Fantasy Quest (2 page)

After moving her things to the bed, she balanced the keyboard on her lap and the mouse next to her on the second seat, since it rolled easily over the butter-smooth leather.
 
The tiny end table gave her a perfect place for her drink and, of course, for Max, who overlooked the proceedings with his usual evil glee.

She pressed the power button on the top of the keyboard and the monitor flared to life.
 
A gold embossed border surrounded the Fantasy Quest logo that emblazoned everything she’d seen so far at the resort.
 
Background music flowed through the surround sound speakers making her think of every action adventure movie she’d ever seen.

 
“Welcome to Fantasy Quest Resort, Miss Petrey.
 
Would you like to try our online role-playing game, Fantasy Quest?”
 
The computer monitor’s voice sounded suspiciously like the manager’s, but being a project manager in technologies, she knew voice scripts were easily made.
 
It just seemed like a lot of effort to make one with each guest’s name on it.

She shrugged.
 
“I must be really predictable.
 
How did this thing know I didn’t want to check email?”
 
She reached for her mouse to click ‘Yes.’
 
A self-proclaimed computer geek, she played several online games regularly.
 
She wondered briefly how this one would stack up against her familiar favorites.

A video clip flowed over the screen to the blare of processional trumpets.
 
Several different characters—wizards, mages, warriors and what appeared to be a paladin fought a group of fire-breathing dragons and flying griffins.
 
However, these weren’t digitized
people,
these were actual actors playing out the parts on screen for her enjoyment.
 
The video clip disappeared, replaced by a 3D paper doll woman.

“Please choose features for your character, Astiria.”

She started at the use of her name, but then if the hotel’s systems could call her by her last
name,
it was a small leap to have it interface with this hotel-hosted game to use her first.
 
But the paper doll woman made her do a double take.
 
Again, this was no digitized construct, but an actual woman who had been photographed and inserted.
 

“Wow, maybe they need a technologies project manager here, Max.
 
Can you imagine living here year round and getting to play games for a living?
 
Especially with this technology!”
 
She glanced over at the grinning gargoyle.
 
He’d never answered her, thank God, but she did always leave him conversational room—just so she’d know when she’d finally lost her mind.

“It looks much more advanced than what I’m used to working with.
 
Hell, I’d even take a pay cut if they’d be willing to train me.
 
Especially if I get a beach view year round.”
 
She paused to take a swig of rum and diet soda.
 
“But the Ken doll men on the beach have to go.
 
The only men I’m interested in are ones I create in my imagination.”
 
She chuckled at her own joke and returned her attention to the game.

Used to this sort of preliminary game set up, she breezed through defining her physical options.
 
She chose a high elf with delicate pointed ears and long red hair that rioted around her in sexy waves.

Much better than my own boring brown hair!

With quick clicks of her mouse, she chose sea green eyes, a tall athletic frame, still curvy enough to catch a man’s attention, but not so much it would get in the way in a good sword fight.
 
For her profession, she chose an assassin with healing abilities, and clicked on the default options for clothing, knowing it didn’t matter.
 
She would have to buy armor within the game--the starter clothes were just to keep her character from being naked
..

“That was quick,” she told Max as she clicked on ‘Save.’

“Please choose features for your consort, Astiria.”

She choked on a mouthful of her rum.
 
“Consort?”
 
She glanced over at Max, but he only continued to smile, seemingly enjoying her reaction.
 
“What kind of game is this?”
 
She chuckled.
 
“Pretty scary when the only place I’ll be getting lucky is online with a ‘consort’ I built from scratch.”

“Please choose features for your consort, Astiria,” the computer repeated.

“Don’t rush me,” she grumbled as she studied the options.
 
“If I’m going to build a consort, he’s going to be so good, I’ll be wishing he’d come to life.”

As if in response, thunder boomed and a bright flash of lightening blazed across the sky.
 
Astiria jumped and rum sloshed onto her shirt.
 
The lights in her room flickered, but as the manager had said, the computer seemed unaffected.
 
She set her glass on the end table and looked around the room.

“You’d think if they could insulate the computer hardware that they could do the same for all their electronics.”
 
She shrugged and brushed a stray ice cube off her shirt.
 
She worked with computers, but had no idea if overhead lights could be protected in the same way as computer hardware.

“Do you require help choosing features for your consort, Astiria?”

She jumped.
 
She hadn’t expected the computer to be so persistent.
 
“All right.
 
Keep your shirt on.”
 
She glanced down at the keyboard on her lap.
 
“So to speak.”

She clicked through the options choosing a human warrior with a muscular build, eyes the color of melted dark chocolate, with hair to match.
 
The hair was shoulder length, and could be pulled back with a leather thong as needed.
 
When she finished, she looked up at the screen and caught her breath.

The man staring down at her seemed very real.
 
There was even a real man’s hunger in his gaze she hadn’t seen in a long time.
 
One that spoke of passion and possession.
 
One that said he’d already seen her naked and planned to do so many more times.
 
Goosebumps marched over her body in a quick flowing procession, causing her to shiver.
 
Heat pooled low in her stomach and her nipples suddenly tightened with need.

A flesh and blood man had never caused this kind of instant physical reaction.
 
“Damn, I really need to buy better toys.”

She shook off the strange reaction and moved her cursor over the ‘Save’ button.
 
Glancing back at the consort she’d built, his dark gaze burned through her skin until she thought she would spontaneously combust where she sat.
 
Almost without conscious thought, she slowly pressed the mouse button.

“Thank you, Astiria.
 
You have chosen Lerik, the Warrior, as your consort.”

“Lerik.”
 
She rolled the name around on her tongue.
 
It seemed to fit him somehow.
 
“I’d definitely like to do more with Lerik than just choose him.”

A small progress bar flowed across the screen,
then
Lerik disappeared.
 
She blinked at the sudden loss and inhaled, realizing that when he’d looked at her, the air in the room had seemed thin and in sparse supply.
 
Leaning back in her chair, she concentrated on getting enough air back into her lungs.

“Please answer the following questions honestly, Astiria.
 
Honest answers will complement your gaming experience.”

She sighed.
 
“As long as you don’t ask me my weight or something equally horrendous, I think I can do honest.”
 
She scanned down the list of questions frowning at several.
 
Most were simple such as hobbies and food preferences, but they also asked allergies and even a few very personal questions.

“Do you need help answering the following questions honestly, Astiria?
 
Honest answers will complement your gaming experience.”

A bark of laughter escaped her as she realized she’d tensed up.
 
“Damn, Astiria.
 
It’s just a game, why are you letting yourself get nervous over a few questions.
 
Just answer them.”
 
With a fortifying drink of rum and diet, she quickly clicked her answers down the list, being honest, but trying to get it over with as quickly as possible.
 
Then the very last question stopped her like a fist to the stomach.

44.
      
HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR SEX?

A)
       
GENTLE & SLOW

B)
       
HARD & FAST

C)
       
A TOTAL POSSESSION OF BODY MIND AND SOUL THAT MELDS YOU TOGETHER WITH MELTING PASSION.

A slow persistent throbbing began between her thighs as she read option C again.
 
Her imagination quickly supplied several vivid images of what such an option might feel like, and she considered breaking out her toys before moving on with the game.
 
“With my luck, Max, the computer voice will ask me if I need any help with that, too.
 
And unfortunately, I probably do.”
 
She scrubbed her hands over her face and slowly clicked on C.

“Thank you, Astiria.
 
Your world is being created.”

Arousal still flowed through her and she swallowed hard against the sudden need.
 
Her clothes were now scratchy and rough against her sensitive skin, and she wished Lerik would come to life and try A, B & C with her—repeatedly.
 
She might go home limping, but it would be well worth it.

Suddenly craving comfort, she reached over and closed her fingers around Max’s front paw, pulling him over to sit on her lap facing her.
 
“What do you think, Max?
 
Do you think I could handle an entire week with a real live man who doesn’t cheat, doesn’t want me for my money or anything I can do for his career, but just wants me?
 
A man who is sensitive and caring, but not a doormat.
 
Someone who sees the real me and wants me anyway.
 
Someone who could…love me.
 
The real me.”
 
She whispered the last few words, almost afraid to speak them aloud.
 
She blinked and then refocused on Max.
 
“Do you think a man like that exists?”

“Welcome to Fantasy Quest, Astiria.”
 
She glanced up at the screen in time to see a lush view of a deserted beach complete with slowly lapping waves kissing the picture-perfect shoreline.
 
Stars twinkled overhead reflecting their diamond-like lights off the water.

The scene was so
beautiful,
it caused something inside her chest to tighten with longing.
 
She hugged Max to her chest and inhaled the tangy scent of the ocean breeze.

Her eyes widened as that same breeze ruffled her hair.
 
Holding onto Max for dear life, she reached down beside her until her fingers burrowed into cool white sand.