“Almost anythin’?” Stacia asked.
“I won’t give you up,” Alburet replied with a smirk.
“He’ll never let you down,” Karen snickered.
“Or run around or desert you,” Fluff finished, making the other two blink at her.
“I do nay get it, but ya all seem to understand, and ya only have love in ya hearts.”
“It’s a song,” Alburet told her.
The rest of the ride was devoted to explaining the song. When they got out of the carriage, Stacia was shaking her head. “Ya other world do be silly at times.”
“Can’t argue that,” Karen snorted.
“What’s going on?” Gerald asked them, as he and Marysue left their carriage.
“We were explaining a song to her,” Alburet said quickly.
“Oh, what song?” Marysue asked.
“‘Never Gonna Give You Up,’” Alburet admitted.
“I liked that song,” Marysue said with a smile at Gerald.
Gerald coughed and motioned toward the door, “Shall we?”
Karen and Alburet exchanged a smirk before they followed Gerald. “How many times have you sung it to her, Gerald?” Karen asked as Gerald opened the bank door.
“Not important,” Gerald was quick to reply.
“A few hundred,” Marysue giggled. “I did ask him to sing it a lot when it first came out.”
“Gerald can sing?” Fluff asked.
“No, he sounds like a frog being stepped on, but I enjoyed it anyway,” Marysue admitted with stifled laughter.
“Mary...” Gerald complained softly.
“It’s true. They’re our friends and should know not to ask you to sing,” Marysue told him. “They won’t hold it against you.”
Karen closed her open mouth, “Okay, fine. I won’t now.”
Alburet snickered, “That was close.”
“Stacia,” Fluff said, trying to change the subject, “is Mother coming to dinner?”
“Aye, she said she would nay miss it,” Stacia grinned.
“Mother is coming?” Gerald asked as they waited in line.
“Aye, me whole family will be comin’, includin’ Unca Stew, Grim, and Almira.”
“That’s going to be a full table,” Gerald murmured.
“It just be the family at the table. The others will be holdin’ their party in another room,” Stacia admitted. “I did nay have enough time to see about arrangin’ otherwise.”
“Next,” the teller called, interrupting them.
“Afternoon,” Gerald greeted the cashier, handing her the slip.
“Oh… just a moment please,” the teller said after looking at it. “I’ll be right back.”
A minute passed and when the teller returned, Morgan Warburg was following her. “This seems to be becoming common,” the Dwarf smiled. “Will you follow me, please?”
Gerald motioned and they all trailed after Warburg, who took them to his office again. Once everyone was seated, Warburg spoke up, “It will take us a few hours to assemble the gold that the Crown is telling us to give you. If you are willing to just deposit that amount into your accounts instead, I would thank you.”
“That’s fine with me,” Alburet was the first to respond.
“Add mine to his,” Karen said.
“Mine as well,” Fluff smiled.
“And mine can go with Gerald’s,” Marysue said.
“Thank you so much,” Warburg said, his relief evident. “It would have closed us for business for the rest of the day otherwise. I never expected such a large sum to come due all at once. Now for me to complete the quest.”
Warburg fiddled with the air for a moment, and when he finished, the five players all broke into smiles. Warburg blinked as he appeared to read something before him.
Alburet brushed aside the notifications after a quick glance. “Well, that will probably stick in Benedict’s craw,” he chuckled.
World First: Alpha Company is the first Guild to have a player reach level 100.
World First: Alpha Company is the first Guild to have a full group reach level 100.
World First: Ambassador Alburet Darkhand is the first Summoner to reach level 100.
World First: Lord Gerald Stoutheart is the first Defender to reach level 100.
World First: Lady Marysue Stoutheart is the first Priest to reach level 100.
World First: Lady Fluff Darkhand is the first Berserker to reach level 100.
World First: Lady Karen Darkhand is the first Assassin to reach level 100.
“My, the first Two-souled Guild to reach such heights... it is an honor to have you here when it happened,” Warburg said, standing up and extending his hand to them.
“Thank you,” Gerald said, shaking hands with the Dwarf. “If that concludes our business, we have other things that need to be accomplished today.”
“Of course, of course,” Warburg said, escorting them out of his office.
They left, looking uneasily around at all the staff and customers watching them with wide smiles and hopeful eyes. “That’s a little creepy,” Karen muttered.
Warburg’s secretary bowed her head to them, “We hope that your group will be there with the King when he goes after Stein.”
“Of course we will,” Gerald said, standing up to his full height. “Alpha Company will always be on the front lines to help keep the city and world safe.”
Someone began to cheer and soon, everyone except the other players joined in. The other players all stared at them, a couple muttering as they crossed the room.
“Fucking grandstanding assholes,” one of them muttered, overheard by Fluff just before they left the bank.
“Well, that was different,” Alburet said as they left the bank.
“Alpha Company will always be on the front line?” Karen asked. “Can you promise that?”
“I’ve been talking with Ironhand and grooming him to take over after I leave,” Gerald smiled. “He won’t be here all the time when the test ends, but he’ll keep coming back. It seems he fibbed to us. He’s a rather well-known actor. Last time I spoke with him alone, he asked me how to broach the subject with Leggy.”
“I didn’t see that coming,” Alburet said.
“Me neither, but he did an amazing job with singing and acting during the raid for the Keep,” Fluff agreed.
“Which—” Karen began.
“No,” Gerald cut her off. “Sorry Karen, but I promised to keep his name a secret.”
“Hmm,” Karen looked at the carriage. “I’ll just corner him and ask him when I see him next.”
“Thanks,” Gerald sighed. “Anyway, we’ll see you in two hours. We’re going to train and then get ready.”
“Same,” Alburet said. “Ladies, this way please.”
~*~*~
At the Dead Sands Inn, Alburet led Stacia inside. The inn was busier than it had been when they were last there: all the tables were filled, and the bar only had a couple of spots open.
Making their way over to the bar, Alburet motioned to Tabitha, “Stewart?”
“Training in the back,” Tabitha said with a smile. “We’ll be there tonight.”
“Thank ya. I be lookin’ forward to seein’ ya,” Stacia said as they left the bar for the backroom.
Just when they reached the door, Violet came out of the room. “I thought you’d be coming to train.”
“Ninety-five?” Alburet asked her.
“Yeah.”
“What did you take?”
“Infernal Blood; the resistances are too good to pass up,” Violet said. “I came to train so I could get ready for the party.”
“We be lookin’ forward to seein’ ya both,” Stacia said.
Violet’s happiness dimmed for a moment, “About making Marian your heir... she told me about it the other day. I’m going to be here until they stop us from coming… in case that played any part in your thinking.”
“It did a bit. I want to make sure that my family is cared for onc
e I’m not here,” Alburet said. “Marian will need something once the worst comes, and I wanted to leave something for her. Erin has Wilbur, Deirdre has Chris, and Emily is going to have Dennis. For us Two-souled, though…”
“Okay, I get it,” Violet sighed. “I’ll talk to you later.” She pulled out her Homestone and vanished a moment later.
“Alburet, is everything okay?” Stewart asked, coming to the door.
“Need to train,” Alburet said.
“I did see the announcement. You do enjoy breaking expectations,” Stewart chuckled. “Let’s get you trained so you can go get ready for tonight.”
“It’s an easy choice,” Alburet said, following him into the room. A minute later, Alburet pushed the book back to Stewart. “Copy Master.”
“A small army at your call,” Stewart chuckled.
“We’ll need them,” Alburet said.
“Of course,” Stewart sighed. “We made level ninety yesterday. Wish Alistern was here with us.”
“We all do,” Stacia said softly. “Ya are comin’, Tabitha said?”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Stewart said, coming around the desk to hug her. “See you two tonight.” Slapping Alburet on the back, he continued, “Make sure to keep her happy.”
“I do the best I can,” Alburet replied. “I think she makes me happier than I do her.”
“Tha’ be one of me jobs, but it be one I love,” Stacia smiled.
“Go on, you two. Go home to your wives,” Stewart said. “See you in two hours or so.”
“We’ll have the carriage pick you four up,” Alburet said.
“Fancy. Thank you,” Stewart said, shooing them off.
When the couple appeared in the courtyard, Karen and Fluff were waiting for them. “You didn’t have to wait,” Alburet said.
“We’d just made it back and figured you wouldn’t be much longer,” Karen grinned. “Besides, we wanted to make sure you came straight along to the bath with us.”
Laughing, Alburet didn’t resist when she took his hand and began to lead him into the manor. “I’m coming, I’m coming.”
“Nay yet,” Stacia murmured.
“We’ll get you there, though,” Fluff finished.
“Oh gods, you did corrupt her!” Alburet laughed as he followed along after Karen. “Et tu, Fluff?”
“After you. I’ll make sure to get her there,” Karen laughed.
Laughter rang through the halls as they made their way to the bathroom. The Infernals who heard them as they went smiled, glad that their Lord and Ladies were able to find some happiness in this dark time.
~*~*~
Two hours later, everyone was gathered— from the extended family to the staff of the manor— in the courtyard. Alburet gave Stacia a smile before he dismissed her. “Okay everyone, here we go.” Clearing his throat, he uttered the words to summon her back and tapped his hip, “Come to me, my fiery kitten.”
The smoke billowed into the air beside him, obscuring Stacia. Two large wings extended out of the cloud, red on the interior and black on the exterior. Flapping slowly, they helped the smoke disperse faster. A black, leathery, spade-tipped tail wrapped around Alburet’s arm. When the smoke cleared, the first thing everyone could see were her hooves and the smooth black leather on Stacia’s legs. The leather came up to her knees, where it then melted away to become creamy white skin. Covering her voluptuous form was a blood red dress; it clung to her torso while falling in rivers of cloth around her legs, split at the hips. The bust of the dress was trimmed with black cloth that only helped accentuate the overly ample chest of the smiling Succubus. The cloth traveled up between her breasts to form a collar around her neck. Crimson hair spilled in wild curls down her neck, and Stacia met his gaze.
“Do I be meetin’ ya approval, master?”
“Darkness, yes,” Alburet said. Her tail was still wrapped around his arm, and he gave it a light tug, pulling her to him so they could embrace and kiss.
The only sound for a long moment was the furious movement of Fluff’s pencil as she drew.
“I got dibs on next,” Karen said beside him.
The kiss broke and Stacia seemed to glide into Karen’s arms as if she was liquid sex. “Aye, ya been patient.”
That kiss gave way to Fluff suddenly being held and kissed, too. “I would nay forget our other lovin’ wife, either.”
The watching throng cheered as Stacia embraced and kissed each of her spouses in turn. “It is always a good day when one of my granddaughters reaches the rank of Lady,” Mother said, dabbing at her eyes. “It’s been even longer since anyone outside of an Infernal has reached level of one hundred.”
“I think she favors you even more than me,” Lilith said to Mother. “She has the poise to be a powerful figure.”
“I can because of me lovin’ husband and wives,” Stacia smiled.
Stewart was sniffling as he tried to hold back tears. Stacia went to him and hugged him gently. Her eyes were wet, but the tears were not yet falling, “Aye, I wish he was here too, Unca Stew.”
“We all do,” Almira said softly. “I can say he would be proud of you, Stacia. Alistern was afraid of losing you, but once you married, he was only ever proud of you.”
“Aye,” Stacia whispered as she stepped back from Stewart. “We be having a party inside. Come, do nay make me a bad hostess.”
“I brought gifts for you all,” Mother said as they entered the manor. The staff headed toward the tables that had been set up outside for them. “We’re celebrating not just my granddaughter’s ascension, but also your own rise to the height of power.”
“Why do I have a bad feeling about this?” Alburet muttered.
“Come now,” Mother laughed. “I bring gifts from Peace for two of your closest friends, as well. After all, while they can’t physically walk this world anymore, the gods can support their chosen. Even Bastet has entrusted me with gifts to bestow on the talented artist of your family.”
Alburet and his wives felt shivers run down their spines. “The Dark Lord, Peace, and Bastet all gave you gifts to deliver?” Alburet asked with a leery expression.
“Indeed,” Mother smiled broadly. “Justice is doing the same for his Champion. Hunter, Magica, Forge, Hearth, and the amazing Leo have all also decided to present gifts to their Champions before you go after Stein. That horrible little man has dared to declare himself the equal of my beloved and the others. I’ll be glad when you all strike him down.”
“We’ll do our best to make that happen soon,” Gerald said into the silence that followed her exposition.
“I know, which is why I’m happy to bring these gifts.”
When they entered the dining room, Alburet finally noticed something that had been bothering him. “Bob? In a suit?”
All eyes went to the Imp. He looked uncomfortable now that everyone was staring at him. “Err…”
“It’s a grand feast for you all. Of course he’s wearing appropriate clothing,” Loralee smiled. “Besides, doesn’t he look handsome?”
“Aye, it fits ya well,” Stacia smiled at him.
“I have to agree, Bob. I know you hate it, but that suit really does look good,” Karen nodded.
“I’d like to get all three of you after dinner,” Fluff said. “I want to draw the emblem of the house again now that you’re all Lords and Ladies.”
“Aye, tha’ be a wonderful idea,” Stacia nodded as Alburet seated her.
“In the suit?” Bob asked.
“In the suit,” Fluff smiled. “Once you see how good it looks, you might change your mind on it.”
“He’ll do it,” Loralee smiled.
“I’ll do it,” Bob agreed after a quick look at Loralee.
The giant table was filled. Emily and Dennis were the youngest, and both watched Gerald and Marysue carefully, still obviously learning all they could about being nobility. Mother sat beside them, gently correcting them when they slipped as the meal progressed, happy to help.
Once dinner was
over and everyone had complimented Loralee and the other cooks half a dozen times each, Mother stood up. “I would like to present gifts before we all forget, if that’s okay with you, Lady Darkhand?”
“Aye, tha’ be fine, Mother,” Stacia agreed.
Mother opened a small clutch purse and pulled out several large boxes, setting them on the table. Once she had five of them on the table, she asked Tiny to bring them to each person they belonged to.
Gamer for Love (Alpha World Book 8) Page 24