Heather the Necromancer - Book 6: Chapter 33: A special event (2)

“Alright,” Heather said as she smiled at Quinny. “If I know Quinny, they are out in the open. One is probably at the farm, and another at the haunted house. I also bet there are clues about where the others are.”

“Aww,” Quinny grumbled and folded her arms. “You know me too well.”

“I know you haven’t used these locations for your games, so you must have done something else,” Heather said and took Quinny’s hand. She pulled the zombie woman ahead of the pack and began whispering. “And I know you’re upset about something. So what is it?”

“It’s nothing,” Quinny insisted and looked away.

“Quinny, I love you and want to help,” Heather insisted. “Please tell me what’s bothering you.” She saw the zombie woman smile at hearing Heather’s admission of love. Still, it didn’t motivate her to reveal anything, as she insisted she was fine.

“Then I am going to hold your hand the rest of the way,” Heather insisted.

“I appreciate how hard you’re trying,” Quinny said. “But you’re not really into girls.”

“Is that what’s bothering you?” Heather asked. “Quinny, I admit it wasn’t something I ever spent a lot of time thinking about, but I want to try. I am sure with a little time; I will be as accepting of it as Jaina is.”

“That’s not what’s bothering me,” Quinny said as Heather took them toward the ruined farm. “It’s just this isn’t my holiday.”

“You don’t like Valentine’s day?” Heather asked.

“It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s just….” she trailed off and looked away as they arrived at the farmhouse.

Heather wanted to press the point, but the other girls quickly headed around the small farmhouse to the little gardens in the back. She didn’t want to risk Quinny having a painfully emotional moment in front of so many witnesses.

Sure enough, the card floated in the air in the middle of a small field, radiating a golden light. Before anyone could reach the card, a small devilish creature that reminded Heather of one of Chandice’s imps jumped out and waved a spiked club.

The poor thing was no match for their group and was quickly brought down. Jaina and the girls each took a copy of the card, and Heather refused to take one for herself unless Quinny took one. Roric and Chandice searched the imp’s body and discovered a map of a location in the forest.

Heather knew exactly where that location was and took the lead one more. Quinny was at her side, still being held by the hand as Frank and Breanne caught up.

“Why are you two so attached?” Breanne asked.

“I am ensuring Quinny enjoys her own events,” Heather replied.

“I don’t need to play my events,” Quinny said.

“Oh, and that’s why you put so much kissing in,” Heather laughed. “Admit it you wanted to share those with me.”

“Maybe,” Quinny sighed.

“Quinny,” Heather sighed. “I promise we will ride the tunnel of love when Jaina and the others are gone, and you can have all the kisses you want.” She saw the smile Quinny tried to hide and hoped this little moment was over.

They arrived at the base of a hill where a four-foot-tall man with white wings faced them with a heart-tipped spear. Quinny explained it was supposed to be a fallen cupid, and it lasted about as long as the imp, going down in a barrage of spells and special abilities.

“Maybe I need to up the challenge of these,” Quinny said as she witnessed how quickly her boss monster fell.

“I think it’s fine,” Heather said as she took a copy of the card.

The Cupid had a map that took them to a tiny graveyard where zombies tried to protect a holiday-themed chest. The card and map were inside the chest, as were little chocolate hearts. This map took them to a small island in a pond where an evil frog the size of a large dog did its best to stop them. Evalynn and Breanne tore him apart before the others could even land an attack, and his card was claimed.

Oddly he didn’t have a chest, and Quinny refused to tell them where the clue was. Heather was reminded of the haunted house and how Quinny’s clues were usually hidden in plain sight. The only thing they had was the dead frog and the crown, so Heather flipped the card over to see the map was on the back.

“Very clever,” Heather said as she waved the map in Quinny’s face.

“You spoil all my tricks,” Quinny sighed. “You’re too smart.”

“You know where it is?” Jaina asked as she approached.

“The map is on the back of the card,” Heather pointed out and showed them the layout. “This looks like the caves in the hills at the edge of the forest.”

“Hmm, this reminds me of what she said about you,” Jaina laughed. “Always the first one to figure out how to solve the problem.”

“I like these little boss battles,” Gisley said as she clutched her collection of cards. “It’s a fun little adventure.”

“You did really good,” Frank added, putting an army around Quinny’s waist. “Everybody is having fun.”

Quinny cheered up a little at the praise, but she still wasn’t her usual self. Heather pulled her along as they went to the caves and battled another devil-like creature. This particular monster spoke and threatened them with a club called the heart breaker. It was clearly magical, but the poor thing was hit by so many spells he never got a chance to use it. When he died, the club remained, and Chandice was allowed to keep it to sell in her shop.

He had a holiday-themed chest full of heart-shaped boxes of chocolate and the final map to the haunted house.

“I know exactly where this is,” Heather told the group.

“I think I will go back to my barrow mound,” Quinny said. “You guys can go on.”

“You are coming with,” Heather insisted and clutched her hand. “We do this as a couple.”

“I don’t need the cards,” Quinny insisted and tugged at Heather’s hand. “Please just let me go.”

“Quinny,” Heather said and turned to address her. “Why don’t you want to enjoy this with us?”

“I do want to enjoy it with you,” Quinny said.

“Then please come with us,” Heather begged. “I promise to give you a kiss when we get there.”

“I will give you a kiss too,” Breanne added and took her other hand.

“Alright,” the zombie woman sighed. “But I am not helping you solve the puzzle.”

“I am sure Heather will do that,” Breanne said with a roll of her eyes.

“I will not,” Heather protested. “I will let somebody else figure it out for a change.”

“So what does the heartbreaker club do?” Frank asked as they walked.

“It just makes a ring of hearts spin around your head when you get hit by it,” Quinny answered.

“Oh, like you see in cartoons,” Heather laughed. “That’s very creative.”

“Yeah, I guess it is,” Quinny said with a detached tone.

“You still sound upset. I am going to find a way to cheer you up,” Heather insisted and pondered a thought. She wondered if going out for pizza afterward would do the trick. She tossed a few ideas over in her head, and then one came to mind. Quinny would really love to see her take the Lilim evolution, and so would Frank. Maybe she should consider it more if Quinny didn’t cheer up. As they headed for the haunted house, the thought played in her mind, and Quinny seemed to grow more nervous.

“Wow,” Heather commented as they arrived at the haunted house to find it decorated with long-dead flowers. It looked like Quinny had gone out of her way to make it appear that the house had once been vibrant with love and warmth but had somehow died. The front door was wide open and they heard a soft sobbing coming from inside. Heather, Breanne, Jaina, and Evalynn stepped onto the front porch and peered inside to see a gaunt, dark-haired woman sobbing in the sitting room. She was swaying back and forth on the floor as tears poured from her eyes.

“What is this supposed to be?” Jaina asked, unsure what to do.

“I don’t know,” Heather replied. “This feels off-brand for Quinny.”

“And yet it feels like it mirrors her current mood exactly,” Breanne pointed out.

Heather couldn’t deny that point, making her consider Quinny’s mood. Something about today was truly bothering her, even though everyone was enjoying her games. Somehow she felt that this woman was the key to understanding why and needed to learn more.

“Umm, excuse me,” Heather called to the sobbing woman. The woman looked up with a broken expression and waited for Heather to speak. “Is there something wrong?”

“Nobody loves me,” the woman sobbed. “and I never get anything for valentines day.” She went back to her sobbing as Heather turned around to ponder the scene and figure out what Quinny was getting at. It was only then she realized the others had approached, and yet Quinny was still well outside, standing all alone.

“This has to mean something,” she whispered to Breanne. “This scene has something to do with Quinny.”

Breanne agreed as the others began to engage the crying woman with Questions, only to get the same answers. Gisley and Chandice went out to ask Quinny for advice, but Quinny refused to tell them anything. Heather noticed the strain in Quinny’s voice and how little she was saying. Her mind was consumed by what was wrong with her lover and not on solving the puzzle, but thankfully the sweet-hearted Gisley had gone back inside. She was upset to see the woman crying so she did the only thing she could think to do and gave her one of her magic valentines.

“Here,” Gisley said. “I want you to have this.”

The woman looked up with tears and took the card before reading the message inside. She began to cry again, but this time the tears were of happiness as she cried that somebody had cared enough to give her a card. She vanished in a pink flash, leaving behind the card Gisley had given her, plus a special card addressed to Gisley with a message of love.

“That’s interesting,” Heather said as she looked at Breanne.

“I have a terrible feeling about this,” Breanne replied as both women turned to regard Quinny. Jaina was admonishing her for having a soft heart under her gothy exterior, and Gisley was delighted to have gotten her card. Quinny informed them that the woman would respawn in a minute, and they could all turn in to get the final card, but she seemed distant.

Heather could see that Jaina had picked up on the strange mood as she looked to Roric and Rajeen for help.

“That’s it,” Heather said to Breanne before going to Quinny and pulling her aside. She took her well away from the others and stood between them as she looked Quinny in the eyes.

“Why are you so upset?” Heather asked. “And don’t say you’re not because even Jaina and the others have picked up on it now.”

Quinny’s lip trembled as her eyes looked away and started to water. Heather felt terrible that she was so upset when everybody else was enjoying what she had built. She put her arms around the poor woman and cradled her head to her shoulder.

“Quinny, please tell me why you’re so upset,” Heather begged. “I would do anything to take this pain away from you.”

“Because that’s me in the house,” the woman sobbed. “Nobody ever sent me a valentines card or even bothered to acknowledge me. I spent every holiday alone, and nobody loved me.”

“Oh, Quinny,” Heather sighed as her heart started to break. “You based that on yourself? No wonder you didn’t want to come to see it.”

“I thought I would feel better if I faced it, but I don’t. It still hurts,” the woman sobbed.

“What happened?” Frank asked as he arrived with Breanne.

“Quinny has never gotten a valentines card,” Heather said. “She has never had a happy valentines day.”

“And you made all this to torture yourself?” Breanne asked.

“I thought it would help,” Quinny sobbed. “But I feel worse.”

“I sorta know how you feel,” Frank said as he put a hand on her back. “I never got a valentines day card either. One year I got a card in school, but it turned out to be a prank, and I ended up humiliated.”

“Wow, now I feel bad for getting cards and gifts,” Heather sighed.

“I had plenty myself,” Breanne agreed. “But I can appreciate that it hurts to be alone when all you want is somebody to care.”

“Nobody ever loved me,” Quinny said as Heather pulled her tight.

“Well, I love you,” Heather said, kissing the top of her head. “And so does Breanne, Frank, and even Umtha. You are a part of our life now, and you will never spend another valentine’s day alone.”

Quinny leaned back to look into Heather’s eyes and was rewarded with a kiss. Heather leaned into the kiss, doing her best to show her how much she was loved.

“Feel better?” Heather asked as she broke the kiss.

“That was a real kiss,” Quinny said. “You meant that.”

“Of course I did,” Heather replied with a smile and stroked the woman’s head. “You’re my girlfriend and soon to be my wife. Wow, did that sound awkward to say out loud,” she finished and took a deep breath. “The point is we love you, and you never have to face anything alone again.”

“And you should have told us about this before tormenting yourself,” Breanne said as she hugged the woman from behind. “We would have helped.”

“I wanted to try and work through it,” Quinny said with a sniff. “I thought if I faced it, I could put it aside and move on.”

She lay her head on Heather’s chest and let out a tired sigh. With closed eyes, she was surrounded by the three who held her tight until she was calm enough to stand on her own.

“Hey, where did the others go?” Quinny asked when she looked up to see Roric and his girls were gone.

“I don’t know,” Breanne replied. “We had our backs to them.”

“I hope they didn’t get embarrassed at our moment and ran off,” Heather groaned.

“I have a feeling it will take more than a few tears to embarrass that group,” Breanne joked.

Quinny went to say something when a red valentine’s day card flew through the air and landed in her hands. She looked confused as a second card landed in her hand and was quickly followed by a third.

“Why is it suddenly raining cards?” Heather asked.

“It has to be Jaina and Roric,” Frank said. “They went back to the wall to send Quinny Valentine’s day cards.”

“How sweet of them,” Breanne said as Quinny collected the sixth card.

Quinny held the cards as if treasuring them, then one by one, she kissed them, sending the reward back to the giver. Heather could see Quinny was deeply touched as tears ran down her cheeks along her broken smile. When the final card was kissed, Heather pulled her into another warm hug. She closed her eyes and smiled as she felt the loving arms of the woman wrapped around her. She was surprised when Frank came up behind her and leaned into her back.

“This is why you’re always so goofy and aloof, isn’t it?” Frank whispered. “You have been trying to hide how much you hurt inside.”

“I just wanted somebody to care,” Quinny said.

“I care,” Frank said as he closed his eyes. “I wish you could see how much you and the others mean to me. I spent my valentines days alone as well, and I never thought I would spend one with anyone. I came here to hide from myself as much as everyone else, and I planned to build a dungeon so big that nobody would ever find me. I was alone and miserable just like I was before, then you three came along, and everything changed.” He paused to shed a tear of his own before continuing. “I love you, and I hate to see you hurting.”

Quinny broke from her embrace with Heather and threw herself into Frank’s arms. Heather was able to step back and admire Frank for his powerful words and the effect it was having on Quinny.

“Tell me again that he doesn’t know how to have a relationship,” Heather whispered to Breanne.

“He’s growing into a man,” Breanne said. “His time with us has made him realize how much he could have. I have seen it happen several times. That moment when a boy steps up and becomes a good man.”

“I kind of like that boyish enthusiasm he has for the world and building his dungeon,” Heather said.

“He won’t lose that provided we never act to strip it from him. Too many women belittle a man’s dreams or respond negatively to the things he is passionate about. So long as we encourage him to pursue his dreams, his enthusiasm will only grow,” Breanne replied.

“Hmm, I am glad you’re a part of this relationship,” Heather said and put an arm around Breanne’s waist. “You have a lot of experience the rest of us lack. I had some boyfriends in the past, but I can’t honestly say any of my relationships were good. I made a mess of things every time.”

“I will do my best to help us navigate the stormy waters that usually mark the beginning of a relationship,” Breanne agreed.

“Well, you certainly have the skill for it,” Heather said. “That was a special thing you did, giving that rose to Gisley.”

“Hmm. knew it would make her happy, and sometimes making somebody happy is all that matters,” Breanne said as Gisley appeared, pulling her magical disk. “And I see our friends have returned. You look after Frank and Quinny. I will go talk to them.”

Heather went to Quinny and Frank, who were still locked in a firm hug. She joined the hug, squeezing the woman between them to surround her with love. They broke the hug a moment later and approached the group, still sitting on their magic disk. Breanne was explaining how the love tokens could be used to get random gifts by throwing them into the wishing well. Roric asked how they turned the cards in, and the Heather was surprised to hear they were to be put into a mailbox next to the wishing well.

“I didn’t notice a mailbox,” Jaina said, mirroring Heather’s own thoughts. She tried to remember the well but couldn’t say she had seen a mailbox.

“Climb on, and I will fly us all back to the well,” Gisley urged.

Heather smiled as Frank picked her up and placed her on the disk before lifting Quinny and Breanne. He climbed in beside Quinny and Chandice who joked that she got to sit next to the sexy man. Gisley took off and flew at terrific speed, eager to get them to the well to make their wishes.

Heather put a hand over Quinny’s, doing her best to encourage the woman who was finally smiling again. In fact, she seemed very happy about this moment, making Heather remember the outfit. She began to wonder what kind of outfit Quinny had designed for Valentine’s day and her stomach began to churn.

Sure enough, they arrived at the well, and there was a mailbox carefully hidden in the flowers. Quinny told them that an NPC at the keep would have told them there was a way to send your love beside the magic well to encourage people to look for it.

“So we just throw tokens in?” Jaina asked as she looked down the well.

“That’s all you have to do,” Quinny replied in a much better mood. “But you can spend them at the keep as well.”

Jaina tossed a handful in, and golden light issued up the well. A heart-shaped box of chocolates appeared at her feet, and a small red potion bottle marked Cupid’s aura. Jaina asked what it did, and Quinny explained it caused little red and pink hearts to float about the drinker. Evalynn threw some tokens in and was rewarded with a large chocolate heart and a pink face mask with feathers down one side.

“Oh, I want one of those,” Jaina grumbled as Chandice went next. She, too, got candies and a potion, but hers was pink and allowed the drinker to blow kisses. She drank it right away and kissed her hand, then blew it at Jaina. A pair of red lips few out and smacked Jaina on the cheek, leaving behind a lipstick kiss.

“That is very creative,” Roric said as Rajeen nodded in agreement.

Everyone began to throw in tokens and collected candies, trinkets, and three styles of masks. They got additional potions, including one that turned the drinker’s pupils into red hearts for a few hours. In addition, there was a magic arrow that trailed hearts when fired and healed the person struck for a small amount. These were all given to Evallyn and Breanne as they were the only ones who could truly use them. Eventually, they decided to stop throwing tokens in and turned to the mailbox.

“So all we do is put our cards in?” Jaina asked as Quinny nodded. Jaina took her bundle of six and put them inside, then closed the door. When she opened it, a wrapped package was inside that she took out and held up.

“Oh, wow,” Jaina said with a wide smile.

Heather felt her blood run cold as Jaina held up the garment. It was little more than a white lace corset with pink hearts and ribbons in strategic places. The corset had thin straps holding up white stockings that framed a metallic red pair of panties cut very high on the waist. It came with white lace gloves, little pink bows, and a fancy white and pink garter to go on one leg.

“I’m not wearing that,” Heather said defiantly.

“Of common,” Quinny pleaded with big eyes. “You wore the witch costume.”

“The witch costume had a skirt,” Heather argued. “This is pure lingerie.”

“But this will make me happy,” Quinny insisted. “I picked it because I knew how beautiful you would look in it.”

Heather felt a rising pang of guilt, but she held her ground. If she was going to parade around in her underwear, she might as well play the Lilim class with its limits on how much skin could be covered. Her opinion was reinforced when Jaina used the magic of the outfit, causing it to appear on her body, highlighting just how skimpy the outfit was. She turned in a little circle with her arms out as Heather had to look away. She felt trapped as Quinny wanted her to put the outfit on, but her sensibilities weren’t so open.

“I want mine!” Gisley said excitedly and stuffed her cards into the box. A minute later, she was in a matching outfit and holding Jaina’s hand. Then, one by one, the women turned in their cards and donned their outfits. Even Quinny and Breanne wore them as all eyes turned to Heather.

“I told you I am not wearing this,” Heather said as she held up her garment.

“But you said you would do anything to take away the pain,” Quinny said as she did her best to mimic Gisley’s earlier face.

“That isn’t going to work on me,” Heather protested as her guilt began to mount. She felt the pressure all around her, but she held her ground. She would wear the outfit in the privacy of their bedroom where Quinny could admire it. She was about to make her decision final when Jaina suddenly chimed in.

“Actually,” Jaina said as she stepped forward. “I don’t think it’s your decision.”

“What do you mean it isn’t my decision?” Heather balked in confusion. She couldn’t imagine how walking around in public in sexy lingerie wasn’t a choice she could decide against.

Jaina smiled and turned to Frank, who looked stunned that the conversation had turned to him.

“The way I see it, that choice is up to your master,” Jaina said.

“My master?” Heather repeated as she looked at Frank and remembered their earlier conversation.

“You did say you wanted me to be your master,” Frank reminded her.

“But that was in private,” Heather insisted. “You don’t honestly want me to wear something like this where anyone could see me?”

“But you don’t mind wearing the collar?” he asked with a smug smile.

“Don’t you play games with me,” Heather protested as he folded his arms. “I need the collar for the disguise.”

“Or you could just go in your normal human form,” Frank reminded.

Heather could see a trap forming, and she practically begged him to reconsider, promising to wear it in the bedroom. He didn’t budge and took her by the arms, looking her firmly in the eyes.

“If you want to wear the collar, you have to obey,” Frank said flatly.

“Common,” Quinny urged. “You will only be embarrassed for a minute.”

“Somehow I seriously doubt that,” Heather groaned and took out her cards. She placed them in the mailbox and received her package. Her hands trembled as she unwrapped it and held up the outfit that had less material than the outfit she wore under her wedding dress.

“Just get it over with,” Quinny insisted. “Or would you rather give Frank the collar so he can return it to Blackbast?”

Heather held the garment up and spoke the words listed on the label inside. In a flash of light, the outfit had replaced the one she had on. She immediately felt the cool air on her skin as her coppery body was exposed.

“Honestly, you wear less when you go swimming,” Breanne said as she shifted her hips in her sexy outfit.

“Yes, but a swimsuit isn’t full of lace that screams sex,” Heather grumbled.

“I think it looks decadent on you,” Jaina purred and ran a finger up Heather’s spine. “Please come to the forest later wearing that.”

“I am not setting foot in that forest,” Heather protested. “Especially wearing this. People will think I am one of you.”

“Hmm, would that be so bad?” Jaina teased and winked. “Think of all the fun you would have.”

Heather could feel the heat on her cheeks as she blushed so deeply that even her copper skin darkened. The others laughed as Frank took her hand and turned her back to the forest.

“Wait, where are we going?” Heather demanded, hoping for a quick escape to her tower.

“You all have a ton of love tokens left,” Frank said as if the answer were obvious. “Let’s go to Finneous’s keep and see what you can buy from the vendors.”

“Frank!” Heather cried and tugged on her arm. “That place will be crawling with players. Everyone will see me.”

“I don’t think he cares,” Jaina teased and fell in beside them.

Heather could see he didn’t and looked to Breanne, who shrugged. She let out a defeated sigh and resigned herself to being paraded about in a skimpy outfit. Quinny took her other hand and smiled wide, leaning into her side as they walked.

“Thank you,” Quinny whispered. “I really appreciate you doing this for me.”

“If it makes you happy,” Heather relented and put an arm around the woman. She realized she truly cared about Quinny’s feelings and wanted the woman to know she was loved. The outfit might be a little daring, but she was in her devil form anyway, and nobody would recognize her. Thinking of her devil form brought back the choice she was struggling to make. That would make Quinny and Frank happy, and she was reminded of what Breanne said about making sometimes making somebody happy was all that mattered.

With that thought, Heather made her decision and looked down at the skimpy outfit. With a sigh, she settled her heart and accepted the fact that she would be wearing it a lot more than anyone anticipated.