show up and for things to become all awkward between the three of them. Even though it already was awkward.
Fuck, how was he going to make this better? Was there a way to make this better?
“Come on. This isn’t a conversation I want other gamers to hear.”
“Other gamers or other girls?” Nicoletta asked, but she allowed him to grab her wrist and pull her along to one of the other rooms above the tavern. Once he closed the door behind them, she said, “Tell me what’s going on.”
“Well, it’s kinda complicated. You see, we…”
“We meaning who? You and…”
Gary bit his lip and rubbed the back of his neck. “I did celebra
te a little.”
“How? With who?”
“Jealous?” he asked, trying to aim for a teasing tone, most likely failing.
“Why would I be jealous?” she asked. “I’m the one you’ve slept with.”
He did his best not to wince. “Nicoletta…”
“Tell me what’s going on.” She sashayed over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Please?”
“It’s Elena,” he said haltingly.
“What about her?” Nicoletta asked, stilling.
He rubbed his hands up and down her arms. He couldn’t help himself. He had to touch her. She was so beautiful, even more fire than Elena, all passion, all warmth. She was reckless and fierce. Both of them, no, all three of them, were forces to be reckoned with.
Gary opened his mouth to explain but couldn’t bring himself to admit what he and Elena had done over and over and over again. Instead, he blurted out, “I’m not the only one in the game.”
Nicoletta gasped and jerked back, her arms falling to her sides. “Elena is too? How? When? Why?”
“The developers know I’m in the game, and they thought that maybe if someone came into the game, they could figure out how to get us out.”
“And clearly they haven’t, have they?” Nicoletta looked ready to cry or maybe ready to rip out her hair. “Why Elena, though? Why not me?”
“I… don’t know,” Gary mumbled.
She was pacing so hopefully she didn’t realize how unsure he sounded. He hated to lie to her, but he did not want to upset her any more than she already was.
“I can’t tell you the last time I was this offended,” she cried. “Or furious. What the hell were they thinking allowing someone else into the game? I mean Smaug is still out there!”
“I know.”
“They need to get him out of the game almost as badly as they need to get you out. And now Elena too.” Nicoletta turned toward him and then rushed back into his arms. She cupped his face. “I want you out now.”
“Believe me. I want—”
Her soft lips pressed against his. Kissing her avatar felt real, yet it was different from kissing Elena. Gary couldn’t explain it, but it didn’t matter whether it was real or not because the way her—her avatar—was touching him was enough to make him extremely hard.
Gary’s hand dropped down to her tit, his other to her ass, and he rubbed against her. Nicoletta moaned and opened her mouth. His tongue slipped inside when the door banged open. Gary jerked away from Nicoletta and turned to see Elena there.
Her eyes were wide, and her jaw dropped. “What is going on here?” Elena screeched.
Nicoletta patted her hair. It was a little messed up. Gary must’ve run his fingers through it without him realizing. Her patting fixed her hair back into place.
“We were kissing,” Nicoletta said calmly. “You do know what kissing is, don’t you?”
“Don’t you talk all condescending to me,” Elena warned.
“Ladies,” Gary said evenly, but the two women were like rabid animals, ready to draw blood.
Animals or vampires? Or sirens?
“Gary and I—” Elena started.
“We’re both in the game,” Gary said. “I told her already.”
Elena wouldn’t even look at him. “Did he tell you anything else?”
“I can’t remember everything when he kisses me like that,” Nicoletta said.
Gary groaned. She was making matters worse, and she was doing it on purpose.
“Please, ladies, let’s not argue,” Gary said.
“Maybe you should’ve thought about the consequences of your actions,” Elena said. “You really aren’t any different from the rest, either of you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Nicoletta asked.
“Well, for starter’s, you’re a tramp, and he’s a male whore.”
“I am not a tramp!” Nicoletta said. “You don’t know me. You don’t know the first thing about me. Gary and I have known each other for a long time and in the real world. Not just in some stupid game.”
“If the game is so stupid, why don’t you stop playing it?” Elena asked.
“You aren’t getting rid of me so easily,” Nicoletta said.
Gary gulped. He didn’t want either of them to realize the other had had sex with him. Maybe he shouldn’t have done that, but he was weak, he was in love, and he was a guy. Yeah, that was terrible of him, but he hadn’t been able to help himself. As much as he wanted to blame it on being in love, he couldn’t, not really. He was being selfish, and now, they were starting to get hurt because of it, because of him.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured, but neither of them appeared to hear him as they were too busy verbally abusing each other.
Could today get any worse?
Chapter Five
For the next few minutes, Gary tried to calm the girls down, but they would not listen. Eventually, Nicoletta blinked out of the game. As for Elena, she didn’t hang around. She fled the room.
Gary wasn’t about to stay in the room all by himself. That seemed like it would be asking for trouble, so he left it behind, went downstairs, and exited the tavern. The bright sun beat down on him, and he walked around town, meandering about, not really sure where to go or what to do. He couldn’t find Elena anywhere, and he wasn’t even shocked to realize he was looking for her.
His stomach tightened with sudden worry, and he renewed his search in earnest. What if Samuel August was trying to hunt them and found Elena all alone? He would kill her!
Once he was certain Elena wasn’t in the town, he left and widened his search to the surrounding areas. Gary saw a few other gamers. One girl whose boobs were the size of melons tossed him a knife. He fumbled but caught it.
She smirked. “It’s dangerous out there alone.”
“I can handle things just fine,” he said stiffly, not in the mood.
“Want to tag along?” she asked.
In answer, he stalked away, and he overheard her mutter, “Ungrateful bastard.” Whatever. The knife wasn’t even a decent one. If she would’ve sold it in town, she would’ve gained only a few rupas in exchange.
As he searched, Gary grabbed a stone and tried to sharpen the blade. He was too anxious to walk around without something to preoccupy his mind. Otherwise, he’d be far too worried.
Because Murphy wanted to fuck with him, Gary stumbled upon a massive dragon. Its light brown skin made the beast look like rocks. He started to walk by when he noticed the tail and the head beside it. Then, he spied the rocks breathing.
For a second, he hesitated. The dragon hadn’t noticed him yet. He could walk away.
But Gary was furious. Furious that he had fucked things up with the girls. Fucked up Elena’s life by her being in the game. Resentful that Haru had allowed her in. That they weren’t close to being rescued. Infuriated. Incensed. Irate.
So Gary stomped onto the dragon’s tail and jumped onto its back.
Maybe not the smartest of ideas but Gary needed to release some of his anger, and he was going to fuck up this dragon.
With a terrible roar, the dragon spread its wings and took flight. It zoomed fast enough to make Gary’s cheeks blubber. The winged monster did a flip, but Gary had a tight hold on the dragon’s neck, plus he shoved the knife into the dragon’s eye and held on for dear life.
The dragon belched fire and tried to turn its neck around to blast him, but Gary sliced its gums before it could release more flames. Distracted by its pain, the dragon brushed against the tops of several. Its speed slowed, and Gary tried to stab its neck, but the knife slid over the scales instead of piercing its hide.
Okay, time for a new tactic.
The dragon’s flight was haphazard. Maybe it was in too much pain, or maybe its depth perception was off. Either way, the dragon wasn’t flying the fastest.
Gary crawled to its back and then toward its left wing. The dragon slammed into the side of a tree, and Gary flew off. He clasped the knife with both hands
and managed to stab the wing to halt his fall. For a few perilous seconds, the wind bit at him, but he managed to hold on long enough that he grabbed the top of the wing, the bony part, for added security. He yanked out the knife and punctured the wing. This time, he sliced through it, carving a large hole.
Immediately, the dragon’s altitude dropped, and it crashed into a few trees. Gradually, it flapped its good wing enough to rise above the forest.
Using his knife as leverage, Gary climbed the ruined wing and crawled onto the dragon’s back. Time to slice up the other wing.
The dragon flew crooked, favoring its wounded side, and Gary had a hell of a time reaching the good wing. He was almost surfing on the dragon’s back before he leaped onto the other wing. Swiftly, he ripped and tore it to shreds.
The dragon tried to flap its worthless wings, but they were barely gliding. Gary spied a small pond up ahead. He waited, hoping to time things correctly, and then, he jumped onto the bone of the first wing.
Instantly, the dragon plummeted. A huge splash resulted, and the dragon submerged.
Gary swam to the surface and dragged himself onto the bank. He had lost the knife. It had been a worthwhile weapon after all. Thanks, chick.
Breathing heavily, Gary whirled around and watched the water. Several large bubbles popped, but the dragon did not move. Experience points flooded Gary, and he grinned.
Take that, dragonfucker.
Maybe a little less angry than before, Gary resumed his search for Elena, heading closer toward town. The sun was hot, and it wasn’t long before he was completely dry, but he found no signs of the metal superhero anywhere.
Just then, a soft hand touched Gary’s shoulder. He whirled around, hoping to see Elena. Instead, before him stood Olivia.
He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Olivia, but not today.”
“Not today?” she asked, confused. “Why not today? What’s going on? Why do you look like you’re on the warpath? Relax, dude. We won.”
“Won?” he asked dryly, lifting his eyebrows.
“Well, we won the battle, right? Yeah, we’re at war, but each battle we win brings us that much closer to what we need.”