Tss 3: Night's Son

Bobby experiences his first night as a Knight. Free food, booze, and women... What could go wrong?

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Chapter 03

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First Knight

"Future wife..." I trailed off, my mental capacity resetting at the notion. "Do you want to repeat that, but this time leave out the crazy talk?" I asked him, unable to hide my shock.

Al's cheeks burned a little as he gave me a sheepish look. Not that they were much redder than his freckles already made them, but his body language said it all.

"Well... At least, according to my dad, he met my mom here, and, uh...." Al shook his head, looked around the lobby, then lowered his voice even more. I had to strain to hear him. "Since your dad didn't tell you anything, and I think we'll be good friends, I'll let you know what I know. Tonight is supposed to be a test. I'm not sure how, but my father said that his future was decided by his actions the night he swore the oath. A couple recruits who pledged the same day got wasted drunk, and they barely made any rank afterward. They also met their wives that night. My dad is pretty sure I was, er... conceived that night as well. He used to laugh about how the drunks claimed they'd railed their women to the madres, but the women gossiped that they couldn't even get it up."

I stared at the scrawny man for a few seconds, trying to take that info in. How I behaved tonight might set my entire future? I wonder how my father behaved? Was he as much of a douchebag back then, and that's why my mother and I suffered? Hell, did he meet my mom the night he swore in? Down that line of thinking were questions about my parents I didn't want to be answered.

"If this is a test, then we'd probably better move through this lobby," I said, gripping Al's shoulder and pulling him towards the double doors in the back labeled 'Dance Hall A.' "Don't want whoever is watching us thinking we're too scared to walk in there."

Al's eyes grew large with concern. "You're right! I hope I didn't fuck up already! Thanks for looking out for me."

"What are friends for?" I asked, cringing inside. It's not that I disliked Al. Quite the contrary! He seemed like a nice guy if a little overzealous. But I wasn't raised like him, swallowing the Kool-Aid of the Paladonic Knights from childhood. Sure, they protected humans from the freaks and monsters out there, but they also had a bad reputation. If not for my mother and concern for her, I never would have sworn the oath. After everything she gave up for me, I couldn't abandon her, and I didn't think I could take care of her on my own. At least, not right now.

As I read back over what I've written in my journal, I realize that makes me sound like some mamma's boy. I'm not. I do, however, respect the woman that raised me on her own. It's easy to look back and see all the times she sacrificed to make sure I had what I needed growing up. I'll finish this interruption by stating that I wouldn't be the man I am today without her support, and I'm not going to forget her. Never let it be said that I don't pay back my debts, even if that means joining the terrorist organization of the Paladonic Knights.

We could hear music playing through the double door of the dance room as we approached. The doors opened on their own, and we were greeted to the site of a live band playing cover songs in one corner, the promised open bar in another, tables strewn around the edges, and a few people dancing in the middle. I recognized a few faces from the ceremony earlier, but there were many other faces I didn't recognize. Almost all of them were close to my age. I honestly wondered if some of them were old enough to drink.

"Huh," I heard Al say next to me, sounding disappointed.

"What's wrong?" I asked, wondering how I was supposed to act to get the best results of this

test

.

"What? Oh, um, well..." Al looked around with a bit of a grimace. "I don't want to give you the wrong idea, but I thought the women here would be--uh, how do I put this--better looking?"

I looked closer and noted that while none of the women here were ugly by any stretch, they also weren't supermodels. More than a few couples were sitting at tables swapping spit, unconcerned about their PDA. "I think they look fine," I said, not wanting to sound pompous.

"Oh, sorry," Al apologized with a lopsided smile that looked forced. "I didn't mean it like that. I guess I was just hoping that whoever I ended up with tonight would be a real babe, you know?"

I gave him a slap to the back and a genuine smile as I said, "Take it from someone with experience with real babes? Personality is far more important. The hot ones either tend to be crazy, cheaters, or too self-serving and self-absorbed. I'd much rather a woman I can grow old with than someone whose looks are going to fade over the years." For some reason, my mind flashed to Charlotte. She was older than me, and goth wasn't to my tastes, so why did I think of her? Was it just that she'd blown more than my mind with her skills in bed?

Al gave me a strange look before shrugging with a non-committal, "Yeah, I guess."

I chose to ignore his attitude and looked around the room some more. The band was finishing up a song I barely recognized from the radio. They were all dressed in expensive-looking suits, and I wondered if they were Knights or even knew what this event was for. I guessed the former. An older man approached one of the tables with an amorous couple who looked ready to get naked in front of everyone and go at it. The older Knight interrupted them, then led them from the room. From the grins on their faces, I suspected they weren't in trouble but would soon be in their own space,

celebrating

without an audience.

There were plenty of other women standing around in small clusters. In fact, there were easily more women than men here. I wondered at that, as there were far too many women here for the number of men I expected. Even if five times the men I swore in with showed up, there's still be plenty of women going home alone tonight.

Then I noticed a couple guys our age going through a doorway in the back. I thought back over Al's words that this was a test and wondered what we were supposed to do. It made sense that getting blackout drunk was a bad idea, and I didn't think that egregious public displays of affection would give us any extra credit on this supposed test. Snooping around at an event held by a secret society that many world governments considered a terrorist organization also seemed like a bad idea. Especially when the band, drinks, and women were all out here.

"Let's go," Al said, cutting my thoughts short. I thought he wanted to leave the party, but instead, he moved across the room. Straight for the far door.

"Whoa, stop!" I gripped his shoulder to stall him. "We can't just snoop around. Who knows what's back there. I think we're supposed to stay in here."

Al's head cocked to the side in thought before he answered me. "Didn't the doorman say the

entire

hotel was at our service?"

"I don't think that meant that--" I tried to say, but he grinned and cut me off.

"Besides, my dad told me not to accept the first room."

I stared at the redheaded guy, trying to gauge if he were serious. What was that supposed to mean? Wasn't the lobby the first room? Before I could form a response, he started walking again.

Maybe it was the week I was having, or Al's easy attitude, or something else, but I muttered, "Fuck it!" and followed after.

This door led into a hallway. A lush red carpet led the way down the cream-walled path. I saw no sign of the other men that came through here a moment before. I thought this would have been a service hallway for the dance room, but now I realized it was for guests. The door clicked shut behind us, and something about its sound caught my attention. When I tried to open it from this end, it was locked.

"I guess there's no going back," I said, then turned to see that Al was already opening the second door on the left. "Why didn't you try the first one?" I asked when I caught up to him.

Al shrugged as he pointed to the label next to this door. It read 'Banquet Hall.' I couldn't see the title next to the first door. "If we shouldn't accept the first room, why accept the second room? Besides, I'm hungry."

I couldn't find fault with his logic, though I didn't necessarily agree. I didn't want to get caught snooping around and end up with a low rank. However, when we stepped in, the delicious smells of cooked meats, sautéd vegetables, and tasty sweets somehow mingled together instead of fighting one another, making my mouth water.

My legs carried me to the nearest buffet-style table, laden with a steaming variety of delectable eats. Prime ribs, halibut, ribs, ham steaks, duck, and every other type of meat I could imagine lined the long table. Growing up poor, I'd never seen such a feast.

"What can I get you, Sir?" a man in a smartly dressed uniform asked. He held a plate in one hand and indicated the food with his other. I'm ashamed to admit that my first thought was that I couldn't afford any of this. Then I recalled that it was all here for us and wouldn't cost me anything.

Other than my soul for joining the Paladonic Knights, but that ship had already sailed.

I glanced at the cards next to each dish and grinned. "I'll take a filet mignon, please," I told the man. I'd heard of the steak but never actually got to try it. "Oh, and a lobster tail."

He asked how I wanted the steak cooked, and I was confused. Wasn't all meat cooked the same? Well, except for sushi, but I wasn't

that

adventurous tonight.

"He'll have it medium-rare," Al came to my rescue. "And I'll have mine rare."

"Thanks," I said as the server handed me my plate. I moved to another table and added mashed potatoes that weren't instant and some onion rings to round out the meal. I stayed away from the desserts, not because they didn't appeal to me, but because I didn't want to seem greedy.

I found a table to sit at, and Al joined me a moment later. I barely paid him any mind as I cut into my steak. Juices flowed from the light pink meat, and my mouth watered even more as I caught the scent. I'd heard that there were different ways to cook meat, but this was the first time I'd ever tasted a steak that wasn't black on the outside and brown throughout. My teeth sank in, and I moaned at how tender the morsel was. So juicy and moist! It was like a miniature orgasm of flavors and fluids exploded in my mouth. I know how disgusting that may sound, but it was a novel experience for me.

Next, I cut off a slice of the lobster and tossed it in my mouth. The texture wasn't what I expected. It was somehow chewier than the filet but also softer.

"That goes a lot better dipped in garlic butter," a feminine voice next to me said. I nearly jumped out of my skin. I thought Al was sitting next to me, but an attractive brunette sat there--with a plate more loaded than mine--when I turned and looked. She placed a small silver bowl next to my dish and added, "Here, dip it in this."

I sliced off another piece of lobster on autopilot and dipped it in the yellowish liquid filling the bowl. When I placed it in my mouth, I thought I was in heaven. The taste of the butter, mixed with garlic and the lobster, all but melted on my tastebuds.

"Thanks," I managed to utter, then finally noticed Al sitting across from me, a nice-looking, though heavier set, Asian woman next to him.

"You've got a little on your lip," the brunette said to me, bringing my attention back to her. "Here, let me get that." Before I knew what she planned, her thumb swiped across my bottom lip. Then she slipped that same digit between her plump red lips and grinned. "Yum!"

I knew she was flirting with me, and I also knew that all I had to do was say the word, and she'd follow me to a room, if what Al said was true. I took another look at her, doing what I'd cussed Adam out for doing earlier in small part. She was more attractive than any of the women in the previous room. Her blue eyes stood out in contrast with her tan skin and dark brown hair. She also had a bit more curve to her than the women from the dance room. I hated myself for looking at her like an object and tried to find clues on her personality. I glanced at her plate again and was impressed with how much food she had. Impressed, because most women I know eat very little when on dates, and I liked ladies who don't hold back.

And she

didn't

hold back! She caught me off guard, and I found her tongue halfway down my throat. Her arms wrapped tight around my neck, pulling me into her soft bosom.

"Let him breathe, Meg!" the woman next to Al giggled.

Meg?

I thought and froze. Memories of Megan, her fierce attitude, and fiery red hair flit through my mind, and before I knew it, I was pushing Meg off me. Megan was dead. She'd died last night while chasing after that other guy. I'd watched it on the holographic display at the tavern.

"I'm sorry," I said as Meg gave me a hurt look. "I have to go."

"Hey, hold up!" Al called after me as I headed for the nearest door. "You didn't even finish your food."

I felt like shit. Meg hadn't deserved to be pushed away like that. And, while not as important, I'd never wasted food before. Two wasted opportunities at once, and all because I was still hung up on my damned ex.

Al reached me as I walked through a new door in the back of the dining hall. I heard it click behind us, and I knew without checking that I couldn't go back. I just hoped that Meg didn't follow after me.

"What happened?" Al asked as I leaned back against the wall. "She was way into you! Don't like brunettes or something?"

"Or something," I muttered. Then when I saw Al's look of confusion, I added, "She reminded me too much of my ex. It's complicated, and I don't want to talk about it."

"Fair enough," Al said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "We should probably go back and apologize to those women, though. Huh... The door won't open. Guess we're going deeper, instead."

I decided not to respond, ashamed and grateful that I wouldn't have to face Meg. She didn't deserve that.

We were in another hallway, identical to the first. I wondered how many such hallways existed and how many different rooms we'd find. The next room down the hallway read 'Dungeon,' and I quickly pushed Al past it. So far, we'd seen a dance hall and a dining hall, both of which matched their names. I had no interest in whips and chains, regardless of what side I was on. And if I read it wrong, I also didn't want anything to do with more LARPers. The 'Game Room' piqued my interest, though, and Al followed me in.

The first things I noticed were the large holographic displays and the cacophony of clashing sounds. I immediately recognized what was being displayed on several screens. Racing games to my left, a popular FPS on my right, and a fighting game all played their sounds to confusion. A bank of computers ran in one corner, but I couldn't see what they were playing. Once again, the women outnumbered the men. But unlike the other rooms, most of the women here weren't that attractive. Those that were above average already had a man playing next to them.

"Hey, I don't want to be one of those guys, but--" Al started to say, but I cut him off.

"Whenever someone starts a sentence like that with a 'but' in it, they always contradict themselves. Don't say it." I could see him eyeing the women here as well, and he didn't look happy. Compared to the offerings in the previous room, I couldn't blame him.

I tried to go back out, but once more, the door behind me remained closed. What was with this place not letting you go back" I felt like I was in some twisted horror gameshow.

"Hey, you two!" a particularly busty woman called out to Al and me. "I think I know you. Bobby, right? Wanna join me in a quick game of...."

I tuned her out as I walked to the back of the game room. My mind couldn't help but notice one guy make a rookie mistake in his fighting game, opening him up to a brutal onslaught from his attractive opponent. As I passed the computers, I saw that they were playing the latest MOBA. One woman looked up and smiled at me, but I pushed on, hoping Al followed.

Outside that door, we were in yet another red-carpeted hallway.

"This place is weird," Al said as the closing door blocked out the loud gaming noises. "You don't think the next room will have uglier women, do you? I really regret not finishing my meal, and that Asian chic was pretty cute, even if she had a little extra meat on her bones."

"I don't know," I muttered. "At this point, I want to find the exit and get out of here."

"How do you think we're doing in their test?" Al asked, bringing my mind to a screeching halt. I'd completely forgotten about that! What must it look like as we dart from room to room? I'd wasted food, rejected an attractive woman's advances, and I didn't even want to think about what that last room meant.

"Are you sure we're being tested?" I asked back. "I mean, I don't see any cameras, and the only older Knight I've seen was the one who hauled away that drunk couple. Maybe the band?"

"The fact that they were there to take that guy away means they're watching us," Al responded. "These hallways are starting to trip me out, though. I mean, they all look identical, yet have different rooms. And we can't go back. I guess they're using magic, somehow."

"I think we should...." I trailed off, not sure of what we should do. It never occurred to me that magic was involved in this, and that would also explain how they're watching us. "Let's just find the next room and see what it holds," I finished after a few seconds.

Al didn't have any other advice to offer, and we moved down the hallway. This time we looked at all the rooms one by one. We saw doors for Dance Hall B, Pharmacy, Conference room, and Cocktail Lounge.

"Based on the rooms we've been through already, I don't think I want to go into the pharmacy," I told Al. "It's not like we need any drugs or anything."

"What if it's healing potions, though?" Al asked.

"If it is, then they lied to us about this place being safe for the night," I said, thinking he might have played too many RPGs. The doorman mentioned this being a safe second home, but I'd never been in a home like this! Felt more like I was in a twisted funhouse. Hopefully, we were safe, though, as I hadn't seen an actual exit sign since we entered the hotel.

"I wonder why there are two dance halls," Al said as he approached that door. "Huh, I hear techno. No one listens to techno."

I almost opened my mouth to say that I liked to when working out but decided to stay on topic. "So, conference room or cocktail lounge?"

"The conference room probably has some stuffy old ladies in there," Al chuckled. "Besides, I could use a drink."

I knew it was a mistake after the door closed behind us. At first, I struggled to see through the vape smoke hanging in the air. Once I did, I started looking for the exit. An older lady sat behind a grand piano, playing and singing a sappy love song. So far, there were fewer men in here than any other room we'd been in, but what caught my eyes were the women.

In all the other rooms, the women ranged in ethnicity but were pretty even when it came to looks and age. Here, age was the constant. Some were attractive, while others were not. But one and all, they were cougars. After my night with Charlotte, I wasn't opposed to older women--heaven knows that big tittied goth woman showed me a thing or two--but if Al's prediction that we could meet our future wives here held true, I wanted someone closer to my age.