Rolling for Love Read online

  Rolling for Love

  A Role-Playing Supernatural Romance

  Kate Messick

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Notes on Dungeons & Dragons

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 59

  Chapter 60

  Chapter 61

  Chapter 62

  Chapter 63

  Chapter 64

  Chapter 65

  Chapter 66

  Chapter 67

  Chapter 68

  Chapter 69

  Chapter 70

  Chapter 71

  Chapter 72

  Chapter 73

  Chapter 74

  Chapter 75

  Chapter 76

  Chapter 77

  Chapter 78

  Chapter 79

  Chapter 80

  Chapter 81

  Chapter 82

  Chapter 83

  Chapter 84

  Chapter 85

  Chapter 86

  Epilogue

  Afterword

  Copyright (C) 2020 Kate Messick

  Layout design and Copyright (C) 2020 by Next Chapter

  Published 2020 by Shadow City – A Next Chapter Imprint

  Edited by Tyler Colins

  Cover art by Cover Mint

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the author’s permission.

  Acknowledgments

  I do not have words to thank my first readers enough. Leah Fletcher, Nick Burgoyne, and Marin Miller, this book would not exist if not for your feedback and honest opinions. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

  As always, I need to take a moment to thank my cat and, possibly my husband. Both keep me warm and put up with my consent babblings about people that exist only in my mind … without sending me to a mental hospital, yet.

  Notes on Dungeons & Dragons

  You do not need to have ever played Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) to enjoy this book. It’s intended to be balanced between flavor text for those of us who play and explanations for anyone who does not. However, this section gives an overview of the game, if you’re confused or would like the basics.

  D&D is a fantasy role-playing game where groups of people get together to experience and create stories. The game is created by the Dungeon Master (DM), who helps steer players through a story. However, players are given free will and often do not understand the DM’s clues and just do whatever they want. The DM must then adapt, rewrite, and create new stories as players make their own terrible – er, different – decisions.

  The trick to this is that all decisions, actions, and even, to a certain extent, your characters are controlled by dice. Because if we could all make our own choices every time, we would never fail, and most of us would believe we know everything. If players want to know more about something, they can roll to see if they know. If you want to stab something with a sword, you need to roll to see if you can hit it. If you want to scare someone, you need to roll to see how scary you can be. Character sheets give bonuses to rolls so that everyone is better or worse at different skills.

  Unless otherwise stated, the higher you roll, the better the result. Eighty percent of rolling is done on a twenty-sided die often referred to as a D20. Most D&D players keep at least two sets of dice of different colors with them, as you often need to roll two or more at once.

  All of the rules, restrictions, and calculations for D&D are located in the various D&D Player Guides. These books also contain lore about the world, the classes, and what abilities you can and cannot use. Because let’s be honest, if you could create magical people who could do anything, would you give them limits? I certainly wouldn’t.

  D&D as a system is very controlled so that no one character is more important than any other – in theory. However, the fantasy aspect makes it incredibly flexible. Often referred to as “home brew”, the DM can really do whatever they want, and players, with the permission of the DM, can also create anything they want within the system’s rules. This is especially true when using D&D to create an urban fantasy setting, such as Joe’s campaign in this book. Some people who play D&D find it very important to function exactly in the rules of the system. Others are happy to try new things and bring concepts from other role-playing systems.

  After everything is created and the game is being played, characters grow, just like people hopefully do in real life, by leveling up. DMs keep track of how much experience people have and, at each level, characters get more complicated and have more powerful toys, bodies, brains, and hearts.

  Far from a complete list, brief descriptions of races and classes used in this book are below and link to their level-one character sheets found on my website www.JustAPotato.com.

  Your race is the people you were born to. Kate Messick is a human.

  Dhampir (Nozomi) - Half vampire, half human, dhampir always kill their human mothers in birth. As often evil as good, they are a diverse race that shies away from the spotlight.

  Human (Strider) - It’s very hard to make generalizations about human as a race; they can be anything, anyone, and have no particular inclination toward anything.

  Gargoyle (Goliath) - A homebrew race, gargoyles are hulking monsters with wings and tails. They are fiercely loyal, traditional in spirit, and lack a sense of humor.

  Succubus (Trixy) - Often evil, succubus are female demons that feed off sexual energy. Unearthly beautiful, they are also arrogant, manipulative, and self-serving.

  Werewolf (Ruby) - Controlled by the beast inside them, werewolves are creatures of emotion and adrenalin. They must shift into wolf form during a full moon.

  Your class is the job you have chosen in your life. Kate Messick is a word engineer.

  Rogue (Nozomi) - Rogues are the sneaky scoundrels of the D&D world. Their skillsets often include thievery and gamboling, and their favorite weapons are dagger
s.

  Bard (Strider) - Charming, inspiring, or distracting, the bard is usually more assistance than damage. These musicians and storytellers are known for their knowledge and diversity.

  Paladin (Goliath) - Righteous, holy warriors, paladins get their magic directly from their god. They always strive to do what is right and make fierce friends and terrify enemies.

  Wizard (Trixy) - Wizards are the ultimate magic users. Smart and putting out huge bursts of damage when fighting, they are a force to be reckoned with, although they are easily damaged themselves.

  Druid (Ruby) - Connected to nature, and often knowledgeable in medicine and animals, druids are incredibly versatile and have the ability to shape change and use nature magic.

  Chapter One

  Campaign, Secret Demon Casino

  Demon is a broad term for the vaguely humanoid creatures that are most commonly found in Earth’s supernatural underworld. Ruled by seven families, the supernatural world exists just under the average person’s radar and thrives on the energy and economics of human existence.

  Nozomi (Sandy’s character)

  Sweat trickles between my shoulder blades, making my back sting as it seeps into the opened wound under my leather corset. I automatically turn to the creature on my left as he takes a sharp breath. The metallic scent of blood slowly pushes its way through the layers of smoke, liquor, and bodies that surround us.

  The creature’s hood is up, but, as the rules of the game require, his face is still visible. Almost black eyes dilate slightly at the scent of blood. White skin, only a few shades lighter than my own, stretches across an unreadable face. His body is undefined under layers of robes. I store his reaction in the back of my mind and move my cigar from one side of my mouth to the other. The table in front of me is strewn with cards, groups of eight turned on their faces; only a few remain in the hands of the five players.

  The two across from me are as opposite as can be. The olive-skinned human, maybe seelie, I can’t tell, is thin and nicely dressed with an open smile that lights up the room. Next to him is a gargoyle. His face is broody and his body a wall of muscles interrupted only by the loincloth around his waist and large black leathery wings oddly folded to fit into the chair. I’m distracted as another question is asked in this deadly, supernatural version of Go Fish.

  “Do you have any humans?” The low alto voice is from my right and drips with sex and promise. She’s a succubus, dressed in very little. Her ample pale skin almost glows under the blue and purple LEDs that light the room. It also brings out highlights of red in her perfect, wavy, blonde hair.

  “Go fish,” the human says smoothly. It had been a stupid question. She was not the first person to ask him.

  “I feel bad but,” the gargoyle on my rights starts. His words roll with a Scottish lilt. He squeezes his grey fist in front of his perfectly shaped and chiseled chest. Coal-black eyes meet the succubus’ vivid blue ones. “Do you have any humans?” he asks.

  “Piss off.” The succubus literally throws her cards at him. Her perfect lean face pouts.

  “I apologize, but I played by the rules,” the gargoyle emphasizes. He puts a set of eight down in front of him, leaving his hand and the succubus’ both empty.

  I eye their piles. Both are small. The winner will come down to one of the three remaining. I’m quite confident that will be me. I subtly stretch my back. The dark leathers of my corset creak, and my chainmail ordainments clink together. My breasts look to be trying to escape their confines. I see the hooded creature’s eyes dilate as the smell of blood from my back increases. Vampire maybe?

  “Do you have any twos?” I ask him.

  “Go fish,” he says with the barest hint of a British accent.

  “No,” I say. “That’s not right.”

  “Are you accusing me of lying?” he asks, his voice incredulous.

  “Maybe?” I answer, my confidence wavering. I can count cards; he has to have a two in his hand. To cheat and be discovered is a death sentence here. And for once, I have not cheated.

  “There are an odd number of cards left,” the human interrupts us.

  I look around the table and quickly count them up. He’s right. I hear movement behind me and I’m reminded that we’re not alone in the room. Although the five of us are seated around a round table, observers have been watching the game. Their fancy clothing and colorful drinks are muted by lowered lights that surround our spot-lit table. Observers have been placing bets, part of the reason an incomplete game is a disaster for the house. I’m at a loss.

  “One of you cheated the house,” a wiry demon says as he approaches the table. Our spectators have doubled as the lights are brought up completely, all eyes drawn to the wiry demon. His hair is slicked back, his horns polished, and his suit as impeccable and rich as the casino around us.

  “No one cheated the house,” the gargoyle says reasonably. He starts to stand and a hand not so gently pushes him back into his seat.

  I look behind me and find my view of the rest of the room blocked by the red, chiseled torso of a demon easily three times my height and weight. His bare chest and abs make an imposing wall of muscle that trap me in my chair. I can see a glowing red upside-down pentagram tattooed on his chest, the sign of the Kaatse family.

  “You have thirty seconds to admit who attempted to cheat the house,” the wiry demon announces. He takes out the leather-bound book and opens it. A ridiculous pen with a foot-long gold and black feather appears in his hand. Actually, it matches his gold and black perfectly tailored suit. Maybe not so ridiculous.

  No one speaks. I open my hands before removing my leather and chain wrist guards to prove that I’m not hiding cards. I see the others at the table making similar motions. But no one speaks up, and the thirty seconds is over before it has really begun.

  “In that case,” the wiry demon gives us a charming smile, “you can all come with me.”

  A warm hand that could almost wrap around my bicep twice roughly pulls me up. I start to try and pull away, and the hand almost breaks my arm. I look up and the demon shakes his head.

  “I bet you would enjoy it too,” I mutter. The demon licks his lips and squeezes again, and I can hear the muscles in my arm compress. That’s going to leave a mark. I notice the second demon pick up my wrist guards and pack.

  The forced march is undignified as we’re paraded through most of the main floor of the casino. Guests dressed to the nines point, whisper, and gossip as we pass. I keep my head down and contemplate my future – or, more likely, lack thereof.

  Chapter Two

  Reality, Joe’s house

  Never quite as abstract as the imagination, reality still is full shapes, colors and textures. Take Joe’s house. On the east edge of Boulder city limits, the neighborhood is clean, groomed, and blocky. Matching bland houses bring out the imagination of their owners, making one look for the smallest of details.

  Joe Smartin

  “Thank you all for coming. I know character-building can be tedious,” I summarize. I’d gone all out tonight. Having only moved to town a month ago, I’m eager to make friends. And not just friends from the military base I’m currently stationed at. There is only so much work, current events, and fitness I can talk about. And then there is the fact that most of my coworkers are ranked below me. The military takes fraternizing between rankings quite seriously and so do I. I don’t necessarily agree with everything our government does, but I believe in what it stands for. I live to serve my country and I’m proud to say that.

  I’m dressed in loose jeans that easily hug my defined backside and a hoodie with the air force logo on it. Although, having met Sandy, I wish I’d chosen something that showed a little more of my physique. I’m a much above your average Joe, pun intended. Much like my person, my house is clean and organized. Although, I have to admit, it’s rather barren of personal touches. I buy all my furniture in the same brown stain so I won’t have to think about it.

  “I don’t think it’s tediou
s,” Steven answers, a big cheesy grin on his wide face. Steven looks like a typical dad from sitcoms. A little pudgy, he’s dressed in khaki pants and a button-down with a sweater vest.

  “You spent most of the game doodling boobs,” Zack responds. He points to Steven’s offending sheet, resting on the table.

  “At 14, I’d think you appreciate the importance of breasts on the female body,” Steven responds innocently.

  “I’m 17,” Zack scoffs.

  I kinda agreed with Steven. Zack is young, but he looks even younger. His skin is brown from his Mexican heritage and his mop of black, untrimmed hair is constantly in his eyes. His slightly oversized black clothing doesn’t help him in the least.