Gerald set a spinning drum on the desk and gave it a spin, “Here’s the drawing drum, Alburet.”
“Okay, folks let’s see who gets what. When your number is called bring me your ticket to verify. Then Kim or Vanessa will take you into the back so you can grab your choice.” The crowd began to cheer again as he reached for the first number.
After the raffle was over, people hung around drinking and eating and talking excitedly about the coming adventure. Vanessa took off to get some sleep since she needed to be back early, but Kim was still there when Rolland rolled in with a quizzical expression. Alburet waved to him as Rolland went over to speak with his wife.
Taking a moment during the party he found Chris and Deidre off to one side. “Deidre, sorry we missed your celebration dinner the other night.”
“Aye we missed ya,” Deidre replied. “We heard ya had prior obligations though. It happens at times, It nay be like we told anyone ahead of time we had been goin’ out huntin’ like tha’. Besides ya accepted us both into the guild, tha’ be a wonderful gift to make up for it.”
“We do thank you for accepting us,” Chris added. “We noted that you have few Alpha Worlders currently in the guild. Which means we have been able to join early and the quest to go into the Dead Lands is pretty big, if you can get everything set up.”
“That is the plan,” Alburet chuckled. “Enjoy the rest of the party, and sorry again. Now where did Stacia get off to so I ca corral her for bed?”
“She be over there talkin’ to Rolland,” Deidre pointed her out.
“Thanks,” Alburet gave them a parting smile as he went over to Stacia.
“Hope you guys can enjoy the rest of the party, but I’m taking the wife to bed now,” Alburet gently interrupted the group.
“Aye, it be near time for me to help Fluff,” Stacia said as she took his arm. With the the two couples said their goodbyes.
Stacia tapped Karen and Fluff, who were off in a corner, and retreated to the house. As they entered, feeling a little more worn than normal, Stacia touched Fluff’s arm gently. “Ya still wish for them to see?”
Fluff glanced at Alburet and Karen then nodded, her voice subdued, “Yes. They should know.”
Stacia looked at the other two, “Give me and her five minutes, then join us.”
As Stacia and Fluff left, Alburet leaned against a sofa. “Well, everyone seems to be on board with your crazy idea, Karen,” Alburet commented.
Karen grinned, “It will be a blast. Aren’t you worried about the Alpha Worlders going with us, though?”
He nodded, “Yes, but I will not deny them. Would you want someone to hold you back just because you might die a final death?”
She paused as she considered it, “That is a good point.”
“What do you think this means? With Fluff, that is?” Alburet asked after a moment of silence.
Karen looked at him, “She mentioned something about her family during the meet-up at Mindblown. I don’t think her family life was good when she was young. Not that I can talk much on that topic.”
Alburet looked at Karen and reached out to touch her arm, “We all have dark things we would rather not share.”
Karen gave his hand a squeeze before she stood up from where she’d been leaning, “It’s time.”
Alburet presented his arm to her, “Might I escort you to the room?”
Karen’s face lightened up a little at his words, “Not the way I’d hoped, but I’ll take what I can get for now.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Entering the guest room, Alburet saw Fluff laying on her bed with the covers pulled back. The part that made him slow was the fact she was in just her undergarments. Karen smirked as she slipped past him and went to Stacia’s side on the far side of the bed.
“What do we do?” Karen asked as she looked down at Fluff with a smile.
Fluff was sleeping it seemed, her eyes were closed and her breathing was even and slow. “Ya just touch me back, an’ when I go into her mind ya will come with.” Stacia looked over at Alburet, “Come now, Asthore, she knew ya would be seein’ her like this.”
Alburet nodded, studiously ignoring the soft fur that covered Fluffball’s stomach and thighs as he went around to Stacia’s side. Laying his hand on her shoulder, he gazed down at the sleeping beauty on the bed. “Okay, I’m ready.”
“Do nay panic over what ya see. Ya can nay interact with anythin’, ya will be like a ghost, only able to watch. Fluff will be with us watching the memory. Offer her words of comfort and tell her what ya will. Do nay speak harshly of her father though, she still be workin’ though her conflicted emotions about him.” Stacia glanced at both of them before she nodded and began to hum a haunting tune that seemed to draw their minds in.
Alburet blinked as he found himself in a small room. Sitting at a desk was a pale skinned beauty. Her black hair was long and draped down her back as she was bent over the desk working on something. She glanced once at the door, her clear, light blue eyes looking like gemstones.
“That is Fluff,” Karen whispered to him from one side.
He looked over, and was able to see the ghostly outline of Karen beside him. “She’s like a doll.”
Karen nodded, “Exactly what I thought. She only grew up, she hasn’t changed.”
Shaking his head, Alburet watched as the teen sat back and stretched. He stepped forward to see what she had been working on. A green haired elf was tied to a tree with vines, naked and spread eagle as a massive orc stood before her. His mouth dropped open at the erotic nature of the drawing.
“Julia! You useless little bitch, why isn’t dinner ready!?” The irate voice cut through the walls.
Julia started. She jumped up from her desk and fled the room, very nearly running. They followed her to the living room. She was kneeling before a man, taking his shoes off. “Sorry, Poppa. I was working on the art you wanted. I think I’m improving.”
His hand lashed out, striking Julia on the head, “Shut it, you worthless little tramp. I didn’t ask for excuses. Go get me a beer and get dinner ready, like it should be already. I’ll judge the art later.”
“Yes, Poppa,” Julia said as she jumped to her feet and hurried into the kitchen.
Alburet frowned as he watched the man’s head turn to follow her. The look on the man’s face sent a spike of hatred through Alburet. Julia came back out with an open bottle, setting it next to her father before she retreated again.
After a minute, the man grabbed his beer and wandered to Julia’s room. The group tried to follow him but they were met with an invisible wall.
“She was nay there, so I can nay show it, or extrapolate wha’ may have been, as he did nay make enough noise,” Stacia told them as they retreated back to the living room.
The man came back holding a sheet of paper, which he set down on the end table beside his chair. He turned on the TV and settled back with his beer in hand. Alburet frowned at the paper as he studied it. “That isn’t the original.”
Time in the scene froze as the others came over to look at the paper. It was clearly a printed copy of the art Julia had just drawn. “He must have scanned it and printed this one,” Karen said.
“But why?” Alburet asked without expecting an answer.
“Watch,” Fluff’s voice said softly.
A few minutes later Julia came out to the living room carrying two plates. A thick steak covered one plate, while the other held veggies and a handful of nuts. She set the steak before her father and took the plate of veggies over to the corner of the room, where she began to eat them slowly, as if savoring them.