Soul Mates Page 13

  “Peter!” she admonished me, slipping off her headphones. “Don’t scare me like that!”

  “Sorry. What are you guys doing?” I didn’t recognize the town on the screen.

  “Dara told me about the whole Blind Worm thing,” she explained. “Apparently Sigfreund managed to kill it last night after it wiped out most of eastern Veridian. Then all sorts of monsters started coming out of the woodwork and taking over the towns where all the NPCs were killed, so we’re helping to clear them out.”

  “’Twas not my fault,” Dara insisted, concentrating on her screen.

  Melissa rolled her eyes. “There’s a bounty out for anyone who identifies the culprit who released the Worm. A lot of players are pissed off about it, especially the ones who died and couldn’t get revived. We could make a lot of money if we turn her in,” she suggested hopefully.

  “Really?” I asked. “How much?” Dara turned to glare at me and I raised my hands in surrender. “Kidding.”

  A lot, Melissa mouthed, and then she frowned at my bed. Lilith’s clothes lay in a heap on the blankets. “Where’s Lilith?” she asked suspiciously.

  “She’s schmoozing with my parents,” I grumbled. “She has them convinced she’s a high-powered Hollywood fixer or something.” Dara made a rude noise. “I know, but we’re stuck with her. Let’s make the best of it.” She made another noise. “That’s the spirit. I knew I could count on you to help us through this difficult time.” This time she ignored me.

  “Peter!” Mom walked into the room with Lilith a step behind her. “Why didn’t you tell me her luggage was lost? Oh, hello, Melissa! I didn’t know you were here. Happy belated birthday!”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Collins,” Melissa replied with a smile.

  “Were you at the sleepover as well?”

  “Sleepover?” Melissa looked at me quizzically and I shook my head firmly, hoping she’d get the message. “Ah, no, I wasn’t.”

  “Oh, that’s too bad. Well, I hope your party turned out well. Peter never got a chance to tell me about it before he took off again.” Mom favored me with an accusing look.

  “Oh, yes, it was wonderful,” Melissa tucked another invisible strand of hair behind her ear, avoiding any eye contact.

  “Hang on,” I interrupted. “What’s this about missing luggage?”

  “Lilith says the airline misplaced her luggage,” Mom explained in exasperation. “Can you imagine that in this day and age?”

  “You had luggage?” I asked Lilith doubtfully.

  “Of course,” Lilith smiled. “Why else would I show up at your door with just the clothes on my back? It’s not like I can just appear out of thin air.”

  “Certainly not,” Mom snorted. “You and Dara are the same size. I’m sure she won’t mind if you borrow some of her clothes until you get your bags back.” Dara opened her mouth with an angry flash in her eyes but I shook my head quickly. She subsided with a sullen glare as Mom opened the closet.

  “These are all Dara’s things,” she said. “She hasn’t even worn most of them,” she added, eyeing the Cowboys jersey Dara still wore. “She seems to prefer wearing Peter’s clothes for some reason.”

  “Oh, really?” Melissa asked, giving me a look. “Why is that?”

  “She just likes loose clothing, that’s all,” I insisted.

  “When she wears anything at all,” Mom sighed, shaking her head dolefully. “The English are so strange. No offense,” she told Lilith hastily.

  “None taken,” Lilith assured her smoothly. “I’m sure I’ll find something suitable.”

  “I’ll just get these dirty things out of the way.” Mom picked up my laundry basket and collected the discarded clothing from my bed. “This really should be dry-cleaned,” she mused, holding up Lilith’s blouse.

  “There’s no rush, I’m not going anywhere for a while.” Lilith picked out a short-sleeved blouse and a pair of capris with a deprecating twist to her lips and then reached for the fastener on her bikini top. Melissa gasped and grabbed my head, nearly twisting it off my shoulders as she tried to keep me from seeing what Lilith was doing.

  “Ow!” I tried to free myself but Melissa had my ears in a death grip. Her eyes widened as she looked past me and then wrenched my head back around as I tried to turn. “Stop doing that!”

  “Don’t you dare look!” she hissed and then she gasped again.

  “What? What’s going on?”

  “None of your business!”

  “Lilith,” Mom said uneasily, “you should probably wear, ah, something under that.”

  “Oh?” Lilith asked mildly. “Hmm, I suppose you’re right.” I heard a few drawers open and close followed by the rustle of cloth. “There we are.”

  “Much better,” Mom said, relieved. “I’ll just get these started.”

  She left with the basket and Melissa finally released me. I rubbed the circulation back into my ears and cautiously turned around. Lilith was fully covered, although her bra showed through the thin fabric of the blouse and the capris were very snug.

  “Do I meet with your approval, Peter?” she smiled, turning around like a fashion model. I was all too aware of the other two sets of eyes boring into me, awaiting my response. I assessed my options and punted.

  “No comment,” I said.

  11

  Games, especially RPG MMOs like Legends of Lorecraft, are microcosms of real life. Everyone starts out exactly the same, goes through the same quests, and has the same chances to succeed and advance as anyone else. Anyone who’s so inclined can learn crafting skills and gather materials and make weapons and armor and spells that they can sell in the trading house. Money, fame, and glory can be yours with just a bit of time and effort.

  That’s complete bull, of course. Your success in Lorecraft is directly correlated to your own success in real life. People with better computers and faster Internet connections don’t have to suffer through the lag spikes that plague lesser mortals. People with large disposable incomes can buy what they need from the store without having to go through the hassle of actually working for it in-game. People with quicker reflexes tend to die less often and don’t have to replace broken swords or buy revive scrolls as often. People who are jerks will steal your kills and gank you and loot your corpse without reviving you. If you’re poor and polite and wimpy outside the game, there’s a pretty good chance you’re going to be poor and polite and low-level in the game.

  The only exception to this rule is your appearance. It doesn’t matter what you look like in the mirror. Your character can be as beautiful or as ugly or as normal as the whim strikes you. For a few hours, you can be the person you always wished you were in real life. For some people, that’s all that matters.

  Things remained relatively quiet for the rest of the morning. Daraxandriel and Melissa continued their efforts to vanquish the minions of evil from eastern Veridian while Lilith worked on winning Mom over while she did the weekend chores. Dad press-ganged me into helping him straighten up his side of the garage, and, as usual, Susie remained out of sight in her room the entire time.

  We paused in our labors for a casual lunch of soup and sandwiches around the kitchen table, dominated by Lilith’s extravagant descriptions of all the places she’d been around the world. Daraxandriel maintained a sullen silence throughout.

  Halfway through, my cellphone pinged with a message from Susie: Bring me something to eat.

  Come into the kitchen and get it yourself, I texted back.

  No.

  “What’s going on, Peter?” Mom asked.

  “Susie’s being Susie,” I sighed, getting to my feet. “I’ll be right back.”

  I collected a BLT sandwich without the B for her, a handful of multigrain chips, and a cup of tomato soup and brought it all down to Susie’s room. I was out of hands so I kicked her door lightly to alert her to my presence. It opened a couple of inches and Susie’s left eye inspected me through the gap. “You’re being particularly anti-social today,” I observed.r />
  “Lilith gives me the creeps.” She was forced to open the door wider to let the plate through and I saw that she was actually wearing a nice top and a skirt for a change.

  “You and me both,” I assured her. Susie closed the door on me. “You’re welcome.” After a pause, it opened again, although she remained out of sight.

  “Thanks.” The door closed and opened again. “When the doorbell rings in twenty minutes, don’t let anyone open it.”

  I checked my watch. That would put the time at one o’clock. “What happens then?”

  “None of your business.” She closed her door again, this time in a way that made it clear it wasn’t going to reopen anytime soon.

  “Okay then.” I returned to the kitchen just in time to hear Lilith regale Mom and Dad with the story of her last trip to Paris. Daraxandriel sat slumped in her chair, staring gloomily at her plate as she binged on potato chips.

  Things broke up a little while later when Melissa decided she’d stalled long enough and it was time to head home. I walked her out to her car while the others cleared the table.

  “Lilith’s had an amazing life, hasn’t she?” Melissa asked wistfully. “I wish I could travel all around the world like her.”

  “You do realize that she’s just going around bargaining for people’s souls, right?” I reminded her dryly. “She’s a demon, not a tourist.”

  “Oh, well, yes, of course,” she stammered. “I only meant it would be fun to travel, that’s all. I’ve been stuck in Texas my whole life. Well, except for that trip to Hawaii for my sixteenth birthday,” she added thoughtfully. “And Disney World when I was twelve. Oh, and that cruise –”

  “Okay, stop, you’re making me jealous. I haven’t even been to Houston.”

  “Mother’s supposed to take me to Europe as a graduation gift next year,” she said, toying with the collar of my shirt. “Maybe you could come with us.” She looked up at me hopefully through her long, dark lashes.

  “That would be nice,” I agreed, “but I don’t think I could afford it.”

  “Oh, don’t be silly! Mother would pay for everything. Just make sure your passport is up-to-date.”

  “I don’t have a passport.” She leaned back to stare at me like I just admitted to lacking kidneys. “I’ve never been out of the country,” I reminded her.

  “Well, get one! Really, Peter, you’re really sweet and I love you but sometimes I don’t know where your head is.” She cupped my face with her hands. “Oh, never mind, I found it,” she smiled, and she planted a wet kiss on my lips. “Okay, I need to go. Remember to ask your parents about the apartment. Bye!” She jumped into the Thunderbird, fired it up, and squealed off down the road before I could do more than raise my hand in farewell.

  The sound of another car engine turned me around as a nondescript sedan I didn’t recognize pulled up to the curb in front of the house. I couldn’t see who was driving but the passenger door opened and a teenaged boy stepped out. He was a good-looking kid with smile dimples, bright blue eyes, and blond hair parted to one side. He wore a neatly-pressed white shirt and beige chinos with a razor-sharp crease and I wondered if he just came from church.

  “Hello!” he called cheerfully. “Is this Susie’s house?”

  “Uh, yeah.” It took my startled brain cells a minute to dredge up the appropriate memory. “You’re Cameron, aren’t you?”

  “Yes, that’s right. You must be Peter. Susie pointed you out at school.” Cameron stepped forward with his hand outstretched and I shook it automatically. He had a firm but friendly grip. “Is Susie ready?” he asked, glancing at the front door.

  The pieces fell into place one after the other. “You’re here for Susie.” I checked my watch. It was exactly one o’clock. “She’s expecting you. You’re going out together. This is a date, isn’t it?”

  Cameron’s smile faltered a bit. “Ah, yes?”

  “Oh my God,” I breathed. “It’s a sign of the coming Apocalypse.”

  “Excuse me?” He looked concerned now.

  “No, sorry, ignore that, just a random thought. I’ll, uh, go get her.” I opened the gate in our picket fence and then stopped. This was the culmination of all of Mom’s hopes and dreams for the last fifteen years. If she caught wind of it, there’d be no telling what might happen. At the very least, Susie would never forgive me for ruining the occasion. “On second thought, I’ll just text her.” I pulled out my phone and sent Susie just two words: Cameron’s here.

  Five seconds later, Susie appeared outside the door. I didn’t even see it open and close. She smoothed her blouse, checked the clasp holding her hair at the back of her neck, settled her purse on her shoulder, and turned on her smile before walking towards us.

  “Hi, Cameron!” she said shyly, like any other nervous fifteen-year-old, although the double death ray shooting from her eyes through my forehead spoiled the effect somewhat. “Let’s go!” She grabbed Cameron’s hand and pulled him towards his car.

  “What’s the hurry?” he protested. “Mom wanted to say hello to your parents first.” I squinted through glare on the windshield and caught a glimpse of a middle-aged woman with curly hair in the driver’s seat. I returned her wave.

  “No, there’s no time for that,” Susie insisted. “We don’t want to be late for the movie.” She opened the rear door and practically threw him into the back seat. “Do not say anything to Mom,” she warned me, her tone making it clear that the punishment for any violation of this policy would be especially dire. “Hello, Mrs. Jacoby.”

  “Hello, dear –” The rest was cut off when Susie slammed the door. A moment later, they drove off, leaving me by the side of the road wondering what other miracles were going to happen today.

  I went back inside and found Mom standing by the kitchen sink with a dishcloth in her hand and a puzzled look on her face. “Peter, was that Susie who just ran out the door?”

  “Um, yes.” Maybe Susie’s getaway hadn’t been as clean as she hoped.

  “Where did she go? She was wearing clothes, wasn’t she?”

  “Yes, she’s perfectly presentable,” I assured her. “She, ah, went somewhere with some friends.” I figured keeping things vague would be the safest approach.

  “She has friends?” Mom asked doubtfully.

  “Sure she does.”

  “Who?”

  “Well –” I had to think fast to come up with a plausible answer. “There’s the girls in her library club.”

  “That’s only on Wednesdays.”

  “That’s when the meetings are. They’re friends the rest of the week too.” At least I assumed they were. Susie never actually talked about them at home.

  “Oh, well, I guess that’s all right,” Mom sighed. “I just wish she was friends with boys, too.” She looked so despondent that I almost cracked and told her the truth, but it wasn’t worth my continued health. “At least you and Dara will give us grandchildren someday.”

  “Um, let’s not rush that.” I knew that she thought Daraxandriel and I were lovers but I didn’t realize she hoped we’d actually get married. Considering that Daraxandriel couldn’t legally sign the paperwork – even setting aside the fact that she was a completely different species – that seemed unlikely at this point, regardless of my feelings for her. “Where is she? Is Lilith with her?” The house was quiet but they could have strangled each another while I was outside.

  “They’re in your room, I imagine. Your father’s in the back yard trying to fix that leaky sprinkler head,” she added, rolling her eyes. “You might want to help him before we end up with a fountain in the garden.”

  “I’m on it.” Dad was a great Chief of Police but an indifferent, albeit determined, plumber. At least it would be an opportunity to pick up some new cuss words. “I’ll just check on Dara first.”

  “I guess I’ll see if Susie has any laundry,” Mom said hopefully. Now that school was out, Susie rarely wore anything long enough to get it dirty, but Mom was nothing if not optimistic. I
followed her down the hall and turned right when she went left.

  Daraxandriel was back on her laptop playing Lorecraft. To my astonishment, Lilith was doing the same thing on mine. “What are you doing?” I demanded, aghast. “You didn’t delete anything, did you?” I tried to grab the mouse but she casually moved it out of reach.

  “No, of course not,” she assured me. “This is my own account.”

  “Your account? I thought you said it was a silly game.”

  “I thought I’d give it a try. I mean, if Dara can do it, how hard can it be?” Daraxandriel pretended not to hear but her shoulders stiffened.

  “But you need an email to set up an account,” I protested.

  “I’ve had email for years, Peter,” she told me with an amused smirk.

  “And a credit card?”

  “Four of them. I live in the modern world, Peter,” she said smugly, “unlike certain other demons I know.” I could practically see the steam come out of Daraxandriel’s nostrils but she focused her glare on the screen. “I don’t play games all that often – well, not computer games, anyway – so maybe you could help me get started?” she asked with a coquettish tilt of her head. “Please?” She batted her eyes at me.

  I saw Daraxandriel flash me a don’t-you-dare look out of the corner of my eye but I didn’t really have much of a choice. At least Lilith wouldn’t be able to cause trouble while she was playing. I cleared my throat.

  “Well, first you have to decide your race.”

  “Can I be a demon?”

  “No,” I sighed, feeling an overwhelming sense of déjà vu. “If that’s a paid account, you have nine different races to pick from plus the undead versions.” I showed her how to cycle through them and she dutifully inspected each one before selecting, to no one’s surprise, a human female. “Okay, you can use one of these presets to change her appearance or you can customize everything with these controls.”