Page 86 of Seducer

“I promise I’ll graduate. Maybe it’ll take a little time to get a good job, but I will.”

I touched his arm. “I know you will. But I’m not going to suddenly place the burden on you. So. Will you teach me what you know about the game? Pretty please?”

He groaned and rolled his eyes. “I can’t see doing this with my sister.”

“Well, stick with the violent side of combat. I’ll figure out the other.”

“Duh! I hope you’re ready for this. It’s brutal.”

“Why not? Life has been brutal. You know?”

He shook his head. I did hope I knew what I was doing.

I heard the shrill sound of the doorbell above the crazy music. Somehow. When I hit pause, I waited to make certain I wasn’t hearing things. The hard pounding was a clear indication I hadn’t been. That’s when I noticed it was dark outside. Shit. What time was it?

After tossing the headset, I grabbed my phone. Lordy. It was almost nine. Oh, no. I’d forgotten all about going to the fabulous new club with Tina. I’d forced myself to purchase a dress that would be perfect for a different, but sensual Wild One look while not being recognized. That had kept the expenses down. With everything going on, I really wanted to back out of going.

I was panting and that had been from managing to get to level eighteen, only three away from the end. I’d shifted to the sexual side of the program, currently being chased through haunted woods. Creatures of all shapes and sizes had ventured from the shadows.

But there was only one who’d become determined to hunt me down, taking what he’d tried to claim on the leaderboard.

My body surrendering to his.

I’d envisioned Zach the entire time. Ridiculous and unsettling, but tasty as fuck.

I was standing right in front of my large picture window. While the lights were mostly dim, given I was playing the game, the single one Kyle had turned on before he’d left illuminated a section of the glass. The warm glow drew my attention to the fact I’d been so absorbed I hadn’t closed the blinds.

Instinct had me moving toward it, preferring to do so before seeing who was behind the door. As soon as I was close, my gazewas captured by someone standing near the streetlight, but not directly under it.

And I’d be goddamned if my eyes were playing tricks on me. Whoever it was stood in all black wearing a mask.

Another Purge-style mask, the neon blue lights indicating eyes, a nose, and a terrifying looking mouth easy to make out even from where I was standing. A shiver coursed through me and I inched as close as possible, steaming up the glass almost instantly with my hot breath. While I blinked several times, I sensed my eyes weren’t playing tricks on me.

There was someone watching the building. More specifically, watching me.

“Zach,” I whispered, although given the distance, I certainly couldn’t feel the usual electricity shared between us.

I could swear the person tilted his head, even waving at me. What the fuck?

Before I had a chance to step back, my senses were jarred by another harder knock on the door.

A slight gasp escaped my lips and I immediately turned, taking long strides toward the entrance.

As soon as I threw open the door, Tina’s eyes opened wide.

“You look like shit. Are you sick? I know you left work early. I tried to call you like three times to see if you still wanted to go tonight.”

“I’m not sick. I just… I’ve had a long few days. Nothing more. I needed a little me time.” I glanced over my shoulder. What wasZach doing standing down there? Did he plan on coming up? I licked my lips and Tina cleared her throat. “Sorry. Come in.”

She swept into my apartment as she always did, immediately concentrating on the headset. “I thought you had virtual reality head. You’ve been playing Dark Nights. Haven’t you?”

“I thought it best for me to learn.”

“You’re dead set on that Obsidian Society thing. Aren’t you?”

“I’m interested in learning if there is any truth to the rumor. So what?”

“So, I can’t stop you. Can I?”

---