Chapter 5
Brody”s granite-like arms envelop me in a protective embrace as we rocket through the virtual sky. Howling winds roar past, tugging at my hair and clothes, but the sensation barely registers, my mind still grappling with the sudden attack that tore us away from our intimate moment in the queen”s bedroom.
Flashbacks of the wraith battle flood my mind, the ghostly figures swarming us from the shadows, their screeches filling the air. Brody”s fierce protectiveness shines through as he swings his massive sword, his avatar Balor a formidable force against the onslaught.
The jarring shift between lovingly feeding me figs one moment and desperately fending for our virtual lives together the next leaves me reeling.
”Hold on to me. I”ve got you,” Brody reassures, his deep, gravelly voice rising above the rushing wind.
I cling to him tightly, marveling at his avatar”s unyielding stone-like body that feels both resolute and comforting. His strong arms encircle me, enveloping me in safety and love, even in the middle of chaos. The depth of my feelings for Brody surges through me like a tidal wave, threatening to sweep me away in its intensity.
Learning about Brody”s motocross accident earlier only heightens my fierce desire to protect him.
My thoughts drift back to our passionate encounter in the queen”s chambers, the way I had laid myself bare before him, both physically and emotionally. I had never felt so vulnerable, so exposed, yet so utterly safe and cherished.
Brody had rewarded my trust with pleasure beyond my wildest dreams, his every touch, every kiss, every whispered word of affection a testament to the depth of his feelings for me.
As we descend toward a secluded stone turret, a sudden updraft causes Brody to falter. We crash-land into the turret, our bodies slamming against the cold, hard floor.
Brody gently helps me to my feet, his hands lingering on my waist as if reluctant to let go.
In that moment, I know with absolute certainty that I am completely, irrevocably in love with him. The realization sweeps over me, washing away any lingering doubts or fears.
I want nothing more than to be with him, not just in this virtual world, but in the real one as well. I ache to feel his actual arms around me, to gaze into his true eyes, to taste his genuine lips against mine.
”There”s a way out through here,” I say.
Brody studies me intently as I fit the key into a concealed door, his eyes widening in amazement as it swings open to reveal a narrow passageway.
”You did all this?”
I nod, pleased by his admiring glances. ”An Easter egg from a while back.”
We”re safe for now, and I pace in a tight arc, the heavy iron key dancing between my fingers.
Concerns about Brody”s well-being in the real world start to surface, peppering my frantic thoughts.
I force myself to slow my breathing and think.
Harvey”s snide remarks and attempts at sabotage immediately come to mind. This must be his handiwork.
“What do you think caused the glitch?”
”I won’t know until I run more tests, but we need to get out of the game as soon as we can.” My words tumble out in a rush. “It’s not safe here.”
He rubs the back of his neck, a gesture out of place for the avatar. It must be Brody. ”Safe in the game or?—?”
My urge to protect him surges. ”In every way,” I admit.
We navigate the passageway in tense silence, the weight of our situation bearing down on us. Suddenly, Brody”s movements slow, and a strange light ripples through his avatar”s form. I watch in horror as delicate cracks begin to fissure across his stone-like skin; his avatar glitches erratically.
”Are you alright?” I ask, my brow furrowing.
”I feel strange,” he admits, his voice strained.
”I feel strange,” he admits, his voice strained. ”I do not know what”s happening, but I am not leaving without you. I am coming to get you—we have to make sure you”re safe.”
His words send a shiver down my spine, the line between the game and reality blurring as my concern for him overshadows everything else. I step closer, my fingers brushing against the jagged edges of his avatar”s face.
”I suspect Harvey might be behind this,” I confess, unable to keep the anger from seeping into my voice. ”He”s always been competitive, but this feels different. If he”s behind the glitches, who knows what else he”s capable of?”
Brody”s hand reaches out, his stone fingers gently cupping my cheek. ”If what you”re suspecting is true, you could be in danger. You need to get out of the city.”
I lean into his touch, the coolness of his avatar”s skin a stark reminder that this is not really Brody.
”But where would I go? I need somewhere secure and private to work, to dig into the code and find out what”s really going on.”
”There”s more at stake than just your job now,” Brody reminds me, his voice low and filled with concern. ”If Harvey”s compromised the NeuraLink implants, countless people could be at risk. The implants need to be removed, but the company won”t make it easy.”
I nod, my mind racing with the implications. ”They”ll push back, try to cover it up. We need proof, and a plan.”
Brody pulls me close, his avatar”s wings enveloping me in a protective embrace. I rest my head against his chest, the steady thrum of his heartbeat a comforting reminder that the real Brody is out there, waiting for me.
”You”re my only concern,” he whispers, his lips grazing the top of my head. ”Now that I have you, I”m never letting you go. As soon as we get out of the game I’m coming to get you.
I meet his gaze, hoping he doesn’t say its Alaska. ”Where do you live?”
“Somewhere Harvey will never find you. Screaming Woods.”
My breath catches. It’s only a few hours away.
My breath catches in my throat, the realization that Brody is so close sending a thrill through my body. ”Ready to meet the real me, Brody?” I ask, my heart pounding in my chest.
”Born ready,” he replies, a hint of humor lightening the tension.
We linger in the passageway, our avatars standing close, neither of us wanting to say goodbye. The thought of logging out, of leaving Brody”s side even for a moment, feels like a sharp ache in my chest.
”Pack light, we need to move fast,” Brody instructs, his voice imparting urgency.
I nod, my fingers brushing against the cool stone of his avatar”s hand. ”Brody,” I whisper, tears welling in my eyes, ”I do not know what”s happening in the game, and I don”t want anything bad to happen to you because of me.”
His eyes soften, and he pulls me into a fervent embrace. ”Elisa, I have never felt this way about anyone before. I know we”ve only met in this virtual world, but I can”t ignore the connection we have. I”ll do whatever it takes to protect you, even if it means risking myself in the process.”
Emotion overwhelms me, and I cling to him tightly. ”I need you to know how much you mean to me. How much I want this—us—to be real.”
He brushes a strand of hair from my face, his touch igniting sparks across my skin. ”It is real, Elisa. What we have is more real than anything I”ve ever known.”
We stay locked in each other”s arms for a few moments longer, savoring the feeling of being together before we’re forced to part.
”We should log out,” I say softly, my eyes locked with his. ”For our safety.”
Brody nods, reluctance etched into every line of his avatar”s face. ”But leaving you, even for a moment, feels like torture.”
He leans in close and whispers, ”Don”t forget to pack that sexy lingerie for our first date.”
Heat rushes to my cheeks, and I playfully swat at his avatar”s chest. ”Bold of you to assume I”ll be wearing anything at all.”
He growls low in his throat, the sound sending a shiver of desire through me. ”On second thought, leave it behind.”
Brody lets out a deep, primal growl. ”We were interrupted before I could unleash my gargoyle charms on you.”
I raise an eyebrow, a sly smile playing on my lips. ”Oh, do tell. But let”s be honest, I”m the one who coded those assets. I know exactly what they”re capable of.”
Brody smirks and leans in closer, his voice dropping. ”Are you doubting my ability to make the most of your coding?”
”I”m just saying, talk is cheap. Let”s see if you can walk the walk when we meet in person.”
He smirks even wider. ”I assure you, my queen, I will exceed all expectations. You”ll be begging for more.”
With one last lingering touch, we reluctantly part ways, our avatars disappearing as we log out of the game.
We linger in the passageway, our avatars standing close. Neither of us wants to say goodbye. The idea of logging out, of leaving Brody”s side even for a moment, feels like a sharp ache in my chest.
”Pack light. We need to move fast,” Brody urges, his voice full of urgency.
I nod, my fingers brushing against the cool stone of his avatar”s hand. ”Brody,” I whisper, tears welling in my eyes, ”I don”t know what”s happening in the game, and I don”t want anything bad to happen to you because of me.”
His eyes soften, and he pulls me into a passionate embrace. ”Elisa, I”ve never felt this way about anyone before. I know we”ve only met in this virtual world, but I can”t ignore the connection we have. I”ll do whatever it takes to protect you, even if it means risking myself in the process.”
Emotion overwhelms me, and I hold onto him tightly. ”I need you to know how much you mean to me. How much I want this—us—to be real.”
He brushes a strand of hair from my face, his touch igniting sparks across my skin. ”It is real, Elisa. What we have is more real than anything I”ve ever known.”
We remain locked in each other”s arms for a few more moments, savoring the feeling of being together before we”re forced to part.
”We should log out,” I say softly, my eyes locked with his. ”For our safety.”
Brody nods, reluctance etched into every line of his avatar”s face. ”But leaving you, even for a moment, feels like torture.”
He leans in close and whispers, ”Don”t forget to pack that sexy lingerie for our first date.”
Heat rushes to my cheeks, and I playfully swat at his avatar”s chest. ”Bold of you to assume I”ll be wearing anything at all.”
He growls low in his throat, the sound sending a shiver of desire through me. ”On second thought, leave it behind.”
Brody”s smirk grows into a devilish grin as he leans in closer, his voice dropping to a husky whisper. ”Oh, you have no idea what I can do with those assets, my queen.” He traces his fingers lightly along my jawline, sending shivers down my spine. ”Once I have you in my arms, you”ll be begging for more.”
His touch ignites a fire within me that I can”t contain. I feel the heat spread through my body, pooling between my legs. ”I”m not sure if I should be scared or turned on by that,” I admit, my voice quivering slightly.
He chuckles softly, his breath ghosting against my ear. ”You can be both, baby. I promise to give you the most mind-blowing experiences of your life.”The hours leading up to Brody”s arrival pass by in a blur. I frantically clean every inch of my small apartment, wanting everything to be perfect for our first date. I change into the lingerie that Brody had teased me about, feeling both nervous and excited at the thought of showing him.
As I wait for him to arrive, my mind races with questions and doubts. What if he doesn”t like me in person? What if this is all just a game to him? But I quickly push those thoughts away, remembering the way he held me in his arms and whispered promises of passion and desire.
Finally, there”s a knock on my door. My heart skips a beat as I rush to answer it.
We stand there for a moment before Brody breaks the silence and draws me into his arms.
”I”ve been looking forward to this all day,” he murmurs against my hair.
”Me too,” I admit honestly, enjoying the feeling of being wrapped up in his arms as much as his virtual presence.
He pulls back slightly to look down at me with a mischievous glint in his eye. ”So...about that lingerie...”
Brody”s laughter resonates through the room, causing my heart to flutter.
”So, am I left to play a guessing game while I”m on my way to fetch you?” I tease. He chuckles in response and retorts, ”I had another activity in mind for you during that time.”
A rush of heat colors my cheeks as I shoot back, ”Oh really? Well, whatever gets you here quicker.”
Our shared laughter fills the air, but then Brody cautions, ”If we continue like this, I might end up wrecking my car.”
His words are light-hearted, and I can almost visualize his impish grin.
”Alright, but just so you”re aware, tonight better be something special,” I jest.
His reply is brimming with assurance: ”Oh trust me, it will be.”
”Elisa?” A deep voice rumbles over the phone, sending a shiver of excitement racing down her spine.
”Yeah?” she responds eagerly, straightening in her seat. ”I can”t wait to see you,” he confesses, his voice thick with longing and desire. ”Hurry up and get here. Unlike Balor, you can”t fly. Step on the gas,” she teases, picturing him behind the wheel of his car.
”Woman, you”re going to be the death of me,” he groans playfully.
”I hope not because I have plans for you, mister. And they don”t involve a hospital visit,” she counters seductively, a mischievous glint lighting up her eyes.
”I”m getting you back for torturing me in the game. Just wait,” he warns, his voice dropping low and husky with promise. She can”t help but smile at their playful banter and the anticipation building between them like an electric current sparking to life.
Biting back a grin, I power off my computer, anticipation swirling in my mind for tonight”s date. Brody”s words replay in my head, and a blush creeps onto my cheeks.
Heat pools low in my core as I imagine what the night might hold. I quickly change into my finest lingerie, excitement thrumming through my veins.
After packing all my equipment, I still have some spare time.As I wait for him to arrive, I pace back and forth in my living room, trying to calm my nerves. What will it be like meeting him for the first time? What are the rules for this kind of thing? Will our virtual reality experience lead to intimacy in real life? He”s seen me naked...
But in the game, physical contact was not allowed, and now I doubt I”ll be able to resist touching him when I finally see the man of my dreams. I wonder if he has the same thoughts. What if he doesn”t like me in person? What if I don”t live up to his expectations? These nerves are completely new and unsettling to me.
Finally, a knock at my door jolts me out of my thoughts. My heart pounds as I approach the door, my hand shaking slightly as I reach for the doorknob. The doorbell buzzes, and butterflies flutter in my stomach as I open it.
There he stands, Brody in the flesh. His dark hair is disheveled, as if he”s been running his fingers through it all day, and his piercing eyes hold a hunger that sends shivers down my spine. He”s dressed in clothes that cling to his broad frame, accentuating every muscle. My gaze lingers on his biceps, imagining what it would feel like to have them wrapped around me.
”Hi,” I breathe, feeling heat creep into my cheeks.
”Hi yourself,” Brody says, his voice laced with desire. ”You should know, you”re not making this easy for me.”
I bite my lip, trying to contain the need welling up inside of me. ”So... no hospital visit, then?”
He smirks and takes my hand, leading me towards his car. ”Not yet,” he says, and in person, he looks even more attractive than I had imagined.