“Destroyer blood gives a damage reduction buff. Succubus blood lets the Half-blood influence emotions to a small degree. Enough to cause someone who is interested to make a move on you, for instance,” Alburet told them as he stroked Stacia’s leg. “Stacia is now also a Half-blood,” Alburet told the room, “that is what people will find out if they ask. She was changed with me at my request.”
“That is an interesting angle, and it will nicely deflect attention away from us,” Lilith nodded in approval.
“Exactly. If I can somehow put the rest of this armor set together, I think I’ll get the change again to a Demon Lord.”
Everyone but Karen, Fluff and Stacia got wide eyes. “What does that mean?” Karen asked.
“The Demon Lords should be the most powerful of the Infernals,” Fluff said. “They are the ones that stand just below the Dark Lord in the hierarchy, and are said to have some unique abilities. Just as a full vampire can shift to a gaseous form or a bat, as far as I know.”
“Fluffball is correct,” Almira stated, looking at Alburet. “Have you pledged to the Dark Lord?”
“No, nor do I intend to,” Alburet told her levelly. “I have never venerated a god, on the other world or here, and I don’t plan on starting now.”
“Does he know?” Alistern asked.
“I’m sure he does,” Alburet chuckled. “He asked. He seemed greatly amused by my answer. Lilith, your mother says hi, by the way.”
Lilith stiffened, “Mother talked to you?”
“Yes. You should talk with Stacia later. Teach her some tips for helping people like you’re helping Fluff.” Alburet swallowed, the very thought making him shake nervously.
“Are ya sure, master?” Stacia asked, locking eyes with him.
“Not really,” Alburet croaked, “but maybe it would be for the best.”
“What?” Karen asked sitting forward, as were the others.
Alburet looked at Fluff, “Do you want others to know what Lilith is doing to help you?”
Fluff swallowed and shook her head once, “No, please.”
“Then I won’t say anything more for now,” Alburet said and looked at Karen. “Please leave it be for now. Fluff and I are both asking.”
Karen bit her lip as her hands clenched, “But, what if I can help?”
“You can’t,” Lilith told her, “at least not yet. Later, when things have progressed, it can help if a loved one is there to reaffirm love for them. At the start though, it is tough for them and they might withdraw if they feel like they are being cornered. When Fluff is ready, and if she agrees, then I will bring you into the circle.”
“Yes,” Fluff said, looking over at Lilith, “when I am ready, I would like Karen to know.”
“Will you abide by her decision until then, Karen Two-souled?” Lilith asked.
Karen let out a frustrated sigh, “Fine. I care about Fluff and over the last week or two I’ve seen a remarkable change in her. If this is from your help, then please continue. When I can help, let me know and I will be there for her.”
Fluff’s eyes gleamed with tears, two of them tracking down her face before she scrubbed them away. “Thank you.” Her words were barely a whisper.
Karen turned and pulled Fluff to her in a hug, “No need to thank a friend who cares for you. You are a wonderful person who deserves to be happy.”
The two friends hugged each other as the room watched in silence for a moment. Grimgar finally broke the silence, “Well, I should be getting’ back to me shop, it be well past time to open. Thank ye for breakfast, Stacia. Iffin there be anythin’ I can do for ye, just let me know.”
Almira and Alistern expressed similar sentiments as they all got to their feet. Alburet showed them out as Stacia collected the dishes for cleaning. Once the family was gone he came back to his chair and sat heavily. “In-laws just dropping by, something I was sure I would never experience.”
“Marriage problems,” Karen chuckled. “At least they like you.”
“True,” Alburet replied. “Gerald suggested we hit the Snowblind Hills today. Any idea what that should mean for us?”
“Bring warm clothes to wear over your armor,” Karen replied. “It’s like Canada in the winter, and there’s always a blizzard going on.”
“Fun times,” Alburet said as he got to his feet. “I’ll just go grab some more gear from the bedroom, be back shortly.”
As he left Stacia drifted over to the other two. “Fluff,” Stacia began, “iffin ya are okay with it, would ya like me to take over for me Ma’? I be learnin’ her ways, as I will need them for Alburet. Ya can stay here in our spare room, iffin ya want.”
“I don’t know,” Fluff said uncertainly. “I wouldn’t want to intrude…”
“Hell, I’ll take the spare room if she doesn’t want it,” Karen said. “Maybe then we can break Alburet’s stubborn resistance about the whole marriage thing.”
Stacia shook her head, “We can have ya both in the room, it be big enough for two beds. I be askin’ as I would like to try to help ya before I be tryin’ to help Alburet. His issue be even more complex than ya problem be.”
Fluff chewed her lip, then nodded, “Okay. Once your mom says you’re ready.”
“We can both stay in the same room?” Karen asked.
Stacia nodded, “Aye but we will nay be tryin’ to break his will in any manner. It may help Fluff iffin she knows someone she trusts is always here for her. Iffin ya want to help, Karen, it be best to direct ya focus to bein’ there for Fluff and nay between me husband’s legs.”
Karen smirked at the last few words but nodded, “Okay, fine. For now, at least, but I’m not going to just give up on the idea. Even Fluff might consider it if he offered.”
Fluff went crimson in an instant, ducking her head down and frantically grooming her ears with alternating hands. “I’m not… I mean he wouldn’t… I’m ugly and…”
“No, you’re not Fluff,” Karen said as she gently caught one of Fluff’s hands and stroked her ear for her. “You’re soft, caring, kind, and sexy as all hell.”
Fluff went still, frozen in place. Her purring gradually became audible, then she pressed her head into Karen’s hand and visibly relaxed. She was still doing that when Alburet came out of the bedroom carrying extra jackets.
“Kitten, I grabbed some warm pants and a jacket for you.” He set them on the table, looking over at Karen petting Fluff. He coughed once and looked away as his mind nosedived with ideas. “I also have jackets for you two, if you need them.”
He missed seeing Karen lean forward to whisper in Fluff’s ear, or seeing Fluff’s eyes come up to look at him. Fluff’s purr grew even louder, threatening to start echoing in the small room as Karen’s words bolstered her confidence. “Thank you Al,” Fluff said, her words rumbling with the purr.
“Yeah, no problem,” Alburet said, pulling his jacket on, still not looking back at the couch.
“Thank ya master,” Stacia said as she slipped around him and snagged the clothes he’d brought out for her. She stripped off her current clothing and put on the warmer clothes, her eyes watching him as he watched her. “It be so nice when me husband brings me the right clothin’.” She wiggled her hips as she pulled the pants up, which drew his eyes up to her bouncing breasts. “We have guests, husband, it be nay polite to be oglin’ me so. They may think ya plan to take me and nay share with them.”
“That would be mean,” Karen said from the sofa where she sat with Fluff. Her eyes traced Stacia’s form, a soft sigh escaping her lips unbidden when Stacia covered up.
“Karen?” Fluff asked as she pulled her eyes away from Stacia as well. “Do you still like women?”
Karen blinked, taken by surprise by such a blunt question like that from Fluff. “Err, well, yeah. I mean, I thought that it was kind of clear that I like both sides of the fence. I was happy with Alburet and Stacia, when he used to let me join them.”
“Doesn’t it make you bad? Liking women, I mean?” Fluff asked, cu
rling in on herself where she sat.
“I don’t think so,” Karen replied gently. “Stacia, you want to weigh in?”
“I think love is love, it can never be bad,” Stacia replied.
“I think two women loving each other is a wonderful thing,” Alburet added. “Then again, most men feel that way. I’ll go one farther, though. Two guys in love doesn’t bother me. Well, unless they try to include me, as I just don’t feel that way about other men. I don’t think it’s wrong to love who you want to love, as long as everyone is an adult and consents.”
“Oh,” Fluff said as she huddled more.
Stacia went to Fluff and knelt down next to her, whispering into her ear. Karen leaned in gently, stroking Fluff’s ears, to listen in to what Stacia was saying. Alburet frowned, wondering what kind of hell Fluff had gone through for her to be so reserved and timid around others. He shook his head and was wondering if he should join the other two huddled around her when his message icon began flashing.
Message from Ioaniss Jones:
Alburet, thank you for the opportunity to speak to the Dark Lord. He was gracious enough to grant me both a relic and a book recording its history once we completed his test. This wouldn’t have been possible without you, and I shall remember this in days to come.
Message from Rolland Magiblood:
Alburet, we completed the Dark Lord’s test. Kim will be back to work tomorrow, we need a day to rest as the test was quite difficult. The Dark Lord gave me a text that he says will answer some of my questions. I feel indebted to you and will look to repay it when I am able. Please, if you need any help, let me know and I will do my best for you. You have my thanks.
Message from Kim Magiblood:
My friend will be with me tomorrow when I come back to work. I already informed Erin that I will not be in today. My husband is a little exuberant over the Dark Lord’s gift to him, so thank you for that, and everything you’ve done for us. See you tomorrow.
Alburet closed the interface, just in time for the icon to start flashing again. Sighing, he looked up to see the women wiping their eyes and getting to their feet, so he checked the new message.
Message from Gerald:
We’ll meet you at the Portal Guild in fifteen minutes. I’ll tell Fluff and Karen. See you there.
“Gerald is heading over to the portal Guild,” he told them. “Everyone good to go?”
“I need to grab me blades,” Stacia said, and hurried off to do so.
“We’re good,” Karen said as she and Fluff went to stand next to the door.
Stacia returned a moment later and the group headed out. They met up with Gerald and Marysue, who blinked at Alburet’s change. “I’ll explain as we hunt,” Alburet told them, “it’s a long story.”
“I can’t wait to hear it,” Gerald laughed. “Nothing is ever simple with you, it seems.”
Chapter Seventeen
Alburet caught the receptionist seated at the desk in the Portal Guild staring as they made their way to the stairs. He tipped his crown to her with a smile, “Good day to you as well, miss.”
Stacia glanced from the woman to Alburet as they went past, “Are ya goin’ to do tha’ to all of them?”
“Pretty damn much,” he said as they climbed the stairs. “I can ignore it, get mad about it, or give them a bit of sarcasm.”
“Well, glad to know which one it’s going to be, then,” Karen laughed from in front of them. “Can’t say I’m really surprised, though, am I right?”
“He does tend to go with sarcasm,” Fluff agreed.
Chuckling, Alburet pulled the hood of his cloak up so it covered his face, as much to hide it as to help cut the wind when they stepped out into the cold of the north. “There, now it won’t matter as much.”
They found the right floor and stepped through the archway to the Snowblind Fort. When they arrived, a light snow was falling around them and the guards at the gate were bundled up in parkas. “Two-souled are finally back,” one of them called into the courtyard. Turning back to face the group he continued, “We’re glad you folks are starting to show up again. Going out into the storm is not a pleasant thing.”
Karen shivered, “Colder then I recall.”
“You can dampen it by turning down the settings some, though if you’re not warm enough you’ll get hit with the debuff.” Gerald said, fiddling with his interface, “Frigid, which causes your teeth to chatter making your spells take 10% longer to cast and Shivering, which reduces your melee damage by 10%.”
Karen looked at her status bar, “Clear of it for now.”
“It’s when we get out into the blizzard that it will pick up,” Marysue said. “If you have any extra clothes, put them on over your armor now.”
“Warm clothing is for sale in the store inside the walls if you’re not prepared,” the guard told them.
“Thank you,” Karen said, heading into the keep. “I’ll catch up in a moment. Going to see what they have.”
“We probably all should,” Gerald commented then looked at Alburet and Stacia again. “Well except for them, they probably got extra clothes during the wedding.”
“Aye,” Stacia replied. “We have some suited for the southern climes as well.”
“Okay, see you guys in a few minutes then,” Gerald said as he and the others entered the courtyard and headed for the shop.
“They were not prepared,” the guard chuckled.
Alburet glanced at the guard’s name and suppressed his laughter, “Sums it up pretty well, Illider Snowhater.” He lifted his head and shifted his cloak slightly to meet the guard’s gaze. “No one is always prepared, after all.”
The guard’s eyes went from happy to flat as he looked at Alburet. “You are free to enter the keep, but don’t cause any issues.”
“I never have,” Alburet replied as he took Stacia’s arm and walked past the two guards.
“Now what is a fine lady like that doing with a guy who has tainted blood?” the other guard asked after they went by.
Alburet shook his head and kept walking, he knew this was going to be tougher. He was going to have to deal with all the small-minded digs that would be thrown at him. His reputation with the guards was still good, so if he announced himself it should cut that way down. That seemed like a bit much to have to do, then again, his change was probably not common knowledge yet. Once it got out he was sure it would cause ripples.
The couple walked into the fort proper. Once inside, Alburet put his hood down and brushed at his hair, “It might be slightly more taxing than I had thought to put up with the looks and comments.”
“Ya can do it, Asthore,” Stacia said, giving his arm a squeeze.
“Do all half-blood Succubi show no overt signs, like you?”
“Nay tha’ we know of,” Stacia replied. “Mayhap it be tha’ since Succubi can change form later tha’ it does nay show?”
“Weird, but okay.” Alburet wondered if maybe half-bloods were more common than believed, since Succubi could effectively hide their nature. He was still considering it when Gerald and the others caught up to them, now dressed in thicker clothing.
“Okay, let’s do this. We should also make sure to drop off the quests from the Webbed Wood later today as well. Then we can see about heading back down the chain to the goblin villages and such to do those lower level quests and dungeons.” Gerald tugged at his jacket, looking as though he were trying to adjust the lapel of a suit.
“Sounds good,” Alburet said as they made their way over to the sergeant desk. “Sir,” He addressed the snow-leopard Lunari on duty. “Alpha Company here to pick up the quests you have, sir.”
The Lunari looked up and a single brow rose, “Alpha Company? I thought you were led by an Alburet Two-souled?”
“That would be me, sir,” Alburet said as he fell into parade rest.
“I was told Alburet was a human,” the Lunari coughed, “which you are decidedly not.”
“I completed a ritual, which changed my rac
e, sir. Check my name if you don’t believe. With me are my officers. We’ve been going to each fort to try helping out.”
Snoweye Warmcoat’s eyes narrowed slightly as he pulled the up name bars above the players. “Hmm, indeed. It does appear that you are Alburet Two-souled. I’ll need to report this along to HQ, so our records on you are current.”
“That’s fine, sir,” Alburet replied. “Can we get the quests from you, please, sir? We would like to head out and see what the Snowblind Hills have in store for us.”
“Of course,” Snoweye sat up a little straighter. “Kill me ten of the Snowmakers, ten of the Oracles, ten of the Wardens and thirty of the Pathmakers. Also feel free to Purge the Cave, once you get strong enough.”
Alpha Company (Alpha World Book 3) Page 21