by Mia Archer
It was just business, after all. Now that someone was actually giving me a worthy challenge I had to rise to it.
“I’ve just gone to regional events. Never to any of the national events. I never figured I was that good anyways. I always thought if I came to a national Gathering it would be full of people who were just as good as I am,” she said. “I mean it’s not like I’m the only high level sorceress in the game.”
I barked out a short laugh. “Yeah, you’re not the only high level sorceress in the game. That’s for sure. There is one big difference between you and every other high level sorceress though.”
“Yeah? Do tell.”
“It’s those stupid factions. Every other high level sorceress in this game has joined up with the Mage’s Tower.”
“All of them?”
I looked at Anna and cocked an eyebrow. Talking to her about this stuff really was like seeing the game through a fresh set of eyes. That was almost as much fun as the challenge she was throwing at me. It was forcing me to sit back and think about all the things about the game that really annoyed me. Like the stupid Mage’s Tower.
“Let’s just say they highly encourage any low level magic characters to join their ranks. I’m surprised they didn’t try to recruit you at one of those regional events. The factions have representatives at all of those things even if it’s just one dude sitting behind a folding table.”
“Now that you mention it I do remember some girl telling me I had to join up with her back at the first regional Gathering I went to,” Anna said. “She had a bunch of other mages with her and she was running around bullying anyone who was using spells. I think she was working for a faction.”
“Really? How’d you get rid of her? They’re pretty ridiculous about getting people to join them once they discover you’re a magic user.”
Anna blushed and looked away. Even her blush was so fucking cute. It made me want to kiss those red cheeks.
“Come on Anna. What’d you do?”
“I didn’t mean to do it the first day. She told me I had to join her and I told her I wasn’t interested in joining any of the factions. She insisted. I said no. She tried to kill my character so I took her out instead.”
I stopped and laughed. It took a moment to get back under control. Oh to be a fly on the wall when that happened. I’d wanted to see that faction taken down a couple of notches for a few years now. It didn’t help that Sarah, the current leader of the Mage’s Tower, also happened to be an ex-lover from a Gathering years prior. That had been a fun couple of nights, but we crossed the thin line between lust and hate and absolutely couldn’t stand each other now.
Anything that knocked her faction down a peg or two was just fine with me.
“Wait. You said the first day it was an accident. What about after that?”
“It was only a four day event so everyone had two lives. The next day I was still pissed off, so I hunted her down and took her out before she could try the same with me.”
I laughed again. It was just too perfect. It sounded like the sort of thing I would do to my enemies. At least it was the sort of thing I’d do to my enemies if I actually had enemies in this game instead of a bunch of sniveling cowards who never made a move because they were terrified.
“That’s perfect Anna.”
“Yeah. I see her around at other events, but she’s never bothered me since for some reason.”
We walked on in silence for a few moments. I fumbled at the keychain in my hand. It was my only hope. I just hoped Danielle and Trevor would be smart enough to get close when we reached the camp. I hoped they’d be able to figure out what the numbers were and follow my directions when it came time to mount a rescue in the morning. I was banking an awful lot on hoping they hadn’t completely forgotten how we used to play the game.
“You know you’ve painted a big target on your back by doing what you did today,” I said.
Anna gave me a sidelong glance. “That’s quite a change of subject.”
“Just on my mind,” I said. If only she knew how much it was on my mind. Probably best not to let on I was planning my rescue even as I was having so much fun just chatting with her like a normal person. It didn’t hurt that she was also damn hot on top of being easy to talk to with a spunky streak in her that reminded me of, well, me.
“Things were already more restless than usual yesterday,” I said. “Once they figure out I’m being held by another faction, well all the other leaders are going to sniff blood in the water and they’re going to do their best to hunt me down. That includes hunting down whoever hunted me down.”
Anna grinned. “Well they can come at me. They might be just as surprised as you were.”
I grinned right back. I had a feeling she was right. Anyone who came for her was going to be in for one hell of a surprise. Which is why I was going to have to be very careful about organizing my own rescue without arousing any suspicion tonight while I was in the camp.
Speaking of. We reached the big faction gates and it looked like word of my capture had spread. Trevor and Danielle stood there with worried expressions right along with several people I recognized from the royal guard. There were a few thieves as well. But by far the larger number of people were from other factions. All staring and pointing at us and whispering back and forth. Anna stared at everyone with her mouth hanging open. Obviously this was a surprise she hadn’t anticipated when she captured me. Very surprising considering how she seemed to have everything plotted out well ahead of time.
Speaking of. While Anna was staring at the crowd around us seemed like the perfect opportunity to pull off the first part of my plan. I pulled out the key to my ARealms provided trailer as well as a pen. More specifically I was interested in the paper tag attached to it. I finally spewed out the numbers I’d been repeating over and over. Luckily I didn’t need to remember the whole GPS coordinates. Just the last half of the latitude and longitude that would tell my friends specifically where I was. I jotted it down on the paper quickly with an old fashioned pen then dropped the pen back in my pocket and held the key tight in my hand.
I felt downright naughty. My pulse was racing like I’d just run a couple of miles. Damn this was exhilarating! The crowds surrounding us added to the feel. I’d just pulled off the first half of my plan and no one was the wiser. Not even my sexy captor.
Oh yeah, this was going to be the biggest news to hit Alternate Realms in ever. The queen captured and returning to camp with her captor. A strange new girl no one had ever heard of. Talk about your all time juicy gossip.
I started to move towards Danielle and Trevor, key clutched in a white knuckled grip, but a hand wrapped around my arm and stopped me. I turned and Anna was wagging her finger at me.
“Oh no you don’t Erin,” she said with a grin. “You’re my captive, remember?”
Well then. I don’t know if she was being intentionally provocative with that or if it was just me. Either way, hearing her refer to me so casually as her captive sent more than a little thrill running through me. This evening was just getting more and more interesting.
I was only a little disappointed that it threw one hell of a monkey wrench in my rescue plans.
I risked one final glance towards Danielle and Trevor. They were my only chance of getting rescued tomorrow, but I’d tried and failed to get the coordinates of the Thieves’ Faction to them. I might as well enjoy whatever fun Anna had in store for me.
I looped my arm in hers and allowed myself to be led away from the crowd gathered to see whether or not the rumors of the great and powerful queen of Alternate Realms being captured were true. Let them see. Let them chat. I was far more interested in the way Anna felt pressed against me than I was in in-game politics.
For the moment. That could wait until later. After whatever fun Anna had planned.
“Everyone’s looking at us,” Anna muttered under her breath as she pulled me into the camp.
“You’d better get used to it. There’s no s
uch thing as anonymity for you anymore,” I said.
“This is going to make it a lot harder to surprise people, isn’t it?” she asked.
“Welcome to my world. You’re going to be all over the ARealms forum before the night is over.”
It was already starting all around us. People pulling out there phones and snapping pictures as we walked past. I’m sure most of those were going to wind up on the forums or on the gossip sites that covered news for the game. It wouldn’t be the first time I found myself on the front page of one of those gossip rags, though it would be the first time one of my dalliances at one of these Gatherings became more than whispers and unsubstantiated rumors.
At least I hoped to God, Thor, Superman, or any other higher powers that might be listening that this dalliance was going to become very substantiated when we got back to Anna’s tent. I assumed that’s where we were going. The whole camp ran together in a blur for me.
“Damn it,” she cursed when we reached a bonfire that maybe looked familiar from the night before.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Colin,” she said.
“Colin?”
I looked around and realized who she must be talking about. A guy standing in front of a tent that looked like it was the tent we were making for. A guy who didn’t look too happy about being out here in the camp, which seemed in line with what she’d told me about her buddy she got killed during that daring assault.
“Finally decide to come join the dead out here?” he asked, though he didn’t sound too pissed off.
“Colin, I’m so sorry,” she started.
He held up a hand. “Don’t mention it. Today was so much fun! So what if I got a little eager and got myself killed.”
Anna blinked. It was obvious that of all the ways she expected this conversation to go, this wasn’t it. “You’re not mad at me for getting you killed?”
“No! I was the one who charged a group of royal guards. Managed to take a couple of them out before they got me too! And I hear things went pretty well for you too, can’t wait for tomorrow!”
“Yeah,” Anna said. “About how well things were going.”
She jerked her head in my direction. This Colin guy looked at me and blinked. He obviously hadn’t even noticed me standing right there being, well, me. I was used to that reaction though.
“Holy crap. The queen!” he said.
“Yeah, about that,” Anna said. “I was kind of hoping to have some time to chat with the queen. Alone?”
He looked to the tent then back to the two of us. A huge grin split his face. “You dog!”
Anna blushed and looked away. Interesting. I was learning quite a bit by watching how these two interacted.
“Only problem is where am I going to stay? Or do you want me to just make myself scarce for a little while?”
“Well actually, I kind of need to make sure she doesn’t get to talk to anyone in her faction tonight so it was sort of going to be an overnight thing,” Anna said. That sent a chill running through me. The excuse sounded as flimsy to me as it did to this Colin judging by his knowing smile, but the point was she was expecting an overnight with me. Hell to the yeah!
It hit me like a lightning bolt out of the sky. I could solve the problem of getting rid of Anna’s friend so we could have some fun and get word back to Trevor and Danielle while gaining a bit of Anna’s trust all with the same action. Not daring to hope this might actually work after all, I rummaged in my pocket and tossed my key to Colin. He caught it and looked down, an eyebrow raised.
“What’s this?”
“Royal faction gets access to some trailers ARealms has on site for VIPs and their employees. You can use this key to get into my trailer. Tell Trevor and Danielle that Erin sent you and the password is flugelhorn. They’ll know what you’re talking about.”
My skin tingled. If they still remembered then they’d know what he’s talking about. They’d know to get a look at whatever he brought from me. God I hoped they remembered. It had been so long since we had to talk in code. So long since we’d grown complacent sitting on top of the Alternate Realms world.
Not that I minded being on top. I glanced at Anna again. I really hoped I’d be on top here in a few minutes if I actually managed to get rid of this Colin guy.
“Seriously?”
“Beats sleeping on the ground in a tent,” I said.
“Hell yeah it does!” Colin said. And then he was gone.
I turned to Anna and grinned. I was elated both because it looked like I’d get her all to myself for the evening and because I’d actually pulled a fast one on them and assured my rescue tomorrow. Maybe. “Is that what you were going for?”
I figured I would get a thank you or maybe a surprised look. Anything but what actually happened. She scowled at me and grabbed my arm. Pulled me towards her tent.
“I don’t recall asking you to speak, your majesty,” she said. “Now why don’t you join me in my tent?”
Oh yes I’d join her in her tent! This was amazing. Best. Role-playing. Ever!
13: Royal Passion
Fortune favors the bold.
At least that’s what I told myself over and over as I pulled Erin into the tent. As a thousand reasons why this wasn’t going to work cluttered up my brain and kept me from truly enjoying the moment. What if she wasn’t into role-playing like this? What if our flirting had been just that, flirting and nothing more? What if she wasn’t as into me as I was into her? What if the entire time she’d been acting interested as some sort of fucked up mind game she was using to try and break free the next day when everyone was back in play?
I hated how my traitorous mind could turn on me at times like this. I figured this sort of thing would get easier with time, but it seemed like every time I found myself in a situation where a girl seemed interested my brain came at me with all these doubts.
I wondered if this sort of thing happened to other people or if I was the only person blessed with crippling self-doubt like this.
Crippling self-doubt that I didn’t let stop me. I stepped into the role of the thief queen and that made it easier somehow. Weird how that worked. I pulled her into the tent and tossed her down to the ground, though it was less a toss and more helping her sit down and giving her a bit of a push that got me a smile.
I got down on my knees, not much standing room in here, and zipped up the tent. When I turned around she was right there. I blinked, but I suppose that was the green light I was looking for. She was close enough I could smell her. Close enough I could feel the heat from her body. Close enough I could taste her.
Yeah, that sounded like a good idea. So I wrapped my arms around her and pressed my lips against hers. Only this time I felt an urgency that wasn’t there when we were kissing out in the play area. There we had an audience. Here I could give into every desire I’d felt ever since I first saw a picture of the beautiful queen of Alternate Realms.
So I did. And good goddamn was it one hell of a makeout session! Easily up there in my top five. Maybe even my top three. When I pulled away my body was flushed and I was wobbly. It’s a good thing I was already on my knees, because otherwise I would’ve toppled over from the sheer power of that kiss.
“Damn,” she said.
Oh so she enjoyed that, did she? And boy did she enjoy it judging by how she was looking at me. Her breath was coming in ragged gasps. Her chest, always a distraction, was even more so now with the way it rose and fell rapidly. I wanted more of her. Needed more of her. And I had just the idea for easing into it.
“So I’m presented with a problem,” I said.
Erin blinked. It looked like she was expecting more kissing and less talking. All in good time.
“What’s the problem? Was it how I kissed?”
I giggled. “Nothing like that my dear. The problem is I can’t have you running off to your friends. It occurs to me that you know exactly where our camp is, and it wouldn’t do for you to go giving that information
away to someone who might rescue you.”
She blinked and looked so surprised for a moment that I knew I was right. I thought I saw her glancing over her shoulder as we were leaving the woods, and it hadn’t occurred to me until it was too late that she’d be able to talk to people overnight and arrange a rescue. That sort of metagaming was discouraged, but it wasn’t exactly against the rules. The way she quickly schooled her face to a smile after that momentary surprise was all the confirmation I needed.
Oh yeah, she was good.
“I would never dream of doing something like that to my brave and bold thief queen,” she said, a touch of breathlessness coming to her voice. Yeah, she was very good.
“Mm,” I said, reaching out to trace a finger along her arm. I was rewarded with goose bumps popping up where my finger moved. “I could take you at your word, or…”
“Or?” Erin asked, cocking an eyebrow.
I grinned. I was going for something that was halfway between seductive and mischievous. I don’t know how good a job I was doing, but from the way Erin’s cheeks colored I figured it was good enough.
“Or I could keep you so busy tonight that you won’t have a chance to run off to your friends and arrange a rescue,” I said.
Fortune favors the bold. I lunged for Erin. For my queen. She let out a delighted giggle as we fell to the ground and rolled around in the sleeping bags. Oh yes. Keeping her occupied and away from any potential rescuers was going to be a lot of fun!
The next morning I woke up with one hell of a smile on my face. As soon as I opened my eyes to the world and saw sunlight streaming in through the open tent flap I was flooded with memories of all the incredible things Erin and I did the night before.
Maybe it was partly because it had been so long since I had an experience like that, but last night had been one of the most intense and mind blowing nights of sex I’d had since I got out of college. If I didn’t include college then it was definitely the single hottest experience I’d ever had.