Blood seeped through his fingers as he clutched the wound, but the pain quickly subsided so only a ghostly tingle came from the bite marks. Max splashed through the knee-high water towards the lip of the pool. Behind him, the vampire swore under her breath as she struggled to free herself from the trident.
"Well, aren't you going to help me?" The vampire asked in a weary voice. Max paused with one drenched and soggy boot on the rim of the fountain. He glanced back at the raven-haired woman, still hanging upside-down, and staring after him with a chagrined expression. The ends of the weapon stuck out of her stomach like barbed broad-heads. "You know this hurts," she added, and he could imagine being impaled through the guts did smart.
"Considering you just tossed me into a statue and took a chunk of my neck, I'm thinking no. Buh bye," Max said with a dismissive wave. The creature sighed in pained exasperation.
"I'm not going to harm you… now. Look, we're registered, so I'm officially your weapon." She said pointing to something around her throat. Still suspicious, he walked part of the way back. There was a collar made of black plastic around her neck and several numbers glowed a dull yellow along one side.
"Good idea with the string, by the way. Even I didn't know about that until it came flying toward me." The woman said after a pause. Now that he was closer, Max could see the bloody wounds and the pained expression on her face in exquisite detail. Great, now he felt like an ass, so he stepped up to the statue, placed one boot on the god, and pulled. She gasped once before falling free and atop of Max. The vampire quickly pounced on him, and he struggled against her strength.
"Someone's coming," she hissed pushing his face under the water. With her other hand, she covered the glowing numbers on her new collar. Just then a shadow crossed in front of the moonlight.
"You look a mess, Violet, and you're top is ruined."
"The last one was an annoying handful," She said in a sour voice. Her weight shifted so that it was fully atop Max. "Are you headed home?"
"Not yet. I'll shower first to get the blood off then head back in. There are still players joining the event, and I almost got registered, but the girl started squirming and I cut her on accident."
"That happens when you have scissors for hands," Violet said with a smirk.
"A pity. She was cute."
"Good luck, she replied as the man turned the changing rooms. For a long minute, she kept him under the water before she released him. Max broke the water's surface with a loud gasp, then struggled to sit up. She climbed from atop him and splashed to the edge of the fountain.
"Edward is right, my top is ruined, so I'm going to change. This is a high traffic area because of the showers, and you still have a contract slot, so stay in the water. It should conceal your scent." She pushed him back into the fountain before trudging toward a set of changing rooms. Max lifted one of his arms and sniffed himself, but couldn't smell anything strange.
While he waited impatiently while several gunshots and the occasional scream filled the night. Far off in the distance, there was an explosion which briefly lit up the night sky. Three times he was forced to hold his breath and duck under the water as something crossed the pool. After twenty minutes a shadowy tattooed figured stopped next to the fountain. He broached the surface and rubbed the water from his face. She'd changed into a black sleeveless dress and a pair of four-inch heels. Max shook like a dog and gratefully climbed free of the pool.
"It's going to be a pain to get you out of the building with your extra contract slot intact."
"Extra slot?"
"That's what the golden egg was. It adds another contract so you can register with a weapon. When I bit you that took up one free slot." She said tracing the numbers on the collar as if she were quickly reading them by touch. Now that she wasn't trying to kill him, he admired the way her right arm was tattooed from shoulder to forearm with skulls.
"We have two options," she said sauntering around Max, unapologetically checking him out in return. She clucked at his torn jacket and missing boot. One of her purple painted nails ran up his arm to the wound on his neck, then traced the two holes with a manicured fingernail. He turned his head to follow her as she circled him again.
"I can kill you, so you'll respawn back at the new arrivals lobby, but I won't be able to reach you. You'd be stuck there all night surrounded by unregistered weapons. Option two is to log out, but I don't think you trust me enough to carry you out of here."
"What if I just pretend to be logged?"
"Hmm, that might work, but you have to keep your breathing under control. Some of the monsters will have enhanced hearing. If you're lucky, we can make it to my car.
"You're not a vampire anymore?"
"Only unregistered weapons are affected by the Halloween event. Now I'm your sidearm, and it's my duty to guide you through the game." The woman proved this by opening her mouth to show him a fangless set of perfect teeth.
"I'm in your gentle care," he replied and she gave him a sinister smile.
"Lay on the ground," she ordered curtly and he reluctantly followed her instruction. As soon as he sat on the tiles, the woman grabbed one bootless ankle dragged him bodily across the floor.
Not a monster my ass, he thought as she pulled him along like he was weightless. Max cracked one eye just enough to watch her from behind. They passed through several splotches of moonlight, and in those few seconds he saw a lean, but well proportioned woman. More than that, she didn't look like someone who could drag a six-foot-two, three hundred pound man across the ground. Her high heels clicked on the marble tiles and she eventually came to the opposite end of the pool. Pausing to switch hands, she pushed through the doorway into the hallway beyond.
Max caught sight of two creatures. One a tall muscular man with the head and mane of a lion, and the other was female panda standing in the shadows. She had black and white fur covering her body and a tuft of fuzzy tail sticking out of tail-bone. He quickly closed his eyes as they turned in their direction.
"One of you mind helping me?" Violet asked with a sigh and dropped his foot. "My Meister is soaking wet and I don't want to ruin my new dress." Max still had trouble thinking of her as his weapon, and a part of him was suspicious of her motives. Still, he kept his eyes shut and did his best to play dead.
"You managed to get one?" The lion asked in a voice two octaves shy of an earthquake.
"I did," she admitted moving to grab both his ankles.
"I'll help," a throaty female purred and pawed feet crossed the carpet. A pair of furry arms snaked under his arms and clasped together over his chest. A bearlike muzzle pressed against the side of his face as he was lifting off the ground.
"God, this one smells good, and I love big, strong men. Are you sure you registered with him?" The woman asked in a husky growl.
"He got to the egg," The former vampire replied a touch bitterly.
The panda whistled and said in a low sigh, "That explains why you contracted with him." Fur brushed his cheek and a wet nose sniffed his neck again. As instructed, he kept his breathing slow and steady as he was bodily carried down the hallway and into another open space.
"You know, he's really not bad looking. So many Meisters try and make themselves boyish and adorable." The creature voice purred. Arms around his chest tightened just a tad and he struggled to keep from sucking in a breath.
"Looks aren't everything."
"They definitely help," the panda coo'd.
They were forced to stop at the front doors. His body was juggled and claws dug in further for better purchase. It took everything in him not to react to the sudden pain. His jacket was gone and the woman's claws sank into his flesh like knives through hot butter. Somehow they made it down the steps and across the parking lot without incident. The woman holding his feet dropped them and fished a pair of keys from her purse.
"Have you checked his stats, yet?"
"No, but he pulled me off my feet so I'm going to guess max strength and endurance.
"Mmmm, a tank." She said snuffling Max's neck again. "Can I have a taste of him?"
"No."
"Please, he smells so good," the beastwoman purred raking his uniform shirt further. Violet grabbed his legs and hefted them through the passenger door.
"You know we can't contract with players while they're offline."
"Ahhh, it's just… I want a Meister so bad," the panda whined but shoved him the rest of the way into the seat.
"Look, another bus is coming in. You might be able to get into the garage before the door closes if you hurry." Violet suggested as she grabbed his torn shirt. The panda woman growled erotically then pounded pavement back toward the Armory. He kept his eyes closed as Violet continued to manhandle him into position. The warm touch of skin touched him as the woman whispered into his ear.
"Stay still until we leave the lot," she said with a warning tone in her voice. His head was shoved inside followed by the passenger door slamming.
After a few seconds, Violet climbed in the driver's side. Slender fingers grabbed his neck and forced him down further so his head practically lay in the woman's lap. She did not smell human, in fact, Max detected the faint scent of Hoppe's #9, machined metal, molded plastic, and kiwi body soap. A jingle of keys dispelled the silence, the engine started, and the car backed out of the stall. One hand played over the puncture marks on his neck, which was already forming circular scars. Max opened his eyes and looked up. The passing street lights made shadows dance over her narrow face.
So this is a gun? Max pondered as he examined her cold almost detached gothic features. Her skin was like ivory, with thin carefully plucked eyebrows and an aristocratic nose. Black lipstick covered a pouting pair of lips which led to her narrow chin and slender neckline. The smooth porcelain skin continued down her chest proving it wasn't just makeup. A small curious heart-shaped locket danced between the swells of her cleavage. His gaze eventually turned full circle to her cold eyes as they scanned the road.
"You don't appear happy," he offered, and she let out a low sour sigh.
"I didn't intend to find a Meister tonight, and I'm worried how my… girlfriend will handle the news."
"You're gay?" He asked in surprise. She glanced down and her silver eyes glowed dangerously with an inner light. The fingers laying on Max's neck departed and she grabbed the steering wheel with both hands. They drove in silence for a few minutes, and his position in her lap became decidedly uncomfortable. He tried to rise but her sharp words stopped him.
"Stay down," she hissed. "The streets are full of roaming weapons," she added and he relented with some annoyance.
"Seems dangerous for a person to be out and about tonight," he muttered, and a cruel smile played across her face.
"This is the best chance players are going to have to get their hands an extra contract slot, so they are out in force. The free weapons might even let them have the egg just to register afterward, but killing a Meister tonight is worth a thousand credits. It works out for us in either case."
"Is that what the gunfire is?"
"Weapons can't die, but a couple of slugs might slow us down long enough to get an egg. Quite, we're almost to the apartment." She said turning on the blinker. With that, the car pulled off the street and into a luxury apartment complex. They drove past several tall buildings before she parked the car.
"I'll get out and check the lot," she said opening the driver side door. Max was jostled as she slid out, and took a long minute to look around. When she knocked on the roof, Max straightened in the seat. The parking stalls nearby were filled with expensive cars, but nobody was in sight. He opened the passenger door, stood, and loudly cracked his neck.
"Her car isn't here so she’s probably working an extra shift."
"Does that mean I should hide when she comes back?"
"Possibly, but I'll talk to her first."
"This is all very strange," he admitted following her toward the building's lobby doors.
"Normally, you'd exit the cloning chamber and pick your own pistol, but you had the good luck to join during an event. Unfortunately, you got me." She said pressing a hand the console next to the thick glass doors. It was a toss-up. The extra slot was nice, but she had some attitude. For now, he'd play it by ear and follow her lead.
Violet entered the lobby and headed for an elevator, which slid open to reveal a blood-covered interior. The body of a man was slumped in one corner. A small orange haired doll stood on the corpse's shoulder holding a bloody knife. It turned toward him and made stabby-stabby motions with his knife. His guide ignored the gory scene and pressed her palm to the control screen. Max joined her but avoided the doll and the largest pool of blood. The elevator closed with a cheery ding and quickly ascended.
It opened on the small entryway and Violet stepped across a thick welcome mat. She pressed her palm to the screen again and the heavy wooden door swung open. The penthouse apartment stretched the entire length of the building and was a single massive room. White couches huddled before an 84-inch television and a surround-sound home theater system. Throw pillows sat nestled in each couch corner and a large fuzzy blanket was thrown over the back. The black lacquered floors had been covered by several patterned rugs.
Max moved toward the couches while Violet immediately headed for an open island style kitchen. Out of habit he sat facing the door but turned to watch his new weapon. She took a glass from the freezer, filled it with ice, and a set it on the black granite counter top. Then fetched a bottle of red wine and filled the glass to its crown. She carried the drink to another couch and sat opposite him.
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The woman stood out against the cheerful backdrop like a demon in a church. Then again, it was Halloween, and she might just be dressed like that for show.
"You have a nice place," he commented.
"Thanks to the Star Nova Update we weapons have more options, like owning vehicles and renting apartments. It's also why we have jobs." She said waving her glass around the apartment before taking a sip. "Before that, we had to rely on our Meister for everything. Those that didn't have a contract had to return to the Armory."
"A penthouse like this must cost quite a lot." He said and the woman replied with a nod.
"What do you do?"
"I was working as a beer girl at a local bar, not that I can keep it now."
"I'm not going to stop you from working.
"I have to be available to you 24/7, so it's expected we quit when we contract. Think of it like maternity leave, only for weapons."
"I hope you have some money saved up," Max said glancing around at the extravagant penthouse.
"That's why I was so annoyed with you. Thanks to the event, I made more in one day than I usually do in two months at the bar. You cut my evening short, but I have enough to cover my share of the rent." She said before sipping from her wine and leaving the conversation to flounder. Max glanced around once more looking for anything to talk about. Finally, his eyes landed on the skulls covering her right arm.
"I like the tattoos."
"You do?"
"I do."
"Do you wanna know a secret about them?" Violet asked uncrossing her legs. She took her time putting the wine down and stood. With one hand she tugged on the slit of her dress exposing even more of the skulls. They started at her hip and ran to just above her knee.
"Every skull is a Meister I've had."
"You mean a Meister you've killed because I can believe that," he said and she laughed.
"Hardly, but they might as well be dead to me. No, all of them left for one reason or another. Some dropped me for another weapon, but most quit the game."
"Is it because your gay?"
"Some of them were women, but I'm not strictly gay. The gender of a Meister means nothing to me. No, most quit Gun Meister before the thirty-day trial was up."
"I seem to recall a purple flower on your waistline, so not all your tats are skulls."
"That was after my first Meister and a reminder that something beautiful came from that awful shitbag. He's the one reason I'll never transfer over to Star Nova."
"That's the other game the developers put out?" Max asked gesturing vaguely to the ceiling.
"Yes, and it's why almost half the player base is gone. It's a far more grandiose game than Gun Meister."
"So a bunch of guns got abandoned?"
"Most transferred over with their Meisters, but that still left many without contracts. Maybe that's really why they let us buy things so we'd be forced to find jobs." Violet said draining her wine glass.
They were interrupted by the sound of a door opening and Violet leaped to her feet. She quickly rounded the couch and intercepted a literal angel before she could make it more than a few steps into the apartment. The new woman was about five-foot-six with light bronze hair, a glowing digital halo, and pair of white wings sticking out of her back. She was a woman perfectly balanced between youthful beauty and mature bearing. She had hips that could shake a man's soul and tits that were frankly, godly. Close on her heels was a bronze colored retriever. Its tail waged, and a pink tongue lolled from a slobbering mouth. The animal wasn't full grown yet because it still had floppy ears like a puppy dog.
"Welcome home, Friday," Violet said leaning in to peck the angel on the cheek. The animal brushed Violet and came to stare at Max. It crouched low, ready to jump away as it sniffed his knee. He barked once which drew the attention of the Angel still blocked in the doorway.
"Did you bring home another stray Meister?"
"Yes… I'm sorry." Violet replied hugging her quickly. Max waved from his place in the living room if only to announce himself.
"Hello, Nice to meet you. Violet and I were just discussing your first Meister."
"Derek?" She asked in surprise and Violet's back stiffened like she'd been struck by lightning. "I shouldn't have said it," the blond gasped covering her mouth with a hand.
"I deserve it for bringing home another Meister," she said and slipped past the blond. Violet closed the door with a non-to-gentle slam. The angel's shoulders sagged, and she pressed her forehead against the door.
"Shucks," she cursed banging her head and halo against the door. "Fiddlesticks," she said smacking the wood again.
"I take it Derek left a lasting impression," Max said and the busty angel spun to face him.
"You have no idea."
"I agree with you there. Care to enlighten me?" He asked and the angle blew out her breath.
"It's not my story, so I don't have the right to say."
"That woman stormed out when you mentioned Derek's name. I can't imagine how powerful the explosion will be if I step on that landmine." He suggested watching the new woman closely. Supposedly this was an unregistered weapon, but she didn't appear very fearsome. The woman was a hot slice of sex appeal, especially with the halo and angel wings. Of course, she had that light bronze hair and a white colored summer dress on. Everything about her was disarming. Friday sighed again and walked into the kitchen, halo bobbing as she moved. Slits had been cut in the summer dress to allow for the wings. They flexed briefly as she fetched a glass for the opened wine bottle.
"Do you want a drink?" She asked and Max hid a frown. Violet hadn't offered him one, and maybe that was more telling than anything else tonight.
"No, but thank you for asking," he said watching as she poured herself a small half-measure. The angel moved gracefully around the island, taking Violet's vacated seat. She glanced down at his the single remaining boot, the missing jacket, and the shredded shirt desperately clinging to his muscle-bound chest. Max looked like he'd tumbled into a knife fight with an angry wombat and come out the loser. He briefly followed her gaze, then crossed his arms over the tattered shirt.
“Nice dog,” he said glancing at the retriever.
“That’s Rusty, we adopted him just after new years.” The angel said taking another sip. She settled back like she was preparing for something long winded.
"Derek was a Meister who stopped growing in rank at Gold Four. He took out his annoyance on his weapons, both verbally and physically. One such incident happened in public, and he was banned for thirty days for Behavior Unbecoming a Meister."
Friday took another long sip from her wine glass as if bolstering herself. "I only met him after he returned, and I'd just been manufactured. That was back during the height of Gun Meister's popularity. I remember being so excited to have my first contract, and I didn't even care he had no other weapons with him. Derek never struck me, but I think that was due to Violet showing up a day later. She made it clear that if he stepped out of line they'd ban him permanently. He was pleasant enough, but lacked any ambition and spent the first week losing every game—I suspect on purpose. Derek quickly deranked to silver so Violet and I were his only guns. He was passively spiteful like refusing to clean us after the matches, but I suppose we should thank him for that. Violet and I quickly discovered we could please each other better than he could."
Rusty bounded onto the couch and put his head onto Friday's lap. She paused to smile down at the golden retriever and scratch behind his ears. Friday eventually turned her attention back to Max and continued her story. "I suppose it didn't matter because after two months, Star Nova launched, and he transferred his subscription. Derek asked me to join him, but I refused. By then Violet and I were in a committed, albeit secret relationship."
"Violet did say something beautiful came from the shithead, but I'm surprised by how many other Meisters she's gone through."
Friday laughed lightly and asked, "She told you about the skulls? That conversation doesn't usually happen until day three or four."
"I get the feeling she doesn't like me much," Max said watching the woman continued to pet and scratch the dog. It's bushy tail flailed about on the couch in abject bliss.
"Does it bother you?" She asked.
"In my previous profession assholes abounded, so I've grown a thick skin. Doesn’t mean I’ll let her walk over me," Max replied with an exaggerated shrug. The front door opened and Violet stepped into the penthouse looking more collected. Friday pointed toward the back of the apartment.
"There are several guest rooms you can choose from. Would you give us some time to talk?" She asked and Max stood. He wandered across the spacious penthouse toward the back. Three doors lead to identical bedrooms and he picked the middle one, just because. Even here the room was about four meters across and a king-sized bed in the corner. The sheets were grey silk with a white comforter.
Max sat on the bed and pulled off his socks and shoes. His tattered shirt disintegrated as he took it off, so he dropped the handful of strips into the wastebasket. Scars formed several lines across his chest, and he checked his neck wound. The circular scabs seemed to be shrinking, so he assumed this body would eventually help completely. Finally, he shucked his pants and laid down on the bed without bothering with the sheets.
Tonight had been… interesting. The event had scared the pants off him, along with most of his other clothes. It was a heck of a lot more fun than any other horror house he'd been in. It had also helped highlight just how useful each statistic was, and he was glad he'd poured those two extra points into his Endurance. There were two separate points he must have been close to death. His agility sucked, but he could live with his current stats.
The weapon wasn't so bad either, and it was hard to believe she wasn't human. He pretended to be annoyed with the vampire, but her attitude actually tickled him. Well, to be fair, he just liked poking her buttons.
Max tried to rest, but all he managed was a light doze. He lay their, eyes closed, and struggled to tune out the muffled moaning drifting through the apartment. Max wondered if true sleep was a thing of the past. Two or three hours must have passed like that until the door to his room opened. He was instantly awake cracking one eye to glanced at the exit. A shadow stood framed by the light from the living room.
Bronze hair was highlighted by a dimly glowing halo and a pair of shining eyes. He was partly interested but mostly worried for his safety as the woman crossed the room. Max pretended to sleep as the mattress squeaked, and they crawled across the bed toward him. A presence that smelled like gun solvent and red wine hovered over him. Gentle feminine fingers caressed the thin scars on his chest before sliding up to the nearly healed bite wound. Thighs like soft pillows slid over his hips and a face pressed itself to his chest.
"Pretending to be logged out isn't going to work on me," a voice above him said huskily. "Violet told me how you escaped the Armory. Plus I can hear your heart rate increase, but you can't hide that erection."
Max gave up his attempt at deception and opened both eyes. The angel was considerably more voluptuous than her roommate, especially her chest. Her womanly shape was visible through a gossamer white nightie with matching panties. Her weight settled atop him and she began to grind an already damp crotch against his boxers.
"What about Violet?" He asked not caring about her answer.
"She's dozing, and I know she'll be mad, but—"
"Then maybe you shouldn't be doing this," Max interjected.
"I can't help myself," she admitted rocking faster. His boxers quickly grew slick, and the erection within hardened into diamond. "We weapons need a Meister… We need to be used." Friday breathed shifting her weight again. Her fingers plucked at the hem of his boxers, and the fabric was just cresting his manhood when she froze in place. She turned toward a dark shape in the doorway.
"I'm sorry," she whispered in a voice barely audible.
"Don't be," Violet replied in a neutral voice.
"I'm so sorry," Friday repeated sliding off Max and crossing the room in single bound. She slid to her knees and wrapped both arms about the taller woman.
"You have nothing to apologize for," Violet replied stroking a hand through Friday's coppery hair.
"How could I be angry when I succumbed to the same urge earlier tonight. I bit him knowing what would happen. Really, I'm the one who did this."
"Holy shit, guys. I'm starting to feel like the toilet paper stuck to someone's shoe. If this is such a big deal I'll head to the armory tomorrow and contract with another pistol."
"The event has everyone's blood pumping. Emotions are high, so let's wait until the morning to make a decision."
"You're not entirely wrong, though. I'm on the thirty-day trial while I figure things out."
"Hmmm…." Violet mused and her eyes slid over Max and the tent he was still pitching.
"Well, it's almost midnight and Friday should change back soon. Please don't think badly of her. Like everyone else, her body is responding to the scent of your open contract. Just so you know, even if you had registered, you couldn't use Friday until you reach Silver rank. She's a Scar-H assault rifle, and you can only bring sidearms into Bronze matches." Violet said gathering her partner up. The two women departed which left him in a fine state of arousal. He considered taking a cold shower but settled for putting his pants back on.