Gamer for Love (Alpha World Book 8) Read online

  Alpha World

  Book Eight:

  Gamer

  for

  Love

  Daniel Schinhofen

  Copyright © 2019 Daniel J. Schinhofen

  No parts of this book may be reproduced in any form by an electronic or mechanical means – except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles or reviews – without the written permission from the publisher.

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarities to real persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Copyright © 2019 Daniel J. Schinhofen

  All rights reserved.

  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-one

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Chapter Thirty-three

  Chapter Thirty-four

  Chapter Thirty-five

  Chapter Thirty-six

  Chapter Thirty-seven

  Chapter Thirty-eight

  Chapter Thirty-nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-one

  Chapter Forty-two

  Chapter Forty-three

  Chapter Forty-four

  Chapter Forty-five

  Chapter Forty-six

  Chapter Forty-seven

  Chapter Forty-eight

  Chapter Forty-nine

  Chapter Fifty

  Chapter Fifty-one

  Chapter Fifty-two

  Chapter Fifty-three

  Chapter Fifty-four

  Chapter Fifty-five

  Chapter Fifty-six

  Chapter Fifty-seven

  Chapter Fifty-eight

  Chapter Fifty-nine

  Chapter Sixty

  Chapter Sixty-one

  Chapter Sixty-two

  Chapter Sixty-three

  Chapter Sixty-four

  Chapter Sixty-five

  Chapter One

  Sitting in the library, Alburet’s hands clenched in anger as he thought back over the last few days: Alistern’s death at the behest of Bloodmoon, DrBone’s attempted framing of Alpha Company for the deaths caused by his burning of Giardino’s, Margret Wilson’s death at the order of Skippy, and Gilden and Carradine’s attempt to assassinate the King.

  “Husband,” Stacia said, coming into the room, “what be the matter?”

  Her voice helped calm his anger enough that he could unclench his hands. “Just thinking about the last few days.”

  Her face fell as sadness flowed from her, “Da’…”

  Crossing the room to her, he pulled her into his arms. “We’ll pay Bloodmoon back,” he softly said, holding her tight.

  “Aye, I know tha’ we will. It just be feelin’ like the world has gone mad.”

  “How is Dennis doing?” Alburet asked, changing the subject.

  “He be sleepin’ now. Emily be with him. He does nay have any other family, which means he be a ward of the city now.”

  “He’ll be taken to an orphanage?” Alburet asked.

  “Aye.”

  A sliver of a memory tickled the back of his mind. With pursed lips, Alburet took one hand away from Stacia to pull out his Mindstone. Sending a quick message, he waited for the reply.

  “What are ya doin’?” Stacia asked.

  “Seeing if Dennis can be given a better life,” he replied and led Stacia over to the chair he had been in before. Sitting down, he pulled her onto his lap.

  Message from Gerald Stoutheart:

  Al, I don’t know how that works, but I’ll ask Wilbur. I agree with the idea, and would even go one further if Lilith is agreeable. Emily and Dennis get along, and it isn’t uncommon for nobles to have long engagements.

  Message to Gerald Stoutheart:

  I’ll ask Lilith her opinion. You’d still need a seneschal to hold the spot for him until he’s old enough. I’d suggest Lilith.

  Message from Gerald Stoutheart:

  That is going to be an interesting item to bring to the King. I’ll check with Wilbur on what’s needed for appointing an heir.

  Putting the Mindstone away, Alburet smiled. “Emily and Dennis get along rather well, right?”

  “Aye.”

  “Do you think mom would be willing to see them engaged?”

  Stacia’s eyebrows shot up. “Ya be wantin’ to engage them?”

  “I want to ask if they are willing to consider it,” Alburet corrected her. “Gerald is going to adopt Dennis and name him his heir, as he has to have one by order of the King. If they were engaged, we can name Lilith as the seneschal until Dennis grows old enough. That would let her stay here in the city with Emily, I’m fairly certain.”

  “I can ask,” Stacia said as she snuggled against him.

  “Want to cuddle a bit longer first?”

  “Aye.”

  “Did Mother reply to our request?” Alburet asked after a couple of minutes.

  “Aye. She thinks she can be havin’ them here tomorrow. We be needin’ to build another structure onto the house for tha’.”

  “Wilbur said he’ll send over the crafters to get it done for us. He did tell me that forty is the maximum number of guards an Ambassadorial residence can have.”

  Stacia pulled out her Mindstone and sent Mother a note. “Mother has been told, so she does nay try to give us a regiment.”

  “Good idea,” Alburet chuckled softly.

  “There you are,” Fluff said as she entered the room, trailed by Karen. “Dinner is almost ready.”

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to vanish on you all,” Alburet apologized. “I just needed to step away for a bit.”

  “We understand, Al,” Karen said gently. “We all felt your pain and knew that you needed to be alone.”

  “I didn’t expect Dennis’ sorrow to hit me like that,” he sighed. “I guess I’m still mourning my own losses.”

  Stacia kissed his head, followed by Karen and Fluff, who were bookending his chair. “We be knowin’ tha’.

  “We should go to dinner. Loralee said it wouldn’t be long,” Karen said after a minute.

  “Okay. What about Emily and Dennis?” Alburet asked as he got to his feet.

  “They are asleep,” Lilith said from the door. “I’ll make sure there’s something for them if they wake in the night.”

  “Thank you, mom,” Alburet said, following his wives to the door. “We need to talk about Emily and Dennis. I’ve had an idea that I want your input on.”

  “We can talk after dinner,” Lilith replied.

  “Of course,” Alburet said, following the four women down the hall.

  Dinner was delicious, as usual, and afterward, they went to one of the sitting rooms. Rachel served them coffee before dismissing herself and leaving them alone. Alburet explained his idea to L
ilith and the others before sitting back in his seat.

  Lilith seemed a little shocked at Alburet’s suggestion. “You want to make three of my daughters nobles?”

  “If Emily and Dennis agree to the idea,” Alburet reiterated.

  “You’re trying to turn all the horror into something better,” Fluff said.

  “Dennis will become an orphan otherwise. Gerald is going to appoint him heir and adopt him. I would just like him to have someone who cares for him at his side.”

  “They’re only nine,” Karen pointed out.

  “That doesn’t matter,” Lilith said softly, tears starting to trickle from her eyes. “Emily already has her eyes set on him. Like her sisters, she has made her choice.”

  “Yeah, but boys at that age have no idea what love is,” Karen pointed out.

  “That is a valid point,” Alburet sighed.

  “You were in the room after Alburet left,” Lilith said. “Did you not feel how Dennis calmed when Emily held him?”

  “I thought maybe you had done that,” Karen said.

  “I didn’t touch his emotions. Emily was the one who held, comforted, and calmed him. They are of an age together, too, which means that when the time comes, they can attend training together if they both worship at the same temple.”

  “That means either he’d have to change or she would,” Fluff pointed out.

  “One of them will,” Lilith said with certainty. “The events of the last few days,” her voice hitched as she suppressed her own loss, “have just made them want to hold each other tighter, afraid to lose another they care about.”

  “It will be sad iffin she chooses to leave the Dark Lord, but iffin it be to follow her heart, then it is meant to be.” Stacia had a sad smile when she finished speaking.

  “You think they’ll agree, then?” Alburet asked.

  “Yes. I’ll talk to them tomorrow, but I’m certain that they will both agree. I’m not sure I’m going to be allowed to be their seneschal, though.”

  “We’ll make it work,” Alburet said, “even if it means calling in favors.”

  Guild Quest:

  All Members of Alpha Company have been issued the following quest by Gerald Stoutheart, backed by the Crown of Stormguard.

  Quest: Root out traitorous nobles and bring them before the King.

  Rewards: Reputation with Crown of Stormguard and one relic from the vaults per party.

  Alburet blinked as he read over the quest again. “Damn. I guess that’s one way to hand those items out. I would suggest adding the Delvers to the list of Guilds participating.”

  “I’m sure Gerald already has,” Fluff said. “Are we going to do this?”

  All eyes went to Alburet, who was radiating a deep perverse joy. “I think tomorrow we’ll be paying our good, dear friend Skippy a visit.”

  Karen’s smile grew, “Oh, it’s about time we get to hit that idiot.”

  “Tomorrow will be a busy day,” Fluff nodded as she got to her feet.

  “Aye, ya have the right of tha’, Fluff. Shall we drag our husband off to make sure we can all get some rest tonight?”

  Karen got to her feet, “Yup.”

  “I’ll talk with the children tomorrow, and I’ll be here to handle Mother and the crafters,” Lilith said. “It might be my last act for you as part of the embassy.”

  Alburet stood, joining his wives. “Thank you, Lilith.”

  “Go get your rest,” Lilith smiled, but it was tinged with sadness.

  Following his wives, Alburet made a note to check what kind of leeway they had in carrying out the quest. I’m coming for you, Skippy. Time to pay the piper, you fucking asshole.

  Chapter Two

  Seamus gave Victoria a long look before going over to the desk and taking a seat. “I don’t recall fighting anybody with nightmare Abilities, so I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt that you’re actually you.”

  “I am actually me,” Victoria replied. “Those Abilities have been changed because they worked a little bit differently than we wished them to.”

  “No more nightmares or false visions?”

  “No. It has been suggested they could harm the player, which is far from what we wish to have happen.”

  “What have you replaced them with?”

  “Simpler mind control Abilities.”

  “Which Fluff is now immune to,” Seamus chuckled.

  “She did pick up the helm best suited for her,” Victoria smiled.

  “We should thank Keeper for that,” he said with a raised eyebrow.

  “I had nothing to do with it. Keeper did as he does, and gave the item best suited to each person.”

  “I’ve been curious about how much you tinker with things.”

  “Very little, actually. I just set the stage and try to let things play out normally. I only interfere when I have need to.”

  “Game patches?”

  “Those are the most common. If you haven’t noticed, there have been very few of them.”

  “Yeah. Why are we chatting, Vicky?”

  “I wished to speak with you to see how your integrations are progressing. Your psyche has been stabilizing rapidly, even if your anger is taking a bit longer to fully integrate.”

  “I’ve noticed my anger being closer to the surface, but it’s been easier to deal with.”

  “That’s good. I also wished to congratulate you on completing a step of the quest.”

  “If you hadn’t sent Rolland and Kim...”

  Victoria gave him a broad smile, “That would have happened regardless of who went to Peace. The book Rolland has still has a part to play in the grand scheme of the world.”

  “It’s the answer to transporting without portals, isn’t it?”

  Victoria’s laughter was light and full of happiness. “I am so happy to see your analytical mind is also coming back to the forefront, Seamus.”

  “If there wasn’t a way to even the scales, Stein would have too big of an advantage going into the raid.”

  “Very astute.”

  “The Final Deaths—”

  Holding up a hand to cut him off, Victoria shook her head. “I cannot answer what you’re going to ask, but the answer will become clear soon. That is all I can say.”

  “Fuck,” Seamus sighed.

  “The other part of your quest is still working, as well,” Victoria said into the moment of silence.

  “Love,” Seamus smiled.

  “A high degree of it between all involved. It is quite nice to see Julia, Karen, Stacia, and you all together. The dynamic is in stark contrast to your very monogamous friends. It was shocking to see their spur of the moment wedding. I had not accounted for that probability at that time.”

  “I think we were all a bit shocked, but goddamn was it about time.”

  “We are almost out of time, Seamus. I believe you can fulfill the quest, but the road is not easy.”

  “Nothing worth doing is,” he replied. His eyes flickered to the mantle, where a replica of Kaylee’s urn sat. “Keeping her company for me?”

  “It seemed appropriate. Would you like a moment alone?”

  Right hand shaking, Seamus nodded, “Please.”

  Victoria stood up, smoothing her jacket before she walked around the desk. Pausing when she came even with his chair, she touched his shoulder. “When you’re ready, just turn away and you’ll go back to sleep.” The sound of her low heels faded as she walked away.

  Standing after the door had closed, Seamus went around the desk. His eyes lingered on the urn. The dark oak and infinity symbol reminded him of how much Kaylee had loved both of those things.

  “Hey, you,” Seamus whispered, reaching out to touch the urn. “I know what happened now... I’m even working on becoming normal again. I never would have if not for my three wives. I keep thinking you’d be happy for me, for finally finding women who actually care for me. I wish your dad was here with me, I’m sure I could have gotten him hooked up with someone... what I really
wish for is for you to be here with me. I think you would have loved this game. I still wonder what path you would have taken.”

  Pulling the urn off the mantle carefully and cradling it to his chest, he backed up and sat on the desk. “This is the closest I can get to giving you a hug now. Remember when you used to demand them?” A sad smile touched his lips, “You grew out of that stage too fast. You never disdained them though, thankfully.”

  Sighing, he pulled the urn away from his chest a little. “I’m doing my best, Kaylee. I’m not sure if I’ll get to say goodbye to you again, so I want to do it once more, just in case.”

  Taking a deep breath, he stood up and placed the urn back on the mantle. Laying his hand on it, he stared at the infinity symbol engraved in the wood. “You were the brightest point of my life. Even though you weren’t technically my daughter, I always thought of you as such after that first year. Your death broke me, as surely as it broke your father. I’m sorry if my actions caused you distress, but I wouldn’t take them back. That thing deserved death for what he did. I hope you’ve found the peace and happiness you rightly deserved in life. One day, I hope to see you again. If they ever let players have children, my first daughter will be named after you. Goodbye, Kaylee.”