Eternal Night (Short Story Exclusive) (Patreon)

So, for my exclusive Advanced + Master tier patrons, here's a look at a short story that I had worked on. This is a VR basted LitRPG that I worked on that is set in a Vampire run world. :) 

The initial idea was to write a series of connected short stories, but I struggled a bit with the System in this one. I'm also somewhat unhappy with this first draft and need to fix it, but abandoned the entire thing after a while. Anyway, here you go!

--------------------------------------------------

  

First Steps into the Night

An oval, metallic bright red helmet that looked like a bastard cross between a science fiction and motorcycle helmet holds the attention of the leggy brunette as it lies on her bed. Kylie Porter bit her lip as she stared at the Novacry Virtual Reality helmet, forcing herself to draw and exhale a deep breath to calm her nerves. 

“This is your first assignment. Brent, that rat bastard, won’t buy the piece if you don’t write it. You can’t write it if you don’t go in. Come on Kylie. All the studies say it’s fine, there’s no danger,” the brunette whispered to herself in a surprisingly low, husky voice in an effort to psych herself up. The truth was for Kylie that it was not about the danger to her mind or body that the VR helmet exemplified but what came afterward.  “You know Jonathan won’t wait long for you. If he doesn’t show you around, you don’t have a chance at writing this.”

As she chewed on her lower lip, Kylie looked out of the eleventh floor window of her apartment. The downtown skyline of Vancouver still glowed with reflected electric light even years after the ‘night sky’ legislation had passed. Beneath her, she could hear the low rumble of electric busses and grid-connected shared vehicles carrying the residents to the latest party. A part of Kylie desperately wanted to be out there, in the press of humanity, rather than in here, staring at the cold, white helmet. Then again – she barely had enough money to make it through the month. Existing on the minimum basic income was tough especially for a single woman without roommates.

Kylie sighed and turned away from the window back to the helmet. She finally forced herself to pick it before she slidt onto her silky, long hair. As she adjusted the straps, Kylie lay down on the bed before she touched the side of the helmet, engaging the program.

A brief moment of disorientation later and light blossoms around her eyes before it faded away, gray and red titles floating into her vision. “Welcome to Eternal Night. Eternity Awaits All!”

Kylie found herself in a cream coloured foyer with no furniture but a single pedestal. As she walked up to it, she marveled at how real everything felt – the soft caress of the silk dress around her thighs, the clack of her high heels on the marble floor, the floral notes that tickled her nostrils. It takes her a brief moment to realise that it is a touch too realistic as her small breasts shift unsupported under her dress, the lack of underclothing an unpleasant surprise. A further, more pleasant surprise appears in the form of her greeter – Bill Lawry, the debonair and charming silver-haired Englishman who has appeared by the pedestal.

“Ms. Sugard,” Bill said in that deep, rolling voice of his that had made him a favourite celebrity for decades. “Welcome to Eternal Night. I will be your Guide during the character creation process. From the details of your account, this is your first Virtual Realm game?”

“Yes…” Kylie said. She found herself slightly breathless as she stared up at the older man. She was not too modest to admit that she had a crush on the celebrity and having found herself in his presence – even a recorded, virtual presence – was closer than she had ever expected. 

“Very well then,” he smiled at her and waved to the pedestal. “If you will put your hand on the pedestal, we will need to finish the legal agreements first after which I will explain the character creation process and guide you through the tutorial.”

“Oh! But I have a friend who is showing me around,” Kylie blurted out, her eyes growing wide. “How long will this take?”

“A few hours at most Ms. Sugard,” Bill rumbled before he continued. “However, if you wish, we can skip the tutorial aspects for now. You may return to the tutorial at any time while in a safe location. We will still, however, have to complete the legal agreement and the character creation.”

“Of course!” relieved, Kylie smiles and placed her hand on the pedestal. In front of her, a long document listing the terms and conditions of the game appeared.

“Do you wish me to read them to you?” Bill offered and for a moment, Kylie almost agreed. The journalist in her wondered how many women actually did agree – certainly, if anyone could make dry legal text sound exciting, it would be Bill Lawry.

“No… just let me know how to agree,” Kylie replied. As Bill lead her through the necessary steps, she settled in to complete the character creation process as quickly as possible. As it stood, she had dithered long enough that she was afraid she would be late for her appointment.

“Took you long enough,” the wry, sarcastic tone made Kylie jerk slightly as she walked out of the train station. The admiring glance that came a moment later was, at least, more the effect she had hoped for. Character creation had taken longer than she had expected, mostly because she had found herself getting caught up in the avatar creation process.  While CyberUnix had, at the recommendations of a number of psychologists restricted the character creation process to similar models to the user’s own body for the most part, it did allow minor modifications. It was, in many ways, very similar to the programs that plastic surgeons used, allowing individuals to create a more ‘perfect’ image of themselves.

As such, Kylie had altered certain aspects of her body that she had never liked. Her lips were plumper, her hair a touch longer, ears that were a touch too large and a chin that needed to be slightly less pointy. She had even added a cup size, though she had decided against the truly voluptuous proportions that were available. All in all, she had to think that she looked good and the lingering, heated look that Johnathan was offering her was testament of that.

“Johnathan,” Kylie replied, smirking slightly that he never bothered to change his first name. On the other hand, Johnathan had certainly filled out since she had last seen him half a decade ago. Towering over her at 6’ 3”, black hair in a buzzcut with those deep, dark black eyes of his, Johnathan’s avatar had the broad shoulders and tapered waist of a gymnast. “You’re looking good.”

“Thanks. We should get going,” Johnathan replied, leading the young lady to a waiting car. He opened the door for her, letting her slide into the backseat before he joined her, a single barked word of ‘home’ had the driver taking off. “I take it you followed my recommendations?”

“Yes, all of them though I’m not sure why you were so specific,” Kylie admitted and Johnathan smiled, that twinkle in his eyes making her think of winter evenings spent over cups of mulled wine, huddled under fur blankets. She blinked, mouth opening in surprise as the memory that was not hers’ crept into her memory.

“First injected memory?” Johnathan asked and she nodded numbly. Of course Kylie had read about her CyberUnix had created and some said, perfected, the development of artificial memories but she had always thought it would somehow feel, alien, to her. This had been much more intuitive, almost as if it had been her own memory – if not for the fact that everything had been in black and white, she would have found it quite difficult to tell the difference.

“It seems so real…” Kylie said out loud.

“It’s not really a real memory, it just feels like it. It’s more akin to a thought that is slightly fuzzy, which is why it seems so close to a real memory. It’s still strange,” Johnathan answered her, smiling slightly before he gestures sideways. “Either way, you’ll get used to it.”

Kylie nodded again, staring out the window before she asked the obvious question,” Where are we going? I thought you said you were going to show me the game?”

“To feed. Starting characters start with about a quarter of their blood pool. That’s so you have to feed tonight or else you’ll fall into a Blood Frenzy,” Johnathan said, lips turning up slightly.

“Oh…” Kylie fell silent as she contemplated how she would handle drinking blood. Even if it was a game, the entire concept made her a little bit queasy. Her thoughts were interrupted as the car pulled to a stop marking their arrival in the underground garage. Johnathan offered his hand as he stepped out of the car, guiding Kylie to the elevator and to his penthouse apartment.

Johnathan opened the door and gestured for Kylie to enter before him. As Kylie strode in to the modern, sparsely furnished apartment she is greeted by a petite Japanese lady with what must have been game augmented breasts wearing an extremely tight, strapless gown. 

“Welcome back Master,” the Japanese woman bowed slightly to Johnathan as he entered before she turned to the newcomer. “Welcome. I am Hana Takizawa.”

“Ky… Karen. Karen Lane,” Kylie answered before turning to give Johnathan a reproving look. “Really? A Japanese maid calling you Master?”

“I am sorry Ms. Lane, but I am not an NPC,” Hana said quickly before Johnathan could reply. She smiled sweetly at Kylie / Karen as she bowed to her again. “I am a player character. And I call Johnathan Master as that is his title, he is my Blood Lord.”

“I’d also stop breaking roleplay so blatantly,” Johnathan drawled, lip twisted upward on one side. “It is considered bad form. Especially among those we will be visiting.”

Kylie nodded, taking the rebuke in stride. She stared at Hana who waved them into the condo further, leading them pass the granite countertop kitchens to the living room where a pair of black couches look over the city view. Towering highrises and condo apartments abound, though few are as tall as the building they reside in. Outside, streetlamps and office buildings glittered n the dark, telling their tale of lives lived. In the far distance to the left, mountains glittered while to the right, the Atlantic Ocean lay.

As Kylie took in the spectacular view, a hand is placed in the small of her back. When she turned to confront the invader, she found herself staring at Hana who smiled up at her demurely. They are so close that Kylie cannot help but notice the smell of Hana, the slight floral note of her perfume and beneath that, the clean intoxicating smell of her skin. Kylie found herself reacting to Hana’s presence, leaning forwards to draw a deeper breath. That bastard, Kylie thought, he knows I have a thing for Asian women.

“Ummm…,” Kylie began.

“My Master informed me of your needs. Please, let me,” Hana murmured as she tilted her head to the side and brushed long hair clear of her neck. “You need only let your instincts guide.”

Kylie blinked, staring at the long supple line of flesh before and the thud of blood beneath Hana’s skin. She could, she swore almost see it. Taste it. Without thought, Kylie’s fangs extended from her mouth as she bent down, a hand coming up to grasp the young lady by the back of her head while her other hand grasped Hana’s behind, pulling her tight. Kylie breathed in the intoxicating scent that surrounded her now, that made her nipples harden and her body wet. 

Unable to resist any further, Kylie plunged her head down onto the bared neck. As her fangs pierced Hana’s skin, she felt the rush of blood enter her mouth. The blood tasted like hot chocolate tinged with salty iron, the taste so good that Kylie moaned slightly in ectasy, clutching the Japanese woman to her body and melding it to her. Beneath her lips, Hana groans in pleasure, fists clenched as she is taken.

Blood pulsed in her mouth, sending waves of warmth down Kylie’s body with each mouthful she drank. It set her flesh burning, her nerves tingling with sensation as she drew it all in, her body involuntarily clenching and releasing as she sucked. She was caught for minutes, maybe hours before the insistent tapping on her shoulder finally drew her away from Hana. 

“Enough Karen,” Johnathan said as he pulled her away from the petite young lady before he catches her with one arm, setting her on a nearby couch to rest. 

“Is she… is she okay?” Kylie says as she wiped her mouth clean. She is surprised at how little blood there is to clean – but then again, why should she be? After all, this was a game and no one really wanted to spend their game time cleaning up messy blood spills.

“She will be fine. You took a little too much but Hana will recover in a few days,” Johnathan replied, smiling down at the young Japanese girl fondly. “We can leave her here. You need to get changed.”

“Oh… oh!” Kylie nodded and then stopped. “Changed?”

“Har!” Johnathan pointed and to the side, hung up on the nearby mantle is a shimmering long gown, very similar to the one that she first started the game with in the training area. “Best hurry, we don’t want to be late.”

Dressed and her hair redone, Kylie found herself sharing the elevator down with Johnathan. Able to speak now, she asks the questions that had built up in her, “You said a few days? How does that work? How much blood did I drink?”

“Hana’s a Blood Baby. Their skills include faster regeneration, blood scent and taste additions and related abilities,” Johnathan said. “Most players who have a Blood Baby character have more than one since a bad feeding can knock your character out for a few days.”

“Oh…” Kylie bit her lip.

“Ask it,” Johnathan said.

“Ask what?”

“Whatever it is you’re thinking about,” Johnathan replied as he stepped out of the elevator.

“Why? I mean, why do people play Blood Baby’s?” Kylie blurted out as she followed Johnathan to the waiting car.

“Depends. However, what you felt while feeding? Blood Baby’s feel it twice, three times as intensely. I’m told it’s better than sex for many,” Johnathan said. “Some people like playing someone subservient. Others do it for the pleasure. And then of course, there’s those who play the long game.”

“Long game?” Kylie asked.

“If you can convince an Eternal with a high Blood Potency to turn you in-game, you can skip the character creation process and give yourself a significant leg-up in terms of power. You get to keep all the Skills and abilities you built up after all,” Johnathan said.

“Oh…” Kylie nodded in thanks. “So this party…?”

“Ball. It’s a Ball,” Johnathan corrected her while he continued. “The leader of the Pelopidas, Caroline hosts a monthly Ball. Everyone who is anyone in Eternal Society shows up. If you want to see what the game is like, there is no better place tonight.”

“A Ball…” Kylie said her voice utterly deadpan.

“Yes. Now be good and, remember, roleplay,” Johnathan replied, opening the door as they pulled up. As Kylie exited the vehicle, she stared up at the large, colonial mansion with its white marble columns and uniformed servants. All around her, primped and pampered individuals walked up the stairs, most pale and only a few lightly tanned. She had to smile slightly, remembering that ‘Eternals’ in the game were able to interact even during the day, allowing players to log-in at all hours to continue playing. Of course, since it was a game that focused on the Eternals, the ‘night’ portions of the game were significantly longer than the day portions. In accordance with the theme, Eternals had significant penalties in the light of the sun which gave the AI controlled Hunters a chance.

A slight elbow in her side made Kylie remember to focus again on the present as John led her up the stairs. He pauses only long enough to nod in greeting to the majordomo at the doors before he leads her in without proffering the invitations many others did. Kylie was not oblivious to the jealous looks that they received for this casual display of status and power from the surrounding Eternals. Eyes wide, she leaned in slightly to whisper, “There’s a lot of Eternals here John.”

“A decent attendance,” John said as let his eyes wander over the gathering. “It is the monthly ball.”

Kylie marveled at the décor as John led her into the building. Beautiful white, impecabbly polished marbled floors were flanked by solid, single-tree wooden doors on each side. An impressively large pair of double-doors were directly ahead of her which opened into the main ballroom itself though John led her to the right, pass those doors along the corridor to ascend a set of staircases. On the second floor, she is brought to the balcony that oversees the ballroom to allow her to watch the dancers below. 

All across the floor, dancers clad in designer ballgowns and tuxedos danced across the floor under fully lit chandeliers while waiters and waitresses walked between them carrying hors d’ouveres and glasses of red wine. Other servers with a blue or white armband walked among the throng carrying nothing while servers clad with a gold armband were found only on this floor. As she watched, Kylie noticed that these servers would occasionally be gently taken to carefully arranged side-tables and sheltered nooks where Eternals would feed on them.

“What are the colors for John?” Kylie murmured. There were not enough colors to indicate blood type among the throng though she noticed that there were a larger number of white scarves than there were of the other two.

John stayed silent until a passing server walked by. When she did, John reached out to gently tap the petite blonde on the shoulder wherein the server stopped immediately, turning to the pair with a smile. “Please turn and show Ms. Lane your sigil.”

Obeying his instructions, the server turned to the left and showcased her white armband as she stepped closer to Kylie. On it was a carefully embroidered sigil of a lion flanked by two gryphons. Unconsciously, Kylie finds herself inhaling the scent of the young lady, her expanded senses drinking in the appetizing scent of the woman. 

Eyes crinkling slightly, John dismissed the server before he spoke to Kylie, “Each colour represents a different sponsor for this evening’s festivities.”

A slightly raised hand beckons a tall, olive-complexioned server with a gold armband to them. Even before he closed in on the pair, Kylie could smell the intoxicating scent of the man. She found herself arching her back unconsciously before she swept her hair back from her face. However, before she could reach the man, John steps in the way and places a hand on his chest. Kylie hissed in frustration and her fangs lowered slightly from her lips as she struggled for self-control.

As John stood before the man, he craned his neck down as he gently raised the man’s chin. He nuzzled the neck before nipping at the exposed skin, taking the slightest sip before he licked the wound clean, sealing it again. The scent of the man’s exposed blood almost sent Kylie into a before she caught herself and pushed her back against the railing. As she forced herself to breathe deeply, Kylie wondered what was happening to her.

“And that’s why I had you feed before you came,” John answered her unspoken question. He watched the young man amble away before he smiled slightly. “Hana tastes better than them anyway.”

“What…?” she shook her head and tried again, “Why do they smell so good?”

“Alluring Scent – it’s a Blood perk that Blood Baby’s get,” John said, keeping his voice soft as spoke. “He has a few levels in it as does Hana. However, she has better levels in Blood Palate.”

Nodding dumbly, Kylie took a deep breath and focused on her job, analyzing the room. After a moment, she said, “Each of the Blood Baby’s are sponsored – I’m assuming a large number if not all, are AIs. And the white went for quantity while gold went with quality?”

At her pronouncement, a soft clapping sound caught Kylie’s attention. She turned, spotting an elegant blonde with gray eyes and flowing, natural blonde hair walked up to her in a cross-strapped gown with a daring cut-out. “Well done. This is your friend John?”

“Charlotte,” John walked over to the approaching lady and took her hand, kissing it gently. “And yes. Excuse her lack of decorum. She’s new at this. Karen, Charlotte Renard here is your Bloodline’s Elder in this city.”

“I’ll always excuse someone so beautiful,” Charlotte said gaily before she sauntered over to lean against the railing next to Kylie. As she rested her arms on the railing, Kylie could not help but notice the gold bracer that she wore had the same sigil engraved on it as the ones on the gold armbands. “And I believe it better befits a host to provide a higher quality nourishment.”

“You would say that. And would leave everyone hungry,” another voice called forth as another blonde, this one less voluptuous and taller came striding to the pair. If Charlotte was Marilyn Monroe, this lady was a Supermodel her thin frame and perfect poise. Dressed in a beautiful, form-fitting white gown with the embroidered crest accenting the entire dress. “Will you introduce us John?”

“Of course,” John said as he gestured to Kylie. “Karen Lane of the Pelopidas, Anna Johnson of the Ceasars.”

Kylie blinked, confused for a moment before she decided to curtsey to each lady. Thinking fast, she first curtsied to Charlotte and then only Anna. A slight smile crossed Charlotte’s face while Anna’s eyes grew slightly colder. However, Kylie is relieved to note the slight nod that John gives her for her actions. This seemed like murky and dangerous waters she suddenly found herself in.

“Those who are unable to fend for themselves should not be coddled,” Charlotte sighed, arching her back slightly and displaying her charms as she continued. “Your ‘generosity’ only ensures that the rabble keep relying on us.”

“Better they rely on us and come to these events than cause trouble outside,” said Anna. “We are better off with the Fangers content with the balls and games we create than them creating their own.”

“And of course, the fact that they support your little proposals has nothing to do with your actions,” Charlotte said.

“I don’t proclaim charity,” Anna snapped. “I leave that for the Alpharabius. What I do, I do for the good of the city which is more than can be said for you.”

“The City is better off with fewer Fangers and more Blood’s,” Charlotte said.

Kylie watched the byplay between the two, confused. She shot John a look who smiled slightly, glancing at the ladies. “If you ladies do not mind, perhaps I can explain the matter to my friend?”

“Please, maybe your explanation can clear up some confusion others have too,” Charlotte said, her voice dripping scorn.

Anna snorted but waved John to continue. He nodded agreeably, stepping up to the railing and gesturing down to the throng below who danced, “You have to understand, Eternal Night is played by a wide variety of people like any other game. Players all have their own reasons of course, but can be broken down into three main types. The casuals – the Fangers that you see below. They join us every few days and enjoy the fantasy of being rich, powerful, beautiful.

“Then there are there Bloods like Anna and Charlotte who are much more… serious. Bloods hold most of the day-to-day power in the city and the ones who organise many of the Balls, the games and the hunts that keep the Fangers entertained. The argument as you can then guess is how much Bloods should cater to Fangers.” Johnathan paused slightly before he finally continues. “Also, Fangers is considered impolite. Most prefer the term Eternals.”

“Oh,” Kylie said, glancing between the group. Her brow scrunched as she thought, “But why hold these events at all? What do Bloods get out of it?”

“Power. Prestige. Influence,” Anna answered immediately. “Your character probably has significant financial resources at her behest. At these events, you can gain more by interacting with other Eternals. By hosting these events, we bring Eternals together and allow us to draw power and prestige to us.”

Caroline sighs, shaking her head, “Expect a Casear to always think about the masses. Better to focus on those that matter. And on that note, I do have work to do. Another time, Johnathan. Ms. Lane, I hope you will continue to play. If you do, make sure to visit me. Anna.”

“Of course, Caroline,” Johnathan inclined his head slightly to Caroline who turned and strode off. 

Once she has left, Anna turns to focus on Kylie fully, “So Ms. Lane, Johnathan mentioned to us that he would be showing an old friend of his off. Did he, perhaps, introduce you around yet?”

“No, we just arrived. And please, call me Karen,” Kylie introduced herself to which Anna nods.

“Anna then,” Anna smiled. “If that is the case, I’ll let him continue. Do come speak with me again.”

When Anna left, Kylie leaned in to whisper to Johnathan, careful to keep her voice low. “That was intense! It reminded me of high school.”

“I wouldn’t know,” John replied, smiling slightly. Kylie recalled then that unlike her, Johnathan had never been part of the ‘cool’ kids but rather mixed with the outcasts. It was only Johnathan’s well-known record in the school’s Karate tournaments that had ensured that he was never bothered.

“Right, ummm…” Kylie fell silent, glancing around. “So, is it always like that?”

“Sort of,” taking her hand, Johnathan leads her along the floor, nodding to people while never stopping to speak. “Eternal Night for the Blood is a game of prestige and influence. If you can get enough people to agree with you, deal with, you can win. The skills, the stats, those are all ancillary to the real game of politics.

“Of course, the Stats help since Novacore’s tech makes it easier for those with high stats to convince you in-game. Now, watch, the pair of men on your left? They’re a Tieguai and Pugachev and are putting together a deal to safeguard the Tieguai’s latest project. The Caesar hovering in the corner is the financier for it all.”

In this way, John murmured softly to Kylie as they walked around the room as he pointed out the games of influence and politics being played. A business deal here. Promises of protection there. A guarantee of attendance another place. The deals were all varied, the promises seeming to be both tangible and esoteric – a vial of Blood, a pair of enchanted swords, millions of dollars.

After a time, Kylie caught Johnathan’s arm and pulled him to a stop and to a nearby column where she speaks with him. “It’s so complicated. Like another world.”

“It very much is,” Johnathan replied, smiling slightly. “Novacore’s created a very complex economic and city building game which allows us to trade and negotiate for anything you can think of. The politics and intrigue in the game among the Bloods comes from that.”

Kylie slowly nodded, “Something has been bothering me. You said there are three kinds but never mentioned the third.”

“Ah, the third kind of player are the Lifers,” Johnathan replied. “They, well, they’re like the Bloods in that that they take the game seriously but mostly because they make their money off the game. There’s… mixed feelings about them.”

“Oh right!” Kylie nodded, smiling slightly. Novacore’s Exchange was well known and was linked to all their games. It allowed players to purchase Novacore dollars which they could then use to purchase additional resources in any of Novacore’s games or their subsidiary services. To allow players to test and play in all their games, Novacore had an internal exchange which allowed players to trade in-game resources for Novacore dollars. However, many players soon realised that it was quite possible to use their Novacore dollars to pay for regular day-to-day services as Novacore’s subsidiaries and affiliates spanned the globe, giving birth to Lifers. 

“Do you want to dance?” John asked as they completed the circuit around the second floor. He could already see that Kylie had been making mental notes of the taste he had given her of the politics of the Blood.

“Dance?”

“Yes. Down there,” he inclines his head to the ballroom below.

“Oh. I’m, well, a bit out of practise,” Kylie admitted. It had been ages since she had danced and certainly even longer since she had done ballroom. Why, it would be nearly…

“Well, you do owe me a dance from prom,” Johnathan pointed out as he gently guided her down the stairs. Kylie blushed, remembering how she had promised him that dance for his last minute help with her science paper. Johnathan never did collect on it though, having never turned up to prom.

“Whatever happened to you?” Kylie murmured as Johnathan smoothly joined the spinning couples, pulling her along. Kylie found herself automatically following his strong lead, her body – assisted by the software – finding the rhtymn with ease.

“Ah…” Johnathan falls silent, eyes darkening. Kylie opens her mouth to take the question back but is surprised to find that he answers her, “My dad received a last-minute transfer. We had to be packed and gone in a week.”

“Oh,” Kylie said, smiling slightly. “Well, you’re a much better dancer than my date was then.”

“Perks of the system,” Johnathan replied before he spun Kylie as she got into the flow of the dance. “Having fun?”

“Yes,” Kylie replied and blinked. “Ummm… is this that supposed to happen?”

With careless ease, John switched places with Kylie, never missing a beat. The larger raven-haired man lets out a sigh before he smoothly guided his companion off the dance floor without wasting a beat. Free of the dancers, Johnathan strode forward, clearing his throat as he pushed pass the gawking audience. Having received no response, Johnathan tapped the man on the shoulder.

“That’s enough,” Johnathan commanded. “I said that’s enough.”

Having stepped to his side, Kylie sees the brief transformation as it happened. Johnathan’s skin grew pale, his eyes glowed red and his voice filled with power as he spoke. Forced by the power in Johnathan’s voice, the Blood Lost Eternal finally pulls away from the Blood Doll he is draining at their feet.

“Fuck off,” the Fanger hissed at Johnathan as he turned back to the body.

“No. You do not kill at a Ball,” Johnathan said, reaching forwards to grip the man’s shoulder. “Let him go.”

“What do you care? It’s just an NPC,” the Fanger growled again, attempting to push against Johnathan’s hand and failing. He frowned as he pulled to his feet. “Oh god, you’re one of those roleplaying freaks.”

“Not exactly,” Johnathan smiled at him, tilting his head to the side. “Now, be a good boy and go with these men.”

Again, Kylie watched as the wave of power emanates from Johnathan. The Fanger growled, fighting it for a brief moment before he turned and followed the waiting security guards. Another pair of servers swooped in, taking hold of the body of the Blood Doll and removing it discreetly.

“What was that?” Kylie murmured.

“Command,” Johnathan explained as he guided the young lady away.

“You’ve got that much power?” Kylie said admiringly.

“Not exactly. I have a lot more Influence than he has,” Johnathan said and waved his hand around. “It’s the game’s version of a reputation monitor, but with in-game effects on even other players. A high Influence score adds weight to social skills and Gifts.”

Kylie frowned, biting her lips. “Doesn’t that take away from his… his.. will?”

“Not really,” Johnathan said. “He can ignore it if he really wanted to. However, doing so imposes a significant penalty on his own Influence score. The game can nudge you, it can’t compel you.”

Kylie nodded again and Johnathan smiled, offering his hand again to hers. “Now, where were?”

Kylie shrugged, looking over the dance floor. The allure of the Ball had fallen away after the encounter and she looked at it once again with a critical eye. “So, is this the game then? Snotty barbs, boardroom politics and quasi-sex?”

At her pronouncement, Johnathan paused, quietly regarding her. Finally, he slowly nodded, “For this portion, yes.”

“Mmmm… okay,” Kylie rubbed at her nose, thinking. Muttering to herself, she considered her options. “I can work with that. Maybe play up the sex angle for the article…”

“Well, we aren’t done yet. Since the boardroom politics doesn’t interest you, we’ll move on,” Johanthan smiled, guiding her out of the building. He sighed regretfully, glancing back once as he brought Kylie to the exit. Oblivious to this, Kylie just continued to watch the players all around her.

“Where are we going now?” Kylie said.

“Like all virtual games, combat is a major draw,” Johnathan said, guiding her to the exit. “There’s an Arena scheduled tonight so I figured we might get you involved.”

“C… Combat?” Kylie said around the sudden lump in her throat. Once again, Kylie had to remind herself that this was just a game – no matter how real it seemed, it was not real life.

“Yes,” Johnathan replied. Magically, even as they exited, their car was waiting for them. Kylie blinked, staring at the vehicle. Well, she thought after a moment, it was a game – altering minor things to make it more convenient for the players made sense. No one really wanted to wait for their car to pull up.

“Come, we’ll need to change,” Johnathan said as he entered after her and pulled a slim bag from under the chair.

“Uhh…” Kylie said, looking around the sparse interior.

“I won’t look,” Johnathan said, turning away to stare out of the window. Kylie blinked, staring at the man before she sighed and reached for the bag. Well, it was not as if Johnathan would actually see her real body even if he did peek. The fact that she felt a slight thrill at the thought of Johnathan peeking was completely beside the fact she told herself.

Inside, Kylie is surprised to find some extremely sensible clothing choices – a sports bra and an athletic top were the under-layer before a zip up, thin ballistic vest covered her torso. For her bottoms, Johnathan had packed double-lined Kevlar leggings and a pair of sturdy, if stylish steel-toed boots. For weaponry, she found a pair of knives that attached to a separate belt. Kylie found herself pursing her lips in thought as she squirmed to undo the zipper in her back. Finally giving up, Kylie said, “John, I need your help with the zipper.”

“Of course,” Johnathan turned to her, reaching for the zipper while Kylie pulled her hair aside. He deftly undoes the zipper, fingers brushing along her back as he pulls down. At his touch, Kylie draws in a soft breath, exhaling with regret when he releases the dress and turns back to the window. Pushing it aside, Kylie squirms in the backseat as she dresses, sliding on the clothing with deft movements. It is only when she is mostly dressed does she notice that the window is just dark enough to have reflected most of what she was doing, if Johnathan had cared to look. Flushing, she opened her mouth to say something but is interrupted by Johathan.

“Ready yet? We’re nearly there.”

Kylie nodded dumbly and then realising he is still looking away, said, “Yes.”

Johnathan turned back, looking her up and down appraisingly. There is no heat in his eyes this time, just critical appreciation before he nods. As the car drew to a halt, Johnathan steps out and holds out for her. “There’s a jacket for you and me in the trunk. I’ll need to dress too.”

When she opened the trunk, Kylie finds the aforementioned articles of clothing – a matching pair of black leather jackets. A quick inspection reveals the correct jacket which Kylie slipped on, hiding the pair of knives. As she came around the car with Johnathan’s jacket on her arm, her eyes widen. Johnathan has taken off his jacket and shirt and was in the process of arming himself with a pair of handguns. 

“How come I don’t get a gun?” Kylie asked as Johathan slid his jacket on.

“Do you know how to shoot?”

“Well, no. I didn’t see the option of buying that Skill either,” Kylie added and Johnathan nodded.

“Guns are less useful against Eternals anyway. Better to use a knife. If you stick around, I’ll make sure to give you a few lessons,” Johnathan said, shutting the door of the car. The moment he did so, the car pulled away and he led Kylie down the street. “We’ll need to walk for a bit, not a good idea to arrive in a town car where we are going.”

“Where are we going?” Kylie grumped, feeling somewhat lost.

“The Red Arms, Quinn’s pub. He’s the Cúchulainn’s Blood Elder and he’s hosting the Arena tonight. Should be pretty interesting.”

“Care to explain what an Arena is?”

“Ah… right,” Johnathan said, looking abashed. “Think Roman Gladitorial arenas except with Eternals, caught Hunters and other supernaturals.”

By this time, the pair had finally arrived at the pub. Unlike what she initially taught, the pub was actually a multi-storey establishment that sprawled over the expanse of a block. Dark windows glittered and a constant flow of people entered and exited the establishment. Jonathan did not approach the main exit though, instead leading the pair around the building to a smaller, more discrete entrance. There, a hulking man watched and rejected casual passerbys, offering a single nod to the pair as they neared.

Inside, the door opened into a small landing for a set of staircases that lead up and down. Johnathan guided Kylie downstairs without a word, the noise of the crowd beneath their feet resounding through the enclosed brick stairwell.

Underneath, loud bass-driven music thrummed while a heaving press of bodies circled around bars and small tables. Stadium seating circled the inset, underground sanded arena where currently a pair of Eternals were fighting with rapiers. The flashing blades licked out, clashing and pulling back in a shower of glinting steel. Sharp blades entered bodies, leaving wounds that dribbled blood which were ignored by the fighting pair. Outside of a few enthusiasts, the fighting was mostly ignored by the crowd.

The attendees of the Arena were a different breed than those at the Ball. Leather, latex and rubber seemed to be the most popular clothing choice, though flashes of plate and chainmail could be seen as well. While black continued to dominate the spectrum of colour, other more unique and garish purples, pinks and greens could be seen. It reminded Kylie of a mix between a S&M party and a midnight rave, both events that she had spent much of her youth at.

Kylie could not help but find herself smiling slightly, eyes glinting at the heady atmosphere. This, this was something she could get her teeth into. Johnathan, watching her, shook his head ruefully. Well, it seemed that she would likely be re-rolling her character if she kept at this.

“Johnathan!” even over the throb of music, the roaring voice cuts through the din. Kylie turned to see who it was, her eyes widening at the absolute beast of a man that came striding towards them. Topping even Johnathan’s 6’ 3” by a foot, the ebony skinned, shaven-haired man wears only a simple leather vest.

“Quinn,” Johnathan greets the man, sticking a hand out. It is grasped and Johnathan is pulled into a backslapping, single-arm hug by the muscular man. Johnathan is then pushed away from the black man, his body given a quick once over.

“Good. Very good. I was thinking this night was going to be a failure,” Quinn said.

“Quinn, this is Karen. I’m showing her around,” Johnathan said, waving to Kylie. Kylie drops a quick nod, deciding that her a curtsey would be out of place in this place.

“Har! I heard. She looks to be enjoying herself,” Quinn replied and then shook his head. “I need you to join the lineup. My headliner and my backup pulled out on me. Bloody cowards.”

“No,” Johnathan shook his head, holding a hand up. “I’m showing a friend around, not taking part in your games.”

“Excuses. Come, it’s an Alpha Lycan. You know you want to do it,” Quinn wheedled, gesturing towards the arena. “You know none of these wimps are going to take it on.”

“What’s an Alpha Lycan?” Kylie asked.

“Boss of the pack for a group of werewolves. Bigger, stronger and able to use their middle-form. Very tough to beat,” Johnathan answered her before glaring at Quinn. “And are you insane? There’s no way I’m fighting an Alpha alone.”

“Johnathan, I don’t want to do this…” Quinn started.

“Then don’t.”

“I’m calling in my Favor.”

“Fuck you Quinn. I should never have made a deal with you,” Johnathan growled and rotated his shoulders. “An Alpha. This is going to be a real pain you know.”

“Good man.  Let me know if you need anything,” Quinn, having won his way slapped Johnathan on the shoulder and left to inform the announcer of the change of plans.

“Johnathan…?”

“Right. I have to do this. Sorry,” Johnathan said, his eyes fixed on the arena floor. His voice had grown more detached, colder as he settled into a fighting mindset. 

“What is going on?”

“I owed him a Favor. System registered and everything. If you refuse to fulfill a favor, you receive an Oathbreaker title that anyone can see. Makes it much more difficult for you to complete deals in the future. Only way to get rid of the title is to fulfill the favor, have the person owed waive the title willingly or time. A lot of time.”

“Are you going to be able to win?” she asked and Johnathan shrugged in answer. Lips thin, Kylie followed as Johnathan walked to the waiting rooms. She noted that he seemed to know his way around quiet well, probably because he had done this before.

The announcement of the change was clear and loud, music shut-off for a few seconds while they answered. The roar of approval was so loud, Kylie blinked and tilted her head to stare at her friend. Exactly who was Johnathan in this world? He mixed with Blood Elders and knew the politics of the city but seemed to understand to be well known among the Arena fighters. More and more mysteries to be unraveled. He wanted to ask but his fixed face as he waited warned her off.

Time slipped by as the undercard fought on the small television screen. Kylie watched in fascination, torn between wanting to watch the fights in-person and supporting her friend. After a time, Johnathan looked up and said, “Go.”

Needing no further encouragement, Kylie rushed out of the waiting room. It took her only a few minutes to find the exit, but outside, she realised that she had no clue where to go. The crowd around the arena was so packed, so excited that she had no chance of getting closer. The crowd might have been enthusiastic before but now they practically bounced in the air.

“Where to go now,” Kylie muttered to herself, deciding finally on making a circuit. Perhaps she could find a seat. Two full circuits later, Kylie had to admit that even the cheap seats were now filled. Disappointed, she moved to the back, closer to the bar. Unlike the Ball, there were no liveried servants offering fresh sustenance. Here, the bars served chilled Blood in bottles to the attendees.

“Karen isn’t it?” the loud, gravelly voice behind her makes Kylie turn. She found herself smiling at the familiar face in relief.

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t realise you were out here. Come, you can join me at my box.”

“I… well…”

“It’s the least I can do. I did take away our guide,” Quinn said, offering his hand. After a brief hesistation, Kylie took it and let herself be lead to the box. The box itself was small, though mostly empty. Grateful for the relative peace, Kylie sighed and seated herself. Beneath her, a green-skinned, long-eared wiry creature fights with an Eternal using a spear and shield. The Eternal wielded a whip, lashing the monster whenever it offered an opening.

“How did it get so busy?”

“Har! The chance for Masters to finally get his ass kicked? We’re turning people away at the door! My betting floor is going nuts.” Quinn said as loudly as ever.

“But why?” 

“He didn’t tell you, did he? Let’s just say your friend has made more than a few enemies. Of course, none of them have the guts to fight him themselves.”

“Can he win?”

“Mmm… hard to say. He’s a tough son-of-a-bitch,” Quinn said before he shrugs. “But it’s an Alpha Lycan. My main and backup were full parties. He’s going to fight it alone. I wouldn’t bet on it myself.”

Kylie falls silent, staring out at the arena. The Eternal was pinned to the ground with the spear, his whip just out of his reach. Above him, his opponent was repeatedly slamming the edge of his shield into the Eternal’s head until he finally stopped struggling. Letting loose a roar of triumph, the green-skinned monster strode around the arena, daring the handlers to come get him.

“What happens when you die?”

“You lose some blood potency and Skills and are locked out until you resurrect eventually at your base. Or a secondary base if your first is compromised. Most lock outs are a week long but the older and more powerful your character is, the longer the lockout.”

Kylie nodded again as the green-skinned monster was netted and dragged out for the next undercard. Lips pursed, she turned to Quinn, “I want to join the fight.”

“With Johnathan?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t stand a chance…”

“That’s fine. I’m here to learn about the game after all. Dying is part of the game.”

“It’s… you know what, it’s fine. You should get to the waiting room then.”

Kylie nodded quickly, standing up and then pausing. Seeing her confusion, Quinn called an attendant over to guide her to the waiting rooms while he went to announce the changes.  Inside the waiting room she finds a sight that makes her smile. Seated, cross-legged is the large bruiser, meditating. Her entrance though alerts him immediately and when he opens his eyes, Kylie finds herself shivering as the lizard-hindbrain remembers what it is to be prey.

“Kylie,” as quickly as it was there, the feeling faded as the intensity in his gaze subsides. “This is not a good time.”

“That’s not a nice thing to say to your partner,” Kylie said as she strode into the room, plopping down next to him. 

“What are you talking about?”

“I asked to join your fight.”

“…” Johnathan frowned. “You’ve seen the arena?”

“Yes…”

“Good. There’s not going to be a lot of space. When we enter, we should split up. I’ll draw its attention immediately with my guns. Hopefully I can slow it down. When you find an opening, hit it. Attacks from the back and side work best. In its mid-form, you’ll find the Lycan has roughly the same body structure though its ribs will be higher than you’d expect. So wherever you’d hit a man, you’d hit a Lycan. In wolf-form…” Johnathan pauses and shakes his head. “Don’t worry about targeting when it’s in wolf form, just stab it.”

“You’re not going to stop me?”

“Nope.”

Silence filled the waiting room, punctuated only by the occasional roar of approval or disapproval from the crowd outside. In the end Kylie gave in and asked, “Why?”

“It’s a game. Not my place to tell you how you’ll have the most fun,” Johnathan answered again and Kylie blinked, slowly nodding. Right, it was just a game. So why was she growing nervous? Kylie wiped her palms against the pants, marveling again at the realism of the game. 

After a time, with Johnathan back meditating, Kylie took her knives out from their sheaths to play with them nervously. It was fascinating how the knife itself was discolored, silver and grey streaks interlacing the blade in a waterfall pattern. A few years ago she had taken a self-defense course for an article she had to write for the school paper. They had briefly talked about and played with knives and she cudgelled her brain for the half-remembered information. You held the blade like this right?

A knock on the door breaks Kylie out of contemplation of her blades. Sliding them back into the sheaths after repositioning to the sides, she looked over to Johnathan who has stood smoothly from the flor. He offers her a single encouraging nod before walking to the door to open it.

Led by an attendant, the walk to the arena seemed to take forever. Kylie could hear the thud of her pulse in her ears, the smell of sweat, blood and alcohol filling her lungs. Each step seemed to resound on the concrete floors, taking her closer to the fight. Once again, she reminded herself that this was just a game. Just a game.

The roars when they into the arena makes her draw a startled breath. The lights were so bright here! Looking around, she finds her vision narrowing as she begins to breathe faster. A hand catches hers and she gasps, tugging on it as she scrambles for her knife in its sheath only to realise that it is just Johnathan.

“Easy there. Just focus on breathing,” Johnathan said, head bent low to whisper into her ear. “In. Out. Again.”

Kylie found herself following his instructions unconsciously, his hand squeezing the rhytmn for her. As she calmed down, she found her vision opening up again and she looked up, seeing the crowd again. Again her breath caught, before Johnathan tugged on her arm to bring her attention back to him. “Focus. Don’t look up, just down here. That’s all there is. Got it?”

Kylie nodded dumbly and Johnathan flashed her a smile before he released her hand. 

“Draw your knives. It’s about to begin.”

Grasping the knives, she fumbled them out and stared as Johnathan prowled to the other side. She marvelled at how relaxed he seemed, as if none of this affected him. At the jerk of his head, she looks back to the other entrance whose portuculis has begun to slowly rise. When it is a few feet off the ground, a four-legged monster of a wolf surges forward, jerked short by the chain held to its neck. Standing nearly four feet tall at its shoulders, the black and grey wolf snarled as it sought their lives.

At a shouted command from above, the chain around the Lycan’s neck fell away. Beside her, Johnathan fired his guns, the staccato explosions assaulting her ears. Wounds blossomed across the Lycan’s body as rounds impacted, throwing up bursts of blood that did little to stop the barrelling monster. It charged straight for Johnathan, drawn to the older Eternal by his fire.

The sudden eruption of violence holds Kylie enthralled, the acrid smell of cordite filling her nostrils. As the Lycan jumped towards Johnathan, her friend jumped and spun, lashing out a kick that caught the creature in mid-air and sent it spinning to the ground. The wolf crashed to the ground, unable to keep its footing before it began to shudder. 

Landing smoothly, Johnathan kept firing, pouring round after round into the monster. None of it seemed to affect the creature at all. Bullets began to pop out of its body as the body elongated and increased in bulk even further. A frustrated snarl filled the air as Johnathan dropped a gun and began reloading the other. As swiftly as he moved, the monster’s transformation was quicker and by the time he was ready to fire again, the creature was on its two feet, standing arms akimbo and roaring.

Hoots and jeers filled the stadium even as Johnathan opened fire again, targeting the creatures face. The fight picked up pace even further as Johnathan glowed with an ethereal light and sped up to match the monster. What had been a blur before for Kylie became a series of snapshots, her own role forgotten. The pair began to run and dodge around the arena, Johnathan constantly firing and reloading his gun while the larger monster charged and charged the Eternal again. Each time, the man would escape from being corned by the narrowest of margins, side-stepping, rolling, jumping and even once, sliding beneath the monster. Each attempt was not without cost as the blood that began to dot the arena indicated. 

Twice, they ran pass Kylie and on the second time, a glancing blow by the monster sent her spinning into the arena wall. The blow ripped open her chest, cutting through armor, clothing and flesh with the same ease and leaving her writhing in pain. 

When Kylie finally pulled herself straight, she found that Johnathan had finally run out of luck. A mistimed dodge had the monster pinning Johnathan to the wall, its second hand desperately caught in descent. Straining with both hands against the monster, the two were locked in stasis. Blood soaked both combatants, open wounds dripping red ambrosia to the ground. From her vantage point, Kylie could see the straining back muscles and the ragged breathing of the Lycan.

“Get up and help him you stupid bint”

The harsh words startled Kylie, the Command forcing her to stand.  As she realised that she was not a watcher but a participant, she found herself running forwards. What was it that Johnathan said? Hit it where it’d hurt?

Ducking low, she swung underhanded, bringing the knife up between the monster’s legs. She missed her initial target, having swung just a little early and instead of castrating the monster, managed to bury her knife between its buttocks. The monster screamed, surprised and shocked as it was violated by the weapon.

Released, Johnathan springs back to his feet and gripping the monster by its shoulders and body, rips into its furry throat with his fangs. The monster struggled, lashing out with its hand and raking the man’s body while behind him, Kylie took the opportunity to repeatedly plunge the knife into its back. For a few moments more, the monster struggled before it collapsed to the ground, Johnathan clamped around its neck.

Even as she watched, the wounds on Johnathan’s back slowly closed, the ethereal glow slowly fading away. She blinked as Johnathan pushed away after a time, mouth covered in blood to gesture her forwards.

“What? No!” she said.

“Drink! It’s yours too,” Johnathan urged her.

Standing only feet away from the creature, she found the intoxicating scent of the blood overpowering. It smelled of steak and champagne and roses, of the best chocolate mousses and cookie dough. Kylie whimpered and found herself on her hands and knees, holding the monster’s ruined head in her hands. Her resistance crumbled under the assault of her sense and she buried her mouth in the fur and flesh, whimpering pleasure as all those tastes and more rushed into her. She whimpered, her body growing wet as the waves of warm pleasure rushed down her throat. Unbeknownst to her, her own flesh began to glow as the potent blood knitted her body together.

Finally satiated, Kylie looks up to see Johnathan smiling at her. She smiled back, blood dripping down her lips as her eyes glowed. She grinned, standing up and kissing him full on the lips, hungry for more as she moulded her body to his. Her shirt torn, she pressed bare flesh against his and whispered, “Room. Now.”

Johnathan grinned and quickly led her to the same entrance they had entered a short few minutes ago. Kylie found herself flushing further as the catcalls and roars of approval reached her ears, the crowd obviously understanding what was about to happen. In truth, it took all her willpower not to tear Johnathan’s clothes off right there and then and mount him.

Inside the room, she grabbed the larger man and threw him against the bench, straddling him as she ripped her the tattered remains of her vest and top off. Johnathan’s hands reached up, cupping her breasts as they spilled free before he ran his thumbs across the hard nipples. The movement sent an electric jolt down Kylie’s spine, making her arch her spine. She panted out loud as he then lowered his mouth over her nipple, the warm wet sensation of his tongue sliding along her skin making her grind on top of him.

Too turned on for slow-play, Kylie pushed his head away from her body and fumbled at his trousers, pulling it down to reveal Johnathan’s long, hard prick. Absently, she noted that he was uncircumcised before she plunged her head downwards. His heady, sweaty musk filled her nose and mixed with the ever-present smell of blood, making her even wetter as she began to bob on his cock. She tasted him on her tongue, as she used her lips to push back his hood before sliding her tongue against the sensitive head. Sucking on the cock, Kylie thought to try something new – how long could she keep this pressure up? After all, an Eternal required significantly less oxygen than a human. Smirking to herself, she kept the pressure up, looking up to meet Johnathan’s eyes. He was watching her, mouth open slightly, eyes slightly unfocused as she continued to bob. As she brought his head to her lips again and swirled her tongue around it, a stifled moan escapes his lips.

As if the noise was her starting gun, Kylie let the cock go and quickly stripped her pants down, hooking her fingers around the thong to slide them down at the same time as her pants. A part of her noted that the thong was so much more comfortable to wear in-game than in real life before she dismissed the thought as she straddled his powerful legs. Expertly guiding him into her, she whimpered slightly as the head pushed apart her lips and slipped inside.

Johnathan arched his back, desperate to push deeper but Kylie rose with him, silky skin on his shirt. He grunted as she pushed him down again and ripped his shirt off completely, running a nail sharply down his chest. Muscles glistened as she left a red line along his skin before she finally let herself down fully, sliding all the way in. Relaxing into the feeling of being filled completely, Kylie rocked her hips back and forth on his as her fangs extended, plunging into his neck.

The taste of his blood made her pussy clench, her arms locked around his. She groaned around the bite, his blood tasting even better than the Lycans. Waves of pleasure rocked up from her pussy to her head and then down again, each wave building on the other in an explosion that had her body clenching tight. For what seemed to be minutes, she swam in the pleasure before she found herself conscious of her own body again.

“Wow…”

“Yeah,” Johnathan grinned and kissed her before he murmured. “And we’re only just getting started.”

Hours later, Kylie finally pulled the VR helmet off her head. She breathed in and then exhaled raggedly, realising that not everything stayed in the game. Between Eternal stamina, adjusted physics and an abandonment that came with knowing that it was all virtual, the last few hours had been wild. Lazily running a finger down her body, she smiled at the memories. Well… perhaps the virtual world had its own charms.